I do not own Chaotic nor anything related to it. It belongs to TCDigital.

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The Long Ride

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The packs are all full and the wagons are loaded. There are tents for everyone, clothing, and food enough for the journey there, the journey back, and then a bit more than that. The company includes myself, Isis, ten personal guards including Maliph and Malvadine, and three servants who I have still never seen before... because they're always invisible. Yeah, I'm glad I decided not to say that lame joke out loud.

In short, we are physically ready to leave at any time. Emotionally, however...

"It's okay, Hera," I say as I soothe my daughter. "Mommy and daddy will be back in a month, hopefully less."

Hera grabs the front of my coat and buries her face in it. I pat her on the back. I don't want to leave her, I really don't, but if there's a chance to prevent the M'arrillians from escaping the Deepmines, then I have to take it.

I look up at Joalle. At least, I look in Joalle's general direction. "Hera, Joalle will still be here for you, and Tiaane will be teaching you about mugic, right?"

"Ah don't want you and Mommy to go, Daddy," Hera sobs into my chest.

I look pleadingly at the air where I think Joalle is. Moments later, Hera looks over her shoulder, then hugs her nursemaid's invisible leg.

I poke Hera's nose. "I'll see you soon, my little girl."

Hera reaches out towards my face, then pauses, her hand hovering close to the bandage on my nose. Then she taps my chin instead. "Bye bye Daddy. Ah luv you."

I smile. "I love you too, Hera."

I stand and return to the group, then hoist myself onto one of the kozorr. I see Isis approach Hera to comfort her.

"We're coming too," I hear a voice say.

I turn to see Sett and Ashley approaching on the back of a kozorr. "Um, why?" I ask, a little bewildered.

"Because you're up against the M'arrillians," Ashley says, "so you could really use all the help you can get."

"And I'm not going to let her run off without me," Sett adds.

Before I can protest any, Maliph flickers into view nearby. "I can see good reasons for them to come along. Sett has fought in the Underworld before, so he knows the area, and Ashley is not as recognizable as you, so she can go places a common Human can get to that you wouldn't be able too."

I throw my hands up in defeat. "Fine," I grumble.

"You seems a little tense," Maliph notes.

I shrug. "Trying to prevent what might as well be the destruction of Perim would do that, yes."

Maliph's eyes widen, but he doesn't say anything else.

Isis hops onto my kozorr and wraps her arms around my chest. "We need to go," she whispers. "Fast, while I still have the strength to leave."

I nod, then raise a fist in the air. "Is everything assembled?" I call out. There are shouts to the affirmative.

I pull on my kozorr's reins and make the beast face the gate. "Everyone mount!"

There's a shuffling behind me while everyone gets on their mounts.

"Ready?" I say, then point forward, out into the desert. Nobody objects, so I shout, "Yah!"

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Kozorr are very useful animals. They're pretty much reptilian horses. I don't mean a horse with scales, they're just used the same way horses are used on Earth.

Kozorr are blue scaled, somewhat squat, and the males have a frill on their heads. When they migrate, the alpha male leads, while the females and lesser males follow. This makes them excellent for moving large groups over great distances. All you have to do is control the lead kozorr, and the rest will simply follow.

"Yah!" I shout, urging my kozorr to speed up.

Mipedians train their lead kozorr to understand spoken commands, "Yah" to speed up, "Ro" to slow down, "Hee" to stop. The reins let them steer, but that's all the tactile commands they use.

We're moving at what I'd call a gallop. Isis and I are at the head of the group, and bringing up the rear are the wagons and the soldiers who are keeping an eye on them.

Minutes later, I hear, "Wagon!"

"Ro!" I shout, and the kozorr slows.

"Wagon!" comes the shout again.

"Hee!" I reply, and the kozorr comes to a halt. I turn around to see the other kozorr slowing, then look at the wagons. One is missing its tarp.

Seconds later a soldier catches up with us with the missing tarp. "Who tied this line?" he shouts.

There's a squabble while the tarp is replaced, and then we're off.

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Night has fallen. Eventually it will be too cold to continue riding. Even with the M'arrillian threat looming, I can't push our animals too hard.

Time passes, and the kozorr have huddled together for the night. The tents are pitched, the beddings laid out, and a guard has been set.

Isis and I are in our tent. Good grief, I'm exhausted.

"Michael?" Isis says.

"Yes, Isis?" I respond.

"Who do you want as our child's father?"

There was a time in the past where a question like that would make my brain short-circuit. Now, it's merely a little odd. "I hadn't thought about it, really. Aren't you supposed to choose?"

"Yes," Isis says from beside me, "but if you're going to be there too, you should have a say."

A voice outside shouts, "With all due respect, Your Highnesses, could you two keep it down?"

I lower my voice. "Thank you for thinking of me, but the idea of choosing who'll be having sex with my wife is a little awkward."

"I understand," Isis sighs.

"...You're having trouble choosing," I realize.

Isis cringes. "Father chose for me when I had Hera."

I squeeze my eyes shut. "I have bad memories about my behavior from back then."

Isis places a hand on my shoulder. "Don't think about it," she whispers before pressing her lips against mine. She pushes me onto my back and climbs on top of me. We kiss passionately while Isis reaches down and prepares my body for the act.

"You do know... that they'll be... able to hear us," I say between kisses.

Isis grins. "Let's see if you can be quiet this time then," she teases before descending on me.

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Two days and nights pass, and we reach one of the tunnels that lead into the Underworld. It won't be many more days before we arrive at Underworld City. Sett takes the lead as we begin the trek below.

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Up next: The City Like Hell

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Like I said before, Chaotic belongs to TCDigital.

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