AUTHOR'S Warning: This chapter introduces a sex scene unlike any other in the TSS world that I have created. Some of you may find it disturbing, due to the incest. I'll warn you now, this WILL NOT be a major theme in this book. You can stop reading before the sex scene, and not miss much as far as story goes. If this subject bothers you, please understand that this story is a work of fiction. I do not condone any form of sex between unwilling partners. The sex scene in this chapter was written for plot and character development. Now that that is out of the way, please enjoy this chapter!
The twins have their work cut out for them as they rush to rescue Brooke, one of the heroes of the Chaos War. What challenges do they face, and who is the real monster?
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Chapter 04
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Rescuing Down Under
"For the record, I still say this is a bad idea," Shelly's brother complained.
"You've said that already," she reminded him. Shelly didn't add that she wasn't enthusiastic about the plan either. "I'm sure Marchosias isn't as bad as he once was."
They were winging their way over Water's domain. The rain pelted them but didn't affect the huge birds. The same couldn't be said about their miserable riders. Nothing could be seen in all directions but blue water and gray sky. They had to yell to be heard while riding the two rocs, but the wind and rain wasn't bad enough to make hearing too difficult.
"You don't believe that anymore than I do," Gloria yelled. She was holding onto Eldon, while Jessica sat behind Shelly. "Demons don't change. At least, not very often. I ought to know."
She didn't qualify that statement, and Shelly chose not to press it. They all had their secrets.
"I don't trust her," Jessica muttered in her ear. "But I agree with Eldon about this plan. Isn't there a better escape route than going through the human world?"
"That's the closest portal," Shelly said. "Unless you know of another one that'll be closer to Varun's castle?" No response came. "Or some better way to escape Varun once we have Aunt Brooke?"
"What about the birds?" she pressed. "Why can't they take us out?"
"We'll need to be out of Varun's domain as soon as possible. The rocs are fast, but not fast enough to escape the Pillar of Water in his demesne or his wrath."
"What about the demon?" Jessica pressed. "Can he really be trusted?"
"Can any demon?" Shelly shot back.
That shut the other woman up. The plan wasn't perfect, no plan ever was, but it was the best one they had. Actually, it was the only one they had after hours of arguing about the best course of action.
Marchosias's island came into view a few minutes later. It wasn't large as far as islands went, maybe a couple kilometers across at its widest point, narrowing slightly in an ovoid shape. Trees grew thick on its surface. The center rose up in a gentle hill. Shelly knew that Marchosias's cave and home was under that hill. Or maybe she should think of it as his lair.
It was also where the Cyclopes worked.
Their rides landed on the beach. The four companions were soaked to the bone from the incessant rain falling all around them. She ordered her roc to head for home and dry off, wishing she could go with the majestic bird. If it was possible, they became wetter as both birds flapped their wings, sending water off in all directions before they took to the air.
"Hey Shelly! Hey Sheldon!"
Shelly tried to hide her grimace as she turned to the new voice. It wasn't that she didn't like her brother/sister. Not exactly. She never felt comfortable around this sibling. She never knew whether to think of him/her as Brock or Bridget. It didn't help that Brooke's child could change gender at will. At least he/she was confined to the water, never able to leave for more than a few seconds.
"Hey, Brock!" Eldon waived. She knew he was just as uncomfortable with this sibling, but he played it off better. "I thought we were meeting up with you after we talked to Marchosias."
"Areth said you'd be here," Brock said. At least he was staying one gender. "Are we really going to go save my mom? I couldn't do anything when they came to get her, but with your help I'm going to make them pay!"
"Areth?" Eldon groaned. "She's here?" He glanced around as if expecting an attack at any moment.
"Someone has to keep an eye on you four," the pixie tittered. She flew down from the tree line and joined them. "I remember what happened the last time Jessica and Eldon got together. Are you two going to do any more perverted stuff?" She didn't even try to hide her excitement at the idea.
"Not likely," Jessica said in a cold tone at the same time Eldon said, "I doubt it."
The tension between those two grew by the moment. For her part, Shelly didn't know how she felt about Jessica and her brother getting back together. When they'd fooled around at the fairy spring, she didn't have any intention of doing more. Afterwards, as they'd talked on the way home, she found she got along with the other woman.
"Was it really a good idea to send you with us?" Shelly asked. She'd heard stories about Areth and the demon Marchosias. Bringing her along didn't seem like the best idea.
Areth tittered as she fluttered about in the rain. Despite her only being four inches tall, the rain didn't bother the fairy at all. It had to help that her element was water. "That's the best part! Lyden doesn't know. You won't tell him, will you?" Areth flew to within a couple inches of Shelly's face. She had to go cross-eyed to look at the winged woman. "Please!"
"Go home, Areth," Shelly said in an even tone. It wouldn't do to insult or upset her, but she was more likely to cause problems than to be of any help.
"Uh-uh," Areth stated, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm a responsible adult. Besides, it might be fun!"
Shelly was about to argue further, but Brock interrupted. "Stop fighting you two. My mom is down there and we need to go get her. What does it matter if Areth comes along?"
Because having a fairy on your side can be as dangerous as having a dragon with a toothache watching your back. You never know what they'll do next,
she thought, but chose not to say. By the look in Eldon's eyes, he wanted to say much the same, but for once he kept his mouth shut.
"Let's just get this over with," Shelly said after a couple seconds of tense silence.
Everyone nodded with her statement, and they headed towards Marchosias's cave entrance. Dad told her where to find the shortcut into his cave, but when they arrived—without Brock, thankfully—it was nowhere to be seen. What they did find was a sign, pointing them to the main entrance.
"I guess he wants us to do things the hard way," Eldon grimaced as he spoke.
"Um, are you sure we can't just blast our way through?" Areth asked. She sounded uncharacteristically nervous. Shelly had never seen her aunt act anything other than curious and jubilant. To see her act this way made her nervous.
"What's wrong?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level.
"Wrong?" Areth squeaked. "Nothing's
wrong
. Why should anything be wrong? Brooke is in trouble. That's it! I mean, that's all. We should take the fastest way in so we can go save Brooke."
"I'm sure Marchosias wouldn't appreciate us breaking through his walls to get to him," Gloria said, giving the fairy a doubtful look. "Besides, how helpful do you think he'll be if we anger him?"
"But there are Cyclopes the other way!" Areth whined. "It's not that I'm scared, or anything, but there is only one man here, and I'd hate to see any of you delicate women disturbed by those horrendous creatures."
"That's mighty altruistic of you," Gloria said with a twitch of her lips. She wasn't buying this act any more than Shelly was. "I'll have to tell you some time about when I tried to seduce one of those horrendous beasts during the Trojan War."
"You did?" Areth asked, shuddering and giggling with girlish delight at the same time. Areth landed on the succubus's shoulder.
"Not my favorite day, I'll tell you!" Gloria laughed as she started walking back to the beach. "He didn't have much tact and smelled worse than an ogre's armpit. What's worse, with only the one eye, he had no depth perception. He'd go to grab my breast and either miss, or it felt like he was shoving them into my spine. You don't even want to know about the fiasco when he tried to enter me. It's a good thing succubae are resilient. As it was, I didn't walk straight for a week!"
Shelly noticed Jessica glaring as Gloria spoke, and wondered again what her deal with the succubae was. It was obvious she detested them, but refused to say why. She hoped it wouldn't become an issue on this mission. They needed to work together to rescue Brooke.