William awoke to find his arms and legs bound in a spread eagle position. He was no longer wearing his armor; the weight was gone. But he could see nothing. Something sticky was covering his eyes. He strained and tried to break free, but his limbs were sluggish.

Then the silk was pulled from his eyes, and he found himself in the center of a circular room. There was a balcony above him with many windows looking out onto a starry expanse. At the base of the balcony was Kiyora. She was trapped within a clear crystal, and blue energy poured out of her.

Yet it was sapped away by wires into the walls themselves.

Glancing around, William saw his sword on his discarded armor. Suppose he could only get to it. Then he could get out of here. But the threads held him tightly.

Then Rioletta walked sideways from behind him into view. She was smiling. One clawed hand reached up to cup him by the cheek. He found his eyes drawn to her now naked upper body.

"My, you've awoken, haven't you? I can see why Arraxia likes you. I'm lucky I claimed you first," she said, licking her lips.

He tried to speak. But the silk was covering his mouth. Rioletta responded by lowering her claws down to his shirt and stabbing one claw through it. He tried to keep from screaming as he felt her fingers drive themselves into his flesh. Down went her hand, and he could no longer control himself. He yelled, but the sound of muffled.

"Oh, don't bother trying to call for help, darling," said Rioletta. "My webs are very good at containing screams, and no one can help you. Black Star has been naughty of late, but it may be worth it for the pain I can feel from you. You've proven a frightful nuisance. I was nearly out of the system when you destroyed my cloak.

"Now I'm being pursued, and I'm going to have to fight off the Dreamer Elves before I've broken, dear Kiyora."

She moved forward so that her cheek was pressed against his. Her arms wrapped around him gently. William found himself reacting in his lower body despite his best efforts. How could he be attracted to this monster?

"I like you," whispered Rioletta. "Beneath that metal shell, you look delicious. Not an elf, but one can tire of the effeminate sort. Now, what shall I do with you?" She licked his cheek with a forked, violet tongue. "I suppose I could bundle you up like the others, but this warrants a personal touch."

Then she pulled back. She opened her mouth to reveal fangs. She bit down on his neck. William stopped himself from screaming this time as she sang her fangs in. He could feel his blood being drained, and he felt lightheaded. Then she pulled back, licking her lips.

"Yes!" she screamed in a pleasured tone, a voice filled with passion. And she gripped him by the throat. "Still, it's not just blood I want from you." She grabbed the tears in his shirt and began to rip them away. "How would you like to be the father of a new brood of spiders? Half-demons are much more durable than those silly raishans. It'll be no trouble. It'll be a special pleasure to have my way with a goddess's servant in front of her.

"Now, why don't we begin?"

She leaned in as if to kiss him. Then there was a flash, and the vessel shook around them. Rioletta looked upward in a fury. William followed her gaze and saw something strange through the windows. It was like a tree, yet the roots seemed to have tangled together to create a ship. It had golden leaves and was surrounded by a shield of light.

"What is the meaning of this Black Star?" asked Rioletta. "I commanded you forward at top speed!"

"I... do not..." The vessel shook as a beam of light was fired from the tree ship ahead of them to crash into them. "...serve by... choice..."

"Then you will serve by compulsion!" roared Rioletta.

She stretched out her hands, and dark magic poured from them. There was a scream from the ship. Then it was followed by many other screams. Thousands, in fact. A beam of pure violet light shot across the window to smash into the tree ship. The shield broke, and the vessel exploded into a million pieces.

Yet more soon appeared and began to fire at them. Rioletta directed her assaults against them as well. And as she did, William saw Kiyora's expression turn to one of pain. Rioletta was draining Kiyora's power!

He had to do something while Rioletta was distracted. William summoned the power of Elranor to heal his wounds first. Then he tried to break the enchantment on the threads holding him. But that was no good. The magic was just reinforced. Then he had an idea. He tried hauling on them while channeling Elranor's power through.

For a long moment, he strained. Then the threads snapped. He tore off his gag and leaped for his sword. Rioletta turned and sent a wave of thread at him, but he rolled away.

Rioleta drew one hand before her in a slashing motion, and a wave of the thread was woven. William's sword was held in place as Rioletta stabbed her claws into his chest. He gasped as he felt piercing agony. As she drew out her hand, another impact was felt. The other three ships were firing on the Black Star, and Rioletta turned to deal with them. Another two tree ships exploded into flares of light by her will.

William healed his wound, ignoring the pain. He couldn't fight Rioletta, not like this. Then glanced at Kiyora and thought he might free her.

"Elranor..." he murmured, "give me strength...

And he felt strength flow through him. There was enough strength for this. Rising up, he summoned the full might of his power and swung at the crystal. His blade hit an invisible thread and was slowed. When it hit the crystal, it only cracked. There was a cry of rage, and Rioletta was coming at him.

He rolled aside in time to avoid having his throat slashed. Then a wave of thread pinned him to the wall. Rioletta came at him, face warped and twisted. "Miserable little fly! I'll wring your neck and devour your innards! I'll drain your blood from your-"

A shield blocked her coming. Rioletta recoiled from it, burned. The crack in the crystal was widening. A blue light was pouring forth, and another will was widening the crack. Rioletta rushed back and forced a hand against the crystal. The crack began to mend, but the will persisted.

"Won't... let you..." gasped Black Star. "Ictargo... help me..."

There was a sudden surge of orange light behind them. An elven figure appeared, garbed all in white. He had short dark hair and handsome features ordinarily. And he looked very determined. In one hand, he held a bright sword and, in the other, a great shield.

Rioletta turned to face him. "Ictargo," she hissed. "This domain is mine by right. Black Star was born of my magics and is mine. You have no power here."

"I have been called upon for aid," replied Ictargo. "And I do not forsake my subjects."

Rioletta laughed. "I have been capturing elves from across the worlds for years, and your avatar has never confronted me."

"I have been held at bay a long time," said Ictargo. "But no longer." He surged forward, and Rioletta went to meet him. There was a flash of light, and the room around them shook. Reality itself seemed to warp around them. William found his bindings falling away.

Rioletta and Ictargo were now fighting. Threads were thrown at him with sharp points only to break against a shield. Ictargo's blade struck many times. Yet Rioletta's threads always interposed themselves. Yet there was something else going on here. William had yet to learn who this Ictargo was. However, he suspected that he did not see a contest between a demon and an elf.

There were forces behind both of them. Primal and divine forces were sending their full might against one another. The actual combat seemed almost insignificant. The true battle was the will contest taking place just below the surface. William found himself almost lost within it. Neither one was able to overwhelm the other.

Finally, Ictargo slid back a pace as though struck. Rioletta smiled. "You see. You cannot overwhelm me here. Not in the heart of my power. Not with the Dreaming Goddess within my grip."

"But you have brought with you also the heart of my power," said Ictargo, and he spoke now aloud. "Hear me, subjects of the Dreamer Empire. Long has Rioletta held you? But no longer. Defy her now; pit your wills against her! This is the chance of liberation, which you have long awaited!"

And there was a change in the air. Sparkles of light descended from around the ship, a few at first, but many soon enough. They poured into Ictargo, who flared brighter and brighter. Then he surged forward and struck Rioletta. The spider goddess recoiled, injured. Yet, with one hand, she sent forth much of her energy.

There were the screams again. Much louder than before. And Rioletta raked Ictargo across the face, leaving three long marks. That would likely leave a scar if he weren't an elf.

"You may call upon the hopes and dreams of people," said Rioletta, "but I can wield their suffering as a limb. And when someone is in a great deal of pain, they'll do anything to make it stop.

"It's the motivation of all heroes."

The battle continued, but William drowned out the words. Kiyora was suffering, and the thought infuriated William. So, he pulled himself up and limped toward the crystal. Every step hurt, and he could hardly keep his feet. The floor seemed to be shifting. Finally, he fell against the crystal.

Summoning the power of Elranor, he struck it with all his might. It cracked. He hit it again, and the cracks spread. A third blow saw splinters of crystal breaking off. He raised the sword for a final blow, but threads dragged him back.

He looked up. Rioletta was still fighting Ictargo, but she'd sent silk to pull him back. They were still fighting. But he was exhausted. He'd used so much power, and this simply wasn't working. He could hardly stay awake.

Wait. Kiyora had long ago imparted a piece of her spirit into him. Perhaps he could reach her with words. He forced himself to ignore the pain.

"Listen to me, Kiyora!" he said. "This ship, this tree, whatever it is! It is killing your people! But you can stop it! Fight it!"

Kiyora stirred within her prison. Her mouth opened, and her fist clenched. And William felt a great power mustering within. "You..." she strove to speak. "get out of my head, you bitch!"Her eyes opened like they were lit with a blue flame. The crystal shattered, and Kiyora rose into the air. Rioletta recoiled as Kiyora landed.

"Dropping... dropping shields..." said Black Star.

"You little fool! You think you've won, do you?!" roared Rioletta. "Well, you haven't! Even if you kill me, your ships will destroy this place! You'll both die anyway, and I'll just reform in hell!" And she laughed with manic hysteria.

"This is Emperor Ictargo," said Ictargo, raising a strange device. "We have taken control of the ship. Ceasefire and prepare a boarding party."

"... That's cheating," said Rioletta in a petulant tone.

"Not really," said Kiyora before sending a surge of blue light, and Ictargo unleashed a wave of energy. Rioletta screamed and was consumed.

Kiyora looked to Ictargo. She blinked in surprise. "...Tenius? What are you doing here?"

"Uh, that's a bit of a long story. It can probably wait till later," said Ictargo, rubbing the back of his head. "Right now, we need to free all these people."

Tenius? The name was familiar. "I remember you," said William. "Aren't you that boy Kiyora was engaged to?"

"Oh, that," said Tenius. "Yeah, I got informed of it. Then I heard it got called off. It was kind of weird."

"I had to give away my harp to break off your engagement," snapped William. "If I'd had that, I could have handled this situation on my own."

"I did just save you both," noted Tenius. "My fleets would have destroyed you."

"No, you wouldn't," said William. "Kiyora could have just as easily teleported both of us back to my world. This wouldn't be the first time she's traveled there."

"And what about all the hostages?" asked Tenius.

"...A fair point," admitted William. "Though that seems your responsibility."

"So uh, Tenius," said Kiyora, not looking at his eyes, "how did you get here? When did you get those powers? And why didn't you use them before?"

"I'm dreaming if you must know," said Tenius. "Soon, I'll wake up and dismiss all this as only a dream. My true identity has yet to manifest in my mortal form fully."

"True identity?" asked William. "What do you mean?"

"I am the latest incarnation of Emperor Ictargo," said Tenius with pride.

"That means absolutely nothing to me," admitted William.

"I am the supreme ruler of the Dreamer Empire," said Tenius. "Like all Dreamer Elves, I am immortal. But a long time ago, I got set in my ways and really screwed up a lot of things. I didn't understand the changing times. So Alchara made it so that every six hundred years, I reincarnate in another form."

"So, who's running the government now?" asked Kiyora.

"Various influential people. No one you know or know of," said Tenius.

"Right, and why are you telling us this?" asked Kiyora.

"Well, honestly, you've derailed some important plans," said Tenius. Something about him shifted. He looked like a different person. "You see, as most women do, you were meant to fall in love with me at first sight. Unfortunately, you manifested your powers far earlier. The whole thing with Laughing Wraith caused the spirit world to draw much nearer, and you were attuned to it."As a result, things spiraled out of control, and you ended up far more willful than expected."

"Happy to disappoint you," said Kiyora.

"I'm well aware," said Tenius. "We had intended to go through with things anyway; let fate sort things out like it usually does. However, the Goldenwood Harp was far too great a power to yield to humans."

"Yield? The harp was mine by right of finding," snapped William.

"And it was Alchara's by right of creation," said Tenius, and he was Ictargo now. "It's obvious who has the greater claim."

"Yes. I did," said William.

"Spoken like a true disciple of Anoa the Butcher, said Ictargo. "You humans believe that just because you have the strength to take something makes it yours. You are unfit to rule anything."

"Anoa the Bright was the greatest King to ever live," said William. "And the High Elven Kingdoms were barbarians who hunted sentients for sport. Driving your kind onto reservations was the greatest thing the men of Harlenor ever did!"

"Do not speak to me of the old wars, human!" roared Ictargo. "I was there in another life! I watched the fall of civilizations! The rape of innocents beyond count! The destruction of entire nations! I saw a culture that had stood triumphant for millennia annihilated in a mere hundred years!"

"You sought to exterminate us. We left some of you alive," noted William. "That alone makes us better than you."

"Better? The most experienced human adults know less than Kiyora. And she has yet to complete her training," said Ictargo. "We are long-lived. Firstborn of the universe. The wisest of our kind remember ages past. Ages which human histories have long forgotten."

"Yet you must reincarnate to remain relevant in a changing universe," noted William. "I think that says something about the values of immortality."

"Both of you shut up!" snapped Kiyora. "Nobody with any sense cares about racial purity or stuff like that. You've got to judge people on a case-by-case basis. And William, do you actually believe all that?"

"Yes," said William.

"Funny because it sounds more like you heard it in a history lesson and repeated it here," said Kiyora. "And Ictargo, or Tenius, or whoever the hell you are, William has a point. They probably wouldn't have lost if the High Elves were so damn superior."

"We grew complacent. Yet we were still greater," said Ictargo.

"Of course you were," said Kiyora with sarcasm. "And if the way you talk about it is any indication, you probably knew it. Have you ever thought that maybe so many people hate elves because we think we're better than them?"

"We are better than them," said Ictargo flatly.

"No, we aren't. I mean, sure, we've got some advantages," said Kiyora. "The average elf probably has many more skills than the average human. But that doesn't make our lives inherently more valuable."

"Believe whatever you will, Kiyora," said Ictargo. And he was gone in a flash.

"What a wretched excuse for a sentient being," said William.

"He's borderline likable as Tenius. Why do you dislike him? I mean, it's not like-" said Kiyora before suddenly breaking into a blush and looking away. "Hey, uh, what happened to your shirt?"

"Rioletta tore it up while trying to force herself on me," said William.

Kiyora blushed. "Oh. Um, how would that even work?"

"I don't really want to know," said William. "Can you send me back home now? These excursions to your world are interesting. However, I don't really like having to contend with demons every time I go on one of them."

"Right," said Kiyora. "Um, I'll check up on you later. See ya!"She raised a hand, and there was a flash.

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