The Precious Touch

This is the tenth chapter of the continuing saga (which started out as a short story); to read part 9, click here.

Carl marched back and forth on the verandah of the country manor, on the grounds of his thoroughbred horse farm just outside the city and fortunately out of range of Hypatia’s mind control. Pacing over the same spot, arms behind his back he mentally tried and discarded countless plans for getting out of this predicament. After an hour of pondering he decided to summon his spiritual guide, mentally bracing himself in case Hypatia tried something.

Carl began to feel a sense of unease as the summoning spell began to form; beginning to perceive Hypatia’s presence he fearfully tried to discontinue the summoning. A mist began to form before him as a hazy outline easily recognizable as Hypatia’s became substantial, her blazing hypnotic eyes like twin firebrands. Suddenly Hypatia’s astral projection began to shimmer and break apart; she let out one angry cry of frustration and fluttered out of existence. The mist reformed into a new image; Ariel stood before him, strain upon her face from the exertion of fighting Hypatia.

Arial sighed, a look of disappointment upon her face, “Poor Hypatia, she hasn’t changed, anger and pain still driving her lust for power and revenge against the world.”

“Ariel, you know Hypatia?” Carl continued, “Is it any coincidence that you have the same name as the maiden first transformed by Midas and his golden touch?”

“Yes Carl, I am the same Ariel described in the tale. After centuries as gold I fled all connections with material form and traveled the astral planes seeking enlightenment.” She smiled slightly and continued, “I eventually made contact with a band of grand wizards who joined their powers to create the precious touch, I chose to became the spirit guide for whoever posses the power. How that came to be is a long story, a tale whose recounting will have to wait for now, for more pressing issues are at hand.”

The casino was filled to the brim with noisy, boisterous gamblers, the musical din of hundreds of slot machines, flashing lights and thumping pop music. The grand opening of the Roman Empire resort and casino was a rousing success; bargain dinner buffets, complementary drinks and gift certificates guaranteed a full house. The huge structure was decorated in classic Roman architecture, with marble columns, facades, fountains and statues. Along the front of the main gambling hall a dozen marble statues on elevated pedestals stood silently amid the noise and bustle.

Unknown to the multitude below busily wagering, one of the marble forms was a silent observer gazing down upon them.

Pamela and the other statues had been placed in their assigned spots several days before. More than a day had passed since the opening of the casino; a period of constant, unending din and flashing lights. Las Vegas casinos never close, run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, an endless parade of sights and sounds in the city that never sleeps. Gradually Pamela’s mind withdrew from the noise, her thoughts closing off sight and sound, as she deliberately forced herself into a deep serene slumber. The noise faded to a gentle murmur, spiritual eyes fluttered and closed, locking her in blissful darkness and quiet as her mind slipped into a dream filled sleep. A living soul rested, imperceptible to even the most receptive enchanter, a faint breath of awareness hovering on the edge of true inanimate existence.

“Your only chance will come is if she is not expecting a psychic assault, you will have to strike with total surprise, at her very center of power.” Ariel’s discourse continued, “The battle is not physical but mental, a battle of wills in which you will have only one and only one chance.”

She sighed and continued, “Somehow you must get into the central courtyard of your mansion undetected, if she even suspects or senses the slightest amount of your aura she will pounce on you like a hungry tigress.”

“It wouldn’t work Carl, for a few moments after you teleport your energy is drained slightly, leaving you defenseless and easy prey.”

“No, she is too sensitive, the conscious act of walking in stealthily would give off esper waves, alerting her to your presence even before you reached the gates of the estate.”

“So I’d have to get in without giving off any psychic signal, my spiritual aura so feeble that Hypatia wouldn’t notice my arrival. I couldn’t walk in, moving requires conscious will and my aura would be so strong I’d give myself away.” Carl pursed his lips as he thought, “What if I were in a deep trance and someone were to deliver me to the location, she would only detect the minds of the person or persons carrying me.”

“Hypatia’s maidens are her eyes and ears, if workmen were to arrive carrying a comatose Carl William it would certainly alert them.”

“What if the workmen brought in an inanimate object of some sort, something unnoticeable, it’s mind’s in a self induced trance, it’s aura so dim as to be undetectable?”

“Yes!” Ariel’s face lit up, “If you were in some inanimate form, you might be able to get close enough to Hypatia to strike her unawares!”

Carl snapped his fingers and smiled, “I had a statue commissioned a while back, it's scheduled to be delivered to the courtyard very soon!”

Carl entered the stables were his racehorses were sheltered, Ariel’s invisible form floating alongside.

“The statue is a copy of Napoleon, my prize thoroughbred stallion.” Carl began to move towards it’s stall, then stopped in his tracks as Ariel moved in front of him, gesturing for him to stop.

“I would not advise a stallion form, Hypatia hates all things male, even a male statue might disturb her enough to discover a human aura residing within. Use a female horse as a template, I think it’s called a mare?”

“No way!” Carl blurted, “I’ll just have to chance it as a stallion and hope she doesn’t notice!”

“She will notice, remember, I know her intimately, you will fail and all will be lost!” Hypatia rolled her eyes in frustration; “You don’t want to do it my way because you fear the loss of your masculinity!”

“Really, you’re so proud of your masculinity! Why is it whenever someone inhabits a male body masculine pride makes them so stubborn! I have news for you, souls are neither male nor female, a soul takes on the gender attributes of the body they are born into.

“That’s interesting, considering that during some of your previous reincarnations you were female!”

“A woman in a previous life, you have to be kidding, I’d remember something like that!”

“People only remember their previous lives after reaching a state of enlightenment, freeing themselves from the material plane. In your previous life you had a career as an office secretary and housewife, you lived to be 69 years old and died in 1957.”

“I’m not, your memories and those of your earlier lives are deep inside you, under a spiritual lock and key that only enlightenment can unlatch. I will explain, later; that is if you succeed!”

One of the horses whinnied and craned its neck out of its stall; the horse was named Dancer, a dark tan thoroughbred mare of fine Kentucky pedigree. Carl had paid a handsome sum for the equine; it had done well in the racing circuit and was now a valued member of the farms breeding stock. Reaching out his hand to pet the horse, he hesitated, fingers inches from Dancers muzzle, the horse whinnied in expectation of a nose rub and stretched its neck a little further. Ariel glared at him with a silent look that said one word; “coward”, folded her arms, tilted her head and stood there as if daring him to chicken out. He took a deep breath and touched Dancer; reaching out with his magic he absorbed the molecular structure of the horse, feeling its form and making it his own.

Dancer reared back, surprised by the sudden appearance of an exact twin standing nose to nose. Part of Carl felt strange, yet another part felt normal as if he, correction she, had always been a horse. The feeling of unfamiliarity faded, not only had Dancer’s molecular structure been duplicated but her memories and experiences as well! Images, sensations and instincts were exactly duplicated, available to his mind as if born to them. Perceptions were different, the barn seemed smaller, the peripheral vision of a horse body was wider than humans, the sense of smell more sensitive, and the scent of alfalfa and hay was like ambrosia.

Dancer’s twin sister whinnied and took a few experimental steps, the clip clop of hooves on the concrete floor changing to a softer tone as the new-sprung horse exited the stables. Carl walked over to the edge of a water trough and peered into the surface of the water. An observer would of been amazed at the sight of a horse turning and tilting its head as it admired it’s own reflection in the water. Then, even more amazed to see the horse calmly prance over to a gate, and using its mouth, unlatch the gate, walk into the pasture, and then re-lock the gate behind itself!

Carl began to explore the abilities of his, or her, new body, first trotting along at a brisk pace then breaking into a full-fledged run. Turning in circles, running and prancing like a young colt. After several minutes of frolic, Carl began to feel quite comfortable with this new body; spying an adjacent pasture, leaped over the white washed fence to land perfectly on the other side. Slowing to a trot after the spectacular jump, breathing in the fresh air in deep draughts, the equine rested for a moment. So absorbed with the accomplishment, so proud of its prowess the mare didn’t notice the resident of that particular pasture approaching in a full gallop.

Napoleon was Carl’s prize stallion, whose sole porpoise in life was passing on its racing genes as a breeding stud. The stallion, upon seeing a spry, young and quite attractive female of its species enter his pasture assumed it was time to perform its assigned duty. Nostrils flared to her delicious scent, fiery passion roaring in its blood, the stallion leapt forth, eager to fulfill its destiny. Dancer’s twin finally noticed Napoleon’s presence when the stallion suddenly appeared shoulder to shoulder, attempting to intertwine their long necks in a passionate embrace, snorting loudly and trying to nibble her ears.

“Get away from me!” Carl shouted, the utterance bursting forth as a fear strained whinny. The stallion replied with a love filled braying, and reared up, trying to mount its love interest, in response the mare attempted to flee. Napoleon dutifully followed his newfound sweetheart, rubbing and bumping against her as he followed alongside. Weaving, dodging and running in circles, all the while pursued by the amorous stallion, the filly suddenly found itself backed into a corner. Posterior against a fence corner the mare defiantly stood its ground, braying angry challenges and quite ready to do battle.

Napoleon tried in vain to get the lovely filly to come out and frolic but to no avail, the mare kicked and bit at him everytime he approached. After several unsuccessful attempts the stallion began to arc back and forth just out of reach, hoping to find an advantage. The stallion was used to some resistance during courtship, but nothing like this, the strange behavior was confusing. After several minutes of standoff, Napoleon’s infatuation declined slightly; remaining close by he settled down, nibbling on a particularly appealing patch of grass while keeping an eye on the trapped mare.

The longer Carl’s soul inhabited a horse’s body the human point of view began to move into the background and the equine mental processes become dominant. Dancer’s mindset and instincts began to take charge as the soul inhabiting the mare began to become horselike. The mare’s sense of smell began to come into earnest, phenoromes from the stallion were an enthralling perfume triggering powerful biological urges. A warm glow began to fill the mares loins, as animal lust began to tug, desires submerge the human awareness under a storm of bestial passions. Napoleon began to sense the change as well and trotted up expectantly as the young female horse strode out shaking with desire. The stallion rose up on its hindquarters and began to...

“What tha hell am I doing!!!!!” Realizing what was about to happen, Carl’s mind screamed in panic as his tenacious will ultimately pushed forth. The mare gave out a shrill, terrified whinny and darted away at the last moment like an equine drag racer. Napoleon’s forequarters descended upon emptiness, much to his surprise. The spurned stallion snorted once in exasperation and began to give chase, determined to consummate his love. The young filly hurdled across the fence, alarm energizing her to run like the wind. The stallion almost leaped the fence, but at the last moment braked to a stop just before the fence railing as the quarry galloped away. Deciding that the chase was no longer worth the effort, Napoleon turned and proudly sauntered away, there were plenty of other fillies at the farm, and there was always next time.

Dancer’s twin sister stood panting from exertion, shaken by the close call and the thought of what had almost happened. Then Carl noticed boisterous laughter; it was Ariel bent over with laughter so intense that she would have been rolling on the ground if she had been a material being.

“What’s so funny?” The horse telepathically quizzed the jovial incorporeal presence; “I was almost violated by that stallion!”

“You seemed to be enjoying the horsing around just before you high tailed it out of there!” Ariel paused to let out another guffaw; “Being on the receiving end of some horseplay would have expanded your viewpoint!”

After a few moments of levity Ariel’s mood began to swing back to a more serious tone.

“We’ve diverged from the current dilemma; to defeat Hypatia, save you from becoming a mind slave, break her hold on the maidens and rescue Pamela.”

It was after closing time at the sculpture studio, the glow of outside security lights cast a dim light through the windows. On the main floor several bronze statues stood in various stages of completion. Some had just been broken from the molds they had been cast in and hadn’t undergone finishing. Others gleamed like dull gold after laborious grinding and polishing of their metal surfaces. One had undergone the final step of having its bronze surface given a amber hued patina.

The finished sculpture was a life sized bronze statue of a stallion posed proudly, gazing forward as if surveying its domain. A pedestal hadn’t been cast with the statue as the legs were sufficient support to keep it upright. There was a momentary shimmer in the air and a second horse materialized in the studio, one that was quite animate.

“Well at least this Napoleon won’t try to seduce me.” The mare containing Carl’s soul espered to Arial’s incorporeal form.

The horse strode up to the bronze replica of the amorous stallion and touched it’s warm and soft muzzle to the cold and hard bronze of the metal statue. Reaching out with the precious touch the magic allowed the molecular structure of the bronze stallion to be memorized for later use. After that step, Carl lowered his muzzle while keeping contact with the bronze surface of the statue, for the statue was shrinking, growing smaller and smaller until it was only inches high. Carl picked up the tiny bronze figurine in his mouth and carried it over to a workbench and dropped it, landing with a dull clank. Turning around he walked over to the same spot where the bronze statue of the stallion had stood and copied its pose exactly. Concentrating and calling forth the molecular memory of the bronze, Carl began the next stage of the transformation. Horseflesh became gleaming bronze; bone and muscle becoming air as the outer surface became a hollow shell of cast metal frozen in place. One moment the young mare was flesh and blood the next moment it was a silent equine monument of polished bronze.

The next morning a large flatbed truck arrived at the William estate carrying the monumental bronze that had been ordered months before. The mansion had been well designed, a wide corridor hidden by a large set of double doors led from the rear entrance to the inner courtyard. The corridor was large enough to allow passage of the vehicle to the inner grounds. The work crew used the trucks small crane to unload the bronze horse and place it in its assigned spot overlooking the central plaza.

Hypatia did not interfere with any daily routines, keeping her interaction with the staff to the absolute minimum to save her strength, she never noticed the vague presence inhabiting the equine statue, a presence quietly waiting for the proper moment.

Madame Crooke sat at the table sipping tea, having a wonderful conversation with Hypatia, at least wonderful for her. For Hypatia it was less than pleasant, she was putting on an act for the Madame, appearing to be confident and energetic. In fact the opposite was true, inside she was strained and nervous, filled with an unfulfilled desire that had to be satisfied. Hypatia was suffering from withdrawal symptoms from her golden existence, so used to its endless ecstasy that ordinary life and its pleasures were a pale shadow. The other maidens who had been flesh and blood when Carl had fled were increasingly melancholy and somber the longer they were trapped in mediocre existence. They all cried out for a return to metallic permanence and rejoin their sisters in endless bliss.

Hypatia calmed their dissatisfaction, promising certain victory in the battle to put Carl William back in harness. The arrival of Madame Crooke and a magical item in her possession would help amplify their psychic powers to a level that even Carl could not resist. In the center of the courtyard all the necessary items were being gathered to form a center of strength, a point of convergence of irresistible telepathic force.

Hypatia’s hypnotic power insured that the staff and any visitor believed that they were seeing, talking and taking orders from Carl. The mesmerized staff obediently moved the transparent sculpture brought by Madame Crooke’s to the inner courtyard, adding to the potential energy being gathered. Hypatia could feel the powerful sexual aura emitted from the sculpture of the enchanted lesbians as they passed on a pushcart. She gasped with a slight sigh of delight as the gentle spiritual radiance from the souls of the crystal lovers brushed against her.

Hypatia brushed her finger tips gently against the clear acrylic sculpture of the enchanted pair of women. Reaching into the minds of the two enraptured spirits quivering in eternal ecstasy within, she psychically stroked them, telepathically hearing their moans of joy, feeding herself a small dose of pleasure to chase away the melancholy. The crystal lovers had been placed next to the center most spot of the main plaza, the open area surrounded by clusters of erotic statues consisting of various materials. Some were stone such as marble and granite, others metals such as bronze, brass or precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum, even some of precious gems such as diamond, emerald, sapphire and ruby. The few preexisting statues had been moved back to the fringes of the courtyards; they contained no living souls and thus could not add spiritual energy to the approaching ceremony. Every spiritual reserve had been gathered to add to the circle of power, even the glass vases containing the scattered soul of the glass maid Catherine had been moved to the circle. Until an hour ago almost every resource had been gathered except one, a final piece of the mosaic that would ensure success. Hypatia had used her hypnotic powers to force a certain casino director to have an object shipped by overnight air freight to the estate. Workmen had just installed it in the courtyard plaza, its sensual aura would boost Hypatia’s powers even more. With its arrival they could begin the binding ritual; finally Carl William and his precious touch would be under her control, paradise would return and the cruel and corrupt world of men would finally know her wrath!

Hypatia stepped up to the statue that had just been delivered, feeling the living soul sleeping within its substance. Reaching out her delicate hands she gently stroked the smooth surface of the sculpture, her aura brushing against the one aura inside. It was time to awaken the sleeper within and join its spiritual force to the circle of power Hypatia was building.

Hypatia concentrated and telepathically reached out to waken the spirit residing within the statue, “Pamela, Pamela Eclare, awaken from your peaceful sleep.” Hypatia continued, “Awaken sister, kindred spirit, join your will to ours so we may all return to our eternal pleasure.”

“What, Wha?” Pamela mentally yawned and stretched, waking from her slumber, “Carl, Carl is that you?”

The instant her mind replied to the telepathic summons Hypatia pounced like a tiger upon Pamela’s unsuspecting mind, imprisoning her will in a mesmerizing psychic cage. Hypatia laughed at the irony; Carl’s love, Pamela, would be an instrument in the seizure of his will and eternal domination!

Hypatia gestured to Madame Crooke, who joined her in the center of the gathering, the remaining maidens who were not statues formed a circle around the scheming pair and joined hands.

Hypatia raised her arms upwards and began to chant, “Powers of mind, powers of thought, bring us victory upon this eve! Carl William submit to my will forever, your mind harnessed to my command, your powers mine for eternity, return to me, return, return, return!”

Everyone in the circle of power, animate and inanimate, began to shine with a soft, indistinct bluish light, the individual glows intensified and joined, forming a pulsating circle of light. A column of cool bluish fire ascended above the group and began to twist and coil like a serpent searching for its prey. The pillar of cold fire lengthened and turned towards one of the cardinal directions, extending towards its goal. Snaking over the grounds of the courtyard it relentlessly strove towards its target, it heaved up and paused for a second just before it struck at the horse statue.

“NOW!!!” An invisible Ariel cried out, “As I instructed you, Carl, Now!”

The tube of magical fire struck downwards, meeting empty ground! For the bronze statue of the horse suddenly leaped sideways at the last instant, its metallic hooves landing with a loud ringing clang upon the stone of a walkway! The horse was suddenly animate, even though made of bronze able to move as easily as a flesh and blood animal. There was a rhythmic clanging with each footfall of the metal creature as the bronze steed galloped towards the stunned group!

The magical column of cold fire reformed and tried to follow the advancing metallic equine, who was unaware of the psychic predator drawing up behind. The bronze horse neared the edge of the magic circle and tried to come to a stop. There was a deafening metallic screeching as four hooves slid upon the walkway as it braked, having underestimated the distance needed to arrest its pace. Their concentration broken, all those in the circle grimaced in pain, pressing their hands over their ears to block out the excruciating loud metallic noise. There was one final cymbal like peal like a huge brass bell being struck hard, as the horse’s front hooves banged against the raised edge of the plaza chipping the stonework.

“Ahah!” Carl’s telepathic voice shouted out, “So you thought you had me, surprise!” Carl concentrated and sent a psychic blast towards Hypatia in an attempt to disorient her further. Hypatia screamed in frustration as the circle of power wavered and began to break up, then stopped in mid shout as she froze back into a gold statue! Carl had followed up with his magical precious touch, turning her back into solid gold. There was a sudden silence in the courtyard, not only had Hypatia been returned to being pure gold, but Madame Crooke and the remaining maidens had also been turned to gold. The area now was filled with a host of silent unmoving statues frozen in place as a bronze statue of a horse gazed over the silent tableaux in triumph.

“Well that should fix things!” Carl espered to Ariel, “It was almost too easy!”

Her warning was to late, the advancing column of magical cold fire struck and enveloped the bronze horse in its forceful embrace. It was Hypatia’s turn to cry out in triumph from her metallic prison as Carl’s mind was entrapped in a unstoppable compulsion to obey without question. The bluish magical fires contracted and permeated the substance of the horse, in a hypnotic trance the horse became immobile once again. Hypatia commanded Carl to restore her back to flesh and blood, he complied like the slave he had become, Hypatia lost her golden sheen and walked up to the bronze horse laughing with delight. Carl was her possession, thus she was in control of his precious touch, victory was hers, let the world quake in fear at her power!

Carl felt his will slip away as a feeling of infinite sensual pleasure grew to encompass his every thought, consciousness, will and awareness; replaced with an ultimate pleasure so powerful that nothing else mattered. An endless mental and physical orgasm roared through every part of his mind and soul, a siren call of eternal enjoyment he would never desire to leave. Delight amplified every time he did the bidding of his master, Hypatia, to serve her increased the level of pleasure, there was nothing but pleasure, wonderful endless pleasure.

A new command was given, the bronze alloy of the horse transmuted into gold, then began to melt, there was no fiery heat, the gold magically liquefied into a shimmering pool of golden quicksilver. The molten gold contracted and shrank, forming a round quivering blob of liquid metal that levitated upwards to hover in the air before Hypatia. Under her orders the liquid gold began to shape itself into a smooth elongated form, a shape delightful and appropriate for Carl’s new role as an instrument of power and pleasure. Hypatia reached out towards the newly formed solid gold phallus floating in the air and cradled it in her hands, examining the beautiful precious metal object.

Carl could not help but be delighted in his new form, that of a solid 24 karat gold dildo, held in the caring hands of her beloved Hypatia, who he was sworn to eternally obey. Hypatia gently stroked the mirror smooth surface of the hard gold, feeling the enraptured soul within the metal shuddering with pleasure at her slightest touch. Trapped forever in, correction, as a permanent erection, solid gold would never become flaccid, never fail to perform, the precious metal always stiff, for Carl it would be the supreme orgasm, the ultimate hard on, a hard on that would last for eternity!

One of the maids transformed from marble back into flesh and blood and came forward obediently, the precious touch materialized a gilded case from the very air in her outstretched hands. She opened the lid of the jeweled container to reveal a velvet lined indentation in the outline of a phallus. Hypatia gently kissed the golden dildo and placed it in the velvet lined repository; it fit perfectly, Hypatia carefully closed and locked the small chest and the maiden took it away. She took the chest to a large safe in Carl’s office, placed it inside, shut the door and was careful to spin the tumbler once to a random setting. Once finished with her duty the maiden hurried back to her spot in the courtyard to be transformed back into a marble statue.

Hypatia sensed a familiar pair of entities, it was the meddling policeman who had originally taken Carl away from her, breaking the hypnotic spell; she growled. Two familiar police detectives were at the front entrance, with questions about a party in Alaska where Carl had been present, where of two fashion models mysteriously disappeared. Hypatia merely thought a command and Carl’s nearly mindless spirit reached out with the power of the precious touch. In mid stride the two detectives froze into sudden stillness, unable to move as they began to droop and sag with a gurgling sound. Both had been turned into columns of wet cement that held vaguely human shapes for a brief moment before flowing into shapeless piles of wet gray Portland cement. There was a slushing sound as the two masses of fluid flowed in separate directions like mineral amebas to settle into indistinct forms along the sidewalk. Both concrete puddles molded and shaped themselves into flat rectangular sheets that set and hardened into solid concrete. Along each side of the walkway a new pair of concrete slabs indistinguishable from those of the sidewalk lay silently; the detectives had undergone a dramatic career change.

In the inner courtyard the gold statue of Hypatia gave off a soundless telepathic laugh, what had happened to the two men was a insignificant sample of what the male world would soon know, revenge was at hand...

The Precious Touch - Part 10

by Gildsoul