Zuultiira Featherwise led the prayers of her priests and the faithful. The shield around the shrine of the consort pulsed and gained streaks of colours other than blue. Some a dark colour like dried blood but mostly blood red.

After what seemed like an eternity the swirling lessened, as did the pulsing. The shield cleared until it was once again just blue. Then it seemed to explode and flashed out to saturate the temple. Zuultiira knew without knowing how she knew that the Consort had just attained the next stage of her being.

The divine energy released by the ascension of the Consort to true godhood, albeit minor godhood changed her temple and blessed all those within. She knew they would all live long and healthy lives.

A stunned looking Gaifort Thunderfist, now with far more white hair on his head than he had sported just minutes ago came staggering out of the shrine. He looked at all the people congregating in the temple. They all seemed to be looking straight at him. He straightened himself and gathered his wits.

‘What!’ Gaifort thought to himself. ‘Got a great opportunity here, what am I going to say? I’ve got to make an impression, just got to. Right lets get on with this.’

So Gaifort drew on his training, making sure to project his voice and sound compassionate, ticking of the appropriate doctrinal points he stated talking. He told the tale of the most recent deeds of the consort, of her compassion to the strangers who had asked for her help, her mastery over the flesh of the monsters, now monsters no more and dwelt lovingly on her epic fight with the Mad God of the weres and of his destruction.

Two of the temple scribes who happened to be present and in possession of the tools of their trade scribbled madly as did master bard Dardadus of the Golden Voice.

* * * EARTH – MARY and FROG * * *

Frog found himself astride his pride and joy in the Florida panhandle once again. He noted with bemusement that the Silvestre Boat Yard was busy and that the tired looking office building had been replaced with something more modern looking since his last visit. He pulled up by the security guy at the gate.

“I need to talk with Mary. Can you contact her or Jerica for me please before I enter her domain unannounced please.”

The guard flicked an ear in amusement. “You’re a polite one. You may wait in the waiting room or under the tree across the road. One of us will have a reply for you soon.”

Frog smiled and after checking the traffic crossed the road and settled down to wait under the tree. He didn’t have to wait long, another of the uniformed wolf ’folk guards came to collect him less than fifteen minutes after he had settled under the tree.

“Come along little dungeon to be, Jerica says Mother will see you. I suggest you park your bike near Mother’s truck and then follow me.”

Frog did so and followed his guide into the big boathouse, he noted that he was the focus of attention for several of the boatyard’s workers, and that his guide was aware of the curious. The boathouse was empty and they proceeded across a floating walkway and into another large water filled cavern. Frog felt a bit bemused, as there was no way he could see that this huge room could fit in the boatyard he had just left. He followed his guide carefully on the bobbing walkway and stopped in shock as they passed the point where the cavern opened out and he saw the small warship that had been hidden from sight.

Frog’s guide stopped and looked back, he grinned. “Our Stingray’s small but she pack’s a punch. Hey come on, you know dungeon’s have defences right?”

Frog got himself moving again and was soon at the end of the rickety walkway, and after traversing a few rooms and a couple of corridors he was ushered into a comfortable room where his guide introduced him to Jerica and Tessa. He accepted the offer of a cup of coffee.

* * *

Mary watched the five pixies she had rescued from Tarifax flit around and grinned at Silversword. “Looks like we did it Sil, they all survived.”

Silversword perched herself on a flowering bush in the aptly named flower cave and nodded. “Yes, but I don’t understand the two black haired girls, the other three are starting to venture out into the garden. Those two just want to explore your tunnels and rooms.”

“Well yes, they are dungeon pixies after all. Probably the first Earth has seen. They are rather disappointed poor things.”

“Well they were, but Duskwing found an entrance to Lewis’ dungeon and he and Alice made them welcome. They are both thrilled with their dungeon,” giggled Silversword.

“Well I’ll leave you to it Sil. I’ve got to go and see what Frog wants.”

* * *

Mary stepped into the room followed by Lissa in her don’t see me form. “Mornin’ Frog, what can I do for you? Will have to be makin’ my way to school soon.”

“School? But?”

“Heh! You’re on Maui now Frog, it’s just after six now. Don’t worry, travel by dungeon portal is instantaneous so you’ll not loose any time.”

Frog looked stunned and his mouth dropped open. It took him a few seconds to recover. “Um, well, any chance of getting to see the sights after we talk?”

“Sure, I’ll even clone your bike if you want. I’ll get someone to show you how to get in and out. Now what do you need.”

“Well, I’ve been communing with my other self and we, I have been making plans. But I need to learn things so that we can use them when it’s time to strike. So I’ve been thinking I will have to risk claiming a domain so I can absorb things so we can use them on Tarifax. And to have somewhere to retreat if things really go tits up.”

Mary sat and looked at him. She raised an eyebrow.

“Do you think I would have access to an avatar if, if I had to become a dungeon for real. And would you teach me how you can swan around outside your dungeon?”

Mary snorted in amusement. “If I’m not mistaken other you is around level thirty. He’ll drop some and you’ll shoot up. Then if you take out the slavin’ beep that should shove both of you up a bit. Yes you should have access to an avatar. I assume you want to remain you?”

“Yeah, but fitter and without the beer belly. Can you help me?”

“Sure, knowledge is easy. Careful with your core, I see it is comin’ along nicely.” Mary concentrated and created a duplicate of the amulet she had created to yank her self back to her core in case of accidents. She smiled again as she saw Frog put his hand over his core. “Yep, best be careful with your core. A more powerful dungeon can alter it and embed commands in it. I’ll even teach you how so you’ll be able to check I haven’t done so.”

Frog felt shaken to his core. “Why haven’t you?”

“Didn’t feel the need. Both of us want the same thing, at least for the immediate future an’ you’ll be more effective without controls. Suggest you obtain some land that resonates with your desires, doesn’t matter whether you buy or just appropriate it. Then claim it. If you don’t settle in for long you should be able to up stakes and move. Doesn’t have to be much as I suspect you’re into going deep rather than wide.”

“Wide? What do you mean by that? Come to think of it my dungeon senses are telling me that this dungeon isn’t right somehow.”

“You an’ the pixies,” laughed Mary. She pointed, “My core is about eight kilometres thataway, more or less in the centre of my domain. An’ it is surrounded with monsters. Sea serpents, sea wyverns, giant squid an’ octopi, ’lectric ’cuda an’ stingrays. The works.”

Frog felt something flex instinctively and then recoil. But somehow he felt happier, more relaxed as if his inner senses recognised something they had been feverishly searching for. Then he realized Mary was studying him with slitted eyes.

“What? You’re making me uneasy.”

“You’re putting out a call. You’re seeking a companion. I fear you’re further along the path to dungeonhood that I had thought. It is faint but it will get stronger and then you will be pestered by various candidates seekin’ either fulfilment or a cushy lifestyle.”

“But won’t a companion pretty much necessitate a dungeon?”

“No. There’s Dave on Parthia with Fleur, a pixie and his other self Andy, a proto-dungeon in the UK with Maddy, an elf and wife. They seem to have determined to grow somewhat apart.”

“So we can become separate.”

“Yeah, but not me. Me I merge fully every day for a bit. If you want to share experience and growth I’d advise you too get yourself a pixie just like your other self. If you want to separate then pick the one that offers and feels right to you. Linny seems to be separating into two distinct personalities. They have very different companions.”

Where am I going to find a pixie on Earth?”

Mary grinned, “Easy, come along Frog, maybe one of the girls in the flower cave is what you need.”

* * *

Mary left the house as usual grinning as she remembered Frog’s stupefaction at meeting her pixies in the flower cave. Besides the five immigrants from Tarifax Silversword and some of her friends had been present. Elmsbark as one of the rare pixie males was drawing in the local girls.

She slowed as she approached her jeep. Something felt wrong, she stopped and checked her domain, she found that Ginger was hurt and hiding under her jeep. Not hurt enough to not have caught and played with two frogs however. She could feel the third hiding near the fence with the Kato’s. And where was Greg?

She linked with Jeep, and saw that three idiots had jumped the fence from Greg’s one has bloodstains on his shirt. One of then had hit Ginger then they became frogs. Naturally. Frogging was Jeeps favourite trick after all and he liked Ginger.

« Tessa keep guard, Lissa please go and see if you can find Greg. Three idiots came from his garden and one of them hurt Ginger before Jeep frogged them. Ginger seems to have avenged himself. »

Mary crouched down and managed to persuade Ginger to emerge from under her Jeep. She saw to absorbing the frogs and the streak of Ginger’s blood on the hood of her Jeep. She carefully carried Ginger to Liz’s house and entrusted the injured warrior to his devoted servant. She watched as Liz got into her car and headed to the vets.

« Mother. Greg is alive but he is unconscious and seems to have a broken arm. Damon’s already left for the hospital. »

Mary headed back towards her front garden and called for an ambulance explaining she had worried when she didn’t spot Greg as he was always working in his garden when she left for school. Then she phoned Joanne to tell her she was delayed and why. Finally she called the school and explained the circumstances as she arrived by the unconscious body of her neighbour.