Kara hated Scythia. Tiresius had called it the land of grey mist and he hadn’t been kidding. She and Lucas had flown through most of the night to reach this place and when they did it was like flying into a fog bank. When the sun had risen the fog did not burn off but lay on the land like a blanket of dirty cotton wool and even Kara’s sparkling blue eyes had trouble penetrating the mist.

They were forced to slow down almost the second that they entered the thick grey mist. Kara led the way and Lucas followed along trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand not looking up the beautiful blond’s skirt as it flapped in the wind. Both of them knew what they were looking for, the breading ground of the dragons, but did not have any idea what it could look like. When they did stumble upon it there was no mistaking what it was.

Kara was flying at about 750' doing just a 350 mph when her entire body was engulfed in a ball of flame. She screamed with the sudden intense increase in heat. Her breasts expanded as she tried to absorb all the energy flowing all about her but it was too much too fast. Her skin heated in a fraction of a second to cherry hot. Kara curled into a ball.

Flying some twenty yards behind Kara Lucas saw it all unfold in front of him. He also saw what shot the fireball at her. A dragon, green and blue scales 75' from nose to tail all teeth and claws, dove out of the sky like Stuka dive bomber firing at another dragon below with Kara caught right in the middle. He saw the diving dragon’s lungs expand as he prepared once again to open fire. Lucas dove and just as the huge jaws opened he hit the dragon in the throat as hard as he could. The dragon hiccuped and let loose with a yowl of anguish as the gout of flame was forced back down. Its head pointed sky ward and let loose with a series of small fireballs which attracted a dozen other dragons to it. He decided that it was time to leave before they arrived.

Lucas dove to Kara. She was curled in a ball glowing as the last of the dragon’s fire burnt itself out. He gathered the cherry hot Velorian into his arms and headed north. As he flew Lucas helped Kara out by absorbing as much of her excess heat as possible. Kara turned her brilliant blue eyes on him and smiled.

"Damn," she said, "that all happened so fast. I should have tried to lose altitude but for a second there all I could think about was the fire. What was that?"

"I think that we found the breading ground of the dragons and met a couple males trying to put on a display to impress the ladies."

"Makes sense," said Kara when the realization hit her. "Hey, if that’s the breading ground of the dragons then the Valley of the Snake can’t be far away."

"Are you alright to fly?"

"I hate to burst your bubble Lucas but I was okay about a second before you got to me. I just like the feel of your arms around me."

Kara placed a small kiss on Lucas’ lips and then took off on her own once more. Almost the second that she turned her eyes to the north she saw the long valley that wound its way back and forth to the north. If this wasn’t the Valley of the Snake then Kara would eat her favorite black pumps. She turned and pointed it out to Lucas.

"Do you see anything that might look like a shrine or signpost?" he asked as he could not yet make out the valley. "Anything that might give us a clue to where the key might be?"

"No," Kara replied looking closely at the entire length of the valley. "Wait! Uh oh, we’ve got trouble. There are a about twenty . . . giants walking towards the middle of the valley from the north."

"Great. They must be the danger that Tiresius spoke about. Kara, just how big are these giants?"

"I’d say between twenty and twenty-five feet but the one out in front is thirty if he’s an inch. He must be the leader."

‘Yes, I can see them now. I’d say your guess is right the biggest one has to be their leader. Any ideas how we should handle this?"

"I was just going to ask you the same question. It’s too bad that all this mist is here it’ll screw up the effectiveness of my heat vision. I’ll have to get pretty close for it to be effective, especially given the way their skin looks."

"Okay, we’ll have to tackle them hard and fast. Try not to get grounded and if you do, keep moving. Remember . . ."

"Speed is my ally. Yes, I remember."

Kara and Lucas dove out of the sky at the band of giants. They quickly broke the sound barrier and kept right on accelerating. Lucas could feel the fabric of his kilt smoking but the speed he was traveling at kept it from catching fire but another half minute of this and friction would leave him as naked as Kara.

When they were but a hundred yards overhead the giants heard the sound of their approach but by then it was too late. Both Kara and Lucas hit a giant apiece square in the chest and at that speed the result was obvious. They plowed through their chests and emerged out the other side in a spray of blood and bone. Lucas was able to pull out of his dive but just barely. Kara was not so lucky. She was just pulling up her legs and ass straining with all her Velorian strength but just as it looked as she would make it she hit a second giant. Kara drove straight into his bony knee and it was as if she had hit a concrete wall. Even though she passed through unharmed the blow still stunned her and she crashed into the ground.

Lucas turned as he rose and was able to strike a glancing blow to the temple of a giant with his outstretched fist. His skill as a former bush pilot asserting itself. He bounced off the iron hard skull but not before he heard the unmistakable sound of breaking bone. Lucas slowed and turned to find Kara. He saw her struggling to her feet and the giant closing on her. He screamed a warning and took off toward her. He never saw the boulder coming but felt it strike him in the chest.

Lucas tumbled from the sky. He landed hard and the boulder landed next to him. He was groggy but did not have time to heal himself properly. He shoved the boulder away and rose unsteadily to his feet. His eyes automatically searched for Kara. She was not on the ground. She had been caught by a giant who was swinging her by her feet. Lucas looked on in horror as Kara was smashed head first into a boulder which disappeared in a explosion of stones. Something in Lucas exploded.

Kara felt the huge hand grip her by her tanned legs and begin to swing her about. She was still unsteady from her crash. The strength of the giant while formidable could not compare to her own star-born might. She saw what her captor had planned for her and only had time to cover her head with her arms. She saw stars but did not lose consciousness. When she was raised from the wreckage of the boulder she saw Lucas. His body was glowing more brightly than she had ever seen before, especially his hands. Her brilliant blue eyes saw the wild animal look in his deep green ones and for a moment was frightened by the look.

"No!" yelled Lucas as he felt the tremendous surge of power surge out of his body. His hands pointed at the giant who held Kara and for a nanosecond they glowed so brightly that he could not look at them. Then there was a ripping sensation and the energy shot out from his hands at something approaching the speed of light. There was no way that the giant could avoid it. Whatever he had done to create the ball of energy Lucas had clearly over done it. The glowing globe nearly three feet across shot directly through the chest of the giant who held Kara and explode on the chest of a giant behind. While the first giant looked in disbelief a through the hole in his chest the second was picked off his feet and thrown half a mile down the valley. He was dead before he hit the ground.

After the energy burst was gone Lucas nearly collapsed but the anger that he felt over what had just happened to Kara drove him on. He began to internalize the rage he felt and the energy release which accompanied it. There was a momentary stab of discomfort from his waist and then it was gone. Lucas looked down but the ground was farther away than before and then he looked at the giants and then Kara. Everyone of them was staring at him in disbelief and the reality struck him. He was now as tall as the giants but he was also very tired. Lucas moved and moved fast. He had no idea how long he was going to be able to retain his new size.

Kara and the giants looked in surprise at a nearly thirty foot naked Lucas. She recovered first and swung into action against the nearest giant but the sight of Lucas with a manhood almost as big as she was would stay with her for awhile. Kara executed a perfect flying kick against a huge knee and was rewarded by the satisfying sound of the joint shattering. She hit him in the back of the neck before he had a chance to hit the ground.

When Lucas shifted to become as tall as the giants the momentum of the battle shifted to Kara and him. Together they began to plow through the remaining giants. Lucas’ huge fists and feet flew through the giants the sound of bones snapping echoing across the valley. Kara was no less devastating. She dealt with the giants around her with a speed and efficiency that made her teacher nearly burst with pride. Finally, when half a dozen giants were fleeing off into the mist Lucas turned and smiling walked toward Kara.

"Lucas!" Kara shouted as she saw the largest giant rise from the valley floor a huge wooden club in his hand.

Lucas turned at her warning but it was too late. The club crashed into his shoulder and collar bone. He was driven to his knees. Lucas wanted to get up to fight back but all his energy seemed to have vanished. As if in slow motion Lucas saw the ground rise up to meet him.

Even as the wooden club exploded in a shower of wood chips Kara acted. Picking up a fair sized rock, her year as a QB came rushing back to her. She launched the rock with all her might and it flew faster that a rifle bullet. The projectile hit the giant leader right between the eyes and went through skin and bone before stopping in its brain.

"No," it said in a feeble voice. "It can’t end like this. I was so clossssse."

The giant leader fell heavily to the ground right across Lucas prostrate form. Kara was quickly at his side and moved the corpse off her friend. Lucas was lying on his stomach and she watched relieved as his chest rose and fell. He was shrinking even as Kara was turning him over. When he was back to his normal height his head was in Kara’s hands. Lucas’ eyes fluttered and then sprang open. He smiled when he saw the look of concern on Kara’s face.

"Are you okay?" she asked helping him to his feet.

"I’ll be okay Kara. Right now I feel like a mountain just landed on me."

"I think it did," Kara said pointing at the giant leader.

Lucas looked at the immense corpse and said, "Remind me never to get on your bad side Kara."

"There’s no chance of that. Lucas?"

"Yes."

"How did you do what you just did, that ball of energy and growing like that."

"I honestly have no idea. When I saw you in that giant’s hand something inside me just exploded and everything just happened without me really thinking about it."

"You’re just full of surprises aren’t you," she said placing a kiss on Lucas’ cheek.

"I do my best," Lucas said returning the kiss. "Now let’s find that key."

The key was not that hard to find. Kara quickly located a small white limestone circular platform with a snake engraved on it. She lifted the block of stone out of the ground and Lucas took an iron chest out of the hole underneath. They both looked closely as he opened the chest. Inside was a large golden key engraved with a myriad of obscure signs and symbols.

"I guess I’d better hold this," Lucas said taking the key from the chest.

"You’re right you’d better. When do we have to be at the gate?"

"Anytime really. Athena told me that she would be waiting for us when we arrived."

"Good. Then I’m going to the hot springs I saw on my way here. I need a bath and so do you."

Lucas looked first at himself and then at Kara. Both were covered in dirt and enough blood to make it appear as if they had waded through a slaughter house. He nodded his agreement and said, "I agree but I’m afraid that you’re going to have to . . ." The words just would not come out.

Kara knew what he was asking her to do and understood his pride that kept him from asking. Under the dirt and blood Lucas skin was ashen and she could see none of the telltale blue glows that told that he was repairing his body. He had expended a great deal of energy in the fight and being obscured in mist could not draw as much energy from the sun as he normally would. He never got a chance to complete his question. Kara swept him into her arms and flew off to the hot springs.

The moment that Lucas body touched the bubbling water he felt much improved. As he slid deeper and deeper into the scalding water his body was siphoning the heat energy from the water and adding it to his depleted store. He heard the sigh next to him and turned to see Kara slide in next to him. Even though she was covered in dirt and gore Lucas had never seen such a lovely sight. He sat back in the bubbling pool and luxuriated in the sensation. He ducked his head below the scalding water to clean his matted hair and when he emerged Kara was next to him.

"Here turn around," she said.

Lucas did as he was bid and felt those long slender fingers, fingers which could crumple steel as if it were aluminum foil, dig into his shoulders and begin a muscle trembling massage. Lucas opened his mouth to say that this wasn’t necessary but a long lingering kiss from the gorgeous Velorian silenced him.

"Shh," she said after breaking the kiss. "I know you don’t need it. But I want to do it. So do me a favor and shut up and let me take care of you for a change."

Kara fingers moved under the water as her massage continued. Lucas felt the tingles run throughout his body as her fingers traveled up and down his back. His inhuman self-control was working overtime as her fingers worked their way deep into his unearthly muscles. Yet, despite the strength she was clearly putting into the massage her touched was surprisingly tender and intensely erotic. Involuntarily Lucas began to rise out of the pool as Kara’s fingers moved lower and lower and when they finally reached his buttocks he let out a small gasp. His muscles yielded to her insistent fingers and thrills shot throughout his body. Lucas took deep breaths and fought his lust down. Kara’s head ducked below the water as she continued her way down his legs. When after about ten minutes she reemerged from the scalding pool Lucas turned and took the beautiful blond in his arms and kissed her.

"That was incredible," he said kissing her once more.

"Why thank you kind sir," Kara said with a giggle. "But I see that yo’re using that control of yours again."

"Naturally."

"That’s no fair," said Kara slapping his arm hard enough to echo across the valley.

"No, it isn’t is it," he said with a smug grin. "Come on Kara it’s your turn."

Lucas led Kara to a large flat rock next to the bubbling pool. She lay on her stomach on the hot rock. Lucas got out and knelt over the prone teenager. He lifted her left foot and began his massage at her toes and worked slowly down the sole of her foot to the heel and then up her muscular calf. The instant that his hands touched her Kara felt the erotic intensity build within her. She sighed when his hand moved from her calf to her thigh. His fingers digging into her star-born muscles as no other had. When Lucas reached the top of her left thigh he began over with her right foot. Her pleasure built as he moved slowly up her leg. Her fully erect nipples poked holes in the rock she laid upon.

When Lucas reached the top of her right thigh he moved onto the small of Kara’s back completely bypassing her ass. Kara wiggled her buttocks suggestively hoping that Lucas would get the message but if he did he ignored it. His fingers dug into her magnificent back muscles and powered through the tension he found there. His fingers worked along her back and along her sides and they brushed the sides of her proud breasts. Kara gave a groan of disappointment as the touched moved on quickly. Her shoulders were taken in his strong grip and massaged individually. Lucas finally massaged each of Kara’s arms in turn spending most of his time working the knots and tensions from her biceps. When he was done massaging her right hand he sat back on his heels to admire his work.

"Hey," said Kara quietly through her fog of erotic pleasure, "didn’t you forget something."

"Like what?" Lucas asked impudently.

Kara lifted her ass off the rock as wiggled it suggestively in response to his question. Lucas gave out a small chuckle and put his hands on her cute round ass. Kara sighed deeply the moment that his fingers dug into her moist flesh. He took one cheek in each hand and began to rub and squeeze rhythmically. His thumbs slid into the cleft and added to the pressure on her ass.

"How’s that?" he asked as his fingers continued their work.

"It’s fantastic," she said wiggling her ass even more. "I never felt anything like it. There’s only one thing that would make it even better but you damned self control always gets in the way."

"What self control?" he asked leaning forward.

Kara felt Lucas’ throbbing erection press slowly but insistently into her ass cheeks. Kara sighed raised her ass even higher and spread her thighs apart. Lucas’ manhood slid along the lips of her already moist sex a few times teasing her until she thought that she would cry out in frustration. Then just when she thought that he would continue to tease her Lucas slid into her hot sex with one long smooth stroke.

"Yes," sighed Kara feeling Lucas buried to the hilt inside her.

Yet, Lucas did not move a muscle. He remained buried deep within Kara, his manhood throbbing in time to her heart. Kara wiggled her ass but his steely grasp held her hips in place. She smiled a wicked little smile. She’d show him. In an instant Lucas’ erection was locked in her vaginal muscles. He grunted as his manhood was gripped like no other could do. He heard Kara’s breathing quicken and watched in fascination as her back arched up off the rock. Her breaths became shorter and shorter until a small pre-orgasmic shudder ran from her shoulders all the way down her spine into Lucas’ body. He reached under the panting Velorian and grasped her breasts in his hands. Kara gasped and released the hold she had on his manhood.

Given a second opportunity Lucas made the most of it. There was no slow build up this time. He withdrew once and then began to power into Kara with all his speed and strength. The breath was knocked from Kara’s lungs as his hips were in an instant a blur of motion. Kara’s head bent back and her mouth opened in a shout of ecstasy that seemed to go on forever. Her fingers gouged out chunks of the rock beneath her and pulverized them. Lucas saw the biceps on this supergirl blossom into their full glory and felt yet another wave of joy wash over him. He continued to thrust into the beautiful blond Velorian with all his might and when her hands went down toward her engorged clit he supported her with his hands which continued to play with her luscious breasts. When Kara’s orgasm hit it carried Lucas along with her. Unconsciously he continued to thrust into the blond super girl and his hands continued to feel those incredible breasts with their stronger than steel nipples.

Their orgasms lasted for more than a half-hour and it was twice that long before they found the energy and desire to continue their journey. In fact if Lucas could have had his way he would have stayed right where he was with Kara in his arms forever, if she would have let him and duty had not called to them.

Both Athena and Artemis were waiting for the naked couple atop Mt. Ida in Asia Minor. The goddess of wisdom was smiling but the look in the huntress’ face was anything but pleased. When Kara and Lucas landed in front of them she did not even acknowledge his presence.

Athena greeted the two of them warmly and holding up her hands produced garments similar to the ones that they had worn out of thin air. Lucas dressed quickly glad to cover himself especially in the face of the venomous glances Artemis kept shooting his way. Kara dressed with more reluctance her Velorian heritage showing itself once again.

"Time to go," said Athena when they were both dressed.

"No!" snapped Artemis. "I will not permit this. No man has passed beyond the Amazon Gate and none shall."

"Your ingratitude does you little credit sister," Athena said to the now petulant goddess. "Were it not for this man and his companion the key would now be in the hands of the giants our deadly foes. Show yourself to be a true Olympian and let this man pass."

"Never!" spat the huntress. "The girl may pass through the gate but not the man. The Amazons are mine and I shall decide who goes through the gate."

"Even though the gate was built by Hephaestus, a man."

Artemis blushed at Athena’s words but did not relent. "Your clever words shall not sway me Athena. My mind is set in this matter."

Lucas decided to step in before matters got thoroughly out of hand. "Very well," he said. "If that’s the way it has to be then that’s it. Kara goes through on her own."

"No!" shouted Kara. "Not without you."

"Look Kara," said Lucas taking her head in his hands, "the people need you. You’re the Protector of Earth. It’s your duty. You have to go back even if it means going back without me."

"The Earth needs you too Lucas and I am not going back with out you." Kara pulled her face from his hands and turned to Artemis. "Look, I like you but this is all nonsense. Lucas and I are going back together and that’s final. If I have to fight you I will, even though I don’t want to and I will win. You can take that to the bank. Now, are you going to let us go through or do I have to whip that pretty ass of yours all over this mountain."

Athena smiled at Kara’s determined speech while Artemis was shocked by it. She saw the fire in those brilliant blue eyes and knew that Kara meant every word that she had said. Artemis hung her head and stepped away from the large stone arch behind her.

"Very well," the goddess said in resignation, "if it means that much to you then he may accompany you through the Amazon Gate."

"Good," said Athena, "I am glad that it has all been settled satisfactorily. Lucas you remember how I told you to activate the portal in the Isle of the Amazons to take you and Kara back home."

"Every word," said Lucas. "And Kara’s memorized it as well in case I forget."

"Good then you may depart with my blessings."

Lucas handed Athena the key and the goddess turned and walked to the stone arch. She placed the golden key in the center of the opening and it seemed as if it passed through some sort of flexible matter like water only more viscous. Once the key was half way in the arch the opening began to swirl with color. These colors danced madly for a few seconds and then settled into a picture which was different than it had been before the key touched it. Lucas and Kara both assumed that they were looking upon the Isle of the Amazons.

"Time to leave," Athena said withdrawing the key and stepping back. "The gate will not remain open for long."

Kara took Lucas’ hand in her powerful grip and led him toward the gate. They stopped just at the entrance.

"Thank you," Lucas said to Athena, "for all your help. I know now why you’ve always been my favorite when I was reading the Greek myths."

"Yes thank you," echoed Kara. "Thank you both."

They turned and stepped through the Gate of the Amazons together.