The Witch

Boudicca strolled out to the terrace and looked across the valley to the rugged snowcapped mountains. The view never grew old despite the time she lived in the ancient stone fortress. She leaned against the low stone wall of the terrace, surveying the valley seeing the changes that had occurred over the years. Looking to her left, she realized the stone of the expansion she had built when renovating the fort into a home had gained the weathered look of the original.

She tilted her face to the sun and closed her eyes absorbing its heat. She listened, smiling at the quiet, her shield still in place. She was not interested in another like herself with the gift. There was nothing they could teach her, and she took in only a few apprentices, just one or two, over the last few decades. She could perform old magic; powerful magic she did not always have full control of it. After centuries of roaming the earth, she knew her problem. She had been hurt to the point she wanted to be left alone. She had been sick of the actions of man but horrified by the actions of others with the gift. Now she lived in isolation, none of them able to sense her, much less read her, and she was unable to read them as long as she kept the shield up and lived in her old fortress.

At times, she regretted casting the spell, but not enough to undo it, and she had not left the fortress for over four hundred years. Not since her sister, Catismandua had died of old age. It was tragic how her sister had aged faster than most with the gift. It had been the thing that created their falling out. Cat wasn’t the only one either. Galreich had been an apprentice under Ailuros too, and their friend. Like Cat, she had increased in her aging process. Boudicca didn’t know where Galreich had gone when they parted ways and she had not read her in a long time, assuming Galreich wanted to be left alone.

They had been young women, still under the tutelage of Ailuros, when the threat came. An old magic not seen since the days before the Egyptian Empire. An evil magic, Fumus mortis to the old Catholics, dukhan almawt to the Arabic peoples, but to her it was simply the death smoke. The Jews had thought it their vengeful god and she scoffed at the notion. When it came to Egypt, Ailuros, Catismandua, Galreich, and her gathered together in a consorted effort to stop it, and they had stopped it and killed the mage who was creating it, but not before getting Ailuros killed, and Catismandua and Galreich hurt. It would be a few years before they realized just how badly Catismandua and Galreich were hurt, for they began to age noticeably.

Boudicca had begged them to let her search for a way to undo the old magic. Then they fought over it, Catismandua resolved to her fate and Boudicca livid her sister would give up. Galreich for her part, just stayed quiet but sided with Catismandua. Their rift caused them to part ways and they never spoke again, but Boudicca checked on Catismandua until seeing her become an old woman living in squalor and she stopped. She was unable to look at that person who once was her sister.

It still saddened her to think of Catismandua gone. To remember how she had lived like a pauper, barely scraping by living in that shack near the eastern coastline of Scotland. A structure so dilapidated Boudicca would not have put animals in it. And yet her sister consorted with royalty. Catismandua had helped a queen deceive the king, bringing him an heir birthed by another. She didn’t know who the biggest fool in that sordid affair was. The king, the queen, or her sister.

“Boudicca, we have lunch ready,” said Skyh, one of the staff that took care of her home.

“I’m on my way.”

She looked at the mountain range again, but her mind drifted to Zanobi, her only apprentice for over a hundred years. She had begun to assume there was no more with the gift and had stopped looking. She began to think Catismandua had been right, that no more capable of magic were being born into the world. But she knew it wasn’t true. There were others, difficult to sense, but if one tried hard enough, they could catch glimmers of them. When she traveled, she sensed them, knowing they were never far away. It had been deceitful to shield herself, but she had pulled away from everyone, no longer wanting contact with the barbarism of humanity. Four years ago, she finally ventured out again, traveling down to Florence where she roamed its streets, visited with the residents, and enjoyed the food and art. She hadn’t been there for a day when she sensed the old magic. Someone nearby with the gift, so strong she couldn’t block it out. Imagine her surprise to find it was a young male, a boy, only fourteen, but she caught him playing tricks on some other boys, using a bit of magic to do it.

He tried to flee from her, but when she used her power to hold him in place, he was suddenly curious about her, wanting to know more about who she was and the magic she was able to do. An orphan living on the streets, who viewed magic as a means of escape, if he could just figure out how to profit from it.

She brought him to the old fortress and taught him to respect his gift, to learn how to use it, access it properly and use it when appropriate. He became her best pupil, the one to master each aspect of the gift. And he was still only eighteen. What would he be able to do when he turned twenty-five, the age most gained their full power. Zanobi gave her hope and purpose, something missing for far too long.

She turned from the view of the mountain range and went inside to find him seated at the dining table waiting for her.

 

The Bastard

Josck followed the narrow trail along the side of the mountain. It was treacherous, the surface was loose rock with sections wet and muddy. He used his walking stick to help keep balanced as he climbed up the steep slope, following it toward a pass in the mountain ridge. He had no idea where the trail would lead him. He didn’t care, as long it was away from Nevers. He could no longer endure the treatment. The name calling as he went through the streets of the town, the worst, bastard. He hated the fact his mother had him without a husband. She refused to name his father, instead saying she didn’t need him.

She never asked if he needed his father.

Then she had the temerity to marry another man, and gave birth to two boys, leaving Josck to feel more alone than ever before. He left when he turned sixteen, roaming around France until he grew tired of the menial jobs he could find, barely scrapping by. He also found his treatment almost as bad as that in Nevers. He wasn’t called bastard, but instead a heretic, then worse, a mage. He had demonstrated not a shred of magical ability, but it wasn’t about an ability, it was about the derogatory way a mage was looked upon. He endured it for a couple of years, but when spring finally arrived, he set out, heading east. To where, he had no idea.

He made his way through Corps helvetique, going deeper into the old mountain range. He walked for days, passing through villages and small towns tucked down in valleys, until one day he realized he had not seen a settlement in over three days. He felt this isolation from others, and he wondered if he missed it or not. He took depth breaths as he climbed, considering it pure air. Cleansing air, making him feel healthy and alive. In towns and villages, every breath seemed fouled by the scent of human and animal shit, and the smoke from fires.

When he got to the pass, Josck stood at the highest point of the trail, the ridge rising up either side of him, and before him another stunning view of the mountains. He looked along the valley below and saw no habitations, not even a road cutting through the landscape and he wondered if the trail was the only manmade thing in the valley. He scanned the far side and saw a stone structure in the distance, too far away to make out clearly. Maybe the trail would draw near it so he could see what it was. He imagined it an old fort, probably in the time when the people tried to keep the Romans out, or later, the Catholics.

He set off, making his way down the path, each step careful. A fall from this height with the side of the mountain so steep, could prove fatal. He descended until past the areas of snow where vegetation had taken hold. The trail became less steep, gradually leveling out for some distance.

When the trail widened out, Josck relaxed, no longer as worried about the edge of it shearing off beneath his feet. He began to hum a song he had heard back in Geneva, its tune pleasant to the ear. He skipped once, giggling at the silliness of it knowing no one could possibly be watching. He came to a stone outcropping, and he eased over them stepping down from one flat rock to the next until back on the relatively level trail. He picked up his pace, one foot in front of the other, until one foot didn’t come down on firm ground. Instead, it sheared away from the side of the mountain, taking him with it. He tumbled down the steep slope. He cried out with sudden pain in his right leg, then he felt his left arm break. He was in too much pain to cry out again as he tumbled down further, until coming against a rock, hitting his head on it. He lay motionless, shivering in his unconsciousness.

 

The Apprentice

Zanobi stood on the terrace just staring at the rugged mountains. Like his mentor, Boudicca, he never tired of the view. But he was curious about how the world was progressing since he came to the old fortress. It had been two years since he arrived, and he knew things had to be changed some.

“Don’t be so sure,” said Boudicca, as she strolled out and stood next to him. “Their progress is slow, painfully slow. It is not much different out there than when I was your age.”

Zanobi glanced over, wondering how she did it. Read him so easily, always commenting on things of relevance, but never on the secrets he wished he could keep from her. He looked back out over the valley.

“I want to go to Florence or Paris…or Berne. Just to look around and—”

“And find a bit of companionship for a night,” said Boudicca. She smiled without looking at him, then she sighed, knowing she could not deny him. She had been his age once and relished the memories of the wild times she had. Oh, the boys from Rome and the girls from Florence. If she had any discretion, she would blush, but she didn’t have the weakness. “Okay, plan your trip and let me know when you want to leave.”

Zanobi didn’t reply, surprising Boudicca and she turned to see him staring off to their left.

“Boudicca, is that someone lying on the mountain side?”

“Where?” she replied but quickly focused on the blue garment and exposed arms now visible to her. “They’re hurt.”

“But still alive.”

“Probably not for long.”

“Then I must hurry.”

“Zanobi, no—”

It was too late, for Zanobi rose into the air and was soon standing on the trail above the person. She grimaced, then shook her head in resignation. Zanobi was lonely on the mountain. He was the only male, and she knew he desired another’s companionship.

 

 

Zanobi floated down the side of the mountain until next to the person. He stooped down and pulled the coat down where it was turned up over the head. He gasped, for the person was a young male, boyish in appearance, and he could see through the blood and dirt and grime, he was attractive, pretty, and he felt a physical desire for him.

“Not now, you fool,” he uttered as he bent over to examine him more closely. A cut on the forehead, one not deep but it had bled enough to smear the face with blood. The left arm was broken but not twisted so as to break the skin. The right leg was worse because the bone projected through the skin. To move the young man risked further injury, but he had to get him back to the fortress where he could be cleaned up and treated. Boudicca could heal him, a specialty of hers that she infrequently used, saying most deserved to suffer. He knew she didn’t really mean it but also knew there was something in her past that caused her to isolate herself in the old fortress. He stood up and moved his hands over the prone body, back and forth, feeling the air and pull of the earth with its unseen force. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, then opened them watching the body rise, slowly, gently, not allowing any of the limbs to sag down. He rose with it, the two slowly beginning to circle each other, then he moved out from the side of the mountain, over the valley, and to the fortress. He eased down on the terrace, but kept the young man aloft, waist high, and moved him inside to a chaise lounge Boudicca had ready, covered in thick blankets and a bowl of warm water by its side.

“Boudicca, you have to help him.”

“I know.”

 

Zanobi watched as Boudicca waved a hand over the unconscious figure, the clothes ripping down the middle and falling away to reveal the body within. He stared at the lean body, seeing it was famished, the ribs and hip bones more visible than they should be. Despite the malnourished state, the young man was attractive. The skin is smooth, just a small scar over the left nipple. Then he stared at the cock laying heavy over its loose sac. Boudicca glanced up at him, but he didn’t notice, nor how she smirked before turning back to the young man.

“The arm isn’t too bad, but the leg…we’ll need to reset it before I do the healing.”

“It’ll hurt him—”

“Yes, but it’ll be far worse if we don’t set it back in place. He’ll be a cripple the rest of his life if we don’t.”

“Can’t you do the magic spell, and have it do it?”

“You know it doesn’t work like that. It heals the body, but it’ll set bone as they are.”

“I know,” Zanobi whispered as he watched Boudicca feel around the broken leg.

“Come hold his leg here,” said Boudicca indicating a place just above the knee.

Zanobi got into position, holding the leg as requested. He watched Boudicca pull then twist the foot and lower section of leg and he had to turn away. He heard the bone slip back into the leg and shivered, as if a cold air moved over him.

“Okay, ease the knee down,” said Boudicca.

Zanobi watched her look up and down the exposed body, uttering some incantation under breath. He knew it was only to focus her mind, to let her reach inside herself and draw on the power she needed for the healing. He looked down and saw the ugly wound in the leg draw closed then heal. He saw the cut on the forehead close up, then heal. Then Boudicca lowered her head and stepped back.

“It’s done?” said Zanobi.

“It’s done,” said Boudicca.

 

Zanobi sat with the young man, watched over him, at times wiping the forehead and arms with a wet cloth. The young man was dressed in a light robe, one easily put on an unconscious person, the front loosely tied. The legs were exposed almost all the way up to the cock and sac. The top of the robe was open halfway down the chest. So much exposed skin. It made him feel his desires. Boudicca had retired to her suite, leaving the young man in his care, instructing him to get food into him as soon as he woke. He needed no excuse to sit with him, but it made him feel less self-conscious to have a reason.

It was late in the night, the torches burned down until they barely illuminated the room, when the young man stirred. He twisted, moaned, then opened his eyes. He looked around in a panic, then sat up when he saw Zanobi next to him.

“Where am I?”

“Boudicca’s home.”

“Are you, her son?”

“Apprentice.”

“Apprentice?” the young man mumbled, as he scanned the room again, this time slower, taking everything in. “The last thing I remember is being on a trail and losing my footing.”

“Yes, I found you across the valley just off the trail. You were…a bit disheveled.”

The young man held out his left arm and turned it as if looking for something on it, then he stretched out his right leg twisting the foot back and forth. “I could have sworn I broke some bones,” he mumbled.

“You were not too bad and we attended to you.”

“So, you cleaned me up?”

“That would be Boudicca; she has medical knowledge. What is your name?”

The young man looked at Zanobi with questioning eyes, then they seemed to relax. “I’m Josck.”

“Josck, I’m Zanobi. Can I get you something to eat? You must be famished for it is a long way back to a village from here.”

“Yes…yes, I’m starving.”

 

 

For the months that followed, Zanobi watched over Josck. As he slept, or sitting across from him while they ate, or walking side by side with him as they strolled around the mountain. Zanobi was befriending Josck, doing everything he could for him. He got him new clothes, read to him from books in the library (but not from the forbidden ones), and he began to educate him, much as Boudicca had done him. Reading, writing, math, and history that was more detailed than any book. Josck absorbed the information like a sponge, quickly learning to read his own language, then to write it. Zanobi added another language, then another, and he carried Josck to the roof at night to stare into the heavens through the long tube with curved glass that Boudicca had made. It magnified the sky, showing some stars were not stars, but planets. Neither realized it was the only one because it would be two hundred years before another looking device was created by a Dutchman.

And Zanobi longed for more from Josck than just a pupil and friend. Every evening, he bid Josck goodnight, there was the temptation to ask to stay with him. He would do anything for him. He would hold him while he slept, or caress the smooth skin, touch his cock, suck it, and if Josck was willing, he would roll to his stomach and give himself to Josck’s pleasure.

He wondered if Josck knew how he felt, for there were times Josck looked at him with what he could only describe as longing. Why did it have to be so hard to approach the one you really wanted. He thought about how easy it had been in Florence, Venice, Paris, and other cities. A glass of wine, a suggestive comment, a hand on a thigh or over a hand. That was all it took. It was driving him mad. Either Josck was going to be on his way, or he would have to make a move, confess his desires, tell Josck what a devilish temptation he found him.

 

 

Snow fell in the valley quickly blanketing everything. Zanobi and Josck stood on the terrace watching it drift down softly to the ground. They had been inside studying but soon found themselves wrestling around. They did it more often, for Zanobi, any excuse to touch Josck. To feel the strength of the body, the hot exhales against his skin…the stirring cock trapped in its confines. This time they wrestled until gasping for breath and both were visibly erect, cocks pushing outward. Any other time, Zanobi would have described it as obscene with a joking tone, but not this time. Josck rolled away first, quickly coming to his feet.

“Let’s go outside to cool down,” said Josck, holding out a hand to help Zanobi to his feet.

Josck led Zanobi across the old fortress until in the main living room below Boudicca’s bedroom and out to the terrace overlooking the valley.

“It’s beautiful,” whispered Josck.

“Yes,” said Zanobi, and he built up his courage, turning to Josck, “but not as beautiful as you.”

Josck looked around with a serious expression. They stared at each other, Zanobi waiting for a response.

“Do you desire me?” said Josck.

“Yes…more than I can confess.”

Josck turned and looked over the valley. “Surely you desire others over me?”

Zanobi came up behind Josck, put a hand on the terrace wall either side of him. He leaned closed, head over the right shoulder. “I have lusted for others, taken them to bed and enjoyed the pleasures two men can enjoy. I have slept with them until morning then dismissed each one, knowing there was another willing to take their place. But I have never desired someone with such a longing as to feel breathless as I do you.

“I…”, a soft exhale, “every night I tell you goodnight with a feeling like my insides are knotted up, for I don’t want to leave you. It hurts when you close the door separating us.”

“I was scared to ask you to come in. I didn’t think you could want someone like me.”

A kiss to the side of the neck, then Zanobi buried in his nose into Josck’s hair inhaling his scent. “I want nothing more.” He reached up, took Josck by the chin and turned the head up while he kissed the neck. He turned the head until they faced each other, and he kissed him on the lips. “Will you come to my room?”

“Yes.”

 

 

They stood by Zanobi’s bed staring at each other as if it were the first time they truly looked at the other. In sync, they removed their own clothes while keeping eyes locked on the other’s reveal. They had seen each other naked before, but not with skin flushed, eyes unable to look away out of some sense of modesty, or cock stirring with arousal.

“Do I look good to you?” said Josck. It was his insecurity coming to the surface.

Zanobi smiled, then moved to him. “You look good…you make me breathless.”

Zanobi kissed Josck until Josck was kissing him back, passionately, hungrily, moving forward until their bodies pressed together. Zanobi guided him to his bed and laid next to him. He touched him, caressed the smooth skin, rubbed the hardening nipples, kissed the lips, the neck, then down to the right nipple. He tongued it, sucked on it, then lightly bit it as he stroked Josck’s hardening cock.

Zanobi slipped down until between the legs. He dragged his tongue along the right thigh, over the loose sac and along the growing cock. As he dragged his tongue along it, he felt it flex. He tongued the head and felt the hips rise and Josck moan. He slipped him mouth over the cock and pushed down taking over half into his mouth.

“Zanobi,” Josck uttered while clutching the bed.

Zanobi worked his mouth on the cock. Tongued its length, sucked the head, slid lips along the thick shaft, by now so thick his jaws felt stretched. He opened his mouth as wide as he could and worked his head up and down, letting the cock move over his tongue.

“Don’t stop,” Josck cried out.

The cock flexed, then cum hit the back of his throat, and Zanobi closed his lips around the spurting cock to capture the cum erupting from it.

 

 

Zanobi moved over Josck, sitting over the chest. He pushed his erection down raking the drooling head across the lips. They parted and he pushed forward. He worked his hips pumping his cock through the lips until so aroused he wanted to cum. But it was too soon. They had just got started and he wanted the night to last. He moved back and eased his ass down on Josck’s cock. He felt it flex beneath him. It was still erect and wet from his previous ministrations. He rocked his hips back and forth, slowly, rubbing ass over cock until he felt wet. Until he wanted the cock inside him so badly it made him crazy.

Zanobi rose on knees, took Josck’s cock holding it up. He eased down to it, felt the head touch him, and he moved his ass over the cock, slowly, back and forth, then circularly, keeping his opening right on the cock. He felt a push upward and he let his weight carry him down. The cock stretched him open until the head penetrated him, then inch after inch of the shaft. He shuddered with the way the thick cock stretched him open. He moaned at the sense of fullness when he had most of it inside him.

When hands came to rest on his thighs, he opened his eyes and saw Josck staring up. “I’ve wanted you inside me since we found you.” He moved upward, then down again, over and over until in a fuck. He descended further and further on the thick cock until he was taking every inch of it. He leaned forward, hands on Josck’s shoulders, and fucked harder. He fucked his ass on the cock until he felt feverish. His skin felt flush, hot, and sweat beaded up on it until trickling down his face, chest, and back. He sat up and kept moving on Josck, so roughly his own cock smacked down on Josck’s abdomen. He leaned back until resting on his hands and worked his ass faster, smacking down on Josck so hard the sound of flesh smacking against flesh echoed in the room.

“Zanobi!” Josck cried out, “please…don’t stop.”

“Fuck,” exclaimed Zanobi. The word echoed around the room, but Zanobi didn’t care if staff heard his cry. Let them hear our fuck, he thought as he took his own cock in hand, stroking it as roughly as he worked his ass on Josck’s cock.

Zanobi was gasping for breath. His skin glistened with sweat. His cock drooled its slick and he smeared it along the shaft as he stroked it. He kept up his brutal pace, slamming his ass down on the thick cock. Hands took him by the ankles, their grip almost too tight. Then he realized Josck was pushing upward as he slammed his ass down. They were working in unison, pushing their fuck to the point of release. Zanobi knew he couldn’t hold back much longer.

“Josck; fuck me. Fuck me,” exclaimed Zanobi.

“Yes…yes…fuck, fuck, fuck,” uttered Josck through clinched teeth.

Zanobi threw his head back and cried out as his cock erupted, shooting a thick wad of cum across his face. He kept stroking it as cum then rained down on his chest and stomach until he was finally spent. He let go of his cock and worked his ass slowly on Josck.

Josck knew Zanobi was exhausted, and he sat up and hugged the hot sweaty. He felt the way it heaved for breath and heated his skin. He kissed the neck, tongued the salty skin, then he rolled Zanobi to his back. He shifted to his knees and hands and began to fuck. He fucked slowly, feeling every inch move inside of Zanobi. As his lust and desire increased again, he increased his pace, until fucking with all his strength. He shoved into Zanobi’s depths until pressed against the ass. He pumped his hips at a furious pace, until he could not hold back, then he shoved into Zanobi’s depths and cried out with a sweet merciful release.

Josck rolled next to Zanobi and closed his eyes. “That was…”

“Yes,” said Zanobi, he leaned over and kissed him, then lay back down.

Their bodies cooled, the sweat drying from their skin. When Josck felt chilled, he moved against Zanobi, pulling a blanket over them, and together, they drifted off to sleep.

 

Darkness

He stirred, just a short movement at first, muscles stiff from laying still for so long. He opened his eyes to the familiar darkness. No light, not even a chemical or artificial illumination. He raised his right hand and tried to recall the power to create light. He knew there were words to focus the mind, that brought forth the power, but it had been so long ago.

How long? He wondered if it had been decades, or maybe it had been centuries since the witch that had been his mentor betrayed him and sealed him in the burial chamber. It had been built for a nomarch. Where did the Nomarch get entombed, he wondered.

It came to him, the words he sought from his distant past, and a small glow formed above his right hand. The first thing he saw was his whole arm was black. He remembered it was why she entombed him. He tried to recall her name, then he tried to recall his own name. It was there, at the fringes of his mind. How long had he been buried for his mind to be so fractured. He sat up and looked around the small space.

Pen…ik. Penik. That was his name, and he had been an apprentice to the witch…

The name still escaped him. Maybe his fury and anger at what she had done to him caused him to erase her name from his memory. But he remembered the dark magic he had been exploring. It was there, in his memory of that time long ago. He had found the mummified arm, from just above the elbow down to the hand, all the fingers curled under, except for the index finger, which had been black. Black like his whole arm was now. He was mystified by the way the arm had spoke to him, lured him into touching it, testing it with magic he knew, then he had tried an old magic. A magic she had used to cast out the death-smoke. It had returned to the city again, killing indiscriminately, mostly the very young. He remembered the foolish ways the population had tried to protect themselves, from hanging The Eye of Horus to smearing blood over their door frames, a custom taken from one of the people living in the city. It was futile, all of it. But not the witch. So many people had fled the city afraid it would never stop, and she had grown weary of the constant strife and cast it out of the city then destroyed it with magic that was as old as time itself.

He used that magic without understanding it and paid a horrible price. It burned him, not like a fire, but like some liquids in their study. He remembered holding up his right arm watching it turn black, then seeing the witch enter the room. She had been shocked, then furious, yelling at him, asking him what he had done. But she knew.

She bound him with powerful magic, paralyzing him so he could not move, then she took the arm and hid it somewhere in the land of the kingdom. When she returned, she placed him in the burial chamber and had it sealed. He had been weak, from his contact with the arm and from something she had done to him. For days, weeks, maybe years, he had barely moved within his tomb.

He looked around the small rectangular space. He stood, having to bend over for the space was too low, even for him. He sensed something was different. He felt alone. Left to eventually die. It angered him, how she had abandoned him. But he didn’t sense her or her magic. When had it dissipated?

He sat on the floor; legs stiffly crossed and held his right elbow with his left hand. He held it up and closed his eyes.

The ground shook, then stone and dirt exploded upward. When he opened his eyes, dust was still swirling in the air. He looked around realizing he could see. He looked up into the dark sky realizing it was not really dark. It was luminous with stars and on the eastern horizon, the full moon shone down on him. He wept at its beauty.

He rose in the air and looked around. He recognized nothing. What once had been a great empire was nothing but ruins. And he had been entombed during the whole passage of time that the empire collapsed.

“What did you do to me?” he uttered with such hatred it made him feel alive for the first time in a very long time. He floated higher, reaching out to find her. Nothing. Maybe she was dead, but he doubted it. She had been powerful, too powerful to simply die as a weak human.

He moved north, toward the sea, and when he came to where the Nile flowed into it, he followed the coastline, wondering where the next great empire resided. He flew over unfamiliar lands keeping the sea to his left until the shoreline curved to the west, and he kept going north. He came to another sea, and he flew over it coming to the northern shore. He descended, suddenly feeling weary, and looked for a place he could rest. He found an abandoned stone building; one used as an outpost or a small fortification. He slipped into its darkness and settled on a stone slab, smiling at what he planned to do when he found her.

 

An Ordinary Life

Boudicca watched Josck and Zanobi horsing around on the terrace. The way they were chasing each other, giggling and laughing, made her smile. It had been a long time since the place had such a playful atmosphere. She knew their relationship was more involved than just a friendship. She had seen it before, in some of the old empires, none more so than the Greeks, then Romans. There were memories of her own times in them, in bed with men and women.

Gunnar, her grounds keeper, strolled past the boys and she saw him smile, shaking his head. Her staff were used to so much, two men together was just one more thing that amused them.

She sensed Birgitta coming to her and turned to see the maid come into the room.

“Boudicca, we have dinner ready,” said Birgitta.

“Thanks, Birgitta. I’ll get the boys.”

 

 

Boudicca sat at her usual place at the head of the table. Josck was on her right, Zanobi her left. They were talking about going down to the river after dinner, and she listened to their conversation knowing under the table Zanobi was playing with Josck’s foot making him struggle to suppress a reaction. They were restless for they had been holed up for over a year on the mountain. She leaned back while pushing her empty plate away. She picked up her wine glass, taking a drink. All the power in the world could not match how a good wine made her feel, and she smiled at the thought, knowing Zanobi and Josck believed it was for them.

“Boys, I think it is time we go for a journey.”

“Really?” said Zanobi.

He knew they journeyed away so infrequently, Boudicca so private and wishing to remain separate for most people. But for Josck, time was different. It passed more quickly for him because he didn’t have the power that slowed aging, as Zanobi and she possessed. He would sense the sameness of the days more profoundly than either of them.

“Yes. It has been some time,” said Boudicca, not being specific about the decade that had passed since the two of them went anywhere.

“Where would we go?” asked Josck.

“I’m thinking Constantinople, or maybe Venice.”

“Venice,” Zanobi exclaimed.

Boudicca knew Zanobi loved Venice. It had been the place he first laid with a man, a young sailor from Portugal visiting the city. It was the place where he was first exposed to art and the finest music. Then there was the city itself, a place that even enchanted her.

“Venice it is,” Boudicca replied with a smile. It would please her to see young Josck’s first exposure to the city.

 

After dinner, Zanobi led Josck down the mountain, following one of the old trails. They descended switchbacks and stone steps until they were in the valley. Unlike most of the region, their valley was still lush with trees. Most had been cleared where the land was suitable for grazing or farming, but in their remote valley, it was still the old country. They followed the old trail through the trees coming out at a small clearing on the bank of the river. It was shallow and rocky, the water cascading white over the rocks where it dropped the most.

“Come on, let’s go to our place to swim,” said Zanobi taking Josck’s hand and pulling him upstream along the bank.

They didn’t go far when they came to a section where the river dropped the height of a man over flat rock into a pool large and deep enough to swim. They took off their clothes then Josck followed Zanobi into the waters.

“It’s always so cold,” said Josck.

“But you know you’ll adjust soon enough.”

Josck frowned as he watched Zanobi dive into the clear waters of the pool. He watched the masculine form move beneath the surface, legs and arms working in rhythm to propel him forward. Then he dove in behind him, and beneath the surface he could see clearly Zanobi in front of him, legs kicking, cock moving with the currents of the water. He swam up to him, playfully running a hand along one leg and over the round ass. They surfaced together, with Zanobi turning toward him. Beneath the surface they touched each other, hands roaming over backs, ass, around to the stomach and ultimately the cock. They fondled each other while moving together to kiss.

They moved to shallow water where the bottom was sand. They got on their knees and kissed and touched until both were fully erect.

Zanobi bent over, getting on his hands and knees. Josck moved behind him, pushing the legs apart. He held his head down as he felt hands rub his ass and up his back. Then his ass was spread and fingers touched him, rubbed over his tight opening then penetrated it. He shuddered as one then two fingers worked his hole. Then three fingers stretched him open, but he knew it wasn’t enough, not near enough, but it didn’t matter because his desire for Josck’s penetration overwhelmed any hesitation or initial pain he would feel.

The fingers pulled out, and with one hand on his waist, he felt the cock touch him, rake across his ass, then up and down between the cheeks. It zeroed in on his opening and pushed against it.

“Do it. Fuck me,” uttered Zanobi.

The cock stretched him open. He shivered and threw his head up and cried out. It echoed down the valley as cock bore into him.

With hands holding his waist, he rocked with Josck’s fuck. The steady rhythm of cock pumping away inside him. He clutched at the sandy bottom and looked down along his body between his legs. His cock swung heavily between his thighs and Josck’s legs were shifting down into the sand with the movement of his fuck. A hand slid up his back, circled his neck, and pulled him upright. Josck began to fuck harder, smacking against his ass. His own cock flopped around and drooled into the waters rushing around their legs.

“Zanobi…I love you,” whispered Josck.

And Zanobi knew it, but it still toyed with his emotions, pleasing him immensely to hear the words. “I love you too,” he replied, tilting his head back as Josck kissed his neck.

A hand moved from his waist to his cock. It stroked him as cock bore into his depths. The fullness of every thrust inward made his own cock flex. He was breathing hard and began to work his ass back onto the cock as Josck pushed it into him.

“I’m going to cum,” said Josck.

Zanobi heard the breathlessness of the voice, how it was a struggle for Josck to speak. Then he knew Josck was coming, for every push inward became a hard shove, rocking him forward as Josck shuddered and jerked against his back.

Suddenly Josck had pulled out and playfully spun him around and pushed him to sit in the shallow waters. He watched Josck get down on all fours and crawl between his legs and take his cock in the mouth. He lay back, feeling the cool waters rush around his hot body. He moaned as the mouth moved on his cock. He lightly held Josck by the head not interfering with the manipulation of his cock. He combed fingers through the hair and pushed upward with the hips.

Zanobi suddenly slapped his arms down in the water, shoved upward with the hips, pushing his cock deeper in the suctioning mouth, and came.

For the rest of the afternoon, they frolicked in the water, fucked on the grassy bank, and napped in the warm sun. Eventually they dressed and headed back to the old fortress, Josck following Zanobi as he always did when they were hiking in the valley.

“You’ll love Venice,” said Zanobi.

“I can’t wait to go.”

As they followed the trail ascending to the fortress, Zanobi suddenly stopped and turned to Josck. “There is something I have to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“When we found you, you were hurt. Pretty badly hurt.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You had a broke arm and leg. The leg was bad, for the bone was sticking out.”

“But I was fine when I woke, and…and…”

“Boudicca healed you.”

“Healed me?”

Zanobi stepped closer to Josck, looking into the eyes.

“She’s a…” said Josck, mouth open with the words stuck in his throat.

“You already know, don’t you.”

Josck looked over the valley, then back to Zanobi nodding his head.

“How did you find out?” said Zanobi.

“I saw her perform magic. A few times actually. So, I was hurt when you found me, and she used magic to heal me.”

“Yes.”

“What about you? Can you do magic?”

“Yes. I’m her apprentice.”

“That makes you different from me. Better than—”

“Stop, no. Don’t say that.”

“Do you really love me?”

“Of course, with all my heart.”

“What does it mean for us?”

“It means I can take care of you, love you, be someone who is always there, like no other,” said Zanobi, and he leaned to Josck, kissing him.

 

Boudicca had one arm through Zanobi’s and the other through Josck’s. She led them down a street lined with merchants, taverns, and inns. The air was warm, a breeze blowing from the south off the waters of the Adriatic Sea, and all around them the noise of street life in Venice. They passed an inn, and a young man came out wearing a pink tunic and she saw him look at Josck and smile. Josck was unaware of the gesture, too enamored by the city itself. She also knew no one could come between Josck and Zanobi. She had read them enough to know.

They went into the Rialto, weaving among the people shopping in its markets or grabbing food at one of the vendors. Boudicca led the boys to a food vendor serving fish, then to a vendor across the aisle selling wine. With food and drink in hand, they strolled further into the market, blending in with the local population and the visitors who came to enjoy its pleasures.

“This is…” said Josck, the words failing him in how to describe the city.

“It’s a fragile place, built on mud and destined to struggle with the tides of the sea, but its beauty is unmatched,” said Boudicca.

“Why don’t we come more often?” said Zanobi.

Boudicca knew what he meant, for it had been over a decade since they last visited the city, but with Josck with them, they could not afford to wait so long between trips. In fifteen to twenty years, Josck would look like Zanobi’s father. In another twenty years, his grandfather. Twenty years after that, if that long, Josck would cease to exist, another casualty of the mortality of normal humans.

“We’ll have to plan to return soon. Maybe next time we’ll go to Florence too.”

“What about Rome?”

“I don’t like Rome.”

“Why is that?” asked Josck.

“The church,” said Boudicca, without further comment.

 

That evening, the sun just below the horizon, Boudicca led the boys to a tavern. The interior was dimly lit by candles on the tables and a few sconces along the dark wood walls. It was a place for the elite of Venice, everyone dressed in their finest, which made Josck glad he listened to Zanobi on what to wear. A waiter led them to a prominent table where they could see most of the dining area. Boudicca took the seat facing the room and Josck and Zanobi sat to either side of her.

They ordered wine, then food, and while they waited for it to arrive talked of the city and the sights Josck had seen since arriving.

When they headed back to their rooms at one of the large inns, the streets were lit by a scattering of oil lamps and lanterns, leaving much of them in darkness. But the moon was full and high in the sky and Boudicca and Zanobi had no problem navigating them, guiding Josck to follow.

Boudicca told them good night and retired to her room, and Zanobi led Josck to their room.

They crossed the room stripping off their clothes. They were playful, giggling and jostling each other while getting their clothes off. Once naked, Zanobi grabbed Josck and pushed him onto the bed, falling on top of him. He held Josck down, hands pinned to the bed. He ground his growing cock against Josck’s cock, then he leaned down and kissed him. His grip on the hands loosened and soon he was kissing along the jaw down to the neck while undulating against the body.

Their playfulness shifted to a seriousness, sensual, bodies responding to the other. Nipples hardened, cocks too. Zanobi rolled to his back bringing Josck on top of him.

“Put it in me,” Zanobi whispered as he raised his knees.

Josck penetrated Zanobi, slowly pushed through the tightness, sinking inch after inch into him. As Zanobi rubbed his back then hugged him, he began to fuck. He pushed deeper and deeper until pushing against the ass. He moved with a steady rhythm until breathing hard and Zanobi’s utterances were became pleadings.

“Fuck me,” exclaimed Zanobi, “fuck me…please…Josck.”

Josck lifted his body onto his hands and began to fuck harder, faster, smacking down against the ass. He fucked until gasping for breath and his body felt feverish, hot, sweat beginning to trickle down his face, chest, and back. He slammed his cock into Zanobi’s depths over and over, until almost at the point of release, then he pushed inward all the way and lay heavily on him.

Josck rolled to his back, bringing Zanobi on top, sitting on his cock. Nothing was said, for each knew their role. Zanobi began to move, up, down, building up a steady pace of fucking his ass down on Josck’s cock. Zanobi took his own cock in hand and began to stroke it, when Josck knocked it away.

“No, not yet,” said Josck.

Zanobi smiled, then fucked his ass on Josck with a brutal pace. He wanted Josck to come, to come deep in his ass, and he moved with determination and lust to bring him off.

“I’m close,” uttered Josck.

Zanobi didn’t slow, kept up his brutal pace. He slammed down on the thick cock, over and over, until hands came to his thighs and pushed down. He sank all the way down on the cock and stopped as he felt Josck pushing upward.

“Fuck! Zanobi!” Josck cried out, then shoved upward one more time, erupting inside him.

 

It was rare their sex switched roles, but occasionally, as now, Josck rolled to his hands and knees, looking over the right shoulder.

“Zanobi…fuck me.”

Cock drooling its slick, Zanobi moved up to Josck. He rubbed his slick cock across the cheeks, then up and down between them. He pushed against the tight hole and felt Josck push back.

“Yes…Zanobi…put it in me,” uttered Josck.

Zanobi pushed through the tightness shivering from the squeeze on the head of his cock. He held the narrow waist while pushing deeper and deeper with every thrust. He fucked with a steady rhythm with nothing distracting him from Josck. Not the sound of street life coming in through the open windows or the view of the canal framed by the beautifully painted buildings. Not even a sense of caution about being too loud could slow him from the pleasure of their fuck. He was too aroused, wanted Josck so much it made him breathless and made his heart race within his chest. He held tight to the waist and fucked and fucked until his body glistened with sweat. He was getting close, so close he couldn’t hold back. He lay over Josck, their bodies moving slickly against each other as he pushed into Josck’s depths, grinding hips against ass.

“Josck,” Zanobi exclaimed, then he came. He shuddered and jerked with every ejaculation, as he pushed his cock into Josck’s depths.

 

 

The next afternoon after dinner, they were strolling down a street in a different part of the city. The streets were lined with more residences than businesses, so the streets were less crowded. The crossed bridges over canals and wove deeper into the area until even Boudicca had to admit it was a section of the city she had never been before.

As they approached an intersection, they saw the small group in front of them, two couples who were talking animatedly about some government proclamation. The couples turned to the left and out of sight for only a few seconds then came rushing back. The women held handkerchiefs to their faces and the men looked terrified.

“What is it?” asked Boudicca as they passed.

One of the men looked back. “Plague doctors!” he exclaimed.

Josck looked at Zanobi with a worried expression as Boudicca moved to the intersection so she could peer down the side street. She saw the black cloak, then the black gloves, and when the plague doctor turned the distinctive beaked mask came into view. She knew it was filled with aromatic substances in the foolish belief it would protect them.

“Is it true,” said Zanobi coming up next to her as Josck stood back.

“Yes.”

“Black plague, or could it be phthisis?”

“They think it is black plague…but it is something else.”

“What?”

“It’s…” she had the memory of the death smoke from long ago, how it moved through a community killed randomly. It had been dark magic, one that instilled fear in the people making them resort to the most foolish things. It first appeared in Egypt and there had been a high price paid to stop it. “…death smoke.”

“What? Death smoke? Never heard of it.”

“Someone is playing god again.”

“It’s magic?”

“Yes, very old, very dark magic. Let’s go, we need to get back to the inn. If they are nearby, they have the advantage for I’ve not been searching for another since we arrived.”

“You think they would attack us?”

She started to reply, then hesitated. She looked at the plague doctor entering another residence, then back to Zanobi. “No, of course not.”

 

 

The next day, Boudicca led them out of the city and once on a deserted stretch of road, carried them aloft and quickly back to the old fortress in the mountains they called home. She watched Zanobi led Josck to their rooms and once out of sight let the smile fade from her expression. She was worried it could be like last time. Would she lose someone again? She was determined not to let that happen.

 

A Corruption

In London madness overtakes the people of the city. It spreads like wildfire, striking mostly the elderly, but the young are afflicted too. They wander the streets, mumbling incoherently or talking aloud of devils and dark angels come in the night to take their souls. Within a year the city has a new institution, Bethlehem hospital, a place for the insane.

War ravages Poland, leading to the defeat of the German invaders. There is speculation about what made Germans want to attack Poland, some whispering of divine guidance from the dark one. A devil come as a man, giving instruction that led to death and defeat.

John Hus is encouraged to travel to the Council of Constance to propose his reforms for the church. He is sure of his mission, been encouraged to come forward by vivid dreams where his god spoke to him. He is tried for heresy and burned at the stake.

Jews are imprisoned in Austria, then expelled. The old conspiracies resurfacing, some saying they were told by God to expel the Jesus killers. God came to them in the dead of night giving them instructions. They knew no man was able to look upon the countenance of God and survive, so he came to them as darkness.

There is an outbreak of bloody flux in Spain, then in Portugal, and back in Italy. It spreads like a virus, striking quickly, killing thousands.

A figure sat in a dark corner of a tavern in Cologne. He listened to the talk among the patrons wondering what illness should befall them. Maybe consumption, or bloody flux, which was so effective in Spain and Portugal. Or he could just lock the doors and set fire to the place. A small calamity no one will take note. An hour later, firemen with buckets watch the tavern as it collapses into the hot flames quickly consuming it.

Penik is just warming up, getting his strength back before he searches for her. He knows she is out there. He can’t sense her, but he feels her presence, like unmoving air. When he finds her, he’ll punish her. Make her suffer. Maybe he’ll cut off her limbs and bury her in the ground, a fate like the one she bestowed upon him.

 

Desperation

Boudicca was on the terrace where she stared to the south, searching with her mind for the one doing the dark magic. It had been three years since they visited Venice, and she knew her anxiousness was making Zanobi afraid. It wasn’t for himself, but for Josck, for without magic Josck had no way to protect himself. He was vulnerable and it terrified Zanobi. But she had faced those who had utilized the dark magic and knew she could do so again. Zanobi just needed to trust her.

She picked up her wine glass, finding it empty. She sighed then climbed to her feet and went back inside to refill her glass. The bottle sat on the table, and she saw it was empty. Had she already consumed it, then wondered if Josck or Zanobi had poured a glass from the bottle. She headed for the pantry where they kept a few bottles ready for opening, the rest in barrels stored away in the cellar.

She strolled into the gallery that ran from the living area all the way to the back of the old fortress to the kitchens and pantry. She went past the door to her library and saw Zanobi at one of the bookcases. She stopped, then went into the room. He looked up, at first with a surprised expression, then he smiled.

“Do you remember how to make flowers bloom early?”

She smirked, shaking her head. Young love, she thought as she approached him seeing the binding of a book of love and passion. It was a foolish old thing with nothing of value in it. It had been written two centuries before by a witch who had little control of her power.

“You won’t find anything of use in that book.”

“No?”

“No,” she replied with a smile. She stepped back and with eyes locked on Zanobi pulled out an older book, one whose binding was frayed, the pages loose, and she held it out. “It is the next to last chapter you seek.”

“Thanks.”

She turned and headed back to the gallery to fetch that bottle of wine. Later, she would try to remember if Zanobi had already pulled down the purpled bound book from the top shelf, one she had forbidden him from looking at. She knew why he did it, but years later, she would still regret Zanobi using that old magic, regardless of why he did it.

 

 

Josck moved over Zanobi slowly, gently, body undulating with his fuck. He pushed into Zanobi’s depths shivering at the tightness around his cock. He kissed the neck, up along the side of the face until their lips were together. He felt hands move over his back and down to his ass pulling him to push deeper, to push all the way until pressed against the ass.

He whispered into Zanobi’s ear, of his longings and desires and the immediate need for him. He pushed the legs down until knees pressed into the bed either side of the torso and rose over the folded body. He began to fuck faster, harder, hips smacking against the upturned ass.

“Fuck! Fuck me,” exclaimed Zanobi.

Josck felt his exertion, the way muscle tightened, his breathing became ragged, and his skin glistened wetly in the candlelight. But he did slow. He just kept fucking. Fucking to pleasure Zanobi. Fucking to come inside him.

He pumped cock inside Zanobi until he couldn’t hold back, and he buried his cock inside him and shuddered with release.

 

 

Josck was on his knees in front of Zanobi. He looked over his shoulder at the person he loved. A man who body was muscular and fully exposed to his stare, smooth skin, hard nipples, and erect cock drooling with desire. “Fuck me,” whispered Josck, and he bent over resting his head and shoulders on the bed. He reached back and spread his ass and quickly felt Zanobi rubbing cock between his cheeks. He moaned with the touch and pushed back desperate to feel penetrated by him.

Zanobi pushed through his tightness, and he shivered from the penetration. He reached between his legs and stroked his still hard cock as Zanobi sank into his depths. Hands took his waist and Zanobi began to fuck. To fuck slow, then fast, then slow again. He fucked with short fast jabs into his hole, then fucked with a slow deep penetrating pushed inward. Zanobi cried out and fucked with a physicality that had the sound of flesh smacking flesh echoing around the room. And when Zanobi could hold back no longer, he lay over Josck, hot slick body on hot slick body, and ground his cock into Josck’s depths until he was shuddering with release.

 

Zanobi stood by the bed, just a robe on that was open down the front revealing the body. He was looking down at Josck, still naked and napping on the bed. He softly touched the shoulder waking him.

“Josck, we need to talk.”

“About what?”

“I’m worried…about you.”

Zanobi explained everything to Josck. The old magic and it was being used for unspeakable evil, and how he felt Josck wasn’t safe with some ability of his own.

“But Boudicca said you’re born with the power,” said Josck.

“That is true, but…” said Zanobi, hesitating, worried he could be wrong, but then he looked at Josck and saw weakness of one considered normal. “There is a way I can share power with you.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“NO, no, it’s not.”’

“What will it do to you to do this…sharing?”

“Nothing to worry about. I just diminish my own power just a bit and give you enough to defend yourself should the need arise.”

“And what is involved in this sharing?”

“I simple little ceremony, nothing to be worried about.”

“I don’t know. It sounds like it could hurt you, and I could never forgive myself—”

“Don’t talk like that. I won’t get hurt and I want to do this for you. I love you and want you to be safe.”

Josck stared up at Zanobi, then smiled, but one full of concern. “You sure this is safe?”

“Yes, yes, and…I can’t wait any longer to do it. I have to do whatever I can to make you strong enough.”

“Okay. Do we need Boudicca to—”

“No,” interrupted Zanobi, and he knew he spoke too soon, and he smiled to ease Josck’s concern, kneeling by the bed and taking his hand. “There is nothing for her to do. I just need you with me and we can do it.”

 

 

A red substance was poured on the floor in a circle around Josck and Zanobi. It was a thick liquid, thicker than honey, and he began to bubble as Zanobi uttered the words that focused his mind, brought to the surface the power he required. The red substance began to sizzle and smoke as Josck and Zanobi rose in the air and began to slowly spin around each other.

A swirling air current moved around the room extinguishing all the candles, leaving the room in a red glow from the substance circled on the floor beneath them. Red smoke rose from it, twisting and swirling as it rose until it was between Josck and Zanobi. It suddenly expanded, encompassing them and as it swirled around them, it grew thicker until it consumed them. A flash of bright red light and the boys were on the floor and the smoke was gone, even the substance that had been on the floor.

 

 

Boudicca woke with a start. She sat up and listened, knowing something was wrong. She could feel it. It was close, even within the old fortress. She eased out of bed, slipped on her robe and slippers and went to the window that overlooked the courtyard and the tower on the other side. The top floor was a private living area for the two boys, the floor below the bedroom they shared. Light came from both levels, but it was the top floor that stirred her from sleep.

To go down the stairs, then across the courtyard and back up would take too long. Instead, she went to the roof and floated across, landing on the small balcony off their bedroom. She waved her hand, and the doors swung open, and she strolled quickly into the bedroom. The bed was in disarray showing Josck and Zanobi had been in it not long ago. She knew it wasn’t to sleep. She rushed out of the room, up the stairs, and to the double doors to their living area.

Under the door came a flash of bright light, then she heard Zanobi scream Josck’s name. She waved her hand, forcing the doors to swing open, slamming against the wall. A few steps into the room and she froze. On the floor lay Josck, naked, skin glowing blue, then green, then red. Zanobi stood by him looking terrified.

“What have you done?” said Boudicca, but she knew. She knew the old magic he had used. It was difficult for a powerful witch or mage, but for an apprentice, it was dangerous.

“I just wanted…” Zanobi’s voice trailed off, then he bent down by Josck as the glow faded away. “Is he…hurt?”

Boudicca moved to Josck and closed her eyes, reading the mind, then the body. She sighed, then looked at Zanobi. “You’re lucky. He is going to be alright. But do know you have compromised yourself to share your power. Why did you do it?”

“I wanted him to live longer, so I shared my power to slow his aging.”

“You slowed his aging some, how much, I do not know, but in doing so you’ve sped up your aging.”

“Then we’ll die together?”

“Maybe.”

She saw fear pass over Zanobi’s face, then he nodded, resolved with the idea he had tried. “When will we know?”

“A decade or two, or it may be centuries before you know for sure. My sister had her aging affected by a terrible dark magic and she still lived centuries, but she aged horribly, dying an old fragile woman.”

“I could endure that if Josck is with me.”

Boudicca looked at Zanobi, then Josck as he slowly stirred awake. She knew they loved each other, more than any couple she had ever encountered. Nothing would come between them and if it did, they may very well die together rather than be parted.

“Zanobi, the book you took from my library; I expect it back on the shelf before morning.”

“I’m sorry Boudicca, but I was…” Zanobi looked down then up at her with tear filled eyes. “You’re not going to make us leave, are you?”

The question caught Boudicca up short, and she looked away for a moment, and when she looked back at Zanobi kneeling by Josck. “Of course not. There is not one witch or mage who hasn’t tampered with some magic they shouldn’t have, but the book…put it back.”

“I will; tonight, it’ll be back on the shelf.”

Boudicca turned and strolled out of the room. She needed time to calm herself, for she was upset with Zanobi and worried what the full effect would be on him and Josck. She moved down the stairs until she reached the ground floor, then he went out into the courtyard. It was a crescent moon, the most beautiful to her, and she went to the exterior stairs that led up to the old ramparts along the old fort wall. She would stroll along the perimeter, slowly, lost to her thoughts. By the time she got back to her bedroom, the sun would be breaking the eastern horizon.

 

 

Josck saw Boudicca staring at him again. He recognized the look of concern and wondered if he should be worried. Zanobi kept telling him everything would be alright, that the transference had been successful, but then he would turn vague to what degree it had been successful. There was the promise of a long life, that they would be together through all of it. But there was something Zanobi was not telling him, he felt it.

At night he found himself floating above the bed. When he drank wine, he felt its effects in ways he couldn’t describe. And the dreams. So vivid that he woke wondering what was real and what wasn’t. He also began to have thoughts not his own. He would look at Zanobi and hear the words for love, happiness, concern, doubt, and could it be real. He would look at the staff and hear the words for service, duty, and fear. With Boudicca, he didn’t hear any words as much sensed them. Power. Regret. Control. Concern. Was this what Zanobi meant when he said he read someone?

There were small physical changes, some barely noticeable. His skin seemed to improve, to become smoother to the touch. He no longer felt out of breath when wrestling around with Zanobi. His stamina was so improved he felt like he could walk to the edges of the earth. A strange turn of phrase, for he now knew there was no edge to the great sphere that was earth. How he knew, he had no idea, but he looked up at the nighttime sky and marveled at his newfound understanding of its vastness.

Zanobi came into the room, and he watched him cross the room. It was almost overwhelming how he loved the man, more so than he could put into words. He felt a physical desire for him even now. He wanted to touch him, to feel their bodies move against each other, to feel Zanobi’s penetration, one that would make him beg for it not to stop, to beg for their fuck to be faster, so physical they would reach release exhausted and gasping for breath.

“Supper will be ready soon,” said Zanobi as he came and sat next to Josck.

 

 

Supper finished, the three of them continued to sit. They talked about what each one was reading from the library and fond memories of their trip to Venice with long periods of silence in between. At some point, Josck felt Zanobi’s foot rubbing his leg and he looked up and saw a very familiar expression that asked if he wanted to have sex. He looked at him, opening his mind so Zanobi could read it. Yes, more than you could know.

“Alright boys, not so loud with the thoughts,” said Boudicca with a smirk and gentle laugh.

“If you’ll excuse us, I think we’ll turn in for the night,” said Zanobi, coming to his feet.

Josck smiled as he pushed back and came to his feet. “Goodnight, Boudicca,” he said as he circled the table and followed Zanobi from the room.

 

 

Josck crawled on the bed on hands and knees. He looked over his shoulder as Zanobi dropped the last garment from his body. Cock angled out half-hard.

“Come on, Zanobi, fuck me,” Josck uttered playfully.

Zanobi climbed on the bed and knee walked up to Josck. He raked his cock across the ass, then down between the cheeks. He bent over and kissed the right cheek, dragged his tongue across it, then down between them. He tongued Josck until wet and pleading to be fucked.

Zanobi rose up on knees and moved forward until his cock touched the ass, and he rubbed it up and down between the cheeks. Josck pushed back. Zanobi smiled, then penetrated him, slowly, gently, easing inch after inch into the ass. He slow fucked, pushing and tugging getting deeper and deeper until pressing against the ass.

“Fuck me, fuck me,” uttered Josck.

Zanobi held the narrow waist and increased his pace. He fucked faster until slapping against the ass. He fucked until his muscles tightened and he began to sweat. The bed rocked beneath them and Josck dropped his head and shoulders to the bed and took every thrust into his depths.

Zanobi pulled free and guided Josck to roll over. Josck held his legs up and he took them behind the knee. Pushing forward and down, he folded him over until the thighs were pressed to the chest and ass angled up for fucking. He pushed his cock into it, all the way, and fucked.

The room seemed to close in around them, nothing other than each other registering. The bed moved with the rhythm of their fuck, a slow squeaking rocking when Zanobi slowed fucked Josck. A hard, wall banging, rocking when Zanobi fucked Josck hard and fast.

Zanobi fucked until gasping for breath and covered in sweat. When so aroused he couldn’t hold back, he increased his pace again, fucking to for release.

“Josck,” exclaimed Zanobi, as he shoved into Josck’s depths and came.

 

 

Zanobi moved over Josck, wiped the sweat from his eyes and lowered his ass down on Josck’s hard drooling cock. He worked his ass down it, all the way, then began to ride it. Up, down, he moved on the cock as his own flopped between his thighs.

“I’m going to come,” uttered Josck. He dug his fingers into the flexing thighs and pushed upward. “Fuck,” he exclaimed as his cock erupted inside Zanobi.

 

The Assault

Boudicca had lowered her shield allowing her to reach out and sense any impending danger. She had been worried ever since returning from Venice knowing the threat could not be ignored. But what the threat would be, she had no idea. It couldn’t be Penik, for there no way he survived buried in that tomb. Every few days, she stood on the terrace in the middle of the day, or on the balcony off her bedroom late at night when sleep escaped her. She searched for them for she knew back in Venice it had not been phthisis or consumption or whatever the people were calling it now. It had acted too fast, took people during just one night. She’d seen it before. It had been the death smoke.

It was magic, dark magic, and someone was behind it. It had to be someone new to her, some witch or mage that discovered a means of wielding it power. No one who used it could survive long. She had seen the way it tore a body apart, corrupted it beyond anything she had seen before or since.

She searched the region for anything that felt wrong. Felt evil. Whoever it was, knew the art of concealment, and she uttered the chant that brought up her own once again, isolating herself and thus the boys from whatever was out there. She wanted to think they were safe, but she wasn’t sure. She would need to keep her guard up.

She paced around the old fortress, avoiding the boys and staff, knowing worry would be evident on her face. She took dinner and supper in her suite and before another restless night, she tried to read to distract her mind. When the night was half over and sleep had avoided her, she went out on the balcony for some fresh air.

She looked up at the star filled sky. Stars and planets alike shining dots in the vast darkness. She wondered if they were alone, if life only existed on earth, doubting it with her knowledge of the vastness of the universe. She stepped back, two, three, four steps until she was back inside of her bedroom, and finally went to bed ready to call it a night.

 

 

Penik stood on the ridgeline of a mountain north of Milan. Blood was dried on his chin and down his throat. It stained his shirt and tunic down the front. He looked north, reading the air, feeling for the one he was in search. He smelled the blood of the young woman he had played with back in Milan. He had made her dress like the witch, then ravished her abusively, and once he was sexually satisfied, he slaughtered her for another sustenance. He thought lovingly of her screams, her pleas to be spared, then the gurgling sound she made when he bit into her throat.

“There you are,” he uttered as he looked just a little to his left. Somewhere in front of him, the witch resided. He sensed her reaching out and he closed his mind to her, smiling at his advantage. He stepped forward, into the air and floated northward, an image of an old fortress in mind, the place in which she dwelled, and come the next night, would be entombed.

 

 

Josck moved to the bed, naked, cock hardening with just the thought of Zanobi, who lay on the bed waiting. He moved over him, kissing the knee, the thigh, the cock, then up the torso until pressing lips against Zanobi’s lips. He undulated against the body, rubbing cock against cock until both of them were fully erect.

He sat up, worked his ass over Zanobi’s cock, then rose up on knees and held it up. He lowered his ass to it, rubbed his ass over the head, then slowly eased down letting it penetrate him. He moaned as his ass slid down the cock.

 

 

Boudicca finally felt like she could get to sleep. Days of worry had her exhausted, and she went to bed, snuffing out candles with a wave of her hand. She lay on her bed and eventually felt her body relax, and her eyes adjusted to the dark. With the moonlight coming through the open French doors, she could see her surroundings in shades of grey.

 

 

Like the night before, Penik stood on the ridgeline of a mountain, but from this vantage point, he could see the renovated old fort. See how it was situated in an isolated valley with no settlement nearby. It clung to the side of the mountain, massive in its fortifications. He imagined causing an earthquake and collapsing the whole affair into the valley. But it would deprive him of watching the bitch die. He wanted to see the life leave her eyes after realizing it was him, Penik, who took it from her. He wanted her to know it was personal, very personal. It was revenge, the oldest motivator through time. Men had warred for it. Lovers died from poisoning or the slash of a knife due to it, and witches and mages destroyed whole regions of the land to extract it from another that betrayed them.

“Hathor…or is it now Boudicca, you’ll pay for what you have done,” he uttered as he floated off the ridgeline and toward the fortress.

Penik moved to the right side of the old fortress, came over the side wall and down into the courtyard. He looked at the rooms tucked up against the wall, reading the staff that resided there. Most were asleep, except for Skyh, who was reading. He considering attacking them first, but it would alarm the others, and he didn’t want Boudicca and her two apprentices aware of his presence until he had dealt with them. Afterward, he would take his pleasure from the staff. He looked at the tower on the mountain side of the place, reading the two apprentices who resided on its upper floors. He turned to the tall central structure facing the valley, taller than the tower, where he knew Boudicca resided. He couldn’t read her, but he didn’t need to with the staff’s minds so open to him. He should go for her first, taking out the one that is a threat to him, but he wanted her to know what was happening. He wanted her to know it was he, Penik, who had come to take his revenge. He would take out the two apprentices first, then he would strike her down.

He rose up to the balcony where he could enter the top floor. He saw it was a living area for the apprentices and sensed the two men were just below him, one floor down. He moved across the room to the stairs and down one floor.

In the corridor, he stood and listened, then turned to the double doors to his right. He smiled, for he knew the apprentices were just through the doors and would be so distracted they would not have time to respond. He moved to the doors, waved a hand, flinging them open roughly, each leaf slamming against the wall. He stepped into the room to see one of them sitting on the other’s cock, both looking toward him in shock. He raised his hand to strike.

“Who are you!” exclaimed Skyh from the corridor, standing at the doors.

“How dare you,” screamed Penik, turning on her. He struck out and she collapsed with blood oozing out of her eyes.

“NO,” yelled Josck, jumping from the bed and rushing toward Penik.

Penik whirled around and struck out at Josck. Josck went down, but something was wrong. There had been something blocking some of the power of his attack, and he looked at the bed seeing Zanobi holding a hand stretched out toward him.

“You dare challenge me?” said Penik, laughing. He raised his hand to strike Zanobi.

The air became charged around him, his hair starting to stand up. He knew this sensation, felt it before long ago. He turned and saw Hathor, or Boudicca as she was known in this time. She was staring at him, a focus he knew meant danger. She was angry as she had been when he struck down Teaarn. She was holding her hands out ready to clap them together. He threw up his hand and cast his strongest power at her just as the room grew so bright he had to close his eyes.

“What have you done?”

Penik heard the question with its angry tone, so angry he felt the urge to cower. He opened his eyes to Boudicca moving across the room toward the apprentices. He suddenly felt a burning pain, one so great he cried out, convulsing on the floor. He looked at his left arm and saw it was not just black from the internal change, but black from a severe burning. His skin was smoking with red embers glowing under the skin along his arm. He rolled to his knees and right hand, then climbed unsteadily to his feet. He held his hand out to strike Boudicca while she was attending to the apprentice on the floor while the other pleaded for her to do something.

He struggled to focus his mind, but finally the power he sought came to him, and he built it up as powerfully as he could muster, then cast it.

“Hathor, you die tonight.”

“NO!” exclaimed Gunnar, one of the staff, jumping in front of him.

The man turned grey and fell to the floor with a thud, lifeless, eyes still open.

Boudicca rose to her feet and looked at Penik, shoving him to the wall. The pain shuddered him and he knew his insides were severely damaged. He rolled to his knees and scrabbled out of the French doors to the balcony and jump over the railing as Boudicca attacked again, the stone floor exploding into fragments and dust where he had been kneeling.

 

 

Boudicca turned to Josck knowing he wasn’t dead, just severely injured. Zanobi was too distraught to realize it.

“Zanobi, he lives,” she uttered.

“What?”

“He will be fine,” she replied as Josck finally began to stir.

“Josck!” Zanobi exclaimed, bending back to him, holding one hand within his own.

“Zanobi, I must go deal with that mage. This ends tonight.”

 

 

Boudicca could read Penik, the mind in too much pain to block her. He was down below in the courtyard looking for a way out. She floated out the French doors, over the railing, until hovering over the courtyard. She saw the dark shadow moving to the far side of the courtyard, then she read his mind again, how he was trying to focus it to attack again. She floated down as she used her anger and the power she derived from it. Wind began to swirl around the courtyard and the air crackled with energy. She held her hands out to her side and when she read Penik’s fractured mind, revealing him to be focusing his power, she clapped.

A charge ripped from the ground to the sky. Lightning from a cloudless night. It thundered so loudly the old fortress shook to its foundations. It struck where Penik stood and up to the sky then branched outward over the whole region. Penik never uttered a word or a cry. When the flash disappeared, he stood in the shadows, headless, the body and limbs smoking. Then he fell to the ground.

Boudicca landed next to it, smelling the seared flesh and smoke rising from it. Ash floated in the air over the body, and she knew it had been the head. Penik was gone. She frowned while looking at the body, remembering what he had been like as an apprentice. Curious, too curious, for they had often scolded him for it, and in the end, he betrayed their trust by taking that arm from the library and messing with it.

She wondered about destroying the rest of Penik, but decided it was best to store what remained, for she wasn’t sure she could do so without hurting herself and besides, one day she may need to understand better what had happened to him.

 

 

Boudicca came out of the woods following the old trail to where a blanket lay spread over the ground near the river. Zanobi was helping Josck ease down on it, still hurt from Penik’s attack. It would take time for him to heal, but he was lucky to still be alive. Penik was powerful and his attack should have killed him. But the power within Josck given by Zanobi and the defense cast by Zanobi protected him. She really was surprised by the power displayed by Zanobi, but knew fear or anger could make one so much so stronger.

She strolled across the grass wondering if they should go to Venice, or maybe Paris, once Josck was fully recovered. She understood the Catholics erected a cathedral in the city a couple of hundred years ago, so maybe it was time to visit the place and see what great feats of construction man had done. She smirked at the foolish nature of it.

“Boudicca, hurry, we have the food and wine ready,” said Josck, holding up the animal skin with the wine they pulled from one of the oak barrels.

“I’m coming. Don’t be so impatient,” Boudicca replied as she sped up. She drew near, then jumped into the air and floated down on the blanket.

“Show off,” uttered Zanobi, and they laughed at her antics.

While they ate, refilling glass after glass with wine, Zanobi finally brought up what had happened two weeks prior.

“He was an apprentice?”

“Yes. Penik had been an apprentice when I lived in Egypt.”

“What happened to him to make him black and so intent to do harm?” said Josck.

“He messed with some old power; one I dared not tamper with. I don’t know what he did, but it changed him. Made him…mad.”

“What happened with the thing he messed with?” said Zanobi.

Boudicca inhaled and looked across the valley, then turned to him. “It was a hand, the index finger turned black. The flesh was mummified from the elbow down and…it was a gruesome thing, full of dark power. After Penik messed with the cursed thing, I buried it in the countryside.” She paused, then sighed. “It’s power destroyed Penik.”

“Power that would corrupt a mind,” said Josck.

“Yes. I wanted to destroy it, but was afraid to try, so I buried it.”

“You don’t think someone will find it, do you?”

“No…unless they can read it, and have it reveal its location to them.”

“It can do that?” said Zanobi.

“That is how I found it.”

“What about Penik’s body? Do you think it’s safe to keep it?”

“I’m not sure, but I’m not inclined to destroy it. We may need it sometime in the future. Enough of this talk, let’s finish eating,” said Boudicca and she smiled at them as she lifted her wine glass.

 

 

Fall was in the air. Boudicca could feel it. She stood on her balcony looking over the valley. She closed her eyes, focusing her mind. She found one, then another, and another, then so many she lost count. But not the one she sought. He was out there somewhere. One of the oldest of the mages.

She wanted to find him and ask what he knew about the relics and what it had done to Penik. She wanted to be angry with Penick for what he had done, but she only felt grief over the loss of someone to something so vile.  She could still picture the young boy, only eleven when Teaarn found him. So innocent, so eager to learn. Despite the centuries she could remember their first conversation. His slow admittance of having some power, and she gently telling him it was perfectly alright, nothing to be ashamed of. She wondered where they went wrong. Was there something any of them could have done differently to prevent Penik from tapering with that relic.

She cleared her mind and stepped back from the railing. She would stop her search for now but one day, she would find him.

 

A New Time

Boudicca stood on her balcony looking across the city out to the bays and islands, all the way to the ocean. It wasn’t like the valley with its isolation but there was something about the vastness of the ocean beyond the islands. Then there was the city itself. So large, massive, and lovely the way it filled in around the mountains and hugged up to the coastline. She didn’t even mind the statue of the Christian man-god, with his arms outstretched. Was he lording it over the population or welcoming them to the city. The church proclaimed the latter, but it was the former that seemed more appropriate.

How long had she lived in Rio de Janeiro? She initially thought it had been ten years, but chuckled aloud when she realized it had been nearly twenty years since she first stepped foot in the city. It was early morning after a night during Copacabana Reveillon. Oh, how she had danced late into the night with young attractive men and women. She had taken one of them back to her place using him until he passed out in exhaustion.

Looking back into her bedroom, she saw young Joao lying across the foot of the bed. She looked at the lean body, the curve of the ass, the dark skin, wondering how long she should let him sleep before waking him.

She stepped into the room and suddenly thought of Zanobi and Josck. She was pleasantly shocked to know they still lived. The last time she saw them was in New Orleans wandering the streets like vampires in the middle of the night, wearing black clothes and jewelry of ornamental religious relics, as if either of them were religious. They used new names, of course, Josck going by Erik and Zanobi by Adrian. She thought the names lovely. They had aged, both looking late thirties or so, but attractive as ever. And still playful and exuding eroticism that scared most people. But in New Orleans, they had been reveled, much admired, and so they called the place home, at least for now.

“Arianna, come to bed,” uttered Joao.

She moved toward the bed, then felt it, a flash of recognition. She turned to look out the French doors and focused her mind. The old mage was near. She could feel him, and another, one she had sensed before. She smiled. “I got you.” She turned, dropped her robe, and climbed on Joao, determined to exhaust him again as she celebrated her success at finally finding that old bastard. He was near, somewhere to their south. Maybe Montevideo…no, more likely Buenos Aires.

 

The Mages

Merlin stood as Dree signed the credit card receipt. They had strolled four blocks over from their apartment to Parrilla Pena, a small restaurant that they both loved. It was narrow, so narrow the tables were shoved to one side of the room. It was a simple honest décor with good food and a variety of wines to choose from.

“You ready to head back,” said Dree coming to his feet.

“Yes,” said Merlin.

They eased out to another night in Buenos Aires. It was a pleasant night, with a slight breeze, and Dree slipped an arm through Merlin’s as they strolled to the corner to cross the street.

“Should we be thinking about moving?” said Dree.

Merlin knew Dree was conscious of his surroundings, always worried about being discovered. Dree had traveled the world through the centuries trying to avoid conflict, the last serious conflict that mage who tampered with his own body, modifying it, merging his humanness with other creatures. The way Dree had described that mage made him sound like the devil humans had created to sow fear. That had been centuries before, and since then it had been a matter of blending in and not living in one place too long. He wasn’t sure Dree’s worry was realistic, for he found this modern age to be so oblivious, always looking at their cell phones, he wondered anyone noticed anything at all about them. Could their neighbors on the floors below or the staff at their favorite restaurants and bars notice their extremely slow aging. He doubted it.  

“I see no hurry.”

“I do love it here.”

“Have you decided where to go next?”

Dree chuckled, then shifted his arm within Merlin’s. “No, and you’re going to give me your opinion this time.”

“But I’m flexible. I’ll go wherever you go.”

“How about of those tiny islands in the south Pacific?” said Dree mockingly.

Merlin frowned, then focused ahead.

“Merlin? Merlin?”

“Sorry, but…did you sense it?”

Dree came to a stop, pulling Merlin to a stop too. He focused his mind, reaching out, sensing connections with all of those he knew, then some he didn’t know, but had sensed before. He knew Merlin spoke of someone new. He looked up in the sky and felt it, someone reaching out, focusing on them.

“Yes…from the north?”

“Yes, but who I don’t know.”

“Nor I.”

“I don’t sense any ill will.”

“Whoever it is, they have kept themselves cloaked for a long time.”

“But why reveal themselves now?”

“Maybe we’ll find out.”

“That is what worries me.”

“Come oh grand wizard, soothsayer of Arthur’s court, let’s get home.”

“Smart ass,” Merlin replied, smiling at the silly reference.

How long they had been together, he struggled to remember. They had met long after that affair with the king and circle of knights. He was glad to know those days were over. It was better for people not to believe in anything than believe in such foolishness from centuries before.

As they crossed Rodriguez Pena he thought about that first meeting, he had come to extract that dark magic from Dree. He had never admitted how much it had concerned him when he saw that gaping wound and the black skin around it. Afterward, they had climbed into Dree’s bed, and it seemed he had never left it, no matter where Dree’s bed was located.

They strolled up Viamonte until at Uruguay, and they crossed over and to the entrance for their apartment building.

 

 

They moved through their apartment, turning off lights and taking two wine glasses to the kitchen. They went to their bedroom where Dree began to remove his clothes.

“Feeling frisky,” uttered Merlin as he watched Dree remove his clothes. He proceeded to follow suit, removing his shirt, shoes and so on, until he stood naked, and Dree was moving towards him.

Once naked, Dree stooped in front of Merlin and captured the hardening cock in his mouth. He sucked it, worked his tongue over the head in the manner that made Merlin shudder. He licked the shaft and worked his mouth over the head. He tugged on the nuts and buried the cock in his mouth.

“Dree,” uttered Merlin breathlessly.

Dree stood, kissed Merlin, then playfully pushed him back until on their bed. He moved over him, kissing and nipping at the exposed body as he held the legs to his chest. He folded Merlin until the ass angled up, and he rubbed his cock over it.

“Fuck; stop teasing me,” exclaimed Merlin.

Dree bore into Merlin’s depths, sank his cock all the way inside the ass, then he began to fuck. Full, long strokes, then short jabbing strokes hammering Merlin’s insides. He held the legs down against the chest and fucked faster, hips slapping against the ass. He fucked until sweat rained down on Merlin and he was breathing hard. Then he shoved into Merlin’s depths and came.

 

 

Dree guided Merlin to his stomach and moved over him. He dragged his wet drooling cock along the right leg and over the round ass. He pumped it down between the legs, then put it to the loosened hole and buried it inside him.

“OH fuck,” exclaimed Merlin, shivering with the penetration.

Dree lay on Merlin, arm around the neck holding the head up. he kissed the neck and up the side the face until Merlin turned to him and they kissed as best they could while Dree fucked. Dree fucked slowly, grinding his cock in Merlin’s depths. He undulated with sensual desire, primitive and driven by lust and need.

Merlin clutched at the bed and pushed his ass upward as Dree pushed inward. They moved against each other until Dree needed to come. Lifted over Merlin on his hands, Dree began to fuck harder, faster, hammering his cock in Merlin’s insides. He bounced off the ass working his body into another sweat.

Merlin cried out and came first, his cock spurting wad after wad around his cock pinned beneath him. Then Dree came again, shoving into Merlin’s depths and shuddering and jerking with release.

 

 

Two days later, Merlin stood at the window overlooking the street below. Dree was in the kitchen preparing a platter of cheese and warm bread, fresh from the oven.

“What if they change their minds and don’t come,” said Merlin.

“We’ll enjoy a nice quiet afternoon at home doing nothing. But do you honestly think they will come all this way to back out?”

“No. I wish I could read them better, but…”

Dree came from the kitchen and placed the platter on the coffee table, then looked at Merlin’s profile in front of the window.

“They must be old or powerful, for they can block us when they want to.”

Merlin merely nodded his head as he watched a taxi come down the street then stop in front of their building. The small car with its yellow roof and black body was not what he expected. He expected a big Mercedes or Rolls, something extravagant, not a city taxi. He watched a woman step out and onto the sidewalk. She looked mid-fifties, maybe a little older, with short black hair, dressed in a simple black dress with a wide leather belt. She looked up and Merlin felt as if she looked right at him, then she strolled into the building.

“She’s here,” said Merlin.

“So, it’s a she,” Dree replied in a humorous tone.

Merlin crossed the room and entered the foyer where he waited at the front door. He sensed her in the elevator, rising floor by floor, getting closer. He sensed her coming down the hall, and he opened the door and faced her as she drew near.

“Myrddin, how nice to finally meet you,” she said, holding out a hand for him to take.

“I go by Merlin now, but you have me at a loss,” said Merlin, then he read her for she lowered her guard. “Hathor? Well, not anymore. Boudicca? Or have you taken another name.”

“I go by Arianna now, but you can call me Boudicca for it is the name I use the most.”

“Boudicca, please come in.”

She strolled by Merlin and continued all the way to the living room where Dree was waiting.

“And you’re Dree. I’ve heard about one or two of your adventures over the years.”

Dree reached out and took her hand. “You have me at a loss, for you are a mystery to me.”

“I’m a very private person, so I kept myself isolated.”

“That was probably smart,” said Merlin coming next to Dree. “Please, sit and tell us why we have the pleasure of your visit.”

“Thank you,” Boudicca replied, taking a seat. “But first I’m most curious. Merlin, I know all about you for you were such a showoff, but Dree…other than a bit of mischief with that wolf nonsense and, of course, that nasty business with Xenak, I know very little about you. Men with the power was so rare for a very long time, for a woman to find a male, well, it didn’t happen often. Who was your mentor?”

“Galreich.”

“Galreich? I’ve not heard that name in a very long time. What became of her?”

“She died when I was her apprentice.”

“She had been cursed much like my sister.”

“What do you mean?” said Merlin.

“Galreich, my sister, Cat, and—”

“Cat?” said Merlin, interrupting Boudicca.

“Catismandua. She was my sister.”

“I’ve heard this name before,” said Dree. He turned to Merlin. “I think there is some connection with that American group that relocated to Chile.”

“Let’s return to that after we hear Boudicca out,” said Merlin. He turned to Boudicca. “You were saying.”

 “As I was saying, Galreich, Cat, and myself were apprentices under Ailuros.”

“Ailuros!” exclaimed Merlin. “Of ancient Egypt?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard stories about her, but none seemed legitimate.”

“Most are not.”

“What happened to her and to Galreich and your sister?” said Dree.

“There was a young apprentice, just a boy really, and he tampered with this relic Ailuros had discovered. She had warned us it was dark magic and not to touch it, but Penik felt like the women were favored and doing better than him. He was desperate to prove himself.”

“And he tampered with this relic?” said Dree.

“What was it, this relic?” said Merlin.

“It was a foul thing, a forearm with mummified flesh and the hand was all curled up, except for the index finger, which looked like it was pointing at something—”

“And it was black,” said Merlin.

“Yes. I know there were others, but when I came out of my isolation last time, I couldn’t sense them, not a one.”

“And Penik messed with it,” said Dree.

“Yes. We never knew what he did with it, but it changed him. He began to turn black and…evil.

“Ailuros tried to bring him down and find a way to undo the power. It sent him into a rage that she was going to take it away from him if she could. He attacked her and when the rest of us came to her defense, he attacked us. He killed Ailuros and badly hurt Galreich and Cat.”

“Why did he spare you?” said Dree.

“He didn’t; you overpowered him in some manner,” uttered Merlin.

“My power is at its greatest strength when I am angry or scared. I hit him with it, this lightning bolt of such power, it should have made him ash. But it only knocked him out.

“After I checked on Cat and Galreich, I took him out into the countryside to the south, far from any habitation, and entombed him. I was too scared to try to do anything else to him, so I just buried him, thinking he would succumb to death without food, water, or air.

“The relic I buried even further south.”

“I think that relic was discovered,” said Merlin.

“What happened to it?”

“I don’t know, but there have been rumors of those things being used.”

“And your sister and Galreich?”

“We left Egypt and headed north. For years we lived in seclusion, eventually finding ourselves enjoying life again. After about fifity years, it became noticeable that Cat and Galreich were aging faster than I. Granted, they would live a long time, but not as long as they should have. I wanted to dig through the scrolls that belonged to Ailuros and search for others that might know how to counteract the curse put on them. But Cat and Galreich wanted me to stop, to let them be. They had decided to let things be. We fought, god how we fought. In the end Cat burned Ailuros’ scrolls to keep me from going through them again and I was so angry at her for doing that…we parted ways and didn’t speak to each other again.”

“I’m sorry,” said Merlin.

“I kept tabs on her, and when she moved west, I followed her keeping out of sight, then one day, I couldn’t do it anymore, watch my sister become an old woman and me just standing off to the side letting it happen. I returned to the old country, found a place to live, and isolated myself. I took in a few apprentices over the years, but not many.

“The last one—” Boudicca laughed at the memory. “He was something else. Zanobi was gifted, truly gifted with amazing power, and for someone he loved, he gave half of it to them.”

“You can do that?” said Dree.

“That is dangerous,” said Merlin.

“I know. But he sneaked an old book out of my library and performed it on Josck.”

“Someone without…suddenly had power?” said Dree.

“Yes, but there would be repercussions. Or so I thought,” said Boudicca.

“What repercussions?”

“Diminishing of one’s own power, and like Cat, an increasing in the rate of aging. I’ve not seen them in a very long time, but their rate of aging couldn’t have changed much.”

“So, Zanobi was truly gifted to have performed this power so effectively,” said Merlin.

“Yes,” Boudicca replied looking out the window, but seeing a young Zanobi perform a lifting magic for the first time. “But I’m not here about Zanobi and Josck.”

“It’s Penik you’re here about,” said Merlin.

“More like, what’s left of him.”

Merlin looked to Dree, then back at Boudicca.  She sighed, then without turning to face either of them, she continued. “That foul devil crawled out of the ground and came for me.”

“When was this?” said Merlin.

“1404, early spring.”

“I was able to summon my power greater than before and I didn’t stun him this time. I killed him. Burned his head to ash.”

“But the body remained.”

“Yes…foul, stinking of cooked flesh…and the purest black, not any deviation in its color.”

“You still have the body,” said Dree.

Boudicca nodded, then looked at Dree. “Yes, and I’m afraid something is going on with it. I read you a while back and saw you dealt with Xenak, another with monstrous power.”

“Yes. He too tampered with forbidden magic. He kept incorporating other species into his own body until it transformed him.”

“The metamorphosis…I thought it was just a myth, a legend. That magic was real?”

“Yes.”

“How did you defeat him?”

“I didn’t.”

“He nearly died facing that thing,” said Merlin.

“It was one of my former apprentices, Bedwyr, who was able to defeat him. He possesses a power like no one I’ve seen before. He can play with space, another dimension of it, and used this power to contain Xenak and drop him into the sun.”

“So, it’s true. This power exists,” said Boudicca. “Can he do it with Penik’s body?”

“Yes, but…maybe we consider another option,” said Merlin.

“What option?”

“The relics, like the one you dealt with; did you know all but two are in storage?”

“Someone has contained them?” said Boudicca. Then she looked shocked.

“And the last relic created was your sister. Did you know that?”

“Someone has my sister’s remains?”

“I believe so. They are near impossible to read and for only a glimpse here and there when they are not in that fortress they call a research facility.”

“Research facility?”

“The Murray Orion Center,” said Dree.

“I’ve heard of it, but never got any sense it is tied into any of this.”

“The two that run it had some interaction with your sister’s skeleton. There are a lot of crazy rumors about it, but within those rumors there is some truth. It gave them special powers, but in some way different from ours. I don’t know what, but they do have a power, much like yourself, to shield themselves from being read.”

“And they might take Penik and store him away. Why?”

“Because we don’t understand what he did. We don’t know the magic that was involved, and the day may come when we need to figure it out. Maybe understanding it will give us some new insight. Or maybe we’ll conclude it is better to just toss the damn thing into the sun and be rid of it,” said Merlin.

“You always did like to mess with stuff you shouldn’t,” said Boudicca. She held his eye, then laughed. “Okay, what do we do? Just fly over and knock on their door and say, hey we got a corrupted headless body, do you want it?”

“Something like that,” said Dree.

 

Murray Orion Center

 

 

As they waited to hear from the Murray Orion Center they strolled the city, grabbing lunch or drinks, then that evening at the apartment for dinner by Dree. They had sent a letter, overnight priority, taking a chance of stating without censor the situation. Two days later, Dree’s phone rang late that morning. The number was blocked, and he sensed it was the one they were waiting for.

“Hello.”

“Is this Dree?”

“Yes.”

“This is Richard Thompson, one of the scientists at Murray Orion. We got your letter and are interested in discussing the item in more detail.”

Dree realized Mr. Thompson wasn’t comfortable calling the item a body. “How do you suggest we take the next step?”

“Where is the item stored?”

“Currently the item is back in Switzerland, but we can quickly get it to Buenos Aires.”

“Can you be ready to meet in two days?”

“Yes.”

“Will it be able to travel, such as to the airport, or should we plan to travel to a facility?”

“We’ll have it in a truck, so it can travel.”

“Very good. We’ll land at Moron Air Base at 2 P.M.”

“Moron?”

“We have clearance to land there. I’m going to give you an email address to do final coordination. We need the truck you’ll use to bring the item to the airport, driver’s license, truck VIN and tag number, and how you will arrive, car with tag number, driver’s license of the driver.”

“We can get that pulled together and send it to you.”

“Dree, one more thing. Security of our facility and its people is a major concern and Corbett and Duncan will not tolerate any violation of our trust.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Now if you’re ready, I’ll give you the email address.”

 

Duncan strolled down the corridor of the Murray Orion Center, the research facility that Corbett and he found to act as a cover of their previous work rounding up the relics, including the one that affected the two of them, giving them the power to work through another dimension. They had found all of them but the two destroyed creating individuals that had been a threat to civilization. The last mission in the middle east one that made them glad their mission in life had come to conclusion. Now they do research they could make public, giving everyone in the facility a purpose in life.

He came to a bank of elevators, hitting the button to summon one to take him up to their private residence. He nodded to a couple of women stroll by who were dressed as part of the archeology team, cargo shorts, light weight shirts with multiple pockets over a T-shirt, and hiking boots. It was like a uniform, for all of them dressed the same unless in a harsh environment.

The elevator dinged then opened, and Duncan stepped in, hit the tenth floor, and stepped back to let the elevator take him up.

On the tenth level, Duncan strolled down to the entry door of Corbett and his suite, a quick eye scan, then handprint, and the door unlocked. He went in, slipped his shoes off, putting on slippers, and moved into the living and dining area.

“How’s the dig in Bolivia?” called out Corbett from the kitchen.

“Good,” Duncan replied, watching Corbett coming out wiping his hands dry.

Corbett stopped, looking at Duncan with a smirk.

“I know, one of the canisters fell over and covered us in a dust cloud.”

“You look like you rolled in a dig site,” Corbett joked.

“I feel like it too,” said Duncan. “I’m going to grab a shower before dinner.”

“Want someone to wash your back?” Corbett said it seductively, a typical way to flirt with each other and it made Duncan start to unbutton his shirt.

“I was going to suggest it,” said Duncan.

 

 

Duncan stood to the side out from under the shower. Corbett was soaping up his wet body, slowly, sensually running hands over him. Over hardening nipples, down the flat stomach, and through the pubic hair. One hand slipped over the hardening cock, rubbing, tugging, and squeezing it until it fully hardened. Corbett moved up to his back and pushed hard cock along the cleft between the cheeks. He reached back and aligned the cock to his opening.

“Corbett,” Duncan whispered, the tone desperate.

Duncan shivered as Corbett penetrated him. Inch after inch pushed slowly into him. Corbett hugged up against his back and guided him under the shower. There was something about being under the spray of water. Instead of feeling a charged air around them, they felt just each other. Warm smooth skin against warm smooth skin. Their sex was different, more sensual rather physical. It gave them variety, ways to enjoy each other’s pleasure.

Corbett held his waist and began to fuck. Slow push and pull of cock inside him, getting deeper and deeper. Corbett began to push against his ass. Over and over, he felt him press against it burying cock in his depths.

Duncan held his head down letting the water cascade over it as Corbett fucked him. He rocked in rhythm with their fuck and he pushed against the wall.

“Fuck,” Duncan exclaimed.

Corbett knew Duncan waited their fuck to increase in pace, get harder, faster, and he held the waist and increased his pace.

Duncan moaned and pushed back as Corbett hammered his inside until his own cock flexed with his arousal. He felt Corbett lay over his back, kissing his neck and grinding hips against his ass.

“Duncan,” Corbett uttered breathlessly.

Duncan knew he was close, and he reached back and rubbed his hands along the hips and thighs feeling their movement as cock bore into him. Then Corbett pushed into his depths and shuddered with release.

 

 

Duncan had Corbett pushed against the tile wall, holding the legs wrapped around his waist. He worked his cock into him, pushing as deeply as possible into Corbett’s ass. He kissed him, passionately, while maintaining their slow fuck.

Corbett tilted his head up and Duncan kissed the neck up to the right ear, tugging on the lobe then tonguing its curvature. He held his lips lightly against it.

“I love you,” Duncan whispered. Then he pushed deeply into Corbett and came.

 

 

Dree stood at the front of the box van while Merlin and Boudicca check on their cargo. The body of Penik was in a state of deep freeze. Boudicca had commissioned a special storage box that used liquid nitrogen. The box was four feet tall by four feet wide by ten feet long to contain the body in a frozen state.

Boudicca had told them how the body began to gas off a foul black vapor and for centuries she contained it with her power. But it kept getting worse, making her struggle to contain it, until in the late 1950s she commissioned a special built room at her home that utilized liquid nitrogen. The room was complicated and required constant maintenance and in the late 1980s she commissioned the smaller containment box, one that worked better and had better monitoring. There had been incremental improvements since then, but the basic box was the same.

Dree looked around at the military personnel moving around the base, surprised to see none of them were keeping an eye on them. A helicopter lifted off and he watched it circle around and head to the east. When he looked back to the west, he saw a jet approaching the airport. As it drew near, he thought it was a commercial jetliner, a passenger jet. It lined up for the runway, lowered the landing gear, and quickly landed. As it went down the runway, Dree saw it was a small Airbus but one with only a few windows, and those in front of the wings, with the rest of the fuselage completely enclosed.

“The other jet should be right behind it,” said Merlin coming to Dree’s side.

“I don’t know why we couldn’t fly in the cargo jet,” said Dree.

“They said the accommodations are lacking, but I think they wanted to isolate the body. Richard Thompson said they were going to put some kind of gas into the cargo hold.”

“They don’t trust that box either.”

“No, I don’t think they do.”

“Did you notice the pressure inside it? I don’t know how it holds together.”

“I think that is what brought her to us.”

They looked up in time to see a Gulfstream G700 making final approach. Landing gear was already down, and soon it was on the runway, rushing past them with reverse thrusters on.

“Okay, let’s get loaded up,” said Dree turning to the cargo jet taxing up to them.

The G700 pulled up nearby and as the engines powered down the door was opened, extending steps to the tarmac. A young man climbed down and came to them.

“I’m Richard Thompson.”

“I’m Dree, and this is Merlin,” not attempting to deceive him with false names. “And that is Boudicca,” pointing toward her coming from the back of the box van.

“She is the one that has had possession of the artifact.”

“Yeah, she’s been keeping the body for some time,” said Dree, looking for a reaction to what the artifact really was. Richard smiled, nodding his head.

“Let’s get it loaded up and in the air. Duncan and Corbett are eager to see it.”

A forklift was used to lift the box and slide it into the Airbus while Boudicca, Dree, and Merlin got settled on the G700. As soon as the box was secured, they were taxiing to the runway.

“How did you get the military to let us use the base?” said Dree.

“We have an arrangement with them and in turn we help them out from time to time,” said Richard.

A vague response, but nothing more than Dree anticipated.

“I was wondering about your employers.”

“Duncan and Corbett?”

“Yes.”

Richard smiled, then looked from Boudicca to Dree. “You can’t read them.”

Merlin smiled. “So, you know about that.”

“Of course. I also know Boudicca will want to see Catismandua’s remains.”

“My sister,” Boudicca whispered.

“But you asked about Duncan and Corbett. What do you know?”

“Not much, other than what was published in various scientific journals. They keep a very low profile.”

“As most of you do. They were aware of Merlin and you in Buenos Aries but Boudicca, you were a surprise to them. As you know they have parents in the field of archeology and in 1980, while on a dig in eastern Scotland, were given a skeleton pulled up from the North Sea—”

“That turned out to be Cat,” said Boudicca.

“That is right. And what isn’t in any write ups is the index finger on the right hand is black.”

“She became one of relics?” said Merlin.

“Yes,” said Richard. “She was the last one and it was some interaction with her skeleton that affected Corbett’s mother and Duncan’s father. At some point they began to display powers.”

“But they are not mages?” said Merlin.

“No. It is different with them. And I know they also know who created the relics and why.”

“How did they find that out? I’ve looked for eons for information,” said Boudicca.

“As I,” said Merlin.

“They spoke with them,” said Richard.

“They spoke…with…them?” said Dree.

“Some of the relics were warnings to us by a civilization from another dimension of space/time. And others were meant to bring us harm, a couple of them to bring about our destruction. The one from Egypt and one discovered in Chile that ended up in Siberia.”

“The one in Egypt got destroyed, but what happened to the other one?” said Boudicca.

“Same; it was destroyed in Siberia and the one corrupted by it was eliminated in the middle east.”

“Who destroyed them?” said Dree.

“Corbett and Duncan did it,” uttered Merlin, staring at Richard for comformation.

“Yes, that is right. It seems the power given them was mainly for that purpose,” said Richard.

“What can they do?” said Merlin.

Richard frowned, looked down, then back at Merlin. “I’m not at liberty to say.”

“I’ve got one more question,” said Merlin. “Why did they relocate from the states to Chile, and in such a remote place.”

“The remoteness should be obvious, but the move from the states…”

Richard seemed to be weighing what to say. He sighed. “They were warned that sometime in the future it would behoove them to not be in the states. You can ask them for more information when you meet.”

The cockpit door opened and one of the pilots rushed up to Richard. “Sir, we have a situation.”

“Yes, what is it?”

The pilot looked around the room at the others then turned back to Richard. “The containment box is giving off an alarm and there are warning lights coming on.”

“Fuck,” Boudicca exclaimed.

Dree disappeared.

 

 

An alarm was sounding, and the cargo hold was a mix of flashing red lights and black smoke. Dree stepped into the passage between the cargo hold and cockpit. He looked through the window into the cargo hold and grimaced. He jerked the door to the cockpit open and stepped in behind the pilots, surprising them but only for a moment. They’ve seen this before, he noted. Bedwyr, we need you NOW, he thought, sending the call out into the realm that would send it around the world.

“What have we got?” said Dree looking back through the window, keeping his eyes on the box as it became obscured by a black vaporous smoke.

“Not sure but the thing is compromised,” said one of the pilots.

“We need to get on the ground and now.”

“We only fifteen minutes or so from—”

“If you don’t get on the ground right now, we’ll have to send you into the sun with that box.”

“Sir, we can put down in San Rafael. Their runway is long enough,” said the co-pilot.

“Do it,” exclaimed Dree.

The pilot got on the radio telling San Rafael they had mechanical issues and needed to land. He radioed back and forth with the tower while maneuvering the plane to get into an approach for landing.

“Get on the ground and off this plane, and do not go back there,” said Dree and he was suddenly gone.

 

Dree appeared in the cockpit of the G700. The pilot and co-pilot looked around without surprise showing they had seen it before.

“We’re getting the other plane on the ground. We need to land with them but stay away from that plane.”

“I’ve radioed the center and let Duncan know we have an issue,” said the pilot.

“Good,” said Dree who was already heading through the cockpit door.

 

“The refrigerate system has failed and there is a black smoke or gas coming from the box,” said Dree.

“We have got to get that system back up and operating for I don’t think I can contain it any longer,” said Boudicca.

“Too late. Right now, I’ve got them landing at the nearest airport with instructions to get away from that plane.”

“What are you going to do?” said Boudicca.

“Bedwyr,” uttered Merlin, knowing it was he who dealt with Xenak, folding him into another dimension then dropping him into the sun.

“Yes,” said Dree. “I’ve called for him. I just hope he hears in time.”

The plane began a rapid descent and Dree took a seat, buckling in.

 

The Airbus landed roughly, the rear tires casting off smoke on contact with the runway. The plane went only a short distance and the nose gear came down as reverse thrusters were engaged. Against the control tower’s directions, the G700 came down right behind the Airbus, getting on the runway just as quickly.

The Airbus slowed but instead of turning on a taxiway, it went off at the end of the runway and along a rough gravel lane coming to a stop about a hundred feet from the runway. The G700 pulled to a stop just off the runway on a taxiway and the door was immediately open, steps extended, with Boudicca, Merlin, and Richard climbing out. Dree appeared at the front of the Airbus where the two pilots were sliding down the inflatable emergency slide.

“Come on, you need to get away from the plane,” yelled Dree.

Black gas seemed to seep through the metal fuselage, then wrap around it. It was roiling and swirling, covering more and more of the plane.

“Come on, Bedwyr, we need you,” uttered Dree as he watched the black gas on top of the plane began to take shape. He felt a containment spell, but it did nothing. Looking back toward the others, he saw Boudicca and Merlin were trying to contain it.

The air felt charged, and the shape began to look like a man’s body, minus the head, only it was three times the size of a normal person. Lighting struck the ground and black storm clouds began to swirl into existence. Lightning struck again, hitting a helicopter sitting near a hanger. It struck again, close to the G700 making everyone run away from it.

Dree tried to do a containment, and felt a push back, then he felt the air become charged and he step into the realm and back out on the other side of the Airbus seeing lighting flash up from the place he had been standing. He felt the air charge again, then just as quickly dissipate.

Something was happening. The air around the plane began to shimmer, distorting the visual image of the plane and black form around it. Then space folded on itself, over and over, collapsing the plane and black form into a smaller and smaller area. After it was less than a tenth the size, it vanished.

Dree looked around for Bedwyr, knowing it had to be him that did it. Instead, he saw two young men holding hands, floating in space. They were not at the airport, but in another space, some room that was solid white. The two men rotated in space, then settled down the padded platform and their image disappeared.

Dree ran over to the pilots. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes, we okay,” said the co-pilot as he helped the pilot to his feet.

“Who was that?” said Dree and the pilots smiled.

“That was Duncan and Corbett,” said the pilot.

Bedwyr stepped out of another dimension and next to Dree. “You called; what’s the problem?”

“Nothing now,” said Dree.

 

 

The G700 made its final approach for the runway in the valley. Dree, Merlin, Boudicca, and Bedwyr looked out windows at the control tower projecting from the side of the mountain as the ground seemed to rise up instead of them descending. The wheels touched down, first the rear, then the nose, and the jet slowed, then taxied off the runway. They pulled up to hanger doors in the side of the mountain, parking next to the Airbus they had watched disappear some time before from the runway in San Rafael. It appeared perfectly normal, showing no signs of having a black gas wrapping around it or traveling through another dimension.

“You think it is safe?” said Boudicca, looking over to Merlin.

“Looks safe,” Merlin replied, giving her a smile.

 

Dree poured himself another whiskey as Merlin and Boudicca sat on a sofa talking quietly amongst themselves. Richard came into the room with another man with him. As they came around to the main sitting area, Bedwyr stepped through the realm back into the room with his partner, Tristan. Dree smiled at her, motioning for her to come sit next to him. Richard waited until everyone was settled.

“This is Benjamin, my partner. Corbett and Duncan are on their way. They were in the lab.”

“How do they finance all of this?” said Dree, waving his glass around pointing at their surroundings.

“I really don’t know. But their financial reports are incredible, and there are no third parties involved.”

“They are self-financed?” said Bedwyr.

“Yes.”

“They have to be worth billions.”

“Something like that,” said Richard, but the way he said it spoke of a wealth exceeding that guess.

The double doors at the end of the room swung open and Corbett Bentley and Duncan McInttyre entered the room followed by a rolling case made of metal and glass being pushed by two men.

“I trust everyone is okay and comfortable,” said Duncan as they moved into the center of the room, looking at Boudicca. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

The case was rolled to the end of the sofa, and everyone could see it contained a skeleton.

“Cat,” Boudicca uttered as she came to her feet and went the case.

“She has served us well, in ways we still don’t understand, but she has been silent for some time now. We think it is time she was laid to rest.”

Boudicca looked over at Duncan, then Corbett, and she smiled sadly, tears in her eyes. It had been centuries since she last saw her sister, but the hurt of their parting still knotted her stomach. “Would it be safe to bury her somewhere?”

“Honestly, we’re not sure. We thought about putting her in another realm, one that she would never be disturbed, but seeing as she is your sister, we’ll let you decide.”

“Boudicca, I think that would be nice. A witch resting in another realm,” whispered Merlin, just loud enough for her to hear.

“I can’t imagine where I would want her buried if in some country. There was a time I thought I wanted her at my place in Switzerland, but…I’ve not been there in decades. It would be like I abandoned her again.”

“Just let us know what you decide and we’ll take care of any arrangements,” said Duncan.

Boudicca nodded, giving Duncan, then Corbett a small sad smile. “Another realm seems appropriate.”

“When you are ready, we’ll do it,” said Corbett. He looked around the room and his stance relaxed. “How long can everyone stay? We would love everyone to remain for a week or longer so we can talk. I think there is much to discuss.”

“Do you think we should be concerned about some future threat?” said Merlin.

“I think it is always good to be prepared. We understand Bedwyr can move through the other dimensions of space and can move others or some object too. Corbett and I have to be joined to do it, but between Bedwyr and us, we have overlapping capabilities, not to mention each power the rest of you possess.”

“I’d like to hang around for a few days,” said Boudicca. “I was tiring of Joao anyway.”

Merlin and Dree laughed, knowing what she meant, the young Brazilian left behind in Rio.

“Maybe there is some young mechanic here that could fill in,” said Dree, giving her a mischievous smile.

“Very good. I’ll have Richard and Benjamin show you to our guest suites and let you get settled in. Anything you may need, just let us know,” said Duncan.

“Wait guys, there is something we’ve not talked about,” said Dree, wheeling around to face Corbett and Duncan. “The plane looks unharmed. What did you do?”

“We extracted the body and the gas surrounding it and put it on the surface of the sun,” said Corbett.

“You really can do that too,” said Bedwyr.

“Probably not in the way you do it, for it takes both of us, but yes,” said Duncan.

“Are you sure the plan is safe?” said Tristan.

“It’s clean,” said Corbett.

 

“What do you think?” said Corbett as he unbuttoned his shirt.

“They are powerful, especially Bedwyr, but Boudicca…” said Duncan doing the same.

“I felt it too. She’s powerful but not in the same way as the others.” He dropped the shirt over a chair and began to undo his pants.

“And Merlin, of the lore around King Arthur, damn that is crazy.” Duncan slipped his shirt off and tossed it over Corbett’s.

“He said much of the story isn’t real.”

“He told me the same.”

“You think an alliance with them is necessary?” said Corbett, working legs free of his pants.

“Yes. Whatever the future holds, we’ll need them. Sooner or later, we will be calling for their help.”

Corbett moved on Duncan, not giving him time to get his pants off, instead playfully pushed him onto the bed. “Let me,” said Corbett as he took the pants by the legs and tugged them down the long legs. Duncan raised his ass and pushed his boxers down his legs, and laughed when Corbett grabbed them roughly, jerking them off forcing him down on back.

“You’re playful,” uttered Duncan.

“It’s all the excitement.”

Corbett moved to Duncan toying with his cock then ass. He fingered him while sucking the cock, then kissed his way up the long torso while getting his cock into position to penetrate him.

“Fuck,” Duncan exclaimed, laying back taking the push into his depths.

Corbett moved over and within him. Their bodies rubbed against each other, and they became more playful, more physical, until Duncan was holding his legs up and Corbett was moving with physical urgency between them, hammering his insides.

 

Dree moved over Merlin, hips working cock into his depths. It was a slow fuck, sensual, loving. They kissed and uttered soft pleadings and their desires. Hands roamed over the other, and Dree shifted his knees and ground his hips against the upturned ass.

They would fuck for a long time. They would exhaust themselves, fuck until they fatigue their muscles and come until they could not come again.

 

Boudicca strolled down a corridor, one Richard said would take her to a tavern. She followed it until in a large space, twenty meters high or more. It had specialty lighting to allow for small trees and other plantings around a pool of water. She circled around the pool seeing Parrots perched on wood rods set among the trees. On the opposite side, she saw the tavern listed on a directional sign at the entrance to the main corridor.

She strolled down it, smiling at those she passed. She felt relaxed and content, a feeling she had not felt a lot over the centuries. She came to the tavern, a wall of glass separating it from the corridor. She entered and moved to the bar with a rough cut edged stone top held up by metal panels in a burnished finish. She sat on one of the leather stools, a style she had not seen in nearly a hundred years. Was it Paris, she had seen them before. The bartender was busy with another patron, so she sat back to wait.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

Boudicca turned to see a man, early thirties or so, standing next to her. He had black hair, dark brown eyes, and a smooth tanned skin tone. He wore the attire of someone who worked in the labs.

“Thank you.”

He smiled and took the stool next to her. “I’m Joaquin.”

“Boudicca.”

“A queen,” Joaquin replied, smiling at her.

“And a witch too,” Boudicca replied in a sarcastic tone.

“Do tell,” Joaquin replied, and he smiled again as he felt her hand come to rest on his knee.

 

The End

---

 Author’s note:

This story has characters introduced in earlier stories. They are as follows:

Catismandua was introduced in The Differing posted on 20 August 2020.

Corbett and Duncan were introduced in The Differing, Chapter 2 posted 23 November 2020.

Richard Thompson was introduced in The Differing, Chapter 3 posted 25 July 2022.

Dree and Merlin were introduced in The Mage posted 6 July 2023.