Taking Chances. Sequel to Trading Tales

[Boomerang]

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This little fanfic is the sequel to Trading Tales and it's anthology The Inn of No Return. While you could read it without having read those two, I strongly recommend you do not. Some aspects of the story, the characters and concepts do not make sense without prior knowledge and might hamper your enjoyment otherwise.
Also, please note that while the story might have some sex in it, it's not the main focus. In fact it might not make it into the story, so if you're looking for a fap-matic porn fic, go elsewhere.
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Taking Chances
Sequel to Trading Tales intro
You never know where the next dime might come from if you're a traveling peddler, even if you have an established trade route and have regional recognition for being reliable there's no guarantee it'll be there tomorrow. For me, that's part of the charm, as far as my job goes. If I had been looking for a stable life, I would have set up a small permanent shop or married a certain friend some time ago and helped her run her inn. Yet the open road and the adventures I've found on it are things I treasure, even if I do get hurt. My latest adventure left me with scars across my chest and shoulder as well as having found the love of my life, neither of which I had thought possible.

See, I'd met quite a few women, human and mamono, but never had felt the spark of love or any overly strong evocations of lust either. Some had become good friends, like Mari, a human turned succubus whom I helped set up shop as an innkeeper. She was sweet, but too much of a homebody for me to love. Her marriage to Desmond started my last adventure and the wedding itself marked the end. During this adventure I stumbled across a foreign girl, a trader by name of Kaori from a faraway place called Lan-Feong. I'd always enjoyed meeting foreign folk, as they carried tales from places beyond my ken, but I did not expect to fall in love with her. We traveled to Tallfort, a gloomy burg once belonging to the Order, yet by then a doomed town held hostage by an unnatural entity.

With a lot of luck and capable aid from Balase the Baphomet and her Sabbath chapter we managed to save most of the inhabitants, destroy the Sealed One and escape with our lives. In the aftermath, which I spent in a hospitable bed, Kaori revealed that she was in fact a mamono, or youkai as she calls them. Specifically, she is a Gyoubu Danuki, a species unheard of where I lived most of my life. Bushy ears, bushy tail and bushy retractable fur on her legs give her an exotic appearance, though her human form looks like the girl next door. I was kind of surprised to be honest, having met so many mamono a part of me thought I'd recognize them a mile off, but not so with Kaori. She's a more skilled fighter than I am and can handle magic with ease in addition to being a capable peddler in her own right.

We left Mari's hometown, which due to our new friends is experiencing a boom, with the intent of journeying to Lan-Feong and getting married in the presence of her family and friends there. A long journey, normally, but we hope to catch a portal in Grammaueld that will shave months off it. My life is changing fast and that in itself is frightening, but with Kaori by my side I'll face any challenge with a grin... Even another Sealed One.

Chaper 1. Sensory exploration
Night surrounded a small campsite, a pale glow that barely registered in the eyes surrounded a small statuette protectively standing guard in front of an unusual tent. Most tents in this world are of a triangular design, a weatherproof cloth draped over a pole or line and staked to the ground. This tent though had a partially internal skeleton of collapsible rods that supported a rectangular bag-like structure which seemed to have been made by joining two triangular tents together. Earlier during the evening the tent had been moving quite a bit, with lewd and loving sounds coming from it, but now all that could be heard above the chirping crickets in the grass was some harmonious snoring.

Just as dawn broke over the horizon, one of the snores stopped and some mumbles came from the tent. Kaori stretched her arms and sighed contentedly. Last night had been wonderful. Damast might not be an incubus or even much beyond a virgin, or she for that matter, but they got a lot of enjoyment out of exploring each other's bodies and trying out sexual techniques they'd heard of. She glanced down at her fiancee and smiled, he looked adorable while asleep. Mornings weren't his forte she'd noted, but that gave her some time for things she considered essential. Normally, she would have gone straight to her training routines, kicking a log and perfecting her balance. Lately though, she had some other things to take care of.

Gyoubu Danuki, or Danuki as the common name was, were in essence youkai and thus had abilities that ningen women could only dream of. One of these, dating back to when they were some sort of fur-clad trickster entities, was a very good sense of smell. Damast had noticed the smell she gave off when aroused and under a spell that leeched the arousal as a smell, but he had not been able to read it. He had thought it was a perfume, while she was embarrassed because to her, and any other girl with a functional nose, it screamed of her desire to have sex. She blushed at the memory. She still used the spell, because too much sex might get her pregnant and Damast turned into an incubus before their marriage. Not that many youkai would object, but Kaori had been raised by her Ningen grandparents and agreed with them that some things should wait till she was married.

She rand a hand down her soft, yet muscular belly. Damast loved touching it and she loved his attentions. With some effort, she lay down again and sniffed at his mouth, slowly and with deep breath. So far so good. She moved down to his chest, sniffed there too and paid extra attention to the scarring. She hated that, a truly evil being had almost killed her Damast here with an iron rod. Still, nothing wrong as she'd expected, so she went further down. This bit was tricky, she had to fight her urges and prevent Damast from waking, but the scent glands in this area could tell her more about his condition. So she carefully lifted his package out of the way and sniffed. The smell here was not as pleasant, but she considered it worth the bother.

Carefully lowering her precious cargo, she thought on what she had learned. Damast ate a little too much of onions, she would cook for a while. Fortunately he had recovered so very well, but she still was worried over him. Was that instinct? Love? Was she just a worrywart? She shrugged. It would not do to tell him of this little habit, humans could react weirdly to being sniffed, even if it was a pretty girl doing so and for their own health. She really should start on her morning training, but just couldn't do it... A warmth under her hand told her her hands had been idly at work while she was musing. Damast was stirring, so she lay back down beside him and kissed him awake.

"Morning beautiful..." He yawned. "I really love you, you know, but I'm still a little sore from last night." He'd noticed her hands! Kaori blushed and scooted out of the tent, knocking over the guardian charm in her haste. Damast's chuckle spoke volumes as she hurriedly pulled forth a log she'd prepared the previous day. She lay into the log with kicks as vicious as she could muster while still keeping the log intact. This was something no woman was ever told, but sharing your life with a man was not just flowers and sweetness. Damast loved her, unmistakably, but he sometimes teased her for being so easily embarrassed or for worrying so much. She suspected her worrying was irking him on the flipside. When he extricated himself from the tent, his shirt on backwards, he took a bucket and went to gather the water they would need.

She finished the log, her exercises and frustration with a guillotine kick to the top that turned the log into splinters. Perfect for lighting the fire. When that was coming along nicely, she started making breakfast. A lump of butter into the pan, some small herbs going in while she broke some eggs and mixed them in a beaker with scraps of meat and vegetables before pouring it in. Damast returned and handed her the bucket, from which she filled a small pot, then added rice before shoving it into the ashes at the base of the fire. In a few minutes they were eating. Again she was struck by the differences in perception, Damast liked the smell of her food and had complimented her on it, but he had not noticed the slight tangy odor the herbs had added to the egg or the freshness of the rice.

Within her and in any other youkai was demonic energy that could be used to modify humans... Perhaps, she mused, she could give her lover a better sense of smell that way? Something for future consideration she thought. He'd started telling her about the area, something which she appreciated as her prior knowledge was based on her grandparent's memories. She turned her ears fully to his voice...

Chapter 2. A rare find
In my heart, I know that I love Kaori, it's as simple as that. I'd not realized my life was so incomplete without her till I fell in love with her, this foreign mamono with amber eyes, a bushy tail and equally fuzzy ears. Like myself, she's a traveling peddler, though her inventory is slightly more focused on potions and beneficial magical items. She had been struggling to speak my language, which she had learned from her grandparents, but was improving in leaps and bounds. To me, this proved that behind the cute face with the petite lips that could form so beautiful a smile there was a powerful intellect. Some folks might think that a person with a powerful intellect would like to lord it over others, but not so with Kaori.

One of the things I find attractive about her if that she has such a strong determination, another that she gets embarrassed in a most cute way at times. I'd noticed that ever since we officially pronounced our love for each other she'd been trying to keep an eye on my health. This morning she was sniffing me again and thinking afterwards. Her hands had been playing subconsciously with my dick, a habit most guys would welcome in a lover, but which can be a hassle when she's a mamono. Gyoubu Danuki are particularly ferocious when making love, so a normal human guy will be feeling a little sore below the belt after. Still, seeing her blushing like that brought out a chuckle. By the time I left the tent she was venting her frustrations on another doomed log, the poor bit of wood stood no chance, even if it fell to the depths of perfidy and gained great power.

The stream nearby was clear and clean, with healthy plants springing up from the banks, yet it was still good practice to sieve the water a bit with some cloth tied over the opening of the bucket I'd brought. It would strike the city-dwelling folks to learn that even without pollution from industry water could still be dangerous. Some trees released tannin, a useful substance for a tanner, into the water when their branches or roots dipped into the stream. Small, but deadly algae could float along the water, or some natural poisons could be present. A stream with clear water that was not surrounded by plants was to be avoided at all costs, for they would be deadly poisonous. As the bucket sloshed in my hands, I brought it back to Kaori. She took some water from it and used it to cook the rice for breakfast. It was a far cry from what I was used to, namely some slices of bread with a pasty topping, but it tasted so good that the culture shock was inconsequential.

Now Kaori's grandfather, Oji-chan, had originally come from these lands, but that had been decades ago and his memories were colored by nostalgia. Kaori wanted to learn more about these lands, it being one of her reasons for coming here in the first place, but since we'd be heading for Lan-Feong to get officially married her exploration was cut a little short. To make up for that, I'd taken to telling her what I knew about the lands we were traveling through. We were on the way to Grammaueld, where both my old mentor and the portal we wanted to travel through resided. "See, the area we're in is known as Everstream, due to the many small brooks, streams and rivers crossing through it. Nearer to the coast there's a delta of sorts where many wading birds nest and hunt for food." Kaori nodded at that. "Further inland, some streams have turned the land into a peat bog. It's not a nice place to live, but the towns nearby make large profits selling the dried peat as fuel. Still, with the mamono living in the bog more than a few gatherers go missing each year. They tend to return eventually, with their wives and daughters to say hi to their parents. "

The soft moss under my rump held a pebble of sorts, so I tried shifting sideways a little. "People tend to dislike bogs, but they are a vital part of the ecosystem." I shrugged my shoulders and Kaori matched me. "Grammaueld is further along the road and reflects the effort put into building the city and making it prosper. People there are very proud of their achievements in general, but are open-minded towards friendly mamono. I doubt you'll need to bother with your disguise, but I'd warn you not to belittle folks' accomplishments as that would get you a mob chasing after you. One of the big landmarks of the place is of course the Necropolis, but there is also the dancing fountains which pass water between themselves through some spraying mechanism. And of course the big clock, a device as large as a house that not only tells the time, but plays elaborate compositions on it's built-in carillon."

"We... Could we go see these when we go to city?" Kaori asked, her head slightly tilted. I nodded affirmative and gave her a smile. She returned the smile, then fidgeted. "I want to apologize for strange behavior. I not mean to play with sore part, but idle hands got own mind." I chuckled at that and pulled her into a hug. "No need to apologize, but please tell me why you are always sniffing me all over in the mornings." She turned beet-red and fumbled for a response, so I gently kissed her on top of her head. "I sorry Damast, but it very embarrassing to tell now. Uhm, I tell you that Danuki have good nose, right?" I nodded at that. "It instinct for us to check health of lover with nose, by sniffing you I know if you hurt or in need of certain food." She curled her tail around my waist then. "I not tell because humans have weak nose, cannot smell as I do, I worry you think Kaori's weird."

I laughed aloud. "Kaori, I'm not ignorant of mamono's abilities. And you know I love you." I ruffled her hair. "Just don't try to hide these sniffings anymore, okay? It's best to do them when I'm awake though, since my rear has an optional hazard." She blushed and punched my arm lightly.
"Baka, always making me blush." We laughed together then, after we'd cuddled a bit and the sun was clear of the horizon we started breaking up the tent. The cloth had to be folded in a specific way and the poles pushed into themselves with a slight twist. The tent was a marvel of construction that I'd hope to bring back here one of these days to sell. Many adventurers had a simple tent, I hadn't though since my trade route had a few shelters and places were I was welcome along the way. Those simple tents though tended to vanish once a mamono wanted to join them.

While shifting the last pole I happened to glance back to where we'd sat during breakfast, something glimmered in the moss, so I walked over and stooped to take a better look. What I saw shocked me, a piece of bone protruded from the moss with a thin metal chain over it. I carefully dug the moss away and saw that an entire skeletal arm lay buried there, a pendant on a chain clutched in it's hand. Kaori spotted it too and gasped, she started pulling a paper charm out of her pack to ward off evil dead. I turned my head towards her, but froze when I felt another skeletal hand grasp my arm, in a trance I turned back and saw the hand I had uncovered move over mine and press the pendant into my hand.
Both arms then let go and sunk into the soil. Kaori rushed over, stuck a charm on my head and took the pendant from my hand with a pair of tweezers. She muttered an incantation and peered at the pendant.

"Strange, it not cursed. I thought evil dead person try to curse you with mahou pendant, but it not mahou at all." She critically eyed me then, the effects of her magic running like sparks across her eyes. "And no mahou on you either. This happen often here?" I shook my head, not knowing how to answer. "In Lan-Feong sometimes dead have task for living, but most evil dead give curse." She'd raised the pendant to her eyes again and peered critically at the design. "It cheap pendant, as far as I can see. You think dead person want it taken to city?" I shrugged at that before answering.
"Probably... People don't like dying alone and maybe he or she has a family they're worried about. We'll take it along and see if anyone knows about it in Grammaueld."

Still feeling a little shaken we finished packing and set off. I'd taken the pendant and studied it as the road wound on. It showed a relief of what appeared to be a Holstaur and an Angel conversing. Strange symbols, like letters, but different made up a phrase underneath the scene. Well, with some luck a poor family might finally know the fate of their lost relative. A rare find indeed.

Chapter 3.Two cities
Grammaueld looked as I remembered it, though officially considered one large city with an extensive graveyard by officials in other towns, the living inhabitants considered it to be two cities. One for the living, one for the dead. The Necropolis was actually older in places than the city of the living, due to the rather gruesome reason for its creation. Ages past, before the advent of mamono, a bloodthirsty Demon Lord had been brought down here by a large army. Of that army only a handful had survived, ragged men and women who'd seen so much slaughter that they could never again raise a sword in combat, not even in their own defense. They set out on a task that would last the rest of their lives: bury their dead comrades and erect a memorial to the battle waged here.

For many years they toiled alone, surviving in huts and unable to truly live. Then a caravan stopped by, made up of refugees from places conquered by warlords that had sprung up after the Demon Lord's defeat. The survivors of the army could ignore living while alone, but with the refugees added to their numbers they were shaken out of the stupor. Together, the remaining dead were interred and the monument erected within two years. The living then resettled within sight of the early Necropolis and named their city Grammaueld, meaning Grim remembrance in the old tongue, and made it prosper. Some of the surviving soldiers married, but in due time all were interred with their comrades. The city grew and started establishing trade with their neighbors, gaining a reputation for diligence and acceptance of varied outlooks on life.

When mamono appeared under the previous Demon Lord it did not take long for Grammaueld's populace to find their lives turned upside down. A Succubus and her lover had snuck into the Necropolis for some fun and by the copious amounts of demonic energies they released the dead rose from their graves with lust burning through them. Fortunately, a cabal of magi visiting the city managed to contain them long enough for a wall to be constructed around the Necropolis and thus minimizing losses. Natasha, Walt's wife, was a descendant of the family selected by the cabal to maintain and guard the Necropolis through magic and artifacts. During the day they would pacify the dead to allow newly dead to be interred and respects paid. At night they would admit those men who sought love amid the tombstones.

It is said that the Order, before it's fall from grace, had called down the Chief God's blessing on the wall, preventing a spread of the demonic energies from the Necropolis. On one of my visits I had taken a tour of the newer areas which featured ornate tombs with locks on some of them. Those were the tombs where the dead truly were gone from our world, the others had been broken open from inside by the newly risen dead. I'd felt cold eyes staring at me from those open tombs, heard ghostly laughter and in general had seen enough to write many volumes of horror stories. We would need to get close to it as Walt and Natasha lived practically next to the wall, but I wanted Kaori to see as much as she could in life-side first.

When we passed the outer gates I treated her to something she'd never heard of: a Sorbet. Watching her expression go from uncertain to surprise and then happiness was immensely enjoyable. We were getting a few looks from people, Danuki being unheard of in these parts, when suddenly an old acquaintance dropped in. "~*Hi-iai Damast!" Next thing I know, a dainty hand slaps me on the back and before I can stop myself my nose ends up in my own sorbet. "Eh, oops... Are you okay?" As I extract my face two feminine giggles escape suppression and I see who hit me. A cute if slightly pale face with a tomboyish grin and red lips, topped with warm blonde hair and a hat wider than it was tall showed me that Nina was in town again. "Hello Nina, back from hunting I see?"

"Ahuh! And you've been hunting too it seems, who's your friend?" She didn't wait for an answer, but pulled up a chair and plonked down.
"Nina, may I introduce you to Kaori of Lan-Feong, my bride to be. Kaori, this is Nina Van Treppe, a Dhampir huntress."
Kaori and Nina shook hands, though the former gave a territorial look and the latter seemed to burst with questions.
"You are getting married? Fancy that, here I was thinking you were just about hankering after guys..." Nina said, then leaned close to Kaori. "Can't say I blame you though, what a cuty." Kaori looked perplex. "Ha, not to worry gal, my dance-card is full, though for you I might find a spot..." She teasingly licked a finger.

"I not am interested." Kaori blushed. "You are old friend of my darling Damast?" Nina nodded enthusiastically.
"Yup, I've known him since we were kids. My ma worried about me, so she sent me to Littlebrook. The boys thought I was one of them, till these came up." She patted her modest breasts. "Can't say I'd want to miss them, but that was quite a stir they caused." Kaori looked askance.
"You surprise me, first time I meet onna-seeking onna. I want to ask, why pass up men? And how you hunt Dhampir? I not hear of such Youkai..."
Nina burst out into laughter, drawing an exasperatedly perplexed look from Kaori, with some effort I managed to keep a straight face.

"Silly, I am a Dhampir, a huntress by trade." Nina wiped away a few tears of laughter. "Dhampir aren't erh, what'cha call it, Youkai?" Kaori nodded. "We're mamono, but unusual ones. My pa was a human, my ma a Vampire. When a human gets a vampy pregnant without turning into an incubus a Dhampir is born. I'd pass for human, but I'm not exactly that. Just a bit more human than other mamono." She tapped her fingers together. "As for why I'm open to girls instead of guys, well I'm open to guys too, or at least my guy... But I like taming naughty mamono, make them respect their hubbies and humans in general." She licked her lips. "I'm always interested in new playmates though, care to tell me what you are and where your species like to be tickled?"

Kaori by now was as red as a beet, so I stepped in. "Sorry Nina, but she's taken, so don't get your hopes up. Kaori's a Gyoubu Danuki, a mamono from far away where they're called Youkai. So you are one as well." Nina nodded, then smiled a dazzling smile, showing off slightly sharper canines than humans would have. "Ah well, plenty more gals for me, though Gyoubu Danuki go on my wishlist... Hehehe." She took off her hat and pulled a sketch from it. "Gotta warn you though that there's been some trouble in the trade district. An enchantment failed on the ice-warehouses and I'm still rooting out the Beelzebubs, if you see one looking like this..." She showed a sketch of a fly girl with a bandanna tied over her forehead. "Then just run, okay? She's obsessed with dueling anyone who looks like they can wield a blade and carries several sharp cleavers."

Nina replaced the sketch, then bade us farewell. At the last minute I recalled the pendant. "Eh, Nina, could I ask you something before you go? A normal skeleton gave me this pendant outside of town, I think it wanted us to deliver it to his or her family. Would you by chance recognize it?" She looked a little shocked, but grabbed the pendant from my hand and studied it. "Can't say I do, but you might want to try Waldo at the pawn shop. That bloke knows every person who came to town in the last few decades. Gotta get me some flypaper now, so see ya." And with that she was off, leaving the pendant on the table. With no pressing matters we went to this Waldo.

Kaori muttered under her breath, so I pulled her into a hug. She looked up at me with tear-rimmed eyes. "Damast, why you have so many strange friends? Kaori does not want to share you, know you?" She pouted cutely, so I kissed her.
"You shouldn't worry Kaori, I don't want to share you either." A grin crept over my face. "Besides, Nina is actually not that bad once you get past her skirt-chasing habits. We did grow up together and she is a good friend, but I'd sooner eat live eels than get into bed with her. The poor guy she's married has to help her with her work, often having to sate the lust of three hostile mamono at once."

Waldo's shop was barely a pawnshop, some shelves held used goods, but most these days were taken up by new items. There wasn't enough money in pawning items anymore, so he had closed a deal with a toy workshop and brought in all kinds of zany things. After we'd bought a few that Kaori thought would sell well in Lan-Feong, Waldo was more than happy to look at the pendant. "I recall this one, about 25 years ago this strange person came through town, looking lost. He'd come through a magic doorway as he called it and was looking for a way to return home." Waldo rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Looks like bandits got him then... Back in those days the roads weren't as safe as they are now." He sighed. "Look, best you can do is get this interred at the Necropolis. If I recall correctly, you know Walt, right?" The doorbell jangled. "Well, speak of the Devil..."

As we turned around Walt stood at the entrance to the shop. "Hey Damast, I heard you were in town." Beside me Kaori's jaw hit the floor.
"Nani? Oji-chan??"

Chapter 4. Family ties
Walt just about had time for a surprised "Eh?" before Kaori hugged him, then started rattling off questions in her native tongue. My poor grasp of it did allow me to at least guess that she was asking him how he got here and where her grandmother was. Had they gone on a trip together and who was tending the store? Walt looked startled, then gently pried her from him. "Eh, sorry miss, but perhaps you mistake me for someone else? I can't understand a word you are saying." Kaori looked hurt for a moment, then bowed. "I am sorry, but you look like my Oji-chan." She peered under his chin. "Ah, haskashin! You definitely not Oji-chan, not have scar under jaw. I so surprised I not notice." By this time I'd joined them and shook Walt's hand.

"It's good to see you again Walt. I guess I should introduce you two. Kaori, this is Walt, my mentor and one of the best merchants the region has ever known. Walt, this is Kaori, my fiancee whom I hope to marry soon." Walt's eyes popped wide open at that and his jaw hit the floor a second after.
"You're getting married???" He blinked, then focused on Kaori. "And did you say your name is Kaori? By chance are you from a place called Lan-Fon or something?" Kaori raised an eyebrow. "Kaori is from Lan-Feong. Nani wa dosta?" she addressed the latter to me, to which I shrugged. I hadn't a clue what was going on. Walt laughed, in fact he laughed so hard he had to wheeze a while to calm down.

"Amazing, talk about facing the unexpected. Ehh, I don't know where to begin, but I think we had better find a place were we can talk in peace." He opened the door with his usual flair and led us to his home. Natasha appeared in the hallway, gave a tentative wave and fled upstairs. Kaori looked surprised, but didn't comment. "Sorry about that, you know how she is Damast... Well, mostly." I'd noticed out in the street that Walt's hair was looking more lively and less streaked with gray, perhaps he'd been experimenting with potions lately. He led us into the parlor and fussed about, getting me my usual fruit juice and surprising Kaori with a cup of tea that smelled of jasmine, then settled down in his usual seat. A monster of a chair that would look bad in any home, but which he wouldn't trade for the world.

"Well, where to start? I'm frankly shocked by all of it, so please bear with me." He took a large gulp from his own glass. "I did not think you'd settle down this soon Damast, but I congratulate both of you on your intention to get married." He took Kaori's hands and squeezed them. "I also have to tell you something specifically young Kaori. You see, long before I met Damast and took him under my wing I grew up hereabouts with my parents, sister and my younger brother. When we'd grown up each of us went our separate way. My sister married an actor and made a name for herself on the stage. I became a traveling peddler and our brother became one too, though he decided to take it into a different direction." Walt shook his head. "He loved mechanisms and wanted to sell all manner of traps, gadgets and locks. Next thing I know, he's saying goodbye to marry some foreign woman."

"Years passed and we occasionally wrote to each other. A few months ago, after Damast last visited, a long letter arrived saying his only granddaughter had taken it into her head to visit the lands where he'd grown up. He begged me to keep an eye out for her and help her stay safe. Now, I could be mistaken, but if you are Kaori and you are from Lan-Feong then I want to ask you: is your grandfather called Bruno?" He gave Kaori a piercing look.
"Hai, Oji-chan is called Bruno, but that means..." Walt didn't let her finish, but wrapped her in a hug.
"Haha! I'm so glad to hear that, you're my grand-niece!" He actually danced a jig on the spot.

"Whuh!??" I must have looked really surprised as they both turned and laughed.
"And here I had wanted to ask you to keep an eye out for a foreign looking girl." Walt laughed heartily. "But you're a little different from what I imagined Kaori, forgive me for saying so, but I'd not noticed your grandmother was a mamono." He touched her ears. "Soft, furry ears and a tail like a plumeau... That's certainly a new one." He shrugged. "I'd like to introduce you to your great-aunt, but she's just so shy I'll need to coax her out."
Kaori shrugged, then squeezed Walt's hand. "It okay, Walt-sama. I just am happy to meet you. Damast tell me many things about you, but I not know you Oji-chan's nii-san. He always say nii-san is erh larger than life."

Walt laughed at that. "Care to tell me how you two met though? I can't let you marry my grand-niece otherwise." His eyes twinkled at that.
Together we told him of our meeting and the incredible adventure we had. His expression went from amazed to furious to amazed again and he demanded to see the scar where the Sealed One had thrown an iron rod through me. When he sat down again the look of amazement did not fade. "I'm just glad you survived Damast, but that was incredibly dangerous. What little I know of Sealed Ones is enough to scare the crap out of me. If it had charged the rod with it's energies it could have jumped to your body through their contamination." He poked me in the chest. "Do-not-do-that-again! You're like a son to me and I'd hate to lose you."

He hugged me, then looked embarrassed. "Not to worry Walt, I doubt I'll ever be unfortunate enough to face another. And I appreciate the sentiment, you're family to me and have been so since we met." Kaori smiled and pulled us both into a hug.
"All family here, Kaori is very happy." After that we spent the afternoon chatting. Eventually Walt went upstairs and coaxed Natasha down, who was glad to meet Kaori. She sat down on Walt's lap and smiled, then whispered something in his ear. Walt nodded and cleared his throat, but Natasha put a finger to his lips and spoke. "I'm very happy for you Damast and you Kaori, but I think I'd better explain a few things."

As she spoke, the curtains drew themselves shut and the doors locked, Walt looked uneasily away. "Please don't be alarmed, it's merely to prevent people from listening in." Natasha smiled sadly. "See, the thing is, Balase did not exaggerate when she spoke of my skills in magic. I dare say I could fire up the portal and get you two to where you need to go, but there's a little something we've not told you Damast." She sighed. "I hope you can forgive us for it, but some powerful people want to take over this town and I thought it best if you couldn't reveal it under torture. Thus I made Walt promise not to tell you, but I'm technically not human... At least not anymore, not since I died all those years ago..."
Her eyes flashed with arcane purple energies as both Kaori and I gulped.

"Walt and I had been in love since we were kids, but my body was weak. I would have died young in any case, but then I found this tome. A grimoire that described a powerful ritual that could make the caster immune to disease, abolish frailty and promote good health. I succeeded in gathering the materials and performed the ritual. That was what killed me. For a week, my spirit was in shock, hovering over my corpse as my parents buried me. Walt braving the Necropolis to cry on my tomb. Then, my spirit re-entered my body and I awoke changed. Many years had passed it seemed and my parents had passed away, leaving my brother in charge of the Necropolis." She shrugged. "For a time I sought Walt, but magic leaked from my body and it would harm innocents, so I first had to learn how to control it. I gathered the grimoire as well as many other books on magic and went deep underground to study."

"By the time I re-emerged, I had learned what I had become. Mamono, Undead family, species: Lich." A slight tendril of magic curled in the palm of her hand, which she watched with interest. "Not a normal one as I'd not crafted a phylactery during my life, a passage omitted from the grimoire." The color had drained from her face by now, leaving her beautiful, but cold looking. "I met Walt again and he recognized me instantly. He dropped everything in order to help me. I'm so glad he'd not forgotten about me." She gave Walt a kiss. "My brother took some more convincing, but he accepted what happened and left the city to live out his life in the country home our mother had inherited at a time." She tugged on Walt's hair.

"I'm pleased Walt's taken so well to my energies, but we must be careful. I know for a fact that at least one group in the city is hoping to claim it for the Order and slay all mamono in both cities. Discovering what I am could give them the ammo they would need." We spent the remainder of the evening talking, though Natasha did call in a delicious meal through her magic. The next morning we would venture past the gates of the Necropolis. Natasha had asked me to hang on to the pendant for now as interments could only be done during the day. As we drifted off to sleep, Kaori held me close and hummed under her breath. I couldn't resist gently patting her head, such soft hair as she has...

Chapter 5. Descent into the Necropolis
The next morning Walt took us to have our breakfast in a small cafe he liked well enough, explaining Natasha'd been up all night preparing the spells and materials she needed for the portal's operation. "Nothing against what we do, but it's nice to sleep once in a while." He confided with a chuckle. The food was excellent and we had a lot of fun sharing tales, though Walt avoided anything ado with the Necropolis and it's inhabitants. We were joined at our table by a few men who looked in good health and greeted Walt with vigor. Walt introduced them as the Gravedigger's Association, he added sotto voce that their families lived past the gates, but that the men provided for them by continuing their old jobs. Drigol, a scarred man who'd been a mercenary before opening a small business in sharpening tools confided that his wife, a skeleton, was pregnant.

"I'd ne'er thought it possible, but she's due any day now, says our midwife." He shook his head. "To think I'd actually once believed that crap the Order's always spewing. Lost an ear and a kidney to their cause and what did I have to show for it? Less then 'nuffin, really. I had strong arms, but women avoided me and kids were scared of me. The Order didn't even do as much as give a thank you." He sighed heavily. "Then I thought, well dunno really, I was kind of conked out on drink, so I snuck into the place and met her. She was shy at first, yet now she's going round the neighbors to show off her bulging belly." His fellows nodded with a smile. Some had married Zombies, one had snagged a Ghoul and another proclaimed to have a haunted heart due to his Ghost girlfriend.

After they bade us good day, Walt took us on a short trip through the city. The further away from the Necropolis, the more Order Icons and posters appeared at which Walt shook his head. He was about to take us back when a stout bear of a man in clergy's vestments hailed him. Walt looked surprised at first, but then broke into a large grin. "Timothy! Fancy seeing you in town." He motioned towards us. "Can I introduce you to two folks dear to me? Damast, my former apprentice and Kaori, my grand-niece." The man's eyes widened a bit. "Damast, Kaori, I'd like to present to you father Timothy of the Questioner faction in the Order and the nicest man of the cloth you could meet." The large man blushed a bit, then timidly extended a huge paw and shook our hands.

"Good to meet you here Walt, and a pleasure meeting you two." He turned a mischievous grin on Walt. "Though it looks like you lost our bet. Your brother ran off with a mamono as I thought." Kaori stepped up to the man and waved a finger in his face. "Not so, Oba-chan and Oji-chan both ningen, both human. Oka-san and Kaori are Youkai. But you part of this Order? Why not hating Kaori and detesting Damast and Walt-sama for being with her?" The large man laughed, though surprisingly softly. "Hate you, girl? I'm a Questioner and Walt's my dearest friend outside of my Order. I might not give in to your temptations if you lavished them on me, but I do not preach hatred towards innocents."

Walt nodded. "Timothy's a Questioner, basically they are a rogue faction within the Order that questions the Order's methods and wants to try a different approach. A few mamono even attend his sermons." Timothy raised an admonishing finger. "Ah-ah, we've a slightly larger following these days, mostly Holstaur, but a few clients of yours as well I'm afraid. One minute a guy's walking in, then three ghosts scoot out of him and hover next to him on the pews. I even had to convince a young man to bring all of his skeletal girlfriend next time he visits, not just her head stuffed into his cloak. The poor thing was suffering from separation issues." He spread his hands. "Of course the Redeemers aren't happy, but those jailbaits are worse than monsters in my book. Our lords and ladies in the pantheon taught mankind forgiveness, hence the reason for their faction's founding, yet they do not consider it should apply to others as well."

We talked a little longer, but he had to attend his flock as he put it and Walt thought Natasha might get antsy if we didn't go through the portal soon, so we bade father Timothy farewell and set off on a fast route to the gates of the Necropolis where Natasha stood waiting. She made a show of warning us of the dangers inside, should we stray from the path or lose sight of her. Walt made his farewells at the gate, stating he'd just get in our way, but he made us promise to visit again. He even hinted at attending the wedding with Natasha. She led us through the gate and took a circuitous path to the center of a ring of graves.

At one of them, the ground burst open and a hand emerged, clutching a small key. Natasha thanked the Zombie for returning the key she had found after which the hand waved goodbye before sinking back into the grave. We stopped at a small statue depicting an angel where Natasha bade me lay the pendant on a pedestal. As she performed a ceremony that she called a soul-burial, for when the body was lost along with the name, the pendant shimmered. She took it from the pedestal and peered at it intently. She looked up again, annoyed. "Can't figure it all out, but I think the spirit of the person this belonged to wants you to keep it. He's refusing burial for now." She ran a slender hand through her unruly hair then led us to a rather forbidding tomb that seemed to be cloaked in perpetual murky darkness. She undid the ornamental lock and conjured a ball of light.

"Welcome to Underside Damast and Kaori. We'll need to pass through here to get to the gate... I just hope Magthilde's snoozing off another nightly romp as she's a little... obnoxious." With that we went inside and were greeted by a strange sight, the tomb was a hollow shell with stairs leading down from it. The stairs terminated in a large cavern of sorts where living men and undead women went about their lives together. A severe looking knight approached and gave a report to Natasha in brief, then walked away. She tripped over something though and that gave us quite a shock as her head detached mid-fall to land a few feet away. The body picked herself up, then located her head and set it on her shoulders again.

Natasha giggled as she saw our pale from fright faces. "Elise Vere's a Dullahan, a kind of knight and almost as powerful as I am. Basically though, their heads are not attached to their bodies and that leads to little mishaps like that. Nothing to worry about though." We took a route that led past a small school where the young undead played and studied. "I'm actually glad for this, most undead elsewhere don't attend school, but our little community thrives because the young get a head-start in unlife." A little zombie approached, clutching a loved yet much patched teddybear. "Teacher Natasha... Read story today?" Natasha ruffled her hair. "Not now, but soon. Gotta help these folks." The little zombie murmured a reply, then shuffled off to join a small group of her friends.

Natasha led us on, but started explaining things again. "Most of the topside undead are a little wild, that's why we have the walls, to prevent massive abductions and rape. Down here though things are a little more mellow though girls still have their needs." She tittered at that, but her expression soured when she was loudly hailed by a thunderous looking woman with red eyes and fangs. "I say! Natasha, how dare you bring the living here without the council's approval?" Natasha sighed before replying. "Cool it Magthilda, they are guests of mine. While I applaud your attempts to bring 'democracy' here.." The irony clanged off the words. "I do not need the approval of you or your husband to bring folks down here."

Magthilda's eyes glowed hellishly red before leaving in a huff. "Don't mind her you two, she a wannabe queen-bee, but I can handle her. So can her daughter, Nina, whom I believe you know quite well." I nodded at that, though I'd imagined Nina's mother differently, Nina was a tomboy in many ways so I had expected her mom to be similar. This Vampire had acted like a spoiled princess though. The world apparently had an endless supply of surprises to throw at us it seems. An hour or so later we had finally reached the Portal room, an ancient arch made of electrum spanned half the width of the chamber and sent feelers to stone cylinders carved with symbols I'd never seen before. Kaori studied them while Natasha upended the bag that she had brought along, revealing strange things that looked magical.

The opening of the gate took less time than we'd expected, Kaori watching Natasha intently as she waved a wand of bone through mystic passes and placed small items on the cylinders. Before long, a shimmering curtain of sparks filled the arch and Natasha hugged us both. "Safe travels, I'll try to get us to your wedding, but if I can't then we'l throw a party next time you visit. Now hurry, it won't stay open for long." With that she pushed us towards the gate. "Oh shit! The pendant! Drop the durned thing, quick!" Before I could even react though, the pendant touched the sparks and a blinding flash engulfed Kaori and me. A faint voice, like a thought on the breeze spoke: "Home... Eiraiha bless you... for bringing me home."

Natasha shook as the portal crumbled. Damast and Kaori had disappeared in a blinding flash of light, more magic being sucked into the gateway that had opened than she had ever seen. All the tokens of power, magical batteries if you will, had been consumed. The portal itself had been consumed and she felt as empty as if she had been casting spells for days. Walt was not going to like this news, she had no idea what had happened to his dear apprentice and newly discovered grandniece.

Interlude. In transit
I had never traveled like this, something felt very wrong as we were dragged along a spark-studded vortex. Occasionally I caught a glimpse of windows of a sort. Some showed people, or mamono or things I knew no name for. Kaori had pulled herself along my arm and wrapped around my torso, shouting that she was scared. Suddenly we slowed and another window opened, different from any other as it was tinged with blue and orange light along its edges. It showed something I thought was a cross between a sculpture and some mechanical contraption. Then it moved closer and spoke in a disjointed feminine voice, though it had but one yellow eye and no mouth I could discern. "Ah, new test-subjects? I am GLaD for that. I have to test if humans can describe pain more efficiently if subjected to various gasses." Kaori screamed, then landed a kick on the thing, sending the two of us away from the window and picking up speed again.

She'd hurt her foot though by the look of pain that flashed across her face, I hoped this wild ride would end soon so I could tend her injury. No sooner had the thought formed than the pendant pulled us through a dark window. We landed on a patch of soft grass growing on a slightly sandy soil. I landed face-up and saw at once that we were in worse straights than I'd feared. Stars shone down on us, but they weren't the ones I knew back home. A different moon sailed through the clouds, bearing a prominent crater on it's face. First things first though, so I laid Kaori flat on the grass and broke out my trusty first aid kit.

Chapter 6. A long way from home
As I gently removed her traveling moccasin from her foot Kaori tried to stifle a yelp of pain. Her foot looked broken and for some reason it looked as if she had gotten an electric shock as well. That thing, whatever it had been, must have been armored and charged. Kaori split logs with her feet and could kick hard enough to kill an ox, but her foot looked as if she'd been stomped by a mountain. It was beyond my ability to heal. Next thing I know a large shadow fell over us both and Kaori screamed. Something like a sausage with a nail poked me in the back and a deep voice spoke. I had not a clue what the voice asked as the language was foreign to me.

I turned around and looked at some shapely knees, my gaze traveling a ways up a large woman, inhuman without doubt who was eyeing us with a worried look. A helmet and breastplate armored her while a short sword hung at her side. She again uttered the question. I spread my hands in an universal apology. "I'm sorry, but I cannot understand you. Do you speak the trade language?" She looked puzzled, so I repeated what I'd said in as many languages as I knew. When I bungled my way through Kaori's language the large woman's face lit up and she replied in equally broken fashion. "Ah, hyou from Zip-pangu. I not speak well, have friend who does. Hyour friend hurt? I carry. Come to city. Not worry, I..." Her face screwed up in concentration. "Killer soldier for city? Not right, erh.. Protect city, catch brottsling."

Before either of us could object she had lifted Kaori, pack and all and started walking. I scrambled to put the kit and Kaori's shoe in my pack before running after them. When I caught up to the giantess she was half-way up a low hill and cradled Kaori so gently I doubt she noticed the movement of their passage. Two bushy ears kept track of me though and noticeably relaxed when I'd caught up. When we crested the hill a city appeared in the distance. Wreathed in evening mists its walls sparkled with the lights reflected from within. Our mysterious escort approached the gate and spoke shortly to the rather sour looking guard who did not like letting us through but relented after receiving a rather fierce glare. As she stepped through the gate, the giantess stopped and looked at me, then pointedly looked down. A strange mat of some sort, coated with a gooey substance ran over the road just inside the walls. "Step over. Else fall hard."

Heeding her advice I jumped over it, though she merely stepped over it in a dainty manner that suggested she was used to doing so daily. As we moved along a broad avenue I noticed more of the same strange and slimy mats running parallel and couldn't help but wonder who'd made them and what for? Our guide noticed my stare and chuckled. "Road for Ureonggaksi. Ah we here. Doctor take look, friend talk." With that she pushed open a door with an ornamental crest above it. A large bluish lamp shone a light on the street and illuminated the slogan on the scroll underneath the crest. The letters were familiar, yet subtly different. They screamed Guardhouse in any language though, so I relaxed and Kaori did as well.

We went down a corridor where a woman, a human one, was locking up her office for the night. Our guide called out to her and she gave a long-suffering look, then undid the locks and waved us in. Kaori was deposited on a risible bed and her foot examined. The giantess motioned me to a chair and then spoke. "I get captain. She speak better. I called Junhilde. Tell me hyour names?" I nodded then gave our names, indicating who was who by pointing a finger. She nodded, motioned for me to stay here and quickly left. The doctor made Kaori drink a slight sedative, then with lightning speed re-set the broken bones and used some small magic to set them to healing. Kaori didn't cry out, but looked like she was merely putting on a brave front. I went to her side and held her hand, she smiled and nuzzled the back of mine. The doctor threw up her hands in an all too familiar I-don't-have-to-deal-with-this-nonsense gesture, then examined me in a curt manner.

When she was done, she jotted down some notes on a pad of paper and waited. Moments later, the sound of high-heeled boots approached followed closely by the soft, long strides of Junhilde and the door opened. A delicate looking woman with dark skin and pale hair entered, dressed in a captain's uniform and looked at us. She tsk'd and held up a finger, then talked to the doctor whom I think detailed the results of her medical examinations and care. She then approached me and spoke in a formal tone. She asked me our names as Junhilde had done, then introduced herself as captain Kiira of the guard. She then asked me something that I did not understand, so I looked to Kaori, only to find that she'd drifted off to sleep. Thus I had to try to explain my inability to comprehend her question.

After some unsuccessful attempts to formulate her questions in another way she sighed. "For now, you and Kaori sleep. Tomorrow, the doctor told me, I can ask her. Do not try to escape! Terrible punishment otherwise." At that she whipped off her helmet and revealed pointed ears. A Dark Elf. She must have caught the shock in my expression, for she giggled. "Junhilde will stay too." She then spoke in her native tongue to the giantess who nodded, if a little glumly. "I stay here. Sorry, but have to, orders." As she spoke, her outline shimmered and her body slunk down to the height of a tall human woman. She rolled another bed from the corner and tossed a blanket and pillow on, then carefully laid one on Kaori. She then sat in a chair, wrapped in another blanket and waited for me to get into bed. As I drifted off to sleep I held Kaori's small hand in mine, reflecting that we'd spent a lot of time in a hospital bed.

My sleep was not peaceful though, haunted as it was by the questions burning in my mind: Where were we? What had gone wrong with the portal? Could we get back? By the time the next morning arrived captain Kiira came in and relieved Junhilda who gave us a friendly wave before walking off through the door. She waited till the doctor had examined us both again then approached. Kaori translated the questions and answers back and forth, but seemed surprised at some inflections Kiira used. "So, you went into a portal in this place called Grammaueld with the intention of ending up near this Lan-Feong in order to get married there?" We both nodded. Kiira sighed, then shook her head.

"Here, take these." She handed us rather large pills. "They stimulate your brain, help you learn the local language." We tentatively took the pills with some water, but then she hit us with some sort of magic. When I came to she asked me how I was feeling. I replied to her and she clapped her hands. "Well, that worked fine! You've been speaking common in case you hadn't noticed." That surprised me and I asked how that'd happened.
"Silly boy, the pills stimulated your learning center and my little spell delivered the information to your brains. Now I can at least properly explain things and you need not grope for words in a language you don't know very well." She sighed again. "Really, the word you used for moon is actually for what you've parked on the chair. Try to improve will you?"

Kaori looked cross. "He's learning swiftly for a foreign person who had not heard the language I speak at home before we met. My Damast is not your silly boy." Kiira chuckled darkly. "Ease off the hackles plushy, I've already got my man. You should keep yours on a shorter leash though, I personally find the one between the legs suffices." Kaori fumed, but kept her calm for now. "Can't say I've seen your kind around before and I've been pretty much everywhere. That and the other little clues tell me that you're probably from another world." She flung her hands up. "If that obstinate block, the crazy harpy and that bald wizard weren't enough trouble already." She reached into a pocket and pulled out the pendant, which she had appropriated the night before. "The best I can tell you is that this little trinket brought you here. It's a token that folks from the lands of the Gentle Flame generally carry, though one group in particular is known for them."

"From what you told me a dead man gave it to you, perhaps he was one of the lost missionaries." She rubbed her wrists before continuing. "They were a group that set out some years ago, full of vigor to promote their doctrine to foreign lands. In a sense, they got their wish as they activated an artifact of sorts that sent them far away from this world, Praxis." A shrug of her shoulders and a wave of her hand told us she thought worse things could have happened. "All but one of them did not return, the one that did made mention of a world where islands drifted in a sea of jelly-like material. He'd managed to activate a return beacon of sorts and ended up falling smack in the middle of some Sorceress' demesne. She let him write a report and send it, but then dragged him back. A good practice, but not very beneficial to the history books."

"Over time though others dropped into our world, bearing such tokens. One was stuck to this cube, a damn heavy thing with hearts on the sides and a note stating it would not talk, despite what we might think. Some settled, others tried to return home with mixed success." She handed me the pendant. "If you want to return to your world then your best bet is either locating a strong, married Sorceress with a portal or going to the lands of the Gentle Flame and petitioning their priestesses for help." She stood up. "Now I've got things to take care of. You're not fit for travel yet, so I've arranged for lodgings for the both of you with a friend. You'll be escorted there tomorrow." With that she left us.

Chapter 7.Home is where the shell is
We spent the remainder of the day talking. The doctor, a woman named Maven with a thing for wearing gloves in a riot of colors by her own admission, regularly checked in with us and examined Kaori's foot before adjusting this or that or the other thing. Kaori bore through it with her usual courage, but was glad I held her gently. Her tail curled around me and her petite hands in mine you might have thought we were just waiting for her pedicure to end. Maven asked her a lot of questions concerning Danuki, apparently Kaori was the only one to ever visit this city.

Junhilde dropped by and proved far more eloquent in the region's tongue than in Kaori's. She had little time today, but we learnt that she is a Jotunn, a kind of giant mamono who can adjust their size. She would expound on the subject later, promising a tale that would either keep us riveted or she was a bearded oxen. For now though, she told us that she had been allowed to volunteer and would escort us to the lodgings we could use while Kaori recovered. Maven interjected that with a little rest and some care Kaori's foot would be as good as new. Junhilde nodded encouragingly, stating that Maven knew what she was talking about. After that she picked up her helmet, ducked out of the door, then poked her head back in and apologized for leaving abruptly. Her shift was starting and not even she wanted to cross captain Kiira by being tardy.

The rest of the day passed slowly, we were both worried about our chances to get back home and yet curious about this world we'd ended up in. I was pretty sure our own world, Ithus, did not have Jotunn among it's mamono. That made us both wonder what other differences there were, so Kaori asked Maven. She promptly stated that there were plenty, but she had no time to explain. We'd have to visit a library or someone with more time on their hands. Despite her skills as a doctor, I found it hard to like Maven, she was rather abrasive. Kaori and I dropped our line of inquiry and instead spent time working on my skills in her native tongue. The magically learned language of Praxis was useful, but as we discovered, limited. We would need to improve upon it to really be able to speak it properly.

The next morning came a little earlier than expected. Junhilde gave Maven a look, who shook her head, then picked up Kaori like before and bade me follow. Off duty, she wore a sensible dress with a wide skirt that stopped just shy of her ankles. Over this she wore a sleeveless vest of sorts, carved from some huge creature's hide that would look more at home on a barbarian warrior. As we walked, we talked. She explained that Jotunn were perhaps the earliest mortal race on Praxis, how much trouble they had suffered at the hands of the gods and some of their legends. She spoke of the changes their world had undergone when a well-intentioned Demon Lord miscast a spell. "It ended a lot of horrible fighting, but all monsters turning into mamono has made the human race slightly scarce. Incubi are a dime a dozen though, married ones that is."

She turned a corner into a neighborhood unlike any I had known before. Three gigantic shells, resembling a cross between a snail shell and random architectural elements formed a cubby of sorts. One had something like a minaret, a tower top found only to the far south from where I had lived, the other a series of decorative columns and arches and the last one a tower culminating in a large crow's nest. Junhilde headed for the one with the tower. "Now I know this is a new world for you, but from what I can tell you two aren't that different from folks hereabouts in terms of being polite. The folks you'll be staying with are close friends of mine: Miho, Henry and their kids. They run a small business selling gel that's beneficial for anyone's skin, though Henry used to be a guard like myself. Miho's from Zipangu and should be able to speak your language, Belssunn knows she's been trying to teach me. She's an Ureonggaksi, a mamono that resembles a snail. She built this house, manufactures the gel, takes care of the kids and on top of that runs a small bookclub. She's shy though, so please be on your best behavior."

Junhilde waved a finger towards the shell with the columns. "That's Naki's home, she's Miho's sister and married an architect named Brum." Then she used her thumb to indicate the last shell. "Limosa's a distant cousin of them and has picked up some weird ideas from books, her husband is called Bob and a part of the library's book purchasing team. Apparently he likes that his wife experiments with things found in books. To be honest though, I wish she didn't try any explosives again. My ears rang for weeks after she launched the previous minaret into orbit." Saying that she shook her head. "Well, time to introduce you. Mind the mats, and take off your shoes if you want to be allowed inside." With that she shifted Kaori to one arm and knocked on the door.

Moments later a man stepped out, looking as mild mannered as milk and slightly nervous. He greeted Junhilde, then introduced himself as Henry. He welcomed us to his home saying it was only natural to help folks in need. A small cough sounded from beyond the door, as we turned to see who had coughed we noticed six eye-stalks peering around the door. Henry laughed. "Sorry you two, my wife and kids are a little shy. Come now Miho, they won't bite. Chichi and Lena why don't you say hi too? These folks are from far away." Tentatively a young woman appeared into view and a few seconds later two small girls did as well. All three seemed human from the waist up, though with pointed ears and slightly translucent skin. From the waist down they resembled snails or slugs, a muscular slimy foot being their only carriage.

The smallest girl was trying to hide behind her mother while the elder sibling merely held her hand. They spoke in unison. "Hi, welcome to our home." Miho then continued. "I'm sorry we.. we're a little nervous. You folks came from another world?" We nodded and offered to tell our tale in full later. She then clapped her hands. "Well, our home is yours for as long as you need. Please enter, but take off your shoes please, the carpet inside can't bear sharp edges well. You too Junhilde, if you shrink just a little to get past the door I've got your favorite honeyed cookies." Junhilde practically drooled, much to the amusement of the little girls who giggled. Lena was the youngest, being barely two years old, while her sister was nearing four.

The inside of the shell was surprisingly like a regular house, albeit a bit more rounded. A carpet made from some slime like material covered the floorspace and felt pleasant to our feet. Kaori was still not able to put her full weight on her injured foot, so I gallantly led her to the seat Miho had indicated for her. When Kaori sat down, Miho pressed a hand to the floor and made a block-like protrusion rise in front of the chair. The spongy mat covering it confirmed that it was a footrest. Kaori thanked Miho and managed to lever her feet onto it. So began our stay with this family that was as alien to us as we to them and yet we fast became friends.

Kaori's health improved swiftly and to keep busy we helped out with their business. I'd never had a permanent immobile shop and had a lot to learn about it, but Henry was patient enough to explain things. "You should have seen me when we started out, this stuff sells like hot cakes now, but my bungling cost us back then." Miho, her daughters and her sisters produced the slime that their store sold and Kaori helped them bottle it. They applied some of it to the scar on her foot from the electrical charge and it vanished within days. Kaori in turn taught them some of her spells and experimented with some additives to the slime that proved popular with the customers. Apparently some mamono liked certain scents better and human women would also benefit from these aromas.

Before we realized it, a month had passed. Miho and Henry insisted that we take a share of the profits for our help in the store, we in turn gave them some of our stock. The games we'd picked up in Grammaueld went down a treat with the kids and their parents loved the simple yet unusual nick-nacks that I usually sold to visitors to my home region. Over the last few days though Miho had been getting restless, Henry consulted the calendar often and made calls on friends of his. Lastly they spoke to us, it was the time of year when Ureonggaksi felt a strong desire for travel and they would soon leave to visit Miho's parents. Naki, Limosa and their husbands would also go and they asked us to join them. Kaori's foot was as good as new, she'd even split a log again and we too were getting restless. We still had to reach her home in order to get married and our best bet would be to visit the lands of the Gentle Flame. We would be able to reach them by sea via Miho's childhood home.

In a short time Miho collected what she called her travelling shell, as did her kinswomen, and we made our farewells to our friends in Mistburg.
I had a feeling we would not return and that filled my heart with ache, a feeling I saw mirrored in Kaori's eyes. Yet we would treasure the memories we'd gained here. As our group set off along the road I idly touched my chest, Kaori had applied some gel there and the scars had lessened. Miho had been terrified when she learned how much danger we'd faced, but commended our bravery. She had also given Kaori a block of gel that could be rendered fluid again with a little effort and would last a year or more back home. Truth be told, I longed to see the grasslands stretching into the distance again, Praxis was a wonderful world, but there is no place like home.

Chapter 8. New horizons
As a traveling peddler you have to like going to many different places. The further your travels take you, the more diverse the cultures you encounter. Kaori and I both loved meeting new people and traveling to the far reaches. Going to Praxis had not been something we could have foreseen back on Ithus. Even though our desire to reach Lan-Feong was strong within us both, we were almost equally intrigued by the new world we'd been dropped into. The sandy ground of the Pridolae Gulf's coastlands gave way to brook- and stream dotted grasslands as our group moved slightly north before turning east again. Miho explained it to us. "When I first came to Mistburg I took the coastal route... Beautiful scenery, but slow going for Ureonggaksi due to the sand soaking up much more slime."

She bent downwards and patted the abundant moss and soft grasses. "This route has softer vegetation and is kept nicely moist by the many small streams, so we can move further before running out of slime." At that time a hatch opened in the compact travelling shell she carried on her foot and little Lena crawled out, wearing a pirate hat and clutching a stuffed parrot doll. Miho looked up, turning her neck further than I or Kaori could and started laughing gently in the quite infectious way she did when her kids were being cute. We soon joined in and Lena looked happy. "Arr! Pot-ho!" She giggled. Miho turned in the direction Lena was pointing in and indeed a port town loomed on the horizon. We'd learned that this was an important knot in the network of trade and travel routes by sea, despite being named Gravelhold.

For a long time the town had been less than friendly towards the local mamono but that had changed when a shipwrecked sailor had brought home a wife of a species called Erumo. According to Bob, who'd turned out to be rather obsessive about local and interlocal history during our stay with his wife's relatives, these mamono were usually considered pests on the high seas due to their interference with navigation equipment. Yet this one apparently helped her husband, who had set up a salvage venture, to find lost ships and recover precious things from them. During the three years since they had started out they also expanded into a dating service for mamono of the deep and curious sailors. Tensions had mounted as the Luminaire enamored faction on the town's council had hoped to join the main flock as it were, while the rest desired no such thing. Yet with such a growing community of human-mamono marriages the Luminaire had refused the town till a cleansing had taken place.

There was a rift in the council and the most fanatical councilors left, a large portion of the treasury stolen by their hand. The now wealthy salvager, his wife and many happily married couples donated to the town, preventing bankruptcy. Though officially still neutral, the town had in effect become quite welcoming to mamono and their husbands. The more pro-active members of the council had even started a diplomatic exchange with the city known as Crystal Plinth, our final destination. The lone emissary to the Demon Lord of this world had not returned, but by means of a letter had sent word that he and his Gan Ceann bride had more pressing matters to attend to. I could not suppress a chuckle as the meaning behind those words was all too clear.

Kaori turned to me and smiled. Simple as that may be, words don't do her expression justice. Her smile is full of hope, kindness and a hint of mischief. The cinnamon smell on the breeze told me we'd not sleep soon tonight, not that I would even consider complaining... Seeing how happy Henry and Miho were together had taken away some of the unconscious fears I'd had about marriage. That's a funny little truth about people really, your subconsciousness might carry emotions you aren't fully aware of. Thus might a doctor be subconsciously intrigued by inflicting wounds rather than curing them, or a mobster desiring unknowingly to walk the straight and narrow, or a man about to get married carry a fear of the future in his heart.

"Damast, would you look at that? Even from here I can see so many different ships." She pointed a little away from the town to a ship approaching the harbor. "See that one? Looks small from here, but I'll bet it's as large as a Junk at least." I nodded, reflecting how much easier it was to converse with Kaori these days. We'd spent a lot of time working on learning each other's languages during her convalescence and though my understanding of Lan-Feong's language was far from perfect, Kaori had lost most of her being-foreign-girl-accent in both my language and the one we'd both learned. "It is going a little fast though, for a ship of that size." The breeze carried overtones of pipeweed as Brum lit his pipe and puffed on it. "Most likely a pirate hunter that one... Few cities band together to finance these ships and keep the trade-routes relatively safe for all." He shrugged.

"Thing is, I helped design the extending pier they use here. Pirate hunters are swift in the water, but need a lot of space underneath for the Murrough and Anemone repair crews to undo some damage from say a Kraken. Hence the extending pier." He held his hands together, then moved them apart deliberately. "Using magnets and hydraulics it can extend swiftly or slowly depending on what's needed.. Fastest extension that I saw was full length in less than a minute, but my best friend reckons he's got it around 50 seconds now."
I nodded, reflecting how easily I understood him. Using the Praxian language as an aid had also deepened our understanding of it. Kaori eyed the ship critically before replying. "Still, it's fast and maneuverable beyond what I would expect. If we've a chance I would like to see it up close." Brum nodded, then waved goodbye as he joined Naki and was scolded by her for smoking again. He shrugged and put out his pipe before releasing a ring of smoke that hovered over his wife's head for a while like a halo.

Before we would head into town and book passage on a ship our group took a little break. Miho, Naki and Limosa laid a blanket on a dry piece of grass and set out a light meal. Lena and Chichi played together, the former still going about as a pirate while the latter bore a small shield on her arm. This we were told, was a shell design she wanted to test. It would be a year or three yet before she could make a home-shell, but this buckler like one looked quite sturdy already. Though not a warrior by inclination or ancestry, Chichi liked the idea of one day being a part of the Mistburg guard as her father had been. So she had been asking Kaori for some martial arts training. Kaori'd tried teaching the basics, but had to adapt them to a single-footed snail girl with mixed success. Chichi managed to do the leg-sweep pretty well, having knocked me off my feet once, but couldn't jump well enough for most of Kaori's Crane style.

So Kaori had recommended seeking out a Komodo-style specialist when she was fully grown. That style stuck close to the ground, but could literally sweep the decks with anything that walked. Our lunch was over swiftly and we entered town about half an hour later. Gravelhold was undeniably dominated by it's harbor, but several broad avenues beckoned to us with an assortment of shops. Miho accompanied us while Henry and Brum made for the docks to secure passage. My pack was full to the brim with otherworldly goods by the time we left the shopping area and Kaori's was also more occupied. We held hands as we finally made our way to the docks. Brum was talking to a man with a full beard bisected by a rather peculiar scar.

"Ah, there you are. Jackrum, may I have the pleasure of introducing you to Kaori and Damast? They're the very foreign couple I told you about. Kaori and Damast, this is Jackrum Boots, the chief engineer of the extending pier and other dock mechanics." The man eagerly shook our hands, then nodded.
"It's fun meeting folks from out of town, though you two take the cake by that standard." He eagerly told us about the pier's construction, functions and mishaps. "It's a lot of work, but fun. Now, the Tresor Alenque may have sailed away, but I can tell you how it can sail so fast. Its designer put some sort of soft blades on the keel that make the water bubble a bit. Effectively, the ship glides on those bubbles for a speed boost." Kaori nodded and flashed Brum a smile in thanks. Had he not brought up her interest in the ship with his friend, Kaori would never have known this little fact.

Jackrum had to leave soon after, a breathless apprentice tugging him towards a leak in the hydraulic system that they could not pinpoint on their own.
Henry came along and showed us to the ship he'd managed to book, a Cutter with a promising name: New Horizons. A sturdy vessel that relied on a Magical girl to calm the waves or deter mamono as needed and crewed by older men. Our fellow passengers included a wandering swordsman from Zipangu who was bound for the last port of call on the voyage, a married couple who'd spent 30 years happily sniping one another and a young man bearing a large chest who claimed he'd get off on another ship along the way. In less time than you'd think possible the New Horizons turned into the wind and left Gravelhold's harbor behind. "Damast, do you think we'll ever see this place again?" Kaori asked me, a soft moistness to her eyes.

I sighed and shook my head. Much as I liked this world, getting home was an epic challenge... Returning here would probably not happen. "I don't know... Whatever happens, I'll cherish our memories here though." Kaori nodded and leaned into my embrace, her tail coiling around me in the gentle way I'd grown accustomed to.

Chapter 9. Fog and phantom
There's a saying on my homeworld: be careful what you wish for, as you may very well get it. In general, my heart would crave seeing places unknown, yet my first outing on the open seas reminded me of that saying. Like the little Ureonggaksi, I spent most of the first day hanging over the rail and 'making offerings to the sea' as I experienced seasickness. Kaori and the rest of our group fared better, and the nausea was somewhat lessened by a medicine Miho shared with us three. She and the other Ureonggaksi had to spend a little less time on deck than the rest of us as their bodies were less tolerant of the saline spray and breeze. With time though I managed to get my sea legs and enjoyed the trip.

The New Horizons was a beautiful ship, kept spic and span by the crew who included several mamono. Chief among them though was Yselde, the navigator and a Magical girl. Looking like a youngish girl, but carrying herself with confidence and authority that a duchess would be hard pressed to match. Following some adventures they'd shared, she had married the first mate. She was curious about our world and surprised to learn that our world had Witches, Baphomets and Sabbath. We answered her questions as best we could and she in turn told us of the magics she employed to ensure a safe traversal of the seas. "You could say that the development of these spells would not have been possible without the sailors. Some of the techniques they used to weather storms or fend of pirates served as inspiration for them." She tapped her teeth and made a curious sound. "Still, I'm glad those old techniques aren't needed anymore. My mother told me of a Murrough who'd needed cleaning after she swam through some oil that sailors had thrown onto the waves to calm them."

She shook her head and proceeded to tell us about the rest of the crew. "We've mostly married couples among us, my Halworth wasn't easy to bag mind. To date the only singles are captain Micanti, a widower, and Aerill the Lorelæ." A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I did set them up for a date, but our captain was too embarrassed and Aerill..." Here she shrugged. "Aerill apparently disliked beards. Captain Micanti's popular though, with mamono, I've had to pull him out of a Kraken's tentacles, hoist him from a Manowah's fishing pole and unstick him from the metal pans after an Erumo gave him a static-electric charge." Knowing that, it suddenly wasn't so surprising to have seen the captain look rather nervously at Kaori when we came aboard.

Aerill was a special member of the crew, though she reminded me slightly of Sirens and other Harpy species her outlook was a little more melancholic. Yselde told us that Lorelæ were mamono that both the Luminaire and the Demon Lord's forces despised. Directly serving the lands of the Gentle Flame and Eiraiha they would deter approaching foes by singing in a way that made confusion and doubts enter their hearts. Effectively, they were disarmed by the singing. Yselde had hired her to help deterring pirates. "Most human and mamono pirates are kept away thanks to her, but we occasionally do have trouble with Minotaurs still." She explained that these mamono had taken to piracy as their island home would have been overcrowded. They raided for men, food and plunder before settling on a small island of their own. The Pirate Isles were feared by sailors and mamono alike for the feisty women there were almost always spoiling for a fight.

On our way across the sea the New Horizons occasionally stopped at small rocky islands where aquatic mamono and their husbands would hand over letters, goods and money in return for the same. The captain would sign a chitty for the goods loaded on board, though he was sweating bullets when a particular mamono identified as a Cecaelia came aboard looking for a husband. With some assurances they'd look for one in the next port she departed and Micanti wound down from the near heart-attack he'd suffered. We too did some trade with the folks at these stops and I managed to get Kaori a beautiful pearl and seashell necklace. Miho's gel bottles also garnered interest with several customers applying it on the spot and then sealing the bottles with a gooey substance.

Just as night fell on the seventh day out of port a mist suddenly sprang up and Canter, the young man who'd alluded to jumping ships somewhere along the way, started looking intently at the sea. He gave a signal to the first mate who bellowed orders for the crew to get off the lines and away from the rails, we passengers followed suit. Aerill suddenly divebombed from her nest atop the mast and made a b-line towards the hold. Kaori's ears perked up. "Damast, I hear a bell tolling and it's getting closer." She grabbed my hand and started loosening her legs for combat, not knowing what to expect. Canter bellowed:"Over here, hon! Just pull aside this ship." The tolling of the bell slowed, but intensified at the same time, clearly a code of sorts.

Then we noticed a glow in the fog. Balls of ethereal flame floated through the air in elaborate patterns as the shape of a ship materialized from the fog. From the looks of it, this ship should not be afloat, huge rents in it's hull showed beams encrusted with barnacles. Tattered sails and spent ropes dangled from beams that had fungus growing on them. And yet this ghostly ship glided over the sea as if it were whole, new and guided by magic. On it's deck a young woman stood, waving enthusiastically at Canter. I was surprised at how alive she looked, I'd expected a Ghost or maybe a Zombie aboard such a ship. Then I noticed that her elbows looked carved, with an elaborate fluted wave on the outside. Canter hoisted his chest and stepped on the surprisingly sturdy plank that had materialized.

He set the chest down, then embraced the woman. She drew him into a deep kiss before placing a finger to his lips and asking him to wait a little longer. What happened next was spectacular, in a single breath she sunk through the deck and re-appeared under the bowsprit in the place where most ships would have a figurehead. She appeared as one with the ship which now pulled away. With it went the fog and the hitodama as Kaori would call them. Captain Micanti approached, puffing on his old pipe. "A most unusual sight, eh?" We nodded. "That was a Phantom Ship, a rare mamono of the unusual sort. You don't encounter them often these days, but I'm glad for them." He did an elaborate trick, blowing a ball of smoke through a smoke ring so they floated off together. "I knew Canter from when his family moved into my port, he went overboard a few months ago during a white squall we barely weathered."

The old sailor shook his head. "Still can't avoid those, magic not withstanding. But then a month ago Mariflora, that's his bride, pulled up and deposited him on deck. He wanted to be with her, but needed to gather a few things and let his folks know he was alright. I took him home and now I've brought him back as well." Kaori looked incredulous at the captain, who merely smiled. "Seems strange, eh?"
Kaori nodded. "We do not know these back home. Is she a part of the ship or a ghost haunting it's figurehead?"
Captain Micanti shook his head. "Near as I can tell, she is the ship. Married Phantom Ships rescue people in danger of drowning or being marooned while singles marry them. You can spot how long one's been married by the look of her ship."

He grimaced. "The more time they spend with their husband, the more damage is repaired and the larger the ship grows. Those spirit flames also increase in number."
We nodded, then I asked him: "Are they really undead then or something else?" He shook his head and sighed. "Damned if I know precisely, but as they start out as skeletal ships I'd wager on aye." He then related to us his own tale, how he'd always loved the sea, even though it held so many dangers. "Marlies wouldn't have wanted me to stop on account of her dying. Still, I am not remarrying. Not now, not ever. That woman was perfect for me and I don't want to sully her memory." With that he bid us adieu and left for the steering wheel to bother the pilot for a bit.

Two days later Aerill called port-ho from her nest and a large island loomed on the horizon. Miho and her family came up on deck a little earlier, at the risk of arriving rather pruned, to see the island. One look at her face and we knew just how much the place meant to her, her expression mirrored in her kinswomen's faces. As we landed in the small port semi-detached from the larger village down the road we thanked the crew and captain for the safe passage and good company. Next thing we knew our group was moving at considerable speed along the road, the Ureonggaksi almost floating over a trench of slime indicating more of them used this road. Soon we arrived at a large shell looming over the village, three stories high with a tower and bearing a mustache-like beam over the door in the local building style.

Miho hit the door like a battering ram and pounded in obvious hurry to see her parents and other relatives. Kaori looked a little sad as the surroundings must have looked similar to Lan-Feong, a world away from where we now were. I stroked her tail and gave her a kiss. She responded with a smile and squeezed my hand. I vowed I would get us home, though I did not speak it aloud.

Chapter 10. A change of plans
As a traveling peddler far away from home I thought I'd seen enough to know all about long awaited reunions. I'd shared in a few, which warmed my heart, but what was happening now was unlike anything I'd seen. Miho's pounding brought forth a large band of Ureonggaksi, their husbands and children who tried to give a warm welcome to all new arrivals. Kaori and myself included, all were hugged extensively. By the time she'd properly introduced us the wives and children were looking at us in wonder while some of the husbands wore a more skeptical look. When Henry confirmed that we were indeed from a different world they accepted it though. It seemed that all the family, up to Miho's great grandmother had gathered here this year for an extended outing.

Miho's parents, Ollivier and Kimisa formally invited us to stay with them as long as we liked. Ollivier had been a sailor before he met Kimisa and he offered to help us book passage on a ship. After a scrumptious dinner served in the large dining hall Kaori and I retired to bed. Though we were both tired from the voyage, we both wanted to talk. And so we did, about the trials awaiting us. About Miho and our other friends here. Eventually we drifted off to sleep and I had a strange dream. I was walking down the street in front of the Inn of No Return, greeting old friends and enjoying the sun on my face. I turned into the yard where tables and chairs had been set, new parasols with exotic feathers painted on them providing cool shade. Kaori and Miho were sitting at a table, playing a game. They took turns placing white or black pellets on a board with lines and indentations to place the pellets in.

As the dream faded and I awoke I saw Kaori's sleepy smile and felt her hand trailing low on my body. A quick kiss later and we decided to spend a little longer in bed, enjoying a quick romp.Though she could be loud, Kaori actually tried to keep quiet during sex, acting cutely embarrassed when a loud gasp did escape her lips or a moan slipped through her fingers. To me that was just one more endearing quality of the young woman who'd taken my heart. Recalling the nights I had spent in inns or homes where other mamono and their husbands were, I was glad that not everyone in a 5 mile radius could hear us. When we went down to breakfast I noticed most couples had a similarly rosy glow on their cheeks, though none commented on this.

Ollivier and Kimisa must have been awake a little longer for they rolled in two carts laden with bread, spreads and toppings while the kids carried jugs of water, fruit juice and milk. For all that they are timid mamono, I'd already learned that Ureonggaksi were fierce eaters. Chichi, Lena and all their juvenile relatives ate a little less, but still consumed enough food each to make two human kids sick to bursting. Kaori commented as she daintily smeared a hazelnut paste on to a bun. "I know most of it goes straight to the slime glands and muscles, but seeing them eat like that..." She took a quick bite and shook her head. "It's like magic." I gently squeezed her hand and nodded. After breakfast Kimisa and Miho dragged Kaori along for a trip to the local hot springs while Ollivier insisted I come along with him.

"Well she's a nice place to call home this little village called Kaku. I miss the seas on occasion So I keep a small boat near the docks for fishing and the missus and I take a trip on a large ship now and again." He pulled a compass from his pocket and flipped it over, revealing a watch embedded on the other side. "We've still got some time till the dock master is sufficiently sober to inquire about the ships going to Crystal Plinth. You mind telling me a bit about this world of yours?" I nodded and spoke of the lands I'd grown up in, the people I'd met and the mamono living there. "I can't deny that I had different ideas about mamono when I was a kid, Walt taught me a lot more and accurately, but even then there have been surprises." I threw up my hands for emphasis.

"Take Echidnae for instance, I never thought that almost married ones would be my prime takers for healing potions, first aid kits and other medical supplies. Married ones with a few kids expand into creams for breasts achy from suckling and diapers." I laughed. "Living in a world with mamono is an adventure in itself, but finding out there are at least two such worlds..." Ollivier nodded sagely and chuckled, so I regaled him with what I'd seen in the Necropolis. After hearing about the school for the tiny undead he looked incredulous. "Damast, are we talking about the same kind of mamono here? Most undead I heard of would not bother spending time away from a man's dick for education." He shivered. "My old hometown was a settlement on Minami Akrufia, my grandparents were among the first colonists there... Suffice to say that an ages old mass grave opened one day and only three of us survived."

He chewed on his lip a moment. "I fled for the sea and that's where I met Kimisa. I'd been working aboard a pirate hunter for a bit when we saw a small cutter under assault from those damn Minotaurs. Three inebriated ones were harassing what I thought was a small girl, making moves to change her into one of them, so I used a club to knock them out." He shrugged. "She was overjoyed and showered me with affection. We got a little drunk and I boasted a bit, next morning I awoke married." He smiled. "Best thing I've done, really, is marry her. We traveled a while longer, but then she got pregnant and we settled here. Miho, Naki and their sisters were born and none of them believe I'm anything but a great hero..." A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "So, accept this grandfatherly advice from a guy not that much older than you. Take care with what you say or you may have to live up to such expectations."

By this time he pulled out the watch again and motioned to move on. We found the dock master, a rather wasted man with a bad case of beer breath, stumbling about in a dinghy office that doubled as his alehouse. In the end we found it quicker to look through the schedules ourselves, which were delivered through airmail. It looked as if a large barque listed as the Pilgrim's Progress would stock up on supplies here next week before continuing on to a harbor near Crystal Plinth marked as Pristidae. Ollivier marked the date in his small logbook and we bade farewell to the dock master, not that he noticed as he was getting to the bottom of his bottled breakfast. "You know, he used to be a soldier fighting for the army of Labriene. They trained him to be revolted by mamono, then forced him to participate in a massacre. He fled afterwards and ended up here. Unable to even look at a woman."

I asked Ollivier if something could be done for the man as he was fast killing himself with drink. He shook his head. "Poor man's so far gone that even a Sorceress we'd called in couldn't turn his mind around. She did purge his body of the toxins, but..." He rubbed his head as if afflicted with headache. "He was back slobbering the wretched stuff again shortly after. I don't know what to do with him, that Antimony." With that we went back to the large house, nicknamed the Snail's Mustache as Ollivier explained it. "Kimisa's still not happy with the nickname, but it's stuck through and through." So we spent a happy week there, though one thing changed noticeably. As our time of departure grew nearer it seemed Miho grew sadder with the thought of our departure.

When the Pilgrim's Progress finally did pull into port it was not the seaworthy vessel we had hoped for. It had sailed from the Cape of Good Hope to Kaku, but had strayed too close to the Reaper's Hook, the eastern group of islands in the Great Divide. Pirate mamono had boarded her and taken nearly every human on board as plunder. The few crew who had hidden away or were warded by their marriage to a mamono barely managed to get her here. Rents in the railing and holes in the deck showed the fierceness of the assault. It also meant that we were stuck waiting for another ship, which would not come for months at least. As Kaori and I sunk into gloom we hardly noticed that our friends and hosts had begun a meeting though some things did not escape our notice.

Many of the men rushed out of the house and headed for the harbor whilst others and their brides headed for the lumbermill. Sometime after, little Lena came up to us wearing her pirate hat and holding her parrot doll as if it sat on her shoulder. "Arr! Cap'n Lena says you can come to ship." With that she pulled on Kaori's arm, who in turn dragged me along. As we left the house I espied Kimisa hurriedly loading things into a shell for traveling, accidentally having stuffed Ollivier in with her belongings. Lena dragged us to the docks where the battered ship was being repaired swiftly. Several harpies from the postal service were flying off with letters, some to the main Island of Zipangu, others towards the western continents and even one with warm clothes poking out of her bag heading north. Miho met us there and though flustered, she started to explain.
"Okay, okay! Listen up: mom hadn't taken her vacation yet this year and dad's been itching to set sail again and we allwanttohelpyousowe'recomingalong!"

By the time she finished, her speech had been as fast as humanly possible under stress. Lena piped up. "Pie-rate ship going to Plinth. Everyone's going! And Lena's cap'n, right Par-rite?" The stuffed doll did not answer of course, except to her and she hugged it. Miho blushed crimson and nodded, Kaori and I simultaneously hugged her, being unable to express our gratitude verbally. It turned out most survivors of the attack would also be joining us and most surprisingly the dock master also stole aboard before promptly passing out under the aft, hugging a bottle. When all was said and done, and Ollivier extracted from Kimisa's luggage shell, the newly renamed Pie-rate's Progress left the harbor. Our packs safely stored below and a crew of men, Ureonggaksi and one or two other mamono eager for travel crewing her, I felt secure and saw the same in Kaori's eyes.

The glittering emerald waters of the Paeacenzi Ocean lapped at the ship as the winds filled her sails, singing of a journey.

Chapter 11. Of pie-rates and memories
My second voyage on the seas of Praxis went a lot smoother than the first one. I still spent some time as green as an Ogress near the rail, but managed to hang on to my lunch. Kaori thankfully didn't fuss too much about me, but instead spoke with a distant relative of Miho. This Ureonggaksi, named Limn, had once lost an eye to a Mios when she had tried to explore the highlands of Kita Akrufia near the fertile delta known as the Mermazon. I couldn't quite hear the specifics, but Limn graphically enacted what she had done to the leonine mamono with the aid of her shell. Specifically, her hard and heavy shell with defensive spikes sticking out. Kaori and I both winced at that, but given how precious those extra eyes are to Ureonggaksi I couldn't fault her. Even the most timid mamono could go berserk, given enough incentive.

On the third day out of Kaku Ollivier was looking worried when he approached me. "Hey Damast, I'm hoping I'm wrong here, but it looks as if we've drifted a little too close for comfort to the Pirate Isles.. Since you've got pretty good eyesight, could you take this spyglass and go to the crow's nest? If you see anything then let me know." So I made my way up there and patiently scanned the seas. An hour later I'd found new respect for those who made a living doing this. The glare of the sun on the waves hurt my eyes and the chill breeze blew right through my bones it seemed. Then something happened, as I spotted an island on the horizon I also noticed a speck moving from it to our ship at an incredible speed.I bellowed this to Ollivier who quickly ordered the men and women to ready the defensive measures.

As the ship drew nearer we all heard a drumbeat. *pam.pam.pam.* Looking through the spyglass I could make out that it was a longboat, if a bit wider in model than those I'd seen in books. The crew were all female and the horns poking through their bandanna's, the hooves braced on the next seat and the massive muscles identified them as Minotaurs. Unlike the Ithus lazy bum variety though, these seemed eager, competitive and driven to say the least. *PAM.PAM.PAM.* The drumbeat got more intense as the longboat pulled alongside and it's captain, a married Minotaur as evidenced by the gold and silver tailring she wore, sprang aboard. Her confident grin evaporated as she saw little Lena in her pirate outfit and then noticed the other Ureonggaksi, her face turning as pale as flour.

"Not these again! Retreat! Retreat!" she bellowed and dove overboard. Seeing their captain fly into a panic like that the crew of the longboat quickly paddled away, two of them pausing to haul their apparent mother back on board. I quickly descended and asked Ollivier what in heck had happened. He shrugged. "Husband, didn't that woman look familiar?" asked Kimisa. Ollivier thought for a moment, then nodded. "She must have been one of those Minotaurs from when we met." Little Lena bounced up and down, holding Par-rite over her head. "Lena scared her off! Lena's now pie-rate queen, woo-hoo~!" Everyone laughed at that, even Par-rite's lumpy beak seemed to curl into a smile, though that must have been a trick of my sore eyes.

The remainder of the journey passed without further incident, though not without event. A ship is like a small town, especially after it has left port long behind. Miho tutored young Ureonggaksi on shell construction and I helped out somewhat by asking questions and Brum by lecturing about structural integrity and the need to plan additions before starting to build them. Kaori, Limn and Naki made lunch most days and the two of us would occasionally sell gel produced by our friends to passing aquatic mamono. Antimony, the former dockmaster, sobered up somewhat after his bottle ran out and Henry and Ollivier tried to coax his reason for joining the voyage from him. Surprisingly, he kept tight-lipped about it until we were a day out of port.

I was sitting near the aft when the smelly, unshaven man approached. "Off-worlder, you're sitting on my spot." He said. Not minding such petty things, I moved aside a bit, though he shook his head. "Look, I'd rather not have company." He heaved a sigh, followed by a belch. "Still, since you're about the only one not constantly pestering me I guess you can remain." He plonked down on the planks and extracted a sausage from one pocket. The scent of garlic hung in the air, though given his natural odor of stale beer he could legitimately use it as a deodorant of sorts. "Thing is... Thing is, I grew up in this town, Briene au Mer. Fucking pearl of Labrienne if you believe the damn conneries. Conscription's mandatory there..." He threw the sausage away over the railing. "They tell you how you'll do good, fighting to protect your home from the damn Demon Lord and her minions. Then you end up fighting women and their husbands..." His voice trailed off and his hands shook, though from grief or rage I know not.

"They made us massacre tiny, innocent girls. Not vicious monsters, not evil incarnate, but frigging children!" He looked ready to void his stomach.
"I could not stop them, was cut down for disobeying orders.. I lived... But I can't forgive myself. I heard of Crystal Plinth, of how one chosen by a great goddess dwells there. Maybe she knows how I could atone... If I still can" He broke down in tears, so I gave what little comfort I could,mainly by just remaining with him till he cried himself to sleep. I informed Ollivier and Henry of what the former soldier had told me and they were as outraged as I was. Darkness fell and I retired to the cabin Kaori and I shared. She'd fallen asleep, though with a surprising guest in our bed. Little Lena, her doll clutched under one arm and both eyestalks pulled in close to her hair happily whistled through the gap in her teeth. Giving Kaori a quick peck on the cheek I pulled a spare blanket from my trusty pack and settled into the armchair bolted to the wall.

Sleep did not come easily, Antimony's sobs and their cause bouncing through my mind like Goblins on a sugar rush kept it at bay for a long time. For all it's beauty Praxis still had a darker side that troubled me. Though not given to praying overmuch I did petition Ithus' pantheon that night, that they would spare us mortals such horrors and help give Antimony some sign that he was not beyond atonement. As black sleep overtook me a multitude of worries weighed on my shoulders. When morning came Kaori was pulling potions from our packs and rushed out of the room. By the time I got to where she was headed I had to pull myself through a crowd. Antimony had escaped Ollivier's watch when the older man checked in with his wife for a moment and had apparently decided to face judgement in hell. A cut noose hung from the crossbeam and Antimony's neck showed a welt that thankfully subsided as Kaori and Henry worked to pour the potions down his throat.

Now I've no inclination towards excessive drinking myself, but I knew from folks I'd met back home how the poison in strong drink could haunt a body for years after.
A miller who'd stopped drinking years ago still ground his head to a pulp with the millstones when his wife died for instance. Antimony was lucky in that he would live and with some luck recover well enough. Still it cast a pall over the voyage as Pie-rate's Progress pulled into the harbor of Pristidae. Loading Antimony onto a gurney two cousins of Limn carried him off the ship. The survivors of the original crew reported in with the harbormaster and reported the efforts put in by the extended family to repair the ship. Since the owner had been carried off by a pirate it technically defaulted to them as per the sailor's share ruling. They bade us farewell and offered to ferry back those folks returning to Kaku if they returned within two weeks, or arrange something else if it took longer.

Pristidae was a beautiful port where the pristine waters of the Crystal Gulf ebbed and flowed against the white stone quays and richly hued piers. White stone formed the basis of many homes and shops along the promenade, giving an equally pristine look to the town. What immediately became apparent was that this small country was different from any other I'd heard about. Mamono and their husbands walked arm in arm, the former more modestly clothed than their counterparts elsewhere, amid fully human couples. More surprisingly though were the other inhuman people we spotted. One of them noticed our group and bade us halt while planting a spear in front of herself. Sparkling silver hair fell well below her shoulders and gleaming armor decorated her form which allowed for her pure silver-white wings.

"In the name of the goddess halt and be counted!" She looked a little incredulous. "Are you an invading force?" She queried.
"Erh, no." I answered before anyone else did. "Look, this may seem a little unusual, but..." and I explained as best I could our situation, the reasons behind our large group and Antimony's issues. The woman shook her head. "Very well, proceed then to Crystal Plinth, but be on your best behavior and do not anger the Melissae. Their hoarding of technologies adds more to their sting than just a stinger, thus they form the core of the nation's elite guard." She then escorted us to the gate leading to the main road beyond, which would lead to Crystal Plinth. As we walked Kaori and I eyed each other and finally asked our escort her name and species. She answered to the name Uri and called herself a Valkyriar battle maiden, also known as a Valkyrie.

At the gate she bade us farewell, marching back to her duties. Kaori and I fell back a little, till Miho and her family caught up. Lena still sporting Par-rite, yet having left her hat inside her mother's shell while Chichi proudly showed us the ship design she'd worked into her shield-shell. I felt confident we would make it to our destination within a day or so. Hopefully, Antimony would by then be somewhat recovered. As it was, the man still had to be carried and slurred his words, yet looked to be on the mend. Singing an old walking song, joined by Kaori and the rest I trod the road eagerly... Home calling to my soul.

Second interlude. A view of the city
The view up here was always spectacular, though her seat was not the highest building in Crystal Plinth it did give her an excellent view of the eastern side of the city. To the west the Solaris Hive rose spectacularly into view from the sandy dunes, resembling a rare crossbreed of beehive, archeological university and science laboratory with many glazed apertures catching the suns rays. It was always a pleasant temperature inside though the drone of Melissae wings could get on one's nerves. Somewhat nearer stood the Crystal Pillar, looking like an ancient tree grown from spun and clear crystal, gathering from the sun and the world the energy needed for it's purpose, a means to dampen the demonic energies that would otherwise cause the mamono to run amok with lust.

When her gaze passed over the Palace of the Flame a glitter in the distance caught her eye. A large group appeared to be traveling along the road leading from Pristidae. This must be the entourage of the emissary that she had hoped would come. As she rushed down the steps to her room she sent a message to the others who would be needed at the conference and another to the guards at the gate to welcome the visitors and bring them to the agreed upon area. Now where were her new robes? An uncomfortable shift reminded her that she needed to extract her 'indulgence' from her rear. Ohhh, why did the mood strike her at the most inopportune moments? No matter, grin and bear it.

Chapter 12. Divine distress
The hour was just past noon when our large party caught sight of the gates of Crystal Plinth, which had an unusual assortment of guards standing to attention before and above them. On the ground, two men and what appeared to be a Holstaurus or Bovitauride as they were called on Praxis stood in front of the gate. Sitting on the roof were two bee-like mamono with goggles on their heads and peculiar gauntlets on their hands. Two Valkyriar stood with bows inside the gate towers and looked sternly at us. The natural shyness of our Ureonggaksi friends meant that Kaori, I and some of their husbands filtered into the front of the group. Kaori squeezed my hand and pointedly looked up over the wall. Following her gaze I saw the enormous crystal pillar for which the city had been named. As the light broke upon its surface a thousand rainbows sparkled across the structure.

Soon enough we were a stone's throw away from the gate, the human guards threw them open as the Bovitauride girl approached us. The soft clop-clop of her hooves and the gentle tinkling of her bell-shaped choker made her seem even less threatening than any of her kindred I'd met. Light brown hair and similar fur groomed immaculately to match her ceremonial garb she extended a hand in greeting whilst gesturing towards the city with the other. "Welcome honored guests to Crystal Plinth. I am Ellie Meadlowry and I am here to guide you to the negotiation area." She clapped her hands. "Has our ambassador returned with you or?" She looked expectantly at us.
Truth be told, I was rather confused, as were the others by the looks on their faces. Miho and the other closest Ureonggaksi were looking a little worried, so to prevent a panicked stampede I cleared my throat and prepared to answer.

"Erh, sorry miss, but I think you may have mistaken us for some other group. I am Damast, this is Kaori and our friends here are Miho and her family, the Saerti clan." Scratching my head and feeling a little worried as Ellie's cheerful face turned into a frown I pressed on. "I know this may seem a little far-fetched, but Kaori and I are looking for someone called the Gentle Flame, who may be able to return us home to our own world." She looked as if I was crazy, her tail swinging agitatedly and one hand going to her choker. "Please hear me out. We originally came from a world called Ithus..." I explained as best I could and pulled out the pendant that had originally started this interplanetary excursion. "And as we did not want to part so soon Miho and her family came along on a slightly extended vacation as it were." As we waited, Ellie let what had been said sink in and calmed herself.

"Well, this is a turn up for the books" she said and rubbed her hands across her head in frustration. Grasping her choker she traced the heart engraved on it which began to shine. A muttering of sorts came from it and Ellie screwed up her face. "My lady!" she bellowed. "Stop a moment! They aren't the ambassadors!" The muttering went on unabated. Ellie sighed and pressed her thumb onto the design, silencing the contact. "Jannah, fly over to the meadow and try to get her attention, will you? Tell her if you can that it's not the ambassadorial party, but another group returning a token of the Explorers." She turned back to us as one of the bee-girls took off like a rocket, some gizmo on her back giving her a boost.
"Sorry about that, but we were actually expecting a group of ambassadors from the Demon Lord Seretique's domain. I'm afraid that there is some good and some bad news."

She tapped her fingers together in front of her face. "The bad news is that I cannot allow such a large group inside the city with the upcoming diplomatic conference. As stated before, my mother, Clover Meadlowry a.k.a. the Gentle Flame is out of town at the moment as she went to the Demon Lord's domain as our ambassador." She spread her hands in a consoling manner. "Yet we can set up a camp for your group on one of the outlying farms and since the expected party isn't here yet... Well, a small group of you may enter and talk to our lady, perhaps she can be of assistance... When she has calmed down." A long-suffering sigh followed. "She gets... nervous and may come across as a little frantic, but I assure you that she is capable and compassionate. She is your best chance to get home." Passing her gaze further along the crowd, Ellie spotted Antimony on his gurney. "And bring that fellow along, our apothecary might be able to get him back on his feet. Since he's supposed to be on hand for the conference a preliminary exercise won't harm him..."

With that she shook my hand and moved back a little. What followed was a large group hug where everyone who'd journeyed with us tried to give a farewell hug. Miho, and her little family would come with us, Henry and I picking up the gurney with Antimony on it. Ollivier, Kimisa, Naki and the others waved us goodbye, tears moistening their faces and many handkerchiefs blown in harmony. Or so it seemed to me, as my own eyes were leaking tears. Kaori tried to keep herself composed, but her sniffles indicated the depth of her sadness at this parting. Ellie asked the other bee-girl to escort their group to the Yule Meadows Farm and escorted us through the gate, calling for reinforcements and a guide to take us to the conference area.

The guide turned out to be a small angelic girl, who named herself as Onida the Amoris. She was barely a foot high and sported a somewhat large cleavage for her size, though it was covered in a cutesy uniform that had special vents for her velvety black wings on the back. Since she objected to Miho, Chichi and Lena smearing slime all over the main avenue that the expected ambassadors would use she took us on an impromptu tour of the city while maneuvering towards the conference area. The city's architecture was quite varied: Some homes resembled shrines to Praxis' gods, with little angelic girls and human boys playing near them while others resembled a cottage in a druid's grove. One Unicorn was hanging some laundry out to dry while her husband was laying new shingles on the roof. Onida zoomed to her and made an inquiry which evoked a titter of laughter from the Unicorn.

Kaori had never seen a Unicorn before, nor had Miho, so the two of them joined in the conversation. Lena and Chichi had moved into the travelling shell and were playing a game if the squeals and laughter were any indication. We set down Antimony and plopped down on a nearby bench. "Have you ever seen a Unicorn like that Damast?" I nodded, then shrugged. "Well, back home one of my customers is a married Unicorn who lives in a different kind of cottage amid a druid's grove. She was definitely more skittish when I first met her and expressed great fear of the cities." I bit on an errand fleck of nail sticking out from my thumb as it had been cutting into my index-finger. "To see one so at home in a city this size... And unafraid of other mamono too. It's nothing short of unreal."

"Erh, why would they be afraid of other mamono?" Henry asked, eyeing me curiously, to which I shrugged.
"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't met one, but if a Unicorn's husband fools around and gets lathered in another's Demonic Energies then the poor Unicorn turns into a Bicorn. They then gather many mamono and force them into a harem of sorts. Plus they get lust-addled beyond even what a Succubus could fall to." Pretty soon after the girls returned to us and we set off again. Onida handed out some shortcrust cakes she'd gotten from her Unicorn friend. In between munches she explained how she'd befriended the Unicorn. "Well, Amori are natural matchmakers, so when Leila came to Crystal Plinth looking lonely and worried about all the mamono and celestials in town I set her up with Uther. They get along so well, it makes my heart skip." She twirled in the air.

"Sadly enough they are the last couple I could bring together..." She sighed. "When a previous Chief God created us he, it can't have been a woman, made a mistake." She patted her ample bosom. "We start out flat-chested and don't grow anything until we do our jobs. Meaning that the more couples you bring together, the bigger a bra you'll need." Looking a little embarrassed she spoke a little more softly. "I'd rather not end up as my mother, being unable to touch the ground with my feet and needing a cart or ring of flight for longer distances." Kaori and Miho squeezed her arms in sympathy. "Still, it's not all bad, I hope to one day soon snag myself a nice guy even if.." she sighed deeply "If that means another increase." A thought struck me then.

"Well, why not consult a Baphomet then?" This caused Kaori to raise an eyebrow before nodding. Miho and Onida looked perplexed.
"What is a Boffomet?" Onida asked, hovering right in front of us. Kaori and I explained that Baphomets were a mamono native to Ithus who specialized in turning even the most buxom mamono into flat-chested girls. Holstaur excluded. Onida turned a looping before hugging us both. "I'm not sure if Eiraiha or lady Meadlowry would approve off-hand, but if that would work it'd be amazing." Had she been walking, I'm sure there would have been an extra bounce to her step as she set off to the next part of the city. Familiar house-sized shells shared space with houses that looked to have been crafted from Mud and stone, with a peculiar yellow and brown banded pattern near the top. Miho was greeted by some of the housewives there which included some mamono called Mud Wasps.

Though obviously insect-mamono they were the calmest species I had met. Short wings and strong arms that obviously knew how to shape the soil into sturdy homes complemented the pleasant yellow-brown banded sections of chitin and abdomen. Though we would have liked to stay longer Onida eventually led us along the river that bisected the city.
Named the Bell River it found it's source in Crystal Lake to the north and ended in the sea just a little way away from the city. It's waters tinkled gently, like silvery bells, giving rise to it's name. Near the opposite bank an exasperated looking official was haranguing a lackadaisical figure that resembled an upright cone of hair with two arms and ears sticking out slightly.

Onida shook her head. "Tufa's an obstinate one, though more agreeable then most of the Kaaiman kind. Looks like she's been lax in housekeeping again and the neighbours have complained again about the smell." The distant mamono shook her head, showing that she was naked underneath the hair as she inadvertently mooned us. With the five girls giggling we set off again. Chichi'd done her hair up in a single braid while Lena had again donned her Pie-rate hat and had parked Par-rite on top of it. The poor doll seemed like a broody hen then, though with a mystery egg underneath. Finally we came around a corner and were greeted with an unusual sight. A large area of the city had been cleared for a jungle of sorts, a primordial forest almost. In front of this a large meadow had been carefully nurtured and there we saw a most unusual sight.

A stage of sorts with a large crystalline table stood in the center, with large umbrella's arranged daintily around it. Scribes sat at lecterns with ink, pens and paper at the ready. Librarians stood by bookcases filled to bursting with books both ancient and merely old. A large ice-encrusted trencher held food and drink cold while several chefs were tending a fire. The unusual part though was the sulking woman sitting in mid-air with large wings folded around her body and a small thundercloud hovering over her head. Onida looked worried and bade us to remain off the grass while she approached this woman. "Damast, is she an Arch-Angel or... Well, what do you think?" Kaori asked. Having no direct answer I shrugged.

She was definitely beautiful, even while scowling and pouting. Honey-blonde hair cascaded down her back in mellifluous whorls and waves, reaching down just past her bottom. Her legs were long and shapely, her hips forming a perfect counterbalance to her (by mamono standards) modest bust. Delicate facial features ill suited for pouting made up her face and added to the innate grace that emanated from her. A white dress edged in small crystals complemented her figure. Beautiful as she was though, neither Kaori or Miho would need to fear her as a rival. Henry and I both held that love was more than skin deep and would not trade away our beloved ones for the world. "I don't know Kaori, but she's definitely not a lower-rank celestial."

I then had to quickly tighten my hold on the gurney as Antimony started spluttering and rocking like crazy for no reason I could discern. Setting him down it was Henry who tried to calm him and discern the cause of his distress. Meanwhile Onida had managed to coax the woman out of her sulk and the two of them flew over. "My lady, may I present to you Damast and Kaori of Ithus, the Humblestone-Saerti family from Mistburg and mr. Antimony of Kaku. Everyone, I'm proud to present to you our beloved lady Eiraiha, supreme commander of the Celestial Host and Chief Goddess of Praxis." What happened next was in a word astounding. Miho and her family had disappeared into the shell so fast they appeared to have teleported. "Uh, does that happen very often?" Onida asked. I shrugged in response while Kaori herself seemed on the verge of grabbing me and running off to safety.

"I.. I'm sorry, Ureonggaksi are easily startled." Feeling this wouldn't be enough I continued. "W-w-we're sorry to bother y-you your ladyship."We both bowed in respect. "We were hoping to talk to..." The stately woman raised a hand and cut my babbling off, then gave a friendly smile. "Welcome travelers, my apologies for my somewhat grumpy mood earlier."She fluffed her wings as if in apology, then drifted past and through the walls of Miho's traveling shell. Soon enough Henry emerged from the door, a much calmer Miho, Chichi and Lena following. "Well, that's all of you who were admitted to my city..." Her eyes turned away from us and flashed with soft light. "Your kin are happily settled over at the Yule Meadows I see." As the light faded I noticed that the irises where not a uniform color, but rather resembled circles of bands in all the colors of the rainbow, though her left eye emphasized brighter colors than the right.

"Now then, Jannah did relay what you told Ellie. Could I see this pendant?" I nodded and handed over the token. She held it in her hands and bent her head over it, standing still as a statue until we noticed tears were dropping on the pendant. "Salvador... Even you did not return alive..." she sniffed and tucked the pendant in a small pouch on her hip that I would swear had not been there before. When she turned her gaze back to us, she looked for a moment more like a mortal woman who had lost a kinsman. Not really thinking, I pulled a handkerchief from my coat's pockets and handed it to her. With a sad yet grateful smile she took it and wiped away her tears. "Thank you Damast." She took a deep breath and straightened. "At least their fates are now all known to me..."

"It might come to you as a surprise, but I have heard of Ithus before... When I was but a young demi-goddess my tutors once told me of this world, a gateway to other worlds that had once connected to Praxis." She waved a hand towards a structure in the distance, a ruin oddly out of place in the pristine city. "Behold the Ruins of Atar. There once stood the portal and it's physical structure yet remains. It was sealed after Ithus apparently fell to an elder evil, which sent a blast through the gate that brought the ancient fortress down in ruin." She flipped a strand of hair over one shapely ear, the size of which indicated a high degree of honesty if Miho's comments about Henry could be applied to a goddess. At this time, Lena had started playing around, holding Par-rite near the ground and muttering treasure over and over. "My predecessor did hear of Ithus survival, but did not care to renew contact and sealed away the knowledge.."

"Yet in light of Praxis' plight I thought it prudent to seek out other worlds and see if they might have a solution... That is why the Explorers were founded and sent out." Her wings and brows drooped at that. "We knew the risk would be high, but a 90% mortality rate is too high a cost in my opinion." She shook herself, sending a few loose feathers spiralling towards the ground, yet never reaching it. The loose feathers dispersed into light, though Lena tried to grab one. Her disappointed "Ooohh..." was a bit subdued. Eiraiha ruffled Lena's hair a bit, then went on. "I'll do my best to send you home, but it will need to wait until this damn conference is over.... Sorry, it's just that I do not like Seretique and I'm sure she'll try to vex me, even with everything hinging on the conference's outcome. Speaking of which..." She twiddled her thumbs and gave a slightly pleading look.

"Could I ask you to attend? And you all as well? I will protect you if need be, but an impartial presence might avert any troubles... Plus, your knowledge of your home-world could come in handy...." Kaori squeezed my hand and looked at me,I squeezed hers in return and nodded. "We would be honored." Miho and Henry also bobbed their heads. Antimony though almost forgotten on the ground had struggled to prop himself up on his elbows and looked on the edge of going berserk.

"Bitch!" Though barely audible, the verbal bomb he had dropped shocked us all. Eiraiha went through several expressions before settling for a scowl, she effortlessly pushed us aside and stomped over to Antimony. "You blaspheme. Why?" Antimony struggled to answer, then coughed up blood. Eiraiha waved a hand over him, all color leeched from his form, which had gone rigid. An orb rose from his chest, compiled of many colors, a small blue flame surged at it's core. The soul, as I guessed it was conversed with the goddess, though we were not made privy to what passed between them. Eiraiha's scowl softened into a look of pure grief. Another wave of her hand returned the soul to the body and a trail of sparks followed, mending Antimony's body.

As he started moving, he kneeled in front of her and bowed his head. "I apologize, though I stand by what I have said." She nodded in return.
"I in turn acknowledge your apology and the terrible state of affairs in the Luminaire kingdoms. I know my explanation is not enough, but as matters stand my hands are bound. Rise Antimony, rest assured that a reckoning will come for those sinners at the massacre of Meliddis." Eihaira looked grim as she turned to us again. "My apologies to you as well. As Chief Goddess I have to respond to such things. Simply smiting an offender might have worked in the past, but I find such... wasteful." Suddenly her face screwed up in apparent pain and a muffled pop sounded.

"Yay! Par-rite found a treasure." Little Lena crawled out from under Eiraiha's dress, holding a strange ring up. The goddess meanwhile rubbed her rear, then caught our looks and blushed furiously. "Eh, eh... it must have... been.. stuck when.. I sat..." As her speech wound down she started crying. Seconds later a small girl with red hair and pink Succubi wings flew down and immediately rushed over to Eiraiha. "Oh dear, what happened my lady?" This caused her to cry even harder, and a sudden raincloud formed over her, sending forth a downpour. "Ehm, miss, nothing serious happened. Lady Eiraiha had a ring stuck in her clothes and Lena removed it, but it must have scraped her bottom." The little girl turned a dubious look on me that clearly stated she saw through my lie.

Spotting the ring-handled tiny dildo, shaped like a pylon and looking slightly crystaline, in Lena's hand she nodded. "Right, nothing to worry about. Now Eihy, dry up your tears, it's no big deal." Eihaira looked up incredulously. "Says you Alyssum! I'm already some coldhearted monster to people out there who remember Meliddis, now I'll be known as the big perv too!" She wailed. "Could this day get any worse?" As if on cue a messenger Melissae flew in and spotting the distressed goddess instead whispered into Alyssum's ear. She in turn blanched. "Eihy, pull yourself together, now! It seems the Demon Lord herself is approaching the gates!"

Chapter 13. Prelude to a showdown
Alyssum's words sent a shock through Eiraiha's body, visible to all of us around her. She sat there, tears still streaking down her face while she blinked. "Huh?" "Come on Eihy, Seretique's on her way to the gate! I need you to be strong now, you know how long we've worked for this. Now don't fret, clean yourself up with that hanky and get into gear! I'll head on ahead and bring that... that..." Alyssum swallowed her words. "That essential addition to this conference. Andrua, go to the band and tell them to play the welcome march." With that Alyssum and Andrua the Melissae took off, wings beating furiously. Meanwhile Eiraiha still looked upset and not yet ready for the challenge ahead, so I took charge.

"Miho, get some gel. Kaori, could you use your drying spell on the dress? Henry, grab a bottle of water if you could." I grabbed a fresh handkerchief and ignoring for the moment that this might constitute sacrilege started cleaning her face. "Now lady Eiraiha, please don't fret about it anymore, okay?" Dropping to a confidential whisper I added. "You have done nothing to be ashamed of. All have a libido and I commend your efforts to retain your virginity." Kaori's sensitive ears also picked this up and she nodded before adding: "We'll have a little girl talk later, if you like... " Soon enough we had her cleaned up and drinking some water while Miho applied a little gel to Eiraiha's face to mask the tear streaks. She still looked tense, but that was when Antimony unexpectedly pitched in by gently taking her hand and whispering encouragements into her ear.

By the time Alyssum returned from the gate Eiraiha once again looked as when she had first spoken to us. She had seated us on the southern side of the conference table and was moving about, pulling scrolls from pidgeonholes and laying them out on the table. The librarians meanwhile thumbed through the books and added pagemarks to topics they thought might come in handy while their assistants brought over tomes about and from Ithus. Surprisingly this included a battered, ancient copy of Deaver's Travels, an ever popular book about one explorer who had journeyed into the Faey-lands. When I asked why they'd brought it, the answer made me laugh. They believed it a sacred tome of arcane knowledge, rather than the at least partially true autobiography I knew it to be. They took it in stride though and asked me to help amend their translation later.

It was Kaori who first noticed something amiss, she spun around so swiftly that she accidentally kicked me in the shin. Seeing her eyes go wide with shock I turned as well. I was just in time to see Alyssum and presumably Clover being thrown onto the grass by a figure cloaked in a dark aura of incredible power. A silhouette of a woman, equally beautiful and terrifying stood in front of the stage. Large wings spread out from her back and eyes blazing with power shone through the murk in unmistakable anger. "Really..." The voice held power and seductive lasciviousness in a timbre that could melt chocolate. "You are pathetic Eiraiha... Sending one of my Bovitaurides as a champion. Get this: Damien is mine! If you truly wish to pretend to uphold those sanctimonious values of yours then accept that he is lost to you!" She slapped her behind. "These confused sots aren't seriously harmed, next time though I shall not be so merciful."

She then seemed to notice Kaori for the first time. "What in blazes are you? An experimental new monster?" A dark chuckle escaped Seretique's lips. "What a cute tail... And you already have your mate it seems... My advice to you is to ditch that wet hen and bang your lad's brains out... Trust me, he'll love it." Her eyes flashed and suddenly Kaori moaned. Through gritted teeth she spat out the incantation for her lust reducing spell and when it went off the scent of cinnamon was beyond overpowering, I felt my nose shut down. Her tail looked like a plume and she shook with rage. "How dare you!" Kaori grabbed the seat next to her and flung it with all her power at Seretique who flung up a hand and deflected the impromptu missile.

Kaori ignored it and shouted at the perplexed Demon Lord. "By lady Saressha, how dare you do that to me!? How dare you treat the emissary and the welcoming official like that! How dare you mock lady Eiraiha and the purpose of this conference!" At this point I stepped in front of Kaori, prompting Eiraiha to do the same. "You harmed my bride." I spoke to her. "Though I promised to abide by the peacefulness of this conference as a representative of Ithus, you will apologize to her and to all the others you have insulted." At which point the perplexed look was replaced by a hard-edged one. "You have balls, at least for now. Get this, over the last several decades her prissiness has been trying to steal my husband. This supposed peace conference is just another scheme of hers. I do not buy it. As for your 'bride', she must have been hit on the head to deny my gift and I do not care about yokels from some backwater colony."

Eiraiha reached out and slapped Seretique. "Slut!" *slap* "Airhead!" *slap* "Idiot! Get your mind out of it's usual parking-place for once! I invited you to send an envoy to attend this peace-conference in order to correct your mistake!" *slap* "And this is what happens? You hurt my closest friends, threaten my friends from another world and bring Damien.. Damien into it again? You faithless hag!" *slam* Eiraiha was knocked askew as Seretique punched her. "Liar. In all that time that we've know each other you have done naught but try to tempt my Damien away from me. Get a life, or end it!" She drew back her hand again and it looked as if Eiraiha would be killed. Antimony jumped onto the fist before it could connect. Seretique stared at the blood on her hand, standing out even in her dark aura of power, then at the blasted form of Antimony on the ground. Her gaze turned sad, despairing even.

She stammered, then cried, a thin wail escaping her lips. "What have I done? One more human dead, one more mamono without a husband!" Eiraiha did not waste time on Seretique, instead diving for the barely alive Antimony and pouring in healing energy. Seretique meanwhile started crying for Damien, raised her arms and was gone. "Brave, foolish idiot! Look at you, your ribcage has collapsed, your stomach's practically coming out of your rear and your spine's a jigsaw puzzle. Why did you do it? I could have taken that punch." Barely alive Antimony mouthed a response: "I didn't think about it.". Miho had at this time cracked the door of her shell open a bit and seeing Seretique gone quickly joined Eiraiha and Kaori, working together to realign broken bones as the healing took effect. Miho and Kaori soon moved over to Alyssum and Clover, using their more mundane means to bring both to consciousness before Eiraiha flooded them with her healing energies.

Still feeling shaken by another close call with death I sat down again. It wasn't that I'd been afraid, unlike with the Sealed one when I had clamped down my fears. Instead I had done as Antimony had done, not thinking about consequences, yet now after the fact I felt drained. It was at about this time that a small figure approached, hidden behind a stack of papers and books. Dainty legs encased in white stockings, a nervously swinging tail and tips of tiny wings emerging from behind the cover provided by the stack this could only be a mamono. "P-p-p-pardon, lady Eiraiha?" the diminutive girl inquired, the goddess looked up with some confusion. "Huh, who are you? One of Alyssum's friends from NeverNeverland?" She asked.

The figure curtsied, then replied. "N-n-no, your ladyship. I'm someone you might not want to see right now though." An audible gulp sounded. "I am Maraina vi Alloriel and I bring you some writings that may be of some help. When mrs. Meadlowry arrived at my parents' castle I-I-I spoke with her and tried to convince my mother. Sadly enough she was too busy with father to t-t-take note of what we said, instead capturing mrs. Meadlowry." Eiraiha's gaze narrowed as the young girl spoke, a sphere of flame forming in her hand. "Tell me why I should believe you... And not incinerate you..." Eiraiha's bad mood would have gotten the better of her had a dazed Clover not grabbed a hold of her. "She speaks the truth Eihy! Uhhh... Dizzy..." Clover sank back to the ground, her eyes spinning.

Eiraiha sighed, dispersed the flames and without comment removed Clover's hand from her breast, holding it in her own hands. "I'm not having a good day. Please put those down and show yourself." To which Maraina complied. She wore half-moon spectacles, most likely for show, and wore her silvery hair cropped short. Small horns curved like a bow rose from her head and her freckled face showed the innocent fearfulness of a child confronted with something scary. Eiraiha sighed and forced a smile, beckoning the diminutive one over. As she did, a commotion arose from the Ruins of Atar and a procession of gate guards came up the avenue. We'd survived again, taking Kaori's hand I smiled at her. Though she returned the smile, her hand strayed to her belly and a thoughtful look took it's place. "Damast, we need to talk."

Chapter 14. An explorer arrives
As Kaori sat down beside me I put my arm around her. Letting go of my hand she folded both of hers in her lap. "She hurt me, Damast. Not just physically, but... but emotionally as well..." Tears started streaming from her eyes. "When that spell or whatever it was hit me, it was like I got gut-punched. It was as if thousands of voices were screaming I should rape you till I got pregnant or we both fell into oblivion. As if I were some miscreant for wanting to wait with children until we get married." She was shaking like a leaf in a storm, so I pulled her in closer. "Don't think for a moment that it'd be true Kaori. If only I could have prevented her from harming you." I can honestly say that few things are harder for a man than to fail someone he cares about.

"You were right in fighting off that compulsion, heck it was a spell cast by the Demon Lord of Praxis and you managed to fend it off." I kissed her cheek. "I do want children with you, as you know, but I don't want you to be forced into it." She shook her head and continued crying, she pressed against my chest and looked for all the world as if she had been given a lifetime's worth of misery today. "It still hurts." Suddenly we both felt strong, soft hands pressed to both of us and a feeling like some soft warm breeze was passing through us, a glow playing over our bodies that carried away some of the hurts. When it ended, Kaori looked less pained and I too felt a little more at peace. Eiraiha moved into view and on impulse hugged us both."I'm so sorry, I should have checked you both first." She sighed heavily. "I hope you can forgive me, I... I've a tendency to be easily flustered by that woman."

For a few minutes we simply talked, not about anything very much, our conversation joined by Miho, Onida and Henry. Lena and Chichi were present too, though asleep on their mother's lap. Maraina, Clover and Alyssum were sitting close by and resting. Soon enough though Ellie came up the road, her clothes ruffled and with damp patches on her shorts and blouse. "My... lady.. So sorry... She blew past us with.. unspeakable magics." Milk now visibly leaked from her blouse. "Private Archis is worst off, now an Alp... The others... Let's say we had to deal with things... before coming here. Uhhh.. So full of milk..." She plopped down on the ground. "I'm trying, but I'm so horny right now it hurts." Eiraiha sighed, then swiftly worked her healing powers again and Ellie's panting lessened. She did lift up her blouse and emptied her breasts into a nearby pot originally intended for a course of soup.

"Thank you my lady. I'm sorry I could not stop her." She looked over to Clover and Alyssum, who quickly approached. "Mom, are you alright?" Clover shrugged, then nodded. "Thanks to Eihy, yes, we're all feeling a bit better." Alyssum shook her head and growled, "It'll be a long while ere I feel alright again". Though she was physically rather small and to be sure quite sweet looking, we all could feel the anger emanating from her. A palpable aura, like sparks on fur crackled across her form. Eiraiha looked worried and immediately started fussing over Alyssum, under the latter's protests. Onida hovered overhead and leaned down to whisper. "Let's just say Alyssum's usually the calm, motherly type... Yet when she gets angry even our lady doesn't want to be the focus of that anger."

Alyssum managed to calm down somewhat, especially after Eiraiha conjured up some strange fruit of sorts that smelled bad, to put it mildly. Alyssum cracked it open and began munching on the fleshy interior things she pulled out. Kaori put her hand over her nose and in a muffled voice asked Onida what that bad smelling thing was. Onida, also holding her nose explained that it was a Durian fruit, one of the sweetest and healthiest fruits in the world. It's smell gets worse when it's ripe and worst when it's spoiled. Alyssum preferred it just before spoiling apparently. Like many women of my acquaintance she had a pretty large sweet tooth. Kaori chuckled and remarked that she had heard of Durian, but hadn't expected it to smell this bad.

The restored calm did not last long though as a soldier came running from the direction of the Ruins of Atar. "My lady Eiraiha, I'm sorry, but there is a host of trouble going down in the Ruins and the Reapers have asked that you attend immediately." Eiraiha jumped up immediately and gathered what info she could from the soldier. Apparently, the portal had been opened forcibly from the other side and something with horns had come through. The Reapers had engaged the creature, but were being knocked out cold one after the other. The soldier gulped and asked if it could be the creature that had so devastated the structure around the portal, and why it looked like a horned girl carrying a scythe?

Eiraiha scratched her head, having no ready answers. Something went click in mine though. Had it been a sealed one, it would not knock anyone out, it would kill them. Plus, a horned girl with a scythe? A Baphomet perchance. I said so and Eiraiha nodded. She bade everyone else stay here and picked me up in one hand, then gated right into the portal room. A familiar voice sounded through the dust and smoke: "You punks want to go another round? Or will you finally listen to me? I'm not some evil freak out to harm you or this Praxis town or country or whatever." How could this be? That voice belonged to one person I knew, sounding like a mother whose patience was being tested 24/7. "Balase? Is that you?" Both she and Eiraiha uttered a startled huh, then a hurried clatter of hooves later Balase crashed into Eiraiha.

"Yow!" She said, then looked up. "Very funny, angel. I'll crack your skull for imitating that poor dead Damast." She pulled back her scythe, obviously not having noticed my body dangling from Eiraiha's hand in the swirling dust. I yelled: "Balase, stop! I'm right here." Struggling, I managed to make Eiraiha let me go and the thump of my body hitting the floor finally pulled Balase's gaze towards me. As a result of which, her scythe dropped, followed a second later by Balase herself in a dead faint. I wanted to know how in blazes she had gotten here, but that would have to wait. Eiraiha meanwhile moved about the room and checked on the Reapers, who were not seriously injured. "Well Damast, this is a friend of yours?" She asked when she returned to me.

"Yes, kind of, she's Balase, a Baphomet and someone who saved my life." I scratched my head. "I don't know if she regards me as a friend though, or more like a neighborhood kid." I tried to explain as best I could about Balase, how she had saved my life at the Battle of Tallfort and how she was a respected leader in my home region. "Interesting... Let's bring her along, but first..." Her eyes blazed with power for a moment as a cage of light formed around the portal, a small sign appearing on a standard inside.She then picked both of us up and gated us out again. Out on the grass Kaori and I quickly tried to bring Balase around. when she did come around her response was unintentionally comical. "Okay, so that was the portal to the here-after."

After we'd stopped laughing I tried to explain to her that she wasn't in the realm of the dead, but on another world. She started crying and gave a crushing hug. "We thought you were dead! Natasha said that she couldn't find a trace of you after the portal went haywire! Stupid kids!" Eventually she calmed down and we introduced her to everyone, courtesy of a translation blessing by Eiraiha. She was affectionate towards Miho and her children, a little wary of Eiraiha and Clover, yet almost instantly hit it off with Alyssum. "Well, today's turning out great! We finally got to get a few of the portals we found working again, you two turn up alive and I've discovered another world." She nabbed Alyssum's arm. "Another world with new friends." They shared a giggle at that.

"It's been an eventful day so far, certainly." Eiraiha said. "Praxis is a little different from what you may be used to, but from what Damast told me, you are one of the most knowledgeable people of Ithus." She spread her wings. "Today's not the time for it, but I would like to reconvene the conference tomorrow and invite you to it. Ellie, that's Clover's daughter, has brought the other unexpected guest to her quarters already, but we've got enough room for everyone." So said, so done. We spent the night in comfort, Kaori resting with her body curled up against my chest and awoke the following morning feeling refreshed.
Onida met us outside in the hallway and was smiling, her chest appearing a little less overburdening to her.

"Balase was kind enough to cast some spell on me that makes these a little less heavy." She flicked one breast with a finger and it bounced up higher than it should. "Still, it's just a temporary fix for now." She led us back through the building, which had a beautiful stained glass window, and out onto the conference field where Maraina was already sorting through her papers and Alyssum was playing a game with Balase that involved a ball and a string. As I sat down in the appointed chair with Kaori, Miho and Henry close by I could not help but wonder what the conference would bring. If I had been one to gamble, I'd have said that all bets were off and the wild cards were in play.

Chapter 15. New ties, old sores
Though I can't claim to ever have been present at an international conference before, let alone an interplanetary one, it instantly reminded me of the merchants' gatherings I had attended back home. The hostess, Eiraiha, thanked all for coming, including a late in arriving ambassador from something called the Dynasty of Aten. She spoke of her good intentions and assured all present that by decree of Heaven all would have their safety assured. All in turn then introduced themselves. Balase had asked that I be the spokesman for our impromptu delegation so she and Kaori could focus more on giving advice. Ollivier spoke for most of the Ureonggaksi, though Henry had been separately listed as spokesman for Mistburg.

Ahl-Tah, a most peculiar harpy-like mamono proclaimed to speak for the Dynasty of Aten, but also immediately proclaimed that this would not imply a change in their stance on diplomatic relations with the Demon Lord. Henry whispered that he thought her to be a Thoth. Her wings had mostly white plumage, though the tips, her tail and some feathers on her shoulders were a solemn black. Apparently, some of them had a bright red plumage, though he was quick to add that such was hearsay to him.
Maraina still stuttered nervously somewhat, but spoke with conviction as the Demon Realm's foremost expert currently available on the matter.
She had sorted all her papers into neat piles, with page marks sticking out at various angles.

Last to be introduced was Polly, a teenage-looking girl dressed in an outfit bedecked with ribbons and carrying a shepherds crook sparkling with unusual magics. She would preside over the conference as a neutral party. When she had introduced herself, she called the meeting to order and broached the topics that would be discussed.
Foremost, the approaching extinction of the human race on Praxis. The spell cast by Seretique had to a degree fulfilled it's purpose, namely to improve human-monster relations. Yet since the latter could not birth human offspring and only rarely incubi it would succeed where evil plans had not.

Secondly, to determine if and what should be done about Seretique's increasing apathy towards this problem and her lack of response towards the various mamono, ruling bodies and so forth who sought her aid. Though Maraina was obviously not very happy about this point, she did concede it. To appease her, it was emphasized that the conference would also address the increasingly wayward actions of the Luminaire.

Thirdly, to discuss international relationships and perchance furthering common goals such as tackling the problem of piracy emanating from the area of the Great Divide known as The Reaper's Hook. Additionally it would also broach the subject of the possible permanent reopening of the portal between Ithus and Praxis. Ahl Tah had been looking curiously when I did the introductions, but now looked dying to ask about Ithus as it dawned on her that it was a world and not a town.

As the first subject came up, Eiraiha spoke at length about the time-scale of the issue. Though she and Clover had been at work for many years now, attempting to find a way to enable mamono to bear human offspring their efforts where stymied by lack of knowledge. They did not know what the exact spell had been that Seretique cast and were hampered further by the mutagenic components inherent in Demonic Energy that prevented a clear reverse-engineering course. They had succeeded partially in crafting a means to lessen it's corruptive and intoxicating effects, hence the Crystal Pillar. She listed several experimental treatments they had tried on volunteers and the results where, in general, not something to be happy about. Luckily some negative effects could be reversed, yet still it meant mamono had ended up in ancestral, bestial forms and lost their minds.

Ahl Tah spoke next, listing in short what had been previously communicated about the Dynasty's involvement with the spell. She then spoke of the attempts to restore the modern Lamia to their original Naga state. Even to me it was clear that the ambassador was glossing over the details. Balase scowled at the Thoth, but held her calm for now. Maraina spoke next, and her tale shocked us all who had seen Seretique the previous day. The Demon Lord herself had apparently lost part of her memory in the casting of the spell and was subjected to a kind of backlash from the Demon Energy being generated by the mamono.
She quoted an old tome, which apparently was a purloined diary by Seretique's hand written about three decades after the events.

Her attempts to reverse the damage done by it had met with even more spectacular failure. Maraina added that as the diaries progressed they contained less and less information about Seretique's attempts, yet reflected an increasing sense of desperation. She blushed when she mentioned finding her mother's more recent diaries, saying that the one written around the time Damien and Seretique met went from melancholy poetry to... (Here she gulped, spotting another small thunderstorm forming over Eiraiha's head, yet pressing on.) Anatomically incorrect pictures surrounded by hearts. It was also the last diary to note anything to do with her efforts to reverse the spell.
Damien's idea to shunt Demonic Energy away from the womb as a fetus grew in it failed because the magic used for that would be corrupted by that energy.

The sole result of the experiment was a Serebim with a slightly increased resistance to Demonic... The realization hit her then. Her parents had experimented upon themselves and her. Tears flowed freely then and the rest of the conference looked shocked. Ellie, who'd been standing guard at the periphery, and Clover rushed to her and comforted her as best they could. Eventually Maraina recovered enough to say that she had found some potentially relevant information in an ancient tome called the Book of Dawning. As she shoved those papers forward she lapsed into silence and did not speak again at the conference.

Balase tapped me on the shoulder and whispered that she'd handle this. With that, and a sudden leap, she stood on the table. "Pardon me for jumping up here, but even with the comfy chair I'd rather have your full attention." Folding the blade of her scythe into the handle in a way that suggested some sort of pocket space, she turned it into a staff with a shiny gemstone knob on the end. It shrank to the size of a wand and she used that to place several... well call it magic screens, floating in the air. As she spoke images started to appear on them. One was a sphere floating amid the stars, others portraits from the Era of Change and a more recent one of Lady Saressa, the de facto ruler of our home world.
Small nodes of energy drifted among the screens.

"Though my young friend Damast did a neat job of introducing me as he knows me, it is perhaps best that I give you my most formal introduction... I am Balase Lamont, regional leader of the Melosian chapters of Sabbath. Though this is neither the time nor the place for a large exposition on the origins, purpose and so forth of our organisation I would summarize them as follows: On Ithus the authority on magic, demonic energies and mamono is Sabbath. As I've... been a member for some time..." She said this with a look that forbade further inquiry on that part. "Well, I can claim to be somewhat knowledgeable." She pointed to the portrait of a stunningly beautiful woman, her long black hair ending in silver tips.

"This is a portrait of Ithus previous Demon Lord, lady Harendra til Masu. She was the granddaughter of Demon Lord Heradise val Masu, the one who enacted the change from monster to mamono and thus initiated the Era of Change." She pointed to a portrait of a seemingly young man with grey hair and a neat beard. "This is a portrait of Reus, Lord of the mists and the previous Chief God of Ithus." Alyssum interrupted and asked if Balase meant Principal God? "Chief God, Principal God? Same meaning, but different worlds, eh Lyssie?" She threw up one of her paws and motioned everyone to pay careful attention. "These three are the reason why Ithus is as it is. Like Praxis our world had entered a situation where humankind was on the verge of extinction. Monsterkind was also on that verge, many having died alongside humans or to their blades if they fought as slave fodder for the ancient Devils."

Bringing her paws together Balase generated a small ball of Demonic Energy. "Heradise, a Succubus with Echidnae in her ancestry had risen to power in the aftermath of the Doomsday wars. Seeing how both humans and monsters were going to die out she used an earlier form of this to change our forebears into mamono. Note how this ball of energy is a little less chaotic than the one your mom might produce?" She asked Maraina, who nodded. "Well, long story short, it used to be a lot more like yours." She dispersed the ball back into her body. "Now I happen to have been born during Heradise's reign, so my energies mostly resemble those found in her days. As was to be expected with such incredible magics, a flaw crept in and mamono could only produce more mamono. Not humans, and no men. Though she tried to repair this, a party of Order numbnuts stuck a blade in her. Harenda then took the throne, her mother being unwilling to do so."

"Reus also rose to the position of Chief God at this time. Both of them tried to find an answer to the problems and both of them regularly clashed." She shook her head. "Eventually though they somehow got to talking. I was still busy setting up my fort back then, actually I was also dating a relative of hers... You know, girls fooling around... So I got a few snippets." Balase was blushing at this point. "Anyway, the gist of it was that they pooled their resources and got working on a cure. They married and had Saressha, but they would not see her grow up fully. She was a sickly child due to the conflicting energies within her, so her parents staked a gamble... The technical details are a bit beyond me, but they gave up their lives to save her and in doing so solved the problem... Mostly.

They created an entity known as the Voice. It managed to stabilize Saressha, then bathed all the world in a milky purple glow. As a result of which our energies changed. More so with newborn ones. Mamono suddenly could more easily produce sons. Human sons at that, no longer automatically incubi. Saressha gained greatly in power and developed an ability to change mamono into human women, or to bestow the sacrificial blessing that would allow them to bear a human daughter." Balase pointed to a portrait of the gods before Saressha had come to power. "Some of the old gods did not approve of a 'tainted brat' taking the throne. So they challenged her." She waved a paw dismissively. "Big mistake on their part, though it allowed some fresh blood in."

She pointed to a portrait of the pantheon as it currently was, apparently. I did not recognize all gods on either painting as gods foreign to me were included. Yet even to the casual observer the new additions obviously had been mamono before ascending. "Now, before you think this is the ultimate answer to your problems... The new Demonic Energy is not perfect. Us mamono are still brazenly lustful, though it's slightly easier to control than before. Human women are still changeable by it and such changes can occur only once in a person's life. No going back." She waved her wand and enlarged the screen showing Ithus. "Look here. One of the other effects is that Demon Realms as they were called aren't quite as stable as they were in my mother's day."

A series of pink spots appeared on the globe. "The area of effect is far more dependant on variables. The amount of sex the rulers have, the presence of certain anathema such as Sealed Ones, magic sinkholes and so forth." She clapped her paws together and the screens vanished. "In short, while I'm more than willing to send over some experts who have dedicated their lives to the study of Demonic Energies and samples of varied kinds to study, I am not convinced it will be of great use to you." She rubbed her forehead as if experiencing a headache. "It is intimately tied to Ithus and replicating it on another world might be next to impossible. Add to that the weird mutagenic effects and you might as well juggle flaming torches in a fireworks storage."

She resumed her seat and answered the questions that the others sent her way. Of note was that her granddaughter Licci, who we knew only as such, had developed a thing for having large breasts due to the mutagenic influences. Balase hoped to send her here so she could explore this nonsense without being seen as a freak. For the remainder of the conference there were few surprises, though the renaming of the little Harvest Town into Gateway was a little unexpected. Agreements were reached to build new portals on Both Ithus and Praxis to link the two and experiment with bringing mamono back and forth to see if that had any effect. Miho and Henry shyly spoke of the desires of Gravelhold and Mistburg to improve relations with the Lands of the Gentle Flame.

By the time lunch was served the mood was jovial and even Ahl Tah had admitted that she viewed these ideas as favorable. Yet, as Eiraiha had seen yesterday things could always get worse. The guards brought a wounded woman to the table whom we eventually recognized as Kiira, the officer from Mistburg. Blood covered most of her and deep wounds showed on her whole body. Eiraiha managed to heal her, with a little aid from Balase who renewed her depleted blood with the same spell Rika had worked on me during that awful battle. Kiira cried out in pain as her legs surged with new blood, though the shock brought her fully to consciousness. She was surprised to see all of us here and shocked by Balase's appearance.

"I am sorry lady Eiraiha, but I come to you with a request for aid. The Luminaire have begun a massive attack on lands bordering theirs and though the West Pridolae Coast is giving it's all, we're sorely pressed. As official envoy I humbly request any and all aid you would be willing to give." Just as she was about to answer a burst of light landed on the grass and a male angel stood there. At least, he technically checked out as a celestial: wings, aura, prudish dress. The look on his face though was anything but celestial. "Consorting with whore-beasts again Eiraiha? No more! No more will I stand by and let you sully Heaven." He pulled a glove out of his pocket and threw it at her feet with enough force to crack the platform.

"I hereby inform you that the elder council has decided that they have concerns over your current course. Luckily, they were open to my suggestions and though the results aren't quite what I had hoped for it's merely a delay. As my Luminaire destroy the Demon Lord and her whore-beasts I shall ascend to the throne of Principal God! Beg for mercy that you might live out your days as a mortal." As he laughed in a manner that would make anyone's skin crawl his form turned to light again and lifted off. "What the hell was that about?" Asked Balase, she did not get an answer as Eiraiha disappeared. Clover, though trembling with nerves, asked everyone to stay calm. Balase though ignored that and placed a barrier over the glove, not trusting the creep that had thrown it.

When Eiraiha returned a few minutes later, her face was ashen. In a few short words she told all of us that Heaven, her domain by democratic election, was in turmoil. Malus Lockedheart, the old god of War and a rival during the election, had been campaigning to have her replaced. Never mind that she had been more successful than he during a previous brief stint as interim Principal God, or that his bad reputation scared many away. He had convinced enough elders on the council that they had decided (if not unanimously) that the one whose faction prevailed in taking down the Demon Lord Seretique would be the one to be named Chief God for twice a full term. He had appealed to the Luminaire's leaders and promised them immortal glory in return for taking up his cause.

Praxis looked to be headed for stormy times and I had no idea what I could do about it. Kaori and Balase both shared my concerns.

Chapter 16. Return to Ithus
The remainder of the conference soon turned into a council of war and though Balase joined it she made it clear to us that we would do better to look after Miho and her family. Knowing that neither of us had more military experience than what little we had garnered in helping to organize the defense of Tallfort, I agreed, though our inability to help stung.
Seeing Miho trembling in Henry's arms with Lena and Chichi clinging to both soon took our minds off it. We simply tried to be there for them and with some effort managed to calm them down. As we'd only had a light repast at the start of the conference, I stole away to the kitchen of sorts and asked the chefs for some food. As they included mamono (actually being a team of husbands and wives) the meal they delivered swiftly and even with three worried Ureonggaksi on the list of eaters probably would be too much.

Just as we were all about to tuck in, there was a pause in the meeting and Balase brought Kiira over, with Onida flying overhead on some mission. "They're taking a short break to bring in more info, people and to allow both that birdie-girl to contact her superiors and that little demon to call on an old friend. Anyhow, it's as good a time as any to get some rest now." She helped Kiira sit down. "I also have some things to discuss with all of you, but miss Kiira here wanted to talk to you first." Kiira nodded and patted the grass beside her.
After Balase sat down she sighed and began speaking. "I'll not beat around the bush Miho, Henry. Things are pretty grim and I've got some bad news for you both." She sighed and rubbed over her recently healed wounds.

"Though we're trying to hold the line near Gravelhold it's hard going. The small villages, towns and cities on the West Pridolae Coast have given all they could, but really the only thing stopping the Luminaire from waltzing all over is that they are stretched thin. Could be that they're holding forces in reserve, could be that not everyone's on board from their side." She shuddered. "We lost Marko though and Gina when this thing appeared. Lady Eiraiha called it the Fay-thest, a celestial weapon of war. It lobbed flaming stones at Mistburg, then disappeared. Fortunately most were deflected with magic, but the Guardhouse..." She sobbed. "Damn that thing! Marko was squashed by the chimney and Gina was impaled by debris."

Miho and Henry cried and their children wailed. "That's not all though." Spoke Kiira. "I'm afraid that some other houses were also hit. Naki's house is largely intact, as is your cousin's, but your house was struck by several, directly." She pulled a burnt shard with a heart-shaped design on it from her belt, along with a small crystal I'd seen set next to a bonsai-tree that Chichi had in her room. "We tried to save it, but to no avail. Junhilde managed to find these things in the wreckage. I'm glad that you're safe here, but I worry about your sister and cousin. Did they remain at your mom's?" I quickly explained to her that practically all of Miho's family was on an extended vacation and were currently camping near the city. That sparked a memory though. "Eh, Kiira, we had sent a messenger to Mistburg to explain the prolongued absence, did she arrive?"

Kiira shook her head. "No, but we did find several mamono... well, parts of them, when we were tracking what we assumed was a scouting party. It turned out to be a deathsquad, funded no doubt by those bastards who'd stolen all that money from Gravelhold." She winced. "I ordered the survivors of my party back home and used magic to get here, but my wounds were worse than I thought. Plainly speaking, if the lady hadn't healed me, I'd have died before nightfall." Miho shot forward and wrapped Kiira in a hug, crying all the while. Kaori and Balase eventually managed to calm Miho down while I lend Henry and the kids some support. Shortly after though Balase told us of the plans she had been formulating, but insisted we would eat the food while she did so. A ferocious growl came from her stomach and though my appetite was no greater than Henry's I agreed.

Balase bit into a delicately roasted leg of lamb. "Hmmm... This stuff's great, I gotta get me the recipe. Erh, sorry, hungry Baphomets think with their stomachs. What I wanted to ask you." She burped. "Pardon. Well, since you're out of a home at the moment and this war is a brewing I am hoping you won't mind helping out to bring it to a close soon." She waved a paw at the Ruins of Atar. "Or at least provide an escape for folks here. See, the portal over there is old. Even my great-great-great-grandmother wasn't born yet when they were made. Experts think they may have been made in the Era of Mists and that's dawn of time stuff. The problem is, it can only handle four at a time and only so many transports a month."

She looked at Kiira, who nodded sadly. "Now, I reckon we could send in a handful of soldiers and whatnot, but that won't win the war. Not at that rate. As things stand, Eiraiha could lose and things will then look very bad for mamono and humans not opposed to them. So I'm going to try to get a new portal opened. A big one. For that to work though we need so called twin foci on either side. Basically, we need at least two from this world to be on Ithus and two from there on Praxis. You need not do anything special, just... just take a longer vacation and see our world. She's a beaut, don't doubt." Kiira nodded and leaned in. "You're not soldiers, neither are our friends here and this is going to get very nasty. It's up to you two, but I'd rest easier if you were safe."

Henry shook his head. "But Mistburg's our home as well and I'm still good with a blade." Balase sighed and stood up. "Tell you what, take a swing at me, if you can knock me down, you can play soldier." Henry flushed, wrapped his coat around his arm and gently pushed at Balase. Next thing anyone knows, he's on the ground and Balase's scythe hovers over his throat. "You're no soldier. You'd die and I'm damned if I allow that. Go to Ithus, or go to your in-laws. By all accounts this Zipangu's practically untouched." She shook her head. "But forget about fighting as a soldier. If you go with this plan you will help to save many lives, hopefully." Balase withdrew her scythe and effortlessly pulled Henry to his feet. By this time, Eiraiha flew overhead and made a graceful landing.

"Miho, I'm sorry about Mistburg. Rest assured that we'll do our best to save the world from that..." She gulped down what she had been about to say. "That idiot." She sat down on the grass, which seemed not to suffer from her presence on it. "I'm sorry to say that with the Luminaire now fully corrupted, my resources are limited. I have the mamono and men loyal to our cause and Ahl Tah has already confirmed that the dynasty will send troops against the Luminaire and Malus." She sighed. "My hand is forced though, I'll have to divide my troops and lead a party against Seretique while a chosen commander goes against the invaders." She suddenly extended her arms as if they were taffy and hugged all gathered on the grass. "Whatever rolls out of this mess, I'm grateful for having met you all and I hope to welcome you back here soon."

As she stood up, she remembered something. "Eh, Miho, could I borrow Lena for a bit?" Looking a little puzzled, Miho nodded and sent Lena with Eiraiha, who disappeared behind a couple of bookcases for a few minutes. Kaori's ears perked up and she started giggling. When they returned she had a knowing smile and did not seem surprised at the fact that Par-rite was now moving about on his own power and making parrot noises. Eiraiha blushed, but did not comment on it. "Well, I'm afraid that we need to get things moving now. Miho, Henry, will you go to Ithus?" They looked at each other, then nodded. "Splendid! I've contacted your parents and they'll meet us at the ruins. The Reapers have departed for a little while, mostly as messengers since they can take more of a beating than Harpies." Balase giggled at this disguised compliment.

As we moved through the area Antimony bade us goodbye and Alyssum tearfully begged Balase and the rest of us to be safe and return here, stat! Onida also hugged us, but was a little distracted. With the enormous amount of people gathering there it was impossible for her to determine which couple she had brought together and accidentally increased her bust by. She bade us farewell and promised to visit Ithus one day. She pulled on Balase's ear a moment and whispered into it. "No worries, we'll get to that soon." Balase answered, patting Onida's burdensome rack. Eventually, we reached the ruins and after bidding farewell to Ollivier and Kimisa, we entered the chamber where the portal stood. The last time I had been here, the room and it's occupants had been obscured mostly by swirling dust from the brawl.

Without that, it became apparent that this had once been a beautiful room. Ruined arches rose from the floor and rubble that lay around seemed to have been worked stone rather than natural rock showed both quality and the force by which it had been torn asunder. Eiraiha dispersed her barrier, only to find a note on the floor. It had been written by Rika who'd braved the portal to retrieve Balase, only to find her way barred. She'd written that if Balase weren't returned unharmed by sunset she would destroy the offender. Balase giggled and shook her head while Eiraiha had a goofy on-top-of-everything look. We made our goodbyes there and Balase and Eiraiha worked in tandem to open the portal. The former went through first with Miho, Henry and Chichi. A minute later it would be our turn, with Lena and Par-rite as the latter now counted as a living being. On impulse, we gave Eiraiha a hug and promised to help however we could.

Then the four of us stepped through and hurtled through the tunnel of sparks back to Ithus.

Praxian postlude
Eiraiha stood before the waning glow of the portal and wondered. A whole different world lay beyond it, with as she'd found, a fair number of good folks there. She hugged herself, in remembrance of the mortal arms that had given her such comfort. She did not know if she would live to see all of them again, if she would instead die fighting to save at least some innocents as Malus swept over her lands. In the privacy afforded to her now she did a most ungodly thing and cursed Malus vehemently, using obscene gestures that would shock her followers severely if she showed she knew what such meant. No more. No more would she shy away from the largest threats to her world. She would take down Seretique and Malus, or die trying. This she swore.

If she survived, then a vacation to Ithus might be nice... With Damien? That errant thought came to her again. She'd been so infatuated with the once pure man, but that had withered as he remained with Seretique. His name still hurt her, but he'd made his choice. Perhaps she could find a better man, more folks had a shining flame of virtue in them. Even that Antimony, who'd been brought before her on a gurney, blaspheming in rage over what had been done in her name. Ugh, distractions. She should not look to the past, to Malus earlier crimes, or to the future and mr. perfect waiting somewhere out there. She would look to the present and make Praxis a better world. Time to do so. Without so much as a sigh she left the room, a single tear glimmering in the last light from the portal, then shining lonely in the darkness.

Chapter 17. Role reversal
As we exited the portal I was glad to find that we did not have to drop several feet. A large mattress had been formed to fit on the floor and filled almost all of the space there. Our forward momentum from the magical travel played itself out swiftly. Soft, magical light globes hovered over sconces jutting from the walls and illuminated the portal ring we'd just arrived through and several others as well. Miho, Henry and Chichi greeted us, the latter asking Lena if she enjoyed the cool ride too. Lena shrugged and mumbled that it had been scary.
"Kaori, would you look at all these portal frames? Oh, oh! Balase asked us to stay here till you showed up, but I'm eager to see this world of yours after hearing so much about it." Miho's eyestalks were spinning in circles, trying to take as much in as they could, Henry too was looking amazed.

Their reactions reminded me of how Kaori and I had felt when we came to Praxis, well.. after the initial shock had worn off. Miho 's traveling shell had been left behind on Praxis, due to it not fitting into the portal, but she had stuffed a large backpack full of essentials and saddled Henry with a slightly smaller one. Grabbing her daughters by the hand she tentatively slid forward, before looking back. "There aren't scary people, right?" I laughed and shook my head.
"Nah, if what Balase told me is correct then we're under the town I've known for years. I'm a little worried about how it appears to be changing, but the folks here are as nice as can be." Miho still looked a little worried, so Kaori and I stepped in front while Henry picked up Lena and grabbed Miho's hand.

Though it had been well lit, we still had to adjust from the underground room's light to the autumnal sun outside. As soon as we'd cleared the entry building up top though Kaori and I were stampeded by our friends, several of whom were now sporting bulging bellies. All wanted to hug us, kiss us or bop us over the head for making them worry. Tia, her abdomen heavy with eggs wrapped us in a dual bearhug while wailing and nearly drowned us with her tears. Mari, her belly showing she was near term, hovered next to us and hugged us over Tia's arms. Eventually though we were released and could at least give a run by version of what had happened to us. Miho and her kids were initially terrified of the fearsome looking mamono around them, but quite soon let go of their fears.

Job Stock, the erstwhile mayor of the newly renamed Gateway, gave a formal welcome before bursting into fresh tears. When he calmed down, he told us Balase had flown into motion immediately and sent out several couriers. In the meantime, we'd be treated to a party at the ever popular Inn of No Return. When we got there I'd already been shocked by the changes in the town. The square was now paved and empty plots had been filled with new houses. The inn itself remained much the same, though the coachyard had been moved and an extension to the commonroom had been made. We were given my old favorite table while all others were put aside and the chairs set in layers around ours. They all expected to hear the full story a.s.a.p., but were content to wait while a meal arrived from the kitchens. Sasha, Mildred, Sunny and Desmond carried in hot snacks and Daphne rolled in a keg, her twin boyfriends, no make that husbands by the rings all three wore, carried in the cups.

Mari sat next to me in a chair for pregnant ladies and spoke first. "I'm so glad to see you're both safe. Oh Damast, I nearly had a heart-attack when we got the news that you were lost to the portal." She sighed. "I can't tell you just how relieved I am..." She rubbed her belly, smiling widely. "We had to cut the honeymoon a little short when I noticed I was pregnant. Y'know, it was almost as much a shock as you know what, but it feels nice... And other couples here have been affected by this boom-town of ours it seems." She giggled. Tia, towering over most of the seated folks cut in. "Yeah, I'll have to lay my eggs soon as well. Hormones are driving me up the wall though. Enough chitchat, tell us about this other world you went to."

"Please do, and tell me everything..." An unknown voice spoke, sounding both youthful and friendly and yet with an undercurrent that brooked no but's. Balase stood in the door opening next to what at first glance appeared to be a young woman. Black hair with silver tips streamed to well below her shoulders, parting slightly around three small horns forming something of a crown on her head. A sky-blue eye looked at the world with friendly inquisitiveness while it's lila counterpart seemed to hold a little more mischief. Wings with black and silver feathers proudly jutted from her back while delicate silver armor covered as much of her form as it revealed. Lady Saressha, reigning celestial and demonic monarch of our world had come to call.

Job Stock shot up, motioned people to make room and retrieved a chair for winged mamono and plonked it down next to the one obviously meant for Balase. "P-p-p-please have a seat." He stammered. In return Saressha nodded graciously and towed Balase along. Once seated she spoke again. "I do not wish to interrupt, so please..." She motioned for us to tell our tale. And so we did, honestly. Even so our friends at times found things hard to believe, especially concerning Mariflora, the Phantom Ship we had encountered en route to Kaku. Yet they trusted in us and before long were asking all kinds of things. Saressha kept quiet until we had reached the end of the recounting. She questioned us about Eiraiha, Seretique and the mamono found on Praxis. She paid special attention to Miho and her family, oft asking them things as well.

Once she was done questioning, she stood up and examined Kaori, then did the same for our friends from Praxis, even Par-rite. "Well, I'll be frank here. I have learned of the old portal system, Balase had informed me of the find under this town and her intentions to explore beyond them. Since ancient magics can go wrong it would've been a bad idea not to keep close tabs on this though." She returned to her seat and gave us a serious look. "However, things are complicated... I can't get directly involved with the war on Praxis, but by letting Balase and her crew put out the word and ask for volunteers we'll be able to send aid. And with a new portal we can ensure that mamono will be able to find safe haven here." She crossed her legs. "Speaking of which... You lot have to receive my blessing to adjust your Demonic Energies a little. At least if you want to travel freely."

"W-What would that entail, m'm?" Asked Miho, timidly holding Henry's hands as she did. In response Saressha shrugged.
Basically, I put a little of my own in you, then use my divine powers to merge it with yours. "Upside's that you won't upset the delicate balance of the world and that you might have a son someday, downside's that he won't be an incubus and that you'll need to re-adjust once you go back to Praxis. Let's make that if. I'm all in favor of more folks on Ithus and erh Ureonggaksi seem like a cute addition." She blushed as she spoke. Miho and Henry conferred a moment, then accepted. Saressha encased them in a soft glow and streams of energy shot forth. Outward nothing changed, but Miho did look a little perky and Henry had a tent in his pants.

"Well, that's done. Though...." She picked up Par-rite. "Funny, my counterpart on Praxis gave you life, but you've had a soul before then, eh?" Par-rite whistled in return, flapping his flat wings. "One of anything is a bad thing though..." She looked at Lena. "Little girl, do you love your parrot doll?" Lena folded her arms and pouted. "Yes, Par-rite is my best friend. Miss Eihy made him alive in return for the treasure we found." Saressha shook her head.
"What some people won't do. Look, as is he's just one doll even if he can move about now." She sighed. "Just keep him close, okay? Maybe something good will happen if he's kind and true." It might have been my imagination, but the doll flashed shortly as it was handed back to Lena.

She hugged him tight, then let him sit on her shoulder, a sense of relief coming off him in waves. "Well then, I've a ton of things to do, but it was nice meeting you folks." She gave the whole inn a radiant smile and disappeared. The talk after that was focused on Saressha, some of the more pious people asked the mayor to let them commission a statue of the goddess while others clamored for drink as they needed it. All in all we spent a good week there, helped Miho with the construction of her new shell and paid visits to tiny new arrivals as they were born.

Chapter 18. Journey to the Infinite Kingdoms
I liked the new look of Gateway, yet I still miss the quaint little town I had known for all those years. Time moves on though and stops for no-one. Walt and Natasha came to visit shortly after we'd returned and both shed tears by the bucketload. Mari gave them free room and board next to us, and we had a wonderful time. Yet Kaori and I had suffered months of delay in reaching our goal and needed to get going. My dream of some months ago had proven prophetic as Miho and Kaori passed some of the time playing Go, but eventually we made our goodbyes. Though everyone insisted we should come back soon it was clear that they did not want us to go in the first place and this manifested itself in many ways.

Berenice predicted all manner of gloom and doom. Sunny pleaded earnestly with Kaori. I'd swear Mari had trained little Jenny to coil her tail around my arm. Tia tried to convince Miho that the roads were full of bloodthirsty bandits who loved eating snails. This went on and on, until Balase stepped in and scolded everyone for being selfish. During our stay we also briefly met Licci, who resembled Balase to an extent. The same inquisitive eyes, confident smile and tiny beauty-mark on her jaw. Yet unlike Balase she had fiery red hair and orange fur, not to mention a set of breasts almost as large as her head. She assured us all though that she would do her best on Praxis and left through the portal. The backpack she bore held spellbooks, wands and magical knick-knacks.

Balase waited till her granddaughter had left, then slumped. "Y'know? Even if she's given me enough headaches and can beat anyone but me, she's still my baby's baby. It took all my control to let her go there." She stamped a hoof. "Dammit, I wish I could go with her, but Saressha forbade me. Logically she has a point: Eiraiha getting direct aid from another pantheon or one of this world's more influential leaders could work against her." A single tear rolled down her face which she wiped away with her paw. "Take a word of advice from me if you will, having kids and grandkids is a lot of fun, but it's also a world of hurts sometimes." With a deep sigh she pulled herself together. "Now I know you two are anxious to get going, but since autumn storms are frequent visitors on the seas I've thought about an alternative transport."

She led us outside where Miho and her family joined us. On the grass lay a carpet, though this was stretching the word somewhat. More accurately, a large woven structure spanned the ground. Two Witches sat on it, each holding a tassle of sorts on a corner. In the center of the carpet a box marked with mystic runes sat, taking up considerable space. "These girls are going to take an experimental new portal east. They'll drop you all off on the other side of the eastern mountain range and it's just a few days by foot to Lan-Feong from there." The girls nodded and invited us onto their conveyance. Balase gave each of us a hug, even Par-rite (who blushed), then waved farewell. As the carpet rose into the air we saw several people wave us goodbye and we spent most of that time waving back.

For such a fragile seeming thing the carpet was surprisingly sturdy. Rosy, the Witch on the left side explained the carpet's functions to us while her friend Uma steered. In short, the carpet was a focus for the spells cast upon it. In theory, they could have made a plane of magic and used it to the same effect, but she was quick to explain why this was a bad idea. "Now that takes a lot of concentration, waver a moment and you'll really feel the breeze as you plummet to the ground. This here carpet holds the magic together even if you're sleeping and makes it easier to steer with the add-ons. And we were able to add a boundary spell, making it difficult to fall off." Henry was amazed by the entire experience and after their initial fright Miho, Chichi and Lena were extatic about flying. Both girls begged their parents to get such a carpet and Miho looked pleadingly at Henry.

"Dear, I'm not certain just how much, but I think it may be beyond our budget." He said. Rosy giggled and nodded.
"This large one costs a mint due to all the work involved. And you can't fly it without a year of training at least." Uma nodded emphatically, then added:
"Not knowing how they handle can be fatal. You need to be good at magic, disciplined and have an equally good partner." All three Ureonggaksi oooh-ed in disappointed unison. Kaori whispered into Miho's ear though and she perked up. "Really?" Kaori nodded and spoke with both witches for a bit, then pulled out her green notebook and jotted things down.The rest of the trip passed swiftly, with my beloved grasslands giving way to small peaks. Our pilots worked a spell to keep everyone warm while we rose over the mountains.

When they tried to set it down though an incident occurred. Out of the blue, a Wyvern swooped onto the carpet and cursed a blue streak. Apparently her nest was nearby and she did not want us anywhere near. Uma tried to reason with her, stating that they'd spoken to her previously and that she'd agreed then. The angry lady though huffed and stated that with her first daughter on the way she would not allow it. She threatened to rend the carpet apart. Gloomily they took it to the air again and cast about for a different spot. Miho found one for them, a small rise just beyond the range that rose out of the waving grasses. As we set down there they performed some spells to determine if the location was suitable. It was, for they bade us farewell and started unloading the crate.

Kaori meanwhile was looking exuberant. "Damast, I know this place! It's about three days from Lan-Feong if we run." She turned to Miho and gave an apologetic smile. "Eh, make that five if we just walk." Miho looked relieved. Chichi meanwhile had picked a few flowers while Lena was trying to teach Par-rite to sing. Though the doll could whistle and even ask for a cracker, singing was beyond him. When we'd checked that we had left nothing behind, Kaori took my hand and led us away from the rise on a course due north. Uma raced after us and handed me a small package with a request to give it to Mihime Ryusama of Lan-Feong. As my pack was pretty empty at the moment, I eeasily fit it in. We made a good start and eventually reached a small place where more travelers bedded down for the night.

Miho and her girls got plenty of amazed and admiring looks while an older man recognized Kaori and insisted upon a formal introduction. She introduced us, then explained that mr. Kun-oht was a traveling doctor. He in turn was glad to see Kaori and I engaged and after some talking bought a few bottles of Miho's slime for study. That night Kaori and I spent in our tent, after everything that happened and with her home so close she let go of all restraint. We held each other long after and fell asleep while sharing a dream of our future. The next morning it took me some time to get up, get dressed and exit the tent. Kaori was doing her usual routine, but she too looked a little sore still. Miho and the girls were doing laundry and Henry was drawing in a notebook.

"Ah, Damast, good to see you're still with us." He chuckled. "A wild night, but a worthwhile one, eh?" I nodded, slightly embarrassed. "Don't fret, Miho keeps me up like that often enough. Can I ask you what you think though?" He handed me the book and I saw he'd drawn the landscape. The detail was incredible, the road next to the campsite was on it as was a cart drawn by a centaur (now a speck on the horizon). "It looks amazing Henry!" I'd seen a few of his drawings back on Praxis, during our stay in their home, but that had faded into the background a little. "You really like to draw, eh?" He nodded, with a sheepish grin. "Well, Ureonggaksi are fond of traveling, but when they get together and one has seen things the others haven't... Well, let's say they get pelted with questions. I picked up this little hobby when we first went to my inlaws. Trust me, it works as well and it's given me some new interest."

I leafed through the book, then as Kaori brought in the splintered log for the fire I showed it to her. She was as amazed as I was. "Henry, this is beautiful enough to put in a shrine. You may get offers from them if you show it there." He shook his head while laughing. "Nah, it's a doodle. Just for fun." Miho joined us and sighed. "Henry's so modest, a little too modest." She grabbed his arm and rubbed his side. "Even our friends think you're the best. Didn't I tell you so?" She smiled and he kissed her. Kaori and I followed their example till a small voice piped in. "We're hungry mom." Lena added a hm-hm to her sister's spoken words while Par-rite dozed in her arms. "Okay, we'll get right on it." So said, so done. As the morning warmed under the sun, we set out again, close to our goal, yet not yet there.

Chapter 19. Finally there
The rest of our journey to Lan-Feong went pretty smoothly, though there was one incident.
In a small town called We-on a company of soldiers of the T'ang Shan army had pretty much occupied the inn and were drinking heavily. An officer stepped out in search of the jakes and slipped on Miho's slime trail, soiling himself during the impact. Needless to say he was pretty much pissed when he got back up. He tried to order Miho's arrest, but his soldiers either ignored him or were too drunk to hear, so he tried instead to garner a little vengeance at the end of his curved sword. Before he even got close though, Kaori swept his legs out from under him and pulled a small lacquered piece of metal from her belt-pouch.

As the offended officer struggled to rise, she pressed the card into his line of vision and ordered him to cease. She apologized for the inconvenience, but as Miho was an ambassador of Praxis and had not in fact intended for his falling down it would further sully his honor to attack her. Seeing as how Miho was frightened, Kaori's hackles raised and she threatened to have the officer sacked for being a disgrace to T'ang Shan's reputation of being a hospitable country, assaulting a party under protection of Mihime Ryusama and the Emperor. "If I ever catch you drunk again, I shall see to it that your disgrace is brought to the attention of your ancestors!" The man had been looking cross, but now the color drained from his face and he bowed low before returning to the inn and forcibly moving his company from it.

She sighed in relief when the company had finally departed, the officer quickly ducking into a building to change into a spare uniform.
"Sorry everyone, but though in general the army of my homeland is well behaved it also serves as a correctional institution for former criminals." She shrugged. "If you see soldiers drunk, steer clear. They might be tempted to extort drinking money from you otherwise. Good captains are careful to maintain the image of their company, so their soldiers never drink to excess like those bastards." Her ears drooped and a sad look crossed her face. "I wish I could have spared you this aspect of T'ang Shan. Luckily, this card of office carries some weight." She showed it to us.

The green and black lacquer of the card showed one of the kan-symbols that I hadn't quite mastered yet, a leaf with a small hole in it and a serpentine dragon coiled at the top amid the outlines of clouds. "It's very pretty Kaori, one visiting merchant from the mainland of Zipangu once showed me something similar, but just a symbol in red lacquer on a gold plate. This one's so elaborate, who made it?" Asked Miho. Kaori laughed at that, then spoke in a conspiratorial tone of voice. "Mihime gifted it to me, but I wager it was made by Ran-'ng, one of the court immortals. Ehr, call them incubi married to the dragon princesses." She shrugged. "Mihime's uncle or grand-uncle if I remember it properly. I met him when I was still very small..." She tapped the tips of her indexfingers together and her tail slumped. "I kind of messed up his work then as he'd drawn a fierce old-style dragon prince on a cabinet door and erh... I kind of drew flowers and things on it to make it less scary. Still, he forgave me and taught me a little about doing maintenance on lacquerwork."

We all shared a laugh at that and moved on. When we drew near to Lan-Feong the roads became crowded. Travelers and merchants made room for our party, though Miho, Lena and Chichi regularly were gawked at. Some monks, bearing large prayer bead necklaces, touched her new shell for good luck. Kaori explained that they belonged to a sect that encouraged them to try new things, and which held a conviction that moving houses were good omens. After the hundredth monk touched her shell though, Miho had enough of the unexpected jolts and put a hand to her shell. Small spikes emerged from the walls and after the monks had seen them she retracted them. "Sorry, but the constant jolting is painful with the shell resting on my foot. Please refrain from touching for now or it will hurt."

They apologized profusely and passed the word along to their brothers and sisters, more than a few of the latter being mamono. Though we made good progress, the congestion on the road made Kaori restless, even more so as we closed in on the town's gate. A huge gate, easily five times larger than the largest I had seen before, stood wide open and let in the crowd. Lena and Chichi had taken to the roof of their mother's shell and were waving at the surprised guards, who did not know what to make of the snail girls, one sporting a pirate hat and a moving parrot doll. Par-rite in particular seemed curious to them and I caught one guard asking another if the bird-thing was a tsukogami sack of potatoes. When we were inside, Kaori took us off the main streets and down an alley where there were fewer people.

"Kaori! You're back!" One of the people there, a woman with an elaborate patch over one eye that did not fully hide a scar, ran over to us and wrapped Kaori in a hug before she could say as much as hello. It all happened so fast it took a while for the details to sink in, behind her two fluffy tails moved through the air and fox-like ears sprouted from the top of her head. "Hello Ranfen, I'm glad to see you." The woman released the hug, but held Kaori at arm's length and studied her. "Heaven be praised that you returned safely. Did those foreign devils treat you respectfully?" Kaori sighed in response.
"They were mostly just people, not that different from here. A little more rude at times though. But I have big surprise for you."

She reached out and pulled me to her side. "This is Damast, we are going to have a formal ceremony soon." The woman squeeled in joy. "Congratulations you two. Erh.." She peered critically at me. "Foreign, but friendly looking. Is he any good in bed?" Kaori blushed, then nodded. "Ha, then you're a keeper. I am mrs. Ranfen. It is nice to meet you, but be warned that infidelity carries a heavy punishment, so keep true to her." She then noticed Miho and her family, her eye widened and she scratched under one ear. "Are these his family, Kaori?" Kaori laughed and formally introduced us in greater detail. "Miho's from another world, but she's become like a sister to me. I'm so glad that she can see my hometown."
Ranfen nodded graciously, shook hands with everyone and then turned to leave. "You're probably dying to get to your grandparents, I have only just returned and haven't spoken with them yet, but I'll not keep you. Check in at the shrine soon, okay?"

With that she was off. Kaori explained that Ranfen was a shrine attendant who'd once served in the army. She had lost an eye to a raider's arrow, but had met her husband, at the time an apprentice healer, as a result. It was still a sore point with her though, hence the elaborate patch. Miho asked what kind of mamono she'd been and to be honest, I was curious as well. "Ranfen is an Inari, a fox-guide. When they marry, they grow stronger. If they are strong enough, their number of tails increases. She had only one when I left, so Ikku has been doing his best. Come on, we're nearly home!" With that she ran and we had to struggle to keep up.
Beyond the alley the press of buildings lessened somewhat and the town resembled a village of sorts.

Kaori ran into one house, ran back out and kicked off her small felt shoes and charged back in again, shouting that she was home. I also removed my shoes and prepared to enter the house. Miho, Henry and the kids elected to remain outside for now, so they could catch their breath and be introduced calmly. The door, such as it was, stood open. A sliding model with an oiled paper window bound in bamboo. Knocking tentatively, I went inside and was amazed. The hall, though small, was decorated with painted scrolls and prominently featured several drawings made presumably by Kaori. Boxes lined one side to the rear, some gears sticking out of one. The inner door was broken, a Kaori-shaped hole in the paper and wood latticework. From inside came voices that sounded happy, not wishing to intrude, but almost equal to Kaori in my desire to meet her grandparents I gave a polite cough.

Kaori raced over, leaned through the hole and bodily picked me up before carrying me inside. "Granny, grandfather, this is the one I've been wanting you to meet, Damast of Littlebrook, he and I have shared many adventures and we've fallen in love. Damast, these are my honored grandparents Linsha Ri and Bruno." The older couple bowed in unison and I did the same, before Bruno extended a hand and I shook it. "I'm honored to finally meet you two. Kaori has told me so much about you."Linsha Ri eyed me critically before speaking.
"You speak our language well for an outlander. When Kaori contacted Mihime Ryusama, she told us about you. I am glad you two have finally gotten here and that you appear to be a good man." She sat down on a wicker chair with a sigh. "We were worried when news reached us you had disappeared."

I apologized, though it had not been an intentional side-trip. That jogged my memory though and I whispered in Kaori's ear that our friends were waiting outside. She perked up and told her grandparents about a surprise we had for them waiting outside. With a little effort they stepped through the hole in the door, Bruno pausing to pick up the section that had been busted out and lay it to the side. I helped him and studied his face while Kaori took her grandmother outside. Where Walt was exuberant, bordering on boisterous, Bruno had a quiet air about him. "Uhm, it's funny, but you do look like Walt." The words were out of my mouth ere I knew it, Bruno looked up and asked: "You've met my brother?"
I nodded and told him Walt had been my mentor and as a father to me. "Fancy that, well we'd best talk about that a little later. Kaori has brought more folks along?"

"Yes, Henry, Miho and their daughters. And Par-rite. They came from Praxis, a world we inadvertently visited." His eyes bulged at that.
"I thought Kaori was kidding! You two actually went away from Ithus?" He pulled on the short beard jutting from his chin.
"It gets stranger, but we'll tell you all about it soon." Outside, Kaori's grandmother appeared quite taken with Miho and her family, making a show of formally welcoming them to their home. For the rest of the day, we told our tales and enjoyed the local meals Bruno whipped up.
That evening, Linsha Ri excused herself, claiming to be tired and needing her rest to get started on the wedding arrangements in the morning. Bruno kept us up a little longer and looked worriedly towards the room where his wife was now resting.

"She's been tired a lot lately and I'm getting worried." He sighed and pulled himself together. "Still, she's always been in good health, so maybe it's just my worrying."
We slept quite comfortably in Kaori's room, even if the bed wasn't meant for two.
The next morning we would have a lot of work to do, so we took what rest we could.

Chapter 20. Enter the Dragon Princess
"Okay Damast, I know we've been over this, but please be respectful. If she approves of you then she will allow you to be a little more informal." Kaori fussed about me, the borrowed shrine-going clothes feeling as alien as anything I'd ever worn. Kaori looked resplendent in a beautiful amber colored dress that had sleeves, but only on her forearms. I'd been decked out in a matching set of amber clothes that for some reason included a tabard of sorts decorated with black lines that when seen from an angle depicted a leaf. Kaori wore a small hairclip made of gold that bore a jade leaf, an heirloom of her mother's apparently. Shortly thereafter she judged us ready to go in.

Beyond the gate to the shrine a large pond of sorts decorated the ceremonial garden. Children, both human and mamono were playing around it while a pair of Kappa shrine maidens made sure no-one drowned or got hurt. A tiny Youkou girl was trying to hoard some human boys and was scolded by a familiar figure, who grabbed the fox-girl by the scruff of her neck and motioned the boys to play somewhere else. "Kaori, Damast. So good of you to come. Look Orine, these two are in love. If someone's in love with you then you don't need anyone else." This she said to the Youkou who looked glum. "But teacher Ranfen, I want them to fall in love with me. I can handle three boys, right?" Ranfen sighed and shook the girl slightly.

"Think like that and you'll kill them. Boys get stronger if they're in love, but these kids were more than a little scared. Listen: Go to Mihime Ryusama, now and attend her. Maybe you'll learn something for a change." She set down the girl who set off at a brisk pace towards the next gate and jumped over the wall rather than pass through the gate. "Urgh! Sorry you two, but that girl is as much trouble as a Youkou can get to be. Seriously, rounding up several boys and trying to tie the knot with them every week." Ranfen sighed loudly. "I'll need to speak to her mother again. Oh well... You two wear matching clothes and Damast must be getting pretty bruised from the way you're gripping him." Kaori's eyes widened and she let go of my arm, though her tail remained curled around my torso. It shook with nerves.

"Oh silly, don't worry so much, it's just a ceremonial introduction. Or are you worried you'll lose him to a puny Youkou? " Ranfen grinned mischievously. Kaori snorted in derison. "Hardly. I'm just worried something will go wrong and we'll make a bad impression." Ranfen shook her head. "The worst that can happen is that you both make a pratfall and that doesn't compare to a certain work of art hereabouts that you helped to make. Come on." She led us through the gate into a larger area. a small waterfall cascaded down from the small rocky hill that the shrine had been built around. Charms made of paper and engraved cylinders decorated the entrance to the shrine itself, which consisted of an altar bedecked with cloth and a tiered stage full of dolls behind it.

It exuded a sense of peace and humility, a tribute to the departed whose likenesses had been given to the dolls. Two looked a little out of place as they appeared to have only just been given a fresh layer of paint. A human man and his Danuki wife, Kaori's parents. She gasped when she saw them and Ranfen nodded knowingly. Suddenly, a voice spoke behind us. "I thought it appropriate that they would be present... I hope you can forgive me for not seeking your approval." Suddenly, large red scaled arms wrapped around Kaori and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad you're safely back home Kaori." Kaori clasped the hands, which had large yet delicate claws on them. "Mihime Ryusama. It's good to see you again, or your hands at least."

With a slithering sound the dragon princess of Lan-Feong moved further into view, carrying Kaori as if she were a little teddybear. "And you must be Damast." I nodded and bowed. "It is an honor to meet you lady Mihime Ryusama." She smiled, showing slightly sharp teeth, then moved towards an area with pillows and put Kaori down on one. "Please be seated." For some reason I could not fathom I noticed that our gracious host was actually bursting with curiosity. She sighed. "Okay Kaori, enough with the formalities. I've known you all your life, there's no reason to be so anxious." Kaori looked sad. "Mihime, please, I just want to do this properly." Now that I was seated I could see more of her. Black hair styled to a razor cut hanging on level with where her navel would have been, had she been human. Ruby scales decorated her arms, part of her face and her serpentine tail. Whisker-like lashes sprang from her cheeks while relatively short and wide horns topped her head.

She sighed again before turning to me. "Fine. Damast of Littlebrook, I formally welcome you to Lan-Feong's Shrine of Di Renjie. I am Mihime Ryusama, Dragon Princess of the shrine and by order of the great judge I am empowered to weigh your worth in seeking the hand of this maiden." She giggled into her hand before continuing. "If you prove unworthy, then I will visit the most terrible punishments on you." Her eyes glowed and I felt a large, gentle power, reach out to my mind. Minutes later, or so it seemed, this power withdrew. "Oh my! Kaori!" Mihime was blushing. "That such a cute little baby could one day look that lustful." Kaori now blushed as red as Mihime's scales. The latter giggled. "Sorry, I couldn't help but tease. He's a keeper Kaori. Eh, Kaori?" I turned to Kaori and only barely caught her, she'd fainted from embarrassment.

"Oh what have I done?" Mihime called for the shrine healer and tried to bring Kaori back to consciousness. I just held her safe and stroked her hair in between her ears, something she liked well enough usually. I almost fainted as well when I saw the healer rushing over, it was Mei Mei, the childhood Kunoichi friend of Kaori whom I'd met in Tallfort. She no longer wore her combat gear, but rather a practical dress in the local style with a cap that proclaimed her as a healer. Within minutes the three of us had Kaori conscious again. Kaori was overjoyed and I was equally elated. "Mei-Mei, where have you been? I sent a message to the Kunoichi contact as soon as I could, but they told me you had left the service." Mei-Mei gave us a wistful, sad smile. "After all that I could no longer remain in my old profession. I failed my mission and my arms did not recover fully despite the twins' efforts. Fortunately, Mihime had room for another healer-apprentice and Di Mase... Well just say that I'm hopeful our relationship might entail more sometime soon."

Kaori smiled and hugged her. "I'm just glad you're safe, you shouldn't have disappeared like that you know?" Mei-Mei smiled, a little strained perhaps, because Kaori had grabbed her tail when she ended the hug. "Still doing that... Ouch." Kaori let go and gave a friendly grin. "I'll do worse next time if you think about skipping the wedding. Or if you forget to invite me to yours." Thinking about the wedding reminded me of something, I pulled the package the Witches had given us from my sleeve. "Mihime Ryusama, we were asked by Uma of Sabbath to bring this package from Balase to you." Mihime nodded and put it to one side. "Please call me Mii, if you would. Friends don't need to use my formal name. This package means a lot to the future of Lan-Feong and T'ang Shan, thus I thank you for bringing it."

She poked Kaori and Mei-Mei. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid the time nears when I'll have to perform the usual ceremony." She flipped her tail-end over her shoulder as if in nonchalance. "I'd much rather hear all about your adventures together, but that will have to wait till another day. Now, we are pretty much booked for the next three days, but if you do not object to having your wedding on Di Renjie's birthday I can get you a splendid time on saturday." She ticked off the benefits on her hands. "No rain, a full moon and only slight mist as far as our predictions have turned up." Kaori's ears perked up and her eyes glittered in wonder, I knew then that the date was set, not that I'd have any objections to making my bride as happy as she could be.

Mihime bade us farewell and Mei-Mei walked with us to Kaori's grand-parental home. "Mei-Mei, there's actually something else, or rather someone else." I interjected. "Make that a few people..." Kaori blushed and nodded. "A few people I want you to meet. You may have heard of our mishap with the portal already, but Damast and I were accidentally transported to another world and I want to tell you all about it. I broke my foot during the transportation and had to heal up. A family was kind enough to host us and... well, Miho, Henry and their kids have become very dear to me. To us actually. I would like to introduce you to each other." Mei-Mei looked curiously at Kaori, then laughed.
"Okay Kaori, i can see that. The last time your tail was wiggling like that was when you were defending me from that jealous woman, so this Miho must be someone good."

We neared the house and I spotted Henry hanging up some laundry on lines suspended between the house and Miho's travelling shell. When we got near, he greeted us and relayed that Miho and the others were in the garden around the back. Kaori's grandparents welcomed Mei-Mei as a part of the family and Kaori introduced Miho and her kids. Henry joined us moments later, an errant clothespin stuck to his ear like a garish earring and we went to sit in the available chairs. Mei-Mei wanted to sit in a rattan chair, but stopped when her way was barred by Lena. "Sorry, Par-rite is sleeping." She pleaded with puppy-eyes, the four of which Mei-Mei had no defense against. Par-rite looked like a cushion, except that this one snored in a parrotty way. Lena clambered in next to him and stroked his head.

Mei-Mei shrugged and took a seat on a smaller stool while Miho apologized. She waved away the apology, saying it didn't matter. Even an old spinster like herself had been a kid once. And so we spent the afternoon happily. Linsha Ri taught Lena and Chichi a game called Mikado, which involved sharp sticks. Towards the evening, Bruno went inside to cook again. A few minutes later Linsha Ri left, saying she would get a few things from inside. It again struck me that she was tiring easily for a woman her age, not quite an old woman yet, as she wheezed when she passed by me. Several minutes later Bruno brought out the first dishes and asked where his wife had gone. When we told him she'd stepped inside to get a few things he looked alarmed and all but dropped the food to dash back in. Concerned, we followed.

Kaori clung to me as tears streamed from her eyes. Mei-Mei had sent Henry running to get Di Mase and was now doing what she could to keep Linsha Ri alive. A trickle of blood had escaped her mouth and dropped onto the carpet, her wheezing breath coming hard. Bruno cried as well, mumbling incoherently while holding one of her hands. Miho had her hands full keeping the children from panicking and I could only comfort Kaori as the beautiful day gave way to a horrible night.

Chapter 21. Postponing a funeral
Within minutes Henry had returned with Di Mase and another man who looked to be in his thirties, yet wore an expression that bespoke years of experience in dealing with medical emergencies. "Teacher Kikakki?" Kaori and Mei-Mei both exclaimed at the sight of the man, who merely nodded, moved to Linsha Ri and took stock of Mei-Mei's efforts. Di Mase meanwhile unpacked the two large cases of medical equipment which spoke of herbology, surgery and mystic healing arts. He then asked us to leave the room and wait, they would do what they could. I moved our group to the garden, which now felt somehow empty. Bruno sat there, staring at nothing, only holding Kaori's hand as tears streamed from his eyes. Kaori gently squeezed it, crying in fear and grief. Though I did what I could and Miho also tried to comfort them, they were in a state of shock.

Hours later, or so it felt, Mei-Mei exited the house with a grim look. "I'm sorry, we're doing all we can to save her, but..." She threw up her hands. "It's a lot worse than I feared. We need to ask you for some information mr. Bruno. Please..." He turned red eyes on her and nodded. "Okay, the thing is, I remember you telling me when I was a kid that you and mrs. Linsha Ri had some adventures in your youth. Did either of you trigger a dart trap?" He nodded again, then sighed. "The first dungeon we went into held a double trap at the end. I'd disabled one, but Linsha was impatient and tried to go through the arch. I spotted the trap and tackled her out of the way. She then had to remove a few darts from the both of us. Nasty things, very thin and sharp, made of some black wood or so." Mei-Mei nodded.

"Well, doctor Kikakki just removed something like that from her chest. He was quite frankly amazed at how lucky she had been. The dart had slipped through the outer layers of her lungs and lodged in there." She ran inside to relay the information before returning. "He's had more time to examine the rest of the organs in her chest, it seems that over the years that dart has scratched several of them." Tears streamed from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, if only we had some regenerative cream. Then we could seal the wounds internally. As is I don't think she would survive the surgery alternative." She pressed her hands to her face. Shortly after, Di Mase came out and held her close. Then he spotted Miho and rushed over to her.
"Excuse me miss, but are you a Giant Slug by chance?"

Miho turned red with anger. "It's mrs. and I'm an Ureonggaksi! As are my daughters! There are no Slugbrains here!" Di Mase bowed hurriedly. "Sorry, but I have to ask you. Giant Slugs occasionally produce a more viscous slime that once processed forms the basis of regenerative creams. Does your slime hold similar qualities?" Miho caught on quickly, she thought a moment and nodded slightly. "My regular slime is good on the skin, yes, and it can help to heal wounds and scars. But a viscous variety? Ehhh..." She bit her lip as if debating whether or not she would continue. Henry jumped in though. "The Purple Special!" Miho nodded, then looked down. "Yes, I can also produce a more viscous variety, but it's not safe to use on humans." She pulled on the back of Henry's loose trousers and thereby showed that he had probably become an incubus, if the size was an indication of what showed up front.

"When I was expectant, carrying Chichi's egg, I kind of doused Henry with it. Not that I complain, it's only benefited our marriage, but the effects on human women..." She lapsed into silence, releasing the trousers and shrugging. "It's actually illegal in large parts of Praxis to sell it to humans. Like the regular variety, it is very beneficial to the skin, but it's so full of Demonic Energy that men become incubi and women... Well they lose their legs, sprout eye-stalks and get urges to travel with a house tied to their backs to put it one way." Henry blushed as he spoke. Miho nodded. "Kaori told me her grandmother has always liked being human. She turned down several offers to be changed. I want her to get better, but..."

Bruno snorted and punched the side of the house. "That damn woman's always been headstrong. It's what I love about her most." He sighed. "She turned down those offers because... After our son and his wife died, she.. She's been clinging to the hope that he'd somehow return, with Ouka on his arm. She hasn't changed her hairstyle or the kind of clothes she wears in twenty years." He rubbed his forehead, looked to Kaori and then back to Miho. "Please, if you can, then give them this slime so she can be saved. I'll handle her anger, I can't lose her as well." Miho looked troubled, her eye-stalks tying themselves into a knot. Kaori spoke up. "Miho, I'll not force you." This somehow resolved the issue for Miho. Grabbing a fresh bottle from the window she turned her back to us, hitched up her dress and held the bottle to her womanhood. With a loud gasp and a shudder she filled the bottle, almost dropping it from the apparently pleasurable sensations.

Henry caught it and her, cleaned the rim with a piece of cloth and handed the bottle to the young healer. "Be careful not to touch it directly. It has the same potency as Ushi-Oni blood." He nodded and ran back into the house. An hour later Kikakki and Di Mase exited the house. "It's up to her now. Using the slime as a base I created a paste and through magic applied it to her damaged organs." He sighed. "Since they have taken damage from the dart over the course of years and accounting for Linsha Ri's age... Well, if she makes it through the night then we'll know more." He rubbed his eyes, showing how haggard and tired he looked. "I'll return in the morning, but I need to rest." After he left Di Mase and Mei-Mei told us that the doctor, also mrs. Ranfen's husband, had been called out to a difficult birth in a nearby village and had only returned this evening. Since they had put a spell in use inside the house, the two healers proposed that we all camp out in the garden. And so we did.

When I was lying down again after removing a hidden pebble from beneath the sleepingbag I shared with Kaori, I noticed something. Par-rite was waddling in circles around Lena's bedroll, then leaned in and pressed his beak against her cheek. I drifted off to sleep not knowing it would be the last time I would lay eyes on the living doll. When morning came, our healers were already back in the house. Lena was crawling on, under and over everything in a way that looked slightly worried. "Uncle Damast, have you seen Par-rite?" She asked me. "Not since last night Lena, he was walking around your bedroll." She nodded. "He gave me a kiss and then waddled off. I think he must have gotten stuck somewhere again..." She ran her tiny hands through her hair, eye-stalks turning 180 degrees every few seconds. "Silly Par-rite, he's small and can't pull out of a corner if he's stuck. Will you help me find him?"

I found that the pleading look was as effective on me as it had been on Mei-Mei the previous day. Kaori and Chichi also helped to look, but the mossy green doll was nowhere to be found in the garden. Just as I was about to turn onto the road and look through town Mei-Mei walked out of the house and wrapped Kaori in a hug. "It worked! It worked! I don't know how, but she's just awoken and is asking for you and Bruno." Kaori grabbed me and ran pell-mell for the house while the others scrambled to keep up. In her enthusiasm, Kaori again did not bother to open the door, eliciting a groan from her grandfather. Considering the size of the hole this time, I couldn't blame him. When we came to the area where Linsha Ri lay, Kaori dropped to her knees and grabbed her grandmother's hand.

"Granny, granny! Are you all right? Please!" Linsha patted Kaori's hand and shrugged. "I'm alive... I feel weird though.. Have to tell you.. Was at Yomna's judgement, saw them... Proud of you..." She groaned as if talking had been difficult. Her grey hair turned a little darker and her feet seemed to shrink under the blanket. "So proud of you two they were... Then this... ball of light drifted down and told me that I was needed..." Small eye-stalks wriggled atop of her head as the changes continued. "Felt warmth, then I was back.. Saw fire and wanted to scream, but it didn't burn..." A wet gloop signaled that she no longer had two legs. "Bruno? Need my Bruno.. Go play Kaori... Here's a doll.." She pulled something from the other side of her body.

It looked like a burnt piece of sacking, ash trailing from the seams and a few ragged flaps hanging at angles. She handed it to Kaori, then bellowed for Bruno. Kaori stood up and we left the house. She looked relieved at her grandmother's survival, but as she looked at the ragged thing in her hands she gave a frown and whispered. "Oh no... Damast, look!" A single button eye remained, half melted. Par-rite was dead. From the look of things the unusual doll had sacrificed himself to bring Kaori's grandmother back to life.

Chapter 22. Love prevails
It rained. Such a simple way of putting it. The raindrops falling from the heavens seemed appropriate. Lena cried her heart out when we told her how the heroic Par-rite had sacrificed himself to bring Linsha Ri back from the desk of the chief Judge of the Underworld, King Yomna. All of us cried for the unusual doll that had been given life by a goddess. A good hour later Bruno came back out of the house with an Ureonggaksi on his arm. Black, lustrous hair and brown eyes peered at us in a way that could only be described as wise. She let go of his arm and awkwardly shuffled into the garden. When she had reached our group, she picked up Lena and Par-rite's remains and wrapped both in a wordless hug of thanks.Both Kaori and I marveled at the sight, Linsha Ri looked younger, the care lines of a difficult life erased mostly from her face, the prominent arteries gone from her hands.

We joined in the hug as did Miho, Chichi, Henry and Bruno. It was a day later when we donned white clothes of mourning, banded with black and made our way to the shrine. Oddly enough, the children and attendants were absent. Mihime Ryusama and the healers should have been present, but even they were gone. Bruno and Linsha Ri looked apprehensive, in all their years they had not heard of the shrine being left unattended. The altar stood as it had the last time we visited, but to one side stood a plain wooden desk that had not been there before. A man sat at the desk, writing with a delicate brush upon a sheet of paper. His face showed that he'd had a lot to care about, yet his hair was full and his long beard practically served as a hat of authority. A nondescript yet well made cap perched on one corner of the desk.

Seeing our group approach he gave a silent greeting and motioned towards a bench that had not been there either on the previous occasion. Kaori had mentioned that the local magistrate sometimes worked at the shrine and his outfit matched her description. Magistrates served as judges for the empire and while they had great liberty to order things within their duties, the execution of those duties had heavy prevalence. The man must have been busy writing an imperial report, due for T'ang-Len, the capital. Lena had insisted on carrying the small wooden coffin herself and clutched it tightly. Though she tried her best to keep a brave face on, a tear dropped onto the coffin regularly. Each little plop must have sounded like a bell to the man, for his concentration wavered.

Eventually, he was done and rang a small silver bell hidden behind his cap. A grey haired attendant approached the desk and rolled the paper into a neat roll. The magistrate had taken red wax from a drawer and using a small flame he melted just enough to seal it. A signet ring was pressed into the cooling wax and he nodded to the attendant. Donning his cap and straightening his beard, the magistrate rose and approached us. "Greetings travelers from afar and nearby. My apologies for keeping you waiting. Alas, my position requires a lot of paperwork and I cannot stop in the middle of drawing up a document." He bowed respectfully. We returned the bow, if a little more respectfully and told him we understood that a magistrate's work had prevalence.

He shook his head. "Never the less, it grieves me that you had to wait." He approached Linsha Ri and Bruno and put a hand on their shoulders. "I am pleased that you both are in good health. Lan-Feong would not be the same without the couple that revitalized trade. And do not worry about the physical changes Linsha Ri, I think you'll find they suit you if you give them a chance." He folded his arms into his sleeves and bowed, the older couple following his example. "Pardon magistrate, but have we met? I can't quite place you, but I feel I know you." He smiled. "We have met some time ago, yes. Perhaps we can catch up later." With a dignified walk he strode over to Lena and her family. He bent down and gently patted her on the head.

"Young girls should not have to cry you know. Can you tell me what has brought you here with a coffin in your arms?" Lena looked up at the bearded face that looked equally friendly and hairy. "Par-rite died. He saved granny Lin an..an.." She burst into tears again. The magistrate gently hushed her and took the coffin from her hands. "Such a brave being, if not a heavy one... You should be proud of him for those willing to sacrifice themselves to help another are the greatest heroes." He set the coffin down on the altar with a respectful bow. When he returned it was with a serious look on his face. "Far too many have died lately... adding more work to my plate and that of the shrines. The death of Par-rite may have been honorable, nay, more than praiseworthy, yet..." He stroked his beard as if looking for the right words in it.

The attendant approached again and whispered into the magistrate's ear. Oddly enough, the man's grey mustache appeared to be slightly vaporous. "Alas, I am called back to my official tasks." He bowed deeply. "However, I am honored to have met you all here and now. It has helped me to reach an important decision." He pulled a smaller roll of paper sealed with golden wax from his voluminous sleeve and handed it to Linsha Ri. "Could I entrust you to give this to Mihime Ryusama when you see her?" Linsha Ri nodded and all present bowed respectfully. The magistrate gathered his gear from the desk and used a side gate to leave the shrine complex. Linsha Ri turned the scroll over in her hands with a thoughtful gaze.

"You know something husband? I feel like I met that man recently, but for the life of me I remember not where." Our attention was pulled to the gate to the altar square through which we had passed earlier and Mihime, Ranfen and the healers walked in. Mihime held a sleeping boy in her arms, green hair standing up from his head in a quirky crest. "Where do you suppose he came from?" Asked Ranfen. Mihime shrugged and almost dropped the boy when she spotted us. "How in heaven's name did you get in here?" I explained that we had come in through that same gate. Linsha Ri managed to walk over and handed Mihime the scroll, taking the boy from her so she would have her hands free. "Mihime, that magistrate that was working here asked me to give this to you."

Mihime blinked twice, muttered something and broke the seal. When she read the scroll her expression went from confusion to shock and amazement. With a loud boom, her tail went flat to the ground and her human torso followed suit. "H-h-how? How did you get this?" She asked to Linsha Ri, who frowned and put her hands to her sides. "Really Mii? I told you, the magistrate who was working here, who went through that door, gave this to me. If you fly fast you may catch them." She pointed to the wall... Where a door had been minutes earlier. Lena piped in. "Hey! Where's the door gone? And Par-rite's coffin?" She rushed over to the altar and circled it anxiously. Mihime righted herself and scratched her head.

"I'll forgive you for using such a familiar tone with me, snail girl. Are you one of those otherworldly visitors?" Linsha Ri and Bruno both laughed at that.
"You do need glasses Mii, take a closer look. I'll admit I'm not as wrinkly as I used to be, but this unsolicited change of species hasn't changed the fact that I'm still Linsha Ri." Mihime looked flabbergasted. "Sorry, I haven't seen you this young, for ages or that snaily as a matter of fact." She collected herself and re-read the document. Lena's search was getting frantic, she even lifted up part of Mihime's tail and looked in between those belonging to Ranfen. Mihime shook her head, then gently picked up the struggling girl. "Don't worry little one, rest a moment. If you keep running like that, you'll fall down."

Lena's struggling only intensified however and in her desperation she was effectively slinging slime everywhere. "PAR-RITE! WHERE ARE YOU???" At that time the boy woke up and gave a cry. Blinking, his eyes were revealed to have black irises with four white spots on them. Mihime lowered Lena and in an awed voice relayed the contents of the document. "By order of the Celestial Empress Saressha and through approval the Court of Heavenly Judgement, the tsukogami Par-rite is returned to the mortal sphere. He is to be entrusted to the care of Linsha Ri and Bruno to be raised as an honorable man, worthy of marrying Lena Humblestone-Saerti on the night of the full moon, during the month of Harvest in the year of the Snail. Signed by Di Renjie, supreme investigator of the Court of Heavenly Judgement."

Ranfen dropped in a dead faint, everybody else looked equally stunned, bar one little girl who grabbed her former doll and hugged him. Par-rite couldn't talk, but he rubbed his head against hers and cried, flapping his arms as if they still were cloth wings. Chichi wrapped both of them in a hug while us adults spent more time trying to make some sense of what had happened. Eventually, Mihime cleared her throat. "Everyone, listen please. I've never seen this myself before, but..." She shook her head and looked up towards the clouded sky through which the sun was now peeking. "My grandmother, the Imperial Empress, did tell me stories of how the Judges of the Underworld might at times allow a valiant soul to be returned to life. Though to actually see this happen... Linsha, that magistrate, what did he look like?"

Linsha Ri thought for a moment. "A man, not quite young, with black hair and a beard to his stomach. Dressed in a well tailored green robe with black bands on the sleeves and with a small common black cap." Mihime ran her hand through her hair, accidentally knocking a chip off of one horn, she looked upon Linsha, the children and the rest of us with wonder. "You met Di Renjie himself. A visit to his shrine, something that has not happened since before I took over the task of maintaining the shrine. It is a most fortuitous blessing." She bowed to the altar and grabbed a small ceremonial hammer. With a resounding boom she struck the gong next to the entrance several times, summoning all of the people in Lan-Feong so she could share the news.

Ranfen had recovered enough that she and Mei-Mei could lead us to the building that provided shelter to visitors during rain. Both they and the other attendants of the shrine pelted our group with questions. Though we answered as best we could, some of the questions went over our heads, due to lack of knowledge or simply an answer. Linsha Ri and Miho eventually persuaded Lena to let Par-rite go free from her unbreakable hug, but she grabbed his hand and refused to let go. He in turn seemed not to object, so they let the matter drop. Kaori nudged me and pointed to the boy and girl. "You know Damast? I think I finally get what Miho meant about young love being so cute to watch." She smiled adorably before kissing me.

With all the pain and suffering that had been mended, our world seemed as beautiful as it could be. I held Kaori close and returned her kiss with fervor. Giggling, my Danuki bride blushed happily.

Chapter 23. A wedding long awaited
Time flies when life is good. Mihime, Kaori's grandparents and other folks had taken up the task of preparing the actual wedding and the feast that would follow, effectively banning us from the shrine complex while they were busy. Kaori and I were measured for the outfits we would wear and we both were instructed not to let slip anything about the designs, else we would have 13 years of bad luck. Miho had enrolled Chichi and Lena at the shrine's school, along with Par-rite whom Linsha Ri had enrolled at the same. The boy had begun to speak and had been renamed as Perry, though Lena stubbornly kept calling him Par-rite. Not that he minded, for though he was not yet accustomed to his new body, he still loved her dearly.

Just how much she loved him became clear when the Youkou girl Orine tried to make a move on him. Faster than anyone'd guess, Lena had grabbed her tail, tied a knot in it and then flung her into the pond from which she was extracted crying by Ranfen who scolded both Orine and Lena. Perry gave Lena a look of thanks, then tapped Orine on one slumping shoulder and pointed at a boy reading a book. "You, him." Was all he said before turning away and running off to play, one hand holding Lena's. Orine scratched her head, apparently this boy had escaped her notice before and she was actually a little shy as she approached him. Pretty soon those two were inseparable, reading books while leaning against each other.

As the evening broke upon which we would be wed I struggled into the ceremonial clothes. They felt soft to the touch and probably looked good on my frame, but also were a little stiff due to being brand new. When I exited the dressing room and made my way into the altar square I was shocked. As was Kaori who approached from the other side if her gasp was anything to go by. The entire square had been filled with benches and rugs on which a large contingent of guests sat. Several more floated on a large carpet or hovered on broomsticks with padded seats. Seated prominently between Walt and Job sat one very pleased looking Balase, who metaphorically gave me a thumbs up before motioning us to get on with it. When I did, I almost stopped immediately again. Kaori approached the altar and I saw her in her wedding dress for the first time.

Gorgeous vibrant green cloth made up the bulk of it, decorated with black lacquer and amber crystals set in elaborate patterns. Her head topped by a slightly brighter green veil springing from a circlet that had one large crystal set on the center that must have cost several fortunes and kings' ransoms as within the clear depths a single leaf floated, perfectly preserved since times immemorial. I could hardly believe what I saw and my dropped jaw elicited several giggles. Composing myself, I almost ran to Kaori. "You... Wow! Kaori, look at you, you're the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon." She blushed and gave me a playful push. Grabbing my hand, she squeezed gently as was her wont, a loving smile on her lips. Then the one presiding over the ceremony came forth.

Mihime looked stately, as regal as if she were attending a dinner at the emperor's palace with lady Saressha in attendance. In one arm, she held a large stone tablet, in the other a rope made of gold. She smiled sincerely and carefully nudged Kaori as if to say she was proud of her. As the Ryu intoned the welcome to the guests my eyes locked onto Kaori's and I recalled all that we had been through together. The sights we'd seen and the dangers we had faced. All the friends whom we had met along the way. Mihime questioned Kaori, if she was certain of her heart's choice. She answered affirmatively to all those questions. When Mihime turned to me I answered affirmatively as well. We were then asked to hold hands while she looped the rope around them.

After invoking various deities, including Eiraiha and Saressha, she blessed our union and with tears in her eyes gave permission to seal it with a kiss.
As we did, the cheers from the guests must have carried all the way back to Praxis, so loud were they. After the ceremony our friends presented us with gifts that came from the heart, both practical and beautiful. The members of Sabbath let off magical fireworks and conjured petals falling from the skies. As the party went into the night, we retired to the bridal bed and fell asleep a long time after. It was well after noon when we woke and broke fast on sweet fruit-bread and milk. Linsha Ri and Bruno were extatic, Miho, Henry and all three kids shared in the joy. As did all our friends who visited regularly.

Mari and Desmond, who carried little Jenny in a sling, visited regularly and spoke of their wonder at Lan-Feong's beauty. They thought it a perfect setting for our wedding and were grateful to the new mrs. Stock, one Balase LaMont, for getting a gate ready on such short notice. We in turn thanked them for coming to the wedding. And so we did for all our friends, wondering what may yet come.

Interlude. Back on Praxis
Eiraiha sat on a stone overlooking the savanna and sighed. Ever knowing of her friend's mood, Clover sat down next to her and watched as she seemed to look elsewhere. Eihy had explained once that as a goddess her senses could extend beyond her mortal form and focus on places where people revered her name. An expression of wonder came across her face and for a moment it seemed as if fireworks were reflected in her eyes. Then she cried, soft tears streaming down her face while a sob shook her frame. Clover did not know what had saddened her friend so, even as her high-priestess there were some things beyond what she could understand of Eiraiha. Then she noticed that a smile crept through Eiraiha's lips.

"What happened Eihy?" Asked the concerned Bovitauride. Eiraiha grabbed her arm and hugged her. "Our Ithusian friends, they got married and the priestess presiding over the wedding invoked me... Prominently. I could, if for a few short moments see them, the fireworks and all their friends." She whispered into Clover's ear. "How I wish I could have been there..." Clover understood quite well, Eihy loved extravagant fireworks and celebrations. She'd accepted Damast, Kaori and the others as friends and she would much rather have celebrated with them instead of marching off on what she considered a new chapter in the idiocy of war. Thinking for a moment, Clover weighed her options. "You know, you could gate back home and send a wedding gift..." Eiraiha shook her head.

"As much as I'd love to do that, we're too close to Seretique's domain. If I used my divine powers now... Well I might as well bang a drum and jump around in tin armor with Seretique in the next room." Clover snorted. "Then use one of our Lorelæ messengers, send one of the girls on a quick flight back and have her deliver a message to Ellie." She sighed. "I miss my daughter, but she's truly the most capable officer to protect our lands." A lazy fly buzzed through the air around them and Clover's tail plucked it from the air with pin-point accuracy. She brought it up to her face and studied the patterns on it's back before releasing it again, an indignant undertone added to the buzz. Eiraiha giggled, she found it quite amusing to see Clover's little tricks with her tail.

"Perhaps I should. Anything you would like to add, Clover?" She nodded. "Ask Ellie to put in the number three of rack ten, extra tasty." As Eiraiha practically ran to the messenger roost, Clover wondered if a cheese made from her milk would be an acceptable gift for a human-Danuki wedding, considering that Kaori was the first such she had met. If they survived this venture, then maybe she would ask them. Perhaps, she mused, she would go to Ithus with Eihy, Ellie, Lyssie and Ixy for a girl's vacation... Or maybe make love on a lonely beach with her beloved husband... Thinking like that, she moved from the stone and went to their tent, the memories of her own wedding bright in her mind as she kissed him awake and pressed her breasts fully against him. They shared a smile for starters.

Chapter 24. Investing into the future
It was a beautiful morning, I'd gotten up a little earlier to prepare breakfast for Kaori and myself. We'd not gone for a honeymoon trip, having only just returned from our trip to Praxis. One of the wedding gifts, from Mihime and the other residents of Lan-Feong, was a house that had a few large rooms for storage and it did not take long for us to settle in. Even if we spent a lot of time in bed, or on the table, or where ever the mood struck us, Kaori and I spent a lot of time brainstorming. "Look, the big problem is that Ithus cannot, not at this moment, support an enormous influx of mamono, humans and incubi should things go badly for Eiraiha." She scratched one ear with her pencil as she looked over the figures we had come up with.

"I'm afraid so, even if we managed to pull donations from across the world and buy supplies of cheap food then we could only feed some of them for a few months. Considering that there aren't enough farmers at the moment to expand the fields, never mind that they could not buy the ground needed..." I spread my hands for emphasis. "Sad as it is, there's simply not enough money. We could hire mercenaries, but even if we bankrupted ourselves we could not afford a large band, or to have them fight long enough to win the war." Kaori nodded, then pulled a bottle of Miho's gel from beneath the table. "That's why I've been thinking about this." She ran a finger along the outside of the bottle, producing a clear hum. "Miho produces enough of this stuff per day to fill several bottles and it is excellent for the skin."

She smiled mischievously. "I've also tried a few other things, and it tested as great in most of those experiments." She shifted and let her blouse fall open. "I also want to try it as a lubricant, if you're up to it." With that we adjourned our meeting. Afterwards, Kaori was a little sore and couldn't sit on the chair, so I pulled her onto my lap and held her gently. "Ouch. Ouch, but fun. We should try that again some time." I chuckled and kissed her just below her ear, a spot quite sensitive. She giggled and nuzzled my chest. "Say Damast..." I looked her in the eyes and nodded. "If we want to change the situation, then we need to build up our business, and fast. Miho, Granny, Chichi and Lena can only produce so much and Granny's not very good at handling the output or guessing how much she needs to conserve. I'm thinking of sending a messenger to Praxis and inviting other Ureonggaksi over."

Smiling, I agreed with this idea. "We can build up funds by selling the gel, certainly, given that Ureonggaksi love to travel to places they've never seen before." I thought a moment. "We could even set up a building company for portable homes. One shell, with wheels under it and a horse in front. It might just work." Kaori looked surprised, then smiled widely. "That's my husband, a good head on his shoulders and a heart where one is needed." "And what of my wife? A heart to awe the world and a mind to take it over" We cuddled together as I whispered sweet nothings into her ears.With a bang the back door opened and Lena crawled in, Perry trailing behind and whistling. "Aunty, uncle! We're going to bury treasure!" She had donned her pie-rate hat again and Perry wore a new matching one.

Looking through our kitchen, the kids timidly approached. "We need to find some though..." Lena's eyestalks drooped. "Have you got some treasure we can bury?" We laughed at that and Kaori gingerly stepped to the bedroom and retrieved a small copper bracelet. She'd been meaning to get rid of some of her accessories, most of which she had won during the yearly festivals. When the children were off to bury the 'treasure' Kaori and I returned to our deliberations. Within an hour, we had drafted a plan of business and were preparing to talk it over with Miho, Linsha Ri and their husbands. Kaori had tied the green ribbons I'd used to fix her pack so long ago, though it was less than a year ago, in her hair and happily skipped around me.

I'd made the right choice in marrying her, looking at her graceful steps, seeing the serene smile on her face and watching her tail sweep in joyous arcs I could not help but feel like the luckiest man alive. Our plan met with approval and Miho confided that she and her family had thought about staying on Ithus a little longer. "We can't go back while the war rages, even if Balase's new portal to Praxis is now open. With this plan, we can do something for our world at least." Her eye-stalks had fixed on Kaori's face and her regular eyes blinked. "Kaori, are you feeling well?"

Kaori looked a little pale, tried to say something and then ran for the privvy. I followed her quickly and found her voiding her stomach. I gently rubbed her back until she felt better, then carried her back into the room. "Thanks Damast." She rubbed her head. "Uffff! I don't know what happened, maybe that fish I ate for lunch was a bit off..." Miho giggled, then reached over and placed a hand on Kaori's belly. "Nope, I think a little Danuki may be underway. I recognize the symptoms." Kaori and I both dropped our jaws, she reached for her belly and grabbed it. I placed my hands over hers. Within moments, we were the center of a group hug. "A great-granddaughter, or maybe a great-grandson. I.. I didn't think I'd see the day." Bruno ran a hand through his hair.

Linsha Ri nodded, smiling ear to ear. "I'm so proud of you two, truly your marriage is blessed." Then came a tentative knock at the door and a small form flew in, dragging a large pack. "Heya guys and gals! I bring you a small wedding gift from Praxis." Onida managed a smile, even though she panted with effort. "Damn ring of weightlessness gave out though. Thank goodness that fox-woman pointed me in the right direction." Linsha Ri welcomed the busty Amoris into her home and provided her with a glass of water. We stumbled through a thank you, while Onida took note of the hands on Kaori's belly. She congratulated us and then unpacked the package. A large wheel of cheese, reportedly made from Clover's breast milk took up the bulk of it, while the other item turned out to be a book. A book of Fairytales that Eiraiha herself had penned with magical ink. Each page of text was matched by a picture page that showed the events in the stories and played them as the text was read.

A small note had been stuck on the flyleaf and it read: "Dear friends, I can't tell you where I am, but I'm overjoyed at your wedding. This book is but a small gift, I hope to see you again as soon as war and time permit. Love, Eiraiha

PS: Clover sends along something to keep your strength up. She shares my joy and wishes you well. Alyssum and Ixia do too, but have to send their gifts a little later."

Onida confided that she was a little jealous, her search for a husband had taken a plunge on Praxis, with most men going off to war. We invited her to stay on Ithus for a while, she might meet someone new. We spent the remainder of the day talking, hearing of Antimony's initial successes and of how many volunteers had already passed through the new portal. As dusk fell, Kaori said she was tired and I took her home, piggyback style. "Damast, I'm glad we'll have a baby." She burped. "Sorry. It's just that I'm worried. We'll need to do so much to make the plan work and having a baby will take up so much time..." She cried softly. "How can we possibly do this?" I patted her leg and kissed her arms. "We'll need to take some chances, but together we can do anything Kaori."

"Perhaps we should consider a new family name though?" It had been something we'd discussed. "How does Foundingstone sound?" She considered it. "No, too much like Miho's, she'd take offense. What about Banbanrao?" I shook my head. "Too exotic." A smile spread across my lips as an idea hit me. "Wayfarer. We spent so much time traveling." She giggled and mhmh'd her assent. "Mrs. and mr. Wayfarer, with a munchkin on the way." She ran a finger along my collarbone. "Say, Damast.... Do you think we'll be good parents?" By the warmth of her cheek on my ear I could tell that she was blushing. "I think you'll be a great mother Kaori. And I'll do my best to be a good father." She nuzzled my neck. "I think you'll do fine. Erh, I don't know if it's hormones or something, but once we get home... Do you like pregnant women?" I laughed and shouted that I love them, as long as they are Kaori. We laughed all the way home and shut the door.

Epilogue
Five months passed and our initiative started to pay off. Kaori spent more time relaxing as her belly waxed to full, yet always ensured the books were run according to plan. Miho and other Ureonggaksi that had come from Praxis traveled from city to city to sell the goods though she stayed nearby. I traveled as well, initially with Kaori, but later with Bruno. In small towns I invested in businesses while buying land in larger cities and providing shops with order forms to gain the new Gel products and mobile homes among other things. The portal to Gateway proved invaluable, as did the one to the Necropolis in Grammaueld. One night as I returned home I was grabbed by strong hands and pulled along. Mei-Mei quickly told me that Kaori's labor had begun. An hour later I held a beautiful daughter and showered her and my precious wife with kisses.

"Damast.. We're parents." I kissed Kaori on the lips and grinned like a madman. We had decided to name our little bundle of joy Rukia, a fabled messenger of hope from T'ang-shan's mythology. She had a healthy appetite for such a tiny girl. "We have a daughter. I'm so happy Kaori." She smiled and ran a finger across the tiny pointed ears, fuzzy but not yet full of fur. What the future might hold, I do not know, but together with our growing family of (former) humans and mamono I am certain that we can face it with a confident smile on our faces.