The Saga of Tallia the Unwilling Ch. 12

Disclaimer: Everyone is over eighteen. If you are not deeply into fantasy pulp fiction, gender fluidity and pansexuality, you are in the wrong place.

BEHOLD! I, Thutmose-Neferkare, royal scribe, chief librarian and high priest of the divine Ra do bid thee welcome back for the twelfth and final scroll in the first book of "The Saga of Tallia the Unwilling". This is amongst the less violent of the scrolls of this first collection, but makes up for that by being, verily, stuffed to the gills with sex, sex and more sex. So thou hast that to look forward to.

But who dost I kid? This day my mind is far from the matter of this translation, no matter how righteous and raunchy it may be. For you see, gentle readers, tomorrow is the first day of the new year, the birthday of the almighty Ra himself. Happy birthday to you, O great and mighty sun god! May thy fiery sky boat never spring a leak!

If you be not a local, you may not understand just how a big deal Ra's birthday is to us. Basically, take your favorite holiday, set it on fire and then watch it burn while consuming copious honey cakes and crazy amounts of barley beer served by temple prostitutes and you may just barely approach how grand this party shall be. After of course a very reverential procession and prayer for Ra to please not take the sun away again.

So, my most faithful disciples, I bid thee pop open a brewski (or the festive beverage of thy choice) and raise a great exultation unto Ra. Also if you can safely and responsibly set something on fire, lo, Ra doth love that shit! Know also that this be not the last you shall hear of Tallia the Unwilling. Yay, I am looking at a big pile of scrolls that comprise the rest of this great and sweeping saga. And I promise thee we will get about translating those, just as soon as I finish getting freaky with Mr. Beaky! Praise Ra!

Yay, let this fucker be written! Yay, let this fucker be done!

Chapter Twelve: Coming Together pt. 2 or The Gangbang in Denggang

The wizard was dead.

He no longer took the form of a giant worm monster and instead had reverted back a semblance of humanity. Very well mangled humanity to be sure -- but yes, the fucker was human again. Liandra had very promptly cut the head off that form and now silence gripped the sanctum as everyone sat in shock taking in the fact that the wizard was actually gone and the deed was at last done. Sang, interrupted this silence, by coughing up blood.

Tallia got to her first. "Sang, stay with us. Sang!" she cried.

The valiant but tiny woman had been slammed against the wall and had her left arm severed. She was bleeding prolifically. Liandra joined the Amazon and quickly began to do her best. She staunched the flow of blood by tying off her arm. She cried out to Mela, "The panacea! Bring it!"

Mela fished into her silken knapsack where the crystal flash had been carefully wrapped. The flask was cracked, smashed from when she had battered during the fight and now the silk surround was soaked with the strange, magical wine. The sorceress ran to Sang's side and squeezed the remnant straight into her mouth. Sang actually did swallow a little.

And perhaps the trace sidhe elixir did work some magic for her eyes did flash open. Sang then spoke. The archer smiled and in a beautiful voice, a lovely tenor actually, she managed a few words.

"Once, my friends, I thought you all crazy, foolish foreigners. You are crazy, but not fools. Instead, I have, for a time, walked in the company of heroes."

And Sang stilled, eyes open, and became at last utterly and eternally silent. Tallia wept. Liandra prayed and wept even as she pleaded for the Lord and Lady of Love to accept Sang's soul. Hilarius, Mela and Zara gathered around and watched her pass.

"If it wasn't for her, we'd have all perished," said Tallia at last through her tears. No one could argue with that.

"The love has left her and returned to the Lord and Lady," said Liandra.

"I barely knew her," said Mela, "but she seemed brave." Zara nodded in silent agreement.

Hilarius sat reverentially silent and then at last spoke. "She'd have wanted us to loot this fucker."

Tallia gave Hilarius a withering look. "She saved you as well."

"She did," said the rogue. "More than once. And someday I'll honor Sang the Silent by telling her story. But today, she'd want no long-winded speeches. She'd have wanted us to loot this fucker. Most thoroughly, I suspect."

No one could argue with that either.

So, they did indeed loot this fucker. Most thoroughly. This proved easier than they at first thought. Tallia had been certain that at least some of the Sons of Arion might stand and fight, eager to claim the fortune of their master from so few. But when Arion died, so also died the Eye.

With the Eye's control gone, every remaining beast-men ceased to be compelled to obey the wizard and free, they fled from this hated fortress. And though our heroes did not know this, even the beast-men afield intent on raiding villages suddenly lost their compulsion to obey. The bands, which had not yet reached the far villages they were sent to, fell instead into infighting over who the new boss would be and quickly scattered. Though beast-men would occasionally trouble the Rice Lands for years to come with petty acts of banditry, largely, their day was done. They passed into myth as a colorful, local demon.

That left Tallia and her band of allies as the masters of the wizard's fortress. This was not a title they much cared for, but it did have its benefits. Behind the small door behind the throne, they discovered the wizard's private suite. There, besides a few terrified and newly liberated slave girls, they discovered Arion's treasury filling a sizeable side chamber.

The treasury held what can only honestly be described as a staggering amassment of stolen wealth. There were three man-weights of gold in the form of trade bars, jewelry and looted taken not just from Liandra's own temple but it seemed from a half dozen other temples and shrines. The quantity of gold was greatly exceeded by thrice the silver. And then there was a small chest loaded with smooth nuggets of amber, four long strings of pearls, and an assemblage of other jewels as well. Further there were ten bolts of silk in various colors and a small but beautiful elm cabinet full of peppercorns, cinnamon bark, cloves, saffron, nutmeg and various rare seeds of uncertain pedigree. In short, the chamber contained a vast fortune, in fact too much for them to carry. Liandra's precious medicine bag was heaped here as well. The priestess restocked with sundries taken from the wizard's stores. Also here, much to Tallia's delight, was her prized bear-skin cloak, silver horn and even the gold ring Hilarius' had lifted from the magistrate seemingly a lifetime ago.

And of course there was the sword. Still inside the green glass coffer was the Blade of Celaeno, as bright and vorpal as it had ever been. Tallia sighed, opened the latch and lifted the lid. Instantly, the blade was in her hand. It spoke to her in its usual regal, feminine voice straight into her mind, "You have done well, my beloved. You have defeated my abductor and reclaimed thy blade, thus proving your worth. Many foes have you overcome. You shower honors upon yourself, dread Celaeno. Truly you walk the road of heroes."

Tallia didn't say anything in response to the weapon. She simply sheathed the blade and hung it from her belt.

"Does it speak to you?" asked Hilarius.

"Yes, the same 'road of heroes' shit as before. And it keeps calling me by the wrong name."

"You could just put it back in the coffer, bury it somewhere, accept who you are and move on," said the rogue. "You don't need that sword. You are, let me assure you, an unstoppable badass without it. I think you've well proven that."

"Gods on high and in hell, my love, that is exactly what I yearn to do!" Instead the Amazon pushed the glass coffer off the table it sat upon and watched it shatter. "But I can't turn my back on this. Becoming Tallia has been the greatest adventure of my life, but it is not one I chose. I still need to find the truth of this... changing. Let's call it a changing not exactly a curse."

Hilarius nodded. "This treasure is amazing, but I'm fucking starving. Do wizards eat?"

Wizards do indeed eat and in an entire different area of the fortress, they discovered the wizard's larder. It seemed that Arion had enjoyed his victuals greatly and they discovered a dizzying diversity of dried meats, fresh caught game, preserved fruits, hard cheeses, root vegetables and a great assortment of rice and other grains and flours. In fact, a full inventory of the assemblage was simply beyond them. Suffice to say that they discovered a vast store of food both fine and humble. Here was stored the tribute of dozens of beholden villages combined with the results of years of ruthless and widespread banditry.

And yet, as expansive as the food stores were -- it was perhaps dwarfed by the stores of alcohol. There were large racks of rice wines stored in clay pots. There were giant fermenters turning barley into beer and stored casks holding the results of earlier labors. And besides that more common fare, there was also glass bottles obviously imported from more distant locals. Tallia recognized a few of the marks as the fine brandy-wines favored by the nobles of Yaath'Xin. But there were other bottles here holding liquors from more distant locales no one could identify.

Then there were the slaves. They discovered an entire wing of the fortress where none of them had yet ventured. This wing was dedicated to the more material concerns of the wizard and his warriors. The slaves quartered here were overwhelmingly young, female and pretty. But there were also numerous slave boys here intended for hard labor. Further the wizard kept a collection of abducted artisans -- cooks, bakers, valets, potters, sculptors, armorers, weaponsmiths and builders of various persuasions. In short, the fortress contained a sizeable village's worth of abductees. There were by Mela's count five hundreds and three score of them. They were all recently freed from the Eye's horrid control, eager to leave this place but terrified what would happen if they did.

This inventory of the fortress' contents is nowhere complete -- there was also weaponry, shields, bows and arrows, the wizard's personal effects, his wardrobe, bedding, tools, building supplies and likely a thousand other small items lost in the band's cursory examination. In short, they had not just defeated a great evil, they had also seized what amounted to a town that had until recently been wholly dedicated to banditry, villainy and the whims and pleasures of one mad would-be god. Each of the adventurers took their pick of the spoils.

Hilarius of course quickly devised a plan concerning the cash. Many of the now liberated slaves came from Jiu Shan and its smaller satellites. That village was three days march from the fortress. So, the conquering heroes would organize a great caravan. The villagers would have free access to loot the fortress save for the treasury and sufficient food for the heroes to make it back to Denggang. Their only duty was that they help the heroes tote the entire contents of the treasury back to town. Further, once that task was performed, they were welcome to return here if they so liked and loot this place again as there was still far too much to be carried out in one trip.

Everyone agreed this seemed a fine course. Of course this plan was an easy thing to say, but actually organizing and implementing it proved more daunting. For three days they lingered in the fortress, sorting through the remnants of Arion's aborted empire.

There were also other matters to take care of. The remains of Diagoras, Sang, Arion and various dead beast-men had to be dealt with. It was decided that burning was appropriate. There was some resistance to giving Arion a proper burial but then Liandra pointed out that if they didn't burn the wizard, he might come back, perhaps as an even harder to kill ghost of some sort. That silenced all opposition.

Liandra burned Diagoras quietly. Amidst the flames, she swore she saw a handsome man of noble bearing with a long well-trimmed beard bow to her and head into the light where a glowing angel awaited. But then Liandra was, it was universally agreed, crazy.

Tallia helped dig the grave into which his ashes were placed, as was the rather unusual custom of the people of Amathus. It was well that the Amazon did the brunt of the work for Liandra remained hopeless at any task involving even a modicum of physical strength. The priestess did carve a tombstone bearing his true name "Nestor of Amathus" in the script of her far homeland. Below his name she also carved "beloved and forgiven".

Arion they did not burn quietly. His funeral was intended by all of the companions, armed and ready for trouble. Much to their relief the wizard did not rise or change into anything as the flames took him. The wizard was even reunited with his head after his body was much reduced. He received no grave marker and his ashes and burned bones were left for the wind to take. What no one noticed was that Zara, later that night, snuck out and recovered the intact but fleshless skull of Arion Three-Eyes. She cleaned it, wrapped it in silk and concealed it at the bottom of her pack.

Mela too had business. She once more wrought a circle of silver and called forth to the spirit-form of King Bressian. The noble sidhe answered quickly the sorceress' call.

"I have it, my king," she announced. "Alas, I believe the Eater of Magic is now broken."

"You are sure. It is non-functional?" asked the sidhe-king.

"You needn't believe me," said Mela, presenting the magnificent stave of true silver and heartwood. "I was about to send it through."

"YES! I mean... yes, that will be acceptable," said King Bressian. Mela handed the spirit the stave and concentrated for a moment. There was a bright flash of magical energy and then, the king at last held his treasure. "Oh ho, what a coup! A major artifact recovered and my wife none the wiser. Well done, Belaerryn!"

"Melaerryn, my king. Thank you, my king."

"Yes, yes, regardless, are you ready to come home?"

"I..." she paused in consideration. "I think that I shall dally for a bit in the land of the mortals, my king, if that is permissible?"

"Dally? Ho ho, Lady Melaerryn. You surprise me," the king said with a wicked smile. "Yes, I too have found the pleasures of the mortal realm quite engaging from time to time."

"I assure you, my lord, my interests are purely academic."

"Of course!" the king said with a laugh. "As are mine. And fear not, I'll not rat you out to your bore of a husband. I'll simply explain the importance of your ongoing mission on behalf of the Summer Court. Anyways, if you change your mind, feel free to contact me... not too often you understand."

"Certainly, my king. Thank you, my king."

"Yes, well. I think I hear the Queen coming. Got to dash. Have fun, my wicked Melaerynn." And with that the ghostly figure very rapidly dissipated.

Hilarius, who had spectated this act of sorcery, watched the ghost disappear. "You know, Mela, I think I've now picked up on enough of your language to come to understand that your boss is a bit of an idiot."

"Oh, he's not my boss," Mela remarked. "I'm a double agent for Queen Brigit. Please don't tell him, will you?"

Hilarius laughed. "My lips are sealed."

The final bit of business was the funeral of Sang. She burned as silently as she had lived. If she had spoken even a hundred words to anyone in the company, they could not be sure of it. But those few words and her many deeds had made this moment, this victory possible. They buried her ashes as well in a golden vessel taken from the wizard's hoard. They left behind a grave marker that read, "Lee Sang called the Silent -- when she spoke, you listened."

The next morning, at last the cadre of the five surviving companions left the fortress for the last time. They may have arrived by sneaking in below, but they left by walking out the now broken and abandoned front gate. It took them longer than any of them truly wanted to conclude their business in this horrid place, so full of bad memories. Only Mela had discussed making another expedition into the depths of old Gaelynglas to see what other wonders and treasures of the ancient sidhe could be found there. This idea was met with no enthusiasm. They already had more treasure than they knew what to do with and there was the very real possibility that there were other unknown beasts and demons lurking down there in the dark.

So they left bound, eventually, for the river port of Denggang. By the measure of their earlier journeys, the trek back was an easy and uneventful one. Tallia and her cadre were neither assaulted by monsters, drowning in rain nor starving to death. They also marched at the head of a column of more than five hundred freed slaves as well as many wagons and other beasts of burden. And yes, they were loaded beyond all reason with treasure both from the wizard's hoard and the sidhe vaults below.

Their first stop was Jiu Shan. The devastated farm town was still reeling, of course, from the earlier raid by the monster men. But the return of so many abducted family members and the news that the Three-Eyed Demon was at last dead did help to cushion the blow. The massacre had been avenged and at last, the people of the headwaters of the river Deng had hope once more. Zara remained silent during their entire brief stay, and fortunately no one recognized her, so changed was she.

Tallia did personally visit the families of Duc and Nien (the sailors from their voyage to the wizard's fortress) and deliver to each of them a knapsack full of gold. This did not replace their lost loved ones, of course, but it did ensure that rebuilding would be easier. They also asked about if anyone knew where Lee Sang had come from. Tallia wanted to give her family her share as well. But they could find no trace of her origin. Even Liandra who had travelled with her the longest had no inkling where she was from. Sang the Silent remained as mysterious dead as she had been alive.

They did not linger long in the village. As soon as practicable, they hired a barge and set sail to Denggang. A journey downriver, with the summer flow, and with other sailors to steer and row made this leg seem like a pleasure cruise. They watched the magnificent beauty of the living Deng pass by before them.

The five companions arrived back in Denggang a day before midsummer. They were now too numerous (and frankly too rich) to stay at the rice warehouse. So, they instead booked rooms at a newly established inn that came highly recommended "The House of the Smiling Monsu". Tallia found the service there to be quite polite.

Tallia and Hilarius also retrieved Bradus, their long-suffering and loyal dray horse, and found him healthy and well cared for. They tipped the warehouse foreman with an ingot of silver. He was overjoyed by this great gift and pledged to name his first daughter after Tallia the Generous. The Amazon was unsure how to feel about that. Hilarius was instead simply sure they'd wildly overpaid.

"You should let me handle the finances from now on," the rogue said to the Amazon.

And indeed, their first course of business in Denggang involved commerce. They did their level best to consolidate down their new fortune into something more portable. This proved largely impossible. But they did sell the silk for gold to Seo-Jun the silk merchant. They also turned a large portion of the silver and spices into pearls, which they now had a large chest full.