Chapter Thirty : Tales of Misery And Woe or Avatars And Servitors

So could I say that it’s true that I my beauty could best be described as supernatural. Well if I did it would not be considered an understatement. Now while the power of my brain is nearly as impressive as my ability to deduce and discern information is on an order far beyond the ability of many to even begin to try and comprehend. That being said let me say that this infernal reality where I now call home with its Avatars and Servitors all seemingly intent to end the lives of all of Dragonfirre not to mention myself have shown me that they never rest. The Dreaming God and his minions of the Emerald reality have finally drawn the blood of Dragonfirre. So while with the aid of all of Dragonfirre and even the Organization we were of course able to prevail against Star Vampires, Elder Things, an Avatar and even a Servitor of the same Mythos although it was not without a price. The price was that of my oldest friend known to some as Morgan others as Alexis and finally as the Associate. I will not pass the blame of the loss of a Fey Changing a companion who I had once hoped to have the time with which to reconcile our differences had been lost to us and the fault was mine and mine alone. For on that day when we had faced odds that I had felt well within the ability of my joined companions and friends to overcome it had somehow ended in tragedy. It was my own ego that prevented me from taking the precautions that would have enabled my Associate to live and thus this is my tale of misery and woe and to a lesson that for the love of Aphrodite I wished I had never had to learn.

We were in the midst of facing off against monk cultists, Elder Things, Star Vampires and an Avatar of some dark power. Slick Rick was preparing himself to unleash the full fury at his command and the other members of Dragonfirre only needed to keep the Avatar of the Elephantine Entity busy until his preparations were complete. The Associate was performing admirably having already struck down three cultists with such efficiency and grace it was as if they were not even there. I had felt the presence of a new mind and I was thankful that it was Lucky Ron and with his arrival while I had not doubted before I was now even more assured that threat we faced would be soon contained. As he had arrived I was actually glad for the stability that his presence brought to my psyche as I informed him telepathically of the situation and the others of his arrival. Dirty Anna meanwhile had been busy tumbling around firing Eldritch Bolts both from her hands and from Death Dealer easily dispatching both Elder Things and Star Vampire and I could tell that she was still on fire which seemed to be increasing by the moment. I could see that even with the pain from the flames she was still able to maintain her concentration and continue her Eldritch Assault and for that I was glad as well as turned on. Lucky Ron had chose that moment to step in with the grace and style that I expected from him and engaged the Elder Thing but somehow he managed to hurl his sword into the ceiling. Mickey the Torch was still engaged with the Star Vampire that had tried to hinder me before I had tumbled away and I realized that the Elder Things had hides tough enough to withstand the power of ordinary bullets or weapons and more were appearing each moment. The Elephantine Entity chose that moment to strike Diamond Jim who had moved forward foolishly to cover the Associate and almost paid for it with his life. While Clean Eugene continued to hammer the Entity with blessed bolts of Hercules from his Compound Long Bow. Thanks to Smiling Ed and me we were all hasted and even had the blessing of Hercules upon us all thanks to Clean Eugene but I did not plan to see anyone die today. So I tumbled down from the stage I had been sharing with Clean Eugene to where Gizmo Dent and Mack Daddy could cover me and used my intellect to assess the situation and the location of all the minds in the room I expanded my Mindsight to fill the room and found the minds of an aberration which seemed to possess many minds in one which I was to learn was a Servitor. So I communicated to the three who I knew could perhaps hold off the Elder Entity, Mickey the Torch, Clean Eugene and Lucky Ron. They were all willing and I thought how awesome it was to have friends that were brave and while Lucky Ron had lost his katana I asked the Associate to leap to the ceiling and retrieve it for Lucky Ron which he was glad to do so that Lucky Ron could maintain his effectiveness. Clean Eugene had let me know that if I had a way to bring him into closer combat with the Elephantine Entity than he was all for it and his Great Club were ready. Mickey the Torch had also answered that he was ready but I had a feeling I might need his and the Associated help dealing with the Servitor and so I kept them in reserve. I then informed Diamond Jim and Clean Eugene to be ready and I conjured the powers of shadow and cast benign transposition which caused them to be enveloped in shadows as they switched place in time and space instantly. This placed Diamond Jim on the stage and Clean Eugene in the perfect position to introduce the Avatar of the Elephantine Entity to his Great Club but as I had expected his attack was mostly ineffective. Well I had know that already and as Slick Rick continued to prepare himself and I will admit the panther form which had been overshadowed by the essence of a great tiger and just grown two more limbs. I finished by calling upon my fey charms and attempted to charm the Elder Thing that was currently burning my beloved Dirty Anna and it was able to resist my magic well at least for the moment. I had informed the others of my intention to charm one of the Elder Things and perhaps negotiate them down and of the odd aberration I had sensed still within the suite that I informed everyone I was working on dealing with. I can still remember the stern but loving words of Lucky Ron “Well stop thinking about it and do something about it.”. It was good to have him back and we as a whole were still looking good only one member of the Organization even really wounded and besides Dirty Anna being on fire things still looked golden.

The next well thought part of my plan had of course been riding on my fey charms to enable me to befriend one of the Elder Things and convince them to stand down. The eight foot tall Elephantine Entity which perhaps had only looked larger when I had first seen it I could tell was not indeed twelve feet tall as Clean Eugene was while not really seeming to harm it was doing his duty and keeping its attention. I reached out with my fey gifts and the Elder Thing succumbed and from then on viewed me as one of its best friends. I telepathically informed the others that it was charmed and to not attack it while I tried to resolved the situation with the ever increasing number of Elder Things. For the record they had continued to appear and now numbered over six including the one I had charmed. I learned from my new found Elder Thing friend that it was not actually being controlled by the Avatar of the Elephantine entity as I had believed but actually by a creature it described as a Servitor which was actually still in the room and was responsible for the stream of new Elder Thing arrivals as well as the Star Vampires which previously as opposed to the Avatar. I impressed upon it to stand down and to move to a save location away from the suite but I was unable to negotiate a complete stand down of its friends. I of course pressed on to find out that in order for it to convince its other Elder Friend companions to depart the Servitor was controlling it had to be dealt with first. Which of course made sense for I knew the Elder Things once a great race had indeed fallen upon hard times and they basically would follow whoever they believed showed the greatest amount of power and since I felt that person was of course me I told it to hold on and I would take care of it? Showing me just what a good friend it had the potential to be it had even asked me if I wanted it to put out the fire on my beloved Dirty Anna and after I thanked it and letting it know that I would appreciate that indeed she was free of the flames. Slick Rick was almost ready and I saw him almost ready to pounce and so I mentally called to Mickey the Torch and the Associate as I informed the others the creature controlling and summoning the Elder Things and Star Vampires was still in the suite and I could use some help dealing with it. Lucky Ron had responded that they would keep the Elephantine Entity contained and hurry up and deal with the creature and I realized as did he that if someone didn’t that if there was no limit to the number of creatures this Servitor could summon it was only a matter of time before we could be overrun. I had of course already came to that conclusion of course I mean really I did not take brain as part of my new Emerald identity for insightfulness or grace not that I felt I lacked in the areas but I believe you should play to your strengths. Meanwhile Mickey the Torch and responded immediately and called back to me he was on it and stormed the full length of the room as he pulled out a thermite grenade and leapt though the black curtain that was concealing the entrance as the room was enveloped in flames. I had mentally called to him and he let me know he was of course unharmed due to the flames of course to which it was completely immune and that we indeed faced an aberration which he claimed was hideous form of limbs, blood and energy. Upon hearing that I had asked my future Elder Thing thrall shall I call him Shan what by Gods were we facing. Now the next part was something that I actually had to wrap my mind around before I revealed the ramifications to my companions for it revealed something to me that was indeed quite dark and sadistic. Well alright I will admit I am one to talk about seeming dark and often emotionless and while that was mostly my nature and training now the one thing I am not would be sadistic. This creature or Servitor I was informed which had arrived a few moments ago and had started summoning and setting up the entire ongoing confrontation was somehow in reality an alternate version of ourselves that needed to destroy us in order to live again. As I had digested the information that had been revealed to me I was indeed saddened for it could only mean the Dreaming God was actually not only transdimensional but also transtemporal as well yeah I know words I had created on the spot for I came to realized that on one of our alternate timeline missions we had either failed and enslaved while someone else had managed to survive who we had yet to meet which seemed unlikely or this reality in which were currently residing was a nexus to alternate realities and the multiple minds within the Servitor were indeed us but of course not. Either way it meant that if multiple minds were being contained within the creature and held together by magic I knew it should have been within my power to disrupt it. Now whether that freed the other versions of ourselves that we would need to fight afterward which I doubted since I had already been informed that part of their deal to live again was to take our places after we were killed I silently prayed for the love of Aphrodite that their souls could find instead release and peace. I had needed a moment to shall we say bring my revelation down to a level which I felt Dragonfirre could understand as the Associate had responded to me in reality what might have been only seconds but to me had seemed longer since my brains capacity to contemplate and correlate information often made time seem to stand still that he was wounded and inquired it he skills would even be of help. I had responded that his help would be appreciated as I was not sure exactly the weaknesses of what we were about to face I reminded him he was useless against the Avatar of the Elephantine Entity and the Elder Things either way at least this way he stood a chance of being effective and I was going in there to back up Mickey the Torch in a moment and the choice in the end was of course his. Looking back did I realize that by my answer I had truly if he still had feeling for me, forced him to face the Servitor perhaps so. Sadly to my own regret I did not care for since my ego was still hurt that someone like him who had been my friend for years had spurned me and while I planned to I had at that moment forgiven him. I of course also believed in his abilities and skills for I had often in the past unleashed grenades in his vicinity or asked for entire buildings to be dropped right on his head without a moment’s hesitation and each time he had danced away from certain death every time with the nimbleness of a gazelle such was my hubris that I believed he could do it again. For as he had made the run across the room and thrown back the curtain and hurled a grenade into the room even before the explosion he had screamed both out loud and into my mind “By the Masters what is that thing!” and frozen to the spot terrified. I did not hesitate and moved forward to his side the closest we had been since the time he had rejected me and I will always regret not kissing him and looking back I will my rethinking my policy of not mixing pleasure with business and seek a compromise where I can find both. For as I had informed everyone else when Shan had informed me that attacking my friends was not personal only business and even as Lucky Ron had responded “Well this is personal business for us!” I had begun to question my own methods. So as I had pulled back the curtain and witnessed for myself what only became almost became horrifying but in reality was quite profound was a creature that floated in the air and seemed to composed of fire, lightning, blood, organs as well as various body parts that continued to undulate and ooze in anguish and amidst that aberration we the limbs and minds of my beloved Dirty Anna as well as all of the others including myself. I of course showed no emotion or at least betrayed none to the others as I unleashed my most powerful spell and attempted to disrupt it very magical core as I cast break enchantment. My spell I knew I had hurled true and as a Beguiler I am more skilled overcoming those that are resistant to magic but I realized my focus had not been sufficient to affect it. I was aware that I had although gained its attention and I called upon the shadows which were my ally to conceal me from sight and I vanished. I could have perhaps pushed myself and cast again but I had taken a moment to refocus my mind in preparation for what I knew would come next the Servitor would be mine. I was able to witness Slick Rick make his pounce as he transformed in mid-air from a panther into a huge dire wolf and as he knocked the Elephantine Entity to the ground ravaging it with tooth and claw the creature howled in pain. Dirty Anna had continued to blast away with Eldritch Fire with Death Dealer only fueling her bloodlust but I could tell she was being careful to not risk striking Clean Eugene or Slick Rick so I knew she was still herself. At the time things were indeed still looking up and I had felt it was only a matter of time before we put this whole mess to rest. I had even announced to the others to just hold on for a few seconds and I should have the Servitor dealt with such were my delusions of grandeur for while my statement was actually of course true the price for that delusion was high.

The Servitor I realized was indeed angry and sought a way to weaken us all as it had screamed a scream that had shaken my very immortal soul for it had sounded like me screaming as if my very soul was on fire. While it is true I will no longer die of old age the term is of course immortal not invulnerable but give me time I am working on it. I looked around and all of the Organization with only Swami Donnie had seemed to not only have had their souls shaken but were also held immobile in complete terror. I looked and saw that Dragonfirre as a whole had resisted the only exception had been the Associate was also frozen in terror. I looked the horrific Servitor directly in its mass and had spoken “It’s time to end this give my regards to the Dreaming God!.”. I had then began my ritual and cast not one but two break enchantment spell and on my second casting I was able to break it defenses but also the magic holding it together and then what I had not expected happened. I had called both Mack Daddy and Gizmo Dent to my side to support me and only Mack Daddy had been able to make it before being himself frozen which had left Mickey the Torch, the Associate and I to experience the full power of the resulting explosion that rocked the suite as the magics holding the Servitor together had been disrupted. I had hoped for the best that the bodies that were hurled out of the aberration as it died would finally be able to find peace in Hades what I had not expected or foreseen was the explosion of fire and lighting that had blasted me out of the doorway some twenty feet back. I was badly hurt and slightly protected by the draconic aura of Mickey the Torch how I loved every part of him but of course due to my acrobatic skill had landed on my feet. It was then that as I looked for the Associate and saw his headless body lying beside me that I realized the price I had paid for my desire to defeat the Servitor and lay claim to its Elder Thing servants and the knowledge they possessed. The life blood of the Associate lay before me and he had transformed to his almost real Changling form and his head was missing and I realized that somehow he must have instead of dancing away stepped right into the blast and paid dearly for it. Already I could barely feel his mind as it slipped away as I had pulled myself together and informed the others that the Associate was down and no doubt dead I am amazed by the poise I had been able to maintain. I could see that the ones who I had hoped would have been to help him first were occupied as Slick Rick was looking terrible and I truly understood the power of the Elephantine Avatar for the creature seemed to be striking and tearing him to bits. Slick Rick had even called out to Clean Eugene who must have seemed to the creature as no more than an insect for healing and instead I could see the fury of Hercules was upon him as he had swung away still failing to penetrate the hide of the Avatar. My darling Dirty Anna had broken from her bloodlust and came racing to our aid but she had exhausted herself making it that far and Scrounger leapt from the bag grabbing her mega potion that I had not even realized she still possessed and tried to administer it the to the body of the Associate. Sadly he it was not strong enough and failed to rejuvenate him its invaluable contents wasted. I had beseeched Mickey the Torch to try and save the Associate and I realize I may never forgive him for what he did next and only his actions immediately afterward prevented me from unleashing all of my power against him. For he had rose turned and said he would take care of it and then breathed fire on the Associates body almost reducing it to no more than ash and then he sprinted off to the side of Slick Rick and I could see his hands glowing as he released the power of his healing touch into him and I am sure saved his life. He had chosen to abide by the wishes of the Associate regarding if he ever fell in battle to destroy his body and had chosen to not risk trying to heal him in order to ensure that the Guardian of Forest’s Heart known on Emerald as Slick Rick did not fall in battle against the Avatar. He had protected Dirty Anna, Scrounger and myself as we had all been within the area and Dirty Anna had called out “Why did you do that?” and he had responded coldly “I was only fulfilling his wishes.”. I did not want to continue but we were still in battle and I had fulfilled my part of the bargain with Shan the Elder Thing who had been trying to but failing to resist my control as my companions had continued to attack his friends. So I had informed Shan that as I said I would that its Servitor master who had summoned them here had been defeated at my hand and it was time to convince his companions to stand down and withdraw to a neutral corner and my companions in return would cease attacking them since I had just completed my part of the business transaction it was time for it to acquiesce. Shan came through and Lucky Ron who I was able notice had started to smoke ceased to burn and my companions let them withdraw to the neutral corner I had indicated. I had also informed Shan that once this was over it that its friends were free to go but that I wanted to continue our conversation before it left. Shan had informed me that it wanted to leave with its friends and I assured it that it was in no danger and we would talk again after we dealt with the Elephantine Entity since it had told me it could not leave anyway until Eggland released the wards on the exit. It was out of range to reach Eggland telepathically and therefore I did not make the connection that there was more to Eggland than met the eye but the connection would be revealed in due time.

What happened next once we only had the Avatar of the Elephantine Entity to deal with was only a matter of time and after a few well placed displacement spells on Slick Rick and Clean Eugene which also gave me plenty of time to restore myself back to full health with my Wand of Curing the Avatar was down. Dirty Anna had even managed to lose Death Dealer as hit must not have been able to contain the power of her eldritch power. I had of course tried to telepathically convince it to stand down and surrender but I realized to late that my ego once again got in the way for upon realization that it’s master had been defeated it went into a rage intent on destroying us or actually me since I had of course let it know I had defeated its master. Alright was it my fault that the crazy creature wanted revenge and perhaps had failed to realize that it’s former Elder Thing allies fell in line with the big dog in the house and I had already proven who was the big dog even as the big cat on the scene Slick Rick now that we had it surrounded mauled it to pieces. Perhaps I could have shown it mercy for perhaps its ego had not allowed it to so easily surrender but I was angered by the death of the Associate and I felt mercy was too good for the likes of such a vile creature. So as the Avatar had finally been put down like the mangy vile abomination it was I was indeed surprised to find that it was none other than Eggland. I did not know how the Servitor had performed the switch which was a mystery to be solved with the aid of my Shan and its other Elder Thing companions.

We were left with the clean up and the aftermath of our battle had left me quite hungry as well as horny and I really wanted nothing more than to drown myself in pleasure and drunken abandon but as Lucky Ron I am sure would have reminded me if I had asked we still had work to do. So I had pressed on into the suite that held our alternate bodies and I will admit it was kind of morbid but also kind of neurotic in an odd sexual way. I had of course cast arcane sight and I was impressed to notice that each of our bodies seemed to possess items that each of us might very well be able to use. I could at least take heart that my other self evil or no still had good taste. For while I had wished more had survived on my copy I was only able to salvage a few still useful magical items. So in the end I came away with minor items that I actually wanted which included a Ring of Sustenance, an Amulet of the Mage, a Healing Belt, an Eternal Wand of True Strike and even a three extra Blessed Bandages. The Ring of Sustenance oddly was already bonded to me which was a clue to the mystery but still not proof one way or the other on if our doppelgangers were dimensional or temporal. Sadly there were no items among the bodies with which were powerful enough to restore the Associate and while I was still searching I could see the others contemplating what to do with their bodies. I could tell by the stern look on the face of Clean Eugene what he had planned for our doppelgangers was the fire and I could tell he was eager for Mickey the Torch to get started but I of course felt the need to abide by convention just in case and placed a gold coin in the mouth of each of the bodies for Charon the boatman who might very well ferry their souls to Hades. I looked around and I saw Mickey the Torch paying close detail to the body of the Associate’s doppelganger and I could see he was collecting mundane items from the body. I had a lot still on my mind while we were for the moment it seemed out of the frying pan we seemed never to be able to get away from the fire but such I have come to guess is the fate of Dragonfirre.

As I had stood looking down upon the remains of my old friend and his doppelganger I was struck with the irony of our situation and the cost I had paid because of my ambition and greed. I realized I should have called upon my fey ties and summoned the noble Unicorns who if they had been present could have saved my friend the Associate. In truth I had asked Swami Donnie to try and keep the situation and what was going on during the entire affair in his vision and it had been my belief that he would have warned me if anything I was about to do could have backfired. I have even gone over everything in my mind and none of the Elder Things had even believed what I had done was even possible and the Avatar itself was shocked and enraged as well. Therefore I could only conclude that Dragonfirre and I were doing much better this time around be that temporally or dimensionally speaking not that it really mattered but it was still a fact worth noting. So was the explosion that had taken the life of my dear Associate something that I could have deduced as a possibility I truly thought not but I still felt horrible as I had lost a friend and I had deep down believed we would be friends if not lovers to the end. That was the tragedy for after all that had transpired to change all of us it had been a question of conflict between Mickey the Torch and the Associate of which I always felt myself in the middle and had been unable to resolve that may have contributed to his death. Of course I realized that the battle had been won and if Mickey the Torch had delayed to heal the Associate who he had vowed to never heal it might have cost instead the life of Slick Rick and the fulcrum we needed in the battle might have been torn asunder. I am sure I would have still found a way to prevail but the loss of life on our end of the equation I feel would have been much higher. The truth is I had manipulated the Associate into that room and used his own honor code or perhaps even his feelings I may never know to compel him to my side and while I had believed him more than capable and resourceful enough to aid me he had voiced his concern on my plan. In the past before he had rejected me I might have heeded his advice but he would have had to earn back my trust. Sadly in the battle he had performed admirably both on the field of battle slaying ghost and hooded servants even coming to the aid of other members of Dragonfirre when Lucky Ron had misplaced his Katana to reminding everyone that Diamond Jim was on deaths door. I do not doubt that after we had been victorious I might have even let him show me just how much he wanted back into my good graces and I would have eagerly taken advantage of every morphing Fey Changling sexual trick he knew and even a few I had invented in my own mind. Perhaps it had been the distractions for not only was I still coming to terms with my own Sidhelien nature and my Mindsight but I had also been concerned about bringing order to the chaos that I felt was getting of hand within Dragonfirre. It’s not like I wanted to suddenly impose a mandate on anyone’s individual freedom but I had came to the realization that we needed to be all on the same page in regards to succeeding in our mission to defeat the Dreaming God. I will admit I might still believe that I could complete the entire mission without any of them and they were perhaps only holding me back but there was a chance no matter how small that I might be overestimating my own ability. Regardless I had to look logically at the odds which were no longer just some abstract reality in my own mind but now a physical reality for all to see. No what Dragonfirre needed was to lay all the cards on the table so that we could find a way to bring all of individual strengths together and in the end be stronger for it. While the Associate to my regret would no longer be a part of that meeting and while I had considered a raise dead scroll as an option I knew that would have failed for he had lost his head and his only other option would have been reincarnation. Reincarnation to me was a concept that was more a curse or punishment than a gift and the only way for it to be a true restoration of all you once were was with the greatest of magics either a miracle or a wish otherwise you took your chances you could just as easily come back as a disgusting Gnome or even a pathetic Goblin. The Associate in past had discussed the matter years ago and my feeling against the concept had only grown stronger in passing years and even the Associate had told me of extravagant terms he would have required before even considering it. Believe it or not he had told me he would want to be consulted and informed of how he had died before making the decision to return. He had gone on to explain how if his honor could be preserved he would be willing to endure the whole affair until a means was found to restore him back to his normal form. While in the past he was always nimble I had even then began to realize he possessed an iron will for I know I might be considered vain but know I could not endure being trapped in some strange body with only the hope that I might one day be restored. Well if we had been on Hyboria perhaps we might have been able to find the means to speak with his spirit or even find or barter for a miracle or wish which I would have done without hesitation but here on Emerald I had no such options. Perhaps in the future as our quest continued I could restore him and for the love of Aphrodite I could pray for that day but that day was in the future and did not help the situation. So I was left with dealing with the Shan Elder Thing and either preparing myself to disrupt the magical warding on the door or find a way to take it over either way we were getting out of there one way or another. There was another strange aftereffect of the Ring of Sustenance I now wore for not only was I no longer hungry or thirsty but I no longer hungered for sexual release and for the first time in what felt like decades I felt sexually sated. It helped bring clarity of thought that I often only found after an orgy or with a really talented lover and I felt at peace. I felt ready to face my companions within Dragonfirre and confront head on the obstacles that stood in our way to defeating the Dreaming God and restoring the dream of Hyboria before we let our own differences and philosophies lead us to our own destruction and I felt confident. I will miss my dear friend the Associate but his death had taught me a valuable lesson united Dragonfirre must stand or divided we would without a doubt fall and by I swear by my love of Aphrodite and all that was Hyboria I will not let his sacrifice be forgotten.