★Memorable Author: [El_Roy_1999] And Tomorrow...The World! •22pp•

[El_Roy_1999]

A few hours later, Ruth was dozing amidst her pleasurers when she was awoken by an unexpected noise. With lightning quickness, she jumped up and hurled herself at the intruder. There was a flurry of hands as she tried to seize her opponent, but the silent attacker was surprisingly quick. Every feint was quickly understood and countered, every attack dodged. Frustrated, Ruth increased the speed of her assault. The fight spilled out of the chamber, on the narrow gangway that followed the ship's side.
The river sparkled in the moonlight, but Ruth had no eyes for the marvels. Instead, she managed to push her foe further away. However, she was forced to admit that this person was just as fast and agile as she was. She realized that she would be hopelessly outclassed should a second attacker appear. At the same time, the assailant was slowing, clearly exhausted by her relentless advance.
Ruth spotted an opening and sent her full force into it. For mere fragments of seconds, she managed to touch the mysterious foe, but she pinched his skin and tore into it. There was a surprised scream and Ruth attacked with renewed vigor, blood splattering all around.
Blow after blow hit home. Finally, the opponent was reeling. She pressed on, finally cornering him against a wall. Behind it, a very loud pair was enjoying the lush night. The attacker gasped for air, struggling under Ruth's iron grip. She asked:
"Who are you and what do you want?"
"I am Little Phoenix. I was sent by my Master to test his disciple's disciple."
"What do you mean?"
"Your master has brought you here. The one who taught him requests your presence. He wishes to see what he is teaching you."
"I never thought Jacob had a master."
"Jacob?"
"This is his name."
"A bizarre name."
"I don't care. Where do I meet your teacher?"
"Follow me. There is a cart waiting."
"A cart?"
"It is more discreet."
Ruth agreed. He handed her some peasant's garb and she left a message for Jacob.
As the cart rolled away on the dirt road, there was a resounding crash. She saw the bordello explode and erupt into flame. She turned to Little Phoenix.
"Did you know of this?"
"You have made a lot of enemies. I thought picking you up early would be a good idea."
Deep inside her, she felt a deep anguish at the death of the people that had just died for her, but she swallowed and forced it away into the abyss of her mind.

[El_Roy_1999]

LIVE NOW

Muscular Women Are Live Right Now

Join private chats instantly. Real models. Real-time interaction.

120+ models online now

Start Watching →

[El_Roy_1999]

Gladys stood in front of the entryway of her parents' house. She had spend a lot of time there, endless summers, harsh winters. She had been homeschooled during the first years, her parents having insisted on her having a correct education. This had also been necessary due to the fact that her mother had been forced to accompany her husband all over the world, including Europe during and after the Great War. There had been talks of sending her to a boarding school in Switzerland, but her mother had preferred to keep her close. As her only child to survive the hardships of birth, she was precious and irreplaceable. Only now did she realize what weight she forced onto her mother's shoulders by pursuing this life.
Still, she had to do it.
She was committed whole-heartedly and the success had proven her right. This war had to be won before it erupted fully, the skirmishes growing bloodier and bloodier. Soon, it would explode into a full-on confrontation. Gladys wasn't going to disappoint her country.
She took a deep breath and walked away. Once victory was there, she would return.

[solitariodude]

Nice bit of background info on Gladys

[El_Roy_1999]

Yorkow grinned:
"I haven't been to Switzerland in a while."
Washington shrugged:
"I've never been to Europe, let alone Switzerland. When where you there?"
"Before the Revolution and after the Revolution, as things go."
They were walking along Lake Geneva, following the Captain and Gladys, who was marveling at the sight. She had turned into a regular tourist upon reaching Le Havre and had not since stopped. Just like the others, she had exchanged her military fatigues for a more civilian outfit and as far as Washington was concerned, she was gorgeous. Tall, beautiful, bright and elegant, everything a man could wish for. He longed for her, but he had to admit, there wasn't much to be done.
The trail of the Master's assistant had gone cold, but some agents still tried to recover any clues. The house where she had lived had burned down, the inhabitants had disappeared. The Captain hoped they would be able to glean some information on the Master at his speech in Geneva, thus their trip to Europe. Maybe they'd even meet the mystery woman.
Someone had suggested using the opportunity to get a clean shot at the Master and to resolve this quickly, but the Captain had dismissed it. First of all, the United States did not want to irritate both Switzerland and the League itself. After all, they were only guests. Second, escalating the conflict at the present moment was seen as very dangerous. They had been warned against open conflict by government officials who suggested that as long as the depression continued, no wars would be payable.
As a result, this was the moment to be discreet.

[solitariodude]

Thanks for keeping this going. I could see Washington perservering in pursuit of Gladys

[El_Roy_1999]

By the time they came into the assembly hall, the South African delegate was speaking against the horrid aggression of the Master and his minions against his state. He was reciting the list of the victims of their attack and demanded that the League take action against this terrorist organization. When he ended, there was some applause, but it was clear that quite a few delegates remained calm and observed the reactions. Many of the smaller states and those who had recently fought for their freedom seemed unsure of what to make of this.
Then, the chairman announced the Master's speech.
A hush of anticipation went through the crowd. The man walked in. He seemed tall and gaunt, his shaved head and long beard giving him a monk-like appearance. He stepped on the podium and took his place at the pulpit. The murmurs ebbed down. He gazed on the audience with dark eyes and absolute calm.
Gladys was impressed. The team had been shown all kinds of photos of the man, but to see him in person was something different. He was wearing a black and red robe and placed a bony hand on the pulpit.
"Gentlemen. I thank you for this opportunity and I am glad to be welcomed in these holy halls. There have been many myths spread about my actions and goals. Today, I am here to tell you the truth. The truth will set us free and allow us all to achieve peace. My name is of no consequence. I am called the Master and those that follow me are my disciples. My organization has long stayed in the dark, but it is now ready to emerge. I have given it a name. It is the Ascension. I urge you to follow us on the way to peace and freedom. If you are willing, you will be liberated. If you are not, you will stay captive. If you oppose us, you will be destroyed. We have the means for all of them."
He paused to let this sink in.
"I am now declaring statehood and I look forward to your acceptance and recognition. Let us work together on a new world, a world of science and progress, a Paradise on Earth."
The Master closed his eyes for a moment, then, without a look back, walked out.
The delegates remained seating, unable to process what had just happened.
Gladys looked at her fellow soldiers.
Washington asked:
"Was this a declaration of war?"
The Captain nodded slowly.

[El_Roy_1999]

Later, they were sitting in a café by the lake. The Captain took a sip of his coffee and asked:
"So, any thoughts?"
There were some hesitations. Yorkow was fumbling with his spoon, Gladys was still amazed by the sight and the whole diplomacy and international intrigue she was now involved in. Playing the piano on her father's evening receptions was one thing, actually planning measures against political enemies of the United States was something else. Washington was impressed by the fact that no one was impressed by his presence. Apparently, the proximity of the League of Nations building meant that the personnel of the café saw nothing at him just sitting there with his colleagues. He had even fumbled a "merci pour le café" to the server. Yorkow had squirmed at his pronunciation, but the server had just kept his neutral expression. As he lit a cigarette, he lifted the cup and said:
"To the Swiss!"
The others followed him reluctantly.
After they had drunk, Oswald said:
"I do have an idea. It's a bit far-fetched, but it might help."
The Captain nodded:
"Go ahead."
"If he wasn't the boss of an international cult of geniuses with his personal army, I'd say he's a carny."
Gladys asked:
"What's that?"
"Someone who works at a carnival. You know the guys: Big hats, big mustaches. Loud voices, mystical gurus from India or Tibet."
"I've been to the carnival once. It was a bit scary, but also really exciting."
"I know. I used to work there. Ran away from 'home'. I'm pretty certain that's a fake beard. One of our fakirs had one of those."
She asked:
"What did you do at the carnival?"
The Captain, eager to hear more of it scowled at her, but Oswald smiled and leaned back, picking out a cigar from his pocket.
"I mostly took care of the animals, but I also did some scaring. And so does this guy. His act is actually quite impressive, but it's still an act. He's the ringmaster and I'm not even sure his followers know that it's all just some insane show."
"But people get killed."
"Yes. That happens." He went silent for a moment, his gaze unfocused. "What I'm saying is that we should find out where this guy comes from. I'm almost certain I know people who know him. Good thing we're close to Paris."

Paris.
Gladys felt a pang of fear. The city of sin. The city of love.
Paris.

[El_Roy_1999]

Days had passed. In her world of airships and fast cars, Ruth was unaccustomed to the slowness of the cart. They had left the city and began a seemingly endless westward journey to the mountains. They followed rivers and muddy roads. Little Phoenix drove the cart with calm patience, occasionally relayed by Ruth, who quickly got the hang of it. The short woman was impressed by her passenger's look. Compared to her, Ruth was both tall and very strong, her body large and powerful. Little Phoenix was unsure of what to make of it. After all, this was hardly appropriate for a woman. On the other hand, she was amazed by how she had handled herself. Most foreign women she had met had just screamed or fainted at the first sign of trouble. Ruth, on the other hand, attacked. With incredible ferocity. Somehow, she longed for such a power.
She had first seen her skills when they had been attacked a few days ago. They were set upon by a group of bandits/mercenaries/militia. Since the collapse of the central authority decades ago, these groups had become a common danger. As the men stepped into their way and demanded their money and further, worse things, Ruth had stood up, pulled out her pistol and gunned down three of them before they could react. She then charged, slicing two more before grabbing their boss and shooting him in the neck. The assault had been so fast, Little Phoenix had barely had time to realize what was happening before it was all over.
Her blood-splattered companion had returned, wiped the sweat from her brow and suggested they continue. She didn't even seem to care about the lives she had extinguished. Little Phoenix had almost been sick from all the blood, but Ruth had just ordered her to get moving. The shorter woman was impressed.

[El_Roy_1999]

Eventually, they reached the mountainsides. They began their slow and arduous ascent. Ruth traded her traveler's clothes for a warmer set and the cart for a pair of robust horses. She noticed Little Phoenix had changed. Since they had entered the first of the mountain towns, she seemed more relaxed and friendly. Also, her whole appearance seemed different. After a few days of travel, she asked:
"Tell me, what did you do with your face?"
"My face?"
"Yes. You look different. Did you ... change your eyes?"
"I am surprised that you as a foreigner would notice it. When I am in the lowlands, it is better to look the part. It's makeup, mostly. There are some tricks the Masters taught me, but being a mountain woman isn't easy on the coast."
"I can understand that. Where I come from, people let doctors break their noses to fit in."
"Why? Don't they have large enough noses already? I thought all you foreigners were keen on your enormous trunks."
"Actually, it's much more complicated than that."
"I see. There was this officer from the virtuous country. He told me that the length of the nose of a man corresponded to the length of his ..."
She smiled.
Ruth shrugged.
"I'm not sure this actually applied, but let me guess, he had a big nose."
"Oh yes. It was so very big. I could have hidden all of my belongings in its nostrils. I wondered how he managed to stand up straight. The other part was less impressive."
She guffawed. Ruth shot her an awkward look.

[El_Roy_1999]

Up in the mountains, the weather changed. The winds howled and it became very cold. They left the last village behind them and continued their ascent. Little Phoenix was shivering when the sun went down. The endless climb was taking its toll on the pair. Ruth asked:
"How far is it yet?"
"We still have some more climbing to do. Maybe in a week."
"I thought you'd been up there before."
"I wasn't. I lived in one of the towns we wandered through. The one with the festival full of dancing demons."
Ruth nodded slowly. The pageantry had been impressive and utterly confusing. The strange chants and the music had irritated her. While Little Phoenix enjoyed herself greatly, the masks made her uncomfortable. Were these the demons that were lurking in her? With Hilde's help, she had unleashed her id, but she was unsure of whether she still controlled it. Was there a way back?
The thought pervaded her entire journey. What should she do when she reached her destination?

[scape_goat]

Good to see you're still keeping up with this one. Thanks and continuing K from a solitary dude.

[El_Roy_1999]

Glad to have you back!

They eventually crossed the snow line. The last, crippled trees disappeared, leaving only rocks, moss and lichen. They had long since abandoned their horses and were now plodding along the narrow path. Even though Ruth was tired and exhausted, she had to look around occasionally. The view was incredible. She was so far away from anything she'd ever known, it was incredible. When she thought back of the miserable slum in which she had grown up and compared it to the majestic mountain range, she couldn't help but feeling elated. Little Phoenix, on the other hand, grew darker day by day. The strain was taking its toll and the feeling of insecurity caused by leaving the known world behind made her angry. She snapped at her companion:
"What are you looking at? It's just more mountains. It'll stay that way until we finally find the monastery. We should be going."
Ruth's mind returned to the task at hand. She was annoyed by her guide's anger.
"I was merely looking at the panorama. I'm sorry, but for foreigners like me, this view is something else."
"It's cold and I'm tired. The view is nice, yes, but you certainly have mountains were you come from."
The taller woman laughed:
"Not really. My country is hardly mountainous. Besides, you'd probably call them hills."
Little Phoenix moaned:
"I don't want to talk about this. Let's just continue, shall we?"
Ruth shrugged. She suppressed the need to hit the shorter woman and straightened her backpack. The young woman was right. It was time for them to reach their destination.

[El_Roy_1999]

The storm had come from nowhere. Suddenly, the world was pure white. Snow caked their faces, everything was covered by the howls of the wind. Ruth shouted for her companion, but she could only distinguish a vague silhouette in the hellish cold. She turned her back against the wind, desperate to at least concentrate and find a way to recover her bearings. The path had been under her soles, but now, she felt only the crunching snow. She tried to shout again, snowflakes hitting her mouth. She struggled to remain standing, certain that if she were to sit down, she'd freeze. She staggered forward, or at least in the direction she hoped was forward. She stumbled over something, looked down, crouched to get a clean sight on it. Was it Little Phoenix? No. Only a rock. She stood back up, pushing against the wind that now beat down on her, forcing her to curb her back. She adjusted her cap, trying to get even a blink of her surroundings. There was the shadow of an overhang. Maybe the shorter woman had taken refuge there. Against better reason, she shouted again:
"Little Phoenix!"
There was something that might have been an answer, but she couldn't be sure. The storm suddenly redoubled its efforts, blasting her with snow and freezing air. She had to shut her eyes and clambered to the overhang, stumbling along, falling to her knees before regaining her stance.
Weak and exhausted, she managed to crawl under the rock-face and struggled to catch her breath. She brushed away the snow and turned back to the disappeared path. Little Phoenix was there somewhere, but she couldn't tell.
She screamed her name. Was there a reply? She squinted, hoping to catch a sign of her. Nothing.
All of a sudden, she saw a shadow in the dancing snow as the wind dropped for a moment. She hollered at her and she thought that the girl had waved back. Gritting her teeth, she fixed her rope to an outcrop and plunged into the snowstorm.
Ruth fought her way through the pale maelstrom, managing to cover the ridiculous three dozen yards until she saw her quarry. Little Phoenix was confused, desperate to save herself and clearly very cold. She grabbed her hand. The other woman stared at her, focused and held on to her.
The taller woman started on her way back, when a sudden gale hit her and projected the pair to the abyss. They landed on their faces and the storm rolled them over the icy surface, the chasm approaching.

[El_Roy_1999]

Ruth struggled to keep a grip on Little Phoenix' wrist. The woman tried to scream, but there really was no point to this. After all, the fury of the storm crushed any sound and drowned out their voices. Suddenly, everything cleared up for a few seconds as the shorter woman went over the cliff. She could see the depths below her for a moment, but shut her eyes in panic. Ruth managed to get a grip on one of the rocks. A shudder went through her body. She closed her fingers harder around her friend's wrist. For a moment, she thought that this must hurt like hell.
The storm redoubled its efforts and whipped them with snow and ice. Its roar rose in a thundering crescendo. Ruth could feel herself being lifted up, Little Phoenix dangling helplessly in the air. She clung to the rock in panic, hoping to survive the next moments and praying for the gale to finally lose its force. In her mind, she began counting. It was a pointless exercise, but somehow, she hoped that her reaching a hundred would quiet the storm. As her eyes and ears were caked with snow and ice, she found it harder and harder to concentrate. She lost count, started again, cursed inwardly, then gave up. There was no way for them to come out of this alive. She felt her frustration well up in her. So close to the goal, she had failed. Not only had she disappointed Jacob, she would also have let her friend die.
She felt the anger and fury grow in her and then, as the wind abated for a moment, launched herself up. It was a desperate gambit: If there was no higher handhold, she had no idea whether she'd catch herself in time. For an incredible moment, she hung in the air, the abyss thundering below her.

[El_Roy_1999]

On the other side of the globe, Gladys was feeling awkward. The reason for this was clearly the ambiance. Somehow, she had expected Paris to be more romantic. Instead, it seemed quite seedy. At least, as far as Oswald's acquaintances were concerned, there was no sign of any dignity. He had led them to Pigalle and had immediately pulled them into an "establishment" where men and women of dubious taste and profession were enjoying themselves. They were seated in a booth away from the stage and handed some fancy drinks. After a while, people turned up, greeted Oswald cheerfully, told jokes in French that were way too dirty for her to understand and did stupid tricks. Eventually, they were picked up by a waitress (at least that's what Gladys hoped she was) and led upstairs to the boss' office. There, they met a very shifty character with a pencil mustache and greasy hair. There were more handshakes, more drinks, more jokes and some admiring looks from the various half-lives that lounged on the manager's sofa. One of them called out:
"Dis-donc, Jean-Baptiste, il faudra que tu lui offre un boulot à celle-là. Elle a bien l'air d'être costaud."
Gladys managed to piece together that she just got a job offer, probably as a strong-woman. She fumbled an answer:
"Naon moerci. Je suyes avec le militaire."
There was raucous cheering for her French and comments that her accent wasn't too bad for an "amerloque". Oswald got some more drinks, a gypsy with a guitar played some very strange music, there were songs and celebrations. Gladys approached Oswald, who was smooth-talking a very curvy brunette and asked:
"So, when are you going to ask about the Master?"
He gave her a friendly, but drunken smile and answered:
"Not yet. There's still a bit of softening to do."
"How long is that going to take? It's getting late."
"Nah. It's getting early. And that's why we're in Paris, aren't we?"
Behind them, there was a commotion. A new guest had arrived.
"Sow, whare is zis Americane who iz so strong?"