Thunder

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Corrected November 10^th, 2009 c.e.

An Unofficial Story of Freddy Andersson’s PAWN universe.

Granted release 10-18-2009 by Mr. Andersson

Thunder rumbled through the long green valley as a great, heavy starship ponderously lifted off. Slowly it turned towards the East as its great bulk left the Earth. Climbing and picking up speed as it moved. Many miles away, left behind and standing alone on an ancient stone balcony, a young girl of no more than six watched its departure. Watched, and dreamed. As she watched tears began to collect in her eyes. Eventually an old hand fell lightly on her head, causing her to turn and look up into her grandfathers wrinkled face. “When will mommy and daddy be back” she asked softly.

“Oh, three years I should think” her grandfather answered. “You know that the Empress’s are intrigued by what was found on Terra Seven. Since your parents are the Court Investigators, and best educated in that area of knowledge, they were chosen to go find out what is really there. Off they go.”

“But why did Tommy and Jill get to go when I had to stay?”

“Tommy’s twelve, Jill is fourteen. They are old enough to help. And to keep out of the way when they are not needed.”

“An I’m only old enough to get in the way?”

Her grandfather laughed, reaching down to take one of her small hands into his own. “Yes, your just old enough to get in the way. But next time. Next time you’ll be old enough to go with them. Then I will be the one that is left here alone.”

“Not true and you know it” the little girl argued. “You speak with the Empress’s. Every day.”

Her grandfather chuckled again at the innocense of youth. “Come inside. Its getting cold.”

“Well you do” she repeated, following her Grandfather back inside where it was warmer.

Closing the great leaded glass doors behind them, her grandfather slowly led the way to his granddaughters bed. “No, it is not true. They speak, I listen. I may be the Senior Royal Court scribe Samantha, but I rarely actually speak to them. Why, I sit in an alcove alone. Completely out of everyone’s sight. Nothing but my papers, pen and books for company. I don’t think they even remember that I am there most of the time. Now its time for bed, and you have a long day tomorrow after all. What with school starting after the holidays.”

Samantha halted next to her bed, both hands pushing against its thick mattress as she resisted her grandfathers attempts to get her into it. “Tell me their story first. Please?”

“Again? All right. You get into bed first though.” He waiting until she was in bed, her covers pulled up tightly against her chin before he sat in a chair next to her bed.

“It was in the age of darkness, when man strove to kill man. When demons and monsters freely roamed all lands. Long after the Great Fall, when mankind used star weapons against himself. Destroying the great peace, leaving nothing behind but shattered nations to fend for themselves. No one was safe, not even in their own home, in their own bed. For any evil could strike at any time. Penngalhedrian was a small nation then. An old nation yes. Why some say it was from before the Great Fall. Ruled by Temple, Military and an Empress it was a delicate balance. A balance that kept away the darkness and allowed all some sense of peace. It was a balance though that many had come to sense had become corrupted.”

He paused, smoothing a fold in the bedcovers for a moment. “There came a time when the Great Empress had died, when only a handful of her blood remained to take her place. Yet of those handful, when all things were considered, all were equal. Therefore the High Priest declared that he had been given a vision.”

“A demon” Samantha whispered excitedly.

“A demon” her grandfather agreed. “It was the Gods decision that only she who would be the next Empress could complete this quest. To locate an immortal daughter of the Great Devil, then bring her lifeless head back to Penngalhedrian. Thus the five granddaughters rode out, four in silks with many retainers. One however road out alone. Wearing nothing but normal garb. She rode with no retainers, no banners, no silken clothing. It is said that the odds-givers ranked her as lowest of those who might return triumphant. Should any return alive at all.”

Reaching beside him to a battered bronze goblet, one he had owned since his own childhood the white haired old man sipped some wine before continuing. “Many years passed. Years in which first one, then another, and another body was returned to the Temple. Each one of the Princess’s returned. Their body had been ravaged beyond belief, only their faces remained untouched. Once beautiful faces that all showed the greatest of horrors. This delighted the High Priest, for he reigned as Regent while there was no Empress. Unknown to all he was no Priest of the Light, but had in his youth joined with the Darkness. This test he had given was no test, but a way to remove forever the royal blood that kept all things in balance. Eventually four royal tombs stood sealed tightly in front of the Castle, while a fifth stood open. Waiting.”

“But she didn’t die. Did she grandfather” the little girl asked. There was exhaustion in her voice, the beginnings of sleep was playing at its edges.

“No my child, she did not. Unlike her sisters Ayanah did not ride instantly into combat with any of the known seven Demoness’s. Instead she used her time wisely, traveling to ancient keeps and monasteries. Visiting ancient libraries, forgotten ruins, lost places of learning. She taught herself everything that she could learn of those dark daughters. Until she found the one daughter that she might, just might be able to defeat.”

“That’s when she found Baalah?” the child asked softly. Her eyes were closed now. She was near to sleep, yet still listening. “She’s so beautiful you know Grandfather.”

“Not exactly little one” Samantha’s grandfather corrected. “It was a long and very dangerous trek for dear Ayanah. She had to make her way through a large maze of tunnels and stairs. A maze that no other party had successfully traveled. All the way avoiding many traps and minor monsters on her way. Her path was very long, and when she did finally meet the Demon, even stout hearted Ayanah had pause to rethink her mission. For the demoness she had chosen was physically so large that her head was taller that Ayanah’s entire body. But to become Empress she must bring back the head of an immortal demoness. So gathering her courage, she stepped out to challenge her opponent to a duel. A duel not of magic, for what little Ayanah knew would never have stood against the red skinned giant of a woman. Not of blade, for all she carried was a small dagger. It was a mear toy against the giant she now faced. Certainly nothing that could harm such a creature. No, she challenge her to a game so old that even today none know where it was first played.”

“Chess!” Samantha giggled, yawning before she finished her words. “And she won too.”

“Yes, she won” her grandfather agreed. “She won honestly. With no tricks, no lies. She could have taken Baalah’s head then, but Baalah’s head was as large as Aynanah herself. So what to do? That though was easy for our beautiful Empress, for she had discovered the one secret that would destroy Baalah. She was lonely. Thus her heart was defenseless. So she took Baalah out from her underground prison. As to how, this no one but they know, nor will anyone ever know. Nor how, upon reaching the open sky, she was able to cause her captive to fall hopelessly in love with her. Yet once she had, and believe me in this my grandchild, Empress Aynanah did manage this by herself. It was a simple matter to return with her to Penngalhedrian.”

He paused again, drinking more wine. “Penngalhedrian. Where the Dragon Tongued Sword from before the Great Fall was kept. Aynanah had in her travels discovered that it was the only weapon that could kill an immortal. This told her also that the test she and her sisters had been sent upon had been hopeless. For without that blade, which was kept locked and guarded within the temple, none could win against such odds. No matter the force of arms or majick that stood beside them.”

“Mean Priest” Samantha grumbled, rubbing one eye before turning to lay more comfortably in her bed.

“Truth, and a light truth at that” her grandfather agreed. “Thus they returned to Penngalhedrian, to stand before all. ‘There will be a great dance tonight’ Aynanah told the crowd. ‘At the end of which I will complete my task. That to become Empress of you all.’ Baalah though did not understand what this task might be, for in their travels she had become so in love with Aynanah that she could not conceive of an existence without her. Thus, when the night of dancing had ended, Aynanah stood beside Baalah. She faced the crowd then, holding in her hands the Dragon Tonged Sword. ‘Kneel Baalah’ she ordered, and trusting her love completely the demoness knelt, bowing her head. For she suspected that she was to be knighted, or something that humans do like that. Unseen by her Aynanah raised her bitter blade, preparing to remove the head of her red skinned companion.”

“But she couldn’t” the child whispered, sleep coming upon her.

“No. She couldn’t. For she too had fallen in love. Though in truth she had never suspected it. Enraged by what she had been about to do she spun, cutting the gloating High Priest in half. Then throwing her blade away she knelt to Baalah. ‘I can never hurt you, I love you’ she blurted out for all to hear. First kissing the woman she loved Aynanah stood again, turning to those gathered about her. ‘I will not be Empress if it means causing any harm to those I love. All those I love. We leave now, we leave you to your fate.’ And thus the two left. Passing wordlessly by those four sealed tombs of her sisters, and the still open one meant for Aynanah herself.”

He stopped talking, smiling down on the now sleeping child.

“Too bad” a well known voice whispered from behind him. “You didn’t get to me meeting Baalah’s father.”

“Or my getting thrown out of Hades realm” a deeper, richer voice giggled. “Or that it was my first kiss.”

Turning slowly the old man bowed deeply to the immortal Empress’s of Penngalhedrian. “How may I serve you my Ladies” he asked softly.

“You already do” the elegantly dress Empress Aynanah answered. “She knows the entire story?”

“Of how Penngalhedrian fell into civil war at your departure? How the temple, long corrupted, spat minor demons out for years to harass the people? How the Army. In a blood lust for power, nearly wiped out the entire city? Yes, she knows all. Even of the people, on their knees at your small hut. Begging the two of you to return. To rule them as long as you lived. That you accepted, only as long as you ruled them together as equals. Or that you brought back together the fragmented nations under one rule. Thus bringing again Peace to our world? That your tomb still stands open, waiting? Yes my Empress’s. Samantha knows the entire story by heart.”

Baalah laughed softly, with even such a small movement it seemed that her large breasts threatening to rip free from the thin cloth covering them. “Had they only known. Known how my father, in an attempt to wrest my heart from my Aynanah, how he cursed us. That we could never age or die. Not until we both renounced forever our love for each other. And meant it.”

“Cold day in Hadies that will be” Ayanah whispered, one hand sliding across Baalah’s stomach. “Over three thousand years and I still haven’t tired of your touch, your voice, your taste.”

“Or I you. Now we’d best leave. This child needs sleep.”

Looking to the Royal Scribe Ayanah giggled softly. “And send the upstairs maid to help our Royal Scribe into his bed. With warm milk and cookies.” Still giggling together, the two left as quietly as they could.

Sighing in disbelief the old man made one last check of his granddaughter, then headed for his own room. How could the two most powerful beings in all the world be so.. So childish. Yet it was they who kept the world from falling again into darkness. If such were what was needed to keep them happy, it was a tiny price. A very, very tiny price.