The first of many mornings

In the morning, you wake in a tangle of naked bodies. Maya lies against one side, Kali against the other, while Anna and Lynn share the space atop you, using your chest as a pillow. The rest of the girls are nearby, in various combinations. You smile, chuckling to yourself.

Not a bad way to wake up.

As you try to disentangle yourself, Anna opens her big green eyes, smiling at you. “A little bit trapped, master?”

She giggles, sliding off you and helping you escape your prison of beautiful naked bodies. The two of you head of your bathe, and soon you’re joined at breakfast by Maya, Rachel, and Yura. You smile at Maya. “You’re up early!”

Maya sighs. “Ever since I got pregnant, I can’t sleep in anymore.”

Rachel chuckles. “At least you’re not puking anymore!”

Anna smiles at you. “So, master, what’s the plan now that you beat the demon lord?”

You smile back. “Honestly, I plan to relax for a while. Until our remaining enemies make a move, I’m going to stay right here. There’s four pregnant women here, after all.”

Yura shakes her head. “Six.”

You blink, looking at her. “What? Oh, your powers. You mean…”

Yura nods. “Kali and Clarissa, yes. You were busy while you were gone.”

You laugh. “Well, I know they’re going to be happy!”

Maya giggles. “Me too! More cute babies!”

—

In a dim chamber, far away, a pool of mercury shimmers as the image within fades. Marcus turns away, satisfied with his scrying. “By all means, Josh, relax. I’ll be waiting when you’re ready.”

Turning towards the prisoner he has chained to the wall, Marcus grins. “Soon enough I will obtain least some of the power I was denied when the demon lord died. That two faced bitch!”

He looks at the prisoner, held fast by glowing, rune carved chains. “She will regret that. They all will. Isn’t that true, ‘old friend’?”

The prisoner struggles to lift his head. With tired eyes, Bast looks at Marcus sadly.

—

In the darkness of the early morning, the glow of the magical barrier provides the only light. Animals and people both have learned to avoid the shimmering curtain, having seen that touching it means ****. Therefore, there is no one and nothing around to see a small sliver wink out and vanish.

Furtively, a slim figure steps out, cloaked and cowled, observing their surroundings. Crouched low, they dart into the woods and vanish as the barrier springs back to life, leaving no trace that an opening occurred.

There is also no trace of the figure that exited, beyond some swaying brush as they disappear into the forest.