Chapter 9

Pickles, Pleasure...and PORN!

   The next day, the sixth, found three triumphant men on the flying horse's back.

   Brian was in front and Gus was sandwiched in between the both of them and without a doubt he thought it was the best place to be right about then.

   For six days they had been flying over this endless forest and it still was without an end in all directions. However, finally, about midday they finally sighted their goal.

   Far away in the distance was a clearing and in the middle of that clearing was a tiny spire. Brian gave a shout and pointed it out.

   The tiny spire grew bigger and bigger as it grew closer and closer. Soon they could see it was grey stone and that it was among the ruins of more stone and walls and doors that went nowhere and the like. They could see it was about 50 feet high with a single window at the top and no door to get in.

   And then Arrow was diving and dropping. He cleverly found a forest path and landed a little ways inside the tree cover.

   "Arrow! What are you doing!? Come on!" Gus cried, but Arrow wouldn't move.

   He jumped down and was about to run the rest of the way to the tower, when Brian jumped down and caught him easily.

   "Gus wait! Arrow must have dropped us here for a reason! Just go slowly. We're here, but remember, only fools rush in."

   And so, they went silently the rest of the way and it's a good thing that they did. They were peeking out from various undergrowth coverings to see if it was safe, when suddenly it wasn't.

   There was a fearsome clap of thunder and a puff of black, oily smoke and a wizened old man in a black cloak appeared in the clearing near the tower.

   "You don't suppose it's...him?" asked Gus, fearfully.

   Brian looked carefully. "No. It's some other weasel but be careful. This may be of the same ilk. Let's watch and learn."

   The old man moved over to the window and called up:

"Sweet boy of mine,

With skin and hair so fine,

It's me, Walter Shickle.

I've brought a jar of pickles,

So let down your golden hair,

And we'll have a little slap and tickle."

   From the woods, Brian, Justin, and Gus looked at each other. Who was this weirdo?"

   Well, whoever he was, a golden rope of some sort was let down out of the window and the old man cackled in glee and climbed up it. He disappeared through the window and the rope was pulled up again.

   The three men retreated a safe distance into the forest.

   "Who was that freak?" Gus asked, voicing it for all three of them.

   "I don't know, but with a speech like that, I'll doubt he'll be coming out of there any time soon," Brian said. "Don't worry though, he amended, when he saw Gus' face, "We'll keep watch and rescue whoever's in there when he goes away."

   This plan was quickly put into effect. Justin kept watch, and Gus and Brian retreated a short way into the forest until they found a small glade that would serve their needs as a campsite.

   They decided not to light a fire in case the old man would see the smoke. They comforted Arrow who was pretending (Brian hoped) to be affronted because he had been courteous enough to poot out two patties just for them. These ones smelled like freshly baked gingerbread.

   Each man took a 2 hour shift and still nothing. Sunset came and went and Justin gave the crown to Brian just as he was going to transform.

   Finally, a few hours after sunset, the golden rope was let down again and the old man slid down.

   "I'll see you tomorrow, boy! Ahhhhh Heee! Hee! Heee!" The old man laughed in what was a definite cackle, turned on his heel and vanished in a thick cloud of black smoke.

   It was decided Gus should go see what was up, since it was his quest, after all. So he strode out into the clearing and yelled up, "HEEEEYYY! Who's up there? Let down that rope! Who's there? Oh...and, do you have any of those pickles left?"

   A perfectly adorable, blond man of about 18 years old popped his head out.  His skin indeed was very white and fair. He had blue eyes and he was very handsome.

   "You're not Walter! Who are you?"

   "I'm Gus! I came a long way to rescue you."

   "What?? You came to make a fuss? You're shlong needs a shoe!?"

   "NO! Came to rescue you!"

   WHAT?? You're ashamed to eat stew!!? Well don't eat it then!!"

   "NO!! Look! That gold rope! Let down your rope! I'll climb up!

   "I can't hear a damn thing! Hang on! Let me let down my hair so you can climb up!"

   With that, the deaf (but not dumb) blond let down the gold rope and when it got there, Gus realized it was hair! A tightly coiled, blond braid that reached 40 feet down. He pulled on a pair of leather gauntlets for better traction and started the climb. It wasn't easy but if you think about it, no quest ever is, so it was slow going. However, he persevered and finally, he reached the top.

   He sat on the windowsill and was struck dumb with amazement and horniness. The captive prince was even more handsome and delectable up close. He was a thin but toned 18 year old blond twink, a light haired version of himself.  His eyes were blue. He wore a tan tunic and leggings and leather shoes that flared out in the back. Gus could now see that the prince's hair that was indeed braided starting near the nape of his neck and extended a few feet to the window where it was looped and braced around an ugly little statue of a troll that was serving as a rainspout.

   "Hi. What's your name?" asked Gus.

   "I'm Randal. And who are you? And why are you ashamed to eat stew?"

   "I'm Gus. And I'm not ashamed of anything! I said: I came to rescue you!"

   "Ohhhh! Well, that makes a lot more sense, I must say."

   There was a pause.

   "So what are you going to do?" asked Randal, interestedly.

   "Well, it depends....that old man...do we have to get away from him?" He began to pull on the braid and hoist the whole thing up again.

   Randal moved to help him, a little embarrassed. This was his hair after all. It was his responsibility. "Oh, we shouldn't have to worry. He only visits once a day."

   "I see. All right, well that gives us some time then. Who is that guy anyway?"

   "I don't really know anymore. He brought me here as a baby and brought me up as a son. He never let me cut my hair and now it is as you see it. When it was long enough to use as a rope, he sealed the door with magic and never let me leave. And it was only last year that he stopped wanting me to be his son and started wanting....other things."

   "What other things?"

   Randal just looked down. "If I tell you, you won't want to rescue me," he said in this small voice that made Gus want to smash the old man's face in.

   Gus raised his hand and pledged, "No matter what you tell me, we are getting out of this hell hole!"

   ""I'm going to hold you to that," Randal said with a tremulous smile.

   Then he began to talk.  He talked for a long time. And Gus' horror and rage grew with every passing word.

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   About a year ago, Walter (the old man) began showing interest in Randal other than a son. Oh, it never went as far as sex, Randal assured him, but it was getting closer and closer and he was sure the old man was going to make a move soon. Meantime, sometimes he would still have father-son visits and other times...he would bring...the pickles.

   It was during those times, that Randal knew his duties were now very different. Walter would be amorous and kiss him and strip him and fondle him until Randal would be overcome with the physical need to finish the job and Walter would watch in glee. And before he was allowed to cum, Randal was expected to perform...certain duties.

   At the same time though, Walter would view him as his son....or boy....or both and the whole shebang was messing with Randal's head in ways he didn't even know. And whenever he would refuse or cry, Walter was there to remind him he was there forever. There was no way down from the tower, plus he was so far deep in this forest that any other man who tried to come for him would be eaten, or trapped or enchanted and even if someone managed to escape all that, it would still take him his whole life to make it through the forest to reach the tower. And so, Randal would do....his duties that a son should never have to do with tears in his eyes.

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   "So...do you still want to rescue me?"

   "More than ever. None of that was any of your fault, Randall. And as must as I'd like to fix his wagon, I think the best bet would be to get away from him as soon as possible."

   "Agreed. He's just too powerful. And jealous. I'm certain now, this is why he tried so hard to convince me that no one would come."

   "I was thinking the same thing," said Gus.

   "But now you have come. And you don't look like it took your whole life to get here. And you didn't get trapped! However did you manage it?"

   "If I was on foot, I've no doubt it would have taken my whole life! As it was, it took six days riding a magic flying horse."

   "A magic horse! How clever of you! And brave....and handsome....And...Oh...I'm sorry! It's just...I've never seen a man as young as me before. I've often wondered what it would be like...well, to feel like...to kiss a young person instead of a wrinkled....never mind." He shuddered.

   So did Gus. Then he took Randal's smooth hand in his leathery one and pulled him toward him. "It feels a little like this," he said. And he kissed him and this time, it was right, so right, because Randal kissed right back, warm and willing, and there was no one else in the picture to object about it.

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   Meanwhile, down on the ground, Brian and Justin waited impatiently for Gus to return.

   However, after 15 minutes when Gus didn't return and moreover, the rope was pulled up, Brian smiled roguishly.

   "Come on, Sunshine! We may as well go back to camp! Gus won't be coming back tonight."

   "What? How can you tell?"

   "Well, they just pulled up the means of escape. Besides...if it was me...who found you up there.... I definitely wouldn't be coming down anytime soon!"

   And Brian swooped in and kissed the daylights out of him. Then he scooped him up and carried him off back to the campsite where Arrow was waiting to light one fire while they lighted another, this one fueled by pure passion.

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   Gus and Randal separated and Randal smiled. "Mmmmmmm!! That was nice. Is there more?

   Gus nodded and smiled sweetly and then dipped Randal back and kissed the daylights out of him. Randal's hand snaked around the back of Gus's neck and tongue fucked the questing prince back mercilessly. Both twinks were in seventh heaven. After what seemed like a long time, they finally separated again.

   Gus had to work a bit to put Randal upright again. But he was a strong young man and he managed it. However....

   "How ‘bout we get rid of some extra mass huh? Let's cut this hair once and for all. Why haven't you before now?"

   "My father would never let me. And he never brought a knife or scissors so I couldn't do it myself."

   "Well, I'll fix that!" Gus drew his dagger from its sheath around his waist and in one easy move, sliced the huge braid off at the nape of the neck.

   "Oh my God! I feel...I feel so light!! Thank you! I can't believe I was dragging that damn thing around!"

   "Well, we shouldn't let it unravel. Do you have a string or...rope or something to tie it with?"

   Randal looked around. His round tower room was bare as a prison cell and felt like it was just that most of the time too. There was a nice bed, chest of drawers, a chair and desk where he did his writings, and a bedside table, his hot plate fueled by dragon's breath, and in one section, the lavatory but other than that....nothing. Damn Walter!

   Wait! On the bedside table. The jar. And around the jar, like it was a present or something...was a red ribbon.

   Randal ran for it and slid it off the pickle jar and presented it to Gus. "Will this do?"

   "Perfect!" Gus snatched it and tied the end he was holding off in a tight knot. "There! We'll use that to escape later! So...about the pickles! What was that all about?"

   "Oh Gus...Do we have to go into all that? We were having such a lovely time. Let's just kiss some more!" Randal tried to draw Gus down onto the bed and start another make-out session.

   "Randal! No! I need to know. More importantly, I want you to know you can tell me anything! You don't have to hide anything from me. And..." he continued, "I'm not going to hide anything from you. I need to know the story behind them. I didn't come alone and the guy I'm with needs to know about them too."

   "Oh....So you came...with someone." Randal visibly shrunk away from Gus and hugged his pillow and Gus kicked himself for the way that had sounded when he had spoke. "That's cool, I guess," Randal continued, failing miserably to play it cool. "I can do a three-some...I think. Walter said he was going to bring a friend sometime but I think he was lying but who knows? But I don't think he has..."

   "NO! Randal stop! There will be no three-some! I promise! That came out badly. The guy I came...the guys...I came with...they're a couple. They have no interest in me that way. And if...and when we become involved, I'm not sharing you with anyone....well, unless we both decide. But that's a ways away, don't you think?"

   Randal nodded and smiled shakily. "No threesome?"

   "Gus sat beside him and ran his fingers through Randal's new ragged ends. "No," he told the shaky teen again and hugged him close. Randal's arms slowly went around him and hung on for dear life. He looked at the...jar and the buried his face into Gus' chest. Gus lay there with him and felt very manly and comforting but he waited. Waited for the boom to fall. Waited for the story that could very well change all their lives for the better...or the worse.

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   "Walter is a purveyor of a particular, personalized, pedigree of pickles," began Randal. Gus' eyes popped open wide but said nothing. He would let Randal get this out any way he wanted.

   Walter has ...he has a powerful and potent passion for pickles. A flagitious, foul fetish. This intense, insidious, iniquitous interest has dominated his desires and he has forced me to facilitate his fucked up fascination."

   "So....he has a fetish and he's made you take part?"

   "That's what I just said! Try not to interrupt!"

   "Sorry."

   "That's OK. So...he derives a disgusting delectation and a perfectly poisonous pleasure with the pernicious pickles he propels here. He bears upon me to bind him, hand and foot, to the bed and spank his scrawny seat with the pickled preserves he presents. I also have to tickle his pi -..."

   "Never mind! Maybe I don't need to hear that!" cried Gus.

   "His pits. You know, his armpits. And here...At the sides of the ribs. What did you think I was going to say?"

   Gus was too busy sagging in relief. "Never mind. I wasn't sure. At this point, it could have been....anything."

   Randal giggled. "I guess you're right. Sometimes I do get carried away. I'm a writer, you see. Helps to pass the time."

   "I see that."

   Anyway, his B.O. is bodacious. His pits are the pits. He's stick-thin and his revolting ribs stick out in relief.  Doing bondage is basically a boring bummer, at least with him.  I despise doing his desires and accommodating his awful, atrocious ass but I'm his powerless prisoner in these deep, dark, dank, deciduous, Western Woods. Also I'm sufficiently scared that his sick and salacious solicitude will slate him to seek out sickening, shocking, scandalous, not to mention, sleazy sex. I'd love to leave."

   "Then leave we shall! It's gotten dark and Brian and Justin are no doubt asleep at the camp but first thing in the morning we shall leave. Is there anything you want to take along? Clothes? Anything personal?"

   "I have a few changes of clothes...some toiletries...and my manuscripts in the desk. I'd like to take those, if I could. Other than that, this topside, tower territory is as marginal and meager as you see it. There is nothing else."

   "Oh...OK. Oh the pickles...We'll need a few. Besides...all that, I don't suppose you've eaten any?

   "The insidious idea that even one of those perfidious preserves has ever passed my lips is preposterous and perfectly...."

   "OK...OK...Never mind....Shhhh now! Let's just go to sleep now. It's over. It's all over. I won't let him near you again."

   "I'm sorry I've been sad."

   "Shhhh...Shhhh....."

   "Are you awfully angry?"

   "No...never...Shhh."

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   Back at the campsite, Brian and Justin were not asleep. Well, not yet anyway.

   This was Brian's first night alone with his bootylicious blond boytoy and there was no stopping him tonight. He was taking full advantage of the situation.

   After the passionate, fiery kiss, they settled into a long, slow, languorous make out session on their picnic blanket. After a while, however, Brian felt the need to escalate things.

   "I am so hot for you," he told the blond.

   "That's because I'm so hot," bragged the blond boy.

   "Little fucker."

   "Mmmmmmm....Promises, promises," teased Justin.

   Brian groaned and smashed their lips together. He ran his hand all down the blond's beautiful body and blindly picked at his belt and then loosened it and pulled up his tunic. Justin tried the same but then realized that he wouldn't be able to remove Brian's shirtpiece without dislodging the crown.

   "Guess we're having clothes on sex," he teased.

   "Well, the important part comes off," Brian winked and pulled down his pants to reveal his glorious tumescent dick.

   Justin gasped. "Day and night...I have been dreaming of your copious cock!"

   "I've missed you so much, Sunshine!" Brian admitted.

   And Justin smiled a million watt Sunshine smile for him because he knew that was the closest he was going to get to Brian saying he loved him.

   "I see that!" Justin said, stroking over the organ with one finger and picking off the jewel of precum. He sucked his finger. "Mmmmmmm...."

   Brian made a strangled noise in his throat as his balls clenched so tight it was a toss-up between pleasure and pain.

   "Little...fucker..." he strangled out

   "Yes, you mentioned that," Justin said smoothly, "But first..." And in a single move, he engulfed Brian's cock.

   Brian was past strangling now; he merely gasped in pure pleasure. Justin bobbed and sucked faster and faster and just as Brian thought he was going insane, Justin backed off and edged him.

   "Wha - what the fuck!? Why'd you stop?" Brian was desperate and his balls were blue.

   "Just admiring the nice shade of blue I've made your balls," Justin cheekily confirmed, as he pulled off his pants.

   "Little...fucker..."

   "You keep saying that....But I think...he wagged his own capacious, colossal, and commodious cock, under Brian's nose. Brian was properly hypnotized and easily propelled down on the aforementioned organ. "Ahhh yes....you need to suck first!"

   "What....uuummmph....you doing....mmmmmm.....to me.....ohhhhhhhh......little fucker..."

   "I'm using my mind control powers on you," said Justin.

   Brian's head popped up. "Why do I have a feeling you stole my line somewhere?"

   Justin guided him back down. "No idea. You snooze, you lose. Now...back to work my hunky slave. Less talk, more cock! You're making my dick soft."

   Brian raised his eyes in a furious look at his smug blond boy with the full, cupid bow lips that reminded him that Eros himself had shot him through his ticker and indeed had made him the blond's willing love slave. Then he lowered and got back to work at the best job in his life.

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   In the deep of the night, Randal jackknifed up, eyes wide, and screamed bloody murder.

   Gus sat up as well and reached over. "Randal! Wake up! Wake up!"

   "NOOOO!!! I won't let you touch me again!! I won't let...I won't...ZZZZZZZZZ....!!!" And he fell over again.

   "Gus shook him awake. "Randal! Are you OK?"

   "No....Noooo.....I won't let you...Won't let you...NO!!" Randal came awake in a rush. He sucked in a horrified gasp.

   "Randal!! Are you OK!? Are you awake? Don't worry! It was just a nightmare!"

   Randal clutched at him and sat up. His eyes were still wide.

   "No! I mean....I'm all right! It was...it was a doozy. I have them a lot now, but this one....this one was different. I could feel him! And when I feel him...."

   He jumped up. "Quick! We have to go now! Help me pack my things! We have to go right now!

   "What's wrong? Randal, take it easy!"

   Randal turned on the light and looked at him seriously. "No! Listen up! We have to go NOW! Certain dreams I have, leave me with a feeling....A knowing! And he's always turned up after one of them."

   Gus' blood turned cold. "You mean..."

   Randal was throwing his meager clothes into a sack. He moved on to the desk where he pulled out the drawer and just dumped the lot of scrolls and quills and a few sealed bottles of ink into the bag. He moved onto the toilet.

   "Yes! He's coming! He must have sensed you because he's coming....right now!

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   As Brian bobbed up and down, faster and faster, he expertly assplayed the blond youth. Soon the teasing edger was squirming and writhing with a different desire as his ass began to itch and yearn for Brian's cock.

   "Oh God, that feels so good!" he moaned.

   Brian sucked faster and faster and just as he sensed the twink's balls tightening and his creamy center about to blow, he backed off the cock, laved his way down his balls and into the heaven known as Justin's ass.

   "What the hell do you think you're doing!!?" yelled the teen edged edger.  He groaned. He never wanted to come so bad in his life.

   "Payback's a bitch," answered Brian unrepentantly. He continued to rim the ravished, writhing rapscallion. He used more spit to lube Justin good and proper and then brought his lubed dick to his hole. Gently and slowly, taking his time, he entered him. Justin gasped at the pain but he just watched Brian's eyes, glowing in the firelight and the colors of the flowers above them and tried to relax. He trusted the Top totally. At the same time, Brian slowly, started to stroke his dick again. That marvelous tightening began again.

   At the same time the pain began to fade and there was only Brian's undisputedly huge donkey dick filling him up and stroking his prostate with every move making him come closer and closer to...

   "Don't cum yet," came Brian's smooth as silk voice out of the dark. Now Justin strangled a little in his efforts to defer to the Dom's directive.

   "Now....here's what's going to happen. I'm going to tell you something...something very secret." Brian was still stroking his dick, slowly, slowly.

   Justin nodded.

   "If you tell anyone, there will be....consequences. Understand boy?"

   Justin nodded.

   "What I tell you is going to make you cum the biggest load you've ever known. At the same time, I'm going to shoot my orgasm up that sweet, sweet ass of yours. Are you ready?"

   Justin nodded and gurgled a little. Brian was still stroking....stroking.

   "This is my control....my power over you." He leaned very close and whispered:

   "I love you."

   Justin gurgled and then screamed in joy as pleasure of every sort flooded his body. And everything that Brian had said...came to pass.

   Afterward, after he had cleaned them both up, Brian wrapped them both up in blankets by the fire. They fell asleep with limbs entwined together. They slept the deep sleep of the freshly fucked.

   Later, not even a distant scream, and then the rustle of bushes and branches around them as a huge animal moved through them, could wake them.

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   Gus shook off the last bits of his sleepiness and sprang into action. He had no idea what was going on but if Randal was sufficiently scared enough to jump ship, he wasn't going to argue.

   While Randal gathered his stuff from the bathroom, Gus grabbed one end of the hair/rope and tied it off tightly to the ugly little troll drainspout. Then he threw the rest of it out the window where it would hang forevermore.

   Randal was finishing up and staring with distaste at the hated pickle jar.

   "Man, I really hate to bring this thing. Just knowing it's going to waste space in my bag makes me cringe."

   "I know. But Brian and Justin really need it. Once we meet up with them, I'm sure Brian will take it off your hands."

   "I hope so," Randal said and packed the pickles.

   There was a puff of black smoke and Walter Shickle appeared by the window.

   "Well, well, well!! Planning on purloining some pickles, my precious?" he asked.

   Randal was frozen in fear at the wisping in of the wicked warlock. He managed: "Don't...don't call me that!"

   "What was that....my precious?"

   Taking a deep breath and drawing on reserves he never knew he had, Randal yelled, "Don't call me that, you PERVERT!! I'll never do any of your disgusting, deplorable, despicable, detestable, depraved, and all together dreadful desires, EVER AGAIN!"

   "Randal, what are you trying to say?" Walter said in seeming confusion.

   Randal just made a wordless, feral noise, he was so angry.

   "I think the gentleman made himself perfectly...crystal clear!" Gus said, in what he hoped was a brave voice that he wasn't feeling. He drew his dagger and held it out in front of him. "Now stand aside, witch! We're leaving! Get in our way and die!"

   "Ahhhh, the brave and handsome hero!" sneered Walter, "Well, my prince, are you sure that's the part you'd like to play? Remember....you're not a hero...until you're dead!"

   He pointed a finger and a laser of green magic zapped out and hit Gus in the chest. Gus was blasted over and stuck to the wall. He struggled but he couldn't move and he couldn't breathe. He started to choke.

   "ARRRRGGGH!!" Randal was mobilized into action. "You wretched, wicked witch! Here! You want your pickles so bad! Here! Have them back!  Munch on your monstrous, macabre, malediction. Taste your terrible...."

   "Randal....hurry!" wheezed Gus.

   "Oh right! Eat this, you SADISTIC SHIT! This one whacked your wrinkly butt!" And he plucked a pickled preserve and rammed it down the repellent, repugnant, revolting, and all together rotten reprobate's throat.

   Walter began to chew and a blissful expression passed over his shriveled face, as if he tasted the nectar of the gods.

   Randal grew and saw red with anger. "Oh you like that!? Well, have another!!" And he shoved another one whole down his throat. "That one tickled your repulsive ribs!"

   The new pickle stuffed the stuff already in there farther down his throat. Walter began to choke.

   "NOW DIE!" Randal screamed and shoved the weakened warlock out the window. Walter gave a choked and weakened wail that faded as he fell to his doom.

   There was a flash and Gus fell to the floor, coughing and choking for a few seconds until he managed to suck in a huge breath and get his wind back.

   "Oh thank God! Gus, are you all right!" Randal was at Gus' side in an instant and helped him up.

   "I'm all right! Let's just get the hell out of here!" And without any further ado, they gathered up their belongings including the rest of those hateful pickles and climbed out the window and started down the braid.

   They were only 2 or three jumps down when a huge black cloud starting billowing up toward them. In horror, they saw the top half coalesce into the waist up of Walter Shickle!

   "AHHHH HAAA, HAA, HAA, HAA, HAAAAAAA!" the huge version of the Witch laughed horribly, "You fool! How do you think I get here every day! You can't kill me! Especially like that! I can teleport, you idiots!"

   "Oh yeah! I don't believe it! Prove it! Teleport somewhere where it's noon!" yelled Gus.

   Walter face twisted as sour as a lemon which was a fantastic feat in itself because it was already sucking on two pickles.

   "That sort of thing isn't going to work on me, boy!" he yelled, " How stupid do you think I am? I'm a witch, not a troll!!"

   "Rats," murmured Gus.

   Walter made a couple of spitting noises and the two pickles Randal had shoved up there, whizzed down do the ground and stuck halfway in.

   "You disgusting pig! You're both!" yelled Randal.

   "I don't really pay attention to the opinions of dead men!" said huge Walter.

   He pointed his finger again and there was another laser of magic that hit the pickles. The pickles changed and stretched and grew and tangled into vines. The vines groped and grabbed and grew up the side of the tower and extended out into a huge tangled bush with each vine growing as thick as a man's arm. And out of each little bump on the pickles, grew a huge thorn, some like daggers and some as long and sharp as a sword! And the whole thing was right underneath them!

   "I'm quite sure at the very least, those thorns will put your eye out! And at the very most they'll go right through your brain! NOW DIE!!!" the Witch screamed, throwing back his words at him.

   Walter reached out an ethereal hand and slashed with nails as long and sharp as Gus' dagger. He sliced cleanly through the braid just above Randal.

   "YAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" screamed the young men as they plunged to their death. Walter watched, laughing horribly.

   "WHHHEEEEEEEE-HEEEE-HEEEEE-HEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!" SMMMAAASSSSHHHHH!!!!!

   Out of the branches of the tallest trees, smashing them like toothpicks came Arrow. He was twice as big as he was before and he was completely made of fire. He flew over to the boys in a second, just in time to catch Randal square on his saddle and pluck Gus out of the air with his mouth. Gus stopped falling about two inches away from the thorns plunging into his eyeball. Then he was up and away, his collar in Arrow's fiery mouth.

   Only it didn't burn. It...tickled. And then there was no more time to think about it because Arrow threw him up into the air, past the tower, past the trees, higher and higher still.

   "YAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" he screamed, as he flew up and away from certain death. Hey!! It was still scary!

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   Justin loved the feel of Brian's strong arms around him as he slept but all through his dreams people were arguing. He tried pushing that away to get back to the good parts but it didn't work. Then he heard ARRRRGGH!!...and SADISTIC SHIT!!...and his eyes popped open.

   Brian was waking up too. "Did I just hear someone say ‘sadistic shit'?"

   "I think so. Everything's gone quiet now. The camp is safe and empty at least. And the fire's still bright and warm. I think we'll be..."

   "Wait a minute! Empty! Where's the fur-bag!?"

   Justin sat up, wide awake at last. "You're right! He's gone! Where could he..."

   "NOW DIE!!" the words came faintly but unmistakingly.

   The two looked at each other and breathed out, "Holy shit!" at the same time.

   They dressed in a flash, gathered their shit together even faster, smothered the fire, doused it with a bit of water to make sure and were out of there.

   There was now a VERY loud evil laugh that they were able to follow, more yelling and arguing, and then quite suddenly they were there and plunging out of the trees into the tower clearing just as: "You disgusting pig! You're both!" was defiantly heard.

@@@@@@

   "YAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH-HAAA-HAAA-HOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" screamed Gus, his fear turning to elation as he rose so fast it seemed he was falling upwards. This felt incredible! I mean, it might not feel so incredible when he started to descend but he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

   All to soon, he started to slow and then there was a bizarre weightless feeling as he hung there in the air for one second. And then he turned over and crossed that bridge as he started to fall. He was so far up the tower looked like a toy and the players merely ants. They started getting bigger in a hurry though. Gus gulped.

   Meanwhile, Arrow made a turning pass and then headed back toward that detestable tower. He blew out and it was like a flame thrower that was cooking with gas. A flat file of forced flame flumed through the window and Arrow smashed through the window and wall, blowing through, and blowing up the top half of the tower. The roof was blown to smithereens and the bricks of the tower were pulverized to bits the size of playing cards.

   Arrow swooped around again and climbed and caught Gus on his back as if that was the plan all along. Which it was.

   The horse of flame banked around again and headed directly for Walter who was still huge and smoky out his butt like an evil genie. Arrow gave a decidedly unhorse-like snarl and a roar and he blew such a breath of fire at the Witch that it had to be seen to be believed and would become the stuff of legends in ages to come.

   The upper half of the Witch was engulfed in flame and the rest of him became an enormous pillar of fire and smoke that reached upward till it was almost twice what the tower used to be.

   The Witch screamed in pain and anguish as he was horribly burned on all levels, bodily and magically. His power waned and he screamed as his smoke was forcibly sucked inward, imploding in upon itself and shrinking back, back, back down, until it disappeared entirely and he was left as he really was, a pathetic, old perv in a black cloak, kneeling on his hands and knees.

   Arrow landed and shrank back to his normal huge size and his fire went out. He approached the wicked man, his nostrils flaring flame with every noisy breath. Gus and Randal stared down in hate.

   "No! No! Please don't hurt me!" Walter groveled, sounding all pathetic and weak. "You've weakened my magic and everything! I'm no threat anymore! Please don't kill me!"

   Arrow huffed, turned his head to let one red eye pierce Gus' soul and huffed again, flaring out a fearsome flame like an explosive sneeze. ‘It's up to you!'...he was clearly saying.

   "You were not going to show us the same courtesy a few minutes ago! You're disgusting and depraved! You sexually and mentally abused and traumatized the person who you saw as your son! You deserve to die!" yelled Gus.

   Arrow gave a fierce whinny and raised his hooves to administer the final blow.

   "OOOHHH! Urrrrrgggh! My heart! My heart! Ohhhhhhh!" Walter grabbed his chest and keeled over in the throes of a heart attack. He spasmed and twitched a bit and was still. He was dead.

   Arrow moved around him and headed toward the forest. They all breathed a sigh of relief.

   "Good riddance to bad rubbish!" said Gus.

   "Let's just get out of here. Let's try and find your friends," said Randal.

   "No need, boys! We're right here!" said Brian, stepping more fully into the clearing.

   There were joyful ejaculations all around.

   "But when did you get here?" asked Gus at last.

   "Well we woke up when everything started going down and death threats started getting yelled around. But I really think we only got here at about: ‘You disgusting pig!'" said Justin.

   They all laughed. They packed up and Brian and Justin clambered aboard and they prepared for take-off.

   "Oh....by the way Walter! You may as well get up! I know you're faking!" yelled Randal.

   Walter didn't move. The others looked at him in amazement.

   "Come on Walter! Drop the other shoe! I know you're there!" To the others he said, "He'd pull that trick on me all the time whenever he thought he needed a sympathy boost. But I caught on after a while and humored him sometimes but other times, I'd leave him lying there and go read or take a dump, or both. Guess who'd be gone when I got back?"

   "CURSE YOU!" Walter sat up at fast as a blink. "What I saw in you as a son, I'll never know! But what's mine is mine and what is mine I keep! If I can't have him, then neither can you! Stay here and stand as silent stone statues! Stand guard as sentinels of the forest without ceasing!" He pointed a finger and a cold, grey beam shot out, heading straight for them!

   They all screamed and flinched at this unexpected attack. However, at the last second, just when they thought they were done for, the cold, grey beam struck a green barrier just before it would have hit Arrow.

   They all were astonished, including Walter. He tried again, harder this time. It hit the barrier again but he kept it up. They could now see the green barrier was a magic domed shield originating from Brian's flower crown.  Walter kept it up for a few more seconds before the cold, grey beam flashed, flickered, and fizzled out. Walter slumped to the ground, exhausted. His power was all used up.

   "Dammit! How? You have Midsummer Magic!?" he managed to croak out.

   "That's right!" Brian said brightly, adjusting his crown to an even jauntier angle, if that was possible. "So suck on that! Looks like you can't touch us! Boys! Let's give him the send off salute!"

   Four men as one gave the creepy faker the fuck-you finger.

   "Curse you! Curse this ground, these ruins, and you! It won't be Midsummer forever! One of these days, one day soon, your magic will fail you and when it does, I'll be all over you like white on rice! Then I'll get you! I'll get you all!!!!" He gave a horrible cackle and roar and his pillar of smoke blasted 20 feet in the air. There was a deep sonorous roar and the ground shook. The smoke cleared and he was gone at last.

   There was a moment of silence. Then: "I hate to ask but did you manage to keep any of the pickles?" asked Justin.

   Randal checked. "Yes. There's two left in the jar."

   Brian sighed in relief. "Thank heavens. And thank you, guys. I know that wasn't easy for you. You both were very brave up there."

   "Thanks Bri," said Gus, "It wasn't easy."

   "Yeah, thanks," Randal said a bit curtly, "But let's save the patting ourselves on the back for later and get outta here, huh? You heard him. This is cursed ground now. I'd like to get away from here as quickly as possible and never look back."

   And that's just what they did. Arrow gave a run and a jump and never hit the ground. His powerful wings flapped hard and rhythmically and in no time they were above the trees and headed back the way they had come.

   He lit the way by his breath and didn't stop for an hour whereupon he set them down at another small lake. It was still a few hours before dawn. It was only a few hours before dawn. And so, after making camp, Brian put on the collar, kissed his beloved in a way that he would deny to the death was tender, and gave the crown to Justin.

   A few seconds later, an owl was flying across the lake, higher and higher, silohouetted against the silvery full moon.

TBC