Ch: 274 Late In The Evening

Shai intercepted ‘auntie Ess’, the first guardian of the Empress Of Light and kept her busy, while Gary summoned the house on what little open space remained. High walls and thornberries made his desire for enhanced privacy clear, while his aura enchantments backed those defenses up on a spiritual level.

Under a cloud of obfuscating aura power and with the aid of some timely distractions, they got everyone inside unstabbed and without interrogation or incident… Mostly

“Screw your security protocols, this is my home! Your ass needs to wear a visitor pass!” He snapped at the sergeant at arms.

“Don’t even look at my kids, they aren’t going to help you!” He glared and grumbled at the horde of imperials, who fell back before his combination of bad manners, strange aura and some nebulous, inscrutable connection to the empress herself.

“Gods damn it… Can’t catch a break…” He grumbled as he vanished into the house behind the kids and that weird, tall, skinny fellow in blue.

“No trespassing!” He shouted over the garden wall.

“Tis nae like thee tae be so unwelcoming…” Shai grumbled, once they were alone.

“Well, I’m feeling cranky and a little sick. If anything, I feel worse than after Morrie dumped me…”

He pulled up his character sheet with a sinking dread in his guts.

Gary Ward: Demihuman Monster, Aberration

Class: Druid, Undead Craftsman, Witch

Age:18

Rank:Unranked

Might:Copper minus, Beast, divine Contract, Homebody, The Hive, The Sun.

Resilience:Unranked, Fractured Soul, Quietus Moon, The Moon

Agility:Iron, Spear Wanderer's Legacy, Pockets!, Sleight of Mind, The Hierophant.

Will:Copper minus, Brigid, etheric Contract, Artisan, Bound in Flesh, The Hanged Man.

Mind:Unranked, Interface, Unlivening, The Endless Dance of Death.

Animus:Copper minus, Joy, divine Contract, Familiar Stranger, Entrainment, The Fool.

“Aww man, my Contract with Secret is gone now…” He complained. “That sucks!”

Shai pulled him close and gave him a long hug. “Tis troubling indeed. None of us could enter yer dreams last night, twas closed tae us all.”

“Me too. Velvet actually gave me the bum’s rush.” He mumbled. “It was kinda fun, but I’m worried. The gods are up to something.”

“Ye kin trust Ducky, Thirp an Brigid wi yer life, lad. Beast I dinnae ken… but they hae dealt thee square, as hae Joy.” She mumbled into his shoulder.

“I can’t really, love. I can’t trust them at all.” He murmured. “Of all the major gods, Beast has been the only one who took the time to talk to me directly and he was straight up that I don’t really matter to him. He wants results and anything after that is not even a concern.”

“Lad… yer friends would nae…”

“They would. I’m mortal, temporary, fungible. That’s why they were so willing to use me. That’s why they let me use this weird power of mine.”

“Nae, tis Morrigan’s gift lad, now it should nae…” She began.

“Nope. It’s still mine, Morrigan ignited it, but the power is from something inside me, she said as much. That’s why she couldn’t take it away. She thought I’d die when her Contract broke, now she desperately wants back inside cause she has no control over me anymore.” He sagged against her in exhaustion. “Can’t believe Ducky dumped me without a word…”

“I dinnae believe he would, had he a choice, beloved.” She whispered.

“I need some time with Ward, to think and get to know each other.” He stood straighter and took a deep calming breath. “We need to go visit Maple in the grove too. I’ll bring Liam along, ok?”

“Becky too. She will hae insights as well, lad of mine. I’ll mind our home fer thee this night.” His mate answered firmly.

#

Becky and Kermal Singh were waiting with Sandi and Winslow when Gary and Ward ambled out into the garden in the early afternoon.

“Horsies?” Ward whispered in ecstatic joy.

“Yes, horsies… I know bro… they’re super cool. Wait till you meet my best friend, Annie…”

Liam coughed awkwardly behind them with Magnus’ reins in his hand. “Annie is your best friend?” He demanded archly, with a small smile on his too handsome face. “Mount up you goon.”

“I never rode a horsie before…” Ward mumbled in embarrassment.

“Gods no, Gary can’t ride worth a shaved iron bit… get out your bikes, dummy.” Liam grumbled with a grin.

Ward giggled like a little girl trapped in a basket of baby kittens, when two weird bicycles appeared from his alter ego’s startlingly muscular ass.

“Kermal… nice to have you along…” Gary sang along with a flock of starlings. “Kinda a surprise though.”

“We already had a date, big brother.” Becky answered confidently. “You need my help, I want to keep my commitment; this way everybody wins.”

“Really, you two are an item…?” Gary cooed with a smile. “Anyway, Ward this is Kemal Singh, A close family friend… and Becky’s boyfriend…” Gary told the figure in blue, from behind a goofy, happy grin. “Kermal, this is Ward…” He said, over Becky’s glare. “He’s my brother from out of town.”

“Hi Ward… Gary’s a shitty liar and you’re obviously not human.” The young man waved from high up on his horse with an open and friendly smile.

“Nice to meet you, Kermal…” He murmured awkwardly.

Together they mounted their bikes and rode off, vanishing up the road, together with the others.

#

“Can you feel any resistance or sensation of… unwelcomeness, Ward?” Gary asked as they approached the forested, haunted vale.

“No… should I?” He asked. “Shouldn’t I be tired? We pedaled a good distance.”

“Welcome to being a haunted construct. You will be nearly tireless, as long as there’s a source of etheric magic nearby… which you have inside you.” He wheezed. “I’m pretty wiped though.”

“You could have used your motor, Gary.” Liam complained.

“I did… I’m unranked, baby, I’ve been running on empty for five miles.” He staggered off his bike and sagged to the forest floor in a heap, a few yards from Maple’s playhouse. “Maple, I’m home.” He yelled from his spot on the mossy loam. A moment later a dark, shadowy form alighted on his chest, sniffing and nuzzling at his throat. “Aww, Xyll! Missed you too kiddo. You got bigger…”

“She now possesses a physical form… of a sort.” Maple sighed happily. “This is a crucial time in her development. She must attach herself to a living, spiritual being that is compatible with her nature… She must become your bonded familiar and avatar, Gary.”

“Wait, what?” He demanded, only to realize that Maple was speaking to Ward.

“Shush, fool. I have news for you as well, but this unanchored soul must be firmly rooted in his native soil before anything… unusual happens.” Maple snapped gently at the prone musician.

“Wait.. I don’t understand…” Ward mumbled, confused by the tiny, extraordinarily beautiful woman who was chewing out his alter. While she berated Gary, the shadow bat fluttered over to investigate him with increasing excitement.

“This is my friend Maple, she’s the immortal dryad of the maple grove…you can trust her, Ward.” Gary mumbled slowly.

“Mm… Miss Maple.. Nice to meet you.” He mumbled and fumbled.

“Ohh, young mortal… I should have introduced myself… I forgot that you are not fully one of him.” She murmured, stepping close to the bashful young entity.

“The creature perching on your head is named Xyll. She is a vampire fruit bat… neither alive, nor undead. She exists in a shadowy space all her own… much as you do. If you allow her to take root in your soul, we may see a truly new thing walk this ancient land… another truly new thing.” She sighed hopefully.

“Gary, bestir yourself and do your magic circle thing… this boy must speak with Beast… as must you.”

A few busy minutes later, Becky, Kermal and Liam were having a lovely picnic over by the spring… Gary and Ward were sitting cross legged on the mossy turf, surrounded by the ‘Circle Of Fifths’ and meditating back to back in silence.

“Gary…” Ward whispered softly. “How do you hang out with so many insanely hot chicks?”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Buddy, if I knew…” He sighed. “Stick with me bro. I’m your wingman.”

“Yeah… thanks, but I don’t have any… you know.” He mumbled.

“You think I can’t endongle you? Get your head out of the ass I built. This is an off the rack spare body… Let me get my shit together and you’ll be…” Gary fell silent in embarrassment. “This is getting into a weird place, let’s focus up.”

“I thought it was just getting interesting…” Willow whispered, as she stepped over the rope circle and curled up in Ward’s lap. “I find your light very pleasing, young druidling.”

“Willow, This is Ward, he’s new and is not prepared to face you.” Gary said very firmly, with his eyes still closed.

“Silly boy, I know this… I’ve been watching you. When you pulled this one back into the world, I felt it from so very far away…” She whispered, clambering into Gary’s lap and making herself comfy. “I simply had to come see this blossom, as it unfurls and blooms.”

“Ward? Are you ok?” Gary asked quietly.

“He’s long gone, boy. My kiss sent him off to confer with Beast. Just as I shall do for you, my love.” She whispered, before planting a wet one on him that sent Gary into a strange place.

#

Liam, Becky and Kermal enjoyed the show, as Willow kissed each of the Garies and sent them slumping to the earth, out cold with blissed out smiles on their dumb faces. Even Ward’s Greenman mask of embossed leather leaves looked doofy and happy.

“That was amusing…” Liam muttered. “I should go check on my…”

“Not so fast, my sweet Liam.” Maple whispered hungrily. She leaned in and gave him a surprise frencher that left the young warrior in a snoring heap at the base of the stump he’d been sitting on.

“Tawny won’t mind… I promise.” She mumbled to Becky and Kermal, while licking her lips.

#

Life of all forms pressed in close among the trees. Constant rustles and chirps from unseen things were punctuated by distant yips, barks and growls. Ward stood beside Gary and Liam, appearing as a large, slightly pudgy young man in worn out jeans and a shirt emblazoned with a boner pill slogan.

“Gary Ward…” Beast spoke in the voices of birds and insects, from all around the odd, crowded forest the three young men found themselves in. “You have no idea how extraordinary it is… that We know your name.” They sighed.

“We’ve come to facilitate a Contract with this other Gary Ward… Hello, Gary Ward.”

“H..Hi?” He stammered.

“Oh, this one’s shy… how troublesome..” Beast muttered in a thousand feline growls.

“Hey! Cut it out, Beast!” Gary snapped at the unseen deity. “I woke up on a forest meadow with two good legs, magic powers and a book explaining what was going on… Ward just got sacrificed and imprisoned… cut him some slack.”

“Gary!” Liam gasped in horror at his brother’s casual blasphemy.

“Calm… Liam Kinnis. We have no ego to bruise, young mortal… We are multifarious in nature and above all, a part of this and every other natural world.” Beast rumbled ominously.

“In this place of dreams and insubstantial spirit, we may interact as mortals do.” The eternal essence of Life mumbled.

“Our work with this young one is finished… he will bind himself to Our child and they will flourish or perish together.”

When Liam and Gary looked over, the young, tousle haired man in the erectile dysfunction t-shirt was down on the forest floor with the bat creature in his lap, snuffling and licking his face as he giggled inanely. Slowly, he faded from the strange forest dream of Beast’s domain sinking into the moss like spring rain, taking Xyll with him.

“You, young mortal…” Beast muttered softly, as he addressed Liam. “You are also something unseen before… On this world, at least.” A legion of crickets chirped their dissatisfaction at the young man with the spiky black hair and dark, almond eyes.

“Some fool has Contracted War, where Healer belongs in you, mortal.” Beast mumbled softly.

“This cannot be corrected. Healer cannot dwell where War has taken root. However, I could place one of my children with you… She would take root in your soul, once War is fully expunged.”

“Wait, what?” Liam asked with deep concern on his handsome brow.

“How long until the process is complete, Gary Ward?” Beast asked the musician.

“I wasn’t expecting to get myself unranked and twice unContracted… It should still be done before midsummer and just come unraveled on its own…” Gary grumbled at Beast. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”

“Gary, what the living fuck are you talking about?” Liam demanded, ignoring the multifarious deity all around them in the mystical dream forest.

“I told you I was going to find a way to break you free of War; even if… especially if, it’s impossible. I’ve been studying binding and compulsion Contracts all this time, learning how they work, how they are created… learning how they die.” He lay down on the mossy forest floor, in the position his body in the waking world was in and sighed happily.

“That’s the secret to ending a Contract, if the deity won’t or can’t let go. Mortality is the answer, every Contract with a living soul is a spiritual link to a mortal essence… a divine, immortal spiritual link. Those two can’t mix under normal circumstances, the mortal and immortal. Only willing acceptance of the Contract allows the spiritual being or deity access to your soul.” He whispered happily.

“At this point, all those threads of compulsion, command and subservience should have eroded into brittle, tattered shreds.”

“Yes, but it’s already in me…” Liam grumbled.

“Is it though?” He asked from behind closed eyelids. “Gods see mortals as near infinite fields of interconnected bubbles of potential, linked by ribbons of intent and choices. Among those bubbles and ribbons, a Contract is like a spiderweb, making connections where none existed before… A spiderweb that can be dusted off, once it’s been properly weakened by my ‘unnatural arts’.”

Liam stood over his recumbent brother and stared down at him in complete disbelief. “Impossible.” He gasped softly. “Madness.”

“Right on both counts… I just need to teach you how to close the loophole they used to sign you up to War, then you can drop him like a bad habit.” Gary mumbled happily.

“I think I need to get back on track myself, before we can finish it though.” He sighed. “Being unranked suuucks.”

“Our influence and close proximity to your naked souls will speed the process, mortals… You are also in need of Our facilitation, Gary Ward. We have one waiting to Contract with you.” Beast said quietly. “If you are willing.”

“I made a mistake last time… with Morrigan. I’m not desperate yet, buddy. I would make a terrible Shaman of Beast’s cult, we both know that.” He squidged his body deeper into the soft, comfy moss with a satisfied groan.

“No. You could never be one of Ours. We are Life. We may brush against death frequently, as is a mortal’s lot, but We are eternal and inviolate…” They sighed.

“You have embraced death and made it your life… there are others more suited to you. Thirp, the child of Aclintherios, Gritsch the huntress as well… We think you will be unable to deny that they are both compatible with you.”

“I don’t want to be pressured, Beast. I took Morrigan in, suspecting she was going to double deal me, because I was desperate… I’m not desperate.”

“We may speak of this again…” Beast whispered as the wondrous forest of life faded away into darkness. “I promised the others that I would offer…”

#

Gary and Liam woke up, lying on the mossy forest floor, with Becky and Kermal chatting on a nearby blanket with Maple. “Oh, they’re waking!” The dryad chirped happily. Let’s see how things are going!”

By the time she stood and skipped over to the two boys, they were already deep in conversation. “...can break it for real? This isn’t one of your silly jokes?” Liam asked softly, in his brother’s embrace.

“No joke, brother… it’s almost done already. I’ve been slowly picking away at it, unweaving it from your soul for months now.” He whispered.

“Tawny was the key. She makes your soul sing when you touch, and War can’t sing along… that was the loose thread I’ve been tugging on.”

#

Kemal blushed a deep maroon, when he found himself eavesdropping on an exchange more intimate than any pair of lovers. The big man had his smaller brother in a bear hug, stroking his spiky hair with one huge, calloused hand, as they rocked back and forth weeping in their tender embrace. He tried to turn away and give them some privacy, but Becky held him fast on their blanket with Maple.

Her slim brown fingers took his jaw in a tender grip and held his gaze on the two young men sobbing and hugging each other.

“You’re one of us, Kerms. I knew it that first night.” She whispered. “You’re not like me, Gary and the kids, but you’re family. This is who we are, who I am…Don’t look away in embarrassment, where there’s no cause for shame...” She sighed in his ear, until her lips found his and everything else faded into unimportance.

#

Tiny hands landed on the two exhausted, tear stained boys’ shoulders, breaking their weeping reverie at last.

“Come along my boys…” Maple whispered in their ears. “Becky and her friend need some alone time…” The two young men glanced over and found a complex tangle of limbs writhing on the picnic blanket near the spring.

They were both still dressed, but Gary and Liam both nodded and departed for another part of the vale before that could change. They strolled with Maple, holding her hands between them as though she were their child. She even swung from their hands as they walked, with a childish giggle of pure delight.

“There is so much going on in the haunted grove today…” She sang in a clear, piping voice of childish pleasure, once they were far enough away from the young lovers by the spring.

“Uhh, huh… where’s Ward?” Gary asked softly and with a little concern.

“Fear not, he has his own business up on the hill, with Willow, the golden fig and your bat friend. They are going to be occupied for some time.” She answered enigmatically. “We have dealings with young Audrey, the Rendroot Bush.”

“I dunno, I’m pretty messed up…” Gary mumbled.

“Not you, foolish boy. Liam will be accepting her as his familiar this day… Beast has seen it, as have I.” She smiled with unalloyed pleasure at the two young men. “Gary, Liam… Your souls cry out to each other, each seeing the other as kin and beloved.” She smiled saucily at them and winked.

“Perhaps even, had things been different… as lovers.” She giggled and winked again at the two blushing young men.

Gary sputtered and grumbled, while Liam began very slowly and carefully. “Maple, Gary and I are both in committed relationships with our mates… Whatever else you think might be happening…”

“Silly boy… I care not where you stick your genitals or with whom. It‘s the light you give off, when your emotions are exposed and your souls interact so honestly and freely… as Kermal and my sweet, sweet Becky are currently.” She mumbled distractedly. “Sex is one of the simplest ways to unfold your souls and expose your light to our thirsty leaves. Other strong bonds of shared emotion work just as well. Sometimes, just sometimes… we are privileged to witness those rare displays of true love, even when it is platonic.” Her whisper became even softer, barely a rustle of leaves on a summer breeze.

“Play your music Gary, unwind this boy’s curse while I dance under your shared light for a while… We will all be better for the experience.”

Gary looked to his brother, standing close by and watching the beautiful, colorful flowers of Audrey the Rendroot with deep fascination. “Please Gary… If I could be free of War at last…” He whispered desperately.

Liam walked into the circle of short cropped grass around the ravenous, venomous, mutant, thornbush snapdragon, as the first notes of bouncy, percussive music lifted from his brother’s enchanted banjo.

First thing I remember, I was lying in my bed…

I couldn't have been no more than one or two,

And I remember there was a radio,

Coming from the room next door,

And my mother laughed

The way some ladies do…

When it's late in the evening

And the music's seeping through!

Maple’s tiny bare feet slowly began to slide and step in time, releasing a wild, carefree dance in the once quiet forest. Unnoticed by mortal eyes, every leaf on every tree in the forest slowly turned to face down into the little vale, ignoring the radiant sun so high above.

Then I learned to play some lead guitar,

I was underage in this funky bar,

And I stepped outside to smoke myself a "J"!

And when I come back to the room,

Everybody just seemed to move,

And I turned my amp up loud and I began to play!

And it was late in the evening,

And I blew that room away!

#

Ward woke in a leafy bed at the foot of a young fig tree, feeling very fine and warm. The shadowed figure of a bat hung from a slender bough above him, without bending the slim branch even a little. That was odd, since the creature was the size of a cocker spaniel and the branch was barely a twig.

When he stirred, Willow’s soft voice whispered in his ear. “Welcome back to the waking world, young spirit.”

“I’m not a spirit…” He mumbled sleepily.

“But you are… a spiritual being in so many surprising ways.” She murmured, slowly wrapping her arms around him from behind, in a tender and intimate embrace.

“Mortal and spirit at once, disconnected from the cycle of mortality by chance. You don’t see yet, but you will… Ward.” Her breath felt hot on his ear, sending shivers down his… we’ll call it a spine. That got him wondering about things.

He sat up and looked around… His blue lacquered body lay nearby, vacant and lifeless on the mossy hillside. Glancing at himself, he was once more a human man, rather than a disembodied shadow figure.

“What’s happened? I feel… real? Alive?”

“Yes, here in this place, under the influence of Beast and my sisters, those like us can take a physical form, without your brother’s artifice and craft.”

“Like us? I’m a human…”

“Yes, beloved, you were… now you stand with us, between and among the worlds, taking root wherever our seeds land.” She ran her hand over his back, sending electric tingles through his skin, skin he hadn’t had in so very long.

He still felt Willow’s touch, as she took his face in her hands and pulled him into a hungry, eager kiss.

“If you ask me to stop, I will.” She murmured in his ear, with a little nibble on the lobe.

“Should we be doing this…” He gasped, while his heels drummed on the bed of leaves he lay on, beside the voluptuous, tiny being. A sexy, naked being, who insisted on rubbing herself against him in some very distracting ways.

“If you’re asking me…” Willow whispered coyly. “I think we have much more to do yet…” Xyll the vampire bat chirped her agreement from the fig tree, fluttering her wings in amusement.

When a small, firm hand grasped a part of him he hadn’t expected, he began to get the message. She quickly discovered a few other things in the local area she enjoyed getting her hands on as well. “It gets bigger? How delightful… What does this sack with two things in it do? Does it open?”

“No!” He gasped. “It doesn’t open… don’t tug on it either, please.”

“Oh… well, I know you’ll let me tug on this…” She giggled. “I like the way you arch your back…” She cooed warmly against his chest, which brought her lips in contact with his nipple. The way he strained and gasped at that chance contact gave her a few new ideas.

“I’ve watched this done so many times…” She whispered into his tender, tingling nipple. “The experience is so much more satisfying.”

“Yeah…” He gasped, using up all his remaining brain power.

“You enjoy it when I nibble and suckle at these…” Willow sighed. “What else might I taste?” She asked sweetly, while climbing down his trembling form. “I’ve always fantasized about trying this…” She mumbled around a mouthful.

“Ohhh… Wow!” Ward gasped.

#

When Gary’s banjo fell silent, Liam and Maple ended their dance among the giant fanged blooms and thorny vines. Liam was a sweaty mess, sprawled out on the grass beside his carnivorous, mutant plant friend, tucked in under a blanket of her leaves.

“They will be fine. Come with me, we must collect your artifacts from beneath Xyll’s tree.” Maple whispered. “Then you and your friends may rest beneath our leaves tonight and dream in our hospitality… my sisters’ and mine.”

“My artifacts?” Gary mumbled sleepily while climbing up to the fig tree, in the fading light.

“Ward no longer needs to inhabit your construct and crystal reliquary.” She murmured, pointing to a neat pile of blue lacquered doll parts and a completely transparent and empty skull.

“He has come home.”

#