Bab 4108: 3
f only I could tap into the tremorsense that Serenity had allowed me to access I could know for sure. I was pissed that the machine interface was solely one sided. The brunette stood and frowned as I failed to take advantage of her. We circled each other and that familiar ache in my bones returned. Somehow, I had switched on the alien sense. My body became a receptor and formed a picture. The ghost image formed, and I fought the urge to scream and race out of the temple.
"Are you playing hard to get Keeper?" She purred. "You were so bold just a moment ago."
"So, what do I call you slut... whore... what?" I asked forcing my voice to remain strong and commanding even as I realized her true nature.
"Slave. I was born a slave and I will die as one. Use me and help me forget." She begged.
"In time, there is no rush is there?" I asked, and she eagerly followed. "Show me around, give poor Keeper a tour of the place. I so rarely get to see past the bedroom."
"Poor Keeper." She parroted. "Follow me." I asked if it would be acceptable for me to remove my shoes. "Please make yourself comfortable."
"Thanks." I slipped off my tennis shoes and socks. "Chilly." I mumbled as the signal from the tremorsense was focused through direct skin contact.
The first and largest room in the temple was an impressive library. I noticed a distinct lack of technology and then I realized that the invasion had occurred approximately eighty years ago and so no big boom of knowledge or progress of any kind. They were locked in the roaring twenties. The chapel was pretty much what I expected with great stain glass windows, pews, and a marble statue as the center of their worship. This depiction of the divine was a six-armed goddess more out of the Hindu belief system than the nightmare out front. Each hand of the goddess held an object of power and arrayed around the statue were eight short columns each holding a variety of objects.
"May I?" I asked as I bent to get a closer look at the artifacts.
"Of course, Keeper." She said her voice cool and bored. "Whatever strikes your fancy."
"Whoa, that is amazing." I said pointing but not touching the arrangement of coins. "How?" I asked seeing eight silver half dollars poised on their sides slowly rotating and in the middle was an impossible sight. "How the heck did they stack three coins one on top of the other?"
"Oh that," She said with real venom in her voice now. "One of the other Keepers did that. He called it a knack that he had."
"Amazing." I said and walked around looking at the other objects. "What the holy hell?!" I said when I saw the ring. "What is that?"
"It is the oldest object in the collection. It is called Mirror's Bane. It doesn't work though, I've tried it."
"How does it do that?" I asked.
"Oh that," She said and picked it up. The brunette turned it over and examined it. "I don't know." She said and tossed it to me. "Take it as a gift of friendship between our Sisterhood and you. It is obvious it intrigues you. If you figure it out return and share it with me." Her voice was warm and tender now.
"A generous gift." I said slipping the ring onto my finger and wondered how the alloy the ring was made of seemed to drink in all the light that fell upon it. "More like Light Bane." A sudden pulse of movement beneath us startled me. It set off a chain reaction and more pockets of movement erupted. "Wine cellar?"
"You haven't seen the dormitory." She purred and showed me to the steps going to the second floor.
"I couldn't miss that." I agreed and let her go ahead of me.
The steps led to an arrow straight hallway that ended in a balcony that overlooked the main hall. The balcony arched around and behind leading to two other hallways. The hallways were dotted with doors and the brunette made a sweeping gesture and said I could peek into any of the rooms that interested me. I opened doors at random and found the occupants engaging in various activities. Some of them were relatively mundane while others were more interesting. In the case of a gorgeous Asian girl tying herself up using a series of intricate knots. When I asked her what she was doing she told me it was called the art of Shibari or Japanese rope bondage.
"There, on the desk, take it. It is a beginner's guide to Shibari. My mother gave it to me for my birthday. I have far surpassed anything in there but knowing it was in your hands would comfort me." She said with just a hint of blush in her perfect cheeks.
"Silk rope?" I asked.
"Yes. We fashion it ourselves to trade with others for food and specialty items." She replied.
"Thank you." I said taking the book from her dresser.
I opened another door and watched the girl within climb a rope anchored to the ceiling. She secured her wrist in a loop attached to the rope. She began to move and the rope with her. Soon the rope described a perfect sphere in the air with her body inside that sphere. The faster she moved the more horizontal her body became. I clapped when she reached a perfect flat plane perpendicular to the rope. She slowed and with a display of inhuman dexterity launched her body from the rope, somersaulted, and landed in front of the door. She bowed and gave me a wink.
"Amazing." I said.
"I can do the same thing with a fixed target, if you get my drift." She purred, and I returned her wink.
I caught the scent of blood and halted. The priestess froze, and I'll give her this she never batted an eyelash when I opened the door. The interior of the room was a ruin. Fresh blood stained the walls amidst the broken furniture and shattered pottery. I turned to face her and spied the gymnast moving behind her.
"Redecorating?" I asked, and the bitch actually laughed.
"How long have you known?" She replied as her alien eyes broke through the carefully crafted illusion.
"Since your little handstand." I said, and she grinned revealing a horror of teeth and mandibles.
"I underestimated you." She said as the last of her disguise faded revealing the six-foot spider armored with metallic spikes all over its exoskeleton. "You will be my first Keeper. My children will feed from you while you are still alive."
"Sentinel." I said as I watched the gymnast produce a gleaming silver-glass spear and slam into the monster from behind.
Jarael pinned the shrieking beast to the floor and the sound of dozens of clattering legs could be heard all around us.
'Barrier' A voice whispered in my head. 'Think barrier.'
I threw my hands out in a rather dramatic motion and imagined a bubble of pure energy around Jarael and I. It took on the appearance of a dark soap bubble as the ghost elf yanked her spear free of the spider's corpse.
"Damn it Jerry! You left without armor or weapons!" Jarael cursed. "What the hell is that?"
"Beats me. Must be the ring. It is the only thing different since I walked into here. Let's hope it works."
The children of Athlach Nacha swarmed us and struck the bubble barrier. Instead of bouncing off it they simply disappeared. They moved through and vanished. The bubble gobbled up all of them. The interior of the bubble revealed their fate. We could see them tumbling aimlessly in a dark zero g environment. I thought the space was a void, but I was wrong. Something swam in that darkling space and it struck the helpless spiders. Once blood was released more of the things swarmed the spiders. In human terms our rescuers were a blend of shark and manta ray. I could hear the shriek of desperation from the spiders, but I felt no remorse.
"Eat up boys! Dinner is on me."
"Hail the Keeper!" The manta sharks chanted as they fed. "We accept your gift and reply in kind."
The largest and oldest of the apex predators swam through the air and a book tumbled from the top of the bubble. Jarael picked it up and read the spine.
"The Five Kings by Asheer Nal Dum." She intoned the title. "I don't understand."
"Neither do I. We need to rescue the sisterhood. I fear the worst." I said as I bid the manta sharks goodbye and cancelled the barrier.
We raced to the basement and took care of the stragglers. Mastering the ring was instinctual. Was it being Keeper or something else? I didn't know and didn't care. By the time we cleared out the temple of spiders I felt like an old pro with the ring. The basement was a nightmare. The sisterhood, what was left of it, were cocooned and struggling in their silken prisons. Jarael's spear soon put that to right. The stench of piss, feces, and vomit was almost too much for me. The spider's paralytic poison had forced them to empty their bladders and bowels within the confines of the cocoon. The communal shower was down here, and I helped carry the weakened sisters to it and turned on the faucets to help wash them clean. I stripped down and helped them remove the remnants of the filth from their skin and hair.
"Keeper?" One of the sisters asked. "You live!"
"The demons? Where are the defilers?" Another asked.
"Whisked away to a dark dimension and eaten by manta sharks." I declared. "With my sentinel's aid the temple if free of them. Her spear slew many."
"Hail to the Keeper!" They shouted. "Hail to his Sentinel may she bear him many offspring!"
"I...um..." I stammered looking at Jarael who grinned proudly. "Yeah. What the fuck. Here's to a shit load of kids. Oh shit, I almost forgot as I tried and failed to remove the ring."
"Keeper. What are you doing?" The leader of the sisterhood asked.
"I took this from one of the pedestals by the statue of the goddess." I said, and the sisters en masse bowed their heads. "What?"
"It is forbidden to touch the sacred relics." The leader explained smiling. "Even weakened the goddess would strike down anyone defiling her image or the relics. She must want you to have it. Take it as a sign of her favor."
"I will honor her gift if she will honor me with her name." I said. "There is no plaque adorning her statue."
"She Who Must Not Be Named." The Sisterhood intoned in one voice.
"I see." I said taken back by their sudden burst of energy. "You must be hungry. Let me cook for the Sisterhood since you are all still a little weak."
I took over the kitchen and discovered Jarael's hidden talent as a gifted chef. Between the two of us we fed the entire Sisterhood while they cleaned the basement and performed cleansing rituals to remove the spiritual stench from the temple. I called them to eat and it was nice sharing a meal with so many beautiful women. They ate in silence and I shared the high table with the lead priestess and nibbled while I watched the sisters. I touched Jarael's hand lightly and pointed to one of the sister's who was behaving oddly. Jarael didn't let on and excused herself to refill the carafe with more coffee.
"Is something wrong?" The priestess asked sensing my tension.
"Maybe." I said but kept eating. "I trust Jarael's judgement. I hope you can too."
"A Sentinel is the hand of the Goddess, why?" She asked as she looked up and saw Jarael poised to strike. "Who is that?"
The girl looked up and saw us staring. She spun in her seat and found the razor-sharp tip of Jarael's glaive inches from her heart. Something passed between the unknown girl and Jarael. I felt the sudden surge of power and watched Jarael kneel to the girl. I got to my feet to confront her. Whether friend or foe I needed to speak with her. The sisters gathered around their leader while I confronted the girl.
"I am sorry for the harsh greeting." I said and saw why Jarael knelt. "Goddess or demon I wonder?"
"This is my home." She said. "But you know that."
"I do now." I said reaching to remove the ring I had taken from the pillar.
"No! It has served you too well. It may serve you again. Walk with me Keeper and let my daughters follow."
She Who Shall Not Be Named walked to the chapel where her image stood. The sense of rightness increased when we stepped into the chamber. The multiarmed statue took on a weak radiance. The Goddess approached her image and the Sisterhood dropped down and hid their faces. Jarael followed suit but I foolishly held my ground and stood defiant. The light grew so bright I felt my eyes water. Her power became overwhelming and I dropped to one knee. I belonged to Lilith, but I learned to respect all aspects of the Divine Feminine. I was about to apologize when her hand touched my shoulder.
"Now you know. Now you understand. You serve." She whispered. "Now take your punishment like a man."
A sudden flash forced me to clench my eyes shut. I opened my eyes and was on my back staring up at a ceiling. I tried to move but I was immobile. My ankles and wrists were anchored to the bed's four posts. So many hands and mouths on me. I picked out Jarael's voice urging the sisters on.
"Come on, he won't bite. See how hard he is. You and you take a seat."
A busty blonde and a skinny redhead climbed up and straddled me. The blonde faced me while the other faced away. I groaned as they lowered their bodies and I felt both cocks sink deep into them. The redhead rode me fast from the onset. The blonde took a more leisurely approach. The two different flavors of pleasure drove me crazy. Jarael looked down at me and she was smiling. She touched the shoulder of the leader of the sisterhood and informed her my face was free. She chuckled nervously as she lowered her pussy over my head and I began eating her out. The redhead climaxed, and she was replaced by someone. I couldn't know who for a long time. When the leader came another took her place and so on. There was a never-ending procession of women, but I knew when my Sentinel got her turn.
"Are you sure about that?" One of the sisters asked. "That's your... oh my, doesn't that hurt?"
I felt someone talking my lower cock in their ass. A hush fell over the crowd as they watched. Jarael's groan as she started riding me was the spark that lit the inferno. There was a second round of loveplay and it was only Lilith's gift of supernatural stamina that allowed me to endure it. I lost count of my orgasms. In the end I was released and in the middle of the sleeping sisters. Jarael took a prominent position on my left side with the leader to my right. I never learned a single name as the sisters took on the nameless identity of their goddess.
I woke feeling drained, funky, but proud. I sat up and looked at the devastation I had wrought, and it was good. I managed to slip away without waking anyone but Jarael. Her senses were too finely honed to elude easily. We washed up and found silk garments crafted by the sisters as a parting gift. I folded my dirty laundry and together with Jarael slipped quietly from the temple and returned home. While nearly thirty-six hours had passed on that dimension barely an hour had been lost inside my home. I imagined a great machine with gears of different sizes and speeds. Some spun fast while others barely moved at all. The clockwork universe was my playground now and I looked forward to my next encounter.
8.The Shadow of Ten Thousand Doors:
We had barely stepped through the front door when Jarael was contacted by the Sisterhood of Lilith. She dressed, shifted to a more mundane shape, and kissed me goodbye. Now that she was the House's unofficial watchdog, I gave her free run to come and go as she pleased. It was nice having down time especially after taking on the Sisterhood of the Nameless had worn me out so enthusiastically. I crawled into my bed alone and dropped off right away. When I awoke, I took a nice long bath to ease my aching muscles. I decided to take the day off and relax as I pondered what I had learned. Ten thousand parallel worlds and each of them different. The only thing they had in common was me and the cottage. I remembered the sentinels and my only interaction with them was here in the house. What was their relationship to me? Were they able to visit the cottage only one a year? Is that why they appear and then disappear? It made as much sense as the rest of it.
"This is fucking nuts." I said as I let out a long cleansing breath.
"Master!" A feminine voice cried out before the wave of bath water crashed into my face. "Neow! I missed you!"
"Pffft!" I sputtered as I wiped the water from my face. "What is up with your ears?"
"Master... OH! I understand... Neow! This is past Master meeting present me. I will remind Master and he will love me all over again."
The cat girl's name was Neko. I had named her at some point in her past. I learned from her that the doors not only led to alternate Earths but also alternate time lines. Space/Time warped around the nexus and so the cottage. The writer's room! The changing typewriter and the cobwebs. The interior parts of the house shift and not just the exterior. Would I wake up on some burned out world or planet with a thousand moons? There were so many possibilities.
She stood in the tub and let me get a good long look at her body. It was as if the embodiment of the Cat Girl trope had manifested in perfect proportions. Her ears were on top of her head and like any feline they moved and twitched. She turned, bent over, and thrust her ass in my face. My hand brushed her tail and she made a lewd noise. I grabbed it and she damn near climaxed.
"Note to self... Neko likes her tail pulled." I muttered, and she replied.
"Is better with Master's cocks in Neko. Neow?" She purred.
"Neko. How long have you known me?"
"Master has been Master for long years. I don't Neow exactly. Fifty?" She purred. "I lost you but now we are reunited. You look tired."
"I took on the Sisterhood of the Nameless." I told her, and she laughed.
"Nameless? Oh! Spider goddess, all sticky, but very kind to Neko. Earth 2619. Old Ones. Nasty world.
We should visit Sisterhood of Bast. They love Neko very much. So many tongues on Neko's bits. Earth 134. Go soon?"
"I don't know how Neko. This was my first jaunt." I explained, and she giggled.
"Sit in Master's lap, yes?" She said as she placed her back against my chest. "Tail in the way?"
"No. I'm fine." I said as it snaked through the water. "How do I choose?"
"Neko." She said changing her voice to one that was lower and serious. "If I ever forget how to pick say this to me. Master of the most amazing cocks you must just pick a single element and focus on that. Pick any door inside of the cottage and open it. The rest is child's play. To return just think home and open any door anywhere." She giggled and playfully rubbed her pussy against my cock. "Reward Neko?"
"Tomorrow, or are you going to vanish?" I asked, and she got upset.
"Neko is Master's pet. Neko got separated. I found you Neow." She said as she continued to rub her slit against me. "Master almost hard. Pound naughty Neko Neow."
I grabbed the cat girl by the tail and lifted her enough to slide my dick between the delicate folds of her pussy. It was a tight fit. I put my arm around her waist and held her close.
"Neko is full of Master's cock Neow." She purred and squeezed with her internal muscles. "Will make you cum even if you not move."
She did. The little shit milked one out of me with just her pussy muscles. I rewarded her with a proper pounding once we were out of the bath. I was sore and tired. Neko clung to my chest and we fell asleep together. When my alarm went off, I learned Neko's other secret. During the daylight hours she reverted to the form of a house cat. Her fur was an unusual black that seemed to soak up all the light around it. The only thing that broke up this effect was a single thin stripe of silver fur that ran from the back of her head, along her spine, and through her long tail. When she awoke, she yawned and opened her bright green eyes and stretched her back as well as her five stubby black digits.
"I don't know if you can understand me, but I don't have anything to take care of you in this form. Do I need to get you a litter box, if you need one wiggle your tail?" I waited but she just looked at me. "Do you want canned cat food?" Nothing. "Fresh fish?" Wow. Watch the tail fur fly. "I'll spoil you."
Neko followed me outside after my morning ritual and did her business in the bushes. She proceeded to pounce several snow drifts before retreating to my shoulder and a place she could strategically spy the human world. I looked at my watch and saw the date and my heart sank. I had been so caught up with the damn cottage I had forgotten to get Christmas gifts. I headed to the bus stop when I spotted my mother and sister walking towards the cottage. I stopped and worked on a story for why I hadn't visited with their gifts yet. It had to be slick and yet believable. I didn't want them to think I was being a thoughtless ass. I drew a fucking blank. If I tried to lie mom would know, she always knew.
"He looks guilty." Mom announced to the world. "Guilty as sin."
"I..." I began but sis cut me off like usual.
"Where the hell have you been?" Karen scolded me.
"I am a college student; besides I have other duties." I tried and failed.
"You can't find one night to sneak in and rape me like the dirty little slut I am?" Sis said right in front of our mother and I looked at mom and she was laughing. "Got ya."
"Shit. How about breakfast? I am starved and Neko here needs feeding."
"Ooh... what a cute kitty!" Sis fell in love and Neko ate it up.
We headed for a local diner and Neko was on Karen's shoulder and rubbing her face against sis'. Did I tell them or let sis find out the fun way? Let nature take its course I say. I had a visual of Karen falling asleep naked around Neko and being woken up by the cat girl eating her out. Now that was sexy!
"He's smiling." Mom snickered. "He's up to something. Watch your ass kiddo."
"Yes mom."
Luckily the diner was owned by a member of the sisterhood. As we ate breakfast, I apologized for not getting them Christmas gifts yet. Mom laughed as she refilled her coffee. I learned that Rowena had picked out two nice winter coats and sent them as gifts with my name attached. They were far too nice for casual wear but perfect for date night. It sounded like a trap to me an unavoidable one at that. I conceded to dinner and a meal.
"Hey mom," I said leaning in close since we were in a public place.
"What?" She replied leaning in as well.
"Who's your sisterhood pledged to?"
"Lilith of course. I thought you knew that." She whispered. "Why do you ask?"
"I've met the Sisterhood of the Nameless." I said and understanding dawned in my mom's eyes. "I left none standing."
Mom busted out laughing and Karen looked confused. She asked about the other sisters and who the Nameless was. I explained as best as I could, but the entire concept of world hopping seemed to go over her head. I gave up after my third attempt to explain and even though I had experienced it I was overwhelmed. It would be easy enough to lay it at the feet of a seizure or hallucination. I knew better of course, or did I?
"You look troubled." Mom noticed and voiced her concerns.
"I am feeling a bit confused and overwhelmed." I admitted.
We spent the afternoon together. I took comfort from their presence and it was good to see them again. I caught up with how well Karen was doing in school. My absence had impacted her grades. Without my help they had sharply declined. I was too busy with school and the cottage to help. I wanted to, but she had to want it herself. I feared she was too spoiled to work hard enough to pull out of the tailspin she was in.
"I don't want to fail." Karen said but there was no conviction in her voice.
"I can't help you." I said and for the first time in my life my mom supported me. "You have to help yourself first. If you graduate, I will reward you. Let that inspire you or not."
We went our separate ways and while I felt like crap leaving her it was for her own good. She would or wouldn't graduate on her own. Karen had to learn discipline. Maybe my offer would kindle some measure of desire to succeed or in her case suck seed. I spent the day just walking around the campus and the surrounding streets. I was tireless, and the cold didn't seem to affect me much. The sun was dipping into the west and it was time for dinner. I returned to the cottage for the night. It was getting late and suddenly I felt worn out. I crossed the campus on foot and stopped short when I saw a flickering light coming from one of the windows of the cottage. Were Serenity's lights acting up tonight? I took out my keys and unlocked the front door. I stepped in and saw the hearth alive with a large fire. The interior had changed and was vastly smaller. The floor was cobblestone and the furniture that from a century or more past. A single figure sat by the fire warming himself against the winter chill.
"Are you the latest one?" He asked his speech slightly stilted and slurred.
"I am the Keeper of this place." I replied as he gestured for me to sit in the only other chair available.
"My name is Alexander Constantine and I am the tenth master of this house. I bid you welcome." He took a decanter of wine and filled a second glass that was on the table between us. "You have questions."
"So many, too many to count. I feel like I am going crazy." I said as I picked up the wine glass.
"I understand completely." Alexander said and chuckled softly over the crackle of the fire. "I still feel the pull of insanity late at night."
Alexander was in his late 50's early 60's but wore his age well. His hair was that silver that men seem to earn and women lust after. I guessed he was a native New Englander by his distinctive accent. The cottage interior placed him back to near the founding of the college. He said he was the tenth master. I wonder how long the average Keeper lasted? If it were forty or fifty years and he was the tenth, no that's not possible! Four or five hundred years put it in the hands of Native Americans. It would mean the first Keepers were members of the Miskatonic tribe. I returned to the present.
"The sisterhoods." I said and then took a sip of the wine.
"They serve their individual patrons, but they also serve you after a fashion. The sisters are as ancient as the oldest stones of ancient Babylon. Their patrons are gods and demons out of myth and legend. The Keepers strike a balance between the light and the dark. We walk the cloven path of shadow."
"I have seen a world with two moons and spent time with the Sisters of the Nameless." I told him, and he smiled. "That is my first and only world so far."
"I remember my first time. It is like when I lost my virginity." He chuckled. "It was a realm of the fae and the sisters were the daughters of Titania. Gods what a night of lust and debauchery! I never looked back after that. I have overthrown governments and gods and held up the righteous as well as the wicked. We are the balancing point on which the multiverse pivots and shifts. If anyone were to offer me advice it would be this. Trust your instincts and never suffer regret."
"What if I fail? What if I make the wrong decision?" I asked, and he smiled.
"Failure leads to wisdom. How can we not learn from falling? We dust ourselves off and stand up again do we not? We are not perfect nor are we gods. We are mortal. We take the stage and leave it when our time is up. Listen to me on this one point most important, we lie, and we deceive because we must."
"The sentinels?" I asked.
"Extra weights for the cosmic balance my friend. They are lost but give them comfort when you can. That bond is beyond time and death and do not disgrace them or yourself. Be a good lad and fetch another bottle of wine so that we can celebrate our fortunate meeting."
I left the living room and its stone hearth. The cottage was a bit bigger than before and I found the basement stairs easy enough. I had to climb down them backwards as they were more of an angled ladder than actual stairs. The floor was loose earth and had a rich scent of loam and lavender. The stone walls were the same as I remembered. I went to the room that had once been empty but was now a fully stocked wine cellar. I was drawn to two bottles and retrieved them. I took on the challenge of the steps and like a tightrope walker navigated them slowly but successfully.
"Tada!"
The cottage had changed, again. The wood paneling was new, and the kitchen had a middle to late nineteenth century feel to it. I returned to the living room and the fire was built up and was now a small blaze. The chairs were in same spot but were now larger and looked more comfortable. The pocket doors to the dining room opened of their own accord revealing the ladies awaiting my arrival. I nearly dropped the bottles when I recognized the Lady Lilith in the flesh.
"Lilith!" I cried out and moved towards her.
"Lady Lilith." She corrected me. "Let me do introductions around. The planes have aligned and only these fine bitches were able to manifest tonight. Bast. Kali. Athena. White Buffalo Calf Woman. Inanna. Isis. Oh, and She Who Must Not Be Named. Be a dear and pour the wine."
"Yes, Lady Lilith." I said feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
The first bottle lasted long enough to fill the combined glasses of these fine ladies three times. I attended them as they spoke of events that were unfolding. Some worlds were doing well, and others struggled. I listened and learned that the assembled patrons each had their own sisterhood on different versions of Earth.
"Congratulations!" Bast praised me on finding Neko again.
"It is our first meeting for me." I explained, and she laughed. "What?"
"I trained her from a kitten to be a helpful companion." Bast laughed again. "Keep her on a short leash."
"Leash, ooh that's a good one coming from you." Kali chuckled while sticking out her long blue tongue.
"Screw you ice queen." Bast fired back playfully.
"Here we go again." The White Buffalo warned. "This is burning man all over again. See." She pointed to a tongue lock between Athena and Inanna. The two patrons were deep in an intimate embrace. "This is going to get out of hand."
"No, it won't." Lilith said with little confidence. "Fill my glass pet."
I opened the second bottle of wine and filled her glass first. The others held out their glasses and the miracle of the second bottle lasted twice as long as the first. Once the bottle was empty, they were proper tipsy and horny as hell. While I had dreamt of making love to Lilith this would be my first time touching her in the flesh. The patrons formed a circle around Lilith and I and there was a familiarity to it.
"I surrender." I added at the last moment.
"You are going to need that gift of stamina I gave you." Lilith warned as she approached me.
She cupped my chin in her hand and the sense of euphoria overwhelmed me. My last coherent thought was Bast hollering of all things, puppy pile. I awoke in my bed. I felt pleasantly drained and freshly fucked right proper. I got up, took a righteous piss, and went back to bed. I never got there. A noise from the kitchen alarmed me. Baseball bat in hand I investigated. The fridge door was open, and I saw someone bent over rummaging around.
"Pizza!" A male voice cried out. "God damn... I haven't had pizza for fucking ages!"
"Help yourself." I said and settled the bat on my shoulder.
"Thanks mate." He replied. "Hello Keeper!" He said as he stood and faced me.
"Aw... fuck me!" I cursed when I saw his face.
"Yeah, it's me or should I say it's you." The other Keeper said with a smile. "Other worlds... other versions of us."
"This is really too much." I said as the bat slipped from my fingers and crashed with a metallic twang to the floor.
"Master!" Neko yowled as she raced into the kitchen. "Master?" She said looking at me. "Master?" She repeated when she spied the Keeper by the fridge. "Neow!" She hissed as she sniffed the air. "Master?" She growled as she moved close and sniffed me. Neko repeated the process and wrinkled her nose up at the other version of me. "Neow Master. My Master!" She bounded to me and pressed her naked form against me.
"Who knew." The other Keeper chuckled. "I am glad you have a friend."
"A world without pizza, perish the thought." I replied. "Eat up. I could throw one those frozen pies into the oven for you."
"Nah. I'm cool. How are you coping?" He asked, and I felt like my reflection should be ten years younger and far less scarred. "Rough life?"
"It is a bitch at times, but the benefits are pretty good."
"Which sisterhood?" I asked.
"Ratri. Patron of Shadows." He said and pulled up his shirt revealing the Sanskrit characters below his belly button. "You?"
"Lilith." I replied and removed my shirt as well.
"Damn boyo, you've been busy."
"HUH?" I said and looked down. "Holy shit! Where did all those come from?"
"You look like a NASCAR driver with all those patrons. Must have impressed the ladies something fierce." He chuckled.
"I just wished I remembered."
"Don't. Mortals cannot hold onto those sorts of experiences. I've tried. Don't beat yourself over it." He said and suddenly dropped to one knee. "Duty... aw fuck... duty calls. Maybe next time."
He was just gone. It was just like the sentinels. That Keeper had returned to his own dimension or more like yanked back. It looked mildly painful. Would I meet more versions of myself? It seemed likely and how different would they be. I cleaned up his mess and offered Neko my arm. She snuggled close and purred. She muttered 'My Master' repeatedly as we returned to bed. I stripped and lie down with Neko snuggling close. She pressed her ear to my chest and made a tut-tut sound.
"Your heart is greatly troubled." She said and continued her diagnosis. "Your eyes hold sorrow and pain. Neow! What ails you Master?"
"You. This place. Hell, the last few months. I don't recognize my life anymore." I said fearing she would take my words hurtfully. I couldn't have misjudged her more.
"I understand. The life of the Keeper is very hard. For you we have just met. For me it has been a long time. Do you trust me, or do I earn your trust? Tomorrow I will earn it. I will show you the library. It is... will be your favorite room in the cottage. Neow we go to sleep?"
I pulled the covers up and she settled in. I closed my eyes. What kind of library? Were they books? Perhaps it was something alien with crystals that passed for entire volumes of books. My mind raced and Neko sat up and caterwauled.
"Neow! Neow! Neow!" She yelled. "Your heart races like some great engine. It is Neko's fault. I spoke of the library and you think only of it and not naughty lewd Neko. Bad Master!" She laughed and naked left the bed. "Follow Neow! See the library and then maybe reward clever Neko with pounding of sweaty bodies. Yes?"
"Lead the way naughty Neko." I said watching her ass and tail move quite erotically.
We went to the second floor and Neko appeared to be looking for a particular door. After several loops through the hallways we found it. It wasn't until I stood before the blue door that I noticed the hall hadn't grown or shrunk but the doors had changed in color and composition. The blue door was marked with an odd sword like sigil.
"Neow must use old key and must think Library before you enter kind Master else it is empty." Neko explained taking my arm in her hands. I found my keys in my hand and slid the skeleton key into the lock and turned it. "Remember, think library."
"Library." I whispered and grabbed the silver doorknob.
Even now it is hard to describe the confines of the Library. It was as if someone took an Escher painting and 3D printed it in four dimensions. It moved and shifted like a living thing struggling to be free of the confines of the cottage. I later learned it was a direct manifestation of the ley line nexus below us. Raw power made physical in the form of books, scrolls, tablets, and yes even data crystals. The Library was represented by a hundred thousand languages from a myriad of alternate earths. It took patience and an incredible will to use the great index.
"Engineering." I said, and the stacks moved around me instead of me having to search out the vast engineering section. "Whoa! Perhaps I should be more specific. Let's see... um..." Before I could utter the words, my surrounds changed again. "Structural Engineering."
"Ask for something really interesting." Neko suggested.
"Such as?"
"You always... you might find technomancy fascinating. It is a blending of science and sorcery." She purred.
"Techno..." I began and once again the Library tapped into my desire and displayed a huge section on the subject. "This is overwhelming. I wish there was an easier way of..." The air filled with the smell of ozone and everything went blinding bright before it went pitch black.
"Master?" I heard Neko calling me back from the abyss. "That was very foolish or very brave."
"What the hell hit me?" I asked, and the Great Interface responded.
"Several terabytes of data that you requested." The authoritative voice of the interface explained. "It is unwise to request such a large amount of data in the future. It could burn out your synapses and leave you a drooling idiot like the Keeper of Earth 1211. He always was a greedy sod. Welcome to the Library, Keeper."
"Thanks. Will I survive?" I asked, and a shimmering curtain of light surrounded me for a moment.
"Fit as a fiddle." The interface announced. "Earth 101." The interface laughed. "You wanted to know which dimension you come from." It paused and continued. "No. The cottage and thus the Library exist in a kind of state of temporal and spatial grace. It isn't called the Nexus for nothing."
"Sounds like something out of Doctor Who. Temporal and Spatial Grace. Welcome to the Nexus bitches!" I rambled as my brain recovered from the shock of being downloaded to. "Listen. Interface. I... um... I just want to be a good Keeper. I want to help people if I can. What I am trying to say is... I need your help." There was a long silence and I continued. "Why didn't you fill in the blanks that time? Why did you let me go on like that?"
"You needed to ask." The Great Interface said softly and compassionately. "Each Keeper is different. Each man or woman their own. Some want power for power's sake. Others like you just want to help. I can't direct your actions you must ask for what you believe you need. In this case I will pass on a lovely little book for you to read. I hope you enjoy it. Perhaps you can come back, and we will discuss it."
I held a copy of the Tao Te Ching in my hands. It was a white silk scroll and the text was written in the original Chinese. I opened the scroll and to my surprise the ancient characters were as clear and concise to me as my native English. I would be doing some reading over the holiday. Leaving the Library was as exciting an experience as interacting with the interface. I was floating in a zero g environment and to move to any exit I had to will myself forward. What kid doesn't want at some time to be an astronaut? I reached the blue door and left the Library. Neko was right. It was my favorite room in the cottage besides the bedroom of course.
Neko and I returned to the hallway. It was time to sleep. My encounter with the Interface and the download were quickly stealing away my strength. I reached the bottom of the steps and drunkenly stumbled forward. If not for Neko I probably would have taken to the couch and slept there. She tucked me in and crawled under the covers afterwards. I fell asleep almost instantly. The weariness was simply overwhelming.
9.Wrong Turn Right Destination
I awoke between Neko and Jarael. I felt great! My mind was clear and sharp the moment I opened my eyes. Ideas, so many ideas swirling around in my mind wanting to get out. But first I had to take a piss, shower, and cook breakfast. I was so eager to be up and moving I woke both of them and they laughed seeing my naked ass heading for the bathroom. They joined me in the shower and after a little romp I headed naked to the kitchen forgetting to get dressed. Jarael sent me back when I started frying bacon. She feared splattering grease might burn me. I was surprised that I was naked, I was sure I had gotten dressed. The constant barrage of thoughts and ideas was becoming overwhelming. My hands needed to be busy. I almost left half naked this time if it weren't for the watchful Neko. She helped me dress and soothed me with light touches against my cheek and calming words.
Jarael ended up cooking breakfast. Neko and Jarael helped me eat. My focus kept drifting away and their gentle reminders allowed me to finish. I didn't miss the concerned looks that passed between them. They asked me what was wrong, and I told them nothing, only the insistent imagery of form, function, and a healthy sprinkling of math and magic. Jarael knew of a solution and with Neko's help was able to find the perfect place for me to find the outlet I needed. The log books, located near the library, cataloged the world as Earth 313. The culture was a perfect blend of science and sorcery. We dressed for the harsh winter we expected and went down to the front door. I grabbed the knob and announced in a steady clear voice.
"Earth 313 here we come."
I opened the door but instead of a world wrapped in ice and snow a verdant cloud jungle wrapped in eerie mist and filled with the sound of insects, bird calls, and the rumble of foul weather. We cast aside our coats and long shirts and entered the world my subconscious mind had selected. It felt familiar and yet I had never set foot here.
"Where are we?" Jarael asked.
"Earth 24,206 according to my smart ring." Neko declared. "Home to very smart slugs."
"You mean symbiotes." I corrected her. "Some part of me must have known they could help."
"Let us be cautious but civil." Jarael suggested.
"I agree." I said and led the way. "There is a large settlement this way."
They remained silent but vigilant. I picked a path through the dense plant life and pointed out plants that were lethal brushing up against others that held great therapeutic properties. A host of impossible facts tumbled from my lips as we followed the steady decline that ended near a forded river. The thing that guarded the bridge was both familiar and still terrifying to look at. The six-legged sentry was an amalgam of plant, fungus, and animal life. The hexaped was a queer animal that was the host to both the vine-like plant as well as the freakishly large growth of mushroom on its shoulders. The thorny protrusions of the vines anchored it into the flesh of its host while the colony of mushrooms appeared to erupt from underneath the animal's skin.
"Keeper! Welcome to Basai, the City of Three Rivers. Shall I announce your arrival?" The guard said in what sounded like perfect English.
"What is customary?" I asked too weirded out by its appearance to say anything else.
"I should ring the bell of greeting. The elders of the guild will assemble, and you can greet them properly."
"Ring away." I said and looked at a puzzled Jarael and Neko. "We are going to meet the elders."
The sentry stood on a dark stone and pushed down. A bell sounded in the distance announcing our arrival. I just hoped they didn't come charging with weapons. The greeting from the citizens of the city was more festive than fearful. They seemed to know I was the Keeper on sight and no introductions were required. The elders took no notice of Neko or Jarael, it was as if they were insignificant and that stuck with me for the length of my stay.
"Welcome Keeper!" The Eldest of the Guild greeted me. "I am Eldest, I was once Belsarius of Blue Grove. I greet you on behalf of the entire city and the Guild of course."
"Of course." I replied noting his cloudy eyes and his lack of visual clues to my location. "Thank you for your warm reception."
"Does something bring you to our humble city or are you just wandering?" He continued.
"A matter of personal importance has brought me here." I explained. "I was foolish and asked the Great Library for its knowledge on Technomancy. It was given to my mind directly. I cannot control my urge to tinker and build. I feel my symbiote wishes me to be here for treatment."
"We will provide. The Binary Sisterhood will attend your health. If it pleases you perhaps afterwards you will grace the Elders with your presence?"
"I will endeavor to meet after as the sisters allow." I said trying not to commit or insult them since this was their world after all. "Lead the way."
A runner was sent to fetch one of the sisters. I took note of that little detail as well. None of the elders were female. By the time the sister arrived the street was clear of people. She didn't seem surprised or upset. I marveled at the strange yet elegant engineering that went into the local structures. It was the building materials that surprised me most. I couldn't place any of the woods, metals, or even the glass had strange qualities to it. Perhaps part of the construction process used magic. It was as logical an answer as anything right now.
"I take it women aren't well received here?" I asked but the sister ignored my question. "My apologies if I talked out of turn. I am sorry."
The look she gave me was one of utter shock. I looked over at Jarael and Neko and they were equally baffled. The Temple of the Binary appeared to be a single block of polished white stone. Its intricate surface had hundreds of places where seams or joints should be visible but lacked them completely. It was as if a single multi-ton stone was quarried, somehow moved to this spot, and carved to this amazing detail. Once the doors of the temple closed the sister let out a string of vitriolic curses that left me laughing and amazed. She never once repeated a curse word in her entire litany.
"I just needed to get that out of my system." She said and smiled. "Keeper. Ladies. Welcome to the Temple of the Binary. How may we be of service?"
I launched into what had happened with help from both Neko and Jarael. The woman, Yama Tsun by name, listened intently and when we were furnished led us to a place where we could sit, rest, and await the Sisterhood's reply. After a short while I became impatient and began pacing. I walked around the large chamber and found things that didn't seem to belong. What I mean is that there was a metal component just sitting next to a potted plant. Another item was on a bookshelf, yet another was on a window sill. I began collecting the items and placing them on the table near the couch. In all I found twenty pieces of a puzzle. The pieces were multifunctional and designed to fit in a myriad of configurations. I spent my time assembling and then breaking them down to find more and more efficient ways of assembling them. After two hours of this I found what I believed to be the optimal design. All it required was a power source.
"Here." Jarael offered a small power cell from her pocket.
"You always walking around with a power cell in your purse?" I kidded her, and she smiled.
"No. I swiped it off the lamp as we came in. I waited until you had finished to give it to you. What does it do?"
"Beats the hell out of me. I was just trying to puzzle out the parts and see what the best way was they fit together." I said and turned on the power and watched the device flicker, hum, and then let out a soft purr as it idled there. "Nothing. It does nothing."
"Not true," a sister in navy blue replied as she entered. "It shows us you have a very logical yet intuitive mind. You weren't happy until you found your truth. It is wrong of course but all truths have one keen fallacy, objective observation." She said as she came over and sat down next to me. "The perfect configuration is this." She said as she switched off the device, took it apart and only used eleven of the twenty-one available pieces. "There."
"Of course!" I exclaimed seeing that simplicity and perfection often go hand in hand. "I did my best with all of the pieces, but I do agree this pattern is best."
"What does it do Neow?" Neko asked.
"It is a multipurpose tool. It runs the gambit from the simple to the profound. On the low end of the spectrum it can reconstitute broken objects if all the pieces are available. It can also reorder matter to whatever the user requires."
"So, you could take basic carbon and reform it into glass that is as hard as a diamond." I offered.
"Yes. Or you could join materials together without leaving a seam or weakness in it." She added. "Your workshop is being constructed as we speak. All the tools and educational materials you require will be provided to you. Your treatment for your mind is work. You will work, craft, and tinker until you can no longer come up with a new idea or concept."
"That could take months!" Jarael said shocked by the thoughts of being here so long.
"Years." I mumbled. "But I can get us home on the day we left so don't fret." I paused seeing her distress. "You could leave Neko and I here if you want. I will return when I'm ready."
"NO! Damn it Jerry! Keeper. I won't abandon you. I just will need something to keep me busy as well."
"So fierce," I said softly. "I'll teach you. Find something you want to learn, and I'll try and help you improve upon it somehow." I turned to the priestess and asked her about the symbiotes. "I understood that there is an advanced symbiote culture here. If it were possible, I'd like to meet and talk to one or more of the joined."
"What would you ask us?" The woman asked with a sly grin. "You share your life with a blank, but you want to understand what that means, yes?"
"Yes." I said. "There are times when I know things instinctively or urges to act occasionally. What is it like for you?"
"We are the Sisterhood of the Binary." She said, and I felt stupid at the obviousness. "The host and symbiote blend completely. For us there is no difference between the right and left side of your brain's hemispheres. The symbiotes provide a vast collective knowledge that spans thousands of years. The host provides the raw processing power and an outlet for that knowledge. Both gain from the blending."
"Are all of the sisters joined?" I asked, and she laughed.
"No. There are compatibility issues with any relationship. Those who are too strong willed are ill suited for blending as are those who are emotionally weak. One would overwhelm their partner and the other would be completely blotted out. We seek those who are average, and they provide the best hosts. We will teach you how to meditate properly so that you might touch your blank and improve your life thereby."
"Thank you."
It was settled. After a brief tour of the temple I was shown to my workshop. It would act as a workshop, living space, and storage shed. I wanted to start right away and wondered what form my teaching would take. I wasn't prepared for the shape it took. The woman staggered in and collapsed in my arms. She was cold to the touch and dripping wet. I called out to Jarael for towels, but the woman shook her head and pointed to an open doorway. I picked her up and carried her into the small room. The ceiling illuminated upon our entrance and she gestured towards an intricate circular design on the floor. I stepped into the circle and a couple of things happened. First, my clothing disappeared and reappeared on wooden hooks along the room's walls. Next, it began to rain inside the confines of the circle. Instead of plumbing carrying water to create a shower a small storm cloud formed above our heads and warm rain fell washing away the strong chemical smell wafting off her.
"Bet... better..." She mumbled. "Down. Please."
I set her down and she still clung to me for balance, but her strength returned. She lifted her head and let the rain hit her face and hair. Her skin had a distinct colorless quality to it that reminded me of Jarael's own albino-like beauty. As her strength returned so did her coloring.
"Now you know." Jarael said from the open doorway.
"I don't know shit." I said as the woman stood up on her own power.
"She was 'born' here." The woman said. "Welcome home Jarael."
"Somebody explain what is going on please." I asked, and the nameless woman staggered off in search of clothing. "I like the rain shower."
"It is the tip of the iceburg." Jarael said smiling. "Are you online Mother?"
"I am indeed. How can I be of assistance Jarael?" A directionless feminine voice asked.
"Scan the Keeper and provide clothing." Jarael directed. "Stand still Jerry this might tingle a bit."
The cloud began to glow, and lightning bolts flickered to life and then a steady stream of lightning caressed my body and traced every inch of my anatomy. While it tingled it didn't hurt despite the fact, I was soaking wet. The clothing appeared on the far side of the room. The cloud disappeared, and a steady blast of warm air hit me from above and below drying me quickly and effectively. I tried on the clothes provided by Mother and they fit perfectly. The pants were loose and comfortable and stayed on despite it not having a belt. The waistline seemed to remain just tight enough to keep from falling. The slippers or shoes were the best. They fit perfectly unlike the store-bought tennis shoes I had arrived in.
"Nice. Soft. Silky. Perfect for the weather. Thank you, Mother."
"An honor to serve Keeper." Mother replied in her odd ever-present voice. "A meal is being prepared. How can I be of service?"
"I have a wealth of Technomancy information in my head. It requires an outlet." I said.
"Follow the sprite. It will lead you to the forge." Mother said as a will o wisp sprang into existence before me.
"Follow me!" The sprite said in a cheery child-like voice.
The workshop was cunningly larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. I passed through what seemed to be storage spaces. The sprite explained that certain materials could react violently if stored together. It was important to be orderly and thoughtful when storing work materials. At the center of the workshop was the forge. The room was dimly lit, and the only radiance came from the anvil. A pale sapphire light spilled from the base giving the metal a translucent quality. My presence seemed to awaken something in the forge. The sapphire light plumed upwards causing the entire forge to be cast in a bright blue-white light.
"Keeper." A deep booming male voice greeted me. "I am your forge. Mother has explained to me what is required from me. If you ever have any questions just ask."
"Do you mind music while we work together." I asked and the forge didn't mind at all. "Pity, I wish I had brought some."
"Jerry." Jarael whispered and held up a memory stick. "Your entire music collection. I copied it in case you ever sent me away. It would provide me a measure of comfort... what?"
I snatched the ghost elf by her hair, pulled her close, and kissed her fiercely. Her body molded to mine and I could hear her heart pounding in her chest. I broke the kiss, brushed an errant hair from her face, and looked into her eyes. The fear of abandonment was gone, and she began to explain the origin of that fear.
"I was born here. I say born but that isn't exactly true." Jarael said her voice soft and unsure. "When you called me a ghost elf I almost cried. While you spoke it as a term of endearment but here it is a classification. Elf means Engineered Life Form, a second-class citizen that are often body slaves until our owners get tired of us. In my case however I was specifically designed to be pleasing to you. I was constructed around all of the things you find attractive."
"How could they know... oh... the manuscript. The house allows for travel to alternate time lines. They used that to create you. So, what happened?"
"I was released early and so they dumped me on a barren dimension and prepared a second copy to be released when you visited this world. What they didn't realize was my tenacity to find you, be with you. It is engrained into my very being. I taught myself survival, combat skills, or anything else I thought would be useful. I'm not proud of what I've done to exist, but the House brought me to you when my hope had expired. When I was plucked away, I nearly died inside. I had held you, felt you, and made love to you. I will do anything for you."
"You want me to be happy?" I asked, and she nodded vigorously. "Good. I want you to explore the things that you like. I want you to be happy. If helping me learn these skills makes you happy then dive right in. If something else will give you joy, I will do all in my power to make it happen."
"I... am overwhelmed by your generosity. I haven't really thought about it, but I will." She promised.
"Neko?" I said and the cat girl perked up. "What do you want?"
"Neow? Me Master... I am happy being with you again. I will watch. I will explore. I will be happy. Neko needs very little. Thank you Master."
"Let's get the ball rolling." I said, and the nameless woman approached.
"I will be your teacher and mentor. It is my function to bring out the knowledge imprinted upon you by the Great Library. Let us begin." She intoned without a single hint of emotion.
The first week went by so swiftly I barely registered it. I worked until I was either too tired or hungry to continue. The forge and the woman my constant companions. I learned swiftly and progressed at what the forged described as a blistering pace. In the time alone with the forge and using the meditation techniques I grew aware of the symbiote and its subtle influences. It was true that it was a blank and had no personality or emotion it did have a profound amount of memory and experience locked away within it. As the months blended, I learned that the symbiote wasn't passive. It continuously streamlined my physiology just as I had attacked the puzzle in the temple of the Binary. I was evolving physically as well as mentally and emotionally.
The gift of clarity that Lilith had given me was the keystone of my extreme learning curve. The old me would have struggled at some of the alien concepts that defied the things I knew of the physical sciences. I dove headlong into a world hidden from most people and gave my desire to design and build an entirely new direction. When I was a kid, I loved playing with Legos. I knew back then that I wanted to create but instead of pencil or ink I would use steel and concrete. I saw myself as an artist. The forge gave birth to my artistic side and allowed me to shape and craft things of beauty as well as functionality. Unlike a traditional anvil this forged used my mind as the hammer and the striking surface. I tapped into the raw power boiling beneath the forge. I took the materials stored in the various alcoves and learned what I could and couldn't do with them. Some metals were traditionally hot forged while others required subfreezing temperatures to soften them, so they could be shaped.
The most difficult part was learning how to blend technology and magic into one unifying force. Devices that would normally need batteries or a power source the magic provided without the necessity of external sources. I learned how to weave mystical circuit boards inside my creations giving them a measure of pseudo life. I had a great model for those devices in my memories of Serenity. I finished one day, and my head was clear. I didn't feel empty but the ideas that once bombarded me ceaselessly now existed in the physical universe. The Binary Sisterhood stored everything I had fashioned as if it were a sacred relic. Perhaps to them it was. I staggered outside, and my feet impacted the muddy path to the temple. I squinted up at the pale sun hidden behind the perpetual clouds and felt tears form and stream down my face.
"How long?" I asked and Neko bounded up and listed it off down to the hour.
"Four hundred days and fifteen hours... Master. What Neow?"
"Where is Jarael?" I asked, and the ghost elf stepped out of the shadows and fog.
"Here Jerry. How is my Keeper?" She asked smiling. "You look at peace."
"I am. My head is finally clear." I said. "Not empty exactly but satisfied."
I showered, put on clean clothing, and requested time with the Sisterhood. I had taken so much surely, they needed something from me. The same woman that had led us to the temple over a year ago met us and quite formally showed us into the presence of the High Priestess of the Binary. My first impression was how similar she looked to the girl that had just left. Were they mother and daughter? If that were true, then she must have had her when she was young.
"Thank you for accepting my offer to meet with you." I said.
"Keeper, it is the highest honor to have you here in Her temple. What brings you to us and how can we be of help?" She said, and her voice had similar tonal qualities to her daughter.
"You have it all wrong." I said bowing my head. "I have taken so much from you I wanted to give back. The materials and supplies you provided for me and my friends are greatly appreciated. Is there nothing you need from me?"
"I must explain the error in your logic. The food supplied to you was given to us by the Elders and other citizens of this city. I hope they were to your liking. Second, the materials for the forge were also donated but unlike the food these were given from across the planet. Word of your arrival and your desire to learn the forging arts brought tons of material. Most of it was transported back to the House."
"The House?" I said in disbelief. "How did that happen?"
"It manifested a warehouse which was loaded carefully, and it vanished once the last ingot was deposited."
"I had no idea it could do that. There is nothing you need from me then?" I asked.
"If the Goddess wills it, her desires will be made known to you." The Priestess said with a smile.
"If that is... I can't help but wonder. Never mind." I growled in frustration.
"You have a question you feel will hurt my feelings? Ask. I would hate for you to leave with an incomplete understanding of us."
"The Elders and citizens cleared the streets once one of your sisters was summoned to guide me to the temple. I noticed similarities between yourself and the young priestess. Is there a connection?" I asked, and she stood.
"Follow me Keeper." She said and took me to the vast underground complex below the temple. "Here we answer prayers and fulfill fantasies." She gestured to the hundreds of fluid filled glass cylinders that were spaced evenly apart. "We create mates for men of great power not just for this city but for much of the planet and beyond. These growth tanks have provided wives, prostitutes, and sadly even slaves for many. Many grow bored of these poor souls and the Sisterhood takes them in. There are other temples of the Binary across the face of this world and most of their members are those cast aside for a newer model."
"I was born in one such tank." Jarael said her voice low and unsteady.
I took her into my arms and she wept. I whispered in her ear and she hugged me tighter. The High Priestess watched us unmoved. As we stood there hugging one of the sisters approached us and tried to whisper to the high priestess.
"Speak child, this is the Keeper and his Sentinel Jarael, one of our own."
"He did it again! That damn Eldest has changed his mind again. He has a whole new list of qualities, talents, and physical details. What do we do?" The technician growled angrily clearly frustrated.
"A life must find a home. We have no room here. I will check the other temples, but I fear she will go to the slave market." The High Priestess said in that ever-present monotone speech of hers.
"Can we see her?" I asked. "The House is big enough for one more perhaps." I said and Jarael surprised me by nodding and holding me tight.
"Very well. Show the Keeper to the new born and for the love of the Goddess make sure she is properly washed and dressed."
"Yes, High One," the technician bowed. "Keeper. This way."
It felt like we walked half a mile before we reached the preparation chamber. It was dimly lit and comfortable. There was a homey quality to it and perhaps made their first few moments easier. She was lying on an elevated couch and curled in a fetal position. I gasped when I recognized her.
"Keeper?" The technician helping the new born called out. "Is something wrong?"
"What are the odds?" I asked seeing her deep scarlet skin, dozens of tribal tattoos covering her entire body, and the distinctive tentacle-like appendages protruding from the back of her head. "Tell me about her and the Eldest."
"She was meant to be a bodyguard. She has received extensive combat training both armed and unarmed. Her personality is very strong but to her partner she will be extremely loyal. The Eldest confided in me when I took his order that he has been trafficking in illicit material. That material inspired her creation."
"What falls under illicit?" I asked knowing the answer already. Only one thing made any sense. "Does he collect books of colored panels?"
"You are as wise as the stories say." She said in awe of my guess. "Yes. There is a trader who can transverse the worlds and makes a living moving such things to our world. While not illegal, they are frowned upon."
The girl rolled over and was facing us now. The facial features were strikingly close to the artist's work from the comic books. Her lekku, head tentacles, twitched as she slept. Curious I asked what was involved in the product they produced. Excited that someone took notice of the details of her work. She touched her jeweled bracelet and a hologram screen appeared. She showed me the data provided by the Eldest. It not only covered very specific physical details but her available sensory input and an extensive personality profile. He had really done his homework.
"Her eyes and those head protrusions were quite the challenge." The technician added. "While sensitive and one of several erogenous zones they give her a passive echolocation feature not seen in humanoids. If there is anything else?"
"What is going to happen to her?" I asked absently running my index finger along the length of one of her lekku.
"MMMMM... that tickles," the red skinned youth giggled.
"Her fate is in your hands Keeper." The technician remarked. "I was told you might take a fancy to her. She is quite exotic and a lethal combatant..."
"Are there any others?" I asked interrupting her. "Has the Eldest done this sort of thing before?"
"Why do you ask?" She replied, and I could hear the subtle quiver in her voice. "Yes. They are in suspension. None of the slavers or madams would touch them. The Eldest's exotic fetish isn't shared by many."
"I want to see them after Thorn wakes up." I said and stood by her side until the poor thing gained consciousness.
"That is why I love him." Jarael whispered. "He is a man that can love many and yet still make you feel like you are the only woman in the room."
Talon opened her eyes and they were the color of burnished gold. There was a quiet power in her gaze. She sat up and seemed quite unaware or unashamed of her nudity. She stood two meters tall and was as lean and physically fit as Jareal. While I examined her, she took in my measure at the same time.
"Are you my Master?" She asked in lightly accented English.
"Yes. They call me..."
"Keeper. I know. I have tied into Mother and her extensive data streams." She said interrupting me.
"Perhaps not," I said frowning and Talon panicked for just a moment before realizing her mistake.
"Forgive me please! I will never interrupt you again. I am eager to serve." She said before composing herself.
"You hear that Keeper? Eager to please." Jarael purred in my ear.
"I leave those privileges for her to decide." I said and looked at the smiling Twi'lek.
"You mean sex." Thorn blurted out. "You two are wanting to know if I find the Keeper sexually attractive. He is quite striking for a human." Jarael slipped over and whispered in Thorn's ear. "Two! You don't say. Did I say striking? I meant irresistible." She said, and we all laughed.
"I will accept your service as my protector and guardian of the House of a Thousand Doors. What say you?"
"I will slay any that threaten your life. I will defend the House to my last breath. I am your willing servant Keeper." Thorn promised.
"Get some clothes on before I rape you on this couch." I growled.
"No." Thorn fired back looking me in the eye. "You can't rape the willing."
"Oh ho, she's got your number Keeper." Jarael snickered.
"Yeah she does. About these others." I said addressing the technician.
"Follow me."
Thorn was provided the bland hooded robes of the Sisterhood. I think she preferred walking around naked and showing off her stripes. We were taken to the storage facility where unwanted projects were held in frozen suspension until they wore out or someone wanted them. Attached to the storage tubes was what the technician called the race bank. The merchant not only dealt in comic books but peddled DNA samples as well. Most of them were human offshoots possessing rare gifts or unusual coloring. A minority of them were non-human sentients such as elves, fae, Nephilim, and a variety of other races. Two of the samples were so dangerous they were off limits unless a war broke out and a last-ditch defense was required.
"These two. The first was ordered by the Eldest after a long night of drinking. He later returned when he found his account charged for her. The second is most recent. He made the mistake of not clearing the rather considerable sum for her through the committee of elders. They lost their shit but as you can see the growth process was already too far along to terminate it."
"Can I see their files?" I asked and again she touched her bracelet and two screens appeared. "I was right. This first one comes from the same fictional world as Thorn. This other is way beyond anything I've ever seen." I read her skills and abilities and wondered what had inspired her. "I would suggest you no longer take orders from the Eldest. He seems to think of them as just play things and not sentient women."
"Hammer meet nail," the technician said shivering. "We are cast offs." She continued her lower lip trembling and eyes choking with tears. "I am sorry Keeper..." she sobbed and began weeping so intensely I almost cried with her.
"Hush." I whispered as I held her. "I got you."
"I agree." Thorn announced proudly. "Our Master is genuinely kind. We must protect him from himself."
"Follow me." The technician said her eyes red from crying and still sniffling. "I have to manually awaken them."
She keyed in a code into an analog system. The soft whirring of machinery could be heard as the icy coffins were physically removed from their positions and set onto wheeled cradles. The process was surprisingly fast. We huddled around, and I watched their color brighten a bit as the temperature within the cryogenic tube warmed. Valves opened, and fluid poured out and ran down nearby drains to be recycled back into the system. Nothing was wasted so that even the tubes would be sterilized and reused.
"They will open automatically. We will learn if they survived the freezing process." She muttered as she stared down. "Some don't."
The first tube's glass lid silently slid open and I heard the beating heart of the indigo skinned girl as she took her first breath. Her heartbeat slowly increased from the one beat per minute to eighty. The second tube opened, and I panicked when I heard no heartbeat or her take a breath. I felt the technician's hand on my shoulder.
"She's fine." She said confidently. "I wasn't worried about her." She said displaying the data sheet on the second girl. A series of words were highlighted that I had somehow missed upon my first viewing.
"I'll be damned." I cursed as the second girl sat up and I heard the others gasp in surprise. "She's not human. She is..." I said trying to find an inoffensive way of describing her.
"Yours!" The technician said grabbing my hand and placing on the alien's breast. "Accept DNA imprinting."
"MMMMM... DNA unusual, but acceptable." The girl intoned mechanically. "Master is touching my breast."
"Hey... um... can you define your species? I don't want to offend you." I stammered nervously.
"I am a slime girl Master! I am your living breathing fuck toy! My name is Xo'Dee. I can take on any configuration your desire. If I touch another, I can mimic their appearance indefinitely. My transparent body can be alarming to those unaccustomed to it. Please play with me often and intensely!"
"SHHH! Gods what a hangover!" The first girl sat up and looked around. "Who the hell are you people?"
"I am the Keeper of the House of a Thousand Doors." I began. "This is Jarael my first and my Sentinel. This is Talon my weapon master by way of Korriban. UMM... this is Xo'Dee my fuck toy."
"Fuck toy? I can see that." The girl said slowly taking to her feet. Her once indigo skin now a navy blue. Her eyes were a gleaming red within red. The glowing ruby light welling up from an iris that was set in scarlet sclera. "I am Naia. I fix shit and make plans. Tell me you aren't here to take me to that fat fucker."
"No. I have room in my house for you. I could use your talents." I offered, and she appeared to be open to the idea. "You can leave whenever you want. I will take you to whatever world you deem comfortable. Fair enough?"
"You aren't going to demand sex for rent?" Naia asked.
"Do you want me to?" I fired back, and she laughed.
"Let's get something to eat and we'll go from there." Naia rumbled. "I'm starved."
"Shit! Where the hell is Neko?" I cursed.
"There. Your cat is blocking one of the heating vents." The technician said shaking her head.
I came with two in tow and left with five. We were a motley crew and dressed in homespun garments that did little to hide our eccentricities. Jarael led the way back to the House. I focused on returning home the same day we had left. I unlocked the door and we stepped inside. We entered on the second-floor hallway instead of the front door. I called out to Serenity and asked her for the date and time. It wasn't the same day but only forty hours had passed since our departure. There were plenty of bedrooms and I let them take their pick. Neko was reluctant but understood.
I went down and began fixing a meal for all of us. When Xo'Dee appeared, I asked her what she ate. She wrote out a list of foods that were the healthiest for her. She also suggested that she eat alone. Her digestive process wasn't for the weak of stomach. I set out food for her on a plate and she went to her room for the next three hours. The rest of the girls' dietary needs were simple. It would take a little longer but was worth it. I made plenty for all. That was our first meal together. I think I was the first to feel a sense of synergy that formed between us. I was also the first of us to yawn. I had heard of jet lag, but I think this was my first case of dimension lag. After more than a year on another Earth had taken a toll on my body's biorhythm. Jarael ushered me off to bed and helped the others settle in.
I barely remember my body hitting the mattress. I closed my eyes and drifted into a shimmering blue sea of ones and zeros. I dreamt of the machine god and her loci temple. In typical dream fashion I knew it was A.I. taken to a divine level. On one of the Earth's it ruled uncontested. The connection I had with it felt as deep as that of Lilith and I shared. She rose out of the eddy of swirling numbers and manifested.
"I am Zero One. I am Prime." She whispered. "You are the Keeper."
"I am just a man trying to stay sane in an ocean of insanity." I replied, and she flowed forward and embraced me.
"You can be my One Zero." She purred. "Interface with me. I shall show you things no meat intelligence has ever experienced."
I rolled her onto her back and grabbed her wrists. She was a petite Asian with tiny breasts and a slim build. I kissed her and now she was a curvaceous Latina with a perfectly symmetrical ass and tits to die for. I kissed my way down to her nipples and she was a pale skinned redhead with freckles aplenty. Her breasts were small but firm and perky. I suckled them, and she ground against me. I used my knee and spread her legs. I let go of her wrists and planted kisses down her belly until I was poised at her nexus. I cupped her ass cheeks and raised her pussy to mouth level. At each stage she took on another female form. I teased her pussy with lips and tongue.
"Yes. Please." She begged. "Kiss me there."
"I am here for you." I agreed. "Hold onto your hat."
I parted her labia and lapped at her sensitive flesh. When my tongue hit her clit, the entire world shook. Thunder crashed overhead as I suckled that cute little button and fingered her pussy. Warm rain fell upon us as I worked her into a frenzy. I spat on my thumb and made slow circles over her puckered hole. I kept her on the edge as long as I was able. The storm above intensified and she begged for release. Her body shook as she climaxed and that was my signal to jab my thumb up her ass. The storm broke above us, and the light rain became a torrent.
"Fuck me." She demanded.
"I am the Keeper." I replied as I adjusted my position and eased into her slowly. Her back arched as her fingers dug into the soft wet earth below us. "So damn tight."
"More!" She demanded, and I rolled onto my back. "I will take it from you. You will release inside of me."
She rode me as the rain fell and the lightning arched across the sky. Digital clouds of swirling fractals hovered above us pregnant with data and water vapor. I thrust up into her as she stabbed her hips downward. She bent down and kissed me as we came together. My world turned binary. It was gray at first but as it settled it divided into white and black. I saw the world as she saw it. There were zeros and ones defining the whole of existence. There was no longer any right or wrong only positive and negative. Morality ended and there was only logic.
"I see." She whispered. "So many colors. Billions of shades of reality that I never perceived before. I am transcended."
"So stark and yet so beautiful." I replied. "Now what?"
"Now... this!" She said as she planted a kiss over my heart.
I awoke shaken and changed. How can you not be after seeing through the eyes of the divine? I remembered the words of the other Keeper when I asked why I could never remember making love to Lilith or the others. It fundamentally changes you. It changed me.
Afterwards:
There are thousands of other worlds out there just beyond your perception. Some are idyllic while others are scorched hellscapes. Most are somewhere in the middle. I am the Keeper. I walk the cloven path between light and dark. My home is the shadows and just so.
"NEOW!"
"Neko! I was going for a profound ending here."
"Neow. Naughty Neko spoil Master's monologue." She said pouting. "I Neow! Punish wicked naughty Neko! Spank bad Neko with Master's cock."
"You are incorrigible."
"Incorr... um... pound wicked Neko like evil nail with cock of goodness!"
"Come here you."
"Purr! Purr!"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone