Book 3 Chapter 25-2

The only feature that seemed to stay the same on this new woman was the sneer. Her disdain was as equally apparent as the other.

“It has been far too long,” the woman said. “But at least we will be free. Your friend dies for our glory, godling. You should thank us for the grace we bring the world. We will be the first of a new mankind, new gods for a new era of the human race.”

“What are you doing to Marilyn? Get out of her head!”

The woman chuckled. “Without us, dear Marilyn’s head would be vacant. And your sexy girlfriend would just be a withering ninety year old nothing.”

“What are you talking—?”

Cyrus didn’t have time to finish his question as this woman melted away like the first. The featureless thing in front of him grew broader in the shoulders. The breasts and wide hips vanished as the new form grew taller. It took him a moment to realize Marilyn’s body was taking on a male form, something he had never seen her do before. He hadn’t even considered it.

Now as he looked up at the man forming from Marilyn’s flesh, he wondered if she was even truly female. Perhaps she was something else, some new form of mankind as the previous woman had ranted and raved.

The red hair faded back into the head before him, even as a van dyke beard sprouted from the chin of the formless face. It didn’t stay formless for long though. Ears, eyes, nose and lips formed beneath and around the thick dark hair of his beard. It was the only hair seemingly on his body as his white skin remained barren of even a single follicle.

His eyes were set deep and dark. This was a man with fire and fury inside him. He knew who he was and how he came to be inside Marilyn’s form.

It was clear this was not a simple haunting. This was something far worse, though Cyrus couldn’t begin to grasp at what. It was clear someone had deliberately done this to Marilyn, perhaps long before Alli awoke her in whatever secret dungeon she pulled Marilyn from. They certainly weren’t gods, but clearly they embraced their possession of Marilyn’s body. It seemed clear they were all in battle for control of Marilyn’s body. But their victory might mean death for Marilyn’s psyche and he couldn’t let that happen.

Book 3 Chapter 25. Cyrus

The undulating mass of flesh in front of him might have sickened Cyrus on a normal day. Knowing that form was Marilyn, somehow being tortured, made him want to break down. But from his youngest days, he was taught to show strength in the face of the worst of horrors. Growing up in Hades made such horrors a nearly daily occurrence.

But he left Hades to find his way in the world of humans. He wanted to be like them. He wanted to feel their pain. And as he watched the undulating mass at his feet, he could feel Marilyn’s agony.

Though he still wasn’t quite sure he loved the strange young woman that found her way into his life and his bed, he knew he couldn’t stand idly by and let her be tortured. Yet nothing he could do would free him from his chains. A sonic blast to his manacles would shatter his own wrists or ankles. And the low vibrations he teased into the walls of the dungeon did little to shake the heavy bolts that held the manacles to the wall.

Face it. I wouldn’t be able to help her even if I could break free. I’m not even really sure what she truly is.

The writhing mass of flesh seemed to grow taller suddenly. Out of it, the form of a woman started to appear, But he quickly realized this woman wasn’t Marilyn at all. This woman was raven haired, an obvious fact even as her full face seemed to form out of the mass. In a matter of seconds, she stood before him, dressed in a red evening gown. She was thinner than Marilyn, almost lanky. She was beautiful, but her demeanor robbed that beauty of any value. She gave him a sneer as she met his eyes.

“More the proof she was a fool, godling. You are supposed to be greater than us, but already we’re something more than your kind could ever be. We are a new god. We are—”

Her lips melted away as the face and form seemed to deform. The evening gown turned into a skirt and blouse, cut like something from Mad Men. The hair grew longer and fell down this woman’s back in gentle auburn curls. Her chest grew out to fill out the blouse. She was curvaceous and attractive, though she had nothing on Marilyn.

A brief hiatus...

Due to ongoing financial issues, I have not had the time to devote to Walking Shadows as of late. Sadly that means we've caught up with our buffer. Currently I'm working on getting the next few chapters up and running.

We will be delayed for two weeks, with Chapter 25. Cyrus kicking off on July 26. See you then and don't forget to check out the GoFundMe!