Portals of Infinity: Reprisal

by John Van Stry

  I keyed my microphone, the one on the radio I had for Laria. "If the two guards on your side of the house leave their posts, kill them,"

  "Yes, Will."

  I made my way inside then. It was a big house, three floors, and a lot of rooms. But I knew the layout, and I knew where I wanted to go.

  Moving to the back staircase, I went up to the second floor, and down the hallway, then turned right. At the end was the master bedroom and I moved up to it quickly, carefully opening the door just enough, and slipped inside.

  "Cathy, is that you?" I heard a man mumble from the bed.

  I carefully circled around and got a good look at him, just as he opened his eyes and saw me.

  He blinked and rubbed his eyes, his body frozen in place. I guess he was finding it hard to believe what he was seeing, a large catlike face just a couple of feet away. He started to inhale while reaching for something, but I struck first, and ripped out his throat with my claws. This was Cenewyg's high priest, and the last of his priests alive.

  Oh, there might be a few neophytes or such in one of the rooms down the hallways, and there was still the temple in the grand ballroom beneath this room on the ground floor, but this was the big one.

  He pulled the trigger on the gun he was trying to grab under the pillow as he flailed, and it went off with a muffled report, and then he passed out and died.

  I looked around the room, there was nothing important that I could see, so I took out my lighter, and set the drapes, and then the bed on fire.

  Then I left the room, closing the door behind me, and went into the first door on the left. There was a woman sleeping in it, so I left it and went across the hall. Another woman. Third and forth were also women, apparently the high priest liked to keep them close.

  About that time a man stepped out of a bedroom, so I shot him, and that woke everyone up.

  I ran to the main staircase, and laid down on it, with just my head and the rifle peaking up over the top step, and each time a man stepped out, I shot him. When a woman came out I told her to run the other way, most of the others did. Two ran by me however, as by then smoke was starting to fill the hall, I guess the fire was growing.

  When shots started coming from the third floor above, I decided it was time to retreat down to the ground floor. As I reached the ground floor I came across five armed men and women and a brief, but vicious gunfight quickly ensued.

  I got them all, but I got shot six times and used up most of my healing then and there.

  I got out my lighter again and set a few more drapes on fire, then I dove out through a window as I heard footsteps behind me. I moved back to the west side of the house, taking up a position by where I had stashed the two bodies and started to shoot everything that came out of the house on this side, except for any women who weren't carry a weapon.

  "I've got ten," Laria called on the radio. "With all of the noise you're making, they don't even seem to know I'm here."

  "Good. How well is the house burning on your side?"

  "Pretty well, there's a lot of smoke coming up from it too, people are going to see it."

  I nodded, it was starting to burn pretty well on this side as well, and I noticed everyone was running away as fast as they could, and they weren't stopping. I had stopped shooting all of the people running when they dropped their weapons, and I don't think Laria was taking them out anymore either.

  I was wondering what the rush was, and I started to hear popcorn.

  "Oh shit!" I swore and got up and started running as well. I circled the house and started to run as hard and as fast as I could, back towards Laria, dropping the rifle, the ammo, and just pouring on the speed.

  "What's wrong, Will?" Laria asked.

  "I forgot that he had an armory under the house," I panted back as I was running.

  "What's an armory?" Laria asked, and just then, it blew up!

  I was picked up and slammed into the ground by the shockwave, which popped my eardrums and made my whole body go numb. I cast the rest of my healing spells on me, as I slid to a stop, and then gasping I got up and started to stumble forward towards the hill.

  If Laria said anything more to me, I couldn't hear it. It took me an hour to get back to where she was, I was sore all over and exhausted. When I got up to where she was at, I had her pick everything up and move it back to the car.

  "You drive," I gasped.

  "Where to?"

  I pointed down the road, "Just go, that way." Then I shifted back and fell asleep. I was far too tired to form a gate now, I needed rest.

  It was dark out when I woke up; we were parked in a parking lot, with a lot of trucks and stuff around us.

  "Where are we?" I asked.

  Laria shrugged, "I don't know. I just thought this would be a good place to hide with all of the other vehicles here."

  I nodded and yawned, I started to stretch, but too many things complained. I opened a portal up in front of us.

  "Start the car and drive forward slowly."

  Laria nodded, "Sure," and drove us through the gateway.

  I healed myself as soon as we were in the temple.

  "Well, that's the last of them," I sighed and stretched out on the floor, still tired, but too content to move. "Take that Cenewyg, you bastard!"

  "Aryanna just contacted me," Fel said in the room and I groaned.

  "What?"

  "Stephanie says that Cenewyg reincarnated two days ago. You missed him by about twenty-four hours."

  "Son-of-a-bitch!" I swore loudly, then sighed, "Sorry Fel, didn't mean to swear in your temple."

  "You're forgiven, after all of the rushing around you've been doing the last month, I can't say I really blame you."

  I nodded and sighed. "Well, guess I'll go back to the castle and give Rachel some quality time, then off and visit Darlene for a few months, I'm sure she's upset, it's been almost a year now.

  "Then off to that wasteland Stephanie calls home and hunt the bastard down. Again."

  "Who's Darlene? And don't I get any quality time?" Laria asked.

  "You get nothing but quality time, Hon," I said and smiled at her. "Darlene is my other wife."

  "You really do have two?" She said looking at me surprised.

  "What, you think I'd lie to you?" I said and shaking my head I rolled over to my knees and got up slowly. "Come on, let's go let Rachel know we're home," I said helping Laria up.

  "Sleep well, William," Fel said as we left.

  "I'll try."

  Eighteen

  Riverhead - Hillshire

  "Will!" Darlene said and, as usual, flung herself into my arms. Not that I was complaining mind you! It had been almost a year since I'd seen her last, and I hadn't been able to spend much time with her then.

  Yes, Cenewyg was out there, and yes I was going to kill his ass once and for all, but his death could wait a while, I'd spent the last month with my wife Rachel, and Laria, who was pregnant and finally starting to show. Right now, I was going to spend the next three months with Darlene, and make sure I gave her the attention she deserved.

  Come April I'd go after Cenewyg. But not right now, I had more important things in my life to take care of, and I was holding her.

  "I missed ye, Love," she said when she finished kissing me and came up for air.

  "I missed you too, Hon."

  I looked around the bar, and was surprised to see Chaucer of all people behind it.

  "Looks like he ended up here, after all," I said to Darlene, a bit surprised.

  She nodded and smiled, "He retired a few months ago. Sarah's pregnant again, and he said he might as well stay home and raise his family." She laughed then, "Besides, all of the guard hang out here now, anyway, so it's not like he be missing his friends."

  "They do now, huh?" I said surprised.

  "Well, the free drinks for a month got them all coming, and seeing as Chaucer is family, we started giving the guard a discount, and well," she smiled, "they're here a lot!"

  I l
aughed and hugged her. We had so much gold in the bank here now that we were actually rather rich. We didn't need for the inn to make much of a profit really, and after what happened I was sure that having a lot of soldiers hanging out here all the time probably made her feel a lot safer.

  I know I sure appreciated it! Everyone in the guard knew I was well acquainted with Duke Lias of Riverhead, close friends with Captain Bersheres their boss, and that my sister Nikki was now Aryanna's champion. They'd protect this place like it was their home, because they knew they'd be rewarded for it.

  And then there was all the free ale and wine they'd get afterwards.

  Yeah, having them here would be nice, and as Chaucer was the former first sergeant for the guard, they'd also be minding their manners as well while they were.

  I picked Darlene up and nodded to Chaucer as I walked by the bar, he smiled and waved.

  "What, not going to help me out during the busiest part o' the day?" He said as we went by.

  "If you're lucky, maybe we'll come out tomorrow and give you a hand," I said with a smirk as I carried Darlene back to our room.

  "Will?"

  I yawned and buried my nose in Darlene's hair taking a deep sniff as I put an arm around her and pulled her closer as she spooned back against me.

  "Hmm?" I mumbled half asleep. It was late and we'd just finished making love, again. I wasn't sure who had missed who more; Darlene definitely answered some needs in me that the others didn't, and well, she was the first woman I'd ever made a real commitment to.

  "I wanted to thank ye," she said putting her hand over mine, the one I had wrapped around her.

  "For what?" I whispered.

  "For showing me that ye really do love me," she whispered happily and then wiggled back against me making a rather contented sound.

  "Hmm?" I responded a little surprised, "I'd have thought that the bar, the children, and the money would have made that clear."

  "Those just showed that ye care, but when ye came to the temple, and I got to see what ye really look like, ye told me the reason ye kept coming back, was because ye love me."

  I pulled her a little closer in a hug and kissed the back of her head, "But I always tell you that I love you, Hon."

  "Yes, but you were angry, and upset, and dealing with an emergency, yet ye just tossed it off and said it with notta' moment's hesitation. You didn't stop and take the time to think of a lie, ye just said the first thing in yer mind, told the truth." She rolled over and looked up at me then, "I've always known ye cared, but there are times I've had my doubts about if ye loved me or not."

  "I've always loved you, Darlene," I whispered and kissed her.

  She nodded, "And now I know for sure. You're a champion, like your sister, you have a job, you have duties, ye even have another wife. Ye're a famous and powerful man, and yet ye continually leave that behind to come here, and spend time with me, a woman who used to sell her favors ta men."

  I wrapped my arms around her and smiled down at her and kissed her again, "I've thought of bringing you and our children through to where I live, so I could spend more time with all of you, but I don't know if you'd like it, things are so much different there, than they are here."

  Darlene nodded, "And I'd miss me family, me friends, plus," she smirked, "I'd have to share ye then. When ye are here, yer with me, and only me. I'm a greedy woman, Will, I don't like ta share."

  "I'm sure there would be some truly epic fights then," I agreed, smirking back at her.

  "So tell me, what's it like there?"

  "Things are a little less developed, and life is a little rougher, the winters are colder with more snow, and the kingdom is smaller than Hillshire, but it's grown quite a bit over the time since I've known you."

  "What's yer other wife, what's she really like?"

  "She's a very strong woman, she runs the kingdom after all, and yes, I love her very much too."

  "She runs the kingdom?" Darlene asked surprised.

  "Well, yeah, she is the queen," I grinned.

  Darlene's eyes got wide, "Ye married a queen, and you still come here to see me?" She hugged me very tightly then and kissed me rather passionately.

  "So, is she any good looking?" she said after she'd taken her time kissing me rather thoroughly.

  "She's very attractive, like you," I grinned. "We have three children," I told her a little more about Rachel and each of our kids after she asked.

  "So, what's it like being a huge cat? Do you miss it when you're here?"

  "It's kind of fun, actually. And I was born a human, just like you, Hon." I grinned.

  "Well, it was a bit of a shock seeing ye like that, still it was kind of cute, is yer fur as soft as a regular cat's?"

  I laughed, "Yes, it is."

  "Warm?"

  I nodded.

  "Ye know, it is getting kind of cold in here, and I'd rather not get up and get another blanket, do ye think ye could?" Darlene asked giving me one of her 'innocent' smiles.

  "Sure, I'll get up and get it for you," I grinned.

  She slapped me on my chest with her hand. "Funny man. Now show me!"

  "Only if you promise not to scream," I told her with mock seriousness.

  "I won't scream," she said, "unless of course ye make me," she added slyly.

  "Ooo, this is nice," she said running her hands through my fur after I shifted for her. "Nice and warm too."

  I just purred, enjoying the company.

  "Oh! Better still," Darlene laughed at my rumbling, "soft, warm, and vibrating!"

  "Shameless hussy," I rumbled.

  "Of course I'm shameless, I'm yer wife, I'm allowed to enjoy me husband!" she giggled.

  I purred a little louder, but when all was said and done, I think that shameless best described my wife's behavior for the rest of the night.

  # # #

  "So, Will, I've been wanting to ask ye about something," Chaucer said to me. I was sitting at the bar, relaxing and having a drink. I could tell Chaucer had something on his mind for quite a while; I'd been here for almost three months, just enjoying my time with Darlene and the kids. I'd be leaving in another week, the weather was still cold and wet, but I had a long trip ahead of me, there really wasn't a quicker or faster route to the wastelands than the one we'd take before.

  "Ask away," I smiled.

  "What ever happened to Cameron? Why didn't ye bring him back?"

  I nodded, I'd actually explained most of this to Darlene, weeks ago when she'd asked.

  "Truth is, I'm Cameron's father," I told him. The whole gender-swapping thing would have been way too complicated to go into, and he probably wouldn't have believed it anyways.

  "Cameron's mother is a very powerful person, head of a major religion, he's with her now."

  He looked at me for a moment, "Why wasn't he with her from the beginning?"

  "There was a lot of upheaval going on, and they were having problems with another religion, so we thought it would be safer to raise Cam here." I sighed then, "Unfortunately, I was wrong. Their champion found out about it, and well, you saw what happened here."

  "Did ye kill him?"

  "I did a lot to him, but he's not quite dead yet," I said and I thought about what would be coming next. I was looking forward to killing Cenewyg, I really was looking forward to it.

  I don't think I'd ever looked forward to someone's death with such anticipation before. I looked back up at Chaucer, and from the expression on his face, I guess it must have shown.

  "Understand, you can't just kill a champion as easily as you'd kill a normal man," I said lowering my voice, "It has to be planned, and it has to be done carefully. Champions have certain," I hesitated; I don't know how many people knew that we reincarnated, "abilities, that make it harder for them to die, and to stay dead."

  Chaucer nodded, "Aye, I've heard some of the stories me'self." He paused in thought a moment, his own expression turning rather dark for a moment, "Any chance I can go with you, when you leave here, and help
ye kill that bastard?"

  I sat back and thought about that for a minute. Chaucer was a pretty good sergeant, and from what I'd seen over the years I'd known him, a good soldier as well.

  But the weapons I'd be facing would be different, and the tactics would be different as well. Plus if I got him killed, how would I explain it to Sarah? And Darlene would be pretty upset with me as well.

  I shook my head slowly, "I wish I could, I really wish I could. But where I'm going, its different, the things there, where this guy is now, it's not like here, and well, you're not a champion."

  "And ye are?" Chaucer asked looking at me, "Ye are, aren't ye?"

  I nodded, "Yes, I am. I wasn't when we first met, but I am now, which is why I'm able to go after that sonofabitch, and put him in his grave, and make sure he stays there!" I almost growled it out.

  Chaucer nodded slowly and then smiled, "That's what I wanted to hear, Will. I wanted to now that someone was going to avenge my father's murder."

  "He was important to me too, Chaucer," I sighed. "If it wasn't for him, and his advice, I wouldn't have Darlene, and you see how much she means to me."

  He nodded, "She must, if your god can't even keep you away!" he laughed softly.

  "That is the truth of it," I said agreeing with him. "Plus, I feel a lot better with you here to keep an eye on things and ride herd on the soldiers when they come here."

  "Ya know, it's funny, me ending up here. Never thought the day would come when I'd be working at me father's old inn."

  I nodded, "Life it strange like that. I honestly thought I was going to end up here raising kids with Darlene for the rest of my life."

  "Any regrets?" He asked.

  I shook my head, "Not really, no. You have to take the good with the bad after all. You?"

  Chaucer laughed, "Honestly? Now that I'm here, I see why me father liked it. Thinking I like it too, now that I'm older and getting me own family going."

  I tipped my mug to him and took another drink.