Carnival of the Soul

by Cebelius

  'What was it I once said to you, Husband? Something about your life on Celestine being steeped in pussy ...'

  Hush you.

  He spread his hands to indicate the lot as he said simply, "Yes. Wives."

  The murmuring behind Shitstack and his father got louder, until the elder held up a closed fist.

  "And which of your wives did he insult?" the man asked mildly.

  "Laina."

  She took a half step past Terry as he said her name and folded her arms across her chest. He knew she felt miserable and looked much the worse for wear, but that didn't take anything away from the way her muscles corded on her frame as she glared. In fact, her bleary eyes and hungover anger probably made her look even more intimidating.

  "It is not our way to take many wives," the elder minotaur rumbled.

  "Not my way either, but I'm not about to spit in the eye of Fate. She already has it in for me. So what do you want, father of Shitstack? Come to buy trouble? I have plenty in stock."

  Terry showed his teeth, though he had no idea how the expression looked on his bullish face. "I'll even give you guys a group discount."

  "My son's name is Law, and I am Brahma. We are of the Firestampers, and my son came here to join another herd. Thanks to you, none will have him. If he cannot find a herd, he must become a wanderer. I demand that you give him an opportunity to prove his worth."

  "He did that last night," Terry said, lifting his chin a bit. "Or do you think the result would be any different if he tried again?"

  "I do."

  Brahma said it simply, and shrugged. "I will not defend his words, and he suffered at your hands. Had you simply beaten him that would have been an end to it, but the humiliation you inflicted on him far outstrips his crime. I am here to even the scales."

  "You and all your men couldn't handle one of my wives," Terry said coldly. "As for your boy, he hasn't seen the sun rise on a day he could even come close to beating me. I refuse. Trust me: if you force this fight, you'll regret it."

  "We shall see. The augurs have said that Law is destined for greatness. I will not have idle words spoken into a mug of beer ruin his life. Give him a chance, or there will be a feud. While I do not lead my herd, I have the ear of its matron, and we are over four thousand strong. We will trample you into the dirt no matter the power of your wives."

  A chorus of hissing arose behind him, and Euryale began, "I wi-"

  She cut herself off mid-word as Terry held up a hand, then pointed at Law as he said, "What does he want? I'm not interested in wiping out an entire herd of tauren because one idiot man-child couldn't keep from showing his ass."

  "Simple enough. There are fighting pits at this carnival where young minotaurs test their strength against one another. You will enter alongside my son, and in sight of all there will be a reckoning, one way or another."

  Looking at Law, Terry said, "You're only making this worse for yourself. Right now you can claim that you were drunk. If you go through with this, you will be a laughingstock among these people for the rest of your life. Think carefully, if you can."

  "Why are you so sure you can beat me?" Law scoffed. "You took me by surprise!"

  "We had an audience, Law," Terry said, trying to be reasonable as he mentally switched gears to use the kid's real name. He hadn't thought things would go this far, and he really didn't want to ruin anyone's life. He'd done more than enough of that already. "The story of what happened won't change no matter how many lies you tell. If you were surprised it's because you're an idiot, not because I gave no warning. I know kids like you are no god damn good at taking advice, but here it is anyway: Back off before you hurt yourself. I'm a bigger bully than you will ever be and I swear, as God is my holy witness, the very last fucking place you want to see my winning smile is in a fight pit."

  "He is not lying."

  Yuri had to practically shoulder his way between Halla and Asturial, but he did so, and stopped next to Terry as he said, "I lasted less than a minute in the ring with him, and were it not for my sister's healing magic and Laina's milk, I would have died. Brahma, for your son's sake, back off. You truly do not know what you are doing here."

  "Who are you?" Brahma asked.

  "I am Yuri Kolenko."

  The name was clearly one Brahma had heard, and as he glanced at his son worry was writ large in his face. Several of the other men he had brought were also reaching forward with concerned expressions as Law looked at his father as though to say, 'You can't give up now!'

  "Son, perhaps you should accept what has happened as-"

  "I will not!"

  Law stepped past his father and thrust a finger down at Terry as he said, "Face me, one-on-one, in the pit! No tricks, no weapons!"

  Terry wiped a hand down his face, and thought about what he should do. Part of him desperately wanted to just step into the ring and flatten this punk, but he was not the man he had once been. There was no way it would be fair. His strength was beyond human.

  'This upstart clearly did not learn his lesson, and he has been warned. Teach him, Husband.'

  You're not helping, he thought morosely.

  "Brahma?" he asked.

  The minotaur tipped his head up in question, and Terry waved him over as he stepped off to one side and said, "A word."

  After a moment's hesitation, Brahma followed, and crouched to bring his head close enough to consult privately.

  Terry said, "Look man, I really don't want to hurt your kid again. I swear I don't. Can't you talk him out of this somehow?"

  "It is out of my hands," the big minotaur rumbled. "Why did you have to name and shame him? Why not simply beat him and leave it at that?"

  Terry shut his eyes and shook his head, then said, "Is there any way I can apologize for that?"

  "It would look fake."

  Brahma genuinely seemed to believe Terry, which only made it harder when he said, "I'm afraid my son must hear your lesson again, Boss. If you refuse, he will use your humiliation to turn the entire Firestamper herd against you. That you have many strong wives will only make it easier for him, as it marks you a deviant."

  The man hesitated, then began, "How in the hell-"

  "Don't ask. It's a long story. If I live through this mess, maybe I'll write a book about it some day."

  Unable to see a way out, Terry sighed and said, "Fine, how long will it take to set this up? We had planned to leave at dawn tomorrow."

  Brahma shook his head. "Law has already begun to spread word that he will challenge for his honor. He will want an audience, and the pits are reserved for the next three days already."

  Terry laid a hand around Brahma's shoulder and said, "Look man, you've seen my company. If you didn't know, we are the ones who came out of the Labyrinth, and we've got shit to do. I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but your son throwing a hissy fit does not give him the right to keep us here cooling our heels for three fucking days. If you can't find a place by sundown, this shit's not happening."

  Brahma's expression hardened as he said, "If you force us to chase you-"

  "Tsst! See her?"

  Terry pointed at Halla, and when the minotaur nodded, Terry said, "That's an oni. She's a bit compressed right now, but in her full form she's a thirteen foot tall giant. Her CLUB is bigger than you. The dryad throws lightning like you'd throw rocks, that is a goddamn Nightmare, and you already know the Kolenkos. Next to them is Asturial. She's a dragon. A DRAGON, and she's not even the worst of them. See her?"

  Terry shifted and pointed at Euryale as he said, "I know she's hard to notice, but yeah, blank wooden mask, brazen claws, snakes for hair?"

  "I see her, what of her?"

  "Ever hear of the Madsee?"

  "All I know is that there is a monster by that name in a dungeon somewhere far away to the west. Thousands of miles."

  "Nope, that's her. If your herd comes after us, I will not be able to protect them from her. And believe me when I tell you, there is nothing in this world that would kee
p her from wiping you out if she gets it in her head to do it. You might be able to get all the rest of us in a rush, but that woman alone will kill you all, and smile while she does it. Me doing it this way is for your sake, not mine. So you better get a place for this today. Failing that, we will be gone, and you had better move heaven and earth to keep your herd from chasing us. You seem like a good man, and I understand that you've been put in a tough spot, but I already have enough bodies on my conscience without adding yours to the pile."

  Brahma let out a short, sharp breath as he straightened, but his brow was furrowed and he looked worried. At last he asked, "And what is it, Boss, that brought all these powerful eldritch and mortals together to serve you? What makes you so special?"

  "Honestly?" Terry asked, smiling slightly as he quirked a brow.

  When the big minotaur nodded, Terry gave a one-shoulder shrug and said, "I am an incredible bad ass, and my dick is fucking magic."

  The minotaur's eyebrows peaked, his chest shivered, and then he gave up and bellowed with laughter. Terry grinned along with him, and when his laughter subsided said, "Find a place, Brahma. Today. Better yet, if you can keep your herd from following us, don't. Then you can have Law spread the story that I ran away. I'm fine with that, but I'm not waiting. If it were just me I would, but I have promises to keep. Understand?"

  "I understand."

  The minotaur half-turned, then looked back and said, "Please, go easy on my son."

  "I won't kill him. You have my word on that at least. If he really sucks I may draw it out to make him look good. I have no dog in this race. I don't care about my reputation, and I won't be here long."

  "Thank you, Boss. I am truly sorry we had to meet like this. Perhaps when this is all resolved, you and I can sit down like men should."

  "I'd like that, but I can't promise it," Terry said, his smile turning wistful. "Better get going. I'll stay here. Send a runner when you've got a place, or better yet to let me know you've convinced Law to give this insanity up. He's in shit up to his eyeballs right now, and I really don't want to be the one to put him all the way under."

  "I will."

  Brahma let out a piercing whistle and whirled his finger as he walked away. His people turned to follow him. Law paused just long enough to glare balefully at Terry before he too left, and Terry shook his head and sighed.

  'There was a time not so long ago when you would have jumped at a challenge like this,' Prada noted inside his mind.

  Speaking aloud, he said, "Yes well, I've since learned that every time I show my face people get hurt. I should never have done what I did. It wouldn't have cost us a thing to just ... do nothing. Laina doesn't have to sell here. What was I even thinking."

  'You were thinking you could bolster Laina's reputation and help her do what she wants. There are worse motivations.'

  "Maybe ... but you know what they say."

  'Yes, I do. And it's true. The road to hell IS paved with good intentions.'

  By that time Shy had come to him, and her expression was one of concern as she said, "Talking to Prada?"

  "Yeah. I don't like this. I've put my foot in it ... again."

  Her lips twitched, but then she shrugged as she said, "You did give him every chance. I am sure Prada agrees. I am also sure you will be merciful."

  "I'll certainly try. Meeting that kid's father made me feel like everything I do is wrong. I really need to start remembering that other people have dreams and hopes of their own before I stomp on them."

  He glanced up at the sky, then shook his head as he blew out a sigh.

  "This sucks."

  8

  Perspective

  Isthil trailed along behind the Kolenkos with the oni, Halla, walking next to her. The two tiger siblings were talking about salvage they had gotten from some dungeon run or other, and Halla was humming tunelessly as she looked around, clearly enjoying the day for all the simplest reasons.

  She seems a bit simple all round, given what I've seen.

  Isthil was uncertain of her place now, but as she searched within herself for her bond, she felt nothing at all, which still felt odd.

  He really wasn't jokin'. He broke me bond and left me free, nothin' more. Just ... free.

  Yet the realization did not dispel the unease creeping through her. It was obvious that Terry Mack was an entirely different sort of animal than the Dust Lord.

  Thomas was like a force of nature, sure and certain. Everything he did, he did with the entirety of his being. Terry Mack, on the other hand, seemed ... like any normal man. He didn't act on the world. He lived in it.

  Trying to decide if that was a good or a bad thing was giving her fits. He certainly seemed friendly enough, but friendly wasn't something she had ever associated with templates. More than that, his bonds disrespected him, played with him, and not only did he tolerate that sort of behavior, he seemed to expect it.

  She tried to imagine Thomas playing, and drew a complete blank. Easier to imagine ice on fire, or being able to eat smoke for breakfast.

  Before we sallied after this man, when was the last time I even SAW the Dust Lord?

  She found she couldn't remember how long it had been. At least a decade, and he rotated through his bonds at one a week. With over a thousand bonded women, Isthil hadn't any expectation of seeing him anytime soon either.

  Terry had — to all appearances — a mere seven bonds. No one had mentioned more, though she supposed it was certainly possible there were others who simply did not accompany him. Yet he had no lair, no home, so if they were not with him, where would they be? Surely he would not have left any back in Florence after what had happened there.

  I've so many questions, and no idea who or how to ask, or if I should ask at all.

  "Halla?"

  "Mm? What?" The oni smiled at her, golden eyes glinting in the sunlight.

  "How long have you been with Terry?"

  "A week or so. He found me in the Labyrinth and stole me away from Theseus before he killed him."

  "Who is Theseus?"

  "My dad."

  Isthil blinked. "He stole you from and then killed your father?"

  "Mmhm! I made him promise to break my bond if I surrendered to him, and he did it on the spot. Turned me into this."

  She gestured at herself, then put a finger under one of her eyes as she grinned, showing a pair of tiny tusks.

  "What were you before?"

  "Cyclops, you?"

  "Centaur."

  She nodded as though expecting the answer and said, "Figured, you look like one. We had a bunch of them. I used to hunt 'em when I got really hungry. Heard Asturial call you a nightmare. Is that because you're so good in a fight or what?"

  "No. I am an eldritch of a specific type called Nightmare. I feed on bad dreams."

  Halla blinked at her, then shrugged and asked, "What do those taste like? Any good?"

  "Well ... I suppose, but, but wait. Who were you bound to?" Isthil asked, struggling to keep the conversation on track.

  "Theseus."

  "Ye were ... sexually bound to yer father?"

  "Mmhm!"

  Halla clearly didn't see a problem with it, and that by itself convinced Isthil this was not a subject she wanted to pursue. At least, not with Halla. She knew enough about cyclopians to know that was not usual.

  The warning glance she caught from Mila reinforced her decision, and she said, "So, what do you think of him?"

  "Theseus? Fuck him. I'm glad he's dead."

  "No, Terry Mack."

  "Mmmm, can't wait to fuck him. His cock gets huuuge."

  Halla frowned. "Been a while though. After we got out of the Labyrinth, he's always busy."

  Isthil had seen Terry's equipment, which — while it compared favorably to Thomas — wasn't what she would have expected a giant to call huge by any stretch of the imagination.

  She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

  Bein' simple apparently doesn't make Halla any easier to talk t
o.

  She glanced toward Mila, and while the tiger woman seemed to be paying attention to her brother, Isthil noticed one of her ears turned back toward them and her tail was weaving a bit higher than it had been a moment ago.

  Perhaps she'd be someone who could tell me more of what I need t' know.

  "He bound you last night, right?"

  Isthil blinked, then glanced back at Halla as she said, "Well ... kinda? Not really."

  Again she searched within herself for some evidence of a new bond, but again, she was only left with an impression of freedom.

  "So?"

  "Ssso what?"

  Halla's lips compressed. "Don't be stupid. What was he like!?"

  "We didna have sex. So I suppose all I kin say is that he was um ... very courteous about the whole affair."

  The look Isthil got from Halla at that was so incredulous it made the Nightmare burst out laughing.

  "You're makin' fun of me," Halla pouted.

  "I am not! I swear! He didna touch me."

  "Okay, what the fuck? How does-"

  "Ahem! Halla!"

  Both Isthil and Halla turned to look at Mila, who put a finger to her lips and gave them a pointed look.

  Halla glanced at Isthil in confusion, who leaned over to whisper, "No one here knows he's a template. Best not talk about bonding an' such out here in the open, aye?"

  "Oh. Yeah, I guess. I was kinda wondering why he was wandering around looking like dinner. Sucks to be you though. Boss is fucking amazing." Halla paused as a thought occurred, then grinned and added smugly, "And his fucking is amazing. You're missing out."

  "I'm perfectly happy to be free, Halla. That's enough fer me."

  "I guess. So now that you're free, where will you go?"

  Isthil tilted her head at that. It was the first time it had occurred to her that she could just ... go. There was nothing stopping her. She had kept her word to Euryale, and Terry had asked nothing of her. He had simply given her freedom and thanked her for seeing the gorgon safe again into his arms.

  I offered to ease his sleep. Hell, I stood up as one of his wives! Will he hold me to that, or would he let me go if'n I asked him? It never even occurred to me that he might just let me go.