Chapter 1: Upon the Threshold

Raistlin rode Crysania frantically, his golden skin glittering in the light of Solinari that beamed through one of the bedchamber windows. Crysania stared into Raistlin's golden eyes, she held her legs apart for him, her pelvis shuddering every time he slid into her, his manhood hot and stiff, penetrating her wet cunt, swelling within her vagina until she gasped with pleasure. Raistlin's sharp exhalation caressed Crysania's gleaming, red lips, he buried his slender hands within her soft, damp, ebony hair. The Revered Daughter of Paladine raised her head from the pillow and kissed the mage thrusting between her alabaster thighs. Raistlin devoured Crysania's mouth, he wrapped his wiry arms around the back of her graceful neck, flexing his pelvis faster, driving himself into the naked, young woman. Crysania pressed her palms onto Raistlin's bare back, her nails bit into the mage's metallic-hued flesh. Raistlin smiled, he tasted Crysania's ruby lips while he pinned her to the feather mattress, his member throbbing within her creamy belly, demanding to release its heavy load.

Crysania fell back onto her pillow. Raistlin held the beautiful cleric's arms against the mattress, their fingers entwined as the strength of Raistlin's thrusts intensified, rising to a crescendo before he freed his seed to gush into the perspiring young woman's clenching vagina.

The reek of sweat and musk was thick around the large bed. Raistlin rested on top of Crysania, his cool lips touching her mouth, her cheek, her throat. Crysania nuzzled the slender mage's neck and shoulder, she moaned with exhaustion and satisfaction.

Raistlin placed a dark red rose petal on Crysania's moist lips. As he gazed into the beauty's gray eyes, the mage whispered a short phrase, the woman's eyelids fluttered and closed.

The white-maned wizard climbed off of Crysania to drape on a heavy, black robe. Cinching the robe shut with a belt cord, Raistlin left the musky bedchamber and entered the adjoining study. A word and a gesture ignited a crackling fire within the room's fireplace, the warmth soothed Raistlin's body as he poured himself a glass of violet wine. There was a knock upon the iron-bound door, Raistlin walked to an arched window that overlooked the sleeping city of Palanthas.

"Enter, apprentice."

The elf Dalamar entered the study. He kept a respectful distance and bowed reverently.

"All is prepared, Shalafi."

"Inspect the Tower's wards one last time, I want no unexpected problems after I leave for the Abyss."

"You suspect the Conclave will move against you?"

Raistlin smiled wryly and glanced over his shoulder at Dalamar. "Will they?"

Dalamar lowered his eyes, Raistlin returned his gaze to the velvet-black sky. "You may go now, apprentice."

Dalamar bowed again before departing. Raistlin sipped from his glass, staring at the orb of Solinari that looked down upon him.

"You will be next, old man," sneered the mage.

***

A warm bath awaited Crysania when she rose a short time after dawn. The ebony-haired Daughter of Paladine knelt by the bed to say her morning prayers, then she gratefully sank into the magically-warmed bath water that was scented with rose blossoms. Crysania slowly washed away the perspiration and stickiness from her night of love-making. She smiled while savoring the memories of her coupling with Raistlin, she was always astonished by the mage's ferocity, his unrestrained passion. The enigmatic wizard was a contradiction in many ways, cold when dealing with others, yet burning with lust when he shared a bed with her. He was ambitious, as she was, he strived to change the world, to shape it to his will. Does he love me, pondered Crysania while she bathed her slim, pale legs, do I love him?

Crysania left the steaming tub after a time and put on a clean, white robe. She tied on her sandals before combing out her wet hair with one hand. She left the bedchamber, but stopped at the doorway to look wistfully at the disheveled bed one last time.

Raistlin was in the laboratory, standing near a work table and reading from a book intently. He looked up and nodded as Crysania approached him.

"Are you well-rested?"

"Yes," nodded the cleric, her gray eyes straying to the Portal upon its dais.

The Portal was an empty, oval frame, seven feet tall, made up of the entwined forms of five serpentine dragons: red, white, black, green, and blue. Even though Crysania was a cleric, even she could feel something emanating from the Portal, a malevolent presence, a welling of hate and envy directed at her.

Crysania deliberately dragged her eyes away from the brooding Portal, she met Raistlin's hour-glass stare, she smiled tentatively.

"Everything is ready, we must begin."

Crysania nodded, she breathed deeply to calm her pounding heart.

Raistlin closed the book, hefted the Staff of Magius, and offered Crysania his left hand. The Daughter of Paladine grasped the mage's cool palm, they walked hand-in-hand to the waiting frame.

"Shirak."

The crystal globe atop Raistlin's staff blossomed with light. A sphere of silver enveloped the couple, the glow felt warm upon Crysania's skin. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Paladine, god of Light, grant me your blessing, pierce the veil between worlds."

Raistlin raised the glowing staff. "Unlock the Door. Lay bare the path to Darkness."

The Portal began to glow with multi-colored lights. The dragons slithered around the frame, their scales glistening in the light, their hisses becoming louder, transforming into a shrill howl that heralded the opening of the Portal.

A blast of hot air hit Raistlin and Crysania. The cleric stumbled backward, but Raistlin caught her waist, supported her until she regained her balance. Raistlin gazed deeply into Crysania's frightened eyes. "You must trust me, you must put your life, your soul, into my hands. Will you?"

"Yes," replied Crysania, moving close to the mage, her eyes bright.

Raistlin's lips curved briefly, he squeezed her small hand. "Prepare to fulfill your destiny, Daughter of Paladine."

Clutching each other's hands, Raistlin and Crysania climbed the dais that supported the radiant Portal. Raistlin lowered the glowing tip of his staff, he thrust it ahead of him, then walked through the coiling frame, pulling Crysania in after him.

The Portal flashed and fell abruptly silent. The entwined dragons were frozen once more, the frame's interior was empty.

Chapter 2: Captive

Crysania was sinking into the gray sand, she could feel the ground swallowing her, tugging at her limp arms and legs. The bleeding Daughter of Paladine shifted weakly, she clutched at the sand, the sterile particles slipped through her pale fingers. Crysania began to gasp frantically, her legs were buried in the sand, she was slipping faster.

A cloth-wrapped hand snatched Crysania's left wrist. The hand's owner tugged Crysania out of the ground, the furry paw released the young woman when she was safely out of danger. Crysania raised herself by her arms, she looked up at her savior, a squat creature wearing a gray hood to cover his features, a tattered, brown coat draped over his burly body, his arms and legs wrapped in thick strips of soiled cloth. The creature picked up a gnarled, wooden cane from the ground, he promptly used it to knock Crysania unconscious.

"Fetch for the Mistress," whispered the scruffy creature, leaning down to take Crysania's slack hands.

***

Crysania moaned softly, wincing from the painful bruise just above her right temple. She tugged on her wrists, they were manacled above her head. She was sitting against the wall of a stone cell that was completely dark, no windows, not even a peep-hole in the unseen door. Crysania's cuts and abrasions reminded her that they were untended, the cleric bit her lower lip to keep from groaning, she shifted her legs slightly, her arms aching from hanging in their unyielding chains.

The cell door screeched open. The outline of a tall, curvaceous woman stood before Crysania, she blinked from the sudden, blinding torchlight.

"A Daughter of Paladine, such an honor," bowed the woman mockingly, the leather of her tight corset creaking.

Crysania felt a chill stab through her body, she quailed from the cruel, multi-colored eyes staring down upon her. The woman licked delicate fangs with the tip of her tongue, she laughed softly, enjoying the cleric's distress.

"Who am I?" purred the raven-maned woman.

"Takhisis, Queen of Darkness," murmured Crysania.

"Ooo, that's right!" smiled Takhisis as she knelt in front of Crysania, sliding one leather-gloved palm across the young cleric's ivory thigh.

Crysania flinched away, but Takhisis dug her fingers into the Revered Daughter's flesh, painfully squeezing the limb.

"I admit that I haven't been out in awhile, so you'll understand my surprise when a cleric of Paladine tries to assassinate me, the old man puts such effort into being noble and all that nonsense. The old man didn't send you, did he? You came with someone else, a mage."

"Y..yes," stammered Crysania, the chains binding her upraised arms clinking as she pressed herself against the cold stones.

"Raistlin, Raistlin Majere. He was such a promising boy, until he got delusions of godhood," chuckled Takhisis, her caressing hand rising to Crysania's robe, parting the torn white fabric to expose one milky white breast.

Crysania caught her breath and turned away from the Dark Queen. Takhisis smiled wolfishly and ripped the white robe apart, the torn fabric dropping into Crysania's lap.

"You are quite luscious, Revered Daughter," teased Takhisis, her fingers slipping over Crysania's bare breasts, flicking against the young cleric's small, pink nipples.

"Stop..stop it," panted Crysania, squeezing her eyes shut while Takhisis planted cool kisses upon her trembling tits, a gentle tongue stroking her nipples until they were swollen and stiff.

"Perhaps you would like to change faiths? I can offer you much," smiled Takhisis, her shifting eyes glittering as she lowered her face to Crysania's crotch, licking the Daughter's smooth thighs, hands dragging down the young woman's undergarment.

Crysania clutched the heavy chains above her head while the Dark Queen sucked lightly on her pussy, tongue massaging her clitoris over and over, making it throb with pleasure. Crysania grew wet when Takhisis slipped her tongue inside the Revered Daughter's cunt, she moaned and shivered as the evil goddess sucked harder on her pussy, drinking the honey that dripped from her aching sex.

Takhisis raised her head, she placed tender kisses over Crysania's shuddering belly, she pressed her own naked breasts onto the cleric's flesh, her dark nipples hard. The Dark Queen rose to her feet, she brought her bare crotch to Crysania's face.

"Worship your new goddess."

Crysania lowered her head, she trembled violently, squeezing her damp thighs together.

Takhisis frowned and slapped Crysania hard across the face. Tears slipped from Crysania's gray eyes, she refused to look at the goddess or her waiting sex.

"Stubborn, repressed bitch! You're in the Abyss! Paladine can't help you! He won't charge out of Heaven to snatch you from my grasp! You're mine!"

Crysania sobbed, she slowly raised her face, she closed her eyes and opened her quivering lips. Takhisis smiled when Crysania tentatively licked her black-haired pussy, the Dark Queen watched the Revered Daughter reluctantly slide her tongue up and down the goddess's slit. Takhisis let honey flow over her pussy, she giggled when Crysania made a face before lapping at the sticky cum.

"That's it, taste it all. You like it, don't you, Revered Daughter?"

Crysania wept while she licked the Dark Queen's pussy clean. Takhisis combed her gloved hands through Crysania's rich, ebony hair, she purred from the touch of the Daughter's soft lips.

Chapter 3: Release

Crysania heard it first. The sound was a soft mewing, almost a purr. The Daughter of Paladine felt it next, a gentle caress upon her pussy, something soft and wet, slipping into her cunt, flicking lightly then pulling away. Crysania felt her body respond to the strange caress, her pussy was already wet and sticky, her clitoris was hot and stiff, a flush radiated from her pale, white skin. The cleric slowly opened her gray eyes, a moan escaped her lips.

Crysania's eyes widened when she saw a squat, heavily-wrapped creature kneeling between her legs, lapping eagerly upon her moist cunt. The creature's furry paws were resting on Crysania's bent knees, its cowled head was over her crotch. The creature's coarse tongue flicked against Crysania's pussy again, it sighed with contentment, licking the drops of honey that emerged from the Revered Daughter's cunt hole.

"Get away!" snapped Crysania, kicking weakly at the furry creature.

The creature pinned Crysania's bare right leg to the cold, stone floor with one heavy paw. It began feeding faster on Crysania's sex, digging its tongue into her slit, sucking every bead of cum that it could. Crysania's dry lips trembled, she jerked on the chains above her, bruising her suspended wrists as the creature buried its nose in her pussy, its tongue writhing wildly inside her vagina.

A human outline appeared in the open doorway of Crysania's cell. A lean, golden hand touched the sucking creature's right shoulder, a phrase whispered through the air, then electricity flashed from the hand to the creature. The cowled creature twitched violently before falling onto its side. Raistlin knelt before Crysania, brushing tears from her cheek with one slender finger.

"Remain still," advised Raistlin as he grasped the heavy iron manacles fastened to Crysania's wrists. He murmured another phrase and the manacles snapped open. Crysania dropped her limp, white arms over Raistlin's shoulders, she buried her face in his black robes, sobbing.

"We must leave quickly," said the mage after a few moments.

Crysania nodded and wiped at her face. She clung to Raistlin while he raised her to her feet. The cleric's white robes were in tatters, her legs were bare to her waist, her breasts were free, her belly felt the dark cell's chill. Raistlin unclasped his black cloak and draped it over Crysania's small shoulders. Crysania held it shut, she smiled gratefully.

"Stay close," frowned Raistlin. He hefted the Staff of Magius and led the way out into the dungeon passage. A few stubby torches guttered in iron sconces along the left-hand wall, to the right was a line of heavy cell doors. As Crysania followed Raistlin to a rising staircase at the end of the passage, she noticed that the crystal orb atop the magical staff was pulsing with a silver light.

"I've never seen your staff do that before," whispered Crysania.

"Takhisis is close, the staff is warning me," replied Raistlin, never slowing his pace as he headed to the stairs.

The narrow stone stairs led into a gigantic hallway with an arched ceiling that seemed to rise for miles. Black pits that were the entrances to other passages or stairwells lined the titanic hall, the hall to the left led to darkness, to the right was a bright, white light.

Raistlin remained at the mouth of the stairwell they had ascended. He clutched the Staff of Magius with both hands, he invoked a spell, the light within the staff's orb died away.

"What did you do?"

"I've cast a cloak of invisibility around us, hopefully Takhisis and her minions won't detect us as we leave."

Crysania clutched at Raistlin's cloak as she followed the lean mage. Raistlin walked towards the light without hesitation, he always looked ahead, his boots silent upon the stone cobbles.

The gigantic hallway opened into an equally impressive courtyard. The gray sky of the Abyss was empty, barren sand stretched forward to the horizon. Statues of dragon sentries lined the edge of the courtyard, their wings were pressed to their serpentine bodies, they looked out upon the gray wasteland, eternally vigilant.

"Cross quickly, do not falter, Daughter of Paladine," whispered Raistlin. He marched out onto the courtyard, staff held tightly in his left hand as he walked swiftly towards the line of stone sentries.

Crysania took a deep breath, then followed the departing wizard. Halfway across the courtyard, a horrible scream reverberated through the dead air. The crystal orb above the Staff of Magius flared silver, a beacon of radiant light.

"Run!" snapped Raistlin, lunging into a sprint towards the wasteland.

Crysania ran after the mage, her heart thumping in her chest, her throat clenching with terror. Before she realized, sand was sucking at her bare feet, she struggled to keep up with Raistlin, his cloak flapping around her as a sudden, violent wind blasted across the gray dunes.

The shadow of enormous wings spread before Crysania. She froze in mid-step, horrified when five writhing heads appeared above the flexing wings.

"Do not stop!" shouted Raistlin from the top of a sand dune.

Crysania raised her head, she saw Raistlin level his glowing staff, lightning crackled and exploded from the shaft, sizzling above and to the left of the paralyzed cleric. Crysania lurched into motion when Takhisis screamed, the Daughter of Paladine leapt from foot to foot, following the sandy slope that led up to the waiting mage.

Raistlin cast bolt after bolt of blue lightning at the roaring goddess. The wind howled as it followed Crysania, sand screamed through the air, tugging at the cleric's ebony hair, scratching her hands and face. Raistlin reached out with his free hand, when Crysania grasped it he pulled her against him and raised the radiant staff, he shouted a word just before the world exploded.

Crysania held desperately onto Raistlin while fire surrounded both of them. It seemed as if they had been tossed into a sea of flame, tongues of orange fire were everywhere, crackling and snapping, almost ravenous to consume the motionless mage and the shivering cleric.

The fire ended in an eyeblink. Raistlin lowered his staff and pulled Crysania after him, struggling through the clinging sand.

"Think of the Portal, nothing else," ordered Raistlin. The wind picked up again, howling like a hungry beast, racing across the waste after the fleeing companions.

Crysania furrowed her brow, concentrating on images of the Portal, the writhing dragons encircling it, the oval plane of shifting light.

A warm glow appeared on Crysania's face, she opened her eyes, the Portal was a few steps away. Lurching towards the beckoning gateway, Crysania could see Raistlin's laboratory through the oval rift, Dalamar waited with a bronze wand in his right hand.

Raistlin pushed Crysania towards the Portal. He spun to face Takhisis, who sailed after them, her five heads diving forward, fire, lightning, poison, ice, and acid swelling in her many mouths. Raistlin aimed the Staff of Magius at the swooping goddess, the staff was so bright its light blinded, Raistlin squeezed his eyes shut and invoked the artifact's power.

Crysania was diving through the Portal when the crack of thunder sounded. The force of the sound propelled Crysania through the magical gateway, she hurled through the air and crashed on top of Dalamar. The elf mage deftly slid out from under the flailing cleric and rose to his feet, wand aimed at the wavering rift.

Raistlin stumbled out of the Portal and fell to his knees. The Portal faded behind the gasping wizard, the dragons slowly returned to their frozen positions, the oval rift irised shut.

Dalamar glanced at the Staff of Magius upon the floor, it was blackened and cloaked in a wreath of gray smoke. The elf knelt beside his master, Raistlin refused to take his apprentice's offered hand.

"Get the healing draughts I prepared earlier, quickly!" coughed Raistlin.

Dalamar stood up and rushed to one of the far work tables. Crysania sat up and gazed at Raistlin.

"Did you..kill Takhisis?"

"I wish I had," smiled Raistlin bitterly. "All the spells I created to slay her, none of them could defeat her."

"We escaped, that's what matters," soothed Crysania.

"I wanted to kill her, to assume her mantle, I failed. Better that I had died," sneered Raistlin as he rose unsteadily to his feet.

The mage snatched a bottle from Dalamar's grasp and gulped down its contents. He glanced over his shoulder at Crysania.

"I no longer require your services, Revered Daughter. Dalamar will see you back to your temple."

Crysania didn't move to take the bottle of healing draught that Dalamar offered her, she watched mutely as Raistlin strode out of the laboratory without another word or glance.