Slamming (Through Time 3)

He almost laughed out loud to think they were waiting in Killarney. He had fostered that belief, but Killarney was only beloved by Gaiscioch, not by him. While the Royals centered all their magical and quite powerful strengths on closing the entrance at the Middle Lake, he would march out somewhere else entirely, and they would have no idea where.

Pestale knew his plan was brilliant, and because he was patient, he stalled the Royals just a bit longer, letting them believe they would be victorious, before he led his army down the other living tunnel with its magical living walls. They were about to enter Earth without even having to raise a sword—but when they did raise their swords, they would make the Human Realm their own.

Their time was upon them.

The Dark Royals arrived in the twilight of evening among the stones of Stonehenge.

Their appearance was not through a light mist, as the Fae had arrived from Danu. They came in a burst of thunderclouds at their back, with swirling shades of darkness, followed by small bursts of flames.

Theirs was not a warm greeting to the humans they encountered. Their faces were drawn with purpose, their power pulsating off their bodies. Pestale a foot ahead of his brothers and Morrigu, led them with the confident smirk of a man who has attained what he believed was always his right.

And thus, they walked forward, like dark Gods, brilliant, exquisite to look upon, frightening in their dark leather fitted coats which flapped around their ankles in the visible swirling mass at their backs. They walked forward with the force of each of their pounding steps reverberating with an echo that could be heard for miles.

At their backs was the horrific sight of monsters, indescribable, drooling with a desire to feed, hungry with need, anxious for the command to attack.

His two brothers were on his left, his Morrigu with her black hair flying in the wind was on his right, and Pestale felt the victory engulf him with pleasure. It was so forceful that he had a moment when he nearly climaxed sexually, but controlled himself. They were here. Unhampered and victorious, they were here!

Black glittering eyes surveyed the tourists who all as a unit had stopped their meandering about on the Stonehenge mound and stared transfixed.

Pestale saw their expressions. They thought perhaps this was a movie production. He could, in fact, hear them murmuring this to one another.

He knew and understood the picture they presented to the curious humans who stopped and watched them. He knew they presented a powerful, exotic, beautiful image as long as they did not look past him to his army. He had no hatred for humans, as Gaiscioch did. He meant in the end to rule them benignly…in the end. However, one must do what one must do to achieve that end he told himself.

And then came the moment when he heard their gasps as the humans saw what followed him and his clan. They saw the abominations at his back.

The tourists began looking to one another, and he heard someone say, ‘come on—it has to be a movie set, what else could it be?’

Pestale sneered. Humans were great fools. They never saw the truth, only what was more comfortable to believe. Pompous idiots to think they were the only ones who inhabited the Universe.

He put up his hand to stop the noise of the Unseelie excitement at his back. He had made a decision. It would be wise to allow his army to feed—and he motioned first to his Green Babblers to do so.

Green Babblers use their power to scream a pitch that will kill humans. They are horrendous to look at, with distorted lizard faces, and several eyes splashed throughout. Their bodies were human-like in shape if one discounted the fact that their chest cavity would open and allow a Venus fly trap mouth to emerge and feed.

Humans held their hands to their ears and began dropping to their knees.

The Babblers were on them—feeding as a horde.

Blood horrifically covered the grass and what was left of the humans was an unbearable sight.

Some humans ran, but the other castes had moved in, and the sound of humans crying out in fear and pain filled the atmosphere.

Pestale found that while Hordly was thoroughly enjoying the chaos and Morrigu looked unconcerned, it was not something he enjoyed at all. It was a necessary part of his plan, to instill terror, but in the end it was not what he wanted. This horrific bloodletting was not how he wished to live.

He looked at his younger and middle brother and for the first time noticed that Graely appeared miserable. He put a hand on his young brother’s shoulder, “You are disturbed.”

“Pestale, I find this barbaric. Humans are thinking creatures, and this…is not what I want. Killing in battle is one thing, but this is slaughter. We must not allow them to feed indiscriminately…it is cruel,” Graely argued.

Pestale laughed, “You are naïve, then. Just what did you think it would be like? They have been holed up in the Dark Realm for eons, they are hungry and humans serve them as food, they aren’t eating for sport.”

Graely shook his head and said nothing and Pestale clicked his tongue and turned to Morrigu who was running a hand over her body, excited now by the frenzy.

He stroked her cheek and said softly, “Morrigu, I need you to concentrate. The Bains Caste who are ferocious fighters, and whom I mean to use as the fore runners when we engage the Royals, cannot shift. It is your job to shift them as a group, while my brothers and I make certain none of the others remain behind. You know where to go, yes love?”

She rubbed her cheek against his hand, “Oh yes, it was my favorite place on Earth when we roamed freely as Seelie Gods. You are good to me Pestale, to take me back there—to give me a castle all my own. My beloved Grampian Mountains.” She eyed him, “Will you come quickly, and take care of me, Pestale, I am in need…?”

“We will be right behind you and we will always take care of you,” Pestale said, and he believed it to be the truth. He would always try and take care of Morrigu, who had been the only female available to supply their needs and who was by virtue of her DNA, also their mother. He excused her and blamed the Dark King for deserting her when he took up with his human consort, human no longer, Crystal.