Spellbound
Tygra found Celeste’s village again with ease, in fact with
such ease it would almost suggest that an unnoticed force drew him there. As he approached the limits of the mystical
settlement, Celeste stepped out of the misty evening fog and greeted him with a
beaming smile and a big hug.
“Tygra! I’m delighted to see you
back so soon.”
“Me too, I mean, I’m glad to be back,” he answered, stumbling over his words slightly. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you after I left. I... I just had to see you again.”
Celeste’s smile broadened, and although Tygra did not notice, it picked up a distinctively smug edge. “I’m very flattered. It’s quite an ego boost to catch the attentions of a handsome warrior like yourself,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “Welcome back. May I lead you to the palace?”
“Sure,” he answered. Celeste turned and walked hand in hand with him to the palace. The tiger recognized the courtyard she led him to from earlier, and he noticed the servant girl Mirlana pouring fresh wine into two glasses. Celeste dismissed her with a silent wave, and as soon as the servant left, she and Tygra sat down upon a double-seated lounge.
Tygra took the offered cup and sipped at the sweet fluid. “I love this wine. We don’t have anything like this at the Lair.”
Celeste nodded and took a sip of her drink. “It’s a special vintage that my people make. The recipe has been with my people for many generations. Only those that have been to our village have had the pleasure of tasting it.” She set her cup back down and met his eyes with a suggestive gaze. “But there are many things that one can only find here.”
“Such as?” he asked curiously.
Celeste smiled mysteriously. “In time, my dear Tygra.”
* * *
Damien leaned against the trunk of a large elm tree smugly, waiting for Chilla to arrive. His scrying powers had shown him the scene of Chilla getting angry and leaving Skytomb, and he knew without a doubt that she was on her way to find him. After all, that was exactly how he had planned it, so that he could have her for his toy and his alone. He was surprised at how easy she had been to charm, given her frosty demeanor, but it seemed even one made of ice could not resist the lure of the magical wine that helped her to “forget” her troubles, and the rest of her mortal friends right along with it. Once they were off her mind, he could take all he wanted from her, and feed off her mortal energy. By the time she might wise up to what was happening, she’d have too little power to do anything about it, and she, like all the others, would be little more than a corporeal spirit bound to the area, kept alive only by the magical energies the place held.
As he saw her approach, he put on the most charming smile he could muster and called out to her. “Chilla!”
“Damien,” she answered, walking over to him. “How did you know I came to find you?”
He put an arm around her shoulders, and to his delight she appeared not to mind the gesture. “I could sense your distress,” he said sympathetically. “I know I warned you about your friends, but I do hate to see that I was right about them after all.”
Chilla frowned as she thought about them. “Not that it’s much of a surprise that they’re jerks, but couldn’t believe the complete lack of respect I got for going out of my way to help those cretins. The other Lunatacs making lewd comments about you and I was bad enough and I suppose I shouldn’t have expected much thanks out of them, but Slythe accusing me of doing something to that worthless Jackalman was ridiculous! Why I put up with them I’ll never know.”
Damien pulled her closer and kissed her forehead lightly. “My dear Chilla, I am so sorry. What can I do to cheer you up? Do you need somewhere to stay for a bit? Somewhere to think it all over?”
Chilla looked up at him. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not. Let me take you back to the palace, give you a decent meal and some wine, fix you a room, and you can forget all about them. You don’t need them anyway,” he told her. “Perhaps some time on your own will help you realize what it is you should do.”
“You’re right,” Chilla agreed. “Let’s go.”
* * *
On her way back from the kitchen, Mirlana peered into the courtyard just in time to watch Celeste pull the Thundercat Tygra into a passionate embrace. She stood in the hallway and winced at the sight, knowing all too well what it was that her mistress was up to. They’re doing it again, she lamented. Why do they always have to do it this way, playing these cruel games with their hearts? Will they never be satisfied? She quickened her pace, remembering again how she too was once victim that same game, how Damien had gone out of his way to seduce her all those years—she really didn’t even know how many years it was anymore—ago. As she rounded the corner she spotted Damien with his newest prize, the strange ice woman he called Chilla. “Oh no,” she muttered, “the fool came back!”
Damien noticed his servant’s presence and gestured for her to come over. “Mirlana, I would like you to take Chilla to our guest quarters, and see to it that she is made comfortable. I must speak with my sister, but will be back shortly.”
Mirlana nodded obediently. It wasn’t as if she had any choice but to obey him, for disobedience meant banishment, and for one who had already been a victim of their magic, that was certain death.
Damien turned to Chilla. “You’re in good hands, my dear.” He leaned forward and placed a light kiss on her cool lips, and left.
“Come this way,” Mirlana said, and led Chilla down a few corridors and into a beautiful room filled with plush furniture and ornamental plants. “You can help yourself to anything you need. There’s clothes in the chest, and a bath in the adjoining room.”
“Does it run cold?” Chilla questioned.
Mirlana smiled lightly. “It runs whatever temperature you wish it to. That is the nature of this place.”
“Wow,” she mused, not catching the full meaning of Mirlana’s words. “This is the good life.”
“So it appears,” Mirlana answered, drawing the drapes aside. She opened the window, allowing the pleasant night air to circulate in the room.
“What, you don’t agree?” Chilla asked her.
“Things aren’t always what they seem. Keep that in mind, while you still can,” Mirlana said quietly, and then left before she endangered herself by saying more. Chilla cast her a puzzled glance as she exited but did not press the issue further.
As she made her way back downstairs, Mirlana regretted not telling Chilla the full truth, for she knew all too well what was going to happen to her. It was the same thing had happened to her so long ago. Damien had seduced her, convinced her she would be happier leaving the tribe of Warrior Maidens from which she’d come, and then took her in. The first few days were heaven, but being mortal her energy was finite and Damien’s lusty appetites drained her of it quickly. Once she was no longer useful, she went from being a guest to a slave, dependent upon the magic of him and Celeste to keep her alive. They assured her she would forever, as long as she didn’t leave the village or disobey them. If she did try to escape, she would be left to wither and die in whatever mortal state she would be in without their magic. It was because of this that Damien and Celeste knew that Mirlana wouldn’t tell any of their new victims about their fate. Although after watching Celeste and Damien play their games of seduction and betrayal enough times, Mirlana wondered if it wouldn’t be worth it, just to let them not have their way this time.
Mirlana was still wrapped up in her thoughts when she passed the heavy wooden door that led to the staircase that descended into the dungeon area. She remembered the jackal creature her masters had captured earlier, and wondered if he was down there. She paused in front of the door for a moment and then pulled it open. She always hated this part of the palace. It was cramped, dark, and forbidding unlike the spacious and luminous marble décor on the main floors. Closing the door swiftly behind her, she sneaked down the stone stairwell into the room that held the cells. It didn’t take her long to find the jackal, for he was the only unfortunate prisoner being held at the time.
Jackalman saw her approach and lunged toward the bars in a rage. “Let me out of here!” he howled.
Mirlana stepped back, taking care to stay out of his reach as she was not sure if he would attempt to grab her. “I would if I were able,” she replied, “but it would mean the end of me if I did.” She looked him over, and was relieved to see he had not been physically harmed. “Why are you here? What did they say was your crime?” she questioned.
“Spying,” snorted the irate jackal. “That Damien caught me watching him sweet-talk Chilla.”
“He was probably afraid you would warn her,” Mirlana said. “And who are you? A friend of Chilla’s?”
Jackalman sneered and leaned against the bars. “Hardly. I do know her, though. She and I were searching together for that elixir. My name is Jackalman. I’m one of the Mutants of Castle Plundarr.”
“Oh,” she answered, feeling a surge of sympathy for the Mutant. “I’m sorry, I don’t know much about the outside of the village anymore. I’ve been kept here for a long, long time.”
“Kept here?” Jackalman inquired. “You mean you’re not from this place?”
“I used to be one of the warrior maidens, many lifetimes ago,” she told him. “My name is Mirlana. I’m one of the palace servants.”
Although Jackalman had become somewhat hopeful at the friendly visit, his patience was still worn thin and he wanted the woman to get to her point. “What do you want from me?”
“If I can, I would like to help you.”
“Good, then let me out of here,” he barked irritably.
Mirlana shook her head. “I can’t do that. But I can try and get a message out to your allies, to ones who would free you, as well as Tygra and Chilla, if you can tell me who to contact.”
“It doesn’t look like Chilla or Tygra need much help,” Jackalman said, narrowing his eyes at the woman.
“They do,” she assured him. “They just don’t realize it yet. In that sense, you may be the lucky one.”
“Yes, I feel real lucky,” the jackal retorted sarcastically.
“Can you tell me who you would contact at Castle Plundarr if you could reach them? Or where to find your castle?”
Jackalman paused for a moment, at first not sure if he should trust the human or not. He also didn’t think that Slythe or the others would be likely to listen to a human that showed up on their doorstep; they would be far more likely to try and enslave any human presumptuous enough to try. Still, he was in a bad situation so he figured even a chance at help was better than none. He proceeded to give her the information.
* * *
Back at Cat’s Lair Lion-O, Cheetara, Panthro, and Snarf were in the conference room discussing Tygra’s note. Cheetara held the paper in her hands tightly, a distressed look upon her face. “I have a really bad feeling about this, Lion-O. It isn’t like Tygra to just run off!”
“I have to agree,” Snarf said, pacing upon the windowsill of the council room. “Tygra usually makes it clear exactly what he’s doing and when he’ll be back if something comes up. Snarf, snarf, I’m worried about him.”
“Come on Snarf, Tygra’s a big boy,” Lion-O chided gently. “I think you two may getting worked up over nothing. It’s probably what you said earlier. He has a crush on this Celeste, and he went to see her. Probably he just wanted some privacy, and he didn’t want us to know until he was gone.”
“Maybe, but even in love I think Tygra would be a little more responsible than this. Impulsive flights of fancy just aren’t his style,” Cheetara argued.
Panthro raised his eyebrows. “Does the name ‘Silky’ ring any bells?”
“That was different!” Cheetara said with a shake of her mane. “Mumm-Ra disguised himself and drugged Tygra with that narcotic fruit. He was acting like an addict, not a love struck teenager.”
Lion-O thought for a second. “Tygra has a bit of a problem when it comes to addiction. Silky’s fruit wasn’t the only instance. You two were on New Thundera at the time, but Snarf and I can attest to his acting very out of character one other time. Remember the keystone incident?”
“Bwrrr,” Snarf shuddered. “Tygra was really out of control. It’s a good thing the sword made him come to his senses and that keystone was destroyed for good afterward. It nearly did him in.”
“So what are you saying?” Panthro asked. “You think Tygra’s addicted to this Celeste woman or something she has?”
“Pleasure can be a powerful motivator,” Lion-O said.
Cheetara frowned. “Intoxicating fruit and energy crystals are one thing, Lion-O, but sex? Tygra is more grounded than that.”
Snarf shrugged. “Well, snarf, if you think about it, what is the difference between one sensual pleasure and another? Especially if that sort of urge is one he’s been denied for some time.”
“I don’t believe this,” the cheetah said in an exasperated tone. “Tygra could be in danger and you’re sitting in judgment on his habits? You should be ashamed of yourselves!”
Lion-O sighed and sat down in one of the council room chairs to clear his thoughts. “I’m not trying to be judgmental, Cheetara, I’m just stating facts. One fact is that Tygra can take care of himself. A second is that we can’t jump to any conclusions, no matter how strange his note seems. The good news is that we have no reason to believe that he is in trouble, not yet anyway.” He glanced at the Eye of Thundera, which was still and quiet as it usually was unless there was trouble afoot. He glanced at Cheetara. “That is, unless your sixth sense has told you something you haven’t told us?”
“No,” Cheetara admitted. “Nothing more than a gut feeling that something is not right.”
Lion-O nodded. “On the other hand, we have to realize that Tygra does have an addictive personality, and it’s gotten him into trouble more than once. If this Celeste is deliberately getting Tygra ‘hooked on her’ so to speak, you’re right, we should be worried. However, you all know as well as I do that it’s ultimately up to the addicted person himself to give up whatever it is that has a hold on him. No one else can make him do it. For now, it may be for the best to give him time and space to realize that on his own if that’s the case.”
“But what if she’s dangerous? Or some sort of dark magic like Mumm-Ra’s?” Snarf asked.
Lion-O shook his head. “If this woman were evil, why would she have willingly cured Cheetara’s condition by giving us that elixir? If Tygra is in danger, the Sword of Omens will warn us, and we can go to him then. In the meantime, I think we should let him be.”
“Well, you do have a point there,” Panthro agreed.
“All right, but I think by waiting we’re making a big mistake,” Cheetara said, and left the room.
* * *
Luna and Amok walked into Skytomb’s control room. The hour was growing late, and the room was empty aside from Alluro, who was tinkering with something on the console. He looked up briefly when he heard them come in before he returned to what he was doing.
The tiny Lunatac leader glanced at the viewscreen, which showed the outline of the nearby DarkSide landscape. “Did Chilla return yet?” she questioned.
“No,” he answered flatly.
“It’s getting a bit late, isn’t it?” It almost seemed as though Luna’s voice might have held a hint of concern, although Luna would have denied it had someone called attention to it.
“I’m sure Chilla can take care of herself,” TugMug said dismissively as he and RedEye joined them.
RedEye chuckled to himself. “Or maybe her Damien can do it.”
“That doesn’t leave Damien as being too safe, stuck alone with her,” TugMug retorted with a peal of rude laughter.
Alluro raised his head from the console long enough to glare at the pair of them. “It’s not that funny. We don’t know the first thing about this Damien or what he is capable of. We don’t even know what he is.”
“You thought it was funny enough before,” Luna said, raising an eyebrow at the psi.
RedEye snorted with amusement at Alluro’s reaction. “Someone’s jealous of Chilla’s mysterious Damien.”
Alluro’s glare deepened. “Don’t be ridiculous, RedEye. Aren’t you the slightest bit suspicious of this man? We’ve never seen nor heard of him prior to today, and at the same time Chilla was with him, Jackalman disappeared. By the way, Slythe sent another message a little while ago to see if we had heard from him yet. He thinks we did something to Jackalman, and for once, we’re actually innocent.”
TugMug laughed. “Us? Innocent?”
“All right, ‘not guilty’ then. But we all know we didn’t do anything to Jackalman, which means someone or something else did.”
“If Chilla was with Damien though, that would give him an alibi too,” Luna said thoughtfully.
“It was a nice attempt at a cover story as to why you don’t like him, though,” RedEye needled.
Alluro muttered some very uncomplimentary things in Plundarrian under his breath, and returned to the controls.
Luna frowned. “Well, Alluro may have a point. If she doesn’t return soon, maybe we should look for her.”
“Don’t get all paranoid,” TugMug said, bouncing over to one of the other consoles. “Think about it, who out there is meaner than Chilla?”
“There is that,” Luna agreed with a nod. “Certainly she can take care of herself.” Luna said.
The subject then dropped, the Lunatacs disbursed and went back to doing what they were previously. Not surprisingly, nothing was heard from either Chilla or Jackalman for the rest of the night.
* * *
Shortly before dawn, Mirlana cracked open the door to Celeste’s suite. She saw Celeste fast asleep on the bed, almost aglow from the psychic energy taken from the lusty night of play with her tiger the night before. Tygra laid beside her, deep asleep, his body desperately trying to rebuild the stores of energy his succubus-like lover had stolen from him. He was not aware of the sinister truth behind her desires for him, only that the act had been intensely pleasurable—like the effects of the wine multiplied—and so thorough it left him incredibly tired.
Mirlana closed the door gently and moved quietly back into the hallway. Good, Celeste is asleep too, she thought. Maybe I can get help for them now without the masters finding out. She had just come from spying into Damien’s quarters previously. He too had been fast asleep in the room Chilla had been given. Much like the tiger, Chilla was asleep and entwined with her new lover, seemingly unaware of what was happening to her.
In her hands she held the shoulder straps that belonged to the jackal imprisoned downstairs. He had given them to her as part of their plan to alert the others of what was going on. She could not leave the village herself, of course, but she had an idea of how she might get the garment to someone that might recognize it. In her days as a Warrior Maiden she had been a scout and had learned ways to communicate with wildlife, especially birds. She figured that if she tried she would be able to summon one of the forest creatures to take the evidence of his capture to Castle Plundarr, and the creature could then show them where they could find and rescue their friends. Mirlana didn’t realize that the Mutants were considered evil or that Jackalman and Tygra were bitter enemies, hence she assumed that the inhabitants of Jackalman’s castle would save them all.
She approached the edge of the village path leading into the forest, already able to feel her strength fading. She couldn’t go much farther, that was for certain. Hoping she had gone far enough, she concentrated and sent out a mental distress call to any nearby creature. After a few minutes a large bird landed at her feet.
It was then that she realized just how many years it had been since she had used the skills of her old life. Many years of non-use left her quite rusty, but still she was determined to give it her best shot. “Please, my friend, I need a favor from you,” she implored the bird. It looked up at her quizzically, but unafraid. She held out the shoulder straps. “Take this to Castle Plundarr, and show them the way here so they can save their friends. It’s very important.” The bird sat still for a moment, and then scooped up the straps in its beak. It stretched its wings, met her eyes for a brief moment, and then took flight.
Mirlana breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she would be able to help save Celeste and Damien’s victims after all.
* * *
Cheetara walked into Cat’s Lair’s dining room and sat down, her mood still sour from the night before. The only other Thundercats up yet were WilyKit and WilyKat, who were already seated and eating. She silently poured herself a cup of coffee and helped herself to three of Snarf’s Berbil berry pancakes.
“Good morning Cheetara,” both of the kittens greeted her.
She gave them a wan smile. “Good morning.”
WilyKit picked up on her mood almost immediately. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you sleep well?”
“I’ve slept better,” she admitted. “I’m worried about Tygra. He didn’t come back last night, did he?”
“I don’t think so,” WilyKat answered. “Snarf told us what happened with him leaving and all. I hope he comes back soon.”
“So do I,” WilyKit said sadly. “Is he mad at us for teasing him do you think?”
“He said in his note that he wasn’t,” Cheetara said, sounding a bit more sure of herself than she actually was. “I don’t think he’d hold a grudge over that. I think that this woman Celeste has some kind of hold on him. It’s like he’s infatuated with her. That’s not like Tygra.”
“Maybe we should find him and talk to him,” WilyKit suggested.
“Lion-O’s orders were that we let him be for now. As much as I hate it, he’s probably right. Tygra probably just needs space to sort through his feelings. He isn’t very in touch with them sometimes,” Cheetara said, picking at her pancakes.
WilyKat’s eyes sparkled. “Lion-O didn’t tell us not to find Tygra.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Kat.”
“Think about it, Cheetara. I mean if we just happen to be on our spaceboards in the unicorn forest and find him, no one could blame us if we offered an apology in person and asked him what was going on,” WilyKit suggested mischievously.
Cheetara laughed despite herself. “You two...”
“Hey we’re not called ‘wily’ just because it sounds cool!” WilyKat said haughtily.
“All right,” Cheetara conceded with a smile. “Just remember, this conversation never happened. Lion-O, Panthro, and Snarf would not be happy if they found out I let you go out after Tygra.”
“What conversation?” WilyKit grinned.
“Yeah, as far as you know we’re just going out for a spaceboard joyride,” WilyKat said as he shoveled the last bites of his breakfast into his mouth. “Come on Kit, let’s get going.”
WilyKit nodded, finished her breakfast, and darted out after brother.
* * *
Alluro was rudely awakened by a whack on the back of his neck courtesy of a riding crop. He grunted and rubbed his neck as he sat up, shooting a nasty glare at his short leader looming over him from atop her mount. The hypnotist had fallen asleep at the control console sometime late in the night hours and his back and neck both ached from being slumped over for so long. “Wake up!” Luna snapped impatiently.
“What? What time is it?” Alluro grumbled.
“A few hours into the day,” Luna replied. “Didn’t you go to bed last night?”
“No, I was working. I guess I fell asleep. I think I’ll go to bed now,” he mumbled, standing up and heading for the doorway. Luna swatted at him with the crop again.
“No you’re not,” she stated shrilly. “We’re going on a Thundrillium excavation today. The Thundercats didn’t get it all yesterday, and we have to get a move on and get it before they decide to come back for it today. With Chilla gone, I need all the rest of you to go and get it while I hold down the fort.”
Alluro rolled his eyes. He was not in the mood for one of Luna’s schemes, especially not so early. “They’ve probably already gone for it, Luna.”
Luna shook her head. “No, the area is clear. It looks like they’re taking it easy today. RedEye reported that Cat’s Lair is quiet. That’s why we have to move now.”
“Even Thundercats don’t get up this early,” Alluro grumbled. “Luna, I’m exhausted. In case you’ve forgotten, I was in a coma yesterday, and was up to all hours of the night working.”
“That’s no excuse to be lazy! You can rest when we have that Thundrillium!” she screeched. “Be ready in five minutes!”
Alluro muttered a string of four letter words at Luna and went to find something caffeinated to drink.
Ten minutes later the Lunatacs left for the Thundrillium site that had been the cause of all the problems the day before. As they moved out toward the site, none of them noticed the large bird holding shoulder straps that flew past them, heading directly for Castle Plundarr.
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