The Sage plus two others by D.A. Sanford - HTML preview

Readers be advised

Warning: Contains adult content due to graphic descriptions of any or all of the following:

Battles, Language, Sexual

Both the cover and images in this book are not photographs or hand drawn art. They were created using AI text to graphics programs by the author.

The Sage with two other stories (The last human, Envy)© 2024 D. A. Sanford All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author or publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

for permission from the author contact danielsanford@sbcglobal.net

The Sage by D.A.Sanford

I’m in trouble

I am sitting in a room with the god of mercy and the god of time. All I know is that this cannot be good. Moments ago, I was minding my own business. I’m an old man. I have lost my entire family in an accident quite a number of years ago. Now I just wander through the town. I am the town character. They treat me as a cross between the sage and a grumpy old fart. I hurt. All the old age maladies.

I had a rough life but I don’t feel too bad for a ninety year old. The only thing is, I am in my early seventies. Now the topper, I am with the gods. I must have died but I get a bad gut feeling. You see, I like those light novels. I read a lot to know that if you are in the presence of the gods, you may be in trouble. I know I’m dead but just how bad of trouble I am in is yet to be seen.

I never expected what I hear next.

“It seems that there has been an accident.” She tells me. “I am the god of mercy and this is the god of time. It seems that there has been an accident. I will let the god of time explain.”

He looks very bothered as he said, “I have no excuse. I can only say this was an accident. Both myself and my fellows live outside of time. I was once like you but I was pushed out of time by myself. That is too tough for you to handle right now. I’ll explain later. Sorry, I ramble. While on a mission to correct a time error in your town. I did not look and bumped into you, knocking you over. That knocked you out of time.”

I know that it is not good so I have to ask, “You knocked me out of time. I’m afraid to ask, what does that mean to me?”

He told me that he was very, very, sorry. Here it comes.

“You are no longer in time and never will be again. You can exist in time but you are not affected. You are now eternal. I’m sorry.”

Mercy now takes over. “All my others that I have had here were mortals that had a very bad life. I was able to send them to other worlds to have new lives. You are like us, immortal, so I cannot do the same for you. The only thing I can do is fix your present body so you are not in or ever will be in pain. Which is now done.”

I feel better than I can ever remember. So far so good but they look like the other shoe is going to drop.

She continues, “You have to make a choice. Time has his fellows. They are imps that are six inch pranksters. You can become one of them. I can put you on a world where you will become a sage.”

“I would out live everyone. That sucks. Be an imp, I don’t think so. How about this. You say that you can put me on another world. Can you leave me there for let’s say twenty years? I can help a world then move to another, and another. Knowing that I do not have to see those I help pass and pass and pass, goes a long way to help me.”

She seems to be thinking. Another appears and sits. She tells me that this is the god of wisdom. The gods all know what happened. Then she talks to her. “He has made a proposal. He wants to go from world to world, spend twenty years imparting wisdom to help steer that world in the right direction then go to other worlds doing the same. What do you think?”

Wisdom thinks about it. “I could give him the pertinent wisdom needed for that world. I actually would like that. I could work with him like the Watcher will do.”

I see another pop in. I am told that she is the Watcher. “I’m in on this.” She tells us. “This will make my tasks easier. I will also put in my requests for his wisdom help. My children will recognize him and will help him. How about he has a few of my new children to help protect him. They need to learn of other worlds.”

This is becoming overwhelming to me when the god of fate comes in. They are having a ball discussing my future. My head is swimming. Fate sees me and sits next to me. She pats my shoulder.

“When we are all done figuring this great idea that you had out, I will just touch you and it will all make sense. Ever since you made the suggestion, you brought me into it. You changed your fate. You have given us a new angle to our ultimate goal. Peace in the universe. Mortals get too full of themselves. They think they know it all but you will show them that they don’t. You really are a sage.”

She then hugs me. That is the first real hug that I have had since I lost my wife. I break down. She only hugs tighter as she rubs my back.

When I finally calm down, she looks at the Watcher. “Can one of your lovely deserving children be asked to be a companion, a mate, that we will make eternal to be with him forever?”

“I know just the one. I will visit her and ask.” She disappears then comes back with an older green lady. She is a little shorter than I am. I am not that tall, gravity and age. The Watcher comes over to me with the woman.

“I have explained to her what is happening. She was a concubine to a king. She has had three children of the new race of Gargoyles. They are also immortal, she is not. She says that she wants this especially since I will have her children as your guardians.

Now the woman comes over to me. “I am called Gewue. I am old and dry. I would like to travel with you on your journey. Could I be your new mate. I will grow on you.” She has such a warm personality. I just know that we will get along but I need to see something.

“I’m called Ron. I have one question, can I hug you?”

She is startled but tells me that I can. I draw her into that hug. It is not a casual one but it is not a sextual one either. I give her a loving one. She responds and it feels right, warm. She is in tears saying that she thought she would never feel that again.

“I would be happy to have you travel with me forever. Are you comfortable with me?”

She goes back into the hug. That tells me everything, but she is shuttering.

Mercy tells us that she is now immortal and no longer afflicted with the effects of age like she did for me. Now all the different gods are here. There are a lot and all seem to be talking. Gewue is laughing. She is infectious and I start to laugh. They all look at us and smile.

Mercy tells us that they will hash out the details. “You need to get to know each other.

You no longer need to eat or sleep but I am sending you to a top rated hotel. Eat and spend the night.” With that we are in the hotel room or should I say suite.

There on a rack, are clothes befitting the hotel environment. She looks at me and starts to undress so I do also. She takes my hand and we go to the bath. I wash her and then she washes me. We rinse and then get into the tub to soak.

She is cuddling up to me. She was a concubine but I don’t feel that this is phony. These are true feelings. We just hug for a very long time then she sits on my lap. Is she hinting? I cannot remember the last time my plumbing worked. Much to my surprise, it works again. I actually am embarrassed. She is smiling.

“Evidently, they fixed me. I’m a little embarrassed.”

“Please don’t. They also fixed me. I am just as embarrassed. I really missed that part of my life. Can we dry off and get to know each other.”

We totally forgot to eat. We do not need sleep. We did get to know each other. I find I enjoy her. She is loving and bubbly. I also find that I can just talk to her and it is interesting to listen to her. Finally, we get dressed and it was then that we found we were back with the gods.

They are all smiling. The Watcher comes over and asks, as she smiles ear to ear, “Have you decided to travel together?” They all laugh and we feel that they saw it all. We were told that we would never conceive any children.

“The one big thing is that her three will only acknowledge you as their father even though they consider their home world’s origin father and mother as revered founders of their race.”

Gewue is extremely happy when she sees her three appear before us. I must say that I only read about them in mythical tomes. They are very impressive. The three come over to me and thank me for taking their mother as mate, especially since she will no longer age and will not die.

Gewue introduces her three. Thor is the oldest son. Kree is the next oldest, even though she is extremely different, I can see her mother in her, and then Logar is the youngest son.

I tell them, “It would be my honor to have the three of you travel the long journey with us. I have found that your mother is a loving companion. Know this, she and I have been healed. We do ask you to knock before you enter the bedroom.”

We all have a wonderful time but we are brought to attention by Mercy. She is what seems to be the spokesperson.

“We now see that you all get along. That’s good. Here is what we have agreed to. You will have a complete home. This will have a door that will open to the assignment world.

On that world, it will look like a fortress has appeared magically. That is to impress on the population that you are very important. You three will each have towers. That way the fortress will look and be impenetrable.”

Now the god of wisdom, “I will be in contact with you to give you general plans but the two of you will have the knowledge from both of your worlds and what the world condition is. The people of the world will first try to challenge you as an invader. You two now have magical powers mainly defensive. Your children will be your offense.”

The watcher looks at our children “Know this, they will not die but they, unlike you, can be injured. They can feel pain. Any indication, my children, protect them. If necessary, fatally, you will find that there will be people that will try to get rid of them. Know this. I will be sending each of you a mate. You will eventually have an army. Use it wisely.”

Time comes forward, “To make up for my mistake,”

I interrupt him. “I will tell you right now. I was just existing in my old life. Now, I have a family and a purpose. This is nothing that I will even consider a mistake,” I hold out my hand and we shake.

He is moved and tells me that he has an emergency device. If needed just push and he will show up with all his fellows and they will correct whoever is harassing you.”

Now Mercy shows us to the door to our new home. I am amazed. It is fashioned after my home. Including my workshop. She is smiling when I see my big screen and a complete collection of every DVD you could imagine. My mate and children are looking at the big black window. I tell them that they will be amazed.

Mercy and the others tell me that they will be dropping by to see how we are getting along. Only time tells me the truth. “I will be bringing my group. They will literally go wild over this. There are special ones that they have always wanted to watch. We are all adults here.” I know what he is talking about.

I am now handed a DVD. Mercy now tells me that it is time to amaze my family. She explains as I am turning everything on, this is a briefing on your first world. To say mine are a bit spooked is an understatement. There, where that black window was, is now changing scenes of the first world. The children were ready to fight when they saw some warring scenes. I assure them that these are just moving pictures, not real people.

I could tell that it was Mercy narrating. The other gods were impressed with the exception for time. He was from my world so he knew about this. By the time it was over, mine were already wanting to see others. So did the others. I found a John Wayne cowboy movie that I liked.

All left and as she left, Mercy said that we were to open the front door and get to know our surroundings.

It was a hill top that we are on. There is a large community in the valley. We have been noticed.

The first encounter

I knew that, from the DVD, first impressions would be met with a few heated moments.

Coming up the hill are a contingent of the country’s finest. Our three are now standing on their towers displaying their full features. If I was approaching them, I would need a change of underwear.

That may be exactly what is happening. Almost to us, they stop and someone comes forward.

I am first to speak. “What are you thinking approaching us with this army. We are powerful enough for us to transport this fortress here. I will show our power.”

I tell mine to not be alarmed but I am going to scare them.

Thinking back to the holidays in my world, I put up my arm towards the sky and use my magic. I shoot a star burst shell into the sky and it explodes. Their horses are just as spooked as they are. I have my children fly around them and then land in front of them.

“As you see, we can destroy anything but that is not why the gods sent us. We are here to advise and impart our knowledge. Now my children please come back here. If you would like. We will talk to you but only one of you now. Choose the one and let that one step forward. If you don’t want to talk, go home. We will be here for a while.”

They actually go away.

It was a week of us being there when one person approached. You could tell that they were not even part of the government. This was just a peasant, a normal person but she looks like she is having a hard time.

She comes to the gate and asks to talk. We let her in. She is not in the best shape but is trying to stand tall. Gewue immediately takes her in and makes her something warm and filling to eat.

My mate asks her what we can do for her. She tells us that she is being evicted from her home. Her husband has taken off and she has nowhere to turn to. “I heard that you were sent here by the gods. I need help.”

She is startled when the Watcher appears. “I’ll take this one. Please go back to your king and tell him that they need to send a better actor. We gods are watching and will help those that need help. Know this, tell him that he does not want the gods visiting him.”

The Watcher and the woman disappear. The god of truth is here.

“I’m sorry, that is one power we forgot to give you both. You now have the ability to tell whether someone is telling the truth or telling falsehoods. I will tell you. There is a true person in distress coming. You will see that she is telling the truth. We are suggesting that you employ her as your go between. Something may develop. If it does, you can talk to Mercy. She definitely can do something. Do not do anything underhanded. We will test your integrity from time to time.”

Towards evening another woman came to our fortress. This time she said she needed help. We knew she was telling the truth but we wanted to hear her out. We let her in.

Our feeling is that we want to have people see that we are open to talk, give help and advice.

The deceit now can be ferreted out. Looking at her, unlike the last one who came here in a disheveled state but looked very well put together. This one is decently dressed but she also is very average looking, almost mousy.

We have rooms in the fortress now that we will first bring in the people. There is still a warmth but it is not a living space.

She is sitting down and I ask, with Gewue behind her. “What brings you to us so late in the day?”

“I am desperate and need some advice, some direction. The word is out that an actual god showed up here and foiled an attempt to dupe you into something. I know that you can help me find out what I need to do.”

Gewue comes forward to me and says that she has told the truth. Before the woman can say anything, my mate tells me more. “She is in a job where her boss is trying to take advantage of her.”

She is in shock, “How did you know.”

“You said it, we have divine connections. My wife, her race is considered favorite children of gods. She is the mother of our three children, the gargoyles that are here.”

My mate whispers to her. “Know this always tell us the truth. Now, other than telling you to quit, which you already know that you have to do, how can we help?”

“How did you just dive into the heart of my problem?”

Leave it to my mate. Gewue looked at me, then her. “Why don’t I cut to the chase. How about we have you work for us. We really need an office in the town and you are the one to run it. As far as your rental, you can live here with us. We will set up a transfer connection between where you will work and here.”

I now talk, “This will be strictly above board, you need the contact with us to get to know us. That way, the word will get out that we are not a threat, we are here to help. The king sees us as a threat and will try to mess with us. We have a friend who is a god and he loves to set those types straight. Now what do you think. Has your problem been solved?”

I think we caused her to blow a circuit.

Gewue knows exactly what to do. “It’s too late to have you go home. Why don’t you stay overnight. You will be convinced that we are real.”

With that, we lead her into our home. There is something that I did not expect. Time, his mate and his fellows are here. Imps are wild. All of them freeze when they see our guest.

“Did we interrupt something?” He asks. We explain that we are trying to hire her as our in town contact. “We were going to make her something to eat then a movie.”

“Good because they have a movie they want to see.”

I am worried but they are behaving, relatively. We make her something to eat and then have her sit. All the imps have a mate. They all are chanting movie, movie, movie. Over and over.

I stand in front of all. Time to amaze her again. “I first would like to introduce you to, hopefully, our go between, Taresa. Taresa, this is the god of time and his clan. Time I may need your help with a stubborn king.”

His fellows are already getting into suggestions. I did not just hear that they want to pee in his cups.

They will not tell me the movie so I tell her to just be prepared. We start and she is out of it at the sight of the classic Wizard of Oz. I am looking at them and time tells me that they were warned about Taresa. “This actually is one they wanted to see. The other ones can wait until she gets to know us.”

Beginning to end, she was on the edge of her seat. To say she was amazed is an understatement. We show her to her room. She remarks that it is bigger than her whole apartment. “It’s yours if you go to work for us. If you do, my daughter will go with you to talk to your boss. You think about it. Just know that we feel that you will fit perfectly. You have a good night.”

She is on the other end of our home and we can cut off noise because now the imps want a different movie. It is a good thing that she is on the other end. They are horny little ones. We finally ushered them out, dawn is breaking on this world.

Before they left, they invited us to their home. “We found that, if we let the flat screen sit in our environment, it works. We now are setting up a drive in movie.”

We will go.

Taresa thaws

Taresa is now getting up. She has made use of the bathroom and was in love with it so it was no surprise when she said that she wanted to work for us and live here. Gewue takes her to the supply room and she emerged with new clothes. I must say what a difference clothes make, she still has a plain look to her but the clothes make her really pop.

We have Kree go with her to her boss but Thor decided to go with them. They told me that the boss looked like he was having a stroke when she went in and my two needed to duck through the door and looked very angry when she told him that his unwanted advances were very wrong. You could smell that he soiled himself when Kree told him that the gods now know. He needs to watch his step. He may get a visit.

There was no worry about the apartment. The landlord let her out of the lease and wave any fees. My two told her to take what she wanted but the furniture is not needed. Thor asked her if she thought that this bed is more comfortable than the one she slept in.

“All I need is my personal items.”

She returned and was smiling. She got her things settled. We all had a meal and then she through us for a loop. “That other movie you watched after I went to bed, it sounded very interesting.”

We ate while we watched. It was really an eye opener. I could tell that she was into what she saw. Gewue sat next to her and more than once they rubbed each other’s …..legs.

After the movie she went to bed but told my mate that if she wanted to keep her company she would be welcome.

Gewue kissed me and said that she wanted to talk with her.

“Spend the night with her” I tell her.

I slapped her butt as she left. She did spend the night. Later I found out that she is not into men. She had a very bad few encounters in her past and with her boss, she does not feel good about men. Gewue did say that she only had good things to say about me.

It does not bother me. Taresa comes in and is having trouble looking at me. I look at her then say to Gewue. “I just want to say that I have no problem with her being your concubine. Just remember that I need you also.”

Taresa is looking at me. “You don’t have a problem with this?”

“No. just do not think that you will take her from me. You need to know that she is my mate. She can be your lover but she will tell me a play by play. Better yet, would you have any problem with letting her film it so I can watch?”

“Film, what’s that?”

“That is what that movie that you watched with us last night is.”

She blushes but then says “If I am to be her concubine, she can film it. Can we watch it on the big screen. I also would like those imps to watch it.”

“Their females may take liberties.” Now I get serious. “There will be no pressure from me unless I see you trying to split us. Then all bets are off.”

Gewue tells me that she is submissive and wants to have my mate dominate her. There will be no problems with her and the female imps. She hinted that it could be a movie for their drive in. I am looking forward to it. I told them that two times a week will be ok with me.

Taresa comes over to me and thanks me. She does say that she wanted me to accept this and expected that I would want to watch. I tell her that, for now, I want them to record the sessions.

Now we all go into town but this time we do a jump into town. We make a grand entrance. We are here to buy an office. We walk and attract more than just citizens.

There are guards showing up but they are just watching.

I see a large empty office. This is the one that I want to see. “Who owns this building?”

There comes a person to us. Very nervous he says that he owns it. “Can we look inside.

If it is decent, I will make you an offer that you will like.” We go in. it is large and has good bones. Paint cleaning and furniture is all it needs.

“What do you want for it?” I ask. He asks for fifty gold. I look at him “If we can do this today, sixty gold upon recording the sale at town hall. He takes us across the street and we signed the papers, then walked to the town hall. Everything is in order. I even paid his tax on the sale. I gave him the sixty gold.

“We deal true to those who deal true. If you ever need advice come see Taresa. Let it be known that this office will be hers. My daughter Kree will be here at the same time.” I look at the guards. “Tell everyone that she is now with us. Give her trouble, you bring on the gods.” I shake his hand and we go over to the office. I make a jump point here that is directly connected with our courtyard.

“Only the six of us can use this. All you do is just touch it and step into it. Even if they have a hold of you, we will dispose of that hand. The rest of the body will be in the office.

Kree assures her that it will not happen. “They will just die. You will not be touched. You are our mother’s concubine.”

She smiles so I tell Gewue to go first, then told Taresa to go. The four of us stretched our legs and walked around the town. Bought a few things then walked back.

We need the gods

On the way out, we saw a half starved child. I stopped and asked who she was with. I was told that she was no bodies child. She is a scrounger. She picks through the garbage.

“How could you let this go on!” I am incensed. “Are there any more.” They tell me there are.

Now they have gotten me mad. I yell “Watcher please come to this wretched place.”

There is a large white light and she immediately picks up this child. “They say there are more here.” The look she is giving them. She tells me that those are now with the god of mercy. “This one, I would like you to take as your child. When she achieves the age of twenty, she will not age anymore.

Now she says in an amplified voice. “This town is now going to be going through a spot of trouble but this king will be tormented until he personally comes to the fortress and begs forgiveness.” She tells me to avoid going out. The gods have given time the okay to do his best work.

The Watcher takes the girl back to our home. We walk out the gate. Thor wants me to let him carry me. I tell him that it is okay to do that. We are now back home. I wanted to let the two to have some time alone but they now have the child eating a good bowl of warm soup.

They see us and the Watcher hugs me. “Thank you. Please take good care of her. This is why we told you both that you would not conceive any children. They will find you.”

She leaves and Gewue, Taresa and Kree take her to the bathroom to treat her to a good bath. I was told that the Watcher has put all the clothes she will ever need in our stock.

The young girl comes out and asks who I am.

I kneel down to her level. “I would like it very much if you would be my forever daughter.

These two will be your mothers and these three will be your brothers and sister. Would you let us be that?”

She hugs me and cries as she says yes. “You are now my forever child. I think that you need some more food. Then a good warm soft bed with your own bathroom. Sound good?”

She will not let go of me so I carry her over to the table.

Time comes in and says hi to her.

“The one that brought you here is a god. She took all the other children with her to the god of mercy. She found those forever families. This man is the god of time. He and his fellows make the people see the errors of their ways.”

Time comes over to us and says that we need to stay away from town until the king comes to here and apologizes to her.

It hits me and I look to Gewue. She gives me the look that she never asked.

I look at her and get a brilliant idea. I ask time if he knows the Watchers old first name.

He tells me that it was April.

“I now stand before all here and say that our new daughter and sister will be now called after the Watcher, April. May the Watcher keep her eyes on her at all times and bless her.”

She is now glowing and we hear “This is now one of my own. She will have a wonderful long life. My darling you will never feel hunger and sorrow again. Love hard and be kind.

I will be here quite often. “

April is now full and very sleepy. We put her to bed. Her new sister, Kree, is asked if she would sleep with her new sister. Kree is touched. She sleeps with April enclosed within her leathery wings cuddled in Kree’s arms. No one could ever ask for a more protected sleep.

Time had told his fellows of what had happened to April and her friends. They have been dropping off toys and stuffed animals from far worlds. When April woke in the morning, she was enamored with all the things that were brought to her.

Time has found a way of recording what they can see in their ship’s screens. That is the only place that they can watch their work unfold. He brings over to us a daily compilation of the things happening in the town.

It is like one of those funny videos shows. Wheels falling off. Firmly placed items just falling down, usually breaking the item and such. For some reason, they always end with the king being in some embarrassing thing and finding all his food not tasting right.

He is looking at his wits end.

We all have a good laugh especially when April sees the ones that treated her rotten getting exasperated at the fact that no matter how careful they are, they almost always track dog shit into their homes. All in all, everyone is realizing that this is not natural.

They remember that they would not see an end until the king goes to us and apologizes to us, April specifically. He is not budging. Time has said that they are going to step his up but they would not record it for obvious reasons.

Renovations and April’s new friends Because April is now with us, I have again altered our home. We now have two below ground sound proof floors. There are a few rooms that have built in cameras that feed into a recording system. There is a wall to wall bed and there is an extremely large room that has open showers, wash areas and tubs that would hold an army.

That is the favorite for Thor, Kree and Logar. They can finally clean themselves in their full size and soak. They are the happiest we have seen. Up to now, they have been using streams. It is getting a little colder.

We also have a theater room for adult viewing. With all this, we make sure that April is always with us while she is awake and our three are not into our distraction, so they stay up on April’s level while she is asleep.

This needs to be said, we are not hiding the fact that we are sexually active. She does see me and Gewue interact playfully and sometimes affectionate. She also sees her two mothers act the same way. We just let her know that we also need private time. To her our life is now not unusual for her. She knows that the bottom floor is off limits The first underground floor is a large open area. I have made all the playground items that I can remember. Swing set with a fort and tube slide. Monkey bars. There are rope walkways and her own small house. All those things that time and his fellows bring her are on shelfs lining one wall for April’s use. The whole floor is a sandbox. Times fellows love the area more than they love the theater. The sand is deep enough for them to play their own version of hide and seek.

April is always it. They burrow under the sand and pop up when she goes to them they will duck back down and tunnel to another location.

There is a lot to amuse her but we do see the loneliness creep in sometimes.

While we were still waiting for the king, the god of mercy sits with us adults. She has a request.

“I have two children that are around April’s age. A male and a female child. They were rescued from a bad orphanage that the Watcher shut down. These two were in the worse shape, so I took them. They have had all those bad memories erased permanently. I see that April is sometimes lonely. She loves you all very deeply but she saw all those children who have parents playing with friends their age. That is why she has those bouts. I ask you to take these two. If you take them, I will make their memories so that they see each other as friends, and you have taken them from the same situation she was in. April will help them. She will have a purpose.”

We know that she is right about April. April is called to us and we tell her the truth about these two.

“We want your opinion.” I tell her. “Don’t just say what you think we want to hear. We want to know how you feel about having these two?”

April is really thinking then she asks Mercy, “Can you make it so they know about me? I think that the horrible memories should be softened but I would have friends who knew want and know that they have found a family.”

Mercy says that it can be done

“I know that I have been named after the Watcher and she visits me all the time. I would like the girl to be named after you, Mercy and the boy named Timey, after the god of time.”

April looks at us and asks, “Is that okay?”

Gewue tells her that those are perfect names. Mercy is humbled but calls Time. He comes and is told of the placement and the name April is honoring him with.

“He will never run afoul of anyone. I will protect them as I protect all of your family.”

Taresa now asks Mercy to bring them here. They appear and are introduced. “This is your forever family. They will love you both.”

They already have the memories that April asked for. She comes over to the both and tells them of her adoption. “You will have the most wonderful time here. We have two big brothers, an older sister, two mothers and a father.”

Logar comes to them. “I am Logar, the youngest of your three older siblings. Know this, you will never want, never feel hunger and you are now protected by the gods.”

Gewue now tells them all the gods watch over us. “Now, how about some food. Then April is going to show you her playroom which is now yours also.”

Time and Mercy watch them being led away by April to the table. They both comment that there is going to be a special bond between Timey, Thor and Logar. They will teach him their skills but know this, these three will become immortals. Eventually, they will form their own three way marriage.”

Now they both leave.

What a day this has turned out to be. I sit here and it is only after reflecting on the events that I picked up on a subtly. I said it before and will say it again, I’m thick headed.

The god of mercy said they would form their own three way marriage. Their own? Does that mean we are going to be three?

A king’s visit

The three young ones have bonded totally. They are constantly happy, free and laughing. Their three older siblings are also with them. They are teaching them skills that they will need. Reading and writing first.

To quote Thor “Someone who’s educated can both deescalate situations and know when you need to protect.”

It still amazes me that these three that, even in the town, are feared, are just as much children at heart. Their three younger siblings just love them.

The addition of Mercy and Timey is just what we needed. We have almost forgotten about our lock down.

One bright and sunny morning, Thor comes to us. “There is a person just standing in front of the gate. He is asking for you specifically.”

I ask, “Is there any indication of anyone else hiding in ambush?”

“Kree and Logar are flying around. They do not see anyone else.”

I have Taresa take out three young ones to the first underground floor and lock it down.

Gewue and I go to the parapet and address the person.

“What do you want?”

The man tells us, “The king would like you to come to the palace to discuss the present misunderstanding you have of us.”

I’ll give him one thing, he does have balls. To send someone to have us come to him.

This man is also an insider. He is not anyway afraid of spouting such bull shit.

“Since you are being serious but polite, I will also. Please tell the king that the original parameters are the only ones that I will accept. He is to come here alone and apologize to my daughter April, for his lack of caring for the needy abandoned children. Now I will let you return to that arrogant bastard. Tell him for me that the gods, all of them, will be here to hear him. Now go before Time catches you.”

You would think that he is being chased, maybe he is. He is running. I figure that it will not be too long before the king is here. The god of fate comes to us, while we are watching him run.

“Your request has been heard and we all will be here. They want to meet and bless all six of your children. We will be here around noon when the king comes but he will have troupes with him. We have a surprise for those troupes. The three young ones need the laugh. Have them here.”

We go back in and call a family meeting. I explain that there will be a big surprise at noon so we will need to get clean and in good clothes. The three youngest are to be the specials.

By noon time, we are ready. The king is here and he does have troupes. All of us are on the parapet with the three children in front.

That man is still arrogant and says that we are going to regret making him come here.

As he is saying that, the troupes are having a major problem. The horses and their riders have reversed. It is utter cous. Horses are now the riders and the riders are now the horses. They have switched sizes and shapes but you still can tell which is which.

We all are laughing hysterically and now all the gods are floating around us. The god of all looks at the shocked king and speaks.

“You have shown your true colors. You now will be erased from existence but you will exist for eternity in a world that has just finished burning to ash. You will be alone and immortal. No longer needing to eat or drink, not that there is anything left there but ash.”

With that, they all disappear. He now tells us that we will now be busy. It is time for us to man that office. “Use this to show that he was the biggest problem. Suggest, impart wisdom but do not become their government. They will ask but throw it back at them.

We will always be at your call.”

They all disappear and the changed troupes just run off.

Time, Wisdom, Fate and Mercy are waiting on us. They explain that we are going to be tested on this world to see how we handle it. The warning we received is the guide line.

This world needs to self govern in a way that they want. You only advise. You don’t interfere.

I am humbled and tell them that it was our intention all along. “We never want to be even in a passion to be perceived as trying to rule. We don’t want that. That is up to you gods to step in on your own if, like their king, they get defiant to the gods goals. We are here for your use only.”

They are pleased and now go to the play area. They just play. They especially like watching imps play hide and seek. They tell us that they will watch the children.

”Your office is going to be busy for a while.”

Using the portal, the three of us are now in the office. We open the front door and people are gathering in front. I speak.

“The gods have judged the king as being unfit to rule and have taken him. The troupes that were with him are now just wild animals and are not to be harmed. I have been warned. It is not our mission to rule you. Don’t even think that we will. We are here to hear from you, guide you, impart wisdom but you must govern yourselves. We gave the warning and will reiterate it, the gods want peace. To that end, they sent us. They are watching. We will only be here for a while. One morning your will see that our fortress is no longer there. Need us or not we will be gone. Use this time wisely. So, you know, besides the girl we adopted from this town, we now have two others. Treat all children the same, you will never know when the one you snub may be a god. Now we are open but will not give advice on what government you need.”

I go back inside. There is a slow trickle at first. Gewue and Taresa set up a schedule for people to see us. That first day was unusual for the fact that most were those that were nobles and such. They were all told that they needed to look inward.

Taresa told them that they needed to look at why they were worried. That will be their answer.

By the end of the day, we had gone through most of the nobles. We have posted a sign out front.

“No more nobles seen for now. Look at the reason you are worried. That is your answer.”

I thank Taresa for her wisdom and give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Tomorrow, I want to see only the working class, we need to see what they want to talk about. They are the ones that those nobles are worried about. Now let’s close for the day and go home.”

Having the portal is wonderful. We are greeted by our six. The three give their report on the fortress. They still are spotting the changed ones but there is a worry that they may be in danger of dying of starvation. A valid worry. Luckily the four gods are still here.

The god of mercy tells us that by the end of tomorrow, they will revert back but will never be the same.

We thank them for that along with being with the children.

They told us that those children will need to go out, with some pocket change. They need to show that they have learned to give love not hate. One of the older siblings will be with them. Just give them the instructions to help. Give a hand up not a hand out.

That coming from castaways, what a wonderful lesson for both. We will have a meeting in the morning about that. The gods are satisfied and leave.

I am worn out but in a good way. We play some more with the children and then put them to bed, telling them that tomorrow would be a busy day for them.

With that, I hit the bathroom, wash and soak. I am lost in thought and did not hear them come in. Gewue slips in next to me and Taresa next to her. We all just sit and sigh. I do catch on that they are starting to enjoy themselves. I excuse myself and go to my bed room. Well, I am tired.

Trust is a delicate thing

It is morning and the young ones are excited but they also know that they need to watch out for those who would take advantage. Loger tells us that he will be with them so he will watch out for those.

Once through the portal, they leave to explore the town. I think that the older ones have as much fun as the young ones. April saw one of the only women that would give her something to eat or something warm to wear.

They helped quite a few but Logar told us that it was always done in secret with only a note saying thank you for caring. All of them learned a valuable lesson. April then told us about a woman that was not mean directly to her but ignored her deliberately.

April put a box of groceries on her porch. When the woman came out to see what the noise was and saw the food. She saw April and April told her that she cared about the woman, the woman broke down and begged forgiveness.

April did not know this but the woman was down to almost nothing. Her husband had run off to escape the calamities. She was down to her last bit of food. April took her over to the store and emptied her pockets, as did the other two, onto the counter.

“This is so she has advanced payment for her food. If this runs out just tell us.” She then hugged that woman and again told her that she cared.”

Logar told me that, with his money joined to theirs, she now has enough for quite a few months of food. He tells me, in front of the three, that he never in his life, outside of his mother, seen so much love given to someone that could have been scorned. He was visibly moved. So are we.

There was a big dessert that night and the theater was opened to them. We watched cartoons until all of them were falling asleep. We put them to bed. I went to our room and Gewue never came to bed.

I now need to talk to them both, the office will remain closed tomorrow.

I don’t need sleep so not falling asleep just made for a long night. I heard them come up from the bottom floor and go to Taresa’s room. I get up and now order them to follow me back to the bottom floor. They both look confused but follow.

I lock the door to the theater. I have them sit in the front seats and I play them a compilation of the last fourteen days. They seem excited until I stopped and yelled.

“NEITHER OF YOU BOTHERED TO LOOK AT THE TIME DISPLAY! I told you Taresa that if you tried to take my mate what would happen. You now have taken her. I am firing you. You must leave now! Gewue how many nights this week have you been with me?

One! How many last week? Two!”

Both are crying, I don’t care.

“I don’t want you in my bed anymore, you can go live with her in town. You will have to deal with the Watcher about your future.”

I open the door and walk out leaving them crying. As I am leaving, the Watcher passes me. She says that she will talk to them but Taresa will not be leaving. Gewue will be getting an earful from me. You need to go watch the sunrise and talk to your older children about this. Be open and honest but above all tell them that they are not to judge her.

Up on the parapets, I gather the three and explain what just happened.

“This is my feelings. They have grown together and I am being pushed out. They did not realize it but it is exactly that. This has to have no bearing on how I feel about the three of you. I love each and every one of my six children. The Watcher told me that they were not leaving so you know, it will be strange around here for a while. I will never take another mate.”

This is very hard on me. I now feel the hurt that I felt in my other life.

“WHAT THE HELL DID BOTH OF YOU THINK?!” the Watcher yells at them. She looks at Gewue. “I picked you because you needed him just as much as he needed you. And you Taresa, you were warned at the beginning. Neither of you thought anything would happen. He is now talking to the three older ones. He is feeling that old hurt again that he felt when he lost his first family. Don’t forget, I can read what you are thinking and get that out of your head. You go to him now and try what you both are thinking and he is ready to take the option we gave him at the beginning. He is seriously thinking on going with time and becoming an imp. You going to seduce him now would send him running.

Now how do you think this is going to affect those three that you so callously just threw away. I may just need the god of mercy to erase their memories again.”

God of mercy now shows. She is mad. “He told you that he was comfortable with a night or two a week.” She looks at the Watcher and says that she should just modify all memories and replace Gewue and make them totally forget Taresa. “Put both on a burned out world with their memories intact. Let them fight for eternity with themselves.”

Time is now here, “I’ll even take those children. They can live with me as an imp family. I can find a female that will be his mate”

These two now are in real trouble when the rest fill the seats as their antics play on the screen, now much to their shame.

Fate asks, “Did you think that a video and his hand would be enough?”

The god of all now tells them to stand before all as all the gods sit, looking at them while their sexual life is playing.

“Now tell us your side. Oh, I forgot. Both of you look at that screen and tell us why you should not be erased from all existence. We thought you were on the right path.”

He stops there. Both have passed out and fallen to the floor.

“Oh no you don’t” They both are jerked up and just as suddenly strapped to wooden X’s with their hands spread open above their heads and their leg spread open. Shackled and naked but now wide awake.

“Both of you now will get a taste for what you have done. Watcher, take them to this worlds future that they have made now and let them have a vacation strapped to those crosses facing away from each other. You will not be able to talk until we return you both here. Then I will ask you again, What the hell were you thinking?”

They disappear with the Watcher. They are now on a barren world but there are bones all around them. “This is what your actions have created. Know this, he and your family have all become imps and have totally had you two erased from their memories. They are happy. Gewue, you are no longer my child. You have shamed me. Someday I will be back.”

In a thirty minute count, they are back. They are very worst for ware. Over the three years they were there, they endured storm after storm of dust. They had many sores but they were alive.

With them facing the screen. They are up at the highest point of the theater. They now can talk but it is screams of horror at what they see before them.

“I see that you have had time to think. Here is what is going to happen. You have one last chance. You are going to stand before those children for their judgement as you are, naked and abraded. They will be given the mercy of understanding why you look like that. Those are the ones that you will convince that you know what you did. We will be with them. Matter of fact, you are released from those bonds. We have the children outside that door. This is your final test.”

They stand there in shame as the six children come in. They all have a very serious look. Gewue did not expect to have her adult children here. April stands before them.

“We have been told of what you two have done to father. We were perfectly okay with your love for each other but now you need to explain how this happened or should we watch you two on that screen. We do not want to hear that you are sorry. Utter those words and all of us will become our friends, the imps.”

She sits down and Thor now speaks. “Father was asked to be here but he is so hurt, he was in tears. He now has an open bottle of whiskey and says he will go back to drinking. He asked the god of mercy to take his immortality and let him die. Like my sister said we don’t want to hear how sorry you are.”

The god of all now tell them that Gewue will speak first but with a warning. “You both willingly entered this relationship. We will not tolerate blaming the other.”

Gewue caught herself. The first thing she was going to say was that she was sorry but stopped.

“I am guilty. I got so carried away that I became absorbed in what I was doing with Taresa. What hasn’t been said is that on the few nights I did stay with him, we did nothing. Only slept in the same bed. He tried but I pretended to be asleep. I have no excuse other than I was not thinking. I will not blame any of you for casting me out. I will ask to be returned to this planets baren future.”

Now it is Taresa’s turn. “I had only unwanted attention all my life so when Gewue and I started to get close, I did find myself wanting her all to myself. I was given limits but I abused them. I, the night on that first day of opening the office, went with Gewue to her mate’s bath and we both went in. I sat on the other side of Gewue. We started to make out and he left. I could see that he was sad about it but took her back to our, no my room. I took her again last night when we all were happy about you children. I stole her from him and was happy. Leave your mother here. Erase me from all your memories.”

April is now very angry and starts to scold the both.

“Each of you are to be ashamed of yourselves. You both took the cowards way out.

Erase a chunk of what we are. Exactly who do you think you are. You are just casually chucking us to the garbage. Neither of you said one thing about fixing this. Cowards, afraid of confronting father. You don’t even still give a shit about that broken man. That man loved you both deeply and you discarded him like he was nothing. God of all, I ask you to erase us all from existence. Let these two stays here and watch this world die.

What do you say my brothers and sisters?”

They all agree.

The god of all stands. “I will send you and your father to the final life and I will do as you say with these two. Do you two have anything to say before I carry out their wishes?”

He starts to make his move. All the gods are shaking their heads. The god of fate gust says it is a shame. “You all had a wonderful future but it’s gone.”

He asks if there is anything more left to say. The six children are ushered out and all the gods leave. The two now see that the videos start again. They try the door. It will not open. They now find themselves stuck to the seats and they cannot turn from the movie that just keeps on repeating.

On the fourteenth repeat of that two hour video, They see the door open and I walk in with a chair. I open it and just sit facing them. By now they have completely soiled themselves. They cannot face away from me. I just sit there. Then I tell them that I am the last one here. The rest have gone with time to their new home. I’m deliberately sounding callous.

“The king has been returned along with all his rotten thoughts. He will defeat this fortress and gain world power.”

I use the remote and change it to show the outside battle.

“I just still want to say, before I forget you both, that I am broken, I love my first family but they are no longer here, they died. I love you both, but you, like my first family left me but you chose to do it. May you truly be happy in the life you chose. You will be released from those chairs but know this. This floor will never be found, you will never be found but this is the movie that will play for eternity.”

The screen now shows us as a family laughing and playing. Hugging and just being family.

“I told you that I did not mind the casual sex but don’t steal. You are now released.”

I start for the door. They both run over and stop me from leaving.

They pleaded with me not to take away our family. They will change. If I give them a chance. I stop.

“Neither of you can take the cowards way out and leave. Trust has been dashed on the rocks. I am not talking just about me. You must show all of us that you have changed.

First, I will not have any sex with either of you. Do not creep into my room, my bath, or anyplace I am, thinking that I can be coerced into sex. Second, I don’t give a shit if you two live together from now on but know this, you will show all of us just what you think of us. Last but most important, you need to show those six that you truly care about all of

us. They have been given the ability to see bull shit. Insincerity won’t work. Can you abide by that, oh also we still have a job to do, professional.”

They both say that they can abide by that. Turn to the screen and change it. They see all six sitting there with all the gods.

April says the she is skeptical, “I have been kicked down numerous times but we talked and we are willing to give them a last chance.”

God of mercy appears and tells me to go upstairs. She will bring these two to face all of them.

After a while, the two, still naked but cleaned up are before up. We now see what took so long. Both have their ears pierced. From each ear there is a chain. Each chain is attached to a nipple ring and both chains terminate in a labia ring.

As they stand there she explains. These are the chains they must wear. Anyone that sees them get out of line can yank them into line. They both felt the pain of the piercing.

For the next two years they will wear these as slaves which they are for those two years. After that, we gods will judge them. We will not put that burden on you.”

The god of all stands in front of them and brutally yanks the chains to the point that he almost rips the rings out of their flesh. “This is your one last chance. You are chained to this worlds future as these chains are to you.”

They all vanish. I let April be our voice. I told her that.

“While here in our home, you are forbidden to wear any clothes. We need to see the chains. In the town the ear chains will look like just ear rings to the locals. Now go and wash up. Father has made us our meal. You will always eat last. Now go. Separate baths.”

They go. Trust, once broken is hard to fix

Things are different

It is now six months since that day. We have been helping the country through advice.

The people came forward and asked what we thought of their plan of an elected government.

“That sounds good but what about this situation. You don’t want a king anymore but what if someone keeps on getting elected for term after term. Let’s say that the person finds a way to corrupt the elections so he keeps on getting elected. How would you prevent that?”

Then I go silent. They throw things around then one suggests, what if we were to limit it to one term of three years. They all seem to like that idea.

“See, you did not need me. You solved it yourself. The only thing I would suggest is that you put something in there that you can remove that person if the majority of the representatives feel the same. Then the second would complete that term. If the person is not removed, that one term is it for their life. That way you don’t have someone that spends their life just as a politician.”

They leave happy. They solved their own problem with just a few suggestions. It is the end of the day so I tell the two to go back and start cooking. They don’t say a word and portal home. I sit there for a long time and just get lost in thought.

I wish I did take that drink. I remember that I gave it up because I was an angry drunk which got me thrown out of the house and arrested. I sobered up after that and for the last thirty years of that life, I never touched a drop. Even in a new life, I still have those cravings.

It is the reason I crawled into the bottle, my first had a long term affair. Life repeats itself.

I don’t know how long I sat there in the closed office but April came through the portal.

“Dinner is on the table. Do you want some or would you like to think a little more. I can sit and listen.”

I have her sit and tell her everything. Especially about the bottle. “Please stop me if I do try. I was a mean drunk and I don’t need that person to show up.”

She hugs me and tells me that it is getting better. “Let’s go home and eat, father.”

We go home. Will it ever be the same? I don’t feel it.

I did not eat but told the two to eat. I went to the theater and tortured myself yet again by watching that film of all of us a happy family. As I fall asleep, I want the bottle. Thor comes in and sits. We are both silent. Then he talks.

“These last six months have been hard on all of us but we see you are the hardest hit.

Don’t get mad at her but April told us about your first life’s hurt. Now we know why.

Would you take some advice from your son? Father, if I send them down here, would you talk to them? Explain that dark betrayal you felt then and now. You need to settle this. I am not talking sex. We don’t care if you never accept them back in your bed but it is tearing the three of you apart to the point where it is never going to heal.”

I’m already regretting this but I need to say it. “So, you are telling me just to suck it up.

Damn, I’m sorry for that. I know that all of you are just worried about us. Okay, I’ll talk to them now. Send them down but all of you need to leave us. Turn off all cameras. Will you do that for me?”

He says that they have already been turned off. After a bit they are both here.

“We were told that you want to talk to us”

“Sit, I’m going to tell you something about my past. I want you to listen without interruption. I am not looking for that sympathy but I need to tell you this I don’t want to crawl back into that bottle.” They sit and just listen to my story.

“In my past world, I had to travel a lot to fix problems. I loved my family, hated to be away from them. One day, I came home early from a trip. I wanted to surprise them. The boys were not home. I later found out that they were sent to their grandparents for a visit. I quietly came into the home with flowers and wine. I was greeted with the sounds of lovemaking. Thinking that she was watching a movie, I went to our bedroom and flung open the door yelling surprise. It was not a movie. There in bed with my wife was a trusted friend. I was able to hit him with the bottle knocking him out. I threw him out of the house naked in the middle of the day. I was told by her that I left her alone too much. I was arrested for knocking him out. He did not wish to press charges but my wife told me that I was not to come home. She even started divorce proceedings. I started to drink. I am an angry drunk. I got arrested quite a few times. Lost my job. I got into a program and quit drinking. She stopped the divorce and let me back into her life. Then, months later, I got the news that she and my boys were killed in an accident on their way back from their grandparents. Things had not changed. She dropped them off at the grandparents so she could be with the same guy. Son of a bitch had the nerve to show up at the funeral. I was arrested at their funeral for attempted homicide.”

The room was silent so I finished. “Can you see why this has hit me so hard? I really need that drink!”

Both are not able to process what they were just told. Not because they did not understand it. Just the opposite, they did get it. Now each kneel before me. This time it is sincere when they both say that they were sorry.”

“My fault, I should have told you about this but I did not think that this would have happened. No that is a lie. That is the reason I gave you that limit. I thought that this time I would not have the loss. If I had said something about this.”

Taresa stops me. “That would not have stopped us. You got drunk on whiskey, we got drunk on sex. I won’t tell you that you will not get drunk but I will say that we have not touched each other since that day.”

Gewue now tells me, “We won’t touch each other ever again.”

“THAT IS NOT MY INTENT!. You enjoyed it. Just like my drinking. When limitations are placed they must be adhered to. As children, you are told not to touch something because it’s hot. You did and you got burnt. When I say no more than two nights, I mean two nights. You got burnt. Now for my rules. If you adhere to two nights a week then spend the remainder in your own rooms for the next month. Then I will accept you in my bed but here is the thing. Taresa, we share. I don’t care I want you in my bed two nights a week. Gewue two nights a week. All nights must be on the main floor. All need to hear.”

“Can you abide with this? If so, we go and tell the six. If they agree then tonight, I give you permission to sleep together. The next night together must be cleared through me.”

They are delighted but now the Watcher appears.

“The contract has been recorded. All the gods have been listening. We now place a clause on this contract. If you violate it at any time sever punishment will be received by both of you. I want you to imagine just what the god’s punishment can be. Do you still agree.”

They both agree.

She looks to me and hands me a bottle of whiskey.

“This is real whiskey but now you can never get drunk. Anyone else will but you won’t.

Taresa, you will now enjoy him. That is an order. We have not changed you but you may not cancel your nights. Enjoy. Gewue, don’t stray and I will take you back as my child.

Now I need to talk so you two tell the others what was agreed on then go to your room.

Remember the next encounter must always go through him. Not two nights in a row. I suggest that you make and put up a night time schedule. Remember that he has said

you get two he gets two with Gewue and two with Taresa, solo each. That seventh is his alone day. Now go”

They have left. She now says that the female gods want that seventh day. I did not draw tonight’s straw but those cameras are on and we are recording. You will get copies. Go to the room next door. I go and there is a naked god of mercy. She does look fine and it has been a long time.

Things normalize

It is now been a year. We have a schedule and they adhere to it They have mapped out all our days. The big surprise is that, either she is a good actress or, Taresa is liking our session . .

The children are at last breathing easy. We are almost back to the point before the blow up. We are being constantly visited by this god and that. All mine now know that the females are looking for something if they show up on that free day but they are just checking on us. The female gods have asked me if it would be alright if they supervised sessions between my two women on my day off. Who am I to refuse but they ask. They could demand but they do not.

On the anniversary of the opening of our advice office, this world held its first election.

Yes, it was for our kingdom but all eyes are on it. If this succeeds, others will follow. Now we are having people come from far away to ask for advice. Things around the world are calming down.

Our three are now in their late teens. It’s time for a talk. We all sit down. The god of mercy, time and the Watcher are here. I start.

“We have noticed of late that each of you are more than just friends.” They are acting like they hid it well. “We have no objections. You have seen that we have had happy times but also troubled times. Relations must have these trials. It is how you handle them. Please remember that you choose to be together as mates, don’t be as stubborn as I was. Talk with each other before it goes too far.”

The god of mercy now speaks, “Your older siblings as well as two of your parents are immortal. Your now at an age to choose. We offer you that immortality or you can choose to live here as mortals. You, Taresa, now have that choice, the same is offered.

To those who want the immortality, you will move with this group from world to world helping like you have been here. This world is almost at the point to move on. If you choose immortality there is no going back. If you choose to stay as you are, mortal, you would stay on this world.”

The Watcher now says that it looks like within a year, we will move on.

Mercy asks, “If we become immortal, will April and I still be able to have babies?”

“Your mother and father were too old before to have them and Taresa is on hold because she really does not want one. You two on the other hand can. So yes, you still would be able to.”

The three quickly talk then it is Timey that speaks for them. “We want to stay with our family. We choose immortality. We still have a lot to learn.”

If that is your choice, I will ask each of you to say yes or no. The three individually say yes.

“Time would you take them on that tour of your realm.” His door opens up and his fel ows bring them in.

While time holds the door open. “Taresa, have you decided?”

She gets up and without a word she enters the door. It vanishes. In no time they are back and are talking over each other about how crazy being out of time is. Time offers his hand to Gewue.

“I know that they have made you immortal but you need to see this.”

I tell her to go and enjoy but don’t drink anything. April tells her that they flavor it. She looks confused but when she gets back, the imps are laughing and say that she could be an imp. One yells “She flavored a nasty person’s soup. She is a keeper. We want her”

We look at her and she smiles.

Now the Watcher looks at Taresa. There is a question that you deep down want to ask.

Now you are the same. In front of your family ask your question. She steps to Gewue and asks something that I did not expect.

“Gewue, may I have your permission to become your mate and share your current mate. I find I want you both. Not this day schedule but each and every night with the three of us but letting someone visit the three of us on certain nights?”

Before she can get an answer, she is told by the god of mercy. “If that is the arrangement, we may just demand an all women night.” She looks at me, “Recorded of course.”

Timey is blindsided but he is used to this because of us. April is now sheepishly asking if she and Mercy can have sessions with the other women.

I look at Timey. “Just know that we do not exchange women. We will watch the recordings with everyone.”

Always to throw a twist. The Watcher stands in front of Thor, Kree and Logar. There are a few that you need to meet.” They vanish. In a matter of seconds, but we know time flows different in their realms. Our three return with their own mates.

The Watcher tells us that they met a few at the mixer she had. Thor has Jewel. Kree has Grim and Logar has Haren. Gewue, Taresa and I go over to them and welcome them to the family.

The Watcher tells all of us that they have agreed to travel with us. I need to make more rooms. Since they are fliers, I will make bigger rooms and bathing areas but this time it will be up.

A few more years pass and this world has stabilized to the point that we feel it is time to move on. Long ago we told them that we would one day just disappear. The god of fate is here. It just so happened on her day or should I say night. She tells us that there is a new world that needs our help and we get the video of it. This time it is a needy world.

They are trying very hard but needs advice.

I go to the fortress wall and it is a good location. Like the last world, we can be seen by the capitol. We men will have our hands full. The reason I say we men is the fact that the five young women are all pregnant.

We see the sun rising. It should not be too long before the first troupes arrive.

A long journey has its rewards

I have lost track of how many worlds we have helped. Being eternal who cares. All have started stubborn but end up very nice places. Our children have had children. With each generation, the vast majority now choose to stay mortal and live on that world where their mates are from. They have integrated into that world’s society. Without them knowing it, the god of mercy has modified their memories.

The children of the Gargoyle parents are also choosing to stay on the world they were born to. The Watcher will take them to the mixer and they find their mates.

We have wished them well.

Now the gods are here.

We all sit in the great room. The god of all speaks. “There comes a time that even we need to step down. It is an individual choice but now we have a crisis. All of us, with the exception of time want to move on.”

I ask, I thought that we immortals won’t die”

“Still the youngster. We don’t die. We are choosing to go on to the forever final life.

Unlike others, we can just relinquish the role and we go directly there. As I was saying Twelve of our thirteen want to move on. Only the god of time wants to stay on. He says the is still young and having too much fun.”

Our original family from the first world have stayed with us. I’m still slow. It dawns on me. Twelve want to move on and there are twelve of us originals.

God of all looks at me and tells me that I am going to replace him. The others will each become the different gods.

I am now panicking. We have been together for so long, now we are going to be broken up. “That can’t happen.” I tell him.

“You will grow into the role but I won’t wait. We all have our own jobs but we all live together with the exception of time. He has a room but he never is there. You will still be together. You all can shift form to be as old or as young as needed.”

He goes down the list for all of us.

I am the god of all

Gewue is the god of mercy

Taresa is the god of fate

April becomes the Watcher

Mercy is the god of wisdom

Timey is the god of the forest

Thor is the god of weapons

Kree is the god of fertility

Logar is the god of the animals

Jewel is the god of the dragons

Grim is the god of changelings

Haren is the god of the humanoids

Now the gods are leaving one by one and the god of all talks to our children that will be left to carry on the original mission.

“Your parents will always be with you. All you have to do is call out. Now they will be in charge. They will be parents to the universe.”

He fades out but now I continue. “You are all still our children but now we will be able to visit all those who branched off. We can now relay messages. I will promise this, I now know of a world where there is no sentient life. We have the power now. We make the rules. Each year, we will open a door to our world and all that chose to be immortal can have a vacation with us. Spend time at the grand reunion. We go now but remember what they told us. All they did was retire to the final eternal life. When it is our time we will choose our replacements among our children. We bless you all. We need to check out our new home. I look at my family that has just been elevated. Why don’t we make that world our own home.”

We all go there and I call time. I invite him to set up a home here. Your imps are multiplying. You can use this space on a rotating basis as vacation for them. That way all get a chance to relax and all get their chance to pee in the coffee. Just not here.

Think about it.

I need to set up our mansion. There must be more movies out there on other worlds. I need to set up a real drive in. I did remember to take our copies of all those sessions.

We are gods, I do remember that those ladies came to visit me so I tell mine that if they need to correct some guy like I was corrected I know that you will always come back to me. I claim most of your nights.

They laugh “Maybe sometime in the future but it is hard to top the god of all.”

They are right.

Getting used to our new roles

There is a benefit in being the god of all. I now have made a decree. Talked with my group and I made sure that time was here.

“I have been thinking that it is very generic just being the god of this or that. When April Monday was elevated from a demigod of fools to god of fools, she hated name that and renamed the office to the Watcher. I feel that I want to allow each of you to rename the title. Let’s not go overboard. Me, I have always thought of myself as the leader.

Gewue tell me that it is too generic. “Maybe supreme leader?

Taresa says “How about the master?”

Others chime in but I could tell there was something bothering time. He finally broke.

“Boss man, I don’t care what you call me, I won’t remember it. Just figure out what you want to be called. I’ll remember that. Send me a list.” Off he went.

Gewue mutters a little then says, “You are now and until you give up the office, The Boss Man.”

Everyone likes that so now I am the boss man.

All the others tell me that they all have eternity to decide what they are called. “As long as we are called.”

I make a larger copy of our traveling home. I made sure that there is a large room full or rooms like the best hotel but they are the size that the imps can feel comfortable. The big thing is that we now have an outside pool.

The first time we had some imps here, they scared the hell out of us. We came out to the pool only to find several imps floating face down in the pool. There were a few at the bottom.

We panicked and I dove in. I got a few from the bottom only to see them laughing. All of them stood up on the water and were having a ball. After I calmed down, I realize that is them. I only reminded them “No flavoring the drinks or food!”

They tell me that they can only do that when time is frozen. “Here, we cannot stop time so we won’t do that, maybe.” They ran off. This place will be anything but dull.

Now we are getting use to the new roles. All are just popping in and out with the exception of me. Now that I think of it I really only saw him a few times.

I am board. I get random thoughts that come in. Most are requests of the greed kind. I‘m the god of all so I decide to put a filter here. All greed requests are just filtered out. Only sincere ones get through. The vast majority can be investigated by my wives or children.

Some I will go on just to get away but this time it turned out to be a major problem.

I did my usual, remain concealed and observe. That world that I am on is at war. The innocents are paying the price and the nobles are in their mansions directing battles they have never seen.

These wars always start over something as silly as which side of the toast you butter.

This one was because one lord had land that another lord was encroaching on. It was a vacation castle that had a better view. No one ever asked who owned the land.

“I’m a lord.”

Now villages were being totally destroyed without regards to the people that lived there.

I need to gather all my family, time included.

“This war is doing nothing but killing innocents. All over a vacation spot. Time, you have permission to go as far as taking out that lord who took the land. The other lord needs to be tormented. By the way, your vacation imps are very creative. Scared the shit out of me.”

Time knows, “That pool gag is one of their favorites. Even I can get caught with that one. As far as those lords, we will arrange an unfortunate accident but only after he suffers. The other idiot will be tormented until he loses his mind.”

My others will do their part, especially mercy. Gewue tells me that all the ones that have lost loved ones will be placed on one of the worlds that we left. They are at true peace.

They will live a full life and will enjoy it.

The Watcher on the other hand has scores of now orphaned children.

“I want to, as my names sake was, elevate a few to demigods to help in finding most of the orphan’s good people to adopt them. Then, when it is time for me to go to the final life, I will take one as my replacement. The person that takes this position must always be an orphan.”

April is right about that. I remember loss but it is not the same as a child losing their parents while still a child. I make that an irrevocable law. She thanks me. Then says that there will be only one per world and that one will have the powers needed to watch out for those who are in down trodden.

With the torment and unfortunate accidents, One lord died and the other ran off into the wilderness a raving lunatic. That world woke up to a fortress on a hill overlooking the capitol. That, of course, is the job of our, however many generations, of our grandchildren.

Our jobs are god’s work.

“Damned imps! Will you quit it with that drowned in the pool gag.”

“No, you look so funny each time you jump in the pool to save us. You will never learn.”

I thought that they would respect my role.

The last human by D.A.Sanford

I like to be by myself sometimes. When that feeling hit, there is only one solution. I have a close friend. He will take me to my favorite area. There are plenty of forested areas that there is no one. I can hike as much as I want without seeing any one.

I tell my friend that I would be back at this spot in two weeks. He drives away. With that, I was free.

The woods have a comforting feeling as long as you know what you are doing. I do. You can hear the birds. If there is a wind, you can hear the wooden battle of the limbs while the trunks grown in pleasure as they rub against each other.

Today is beautiful. There are rays of sun forcing their way through the thick green canopy. Pines giving a cold feeling to the air. I have traveled these woods frequently.

Clean springs are the source of refreshing drinks.

It is a wonderful time. I sometimes think about just keeping on walking. Forever abandoning the rat race called work. You see, I am a police detective, homicide. I see the worse side of the world. You do not get used to it. I always hope I never do. That is why I disappear. The reason this time, a drive by that killed two very young children. It really hit me hard and now, I was put on leave.

I need this time because I have come to the conclusion that I need to leave that cesspool job. I mean, this time I am looking for an area that I can buy. I even want to be off the grid. I have bought almost everything I need and it is in storage in this area.

Solar panels, wiring, tools, even a put together shed that I will live in while I build my cabin. This time I have heard of an old cabin that could be fixed up. That is where I am going. I found something using the online maps satellite view but it is only a shadow due to the trees. It was a few days on old overgrown logging trails to get there.

I found it and it is less than I expected. The walls look very good, but the roof. That needs to be completely replaced. There is barely any strength left to it but I already have most of what I will need to fix it. Looking around it, just having the walls is the big thing. Windows and doors I have. A real bonus, the fire place is still very strong.

This is the place. I set up my tent. I’m buying this and I start some clean up. I really need to assess the foundation. I hike back to my pickup point and leave a note telling my friend that I will be here for two extra weeks. This is not unusual for me. We have a

spot at the drop off point where the note will be. I always make it up to him. He has a taste for Havana cigars, I have a source.

It has been a fun time and I have decided, I’m quitting and will live here. I need to get back and arrange to buy this place and the large area around it.

I make it back to the pickup point only to find my letter still there. He usually takes it but.

I put up my tent just out of sight. I will be able to hear the sound of a car approaching.

Sitting by my tent, it is weird. This is not a major route but it does have some normal traffic. There are usually a few every five or ten minutes. I realize that it has been almost thirty minutes of nothing. Must be some sort of event happening that has stopped traffic.

I go to bed but I barely get any sleep. There has not been any traffic. The next day, I decided that I will start to walk in the direction that he will be coming to get me. Again, this morning there is no traffic.

A few miles, I see something. There is a break in the guard rail. There at the bottom is a car. There is no sign of life but I need to go down to see. There is no one in there. I continue down the road and there are more and more cars, mostly on the road but no one. What the hell.

More than halfway down the hill, I see my friend’s car. Just nuzzled against the rail. This is getting more fucked up. He is not there. All the cars and trucks I see while I walk all seems almost like the occupants just disappeared.

I make it to the first town. Power is still on. The diner has moldy food on the tables and counter. No people. There has to be at least some bones, something. Not even clothes.

I see animals starting to invade the town. I need to get to the city. There has to be someone.

Spotting a dealership, I decide that I will leave a note telling them that this is a police emergency and will return the pickup. It is a relief to have the pickup start. It is one of the double cabs. As a precaution, I stop at the grocery store and get supplies. There is a gun store. I get an array of pistols and rifles along with the ammunition. One last thing, at the hardware store, I snagged a hand pump and gas cans.

Filled up the truck and all the spare gas cans I could get. Now to the city and my home.

I drive around the abandoned vehicles. No matter where I stop, I find no one, even the newspapers only had a small article about losing contact with European countries. As I get close to the city, I see the first real extent of this situation. There are quite a few large passenger jets that crashed around the international airport. It seems like it has been weeks since they crashed. I stop because there is one broken up across a long stretch of the road.

I know what I will find but I look anyways. The same, no bodies. What the hell happened? Something heavy has gone down here. I find a way around and spot an army surplus store, I realize that if there is any air borne thing, I have been exposed but I still would feel safe. I find a few gas masks and extra filters. I wear one as I enter the area of my home.

No one. My home is still locked and when I went in, I found my side arm. I took that and my badge. I need to get to the precinct. When I went inside, it did not surprise me, no one. Not even in the cells. It is almost like the entire world has been transported at once.

I gather everything I can and get out. Things break down without attention. Every day, in this city there are quite a number of fires. Some may be arson but most can be assigned to wiring. Sparking and such. This city is burning.

One thing I made sure I took from my home was the keys to my storage. This truck is four wheel drive so I do head back to the cabin area. When I get to the storage, I load the shed and some of the roof material and now I head up the logging road.

I want to get everything here as soon as possible. I have my tent so I put together the shed and store the things I have in it. The next morning, I start driving to and from the storage unit until I have everything. I did find a gas generator. I was going to use the solar to build but the generator I can use pneumatic nailers and electric saws.

In a short time, I had my complete roof and the windows in. I do need more boards for the floor. Some are thin, but I have my cabin. All my weapons are at arm’s reach. I get the feeling that I will only need them for hunting. I haven’t even heard any aircraft, anything that would indicate anyone was alive.

Just to see, I drove down to that small town, shot a clip into the air and yelled out “Is anyone there?” Afterwards I realized that firing a weapon then asking if anyone was there was stupid. If I had heard that, I sure as hell would not answer. I drove to where I could see another town in the opposite direction, I blew the truck horn long and short blasts. Then drove into the town. The same thing. I did want to be alone.

That advice I once heard came to my head, Be careful of what you ask for, you may just get it.

It is starting to sink in that I am the last person in this area let alone in this country.

Nothing has shown me otherwise.

I found a small back hoe and a trailer to haul it. I have dug a root type cellar into the hill.

It is very large. I made sure that there is a very strong door and spike boards. I now

have stocked it with a lot of scavenged canned goods, root vegetables and dried. With bears, the exposed front is where a bear would attack. Now it will be safe.

I have dug below the frost line, and ran the water into the cabin. With the solar and generator backup, I have a pump and taken in the cabin. I raided the library and the video store. There is no internet but I did get a shortwave radio and antenna.

Sometimes, I wish I didn’t do that. I have had nothing but static.

I am alone

Winter has come and gone. Spring is here. After spending the winter here. Nothing but static on the shortwave. I need to go. Staying where no one can find me hasn’t worked out. I found me and since I may just be the last one on this world, the total population found me. Can you tell that I am starting to slip off center.

I remember that there are small trailers. Time to go and find out what is left. I go and bring it back to the cabin. First thing, I modify the inside. I have a hammock instead of a bed. More room for my stores and weapons. Again, if I am the only one, but what if I’m not. I’m leaving a lot of my food stores. I feel that I will not have any problem finding food but I need to have some insurance.

That’s why I am leaving some here. In case I decide to come back. Right now, I think I may drift south and wait out the winter in the warm.

I’m both sad and glad as I sit in the truck ready to leave. It is bitter sweet because this was going to be my sanctuary, is now just a cabin in the woods. I really need to answer the question. Do I now own the entire world?

I come to the road and turn right. Left is my city. I know that it now must be just ash.

Right is unknown after that small town. That small town has had its share of fires. I honk as I go through but no one. Villages go by most almost un scathed.

Power is out all over, but that did not stop all the different things that cause fires. Cities did not fare well. Again, unchecked fires. There still is no indication of anyone. I knew it.

I now make it a point to honk through areas but if I don’t need to pump some gas, I only go through slow. It is warm so I have the window down and play he CD’s. That is the only time I hear a voice including mine. I sing with the music.

Town after town. No one. After a month of traveling, I have come to the end of land. I am looking at the ocean. It is time. I am the last of man. It is time to turn south and avoid the snow.

I need to stop and fill up all my gas cans. As I am cranking, out of the corner of my eye I spot a dog. It appears to be checking me out. It’s a mutt but very large. No actual breed.

I take out some meat from a rabbit I shot. Whistled and through it a few feet way. It slowly comes over and eats. The side door is open and it jumps in.

“You want a ride with me?” It wags its tail. I now have a traveling companion. It looks like this is what he missed. I know that I do feel actually happy to have something. I talk to it all the day and it settles into the seat and falls asleep.

I was driving and had the music on. I sang and he howled. That is when I asked him if he was a wolf. He barked. I started to talk to him again but now call him wolf.

“Wolf, have you seen anyone?” He hung his head. “Well, I guess it is just you and me.”

I shot a few rabbits. Much to my chagrin he runs and brings both back. I let Wolf have one and I cooked mine. We are good buddies now. I really am feeling good. “You know,”

I tell him “I’m glad I met you. You listen to me and don’t complain about my singing. I got to ask, do you know where everyone went?” He looks and tilts his head. “I didn’t think so.”

We travel, I talk, he listens.

Everything is the same, fires have taken their toll. The only thing now is that game is scarce. We drive. Only rabbits. I haven’t seen a deer or bird in a very long time. I get the uneasy feeling that something big is happening to this world.

I come to the end of my southern travels. There is more land but now I have come to see all before us is ash. The thing is the ash, although no fire is present, it looks like it is creeping and consuming everything in its path. Wolf is barking and howling. He does not want us to be here. “I don’t blame you, buddy. We need to go.”

I turn the truck and start going away from the now very close ash. I get a few miles away and hear the sound of metal scraping the pavement. The trailer feels strange. I need to stop. Wolf will not get out. The back of the trailer is gone and I see ash eating it.

The tires are now completely gone. I have only moments to realize that I need to abandon the trailer. I un hitch it as the ash has reached the front of the trailer.

We drive a short distance away and I do a quick check on the truck. I unhitched in time.

I don’t see any but I do see that, by towing the trailer, I spread the ash further. We drive north as fast as I can. I now realize that this world itself is dying.

Stopping at a store to scavenge. I look at my friend. “Wolf, old buddy, I feel that the ash is going to eventually take us. I’m going back to my cabin. It’s a nice place to sit and wait for the ash.” I pat my side arm, then say, “When that time comes. I’ll make sure that it does not get us alive.”

Wolf puts his head on my lap as we drive north.

It was another month but we reached the cabin. It was still there but off in the distance, I could see that ash was all around us and in a few days, it would be here. This is truly the last place not consumed. I pull out everything and we eat like there is no tomorrow.

There isn’t, at least for us. By the morning, ash has creeped almost here.

“Wolf, my friend, it is time for us to leave.” I pull my pistol out and aim it at him. From behind, I am grabbed and Wolf has pushed me in the same direction. I am now in a living room. There is a man sitting there. It was another that pulled me here.

Wolf was there with us. They have me sit.

“You have completed your job.” The sitting one says. “You were left on that world, with this one, to be witness of the end of your world. Your world was taken over by an alien AI. It was destroyed but took your planet with it. The few of you humans that were not taken by that AI were removed along with the animals, with the exception of the few that you needed.”

“Just who the hell are you to let this happen?”

“The one to pull you into this room. She is the god of mercy, I am the god of time.” He stops and looks at Wolf.

“Isn’t it time to stop that charade. At lease shift to your right humanoid form.”

I now see Wolf shift into a very, extremely attractive woman but she has the ears and tail. She still lays her head on my lap and says to me, “You did not even look. You just started to act like I was a male.” She said it in a teasing way.

Time tells her, “You have fallen for him, haven’t you?”

“I am a canid, if you did not know. We form bonds with our master.” She snuggles tighter to me and smiles at my hidden reaction. She rolls over and now has her back to the others. “I’m staying with him.”

Things in my mind are going haywire but I drag my mind back to the subject. “Why did you pick me?”

The god of mercy tells me that, since I had retreated from society and was a detective, I was the perfect one to be a true witness. We will be sending you two to various worlds to witness what you saw. We need you to try to dissuade the worlds you go to, to change their way. Most won’t change but it is our intention that you will change people,

not governments. We need you to change people. Didn’t you see the worst of your race in homicide? There is truth in you.”

Time tells us that there will be powers granted to us. We will now be able to, what they call, jump to those worlds that they alert us where to go. The room that we are in is now ours. “This is now yours. You will need to customize it to suit your life style.”

That catches Wolf’s attention. She looks at me and says, “We need a very large bath and a comfortable bed.” She is acting very shy. I will never be able to resist her wishes.

Now Time and Mercy open the door to my world. We all go through and stand at my cabin. Remarkably, it is still pristine. The whole area around here is good but off in the distance, you can see that the ash has stopped. There is rain that is washing it away. I ask them.

“After a forest fire, the ash nourishes the soil and it grows greener than before. Is that going to happen here?”

“The animals will be returned here but sentient life will never be allowed here. While not on a mission, you two will keep watch on here. Any race that enters your space, will be repelled by the goblin fleet. They will be allowed to set up a defense base here.”

They tell me of their being slaves and being freed. “They did not allow any AI in their system. The concept to them was going back to being slaves. They believe in peace and will fight to protect it.”

I ask about them. “My world, we only had humans.” I find myself stroking Wolf’s hair as I talk and like it. “We only had fantasy tales of humanoids, dragons and yes goblins. Most of these tales were that they were aggressive. If they are like Wolf here. I would welcome the goblins and if they want, any freed slaves that want peace, I offer this world for them to settle. Only those the goblins would allow to settle on their planet will be welcome here.”

The two are taken with my offer. A door opens and here, at my cabin, is a goblin delegation. I invite them into the cabin. Wolf elbows me and points to a female goblin.

“She’s cute, I’m going to ask that she stays with us.” I am left looking at her. I see the female acting very shy but Wolf tells me that it is a female thing. “She is taken with you.”

We sit and I offer refreshments to all. Now I take charge.

“I am glad and humble for you to be here and at your offer to protect this world. I have told Time and Mercy, in reciprocity, I offer you this world to be a place that you can let freed slaves, that want to live in peace, settle here. The only restriction will be they must be ones that you would have absolutely no problem letting them live on your world. I

have been told of your world does not let any AI to take hold of your world. I want that here. AI destroyed this world and my mate here and I watched the aftermath. This world will recover from the ash but I will never allow an AI to take this world again, even if is die stopping it.”

This causes them to smile. That female is now totally wiggling. The leader now speaks.

“We have been showed exactly what you went through. How your people were decimated by the AI. We would be honored to accept your offer. We will only let the peaceful races settle here. You have a lot of mountains. Harpies would be in love with them. We see that the freed humanoids would be best suited here. We still have room but we will let freed goblins that would like to settle here to come here.”

I say, “Please feel free to make bases for your ships here. You have the whole world to choose your locations. As many as you like. I trust your character and feel that, in this brief meeting that you will never take advantage of our offer to take this world. I do not sense any deceit in your delegation.”

Their leader is moved “We accept your offer. In our culture, arrangements like this are solemn. They are cemented by bonding of families. Ever since the gods showed us what you and your world went through, my daughter has been smitten by you. She has asked to be that bond. In tradition of our race and almost all races, my daughter would like to ask your mate a question. Is this permitted?”

I am beside myself but go with my gut. I look at Wolf and ask her if she will hear the question. She now becomes formal. “Are you recognizing me as your mate?”

“Yes, with great pleasure.”

“I like my name you gave me. On occasions like this I will be addressed like that but in the matter of a female to female formal question,” she looks at the goblin female, “As his mate, I will be addressed as first wife or mistress. Mistress is not meant to be a slave term but a respect to my position as his mate. Do you accept that?”

The goblin female accepts and then says “Mistress, as his first wife, I ask you if I can ask him if he would accept me as his mate. I will submit to your authority as first wife.

You ask, I will do. You have only the best interest of your family in mind. I now ask if I can be your sister and your mates second wife?”

“By what name do you call yourself?”

“Detez”

“Do you wish to usurp me as first wife?’

“No”

“Why do you wish to be second wife?”

“I found myself to love him at my first sight.”

Wolf now turns to me “My mate, I give this one permission to ask you’re her question.

As my mate, my master, I will abide with your decision. I will say that I approve of her and will accept her as a sister. Please listen to her and give her an answer.”

She is now before me. “I am being informed that you have a question for me. Do you do this of your own free will?”

She says yes. I tell her to ask her question.

“I have fallen in love with you at the first sight of you and feel that you are the one for me. I want to be with you. I want your claim mark on me. Please take me as your mate, your second wife. Let me be with you.”

“My mate, do you accept this?”

“Yes”

Turning to the leader. “Do you accept this? Not as a leader but as a father?”

“It would be a great relief that she mates with someone she obviously loves as opposed as just being a treaty offering. Yes I accept her decision.”

“I will take you as my second wife. Second wife talk to your sister and set up what needs to happen.”

All are happy. Her father comes to me and says that he could not be happier. My now two go off and talk over what needs to happen. The delegation now says that they are leaving but will be back shortly with a group that will need to be here to witness the mark and hear her new name.

Once again, I am at my cabin but this time I have two women with me. We sit on the cabin’s porch.

“So, what happens now?”

Wolf tells me that she will need to be marked first. Today.

“Now that we are in private. You are my master, my race needs to be subservient to their master. We need to be trained even if it requires you to bind me. After you claim me as your first wife. This one will need to fight me and she will be bested. You will be required to watch. She takes my hand and leads me to a now grassy spot. We stand facing her. She pulls out one of my old belts. It has been cut.

“Please master collar your mate. This is not as a slave. This is a symbol of my subservient position to your position as pack leader.”

I fasten it around her neck. “This is when we are alone, in the future we will have neighbors. I will take the wearing as your signal that you want to be led, trained, rewarded and punished. Do you agree?”

She says in a very loud voice, “World pay attention. I now tell you that I am now his for as long as I live but also in the final eternal life. He will now take me of my own free will.

Second wife, come and prepare your mistress for her mating.

She comes over and undresses Wolf and then, just as slowly, herself. Wolf kneels and they both undress me. There on the grass, in what now is a meadow, I take her as my first wife. I tell her that after all the firsts are over, we then can explore training. We will talk.

On this day, in the presence of that goblin woman, she now became my first wife.

It was a wonderful time. That is when I learned that the goblin claim is a bite scar on the right shoulder when I climax. Wolf now has her scar but then she attacks my second.

They are wrestling and the goblin is bested.

“My mate,” as she holds the arms down on the grass over Detez’s head “take this, my offering to you, and make her your second wife. Bite her right shoulder and drink her blood. Then name her.”

I see beside her is another collar. As her arms are being held. I hold the collar so she can see it. You heard what I told my first wife what this collar means. It is not a slave collar. Do you want to be subservient to me?”

She just nods and I affix the collar. Wolf now let’s loose her arms.

I know that they have talked so I do the same that I told my first wife. We will really play but I need to make love with her. We do just that and at the right time, she begs me to bite her. I do that. Wolf, as first wife, comes over and sucks some blood.

They are now my wives and I find that I am comfortable with that.

“First wife, stand before me. You are now as naked as the day you were born. I now feel I will give you a new name. on that befits a first wife. You are now and forever to be called Hope. When I was at my loneliest, you came to me and gave me hope.

Second wife, stand before me. You too are as naked as you were when you were on the day that you were born. Now and forever more you will be called Joy. You are a Joy to both me and Hope. Hope and Joy, I love you both. I only wish that we could interbreed. I would be out of this world if your both were mothers to my children. May the gods make that happen.

They are now my wives and I find that I am comfortable with that.

It was a week and a ship landed near us. There are now almost a hundred goblins here.

They have taken over the area but in a good way. Cooking, building a large platform that overlooks my now very green vista.

They did bring ten harpies who fly towards the near mountains. I was told by my now father and mother that they couldn’t wait to see what the area looks like. Soon they return and ask if I would let them claim an area. I tell them that it is theirs. I get kisses from all of them.

There is music and everyone is having a good time. There even are quite a few of the gods here celebrating. One thing that interests me is the fact that they are talking to my two and they are giggling and looking at me with excitement.

Everyone has eaten. Now my now father talks.

“During the time that we came to accord with the resident of this world, my daughter, has ascended to the position of second wife of the leader. I now ask my wife to inspect her daughter.”

She takes her daughter behind a screen and inspects her.

She does then step in front of her husband. He asks, “What have you found?”

“She has been taken by this man. He has claimed her in our fashion. She is his mate.”

Now he declares “All must review the mark and determine that she is indeed claimed.

The daughter will sit and reveal the mark. Husband, stand by your claim and receive the judgement.”

She sits and bares her right shoulder. I stand by her.

One by one, they file by her and look. Then they bow to me. I have been told that the bow is acknowledgment, a head shake is rejection. All file by. Each stop and lean in purposely to look at the scar. All bow to me. When the last acknowledge the mating, her father tells us that we are officially mated.

He now asks “What is her new name?”

“She is a joy to me. Her new name is Joy.”

Everyone applauds and say that it is a good name.

Now they do pull out a barrel of their wine and we proceed to drink it dry. I see that the gods smile then vanish.

Things wind down. Most of the goblins have paired up and spend the night exploring…

the wilds. My two take me also.

Everyone, with the exception of the harpies, now go back into the ship and leave. I was told that the harpies have permission, only if I wanted to, to show the three of us just how much they appreciation for what we have done. It was a wonderful day and night.

Mercy had told us that interspecies impregnation was not happening, for now but they were discussing that possibility. She said that it was looking good that it will happen.

It is now a pleasure. The goblins have set up a base in the area that once was the small town. Every building, no matter how well constructed actually disintegrated. As a matter of fact. My truck is the only vehicle left on the world. It is of great fascination to the goblin mechanics. I showed them the gas and told them that I did not have a use for it. I gave it to them with the proviso that they come up with something that could go over our terrain and not be dependent on gas. They were already talking and much to my shock. They drive off down the hill. I found out that they had one driving and another working the peddles. They did make it to their base un scathed. After a month, we heard something coming or should I say somethings coming.

I see four tractor tread boxes’ coming up the meadow. They really are something out of the science fiction movies. Large but almost all glass. They look like fun. I am told that one is mine. These run on air, or should I say that they run on the oxygen in the air.

“We made yours with adjustable seat and pedals so that each of your wives can use it.

It only takes an hour to get to the base so you can visit.”

I thank them, now we can visit the various settlements. The goblins always bring representatives of each group to me for approval. When Wolf and I need to go and give

warnings, my second wife is the one that interviews them for me. It is a formality because they are really screened first.

This life is so good that all thoughts of this worlds previous life is just a haunted memory. Our first trip will be to the harpies. They want us to visit and see their nest.

They insist that the three of us be there.

Speaking of harpies, we now have three nests. I have given the first flock’s leader the task of new nest territories.

The gods have returned the animals here most are food animals but most of them are from worlds where they needed to be pulled from. The rule is no super predators that would devastate the world.

I have found out what the gods were talking to my two at the claiming party. I am now being attended by one of the harpies as well as a felid. It is not too hard to figure out that I will have a third and fourth wife.

I tell the first two that I am not opposed but we may need some sort of ceremony of or own. Even if it is casual. “I want to say the only thing is that the current wives be present. I did like how you two worked it out.”

Envy – A short story from the Demons Daughter