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Description
    Cold air whipped around the room threatening to extinguish the fire in the hearth.  A dark haired man looking to be in his mid twenties stood and added a log to the flame.  He returned to the table beside the hearth, and to his companion.  He poured a small cup of hot tea and handed it to the woman across from him.
    As she took reached for the cup, she moaned.  With her fingers wrapped around the handle, the man released his grip.  Tea splattered onto the wooden table; the woman's hands shook somewhat fiercely.
    "Telus, I am running out of time.  If something does not change, or occur soon, I will no longer be with you, and we will not be able to secure our positions."
    "Magera, darling, do not speak like that.  Everything will be fine.  A suitable donor has been found, and she is headed this way as we speak."  Telus sipped his tea, smiling as he caught sight of the veins and muscles in his hand.  "Everything will be fine."
    "That's easy for you to say.  Your donor was close.  He may not have been the best specimen, but he served his purpose, and your powers will certainly make up for his shortcomings.  Already, you have managed to regain your favored dark hair color."  She breathed raggedly, and coughed.  "But I fear that this body will not make it; no matter how soon my donor arrives."
    "This one was stupid, but it has given me new abilities that I have never had the opportunity to wield before.  The raw power I feel in this body is," he paused to add emphasis to the final word. "Amazing."
    "Yes, physical prowess is hard to find in donors that suit our abilities.  Is he still with you?"
    "The donor?  No, he fought for a bit, but he was the kind who wasn't able to fight without his muscles.  He easily succumbed to my mental superiority."
    "Good, that makes one less obstacle that we have to overcome.  How soon will she arrive?"  Magera wrapped a cotton blanket around her shoulders and pulled it closed around her neck.
    "She is on the high road from Dualt.  Before I came down, I used the device to check her location.  She should be here within the hour.  I foresaw nothing in her way."
    "Except me."
    "Except you my love."

    Telus stood, sensing a lifeforce approaching the inn.  He stepped toward the door, unbolting it, and walked behind the counter.
    "She is close?"
    "Yes darling, she is.  Luckily," He looked at her frowning.  "Your powers are failing; will you be able to achieve a translation?"
    "We can but find out."  She managed a week smile, stretching the sagging skin across her gaunt face.
    Telus' eyes widened as Magera sagged forward a bit.  The black in her hair seemed to drain away as it faded into a silvery grey.
    "Magera!  Magera?"  He ran to her side, and grasped her shoulders.  Her body was lifeless in his hands and her head rolled around fragilely on her shoulders.
    TELUS! The mental invasion would have surprised him if he were not used to it, now it just brought relief.
    "Magera!"
    I am here, I am in pain, but here.  The body has been drained of every possible essence.  You will have to hurry once she arrives to disable her.
    "Yes, I understand.  I must."  He stood, wiping the sudden wetness from his cheek.
    You are sweet to weep over me, I am not lost; but we must hurry.
    He stood at the doorway waiting, listening to the whistling wind outside.  His timing was perfect as he opened the door finding the stocky woman reaching for the bell.
    She is a redhead!  Telus smiled at the woman as he felt Magera gasp.  I've always wanted to be a natural redhead.
    "Welcome to the Golden Calf Inn."  He stepped forward and reached for her belongings.
    The girl allowed a weak smile to slide across her face to conceal the initial worry and fear she felt when the door opened.
    "Come in out of the cold child, allow me to fetch you a warm mug of tea, or would you prefer cider?"
    "Uh, the cider please."  She spoke forcing herself to project confidence.
    "Good, I will get that for you, feel free to show yourself into the dining room.  You can join my companion at the table by the fire if you wish."
    "Thank you."
    How delightfully evil you are Telus. He turned back around and watched the girl once he was sure she was heading into the warmer dining room on the west side of the inn.  A smile crossed his face, and he crept up behind the girl as she froze in the middle of the room.
    "Is.  Is she dead?"  Her voice trembled and she turned slowly.
    Telus hurled a bolt of mental energy at the girl.  Her balance faltered as the dark purple mental lance penetrated her own natural mental defenses.  Quickly he hurled another at her.  He body stiffened, and shook a bit, as she looked about to collapse Telus eyed a wooden chair sliding across the floor.  As she fell, the chair scooped her from the air and slid to the table where Magera's lifeless body sat.
    Thank you Telus.  He watched the deep red lifeforce within Magera sever its ties from the body, and float out of the body.  Once it was free of the body, it threatened to behave as a dissipating fog.  Telus used his powers to ensure that all of Magera's lifeforce stayed intact as it entered the body of the redhead.
    The light blue lifeforce of the girl struggled to keep that of Magera at bay, but failed, and as Magera took control of the body, the light blue condensed and retreated into the body.
    Telus stared at the body with his eyes instead of his mental powers and waited.  He smiled as she regained consciousness, sucking in air.  Her chest heaved violently until She got it under control.
    "How do you like your new body?"
    "It is powerful, I believe she will prove useful.  However her spirit is strong, I do not anticipate being able to rid this host of her any time soon.  We must watch it carefully."
    "Then we will."  Telus lifted her into his hairy, muscled arms and kissed her warmly.  "But for now, why don't we consummate our marriage once again in these new bodies."
    She smiled and kissed him passionately.  He carried her up the stairs to their chambers.

Description
    Cold air whipped around the room threatening to extinguish the fire in the hearth.  A dark haired man looking to be in his mid twenties stood and added a log to the flame.  He returned to the table beside the hearth, and to his companion.  He poured a small cup of hot tea and handed it to the woman across from him.
    As she took reached for the cup, she moaned.  With her fingers wrapped around the handle, the man released his grip.  Tea splattered onto the wooden table; the woman's hands shook somewhat fiercely.
    "Telus, I am running out of time.  If something does not change, or occur soon, I will no longer be with you, and we will not be able to secure our positions."
    "Magera, darling, do not speak like that.  Everything will be fine.  A suitable donor has been found, and she is headed this way as we speak."  Telus sipped his tea, smiling as he caught sight of the veins and muscles in his hand.  "Everything will be fine."
    "That's easy for you to say.  Your donor was close.  He may not have been the best specimen, but he served his purpose, and your powers will certainly make up for his shortcomings.  Already, you have managed to regain your favored dark hair color."  She breathed raggedly, and coughed.  "But I fear that this body will not make it; no matter how soon my donor arrives."
    "This one was stupid, but it has given me new abilities that I have never had the opportunity to wield before.  The raw power I feel in this body is," he paused to add emphasis to the final word. "Amazing."
    "Yes, physical prowess is hard to find in donors that suit our abilities.  Is he still with you?"
    "The donor?  No, he fought for a bit, but he was the kind who wasn't able to fight without his muscles.  He easily succumbed to my mental superiority."
    "Good, that makes one less obstacle that we have to overcome.  How soon will she arrive?"  Magera wrapped a cotton blanket around her shoulders and pulled it closed around her neck.
    "She is on the high road from Dualt.  Before I came down, I used the device to check her location.  She should be here within the hour.  I foresaw nothing in her way."
    "Except me."
    "Except you my love."

    Telus stood, sensing a lifeforce approaching the inn.  He stepped toward the door, unbolting it, and walked behind the counter.
    "She is close?"
    "Yes darling, she is.  Luckily," He looked at her frowning.  "Your powers are failing; will you be able to achieve a translation?"
    "We can but find out."  She managed a week smile, stretching the sagging skin across her gaunt face.
    Telus' eyes widened as Magera sagged forward a bit.  The black in her hair seemed to drain away as it faded into a silvery grey.
    "Magera!  Magera?"  He ran to her side, and grasped her shoulders.  Her body was lifeless in his hands and her head rolled around fragilely on her shoulders.
    TELUS! The mental invasion would have surprised him if he were not used to it, now it just brought relief.
    "Magera!"
    I am here, I am in pain, but here.  The body has been drained of every possible essence.  You will have to hurry once she arrives to disable her.
    "Yes, I understand.  I must."  He stood, wiping the sudden wetness from his cheek.
    You are sweet to weep over me, I am not lost; but we must hurry.
    He stood at the doorway waiting, listening to the whistling wind outside.  His timing was perfect as he opened the door finding the stocky woman reaching for the bell.
    She is a redhead!  Telus smiled at the woman as he felt Magera gasp.  I've always wanted to be a natural redhead.
    "Welcome to the Golden Calf Inn."  He stepped forward and reached for her belongings.
    The girl allowed a weak smile to slide across her face to conceal the initial worry and fear she felt when the door opened.
    "Come in out of the cold child, allow me to fetch you a warm mug of tea, or would you prefer cider?"
    "Uh, the cider please."  She spoke forcing herself to project confidence.
    "Good, I will get that for you, feel free to show yourself into the dining room.  You can join my companion at the table by the fire if you wish."
    "Thank you."
    How delightfully evil you are Telus. He turned back around and watched the girl once he was sure she was heading into the warmer dining room on the west side of the inn.  A smile crossed his face, and he crept up behind the girl as she froze in the middle of the room.
    "Is.  Is she dead?"  Her voice trembled and she turned slowly.
    Telus hurled a bolt of mental energy at the girl.  Her balance faltered as the dark purple mental lance penetrated her own natural mental defenses.  Quickly he hurled another at her.  He body stiffened, and shook a bit, as she looked about to collapse Telus eyed a wooden chair sliding across the floor.  As she fell, the chair scooped her from the air and slid to the table where Magera's lifeless body sat.
    Thank you Telus.  He watched the deep red lifeforce within Magera sever its ties from the body, and float out of the body.  Once it was free of the body, it threatened to behave as a dissipating fog.  Telus used his powers to ensure that all of Magera's lifeforce stayed intact as it entered the body of the redhead.
    The light blue lifeforce of the girl struggled to keep that of Magera at bay, but failed, and as Magera took control of the body, the light blue condensed and retreated into the body.
    Telus stared at the body with his eyes instead of his mental powers and waited.  He smiled as she regained consciousness, sucking in air.  Her chest heaved violently until She got it under control.
    "How do you like your new body?"
    "It is powerful, I believe she will prove useful.  However her spirit is strong, I do not anticipate being able to rid this host of her any time soon.  We must watch it carefully."
    "Then we will."  Telus lifted her into his hairy, muscled arms and kissed her warmly.  "But for now, why don't we consummate our marriage once again in these new bodies."
    She smiled and kissed him passionately.  He carried her up the stairs to their chambers.