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Play Testers Wanted Pt. 11

I am sorry this took longer to finish than expected. This began at forty pages and is now over eighty. A few specific passages didn't work for me and it took a while to break them down and rewrite them with more detail and I feel a better flow to them.

Just a word with everything that is going on. Be safe, take care of yourselves, and I wish you health and happiness during these trying times. With that, feel free to vote, comment, or drop me a suggestion. Without further ado part 11.

*****

Whatever Happened to Bobby Drake:

There was a queue to log back into the game. However, rank has its privileges. I wasn't the first to enter the upgraded game, but I was damn close. I spent ten seconds in the white room ready and eager to see what they had done. The clock hit zero and I found myself on the roof of a skyscraper. The first thing I noticed is that I was naked. The second thing is that dawn was mere seconds away. The third and most alarming thing was that my HUD was screeching warning alarms like crazy. I pulled it down to see what the hell was going on. I found the flashing red indicator that simply read.

'Warning: Dawn alert!! Seek shelter immediately!!'

I yelped as the sun breached the horizon. I felt the burning sensation everywhere. I dove for cover bitching and screaming as I huddled in the shadows of an air conditioning tower. As the sun began to rise, I was losing protection. I dove back into my HUD and nothing was selected. I was a blank character. All my stuff was there just unchecked, points unspent. I desperately clicked into the search bar and sought my daywalker blessing. I found it and activated it. I looked down at my naked foot which was now bathed in sunlight and it wasn't ablaze.

"Fuck! That was close!" I cursed loudly.

"Language!" Gwen cried out above me. "Why are you naked up here?" She asked licking her lips. It was only then after my panic had died down that I noticed the new level of realism that had been introduced. The previous version looked and felt real but this one didn't seem to differentiate between the waking world. I suppose it was the difference between a 1K display and going to 4k or higher. The colors were crisper, the breeze cooler, and her scent more intoxicating. I spied a single rivulet of sweat running from Gwen's hairline down her cheek and between her cleavage. "I've missed you, wanna bang the shit out of me?" She asked her musk heavy in the air and driving me crazy.

"Language," I purred as I paused the game and activated skills and abilities, spent my points that I felt that truly fleshed out Ghost Fire. I chose but didn't activate my armor or weapons yet. "Get over here." I said slipping back into the scene. I grabbed her by the hair, pulled her close, and kissed her hungrily. She slipped out of her costume as our tongues dueled. I felt her sweaty body press against mine. My free hand cupped one of her ass cheeks and she moaned in my mouth.

"Damn Ghost man, that was one hell of a kiss!" She gasped. "MMMMM Make me your little slut!" Gwen begged so different from the shy little thing I had first met so long ago. My hunger had done this, and I'd have it no other way.

"As you wish," I growled. "On your knees, yeah just like that, open wide and unnnnn yeah... suck it you filthy little... aw shit!" I cursed. "We have company."

"Are you kidding me?!" Gwen snapped angrily. "Oh... hi guys!" She changed her tone instantly seeing Nightcrawler and Shadow Cat watching us. "What's up?"

"He is," Shadow Cat giggled. "Man, is he up!"

"Lose an eye if you aren't careful Gwen." Nightcrawler whimpered as she chewed her lower lip and fought the urge to touch herself. "Jean and Professor X sent us to find him."

"I have to finish my patrol anyway." Gwen frowned. I grabbed her by the back of her head, kissed her, and then whispered in her ear. "Really! Just me! Ha... in your faces!!" She picked up her uniform and sniffed it. "Could you... you know magic it clean?"

I took it from her and sniffed it. It smelled like a horny nineteen-year-old girl. I conjured up a small storm cloud just above her head and as it rained on her I rummaged through my memory. Oh yeah, I cast a simple cantrip that would launder her costume. As I cast the spell a mystic circle surrounded my wrist and a glow enveloped the uniform. I gave it a test sniff and it smelled minty fresh. I conjured a breeze to dry Gwen off and handed her the costume.

"Nice! Later guys!" She cried out after she dressed and fired off a drag line.

Thwip!!

She was gone in seconds. I took my time summoning each piece of my armor as I took in the drastically different beauties waiting for me. Shadowcat, also known as Kitty Pryde, was average height with shoulder length brown hair, hazel eyes, and a slim muscular build. She had that Midwestern girl next door good looks. Nightcrawler on the other hand was taller, with a more filled out build, a great rack, an amazing ass, and a Wonderbra tail for the pulling. Her skin was a deep blue as was the light coat of fur she was sporting. It contrasted nicely with the mane of indigo hair she had in a dramatic undercut that reminded me of Sombra from Overwatch. Top the look off with eerie yellow eyes, noticeable fangs, and prominent pointed ears for an exotic fae look and if you liked your girls over the top, she was perfect.

I finished activating my armor and declared myself ready to travel. I watched Nightcrawler and Shadow Cat interlink fingers and hold on tight. Maybe it was because I was a teleporter that I sensed something different about this mode of travel. When we arrived inside the mansion of Professor X the first few seconds, we were intangible. Somehow these two had learned how to link their abilities. It allowed Nightcrawler to teleport while out of phase making landings perfectly safe. Interesting.

"Cerebro is this way," Shadow Cat said walking in front of me. I stared at her ass the entire time. Nightcrawler hopped onto my shoulders and asked about Gwen and me. Her scent was strong but different from Gwen. Perhaps it was because she was a mutant or her diabolical nature.

"So, you and Gwen huh?" Nightcrawler asked in a sexy whisper.

"Yep." I said trying to be a good boy even though her demonic pheromones were quite enticing. "You smell nice."

"You hear that Kitty, I smell nice." She relayed to the other mutant.

"He means your pussy," Kitty Pryde fired back testily. "Is he staring at my ass still?"

"Sure, looks like it," Nightcrawler giggled. "Jiggle... wiggle... aw shit!"

BAMF!! She vanished in a cloud of brimstone.

I coughed as she teleported away my face and head shrouded in a dank sulfurous fog. The huge metallic door leading to Cerebro was already halfway open and sliding further open.

"We are here," Kitty said as she turned, and her eyes drifted straight down to my erection. "Nice first impressions dude."

"I met all of you in Latveria," I said and did my best to imagine somebody's anybody's grandma naked.

"Let me," Storm said as she dropped the temperature to below freezing. Ororo Munroe was taller than either of her students at nearly six feet in height. She wore her silky white hair long where it nearly hit the middle of her back. Her dark skin contrasted her pale hair and her blue eyes were her most striking feature. They stood out especially when she used her powers like now. There was an unnatural glow to them as the air temperature plummeted.

"Thanks Storm." I said feeling deflated. "So, what is going on?" I asked seeing all the serious expressions around me.

"Bobby Drake is missing, and I can't find him with Cerebro," Professor X exclaimed apprehensively.

"Is he off world?" I asked trying to eliminate the obvious.

"Not that we are aware of. He went to a party at a club. Rogue informed us that he met a girl. They were making out in a corner and then poof, he was gone." Storm explained.

"What did this girl look like," I asked, and Jean projected one of Rogue's memories into my head. "Cute, exotic and cute." I commented. "Bobby's power is cold and ice, right?" I muttered and they nodded. "Her hair is bone white, maybe she's another mutant or frost mage." I said.

"Not a mutant," Xavier declared. "That is why we called you. Doctor Strange deferred to you."

"She... really?!" I said surprised. "Where is this club at? I might be able to scry there."

"I will take him," Storm said overruling both Nightcrawler and Shadow Cat. "You two just want to lose your damn virginities to him."

"Sooooo!!" Nightcrawler whined and Jean and Xavier laughed. "I can teleport all of us, it isn't that far! Storm! Aw come on!"

"I warned you," Kitty snapped at the blue skinned mutant. "You horny little slut!!"

I put an arm around either of them. "I'm sure that Storm would love to turn this into a training mission." I suggested and Storm looked over her shoulder at me with a withering gaze. As she watched I checked out her ass. 'Oh damn!' I mouthed. She smiled.

"I see why she likes you so much." Storm laughed. "Princess Shuri speaks quite highly of you."

"Who speaks about me?" Shuri's voice whispered in my comm link. "Is that you sexy Ghost man?" She purred in that Wakandan accent.

"Storm says her ass is finer than yours," I said, and Storm's eyes narrowed.

"Blasphemy!" Shuri roared. "No ass is as fine as this Wakandan ass! I am sorry my sister!"

"No, you aren't," Storm fired back. "I won't argue with you, my sister. My breasts are far nicer than yours."

"I... I'll give you that. I have seen those divine titties of yours. Have you tasted them Ghost man?" Shuri teased.

"Not yet," I replied, and I saw Storm's cheeks flush with color.

"TWO!!" Storm suddenly shouted.

"They are speaking on a private channel," Kitty explained. "What do you think that means?"

"I have an idea," I laughed. "Is that the Blackbird?" I asked as we entered the flight deck.

Storm and Shuri were going back and forth about something and I reached out to touch the underside of one of the wings. A blast of thunder filled the area and Storm was waggling her finger at me. Storm opened the plane and prepped it for flight. Nightcrawler played copilot while Kittie helped me into my flight harness.

"Am I a slut?" Kitty asked as she whispered in my ear.

"I don't know, yet." I whispered back.

"Oh good," she laughed as she buckled up.

'Ghost Fire... this is Director Grey,' Jean's mind touched mine. 'Try not to corrupt and defile Xavier's students."

'I... you are joking right?' I sent back. Her malicious laughter her only reply. 'I thought so.'

"I am going to wreck all three of you." I whispered.

"I heard that." Storm shouted over the roar of the engines.

"Good."

The roof split open and the vertical takeoff engines lifted the Black Bird straight up and once we were at the right altitude Storm transitioned to the standard jets and we were on our way. I closed my eyes and held onto the image of the girl kissing Bobby. Thin build, long white hair, nice butt and a perky pair under her blouse. A lot of detail lost from the bar crowd moving between Rogue and Bobby. It was a short flight and soon the blackbird was descending. You got to love when you land a multimillion-dollar aircraft in a bar's parking lot. We stepped out to a small group staring at us.

"Hey Storm!" Fans called out. "Looking good!" She waved as a small group of locals formed on the parking lot.

"Nightcrawler... Shadow Cat..." A male fan whistled at them.

"Who the fuck are you?" Someone hollered at me and I laughed. "Are you new to the X-Men?"

"No." I said as I teleported behind the guy. "I'm the hired help." I joined the group as the guy eyeballed me and I watched the tracker I had placed on him. "Where are you going bud?" I whispered as he left the area before we were even inside.

The owner opened the bar for us and handed over the video surveillance. Storm looked over the footage while I went to the corner where Bobby and the mystery girl had been sitting. The psychic signature was a mess but that wasn't a big surprise for a bar. Suddenly I felt Jean's presence in my thoughts.

'Knock-knock,' she sent with a giggle.

'Director?' I replied and she made a rude mental noise. 'Lover?'

'Better!' She sent with a rush of emotion with a heavy dose of lust in it. 'Let me in deeper.'

'I trust you Jean,' I told her as I lowered my defenses. A flash of imagery slipped from me and the image of the Phoenix Force blazed as she slid deep into my consciousness. A pulse of raw power flowed from her to me. It lit me up inside and out.

'Reach out Ghost,' she directed, and our minds worked together like linking two computers to combine their computing power to make the task easier. 'Good, I see what you mean what a mess. Your mind is excellent. Now let's take a hold of just one spot firmly, like so.' She sent I felt her power flow through me again, just a trickle this time. 'See... the table... we are going to focus on the now. Let's peel away the layers a slice at a time. One hour and then another until... there they are. You have excellent control. She is exotic. She looks Norwegian or perhaps Swiss.' Bobby and the unknown girl were holding hands and a small layer of frost formed on the top of the table. We watched as she pulled him close and kissed him. I could feel Bobby's excitement. They left the table and Jean growled.

'Hold on, I've got this.' I said as I drew on my ability to fold time. I pulled back and the ghostly image snapped into full color and in focus. I watched them get up and head out the back door, I followed. They were making out in the alley. I had just reached them when it happened. The girl latched onto Bobby and kissed him so deeply he collapsed. Her blue eyes blazed with power, Bobby's power. She must have stolen it somehow. Maybe she was like Rogue. The girl paused, looked directly at me, and spoke in ancient Norse.

"I feel your presence Dark One. We are not enemies. Do not stand against me, you will fall. You have been warned." She said and my stamina meter zeroed out. I collapsed just as Bobby had done. I felt Jean's distress. I woke with her holding me in her arms.

"I got you!" Jean said cupping the side of my face with her hand. "You pushed yourself too hard, again." She said her concern intense as she realized what had happened to her one-time student. "That is why we can't find Bobby. He is no longer a mutant. She took his gift from him completely. I think I can find him though. Are you going to be okay?"

I looked up and saw Storm and the others nearby. Jean laughed and told me to be gentle. She helped me to my feet and then teleported away with a flash of red-gold light.

"I need a drink." I said.

"We don't open until three." The owner hollered.

"I know just the place but uh... you need to be on your best behavior. The food there is pretty good too." I said and the trio agreed to follow my lead. "I am driving this time." I said as we linked hands and I used far sight to peer inside the Bar with No Name. I teleported us there and to everyone's surprise our arrival was preceded with a flash of red-gold flame.

"Ghost?" One of the patrons asked. "Oh shit, it is Storm... oh just visiting. Cool... cool."

"I teleported so they don't know where we are." I said to sooth any tension the patrons and staff might have about three of the X Men arriving suddenly. "Right guys, no peeking outside." I stated and they agreed. "Good. Are you serving lunch? I need a few and some food." I rambled a bit.

"Sure Ghost, here's a menu. Do you need a room?" He asked smiling.

"I uh..." I began.

"He sure as hell does," Storm purred. "A big bed preferably."

"Room one for you guys," the man said. "Sit. Eat. I'll put on the TV. Not much going on though."

We ate and I had a few beers to help settle my nerves. The sexual tension though was tangible. Storm finished her salad and began telling Kitty and Nightcrawler how this was going to go. All her talk about oral sex, kissing, and other things ratcheted up things. I made the mistake of looking at the main bar. Storm's gaze followed mine and she saw the list.

"What do we have here?" She said as she got to her feet. I cursed softly. She walked over and read the odds of the women on the black star list. "Twenty to one against... thirty to one against... wow Kitty you are fifty to one against... all three in one day... Hey! Barkeep! What were his odds of all three of us in one day?" Storm asked as I pondered teleporting to a distant dimension. "Three thousand to one against. Damn, I wish I knew about this place before today. Hey... Ghost man... catch!" She tossed the room key at me. I caught it out of the air. "Let's get this party started."

"This one is on the house," the bartender said.

"Wakandan Champagne! They do like you Ghost man!" Storm laughed. "Let go ladies. It is time to wreck the friendly neighborhood ghost."

"About damn time," Nightcrawler growled.

I opened the door to our room and the room was decorated with black and white candles. Anackire! Thank you, goddess! I thought as I let them step in first. I dedicate all the pleasure and climaxes to her and her coven.

'Go get 'em Tiger!' Anackire purred in my thoughts.

Pop! Storm poured the champagne and we toasted to the calm before the Storm. We each had two glasses before the bottle was drained.

"Speaking of draining a bottle. It is time to show you a new lesson. Strip him while I get naked." Storm ordered. I moved my armor piece by piece to my inventory as they removed the item. I watched Storm slip out of her uniform. I wasn't surprised to find her naked under the jump suit. She was in her prime and damn she had a smoking body. I loved her pale nipples on her dark breasts. "Shuri said you had... that's the ticket!" She gasped as I summoned the double dragon technique. "I'll work the lower erection, you two can share the top one. Do as I do."

I laid on the bed and surrendered to their lust. Kitty wrapped her hand around the base of my cock like someone used to it. Someone has some hidden cock sucking skills. It was both! Nightcrawler stuck out her long blue tongue and it slithered around the shaft like a constrictor snake. Meanwhile Storm was cupping my balls and tracing the underside of that erection eagerly.

"Flip for who swallows?" Kitty asked.

"Nah, it is your turn," Nightcrawler moaned. "He tastes amazing! His precum is delicious."

"Good. I was getting tired of sucking off Logan." Kitty declared.

"I know right," Nightcrawler replied as Storm knelt there stunned. "Six months, before you ask. No more than hand jobs and oral. We were saving ourselves for Ghost."

"I'm glad we did. It was just a rumor but now we know for sure." Kitty moaned. "Two, I can't wait to feel him inside me... all of me."

"He's getting harder," Storm mused before opening her mouth and taking most of my cock in one go.

The talk ended as the three of them worked me to the edge. I was panting and gritting my teeth as I fought the urge to climax. I warned them and both Storm and Kitty clamped their mouths over the tips. I howled as I came and they both swallowed hard. Kitty pulled Nightcrawler into a dick hardening kiss and passed some of my load to her. It didn't take long for my stamina to recharge.

"Who is first?" I asked.

"You two each take one," Storm instructed them. "I want both. He can eat me out while you ride him. Let him do it though. Give him the pleasure."

"Yes Storm!" They agreed.

Nightcrawler wanted the bottom erection. I sat up helped her straddle me and took aim. I watched as her blue flesh parted and her pink pussy interior could be seen as my cock opened her up and slid deep.

"Gods he's buried in me!" She whimpered.

"Me next!" Kitty begged as she faced me and squatted over my upper erection. "Hold it still... here I come." She said biting her lower lip as she sunk down slowly. "I see what you mean. So damn thick!" Her eyes rolled up in her head and her mouth fell open.
"Start moving," Storm urged as her students began riding me. "Great rhythm you two! You should see your expression Ghost. That is so hot. Lie back, it is time to taste the lightning."

I whimpered as the girls slowly rode me and Storm sat on my face. This was being spoiled on a level I never deserved. I used the serpent tongue right off the bat. Storm cried out in surprise as I primed her pussy and ass. I cupped those luscious cheeks of hers and buried my face as close as I could. My tongue split slid into her, and then thickened.

"You are full of surprises!" She growled. "Eat me out Ghost!" Meanwhile I heard the contrasting voices of Kitty and Nightcrawler. Kitty's was higher pitched as she drove her hips downward harder and harder. The more force she applied the louder she got. Nightcrawler was more of a moaner and her voice lower and subdued but just as intense in her own way.

I felt Kitty climax as her tight little pussy clenched tight around me, but she recuperated quickly. Nightcrawler was next and she came so hard she nearly passed out. Storm was quite happy to let my tongues go at her. She waited until the girls had climaxed twice each. Only then did she take her place. Nightcrawler and Kitty knelt close and watched enthralled as Storm mounted both erections. They winced when my lower erection slid into her ass. Storm cursed a blue streak and the girls laughed hearing that kind of language out of their instructor. Storm's voice was loud and elemental crackling with power.

"...god damn hammer me... harder motherfucker... do I look fragile to you..."

I rolled her onto her back and then onto her shoulders. I jackhammered into Storm with complete abandon. Her first orgasm nearly sent me into the ceiling when her entire body discharged a massive electrical charge. I sat on the floor with wisps of smoke floating off my limbs and torso. I exhaled which sent a stream of smoke into the air.

"Damn woman," I laughed.

"You okay Ghost?" Storm asked as she hugged me and helped me to my feet.

"Who is next? Either one of you want to..."

"ME!!" Nightcrawler begged.

"Fine. You two sit tight. You, ass up head down." I growled as I approached the eager mutant and spat on her asshole. "Let's get you ready." I purred as I worked two fingers into her ass and let my stamina bar recharge. "How is that, you still okay?"

"UNNNN!!" She moaned. "More."

"Can you take another one?" I asked and she nodded slowly. "You can stop at any time, got it." I said as I worked another digit into her slowly. I glanced at Kitty. What a hungry expression on her face. "You want to hold them for me?"

"Me?" Kitty flinched for a second before nodding. "Let's do this!"

I withdrew my fingers and Shadow Cat took both erections in hand and aimed them. I pushed slowly and savored the noises Nightcrawler made. I grabbed her forked tail and that brought her head up. Storm placed her face next to Nightcrawler's.

"You okay kiddo?" She asked. "Good. I remember my first DP, it was epic. I got skewered between Logan and Colossus. Man, what a night!"

"I am so full." Nightcrawler whimpered and I stopped. She nodded after a few minutes. I used her tail for leverage and fucked her nice and slow. "Best night ever!"

"Tell me about it." I said. "I'm going to keep it nice and slow."

"That's fine by me," She groaned, and Storm gave me a nod that she was okay. I whimpered and fought the urge to cum, but she was just so damn tight. "He's getting bigger! Did I do that?"

"UH HUH!" I said through clenched teeth.

I pulled back and slammed into her and cut lose. She climaxed a few seconds later. I lay on top of her panting and gasping for breath. Our sweat mingled as we recuperated. I pulled out and she hit the bathroom to clean up. I washed up once she was done and discovered the second bottle of Wakandan champagne. I looked at Storm and she was as surprised as I was. I opened it and filled glasses. We snuggled on the bed as I let my stamina recharge.

'Trophy Earned: Blue Genes - Mother and Daughter. Trophy Earned: Riding the Storm Out. Trophy Earned: Unphased and Proud of it.'

When I read blue genes, I suddenly remember that Mystique was in fact Nightcrawler's mother. That made me a mother fucker. I wondered what mischief the shifter was getting herself and the other members of M3 into.

"I am sure Xavier and Jean will find Bobby." I tried to reassure them and keep on task.

"Can they help him once they do?" Kitty asked.

"I'll be honest with you. I don't know. I hope so." I replied and they were used to hard truths. I refilled my glass and sipped it. Two hours later the four of us entered the bar from the stairs that led to the second floor. There were more patrons now and Doc Connors was behind the bar. He gestured urgently at the big screen TV. We rushed forward and there was a shot of Avenger's Tower, you could see the broken window highlighted by a computer graphic, while the banner below read 'Suicide at Stark Industries'. My HUD chimed as it picked up the quest 'Taking its Tohl'.

"Let me drop you off at the Black Bird. I need to see what is going on with Stark." I said and they agreed. We linked hands and I used far sight to find the aircraft, but it was no longer parked by the bar. I told Storm and she said someone must have remote piloted it back to the mansion. I changed my target to the front door of the mansion and folded space there to push the range of that skill. One step later and we were there. "Okay, I got to go."

"Hold on," Nightcrawler exclaimed. "What was that? That wasn't teleportation I know the feel of that."

"Come here," I said, and she followed me out of ear shot of the others. "I can fold time/space. Instead of using an alternate dimension to teleport. I warp the fabric of space to hop around. That is just between us."

"I'll keep your secret the best I can. There are quite a few telepaths around here." She giggled. "Thanks for trusting me with this." She said and kissed my cheek. "Thanks for everything, it was worth the wait."

'Trophy earned: Folding her space. Trophy earned: A new phase for her. Talent gained: Ether Walk-Basic.'

I walked back with Nightcrawler and hugged them goodbye. They promised to keep me in the loop in the search for Bobby. I touched my subdermal comm link and tried to get in touch with Toni Stark. I got Jarvis instead.

"Ghost Fire, Ms. Stark is inundated now. I'm sure you understand." The A.I. shared gently.

"Absolutely, I want to help if I can." I said.

"Well, one moment... Ghost Fire is offering his help Ms. Stark." Pause. "I will inform him. Mr. Tohl has a sister. Can you go to the home they share and inform her and give her condolences until such time as Ms. Stark can do so in person?"

"Sure. I will do my best." I said.

"Ding!" Address of the Tohl household received.

"I need a taxi." I thought out loud.

"Hey! Ghost! Need a lift?" Harry Canyon asked as he pulled up in his armored taxi.

"Perfect timing Harry," I said and gave him the address of the Tohl house.

"I've been there before," he commented in his heavy Brooklyn accent. "Creepy place, almost as creepy as that brownstone on Bleeker Street. The lady there is nice enough but her brother, wow what a nut job!"

"He just committed suicide." I said and Harry dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"Doesn't surprise me," Harry said. "That guy was always talking about all sorts of crazy shit. The Great Old Ones! Yog something or another. Kuh-Too-Lou and all kinds of insane stuff. The guy was batshit crazy I tell ya."

"I believe you Harry." I said. "I wonder what pushed him over the edge."

"Who knows. It is nice you trying to help his sister though. If you need a lift just stick out your thumb." He offered.

"Hey, is that a suntan you're sporting?" I asked noticing the noticeable tan lines.

"Damn straight!" He beamed. "I just got back from a month down south. Caribbean and all that. I still have money in the bank to boot!"

"Sounds like an interesting story," I said seeing if he would share or not. He did.

"So, no shit... there I was..." Harry began.

Fade In:

I was driving in front of the Met, the Metropolitan for you artsy-fartsy sorts, when all hell broke loose. This luscious thing throws herself against my cab. I looked up at the front of the building and there's this old guy full of holes and three other guys stepping through the shattered glass door they had just shot the living shit out of. Normally I don't get involved in other people's affairs but damn this girl was stacked. I unlocked the back door and let her in, big mistake. I drove off while two of those assholes shot at my cab! I decided at that moment to take her to the cops. That didn't go over at all. There she was passed out in the back of my cab. The police were too busy investigating a break in at the Met to even interview the girl. What's a guy to do? I took her back to my place.

"You saved my ass," she said as she stood up and looked around.

"What the hell was that all about?" I asked her.

"Those assholes broke in and tried to steal something my father discovered in a forgotten tomb." She explained looking lost and forlorn.

"You can sleep on the couch for now until you find some place to lay low." I offered. Second big mistake sort of.

I was worn the fuck out and went to bed. I had barely got in bed before the cute little redhead came sniffing around for some good old American cock. In short, I fucked her senseless. After such a great job I fell asleep. The cops finally got around to doing their job. They showed up and asked nicely for the whereabouts of the girl.

"Girl? Which girl? What's her name?" I asked and the strange thing is, they never said. Police corruption I tell ya. They left and I knew they were both hiding shit. She was gone and I was okay with that. I got what I wanted. Did I mention she gave up the ass too? Yeah, she did. I went on just like any other day. I hung out by the usual places. The Gate complex is a great place to pick up fares. You can teleport wherever you want, but you still need a taxi at the end of the road. I had just dropped off a fare at a hotel when she messaged me. There's this new system that Stark help fund, MessageCom. They are these flying robots that use the same jet things her suit does to flitter all over. She was so impressed with the night before she wanted another go at me. We snuck up to the torch of Lady Liberty and I fucked her into submission a second time. After that, and I don't know where she got the strength, she pulled out this weird suitcase. That isn't right either, it looked like a big ass cylinder, it was domed on top, with a handle to carry it around. It was about two maybe three feet tall and with a twist of the handle it opened halfway. Two panels on either side folded down revealing a green glowing soccer ball.

"This is what they are after," she said. "They offered us half a million for it."

"Sweet, I'll cover that sweet ass of yours and we'll get this over with." I told her and she kissed me like she would die without me.

So, we went back to my place until it got dark. We went down to Queens and made the exchange. She was so grateful she handed over the bitcoin purse to me and disappeared. I've never seen her since. Harry said with a forlorn expression on his ruggedly handsome features.

Fade to Black:

"So, there's some kind of glowing rock out there somewhere." He said.

"You killed her, didn't you?" I asked and he laughed.

"Would you believe that fucking slut tried to take me out, me... yeah I erased her ass." Harry admitted. "Don't tell May about this. She has been helping me get over that kind of thing."

"I got your back Harry." I said and he smiled.

"Tohl House, on your left. Thanks Ghost, I'm glad to get that off my chest." He said smiling.

"Take care of yourself Harry." I said and swiped my card to pay the fare and tipped him well. "Oh hey, did you ever get her name?"

"The archaeologist's daughter," he asked, and I nodded. "Nope and I don't care."

I watched him drive off and stood in front of the dark stone building. The exterior appeared to be fashioned from either granite bricks or some other similar material. The wrought iron gate was elegant and done in the fashion of ivy leaves and swirling creepers. I looked around and switched to street clothes before knocking on the front door. I opened the gate, mounted the stone steps, and knocked on the iron bound oaken door. The door opened and a middle-aged woman with long dark hair, bright green eyes, and a charming smile greeted me.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"I was sent here by Toni Stark," I said. "It is about your brother, can I come in?" I asked and she did the strangest thing. She reached into her blouse, took out a silver fob watch, and opened it to read the time.

"You are right on time," she replied. "Come in."

"Okay." I said and followed her in. I closed the door behind me and gasped when I saw the interior of her home. "Whoa!" I gasped at the beauty and majesty of the items upon display.

"Look around, coffee is almost ready." She said. "Talia, my name is Talia Tohl. Nice to meet you... Ghost man." She chuckled and I felt my jaw drop open. I never felt a hint of telepathic contact. "Not telepathy," she hollered. "I am a Chronomancer! I can read your history only, not your future."

"Holy shit, the Serpent Ring of Set!" I exclaimed as I looked under a glass display case. "Isn't that the Book of Epimetreus?"

"You should know," she replied to that. "Take it out and look at it."

I reached for the magical tome and the protective runes flared to life for a second and then faded. The book was your typical spell book, large, thick, and bound in metal and leather. I recognized the phoenix sigil on the cover and since there was only one Phoenix Mage in all history it had to have been written by Epimetreus. The interesting part was the straps attached at the top and bottom of the book's spine for easy carry. I held the book close and saw hundreds of small runes etched not only in the metal cage that helped protect the book but into the leather cover, spine, and back as well.

"It is a rune book!" I exclaimed. "Holy... wow!" I said as I touched the metallic catch and it opened with an audible click.

"I knew it!" Talia exclaimed as she carried in an antique silver tray with a matching antique silver coffee service.

"You changed your look," I noticed how her hair was now in a 1950's updo with matching apparel.

"I thought you'd find it sexier to be dressed more modestly." She admitted. "Open it for me please. Read to me Ghost man." She purred.

"Okay," I said licking my lips as she uncrossed and crossed her legs giving me a flash of bright red panties. I focused on the book looked at the cover page. It had an intricate magical seal laid out with runes and an incantation along the exterior of the outer circle. "It is a summoning spell."

"Can you read it, I mean, is it legible to you?" She asked practically moaning.

"Um let's see," I said and yeah, the spell was clear to see. "Yes, it is quite legible. I don't know about this. I could be summoning anything." I heard her moving around in her seat and something soft and fragrant struck me. I caught her panties before they fell to the floor. "Upping the ante, I see." I said and then sniffed them.

"Naughty boy," she growled.

I closed my eyes as I felt a critical moment arriving. This was going to change my character on a fundamental level. 'Anackire? What should I do?'

'I hear you Ghost Fire,' a voice said but it wasn't Anackire. It was in fact the goddess Istus, she who rules Time, Space, and Fate. The colorless deity whispered in my thoughts. 'Destiny awaits.'

I remembered how Conan the Barbarian had recognized me as Epimetreus and now Istus says that destiny awaits. I opened my eyes and glanced at Talia. She looked like she was ready to jump my bones. She looked hungry. Was it for me or what was about to happen? Fate awaits. I read the spell and it was surprisingly easy. I adjusted my grip on the book and brought my left hand towards the sigil and the two repelled the other. It felt like two magnets fighting one another. I swapped hands and the sigil didn't mind my right hand. I placed my palm against the design just as the spell directed and I invoked the spell. With each syllable spoken the air grew warmer and warmer until I felt the entire room would burst into flame. I recognized the piercing cry and the room, hell the entire world fell away, and it was just me, the book, and the blazing figure swooping down at me.

I let out a scream as the horizontal column of red-gold flame slammed into my chest. I held onto consciousness as if it were a life preserver. I failed. There is only so much the mind can withstand. When I awoke, I was sprawled on Talia's comfy couch. She was sipping her coffee from the antique teacup. The translucent porcelain let just enough light to pass through it so show her cup was half empty.

"I feel half full." I muttered groggily as I sat up. She had changed her clothing, no, she had changed her entire look. Even her ethnicity had changed since I had last laid eyes upon her. When I first met her, I would have guessed her parents either Germanic stock or perhaps Eastern European. Now, well now, she appeared half Latin or Brazilian and a good portion Celt. Her skin now had a healthy tan with freckles decorating her soft flesh. Her hair hung loose and fell to the seat of the chair she occupied. Even her eye color was different. What had once been bright green like Sunkissed grass now the color of honey or amber. "You've changed."

"Are you sure?" She asked smiling and helping me from couch to opposite her on the small serving table. "Coffee is still warm."

"Thanks, mmm this is tasty." I commented on the brew. "What happened?"

"You opened the book and cast the first spell in it." She said. "Quite the light show."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Should have seen it from my point of view." I replied.

"After coffee I'll show you the famous Tohl collection if you want." She said completely unphased by the death of her brother.

"I'd like that," I told her. "About your brother..."

"He predicted his death down to the minute. He was a prophet. I can only see people's past. He could view all their possible choices and follow the most likely path they would take."

"So, you can see mine then," I said, and she shrugged.

"Yours is like braided rope. You are a time traveler I take it. That is the only thing that makes sense. Your past and present and future all overlapping one another." She said filling her cup and adding sugar and creamer.

After coffee she showed me, as she described it, the famed Tohl collection. It was one of if not the largest private collections of occult books and artifacts in the world. It rivalled what I had seen in the New York Sanctum and matched some of what I had seen in Kamar Taj. The artifacts were many and varied while numerous tomes had been procured from the Golden Goblin Press located here in New York. She took a key from around her neck and unlocked a thick iron bound oaken door.

"What's in here?" I asked and she just waved me in and let me discover it on my own. The room was dimly lit, but I could easily make out ten free standing tables. Hanging from the ceiling above each table was a small ornate lamp. They weren't big enough to be called a chandelier or simply a bulb. Each of the lamps were hand blown glass sculpture that reflected the thing below it. The nearest of the tables had a mermaid themed lamp. But instead of cute human female the upper torso was monstrous. The strange structure on the table beneath the mermaid hurt my head to look at for too long. "What the hell?!"

"Yeah, after all of these years it hurts me too." Talia chuckled. "My grandfather travelled the world and inspired by unique locations he made these. You will find no other dioramas like these anywhere else."
"I believe you." I stated. "Let's move on and see if... nope! This one is worse than that one." I grimace as I approached the cityscape beneath the octopus lamp. It was slimy, dark stones, arranged in a mind-bending configuration that bent perception and geometry on its head. "I feel like I should know this place."

"It is the sunken city of R'lyeh, home to the Dreamer in the Depths." She clarified with a weak grin.

"I slept on his couch once," I said and balked at moving deeper into the room. "How far have you gone?"

"I've seen them all," She admitted. "It isn't for the weak of heart."

"A few more," I whimpered. "What the hell is that?" I asked as I walked towards the web covered table. "Haven't you dusted in here?"

"That one has always been like that." She said. "It is the lair of one of the Many Angled Ones."

"Yikes! Okay, I'm done!" I said as I fled the room upon seeing a hundred or so beings snared in the strands of the webbing. While using webbing myself there was something soul chilling seeing the strands wiggle while I stood there watching. It could have just been the wind, but I had felt no breeze in that stifling chamber. Talia closed the door reverently and I suppose I understood why.

"I ran screaming the first time I dared that room." Talia admitted. "I had nightmares for weeks afterwards. I still have bad dreams. Scotch?" She offered as we entered the reading room. It was a small comfortably decorated room. It had a snug feeling about it, and I welcomed a good stiff drink. "My brother knew when he was going to die. He told me years ago. Please don't think me a cold-hearted bitch. I have mourned him many times since then until now."

"We all end but it is disconcerting knowing the day and the hour," I muttered, and she refilled the bottom of my tumbler.

"Exactly," she agreed. "You are one of Strange's students, aren't you?"

"More companion than student," I corrected. "Though she has shared some interesting spells."

"I shall do no less," Talia declared. "You have come here to support me emotionally. What sort of magic would like to improve?" She asked and my HUD dropped down automatically. My spell schools were displayed. They were divided and I had no idea how vast the game's magic system was. Had this been part of the upgrade? I looked at them carefully and my first reaction was to study time magic but my rating in it was already high thanks to Istus. I went alphabetical and when I hit 'N' I spied a school I had never heard of before. "Negamage?"

"Good choice!" Talia purred or was it more of a moan. "I've never met one of those before."

"What is a Negamage exactly?" I asked as she whistled shrilly and the air to her left warped and a cloven-hoofed girl appeared and curtsied. She was dressed in a traditional maid's uniform of dark cloth with white fringe that made her crimson skin stand out even more. Her long mane of hair started out a sapphire color near the scalp but by the time it reached her shapely ass it was the color of polished brass.

"You rang," the succubus moaned. "Ooh, he's a keeper. Shall I seduce him for you? I won't mind."

"I need your other expertise," Talia informed the demon.

"Other? What other would that be. The only thing you've ever had me do was suck... ow!" The succubus exclaimed when her mistress elbowed her in the left breast. "That's my lucky tit you know."

"Please explain to him about the noble art of the Negamage." Talia ordered.

"Please?! When did you start using words like..." the demon stated as she protected her perfect breasts from attack? "Fine. I'm not sure you'd classify a Negamage as noble. They are rogues and thieves. They can steal others magics. Whether it is a human sorcerer or even a demon's immortality. They can abscond with it if they are quick and clever enough about it. It often ends poorly for them. I am honor bound to warn you about that. That said, they can dismantle magic wards, traps, and whatnot. They don't have to steal magic. I've known of one that was content on simply robbing wealthy mages of their most prized possessions. They can also handle artifacts normally isolated to certain moral degradations or piety."

"So, they can steal holy and unholy items but not use them." I stated and she smiled.

"You caught that bit, good. Yes, they can touch dread and fearful things without harm. If they try and use them though eh it could end poorly or just corrupt them." The demon purred. "I got a treasure you can touch... ow! Aw come on! He's been staring at my arse this entire time. I am fucking soaked over here." She growled as she stuck out a foot-long scarlet tongue. I matched her and used the serpent technique to split it and wiggled it at her. "OOH! Did you see THAT! One for the pink and one for the stink. Let me at 'em!"

"Behave, this isn't a brothel." Talia said chewing her lower lip. "So, is it going to be the path of the Negamage for you?"

"Hell yeah," I said and winked at the succubus.

"Go fetch the books on it and return." Talia ordered.

"Huh?! I can teach him hands on though. I won't charge anything but a little sperm." The demon wailed in frustration. "I haven't been fucked in over an earthly month!"

"I don't know..." Talia whimpered. "The last time you left the poor guy nearly a husk."

"He was a mortal man." The demon yowled like a cat in heat. "This guy isn't even human... nor mortal... he's..." she stopped when she saw my expression. "My apologies sir. I got carried away."

"I know his past." Talia whimpered. "All those women. All that sex. Can he make me climax?"

"Absolutely oh insatiable one," the succubus declared as she whispered in Talia's ear. "He'll wreck you the way... never mind that yes he can."

"Good. I hate being left out of all the fun." Talia said and I felt like the key to her odd behavior and quick costume changes might be revealed. "Tell you what Svartalfar, you fuck me and little miss sunshine rotten during your training period here and you'll leave here a fully trained Negamage."

"I don't have the time to..." I began and she smiled. "Oh, I see. Chronomancer, you can slow or even halt the flow of time outside."

"I can if you make it worth the effort." Talia whimpered.

"Just sex nothing else," I said to clarify the arrangement.

"Just sex," the succubus purred.

"Just sex," Talia promised.

"Let's do it." I agreed.

A payment before any training was standard practice apparently. When they learned about the Double Dragon, they were both thrilled to death. My training began the next morning. So, there was quite a bit of a payment if I was being honest. I left demon and Talia semi-conscious in the master bedroom. I smacked my lips after the succubus offered to feed me. I had never tasted demon blood before. It didn't take much because of its innate potency. Talia already knew that little secret, she seemed to know all of them, but wasn't eager to share any of them. Was it part of being a Chronomancer? Could there be an oath of keeping such things to herself? I didn't know. I slipped down to the kitchen and prepared breakfast for the three of us. I almost didn't recognize the succubus when she strolled down naked wearing just a smile. She looked strikingly human save her yellow eyes and forked tongue.

"Thanks for last night," she purred with a kiss on my cheek. "I needed that."

"We all did, eggs and bacon?" I asked as I prepped the skillets.

"I'll get the coffee ready." The succubus said as she rinsed out the filter.

"Look at you two," Talia said appearing in an equal state of undress as the demon. She had changed again, and I began to think she was unable to control these subtle and not so subtle changes. Talia was now a stunning redhead with puffy inverted nipples. I remembered quite well suckling on her sensitive nipples last night. We ate, recounted last night's highlights, and then Talia informed me that it was time to enter the training grounds. We washed up and dressed. Talia opened a portal and the three of entered a realm that seemed straight out of an Escher painting. Gravity and reality didn't have anything to do with the laws that ruled this place.

"Welcome champion." A neutral uncaring voice greeted us clinically.

"The Grey Lady!" Talia gasped and dropped to her knees.

"Lady Istus!" I said and followed suit. "Of course, it makes sense for a Chronomancer to derive her power from you great lady."

"Astute as always," the goddess replied. "State your business in my realm Talia."

"I have agreed to reveal to him the secrets of the Negamage." She said with head still lowered.

"You would make of him more a rogue than he already is?" The colorless goddess chuckled showing the first hint of emotion since I had met her. "My home is yours. Keep that demon on a tight leash though, here!" A mystical collar appeared in my grasp. "Put it on her. You can take it off her when you depart. Do it." She ordered with a visible grin.

"Come here you," I said as I stood and approached the demon. She extended her neck and was purring as I slid the restraining device around it. Click.

"Excellent!" Istus stated. "Now, Talia and champion step over here," She said and pointed as a cave like opening appeared. Three granite steps led into the opening. "Talia, take your mark and champion I want you to walk into the structure and when you reach the end tell me what you make of this place."

There was a clearly defined path within, on either side of it was volcanic glass and appeared slicker than shit. A bright yellow beryl triangle was where Talia stopped, and I continued forward. Perhaps twenty feet forward the tunnel dipped downward at a forty-five-degree angle. I took it slow and noticed that the walls of the cave were made of translucent glass in this area. The tunnel went on for another hundred feet when it began to slope upward. The angle increased but I wasn't fighting as if I were walking uphill. Eventually the tunnel leveled out for thirty feet before it dipped just a bit and a subtler slope took hold until I found a matching blue beryl square.

"Huh." I said and my voice carried and echoed in that vaulted open space.

"Ghost?" Talia called out. "Is that you?" Her voice had that same hollow quality to it.

I looked around and then I looked up. I laughed when I spied her above me. I raced forward keeping to the path and once again a severe upward curve to the tunnel and before long I was standing directly above her. I knelt and tapped on the glass surface and she looked up at me.

"Oh hey," she exclaimed. "What is going on?"

"Ha!" I laughed. "It is a Klein Bottle! Give me a second and I'll be right there." I raced forward as the tunnel dipped and I rose to come face to face with her. "A four-dimensional object represented in a three-dimensional space. However, in this case, this one is a four-dimensional construct. Amazing!!" I cried thrill for the experience. "Thank you, Istus."

"I am thrilled you appreciate my sculpture." She said with an extremely rare smile.

"May I?" Talia asked and Istus inclined her head in the positive. We walked the sculpture together. I created a sphere of light around us and it became clear when gravity seemed to be defied by the severe turns that formed the neck of the bottle. I had learned about Klein Bottles in college. I dated a gal that wanted to be a topologist. It is a branch of math that looks at the relation of space, geometric shapes, and continuous change of size or shape. We exited the sculpture and found Istus waiting for us.

"Why here champion," Istus asked.

"I didn't choose our destination. Do you have a better one in mind?" I asked facing her and taking in her divine aspect.

"I do actually. My coven sister Manu-Rani. Her domain is energy and matter. What is magic but the manipulation of matter and energy?" She said as a portal opened, and Manu-Rani appeared.

"Sister?" Manu-Rani queried.

"Tell me of the legacy known as Negamages." Istus asked.

"Ghost Fire?" Manu-Rani laughed. "Scoundrel and Rogue. I will take this burden from you sister. Attend me champion... a Chronomancer and a Demon? What strange bedfellows yes?"

I entered the portal into yet another realm. This was a chaotic domain where energy and matter changed and exchanged constantly and without warning. The runic palace was the eye of the storm and it was disorientating even within the confines of the structure. The demon liked the ever-changing nature of the realm. Talia and I not so much. I had never had an official education when it came to the arcane arts, that would not do. Manu-Rani took over at this point and delegated Talia as simply a sparring partner. The demon she barely noticed as she turned her full attention to me. The goddess explained to me the nature of energy and matter and dropped a bombshell that I wasn't away of.

"Magic wasn't always a part of the universe. The first few iterations didn't possess it. You might call it a tweak added in the third or fourth cycle. It made things more interesting by adding the planes boiling over with arcane power. It also gave us new threats to deal with. I have the dubious honor of having one of my priests creating the mantle of Negamage. Ooh, he was a scandalous soul, but in his defense, he was a brilliant mage. He had the most delicate touch when it came to picking pockets as he did lifting wards and the like." She said with a smile. "Before I let the two of you clobber each other remember patience, flow, and adaption."

Manu-Rani called her famed cleric from his perpetual rest. He arrived naked and dripping wet. With a few gestures he clothed himself in the robes of a warrior monk. The bright silver and white uniform were as functional as it was stylish. His species of origin befuddled me. My first thought was that he was an albino of his race, but that wasn't true. His skin was silvery-white and translucent in many areas and transparent in others. I never saw a skeletal structure beneath his flesh, and I wondered how he was able to stand there unassisted. There were also no obvious openings such as a mouth, nostrils, eyes, ears, or other organs. His shape was roughly humanoid, but his fingers were longer and reminded me of short tentacles more than traditional digits.

'Specialized musculature,' he explained touching my thoughts. 'I can harden groups of muscles to do the work of a skeleton, but my people are closer to Terran cephalopods or the Klyntar symbiotes. I have been summoned to instruct you eh. You at least are a worthy student. I have been watching your antics for a while now. Let's get started.'

'Excellent, do you have a name?' I asked and he/she looked at Manu-Rani. She nodded and he replied.

'My people, now extinct, were known to your ancestors and they called us Fluidics or the Nenannon. We possess a very limited form of shapeshifting. As for a personal identity, that is difficult to explain. My race being telepathic by nature shared a hive mentality, so individuality was frowned upon. You can call me Penumbra; it is as good as any other. No, I don't have a designated gender. We reproduce asexually acting in both capacities. I envy monosexual species. It looks like a lot of pleasure.'

'Fascinating.' I replied. 'Where do you want to start?'

'I prefer practicality actually,' Penumbra explained. 'I have a raid planned but I'll give you a crash course in being an Arcane Rogue. It isn't limited to stealing magic, dismantling wards, but a lifestyle.'

I laughed and we walked around the everchanging realm of Manu-Rani. My conversation with him, since I didn't know how else to think of Penumbra, asking me what skills I already possessed and that gave him an understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. I got an ambiguous moral code vibe from him as he felt those with more should be unburdened of all that pesky wealth. As he explained how wards worked, he strongly suggested I take courses or read up on antiquities so that I could recognize value from junk. I liked his hands-on approach to instruction. He started off simply explaining how to create, recognize, and dismantle runes, wards, and arcane based traps. He also bolstered my less savory skills, lock picking, pick pocketing, and stealth techniques. He was a rogue through and through. The casual aspect of my training ended, and I was thrust into the middle of an impromptu mission. My HUD dinged as the side quest activated.

'Training Quest: To succeed acquire either Nth Metal, Father Box, or the Philosopher's Stone.'

Curious to see what each thing did I dug around and researched them. Nth metal was a 'crossover event' object that allowed the craftsman to make an object that was strong, resistant to magic, and capable of flight. The Father Box could create a 'hush tube' or a silent portal among other things. The Philosopher's Stone could be added to a forge and it could convert one element into another for a price. The rarer the desired alloy the more of the base alloy required. That could be of use to me. I think the Philosopher's Stone seemed the best bet for me.

Penumbra opened a portal that led to what was labeled as the Crossover Zone. My HUD informed me that a limited time Crossover Event would begin when I entered the portal. I recognized Nth metal from the DC Universe, and I guessed the Father Box was as well. I switched to street clothes and followed Penumbra through the portal.

The shroud of night hung over the city. It could have been New York, perhaps Gotham, or any other metropolitan city. While portions of the skyline reminded me of New York, the architecture was reminiscent of the gothic stonework of the other. Wayne Tower dominated this portion of the city, but it wasn't alone. Stark Industry had a presence here as well. How many comics and universes converged here and how long would this Crossover last? Time to get moving. I needed to gather information. The best way to do that was the internet in whatever form it took here. I stood atop one of the taller buildings and I peered off the room and two blocks away I saw the neon sign of an internet café. Perfect. I was about to teleport via shadow when a flying car soared by and I recognized the silhouette as that of a police car from the movie Bladerunner. It was getting better by the minute.

I reached out to the shadows and they embraced me. It took no effort to shift from the top of the building to the alley next to coffee house. I stepped out of the shadows and rounded the corner. I stopped cold and felt my jaw fall open when I saw the three cars parked out front.

"...Shelby Cobra... Thunderbird... GT40... oh... my... god!!" I gasped. "They are gorgeous!"

Were they all owned by one person or was this just my wet dream come true? I stepped into the coffee house and it was crowded with dozens of overlapping conversations filling the air. I smelled a variety of caffeinated drinks along with fruits and chocolates as well. No one was currently at the counter, so I was able to place my order, sit on one of the stools, and turn around to do a little people watching. The place had a strange interior décor that ranged from classic 50's to 90's neogothic, to a splash of cyberpunk on top of it all. The girls were cute, the guys ruggedly handsome, and then I saw them. The three guys sitting around a large circular table in a corner. I felt myself pulled over watching the intense conversation going on.

One guy wore a clean white long-sleeved shirt and on top of that a black vest. Next to him a well-dressed middle-aged man in a button up shirt, well-worn jacket, and a fedora on the table in front of him. Last was the man with the short cropped almost spikey brown hair, dark shirt, and intense expression. Hell, they all had a passionate expression.

"...listen I know you are on the run, but we need your help," the gentleman in the middle stated strongly.
"Shit is about to go sideways and..." the third man began, and they all fell silent when they noticed me standing nearby. "Can I help you?"

"You look like you could use an extra hand." I said offering my help. I looked each of them in the eye and then I laughed. "Oh my god, that is too funny!" I laughed remembering the three cars out front and then running into these three iconic characters sitting around this table. "I get it now, three Fords!!" I chuckled as I was invited to sit down at the table with Han Solo, Indiana Jones, and Rick Deckard. "Forgive me, how can I be of help?"

'Ding' My HUD chimed. 'You have three side quests to choose from.'

I pulled down my HUD and sure enough there was one quest from each of them. Solo: Steal from a heavily guarded safe in a penthouse apartment. Jones: Recover a stolen relic from a black-market dealer. Deckard: Hunt down a Nexus 8 replicant posing as a stripper in the seedier side of New Gotham.

I'd save the stripper for last as a reward for a job well done. I'd just do them order. I accepted all three and headed outside to look around for quest markers. The Solo quest wasn't far and was north and east of my current position. I looked at my gear and as I suspected only a third of it was available in the Crossover Zone. I slipped into the shadows changed into my Vibranium armor, activated my shoulder cannon, tactical mask, and Shatterpoint dagger. I switched on my active camouflage and teleported to the roof of the tallest building in my line of sight. From here I had a clear view of my first target.

"No fucking way," I curse when I saw that it was the headquarters for Lexcorp here in New Gotham. "This will prove interesting."

I let my paranoia fuel my preparations. If I was Lex Luthor and I wanted to protect my prized possessions how far would I go? To the absolute limit, I thought. I needed to do some reconnaissance and spy out my target. Not trusting to physically explore the airspace around the top of the building I would settle on an astral investigation. I didn't want to leave my body vulnerable so, I would summon a watch dog. I tapped into the Shadow Dimension and out popped a grinning demon-kin named Ted.

"Master." Ted said as he prostrated himself. "How's it hanging?" He asked with a flash of razor-sharp teeth.

"I need to take a looky-loo over at that tower there." I said. "I need you to make sure no one mucks about with my body while I'm on the Astral Plane."

"You got it Tiger," Ted giggled maniacally in his low gravelly voice. "Leave it to me."

He might be a three-foot-tall sociopath, but he was my three-foot-tall sociopath. I settled into cross legged position, closed my eyes, and slipped free of my body. The astral here had a cold feeling to it. It truly felt like outer space. I flew free and crossed the distance between my body and Lexcorp. The top of the building lit up like a Christmas tree. On the bad side the security was intense. However, on the good side most of it was technological in nature. I wanted to challenge myself and sneak in and not be discovered until after I was long gone. Trying to take on both tech and magic was foolhardy. Ted of all beings gave me the idea on how to take on this little challenge.

I returned to my body with an attack plan. I opened my eyes and Ted was feasting on a pigeon that had flown too close. He had bitten off its head and was chewing loudly. I winced when I heard the crunch as he mashed the skull between his teeth.

"MMMMM crunchy!!" Ted laughed. "That was quick," he commented. "What's the plan?"

"This." I said as I opened a massive portal to the Plane of Shadow above the building. I nudged it slowly downward until it had enveloped the top three floors. I fashioned an illusion so that no one looked out their windows and saw the top of Lexcorp missing. "Time to get to work." I shifted to the pocket dimension and as I hoped the top three floors had fallen dark as their connection to the city's power supply had been cut off. On the other hand, the mystical traps were stronger because of the very nature of the realm of shadows. Its mystical power surged the wards to their fullest capacity. If I messed up, I wouldn't feel it when the traps activated. I'd be dead. Ted was right behind me and I ordered him to patrol the perimeter while I went in.

I cast the revelation spell and attacked the wards slowly. I was confident of my skills after training with Penumbra. When I removed the first ward I felt of rush of excitement. If I could remove the two wards adjacent to this one, I'd have a large enough hole to pass into the building unhindered. I blinked the sweat from my eyes as I worked on the second ward. A sudden flash of light within the top floor nearly caused me to fumble. I halted my progress and looked away from my work. It was a flashlight. Damn, someone was in the damn building when I shifted this part of it. I returned to my work and with a gasp of relief I removed the second ward. I felt the field collapse completely in the same way an electrical current would if enough of it were interrupted. Score one for me.

I took on the aspect of shadows and slid up to the roof and into the air conditioning duct. I followed my nose and soon was looking down through a grate at a darkened hallway. I was about to ooze through the grating when the beam of the flashlight appeared. A tall muscular man in a silk bath robe walked down the hall.

'Lex-fucking-Luthor!' I thought as the bald head passed directly beneath me. I passed through the grating with ease and attached myself to his shadow. Let him do all the work. He was cursing like a sailor as he tried to puzzle out what had happened.

"No power. No backup generator. Nothing outside. What the fuck is going on?" He rumbled unhappy at his current circumstances. "Got to check the vault. Superman... no, he'd never do anything like this. Darkseid... no we signed that nonaggression pact. Brainiac... no, he'd just take the whole damn city. Shade? This kind of darkness fits him well enough. Did he find out that I had it?" Lex Luthor raced down the maze-like hallways and reached the center of the penthouse. He let out a gasp of relief. He opened a panel and behind it a mechanical lever marked manual override. He pumped the level and a larger portion of the wall opened revealing the vault. The gleaming steel door must have weighed tons. Set just above the door a chunk of green kryptonite obviously to keep Superman at bay or weaken him if he tried breaking into the vault.

"Thoom!" A sound I felt more than heard crashed into Lex sending him flying.

I slipped out of his shadow and slithered up the wall so I could watch the confrontation. Lex got to his feet. A female figure floated into view as she passed through the walls and into the area illuminated weakly by the flickering kryptonite. She was an alien wearing a charcoal grey body suit with an odd geometrical design on it. She reminded me of the Teen Titan Starfire with her mane of blonde hair running to the back of her knees. Was she a Tamaranean?

"Who are you?" The woman asked of Lex as she raised her right hand and wisps of dark shadowy energy formed off it and took on the shape of a giant black gauntlet which grabbed Lex and gripped his entire body.

"Lex Luthor, why did you do this?" He fired back and she squeezed her hand tighter. Lex let out a scream of pain.

"You! You are the one that invaded my domain Lex Luthor!" She snapped. "I see. Someone else is responsible for you intruding upon my realm."

"Lovely lady," Lex went on the attack using his good looks and charm now. "I am sure we can work together on this problem."

"Hmmph, I am Sharrand'r of the Shadow Corps and you are my guest for the moment." She replied releasing her grip and dispelling the construct she had created.

"Shadow Corps... is that anything like the Green Lantern Corps?" Lex asked his voice dripping with disdain.

"You've heard of them have you," Sharrand'r stated unhappily. "We are not as well-known as them or our sister corps the Yellow Lanterns."

"They represent fear. What do you manifest sweet Sharrand'r?" Lex asked oozing sensuality.

"Despair, dear sweet Lex," she growled as the floor beneath the supervillain changed to darkness and he slowly began to sink. I'll give him this he mastered his fear fast enough. "As I suspected, you don't feel despair. You are no fun." She pouted and yet he continued to sink. "I have no need for you however, what is inside of here I wonder?"

"Back off bitch," Lex snarled.

"Ha, you show your true face Lex Luthor," she chuckled. "Let's see what you are hiding."

She leveled her power ring at the door to the vault and fired off a bolt of shadow energy. The bolt reflected off the surface of the metal and burnt through one of the other walls leaving a smoking hole. Not to be deterred she fired off energy grapples to try and rip the door from its massive hinges but again the energy could not find a grip and failed. Enraged she took aim at Lex, but he just smiled as he slowly sank into the pool of darkness.

"Open it!" She screamed.

"No. Now who is feeling despair?" Lex laughed.

"Fah let you die I will," She said changing her tactics.

"You won't. Your threats are empty when I'm the only one that can open the safe." He said and I heard the mental ding in my head.

"We aren't alone sweet Lex," Sharrand'r purred. "Something is watching us from the shadows. Come out." She ordered so I did. I crawled down the wall and the movement was enough for her to spot me. I slid along the floor towards Lex's exposed head. I didn't manifest until I was right next to him. I borrowed the shape of the little shadow demon I had summoned earlier. I made a production of it and stuck my clawed hands out first, made as if I was ripping the darkness apart before I thrust my body through the gap.

"Tada!!" I said in the best deep and gravelly voice I could muster. I smiled revealing the brilliant razor-sharp teeth for added pizzazz.

"See Lex you only rate a paltry third-rate shadow demon," Sharrand'r laughed as I ran my hand over his bald head. "What is your name?"

"You can call me ZZZZZZed sweet cheeks," I replied as I stuck out a foot-long tongue and wiggled it for her. She in turn fired a blast from her ring which I easily dodge. "Missed me."

"I forgot how annoying your kind can be," she snapped. "Now... about you opening the vault."

"Not happening," Lex said continuing to defy her. I sat and placed a hand in the swirling dark vortex that held the supervillain trapped. I used my newfound Negamage skills and slowly tapped into it and changed its nature and destination. Instead of leading into an abyss it was a portal to the floor just below us. I'll give it to Lex. He never gave the game away.

"Can I eat his eyes at least?" I asked playing up the annoying demon role. "I could pop one out easy as... I can see by your expression that the answer is no."

"Go away, you are annoying me." She snapped.

"Fine..." I snarled as I leapt to my feet, jumped into the air, and 'accidently' landed on Lex's head and pushed him the rest of the way through the portal. I prepared to dodge her attacks as she snapped and went after me.

I dove into the nearest shadow and the real fun began. I taunted the hell out of her as I teleported from one spot to another. Since I was in the shadow dimension it cost me no stamina or mana to do so. I had her utterly enraged by the time Lex showed up sporting his custom power armor. The real battle commenced now. Sharrand'r and Lex went toe to toe and energy blasts were everywhere. As Lex triggered his boot jets to follow her, I opened a portal back to New Gotham and in a tick had the vault all to myself. I took the sweat I had gotten from Lex's scalp and used it to mimic his form perfectly. I placed my hand on the vault door and a scanner manifested and confirmed my biometrics were in fact those of Lex Luthor. With a hiss of massive pistons, the door slowly opened, and I stared at Lex's most prized possessions. Of course, he had a complete set of the different types of kryptonite. There was enough raw wealth he could run off and live like a king for the rest of his days. My quest marker locked onto a large plain wooden box. I touched it to claim it. It went straight to my inventory and the quest was ready for completion. All I had to do was deliver the box to Han. I cleaned out the vault and closed it. I reverted to my shadow demon form and returned to the real world.

Sharrand'r and Lex were still at it. I reversed the large portal returning the top of the building to New Gotham. I teleported to the rooftop where I had summoned Ted the shadow demon only to find the Dark Knight himself watching the battle between Lex and Sharrand'r.

"HMM," Batman harrumphed. "Is this your doing?" He asked me without even looking directly at me.

"Maybe." I admitted. "Her name is Sharrand'r and she is a member of the Shadow Corps. Green Lantern may want to know she exists."

"Yeah. He might." Batman grumbled as I eyed one of his batarangs for a trophy. No guts no glory I thought as I shifted to shadow form and slid into his shadow. I felt his intense awareness focused all around him. If I wanted to pull this off, I needed to distract him.

'Ted. You still around?' I sent silently.

'Yeah boss, you never dismissed me. What do you want?' He replied.

'Is there a fancy black car parked nearby?' I asked failing to hide the humor in my voice.

'Yeah. Boy is she a beauty! You want me to mess with it?' Ted the shadow demon asked with an equally mischievous tone in his voice.

'Do it!' I ordered. 'Then run like hell.'

'Got it boss!' Ted gleefully replied. Soon the air was filled with the sound of claxons and an automated voice warning anyone nearby to desist in their activity.

"What the hell?!" Batman cursed as his attention was focused on his precious car. He never felt me lift my prize from his utility belt. MINE! I joyfully thought as I teleported back to the alley near the coffee house. I reverted to human form and walked in so that I could deliver the first of the three quest items. I set the box down in front of Han and he opened it for all of us to see. A burnished gold statue that looked remarkably like the Maltese Falcon was within.

"What is that Han?" Rick Deckard asked.

"The stuff that dreams are made of," Han replied doing his best Humphrey Bogart. "It is a statue of pure Nth metal. The artist calls it the... wait for it... the Millennium Falcon." We all groaned. One down two to go. "Hold on, I didn't want the statue I wanted what is inside of it." Han said his voice trembling as his eyes welled up with tears. He jabbed his thumb into the left eye of the statue. An opening appeared in the back. Han tipped the statue backward and a honey colored stone tumbled out. It was plain and uncut, but the Force aura around it was potent.

"Lightsaber crystal?" I asked and he nodded as he tenderly picked it up and clutched it to his chest. I felt a rush of power and looked behind him. I saw Leia's force ghost standing behind him with her hand on his shoulder.

"I can almost feel her," Han said his voice cracking.

"She is here Han," I stated, and his head swung up.

"Tell him how much I love him," Leia whispered.

"I know." He said before I could tell him.

"God, I hate it when he does that." Leia said with a smile. She stood there a moment longer before fading away.

"She's gone." I said and Han wiped his eyes and thanked me. With one hand he clutched the crystal and with the other he pushed the statue in my direction. I took it and placed it in my inventory. I decided to take on Dr. Jones' quest next. I turned to leave and came face to face with Batman. If I was to judge his mood by the way his jaw was clenched, he wasn't happy with me.

"Hello detective," I greeted him, and his response was to extend his hand.

"Tracking chip," he grumbled as I handed over the batarang. He squeezed the center and I heard a click and he opened the hinged portion of it. He extracted the chip and closed it up again. "Here. You've earned it. Your little friend didn't do any real damage, but he did run me ragged. Ha. What a great workout that was."

"Thanks." I replied.

The Dark Knight turned and left. He jumped into the batmobile and drove off. I checked my HUD and locked onto the next quest location just as an announcement hit it.

'Trophy Earned: Bested the Bat. Trophy Earned: Falcon in Flight.'

I left the coffee house and headed south towards what Indiana had described as a black-market collector. That was a particularly vague description. New Gotham was in fact three interconnected islands, the northern most island was Uptown, the middle which held the coffee house was Midtown, and the southern island where I was headed was Downtown. I activated my web shooters and was soon swinging from building to building. I reached one of the bridges that crossed the Finger River and entered the Diamond District. A prominent sign welcomed me to Old Gotham. My quest marker hung spinning in the air as if it had malfunctioned.

"What the hell?" I cursed as I tried to figure it out. To the right and beyond the whirling icon was the bright blue W of Wayne Tower. To the left was the clock tower for Old Gotham. I got to higher ground by climbing to the top of office building I was clinging to. I sat on the corner facing the icon and looked down. The icon hung over a private park for the wealthy occupants of this district.

"You too eh?" A sultry female voice purred behind me. "I like the view." She continued as I turned my head and saw the infamous Catwoman, Selena Kyle. Damn how she filled out her costume.

"I like the view too." I replied and she smiled. "Sit?" I patted the spot next to me. I was genuinely surprised when she joined me. "What can you tell me about the park?"

"The Old Gotham Park? If you like ghost stories, rumors abound about it being haunted. The stories go back to the founding. I do love a good ghost story, don't you?"

"Absolutely," I replied. A peregrine falcon that was nesting near the top of this building took flight. I guessed that it was hunting for food for its chicks. It winged its way directly towards the park and then suddenly banked to the right for no apparent reason. "Did you see that?"

"Yeah, that was weird." Catwoman agreed.

"I wonder." I mused. "Could there be something hidden?" I thought aloud and gestured. I invoked several spells until I attacked the invisibility curtain itself. I siphoned off its magic and bled it off as fireworks.

"Ooh! Ahh!" Selena purred placing her hand on my leg. "Pretty!! What the hell is that?!"

"A wizard's tower I believe." I said. "There is the source for all of your ghost stories."

"Ooh, think of all pretties in there!" She growled her hand moving more daring now. "I get all hot and bothered when I think about it. So, how do we get in?" She asked. "I don't see any obvious openings."

"We?" I chuckled as she gave my erection a gentle squeeze. "Fine. We teleport in of course. Have you ever done that before?"

"No, but when we get out of there, I'll show you what I have done before." Selena promised.

"That is what they call incentive," I growled. "Okay, let's go. Listen, we are going to be dealing with magic. If I say to do or don't do something listen to me for your own sake."

"Okay... I don't even know what to call you." She purred in my ear.

"Ghost believe it or not." I said. "I know you by your reputation, Catwoman."

We got to our feet and I attempted to use far sight to pierce the exterior of the tower. I ran into a resisting force. It wasn't a ward, it was a living mind, the mind of the owner of that tower. I pushed to discover his identity.

"Fe... Felix..." I gasped as I wrestled with him. "His name is Felix... Fa... Fau... Faust! Ha! Felix Faust owns yonder tower. Ever hear of him?"
"Nope... shit! Get down!" She cursed as three of those flying police cars arrived and played their spotlights on the tower. "Well fuck! We won't be getting in now."

"Wrong," I whispered in her ear. "Felix's attention will be on the cops now. Still want to go?" I asked and she pinched my ass cheek. "Okay, hold on sweet thing." I said as I placed a hand on her shoulder as I pierced the veil inside of the tower. I aimed for as close to the top of the tower as I could. "Here we go."

We arrived in a brightly lit hallway. Torches set into metal sconces illuminated everything. I used my HUD to track down my target, the Philosopher's Stone. I cloaked my presence in a mixture of magic and tech. Selena used what few shadows were available to hide in. We stalked down the hall until we reached the steps, steps that led up. I touched her shoulder and she stopped instantly. I performed the revelation spell and found the traps set onto the steps. I took out a piece of Vorpalite and using a silver tool and etched a single rune on its polished surface. It would allow me to store mystical energy into it. Who knew I might need it? I disarmed the traps and siphoned the raw magic into the crystal. The blue stone now glowed with a dull sapphire pulse.

We moved upwards and I kept the revelation spell maintained. This corridor was made of a darker stone and spiraled around the exterior of the tower at a shallow upward angle. By the time I removed all the traps leading to the main chamber the stone was blazing with power. Selena was crouching with her ass thrust in my direction.

"It is some kind of library," She whispered. "He is in there. I can smell him."

"This has been too easy," I growled. "It is a trap."

"Hey, Ghost... I trust you." Selena said her voice low and serious. She crept into the main chamber while I went full stealth mode. I had the plasma caster online and brought up the tactical readout on my mask. I wiggled my fingers in anticipation of a mage duel. Selena went off to the right side sticking to the wall. I kept a watch on her but stayed out of the range of most area effect spells. Faust struck quickly and with a venomous laugh.

"How dare you," he growled his voice coming from all directions. "A woman invades my sanctum!"

Selena was sealed away in a diamond stasis spell, impressive. Felix gloated over the pretty bauble he had captured and put on display. She gave him the finger and sat in her expensive prison. I felt his spells looking for me and I suddenly realized just how much he relied upon it. He probably didn't lift a finger if he could conjure it to him.

"You took the bait," I whispered using Kaia-Jutsu sending echoes everywhere.

"So, you didn't come alone my pet," Faust growled angrily. "Where are you?" He asked and I passively followed the voices back to their source. There you are!

"Everywhere!" I laughed as I locked onto Faust using the plasma caster. His reaction was a knee jerk response. The pulse of magical energy shot out from his body and I put one of his bookcases between me and the wave form. "Reveal yourself!" He snapped.

"Um... No." I said and Selena laughed as she lay back and kicked her feet in the air. "I call upon the demon Ted, to fight my foe and slay him dead." I incanted the summoning spell. A portal to the shadow plane opened and not one but dozens of the short squat demons poured through the opening.

"We are here boss!" One of the demons called out.

The perfect distraction came to my rescue. I fought the urge to laugh and sent out a locator spell to find the Philosopher's Stone. I didn't find the stone but what I did find was an incredibly powerful source of magic. It was Faust's version of Lex's vault. Did all bad guys think the same? Faust was blasting the little demons to bits and sending them back to their home plane of existence. I thought about using the Crimson Bands spell, but would it work? Was Cytorrak even here? Instead I went old school. I drew Death Kiss from its sheath, and she was eager to feed.

I left my hiding spot to find the walls teaming with shadow demons and a nearly overwhelmed Faust. If I read his expression right, he was about to cut loose with an area effect spell. I dove back and two sounds quickly followed one another. The first was a loud whoosh or thoom, and the second was the cry of dozens of demons being utterly wrecked. The portal snapped shut and a panting Faust was left for me to tidy up. I had my first look at Faust. He was thin of build, but it was more than that his limbs, fingers, and entire being had a long thin theme going on. He had the classic bad guy look with his black hair, goatee, and expressive eyebrows. His blue robes hung loose on his emaciated frame giving him a gaunt appearance. He reminded me of a Shakespearean actor playing an age worn sorcerer.

"Still there Faust?" I called out.

"No thanks to you," he snapped. "Where are you?"

"Here," I said and revealed myself.

"Ah ha," he declared cheerily until his eyes settled on the moaning rune sword. "What in the hell is that?" He asked his lower lip trembling. That answered that question, no rune swords in this universe.

"Come here and find out," I said, and the color drained from his face.

"No. Demons Three!! To me!!" He howled in fear. Three ten-foot-tall demons manifested and looked from him to me and Death Kiss.

"What in the nine hells is that?" The tallest of the demon brothers asked his voice faltering.

"I have no idea," the middle brother added which just made Faust's mood all the worse.

"We are the Demon's Three," the youngest brother declared. "Let's get him and look over the trinket later."

"Right!!" The other two agreed and the battle was joined.

As we closed ranks the plasma caster spoke nearly decapitating Faust with its lethal blast. While he healed himself, I dropped a smoke bomb and waited for it to envelope the area. The cloud was technological in nature and beguiled the supernatural beings. While they cursed about not being able to see I used their voices to close in on them. Death Kiss met demon flesh and she drank deep.

"My soul!!" The demon struck cried out. His brothers went on the offensive and I was forced to pull Death Kiss from the wound.

"More!" She moaned. "I like demon!" She purred delivering utter moral devastation. When the cloud of smoke cleared the triplets had fled the battle.

"Fuck this," the youngest called out already halfway to hell. "You are on your own Faust."

"Cowards!!" The sorcerer screamed after them. His face burnt but healing from my attack. I on the other hand was fresh and ready for anything he threw at me. "I yield! What do you want?"

"The Philosopher's Stone plus a little something for my female companion." I decreed.

"The stone... I just acquired it. If it will get you out of here... fine." Faust grumbled as the healing spell slowly worked to restore him. I kept him in front of me as he led the way to his mystical vault. I brushed against the diamond prison and unceremoniously drained the magic from it freeing Selena. She snarled at Faust, but I urged her to let him repay her for his bad behavior. He walked us right into one of his many traps and I missed it. I was so damn sure he was beaten that I dropped my guard. The intricate spell circle flared to life under our feet.

"What the hell is this?" Selena cursed as we looked down at the scintillating golden design.

"It is a spell circle. I've never seen anything quite... my voice... aw fuck." I said as I looked down at my new body. "A little cliché isn't it?" I asked when I conjured a mirror. "Marilyn Monroe... really?!"

"I had a crush on her a few years back." Faust explained.

"A few years... do you even know what year this is?" I asked still getting used to the new voice.

I sat down and examined the circle more closely while Faust ranted, raved, and gloated. While I felt my mana diminished, drained away by the circle's enchantment, I still had full access to my other abilities. I folded time slowly to find the heart rune attached to the circle. Faust was still ranting when I isolated the rune and waited for him to do something stupid. I'll give him this he was patient. He conjured up a comfy chair, sat down and waited until my mana bar zeroed out. Faust didn't move until a half hour after that.

"Just in case," he muttered. "Now that you are properly pacified, we'll let the fun begin."

"What the hell does that mean?" Selena growled and he just smiled. "Nope, not going to happen."

"They all say that at the beginning," he replied in a creepy tone of voice.

Time to go, I thought. Faust rose from his throne shaped chair and rubbed his hands together. He turned and left. He wasn't gone when Selena spun on me.

"Get me the fuck out of here... now!" She snapped nearly hysterical.

"I can't do anything," I said with a wink. "All of my magic has been drained by the circle."

"Are you kidding me?!" She screamed playing for our audience. "Why the hell did I follow you in here?" She continued as I took out the glowing blue stone. I quickly wrapped both hands around it to conceal its radiance and folded time to the moment the first rune was placed upon the floor. I took power from the stone and carefully unmade the heart rune. The circle collapsed instantly its magic flowing into the stone restoring it. My mana began to regenerate and with a gesture I cast an illusion of the magic circle. Selena and I slipped away while our illusionary selves sat and bitched. I wanted inside his vault and then after that there would be hell to pay.

It was easy to find the vault now that he thought us helpless. Faust was busy planning his little three-way soiree and I hoped to have enough time to rob him blind and then punish him. The safe that Faust had constructed was the epitome of high magic. It existed in its own dimension just outside of ours. It required me folding space and time to gain access. While Selena watched my back, I bent my full attention to the task at hand and yet in the back of my mind one thought. How the hell did he create something like this? The circle was intricate but nowhere this level of sophistication. Nothing he had done smacked of this power level and yet here it was. Faust was hiding something, and I wanted to find out what it was. The enchantments on the vault proved slippery but nothing a little time and patience couldn't overcome. I brought the safe into our dimension and levitated it to the floor. The rune marked treasury was a six-foot cube on all sides. The second layer of security proved equally daunting. I was about to unlock it when it hit me.

"Son of a bitch!" I cursed and stopped what I was doing. I brought up my defenses and vanished from sight.

"Damn it!" Faust growled from his hiding spot.

"Well played," I snapped as I sought him out. "You stole the vault. You couldn't open it, but you had barely enough talent to shift it to your tower. Clever."

"I'm no mere hack. I can summon the Demons Three!" He shouted.

"Magic always comes with a price, how much did that little trick cost you Faust?" I asked and I felt his mood shift. Despair oozed out of him. That kind of despair is like a flame for the moth, a moth named Sharrand'r of the Shadow Corps. The energy beam cut through the roof of the tower sending stony shrapnel in all directions. Faust got the worst of it. He was cut in a dozen places and one fist sized chunk struck him in the head. Faust dropped like a felled tree. Sharrand'r hovered into sight but she wasn't alone. Oh, the two females didn't know one another but they both entered the chamber at the same time. The Shadow Lantern floated down and remained there in the dusty atmosphere caused by her violent entrance. The other, well she manifested in a blast of blue-violet hell fire. The newcomer was tall, slender, and if it weren't for her obvious demonic heritage, I would have been less fearful of the outcome of this encounter.

"Wake up Faust you filthy thief!" The demon growled as she gestured, and his injuries vanished. The sorcerer woke and I could tell he wished he hadn't. The demon walked in a circle around Faust facing him the entire time. I spied the bright white line that ran from her neck down to her half-exposed ass cheeks. Her crimson skin made her spine stand out even more. She had pronounced horns that looked like they were fashioned of obsidian. They stood out against her fiery locks. "You, mortal slut, what are you doing here?"

"I was hoping to find something of value to steal." Selena said frozen in panic by the sudden appearance of a demon and the floating woman.

"I like your honesty and your motivations. Feel free to search this area and take whatever you fancy." The demon said and Faust flinched but didn't argue.

"What are you going to do with him?" Sharrand'r asked the demon. "I want his despair."

"When his sanity is broken and all that remains of him is despair you may harvest it. I may be a devil, but I am not a greedy one." She explained. A devil?! "I am Glasya, daughter of my lord and father Asmodeus. He stole from me!"

I looked at the safe and recognized the diabolical characters protecting it. No time like the present. I examined them closely and as I was taught went slow and identified the key runes. As the devil and the Tamaranean haggled I disarmed the web of magic around it. A soft creak indicated I had successfully accomplished my goal. The conversation ended and I glanced up. Both women were looking at the safe. Lucky for me the door to the safe was facing away from them. I tugged the door open and it let out a long drawn out squeak. Shit! Can't be helped now. I grabbed everything in the safe and teleported into the far corner. Sharrand'r used her ring and lifted the safe up and spun it around. When the open door came into view Glasya screamed in a rage.

"Thief!!" She shrieked as Faust laughed.

"Marilyn did it," he chuckled half mad at this point.

"Marilyn...?" The devil hissed with lethal malice in her voice. "What is her last name?"

"Monroe," Faust said and to the devil's astonishment she found that he wasn't lying.

"She's dead Faust! She is burning in hell! Like you, she sold her soul." Glasya raged and yet his mind was clear. Somehow Marilyn Monroe had robbed the safe. "Our thief is invisible."

"I will find her," Sharrand'r declared as she raised her hand with her power ring. A shadowy beam was projected as she passed it all around. I timed my teleportation as close as I could. "She took and went."

"Leaving her companion behind, how unfortunate for you my dear," Glasya threatened but Selena had grabbed her treasure and fled. "Damn!" The devil laughed. "Greedy enough but not stupid. I can't help but like her."

It was time to get the hell out of Dodge. I had gotten the contents of the safe, but I checked my HUD just to make sure. The quest was unfinished, and I bit down the curse fighting to get out.

'Remove the Philosopher's Stone from false bottom in the safe.'

Fuck! I felt the rage and so did Glasya. Devils apparently were gifted empaths. She picked up on my anger and laughed.

"She is a he, and he is still here!" The devil roared in triumph. I had no choice. I pulled Death Kiss from her sheath and she purred in anticipation. "Come out come out wherever you are."

I tossed one of the standard smoke grenades and teleported inside its confines to make a grand entrance. Glasya and Sharrand'r greeted me with drawn weapons. In the Tamaranean's case it was her power ring and the devil had a smoking barbed whip in her left hand. Glasya's curiosity outweighed her blood lust.

"I do not know those runes," the she-devil purred.

"Allow me," Sharrand'r stated as she played the light of her ring over the flat edge of my blade.

"Unable to identify. Runes of unknown origin." Her ring said sounding almost annoyed.

"Impossible!" The Shadow Lantern cried out until the devil placed a hand on her arm.

"Not impossible... if he isn't from our universe." Glasya declared and then continued. "There are many worlds and he must be from one of those."

"Very astute," I said. "I am just visiting since the window between our worlds is limited."

"How are we going to settle this little dispute?" Sharrand'r asked.

"First, before he slips away," Glasya snapped as she gestured at Faust. Corpse like hands rose from the floor, gripped him tightly, and drug him screaming downward. "I can focus on you and your weapon now. Why does it moan like that?"

"It feeds off the souls of my enemies. Ask the Demon's Three if you doubt me." I said while Death Kiss yearned and shifted in my grasp.

"I believe him," the Tamaranean gasped uneasily.

"As do I," Glasya replied equally unnerved. "What shall we do?"

"I propose a non-violent solution to our disagreement." I said and waited for them to puzzle out my offer. Of course, the way I eyed them up and down and the devil's empathy it wasn't long before she purred.

"He wants to procreate with us," Glasya moaned.

"I don't think so, I am no slut!!" Sharrand'r snapped.

"I am. I prefer fucking to fighting a weapon whose enchantment is a danger to me. Leave or stay Tamaranean, I will listen to his offer."

"Fah, I... fine... what is your offer?" Sharrand'r asked reluctantly.

"I fuck the two of you senseless and I take my prize and leave. If I can't make you climax say three times each then I will peacefully relinquish what I have taken from the safe." I stated watching their reactions. If I were to judge their individual reactions Glasya seemed open to my offer. Sharrand'r wasn't won over so quickly. She had that 'I don't know' expression. "Two cocks?" I added and the Tamaranean's mouth fell open.

"Bullshit!" Sharrand'r snapped and I called up the Double Dragon and tugged down my armor. "Whoa!!"

"Ha, I accept your challenge!" Glasya announced as she tugged off her armor and setting her weapon off to the side.

"I... shit... I can't pass this up." The Shadow Lantern admitted as she used her ring to absorb her costume.

"Okay, how do you want to..." I asked as I dispelled my armor. They dropped down to their knees and crawled over. "Okay... show me what you got."

"Challenge accepted," Glasya cheerfully purred. "Ahhhh mmmmm!!" She snared half the length of the top erection easily.

"Watch this!!" Sharrand'r moaned as she pushed her lips against the lower cock and her head moved slowly but unerringly forward until her lips touched the base.

"Oh damn," I whimpered as they competed. Selena's head poked out of the opening in the ceiling. She watched the competition with her long mane of dark hair hanging free. She tugged her goggles from her eyes and watched.

'What the fuck?' She mouthed silently and frowned. "Harrumph!! Someone is stealing my cock milk!!" She said as she dropped down lightly and peeled off her body suit. Selena watched the other two suck me off. "I thought we had something special. I thought you wanted to..." I kissed her into silence, and she pressed close in response.

"On your back mortal," Glasya ordered. "It is time to mount you."

"You heard her," Sharrand'r moaned. "I need it... give it to me."

"You heard them, on your back," Selena urged.

"As you wish," I surrendered. "Glasya on top, and whoever wants on the bottom one, and the third can sit on my face if she wishes."

"Me on top, why?" The she-devil asked her ruby colored eyes smoldering.

"Simple. I want to watch your faces when you ride me." I admitted. "I like to see if I am doing a good job or not."

"Pride. I love pride." She agreed. "Watch me as I let your cock penetrate me." She moaned as she placed a finger on either labium and slowly pulled her pussy lips apart. She was soaked. Glasya took me in her free hand, aimed, and bent her knees. "UNNNN!! Thick!" I let out a moan at how damn tight she was as the Tamaranean repeated what Glasya had done.
"So, this is what Earth cock feels like," Sharrand'r squealed. "I like Earth cock very much!" She said rather cheerfully and out of character for a harvester of despair.

"Hush," Glasya urged. "Just ride him already." She said as an overwhelming sense of wrongness caught my attention. "God damn he is hitting deep. I thought... never mind... Selena shouldn't you be... Selena?"

"Right here," Selena said as she held up the Philosopher's Stone and winked at me just before mounting my face. "Eat me out!!" I did. I used the serpent tongue technique and slid deep into her soaked sex. "Holy... how are you doing that?! No, don't stop... just... Oh Yeah!! Just like that!!"

Sharrand'r was pounding her hips up and down working up one hell of a head of steam. All the while joyously declaring the love of Earth cock. Then things hit a small snag when Selena flipped around to face Glasya. The two began kissing as they ground against my erection and face respectively. That is when the second clue was dropped in my lap.

"Careful... your wig is slipping." Selena whimpered as I split my tongue and attacked both openings. "UNNNN... two... his tongue just split in two... he is tonguing my ass now!"

"Fuck the wig... I want him to tongue my backside too!" The Tamaranean jealously whimpered. "I'm going to..." She shrieked as she climaxed and at the same time a bright green flash lit up the room. Did all of them have optic blasts like... no way... Selena got off me and I got a look at Sharrand'r without her blonde wig. I whimpered as I saw the long cascading mane of red hair.

"Starfire!" I cried out as the Teen Titan spun to face me.

"Damn it," Glasya snapped as the illusion disguising her shattered. The busty pale skinned titan continued to ride me slowly.

"Raven!" I moaned as she squeezed her pussy muscles tighter still.

"He knows us friend Raven," Starfire cried out smiling. "Will he still make us climax the allotted times?"

"Oh yeah he will," Raven giggled. "Look at his expression. He wants to wreck us."

"Wrecking with cock is good?" Starfire asked. "Ooh, he just got harder and thicker."

"There's your answer," Raven moaned as I tweaked the dimensions of my erections for them. Selena took her turn with the lower cock and 'friend' Starfire shoved me down and planted her pussy a few inches from my face.

"Let me see you... ooh... slowly... my ass has never been... mmmm I like the feel of that." She moaned. "I like it when you do that. By X'Hal his tongue is getting thicker inside of me!"

"I can't wait," Raven added as she slammed her hips down now. "Don't fret none of us is what you'd call fragile. Are we?"

I didn't treat them like porcelain dolls, more like crash test dummies. I pushed their limits and a bond was formed from it. In the end we fucked until damn near midnight. I'll give Faust this he had one hell of a 'harem' entertainment room. It included I huge bathroom. The Japanese style Onsen or hot spring fed bath was a nice spot to soak and chat.

"Why the disguises?" I asked once we had settled in.

"We were attempting to infiltrate an extradimensional gang of demons trafficking in humans." Raven explained. "We got wind of it from a friend of mine, Constantine. He drops by when things get too big for him alone to handle. This was one of those times."

"So, what is Lex Luthor's part in this?" I asked and Starfire's jaw fell open.

"How did you... Friend Two Cocks you are amazing!"

"Ghost, you can call me Ghost," I said but I think she preferred her own nickname for me. "I was hired to liberate a treasure from Lex's vault."

"Did you? Did you get in?" Raven asked knowing just how intelligent and paranoid Luthor was.

"Yep. I gave it to its rightful owner." I replied. "Was Lex connected to the demons?"

"No, that proved to be a false rumor." Starfire pouted.

"You had the courage to face him though, that isn't something that many would do." I said and she smiled. "Where is Faust? Not in Hell."

"Well, yes... I used my father's power and sent him to where he belongs. You have no idea the sins hanging on his soul." Raven stammered. "I'll live with it."

"He sold his soul, it was inevitable." I said and watched a sense of relief radiate from her.

"He is right Friend Raven," Starfire agreed with me. "His soul was no longer his own."

"Am I the only one whose ass stings?" Selena asked giggling. "I know my butt is tingling."

"I too have a tingly butt Friend Selena!!" Starfire declared as she sent a wave outward as she rushed to her feet and thrust her bare ass towards the middle of pool so that we could all see her sphincter. "See!!" She gleefully grabbed her cheeks and pulled them apart.

"Cut it out Starfire," Raven snapped clearly embarrassed. "No one wants to see that."

"I do." I said and Raven glared at me for encouraging Starfire.

"Friend Two Cocks loves my butt." The Tamaranean laughed as she backed up and sat in my lap. "Someone is excited."

"Jeez, put her on a leash," Selena joked and instantly regretted it.

"A leash! Ooh, I have seen Nightwing's naughty books about such sensual rituals. Are you going to tie me up now?" Starfire asked as she wiggled against me.

"Aw hell," I whimpered as my body reacted to hers despite myself. "Be careful or you are going to... UNNNN... too late."

"Eep!" Starfire gasped and fell silent as both erections penetrated her for the fifth... sixth... hell I lost count. "Naughty Starfire."

"How the hell can he get it up again?" Selena asked as they stared at us.

"I do not know," Raven whimpered as her empathy picked up on our pleasure. "I will punish you when we get back." She threatened Starfire but she seemed too far gone to care.

"Oh, here is your stone," Selena stated as she handed me the Philosopher's Stone. I showed her the contents I had taken from Faust's safe. She picked a few small items as her reward. "Whose vault was that really?"

"A villain who goes by the name of Brother Blood." Raven replied as Starfire began rocking her hips slowly. "Take your time sweetie."

"I am." Starfire moaned. "I have a gift for Friend Two Cocks." She added her voice dreamy and soft. "Here, I found this in Lex's office." She said as she handed me a snow globe.

"How did you get into his office?" I asked and she squeezed me into silence. "Never mind." I shook the globe and looked as the faux snow fell over the cityscape within. It looked like New York City specifically the harbor. I saw the icebergs, lots of tiny figures coming out of the water, and one huge creature that towered over the warehouses. Starfire's howl as she climaxed made me drop the globe and hold her close.

"That was intense Friend Two Cocks, shall I get up?" She asked as I slipped my arms around her waist and slow fucked her in an almost casual manner. "Foreshadowing. Tell me about the other Titans."

"Well, there is Nightwing, she is our leader most of the time. She trained under the Batman for many years. Cyborg, she was in a terrible accident. Her father saved her life by using alien technology. Last is Friend Beast Girl, she can change her shape into animals and hybrids. She is green."

"Hybrids?" I asked.

"She gets that from her Osirian father," Raven explained as I absently played with Starfire's tits. "Beast Girl is half Osirian and so she can blend animal and human traits."

"So, she could be half dog and half girl." I moaned as I felt my orgasm getting close.

"Friend Beast Girl loves doggy style!" Starfire moaned. "He is getting bigger! I love it too!" She added. "I think he's going to..." She whimpered as I cried out as my loads splashed her insides. Starfire's body bucked above me, and I held on tight.

"Damn." Selena purred.

"We need to go Starfire, or we won't ever return to the Titans." Raven warned.

"Can I get a goodbye kiss," I asked as Starfire and I disentangled ourselves. Selena shook her head, but Raven dismissed it. She stood and I savored one last look at her luscious body. I gently cupped her cheek and to my surprise she leaned into my touch. I kissed her softly at first. She kissed me back and after that I slid my hand up allowing my fingers to slide into her ebony locks. I made a fist and the kiss deepened. I waited for her to break the kiss, which she did eventually.

"You are dangerous." Raven gasped. "It is time to go."

Raven took a step back, smiled, and then a bird shaped aura enveloped her and the others to leave me standing there alone in the Onsen. Epic level exit I thought as I bent and searched for the fallen snow globe. I couldn't find it. Perhaps it had a time limit for me to examine it or it really was simply foreshadowing. I sat back down and looked at everything I had managed to gather over the last two missions. Most were objects for collections due to the limited time of the event. I did like the full set of kryptonite, that would make a nice display piece. I looked at the Philosopher's Stone and its abilities. It could convert low end materials to rarer at a cost. It would be a great addition to my crafting table, but I had to hand it over to Jones to complete the quest. Maybe I could find something akin to it later.

After a nice long soak and savoring the pleasant memories it was time to see if Selena had left anything of value. It was clear that Catwoman was a practiced thief. There was little of value as far as rare metals or gems. There were books aplenty but most of them were of little value. I was feeling tired and saw that my stamina bar was low. Sleep was the only way of recharging it at this point. The master bedroom had cleaned and changed the sheets by itself. I slipped under the covers and dropped off to sleep quickly. I woke after the allotted time had passed. At first light I woke alone with a yellow sticky note stuck to my chest. It read...

'If you play your cards right, we'll see each other again.' It was signed friend Starfire.

I took a nice long shower and as I was drying off, I smelled freshly brewed coffee. I wrapped my towel around my waist and slipped into what passed for a kitchenette. I half expected to find Raven or Starfire or even Selena but instead there was a young woman with green skin at the sink facing away from me. Her verdant pigmentation didn't stop at her flesh, as lovely as that was, no, even the long mane of hair was a deep emerald green. She sniffed the air and wiggled her butt.

"You are awake. There is coffee!" She offered. "They call me Beast Girl," She purred as I moved to stand behind her.

"Quite nice of you to make me coffee," I said, and she pushed her ass against me. "May I?" I asked as I slid my arms around her waist. She whimpered and I took that as a yes.

"I heard the four of you had a good time last night." She pouted. I brought my hands back until they settled on her hips. "Mmm?" I slowly raised my hands letting them slide along her flesh allowing them to slip beneath the apron. "MMM!!" She began trembling as my fingers were mere inches from cupping her impressive breasts.

"Beast Girl?" A voice said as the necklace she was wearing projected a hologram over the sink. The cute female cyborg, half human half machine, glared at the green skinned shapeshifter. "Bad girl... naughty girl... where are you?" Cyborg asked.

"The sorcerer's tower," Beast Girl whimpered as I brazenly cupped her huge tits. The apron hid the action, but it was clear something as going on.

"Why are you there?" Cyborg asked but continued before Beast Girl could reply. "Never mind, you are in heat again, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Beast Girl replied as my erection dislodged the towel which fell to the floor. Nothing stood between her bare ass and my weapon of choice. "Eep!" She yelped as the shaft settled between her ass cheeks and I began kneading and teasing her breasts. "Hey mister, are you into F..." and that's when she dropped the F Bomb, Furry. It related to her main power of being able to transform into animals and human animal hybrids akin to the Egyptian pantheon. Raven hinted that she might be related to those ancient beings.

"Are you in danger?!" Cyborg asked and then saw Beast Girl's expression. "You are needed here..." She declared as Beast Girl's rocking hips teased us both. "We believe Trigon might be trying to penetrate the earthly realm." Cyborg said her voice softening becoming sensuous. "Don't you understand how hard this situation is? We could find ourselves up against the wall and in 'deep' trouble." Precum was oozing out now lubricating her cheeks and making things dangerously close to it sliding into her by 'accident'. "I wish you could see your face right now... hold on... you can." The hologram became a video mirror. I could see how flushed Beast Girl's cheeks were and the dreamy look in her eyes. A new voice came over the comm.

"Beast Girl... what the hell?!" The voice accused. "Get back here right the fuck now! We are looking at a massive breach! Don't you get it, we are looking at getting our asses handed to us."

"Nightwing... just twenty minutes... for the love of..." Beast Girl begged as I conjured the Double Dragon. "No shit... you've got two?! You are breaking up... Beast Girl... IRK!! Aw gods... my ass... my poor pussy."

I had pulled out and slid into her easily. My HUD dinged but I ignored it. Her instinct took over and she shifted. Her demeanor and voice changed drastically. This new shape was the perfect aspect of the goddess Anubis. My HUD chimed again, and I was sure it had something to do with doggy style.

"Fuck me Ghost man," the avatar of Anubis once Beast Girl demanded.

"Bend over bitch," I said unable to resist the joke. She walked her feet backward until her spine was parallel with the floor. I moved my hands from her tits to her ass cheeks. "Crash test time," I chuckled as I slapped her on the ass and began pounding her. "Giddy up!" She let out a strange sound that seemed to be a blend of shock and pleasure. It was her way of saying 'how dare you' when she had lost the power of speech. The hologram vanished and I focused on Beast Girl. "Still with me?"

"UNNN HUHHH!! Harder!" She demanded as I slammed into her. I adored the way her full round ass rippled when we collided.

"Ocean motion causing a commotion." I sang softly as I picked up speed. "How's that?" I asked as I slid my fingers into her hair and pulled her hair back for a kiss. Our tongues dueled as the sound of jet engines could be heard faintly at first but getting louder by the second. "What the hell?"

"Cyborg, greedy bitch... I am getting close... don't stop!" She said her voice cracking as she pleaded to climax. "Make me cum!"

"Can I shoot inside of you?" I asked and she squeezed her internal muscles in answer. "UNNN!! I'll take that as a yes. So damn close... you are trembling... beg me."

"PLEASE!! Make me..." she howled as I pulled back and slammed into her. My loads pulsed into her and she came with me. I held her close and stroked her throat gently.

"Good girl... you were amazing..." I said as I heard the jets cutting off and metal struck stone. "We have company. I better skedaddle." I whispered in her ear as I pulled out. "I have a delivery to make."

"You just made a delivery silly man." Beast Girl purred. "Call me." She said handing me a small jeweled ankh. Ding! My HUD chimed a third time.

I teleported up to the roof just before Cyborg made an appearance. I could hear her cry of frustration from here. Best to cultivate passion with absence I thought. I sought out the shadows near the coffeehouse and slipped away. It wasn't until a cool breeze hit my nether bits that I realized I was still naked. Beast Girl or Anubis had really knocked my socks off. I used the cleaning cantrip and washed up instantly. I donned street clothes and walked in for my first cup of coffee. Apparently my first mug was forgotten and mislaid back at the tower. These things happen.

"Somebody got lucky," Doctor Jones said as he walked up looking disheveled.

"You or me?" I asked and he laughed.

"Both I guess," he replied. "You got that I just got my brains F'd out by a goddess."

"You are a lot closer than you know Doctor." I said when the man in front of me wearing a bright red bow tie giggled and bit back whatever he was about to say as he reached up and adjusted said tie. "I reclaimed your museum piece."

"Excellent work, we'll make a tomb raider out of you in no time," Jones stated with a brilliant smile.

"I think of myself more of as an ARK," I replied.

"What is an ARK?" Jones asked as we moved up one in the line.

"It stands for... Archaeologist Researching Knowledge, ARK." I explained.

"Ooh good one young man," he laughed.

A few minutes later the two of us sat at another table and sipped out drinks. Jones drank his coffee black. I chose a sweeter concoction with chocolate and whipped cream. My HUD chimed with the quest complete music. I pulled it down and read my messages. Trophies earned Beast Master, doing her Doggy Style, and Enter the Tomb Raider. I wondered if Lara might make an appearance at this point. I won't lie, I had a crush on her when I was younger. The Teen Titans alone were running me ragged in a great way. I opened the quest for Doctor Jones and instead of handing over the Philosopher's Stone he wanted something called the Mysterium Obfuscatus. When I cleaned out the safe, I just smashed and grabbed. I sorted my inventory by date and at the top was the Ankh of Anubis. About midway down screen was an uncut jewel titled the Mysterium Obfuscatus. It had powers but they were question marked out. How had I missed it earlier?

"Here." I said and handed over the gem.

"Glorious," He whispered clearly in awe of the stone. "This will be at the heart of the Hightower Collection. Nathanial Hightower was a generous soul and a great archaeologist in his own right."

"You admire him," I said, and his face became crestfallen. "I'm sorry."

"No... no, he was one of my mentors. He inspired me to be a better person." Jones said with a bitter smile. "This has been one of my pet projects since he passed." He needed little prompting to talk about the great man himself. I split my attention between Jones and the other folks in the coffeehouse. One of the servers slipped out the front door and returned five minutes later with two Styrofoam containers. She brought those over and set them on our table.

"Professor Jones, I'm sorry to interrupt. Are you hungry? If so, I went down the block to the deli and got you both a nice English breakfast." She stammered, faltered, but eventually got the words out as her cheeks turned deep crimson.

"Thank you, that was very sweet of you," Jones replied as he reached for his wallet. "How much do I... Oh, thank you!"

"Yes, thank you..." I said fishing for her name.

"Ayanna, Ayanna Dubois," she replied with a gentle smile. "Oh, the police are here."

I looked outside and sure enough one of those flying cop cars was settling to the earth in a column of grey smoke and flashing lights. The gull wing door opened, and Rick Deckard climbed out. He gestured to the driver in a back and forth for about a minute. Deckard strode in but instead of heading to our table he placed an order and got that before joining us.

"Jones." He stated in a very official tone in his voice.

"Deckard," Doctor Jones replied.

"I thought you'd like to know," Deckard began as he turned to face me. "Sorry if this is a little old school," he apologized as he reached into his jacket and retrieved a folded piece of paper. "I printed this out for you. It is the notice that bounty hunters like you are being given by official government sources." He explained as I took the paper and unfolded it. If I was expecting a clear image of the replicant I would be hunting I was sadly mistaken. Instead I had a statistic sheet that showed the range of shapes she could assume. I read the entire report and was confused at the corporate logo stamped above her Nexus 8 rating.
"Weyland-Yutani?" I blurted out.

"Oh that, there was a recent buy out and the Tyrell Corporation is basically defunct. Weyland-Yutani now owns all rights and means for creating synthetic humans. Unfortunately, this didn't happen until after Project Ink was green lighted and its single product was already manufactured and escaped from its holding cell."

"Why the hell would anyone make a replicant that could shapeshift?" I asked.

"On the one hand it is the perfect pleasure model, get bored of one face or body style and with her it isn't a problem. On the military side of things, she could infiltrate enemy troops with ease and do a serious amount of damage posing as anyone from an unsuspecting technician to a high ranking general." He said smiling weakly. "Good luck finding her."

My third and last side quest activated and both Jones and Deckard left together leaving me alone at my table. I reread the document and noted that her only crime was escaping the lab. She hadn't hurt anyone, yet. A clever shifter could hide anywhere and if they were especially smart never reveal themselves. I had my job cut out for me. I pondered ideas on how to draw her out and reveal her true nature. After breakfast I decided a little foot tour might help me clear my head and see how much work the dev team put into this place. Maybe it was spending time with Doctor Jones, but I found myself right outside the New Gotham History Museum. A sign by the front door advertised the latest display of pre-Columbian artifacts discovered by a Professor Croft. Was she in town or were this just her discoveries? I wandered in.

I heard someone speaking and used that as my guide. A small well-dressed crowd surrounded the very Vincent Price looking fellow that was describing the display with a cultured voice, subtle yet leading hand gestures, and a friendly smile. This latest site had yielded some groundbreaking objects and opened a whole new window of understanding of the culture and their beliefs. The guide moved on to the next display and near one of the outer walls was a free-standing metallic frame that cycled through not just the museum's attractions but others as well. One of those being none other than the ultra-popular Numenor's Star Wars full dive game. I was confused as to why they'd be advertising within their own game unless I wasn't inside the main game continuity. Was I playing my way through one long ass commercial? Curious I blended with the crowd and listened to them, not the guide.

"Jim, this is amazing," one woman whispered excitedly. "I can feel everything! I can smell your cologne."

"Wait until we hit the strip club, you won't believe how real that is going to feel." Jim replied with a lecherous grin.

"You dirty old man," she replied. "I feel thirty years younger, no pain, no aches... it is a miracle."

"Do you think she'll show up," Another woman asked her partner.

"I hope so, I've been a fan for years," the other woman replied. "To see Lara Croft in the flesh would be epic."

The other conversations were similar but one thing I was able to glean from snippets was that they were all executives and a few owned or were on the board of major film, comic, or entertainment companies. It was clear that Numenor was expanding and this was a pitch of sorts. We were moving to the next location when a single gunshot silenced the guide. The gunman aimed his weapon at the group and threatened them. I was about to change when one of the women urged her husband into action.

"Here's your chance! Go get him!" She snapped.

"Oh, of course," he said and suddenly a Green Lantern hovered in their midst. "Stand down evil doer!" He said unsure of himself. The gunman fired and the bullet struck his protective aura and dropped to the floor. "Ha! Take that!" He said and an emerald beam struck the gunman melting his weapon. Soon a band of ruffians and superheroes were exchanging blows, beams, and even spells. I was the only one that didn't change, this wasn't missed, and I was called out on it.

"Oh, I say, why didn't you join us in combat?" The heavily armored hero asked. I did my heroic transformation and many of them recognized my Ghost Fire persona. "Is it really you? They promised a meet and greet with actual players. Ah, I get it, you didn't want to spoil our fun. Well played young man, well played indeed."

"Are you really 'the' Booker," one of the ladies asked blushing noticeably. "I've seen some of your more playful footage."

"That is part of the game play," I stated, and she didn't appear put off one bit.

"Would you be willing to share some of your latest adventures?" Vincent the tour guide asked. "There is a scheduled event on the roof if you'd like to attend. I'm sure the others wouldn't mind."

They didn't. We all powered down and found we weren't the only group in the museum. Thirty or so others were already seated and being entertained by Lara Croft as she narrated one of her holographic adventures. Each table represented a different corporation or company. The only outlier was a single table with three nondescript men. Unlike everyone else their avatars were plain and wouldn't stand out in a crowd. Ironically that very blandness made them stick out. I left the group I was with. While they got settled, I stood off to the side observing the dynamic. The odd man out table was the sole group not interacting with Lara and the others. Why?

It didn't take me long to figure out what the trio had in common that the others didn't, their rings. Each of the men wore an identical signet ring save the letter was different. The design though was the same and were the same as the ring given to me by Kat. The jewels on mine were different as was the metal but the overall shape and form were indistinguishable. There seemed to be a discussion among them and one of them shrugged, stood, and approached me. He didn't introduce himself but offered me a seat at their table. I shook hands with them and the silence that followed was profound.

"Nick's heir at last," one of them stated with what could only be described as relief.

"Kat is his..." I said in her defense.

"Not that heir," another of them interrupted. "Nick and his father and their long line of ancestors were members of a brotherhood. A brotherhood that embraces your membership to this group. Welcome home Brother."

"I don't understand." I said when the man sitting to my right gently placed his hand on my wrist pinning my hand to top of the table. He used his other hand to touch the two stones on either side of the crest. The top of the ring flipped revealing the hidden crest. He let go of me and I brought the ring up close. The hidden crest was a triangle fashioned of three swords and within the All-Seeing Eye.

"Welcome to the Order, the Order of Chthon." The man on my left intoned with a deep tone of reverence.

"You will be contacted outside the game to explain the benefits and duties as a member." The man opposite me explained. "We'll meet again at the strip club."

They vanished as they logged out. What the hell just happened?! Order of Chthon? Was Nick part of something like the Masonic Lodge? A flashing icon in the upper right-hand corner of my vision told me that Surfer wanted a private conversation. I clicked on the icon and she created a solitary space for us to speak.

"I knew this time would come." Surfer stated. "Once the nanites accepted you it was like a ticking clock. They would eventually find out your biological relationship to Nick."

"Who are they?" I asked and she hesitated before answering.

"You have to understand what you've been dumped into. This is a life changing event Booker." She said and then reluctantly explained the nature and brief history of the Order of Chthon. "They have existed as long as human society has. They have ruled in the shadows for millennium. They are an unbroken bloodline of control and influence that no one has ever heard of thanks to the Hidden Master. He is one of the three key figures that oversee the direction of the order. The Eternal Master is the guiding light or pharaonic figure. The Grandmaster runs the day to day business. The Hidden Master keeps prying eyes away and maintains internal security as well."

"Whoa. So, I am taking over Nick's spot in this group whether I want to or not." I said feeling the weight of the burden.

"Yes." Surfer said. "There is more. Let me introduce Wraith. He is a custom A.I. that served as Nick's surrogate and is uniquely qualified to explain what I have withheld so far." A masked and robed avatar manifested and regarded me for a moment before bowing from the waist.

"I am your humble servant. Transferring control protocols to you Master." Wraith intoned with what sounded like the weight of the world being taken off his shoulders. "May I share with you as mere words cannot possibly suffice?"

"I... yes of course." I said and he walked within touching distance and placed the palm of his hand against my forehead.

"Transference commencing." He stated and the images and other sensory data hit my brain with surprising gentleness. It felt like forever for all the information to be passed onto me. When it ended, he stepped back, and the burden was squarely on my shoulders.

"I am the Hidden Master. Aw shit." I cursed and Wraith laughed. "Show me your face." Wraith removed the mask and Nick's smiling face greeted me. "Explain. This is going to take time for me to process all of this."

"Nick cloned his mind into my construct. I have his memories. I think like him. He created me so that I could appear as the Hidden Master so that he could attend meetings where both of us were due to appear. It would quickly be noticed that Nick wasn't there when the Hidden Master was. I will continue to act as your surrogate, but I will also fulfill any agenda you wish to initiate."

"Thanks. Like I said this is overwhelming and I need time." I said.

"I am thrilled to be of help." Wraith replied. "I will contact you as needed."

"Of course." I agreed and he vanished. "So, Nick isn't gone just dead."

"I suppose you could view it in that context," Surfer said watching me intently and apparently not seeing me react a certain way continued. "We are here for you."

"We?" I asked and I had a flash of a host of A.I.'s custom made by Nick during his most brilliant time. Each A.I. served a niche purpose and aided him when it came to the emotional development of artificial persons. I knew I was tapping into the download given to me by Wraith. I had an army at my disposal, and they were eager to share who they were and what they had been up to since Nick's physical death. "I'll get to all of you in time." I promised and that is exactly what they needed to hear. "Back to the game." I needed something normal to cling to. I joined the others and sucked up their adoration. Was it cheap, yes, but damn it felt good?

I threw myself into socializing just so I didn't have to think about the Chthon Trio as I thought about them. Lara stood close while I shared adventures that wouldn't have spoilers or were generic enough for the executives to get the idea of how the game functioned. I showed how skills and powers were set up and improved. You could see the excitement in their faces.

"Any questions?" I asked after my impromptu lecture.

"Is the sex really that good?" One of the ladies asked.

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." I replied.

"Excellent!" One of the men called out.

"For Lara, are you dancing at the club tonight?" One of the men asked.

"Absolutely, I'd hate to disappoint any fans." She purred with hands on her hips. "You have a platinum membership by the way," Lara whispered in my ear as the audience pondered other questions. "It gives you full benefits."

"Lucky me," I whispered back.

"Booker. Are you dancing at the club?" A woman asked and soon the others were leaning forward expectantly.

"I... I'll try." I replied and they whooped and hollered.

"I'll make it up to you," Lara purred in my ear. "Any other questions? If not, we can move to the limos and head over to the club."

I followed Lara. Her ass was amazing! We reached the limos in short order and I sat next to Lara much to the jealousy of the men with us. That is when Lara invoked her sensuality, control as well as teasing. She stood and walked to the middle of the extensive back seat. The moon roof slid open and a soft breeze blew her hair. She reached up and ran her fingers through her short brown mane.

"Perhaps you prefer longer hair to hold onto," Lara purred as she was suddenly sporting hair that hit mid back. "Not long enough." She moaned and with another gesture her hair was now down passed her ass cheeks. "Any leg men in the audience?" She asked and ran her hands down the sides of her legs. The tight jeans she was wearing were gone and now she had on a knee-high skirt. She turned and thrust her ass out. "Not short enough?" She crooned and eyes glazed over with lust as the skirt transformed to one that hit mid-thigh. Lara raised her arms, gripped the edge of the open moon roof, and pulled herself up and sat on the roof with her knees together. "What a view."

"You are telling me," one of the men growled with a wolfish grin. She had them eating out the palm of her hand. We arrived at the club and the driver came around and opened the door. Lara and the ladies left the limo first with the men close behind. I shouldn't have been surprised to see that the establishment was named Penumbra's Gentlemen's Club. It looked classy from the outside. Lara took my arm and we led the guests inside. The interior reminded me of the Old-World men's clubs like the Diogenes Club from the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There was plenty of dark wood, brass fixtures, and comfy couches and chairs. The bars and stages were deeper in the building.

The servers greeted us with smiles and plenty of skin showing. The executives placed their orders while I picked out and named the servers by name.

"Harley Quinn, Tracer, Elastigirl, her I don't know," I said pointing to a busty brunette.

"Ah, in that case," Lara purred as she called the server over to our table. "Sara. I want you to meet a friend of mine." The sultry green eyed lovely sauntered over with a smile on her lips. "Sara Pezzini this is one of Numenor's best players, he goes by Ghost. Sara is the bearer of the Witchblade." Sara held up her right wrist where she wore an elegant jeweled bracelet. A heartbeat later her right arm was encased in organic steel and adorned with much larger jewels.

"Impressive." I said and she reverted the gauntlet back to its bracelet form.

"What can I get you?" Sara asked and she took our drink order and I watched the other servers work their tables. The male servers were equally popular. Wives and girlfriends settled together around tables of their own and the flavor of the evening was brewing and building. I got excited when new characters arrived and joined the tables. It wasn't just comic book heroes and villains but those from games, books, and film. Numenor was going all out selling their product to these folks. I won't lie a lot of these characters looked sexy as hell. Pity this was just a limited event.

"Friend Two Cocks!!" A voice called out as Starfire soared into the room and landed in my lap. Beast Girl was right behind her and dove under the table.

"Two cocks??" Lara intoned with a deep throated purr. "You just never know."

"Surprise," I said as Beast Girl popped up and sat next to me. "Speaking of surprises, where's the rest of the team?"

"Here," Raven announced. "Let me introduce those you haven't met yet. This is our team leader Nightwing." I raised my glass to the tall athletic brunette. "This is Cyborg apparently you two just missed each other."

"Was that you?" I asked and Cyborg's eyes narrowed. "Sit, drink, let's enjoy the show."

"We have to make the rounds, all of us," Nightwing snapped. "We'll be back."

"Farewell Friend Two Cocks," Starfire declared loud enough for everyone in the club to hear.

"Tell me... Friend Two Cocks... can you fit me in later?" Lara moaned.

"It could be a tight fit," I shot back.

"I sure hope so." She agreed. "Ooh, it looks like Cap has found a new friend." Lara said inclining her head at one of the women's tables. Captain America was clad in only a pair of biker's shorts and a smile. One of the ladies was tucking a tip down the front of his shorts.

"I feel like this is going to be an interesting evening." I suggested.

I was well into my second drink when the DJ came on and introduced the first performer. Since this was a mixed crowd I wondered if he was going to alternate or would they have more than one stage active at a time. Lara was called up to the center stage and the men rushed it while I went to the bar for another drink. The female bartender wasn't there but no fear a familiar mechanical figure dropped down from the ceiling.

"Would you like some cake?" GLaDOS asked in her snarky mechanized voice. She reminded me of a mix of HAL from 2001 a Space Odyssey and one of the robots you find at a car assembly plant. The articulated head and body swung about to face me.

"No, I would like a beer." I replied waiting for a biting comment or condescending remark about my hair or something.

"Are you sure, you are getting a little thick around the middle." She fired back as her robotic arms poured a perfect glass of Guinness.

"Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaace!!" A spherical robot zipped by my head as it orbited the club twice before vanishing.

The thundering pulse of dance music filled the air as a newly costumed Lara Croft took the stage. She was clad in a black mesh body stocking and felt my jaw drop. GLaDOS reached out and touched my jaw.

"She's okay I suppose," the A.I. chided my reaction to Lara. Lara attacked the pole like it was a long-lost love and the male crowd ate it up. I did too, I won't lie. Soon she was hanging inverted with her thighs wrapped around the pole. Gravity tugged her breasts down and I found myself chewing my lower lip. "You are next hero." GLaDOS informed me.

"Aw hell," I cursed. "I'll go pick out a costume." I muttered as I walked by one of the tables with the eager crowd of women. "I'm up next."

"Sweet! Yeah! Fucking A!!" They cheered as I hit the dressing room. It wasn't what you'd expect. There were showers and a toilet but instead of individual rooms there were four full length mirrors, two on either wall. I touched the surface of the nearest one and my image was displayed on it.

"Suggestions." I uttered the command. A series of ridiculous costumes flashed slowly which reminded me of one of my neighbor's sisters and her impressive doll collection. I settled on a mockup of the DC character Doctor Fate. The robes were held together by Velcro and the helmet was in fact a two-way material that didn't hinder my vision at all. I even added an Ankh tattoo over my junk to entice the ladies. "Membership levels. Women with a silver aura can touch nonpriority areas. Women with gold auras can rub anywhere but not grope priority areas. Red auras can do whatever you are comfortable with including oral if you wish." The mirror explained. "Update... all the female guests have upgraded to red level memberships. Good luck cowboy."

"Thanks," I said and turned as Elastigirl walked into the room. "Damn girl, you are looking hot!"

"You say that to all the MILF's." She replied. "Lara is on her second song the ladies are going to eat you alive. They got you on stage two, the runway. Knock 'em dead."

"I'll do my best." I said feeling nervous at not only being on display but having husbands and boyfriends watching me as well. One of these folks was a Nexus 8 replicant that could shape shift. How the hell was I going to find her?" I wondered if they smelled differently. Only one way to find out. I moved behind Elastimilf, slid my arms around her waist, and took in her scent. "You smell incredible!"
"Stop that or you won't be able to dance. You'll be balls deep in my throat and begging me to let you cum! Damn it Ghost, the warning light is flashing. Get going!" She cursed with a smile on her lips and panting as heavily as I was.

I slapped her hard across one ass cheek and headed for stage two. The whistles and shouts were dying down as Lara finished up her last song. She was naked, covered in sweat, and never looked better. I could smell her excitement as well as theirs. The song ended and she turned away from them and bent over to collect her tips. One of the men coughed and she spun around. He held a ruby colored chit. Lara dropped down to her knees and crawled over to him. All eyes were on her. She closed the distance between them, and he traced her lips with his thumb. Lara opened her mouth wider and snared his thumb between those pouty lips of hers. I watched as her cheeks caved in as she applied suction.

"I can't wait to play with you later," he moaned. "I'm going to break you." He said and handed her the chit.

"Promises... promises... old man," Croft whimpered as she turned, thrust her ass skyward showing how soaked she was. When everyone had, had a nice long look she slithered off stage and there wasn't a soft cock in the audience.

"Damn." The DJ called out. "I don't know about you, but that was intense. Speaking of intense, we have someone special for the ladies at stage two. He's magical, he's mystical, show some applause for none other than Doctor Fate!" A simple pyrotechnic spell and I teleported onto the stage to thunderous applause. The first song began, and I decided to show off my athletic skills. I had never done this as a male avatar. I went more of a gymnastic routine. The ladies didn't seem to mind. I heard a tone in my ear followed by a female voice.

"Blue chit is offered," she moaned.

I slowed down and saw the buxom elf chick waving the chit in the air. I walked over to her, she stood up and I pointed to the release for either side of my pants. She clenched the chit in her teeth as she slowly tugged the scratchy sound of Velcro could be heard. Once both sides were free, she gave them a good strong tug and held them aloft like a victory flag. I felt the cool kiss of cold air hit my bare legs. The ladies went crazy, so I kissed her, and she used her tongue to pass the chit to me. I stepped back and continued dancing as a bidding war between four of the women began. They wanted first chance of removing the material covering my obvious bulge. To up the ante I removed the top portion of my robes. I danced a little more before getting into a handstand near the end of the stage and doing the splits. I looked at each of them and wondered if the Nexus 8 was among them, but I didn't see any hints of glowing eyes or other odd behavior or unbidden shifts.

'Ding!' My HUD indicated that the bidding war was over. 'We have a winner.'

She was on her feet rubbing her hands together. Her avatar was a blend of Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian in body type and general appearance. She must have spent some time carefully combining the best of the two. Still inverted I walked to the very edge of the stage. She made a production of the matter and used her teeth to free first one side and then the other. My erection now freed slapped her under the chin. She had spent enough and had the right membership level to be able to do what followed.

"Watch ladies," she moaned as she placed her hands behind her head, opened her mouth, and stuck out her tongue. She snared the tip between her lips and swirled that talented tongue and had me whimpering immediately. She pushed her head forward slowly. She stopped and licked and sucked for a bit before moving forward again. Soon my cock was balls deep down her throat.

"Cum... cum... cum...!!" The others chanted and I began shaking.

I fought to maintain my balance as I felt my toes curling. I warned her and she grabbed my ass cheeks and face fucked my erection and luckily her hands helped me maintain my balance. I howled when I climaxed, and she swallowed every damn drop. There was a popping sound as she lifted her head breaking the suction. She thrust her fists skyward and roared like the conquering champion. The other ladies joined her as I rolled backward and onto my feet.

"He's still hard!" Someone shouted.

"Again... again!!" The chant erupted.

"Damn, that was amazing," I stated and began dancing as the second song began. "Who's next?" I asked and a second bidding war began. I continued dancing and teasing while two ladies threw down some serious bids to blow me.

'Ding... We have a winner!' The voice whispered in my ear. 'Dealer's choice cowboy. You are in control.'

"Get up here," I ordered. The woman was short, barely five feet in height with a great curvy body and covering it a shimmering symbiote suit. I pulled up the details for the costume and smiled. "Where oh where did you get that?" I asked her as she stood in front of me.

"I paid through the nose," she moaned. To power up her abilities she had to get aroused. The suit did just that. The softest touch was amplified and turned her into a drooling mess.

"Watch and learn ladies," I called out as I moved behind her and cupped her tits. The woman let out a loud guttural cry. "Her costume makes my touch five to six times more intense." I explained to the crowd. I pinched her nipples and she climaxed. "How is your gag factor?"

"What gag factor?" She fired back. "Do your worst."

"Ooh!" The crowd reacted.

"Knees... now!" I ordered and she dropped and knelt for me. I cupped her chin gently as I tilted it until her mouth and throat we properly aligned. I straddled her face, pushed my cock until it was aimed towards the floor. "Open wide slut." I said and her eyes closed while her mouth opened. I slid between her lips and began thrusting. The audience went ape shit. I thought the guys were a wild bunch. The ladies were hooting and hollering while I fucked this gal's throat like it was her pussy. She was letting out some interesting noises. "Aw damn that feels amazing!"

"Blow... blow... blow!!" The ladies took up the chant. I warned her I was close, and her hand touched my ankle. I took that as she was ready. I howled as I came, and she swallowed like a fiend. I staggered back and every eye was on me. The entire club was on their feet after that one. I needed a break after she sucked me dry. The lady got to her feet, threw her arms around my neck and kissed me.

"I'm in lust." She whispered in my ear.

"I got one more song to finish. Maybe we can share a shower." I offered.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She agreed.

"Last bid ladies," the DJ announced, and it was hot and heavy. "Your chance for a private dance from the Ghost."

This was an after my performance event. I scrolled around to information about this event that was now being thrown around and it was indeed several corporations vying for using Numenor's capabilities to push their product. Many weren't adult orientated games or experiences though. I got that. Most of the games out there were R rated at the worst for blood and violence. To finish off my last dance I once more got into a handstand, but this time I shifted to a one-handed position. There were oohs and ahs as I pushed up from a flat hand against the stage to fingertips.

As the last notes of the last song hit the air I levitated upward and when I was high enough I backflipped onto the stage and took a bow. More thunderous applause and I left my only gig that night. I was met by the lady that had purchased some alone time with me. I was, like Lara before me, covered in sweat and she seemed to find that quite enticing.

"I was going to shower," I said, and she smiled. "Would you like to join me?"

"That would be lovely," She whimpered as I offered her my arm. "I had no idea this was so real."

"How is it measuring up to expectations?" I asked and she placed her head on my arm. "I'll take that at a yes. Do you mind if I ask which company you represent?"

"We have a demonstration tonight. I hope you like it. I had a hand in its creation." She said as her fingers brushed my erection. "Are you a comic book fan?"

"I inherited my cousin's comic book collection when I was a kid. There were a lot of golden and silver age comics. You know like Batman without Robin when he was straight up vigilante. Superboy comics and the like."

"Interesting," she purred. "Oh... hey!!" She gasped in surprise as we entered the showers and Starfire was showering off what looked like an impressive amount of spunk from all over her body.

"Friend Two Cocks," Starfire greeted me. "I saw your performance, very nice."

"Two cocks?" The woman next to me giggled. "Really!"

"It is a gift," I said. "What happened to you Starfire?"

"Um..." she said and counted using her fingers. "A fivesome with me as the center of attention. The intensity of human hormones was quite intoxicating. I will be done soon if you wish isolation."

"Privacy," I corrected her, and she smiled.

"She can watch if she wants," the woman purred in my ear. "No touching though, you are all mine."

"I leave that up to her," I said as her arms slid around my waist from behind. "What do you want?"

"I'll whisper it to you," she growled as she pressed her naked breasts against my best. I listened closely and nodded. This was a full-fledged fantasy she wanted to take flight for her. "Got it?"

"Just say when." I replied coolly.

"When." She stated as she walked around to face me and lift her chin and lock eyes with me.

"Why are you here?" I asked instigating the beginning of her wet dream made manifest. She instantly dropped her gaze, knelt and dismissed the flimsy costume for a web woven of rope, restraints, and blindfold. She didn't have a gag. I had other plans for that mouth of hers. "You presume much. You come into my presence for punishment or training."

"I have sinned." She whispered. The long black hair of hers and pale creamy skin reminded me of someone, but I couldn't figure it out. That wasn't important, I'd figure it out in time. I reached out when a red dot flashed in the corner of my vision.

'Warning: Virus Detected! Quarantining Malicious Software! Quarantine Protocol Successful.'

"Surfer... Surfer? Damn it. Traci?" I called out aloud.

"Right here boss," Traci responded as she manifested.

"A virus was detected can you isolate and find out what it does?" I asked.

"I'm on it!" Traci said as the woman at my feet cursed and stood up.

"Virus? What are you... no! Damn it all to hell! What the fuck?!" The woman screamed. "No... stop... is anyone listening?! Arghhh!!" Her shriek cut through the air. "Damn it," she spat as she slowly calmed. "The event is early!"

"Wait a moment please," I suggested as Traci broke down the virus' code.

"It alters the log off protocol," Traci explained. "If anyone is infected with this and they are killed in game or attempt to log off they could be seriously injured."

"Is she serious? This isn't roleplaying." She asked.

"No, stay here," I urged. "Traci is working on a solution." I said as a loud boom sounded outside.

"Oh no, he's here!" The woman declared as the colored drained from her.

"Who?" I asked as the entire building shook.

"Darkseid!" She whispered. "We are all going to die."

"Stay here, I'll take care of this... I hope." I said as I armored up and summoned the Darksaber to my grip. I prayed Traci would be able to isolate and find a fix for the virus quickly. I held no hopes of handling someone like Darkseid alone. If the others joined in, they were risking injury or possibly death. "Who would do this? Who would benefit?" I asked myself when Traci flagged over twenty former Numenor programmers now working for other comic book and gaming companies. She was correct of course. This had to be tied to the programmers fired from Numenor. It was the only thing that made sense. I raced into the main room and the nine-foot stone skinned giant was surrounded by all the transformed superheroes. I was sure the others had no idea what kind of danger they were in. "No. Don't. Everyone back down please." I said and they looked at me confused. "Trust me, for now, we need to talk this out."

"Are you sure?" One of the Green Lanterns asked.

"Absolutely," I said, and they backed down. I couldn't tell them the truth without causing a meltdown or uncontrolled panic. "Who are you?" I asked Darkseid trying desperately to buy time.

"I am Darkseid!" He said his voice was power incarnate. "I have come to conquer and destroy. I knew she wouldn't show her face here." Darkseid growled and then turned his undivided attention on me. "When you are dead the others will fall in line. When you ruin someone's life there is a price to be paid."

"You are one to speak of ruined lives. How many did you take advantage of? How many did you violate and leave a wreck? Fuck you, you dickless wonder!" I snapped my emotions slipping their leash.

"They were no one," he fired back, and I saw that those watching were confused and perhaps realizing this wasn't mere villain and superhero monologuing. "They had inconsequential lives, but me, I had a bright future and now nothing." He growled dangerously as his avatar's eyes glowed with lethal menace in them. "When I kill you, the world will mourn you but fear me, fear us!" He said cutting loose his jagged Omega Beam. The Darksaber moved and activated just as Nightwind had trained me. The bright killing blow was swallowed up by the hungry abyss within the black blade. "How?!"

"I am Ghost Fire motherfucker!" I yelled as I teleported behind him. I slashed at his back and if it had been anyone else, I would have one-shotted his ass. Instead I only managed to land a critical. He roared in shock and pain. Come on Traci, tell me you got a fix on this virus! I thought as Darkseid went on the offensive. That's a good boy, focus on me. I activated the ghost blade and spun the blade as a blistering volley of optic blasts reached out from all directions. "Not bad." I gasped as I managed to survive his first major assault.

"Worm!" He roared as he backed off as his power recharged. I wasn't about the let him get off easy. I attacked and he defended effectively as he ranted. "I don't care if your body is in Eastern Europe. We will end you." He grunted as I switched up my attack style holding the dark elf technique for the killing blow. What the hell did he mean that my body was in Europe? He was clearly mistaken. "It wasn't easy, but we tracked you from the U.S. through that damned gate network to Berlin and then eastward. It won't matter in the end. The signal your MBI puts out can't be hidden without severing your connection to the game and since you are here it is my honor to end you." Those words alarmed the gathered executives and they made the connection between my words and his. If they fought and lost something bad might happen to their bodies.

"Done!" Traci declared aloud for all to hear. "I've inoculated everyone."

The man playing Darkseid faltered and I backed off. I gestured and the heroes let out all their fear and aggression on the monolithic villain. He tried to defend himself but, in the end, there were simply too many of them. They did grant me the killing blow. The Darksaber sliced deep and Darkseid's head tumbled to the floor in a nearly bloodless strike. The game entered a maintenance mode with us in it, just in case. No hint of the virus remained but after just a few minutes the all clear was given.

"Drinks are on me." I hollered as the Chthon Trio approached me.

"Well played Ghost," the leader greeted me. "You saved quite a few important lives here today. If I had any doubts about your ability to get things done, I repeal them. Good luck finding the replicant."

"Do I have to kill her or simply name her?" I asked.

"Hold the phone," the shortest of the trio gasped. "You know who she is?"

"Absolutely," I replied. "I was so frustrated and confused earlier by so many possibilities but after fighting Darkseid it became clear to me who it was. Name or kill?"

"A simple name will do Ghost," the third of the trio stated coolly but curious as well. I leaned close so that only they could hear and uttered the two syllables. "I'll be damned. Yes. You are quite right. How did you discover it was her?"

"She is the only one that shapeshifted in front of me." I said. "I've been looking for subtle changes that didn't include costume changes of course. She did it right out in the open in front of me and others. I don't think she even consciously realized that she did it."

"Enjoy the rest of the evening. I believe you have unfinished business." The leader informed me as the woman that had won the bid for my attention stood at the door of the room marked private.

"Work... work... work..." I chuckled as I left the trio. "Let's do this." I told her and she smiled.

The party finally broke up deep in the A.M. but before dawn. I wasn't tired so I washed up, put on street clothes, and walked back to the coffeehouse. I had a lot on my mind. Could I be tracked by my BMI, brain machine interface? If so, why did he say my body was in Eastern Europe? I feared logging out before I spoke with Deckard and finished the last of the three quests. I hated leaving things unfinished. The city was dead this early. No one was on the streets or in the alleys. You'd think the criminal element would be more active ah well. The coffeehouse was open for business by the time I arrived. As I reached the front door one of the flying cop cars landed and Rick Deckard climbed out. He seemed in good spirits.

"I'll buy you a cappuccino." I offered.

"Um... no, plain old coffee is fine." He replied smiling.

We walked in together and I ordered while he sat at his table. While I waited for our drinks Deckard was joined by the others. Solo looked anxious as he leaned back in his chair. Doctor Jones had a thoughtful if contemplative expression on his lined features. I was handed a tray with five drinks on it. I carried it over and set it on the table. They each took their beverages and I reached for mine.

"Who does that one belong to?" I asked when a slender hand appeared and plucked the last drink from the tray.

"That would be mine," Lara said. "How the hell did you know it was me?"

"You changed right in front of me inside the limo," I said.

"I went from jeans to a skirt. How did that tip you off?" She fired back testily.

"That's not what did it." I said and paused but she didn't seem to remember. "You altered the length of your hair."

"Shit!" She cursed. "I was so caught up in the empathetic loop to realize. His lust was so damn strong." Lara stated as she blew across the top of her drink to cool it. "Naughty thoughts." She said her eyes twinkling at me.

"Always." I said. My HUD chimed indicating I had finished the quest.

"I am glad she will be in good hands," Deckard stated as looked from me to her. "She's unique hero, treat her well. The company found it on a desolate world in orbit around Aldebaran. It was a real shit hole, but the derelict held a containment unit and in it a techno-organic compound. It formed the basis for Lara. To power it up a bit of stolen gadgetry, a Father Box. Show him."

Lara lifted her flimsy shirt and instead of washboard abs was a square device implanted inside of her. The Father Box was her primary power source and allowed her several abilities including the creation of 'hush tubes', silent portals between vast distances as long as she has the coordinates to the destination. As if some signal had been given the three fords drew their weapons and placed them upon the table.

"Choose," Lara said. "They are offering you the chance to carry one of the into battle." I eyed each of the iconic weapons. I could create a whole new persona just around one of these. Out of the three one of them stood out for me. She listed them off as I picked it up and handled it. "A DL-44 blaster pistol, or the PKD Series D Blaster, or the Smith and Wesson M1917 Revolver... make your choice." Lara continued.
"It has got to be the PKD blaster," I said feeling the weight and balance of it in my hand. The other two fords vanished, and Rick turned to face me.

"Great choice kid," he said addressing me. "Oh hey, I almost forgot... here." He reached into his jacket pocket and handed me a hand sewn leather square. "Open it up." He directed so I held the bottom and gave my wrist a flip. The badge holder unfolded and inside was a polished metal shield and engraved on it were the following words. 'Negamage First Class.' "Great job kid, maybe I'll see you out there. Good luck."

He placed his hand on my shoulder before turning to leave. I felt a whoosh of power as Lara opened a hush tube. Unlike the boom tubes I had seen in the cartoons this one was silent, shadowy, and difficult to see if you weren't looking at it straight on. Oh yeah, I was going to dig having this at my disposal.

Golden Goblin Press:

The other end of the tube resolved itself in Talia's living room. Another difference I noted when Lara and I stepped out of the hush tube was that loose papers, light objects nearby, or even the curtains over the windows were not disturbed by the manifestation of the portal. This was some serious stealthy technology. Talia was asleep on the couch and her current form resembled that of a Hindu goddess with her four arms wrapped around her curvy torso. Her eyes flickered opened and she smiled up at me.

"I was worried when you left." She stated groggily and proceeded to yawn. "Sorry. You made a new friend I see."

"Thanks for everything," I said, and she blushed. "I am heading off to the Golden Goblin Press. My gut tells me that it is a lynch pin to events." It might lead me to why Talia's brother killed himself. He knew he was going to die, but I don't know why, and I feel that was critical. Something bad was on the horizon and we were woefully ill prepared. Was it my ability to fold time that was giving me these feelings of foreboding?

"I can't leave with you." Lara declared. "But I can give you this." She said handing me a small cube. "Thank you, Booker you... you saved my life and I repay my debts."

"Thank you." I said as she vanished. I examined the cube and found it was the schematics of a simplified Father Box. Its main abilities were reduced to creating hush tubes while the one Lara possessed had many other abilities not included here. "It is a start."

I looked at the front door and hesitated. I had learned much and a lot of it I didn't like. What did he mean when he said my body was in eastern Europe?

"Sur... oh right... Traci are you still there?" I called out as Talia watched sleepily.

"I am here. What can I do to serve?" She asked as she manifested.

"Can you access my BMI?" I asked.

"Well, of course. I monitor its function on a regular basis." She stated confidently. "It is functioning quite normally."

"That is good to know. Can you back trace my body's location via satellite network?" I asked wanting to know if he had lied or in fact revealing a terrible truth.

"It will take time. The system is not designed for that function." She replied. "I will focus my full attention upon finding your body."

"What happened to Surfer I wonder?" I muttered aloud not really expecting an answer.

"I do not have the security clearance to answer that question." Traci stated and I felt a chill run through me. Surfer gone and Traci's security level diminished that didn't sound good. Had the men from the Order have anything to do with that? I would have to stay online so that Traci could track my body. I didn't want to logoff now. I couldn't lie to myself. I was terrified of finding myself on an examination table or worse. Better to move on and wait for things to resolve themselves in their own time.

Speaking of time, it was time to leave the House of Tohl. I stepped out into the real world and after being in the clutches of a timeless realm I would swear I could now feel the inexorable forward momentum of the normal flow of time. It was like standing in the middle of a fast-flowing stream and feeling its tug all about me instead of just feet and ankles.

'Steph,' I sent my thoughts her way. I did a search for the location of the Golden Goblin Press and teleported there. Once more a flash of red-gold flames announced my arrival. I was going to have to get a handle on that. A portal opened above me, and Steph drifted down.

"Hello, what's going on?" Steph asked planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Suicide at Avenger Tower. I am following up on a lead." I informed her. "The Tohl collection came out of here." I stated pointing to the front door of the building and didn't miss the fact she was wearing the famed Eye of Agamotto.

"I see. So, you wanted back up?" She asked.

"No, I wanted your opinion on a bad feeling that has been building." I said trying to impart the intangible to her.

"I've felt it too," she said with a thoughtful expression. "Shall we?"

There was a sign on the store that said, 'be back in 1 second'. That was strange I'd never seen a sign like that before. I tried the door, but it was locked. I peeked in and saw what looked like a robbery going on. I slammed my shoulder into the door, and it didn't budge. With my enormous strength and yet it resisted my best shot. I looked for magic and it was there at an epic level.

"It is sealed, and it looks like the place is being robbed." I told Steph. She immediately attempted to dispel the magic. It failed.

"What the hell?!" She cursed.

"The sign," I said. "I got this!" I placed my hand on her shoulder and folded time and pushed one second into the future. I opened the door and we rushed in. Steph seemed stunned by my little ability while I went on the offensive. There were six of them in deep hoods, heavy leather gloves, and trench coats. The Darksaber was in my grasp and activated before I was even conscious of the effort. I cut down one of them and it let out an inhuman cry as it fell.

"You two take the trunk," one of them said in a wet slobbering voice as the rest created a living wall between us and the fleeing thieves. I caught a blast of mystical energy on the black blade. There was little room for fanciful combat in the tight confines of the store. They were all bunched up making them easy targets and forcing them to stumble over one another until one of them leapt straight and clung to the ceiling. I watched helpless as the two thieves left with the damn trunk.

"By the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak!" I shouted and ensnared the two hulking creatures bunched up together hoping Steph would take out the one on the ceiling since I might be blocking her line of sight. She didn't. He sprung at me and went at my throat. My spell broken the others went on the offensive. "Steph!! Some help here."

"Sorry!" She called out as a whirlwind picked up the things on top of me and flung them all over. I called my weapon back to my hand and proceeded to murder them to death. I halted in killing the last one when it spoke to me.

"It is you... again!" It snarled. I telekinetically ripped the hood off the thing and staggered back.

"Oh no," I cried out in shock.

"Oh yes," the thing shrieked as it leapt at me. Instinct took over and it was dead before I had a chance to question it.

"Damn!" I snapped.

"What is wrong?" Steph asked. "Besides hesitating."

"Remember the iceberg incident? Remember those evil fuckers I buried? They've evolved." I snarled staring at the dissolving corpses.

"How did you do that?" Steph asked ignoring the bad guys evaporating.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Do it again," she ordered. "How you unlocked the door. Do it again."

"Fine," I replied not used to her be so testy. I shifted one second ahead and then back again. "There."

"I don't understand how you are doing it." She said as a middle-aged man popped up from behind the counter.

"Thank you," the man said but Steph ignored him.

"When you do that it affects the Eye. But how?" She asked as the man produced freshly brewed tea out of nowhere. "Do it again. Watch the Eye and tell me what you see." Her tone brooked no argument. I did as she asked as the man poured the tea. I watched the relic around her neck as I folded time. The stone hidden within flickered and glowed. I slowed time more and the harder I pushed time the brighter the stone became. There must be a relationship between my ability and the time stone. I let go and everything snapped back to normal.

"I see what you mean." I told her. "The Eye is reacting to my ability to fold time and space."

"When did you start doing that exactly?" She asked as she sipped her tea.

"Picked it up from a goddess actually," I replied, and she smiled. "Istus. Ever heard of her?"

"No and that is surprising." She said clearly frustrated at not understanding the smallest details of the famed Eye of Agamotto. It had been in her possession for so long and to suddenly discover a new aspect to it must be unsettling. That would be like me finding out something new about my mask or armor. They are two of my oldest possessions and I knew them better than any other pieces of equipment. The shop keep popped up and spoke breaking my thought process.

"Istus, nice lady, a bit stiff around the collar," the shop owner added without prompting. I turned to face him and looked closer at him. At first glance he'd pass for human he wasn't though. Perhaps it was my shifting skills, but his coloring was a bit off and then other smaller details came to light. His blue eyes had oval shaped pupils and then I noticed when the light hit his eyes the irises narrowed to cat like slits. Demon? He began explaining the time stone.

"I'm surprised you don't know how it works." Now it was Steph almost glaring at him. "Time and the other fundamental forces of the multiverse are contained and controlled through ingots that manifest those forces. The universe is the way it is because of these stones. When you use a spell, mutant ability or the like, you tap into one or more stones to manifest that effect. Your ability to fold time is granted by a divine, and so it draws more on the stone than many."

"I feel so stupid," I said while Steph remained wise and silent.

"Yes, but don't beat yourself up over it," he said, and we all laughed.

"What was in the trunk they stole?" I asked and he shrugged.

"While most of the things folks drop off, sell, or purchase I know what they are. There are always exceptions of course. That crate was one of them. It has been here since the dark ages. Safely contained until today, again, don't fret humanity may survive what follows." He said.

"May?" Steph finally spoke.

"You of all people know that there are no guarantees." He said. She just nodded wearily. "I can let you off in the year the crate has reentered the mortal realm."

"Let's get this over with," Steph growled. "I hate time travel."

"Winter 1929, off you go, better change your costumes." He suggested. Steph just gestured and her robes of office changed to an elegant dress, hat, fur coat, and boots. My armor shifted to a double-breasted pin stripe suit, fedora, and walking stick to hide my Darksaber.

We exited the shop just as a boy flew by on a strange looking bicycle. Two sets of wings were attached to the wheels along with a propeller on the back, as he pedaled the underside of the wings glowed and spun the propeller.

"Howard!! Slow down boy," a middle-aged man shouted as he ran after the boy. He stopped as he gasped for breath clearly winded from trying to keep up with the boy. The boy turned the floating bike around and joined his father near the front of the building where we were standing.

"Sorry dad," the boy Howard apologized. "The repulse field is weak but enough to lift me and the bike a bit."

"We have bigger fish to fry," the older man declared to his son. When I heard repulse field my first thought was Toni Stark of course. That must mean that the boy is Howard Stark, Toni's grandfather or perhaps even great-grandfather.

"Did he build that fine machine?" I asked addressing the father.

"Not on his own, but he did much of the work." The man said.

"Clever lad, must take after you." I stated and the man stood taller, ramrod straight, and threw back his shoulders in obvious pride.

"I believe so," the man said and then continued. "Anthony Stark," he said offering me his hand which I accepted and shook. "Excellent grip you've got there Mr.?" He said searching for my name.

"Dark, Derrick Dark," I said off the top of my head and using the Stan Lee naming convention.

"Stephanie Strange," Steph offered her hand to him.

"No relation to Dr. Strange I suppose?" He asked. "Brilliant surgeon."

"Distantly," Steph replied surprised that Stark knew her ancestor.

"Say goodbye Howard, I have a meeting this evening." Anthony Stark urged his son.

"A pleasure to meet you both," Howard said as he and his father walk off the boy pushing his bike alongside him.

I glanced at Steph and couldn't help but smile. She suggested we visit the Tohl home and work our way from there. We took a cab and I was half expecting a certain cabbie to show up, but he didn't. A short squat fellow was behind the wheel and spoke with a heavy Irish accent. I opened the door for Steph and let her climb in the back. The rear of the cab was spotless and for a New York cab that was impressive. He must have just vacuumed it out. I gave the cabbie, Mitch by name and ginger by nature from the wisps of red hair poking out from under his cap, the address. He slid into traffic with ease and I found myself enjoying the view of 1920's New York. The number of skyscrapers was greatly diminished well they hadn't been built yet, and an entirely different cityscape existed. I was loving it.

"Never been to the Big Apple before?" Mitch asked seeing me looking out the window intently.

"I've never seen this side of it." I said being honest.

"Well, if you want, I'll play tour guide for you fine looking people." He began and then began to narrate our drive. I liked it. Steph saw that and smiled. She reached out and clasped my hand our fingers intertwining. "Oh, the Old Tohl place," Mitch commented when he realized our destination. "That family has been around since the beginning." What a strange thing to say I thought since we were nearly a century in the past, he described it as old. It was also the way he said it. It was almost with a kind of dereference, no, that isn't right, it was unadulterated reverence. The breathless way he said the name Tohl. Why was that I wondered. I paid the fare and tipped nicely. I got out, walked to the other side of the cab, and helped Steph out.

"Steph?" I stated as I offered her a helping hand.

"Thank you." She said with a blush.

Once out of the cab we approached the front door of the stone structure when the next-door neighbor, a short brutish woman called out as she shoveled snow from her steps.

"No use, no one is home." She greeted us with a disapproving face. "You two at least look normal or appear to be acting normal."

"Something happened?" Steph asked watching the woman intently.

"Happen? I can't expect everyone to know about that strange girl and her dire effect upon poor Mr. Tohl." She licked her lips as she wove her tale. "This poor wretch, or so we believed, appears out of nowhere, naked, in the middle of the street. One moment the street is empty and then poof like magic that naked hussy emerges out of thin air. Poor Mr. Tohl took her in, and her madness became his. Both were taken away in strait jackets and bless their souls they are being treated for their illness." She regaled us with an almost fevered gaze, madness indeed. "She reminds me of my father and oh what a wicked devil he was!" She exclaimed with an almost erotic tone in her voice.

"Where can we find them?" I asked while Steph seemed distracted again.

"They are up near Boston, a little town called Arkham." The neighbor said in a tone that could only be described as glee. She seemed to get off on her neighbor's misfortune.

"Thanks, we'll... Steph? I'll be on my way." I gasped as I looked around and the Sorceress Supreme was gone. She vanished while I stood talking to that strange woman. I did the only thing I could think of. I bent time once more to my will and received a vision of what transpired while I was busy. Steph seemed interested in the conversation when suddenly her face went pale, she placed a hand over her heart, or more likely the Eye of Agamotto, and while no one was watching she quietly teleported away. Clearly, she had something on her mind. I would continue without her for now. I let go and time snapped back to the present.

I turned and left. I walked down the street seeking the solace of shadows. They were there in plenty. The winter sun made them in a generous number. I walked into a large tenebrous shape cast by an ancient tree and merged with it. I delved deeper and found an appropriate corresponding shadow at the edge of the town of Arkham. When I was sure no one was watching I transitioned smoothly and with Darksaber in hand as a walking stick, I strode down the lane towards Arkham Asylum. It was a bleak landscape without it being the beginning of winter. The snow and slush gave the land a desperately stark monochromatic quality and made me wonder at the poor souls within that had only this dreariness to look upon.

"Poor bastards," I commented to myself as clouds slid between sun and earth. I shivered and not just from the small drop in temperature. I reached the front gates and with three carefully modulated words I was allowed within. "I am expected." I said using Kaia-Jutsu.

"Of course," replied the guard with a smile. "Let me be the first to welcome you to Arkham Asylum."

"Thanks." I said and made my way to the main building. It was an ancient structure, formerly a monastery, a school, and known to few it was designed and built by a necromancer for far more sinister purposes. Apparently, the guard called ahead, and someone was at the front door to greet me. "I am here to see a patient, Mr. Tohl." I slid past the intern's defenses with ease and he enthusiastically gave me a brief tour before taking me to Tohl's cell. This was the 1920's and there was little difference it appeared between a prison and a sanitarium. The elderly Tohl, Lawrence by name, rocked in the corner of his cell.

"Mr. Tohl, you have a visitor." The young man stated as the drugged patient turned to face me.

"Is it you again Yog-Sothoth?" He replied with his hollow eyes, gaunt appearance, and haunted aura. "Wait, I know you." Lawrence Tohl said. "You are Toni's friend. I saw the footage of you and her with the other Avengers."

"He talks about Toni and these Avengers quite a bit in his more lucid moments. Normally he just shrieks until we can sedate him." The intern explained.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Me," the drooling man asked. "My name is Jason Tohl. I am a senior research manager for Stark Industries." I stared into the man's eyes and found a single spark of sanity. I touched his thoughts and blew on that speck until it blazed into a cleansing flame. He blinked and looked around.

'Calm yourself, I am your friend. Relax and be at peace.' I sent silently and Jason Tohl nodded and smiled.

"Amazing," the intern exclaimed. "Will you look at that! I've heard of people that could speak with animals and sooth them, but this, well this is just amazing."

"Leave us for a bit to chat." I ordered and the intern went off to find his mentor and tell him the good news.

"Jason. How? How did you end up here?" I asked and he explained.

Fade In: Flash back to the future.

For the last few months, I had been having strange dreams. My research for Ms. Stark as well as some side work affiliated with the main target must have inspired them. Ms. Stark was peering into the primal forces that formed our universe. My family had long known things most didn't, and many disregarded the stories. But there it was the briefest glimpse at a possible origin of everything we knew. Two universes colliding and instigating the Big Bang. One universe of Euclidean geometry and normalcy. The other one of Non-Euclidean madness and purest insanity. Was it any wonder that the macro or visual universe abides by knowable laws while the micro or subatomic universe defies conventional logic and means of understanding? In truth ours is a blend of the two formative universes made manifest.
The dreams only worsened after I began running simulations and began peeling away the layers of time, space, power, mind, reality, and the very origin of the human soul. I saw things, terrible things, things mortals were never meant to experience. I saw the shadow of Great Azathoth, the Daemon Sultan, who abides at the center of all things. It is his dreams that give the universe its form. If I had looked closer never would I wake from the madness it would have inspired. It was during these times I spoke with Yog-Sothoth the living gate.

"Yog-Sothoth is the gate, Yog-Sothoth is the key and the gate, and all things are possible through Yog-Sothoth." I find the words spilling out during my waking time. My coworkers stare at me indirectly with hushed voices and it will only get worse as my day approaches. I did my best to maintain my sanity and failed. So, that when my day came as I had seen as a child, I used a spell to shatter the bulletproof glass and leapt to my death, but death was denied me.

"That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange eons even death may die!"

I found myself uttering that couplet even as I transitioned from my falling corpse to the body of my ancestor. His own witchcraft allowed him to switch places with me at this critical time. Now, I find myself in a madhouse with little hope of sanity or salvation. I found my dreams worsening as visions of a coming terror haunted my sleep and then even onto my waking moments. I couldn't escape the visions.

"So many dead."

Fade to Black: Flash forward to the past.

"So, you see, I have to share what I've seen."

"Alright, tell me," I urged him, and the words tumbled out slowly and then as the scene became clear I tried to make some sense of the imagery. "I'll do what I can to stop it."

"You can't. Time. Visions always come true." He declared fighting a bout of hysteria.

"I'll do what I can then." I added and that seemed to calm him.

"Doctor Strange," a male voice called out. I spun expecting to see Steph but instead there were two men but only one of them could possibly be related to Stephanie.

"Doctor Atwater," the tall striking man addressed the shorter man of European stock with dark hair and bright eyes. "How is your prized patient doing today?"

"He apparently has a guest." Atwater replied. "Perhaps we'll get some answers on this case."

"How is Officer O'Reilly doing?" Strange asked and Atwater replied that there hadn't been any changes since he was brought in. "Pity. Have they discovered what happened to that apartment building?"

"No. I heard the military have taken over the investigation." Atwater continued. "Mr. Dark, has he said anything, well, anything rational?"

"No. He has settled down though." I offered.

"At this point I'll accept any positive news." Atwater replied. "Let's see if she is still in her cell."

"Who are you speaking of?" I asked fearing that somehow Steph had been brought in.

"She's been here a little over a week but seems capable of leaving a locked cell at will." Atwater explained as I followed him and Strange further down the cell block. "I'll be damned she's here. How are you feeling today... ah naked again! Child we've talked about modesty."

"Sorry doctor," she said as she bent over and picked up her prison like uniform giving all three of us an eyeful.

"She looks healthy to me," Strange announced and I laughed.

"That is the understatement of the decade." I said and the girl turned to face us, and the appreciative whistle escaped my lips before I could stop myself. "Sorry."

"I'm not," the girl said slowly dressing. She wasn't what you'd call classically beautiful, but she had a nice figure and a charming disposition. "All covered up, pity." She pouted.

"Textbook nymphomaniac," Atwater explained. "Poor thing." He added and I once again failed to hide my smile.

"Ha! I knew it!!" She exclaimed pointing at me. "You'll set me free."

"I don't have any keys Miss..." I paused waiting for her to fill in the blank.

"Lustgood," She purred. "Druuna Lustgood, at your service."

"Service," I chuckled, and she licked her lips.

"That again," Atwater said distastefully. "She believes if she has sex with a man she'll move on."

"Move on, what does that even mean?" Strange asked.

"Worlds, worlds within worlds," Druuna said in a dreamy voice. "Sex makes it happen. The better the sex the better the world."

"Impossible," Atwater snapped angrily. "Let's move on gentleman."

I tried to touch her thoughts and hit a wall. Mystique? At the end of the hall was the white-haired youth, once flatfoot Officer Patrick O'Reilly, now a derelict of a human being. His eyes were utterly vacant but etched into his face were lines of sorrow and fear. If ever I met anyone, I could call haunted it was this fellow.

"Patrick, you have visitors." Atwood announced. "Dear god, he's moving! He hasn't moved in weeks. Our nurses must help him with everything. We watched as his head swung around and we locked eyes. "I think he likes you..." he began when the blood curdling scream filled the air and he pointed at me. "Go!" I fled halfway down the hall staring back at the way I had come.

"That sounded like a good one," Druuna purred from behind her bars. "The guards don't know how to fuck, but you do. It is all over you. You smell like a whorehouse Mr. Dark, if that is really your name."

"Who the hell are you?" I asked turning to face her. She was naked again. Druuna was barely sixty-six inches tall, with Latin or Greek coloring, a full bust, a great round ass, and a robust frame. She looked like she could take a severe pounding. "Have we met before? Later?"

"You are an interesting person Mr. Dark. I like your walking stick. It stands out if you know what to look for. Get me out of here and I'll show you a place you've never dreamt existed." She said as she raised her leg straight up and held her ankle above her head doing the standing splits. Her soaked pussy clearly on display. "I like your ring Mr. Dark. I'll take you to Byzantium!" That word hit like an armor piercing round. It cut through to a fabled raced known as the Ia'Kandri. Long gone and from a distant parallel earth. "I've walked the stained-glass streets of the Shifter's city. I've read their books and stolen their arts for my own. I've clung to their cloud topped spires and flown across the prismatic skyscape to places no other mortal has laid eyes upon."

"I..." I stammered as both doctors approached and made disapproving faces. "She wanted to show off."

"Indeed," Strange laughed. "I met a Chinese acrobat in my youth." He began and chuckled. "Come along Mr. Dark. Let's have a fresh cup of coffee and speak of things."

"The time has come," the walrus said, "to talk of many things: Of shoes and ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages and kings" I said quoting Lewis Carroll and both men smiled. "How is Mr. O'Reilly?" I asked as I reluctantly left flexible Druuna. "Standing splits... impressive."

"Indeed, she doesn't entertain many. She speaks infrequently. You have had a profound impression on all three of them." Atwood mused. "I don't believe in coincidences. There is something about you that draws them out."

"Just lucky I guess." I said. "What happened to the poor officer?"

"See, that is the thing," Strange said. "I was there that night. They still haven't resolved that mystery. The entire building just... vanished. It was as if it had been plucked out of the ground like a wildflower. All we ever got out of O'Reilly was that he heard a strange sound. It happened two or three times and then... well, he looked up and whatever he saw did that."

"Yes, he has deteriorated over the last few months. He has been mostly catatonic and lethargic, until today, until he saw you." Atwood said as he unlocked his office and we settled into the high back leather chairs. "How did you get into here Mr. Dark?"

"I asked nicely," I said, and he frowned. "I said I was expected, and it isn't my fault they misinterpreted my identity."

"Machiavellian!" Strange laughed. "Very cunning Mr. Dark, if that is really your name."

"What's in a name?" I replied. "Is it possible for beings to swap living minds?" I asked and watched Atwood closely. "It was something Tohl brought up."

"He has mentioned it to me on a few occasions. Time travel through sheer mentality. It sounds like the fictions of my friend Howard. Are you serious?" He asked becoming serious again. I nodded. "I don't know. I have witnessed Tibetan mystics perform minor miracles and so I cannot discard such things. The science of the mind is at its infancy."

"The girl?" I asked and he smiled.

"She is something. I've read about nymphomania, but never encountered such a lovely creature so emboldened as Ms. Lustgood. She fancies you unless I am blind." Atwood laughed as his secretary appeared and set down a silver coffee service. She served us as the other men barely took notice of her. She was all but invisible to them. I noticed. He spoke of how cute Druuna was, but this woman was stunning. The flash of green eyes under ebony locks and framed by dusky Romani skin. There was a distinctive glow about her that led me to suspect something her husband seemed to be oblivious to.

"You have an appointment in one half hour dear." The woman informed him. "And Ms. Lustgood's ice bath is scheduled in one half hour." She added with just a hint of jealousy tainted malice. I didn't blame her I suppose if my husband treated her as all but invisible. Was she an analogy of Sue Storm?

"My wife gentleman," he said as if in an afterthought. What a pity.

"A pleasure," I said, and she smiled. "When are you due?"

"May perhaps June," she replied without batting an eyelash and then realized what I had said and how quickly she had responded. "How did you know?"

"You are practically glowing," I said, and she blushed. "Congratulations!" I looked up and Doctor Atwood stared at his wife as if seeing for the first time. His mouth hung open in surprise and he bolted to his feet and took her into his arms and kissed her.

"Damn impressive," Strange laughed. "You are a peculiar man Mr. Dark, do not take that in a negative way."

"No. Never. Can you tell me about the night you tended to Officer O'Reilly? Please, don't leave out any details." I asked and a soft slapping sound drew my attention to a folder carrying the police officer's name. "Ah, thank you." I picked up the folder and opened it. I skipped the personal information for now and went straight to Doctor Strange's report and how he had treated the screaming officer. The later reports were his treatment here at Arkham. The litany of drugs and experiments were long and distressing. I wasn't a doctor, but I felt for the poor former police officer. I reread Strange's portion of the record and at the end just before the ambulance pulled away there was a mention of a strangely dressed elderly Asian man. "The Ancient One?" I whispered.

"You've met him?!" Strange asked his face dreamy when he remembered the old man. "He reminded me of a benevolent Fu Manchu, don't tell him that. I wouldn't want him to take offense."

"I promise not to share that little perception." I said. I finished the report and it was as Atwood had said. The poor man had slipped further and further away until today. What had he seen when he saw me? "I think it is time for me to find my travelling companion. Perhaps, if time permits, I might visit again?"

"You mean officially." Atwood chided me. "I would enjoy that."

"Where are you staying," Atwood's wife asked, and I shrugged. "Francis, you can't just let him leave. The weather is turning foul. Surely we can loan him our spare bedroom for a single night."

"Generous to a fault," Atwood relented. "Take supper with us, you too Anthony, perhaps you can give him a lift back to New York."

"It is settled," she declared, and we all relented.

We spent the rest of the day at the Asylum and I pondered what had become of Steph. She hadn't contacted me, and I assumed she was safe. She was the Mistress of the Mystic Arts after all. Perhaps she was spending time with the Ancient One. I read through the report twice more to make sure I hadn't missed anything.

"You have that same intensity," Atwood's wife commented.

"Derrick Dark, at your service," I said without thinking. She blushed furiously. "You've met Druuna then."

"Distasteful creature," she frowned. "Moira, I have been so impolite. I am Moira Atwood, services to be negotiated in advance. That didn't sound much better, did it?" We laughed.

"A little, you are Romani, how did Francis find you?" I asked and her laugh became a cunning smile.

"We met at school. I had earned my master's degree and was taking a few classes just for fun when I met him. He swept me off my feet." She shared as she poured me a glass of scotch and then one for herself. I shook my head and told her that it was bad for her child. I drank both.

"You have your own degree, why work as a secretary?" I asked feeling the warmth of the alcohol hitting my system.

"A progressive man now that is a pleasant surprise," she said with a mix of surprise and bitterness. "Why did he scream when he saw you? Francis told me about it." She asked changing the subject quite obviously.

"I am still pondering that." I admitted. "Who steals an apartment building?"

"Depends upon who lives there I suppose." She replied and I felt like an idiot. She walked over to one of the filing cabinets, bent over, and opened the lowest drawer. I managed to bite back a whimper seeing how her skirt fluttered and settled over her ass cheeks. I really was an ass man. "Here... oh you are a naughty boy." She said her voice low and hungry. I had a flash of Sue and Jenny in my thoughts. I needed to 'checkup' on them soon. I took the folder from her and it was a collection of yellowing newspaper clippings.

"How long has it been?" I asked as I skimmed the articles. "There we are... six apartments but only four of them were currently being rented." I read the last names but none of them were familiar to me.

"Two months," she whispered. "He made love to me two months ago. I can't believe I am telling you this." Moira stated her hunger rising within her. I could feel it, and this was the dark side of empathy.

"You need to go on the offensive young lady," I said desperately trying not to cross a line.

"Really?" She asked as she sat on the edge of her husband's desk. My heightened senses were damnably sensitive. I knew she was aroused, and I fought the urge to kiss her. If I did, she'd relent.

"Public?" I mused thinking of her doing the standing splits as Druuna had performed earlier, what color were her panties? Damn it man get your shit together! She is a married woman and hasn't been fucked in months. Stop!

"MMM?" Moira purred as she began spreading her legs. "Public? I don't understand?"

"Ever do it outside, in the woods, or on a train?" I asked causing her to think instead of reacting.

"No! I am a married woman." She replied and her knees touched once more. "Have you?"

"Well," I said thinking of the many times I had fucked Gwen rotten on the side of a skyscraper. "Yes."

"Where is the most interesting place have you made love Mr. Dark?" She asked chewing her lower lip. God, I loved that look, I won't lie. I had a sudden flash of my cock buried in her throat. Damn... halt... stop!

"Hot air balloon," I said without thinking. She made a face and gestured for me to continue. "Fine. It was back during my university years. I was invited to a sorority dance. One of the other gentlemen there was a hot air balloon pilot. He wandered around and offered folks a chance to be raised up via tethered balloon for a while. We hit it off so well he gave me a great price to take a willing young lady up to see the view. She gripped the side of the basket and looked outward while I stood behind her."

"Oh damn," she whimpered and then it happened. She bit down so hard her lip split and a rivulet of blood raced down her chin. The smell of her blood and her arousal almost undid me. The door to the office opened and Atwood and Strange strode in.

"Moira, your lip is bleeding," Francis stated emotionlessly and offered her his handkerchief. Had they patterned him after Reed Richards? He was so damn cold to her. I fled for fresh air feeling my fangs extend without my bidding. I heard Strange mutter something about the sight of blood affects people differently. I left the office and reached the rear of the asylum. I was gasping as I fought the urge to feed or fuck or both. The suddenness of Moira's arousal combined with her bit lip took me off guard. I stood gasping and fighting my hunger at the rear door of the asylum.

"That was close," Druuna purred as she dragged me off to a nearby greenhouse. "An experiment for the more stable patients." She explained as we tracked snow into the jungle heat. "Flowers, food, and fucking."

"How did you get out?" I asked and she slid two damp fingers between my lips which I licked clean. "Ah, you masturbated."

"Like a fiend." She laughed as she pressed her nakedness against me. "You are shaking. Why?"

"I think you know why," I snarled as I gripped her shoulders in a tight grip.

"I do know," she laughed as she bit her lip and kissed me. I lost control. A red veil fell over my vision and I went on the attack. I dispelled my armor and then broke the kiss. Druuna tipped her head to the side offering herself to me. My fangs sunk deep, severing a major artery as I lifted her up and impaled her on both erections with little regard to her own pleasure or pain. I was caught up in my own desires as instinct buried intellect or empathy. I thrust into her from below and she yielded to my hunger completely. Her eyes rolled up in her head and her breathing became shallow and her coloring pale as the snow outside.

"So... good..." Druuna whimpered. "Keep fucking me... make me cum." She growled as her color normalized and her eyes snapped open. "Is your cock in my ass? Wait... two... I'm in lust! Do me from behind!"

I set her down, pulled my fangs from her neck which was healing as I watched, and I spun her around and took aim. I pulled back and slammed into her. Her ass cheeks rippled as she let out deep guttural grunts as we fucked. She clenched her internal muscles and worked me as much as I worked her. Druuna began thrusting backward harder now. I slammed into her until I was using my full strength and still, she begged for more. How the hell could a mortal woman endure so much? Too late I asked this question. She matched me ferocity for hunger and I lifted her off her feet to be able to penetrate her as deep as possible.

"Close," She warned, and I ignored her. "Deep... so fucking deep!!" She growled as my erections pounded her until we both climaxed. I came so hard I saw spots. She came so hard we appeared in a new location. I set her feet down on a stained-glass sidewalk. "Oh shit, too far."

"Thief!" A dazzling array of beast folk rushed our position. I pulled out and despite our dire situation she dropped down and licked me clean. "Where is it?" Another of them asked.

"Mouth full," Druuna giggled. "Immmmpolite to speak... MMMMM tasty!"

"Sorry about this," I moaned while I regarded the animal hybrids that were the legendary race the Ia' Kandri. They were tall, powerfully built, and possessed traits both humanoid and bestial. They reminded me of lycanthropes but far nobler in appearance.

"Welcome hero," a silver furred beast man greeted me despite the situation. "We are the Ia' Kandri and this is our oldest city Red Rose Dawning Resplendent. Welcome."

I looked around at the wonders around me as Druuna continued to lick and suck. Her strategy was clear. She wanted to fuck her way to escape the people she had robbed. I stepped back with some difficulty. She was a gifted oralist.
"What did she steal?" I asked as I dressed.

"The blueprints of the Great Machine, our machine!" The elder Ia' Kandri snarled. "Return it thief and we'll grant you oblivion. Do not and we shall send you to Mephisto."

"His ring! He wears the ring." Another of the shifters cried in surprise. "How can he wear it?"

"I am Anackire's champion." I said and that name carried great weight here. "Well, Druuna?"

"It never left this plane of existence. You want it, find it." She growled. "I'm not mad at you lover. You are wonderful."

"I know. So, what does this machine look like?" I asked as the elder shifter addressed me ignoring Druuna entirely.

"It appears as a layered crystalline sphere." He said and gestured. "Here. This is one of only six physical copies of the Great Machine." Another shifter handed him a gorgeous glass ball. It looked like it was made of stained-glass but there was more to it, I could feel it. He let me handle the model and I turned it this way and that. My first thought was either a complex holocron like device or sphere-shaped puzzle box. I switched the sphere to my left hand and the elder became quite upset. When the Byzantium ring and the exterior of the globe touched something happened. The interior of thing lit up and expanded to one hundred times its size and shifted from a solid to a holographic medium.

"Whoa!" I gasped seeing the intimate detail they went into. At the core of the Great Machine was a swirling Yin Yang power core. "No wonder she's so damn powerful." I said and bowed my head. Just outside the core were labeled quasi planes of existence. They represented the basic elements fire or energy, water or time, air or thought, and finally earth or matter. I reached out using my hand with the Byzantium ring on it and touched the slice representing the Elemental Plane of Fire. It expanded and we all got a window onto that realm. I expected to see volcanoes and a blasted landscape but instead was an ethereal beauty of blazing stars hovering within an infinity of stellar gas and a slithering miasma of energy and pyrotechnics. I touched the plane of water and to no one's surprise it was an eternal ocean and filled with an abundance of aquatic life. Some of the creatures looked familiar while others were gorgeously alien, and I felt the desire to mimic them on the spot. I touched the image again and it returned to the sphere.

Where those primary elements touched were demi planes of blended elements. Where fire and water meet you have steam, and many other combinations. I touched the Quasi-Plane of Lightning and I giggled aloud seeing the infinite realm of storms and living plasma. I squealed like a kid when a world-shattering blast of lightning arced across the 'sky' and the deafening boom shook the city like an aftershock. Things flew amongst the continent sized clouds but eluded my gaze.

"What is that?" I asked and the Ia' Kandri elder spoke.

"That? That is the Titan of Wrath... Stormbringer!" He said with head bowed and I found my mind reaching out to touch its mind. Did it even have what passed for a conscious mind?

'Stormbringer?' I whispered. Suddenly it broke from the clouds. The city sized entity turned its gaze towards me. Was this happening in real time? 'I am Ghost Fire great one.'

'I feel my power inside of you,' it replied as clouds rolled in above us. 'I feel it tied to you.'

'I adore lightning. I love thunder.' I admitted to it.

'Raise your limb and accept what comes.' It ordered. I lifted my left hand with the Byzantium ring skyward and the shifters and Druuna fled the immediate area. 'Strike!'

My world went white. The lightning struck the ring and from there the rest of my body. To my surprise I still stood and the only after effect was that all my meters were full and in the case of power was supercharged. The window to the demi-plane closed on its own. I had been dismissed. My body still crackled when I continued to examine the Great Machine. The connecting conduit between the elemental and prime or earthly plane is the Ethereal Plane. All the various parallel earths are located on this middle realm or multiverse. The second transitory realm is the Astral Plane. I felt the urge to touch this one. It had a feel of outer space. It was all empty save a few small objects drifting in the distance. I reached out and touched one of the objects drifting and tumbling end over end. The view zoomed in and was I wrong. The object wasn't tiny it was in fact colossal in size.

"There are markings on it," I said and zoomed in closer still. "Those are numbers. Wait. What the hell?! That makes no damned sense." I growled as the elder moved next to me and urged me to continue.

"Do not stop now," he stated. "You are so close to revelation."

I examined all the characters carefully and moved around the massive structure. Had this been a school or university? The clear mathematical script decorating its exterior seemed to indicate it. I found another of the mind bending 'magical equations' and it hurt my head. One side of the building described three-dimensional space invoking traditional height, length, and width. However, this side invoked sanity breaking negative space.

"Negative width? Negative length? Ugh!" I growled. "That symbol there," I gasped as I pointed to it. "Negative zero? No... it isn't positive or negative."

"The H'Shoosh, also known as the Builders, believed that zero and other numbers had three states." The elder stated as calmly as he could. "One was positive, one negative, and lastly was could best be described as a Zen state." He continued when he saw my confusion. "In the beginning there was the One, from the One came the Two, from the Two came the Three, and from the Three came the then thousand things. I hope that helps." He said.

Clear as mud I thought. I focused my attention on the concept of a negative zero. It stuck in my head and wouldn't relent. What was the point? Their point was negative space.

"But negative space can't exist." I snapped as my head began to hurt.

"It does champion and you use it quite often." The elder declared and let me mull it over. I felt the anger as unreason threatened to overwhelm me when I realized his point.

"Shadows! You are talking about shadows." I declared in a loud clear voice.

"Yes. Shadows shouldn't possess any substance and yet for you, they do." He added. Was the plane of shadows in fact a representation of negative three-dimensional space? Ugh my head!

"Show me the plane of shadow," I said touching the sphere. The astral plane vanished, and the map displayed a spot below the negative energy plane at the core of the machine. While the positive and negative swirled around each other they also reacted to one another. The form of this reaction was the shadow cast by the negative plane by the light of the positive. "Interesting. Do the H'Shoosh have a home world?" I asked the elder, but it was the hologram that answered my question. "Whoa, it is beautiful!"

The planet was dominated with violet clouds above a purple ocean. There were a mix of large and small land masses beneath the clouds. The H'Shoosh home was exotic and on another parallel universe. Perhaps one day I'd get the chance to visit them. Back to the Great Machine. I touched the Astral Plane and continued from there. The astral lead to the Upper and Lower spiritual realms. All the various after lives are located here from the saintly heavens to the diabolical hells. Wait, there is a third transition realm? "What the hell is that?"

"We do not speak of... I see... it is like the Astral or Ethereal, just older much older. Your people call it Sub or Hyper Space. It is also known as the space between spaces. Before you ask it leads to the Pale and Beyond the Pale. It is an alien place where logic and laws break down. Its inhabitants are dead gods and their demonic servitors." He said and shuddered. "Tread not to those places champion."

"I have no intention of setting foot anywhere near it." I said. "Do you hear that? It is making music." I said as I leaned over the orb and listened. There were multiple songs playing and yet there was a unifying theme. I began whistling and the air shimmered like hot asphalt on a sweltering summer's day. "Interesting." I memorized the tune and then isolated each sub melody and put them to memory as well. "How do I close this... oh!" I exclaimed as it closed on its own. "Why did you steal the blueprints?" I asked Druuna.

"Ha, shortcuts of course," she declared. "With the blueprints I was able to slip in and out of places you wouldn't believe." She laughed. "I have no regrets."

"I understand. You should have asked." I said and Druuna brushed me off. "Where can I rest and meditate on the problem?"

"This way Champion," the elder guided me to a glass gazebo. I sat and food was brought as hundreds camped out nearby and watching my every move.

The chance for clearing my thoughts was zilch. I called out and asked who had a question. They all did. I picked one and answered it. One by one the arms came down as I satisfied their curiosity. When I asked them to show me their shape shifting abilities I was astounded. They weren't limited to mimicking races or living things, but they could alter their forms to match anything from a rock to a patchwork quilt.

"Champion, you can shift, I can feel it," one of them stated instead of asking. They were backed up instantly. "Show us."

"Sure," I acquiesced knowing it was better to amuse the masses. My plan was simple to mimic heroes like the Iron Maiden, Captain America, and just for personal curiosity, the Black Widow. I never got beyond America's first Avenger when they made noises. "Fine. I will pick one of you and you call out a shape. Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" They eagerly roared.

"Oh boy, I'll do my best. I am nowhere as good as you." I said knowing that my shifting skill was only a twenty.

"You," I said pointing to a cute feline-ish female. She stood and asked me take up the shape of an Earth centaur. "Okay. Give me a second. I've never..." I said as I thought of all the books, movies, and RPG material covering the creature. I did my best. I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed. I heard claps of approval and looked over my shoulder. I was a Clydesdale sized centaur with the coloring of a silvery grey coat reminding me of Tolkien's Shadowfax.

I continued to take on all manner of terrestrial creatures and felt better as I tried shapes I never would have attempted normally. I was as small as a newt to the mass of a midsized whale. Then someone asked me to take on the shape of a New York pigeon. How many times had I avoided those rats with wings? It was an easy form to adopt. Then they asked the impossible.

"Fly!" One of them demanded. "Yes, Champion fly!" They all took up the chant and I nearly broke down in tears.

"I don't know how!" I screamed and they fell silent but weren't upset by my words.

"You haven't tried. Try." A child of the Ia' Kandri urged gently. "I'll help you." The small being walked over and mimicked me perfectly. "Like this great one." She giggled. "And then like so." She launched her body into the air as she took off. If a child can do that then so can I. I flapped my wings like a fiend and hopped. Hollow bones and nature of the form took over. It wasn't pretty that first flight of mine, but I flew damn it. The crowd began calling out new winged shapes for me to assume on the wing. I took on all manner of bird at first. I became a raven, a hawk, a seagull, and even a golden eagle. Then more esoteric and unusual shapes were demanded. Gargoyle. Harpy. Sphinx. Finally, a dragon was called for. I remembered her. I drew on my memory with the Shi'Ar dragon and not only did I take on her shape but her massive bulk, length, and wingspan.

"I am a dragon!" I roared forcing them to clap their hands over their ears. I couldn't breathe fire, but the shape alone was impressive. I reverted to a hummingbird and alighted on the elder's shoulder before hopping off and reverting to my natural state.

"Dark Elf!" They gasped.

"He is Her Champion," the elder reminded them. "He is our friend."

"I mean no one harm." I said. "How can I do these things? Have I just not pushed my skill enough?" The elder gave me a puzzled look. I asked again. "If you know can you please explain."

"I am truly confused Champion. You have in your possession one of the most potent shifting relics in existence, the Osirian Mask."

"You mean the Mask of Anubis." I said and he shook his head. "Please continue."

"I mean the Osirian Mask. It is a runic artifact from that august race." He said and I pulled down my HUD. I'll be damned. The mask's name had indeed changed. Had that massive DLC changed some of my equipment. It was marked as a rune mask. I pulled up its screen and looked at its abilities. Its primary ability was shapeshifting. It didn't have a level attached to it, had that changed too? Is that why Odin hadn't been able to pierce my disguise because I was in fact a human being or human shape? There was no illusion to pierce and so a perfect disguise.

"Who are the Osirians?" I asked and he spoke of an ancient race akin to the Asgardians who were ruled by beings such as Anubis, Bastet, Osiris, and others. Their children took after their parents, so they are known as offspring of the gods. Since it was a rune item I had long bonded to it and its deepest abilities mine to command. "I had no idea."

"Now Sir Champion, it is time to test your limits, if you will." The elder urged. "It might prove lifesaving or simply amusing. You," he said pointing to a female of his race. "...take on the shape of a comely humanoid female."

"Yes Elder," she purred. "So many to choose from. I know just the one!" She declared as she ran both hands upward through her short thin hair in a gesture that reminded me of Hela the goddess of death. Instead of the stark black antlers she instead grew a long translucent mane of crystalline hair. Her once round chubby face was now triangular, angled, and extremely elfin. The same was true of the rest of her facial features. The girl's eyes were now narrow angled sockets filled with two glowing orbs of silvery white light spilling out. Her high-born cheeks gave her a cold yet awe inspiring beauty that no mortal runway model could hope to duplicate. Even her small full mouth had a chilly cruel smile on it. A long narrow neck met broad proud shoulders and naked I could see her full pouty breasts topped with crystal nipples that made me wonder how they tasted.

"Farseer, of course," the Elder smiled mirroring her own pride. "A dead race that were too aloof to save themselves." He explained.

I looked back and her transformation was complete. Just below her gorgeous breasts was the first of two diaphragms. When she breathed there was an odd double action. The first was what I was accustomed to, the second diaphragm was located parallel to where her belly button should be. The lower muscles moved just a few seconds before the upper expanded. Her limbs were long, delicate, and again gave the sense of an almost elvish nature. Her hands and feet were a bit odd possessing four fingers/toes and two opposing thumbs/toes on the sides of the extremities. She touched fingers to thumbs in a dexterity check and smiled once she grew accustomed to the extra thumb. She then wiggled her toes all six of them.

"She must find you attractive," the Elder mused. "That is one of her favorite forms for mating."

"Ah, I..." I fumbled and he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Relax, it is just sex. Now follow me and try to follow my instructions the best you can. Don't beat yourself up if you fail the first time."

The girl lay on the grass with arms outstretched and legs partially parted. I stood next to her and she smiled up at me. Druuna was nearby sitting uphill from us watching intently.

"Okay, relax and take on the form of a flat silk sheet." The Elder stated. "I know it appears to be taking on the form of a nonliving object. Think of it this way. There is a race of Symbiotes that bond to their hosts... you've encountered them before?"

"My armor is symbiotic by nature. I'll give it a shot." I said. "Form of a puddle." I closed my eyes and imagined a flat puddle of water.

"Good! Excellent!" I heard above me. It sounded so strange when the elder spoke. I felt the sound as much as I heard it. The sound seemed to bounce off every inch of skin I had. "Red silk." He said reminding me. I had owned black silk sheets back in the day. I remembered how cool and slick they felt. I just imagined ruby colored version of that. "Perfect, now the hard part. Move your body to cover hers."

I opened my eyes and wow was that shocking. I could see from every inch of skin facing skyward able to absorb light. I imagined slithering and failed. I tried all manners of locomotion and they all failed.

'Ghost. You are way overthinking it,' my armor whispered. 'Slide man, think of the ground as a patch of ice and just slide boss man.'

I slid. I flowed. I felt her body heat as I touched her foot. She wiggled it and giggled. I built upon my successes. I covered her feet and moved upward. It was sensual I hoped. It was slow going and she didn't seem to mind. I was mid-thigh before I knew it. I took in her changing scent as her arousal grew. When I first touched her groin, her hips lifted, and she whimpered. I could feel her skin prickle and her body shiver in anticipation.

"Yes." She moaned so soft I almost missed it.

I touched her stomach and her lower diaphragm. Her breath increased as my body caressed her. She ground against me and urged me upward. When I flowed over breasts, she nearly climaxed. Her hardened nipples became a pleasant obstacle to overcome. I ended my progression at her shoulder blades. Her whispers begged for my touch. That was awkward at best. I imagined lips wrapping around those prominent nipples and she reacted positively. Her scent flooded my consciousness. I tapped into my time in Hentie's form. I nudged between her thighs and they yielded to me. She spread her legs for me.

"Make me cum!" She vocalized as her ass left the ground. "UNNNN!! Sneaky Champion!!" She cried out as I formed a tongue and lapped at her jeweled lips. "More! Quit teasing me!" She snapped.

'You asked for it lady,' I thought as I altered the tongue into a full-fledged tentacle. 'How is this?'

"UNNN UNNNN UNNNNN," she grunted as the tentacle drove in and out of her. I never tasted Farseer before. I wonder what flavor her ass was. Let's find out. "IRK!! Foul Champion... you invade unexplored territories." She gasped in surprise. I began withdrawing the second tentacle when she cried out a second time. "Wait! Not so hasty! MMMMM!! My ass is yours, invade me... break me...I am succumbed."

Her climax was as intense as it was spectacular to behold. She was on her belly now, with ass high in the air and the only sign of any activity on my part a subtle ripple across my surface. My constant thought was 'man was Steph and the others in for a surprise'. I pumped her full of cock milk and she adored me for it. Exhausted we fell asleep like that, her naked under a red silk blanket.

I dreamt of a cracked sphere and slipping through the cracks to places forgotten and familiar. Was this the thing that Druuna had been exploiting? Was it the same thing that Loki had used during the dark world scenario? Were there gaps that even Heimdall couldn't perceive? That would make life interesting. Were their ancient places lost and ready for plundering? I hoped so. I awoke with the girl cuddling me and I had returned to my natural state.

"Well done Champion," the Elder said as I opened my eyes. "Will you help us find the blueprints?"

"Absolutely," I said as the girl kissed me hungrily and I felt something pass between us. "What was that?"
"It is how my people share rare shapes amongst us. I felt the Farseer form was something you'd remember me by."

"Is there anything I can do to thank you?" I asked and she whispered in my ear. "Well, I think I can fulfill such a selfless request. Ass up... head down!"

After a pleasurable breakfast I summoned a light rain to wash off and dress. As the clouds parted a rainbow appeared and with it my first clue to where Druuna had hidden the blueprints. As the sun rose its scintillating rays passed though myriad stain glass windows and decorations upon buildings and towers alike. As I pondered where to search, I spied a moving pattern of light as the sun drove it across the ground.

"I'll be damned! Look Elder, is that what I think it is?" I asked as my HUD chimed.

'Blueprint found 1 of 6.'

Once I knew what I was looking for we poured over the top of the city seeking them. Taking the form of an eagle I flew around, thru, and over. It didn't take long to find them. Druuna had set them in places where the sun might reach them hidden in plain sight. One by one I claimed them and once I had all six the quest changed. I handed over all six pieces of the blueprint to the Elder of the Ia' Kandri. I watched as he reassembled it into a cube. The weird nature of the blueprints filled in the interior of the cube and formed a hypercube.

"Well done Champion! How can we ever thank you for returning our most sacred relic?" He said and briefly paused seeing my expression. "You have earned our wisdom. You have proven you share our love of shifting. Perhaps fate has led you here to be our heir if not by blood but by spirit. Here, he said as he reached into the cube and plucked a gleaming jewel from the heart of the cube, a jewel very alike the one already gracing my mask, the mask of the Osirians. I removed my mask, took the jewel from the Elder and slide it into the socket long prepared for it. "The gem will grant you the sight our people alone once possessed. May it serve your desire, and may you find worlds undreamt of Champion of Anackire!"

The last syllables of his last words faded like an echo on the wind. The illusion that had supported this place for so long perished and the rainbows fell to the monochromatic maelstrom. The beauty faded and crumbled before my eyes. I felt Druuna's hand on my shoulder.

"I am as much an agent of Fate as you. I go. Perhaps we will meet once more."

She faded just as the light that once brightened this place faded. I stood alone in shadow. I was an agent of that element and embraced it to return to umbra haunted Arkham. I stood outside Atwood's house drawn by instinct and perhaps something or someone else. She's waiting for me I thought. I altered my clothes for a nice dark suit as I climbed the steps to the porch and knocked on the front door. Moira answered the door. She looked surprised and welcomed me in with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Druuna escaped and you vanished." She said as she pointed toward the living room. Two Doctors with the last name Strange stood by the hearth. The cheery fire painted Steph in shadow and firelight. She never looked better. Doctor Atwood was working with the police to find and return Druuna to the asylum. "Let me pour you a drink."

"That would be nice." I said as she pulled the glass stopper on a decanter and filled my glass.

"Dinner and then perhaps a game of Bridge after?" Moira suggested with a smile.

"That would be lovely." I agreed. "How are you two getting along?"

"Your friend has some intriguing notions about surgical techniques." Anthony Strange stated.

"She is full of ideas." I said smiling.

"And you, world hopping?" Steph laughed. "First New York and now quiet Arkham."

"Not so quiet, a busty nymphomaniac is on the loose." I replied and Steph's eyes narrowed.

"No kidding," she stated, and her ancestor confirmed the diagnosis. "I'll be damned. You have the best luck!"

We all laughed as the butler informed us that dinner was served. We gathered around the dining room table. We ate and chatted dodging questions that were better left unanswered. Some of those were directed at me and how I vanished and reappeared so spontaneously. I think that Steph suspected so to clarify I touched the Byzantium ring. Her expression was priceless.

"What a pretty ring, I bet it has a story." Moira said and I relinquished after a fashion.

"There is a story, if you enjoy those sorts of things." I offered and once the meal was finished coffee was brought and as we settled down to play Bridge I launched into a story. "People often ask about a divine plan. What if there wasn't just a plan but blueprints? If a fearless soul were to get those blueprints, they could find shortcuts through eternity. Much like the titan Prometheus a rogue could sneak into the realm where those very plans could be found. He or she eludes capture and borrows those plans and memorizes what they can. In doing so they find themselves cursed by the stewards of that place." I paused to bid and take a sip of coffee. Once the bidding for this hand was done, I continued. "Where was I?" I asked as I set down my hand since I was dummy for this round.

"Stolen blueprints." Moira reminded me.

"Anyway," I continued as my partner ran the table and took every available trick. "Impressive." I complimented Steph. "The blueprints hint that these shortcuts were planned and not mere flaws. I think they hold a purpose, a secret purpose."

"Where do they lead?" Moira asked as she picked up her cards and smiled. My own hand was poor, and I pondered going nil, taking no tricks. Her opening bid told her partner how strong it was, told all of us just how strong it was. Sadly, the power split was between Moira and Steph. It seemed the men were weak this hand. My bid indicated my vulnerability. Emboldened by my bid Moira ignored her own partners similar bid when he didn't suggest her to jump bid and try to mirror Steph's own achievement. Steph let her cut her own throat. She must have enough strong cards to keep her from singlehandedly making her bid.

"They lead to places both light and dark across the universe." I continued as the elder Strange set down his land and she cursed. I had maybe one or two winning cards in my hand, the rest was shit. I had bid nil and so was desperately avoiding taking any tricks. I only had three suits in my hand and since Clubs had been chosen as trump, I was well suited to dump high cards when that suit was played. "There are many a world vast with riches that could be exploited and bring home again vast wealth and power." I said as I dumped my ace of hearts beneath Moira's ten of clubs and thus ridding myself of a huge liability.

"Ooh, you do like playing it ballsy," Moira commented her voice more than a little slurred at this point. I didn't miss that Anthony played a two of clubs that time out and neither did Steph. She took the next trick when Moira was forced to play into Steph's strength, spades. She dropped the queen of spades and I laughed when an unbidden memory popped into my head. Steph took the trick with ace and queried why I had laughed as she pondered her hand carefully.

"Oh, I don't think that story is for this place or time." I said and Steph raised an eyebrow. Moira was too tipsy to take no for an answer. "I did warn you." I said reinforcing my position. "I was playing at a club with an interesting crowd and an even more interesting group of musicians. One of them was a bass player whose nickname was Boom-Boom. That wasn't because of his playing though, he was an excellent musician, it described a certain asset he possessed."

"I see what you mean," Anthony laughed and tried to derail the story, but poor sex starved Moira would have none of it. "There was a girl."

"Ha! There is always a girl," Moira moaned to everyone's surprise. "Pray continue."

"Well, she was as friendly as she was generously blessed." I described and they all took a sip of alcohol the game forgotten for the moment. "She was from a wealthy family and spent her time following her favorite musicians across the country. During her travels she had acquired certain talents to impress men like Boom-Boom."

"Skills, what sort of skills?" Moira asked and Steph glared at me.

"With wealth comes wisdom, sometimes considered dark wisdom. There is a book." I said as Anthony reminded Moira of the game. Clearly frustrated we continued, and I took the opportunity to fall silent and focus once more on the game. Moira's mind was anywhere but on winning. Steph took her required tricks and then turned her attention to covering me. By that time however I had removed all threats from my hand and Moira was desperate for tricks to make her required bid. She made it and just.

"I need a break," she whimpered and before anyone else agreed she was on her feet and stomping off.

"I need a drink." Anthony chuckled. "Poor Atwood, when he gets home, she's going to eat him alive."

"I would speak with you," Steph said with barely hidden ferocity. We walked to the rear of the house, out the back door, and onto fresh virgin snow. Heavy flakes still fell from an ebony sky. Two small gas light lamps illuminated the frost garden with its frozen plants that slept until spring might awaken them. "Have you lost your fucking mind?!"

"Probably," I laughed, and she softened a bit. "I have spoken with Jason Tohl."

"Jason... oh... OH!" She said as she worked out the impact of what had transpired. "They swapped places then even as he fell to his death. That requires some serious coordination." She said as her enormous intellect attack the information. "What did he tell you?" I touched her thoughts and shared what I had learned. "I need time to process this. Don't fuck her."

"Atwood my dear man, you look like hell." Anthony Strange's voice could be heard.

"Francis!" Moira said as she pounced.

"I am exhausted. That sex starved sl... woman ran us all over Arkham. We collected her at the Pickman House near the university." Atwood continued. "A light meal and then to bed. Don't let me spoil your fun." He barely acknowledged my presence with a halfhearted wave and a plan sprang into my mind and I was powerless to fight it.

"I am going to crash on the couch." I offered and Steph agreed and went to the first spare bedroom.

"Good night all," Anthony said with a noticeable yawn and headed for the second spare bedroom.

I acted quickly. I created an illusion of my me sleeping on the couch. It would last long enough for me to claim my prize. Cloaked in invisibility I slipped into Steph's room. I heard the shower and saw her nightgown strewn on her bed. I tucked in under the bed and with a quick shift took its place. Boy was she in for a surprise. I watched as Steph stepped into the bedroom. She was drying her body and stopped by the full-length mirror and examined her reflection. She turned around, looked over her shoulder, and checked out her backside.

"Not bad," she whispered. "Pity we are back in the twenties. Poor Ghost would kill to fuck me right under their noses."

Steph laughed, grabbed me and let me flutter over her body. She covered up and rolled onto her side facing the mirror. I watched as she closed her eyes and waited for her to enter REM sleep. Once she was dreaming, I would begin. I felt her slip away and began slowly. I knew her body well enough to start off slow. I lightly caressed her ass cheeks with a feathery touch.

"Mmmm..." Steph moaned in her sleep.

I didn't rush no matter how bad I wanted to. I could both smell and taste her arousal. Once she reached that point, I moved to her breasts. Her nipples were poking against me and I rubbed them as gently as I had her ass. Steph's rolled onto her back and arched her back.

"Naughty boy," she murmured. "More."

I rubbed her labia along with her nipples. Steph's legs parted and she ground against me as a hand pushed against her pussy lips. I brushed against her clit and her body shook. I moved with less force and she groaned.

"Getting close," she whimpered dreamily.

I worked her relentlessly and I felt her climax build until she climaxed and woke up. Steph sat up in shock and looked around.

"I haven't done that in a long time." She purred. "Since I am up..." She growled as she slid a hand between her legs and worked two fingers between her labia. "I hate being a good girl."

'On your knees good girl,' I whispered in her thoughts.

"Ghost?" Steph giggled. "Fine. Are you in the shadows watching me?" She asked as she got onto all fours. "Come and get it."

'Okay, don't move... and tell me how this feel.' I sent as I caressed her ass cheeks again.

"How the hell are you doing that?!" She asked squirming.

'It's a secret,' I moaned as I formed a tongue and lapped at her pussy lips and asshole. Steph buried her face in her pillow and wiggled her hips. 'You taste divine.'

"Ghost! You sneaky little bast... unnnn!" Her voice fell off as my tongue thickened and impaled her pussy. "Deep! So thick and deep! Fuck me... harder damn it!"

I pounded her and she thrust her ass up and kept her head down. I licked her asshole as I thrust into her hard and fast. I cupped her breasts and teased her nipples not wanting to leave anything out. I felt her body quiver as she was soon close again. She bit her pillow as she climaxed. I flowed off her and took on my natural shape.

"Surprise." I whispered as she grabbed me and forcefully rolled me onto my back.

"Sneaky bastard," she said before kissing me. "I am going to fuck you blind."

Steph left me a panting sweat covered mess. We cuddled and I kissed the back of her neck as I told her about my time amongst the Ia' Kandri. She shared what little she knew of the H'Shoosh. It was very little indeed. I would have to leave soon so that we weren't caught together. I stood and performed the cleaning cantrip removing the sweat and funk with a gesture. I was about to activate my invisibility when she took my hand and told me we could snuggle on the couch together. I welcomed her company.

"Give me a second." She added breathlessly. Steph performed the cantrip, and once clean she bent over and donned her nightgown. She conjured a fuzzy robe and slipped that on before following me to the front room. I summoned pj's and a robe to match her modest clothing. We stalked by the master bedroom and we heard a cry from within.

"Moira!" Francis hissed softly. "What are you... UNNN!" He gasped in pleasure. "I brought this on myself." He whispered. "I've been so busy... sorry." I could make out a rhythmic wet sound behind the door. I used farsight and bit back a laugh. I touched Steph on the shoulder and shared the image with her.

Had she heard us going at it? It didn't matter. She had things well in hand and Francis yielded to her hunger.

'She is really going at it!' Steph giggled. 'Let's go on and let them have their fun.' I kissed her cheek and whispered that I should be on the couch. She joined me. I dismissed the illusion of myself on the couch. We slipped into the front room, built up the fire, and got comfortable. I sat with my back against one of the arms of the couch. Steph sat between my legs and placed the blanket over both of us.

"I haven't heard a whisper about the stolen crate." I admitted. "I've done everything but that."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she said. "I am still trying to puzzle out the missing apartment building."

"I heard all about that, the cop that saw it is in Arkham. He took one look at me and started screaming." I shared as my arms slipped around her waist. "It was a horrible sound."

"They haven't rebuilt, no one has a clue." Steph said leaning against me and getting comfortable.

"What are the odds it is all connected? A stolen building, a mysterious box, an insane cop, a man who swapped bodies with is great grandfather, and a cursed dimension hopping hottie." I ranted and laughed at the end of it all.

"Hottie?" Steph joked. "You met the Ia' Kandri... I am so jealous! They taught you the next level of your art on top of that."

"Devout followers of Anackire," I said in explanation.

"I didn't know that," she said. "I'll add that to my diary. She must be an old goddess indeed."

"Let's see. I am sent to steal a box. It has something or someone powerful in it. If there is a ritual needed to open it, I'd need a place to do it and maybe it needs sacrifices... the tenants? The poor cop looks up at the worst possible moment seeing the building and whatever stole it. Mind shattered. Stop me if I quit making sense."

"No, keep going." Steph urged.

"They take the building someplace to do this ritual. It must take time to complete or the stars must be right to open the damn box. They do the spell and the box won't unlock until... what?" I stop when I feel her tense.

"I think you've hit the nail on the head. It won't open until a prescribed time or conditions. I don't think we can stop this, but we can prepare and set things of our own into motion." She said. "I've spoken with the Ancient One... we made some suggestions and I've written them down for you. Tomorrow we part ways and we'll catch up when the time is right." She pulled the blanket up to her chin, snuggled close, and wished me pleasant dreams.

I did my best to ignore the sounds coming from the master bedroom. Moira was in rare form. I held Steph close and closed my eyes. I didn't dream. I just pleasantly transitioned from late night to early morning. Steph's hair was a mess and she never looked better. I wondered when the last time she got a good night's sleep. I was the first one awake. I slipped out, started coffee, and had a quick shower. I dressed for travel and decided to give my mask's newest crystal a test drive. Moira had a cup of coffee with me and was all smiles.

"Sorry if we kept you up last night," She apologized but I didn't feel she was sincere and told her so. "You are correct of course." She admitted. "I have missed his touch so much."

"No harm in that," I replied. "He is your husband and you are partners."

"I hope there is coffee for all." Francis declared as he staggered into the kitchen. I poured him a cup and he fixed it to his liking. I began a second pot just as the two Stranges appeared. The maid arrived and began fixing breakfast. She talked about the snow she had to trudge through to get here.

"Don't go out unless you have to," she advised. "There is new fallen snow and it is deep."

"Fifth man out I must depart," I said not wanting to wait for breakfast. "Needs be stronger than individual desire. I am drawn away and do not seek me for my path is the rainbow's shadow." I kissed Steph in front of them. It held all the promise and desire I could muster in a single gesture. "Good luck."

"You've never kissed me like that," Moira declared as I headed for the front door.

"I've never carried the burden that young man has," Atwood explained as I opened the door and sought out a distortion that would grant me a portal to my next quest.

I closed the door and launched my body into the air. I took on the form of a jet-black raven and soared into the sky. I altered my form until I settled upon the shape of a golden eagle. Its gaze was supreme in distance and clarity. I circled the city and spied the short cut at the edge of the city of Arkham. I sped to it and dove in and through it. The translation to the next world was smooth and easy.
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