Fall of a Hero: Hearts Without Foundation (a Fantasy Adventure)

Heads, Fingers, and Lips...

Lady Jez snaked up to me without wavering. "Tell me. Have you...in fact done this thing?"

"I-I" Truth was, I didn't know what to say. Here was this intensely attractive woman in front of me without a hint of a snide snarl on her face asking me if I participated in treason. What if I said yes? It'd be like a death sentence. And if I said no?

"Oh dear," she playfully flipped her long red hair and cocked her head. She chuckled. "I'm just asking if you talked with him. It's not like I'm convicting you to death!"

I cowered bashfully to myself. I did not like the way she was making me feel. It was uncomfortable and awkward...but somehow nice. I simply and politely smiled for my life.

The woman raised her hands and took my chin in them, looking into my eyes. I tensed. My heart raced upon her touch. Her hands were so soft and warm. There was a aura in her. My mouth opened and closed several types uselessly. I couldn't make a peep she intimidated me so much...or was it something else. She took my breath away. The world was getting cloudy and humid like the steaming of a shower. How could such a person be so alluring yet be so frightening? Perhaps it was because I was slipping into her sweet seducing of getting information. She smelt so nice. Her eyes glimmered and dilated. Slowly and slowly...softer and softer I slipped...and fell forward into her hands that held my chin before.

In fact, that's exactly what happened. I fell away from reality. The gorgeous woman guided my head up to hers in my slouched state and brought it up to her full and delicate lips. She stroked my right cheek whispering, almost humming, "Tell me Fetoven Vas, what is it that you hide in your heart?"

Then she neared closer with her hot honeysuckle breath. I felt her so press her lips to mine, I felt her kiss vividly in the dream. In horror, my mind screamed but I could not wake up! I jerked back in my trance. She gripped the back of my head tighter and deepened her kiss, making it more and more fervent. The more fervent it got, the hotter I got until it felt like there were mini explosions inside me. This strange sensation I later discovered to be incomparably powerful trance magic-magic coyly embedded in the woman's lotions, makeups, powders, and perfumes. I didn't know where I was.

It felt like she was sucking something intangible from me. Voices seemingly rose out of nowhere and echoed in my mind dragged out from oblivion. Where had they come from? They swirled emptily and ominously repeating their mantras of my secrets and heart. "I will do anything for my dead brother because I feel insufficient in comparison." My spirit quaked, sensing the irregular and inappropriately random thought that I had not called upon.

Suddenly another voice moaned, "I will do anything for goodness even lie."

"I may hurt some, but it is for the justice of goodness," a voice replied immediately after.

"I will lie, steal, and cheat if I must...whatever it takes for rest," one whispered in a level that was a bit louder. My spirit flickered in devastation. That was a horrifically true belief of mine. It wasn't evil, I didn't think. It didn't mean it to sound so bad. I meant it to be noble. Then I realized that it was noble, but to who? Me alone and even then it was crooked as well. Well, unfortunately they were necessary for righteous purpose.

"I do not care who I hurt as long as it's for a good cause."

I winced. That sour taste was in my throat. Who was I? For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

The voices continued in chorus piping up, each one at a time, stating each's secret in a freakishly organized roll call. Louder and louder they got until they hit normal audible levels. They started to sound like my voice over and over in different moods.