In another of the desolate parts of the wilderness, a black hole stood. The hole was a few feet off the ground and looked like a mirage to anyone who was within 50 meters of it. Yet no creature dared to get close to it. For the few that did were sucked into the black hole – well, parts of them. Some had only their heads sucked in, effectively beheading them and costing them their lives. Others had half of their bodies taken, and some were totally minced even before they could step foot into the black hole. The creatures that remained had learned from the deaths of the first few. No one dared try again.
Suddenly the black hole that had been quiet all this while showed signs of activity. It moved and churned into a spiraling vacuum as it slowly grinded into motion. The few creatures around watched in curiosity as the black hole which had only been taking, spat something out for the first time. What it spat out was a large man who had a slightly panicked expression on his face. The man fell onto the ground with a loud thud and rolled around a few times before finally standing up.
"That was close," Ivor quickly wiped off the small beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead and exclaimed. The strange black hole behind him which had been his means of escape closed swiftly and disappeared.
This was the destination he had set the black hole to. He wasn't silly enough to set his escape route to Asher City or any of the surrounding areas. So had placed his Space Mark here – in the middle of nowhere. And it proved to be the right decision.
"What a shame," Ivor sighed and turned to look at where the black hole previously stood with a regretful expression on his face. He was planning to bring Mane here when he captured him and get all he wanted before leaving. He wasn't naïve enough to think that the Barbarians trusted him to the point that they would believe his every word. So his actual goal was to get what he wanted from Mane before presenting the boy to the Barbarians as a 'gift'. That way he would not only get what he wanted, but would also force a favor to be returned down the throat of the Barbarian Lord. Unfortunately the Wise Flame Rasa had read his intentions and had sent Waska to intercept him.
And even if Waska didn't come, Ivor knew that there was no way he would have been able to escape with the Heavenly Nether Beast protecting Mane.
"Who would have thought that the Ancients valued him so?" Ivor thought sullenly. The last remaining Heavenly Nether Beasts were joined to the Ancients. So it was easy to guess who wanted to protect Mane. What he couldn't understand was why the beast took so long to appear.
"It doesn't matter anymore," Ivor remarked to no one in particular. What worried Ivor now was how he was going to let his mistress know that he failed.
"I gather that this means that you failed?" a lovely voice was suddenly heard whilst Ivor was stuck in his introspection.
The voice was packed with so much allure that Ivor's cheeks turned a bit pink before they grew pale. His eyes also became hazy and feelings of lust threatened to overtake him. However just like the coloring of his cheeks, he recovered himself pretty quickly. And those eyes that were filled with lust were swiftly occupied by fear.
"Ivor greets Master," Ivor immediately turned to the source of the voice and knelt down on all fours. He looked like a dog left all alone in the cold. For he shivered and shook just like one. Only that he wasn't a dog, and the weather was too soothing to strike someone of such stature with feelings of discomfort. He was shaking from fear – fear of the one who had magically appeared here.
"You failed," the seductive voice of the woman was heard yet again, and Ivor felt its effects all over again. It had been centuries since he started serving his Master, yet her charm was something he had never been able to overcome. And he doubted that there were any in the world who could. His Master's power made her irresistible to any who had tasted the forbidden fruit of adulthood. Unless one knew not the ways of pleasure and lust, one would not be able to hold off her seduction. The scariest part was, she wasn't even trying to seduce him! She was angry, and even then her tone was still enough to almost cause him to lose himself. And that was why he mostly communicated with her via letter. As for how he knew she was angry, it was pretty simple. For his Master to leave her tower and come all the way here meant that she was not best pleased.
"Yes Master," Ivor didn't bother to excuse himself or present any explanations. His Master's power allowed her to look into his mind and soul and find out whatever she wanted for herself. She would eventually see why he failed and understand what was going on.
*Boom*
Once Ivor answered in the affirmative a strong force tugged at his body and forced him to kiss the earth. His large body helplessly banged into the ground and was kept pressed against the floor. With each second that passed the forced that pushed him deeper and deeper into the ground increased, and Ivor could feel his bones creaking.
"Pwease weed my mrind, Mashterr," Ivor struggled to bring out words as he pleaded with his mistress to look through his mind. Maybe when she saw that his plan was doomed to fail from the start because of the Heavenly Nether Beast, she would be a bit more lenient.
"Seeing that you are so eager to have your mind read for the first time since you started serving me, I am curious to see its contents."
The force crushing Ivor ceased in its attempt to kill the big man, and Ivor exhaled a huge sigh of relief. His forehead was filled with sweat again. But this time it was much more that the first. He smiled bitterly thinking that he cleaned his sweat too soon.
There was a small gust of wind, and a beautiful foot appeared before Ivor's eyes. The foot had on no shoes or even a slipper. It remained a few centimeters off the ground, not touching the earth below it as though it was not worthy enough to carry the owner of the foot. And one could see why. For the foot was as beautiful as the most glamorous of pearls and was sculpted with such care that it looked like a masterpiece on its own. It was almost – almost, yet not certain – as if the Creator had utilized all his skill on this one foot, and settled for mediocre ones after completion because he felt that there was no way he could exceed his work.
Ivor marveled at the beauty of the dainty foot for a second, before hurriedly sinking his head into the ground. However, a soft hand reached out for him and grabbed onto his fleshy chin. With so much delicateness that one would have thought that Ivor was a piece of fragile glass, those beautiful fingers forced his head up. Ivor couldn't even admire the pretty fingers for once his head was raised he found himself staring at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her eyes were slightly limpid yet somehow focused at the same time. They were a mix of black and brown and seemed to hold the mysteries of the world. Her eyelashes were like palm leaves – long and supple – and her eyebrows swept the top of each eye like gorgeous curtains. In between those lovely eyelashes was a black dot that gave her appearance an extra bit of charm – as if she even needed it.
Her nose and lips were just as masterfully made as her eyes. Each of them looked like beautiful art pieces that were carved by the hard work and combined effort of several maestros. And they drew in anyone who gazed upon them.
"Let's see what is in here," those beautiful red lips parted as that sweet voice entered Ivor's ears. His eyes lost their focus, and his Master easily invaded his mind. Her eyes flashed with a faint black glow and she gazed into Ivor's eyes for about a dozen seconds. Finally the black glow in her eyes faded, and she let go of Ivor's fat chin gentler than she had picked it up, slotting her subordinate's face back into the head shaped hole in the ground.
"I see," Ivor's Master had an excited expression. What had excited her most about Ivor's memories was Mane. His battle with Camila had been spectacular. And though the current her could easily deal with him with nothing but a wave of her hand, he had so much potential that she was unwilling to let him go.
"Return for the Princess. It's time for the Noble Twins to know of their heritage. Oh and grab the Crystal Monkey while you're at it" She licked her lips sensually and said. "I will get the boy," she added before her figure disappeared. Along with her disappearance went Ivor's muddle-headedness. The large man picked himself up and smiled wryly before bowing to where his mistress last stood and saying,
"As you wish, Mistress."
Before long a black hole opened before Ivor, and he travelled to the land where darkness reigned.