"How many novices are trained here at any one time?"
"About 1.000.  The academy is for the entire country. The education lasts for 10 years, so there are roughly about 100 novices per year.  They start when they are 10 years old."
"How does a girl know she can become a witch?"
"Most of them already know some spells they have taught themselves at this stage. Apart from this, every girl in the witchdom is examined at the age of six, and the ones that cut the test take an exam at the age of 10. Of those, only one out of 10 make it."
Dana and Tashmal were standing with Megan and Trish in the great hall of the Witch Academy in the northern part of Thy-Web-Rell. Some witches in white wear and many pupils, in white too, were going about their duties. The blonde now knew that the young girls in white serving in the fortress were novices and pupils of this academy.
It was the third day after her night in the dream world. As the Spica had said, Dana had to wait, and while she waited, Megan and Trish were  showing Dana and her friends the city. Today, Marule the zeebanian bard, was at a song contest somewhere in the city, while Zusha was playing football with the weaponmaids - the soldiers - of the fortress. Remained only Tashmal and Dana herself. 
In the preceding nights, the friends had had some very hot pleasure sessions with Trish, Megan and some other young witches, not to forget Rowenn, the lady knight. Dana had determined that the tall, thin kind of women with small breasts who called themselves Alboras was just as hot and juicy as any kind of women she had met to date.  
"I remember this place fondly." Tashmal said in smiled.
"Oh, you have been here before?" Dana asked.
"Yes, on a mission. A novice in her 9th year, so she was 19, hired me. To be exact, her achaian lover, a young maga, hired me.  Both wanted to marry, but alboran witches is marriage strictly forbidden. To avoid complications, the pair hired me  to abduct the novice from the Academy and bring her to Achaia. As the young Alboran wanted to take some pleasure out of the operation, I had to treat her like she was really abducted. Bonds, a gag, all that, you can imagine. The operation was fun, had to package about a dozen other novices and four witches in the process."
"YOU have been that?" Trish and Megan both exclaimed. 
"Yes, its a confession. Arrest me immediately, will you."
"Oh, no, we are grateful to you. One of the witches you packaged was the most hated and feared teacher of the academy. Both Trish and I have endured her, and we were very pleased as we heard she got the treatment by someone."
"But how?" Trish asked aghast. "I mean, how did you accomplish that? 12 adult novices in their 9th year and 4 full grown witches, one of them of the 15th grade? All alone?"
"I have my methods." Tashmal smiled mysteriously. 
Dana understood that it was nearly impossible to overpower 16 magical persons all alone, the more so as Tashmal was not magical herself.
"Didnt the packages told you how they had been overpowered?" she asked of the two witches.
"The Sher-Iffet-witch, the sheriff of the city, questioned them, and afterwards, they were forbidden to speak about it by the Consell-en-Witch."
"I have another question," Dana said. "Regarding you witches and Albor. Are all important positions in the country, like sheriffs of cities, administrators of provinces and so on, given to witches? Or the other way around, must you be a witch to hold a public office?"
"Yes, Dana, " Megan said. "To be a witch is both a privilege and a duty. Only when we reach the 18th grade,  thats about when we turn 50, we are free to choose our path. Hence the young novice who wanted to be abducted by Tashmal to gain freedom of this burden. I am sure this was a greater motivation for her than the love to an achaian maga who spent a guest year here at the Academy."
"Do you ever dream of being free of the burden and duties? I f I am allowed to ask."
"I not," Trish exclaimed. "I love the dream world, I wish to explore it further. I am perfectly happy with my duty as dream wanderer."
Megan hesitated. She sent a quick glance to Tashmal. 
"I have thought about it. Here and there. But I am convinced that it IS my duty to serve Albor. "
Between her breasts appeared Osh and hissed. Megan reached down and stroked the petite snake.
"Seeing little Osh, " Dana said, "I havent seen your Con-fy-Deth yet, Trish. What kind of animal is it?"
"Kleer is a raven. He is outside most of the time, flying about. Probably having pleasures with female ravens. He is there when I need him."
"Are all Con-fy-Deth males?"
"Yes, Dana, the animals approaching the witches are always males."
"Speaking of the animals, didnt they pose a problem during your mission here?"
"No, not a single one attacked me or did anything else to endanger my mission. They probably all knew their witches were in no real danger."
"Probably enjoyed the sight of their packaged witches, being Males." Megan chuckled.
Trish seemed  afraid: "We shouldnt joke about it. Given the nature of the danger."
Her friends had taken the news of a coming male invasion differently.  Marule had fainted immediately, Zusha had said nothing at all, her expression not changing the slightest, while Tashmal had said enthusiastically:
"Fantastic. I always wanted to know how it would be to be fucked by a male."

***
"What do you say?"
"MMMPPHH! HMMMPPH!" - "GGGMMPPH; UUUMMMPPH!"
"I knew you would like it." Tashmal said with her cruel smile.
Megan and Rowenn, her knight, were standing in the room, naked save for latexa stockings and gloves, light green for Megan, yellow for Rowenn. Both were gagged with white latexa gags. Both were tightly bound, their legs remaining free. They were very hot starring at each other, then at Tashmal, who wore blue latexa.
The sight made Dana very hot, and she reached for Tashmal and kissed her.
"We are not ready yet," Tashmal said. "Now its our turn."
"I am far taller than you," Dana objected.
"You will have to bent your knees. You think you can manage that over a prolonged period of time?"
"Well, I will try too."
"Fine, white whores. Gag yourself." That was Zusha. On the bed lay Trish and Marule and smoked. All three other women had latexa sheeted limbs too,   Trish in dark blue, Marule in white, and Zusha in black.
Tashmal and Dana shoved gag packings into their own mouths, applied the straps, than the bands. Dana had already to scream in her gag, extremely in heat.
Zusha had lit a Malego, Trish likewise. The burning sticks dangling from their painted lips, both women approached Tashmal and Dana and started to bind them strictly. It was Zusha on Dana. The Rondaka seemed totally cool as she tied up the blonde in her red latexa. Zusha did so brutally, pressing a knee into Danas back while tightening the body ropes. Tied up, Tashmal and Dana tumbled, trying to steady themselves. They stared at each other, taking more pleasure from the sight of the packaged other.
Zusha said coldly: "Its good to see you white sluts thusly."
Dana knew that Zusha herself was next, and Zusha knew it too. It was all part of tonights game.
Now, Zusha and Trish, gagged themselves, and the gagged Zusha tied up the white blonde witch.  Finally, Marule tied up Zusha. It were now six packages screaming in their gags. Dana saw that the formerly so cool Zusha was now helplessly aroused, like all the others. 
She would remember this night later as having been much fun..

***
"This is very interesting. So much more detailed than Kerkor. I think I like it even better."
"The squires to become Lady Knights train their tactical and strategic abilities with it."Megan explained to Dana.
They were in the knights academy, a large, brown building with six levels at the bank of the Bren-dor-Willer river. As Dana had expected, Thy-Web-Rell was at a river too, about 20 miles west of the coast. 
The Academy had about the same number of pupils as the academy of witches, and the pupils were chosen by talent too, there were no noble girls. There was no nobility in Albor.
At a very large table in the center of the room, a miniature landscape had been erected, with tiny mountains, rivers, trees and houses and the odd fortress. The large map board resembled Arankalor, from the border to the rondakian realm to the East to the Endless Sea in the West. 
Hundreds of tin soldiers were on the board, resembling large armies. The scenario played was one of the biggest, the RED FLOOD, the great invasion of Arankalor by the Rondakas several hundred years ago. Rowenn played the arankian alliance and Zusha, most naturally, the Redskins.
In history, the Rondakas had taken the whole empire and advanced into Achaia and Liganor, before being beaten by a joined army of the Alliance at the Butcher Meadows, a place in the East of Achaia about 100 miles south of Gelilax.  It was named after the battle, which had lasted for several days and was known to have been one of the bloodiest battles in history.
In the game, Zusha hadnt taken the southern route to Achaia, where Rowenn had assembled the bulk of the alliances armies, but advanced into Zeebann at the coast, now besieging its capital Zeegold.
"It seems your red friend has a clear idea what she is doing."Megan opinioned.
"I suppose they play the scenario too at their Tra Ka Dar academy, or where ever she has studied the art of war." Dana answered.  
They were conversing in Alboran, Dana now a mistress in the language due to a powerful spell put on her.
She sent Megan a quick glance, breathed deeply and said:
"Megan, about Tashmal..." -The Achaian was not here, war games  holding no interest for her.
Megan interrupted Dana:
"Its okay, Dana, really. I admit it hurts, very much so, but I should have known better than to lose my heart to an Achaian whore like Tashmal.  My mind always knew she didnt love me back, it was just pleasure in the sheets for her.  So your sudden appearance doesnt matter at all. I am only surprised that cold Tashmal has fallen into the clutches of love and feelings. So she has a heart after all."
Dana showed a cautious smile. The witch smiled back.
"So no hard feelings, Dana. After we were in the same predicament last night as sheeted and bound and gagged double packages, we should be like sisters."
"So? Well. It was fun to change and recombine the pairs. I have been surprised how strong your hips were. Your thrusts were so strong, I felt like impaled each time."
Megan chuckled. "You are so hot a girl, its easy to cause you pleasure."
"Ahh, Rowenn is advancing north. She took the bait."
"The bait, Dana?"
"Yes, Zusha wanted her to come for her instead of going to her. This time, her supply lines will be short, while Rowenns will get longer."
"You never had an officers training, Dana. You amaze again and again."
"I must admit, I am no longer surprised about myself. Seems I have accepted that I am a Krosa."
"And a dream wanderer. I think your Mana is nearly restored. You will be able to resume dreaming tonight or tomorrow and start your hunt."
"My intelligence," Dana grinned.
"You seem not at least worried about the Males."
"There is no sense in worrying when there is nothing to be done about it. And the Spica has said that there is still time, maybe years."
"I have thought about the possibility that some Males are already here, and that they are the enemies who have ordered your capture."
"Oh? But that would mean they knew about me too."
"Perhaps they have dream wanderers too. The bubbles indicate they have mages, so that is likely."
"And you, you are not afraid of the Males?"
"I fear for Albor, and all of Matria, but not for myself. " Megan answered.
"I must admit I have wondered how it would be like to have sex with a male."
"Really?  Well, thats a strange thought. Most would be disgusted by it."
"But not you, Megan?"
Megan shrugged. Dana could tell she held something back. Probably had wondered about it too, and found it arousing, she guessed. The blonde dismissed it.
"The big battle is near," Dana said, turning her attention back to the large table.
"Rowenn will win," Megan said.
"I am not so sure."
"She always wins."
"We shall see."
The Tra Ka Dar beat Rowenn in a bloody slaughter, later conquering all of Arankalor and changing the course of history. On the table with the tin soldiers, that is...

***
Here they were again, Dana and Trish, hand in hand and naked on the beach in the dream world.
"Show me another bubble. Have you one occuring here in Albor?"
Trish nodded to that. A bubble rose from the ocean, they left their bodies and entered it.
A meadow in late Spring. A pleasant day. Two riders, witches judging by their high conical hats. They were in their Mid Twenties and both pretty. One was blonde in red wear, the other red haired in yellow wear. They were galloping along, laughing and having great fun. Dana knew they were lovers. They stopped at a small river and dismounted. The horses drank from the water .  The young witches mouthed cigarettes, the blonde one fumbling with a matchbox. Dana knew what was to come.
About a dozen Males in dark leather rose around them. Quickly they seized the women, stripped and packaged them.   In a few minutes they had been bound, gagged and their heads shaved and sheeted. The witches squirmed in their bonds and screamed in the gags. The Males laughed, a deep rumbling sound. Their leader, a big black man, issued a command in their foreign language. Leashs were put on the women, and they were led away. The Males ignored the horses. 
Fine, lets go to work, Dana thought. Without effort on her part, the scene changed. A large bay, the coast on the westside. About 50 ships lay at anchor, the large ships of the Males. The land was forested. A large clearing had been made, were a tent camp had been erected, surrounded by a palisade and a trench. It was full of Males, and female captives - all heavily packaged - too. Dana busied herself for a while with determining the number of tents, Males, captives, and going out to one of the ships, to ascertain how many Males one held.
On the ship she found a large storage bay, filled with what appeared to be large black latexa cocoons. They shook and twitched slightly. They were about the size of a female body. Where there women in them? How could they breath? And how eat and drink and relieve themselves? It must be strong magic. It was a devilish effective way to secure and storage large number of captives. She counted 120 cocoons in this bay, it was nearly full.
So, 50 ships with about 25.000 males, 10 storage bays a ship a 150 cocoons, made 1500 per ship, made 75.000 cocooned women. Was the operation an invasion or a very large slave hunt? She decided this question was of secondary importance at the moment.
There was a question far more important, and she wanted  the answer tonight . She moved the bubble to the next night. Her interest was in the stars. She had no knowledge of astronomy, but in the dream world this didnt matter. She knew exactly what the positions of the stars meant.
That question cleared, she succumbed to the urge, which was getting stronger, to leave the bubble.

***
"Two years. Only two years? Thats less time than  we had hoped for."
The witch-orl-general, commander of Albors armed forces, a woman in yellow wear and with her reddish hair in a long plait, leaned back and mouthed a cigarette.
"From Lady Danadevas descriptions, we have determined the bay.  Its at the west coast, 40 miles north of Koiden-oll-Melth." The Lady Knight of the Witch General, a blonde with short hair, said and pointed with a long stick at a city at Albors west coast on the large map hanging on the wall.
The conference was held the next morning in the Seat of the Consell in a large chamber. It was raining very heavily outside, rain drops hitting the glass of the windows with quite some force, driven by a strong westerly wind.
Apart from the Witch General and her Lady knight, the Spica and some other old witches, holding important offices, were in attendance, and Dana, Zusha, Tashmal, Megan and Rowenn, and Trish and her Lady Knight Zoet, a redhead with an eton crop hair style and brown eyes, being smaller than Alboras usually were and even with quite ample bosom. Her birth mother was a Dorananian who had married an Alboran.
"We have to contact our embassies in other countries in Arankalor. No, the whole of Matria." The Exterior Witch, responsible for Albors relations to foreign states and cultures, said."
 "Can we defeat them militarily?" asked the Countha, first minister of the witchdom, in power only surpassed by the Spica.
The General witch, taking a drag of her smoke, answered:
"50 ships and 25.000 soldiers/sailors are not that much. And the whole fleet of 360 should be superable by an alliance of countries. If they havent weapons and magic we dont know of and have no counters against."
"We can open the bubble at the point Lady Danadeva reached now and gather more intelligence." offered the First Dream Witch, leadress of all dream wanderers. She was eager to get her hands on Dana, to find out more about her dream powers and to even learn from her, but by order of the inner council, meaning the Spica, Dana was to be left alone.
"We dont need Lady Danadeva for that."
"Fine, do it." ordered the Countha.
The Spica had been quiet throughout the discussion, eying every speaking woman with her piercing old eyes and sucking on a large pink candy.
Now she finally said:
"This is all good and well, but I would prefer to stop this before the war even begins. According to young Danadeva and Trish, they just appear in the ocean out of lightning. A portal of some kind, from another world presumably. We should search for ways to destroy or block this portal.
To this end, I wish Trish and Danadeva to visit dream world yet once more, to search the ocean for the answer to that quest. Its time Lady Danadeva tries to rose a bubble herself."
All eyes turned to Dana. She had said nothing during the conference, but had  listened intently.
"I am ready," she said calmly. "But what about my Mana?"
"We will have to wait another four or five days."
"Are there ways to enlarge my Mana pool?"
"Yes, by a Mana potion for example or directly by a spell, transferring Mana from a witch to another person. But both has its drawbacks, and five days wont matter now. Its better to wait."
Tashmal said:
"You could call up a bubble to see what hair color our children will have."
"Be serious, Tashmal will you. Besides, you want to marry me? Was that a proposal of marriage? Here and now?"
"Not very romantic," one of the old witches laughed.
Tashmal reddened.
"Sorry, it just slipped out of my mouth. Please gag me, quick."
Everyone laughed. The grave danger, the invasion of the Males, seemed manageable now. 
Would it be this easy? Dana thought. She had a bad feeling about it all. And then Tashmal. She wanted to marry her and raise children with her? Under other circumstances she would be full of joy, but somehow such a happy end to their story seemed very unlikely to Dana. She felt this was not what fate had in store for her, or Tashmal.