FSE

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The realm of Faerie is real; even in today's high tech, modern society, it exists. Somewhere, just out of sync with our world is a fantastic place that is both different from and similar to our world. In times long past, the connection between our reality and the fae was less distinct. Whether by design or accident, this other world is now nearly impossible for humans to reach. What makes finding a bridge between the worlds so difficult? Some say it is magic and others argue it is science. Does it matter? The famous pioneering science fiction author, Arthur C. Clarke, said it best: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." I favor magic as an explanation, since much of what happens in this story is beyond our understanding, and it is just more fun and charming to imagine it that way.

It is a natural human tendency to prefer things to be ordered into categories of polar opposites with distinct contrasts of black versus white, human versus faerie, and good versus evil. Even in a furry tale, things are not so simple. The human and fae worlds contain beings of both races. Over the eons many humans have crossed over and settled in Faerie to stay and even thrive. Some have found a way to coexist peacefully with the fae. The same is true of the fae, who have moved into our world and have made their harmony with us though they typically remain hidden and out of sight. Though difficult, crossing over between the two domains is not impossible.

Bridges between the worlds exist, but there are only three ways to reach Faerie: by invitation, through the use of ancient magical artifacts, or by achieving a particular state of consciousness. The first option almost never happens. The fae have not found a human worthy of invitation in hundreds of years. Fae and human relations have always been difficult and fraught with conflict. Where the people of Faerie are obsessed with preserving the natural order and keeping their world true to its original creation, humans are fixated on conquering and changing their world to suit their needs. One of the most obnoxious human behaviors that have forever vexed the fae is man's lust for gold and other mineral riches of the earth. Not content to simply find these pieces of the earth's bounty and marvel at their beauty, man must dig, scrape, and blast the earth while fighting wars for the privilege to do so.

Many legends have been born and stories told of humans who have found magical devices that have allowed them to interface with this other dominion. Not all ended happily and many were truly grim. Where these magical items came from and why they were created is a mystery lost to time. Some of the oldest fae might know, but it is irrelevant since few if any of these devices remain at large. The fae have collected and hidden these items carefully to prevent their misuse by humans.

The final of the three means to access the lands of Faerie is, therefore, the only realistic means open to those who wish to go there and to those who end up there by accident. Humans are a part of the natural world whether they deny it or not. Thus, each of us has the innate ability to travel there if we can only manage to order our conscious and unconscious selves in the proper way. Exactly how that is accomplished is deeply personal to each individual. There is no instruction manual.

This story concerns a human who accidentally discovers the third route and becomes embroiled in a battle in the alternate reality between the human and fae where the equilibrium between Earth and Faerie is nearly lost. Without this balance, either or both realms could be destroyed forever. They are intertwined in their destinies somehow. Who can say what the result would be if either one was overwhelmed by the other?

Kurt Smith was an ordinary human male of age twenty-three with a fondness for crafting jewelry from crystals and polished stones that he set in silver and gold. He liked to joke that he was a true "Smith" in that he had the knack for crafting things of beauty out of metal like the silversmiths and goldsmiths of old.

He liked to run cross-country for fun, for exercise and to unleash his creativity. His best ideas for his artistic creations always came to him while he was running. Kurt was blessed with living at the edge of a national forest at the feet of the Cascades in Western Washington. Extensive networks of logging roads and trails were accessible within easy walking distance of his modest home that was owned and used as a summer cabin by his parents. He made his meager living making jewelry and selling it online. It wasn't much of an income, but the lack of rent and the solitude gave him the time and peace to write.

It was an easy life, but offered little promise for a long-term future. That was the principal reason his girlfriend had given for leaving him. She grew up in this idyllic rural setting but was departing for college to better herself and get away from what she saw as a dead end existence. Kurt wasn't ready to give it up just yet, and suggested that they maintain their relationship long distance. Janice interpreted that as laziness and lack of initiative on Kurt's part. She presented him an ultimatum: go back to school to improve himself or they were through.

His choice was the reason he attempted his longest run ever that day. She dumped him and left. The breakup hit him harder than he thought it would. He became morose, melancholy and could not focus on either his art or his writing, so he ran. The miles rolled by beneath his feet without resolution to his feelings of despondency, so he continued past his usual distance. Then a thought born out of his depression occurred to him. "What if I never stopped running? How far could I go before I collapsed and couldn't move anymore?"

He decided to discover his limits. He ran for hours. The battery on his phone eventually died and he lost track of the distance somewhere after eighteen miles. The fatigue increased with each step as the day wore on. He refilled his water bottle repeatedly from streams he crossed knowing that water alone would not sustain him forever. Eventually the extreme weariness, the depletion of his body's energy reserves, and his anguished mental state combined with his overactive imagination led to hallucinations.

At least, he believed them to be delusions of his nutrient deprived brain. Minor changes to the flora appeared first, and when he tried to focus on them, they disappeared making the forest seem normal again. As his fatigue deepened, the changes became permanent. He accepted them without conscious thought or cognitive disconnect. Eventually, the landscape transformed completely so that no trace of the Douglas fir dominated forest of the Pacific Northwest remained. It was replaced by a fantastical landscape of tall broadleaf trees, rock spires, exotic colorful birds and air laden with the smell of spices. With his body shutting down and his mind delirious, he accepted these changes and they became real. When he shortly thereafter reached the ultimate limit of his endurance, he sagged to the ground like a marionette whose strings had been cut. At some point before he passed out, he became aware that he was lying on the ground without the strength to get up.

A lithe, red furred lapine soared above the forests of Ait with her arms outstretched to expose the leather-like wings that spanned from her wrists, up under her arms and down her slender waist to end at her hips. Coynindorcha was her name, and she looked something like a flying fur covered human with rabbit-like features. She was both ancient and beautiful to behold as though the ravages of time that afflict normal mortals could not touch her. Her body retained the vigor and suppleness of a young woman that had never known childbirth. Being Fae, she eschewed clothing, and wore only jewelry wrought of silver, gold and precious stones. None of it was iron, for that base metal caused her pain and made her weak when she was near it, and it burned her on contact.

The land that passed below her was the part of Faerie over which she held dominion. Her right to rule here was not a given thing, nor had she been born to it. She held it by the force of her powerful will and coerced the other Fae to yield to her. There were many creatures in this realm who had greater magic, were stronger, or simply obeyed no one but themselves, but there were none who could rival her ability to convince so many of the fractious and disunited Fae to follow and be led. Thus, she was known as the Queen of the Fae by the inhabitants of Ait.

She was flying as she was wont to do for the pure enjoyment of it, and would ordinarily have ignored a small disturbance such as what occurred along a road far below her. Something unusual on the road caught her eye and made her turn around. Her sight was better than that of an eagle, but she was high and far away and could not be certain of what she had seen. It was enough, though, to stir the rage within her that she kept simmering below her exquisite exterior.

When she hit the ground like a thunderbolt, the anthro cattle folk that surrounded the object of her ire staggered away in shock. Realizing who she was, they quickly recovered and dropped to one knee in supplication. She accepted their obeisance as she strode regally through the crowd towards the prostrate form of a human male. Having her suspicions confirmed only increased her wrath. The air about her swirled with an angry intensity that swept leaves, dust and sand into a vortex that forced the Eallach to close their eyes and nostrils and cover their faces with their fore-hooves.

When she spoke, her voice was as lovely as she was comely, yet it was also strong and intense as a storm at sea. "How did this human get here? Tell me from whence came he into our lands? Is he a spy for the Shogun's army?"

Oibri , one of the Eallach, stood up with his head bowed and his fore-hooves crossed in front of his chest. Though Coynindorcha was tall, standing an inch over six feet, Oibri like most of the Eallach was taller. His massive horns that jutted out horizontally from the top of his skull just above his ears made him seem larger still. Yet despite his greater size, he was humbled before the power and might of his queen.

"We do not know, my lady. We found the human here like this less than an hour ago. Should we kill him?"

Coynindorcha bent over the man and scanned him with her ancient, mystical senses. There was a newness about his aura as though he had not long dwelled in Faerie. It was clear to her that this man was alone and not from the nearby kingdom of men. She stood up straighter in an even greater rage. "No. He must be questioned. I must know how he came here."

Atop a bald hill above a river that separated the human occupied lands from those of the Fae stood an elderly but hale human in an odd uniform combining elements of ancient and modern military attire. "Shogun Oshiro." Captain Wilson of the Imperial Guard made a crisp salute and bowed at the waist. Though fair of skin and hair, his mannerisms were very much Japanese, as were those of all the troops in the new Shogunate of Faerie. His dress was reminiscent of the Samurai warriors of feudal Japan with a curious mix of armor and World War II era tailoring. Along with his katana against his hip, he carried a musket slung across his shoulder.

Satoki Oshiro acknowledged the salute with a curt nod. "Report, Captain."

"We spotter her, Sir. With these." The young captain returned the World War II Japanese Army issued binoculars to his superior. The elderly General accepted the return of his precious artifact from Earth and placed them around his neck. Since he found himself here in this demon possessed world, he had worked tirelessly to introduce the native humans to modern warfare and technology.

Memories of his past life briefly filled his head. He had been performing his kamikaze dive bomb run on the American carrier, USS Saratoga, when the transition happened. Mentally and spiritually, he had been prepared for his death. Perhaps that mental state that had allowed him to cross over. He had accepted that fate and was seconds away from the fiery impact, when the world changed and he found himself flying his Mitsubishi Reisen, or Zero as the American's dubbed his aircraft, over a strange land filled with impossible mythic creatures. He was nearly out of fuel when he found open country with flat grassy fields suitable for a landing. The human inhabitants were in awe of his flying machine once they overcame the fear and shock of its sudden appearance.

The pre-industrial inhabitants saw him as some kind of god descending from heaven. Satoki's pre-war education in engineering helped reinforce that impression. They made him their leader, and he began to industrialize and organize the humans of this place to conform to his own vision of the ancient Samurai. Gunpowder and standards of manufacturing were some of his first improvements. He also created a permanent, professional army. Everything he did was necessary to drive back the Fae who resented the human presence in their world and kept Satoki's people isolated and primitive.

Shogun Satoki Oshiro's dream was to break the stranglehold of control that the Fae had in Faerie. His well organized army with muskets and cannon was a start that had given humanity an edge, but in order to truly dominate, he needed access to resources such as coal, oil, iron, copper and aluminum. These riches and more like gold, silver, diamonds and other precious stones could only be found in abundance in the lands controlled by the Fae, a people who did not share with or allow access to humans for any reason. Satoki's plans, when they reached fruition, would destroy that wretched status quo.

One particular Fae consistently foiled his dream. He scowled as he thought of Coynindorcha. "Bring forward the assassins, Captain."

"Yes, Sir." Wilson made a curt gesture to a subordinate. Soon, five cloaked figures in camouflage ninja dress appeared as if from nowhere.

Satoki addressed them. "You know what to do. I want the queen eliminated. Her authority and control is the only thing keeping the Faerie army together and strong enough to oppose us. Whichever one of you accomplishes this task will earn my deepest gratitude and a reward to match." The ninja assassins nodded silently and then stealthily disappeared into the surrounding landscape.

Kurt awoke in a small bedroom in what appeared to be a country cottage. The outer wall with a small wood framed window was mortared cobblestones and the inner walls were made of rough plaster over wooden beams. The furniture was simple, with no indication that dressed lumber of any kind had been used in its construction. Kurt wondered where he was and whose cabin he was in. Groggily he thought about how he was going to explain how he was so stupid as to run himself into unconsciousness. That concern was driven from his head and became irrelevant when he realized that he wasn't alone and saw what was in the room with him.

Was this a further hallucination? Was he really still lying unconscious on the trail somewhere? The woman that stood in the dark corner by the only door to the room moved out of the shadows. The description 'woman' was inaccurate. She was not human but was clearly female in form. All of her feminine charms were left bare for his appreciative stare; bare except for the red fur that covered her otherwise human body. What she lacked in clothing, she made up for in jewelry. Both of her tall, rabbit-like ears were pierced in numerous places to support studs with bright gems and finely wrought silver and gold motifs of sinuous dragons that seemed to weave in and out of her ears. Around her neck was an intricately braided necklace of silver chain, diamonds and sapphires that draped over her breasts. Bracelets and anklets of equal cunning and beauty adorned her wrists and ankles. The most impressive piece to Kurt was a star shaped pendant of gold with a massive ruby at her navel. How it was affixed, he could not say. She was devastatingly beautiful in a strange, exotic way.

The scowl that covered her face, though, was neither beautiful nor friendly. She loomed over him where he lay. "Your life is forfeit, human. You know our laws. Tell me all that I wish to know, and your passing will be made easier."

Kurt was unsure how to react to her statements, which were frightening but made no sense. Her intimidating demeanor left him unsure how to challenge her. "I...uh...I don't know what you are talking about, or even who...or what you are."

She reached down and lifted him off the bed by the front of his shirt with one arm as if he were a small house cat. Though she was tall, her strength seemed out of proportion with her slender frame. With a voice that was deep, menacing and laced with malevolence, she made her intentions clear. "My patience is a limited resource, human. Do not play the innocent with me. I know what Shogun Oshiro wants. Tell me why he sent you here."

Now Kurt was really scared. He did not have the answers to her questions and he was fearful that she was some kind of demon or space alien bent on mischief and destruction. The bat-like wings under her arms, the rabbit like snout, ears and tail made it obvious she was not human, but there was more to her than that. He could sense the power that hung about her like an aura of authority.

His feet dangled inches above the floor. "I swear that I do not know anyone named Oshiro. I was running and got delirious and hallucinated before passing out. Am I still in Washington?" He cringed as he spoke expecting her to toss him across the room like a doll, an act of which she seemed easily capable.

Instead, she cocked her head sideways while sniffing around his face with her snout. Her menacing expression softened subtly. "You speak the truth. Continue talking."

"I'm not...not really sure what else to say. I am confused and don't know who you are or where I am. What do you want to know? What do you want from me?"

She made a wicked smile. "You may be of use to me. You are not of the Shogunate, but you are human. You understand humans and their ways. You have discovered how to travel between Earth and Faerie. Your appearance here now smells of fortuitousness and destiny to me."

"Destiny?"

"The humans here in Faerie are becoming more powerful all the time and soon may become unstoppable. I wish to sever the connection between Fae and Earth and eliminate the presence of humans here forever, and I have recently discovered the means to do so. Now you arrive like a gift to help me achieve my goal." Her expression hardened again. "As I said before, I have limited patience. I need your answer now. Do you wish to help me, or do you wish to die?"

"What kind of choice is that?"

"The only one that you have." Without another word, Coynindorcha carried Kurt through the door, past several gigantic minotaur-like creatures that bowed before the frightening, winged she-rabbit. Passing outside, she turned Kurt around and clutched him to her breast as she took to the sky.

He was terrified at first, certain that she meant to drop him to his death, but she seemed more intent on explaining something. She flew with him over an alien landscape that was not part of the Pacific Northwest or anywhere on Earth that Kurt had ever heard of or visited. He saw wonders that he was certain were impossible, yet they existed in this land. Wood nymphs, sprites, pixies, unicorns, dragons and many races of humanoid creatures who resembled an animal counterpart like Coynindorcha and the minotaurs that inhabited this exotic place.

Coynindorcha was unhappy with how like the humans her people were becoming. Many lived in houses, tilled fields of crops and built machines to make their lives easier. To her, this was a corruption of what she felt was an original plan to live in a simple and primitive harmony with the world. She blamed this state of affairs on the presence of the humans in Faerie and the ability of Fae and humans to cross back and forth between Earth and Faerie.

Kurt was dazzled by the mysterious splendor of this land and also by the beauty of his captor. The more she showed him, and the longer she held him to her strong body, the greater his desire became to stay here and help her with her cause. After hours of effortless flight, Coynindorcha alit upon a high, rocky arête overlooking the river that she said divided the level, fertile lands of the humans from the hilly and mountainous realm over which she ruled. The flat rocky summit of this ridge was surrounded by nearly vertical slopes on either side , and the ridge itself continued away from this small perch of safety as a broken knife-like ridge with precipitous flanks that would put fear in the heart of the most avid rock climber.

After setting Kurt down, the faerie queen crouched upon a jagged tooth of stone unconcerned bythe perilous drop off around her. Kurt's concern for falling was real and expressed itself in his body language and the fact that once released from her embrace, he positioned himself as far from the edges as he could.

She did not give him time to recover from his brief introduction to Faerie."I have spent too much time on you already, human. I have much to do. What is your decision?"

Though he was terrified that she would either leave him here or toss him over the edge, a stubborn boldness caused him to rebel. "I have a name. It is Kurt Smith. Before I answer, I would like to have yours."

"Coynindorcha is my name. However, most people address me as 'Your Highness', 'My Lady' or 'My Queen'."

"How should I address you?"

"That depends upon your answer."

Kurt considered his plight and his own growing fondness for this place and for the she-rabbit. "You have shown me what you have that you wish to protect. I would gladly assist you in preserving it in any way that I can. I have seen what humans have done to my world, and though I do not think it is entirely bad, I believe that one world is enough for us. We do not need to ruin yours."

The queen nodded. "Well spoken, and what of my desire to break the connection between Faerie and Earth?"

"I do not see how I can help you with that. I know nothing of such things. I am not even sure how I got here."

"I know how to sunder the connection between our worlds. If I show you how, will you assist me?"

Kurt thought deeply upon her request as the cool mountain wind cut through his running clothes making him shiver. "It seems to me a great pity to do such a thing. I think there is much that both worlds can teach each other. Why are they linked in the first place? Is there a purpose to it?"

"You ask questions that are beyond the wisest to answer. I know only that with your help, I can sever the connection. Will you help me or do I leave you here?"

Kurt knew in his gut that she would do just that if he said no, and he would die of exposure after she left. Yet, despite his fear, he would not say yes just to appease her and save his life. "I will help you achieve your goal, Your Highness, with one condition."

Coynindorcha stepped down from her perch and strode ominously toward Kurt. With her face as dark and frightening as a storm, she glared down at him. "You are in no position to make your acceptance conditional."

Her will was strong and intimidating, but Kurt steeled himself against her anticipated wrath. "Here me out, My Queen, please. I am yours to command as long as those commands bring no lasting harm to your world or to mine."

Her movements were so sudden and swift, Kurt was unable to react or cry out before he was held tight against her breast and airborne once more. Certain that she meant to drop him to his death, he was surprised when she did not let go. "I'm taking you someplace special where there is a powerful object of ancient magic that I believe will help us break the bridge between our worlds. If we are successful, I will stay on this side, and I will free you to stay on the other.

Kurt was left to ponder his new mistress' scheme while gaping in astonishment at the amazing world that rushed by beneath him. After hours of new and astonishing lands had moved by underneath, Coynindorcha flew over a high, mountainous ridge that hid a high, flat plane surrounded by snow-capped ridges. In the middle of this elevated steppe stood a lone, pyramid shaped mountain.

Near the top of the peak was a ledge with a simple opening under a rounded arch. She landed there. Steps carved in the side of the mountain led down and around the edifice. It would be an arduous and terrifying ascent to be made by foot. Kurt was grateful that they had flown.

"This place is called An Carnan. It is one of the most sacred sites in Faerie. I have never heard tell of a human allowed access to this place before."

"Are you breaking some law for my sake?"

"I do nothing for your sake, human." The rejection implicit in her words cut deeper into Kurt's soul than he thought possible. It was foolish, and he did not understand the reasons, but he found himself attracted to this strange creature. "There are no laws that specifically prohibit humans from coming to this place, but many of my kind would be angry if they knew that I brought you here."

She led him inside the mountain and down many flights of stairs past side passages beyond count. It was a labyrinth of tunnels within the mountain. Kurt was uncertain if he could find his way out again on his own. It was darker than the blackest night, and their only illumination was a bright spherical light that floated above the queen's head.

When she led him into a chamber at the end of their subterranean trek, the light from her floating orb struck an object resting on the flat top of a truncated stone pillar at chest height. It was a huge gemstone of indescribable brilliance the size of a grapefruit that was mounted within a braided crystal and black metal framework. The gem took the light from the Coynindorcha's glowing orb and split it like a prism into a million rainbows that dazzled their eyes.

Kurt could not speak. He was too astounded by the magnificence of this object to even remember how to make words. When she did speak, Coynindorcha's voice was low and deep as usual but now tinged with awe and pride. "This is the Aostacloch. It was lost to us for many eons, but was recently found. I know of no other relic as old as this. It is said that it is left over from the original creation of Faerie. The Aostacloch speaks to me when I draw near to it and has told me of its power to break the connection between our worlds."

Her mention of her obsession with sundering the connection between Earth and Faerie broke the hypnotic spell of the gem and allowed Kurt to find his voice again. "Why do you need me then if you have this and already know what to do?"

For the first time since they met, the exotic and stoic woman showed weakness and fear in her eyes. Kurt wondered at the reason.

"Pick it up." Kurt was afraid to touch such a priceless object for fear of breaking it, but the queen's voice left no room for dissent or question. As his trembling hand drew near to the Aostacloch, the hair on the back of his hand stood up as if in the presence of a static charge. At the moment of contact with the crystal and metal frame, an electric shock surged through his body, starting out low, but growing steadily until it became painful. He was about to let go, when she spoke again and grabbed the object with her paw. "Do not release it until I say."

Kurt noticed that her paw trembled as it came in contact with the device and she winced involuntarily just before she touched it. When she did, the electrical shock that had grown nearly intolerable vanished immediately.

"Then it is true," she declared with a sigh of relief. "The Aostacloch can be wielded, but only if human and faerie cooperate."

"Is that all I am to you, then; a tool to be used to achieve your ends?"

Her eyes showed puzzlement, and her ears rotated quizzically. "What is this human getting at?" she wondered to herself. Did he doubt that she needed him? Did he think that she was just tormenting him for her own pleasure? She would have let the Eallach kill him if that had been true. Perhaps he required proof.

"I shall prove the truth of my words. Remove your hand from the Aostacloch." In doing as she commanded, he observed her to flinch, and grit her teeth as if in pain. Within seconds he could smell burnt flesh and fur. She then abruptly released the artifact and held her reddened and smoldering paw in front of his face. "I cannot do this without you. The faerie crystal is as deadly to humans as the cold iron is to the Fae. There is no way for one person of either race to handle it alone. Do you need further proof?"

"I was not asking for proof of your assertions concerning the Aostacloch."

"Then what do you want?"

Kurt wanted to tell her that he wished for her to think of him as a man and not just a convenient tool, and he was steeling himself to do just that, when another of the Fae burst into the underground chamber. This one was also a fur covered humanoid, but not a rabbit like his Faerie Queen. He was male and had black, leathery wings under his arms like the queen, but he was shorter, had brown fur, bat-like ears and snout, and golden eyes.

In his haste to make obeisance to his queen, he failed to notice the human partially hidden behind the Aostacloch. "My lady, Shogun Oshiro's army is on the move again and crossing the River Teorann. The dryads of the old woods refuse to help repel the invasion. You are needed...at...the..."

The bat's voice trailed off and his mouth hung open upon spying Kurt. "Ignore the human, Amhain. Finish your report."

"Yes, Mistress." The bat resumed his recitation, but his eyes did not leave Kurt. The disdain and contempt he held for the human was apparent from his scowl. "There are other dissenters who need your encouragement to cooperate. The water sprites and phins put up only token resistance to the enemy's crossing allowing them to establish a beachhead on our side of river. They have many cannon and muskets and are well organized. It will be difficult to drive them back unless the Fae unite."

"Thank you, Amhain. I shall tend to this at once."

"What about this human?"

"He is in your care until I return."

"But, My Lady..."

"You will suffer my wrath if you do not follow my orders. The human is to be kept safe and unharmed no matter what."

"The bat sagged noticeably and sighed. "Yes My Queen. It shall be as you command."

"Kurt, I shall return later in the day. Amhain will see to your needs. Do not attempt to leave or flee this place." She paused briefly, and then in an unusually conciliatory tone, she continued. "I trust that you will honor our deal. I apologize if I forced it upon you under duress. That was wrong. We shall talk of this more later."

When the queen departed, her light went with her, and Kurt was plunged into absolute darkness. He imagined the bat could use echolocation to see, and he thought he heard a very high pitched chirping at the edge of his range of hearing. There was an uncomfortable and stubborn silence between Kurt and the bat. Neither was inclined to be the first to speak. Only the light sound of their breathing, magnified in the silence, gave any indication that either was still present. As Kurt brooded upon what Coynindorcha had said about his needs, a plan to rid himself of his bat jailer occurred to him.

"I'm hungry." Kurt's simple statement, though spoken softly, was like a shout in the dark, underground silence. The bat folded his ears down on themselves in response to the sudden assault of sound.

"Speak quietly, human if you must make noise." The tone of the bat's surly voice made it clear he was not inclined to cater to the hated human's needs. What do you expect me to do about it?"

"It is not what I expect, but what your Queen commands. She said you are to keep me safe and see to my needs. I need food and water or I will die. I ran a great distance this morning, and have been without food for too long. If I am not fed, I will be seriously ill. Your mistress will not be pleased."

"I will have to fly down off the mountain to get you what you need. I can't leave you here alone."

"Why not? I am blind in the dark. I have no idea how to get out of here. I can't even see you now, though I imagine you are scowling at me." An abrupt exhale of surprise from the bat indicated his guess had been correct. "Where will I go and what will I do but sit here and wait?"

Kurt's argument must have been convincing. He heard Amhain move his body and the sound of his hind claws against the stone floor. "Stay here. I am not responsible if you wander around in the dark and kill yourself, human. There are many dangerous pits and chasms in here." Without another word or a polite "Good-bye", the bat left the chamber. The scratching of his claws as he walked to the surface slowly faded until there was no sound left but Kurt's own breathing and the rushing of blood in his ears.

He waited for what he thought was ten minutes. It was difficult to tell how much time passed in his state of visual deprivation, but at least he didn't have to go hungry. Satisfied that the bat was gone, he fished an energy bar and the mini LED flashlight on his keychain out of his running shorts and was about to begin slowly exploring as he ate. Instead, the tight beam from his light caught the fabulous gem again and resultant re-radiance of light was more spectacular than before.

Mesmerized, he drew closer while slowly chewing his food. In the empty silence, he began to see images and hear sounds that obscured his normal view of reality. It was as if a confusing movie was playing inside of his head. Much of what he experienced was beyond his comprehension, but he was able to glean hints of ancient wonders and mysteries that he found difficult to believe, but suspected were a fundamental underlying truth of reality. It was an astounding revelation to learn that the human and Faerie worlds were born of the same universe and spilt apart by beings or forces unknown for reasons that he could not fathom. what Coynindorcha had said was true. The Aostacloch was connected with that initial sundering of Faerie and Earth and was essential for maintaining the bridge between them. It told him how to break that bridge, but the most important impression he received from the stone was that the worlds should not be separated before the time was right and that time was far off.

Had Coynindorcha received this same impression or was she blind to it? He could not understand from the messages he had received why her plan was wrong; only a strong feeling remained after the images and sounds ceased. He decided to confront her with this when she returned. Until then, he was determined to explore.

There were many side passages and stairs leading both up and down, so he kept to a fairly straight path to minimize his prospects of becoming lost. He scratched arrows on the stone walls at every intersection to indicate the direction from which he had come. As long as his flashlight battery kept going, he would be able to find his way back. If not, he was certain either Coynindorcha or Amhain would come looking for him.

His precautions were for naught since he didn't travel far before he found another wonder to rival the Aostacloch. The glint of his light reflecting off something metallic led him to turn off the main passageway and explore a rough and otherwise unpromising tunnel that ended in a crude arch. Beyond that arch was a round room filled with treasures of unsurpassed magnificence. The meager beam of light from his flashlight was split and then doubled, tripled and quadrupled as it passed through cut gemstones and bounced off a multitude of mirror bright objects of gold and silver.

How does one explain the dragon lust that can seize a man's heart upon being confronted with a horde of such unimaginable wealth? It is an exhilarating and simultaneously corrupting madness that unleashes a primitive response to gather all the precious metals and gems together and hide the entirety away where no one else can see or touch it. This author considers himself to be inadequate to the challenge of conveying the overwhelming sensation. Please consider listening to this song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV0wPBYDQ6Y (The Ecstasy of Gold by Ennio Morricone) as you imagine yourself wading through piles of cut and uncut precious gems; letting strands of silver, platinum and gold chains slip through your fingers like spaghetti noodles; fondling cunningly wrought statuettes, diadems, daggers, goblets, bracelets, necklaces and rings all of which are made from only the richest, most lustrous and intensely sparkling minerals that nature can produce.

Time passes strangely underground. We don't realize how dependent we are upon the movement of the sun, moon and stars to help us accurately note time's progression. Kurt could not tell, but it may have been hours before he came to his senses and began to realize that this was not a vault. It was a workshop. Among the fabulous treasures were tools for smelting, shaping, cutting, molding, and fashioning all of the objects present. It was only as his heart rate returned to normal and he saw the world again through un-bedazzled eyes that he realized that many of the objects in this room were unfinished.

Tools and raw materials were left in place as though the artist or artists who had been working to fashion these wonders had taken a break and never returned. If the thickness of dust coating everything was an indication, then it was possibly many years since the creative process had been at work here. Kurt soon found coal and a kiln with a chimney to carry away the smoke. With flint and tinder he managed to ignite it as a source of light to save his flashlight battery. As he gazed about this abandoned smithy, an idea began to take shape in his head.

The human army was now across the river, and a floating pontoon bridge had been erected and was heavily guarded to ensure the continuity of its supply line. Nets woven with cold iron had been deployed to keep the aquatic Fae away. Shogun Satoki had learned from previous failures that he could not hope to conduct a successful military campaign without this vital link to the human side of the river. The river faeries were a nuisance that he could not ignore.

Military victory and territorial expansion were not the goals of this phase of his campaign. Satoki knew that he could not achieve victory over a united enemy. He needed to destroy the one creature that held the fractious Fae together. He needed Coynindorcha dead. He needed to draw her here where his assassins could find her and kill her or at least track her to wherever she lived.

He took a moment to walk over to his carefully maintained and preserved zero and lovingly ran his wrinkled, yet still steady hand, along the curved leading edge of the left wing. He noted the structural changes that had been made to allow for a second passenger. It was a pity to have marred such a beautifully engineered machine, but her dog fighting and dive bombing days were over. The humans of Faerie could not yet make replacement ammo for the guns, and he had plenty of cannon on the ground to rain death down upon the enemy. His glorious bird would have to uphold her honor by flying a different mission. Satoki's fondest hope was that someday his descendants would be able to make more just like her.

Oh, how he wished he could fly again, but he was old, and his vision and reflexes were no longer adequate to the task. Memories of past glories were as close as he would ever get again to the ecstasy of flight. He must yield this honor to others and thank his ancestors for all of which he was still capable. The time left him in this world was limited, and he still had much to accomplish. A tear formed in the corner of his eye as he thought also of his family that had been left behind on Earth. He had a wife and siblings who may yet still live. He couldn't help them, but he could help his adopted kinsmen here in Faerie.

Two men approached the Shogun from behind. One was a medium height man of African descent dressed in Oshiro's old flight suit including his cap and goggles. He was the best pilot that Satoki had trained. The second man was of mixed descent with vaguely east Asian eyes and skin tone. He was one of the assassins Satoki had talked to earlier. The assassin wore a parachute. The two subordinates stood at attention behind their reminiscing leader until he deigned to notice them.

Satoki heard their approach. After wiping away the tear, he turned to face the two aviators with a neutral and grim expression. They bowed and saluted.

The pilot spoke first. "Flight Captain Arroya Mlungisi and ninja assassin number five reporting, Sir!". Despite having been in Faerie for centuries, Mlungisi's people had managed to keep themselves apart culturally and genetically from much of the rest of the dispalced human population. He even retained his native African accent rather than adopting the common brogue of the rest of humanity here in Faerie. Satoki appreciated that because he knew he also spoke with an accent to his subjects. Perhaps it was this tenuous kinship that was part of the reason he had selected Arroya for pilot training, but sentiment alone was not the reason. Arroya was an excellent pilot. Satoki trusted him implicitly with is precious zero.

The assassin remained silent but at attention. Behind his camouflaged clothes and face paint lurked a dangerous and menacing expression. This was a trained killer who would not hesitate to complete his mission.

These two knew their mission, but protocol required they rehearse it one last time with their commander. "Your orders, Flight Captain."

"To track the faerie queen and report her movements via radio so that assassins on the ground can stalk and acquire the target if she stays within range. If she leaves the local theater of operations, we are to pursue and try to locate her base and report the location. If we are sucessful, then I am to drop ninja assassin five to execute the final phase of the mission."

"Excellent. Thank you, Captain." Satoki handed his precious binoculars to the assassin but continued speaking to the pilot. "Keep high and as far from her as you can. I do not want her to suspect what we are doing. This mission must succeed."

Arroya bowed with proper reverence. "It shall be as you command, Sir."

Coynindorcha growled in the back of her throat as the last of the faerie leaders left the council circle to, in many cases reluctantly, carry out her battle orders. She knew that it was only her will that held them all together and forced each species of faerie to unite under a single banner to effectively oppose the humans. It was not natural for them to act in concert and they resented it. "As well they should," she accidentally said aloud.

Bruktain, a large white and gray wolf warrior, who was her second in command, overheard her stray remark. "My Lady?"

Ordinarily, she would say it was nothing but she was frustrated and needed to vent. "They are right to complain. This is not our way. Faerie do not organize into armies. To fight the humans, we are becoming like the humans. To save ourselves, we are destroying who we are."

"Surely we can go back to the old ways when this is over."

"This will never be over as long as the connection to the human world remains open. They grow stronger and advance in technology with every year especially when new humans like Oshiro arrive. I fear a day may come when we can no longer hold them back."

"It is true that they now have muskets and guns, but we are still stronger. We rule the skies, the land and the water. The dragons have even promised to burn the bridge that connects the Shogun's army to the human side of the river. Their bullets cannot harm stone trolls, and the elementals can turn the ground beneath their troops to quicksand."

"This is not natural for the Fae. When have dragons ever cooperated with anyone for the common good?"

"Never, My Lady. They do it for you; for the fear and respect that they have for you."

"And will I always be here, Bruktain?"

"Certainly for many centuries more, My Lady. You are invaluable to the Fae. That is why we protect you and keep you safe. Satoki knows that you are why he is consistently defeated. He is desperate. We have learned that he has sent assassins to kill you. That is why your guard is now so strong." The wolf gestured to the trolls and elementals that stood guard at the perimeter of the circle. As if the reminder of the threat heightened his senses, Bruktain sniffed the air, then moved with inhuman speed to interpose himself between his mistress and the danger he knew was nigh. Even with his uncanny speed, the arrow intended for Coynindorcha's heart struck his forearm, which was all he could put in front of her in time.

Without a grunt of pain or pausing to assess his own hurt, he yelled to the guards. "Assassin! Protect the queen." All became chaos as the trolls and fire elementals assaulted the tree from where the arrow had originated. Bruktain kept his body between the source and the queen. The air elementals created a swirling vortex of dust and debris to foil any further attacks from another directed. There was no guarantee that this was a lone assassin. The first may have been a diversion.

The pandemonium lasted only a few minutes before the assassin was killed and the surrounding woods were found to be clear of any further threat. The body was dumped at the Queen's paws. She was angry that he had not been taken alive, but her immediate concern was Bruktain's arm.

The wolf dismissed the damage. "It is nothing. I will have it tended. The greater problem is my failure to protect you." Bruktain's stood, ashamed, with his ears flat against his head and his tail between his legs.

"I am unharmed."

"It could have easily ended badly. There are more assassins, and it is evident that I may not be able to protect you here so close to the humans."

The regal rabbit put one paw on the wolf's shoulder and lifted his downcast chin with the other so he would meet her eyes. "You have succeeded in protecting me. As a reward, I shall grant you what you want." Bruktain gazed at her quizzically. "I am leaving now. I have more important business elsewhere; business that may end this struggle forever."

Bruktain tried to ask what this secret business might entail, but Coynindorcha held his snout shut with her paw. "You do not need to know. I will either succeed or fail. The pieces for the battle here with the humans are all in place. You can command their movements under my authority. They will obey."

She released her hold on him and spread her arms and wings. "Have your arm healed. I know it pains you worse than you show. Send messengers to An Carnan if I am needed or if there are new developments."

She rose abrubtly into the air and sped into the west. Her mind was focused on the human, Kurt, and her plan to protect her world forever. Thus, she failed to hear the faint drone of the airplane that followed her.

Amhain was in a panic as he searched for the wretched human who had wandered away from the chamber of the Aostacloch. The cretin had broken his promise to stay put, and now the bat would be punished by the Queen if anything untoward befell him. His ability to see by echolocation was a fantastic benefit underground, but its fidelity was not enough to allow him to detect the faint arrows that Kurt had scratched in the walls. Thus, he had to explore every side passage to its conclusion.

After exploring one such dead end, he saw the angry green light of Coynindorcha's glowing orb approaching. He fell to the floor on his knees prepared for her wrath.

"What are doing on the floor, Amhain, and where is the human?"

"He wandered off, My Queen, after asking me to get him food. I have been searching for him but have not been able to find him."

The rabbit laughed and pointed to the arrow on the wall. "You would have been better off with a torch than your keen ears, Amhain."

The bat winced at his egregious mistake. "I was a fool, My Queen."

"Let's find him and ensure he is alright, and then I shall judge how big of a fool you are."

Amhain trailed dejectedly behind Coynindorcha as they followed the arrows. When they reached the turn to the smithy and saw the glow of the forge, the bat felt relief knowing that her wrath towards the human would be greater than towards himself. It was typical of humans to be drawn to treasure. He should have known that Kurt would end up there. What the human couldn't know is that this place was special to the Queen. Her lover, lost in the war with the humans had spent countless hours here fashioning jewelry for her to wear. Since his death, the forge had been idle and she had allowed no one access.

As predicted, the lighted orb floating over her head turned and angry red in sync with her mood. The bat stayed several paces behind her but could not resist following to witness the consequences of her anger.

When she burst into the chamber she was shouting. "What are you doing in here? I told you to stay put and not wander in this place."

Kurt was startled by her enraged entrance. He jumped up from the bench where he was working and quickly hid something behind his back. "No. You told me not to leave or flee ''this place". I interpreted that to mean all of An Carnan."

His words only served to further fuel her fiery fury. "Do not play word games with me human." She tossed a heavy wooden table that lay between her and him aside as if it weighed nothing. Jewelry, goblets, and plates scattered and clattered about the room. "This place is off limits to everyone but me. You will pay dearly for this intrusion!"

She advanced directly towards Kurt intent upon striking him down. He held his ground, though, and ducked inside her flailing arms to hug himself with one arm against her breast. With the other, he held forth in front of her snout what he had previously hidden behind his back.

It took her wrath filled eyes a moment to adjust to this strange reaction to her attack. The human clutched a piece of jewelry composed of gems and metals chains in his hand. "I made this for you, Mistress. I am sorry if I have offended or hurt you in any way by being her, but I could not resist trying my hand at creating a gift from such a wondrous horde."

Coynindorcha was stunned. "You are a smith? You made this for me?"

"Yes and yes. It is a headpiece designed especially to wrap around your ears. May I put it on you?"

The proud queen felt tears forming in her eyes and she remembered a similar conversation that took place over one hundred years ago with her now dead lover in this very room. With her rage fading, she could sense the honest sincerity of Kurt's affection towards her. It touched her deeply, and she felt herself thinking of him as something other than a means to complete her plan.

Still, she did not want to show weakness to a human. Not trusting her voice to be steady, she nodded to his request. He unfurled the item and placed the intricately woven metal links over her ears. She had to squat down for him to do so because she was so much taller than he was. When he was done and was satisfied that it was in place, he retrieved a mirror in a gold and jewel encrusted frame and held it out for her to admire herself.

The piece was indescribably beautiful. A series of silver, gold and platinum chains were woven in a Celtic knot pattern that encircled her brow and looped around her ears. At each temple hung a deep blue sapphire shaped like a teardrop. In the middle of her forehead where the chain dipped down in a gentle 'V' hug a heart shaped diamond encircled by small, round sapphires.

No one in Faerie had crafted such a thing in an age. She was speechless.

"Do you like it?"

Coynindorcha was on the verge of crying from the overwhelming surge of emotions she felt from Kurt's gift and her memories of this place. Instead of speaking and betraying her weakness, she tossed the mirror away. Kurt misinterpreted this as a renewal of her anger, but she swept him up against her firm breasts and crushed him in an affectionate hug. The glowing orb above her turned a soft yellowish white.

After a moment of confusion, Kurt put his arms around her back and gently stroked her soft, red fur.

"You may leave us, Amhain," spoke the queen after she had composed herself enough that her voice did not crack when she spoke.

"Yes...yes...of course, My lady," stuttered the bat surprised by the unexpected turn of events. He quickly backed away from the entrance to the smithy where he had been lurking and headed towards the surface confused and befuddled.

When they were alone, the Faerie Queen held Kurt at arm's length and examined him closely from head to foot. "You are not badly proportioned for a human, and your face is not unattractive."

Kurt made a snort-like laugh. "I hope that you are saying that I am handsome. Do you find it difficult to pay me a compliment? I have no such reservations. You are the most beautiful creature that I have ever met."

A sharp intake of breath from the Queen told Kurt that he had surprised her, perhaps pleasantly. She renewed her inspection of his body. "It might be easier for me to gage your comeliness if you didn't cover yourself in cloth."

"Are you asking me to remove my clothes?"

"Yes. I don't understand why you humans wear them." Though her voice contained puzzlement, there was also a trace of lustful expectation.

"You have but to command me, Mistress, and I shall remove them. Is that your wish?"

"It is."

Kurt kicked off his shoes and removed his socks. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Without delay he dropped his shorts and underwear to the floor and stepped out of them.

Coynindorcha moved towards him and ran her soft paws over his skin beginning with his chest. "So different not having fur." Her paw slowly traced a path down the center of his chest and over his abdomen, stopping momentarily above his pubis. Kurt responded the way any man would when touched by an attractive, horny and naked member of the opposite sex. His erection grew to its full size.

His mistress smiled. "I think we are compatible. Destiny was at work when it brought you and I together."

Kurt reached up to kiss her. "I am glad that it did." They spent several minutes exploring each other's mouths with their tongues and reveling in the sweet feeling of connectedness that they now shared.

The rabbit then lifted the human up by his buttocks and thighs and carried him over to an empty table where she laid him down. Stepping up onto the table, she stood over him with her hind-paws straddling his waist. Turning one hundred eighty degrees, she knelt down and squatted, placing her sex over his mouth. Kurt needed no encouragement to wrap his arms around her thighs and draw her already moist vagina to his mouth so that he could lick her warm and luscious folds.

The Queen moaned aloud before opening her mouth and lowering her snout over his stiff cock. Kurt whimpered in delight at the tight fleshy embrace of her mouth sliding up and down his shaft. He buried his tongue as deeply inside of her as he could while fingering her clitoris. The taste of her love fluids was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was both sweetand musky and intensely arousing.

The yellowish white orb that floated over her head changed to a soft pink color as her passion intensified. Soon, she was breathing in short gasping breaths and shuddering from her first orgasm. Kurt swallowed the juices that flowed freely from her and into his eager mouth. Releasing his cock from her mouth she uttered a keening scream in the unearthly way of which rabbits are capable when in distress or the throws of great passion.

Once the trembling of her body stopped and her breathing returned to normal, she turned around until her muzzle was in front of his face. She licked his cheek as she spoke. "You have a marvelous tongue, human. It has pleased me greatly. Let's see what this can do." She grabbed his shaft, which was now positioned between her thighs and lowered her pussy onto it slowly until the tuft of thick fur above her vagina touched his pubic hair.

Sitting up straight, she placed her paws on his chest and ground her groin against his. Kurt reached up to cup her breasts with his hands and stroke her bare nipples with his thumbs. As he did so, she spread her arms out horizontally to expose her leathery wings. All sense of time was lost again to Kurt as his entire universe shrank to the encompass only the woman who rocked back forth astride him and the feeling of her soft, internal space as it rose up and down his shaft.

When he finally came, his orgasm was accompanied by a repeat of Coynindorcha screaming and shaking from the spasms that wracked both their bodies. He shot his seed deep inside of her for what seemed like an eternity. At the end, she collapsed on top of him and he embraced her in a hug. How long they lay there in the throes of post coital bliss, he did not know.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]