"Who didn't see that bitch?" the harpy tittered. "Everybody did. She just stood in the middle of the street like a fuckin' retard. For like two hours! Just staring into space, la la la la la..." The harpy fluttered a bit as a few other monsters bustled by them on the crowded street.

"What happened to her?" Ishiar asked, still riding on the back of Ralier, her hesitantly recruited Kari companion.

"Well there's this big crowd, and everybody's just staring at her--like, what, she gonna do a dance? I don't know! Then Aerothi shows up, says 'fuck this,' eats her, then tells everybody to get back to work."

"Wait--Aerothi ate her!?" Ishiar asked, her heart suddenly frozen in shock.

"Yeah, she talked to her for like ten seconds, then ate her."

"Where is she?"

"Fuck, she's probably floating in the toilet by now."

"I mean where's Aerothi!?"

"Oh. Why? You know this girl?"

"None of your damn business."

"Goddess, excuse me! It's not like I give a shit, I was just curious. She's probably back up on her cruiser."

"Nah," another harpy said. "She didn't wanna go back up there. I dunno, maybe she's avoiding her mate or some shit. She went into the Ironbelly palace."

"Let's go," Ishiar snapped and spurred Ralier into motion.

"You're fucking WELCOME," the harpy yelled after her as they left.

It was only a short distance to the Ironbelly palace--actually, fortress was a more apt description. Everything the Ironbellies built seemed designed to withstand a siege, and their queen's quarters were no exception. The walls rose imposingly even amongst the belted fortifications that surrounded all of Eronmar.

Ralier stumbled to a stop as they came in sight of the gate.

"I--I--Listen, Ishiar, I want to help you and I'm glad you helped me out back there, but--"

"But you're scared." Ishiar said.

"YES!" Ralier answered. "I--j--do you really think Aerothi would think twice about making me into a snack if she found out I was helping you? That place is probably swarming with EEEEEEhhhhh--"

The Kari stopped short as she felt Ishiar's hands grabbing her breasts from behind. Her words turned into quiet gasps as Ishiar's fingers gently cupped her breasts and started massaging them.

Ishiar smiled sultrily. "I think you can do it."

"B--okay, that's very nice--ooohhhhh--VERY nice--but I still don't think...hhoooooohhh..."

"I've heard you Karis have sensitive breasts," Ishiar continued.

"Yes we do, but we're also sensitive to being devourOOOHHH...oh don't stop!"

"Devoured, you say?"

"Yeah...that..." Ralier moaned, half whispering now. Her eyes were half closed and her body had begun to gently rise and fall as she responded to Ishiar's touch.

"Come on," Ishiar said. "What's life without risk?"

Ralier's eyes bolted open again. "A lot longer," she said, but her defiant stare lasted only as long as it took for Ishiar to give her boobs a hard squeeze. "Oh goddess!"

The Kari took several deep, heavy breaths before continuing. "Please...please, don't make me..."

"Listen to me," Ishiar said quietly. "That girl was the last remaining survivor from my village. She's the only family I have left. Everyone else is dead."

"Ohhh..." Ralier sighed softly. "Because of us..."

"Yes. Now you're a part of this whether you like it or not. If we go in there alone, we're naga food."

"We're probably going to be naga food anyway," Ralier said.

"Ralier," Ishiar suddenly choked. She hadn't realized she'd been letting her emotions start to seep through. She had to stop and take a few breaths before she could continue. A lump had formed in her throat and she couldn't seem to get her voice past it.

"What?" Ralier eventually said.

"Nothing." Ishiar suddenly hopped off of Ralier's back. "You...you don't have to come with me. I'll do this alone."

As she started to walk away, Blast hopped off and scampered after her.

Ishiar stopped. "Blast--" she started, but Blast put her hand over her mouth. She gently shook her head before withdrawing her hand.

"Okay," Ishiar said. The two started walking towards the enormous gates of Eronmar palace.

Ralier bit her lower lip as she looked after them. She opened her mouth several times and almost started towards them, but couldn't bring herself to do it. Finally, she thrust herself forward and started trotting after them.

"Listen, you guys," she said, her voice wavering. "I...am entirely positive I'm going to regret this, but..."

"You don't have to come," Ishiar repeated.

"I know...and...that's why I have to come." Ralier replied.

Ishiar looked at her for a moment.

"You realize I'm not going to try to talk you out of this," she said.

"Look, at least you've got a chance at getting in if I'm with you," Ralier replied. "And if things get bad..." her expression became pained. "Look, I've seen a lot of families like yours torn apart by this, and one way or another, I've been a part of that. I've...eaten more than my share, honestly."

"I thought you were a coward."

Ralier suddenly looked like she might cry. Ishiar realized she didn't even know if monsters could do that.

"Listen, I hunt and I eat, that's what monsters do. I can pin down a normal girl without too much trouble, but it's...this...this kind of stuff, it's just--my heart's not in it, okay? It's not the way I play. So forgive me if I'm not eager to sacrifice my life for the cause."

"And what is this cause, exactly?" Ishiar said.

"Listen, I don't know what Aerothi wants and I don't care. All I know is, it's not what I want."

"What do you want?"

"Right now, I want you to survive this so you can keep that promise you made me. You're one hot ticket, that's why I picked you. Well, that and your back was turned..."

Ishiar smiled. "You're sure about this?"

"Absolutely not," Ralier said, "but I'll manage. Don't worry about me."

Ishiar nodded, and the three of them walked away.

******

The defenses in Eronmar palace weren't what they had expected. It was assumed that if Aerothi was here, the place would be swarming with her elite guards, yet it was eerily empty. The only sign that anything had happened was remains. Stains of dried blood lay underneath pools and spatters of fresh blood on the walls, on the floor, even on the cieling. Pieces of dead monsters and the soft brown remains of fully digested humans were scattered everywhere. Strangely, most of the dookie seemed old, whereas a lot of the blood and gore seemed fresh, as though the monsters had died after the main battle had taken place.

The group wasn't sure where they were going; they were mostly just wandering around searching for any sign of Aerothi, giving them ample time to soak up the creep factor.

Ishiar and Blast were riding on Ralier's back. As they reached another random junction, Blast suddenly scooted forward, awkwardly crawling over Ishiar and tapping Ralier on the back.

Ralier turned towards her. Blast was frantically pointing to the right. Ralier shrugged her shoulders and turned to the right. Blast pointed again as they came across another hall, then another.

"Where are we going?" Ralier finally said.

"I dunno. Just do what she says," Ishiar replied.

Blast indicated several staircases--she seemed to be leading them downwards into some sort of subterrainean dungeon.

"Hey, do you guys smell something odd?" Ralier said.

"It's a dungeon, it's going to smell a bit off," Ishiar replied.

"No, not that..." Ralier said. "It's...something I've never smelled before. Smells kind of good, actually."

"Like food?"

"A little bit. Sort of like cinnamon rolls."

"How do you know what a cinnamon roll smells like?"

"Hey, I'm a monster, not a barbarian."

Suddenly, the group turned a corner and Blast eagerly started pointing at something. It was a body lying motionless on the floor, it's clothing shredded and blood-soaked. It was humanoid except for a pair of wings that lay strewn across the floor, mangled and spattered with red.

"That's a funny looking harpy," Ralier said.

"It's not a harpy!" Ishiar said. She leapt off of Ralier's back and ran over to her.

It was an angel, beautiful and delicate, yet her freckled face seemed drained of all life. Her skin was cut, gashed or torn open all over; blood had poured out and practically drenched the floor. Her face was pale and her body was utterly limp.

"My goddess...they killed an angel?" Ishiar said.

"I assure you, I had no part in this!" Ralier stammered. "Can we heal her?"

Ishiar looked up. "Blast?"

Blast nodded and handed her a pale green potion.

"This is a healing potion?" Ishiar asked.

Blast nodded.

As Ishiar looked at it, she realized it was not even liquid--it was actually a very fine green powder. It crackled with little sparks as she lifted the angel's head and poured the silt-like powder into her mouth. It was so thin that it ran like water, coating the angel's mouth in a thin layer of green dust as it passed.

Ishiar waited. "What do we do now?"

Suddenly the angel in her arms screamed.

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUGGGGHHHH!!"

Her body arced upward and Ishiar did her best to hold her down. Her skin burned green for a moment, and in the next, her wounds had vanished without a trace.

"Whoa, whoa, wait, it's okay, it's okay, calm down!" Ishiar said.

The angel's scream died down and was replaced by pained gasps and coughs. Her eyes were wide open and her body was shaking.

"Are you alright?" Ishiar asked.

The angel's body trembled--tears were rolling down her face now. Her head drooped back and hit the floor as her face contorted with anguish.

"Whoa! It's okay! You're alright now! Just calm down!"

The angel's eyes opened and she looked at Ishiar. For a long moment, the angel simply looked at her, seemingly struggling to bring her face into focus. Suddenly, her expression melted from one of torment to joyous relief. Her mouth turned into a thankful smile, and before Ishiar even knew what was going on, the angel had siezed her head and kissed her.

Ishiar, needless to say, was confused. "Okay...apparently I'm just that hot...um...why did you do that?"

The Angel caressed her face and laughed. "I...I thought you were dead."

"Do I know you?" Ishiar asked.

The angel smiled. "I guess not. I don't know...I'm just...happy to see you, I guess." Another tear rolled down her face.

"I heard you angels were sentimental, but damn, girl, get a grip!" Ralier said. "What were you doing down here, anyway?"

The angel stopped, suddenly getting up and running down the hallway. "Maybe there's still time!"

"Time for what!?" Ishiar yelled, suddenly running after her.

"Time to save her!"

"Save who!?"

"I don't know her name!"

"That's probably gonna make it hard!"

Ishiar wasn't sure why she was running after this angel. There was just something familiar about her--like they did already know each other. Something in her gut told her that they were on the same mission, and Ishiar decided to go ahead and follow that instinct. Well, that, and helping angels had to carry some sort of good karma.

"We don't even know your name!" she called out.

"It's Annelique!" the angel yelled back.

She ran very swiftly for someone who only moments ago had been near dead. In fact, Ishiar was quite surprised she wasn't dead.

They followed the sprinting angel back up towards the fortress' ground floor.

******

The enormous doors to the throneroom blasted off their hinges and crashed to the floor with a sound like thunder. Annelique ran in, her hands still smoldering from her spell. Ishiar, Blast and Ralier were just steps behind her.

Aerothi was sitting on the former throne of the Ironbelly queen. The room was empty, save for two of Aerothi's four lieutenants and a handful of guards. Strangely, they made no motion to intercept the four intruders.

"Aerothi." Annelique said.

Aerothi said nothing--she didn't even seem interested in the newcomers, instead playing idly with the hem of her dress. Instead, one of her lieutenants stepped forward--a sorceress of some kind bedecked in black, almost scarab-like armor, carrying a ruby-headed staff. Her hair was an almost unsettling shade of pale orange and her eyes burned pure white. She also said nothing, but moved between the group and her master.

"I'd move if I were you," Ishiar said.

"You have something that I care about," Annelique continued, ignoring both Ishiar and the sorceress.

"What is she?" Aerothi suddenly said, still not looking up. She lifted a finger and pointed at Blast. "That one. What is she?"

"Your plans will fail, Aerothi," Annelique said. "I have destroyed one of your keys."

"I know," Aerothi said, still lilting idly on the throne. "You seem quite eager to cause death. Many more will die now."

"Thanks to you," the sorceress sneered at Annelique.

"You still have one chance," Annelique replied. "Someone I care about lies in your belly."

Aerothi continued fidgeting with her dress. "I suppose we are even, then."

"No," Annelique said. "Give her back to me, and I will give you back your key."

"I cannot use your waste," the Sorceress said quietly.

"I can return her to life," Annelique said. "So long as her remains are locked safely within my body, hope is not lost. But I will spread her remains all over this room if you harm..."

The Angel faltered.

"Who?" the sorceress asked.

"The girl in my belly," Aerothi said. "She's not completely digested yet. She wants her back."

"Yes," Annelique said. "Give her back to me and let us leave, and I will restore Sonya Rosestone to life. That's my offer."

"All right," Aerothi said. She stepped off the throne and slowly walked over to Annelique. "Reach in and get her."

"Wait--!" Ishiar yelled, but Annelique didn't hesitate. She reached her hand into Aerothi's mouth, and soon her whole arm was inside her. Ishiar flinched, half-expecting Aerothi to make one big gulp and send Annelique to join Sudvana.

Several long moments passed as the angel seemingly fished around inside Aerothi's stomach. Finally, she seemed to get something. She pulled her arm back out, now slick with glop. Opening her dripping hand, she beheld a tiny girl with a familiar black braid of hair.

"Sudvana," Ishiar gasped, almost inaudibly.

Sudvana sat up, her tiny body shivering in Annelique's hand.

"Sudie?" the Angel said, wiping a bit of glop off of Sudvana's head with her finger.

Sudvana's face lit up. She leapt up and hugged Annelique's thumb. Annelique wrapped her fingers around her in return, cradling her.

"You saved me!" Sudvana said, though Annelique could barely hear it.

Annelique simply placed her other hand overtop her body like a blanket, her contented smile smile lasting for a moment before she switched her gaze to Aerothi. "I suppose it's time for me to keep my end of the bargain."

Aerothi was staring dispassionately, a dribble of drool still clinging to her chin. "It is," she said quietly.

Annelique gently put Sudvana's tiny body onto the floor. Aerothi idly waved her hand, returning her to her normal size.

Sudvana, for her part, was suddenly aware of being buck nacked in a room full of strangers. She quickly covered herself with her hands as best she could.

"Sudvana, what happened?" Ishiar said.

Sudvana's head flipped around and she noticed Ishiar for the first time. She stared, as if in disbelief, her mouth opening and simply hanging there.

Blast ran over and hugged her. Ishiar walked up and knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Never mind what happened," Ishiar said. "Just so long as you're alright."

Sudvana was still speechless. Forgetting for the moment that she was naked, she just grabbed the two girls in her arms and squoze for all she was worth.

Meanwhile, Annelique was in a corner, being watched carefully by Aerothi's guards. She quietly relieved herself, then removed the blood-caked remains of her robe, revealing her breasts. Closing her eyes in concentration, she began squeezing them, mouthing quiet prayers as she did so. Small, white drops of her honey began to fall. A pale glow appeared as she continued to chant and pray.

"What's going on?" Sudvana said.

"I...don't know." Ishiar replied.

The glow became brighter until every drop of honey was like a miniature star. Annelique's face pulled with exertion as she prayed and suddenly the room was filled with a blinding white light. For several seconds.the girls shielded their eyes. When it finally faded, there was a woman lying in the corner where there had only been waste a moment before.

Annelique looked down at her. The woman simply looked up at her, then sneered. She stood up and walked over to Aerothi, making no move to escape or defend herself.

"You may go," Aerothi said to the others.

They didn't need convincing. "Yeah, let's get the hell out of here," Ishiar muttered as they hurriedly headed for the door. They noticed that Annelique hadn't moved from her spot.

"Angel-girl? Annelique?" Ishiar said. "You coming?"

The angel said nothing--she simply remained hunched in the corner.

Sudvana hurried over to her. "She's drained. Hello? Can you hear me?"

The angel simply looked back at her and smiled. She held the smile as long as she could, allowing it to fade only as she collapsed to the floor.

"Oh my," Sudvana said. "I think she's hurt."

"Stick her on Ralier's back," Ishiar said.

They hoisted the angel up onto the kari and headed out with all haste.

******

Annelique was barely aware of the room she was in. Her whole body ached and her head was spinning; it was like her limbs were blurring together, floating around topsy-turvy in her mind. She could feel a pillow beneath her head, and she was pretty sure she was on a bed. Every time she opened her eyes to look around, they forced themselves shut again. Every time she tried to lift one of her limbs, the room spun even faster.

She wasn't sure if she was asleep or awake. She vaguely remembered being carried. Voices, saying things she couldn't make out.

She felt drained inside, and weak. She felt as though she was teetering in and out of her own body.

Yet, somehow, it felt like everything was alright.

She could hear faint voices now--maybe in the next room, if there was a next room. Annelique drifted out of consciousness. She drifted back in a while later, then a while after that, picking up little bits and pieces of conversation as she did so.

"So what's wrong with her?"

"--resurrection, I mean, how easy do you think--"

"--too much energy, it's like your soul gets sore--"

"--already so badly wounded. Sometimes damage carries over--...healing potions or not."

"she wasn't ready--and with so much exertion, it's inevitable--"

"How do we heal her?"

"Don't you know anything about angels?"

"--simple. They feed on love."

"You mean sex-love or love-love?--"

"love-love..."

As she drifted in and out, Annelique suddenly felt as though something was lifting her up.

"--you hear me? Annelique?"

The voice was closer this time. She wasn't sure if she could answer. As the moments passed she started to wonder if it was too late to answer--she wasn't even aware if she'd drifted out of consciousness in between. She tried to speak but could barely move her lips. Something wrapped around her--like an arm, like she was being cradled.

"--going to be better, I promise. I promise."

More unconsciousness. When she drifted back in she felt the arms around her again, and fuzzy voices.

"so we--"

"--says we need to be here for her, and I'm going to be here."

"You don't even know who she is, and--how can you stand the angel stink?"

"I do know who she is, and she saved my life. Maybe more."

Sometimes she would dream that she was back with Miss Sara, holding her tightly back in the safe confines of Golden Star Hall. Yet when she looked up at Miss Sara's face, she couldn't make it out. She could only hear her voice, telling her everything was going to be alright.

Sometimes she dreamt that the other angels from Golden Star were gathered around her, kissing her all over, but never saying anything.

"--two days, and she's not getting better. I'm worried--"

"--physically needs to be stronger."

"How?"

"Darling, do I need to show you everything? Here, come to me, I'll show you how it's done..."

"Eww! You could have warned me!"

"It will help her, Sudvana. You know it will."

"So why don't you do it?"

"Because she would *only* heal her body. If that. Only you can heal both."

"But I've never--"

"--first time for everything."

The voices continued coming and going, as did the cradling. She felt something sweet trickling down her throat, and it made her want to smile. But she couldn't. She blacked out again.

Sometimes she would dream that she was Latella again, strange thoughts and alien memories moving her through a life that seemed all too real and completely alien at the same time. She would see a glowing woman enchanting weapons, and whenever this woman saw her, she would embrace her and lift her up into the heavens. Yet when she reached the sky gravity would flip around and she would fall against it like a pillow, sending her back into her confusing half-sleep. Between each fevered dream she would return to the spinning void, wondering which parts of her dreams were real and which ones were merely hallucinations.

"Sudie, you need sleep. Even Blast is asleep. I didn't even know she could do that."

"I know, I just--"

Silence. The voices, the touches, the spinning seemed to just go on forever behind her and ahead of her. It felt like it could already have been days, or weeks, or even longer.

And in the back of her reeling mind, she wondered if she was ever going to wake up.