“Down!” Abbilion screamed.

As Diane and Savrin dropped the top of the door into the other room
was blown to splinters by a shotgun blast, the pellets ripping through
the wall on the other side of the room.

 “What in the Goddess’s name are you doing?”  Abbilion screamed
at Zephyr.

 “Hahahahahaha – ” Came the feral, hysterical laughter from the
other room.  “Die spirits – die!”

Yet again the shotgun roared, blasting apart the remains of the door,
and barely missing Diane who shrieked and rolled across the filth, coming
up hard against the

wall, then flicked a glance at Abbilion, who likewise moved to the
opposite side, and nodded grimly, his dewlaps curled back.

 “Hahahahahaha – die!” Came Zephyr’s hysterical shriek – then a
click…and another….

 Like twin tornadoes, Diane and Abbilion tore into the bedroom,
and there came the screams, thuds and crashes of a melee in progress –
then a short, sharp crack – then silence.  Diane came out, rubbing
her bleeding knuckles and whimpering, as she helped Abbilion drag out the
unconscious Zephyr, then they dumped him in a chair.  Zephyr was out
cold, blood trickling from his muzzle.

 “Diane – did you really have to hit him that hard?”  Abbilion
asked, as he chuckled softly.

 Diane grinned weakly back at her brother and nodded.  “He’s
got an awfully hard head – he’s like a computer – I’ve got to punch information
in to both of them.”

Savrin pulled himself from the disaster and grunted in disgust, as he
glared at his brother, the hate slowly making him shudder.

 

 “Savrin? Sit down before I sit you down – ” Diane growled quietly. 
“I am not in a cheerful mood okay?”

Savrin blinked, feeling his anger drain away under the intense gaze
of Diane and he slumped against the wall, then slid down it and clutched
his knees to his chest.

 “He…I thought – ” Savrin started to weep pitifully.  “What
happened to him?”

As Abbilion worked on Zephyr, Diane came over and sat beside her friend
and hugged him around the shoulders comfortingly.

 “As far as I know – ” Abbilion grunted.  “He thought you
were dead – and the grief of what he had done, turned a once proud warrior…into
this….”

 

Zephyr groaned and shook himself, then looked up blearily at Abbilion
and coughed, then gingerly touched a paw to his bleeding nose.  Abbilion
looked down at his old friend, his face tinged with sadness, as he moved
aside, then watched the look of Zephyr’s face, as he seen Savrin.

 “YOU!” Zephyr squealed, his eyes wide in horror. “How – you’re
dead!”

 “Oh – you could only wish – brother…” Savrin spat, as he pulled
himself to his feet.

 “They – the Tai’far – ” Gasped Zephyr.

 “You left me to die – brother – but as you see, I got away…no
thanks to you.”  Savrin growled, his fists slowly clenching. 
“How could you? How could you turn tail and run like a puppy – frightened
by his own shadow?  Do you have any idea – what I suffered under their
paws?  Do you? Do you!”

 

Sobering quickly, Zephyr leapt to his feet and wobbled, then stared
down his younger brother.

 “I had a damn good idea – of what they done to you!  I was
wounded badly – little did you know – and I hid, and made my way back to
the Wildtra village – to try and get healing….  Do you know what I
found?  Death – that’s right Savrin – DEATH – the entire tribe had
been wiped out – men, women – even children – impaled on stakes whilst
still alive…all to the pleasure of the Tai’far queen – so you see, I did
try to save you – but what could I do?  I thought you surely dead
– and with little strength, I made my way back to the Time Temple – and
fought to my last drop of blood, against a legion of the Tai’far – then
returned….”

 Savrin reeled backwards, the words hitting him like a physical
blow.

 “Yes my brother – I thought to the last – to escape back to here
– but it was not out of cowardice – it was out of love for you.  I
had hoped I could return through the portal – with friends and such, to
find the Tai’far and rescue you….  I was wrong.” Rasped Zephyr. 
“I came back through the portal – and it closed forever behind me, preventing
me from going back in time to help you! Do you think I didn’t try to find
some way to get the portal reopen?  I failed – and it was my grief
and anger at my failure to you – that made me turn to the drink – to escape
the pain I felt…the dishonour…and the shame. Look at me now – and if you
still have hate in your heart – for a dishonoured, shamed warrior – who
has let his skills go to ruin, and his body turn to so much uselessness
– then take your sword – run me through with it – and end this agony that
I’ve lived with for all these years!”

 Savrin glared at his brother, his paws tightly clenched, as Zephyr
looked back, tears streaking down his snout, as he stood resolutely – but
only as a shadow of the once fiercesome warrior that he had been…now…he
was an unkempt, overweight and greasy drunken slob – blubbering like a
baby.  Savrin blinked, then the tears began to flow, and as Diane
reached up a paw to comfort him, Savrin roughly pushed her away and fled
out the door, tears streaking down his face.

 “Savrin – ” Zephyr cried out.

 “Let him go Zephyr – ” Abbilion sighed softly, as he wiped tears
from his eyes.  “All these years – Savrin believed you had betrayed
him – the hate he had inside…he needs time alone.”

His strength crumbling, Zephyr slumped in to his filthy chair and began
sobbing uncontrollably, his whole body quaking as Abbilion knelt beside
him and strokes his

back gently.

 

 

 Sprawled in her throne, looking for all the world like a bored
ruler over her domain, Yuira yawned, revealing sharp teeth, as she blinked
her half-lidded eyes and finally turned her attention on the water horse
before her.  Coral’mi stood resolute; the hood still over her head,
but the cool, calming feel of her presence was unmistakable.

 “Remove the hood – I would see the present you have brought before
me, as an offering for your incompetence.”  Yuira spoke softly, her
voice heavy with sarcasm.

Quickly, the hood was torn off Coral’mi’s head and she blinked, and
then sneezed violently, the stench overwhelming her sensitive nose. 
Her sea-green eyes watered and she blinked the tears away, her face turning
as immobile as stone, as she stared at a point over Yuira’s shoulder. 
Lithely, Yuira crept from her throne, then walked slowly around the water
horse, looking at her from every angle, then snapped her fingers. 
Coral’mi gasped as the guards swiftly shed her robes, leaving her naked
and defenceless.  Steeling herself, she returned to impassivity.

 “Mmmm – ” Yuira purred, as she stroked a paw lightly along Coral’mi’s
cheek.  “I must say – I am suitably…impressed.  You mask your
feelings well young one – ”

Coral’mi didn’t even blink an eye, even as Yuira caressed Coral’mi intimately,
but an involuntary shiver rippled through the water horse.

 “Excellent control over your fear, and your hate…” Yuira whispered,
as she walked around behind Coral’mi, then yanked her tail agonisingly.

Coral’mi uttered a weak cry, feeling the sharp stinging pains that ripped
through her hindquarters, yet she quickly squashed the emotions.

 “I smell your fear little one – ” Yuira whispered silkily. 
“Mmmm – you hide it well – but not well enough.  “I also…sense that
you…Ooooh…you’re unbroken!”

 

 With a strangled growl, Coral’mi shuddered.  “I have…been
bred to no man nor beast.”

 “Indeed – ” Yuira murred, as she slipped her arms around Coral’mi’s
hips and caressed her claw tips across the lightly bluish fur, sending
shudders rippling through

Coral’mi.  “A…worthy – if futile – trait.  That is because
– mmmm – your power rises with your hate of me – doesn’t it?”

 With a shudder, Coral’mi squashed her hatred and returned to insolent
silence.

 “I feel your power – foal…and it is delicious indeed.  I
will look most forward to breaking you – both physically and emotionally. 
You will grovel at my foot-paws,

begging me for death…but you will not receive it.”  Yuira whispered. 
“You only delay the inevitable.  Why not save yourself the agony now
– and get on your knees and worship me as your Queen – and Goddess?”

 With a low nicker of laughter, Coral’mi snorted, the tears of
her incredulous belief trickling down her nose..   “Me? Worship
a jumped up stillborn wretch of a weasel – who aspires to be a Goddess? 
Oh – you’re sadly mistaken – I will die before I fall on my knees to worship
the likes of you.”  Coral’mi whickered,

With a sinister chuckle, Yuira pet the quavering shoulder of the water
horse, as she walked back around before her, then clasped both paws either
side of Coral’mi’s head then smiled cruelly.

 “That’s precisely what I was hoping for – ”

 

 

 Coral’mi gasped, realising the trap she had allowed her pride
to lead her in to, as her eyes widened, held transfixed by those black,
soulless depths of Yuira.  Struggling wildly, Coral’mi began to scream
– as she felt her very shields protecting her life essence buckling and
straining as Yuira smiled pleasantly.

 “Mmmm – it hurts doesn’t it?” Yuira purred, savouring the agony
that tore through Coral’mi’s body.  “Such…untapped power…give yourself
to me water horse – let me suck your life force out – and your death will
be so much quicker.  Fight – and I will have to do it the old fashioned
way, which I admit – I – will enjoy immensely, but if you think I’m hurting
you now – then my dear, sweet Water Furmental – what I will do to you –
will make this feel like a vision of heaven.”

Coral’mi screamed and writhed, her knees buckling as she was relentlessly
driven to her knees, her eyes locked on Yuira’s, as she used everything
within her knowledge to try and break the link – before it was too late….