by Cebelius
Terry knew about the affinities given the knowledge he had from Koschei, and asked, "Which coin affinities does he have?"
"Good, Order, and Death," she said, glancing down at him.
He frowned and looked away, thinking about his own affinities of Evil, Chaos, and Life. He'd been troubled since he learned about his affinity for evil, but had dismissed it as something he'd gotten from Baba Yaga, not something he was actually predisposed to.
My gifts depend on the nature of the people I get them from.
'That is not necessarily true, Husband.'
Blinking, Terry focused on Prada, felt her out. The sense he got from her was one of having an idea, but not being completely confident in it.
Tell me what you think then, he thought, mentally inviting her to give him her opinion.
'Do you remember when Halla told us she believed Theseus chose the bond gift?' Prada asked. 'I could never confirm that, because he was dead before I could invade his mind. Nevertheless, I have been thinking about that, in conjunction with a theory your bonds and I have developed. We think the gifts you give have to do with the wishes of the woman you bond with.'
Well, Baba Yaga did call me a genie without a bottle at one point, Terry thought. So what does that have to do with the gifts I've been getting?
Before Prada could answer him, Isthil asked, "Terry?"
"Huh?"
He glanced up and realized he'd stopped walking as more and more of his attention turned inward. He also realized he'd been having a conversation with Isthil and that he'd dropped that thread with no explanation. Still, he sensed an opportunity and jumped on it.
"Oh ... sorry, something you said touched off a conversation with Prada and I got distracted. Do you mind?"
As he asked, he reached out and set a hand on the pommel of her saddle as he met her gaze. Despite the fact that he now stood at seven feet tall, Isthil was still taller by a few feet. "This is kinda important to me, so I need to focus on it. I'd be grateful if you could walk me back."
Isthil glanced down at his hand on her saddle, then back at him. Her lips split into a smile, white teeth stark in her ebon face as she said, "Certainly."
They began to walk again as Prada — feeling faintly impressed — thought, 'That was very well done, Husband. I doubt she even realizes that your request was a deliberate consolation.'
You're rubbing off on me I suppose, he mused. Back on track. Gifts I've been getting.
'My theory is that bond gifts work the same way for you. Each new bond grants a wish.'
That's ... that makes no sense. If that were true, I'd have poofed back to earth after sex with Shy.
'Don't lie. You never wanted to go back home. Not really. You felt the pull of filial obligation, but no genuine desire. Besides, it is obvious there are some wishes that cannot be granted. Your going home is obviously one.'
Terry pondered that as he walked, and couldn't dispute it. Finally, he thought, Okay then ... still doesn't make sense. I didn't wish for ANY of the bond gifts I got.
'I believe that is why your gifts thus far have reflected the women who gave them to you,' Prada replied. 'You never wanted anything but what you had. The power had to manifest in SOME way ... and you always had impressions of the women you engaged. Shy gave you just what she promised: herself, in the form of a psychic bond. Your impressions of Laina were of radiant health, and that's what you got from her. Cecaelia? Mysterious power. Check. Tremor sense was touted to you as one of my finer qualities, and that is what you received from me. Shu gave you a dog's senses. Ephe a spider's jumping power. Halla made you a giant, and Mila gave you a cat's claws. You see?'
Terry let what Prada was telling him sink in, then thought, Presuming you're right, how would Theseus be able to control what bond gifts he gave?
'Theseus was a ruler. He desired control. Having received it as a bond gift, he could then use it on others to dominate them and mold them to his preference. I have no proof, but if Halla was right about his ability, that is what I believe.'
Shaking his head as he tried to wrap his brain around Prada's theory, Terry thought, So ... what?
Prada gave him an impression of incredulity before she answered, 'So ... start wishing for specific powers you NEED. Bear them in mind. Then, the next time you bond we'll see if you get what you wanted.'
Myriad answers flashed through Terry's mind before he formed a coherent reply.
I'll think about it.
To his mild surprise Prada said nothing more, and the rest of the walk back to the abandoned town was made in companionable silence.
Twisted was trotting along next to him. She had returned to the form of a wolf and seemed content to remain that way, which suited Terry fine.
Baba Yaga's hut was at the edge of the buildings and turned to face him as he approached. As he came within a few feet it squatted, and the front door opened.
Euryale stood there, and as she met Terry's gaze it was obvious to him that she'd been crying. Beyond her, Stheno's doll stood by, watching.
Without a word, Euryale stepped out of the hut, made a sharp turn, and walked away. By the time Terry looked from her back to the doorway, Baba Yaga had filled it, and had her hands on her hips as she looked at him.
"Best hand that off to Goran," she said, gesturing up toward the lunette above the window on her left. Terry looked that way and saw animated vines stretching out toward him. He handed Stheno's body over without comment, and the vines wrapped around both arms until it hung before the window like a macabre scarecrow.
"I'll perform your favors, T-Mack," Baba assured him as he watched the hut secure its cargo. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
"You never told me Koschei would be awake and aware inside my mind," Terry said quietly.
"No, I did not. You wouldn't have killed him if I had," the witch replied, looking steadily at him. "He'll corrupt you if he can. The longer you live, the stronger he gets."
"Could I have had you rid me of him with one of my favors?"
"Yes, you could have forced me to take back his soul. I'm very glad you didn't."
"How can I destroy him for good?" Terry asked.
For a moment, Baba Yaga looked at him as though weighing the worth of her answer. Finally she said, "I think you know. I told you before. I've been manipulating people for a long, long time. Your death while carrying him is the only way to ensure Koschei never returns."
Terry nodded slowly and said, "Don't let me see you again, Baba. What you've done to me is worth killing for, and I'm not as resistant to that idea as I used to be."
"If we ever see each other again it'll be your doing, not mine. Enjoy your life while it lasts, Tee. I regret nothing," Baba assured him.
The door shut without prompting, and the hut stretched its legs and walked away.
Terry turned and watched it go, his hands folded across his chest as emotions flickered and died, one by one. Rage. Frustration. Fear. Despair.
He could get rid of Koschei anytime. Baba Yaga knew it.
She also knew he wouldn't.
She had condemned him to a no-win situation: succumb — sooner or later — to Koschei's gradually increasing influence ... or die.
6
Separate Ways
Even after he lost sight of the hut, Terry stared at the horizon after it, seeing nothing.
Prada eventually intruded, her feeling one of disbelief as she thought, 'She really means for you to die. I had thought her mischievous. I was wrong ... this is far beyond malicious. After all you did for her ... she thinks she's killed you.'
She has.
Terry felt Prada examining him, his thoughts, his feelings. He felt her press against the mental barrier he had erected to shut Koschei's conscious mind out of his own. She searched everywhere, and he knew what she found.
'Husband, you cannot accept this fate,' she thought at last. 'You MUST dispose of him.'
It doesn't matter, he thought grimly. If I survive Thomas, then we can worr
y about it. I'm no weakling, not anymore. Koschei has a long way to go before he can top me in my own head. If I don't survive Thomas ... well, at least I'll take Koschei with me.
A hand came to rest on his shoulder. He glanced at it, then asked, "What's up, Asturial?"
"We know about Tyrfing," she said. "We have decided to retrieve it for you."
He blinked, turned, saw everyone had gathered, and that all eyes were on him.
"What do you mean?" he asked. "I'm going to get it myself."
Shy shook her head and said, "Tee, the weapon is just a cursed sword that kills its wielder ... as long as you aren't nearby. If you go after the sword, whoever has it now will use it against you."
"Who told you? Baba?" he asked, his eyes flickering from one to another. Every face was resolute as they stared back at him. There was no give anywhere.
"She told me," Yuri said as he stepped forward, facing Terry squarely. "I told the others. I will go and get this sword for you, Boss. I am best suited."
"And what am I supposed to do while you risk your life for me?" Terry asked. "Sit here with my thumb up my ass?"
Yuri chuffed and grinned as he shook his head and said, "No. You should go to where my people are, and wait there for me. Train. Prepare for what is to come however you see fit."
Once more Terry had the impression that his life was completely out of his control. He looked around again, but every face he saw was of someone he loved, and they were all gazing at him with the sort of determination that he couldn't fight. What could he tell them?
You knew? he thought.
'I was included in the meeting, we all were. It is best this way. Yuri has already selected a team from among your bonded. Ask him.'
Frowning, Terry asked, "So who do you want?"
Yuri's tail, previously down and still, lifted a bit and began to sway as he smiled and turned, pointing each out as he said, "I want Asturial, Laina, and Euryale. Asturial can help with travel and be our front line. Laina will back her and provide for our health, and Euryale will ensure that even if the rest of us die, we won't fail."
As he named them, Terry met the eyes of each woman. Only Laina looked uncertain.
"Mila?" he asked, turning to look at her. "Why aren't you going?"
Mila's lips twisted as she attempted to purse them. With her sabers, that expression was now impossible.
"My brother and I decided that it is best if we separate for a time," she said, clearly not ready to talk about it. "That is why Laina will go with him instead. She can fight, and her milk will serve as both sustenance and succor in the dungeon. Asturial is a more versatile mage than I. I will not be missed."
"Almost all of that is true," Yuri said, looking at his sister, only to see her look down and away.
Terry knew better than to get between them. While he regretted that they were parting on bad terms, this was their decision to make.
Euryale had regained her composure and spoke as Terry met her gaze.
"I don't want to be apart from you, but I'm going to make sure you stay away from Svartheim. If I go, you know we'll succeed. I'll watch over Yuri and the others as though they were you."
"I thought you wanted more of me?" Terry said quietly.
"That's why I'm going. I want years and years of you ... so I'm going away now. Just promise me that when the Dust Lord is dead, you'll still be there for me."
Terry met her gaze and fought back the lump of emotion in his throat as he made the closest thing he could to a promise. "I fight to win, love. You know that."
She came and embraced him. With Prada inside he had to lean over to wrap her up, and as he did she murmured against his chest, "Try not to be too much of a hero while I'm gone, okay?"
He chuckled and kissed her snakes, then her lips when she lifted them to him.
"Trust me, I feel less like a hero every day. Follow Yuri's instructions as though they were mine. What he says, do."
"As you wish, Master."
Euryale stepped away and he straightened as Laina stepped up to him. He grinned as he looked down at her and said, "Am I closer now to the man of your dreams?"
When they'd met, she'd towered over him in the same way he now towered over her.
Laina smiled warmly and pressed herself to him, wrapping him up as she said, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to spending a little time with you at this size."
"Just remember that when we do it'll be a threesome," Terry said with a grin, and Laina yelped as Prada reached around the minotress' hip with the hem of her sash to goose her.
His grin widening further, he reached down and cupped her ass, lifting and twirling her in his arms as she laughed with glee despite her surprise. Laina had always wanted to be treated like any other girl, and he could give her that now. Her smile was broad and lit up her face.
"Come back to me safe and sound, okay?" he said. "Trust Yuri. He knows what he's doing."
"I will."
Laina hesitated a moment, then kissed him, hard. He tasted her, inhaled her scent, and burned the feeling of her pressed against him into his mind. When the kiss finally broke, she set her forehead to his and murmured, just for him, "I love you."
"I love you too."
Laina stepped away, and Asturial stepped forward and looked him in the eye, her expression grave. He met her gaze with the same gravity, then cracked a smile. "Come on, Astur. Lighten up."
"I do not think that is appropriate, considering I only just secured a place with you and now am compelled to leave again," she said, scowling at him in frustration.
"Tell me how you plan to help with travel then," he said, trying to distract her.
"Hah. You will see for yourself in just a few moments. Terrence, I want you to know that your bond is very important to me. I now have your seed, but that is not my only concern. I want to learn about you and ... spend time with you."
Her faltering expression hardened as she said, "If you die while I am gone on this fool's errand, I will be very upset."
He tried for gravitas and almost managed it as he nodded and said with mock seriousness, "Oh we don't want that. An upset dragon might ravage the countryside, stealing cows, eating princesses. It'd start a panic."
She blinked, then scowled as he started chuckling.
"I am serious!" she declared. "Why must you always mock my concerns?"
He kissed her forehead and with one arm around her shoulders he ran a finger over her collarbone and settled it into her notch. She shuddered, murmuring, "Terrence ... do not start something you don't intend to finish."
"Astur, take care of everyone for me, and when you return, I will take care of you."
She stepped back from him and put a claw to his chest as she said, "I have your word." Dropping her hand, she smiled slightly. "And your word is good. Now, let me show you what your gift has done for me."
She stripped, discarding her sarashi and the jeweled belt that held her loincloth. Naked, she walked until she was thirty feet away from everyone and fifty from the nearest building.
Terry watched along with the rest as she sank to one knee and put a hand on the ground. Her golden eyes closed, she exhaled, and the earth trembled.
It was a relatively small quake, but everyone felt it, and the ground continued to shake as Asturial began to grow.
For the first time in a while, what Terry saw took away all his words. Koschei had stripped him of the wonder he'd once felt at seeing even the simplest magic, but what he saw now was enough to overcome even the false familiarity that had been forced upon him.
Asturial's body shifted. Her ruby scales expanded, wings broke free and stretched, growing vast as the seconds passed into minutes and she grew ever larger.
A crater was forming underneath her. The turf sagged, then great swaths of it tore apart to fall into the growing pit. It was obvious where all Asturial's new mass was coming from. She was pulling substance from the earth, turning dirt and rock to flesh and bone.
For five minut
es Terry watched the rebirth of a dragon, and for all that time he remained spellbound, though he noticed that along with the trembling of the earth, the temperature in the immediate area was dropping steadily.
When the change was complete, Asturial spread her wings, stood upon her hind legs and stretched her neck as high as it could go, massive jaws agape as she roared her return to the world.
Her echoing cry thrummed in Terry's bones, and only when it ended and Asturial planted her forelegs back on the ground did the earth cease to tremble.
She turned her head down to look at Terry, and once more he was staggered by just how large she was. Her head alone was probably thirty feet long from the tip of her muzzle to the base of her skull. Her massive black horns curled around fin-like ears the size of sails, and her wings were beyond huge. He could have comfortably stretched out in the groove of one of her eye sockets.
A whisper of movement at his calves caused him to blink and look down.
Twisted was hiding behind his legs.
That made him laugh, and he shook his head, turning back to see a familiar form sauntering toward them as the gargantuan body beyond settled to the ground and folded her wings in against her body. Her ability to form a proxy was every bit as fast as Prada's ability to change her shape.
"That ... was probably the coolest fucking thing I have ever seen," he said, not bothering to keep the awe out of his voice.
"It was actually extremely hot, as I required a great deal of heat to reshape the earth to my will, but I am glad you are suitably impressed," Asturial said as she stopped before him and waved a hand negligently behind her, asking, "Still curious about how I will help with travel?"
"Nnnope. I got it."
His disconnected thoughts flashed from Asturial to where she was going, to what would happen there, and his own dungeon delve came back to him.
Inspiration struck, and he turned and said, "Twisted? Would you do the whole werewolf thing so we can talk? I have a favor to ask."
"What's up, Boss?" she asked after shifting and standing up straight. She was a little over six feet when she wasn't hunched over, which was apparently most of the time, as after a moment she did just that. She kept glancing from him to the gargantuan form of Asturial looming over his shoulder, but he didn't hold it against her. He'd have done the same.
