by Lucky Charms

Disclaimers: See Part 1

Feedback is always welcome: luckycharms@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2004 by Lucky Charms. All Rights Reserved.

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Yes, I have another demon you may have at your disposal. A picture of a grotesque looking pig-woman with an ill fitting pink dress with white lace around the edges, a large red bow, and tight fitting red high heels.

"Gods, she's hideous!" Jane gasps. "What's her name?"

Her name is Big Bertha. Don't let her slobbish demeanor fool you. She is a powerful demon with an insatiable appetite for destruction. Bertha is much more effective than the Horrible Denominator.

In a flash of light Big Bertha appears beside Jane the Bipolar, snorting and squealing. Jane falls back slightly and covers her nose to prevent Bertha's stench from offending her nostrils.

"You know what you must do now Big Bertha." Jane says. "Go now, find Minerva and her Knights of the Big Round Bed and kill them all!"

Bertha lets out a delighted squeal and vanishes in a puff of noxious green fumes.

"Honestly Chaos, could you have picked a worse smelling demon?"

You will take what I give you. Chaos snaps. Now leave me, I have business to take care of.

"Did you hear that?" Patty asks, alarmed. "Sounded like a pig squealing! My sister hates pigs."

"Nothing it may be." Ms. T says. "Plan we must."

"She's right Princess. If the rumors are true, then we must find a way to help out this Minerva." Sandra says. "She may be our only hope."

Patty sighs and nods in agreement. "It has been a few days, have there been any other rumors or anything about them?"

"The last we heard they were heading toward the city of Raidon." Sandra says, pointing to a spot of the map of the Mindom. "They are on an obvious, direct route toward the capitol. It will be a while yet until they reach here."

"Then we may have time to find my cousin and see if she can help us." Patty says.

"Sarah you mean?" Ms. T asks. "Knight is she?"

Patty shakes. "She got kicked out of the Knighthood when she refused to assist Jane with the slaughter." She says bitterly. "Sarah is a wonderful fighter."

"Where is she now?" Sandra asks.

"Hopefully in Marinia." Patty sighs. "She often said how much she loves the sea, and it's the only town on the coast."

"So how are we going to get a letter past you sister? She personally checks all letters going out of the castle." Sandra says.

"Then we will just have to go there ourselves." Patty says purposefully.

Ms. T gasps. "Dangerous it is! War going on there is."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take." Patty replies. "For the sake of our country, we must do what we can."

Sandra and Ms. T exchange glances. "Then we will go with you."

"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to."

"Who else can you trust beside us?" Sandra says simply. "After all, we hardly do anything around the castle all day, let alone our jobs."

"Bored we are." Ms. T adds. "Join you we will!"

Sandra shakes her head. "Please work on your sentence structure."

Patty grins. "Alright, it's settle then. We're heading out to Marinia."

A harmless field mouse scurries across the open plains in search of food. Two dark figures silently pad through the tall grass, stalking their prey.

"Okay now, this is the most important part of the hunt." Aeryk whispers. "Now, don't make a sound and wait for the right moment when his back is turned to you."

The poor unsuspecting rodent continues on its way in search of its, unbeknownst to him, final meal. Aeryk and Aeryk Jr. stealthily track the mouse until it reaches a small clearing.

"Perfect, now are you ready?" Aeryk Jr. gives a slight purposeful mew. "Great. Now…"

"Aeryk! Aeryk Jr.!" A ruckus voice bellows, scaring off the mouse. "Lunch is ready!"

Aeryk juts his head out of the grass and glares at Jocelyn. "Damn it woman! I was teaching Aeryk Jr. the finer arts of pouncing. Keep that horrendously masculine voice of yours down!"

As the two cats walk toward Jocelyn, Aeryk Jr. mews. "I was not being mean. It's the truth!" Aeryk says. "Have you ever heard such a noisy woman before?" Aeryk Jr. mews. "Well of course when she's doing that nasty business. You have a sick mind you know that?" Aeryk Jr. mews again. "Don't you talk back to me boy."

"About time you two." Blaize says. "Lunch has been ready for a while. What were you two doing?"

"Aeryk was being a daddy and showing junior how to pounce." Jocelyn snickers.

"If there is to be any hope of having a successor, I have to teach the boy the basics in life before teaching him the big stuff." Aeryk states.

"You do know that he's not like you." Jocelyn replies seriously as she finds a place to sit on the grass.

"Of course he's not like me, no one is." Aeryk says. "Which is why I'm so great and generally wonderful."

"So what are you then?" Minerva asks.

"A cat." Aeryk says, rolling his eyes. "I thought that was obvious."

"But how did a cat learn to talk?" Stewie asks. "Did someone put a spell on you?"

"No of course not. I normally look like a human." Aeryk scoffs. "I choose to take this shape. I can change back whenever I feel like it."

"Then why don't you?" Blaize asks.

"Because, I um," He pauses. "I'm in a bit of trouble right now."

"What did you do?" Mary Ann asks.

Aeryk turns to Jocelyn and she shakes her head. "He played a little trick on Ares." The group, minus Aeryk, gasp in shock. "It was a short while ago, just before I met him actually."

"You all know how much Ares loves to show off for anyone." Aeryk begins, and the group nods. "Well, I get no more joy in life than thinking of ways to torment Ares. He's such an easy target." Aeryk chuckles. "So I found out that he had disguised himself and entered a chariot race. Of course I wouldn't miss the chance to screw things up for the pompous war monger, so I followed him." Aeryk lies down comfortably and continues his story. "I decided to be gracious and allow how to win a few races." He snorts. "Of course Gods always win so it wasn't that difficult for him to do. Anyway, during the biggest race of the day, I decided to put my little plan into action. I've noticed a few of the horses have left their "presents" on the track and that gave me an even better idea. So, to make a long story short, I've managed to loosen a wheel on the chariot, just enough to have it fall off in the perfect place and have Ares fall smack dab into a pile of droppings." Aeryk begins to laugh at the memory.

"How did he find out it was you?" Minerva asks, chuckling slightly.

"Sadly, I was the only person in the entire stadium who was laughing. Ares picked me out and started hunting me down. I've been hiding from him ever since."

"You know when he finds you, he's going to kill you." Blaize says seriously, despite the humorous vision of a God's face landing neatly into a pile of dung.

"Nah, he wouldn't do that." Aeryk says. "But enough about me. Let's eat some lunch!"

Mary Ann hands out the lunches and places a bit of fish in front of Aeryk and Aeryk Jr. "Eat up guys." She says cheerfully.

Aeryk sniffs at the fish and his face contorts. "Fish." He mutters distastefully. "Is there anything else?"

Mary Ann looks down at Aeryk sullenly. "Sorry, it's all we have now."

Aeryk sniffs at the fish again and decides to go against his better judgment and eat the fish, meanwhile Aeryk Jr. is happily eating his meal like there's no tomorrow.

"So how much longer until we reach Raidon?" Jocelyn asks.

"About another hour or so I would believe." Stewie mutters, devouring her food. "Gods, you make the best fish Mary Ann."

Mary Ann blushes. "I try."

"So where are you really from Aeryk?" Blaize asks.

Aeryk hacks out a piece of fish in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Where are you from?" Blaize asks again.

"Oh, here and there." Aeryk says. "I, uh, don't remember where I'm from."

Mary Ann grimaces. "That's so sad."

"Isn't it though?" Aeryk replies dramatically. "The pain I go through not knowing where I came from…" He chokes back a sob. "It's too much to bear!"

Jocelyn rolls her eyes. "He came from a small village near Mount Olympus."

Aeryk darts a nasty glare at Jocelyn. "Spoil sport." He turns his gaze down as he hears something begin to munch on his fish. "Hey! Keep away from that." Aeryk cries as he sees Aeryk Jr. eat contently on his fish.

Blaize laughs. "At least you won't have to eat fish now."

Aeryk heaves out a sigh. "I'll just go find something else to eat. Maybe some berries or something." He snickers walking off.

Instead of looking for food, Aeryk walks along until he finds a small patch of tall grass near a small river. He sits down and gazes into the river, watching his form change from a small black cat into that of a young man with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Aeryk says to himself with a sigh. "Home…" He thinks of a time long ago when he last saw his parents.

"I'm telling you, we can't keep him here much longer! He'll find out." Aeryk's father, a man with curly blonde hair and deep black, almost purple, eyes says.

"We've lived like this for years, and no one has even thought of looking here." Aeryk's mother, a woman with long white hair and soft gray eyes, says. "He'll be fine."

Aeryk's father snorts in irritation before he takes a healthy swig of wine. "I'm telling you, the boy is in danger."

Aeryk watches his parents fight from the shadows of the night, just outside the small hut he has been living in for nearly sixteen years. What do they mean I'm in danger? Did I do something wrong? He grins slightly. Someone must've found out about the little paint job I did with Ares' statue. How I love tormenting him.

"Artemis," Aeryk's father places a large hand on the small woman's shoulders. "There is nothing we can do. We can't hide our son for very much longer. I'm sure he's already figured out who he really is…"

Aeryk's eyes widen. What does he mean by that?

"I know Dionysus." Artemis grimaces. "But I can't help but worry about him, and what the others will do to him."

"It's in the Fates' hands." Dionysus says. "What we did we'll have to pay for, and so will our son."

Artemis gazes up at Dionysus with terror filled eyes. "He's so young, it isn't his fault!"

Aeryk watches his parents. What are they talking about? What isn't my fault? I thought almost everything was my fault.

"There's no other choice. We have to tell him who he really is, and what he must do."

Artemis heaves out a pained sigh. "Can't it wait until tomorrow? At least allow him one last night as a normal boy."

Dionysus nods his head. "Alright, tomorrow then."

Aeryk sighs again. "They did the right thing." He jumps slightly as Aeryk Jr. pads up beside him and mews. "Yeah, it's me. Don't tell anyone else okay?" He winks, picking up the small kitten.

"I don't hate them for doing it, yah know?" He tells Aeryk Jr. as he gently strokes his soft fur. "I understand, now, they did it because they were afraid for me and themselves. I'm sure I would've done the same thing if I were in their position. I just wish I could see them one last time." He sighs and turns as he hears someone clear her throat from behind him.

"Excuse me, but have you seen…? Oh, there he is." Minerva smiles down at Aeryk Jr. "Sorry about that." She kneels down and removes Aeryk Jr. from Aeryk's arms. "He just up and left us."

Aeryk smiles. "It's no problem."

Minerva's smile fades slightly as she notices that the man is wearing a black leather tunic, pants, knee high boots, and belt with a white silk undershirt. "Funny," She mutters. "Have we met before?"

Aeryk shakes his head. "I don't think so."

"Odd, I could have swore…" Minerva shrugs. "Anyway, have you seen a black cat wandering around here? I'm looking for him also."

Aeryk smiles and points to a direction far from where he's standing. "I think I saw him over there."

Minerva smiles warmly. "Thank you, uh…?"

"Enochlisi." Aeryk says.

"Thank you Enochlisi." Minerva holds Aeryk Jr. close to her and rushes off, calling Aeryk's name.

Aeryk waits a moment while he watches Minerva walk off. "I'm sorry Minerva, but I can't tell you the truth right now." He slowly changes back into his cat form. "Nor anyone else, for that matter."

"Honestly Jane, we haven't seen Sarah for a while. I thought it would be nice to go visit her for a while." Patty says.

Jane taps her finger on her throne for a moment, examining Patty and the two jesters behind her. "And why are they going?"

"Well, um, they haven't been of much use around here, so I thought they could go with me. They haven't been to the coast before."

Jane nods and eyes the two jesters cowering behind Patty. "And how long will you be gone?"

"It'll take me some time to get the Marinia, and I planned on staying with Sarah for a week or so…"

Jane waves her hand, irritated. "Very well, but I can't spare any guards."

Patty nods her head. "I understand sister. Shall I send your greetings to our cousin?"

Jane scowls. "You know better than that Patty."

"Of course, sister." Patty says lowly before taking her leave. "I'll send you a letter when I arrive in Marinia."

Jane waves off the statement and turns her attention to another woman who has entered the Reception Hall.

Patty grins as she, Sandra, and Ms. T make their way out of the Reception Hall. "Great, all we need to do now is pack up and leave."

"Suspect us she does?" Ms. T asks.

"Of course not." Patty replies. "Let's try to make it like we're not in a hurry though. We don't want to bring any unwanted attention to ourselves."

After a short while of preparations, Patty and her two co-conspirators leave the castle and race off on their horses toward the town of Marinia.

So, the Princess thinks she can outsmart us. How little she knows. Chaos chuckles.

"Oh my Gods! What is it?" A woman screams, terrified.

"It's a pig-woman!" A man replies. "Run for your lives!"

Big Bertha squeals in delight. "Yes, run. Run for your pitiful lives! Your terror fills my stomach well." She chuckles.

Big Bertha lets out another squeal and sends a blast of green energy from her stubby hands at a nearby house, causing it to explode in a wave of fire and smoke.

Bertha laughs in glee. "I've forgotten how fun this is!" She sends more blasts of energy at other surrounding houses. "Destruction! Chaos! Fear!" She chants as she thunders around the city.

Suddenly, from the smoke, an arrow descends upon the ground near Bertha. Within seconds, it explodes and the pig-woman is tossed into the air and lands on her large rear.

"What? Who did that?" Bertha demands, rolling onto her feet.

The wind blows aside the smoke revealing a short woman, with short brown hair and brown eyes, standing beside a pony and holding a large bow. "My name's Colleen and I'm here to put an end to your destruction, demon!"

Bertha narrows her beady eyes and snorts. "Squealers!" She bellows and a small group of miniature Bertha's appear, letting out a series of high-pitched squeals. "Dispose of this human!"

The Squealers rush after Colleen, who calmly pulls out an arrow from her quiver, knocks it, and sends it whizzing through the air toward the small horde of demonic pigs.

A moment later, the head of the arrow opens and a large net appears and surrounds some of the Squealers, who cry in outrage.

Colleen then skillfully wraps her bow around her chest and pulls out her short sword and removes her shield, a symbol of a ruler painted on it, and prepares to fight.

Colleen slashes at one of the Squealers, who deflects the attack with one of its hooves and slashes wildly at Colleen. She jumps out of the way and quickly looks down and sees a gash in her leather armor.

"Gods, what are these things?" She gasps, fending off another Squealer by slamming it with her shield.

Suddenly a set of grimy hands grab Colleen's arms and spread them open. "What the?" She gasps.

Colleen looks forward and sees a Squealer digging it's hoof in the dirt, preparing to charge.

The Squealer lets out a high-pitched oink and charges at Colleen, ramming its thick head into her stomach.

Colleen lets out a gasp of pain and she falls to the ground. The Squealers snort in glee and begin to kick the helpless warrior.

Big Bertha walks up to the group and they separate. "Good work." She kneels down and lifts Colleen's bloodied face. "You have spirit for one so small, I like that in a meal." The Squealers oink and snort in anticipation. "Place her in that cell over there, and watch her. After I'm finished with the city, and my other targets, I'm coming after you."

The Squealers lift Colleen off the ground and take her to the cell, and her impending doom.

"I swear to you, I've seen that man before somewhere." Minerva cries.

Blaize gives Minerva a serious look. "Your dream?"

"I think so." Minerva mumbles. "It was the strangest thing though."

"He was probably some guy just taking a stroll around the war torn lands." Stewie shrugs. "Wouldn't worry about it."

Aeryk pops his head out from the saddle bag he has been placed in. "Would you mind making things a little smoother?" He snarls at Jocelyn's horse. "You're making me sick!" The horse lets out an irritated snort. "Don't tell me to shut up you…!"

"Enough Aeryk." Jocelyn groans. "Aeryk Jr. isn't having any problems, see?"

"That's because Stewie is holding him!" Aeryk cries.

"Say, do you guys see that?" Mary Ann asks, pointing to a large black cloud in the distance.

"A fire?" Minerva asks.

"It's coming from Raidon!" Blaize cries. "We better hurry."

The group forces their horses into a full out run, and Aeryk begins to protest vehemently, threatening to vomit all over the horses rear.

After a good run, Minerva and the others stop their horses and gaze at the site of destruction before them.

Jocelyn slowly gets off her horse. "What happened here?"

The once proud city of Raidon is now in ruins. Charred heaps of wood and stone lay around the streets, some still burning. Several vultures appear in the sky and soar around the city in hopes of finding a good meal.

Minerva walks up beside Jocelyn and lets out a pained sigh. "Who would do such a thing?"

Aeryk falls out of his saddlebag and lands in a mud puddle. "Oh for the love of…" He looks up and sees the ruins. "Oh my." He gulps.

"Do you think anyone is still alive?" Blaize asks somberly.

Minerva shakes her head. "I don't know, but if there is they might be able to tell us who did this."

Aeryk Jr. lets out a mew and the group race over to him and see a woman lying unconscious against a well, her face black with soot, her long red hair heavy with blood.

"Is she still alive?" Aeryk asks.

Mary Ann places her finger against the woman's neck and nods. "Yes, she is."

The group lets out a sigh of relief. "Someone get some water." Minerva orders and Mary Ann volunteers then rushes off. "Let's try to find someplace where we can rest for a moment."

Stewie and Blaize lift the woman and carry her, along with the others and rest her under a large tree.

Mary Ann rushes back with a bucket full of water and a rag, then kneels beside the woman and dabs her face with the water. "I hope she's alright."

A short moment later, the woman slowly opens her eyes and gazes at the bunch of women around her with curious black eyes. "Wh-where am I?" She asks.

"You're safe." Minerva replies warmly.

"What happened?"

"That's what we would like to know." Blaize says. "Do you remember anything?"

The woman's eyes suddenly widen in fear. "Oh Gods, we were being attacked by some vicious demon. It was this horrible looking pig in a red dress! She was destroying everything and…" She stops as she sees the destruction around here. "Oh no. Is this our punishment?" She bites her full red lips. "Have the Gods made their judgment upon us?"

"I don't think the Gods had anything to do with this." Blaize says.

"Jane?" Minerva asks, already knowing the answer.

"You mean the Empress?" The woman asks. "But that's impossible."

"Not if you're aligned with Chaos." Blaize mutters.

The woman turns to Blaize. "What are you talking about?"

"Our illustrious Empress is aligned with the Lost God, Chaos." Blaize says.

"You're mad!" The woman accuses. "Chaos has been destroyed by the Gods eons ago."

Minerva places a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. "No, he hasn't." She then tells the woman the story Gaia told her and everything else she knows up to this point.

"I cannot believe it." The woman ponders for a moment. "But, if what you say is true, then I'm a bigger fool for believing Jane. She told me that the Lurkers were planning an attack upon the Mindom and she was doing her duty as Empress to protect us. I've always believed the Lurkers to be gentle and peaceful people." She bows her head. "I am a fool."

"No you're not." Minerva says warmly. "You were just mislead."

"What can I do to stop her?" The woman says strongly.

"Uh, I don't think there's…" Minerva begins to protest.

"It is my duty as Syl of the House of Luscious Lips." Syl interrupts defiantly. "For my families honor and for the sake of the people of this city."

"You're Lady Luscious Lips?" Mary Ann gasps. "I thought I recognized you!"

Syl smiles faintly. "Yes, my family is well known."

"Forgive me for saying this my lady," Blaize begins. "But we wouldn't dare risk such an important persons life…"

"I have money, and I know how to fight relatively well." Syl interrupts again. The small group of heroes look at each other for a moment and look as if they would refuse. "Please, I owe it to my family and these people." Syl pleads. "If you have any sense of honor, as knights, you'll understand."

Minerva casts one final look at her friends and nods. "Alright my lady, you may join us."

Syl's eyes light with gratitude. "Thank you so much, uh…"

"My name's Minerva, and this is Blaize, Knight Protector Stewie, her squire Mary Ann, and this is Jocelyn of Ashmire, and these two cats are Aeryk and Aeryk Jr."

"Hello." Aeryk says happily.

"Gods! It speaks!" Syl gasps in shock. Aeryk rolls his eyes.

"It's a long story my lady," Jocelyn says. "It's best just to accept him."

Syl nods in understanding and casts Aeryk a quick, curious look, before she rises to her feet. "What are we to do now?"

"We need to find out what we're up against." Minerva says.

"All I know is that this horrible pig-woman appeared out of nowhere and began destroying everything in sight." She lets out a gasp. "I just remembered something, she took my guardian Little Knight Colleen with her to the jail."

"Little Knight?" Blaize glances at Minerva. "The third Knight?"

"Might be." Minerva replies and she turns back to Syl. "Can you take us there?"

"Of course, please follow me." Syl leads the group of heroes through the remnants of the city of Raidon. "It's just around this corner."

A Squealer jumps out of the darkness and charges after the group. "Minerva, watch out!" Mary Ann cries.

Instinctively, Minerva grabs her chakram and hurls it at the demon. The chakram slices through the Squealer with ease and the demon vanishes with a squeal and puff of green smoke. The chakram returns to Minerva's awaiting hand and she places it back on her belt.

"It looks like the demon has friends." Minerva mutters.

"Yes, I believe it calls them Squealers." Syl states.

"Does this demon have a name?" Mary Ann asks.

"Big Bertha."

Stewie nearly splits with laughter. "Tell me you're kidding."

Syl shakes her head. "Alright, there it is." She points as they turn the corner.

"Gods, it's guarded by more of those Squealers." Blaize curses.

"Look, I can see Colleen!" Mary Ann gasps, pointing to a section of bars on the outer wall of the jail.

"If there were only some way we could tell her that help is on the way." Syl says despairingly.

Aeryk lets out a sigh. "Well Aeryk Jr. it looks like it's our turn." Aeryk Jr. lets out a serious mew.

"Have you lost your mind?" Jocelyn snaps. "There's a horde of those demons swarming around there. How are you going to get by them?"

"Do you honestly think they'll pay attention to a cat?" Aeryk replies.

"And what do you need Aeryk Jr. for? He's just a kitten, and can't talk." Blaize says.

"He'll be there for moral support, right?" Aeryk Jr. mews. "See? Alright my young protégé, let's go."

The two cats march out and head toward the jail cell. Aeryk Jr. mews uncertainly. "We will get caught with that kind of attitude."

Aeryk and Aeryk Jr. skillfully leap up onto the windowsill and peer into the dark cell. "Hey, Colleen? Little Knight Colleen?" Aeryk whispers.

"Who's there?" Colleen cries.

"Just a friend." Aeryk replies. "Lady Luscious Lips wanted to let know that help is on the way."

"Oh thank the Gods!" Colleen appears into the waning sunlight and clasps the metal bars. "Is my lady well?"

"She's alive and well." Aeryk replies. "You're just going to have to sit tight for a while longer until we find a way to get you out of here." Aeryk Jr. pads up. "He'll keep you company until then."

Aeryk Jr. squeezes through the bars and lands next to Colleen. He then looks up at Aeryk and mews.

"Of course I'll be back to get you, what kind of cat do you think I am?" Aeryk Jr. mews. "That's beside the point, I'm a cat now and that's all that matters." Aeryk turns his attention to Colleen. "We'll be back soon."

"Hurry, there's no telling when Big Bertha will return." Aeryk nods and leaps off the sill and heads toward his friends. "Wait a second, was I just talking to a cat?"

"Do you understand the plan?" Minerva asks Aeryk.

"Yes." Aeryk grumbles. "I can't believe you're making me do this."

"We can't risk any of us getting injured." Blaize whispers.

"What? So I don't matter anymore? I'm just expendable?" Aeryk protests.

"Of course not Aeryk." Jocelyn says soothingly. "I'm sure Blaize meant that you're the only one who can to this."

"Lies, all of it." Aeryk sighs. "Alright, I'll go. But I'm not wearing that tutu!" He snaps as Stewie attempts to place a frilly pink tutu on him."

"Aw, come on Aeryk." Stewie cries. "You'll look so cute in it."

"It's bad enough that I might be eaten by those things. I'm not going to make a further fool of myself, thank you."

"Enough arguing." Blaize moans. "Just go out there and distract the Squealers for us."

Aeryk nods and slowly makes his way around the corner. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He grumbles. "Stupid girls making a cat do a human's job. There should be a law against this sort of cruelty."

Aeryk clears his throat and begins to sing a little tune he's fond of, with a few alterations. "In the Mindom, the mighty Mindom, the kitty stalks tonight! In the Mindom, the mighty Mindom, the kitty stalks tonight…" He pauses as he notices the Squealers staring at him. "What's the matter? You've never seen a talking cat before?"

Okay, so I've got the element of surprise. What do I do now? Aeryk grins mischievously. "Evening bacon, how're things in the slaughter house?" The Squealers let out an irritated snort.

Aeryk spies a particularly fat Squealer. "Mm Mm, pork chops."

The fat Squealer oinks angrily. "What's the matter? Do my insults make you mad? You want to eat me don't you?" Aeryk prances around. "You want to eat this fine tasty looking pussy cat don't you?"

Aeryk claws in the air toward the Squealers. And now for the coup de grace. "Come on you donut eating, Butterfinger snacking, chocolate milk drinking slobs!"

The Squealers let out a squeal of outrage and begin to charge after Aeryk.

Aeryk chuckles nervously before tearing off in the opposite direction.

Minerva and the others cautiously appear around the corner and watch Aeryk race for his life for a moment.

"What's a donut?" Mary Ann asks.

"Forget that, what's a Butterfinger?" Stewie says.

Jocelyn shakes her head. "Aeryk always says the strangest things. How about we go get Colleen, huh?"

The group rushes toward the jail cells and enter the building. "Which way?" Minerva asks Syl.

"Just down the hall." Syl points. "There should be a door leading down."

Syl and the others race down the hallway and soon find the door leading down. They quickly descend the stairs and Colleen lets out a cry of joy as she sees Syl appear from the shadows near her cell.

"Colleen, are you alright?" Syl asks.

"Yes, this little kitten here has kept me company." Colleen says cheerfully, looking down at Aeryk Jr.

"Where's Big Bertha?" Minerva asks.

"I don't know, she said once she has finished with the city and her other targets, she'll come back for me."

"Her other targets?" Stewie asks. "Does she mean us?"

"I don't care right now, let's get out of here." Blaize says. "Where are the keys?"

"On the wall, over there." Colleen says pointing to a small set of keys resting on a nail in the wall.

Blaize quickly retrieves the keys and unlocks Colleen's cell. Aeryk Jr. lets out a happy mew and dashes for Mary Ann, who gladly picks up the small kitten.

"Now all we need to do is save Aeryk and find this Big Bertha." Stewie says cheerfully.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." A voice calls from the darkness.

"Who's there?" Minerva demands pulling out her sword.

A large circle of light appears on the wall in Colleen's cell and a large pig-woman steps out. "The famous Minerva and her Knights of the Big Round Bed. How nice it is to finally meet you." Big Bertha snorts.

Blaize pulls out her sword and covers her nose with her free hand. "Damn, when's the last time you've cleaned yourself?"

Bertha snorts angrily and charges after the group of heroes. Stewie quickly steps in front and aims her Panty Cannon at Bertha.

Bertha stops dead in her tracks. "What in the name of Chaos…?"

Stewie grins evilly and blasts Big Bertha with panties and the demon gets hurled back into the cell. "Quick, lock her in!" Stewie cries.

Blaize quickly obeys and locks the demon in the cell and tosses the keys far away. "I don't think that'll hold her long. Let's go!" She orders and the group races out of the jail.

Big Bertha erupts from the mountain of panties and lets out an oink of fury. She removes a pair of panties with a cute little piglet pattern from her head and dashes for the cell bars. "Come back here so I can eat you!"

Aeryk Jr. pops his little head over Mary Ann's shoulders, just before they reach the stairs, and lets out an angry mew.

Meanwhile, Aeryk has manages to leave the city limits and is now being chased throughout the forest surrounding Raidon.

"Come on guys, I was only kidding about the donut thing. How could you possibly be donut eating slobs when you're pumping those thunder-thighs of yours so well?"

One of the Squealers grabs at Aeryk's tail and he lets out a scream of horror and he leaps for a tree and skillfully clamors up to safety. "Heh heh, idiots." Aeryk snickers.

The Squealers surround the tree and oink and snort in protest.

"What's the matter guys? Should the little piggies have stayed home today?" Aeryk howls with laughter. "Hello? What do we have here?" He spies a large set of healthy looking apples. "Oh, this is too perfect."

Aeryk plucks off a tree with his paws and hurls it at one of the Squealers and smacks it right between the eyes. Aeryk lets out a mighty whoop and finds another apple to assail the Squealers with.

"Here piggy piggy piggy!" Aeryk hurls another apple at a Squealer. "Suey!"

Another Squealer begins to shake the tree violently and Aeryk nearly falls to the ground. "Hey now! No shaking the tree."

Several more Squealers begin to shake Aeryk's tree and he clasps onto his branch for dear life. "Stop it guys! I was only kidding. I thought piggies liked apples." He chuckles.

A Squealer oinks out an order and the others back off before it takes a healthy bite out of the tree's trunk and Aeryk lets out a gasp of horror.

"Uh-oh looks like this kitty has bitten off more than he can chew. Excuse me, whoa!" Aeryk cries as the tree shudders slightly. "Mr. Squealer, do you have a license to cut down helpless trees?"

The Squealer takes another large bite and the tree begins to topple down. "Oh sh…" The tree plummets to the ground with Aeryk scowling along the way.

Aeryk pops his head out of the pile of branches and leaves and sees the Squealers looming above him. "Picking on a poor pussy cat. You should be ashamed of yourselves. What would Porky think?"

An arrow lands on an exposed branch between Aeryk and the Squealers and in an instant a large cloud of smoke bursts from the arrowhead. Aeryk begins to cough violently and cries out in terror as a pair of hands grab him from behind.

Aeryk struggles against the strong grip and begins to wail like a baby. "I swear I won't call you fat again!"

"Aeryk?" Jocelyn says chuckling. "You can open your eyes now, it's just me."

Aeryk opens his eyes ands sees Jocelyn grinning at him. "Of course I knew it was you. What kind of idiot do you take me for? Don't answer that."

Jocelyn puts Aeryk on the ground. "We better hurry back to the others, the smoke won't last very long."

The two race off toward Raidon and soon meet up with the rest of the group.

"Any sign of Big Bertha?" Aeryk asks.

"Well, uh…" Minerva turns toward the jail just as an explosion of fire erupts high into the sky.

"Kill them!" Bertha's voice calls.

"Jocelyn, take Syl and the cats somewhere safe." Minerva orders as she sees a horde of Squealers charge after them.

Jocelyn nods. "Be careful." Jocelyn collects Aeryk Jr. in her arms and directs Aeryk and Syl into the darkness.

Stewie pulls out her Panty Cannon. "Lets even things up a bit." She aims the cannon at the Squealers. "Úr!" In a sparkle of glitter and a loud bang, a wall of panties swirl out of the cannon and eliminates a good portion of the Squealer horde.

Minerva pulls out her sword. "Lets do it ladies!" She lets out a mighty battle cry and charges with her friends toward the Squealers.

The five heroes split apart and Minerva slashes wildly at a Squealer, effectively running her blade through its chest. The Squealer lets out an oink and vanishes in a puff of green smoke.

Blaize twirls her sword around and dances out of the way of a Squealers lethal hoof. Sparks fly as her blade meets with the Squealer's hoof and she attempts to over power the pig demon with her muscle. The Squealer falls to its knees and Blaize smashes it's head with the hilt of her blade and kicks it hard on the face.

Blaize turns and sees a Squealer hurl itself into the air at her and she twirls around and slashes the demon through its stomach, and in a single oink the Squealer vanishes.

Mary Ann stands back to back with Stewie and braces her mace for an attack. "Makes you wish we brought our DeOGREizor, huh?" Mary Ann chuckles as she viciously smashes a Squealer in the head.

Stewie laughs as she kills another Squealer. "Too much time setting the thing up. Watch it!" She pulls out a miniature pair of panties and hurls it at a particularly sneaky Squealer and it lands neatly in its eye. The Squealer lets out an oink and vanishes in a puff of smoke.

"Panty Shuriken huh?" Mary Ann grins. "Duck!" Just as Stewie lowers her head, Mary Ann aims the head of her mace at another sneaky Squealer, presses a button on the hilt and sends the mace head right onto the demons face.

"Gods this is fun." Stewie grins maliciously.

Colleen lets out a grunt and rams her shield onto a Squealer, whirls around and sends the blade of her short sword right across another demon's stomach.

"Gods these things are annoying!" She quickly sheathes her shield, pulls out a long whip and expertly wraps the tail end around a Squealer.

Colleen lets out a mighty roar and twirls the Squealer around, smashing it into any and all demons in its path. With all its comrades down, Colleen sends the captive Squealer careening into a stonewall.

With one final collective oink, all the Squealers vanish in a puff of green smoke.

Minerva meets up with her friends and smiles at Colleen. "You're a pretty good fighter." She pants.

"Thanks." Colleen grins. "It's the least I could do for you guys saving me and all."

A roar of outrage rings through the air and the five turn and see Big Bertha emerge from the darkness, her eyes red with fury. "Make a fool out of me will you?"

Bertha stretches her chubby hands out and a flash of green energy erupts from her palms and nearly strikes Minerva. Minerva falls to the ground in shock and the four others stand over her protectively.

"You alright Minerva?" Blaize asks, not taking her eyes off the cackling pig-woman.

Minerva rises to her feet. "I'm fine, so what should we do?"

"Meet her head on!" Blaize bellows and she, Mary Ann, and Stewie pull out their weapons and charge Bertha.

Bertha's cackling increases and she send another blast of energy on the three assailants, this time making her targets.

Minerva gasps in shock as her three friends fall to the ground, groaning in pain. "Damn you!" She snarls and hurls her chakram at the demon.

Bertha moves out of the way of the chakram and laughs as Minerva collects her weapon. "Too slow Minerva. Let me show you how it's done."

Green energy begins to swirl around Bertha and dark clouds cover the sky above.

"Hey, where's Aeryk?" Syl asks when she notices the missing feline.

"Oh man, Aeryk?" Jocelyn cries. "Where are you?"

Aeryk looks up into the sky and frowns. "This isn't good." He jumps on top of several crates and lands on the roof of an intact house.

Aeryk turns back into his human form and turns toward the direction where Minerva and the others are. "I've got to do something."

Aeryk races along the rooftops and stops just as he reaches the street where the battle is.

Bertha lets out a chuckle and raises her arms into the air. Within seconds a large blast of green lightning descends upon Minerva.

Minerva lets out a gasp of shock as the lightning bolt slams into an invisible barrier above her.

"Who did that?" Bertha turns and sees a dark figure standing on the rooftops.

"Demon spawn who wishes to snuff out the light of the world." Aeryk begins, his voice dark with malice. "You're time on this earthly plane is over."

Several beams of colored light dance around Aeryk, revealing his face to Minerva. Aeryk calls out "OURANIO TOXO CHOREFTIS!" and the beams of energy hurl through the air and swirl around Bertha before slicing through her like hot knives through butter.

Aeryk turns to Minerva as Bertha falls to her knees. "Only you can finish her off." He says simply before disappearing into the shadows.

Bertha slowly rises to her feet and glares at Minerva. "I'll devour your soul for that!"

Without a word, Minerva pulls out her chakram and hurls it at Bertha, who lets out a wail of terror and pain as the weapon slashes through her body as if it were air.

Bertha's body begins to blow away like ashes and Minerva and Colleen rush up to the other three. "You guys alright?" Minerva asks.

"Yeah." Blaize groans. "What was that all about?"

"I don't know, but it's a good thing that guy showed up." Stewie replies.

"That just wasn't any normal guy," Colleen mutters. "He spoke the ancient tongue. He's a God."

Aeryk collapses to his knees and gasps for air. "Please, I couldn't sit by and watch her die!"

You broke the vow never to interfere with the lives of humans Enochlisi. I will spare your life, but you must never use your powers again in that manner.

The strange grasp over Aeryk's throat vanishes. "Yes, Zeus." He mutters.

Next time on MINERVA: WARRIOR EMPRESS

Having being rescued by the strange man, Minerva and her friends are joined by Colleen and Syl in their quest to stop the evil Jane from destroying the world. They head out to the city of love, Amoria, in search of the next Knight, but Jane has different plans. What will the new threat be to our heroes? Find out this and more in…

A Lovers Grip: A Falcon's Talon Snags the Heart

Continued in Part 5

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