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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Mary Ann and Alice dance around in a mist of music, laughter, and blooming love.

Wait a second, when did this happen? Mary Ann asks herself. I just met this girl and I’m already feeling something for her? She is a great girl though. She’s smart, funny... Oh Gods, how cliché are you Mary Ann?

Alice smiles faintly up at Mary Ann. Who would’ve thought that I’d start to feel something for a squire from Messagh? I thought knights were always brutish and generally filthy people, but Mary Ann’s different. I like her.

"So how long are you going to stay in Amoria?" Alice asks.

"Just until tomorrow." Mary Ann replies, pausing slightly as they perform a rather tricky dance step. "What about you?"

Alice shrugs. "I’m not in any rush to get home. I’m supposed to find a warrior empress or something to hire me on as a bard."

Mary Ann’s eyes light up. "Well, she might not be a warrior empress, but I have just the woman you’re looking for!"

Mary Ann clasps Alice’s soft hand and drags her toward Minerva and Blaize. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

Minerva and Blaize cease their horrid dancing and laughter. "Sure." Minerva chuckles, wiping away a tear. "What’s up?"

"Oh, this is Alice." Mary Ann quickly introduces her friend. "She’s from Daakland and was hoping to find someone who’ll hire her on as a bard. I was kinda hoping if you would..."

Minerva and Blaize exchange amused glances; both knowing the real reason Mary Ann wants Alice to ride along with them.

"Of course Mary Ann." Minerva smiles warmly at Alice. "I think it would be great for our story to be told throughout the generations."

Mary Ann and Alice let out a whoop of glee and wrap their arms around each other, and suddenly fall back in shock.

"I’m, uh..." Mary Ann stumbles.

"What I mean was, er..." Alice stammers.

Blaize laughs heartily. "Go on you two, enjoy yourselves tonight. You both will have some work to do in the morning."

Alice and Mary Ann blush then dash into the crowd again.

"How cute." Minerva snickers as she motions for Blaize to follow her. "Well, at least something good came out of tonight."

Blaize nods. "Almost makes me want to spare Aeryk the shaving I had planned for him."

Minerva looks to her side as she hears a piteous mew. "Sweets Gods, is that Aeryk Jr.?"

Blaize looks over and sees the small kitten whose stomach has grown considerably since she has seen him last. "What in the world?"

Stewie shuffles over, clasping her stomach. "Oh, remind me never to eat that much again." She belches.

Minerva waves off the smell of fish and other random treats from the air around her. "What happened?"

"I don’t know," Stewie burps again. "All this food was just calling my name and I couldn’t stop. It almost seemed like a crime to leave it there." Aeryk Jr. mews again. "I know honey, momma feels the same way."

Suddenly the crowd behind them lets out a roar of horror and outrage. "What the?" Blaize gasps, turning to see what the commotion is.

A familiar high pitched and mind numbing cackle slashes through the calm night air. "Dipuc?" Stewie groans.

Syl and Colleen race up to their friends. "You guys better get your swords ready." Colleen says seriously.

"What’s the matter?" Minerva asks.

"It’s Dipuc, he’s a demon." Syl replies. 

Dipuc, in his true form, cackles like a diseased baboon and claws through the air with his long ill kept nails, his tiny wings flapping madly behind him.

Minerva and her friends make their way through the panicked crowd and face Dipuc. "Mary Ann, Syl, try to get the people out of here and into safety."

Mary Ann and Syl nod in understanding and ask for Alice’s assistance as they try to keep everyone away from harm.

"Ah Minerva, enjoy the party?" Dipuc grins, revealing insanely yellow teeth.

"I thought you were too strange to be human." Blaize snaps. "What do you want?"

"To kill you of course." Dipuc replies.

A wind blows harshly, partly revealing the slightly covered area behind Dipuc’s sash.

"Oh Gods!" Stewie cries in horror, jutting out her hand hoping to spare her eyes. "Put some more clothes on will you?"

Colleen pulls out her sword and readies her shield. "We need to take this somewhere else."

Minerva readies her sword. "Good idea, but where?"

"Ah come on, what’s wrong with her and now?" Dipuc says darkly as several rings of fire begin to twirl around him. "Too much talking and not enough action. What is it with heroes today?"

The rings of fire hurl themselves toward the heroes, who manage to dive to safety. The crowd behind them wails in terror and all hell breaks loose as they run around like lost sheep.

"Ah-ho, moving targets?" Dipuc chuckles and more rings of fire appear. "Don’t mind if I do."

Dipuc mercilessly unleashes his fire rings at the people of Amoria, all barely escaping their doom. Minerva grimaces as a ring of fire explodes just behind a running man and launches him into a nearby tent, sending him crashing amidst a pile of cloth and wood.

Dipuc laughs heartily. "I’ve never had so much fun!" He continues to assail the innocents.

Minerva lurches to her feet and calls out to Stewie. "I have an idea, use your Panty Cannon!"

Stewie nods and pulls out her Panty Cannon and blasts it at the demon. Minerva pulls off her chakram and hurls it through the cloud of lace toward Dipuc.

"And what is this?" Dipuc gasps as the rain of undergarments consumes him. A flash of light, caught by the metal of the chakram, alerts Dipuc to danger and he quickly casts an invisible barrier before him, deflecting the chakram.

Minerva curses loudly as the chakram returns to her hand. "The coast is clear, get him girls!" She belts out a battle cry and the Knights of the Big Round Bed descend upon the cackling demon.

Two dark figures appear on the rooftops just above the fight. "Don’t think about it Enochlisi." Ares warns as he casually sits to watch the battle.

"How can you just sit around and do nothing?" Aeryk cries.

Seeing Minerva receive a nasty blow to her face, Aeryk snarls and proceeds to summon his magic, only to see it fizzle and die in his hands.

Ares slowly rises to his feet. "I said don’t." He says lowly.

"Did I miss anything?" A sexy, velvety voice rings from behind the two Gods.

Aeryk turns and sees Aphrodite appear. "Great, it’s a party." He scowls.

Mary Ann pulls out her mace and casts Alice a quick glance. "Stay close to Syl." She says. "I’ll be back."

Alice wishes Mary Ann good luck as the squire races off to join her friends. "Wow, she sure is something."

Syl grins faintly. "I suggest we find someplace to hide for a moment." She looks around. "Say, have you seen a black cat anywhere?" Aeryk Jr. mews as he hobbles up to Syl. "And what have we been getting ourselves into young man?" She chuckles as she lifts the food heavy kitten on the ground with an ‘oof’.

"Watch out guys!" Mary Ann calls as she unleashes her mace head at Dipuc, effectively smashing his face. Several teeth fall to the ground in a bloody heap.

Dipuc falls to his knees and lets out a grunt of pain. "Why you nasty little..." He snarls.

Minerva and her friends regroup. "Give it up Dipuc." She orders.

"Oh I don’t think so." His eyes flash a malicious red color and the girls are suddenly hurled back by an unseen force.

Blaize lets out a cry of pain as she collides with the ground. She then sees Dipuc high in the air above her, his hands outstretched to strike the fallen hero.

Another dark figure races out from the shadows, it’s shield posed in front of it. It then leaps high into the air and smashes into Dipuc’s side, off setting his balance, which sends him falling to the ground.

Another figure boldly steps out into the fray and pulls out a whip and with a crack, wraps it around Dipuc’s waist. With a grunt, the new figure begins to twirl the demon around high above the others and with a flick of its wrist, the whip unravels itself from Dipuc and he’s hurled, screaming, through the air into the darkness.

Rie and Beth step into the light, smiling faintly at each other. "We figured you’d need some help." Rie says.

Mary Ann squeals in delight. "Knight Lady Falcon!"

Blaize rises to her feet and thanks Rie for the help. "Nice use of the shield. I should remind myself to try that sometime."

Rie smirks. "There are a lot of things I could teach you."

"Say, is it just me or do I feel the earth moving under my feet?" Stewie mutters, looking around.

Dipuc erupts from the earth just behind the group and hovers high in the air above them, his eyes glowing blood red. "I’ll... teach you... to mess... with me!" He pants as a thick ooze begins to fall from his face.

He huddles his broken body close and an eerie green light shines around him. With a mighty roar, Dipuc suddenly falls to the ground and he slowly begins to transform into a monstrous demon with large reptilian wings, black talons, nasty looking horns, and sinister yellow eyes.

Without a moments pause, Dipuc snarls and dives for Minerva. His talons lodge themselves in her shoulders, and she cries out in pain as the force of Dipuc’s charge sends them hurling into a wall.

Aeryk gasps in shock. "We have to do something!" He attempts to summon his magic again, but Ares holds Aeryk’s arms down with his strong grasp.

"Stop it Enochlisi, you can’t help them." He grunts as Aeryk attempts to release himself from his hold.

 Blaize and Colleen hold their swords high and rush to aid their friend, only to slam into an invisible barrier.

"Here, let me try." Stewie blasts her Panty Cannon again, and is successful in irritating Dipuc.

The demon turns his gaze onto the other knights behind him and unleashes Minerva with a sickening wrench. He lets out a roar and charges at his foes.

Beth wraps her whip around the demons waist again, but fails to uproot it. Dipuc chortles deeply and with a tug he lifts Beth in the air and sends her colliding onto another tent.

Rie calls out to Beth and pulls out her sword. "Damn you!" She bellows as she slashes wildly at Dipuc.

Dipuc deflects Rie’s attack, grabs her sword arm and smashes her face with a right hook. He then picks the woman up by the neck and tosses her through a nearby window, the glass slashing through her armor and flesh.

Stewie and Mary Ann ready their weapons, and the demon turns on them. "You really hope to stop me?" His voice deep and chilling.

"We’ll do whatever we can." Mary Ann snarls as she and Stewie race off to face the demon.

Jocelyn pokes her head out from the bushes, her face covered with a strange red lip shaped marks. "Huh? What was that?"

A delicate hand reaches out for Jocelyn, but she bats it away when she sees a demon hurl Mary Ann and Stewie mercilessly aside. "Oh my Gods!" She gasps and rises to her feet. "I’ve got to do something."

She races toward the battle and turns her head as she thinks she heard a male voice call out her name.

Jocelyn spies two goblets of some alcohol, and a torch. "Ah-hah." She mutters as she grabs the goblets and the torch and heads toward the demon.

She quickly inhales one of the drinks, though no swallowing, and manages to get the demons attention.

Dipuc chuckles. "What is this, a brave little drunkard? This should be fun." He storms over to Jocelyn, who hurls the remaining drink in the monster’s face. "Why you...!" He roars.

Jocelyn then aims the torch in front of the demon and blows the alcohol through the flames and catches Dipuc’s face on fire.

The demon roars out in pain as Jocelyn continues to attack the demon with fire until her ammunition is spent.

The tavern wench races over to Minerva and aids her to her feet. "Hurry, while you still can."

Minerva, her face pale with the loss of blood, nods and she pulls off her chakram.

With what remaining strength she has left, Minerva hurls her chakram at the flaming demon and it slashes through his torso. Dipuc lets out a cry of pain that rings through the night sky, and vanishes in a puff of smoke.

Minerva catches the chakram and falls to her knees. Jocelyn kneels beside her, consumed with worry. "Hold on Minerva." She calls out for help and Syl appears.

"Don’t worry, I have some bandages in my saddlebag." Syl races off to find her horse.

Blaize and the other stumble over to Minerva. "Is she going to be alright?" Colleen asks.

Minerva nods and smiles faintly. "I’ve had worse." She chuckles.

Rie clamors out of the house she was tossed in and finds Beth attempting to remove herself from the confusion of cloth and wood.

Rie chuckles slightly as she grabs her love’s hand and pulls her out. "How are you doing?"

Beth grimaces. "I have a headache, but I’ll live." She gasps as she spies Rie’s wounds. "Oh sweet Gods you’re hurt. Where’s Rae?"

"Right here." Rae mutters, walking up with some bandages. "I saw what happened and I figured you would need these." Her face darkens. "Sorry I wasn’t here to fight."

Rie smiles down at her squire. "I told you to stay behind, and you did as you were told. There is no shame in that. Next time you’ll have your chance to fight with me."

Rae’s eyes light up. "You mean it?" She lets out a whoop. "Oh thank you Rie, you won’t be sorry!"

Beth smiles at Rae, knowing that her dream in life is to fight side by side with her hero, Knight Lady Falcon. "I think we should head over and talk to our friends."

Rie nods in understanding and the three walk over to meet with the other heroes. "How is everybody?"

"A little bruised, but we’ll be fine." Stewie says smiling. "Can’t beat a good battle."

"Say Minerva," Rie begins. "What was the deal with the monster anyway?"

Minerva grimaces slightly as a sharp pain races through her shoulders. "The demon, we’re assuming, has been sent by Jane the Bipolar. Remember what we told you about our quest?" Rie nods. "Well, we have reason to believe she knows we’re after her and has struck some sort of bargain with Chaos to send those demons after us."

Beth stands by Rie and gives her a meaningful look and rests her head on Rie’s shoulder. "Then I guess we don’t have any choice. She’s hurt my Beth and nearly destroyed my city. If the offer is still open, will you accept Beth, Rae, and I?"

Minerva smiles. "Of course."

Syl and Alice appear with a doctor in tote. "I saw what happened!" Alice cries out. "I have everything committed to memory and I’ll start writing as soon as I find some paper. You were great Mary Ann." She adds softly.

Mary Ann cries out as Stewie slaps her back. "That’s my girl!" Stewie bellows. "You’ll make a fine knight one day." She leans in close to her squire. "Still need a little work on the panty thing though."

Mary Ann gasps. "How did you...?"

"You were moving a little too comfortably for someone who’s just learning to battle without panties." She laughs. 

Jane the Bipolar lets out a roar of frustration and proceeds to hurl various vases throughout the Reception Hall. "How many times must she do this to me?"

Calm yourself Jane. We still have time yet. Chaos says. Her luck can’t run forever.

"Where are they heading to now?" Jane asks.

They are heading to Daakland. Chaos replies. I can have a demon waiting there for them by the time they reach there.

A thought strikes Jane. "No, that won’t be necessary."

What? Chaos asks, dumbfounded.

"Never send a demon to do a humans work." Jane mutters. "Dark Sisters!" She calls out.

Two women appear from the shadows, both wearing dark clothing and black cloaks. "Yes my lady." They answer in unison.

"I want you to go to Daakland, find this Minerva and her Knights of the Big Round Bed and kill them! They must not reach the castle." She hisses.

The Dark Sisters bow and vanishes in a flash of light. Do you think those two will work?

"They have to." Jane replies. 

The next morning brings a bright warm sun and the chatter of the townsfolk about the happenings the night before. Minerva and her friends are receiving their due honor and word of their valor is quickly spreading throughout the Mindom.

As a small gesture of his gratitude, the mayor of Amoria has allowed the knights to sleep in his finest Inn at no charge.

Aeryk lets out a slight yawn and opens his eyes to see Minerva staring outside her bedroom window. "Good morning!" He says cheerfully.

Minerva smiles down at her feline companion. "Good morning Aeryk. You were right about the demon, thanks for warning us."

Aeryk stretches and rises to his feet. "T’wert nothin’." He replies. "You’re safe, and that’s all that matters."

"Say Aeryk," Minerva begins. "Last night I saw Ares on the rooftops arguing with the same God we saw back in Raidon. Could you ask him who that God is?"

Aeryk’s eyes bug out. "Um, sure. I’ll ask him when I see him again. Is there something wrong?"

"No, it’s just I wanted to thank him for saving my life last time. He seems to be following us too, and I want to know why."

Aeryk chuckles nervously. "Oh you know how those Gods are. They work in mysterious ways!" He says in a spooky voice. "So, I hear you’ve found yourself another knight last night."

"Sure did," Minerva says cheerfully. "Knight Lady Falcon."

"That’s good. So how are the wounds?"

"Well, it’s the strangest thing, I don’t have any." Minerva says, mystified. "I had this strange dream, though, that I saw this man standing over me. His hands were glowing this warm golden light and I saw my wounds closing. He had these soft green eyes..." She trails off with a shrug. "Anyway, it could just be some new magic salve the doctor used on me last night."

A knock on the door spares Aeryk any further unanswerable questions. Alice peers her head in. "Good morning Minerva." She says cheerfully. "Everybody’s ready to go now."

Minerva nods in understanding and walks out with Alice. "See you downstairs Aeryk."

As Minerva and Alice head down the hallways, Ares appears behind Aeryk. "So?"

Aeryk turns back into his human form and faces Ares. "I did nothing wrong."

"I didn’t say you did." Ares replies, holding his hands up peacefully. "I was just wondering if you’re ready to head out?"

Aeryk eyes Ares for a moment, and then nods. "Yes, let’s go." 

Patty and her friends let out a sigh of relief as they enter the city of Marinia. "Thank the Gods!" Patty cries.

"Long trek that was." Ms. T moans. "Hate horses now I do."

"I vote for a good day at the beach before we search for Sarah." Sandra says.

"You have no idea how good that sounds right now Sandra." Patty replies. "But we have to find Sarah as soon as possible."

A passing guard notices Patty and bows deeply before her. "You Highness, what a welcome surprise. What brings you to Marinia?" He asks.

"We’re looking for my cousin, Sir Good Knight Sarah. Do you happen to know where she is at this moment?"

"Ah, you’re in luck Highness." The guard smiles. "She’s in that tavern, just over there." He points to a modest looking tavern with a sign reading ‘The Crimson Wave’ hanging over the door.

"Thank you so much." Patty exclaims and motions for the two jesters to follow her toward the tavern.

The three travelers thankfully dismount their horses and cautiously step into the tavern and see a small group of rough looking characters.

"Go we should." Ms. T trembles. "Scary they are."

"Patty?" A bright female voice calls from the room. "What are you doing here?" A short woman with spiky black hair and gleaming brown eyes rushes up to the princess and wraps her arms around her.

"Sarah, it’s good to see you again." Patty says. "These are the court jesters, Sandra and Ms. T."

Sandra and Ms. T bow grandly, and Sarah smiles. "So what brings you here? Had enough of your sister have you?" She winks.

"Oh stop it." Patty giggles. "You know I can’t talk about her like that."

"Sure you can! We both know she’s a heinous bitch." Sarah laughs. "But seriously, what brings you here."

"Oh, there’s something very important that I need to speak to you about in private."

"Very well, how about we head to my place so you guys can rest up. From the look of things, your jesters might need it."

Patty looks back and sees Sandra and Ms. T swiveling unsteadily on their feet, and their hair fluttering about riotously in the wind. "I guess you’re right."

Sarah smiles sweetly and guides the group to her small, humble home at the edge of the city.

"So what can I do for yah?" Stewie asks handing Patty and her friends a cup of tea and some cookies.

"Have you heard rumors about Minerva and her knights?" Sarah nods. "Then you know they are after my sister to stop her from killing off all the Lurkers, and in effect, releasing Chaos."

Sarah raises her hands to silence Patty. "Wait a second, all I heard was that she was after your sister as a quest given to her by Gaia. I never heard anything about Chaos."

Patty lets out a sigh. "It’s a recent rumor I heard on the way here. News travels fast. Anyway, the rumor is that if all the Lurkers die the Lost God Chaos will be reborn."

"Ah," Sarah says. "So what do you need me for?"

"I need you to help us stop my sister before Minerva gets to her. Minerva doesn’t know Jane like we do, and might kill her! Please you have to try and speak to her. She won’t listen to me."

"What makes you think she’ll listen to me? She did kick me out of the knighthood, remember?"

"I know, but you have a way with people. I’m sure you can talk some sense into her."

Sarah shakes her head. "I don’t think so Patty. You’ve seen how much Jane has changed ever since she came home from that ride a while back. Granted she wasn’t always the nicest of people, at least she wasn’t as mean and coldhearted as she is now."

"Then you will try?" Patty asks hopefully.

"Sorry Patty, but you’ve got to realize that Jane is not the same person she once was. Something has happened to her, and maybe this Chaos theory has some truth to it. If Jane really is working with Chaos..."

"No!" Patty lurches to her feet. "It can’t be true, my sister would never..."

"Did you see the wound when she returned?" Sarah asks calmly. "Right through her heart." She illustrates the area where she saw the gaping wound on her cousin’s chest. "The doctor said that she should have died with such a wound, but she lived and with no blood on her." Sarah places a gentle hand on her cousin’s shoulder. "Don’t you see? It’s all starting to make sense. Jane isn’t Jane anymore."

"Then there is only one thing we can do." Patty says, her voice calm and steady. "The Knights of the Big Round Bed are en route to this city. Once they arrive, we will join them." 

Alice pales considerably as she notices a white rabbit, carrying a watch, race by them crying about being late for an important date. "Did you just...?" She shrugs. "Never mind. So tell me, what’s it like being on such an important quest?"

Mary Ann shrugs. "It’s not so bad. At first I was really excited, but now it’s nothing like I thought it would be. You know, all the glory and battles. Sure the excitement of not knowing what’s around the next corner is still there, but now there’s a level of fear."

Mary Ann looks back as she hears Stewie’s voice call to her. "I’ve got to take care of something." She rises to her feet. "You coming?"

"Nah, I’ll just stay here and finish with my notes. Minerva is such a fascinating person."

Mary Ann grins. "Okay, I’ll be right back."

Alice lets out a contented sigh and shuffles through her notes. "Mary Ann..." She jumps slightly as she hears a mysterious singing voice come from above her.

"...And the mome raths of red!" A large feral grin appears from out of the blue. "Hello there, Alice." The mouth says.

"My Gods!" She gasps.

Aeryk begins to fade in, his grin widening. "I’m sorry, I wasn’t all myself just then."

"You scared the blazes out of me." Alice pants. "What do you need?"

"Oh nothing, I just overheard your little chat with Mary Ann." His eyes narrow mischievously. "You like her don’t you?"

"Like her?" Alice gasps. "I don’t know what you’re talking aboot, I mean about!"

"Oh I think you know what I’m talking about." Aeryk rises to his feet and leaps to the ground fall below, all the while fading out of view.

Alice lets out a gasp as she sees two sets of paw prints dance around in the dust before her.

"Now," Aeryk’s head suddenly appears. "From what little I know about you two, I can clearly see..." Everything but his eyes disappears. "...That you two like each other, a lot."

Alice attempts to keep her sanity while talking to the strange cat. "Uh, I guess you can say that."

Aeryk’s entire body reappears. "Then what’s the problem?"

"I don’t know, it’s just that she’s so..." Alice trails off. "I don’t think she likes me that much."

Aeryk rolls his eyes. "Take if from this talking feline, she likes you. Just take a little chance now and again."

"You really think so?" Alice asks hopefully.

"Would I lie?" Aeryk asks as a pair of red horns poke out of his head. "Oops, sorry." The horns instantly become a halo.

Alice giggles. "I guess not."

"Good, then wait for her to come back and ease into it. Don’t just come out with..." He heads changes to resemble Alice’s. "...Say Mary Ann, I really like you a lot. Would you like to be my girlfriend?" He says in Alice’s voice, and then regains his normal face and voice. "She might go running of in mortal fear."

Alice nods. "I see what you mean, thanks Aeryk."

Aeryk looks back as he hears someone rushing through the bushes. "And here she comes now." He fades away.

"Hey Alice!" Mary Ann cries happily. "Sorry, Stewie’s Panty Cannon back fired and I had to fish her out of the mess." 

Jocelyn hears a strange rustling in the bushes behind her and she goes to investigate. "Hello?"

She jumps slightly as she hears a slight moaning sound. "Blaize? Is that you?" She creeps up closer to the bushes and peers inside.

What meets her eyes causes Jocelyn to roar out in horror. Another Jocelyn is seen grinning devilishly at the real Jocelyn, her face covered with red lip shaped paint.

"Don’t think I didn’t see you there last night." The fake Jocelyn coos.

"Aeryk?" She demands.

In a puff of smoke, Aeryk returns to his feline form, laughing. "Sorry, I just couldn’t resist."

"I’ll kill you!" She snarls, pulling out a razor.

Aeryk howls in fear and dashes off. "I was only kidding!"

"Come back here you feline freak!" Jocelyn roars.

Jocelyn and Aeryk tear through the thick foliage and soon find themselves within the forest.

Aeryk stops dead in his tracks when he notices that Jocelyn isn’t around anymore. "Jocelyn?" He pants, gazing around.

The black terror slowly pads around the forest, darting his head in every direction in hopes of spotting his assailant before she can nab him.

"This isn’t funny Jocelyn, where are you?"

A tall imposing woman clad in a heavy black cloak suddenly appears in front of Aeryk, who screams in shock.

"Don’t sneak up on people like that, you’re liable to get hurt you know?" He snaps. "Anyway, have you seen this psychotic woman racing about with a razor in her hand?"

The woman stares at Aeryk and makes no response. A gentle breeze gently lifts the woman’s cloak, revealing a nasty looking dagger sheathed in her belt.

Aeryk takes a few steps back, his eyes never leaving the dagger. "I, uh, guess I can find her on my own."

He turns to leave and finds the woman standing in front of him again. Aeryk gasps in shock. "See now you’re freaking me out?"

Aeryk turns his head as he hears a muffled scream. "Jocelyn?" He cries and suddenly finds a pair of strong hands around him. "Hey, let me go you...!"

The dark woman stuffs Aeryk inside a bag and silently meets with her partner. "These two will do, Lisa."

Lisa nods then turns her attention to the moving bag. "Fran, that cat is talking."

Fran shakes her head. "Forget about it, let’s go." In a flash of light Fran, Lisa, Jocelyn, and Aeryk all disappear. 

Lisa and Fran appear in Daakland and gaze around their handy work. Before they came to retrieve their bait, they made sure that none in the city would dare oppose them. So they simply transformed any living thing into stone statues.

"Did you leave the letter with the bard?" Fran asks.

"Yes, I did." Lisa replies. "Did you catch a view of Minerva?"

Fran nods as she walks over to a large set of craters and proceeds to tie the bag, with the comatose cat within it, to the beams.

"Didn’t you see it?" Lisa asks as she ties up the unconscious Jocelyn to the rafters as well."

"Yes." Fran replies simply.

"Aren’t you the least bit afraid?" Lisa cries. "What if the Princess was right about...?"

"Enough Lisa." Fran hisses. "The Princess was just babbling about that whole Chaos bit. I mean, how could the Empress possibly be under the control of a long dead God?"

"But the chakram, Fran!" Lisa exclaims. "Think about the dreams!"

"That’s all they are Lisa." Fran replies. "Dreams. So forget about that and lets do our job."

"What about these dreams?" Aeryk asks, gazing up curiously at the two women.

Lisa gasps. "Oh Gods, the cat’s out of the bag!"

Aeryk snickers. "Good one."

"How did you...?" Fran stammers.

"Forget about it." Aeryk says. "You guys really shouldn’t be going through whatever it is you’re doing. Minerva will come and stop you." He says seriously.

"Oh yeah?" Lisa snaps. "What do you know?"

"More than you think." Aeryk replies calmly. "Seriously, let my friend go and I promise you Minerva will go easy."

A thundering of hooves announces the arrival of Minerva and her Knights of the Big Round Bed.

"Aeryk, Jocelyn!" Minerva cries.

"You have a choice." Aeryk says softly. "I don’t know what possessed you to follow such an evil woman, but I believe that everyone has a good heart deep down."

Fran snorts as the cat vanishes before her eyes. "Yeah, right."

Lisa looks up at Fran, and then quickly turns away. A choice? Did I have a choice when that man came to me and...? She tears the memory away. No, no one ever has a choice. The Gods control our fates, so how can that cat say we have a choice? It’s my fate to live this life. Every day up until now I’ve experienced nothing but pain and sorrow. THAT has taught me to be who I am now. Who else but someone with a cold, scarred heart live a life of darkness and death?

No, that cat is wrong. I’m Lisa the Dark Wolf. My mission is to destroy all who oppose my Empress’s will.

Fran lets out a deep sigh as the words the strange cat said to them resonate through her mind. A choice? She snickers. Who does that cat think he is? A God? No one ever really has a choice in life; the Fates decide where we go and who we become. They just like to let us think we have a choice. Did I have a choice when those bandits forced me to watch my parents and family die? Did I have a choice when they nearly killed me when I tried to escape? No, I had to run. I always have to run. I have always been alone, except with Lisa. So what if I have to live my life, wondering if today is the last day of my existence. I have no choice but the live everyday like that.

The darkness that has consumed me, that is my master now. I do what the darkness beckons for me to do. I am no longer just Fran anymore. I am one of the Dark Sisters, an assassin... She pauses. A murderer.

Jocelyn, having heard the entire conversation, slowly opens her eyes and watches silently as the two mysterious women walk off to meet Minerva and the others.

Aeryk pads up. "A fine mess you got yourself into." He taunts his friend.

"Shut up and let me down will you?" Jocelyn grumbles. "We have to help them.

"And how do you propose I help you?" Aeryk asks. "There’s nothing around here that I can climb on."

"I know you can use magic Aeryk, just do something!"

Aeryk rolls his eyes. "Alright."

In the blink of an eye, the rope binding Jocelyn vanishes and the girl tumbles down. "Hey, that hurt!"

"Sorry." Aeryk apologizes. "So how are you going to help Minerva? You don’t know how to fight, and as you can see there isn’t any fire or alcohol around."

"Who said I was going to help Minerva?"

"What?" Aeryk gasps. "Have you gone default on us?"

"No!" Jocelyn cries defensively. "I don’t know why, but I think those two women aren’t as bad as they seem." She calls as she runs off

"Oh, and you’re the expert on personalities?" Aeryk retorts.

"You said so yourself," Jocelyn stops and turns to Aeryk. "All people have a good heart deep down. Now come on and help me Aeryk! We don’t have much time."

"Good going Enochlisi." Ares says appearing behind the cat.

"I thought she was unconscious. I was just talking out of my..."

"Yes, I know." Ares interrupts. "Shall we go watch the fight?" 

"Minerva!" Fran bellows. "It’s time you cease this movement against the Empress and yield to us."

Blaize tears out her sword and aims it at Fran. "Where are Jocelyn and the cat?"

Lisa chuckles. "They’re safe, somewhere within the city. But forget about them, when it’s you who should be worrying about yourselves."

Stewie shivers. "Oh, they look like nasty women Minerva. We should be careful with them."

"Screw being careful." Rie hisses. "Where are they?" She demands.

Fran sighs as she shakes her head. "Lets just finish this and get out of here." She mutters to her companion.

Lisa nods. "But the odds are slightly against us." A grim smile covers her face. "Shall we?"

Without warning, the ground below Minerva and her friends begins to shake violently.

A large and twisted looking tree emerges from the ground and grabs at the heroes with its long slithering branches.

Rie and Minerva manage to jump to safety, but watch in horror as their friends become captive to the evil tree.

Lisa and Fran cackle in unison. "Very good Minerva." Lisa taunts.

"And you must be the famed Knight Lady Falcon." Fran eyes the other woman. "Yes, I can tell by your shield." She says gazing at the large shield with the symbol of a falcon etched on it.

"Let our friends go!" Minerva orders, pulling out her sword.

"So, she finally wishes to fight." Fran sneers. "About time."

Lisa pulls out her dagger. "I’ll take Minerva, you take the Falcon lady."

Fran nods. "Agreed." She sneers as she pulls out her dagger as well.

Rie chuckles pompously. "Daggers? Girls, you haven’t a prayer."

As Lisa and Fran calmly approach Minerva and Rie, their daggers slowly grow and change into double handed swords.

"Oops, spoke too soon." Rie grimaces.

Lisa and Fran let out a battle cry and they both, simultaneously, attack Minerva and Rie.

Minerva lets out a grunt as Lisa’s sword slams into hers. "Man, you’re pretty good." She grunts through her teeth.

Lisa chuckles. "When I’m good, I’m good. When I’m bad, I’m better." She lets out another cry as she kicks Minerva in the stomach.

Minerva quickly regroups and deflects Lisa’s death strike and swipes her feet out from under her. Minerva, then lurches to her feet and attempts to stab down at the fallen foe. Lisa manages to roll out to safety and scrambles to her feet.

"Gods this thing is heavy." Lisa mentally commands the sword to shrink down to a more manageable size. "Die!" She roars as she attacks Minerva again. 

Fran ruthlessly slashes at Rie and manages to throw off her foe’s balance. Rie falls to the ground and quickly throws her shield above her as Fran swipes her sword down for the kill, the loud pang of metal against metal rips through Rie’s ears.

Rie quickly grabs out a throwing dagger and hurls it at Fran just as she is about to strike down again. Fran sees the danger and quickly moves out of the way, giving Rie time to rise to her feet once more.

"You’re a pretty dirty fighter." Rie pants.

"Who said anything about a clean fight?" Fran hisses as she begins to assail Rie again.

Fran takes a wild swipe from her right side and Rie takes the chance of hurling her body, with the protection of the shield, at the blade and throws Fran’s balance off. She then twirls her sword at Fran’s stomach, barely missing the flesh behind the thin leather armor.

Fran gasps in horror and jumps away from Rie’s reach. "That’s it, play time’s over!" Her sword begins to glow and hum with power and Fran swipes her sword through the empty air, unleashing an arc of power.

Rie cries out in pain as the energy slams into her body and sends her colliding into the tree.

Beth lets out a gasp of horror as the tree reaches for its new victim. "Rie!"

Rie shakes off the effects of the blow and sees the branches reaching for her all to late.

Minerva sees the happenings out of the corner of her eye and calls out to her comrade. Lisa takes the chance to perform the same feat Fran did and sends Minerva to the ground, knocking her sword out of her hand.

Lisa laughs evilly down at Minerva and saunters over to her. "Looks like this is the end of the line, Minerva."

Minerva clutches her stomach and grimaces in pain as she tries to rise to her feet. Lisa sends her knee into her enemies face and Minerva falls to the ground again.

"Watch now as your leader falls to enemy hands, traitors!" Lisa calls to the remaining knights and friends hanging high in the tree.

Minerva quickly grabs her chakram and hurls it at Lisa. The dark warrior cries out as the chakram knocks her blade out of her hands. Minerva, then, lurches to her feet and lunges for Lisa. Fran lets out a warning cry and unleashes another energy attack on Minerva. The warrior collapses to the ground and groans in pain.

Lisa storms over to her blade and picks it up. "I’ve had enough of this." She snarls.

Aeryk’s eyes narrow in fury as Lisa raises her blade to strike down Minerva. "Minerva..." He whispers as he raises his hands to summons his magic.

Jocelyn turns the corner and cries out in horror as she sees Lisa raise her blade to strike down Minerva.

At that moment, time seems to slow as Jocelyn cries out and rushes to her friend. "Minerva...!" She cries out.

Ares suddenly appears beside Aeryk, his eyes wide in shock as he turns his gaze towards the sky above as dark thunderclouds fill the sky.

Suddenly, a brilliant white light fills the entire city and all the living inhabitants, mortal and God alike, gasp in shock. 

Next time on MINERVA: WARRIOR EMPRESS

Our great heroine Minerva is at the mercy of the evil Dark Sisters and is near Death’s Gate. But with the other Knights captured, and Aeryk unable to use his magic, who will save our beloved Minerva? Find out all this and more in the next exciting chapter...

Good Knight Bad Night: There’s Nothing Worse Than a Wet Kitty

Continued in Part 7

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