The subtitle says so much about this one.

This is a massive one so I won't be saying too much. After just rereading it, I will emphasize it's one hell of a ride, despite being the very last piece to the mission!

Expect more comments at the bottom of this thing.

By Joshua- assistance from Leslie, Cameron and Mitch

 
WARNING: mild language, light to mild sexual themes, zombies, and whining

 
Jester King of Beasts smiled an evil smile as the first of his two summons appeared in a burst of smoke, dressed in a leather bustier that threatened to fail in its mission of keeping her all in it. Her hair was akin to smoke colored silk, while her skin was a milky white. "As you instructed, m'lord, I return."

Before more could be said, the other summon appeared in a bikini swimsuit that would have made Catrina Whiteclaw or Kadlin Bearsmasher blush. Her skin was of a nearly burnt shade of brown, complimented by fiery red hair. Both summons were of the worst kind- busty biker imps who seemed to personify the very 'sin' of lust. Both wore matching, knee length boots, one set in white, the other black.

Both were almost obnoxiously top heavy.

"We return," the bikini clad demon corrected. "I bring to you the cursed weapons. They were a task to find."

"Enough complaining!" complained the Jester King, still casting the throngs of the spell. Above him, the skies distorted as the succubus half-dragon prepared to bring back the armies of dead under the Knob Goblin's control.

"You've done admirably, my dear sister," the bustier demon cried to the first, cattily. "I've returned with a feather of the Toot Oriole, and a scale from the Chrono Dragon."

She handed the items to the Jester King. The other stepped up to hand him a mask, a sword, and an oversized hammer. "The catgirl's plus three hammer... and Konall's hockey mask and cursed sword. Do enjoy the fruits of my labor, dear master."

"Our labor!" her 'sister' responded. As the two violently reached for each other, the Jester King dismissed them in a blue light. This was important work, the likes of which they were not meant to see. He continued his work, a sinister smile growing on his face as he did so. The fruits of it would soon pay off...

 
Elsewhere, at a rough equivalent to "meantime"

 
The evening skies cracked as dark clouds gathered above Seaside Town. The last few weeks had been pure chaos and it was about to come to a boil when the Knob Goblins, upset that the Council of Loathing had offered its full support to the Kingdom of KOL's war against them, launched a surprise attack on Seaside Town, which was being entertained by the Kingdom of KOL sponsored carnival.

This was yesterday afternoon.

Today, an unearthly chill fell across the half abandoned Seaside Town. Darkness spread, and the sky turned different shades of gray and purple. In the distance mournful moans could be heard, terrifying yet depressing. A wind picked up, burning out a good portion of the torches lighting Seaside Town, plunging alleyways into darkness, and probably scaring Shamus XTreme. Bright energies cracked and infused themselves to the fallen corpses, who suddenly became more.. animated.

Maximal Thordicus looked around him with a sense of wonder. Earlier, he'd fought alongside the likes of Konall Bearsmasher, and his King Mtiger, so he had a pretty good understanding of the concept of the war here; fight the Knob Goblins. This, however, took him by surprise. He'd had to fall back to allow some wounds to be tended to by a local medic. Unfortunately, the war injuries far exceeded mage's abilities to fix it with healing magic, so many of the lesser wounds had to be dealt with using more conventional means.

"Aye, this be a strange deal, but thank ye for doin' ye best to heal," Max said to the medic who'd just helped bandage up his bloody, injured arm. "This be normal for this town?"

"No," the medic said, as confused as Max. "I don't know what's going on." The medic then turned to look for more Kingdom sympathetic warriors to tend to.

Max went to walk off and suddenly heard the field medic screaming. It didn't make any sense. They were in a secure zone! There shouldn't be any Knob Goblins around to attack here. Max rushed to help. He turned the corner, and then spotted a most curious and terrifying sight. A person, shuffled towards Max, growling and moaning, like cat on a good day. He asked the person if he was alright, but quickly realized that this person. Or at least, this wasn't a person anymore. He was a zombie, a shambling infectious member of the un-dead horde. Obviously recently slain too. It sputtered, letting out a low attacking moan, raised its arms and growled. Max needed to either get out of there, or sever the brain. Instead, he roared back and kicked the thing in the chest, sending it flying. His first priority had to be keeping his allies safe.

He pulled the medic to his feet, and lead him deeper into safe territory. "Something very unnatural is going on here," the medic said, as if the obvious needed to be stated. "We need to get out of here."

"And abandon this fine town?" Max protested. "Nay."

"No, he's right," came the nearby voice of Prince Blahking. "A few Council of Loathing members managed to free themselves. They've consoled with King Mtiger. It would seem the Knob Goblins are falling back after a botched spell to raise our fallen allies from the dead. Whatever happened overhead has made the spell dangerous, and unpredictable. We're falling back to the Right Side of the Town for now."

Crabjesus and Lapine walked into view. Crabjesus shook his glowing, bald head. "Such a shame, it is! The spell hath raised our deadest of dead allies! And zombiefied them too, none the less!"

"Personally, I say we slay 'em, anyway," Raw Hide said, carrying the limp body of a dead Knob Goblin. "Caught this one tryin' to escape screamin' about 'reforming' and 'wanting political asylum.' Ha! Anyway, forget this. I'm findin' a fight. Who's with me?"

The Prince gave him a stern look. The war had gotten to them all, but order ultimately had to be maintained. No place for misplaced aggression, and if Blahking couldn't control his army, the worse would come to pass. "Your abrasive, overly aggressive attitude has no part in this clan, rank be damned. If you wish to be a part of this clan, you'll cut the backtalk and listen to orders, understand?"

Raw growled a "Yeah, I understand." And that was that.. At least, for this part of the story... Because right as they began to regroup, Prince Blahking got word of the fall of the shields surrounding the Knob Goblin King and the hostages....

 
"Attention citizens!" Konall called out towards the Knob Goblin's Elite in way of battlecry. "You are requested to complete your assignment within the next 30 minutes. After that time, authority over this crisis will pass to the Committee For Drastic And Unnecessarily Lethal Solutions."

You'd think bringing a gun to a knifefight would allow you to be a little more effective. Unfortunately for it's wielder, Mimi, she was already low on ammunition when the battle started, and those things were a pain to reload. "Blake, you Rokudenashi! Cover me so I can proceed with the killing!"

Though guns were rare around these parts, they were well enough known for the Kingdom of KOL forces to actively realize being shot was a bad thing. Thus, she'd spent her last six shots with nothing to show for it!

"You didn't help breaking my elbow or ankle!" Blake answered, hurling a pair of knives at Sir Fumblies, who tripped and avoided them by sheer luck. They continued towards Konall, who haxxored them out of the air.

"Stop whining, you bruised my ribs. I'm not complaining!" Mimi screamed angrily. Mimi kicked at Kadlin, disrupting her spell and causing it to fizzle. Kadlin yelled something and fired a bolt of magic at Mimi who ducked under it and danced away giggling like a schoolgirl. As she did, Grillhamo caught Lapine from behind, picked her up, and threw her against the wall. Konall let out a mighty battlecry and rushed into Grillhamo, slamming his haxxor and shield simultaneously into the Black Knight Grillhamo.

"Lapine!" Vixen shouted, worried as she rushed in from the distance.

"Hey!" Raw complained, rushing in and bashing through two Knob Goblin ponytamers. "I thought I was leading this raid!"

"Leadership means little in the tides of battle," called Maximal Thordicus. He'd been forced to leave his familiars with the safety of the others for fear of the burning town... they were only a whistle's call away should he need them, though.

"Blessed are those who stand with me! Cursed are the forces of evil," CrabJesus toned in an even, charismatic voice. White light surrounded his allies while dark light seemed to cling to the enemies.

"EWWW!!" cried out both Grillhamo and Mimi. Black Paladin, atop his war horse, just looked on, confused.

"Stupid black cursed air," Grillhamo complained as he deflected an ice bolt from Becky Joy.

"Yay, we're all with our buddies, we get to fight evil!" Becky celebrated even though she'd yet to find her Wolf. At this point, she'd do anything to find him!

Konall yet out a scream of rage and pain as Grillhamo's black panther pawed at his back. Kadlin turned and blasted it with a stream of steamy broccoli at the tiger, blasting it with a pure heat based attack. (And possibly making it unable to have dessert until it finished its veggies, whynot?) The talking subsided a bit as Vixen tended to Lapine, while the battle continued, though there were occasional giggles from Becky, cursing in strange languages by Mimi, battle cries from Konall, the sound of spells being cast and so forth to break up the monotony of the battle.

Though the fires had been put out, there lingered the scent of charred bricks, burnt flesh and general post disaster scene associated with a town that had nearly been half burnt to the ground.

When Mimi cornered the recovering Lapine, Vixen protectively sliced at her, catching Mimi in the arm and making let out a scream of abject, pure rage.

"Get off my ex, you bitch..." Vixen lazily warned her, holding the knife defensively.

"HAHA No!" Mimi kicked the knife out of her hands.

"Aw, damn," Vixen complained. She kicked Mimi in the midsection, sending her back. Two Knob Goblins sneaked up behind Vixen, but Lapine recovered enough hurl a sleaze grenade between the two. It exploded, leaving Vixen unharmed but taking both of the Knob Goblins out of the fight. Becky hit another Knob Goblin with her Bulky Buddy box and sent it running away crying. Becky giggled, finding it 'cute.'

"Urgh!" Vixen cried out as Mimi nailed her with a straight kick to the chest, sending her flying back and crashing into Lapine. She squealed with delight then yelled in rage. "I love this part!"

She dove forward, but was immediately cut off as she took the blunt of Konall's seal clubbing club to the back of her head, rendering her unconscious. Feeling obligated to make a witty remark, Konall smiled and said, "Yeah.. I kinda like this part, too."

Meanwhile, Blake had fallen to a twin assault of the familiars of both Crabjesus and Maximal Thordicus. This was the part where the Black Paladin actually let out an ominous laugh. All around them, the corpses of the dead sparkled and became animated, pulling themselves up and advancing on the KOKOL warriors.

"The King's spell is final!" Grillhamo cried out, hopping on top of his black panther.

"Sometimes being good really, really sucks," Vixen whined.

Seconds later, however, one of the freshly revived dead attacked the Black Paladin. Then another, and then a third. Something, though he may never be sure what, drew Todd Blackpaw's attention away from strumming a song of buffing and up towards the skies. A bright blue bolt ascended from somewhere in the town towards the already glowing succubus dragon, who circled madly in the skies trying to avoid the blast. Nevertheless, it struck her. In a bright explosion, she was returned to her succubus form.. it began to fell from the skies when another dragon swept in to save her. Meanwhile, like a bright blue glitter, the remains of the energies showered the town.

The zombies ceased moving and fell over, no longer animated, as Todd's attention returned to the fight. Grillhamo and Black Paladin were swept up in a sudden Knob Goblin retreat. Todd nearly fell to his knees, feeling weak to his very bones. His fur began to mat with sweat. Nearby, Konall caught his sister before she could faint.

Kadlin looked distant, as if hearing an unknown voice. Fumblies looked as brash as ever. "We should give chase.. attack them before they escape!"

"A better idea, I might never hear, but note the corpses," Maximal noted. "Again, they stir and draw near."

"We need to fall back!" came the familiar voice of Sebastian Dash. Catrina was behind him, looking a bit disturbed that her private time with Sebastian had been interrupted. Still, the news of the fallen barriers was far too tempting an opportunity to pass on.

Catrina looked around. All the mages seemed to be suffering. Oddly, Catrina herself felt better than ever. She also felt a rising need for companionship. "We're to fall back to the right side of the square. We'll hold it, along with the clan district and market square for now."

"We can't fall back!" Kadlin protested. "I can fight them myself, I.." She stopped talking in a coughing fit induced by her sudden unexplained weakness.

Catrina started to answer, but was interrupted as a large bolt struck her out of nowhere from above.. She staggered back, started to talk, and everything went black around her. The next thing she knew, her Sebastian was carrying her to safety. It was the better part of half an hour later.

She felt different.. Better. More powerful. She turned to Dash, assuring him she was fine. Thus, Dash found a new location for her to "recover in.." After all, there were plenty of private spots in the clan district right now, and the clan was on "lockdown" for the night.

Dash simply proposed, "In that case, are you ready to finish our earlier 'conversation' in private?"

Catrina simply nodded, smiling eagerly. The two found themselves a little privacy.

 
Some hours later, at the cusp of twilight

 
The hut was quiet now, the wild sounds of Catrina's lovemaking having been passed to the winds and scattered to the four corners of the Kingdom. The invisible, all-seeing eye of our storytelling entered the hut and finds them, together, naked lying on the bed with no covers to hide them. Lying as to suggest he had been with her in the way she craved from him in the manner of her kind. Both slept now, but Catrina's ass gyrated some with a newly rising need. Two medals lie to the side of their private suit, nestled in the KOKOL section of the clan district. Dash had been awarded KOKOL's most prestigious award, the Golden Paw of greatness. Catrina and Konall had each gotten the nearly as prestigious Silver Ear of Valor, which ranked slightly higher than the Bronze Tail of Power trophy awarded to Kadlin Bearsmasher. Surprisingly, the final award, the Glass Certificate of Heroics, had gone to Becky Joy, who was probably somewhere still crying about her missing Zanther Wolf.

Our goal here was not the graphic descriptions of post coital feline! No, our aim was deeper and far more important as we delved into the dreams of our beloved Catrina...

She opened her eyes, and saw that she was standing on a wide open savannah. She purred, once again enjoying the fact that here she was not entirely herself. She was in an ancestral form, a true Lioness! Herds of prey awaited her hunting, the males of her Pride awaited her company. Here...she was Queen!

She prowled, soon finding the watering hole. She laid at the edge and drank deeply, enjoying the cool freshness of the water on her hot dry throat.

She looked up, and saw again the other lioness, the one as black as Catrina was white. Blacker still- it was almost as if the light fell into her body. Catrina felt her hackles raise and she gave a small growl. There was something about this bitch she did not like!

Hearing the growl the other lioness looked at her, with eyes like twin golden fires set in the pitch of a cloud filled, moonless night. Her eyes did not just look at Catrina, it was as if they were looking through her, into the very depths of her soul.

"Hello Catrina," the black lioness said as it stood on its hind legs and became one of her own kind. "I take it you've been warned about me?" She smiled at the white lioness.

Catrina followed suit, standing and becoming herself. She growled again at the other woman as both stark naked, facing each other, feeling emotions that were far from lustful. "I was warned- and there is no frickin WAY I'm gonna let you have control!"

The two lionesses began to circle each other. Black Catrina laughed. "Normally I'd be afraid of that, but today you're gonna find things a bit different! When was the last time you talked to that goody goody bitch of yours, hmm?" As she spoke a storm started to develop on the plains around them, full of thunder and wrath.

Catrina snorted. The Goddess was always with her- she knew that she could just about...

She narrowed her eyes at the black lioness. "What have you done?"

The black lioness laughed again. It was quickly becoming a laugh that Catrina could not stand. "Oh, I've done nothing, honey! Let's just say that I've got a few friends on the outside that don't know I exist yet. I'm gonna have fun introducing myself to them!" She then grinned evilly. "Maybe I'll even play with that pet of yours one more time...before I take his thr-"

"YOU LEAVE DASH ALONE, YOU BITCH!!!" Catrina roared and charged the black lioness, who met her in a grapple, their arms outstretched so that their bodies came together and Catrina was mere inches from those leering fangs. "Ooo... did I touch a tender spot? Maybe I should keep him alive- say as a pet."

Catrina shoved the black lioness away from her and swiped, connecting soundly to her head and staggering the bitch. She brought a paw up to her cheek and felt the bloody scratch. But that was all the black lioness could do before she was met by 200 pounds of flying feline, knocking her to the ground. They fought on the ground and Catrina learned that the black bitch was just as strong as she was, her claws just as sharp. She began to get the feeling it was going to be a long, hard fight!

They broke, backing away from each other growling. Both showed signs of deep claw marks on the body. Some of these clawings were in interesting places but this was only due to the combatants wanting to cause as much pain as possible to their foes. The other growled at Catrina. "When I'm through with you I'm gonna lock you up in here like you did me and let you watch every little thing I do to your precious friends- and your honor!"

Catrina roared and charged again, only to have the other duck under her claws and completely spin her around. She felt black furred arms wrapping around her body just under her breasts- and squeezing hard, cutting her breath off as she was lifted high off the ground. "Can't you see they're your weakness, bitch! Your misguided attempts to protect them will always get you in more trouble than they're worth!" She then felt the dark one's head collide with the back of hers and she was knocked silly for a moment.

When Catrina regained her senses she found her breathing strained as the other constricted her ribs and made it hard to catch a breath. The way she was positioned made it hard for her to strike her someplace where she'd let go quickly- so Catrina simply set her claws deep in the bitch's dark fur and raked, causing her to mrowl angrily and drop her fast. Catrina hit the ground and rolled, narrowly missing two kicks from the dark one. Her kicks shattered the landscape around them, exposing the raw black soil underneath.

Catrina clawed at the knees of the dark other one, utilizing the techniques she'd picked up in the pits. Dash had only reinforced the idea; an enemy who can't walk properly immediately becomes less of a threat. Dark Catrina roared in pure pain, and leaped back, but despite the apparent solid hit, she didn't seem to show much of a limp. She nearly seemed to smile for a second. Catrina turned to scan the landscape. Over the years, she and Dash had come to rely on strange landscapes as an ally.. a partner.

She scanned the land around her without taking her eyes off the dark version of herself. If only she could figure where she was. Unnoticed by either combatant, the land subtly shifted to meet her needs. Oh!

Catrina was hesitant to take the fight to her pride, sure this dark being would slaughter her pride out of spite, but there were other.. figures from her past. Experienced pit fighters like herself. Catrina recognized the area from her times with the pits. They could help. Before Catrina could react, she was again under attack from her other! Blows were parried, though even more found flesh on each combatant. A few minutes of furious back and forth action and Catrina found herself roughly thrown to the ground. She pulled up into a defensive position, struggling to breath. Her darker half showed a limp, but it wasn't as noticeable as Catrina would have liked. Suddenly both stopped to sniff the air. Catrina smiled in anticipation. Her opposite's reaction was, unsurprisingly, the opposite. She scented something rushing her from behind.

Dark Catrina turned and attacked a familiar looking booze giant, who simply grabbed her wrists and hands, brought them together, and throw her against a tree, rushing to attack her. Catrina, so enthralled in the action, didn't notice a figure sneaking up behind her. The Booze familiar looked so familiar... She jumped up in surprise as she felt a familiar finger tapping her shoulder, and turned, ready to attack. Instead, she smiled, seeing an even more familiar set of wise eyes on an all too young face, which had been hardened by an unfair, vicious life. The compassion in his eyes, however, could not be dulled even by years in the pits. When Catrina had arrived in the pits, he was the one who'd healed her wounds after her first battle.

"ATSUSHI!!" She greeted him, nearly pounce hugging him. A sense of warm security washed over her like the goddess's love itself. Everything would be alright now. The pitmasters were gone. She could return to her old friends, and her darker self was no match for the Booze Giant. Especially with the Giant sporting his shield and oak shillelagh. She pulled herself up off her old friend, though. After all, if the Booze Giant underestimated her, he might need Catrina's help after all. Besides, Cat couldn't let him have all the fun!

He smiled, looking her in the eyes. "You've managed to hold yourself well in the years past the pit. You have an inner peace to you I might not have expected you to ever regain. There must be many stories you wish you could tell me, and I'm sure you'd be more curious to hear of our many tales as well." His voice had grown low and ominous. "I only wish I could have granted you those two small wishes."

"W- what do you mean?" Catrina asked, confused. His face was whitening with terror. He looked half dead as he raised a finger to point behind her. Catrina turned, expecting to see her darker self had somehow impossibly gotten the advantage over the booze giant already. Instead, she saw her darker self feasting on his remains, which had been ripped in two. The gruesome sight even gave the mighty hunter Catrina pause. It looked as if she'd been feasting for several minutes even though Catrina had only taken her attention off the fight mere seconds earlier.

Or so she thought. Was this the effect of coming home? Since it had been years since she'd last been here, did time now flow differently because she'd return? Even to the dreamer's mind, the thought didn't quite make sense.. but what did it matter? This dark... bitch.. had killed her friend! Ruthless, evil, but definitely dangerous.

She still had to protect her Atsushi though! Warning him back with a forearm, she dove forward. Her counterpart did likewise. Driven by rage, Catrina was able to get the first blow in on her opponent, who fired back, swiping at Catrina. The two continued to battle, but Catrina was in a rage. Dark Catrina was forced to back-peddle. Catrina kept up her furious assault, but found herself tiring out. Her opponent didn't seem to have this problem, despite the fact she was using up twice the energy dodging that Catrina was attacking. This went on for some time as Catrina realizes her opponent is showing no strain of exhaustion at all.

"See what happens without that bitch Goddess to protect you?!" the darker Catrina taunted. "I've got help. You've got nothing!"

"She has her friends, something a dark witch like you would know nothing of!" came Atsushi's voice! He then gave the obligatory grammar correction. "Of which a dark witch like you would know nothing."

She only laughed at this. "But for how long?" she taunted.

"Longer than you'll last, slut!" came Vixen's voice. She stood behind Atsushi, along with Becky Joy, Lapine.. and Feena!

"Yay!" Becky cheered. "Let's play save the kitty!"

Lapine chimed in. "Sounds fun..."

She purred at them. "We will see how long I last!" As she spoke dark swirls formed in the ground, through which lifted shapes than became Dark Ones as she laughed again. "They may not be my friends, but they can taste the good in you and... well you will see, won't you?" With that they attacked- each Dark One becoming what was sinister to each of Catrina's friends. Usually male- and well endowed.

"You don't look very nice!" Becky cried out as she tried to freeze the dark one opposing her. Meanwhile, Lapine started slinging magic at all of them, while Vixen drove herself staff first into the fight with Dark Catrina! Vixen wielded the staff expertly, in harmony with Catrina's own attacks. Vixen was suddenly attacked by a Dark One that had taken on the appearance of a male fox. It was an attack from behind as the demon grabbed her, reaching around to squeeze her breast and whispering what he planned to do to her in her ear. Vixen struggled and kicked to no effect at the dark fox began to squeeze. Suddenly, it yelped at let go as managed to get a hold of her knife and slice it. The next thing it knew, she'd planted her staff under it and flung it overhead. The dark fox crashed to the ground in front of her.

"Not until you buy some sun lotion first!" She quipped as she dove at it.

As the Dark One came for Feena, Feena paused as the dark bunny looked so much like her love- then as it grinned and reached for her she shot it with hot soup trying to drive it away. It screeched in pain and darted away as Feena reprimanded him. "Show a little respect for matters you know nothing of."

Vixen and Lapine advanced on the big group of shadowy beasts surrounding Becky. At first she kneeled over, whimpering in fear. Suddenly, she stood up, her eyes burning like twin icy fumes. "I don't need no evil buddies!" She pulled out that toy yeti focus device of hers and drew up a snowstorm around her.

Vixen slammed her staff into the back of one of the dark ones, who'd taken the shape of being of living flames. "I thought this was supposed to be a hard fight.."

"The Dark One grinned toothily as he grabbed the descending Vixen and rolled with her. It taunted, "I like my bitches to be feisty to start with- it makes your cries later so much sweeter!"

Feena moved to help, but three shadow beasts cut her off. She blasted one with a winter chill and another with long strings of pasta, tangling it and leaving it immobile. The third avoided her sleaze blast easily, and leaped over. She tried to swat it out of the air with her chrome staff, but he grabbed it, flung it aside, and grabbed her in a horribly tight bear hug. As she cried out, unable to keep her breath in her body, it taunted her. "There is only one thing that you and that traitor shared, and in that I know so much more than he. Come tangle with me, little one, and I will make your fur curl and leave you voiceless from screaming my name."

"Help," Becky cried out, buried in Dark ones. Her toy yeti fell to the side, broken and torn apart. The dark ones were literally fighting each other to over get to Becky first. "HELLLP!"

Catrina struggled to come to her friends' aid but found herself held fast by several Dark Ones- who took great pleasure in groping her body and reminding her vividly of what been done to her before. "When we're through with you, bitch, Hey Deze will be like a walk in the park!"

Dark Catrina purred as she watched the other 'friends' of Catrina being subdued and dragged away for play. Soon the world was filled with the screams and moans a demon loved so much to hear.

She turned and smiled as she approached the struggling Catrina, bending to give her a kiss that ended when Catrina bit her- but no matter, she chuckled anyway. "Still so feisty even when you know you have no chance... How admirable." She then turned to the others. "Release her- this is our business. Anyone else who attempts to help her may be dealt with as your brothers are those bitches before." They followed her instructions with a chuckle, each hoping for more help from outside.

"Leave her alone!"

Dash's voice started both versions of Catrina. They looked up to see a pair of dark ones sliced in half by Dash's broadsword, Bad Beats. Three more to its left were flash fried by a powerful bolt of fire. Another found its chest caved in on itself, thanks to a familiar haxxor.

Sebastian Dash, flanked by Konall Bearsmasher and Prince Blahking, attempted to come to Catrina's aid, only to be enveloped by an area of darkness. They fought to free themselves. Dash's amazing agility and expertise with the sword, Blahking's powerful magic, and Bearsmasher's raw, unstoppable rage soon caused the darkness to flee before them. One after another, dark ones threw themselves at the three, who fought back valiantly and heroically.

It was a massacre; none of the dark ones stood a chance. Unfortunately, they had the advantage of endless numbers, it seemed. Eventually, Konall's rage faded to the point he failed to protect Prince Blahking from a fatal blow from behind. Deleted of his rage, Konall was the next to fall. Despite the exhaustion and pain overcoming his body, Dash continued to fight alone. He refused to fall.

But fall he did, helpless under the weight of the massive Dark onslaught. He struggled but was held fast. At first Dark Catrina merely teased Catrina, rubbing her light counterpoint in ways Sebastian Dash had in the past. Then, she began to use her claws. Light teasing became heavy abuse, and soon Catrina's voice became breathless from screaming in pain. Dash continued to fight against the ones holding him, never giving up, not even for an instant. Still, his body faded over time. Soon, as odd as it seemed, it felt as if years had passed.

Dark soon purred as her bloodied fingers emerged from Catrina's crotch. "She's ready, release her!" As they did Catrina stumbled to her feet and lunged weakly, trying to fight her enemy- only to be doubled over by a rising knee into her gut.

Sinking back to her knees Catrina spat blood. "I... I will never give in to you, bitch!" she panted.

"You have no choice!" Dark grabbed her head and rammed it into her knee until Catrina's eyes began to swell shut. She then pulled her to her feet by the hair- only to claw her body until Catrina's fur was matted and pink. Dash winced, trying to close his eyes, but they were somehow kept open.

Dark turned a grin on him that looked all too much like one of victory. "What do you think of the little whore now?"

Dash couldn't even speak at this point, so he did the next best thing; bit and snapped. To this Dark just laughed, "Oh you will be so much fun to play with later!" She turned back to Catrina. "Time to end this, kitten!"

She then stood Catrina up and backed away. Before Catrina could collapse she spun, kicking her in the gut with vicious foot claws- which bit clear through her skin!

She then gathered the fallen hero one last time, lifting her high and bringing her down hard across a knee. "You have something of mine, bitch- and I want it now!"

With that she pushed on Catrina's body, draped over her knee she pressed down hard on her chest and crotch. Catrina who had been almost out from the punishment, suddenly started to scream and struggle. But Dark was not done, pushing harder and harder until there was a sickening snap..

Light streamed out from Catrina into the air around them, surrounding the two until it was sucked in by Dark- who suddenly was not Dark but as white as Catrina, whose body she shoved off into the dirt as she stood and approached Dash. He had a distant, dazed look in his eyes, as if he'd felt every blow administered to Catrina. He let out a small moan and spit a wad of blood at her.

She just chuckled as the blood hit her breast. "Now now- is that any way to treat the woman you love?" She was close to him now, so much like Catrina yet so unlike as she slid her paw down his pants and began to play with him.

He looked past the Dark Catrina towards the real thing. "Love.. you.. will never.. give up... on..."

With that Dark grabbed him tightly, letting her claws sink into his flesh as she pulled- and came up with a gruesome prize! "Oh, I doubt that you'll have anything to say about that, honey."

They all dropped him- and went away.

 
====================== ======================

 
Catrina woke and rose from the bed, careful not to wake Dash. She stretched and ran her paws along her naked form. Damn, it felt good to have a body like this! Whatever she could say about the bitch, she sure knew how to treat herself!

She then made a face, as her paw reached instinctively for her sex. She moaned, then brought slick finger up to inspect them.

She chuckled. "Why you little slut!" She then sucked her fingers clean, looking down at the still sleeping Dash.

For a second she was tempted to take him as a pet, to force him to satisfy her over and over again until he dropped of exhaustion. But in the back of her mind was a picture as if from another lifetime.

A picture of better... a picture of a King!

She then thought of killing him- ripping his throat out as he slept there like a fat pig ready for the slaughter. But then she grinned and chuckled. "No, no. Such a death would be kind for you- and I have no intention of being kind. No. You, dear Sebastian Dash, you will be the last that I kill- and when I do... it will be delicious!"

Her sex nudged her mind again and she chuckled. She slipped out of the hut and walked down the street with the pride of a Feline in heat- not caring how the men stared in lust and marking for a painful death any who commented badly.

She found the quarters that MTiger had commandeered and slipped inside, the guards only remarking on her state of (un)dress. She found his bed chamber, gasping as she felt the pang of her body's lust blooming to full at the sight of him lying naked on the bed. She smiled as her scent invaded his dreams and he began to grow where it most mattered to her.

She sat on the bed and reached out, touching him and as he responded stroking him. He woke to her touch, sleepily looking up at her before realizing it wasn't another dream induced by her lingering scent. "C-catrina? What-?"

"Shhh... relax my stud. You know why I'm here... and from the feel of things you're quite eager to give me what I need..." She then leaned over and did something that decency requires we not mention here and the King moaned because of it.

M'tiger purred, reaching out to cup one of Catrina's breasts, feeling the taut nipple under the lush fur. "mmm... Such a heavenly reward for a life of earthly toil. Show me your desires, fair miss, that I may fulfill my life's destiny!"

Cat rose, licking something off her lips. "mmm... thought you'd never ask!" With that she turned and knelt on the bed, leaning forward and presenting to him as she had presented to Dash before- ass high, tail up.

M'tiger saw the display and growled, his mind taken by the ancient beast within them all. He rose and moved behind her, doing something that, again, we cannot discuss here. He sensed someone else in Catrina's dripping sex, but understood- she had come to him, for he was the better of them all, the one she most desired!

With that he pounced and took her as our all seeing eye faded to the outside, where the guards are startled by their combined roaring!

And found the door securely barred.... The pounding continued, but soon there was the familiar voice of Sebastian demanding to know what was going on. At his orders, they broke the door down. Pushing past them, he forced his way into the King's bedchambers. Seeing the two naked, he didn't bother to hold his robe closed, despite still being naked from earlier. Dash and the King glared at each other, shared emotions of jealousy and rage.

The King ordered the guards to leave but before they could, Catrina was laughing. "Thank you for the fun, Kingy- I'll be sure to let you know his name!" She then moved through the guards and out- returning only to whisper into Dash's ear from behind. "I'll be seeing you later, hot stuff. Oh, and I see the thought of me doing it with a real man excites you- bye!"

And she was gone. Only her laughter remained in his ears.

Wow. I think that was "wow" worthy, don't you? If you go back through AIL's history, you'll see there were signs foreshadowing- and events building up to- this very story for several missions, meaning this story had literally years of real time buildup. Heck, the Sun Orb was a key piece in both AIL's very first mission ever and the legendary Enter Hey Daze mission.

With Catrina's soul taken over by her dark half, there are some very dark days in AIL's future, indeed.