Ahmed sighed after placing her on the bed. He sat down next to her seemingly exhausted. "Damn barrier" he muttered. "Where are we?" she asked. "A safe house I've been using for the last few months" he replied. "I thought you lived in Turkey" she said. "No. Never said that. The library we met in is under the watch of my family however. I appeared to you as I was curious as to how successful someone like you would be finding a Campioné. Remarkably successful by the look of it. However, coming here was an awfully bad idea. You're lucky I sensed your arrival" he said. "So you were spying on me?" she asked. "It's not every day a god or goddess decides to kill a mortal. Even rarer that deities of different pantheons conspire together to do it. I had two choices. Either watch you get slaughtered or save your life. Which did you prefer?" he asked. "I apologize. I was being rude. Thanks for saving me. What's wrong with my magic?" she asked. "Someone immensely powerful cast a protection barrier around the area. Until it is broken, you will be stuck powerless in it" he replied. 

"That doesn't seem to stop you" she said. "My magics are of a different variety and tier. Even so it took all I had to bring you here" he said wiping his brow. "You said you be been here for months, so do you know who's doing this?" she asked. "No. Whomever it is is powerful even by their standards. An elder god perhaps?" he said. "Elder God?" she asked. "Gods and goddesses have been around since man dreamt of them. The oldest ones are called elders. An example would be Zeus" he replied. "Zeus? You serious?" she asked. "Serious enough the caliph ordered my ancestors to kill him. Which they did with great cost. Oh, no shoes on my bed please" he said. Faith took off her sandals and was surprised he took the tiny footwear from her. He gingerly placed them on the nightstand. 

"Who taught you magic?" she asked. "Nobody. I was born with it. My grandfather was a djinn" he replied. "A what?" she asked. "Djinn. Westerns call them genies. However, the truth to them is nothing like that Disney bullshit. Forgive my manners. A few minutes please" he said before leaving her. Ahmed was gone for 10 minutes leaving her alone. Faith was worried as she could still feel her magic being suppressed but was thankful she was found by a kind person. At least he seemed kind back at the library. "Tea and an almond cookie" he said placing them on the coffee table. He helped her onto it. He was dutiful enough to pour some onto a bottle cap for her to drink. "Very good tea" she said. "Thank you. What exactly was your plan anyway? I'm sure they knew you were coming as you used that transit spell I warned you about" he said. "Track them down. Expose their identity and kill them" she replied. Ahmed laughed at her. "What's so funny?" she asked. 

"You. A lion doesn't attack its prey the moment it sees it. It watches it. Studies it. Looks for the opening then attacks. You think I set up that place on a whim? Dubai has been watched for a few years now. The fastest growing city on the planet where the west and Middle East work in harmony.  On paper it sounds glorious but nothing like this comes so easy" he said. "So magic is involved at least?" she asked. He nodded. "Can you show me to the bathroom?" she asked. "I'll carry you and help" he said. "That's not necessary" she said. "Believe me it is" he said picking her up. He carried her to the bathroom. "Uhh" she muttered. "Not every toilet is a western sit down one. I highly doubt you want to stand in there" he said. "Shit" she hissed as she slipped her panties off. Ahmed held her with both hands by her legs and very gently spread them. She blushed beet red as she peed. After she had finished, he took her to the sink to clean up. She was dead quiet as she put her panties back on. 

"Is something bothering you?" he asked her after returning her to the coffee table. "I hate feeling helpless" she muttered. His finger petted the side of her face. "Helplessness is a state of mind especially for our kind" he said. "Easy for you to say. Nobody has to hold you to pee" she said. "No but I do have some experience in the matter. I was born in a city called Iram*" he said. "Iran?" she asked. "No, Iram with an A" he replied. "Never heard of it" she said. Because it's a lost city" he said. "How can you lose a city?" she asked. "By shrinking it" he said. "Wait. What?" she asked. "Long ago, very long ago, an evil vizier came across my grandfather. By binding the djinn to his will, he decided to smite a city he considered wicked. My grandfather wasn't very keen on killing a city with tens of thousands of people so what he did was conjure a sandstorm and with the prophet blinded by it, shrank the city, froze its time, and hid it in his own personal realm. The prophet saw the city gone and thought it destroyed. When the vizier died, my grandfather decided to free the city but by then, the crusades had begun. He decided the best course of action was to keep the city in his protected realm and grow it just enough to successfully sustain itself."

(Authors note: Iram is an actual "lost" city which to this day archeologists have been looking for. Some say it's fictional as its only spoken of in the Quran but then again, they said the city of Troy was fictional until it was discovered)

"So, you were born there?" Faith asked. "No, I was born in Iraq as was my mother. My father was born in Iram though. Over the course of time, those that wanted to leave the city was allowed to do so if they could control size magic expertly. Only a few, about 10% of the population, can. One was my father. He met my mother during one of Saddam's purges and used his inborn magic to save her life. They fell in love and were married. Then I came along. By then we all had moved back to Iram" he finished. Sounds nice" Faith said. "Well, the hitch is only I can grow to human size because of my djinn blood. When grandfather was forced to do the spell, the restriction was the city couldn't be restored. He could grow them to an extent but not back to normal. The point is, even though the people are no bigger than mice, they do not see themselves as helpless. They live, fall in love, have kids, worship, and live their lives until God calls them home. Speaking of people..." he said checking his watch. He walked over to a window and cracked it open. "Aly, you have anything to report?" he asked. Out of the crook of the outer windowsill appeared a young woman. "Nothing until the last half hour. Movement on the ground. Black cars with women. They're armed my liege" she replied. "Could you count how many?" he asked. "More than a dozen and a strange man seemed to lead them" she replied. "A strange man. I see, come inside Aly. Rest before your return" he said holding his hand out. The small woman hopped into it and he carried her to the coffee table. "My liege..." she said.

"An ally. She is our honored guest so treat her as such" he said. Aly hopped down. "I am Aaliyah. Personal guard to the prince Ahmed bin Salam" she said bowing. "Faith McCormick. An honor to meet you" Faith said extending her hand. The young woman shook it. "You never said you were a prince" Faith said to the giant. "You never asked. Aly, you know about the rules and shoes" he said to her. Aly nodded and took off her boots. She sat down and sighed. Faith wrinkled her nose. "Is something the matter?" Aly asked. Ahmed glanced at the tiny woman on his table. "Faith is a borrower and borrowers have a good sense of smell. She is reacting to the smell of your little feet my dear" he chuckled. Aly blushed. "Forgiveness. It is hot outside, and my work doesn't permit sandals" she muttered. "Aly, why don't you and her bathe while I see to lunch" he said. "Yes, my prince" she said. Aly stood up and raised her hand. Faith yelped in surprise as a gust of wind carried her into the air. Aly began to float into the air and flu towards the bathroom with Faith in tow.

"You can use wind magic?!" Faith asked. Aly showed the palm of her hand. On it was a tattooed arcane. "I see" she said. Aly smiled and pulled the sink levers until a stream of not too hot water flowed. Aly placed a sliver of soap on the counter and began taking her clothing off. Faith followed suit curious of the girl. Aly dipped her teeny little toe into the water before sliding in. "Good" she sighed as she relaxed. Faith got in and kept staring at her. Aly noticed it. "Sorry. It's just rare to meet a human that's been shrunk and so used to living in a human sized world" she said. "I understand. It's the first time for me meeting a borrower that knows of magic. How is that?" she asked. "I was born with Etherion" she replied. Aly stared wide eyed. "The one most high. The master of a magecraft" she muttered. "Once. I gave it up" she said. "But...but why?" Aly asked. "It caused more harm than good. Now, now I'm hunting gods and shit as a Campioné" she said. Aly stared aghast. "Campioné of what house?" she asked. "Alighieri I guess" she replied taking the soap into her hands.

"I thought that last of their house forsook the job" she said. "Well Marco isn't hunting anyone that's true" Faith said lathering her hair. She handed the soap to Aly. "So Ahmed is a prince but also a member of a Campioné family?" Faith asked. "He's the 31st prince of Iram and head of the house of Salam succeeding his father the last Campioné" she replied. "And you're his personal guard" Faith said. "Guard, scout, and concubine" she replied. "C... concubine?" she stammered. "He has several and yet has not taken a queen" Aly replied slightly annoyed. She rinsed her hair and gave the soap back to Faith. "I can see why it would be odd for a westerner" she said. "Not really. Borrowers have a similar system. We take a mate but do have partners outside of marriage" she said. "Didn't know of that" she said. Faith soaped her body and rinsed over and over before handing the soap back. "Is he as kind as he seems?" Faith asked. "He's royalty and treats others as equals. Furthermore, he doesn't force himself on his consorts although it's his right" she said.

Faith felt slightly more guilty for using him in Turkey. "Are you attracted to him?" Aly asked soaping her breasts. "Wha?! I'm...he's a friend" she replied. Aly cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not offended if you are. He's good catch and knows how to please women" she said smirking. Faith blushed beet red. Aly got out and began drying herself off. Once done, she extended her hand to her. "I don't wish to embarrass you. I am curious of you is all" she said softly. Faith took her hand and the towel from her. "It's just unusual for someone to read me that way. Normally I'm the one reading people" she said. "Oh? And what does your reading of me say?" she asked. "You want him to choose you. You work yourself hard to please him. I can see the bags under your eyes" she replied. Aly grew noticeably quiet and looked down at her feet. "The others are prettier than me..." she said softly. "I find that hard to believe. I'd kill to look like you" Faith said. "You flatter me to make me feel better" Aly said. Faith walked up to her.

"You're what...18...19 and got your shit together better than I do. Flawless creamy skin and nicer tits. Cute little butt and incredible silky black hair. Even your feet are better than mine. At least your appearance isn't stolen like mine" Faith said. "Stolen?" Aly asked. "A long story" she sighed "I am open to listening to it?" she said. "It is not a nice story. I was a bad person that did awfully bad things that led to unimaginable suffering" Faith said shaking a little. Aly put her hand on her shoulder. "None is clean in the eyes of God" she said. Faith quietly nodded. "Come. You may borrow clean clothing" she said taking off into the air with her. A shower time later, both girls sat on the coffee table again dressed in lose shirts, shorts and pretty much it. "Is Aly more pleasing to your nose?" Ahmed asked chuckling. "I thought you were making lunch not jokes" Faith said. "I am a man of many talents" he said. He came to them with a plate of meat, fried veggies, and tea. "Partake please" he said sitting. "You're not joining us?" Faith asked seeing him open a laptop. "I have pressing matters. I'll eat later" he replied.

Faith tore into the meat. "This is fantastic!" she said. "Braised lamb" Aly said eating. Ahmed smiled down on them. "Aly, make sure to tell the elders the solar panels will arrive next week" he said. "Yes, my liege" she said. Faith looked at her curious. "Our home is sustainable, but we do need things from the outside now and then" she said. "What is it like there?" Faith asked. "Wonderful. We have a population of about 23,000 now. Clean water, homegrown food, schools, hospitals" she said. "It wasn’t easy getting there though in just a few decades" Ahmed said. "When the city was shrunk, we were at the top of culture but as time progressed, the rest of the world left us behind while we stagnated. It wasn't until the King in his wisdom decreed for us to except the western advances" she said. Faith listened to Aly talk about their home as they ate. When she had finished, Ahmed placed her in his hands as they quietly watched the news.

His finger gently petting her body as the minutes passed. Faith noticed Aly slide her panties off and his giant finger rubbing her pussy. Aly sighed contently "if you wish I can help you release your royal seed" she whispered to him. "Just relax. You're working too hard. Enjoy the attention" he said.     She was quiet as he rubbed her into one quiet orgasm after another. "I wish..." she muttered. He used his fingernail to raise her head. "I told you I can abdicate..."

"No!" she yelled suddenly. Ahmed sighed and nodded. Faith could see a sadness in his eyes as his fingers played with her tiny feet. She watched them until Aly nodded off to sleep and he stood up. He carried her into his bedroom. He was quiet when he returned at looked back at tv. He looked at Faith. "It's difficult" he said as if reading her mind. "What's with Campioné and having shitty luck in love?" she asked. He chuckled. "As pretty as the picture she painted our home, it isn't a utopia. Old rivalries, feuds, prejudices. Aly comes from the Sunni tribe while the ruling majority is Shiite. They can stomach her being a concubine but...a queen? Never" he said. "Is that why you said you give up the throne?" she asked. "Yeah but she knows what could happen with that. If I abdicate without a son, the ruling body will go to the council and they aren't...well let's say 9/11 gave them some ideas" he said. Faith looked at him shocked. "Radicalism doesn't go away with magic or size or passage of time. If anything, they're more dangerous that these heretic ISIS twisting our faith" he said.

"Can I use your phone? I'm sure they're worried about me" she said. He nodded and placed the phone on the table. Ahmed walked out onto his balcony as Faith was chewed out by her wife. He smiled and smoked a cigarette as he heard himself being referred to as "some Muslim dude". He smiled more when Faith angrily told her she didn't appreciate that kind of talk. He stepped back in when Faith called for him. "You Ahmed?" Alicia asked over the speakerphone call. "That's what my father named me" he said. "Let's not get cute buddy. I don't know you, but Faith vouches for you. That's good enough for now but if something happens to her under your care...dude I'll literally sing you to death" she said. "I assure you Mrs. McCormick she will be safe in my care. Even when we have rough sex she will be perfectly fine" he said. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" she shouted. "I'm sorry (blowing into the mic). I can't hear you (still blowing). All this static. Must be these faulty Muslim owned cell towers (blowing again). Talk...later" he said before hanging up and powering his phone off.

Faith burst out laughing. "You enjoyed that. Don't misjudge her. She's not an islamophobe. She was raised as a Baptist in Texas" she said. "Ah Texas" he said. Faith watched amused as he sat back down. She scampered up on top of his shoulder. "What? The view is better up here" she said. "Yeah right" he chuckled. As the hours ticked by, she watched him as he scanned every news station he could find. Then he went back into his laptop. "This is boring" she said. "This is how you collect information. See here? Some investment bankers from China arrived last night" he said pointing to a local news blog. Faith huffed. "Short attention span I see" he said. "I'm one year old so yeah" she said. He looked at her. "Again, long story" she said. "Then this is a result of magic?" he asked. "Aging magic and a glamor to change my appearance" she replied. "Lose the glamor. Show me your true form" he said. Faith nervously did. "Yeah. Not a pretty as what I use" she said softly. Ahmed held her in his palm and used his fingernails to pull on her shorts. "Nonsense" he said pulling them off. She raised her arms as he pulled off her little shirt. "A beautiful creation such as yourself shouldn't hide your true form" he said petting her left cheek. Faith blushed as she slipped off her panties.

"You know it's only fair" she said. Ahmed grinned and placed her on the armrest before taking his own clothes off. "You're pretty fit" she said admiring his chest. "I stay in shape yes" he said. He brought her to his lips, and they kissed. "Can you help me with something?" she asked blushing. "What is it?" he asked. "I want to know if royal semen tastes different" she giggled. "Then find out" he said placing her on his cock. The middle eastern giant looked on contently as the tiny girl slid her body up and down his shaft. Her tiny feet slightly digging into his balls. Ahmed twitched as Faith slipped her tongue into his piss hole. She laughed as her face was smeared with precum. He fought the urge to jack her body up and down his shaft himself as he felt his orgasm building. "Faith..." he groaned. Faith simply laughed as she sped up her movements until she felt his cock throb between her arms. Five large globs of cum shot into the air over her head and landed just centimeters from her. "Aww...no bukkake" she frowned. "What's a bukkake?" he asked panting. "When you cum on a girl" she said looking at his cum. She scooped up some in her hand and ate it. "Wow. It's really sweet. Thought it would be salty" she said. "Actually, I have a sweet tooth” ‘he muttered. Faith laughed and turned around to look at him. She screamed. "Your...your eyes..." she said. Ahmed looked at the living room mirror. He took Faith off his cock and quickly went into the bathroom.

He had been in there for nearly an hour before she crawled under the door out of worry. "Ahmed?" she asked. "Don't...don't look. Just give me a little more time and it'll go away" he said. "What is it?" she asked. "Magic wasn't the only thing I inherited from grandfather" he muttered. "So, it's a part of you?" she asked. He silently nodded. "Then show your face. Didn't you say we shouldn't hide our true selves?" she said. "This is different. You yourself screamed at my sight" he muttered. "Yeah and I'm sorry for it. Please look at me" she said. He did and could see his eyes were still like literally on fire. "And it doesn't hurt?" she asked. He shook his head. "Let's head back to the living room okay?" she asked. Reluctantly he did. "Usually I have it under control but when my focus wavers..." he said. "Why do they burn though?" she asked. "Djinn are beings humans call smokeless fire. Each animal on this planet contains one of the five primal elements. Wind for horses and birds. Water for fish, and djinn its fire" he said. "What about borrowers?" she asked. "Like humans the earth" he replied. "Okay but I don't cry sand or anything" she said. Ahmed cracked a smile. "Djinns are so powerful, our elemental being...leaks out" he said. As he said this, his eyes faded into glowing like embers.

"Has Aly seen these eyes?" she asked. "Yes, she has. I was 14 at the time and we were...intimate" he replied. "Did it scare her?" she asked. "No, if anything she calmed me down" he said. "She sounds even more special" she said. Ahmed watched as she put her clothes back on. "It wouldn't feel right" she said. "I completely understand" he said to her. Ahmed watched as she sat on his windowsill staring out at the city. He grew concerned after she had not moved in over an hour. "I'm fine. Just observing the city" she said reading his thoughts. Faith wasn't concerned with getting between him and Aly. She knew Aly was not one to take to jealousy so easily. No, she was concerned with the barrier. Her training afforded her the ability to negate magics if you understood the underlying structure behind it but try as she may, she couldn't decipher the weird symbols embedded in the spellwork itself. "Ahmed? Have you ever seen writing that's just groups of lines turned sideways and right side up?" she asked. "No, it's that what you're seeing?" he asked. "Yeah. I've seen a lot of writing during my study but this kind not really" she said. "Hmm...write down what you see. I'll look later" he said. Ahmed had been cooking as he afforded her a pencil and paper. He left the living room to go to his bedroom.

He saw Aly's bed empty. The toilet flushed and she floated past his head and down to the dresser. "Just going to wake you" he said. "Yeah, it is 8:30" she yawned. "How was she? Was she pleasurable? Tight?" she asked. "We had no intercourse. She called it off after a body job" he said. She looked up at him. "Really?" she asked. "She didn't wish to disrespect you. She holds you in high regard" he said. "She barely knows me" Aly scoffed. Ahmed moved closer to her. "Then I guess she's called Faith for a reason. She saw my real eyes" he said. "Poor girl must've been terrified" she said. "She screamed yes but begged me not to hide myself. Instead of shunning me, she asked questions to understand" he said. Aly nodded. "Like you did back then" he finished. Aly went to grab her clothes until a giant hand scooped her off her little feet. "How long must we keep doing this?" he asked softly. "I do not know what you mean" she said. "You damn well do to. Must I order you as your prince to say it?" he asked. "Fine. I want you to ravage me all day and all night! Suck my pussy until I'm babbling from countless orgasms! Lick my feet clean and thrust your regal cock into me and knock me the fuck up!" she shouted shaking in his palm. "If you feel that strongly, then so shall it be" he said. "You know I can't be allowed to have your child! How many fucking stares did you get growing up half Kurd? Hmm? It's not the same as when your mom came to Iram. The outside world has polluted our home with its hatred. No way will they accept another Kurd into the royal family let alone two counting me" she said.

"And if I said I would execute any who dared speak ill of my wife and children?" he asked with now burning eyes. "Could you with such a gentle heart?" she asked. "I think I could be capable of anything if you were involved" he replied seriously. "We are not love-struck teenagers anymore. We both have duties and obligations" she said. "To my subjects yes but are you not one of them? What good is a prince that forsakes his chosen woman?" he said softly. He kissed her and then placed her back on the dresser. Ahmed finished the last touches on dinner when Aly sat next to Faith. Faith squeezed her hand suddenly. "Any relationship is worth fighting for" she said softly. Aly smiled and nodded. Once dinner was done, Ahmed quietly wished Aly a safe patrol before she left from the window.

"I took a look at your drawings. At first, I thought they were Chinese ideograms but they were not. Are you sure these lines you saw is what you drew?" he asked. "Mostly. I couldn't draw the fat then pointy lines" she replied. "Fat then pointy?" he asked. Ahmed took the pencil and drew a fat line coming to a point. "Yeah like that except a few more in a set then turn them sideways for another set. Good, now kinda link them like this. Yeah, crooked here but straight there" she said watching him.  Ahmed looked at the drawing closely. "Faith. What you saw was cuneiform" he said. "What?" she asked. "Cuneiform. The very first written script used by humans. Its Sumerian. We just narrowed down the possibilities of who we are facing" he said. "I need your laptop and some time to myself" she said seriously. Ahmed placed her before the giant device and left her alone. Hours passed before she said anything. "A pictogram system that slowly evolved over time. I think I can finally break it" she said. "ALREADY?!" he asked. "I needed the basics to work with. Mother, father, son, daughter, house, day, night and so on. Watch" she said extending her hands. They glowed as an ethereal chain made of cuneiform appeared in the air. "The magic foundation..." he muttered.

"Yeah. The underlying work of the barrier spell. Body, submit, magic" she said pointing out certain scripts. "You can read it?" he asked astounded. "Don't be silly. Even I can't learn an ancient language script in just three hours. I just looked for keywords" she said. "So how will you break this thing? The only spellwork I've ever seen this complex is my grandfather's" he asked. "I can't. Even if I did, they'd know immediately. I'm thinking of editing it" she said. "You can do such a thing?" he asked. Faith ran her hand along the script. "I think so. Let's see...exception. God...killer..." she said scratching out the script. The spellwork shimmered for a moment. "Well, it was worth...oh shit!" she yelled as her subdued power rushed through her like a dam bursting. Her entire body glowed with magic. Faith floated down to the floor. "Stand back" she said. The giant took a few steps back and watched in awe as Faith grew herself to human size. "I'm back" she grinned. "What is this I sense in you?" he asked almost frightened.

She smiled at him and went over to touch a half dead Ficus sitting in the corner of the living room. Faith smiled as she watched it spring back to full health in seconds. She turned to look at him. "Don't be afraid. I'd never harm you" she said extending her hand. Ahmed took it and felt a tingle. "When I became a Campioné, I absorbed some of the powers of a nature goddess. That is what you sense" she said. "How? Why?" he asked bewildered. "I do not know. The only thing I can think of is I was born with Etherion. It probably has something to do with it" she replied. She closed her eyes and reigned in her power. "Even with that power, I doubt you be a match for an elder deity" he said. "I won't know unless I try, and Aly mentioned strange people searching the area. This fight is coming to me whether I like it or not" she said. "You going now?" he asked. "No, I'm going to wait until 5 am. Less people out that might get sucked into the fight" she replied. "A sensible precaution" he said. "You have any movies?" she asked looking at the time seeing she had five hours to kill. "A few" he replied starting Netflix. Ahmed found it strange she was calm enough to just sit down and browsing through his Netflix account like nothing.

As the hours ticked by, Faith laughed at punch lines, stared at romance, and got excited in action. Ahmed observed her in disbelief. "Take a picture. It'll last longer" she chuckled poking him in the chest with her bare foot. He grabbed it and began rubbing her sole. "That ain't fair. You know how I like my feet played with" she sighed. "How are you so calm?" he asked. "Controlled breathing and keeping my focus on something else" she replied. He pulled on one of her toes. "That's not what I meant" he said. Faith placed her other foot in his lap. "The others asked me that too. It's okay to be anxious. Keeps the reflexes sharp. But being a nervous Nellie as dad called it, can be a hinderance in combat. I may look carefree but believe me I haven't forgotten a thing" she said. Ahmed found that surprising actually. Growing up, he was taught to be kinda aloof in matters, always with a cool head as such was expected of a prince. A leader of men and women. This translated to being a Campioné and those under his command, but he didn't expect such behavior from a westerner. He found them obnoxious, boorish, and disdainful. He had accused the council and some of his own people halfway radicalized but to see his own stereotypical thinking disproven made him wonder if he had been tainted by the very same thinking his disapproved of.

Ahmed suddenly got up and looked around. "It is almost time" he said. Faith nodded and stood up. Ahmed disappeared into his bedroom. Faith touched the Ficus she healed earlier coaxing it to slither and grow around her body. She concentrated for some time as she was completely encased in vines. Then the vines constricted forming a tight yet flexible mesh armor. "By Allah..." he said seeing her covered in a green vine woven armor with faint glowing eyes. "Something I was messing with a few days ago. You'd be surprised how durable a plant can be. Look closer" she said. Ahmed moved closer. He touched the surface. "It pulses!" he said. "Life energy magics make it stronger. It's literally living armor. Yours isn't too bad. Kinda Assassin’s Creed though" she snickered. "Only a fool wears black clothing in the desert and the hood keeps the sun out of your eyes. It's practical" he sneered. "Okay. Don't get your royal panties in a bunch" she said. "Says the person who can't pee in that. Oh, maybe you can. Just water the flowers" he laughed. "Funny your majesty. Now can we get going?" she asked. He created a portal and bid her to step through.

"Is this..." she asked. "Where I found you yes" he replied. She didn't want to remember the place where she was nearly eaten alive by rats. They stepped out into the streetlamp lit sidewalk. "They're here in this district" she said. "You sure? It's only nightclubs and theatres here" he said. "I'm sure. They were tracked here. Something about the color blue..." she replied. "There are no buildings here that are blue. A few neon signs yes but nothing that stands out" he said. "Don't move" she said as a black car drove by. She relaxed after it passed. "Black car with black windows. Just like Aly said" Faith said relaxing her perception spell. "Good perception spell. It seems they are still looking for you. That's not good. They know you didn't translocate but worse yet have connections that could tell them if you tried to fly out" he said. "I'm trying to trace this barrier spell buts it's so interwoven. Hmm. Let's try that way in the direction that car came from" she said. Ahmed and Faith walked down the street keeping themselves hidden. Even at 5 am there were some people about, but the spell kept them from seeing the two. A Mercedes drove past and suddenly slammed onto its brakes. Four men, including a very large muscular one quickly got out. "Uhh...they're looking dead at us" Ahmed said. The wind shifted. "Ahmed get down!" she yelled as she threw up a barrier. The men with astonishing speed, took AK-47's hidden behind their backs and unloaded onto the two.

He watched as Faith bolstered her barrier at the onslaught of full jacketed rounds. "Well, it seems you have at least some skill" the larger man mocked as he tore off his shirt. "Jesus he's cut" Faith thought. The man produced a sickle shaped sword and directed the others to attack. They rushed them with swords of the same design as Ahmed and Faith readied themselves. They fortified themselves just as they got into range. Ahmed parried their attacked with his bare hands at first and counter attacked when he saw openings. "They're strong!" Ahmed yelled to her. "No shit!" Faith yelled as she struggled with one. She kneed him in the balls which only gave her a moment. Three punishing body jabs and then a heavy punch that sent him hard into the pavement. She heard sound from behind and dodged at the last second before another could slash her side. She slapped her hand on his head and gripped hard. With her left hand she threw a punch into his chest hard enough to break ribs. The man twisted his arm and slashed her side. Luckily, her armor took the hit. "They don't feel pain" she said. "Burn them!" the large man ordered. All four backed away unleashing a torrent of flames. Ahmed Threw up a shield just in time.

"Drop the shield in Three...two...one..." she said. He dropped it just as she fired off a powerful wind spell driving the females right back on their attackers. All four were blinded by their own attacks. Ahmed let a hidden dagger fall into his hand, and he rushed and cut open the throat of one. He leaped behind another and roughly snapped his neck. Faith lined up for a punch hard enough to break the neck of the third. And with a cold stare, placed her hand over the fourth's heart and sent a lightning bolt right into his heart. All four now lie dead in the street. Ahmed and Faith could hear them man laughing. "It has been too long since I found someone even close to a challenge" he said. With blinding speed, he rushed in slashing down where Faith was standing. At the last second, she leaped back to see in astonishment the sword crush the pavement. The man didn't let her relax for a second before punching her so hard in the chest she went flying. 

She crashed into an Audi A8 hard enough it flipped on its side. "Faith!" Ahmed yelled. "Worry about yourself child!" the man yelled. He rushed Ahmed who tried to stab him. He grabbed his arm and ruthlessly broke it like a twig making Ahmed yell in pain. Ahmed staggered as the man yanked his sword out of the street. "Bolt!" Faith yelled firing one off striking the man. The echoes of thunder reverberating down the street. The man staggered as his hair singed. Ahmed looked on in shock as a glowing Faith ran past him in a blur and punched the man sending him across the street and smashing through the guardrail. "By Allah" he said. "Fortification level two" she said taking a look at his arm. He grimaced as she quickly healed it. "His power is unreal. He will break me like a twig if I let him" he said. "Unreal absolutely. Last time I used a punch like that it broke concrete. I felt it when my fist connected. He's a shade" she said. "Then his power comes from his master. If we can expose him..." Ahmed said. "Buy me a moment" she said walking back. Faith concentrated her clairvoyance on the man as he got up and stretched. "Aren't you ashamed a woman saved you boy?" he asked. "Says the man who got punched like he owes someone money by a woman.

The man growled and tore off a rail of the dented guardrail before flinging it at Ahmed. Ahmed dropped to his knees just as the decapitating rail sailed right over his head. On his knees, Ahmed saw him charge him. He rolled to the side and kicked his kneecap hard as the man swung down his sword. A queer sounding pop came from his knee. But with a grin he flexed his leg popping his kneecap back in place. Out of desperation, Ahmed readied a shrinking spell and cast it on the man.  Astonished the man has such natural magic defenses, he poured on the power as he eyes shifted to those of a djinn. The man shrunk to six inches before Ahmed gave up. "It has literally been an age since I last fought a djinn. Last time my friend Gilgamesh took the kill. Not this time" he chuckled as he leaped right at Ahmed and punching him. Ahmed was too shocked to see a half foot tall man leaping at him to dodge and it cost him. Ahmed spat out blood and a tooth as she lay on the ground. The man flexed his body breaking the shrinking spell placed on him. He went over to pick up his sword. "Got him" Faith said quietly grinning.

Still fortified, Faith charged him so fast the man didn't notice her. By the time he did, her hand was around her Throat. "Your name...IS ENKIDU!" she yelled firing off a light spell Through her hand. Instantly, the man's modern facade was erased and. Score her stood a man wearing sandals, a loincloth, and a very heavy beard. Enkidu head butted her. "It changes nothing. I am as strong as a hundred men. I defeated creatures divine and monstrous. I will break you like dried twigs" he growled. He tackled Faith to the pavement. "And after I break you, I will fuck you till your cunt is so hollowed out the wind whistles in it" he grinned. There was a small flash of light and a blur. "Not with that you won't" she said quietly as Enkidu screamed in pain. Faith stood up holding her sword Last Stigmata staring at the man who cupped his bloody crotch. His literally legendary penis severed lying in the street. Ahmed staggered to his feet in disbelief.

"YOU BITCH!" Enkidu screamed swinging his sword at her. Faith easily deflected each attack. "Ahmed has the right idea" she said as she began casting her own shrinking spell. He was now barely an inch tall looking up at the giantess. "Irony. I killed Gilgamesh and now I kill his friend too" she said. "Horseshit! My mighty friend could never fall to the likes of you!" he squeaked. "His true name was Markus" she said. The man stopped his defiance immediately. "Only I knew his true name" he said so softly only Faith with her borrower hearing caught it. Faith raised her boot over him and then slammed it down so hard her foot exploded the shoe before cracking the pavement. She winced in pain but held her foot firm. Ahmed watched as sparkles of light flittered from beneath her foot and into the air. Faith took her foot away only to find a few sparkles and nothing else. 

She staggered and used her sword as a cane for the moment as Ahmed rushed to her. "Astounding. Absolutely astounding" he said. He looked at her leg. "It's been completely shattered" he said. "Give me a few minutes. Fortification level two has its drawbacks. Fuck. Last time I had Etherion to ward off the physical effects" she said. "I was useless" he hissed. "No, you weren't. You bought me valuable time I needed to figure out who that shade was, and you held your ground against a legendary warrior" she said knitting her bones together. "You're too kind. Still, you beat a man as strong as a hundred men!" he said. "Simple math. Fortification level one makes me ten times stronger. Now as a borrower, I'm already four times stronger than a human" she said. "But that would only make you 40 times stronger" he said. "True but fortification level two makes me 10 times stronger than I am at level one" she said. "And that would make you..." he said counting. He gawked at her. "4...400 times?" he asked. Faith nodded. "Very taxing and dangerous. Shattered my damn femur in six places" she said still fixing her leg. "Didn't know you had a sword. Why didn't you use it before?" he asked.

"Same reason I didn't use fortification level two in the beginning. I'm trying to pace myself. We still don't know what we're dealing with" she said. "If that was Enkidu then I'm sure it's the god of death Erishkigal who we're up against" he said. "I'm not so sure about that. I've touched two shades, well six if you count the Three that worshipped my feet the other day. Anyway, the first one that attacked me felt cold and had a taint of darkness about them. But the others I felt, felt warm with a kind of gleam inside them. Enkidu was a bastard, but I sensed no darkness within him" she said. "Then who are we really dealing with that can recall a soul like his?" he asked. "Someone powerful enough to shroud this entire area in a perception spell. Notice the lack of gawkers and police even though we fucked the city block up. It's 5...5:39 a.m. but still" she said standing up. She shrugged a few times healing the joints and muscles in her arms, back, and shoulders. "I'm out of practice driving cars. Would you mind?" she asked pointing to the black Mercedes. "Not at all" he said walking to it. They got into the car, turned it around, and sped off.

Ahmed drove for only a few minutes before abruptly stopping. "This might be the place" he said. Faith looked to see him pointing to a very fancy looking nightclub. "Why this one?" she asked. "Its name is Azraq. That's Arabic for blue. Did you not say that blue is tied to your vision?" he asked. "Yeah I did" she said looking closer. "Give me your hand" she said extending hers. Curious, Ahmed took it and watched as Faith conjured two near perfect illusions of themselves. Faith sent them to the door. One of them opened the door and was immediately vaporized by an intense blast of light. "That answered that" she said getting out of the car. "Wait! There could be innocents inside!" he said getting out. Faith took note of the sizzling hot asphalt and scorch marks across the street. "We don't have a choice and we chose this time on purpose. "...agreed" he said. Ahmed collected a large amount of heat and fire and compressed them tightly. He hurled the blazing orb at the doorway and snapped his fingers. There was a flash of light from the windows and nothing else. Faith could hear faint music coming from the club. He ushered her to sneak to the side as he readied another attack. Ahmed motioned for her to use the back entrance.

As she moved, she took note of the building itself. It was oddly out of place from the others as its brick entrance was painted blue with crouching lions as a motif. It sounded familiar to her. Faith could hear the roar of Ahmed's attacks as she kicked open the back door. Nothing. Just an empty hallway with a kitchen to the right and bathrooms to the left. Her bare feet silent on the carpet as she sneaked to the studio. When she got there, she held her breath at the sight. There were people still there. A western businessman getting sucked off in a booth, another passed out at the bar, two strippers on the dance stage and then a solitary woman waving her hand chuckling as she extinguished Ahmed's attacks. She slowly turned her head towards Faith. Faith gasped looking at her.

Her eyes crackled with light, her elegant white dress clung to her body, her hair black yet shined like the sun, her skin like glazed clay, and in her feet were golden heels. She raised her hand and Faith dove for the floor just as a beam of light burned the wall behind her. Ahmed saw the flash of light not being because of him and dashed for the window. "Come out little one. I'll make this painless I promise" she said. Faith crawled behind the bar and grabbed the fire extinguisher. She Threw it at the young woman and exploded it. "Little shit!" the woman hissed blinded. Faith scampered away after shrinking down. Faith hid herself well under the seat of the man getting a blowjob. She had a line of sight on the woman and began using clairvoyance. "There" she said firing off a beam of light. It was sheer luck the man had been holding a champagne glass as the beam struck it first causing it to refract the angle by a millimeter. Faith nearly pissed herself as the door behind her was burnt and smoking. The chair groaned as the giant in it collapsed dead. The floor made a small tremor as the prostitute giantess fell on it killed instantly by a burning beam of light Through her chest. "She's tracking my magic" she thought as she scrambled in the darkness.

Faith heard a crash of glass. "And the other. Handsome, brave, and strong. Pity. You could've been useful" she sighed. Ahmed Threw two daggers that seemed to zip around in the air. "Enchanted weapons?" she asked. "Scatter and sting!" Ahmed yelled. The twin daggers suddenly turned into a dozen and raced in all directions towards her. They harmlessly deflected off an eerie bull shaped light construct. The woman chuckled and snapped her fingers. The bull howled and stamped its hooves at him. "Die" she said coldly. The woman heard a chirp that grew louder by the second and turned to see a woman unshrinking in midair brandishing a sword. The woman sucked her teeth and the bull kicked with its back legs right into Faith as her sword came within inches of the woman's head. Faith went flying so hard she hit a stripper killing her. Faith winced as she felt Three of her ribs shattered. "Wait your turn" she said to her. She turned her attention back at Ahmed. She stepped towards him as the bull disappeared. A burning scepter appeared in her hand. She grabbed Ahmed by the Throat as he struck her with a point-blank flame attack to no effect. "So brave. I should keep you. At least you will entertain me in my bedchamber" she said coldly. 

She raised her scepter to his face as magics began to crackle from it. He focused as his daggers on the floor began to tremble. "Ah ah ah" she said gripping his Throat tighter. Suddenly, ethereal chains grabbed onto her wrists and ankles making her let go of him. "The cuneiform, the blue gate, the lions, Enkidu, and then finally that bull. I know your true name. You have had many names over the centuries but only one is the true one! BY THE RITE OF THE CAMPOINE I NEGATE YOUR AUTHORITY BY CALLING YOUR TRUE NAME. YOUR NAME IS INANNA ISHTAR. SUMERIAN GODDESS OF THE HEAVENS!" Faith yelled. There was a pulse of light and when it faded, the woman now wore a white cloth, a bullhorned helmet, and bare feet. "This changes nothing!" Ishtar yelled. Ahmed kicked her in the face sending her across the room. "We beg to differ" Ahmed said calmly. Ishtar stood back up holding her scepter. She spat blood before slamming her spear into the floor. A shockwave came forth that Faith and Ahmed rode out, but it was only an opening as Ishtar closed in on her. 

Ahmed watched in disbelief as both women engaged in melee combat. Faith slamming her sword down with Ishtar deflecting it hard enough she cracked the floor. Ishtar counterattacking hard enough the sound was deafening shattering every glass in the club. He readied his own attack but with Faith so close he had no shot. He could see Faith fighting at level two once more but against an elder goddess she was still outmatched. Faith saw something near Ahmed. Faith split her focus as she began her plan. Ishtar's attack made her stagger and she was hit with a blow serous enough to make Faith vomit blood. Ahmed cursed his helplessness. "Listen...carefully. There's a plant behind you. Use the berries on it and coat your daggers with the juices...quickly. Do not let any juice touch your lips" she said in a magical link. Ahmed was to desperate to question anything and willed the daggers back to him. True to her word, there was a plant in a flowerpot in the corner of the room and berries grew out of it. Ahmed sensed magic from the plant as he picked the berries. He crushed them in his hand and wiped the juice onto his daggers.

Faith could barely stand now. Her strength waning and every breath agony. Faith raised her sword and Ishtar grabbed her wrist and broke it. "As if you ever had a chance" she said coldly as she readied a light blast to finish her off. Faith spat blood in her eyes. Ahmed took that moment to send his daggers flying once more. Willing them into the swarm again, he prayed to Allah it would work this time. Faith held her sword barely and aimed it at Ishtar. Shocking them both, the sword suddenly turned into a golden chain and wrapped around the goddess. Restrained, she couldn't repel Ahmed's attack. Ishtar felt the first cut and then dozens as the enchanted weapons broke her defenses. She repelled them with brute force as if summoning all her might. Faith willed the sword back into her hand and weakly drove the blade Through her body. Ishtar slid right off it. The woman looked out of her broken window and laughed. "Too late fools. I rise with the sun" she mocked as sunrise has begun. He wounds healed instantly. "...no. We were so close" Ahmed muttered. Ishtar returned her gaze back to Faith. "Now where were...we?" she asked suddenly feeling ill. Ishtar grabbed her stomach and vomited blood. "So, it did work" Faith muttered. "What...what have you done?!" Ishtar screamed glowing. Ahmed grabbed Faith just before where she stood was scorched. Ishtar fell to her knees. 

"Impressive you could still heal a stab wound like that without your Authority but apparently you can still succumb to poison" Faith chuckled as blood trickled from her mouth. "My daggers" Ahmed said. "Used my own power to grow that nightshade plant in the corner. Odd choice of plant here but I'm not complaining. Feel it? Like your veins are on fire" Faith said. Ishtar staggered to her on her knees and fell forward. "I'll heal...I'll heal" she mumbled. "Not likely. Nightshade berries are some of the most poisonous on earth and by the look of it you took 40 times the lethal dose. You're fucked" she said. Ishtar looked at her. "I yield. I yield!" she yelled. Ahmed was stunned. Faith staggered to her and placed her hand on her shoulder. Using her power given by Cordelia, Faith neutralized the poison. "Thank you" she muttered. "By order and rite of the Campioné, I bind you with a new name.  Your name...is Shit. Because in 24 hours that's all you'll be" Faith said coldly shrinking her. "WHAT?! Then why heal me?!" she yelled. Didn't want to poison myself. You're a fucking moron if you think I'd allow you to live. You turned someone I loved into an assassin and nearly cost her her life if not her heart. You fucked up by dragging someone else into this. 5000 years and it all ends in this" she said dancing the two-inch woman over her mouth.

Faith dropped the screaming deity into her mouth and closed it. Ahmed couldn't believe his eyes. The club was ablaze and before him stood a woman making a meal of one of the oldest goddesses in creation. Faith turned her head and parted her lips letting Ishtar's screams slip out along with the spit ridden cloth and helmet sucked off by Faith. Faith closed her mouth once more and with narrowed eyes began chewing. Faith glowed in short pulses as her teeth tore apart the shrunken Sumerian goddess and when she swallowed the pulp, an orb of light slipped down her Throat. Faith yelled seconds later gripping her stomach as newfound power melded with her being.

Silhouetted in light, Ahmed had to squint looking at her. As sudden as it happened, it ended with her collapsing on the floor. The flames had now set the ceiling on fire as he rushed to her side. Her skin was as pale as snow, blood curdled around her lips. "A...hmed. I can't..." she said before her eyes rolled in the back of her head. He stopped her into his arms and grimaced as he could feel her broken ribs move in her chest cavity. He was sure her lung was punctured and had massive internal bleeding. The roof beams collapsed, and fire blocked the main exit. Fire was his main attribute but that didn't mean he was immune to it. He prepared to burn to death with Faith in his arms. 

But miraculously, a gale force wind parted the flames. In the air hovered none other than Aly. Ahmed raced for the exit and out the door as Aly canceled the spell causing an explosive backdraft. He had no time to reflect on the few innocents lost as he sensed Faith's heart stop. "Aly her heart!" he yelled. The small girl floated onto the giantess chest and she cringed as even she felt the crackle of broken ribs under her feet. She immediately began what little lightning magic she knew to stimulate the giant heart as Ahmed gave her emergency healing treatments. "It's not enough! It's too extensive!" he yelled. Ahmed began forming a translocation portal. "What are you doing?" Aly asked still trying to restart Faith' heart. "Only one person I know is good enough to heal this much injury" he said. "You mean...an outsider in Iram?!" she asked. "This woman risked it all to take out a goddess that treats humans go to amuse her. Not to mention I swore an oath to keep her safe. I shall not forsake that" he said finishing. Ahmed rushed Through the portal followed by Aly.

Faith felt the breeze on her cheeks as she stirred. She blinked hard seeing her surroundings. She lay on a white silk bed which was surrounded by elegant furniture. Whispers caught her attention and she turned. Young women gawked at her. "Hello?" she said. They all mumbled to one another. Faith got off the bed and placed her bare feet on the cool marble floor. She left her room and ended up in a large circular one with 11 more connecting rooms. Fine food sat in trays as well as distilled sweet juices and coffees. Famished, she partook of it. Faith asked her where she was, but the girls didn't respond and only stared. A few sat beside her. One played with her hair, another her free hand. "Can't you at least tell me your names?" she asked. The other girl kneeling on the floor inspected her feet and toes. "Ahem. That's...okay what's going on?" she asked. The girls giggled at her. "I remember feeling cold and struggling to breathe. Everything grew dark and then...oh god. I died, didn't I? This...this is heaven?" she asked scared. As if sensing her fear, one beautiful girl caressed her cheek. "I died. Alicia...my babies.... Lucy, Theo, Marco, and Cordelia. Mommy? Daddy?" she suddenly wept.