David & 'Lyssa

'Lyssa kept them off the main trail. Taking them ever closer to the mountains. After a couple more hours, the pair came to a rope bridge across a narrow place in the gorge. 'Lyssa was reluctant to try it. But there was no other way across for dozens of miles. Hand over hand, David and 'Lyssa crept across the rope bridge. Once on the far side, David took his Tanto knife and cut his end of the bridge away. From the side they had just left came a terrible scream of rage, but the screamer could not be seen. Something that both travelers were grateful for.

"Come on." Said 'Lyssa. "This way." There was a steep and winding path leading from the bridge up the side of a cliff. The pair started wearily up the trail. Their packs were getting heavier by the hour as they tired. David knew from long experience that it was better to rest before they were too tired to defend themselves. So when they found a cave a few miles further into the mountains. David called a halt.

"The people who dwell in these caves do not welcome trespassers, except as an occasional meal." Warned 'Lyssa. "We need the rest, even if for only a few hours, we have to chance it," David said

Once inside the cave, David shrugged out of his pack. Taking a MRE box from the backpack, he advanced into the cave for a dozen yards or so. Laying the box on the ground, David said, "We are mere travelers passing by. We wish only to rest here at the entrance to the cave. We will not seek to trespass deeper than I am now. And we offer this food as payment for a night's lodging." David flipped his night vision goggles down when he heard something approaching. David backed away from the food a few paces and stood waiting as a short manlike figure came up. The voice that came from the creature would have sounded more natural coming from a giant than a dwarf. But David knew better than to smile or laugh. "Courtesy is not often found in this realm. And I can smell that you are from another world. Very well, we of the cave accept your payment and grant you until high noon to rest here, nothing will attack you from our cave unless you trespass within. However you must guard yourself from outside threats." So speaking, the cave dweller picked up the box and went back into the depths of the cave.

'Lyssa could not believe her eyes and ears. Even much stronger entities than her had been destroyed almost casually by a single cave dweller. And her enhanced vision showed her the several dozen that waited further back in the shadows. Perhaps there was more to this man than she had dreamed possible. For the first time, 'Lyssa allowed herself a faint hope that she might survive this mess after all.

David lit a Coleman lamp and set it on the floor as he unrolled his sleeping bag. Placing his weapons close at hand. David reclined on the bag and opened another box of MRE's. 'Lyssa also unrolled her bag and laid it beside David's. She was careful to keep his bag between her and the rest of the cavern. A decision she would regret.

David had laid the Barret facing the cave opening with the bipod extended. This precaution saved their lives. The creature that came out of the night at them resembled a nightmare blend of a spider and a shark, with a bit of wolverine thrown in for good measure. 'Lyssa woke as the beast reached for her with a pincered foreleg, and she rolled away from the danger, leaving David with an open shot with the Barret. David had no time to take a careful aim, but then, the beast was big enough that he didn't really need to aim.

David ripped off several shots into the beast's head and chest at point blank range. The awesome muzzle blasts of the heavy rifle filled the cave mouth with light and fire and sound. The beast was deafened and confused by the assault but not seriously hurt. It opened its mouth to roar its defiance. That was all David needed. Ripping the pin from a grenade, David pitched it right down the monsters gullet. The beast obligingly swallowed. When the grenade went off, the results were spectacular. Fire vomited from the mouth and eyes of the monster. It convulsed and thrashed about, fortunately falling down outside the cave and continuing it's death throes while falling down the mountainside. David's ears were ringing and all he could think of was to reload the rifle.

'Lyssa was stunned by the blast and the attack. It was all over when she finally realized that she had not even tried to shift into battle form. Then she noticed. David. His features were blurring and reshaping themselves into their familiar shape.

David had shifted to a battle form of his own without even knowing it.

At dawn, 'Lyssa and David left the shelter of the cave, emerging into a steady drizzling rain. The only signs of the creature from the night before were scratches on the stone of the pathway from the claws of the creature during its death throes. The rain had washed the blood and ichor away long since. There was no sign of the cave dwellers. And the morning was quiet and relatively peaceful.

'Lyssa set a steady pace through the saddle of the pass and down the far slope. Though the trail was slippery and treacherous in places, the travelers had no real trouble making the passage. They saw no living creatures except for the occasional bush or tree. Yet neither doubted that they were being watched. But by whom and why, they couldn't tell, and had no real desire to look around to find out.

In this realm, curiosity could kill more than a cat. David was tiring by the time that they emerged from the pass proper. 'Lyssa was even worse off, but she was not about to let David know it. Without her normal abilities, she did not dare show any sign of weakness.

The trail led from the pass into a skeletal forest. The trees all looked dead. Bare branches clawing at the overcast sky. There were rustlings among the trees, always just beyond sight. But no motion could be seen. "Scared 'Lyssa?" David asked. "Damn straight I am." 'Lyssa shot back. "And you would be too if you had any goddamn idea what is waiting out there for us." "I don't like to show fear." David told her. "But that don't mean I don't feel it. I just refuse to let it show to the world. That invites others to see you as prey." 'Lyssa blinked. David was showing much more savvy than she had been giving him credit for, She couldn't afford mistakes like that.

There were side paths and trails branching off from the main trail. But neither traveler felt the slightest inclination to explore them or to turn at all from the main trail. Thus they saved themselves from demises too gruesome to describe.

It was the opposition that made the first error.

David raised a hand to signal a halt at the edge of a clearing.

The clearing was small. A dozen paces across. No more. A man and a woman stood in the center of the clearing dressed in tight fitting chain mail and ribbons of silk. They had swords in their hands. The blades of the swords were strangely indistinct. Fading in and out of view. Never seeming quite there, although neither David or 'Lyssa doubted for an instant that the blades would be very solid indeed if they hit flesh and bone. "Who and what are they?" Asked David in a low voice. 'Lyssa didn't answer him. She was too busy trying to hide behind him. "OK, so they're hostile and dangerous." David whispered over his shoulder to 'Lyssa. "Let's get the party started."

Shrugging off his pack to clear himself for action, David snatched a pair of WP grenades from the pack, and then reconsidered. The clearing was far too confined for area effect weapons. The Barret was far too bulky. The .45 and his Bowie would have to be enough.

Leaving 'Lyssa with the rest of the gear, David stepped out into the clearing. His senses were hyper-alert. He noticed the subtle smells of the area. He could hear the pair in front of him breathing; he could hear their silken clothing sliding against their mail with their subtle movements. And she could see the faint line in the dirt in front of him.

David heard the sounds of the bipod on the Barret clicking into place, but he didn't dare take his eyes off the pair in front of him to look back. David took two steps to the side to give 'Lyssa a clear field of fire. He heard the clacking as 'Lyssa worked the bolt on the rifle to chamber the first round, and he gave a small tight smile. The woman took a few steps toward him, lifting her sword to point at his heart.

David never knew what made him decide to stand there motionless as she moved forward with a gliding step so smooth that she seemed to be floating. He blade tip reached the line in the dirt and vanished. The woman brought up against the line like she had hit a wall. David smiled at her and drew his .45. Careful not to let the muzzle of the pistol cross the line as he pointed it at the woman's head. Her eyebrows drew together in a puzzled frown just before David squeezed the trigger. The 240-grain solid silver hollow point struck the woman just above the bridge of her nose. The back of her head exploded, showering her companion with pieces of bone and a greenish slimy matter the consistency of oatmeal. The corpse dropped and began to dissolve. David heard the boom of the big .50 behind him and felt the pressure wave of the muzzle blast. He was too busy firing at the man in the clearing to look at what 'Lyssa was shooting at. David's silver hollowpoints struck the man in his chest and head, spinning him down and around in a spray of greenish blood.

"HI-YO fucking Silver." Muttered David as he slid a new clip into the .45. It had just struck him that he was shooting silver bullets given to him by an Indian. Lone Ranger indeed.

David turned to see what 'Lyssa had been shooting at.

Knowing her present size and weight would not let her fire the big gun while standing, 'Lyssa had wisely chosen to shoot from a prone position. The muzzle brake attenuated the recoil of the Barret, but it still shoved her back a foot or so. But the cat like creature that had been coming down the trail behind them had been blown nearly in two. "Good job 'Lyssa." Said David as he helped 'Lyssa to her feet. "Thanks." Replied 'Lyssa as she brushed the dirt and debris from the front of her shirt and pants.

Shouldering the pack and the Barret, David led the way around the clearing, keeping between the trees and the circle marked by the faint line on the ground. Back in the clearing, the figures of the man and the woman began to reform. Awaiting the next travelers to come down the path.

They came to the edge of the forest a few hours later. The light level had not changed; it could have been midnight or noon. No way to tell through the clouds covering the sky. There was a marble fountain sitting just off the trail. The water looked clean and inviting. Too much like a trap for David's taste. 'Lyssa however, made a beeline for the fountain, scooping up handfuls of water and drinking deeply. David went over at a much slower pace. "The water is fine!" Cried 'Lyssa. "These fountains are neutral spots, we are safe here, no one can harm us, and we must not harm them." That suited David fine. 'Lyssa knew far more about this place than he did. And as scared as she had been since they had arrived here, if she felt safe and secure, then they probably were. Davis shrugged the pack off and began setting up camp.

'Lyssa stripped off her clothing and was standing just off to the side of the fountain, pouring buckets of water over her head and reveling in getting clean for the first time in days. David took time off from setting up camp to watch appreciatively. In this form, 'Lyssa had a great little body, well worth watching. Evidently someone else thought so too. A low appreciative whistle came from behind David. He whirled, his .45 in his hand coming out to full extension. He held his fire, remembering what 'Lyssa said about this being neutral ground. The being before him raised its hands and took a step back. "Whoa there big fella." It said in a high piping voice.

'Lyssa came up to stand beside David. She had wrapped a towel around herself and carried a dipper of water from the fountain. She offered the dipper to the small creature before her. It took the dipper and bowed to her. The creature drank half of the water and offered the rest to David. David holstered the .45 and took the dipper, Bowing to the other and drinking some of the water. It tasted sweet and slightly effervescent. David felt immensely better after that sip. He eyed the remaining water dubiously. Acting on instinct, David handed the dipper back to 'Lyssa. She bowed to him and drank the remaining water.

David knew that he had just taken part in a ritual. But he didn't know just what. He looked at 'Lyssa for an explanation. 'Lyssa saw the look David was giving her. "It's a greeting here." She explained. "The sharing of the fountains water shows that we are all willing to abide by the conventions." "OK." David said. He looked at the newcomer more closely.

Physically, the creature was humanoid. About 4 feet tall, with greenish skin and a hairless skull that was as big and round as a basketball. A hatchet nose and a thin lipped, mobile mouth balanced the startling pink and silver eyes. The creature was wearing leather shorts and a shirt that laced up the front and looked to be made of cotton or some similar material. It had a wide leather belt that held a pouch and a sheathed dagger a good 12 inches long.

"Getting a good look sweetie?" asked the creature. David blushed as he realized he had been staring more than was probably polite. The creature snickered. David stuck out his hand. "My name is David." The creature shook his hand solemnly. "My name is Prissy." David raised a brow at the creature's name. 'Lyssa smothered a giggle. David looked quizzically at 'Lyssa. "Prissy is an imp. You would call her kind 'goblins'." David decided 'what the hell'. "Pleased to meet you milady." And he swept off his cap and bowed to Prissy. "I like him." Prissy said with a grin. "He's my kind o1 crazy."

Prissy looked closer at 'Lyssa. "And I know what you are missy. What I don't know is what he is doing traveling with the likes of you. And why you are in that form. Piss poor planning for a trip through these parts if ya asked me. Which ya ain't." 'Lyssa turned bright red. "Long story." Prissy looked askance at 'Lyssa. "He knows what you really are? Has he seen the real you yet?" 'Lyssa said, "He has seen my battle form. As for the rest, there really hasn't been time..." Prissy roared with laughter. "I never thought I'd see the day when I got to see an embarrassed succubus!" "You know what a succubus is David?" Asked Prissy. "I have heard legends. But in the myths of my world, a succubus is a demoness who drains the life force and soul of her victims through sex." "Close enough." Said Prissy. "Only they usually eat the body too when they are done with it." 'Lyssa looked down and scuffed her toe in the dirt. '"Lyssa here seems to be locked into her shape at the moment. And her powers, whatever the hell they are, seem to be blocked as well. She thinks someone is playing games with us and with her in particular." Prissy looked thoughtful. "Anyone playing these kind o" games with a succubus is way outta my league." "Can you lead us to a gate, or portal or whatever the hell you call them, that can take me and 'Lyssa back to my world?" He asked Prissy. "I'll try." Said Prissy. "Come share our fire and food," invited David.

David finished building the fire and pitching the tents. He got the fire lit and the three of them sat down to a meal of MRE's and fountain water. 'Lyssa and David related their adventures so far to Prissy. Prissy was by turns, amused, astounded, respectful, awed, and amused again. "Have you tried using any powers besides the battle form that 'Lyssa saw you take in the cave?" David looked startled at the ides. "It never occurred to me." He said. 'Lyssa looked chagrined. "It occurred to HER you bet." Said Prissy. "But you can't blame her for not saying anything. In this form of hers, good lookin1 as it is, she is a right tasty morsel for any of a thousand types of critter in these realms. And you need to remember that you are now becoming one of the critters that would find her fine dining indeed."

As amused as Prissy was, David needed to think about all this.

David woke the next morning with 'Lyssa snuggled up to his right side with her head pillowed on his shoulder. His other shoulder was pinned also. David turned his head that was and saw Prissy snuggled up to his other side.

Prissy had changed. Long red hair, a human seeming head, and a fully mature female body on a 4-foot frame.

David sighed. He should have known that Prissy would be a shape changer too.

"Good morning Prissy." David murmured when he saw Prissy's eyes open. "I like the new look." "I thought ya might find this a little less unsettlin1 to look at." Prissy gave a sheepish grin. "Besides, I figured that missy 'Lyssa there could use some competition." David turned his head toward 'Lyssa. She was just coming wide-awake. "Good morning 'Lyssa." David said. 'Lyssa stretched and yawned. "G1Morning." she slurred through her yawn. 'Lyssa sat up suddenly when she realized that Prissy was laying on the other side of David. Prissy sat up and stretched too. "Heya missy!" Said Prissy. "It do feel good to have someone to snuggle with and hold all night without eat or be eaten ain't it?" 'Lyssa gave Prissy a look that should have scorched her where she sat. Then she turned to glare at David. Laughing, David reached out and pulled 'Lyssa down for a hug. He also reached out and pulled Prissy in for a hug as well. 'Lyssa put up a struggle, but it was only a token, and she surrendered all too easily, settling down with a sigh. Prissy on the other hand, was in a playful mood. She reached out and tickled 'Lyssa's ribs. David tickled Prissy. And the breakfast was further delayed by a free for all tickle fight. It was a wonderful tension relaxer.

Finally David crawled from the tent to stir up the fire and prepare breakfast. 'Lyssa and Prissy took their time in the tent, talking softly with occasional giggles from 'Lyssa and full throated laughs from Prissy.

Finally the women made their appearance. 'Lyssa almost got herself shot. She was back in her natural form.

David turned around and saw a medium sized woman with a centerfold body covered in fine scales and sporting a huge pair of bat like wings standing entirely too close for comfort, especially considering the mouthful of fangs that she was grinning at him with.

David made a diving roll toward his pack, coming up with the H&K and his finger closing on the trigger. Before he could fire, Prissy knocked the gun up. "That's 'Lyssa!" She yelled at him. 'Lyssa was shimmering back to her familiar blonde form. David looked down at his hands. Scales. Claws. Reddish brown tinge on the mottled green scales. Not good.

David let the H&K hang from the sling. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep calming breaths. When he opened his eyes, his hands were back to normal. And 'Lyssa had her arms around him and was clinging tightly. She was shaking like a leaf. David patted her back and put his arms around her. Prissy was still in her human form standing next to them looking at him. "Damn, you' re fast boy. And you change smoother than anyone I ever did see. How are you feeling?"

"OK I guess. She just startled me there for a moment." David replied. "I'm sorry." 'Lyssa said, her voice muffled from where her face was pressed against his shirt.

"Not a problem." Said David.

But he wondered how things would be from now on. One thing for sure, Things would never quite be the same again. "How about breakfast?" asked the ever-practical Prissy. David put down the subgun and added wood to the fire. "Coming up in a few." He said.

As the others ate, David sat cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed and his hands palm up on his knees. David cleared his mind and went through his calming and relaxing regimen that he had learned so long ago in the service. When he opened his eyes again, the tents and the gear had been packed. Prissy and 'Lyssa were waiting for him. "You know how to use this Prissy?" David asked as he held up a 9mm Clock. "Sort of," said Prissy. "You point the open end at the enemy and pull the trigger until it or them quits making loud noises, right?" and she gave him an impudent grin. "15 in the magazine and 1 in the chamber. No safety, just point and shoot." David said as he handed her the gun. He handed 'Lyssa the H&K. "You take point and lead the way," he told Prissy.