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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

Chapter 8: The Nature Of Destruction

Day 11 (continued)

"Please tell me that is not true; that you are lying!" I pleaded. My fierce ursine warrior was silent.

After that shocking revelation, I was disturbed to the extreme. How do you react to your lover telling you that despite being rejected, a siren is calling to her and she would pay a price no matter how steep to be with it again?

"Mistress, the after effects of what you experienced should be lessening with time not increasing that is how withdrawal works." I said to her as we doused ourselves with water.

"Unfortunately it is not pet." She said as we exited the shower stall.

"You know that I love you with my very being."

"I do to pet- but what I felt after being with the synoptic, it is beyond description; nothing else compares. I find myself longing to feel it again and again no matter how hard I try to resist."

"Perhaps it is a good thing ONE rejected you."

"Here." She said.

"Nice towel. Quite soft with a very unique black and white design." I said running it down my shoulder and arm.

"I took it from a store not far from the Aurora Spa."

"I remember that place. Did it survive the conflagration?" I asked her as we started drying each other.

"No. The store across from the spa was the only thing left, for miles in either direction."

"I remember when Lady Vermin and I took you to that place just after the stress from being a knight was starting to affect you." I said as I moved the towel down her back and then that magnificent backside of hers.

"It is a shame, they aren't around any more Alex."

"Doesn't matter, I think I still remember Bruno's relaxation regimen."

I decided to compartmentalize my grief about what happened to Niko and focus on the here and now- trying to free my beloved from the entity's influence and preventing the worst case scenario from happening; Dawn, Corbin, Corey, Rumble and I wake up one morning and find Others at our doors chanting, ready to add us to the entity's collection.

So that evening I decided to try to help my warrior bear. We walked back to our house after bathing- by then it was really late because everyone had turned in for the evening.

As we entered, Lady Ursa and I headed to her chambers. Upon our entry, she removed our clothing. I ordered my perfect person to lie down on the bed arms and legs out stretched and try to forget the events of the day. I climbed on her back sitting down on her rear. I then got to work kneading her neck and shoulders.

"How is that?"

"It is alright." She said in a somewhat disappointed tone.

"Hmm..."

From there, I worked my way down to her back massaging and kneading. The weird thing was that I should have gotten a reaction from her- but nothing. I decided to move on to her arms and legs- gently rubbing them down each individually before moving on to her paws and foot paws.

"Let me know if this feels just right or if you want more pressure."

"A bit more would be nice pet." She said to me.

So I gave my lover, a bit more, well, as much as she wanted.

"Thanks pet. However, I am just not feeling it."

(Hmm...)

"Alright." I said moving on to her posterior. I grabbed two big handfuls of brown bear butt and started squeezing, groping and massaging.

(Man, I loved her ass.)

I moved from top to bottom, left to right, right to left on each of her muscular cheeks before moving on to that nubby tail I loved some much.

"How's that feel?" I asked my bear knight.

"Perhaps you should move on Alex."

(She didn't enjoy any of that? Really?)

I then had her roll over from her stomach to her back and started working on her front.

I started at her shoulders, then made my way down to her chest, stomach and groin. I gave special attention to each- even kissing and licking each of her nipples. Her reaction was the same as the back massage. None.

(Ok what about this?)

I stuck my finger into her cub tunnel and started massaging from inside out. That should have at the very least made her hot and bothered. Still nothing. It then dawned on me just how strong the pull was from the entity.

"Mistress, let's try one more thing."

I had my fierce ursine warrior get up from our bed. I then lied down on my back with my head facing the ceiling. I had my perfect person straddle my neck and head. Her legs were just to either side of me and her groin was right in front of my face.

"Why this position Alex?" She asked me.

"I gives me a perfect view of your most sensitive area so I can do this!" I said gently licking her lady bits. Paying particular attention to her labia and vulva should have driven her wild! But surprise, it didn't.

"Mistress?"

"Nope pet. I guess that doesn't do it for me any more." She said calmly. "But thank you for trying."

"Mistress did I do something wrong?"

"No pet. It isn't you, it is me."

That tears it. ONE's influence was strong even after eleven days. I guess once you experience what it gave her while she was under its control NOTHING in your previous existence compares. My she beast should have been moving toward her peak. Then roaring at the top of her lungs- but there was nothing. I was crushed.

After my foreplay failure, my bear knight rolled me onto my stomach and then laid right down on top of me as if I were a rug. She held me tight feeling guilty that I couldn't satisfy her. I spent the night wondering how to bring her back from ONE's seduction.

Day 12 (Central Building Medical Clinic)

The next morning I was rummaging through my medical supplies trying to figure out a regimen to treat my lover.

Essentially now my warrior bear was suffering from two 'ailments'. Her degenerative condition and now withdrawal from being an Other.

After failing yet again. I found myself heading to the wash room to get cleaned up. As I walked in, I stumbled on Corey giving Rumble another domestication lesson.

"That's right, brush up and down, down and up. Then your tongue." The snarky teen said to his were-creature. "Like this." he said demonstrating.

"...why...?" The were-creature said trying to hold a toothbrush.

"This procedure is supposed to protect your teeth from disease, decay and it eliminates bad breath. Hygiene is a very important issue to humans and beastials. No one wants to be near someone that smells or looks bad." The black haired teen said.

"...so why did you kiss me...?" The were-creature said to his boy.

There was a extremely awkward pause.

"I thought swapping our saliva would trigger the transformation not tell me you needed to tend to your breath- badly."

The werewolf smiled a as Corey finished helping brush his teeth.

"...it doesn't work that way Corey..."

"Damn, I was hoping it would." The thin teen said washing off their tooth brushes.

"Morning you two." I said entering.

"Alex!" The teen said surprised.

"...morning..."

"How goes the taming of the wolf?" I said to the two.

"...hard..."

"Keep at it Rumble you will get there." I said to the escaped lab creature.

"So where is the morning meeting today?" Corey asked.

"It is at my and Ursa's." I responded. "Say, what are those on your arms?"

"Oh, claw marks." Corey said.

"How on Counter Earth did you get those?" I asked the teen who looked at his roommate and then back to me.

"I think it was when we were rough housing last night." The teen said abruptly.

"Rough housing? So you weren't fighting?" I asked.

"...no..." Rumble grumbled.

"Well before we head over, let me treat that, some of those marks look deep and I don't want infection to set in."

I noticed that as I said that, once again the were-creature was poking his two finger paws together like he got caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do.

And so I cleaned and treated Corey's latest injuries applying more liquid skin to them. I didn't let on, but I think the black haired teen was trying to use Rumble to become a werewolf again. First making Rumble bite him, then claw him and then kiss him. I made a mental note to check the surveillance gear in the prototype for footage of that after the events of the yesterday- I could use a good laugh.

"You can peel this off after it fully heals. But be careful- remember your not as hardy as your roommate there."

"Yeah gotcha." He said to me.

Afterwards the three of us met with the professor, Corbin and my mistress back at our home.

"Morning everyone." The professor said opening the meeting assuming a somber tone.

"What happened to the good?" Corey asked sitting down at our kitchen table.

"Not today." My she beast countered joining him.

"Let's get to it then." I said. "Water supply status?"

"Stable- clean and clear with no contaminants present for the last few days." Corbin announced.

"Clothing?" Dawn asked.

"Lady Ursa was able to find something for Alex and myself to wear when we need to change." Corey said thanking my mistress. "Rumble is still comfortable with what he has."

"Lady Ursa is going to need some clothing soon. Her knight uniform has worn thin from repeated use (and being partially digested)." I added.

"Shelter?" Corbin asked.

"From what I have been able to determine structurally sound. This city is well preserved and has survived for quite a long time." Dawn said patting Corbin on his head.

"What about food?" Corey asked. "Our meals have been quite small the last few days."

"Madam Ursa was able to secure some supplies to shore up our rations but as of this morning we are completely out." Dawn said as I gasped and Corey stared at all of us.

"That is a problem." The black haired teen said. "Are we going to starve?"

"...not a problem..." The werewolf said standing. Rumble left our home briefly before returning with something in his mouth, a lot of somethings.

*whoompf*

"...rabbits..." The were-creature said dropping four small dead critters on the floor of our home.

"Why thank you Rumble dear." Dawn said.

"He has been hunting." Corey added.

"Great, so now we are hunter-gatherers." I said.

"Looks like it." The little mongoose commented.

"Rumble is right- it looks like we will have to hunt to get by." My she beast said. "Just be very careful leaving and entering the city."

The were-creature nodded.

"What about Defense?" The professor asked.

"I have started placing traps- well sounders really in the mazes surrounding the city. If someone enters unannounced we should hear it." Corey said.

"That would give us some warning." My warrior bear said.

"Good job Corey. Any new threats to the city?" Dawn asked.

"The Grand Kingdom to the west, Others to the north and a den of monsters to the east in the remains of Capital Stadium." I said.

"That last part- you confirmed this?" Corbin asked me.

"Lady Ursa and I checked it out yesterday. Rumble was right about staying away from the place, it is crawling with escaped lab creatures." I said. "And their prey. I found the remains of a friend of mine from the Consortium she was partially eaten."

"I am sorry Alex." The professor said.

"We suspect that isn't the only den." My she beast warned. "That is why they seem to be all over the forests."

"What the hell was Dynamic Dynamics doing? I have never had more of an urge to be a home body." Ms. Stern replied.

"That is not all." I said redirecting attention. "We have a potential fourth problem."

"Really what is that?" Corey asked.

"One of our own." I said looking at the center of the wooden table we were seated at.

"Who?" My sister's doppelgänger asked.

"Me." My bear knight admitted.

"Momma bear?!" The little mongoose boy said.

"Yes Corbin." My she beast said petting the little boy on his head.

"Her withdrawal symptoms aren't getting better; so much that she is talking in her sleep about the entity."

"But it rejected you." Corey said.

"Yes, but its pull is so strong." Lady Ursa said reluctantly. "It seems to be constantly on my mind."

"How strong momma bear?" Corbin asked.

"Let's just say if ONE gave her the opportunity to come back, she would take it even if it put us all in danger." I said as Dawn, Corbin, Corey and even Rumble looked on in disbelief.

"Momma bear!" The little mongoose boy said.

"The two of us have been talking. To that end I have decided to remove her from duty; she is to remain here until further notice." I said to everyone present.

"You mean when she is no longer a potential danger to this community." The blond said to me.

"Yes." I nodded.

"It is for the best." My she beast said.

"Momma bear, you do know we all love you?" The little mongoose boy said making puppy dog eyes.

"Yes Corbin and I all of you. That is why I am trying to resist the urges I am having. I also owe all of you something too especially Corey and Rumble."

"Um, what is that?" The black haired teen asked.

"This."

Lady Ursa hugged Dawn, myself, Corbin and even Rumble and Corey.

"Um thanks." The black haired teen said. While Rumble looked confused. "Just accept it Rumble. I think it means we are part of the family."

"Anyway, in the meantime I will try to be of assistance to the professor and her research." My fierce ursine warrior said.

"And try not to betray any of us." Corey added.

"...meeting over...?" The were-creature said standing up.

"Yes." Dawn said.

"Then we got work to do. Rumble and I are going hunting." The teen said.

"You two be very careful topside." My she beast warned.

"Affirmative." The snarky teen said leaving.

"Professor, Corbin and I are taking the prototype and going to scavenge for more supplies." I said.

"Alex absolutely not!" My warrior bear said.

"I disagree- we are always in need of supplies. Perhaps I could find something to help you and second..."

"You don't want to have to eat rabbit for dinner do you big brother?" The little mongoose boy said.

"That too." I replied.

"Alex...."

"I know mistress, we will be careful. We will take precautions." I said holding her paws.

"Very well. You two be extremely careful." Ms. Stern said hugging both of us.

I nodded. "You two get to hold down the city and learn how to cook rabbit in case we come back empty."

So after the meeting that morning four of our group departed on separate missions. Corey and Rumble went topside to hunt for food in the dead of winter while Corbin and I snagged the prototype to go hunting ourselves.

*Emergency Authorization Corbin Mongoose Wundagore Castle.*

*Emergency Authorization Alex Winter Wundagore Castle.*

"So where are we going big brother?" The little mongoose asked me.

"Well, it isn't like we could go to a restaurant or shop. Or can we?" I said powering on the prototype.

I drove to through the south maze and to the surface. Once above ground I had Corbin conduct a quick scan of the area before picking a direction.

"No one within a mile radius Alex."

"Good. Engage the holo-projector." I said to him.

"Anything in particular?"

"How about a leaf?"

**Halo-projector Engaged* *

With that we headed northwest for four miles. The temperature was forty five degrees. So far this winter was turning out to be quite mild otherwise foraging for food would be a bit more difficult.

"The Grand Kingdom?" Corbin asked as we arrived at a familiar farm site. "You are not going to?"

"Let's see what Caden has been up to." I said driving the disguised prototype to the barn. ** **

Not much had changed since Corbin and I were last here. There were humans and beastials working the property, some were in the fields. Some were working on the farmhouse and some were off the property shoring up supplies. And then there was the punishment tree out front with yet another individual tied to it.

"Just like old times." I said looking at the image from the prototype's front mounted camera.

"Who is on the tree?" Corbin asked.

"Let's find out." I said as I pressed a button on the weapons menu.

*Good morning Mr. Winter, Mr. Mongoose how may I assist you today?*

"Overwatch, the view from the front mounted camera- zoom in."

"Alex, it is Russell!"

The white miniature horse had been stripped naked and was tied to the tree spread eagle. His groin touching the cold bark and his naked white tokus visible for all to see.

"What did he do to piss them off?" I said to my companions.

"Well, Mr. Long and Mr. Taylor were quite resentful that he was well off financially before the fall." The little mongoose said to me.

"More prejudice." I huffed.

*Side-pod engaged*

"Alex what are you doing?" Corbin asked me as I started to play around with the weapons menu.

"I think it is time we settle our account with the Intendant." I said as I made my selection from the weapons menu.

*Tunnel Missiles Engaged*

I lined up the cross hairs on the view-screen with the side of the barn ready to blow off a side of the building.

"Big brother no!" Corbin shouted.

"Why not?" I said turning to the little boy.

"If we raid the barn and take their supplies- we expose ourselves to the Intendant and his forces and they will come looking for us which will complicate our lives even more!"

*Without what is stored in the barn the prisoners housed here will starve Mr. Winter.*

"And we will be down one missile with no way to replace it."

I paused thinking about what Corbin and Overwatch were telling me.

"Little brother you are far wise beyond your years." I said. "Standing down."

"I have had good teachers." The little beastial said smugly.

I powered on the prototype and proceeded to leave the property but paused at the tree Russell was tied to.

*Laser-system Engaged*

"ALEX?!" Corbin shouted at me.

"We are freeing him." I said pressing the left most toggle switch on the weapon's console. "It is the very least we can do."

A thin laser beam fired from the left side-pod. I used the thumb pad on the steering column aim the laser to cut through Russell's ropes. The miniature horse slid down to the ground suddenly freed from his binds- rubbing his genitals and bottom.

(That horsy did have a cute butt.)

We watched as he hoofed it toward the forest and freedom.

"So now where to?" The little mongoose boy asked me.

"I was thinking about that. World One is three hours away. If we went there, we could spend about two hours looking around before we needed to head back like Lady Ursa has been doing."

"Not an ideal situation. So you are thinking about something closer." The little boy said to me.

"Exactly how about World Three? I have been dying to find out what has happened to the other cities since the fall."

"Okay, let's go." Corbin said enthusiastically.

"Overwatch!"

*Yes Mr. Winter?*

"I need you to assume control of the prototype and engage the hover mode."

*Yes Mr. Winter. Destination?*

"World Three." I said as the passive restraints engaged and the blue coupe powered on.

"One second." Corbin said as he started typing on the copilot keyboard.

*Halo-projector Engaged*

"Ok go ahead." The little boy said proudly.

"Um what did you turn us into?" I asked.

"A white puffy cloud. A small one perfect for arial travel."

With that the blue coupe took to the air flying south west over the forest towards World Three. More than a week after the fall of the empire and the daytime sky was still red. It was also very overcast as well.

The trip took us a little over an hour to arrive at my doppelgänger's home city. What we found there was even more shocking. Lava and magma everywhere.

"What is that?" I said looking at what was below us.

"Wow a huge lava field as far as the eye can see!" Corbin exclaimed.

Everything below us was covered in this blackish, reddish blob-ish, molten ash for miles in each direction.

"The forests have been decimated by that stuff as was everything else in its path." I said as the automated assistant circled over the lava lake.

"Overwatch why are we circling?" The little mongoose boy asked.

"We wanted to go to World Three." I added.

*Mr. Winter, Mr. Mongoose we are above World Three.*

"NO!!" Corbin and I said in unison.

"Where is Castle Sevren?" I said.

*Right off to the left.*

"There is nothing left but goo!" The little boy said. "That structure was several stories tall!"

"The castle, the skyline all of it is gone. This can't be!" I exclaimed. "Overwatch can you take us to Sir Wolf's home?"

**I am unable to determine the exact location; the knight core files are inaccessible at this time.* *

"Your best guess will do." I said to the automated assistant.

The automated assistant flew us to the section of the city where Sir Wolf's home once stood. Again there was nothing but a lake of molten ash, lava and magma. Corbin and I were awestruck.

"Alex, I think I saw something down there."

"Someone within all that?"

"No, eyes in the lava." Corbin said shaking. "They looked eerie."

"Ok I have seen enough, find us a safe spot and land." I ordered.

*Right away Mr. Winter.*

The automated assistant found a clearing a half mile west of the city limits and set down there. Even there the heat from the lava flow was quite intense.

"Deactivating halo-projector." Corbin said. "Let's send out the probe."

"Better not." I said to my 'little brother.' "The heat from that thing is so intense."

"Right we wouldn't want to loose it. Scans instead." The little mongoose said.

*Probe Engaged.*

We examined the footage from the front mounted camera. The lava flow was easily fifteen feet high and still very active.

"But what could cause this?" I said as we continued to study the footage.

"That big brother." Corbin said pointing to the display on his co-pilot monitor.

In disbelief, I opened up the dome and stepped out of the blue coupe. To the north were five large mounds belching out lava.

"Five volcanoes buried the city in lava?! Overwatch analysis, how old is this lava flow?" I asked.

*Hard to say Mr. Winter, but based on the probe's scans, I would estimate about a twelve days.*

"Ok, do you mean to tell me that at the same time World Five was being buried by a tidal wave and World One was on fire, these volcanos appeared and buried World Three in magma?!" I shouted. "Corbin, are you detecting anything?"

"Remains, beastial and human underneath all that. I don't think anything could have survived." The little mongoose said.

"Sir Wolf, Neil Winter?" I said staring at him.

"I don't know big brother." Corbin said as the status screen of the prototype started flashing red.

"What now?" I said.

"Primary and secondary power sources are very low." Corbin said to me.

*There hasn't been adequate sunlight to power the prototype and the water supply is critically low.*

"I guess that will happen when a vehicle like this is stored underground." I said to the little boy.

"Overwatch do we have enough power to get back home?" Corbin asked.

*Negative Mr. Mongoose.*

"We will need to find a pond, stream or lake to refuel otherwise, we are going to be camping here for the night." I said.

"Big brother, I think there is a more pressing issue."

"What is that Corbin?"

"I am detecting a hover vehicle approaching our location from the west- fast."

*It appears to be about a mile and a half away.*

"Um how is that possible? The EMP knocked everything out during the fall." I said.

"I don't know but it is coming our way!" Corbin shouted.

"One of the other prototypes maybe?" I theorized.

*Negative Mr. Winter.*

"Then what?"

"Alex what should we do?" The little mongoose asked me.

"We are going to hide." I said stepping back into the prototype. "Re-engage the holo projector..."

"Too late! It's here!"

Corbin and I watched a white pick-up passed ten feet over us sputtering. It was headed toward the lake of lava.

*Their engine is failing.* The automated assistant announced.

"If they crash land in there..." Corbin said staring at the bubbling magma.

"On it." I shouted pressing the third button in the column of buttons on the weapons console.

*Side-pods Engaged.*

I then made my selection from the weapons menu.

*Tractor-hooks Engaged.*

I quickly lined up the cross hair with the rear of the falling hover vehicle and took the shot.

**THWOK!!**

*Direct hit Mr. Winter.*

"It isn't over yet!" I shouted throwing the blue coupe into reverse.

The cables attached to the hooks pulled tight as I tried to pull the white truck backward to prevent it landing into the lava lake and killing everyone on board.

"Keep going!" Corbin shouted trying to judge how far I needed to pull the truck to clear the immediate danger.

I slammed down the accelerator trying to pull the truck backward as it descended.

(Come on... come on...)

"Ok clear!" Corbin announced.

The white hover vehicle landed on the shore of the lava lake hard bouncing twice before it came to a stop.

"Phew, are they ok?" I said locking my eyes on the white pick-up.

The passenger and driver's doors started to open.

(Uh Oh. I hope they are friendly.)

Alex Winter January 12 YOE 34.