NT Rangers - Lad 24 - Trap Echo (Patreon)

The Hero glanced down as soon as he felt something weighing down his lap. Short, smooth black hair styled in a bob cut. He touched the girls head without thinking and jumped when she looked up and smiled at him.
“You.”

“Brother!”

“Go away.” He hid his face in his hand. The throne room was empty, completely. Or so he thought. There was always that one presence. All of the others were sent out to lure the Rangers and, ideally Kara.

“Brother, if you release the third seal it can all go your way... The Angel will still remain trapped with two seals. You'll just have more power to work with. Isn't that perfect.”

“That-” He felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Let's hear what Mom has to say.”

He turned and stared up into the bookish face of his Mother, Marrien. “There are very few things you can't do, dear. Releasing the third seal should not place any additional burden on your mind.”

“How can you say this with a straight face, Coronia, when you're growing more bold by the hour.” He said, angrily gritting his teeth. Fiona's eyes became a pool of flat white while Marriens became a void of black. They both smiled as if sharing one mouth and spoke at the same times with the same tone.
“You're not real.”

“Using your families faces like this should be no big deal...” Fiona placed a hand over his heart along with Marrien.
“The only regret deep in your blackened soul is that you did not get to ruin them yourself.” Marrien tilted his chin up so that he had to face her.
“What you feel right now isn't pain or regret. It's just jealousy.” The Hero's lips parted slightly as he looked up into his Mother's empty eyes.
“Pain... regret. Those are weakness. Jealousy is glory and potential. You crave what you deserve. You ruined these two in your mind so many different nights. How many? In your dreams?”

“Thousands.” He groaned.

“In how many of those dreams did you mourn?”

“Just... One. It's always the same. I'm leaving home for the first time. No matter how much I want to I can't turn around but it feels like they're behind me.” He gripped his head.
“If I could just turn around...”

“Shhh.” Marrien soothed, hugging him. Fiona followed to do the same from the other side.
“It's not your fault, after all. In that world you could only ever move forward, because you were not him. You never had a choice did you...”

“I-I couldn't... It was impossible to do things differently.”

“Anyone could have been him, if given the same privilege. You can still be...” They whispered into each ear.
“Take his place... Become Turais.”

“Then I can-” He tried to glance back on the off chance but both of the women kept him bound in their arms.

“No. Only forward.”

“Wh-who's in charge here! It's not you!” The Hero shouted before falling to one knee.

“My Lord?” Jeane's voice

“Who are you talking to?” He heard heels clacking as she increased her pace while walking towards him.

He looked back and saw nothing. “They- They're gone.”

“You're bleeding.” Jeane observed.

The Hero looked down and saw the pool and the drips first, then felt the leaking sensation from his nose. He covered his mouth and nose.
“Ugh!” She tried to help him up but he pushed her.
“Get off!” He stood up on his own and wobbled, feeling lightheaded.

“If you were her... Would you have been able to convince me?” He asked cryptically.

Jeane stared up at him in confusion. “Lord?”

He sneered. “It's because you're a fake. It's because I'm a fake, too... But-” He smiled widely
“If I just take that power I'll be him... I can do whatever I want at that point!”

Jeane gulped. “M-my Lord... You haven't been the same since that human-”

“What are you talking about!? Why would you bring that up?” He shouted her down.

Jeane swirled her hand in a  circle and created a mirror surface that he could look into. His face was gaunt and pale. His eyes were sunken with dark bags underneath and of course, blood leaked from his nose. One eye twitched as he took in his appearance, then he blinked and saw Marrien and Fiona behind him, smiling. He slapped the mirror away, causing the created surface to shatter, then disappear.

“It's because I'm a fake.” He muttered.
“All of us are fakes.”

“I-I felt like I lived a real life, Lord. It can't be so bad that you-”

“Because you're always a prop!” He growled.
“I should be different. In one world I- I am him...” He looked to Jeane.
“We need to speed this thing along.” The Hero looked up into something bright and burning, like a sun.  It was not normally present, but that object was always somewhere he could see it when he wanted to, no matter where he was within the folded space of Coronia. There were three rings spinning around it. He held his hand up and slowly closed it. Once it was balled into a tight fist the ring began to crack with light. Suddenly the Hero opened his hand and smirked.
“Kidding.”

“L-lord...” Jeane was sweating.

“You didn't doubt me, did you?”

“Not even for a second.” She lied.

“How is the plan?”

“It seems they've come out. Kara included.”

“Oh my... They don't think very highly of me if they assumed this would work out for them.”

-

“Stop sighing.” Steph placed a hand over Lacies and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. Both of their big ears twitched as they touched.

“I'm nervous, okay!”

“All we can do is wait. They're facing all of those heavy hitters of Echo out there but they have Kara, they have Yeong and Janna and Joseph and even Lad... As much as I hate to admit it that boy has a strong will and a good heart.” He smiled gently.
“If you're worried... Consider that with all of our people out there it is the safest place for Kai.”

Lacie gulped, lifting a hand to her mouth she asked. “Say- say that again?”

“It's the safest place. Kai is with Kara and Yeong and-” Lacie stood up suddenly and moved swiftly towards the door to Steph's office. She opened it and looked out. She became incredibly unnerved as she looked out to see a dark, barren hall. Nothing else.
“What is it?” Steph stood up.

“The security is gone! There's nobody outside the door.” She began tapping buttons on her HanComm to connect with the security office. At the same time, Steph tried to connect to his contacts.
“I can't get a signal.”

“You too?” He walked towards the open door and looked out.
“Dammit... Is there really no one?”

“We're being jammed.”

“Hey!” Steph shouted down the hall.

Lacie covered his mouth with her palm and held him. “Shhsh.” They both stopped and heard heels tapping. From the darkness they saw the prisoner, Merit walking confidently towards them. Hearing the same from the other side, with the same appearance the girl they knew to be Esther was walking down the other side in her lab coat.
“Lock the doors!” She pulled Steph inside and the both closed and locked them. Steph ran back and began pushing his desk towards it. Lacie helped.
“Is there another way out?”

“No. Another way out just means another way in. having secret passages all over the place makes a tight facility like this less safe.” He scolded.

Lacies ears drooped. “I know you're right, but-”

The doors burst open sending both of them, along with the desk flying. Merit laughed as she strode into the room after so easily kicking everything in.
“Wow!  A barricade. One more piece of furniture would have done it, I am sure!”

Esther giggled and walked in after her sister. “Oh, hey boss! I was actually hoping to get my old job back as your assistant!” She said brightly.

“Quit talking nonsense...” Lacie spat.

“Oh come on, now! I got a line into Fennek Arms. Our competition, remember? Those guys are coming up with some CRAZY gadgets.” She squatted down in front of a fearful Lacie and brought out a little thin, black monolith of a device with a screen on one side.

“You're so lucky do have me.” She glanced over her shoulder at Merit.
“Did you know security for this place is GARBAGE without those Rangers or that commander around. I think you love your people way too much.” She giggled. As she framed Lacie in the device and began to calibrate it, the Fox's picture appeared, along with several sliders.

“W-what are you doing? Get away from her!” Steph lunged forward only to get caught by Merit.

Esther rolled her eyes. “Relax. You'll get a turn, too. This tech is based off stuff from the Angel. You'd be surprised what you can do with close to unlimited energy and resources.”

Lacie smirked. “If you've been failing so long with unlimited energy and resources that says something about you, doesn't it.” Merit snickered in response to the snarky comment. Esther seethed.

“Clever. Always so clever.” She dragged one of the sliders.
“You should start to feel a 'tickle' in your brain.”

“Nng...” Lacie shuddered. It was more than a tickle. It was a scam to say that HanComm signals gave off powerful enough waves to effect ones health, though many people suggested such a thing. As if becoming the personification of that idea, however, Lacie felt a tangible force seeping into her ears invisible. Her long red ears twitched madly as it felt like two heavy tendrils were pushing inside.
“Aaaaaaah!” She screamed and held her hands over her ears but it did not work. Lacie felt pressure in her head as something intangible wrapped around her brain. She took in a deep breath and pushed her shaky hand between her thighs, pushing fingers into her sex desperately.
“S-so... Horny!” She groaned, jumping onto Steph.

“D-arling? Now's n-not the time!” He exclaimed as Lacie kissed and licked all over his face and neck and chest. As both Merit and Esther were laughing at them he saw an opportunity and went for the drawer of his overturned desk. Even with his wife all over him he managed to pull out the drawer and grab the weapon within. He aimed the pistol at a surprised Esther and fired, knocking her back. When he did the same to Merit she was only stunned, but it allowed him to get up and carry his wife towards the doors.

“Oops.” He heard a young males voice, then lost consciousness.

When Steph opened his eyes next it was too a blurry sight. He almost could not take it in all at once. First it was a naked thigh, then a breast that seemed familiar and another. Finally he gathered that it was his wife's sweaty naked body on her back with her legs wrapped around something affectionately. Her feet were locked tight at the back of a young man with long dark hair. The Hero noticed Steph was awake and turned to wink at him before leaning down to kiss Lacie on the lips.
“No...” He whimpered, reaching out.

Lacie kissed him back, making all sorts of uncomfortable moaning and kissing sounds. “Ah... Ah... Yes! My Hero!” She panted.