for her child, but who would he care for, when he spoke and smiled? His mother? Or the
Demons?
Far, far behind her, WolfStar slipped and slithered his way down the walkway, his own
child‘s corpse tight under one arm.
Nothing bothered him on his journey down.
The Demons found what they wanted an hour later. The walkway descended into a
massive vaulted chamber, bare save for a pedestal of golden stone in the centre.
On this pedestal sat a great black bird. It had a thick body, but an overly long and
completely bald neck, topped by a tiny head with a long, sharp beak.
It stood unmoving on thick, yellow, scaled legs and claws.
The Demons filed into the chamber, and Sheol waved StarLaughter forward.
―Place the child on the pedestal before the bird.‖
―But what if he hurts him? What if—‖
― Place the child on the pedestal! ‖ Sheol took one threatening step towards StarLaughter,
her shoulders hunching as she flung her arms outward, the shadow she cast on the wall behind
her making her seem like a great predatory bird herself.
StarLaughter‘s face tightened, but she did as Sheol commanded, turning to walk slowly
towards the golden pedestal. The bird‘s head turned slightly to watch her.
StarLaughter halted a pace away. The bird was far larger than it had originally seemed,
almost twice the size of an eagle, and the beak was wickedly sharp.
―Place the child on the pedestal,‖ Sheol whispered.
Slowly, very slowly, her eyes not leaving those of the bird, StarLaughter took one more
step forward, then lifted her beloved child onto the cold stone before the bird‘s claws.
The child shivered, as if discomforted by the chill against its newly-warmed flesh.
―Now rejoin us,‖ Sheol commanded.
StarLaughter hesitated, terrified at what the bird might do to her son, but then she turned
and walked back towards the Demons.
She only got halfway when she heard a frightful shriek behind her. StarLaughter whipped
about. The bird‘s head was now a blur as it plunged its beak again and again into the child‘s
chest.
StarLaughter cried out, and would have rushed to her son‘s aid, but tight arms closed
about her.
―Watch only!‖ Barzula hissed in her ear.
StarLaughter struggled and wailed. The baby, too, shrieked again and again, the level of
his screams rising each time the bird stabbed its beak down.
Blood spattered across the entire chamber, spattering StarLaughter‘s face and hair, and
slivers of flesh slipped down the golden sides of the pedestal.
―No!‖ StarLaughter howled, struggling vainly against Barzula‘s grip. ― No! ‖
―Wait!‖ Barzula whispered, and StarLaughter felt his arms tighten yet more until she had
no breath to cry out.
The bird continued to hack at the child‘s body, and the child continued to scream.
Impossible amounts of blood flowed from his body, and ribs glinted through the ruined flesh of
his chest.
Suddenly the bird stopped, tilted its head curiously as it stared into the ruined flesh before
it, then stabbed its beak down a final time.
But this time it did not withdraw. It kept its beak buried deep within the child‘s body, and
it took a great breath through its tiny nostrils, and then exhaled through its beak.
The boy quietened.
The bird withdrew its beak, and took one careful step away from the child to the very
back edge of the pedestal. There it stayed, its eyes still fixed on the child.
The child‘s chest expanded in a huge breath, and in an instant so quick StarLaughter‘s
eyes could not follow it the ravaged flesh healed itself before her eyes, and the boy‘s limbs and
body lengthened and thickened.
A youth of some twelve years now lay on the pedestal, his legs and arms drooping over
its sides. His chest rose in regular movement, but his eyes—now a clear, deep violet—still stared
blankly above him.
Barzula‘s arms loosened, and StarLaughter walked slowly towards the pedestal.
The bird watched her, but did not move.
StarLaughter halted and ran one hand softly down her son‘s body, marvelling at the
beauty of his sturdy figure and the well-defined muscles of his arms and legs. His head, once
only covered with a fine down, was now thick with rich copper curls and as StarLaughter slid
him off the pedestal, she saw he had golden adolescent wings emerging from his back.
―My boy,‖ she whispered. ―DragonStar.‖
―If you like,‖ Sheol murmured unheard behind her.
They waited, all of them, in a corner of the chamber hidden by shadows and the power of
the Demons.
The boy stood obediently, his eyes blank, his body unresponsive to StarLaughter‘s
murmurings and caressing hands.
―Be silent,‖ Barzula hissed at her. ―He comes!‖
StarLaughter fell silent, lifting her eyes from her son.
WolfStar entered the chamber on feet silent with caution. His eyes slid about the walls,
but he saw nothing, and he visibly relaxed.
StarLaughter stared, so shocked she did not know what to think. She moved slightly, and
felt a Demon‘s hand clutch at her arm. Be silent, StarLaughter! It was the combined voice of the Demons in her mind.
But that is WolfStar!
Aye.
But—
Watch, StarLaughter, and once he has gone, we will tell you something very, very
amusing.
WolfStar was completely unaware that anyone else remained in the chamber.
StarLaughter watched him, her mind in turmoil. She had waited so long for this moment. Gods,
but she wished the Demons would allow her to rush forth and claw his eyes out! Her chest
constricted in loathing, remembering how he had gladly wasted her life, and that of their son‘s,
in his quest for all-consuming power.
Her fingers grazed slightly against the warm flesh of her son‘s chest, marvelling at its rise
and fall, and then her attention was consumed by WolfStar. In his arms he carried the still form
of a toddling girl. As StarLaughter had done, now he stepped forth and placed the child on the
pedestal.
The instant he had moved back, the bird took one pace forward, and tore into the girl‘s
chest as he had into the boy‘s.
StarLaughter turned eyes wide with anger towards the Demons.
We understand, StarLaughter. But be still and silent, and do not fret too much. There is
good reason to allow WolfStar this moment.
StarLaughter looked back to her husband…and she almost sneered. His face wore an
expression of open ambition as he stared at the girl.
Who was this girl? It could be no-one else save Niah, the woman he had betrayed
StarLaughter with. Who else would he bother to go to this trouble for?
Me he murdered, StarLaughter thought, and this girl he resurrects.
Hate consumed her, and were it not for the power of the Demons that held her back,
StarLaughter would have rushed forward to tear the child into such pieces that WolfStar would
never have been able to contemplate a resurrection, let alone accomplish it.
Be still, StarLaughter.
Now the bird had finished, and he stepped back to the edge of the pedestal again.
As had the boy, so now did the girl transform. Limbs and body lengthened into the form
of a twelve-year-old girl. Her skin was pale and fine, her hair as black as the bird and falling to
the very floor, her limbs long and shapely, and her breasts just beginning to emerge from their
childish entrapment.
Will you wait until she speaks and moves before you slake your lust on her, WolfStar?
StarLaughter thought. Or will you take her now, and enjoy her silence?
But WolfStar was apparently in no rush to slake his lust, for he stepped forward and took
the girl‘s arm in a perfunctory manner. He gave an impatient tug. Then, when she did not move,
he picked her up and slung her over a shoulder before exiting the chamber.
―What have you done!‖ StarLaughter cried. ―That was WolfStar. And no doubt that child
was the woman he craves so much. Why let him—‖
―We, too, were angered when first we realised WolfStar trailed us with his own child that
he wishes to return to life,‖ Sheol said. ―But we quickly lost our anger when we realised how we
could turn this situation to our advantage, and gain you your revenge at the same time.‖
―How?‖
―StarLaughter.‖ Mot now stepped forward and took both StarLaughter‘s hands in his.
―Would you have your son rule this vast land without a bride at his side?‖
StarLaughter‘s eyes widened as she grasped what the Demon‘s meant to do. ―But she will
be as powerful as—‖
Sheol grinned, her teeth glinting behind red lips. ―Not if we stop him after Fernbrake,
beloved Queen of Heaven. Then your son will have a bride any husband would covet. Beautiful,
willing…and completely soulless. And WolfStar? Sweet StarLaughter, why not let your son have
the eventual revenge on WolfStar? After all, while he murdered both of you, it has been your son
who has been deprived of all chance at life. Imagine what he can do to the father who denied him the chance to draw a single breath.‖