Excerpts, Serials, and Out-of-Print

The girls finally stood side-by-side and clasped hands. They nodded to a minstrel, who sat on the edge of the stage. He had come with them and he accompanied them on his lute. Tyco didn't care. He wasn't paying for him, and besides he was ten times better than the tavern's own six musicians combined.

He began to strum a tune. The girls waited for the overture to finish, then they start in:

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
For she was once a true love of mine.

They turned to face each other and clasped their other hands, which they held between them. Eile sang the next verse solo. She was older, somewhere in her mid-twenties. She had a slim figure; her dress needed shoulder straps because her bosom wasn't big enough to support it on its own. She had ochre-colored skin and indigo-blue eyes. In fact, the only thing that detracted from her appearance were the half-dozen rings in each ear and the single stud in her left nostril.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Without no seams nor fine needle work
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Sunny sang solo next. She was only a couple of decades old, and she was better endowed in bust and hip; her dress didn't need any straps. She was also taller, but only by an inch or so, and more adorable, though Eile was quite cute. Her complexion was buff and she had azure-blue eyes. She wore a pair of glasses, which made her unusual. Glasses were rare in the Six Kingdoms. Tyco himself had heard of them, but had never seen any before today.

Tell her to find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strands
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

From that point on the girls alternated verses, first Eile and then Sunny.

Tell her to weave it in a sycamore bower
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And carry it home in a basket of flowers
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Plow the land with the horn of a lamb
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Then sow some seeds from north of the dam
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tyco looked out over the room. The response was somewhat underwhelming, but he had expected it. His patrons were attentive and polite, but they were not very enthusiastic. The take was bound to be pretty small, probably barely enough to cover the girl's food and drink. He would have to speak to Medb about additional compensation when she returned.

Have her wash it in yonder dry well
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Where water ne'er sprung nor drop of rain fell
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
And gather it all in a bunch of heather
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Finally, they sang the last verse together, while gazing in a fond manner into each other's eyes.

Dear, when thou has finished thy task
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Come to me, my hand for to ask
For thou art then a true love of mine.

As the refrain ended, they leaned forward and kissed each other lightly on the lips. It was the most titillating thing they had done all day.

The minstrel finished the tune with a flourish and the girls bowed to the polite but subdued applause. They gestured to the minstrel, who stood and took a bow, and the clapping became a bit more energetic.

+ + + + +

Eile looked around the room. She tried to maintain a pleasant appearance, but it wasn't easy. It hadn't been a good day. The crowd had been thin until recently, and this was the best reception they received, lukewarm as it was. And it didn't help that their audience was more enthusiastic for the minstrel's playing than their singing.

She saw Tyco walking towards the stage. She didn't like him much, and her resentment went beyond her disappointment. There was just something about him, something disreputable, that gave him a slick, oily feeling. He was of average height and build, muscular, but wiry and tough. He seemed more like a panther than a bull. His complexion was swarthy and he had a head-full of shoulder-length jet black hair tightly curled into ringlets. His moustache was long and thin, and drooped below his chin, while a tuft of beard clung beneath his lower lip. He wore a silk turban, a heavy linen shirt that fell to mid-calf, and an open woolen coat over his shoulders, all of which were decorated in bold designs and vivid colors. He was ornamented with a large pair of earrings, a necklace studded with jewels and precious stones, a ring on each finger, and a girdle, all made of gold.

Eile and Sunny gave him room as he stepped up onto the stage. He nodded to them and said, "Very fine, my dears. You grace our rude tavern with your beauty and your melodic voices."

Sunny blushed and giggled. "Thanks!"

He nodded again, and Eile realized that was their cue to leave. She took Sunny by the arm, hopped off, and made for an empty table. It was kept reserved for them all day, despite some hard feelings it caused as the room filled up. It was where they kept their backpacks, weapons, and travel cloaks, all under the watchful eyes of the tavern bouncers.

As they sat down, a barmaid came over and place a fresh tankard in front of each of them. Eile kept an eye on the bouncer who walked around the other tables carrying a bowl. Most of the patrons she saw dropped a coin or two into it, but a fair number ignored him or waved him off. That was their tip jar, and butterflies were dive-bombing her stomach as she waited for their payoff.

Meanwhile, she listened to Tyco work the crowd. "And now my friends, we shall have a short intermission before our main attraction."

He was answered by a chorus of hoots, boos, and catcalls, and the pounding of fists, tankards, and knife pummels on the tables. The six musicians that usually played for the tavern's performers came out from a room behind the bar and made for the stage. The lead musician nodded to the minstrel, who returned the salute and stood to give them room. They then sat on the edge of the stage and began to tune their instruments.

When the tumult quieted down, he added, "So be sure to place your orders and refill your drinks now!" This was answered by a raucous cheer as he stepped off the stage. Barmaids came out and mingled with the tables as the musicians began to play. One stopped by their own, but all she did was lay a platter down between them. Eile glanced at it. It was filled with sliced meats and cheeses, and pieces of hard bread, almost like big, thick crackers.

When she looked for the bowl, she saw the bouncer present it to Tyco. He looked into it and frowned, but took it over to the bar. Going behind it, he disappeared into a back office.

"Tyco's got our tips," she told Sunny.

She beamed a smile back. "Then we should get paid soon!"

"I wanted to be on hand when he counted them."

"You don't think he'd try to cheat us, do you? Mayv wouldn't like that."

"How would she know? How would we know?" Then she shrugged. "You're probably right. But I wouldn't put it past him to keep the odd-numbered coins for himself."

They were interrupted by the minstrel coming up to their table. "If you girls will excuse me, I will be leaving to see if I can earn some more money this evening. The docks of Hlanith are crowded with taverns and saloons."

"Hey, it's no skin off our noses," Eile said.

"Yeah, sure," Sunny said, "good luck!"

The minstrel bowed and added, "Say hello to Imperious Mayv for me." Then he turned and strode off.

Sunny took a bread piece, laid a slice of salami and yellow cheese on it, and took a bite. The sight turned Eile's stomach. Not watching Sunny eat, but seeing what she ate. The meat and cheese all looked greasy, while the cheese also looked partly melted. It made her wonder how Tyco stored his provisions. She doubted any of it was spoiled. What she had learned of cheese-making and meat-preserving in the Dreamlands convinced her that for the most part it should be safe, if less than appetizing. But she still hadn't gotten used to being without refrigeration.

Sunny smiled and smacked her lips. "Mmmm!" she sighed. "It's delicious. Try some!"

Eile looked at the platter, and pushed it closer to Sunny. "Pass."

"You don't mind if I —" she asked, pointing at the platter and circling her finger.

Eile waved at her. "Knock yerself out. But I can't guarantee not to upchuck all over the table."

Sunny smiled, crinkled her eyes, and giggled.

Eile took a sip of her drink. At least the beer here was pretty good. Though a bit heavy, it was malty, with a strong taste, and slightly sweet. It helped fill her up. She was pretty hungry; she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Her stomach was making rumbling noises and it actually hurt a little. As nauseating as the platter's contents were, she might have to choke some of it down before the night was over.

Tyco came up to their table, and looked down at them with his beady, dark chocolate eyes. They reminded Eile of a rat's eyes. His eyebrows arched high into his forehead, giving him a diabolical cast, which was reinforced by his thin, sardonic smile. But the thing that fascinated her the most was the tattoo he wore on his left cheek: though stylized, the design was clearly that of a scorpion.

He placed a tied cloth bag on the table in front of Eile. "This is your share of the tips."

Eile stared at it, feeling morose. "Not a lot, is there?" Sunny commented.

"No," he replied in a candid manner. He then hesitated a moment before asking, "Do you mind if I give you some advice?"

Sunny looked at Eile. She didn't care, and she just shrugged.

"Go ahead," Sunny said.

"I realize that the circumstances of you being here are unusual, but your act is simply not appropriate for this kind of audience. Maybe if you were dancers, or wore skimpier costumes, or sang suggestive songs, you might have done better, but as paltry as this may seem, you did pretty good given the circumstances."

"Were we that bad?" Sunny whined.

"No! No, you sang very well, but my patrons have no interest in your type of songs."

"Well, Vichnia seems to like them," Sunny retorted in an indignant tone, "or she wouldn't have asked us to open for her."

"That's . . . not really true. Vichnia hoped you would bore everyone to where they would be even more eager to see her dance. I'm . . . sorry." And he turned and walked away.

Sunny turned livid with rage. "The nerve of her!"

Eile just shrugged.

"You seem to be taking all this calmly for a change."

"It's done and finished; there's no point in getting mad about it."

Sunny gave her a strange look.

"What?" Eile asked.

But Sunny smiled and said, "Nothing. You're right, of course." Then she moved her chair around until she sat next to Eile. "So, how much is there?" Her good humor had returned; there was an excited tone to her voice.

Eile loosened the tie-string and the bag fell open. It was actually just a square of linen whose corners had been gathered together and secured with a cord.

Eile scanned the contents. "Looks like about a couple of dozen tahlers."

Sunny rooted around in the pile and saw a glint of yellow. Reaching in, she extracted a gold crown.

"Someone really liked our singing," she said in a hopeful tone, holding up the coin.

"Our singing, or us?" Eile asked.

Sunny dropped the coin as if it was tainted. "Eeewww!"

"Makes you wonder what he was doing while he watched us."

Sunny looked around. "I wonder who he is?"

"Sunnyyy, Jesus!"

"Well, I'm just curious!"

"He may not even be here anymore. They've been collecting coins all day." She then fell silent as she leaned forward, resting her arms on the table, and stared at the pile, feeling glum.

"Are you okay, partner?"

"I . . . just don't think this is working out."

"What do you mean?"

"Okay, we've been here six weeks now —"

"More like seven."

Perplexed, Eile said, "Wha–?"

"Our first trip here lasted almost a whole week."

"Oh, yeah. But that was four months ago, Dream time. Okay, all totaled, we've been here seven weeks. What have we done in that time?"

"Well, we had two big adventures, we've gone with Mayv on a couple of her missions, we've toured Ulthar, uhm, . . . oh, Mayv's been training us in weapons fighting, . . . uh . . ."

"Exactly. We haven't done much of anything, and what we have done was either dangerous or boring. I mean, yeah, I'll admit it, I thought the idea of being able to go to some fantasy world every night and have real role-playing adventures was pretty cool. But this has turned out to be pretty dull, when we're not having the crap scared out of us."

She picked up a tahler and leaned back. "Not to mention that it's not as lucrative as in Otherworld. This is our first real haul, and even then it's pretty dismal." She threw the coin back onto the pile.

"Okay, let's think about this for a moment," Sunny interjected. "In the game, did we just sit around and wait for something to happen?"

"It's not the same thing. Otherworld was set up to offer us challenges."

"Eileee, stop avoiding the question."

She sighed from exasperation. "Alright. Well, yeah, sort of; our characters would wander around the town or countryside until someone showed up and offered us a quest."

"The point is, we actively went looking for adventure. We haven't been doing that here."

"And where do we go looking?"

"Ulthar is the city of adventurers. There are all sorts of people there who'd be willing to hire us. All we have to do is advertise."

Sunny's logic tended to follow its own rules, but Eile had to admit, she was making sense.

"Meanwhile, we have the money the cats gave us. That should last us a good long while yet."

Eile shrugged. "True, but keep in mind, Mayv draws on it to pay the rent on our house when we're not here."

"Yeah, that's a problem for sure."

"You think so?" Eile replied in a sarcastic manner. "I swear sometimes you can be such a ditz."

"Oh, you're just cranky from being bored."

"Damn right. I especially resent us being treated like little kids left with the neighbors while Mommy goes off to do neat adult stuff. There isn't even any place private where we can go fool around. I feel like having a screaming fit just to shake things up."

If Sunny was going to say anything more, she was interrupted when the musicians stopped playing and Tyco jumped up onto the stage. "And now," he said, "without further delay, may I present Vichnia, the Steel Gazelle!"

The musicians began a weird, anti-harmonious piece. Their talent was pretty bad at the best of times, but now their performance synchronized perfectly with the music, such that they enhanced the bizarre, alien rhythm with their atonal playing. Furthermore, while the song clashed and grated in Eile's ears, it oddly soothed and relaxed her.

A moment later, a figure appeared out of a backroom behind the bar. It had a statuesque female form and was dressed in a hooded robe that hide every part of her body from sight. She walked across the common room with a slow, languid tread that kept time with the beat and melody of the music. She kept her head bowed so that her face couldn't be seen. Tyco retreated from the stage as she approached. She stepped up onto it and glided to the center, where she did a slow turn in place. When she stopped, she had her back to Eile and Sunny. She stood still for several moments, then began to sway in a serpentine motion. She lifted her head and reached up to pull down the hood. Eile saw her steel blue hair was wrapped in a bejeweled harness like a filigree helmet. She opened the front of the robe, slipping it off her shoulders and down her back at such a slow pace it barely registered in Eile's perception. All the while she didn't once stop swaying.

Eile sat mesmerized, though not senseless. She never considered herself attracted to other girls, but she was so fascinated with Vichnia's dance that she couldn't look away. Her skin was the same color as her hair and dusted with tiny sparkles. Eile wondered in an idle manner what kind of paint she used to decorate her body, and how she and Sunny could get some. Her shoulders, back, and upper arms were knotted with corded muscles, not to the extent of a body builder, but enough that Eile got the impression of tightly controlled strength. She wondered if Vichnia could take Medb in a wrestling match.

When the robe reached the buttocks, Eile was stunned out of her revere when she realized she couldn't see any costume. It slipped off one arm and swept to the right, to hang off the other as it trailed on the ground. As far as Eile could see, she wasn't wearing any leggings or shoes either. Vichnia raised her right arm and brought it across her chest, draping the robe across her front, and turned around. She stopped when she faced Eile and Sunny's table, looked down at them, and gave them a wicked smile. It started out slight, then gradually grew into a broad expression, but it didn't crack into a grin. Her face was long and narrow, with prominent cheekbones and a domed forehead. Her nose was triangular and thin, but her mouth was broad and her lips full. Her eyes were set wide apart. They looked larger than normal, with a slight oriental cast to them. Their most arresting feature were their cyan-blue irises; they almost seemed to glow.

Eile felt paralyzed under that gaze, like a mouse confronting a snake. Then Vichnia whipped her right arm aside and threw the robe into the common room.

That broke the spell. "Jesus!" she gasped, then averted her eyes and held up a hand to shield her sight. She really was naked! It was only a momentary glance, but she hadn't seen any kind of clothing covering either bosom or crotch.

Beside her, Sunny let go with a long, drawn-out sigh: "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Eile looked to the side, and saw Sunny watching Vichnia with eyes and mouth wide like giant O's.

Eile kicked her under the table, hard.

"Oww!" she cried, then whipped her head around to glare at Eile. "Son of a —! What was that for?!"

Several patrons turned around and hissed at her to be quiet.

"Stop staring at her, you bimbo!" she whispered in a harsh tone.

"Whatever for?" she asked in all innocence. That elicited more urgent hissing.

"Jesus, Sunny, get a clue! She's nude!"

Sunny did a double take between her and Vichnia, before giving her a wide-eyed, drop-mouthed grin. "You're jealous!" The hisses were louder, more strident this time.

"I'm not jealous!! God, you can be such a space-case sometimes!"

Someone came up behind them and laid a hand on their shoulders. Eile figured it was a bouncer. "I'm afraid yose ladies will hafta leave if yose can't keep still."

"Move it or lose it, buster!" Eile growled. He raised his hand, but only a couple of inches.

Sunny looked up behind them. "It's okay, we'll be good."

He grunted and moved off.

Sunny leaned over and whispered in her ear, "She's not nude; take a look."

Eile really didn't want to, but she knew Sunny wasn't a liar. In a hesitant manner, she dropped her hand and looked up. By this time, Vichnia was waving her arms, swinging and stamping her feet, and gyrating her body in greater abandon. Eile winced, but she took a good look. That's when she saw it: a thin, almost indiscernible border around her breasts and hips. She was wearing a costume, one that was so thin and matched her skin color so closely that it appeared invisible. That way, she could appear nude without actually being unclothed.

"Besides," Sunny added, "it's no worse than what we see in the Waking World, when Mayv takes us to a strip club." She giggled as she sat back in her seat.

Yeah, that's true, Eile thought, though I'm not all that comfortable watching those women either. Still, no sense causing a scene.

Sunny moved her chair closer to Eile. "You know, one of the barmaids told me her father is a powerful wizard in Lelag-Leng."

"Oh, yeah? Then what's she doing here?" she whispered back.

"Rumor has it he wanted her to marry the son of a rival sorcerer, to make the families allies, but she wouldn't do it and ran away. Supposedly, she came here 'cause her father wouldn't believe she'd hang out in such a scummy place as this."

Eile thought back on the other performers who entertained the patrons between their sets. All had been strippers of one form or another. "I don't know; she seems right at home."

Sunny gave her a cross look, but Eile didn't care. She just settled back in her chair and took a big swallow from her tankard.

As time went by, Eile felt herself relax. She wasn't turned on like the guys around her; if anything, she felt a mild contempt for Vichnia. Mostly because of the way she had treated her and Sunny, but also because she chose to entertain men in such a prurient fashion. Eile did not consider herself a prude. She could appreciate an exotic dancer just as she could a ballerina, and she had to admit, Vichnia was one of the best she had ever seen. She had a fluid, sensual grace that empowered her erotic display. Yet there was an underlying strength and discipline that gave it a hard edge, what with her precise movements and meticulous postures. It reminded Eile of a master practicing Tai Chi. She could certainly understand how she got her nickname of Steel Gazelle.

As well, she saw nothing wrong with a woman making a career as an exotic dancer, as long as it was for self-expression. But she saw no point in dancing just to tease people, to titillate and excite them without following through. It was one thing when she did it to Sunny, because the whole point was to get her so excited she couldn't control herself. But Eile figured if she were to do it too often, Sunny would take a baseball bat to her head. It was inconceivable to her that any woman would routinely lead men on with no concern for the possible consequences.

She looked over at Sunny, who sat enraptured, staring at Vichnia. It upset her so much that it soured her stomach. She wanted to trust Sunny, but the thought that she could have the hots for someone else made her crazy.

Maybe I am jealous, Eile thought. It's just that she's never looked at me like that. Then again, I don't do for her what Vichnia's doing now, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised. I just don't have it in me. Sunny's made it easier for me to express my feelings than I used to, but I'm still somewhat reserved, even in private. I love her so much that I can't imagine living without her, but I still have trouble showing it. I always thought she love me the same way. Maybe I was just taking her for granted. Maybe she's getting bored with me. I wish I knew. All I do know is she's paying way too much attention to Vichnia, and it's tearing me up inside. I wish we had never come here. I wish her father would come and take her away.

Eile was roused from her reverie by an odd noise. It had started out low, barely perceptible, but it had grown until it became a conspicuous distraction. Frowning, she noticed that Sunny also heard it, and was looking around trying to find its source. Eile examined the common room herself, but not for the sound. It seemed to her everyone heard it — patrons, barmaids, bouncers, musicians, Tyco himself — and they were also searching for its source. Only Vichnia seemed oblivious, and Eile figured it was because she was too wrapped up in her concentration.

Sunny glanced at Eile. "You hear that?"

Eile nodded.

Baffled, Sunny stared at the ceiling. "If I didn't know any better," she said, "I'd swear it sounded like a jet."

Eile snapped her head up. It did sound like a jet!

By this time, the noise was loud enough to drown out the music. The musicians stopped playing and Eile glanced at the stage, but Vichnia continued dancing for some moments until it dawned on her that she was performing a cappella. She ceased and looked down at them in an irritated fashion, then she heard the roar. Eile's spine tingled when Vichnia jerked her head up. Though others were now watching the ceiling, she was the only one to do so immediately. Then Eile's blood ran cold when she saw that the look on Vichnia's face was not confusion, as with everyone else, but abject fear.

In the same instant, the roar cut off and an intense silence filled the room. Seconds later, a glaring beam of silver light punched through the ceiling and slammed into the floor. The concussion clapped like thunder as a shockwave burst through the room. Eile watched, stupefied, as tables were swept aside and patrons tossed around like bits of paper in a whirlwind, then it crashed into them. She and Sunny were thrown backwards out of their chairs, as the table was lifted up, overturned, and smacked down on top of them. Eile felt the wind knocked out of her and she lay dazed as she caught her breath.

She felt the table shift as Sunny wriggled out from under it. Eile gripped the edge, pushed it off her, and sat up. She was covered with grease and pieces of meat and cheese, and soaked in beer. Looking around, she saw the entire room had been wrecked as other people started to pick themselves up. The only person who had been able to keep her feet was Vichnia, and she stood staring at the light beam. When Eile glanced at it, she saw a globe had formed where it touched the floor. A figure stood inside it, and then the beam cut out, revealing a tall, strongly-built man, dressed in a flowing robe with a spiked collar. The robe was decorated in surreal designs of gaudy colors, and colored lights and flashes flowed between the spikes. The man was bald, but sported a Vandyke beard and moustache, and had bushy eyebrows. Like Vichnia, his skin and hair were steel blue and dusted with sparkles, but his cyan eyes did glow.

So much for body paint, Eile thought as she stood up.

The wizard (he couldn't have been anything else, Eile reasoned) started towards the stage. Vichnia's expression turned livid as she shouted in an angry tone, "Keep away from me!"

"Enough, Vichnia." he replied in a stern voice without stopping. "It is over. You have nowhere left to run. Come back with me peacefully, and we can forget this whole sordid affair ever happened."

"Never!" she snarled. "I will not be your chattel, to dispose of as you please. I belong to no one; I am my own!"

"I said, enough! It is not your choice. It is the way of our people; it has been for a hundred generations. Though I love you more than my own life, I cannot break our traditions, not simply to please you."

Eile caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Before she could look, Sunny sprinted into sight, heading for the stage. She had her staff in her hand.

"Gaaah! Sunnyyy! What the hell are you doing?!"

She didn't answer; she just put herself between the stage and the wizard, holding her staff in both hands, ready to clobber him. "You stay away from her!!"

The wizard stopped short and glared down at her while Eile's heart pounded. "Step aside, trollop," he ordered.

Sunny gave him an angry grimace. "I'll show you trollop!" she yelled, then swung the staff like a bat.

The wizard moved his left arm as if to block the blow, but he never touched the staff. Instead, it stopped as if it hit a brick wall, then it flew out of Sunny's grasp and across the room. She stared after it with a shocked look on her face, then gave the wizard a sheepish grin.

"You were warned," he said as he jabbed an index finger at her.

"No!" Vichnia screamed.

"Eeep!" Sunny squealed as she raised her left arm in front of her face, her hand clenched. A purple bolt leapt from the wizard's fingertip like an electric arc, but when it reached Sunny's arm, a yellow circle appeared. The circle absorbed the bolt, turned gray, and dissipated.

The wizard stared at her in astonishment as she threw out her right arm, yelling, "Don't!" A white flash slammed into him and threw him backwards off his feet into a pile of chairs.

Eile couldn't believe her eyes. Sunny had demonstrated a very minor ability to work magic in the past, but nothing like this! Sunny herself looked at her hands in astonished disbelief, then over at the wizard struggling to untangle himself from the furniture.

"Uhh, sorry," she said with a nervous giggle.

"Aww, cripes!" Eile shouted. She retrieved her short, thin-bladed broadsword and Sunny's slim dagger, and ran towards the stage. She had no idea what she would do, she just knew she couldn't let Sunny face the wizard alone. Spying Tyco, she cried, "Get everyone out!"

Tyco turned to a bouncer. "You heard her. Move!" The bouncers and barmaids began scurrying about, collecting and guiding patrons towards the doors.

The wizard threw off the chairs as he rose off the ground, his whole body engulfed in an eldritch blue flame. "You dare to challenge the Chromatic Lord!? A mere girl?! For that insult, I will boil you in oil, grill you over a bed of coals, flay the flesh from your bones, and then get nasty!!"

"Ahh, can't we talk this over?" Sunny requested in a panicky manner.

In reply, the Chromatic wizard pounded his fists together, and a tongue of blue flame shot towards her.

"Eieieyah!" she screamed, crossing both arms in front of her as she ducked her head. An orange hemisphere formed between her and the wizard. When the flame struck, both turned gray and dissipated, but both were continually replenished.

"Eile! Help!!"

Eile skidded to a halt. She couldn't get near Sunny now, and the wizard lord was too high for her to reach. She looked around, and saw a chair had been tossed onto the stage. Hiking her skirt, she leapt onto it, grabbed the chair, and flung it at the color wizard. He didn't spot it until the last minute, and when he tried to raise a hand, it struck him full in the chest, driving him against the back wall, spinning out of control. Before he hit it, however, he stabilized himself, landed on his feet, and pushed himself away back towards the middle of the room.

"You stay out of this!" he barked at Eile, then clapped his hands once. The sharp note echoed through the air, followed by numerous pops, as a dozen or more bipedal reptilian monsters appeared out of nowhere. They locked their eyes on Eile and swarmed towards the stage.

"Sweet Jesus!" Eile cried as she retreated to its center.

"You leave her alone!" Sunny yelled in irate manner. She pointed at the Chromatic Lord and a beam of green light lanced towards him. He presented a hand and a red square formed, blocking the beam. He returned fire with a green beam of his own. Sunny imitated him and formed her own red square.

Eile saw they were stalemated. Relieved, she got distracted and ran into Vichnia.

"Watch where you are going, you clumsy —"

"Shaddup!" Eile swung her sword and cleaved a lizard-thing in half. It vanished in a dazzling polychromatic flash.

"How dare you —!"

Eile whipped around to give her a blazing retort, when she saw a reptile-monster about to grab her from behind.

"Look out!" She stabbed past Vichnia's head into the creature's mouth, and it also vanished in a flash.

The dancer gave her an astonished look, as if she couldn't believe anyone would risk her own life to defend hers. Eile didn't care. She wasn't even sure why she had saved her. She'd be very happy to see the wizard take her away. But Sunny had elected to protect her, and Eile would do anything to keep Sunny safe. If that meant protecting Vichnia, so be it.

"Stick close to me," she told Vichnia, and turned to confront the monsters.

"Why are you doing this?" Vichnia asked.

"I'm not doing this for you," Eile replied over her shoulder, "but for her." She pointed at Sunny with the dagger. She and the Chromatic Lord were still locked in their duel, only they had given up any pretense of defense. They were shooting massive beams of colored light from both hands, the wizard's green, Sunny's red. The beams collided between them, throwing off great clouds of gray sparks, and the intersection point moved back and forth as one or the other momentarily weakened.

A trio of reptile-creatures rushed them. Eile retreated to give herself room, swinging her sword to ward them off, when she tripped on the hem of her dress. She lost her balance and fell back, and the creatures pressed their attack. Vichnia caught her in her arms and pushed her upright into their midst. The sudden reversal surprised the lizard-monsters: they broke formation and scattered, but Eile slashed one in the chest before it could get away.

She turned on Vichnia, for a moment furious, before it dawned on her that the dancer just saved her butt. She wasn't happy about it, considering how much she resented her, but she was grateful nonetheless.

She shoved the dagger into her hands. "Cut it off," she ordered, grabbing the skirt. "I can't move around in this thing."

Vichnia knelt, took hold of the dress, and began slicing through the fabric just below Eile's hips. Meanwhile, Eile tried to fend off the reptile-things as best as she could without moving. Fortunately, the loss of two of their number made the rest more cautious, and she just needed to keep moving the sword to hold them back. One, however, tried to rush in on a blind side, and she had to twist to slash at it. At the same time, she felt the dagger point stick her in the rear.

"Oww! Be careful!"

"Don't move!"

"Tell them that!" Two rushed her at the same time. She swung in a wide arc in a desperate attempt to cover them both. She decapitated one, but the other got inside her reach and lunged for her throat. Vichnia stabbed with the dagger and impaled its thigh. As it screamed and tried to evade, Eile cut its throat on the return stroke.

The remaining lizard-monsters surged forward. Vichnia grabbed the skirt and ripped it free. "It's off; go!" she said as she let it drop. Eile kicked it out of the way, and charged into the circle of creatures.

"Rrraaawww!" she roared as she hacked, slashed, and jabbed. She whirled around to rush in the other direction, and saw Vichnia attacking the lizard-things behind her, putting her dancing skills to good use as she kicked, punched, and cut.

Though they were easy to dispatch, the reptile-monsters were agile, which made them hard to hit. As well, only a killing blow would destroy them. Otherwise, a severed arm or disemboweled stomach barely fazed them at all. Eile found herself being pressed hard, until she was pushed back-to-back against Vichnia. For a moment she panicked, believing the creatures had gotten the better of them, and then she realized that they were crowded in together, limiting their movements. Grinning in a ferocious manner, she concentrated on making quick stabbing attacks. When one dropped out, she stepped forward and chopped or slashed at its neighbors, then jumped back as the rest closed the gap. In this way, she was able to land enough blows to incapacitate them, which made it easier to follow through with a killing stroke. She hoped Vichnia had figured out the same tactic, but as long as she felt her back, Eile knew she was holding her own.

Eile concentrated on fighting so intently that before she realized it, all the lizard-things had been dispatched. She whipped around, looking for another opponent, but saw only Vichnia. She turned and focused on Sunny. The beams had grown in intensity until they were almost blinding, and hemispheres of force the same color had formed in front of them both. Eile could see Sunny straining, the muscles in her arms knotted and bulging, as if she were trying to move a huge object. Then both she and the wizard lord drew back their arms and thrust them forward, sending the hemispheres along the beams to crash together at the intersection point. They exploded with a crack of thunder, breaking the stalemate and sending shockwaves back along the beams that slammed into each of them, pushing them back. They stared at each other, panting as if exhausted. Eile couldn't see Sunny's face, but the Chromatic Lord look bewildered and angry all at the same time.

Then he bellowed like a bull. "Enough!! This ends, now!" He spread his arms and legs wide and threw back his head, as a polychromatic globe formed around his body and rainbow arcs flashed like lightning bolts through the air. Sunny stood rigid, her arms held out from her sides, her hands balled into fists, ready to counter his attack. Eile's stomach tied itself into a cold knot as she watched the tableau with dread. She wanted to do something to help Sunny, but she didn't know what. She looked at her sword. It was light enough she might be able to throw it at the wizard. Whether it would do any good, she didn't know, but it was all she could think of.

She tossed the sword up and caught it over-handed, then drew back her arm as she sighted along the other. She was just about to throw it when she saw Vichnia jump off the stage and run in front of Sunny. Eile hesitated as Vichnia called out, "Stop it, Father, right now!"

Eile dropped her arms in shock as Sunny squealed, "Father?!"

Of course! Eile thought. Sunny had said her father was a powerful wizard.

At first the wizard didn't react as if he had heard. "If you strike this girl, you will have to strike me as well," Vichnia threatened.

This time, the Chromatic Lord lifted his head and looked down at her.

"This isn't necessary," Vichnia continued. "These girls do not understand."

"Actually," Eile said as she jumped off the stage, "we understand plenty." She walked up beside Sunny, who gave her a questioning look Vichnia turned to give her an annoyed stare.

"We don't know the reason for your fight," Eile continued, "at least not really. But we do understand how two people who love each other can get so angry that each will say or do anything to hurt the other."

"Yeah!" Sunny exclaimed, following her lead. "Eile and I have had some doozies. Like the time she —"

"Sunny, shush. Anyways, it doesn't make sense, but the more two people love each other, the worse their fights. And from what I've seen today, you guys must really care for one another. Which is good, because the deeper the love, the easier it is to make up."

Sunny put her arm around Eile's waist. "That's right. Eile and I have always made up, and sometimes that's when we have the most fun." She gave Eile a warm, coquettish smile.

"Uh, Sunny, they're father and daughter, not lovers."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." Sunny giggled. "Sorry."

Vichnia gave them a friendly smile before she turned back to her father. "Perhaps I was wrong; they may understand better than we do. But in the end, one thought only of helping me, and the other thought only of helping her. They do not deserve to die, not for our disagreement. But if you insist, you must kill me as well. They did what they did for my sake, so I must share the blame."

Eile saw no change in the wizard's face, but after a few moments the globe dimmed and faded.

"Come down, Father, let's talk this over. For once, I am willing to discuss it."

Eile felt relieved when she saw the wizard smile for the first time, and it seemed to her to be a warm smile. He settled to the floor and walked towards Vichnia. She waited for him to reach her. They looked at each other for a couple of seconds, then Vichnia embraced him. He raised his arms in a hesitant manner, a consternated look on his face, but then he wrapped them around her as she laid her head against his chest.

Eile heard Sunny sigh, and when she looked, she saw her face beaming with gentle pleasure.

"There's nothing like the love between father and daughter," she cooed.

Eile rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Sunny gave her a surprised look. "What's with you?"

"I wouldn't make them into any role models."

"You can believe that, after what you just said?"

"I just think they could've gotten to this point without all the histrionics."

"I couldn't agree more," Tyco said as he came up beside them.

"Sorry about your tavern," Sunny said.

Tyco waved it off. "It wasn't your fault, and besides, I'm grateful you intervened. You probably prevented its total ruin. As it is, I can rebuild."

"We're glad we could help!" Sunny said in a blithe manner.

"I really mean it, though, I am much obliged for your help. Here." And he held out another cloth bag.

"What's this?" Eile asked as she took it.

"The rest of your tips, plus something extra, to show my gratitude."

Eile hesitated. "Thanks, but no," she said, presenting it back to him, "we had an agreement. Besides, you'll need even this to recover."

"No," he said, pushing back her hand, "I insist. It is but a fraction of what I owe you. Besides, I can hit Mayv up for a contribution. She did promise you two wouldn't be any trouble." However, he said it with a mischievous smile. Sunny giggled.

"Alright, then," Eile agreed, grinning.

"Thank you!" Sunny gushed.

"Think nothing of it. And you are welcome to come and sing here whenever you like."

"Thanks," Eile said, "but next time we may have a show your patrons will like better."

"I look forward to it. In the meantime, I can also offer you my private facilities, if you would like to get cleaned up, as well as new clothes. They won't be as fine as what you are wearing, but they should suffice."

Eile scratched at her scalp. Now that it was all over, the stale beer and grease smell was noticeable. "Thanks," she said, "I appreciate it."

"This way," he gestured towards the bar.

Eile glanced at Sunny. "Care to give me a hand?"

Sunny smiled, crinkled her eyes, and giggled. "Sure thing, partner." And they followed Tyco arm in arm towards the bar.

"I didn't know you could work magic like that," Eile commented.

"Neither did I. I wonder what Mayv would say?"

"Probably that you need training."

"Yeah. That's her answer for everything," she said as they entered the backrooms.