The Confrontation

Khalus rushes onto the stage and kneels over Tonya's lifeless body. He looks out to the oddly calm crowd and sees a faint pink glow in each of their eyes., "Charmed." He mutters to himself.

The trickster picks up the body of his sole follower in his arms and teleports to a small pocket dimension where time does not flow. The pocket dimension is a forest of vibrant trees with alabaster white trunks and a bright canopy of purple leaves. In the center of the forest lies a tall tower made of black stone lined with gold. Khalus carries Tonya through the trees and enters the dark tower.

Inside is an extravagant hall strewn with silks, and gaudy gold statues of nude women in various poses line the walls. He walks up the ivory stairs and opens the door to a large bedroom. Laying Tonya's body on the bed, he kisses her forehead, "I will get you back, I promise." He then teleports out of the pocket dimension and in front of Desiree's mansion.

He busts down the front door in a fury and two armed men on the other side point their pistols at him, "Get on the ground now!" They shout in unison. Khalus snaps his fingers and the men explode into a shower of red mist. The angry god storms though the mansion, "Desiree! Come out and let us deal with this like true gods!"

Desiree materializes at the top of the staircase, looking down at the trickster with the same wicked grin, "It's very rude to enter a lady's home unannounced, foolish one." She walks down the steps with a swagger and looks at the bloody mess on the floor, "I'm guessing you didn't like the show." She giggles as she gently caresses his face. Khalus grabs her hand, rage burning in his eyes.

Seeing that rage, Desiree laughs, "Don't tell me you actually cared about that useless ape? How pathetic." She takes her free hand and rubs his crotch, "They are nothing but cattle, only good for their adoration. She grips tightly, "You and I though? We could start a new pantheon to rule this wretched realm. A Trickster and a Muse, imagine what we could accomplish together with billions of worshippers." She nibbles on his earlobe and whispers, "The other realms would stand no chance."

A part of Khalus loves the idea, It would be so easy to just give in and bury these complicated feelings of love that have developed He thinks to himself. Desiree recoils as she reads his surface thoughts, "Love? For one of these....humans? I understand having your way with them, I've done it plenty, but....love? That's revolting!" She says with a look of disgust upon her face.

"I too thought it was entirely beneath me, until very recently in fact." Khalus' demeanor changes to one of composure, "But now that I've experienced it, I wouldn't give it up for all the power in the realms." He smiles as thoughts of Emily cross his mind.

"Shame." The Muse frowns in disappointment, "I suppose I'll have to take care of this Emily as well." She disappears.