“Sire,youthinktoomuch”saidViosmilinglypattingCyclops’strongmuscurshoulder.“MotherandIareveryclose;ourretionshipisthickerthanbloodandmorefierythanliquor.Youwerenotpresentatthetimeandsocouldnothaveimagihetragie.WhenIburstoutfrommymother’swombIwasjustanunformedfetus.Isawwithmyowhelowerpartofherbodylyinginapoolofbloodontheground,whiletheupperpartofherbodystillhungfromawitheredbranchofatree.Butshewouldnotgiveupherspirit,eventhoughshewassufferingunimaginablepain.Shewaswaitingformetogrowupandgotohersidesoshecouldiherbloodintomybody.ThiswayIwouldbeabletogemyphysicalsizeatwill.Sheformedathree-steppnforrevengeformetocarryoutsoIcoulddestroyKingDimitri’sKingdom.AhSire,myretionshipwithmotherissoveryclose.NowthatIknowmotherissufferinginthefiresofhell,howcouldInotgoandsaveher?Evenifonedaysheshouldwanttobeintotaltrolofthegoldpadthenewkingdomwehaveformed,Ihavenoqualmsaboutlettingherhaveitall.IwanttotinuemypursuitofKingDimitri.MythirstforrevengehasbeensatisfiedandIwillnotstopuntilIfinallyhavehimeredandkillhim…ThequestionishoegoaboutsavingmotherfromthefiresofGehenna?Whereisit?”
“Iknowhowtogetthere.Theentranceisjustbelowthatsheercliffwhichhasabottomlesschasm.Ioncefelloffthecliffandalmostdied,soIknowthelocation.”Fatheranddaughtercspedeachother’shandstightly.
“Whatarewewaitingfor?”saidVio
Havingdecidedontheirpnofa,Vioatoncemobilizedhersubjects,everysingleman,womanandchildinthebarbariantribestogointothedenseforestsandchopdownallkindsofsturdyrattan-likeclimbingviheyweretoldtopileuptheirgatheringsbythesideofthesteepcliffforCyclopstouse.Onlythesuperhumahofhisarmsandwristscouldtwistthesetoughviogetherintoresilientheavy-dutyropes.Thebarbariantribeswereoncemalvaoaandallofasuddenpeoplewerebusilyingandgoing.Viowalkedbacktoldpadsataloneohrohinking,“AmIreallywillingtogiveupallIhave,includingthisbrilliantgoldpadhandthemallovertoanotherwoman?”Butthentheimagesoftheragingfiresofhelppearedandshesawinhermind’seyehermotherIleenstrugglingfutilelytokeepafloatinthoserfmesenduringunimaginablepainandsuffering.Viofoldedherhandsinprayer,prayingtoheaventhatthistimeshewouldsucceedinsafelyresghermotherfromthefiresofGehenna.Therestcouldbesideredter.
Dream-maker’sBakeryenforbusinessaobeoperatingastheynormallydo.Butappearancesweredeceiving;forbeheapparentcalm,numerousfranticactivitiesweregoingontabouttheresurreofDimitri’sfinancialempire.Mr.KaffeehadsuccessfullygatheredthenecessarycapitalbytheauoftheagoldsandgavethemtoDornatoiacctoDwarfMickey’sdetailedinstrus.DwarfMickeyonhispartwrotedowailwhichstock,bondorodityshewastobuyorselswelstheexacttimeanddateshewastodoso.Dornawasmeticulousincarryingouthisordersandasaresulthadmadekillingsafterkillings,whichgreatlyincreasedherrespectforDwarfMickey’spowersofforetelliure.Dorna’seyesweregluedtotheputersasshestudiedthenoffiguresdispyingtheupsanddownsofthestockmarket.Shecouldn’thelpexginsurpriseandchortlingingleewhehestockmarketperfjustasDwarfMickeypredicted.Thegodofwealth’sabilitytoforetellthefuturewasunyandinfallible.Dorna’sdeterminationtoredeemherselfmadehersoabsorbedinherworkastettoeatandsleep.Aisha,wholovedtheyounggirllikeadaughter,hadbeenwaboutthegirl’sfuturebecauseshekhatDornadidnotliketostudyandhadleftschooltoolongtobeabletotinueherformaleducation.ThereforeshewasgreatlyrelievedwhenDornadecidedtogobacktoworkinDream-maker’sBakeryaobedoingwell.Shethoughtitwastherightpathtotakeandsodohemove.MegginnandSamanthahadmovedbacktotheYoungWomen’sBHouse,whereroomshadbeenreservedforthemontheoheythoughtitwouldbeeasiertounicateiftheylivedoheylovedtobeoncemorereuhtheirsisters.Soonthepcerevivedandbecamelivelyandbustlingagain.Amalia’sAlzheimer’sdiseasealsogainedfromthegeandherditionimprovedquiteremarkably.Shewasmoreiedinhersurroundingsaalkingtothosearoundher,eventhoughherwordswereoftenoffthemarkandheranswersdidnotfitthequestionsaskedofher.Butallinallitwasagreatimprovementandajoyfulooherlovingfamily.
Megginnable,experiendafinandmoneyma.ThesedaysshewentalloutwnightanddaypnningtheresurreofKingDimitri’sfinancialempire.Sherackedherbrainsthinkingofwaystoachievehergoal.Withthetinuousinfluxofcapital,herpnwasbeingrealizedstepbystep.PreviousenterprisesthatusedtobelongtoKingDimitriwereintheprocessofbeingboughtbackorwereexperienghostiletake-over.Samanthawaseveryinchthepromisocialite,ashermissionwastohob-nobwiththemoversandshakersandmakeherselflivelyandactiveonthesocialse.Sheattendedribbon-cuttingceremonies,registeredthetheirvariousnewlyacquiredpaniesaerprises,andjoihedizzyingwhirlofnon-stopsociactivities.Shewassobusythatshehadhardlyamomenttocallherown.Whenshecouldnotdisengageherselffromsomeimporta,shewouldr.Kaffeeforhelpandhewouldgdlyobligebygoingiead.Soonrumantofloataroundthattheexbigshotwhousedtodomihtheunderworldandtheworldoffinancewasreadytore-emergeasapowertobereedwith.Richard,JamazandBig-Owerealsoitgforaandwerebusypreparingthemselvesforanyemergency.TwoofthethreewouldapanyMegginnorSamanthaasbodyguardswheheywentout,whileohemalwaysremainedbehindatthebakerytoehesafetyofKingDimitri’ssecretheadquartersinthemundaneworld.
Everyonewasfranticallybusyathisorherownspecificpost,butthebusiestofallwereKingDimitri’sloyalservantsCreativityandImaginatiowoofthemdancedhappilyhandinhandaroundthebakeryandtheegYoungWomen’sBHouse.Theirwild,feverishtwirlingandwhirlingformsappearedineveryerofthebhouse,inthefrontofthebakeryaswelstheworkroombehind.Thoughnoonecouldseethemwiththeirnakedeye,theydairelesslyon,distributinghappyvibes.Handinhand,theydanandon,twirlingandwhirling,intoxicatedwiththeirdahepointettingthemselves.Perhapstheingeniousideas,thecleverstrategiesandiivepnsthatcametothebrainsoftheinhabitantsthereinatedfromthevibesofthedangcouple.
Byorbeforefour,fiveo’clothemearlyrisershadbegunarrivingatthequietkesidetowalkandweregraduallyjoinedbymanymoreasthemprogressed.Itwasofindsuchaspaciouspametropolitancity.Therewasaloretgwellintothemiddleofthekewherefewpeopledeigovisit.Ithadbeenoutofrepairforalongtimeandidatedandcoveredwithfeathersandfecesofbirdswhichreekedofanoffensiveodoruhesunshine.Dimitrilovedthequiettranquilityofthekesideaoehereoftentopteandbealohhisthoughts,neverseemingtomindthefoulsmellorthefilth.Butonedayaresourcefulentrepreneurcameuponthepce,sawitspotentiandappliedforapermittoredevelopthepierintoabusiness.Hespentalotofmoneyoningthepceupaifiedboththepieranditssurroundingenviro.HeisotedtheaquaticbirdstoapcefurtheraroceededtotransformtheptoaEuropeanstyleoutdoorcaféwhichbecameafavoritehauntofresidentsandtouristsalike.Onsunnyafternoonsinspringandsummer,thetablesuhemulti-coloredumbrelhesetupwereusuallyfullofers,dressedincolorfult-shirts,shortsandsandalswhichaddedyouthfulvigorandvitalitytothese,breathingnewlifeintothelonelykesidemakingitintoasicspot.Charinasatunderanumbrelasblueastheblueskiesatthefarendofthepierwhichprotrudedalmosttothemiddleoftheke.Shewaswearingasleevelessyellowshirt,narrowbckskirtandapairofGreeksandals,serenelysippinghercoffee,lookingverycool.Thepanionshewasversingwithwasnootherthanthehomelessman,Dimitri.Hewasstillwearinghisdipidateddarkbrownjacket,loosebcktrousersandill-fittingblock-headedshoes.Hissafarihatwassoolditwasalmostintatters,buthenevergedhisoutfit.Straosay,thoughhisclotheslookedshabbyaheynevergaveoffanyunpleasantodor.CleverandintelligentMaureensatonhisplisteningtotheirversation.Dimitrihadbeenwanderingaimlesslyaroundtheke,notreallyknowingwherehewaogo,lettieeinhishandguidehimonhisway.Maureen’ssharpnosecaughtthestofhisnewfriendandledhismistresstohim.
CharinaledDimitritothefarendofthelongdockwhereitwasnotsocrowded.Afterthewaiterhadbroughtthemtheircoffeeandredwine,shebegantotellhimthehappeningsofthestfewdays.
“Thatnightafteryouleft,that’salmostthreedaysagonow,Isuddenlysmelledanintoxigfragranceofflowersandimmediatelylostsciousness.WhenIcametoIfoundthatIwaspletelynakedandedinab.OpeningmyeyesIsaolianwassittingnearbykeepingguardowasthenthatIrealizedsomeonehadbrokenintomyhomeandattemptedtorapeme,andthatagoodSamaritanhadetomyresdroutedthesdrel.ThebrokenwindowsanddoorsshowedsignsofafiercestrugglebuttherewasoallthisotherthanmycleverlittledogMaureenhere.Heotspeakourhumannguageandthereforeisuobearwitopehepoliantookmytestimonya.Shecautioomakesurethatallmywindowsanddoorswereclosedandlockedatnightbecauseaserialrapistseemedtobetargetingthearea.”Dimitri’shandreachedcarefullyaantlyfssofwiulpbeforesaying,
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