Dana had to act fast and on her own. Maia Sung was totally helpless, and as she was gagged, could allow her to touch weapons. The exblonde didn’t hesitate. As the skeleton approached fast, brandishing that rusty sword, Dana took the heavy Wutandre axe from the wall and attacked the undead the moment it apparently aimed to kill the helpless Maia with its sword.
She hit the monster in the chest, and in a splintering rain of bones the undead went down.
There were two more behind the first, quickly entering the quarters of the Mistress. Dana fought on and dispatched both skeletons with quick and mighty strokes of the axe. There were still more undead in the corridor outside. Screams and weapon shattering were audible outside now. The warrior turned slave jumped to the door and hastily closed it. Luckily, a key stuck on the inside and she closed the door for good before turning to Applecake.
She felt very sorry for the poor girl as she saw the Kai Ti was very dead. So Dana turned to Maia Sung and quickly freed her of ropes and gag. The girl jumped over to the wall and gripped two swords there.
“Thank you, slave. It seems your enslavement was unjust after all, as the skeletons rise again while you and your friends are helpless prisoners. So, someone else must be responsible. But how…”
“Your Maga put a spell on me to lie in front of the governor. SHE must be behind it, together with the dreamwanderer she loves so dearly.”
“By the dark goddess of revenge, you must be right! Anyway, there is a fight out there. Lets get into it. The last word on your status is not spoken. I feel inclined to free you. My deepest apologies in any case.”
“No time for that now, Mistress!”
“You are right.”
Dana opened the door again, and together petite Mistress and big slave attacked the wild skeletons outside in the corridor…

+++

They met the captain of the city guard amidst a high tower of shattered skeletons. About 10 soldiers were with the captain. The woman eyed Maia and Dana, both only wore boots and gloves, their rumps naked, then she bowed deeply before Maia Sung:
“Beloved Lady, your mother is dead, slain by the undead. It is a fact that in absence of your older sisters and a decision of the Queen from the capital you are the new governor.”
Maia Sung paled, but then steeled herself. Raising her head she ordered:
“Very well, lets drive this undead scum from the place if possible.”
Dana with the axe to Maias left, the captain with two swords to her right, the soldiers following, the continued to fight their way through the sea of undead, now united where they had fought on their own before. The monsters fell by the dozens under their blades. Other soldiers and people of the palace joined them, and finally none of the monsters was still “alive” on the palace grounds.
Dana looked out of the windows. The city was in flames, smoke was rising into the nightly air. She could see people fighting the flames as well as fighting with more skeletons.
While the guards were positioned at doors and windows of the palace, Maia Sung, Dana and the captain retreated to the main hall. Some slaves provided water and cigarettes. A physician teneded to a minor wound the young governor had received at an arm.
Dana smoked greedily. Despite having fought the skeletons and the axe in hand she still felt as slave and sank to her knees.
“You dont have to kneel, Dana,” Maia Sung said, smoking avidly herself.
“I am still a slave mistress and should behave as such.”
“I will free you, if we live to see the daylight.”
“As mistress wishes, but I don’t want to be freed. I am happy as a slave.”
The petite Kai Ti looked at her in puzzlement, then shuddered visibly and said hesitantly:
“Very well then. But you are a fighting slave now, so keep the axe. Back to the problems at hand. You said our Maga cast a spell on you to lie. The only conclusion is that she and her lover, the dreamwanderer, are behind this. Maybe they are adepts of black magic themselves and hope to get some power by raising the dead. We must stop them.”
The captain spoke:
“To raise all those undead they have to be in the center of the old slaughter, the fortress ruin. Instead of marching openly over to the ruins, fighting our way through the skeletons in the city, we should surprise the evildoers. There is a secret passage from the palace to the ruins.”
“Really? Well, then lets not waste any time. Where is the entrance?”
“Excuse me mistress governor, but you cant risk your life again. You must remain here while I and the tall bignose lead our warriors through the passage.”
“But…”
“No but, mistress. You must govern the city in the days to come. You have the duty to remain safe.”
Maia Sung hesitated, but then nodded reluctantly.
“Come on, bignose fighting slave.” The captain said to Dana who rose and gripped her axe again. She was still naked save for boots and gloves and still bald.
They took 20 guard soldiers with them to the cellar of the palace, where the entrance to the secret passage was located.
The captain opened the door with a key hanging on a small chain around her neck, and quickly they entered. They had lanterns with them to light the way, and it didn’t take them long to pass the distance to the ruins. Everything was quiet here.
They opened another door and took stairs which led into a great hall. Through the broken ceiling moon and stars were visible.
In the center of the hall was a large pentagram on the floor, which was littered with debris, but freed of it at the pentagram.
In it, the Maga and the dreamwanderer stood, the shalaxashian slave kneeling beside them bound and gagged.
There were many skeletons guarding them, more than forty.  Immediately a battle ensued. Dana used her axe with great skill and smashed undead after undead, making way towards the two evildoers.
She dodged the sword strike of a monster and her axe came down to smash it. The ashattered bones fell to the ground, and suddenly she was standing before the evil Maga. The Maga raised her magical staff, its crystal gleaming in an unholy light. Before Dana could react, a bolt of lightning hit her, sending her to the ground. Aching in pain, she tried to rise again, her axe gone. But another spell fixed her in place in invisible bonds.
More skeletons stormed into the hall, and it looked like a losing battle for the Kai Ti soldiers. The Maga laughed and approached Dana. Smiling wickedly, she raised her staff again towards the helpless ex-blonde.
Suddenly, her staff flew out of her hands and something invisible hit her at the back of her head. She sighed and collapsed to the ground. Dana turned her head to look around. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Megan and the others coming from the secret passage, brandishing weapons and magical staffs. Her friends made short work of the skeletons.
Together with the surviving Kai-Ti, Danas friends defeated the monsters in short order. Rowenn reached the evil dreamwanderer, who, helpless, fell to her knees, looking aghast. The alboranian knightress quickly bound and gagged her, while Zoet tended to the unconscious Maga, binding and gagging her too. Megan and Trish used their staffs to remove the pentagram from the floor, and Megan invocated a mighty spell which seemingly ended the unholy undead challenge, as the remaining skeletons fell in heaps of bones to the ground.
Tashmal came over to Dana and knelt beside her.
“Oh my, cant leave you alone once, sugarmouth? You look delicious as ever, the more so as a real slave. But we will discuss that later. Megan, can you do something about the spell holding her?”
“Sure.”
The witch touched Dana with her staff and the invisible bonds fell off.
Dana, very conscious of her new status, only went to her knees, spread them widely and bowed her head.
“Mistress Tashmal, thank you for freeing me.”
“Oh my goddess, what has become of you? Well, that cant be changed now. So, stand up, that’s an order.”
Dana rose and smiled down at the petite Achaian. She still felt happy, being slave.
Tashmal looked her into the eyes, shuddered and shook her head.
From a basket in Marules lap Sirf sprang to the ground and came over.
“So, again, everything is well. Apart from your little problem with your identity, Dana.”
The tomcats voice in Danas head was full of irony.
“I see you have freed the others, Master.”
“Don’t “Master” me, will you, I am only a cat.”
“As you wish.”
“I knew from the start you were a slave at heart. We will see how your Tashmal will deal with it.”
“I am glad we can now continue our quest.”
“You better be, silly slave, you better be.”

+++

The great hall in the palace of the governor was filled to the last place, as victory was celebrated over the evil undead.
The two delinquents, the maga and the dreamwanderer, were positioned under the ceiling, dangling down from stout ropes around their bodies, heavily bound and gagged and struggling mightily.
Maia Sung addressed the crowd and then officially welcomed Tashmals group as saviors of the city.
Dana knelt beside the young governor, smiling.
She was soon center of attention, as Maia Sung said:
“And what to do with Danadeva, your friend? I would free her but it seems she doesn’t want to be freed. So, I think the best thing I can do is gift this slave to you, Lady Tashmal.”
Tashmal grinned openly.
“That would be a fine gift indeed. I would gladly welcome her in my arms , uh, I mean, in my chains.”
Everyone laughed and Dana beamed up at Tashmal. Only Zusha seemed to be decidedly unhappy, looking grim and dark.
“Slave, rise up and remain standing. You are my bond maid now, allowed to stand, to speak and to bear arms.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Dana rose and came over to the others, who looked at her curiously.
Megan said quizzically:
“She needs her hair regrown.”
“Surely a beauty maga can be found who is able to do that.” Tashmal opinioned.
“I have another wish,” Tashmal said, turning to Maia Sung again.
“You only have to speak.”
“The evildoers had this Shalaxashian slave. We could use a guide to that realm for a later part of our journey. Would it be possible to give this slave to us too?”
“Sure, she will be brought over immediately.”
The Kai Ti turned to the assembly:
“Let this evening be one of celebration. Lets relish in living through the nightmare.”
The assembled crowd cheered and then slaves were among them with drinks and candies.
Maia Sung came over to Dana and Tashmal.
“What are your further plans?”
“We want to get horses and ride west. As we already told you, there is another seal waiting for us there.”
“It might be dangerous in that direction. The region is wartorn.”
“We hope to avoid entanglements in the fighting.”
“May the goddesses bless your way. I would like to ask you two to share my bedroom for the night, my fiancée and I would like to worship the goddess of pleasure together with our heroines.”
“That seems like a wonderful idea. Dana, what do you say?”
“However Mistress wishes.”
“Hmm, there must something be done about  your slavish attitude, otherwise I am starting to believe you are transformed for real.”
“I am a slave at heart Mistress. It cant be changed now.”
Tashmal sighed and patted Danas bottom side.
“I am not sure I like that, sugarmouth. Although it opens up some opportunities for the nights pleasure.”

+++

Maia Sung and her lover knelt on the bed, tied with rope and gagged with silk scarfs. Dana and Tashmal teneded to their needs, but slowly so.
The two Kai Ti were wriggling and mewing nicely, and the Achaian and her enslaved friend had much fun with them.
Danas hair haid been regrown, and from time to time, Tashmal stroke it gently. She seemed a bit uneasy around the blonde.
While they kissed and licked around at the two Kai Ti, Dana finally asked:
“What is it with you, Mistress? I see that you are unhappy.”
“Uh, well. Its your new status, dear. You cant be really sure you want to be a slave. That’s just a phase, and you will overcome it.”
“Mistress is wrong. I feel whole and happy as I am. If you would only see the light and…”
“You want me to be a slave too? You are mad, inn-maid. I will never be a slave, forget that. Remember what I told you? Playing in the sheets is one thing, but in real life I like myself free to do as I please.  And you want that too, when your current enthusiasm has faded.”
They stopped caring for the Kai Ti and looked at each other.
“But I am so happy with it. I knew something was missing in my life, and I am sure this is it.”
“Well, wait till I give you an order you don’t like. Or something like that. Or do you want the males to win in the end?”
“Maybe that would be better. I am convinced all women of Matria secretly long to be slaves. Take these two here. Look like they love the bondage, the helplessness. I am sure given a few hours, we can enslave them.”
“We wont do such a thing, that’s an order.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Dana laughed.
“Although this is a tempting thought. But no, this wouldn’t do us any good. Lets get back to them and give them some pleasure.”
“As Mistress orders.”
“Can I order you to call me Tashmal again?”
“You can order me everything, Tashmal.”
“Uff, at least that. So you will call me Tashmal, I don’t wont to hear that Mistress again.”
“Yes, Tashmal, as you say.”
“Call me cute whore.”
“You are a cute whore, my Tashmal.”
“Hmmppff, that’s not the same as before.”
“Are you unhappy?”
“I am afraid the situation is not fully to my liking.”
“I am sad I am the reason for your unhappiness. What shall I do?”
Puh, there is nothing you or I can do. You are a slave at heart and no order of me will change that. I only hope time will change your mind.”
“I see…”

+++

“Tashmal has freed you Veema, you should be happy,” Danadeva told the Shalaxashian woman riding beside her in the warm midday sunlight.
“I know, Danadeva, but those feelings I had as a slave don’t go away so easily. As I understand it, she hasn’t freed you. May I ask why?”
“You can simply order me to answer.”
“Come on. Now tell me, will you?”
“I don’t want to be freed as I am feeling happy as a slave. I am sure you understand what I mean.”
“I am afraid I do. I… whats that?”
They were riding over a large plain, for four days now, but now the emptiness of the place had changed, as ahead some small hills were visible. The sun reflected from them, and that was odd.
Tashmal let the group stop and turned to them:
“We have reached the surroundings of the ancient place. Maia Sung told me about these things. It are machines of the Ancients, out of metal, rusting about for two thousand years here on the plain. Its said they were warmachines, battling each other with bolts of lightning. They should pose no danger.”
Megan offered:
“The seal must be near. It will be underneath, so lets look for an entrance to the underground.”
Dana, naked save for boots, gloves and swordbelt, as Tashmal had ordered, looked ahead toward the machines. They looked like giant rusty metal tortoises.
Slowly the group approached them. Some birds, having built nests in the wreckages, flew up and started to circle the riders.
The rode about, searching for an entrance, for some time without success. Finally, Lina Lir came about a pit in the ground. At it bottom there was a big metal plate, not rusty like the machines.
They all dismounted. Rowenn, Megan and Tashmal climbed down into the pit and searched the metal plate for means to open it. There seemed to be none.
“Dana, come down here,” Tashmal ordered, and gladly the blonde obeyed.
Standing with the others, she could see written symbols in the plate. It looked like the signs on the keyboards in the seal stations.
Megan had taken Osh from his hiding place between her breasts, the snake had hidden in the city while they were captives and returned to Megan in the night after the battle.
The tiny snake looked over the signs and announced in Danas head:
“The words wont help us further. But maybe your special affinity to things ancient can help. Position yourself on the plate.”
Dana dis so, and everyone gripped for their weapons as a loud rumble was audible from the underground and the plate moved.
“My special slave,” Tashmal giggled.
The plate with Dana on it movd aside and revealed a metal staircase leading down into the darkness.
“Get the torches ready.” Tashmal ordered and bend over to kiss Dana.
Sirfs voice came into Danas head:
“Hopefully everything will be this easy this time. I have a bad feeling.”
“Oh, how come?”
“Don’t know, Danadeva, somehow this is too easy.”
“We will overcome all arising difficulties, I am sure.”
“Your overboarding happiness is starting to annoy me.”
“I am sorry, Master.”
“Don’t “master” me, will you?”
Meanwhile, everyone had climbed down into the pit and some torches were ready. Zusha and Rowenn, weapons drawn, were first on the staircase.
Dana threw her hair back and followed. Sirf was quiet again and the blonde was it just as well.