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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Aeryk slowly opens his eyes early the next morning and finds Ares sleeping soundly next to him. The young God slowly sits up and notices that his shirt has grown considerably.

"Huh, have I shrunk?" He looks at the long sleeved silk shirt and gasps when he realizes that he’s wearing Ares’ shirt. Further realization sets in when visions of the night before set in. "No..." He cries as tears well up in his eyes.

Ares lets out a slight grumble and he turns on his side, facing Aeryk, his bare chest lightly dusted with sand. Aeryk decides to be appallingly furious at Ares and a large ball of rainbow colored energy appears in his hand.

Aeryk rises to his feet, a dark and evil smirk on his face, and prepares to drop the ball of energy on Ares when the unsuspecting God of war opens his eyes and sees the dastardly Aeryk about to assault him.

Aeryk lets out an outraged roar and hurls the ball at the ground just after Ares manages to vanish and reappear in safety some feet away. A mass of sand and random filth explodes from the ground and covers Aeryk.

"What in the name of Hades are you doing?" Ares demands.

Aeryk coughs out some sand. "Look at me you idiot!" He snaps as some loose sand falls from his hair.

"You look like an absolute fool Enochlisi." Aeryk scowls and with a huff, he begins to spin around at a beyond dizzying speed removing all the sand and filth from his body. Ares grimaces as a band of seaweed finds its place on his face. He slowly peels the slimy weed from and turns his attention to Aeryk. "So what’s the matter now?"

"How utterly convenient of you to forget Ares." Aeryk scoffs. "Why in all hells am I wearing your shirt?"

Ares has the audacity of actually thinking about it before he responds with an, "Oh."

"Damn right, oh." Aeryk responds tersely. "I can’t believe you." He snarls as he turns oh his bare heel and storms off toward the town.

"Hey, wait a second." Ares rushes after Aeryk. "Don’t act like it’s all my fault."

Aeryk nearly explodes at Ares’ words. "So you’re saying I’m to blame?" He asks turning on him.

"Like it’s my fault we did that?"

Aeryk tries with all his might not to strangle Ares. "What about all those things you said to me last night, huh? You know how much in love I am with you, and you used that against me!"

"I was drunk Enochlisi," Ares replies calmly. "I didn’t know what I was saying. Hells, I don’t even remember last night."

All the fury escapes Aeryk’s heart and sadness takes its place. "Fine, water under the bridge." He mumbles turning away from Ares again.

Ares reaches out a hand and places it on Aeryk’s shoulders. "Enochlisi, I..." With an icy glance from Aeryk, Ares slowly removes his hand. "I’m sorry."

In a flash of light Aeryk appears in his normal attire with Ares’ shirt in his hand. "Here’s your shirt back." He holds it out for Ares to take. "See you."

"I’m telling you Minerva!" Blaize exclaims. "We shouldn’t have the Princess tagging along with us. It’s dangerous!"

Minerva tugs on her boot and gazes up at her friends. "Stewie, what do you think?"

"Uh," Stewie begins running her hand through her hair. "I guess I’m alright with it."

"Yeah right." Blaize grumbles. "You just want that jester to come along. What’s her name, Ms. T?"

Stewie blushes. "It’s not like that."

"I don’t see what the problem is." Colleen begins. "We did take Syl along with us after all."

"But we’re talking about a Princess here." Blaize states. "What if something happened to her?"

"I think that’s a danger she’s willing to risk." Rie states. "She did come all the way here with no escort."

"Beside, she’ll have all of us to watch out for her." Rae says smiling.

Minerva smiles. "I don’t think we have a choice regardless. Patty seems pretty resolved about her decision to go with us. But I do want everyone to have their say in this."

Sarah steps forward. "I appreciate all of your concern for my cousin, and I do understand your thoughts Blaize." She nods at the other knight. "But Patty feels this is her duty as a Princess."

The group of knights and squires look at each other for a moment. "Then I can assume we are prepared for this?" Minerva asks.

"I’m sure Jocelyn and Syl would be more than happy to watch out for the Princess in case we run into trouble." Mary Ann says to Sarah.

"Speaking of trouble," Blaize mutters. "Where’s Aeryk?"

Aeryk pads up to Jocelyn and leaps onto her lap. "Stroke me."

Jocelyn giggles at the kitty on her lap. "What’s the matter?"

"Men." Aeryk grumbles. "Damn them all."

"Why do you say that?"

"Never mind." Aeryk mutters. "So where’s everyone else?"

"They’re upstairs having some sort of meeting." Jocelyn replies turning her attention to the gray morning just outside the Crimson Wave Inn. "Looks like it’s gonna be a crappy day today."

It already is. "Maybe the sun will come out later. It’s still early yet." Aeryk says.

Sandra and Ms. T gaze at the talking feline. "A t-talking cat?" Sandra gasps.

"Why must I get that reaction wherever I go?" Aeryk asks.

Blaize walks into the room. "You don’t have to all the time, you know that?"

Syl looks up from her morning tea and gazes at Blaize, and then at Aeryk. "What does she mean?"

At that moment, Minerva and the others trail down the steps into the now silent room. "What’s going on?" Stewie asks, and to make matters even worse for the troubled feline, Ares walks in.

Aeryk gives Ares a pained look, and then bows his head. "I, uh..." He begins. "I think it’s best to show you." Aeryk leaps off of Jocelyn’s lap and in a shimmer of multicolored lights, he slowly changes into his human form.

Minerva and the group, minus Ares and Blaize, stare at Aeryk in total disbelief. "You!" Minerva gasps. "But why?"

"I didn’t want you to treat me different because of who I am." Aeryk begins.

"You conniving little...!" Stewie begins.

Blaize places a hand on the spirited knight and shakes her head. "I spoke with him last night." She begins. "He had his reasons."

"But all this time you could have..." Mary Ann pauses. "We needed you."

Aeryk’s shoulders slump. "I know, and I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. But you’ve got to understand that you have to do this on your own."

"I don’t know what to say." Minerva mutters.

"I would understand if you didn’t want me around anymore." Aeryk says.

Jocelyn rises to her feet. "Wait a second..."

Minerva raises her hand to silence Jocelyn. "Aeryk, Enochlisi, or whomever you choose to be. Granted all of us will look, think, and act differently around you now. Maybe our trust has been shaken, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need you still. You’re as much a part of this as we are."

Blaize grins. That’s what I said. "Just no more secrets, okay?"

Aeryk nods, smiling faintly. "I got yah."

Ms. T steps forward and gazes at Aeryk. "Why would you ever want to be a cat in the first place?"

Suddenly, a beam of holy lights shines down on Ms. T and a chorus of angel’s beings to ring through the morning sky, a small white dove lands on her shoulder. Sandra, Patty, and Sarah let out a gasp of shock.

"Did you hear that?" Sandra cries.

"She speaks, normally!" Patty clasps her hands in joy.

The radiant light vanishes along with the chorus as Ms. T turns to her friends, her face a deep red. "Well, I..." She casts a shy look at Stewie and the rest of the group looks in Stewie’s direction. "I had a little inspiration."

The group is stunned into another deep silence for a moment when, suddenly, the dove decides to flutter off, leaving a little present on Ms. T’s shoulder. The sound of a quacking duck is heard in the distance.

Aeryk picks up his feline protégé and places him in his saddlebag. "You’re going with me today." Aeryk Jr. mews. "Of course I have food in there, and yes it’s fish. Though I don’t understand how one under my teachings can even dare think about eating seafood." The young kitten mews again. "That’s sick Aeryk Jr., and I would care for you not to utter such smut in my presence again." He laughs as he places the purring feline in his bags.

Stewie helps Ms. T onto her horse and expertly rises up behind her. "Comfortable?" She asks. Ms. T leans against Stewie’s chest and nods. "That was nice of you to offer Aeryk your horse."

"I must admit my intentions were selfish." Ms. T giggles.

Stewie grins. "Well my..."

Mary Ann walks up to Alice and wraps her arms around her waist. "What’re you doing?"

"Oh, just going over my notes for when I start writing my story about Minerva." Alice smiles. "What do you think of this title, ‘Minerva the Omnipotent Warrior Whose Decent Brings Light and Justice to all’?"

Mary Ann grimaces. "Aren’t you being a little too dramatic?"

"Dramatic about what?" Alice asks innocently as she turns her big blue eyes on Mary Ann.

Not the eyes! "Nothing." Mary Ann lies. Damn those blue eyes of hers.

Alice shrugs. "Oh well, it’s still a work in progress. Maybe I’ll think of something better along the way."

Minerva walks up to the two young women and smiles. "You two ready to go?" She asks cheerfully.

Mary Ann steps back and nods. "Ready whenever you are."

"Say, have you two seen Beth or Rie at all today?" Minerva asks.

"Not since the meeting." Alice replies.

Minerva’s question is answered when she notices Rie and Beth attempting to sneak back into the party. A telltale leaf from the nearby bushes immediately omits any questions Minerva may have about their whereabouts.

Rie and Beth blanch when they notice Minerva staring dead at them. Minerva lets out a hearty laugh and waves at the two, signaling that the secret is well kept.

"Oh damn it, the leaf." Rie grabs at Beth’s hair and pulls out the leaf. "That was a close one."

Beth chuckles. "For a moment there I thought we’d be left behind."

"I was tired." Rie grins.

"Are we all ready?" Minerva calls out to her party. "Great, lets head out!"

"...And the duck says to the doctor ‘quack’." Stewie howls with laughter.

Ms. T laughs along with Stewie as she lays out her blanket. "I hope you enjoy the food I made. I’m not the world’s best cook mind you."

"Nah, I bet it’s great." Stewie smiles warmly.

Ms. T blushes as she hands Stewie a large bowl and a spoon. "It’s soup." She announces.

As the court jester opens the lid off the pot containing her soup, a waft of a dangerously bad smelling aroma assaults Stewie’s nose. Uh-oh... Stewie thinks.

Ms. T spoons in a grotesquely thick ‘soup’ into Stewie’s bowl. The knight nearly looses her breakfast when she spies a lump scurry from one side of the bowl to the other. What is this stuff? Goulash is more like it.

Stewie stabs her spoon into the sickly green looking stuff and her stomach churns in warning. Easy stomach, we must sacrifice our very being for love. Stewie notices Ms. T looking at her expectantly and lathers some of the thick muck onto her spoon. "It looks... good." She lies.

Stewie then takes a deep gulp and raises the foul smelling putrescence to her mouth and licks her dry lips. Please Gods let this taste better than it looks.

The doomed knight opens her mouth and takes in the soup. An electric shock blasts Stewie’s body as the horrible tasting mess literally slithers down her throat. Trying to prevent Ms. T from seeing her face turn green, Stewie lowers her head as tears of pain well in her eyes.

"Is it that good?" Ms. T asks, obviously taking the tears of pain for ones of joy.

"Words cannot describe." Stewie says hoarsely. Somebody help me!

As if her cry for help is answered a mouse, and Aeryk Jr. bound through the bushes and manage to knock over the pot holding the lethal sustenance.

Stewie lets out a croak of joy as she sees the pot tip over onto its side. Her joy is shattered when she notices that nothing has fallen out of the pot. Oh sweet Gods no!

The green horror is seen securely lodged on the walls of the pot and Ms. T lets out a ‘humph’ as she leans over to pick up the soup. "Good thing we didn’t loose anything."

My life is over. Stewie whimpers. Somebody kill me now.

Ms. T took Stewie’s whimper as a meaning of wanting more of her soup. "Honestly if you wanted more, why don’t you ask?" She happily slops more into Stewie’s bowl.

A chilling scream echoing through the bordering forest stops Minerva’s conversation with a few of her friends.

"That sounded like a Knight Protector Stewie." Aeryk snickers. "Wonder what happened."

Minerva shrugs and motions for them to continue on their walk. "Where’s Ares?" She asks.

"I don’t know." Aeryk responds. "Probably off doing whatever it is he does."

"You don’t sound at all interested." Blaize comments.

"I’m not." Aeryk says truthfully. "He’s a pigheaded bastard not worthy of the mud he wallows in."

Rae laughs. "What happened with you two?"

Aeryk shakes his head. "Nothing worth hearing." He looks forward. "Beside, we have more important things to worry about."

Minerva stops again and gives Blaize a questioning look. Rae notices the look then turns to Aeryk. "Umm," She begins.

Aeryk looks at the three women. "What? Did I do something wrong?"

"I thought we weren’t going to keep secrets." Blaize says softly.

"What secret?" Aeryk asks, somewhat nervously. "I’m not keeping any secrets."

Minerva glances at Aeryk. "Come on Aeryk, if he did something to you that..."

"What makes you think he did anything to me?" Aeryk cries, shaken by Minerva’s uncanny intuition.

"He hurt you somehow, didn’t he?"

Blaize and Rae stare at Minerva in shock. "Um, Minerva I think you should..." Blaize begins.

"Okay," Aeryk mutters. "He did hurt me, but not in the way you might think." He takes some steps away from the three women to get some space. "When I was born to my mother Artemis and my father Dionysus they took me away from Mt. Olympus in fear of how the other Gods would react."

"Why would they care?" Rae asks. "Is it wrong for Gods to bear children or something?"

Blaize snickers. "Zeus does it all the time from what I hear."

Aeryk grins. "It’s not that, it was because of what I turned out to be."

Minerva gasps. "You’re not some lizard faced, four eyes, foul smelling creature from the Black Lagoon are you?"

"No!" Aeryk cries, horrified at the prospect of being such a foul looking creature. "Nothing like that. I’m the God of Order."

Blaize looks at Aeryk confused. "You... the God or Order?" Rae chuckles.

Aeryk rolls his eyes. "Contrary to what you may think, yes I am."

"So why would Artemis and Dionysus want to hide you?" Minerva asks.

"In case the Lost God Chaos were to be set free." Aeryk replies. "You see Order and Chaos are two opposing forces in the Universe..."

"And if you were to be killed somehow," Rae begins. "Chaos will have free reign."

Aeryk nods. "I’m the only one capable of truly keeping Chaos at bay. You can rule the Sky, Oceans, or the Underworld but that doesn’t give you control of the Cosmos."

Minerva thinks about the referencing to the three ‘top’ Gods, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. "So, how did you become..."

"My mother is the Goddess of the Moon and Hunt, she is also or was, the virgin Goddess." He snorts. "And my father is the God of Wine and Justice. Take purity and justice and put them together and you get..."

"Order!" Rae announces enthusiastically.

"Wait a second," Blaize says. "What does this have to do with you and Ares?"

"Oh yeah," Aeryk says. "After about sixteen years my parents decided to tell me who I really was and took me to Mt. Olympus. It was there that my parents revealed me, and only to Zeus, who and what I was. Zeus was quite shocked but accepted me. Shortly after all the Gods threw a party for me in honor of my ascent to Godhood."

"Wow, I didn’t know Gods threw parties." Rae exclaims. "What I would give to go to one of those."

Aeryk smiles. "Not at all a shock to me, I noticed Ares there. Well before then I’ve noticed him and, now, much to my dismay I feel in love with the idiot."

Rae giggles with excitement. "This is getting good."

Aeryk heaves out a sigh and turns away from the three women. He gazes up into the clear blue sky and continues his story. "Ares came over to me and we started talking. I knew the man was drunk off his ass by his increased smug demeanor. Anyway, one thing led to another and..."

Minerva gasps. "I didn’t know Ares..."

"He isn’t." Aeryk says sullenly. "I know that now. It wasn’t the last time it happened either."

It’s Blaize’s turn to gasp now. "You mean last night he...?" Aeryk nods, still facing away from them. "Aeryk, I’m sorry."

"There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m an idiot and I shouldn’t have let it happen." He shrugs. "Anyway, I better go make sure Aeryk Jr. is alright. He’s been gone for a while." He waves as he walks away from Minerva and the others.

"Hey, have you seen Jocelyn anywhere?" Colleen asks Syl and Patty. "She was going to give Sarah and I some sort of demonstration."

Syl and Patty shrug. "Sorry, haven’t seen her." Syl replies. "Maybe you should go ask Sandra. I just saw her coming out from those bushes over there with a rather peculiar look on her face."

Colleen nods in acknowledgement and motions for Sarah to follow. "So Jocelyn was telling me about her latest idea." Colleen begins. "Something about ‘Body by J’ I believe she called it. Anyway, when she described it, it sounded a bit too racy for me, so she suggested a little demonstration from her other ideas."

"What did she suggest?" Sarah asks.

"She said it would be a surprise and nothing like her ‘Body by J’." Colleen says.

Just as Colleen and Sarah enter a small grotto, a shockingly loud voice booms out. "Hello ladies!"

Colleen and Sarah let out a yelp of horror and turn to see Jocelyn clad in a suggestive red velvet dress that shows off her ample chest. "What in the God’s names are you...?" Colleen begins.

"I need a volunteer." Jocelyn begins. "The more limber between you both would be best."

Colleen takes a step forward. "I’ll do it."

Jocelyn grins widely and reaches out between the open part of her dress and extracts a black leather harness.

Colleen and Sarah fall back in shock. "How did she...?" Sarah asks.

"I don’t want to know." Colleen replies.

With skilled hands, Jocelyn ties up the harness to the surrounding trees, a couple strands left dangling, and motions for Colleen. "Now, you’re probably saying to yourself ‘this is a harness, I’ve seen plenty of these before, so what’s the big deal?’" Jocelyn grins. "But you haven’t seen my harness yet. Introduction ‘Jocelyn’s Own-Spider Harness’!" She announces gleefully and pulls Colleen into the harness. "Try not to move too much."

"What?" Colleen cries as she is suddenly lifted off the ground.

"Now with those boring traditional harness’ you’re faced with one, sometimes two, boring positions. Now, with my harness..." Jocelyn tugs on a string and Colleen suddenly finds herself sprawled out like a five-pointed star. "You can use many positions. And with just a tug of the string," With a cry Colleen is suddenly flipped forward and finds herself gaping at the snickering Sarah. "Her face is right where you need it, sorta." Jocelyn adds with a shrugs. "But perhaps, she’s been a bit naughty and needs a good lesson." With another tug, Colleen finds her rear sticking high in the sky.

Sarah laughs. "Can it do the Hot Flash Turnabout?"

"Of course," Jocelyn is about to tug on several of the leather strands when Blaize appears. "Oh hi Blaize, wanna watch the demonstration?"

Blaize doesn’t know whether to laugh or be deathly afraid. "I, um, it’s time to head out." She sniggers.

Colleen turns dark eyes onto Blaize. "Thank you." She mutters through clinched teeth.

Fran heaves out a grunt as she falls limply onto a tree stump. "Gods, this hurts."

Lisa leans heavily against a tree and sighs as she lays a tentative hand on her side. "Just be thankful that Jane hasn’t passed any of her wrath upon us." She gazes into the blue sky. "What are we going to do?"

Fran looks down at the dirty trail below her. "I don’t know. Minerva has gained more friends, and we are only two."

Then allow me to be of some assistance. A strange and chilling voice whispers through the still air.

"Who’s there?" Fran asks reaching for her blade.

Someone who can help you. The voice replies evenly. I have the power to make all your dreams come true.

Lisa moves to her partner’s side, her free hand on her sword. "Show yourself."

I’m afraid I cannot do that, for I have no form.

Fran sucks in a breath. "Chaos..."

The voice chuckles deeply. Indeed, I am the one your Empress worships.

"What do you want with us?" Lisa cries. "We have no dealings with you."

On the contrary, you have more to do with me than you know. Suddenly, phantasms of the men who have destroyed Lisa and Fran’s lives appear before them and they let out a cry of shock and horror. Chaos only laughs, and the visions disappear.

"Impossible, you couldn’t...!" Fran calls.

Oh, it was me. Chaos says. I was the one responsible for that.

Lisa and Fran gasp in unison. "But why?" Lisa demands.

You two were the perfect candidates. I have never seen a human more capable of holding so much anger like you do. I see now that my two flowers have bloomed so beautifully.

Fran roars out in outrage. "You took our family and lives away! How could you do such a thing? We’re not puppets!"

More ghosts appear before Fran and Lisa, and this time, gasps of pain escape their lips. "Mom, Dad?" Fran mutters.

"Jordyn?" Lisa whispers breathlessly.

You can have all that back you know. Chaos says in a haunting voice. All that was taken away can be given back. All you need to do is swear your allegiance to me. Your parents will be waiting for you when you come home. Jordyn will within your arms again, never to stray. All I need from you is your souls and everything will be as if nothing has ever happened.

At Chaos’ words, Fran and Lisa tear their eyes away from the visions. "All we need to do..." Fran mutters.

"Is to give up our freedom." Lisa finishes. Puppets. She says to herself. But isn’t that what we’ve been for so long?

Fran looks to her partner and only friend. What do we do now my friend? Is this what Fate has had in store for us all along? Will we remain mindless slaves for all eternity?

Lisa gazes back at Fran. I know you don’t like this as much as I do. What can we do now but, maybe, believe in Patty? Will Minerva be able to help us?

What is your decision? Chaos asks.

Lisa and Fran turn their gaze away from each other and bow their heads. "We accept." They say in unison.

Suddenly, the two assassins feel an incomparable cold snap through their bodies and they cry out in shock. As soon as it was there, the chill vanishes and two balls of light slowly make their way out of Fran and Lisa’s chest and hover just before them before they vanish.

And now, for your rewards. Chaos says and two nasty looking scimitars appear, hovering in the air, in front of Lisa and Fran. These two swords are ten times more powerful than the ones you have now. I trust these will get the job done.

"Yes, master." Fran says lifelessly.

Minerva and her colleagues are on their way to Skylark. The world around them begins to waver slightly, and as the ripples settle, Lisa and Fran find themselves within the city of Skylark. Wait for them, and destroy them all.

"So Patty," Rie begins. "How did you do that with Lisa and Fran?"

"It’s a gift." Patty replies. "My mother had the same ability, and I guess it was passed on to me."

"Does Jane have the same gift?" Beth asks.

"Oh no," Patty replies. "It’s only given to the youngest daughter."

"So what does it do?" Rie asks.

"Well the Fate’s Eye, as I call it, allows me to envision the past, present, and future as it has or may be."

"So you can show us what the future will be?" Rie says. "Will Minerva and us win the war?"

Patty smiles. "The future is never certain. The Fates can be very finicky."

"Can you show us the future now?" Beth asks.

"No, I’m afraid I can only use the power under the light of a full moon." Patty replies sullenly.

"Hey look everybody!" Rae calls out. "It’s Skylark!"

The group rides up to the top of a hill and gaze out at the large bustling city of Skylark. "Wow, it’s even bigger than I thought it would be." Mary Ann says in awe.

"Would you look at all those houses and shops?" Syl says.

"The sun still has several hours until it sets," Blaize whispers to Minerva. "And the city is that far away. How about we run our horses so we can enjoy a day with the girls?"

Minerva smiles. "Just what I was thinking." She belts out a mighty war cry and the groups thunders down the hill toward the city below.

A burly woman with long brown hair and coal black eyes slams down a hammer and the clang of metal against metal rings through the smith shop. "So there’s arumor, that the Empress has sent out her finest assassins to find Minerva." She grumbles as she wipes her sweaty brown with a dirty rag.

A shorter woman with short blonde hair and warm green eyes smiles faintly. "I doubt even they could stop the Mighty Minerva." She grins. "She’s been up against demons from beyond this world and come out stronger than before. I say bring it on!"

The brown haired woman smiles widely as she sets down the hammer, picks up a pair of tongs, and collects the hot blade for cooling. "I like your optimism Laurie." She pauses as she dips the metal into a large bucket of water. "But I don’t know, those assassin of Jane’s have been known to be pretty tough customers."

"Ah come on Rom, you don’t honestly believe that Minerva will actually loose to them?

"Nah," Rom says as she pulls out the blade from the murky water and examines it. "Fine blade if I do say so myself. You’re lucky your such a good friend or I would’ve never gone through so much trouble or for such a low price."

Laurie beams. "Friendship has no price." Her grin widens to reveal pearly white teeth.

"Ah-huh." Rom snickers. "Your shield is done by the way. Why you want such a ridiculous emblem is beyond me."

Laurie lets out a squeal of delight and races to the back of the well-heated smithy and searches for her shield. Another, higher pitched, squeal rings through the rafters as Laurie finds her large shield with an obscene picture of a yellow smiling face painted on the center. "It’s perfect!"

Rom smiles and shakes her head. "You wouldn’t believe the strange looks and even stranger questions people would ask me when they saw me painting that."

"People are just jealous that’s all." Laurie says as she returns with the shield in tow. "It’s my duty as Happy Knight Laurie to spread love and happiness to all!"

Rom rolls her eyes as she begins to forge the blade to a hideous pink ruby encrusted hilt. "Couldn’t you have chosen a better hilt?"

"Why? Pink and red are my favorite colors." Laurie announces. "Beside, they stand for love and friendship." She giggles.

An older looking woman with graying brown hair and tear misted brown eyes enters the smithy. "Do you happen to have any knives for sale?"

Rom and Laurie give the woman a concerned look. "What’s it for?" Rom asks.

The older woman sniffs back tears and bows her head. "She fired me!" She blurts out with a sob. "After all my years of loyal service, she fired me!"

Laurie rushes over and comforts the distressed woman. "Ah come on now, it can’t be all that bad. Who fired you?"

"Empress Jane." The woman replies as tears begin falling freely down her face. "She fired all of the Molly Maids after a freak accident in the Reception Hall, something about one of us touching her mirror." She sniffles. "What am I to do now? I have no place to live and no work to get money and food..."

Laurie squeezes the maid’s hand. "Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find something." She says reassuringly. "I happen to know of someone who’s in desperate need of a maid." She casts a teasing glance at Rom.

Rom scowls. "I do not." She says, but sees the hope in the maid’s eyes vanish in a flash. "Then again, I guess I could use some help around here."

The maid lets out a sob of delight. "Really? Do you mean I can work for you?"

Rom casts another look at Laurie. Why do I let you do these things to me? She asks herself before turning back to the maid. "Of course you can, I happen to have an extra room you can use as well."

The maid lunges at Rom and wraps her arms around the husky woman. "Oh thank you so much! My name’s Myrtle by the way."

Rom manages to tear off the enraptured woman and give her a faint smile behind her blackened face. "My name’s Rom, and this is my friend Happy Knight Laurie."

Laurie beams at the woman with a light in her eyes. "Pleased to meet yah!"

The three turn their attention outside when they hear the thunder of hooves and laughing voices ring through the city streets. "Wonder who that could be." Rom says as she and the other two walk out of her shop to see the cause of the ruckus.

"Is that, Minerva?" Laurie mutters when she notices the stately woman leading the group of men and women.

"Oh my, the Princess Patty is with them!" Myrtle cries. "I hope she doesn’t see me." She cowers beside Rom.

The group slows to a halt and continues to laugh amongst each other. "Wow, that was the best run I’ve had in a while." Stewie says.

Aeryk scowls as he pulls out leaves and twigs from his hair. "I don’t know what was so damn great about it." He makes a nasty face as he gets a funny feeling in his mouth. "Did I swallow a bug or something?" He demands as he begins to spit wildly at the ground.

"So this is Skylark," Mary Ann smiles back at Alice. "Wonder what kind of things we’ll see here."

"Remember, we have work to do ladies." Rie says. "We can’t slack off here."

"Ah, come on Rie," Minerva begins. "I think we’ve earned a day of rest huh? Beside, we can look for the knight any old time."

Rie’s dark expression darkens just a bit more before she catches Beth’s eyes. Her face lightens up immediately. "Okay, lets go have some fun."

Laurie dashes up to Minerva and points a finger at her. "Are you Minerva, the famous warrior bound by the Goddess Gaia to stop the evil Jane the Bipolar from destroying our world?"

Minerva’s eyes widen a moment. "Uh, yes I am. I guess."

Laurie lets out a squeal of delight. "Oh, my name is Happy Knight Laurie and I’ve been listening to anything having to do with you, Minerva. I’ve heard that you’re looking for a few good knights as well."

"Yes, we are." Blaize responds.

"Pretty please, can I join you? Oh, and can my friends come along. That’s my buddy Rom, she’s the best smithy in all the Mindom and that’s her new maid, Myrtle."

"Myrtle?" Patty gasps looking at the cowering maid next to Rom. "Gods, it is you! What are you doing in Skylark?"

Myrtle takes a few meek steps forward and bows to Patty. "Her Majesty Jane has relieved me of my duties Highness."

Patty gasps. "That’s horrible. I cannot believe she would do such a thing." She turns to Sandra and Ms. T. "Something must be wrong if she’s firing our Molly Maids!" Sandra and Ms. T nod in agreement. "Please, come with us, we’ll talk to Jane when we return to the castle."

Myrtle grimaces. "I can’t Highness, I am working for Rom now."

Patty casts a pleading glance at Minerva. "Please, let them come with us. You’ll have another knight and gain a smithy and a maid!"

Minerva glances down at the trio for a moment. "You don’t seem to interested in the idea." She says to Rom.

The smithy shrugs her shoulders. "I don’t care either way miss. As long as I’ve got work to do, I’ll be happy."

Minerva smiles. "Alright then. If you would like to join us, we’ll be more than happy to take you on."

Laurie lets out a mighty whoop, which spooks the horses. "Oops, sorry." She covers her smiling mouth.

The sky above the city suddenly begins to darken and thick clouds swirl around, and a loud thunder booms. "Uh-oh." Jocelyn mutters.

A lightning bolt falls from the sky and lands just in front of Minerva’s horse. "What in the Gods’ names!" She cries, struggling to regain control over her terrified horse.

The Knights of the Big Round Bed and friends leap of their horses. "Is it them again?" Rie asks pulling out her sword and shield.

"It must be." Stewie curses. "We should’ve taken care of them when we had the chance."

"Jocelyn, take care of the horses will yah." Colleen whispers to the woman next to her. "Make sure everyone’s safe."

"But I thought I could..." Jocelyn begins.

"We’ll be fine." Colleen says.

Jocelyn nods and motions for anyone without fighting experience to follow her with the horses. "Good luck you guys." She calls.

Ares walks up next to Aeryk and sighs. "Looks like another battle huh?"

Aeryk nods curtly. "Looks like it." Lightning dances through the sky once more and a howling wind begins to toss around dust, leaves, and anything is can obtain control over. "Their power is much stronger now." His eyes flash menacingly. "Chaos..."

"Aeryk," Minerva calls. "Any idea as to where they are."

Aeryk turns his attention to the long, now empty, street before him and senses Lisa and Fran’s life force. "A strange aura is around them."

Ares looks forward and senses their enemies’ life force as well. "Soulless?" He offers.

Aeryk nods. "Chaos has gotten to them." He says sullenly. "Minerva, they’re approaching us. Be careful okay!"

Blaize turns back to Aeryk and Ares. "You’re not fighting?"

Aeryk shakes his head slowly. "I’m sorry," He calls over the wind. "It’s not my place."

A dark look crosses Blaize’s face briefly, then a light of understanding shines in her dark eyes. "Alright, watch over us." She says before the two Gods vanish.

The nine warriors stand ready for their enemies’ arrival. "This is it," Minerva mutters. "We won’t lose this time."

Blaize nods slightly. "They’re much stronger this time, I can feel it."

"No matter what, we mustn’t give in." Stewie says, clutching her hand tighter over the sword hilt.

"It’s my duty as a Knight of the Big Round Bed to protect Syl and the innocents of this world." Colleen says.

"For my love, Beth," Rie says. "I will not lose."

"For the sake of my cousin Patty," Sarah begins. "I’ll give it my best."

"I don’t know who we’re fighting against, but I’ll help you all as much as I can." Laurie says, for once, seriously.

"Here they come!" Mary Ann calls out as two large arcs of energy hurl through the air.

"Everybody move!" Rae calls and they all jump to safety.

"Very good!" Fran chuckles as she and Lisa appear from the darkness. "I was especially moved by your little vows by the way. Very heroic."

"When will you give up?" Rie snaps. "You’ll never win!"

"Oh won’t we?" Lisa grins as she braces her sword. "We’ll just show you how powerful we have become."

The two assassins let out a battle cry and they charge directly into the group of awaiting knights. Fran slashes widely and sends an arc of energy right through the middle of the knights, effectively separating them.

"Five against one," Fran sneers. "I like those odds." Her sword clashes against Minerva’s and she leans her weight into the leader. "How do you like me now?" She grins. "Give it up Minerva, you’ll never win this time."

Blaize cries out as she slashes at Fran, who shoves Minerva away before jumping away from the glimmering Artemis’ Blade. "Stay away from her!" She and Fran begin a fantastic display of swordsmanship and the ring of metal against metal sings through the dark sky along with the flash of sparks.

Meanwhile, Lisa is content with fighting against the two squires, Sarah, and Rie. "Is this the best you can do?" Lisa taunts as she deflects Mary Ann’s mace, turns, and sends a quick kick into Rae’s stomach. "Pathetic."

Rie snarls. "Bitch!" She and Lisa begin to fight, their swords clashing at a blinding rate. "Getting tired?" Rie whispers as she locks swords with Lisa. "Your arms are shaking." She leans into Lisa with all her weight in an attempt to disarm the smaller assassin.

"Not at all." Lisa grins. "In fact, I’m enjoying myself immensely." Suddenly, her sword begins to glow brightly and a blast of energy shatters Rie’s sword and she is sent flying into the air.

Rae calls out in shock as her mentor falls to the ground in a bloodied heap. "Rie!" She pulls out a flail and turns on Lisa. "Damn you!" She twirls the flail in the air and crashes it against Lisa’s sword, preventing her from getting a good strike in.

Stewie pulls out her panty cannon. "Maybe I can even things up a bit." She fires her panty cannon at Fran who is suddenly covered in countless feminine undergarments. "Blaize!"

Blaize acknowledges Stewie with a quick nod before taking advantage of Fran’s confusion. She raises her sword into a death strike, but suddenly feels a terrible pain in her side and she falls to her knees. Blaize clasps her hands to her side and feels it warm with blood, a knife protruding from the wound.

"Not so fast." Fran laughs darkly.

Lisa sends another powerful blast of energy at Rae and laughs as the young squire falls to the ground beside Rie. "Ah, how sweet. You both will die together." Mary Ann cries out and sends her mace at Lisa’s head. The assassin senses the danger, turns toward the assailing weapon and destroys it with another quick blast of energy. "Nice try brat!"

Lisa slashes another arc of energy at the squire, but Sarah leaps to her rescue and absorbs the energy in her staff. "Watch out Mary Ann." Sarah says as she twirls her staff in the air sends the converted energy at Lisa.

The assassin laughs as the energy hits her sword and flies right back at Sarah, who is too slow to protect herself and is sent flying into Mary Ann and the two crumble to the ground.

"Damn it!" Colleen cries as she finds herself suddenly without a weapon and moans in pain as Fran smashes her head with the hilt of her sword.

"And as for you, you panty loving freak!" Fran hurls an arc of energy at Stewie and she cries out as she falls to the ground, her stomach smoldering from the heat. "Minerva, Minerva, Minerva," Fran shakes her head as she and Lisa walk toward her. "Look at what you’ve done now. You’re friends are all beat up, and for what?"

"We’ll never give up." Minerva snarls through gritted teeth. "You’ll never stop us." Minerva’s defiance is rewarded with two arcs of energy in her stomach and she cries out in pain.

"This all could end with your friends still alive." Fran whispers coolly. "Just allow us to kill you without resistance."

"Never!" Minerva spits.

Fran shrugs. "Thought so, have it your way." She and Lisa slowly raise their swords in the air to deliver the final blow at Minerva. "Bye-bye..."

Lisa and Fran are just about to strike down Minerva when a pair of wires appear out of nowhere and attach themselves around the two assassins. "What the...?" Lisa gasps as she and Fran are lifted off the ground, their swords falling harmlessly to the ground below.

They turn their attention to a female knight clad in a very tight black leather armor with two wires protruding from her breast coverlet. "Who the hell are you?" Fran demands.

"I am the terror, that rides in the night." The woman calls in a deep velvety voice. "I am the horse dung, that stinks up your shoes. I am the Leather Mistress!" With a thought, Leather Mistress hurls the two assassins crashing into a wall. Lisa and Fran fall helplessly to the ground, groaning in pain. "It ends." The mysterious knight says darkly as countless shimmering silver spikes appear in the air around her.

Lisa slowly rises her head and sees the spikes hover menacingly around Leather Mistress. No! She hurls herself in front of Fran just as the spike whirls through the air and slash at her body.

Fran cries out in shock and horror as her only friend sacrifices her. "Lisa, oh Gods no!" She watches in terror as Lisa falls limply onto her lap. "Please, say something to me!"

"F-Fran, I can’t let you die." Lisa says softly. "You are the only one strong enough to go on and right the wrongs done to us." She sucks in a pained breath. "Jane, and Chaos must be stopped once and for all. Promise me, you’ll join Minerva and stop Jane before she sends the world into darkness."

Fran gazes at Lisa, words lost to her for a moment. "Lisa, I can’t go on without you..."

"Promise me, you’ll try." Lisa tries to smiles as tears fall down her bloody face. "Otherwise, there will be other children growing up without parents."

Fran turns her gaze away and grimaces in pain. "Lisa, I’m not strong without you. Hang on, I’ll find a doctor."

Lisa shakes her head slowly. "I understand now, what it means to love somebody truly and be willing to sacrifice it all for her happiness." Her smile widens slightly. "I love you Fran, you’re my best friend. Please, live on strong." She says softly as her last breath flows out in a deep sigh.

Fran begins to shake uncontrollably as her friend falls limp in her grasp. "L-Lisa..." A animalistic roar escapes from her lungs and the world around Fran, Leather Mistress, Aeryk, Ares, Minerva, and all the rest falls silent.

Next time on MINERVA: WARRIOR EMPRESS

The drudge battle falls heavily onto our heroes as they leave the past and head into a new and uncertain future. They soon reach the magical Forgotten City and Jane sends out her last, desperate attempt to stop Minerva before reaching the Royal City. Will the pains of the past finally catch up to our heroes and send them into a void of despair, is Laurie’s relentless happiness enough to bring a smile to their hearts again? Found out this and more in the next exciting chapter...

A Change of Hearts: The Past Is Never Too Far Behind

Continued in Part 9

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