Patron 15

 

Chapter 339 (by Chroias)

Nefret had been expecting something a bit more spectacular, but by now she knew better. Most of magic wasn't all glamour and glitz but rather decent spells that served a good purpose. A few cryptic words and the mirror began to spin. A slight, lurching sensation, and Nefret was firmly planted back in her own body.

She sighed, only to hear the same reaction from Mozenrath. Gingerly, she tapped his shoulder. "Mozenrath...are you alright?” The answer was a short mutter and his shoulder being jerked from her hands.

"Well fine then!" Nefret wished she could explain the sudden well of emotions overcoming her. Maybe it came from being stuck in Mozenrath's body too long. "I just don't understand you!" she grabbed Mozenrath and forced him to turn around, though he didn't offer much resistance. "No! This time you listen to me! For nearly four years I have been here for you and Chroias! I know you'll never admit it, but we're friends Mozenrath. Master to minion died so long ago! And yet you won't even share what’s hurting you with me!"

"Thats because it's none of your business!" he hollered back in her face. "Believe it or not...I don't care at the moment." he tried to stand only to have her firm hand knock him back to the chair.

"Gods Mozenrath you don't even see yourself do you? Have you ever seen your own face when your angry...or sad? You look so strong all the time and people always expect you to be. It's gotten so that you expect yourself to be super human or something." She grasped the sides of his face, forcing his eyes to stop avoiding her and look. " Just talk to me! If nothing else I've earned that from you."

"Your right Nefret..." he said in a soured voice. "You've earned the right to have me talk to you." His expression didn't change, his grimace and half lidded eyes never for an instant wavering. "What do you want to know Neffie?"

That tone scared her. His was acting altogether too calm, too rational. Like he had never had an angry moment in his life. It was the same tone a snake with a voice might use to lure a frog into its hole. And there was no way she was going to end up the frog. "Tell me about Distane." Nefret said suddenly.

Mozenrath stiffened in his chair and tried to shrug it off. "You know everything you need to know. He... abused me. Mentally, physically...sexually." The last word was said with a choked reluctance, like he was pretending not to care about it. "But I'm over it."

"Your lying." Nefret got closer and took Mozenrath's hands in hers. "Chroias told me all of that, I know what he did in the most literal sense." she smoothed her thumbs over the tops of his knuckles in a relaxing gesture.

"If Chroias told you, then why do you want to hear me say it? Do you enjoy hearing about how I suffered?" He snorted out, trying to turn the tables and make her angry. Nine times out of ten, if he accused her of something, Nefret would run from the room in a huff and leave him be. This, apparently, was the tenth time.

Nefret didn't even flinch. "No Moze. I don't." her voice became soft and consoling. " I love you Mozenrath. Not in the same way as Chroias, but the emotion is just as strong." she looked straight into his eyes and saw fear building up. Fear that he might reveal something to her and never be able to take it back. "It's alright Moze..." she promised. It was just as hard for her to reveal the emotion of love to Mozenrath as it was for him to admit fear.

"You have no idea what you’re talking about..." His voice was low now, scared, controlled in a way she'd never heard it before. "This isn't a part of me you want to know."

"Your right, it isn't. I'm scared of finding this out Mozenrath. Just as scared as Chroias was when she first discovered it. But I want to help. Sometimes...friends tell each other things, even when it might not be something that they want to hear. But in the end it's all for the best."

"All for the best?" Mozenrath could feel a strange anger rising inside him.

"Yes. No matter what."

Mozenrath's fists shook. "Are you saying that what he did to me was all for the best?" he didn't even listen to Nefret's protest. That wasn't what she'd meant at all. He suddenly reached for and wrenched Nefret's arm into his hold, forcing her close to him. "Are you saying that the way he made me hurt....the way he used to make me bend to him..." Rancid memories flooded his mind and he could feel the gut twisting in his stomach.

"Thats...that not what I meant...Mozenrath!" she tried to reason but he was beyond that right now. It terrified her to have him so angry, so afraid, and all of that emotion directed at her. But Nefret wasn't truly scared until he had suddenly pushed her into the chair, hovering over her in a manner that she was sure had been used on him so long ago.

            "Do you have any idea...even the slightest idea what that feels like?" He yelled in her face, he saw her try and turn away and suddenly grabbed her chin, his voice shaking as he tried to speak. "Do you know what rape is like?" she saw her shake her head no. It was the first time he'd ever used the word to describe what Distane had done to him. "It hurts...it hurts so much worse then anything else...and it's not just the forced entry, it's the fact that you’re vulnerable! " he pushed her deeper into the chair. "It's the fact that something is happening to you and you can’t do anything to stop it! And worse, you accept things from that person. You accept their teaching....you allow them to feed you...to house you...like they we're paying you..."

The rant could have continued further, and probably would have, if for the fact that Mozenrath's control was at a minimum. He just suddenly stopped speaking and pulled away from her. "Get out..." he said in a low voice.

Nefret didn't even try to argue. It was the first time she'd ever had him so close to her like that. He'd been so angry, so cold, like he could have killed her right then and there. And that thought hurt her. She leapt from the chair and bolted out of the room, running down the halls ways at top speed. The thudding of her feet echoing against the walls. She hadn't wanted to make him feel so angry, just to make him open up a little. We'll she'd gotten that, more then she'd ever wanted. She didn't even look up till she'd run headlong into a tall, lean, pale body. "Chroias!"

"Yes...and a hello to you too." she smiled and pulled a meowing kitten off her back. "Mepho says hi too." The green haired demoness smiled and suddenly noticed the near bawling expression on her friends face. "Nefret... Neffie....what’s wrong?" she asked with the sudden feeling that she'd been gone to long.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mozenrath sat down in his chair, hard. His rage had left him out of breath and shaking with revulsion at his own actions. 'What am I becoming?' he hung his head and began to sob quietly. 'She didn't deserve that. Not for trying to help me.'

He'd heard, somewhere, a very long time ago, that the first step to recovery was to admit that you had a problem. And, with no small amount of bitterness, Mozenrath admitted his.

 

Chapter 340 (by Nefret)

            Chroias drew her brows together and grasped Nefret’s trembling arms. The girl looked like she’d just nearly escaped something with her head on her shoulders. “Is something going on here?” She asked firmly.

            Nefret’s mouth gapped for a moment, looking for the right words. If she said Mozenrath had yelled at her Chroias would probably stomp in there, give him what for, and screw that poor mixed up man further and also bring wrath upon her head again . Nefret suddenly pulled her back up straight, shook her head till her hair fell back into place. In a slightly shaken voice. “Welcome home.” And with that she stepped away from the bewildered demoness and walked swiftly down the hall.

            Chroias only got enough sense to turn back to question Nefret when she was already around the corner and out of sight. She’d come home the second her work was done, but it just wasn’t soon enough, guessed Chroias.

            Really, the pair lived together without her for at least a year, how did they come out of it living? The demon shook her head and walked down the hall.

            Mozenrath was quaking in his chair. Silent convulsions of stifled cries heaving his shoulders. What he had done was just more proof that somewhere deep inside him was a beast in the darkness, and it’s face was that of his mentor. Perhaps the cycle of abuse was unbreakable.

            The sorcerer’s lips pulled up in revulsion. No, he would not become a shadow of that MONSTER!

            A soft sound came from the door. There was no need to look up to see who it was, Nefret would not have been stupid enough to come back in his presence so soon, little did he expect to see hide or hair of his minion for at least the next morning.

            Chroias felt her heart rip and mind spin when she caught sight of her lover hunched in his chair in obvious pain. It didn’t last long, a second after a sound announced her presence Mozenrath fell motionless, trying to act as if nothing was going on.

            “Moze?” Her claws clinked off the floor as she padded forward, almost afraid to find out what was going on. “Tell me what’s happened.” She fell to the floor between his feet and leaned her arms against his lap.

            “Nefret asked to know the darker side of me.” His voice was cold and precise, almost mechanical. “I showed her is all. She just wasn’t ready to know.”

            Chroias shook her head, somehow understanding what had occurred in the room, as if it was recorded and played on a screen. “Oh Moze…. The only important thing was that YOU were ready to tell it.” Her pale arms wrapped around his waist and held him close. Moze didn’t put his arms around her, only sat there like a burned out light bulb.

*****

            Nefret had taken refuge in a rarely used parlor. She’d let Chroias smooth over Mozenrath’s feathers, besides if she got to close to Moze now he might just break her neck. In the mean time she was strangely happy with herself. Mozenrath nearly coming to blows with her over his emotions bursting forth was somehow better then Mozenrath sitting with his straight unchanging face and letting his feelings feaster inside his soul. Still his face haunted her, it was so twisted, so very close to hers as he screamed. In that moment Mozenrath could have done anything to her, he could have raised his hand, broken bones, brought her blood to the surface. He was capable of any of those things at that moment, when his emotions came roaring from the cage in his mind.

            Nefret closed her eyes, if what he was hiding could do that to him….. than things were a lot worse than she had first thought at first.

            What was done was done; there was no turning back now, and no shoving those penned up emotions back in a cage. They were out and about, Mozenrath would never find peace until he came to terms with them. However her master had proved himself to be unwilling to do just that…. Alone.

            If things were to be settled it might take all of them… and maybe a bit of divine intervention.

            Nefret fell on one knee, extended her right arm at knee level and spoke softly. “Hathor, lady of heaven, Patron of love, I call you to me. Bring your brother in the divine Khensu, master of healing. Let him bring Maat, the truthful judge. Hathor, bring Ra, who is your father, son and husband, that he might shed light upon the land.”

            And that said, Nefret danced long and hard until. Driven by religious frenzy, recent fear, and the honest want to help, she fell into blind into her steps and the sweat ran off her body. Exhausting herself she slept where she fell as, in the sky above, the moon rose as if called upon to pour blue silver light into the rooms of the Citadel.

 

Chapter 341 (by Chroias)

"I'm tired of being like this Chroias." Mozenrath said the next morning when the warmth of his lover’s body was overshadowed by the coldness of realization. She said nothing, only tightened her hold on him. "I'm tired of the dreams, I'm tired of hating, I'm tired of making people hurt." He'd spent half the night staring at the ceiling, just trying to put the words together right. Now that it was coming out of his mouth, he didn't want to stop. "I want this to stop." He removed his gauntlet, showing his bleached digits to the demon. "I want this to be gone."

Chroias kissed his cheeks, then his nose, then his lips. "It's not going to happen over night love. It's going to take time, and you'll probably end up hurting twice as much before this is over." she caressed his hand. "Also...your glove...it's like an addiction. Like kicking a drug, you'll have to go cold turkey." Chroias tried to think through everything she knew about the glove. "You'll be miserable.

"Can't possibly be any worse then the way I feel right now." Mozenrath muttered and began to put the gauntlet back on, only to have Chroias snatch it away from him. "Hey!"

"It starts today." She snapped her fingers and the gauntlet evaporated into thin air. "I wanted to do this years ago, but it would have been useless without a conscious effort on your part. You've admitted you want this all to end, well then it ends compliantly." a strict look came over her face, but her eyes still held deep love and compassion for him. "Try not to hate me when this is all over." she whispered and kissed him deeply.

"I could never hate you Roi." Mozenrath said slowly and gently caressed her cheek. "I'll be fine." he felt a tug inside his guts. The gauntlet was already pulling at him. He'd been separated from the glove before, but it had not been voluntary. All those times it had been Aladdin removing the thing from his grasp. Now...now the only thing keeping it away was Mozenrath's desire to have it gone from his life. And that made the violent spirit inside angry.

"Just remember. I love you...and so does Nefret. We're here for you no matter what." She promised and gently began tracing circles inside his thighs. "Speaking of our little minion, you need to apologize."

"Apologize! She pried to far into my life! Why should I...?" Mozenrath felt a tug in his chest and realized what was rising. With the gauntlet gone, the darkness Distane had planted in him was fighting to stay on top. "I'll...I'll go talk to her." he promised and sighed. "This will not be easy."

"Nothing worth doing every is." Chroias muttered. "This is about you Mozenrath. It's not about me or Nef or anybody else. It's about you and your need to live beyond what your master had intended for you." she draw her fingers up his thigh. She could feel the pull of the Gauntlet beginning inside him and growled to herself. The effects were already starting. 'I won't let you keep this hold over him.' she warped her arms around him again. "Mozenrath...make love to me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nefret lifted herself from the floor with a headache and a cold cheek. She knew she'd passed out the night before and still felt unsure about showing up for breakfast this morning. 'Of course if I don't show up he'll come looking for me and this will start all over again' Groaning, she struggled up and dusted herself off.

Just as she'd went opened the door, Mozenrath opened the other side. "Nefret?" he stuck his head in and saw Nefret's eyes get wide...as though he might repeat last nights mistake. "No...I just came to see you." He entered and began to approach her.

Automatically, Nefret took four steps back. "You can say whatever you have to say from right there." She pointed at a stop in the floor five feet away from her. "I have excellent hearing, I'll catch everything..." suddenly she noticed the white bones of Mozenrath's hand peeking out from underneath his sleeve. "What...what happened to your gauntlet?"

"It's gone." he muttered, shivering. Just those words caused pain in his hand. "And it will not come back!" Mozenrath said firmly, as though convincing himself. "I got rid of it with some help from Chroias."

"But without your gauntlet won't you..." Nefret covered her mouth. Surly he wasn't trying to commit suicide!

"No. The sharks tooth will keep me alive no matter what. But that’s not going to make the Gloves hold on me any easier to break. I'll live...but I won't be in the best of conditions for a very long time. And..." he grimaced, turning his head away in shame. "I'll lose...almost all of my magic."

Nefret sat down with a heavy thud. "Oh Moze..."she whispered.

"I guess...I should remove this." Mozenrath said suddenly and did the last thing Nefret would have expected. He removed her anklet. "Your still mine Nefret...per our agreement...but..."he tried to think of a way to say it. "I know...you've been given opportunities to leave before...I...I don't feel the need to force you to stay." he looked at her and for a split second, his eyes were naked.

Nefret realized that this was a gesture not only of apology...but also of trust. 'I'm trusting you not to leave me...even when it gets to the bad part...I need you.' It was gone in the same instant and his softness hardened again. "I'll ...I-I...umm." She wished desperately for something to say. Some way to reassure him without making him feel humiliated for this moment. "Thank you..." she muttered, half breathless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chroias watched as both Nefret and Mozenrath walked down the stairs. Both we're trying to make sense of what had just happened, and therefore were avoiding each other’s eyes. 'Are you sure about this Roi?' came a soft, silky voice to the demon's right. 'Madness will take your love for a moment or two...and he's libel to take it out on the mortal.'

'For the last time Mepho, her name is Nefret!' Chroias mentally snapped at the kitten. ‘And he won't hurt her.'

'Are you so sure? Perhaps you let your obvious love for them sway your judgment.' Mepho wasn't trying to be cruel or pessimistic, only observant. He was right about the serious danger. Chroias was safe enough, not only by her magical powers but by her physical strength. But Nefret... 'I know her tongue may seem as sharp as a blade, but it does not cut the same way.'

Chroias sighed. 'There is no choice. I could order her to leave, and she wouldn’t. She loves him, same as I do.'

'Yes...I noticed..'

There was something about the tone. 'What do you mean you noticed?'

Mepho merely smiled, and began preening his fur.

 

Chapter 342 (by Nefret)

            Mozenrath sat down heavily at the table as Nefret swept though the room and into the narrow doorway leading to the kitchen. Chroias reached over the table and smoothed Mozenrath’s hand as he sighed. The lack of sleep the previous night had left dark circles under his eyes, still, to the demon, he lover had never looked so handsome. He was finally facing his demons, baring her of course. Mozenrath was taking a man’s position and no longer running from his fears like a scared child. It may have taken years of his young adult life but the sorcerer was finally ready to become mature in this section of his being. Never had he been so handsome as now.

            Mepho’s words were strange but the need not be addressed now. “Are things… straightened out again?” Chroias traced her lover’s knuckles with a finger.

            Mozenrath lifted his head to her and produced an object from under his cloak. The anklet sparked in the light as he turned I slightly for her display. The latch had been pulled so that both snakes twining around the circumference were hinged away from the metal, fanning out at each side. The ruby no longer held the same luster, it seem almost brown now. “Put this wherever you hid the gauntlet.” And that was his answer to the question.

            Chroias felt a pride swell up in her as she clasped the metal in her hand, drawing it under the table and drawing her hand back a second later, the anklet gone. “I love you Mozenrath.” She said softly.

            Mozenrath closed his eyes. In one day he’d gotten rid of two instruments of power, but the two most important people in his world had said that phrase. Inside his heart was pulled by the statements to courage, his mind was pulled to darkness by the gauntlet. “You must be strong Chroias. I…... I will no longer be the strongest one here…” His throat clenched. “for just a while!” He assured himself. “And when my magic is gone… oh when my magic is gone who will I protect you and Nefret?” The pull on his mind was winning, like a perverse game of tug of war. “Maybe this is a bad idea… The past has shown…..”

            Chroais could feel the pull of the guanltet over riding the lovers better judment. “No.” Her voice was strict and unyielding. “No excuses. You know full well I can take care of myself.” She put an end to the conversation by picking up her fork and digging into the breakfast plate given to her by a mumluk.

            Mozenrath nodded, the tug of war game suddenly being reversed. Ashamed at his weakeness he dug his heals in twice as hard into his commitment. “That’s my girl.” He managed a smile. Mozenrath uncovered his plate and shifted the food around with his spoon. He knew somewhere in his hear that the biggest danger to them now was himself but he refused to admit to himself that he could ever even try to hurt them.  Nefret appeared finally with her own plate and sat down to eat.

Mozenrath watched as both girls pushed their plates away and leaned back to sigh when they had had their fill. He looked at his half filled plate and felt his stomach learch. Just the smell of the heavy eggs and the thick cream made him queasy. His system was now running without a major support, it wasn’t handling things so well now.

Chroias pulled her lips to one side as Mozenrath spooned up some of the thick mixture and let if fall back to his plate, his face becoming green. Silently she looked to Nefret, who at the moment was to busy rejoicing in the sight of the tanned flesh of her ankle to realize the menu wasn’t going over so well the master of the house.  Quietly the demon walked to the kitchen, coming back later to set a plate of dry toast and apples before the lover.

            Somehow this didn’t stop Mozenrath from becoming ill later in the day. It wasn’t that bad.. yet. He just felt… old. How horrible it was to feel old when you were just beginning in life. Mozenrath wondered he halls restless. Every time he’d sit he felt this insensible want to move around… almost like he was…. Looking for something.

            “Ah.” Moze pushed away that thought. The scary truth was he was looking, even if subconsciously. He needed something to do… “Something to do…. Something to do..” He looked around. Nothing sparked his interest in particular.

            “Find me.” Came a voice deep from his mind, as if answering his quest for something to do. Mozenrath froze, had he heard it or imagined it… Imagined, defiantly imagined…

            “Mozenrath!” Came a sweet voice, breaking his sudden panic.

            “Yes love?” Moze turned and smiled at the green haired girl.

            Chroias smiled and clasped her hands behind her back, trying to look as innocent as a demon could. “Come for a ride with me? Now you cant say no, I’ve got the horses saddled.”

            “Ride? You know I dislike riding.” Mozenrath snorted in disgust. 

            “Come one! Fresh air, the wind in our hair. Just you and me.” Chroias persuaded, Mozenrath looked unsure. “It will make you feel better, it will give you time to think..” Chroias ran a hand though his hair until he nodded.

***

            Horse and rider came in late and for that matter exhausted. One never reailized how big one’s land is until they spend the one entire eveining exploring it. The citadel was dark and quiet when the two steeped through door. Nefret having already retired to her room.

            Chroias stretched and yawned. “I’m going to bed now, coming?”

            “Not now, I’m not tired.” Mozenrath lied, what her really meant was he couldn’t sleep. Most of their ride had been spent in silence, Mozenrath deep in thought and Chroias letting him since she knew he was more than likely putting his thoughts in order before he came to talk to her. That was fine, as long as he DID come to talk to her.

            “Alright love.” She smiled and kissed him.

            Mozenrath let out a deep breath as he fell into his throne. He was exhauseted physically but his mind would allow him no sleep. Damn it all. It would be along night, staring into the darkness… alone.

            He streached out is feet and suddenly bumped against something solid. On the floor was a stack of books. The sorcerer hummed and picked them up, they were not the normal books you’d find in the citadel. They were not of magic or spells. They were the  kinds of book fathers read to their children at night. Silly fanciful tail meant to entertain without much need for intellectualism.

            Between the covers of the first book was a note. Reading it Mozenrath smiled and shook his head a bit… perhaps he was not alone; perhaps he’d never been alone. As Mozenrath turned the first page of the book the note drifted to a spot of lamp light on the floor.

“Congratulations, my lord, on your first day of recovery. Tonight may prove to be a restless night. You have thought long and hard, doubtless. Let tonight be a retreat, remind yourself of the good. I hope you enjoy the stories.

            ~Nefret”

 

Chapter 343 (by Chroias)

Growing up, the rare occasion that a typically high born child like Mozenrath would have to read, ended up being spent avoiding his master. And even then, the only books around the Citadel had very very little to do with fantasy tales or whimsical poetry. Distance found them to be a waist of time. Which was probably why Mozenrath buried his head deep inside the volumes Nefret had given to him.

Each book held something he wasn't yet used to, a perspective of life that he could quite grasp. The Good shall always triumph over Evil concept had been banned from his childhood. There was no Good, not in the surreal sort of holiness that the chapters talked about. At least, that’s what he'd been made to believe. The only words Distane used to describe as good was power! The more power, the better.

'And it was a concept I followed blindly.' Mozenrath felt shamed to see that inside himself. It was not his nature to follow an idea like a dog follows the smell of steak. Yet the whole time, all he'd ever truly wanted power for was to rid himself of Distane. Where had that desire changed? When had the simple conquering of his own destiny transpierced to the conquering of the world?

Mozenrath shook his head away from the thoughts of the past. He had left the main character in rather sticky situation involving a cliff and a gryphon and had an incredible desire to return to the events.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chroias, unknown to her lover, kept watch from the rafters. She made no sound on the wooden beams, only the slightest whisper of a breath as she saw Mozenrath turn page after page, reveling in the words he'd never before indulged in. She smiled and sighed. It felt good to see him enjoy so simple a pleasure as reading.

'A good book is a joy forever.'

Chroias turned to see her misfit kitten crawling over the beams to meet her. 'Where have you been?'

'Oh just meandering. Nefret has done a wonderful things for her master you know. I can not help but wonder if there is something behind it.' Mepho licked his paw looked down at Mozenrath.

'What are you going on about Mepho?' Chroias thought commandingly. 'I'll have you know the relationship between Mozenrath and Nefret is pure friendship...'

'I never said any different!'  Mepho proclaimed. ‘But...'

'Damn it Mepho come out and say it!' She snapped and the kitten jumped. Chroias was in no mood to play. With Mozenrath's current condition bound to grow worse, she needed to be firm.

Mepho shook himself and mewled gently, frustrated. 'I can't tell you EVERYTHING! You'll just have to wait and see what time produces.' With that he climbed back through the beams and walked on down the halls, his tail twitching back and forth with mischief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mozenrath was so deep into the book he didn't even notice when Nefret snuck down from her bedroom to sneak a midnight snack. She tried desperately not to chuckle at Mozenrath's current position. His legs were elevated on the arm rest and his neck was tilted to the side so as to give a look of comfort. The once narrowed eye were now wide and excited as he was drawn further into the pages.

With a soft smile, Nefret poured a cup of mulled wine and set it on the table beside her master...her friend. She snuck a quick look at what he was reading. It was an old book, one of the few she'd carried with her from Egypt. She smiled and quietly back away, taking her nightly snack with her.

Mozenrath lifted his head from the paragraph he'd been reading and smiled when he saw the wine on the table. He watched from the corner of his eye as Nefret disappeared up the stairs, arms ladened with food. Really he should have stopped her, but he didn’t really want to get up from the chair. Mozenrath took a sip of the wine and went back to reading.

Right around chapter twenty his eyes began to feel droopy and wavered shut. He made a few futile attempts at keeping them open, and then leaned his head against his arms, book laying across his stomach, and drifted off to sleep. But with the removal of the Gauntlet still fresh within his mind and struggling to regain control, the sleep was not meant to be pleasant.

*'Littlekittenlittlekittenlittlekitten!' Oh Allah it hurt so much.*

 

Chapter 344 (by Nefret)

            The sorcerer woke up sometime mid morning with a groan and a distinct feeling of his stomach contains trying to make an escape. Slowly he moved, as if he was 80 years old. Every joint and limb protested against the will of his mind. A low sound escaped his lips as his back arched, cracked, and hands came up to rub the sleep from his eyes push his hair away.

            Outside the door there were sounds, the soft click of claws on the floor and the gentle swish of a linen skirt. Moze hung his head over the armrest and one eyed the half closed door.

            “Sleep alright?”  Only silence followed, presumably the answer had been a physical gesture. “I don’t think Mozy can say the same….” More silence. A deep sigh. “Nefret, taking Mozenrath off the gauntlet is like taking opium away from an addict. You understand?” Silence again. “He’ll get sick… Have you ever seen a man coming off a drug? It breaks even the strongest. Eventually he’ll beg to have it back, he’ll plead and beseech and implore.” Both pale arms came up, visible in the crack of the door, obviously to shake Nefret’s shoulders. “You can’t give in. No matter how much it looks like it hurts him or how much it pains you. You CANT give in. And when you don’t Nef, be…. Prepared for the desperateness that follows.” The arms dropped.

            Finally the silence on the other end was broken. “I understand.”  Silence set in for a while. “I’m disappointed you’d ever think I’d give in.” A low chuckle and then the sound of claws against marble and linen against air.

            Mozenrath lifted his head back up with no small amount of effort. “Beg. They think I will beg! They will think I will cry on my knees and then go on a rampage.” He snorted at the idea, yet something in his brain recognized the words a truth.

 

            Mozenrath snuck up on Chroias and slipped his arms around her. The demon turned and smiled. “Hello love.”

            Moze gently swept his nose though her hair. “Hello” He commented softly.  “Sorry I didn’t come to bed…. I got interested in something.. and you know how I am.”

            Chroias smiled secretly. “Yes I know.” They stayed still a moment. “Those Egyptians to come up with some interesting stories don’t they? And always with the happy endings!”

            Moze laughed and poked her in the arm. “You spy on me don’t you?”

            The demon pouted. “Not spy…as much as keep an eye on you for your own good.”

            “Spy!” Moze insisted and tickled her ribs. Chroias fought back and won, getting him in a headlock. “I suppose your going to go tell me to thank Nefret.” Mozenrath rolled his eyes.

            “No.” Chroias surprised him. “You’re not going anywhere. I got you now!” She sounded evil.

            “Oh no. What ever shall I do.” Moze chuckled lowly.

 

            Still, lord and minion did run into each other, granted it was several hours later. A low murmur was coming the library. Slowly Mozenrath opened the door to find Nefret sorting the upper shelves, suspended by the fine oak library ladder. She grabbed a box and kicked the shelf with a foot, sending the ladder rolling on its track to the other side of the bookshelf. It came to a stop with a jerk and Nefret was still looking in the box.

Mozenrath smiled before suddenly grabbing both rails of the ladder and running it along the track. Nefret barely had enough time to clutch onto the wood to keep from falling off.

            “Have a nice trip?” Moze inquired when Nefret’s eyes meet his.

            She stared for a moment before huffing and putting something round, gold and heavy back in the box and shoving it behind some books. “I’ll show you a trip.” She grabbed a second box off the shelf and came down the ladder. From the box she produced the mirror, the same one they had used a few days back. “Look.” She instructed and angled the mirror so he could see her refection but not be in it.

            In the mirror’s reflection was an incarnation of Nefret not seen before. Her eyes were lined with gold foil, and a pair of small ivory heifer horn curved in crescents from her hair, between them a disk of copper. She was as if the daughter of Hathor herself.

            It didn’t take long for Moze to come up with an insult. “Well, at least this explains why you eat so much. You have the soul of a cow.”

            Nefret’s eyes grew large and she hit him on the shoulder playfully. “Okay mister never-heard-of-a-compliment, what do you see?” She smirked and handed over the mirror.

            Moze accepted the challenge and nonchalantly held the mirror to his face. His face dropped. Mozenrath appeared as a small frightened child, pale and wild-eyed, clutching his arms around himself. There was a certain amount of hate/revenge/contempt in the boy’s eyes. Silence permiated the room.

            “What?” Nefret looked at Mozenrath’s wide eyes and tried to maneuver herself to see. “What is it?”

            She mustn’t see! Mozenrath tore his eyes away and dropped the mirror. It shattered in a million pieces, the tiny fragments of shinnying glass bouncing into the air, reflecting the room, shadows clinging everywhere, acts of sheer depravity acting out in the spaces.

            Nefret dropped down in a crouch to start picking it up. “Mozenrath…” she started, the sorcerer looking down at her. The shards were going dark but he could still make out certain things…. Things that should never have been imaged again.

            “Don’t!” He commanded and dropped down beside her, sweeping the pieces up with a hand quickly. He was so immersed in trying to clean up the over looked the fact that a broken mirror is sharp.

            “Let me.” Nefret reached out a hanky to take care of the small scraps on his hand.

            “No, I’m fine.” He snatched away his hand and left the room.

 

Chapter 345 (by Chroias)

Mozenrath churched his hand to his chest and looked down at the blood. None of the wounds were large, but it was enough that his hand was now a thin red color. He felt like an idiot. He was so frightened of his past he was willing to hurt himself to keep it from being visible to anyone. Mozenrath's insides felt like they were ripped worse then his hand. A few shard of glass remained stuck in his flesh and he entered his bedroom, sitting down on the bed and taking a pair of tweezers to try and remove them.

"You'll only hurt yourself worse."

The sound of his lovers voice startled him and Mozenrath turned while the sharp ends were already in a wound, stabbing himself. "AHH!" he yelped sharply and grasped his hand, dropping the implement. Blood squirted out and he pressed his thumb to it, applying pressure.

Chroias took his hand gently in hers and made small soothing noises. "I heard a crash." she muttered and bent over to pickup the untiensle, she cleaned the sharp end and slowly picked the pieces one by one from Mozenrath's hand. blowing on the cuts to make it hurt less. She watched him wince and bite back yelps each time. "Are you going to lie and tell me you cut yourself accidentally?"

Mozenrath shook his head. "It...it was a mirror. I dropped it." Not a lie. It had been a mirror, and he had dropped it. Just the fact that him releasing his grip was intention had been left out. He'd told the truth and still managed to hide the more important part. "I tried to help Nefret pick up the pieces and cut myself."

"Umm." The sound was noncommental, made so that Mozenrath knew he had the room to continue.

"It's going to get worse." he whispered. "I can already feel it inside me, starting to pull." he saw Chroias's hand hesitate over the piece of glass in his palm, and then pluck it quickly.

"It always gets worse before it gets better." She said and waved her hand, bringing oil and a washcloth from thin air. "This will help sooth infections." she dabbed some on the cloth and pressed it too the wounds. Mozenrath yelled openly this time and she pressed his head to her chest, brushing the hair from his eyes.

"I hate this." He muttered and bit his lip when she pressed the cloth to a new rip. It felt good to have her soft fingers stroking him. At other moments he would have found such a gesture demeaning and repulsive...but for now...for now he didn't want to care.

"You’re going to hate it worse before we're done." She whispered and felt him kiss her neckline once. "Just remember...I love you...and if that isn't enough, Nefret loves you too." she looked over at the door. "Isn't that right Neffie?"

Mozenrath sat straight up as soon as she appeared in the room. How long had she been standing there? It was obvious she hadn't wanted to intrude while he'd looked so...babyish. He regretted his moment of weakness. "You might have knocked or something!" he yelled out and saw Nefret's lips thin.

" Yeah! And you coulda...!" just as suddenly she resumed normal position. Mozenrath could see her becoming determined to regain self control. "Mozenrath..." she said calmly. "Just...don't make this more difficult on us okay."

Mozenrath didn't bother to answer. This was a difficult moment. He'd never seen either of the girls like this before, so controlled, so calm around him. Of course he knew the reason why. After hearing what Chroias had said, it was obvious. They were trying to make sure he kept himself in control as long as possible. If he got angry, he was likely to lose control or hurt somebody unintentionally. It was meant for his own good, and that drove him crazy. "Stop."

Chroias and Nefret both looked at him. “Stop what?" they both answered.

"Stop dancing around me...I can't handle being babied!" he yelled and felt a part of his mind scream yes. Just as suddenly, another part of his mind screamed No even louder. He was giving in. And it felt good. "It's hard enough for me to handle this without being treated like a madman!" he yelled out and stood from the bed. Suddenly the room felt overcrowded. It was too hot! He felt like the air was squeezing him. Without another word, Mozenrath pushed both women aside and ran.

"Mozenrath!" Chroias ran down the halls after him. Within seconds Nefret was hot on her heels. "Mozenrath stop please!" she yelled out. Unfortunately, Mozenrath knew these halls better then either of them ever could. He looked like a darkly dressed ghost vanishing down one hall and then another until suddenly they lost him. "Oh damn damn damn!" Chroias whispered.

"What? Roi you don't think he's run for good do you?" Nefret panicked. "He's in pain...he's delirious. He could hurt someone!"

"No. He's not that far along yet. He's just frightened right now. The gauntlet is pulling at him constantly and he's trying to find it." Chroias leaned against a wall and put her head in her hands. "We have to find him."

"He won't actually find the gauntlet will he? I mean...he can't can he?"

"No. I wanted to destroy that thing, but I didn't create it, so I can't destroy it." Chroias pulled her green hair from her face and into a bun. "Oh Nef...I've fought against this for so long. Little by little I've managed to draw him out of his shell. Every time he gets a little closer to showing me more of his soul...and just as suddenly something happens and rips him back away and I have to start again at square one!" Little droplets of blood fell to the floor.

Nefret knelt down beside her weeping friend. "We just have to keep trying. I wish I had a better answer, but we have to keep trying." he sighed. "Can you think of where he might have gone? Anywhere he might try and escape to?"

Chroias shook her head. "I wish I could. He won't leave the Citadel, it's been his sanctuary for too long. He's probably wandering the..." she suddenly stopped crying.

"The...the...what!" Nefret stammered out and shook Chroias's shoulders. "Roi...!"

"Follow me!" Without so much as a second to explained, Chroias grabbed Nefret's arm and disappeared down the halls with her in tow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mozenrath swallowed a breath of fresh air. When he'd snuck through an old secret wall he hadn't even concentrated on where he'd gone to, but now it was all to familiar. He was barley dressed now, letting nearly all of his skin touch the cool marble. Once again he'd discovered that the coolness of the marble against his skin felt wonderful. He could revisit old memories in this room. All that covered him was the ruminants of his undergarments.

He stared up at the painted ceiling. It had been so long since he'd looked at those images. The serene image of Death hovered over his position on the floor. Old memories that had shaped him so long ago. He'd found the Gauntlet in this place. He'd read the words and freedom the demon inside, allowing it to conquer his soul. He wanted to take it all back so badly, but was it worth the cost? Was it worth the fact that he would lose nearly all but the most rudimentary of powers?

It couldn't be! No possible way it was worth it! Nothing was worth the loss of so much! He'd given up EVERYTHING to gain that magic! And now he was going to just throw it all away! Give it all up for a woman and a servant! NO! That was something he could never do! Ohhhh he was going to make those two PAY for making him believe that all he needed was their support!

Filled with rage, Mozenrath rose up from the floor and draw in ragged breaths. His body glistened with sweat and his muscle looked strained and taxed. He could hear the clicking of claws around the passages through the walls. They were coming, and when they did, he'd force that bitch of a demoness to show him where the Gauntlet was!!

 

Chapter 346 (by Nefret)

            The room was dark, and what was left of illumination was dusty and blue. In the center stood the sorcerer, his back hunched like a great beast, his fists clenching and unclenching. With each breath he took his backbone threaten to tear though his flesh, in his eyes was a wild gleam and his teeth were bared. He was no longer like a man.

            Chroias’s chest fell when she saw the sight, and the next breath she drew was shuttering. Behind her Nefret mumbled some breathy oath.

            The wild man lurched slightly. “Give it back.” He growled and eyed the demon. “Give it back!”

            Chroias’s feet slid away from each other in an aggressive stance. “No.”

            Mozenrath’s fists clenched and his head lulled from one side to the other. “No? You dare to say no to ME?” The shoulders came up and his head angled as if stretching the muscles there. “I who took care of you? I who gave you my bed, my home, my food and drink? I?! You want me to believe your love is enough!? It isn’t!!” He trashed his arms at her in disgust.

            “I will make it enough.” Chroias was calm, as if she was talking down a jumper.

            “You can never..” Moze’s zeal was growing at a fevered pace. “You kiss is not enough, your words do not satisfy me, your warmth leaves something to be desired! I need power! I need control! I need strength, I need dominance! I do not care if ALLAH himself forbids it to me, I am ABOVE even him!!”

            “No.” Chroias shook her head and Nefret stepped beside her. In unison, “No.”

            The sorcerer’s eyes went wide and he pointed a shaky finger. “I will burn villages, I will cut a path though the oceans, I will bring down mountains, I will soak the soils of the world with blood of millions to have it back!” Mozenrath lunched to them.

            “Why?” Nefret asked, not backing down.

            “Why?” Chroias repeated. This caused Mozenrath to come to a dead stop before the got halfway to them.

            “Because it is mine!! Because I gave up everything to have it even if it was not worth that much! Because it replaced all that I gave for it! BECAUSE I CAN NOT HAVE ANOTHER IN MY LIFE!” He dropped into a hunch and rocked slightly.

            “Because you do not NEED another in your life.” Chroias said softly now.

            Nefret’s stance softened into something more like a woman’s and she held out a hand.

            A part of Mozenrath wished to run into their arms and be safe and warm. This, he concluded, was no doubt that little boy he had seen in the mirror. A frighten child running into skirts of a quickly growing matriarchy. Inside oh him things were snapping and breaking, crunching together and churning. A deep want was sown in his gut; it pulled at him, pulled him into a blind rage because he could not hold it.

            “Bitches! Whores! Oh nagging women, why do you interfere in a man’s life?! You will duck your heads and tell me where you put the gauntlet!”

            The words didn’t as much make them blink. “No.”

            The time for words was over. In a second Mozenrath was up and tearing towards the two.

            Chroias was able to dodge once, but only once. He caught her on the rebound. Big hands clenched around her throat. The demon could feel one bony digit pushing into her windpipe. Mozenrath pushed her back until the back of her head bounced slightly on the wall.

            “Tell me!” He growled out as shook her ever so slightly. The demon could see his eyes were dull; he was mad now, completely bloody mad. He was the most dangerous kind of man, an insane one.

            Quickly she jammed a foot between them and flung him skidding to the ground. Nefret was there in a second. From behind she held his arms and subdued his struggles. It didn’t last long. Soon he had one arm free and Nefret was sliding across the floor.

            Chroias jumped on his back as he turned over and began to stand up. At full height Mozenrath growled and turned around lumberinly, trying to fling her off his back. The demon however dug in her hells and intended to ride until he tired himself out. A harmless way of bringing him down.

            The harmlessness of this quickly died. Mozenrath grabbed a splinter of wood from a crumbling support column and plunged it over his shoulder. The sharp wood scraped and left a red trail over Chroias shoulder blade.

            Nefret appeared running from the corner and confronted Mozenrath head on, grabbing the wrist of the armed hand and pulling it array before he could take another stab.

            Mozenrath fumbled with a girl clinging to his back and one dangling from his arm. He just wanted to get away. A sudden case of claustrophobia had over taken him. He just wanted to be rid of them! He just wanted the feel of them off him! He panicked and things flew into a storm of whirling limbs as he spun around lurched. The world was set in motion and it could no longer be seen where one body ended and one began in a great unsteady blur.

            And then the world halted and came into sharp focus.

            Chroias stood on her feet a few yards away, gasping for breath. Mozenrath stood tall, cradling the head of Nefret, who was half on her knees in front of him, her back pressed against his legs.

            The reality of the thing came to the girls suddenly. Chroias gulped and a mortal sort of fear washed over her, but not for herself. Nefret’s eyes rolled back and closed as she gripped half desperate at Mozenrath’s hands.

            An insane smile came over the sorcerer, he had the upper hand. Slowly he regripped his hand around Nefret head, fingers slipping around her cheek and behind her ear so that a quick jerk of his muscles would snap her neck. 

            “Give me the gauntlet or I’ll snap her head clean off.” He said in a slow methodical voice. He gave one small jerk of the girl’s head so that both girls jumped and a small whine escaped Nefret.

            Her lover had gone off the deep end, but he could never do such a thing. Chroias was sure of it. Mepho had warned her, but she had snapped that Mozenrath would never hurt Nefret. She believed it. She believed it! “No.”

            Mozenrath’s face became outraged, under his skin the muscles of his arms tightened like a mousetrap ready to spring. Time seemed slow. The mousetrap went off and Nefret’s head began to whip around with the force of the arm.

            And then….

            The arm lost power and slipped away. Nefret fell forward onto her hands gasping and quiet unsure if she was dead or alive. Her gasps of breath mixed with an ‘uff’ sound as Mozenrath fell to the ground behind her. Chroias’s eyes slowly lost their glow and threads of green magic returned to her skin.

            And all was still.

           

Chapter 347 (By Chroias)

Chroias knelt over her lover and pressed two fingers gently to his neck. She could still feel the steady beating of his heart, and watched the rise and fall of his chest for a few moments. "He's out cold." she pronounced as Nefret stood.

"Good!" she grabbed her bruised neck and shook her head in disbelief. "Goddess what's happened to him? Has he gone mad? Does the power have that large of a control over him?" Nefret groaned and rubbed her neck.

"Yes." Chroias answered simply. "Power corrupts Nefret. In any form it corrupts." Again she felt his neck. "My spell worked far better then I planned. He'll be out for a good four hours. But when he wakes up he's going to be twice as angry."

"What exactly did you use on him?" Nefret moved closer and helped Chroias to lift him.

"Just a simple spell. Really all it is was a charge of magic directly to his brain. Now that the magic from his own system is being forced out, my magical flow is like an overdose of adrenalin. He's gotten too much too quickly, and passed out."

"Would I sound like an idiot if I said you have completely lost me?"

"No. Just magically inept." Chroias grunted and began to lift the sorcerer. "We'll have to restrain him, if you think this was bad, wait a while. He'll come back with full strength and a headache."

Nefret saw Chroias wince as the man's weight pressed onto her shoulder. "Here." she swung Mozenrath around with some difficulty and supported the lower half of his bulk on her shoulders. "Where are we taking him?"

"Down the hall and into the bedroom. Not ours, a simpler one. Moze may be temporarily insane, but that doesn't mean he's lost his intelligence. We have to put him where there is no chance of escape, where he can't find anything to pick a lock or cut his bonds with."

In the end, that meant finding a small, windowless room and clearing it of all contents save for one, a sturdy oak chair. Nefret soon discovered what Chroias needed that for.

            They sat him upright in the chair and proceeded to tie him down. Both legs were lashed to the chair legs and then criss-crossed and tied securely. The end of the rope was trailed un and around the back of the chair and Mozenrath's arms were put behind him, lashing them together with an old knot trick Nefret knew from embroidery. Then the rope was wrapped four times around his chest and triple looped around the back, making sure that he couldn't lurch ford or anything. Finally, Chroias took out a hammer and nails and they worked solidly to hammer the thing to the floor.

All the while, Mozenrath made no noise, his mouth hanging slightly open and his eyes fluttering sporadically. His condition was quickly becoming worse and Chroias looked up nervously. His skin was soaked with sweat and the rise and fall of his chest was quickening.

"He's dreaming again." She stood as the last nail was driven in and felt his head with a cool hand. "We can't wake him, not while he's like this."

Nefret put a hand to her head for a moment and suddenly held up a finger. "I'll be right back." She bustled out the door and within a few minuets had returned with a bucket of cool water and some washrags. "Here. If we can't wake him, we can clean him. Nothing feels better then a cool bath."

With a small smile, Chroias knelt to the bucket and scooped up the rag, dipping it in the refreshing water and ringing it out. Nefret did the same and they began to douse the feverish sweat with delicate care.

Normally, Nefret would have had qualms about being this close to Mozenrath's nearly cloth less body, but as it was she supposed there was no harm in it. She'd been in that body for some time and felt a bit more comfortable with it now. 'You know, he's rather well shaped.' She'd always teased him before about being so skinny, now that she saw him without all that dark clothing in the way, he wasn't really skinny...just...lean.

Chroias arched an eyebrow as she saw Nefret begin to clean down Mozenrath's chest. Mepho's cryptic phrases came back to her, and was just as quickly shaken away. THAT was just simply NOT a possibility! And even if it was...Nefret wouldn't do anything...they were too close as friends.

So why did she get the nagging feeling that there was more to it then that?

The thoughts of both women were dismissed as Mozenrath's head rolled and his eyes flutters open. He gave a loud groan of pain and his muscles clenched as he tried to rise. The noise of ropes creaking against one another brought his eyes wide open and he began to struggle. Both ladies back up immediately.

"You will let me out of this!" he yelled and jerked against his bonds, twisting this way and that, trying to find leverage in any direction. "Let me out and give back what’s mine!” Mozenrath went wild in the chair, thrashing about. The creaking of the nails in the floor disturbed Nef a bit, she knew the capability’s of an insane mind and it's strengths. Madmen felt no pain.

Chroias took her friends arm and they back further away. Opening the door, Chroias brought in two chairs and again bolted the door shut behind them. She said nothing, only motioned to Nefret that she should sit and keep quiet. The point was now for Mozenrath to wear himself out. Then it would be time for the next stage.

Mozenrath snapped at them, calling them both things that would make a lesser woman's eyes water. No word was to crude or distasteful for the succibi who had taken what he'd worked so hard for. No language could hold the contempt of their treachery.

"Give it back to me!" he screamed in a high voice. His throat was starting to hurt from yelling too much and he breathed with difficulty. "Give it back..." he said weakly. "Please...just for a little while. Just for a few minuets. I need it. I promise no more after that..."

It amazed Chroias how competent and in control he could sound, even when desperate. Nefret looked over at her and the demoness shook her head. "No Mozenrath." she said quietly and locked eyes with her love. "No."

The rage built up again with incredible force. "Fuck you!" he spat out and began thrashing once again.

"Maybe later." Chroias said offhandedly, taking no offence. Her usually warm and sultry voice had draw itself cold and callous.

The sever, calculating woman in the chair was not the same on Nefret had grown to love. "Don't get too worried. It's not him saying these things... it's..."

"It's him Nefret." Chroias said, surprising her. "A part of him that make me frightened. He still loves me, I know that...but...but it's Distane making him think he means what he says. Distane and that perversion of a spirit inside the Gauntlet." she whispered and tried to ignore the language being launched at her.

Ten minuets passed. Then twenty, then thirty, until finally Mozenrath, gasping for breath and shaking like a dry leaf, stopped fighting his restraints. He slumped against the chair and hung his head, his muscles worn and cramping and the rope cutting in to his skin from twisting too much.

It was only then that he felt a cool hand on his chin, lifting it up. He looked into Chroias's eyes and saw wonderful...impossible love in them. Love he didn't think himself deserving of. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked.

Meekly, Mozenrath nodded and felt smaller hands on his back, massaging gently. Nefret was behind him, trying to ease the tension. He still hurt like his skin was on fire, but it was a cleansing hurt.

Chroias supported his head as he drank, and again when the stomach impulse took over and he threw it up again. Nefret was by his side as well, rubbing his back and both of them whispering soft words in his ear as he removed his stomach contents into the bucket.

Nefret lifted a glass of water when he was done and he managed to rinse most of the rancid flavor from his mouth. All the while he hadn't said a word, only accepted the soft hands with a numb detachment. There was nothing he could say.

And when the pain became too much once again, when the rage started building up inside, he held it back as long as he could, allowing them enough time to go back to their seats and away from the epicenter of his emotional earthquake.

 

Chapter 348 (by Nefret)

            Mozenrath held his muscles tight as he watched the girls slip away and slid into their chairs, as if by holding his body so tautly still he might keep his emotion locked behind strong bars of muscles and sinew. Surprisingly he no longer felt tired, his pains were numbed and all’s that was left was rage.

            At the sound of the bell round two began. But would this be the match that would decide the fight?

            Calmly, not looking up. “Give it back.” It was so reasonable it would make Chroias look wrong not to accept.

            The demon didn’t care of appearances. “you know the answer to that.”

            Mozenrath’s head shot up and he pulled against the ropes with either shifting shoulder, the braids of hemp groaned. “Do as I say woman!! Do it now! Do it!” He screamed so impossibly hard it seemed the rough edges of the words would cut his throat to pieces.

            Neither girl moved, they sat instead straight in their chairs, hands placed delicately their laps. Their eyes, oh the eyes of ruby and cold dark stone seemed to cut right though him.

            The sorcerer make the ropes groan and the nails screech as he fought, his body leaning to the girls. “You have no right to do this! You were an accident of the gods! A disgusting filthy creature of hell! Allah will not even look at you!” Funny how madmen always turn holier than thou. Mozenrath pulled back his head, made a rumbling sound and came back up to spit thickly at Chroias.

            Silently Nefret took one of the washcloths and handed it to the demon to clean herself. This only antagonized Mozenrath further.

            “How dare you!” the sorcerer turned his glare to his minion. “You betray me?! You forge yourself with my enemies after ALL I have done for you?! Whore! Going to the highest bidder!” Mozenrath slid his foot far and quick enough to kick a bit of dust up in Nefret’s direction. “Get off your fat ass and release me! Your master orders you!” The last words were yelled so hard his body shook and a spray of spit issued from his mouth.

             “He does not. It is the words of YOUR master spoken though you that orders me. I have no loyalty to that man.” The Egyptian spoke soft but left no question.

            “I HAVE NO MASTER!” Mozenrath’s head fell back in a yell to heaven.

            “You do, because you still allow him to control you.” Chroias pointed out with a cold hard voice. She had been waiting for this moment.

            “NO!!!! That cannot be! I killed him! I killed him! He’s dead! HE’S DEAD!” Mozenrath fell into frantic yelling, his body was writhing, head lulling, and voice shrill. “DEAD! DEAD! HE’S DEAD! MY MASTER IS DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD…!” He went on like this a good time. Both girls only watched him yell his head off and weaken his body. “I KILL HIM NOW! I KILL! DEAD DEAD DEAD!!!” On and on until other thoughts started to flow out like floodwaters. “WHAT HE DID TO ME IS DEAD! THE DREAMS ARE DEAD! I KILL THEM! THE SEED HE PLANTED IN ME IS DEAD!” The last word seemed to exhaust al his energy. Mozenrath fell limp, the bone hand tied behind him finally went limp. “The part of himself he superimposed on me is dead, I kill it and bury it.” Such a soft voice now.

            And round two seemed to be over now. Again Mozenrath had knocked himself out. Whether he’d pull himself off the canvas again now was up to him.

            Chroias slipped from her chair and silently inspected him.

            “Is he alright?” came a voice from the other chair.

            “More alright than he’s been in a long time.” Chroias nodded and cradled him to her side.

            Nefret made a humming sound and smiled. “For a while there I was thinking he’d need his skull opened!”

            Chroias shook her head and smiled; happy for the little rest they’d be given. “Come Nefret, help me treat the rope burns.”

            Mozenrath watched under his heavy eyebrows as the two girls moved.  Chroias was slowly spreading salve on the red flesh and Nefret was standing by his side, pushing the strands of hair out of his eyes and humming a soft tune. For as second Mozenrath’s head dipped towards that mocha hand and he looked into Chroias eyes. But then he put his head on his chest and dozed.

 

Chapter 349 ((Chroias))

Nefret caressed his head as Chroias caressed the wounds. "How much longer will this last?" she asked in quiet, calm tones. Mozenrath wasn't asleep, merely to weak and fragile to move for a while.

"I'd say the worst of it is near over now. He just needs a little longer." Chroias looked at the tender way Nefret was holding him. She felt her stomach knot and again shook her head. "He didn't hurt you with what he said...did he?"

"Nah. He's just delusional...in pain. You can't blame a mad man for being irrational." She kissed Mozenrath cheek and responded with a weak humm.

Chroias did the same and Mozenrath groaned. "Bed." he whispered. Even in the depths of insanity, one may have their lucid moments. Mozenrath was entering one now. "I need to lie down..."

Nefret looked to Chroias and she tipped her head in thought. "I will not untie you." she said firmly and Mozenrath only turned his head away, to hurt and to strained to care. Surprisingly however, Chroias smiled and nodded. "But I think I can let you lie down." she snapped her finger and the chair vanished as the ropes tightened. They were still firmly attached in much to same manner, to Mozenrath. Only now without the backbreaking hardness of a chair in the way.

Mozenrath offered no resistance as they shoved a decent bed into the room and laid him gently in it. "Is it almost over?" he asked and gasped for breath as they covered him with a blanket. "Please tell me it's almost over."

"Almost luv." Nefret whispered. She heard a rough snort from Chroias and dismissed it until she caught the demonesses eyes looking directly at her. She suddenly realized the word that had come out of her mouth and quickly shrugged it off.

Chroias arched a cool eyebrow. "Can you handle some water?" She asked and Mozenrath shook his head.

"I don't want to throw up again." He pushed his face into the pillow and whimpered. "My whole body feels like he's doing it over and over again..." Mozenrath, under normal circumstances, never would have allowed himself to speak so freely, but now, his body feeling constant pain, his mind reliving every moment of his deflowering as vividly as if it had happened a day ago, all he wanted was something warm.

Chroias sat on the edge and cradled his head in her lap. Nefret went over to the other side and rubbed his back. "Let it out Moze..."Chroias whispered. "We're here for you."

"It's okay Moze." Nefret dropped her two denari worth in and used the palms of her hands to relax Mozenrath's stiffened spine. With as stretched as his muscles were, he was likely to suffer a cramp, and she was trying to make sure that didn't happen. No need to make the man suffer more then necessary.

With words torn asunder by strangled sobs, Mozenrath told them. Down to every last detail, both lover and friend stayed by his side and listened as he explained the coldness of Distane's hands, the pain of infiltration into him, the dreams, the self hatred...and for the first time, he explained part of what nether of them had understood. The contemplation of suicide.

Chroias felt like crying herself, and Nefret looked as though she was going to faint from revulsion. Mozenrath wasn't even looking at them as he spoke, merely telling the tale like it was being written on pages. But the emotions he showed were real, and when it came to a part where his body shuddered and reacted, both girls held him close in comfort. Their warmth soothed his coldness.

Soon enough, the lucid voice dissipated and Mozenrath drifted into an uneasy slumber. Chroias rubbed his head and whispered a small incantation, forbidding dreams from entering his mind. She motioned softly to Nefret that it would be alright to get something to eat and drink as Mozenrath slept. She lifted two fingers to say they had two hours respite.

Nefret grabbed pastries from the kitchen and they munched quietly, neither sure what to say. Nefret's cup of tea was shaking in her hands and her head was sweating. "I never knew..." she whispered. "Sweet Hathor above I just never knew."

"I gave you that book so that you would know." Chroias sipped at her hot tea, making an extra cup for Mozenrath.

"But it's not the same. Knowing something and then hearing it from his own mouth..." Nefret shook. "Chroias...how does he live with it?"

"He almost didn't." She answered calmly. "Nefret you've never experienced something like that before. You've never had to bear the anger of a hatful person."

"And what was Mozenrath?" She scoffed.

Chroias nodded. "Yes. You understand it better now because of him. But, you cannot know the full extent, not because you are not capable, but because you don't see him the way I do. You don't love him the way I do. You've never felt his dreams or his pain, through no fault of your own."

            Nefret sighed and settled. "I'm going to go see if he's doing alright. Do you think his stomach can handle some chamomile tea?"

"Couldn't hurt might help."

She nodded and walked up to give a sick man treatment.

'Your thinking about it aren’t you?' Chroias didn't have to turn since she knew Mepho's mind call to her. 'Of course I might be wrong. I am wrong on occasion. '

            "I don't think so." Chroias sighed. "Nefret doesn't see it yet, and we may both be wrong. But..." Chroias sighed and brushed a green hair from her face. "I think Nefret may be in love with Mozenrath."

 

"Roi?" Mozenrath asked weakly when the door opened.

"No, just your local friendly minion." Nefret joked and walked over to the bed, gently lifting his head and allowing for him to drink the hot tea.

Mozenrath accepted it and felt a warm relief wash over his stomach. He murmured his thanks and sank back into bed. This was an unexpected kindness from his minion. He found himself regretting what he'd done to her in the past. He wanted to regret, apologies even, it meant his condition was getting better.

And something inside him didn't want it that way. Something deep inside him rejected the kind and loving treatment from one who was no better then a servant. Mozenrath could feel his insides clench and tighten, ready for action. "Nef.." he managed before he felt the insanities strength take hold once again.

Nefret didn't even hear the ropes snap before Mozenrath had pinned her down, his legs were still tightly tied but the restrains of his arms had been rubbed against a sharp edge of the old chair and had broken them apart with only the slightest amount of strength.

She fought back, raising a knee and connecting with Mozenrath's stomach, but he continued, pressing her harder. "Give it back to me!" he yelled and Nefret opened her mouth to scream. He slapped a hand hard over her mouth and dug his nails into her cheeks. "Now! Or so help me I'll do the same to you I did to him!"

Nefret's eyes went wide. She struggled in his grip, flaying about and going wild as he wrestled with her. Mozenrath was no longer in control, it was Distane speaking now, and there was little doubt in her mind as to what his threat had meant. She bite down hard on the fleshed hand as the essence of Distane realized that she would not give up what he wanted. "Have it your way bitch!" he yelled and flipped her onto her stomach, pushing her face into the pillows to muffle screams.

 

Chapter 350 (by Nefret)

             Nefret gasped against the pillow, the sharp ends of feather quills were pushing into her cheeks. Screaming, much less drawing a deep breath to facilitate it was impossible. The girl was pushing so hard with every muscle that every limb quivered with exertion, still not an inch was gained. How could this be? Nefret was not a child as Mozenrath had been; she should be able to get away!

            Suddenly all the effort seemed to pay off, Nefret flew up and the back of her skull made contact with Mozenrath’s forehead. Sadly this only seemed to daze them both for the exact same amount of time. When each felt the world stop spinning they were back to where they had both been a moment before. And now Nefret was exhausted and the will of Distane was really pissed off.

            The sort of terror of that moment was something Nefret had never experienced before. It was so consuming it was like reality was suspended. This was too horrible to be happening…

            No words could be said. And if they could be? Would pleading help any? Would Mozenrath even hear? Nefret’s tears started to wet the pillow and turn it dark.

            Mozenrath’s legs were still tied tightly but by sheer will he was determined to make it work. It would be seconds now… a mater of seconds.

            For the first time, perhaps since her adult life, Nefret’s will was broken. This… this did what the harsh reality of her fathers death, the years of cruel servitude could not do. The Egyptian was broken.

            The darkness of the pillow seemed to pull her into a void. Why have you abandoned me? Was all she could think. Are you even there? Answer me! I believe in you no more.”

            The slightest contact was made. It would be over before her next heartbeat….. wait

            From the door came a rumbling sound that quickly grew. It was like the growl of the Devourer himself. The bed shook and there was the sound of snapping jaws and the yell of a man. The hand on the back of Nefret’s head slipped away and the girl sprung up to breath.

            It had been Anubis. Loyal the end, the dog had Mozenrath’s leg in his jaws, shaking it fiercely so that the sorcerer cried out, lost balance, and fell flat on his stomach on the bed, narrowly missing Nefret as she scattered to the floor.

            All’s Nefret could think of was escape, but Chroias… she couldn’t let Mozenrath lose….

            Grabbing a rendment of severed rope Nefret tackled Mozenrath, who was still being attacked, secured one his wrists as best she could to a bedpost before grabbing Anubis by the collar and racing out of the room.         

           

            Nothing mattered now, not promises, not contracts, not trust, not friendship. Nothing could keep her there any longer. Nefret was out the closest door leading to the outside. To her North was Agrabah, to her west was Egypt………

            Nefret ran east.

            She did not know why, maybe she knew herself to well.

            Anubis followed behind, running at full speed just to keep up. There was no anklet anymore, there would be no pain if she crossed the border of the land. Still she chicken footed around the division of black and tan sand. Afraid of something if she were to cross it.

            The girl would have been mad herself as she danced around and around, one minute about to crossed the line, the next spinning around as if it burned her.

            On the horizon stepped out a white heifer. This only incensed the Egyptian farther. “Why now? Why appear to me now?! Why did you not come when I called for you after all the years I gave in your honor?” Nefret cried. “No! Your nothing but a slaughter cow escaped from a farmer! Go away!!!!” Nefret grabbed her hair and shook her head. 

            In the horizon the heifer turned in such an angle that the setting sun was caught between her horns. The girl broke down in sobs and fell to her knees in the black sand. “Why do you come now Hathor? When it dose me no good?!” She stayed there, huddled in the sand for a while. She let it all out sobbing, until she ran dry, than simply rose to her feet. The cow was gone, perhaps it had never been there, perhaps it had been as Nefret’s had said and the farmer came and got it. Slowly Nefret wiped the black streaks from her face before turning back to the Citadel and headed home. She had known better than to think she could ever leave.

            Chroias tapped her cup…. Two hours was almost up….. She had better go see how Mozenrath was.

 

Chapter 351((Chroias))

Mozenrath was yelling his head off as his leg bleed onto the floor. "That damned bitch and her mutt!" he called out and yelped as his head knocked against a poll. "I swear I'll get even!"

'No you will not!'

            The image of Mozenrath's face froze...then sneered. "So you found a way out? Humph." He continued struggling in his bonds and trying to get up into a sitting position.

'Of course I did you senile old basterd! You didn't think I'd be kept down forever did you?'

            Distane sneered, the face of Mozenrath turning darker. "Your only jealous. You think I wouldn't have done it? You think I wouldn't have taken her? Ha! That purple haired brat would have been as sweet as conquest as you were Mozenrath!"

Mozenrath's body suddenly convulsed and went into a spasm like state on the floor. Distane's voice screamed out. "You little shit!" he yelled.

'You will not hurt them! I don't care what I have to do you will NOT take them away from me!" Mozenrath fought desperately on the inside. When his body had been imprisoned by the soul of incomparable evil, he had no control, since the satanic entity was far beyond his power, but Distane...with Distane he could fight. 'I will not see Nefret suffer! She doesn't deserve it! She will never deserve it!'

            "And why do you care? What is a mere slave to you?" Distane jerked at the ropes and fended off Mozenrath's mental attacks. " Why do you care if I do bed her down?" Distane probed at Mozenrath's mind and was balked. His little apprentice had built up his defenses much more in the passing years and he could no longer extract information at will.

'I will not allow this insanity to continue! I won' become you old man! I refuse to become you!'

            Distane snickered. "Aww but little kitten your so close! So very very close to being me! You abuse those around you, even the ones you proclaim to lov..." Distane paused. "That’s it...that’s it!" he laughed, a cold, dry sound devoid of warmth and affection. "Ohh you thought you could hide it from me!! Oh you even thought you could hide it from yourself!"

'Shut up!' Mozenrath punctuated the two words and slammed into Distane again, causing a mental yell of pain but not deflecting the laugh.

"Oh what will your demon lover think when she discovers?" Distane's joy was plentiful.

'She's not going to find out!'

            "Ah but she will! She loves you little kitten, even though you obviously love another."

'I do not!! I love Chroias with every fathom of my soul! You DARE to protest that? You disgusting vulture of child flesh! You who knows nothing of love! Nothing of even warmth for another human being!' Mozenrath knew he was crying as he raged on, but didn't want to stop. All the things he'd ever wanted to say to his mentor were finally coming out, and he was going to let them.

'Is it wrong to love two people!?" He screeched. 'Is that so incredible inconceivable to someone like you that you have to make me feel worse about it?! I love them both! Is that what you want t hear you perverted shell of a human being? Do you want to hear that I've fallen in love with the only two people in my entire life who've ever given a damn about me? Well then listen good you basterd!'

 

But Distane didn't get the chance to hear any further, for at that moment, Chroias walked through the door. She took one look at the bleeding leg and put a hand to her mouth. "Where's Nefret?" she demanded coldly. Mozenrath sneered and turned away. But Chroias obviously wasn't in the mood for playing games. She walked over, took her lover by the collar of his shirt and hauled him up, eyes blazing and growls echoing. "Where is she?"

"Gone...and after what I did I can't say that I blame her." He grinned, a sick, twisted expression on his handsome face.

"What do you mean..."Chroias stopped in the middle of the sentence as she realized what he meant. "You...you you..." her fist connected with his cheek and the true Mozenrath deep inside cringed. "You twisted son of a bitch! Is this the thanks she receives? After serving you loyally? After putting up with you the same way I did? You try to repeat Distane's action on her? The foolish girl even falls in...in.." Chroias screeched before she could say the word and slammed her fist down a second time.

As the haze around Mozenrath's head dimmed down, he could see Chroias gathering her things and dressing for travel. "What? Chroias.. Where.."

"I'm leaving! And I'm finding Nefret and taking her with me! You said you wanted our help Mozenrath... you said you wanted to change! And like an idiot I believed you!" she turned around to look at him, tears streaming from her eyes. "No more! Damn you no more! If you can't return my love or hers then you don't deserve anyone!" she shot a bolt of magic, wrapping the sorcerer in anti-magic chains and closing the doors as he yelled for her to return.

'Roi! Roi please no! Don' go damn it I love you!' Mozenrath beat on the inside of his head as Distane laughed at him. 'Let me out! Let me out of this damn body let me go!! Please Distane just let me go!"

            "Oh Moze...this is just too too delicious! Can’t you see I've wanted this all along?"

'What?'

            "Oh I knew it would take years of course. Making you hate love...making you despise those who were close to you. When you killed me you were already halfway there but now...bringing you so close to two people with the capability to love you and then dashing that love against the rocks." Another insane laugh. "Oh what incredible fun!" he taunted and cackled. "Didn’t' you ever stop to think it was more then mere possession of Nefret that made you jealous to see her with other men?"

Mozenrath knew from experience that the old fool was rambling. He would continue on with this four hours, pretending that it had all been a part of his master plan for dominance...but even so...certain parts were true.

 

Nefret opened back up the Citadel doors just in time to see Chroias walk towards her, blood streaming down her face and hands full of possessions. "Come on Nefret. We're leaving."

 

Chapter 352 (by Nefret)

            “But I… No.” Nefret sputtered. “I can’t leave! You cant leave either… we promised..” Nefret’s head tipped to the side. In her eyes she was asking a question, ‘cant you see?’

            Chroias grabbed Nefret by the arms and shook her, her possessions she had packed falling to her feet. “And he promised never to break my heart. And he promised to never hurt you. And he promised to change. And he promised….. HE PROMISED!” Chroias screeched and began to pick up her things while simultaneously prodding Nefret out the door. “He promised so much and didn’t keep any of it! These years Nefret have been nothing but a dream, an allusion. We kidded ourselves. We put up with the drama, the melancholy, and the abuse because we thought someday…. Oh SOMEDAY, he’d change. Today is someday and he shattered another promise Nefret! In the end he doesn’t give a damn about us! We give him fortunes and he can’t lend up a penny. And you want to go on fooling yourself? Wake up girl!” Chroias roared and turned to her friend.

            Nefret was shaking slightly around the shoulders, her skirt was in near shambles and her makeup suffered the assault of tears. “Don’t act like I was the only fool! You stood by…..” Nefret’s voice was rising.

            Chroias’s shook her head and fell upon her friend, arms open. “I know. I’m sorry. The first time he raised a hand, the first time he put us down… I should have packed us up then. Gods forgive me I was blinded by love.” Chroias stepped back and raised Nefret’s chin. “You can’t lie to me either, you were blinded to.”

            Fear and shame plunged into Nefret’s eyes. Chroias saw it, understood. But she would not be angry; she would not abandon the girl. I just didn’t matter anymore, did not matter because this had all been a dream and they had woken up. “He doesn’t deserve either of us and certainly not both of us. It’s time to go Neffie.” Chroias wrapped her arm around Nefret and they began to walk away from the Citadel

 

            “Hum… Now what was that you were saying earlier?” Destain taunted Mozenrath. “Was it ‘I don’t care what I have to do you wont take them away from me.’? Oh well, to late!” Destain rubbed it in.

            Inside Mozenrath threw himself against the walls of his being calling for the girl’s return until he fell silent.

            Destain did not, he went on. “Women, one moment they’re mopping your brow and giving you tea the next they’re storming out of your life. If you asked me I did you a favor.” Destain grinned. “Alone again Mozenrath. And it hurts more now doesn’t it? Because you knew the warmth of love once. It hurts all the more because you had it once and now it’ s gone. That’s why I’ve been silent for a while. To let you get real comfortable before I tore everything away.” He seemed to take strange twisted pleasure in rambling on and on about greatness he didn’t posses. “And what was that demon going to say about the mortal? Something about being ‘in’ something… She never got to finish… wonder what it could have been…” He cackled but felt nothing from Mozenrath. No sudden rush or yell, no realization. Perhaps he wasn’t listening.

            Destain felt annoyed, he needed a response damn it! “Course I know what you’re thinking. Your going to somehow be the hero, get back in control, go find the damsels in distress and bring them home, make everything right? Don’t be so foolish! I didn’t raise you to be so bloody idealistic!” Destain snorted. “Do you think that brat will ever be able to look at your face without remembered the terror? Were you ever able to look at my face without it? Do you think your demon lover will ever be able to forgive? No, this is permanent. And do you know what we’re going to do now? We’re going to go find them, but the difference between your plan and mine is that I’m going to kill them!” Destain laughed deeply. “Slit them end to end!” The old man’s laugher carried for a few waves then slowly died out. Mozenrath was quiet… surly he would have come to fight with a statement like that. “Little kitten?” Destain questioned and soughed out his presence. More worried now, “Mozenrath?!”

            In the darkness a great energy had been building, now it swooped up like a great hawk and enclosed Destain in its wings. The old man screamed and fell into the darkness.

            The eyes of Mozenrath slowly opened, the lips pulled up in a smile. “Well old man, seems we’ve switched places.”

            From inside the echo of Destain’s voice came. He was in the position Mozenrath had been in, he could scream and yell all he wanted but he was just along for the ride. “Damn you!” And then he laughed insanely. “Well, now what?”

            Mozenrath began to wiggle and twist in nearly painful ways. “Now we do my plan. Hero did you call me?” Mozenrath smiled smartly. It took hours of backbreaking work but he was able to slip from the chains.

            Slowly the man stood and rubbed his sore limbs. The closet door was flung upon, and Mozenrath started shoving clothing into a bag. “I’m going to go find them.. I’m going to explain…”

            “Explain everything?” Distain questioned from inside. “Beg them to come back because you’re desperately in love with them, little kitten? Somehow I don’t think that will go over very well.”

            “Shut up you!” Mozenrath snapped. “Don’t you dare say that word. You have no right to muck up my good feelings with that filthy voice of yours. You don’t even know, I haven’t even explained it fully to myself yet… but it could be a long trip.”

            Destain was rebuked, Mozenrath was in control of his body and packing. He was only a voice. “I’m still here little kitten.” He reminded seriously  “I can take back control with minimal effort, and I may strike when you’re most vulnerable, when you’re in front of your two lady friends. Then what?”

            Mozenrath’s face turned dark. Slowly he withdrew a dagger from the closet and set held it up. “Then, Destain, then I plunge this deep into my heart before you get a chance to blink. We will both go down before they suffer in any way.”

 

Chapter 353 ((Chroias))

"So how long have you know?" Chroias asked gently as they sat in the serene pool and tried to calm down. Within moments after exiting the Black Sand borders, Chroias had transported them to the place she was born from.

Fortunately, with her grandmother being Demeter, Chroias had grown up in a far better environment then the underworld, for the place that surrounded them now was far more lush and vibrant.

"I don't know....I mean...there was the odd attraction before you came back but...it wasn't..." Nefret sighed and shrank into the water, trying to avoid the subject. "I don't know... there was always love. But until recently I hadn't thought of it being love at this... level."

Chroias closed her eyes for a moment to think. "I see."

"Do you hate me?" Nefret said tentivly.

A low chuckle came from the demoness. "No. No I could never hate you Nefret. What kind of a woman would I be to look down upon another for falling in love?" She smiled.

"Maybe...maybe it's better like this..."Nefret shook her head. "I mean, how could we have coped? Both of us...as Mozenrath's..."

"Lovers?" Chroias shrugged. "None of our cultures forbade it. Not that it matters now." The demons pretty face suddenly took on a twisted look and she turned away.

In a second Nefret was by her side. "I know."

"No...no you don't! Oh Gods Nefret I feel like I've betrayed him! I feel like I've left him to die!"

"We could always go back. Maybe we forgot something? Maybe we missed out on something?" Nefret stroked her friends hair.

"You of all people, especially after what he almost did to you, still wants to go back?" Chroias looked up in question.

Nefret grimaced and felt a twisting in her gut. "We came so far Chroias. Can we really just leave him behind? He's an insane man right now. Irrational, incapable of thinking correctly. Can you blame an insane man for being insane?"

Chroias nodded her head. "I suppose your right. I just got so...so.."

"Mad. Yes, and I'm touched that you still care for me, even though we apparently share love for the same man." Nefret looked deep into Chroias eyes. "But we can not leave him there. We made a promise...to be by his side no matter what..."

"And Gods forbid we break that promise." Chroias smiled and lifted herself from the water. "Alright Nefret...lets go home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mozenrath lifted himself up from the golden dune and covered his mouth again with the flap from his turban. It had been three days since they'd left. And with the sun blistering his back and Destane blistering his mind, he'd followed Chroias's magical signatures. But now, with the sand storm closing in, the trail was growing cold.

'Aww what a pitty! The little kitty is all alone in the desert. You might die out here!' Destane's voice was gleeful inside Mozenrath's head.

"Oh shut up." The sorcerer groaned as he reached out to pull himself up and was blown down to the bottom by a blast of stinging sands. Destane laughed triumphantly and Mozenrath ignored him, lifting himself as best he could and digging his bone hand into the desert, pulling himself up the hill again.

As he reached the top again, a low, course rumbling hit his ears and Mozenrath opened his eyes just long enough to see a wall of dust and wind, headed straight for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nefret coughed and tossed the sand from her face as she entered the tent. 'Talk about unbelievable luck!' She spat to get the grit from her mouth and knelt over the man's body. "Of all the places to search for us you would chose the middle of the desert!"

"Of course." Chroias chuckled. It had been pure luck that they'd been passing by this exact spot just in time to see Mozenrath immersed in the storm. The wall of sand had hit him so hard it knocked him out. S

"So here we are again, tending to his wounds." Nefret remarked and began trying to clean the golden brown dust from his face.

"I'll be right back, I have to go make sure then tent poles are secure." Chroias had managed to erect a tent with amazing speed. She was worried about her magic holding up against a storm of this magnitude and had suggested they hold out for a while. "Four days tops."

Truth be told, the Greek woman was still a little on edge. Nefret's guilt trip had succeeded on bringing her back to her loved one, but she still frowned at him with uncertainty whenever she looked. Nefret suspected it was going to be that way for a while.

'At the very least it'll give us some time to straighten this whole mess out.' Nefret leaned in close to check Mozenrath's eyes, making sure that no grit had covered them as well.

"Roi...?" Mozenrath muttered. "Nef..." he groaned and shifted on the pillows they’d set up.

"Just relax sorcerer boy. We've got ya." Nefret leaned in close and washed the sand from his lips. She dipped the washcloth the water and began to stand up to dump it outside.

Maybe it was intentional, maybe it was unintentionally intentional, but Nefret's foot snagged on the edge of the rug. The water bowl went flying, Nefret went falling, and even though she had been facing the completely opposite direction, found herself face to face...not to mention lips to warm, creamy lips, with Mozenrath.

As though in a dream, she heard a soft sound of the winds...like a mother cow calling it's calf to home, and felt Mozenrath's bone hand caress her skin and bring her lips closer, his eyes remained closed, but his mouth, as well as hers, was open.

 

Chapter 354 (by Nefret)

            Nefret tipped her head after a second and her eyes started to slide shut. Then as if struck by lighting she threw herself away, Mozenrath still following just a bit.

            The sorcerer opened his eyes wide, in surprise from the kiss or the way she flew away like his lips had turned to hot coals, or maybe a little of both. Nefret was grabbing up the washcloth and bowl from the ground and trying to act as if nothing extraordinary was going on.

            In a voice rather disattached. “I think your mad again Mozenrath.”

            Mozenrath sneered and looked away. “I am NOT mad.”

            The girl put the bowl and cloth back in order and stood up, fixing her coat to go outside as if she could still dump the water. Mozenrath turned his head back to her though she was facing away. “Neffie…” He began in a soft voice.

            “I’ll be back, I’m just going outside to…. I’m just going outside.” Then she was gone though the tent flap, a small burst of sandy wind coming in after her.

            “Neffie.” Came Destain’s voice from inside his skull, mocking Mozenrath’s tone. “hoo hoo, that WAS interesting! Oh, and we enjoyed it, huh?” Destain laughed from the inside and gave the feeling like he was slapping Mozenrath on the back. “There’s my boy, a real ladies man. Out there bird-doggin’ the girls. You REALY had her burning with passion there, Romeo.” He dripped with sarcasm. He’d caught how Nefret had rejected the kiss, and he loved it.

            “Shut you old fool!” Mozenrath snorted. He was hurt enough.

            “Oh don’t feel so bad, I’m sure it wasn’t the kiss itself. You kiss very well, I should know.” Destain smiled smartly as Mozenrath rose up to fight against him in his mind. The old coot just smiled and kept on talking as he back stepped to dodge the mental blows. “It was probably that she just couldn’t stand your touch after what you nearly did to her.”  Destain dodged a particularly hard swing as Mozenrath screamed that it hadn’t been him. It hadn’t been HIM! “It was your hand, your voice, your body! Do you think a low ignorant slave girl could separate her experience from the truth! In her eyes you’ll always be a rapist! She’ll never speak to you the same, never look at you, never let you lay a hand on her in any way! And your lover, it’s twice as bad with her, especially after what you did a second ago.” Destain’s voice rose to compensate for Mozenrath’s raising fit.

            When Chroias came back in she found Mozenrath’s head shaking back and forth while he groaned and snorted. “shhhhh.” She hushed as she held his head still in her lap. “What is wrong with you….. what is it?”

            Mozenrath clutched her and fell quiet, giving up the fight in his head. He was so calm now that it nearly scared the demon. “Say you forgive me.” He whispered.

            Chroias stopped her tender affections. She scowled slightly and looked away. “What shall I forgive you for?”

            Mozenrath winced. “For not accepting your help. For not trying as hard as you did to break my addiction. For almost doing what I almost did…….” Honesty poured out of him now like a pot with a hole in the bottom. “For the dark years, for making you worry, for the words, the yelling, the selfishness, for not loving you and you alone….”

            Chroias muscles tightened and Mozenrath could felt it.

            “Say you forgive me.”

            “Lay down Mozenrath, get some rest.” Chroias fluffed his pillow and coved him up. The sorcerer didn’t put up a fight, didn’t ask anymore. Just accepted her words and lay down.

            A burst of wind and sand came into the tent and when it settled Nefret and Anubis stood there at the opening of the tent, both shaking off the golden dust. “By Set and all the devils!” Nefret cursed and turned to see Mozenrath looking wearily at her and Chroias sitting beside him solemnly. “I um.. I..” Nefret stuttered for a moment before turning to the other side of the tent and going on as if nothing was the matter. “I don’t see the end of this storm coming for a while. Can’t even see you hand in front of your face out there.” She waited but nobody said anything. Nefret started to get anxious. She laughed, a sort of scraping noise. “You know what I was reminded of?” She didn’t wait for anyone to say a thing. “The time Chroias told you she was pregnant and we were so afraid you’d go off the deep end. Do you remember how afraid we were Roais?” Nefret chuckled to herself.

            Chroias turned her head so that no one would be able to see her smile. Mozenrath closed his eyes and grinned.

            “Oh, these little earthquakes, doesn’t take much to rip us apart.” Nefret sighed lowly and lay down on her mat on one side of the tent, Anubis curled around her.

            Chroias stood up gracefully and went to lie on her mat a few feet from Nefret.

            Mozenrath watched both girls sleeping. They were so far away. “How could I have let this happen?” Mozenrath turned back into his own head angrily. “How could I have let you have control?!”

            “Question now is, how are you going to stop me?” A cruel laugh went out as Mozenrath felt his hand take a mind of it’s own and reach out for the knife he’d put in his bag.

            “No!” Mozenrath grunted through his teeth and seized his hand back. His finger bumped against the side of the bag and the fabric slid down to reveal one of the books he’d been given.

            In those books it was always good that conquered evil. Not only good, it was love…. “I know how to stop you.” Mozenrath whispered in his mind. Destain bulked. “Love. I have to get them to forgive me. I have to get them to love me again. I have to earn and deserve their love. Then you’ll…. Dissolve somehow. Just like the hero’s of those tales, you’ll fall before me…” Mozenrath smiled self-assured.

            Destain hummed. He wasn’t sure if the theory was true, but truth be told he didn’t like the chance that it might. “So now…”

            “So now I have to earn it.” Mozenrath pushed off the covers and began his work on a little something to surprise the girls with in the morning. A nice little homemade gift…… He hummed and looked around in their bags.

 

Chapter 355 ((Chroias))

What he created was not tangible.

Mozenrath barely had any power left. And what he did have was dieing rapidly. Only the barest remminants of his basic magical training still remained, caressing his body as intimately as Chroias had ever done, giving him some hope of recovery.

He thought of both girls as he meditated. He could easily imagine Chroias love overwhelming him at times. He could focus acutely on her soft and firm hands along his body. But he wanted this gift to be for the both of them. And Nefret was a great deal harder to give breath to.

He knew nothing of Nefret's ideas of romance or passion. He knew only he devout faith in Hathor and the fiery spirit that was so often like Chroias's. In that, Mozenrath realized he had a balance. Slowly, he drew that energy into himself, and breathed their spirit through his lungs.

He could sense both Nefret and Chroias's current feelings towards him now. A large amount of animosity, mainly for what Destane's control over his body had almost brought him to do. He could also feel, like an undercurrent in the ocean, their love, lingering near by.

Destane brought up his lecherous voice to distract him. "I'll give you credit Moze, clever boy. I did teach you to be innovative, at least now I can see that lesson sunk through." He pricked a side of Mozenrath's brain, causing a sudden memory to surge out.

Mozenrath bit down on his lip and regained his focus, allowing his desire for true forgiveness to drown out Destane's attempts at pulling him from his focus.

Once the concentration had been formidably gathered, he walked over to the women. First he kissed Chroias, breathing into her half of what he wanted, baring his soul for her and allowing her to see what he'd managed to hide in his mind for so long. She arched slightly towards him and unconsciously returned the kiss.

Then, with a small smile, he leaned in and kissed Nefret, showing her the same. He felt her hand trail up one side of his bone arm and clutch there in surprise. He felt a small reaction from her mouth in response to his kiss, but again she hesitated, and once he'd given them both what he had, there was no reason to risk further contact.

He grunted and tried to breath properly as the effects of the spell settled inside him. He was severely weakened, and that spell had taken nearly all of his magic.

'And for what! To try and prove to two women that you love them both? Mind telling how that’s going to work out?' Destane chortled. 'Or maybe your planning for both of them in the same bed? Oh I'm sure they'll react grandly to that!'

Too tired to argue, Mozenrath lay down on his mat and covered himself with a blanket. The night was cold, and he wished desperately for a warm body beside his own, no matter if it's skin was of alabaster, or mocha. His gift would not solve things in one night, but it might help to melt their icy glares.

The dream world hit Chroias first. It was Mozenrath, and herself, and...Nefret. She noticed offhand that they were all nude, but that didn't seam to be the point of the dream. A fog that smelled of jasmine leaves wafted around them, swirling at their legs and leading them onward.

She followed, as did Nefret and Mozenrath. It was difficult to explain, but she was given the feeling that this dream was viewed differently for each of them. There was nothing in front or in back that she could tell, everything was a feeling, an emotion made tangible, and the air was thick with magic.

Suddenly everything around them pivoted, first to the left, then to the right, bringing them in closer proximity to one another. Without thinking, they all sat. Chroias wasn't sure if the others had noticed it, but the moment their rumps touched the floor of the dream, a glowing line began drawing itself between them in the shape of a triangle.

Tt started with Mozenrath, then branched out evenly to Nefret and herself. But the last line which should have connected the two girls was nonexistent.

"What wrong?" Chroias asked aloud. “Why won't the triangle finish?"

 

Chapter 356 (by Nefret)

            On her mat Nefret’s head suddenly snapped to the side as the dream burst into her head. In this world of Nefret’s mind’s eye she found herself with her two companions walking a dust dry land, big as anything.

            Nefret walked along as the earth beneath them trembled behind them, leading them on. In the distance were three peaks of pyramids, bursting from the dry dust. Great temples to the Gods, each golden with perfect angles.

            Mozenrath, Chroias and Nefret perched themselves on each like kings and queens of the world. From Mozenrath’s pyramid there flowed a river onto the sand. It left a trial of lush green foliage along its path in the sand, racing, racing evenly to the pyramids of the girls.

            A lush semi triangle of green grasses and red flowers.

            It was then that Chroias spoke. “What’s wrong? Why won’t the triangle finish?”

            Nefret and the others looked around. All at once it hit the Egyptian, what the river was, why it came from Mozenrath, why it didn’t come from Chroias or herself. “Because you don’t love me anymore.” Nefret was solemn as she looked to Chroias.

            The demon shook her head, in sorrow, in confusion, in disbelief. The girls were quiet for a moment. Chroias looked to Mozenrath, and he… smiled. Chroias smiled to and caught Nefret’s attention. “Nef, hey nef! Do you remember when we first meet?” Chroias asked eagerly.

            The girl couldn’t help but smile as the memory came, and was played in the air like the sky was a great movie screen. “Yes. I was terrified of you!” She laughed and shook her head. “And do you remember when we first went to Agrabah together? How you caught me siding with the hero? When you promised not to tell I though you were my savior!”  The scene played on the sky

            “I remember! And when you were exiled and I saved your rump, AND set you up with those good looking servants in the elysian fields!?” Mozenrath looked down from the sky, the girls hadn’t noticed it, but as they talked a slow river was trickling out between them.

            Nefret whistled and leaned forward, then turned a bit mushy. “Do remember that I helped you deliver Zak and Trist?”

            Chroias’s eyes crinkled up and became misty. “I remember.” She whispered

           

In Chroias dream beam of light shot out and connected herself and the girl, and for a moment she could see the completed triangle until the dream world exploded into light. Light impossibly bright, but it didn’t hurt your eyes.

            All this pure white light came from one identifiable source, Mozenrath. He stood in front of her calmly as light perpetuated from him. White, pure, everlasting…..

            Chroias felt only the good in life, only warmth and love…. She was in paradise.

            Looking over she could see Nefret basking in the light to. Chroias closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment.

           

In the dream world of the Egyptian the river finally connected in a complete triangle. She watched as the river swelled and ebbed, gush and changed its direction of flow a few times before a great tsunami was born.

The wall of water must have been a hundred feet high and heading right for her, but Nefret was not afraid.  It hit with incredible force, but didn’t hurt. This wave, it came directly from Mozenrath.

In a second Nefret was immersed in a watery world. She slowly lulled completely relaxed as the water bore her. She was sinking down, but she did not worry about drowning. The water was warm and comforting, and it had no bottom.

Cracking her eyes open she could see Chroias sinking in the water along side her. She let herself go completely and found euphoria in the ocean.

 

            Chroias breathed in deeply and opened her eyes when the morning came. She rolled over to see Mozenrath, lying on his mat, pale and cold looking. She made a funny face. Half smiling, half concerned, and still saying ‘you deserve it.’

            She got up and crouched down beside him. He was weak this morning. Chroias shook her head in wonderment. “Nefret. Nefret. Wake up.” She called softly.

            From the other side of the tent Nefret stretched and withdrew her hands from the fur of Anubis. The dog got up and trotted to the sorcerer, lying at his side. Either wanting to keep him warm or wanting to keep himself warm with the only person still sleeping, the motive of the dog was unknown.

            “Nefret, Mozenrath is weak this morning. Come help me.”

 

Chapter 357 ((Chroias))

            They bathed his body again. Chroias had decided that with the storm becoming worse, it was too dangerous to go out, so she risked manifesting small tubs to bath themselves in.

It was partially because massive amounts of gritty sand still covered Mozenrath, partially because it might help him feel better, and partially to show that they could trust each other in a semi-awkward situation.

"So...I guess this means something then?" Nefret asked tentivly as they propped him up on pillows and covered his body with blankets. "I mean, does this mean were...comfortable with each other again?"

Chroias cocked her head to the side. "I was never uncomfortable with you Nefret. You love him, I love him... there is no fault in our emotions." The demoness sighed and dumped out the dirty water, manifesting clean tubs again. "I'm only confused."

"Confused about what?" Nefret saw he dodge her eyes towards Mozenrath and she nodded. "Oh. You wonder why I still... how I can stand to be around him after what almost happened." The plum haired woman sighed and shook her head. "I've been thinking about that Roi and I just don't think that was him doing it." She looked her demon friend in the eyes. "I mean, yes he was mad, insane! But I just can't see Mozenrath allowing himself to...to degrade himself to doing that."

"Your saying that he has someone controlling him from the inside?" Chroias tapped her chin. "It's not impossible. In fact it's likely. We know that the Gauntlet has it's own spirit which was vanquished back into the glove, but..." Suddenly Chroias sat up. "Distane!" she almost screamed and slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Destane? But he died...again...in the balcony crash while we were fighting." Nefret brought up. "Didn't he?"

"We didn't search because we assumed he was gone, or that the Gauntlet's spirit had taken him with her." Chroias hummed in thought and pulled Nefret over to the other side of the tent. "We won't know for sure unless Destane does something... something only he would do."

Nefret scowled. "Only Destane would try to rape someone because he couldn't get his way."

Chroias smiled grimly. "I know. And because of that, I'm convinced that he will try again to take one of us or even..." and with this she shivered. " even Mozenrath if provoked too far."

"Are you saying we should intentionally make him angry?" Nefret asked. "Not a bad plan, but what do we do once he's pissed?"

"I don't know yet. We'll need something to dispell him with... Something to destroy his essence and repel his control over Mozenrath's being."

"And just how do we do that?"

Chroias relaxed slightly and shrugged. "Did you have a dream last night. One involving a triangle and the three of us without clothing?"

"As a matter of fact..."

"A triangle is an old symbol of power and control. Each side representing something. Like a pyramid, the bottom two points represent the base, what keeps the whole thing stable and strong. The top represents the height at which the base holds itself. The taller the pyramid, the more strength... love...the base has for it."

"That was a pretty long triangle. "Nefret admitted and they looked at Mozenrath sleeping.

"We need some sort of triangle. Something that represents our togetherness as friends...and as lovers." Chroias felt her cheeks turning a bright pink and tilted her head to hide it.

"What’s a matter?" Nefret leaned in close.

"I was just thinking..."The demon giggled warmly. "What are the sleeping arrangements going to be after this?"

The thought brought another warm blush to Nefret's cheeks. "I...umm...that hadn't crossed my mind yet."

Chroias waved her hand. "We'll think on it later. Right now, we have to think up how to bring this triangle of power into existence."

 

Chapter 358 (by Nefret)

            Chroias hummed and tapped her claw against a tent poll. Nefret pouted and wiggled her toes in the sand. “Triangle, triangle, triangle.” Chroias was saying over and over again until Nefret huffed and scooted her foot out, making a bank of sand. The demon looked over to her friend and then back again with a frown. “Alright. Alright.” She sighed and leaned back.

            Nefret ruffled her hair in frustration and then threw her arms in the air. “triangle… Hey I got it!” Nefret cried and then her face fell. “No…. Wait…. Nah…”

            Chroias chuckled and stood up to inspect Mozenrath. Nefret eyed him. “You know Nefret. Necessity is the mother of invention. Maybe we should just get Destain pissed off first than figure out the whole triangle thing.”

            Nefret made a funny grinding laugh. “Why is it always the immortal that wants to do it the dangerous way?”

            Chroias grinned and threw a pillow at her before catching it back and putting it under Mozenrath’s head.

            Nefret looked away. “Chroias.” She waited a second. “I can only hope we’re right. About Mozenrath not being in control and everything. If… if we’re wrong….. I might leave.” The girl frowned and looked away, spinning her ring around her pinky finger before slipping it off and dropping it on the sand. “I might just up and leave.”

            Chroias’s mouth moved for a time with no sound. She could say she’d blame the girl… hell if they were wrong she’d be tempted to leave to. Nefret cringed and pulled her knees to her chest and setting her head down. At her feet the little black shinny ring was slowly settling into the sand. Chroias watched it as the light of a candle caught it and a wisp of shine ran around its edges. “Nefret.” Chroias moved closer and sat in front of the Egyptian, the girls eyes flashed to her and then looked away again. “Mozenrath gave you that ring right?”

            “Yeah, a long time ago. Probably just a sign of his ownership. Like the anklet.” She looked to the inside of the band where there was inscribed Mozenrath’s symbol. It was in effect saying ‘Property of the black sands.’

            Chroias picked up the small ring and blew the sand off it. “Mozenrath gave you this.” She stated the fact firmly then took off one of her earrings. “Mozenrath gave this to me.” She shook both once as if she was teaching her something before spreading a rug and placing both ring and earring at the corners of one end. “And you Nefret, gave him this gift.” She said and slipped off the sharks tooth.

            Nefret started up. “Don’t take it off!”

            “He’ll be fine without it for a few hours.” The demon placed the sharks tooth at the other end in the middle of the rug. Between the jewelry you could draw a long triangle. Chroias slid Mozenrath onto the middle of the large rug and motioned for Nefret to come off the sand.

            “There is nothing you have given him.” Nefret pointed out.

            Chroias hummed and took one of the water pots and a cloth. “A symbol, that I have stood by him and taken care of him.” She said half to herself and placed it beside the sharks tooth.

            “There is nothing I have given you.” Nefret grumbled.

            Chroias smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “There is to. The sharks tooth wasn’t only beneficial for Mozenrath. You gave me back my lover, in life, when he would be most happy. You know where Mozenrath would have gone had he died that night you broke into the palace treasury. Not a good place. Instead you secured him a good many years so that when his time comes again he has a chance for a better afterlife. That is your gift to me Nefret.” Chroias pulled Nefret into a hug. Over the girls shoulder Chroias began to whisper. “Let these artifacts be conductance for what they symbolize. Let them be more than metal, glass and clay. They are now divine entities.” 

            From Mozenrath’s small collection of artifacts streamed down a line of white fire and from Chroias and Nefret’s objects there finished the line.

            “Lets make him mad as hell sister.” Nefret smiled and hugged Chroias back.

 

Chapter 359 ((Chroias))

Destane hummed silently to himself, poking and prodding the insides of Mozenrath's mind while he slept. It had been ages since he'd had ample opportunity to probe his little kitten like this, and he was enjoying finding out about him. That was , in fact, the reason he had begun taking Mozenrath in the first place.

Unknown to many, a child's mind is a well of resources and information. A child's mind is a wonderful thing and creates an abundance of energy and creativity, but only if you know how to drain that energy for yourself.

He continued pacing inside, finding an energy stem left over from before the Gauntlet had taken over, and sapped it dry within seconds by bringing up another memory from Mozenrath's mind. He heard the sorcerer whimper and smiled. "That’s it little kitten." he whispered.

Suddenly, something shifted. It wasn't exactly like a shift, but in some form or fashion, the world encompassing Destane moved. Stabbing Mozenrath's energy stem, Destane made the body open it's eyes.

"Hey there Destane."

It was that minion! The demoness no where in sight. She was drinking something from a glass bottle, some sort of amber liquid. She took a long drink and pushed the bottle forward, as though offering him some. "Thirsty?"

Destane looked at the bottle and back at the purple haired girl. "Offering me a drink to get back on my good side?" Destane made Mozenrath's body laugh.

Nefret smiled, it was working. "Yeah, maybe. I mean come on, it's obvious your in control of him..." She gestured towards Mozenrath's body and shrugged. "Big deal, one master is just like the other..." she took another swing from the bottle and openly handed it to Destane.

He took the bottle. "So you’re joining with me huh?" Destane cackled on the inside. This was PERFECT!! Mozenrath would suffer the humiliation of the one of his loves turning over to his side! Already Destane could taste the joys he could take from the young woman’s body.

"Yes I am, Destane. I mean, Mozenrath tried to rape me.." She gave a shiver. "You wouldn't do that to a girl now would you?" she slumped one arm, and part of her top drifted downward, showing the shadow of her breast.

Destane smiled and pushed himself forward a little, not yet seeing the white fire connecting objects. "Of course not..." he lied and reached for her.

Nefret backed away a little and gave a teasing smile. "Not yet...first you have to promise me something..."

Destane drank from the bottle and wiped the alcohol from his lips. "Anything plum child..." he whispered.

Nefret leaned in close and smiled fluttering her eyes coyly. She leaned in close to Destane's ear and whispered. "Promise me...to die like the basterd you are.."

Destane growled and launched himself at her, spilling the alcohol all around. Suddenly, the fires leapt higher, trapping him inside the triangle. "You bitch!" he hollered and brought a fist against the wall of flame. But there was no penetration, the fire held him at bay.

Chroias appeared from the dark corner of the tent. "Is that good enough proof?" she whispered to Nefret who covered herself.

"Tell me again why I'm always the one reveling myself to the disgusting old perverts?" Nefret grumbled.

"Because the disgusting old perverts usually know better then to trust a gal with horns and a tail." Chroias explained and smiled at Destane. She picked up the bottle and tipped it over, showing the amber liquid turning bright blue in her hands. "Destane, do you know what a Soul Drought is?" he voice sounded just a smidge like Mozenrath’s and she smiled evilly when her lovers face went blank. "It's a nifty little spell that pulls unwanted souls from the body."

Destane pointed frantically at Nefret. "She drank it! She drank it as well!"

"Yes but. Neffie...is there a soul you don't want in your body?" Chroias asked innocently.

"Not since I last checked." The purple haired girl smiled.

Destane shrieked. "NO!! It is not possible! Not from the simplest trick!" he charged the fire with Mozenrath's body only to be shot back and land on the sands. "No!"

"He's right ya know. Any idiot with twenty-five denari can buy one of these things. That’s why I knew he wouldn't expect me to have one." Chroias walked around the flame and sat on one side, Nefret on the other. "Now it's only a matter of time until he is drained out." she took a crystal bottle from her purse and set it at the top of the triangle, slowly, the fires began turning back and flowing slowly into the bottle.

Destane began thrashing about, beating at the inferno caging him. "You can't do this!" he screamed out and Mozenrath's eyes began to glow a violent yellow in the center. His flesh began to shiver slightly. "If I can not have Mozenrath! NO one will!" he creaked and tore for the knife Mozenrath had stowed away inside his satchel. The blade moved swiftly across the floor, Nefret and Chroias made a dive for it, but missed, the knife jumped from the sands into Mozenrath's bone hand.

"No!" Chroias yelled out and Destane rose the sharpened edge to his throat, laughing hysterically.

"Don't you know this is what he wanted anyhow?" Destane stumbled backwards ,still cackling. "Ohh yes. His exact word were...I'll end my life before I let you harm them..." Destane's laugh was icy now. "Can you believe it? I mean really! He loves both of you..." There was a short, shocked laugh, and then the blade dug into the flesh with one quick movement.

Mozenrath's eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell to the floor. Both girls caught him as his mouth opened a thick black sludge drew itself out, vanishing into the bottle along with the flames.

Blood was quickly covering both girls. "The sharks tooth! Nefret the sharks tooth!" Chroias screamed as blood poured over her dress.

 

Chapter 360 (by Nefret)

            Nefret tore from her position and snatched up the sharks tooth, flinging it and herself back to Mozenrath’s side. Honestly she thought this was it, blood was pooling on the floor. Surly Nefret was witnessing the death of her master. She gave a mulling cry and gripped her arms, doubling over.

            Chroias’s face was firm and unrelenting; no one was going to die on her watch! Quickly she slipped the leather band over his head and onto this slit neck, ruining the pretty object in the mess. Chroias bit her lip, what else could be done. Slowly her eyes welled up and a bloody tear spilled out.

            The Egyptian pulled herself up again and looked to Mozenrath, her face a wreck. “Not again… Please not again.” She whispered, strangely recalling the scene on the treasury room floor the last time Mozenrath looked so dead.

            Chroias pulled Nefret to her and gripped the girl. Half giving support, half talking it. “Hush minion!” She scolded. “Don’t you DARE give up now!” She shook the girl once, making Nefret quake but fall silent.

            They both sat wide eyed and looked. The only noise was the sand storm outside, and even that seemed to quiet in reverence.

            The demon reached out and took one hand, the bone one. Nefret scooted forward and gripped the pale-fleshed one.

            “Not yet.” Chroias commanded Mozenrath.

            “Fight, you damned beanpole.” Nefret whispered.

            The leather was slowly unweaving itself from the gold charm until the tooth was free and the strap fell away. The gap in the throat was widening, the tooth slowly slipping into the body.

            “What the hell is…”

            “Shhhh.” Chroias snapped. “It’s doing what it’s original purpose was.”

            Nefret’s eyes stayed wide as she looked back to the wound. The tooth was completely gone now. All that remained was a slight glow from the skin on his collarbone. The tooth was lit up inside… slowly moving down and across Mozenrath’s shoulder. Leavening a golden radiant trail behind it the tooth stopped under the skin above his heart.

            Chroias was taken in by the awe and beauty as the skin of his chest glowed bright and spread out in a spider web, flowing though his blood veins. The illumination creped out to spread over his chest, then surge down his arms and stomach, though his legs and back again and finally bolt to spread up his neck.

            Both girls slapped their hands over their eyes as the golden light exploded to high intensity. A rumble spread over the tent from the epicenter of Mozenrath’s body.

            And then the light just died. Both girls let out the breath they’d been holding. As if afraid to look they slowly lowered their hands. The sight that meet them brought tears to their eyes.

            Mozenrath laid so serenely, a small smile on his lips. His skin was so light and clean looking, like buttermilk, his hair was raven black and curled around his forehead. For all intensive purposes he was… angelic looking. His body was completely healed. The rip on his throat was gone and…. Oh and now both of his hands were slim, delicate, and fleshed!

            Over his heart there was a small bump where the tooth rested under the flesh, but it did not diminish his beauty. A beauty to last the millennia.

            Chroias and Nefret couldn’t move, just sit there, one on either side. Both were trembling slightly. Such was the power of the scene.

            Mozenrath gave a small sleepy hum and his black eyes opened. “Roi… Neffie.” He breathed with a smile and lifted his hands to touch their cheeks.

 

Chapter 361 ((Chroias))

A day passed, and as Mozenrath proved himself to be "cured" of what was needed, Chroias prepared herself to ask what needed to be asked. There was only one way possible she would ever be able to get Mozenrath to admit anything, and that would be to turn his own desires against himself.

They made love that night. After all things had been settled and they'd bathed. Nefret found some excuse to remove herself from the vicinity, even though both demon and ex-sorcerer could tell it cost her something of her pride to do so. Despite everything, the air was still thick between minion and master.

Afterwards, coated lightly in their own sweet with the smell of copulation wafting out the door, Chroias felt the warm embrace of her lovers two fleshed arms tighten around her body and wished desperately that she didn't have to ask this. She lifted her head and looked deep into Mozenrath's eyes. "Do you love Nefret?" she said bluntly.

Mozenrath shifted slightly uncomfortably on the floor pallet. He'd known she would ask this. Sooner or later she was going to ask it. He couldn't deny her the answers, not after everything she'd done, but that didn't make it any easier. "I do. I didn't expect to, but I suppose I do."

Chroias closed her eyes. "You’re trying to hide emotions." she accused from the tone of Mozenrath's voice. He was trying to sound rational and logical about his feelings. A nearly impossible thing. "Tell me the truth Mozenrath, you owe us both that."

"The truth...are you sure your ready for it?" He inquired and held her cheeks in his hands. He marveled in his new and forgotten flesh. It was wonderful to be able to fully touch his lover’s body with both intimate and loving feeling. He'd been looking at his hand periodically over the past day, shaking his head like he couldn't believe it, but there was no doubt. He was human...thanks to the gain of his hand, and loss of his magic. He would get the latter back, but now was not the time.

"I...I don't know if I'm ready for it." Chroias admitted. "Gods knows I've had you to myself for so long I've forgotten that it's possible to love more then one." She sighed. "She's had several lovers Mozenrath... can you let yourself been one of them, or do you want her to be yours exclusively?"

"She'd kill me in an instant if I tried to make her mine." He said with a low chuckle. "I want her beside me, in the same way you are. I love and value you both. If it wasn't for your combined efforts, I would be dead now."

Chroias smiled. "I'm sorry I left...I was so angry...I hated you....for an instant I hated you." She told him and saw no real shock in his face. "I just wasn't thinking clearly. I saw you suffering and felt so useless..."

"You were never useless." He protested forcefully. "Ever." he pulled her down so that their bodies were pressed closer. "I can't help this Chroias. I...kissed her... while I was half delusional. She looked like she was going to accept it for just one moment, then pulled away and looked terrified."

"You want her with you...but you don't know how to make her see that." Chroias surmised, saving Mozenrath having to say it. "It will not be easy to convince her you want her for herself, not because your trying to exploit your power over her." The demoness considered. "Nefret can be a ...difficult...woman. Be prepared for a long an exhausting battle."

"Why does it have to be a battle? Why can't I just tell her I love her and...prove it." Mozenrath didn't want it to should as though he merely wanted her for his bed. He did want her IN his bed, but not ONLY for his bed.

"You have learned far to well how to simply say something without meaning it. This will not convince our Nefret. Much like me, you'll have to win her love, prove yourself able to accept her as is."

Mozenrath gave a light grimace and stood, slowly. He was not experiencing the weaknesses he had, but his muscles still ached and felt strained.

Perhaps because of the significant powers stemming and attaching to his body to keep him alive, or maybe because Chroias had nearly exhausted him. "You mean accept the fact that I will never be her only one." he rubbed his temples.

"Yes. Se has Aladdin to love as well, and she has deep affection for Don when we go on to the future." Chroias brought up. She hated bringing this all to light so quickly. But these things needed to be spoken about. Ignorance was not bliss, not when hearts and emotions were concerned. "Nefret may, in time, come to love you only, but if you take away her options of Aladdin, that will drive her further from you."

"I know I know. But what I don't know is how to prove to her that I ...need her." He said and covered his lean, taunt body in a robe. "Where did she go?"

"Since the sandstorms calmed down, she went over to a river stream to bathe. It was, of course, a pretense to give us time alone. I suppose I'll be repaying her the favor sooner or later." Chroias smiled and Mozenrath realized she was joking. It made him feel better. "Go there." She said softly. "Talk to her."

"I doubt she'll appreciate me showing up while she's bathing." He said but Chroias shook her head.

"If you need an excuse, just say that since she saw you in the nude it's only fair." Chroias smiled slyly. "I think she was impressed with what she saw.

"She saw what!?" Mozenrath went a shade paler as Chroias laughed loudly. "When did she see this?"

"When you were out cold and covered in sand. We bathed you off and she was desperately trying not to look at your most prominent feature." Chroias caught Mozenrath blush, but cover it with an easy smile.

"Well then I suppose it's only fair that she return the favor." he tied the robe. "Which way to the stream?"

***********

Nefret took one of the long reeds beside the stream and began to play with it, not really sure as to what she was doing save for trying to keep her mind occupied. She had promised herself not to think about Chroias and Mozenrath being together.

She was not going to think about how she wanted it to be her in that tent right now. Or about the fact that she felt excessively lonely right now. Or about how...

Nefret dunked her head underwater and shook out her purple locks with a dogs fineness. She was going to keep that thought from her mind. Standing from the water, she reached over to pick up some sand to rub against the reed and scrub herself clean.

"Wonderful view out tonight."

Nefret froze, slowly flexing her back and trying to control the vivid blush on her cheeks. There was no mistaking the cool, breeze manner of speech or the arrogant shadow the moon showed. "Mozenrath...you'd had better be talking about the stars."

 

Chapter 362 (by Nefret)

            Mozenrath simply chuckled and sighed as he sat down on the bank. Nefret scowl and slipped down to sit in the water. “Maybe the stars, maybe the moon.” Mozenrath sighed.

            Nefret growled and broke the reed in her hand. “Fine, I saw you saw me.” Nefret turned back to her breezy sarcasm as she faced him again. “An eye for an eye, right my lord? Very well.” Nefret stood up again from the water and stood proud, hoping to spook him. “You have your revenge now. Your ego is satisfied.”

            “Not everything I do is for revenge Neffie.” Mozenrath turned serious but Nefret refused to see the truth in his eyes.

            “Bull.” She snorted lowly and sunk back in the water. The young woman continued her bath as if no one was there, half because she was still unforgiving of what happened, half because she was scared to death of the change that was overcoming them. Things had always been one certain way; it was predictable and dependent like nothing else in her life. Now it was changing and what lay ahead was new and uncertain. As a proper Egyptian she had a healthy fear of change, Nefret was terrified of the way Mozenrath looked at her now, scared of his tone of voice, petrified of the way she reacted.

            Mozenrath sat back a bit, bewildered. He hadn’t expected Nefret to come running into his arms but… he had thought she’d at least be his friend now. “Why?” He breathed, his heart sagging.

            Nefret’s eyes searched for a while and she breathed deep. So many answers came to her then, why? Because she was afraid, because somehow she doubted it, because she wanted it too much. Putting up a stiff upper lip Nef chuckled. “Because I’ve learned not to trust the words out of your mouth.” Nefret’s attempt to remain aloof failed. She hugged herself under the water and looked steadily at the small ripples drifting out. “Because all these years you have worked me, made me feel worthless, hit me… now.. now… no you have not even said it to me yourself.”

            “But destain told you. HE knew because he scratched my brain for every little detail I could never admit! He told you.” Mozenrath stood up and swooped his arms as if to say ‘what else do you want.’

            Nefret thrashed her arm in the water. “Why should I believe that VILE man?!” She yelled, suddenly loosing her temper. “You want me to take his word? You want me to just accept something he tells me?!”

            Moze shook his head softly and spoke gently. “Just believe me Neffi, for once look at me and believe me.”

            Nefret did look. Slowly she rose out of the water. “I can’t believe that you say you love me because you’ve never SAID it.” She walked right up to him, looked right into his eyes steadily. “And you can’t say it to my face… can you?” She whispered.

            Mozenrath had believed her could, but now, with Nefret standing that close to him, her dark eyes burning into his, just out of the bath he found himself unable to speak.

            The girl’s eyes closed and she stepped away. “I knew it.”

            Mozenrath caught her arm and pulled her closer. “Let me… let me p-prove it then.” He was amazed he sounded so nervous and unsure now, he was not the pompous self confident man he had always been. Never had he imagined his little minion would be able to bring him down to this level.

            “No!” Nefret looked terrified and ripped her arm away. In her mind she was drawn back to that horrible moment when Mozenrath, under the control of destain, had forced her to the bed.

            “Why the hell not?” Mozenrath yelled, scared because he was scared of him.

            “Because I promised myself a long time ago not to be that kind of slave! I am an Egyptian and a priestess! I will not be reduced to sitting quietly in your bed until you show up, have your fun for a couple of minuets and then throw me out the door without a scrap of dignity!!” Nefret felt suddenly liberated of that long held fear, a tear slipped down her cheek.

            Mozenrath turned paler. Was that really how she envisioned things? “It would never be like that. It would be…” Mozenrath stopped and sighed. “Let me prove it another way than, if you will not allow me to touch you now. Egypt is to your west, Agraba is to your north,” He pointed the way. “The tent is that way, and… and I’m sitting right in front of you.” He paused and Nefret looked up to him. “You choose where you want to go. I wont stop you.”

            Nefret’s eyes grew wide. Slowly she looked around. She really had the right of free choice? Her eyes fell on Mozenrath and softened.

            “Go on.” Mozenrath encouraged. He sat and looked down, truly he would not try to stop her wherever she headed. He only hoped it was to him.

 

Chapter 363 ((Chroias))

She hated him for this. She completely hated him for this! "He won't just order me, he's making me choose!" Nefret felt something rising inside her. Some odd mixture of anger, sorrow, and love. Of course she WANTED to walk to Mozenrath, let him know she felt the same way. But that was just what she wanted.

Then again she couldn't walk towards Egypt. Yes she wanted to go home, but at how great a cost? Leaving behind the family she'd become used to, those she'd come to...love. Egypt would always be her home and her center, but she'd found another home.

There was Agrabah, and Aladdin. She still had deep affection for the hero. But then again came the obstacle of Jasmine. The princess was a reasonable woman, but she was unwilling to accept Aladdin's feeling for her. Besides, she and the hero had never exactly cleared what there was between them. Not to mention the fact that to keep up appearances, Nefret would become an official Harem girl. That was no better then what she'd insisted Mozenrath was trying to do to her.

"Mozenrath..." Nefret entertained the thought for a moment. She could see him, looking at her from his position on the sands. She knew somewhere in the back of her mind that she was still in the buff, but it didn't seem necessary to cloth herself. Still, she reached down and covered herself with a towel. It gave her a small amount of amusement to see the disappointment on Mozenrath's face.

She wanted him. Mind, body, and soul just as Chroias did. There was no doubt that Chroias had already accepted her as a friend in that respect otherwise Mozenrath never would have gotten out of the tent. But something inside still ached. "Damn you..." she whispered.

"Damn me?" Mozenrath said quietly. "Damn me for what? I'll admit I deserve it for a lot of things." he gave a small, disarming smile and saw a glimmer of one of Nefret, giving him hope.

"Yes you do..." Nefret took a step to the West and saw Mozenrath flinch, but not move. He'd promised not to stop her, and so he would not. She put and hand to her head and sank to the ground, frustrated and feeling deflated. "Damn it all.." she whispered and felt her chest heave with a heavy weight.

Mozenrath didn't bring himself closer until he saw a stray tear slip down her cheeks. His first reaction was to turn away, pretend like he didn't see it. But instead he found himself getting closer. Cautiously, he reached out and caressed her cheek.

Nefret slapped his hand away. "No." she refused. But he reached out and touched it again, tentivly stroking along the jaw-line and lifting her chin. "Stop it..." she said with more strength this time.

"I am not Destane..." He said suddenly, surprising her. "A part of me was...for a very long time..." he shuddered. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness Nefret, but that doesn’t mean I won't ask for it." he tried to look her in the eyes. "I know you need time...come back with us." he begged.

Nefret shook her head. "I will not be a slave...not anymore."

"No you won't be. I can't keep you like that any longer Nefret." Mozenrath promised. "Didn't I take your shackle off? Didn't I ask you to stay."

"Didn't I stay?" Nefret snapped back. She was so used to him yelling at her whenever she got like this. It would have been so much easier to have him yell and scream. Then she could have left and not cared. It would have been so much easier. "Why are you doing this?!" she yelled suddenly and pushed away further.

Mozenrath balked, visibly hurt. "Why am I doing this!" He felt his temper rising. "Why are you being like this?" he stood up suddenly, dragging Nefret with him. His arms suddenly wrapped themselves tightly around her back, holding her from struggling. "Allah be damned Nefret your twice as bad as I was." he pressed her closer despite her kicking at his calves, his intentions weren't to hurt her, or even frighten her, but to get her to realize the truth.

"You don't know me!" Nefret retorted and gritted her teeth, not looking at him directly.

"Your right...I don't...not yet." He caressed a handful of her purple hair. "But I want to know you Nefret. I want to know why you hate me...wh-hy you take so many lovers..."

"That’s none of your business!" She yelled out and felt tears streaming down her cheeks. "Damn you man put me down!"

"No. Not until you calm down. You’re hurting yourself Nefret." Mozenrath said assertively and sat down, keeping her retrained until finally, she sank back against his chest. He let go of her arms and she snapped back, moving away by a good three feet. He could tell she was ready to kill him, and he stood up. "The choice is still yours. I keep my promise Nefret." he sighed, tired, and walked back to his tent.

Chroias looked up from her tea making when Mozenrath entered. She gave a small smile, which died as soon as she saw his face. "I take it things did not go well?"

"She's always going to hate me isn't she?" Mozenrath said and settled himself onto the pallets. His body felt a kind of cold that nothing could penetrate.

Chroias kissed his forehead and let him hug her close. "She doesn't hate you...she just needs time..." she could feel her lovers pain and began to drain it slowly, stroking him up and down his back as he calmed down. There was something visibly changed about him. A kind of innocence and nervousness Chroias had never seen before. For the first time in his left, Mozenrath was doing something with direction from another. For the first time, he was forced to rely on his own emotions to get him through something. And currently, his emotions were unused and faulty.

"I set her free. She can go anywhere she wants, and I wouldn't have tried to stop her." He gave a weak smile. "I would have stopped her if I'd been sitting out there."

Chroias chuckled and handed a cup of honey-flavored tea. "You did what you could. Nefret is her own woman, always will be, always has been." Chroias saw a pear shaped shadow move across the outside of the tent and smiled. "But even she needs her place."

Mozenrath sipped at his tea and smirked. "You drugged this didn't you?" he asked. And Chroias nodded.

"You are still weak, you still need sleep. And I won't have you up all night worrying about weather or not Nefret is coming back to you."

Mozenrath felt the soporific effect begin to take over. "If she does..." he shook himself. "..come back...what should I do?"

"Why don't you decide for yourself?" Chroias let him lie down and think.

"She'll be...moved...into a better room. No more chores or duties." He said suddenly, and decisively. And with that fell asleep.

******

It was a great surprise to all when at dawn’s light, a third person was found sleeping at the furthest end of the tent, snoring just a little. Chroias let her sleep, packing things up. "Time to go home." she said suddenly upon waking Mozenrath up.

"Yes I suppose so..." Mozenrath suddenly saw the locks of hair poking out from the mat. "She...she!!"

Chroias placed a finger over his lips. "Yes she...she did. Don't wake her yet. We're going home soon as I can open up a portal."

Mozenrath sat in stunned silence for a moment. He hadn't expected her to return to the tent with him. Obviously she'd waited till they were all asleep before coming in, avoiding the looks she was bound to get. Mozenrath moved closer to touch her head, trying to make sure she was real.

"This isn't over." The bundle spoke. Nefret flipped back the sheet, looking Mozenrath in the eyes. "I'm not your slave Mozenrath. You said so yourself...but I'm not sure I believe you yet." She gave him a shrewd look. "Lets see just what goes on once we're home...Just remember, I can leave at any moment...and I will. If you hurt me once Mozenrath...just once..." he held up a single finger and was shocked when Mozenrath took her hand.

"I realize Nefret." Mozenrath smiled and pulled her a little closer. "I've learned patience. I'll wait till your ready." He didn't wait for her retort, simply covered her mouth with a finger. "Just this one time...let me have the last word." he kissed her deeply, leaving it up to her as to how to respond.

Nefret stiffened at his lips on hers, and felt a hot blush cover her face when the kiss became slightly more intimate as their mouths opened. Something inside her started panicking. "Do SOMTHING you numbskull. Hit him! Hug him but don't just sit there like a deer in the fire!"