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THE TOWER

Part 5

A few hours later, at about midday, Craig appeared in the tower clearing. He went over to the tower and started to call Justin when he saw that something was wrong. Justin's hair was already hanging down.

With a feeling of dread, Craig climbed up. As he climbed in the window, his worst fears were confirmed. Justin was gone.

In his place was a filthy drawing of a naked man who Craig knew had stolen his son. And a towel that stank of sex and perversion hung on the bedpost.

Craig gave a yell of rage so loud that it blew the roof off the tower and could be heard throughout the entire forest

He concentrated and yelled to all the creatures that lurked in the forest "FIND THEM! KILLLL THEMMMM!"

He rushed to join them in the hunt.

JBJBJBJBJBJ

Far away, Justin gave a smile. "Sounds like a certain someone found a certain picture."

A few minutes later, his smile faded as a rumbling started and a thousand strange keening cries filled the forest, coming closer and closer.

"RUN!" he screamed, and they did.

Behind them, they could hear trees being uprooted and underbrush crashing as the enchanted creatures hunted them down. Justin turned to look. He screamed and kept going.

Behind them was a horde of black creatures that were at the same time made up of smoke or shadow or both. Some resembled giant rats, some satyr-like creatures, bears, lions, goat-headed men, men headed goats, and other weird chimera mixtures too horrible to recount. On the head creature, rode Craig, screaming bloody murder and vengeance.

They pounded out into yet another crossroads. This one had the most yet, about 25 paths. As soon has they came into the crossroads, all the paths began to spin. Faster and faster, all around them until they became a blur. Justin and Brian felt like they were in the center of a pinwheel that wouldn't quit. It was dizzying, sickening.

They hugged together as the creatures closed in. "Kill them!" screamed Craig, insane with rage and revenge.

The black creatures closed in. A bear that look like it was made from oily smoke, came up to them and sniffed at them. He sniffled and snuffled at Justin, finally ending up at Justin's crotch. He sniffed.

"Hey! Make sure all you do is sniff, pal!" Justin snarled.

The bear snarled back and then sniffed long and hard. Then he turned.

"You promised us a virgin, 20 years old, in return for 20 more years of magic. This yellow head is nearly 20 but he is no virgin. You have lied to us!" All the creatures growled and turned towards Craig.

"What! You were keeping me up there as a sacrifice to – to these…things! What kind of father are you?"

"No! No! I truly wanted and considered you my son. It's just….well…ummm…ummm…"

Before Craig could come up with some plausible lie, the bear turned back to Justin and sat heavily on his haunches.

"We are the source of his powers. Every 20 years we require a pure heart and body as payment. He did want a son but he also covets magic and power too much give it up. So we agreed to construct the tower for you to live in until you were grown. But you are no longer pure. A pity. You still smell delicious."

You're wrong. I am still pure of heart. I've learned that sex is not dirty but merely a completion of what we need to be as developed, mature people. I'm sorry you things can't see that. I'm sorry YOU can't see that either," he finished addressing Craig. The forest continued to spin.

"Yeah!" chimed in Brian, "You are one FUCKED up father! You're nothing but a SADISTIC SHIT!"

"He's not a father at all," said the bear.

"WHAT?" yelled Justin.

"Umm, shut up!" said Craig. Everyone ignored him.

"He's not your father. He took you as a baby from your parents when you were six months old. He caught your father stealing pickles from his yard to satisfy your mother's pregnancy cravings. Your father agreed to the trade to save his own life after Wonder Boy over there threatened to murder him." the bear explained, in classic stool pigeon fashion.

Craig's face grew blotchy red and even uglier (if that were possible) with rage.

"OH…MY…GOD!" Justin was floored by this news. "Who are my parents then? Please…please tell me."

"Your parents are called Tucker and Jennifer Taylor. They live in Stormcrest and are quite successful. Tucker is a candlemaker, aromatherapist and herbalist potionmaker and Jennifer is a real estate agent," the bear creature tattled, artlessly.

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" shouted Craig. The forest continued to spin.

The bear sniffed at Justin again. "MMMMMMMM! You're right! You're not really acceptable anymore but you still smell…fantastic! WARLOCK! Our bargain is at an end! You have failed! And the only one here who is virginal and acceptable for us now…IS YOU!"

The rest of the creatures pounced on him. Gnawing and clawing at him, they dragged him away. Craig kicked and screamed but it was no use. They disappeared back into the forest. Craig was never seen again.

"You two are free to leave the forest," said the bear, before running and jumping into the blur that was the forest to re-join his friends.

The forest slowed down and stopped spinning. All 25 paths vanished away. A portion of the trees began to open up and separate, bending upward and away to the left and right. A beautiful avenue appeared made out of white gravel. At the end was a break in the trees.

With unspeakable joy, the two men ran down the final path and burst out of the forest at last. Before them were wide grasslands and not too far away was a road that led to adventure and hopefully…home.

JBJBJBJBJBJ

Brian and Justin had many adventures on their way home. They worked on a farm. They helped run off cattle rustlers from a ranch. They traveled the rapids of a rushing, whitewater river. They joined a traveling Shakespeare theatre troupe. Justin was a great Romeo and Brian was magnificent in a performance of Hamlet. They even ran for mayor in a small town, and WON! But soon after that, they were kidnapped and run out of town by the seedy sheriff who wanted the job himself.

And all through it, Justin painted and drew to his heart's content. Some of the wages they earned went to more art supplies but most went to the traveling fund to get home which turned out to be Stormcrest, Brian's capital city! As promised, Justin painted Brian nude again. It was a masterpiece. At the next town, Justin sold it for enough money that let them take a stagecoach a considerable way of the way home.

And nearly every night, they made incredible love, sometimes fucking with incredible intensity. They did it under the stars, in barns, in inn rooms when they could afford it. They did it in the shower, on the mayoral desk, and in front of fireplaces when the opportunity arose. Justin loved it when Brian would grab him from behind and overpower him with kisses and caresses. He felt totally consumed.

The more time they spent together and the more they made love, the deeper in love they fell. More and more they knew they had found true love and they never took it for granted.

At last, they reached Stormcrest, capital city of Kinney Kingdom. It was a large, shining city and at the far edge was a shining, turreted castle with many precious stones embedded in the walls.

"There's my home. Well, my parents, at the moment. But I'm sure they'd agree to assign us an entire wing. Or, if you want, I'll build us a whole new castle."

Justin sighed with melancholy. "It's lovely."

"What's wrong?"

"It's just, I know, I'll never be that rich myself. I should be though. I think. My fath – he – took the pictures I painted over the years and sold them. He said he put the money in a bank but who knows where it is or even if he was telling the truth."

"What was the bank called?"

"Forever After First National Bank."

Brian's face lit up with joy. "No problem, Sunshine! Forever After's main branch is here in Stormcrest! We'll get your money!"

And they did. After a bit of beaurocracy, and eventually a heavy hand from Prince Brian, Craig Taylor's account was transferred into Justin's name. With regular deposits, very little withdrawals and interest compounded, the capital turned out to be just over 2 million gold coins!

Justin was ecstatic. He turned to Brian and immediately offered him 1 million coins to take home. Brian refused.

"But Brian! This way you can go home with both your parents goals fulfilled! Even a million gold coins is more than enough for me to live on for my entire lifetime! Please take it!"

Brian kissed him deeply. "Thank you, my love, but let's just leave it there as it is. We'll just take your bankbook home and rub it in their faces. It just means so much to me that you are willing to give me this incredible gift!"

"Deal!"

They withdrew some money, enough for a fine new wardrobe and Justin got his hair cut properly at last. He preferred to keep it shoulder length and it was shaggy over his ears but the ends were clipped and neat and polished. He looked great and he knew it.

After they cleaned up, they went to visit Justin's parents. A joyful reunion took place. Jennifer recognized Justin at once and much laughing and crying and hugging ensued. It turned out, being poor didn't agree with the Taylors, so after Justin was taken away, they had packed up what they could and moved to Stormcrest. Tucker had branched out into aromatherapy and potion making and had prospered. And with all the property in a huge city like Stormcrest, Jennifer's real estate abilities had also taken off. Unfortunately, Jennifer had not been able to have any more children so they had adopted two boys and a little red haired girl. Justin was overjoyed to find out he had siblings. They visited for a while and then they left to head to their final destination, the palace. They promised to visit again soon. For Justin, it was enough just knowing his real parents were there and accessible at last.

The royal reunion was just as joyful. The King and Queen were overjoyed to see their son again at last; long since figuring he'd never come back. They were very pleased at how Brian had matured and were ecstatic to meet Justin...and his bankbook. They did indeed set aside a large portion of the castle for their own use.

And so, Brian and Justin settled down to life. Justin continued painting and Brian took on more responsibilities as a ruler. They found that crooked sheriff and put him in prison. The runner up, after them of course, took the mayorship and ruled the town fairly.

As Brian had warned, life was not a fairy tale. They fought and quarreled sometimes. Brian still had trouble expressing his feelings. He still preferred showing his feelings in bed. Maturity was painfully slow. Justin moved out once. Another time, Brian kicked him out. But somehow, they always found each other again and made up and made out. Each time the make up sex was more and more fantastic.

Once, they both got itchy feet and went back on the road, living by their wits and having many adventures. Once, they got lost and were captured by an evil witch. She cackled maniacally and switched their…ahh, but that's another story, to be told another time.

All in all, however, they did live happily ever after.

THE END