Red Sonja in Hells Ch. 01

"I'm not interested," replied Sonja starting to feel a little uncomfortable standing there naked with Taurus obviously ogling her tits. "I am going down to Tol Atlek to hire on as a mercenary and I don't much like wizards and magic."

"I can pay you a great deal of gold," insisted Taurus.

"Not interested," maintained Sonja.

"I see. There is nothing that can make you change your mind?"

"Nothing," replied Sonja and she waved the sword in her hand meaningfully.

"I see," said Taurus. "I am not used to being told 'No' by anyone, let alone by some naked bimbo lesbian whore!" At those words, Taurus waved his hands in a gesture of magic and before an angry Sonja could do anything, she hear Killia cry out and when the warrior whirled around, her lover had vanished.

"What did you do to her?" cried Sonja leaping forward to put the tip of her sword under the chin of the wizard. "Bring her back now or your head will soon part company with the rest of your body."

"Do that, and you will never see your friend again," smirked Taurus. "All I want you to do is undertake a quest for me. Succeed and I will return your lover to you and you can continue your debauchery."

Still angry and keeping her sword poised Sonja considered his words. She had just met Killia, but for the first time in her life, Sonja had an inkling of what love was like and what it might feel like to care for someone more than you cared for yourself. "What do you want, and where exactly is Killia?" demanded Sonja at last.

"The two are quite related I assure you. "The quest that I need you to undertake is to travel to ten quantum dimensions of possibility and collect a jewel from each of them. When Sonja stared at him blankly, he reviewed his word choice. "Ohh, right. This world has yet to discover quantum mechanics and all that bullshit. Hmmm Ok, I want you to travel to ten different Hells and in each bring back a special jewel." Sonja nodded, Hells was something she could understand. "Here," said Taurus and handed her a thin silver chain he took from a pocket of his robe. "As you acquire each gem, place it on this necklace. The necklace will also protect you from, ummmm certain things you will encounter. Not everything mind you, but enough to give you a chance."

"I don't understand. What kinds of things will it protect me from? How do I know what type of jewel to pick up in each of these Hells?"

Taurus waved his arms dismissively. "Don't worry about that, there is no way you can mistake the jewels as you will learn. Each Hell and each jewel will be different but how you ummm acquire the jewels will be the same. Now I suggest you hurry up and dress unless you want to go naked on this quest." With that, he began to wave his hands in more mystical gestures and a man sized gate began to form in front of him.

Sonja hurriedly scrambled back into her chain mail bikini and gathered up her saddlebags and supplies. "What about Killia, where is she?"

The wizard continued to gesture and the gate grew more substantial. "You will] pass through a gate like this between each Hell once you have acquired the jewel for that Hell. When you pass through the last gate, you will find her waiting. You can not reach her without traveling through all the Hells and obtaining all the jewels." The gate finished forming and the wizard stood back and gestured towards it. "Away you go my dear."

"If you double cross me, I will have your liver for breakfast," growled Red Sonja and she stepped through the gate. Time and space began to whirl around her in a dizzying motion. Sounds boomed and echoed, colors flashed and strobed. Then for just a second things were totally calm and Sonja found herself floating in space. In front of her was the goddess she had dedicated her life and body to.

"Hello Sonja," smiled the goddess. "I have been watching you and this amusing little wizard."

Sonja swallowed hard. "Watching....er for how long?"

"Long enough," laughed the goddess. "I too enjoyed watching your dalliance with Killia"

"You don't mind that I.....um," stammered Sonja as she again blushed bright red.

"Of course not," replied the goddess, words tripping like music from her tongue. "You kept your oath to me and us virgin goddesses have to have some fun even if it is only through our avatars. Also Killia is very beautiful and you did save her from those men and are trying even now to save her."

"Will I succeed?" asked Sonja curiously.

The goddess shrugged. "Free will is a bitch," said the goddess. Maybe you will and maybe you won't, but I suspect you will have adventures along the way. The reason I interrupted your journey, however, is to tell you that because of the nature of your quest, you are released from your oath to me for the duration of the quest."

"Released? I don't understand. What do you mean?" asked Sonja.

The goddess smiled enigmatically once more. "You will soon find out," was all she said and then once more Sonja was whirling through the cosmos and ahead of her she saw the outline of another gate with light beyond it. Sonja fell through the gate into the first of the ten hells.

End of Part One