HOME | DD

Description
"For over a thousand years the Pegasus Guard have been the defenders of all the Blessed Realms.

"Their strength and military prowess is legendary, carving themselves a place amongst the stars with their heroic deeds: fighting daemons, monsters, aliens and mortal men alike. They give life and limb to keep their wondrous worlds safe from those who would threaten them.

"Drawn from the best and brightest women of the Blessed Realms, which is a cluster of thirteen different lands, the Pegasus Guard train for decades in all weapons and combat techniques to ensure none can ever get the best of them. Every article of war is covered in their training, from tactics to the teaching of new recruits. Theirs is the most complete training that has ever been devised.

"They are such powerful adversaries that none have ever managed to defeat them or usurp one single piece from their domain.

"Throughout all of their glorious history, the Pegasus Guard have never been defeated by any foe, regardless of strength, number, skill or cunning. Wild raiders have swarmed their walls but found nothing but merciless blades hacking at their limbs; savage beasts have risen out of the darkness to ravage their lands, but have wilted before the Pegasus Guard lines; ancient daemonic foes, summoned in a storm of blood, have corrupted entire continents but have been ultimately banished by the purity of Pegasus Guard and their implacable wrath.

"No foe has ever bested them.

"Until now."

* * * * *

Planet Beeblebux, 5th Realm of the Blessed Realms

A single bell chimed throughout Helciagon, the five pointed High Fortress of the Pegasus Guard.

Risturan Leet, First Captain of the Pegasus Guard, was on her feet the instant the bell sounded and was running from her chamber a moment later. Clad in her brilliant, shining silver armour, embossed with gold runes, Pegasusi symobols, and adorned with scars from a hundred battles, she was ready for anything.

She felt no fear as she ran. Her training did not allow for such things. Her training kicked in and without thinking, she was reacting. Thoughts of what might have triggered the alarm flashed before her eyes. Whatever it was, she knew she was ready for it. A trace of pride tickled her thoughts. What could there possibly be that could stop her? She was the First Captain and nothing would befall the High Fortress on her watch.

Leet was tall and powerful but with enough curves to ensure none could mistake her womanliness. Her hair was a fiery orange in colour and her eyes a dazzling blue, when any could see them. Her skin was milky white and smooth, unblemished and scar free - partly due to the skill of her blade, but also due to the magic of the Pegasus Guard, which could heal any wound without leaving a trace. She had dextrous hands and nimble feet - a match for any foe.

Leet knew her way though the dimly lit maze of corridors well enough to not even pause as she raced from the First Barracks. It had been one of the first things she had done when got her Captaincy, memorizing the layout of the barracks, so that she could run at full pelt without hesitation. She knew exactly the number of steps, both walking and running, till the end of the corridor; she could navigate the halls in pitch darkness if required.

She passed six doors and as one they opened. Another six members of the Pegasus Guard fell quickly into place behind her, their own silver breastplates, helms, gauntlets and reinforced boots all shinning brilliantly in the corridor's candlelight. They followed their Captain in well trained silence, keeping in order of rank and experience, like the well drilled machine they were.

The group moved as one, reacting as they had been trained to do time and time again. They each knew better than to waste time worrying about whatever was attacking them. For the most part they all felt assured that there was little that they could not handle. They were all trained well in the fighting arts and were in the height of physical fitness. Leet was a veteran of many campaigns and each of them had absolute faith that she would lead them to victory.

Leet led them to the front door of the First Barracks and passed through them into the High Fortress proper. Throughout, the ominous alarm bell continued to clang with ominous repetition.

The High Fortress sat on a hill with its main castle at the apex. Five arms branched out from the main castle like the points of a star to the first interior wall. Each of the five arms in this section held barracks, armouries, stables, smithies and other shops of craft. Portcullis covered arches allowed travel between the different sections. On the other side of this First wall were five courtyards and in each courtyard there were holding cells, court rooms and more importantly the five Halls. Beyond the courtyards was the Second wall; higher and thicker than the first, pocked by crenulations and battlements. Murder holes and arrow slits allowed for a devastating response to any threat.  From the Second wall to the Third wall were taverns, houses, bakeries and buildings of every day life; this was where the off duty guard resided for they were always on call, even if not on duty. The Third wall was the main outer defence.  It was made of solid marbocrete, the hardest rock in the blessed realms.It was twenty feet thick, impossible to break for any force and its surface too smooth to climb or scale. It was a master piece of engineering and it was defended by five hundred Pegasus Guards.

Leet led her six Guard squad, seven being the mystical number of the Pegasus Guard, through the courtyard between the First and Second Arms, towards the source of the ringing bell.They came to the arch that led to the Courtyard of Light. At Leet's word, the Pegasus Guards on the gate let them through. The bell was much louder here.

"It's coming from the Hall of Truth!" said Leet.

Quickly, the squad advanced to the front doors of the Hall Truth, which stood directly opposite the arched entrance to the Courtyard. From within came the sound of haunting voices, too distant still for recognition but clearly human. Nothing else stirred in the courtyard.

"I wonder what it is this time?" said Sergeant Griaa, who was directly behind Leet.

Cautiously, Leet led her squad between the wooden doors and into the corridor beyond. The Hall of Truth was bathed in soft candlelight and a cosy layer of shadow, yet it seemed alive with the voices that rose about them. As they travelled further into the Hall of truth, the voices became louder and more disturbingly familiar. As they moved they passed empty storerooms and weapon racks, food halls and rest rooms; their angst grew heavy on their hearts.

"No bodies and no sign of fighting," said Griaa. "If this isn't an attack, what is going on here?"

"We will soon find out," said Leet, "we move slowly forward."

Step by tentative step, they made their way forward, carefully choosing their way through the corridors until eventually they came to the final turn and entered the corridor leading to the main hall. The sounds that assailed them became clear enough now to be instantly recognisable. Leet brought them to a halt, feeling her heart speed up as she recognised the sound.

"Is that sound what I think it is?" asked Leet, a puzzled look on her face.

"It can't be," said Berisia, the Guard who stood behind Sergeant Griaa. "It just can't be, Captain. We're not scheduled for any re-education tonight are we?"

Leet inclined her head to one side and listened carefully to the sounds coming from beyond the doors. "Laughter," she said. "It sounds like hysterical laugher."

A moment of anxious unease passed through the squad.

"We should proceed carefully," said Rhvyn, the next Guard behind Berisia, with an odd excited edge to her voice.

Leet nodded and with a motion of her hand sent the rest of the squad moving quietly around to press against the doors. Laughter was not a strange sound to be heard coming from these Halls, not recently anyway, but there was nothing scheduled for this hour that should induce such an intense amount of it. The sound of laughter rang in their ears, loud and wild, almost thrilling. Leet pushed the doors open a little and peered inside.

"What the..." she said after a moment.

Not believing what she had seen, Leet plucked her helmet from her head, letting her short orange hair regain its shape. Sticking her helmet under one arm, she put her head through the gap and peered once more into the Hall beyond. There was a faint, subtle turning of the corners of her mouth that gave the other guards a sign of her odd amusement.The others pressed forward to see what had made Leet smile.

The Hall of Truth opened up before them as a vast rectangular hall cut out of dark stone. Its stone walls glistened wetly in the torchlight and the high ceiling was braced with thick wooden beams. No windows were allowed in the Halls so the only light came from the numerous torches burning in brackets. A walkway cut its way around the chamber, guarded by a metal chain railing for safety.

On the east and west sides of the Hall, both on the ground and upper level, were prison cells; a dozen on the ground floor and a dozen more on the upper level. The cells were there to hold those men and women considered to be a threat or a nuisance to the Blessed Realm. The purpose of the Five Halls was to allow the Pegasus Guard to gently re-educate such folk on how to act. Torture was expressly forbidden on civilians, but the new Pegasus Guard Commander had recently found a more effective and painless form of re-education that had taken all by surprise.

Tickling.

To Leet it was highly unorthodox and unusual. Yet her Commander had found it to be highly effective and had declared it to their new method of interrogation. It had only been introduced a year ago and all ready they were starting to see signs of success; a reduction in social disturbances and an increase in respect for the Pegasus Guards and the work they do. Leet had seen with her own eyes how the gentle touch of feather can quickly unknot even the strongest will.

And so Helciagon had become the first Pegasus Guard fort to adopt tickle torture as a method of re-education.

It was still a source of grave debate about what made the Commander adopt such an unusual technique. Naturally there were rumours about unholy pacts and some ancient tome recently discovered, but such things were not to be heeded. They were Pegasus Guards and not privy to superstitious fancies.

"Well," said Leet with a raised eyebrow. "We've found what we were looking for."

On the ground floor west wall, four of the cell doors stood open and their previous occupants now roamed free in the Hall; they were not idle in their new born freedom. Three of the prisoners, noticeable on account of the grey rags they wore, were making their way around the other cells, opening other doors and setting more free. The bulk of the freed prisoners, however, were gathered in the centre of the room, drawn by the new activity unfolding before them.

"That's Hess!" said Berisia.

Private Hess, one of the Pegasus Guards set to guard the cells for the evening, hung from the ceiling at the rear of the Hall by chains that had, until recently, held one of the prisoners. Now, though, Hess bucked helplessly in her own chains as the prisoners removed her breastplate, gauntlets and helmet. They placed them to one side. Two prisoners knelt beneath Hess, gently pulling her reinforced boots from her feet and then carried them away before Hess's eyes.

Hess was still struggling when the two prisoners beneath her drew the tips of small grey feathers under her toes and started to tickle her bare feet.  Hess seemed to strangle the first few bouts of giggles but with a gentle irresistibility, she fell quickly into helpless laughter under the delicate feathers tickling her feet. Her long curly blonde hair tumbled in front of her face as she shook her head fiercely, trying desperately to stave of the hysteria.

"Nyaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! St-ha ha hah hap it! Haa hahah!" she cried. "No fair! Ah hah ha ha ha hah! Eee hee hee hee hee hee ha hah! Eeee hee eee he he ooooh ah ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha gaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Another voice rose above Hess' hysterics and drew Leet's attention to a more central part of the chamber. A pair of long tables had been brought from one of the other rooms and set in the central floor space. Private Meriline sat on the table on the right, surrounded by smiling prisoners.She'd all ready been stripped of her armour and now wore only the sleeveless vest and shorts that were the undergarments for the Guard.

"There's the source of laughter," said Leet with a grin.

Prisoners held Merline's ankles and arms, while an old man stood at the end, tickling the soles of her feet with a feather. Meriline writhed and hunched her shoulders as she howled with laughter. She sat quite helplessly watching the old man tickle the soles of her barefeet with free abandon.

"Waa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! He heh-help me!" she cried, wriggling helplessly. "Oh by Blessed Ones! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Stappit, not my feet! Aa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, gawd it tickles so much! Aha ha ha sstap tickling my feet!! "

"We must help them," said Sergeant Griaa. "They need our help, Leet."

"Patience," said Leet, rather enjoying the scene before her.

Ticklish laughter erupted suddenly from a cell on the east wall. Another Guard caught, wondered Leet, straining her eyes to see who it was. As she watched, a large woman in prisoner rags stepped from the room with the armour of a Pegasus Guard bundled in her arms. There was a look mischief on her face as she let the items scatter to the floor.

"Who do they have?" asked Griaa.

Before Leet could answer the laughter stopped abruptly and through the open door of the cell burst Cira, her dark brown hair bouncing behind her as she made a dash for safety.  As with the other Guard they had seen, Cira wore only the undergarments of a Pegasus Guard. Cira was out of the room and onto the walkway when she stumbled and went down. Quickly, the large woman reappeared, feather in hand. She stooped low and taking hold of Cira with one large hand, she pulled her smoothly back into the room. As Leet watched on Cira's laughter restarted almost immediately joined with pleas for help and mercy.

"Leet," said Griaa, stepping in front of her. "We must do something to help them. Sitting here and watching being tickled like this is totally unacceptable."

"Remember who you are speaking to," said Leet over the growing cacophony of ticklish laughter. "We must be cautious, Griaa; they outnumber us and if we are not careful it may be us having our feet tickled. What use would we be then?"

"What about Cira and the others?" said Griaa, calming herself by running her fingers through her waist length black hair. "Do we leave them to have their toes tickled by the prisoners?"

Leet felt the urge to grin as she looked at what was going on; Hess and Meriline shaking with hysterical laughter and the now invisible Cira, crying out for help that would probably not come for long while. At least three Pegasus Guards, the finest trained warriors in the Realm, all rendered helpless by foot tickling on her watch. Who would have thought it? No one had thought to train them to be tickle proof.

"Leet?" asked Rhvyn, a grin on her face. "What are we to do?"

There were over two dozen prisoners free in the Hall now, and in a few more minutes that number would at least double. Soon all of the prisoners in the Hall of Truth would be free.

"Leave them," said Leet, and she couldn't help smile as she said it. "We need to warn the rest of the Fort before this problem spreads."

"Leave them?" said Griaa, incredulous. "What do you mean, leave them?"

"There are five Halls in total Griaa," said Leet. "Do you know how many prisoners we hold in each? Imagine what would happen if they all escaped? We would be overrun. No, what we need to do is to alert the others and make sure it doesn't spread any further. Once we have done that we can come back in greater numbers and save our friends from their tender ticklish torment."

"But-"

"No more questions, Sergeant," said Leet. "Hess and the others will just have to have their feet tickled a little bit longer."

"Captain," said Griaa, refusing to let the matter drop. "I request permission to go in there after them. I do not feel comfortable leaving them behind. I understand that the others in the fort must be warned but I also feel that we must at least attempt a rescue."

Leet sighed. "Griaa," she said. "Did you not hear me?"

"I did Captain and I realise you can order me to stay," said Griaa. "In that event I would have no choice but to follow and leave my comrades. But I must ask this all the same."

"Griaa is right, Captain." The voices of Dris and Ilyani rose in agreement to the strong and powerful sentiments of what Griaa. "We must help them!"

Rhvyn, Berisia and Kei, the other remaining Pegasus Guards, did not say anything. Leet sensed an even split amongst her watch for those who wanted to leave and those who wanted to go and make a rescue. As Captain she could make them accompany her, but that would only alienate from the rest of the squad.

"You can't help them," said Leet gently. "Not by rushing in there."

"I think we can," said Griaa, "but of course, the last word is yours, my Captain."

"There are too many, Griaa," said Leet. "You know what will happen if they catch you."

Private Kei, the youngest of the Pegasus Guards, stepped forward.  She had a sparkling elfish smile on her face and hair the colour of sapphires. "I agree with the Captain," she said. "There are too many of them. If they catch you, it'll be kootchie kootchi Koo for all of you."

"The longer we wait the more there are going to be," said Dris.

"You may as well take your boots off now, walk in there and just ask them to tickle your toes, for all the use you'll be." Leet wiggled her fingers to make the point clear. "You can't help them."

"All the same," said Griaa. "I would still like to try."

Private Dris, Rhusyn and Ilyani now stood behind Griaa's insistence on going in after them. Kei and Berisia stayed with their Captain. Leet sighed softly, knowing full well the uselessness of any rescue attempt. "If you go in there now," she said. "They will capture you."

"Yeah," said Kei with an impish delicate smile. "Then the Captain can watch all of you having your helpless likkel toes tickled."

A moment of silence lingered then, broken only by the tortured cries of the captive Pegasus Guards. For a moment, it looked like Leet and Kei had managed to convince at least Dris and Ilyani to stay behind. Griaa, on the other hand, was a different story. The sergeant had always been fiery in nature.

"I'll ask you once more," said Leet with a sigh. "Will you please reconsider?"

No one answered.

"Then you leave me no choice," said Leet. "Permission granted, Griaa. Go and try to save them, but the rest of you must make your own decision. You know what will happen if they catch you. For my part I am going to warn the others, but no action will be taken against you for what you choose."

"Thank you, Captain," said Griaa.

Without another word, Sergeant Griaa turned and led Dris, Ilyani and Rhusyn back into the Hall. Inside, most of the prisoners were free now and they were milling around in excited masses, animated beyond the norm by watching their captors having their feet tickled. Leet watched them go, feeling compelled to watch to see what would happen, knowing in her heart that they were all ready lost.

Griaa led the other three Pegasus Guards directly into the chamber, and to Leet's surprise the prisoners largely seemed to ignore them.Rhvyn broke away from the main group and headed up the stairs towards where Cira was being tickled; meanwhile Griaa led the others straight to where Meriline was having her toes feathered.

"They might do it," said Berisia.

As Griaa and the others moved forwards, brazenly shoving prisoners out of the way, a change went through those prisoners inside the Hall. Leet spotted it at once, but none of those who had ventured inside had.

"Uh-oh," said Leet. "Here we go."

A new intent suddenly possessed the prisoners and they turned their attention away from the ones all ready being tickled to Griaa and the others.

Leet watched as three of the prisoners, having poured in from one of the cells on the eastern walls, set upon Rhvyn as she passed them by. Somehow Rhvyn managed to spin and throw them off, but in doing so she ploughed straight into the waiting arms of two others. They grappled with her, swiftly taking her spear and helm from her. She kicked out but had her legs caught by those she had first evaded.

"Looks like its kootchi kootchi Koo time for her little toes," said Kei with a childish titter.

Leet nodded with a grin. "Looks that way," she said.

Rhvyn was carried helplessly down the stairs, away from Cira, to where a set of foot stocks rested. Cursing and thrashing, Rhvyn was lowered into the stocks so that she was kneeling with her feet locked behind her. She called out for help as they pulled the boots from her feet and bound her hands to floor, but none that could hear her moved to help. She even turned and looked to Leet for help, but the orange haired Captain could only watch as a female prisoner started drawing long fingernails up and soles Rhusyn's barefeet.

"Nya ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! St-hee stop tickling me! Pleeeaseha ha hah ha ha ha ha! Oh god, not my feet! Waa ha ha ha ha!"

Only now, having turned to look at poor Rhvyn, did Griaa and the others realise their foolish predicament; that Leet had been right about their chances of success. Griaa had just enough time to shoot Leet a meaningful look before a wave of prisoners came rushing at them, feathers and portable stocks in their hands.

For a moment, panic flooded Griaa's mind, and in that instant all chance of escape was lost to them.

Green haired Ilyani dashed to the left, hoping to move away from the main group and attract less attention. As she moved, she stumbled over an extended foot and had to drop her spear to keep herself up right. Prisoners circled her and before she knew it, they were forcing her into a hard-backed chair. Flailing, she fell back in the chair and the prisoners surged over her, pinning her helplessly.Hands closed around her boots and she let out a helpless cry. Boots gone, she watched as feathers set upon her toes and she started squealing helplessly.

"Eee he he he he he he ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Ilyani cried.

Dris and Griaa, helpless to save Ilyani now, used long sweeps of their spears to keep the mob away from them as they tried to head back towards the main entrance. Step by step they made their way, past Meriline, Rhvyn and Ilyani who were all now crying tears of ticklish hysteria. The mob swarmed about them, looking for a way to get at them, eager to have at them with their feathers.

They were drawing level with Rhvyn and the stairs when a cell door clattered open to their right, distracting the two guards for the briefest of moments. In that second, as if it had been planned, the spears of the Pegasus Guards were snatched from their hands. They had a single moment to consider their fate, and the fact that Leet was watching it all unfold and was doing nothing to help, before the prisoners reached out and bore them down to the ground. Boots and gauntlets were lifted away and the two guards were lost in the mob.

"Damn," said Leet, watching the mob carry Griaa's amoured boots away from where she had fallen.

All ready Leet, Kei and Berisia could hear the voices of their friends rising in ticklish delight to mingle with the resigned voices of Hess and Meriline.

"You warned them what would happen," said Kei with a lazy grin on her face. "We must go and warn the others."

The prisoners were starting to surge towards the doors, realising that there were other guards beyond who needed culling. At once Leet closed the doors and braced them with her spear, hoping to give them a little extra time to escape. A moment later the three remaining guards were running from the hall and towards the exit and what they hoped would be safety.

When they came to an intersection, Leet drew them to a brief halt. "There are other sections of the Hall to our right that have prisoners," said Leet. "I must check it out to see if the Guards there have been taken as well. Once we've done that we have to check all of the other Halls."

Both Kei and Berisia nodded.

"Let's go," said Kei.

"Wait," said Leet. "We should split up. At least then we can check the Halls and warn the Commander at the same time."

"Good idea," said Kei.

"Berisia and you will go onto the Commander," said Leet. "Hopefully you'll draw the larger part of the mob with you and give me some space."

"All right," said Berisia, shaking hands with each of her watch. "Be careful. We'll meet at the Barracks."

Leet watched the two Pegasus Guards race off towards the exit, and a part of her wished that she could go with them.  From behind her came the loud thunder of feet in pursuit, and she knew that she had to move quickly. Without another thought, she raced off down the corridor.

To be continued...

Description
"For over a thousand years the Pegasus Guard have been the defenders of all the Blessed Realms.

"Their strength and military prowess is legendary, carving themselves a place amongst the stars with their heroic deeds: fighting daemons, monsters, aliens and mortal men alike. They give life and limb to keep their wondrous worlds safe from those who would threaten them.

"Drawn from the best and brightest women of the Blessed Realms, which is a cluster of thirteen different lands, the Pegasus Guard train for decades in all weapons and combat techniques to ensure none can ever get the best of them. Every article of war is covered in their training, from tactics to the teaching of new recruits. Theirs is the most complete training that has ever been devised.

"They are such powerful adversaries that none have ever managed to defeat them or usurp one single piece from their domain.

"Throughout all of their glorious history, the Pegasus Guard have never been defeated by any foe, regardless of strength, number, skill or cunning. Wild raiders have swarmed their walls but found nothing but merciless blades hacking at their limbs; savage beasts have risen out of the darkness to ravage their lands, but have wilted before the Pegasus Guard lines; ancient daemonic foes, summoned in a storm of blood, have corrupted entire continents but have been ultimately banished by the purity of Pegasus Guard and their implacable wrath.

"No foe has ever bested them.

"Until now."

* * * * *

Planet Beeblebux, 5th Realm of the Blessed Realms

A single bell chimed throughout Helciagon, the five pointed High Fortress of the Pegasus Guard.

Risturan Leet, First Captain of the Pegasus Guard, was on her feet the instant the bell sounded and was running from her chamber a moment later. Clad in her brilliant, shining silver armour, embossed with gold runes, Pegasusi symobols, and adorned with scars from a hundred battles, she was ready for anything.

She felt no fear as she ran. Her training did not allow for such things. Her training kicked in and without thinking, she was reacting. Thoughts of what might have triggered the alarm flashed before her eyes. Whatever it was, she knew she was ready for it. A trace of pride tickled her thoughts. What could there possibly be that could stop her? She was the First Captain and nothing would befall the High Fortress on her watch.

Leet was tall and powerful but with enough curves to ensure none could mistake her womanliness. Her hair was a fiery orange in colour and her eyes a dazzling blue, when any could see them. Her skin was milky white and smooth, unblemished and scar free - partly due to the skill of her blade, but also due to the magic of the Pegasus Guard, which could heal any wound without leaving a trace. She had dextrous hands and nimble feet - a match for any foe.

Leet knew her way though the dimly lit maze of corridors well enough to not even pause as she raced from the First Barracks. It had been one of the first things she had done when got her Captaincy, memorizing the layout of the barracks, so that she could run at full pelt without hesitation. She knew exactly the number of steps, both walking and running, till the end of the corridor; she could navigate the halls in pitch darkness if required.

She passed six doors and as one they opened. Another six members of the Pegasus Guard fell quickly into place behind her, their own silver breastplates, helms, gauntlets and reinforced boots all shinning brilliantly in the corridor's candlelight. They followed their Captain in well trained silence, keeping in order of rank and experience, like the well drilled machine they were.

The group moved as one, reacting as they had been trained to do time and time again. They each knew better than to waste time worrying about whatever was attacking them. For the most part they all felt assured that there was little that they could not handle. They were all trained well in the fighting arts and were in the height of physical fitness. Leet was a veteran of many campaigns and each of them had absolute faith that she would lead them to victory.

Leet led them to the front door of the First Barracks and passed through them into the High Fortress proper. Throughout, the ominous alarm bell continued to clang with ominous repetition.

The High Fortress sat on a hill with its main castle at the apex. Five arms branched out from the main castle like the points of a star to the first interior wall. Each of the five arms in this section held barracks, armouries, stables, smithies and other shops of craft. Portcullis covered arches allowed travel between the different sections. On the other side of this First wall were five courtyards and in each courtyard there were holding cells, court rooms and more importantly the five Halls. Beyond the courtyards was the Second wall; higher and thicker than the first, pocked by crenulations and battlements. Murder holes and arrow slits allowed for a devastating response to any threat.  From the Second wall to the Third wall were taverns, houses, bakeries and buildings of every day life; this was where the off duty guard resided for they were always on call, even if not on duty. The Third wall was the main outer defence.  It was made of solid marbocrete, the hardest rock in the blessed realms.It was twenty feet thick, impossible to break for any force and its surface too smooth to climb or scale. It was a master piece of engineering and it was defended by five hundred Pegasus Guards.

Leet led her six Guard squad, seven being the mystical number of the Pegasus Guard, through the courtyard between the First and Second Arms, towards the source of the ringing bell.They came to the arch that led to the Courtyard of Light. At Leet's word, the Pegasus Guards on the gate let them through. The bell was much louder here.

"It's coming from the Hall of Truth!" said Leet.

Quickly, the squad advanced to the front doors of the Hall Truth, which stood directly opposite the arched entrance to the Courtyard. From within came the sound of haunting voices, too distant still for recognition but clearly human. Nothing else stirred in the courtyard.

"I wonder what it is this time?" said Sergeant Griaa, who was directly behind Leet.

Cautiously, Leet led her squad between the wooden doors and into the corridor beyond. The Hall of Truth was bathed in soft candlelight and a cosy layer of shadow, yet it seemed alive with the voices that rose about them. As they travelled further into the Hall of truth, the voices became louder and more disturbingly familiar. As they moved they passed empty storerooms and weapon racks, food halls and rest rooms; their angst grew heavy on their hearts.

"No bodies and no sign of fighting," said Griaa. "If this isn't an attack, what is going on here?"

"We will soon find out," said Leet, "we move slowly forward."

Step by tentative step, they made their way forward, carefully choosing their way through the corridors until eventually they came to the final turn and entered the corridor leading to the main hall. The sounds that assailed them became clear enough now to be instantly recognisable. Leet brought them to a halt, feeling her heart speed up as she recognised the sound.

"Is that sound what I think it is?" asked Leet, a puzzled look on her face.

"It can't be," said Berisia, the Guard who stood behind Sergeant Griaa. "It just can't be, Captain. We're not scheduled for any re-education tonight are we?"

Leet inclined her head to one side and listened carefully to the sounds coming from beyond the doors. "Laughter," she said. "It sounds like hysterical laugher."

A moment of anxious unease passed through the squad.

"We should proceed carefully," said Rhvyn, the next Guard behind Berisia, with an odd excited edge to her voice.

Leet nodded and with a motion of her hand sent the rest of the squad moving quietly around to press against the doors. Laughter was not a strange sound to be heard coming from these Halls, not recently anyway, but there was nothing scheduled for this hour that should induce such an intense amount of it. The sound of laughter rang in their ears, loud and wild, almost thrilling. Leet pushed the doors open a little and peered inside.

"What the..." she said after a moment.

Not believing what she had seen, Leet plucked her helmet from her head, letting her short orange hair regain its shape. Sticking her helmet under one arm, she put her head through the gap and peered once more into the Hall beyond. There was a faint, subtle turning of the corners of her mouth that gave the other guards a sign of her odd amusement.The others pressed forward to see what had made Leet smile.

The Hall of Truth opened up before them as a vast rectangular hall cut out of dark stone. Its stone walls glistened wetly in the torchlight and the high ceiling was braced with thick wooden beams. No windows were allowed in the Halls so the only light came from the numerous torches burning in brackets. A walkway cut its way around the chamber, guarded by a metal chain railing for safety.

On the east and west sides of the Hall, both on the ground and upper level, were prison cells; a dozen on the ground floor and a dozen more on the upper level. The cells were there to hold those men and women considered to be a threat or a nuisance to the Blessed Realm. The purpose of the Five Halls was to allow the Pegasus Guard to gently re-educate such folk on how to act. Torture was expressly forbidden on civilians, but the new Pegasus Guard Commander had recently found a more effective and painless form of re-education that had taken all by surprise.

Tickling.

To Leet it was highly unorthodox and unusual. Yet her Commander had found it to be highly effective and had declared it to their new method of interrogation. It had only been introduced a year ago and all ready they were starting to see signs of success; a reduction in social disturbances and an increase in respect for the Pegasus Guards and the work they do. Leet had seen with her own eyes how the gentle touch of feather can quickly unknot even the strongest will.

And so Helciagon had become the first Pegasus Guard fort to adopt tickle torture as a method of re-education.

It was still a source of grave debate about what made the Commander adopt such an unusual technique. Naturally there were rumours about unholy pacts and some ancient tome recently discovered, but such things were not to be heeded. They were Pegasus Guards and not privy to superstitious fancies.

"Well," said Leet with a raised eyebrow. "We've found what we were looking for."

On the ground floor west wall, four of the cell doors stood open and their previous occupants now roamed free in the Hall; they were not idle in their new born freedom. Three of the prisoners, noticeable on account of the grey rags they wore, were making their way around the other cells, opening other doors and setting more free. The bulk of the freed prisoners, however, were gathered in the centre of the room, drawn by the new activity unfolding before them.

"That's Hess!" said Berisia.

Private Hess, one of the Pegasus Guards set to guard the cells for the evening, hung from the ceiling at the rear of the Hall by chains that had, until recently, held one of the prisoners. Now, though, Hess bucked helplessly in her own chains as the prisoners removed her breastplate, gauntlets and helmet. They placed them to one side. Two prisoners knelt beneath Hess, gently pulling her reinforced boots from her feet and then carried them away before Hess's eyes.

Hess was still struggling when the two prisoners beneath her drew the tips of small grey feathers under her toes and started to tickle her bare feet.  Hess seemed to strangle the first few bouts of giggles but with a gentle irresistibility, she fell quickly into helpless laughter under the delicate feathers tickling her feet. Her long curly blonde hair tumbled in front of her face as she shook her head fiercely, trying desperately to stave of the hysteria.

"Nyaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! St-ha ha hah hap it! Haa hahah!" she cried. "No fair! Ah hah ha ha ha hah! Eee hee hee hee hee hee ha hah! Eeee hee eee he he ooooh ah ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha gaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Another voice rose above Hess' hysterics and drew Leet's attention to a more central part of the chamber. A pair of long tables had been brought from one of the other rooms and set in the central floor space. Private Meriline sat on the table on the right, surrounded by smiling prisoners.She'd all ready been stripped of her armour and now wore only the sleeveless vest and shorts that were the undergarments for the Guard.

"There's the source of laughter," said Leet with a grin.

Prisoners held Merline's ankles and arms, while an old man stood at the end, tickling the soles of her feet with a feather. Meriline writhed and hunched her shoulders as she howled with laughter. She sat quite helplessly watching the old man tickle the soles of her barefeet with free abandon.

"Waa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! He heh-help me!" she cried, wriggling helplessly. "Oh by Blessed Ones! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Stappit, not my feet! Aa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, gawd it tickles so much! Aha ha ha sstap tickling my feet!! "

"We must help them," said Sergeant Griaa. "They need our help, Leet."

"Patience," said Leet, rather enjoying the scene before her.

Ticklish laughter erupted suddenly from a cell on the east wall. Another Guard caught, wondered Leet, straining her eyes to see who it was. As she watched, a large woman in prisoner rags stepped from the room with the armour of a Pegasus Guard bundled in her arms. There was a look mischief on her face as she let the items scatter to the floor.

"Who do they have?" asked Griaa.

Before Leet could answer the laughter stopped abruptly and through the open door of the cell burst Cira, her dark brown hair bouncing behind her as she made a dash for safety.  As with the other Guard they had seen, Cira wore only the undergarments of a Pegasus Guard. Cira was out of the room and onto the walkway when she stumbled and went down. Quickly, the large woman reappeared, feather in hand. She stooped low and taking hold of Cira with one large hand, she pulled her smoothly back into the room. As Leet watched on Cira's laughter restarted almost immediately joined with pleas for help and mercy.

"Leet," said Griaa, stepping in front of her. "We must do something to help them. Sitting here and watching being tickled like this is totally unacceptable."

"Remember who you are speaking to," said Leet over the growing cacophony of ticklish laughter. "We must be cautious, Griaa; they outnumber us and if we are not careful it may be us having our feet tickled. What use would we be then?"

"What about Cira and the others?" said Griaa, calming herself by running her fingers through her waist length black hair. "Do we leave them to have their toes tickled by the prisoners?"

Leet felt the urge to grin as she looked at what was going on; Hess and Meriline shaking with hysterical laughter and the now invisible Cira, crying out for help that would probably not come for long while. At least three Pegasus Guards, the finest trained warriors in the Realm, all rendered helpless by foot tickling on her watch. Who would have thought it? No one had thought to train them to be tickle proof.

"Leet?" asked Rhvyn, a grin on her face. "What are we to do?"

There were over two dozen prisoners free in the Hall now, and in a few more minutes that number would at least double. Soon all of the prisoners in the Hall of Truth would be free.

"Leave them," said Leet, and she couldn't help smile as she said it. "We need to warn the rest of the Fort before this problem spreads."

"Leave them?" said Griaa, incredulous. "What do you mean, leave them?"

"There are five Halls in total Griaa," said Leet. "Do you know how many prisoners we hold in each? Imagine what would happen if they all escaped? We would be overrun. No, what we need to do is to alert the others and make sure it doesn't spread any further. Once we have done that we can come back in greater numbers and save our friends from their tender ticklish torment."

"But-"

"No more questions, Sergeant," said Leet. "Hess and the others will just have to have their feet tickled a little bit longer."

"Captain," said Griaa, refusing to let the matter drop. "I request permission to go in there after them. I do not feel comfortable leaving them behind. I understand that the others in the fort must be warned but I also feel that we must at least attempt a rescue."

Leet sighed. "Griaa," she said. "Did you not hear me?"

"I did Captain and I realise you can order me to stay," said Griaa. "In that event I would have no choice but to follow and leave my comrades. But I must ask this all the same."

"Griaa is right, Captain." The voices of Dris and Ilyani rose in agreement to the strong and powerful sentiments of what Griaa. "We must help them!"

Rhvyn, Berisia and Kei, the other remaining Pegasus Guards, did not say anything. Leet sensed an even split amongst her watch for those who wanted to leave and those who wanted to go and make a rescue. As Captain she could make them accompany her, but that would only alienate from the rest of the squad.

"You can't help them," said Leet gently. "Not by rushing in there."

"I think we can," said Griaa, "but of course, the last word is yours, my Captain."

"There are too many, Griaa," said Leet. "You know what will happen if they catch you."

Private Kei, the youngest of the Pegasus Guards, stepped forward.  She had a sparkling elfish smile on her face and hair the colour of sapphires. "I agree with the Captain," she said. "There are too many of them. If they catch you, it'll be kootchie kootchi Koo for all of you."

"The longer we wait the more there are going to be," said Dris.

"You may as well take your boots off now, walk in there and just ask them to tickle your toes, for all the use you'll be." Leet wiggled her fingers to make the point clear. "You can't help them."

"All the same," said Griaa. "I would still like to try."

Private Dris, Rhusyn and Ilyani now stood behind Griaa's insistence on going in after them. Kei and Berisia stayed with their Captain. Leet sighed softly, knowing full well the uselessness of any rescue attempt. "If you go in there now," she said. "They will capture you."

"Yeah," said Kei with an impish delicate smile. "Then the Captain can watch all of you having your helpless likkel toes tickled."

A moment of silence lingered then, broken only by the tortured cries of the captive Pegasus Guards. For a moment, it looked like Leet and Kei had managed to convince at least Dris and Ilyani to stay behind. Griaa, on the other hand, was a different story. The sergeant had always been fiery in nature.

"I'll ask you once more," said Leet with a sigh. "Will you please reconsider?"

No one answered.

"Then you leave me no choice," said Leet. "Permission granted, Griaa. Go and try to save them, but the rest of you must make your own decision. You know what will happen if they catch you. For my part I am going to warn the others, but no action will be taken against you for what you choose."

"Thank you, Captain," said Griaa.

Without another word, Sergeant Griaa turned and led Dris, Ilyani and Rhusyn back into the Hall. Inside, most of the prisoners were free now and they were milling around in excited masses, animated beyond the norm by watching their captors having their feet tickled. Leet watched them go, feeling compelled to watch to see what would happen, knowing in her heart that they were all ready lost.

Griaa led the other three Pegasus Guards directly into the chamber, and to Leet's surprise the prisoners largely seemed to ignore them.Rhvyn broke away from the main group and headed up the stairs towards where Cira was being tickled; meanwhile Griaa led the others straight to where Meriline was having her toes feathered.

"They might do it," said Berisia.

As Griaa and the others moved forwards, brazenly shoving prisoners out of the way, a change went through those prisoners inside the Hall. Leet spotted it at once, but none of those who had ventured inside had.

"Uh-oh," said Leet. "Here we go."

A new intent suddenly possessed the prisoners and they turned their attention away from the ones all ready being tickled to Griaa and the others.

Leet watched as three of the prisoners, having poured in from one of the cells on the eastern walls, set upon Rhvyn as she passed them by. Somehow Rhvyn managed to spin and throw them off, but in doing so she ploughed straight into the waiting arms of two others. They grappled with her, swiftly taking her spear and helm from her. She kicked out but had her legs caught by those she had first evaded.

"Looks like its kootchi kootchi Koo time for her little toes," said Kei with a childish titter.

Leet nodded with a grin. "Looks that way," she said.

Rhvyn was carried helplessly down the stairs, away from Cira, to where a set of foot stocks rested. Cursing and thrashing, Rhvyn was lowered into the stocks so that she was kneeling with her feet locked behind her. She called out for help as they pulled the boots from her feet and bound her hands to floor, but none that could hear her moved to help. She even turned and looked to Leet for help, but the orange haired Captain could only watch as a female prisoner started drawing long fingernails up and soles Rhusyn's barefeet.

"Nya ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! St-hee stop tickling me! Pleeeaseha ha hah ha ha ha ha! Oh god, not my feet! Waa ha ha ha ha!"

Only now, having turned to look at poor Rhvyn, did Griaa and the others realise their foolish predicament; that Leet had been right about their chances of success. Griaa had just enough time to shoot Leet a meaningful look before a wave of prisoners came rushing at them, feathers and portable stocks in their hands.

For a moment, panic flooded Griaa's mind, and in that instant all chance of escape was lost to them.

Green haired Ilyani dashed to the left, hoping to move away from the main group and attract less attention. As she moved, she stumbled over an extended foot and had to drop her spear to keep herself up right. Prisoners circled her and before she knew it, they were forcing her into a hard-backed chair. Flailing, she fell back in the chair and the prisoners surged over her, pinning her helplessly.Hands closed around her boots and she let out a helpless cry. Boots gone, she watched as feathers set upon her toes and she started squealing helplessly.

"Eee he he he he he he ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Ilyani cried.

Dris and Griaa, helpless to save Ilyani now, used long sweeps of their spears to keep the mob away from them as they tried to head back towards the main entrance. Step by step they made their way, past Meriline, Rhvyn and Ilyani who were all now crying tears of ticklish hysteria. The mob swarmed about them, looking for a way to get at them, eager to have at them with their feathers.

They were drawing level with Rhvyn and the stairs when a cell door clattered open to their right, distracting the two guards for the briefest of moments. In that second, as if it had been planned, the spears of the Pegasus Guards were snatched from their hands. They had a single moment to consider their fate, and the fact that Leet was watching it all unfold and was doing nothing to help, before the prisoners reached out and bore them down to the ground. Boots and gauntlets were lifted away and the two guards were lost in the mob.

"Damn," said Leet, watching the mob carry Griaa's amoured boots away from where she had fallen.

All ready Leet, Kei and Berisia could hear the voices of their friends rising in ticklish delight to mingle with the resigned voices of Hess and Meriline.

"You warned them what would happen," said Kei with a lazy grin on her face. "We must go and warn the others."

The prisoners were starting to surge towards the doors, realising that there were other guards beyond who needed culling. At once Leet closed the doors and braced them with her spear, hoping to give them a little extra time to escape. A moment later the three remaining guards were running from the hall and towards the exit and what they hoped would be safety.

When they came to an intersection, Leet drew them to a brief halt. "There are other sections of the Hall to our right that have prisoners," said Leet. "I must check it out to see if the Guards there have been taken as well. Once we've done that we have to check all of the other Halls."

Both Kei and Berisia nodded.

"Let's go," said Kei.

"Wait," said Leet. "We should split up. At least then we can check the Halls and warn the Commander at the same time."

"Good idea," said Kei.

"Berisia and you will go onto the Commander," said Leet. "Hopefully you'll draw the larger part of the mob with you and give me some space."

"All right," said Berisia, shaking hands with each of her watch. "Be careful. We'll meet at the Barracks."

Leet watched the two Pegasus Guards race off towards the exit, and a part of her wished that she could go with them.  From behind her came the loud thunder of feet in pursuit, and she knew that she had to move quickly. Without another thought, she raced off down the corridor.

To be continued...