Lysisa didn’t expect … this. The twins fussed about in their cabin, making her welcome and insisting she sipped tea, while seated in a venerable wooden chair at a rickety wooden table. The cabin decorated with hanging herbs, drying most likely, various metal and wooden instruments, hanging or collected in barrels. Multiple boxes with labels, the distance and shadow preventing any chance to read off their contents.

Alexa eventually stayed at the table once she prepared the tea and three cups of beverage, sipping from her own cup while Thais continued to rummage. Lysisa met the twins at the Cavern Entrance throwing herself upon their mercy for missing her shift and willing to make amends, concerned about the Mistress and the expected punishment. They waved away any concern and asked her to relate every detail about her attuned Items while they took a leisurely stroll to the Elder’s Cavern.

Lysisa tapped her thigh repeatedly with a fingertip, placing her cup down on the table. “I apologise for missing my shift, please let me make amends and I offer no excuse.”

Alexa placed a hand over Lysisa’s. “Truth be told, your absence expected.” Alexa held a finger in the air to halt any protest. “And planned for. Your routine well known, so when you didn’t show early to train Latona, Jocasta informed Dirce, Drosis and Agape, who took over training and your shift.”

“Planned for …” Lysisa mumbled.

Thais placed three bronze circles upon the table with a slap. “Finally found them, the elder did have a system, although perhaps early on still in discovery stage. And yes, planned for.” Thais beamed a smile across the table.

“So, no one, even Mistress is upset with my failure?”

Alexa glanced at Thais, grinning before addressing Lysisa. “Sister you have discovered much and the effort not without difficulty, which we assumed would be the case. Be assured we, and by we, this includes the Mistress are pleased with your efforts, otherwise why would we encourage you to continue?” Thais making a show of pushing the three Bronze Circles across the table.

“I am honoured.” Moisture filled her eyes. She knew as an oath breaker to a Goddess her oath to the Daughters of the Duchess would always be questioned with a certain anticipation and assumption of repeating her lapse. “I hold to my oath as a lifeline, a chance to start again. I …”

“Hush Sister, your fears are unfounded,” said both Seer Twins in harmony, extending their hands to clasp and release each of Lysisa’s.

---

Returning from the Twins, Lysisa discovered Sweetears still fast asleep in their bed, a serene look of satisfaction upon her face. Working stone developed a different type of fitness apparently. Lysisa slid to the floor, content to enjoy the vision. Waiting, she idly moved the two gems about, exploring a comfortable position near her bellybutton, yet separated and avoiding her abdominal muscles, settling on a position lower down. Somehow her guest drew magic from the other gem and the simplest explanation would be from physical contact, especially when Sweetears ‘played’ with them both. A theory she now wished to test, eager to discover more about the owner of the suggestive voice. Content with his silence within the Mage’s Sapphire for the moment, yet his presence a concern given his potential to attack while she slept.

“Come on sleepy Sweetears, I need your help.”

Dreamy eyes met Lysisa, the Goblin Sister exhausted emotionally and physically, loving and sexing hungry activities. As Sweetears dragged herself up, Lysisa threw a smock over the naked body before her only pausing once in admiration. They ran through the Main Cavern, Latona leaning on her spear, eyes following them, left wondering. Then through the Cavern Blind, up the stone stairs finally catching their breath once upon the Stone Curtain Wall. Lysisa opened her hand, Sweetears inquisitive, appreciating the surprise.

“Where did you get the Treasure?”

“I asked the Twins explaining I am trying to find the mystery voice I told you about. So, I will need you across me again.” She paused to flash a quick smile. “And if I am thrashing about, wake me.”

Sweetears nodded with a demure smile upon her lips.

Prepared, placing her underclothe and felt upon the cold stone, Lysisa stretched out naked, balancing the Bronze Circle gift from the Twins above ‘his’ Gem. Time and sunlight drew the circle into her flesh. Sweetears allowed her fingertips to stray across the pretty one, teasing. Not the Goblin way. Sexing for Goblins quick, over when the male satisfied. Her pretty one teased endlessly last night and now Sweetears wished to return the pleasure. Once Lysisa felt the circle lodged in her flesh enough to hold the Item in place her hands sort out Sweetears initially surprising and then delighting her Sister.

Once the bronze circle fully embedded into her flesh, the magic began building up. Lysisa surmising the initial magic generated utilised in the absorption. The build-up proceeding at a pace, monitored although not controlled by the host. Shortly after she sensed the magic being drained away, a slim diversion and examining the stream with her mind’s eye detected his presence as his consciousness on the physical boundary of his gem harvested the available magic, the bronze circle neatly encircling the Sapphire.

Before he could try anything and exhaust the limited magic gifted to him, she “spoke”.

“I will feed you magic but if you try to control me, I will destroy your gem or a friend of mine will do so if she discovers me acting odd.”

She could sense his panic; unexpectantly caught after being careful, his host supposedly carefree and distracted when attuning another Item. Unfortunately for him, a trap to draw him out, to teach the guest the host owned him.

“You will never need to do that. I am trapped and helpless, scavenging for morsels at best.”

Pressing magic into his Sapphire, willing truth, Lysisa tested her theory. “How do I rid myself of you?”

“I need some magic and then either a brain dead but alive body if I am being nice or a weak-willed person if I am being nasty.” The honestly flowed from him, how, his secret revealed. What changed?

“Your gem, your home is mine, so I overwhelmed you with the familiar magic from your home, to speak the truth. I sense you can’t be fully trusted worm.”

“It is due to my last body. I take on some of the stronger emotions and it can’t be helped. Perhaps if you allowed me possession of the exotic one my emotions would be tamed,” he whined.

Unforgiving of his excuses and momentarily stunned by his request, Lysisa replied with venom and disgust. “Keep the magic you have as I may want to speak again.”

Then silence, perhaps his request bold, although clearly the exotic one the junior of the pair and given they weren’t twins, no affection or loyalty due and yet her response … excessive. His attempt to break his awareness out an absolute failure, his consciousness trapped within the physical boundary of the Sapphire. Trying to draw more magic to him from the surrounding Item recently available and no response. At another’s beck and call, how did it come to this he wondered?

Lysisa handed the Bronze Circle to Sweetears and her eyes lit up. The thought of the worm desiring Sweetears turned her stomach. Lysisa and Sweetears, two halves of one whole, a union never to be sundered, a warmth originating from her shins spread across her entire body in affirmation.

“Go fetch your sisters I have gifts for them also.”

The twins convinced Lysisa she couldn’t reward one without rewarding the other two regardless of her affection. They also realised the more Items the Sisters attuned the more stone shaping they could accomplish, and they promised Mistress to finish the Cavern Doors.

Bluefingers and Prettynose accompanied Sweetears, all three naked and laughing as they arrived to stand before a naked Lysisa. The three while not triplets, shared features, more human in common than Goblin somewhat translating into an embarrassment Lysisa never thought possible. The worm didn’t identify Sweetears as a Goblin, more so an exotic human compounding the situation. Previously her nakedness and theirs a non-issue, Lysisa now self-conscious.

Lysisa kept her eyes levelled as she dispensed the Bronze Circles to Bluefingers and Prettynose. Both ignoring her oddness as their joy took over. The three stone shapers laid down at Lysisa’s feet, placing their Bronze Circles upon their breasts, the dying cold of Death Season enough to harden their nipples to hold the Item in place.

“Most happy Prettyone, we have balance now with a circle for each breast,” said Bluefingers.

“Also, the last time we can gather up here as the Cavern Blind is almost ready for Dirce and Drosis, next is door,” added Prettynose.

Sweetears murmured, “Giving of Gifts from Prettyone good final memory.”

It took a moment for Lysisa to realise they granted her a Goblin name. They invited their Prettyone to learn the Stone Shaping spell like the elder taught it to them, which she heartily agreed, kissing and hugging them all in her excitement. She took a sheepish look at Sweetears, who didn’t seem to mind. Once their Bronze Circles set the three sisters took great delight in teaching Lysisa the Stone Shaping Spell and put her to work immediately, spellcasting and finishing the stone. Her arms jelly like when released and the constant bending at the waist found muscles, she didn’t think she owned. Lysisa realised then why these Sisters grew muscle mass, working the stone for days compared to her lazy three or four bells until shift start. The meat they ate converted to pure muscle and as they ate more meat, they worked harder and grew more muscle and so on. Would their growth stop at some point? Lysisa hastily made her apologies to the three, a lingering kiss for Sweetears as she needed to ready herself for her shift, determined never to miss another, standing by her oath.

---

Lysisa apologised to Latona and Jocasta, both expecting their teacher to start two bells before her shift start. Nevertheless, neither idle when Lysisa hurried into the Main Cavern, both practicing their Spear and Shield forms.

Demonstrating and then instructing a new overhand strike, Lysisa critiqued and corrected her two students until they could practice with only the occasional call to adjust.

Lysisa dropped a mote of magic into the gem and summoned him. While desirable to force him to tell the truth, being wary of the technique used against him previously Lysisa thought he would harvest the magic and still lie. Boasting and revealing coming at a hefty price.

“You were a Mage yes?”

“Well yes, but only some small spells.”

“If you have no value to me then I may as well crush your gem.”

“You don’t have to threaten. I can’t teach you because I can’t show you or have any books you can learn from, I am…”

“Stop. Where are your books?”

“I would need a body to show you where.” Then he felt pain, he didn’t know if deliberate, descending upon him without warning and withdrawn suddenly.

A period of long silence and while wondering, he didn’t want to ‘speak’ in case he suffered again. The alliance an uneasy and uneven one, him clearly the snivelling underling. The silence eventually broken by fear, familiar now, so he didn’t lose his imaginary water, well not much, his mind paralysed. An anger grew in him from frustration and as his mind clouded over the fear became subdued. As one reduced the other increased the cycle repeating and the Mage unable to formulate a coping mechanism.

Lysisa nestled against the two evil stone coffins in the Main Cavern. The radiated fear ensured the location became her own space, none of her Sisters brave enough to encroach. Visitors conditioning themselves satisfied to hover on or around the edge of the fear circle. Lysisa encouraged Latona and Jocasta to practice their forms within the circle, the first few times their hand in hers. Tonight, their first bout of sparring. Her three Sisters also didn’t linger this deep not because they couldn’t, solely because they didn’t see the sense in tempting death, although in their own way acknowledging Prettyone’s claim and letting her be.

---

The Sisters jogged and walked, alternating, resting only upon common agreement, the first day, the first night and into the second day. At dusk, eyelids heavy and muscles aching the five dropped to the cold, although snowless ground, exhausted falling into a deep sleep. They avoided the temptation of resting in any deserted farm cottages beside the trail for fear of being trapped again.

Alexis sunk into nightmare. Walking Dead upon her, ripping and tearing at her armour until flesh revealed. Long fingernails gasping her tender flesh, grunting their success, attracting others and no matter the wounds and dismembered limbs Alexis alive to witness her devouring …

“Alexis, wake, you are safe Hagne your sister calls to you …”

None nearby to observe Alexis, her head no longer tossing and turning, her mouth shaped to scream and yet release no sound, her horror kept to herself. A silver piercing penetrated her horror. Then smiling, caring lips. Above them a wide nose. Alexis knew this intruder, her mind distracted from terror trying to remember. Sharp cheekbones below sharp penetrating eyes, smiling now trying to reach into her soul, the face of Hagne framed by her shoulder length black hair. Hagne! Hagne!

Alexis opened her eyes to the black of the night and savoured her release.

“Alexis?”

Alexis sobbed. “Oh. Sister, never did I believe in your lip piercing until now …”

Hagne tried to re-establish her Seer Link, calling upon the Seer Circle to support her the attempt accepted and yet no communication.

“Sister?” Alexis sent to Hagne.

“Sister! Sister! Sister!” Several of the Seer Circle pushed through their joy and happiness, the thought of Alexis being lost devastating and the celebration of finding her again wonderous.

“We thought you … never mind. What of Zosime? Hagne, Kyra? Zoe and Dione? Tell us sister.”

“Oh Sisters …” Alexis sniffed, collecting her courage. “We live, although I only assume so for Dione who rode out on a false trail to draw the Dark Priest away.”

“Are you near anywhere?”

“We follow the trail to the Lonely Keep, two days and a night routed, fleeing for our lives. We are done sister, all collapsed at dusk and I am the first to wake surrounded by four crumpled forms.”

“Mistress has commanded you wake Zosime, you both are being summoned back.”

“No! I beg to stay with my Sisters, we have starved and suffered thirst, slain together, I can’t leave them, I can’t … we must survive together.”

“The Mistress expected your response and reminds you of your oath and orders you to do as commanded Daughter of the Duchess.”

Alexis’ hands reached for her head grabbing at her short hair, cursing the length as her grip slipped free from the greasy unkept strands. Her hands moving to her thighs and taking a deep breath, she then crawled to Zosime’s prone form, her buzz cut now with a little length. Alexis catching the laugh bubbling up inside.

“Laugh Sister, grab humour when you can …” sent Clymene.

“Laugh Sister,” sent another, followed by yet another.

Their contact surprising Alexis to silence and then busy rolling Zosime on her back.

“Zosime?”

“Zosime!”

“Zosime!” Alexis tap slapped Zosime’s cheek.

“Zosime!” Alexis slapped Zosime’s cheek, tears falling.

“Zosime!” Alexis panic stricken, grabbed Zosime by her shoulders and shook. The attached head lolled about. Too late? Zosime dead? Alexis straddled her Seer Sister and pressed her forehead upon the non-responsive Assassin.

“Zosime! Zosime! Zosime!” She brutally forced her Seer Link, gathering all the desperate pent up emotion inside and calling her name.

“Alexis … you found me …” sent Zosime.

Alexis collapsed upon Zosime her physical body spent and unable to hold Zosime upright any longer. Zosime more than content to lay back down.

“Zosime wake you sister, now!” sent Hagne, who sensed they both suffered extreme exhaustion and the discipline of their minds fading, going to mush.

Zosime bolted awake. Staring around in the dark trying to recall her present situation and finding herself at a complete loss. Alexis, yes, she thought, wake her. Hagne demanded, no she didn’t demand she pleaded. Desperation.

“Alexis?”

Zosime ran her fingers through her short hair. “Alexis?”

A kiss. “Please sister, Hagne is desperate for our help.”

“Hagne? In danger?” murmured Alexis.

“Ask her, I must sleep some more …”

“No Zosime. I remember now.” Alexis stroked Zosime’s hair and kissed her, receiving the kiss returned Alexis joined the Seer Circle. Her eyes planted upon a portion of frozen ground, unswerving, dragging at the dregs of her consciousness. The magic of the Seer Circle pulsed through her and where her eyes shone Hagne appeared.

The Seer Circle gathering included Rhea, Elpis, Agatha, Korinna, Clymene, Alcmene and the twins and they drew magic from non-Seers, the House unguarded and the Cavern barely so. With Hagne as the anchor and utilising the last vestiges of Alexis’ awareness the spent Assassin Seer arrived in the centre of the Seer Circle at Clymene’s feet. Astera and Thyia carted the limp body of their Assassin Seer into a bedroom across the hallway, Jocasta in charge of her care.

Hagne battled to revive Zosime, the Assassin Seer needing to be conscious and aware. Hagne dribbled water into her mouth, which helped and then touched foreheads to explain the urgency. Zosime joined Alexis, both under the care of Jocasta. The Seer in Training dribbled water into their mouths with the care of a mother hen and then removed pieces of their soft leather armour, rotating the tasks until both Seers rested comfortably in underclothe and felt.

Korinna joined Hagne, devastated by the sight of their three Sisters, prone and incapacitated.

“Alcmene please send three backpacks of food and three water-skins our sisters are pitiful. I can’t believe our magnificent sisters are so helpless and possibly …” sent Korinna, needing to lean on Hagne for support. Hagne maintained her composure to ensure delivery of the food and water and then broke down in sorrow, her legs collapsing now the initial rescue complete and for the first time realising what Korinna recognised upon arriving; possibly three corpses as none cried out or moved since Hagne's arrival.

Hagne and Korinna worried the three motionless bodies until certain they breathed then prepared a proper camp. They joined the bedrolls so the three Sisters could share body warmth, fully prepared to add theirs if needs be. Once settled they constructed a low shade over them in preparation for the morning sun and started their recovery by dripping water into their mouths and as a vague consciousness returned pre chewing bread and dried fruit to feed the starving.

---

Blackeyes led the six of his small tribe, unchallenged. They obeyed him in all things as they owed him their lives. None questioned the caution required, hiding ever watchful for days, learning the timings, habits and paths taken by the inhabitants until the routine of the guards well-known and memorised. This their final visit to Lonely Keep before the end of Death Season. During the transition from one season to the other, one weakening, the other preparing to start especially Death Season to Birth Season the humans sluggish and superstitious. They ignored the weather conditions and waited until the first day of Birth Season before changing their routines and venturing out.

Three of his gang crept to the wall of the Keep under the cover of dusk. He snuck out of the abandoned cottage and occupied their vacant watch position. The remaining three occupied his watch position in the abandoned cottage. Scaling the wall made easier due to a rope being in place. The night before, the same three approached the wall at a point where the guards, for whatever reason never patrolled. Climbing upon each other’s shoulders and using the wall to steady themselves, three high they looped a rope around a wall merlon. They kept watch the rest of the night and during the next day to ensure the rope remained undiscovered.

While night enclosed him, he still used vegetation to break up his humanoid outline, conscious of his size, no longer a typical Goblin. Each time he thought about how, he blessed his luck and circumstance. The three from the cottage joined him and when the three at the wall climbed up and over the wall, they crept forward to cover their escape and together they waited.

As time passed and no hue and cry issued from the Keep, Blackeyes knew the search for useful booty obviously challenging, Death Season and their previous raid draining their stores. Movement confirmed the return of his three companions, crouched low upon the wall, lowering bundles of goods, a significant haul considering the time of year. The second three taking the bundles one at a time and making their way back to the abandoned cottage. Blackeyes providing overwatch, prepared to provide a diversion if required.

A slight change in the direction of the chill breeze and his sense of smell became overwhelmed with a fragrance he believed even a human nose would be able to detect. Nothing or no one ‘arrived’ in plain sight, the Guard upon the Wall continued his routine as if nothing happened. His companions continued the liberation of the booty. He should leave, the source of the odour intrigued him though, and another sniff confirmed his interest. Caution he schooled himself.

He stretched out prone and low spider crawled, one appendage at a time up the smallish mound, glancing at the Keep wall, counting internally and then stopping as the scheduled guard walked by. As he made the crest of the mound, he needed to take a second look to be sure he wasn’t delusional. He then rolled on his back and looked back at his companions who now waited for him in their reserve positions.

As he watched, even at this distance they finally smelt what he smelt and looked directly at him. He signalled for two to come to him, low waving twice. He rolled over and waited, watching the guard keep to his routine, pleased when two companions settled quietly, either side of him.

“We have three bodies to collect, two-person carry, one at a time and I will stay on watch.”

They waited for the guard routine to provide an opening and quickly crawled to the lip of the mound and reached over to fetch the nearest body. Once the body mounted the mound lip the two companions slid down to the bottom of the slope depositing the body in deep shadow. Two more passes and the three bodies rested under cover.

“One body each, half-way, hide or be still, then when clear run again.” They nodded to him, good enough he thought. Waiting for the guard routine, each shouldered a body and low dashed toward their four waiting companions watching for their warning signals.

When safely together in an abandon cottage and ready to leave for their camp one of his companions approached him.

“Why?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes boss, but it would be good to know why we carry extra.”

“See that one.” Blackeyes pointed to one with unusual hair. “She is why you are still alive and more importantly why I am still alive and able to teach you how to live. It is a debt I have hoped to be able to pay back for a very long time.” His companion grunted his thanks and nothing more said until they reached their northern camp.

Not a time to be silly after surviving for so long, Blackeyes placed the three guests in a shallow cave barricaded off with thick tree limb bars. They usually held captive animals in the prison and being empty, now put to a new impromptu purpose.

Waking in the morning his guests remained where placed, confirmed alive although unconscious. After a night of rest, he expected them to be awake and arguing with him, negotiating their freedom, protesting the indignity of being imprisoned and yet nothing. The silence a little disappointing to be truthful he thought to himself.

Pondering the situation, an arrow struck the tree next to him. Craning his neck to check, his companion on lookout duty signalled to Blackeyes to join him. Sighing, he glanced at the guests and began the necessary climb.

---

She felt his fear and smiled. Not the smile of disrespect but the smile of one who has learnt to accept the fear and accept it isn’t real. He would also, eventually, until then she sensed his mind frozen and helpless. She did wonder what she could do with his mind but didn’t know how to invade it. Perhaps this is something he could teach her although she suspected the skill or magic a necessary secret imparted by the gem. Otherwise how does someone trapped in the gem find another body?

Latona and Jocasta retired early for reasons not explained, Otonia fetching them. At shift change Otonia paused in the Main Cavern, waved to Lysisa and raced out of the Main Entrance, yet to return. Her shift done, Lysisa tried to stay awake and failed, worn out by Sweetears in love play, the Mage in mental games and physically by working stone after learning stone shaping from the three Sisters. Closing her eyes, she drifted into a deep sleep. She imagined her mind drifting outside of her body as part of a dream trying to emulate the worm and his gem magic.

Her dream taking place in the Main Cavern, reality and fantasy crossing over. Meeting resistance she drew on her magic and flew above her body. The stone tombs presented another challenge. The stone would be more difficult? Impossible? She wondered.

She pushed into the tomb directly behind her body. The impassable simplicity itself, a hairline gap in the stone permitting her entry. The tomb utterly empty. She didn’t need sight in her dream state all being revealed, her imagination convincing her. Lysisa disappointed, certain an evil needed to reside in the tomb otherwise where did the feeling of fear originate from. The mystery woke Lysisa from her dream state, eyes blinking, head swivelling trying to determine place and time, surrounded by darkness.

“Are you well Prettyone?”

Lysisa never thought Sweetears’ voice would ever be more welcome and groped in the direction of the voice for comfort finding no one. She tried to stand, and her body refused finding herself once again floating above. She didn’t appreciate this mystery and perhaps the answer waited for her in the other tomb.

The stone resisted, no not the stone, a boundary of familiar evil. Lysisa called upon more magic to force entry; through and rushing in, brushing up against something dormant. An evil. Awakening, becoming aware. Back, retreat, flee. A tentative awareness and the evil confused.

“I am lonely. Oneiroi is that you? Send me a dream? Master told us they destroyed you.”

The thoughts jumbled, random. The mind wakening, still escaping a fog. Lysisa wondered what from here. She sent not a dream, a memory. The Barracks, the men, her dirty deeds to satisfy them.

“Exquisite Oneiroi, could one woman satisfy so many men? I am glad you exist. Return again and entertain me, my energy is low, and I hibernate to extend my existence. Can you contact the Master? Oneiroi are you …”

Fear gripped Lysisa’s mind snapping her fully from her dream state this time. The evil mentioning the Master chilled every bone and gripped her heart. Chatting to her … Lysisa opened her eyes, reflective sunlight entering the Cavern Entrance, morning then. Her rapid breathing calmed.

The three Sisters shaped the stone at the Cavern Entrance, Sweetears sending her a good-natured smile. The Twins missing or busy elsewhere. Everything and everyone around her seemed normal, except she knew something felt off. Perhaps guilt for sleeping in or more appropriately dreaming in while the three Sisters worked. She climbed to her feet, her buttocks cold and numb, stretching and sticking her bottom out to recover some feeling. Their laughter letting her know the exercises entertained. Sweetears hugged her although keeping her stone dusted hands away when she did.

Lysisa stood and slowly circled about trying to determine … something, what? Otonia missing! No dawn has arrived, Latona is missing. Lysisa pinched herself. Ouch! No dream then she thought. She wandered off, leaving the Main Cavern the three Sisters pre-occupied or not concerned, didn’t comment or wave goodbye. The Guard Post empty. Deserted? The Inner cavern empty, she searched each stone cabin one by one to be certain. Her worry increased. The Elder’s Cavern abandoned; the twins absent from the Cabin the door swinging open. She reached the Top cavern and finally found the urchins, still waking and content to be left alone. Still, the first living persons encountered.

The Training Room and Kitchen empty, although tidy, therefore no unplanned exit or rush to leave. The elder’s room empty. Who actually guarded the House? The Storage Room still stocked, although supplies low and Ismene absent. No Sister abed in the White Room; no Sister bathing in the Bathing Room. The next floor then she thought. Lysisa remembering being told only during Death Season could Initiates step foot on the next floor. By her reckoning at least three days remained, at least one in any case! She quietly climbed the circular stairs until she reached the first door and eavesdropped.

Could the noises, sounds ever be explained? Lysisa slid to the floor, hands on her ears, trying to forget. The Watch Room glowed with captured sunlight, not bright although enough. There remained another exit, to Lysisa’s relief, an ear upon the door yielded silence. Cracking the door open, she discovered a hallway, seven doors on the right-hand side, one on the left-hand side. Swallowing, she placed her ear against the left-hand side door discovering the faintest of muffled noises, difficult to discern. She stood resolutely in front of the doorway, turning the doorhandle and gently throwing the door open. Not entering, observing from the hallway.

Multiple naked bodies intertwined, if not every Sister then near every Sister, their pleasure audible and unrestrained. The sharing and swapping uninhibited. Her jaw dropped; mind locked in a state of shock. Seers, Single Seers, Warrior Sisters, she momentarily closed her eyes thinking they deceived her, another dream?

“You …” The first word spoken by another immediately drew Lysisa’s attention, spinning around to face the speaker. “You can join them if you are good at sexing.” Lysisa’s mind lost all semblance of intelligence. Fight? Flight? Freeze? No. Jocasta. The voice belonged to Jocasta, which meant Jocasta stood before her.

“I am being trained to be a Seer but have to wait … I am sorry I didn’t mean to upset you?”

Lysisa’s hands covered her face, tears filling her eyes and she didn’t know why. Jocasta craned her neck to try and take a peek.

“You can talk, can’t you? I only wonder because I thought you would have by now.” Jocasta confounded, she apologised to the fallen Single Seer, not meaning any harm and yet she continued to cry. When training her Spear and Shield, Lysisa not so fragile, why now?

Lysisa slowly removed her hands, Jocasta politely withdrew. “I, you … know what is going on in there?”

Jocasta smiled at the question, pleased and delighted to answer. “Oh yes they’re sexing to refresh their Seer Links so they can form another Seer Circle, Mistress is very worried about Nysa and the Warrior Sisters with her. So, they are going to try a summoning if they have enough magic.”

“Summoning?”

“I have probably said too much, it is sort of Seer business, but I am sure you can ask the Mistress if you need to know more.”

A memory flashed in response to Jocasta’s answer. “But … but there are sisters who aren’t Seers in the room, how can that be if it is Seer business?”

Jocasta tilted her head. Didn’t anyone tell this new Sister anything? Although her Spear and Shield skills are excellent and perhaps, given her vow breaking all she needs to know … well she is a sworn Sister, and this isn’t such a huge secret …

“Well. I guess. Two Seers can call other Seers to them like a Shrine of Saph I guess but it takes plenty of magic, so needs a Seer Circle.” As Jocasta said the words, she reconsidered, Lysisa’s brow furrowed, lost in thought.

Lysisa imagined herself naked, again. Would she need to fully participate? Would this joining be a betrayal of her union with Sweetears? She could help with her magic though, a little drained from the dreaming, not much, surely enough to help. Would they accept her help, an oath breaker to the Goddess? Has her penance been served? What did she mean by Shrine of Saph?

Lysisa fled down the hallway, skipping down the Circular Stairs two at a time, all the while feeling Jocasta’s curious look when their eyes met the moment she decided to flee.

“Where are you going?” Jocasta called down the hallway to no avail.

Lysisa decided. A disgraced Seer needed to know her place and she could help her three Sisters on the Cavern Door, she belonged there, with them.

---

They attacked in the false light before dawn, thankfully not many, a disorganised mob, not in any way controlled or manipulated. Hagne warned Korinna who rapidly armoured herself with the time available. Hagne did wonder what would have happened if they attacked a bell earlier while still dark, because without weapons, they didn’t make any noise and the “Borrow Gem” she used couldn’t ‘see’ them.

Hagne cut herself slightly so they followed her blood scent, playing for time. Distracted they didn’t realise another hunted them until Korinna’s garrotte decapitated several. They pressed Hagne who struggled to fend the Walking Dead off with her two daggers, then Nysa and Kyra struck and each time their target turned to dust and the battle as such, ended.

Hagne, on her haunches smiled, relieved.

“Your intervention timely,” quipped Korinna.

“They looked uncontrolled, searching for life to slay, attracted by blood?” said Nysa.

“We thought the same Sisters,” said Korinna wrapping an arm around Nysa and Kyra pushing in between them.

Hagne stood. “About time we break our fast and walk to civilisation if we all agree.”

Nysa spared a look for Zoe. “We should probably ask Zoe first, if we can wake her that is.”

Kyra added, “She insisted on scouting ahead and behind, probably trod twice as many steps as any of us.”

“Well it is probably best to wait for her to wake as the body knows what it needs,” offered Hagne, handing out chunks of stale bread and tough dried beef strips.

Another smaller group of Walking Dead attacked a couple of bells later, quickly dispatched by Nysa while Kyra rested, and Zoe slept. Hagne and Korinna provided a diversion if required.

The next mob, the largest yet. Kyra woke everyone except Zoe, they prepared as best they could, all were armed and armoured as the leading strays arrived. These destroyed by Kyra and Nysa, making sure they didn’t get too drawn away from Zoe’s prone body.

Nysa and Kyra, tiring quickly and sluggish couldn’t destroy the horde fast enough and they began to wrap around them and engage Hagne and Korinna who completed a circle of protection around Zoe. Then it got worse. Nysa surprised first, struck heavily on her chest and knocked back, trampling on Zoe trying to keep her balance. She shouted a warning to Kyra who shield bashed the one following through after Nysa. To her shock it didn’t dust, although it did crash to the ground and spoil the attack of another on Hagne. Quick to recover she stabbed the evil in its lowered head, and it fell.

“They aren’t being destroyed by our blessed weapons we will need to defend and defend some more,” yelled Kyra.

Zoe woke after being struck accidently by Nysa. She realised the situation desperate after hearing Kyra’s shout, trying to collect her wits quickly. Cries of pain from Hagne and Korinna reached her ears as a glancing strike here and a cut there started to mount up. Only Nysa and Kyra tasted any success, destroying the occasional attacker while concentrating on maintaining a protective perimeter, waiting desperately for Zoe to join the fight.

Zoe used their five bedrolls as weapons; she quickly raised a fire in one and used it to fire the other four. She lobbed them at the Walking Dead attacking Hagne and Korinna to try and give them some relief. The fifth she threw as far as she could into the pack that faced Nysa and Kyra as fire worked best when the Walking Dead were dry and crowded. Zoe’s bow remained on her back as she didn’t have any arrows and she seriously considered taking up the sling noting the many stones at her feet.

They all realised time stood against them, Nysa, Kyra and Zoe already fatigued from days of running, tiring quickly, while Hagne and Korinna found it difficult to land killing blows, needing to hack the arms of the Walking Dead first so they couldn’t be grappled and drag down. The only good news, the occasional fire still burning, as some Walking Dead faced them partially burnt or afire.

---

Thyia rushed to answer the door, trying to vet any enquiries first and provide Astera the luxury of extended sleep. Niobe remained unconvinced although didn’t council against the change.

Both though taken aback when Jocasta occupied the doorway.

“I need to speak with Mistress Astera.”

Thyia rocked back on her heels. “I suppose, checking with me first to confirm the matter is important or not isn’t necessary?”

Jocasta cast Thyia one of those looks, ‘would I be here otherwise’; hands on hips, ‘I know the Mistress needs rest’.

Astera shuffled into an upright position. “Yes Jocasta, what do you have to tell?”

Jocasta marched up to Astera’s bedside, dodging any attempt by Thyia to prevent her, much to Niobe’s amusement. “When the Seer Circle formed up Lysisa spied upon it. I found her looking in and suggested she could join, but all she did was think, say very little and run away. Also, many Sisters have noticed she spends many bells leaning against the crypt tombs where the evil is. When asked, the Goblin Sisters say she is at peace there. You need to talk to her Mistress.”

Astera reached a hand behind Jocasta’s head, drawing her forward to kiss the Seer in Training on her forehead.

“Thank-you I will break my fast and then talk to her.”

Jocasta shook her head slowly, her face scrunching up and before the former urchin could protest, Astera explained further.

"Of course, I will talk to her now.”

Jocasta nodded her agreement. “While she is sitting in front of the crypt tombs would be ideal, I think Mistress.”

A leader needed all sorts of help, especially from the keen observers or just those who seemed to be in the right place more often than not. In Jocasta’s case she actually worked at being in the right place at the right time. She also valued information and invariably obtain more to fill in the blanks, therefore making it easy to heed her suggestions.

Astera dressed lightly, underclothe and robe while Thyia learning from past encounters with Jocasta, already armoured up, with Niobe’s assistance and ready, awaiting Astera’s command.

Jocasta chirped. “Mistress should always have a bodyguard armed and armoured.”

Thyia could only nod in agreement and follow Astera out of their room, ignoring the smirk upon Niobe’s face, with a great deal of self-control.

Jocasta satisfied, returned to tend Zosime and Alexis although both near fully recovered, managing to eat and drink without assistance now. Jocasta running for both when required, otherwise on duty to ensure they didn’t leave before their Mistress gave them permission to do so. She knew they grumbled about Mistress summoning them. Jocasta though approved of the decision, confirmed by eavesdropping; Hagne in tears when examining Nysa, Kyra and Zoe the three so near death, no water and pushing themselves well into the night after a very long chase, bad, very bad.

She then thought of her Mistress and visited Clymene in the Kitchen. She would wait for the Seeress to prepare a meal and deliver directly to her Mistress as she still needed to break her fast.

As Astera, Thyia and Niobe strolled into the Main Cavern, the Twins and Goblin Sisters crawled over the blocks of stone, shaping and moving as required to construct the Cavern Door, the side furthest from the evil half height and freely swinging. Mentally Astera ran off the other emergency assignments, Alcmene, Alexa and Thais on rotation on the Southern Wall, Dirce, Drosis and Agape on rotation on the Northern Wall, Latona, Lysisa and Otonia guarding the Main Cavern. Clymene and Ismene continued to guard the House and cook meals for the Daughters. Herself, Thyia and Niobe their only reserves until Zosime and Alexis recovered. Thinking of Lysisa …

Lysisa’s body slumped awkwardly against the stone wall containing the crypts, just as Jocasta reported. Approaching the Warrior Sister, her head arched back, the top of which kissed the stone not the worst though, the whites of her eyes could be clearly seen, body rigid and still. Thankfully her chest rhythmically rose and fell confirming her body still lived, the concerned then, her mind.

Astera missed the opportunity to have the now obviously necessary conversation and reasonably certain shaking her bodily to wake her fraught with its own danger. The three Goblin Sisters stared, while one in particular stepped forward, her face ashen, the pale-yellow skin colour all but gone.