The Fae flittered around a mushroom ring, keeping up the appearance that they were farming. So far, it deflected Oyed\u2019s attention as he had no interest in the Fae Republic. Good thing, too, the ring was keeping a resistance base hidden. Within that base, Fae Empress Rellmeer and her harem girl, Felfar, made their way to the center of the base, within a secret bunker where she met Oak and a Naga woman, Larana, Queen of the Blasarda Desert. The four then keyed their i.d. codes into a computer and it verified their identities. Once it was deemed safe, they sat down. \u201cResistance Council now in session with Commander Felfar in attendance,\u201d called Rellmeer. \u201cOak, give us the bad news first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been discovered,\u201d explained Oak. \u201cOyed and his followers know that Arsha\u2019s here. They\u2019re about five days out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t evacuate in this condition,\u201d remarked Larana. \u201cArsha wouldn\u2019t be able to come out of her coma!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere IS a bit of sun on the horizon,\u201d replied Rellmeer. \u201cFelfar, dear, tell everyone what you told me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy friends, we\u2019ve just been granted a stroke of luck!\u201d explained Felfar. \u201cThe Endeavor<\/em> has finally managed to respond to our signals! They\u2019re on their way here! They were two days out at last known contact!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was yesterday,\u201d supplied Rellmeer. \u201cIf Oyed gets here while the Endeavor<\/em> is still on the ground, we\u2019ll be able to get Arsha into more familiar surroundings and nearer to her loved ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat should get her out of her coma faster,\u201d agreed Larana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen we must increase evacuation drills,\u201d declared Oak. \u201cWe cannot hope to protect Arsha with the number of fighters we have. The Endeavor<\/em> has more capable fighters aboard that can help us hold the enemy off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll have everyone go through evacuation drills,\u201d called Rellmeer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daren and Mika continued monitoring the comatose Arsha. Her brain activity was still the same, but her body still remained unresponsive. A Genie named Namdaresh then appeared. \u201cI\u2019m getting a somewhat clearer picture of Arsha\u2019s mind,\u201d she reported. \u201cIt looks like she\u2019s dueling with a demonic version of herself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDid it have a long neck?\u201d asked Daren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Yes, actually, and had\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTentacles for locomotion?\u201d finished Mika.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay, how do YOU know what that monster looks like?!\u201d demanded the disgruntled Namdaresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe description came from her psych eval,\u201d explained Mika. \u201cShe had a dream-weaving session with one of her lovers, Falnii.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s supposed to be her darker side,\u201d continued Daren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWait, you said there was a dream-weaver involved,\u201d interjected Namdaresh. \u201cIsn\u2019t there one among us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s Dorma, but I wouldn\u2019t recommend it,\u201d remarked Mika. \u201cIf Arsha is helped out via a dream-weaver, she\u2019ll become dependent on them. Not enough of her will come back. The only thing that can work naturally is to call to her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause we TOTALLY have time for the natural way!\u201d grunted Namdaresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, if things go well,\u201d mused Daren, \u201cshe\u2019ll be in familiar settings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSweetie?\u201d asked Mika.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI heard from Felfar that the Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s on her way here. She should be arriving soon.\u201d Mika grinned at that bit of news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe surroundings of her ship should be able to help her recovery.\u201d At that moment, Norvorok, the former monk of the now defunct Vorkath Monastic Hospital, entered the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s landing,\u201d he reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPerfect!\u201d cheered Mika.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Endeavor<\/em> was shrunk down to a size that would be more manageable to the Fae that lived in the mushroom ring. The landing ramp lowered and Denstra, Endea, and Elgrad came down. Elgrad grabbed the nearest Fairy man and pulled the poor guy close to his face. The Fairy could notice the haggard look in the Mid-realm King\u2019s eyes. \u201cNo tricks! Where\u2019s my baby girl?!\u201d snarled Elgrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour Majesty, please!\u201d urged Endea. Elgrad glared at her, then sighed and let the Fairy man down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry,\u201d he muttered. Rellmeer then flew up to them and landed just as the Fairy man scampered off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you\u2019re quite done terrifying my subjects!\u201d she growled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou said Arsha\u2019s here! Where?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis way.\u201d Rellmeer then led everyone to the bunker. \u201cI must warn you,\u201d she said on the way, \u201cand there\u2019s no gentle way to say it, Arsha\u2019s in a coma.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA coma?!\u201d yelped Endea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt looks like her darker side is trying to keep her mind safe,\u201d continued Rellmeer as she recalled the mental section of the medical report. \u201cEvery attempt outside of dream-weaving has been met with a monstrous version of her lashing out at us. All we\u2019ve been able to do is call to her. We\u2019re thinking family, friends, and familiar surroundings will get her out of it.\u201d They arrived at the room. Elgrad\u2019s was glad he could see Arsha, but his happiness was unfortunately tempered by the fact she was hooked up to an apparatus that helped her breathe, eat, and use the restroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Arsha?\u201d asked Elgrad. Arsha didn\u2019t respond, she just laid there comatose, her eyes shut. Elgrad slowly came towards her and sat beside her. \u201c\u2026Arsha, it\u2019s me. It\u2019s your father.\u201d Still no response. Elgrad was tearing up. \u201c\u2026Arsha, I don\u2019t know if you CAN hear me, but it\u2019s great to see you again after this miserable half-year.\u201d He stroked Arsha\u2019s hair. \u201cWhen you wake up, I promise, we WILL defeat Oyed. \u2026You\u2019ve got other people wanting to see you. Let me go get them.\u201d He then left the room. As he was making his way to the bunker\u2019s exit, the whole place rocked. \u201cWHAT IN?!\u201d he yelped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cENEMY INVASION!\u201d wailed a Sprite woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh no, not today!\u201d snarled Elgrad. He unsheathed his sword and ran outside to see Oyed, Dr. Borg, and the rest of the Imperial Council firing magic blasts into the crowd. Oyed then spotted Elgrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, Your Majesty!\u201d he greeted. \u201cCome to make a royal appearance in this foreign land? I\u2019m honored to meet you!\u201d He gave an exaggerated bow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStay out of my way!\u201d growled Elgrad. \u201cI\u2019m busy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, busy tending to your daughter. A little monkey told me she was here. Tell me, why aren\u2019t you at her side at the moment? \u2026Unless you intend to throw your life away for some reckless attempt to keep me from her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s not your problem!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, actually, it is. You see, I want to make sure I do the job right. What better way than to kill her while she\u2019s bedridden?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER!\u201d Elgrad brought his sword down and slashed Oyed\u2019s face. There wasn\u2019t even a single scratch on the Titan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSee, that\u2019s just provocation. Now, all kidding aside, bring Arsha to me so I can kill her properly!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019d rather die!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat can be arranged quite easily!\u201d The two then clashed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Fae flittered around a mushroom ring, keeping up the appearance that they were farming. So far, it deflected Oyed\u2019s attention as he had no interest in the Fae Republic. Good thing, too, the ring was keeping a resistance base hidden. Within that base, Fae Empress Rellmeer and her harem girl, Felfar, made their way […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,238],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-4432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-5-the-final-fight","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4432","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4432"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4432\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4433,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4432\/revisions\/4433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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