Kevin L. O'Brien's Blog: Songs of the Seanchaí, page 26

Synopsis: Zombie Walk (A Dribble & Maggot adventure)

It's July 1990. Sir Differel sits beside Lady Margaret (both 14) in front of a campfire, eating s'mores. Vlad, in his huge black hound form, lies on the other side of the fire, his chin on his paws. Behind them are two tents, one occupied by their adult chaperones, M's nanny and a female Caerleon Order agent. They have spent the last five days touring Dartmoor in the south of Devon. M is a member of the Girl Guides and she is working on a number of outdoor merit badges. She asked D to help her cheat; she refused, but offered to help her obtain the badges legitimately. They are camped in a small forest surrounding the ruins of Baskerville Hall. Tomorrow they plan to hike out to Grimpound and spend the day exploring the Bronze Age settlement, then the day after head into Grimpon and take the train to London, where Aelfraed will meet them and return D to Norfolk as M proceeds to York.

M announces that her father told her a week before the trip that she has a brother. While in his late teens he had an affair and got some barmaid pregnant. Through his uncle he arranged to give her an annual allowance and set her up in a more legitimate line of work, while creating a trust fund for the child. The boy had just graduated from Eaton and has been accepted to Oxford. Her father plans to officially recognize him as his son so that he can acquire the dukedom on his death. At first D thinks she is disappointed she won't become the Duchess, but M contradicts her, saying the Duchy of Anglin descends through heirs-male and so can only be inherited by the eldest surviving son or closest male relative. Daughters cannot inherit, though their sons can, but if there are no eligible male relatives, the title would into abeyance until a male heir surfaced. Besides, she never wanted the title; too much responsibility goes with it, and she'd prefer to live the life of a playgirl. Her father had set up a trust fund for her at birth, which is now worth some 400 million pounds sterling, more than enough for her to live on, especially if she invests it.

She explains rather that what bothered her, other than a concern over how this "brother" might try to usurp her fortune, was that she had been forced to acknowledge, for the first time, that her father was a human being, a man like any other, who could be rather randy when he wanted. She asks D if she can imagine her parents "doing it". D replies that, logically, they must have at least once, otherwise she wouldn't exist, but no, she can't picture it. She also mentions that sometimes she overhears the servants talking about their lovers. When she was younger, such conversations meant nothing to her and she dismissed them, but now she understands what they're saying, if only on a rudimentary level, and she finds it shocking. M states that she's overheard such conversations as well, but she expects servants to be horny, so it doesn't faze her. D gets upset and they exchange a couple of rounds of insults.

Vlad raises his head, his ears tilted forward, and he gazes around. While other people sometimes forget he is human when he is in that form, D knows that he isn't detecting a rabbit or a deer. Then five shapes stumble out of the woods. When they enter the firelight, she notices their shambling gate, pale gray skin, and thousand-yard stare, and they begin a loud monotonous keening moan: Zombies! She jumps up and summons Caliburn as Vlad launches himself at one of them. He knocks it down and tears off its head with his jaws. Two converge on him as the other two make for D and M. D orders M to wake the two women as she moves to intercept them. Vlad dispatches another but its companion savagely bites him. Despite the size of the greatsword, D is too short to try for a head strike, so she cuts one off at the knees and decapitates it when it falls to the ground. She turns on the other, but before she can strike a shot rings out and its head bursts. She sees the agent holding her Walther PPK, while behind her the nanny clings to M with a terrified look on her face.

Vlad dispatches the last Zombie. In the quiet they can hear far off the collective moan of many more Zombies. D realizes that they are zeroing in on their position. The agent spots Vlad's wound. As he changes to shadow to heal, D explains that his parasites and Dark Powers give him immunity to whichever disease is at work. Vlad casually mentions it is the fungal strain. The two women quickly get dressed, but before they can decide what to take with them, seven more Zombies come into the camp. The agent shoots one, but D orders her to save her ammunition. Vlad extinguishes the fire and they run off with him in the lead. They head east, and once out of the woods they can see a pack of Zombies following them. Despite the fact that they can easily outrun the Zombies they can't stop to rest for the night. The Zombies won't tire, and between their sense of smell and hearing they can still find them, but they can't just run aimlessly.

D realizes they need to devise a strategy; at least they need to find somewhere safe so Vlad can warn the Caerleon Order. When they get a fair distance in front of the pack, they stop to consider their options. The nanny asks why Vlad doesn't get them to safety. The agent replies that they cannot leave until they determine the extent of the danger. The nanny retorts that she and M are not Caerleon agents and she demands they be taken back to Yorkshire. The agent agrees and wants D to go with them. D refuses, stating that as Director and Pendragon she has an obligation, but she offers to have Vlad take the nanny and M to safety. M refuses to leave; despite the threat, she's actually excited and wants to help, and bemoans the fact that there is no Zombie merit badge. However, she wants Vlad to get her nanny to safety. She now refuses to go anywhere without her charge, despite her terror.

With that settled, the problem is where to go. If they head for Grimpen, or Coombe Tracey, the two closest villages, the Zombies will follow them, putting everyone there in danger, but heading deeper into Dartmoor isn't an option either. For one thing, they cannot run forever, not without rest, water, and food. For another, they could encounter other hikers and campers, not only putting them in danger, but risking the possibility that the pack will get lured off in another direction. Thirdly, Dartmoor is surrounded by towns and villages, so wherever they go they will reach a civilized area eventually. The best option is to find a place where they can hide and the Zombies can't reach them. The hall is tempting, but the ruins may not offer any refuge. Four buildings in the immediate vicinity—Lafter Hall, Merripit House and one other stately home, and the abandoned farm at High Tor—are equally or worse derelict. That leaves an abandoned longhouse called Foulmire. Though also long abandoned, it is being restored for use as a hostel. There's no way of knowing how intact it is, but they have little choice.

The Zombies catch up with them again and Vlad leads them to a nearby lane they can follow in safety. D asks Vlad for advice. He states that when faced with a powerful enemy whose numbers and disposition are not known, the first order of business is to reconnoiter. She orders him to scout out the Zombies. He turns into a bat and flies off. After a while he returns. He reports that there are about 25 individuals or so in the pack, a mix of farmers, hikers, and campers, but strangely no children. They all appear recently turned; perhaps no more than a month. D speculates that one or more hikers were infected first by some source they'll probably never find, then they infected some campers, and then some isolated farms were overrun, creating the current pack. The children, if any, probably either ran off or were devoured before they turned.

But that's not important. Vlad assures her that the pack is all the Zombies there are; he has detected no others in a 20 mile radius. This convinces D that they can eradicate this threat before it spreads. She orders him to locate Foulmire and return to guide them to it in the shortest possible time. He converts into a huge black hound and runs off, but after a short time reappears out of a burst of shadow. He then leads them across the moor with the Zombies in pursuit. When they reach the longhouse, they find it still standing and reasonably well preserved, though the roof has a number of holes in it. Like a typical longhouse, it is a single-story structure built on a slope. The upper section to the left, which D takes to be the family area, has a number of windows in it, half of which appear to be broken or missing entirely, but the lower section, which she assumes was for livestock, has no windows at all. They make a quick circuit around to make sure the building is sound. The two outer doors in the middle, front and back, though intact, look weathered; she doubts they would hold up even with reinforcements. Once inside, however, the two inner doors, leading into either section, appear to be very sturdy, and they open in, so it will be possible to brace them.

The Zombies catch up with them again, so D leads them into the livestock section. They slam the door in the face of one ghoul, and Vlad places two fallen roof beams against it. Except for the holes in the roof, which the Zombies can't reach, the only other way in is through a small opening in the back wall at ground level where waste water used to run out into the yard beyond. It's too small for a Zombie to crawl through, but they place a block of masonry in front of it to be sure.

Now that they are reasonably safe, they realize how tired, hungry, and thirsty they are. D decides to go back to their camp to collect supplies: water and portable food, the first aide kit, the water purifier, the flint and steel, and the extra guns and ammunition, along with sleeping bags. The agent offers to go in her place, but she orders her to remain; aside from Vlad, she has the only gun. M volunteers to come along, and she accepts her help. The nanny doesn't want M to go, but if Vlad is right there are no more Zombies. She orders Vlad to take them to the camp and then go back to the longhouse and await her summons.

D and M collect everything they need and assemble it between the tents. M insists on bringing her merit badge stuff. D relents only because the alternative is to argue until hell freezes over. D calls Vlad; he appears and takes everything back. As they wait for his return, a girl wearing torn clothes enters the camp. At first D and M assume she is a survivor of a Zombie attack, but as they talk D realizes something is off: she is much too calm. Vlad returns, and he confirms she is infected with the fungal disease, but she isn't a Zombie. Four more children of various ages then enter the camp; they are also infected but not Zombies.

Vlad explains that the fungal Zombie plague has one characteristic the viral, prion, and worm forms do not: it can mutate so that the fungal mass that infiltrates the brain becomes intelligent, thereby creating an independent self-aware being rather than a Zombie. The girl states that she was the first to be infected. She doesn't remember how; Vlad figures her memories were wiped out when the fungal mass digested her cerebrum. However, the other children were her host's playmates, and she was able to infect them easily. Ordinarily the fungal spores are passed on through saliva when a Zombie bites. The mutated fungus, however, produces a special fruiting body in the mouth that creates spores to perpetuate itself, separate from the Zombie spores. If they bite anyone, that victim will become a Zombie, but if instead they kiss, he or she will become like them, carriers, infiltrators, and guides.

Vlad pulls out two of his pistols, but D commands him to stand down. She then demands to know what their intentions are. The girl states that they want what any organism wants: to thrive and propagate. However, she has a memory of Vlad, from the time when he destroyed her. She remembers that he was the servant of the family Van Helsing. If he is associated with D and M, one or both of them must be of that family. To gain entry into that family would greatly increase the chances of their ultimate success. The other children start to close in on them. D summons Caliburn and kills one child, then she orders Vlad to take her and M back to the longhouse. When they arrive, she tells the two women the complexion of the crisis has changed drastically.

She recaps her encounter then they discuss options, as they eat and drink. D had intended at this point to have Vlad alert the Order. Holt would then send in a combined extraction/eradication force to rescue them and wipe out the pack. The children, however, complicate matters. She knows of five, one of which she killed, but she doesn't know if there are any others, and if any get away they could start this mess all over again, like in a city. As such, she is now reluctant to send Vlad off to alert the Order. For one thing, with the children controlling them, the Zombies could find a way to break in, in which case they will need Vlad to get them out. For another, the Order will almost certainly alert Whitehall, which will want to send in the military to hunt down and eradicate the children. The armed forces know how to kill Zombies, but they tend to go in for overkill, preferring to use a tactical nuke, or saturation bombing with incendiaries, or a whole brigade with heavy weapons, and while these can be effective, they are wasteful and inefficient. But she isn't sure the Order can exterminate the children with a surgical strike either. They don't look or act like Zombies, and a moment's hesitation could be fatal for any of her troops.

Fortunately the children want to infect her and M, and she killed one of them to make this more urgent. Unless there are any others hiding in reserve, they should converge on the longhouse in an attempt to take them. That means they have a chance to destroy the lot of them, but it has to be in a manner they would not anticipate. The children may not have their original memories, but they seem to have memories acquired from previous incarnations of this intelligent fungus, including at least one previous extermination. She asks Vlad to explain the fungus girl's claim. He tells them that during the tenure of her great-grandfather George, a larger and more serious Zombie incursion occurred in the northern part of Dartmoor. It took the combined efforts of himself, her great-grandaunt Lucille, great-granduncle Reginald, the then-Pendragon great-grandmother Viviane and her mother, great-great-grandmother Dindrane, and what few agents and volunteer armed forces personnel they could muster, to exterminate a horde of nearly a hundred strong. It was lead by a teenage girl, who at first tried to pass herself off as a survivor who managed to 'fool' the Zombies into sparing her, but he ended up destroying her when she tried to infect Lucy. The Zombie bodies, plus her own, were buried in the Aune Mire as the safest place to dispose of them.

Based on that, D figures the children will be ready for troops, but they may not anticipate something more subtle. She takes a detailed topographical map of the area out of M's pack, which they used as part of their merit badge work. She points out their location, and a number of landmarks: Cleft Tor, Black Tor, the Whiteworks tin mine, Belliver Tor, Vixen Tor — she stops and then jabs her finger at a spot in the middle of the area: the Great Grimpon Mire, perhaps the most dangerous spot in all of Dartmoor. If they can lead the pack into the worst part of the mire, the bogs will suck all the Zombies down, and they could probably lure the children into the open out of desperation. She asks Vlad if he can lead them safely through, and he affirms that he can. Considering how dangerous that tactic will be, she once more offers M and nanny a chance to be taken to safety, but they both refuse again.

With the plan settled, they find places to sleep for the night. One far corner down slope is designated the latrine. Vlad states that he will watch all night, allowing the agent to sleep as well. M asks D if she can bed down beside her, and she assents. Once they get inside their sleeping bags, they remain up as the two adults fall asleep. M asks D why that fungus girl would freely tell them all those things. D states that all monsters are egomaniacs; at least, those intelligent enough to be arrogant. However, it struck her that the girl was not arrogant out of hubris, but out of genuine ignorance. Depending upon how old the fungal organism inhabiting her is, despite its most recent setback it might actually believe it was superior to Humans, not because it believes itself to be superior through some a priori ideology, but because it has no experience to the contrary. M remarks that she can't sure it isn't right before she settles in to get some sleep.

D sleeps fitfully all night. Though she can hear the Zombies moaning and beating on the door and walls, Vlad is muffling most of it, so the constant noise isn't at fault. She figures she's just nervous about the next day. Though she has sometimes had to act on her own since she became Director, this would be the first time she would execute a dangerous plan she devised herself, without Order input or assistance. Then she realizes that she isn't nervous about that so much as the fact that she is putting others in danger. Even though they volunteered, she doesn't believe they fully understand what they have volunteered for.

Movement catches her eye, and she sees the block in front of the small opening pushed aside. One of the children, a boy, crawls in; she realizes she had not considered that. She warns Vlad but makes no sound or move, hoping to draw him close enough to take his head off with Caliburn before he attacks anyone else. As he starts to crawl towards her, however, the nanny wakens, spots him, and starts screaming. D throws off the cover of her sleeping bag as Vlad turns and fires, but he misses as the boy throws himself onto the nanny and bites her on the shoulder. D throws herself onto her stomach to get the right angle and shoots. The slug travels up and hits the boy in the chest, throwing him off and to the side. Vlad fires again, and the boy's head vanishes.

They examine the nanny as Vlad seals up the opening. The wound is bad, but fortunately the carotid artery and jugular vein are intact. However, the wound is almost certainly infected with fungal spoors, dooming her. Additionally, its severity and location suggest that she will be dead in only a few hours, after which she will reanimate and attack them. The progress of the disease is both debilitating and excruciating, and nothing can be done to save her except put her out of her misery. D wants to do that now, but M will not countenance it. After a heated exchange, D realizes she's thinking of her mother. It may be subconscious, but she doesn't want to lose someone else she cares about deeply. She wants to save her even if there's no hope, so D relents and agrees to let her live. Both the agent and Vlad are against this: at the very least she will slow them down, but she's now a threat. D tells them both to shut up, that she will take full responsibility for whatever happens. They make her as comfortable as possible but already she has a slight fever, and the pain from the wound is spreading. Vlad states he will watch over her, and do what is needed if she turns, but M tells him she will do it and he is to wake her. D makes it an order. They go back to bed, but neither she nor M can get settled, and they do little more than nap.

The next morning the nanny is worse, but M won't leave her. D agrees to bring her along and instructs the agent to help her. When she refuses, D has to threaten her with court martial to get her to comply. They decide to leave the sleeping bags behind, but pack the other items in M's backpack. D gives M a pistol and tells her to take point. Vlad removes the braces, and as the Zombies push the door open, he turns to shadow and smashes into them, pushing them back. He expands to fill the transverse corridor and then flows out the back exit. D orders the rest to go; M dashes out after Vlad; D follows, but stops to block the way out the front, shooting down Zombies as the agent helps the hobbling nanny out the back. M shouts everyone's clear, and D starts to back up when one of the children leaps out of the other half of the longhouse. D summons Caliburn and impales her, then shoots her in the head. A Zombie grabs her, but M rushes up and shoots it, then grabs D by the jacket and pulls her back while raging at her to mover her scrawny arse.

They run out the back and spot the agent and nanny moving away as Vlad covers them. D and M dodge around shambling Zombies and race up to him. Together they catch up with the agent and nanny. D orders Vlad to carry the nanny and he and the agent run off ahead as D and M shout and gesture, trying to attract the pack's attention. Among them are two children, a boy and girl, who isn't the girl that spoke with them at their campsite. Once they're sure the pack is after them, they catch up with the others, who have stopped for a rest. D orders Vlad to scout the pack, to make sure they're all together, and warns him there is at least one other child unaccounted for. He changes into a raven and flies off. She orders the agent to scout ahead, and with M's help they determine the bearing they need to follow to reach the mire. Vlad returns to inform her there are no stragglers, though he had to dispatch a few Zombies she and M had not killed. D orders him to head out to the mire and scout it for the best place to trap the pack. He changes into a gigantic black hound and runs off.

The pack is getting closer, but they need to wait for the agent to get back, so M uses the time to rearrange the contents if the back so it sits easier on her shoulders. It's an overcast day, and D notes there is mist over the mire, obscuring the landscape. She asks M for a bottle of water. She takes it to the nanny, who appears to have fallen asleep. She crouches down to wake her, but as soon as she touches her, the nanny rears up, grabs her, throws her back, and pins her to the ground. She bends down to bite her when a shot rings out and her head explodes sideways. She falls to the side and D scrambles away in sheer panic, but when she looks at the shooter, expecting to see the agent, she sees M instead, with the agent running up behind her with her pistol drawn. M throws the gun down and covers her face, but when D approaches her she sees that she isn't crying, though she is shuddering. She asks if she's okay, and after a moment she drops her hands and states she is fine, a grim determined expression on her face.

The pack is almost on top of them, so they take off after D retrieves the pistol, staying just out of reach to keep the Zombies following them. The children are no longer with them, which bothers D. When they finally reach the mire they see Vlad waiting for them ahead. They sprint to catch up. He has found a likely bog: deeper than the others, with steep sides so the Zombies won't be able to climb out again. There is a rock outcrop in the middle where they can safely stand to lure them in. The way in is tricky; one misstep and they would get sucked down into a bog. D offers M one last chance to go home; M refuses, saying she has a score to settle now.

Vlad changes into his barghest form and they head into the mire. At first D can't see any difference between the mire and the surrounding moor, but as they penetrate further, the trail disappears, the vegetation changes, and then they cross bright green patches where the ground begins to shift and undulate beneath their feet. She realizes they must passing over an area of blanket bog covered with sphagnum moss, as rushes, cotton grasses, and bog heather replace drier ground plants. The patches increase in frequency and size, as the ground becomes less stable. A few times the agent sinks in to her knees as the surface breaks under weight. Surprisingly, despite the size and mass of Vlad's barghest form, he glides across the ground barely making a mark. At their slow pace, the Zombies have no trouble catching up to them, and several times the agent has to urge them forward as the pack comes within a couple fathoms.

Finally they reach an area that has what look likes shallow open pools of water. Vlad makes his way carefully around the larger ones, but the ground turns into a thick, peaty soup and even D and M sink up to their ankles, then shines, knees, and finally thighs. She realizes they've entered a valley mire. D watches as one Zombie strays into a pool; it sinks to his waist, and as it struggles to extract itself it sinks deeper, rapidly disappearing into the bog. However, the others that follow are slowed by the mire as well.

As they continue on the mire comes up to their waists. D wonders if it will get much deeper before they reach their destination, but then she sees the outcrop emerge from the mist a short distance away. As they pass a large clump of heather and grass, a girl rears up and grabs M, pulling her backwards into the clump. D sights on her to shoot her when a boy leaps out at her. The agent shouts a warning and intercepts him. They grapple each other as Vlad rips the girl's head off and pulls M away from her. The boy struggles so hard that the agent loses her balance and slips backwards into a nearby pool. As they sink, the boy bites her in the neck as she places her pistol against his head. She blows his brains out, but as D orders Vlad to save her she turns the gun on herself. D watches dumbstruck as her lifeless body disappears from sight.

The Zombie pack catches up with them and they retreat as fast as they can while Vlad dispatches two that get too close. In short order they reach the edge of a large bog. The outcrop is not exactly in the center, but close enough; there is at least ten feet all around it. Vlad picks D and M up and sprints over the surface to the rock. It only juts about a foot above the tea-colored liquid, but is fairly flat on top. M takes off her pack and they start shouting, gesturing, jumping up and down, and firing into the bog to attract the pack. The Zombies head straight for them; the ones in front walk right into the bog while the ones behind them spread out, some falling into adjoining bogs. As they enter the bog they sink to their waists, and as they struggle forward they sink more. Most disappear before they get four feet; a few get further while the rest sink sooner, but none get even close to the outcrop. It isn't long before the last Zombie disappears beneath the surface. Vlad tells her the bog averages 30 feet deep, forty in some places, and the peat is thick enough at the bottom to trap them. Eventually they will suffocate and the fungus will die some time after that.

With the crisis passed, D and M collapse, exhausted. D orders Vlad to Caerleon Hall to alert the Order. She then suggests M break out the water and the food. As M opens the pack and reaches in for an item, the girl they had spoken with at their old camp appears behind her and grabs her. D gets to her knees and points the pistol at her, but she demands she drop it or she will bite M. D is confident she can take the girl out, but isn't sure she can do so before she bites M, so she obeys. She asks the girl how she got to them. She explains that she figured out her plan and got there ahead of them with four Zombies, whom she sacrificed to carry her out the rock. Then she hid behind them, submerged except for her face. Once the Vampire had been sent away, she knew it was safe to take action. D asks what she wants. The girl states that she commands the Vampire, so she must be the leader of the Order. She wants to infect D, so she can take it over. She demands that D surrender herself, or she will bite her friend.

D is on the verge of agreeing when M states that if D is infected, the Vampire will know and will destroy her. She suggests herself as a substitute. She is the daughter of the Duke of Anglin, the third most powerful person in the government, and when he dies, she will become Duchess and inherit his power. That would put her in a position to infect other members of the government, including the Sovereign, thereby taking control of the country. As for now, she is a student at the most prestigious school in Britain, where the children of the social, political, and commercial elite go, so she could infect them as well, making the takeover easier because a power base would be already established. The girl is intrigued by her idea, but asks what about D. M states that once she's turned, the two of them can kill her. That will release the Vampire from control of the Van Helsing's, which in turn will weaken the Order. Assuming it isn't disbanded, it can then be safely infiltrated.

The girl agrees. She releases M and moves around in front of her to kiss her. M maneuvers so they are profile to D. As the girl leans towards M, D pulls the spare gun out of her jacket and fires at the girl. The bullet passes through her neck, severing arteries and veins, but misses the spinal cord. While she'll bleed out in a few minutes, the body will remain active for considerably longer. The girl pushes M off the rock into the bog. D shifts her aim from the girl's head and shoots at either leg sequentially, shattering both knees. As the girl collapses, D runs past her and steps off into the bog. She grabs a hold of the rock, digging in with her toes, to keep from sinking, then grips it with one hand as she stretches out to M. She's already up to her shoulders and going down fast. She reaches back, but they can only touch fingertips. They both strain as far as they can, as M sinks down until just her upturned face is visible, but they still cannot grasp each other. D steps off the rock and lets go to grip lower down. She sinks to her chin, but she gains another inch. She and M hook fingers, and she pulls her close enough they can grab each other's wrists. D pulls M close enough for her to grab hold of her, and then she turns, grips the rock with both hands, and pulls them both up to its side.

The girls appears above them. She grimaces and shrieks, but as she reaches for them, Vlad explodes out of shadow behind her, seizes her, and throws both of them into the bog. D tells M to grab the rock and hang on. When she does, D pulls herself out and stands up. She sees the girl frantically struggling to get free as Vlad holds her while they sink. D summons Caliburn, holds it in an overhand grip like a javelin, and orders Vlad to disengage. He turns into a raven and flaps off, and she throws the sword. It impales the girl in the torso, the cross guard slamming into her chest, and the blow plus the weight of the weapon drag her down like an anchor.

D kneels down to help M climb out of the bog as Vlad reappears behind them. He tells them he has been instructed to take them to Caerleon Hall. M takes a moment to retrieve her pack, but before they let Vlad transport them, M remarks that D saved her life. D replies that she owed her, and M retorts that that's as it should be. D tells her to sod off, but they both smile.

Old Doc LeClerc checks them out, and pronounces healthy as young bullocks, but prescribes a hot bath, a hot meal, and bed rest. Later, after they get cleaned up and eat, D sits up in bed reading reports as M sleeps. Vlad tells her she has a visitor. She gets out of bed, puts on a robe, and goes into the boudoir next door, to find the Duke of Anglin waiting for her. He states that he came to see his daughter, but first he wanted to thank D for saving her life. He expresses regret that it came at a tragic sacrifice, but D states that M's was greater, and she expresses regret she could not save the nanny. His Grace admits that M was very close to her nanny, ever since…then he breaks off. When D mentions his wife's death, he asks her how she knows about that, and she replies M told her. That takes him by surprise because as far as he knew M would not discuss it with anyone, not even him. That surprises D, but His Grace explains that he loved her mother very much, and when she died it hurt too much for him to talk to M about it. He threw himself into his duties to cope, but when the pain finally lessened a wall had grown up between him and M, and it was just easier to leave it alone than make the effort to tear it down. He admits that he's partially to blame. While he never blamed her for her mother's death, she reminded him of her too much to get close to her, because it brought back the pain. He decided to recognize his son, not to punish her, but so he could have a child he could relate to, but when he learned that she had nearly been killed, he realized he loved her more than he ever could his son, and finally understood just how much pain he had caused her by shutting her off from him.

D is uncomfortable throughout his speech, though she realizes it is sincere, that he needed to get it off his chest, and she was a safe neutral party he could open up to. When he pauses, she reminds him that she's only 14, and she doesn't pretend to know how he feels, but she knows something of how M feels. She tells him that she envies M, because she still has a father. She tells him she would give anything to have her father back, short of her immortal soul, but it's too late for her and him. It isn't too late for him and M, if he really wants it. She knows M does. He doesn't reply, but D tells her she'll leave him alone with her. He nods and enters the children's bedroom, but doesn't close the door all the way. D peers in, and watches as he kneels beside the bed. He awakens her, and after a quiet exchange they embrace. D is about to leave when she sees M looking at her. M smiles and waves, and D quietly closes the door.

A month later, D attends a meeting of M's Girl Guide group, when awards will be given out. M expresses surprise that she's there, as well as the fact that she's wearing a dress! D replies that since she helped her win her new merit badges, she felt it was only appropriate to cheer her on. She then takes her aside. She explains that she had petitioned the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to create a special one-time Zombie merit badge, but the Association refused, stating it wouldn't be fair to allow only her to receive it. M looks disappointed, but then D grins and tells her that instead, they deemed her actions worthy of the Bronze Cross, the highest award in scouting for gallantry, given to scouts who save a life or perform some other heroic act beyond the degree of maturity and training to be expected for their age while risking their own lives. As well, they also decided to give her the Medal of Meritorious Conduct, awarded for actions of an exceptionally high standard. And they allowed her to present them to her herself. M is speechless, but she hugs D in gratitude.

Later at the ceremony, as D pins the medals to M's sash, she notices that M wears her usual arrogant smile, but her eyes are moist with emotion.

Synopsis: Adamite Revelation (a Team Girl adventure)

Eile and Sunny ride their bikes up into the foothills. They've been hired by a client to deliver legal papers to her at Tír na nÓg, a private resort she owns. When they arrive, they discover two things: first, the client hasn't arrived yet, and she expects them to wait for her; second, her resort is a nudist colony, and nudity is mandatory. If they don't hand deliver the papers to her, they will forfeit their fee, and they need the money. Sunny is eager, but despite Eile's mortified reluctance, they decide to go for it. The gate guard shows them to a locker room where they can undress, then they are driven in an electric cart to the clubhouse. The grounds are sprawling, with a golf course, jogging and exercise trails, horse trails, hiking trails, a lake and beach, a woods, even a cliff face for rock climbing. The clubhouse itself has all the usual resort amenities. When they arrive, they are greeted by a hostess who tells them a room has been reserved for them, prepaid, along with a guest membership for a week that entitles them to use all facilities. Sunny seems excited at the unexpected vacation and not the least bit self-conscious, but Eile can't help trying to cover herself.

Once they get settled in their room, Sunny decides to go exploring. Eile would just as soon stay in the room forever, so Sunny goes off without her. That hurts Eile; she can't help feel deserted. She realizes that Sunny isn't at all embarrassed, but then, she's got such a nicer body than her skinny frame, that would come natural. Not that Eile is ashamed of her body, she just doesn't believe in such intimate displays. Though, she reflects, if she had a body like Sunny she might feel more tempted to show it off.

She watches TV for awhile, then gets hungry. There's no kitchenette in the room, and when she calls down to the front desk, she discovers that there's no room service, but they have a full service restaurant open 24-hours a day. She doesn't want to starve, so she figures she'll have to grin and bare it. She tries to avoid meeting people and has a number of terrifying moments when she's surprised by other patrons, but she finally makes it to the restaurant and manages to get to a secluded table in a back corner. She uses the menu to cover her bosom. From where she sits, she can see almost the entire restaurant, and she spots Sunny at a table with twelve other people, laughing and joking like they were old friends. That hurts her more. Sunny should be with her, not a bunch of slutty hangers-on who probably just want to ogle her body.

A guy walks up to her table and asks if he can sit with her. She can see him quite plainly and she uses the menu to shield her eyes. She's no stranger to male genitalia; she's not a virgin, and she and Sunny sometimes rent porno. But seeing it in the flesh for the first time in years is disconcerting. Meanwhile he explains that this is his first time here and he's a bit nervous, and hers is the only single table left. She invites him to sit just so she doesn't have to look at him, and when he does she lowers the menu. She's pleasantly surprised. He's handsome, in a cute, innocent sort of way. He smiles ingratiatingly, and she can't help but smile back. However, there's just one menu. Before she gives it up, she covers herself with her napkin, tying it around her neck. He asks if he makes her uncomfortable. She admits that this is her first time, too, but no, actually, he doesn't, she's just still shy. He confides that it took all his courage just to come down here, but he didn't want to go hungry. He literally had to clasp his hands behind his back to keep from covering himself. She admits to the same, except she wasn't as successful with her hands. He tells her that his worst fear is that he'll see a beautiful girl and get an erection. Eile blushes at his frankness, but remarks at least she doesn't have to worry about that. He states that he's glad she can't see him now. She blushes again, though more because she feels her nipples harden, but she also laughs with genuine amusement. He extends his hand and introduces himself as Ganca; it's an Azerbaijani name, given to him by his mother. Eile takes it and introduces herself; he says her name is very pretty, like her, and that causes her to smile sheepishly. The waiter then comes by and they order lunch.

Sunny hears Eile's laugh and spots her at a table with a young man. At first she's happy she's found someone to socialize with, but then she feels jealous. Eile is her partner, not his; she should be beside her, not making googly-eyes at some gigolo. Her mood is soured for the rest of her lunch.

As they eat, Eile and Ganca make small talk, mostly about themselves. When they finish, he offers to escort her back to her room. She demurs, but when he tells her he knows a back way that can avoid people, she reluctantly accepts. She asks him to go first, then she removes the napkin and follows. The first short leg is through a public area, and Eile nearly dies of embarrassment, but the rest of the way is private, and she gradually loosens up. Finally they reach her room. He turns around and for a brief moment she covers herself, but then she thinks how ridiculous she must look, and she folds her arms behind her back. He approves of her new confidence, and asks if he can see her again tomorrow; for breakfast maybe? She accepts and he promises to meet her at seven-thirty. He then waves and walks off. Eile watches him leave and feels better about herself.

Sunny sees Eile leave with the guy. Concerned, she excuses herself and follows them at a discrete distance. She sees them talk outside the door of their room, and is surprised to see Eile showing herself to him, but he eventually leaves and she goes inside. Sunny hesitates. She wants to confront Eile over why she spent her time with him and not her, but she also trusts her partner and doesn't want to give her the impression she doesn't. Finally she decides to play it cool. She walks in as if nothing happened. Eile is standing in the middle of the room, daydreaming, but when Sunny enters she turns and grins at her. She asks how her day was. Before she can answer, Eile embraces her, smooches her on the mouth, then spins her around and throws her on the bed, falling on top of her. Surprised, she stutters that her day was fine, then asks how hers was. Eile states she missed her, and proceeds to ravish her. Befuddled, Sunny struggles at first, but then mentally shrugs and joins in with gusto.

Numerous hours later, they sit in the restaurant and have a very late supper. Though the place is practically deserted, there are still people around, but Sunny marvels at how relaxed Eile has become. They talk about things to do the next day, then Sunny asks her about the man. She says he was just some guy who wanted some privacy like she did, nothing more. She asks where she went with him afterwards. Eile at first facetiously asks why the third degree, and Sunny girlishly tries to drop it, but then Eile states that he just showed her a more private way back to their room. Sunny lets it go, and they return to their room, but as Eile falls asleep, Sunny begins to wonder: she wants to trust Eile, but she doesn't know if she can now.

In the morning while Eile showers, Sunny calls to reserve horses. Then there's a knock at the door. She opens it, thinking it might be their client, but it's the man instead. He says she must be Sunny, then introduces himself as Ganca. When Sunny asks how he knows her, he tells her Eile spoke of her at lunch yesterday. Before more can be said, Eile comes out, drying herself off. She surprises Sunny by acting calm and happy to see him. She tells Sunny they had a date for breakfast, then asks him if Sunny can join them. He agrees without reservation. Then she tells him that afterwards, she and Sunny are going horseback riding, and asks Sunny if he can come along. Sunny is more hesitant in her affirmation, but Eile doesn't seem to notice, and in fact seems ecstatic.

At breakfast, Eile and Ganca monopolize the conversation. They try to engage Sunny, but she barely gets a dozen words out before they are off chatting between themselves again. During the horse ride, Ganca rides between her and Eile, and they laugh and joke the whole time, even galloping off together at the end to race back to the stables. Lunch is pretty much a repeat of breakfast, and then they spend the afternoon playing tennis, which Sunny is lousy at, and besides they can't find her a partner for doubles, so she just sits on the sidelines watching them. By the end of the day, Sunny feels like a third wheel, and she barely says a word through dinner, but when she and Eile return to their room, Eile ravishes her again. Afterwards, Sunny asks Eile who she was making love to, her or Ganca. Eile tries to laugh it off, telling Sunny she's her partner, but Sunny detects a certain hesitancy in her voice, as if she is no longer certain, and that disturbs her.

Over the next three days, the same pattern repeats itself: Ganca eats with them and participates in activities with them. Even when Sunny tries to arrange an afternoon at the spa, Eile asks Ganca to accompany them. Sunny feels more and more marginalized, like a kid sister following her older sibling around as she does neat adult stuff with her 'boyfriend'. At night, however, Eile makes love to Sunny in an urgent, almost desperate fashion, but each time it seems to Sunny that Eile is more and more distracted, as if she wants to be with someone else.

On the morning of their fifth day at the colony, Sunny arranges for Eile and her to bicycle up into the mountains and have a private picnic lunch, all by themselves, at a secluded spot. When she tells Eile, however, Eile informs her she and Ganca were going to take an inner tube ride down the stream. She invites Sunny to come along, but Sunny's finally had enough and explodes. They fight and Sunny storms off, leaving Eile alone.

While Eile fumes, Ganca arrives. She tells him what happened, and she begins to feel guilty for the way she's treated Sunny these past few days. Ganca assures her she has nothing to feel sorry about, and he embraces her. Instead of pull away, she returns the embrace. He caresses her face and they kiss. He guides her to the bed and she lays down on it. He lays beside her and they begin to make love. After a short while he maneuvers on top of her and she shudders as he penetrates her. Sunny walks in, apologizing for her outburst, then stops dead. Ganca withdraws and Eile sits up. Sunny has a look of hurt anguish on her face, but she doesn't cause a scene. She asks Eile if she loves him; she replies maybe, she isn't sure. Sunny then asks if Eile still loves her. She replies she doesn't know, maybe not, maybe she never really did. Sunny hangs her head and states she'll leave them alone, turns, and walks out before Eile can react.

As Sunny closes the door, she sees Medb in the hallway, staring at her. She realizes Medb must have been their client. Before she can ask her about it, though, Medb asks her if she intends to fight for Eile. Sunny feels confused, but she replies that if Eile is happy with Ganca, she won't stand in her way. Medb wants to hear the whole story, and she takes Sunny to the lounge for a drink.

Ganca tries to re-initiate their assignation, but Eile pushes him away, saying she needs to talk to Sunny. He says he understands and that he'll wait for her. She goes looking for Sunny and is told she is in the lounge with the colony's owner. She is surprised to see Medb, but the massive woman leaves them alone. They start to talk about their situation, when Sunny gets upset. Eile turns and sees Ganca enter the lounge. She goes to intercept him when Medb appears. Startled, she blasts him, and Eile is shocked to see him change into a diminutive, fairy-like creature. Medb binds him before he can escape, and explains that he is Gancanagh, a fairy that seduces lonely young women, who after sex then pine away and die. She makes it confess that the Daoine Sidhe had sent it to break up their partnership. Medb threatens it with massive bodily harm if it ever bothers them again, and lets it go. It disappears.

Medb follows the Girls back to their room and accepts the papers she needs. She states that she will arrange payment ASAP, then admits that she had an ulterior motive for bringing them to the colony. She thought it would be a way for them to get some personal time away from the hassles and worries of home and work, in a resort-like atmosphere, while at the same time possibly getting Eile out of her shell more. She apologizes that it backfired. She then suggests that they stay the remaining two days of their pre-paid reservation; they need to talk.

When Medb goes off to her office, Eile asks Sunny if it's too late for them to have her picnic. She acquiesces and they ride up into the mountains to the secluded spot. They eat, then afterward talk. Eile apologizes for her behavior, but states that Sunny hurt her by leaving her alone that first day. Sunny apologizes for doing that, saying they're partners, they need to work things out together, but she honestly didn't know how Eile felt. Eile agrees she should be more open, and Sunny admits she needs to be more aware of Eile's feelings. They decide to continue their relationship, but try to take it to a new level of emotional intimacy. Nonetheless, they plan to continue their physical intimacy, and they make love there in the meadow, at a more gentle, sensual pace.

Next eBook: Fun 'n' Games

The next story in my schedule to be published through Smashwords will be:

Fun 'n' Games

The Princess in Orange is back!

And this time she means business. She has taken control of Sir Differel's servants and staff, and directed them to subject her to an especially brutal rape and S&M demise. Only her manager and best double, Maggie King, seems unaffected. To survive, they must find out how the Princess is controlling their colleagues and try to break it, and they don't have much time.

This will be another free ebook.

No Greater Love: The Four Chaplains

"No greater love has a man, than when he gives his life for another."

Today is Four Chaplains Day.

During World War II, a troop ship carrying 900 people was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. On board were four Army chaplains:

Reverend George L. Fox
Rabbi Alexander D. Goode
Father John P. Washington
Reverend Clark V. Poling

They helped organized an evacuation of the lower decks, guided wounded men to safety, and helped fill the lifeboats and pass out life preservers. When the supply ran out, they gave away their own, as well as giving up their spaces on the lifeboats. They then linked arms, offered prayers, and sang hymns as the ship went under.

They were posthumously awarded Purple Hearts and Distinguished Service Crosses. When Congress was unable to award them the Medal of Honor, it created the Chaplain's Medal for Heroism, which has the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor.

To date, these four men are the only recipients.

In an age when religious faith is marginalized, ridiculed, even likened to mental illness, we should remember that these four men gave their lives because of love for their fellow men based on their faith in God. They followed the example of Jesus Christ and sacrificed themselves so that others might live.

Would they have done the same if they were atheists? Probably, but that isn't the point. They believed they were doing the right thing because of their faith, not in spite of it. It was their justification for their sacrifice.

For all the evil that power-hungry men and fanatics have done in this world in the name of religion, the example of these four selfless men demonstrates the good that can come from a deep and profound faith, a good born of their love of God and devotion to their cherished beliefs. They set the example of how people of faith should live, regardless of their religious dictates, and what the rest of us should strive for.

May we not disappoint.

New eBook: Jigsaw Dragon

I have just published my latest ebook:

Jigsaw Dragon

About a year before they met in the real world and became Team Girl, Eile Chica and Sunny Hiver played an online role-playing game called Otherworld, a more family-friendly version of World of Warcraft and other such games. Eile had created the fighter and thief Braveheart, whereas Sunny played a magic-user named White-Lion. They met while independently exploring a lost temple of evil, became friends and partners, and adventured together afterwards.

This is one of their sessions. They broke into the country villa of a powerful count to steal whatever they could, but were caught. Rather than have them hung, he "hired" them to rescue his young wife, who had been kidnapped by a dragon. However, the mission won't be as simple as it sounds, because a previous rescue attempt went seriously wrong, and now the Girls have to clean up the resulting mess.

If they can.

This ebook is free and can be downloaded from Smashwords.

Scientific Unorthodoxy

An excerpt:

"There are three broad approaches to anomaly studies. The first approach is usually called the Fortean approach. It is generally characterized by what critics would call 'mystery mongering.' The main problem with it is that if you give an explanation to a phenomenon, even if you agree with the existence of the anomaly, the representatives of this approach are unhappy because they prefer the idea of mystery.

"The second common approach is what critics usually call the debunkers' approach. This is the main attitude of the orthodox scientific community towards anomaly claims. It is characterized by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP). 'Whatever is claimed is nothing but ... something else.' Seemingly anomalous phenomena are denied first and sometimes investigated only second. Like the Fortean the debunker is not concerned with the full explanation. Whereas the Fortean types don't want explanations, the debunkers don't need them as they believe they have already them.

"The third approach, which I've tried to empower and legitimate, is the zetetic. Zetetic is an old word coming from the Greek followers of the skeptical philosopher, Pyrrho. The main feature of this approach is to emphasize the communal norm of skepticism present in the scientific community. By skepticism I would like to strongly distinguish between doubt and denial. Doubt is the skeptical approach; the debunker's approach is denial. True skepticism which is a part of science consists of doubt preceeding inquiry, and that essentially takes the position of non-belief rather than of disbelief. The main elements of the zetetic approach are: firstly, ignorance; secondly, some doubt; thirdly, an emphasis upon inquiry. Charles Sanders Peirce required that the first and primary obligation of any philosopher or scientist is to do nothing that would block inquiry. This approach involves a general acceptance of what Mario Bunge calls methodism, on science as method, not science as some established absolute body of knowledge."

Read the rest of the article.

Establishments in the Dreamlands

In the Dreamlands, people need rest and refreshments just as much as in the Waking World, perhaps more so, and various establishments have arisen to meet this need. Whether they are found on the road or in settlements, several different kinds have emerged:

Inns: These provide food, drink, and lodging. They can be patterned after the Roman tabernae, the British public house, the Japanese ryokan, the American roadhouse, or follow their own unique design.

Taverns: These provide food and drink, but no lodging. Though some may allow a few travelers to bed down by the dying fire once the establishment is closed.

Hostels: These provide lodging, but no food or drink, though many have a communal kitchen for guests to use. However, some establishments called hostels are better termed inns.

Caravansaries: These serve as rest facilities along caravan routes. They provide lodging and storage, water for consumption and bathing, animal fodder, and shops where fresh supplies can be purchased. Sometimes there are also shops to buy and sell trade goods.

Coffee/Tea Houses: These serve coffee and/or tea along with light snacks. They often serve as communal gathering places for discussions and intellectual pursuits.

Bathhouses: These provide bathing facilities, with larger ones offering food and drink, lodging, entertainment, and shops. They can include Roman thermae, Greek gymnasiums, Japanese sento, Turkish baths, Russian banya, Finnish saunas, or an American spa.

Clubs: These are private establishments that offer drinks, food, baths, and lodging, along with other facilities, to their members.

In addition to these, there are numerous other regular establishments, such as resorts, restaurants, motels, snack shops, bars, health clubs, night clubs, gambling halls, and brothels.

Aircraft of the Caerleon Order

Along with land vehicles, aircraft serve important roles in the Order for combat, surveillance, and transport. They can go places vehicles cannot, and the larger ones can transport vehicles in their holds. They can also ferry troops and supplies over bodies of water vehicles would have to go around or are unable to cross. All Order aircraft are stationed at Royal Air Force Station Marham, outside of Marham, Norfolk, except for HMA Britannic, which is stationed at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands.

Jump to the webpage.

Synopsis: Corporate Image (a Team Girl adventure)

One March day, during a Spring snowstorm, Sunny gets the idea to incorporate Team Girl into a company in which people would pay them to have adventures. Though skeptical, Eile decides to ask Medb's opinion. They call her up and she invites them to spend a few days up in Vail to discuss it.

They arrive in Vail the next day and Medb takes them to her house. They rest up, have lunch, then go to the RockResorts Spa at the Arrabelle Hotel for a full afternoon of spa treatments. Afterward she takes them to dinner and a night of dancing.

The next morning after breakfast they go shopping. They return mid-afternoon and lounge in Medb's hot tub while they discuss the girls' business idea. Medb fixes them a gourmet dinner, they watch a movie on her gigantic display screen, and after a round of exercise go to bed. They girls make love before they fall asleep.

The awaken bright and early and hit the ski slopes. In the afternoon, they are attacked by armed men, but they manage to get away. When they return to Medb's house, she shows them how to access the panic room. Afterward she locks down her house and sets the alarms, then puts in a call to her mercenary troop. She then explains that if the girls are serious about doing an adventuring company, they have to know how to protect themselves. She knows that Eile knows boxing and Sunny was trained in self-defense by her parents, but they need more extensive training in ways to take an opponent down as quickly as possible. It'll take several months for them to become truly proficient, so she'll arrange to meet with them once a week back in Denver, and she expects them to practice no less than twice a week in addition, but she wants to start tomorrow. They have dinner and watch another movie, have a soak in the hot tub, and go to bed. Eile and Sunny stay awake for awhile talking about what they want to do.

Medb awakens them early and takes them to her exercise room. A strange woman is waiting for them. She explains that in future, she will train them in the nude; it's her preferred training style, but not today. Instead, she wants to start off with a demonstration of the fighting style she wants to teach them. She introduces the woman as Annis Nin, a professional hit lady and former protégé who is also an expert in Medb's fighting style. She hires her on occasion to try to kill her, so as to stay sharp. Even before Medb finishes speaking, Annis attacks. For 90 minutes they battle each other in a manner that the girls realize is deadly serious. They also know that Medb could throw her through a wall, but the massive woman holds back, which handicaps her. Eventually, however, Medb gains the upper hand and subdues her. Annis then goes off to shower and change.

Medb explains that Annis will teach the girls her fighting style when she is unable to do so. She then describes her style. It is based on pankration, an ancient Greek martial art that combines boxing and wrestling. It also incorporates Hawaiian kapu kuialua, bartitsu, and Bruce Lee's jeet kune do. It has three purposes: break an opponent's attack, hold an opponent, and subdue an opponent. It works in three phases: strike blows early on, grapple and ground, then pound into submission. It can be used both defensively and offensively, making it an ideal style for the girls to learn. She puts the girls through several practice routines, teaching them basic blocks, holds, and blows, and afterwards she gives them a massage and they soak in her hot tub. She then fixes lunch.

At lunch she tells the girls that she has to take Annis to the airport and she will be gone the rest of the afternoon. She gives the girls the run of her place and leaves. While the girls are exercising and practicing their fighting routines, the alarm system signals a break-in. The girls try to reach the panic room, but are cut off by a half-dozen armed men. Kitty distracts the men, allowing the girls to get away, and they lead them on a merry chase through the house, subduing each in turn. Finally they confront the last and she turns out to be Annis. Medb then appears, and explains that this and the attack on the ski slopes were tests to both show the girls what they could be getting into and to determine if they have what it takes to be in the adventure business. She states they passed with flying colors and she is very proud of them. She treats them to an expensive dinner at a fancy restaurant and they hash out more details of the business.

That night, Eile and Sunny discuss the business in bed and decide to go ahead with it.

Synopsis: Mud Wrestlers (Medb hErenn Dreamlands adventure)

Medb hErenn and Rothgar the Reaver are watching two sisters engage in a nude mud wrestling match. When he mentions that they also sell sexual favors, she reluctantly agrees to hire them to service both her and him. They meet the sisters at their home and they take Rothgar first. Medb drinks some mead, but realizes it is poisoned and purges herself. She then breaks in on the sisters and Rothgar. They admit they poisoned him and her, and they will die a painful death after one week without the antidote. Medb informs them that she is immune and threatens them with their own slow and agonizing death if they do not surrender the antidote for Rothgar, but they adamantly refuse, and Medb realizes that if she tries to force the antidote from them, she could render them mindless before they give it up.

The sisters explain that they are the grandnieces of a famous highwayman, who made the only successful robbery of a Creachabh-Hlanith train in history, getting away with a fortune in gold crowns, uncut gems, precious stones, and myrrh worth a hundred million tahlers, and the Star of Kohrab, a flawless 325-carat gem worth twice that. Both Creachabh and Celephais had offered a reward totaling 20 million tahlers for the return of the treasure, but after so many years it is believed lost, though the reward still stands. Just recently, on the death of a maiden aunt, they came into possession of a map containing cryptic clues that they believe leads to the treasure. They want Medb and Rothgar to help them recover it for the reward, in exchange for the antidote. They will even give them a share; two million tahlers they can divide between them. When Medb asks why they need their help, they state that, first of all, they will need help deciphering the clues, and Medb is reputed to be a master of the riddling game. Secondly, family legend states that the treasure was stolen by a female manticore; if true, they will need to kill it. To save Rothgar’s life, Medb has no choice but to agree. She gives her word that she will help them find their granduncle’s treasure.

They leave the next morning, and travel to Drinen, then Cuppar-Nombo, and finally into the Karthian Hills, heading north. One clue guides them to a river in a steep narrow gorge; another to a waterfall pouring out of a natural rock formation that looks like a face; the next to a tunnel in one eye which emerges into a valley; the next to a pool with swans; and another up a feeder stream to a spring in the valley wall. It flows out of a jumble of boulders. The last clue is the most difficult, but before they can solve it the manticore attacks. It drives them into a forest but does not enter. However, it besieges them outside. Their only choices are to flee or attack it. As Medb studies it, she spots a key around its neck, and realizes that is the meaning of the last clue. During the night they discuss a plan. Medb will challenge it to a duel for possession of the treasure. She will try to subdue it long enough for Rothgar to remove the key. He will then take the sisters to unlock the treasure and verify its existence while she finishes the manticore. They can then reseal it and alert the authorities of its location.

At dawn, Medb emerges from the forest, naked, with her spear, and challenges the manticore. They trade insults, but finally attack each other. They are matched in strength and speed, and could conceivably kill each other. At one point, however, Medb is able to leap onto its back and get it in a stranglehold. Rothgar appears and lassos the tail; then, while the sisters hold it secure, he runs around to the manticore’s head. Fending off its clawed forepaws, he cuts the key loose. Medb orders him to go, and the sisters chase after him. Before she can jump clear, she is stung by the tail in the back. She reels and the tail stings again, but she slides away and the manticore stings itself in the back of the neck, severing its spinal cord. It collapses, dead. Medb staggers away from it, then collapses, mortally wounded. One of the sisters, who lingered behind, runs to catch the other.

Rothgar finds a slot in the jumble of boulders in which to insert the key. When he turns it, a portion of the largest boulder rises up, revealing the mouth of a cave. He descends and at the bottom finds a chamber with five chests. He opens each one and finds all five treasures. When he tries to leave with the Kohrab, the sisters confront him. They tell him they don't care about the rest of the treasure, but that they have no intention of taking the Kohrab back to Celephais. Instead, they have made a deal with the Prince of Dylath-Leen. They will give him the Kohrab in exchange for 100 million tahlers. They will have to remain in Dylath-Leen, but the Prince has promised to protect and provide for them, and there are worse places to be exiled to.

They also tell him he was never poisoned. They poisoned Medb, knowing she would detect it, to convince her their ruse was true, but now Medb is dead, killed by the manticore, by its venom if not the physical damage. They are willing to take him as a junior partner, a “boy-toy” to amuse them; otherwise, they will have to kill him. When he asks how, they show the other legacy from their aunt: an amulet that animates the dead members of their granduncle's gang. Rothgar makes short work of them, but then he is confronted by the granduncle himself, now an undead creature. Medb appears then, and the two of them destroy the creature, but the sisters take the Kohrab and escape deeper into the cavern. Medb and Rothgar pursue. The sisters try to cross a rope bridge, but it is brittle with age and breaks as soon as the first stands on it. She manages to hang on; her sister asks for the Kohrab, but then abandons her, to cross the chasm along a narrow ledge. The last ropes part before Rothgar and Medb can reach her, and she plunges into the abyss. They continue after the other sister, and in her panic she slips, dropping the Kohrab. Rothgar manages to grab her by one hand, but she tries to reach the Kohrab and slips from his grasp, plunging to her death. As Medb retrieves the Kohrab by levitating it into her grasp, Rothgar sits on the edge and cries.

They emerge from the cave and remove the key, resealing the entrance. As they head back to the forest camp, she asks him what he will do with his share of the reward. He states he doesn't want it and offers it to Medb. She declares she doesn't need it, but figures the orphans of Ulthar could use it. However, she helped herself to some of the crowns, to pay the expenses for their trip, and she intends to take the head of the manticore for a trophy.