| Chapter 21 - Inception of Doubt I started awake at the sound of a loud siren passing by to see a non-working ceiling fan above me. Covered in a sheen of sweat from the torrid late summer heat, I looked around at my surroundings. I saw...nothing, or at least enough nothing to fill an entire apartment. My apartment on Earth. “A dream?” I said out loud, “No...oh no.” I felt the twisted piece of plastic in my hand and knew this to be the moment before I had decided to kill myself. A sinking desperation began to sink in. Everything...everything that I thought I had left was replaced by the nothing I had left behind. Even the crushing sadness at the thought of never seeing Delilah and Risa again couldn’t pull the tears through the overwhelming numbness of my emotion. Bringing myself to a seated position I simply stared into space, wondering if that dream--that beautiful, incomparable dream, had been worth living in the first place. I suppose I had learned something from it all--that I am not allowed to have the things that make me happy. Just about to lay back down on the floor, I heard the front door creak open. “Forget something, bitch?” I thought to myself, about to let it pass. “No”, came the response of my returning determination. I was done hating myself, I was done trying to kill myself. “No, indeed”, I thought. That hatred was for everyone else, that death was for everyone else. I quickly leapt to my feet and strode, with a dark purpose, towards the front door. “Hello? Oh hey! Your door was open”, came a completely unfamiliar voice. Seeing this unknown form in my doorway was making me angry. I almost laughed at the thought that I was actually trying to fight an urge to kill this person. How would I even do it? I guess strangling them might be best...No--I wanted to stomp on their face until they choked on blood and broken teeth. “Yeah”, I said emotionlessly, “Ex left it open after she took everything. You need something?” “I just--Oh hey! MLP! Bro hoof?” the girl said, holding out her fist to me. Hearing her words made me realize that I was still wearing the clothes I had lost in the spider attack--”the dream”, I had to remind myself. Looking back up at her, I was finally able to make out her features that had seemed cloudy in my irrational anger only a moment before. Standing in front of me was a woman about my height with long hair dyed with red and purple streaks. Her alabaster skin brought out her facial features that were soft, but commanding--almost powerful, all centerpieced by her fiercely bright blue eyes. Her long shirt, adorned with a smiling Princess Luna and, interestingly, the only article of clothing she was wearing, did very little to hide her flawless figure--large, pert breasts set atop her perfect hourglass and held aloft by long, well-toned legs. She wasn’t who I wanted, but she was certainly the most beautiful human I’d ever seen. Still waiting expectantly for me to return her gesture, I snapped back to reality and gave her a fist bump. Why had I even thought I would ever try to hurt another person? No no no, that just isn’t me. I guess I could try to handle this...even if I’d have been so much happier to have Risa to smack me out of my doldrums. “Sorry, just...dealing with a lot of shit.” “Actually, it looks like you’re dealing with a lack of it”, she said with a smile. Why was she being nice to me? Did I really look that pitiful? “Ha, yeah…” “She really took everything?” “Everything but the kitchen sink--but she did manage to get all the copper tubing out so the sink doesn’t work anymore either.” “You’re coming to stay with me then, I live right upstairs.” “I can’t do that...for all you know I could be some crazy rapist or something.” “Oh, I’m certainly not worried about that”, she said with an air of absolute certainty, “Any fan of Trixie couldn’t be bad”, she said pointing to my shirt. “You aren’t giving me a choice here, are you?” “Come on! You know you’re just going to lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling otherwise.” “Fine”, I said, not really having any other choice. She then took my hand and led me upstairs to her apartment. I noticed that it had gotten so foggy outside that I could barely make out the street lights that lined my quasi-urban street. I wasn’t sure why I even cared enough to notice as she led me to the previously unseen 2nd floor of this apartment complex. “She wasn’t joking”, I thought to myself as her apartment was directly above mine. Leading me inside, I saw what I could only describe as the “perfect” apartment. A ridiculous setup from floor to ceiling--every video game system I’d ever wanted, massive speakers, huge media server, the works. “Damn, what the hell do you do for a living?” “I’m a horse breeder. Nothing special but it pays the bills, right?” “I’ll say--oh hey!”, I said dashing over to look at her music collection, “Where did you get this?”, I asked holding up a CD that had been one of the rarest in my collection, a special limited run Helium Vola album. “Just a lucky find at the used music place, I guess. You like it?” “Hells yeah! They only made like 5,000 of these!”, I said throwing it into the player without even asking. Despite the apparent complexity, the system was very easy to operate. “When did you get it?” “A couple years ago, not sure exactly when”, she said from behind me, “This gets you going, huh?” “Oh yeah, like you wouldn’t believe! You don’t mind, do you?” “Not at all, make yourself at home!”, she said with a cheerful grin. Once the music started playing I nearly threw myself into her large comfy chair to let it play. It was funny enough to make me laugh. Just a moment ago I had been just about to lose myself completely and things start going my way. “You wait right there, I’ll be back in a flash.” she said as she skipped out of the room. “Oh hey, what’s your name by the way?”, I asked, not sure how I’d forgotten to ask earlier. “It’s Delilah. You just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be back in a minute.” Delilah. Of course it had to be that name. Maybe that’s where my mind came up with that name for my dream, having heard it before. Just hearing the name brought it all back--again. The loss of my fantasy was still hurting as the cold press of this hateful, familiar reality pressed in upon me again but...maybe this time wouldn’t be so bad after all. I let myself zone out to submerge completely in the music as I tried to piece together what I remembered of my old life. Had everything really just been a dream? I’d thrown myself off a bridge to escape this all before, and even with all of the pain I’d felt in that dream, it was the first time I’d truly felt alive since before I could even recall. After about ten minutes of choral bliss, I saw her walk back into the room with an addition to her wardrobe--a head-to-toe lack of it. Coughing in surprise, I stuttered, “Y-you okay?” “Yep! I’ve just been watching you for a while and always wanted to talk to you” “Well...uh...you could have just said something.” “Wouldn’t this way be more fun?” She sauntered her way over to me as I was trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. This was almost too good to be true. I know I’d been known to move fast, but this was on an entirely different level. I decided to just go with it...It’s not like I had anything to lose. She placed one of her graceful hands against my cheek and began to slowly lean in towards me. The breath from her nose tickled slightly as her lips grazed mine for only a moment, the electricity of our contact quickly rushing through me, then- “Stop”, I said suddenly, the music dropping a revelation on me. “What’s wrong?”, she asked. “This is--You’ve been lying to me.” “Oh really? What about?” “This isn’t just the same album I own, it’s MY album. This one has three skips in the exact same places as mine.” Pushing her away from me, I stood up to look around and was again struck by how “perfect” this all was. Even with the now screaming doubt that I was potentially ruining the chance of a lifetime, I had to make a decision. Despite the pinch I gave myself being quite painful, I decided that this was the dream. “I was trying to make this easy on you, but apparently you won’t let yourself be happy even when the exact thing you want is standing right in front of you.” “Something like that, or maybe you haven’t realized that I don’t want a perfect life that doesn’t include Del and Risa.” “This is all from your memory, what I found in your mind as ‘perfection’. Even this body is your idealized fantasy made flesh.” “Sorry, whoever or whatever you are...but this isn’t happening. Not in my dream”, I almost shouted at her. “It’s cute that you thought I was giving you a choice.” “So you can just step into my dreams and do whatever you want, hmm?” “I already have, and you’re mine until you wake up.” Damn, I had to admit that this creature was crafty. I’d almost completely fallen for this perfect reality. Even knowing that I probably had a packed schedule tomorrow full to the brim with being raped by imps, my giddiness at the realization that what I was seeing now was a dream set me into a laughing fit. “You think I’m joking?” “Oh no no, it’s not that.” Delilah--MY Delilah was a genius. She must have known this creature was in the church. The fact that I could see right now in this dream must have fit into her plan, and that just left me to either have another unwanted romp with this creature or... “You’re thinking about that lich again aren’t you? You’re asleep, there’s absolutely nothing she can do to help you! My friends will never let you leave this church...your every waking and sleeping moment will be consumed in ecstasy until the only thing you’ll remember how to do is beg for release.” I couldn’t help but suppress another giggle at how perfectly this had come together, saying “Oh, I wasn’t expecting her to somehow break into my dream like a superhero or anything. You didn’t account for one important thing, though.” “Please, don’t tell me you’re a lucid dreamer. That’s stage magic compared to my perfected oneiromancy. My power defines this reality now. So, indulge me with your fantasy and then we can get started”, she said in her arrogant tone as she placed her hands on her hips expectantly. I hoped this was all part of the plan. “No, I’m not a lucid dreamer. I...talk in my sleep.” I began, and then began shouting as loudly as my lungs would allow, “Del!!” ... .. . …”Yes, Joe?” |
| Chapter 22 - My Little Phony --Earlier that day-- Risa heard sounds of a slight commotion and an unfamiliar voice asking after her. These travelers seemed impatient at best, and outright dangerous at worst. Rather than risk another potential incident, she quickly made her way over. “I am Risa, what do you want?,” Risa asked in a cautious tone. They were three--a baphomet, her likely sorcerous servant, and a man. The man drew her attention as he was armed with a dangerous-looking crossbow and seemed to have been marked with demonic runes. She couldn’t read them, but had learned enough to identify that no matter where they were printed, the message was “touch at your own peril.” Risa had never dealt with a pure demon like this before, but she knew enough to be wary. The last thing she wanted to do was start a fight here and potentially hurt any more of the townsfolk. “Serilda of Abbadon sends her regards”, the man suddenly said with a smile. “Serilda, Serilda,” Risa thought to herself but came up completely blank. Taking a deep breath she looked at the three travellers and saw no doubt on any of their faces. They hadn’t attacked so they must be here about business. Risa decided she’d just try to bluff her way through this until she remembered who in the blazes Serilda might be. Looking intentionally contemplative for a moment while she silently sung Joe’s song in her head to eat up some time, she then looked up in false realization, saying, “Ah, so this is about business then?” “Give it to her,” the baphomet said directly as the man strode confidently forward to place a sealed scroll in Risa’s hands with an attempt at a bow. “Oooh, official,” Risa said as she took the scroll with a small bow and quickly broke the seal to see what this was all about. “Blah, Blah, Blah,” Risa thought as she skimmed over entire paragraphs of posturing to get to the meat of the issue. Having a sudden dreadful realization about some of the shadier lenders from which she’d borrowed gold, she realized that this was a demand for loan repayment--now. Looking at the three debt collectors in front of her she was pretty sure she could spin an illusion to escape if she had to--they couldn’t expect her to have nearly 40,000 gold just sitting in one of her (still slightly shredded) pockets. There was an alternative option in the form of a ‘favor’ but this probably wouldn’t factor well into Del’s plans. “Well? Do you have it?,” the baphomet asked impatiently. “The uh...priestess Serilda has chosen a splendid time to have come calling on this loan,” Risa said, poorly maintaining a calm facade and then added, “Maybe we can work out a payment plan? I just heard about a great idea from my betrothed called a reverse mortgage-” Seeing that the demon started to almost shake with anger, the human spoke up, “We were instructed to tell you that she will forgive the entire debt if you are willing to do a specific task for her.” Risa watched the interplay between the three of them. Despite seeming somewhat perturbed by the human’s outburst (Risa REALLY understood that frustration), the demon still calmed almost immediately. “As long as the task isn’t selling more crazy to Kaori, we’ve got a deal. I know they’re still buying but I’m fresh out of-” The witch interrupted Risa this time, saying, “Show some respect to Miss!” “We don’t trade slaves, you idiot!,” the man added angrily. These were some rough customers if they'd taken her attempt at a joke so seriously. Already anxious to get these people out of town, Risa chimed back in, “No disrespect intended just...if she was going to offer another way to pay it off then why did she send such a formidable group?,” Risa said, trying to pour on the flattery. Seeming to soften almost imperceptibly, the baphomet nodded in agreement, saying, “Our business is not your concern,” before adding, “Simply repaying my own debt to her.” The man also lowered his weapon as well once the demon had calmed causing Risa a small amount of guilt at her displacement projection. It still didn’t pay to be careless with any business out of Kaori. Working her trained salesman instincts she continued, “Oh, I know a thing or two about debt--so what’s this special task she wants done?” The scroll had actually laid out pretty clearly that the priestess wanted this tribe of goblins out of the picture or on the warpath towards some village. There was more to it than that and Risa wanted more details if she could get them. “It should be as it says on the scroll,” the man said as he slid his way back into the conversation, adding, “The priestess just wants that Goblin tribe out of the way as they are interfering with her plans. It doesn’t matter how, and if I am not mistaken, the Priestess suggested more options. It’s up to you to choose.” After an overly dramatic pause, he added “Of course, all require discretion.” Risa thought to herself, “There’s no single village anywhere near Kaori that was worth this much trouble. The only thing that would prompt an otherwise intelligent schemer to go so crazy over an unmapped village would be...men--and probably a lot of them.” Of course the priestess wouldn’t have included anything like that in the written request. “That information might also be worth a great deal to someone as well,” she thought as she filed that away as a potential future bargaining chip. Nodding along as though this was all common knowledge, Risa finally replied, “I hope she paid you well to deliver this all the way down here. Honestly you look like a group in need of...something. My sales instincts tell me that I don’t have what you’re looking for--right now anyway, but if you’re ever looking for someplace calmer than Kaori, you could always head Northwest to Kioko’s domain or even look us up in Alnor. I also wish I could have introduced you to my companions but...as you can see we’re dealing with a crisis here.” With no small amount of disappointment on Risa’s part, the Baphomet replied, “We will stay around for a couple of days until you finish with the task. I am sure we will find a messenger here to hire so Priestess is informed about your success.” “Of course it wouldn’t be that easy,” Risa thought as she looked back towards the group and nodded before continuing. “Actually, you staying here until I've finished should be just fine, but this is large-scale diplomacy. I can't just trick the tribe into leaving because it'll just cause a much larger mess for Serilda down the line. I don't know exactly how long it'll take, but I'd say a week or two...depending on what pissed these goblins off in the first place." “We will surely find something to keep us entertained while waiting,” their horned spokesdemon replied. Risa sighed out loud, almost hating that she could drop into a relatively cheerful business mode at the drop of a hat. She never had any intention of defaulting in the first place, but despite never negotiating anything quite like this, the demon made it clear that failure wasn’t going to be an option. Not willing to worry about it any further for now, she went back to trying to help calm down the situation about town. --Back in the present-- Del’s response echoed over and over as the perfection of the dreamscape first rippled and then shattered as I finally sprang awake as if emerging from beneath a frozen lake. I tried to look around, forgetting that I had been blind before I had gone into that slumber, and saw dark shapes in a cloudy room. “Del?” “Yes, Joe?” “Oh thank god,” I exhaled, my voice still tinged with fear. Looking in her direction, I realized that while my sight had returned, it had not returned completely. I knew I saw Del standing there with her arm extended, but it seemed that large, jointed, spider-like protrusions came from her outstretched hand to wrap around...something else. “If I ever doubt your genius again Del, I want you remind me of this moment. What are you holding there?” “She is a friend of the imps, and it seems she unwittingly performed her task exactly as I expected she would.” “I can see again but everything is still...cloudy.” “That is unfortunate. Is the improvement worth the cost I forced you to pay to acquire it?” “That depends. You have an imp-slaying sword?” “I do not.” “Then we’ll call it a wash for now. One of the imps didn’t seem that bad though…” “Truly? Then it is good that I did not leave you here more than today or you might never have desired to leave.” In a quietly shaking voice, Del’s captive finally spoke up, “W-what are you going to do with me?” “It should be something really bad, given the nightmare you just put me through”, I began, assuming that her completely submissive shift in personality was due to her being forcefully held by Del. At my statement, I thought I heard the girl sniffle in response. “Here come the waterworks...Damn it, why do I have to be a nice guy?” I mumbled to myself, “I guess she was trying to make the whole thing perfect before she went into full-on rapist mode…” “Okay, I’ll make you a deal,” I began as I softened my tone, “A lot of people may need to leave this town. If you’d be willing to help them move-” “I’ll do it!,” she eagerly replied. “Uh...great then, what can-” I paused finally able to make out her shape a bit better in the gloom, “Wait, are you a centaur?” “She is a member of the centaur family but feeds upon men through dreams.” “Horse breeder, huh? That’s actually really funny.” I said with a smile, “Also, you can go do your own thing once we’ve got everyone relocated, as a service to what was probably an unintended kindness on your part.” “O-okay,” she responded meekly. “Do you have a ‘thing’ for centaurs like you did for snake girls?,” Del asked in a wry tone. “Uh...not really, it’s a completely different thing about friendship and magic that maybe I’ll tell you about later.” “Understood, let us go out through the back window. We do not wish to rouse the imps and the energy of this place is...arousing me.” “Well...we might have time for a quick-” Del thankfully grabbed my hand, interrupting that foolish thought, and pulled me into a light jog as we made our way from the darkened church into the liberating embrace of the night, Del all the while somehow carrying the centaur creature. Even though I could technically see now, the dark of night ensured it was still quite limited as we distanced ourselves from the church. We headed back towards the south end of town to a large bonfire around which many of the townsfolk had gathered, even those that hadn’t lost anything in the attack seemed to have turned out in support. I was able to pick out Belle’s distinctive shape huddled near the fire with a suspiciously slender, fluffy-tailed, person rubbing her shoulders in an obvious attempt at consoling her over this situation that was beyond consolation. The confusing mix of disparate emotions made me hesitate as I resisted Del’s leading. “Are you okay?”, Del asked a she looked back at me. “I...am not any good at being comforting. Everything I can think to say to even relate to her pain feels like I’d be rubbing my own happiness in her face.” I said, as my frustration added an edge of exasperation to my words. Del paused a moment in contemplation before answering, “You are not as bad as you may think, Joe. Even if you simply tell her that you understand--that you care that she is in pain, your feelings will come through.” “I hope you’re right…I guess I’ll go talk to her.” I had to wonder how Del got the idea that I was anything more than a heel when it came to this sort of thing, but I truly wanted to say something at the very least in the hopes that it might help. I passed several unfamiliar shapes as I moved towards the fire, gently extending my hand to prevent any collisions, I slowly, but deliberately, made my way forward until I stood before Belle. Hoping that it might make her feel better, I dropped to my knees and tightly hugged Belle, joining Risa in trying to help Belle find some peace. I took a deep breath and then spoke as gently as I could muster, “Belle, I can’t imagine what you must be going through. Or maybe it’s that I can imagine it and...I know that there is nothing I or anyone else can say to make this better. If Risa hasn’t told you yet, then I’ll just say that if you ever need anything at all, we’re here for you.” Still in her state of shock, Belle simply hugged the two of us, “Your concern is...just--Thank you”. As the three of us held our embrace by the dancing light of the fire, I didn’t want to consider that this could be me--or more likely one of my companions some day. I had to believe that life only had meaning because of loss. Until a person has truly experienced loss, they can never truly appreciate the daily gifts that life otherwise bestows. I wasn't sure what fortune cookie had offered up that wisdom, but it made sense to me. After another few minutes or so, Belle finally made ready to lay down to sleep by the fire as I had a sudden revelation. “Actually...Belle?,” I asked. “Yes, Joseph?” “Okay...I really don’t want to get your hopes up too high but...wasn’t there a holstaurus that was also...uh….married to your husband?” “Rose...yes. She was with Christopher when…,” she began before she started to shake slightly. “Well...there was a holstaurus in the church along with a few other human men. The imps called her ‘sad cow’ because her husband was hurt…” “You are not jesting?,” she said as she literally jumped back to her hooves. “No...I don’t know if it’s him, but-” Cutting me off with a massive hug that threatened to crack my ribs, Belle kissed me on my cheek, saying “Even if you are mistaken, knowing that Rose is okay means so much...and if she is okay then perhaps…Thank you for this kindness, Joseph!,” she said before dashing off towards the church. I hoped her husband really was there, and with that strength, maybe she’d trample a few imps to death after she kicked down the door. A man can dream, can’t he? Del came up to stand at my other side as we gazed into the fire. I felt like I had I finally come to completely understand why Risa had originally wanted me gone. Maybe she felt that she would rather deal with a smaller pain now than the larger inevitable one when my mortal human shell finally cracked. I had no idea how long she would live, but Del’s comment from what felt like ages ago seemed to suggest that it would be far longer than I. “Hey, Risa?”, I began without turning from the fire “Mmm?” “What was your favorite toy as a child?” Looking at me a bit confusedly, she answered, “It was a lucky cat piggy bank, why?” Somehow feeling like I’d lost something in the translation here but determined to make my point anyway, I continued, “What happened to it?” “Uh...I think--Right, I broke it open to get what had I saved to help pay for my little cart.” “Were you sad to have to crack it open?” “It was one of the only things my mother ever gave me so--Why are you asking?” “Hear me out--Do you think you’d have been happier never having it in the first place, even knowing that you were sad when you had to break it open?” “That’s silly! I loved it, I used to imagine that she was full of enough coins to buy a gem-studded palace and-” I smiled, having heard all I needed, “Things break, Risa. I think...no--I know that when I find myself facing down my own mortality--again, in my own idiotic case--I’m not going to think ‘I wish I’d had less sex, or less fun, or less time with you and Del.” She opened her mouth to speak, but no words escaped. I knew she had to understand my meaning. To emphasize the point, I reached over and pulled her into my arms. “You can see me?” she asked. “It’s not all back, so things are really cloudy but...yes.” “Can you-?” “I want it all back, if only for sentimental reasons.” Risa took a deep breath, still trying to fight the urge to cry, “I...know that it will end up hurting in the end, but...I would--I should have listened to Del in the first place.” Stroking her hair as I played with her ears, I replied with a smile, “As much as it pains me to say it, she may be right more often than me--and that is no mean feat.” Taking a deep breath for what felt like it was about to be bad news, Risa said, “So...maybe we can handle this on the way to...wherever we’re going but I have something I need to do.” “Something?,” I asked. “It’s part of paying off one of the people from which I borrowed a large pile of gold.” “I thought you said you were good on that,” I stated. “Do I LOOK like I have 40,000 gold on me? Bitch lives in Kaori and sent a demon to collect--I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have been satisfied with an Alnor letter of credit,” Risa replied with a frustrated tone. “Okay so...what do you need to do?” “Either stop or start a war--basically get rid of a bunch of goblins.” “How about this,” I began with a slightly annoyed edge to my voice, “We’re going with you, so a few more details would be nice.” With a resigned sigh, Risa replied, “I thought you might say that, so here’s the short version...with a few other bits I picked up while trading with dwarves. There is a feud between a large goblin tribe and the denizens of Harpy Rock--mostly dwarves and harpies. Because this priestess is trying to iron out some deal with the dwarves, she needs the goblins out of the way.” “And you need to either convince the goblins to leave or make peace with the dwarves?” “Or convince them to throw themselves at an uncharted city...has to be full of humans, either unclaimed or with minimal mamono involvement,” she added with an air of disbelief. “Now that I think about it, I never got to actually see Alnor...but you’re making it sound like a free human city is a rare thing?” “Impossible,” Del suddenly added, “How could a human city survive that close to Kaori? It must be a mistake.” “I have no idea,” Risa replied before adding, “I figure it’s either hidden, or there’s enough of them that they’ve been able to kill any curious monsters that came close enough--or both. Can’t imagine any other reason that priestess would be so desperate to get her hands on this city, especially given the amount of funding she already has.” With a tinge of excitement in her voice, Del asked, “It...sounds like it would be a wonderful place to investigate, then.” “Well,” I began, “you’ll just have to settle for studying the catalysts of my returning sight.” Seeing an obviously disappointed look on Del’s face for the first time in what felt like forever, I conceded, “Maybe we can try to find it on the way back or something…” “I don’t know, when Del said she was leaving you at the church, I thought she had to be crazy. This is sounding like a confirmation of that thought.” Del then joined our embrace, saying, “You may not refer to me as crazy until one of my ideas proves unsound.” “I know I won’t! I can’t believe how perfectly the last plan played out.”, I added. Blushing slightly, Del said, “That is good, as I believe you may have otherwise had some objections to the next phase.” “I didn’t object to the first phase?” “I would call that mild apprehension.” “You TOLD me that I was going to be raped repeatedly! I would classify my reaction as an objection.” I remarked, unable to forget my third-worst sexual experience. “I see...then it may be more accurate to say that you will likely have vocal, angry protestations to the next phase, possibly coupled with a vow of outright refusal.” “There are no imps involved, are there?”, I asked in genuine fear. “Certainly not,” she began before squeezing the two of us tightly, “Only a spider.” |
| Chapter 23 - What has 9 arms and sucks Needing to save my outright refusal for my morning grumpiness, I stayed silent and spent the night snuggled up with Risa. Del said something about needing to watch our “prisoner” but a lingering kiss left upon my lips strongly tempted me to just ask Del to let the horse go and sleep with us. Risa held her grip on me far more tightly than normal, perhaps even more worried that I’d simply vanish in a poof of imp stench. That same fear had likewise convinced me to hold a bit more desperately to her as well, worried that the imps might materialize and drag me screaming back into that church. Luckily, there were no imp-based medical emergencies to tend to for the rest of the night as I slumbered in perfect, dreamless darkness. The normally offensive rays of the dawn were a welcome assault upon my partially-restored vision. As I wiped away the sleep from my eyes I saw Risa sitting up a bit, apparently watching me as I slept. Stretching a bit I asked, “Something on my face, beautiful?” “Hmm...just a stupid grin and some leftover imp stink.” I leaned up for just a moment to give her a quick peck on the lips, “Thanks for reminding me.” “Well you have been getting a bit uppity lately, it probably wasn’t even that bad--you laying there, moaning as they-” “There are only two ways it could have been worse.” “Hurry and tell me because thinking about you so...vulnerable is getting me all hot and- Quickly interrupting her, I very defiantly, and very loudly, added, “I am not fucking another spider!” I heard Del respond, sounding rather amused, “Sometimes you must be forced to do things against your will for your own good.” “Del, don’t-” She quickly leaned down, placing her finger over my lips, “I will hold your mouth shut if you try take advantage of my vow. I will be more than happy to address any criticisms of this plan once it has come to its conclusion.” Nodding as though in agreement, I kept my mouth closed long enough for her to remove her shushing finger and then quickly blurted out “Del, don’t make me fuck another spider!” With a wave of her arm, Del called her skeletal hands forth to cover my mouth, but not before I allowed myself a satisfied smile. A hint of malice crept into her voice as Del whispered, “The boy thinks to be clever, mmm?” Running her hands under my shirt to rest at my sides, she smiled down at me. With my sight still only partially functional I couldn’t tell how much evil might have been hiding in that smile. “Has the clever boy relieved himself this morning? Developed a resistance to tickling? He has certainly not yet had his lesson on tact.” I could only sigh through my nose as I tried to send a pleading look at Risa. “Don’t look at me, clever boy”, Risa taunted with a smile, “I owe her for reminding me about that lesson I’ve been meaning to give you.” “Mmm mm mmmm mmm” Del quieted my mumbling with a quick poke to my vulnerable ribs, “I don’t believe I can let you talk now until this next phase has begun. And since the oh-so-clever boy has assaulted my poor girl’s heart that wasn’t warmed by his body last eve, I may have to render punishment.” Even though she was taunting me, she did somehow seem a bit upset. Not wanting to do any real damage, I reached up to gently touch her face as I attempted to apologize with my eyes. “It seems he is somewhat apologetic, so I will tell him a secret.” she said as she placed a kiss on my forehead and then whispered, “I would never request that you fuck another spider, love.” “Oh god,” I thought to myself. I made the wrong request and pissed off Del in one un-master stroke. I tried to throw a begging glance at Del. Picking up on the reason behind my pleadingly apologetic orbs being directed at her, she cuddled up to me, saying wistfully, “I’m truly sorry, love. I know these methods have been drastic, but we have powerful, unsated needs--We want you to be aroused by the sight of us, to see and understand the bliss we display when we look upon you, and we can wait no longer to hear this ‘thing’ you need to say.” Chiming in, Risa added, “One of us was also promised joyous matrimony the moment you have your sight back.” Did I really promise we’d be walking down the proverbial aisle the moment I had my sight back? I guess she is pretty cute...sounds legit. Del finally pulled her hands back towards my belly and playfully dragged her fingernails across my skin just enough to raise tiny red streaks as she spoke, “I don’t know how to fully explain just how truly pleased Selvirin will be to see you again, but this phase does offer you a way out. Now...I’m going to remove this gag, but I won’t tell you this way out, or be held responsible for your punishment, if you try to abuse my trust again,” she finished as she let her hands come to rest on my bare chest. Selvirin...The name brought back some very painful memories. I had mostly put my own pain behind me, but it still bothered me that I’d been so mean to her when we ‘met’. That didn’t mean I’d ever considered the possibility that I’d have to-- As the thoughts of the experience washed over me, I actually saw my sight completely clear for a brief instant. The moment of visual clarity almost made me jump as I grabbed Del’s hands while they still rested on my chest. “Del...I...saw everything clearly again for a moment.” “It returned as you were remembering your experience with Selvirin?,” she asked. “Yes and...damn it. Why is this the remedy? How did-” “I formulated this based on your description of how you seem to remember some things.” “But that was a song and it was-” “Far more than I needed,” she interrupted. I couldn’t even fathom the level of intelligence it would have taken her to put this all together. I felt like I was at least on even intellectual footing with Risa--more or less, but Del was starting to show that she was leaps and bounds beyond me. Either that or she just had me completely figured out. In either case, I was feeling more vulnerable and exposed now than I had while I was strapped to the bed naked. It made me a bit uncomfortable--why would Del want to be around someone so far beneath her? I instead decided to be completely flattered that I’d somehow grabbed her attention so tightly. Looking back at Del, I finally spoke “I’ll never doubt one of your plans again, no matter how ludicrous it might seem to me. You’re just...seeing more of the picture than I am…” She smiled a bit and replied, “Not as much as you might imagine--or as much as I would like.” “You’re just being modest.” “No. I have more time to think and I think of-,” she hesitated a moment, “You are...important.” I didn’t have any words. I simply placed a small kiss on Delilah’s hand and gave her a nod. Risa managed to coordinate the relocation for the handful of villagers that didn’t want to stay. This village wasn’t finished by a longshot, but it was likely going to be too painful for a few of the people to remain here, even if they could go back to living their normal lives. By some miracle, the largest damage to the Honeybee had been somehow repaired overnight, so it seemed Belle and her...family would be staying. Maybe it was a small comfort, but I liked feeling as though the Honeybee would always be our port in any storm. I didn’t want to, but I was still beating my head against an imaginary tree trying to figure out Karisa’s deal. If she had gotten here before us, then she had to know where we were going. Del couldn’t find any signs that we were being magically tracked so that narrowed the field to a master of stealth...or a master of illusion. I suppressed a shudder as I realized that having my sight back actually gave Karisa a new angle from which to spring an attack. “So you know, I can see well enough to put off that spider encounter until we’re done dealing with this goblin problem,” I said as we prepared to make our way out of town. “There is no need to worry yourself over that diversion. I’ve arranged special transport to allow Risa to rest and to carry us to our destination in just under one day,” she said as she gestured to the ground and a team of six skeletal horses sprung from the ground. Wreathed in dark violet flames and filled with chaotic black lightning, they were a frightful presence that even caused the plant life underhoof to wither wherever they stamped upon the ground. Still trying to avoid what was quickly becoming the inevitable, I asked “Risa, I thought you said that nobody pulls your cart but-” “Joe, put a lid on that,” Risa quickly interrupted, “I could use the break and these things will get us there fast enough that we should have no problems getting to the goblins afterwards within two to three days--and I’ve been meaning to figure out what it is you two do back here while I’m pulling the cart all day.” “Oh you know, we chat about stuff and-” I began before being silenced by Del “We engage in sexual activities, mostly oral as it is easier to do within the confined space and less likely to spill any of his precious fluid,” Del added as naturally as if she’d said we watched the clouds. “Oooh, well one of the benefits of this being my wagon is that I don’t mind if I get it a bit dirty--move over Del, I want to sit in his lap this time!” “Certainly. Would you be opposed to light use of eromancy to enhance the act?” Del asked. “Sounds good to me! Can you do anything that’ll make him, like, able to orgasm over and over without stopping?” “It’s as though you read half of my mind, Risa,” Del said with a wide smile. Looking a bit confused at her remark as she pulled my clothes from me, Risa began “What do you mean half of-” At that moment Del placed her hands upon the two of us and unleashed a surge of eromantic power into both of us. I was immediately filled with a familiar swollen feeling of supreme arousal that demanded release, as Risa faced away from me and unceremoniously lowered herself onto me, immediately lost in her own consuming, magic-born lust. As much as Del claimed to care about me--I had to wonder if she didn’t also hate me with some of the things she seemed to enjoy putting me through. With an inner sigh I realized that all I ever needed to do was ask her to stop, but with Risa’s fluffy tail now waving in front of me as she desperately skewered herself with abandon, I knew that I enjoyed all of this too much to ever even consider asking her to stop. Maybe later--once I could walk again--I’d have to ask Del if she was still testing me. The last thing I saw before I lost my ability to focus on anything beyond Risa’s incredible heat and the tightly gripping embrace of her womanhood, was Del putting in some earplugs and grabbing a book. “This is a simple spell that will keep you both in a frenzied rut for approximately 13 hours--giving you both two hours to recover before we arrive. It should also guarantee that your male nectar never runs dry for the duration. Please endeavor to get as much of it within her as possible--I would prefer to keep my cloak dry while I catch up on my research, and this will otherwise get quite messy,” Del said casually, unable to hide an endearingly devious smile as she slowly opened her book and seemed to hide herself behind it. With that, our undead equestrian escorts called out a horrific, screaming, hell-born whinny as they took off with an unnatural jolting start. The team pulled us rapidly back towards the forest into which I had made my auspicious arrival on this world, and in which I encountered the dangerously beautiful Selvirin. Any lingering thoughts of the spider were gone in mere moments, however, as Risa tried and failed to sate our magically bottomless libidos with her frantic movements that wore on through the entire day. |
| Chapter 24 - And when the truth finally dawns... The rest of the trip, not a long journey by any stretch to begin with, went by in a flash as Del’s magic finally waned to reveal that we had made rather large mess of the wagon. With no small amount of satisfaction to accompany my exhaustion, I saw that Del’s cloak had failed to stay dry. Risa finally snuggled against me as she came down from her high as well, allowing us to rest for the last hour or so of the trip. As the forest finally came within view, Risa perked up and said, “I can’t believe we’re doing this, Del.” “Oh? You seem to be getting rather fond of that saying.” “Tell me you at least have some kind of problem with this,” Risa said, with an edge of frustration to her voice. “Considering the alternative, I have no true problems with this.” Rolling my eyes a bit, I chirped in, “I said I wouldn’t doubt it, and I believe this will work, but I don’t have to like it. Who knows how many other men she’s attacked like that…” “Oh, you didn’t know?” Del asked with a dangerously amused tone. “Know what?” I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to hear this. “You were her first.” “First what? Attempted murder? First brony?” “First lover.” “Please don’t say that, Del…” “Understood, I shall refrain from saying it.” “But you’re serious?” “I have been instructed not to say.” “Good. Great, actually. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to really roll around in that self-loathing.” “If you are simply your normal considerate self this time, I’m certain she will be pleased with you.” “Fuck. Fine, I’m not going to half-ass this then. How do you please a spider?” “Very carefully,” Risa said with a smirk. “Well, I have informed her that you will be coming to visit. If you wish to please her--and you do if my plan is to come off correctly--you must try to resist her advances.” “Really? I just need to pretend that I don’t want to have sex with the spider that violently raped me? I really hope I can pull that one off...somehow.” “You’ll want to restrict your resistance to a purely physical nature, though screaming in fright is acceptable. Just try to avoid saying-” “I got it...try to avoid further destroying her impression of human men. Seriously though...who rapes a man for their first time?” Both of them turned toward me with a puzzling look (that I couldn’t quite make out) before Risa piped up, “Has it ever occured to you that the alternative is the rarity here? Most humans are scared of monsters.” Unable to break through the haze on my vision I replied with a smile, “Really? I’ve never been scared of either of you. I guess I’m pretty strange.” In almost perfect unison, they responded, “Very.” “I guess I just-” My statement was cut short by a sharp rumbling of the ground. That tremor was followed by a large shadow passing overhead and then a howling shockwave that threatened to burst my eardrums. It was a sound unlike anything I’d ever heard--the sonorous, almost musical, bellow so deep and powerful that it rattled my teeth. We were all overcome by the sound, Risa even more painfully so, before it mercifully passed. Just as I was about to ask “What the hell was that?”, there was an explosion of heat in the direction of the forest, so intense that even facing it was painful. Out of an unexpected instinct I managed to push Del and Risa down into the cart as I threw myself atop them, hoping to act as a shield. The distant inferno reached such a fury that I felt the tips of my hair singe and my exposed skin felt as though it was being burned with a hot iron. Just as I was about to scream out in pain, the heat finally began to subside, but not without leaving me shaking in terror. About to let myself believe that this phenomenon had passed, I looked up to see the most magnificently horrifying sight I had ever witnessed. Preceded by two tempestuous gusts of wind caused by a pair of massive flapping wings, a colossal scaled beast gracefully hit the ground within a hundred meters of the cart. Even with my diminished sight, I could easily make out the many scales and deep scarlet coloring. Taken with the obvious clue in the fiery explosion from a moment ago, I knew I was staring at a massive red dragon. As the ground itself seemingly tried to flee the crushing feet of the effulgently intimidating beast, it created waves in the sundered earth that heaved about and shattered the wheels of Risa’s trusty cart. As the wheels gave way and the body of the small wagon broke and splintered on the ground, I continued to cover my companions in what would have been a truly futile gesture. “This is it”, I thought as the crushing sound of the beast’s roar washed over us again. Risa shuddered as she tried to cover her ears and Del simply stayed down as I kept my arms over them. In the wash of the powerful beast’s roar, even the dark cloth that normally covered Risa’s wares was torn from it’s moorings and thrown into the road. My mind raced through a thousand different possibilities, coming to one inevitable truth--we were all going to die here under the claws of this beast. “Or…”, I thought as I set eyes upon the telltale glint of steel from within the bowels of the cart, “...that bitch will have to come through me first.” Pulling the metallic item free, I saw what was to be my weapon--a large serrated kitchen knife. Sixteen years of full-contact LARPing weren’t going to prepare me to face a real dragon, and in fact only gave me the tactical awareness to know that this was almost entirely hopeless. My only chance at survival for myself--or at least my companions--was a “newb’s gambit”. I saw another vial of the same inky black liquid that had covered me upon my initial arrival to this world, spilling into what was left of Risa’s sack of oatmeal. “This has to work”, I thought as I rolled my still-naked form into the foul mixture and slathered a large handful of the concoction onto the left side of my face, hoping that it might appear as a horrible burn. I then overdramatically threw myself from the cart onto the ground. Making it appear as though I was struggling to stand, I then began limping my way towards the dragon, my “burned” left side facing the beast as I kept the kitchen knife pressed against my right forearm, hopefully hidden from view. I made two stumbling falls into the dirt to help cover my impromptu makeup job as the dirt stuck to me, and to show myself as even more weak than I actually was. My acting got a substantial boost in the very real shaking my knees were doing as I found myself afraid to even look at the beast directly. To my great relief I saw the great dragon shrink in size to simply appear as a very tall woman mixed with the powerful draconic features of her true form. Having seen the unnatural strength that even a small girl like Risa had in her petite body, I didn’t see this form as much less threatening. I did, however, see enough flesh to know where to place my cowardly attack. It was strange. I’d always been a coward my entire life. I never fought back against the many bullies that plagued my entire school life, I’d never taken any real risks, and I’d never stood up for myself at work. By all rights, I should already be dead--too afraid to even live anymore. Right now, though, I felt a desperate need to live that was only overshadowed by a desire to protect Del and Risa at any cost, however pointless my attempt may be. Putting the final piece of my plan into motion, I came to a shambling stop and said, barely above a whisper, “Tell...Karisa...nominffia”, I let out the last words as complete gibberish. From my D&D knowledge--which I wasn’t sure had any bearing here--I remembered that red dragons were as arrogant as they were evil. I could only hope this was “Ixi” and that she truly was loyal to Karisa, as that was the only way this plan had any hope of success. I saw her step closer in an attempt to hear the ‘message’ I was attempting to deliver. Perfect. “Do not move, human. I was not asked to kill you.”, she said in her resoundingly rich voice, each syllable a striking reminder of her smouldering power. Needing to keep up my ruse, I took another shuffling step forward, saying even more quietly this time, “...Karisa...ermfinnvaf”. This was it--I was likely going to die whether this plan worked or not. She took two great steps forward as I fell into her arms, my left hand sure to grasp just below the scales that covered her left breast. “What is your message, human? If it is for the young mistress, I will deliver it without fail.” “Tell...Karisa…”, I began as I sank a bit lower, my hand not leaving its place upon her chest. “Yes?” she asked, becoming annoyed. Placing both of my feet below me in an apparent attempt to stand one more time, I uttered what would likely be my last words, “Tell her...that I...” Betting on the same underestimation of humans that had resulted in her lady fleeing Alnor, as I said the word “I”, I thrust myself upward with all of the strength I could muster in my legs, coupled with all of the might I could bring to bear within my arms, quickly turning the hidden knife, to thrust it diagonally upwards aiming for the unarmored spot beneath her breast, directly towards her heart. As I began my motion, I saw by her reaction that she knew my plan the moment I had set it into motion. She could have easily stepped back, or caught the blade upon her scales, or even thrown me onto my back, making the entire gesture pointless. She could have moved--she should have moved. Why didn’t she move?! The proud creature simply looked down at me, with an expression that I couldn’t entirely see, in the slow-motion eternity of the moment. I knew that I had tears in my eyes--not in sadness for what would likely be my death in the next instant. No, the tears were the clarion heralding call of a returning memory. It was the walls of a darkened room carrying the last notes of a sad song, followed by a torrent of desperate whispers. Delilah and Risa asking me--begging me to come back to them, followed by images of a life that could have been, spurred by an impossible admission. I saw violet eyes, stained with tears and black veins, growing pale in their nightly vigilance, but never wavering or blinking for even a moment. Through the revelation of my memory, I looked up one final time into the gold-flecked red eyes of the dragon as my knife drew ever closer, the blade catching the last rays of the sun as it passed into a twilight embrace, and allowed me to clearly see her face for the briefest of moments. In that last instant, I saw her smile. |
| Chapter 25 - Fusillading Roister of Dahlias I wasn’t surprised that she had seen through my ruse. I even saw her next move, ready to finish me as her right arm stretched wide and then headed towards me. Even in this state of heightened awareness, I knew I’d never be able to get my body to react quickly enough to dodge. She moved with such celeritous precision that her claws would reach me long before my eyes could acknowledge my reactive flinch--before even the small shockwave generated by her movement could touch me. And just like that--it was over. The claws of her right hand found purchase about the back of my neck and then...the tension left her grip as she let those draconic fingers rest firmly, but gently, cradling my neck as the serrated kitchen knife drove into her chest, releasing a fountain of her boiling blood onto my face and down my arms. Her eyes fluttered slightly as the blade ripped a bloody path to her heart, seeming to rupture a lung in its passing as a blast of searing air joined the river of blood, running as a scarlet river from her sundered chest. As my thrust carried us both upward slightly, she pulled me backwards to the ground, leaving her arm still gingerly holding my neck as we descended towards the cool, dew-covered grass of early evening. As we hit the ground, she positioned me slightly to her side somehow ensuring that I would not land upon the handle of the kitchen knife. My eyes immediately went wide in stark disbelief. Feeling the hot blood wash over me, I looked down to her painfully beautiful face to find that my vision had cleared completely. Instead of a face twisted by pain and rage, I saw a beautifully dignified, somewhat aged, woman smiling back at me with eyes awash in tears. “Hahh. Didn’t see...that one...coming,” she said between painful gasps as she managed to force her continued smile. How? This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was supposed to kill me--throw me to the ground and monologue on the greatness of her mistress before crushing my skull under her talons. The distraction would have been enough for Del and Risa to escape. Or she would just humiliate me--raping me in front of my companions, helpless to respond, before delivering me to Karisa with a fine ribbon. I might suffer, but they would be fine--free to find someone, anyone, else in the remaining potential eternity of their ageless lives. Sadness started to overcome me. She let this happen--allowed me to pierce her heart with this crude piece of metal, a crude shard of steel so undignified that its last murder was likely a ripe tomato. This couldn’t be the same beast that had ruined lives, that had nearly destroyed Belle’s happiness--that had made Risa cry. “You’re lying! Why didn’t you dodge!? I know you could have!” I screamed out as I began to tremble. Her smile only breaking long enough to cough up a large quantity of blood, she answered, “The young mistress...wants--will have you. I was...ordered not to--No, I...did not want to hurt you.” “So you let me--Why?!” I screamed out as my tears poured from me. “I wouldn’t lower...myself to harm a...human.” Coughing hoarsely, she unintentionally spit a fine mist of the nearly burning vitae across my face as she shook her head in a negative response to her own statement, “No...it’s--My heart is full of death...too much death. My beloved is--I…I’m tired.” “Why couldn’t you just walk away...go somewhere else...live your life!?” “I...still love the mistress--her daughter. I wanted to see...protect her.” “But Karisa-!”, I began as I immediately felt her powerful claws around my throat, soft even in their impossible strength. “You have...no idea! I will not have you speak of her in ignorance.” she finished powerfully before she relaxed her grip, the momentary flash of anger in her eyes vanishing with her renewed strength almost as quickly as they had manifested. None of this made sense anymore. Why would Karisa want me in the first place, and how could she think that hurting Risa was going to help her cause? Why did she send Ixi after us? Someone like this would never hurt so many people, would they? Why did she have to get hurt? Why did I just assume she was going to hurt us? This was supposed to be monstrous servant of the evil Karisa. Why did she have to be...a person? “Why do...you cry, human? I am not your mate. I...am just an enemy, a...monster.” “That doesn’t matter, please. You aren’t--just...you’re a person! You could choose to be anyone you want,” I stammered out between shuddering sobs, not certain that I was even making sense anymore. “Then I demand--No...You must...I mean--I have always wanted.” She kept starting and hesitating as if completely unsure of what she wanted to say or how to say it. “Just once...then…would you let me...be a woman? I demand--no...would you kiss me? I...have never had a kiss from a hero.” “I am not...a hero. You--Damn it...I’m just a murderer…” She only smiled, saying, “She...does not know it, but you...protected my lady from...herself. You crawled out of a bottomless darkness. You must help her, you are the only one...that can. Please…” I saw her fading quickly as the weakening flow of her life’s blood poured from the knife wound onto the ground and into her painfully gasping lungs. Her look changed completely from the angelic martyr to the frightened girl, her fearfully darting eyes threatening to betray the point of her sacrifice. I wasn’t going to deny her last request--I was no hero, but I could pretend for once if it would grant her peace. “Rest now, brave Ixi. If there is a way, then I swear that...I will find a way to help Karisa. May you find only peace in the next world.” I said, forcing down my sadness to keep my tone as even as possible, not even having a whisper of an idea on how I could help her mistress--if Karisa wasn’t already beyond any hope of salvation. With that I leaned forward and kissed the dragon, taking in the coppery taste of blood and bitter sulfur that laid heavily upon her lips. She poured the last of her strength into the twisted embrace with her own killer as her forked tongue danced across mine in a desperate longing, her soft lips quivering in pain or emotion. Finally pulling back from our blood-touched kiss, she let out a slightly gurgling sigh of joy before uttering between her rasping coughs, “Thank you, dragon...slayer. I...could not have imagined...a more perfect...first kiss. I *cough* was ordered to protect...Risa at all costs. Two thousand...years with...an unpaid debt.” Quickly grasping her hand I vowed to her, “I would give my life to protect her.” She smiled, her teeth stained crimson, as she placed her free hand gently upon my cheek, “I know...just help...let go the rage and...sadness. Find…Jo-”, she began another coughing fit, unable to finish her statement as she placed a small key into my hand. “I...will, somehow. I promise.” “Go, dragonslayer...protect Risa...from...her…”, the last words came out as little more than a gurgling mumble as the light slowly left her eyes, her arm falling limply to her side as her claws left three deep, burning scratches down the side of my face and neck in their passing. Even now, her face remained frozen with the same beautifully haunting smile. Quickly losing my tenuous grasp on the resolve I’d had a moment before, I screamed “Del! Help her please!” From directly behind me, I felt her small arms pulling me backwards a moment later, away from the fallen dragon. “What are you doing!? Save her like you saved me! She’s...I…”, my shouts came out as broken shrieks. Del calmly and silently pulled me into her embrace as she stroked my hair, easily overcoming my feeble attempts to struggle free. Having lost all composure, I was wracked with rattling sobs as I clung tightly to Delilah’s body like a lost child. I wasn’t prepared for this kind of pain. I’d never truly hurt anyone else before--and I had never felt so empty, knowing that my irrational fear and misjudgement had actually killed someone. “Is...is Risa okay?” I managed to get out. “She is fine, love.” “I--Yuki told me not to hurt Ixi...I’m a…” Pulling me in more tightly, Del interrupted me, “You were trying to protect us.” “But I killed her!” “Joe,” she began softly, “You know as well as I that she allowed herself to die. Would you call the bridge from which you leapt a murderer?” “It was my fault! I thought-!” “You made your choice and you must live with the consequences.” “But Risa said...Ixi is…” I suddenly felt Risa’s warm embrace as she nearly tackled me from Del’s grasp, saying, “What’s wrong with you? What were you thinking?!” Hearing Risa’s voice brought a renewed disconsolateness, “I’m so sorry Risa--I thought that...I could distract her from you. I didn’t want to die, but...I couldn’t let her take you.” Feeling Risa’s warm lips against the back of my neck calmed me slightly for the moment as she tearfully intoned, “Please don’t ever do anything like that again...I don’t think I could handle it if--just don’t risk yourself for us.” It would have been impossible to calm my tremors, knowing that a life had ended--and that I was the instrument of its theft. Each time I thought the grief had begun to pass, Ixi’s serene smile would project in my mind and force me back into the pit of despair. The stories I’d read that told of brave and noble dragonslayers were nothing but a feculent deception. Those stories always talked about the exalted glory to be had in felling such a beast, but all I felt was her still-warm blood covering my arms, the echoes of her last pain-filled gasp still ringing in my ears. The broken shards of my heart refused to even attempt crawl back together, knowing that my hand had removed from the world one of the most magnificent things upon which I had ever laid my eyes. As we huddled together, Del finally broke the silence as she asked, “You can see again, can’t you?” “Uh huh” “Your cerebral schism has been resolved. Your fear and pain forced you to remember how to see--reawakened the parts of your mind to which your sight had fled.” “O-okay…” I stuttered out, then added, “But...Selvirin…” Apparently moving with Ichigo Kurosaki level speed-of-plot, I heard the dark velvet poison of Selvirin’s voice ring out in response, “Thinking of me? This man is far, far too sweet. Are you certain he’s the same person? No matter.” Picking the three of us up and placing us on to her wide, arachnid back she then said gently, “I shall take care of her body. You three will stay with me tonight. Luckily, the dragon thought my home much closer to the graveyard.” I didn’t have it in me to resist anything and my companions voiced no complaints as Selvirin carefully picked up Ixi’s body and made off at superhuman speed towards the interior of the forest. While we were under way, I saw Del lean forward to whisper something to the spider which earned only a raised eyebrow and somber nod in response. As I looked to my two companions I realized that this was probably the first of many more painful experiences we would have to endure as we continued to face the wrath of Karisa’s vindictive anger. With my sight restored, I also had no further excuses to run or hide from the important thing I needed to say to Del and Risa and I didn’t want to risk falling into another situation in which I was unable to say those words. “Only the finest for the dragonslayer and his two companions!” Selvirin cheerfully remarked as she set us down within a gorgeous glade, deep within the forest. A small brook chased through the center of the clearing, babbling merrily, as the cresting moon let its alabaster light spill its bounty through the large opening in the otherwise dense forest canopy. “Please don’t call me that.” I asked, plaintively. “Your request is...rejected, dragonslayer. She named you such with one of her last breaths and it would be cruel to deny one of her final desires.” Selvirin stated directly. “I...fine. It just makes me feel cold and empty when I think about it. It’s like being called a murderer as though that were something of which to be proud.” That statement earned me a very curious look from Selvirin as she replied, “After our first encounter, I assumed you were just an overly cruel human with a hatred for monsters. I thought your apology nearly a year later was just to salve your own guilt.” “No, I-” “I believe I understand now--you meant every word of that apology. You...are simply not the man that stumbled into my web that night.” “I’m sorry, Selvirin.” “Don’t be. You are a far sweeter prize to have caught anyway. Fate is cruel to reveal you to me now,” she remarked with a hint of wistful dysphoria creeping into her dangerously fanged smile. “For now, however, I have much work to do if I’m to finish tonight. Make yourselves comfortable and I’ll see you…” she remarked with a gentle poke to my chest, “...tomorrow” Selvirin skittered away, gingerly carrying Ixi’s lifeless body, leaving me alone again with Del and Risa, suddenly feeling a swell of confusion daring to overwhelm my otherwise sorrowful state. “Del, what was-” “I felt that it would be impolite to deny her the chance to catch you as long as she was willing to wait until tomorrow.” “Impolite!? Are you fucking kidding me?! My sight is back now! We don’t need to-” “I have asked another very important task of her that will be to your future benefit.” Several choice words leapt to my tongue, ready for immediate hateful deployment that only escaped as an unintelligible growl. Fixing me with an almost desperately serious look that somehow stole my anger before it could erupt, Del quietly added, “I know this upsets you, but please trust-” “Fine. I at least get to run though, right?” I answered, trying to at least keep an edge of annoyance in my voice as my rage evaporated. “Of course,” she replied, as though the rules of this situation had already been clearly decided and I simply hadn’t been paying attention. “Then let me say this to both of you now--Del”, I said as I pulled her close and raised her chin slightly, bringing our lips together. As I released the unexpected kiss I took a deep breath while I kept her delicate chin held in my hand and said, “Delilah…” “Yes, Joe?” “I...I love you.” Her face flushed with color as her eyes tried to escape mine. She finally managed to pull away and started trying to hide her face with her hands. “And Risa?” “Oh sure...you tell her firs-” she tried to say before I interrupted her with a kiss. “I love you, Risa. And…” I began, trying to keep the bloody train wreck of my emotions level, “And--I want you to be my wife.” I thought my heart would explode as I felt the long-forgotten burning rush of heat pour from my core to my extremities as I let my feelings be exposed to my companions. I still couldn’t get Ixi’s death out of my mind, but I needed Del and Risa to know how I felt. If I hadn’t already resolved to tell them once my sight was returned, I might have worried that I was simply trying to use one emotion to escape another. Now though, I knew that I couldn’t risk them not knowing in the event that I didn’t make it through the next conflict alive. Not expecting a response from either of them, and certainly not demanding one, I gave them each a smile and laid myself upon the soft bed nearby, concealed under a gorgeous woven curtain against the elements. Within moments, Del and Risa had taken their respective places at my side. “You know, Joe…” Risa began tentatively. “Mmm?” I asked. “Yes...ah,” Del also seemed reluctant. My mind started to race with all the possibilities. Had I done something wrong? No, I had done something wrong. I felt a powerful sinking sensation and the onset of a cold sweat. Maybe they just couldn’t see themselves with- Risa finally cut into my racing mind, “You talk in your sleep so…” Del continued her thought, adding, “You have told both of us dozens of times over the last few days. Last night alone whispering it as a mantra nearly two-hundred times.” “Ah...” I remarked, feeling like a heel for even trying to keep such a secret, and more than a little embarrassed at the ridiculous honesty of the sleeping me. “But…”, Risa added as she looked over at Del. “I love you, Joe”, they finally spoke in unison. That was enough to wash away any lingering doubts. It felt exactly as it had in my memory. The incomparable warmth that ran through my center assured me that it hadn’t just been a fantasy and also, mercifully, offered me a temporary reprieve from the dragon-born sadness. |
| Chapter 26 - The Miniscule, Diminutive Arachnid Clambered up the Eavestrough Despite my heartfelt admission of the night before being “old news” to the girls that often heard me talking in my sleep, the net gain from the uplifting response seemed to be enough to offset the potential nightmares. I was still greatly upset by the whole experience with Ixi, however. With how I felt, I still couldn’t honestly believe that it was better her than me, as even upon awakening, I continued to see Ixi’s tormentingly peaceful visage. The balm to soothe this pain came from an otherwise surprising place. As I awoke in the morning, I found--rather curiously--that my companions were gone from the bed, along with my clothes. Only a letter remained, saying simply, “Run.” I was about to roll back over to sleep when I heard a distant branch snapping and remembered the deal made with Selvirin. “Shit,” I exclaimed out loud, realizing that the sound had to be the stalking movements of my predatory host. I thought it a bit strange that I didn’t feel frightened, and...I supposed that if it would help Selvirin enjoy the experience, then I was going to make her fight to get me. Grabbing a small stone, I hurled it towards the north as an attempted distraction and began quickly sneaking my way towards the southeast, and potential freedom. I was very careful this time, luckily able to pick out the shining dew-covered webs in the bright light of early morning. Despite what the letter had said, I knew that running would just bring this to a hilariously quick conclusion, and as much as I wanted to get back underway, I also wanted to hold on to some dignity. Remembering my days of LARPing as a rogue, I actually utilized (what I felt were) some passable stealth techniques. I made each step light, but deliberate, allowing my foot to glide over the surface of the debris of the forest floor until I “felt” the place in which to lay the outer edge of my foot to slowly roll that foot inward and use it as a pivot point for my next step. “This delicious man remains...entertaining,” I heard Selvirin say out loud, her echoing voice far too close for comfort. As quietly as I thought I was moving, she was leaping through the trees as silently as a shadow. Even with her great size, it was still miraculous when I was able to catch a glimpse of her in the branches above me. Doubling back twice in an attempt to lose her, I slowly made my way towards the edge of the forest. Finally seeing a potential way to freedom from the sea of trees, I saw a drop of dew seemingly floating in the air between two trees that framed my egress and knew it to be a trap. I took in hand one of the small twigs I had picked up while sneaking my way towards absolution and threw it towards the exposed web. Then, hopefully unexpectedly, I slid myself around this tree, back towards the home of the stalking spider as I kept my eyes on the twig, expecting Selvirin to spring into the area. “What are we looking at?” I heard her whisper directly into my ear as I snapped my head around to see her hanging upside-down in front of me. Suppressing a jump, I tried to play it cool, “Bah. Looks like you got-” I interrupted my own statement of resignation and bolted towards the edge of the forest, leaping and then twisting my naked body in the air to avoid the threads of spider silk that threatened to trap me should even one touch my skin. Within a smug moment of satisfaction I landed in a roll within the tall grass outside the edge of the forest. I had a dawning moment of realization that no goal had been set to determine that I had “escaped”. “Damn it, Del,” I remarked softly to myself in frustration as I stood up to run. All I managed was to get to my feet before I was yanked from them, back into the trees by a new piece of web that had been spit onto my back. “There he is!” I heard Selvirin remark with a joyful clap as I was pulled through the air, “Such a sneaky boy,” she said as I landed, finally, upon a branch. “Uh...hey, cutie!” I tried in my most convincing attempt to throw her off-balance as I tried to pull the sticky webs from my back, “You think you could...help me down?” With a cute giggle, she squeezed me in her set of human arms, saying “Of course. What sort of host would I be if I left you ‘up’ in such a way?” Looking down at the evidence of my arousal, I said to myself, “Joe, you are such a whore.” Unlike our previous encounter, once she had me caught, she was surprisingly gentle with me, setting me carefully in the center of a soft-feeling (but inescapable) web. After my initial recoiling at the sight of her very strange reproductive opening, (which only seemed to get her more excited) I realized two things. The first vaguely shameful realization was that this felt absolutely amazing, and despite my squirming attempts to escape, I did not want her to stop. My second, and far more important, realization was that there was no way that I could have killed Ixi without her say-so. Even when Del had told me as much, I wasn’t in a state to listen. Every monster I had ever seen in this place was either stronger, faster, or smarter than I could ever hope to be in my wildest dreams. I had seen it as it happened--Ixi knew exactly what I had been planning the moment I tried to move. It wasn’t enough to wash away all of my sadness, but it was enough to feel less like a cold-blooded murderer. That left me wondering why she sought to choose me as the instrument of her death. Some things seemed confusing in her last words as well, but I couldn’t put my finger exactly what. And what was that key? It’s a strange thing to be reminded of your true human weakness by the beautifully clasping insides of a dangerously seductive predator of a woman. The fact that my two lovers not only condoned this infidelity, but had damn near pushed me into it also brought me a strange comfort. For the first of many times that day, my body gave up its resistance and screamed out in the blissful release of an entirely different kind of comfort, in tandem with my traitorous mouth. Many, many hours later I was finally released from Selvirin’s web into the cooling grass of early evening. Staring up at her many eyes, I was struck--not by how human she seemed--but by how beautiful a previously horrifyingly inhuman face now appeared to me. With a small kiss, Selvirin placed a large bundle of...something into my hands, “This would have been the proof of your acceptance for my proposal of marriage, but you...are promised to another.” Still breathing heavily at my exertion, I could only nod. “You can still come back and visit me any time...I know you enjoyed the company. And who knows? Maybe one of these really will catch,” she said as she rubbed her abdomen. I smiled and nodded in response, “I...thank you. In case I didn’t say it before, I knew you left that clothing for me before but I didn’t take it because I knew I didn’t deserve it.” She allowed her hands to linger upon my face a moment as I realized that the deep scratches left by Ixi must still run down the side of my face. Looking down at the package given to me, I saw a mixture of black and red--the same red as Ixi’s scales. Seeing my confusion, Selvirin spoke up, “That is the finest item I have ever crafted--my best sable silk, overlaid and interwoven with the nearly impermeable dragon scales.” “This is--I can’t wear this…” “The Sorrow of Blacksky disagrees, she bade me also inscribe this symbol as a sign of everlasting respect...among other things.” “The Sorrow of...you mean Del?” I asked, wondering at from where such an ominous title might come. “It is not my story to tell. Just...know that even now I am reluctant to be so familiar with her chosen--even at her request. My great-grandmother told me the stories,” she answered, not able to hide a slight shiver. Thinking on it, Del had never even hinted at her past beyond saying that she was lonely. With a title like the “Sorrow of Blacksky” though, I wondered if she would even want to talk about it. I’d just have to ask her later and find out. Looking the large bundle over, I was still struck by how impossibly light it was, “What is this symbol?”, I said pointing to a detailed embroidering of a shield flanked by curved dragon horns and wrapped in flames. “That was the dragon’s ancient clan. Wearing this with those markings on your face will show you as a dragonslayer to any who may remember,” she said with a note of gravity. “But I didn’t-”, I tried to protest. With a slight frown at my ignorance she continued, “You will cheapen her last request thinking like that. You did something to earn the respect of a very old dragon. That, in itself, is enough. That you also risked yourself for your companions…” she gave a wistful sigh, “...Just consider this a wedding present from me...as well as from the noble dragon.” Still not entirely certain of the potential meaning behind this, I simply nodded, “Thank you, Selvirin.” “I know that it may mean little now, as you would not be in this situation otherwise, but...I am sorry for the pain I caused you.” “I appreciate the thought--really. But if it helps put this whole thing to rest for good, just know that if you hadn’t almost killed me, I don’t know that I’d have ever been able to quash my stupid wish to die.” With that, she helped me to my feet and then assisted me in getting dressed in this new outfit. I thought she just wanted to make certain it fit correctly until I heard her sigh the moment my nether regions were finally hidden from view. Giving me another hug that threatened to crush my bones to powder, she skittered off back towards the woods. Before she was out of earshot, I quickly shouted, “You know...we’ll eventually make our way back to Alnor. Um...you know you can visit us too if you ever get lonely.” In response she turned back a moment as if appraising me, then smiled brightly and gave a simple nod before vanishing back into the woods. Looking the outfit over, it was impossibly well-crafted. Light and loose-feeling, the full, flowing bodysuit of black cloth tightly held the dark red dragon scales to cover most of my chest and vital areas, while other scales were placed seemingly as stylistic choices. While it clung tightly in areas, it remained flowing about the sleeves and lower legs. I hoped I’d never have an opportunity to test the efficacy of the attire as armor, but it otherwise also made me feel like I was dressed very casually without seeming underdressed for any occasion I could imagine. I still didn’t feel as though I deserved this, but there seemed to be something that Selvirin and Del weren’t telling me about the potential significance of this outfit. Turning around, I saw Del and Risa looking back at me as I made my way towards them. Each step felt like a step closer to home as I embraced the two of them. “Lets get this goblin shit done and get back to Alnor,” I began, “We'll figure out what to do with Karisa later--we have a wedding to plan.” After Risa had gathered up everything still salvageable, we left the broken remains of Risa’s cart, a bit sad that such an important centerpiece of our time together had been lost. As I puzzled over the meaning of what Ixi told me, I gripped the small key in my hand. I wondered if this might actually unlock the door to some real answers. |
| Chapter 27 - A Thunder From Down-Under “Damn it, Joe. Move your ass!” Risa said to me. Slightly out of breath, I replied, “Hey! It’s not my fault the only activity my muscles normally get are involuntary spasms. I wasn’t in the greatest shape upon coming here and I’ve spent most of that time asleep or sitting in your cart.” “Well then this is a perfect opportunity to get you into shape. At least try to jog.” “What about Del? We wouldn’t want to leave her behind or anything,” I attempted. “I have my own means of locomotion,” she said as she called a single fiery undead steed to her side. “I know you could make more of those…” I said with a frown. “It would be best to conserve my energy,” she replied as she moved ahead of us. What was supposed to be a short jaunt in the supernaturally empowered wagon had turned into a cross-country marathon. We’d already been almost running (and limping, and occasionally crying) for three full days, and while I liked the thought of getting myself back into shape, I was pretty sure this would kill me first. “Risa,” I got out between gasps, “Can’t you like...make me not feel this pain?” “Joe...I don’t know if you noticed but I haven’t wanted to use any of my glamour on you--especially anything that would affect your senses directly after the last time.” I saw a look of pain of Risa’s face at even mentioning it and resigned myself to just putting up with the agony. Damn it. Eventually my body would just have to adapt, right? “I just thought I’d ask...how much longer until we get there?” “The rest of today and tomorrow. We should get there about noon of the following day.” With a groan I just tried to take a deep breath resolved to soldier on through the next two days. Each night began in burning torment as my muscles screamed at me for having let them believe that they’d never have to endure this sort of torture again. However, like a pair of mismatched angels, my two companions spent at least an hour each night giving me the best massages I’d ever experienced before lying down to sleep. In answer to my unspoken question, it seems that they opted to include the “happy ending” even without my asking. On the morning of the fourth day, I decided to ask Del about one of the things that had been bothering me. “Del?” “Yes, Joe?” “I want to ask you a question but I don’t want you to be upset.” “I...can make no guarantees as I cannot divine the future.” I took a deep breath and quickly asked, “Why didn’t you try to help me with the dragon?” “This line of questioning will upset me.” “Why, Del? I know you’re powerful...even with just your eromancy, you could have probably disabled her, or made it so that we didn’t have to fight, or-” Interrupting me with a very unexpected burst of emotion, Del interjected, “It would have made me her target! I would not be able to hold back when facing a dragon!” “Why do you feel you need to-” “Please Joe, do NOT ask me this question!” she almost yelled, completely out of character. Completely at a loss as to how I’d upset her so quickly, I replied, “Del, calm down. Okay,” I replied softly as I reached out to pull her into a tight hug, “I was...just--I feel like I’m missing some big, important piece of who you are. Whatever it is, I want you to know that it’s not going to change how I feel about you.” “You...cannot know that, Joe. Just as I could not know if your question would upset me.” Squeezing her a bit more tightly, I added, “I know enough, Del. I won’t press you, but...this seems important. I can wait until you trust me enough to tell me.” “That is not fair, Joe. It’s not because of trust it is-” I interrupted her with a kiss, realizing my mistake, “I didn’t mean it like that, Del. I’m sorry.” “I--Understood. And I...had already decided to tell you after you and Risa have been married.” Suddenly a bit worried about her choice of timing, I added, “Del...I meant it when I said that my dream--all of this only works with you in it.” “I know. I...can only swear to you that as long as you live, there is no force in this world that will kill me--remember that.” “Couldn’t ask for more than that, right? That’ll have to do.” With that, Del’s emotion thankfully seemed to calm back to its normally neutral point and we set out for the day. I’d never seen her anywhere near that emotional since her phylactery had been damaged. This had to be something she’d been carrying for a while, so despite my burning curiosity, I’d let the matter rest for now. Early on the sixth day, we started to see the occasional shadow of things flying overhead. Knowing that this place was called Harpy Rock, I wasn’t surprised to see the bird-women flying about. I was a bit put off by how many forms I was seeing, hoping that this wouldn’t turn into the wrong kind of party. “I guess we’re not climbing the mountain,” I asked, “So where do we find these caves?” “I’d say you found them,” an unfamiliar voice answered before continuing, “Strange company for a Danuki, state your business with The Rock.” While I looked around for the source of the question, I saw a pair of what looked vaguely like children holding a comically large (for their bodies) hammer and spear. Worried that these might be imps (I’d never really gotten a look at those assailants up close) I immediately clung to Del as Risa stepped forward and gave a deep bow of respect. “My name is Risa and this is my companion Delilah. The man cowering about her is my betrothed. We’re here to speak to your leaders about some goblins.” “The council? Do they know you’re coming?” one of the small guards asked. “I highly doubt it, this involves an arrangement with the priestess Serilda.” “Then you’ll definitely want the council. Watch yourself, things have been a bit tense, so keep the peace or you’ll leave in pieces,” the guard said with a sort of smirk at her own bad pun before waving us in, “Just follow that to the main chamber past the pit and then follow the black banners.” As we made our way into the massive tunnel system under this mountain, I wasn’t sure I wanted to let go of Del just yet as Risa suddenly gave an angry grunt. “What is your problem?!” Attempting to come to my aid, Del responded, “He seems to be under the mistaken impression that those were imps.” “Come on, Joe. You can’t go all crazy any time you see a cute little mamono. Those are dwarves--and you’re going to be seeing a lot of them so just calm down.” “Sorry...just had a momentary war flashback there,” I said as I loosened my death-grip on Del. This entire complex turned out to be quite impressive once I was able to look around. I saw many large tunnels lit with a combination of wall sconces and large braziers in the more open areas. As we entered a particularly large cavern, I saw what could only be “the pit”--a somewhat large hole in the middle of the cavern filled with sand and strewn with bones from various different creatures (or people). There didn’t appear to be any fight going on at the moment, but the fact that this even existed here made me worry that this peace plan might be more difficult than I had originally thought. Following the directions given to us by the guard outside, we made our way towards what should be the council chambers. As we made our way deeper into the mountain, we finally came upon a grand hall with an assortment of people waiting outside to see what must be the council. Even with what seemed to be a long line, things seemed to moving along rather quickly. We heard occasional shouting, usually followed by the sounds of a short scuffle before the next people would be admitted. We saw a few people being carried bodily from the chamber, most were unceremoniously tossed outside the chamber, a bit further down the tunnel. “Uh...Risa, I think you should do the talking,” I said nervously, worried that I’d just get us in trouble if I tried to talk here. “Yeah, this seems a bit more...efficient than my dealings with the dwarves of Teremir.” Finally admitted to the large chamber, we saw the council arrayed around us. It seemed as though one seat was empty and one of the members, an elderly-looking dwarf, seemed to be completely asleep. This didn’t seem to be an uncommon occurrence as none of the other sitting members paid the sleeping dwarf any mind. Risa stepped forward and made a quick bow as she was almost immediately interrupted by a purple-haired dwarf. “We make, transport, and sell our own goods here. Your services are not required here. Next!” Losing traction, Risa spoke up, “I--we are here for a completely different reason. We’re here about goblins.” “Goblins?” she answered sharing a look with a now-angry looking harpy, “What about them?” “Well, a...concerned party is hoping that the wise and illustrious council of Harpy Rock might be willing to work out a peaceful end to the conflict with the goblins,” Risa said in a very diplomatic voice that somehow managed to be more flattering than insulting with her over-the-top declaration. “Sounds good to me,” the green-haired harpy replied. “Not now, not ever. If Welbie were here she’d have probably found a way to have you thrown into the pit for that,” the angrier harpy replied. “Sorry to waste your time, but an outsider probably wouldn’t understand. I know many of us would like to see peace, but unless you’re a miracle worker-” the younger dwarf was cut off. “You there...step forward,” the elderly dwarf said as she pointed directly at me, somehow roused from her nap. Wordlessly, I stepped closer to the center and looked up at the older dwarf as she seemed to stare right through me. “Yes?” I asked as politely as I could muster. “How much is this worth to you?” she said as she looked at me, but still clearly addressed the question to Risa. “I won’t break a deal and this is part of it,” Risa said simply. “Well, if you’re getting hitched to a dragon slayer, I’m sure you can figure something out, right?” The younger dwarf spoke up, “We couldn’t come to a decision on this without Welbie anyway--the council is done for the day. Meet me outside.” Making our way from the chamber we waited for only a handful of minutes before the younger dwarf came out and motioned for us to follow. “I’m Betty, by the way. I know you seem to have your hearts set on this but there’s something I need to show you first. Normally I’d just tell you to take a hike, but Magda doesn’t normally wake up unless we’re discussing something important.” “That wasn’t just a coincidence?” I asked. “Could have been. You want me to assume that’s all it was and just send you on your way?” “Uh...no. Sorry, miss-” Interrupting me she responded, “Just Betty is fine.” Despite looking very childlike, Betty was obviously quite mature. Any worries that I might have had about them being anything like those damned imps had been replaced with a genuine curiosity about her people. Leading us down through many tunnels, we finally arrived at what could only be described as a graveyard. There were dozens of markers, possibly even more that we couldn’t see arranged throughout this chamber. “You seem reasonable, Betty.” Risa attempted, possibly trying to further work the diplomacy angle. “You know I’m not the one you need to be trying to sell this to, right?” Betty gestured to a group of three stones and gave a small nod of respect towards them. “This is why your plan isn’t going to work. For you to have any hope of getting this through the council, you’ll need to convince Welbie. And...well, Welbie’s family was killed by a dumb-as-rocks hobgoblin--Fina Sugartits--early on in this feud. Might have been able to work through that if the bitch hadn’t gone and choked to death on a sweetroll before Welbie could dole out some vengeance.” “But there must be some way we can-” Risa began before being cut off with a wave of Betty’s hand. “More stubborn folks than you have tried. Maybe if you could take her in the pit, but I doubt she’d want to fight an illusionist, and she sure as shit won’t tussle with a lich. So that just leaves you,” she said as she pointed a finger in my direction. “If that’s the only way, then I’ll do it,” I said with certainty. “Another human in the pit so soon? You’re going to drive our girls crazy.” Curious now, I asked, “There was another human here? Fighting in the pit?” “Oh yeah. Was supposed to fight a goblin. Younger guy, bit shorter than you, brown hair, blue eyes...not the best fashion sense--his manticore companion ended up getting involved. The whole thing ended up being damn messy.” “You don’t think it’s a problem that a goblin was killed as a sort of public spectacle?” “Not as such. But then this whole thing has been going on a long time-” “Come on!” I interrupted, hoping it wouldn’t prompt her to take that hammer to my skull, “That was still a person, with a name and-” Stopping in her tracks for a moment she turned back to me, “Yeah, she had a name...Sunslayer or something. Why do you care?” I noticed Risa getting nervous. I was probably just making future negotiations harder on her, but something about all of this just seemed wrong. “Is that so strange? Peace would benefit this whole place wouldn’t it? If none of this fighting had ever started wouldn’t Welbie’s family still be alive?” Pausing for a moment, she gave a thoughtful look before responding, “As often as I want to lay my hammer across the back of her stupid head, I still love Welbie like a little sister. I’m helping you because I don’t want to have to look another of our kids in the eye and tell them they don’t get to see their family anymore--but until that day comes, don’t try to judge us on how we treat the enemy. The goblins would do the same thing, if they let any of their victims survive long enough to be prisoners.” I wasn’t about to try and sell my own morality here, especially not in the presence of the dead. Maybe I’d feel the same way if I’d grown up here. “Maybe we can work something out with the goblins,” Risa offered, picking up on my silence. “I’m not going to stop you. You should have at least a few days before Welbie gets back--I’ll make sure we get a message to her, but she’ll definitely get here once she hears what this is about.” “We’ll be back then. We will find a way to resolve this crisis,” Risa said with a bow before leading us from the tunnels back to the outside world. “We won’t fail,” I added with a pointed look at Betty before we made our way from the mountain. ------------------------- “We’re fucked!” Risa screamed the moment we were out of earshot of the guards. “There’s no way to just make the gold you owe the priestess quickly, instead?” I asked. “No way, even if these dwarves were willing to trade with me, I’d get horrible rates and we’d have try and gamble on fights in the pit to make up the rest. That just isn’t going to happen.” “I might have an idea,” I said as I looked to Del before continuing, “But I’m going to need your help, Del.” “If it’s about the goblins, I already have a good plan--you and Risa verified that the method will work on our trip here.” “Uh...my plan was for the dwarves but--wait, are you suggesting that I-” “Del!” Risa shouted out in response, interrupting me. “This is the plan most likely to succeed in the shortest amount of time, with the least amount of effort,” Del replied as she seemed to tick off each of her points in the air with her finger. “I can’t just fuck my way through all of our problems.” “Prior evidence suggests otherwise, love,” Del said with a sly smile. “Damn it, fine. Let me just-” Interrupting me again with an angry look on her face, Risa shot in, “You wanted this to happen, didn’t you?!” “Come on, Risa. I mean...I’m a whore, but I didn’t even think we were going to have to deal with this goblin problem in the first place.” “When we’re married...this shit is going to change.” Getting slightly annoyed and not at all willing to give any ground, I shot back, “Which shit is that? The shit where you borrow money from psychotic bitches in Kaori that send demons to collect?” “You know I didn’t have a choice! It was the only way to keep you alive, you bastard!” “And like you said--I already paid you back for that!” “Then why are you still here?!” Risa now nearly screamed, the volume of her voice still rising. “Because I’m not letting your sweet ass go until you’ve pushed out all seven of my children!” I shouted back, now just trying to see how she’d react. “Oh that’s rich!” she continued to yell, ”And how exactly is that going to happen when you’ll spill your seed into any girl that flips her tail at you?!” “You’re the only girl that’s ever flipped her tail at me! So now you’re stuck with me!” “Fine! Maybe I want to be stuck with you!” “Fine! That’s good then!” I yelled as I put myself almost nose to nose with her, fixing her with an overly serious look. “You’re damn right it-” she tried to scream back before she couldn’t hold back her smile, cracking and then doubling over in laughter, “Damn it, Joe. Why won’t you let me be mad at you?” she said through small bouts of giggles. “Because you know how I feel about you, and sex doesn’t factor in to that.” “Not even a little?” She asked innocently, teasingly batting her eyelashes at me. “I meant with other girls--Del excluded--without love they’re just complex masturbation aids.” “Sometimes it boggles the mind how you can make something so offensive sound sweet.” Finally stealing a kiss from her, I replied, “Hey, I’ve known that I had to make peace with the fact that I could easily be tackled and raped in the street of just about any city. If I let sex be a big deal, that could end up pretty traumatizing.” “So can fucking an entire tribe of goblins.” Del chimed in at that, “Technically, it is two tribes of goblins.” “Thanks Del--always there with the assist,” I said dryly. “There is no need for gratitude. This will be a splendid opportunity to test out a modified version of that spell I used on you and Risa the other day.” “Well, as long as it’s for science.” After spending most of the rest of the day at a brisk walk through the foothills, we came upon a rise and saw our destination in the valley below. I saw what looked like dozens of small shapes wandering about in the village below. I was consumed with only one thought at the sight of so many monsters... “I wonder where I can buy a pair of wide-brimmed purple hats with leopard-print accents to give to Del and Risa…” |
| Chapter 28 - The Game “Just stay close to me”, Risa said as she closed her eyes for a moment. As I watched in rapt fascination, Risa began to slowly shrink as her features started to change, ever so slightly. The transformation was slow at first, but began to move more and more rapidly until her entire appearance had shifted to that of a goblin--one that kept her fiery red hair and enchanting viridian eyes. “That’s great for you, but what about us?” I asked, no less impressed that Risa now looked like a completely different person. “What about you?” she said with a smirk as she pointed to me and Del. Looking down I saw that, at least on a visual level, I had also been changed to look exactly like a goblin. In a moment of panic I quickly reached down to make certain I wasn’t missing anything and realized right away (with a massive sigh of relief) that this was an entirely visual trick. While I certainly looked different, this illusion wouldn’t hold up if someone actually tried to touch me. Catching sight of Del, I couldn’t hold in a laugh at how she looked. She was certainly cute, still sporting her long silvery hair and violet eyes, but her proportions seemed almost intentionally bad with her mountains recast as molehills. Her short stature and wide hips made her look...funny. “You find this amusing?” Del asked me. “Uh…” I began, unable to determine if this was an invitation to later torment, “...yes?” “I like to keep the general theme whenever possible, and they’d mistake her for a hobgoblin with those massive tits of hers,” Risa added with a hint of annoyance. “So, we’re sneaking in?” I asked “At least until we get to the chief and pitch Del’s horrible idea…” “Risa, you must be aware that this will be the easiest path to earning the support of the goblins in this venture.” “Doesn’t it bother you, though? Thinking about him fucking all those other girls?” “Why would it? Goblins cannot manipulate demonic energy effectively so he is in no real danger.” “He’s supposed to be only ours.” “I...enjoy seeing him in the agonizing throes of pleasure--I thought you did as well given your actions the other day while we watched him with Selvirin.” “Damn it, Del! That was--why would you even bring that up?” “I still have a clear memory of you pleasuring yourself and, given your current position on the matter, I assumed you had simply forgotten.” “Let’s just go!” Risa shouted, her illusion not quite powerful enough to hide her furious blushing. As we started to make our way down towards the village, I stealthily leaned down and gave Del a small kiss just above her ear--for some reason, it felt as though her brutal honesty was just what I needed to make this plan feel less half-baked. I’d said that I wouldn’t question the wisdom of Del’s planning again, but maybe I needed to start pressing her for a “plan B” if she was just going to keep thinking of new and inventive ways to keep me squirming on my back. Now that I really thought about it, aside from her random oral assaults and my descent into the dark, I hadn’t actually had sex with Del more than once since leaving the Elysian Valley. I had to ask now before we got too close to the village, and before I completely forgot that I wanted to know. “Del?” “Yes, Joe?” “Um...I’m not sure how to ask this but, did you...uh...like having...sex with me?” I stuttered out, not realizing until I’d started the question how embarrassed I was to ask it. “Interesting. I wondered when you might ask that question.” “Is that a no?” “Quite the opposite.” “So...then why haven’t you…?” “You’ll need to form the question completely if you’d like an answer.” “Why haven’t you tried to take me, or asked me for more or...anything?” “This has been something of a...test.” “Wait, what do you mean?” I asked with a slight edge of frustration. “Since being given the opportunity to plan many of our activities, I used that freedom to construct my planning around forcing you into sexual situations that would place an ever increasing level of stress upon you.” “Uh...why?” “I am not certain. I am experiencing an unfamiliar emotional response that has grown progressively more intense since the evening you initiated sex with Risa of your own accord. When I consider that feeling, I find myself wanting to see you suffer to some degree.” “Let me see if I’ve got this straight, you’ve been jealous and now you’re punishing me?” “That...does not seem to be incorrect.” “But why didn’t you just say something?” “That would defeat the point of the experiment.” “Del...I just--you know I’m a bit shy about asking for that sort of thing.” “That is true, and yet you managed to do so with Risa.” Letting out a sigh at the fact that I hadn’t picked up on this sooner, I asked, “I don’t suppose a promise to remedy that would get me out of this current plan.” “It will not,” she replied with a small smile. “Because you don’t have another plan?” “Is this not a form of seduction? Even now you want to throw yourself upon me--that it is only to avoid the fate I have chosen for you is immaterial.” “I love you, Del.” Blushing slightly, she replied, “I see...a-and I also…” “We all have things that are hard to say, even if they’re true. I’ll just have to show you in a week or two once I’ve recovered--no new plans until then, okay?” “You should be fully recovered within 17 hours of the act, assuming my other calculations are correct. But...I would like that, Joe.” Finally making our way into the village, Risa led us at a very quick pace directly towards the largest hut, making sure we looked like we were supposed to be here just by keeping up her determined stride. We drew curious looks from nearly every goblin we passed, but none of them seemed willing to stop someone that was obviously on their way to see the chief. I mentally applauded Risa’s confidence as I made a few mental notes on some special illusions I’d have to get her to do for me some time. Miraculously we made our way into the chief’s slightly oversized hut without being stopped. Not two steps into the building, however, I was grabbed by the arm and quickly pulled onto the ground. In my descent, I was able to see that Del and Risa had both been restrained by two guards that must have been just inside the building. The moment I hit the ground, I was most struck by the appearance of the one that had thrown me there. Quickly straddling my chest, she looked down at me with an almost angry look which shifted to one of curiosity as she realized that I wasn’t shaped the way I appeared. As I got a better look at the goblin chief, I realized that this was one of very few monsters I’d ever seen that actually looked aged. I had to wonder just how many years it took for a mamono to actually start looking old. “Wait!” Risa said as she dropped the illusions, “We’re here to talk!” “You talk. I’ll start taking his clothes off. Whoever finishes first gets what they want first,” the elder goblin said, her higher-pitched voice commanding but weathered. “But-” Risa began before being quickly interrupted. “Threetwoone go!” the goblin shot out as she started moving me about like a child trying to find the fastest way to tear open a wrapped present. To her credit, Risa only hesitated a moment before loudly proclaiming, “We’re here to make peace with you and the dwarves!” “Damn it,” the goblin replied as she clambered off of me, “Why doesn’t anyone just want to have fun anymore?” As the older goblin walked away to almost throw herself into a too-large chair that left her legs swinging above the ground, I was left to pull my clothes back into place, hiding my exposed skin to a vague grunt of displeasure from the chief. “Let them loose. If they wanted a fight, the deadite would have already ended it,” the chief said to her guards before continuing, “And get out of here, serious business time.” As the two guards quickly shuffled out of the hut, the chief grabbed a very large urn of what smelled like some kind of alcohol and proceeded to consume her entire body weight in hootch. Setting the urn back down after a moment, she looked back towards us, saying, “So...you just going to stare at this hot little body or you going to start talking?” Taking a small step forward, Risa bowed, saying, “I apologize for the deception. I am Risa, this is Joe and she is Delilah. We want to know what it would take to convince you to make peace with the dwarves.” “I am Onyx Sunslayer the Greater, chief of the goblins and Scourge of the Valley.” With another small bow Risa began, “It’s a pleasure to make your-” “Cut the bullshit. You want something I’m not entirely opposed to giving, what’s it worth to you?” Sunslayer? Wasn’t that the name of the goblin that got torn apart in the pit? That couldn’t be good. Risa began again, “We’re willing to offer-” “Not good enough. I want two things, and you’re going to deliver them, cherries?” “We’ll do whatever we can to-” “It’s about to be three things if you don’t pull that stick out of your ass and just talk to me.” Finally picking up on the pace of this conversation, Risa threw her arms in the air and shouted, “Then what the fuck do you want?!” “See, was that so hard? I get enough grief from these little village bitches trying to take my chair. I’m not going to have you doing it too,” the chief said with a smile then added, “Okay, first task. You--Fuzzles, drink this.” Hopping down from her chair, the chief dragged the large urn towards Risa, setting it in front of her. Risa looked down at the impossible task that had just been placed before her and shook her head. “There’s no way I can drink all of this!” “Lords, you’re dumb,” the chief said over her shoulder as she walked back to her chair, leaping back into it. “What do you-” Risa began, interrupted again almost immediately. “You failed the first task. I didn’t say drink all of it, and I didn’t say right now. Now you have to do two more tasks in place of that one, and the tasks are going to get exponentially more embarrassing the more you fail.” I’d gotten the impression that goblins were dumb, and this one was certainly didn’t seem dull. I don’t know that I’d have called her a genius, but I was pretty sure that knowledge of the term “exponentially” suggested at least a passable education. I couldn’t figure out her angle, though. I supposed that Risa was going to try to be polite at any cost in the hopes of being able to honor her bargain, and that was probably going to make this difficult for her. I had an idea on where this was going to go, and I was starting to get worried. “Fine,” Risa said angrily, “What’s the next task?” Rubbing her chin, the chief finally donned a wicked smile as she looked at me, saying, “Alright, Fluffles. I want to see you naked and I don’t want to hear another word about it.” Oh dear. Now I could see where this was going. Risa turned bright red as it looked like she was about to say something before she shook her head and quickly removed her clothes, using her fluffy tail to try and help cover herself. Bringing her knees in towards her body, Onyx wrapped her arms around her own legs and set her chin onto her knees as she just watched Risa silently, a very self-satisfied look on her face. “Not much to look at...no wonder your man needs two women,” the chief said, not averting her eyes. “They’re bigger than yours!” “You’re saying size is all that matters? What does that make you? Delilah’s handmaiden? You wash his balls before the real fun gets started?” she said as she continued to stare at Risa, with her smile continuing to grow. “No! I mean-” “Don’t care!” “Then why did you even ask me to strip in the first-” “Bzzzt! Wrong answer. I said I didn’t want to hear another word about it. Are you even trying?” The chief now seemed to be really enjoying herself, almost lighting up in joy at Risa’s rapidly advancing rage. Trying to whisper, I leaned towards Risa and said, “Calm down and listen to what she’s saying, she-” “Joe,” the goblin chief said loudly, knocking me off balance by using my name. “Don’t speak unless spoken to.” “You’re...uh...speaking to me right now.” “Aren’t I, though?” she then went back to her normal sitting position, allowing her feet to dangle in the air again, saying, “First task completed!” as she tossed me a small glass coin, adding, “Now don’t spend that all in one place.” With a smile I took the coin and threw it at the hard ground, causing it to shatter. “Shouldn’t be a problem now, right?” I asked with a smile. “I suppose it wouldn’t be. Second task completed! But...oh--you’re too good at this game. Time to make things interesting.” “Fine, I get it now. What’s the next task?” Risa said with some confidence. “Oh, you got it? I was getting worried that your...’impressive’ assets were wasted. So the answer to this riddle will be easy,” the chief said before clearing her throat and raising her arm as though she were about to recite poetry, “What...am I thinking right now?” “What?” I thought to myself. This wasn’t even a riddle, this was an impossible question. Looking at Risa, the chief started to almost bounce in her chair, “Come on, jungle muff! It’s easy! Just say what I’m thinking. I just made it even easier for you with that hint, and I’ll give you one more free hint. There are two possible answers.” I knew the answer to this after a bit of contemplation. I seriously doubted that Risa had ever had the experience of being a dungeon master for a D&D game, thinking up ways to specifically screw with players. She was probably over-thinking all of it, too worried about breaking her deal. I took a breath, ready to try and answer before Chief Sunslayer cut me off. “Don’t even think about it, Joe.” “Uh...too late?” “You get so flustered every time I use your name! You imagining something dirty?” she said as she shot me a seductive look, crossing and uncrossing her legs. Averting my eyes from the spectacle, I shook my head, “No no..nothing like that.” “You’re a hilariously bad liar, Joe. Even if I couldn’t see it on your face--you probably didn’t notice both of your companions rolling their eyes at that comment.” “Both of them?” I asked, looking at Del, only to see her look away. “You guys are great. You’re making me second-guess not just taking what your original offer was going to be.” “How could you know what our offer was to be, if I may ask?” Del asked as she leaned in slightly. “You want the abridged version? No...frosty box must be a purist.” “I would prefer-” Del began before being easily cut off. “I know...and it’s too bad you guys need me or I might be persuaded to give a shit about what you would prefer. For starters, your dragonslayer still smells like spider and...ugh, imp? You guys know there’s this stuff called ‘water’ that can wash some of that stink off?” “I fail to see how that-” “Then you’ve spent too much time in the dark. You saw the dwarves first--the look in his eyes since he’s been here has been too judging, even though we’ve been nothing but polite--even let you walk in here with that weak-ass illusion.” “So you wanted to talk to us?” I asked. “Why not? You outworlders always have interesting stories. Only one reason why you could be here--and that you came to me first means there’s only one route you were going to take.” “So why the game?” I asked. “You have any idea how boring it is being the chief here? The only excitement I get anymore is putting down a revolt a few times a year. This chair isn’t even comfy and all the girls out there still want to try and take it. It might be interesting if they had a chance, but I’m the strongest goblin alive! Well...maybe second strongest...Now, quit stalling and fail my challenge.” Risa had a look on her face that loudly proclaimed she had no idea of the answer to the “riddle” and she was starting to look upset. She took a deep breath before taking a shot in the dark and said, “Jungle muff.” “Wrong! Now you need two more! Come on! You want to take a stab, miss dead girl?” “You are unarmed,” Del said simply. “Hmm...scary smart, that one. But I’ll give you that one. Task complete!” the chief said as she pulled a large iron bell from under her chair and started ringing it. “One task to go! Alright Fuzzle Puff, this one is on you. I want to see you swallow your man’s liquid within 12 seconds, starting….now!” Risa looked like she was going to die--of embarrassment or an aneurism, I wasn’t certain. I tried--I really tried not to laugh. Even though I knew I’d probably be in trouble later, it just would not be contained. Thinking she’d been asked to do the impossible and already embarrassed at having been standing here naked this whole time, I saw the tears starting to well up in her eyes. With a quick sigh I shuffled over to her and gave her a deep kiss for several seconds. And then, while still fighting the giggles, I motioned to her to swallow, which she quickly managed as realization dawned on her that the task was a lot easier with your mind out of the gutter. “Oooh, sexy,” the goblin chief said as she threw the bell back under her chair causing a cacophonous clatter, “Task completed! Anyway, now that the fun is out of the way, I have the two real tasks for you.” “But we-” Risa began before cutting herself off as she continued. “Fine. Just out with it,” Risa said in frustration. “This is for real this time, and they won’t be easy like those last ones,” Chief Sunslayer said as the smile left her face completely. “If you don’t succeed on both of them on the first try, I won’t help you.” It didn’t seem like she was joking this time and I had no idea what she might come up with if she was serious about testing us. Seeing her demeanor shift so quickly wasn’t entirely unexpected given what I’d heard about goblins being devious, but it was still a bit unsettling. “Real task number one. Come up with a game that I cannot win, no matter the opponent,” Onyx said as she hopped back into her chair and leaned back in satisfaction waiting for our answer. “I’ve got this one,” I said to my companions with a smile after only a moment of thought. “I just need some parchment and some ink or something.” Risa bent over to rummage through her large bag in an attempt to find what I needed. I took the opportunity to give her a light smack on her exposed ass for getting so serious about this whole thing, and to hopefully lighten her mood. As her angry gaze fell upon me, I brushed one of her unruly strands of hair back behind her ear and smiled. She just shook her head, trying to hide her own returning smile, as she handed me the items I requested. “You sure about this?” Risa asked. “Oh yeah, you’ll have to ask me about it later. I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.” Using the hard surface of the nearby wall, I wrote two simple statements on the parchment before folding it in half and handing it to the chief. Risa looked nervous, while Del just seemed to be curious as to what I’d written down. After nearly a minute of deafening silence, the chief gave a snort and then burst into all-out laughter as she nodded in the affirmative, “Okay okay, that’s a good one. Task complete.” Both of my companions shot me a very surprised look as the chief’s laughter quickly died and she took on a deadly serious appearance. It felt as though all the warmth left the room in that moment as she fixed her fierce gaze upon us. “Real task number two,” she began as her eyes seemed to narrow, “Tell me what happened to my daughter.” As I started to agonize over how we would answer, Del inelegantly slaughtered that problem. “She was killed in the pit--by all accounts she was torn apart by a human and his manticore companion.” “Joe,” the chief began after a moment, “I envy you having such companions.” “You...aren’t upset?” I asked. “Just that I didn’t get to do it myself. She tried to poison me twice, hired two kunoichi to assassinate me, and hid half a dragon’s horde under my bed--THAT was a fun Thursday, let me tell you.” “You fought a dragon?” I asked in awe, almost unwilling to accept the possibility. “She crunched about ten of my girls so I got angry. Beat her half to death in her true form--broke a wing and two legs then held her mouth shut until she went back to normal size. It’s hard to look high-and-mighty with half your face caved in, so I gave her some mermaid blood and told her to come back when she learned how to fight.” “You let her go?” “Thought she’d keep things interesting. We spar occasionally, but she usually just comes by for tea every now and then.” “Wait...what does that have to do with my companions?” “Not a damn thing. I’ve just been around enough to know that, while Delilah was honest with me, her eyes told me an entirely different story.” “What are you trying to imply?” Del asked, almost sounding annoyed. “Don’t ask questions to which you don’t want to hear the answers, Delilah. I’m sorely tempted to answer that question and just throw you under the wagon, but I’d rather you just finish offering me the deal you had in mind in the first place.” “But...didn’t we get your approval by finishing those two tasks?” Risa asked. “You did, but Delilah had to know that my word wouldn’t be enough to earn the support of both tribes. This plan will work, but I can tell she had a better plan ready to go. You piss her off, Joe?” With a deep sigh as I resigned myself to this fate, I replied, “Something like that. You can believe me that it won’t happen again after this…” “Yeah, I bet. I can actually smell your neurons firing in anticipation. But whatever, we’ll say...twice for each member?” “That’s nearly a hundred times!” Risa shouted. With a wicked smile, Chief Sunslayer countered, “104, and you’re right. Let’s make it three--unless you want to haggle some more?” Mouthing obscenities under her breath, Risa turned to Del, “Can your eromancy handle that much?” “It can if you brought the mixture I requested.” Producing a small vial from her bag, Risa handed it to Del, “Here...you know this is several thousand gold worth of materials, right?” “Oooh, what’s that?” the chief asked, suddenly curious again. “You may recognize the components from the scent,” Del said as she removed the small stopper for only a moment, causing a...strange scent to almost fill the room. “Whoo, you girls aren’t messing around! I’m getting some alraune nectar and...manticore venom from the scent. The rest is a jumble.” “I’d prefer to keep it that way. ‘She’ would never forgive me if I gave out this recipe.” “Suit yourself, I’ll send out the call. We’re doing this in the center of the village,” Sunslayer said as she hopped down from her chair and headed towards the door, “Be out there in...oh, let’s say an hour or so, savvy?” I gave a simple nod in response as the chief headed out. With my knees starting to shake, I sat on the ground and was fighting to hold back some unexpected tears. “What’s wrong, Joe?” Risa asked as she leaned in close to me, wrapping a comforting arm around me. “I...I’m starting to feel sick. I really don’t want to do this…” “But you seemed completely fine with it earlier!” “I’m stupid, I know. Just thinking about it didn’t seem to bother me, but...there’s going to be fifty--oh, god,” I said as I keeled over onto my side, the knots in my stomach giving me the urge to vomit. “Why didn’t you say something before now? We could have tried to think of a better plan.” “Because I’m an idiot! This is just like when I thought I could handle the 7-pound prime rib challenge…” Why was I so upset? This was just more of the same thing that had been thrown in my face nearly every moment of every day since I came to this world. I thought I had made peace with it--no. I had made peace with it. It was as though I needed to be upset but had no idea upon what to lay the blame. It was- Lightly stepping to my side, Del leaned down and began to gently stroke my head, almost cooing to me, “I am sorry, Joe. I...need you to know that I would never truly wish to upset you. I...will never put you through anything like this again.” Damn it. It was right there in Del’s voice. Even if she’d told me that she’d come up with this plan while stroking a cat, only stopping to intermittently tent her fingers and laugh diabolically, it wouldn’t have bothered me. Even though I had unintentionally upset Del, I couldn’t believe that she would do something like this as a form of revenge. This hinged on something about which she had absolutely no desire to talk. She wasn’t putting me through this--she was putting herself through it. Blinking away my sadness, I looked up at Del and said, “Del...just promise me that if there’s ever anything else bothering you, you’ll tell me before getting us into something like this.” “I would prefer that you simply be more attentive…” “So did my parents, friends, and teachers my entire life--I have a sort of mental disorder that makes it very difficult to focus or...well...pay attention really.” “I see…” “But...I have been watching. I’m just not as smart as you, you know? Some things I won’t be able to figure out unless you tell me...especially if you’re trying to avoid them entirely.” “Understood. I will...try, my love.” “That’s enough for me. So...am I going to be able to handle this?” “Yes Joe, you suffered no physical or mental damage under a longer period of duress with Risa. This...will be over before you know it. It shouldn’t take more than five or six hours,” Del said, trying to sound comforting. “Damn it, I guess we’re going to call this trip a total loss. Here,” Risa said in mock frustration as she handed me a large skin filled with liquid. “Drink that too, it’s preserved holstaurus milk--it’ll make you feel better. Can’t have you falling apart this close to the wedding.” I wanted to be somewhere--anywhere else. Even as the cool liquid ran down my throat, calming my stomach, I was still feeling upset. Didn’t I have this whole place figured out? Rape, sex, marriage, kids, and then happily ever after--wasn’t that how this was all supposed to go? I felt like my adventure flowchart was just a circle between the two points “fuck” and “mind fuck”. Trying to take my mind off of my upcoming trial, I asked, “So what is that stuff you have there supposed to do?” “Well, this was a special tonic developed by an ancient succubus with whom I used to...associate. It will dull your mind slightly, while vastly increasing your lust. It will also greatly increase your spiritual energy output, ejaculatory issue, and semen production.” “And the goblins aren’t going to hurt me, right?” Placing her hand upon my chin, Del turned me to face her directly, “If any harm comes to you, I will tear the soul of the offender to pieces and plunge those pieces into a pit of agony until the very gears of the world cease to turn.” “Del,” I began, “You need to talk like that more often--gets me all hot and bothered.” Her response was only a light blush as she backed up and then immediately found something fascinating about her feet. Finally feeling a bit more reassured--or resigned--I hadn’t decided, I placed a quick kiss upon each of my companions, saying “Fuck it, no guts no glory. I’m not ready to tear up my man card just yet, so let’s get this done.” Quickly stripping myself down, I took the small vial in hand and strode out of the hut into a veritable sea of goblin flesh, hearing a lewd cheer, complete with horns and waving banners, erupt as I emerged. Not able to remember when I’d ever done anything so stupid, I downed the strange mixture and pushed my way to the center of the village. As the elixir began to work its way through my system, this idea started to make a lot more sense. Giving in to the sudden urge to lick my lips in anticipation, I thought to myself, “Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.” Finally making my way to the center of the village and feeling slightly drunk, I shouted, “Who’s first!? Come get some!" |
| Chapter 29 - Is Risa Gonna Have to Choke a Lich? -OR- Keeping that Imp Hand Strong Taking the initiative as leader of her tribe, Chief Sunslayer was going to be the first. In my drug-addled state I was pretty sure she was moving too damn slow. I was also pretty sure I was watching a movie, actually. The direction and cinematography were horrible and without any sort of nuanced composition. Here, this scrawny-looking male lead just tosses this short, horned goblin (with grey hair--nice casting choice) down onto this big pile of hay and just starts going at it, cleverly avoiding any pretense that might suggest technique. Luckily, the poorly crafted scene concludes in just over a minute with the elder goblin somehow, inexplicably, looking extremely satisfied as a very large-breasted goblin (possibly hobgoblin...where’s my script?) moves to take her place, nearly leaping upon him to continue the act. She paid me no heed when I tried to yell “Cut! That’s a wrap, people!” One. I felt so strange. No longer feeling outside of myself, I was now somehow associating completely inappropriate images with every action that transpired here. Luckily, this hobgoblin seemed to like it with my teeth on her nipples. It was really only a compromise to avoid drowning in her pillowy mountains of breast-flesh, but each nick of my teeth created the most delightful resulting squeezing, vibrating sensation below--like a remote switch on a joy-buzzer. Even though it felt as though she was gripping me with her hand, I resolved to make her scream before she could claim her prize. I ultimately failed as my pale nectar jetted from me with the force of a clown shot from a clown cannon. Two. What was I doing again? Something about clowns? The only thing of which I could be certain is that someone in the goblin horde decided that this whole process wasn’t moving fast enough, letting out a shout to exclaim exactly that. Every single one of my appendages was then almost instantly put to use by the grinding insistence of moist goblin flesh, with exploring tongues and fingers demanding my body’s more rapid release. Twenty Three. My world had narrowed to a hazy pink tunnel with things that needed to be filled at the other end. As each smiling, then surprised, then lust-addled face was covered in my undirected, affectionless kisses, my seemingly titanium-clad magic wand cast a river of potential life into each desperately willing recipient. Seventy Seven. small scene with Delilah She shot me a slight grin as she turned away. At that, I felt the touch of her magic claim me once more as my lucidity was lost, once again, to the overpowering whispers of perdition. My body eagerly answered the call as another horned girl took her place above me. One Hundred and Twenty Nine. In a horrifying moment of awakening, I realized I was still locked within my goblin prison. Just a moment before I had been passing through a pearlescent gate nestled among the clouds to greet my long-passed relatives. “Oh Joe!” my sweet Gram Gram exclaimed, “You shouldn’t be here already! What happened?” “Oh Grammy, it was horrible. I had to have sex with two tribes of goblins. They just took me over and over--I wanted to-” “Oh, you poor dear. You must be so confused to find yourself here, let me get you pointed in the right direction.” With that, she pushed me down and painfully stomped me through the cloud bank, sending me tumbling through open sky towards a dark pit below. That was when I awoke again in horror, denied the sweet eternity of punishing flames only to suffer further in this living goblin hell. One Hundred and Fifty One. I didn’t know how many were left, but most of them were gone or sleeping in piles around me, the colorful banners and jubilant atmosphere all but vanished. It looked like an ancient army camp, brutally crushed by an enemy that was determined to violate every single combatant. The pain was indescribable. With the effects of the powerful succubus tonic still active, I still felt a shameful desire, but I was completely incapable of moving my body. The only thing still keeping my sexual functions operating was Del’s eromantic pulses that rocked my body like a defibrillator, the uncontrolled spasms being the only remaining action of which my body was still capable. One Hundred and Fifty Six. The enemy had laid its siege upon me, battering my body, my will, and my soul with every weapon at its disposal. As the full moon finally reached its zenith and shone down upon the center of the village like a spotlight--I remained. It was no exaggeration to say that every part of me was in excruciating pain. I was too tired to close my mouth or even to blink my eyes without extreme effort. Each ragged breath took a dedicated focus and had become my entire reality. Even so, I took each stabbing intake of air as a personal victory. Levering my eyes down upon my body, I saw countless bruises, scrapes, and other physical reminders of the impossible act I had just perpetrated. With a slightly faster intake of breath--the only thing I could muster to pass for a laugh--I saw that this was now the second time in my life that my genitals had actually been bruised. Unable to do anything more than stare into the cool, clear night sky. I was finally shaken from my reverie by Risa and Del staring down at me with a concerned look. Del also looked to be extremely exhausted, though if it was from worry or magical exertion, I couldn’t be certain. “You okay, Joe?” Risa asked, now obviously far more concerned than she had initially appeared. Try as I might, my voice had given out completely at some point several hours ago and I couldn’t even begin to work up the energy to nod my head. I directed my eyes towards her and blinked once, if only to at least show her that I had heard her. “Here, I’m going to help you drink this--it’s a bit more of that holstaurus milk. I...don’t know how much good it’ll do, but I don’t think you should risk trying to eat anything right now.” I blinked. With that, Risa and Del tried to gently bring me closer to a seated position. The pain of movement shot through me like icy spears forced into every nerve ending. I would have screamed if I’d had the ability to do so but had to settle for a voiceless quasi-grimace and a series of four blinks in an attempt to voice my displeasure. Ever so slowly, I was slowly fed the cool liquid, each drop the most satisfying thing to ever cross my lips. Del carefully massaged my throat to help the refreshing milk go down more easily. I would have smiled if I could. Even while I wanted to curse this helpless body, being tended to again by my loving companions, I felt completely different this time. Perhaps it was that I felt like I’d actually accomplished something important to help Risa finally put that whole debt behind her for good, or that I’d managed to share part of the experience with Del. “Hey hey! Look who’s not dead,” came the weathered voice of the goblin chief as she wandered over to us, avoiding the piles of sleeping goblins on the ground nearby. “He’s tougher than he looks,” Risa added, slightly defensively. “You sure about that? Pretty sure his pubic bone felt like a bag of gravel on that last ride.” “You assured us he would not be harmed in any way,” Del began as she took on a decidedly sinister look. “Well, lucky for you guys, I keep a little stash of fishy blood around for those opponents that are worth a second tussle,” she said as she handed a small vial to Del. “This still is not-” “Alright, look. You’re about to hear something that not a single other person alive has heard, so shut up and listen,” she said as she looked around and then leaned in close, “I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have happened and...well, I’m going to kick in a little something extra for the trouble.” “Something extra?” Risa asked excitedly, apparently ready to completely forgive the fact that my entire pelvic region had been shattered into what was probably a lumpy mass of bone fragments. “Joe already told me what he wants,” Del added, apparently satisfied that we’d be able to carry out my other plan more easily now. “You sure you want that?” Sunslayer asked. “How could you know-” Del started before being quickly cut off. “You’ll just have to wonder about that one, Delilah. It’s up on that small hill--the one with the wagon next to it--also yours now. Already did the digging for you. Now feed him that shit and get him up to my hut to sleep.” “You’re letting us stay in your own home?” Risa asked, seeming like she was trying to adjust to talking to a completely different person. “No, I’m letting him stay there. We--that’s you two and I--need to have a little chat to work out the details of this peace treaty.” With a short sigh of frustration, Risa answered, “I was really hoping we’d get to at least sleep with him…” “This would be the ideal time to-” Del began. “Listen to Delilah, Fluffy Butt. Now lay him on this and we’ll carry him up,” Onyx said as she pulled out a large cloth sheet and helped Risa gingerly place me upon it. Once I was placed in what must have been the softest, most comfortable bed I’d ever laid upon, Del slowly poured the small vial of dark liquid into my mouth, again helping me to swallow. It tasted like blood and was not at all pleasant, nor was the following sensation of screaming agony that ran over me nearly the moment the blood reached my stomach. Every scrape, cut, and bruise burned with searing pain as my body began to knit itself back together. The pain was a far cry from that bone-piercing needle Del had used to reattach my arm and leg, but it still made me attempt to cry out in vain at the shock. Most painful were the scars on my face that continued to burn long after the rest of my body had calmed down, still challenging my attempts to breathe easily. I’d worry about what that could mean whenever I woke up. My companions both stole a kiss from my unresisting lips before heading out with the chief. I passed into slumber almost immediately, my eyelids finally also having grown too heavy to be supported. |
| Chapter 30 - Subtlety It shouldn’t have been unexpected to wake up to varying degrees of sexual stimulation, but in this case it was surprising because the expected, associated pain never manifested. Whatever that blood was (fishy?), it had literally worked magic upon me. I found that I could move again, albeit with a (still less than expected) measure of soreness. Finally opening my eyes, I expected to see Del earning the age-old reward for the early bird. What I saw instead was myself alone in a room. The sensations continued unabated and I worried that this was some remaining effect of the strange tonic I consumed before the “event.” As I wondered how difficult such an effect would make traveling, and how the goblin chief might feel about her fluffy blankets being...soiled, any chance I might have had to move or stop the onrushing consequence of such stimulation was lost in a shivering flash of release. “Damn it, that’s just great,” I said, almost throwing my hands in the air. As I made to get up and try to salvage what was probably going to earn me more than a frown from Chief Sunslayer, I heard what sounded like a high-pitched cough coming from under the blanket. Truly afraid of what I might find, I threw the blanket wide to see a really small figure wrapped around my morning stiffness, not even able to get her arms around the width, but still covered in the gooey result of her efforts. She looked up at me, apparently surprised that she’d been discovered. With a girlish yelp on my own part, I grabbed the small figure and was about to throw her just as I might have if I’d found an insect latched on to me. As I wound up to toss the small figure, I paused as I heard her start to scream. “Wait wait! Stop! I’m sorry!” she quickly fired off in her small voice. “I don’t believe you,” I said, even as I knew I’d never actually throw her, now that I knew she wasn’t mindless. “Please! I’ve been cursed and I just needed some of your...energy.” “Oh yeah? Well why don’t you try just asking me?” “Could I-” she began. “No,” I said with an air of finality. “Why not!? You have any idea how many hours it took me to catch up to you after I saw you in the hills?” “Do you have any idea how little I care? Despite the fact that you fit in the palm of my hand, you still tried, and partially succeeded, in raping me while I slept.” “I saw your companions! I know they’ve done the same thing!” she shouted in her defense. Now that I actually thought on it--tickling episode aside--neither Del or Risa had ever truly forced themselves on me. Given the way everything else seemed to work in this place, that thought provoked a feeling of warmth that ran through my entire body. “You’re wrong,” I began, “Neither of them has ever done that.” “W-well…” she hesitantly began, “Fine, I’ll just leave you alone and die out in the hills of starvation…” Here we go again. First a sniffle, then the trembling, and then I’d do whatever she asked. Luckily my willpower didn’t have to weather that test as Chief Sunslayer entered the room with my two companions in tow. “Joe,” Risa began angrily, “This had better not be what it looks like.” “Does it look like she raped me in my sleep?” “No, it looks like you let the big, bad fairy have her way with you!” “I didn’t see her! I thought it was just an after-effect of that stuff you had me drink yesterday.” “That was two days ago,” Del added, “But that is an otherwise reasonable deduction.” “Whoa! That is not a fairy,” the chief added, “Give her to me.” “No! She’ll eat me!” the tiny figure shouted as I handed her to Onyx. “You little bitch, you’re about to wish I’d just eaten you,” the chief said as she looked the figure over. “Wait, you’re not actually going to hurt her, are you?” “Aww, already soft for your new snuggle buddy?” Risa said, her words dripping with sarcasm. “Well...no, I just don’t like seeing anyone get hurt, especially if it’s over me.” “Joe, I’m a pacifist and even I want to squish her,” Risa replied. “I have a better idea,” Del added as she moved in closer, an almost sinister gleam in her eye. “You guys know this witch is the reason we’ve been fighting with the dwarves, right?” "Witch? I thought she was some kind of fairy or sprite," I added. “No, that was another witch, I wouldn’t do something like-” “I see...a size curse reflection,” Del said with a nod, “May I?” “Go for it, I was just going to squish her anyway,” the chief said as she handed the small witch to Del. As Del stared at the small witch, Risa moved closer and started to look me over. As she tentatively prodded me in various locations, I was pleased to find that there was no real pain. As she was distracted, checking my shoulder for bruising, I couldn’t resist rubbing one of her adorable ears. “Hey, I’m trying to check you over.” “And I’m trying to enjoy rubbing your cute little ears,” I said with a smile as I pulled her into a hug, effectively halting any chance she had to continue her examination. “I’m still angry with you,” Risa said as she contradicted her statement by snuggling closer to me. “How was I supposed to know something that small was going to assault me? When I first woke up I thought it was you or Del.” “I don’t know how many more times I’m going to let you get away with the ignorance excuse. Fine, I don’t feel like being angry anymore,” Risa relented almost immediately as she wrapped her tail around my leg. Looking over at Del, I saw that she had opened her palm, allowing the small witch to stand freely upon it. “What are you going to do to me?” the witch asked. “I’m thinking about ending your curse, and pondering the price that I would demand for such a task.” “Really?! I’ll do anything!” “That is exactly what I was hoping you might say.” “Well...I mean-” “You will tell us how and why you instigated the feud between the goblins and Harpy Rock, and you will offer us an unbound boon.” “Unbound?! You must be joking, I’d rather-” “Risa?” Del asked. “Don’t wanna move, just squish her,” Risa replied as she seemed to be quickly falling asleep. Looking back down at the small witch, Del continued, “Offering to let you keep your life would be more than enough payment for these demands--that I will also end your curse should be all the motivation you need to accept these terms.” “Fine, you already have a contract prepared?” the tiny witch said, her imperious tone suggesting she felt it unlikely that Delilah would have something like that on hand. In response to the question, dark runes began to appear on Del’s hand stopping just short of the witch’s feet. “Always,” Del said as the words seemed to glow slightly. “Damn necromancy...This is the most iron-clad demonic contract I’ve ever seen...can you-” “Place your mark on the line. There will be no negotiation.” “Fine,” the witch said angrily as she made a small motion, causing a pair of runes to appear near the bottom of this contract. “Accepted,” Del said as she set the small witch on the ground, “Now stand still, this will hurt.” With that, Delilah closed her eyes a moment as a black miasma surrounded the tiny figure. Looking on curiously, I saw the cloud grow larger and more opaque until it appeared as a solid black sphere. With a slicing motion of her arm, the sphere cracked and then shattered in a blinding explosion of darkness. As the light returned to the room, I looked over at my assailant and assumed that the curse had been only partially broken as I saw what looked like a young girl clad in flowing wizard-like robes. “Did you only get part of it?” I asked. “While the reflection was done by another powerful witch, destruction is far easier than creation. The curse was broken. I assume you are confused by her stature?” “Yeah...she’s just a little kid?” Conjuring a staff from thin air, she swung it as if to strike me, stopping just before the weapon made contact with my skull. “What? Why can’t I hit you?” the witch asked angrily. Del smiled as she stepped between us and answered, “It would be a death sentence for you if you had, but you’ll just have to ponder on the reason. Now, speak.” “Fine. I was trying to get them to kill each other off so I could make a pact with the Ignis.” “Ha!” Onyx shouted in response, crossing her arms in an attempt to appear more imposing. “An Ignis will normally only make a pact with a male, I assume this one is special?” “Yeah, but it’s a lost cause. They’ve been at it for fifty years and I’m tired of waiting.” “And how did you instigate the feud in the first place?” “Really, you can’t blame me for that--though I suppose I may have made it worse. It was some human over which a goblin and dwarf were fighting. I offered the goblin a way to take the dwarf out of the picture…” “Yeah, and a fat lot of good it did. You may as well have written ‘evil elixir’ on the item you gave me,” Onyx spat out at the witch. “It’s not my fault you goblins have all the subtlety of an Oni at a wine tasting-” “Subtlety?! This whole body is subtlety--it’s my middle name, actually. Onyx Subtlety Sunslayer the Greater, Scourge of the Valley!” the chief exclaimed before busying herself with something on the other side of the hut. “Truly, I can’t imagine when I’ve heard a more profoundly clandestine name,” the witch replied as she rolled her eyes. Somewhat curious to know, I had to ask, “So what’s your name anyway?” “Miranda. Any other pointless questions?” “None that I can imagine. Now, for the boon…” Del began as she seemed to ponder her actual request. “I’m particularly proud of my ice control if you’d like to-” “No. You will place the Boon of Ten-Steps Reversal on this man.” “You must be joking. How could you even know about that? It’s forbidden in all but two regions!” “I’ll answer your question in exchange for another unbound boon--shall I draw up the contract?” “No! But this will literally kill me if I don’t gather more energy before the boon takes effect.” “That is not our concern. Place the rune and leave.” “Fine, but you didn’t get this from me--if one of the lords sees or even hears that you used something like this-” “I have no need of a lecture.” With a deep sigh of surrender, Miranda moved back towards the bed. I wasn’t able to move as Risa had fallen completely asleep as she nestled against me, so I just waited for what I assumed would be a painful experience. Instead, the witch simply traced her finger across my forehead a few times and then turned to leave. “That’s it?” I asked. “It is just a rune, what were you expecting?” Del replied as the witch left the hut entirely. “I don’t know...you made it sound so grand that I figured there was some sort of horrible, demoralizing ritual involved. You sure you want to let her go? What if my plan doesn’t work?” I said with a slight smile in Del’s direction. “There is still time if you’d like to perform such a ritual. Otherwise, she needs to stay alive for the boon to work. In addition, I have decided that your plan has the greatest chance of success in these circumstances.” “So what does this boon even mean?” “It would be better if you did not know, or you might misuse it.” The chief almost burst into the room, adding, “You said demoralizing, you putting on a show?” “No, Joe was mistaken.” “And now Fluffy McMuff is sleeping in my bed...fine, whatever. I can sleep tomorrow.” “Thank you,” I said to the chief as she made her way to the door. “Don’t get all mushy on me now--that’s the most fun my girls have had in years. Never seen a man actually volunteer to run that gauntlet, but you’ve got our support. Don’t fuck it up with the Rock and maybe I can see a few years of peace before they put me in the ground.” “We won’t--I have a plan,” I answered. “Wish I could be there to see her face when you try it--I’ll be waiting for the signal.” The chief then left the hut with a wave as Del moved to lay next to me as well. “You okay? You seemed really tired the last time I saw you.” “A distant seal has been broken. My past cannot remain buried forever, it seems. Events have been set into motion that are greatly troubling. So, it was not exhaustion, I was-” “Oh, and here I was ready to offer my energy, but if you don’t need it…” I said with a smile, hoping to lighten her mood. With a look of surprise that she quickly subdued, she placed her hands on her hips and looked down at me. “I don’t enjoy being toyed with.” Giving her a stupid grin in response, I answered, “You think I do? It’s not like I get the chance to even try all that often. Honestly though, after whatever was in that blood you guys fed me, I feel too awake to try to go back to sleep right now.” “I...suppose I could remedy that.” “Just don’t go too crazy, I don’t want to wake Risa.” “As you wish, love.” With that, Del set about slowly, but deliberately, drawing away my desire to remain awake, kindly offering her summoned skeletal hands to keep me from making enough noise to wake my sleeping Danuki. short scene with Del --Later that evening-- “Where are you going?” Del asked. “The bushes I guess, I don’t see a chamber pot,” Risa answered as she moved quickly from the hut. Finding a fairly secluded spot to take care of her urgent business, Risa jumped to hear a voice nearby. “I told you he was just going to hurt you.” “Karisa! How did you-” “I always know where you are. You felt every single one of those goblins ravishing him as a personal attack upon you.” “Just leave us alone! I’m done listening to you.” “He’s fragile, weak, and easily distracted by any piece of teasing flesh willing to dampen his cock.” “Right, and that’s why you tried to marry him when he was a damn vegetable.” “I was only trying to protect you.” “I don’t want your protection, your advice, or anything else you have to offer. Leave us alone.” “I’m not here to cause trouble, just to give you a warning--give up on this man or it will be your undoing.” Before she was able to respond, Risa looked around to find that she was once again alone with nothing around her but the cool night air. |
| Chapter 31 - How to Lose Friends and Alienate people “They are still sleeping, can you not wait a bit longer?” I heard Del ask as I started to rouse from my lich-induced slumber. “It’s my bed and I’m laying in it right now,” I heard the chief say. Coming awake enough to respond to the discussion I thought I was hearing, I said, “You can snuggle if you want, but no sex.” With a small snort of laughter, Onyx slid herself forcefully between me and Del, saying, “Don’t flatter yourself, Joe. What makes you think I’d even want another go with someone so scrawny?” “Oh, I don’t know. Your hand trying to slide down my pants right now?” “Fallacious! Erroneous! Unequivocal!” she said as she thankfully stopped trying to dig for my buried treasure and seemed content to just steal Delilah’s spot. “Del?” “It is fine, I will prepare the wagon for delivery,” she said as she left the chief’s hut. “See, even Delilah said it was fine,” Onyx said as she grabbed onto me as though I were a giant stuffed animal. “Urk...little tight there, chief.” “You men like it tight, so just shut up and enjoy it. I never get to cuddle after sex.” “So...uh, was the last guy worth starting this feud?” I asked, trying to get her mind as far from me as possible. “Come on, Joe. If I wasn’t the chief here, you’d never have given me a second look. He was...different.” “But if that’s the case, why did you even deal with that witch?” “She told me she’d seen him fucking around with a dwarf--I knew she was lying, but it got me thinking that the Rock always had more to offer than this village. I just tried to strike first and take the prettiest dwarf out of the picture.” “And what happened to the guy?” “Got all pissy about it and went off to be a mercenary or something. I would have chased him down…” Suddenly curious, I asked, “So why didn’t you?” “Didn’t want all my girls to die in a fight I started. Responsibility is my middle name, after all...Onyx Responsibility Subtlety Sunslayer the Greater, Scourge of the Valley.” “Well, you know this whole play for peace was so some evil priestess could get her hands on a bunch of humans or something--you could always try to get in on that, right?” “I dunno, maybe. I’ve been through nine husbands and they’re always such a pain in the ass. Always bitching about something or another--’Can’t I be on top once in a while?’ or ‘Why do you always have to use the strap on?’ or ‘I haven’t slept in three weeks’, and the classic ‘Will I ever see my old wife and kids again?’ Such a hassle. “Uh…” I began, lost for words. “That last one was a joke, dumbass. Once they get a taste of Sunslayer, they’re ruined for any other woman anyway.” Taking that as my cue to get the hell out of here with all haste, I pinched Risa on the shoulder, causing her to start awake. “Oh hey! Risa’s up. We should probably get out of your hair…” “Maybe I don’t wanna let you leave,” Onyx said as she squeezed a bit more tightly. “Risa, didn’t you need some help with that thing?” I asked, trying to find a way out of what felt like a downhill slide into oblivion. Sitting up and looking down at me as she rubbed her eyes, she asked, “What thing?” Giving my best deer-in-headights look, I answered, “You know, that thing you told me about on the way up here.” “Oh, that thing? Del and I took care of it, so it’s fine.” “Damn it, Risa,” I thought to myself as I watched her stand up and stretch. Why did she have to pick now to be completely oblivious? “I should really go outside for a jog or something. Can’t stay in bed all day again. I also need to pee--and I’m hungry...and Del probably needs-” I rambled on and on trying to find an excuse that would stick. “Fine!” Sunslayer shouted as she pushed me from the bed to land on the ground at Risa’s feet, “I know you just don’t like me…” she said as her voice made it seem like she was about to cry. “Look, I’m-” I began as I raised myself back up to look at her again, only to see her smiling and shaking her head. “Damn, you’re easy,” she said as she hurled what passed for her underwear at me with a laugh, “If you change your mind, I’ll just be sleeping here all naked and vulnerable.” “Well, I’ll certainly keep that in mind. We’ll see you again once we’ve convinced The Rock to go for this peace plan.” In response Onyx simply rolled over and gave a lazy wave as Risa and I headed outside. As we stepped into the bright light of late morning, Del approached the two of us. “The wagon is in transit. Are you well enough to travel, Joe?” “Yeah, wherever we’re heading, I think I actually want to jog.” Showing an uncharacteristic morning grumpiness, Risa asked, “You sure you don’t want to just spend the day balls-deep in goblin again?” “That reminds me...Risa, what the fuck? Were you not listening in there?” “I heard you getting all friendly right before you pinched me,” she said as she turned away in a huff. “Oh, my apologies. Next time I try to do something nice like kill time to let you sleep, I’ll just not do that. That pinch was the signal that we needed to go!” “Then why didn’t you just say that?!” “Are you kidding me?! I told you I wanted to help with ‘that thing’ so you could drag me out of there, and you threw me back to the wolves!” “Maybe you just need to be more clear about your intentions, then!” “Risa, listen. I’m not doing this bullshit again...and definitely not this fucking early in the morning.” “Why can’t you-” Interrupting her, I shot in, “Risa, I know you’ve been through some shit, so maybe it’s hard to trust that I was telling the truth, but I want to make something clear. When I said you were stuck with me, I meant that there is nothing that will keep you from me.” “What if-” “Whatever you’re thinking, I’d do it. If I had to burn down an orphanage and then walk naked through the streets of Zarom with dead orphan shoes, I’d-” “Joe! I get it, just-” “Oh no. I want to be extra, extra clear about this. I don’t want you to think that I’m just saying I won’t try to leave you--I’m saying I won’t let you escape from me. I don’t know if the word yandere means anything to you, but you can be damn sure that it will before this is all said and done. If you tried to run to Kioko, I’d be there hiding in a bowl of rice, ready to grab that ass. There is NO place you could go in this world or the next to get away from me. I might just flip out and kill the next guy I see staring longingly at your awesome tail--they won’t find the body.” Risa had started smiling despite herself, verifying that my ridiculous hyperbole had gotten me out of the woods. I was more than a bit worried about her though, as the last time she’d started worrying this much about my determination, I had to claw my way out of that senseless hole. Thinking about what she’d told me about Karisa, I couldn’t totally blame her for being overly insecure. I’d just have to keep reassuring her until she didn’t need to be reassured any longer. At the very least I’d try to have some fun with it. “I got it!” she finally screamed to cut me off with a smile before she took on a more serious look and continued, “I’m sorry, Joe. I just...had a bad dream last night. I trust you, and I really try not to worry. It’s just that Karisa-” “-Has no idea how stubborn I can be,” I interrupted before she could finish. “I wish I wasn’t such an overly needy bitch about this. Karisa has been convinced that I’d be much better off without you.” “You should have thought about that before you and Del ruined me for marriage with anyone else--including Onyx, in case you heard that part of the conversation.” “I’m serious!” Risa said, still unable to hide her smile. “I know, I know. Look, all I can tell you is that I’m at least willing to keep reassuring you until we’re married. After that, I’m going to trust you to stop worrying so much.” “I can live with that.” “Until then, I’ll just try to be extremely flattered by your insan-o jealousy,” I said as I ruffled her hair. “Hey now, it’s totally reasonable to assume that you could just wander into the mountains and find an entirely new set of companions and forget about Del and I forever.” “See what I mean? Completely crazy. Del?” “I...may need to keep a closer eye on you, Joe.” “Alright, let’s just add a little ballast to this crazy balloon. Where to?” “We may as well head back to Harpy Rock. Hopefully Welbie will have returned by now,” Risa offered. “And if not, Sunslayer’s suggestion to get you into a bath was not a bad one,” Del added. “Yeah, at least goblin is infinitely more tolerable than imp,” Risa said as she crossed her arms and shook her head. At that moment a pillow came flying from the chief’s hut at just barely subsonic speeds to just barely miss hitting Risa in the back of the head. “Get your loud asses out of here, I’m trying to sleep!” The chief shouted, giving us the last bit of motivation we needed to head out of the village. Heading out at a brisk jog back towards Harpy Rock, we made our way out of the village. The sheer number of catcalls and proclamations shouted by nearly all of the passing goblins that they’d come find me once the baby was born sent a shudder of fear up my spine. I had no idea how likely it was that one or more of these goblins (or Sunslayer, God forbid) was actually pregnant with my child, but ignoring the almost-literal daggers being stared at me by Risa, I didn’t feel all that bad about it. If nothing else, even the chance that one of my offspring could be growing somewhere within one of the two goblin tribes made securing peace between the goblins and the Rock that much more imperative. I was pretty sure I had a decent read on this Welbie’s personality even without having met her, just based on how the others had spoken about her. If what Betty had told us was true, my plan was probably going to be our only hope. I seriously doubted I could beat Welbie in a fight, she sounded ridiculously hard-headed, and I’d find a way to burn down the whole mountain before I’d whore myself out to another person in the quest for this peace accord. In the absolute worst-case scenario in which every single other plan failed, I’d just have to find these elusive humans and tell them they were about to be attacked and where to find the person responsible. No priestess meant no more debt, right? No. My idea was going to work. This plan would be enough to convince Welbie, and then there would finally be peace. Despite her seeming love of conflict, the eagerness with which Onyx accepted our proposal must have meant that she wanted harmony as well. I wasn’t going to let Sunslayer’s faith in us be for nothing. “Joe,” Del said suddenly from atop her cantering unliving mount. “Yes, Del?” I asked as I continued to jog alongside Risa. “I have been unable to determine what you could have possibly written on that piece of parchment to satisfy Sunslayer’s first real request. I would like you to tell me what you wrote.” “Ha, yeah. It’s really dumb, and a side-effect of spending too much time on the internet.” “I’d like a better description of this magical network to which you keep referring as well.” “One thing at a time, and that’s a much longer conversation. As for your first request...I wrote: The object of the game is to forget you are playing the game. The moment you remember the existence of the game, you have lost the game.” “I see. So then I have lost the game?” “We all just lost the game, Del.” |
| Chapter 32 - Klaatu Barada...Nichijou Our jog back to Harpy Rock was somehow less than uneventful. At least it seemed like my body was getting back into shape a bit with the recent activity, but there was very little conversation as my mind tried to focus on continuing to lay one foot in front of the other. And upon what lay just a bit further down the road upon which those steps were carrying me. I did try, however, to be staring at Risa as often as possible for maximum annoyance, eventually earning myself one of many punches in the arm. I decided that the obsessed character I was playing simply became more determined to stare after being hit in the arm. Arriving at Harpy Rock, we were greeted with the sight of a small group of about a half-dozen dwarves, anxiously poking at a small covered wagon with their spears. “Please do not damage that. It is a gift for the council,” Del said, provoking a startled jump from the assembled guards. “It must have been her! I told you it was necromancy! This thing was pulled up here by a dead horse!” One of the dwarves shouted as she aimed a shaking finger in our direction. “The goblin chief assured me that she left a note attached that would clear up any misunderstandings,” Del said as we walked up to the group. “Oh, yeah?” One of the dwarves asked angrily, “And how does this clear up anything!?” she said as she handed us the note with no small measure of disgust. Looking at the note, I paused only a moment before I doubled over in laughter, ending on my knees as my chortling could not be contained. Even Risa’s hand, hastily darting to cover her mouth, was not quick enough to hide her own smile. In large and heavy print, the note said only, “Not Pie.” “Regardless, the contents of this wagon are part of ongoing negotiations. We will be delivering this to the Pit,” Del stated plainly, apparently already aware that the contents of the wagon were not pie. “The council already gave the okay so just watch yourselves. Welbie and her crew just got back a bit ago and she looked about as pissed as a frog in a sock.” “Where is she?” I asked. “Looked like she was heading towards the council room--you’ll probably want a bath before you see her though,” the dwarf offered, surprisingly warmly. “Uh...thank you?” I replied. “Harpy scouts saw what you did and...,” the apparent leader said as she looked to the other dwarves for confirmation before continuing, “no man I’ve ever met would go through something like that to help a bunch of folk he doesn’t even know.” Feeling to guilty and embarrassed to keep up the saint act, I replied, “Well...this helps us too…” “Just means you still have a few marbles rattling around up there--only someone completely insane would do any of that if they weren’t getting something in return. Anyway, the baths are in the south deep halls--they already know you’re coming, but I’d make it quick,” the guard leader said with a smile as she waved us in. “Joe,” Del said as we started down the tunnel. “Yes, Del?” “You and Risa go bathe--I should have everything ready in the pit by the time you have completed.” “Right, shouldn’t take me long.” Much to my surprise, the council already had the bath cleared for us. Maybe they decided to give us the ambassadorial treatment after the goblin incident showed off my...resolve. The baths were like a well-carved fusion of a Japanese bathhouse and a natural underground hot spring. The tantalizing steam urged me toward the water as I peeled my reinforced clothing from my body. “Give me those,” Risa said as she snatched the garment from my arms, adding, “I’ll get this clean while you try wash off that stench.” Slipping slowly into the very hot bath, I let a satisfied sigh escape my lips before I finally responded, “Okay.” Despite the soothing heat of the water quickly melting my physical stress, it was having no luck on my mental trepidation. I knew we couldn’t waste too much time here but I was somehow feeling more nervous about this part of the plan than the goblin sex-fest. Thinking on it, there really isn’t much that can go wrong in an orgy, whereas all it would take for this all to fall apart would be my plan failing to convince Welbie--or her outright refusing to even take the bait. Risa seemed to sense my unease and moved closer to me as she laid my clothing out over a nearby stone chair and went to work on it with some a firm brush and a bucket of soapy water. Putting her foot affectionately on the back of my head she took a frustrated-sounding intake of breath. “You already losing your nerve, Joe?” “This all feels like it could slip out of my control at any moment. I’m worried, Risa.” “So, you going to run away?” “No! Not a chance,” I quickly replied, shocked that she’d even asked. “Well, smart guy...if you aren’t going to run away, then your only choice is to deal with it.” Giving a small chuckle in response, I answered, “A simple ‘You can do it, Joe!’ would have been fine.” Giving my head a playful push with her foot, Risa clapped and held her hands together as she mockingly replied, “You can do it, Joe!” “Yeah, I’m going to remember this on our wedding day,” I said as I pulled her closer so that I could lay my head back into her lap. “Hey…” she said, her voice showing genuine discomfort. “We got this, Risa. This is like...my third-best plan ever,” I said as I stood and turned to give her a reassuring hug as she let her feet dangle in the hot bathwater. Happily returning my embrace, she suddenly seemed on the verge of tears, answering only, “Okay.” “Geez, and I thought you were the one doing the comforting here.” Jolting upright at my remark, Risa quickly wiped her eyes clear of the fledgling tears threatening to bloom and remarked, “You done? I’ve got your clothes as clean as I could but they’re going to be a bit damp.” I simply nodded in response as I rose from the bath. Seeing Risa blush slightly as she looked me over, I simply shook my head and said, “Later, you hornball.” Having dressed in my damp, but freshly-cleaned and now almost gleaming black and red attire, I spared a moment to let Risa run her comb through my bird’s nest of a mane. I smiled at the thought of how something so simple seemed to calm the both of us down as we took refuge in the familiar. Striding with purpose up towards the council chamber, we quickly made our way through the wrought stone tunnels. As we passed the large central chamber housing the pit, Del simply nodded as she joined us. As we approached the chamber, I could already hear angry words being exchanged. The two guards at the door were already shaking their heads as they looked my direction, looking at me like an already-condemned criminal taking his last stroll towards the gallows. I’d certainly heard more than a few scuffles and shouting coming from this chamber the other day, but this was reaching a new level of volume beyond what I might have previously imagined. I heard the loudest unfamiliar voice nearly scream out, “I didn’t even want to go in the first place! And you recall me for this!? I’ve got the cobbler making me a new pair of boots with the word ‘No’ carved into the soles so I can kick my answer into the next messenger you send for something this stupid!” Her face showing more than a little exasperation, Betty saw us and loudly spoke up, “Ah! Here are our esteemed arbiters now. This is-” Interrupting Betty, the dwarf on the floor loudly shouted, “Jam your hammer in it, Betty! They aren’t part of the colony and there isn’t a damn thing they can offer to change my mind--and you all already knew that!” Tossing her hair back in determination, Risa stepped forward and gave the dwarf an elaborate bow, saying, “You are the mighty Welbie of which the colony speaks so highly, yes?” I heard a derisive snort from across the room and looked over to see a trio of observers standing together. The harpy didn’t seem out of place here, aside from looking like she’d gotten into a losing fight with a thorn bush, but the other two were far more exotic to my eyes. Next to the harpy was a similarly scratched and bandaged man--one of the rare few men I’d even seen since arriving in this world. Taking the similar-looking wounds with his wildly unkempt brown hair, I had to wonder if he and the harpy hadn’t just shared a roll in some rather pointy hay. Not even sure I remembered how to act around another male, however, I quickly averted my eyes towards the other unfamiliar figure. The other woman was...something else. Mentally running through my internal bestiary, I figured she had to be a manticore--similar to a sphinx but distinguished by the wings and the...tail. Not surprisingly for this world, she was truly stunning--perhaps made even more so by what seemed to be an adamant unwillingness to hide a distaste for Welbie. Not wanting let myself be distracted by even imagining what sort of mischief she might get up to with that tail, I turned back to the discussion at hand. Hesitating a moment at the unexpected politeness, Welbie recovered quickly and loudly replied, “Who wants to know? And why should I care?” “I am Risa, and these are my two companions, Joseph and Delilah,” Risa said with a much more forceful edge to her diplomatic tone. The scratched harpy seemed immensely curious about us, visibly loosening her deathgrip on the man’s arm. Seeming to be the focus of her attention, the curious harpy seemed almost fixated on Risa, looking like she might dash forward to get a closer look if given half a chance (I know I can’t get enough of that fluffy tail). The manticore looked us over for a moment before her gaze finally rested on Del as she seemed to be angrily muttering to herself about these “fucking kids”. Betty seemed to take control of the situation with a stern look that managed to silence the grumbling, but the manticore never stopped staring at Del, even going so far as to cross her arms into an impromptu push-up bra, looking like she might be trying to decide if she was more endowed than Del. Without missing a beat, Welbie responded, “You didn’t tell me why I should care. Taking a man into the pit right now doesn’t sound so bad, though--so let’s do that.” Hearing my cue, I stepped forward towards the short red-headed dwarf and loudly proclaimed, in an overly dramatic voice, “I apologize for wasting your time, noble council members. I was certain the mighty Welbie would jump at the chance to take a swing at the hobgoblin Fina-” Her face instantly starting to turn red in rage, Welbie angrily cut in, “How stupid do you think I am!? I know what you’re trying to pull, and Sugartits is already dead! I’m not going to let you get away with dressing up some other-” Knowing that she was going to take control of the conversation again if I let her, I interrupted again, saying, “You might not have heard, but my companion is a necromancer--able to reanimate the dead!” “We never recovered the body! She died in the goblin village! You’d have to-” “-Convince Chief Sunslayer to give us the body? Bring it here? That’s already been done, but if you don’t think you can beat her even after all of this time…” The entire council room went utterly silent in that moment. With a quick gaze around the room, I saw the other man and his harpy companion looking confused. Looking up, I realized that Magda had been awake the entire time with an interested look on her face. At my comment, it also looked like Betty’s jaw might hit the floor as she almost fell out of her chair. Nobody in the room appeared more shocked than Welbie, however, as I could see her turning it all over in her mind. She looked up at the other council members perhaps trying to determine if this was all an elaborate prank, then she looked back at me and my companions trying to ascertain if we were genuine. Taking the initiative, I fixed Welbie with my most serious look and tossed the dice, saying, “So how about it? You could take your chances with the Dragonslayer in the pit--or maybe we give you a crack at the one opponent you’ve been trying to imagine at the other end of that hammer your entire life.” Seemingly startled from her thoughts as she was pressed for an answer, she looked up and asked, “You must be joking! Sunslayer was the one that ordered-” Interrupting her again, I added, “Not her style...and you probably already knew that. Not to mention that she gave the bones freely, along with the wagon to transport them.” “And you think this is going to get me to agree to some crazy peace plan?” “Absolutely. We’re also willing to include a special bonus that would be absolutely unattainable otherwise.” I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure how forceful I was going to need to be with this dwarf to get her to take this chance. But I had to hold my smile as I knew what her decision was going to be the moment she’d failed to shoot me down immediately. After a moment of pause, Welbie finally answered, “I’ll do it...under one final condition.” “Which is?” I asked. “If I agree to this then I want to go a round with Sunslayer in the pit.” “Uh…” I began hesitantly, relatively certain it wouldn’t be a problem but unable to make the decision without the chief present. “That option is open to you, already clearly specified in the treaty, at Sunslayer’s request,” Del added with a nod. “And the rest of the council is okay with this?” “All of us except Morven, and she’ll get over it--your vote makes it a passing majority,” Betty added helpfully. “Fine!” Welbie shouted as she stormed towards the exit, stopping at the door to shout back, “So are we doing this, or what?” ------- Nearly everyone from the council room and the nearby guards followed us to the spectating area of the pit. Word spread quickly as other folks seemed to crawl out of the woodwork to see what was certainly going to be some kind of spectacle. Leaping down into the pit, Welbie kicked some of the sand about in expectation before looking up at us and saying, “Well?” “Del,” I said. “Understood,” Del said as she closed her eyes and the air around her began to chill and crackle with barely-visible sparks of violet lightning slowly crawling through the air in slow motion. Amid the wash of horrified gasps of the spectators, we all saw the grotesque sight of a pile of bones slowly coming back to life. Not a simple skeletal animation, this complex spell was recreating the being as it was in life. We watched as muscles and sinew crawled over the bones like a swarm of maggots until setting in place as the skin then slowly spread across the bodily structure. The body complete, we saw as the ghostly spirit of the hobgoblin materialized and then was seemingly forced into the body. Even as the spirit silently screamed and clawed at the air in resistance, it was finally set within the body causing the now-reanimated body to jolt awake. The energy continued to flow from Del as she maintained the spell. Nothing so elaborate could be self-sustaining, even with Delilah’s amazing skills. A smile spread across Welbie’s face as she broke into a dash, not even waiting for the hobgoblin to stand before she charged toward it on her short legs, raising her hammer high above her head. Looking as though she’d just awakened from a long nap, the hobgoblin rubbed her now violet-tinged eyes with one hand and casually grabbed the descending hammer with her free hand, stopping it completely. “Wha?” the hobgoblin said in an airy voice as she looked about, “Oh, are we fighting?” Without responding, Welbie quickly brought her foot up in what would be an attempt at a stomp kick to hobgoblin’s face. The large-breasted hobgoblin called upon her prodigious strength and threw the hammer back, taking Welbie with it when she refused to let it go, causing the dwarf to land on her back on the floor of the pit. “You’re damn right we’re fighting!” Welbie yelled as she quickly got to her feet and assumed an open stance, facing toward the hobgoblin in expectation. “I don’t know how I woke up here, but I’ll figure it out after I squish you, you stinky dwarf!” Rolling to her right, the hobgoblin took hold of a massive bone that was protruding from the sand. Ripping it free shook the entire room as the size suggested that some sort of giant must have been slain in this pit. Looking like a femur, the bone was nearly three times the length of the hobgoblin and twice as thick at its widest point. How she could even move it, let alone swing it with the effort it might take me to swing a broadsword, was baffling, even having witnessed other impossible feats of strength carried out by mamono. With only a bit of effort, Fina the hobgoblin brought her makeshift club down with one arm. The resulting impact sent a cloud of sand into the air and a shockwave through the ground, managing to shake loose tiny pieces of the cave ceiling that fell like a stone mist into the chamber. When the cloud cleared, we gasped as we saw Welbie running up the length of the bone towards its wielder. With an almost primal scream, she brought the hammer up from behind her in a fierce uppercut that made direct contact with Fina’s chin, sending her reeling backwards. With a cruel smile, the hobgoblin just rolled with the impact somehow, allowing Welbie to pass above her. She then caught herself by sliding her leg back to widen her own stance and grabbed Welbie’s leg with her left hand, finishing her move with a spin as she hurled Welbie at the wall of the arena. The feisty dwarf connected with a sickening thud, silencing nearly everyone in attendance as we feared the worst. It took far too many skipped heartbeats before our fears were finally soothed, the dwarf standing suddenly as she shook off the impact. “That all you got? I’m not done with you by a damn sight!” Welbie screamed as she spit a mouthful of blood into the sand and then wiped her lips with a smile. Picking the massive club back up again, the hobgoblin swung it crosswise at the injured dwarf. Welbie easily leapt the incoming attack, almost immediately realizing her mistake as she seemed to almost hang in the air for the impossibly quick backswing. Putting her hammer into the path of the incoming weapon didn’t seem to stop the impact at all as Welbie was sent flying into another wall, her now-broken arm flailing helplessly as she flew. Much slower getting to her feet this time, Welbie stumbled to a standing position, overcoming some dizziness as she looked up at the hobgoblin and cursed under her breath. “Damn it, how strong is this bitch? All this time and training and I’m still going to lose?” “Sunslayer said dwarves were supposed to be strong and I just keep squishing them so easy! Hey, before you die...do you have a husband or something I can have? I’ll lie and tell him you fought good!” Looking down for a moment, Welbie seemed to stumble onto a revelation as she stood up and started walking towards the hobgoblin with a strange look on her face. “Fine...you’re right. Come here and I’ll tell you where he is as long as you promise to make it quick afterwards. I can’t beat you in a straight-up fight.” “Okay!” the hobgoblin answered happily as she skipped towards Welbie, her impossibly massive breasts bouncing with abandon as she did so. As soon as she came within range Welbie leaned forward as though she was about to whisper something to the hobgoblin, but instead took a large handful of her right breast. It was comical to actually see, despite the seriousness of the situation. In that moment, Fina’s knees went visibly weak. “Nooo~ Let go!” Fina almost moaned to the snickers of the assembled crowd. “Take this! Sunslayer Triple Comet Melon Masher!” Welbie yelled as she released her grip for a moment to take two wild punches at her chest, followed by a powerful headbutt to the hobgoblin’s solar plexus. As the hobgoblin went down onto her back from the assault, Welbie kicked one of her boots off and then used her foot to perform an impromptu massage upon the now-prone hobgoblin’s other breast, apparently incapacitating her in the process. “Fucking Sunslayer...of course I’d have to use her technique to win. But she was right--you hobgoblins are too dumb to deserve these massive tits.” All Fina did was writhe on the ground in a mixture of pleasure and severe pain as she seemed to be gasping for breath. “That was for my family...this is for me,” Welbie said as she raised the hammer high above her head and then brought it crashing down across the hobgoblin’s jaw, hitting with such force that a resounding crack followed, signifying the end of the fight and the hobgoblin’s artificial life. With a sigh of exhaustion, the chill in the air around Del abated as the quickly desiccating body returned to a pile of bones, sent off to the resounding cheers of the entire assembled crowd. Del whispered something to Betty and then turned to leave with another powerful flash of her violet eyes to indicate that she had used some sort of magical effect. In response, Betty jumped down into the pit herself and grabbed Welbie, the latter of the two appearing like she might simply collapse at any moment. “What did you tell Betty?” I asked Del. “I told her that Welbie should see about paying her respects to the fallen now.” “Wait, you were able to-” “Your demands of me may have been unreasonable, but they were not beyond my current abilities.” We made our way to the graveyard Betty had shown us on our last visit, running into Betty before we came into the chamber proper. “I...don’t know that I’ve ever seen her like this,” Betty said shaking her head. “What do you mean?” I asked, hoping something hadn’t gone wrong. “Well, she needs to see a doctor about that arm, but she seems happy about it. If I’d known this was what you had in mind from the start...well, I probably would have told you to take your insanity somewhere else but this…” “So where does that leave us on this treaty?” Risa asked. “Oh, it’s as good as done now. I could kiss the three of you right now. Giving her the chance to pound out her demons like that...it was-” “That wasn’t all, Betty. I asked Delilah to do a little something else as well,” I interjected with a smile. “Something else?” She asked as she turned back toward the room, quickly covering her mouth to hold in a gasp. As Welbie kneeled at the foot of the gravestones that marked the place in which her family had been interred, three spectral forms rose from the stone beneath to hover in the air before her. Welbie stared at the forms with an initially stony expression as she got to her feet and took a step forward, letting her hammer slip from her numbing grasp to splinter the stone at her feet. “Who’s this then?” the older spectral dwarf said with a smile, adding, “Can’t be my little Welbie--girl is as hard as a wolfram vein!” “Now, Ma...she ain’t cryin’. Those is just from pullin’ brimstone, I’d bet,” the younger spectral dwarf said with a smile. “How…? How are-” Welbie stuttered out. “The pale girl called us and we wasn’t doin’ naught but sleepin’, said you could use some company,” the younger ghost answered. Finally speaking up, the ghost of the man leaned down to look Welbie directly in the eye and said, “Did Onyx get around to apologizing to you?” “Apologizing? For what?” “She didn’t tell you? Stubborn fool of a goblin…” “Tell me what?!” Welbie asked, starting to get a bit angry. “It’s nothing to get upset over, my lovey,” her father continued, “After she came in and saw what that girl had done to us, she tore that poor hobgoblin in half--then muttered something about sweet rolls and apologizing to you later about it.” “Poor hobgoblin?” the mother ghost said with a now angry look on her face as she turned to him. “Dear, I just meant-” With a leap, Welbie’s ghostly mother smacked the man in the face, saying, “Unbelievable. I knew I’d hitched with a rapscallion but you’re just horrible! Saying such in front of the girls!” Welbie laughed at what must have been a familiar exchange before finally saying, “Well, that pale girl brought that hobgoblin back so I could give her a proper taste of death…” “That’s my big sis! You give ‘er the Sunslayer special, like we was taught?” “Yeah...and now I don’t feel so bad about it after all. You...know I’ve--I just missed you all so much,” Welbie said as the combative tone left her voice completely, her composure cracking again in a slide back into tears. “We should go,” I said quietly. “Swing by the council chambers first, we’ll get Magda to sign off on your little treaty. First a marriage and now peace with the goblins--starting to feel a lot better about you outsiders lately,” Betty said as she gave a firm handshake to me and my companions. |
| Chapter 33 - Happily Ever After! --The Day of the Wedding-- “And so, by the rights bestowed upon me by the lesser chamber of commerce, and by the grace of the benevolent Lord Amarante, I declare that Risa, honored daughter of-” I don’t think I’d ever been this brand of nervous before. I could barely even focus on the priestess, having already received no less than three sharp elbows in the ribs when it was time for me to answer a question. This was it. I tried to imagine the look I might have given someone if they’d told the “old” me that I’d be marrying a monster. I had to push that thought from my mind quickly as raucous laughter would have probably sullied the ceremony. “-comport with unending patience for his weakness. And Joseph, son of-” I could have sworn that the priestess had just insulted me, but then this ceremony was already quite a bit less cordial than I had expected. Looking around, I saw nearly a hundred different monsters, and even a few humans, packed into this large hall, all here to bear witness to my oath of...well...submission. I wasn’t even sure where they’d all come from. Had Risa been sending out invitations when I wasn’t looking? Del remained at my side, but seemed to be very distraught, her eyes seemingly unable to focus. We had made a promise to stay together--the three of us, and I worried that she might be having second thoughts. “-his own frail mind and body until the spark of his spirit is extinguished. You may claim your husband” Come on now, that was just mean. Risa took a step towards me and placed a small gold necklace upon me. (No name tag? However would someone return me to my owner if I got lost?) The clasp snapped shut with a loud ‘click’ that rang in my ears like a bell, tolling in sadness for the death of my swinging bachelor lifestyle. I reached up to touch the ornament with a smile (you still can’t convince me that this isn’t just a pet collar) as Risa placed a small kiss upon my lips. “No tongue?” I wondered silently, before understanding dawned upon me in the experience of being stripped naked in front of a hundred guests that all seemed to be licking their lips in anticipation of the coming spectacle. Lifting her hair slightly to allow me to place a similar token upon her neck, she whispered, “We belong to each other now,” as the clasp slid into its final resting place. Actually beaming with happiness, I stepped forward and placed my own kiss upon her as I began the task of undressing her. I was still finding it hard to believe that this was really going to go down with a hundred people watching--at least this time they weren’t all just waiting in line for their turn as with the whole goblin...experience. We both signed some sort of document which the priestess placed into a sort of scroll case and then excused herself with a bow to leave the hall entirely. I was laid upon some sort of...altar, contoured perfectly for the act that was about to transpire. In a blur, I saw Risa take her place above me, lining up to mount me in one stroke. She made to do exactly that, lowering her hips slowly towards me. As I was already being overwhelmed by the additional shameful stimulation of being watched so closely by so many eyes to accompany the tender grip of Risa--my wife, I heard her scream the moment she allowed me inside. It took less than a heartbeat to realize that this was not a scream of delight--this was a scream of pain, horror, and fear. Looking around in sudden confusion, I blinked as I tried to determine the source of what might have been causing her such agony. Within the instant of that brief lapse of my vigilant eyes… ...Risa had vanished without a trace. |
| Chapter 34 - Mixed Signals --Five Days Before the Wedding-- “Damn, this is good!” I remarked to my two companions while I clumsily tore into a large bowl of oatmeal with Risa. “Do you have any shame at all?” Risa asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. “For possibly siring an entire generation of goblins, for staring at you for three hours last night while you slept, or for liking oatmeal?” “What are--No, you weren’t watching me while I was sleeping…” she trailed off uncertainly before asking, “...Were you?” “Maaaybe,” I said as I intentionally looked away. “Joe, that’s...I don’t even know what to say,” she said with a slightly disturbed look. “Well, I’ll dial down my crazy as soon as you do, sexy.” “I haven’t been crazy!” “Oh, no. Perish the thought. It was entirely reasonable to comment that Magda was ‘making eyes’ at me while it was obvious she was asleep.” “She moaned in your direction and then made a comment about a delicious piece of beef!” “No, I'd say it was fairly obvious she was just dreaming about a steak.” “Fine. Whatever, I’m just happy to know that I don’t owe gold to anyone else in Kaori.” “Are you certain you feel no further lingering effects from the succubus tonic?” Del asked. “I don’t think so...I do feel really good though. Didn’t you...uh...check yesterday?” “I should make certain that it is no longer in your system,” Del said as she moved closer. That was when Del took the opportunity to catch her own breakfast...again, glancing up at me from her self-appointed task of making certain I was never too full of energy, as she demonstrated how freedom from a need to breathe, coupled with a healthy appetite, could drive me absolutely fucking crazy. She smiled sweetly up at me with her eyes as she began to demonstrate just how effective the constant pulsing pressure of her swallowing reflex was at guaranteeing that she never had to wait long for something to actually swallow. Each time my body crested its peak, she would pull back slightly, holding only the swollen head of my member tightly between her lips, the result of which was a soul-tingling eruption. As the painful oversensitivity would set in, I would flail helplessly in an attempt to get myself free or to pull her mouth from me with my arms. Each time I tried to pull her away she would send eromantic shockwaves through me, prolonging or even amplifying the agony until I stopped. In just a few days I had learned to make sure my hands were full of something while she was...feeding, to make it at least a bit easier on myself. Her reasons, however, were completely inscrutable. I couldn’t tell if you was training me or tormenting me--she’d already tried the “let’s make certain there’s no more devil juice in you” excuse for the last three days. So far the results were apparently...inconclusive. “Mmm,” Del finally said nearly an hour later as she greedily swallowed the last of my final weak ejaculation, then running a finger around the edges of her mouth searching for any drops of my fluid that might have escaped. Still shivering in the aftermath, I asked, “W-why do you always pull back like that right before I…” I trailed off. “I have had you in ways you likely couldn’t even imagine before coming to this world, and you still remain too shy to speak of them?” she said with a slight smile and a resigned shake of her head. “I guess my mouth is too pure to say something like that…” I answered bashfully. “I imagine Risa would disagree given how often she desires to see that pure mouth lapping hungrily at her feminine nectar.” “Hey,” Risa began between her bites of oatmeal, “Don’t bring me into this unless you’re going to actually bring me into this.” “To answer your sad attempt at a question…” Del said, closing her eyes in thought for a moment, “It is because it would be unconscionable to allow your delicious seed into my body in that way without tasting it, and because the sight of you struggling to handle the overwhelming pleasure invigorates me at least as much as your spirit energy.” “I...ah...I see,” I said scratching my face, not sure whether to blush from embarrassment or from the flattery of her attention. As I was scratching my face I had a sudden strange realization. “Hey...I haven’t shaved in over a year. Is there some kind of-” “Please,” Del began, almost rolling her eyes, “there is no magical force in this land that has stopped your facial hair from growing. I shave you while you sleep.” “Well, you must be damn good at it because I’ve never even felt a hint of razor burn. With my ADHD I don’t even think I would have noticed without these scratches on my face.” “The ‘scratches’ have healed, love. Those are the eternal scars of a crimson dragon’s claw.” “When you fed me that blood they burned like fire--I thought that stuff could heal almost anything.” “There can be a mystical component to the scars left by a dragon in its dying moment. Those will likely never heal as long as you remain in that body,” Del explained. Not sure how to feel about that I asked, “Do they look okay?” “Okay?” Risa said in disbelief, “I think they make you look amazing--like you’re dangerous and vulnerable at the same time.” “I must agree with Risa, they are quite becoming. Selvirin was also accurate in that they mark you as a dragonslayer.” “Sunslayer and Magda both mentioned that...but what does that really mean? Does it mean I don’t have to worry about being raped in the street anymore?” Risa giggled. With a smile, Del responded, “Oh no, love. Not at all. Younger monsters might not have any real reaction, not understanding what they are, but truly ancient monsters--as well as ANY dragon--however, would almost certainly be interested in testing a human that carries the title.” “Well that’s fucking great, no less risk from slimes and imps, more risk from...uh...nine-tailed foxes, vampires, and...uh...succubi?” With a wide smile Del answered, “Very good, those are all higher classes of monsters. And of those three, you are not allowed to copulate with vampires or succubi for any reason.” “Oh, but a nine-tailed fox is okay?” I asked out of morbid curiosity of how Risa would react. She did not disappoint. “No, you are NOT allowed to fuck a fox! Why would you even THINK that would be okay!?” she began angrily before seeing the amused grin being passed between Del and I. “Ooooh, you know I hate foxes,” she said as she tackled me to the ground, visibly torn in deciding between getting married sooner and having her man right now. I didn’t recall her ever mentioning a distaste for foxes. “Tamamo, you vixen,” I thought to myself before quickly banishing the thought of the last computer game I played, lest my eyes give my mental infidelity away. With a titanic force of will, Risa settled upon taking the sooner wedding option, stealing a quick kiss as she rose back to her feet. Offering her hand she took a deep breath and smiled, “Come on, let’s go.” Setting off on another day of jogging, I decided to ask Del about something that I’d noticed the night before, “Hey Del?” “Yes, Joe?” she asked as she called forth her undead steed and looked down at me. “Do you have any family still around?” That seemed to catch her off guard as she hesitated slightly in her response, “...Why do you ask?” “Well, I could have sworn I heard you talking to someone last night and I heard you mention something about a sister…” “You should have been asleep,” Del replied, clearly trying to avoid answering my question. “Were you using some kind of long-range magical communication?” “How could-” she began before cutting herself off and starting again, “Yes. I was using an animated corpse simulacrum to speak with my sister, Cholris.” Suddenly interested, I pressed my line of questioning, “So like...a blood-sister?” “That is correct.” “Do you two not get along well? You’ve never mentioned her before.” “I would prefer you cease this line of questioning, Joe.” Wondering when exactly Del had gotten so touchy about so many topics, I decided to just let it drop, adding, “Okay...I don’t need to worry about her or anything, do I?” “Certainly not. She is rational, noble, and highly intelligent. I harbor doubts about the company she keeps, but you have nothing to fear from my sister...should you ever meet.” “Is she the one that gave you that stone?” I asked, seeing that Del had been holding some small gemstone in her hand since this morning. “No…” she began before pausing with an almost guilty look, “This was a gift from someone that was with her.” “And that is the one about whom you have doubts?” “Not at all, though I doubt he would be a good match for my sister. He is too kind-hearted and honest, and somehow more bashful about sexual matters than even you.” “So then who is it that bothers you?” “I would prefer not to answer that question now.” Well, it didn’t seem like I was going to get much more out of Del about this. I knew she was hiding something, and I just hoped she wasn’t going to get herself (or me) into something unpleasant again as a result. Some hours later, as we continued to make our way back towards Alnor on foot, still at a brisk jog, I reached up to touch Del’s leg and smiled at her, almost to say, “Whatever it is--it’s all fine with me.” In response, Del handed me a piece of parchment--the one given to me by Meryl. “What’s that?” Risa asked as she looked over curiously. “Oh...looks like the parchment your sister gave me.” Risa immediately looked away and put herself two steps ahead of us. She had promised not to try to look at it. About to simply put the piece of parchment into the small bag I carried, Del poked me and made a very slight nod towards the writing. Looking more closely I could see that she had written her own notes in the margin. “Say nothing, only scratch your responses onto this page. I have stumbled upon something horrible beyond words. Risa is in unfathomable danger and I can think of no solution.” I wrote back, in small print to conserve space, “What kind of danger?” “Mortal. Likely worse for her than anything you can imagine.” I checked her face for confirmation and was immediately assaulted by a sinking feeling to see the deadly serious look she wore, “Is it Karisa? What do we do?” “It is Karisa. The only option for now is that you must marry Risa, you must seal that vow, and you must also overlook anything that may seem...out of place until the vow is sealed.” “What about you?” “The wedding should be in five days, I will leave you during that time to try and find a real solution.” “And if you can’t find a solution?” “She’ll be gone.” |
| Chapter 35 - Within the Eyes of Sorrow ---Through Delilah’s Eyes--- I have not felt so helpless in a situation as far back as my eidetic memory can reach. Every plan comes to a dead end or an unknown conclusion, and every unknown conclusion results in a probabilistic outlay with which I cannot be satisfied. The ruins of Blacksky have been unsealed, along with over four thousand years of fresh regrets for everything that had transpired there. I am certain Cholris or Zelia would be fine within the ruins, but I worry what might transpire if they encounter Ahmose. Their presence simply means that everything I’ve tried to bury will inevitably be dragged, screaming, into the light of day. This is all because of that demon and her little witch that came to collect on Risa’s debt. Within these situations, one finds it hard to find doubt in the existence of “fate”. As if that weren’t enough, this problem with Risa is turning into a serious issue. I had to at least warn Joe about the possibility of danger. He must know about the calamity that is poised to consume Risa. --The day before the wedding-- Another hope, bright and strong, destroyed before even unfurling its wings. It would have been false to tell myself that I had felt more than my apportioned share of sadness and loneliness over my long life. Until presented with this alternative, it would have been more accurate to say that I felt...nothing. Since the rupturing of my phylactery, I have been forced to confront emotions that should have been buried forever. My serenity from the time before “He” arrived has been lost. That my phylactery has been redesigned to allow for etheric duality feedback, at Joe’s request, also effectively ensures that I will be unable to avoid the onset of further emotional turmoil in the foreseeable future. The necrosis of my old life even now calls me to oblivion. My past is a sickened and rotting horse needing to be put down--it begs me for the succor of merciful euthanasia, but I have continued to delay its release. First it was to be once we reached Alnor, then it was to be once he awakened, once his sight was restored, once we had secured peace, and now...once the marriage has finished. I had always found an utterly rational and reasonable reason to delay my departure, and as I’ve stretched the moratorium, the resultant inevitable reckoning grows in scale beneath the earth and behind dark curtains. No matter the strength of these feelings for him, this cannot be postponed any longer than the wedding. I had sworn an oath the moment I transcended humanity that I would never care about another human. That oath has been broken most spectacularly, as I now blush and giggle like a schoolgirl every time I see the hint of desire in his eyes. Even while fully contained within my phylactery, isolated from the impulses that could even trigger emotion during the ritual of its recreation, my desire for him inexplicably remained. It seems my soul itself has been tainted with his presence, so much so that I consider myself at fault for the situation currently facing Risa. It would be more accurate to say that the situation has dwindled to this small set of possible conclusions as a result of my inaction and hesitation involving the...remnants of Blacksky. I thought that I could just let things transpire as they are wont to do, and simply let Risa vanish. It would have been easier. I could imagine only two things that might have been more difficult to handle than this current situation. And if I were to do nothing...he would be mine alone. “No.” I imprinted the concept upon every part of my soul. I am in love with the “him” that is smitten with both of us. And, despite any previously perceived invulnerability to the emotion, I have also realized that I love Risa as I love my own sister. If there could be any way to avert this ending, no matter the difficulty of the path, then it must be pursued. “You both needn’t worry, I shall return in time for the wedding. I must simply find...a suitable gift to celebrate your matrimonial vows.” “Okay...and you know that you don’t have to wear that dress if you don’t want to,” Risa replied. Suppressing anger, I responded, “He wants to see me wear it.” With her gentle smile she answered, “Still better than him being catatonic, no?” Why did she feel the need to remind me? She had been little better than I during the whole ordeal. Logically, as I needed no food or sleep, it only made sense to stay with him in case he were to suddenly awaken in an unfamiliar place. Joe and Risa both seem to have chosen to forget that it was Risa’s fault he ended up in that state to begin with. What else was I expected to do? “It is indeed better. You seem rather excited,” I observed. “I feel like I’m going to go crazy! You’re sure that this is all okay with you?” It is. “It is.” “You had better not vanish on us, or we’ll dig up every square inch of the continent until we find you,” she said with a quick hug. “I shall endeavor to remain within existence.” Joe still seemed to doubt the potentially grievous nature of what I had told him, perhaps convinced that his flawed intellect or perceptions would see the danger more clearly. During breakfast, I took the small key he keeps hidden in his pocket and created a small bone copy. I’d been taking a lot more energy from him lately, worried that it still might not be enough to handle every contingency. I could not risk putting myself into a position in which my full capabilities might be required. As long as I remain sealed, such action could shatter my phylactery completely. “Whatever else it may take,” I thought to myself on what I would do to prevent or undo this calamity. I assumed, rightly of course, that this key matched a door within the former lady Karisa’s manor. A thick layer of dust had settled over the inside of the manor like a funerary shroud. The groaning creaks of the building upon its foundation still echoed through the abandoned home like the sad laughter of slain children. Within the basement, partially claimed by fungus, I found my goal in a massive bronze door. I recognized the mark of Ixi’s ancient dragon clan and knew this to be her room. It was still curious to me why a dragon of that power would kowtow to the, likely boorish, requests of a gyoubu danuki. One of Risa’s “sisters” had claimed that Ixi had cared for Karisa as an infant--also unlikely without a more solid motive for a creature as nobly arrogant as a dragon. The only thing patently obvious in this was that the dragon had truly cared about protecting Risa, perhaps even allowing herself to be slain to do so. With my forged key, I pressed into the room, having only slight difficulty with the heavy door. Nothing jumped to my attention immediately beyond the spare nature of the furnishings. Looking around the room with a more stringent regard, I saw a decorative weapon display--a short spear and a hatchet--clean and well-tended. My eyes continued passed the wardrobe and small pile of gold, coming to rest upon a large writing desk. Atop the desk was what looked like a family portrait, beautifully painted. I saw the young Risa, her three sisters, a very young man--smiling with pride--and...a very tall Inari. I tasted the hardened oil of the painting’s edge. The ambient air, allowing for the increased heat in the room with the presence of the dragon...design of her pharynx and nasal passages suggesting she did not snore...I ran through a few hundred calculations placing this painting between 12.8 and 13 years old. Basing my additional calculations on the growth patterns evident in Risa’s fur plus the length of her tail, I began smiling to myself at the confirmation of one of my suspicions, musing aloud, “I see. Risa is only nineteen.” Searching further around and within the desk, I found an unsent letter composed with the name on the envelope being too smudged and faded to read. The letter seemed to be far more weathered than the painting, but it was impossible to determine an exact age. “My Mistress, I apologize for my rudeness the other day. I did not mean to offend your guests by allowing Karisa to run wild. She is, as you know, at a difficult age. When I informed Master Gabriel of her temper, he advised me to ‘Do whatever it takes to make his snuggle bandit smile’, which was quite nearly enough to convince me to strike him. How you can even tolerate a man such as he is...confusing. He does do well enough caring for your adopted children, but one can only take so much of his seemingly intentional stupidity. On a more serious note, the spirit has escaped. I have kept my eyes on any of the human servants for signs of change, but have seen none of the indications. The only male that could have come in contact with the creature was Master Gabriel and he didn’t seem any more doddering than normal. My final thought is...I miss you. I know I will get to spend more time with you in another 70 years or so once Master Gabriel knocks off of this mortal coil and, however short, the time passes so slowly. I wish for you to tell me more of the love you feel for your daughters and Master Gabriel. Most human men behave like annoying insects--when I’ve actually had occasion to meet one that isn’t, I am suddenly bereft of all words and thought, save violence. I shall trouble you with my childish concerns no longer. While I appreciate your advice to simply ‘take a man, who could even try to stop you?’, I would prefer that my hero introduce himself properly and that he wait patiently for my flames to test the strength of his steel in response. As always your truest friend, Antarylixi” There were a few important facts here, but the most important was the name Gabriel, and the mention of a spirit. I was starting to pull this together in my mind, but several things were still not making sense. Still having enough time to make the trip without complicating any of the wedding preparations, I headed to the port to make for the small tavern by the sea and, if Meryl was to be trusted, Risa’s father. The townsfolk seemed taken to giving me a very wide berth as I walked quickly through the city. Without Joe to act as an interest-driving counterbalance, I was simply feared. Under any other circumstances I might have been disturbed by their stares and reminded of my time alone. My task, however, was an attempt to guarantee that I might never need be alone again, and so I bore the hurtful stares as a trial. The tavern was simple enough to find and, given that he appeared exactly as he did in the painting, so was the man. Stepping inside the Coveted Pearl, I saw mostly sea monsters lounging about casually with at least a half-dozen human men. Luckily, it seemed no further investigation need be conducted as I saw the man from the painting as he was introducing a team of his own swimmers into the mouth of a fish girl. “I must speak with this man,” I said without pretense as I approached. “Hey now, this is my husband,” the young mermaid answered after a slight delay to swallow her snack, clinging to the young-looking man protectively. “I need only ask him some questions, I have no desire to take his energy.” Sliding towards me she stood from her seat and pulled me across the room, out of earshot, saying, “You’re lying...I know that’s all you undead eat.” “That is irrelevant. This man has information I need.” Raising her voice, almost as a call to action from the other patrons, she nearly shouted, “You looking for a fight?” I saw a few needlessly curious eyes from around the common room now focused on our interaction. I thought that I was beyond feeling anger or hatred. Perhaps I was, when pursuing my own ends. Now I was being presented with this foolish creature, standing in the way of guaranteeing happiness for two of the three people left in the world that I love. The term ‘anger’ fell pitifully short of the mark in encompassing the dark emotions that were starting to crawl into my mind. “I have no quarrel with you,” I began with my eyes on the floor, “But…” I continued as I looked up to stare directly into the overconfident eyes of this mermaid, my own eyes flashing momentarily with power, “If you do not allow me to ask that man my questions, I will spend the next two hundred years devoted to nothing beyond perfecting new ways to make you scream in soul-rending agony. Now, wave to your friends and smile before I turn this entire building into a charnel house and get my answers from his corpse.” Her eyes went wide at my declaration as she stuttered her response, “F-fine! If it’s just questions…” “I...apologize for my abrasiveness. These questions are of vital importance. I swear to you that he will come to no harm--I will not even touch him.” The demeanor of the mermaid was quickly changing from one of menacing distrust to a reluctant curiosity. I had no desire to upset her, but I couldn’t afford to waste time. Walking closer while leaving the table between us, I bowed slightly, “I am Delilah, and you must be…” I left the question to hang, allowing him to answer. Nearly a minute later, I impatiently raised my eyes to him to see his gaze apparently transfixed by my breasts. A sharp elbow from his aquatic companion finally brought his eyes to mine as he coughed out, “Oh...hey. I’m Mike.” “Greetings ‘Mike’, I’d like to ask you about your daughter…” His reaction was not what I had expected as his eyes shot fully open in fear. I placed a hand on the table as I leaned forward slightly, making it clear he wasn’t going to get past me until I was finished with him. “Ris?...shit. Fuck this--I’m out, hoes.” he said as he tried to stand up from his seat. “No, I think you’ll find that you will remain here,” I said as I summoned forth the hands of the dead to hold him down. “I...please! That bitch is crazy. Fucking fruit loops.” “Explain.” With her powers of illusion, he may have assumed that I was her in disguise. Once he was convinced that I wasn’t going to suddenly pull this mask of flesh from my face (though his reaction might have been humorous if I had done just that), he started to calm down a bit. It was also surprising that a man such as he had managed to keep his will intact after so long as well, given his abrasive attitude, and having been passed between at least three different monsters. “Okay...damn. Right, so like...15 or 20 years ago I got with this fox bitch, Jory. Shit was tight, right?” he began as I looked, amused, at the slowly growing anger of his companion. “I see. Continue.” “But she gets these kids--not even hers--no idea where the fuck they came from. So one night, right? She’s riding it hard and tells me I need to start acting more like a father.” “How did you respond?” “I was like, ‘Bitch! You can’t tie this shit down!’. She knew I had to be free.” he said as he seemed to gesture to his overdeveloped physique. “That is a truly charming recollection,” I began as I produced a femur that I had carved to look particularly phallic, hoping that simply having it around might terrify Joe, “This time, lets have the truth, or your companion and I may be forced to find a creative place to put this.” Apparently convinced by now that I truly only meant to question him, and no longer amused by his personality, the mermaid added, “I’ve got just the place…” “Wait...I mean. No. It wasn’t-” “Yes?” I asked, trying my best to look innocent. “Look, I guess...I loved Jory. Her daughters too...they were always messing with me but...I don’t know--I never really wanted a family and Jory just tells me it’s time to man up and be a dad.” “And ‘Ris’?” “She was my sweet little girl. I’d read to her and tell her stories and she’d do this crazy magic to make these illusions act out what I was reading. With Kaeli, Meryl, and Yuki...shit, Meryl was only a year younger than me and the kind of ‘bonding’ she had in mind was...well whatever, you never turn down free pizza, right?” “Pizza. I believe I have heard that.” I said, remembering Joe’s sleepy exposition of day 26. “So it went on like that for like...10 years maybe? Jory decided that we should actually have a marriage ceremony--something to do with nobles and shit. It wasn’t like I could turn her down when she had those tails going…” “So you were married to Jory?” “No, it didn’t get that far. That was where my life got fucked like the village bicycle.” “What a clever euphemism. Please elaborate.” “So, Jory decides she’s going to have our daughters be in the ceremony--she thought I’d like it because it would be closer to a wedding from my own world, right? Well, the thing starts and Ris is gone--she’d been gone for days, irregardless, all of the sudden she bursts through the door looking pissed as hell.” “Why would she be upset?” “Well, one of my bros that I drank with at the bar nearby told me that incest was like...a thing here. I didn’t know that until after. One day when she was like...12, Ris said she was going to marry me. With her--I mean...she always felt more like a real daughter than the other three, and I just wanted to make her smile, so I said ‘whatever you want, cutie’...which my bro said was basically like saying yes.” “What happened at the ceremony?” He looked down and seemed to be holding back some real sadness as he continued, “So, Ris is crying something fierce, screaming about how we were supposed to get married, and then...well, shit got real. She just walks up to Jory and...she had this kitchen knife and…” he simply broke down at that point as his companion tried to comfort him. I started to piece everything together in my mind, not liking the picture that it was painting. After a moment he continued, “Jory didn’t even fight and...I don’t know why. Then she did the same thing to Meryl and Kaeli...Then Yuki she just wouldn’t let go--maybe because Yuki tried to run. Ris jumped on her back and cut her so bad...fuck there was so much blood.” “Risa killed her sisters?” “Not just---they were my daughters, you know? It was like she was a different person and she just-” I had it. The whole sad litany laid itself bare before me, but I could still find no solution to this currently looming crisis. “That is all I needed. I am sorry for disturbing you.” “Hey,” he said before I had turned away completely, “Is she...okay?” “She’s getting married. Ask me tomorrow.” I was having difficulty trying to understand when Karisa came into the picture. Had she lost or given up her children? Was the Lady Ajora just a caretaker? Unless the letter I read was a fabrication--unlikely given Ixi’s personality--then Ixi was acquainted with Ajora as well as Karisa. I couldn’t ignore the possibility that Risa’s sisters could have been illusions, but she would have had no reason to ever introduce them to us if she had been controlling them, so that suggests an outside force. I would have sensed if they were undead so that also couldn’t have been the case. Had Karisa used illusion to create fake sisters for Risa, modelled after her slain siblings? The letter also mentioned a spirit. If the lady Ajora was a powerful inari--and seven tails would certainly make her that--was a kitsune-bi involved? This was all completely ignoring that the lady Ajora, as well as all three of Risa’s sisters, could have been powerful workers of glamour themselves. Even if I disregarded the fact that Risa and her sisters were at the ceremony in Mike’s account, anything this man had seen could have been fabricated from the ground up and he’d never know the difference. It’s possible he saw something completely different than Risa--neither were necessarily the correct version. It seemed unlikely that an even-younger Risa could have so easily killed a seven-tailed Inari. There were too many questions with no answers. To my mind, however, this all left only three possibilities--all of them simply varying degrees of horrible. The only thing of which I could be absolutely certain was that Karisa still had it within her power to end everything. This was going to be a hard pill to swallow. I couldn’t tell Joe or Risa about this--at least not until after the ceremony. I just hoped Karisa would stay gone long enough for that ceremony to finish--everything hinged on that. ------------------------------------------- --Evening, two days before the wedding-- “It’s too bad we can’t invite Karisa to the wedding. She’d be pissed as fuck to see you finally getting yourself a husband,” Meryl said as she admired Risa in her wedding attire. “I know but...I feel bad for her,” Risa replied. “You’re too nice. As far as I’m concerned, the only reason any of us is around anymore is to make that woman miserable,” Meryl countered. Risa understood why her sisters hated Karisa, by all rights they should have hated her too--She’d been the only one of them to actually take a bite out of Karisa and get away with it. “I wish you guys could be there,” Risa said with a hint of sadness. “Hmmph,” Kaeli mumbled. “Don’t worry. We’ll just be doing our best to make sure Karisa stays out of it!” Yuki happily proclaimed. “You know I love you three, right?” Risa said as she started to lose herself in joyful tears. “Hey hey, that’s enough of that. It’s not like we’re going off to die in some war or something!” Meryl lightly stated. “But you might-” “Enough. We can handle her. Won’t be like last time.” Kaeli bluntly added with a look of determination. Once Risa had verified that her wedding attire fit properly (and had easy-release catches), the four sisters spent the next several hours drinking and talking about the good times they’d shared. Even after her sisters left, she was so nervous that she knew she was going to have trouble sleeping. She couldn’t stop thinking about the catastrophe that was the last wedding. Even as she snuggled up to Joe, the man that would be her husband before the sun twice fell below the horizon again, it almost didn’t seem real. It took a familiar voice to remind her that this was still a delicate situation. “Happy?” Karisa suddenly asked from across the room. “Why are you-?” “You know why I’m here,” Karisa calmly replied. “No! Please...just let me have him.” “You know it isn’t that easy, if-” “It is! I...I’ll suffer through anything if you stay out of the ceremony,” Risa quickly interjected. “It truly makes me happy to see you happy, but you...don’t know what you’re getting into.” “I don’t care! Anything…” Risa began as her tears began to run freely onto the man she loved, “I’ll suffer anything so…” “He isn’t worth it! He’s just a stupid human--how long will he even live? If you kept him full of mermaid blood every day, even with other tonics to supplement, he’d be lucky to see another 200 years.” “Just let me decide that for myself! You convinced me to put him under that spell, and I almost killed myself at the thought that I couldn’t get him back!” “Risa...don’t ever say that! I love you more than you could ever know, I just...don’t want to see you in pain. I don’t think you can handle this,” Karisa responded sternly. “I don’t care!” Risa nearly shouted in reply, stroking her lover’s hair in the hopes that he would stay asleep. With a resigned sigh, Karisa finally relented, “Fine, damn it. I’ve seen you through worse. If you crumble...you know I’ll pick up the pieces.” Risa felt the warm enveloping embrace of another set of arms, giving her a momentary peace before Karisa was finally gone from the room completely. Barely able to contain her joy, Risa let herself smile. She’d somehow gotten Karisa’s blessing--or what passed for it--despite all that had happened. Whatever was in store for her tomorrow, she’d be strong enough to smile through it. |
| Chapter 36 - All Good Things... --Back in the Present-- I had seen some pretty fucked up things in my life, but absolutely nothing could have prepared me for what was happening now and certainly not for what was about to happen. “No…” Del rasped, before falling to her knees. Risa was gone. I was having trouble wrapping my mind around that as the many voices in the hall started to stir from a murmuring wash of curious whispers to a cascade of gasping surprised exclamations. She was gone. Getting to my feet and pulling my clothes back on, I looked around the hall. I quickly reached up to my neck and at least felt the reassuring weight of the proof that we had been joined. But… Gone. Almost as an afterthought, my world quite literally dissolved around me. A thousand painful possibilities started running through my head. Maybe I’d never actually made it out of that darkness and this was just a horrible dream. Perhaps this was the death that was supposed to have been waiting for me after my leap into oblivion. I closed my eyes, almost wishing- “Joe.” “What is it Del?” “Open your eyes, this is far from over.” Slowly opening my eyes, I saw a completely different scene around me. The beautifully decorated and crowded hall had been replaced by a broken shell of a warehouse. No signs remained that anyone but Del and I had been here. “What the fuck?” I said out loud, to no one in particular. Illusion, I thought. This had to be Karisa’s doing. Helping Del to her feet, trying to ignore what I was seeing, I said plainly, “This must be Karisa’s illusion.” Del’s face twisted into one of pain as she reached up to touch my face, “No, Joe. This...is not the illusion.” Before I could even ponder on what any of this all meant, I heard a slight metallic ringing sound from the entrance to this burned out building. Looking over, I almost cried in relief as I saw Risa standing in the doorway. Casually flipping a single gold coin and wearing a completely different set of clothing, she began to slowly walk towards us, “You sure about that, Delilah? Can you really be sure that this is reality?” Her tone was almost completely unfamiliar as she spoke, and even the way she carried herself as she moved felt different than I had come to expect. Even though I was staring at the face of my bride--Risa’s face, I saw almost nothing of the girl I loved in those boundless green eyes beyond a simmering hatred. I didn’t want to consider the possibility that this was- “Karisa,” Del said with certainty as she stepped in front of me, “What do you intend to do?” she continued as the bones of her fingers elongated until they split through the skin in a torrent of blood, shaping into a set of large claws. “Me?” she said with a cruel laugh, “I liked that little ‘wager’ of yours so much that I made one with myself that neither of you would recognize me ‘dressed’ like this. Looks like I lost.” Finally catching the coin in her left hand, she held her arm outstretched to her left as another shape stepped out, impossibly, from behind her. I saw my Risa, looking physically identical to this otherwise unfamiliar person before me, still wearing her wedding clothes, reach over and take the small coin. The crushing feeling of betrayal started to overwhelm me like a creeping frost before I saw a look of absolute sadness on her face. “What the fuck is going on here?!” I shouted, getting angry and not yet even entirely sure about what to be angry in the first place. “Joe. I...told you that this was going to end horribly for you--that it was a mistake,” Karisa said softly, betraying what sounded like a hint of remorse in her voice. “But…” I stammered as I looked at the almost transparent clone. “Oh, her?” Karisa asked with a nod in Risa’s direction, “She’s a fantasy. She doesn’t matter. She never existed in the first place.” “You’re lying,” Del I managed in unison. “She’s just an apparition now. I warned her that there was more at stake than she realized. I told her that she wouldn’t be able to handle it. She’s just a piece of me anyway. If you don’t believe me, ask me something only she could know.” Risa was just an illusion the whole time? That shouldn’t be possible. Risa’s illusions only seemed to work if she was nearby. Does that mean that Karisa had been following us the entire time? Was Karisa with Del watching over my sleeping body for a year? The look on her face told me she wasn’t lying, but then what was the point of all this? If she just wanted to ruin my life, why go to this much trouble? More to the point, there were at least a dozen other ways she could have much more easily accomplished it--she knew I trusted her completely. She knew- “The ‘lady’ Karisa is leaving out some important details.” Del said in a more confident tone. “None of that matters, there was never the girl you knew as ‘Risa’, it’s always been me.” “Interesting. Risa?” Del said in the direction of the apparition. The ‘shadow’ looked up at Del in response, her eyes full of tears. “As I suspected. That illusion is a self-aware persona. One has to wonder why the mighty Karisa cannot let that shadow rest.” “Fuck you, Delilah. I’m done being her.” “Truly?” she answered with a hint of real malice in her voice, “I believe this is the appropriate juncture at which I should mention that I had a chat with Mike the other day...or was it Gabriel? “Don’t say that name!” Karisa screamed as her form seemed to waver. Ignoring Karisa’s outburst, Del continued as she began to pace back and forth in front of me, “During our conversation, Gabriel told me about his beloved little daughter and how she had somehow developed an unhealthy attraction to him.” That was when things got weird--well...more weird, anyway. Karisa clutched her head and started screaming incoherently while reality itself bent and shifted around us, as if reality had been reduced to nothing more than a reflection in a rippling pool of quicksilver. Then, from behind her, three more figures stepped into being as Karisa fell to the ground. “Oh shit. Uh...hey!” I heard Meryl’s voice shout, as one of the figures waved to us. Starting to feel confident that this had to be a dream, I answered her, “You seem surprised to be here…” “Yeah, no kidding,” the now-identified Meryl said as she brutally kicked the now-huddled form of Karisa, “Did you...uh…” she said as she looked around, “Ah, I get it. Looks like everyone gets to see little Karisa and her broken toys. If only she could have just been Risa from the start, right?” “What are you talking about? I thought you wanted to help her!” I shouted. “Not that it’s any of your business now, but after what this filthy cunt has done--she needs to suffer,” Meryl replied with a dark certainty. I was quickly losing my already tenuous grasp of the situation. Weren’t these just illusions? Karisa had to be controlling them, so...how or why would Meryl kick her like that? As I pondered that mystery, Yuki and Kaeli (or what I assumed had to be them, never having seen them with my own eyes) began to beat Karisa’s huddled body mercilessly. Looking at the slightly faded phantom of Risa, she looked away and closed her eyes. It was as if this scene was something she couldn’t--or didn’t want to see. “Karisa has almost completely subsumed Risa.” Del exclaimed, staring intently at the scene in front of us. “We like Risa better,” said Yuki’s small voice in response. “You know what she did to us,” Kaeli said, fixing her powerful stare on Karisa’s huddled body. I saw Karisa’s form painfully react to the powerful impacts that seemed to be hitting her. This wasn’t right...was it? Even with all she had done, did anyone deserve this? That was completely ignoring the fact that she was somehow doing this to herself. What Ixi told me was starting to make sense. “Del…?” I began, still way beyond my depth. “I apologize Joe...I cannot see a resolution to this. Karisa is a master of illusion on a level I’m having difficulty understanding. She killed her sisters and-” “I’ve got it,” I said, feeling pretty sure I had this mostly down. “Not entirely,” Del whispered, “Gabriel and Mike are also the same person--Karisa’s adoptive father.” “Why should that even matter now?” “For some reason, Karisa is no longer willing or able to hold her memories back--our Risa has become aware of what she’s done, and what she is, and is...choosing not to exist.” “Damn it,” I thought. That poor bastard, Mike. No wonder he was always crying. A girl that looked, and probably acted just like his daughter was bound and determined to rape him at every turn, not even knowing who he really was. Wouldn’t that mean that Karisa had just been trying to stop it by keeping Risa away from him? Well, I could certainly relate to a state of mind in which I didn’t want to exist anymore, and even if I could put the brakes on this whole thing...where would that leave Risa? I’m sure I’d read something about this in a psychology book somewhere, but I was pretty sure that book didn’t have a happy ending. “Fuck it,” I said to myself. I didn’t know what the smart thing was to do here so I’d just have to wing it and go for the brazenly ignorant. “Stay back Del--this is probably going to get really messy. I...have to try something so...just trust me.” “But I--understood,” she answered as she backed up a step. I got it now--or at least as much as I could, given the fucked-up scene playing out before my eyes. The center of nearly every one of our conflicts, from start to finish, was a direct result of what Karisa had done. Based on what I was seeing now, I was left wondering: Had Karisa really created a set of illusions so powerful that she'd been able to fool herself with them? It isn’t difficult to understand that everyone has problems, but not everyone has the power to bring their own inner demons to life to beat the shit out of them. Based on what I thought had to be the cause of all this, it seemed that, in some desperate attempt to reconcile the pain she felt she deserved with the happiness she still desired with all of her heart, Karisa’s mind must have split into two distinct personalities, both existing within the same body. Or that’s what I thought anyway. I didn’t like Karisa--not from the little I knew about her anyway, but nobody deserved this sort of punishment, least of all from within their own head. And I’d roll over and die before I broke the promise I’d made to help Karisa to the dying Ixi. Walking closer to the scene, I reached out to the faded form of my Risa, seeing my hand pass right through her phantasmic body as I tried, in vain, to touch her. I couldn’t hear her sobbing voice, but I motioned to turn her back around to look at what was happening. “Can you hear me?” I asked her. Her response was a simple nod. “You need to see this, and...it seems like you’re also going to hear a lot of things you don’t want to hear, but…” I took a deep breath and sighed, “whatever happens, just trust me.” While I may not have liked Karisa, by the strictest definition, she was still Risa. I mean, really--“Risa” was just a shortened version of the name to begin with. I felt a little silly for not seeing it until now. I pressed the internal timer in my head and prayed that five minutes would be enough... “Damn, I really hope this works,” I thought to myself as I dove toward the storm of flailing limbs to shield Karisa from the assault. “Move,” Kaeli demanded as her fist connected with my jaw. “This bitch needs to pay for what she did!” Meryl shouted as she sent a powerful kick towards my chest, causing me to double over. “She killed us...she looked right in my eyes as she watched me die, even when I begged her to stop!” Yuki cried out as she stomped on my spine. That hurt--badly. I didn’t know how much damage I thought an illusion could do, and at this point, I simply didn’t care. I just accepted the assault in Karisa’s place, knowing that fulfilling my promise to Ixi was more important than any pain could otherwise convince me, and the only thing I could imagine that had a chance to save Risa. The rain of blows was relentless as the phantasms spit every type of bile and vileness their contrite creator could imagine. If these were just illusions, then they were far more solid than I had hoped. As a particularly powerful kick connected with my side, I coughed up blood in reaction to the pain as I felt one of my ribs snap. I wrapped my arms defensively around the huddled, shivering tanuki as I softly said to her, “Please stop.” That simple statement seemed to put the entire world on pause as she looked up at me in a mix of anger and sadness. With her voice cold and remorseless, she said only, “Get away from me,” as she easily threw me off of her and stood up. “I don’t want your pity, human. Just get the fuck away from me. I never want to see you again.” “Why are you doing this? What could you have-” I tried to ask before the three sisters cut me off. Speaking in unison, they looked at the figure of Karisa and pointed accusatory fingers at her, saying, “Suffer. All Karisa is good for is to suffer. Karisa was a murderer before she could even crawl. She cannot be forgiven. She must always remember. Remember...” “No no no! Not now!” Karisa screamed with an encroaching hysterical edge to her voice. The entire building around us shifted back to one that looked almost identical to the fancy hall that had surrounded us before Risa had vanished. Looking around more carefully, I saw that even the guests appeared to be the same group of people. The difference was in the group assembled around the altar. I saw Risa’s sisters, an unfamiliar man, and a similarly unfamiliar fox woman. At that moment, Karisa burst into the ceremony hall, nobody in the entire massive chamber even reacting to her entrance except for the man standing as the groom. She had obviously been crying, her hair matted and eyes still swollen even though the tears had since stopped. Reaching into her small bag she pulled out a very familiar serrated kitchen knife and stalked right up to the altar, apparently cloaked in illusion, as the man was the only one that seemed to be able to see her. Without a moment of hesitation, the instant she reached the tall inari she quickly drew the knife across the fox woman’s throat, leaving a fan-shaped splatter of blood across the officiating priestess as the man’s eyes went wide in horror. Showing no trace of emotion whatsoever, Karisa then methodically thrust the knife into the throats of Meryl and Kaeli, only stopping to watch silently as they struggled to breathe, drowning in their own blood. Yuki seemed to snap out of the glamour to notice Karisa at that moment and cried out in shock as she bolted for the door. But exactly as Risa had pounced on me the one misguided time I had tried to run from her, Karisa landed with her feet on Yuki’s shoulders and drove her into the ground. With nearly a hundred guests still seeing only the serene wedding scene, none of them even reacted to Yuki’s screams of abject horror and pain as Karisa slowly and deliberately sawed through each of her Achilles tendons. “I’m sorry Karisa! I’m sorry! Please...please don’t!” Yuki cried out between blood-curdling screams of agony as Karisa turned her over and stared down into the eyes of the terrified girl. “I’m a murderer, remember? Our mother and father are both dead because of me. You guys were right all along--this is all I can do.” “No no. We didn’t mean it! Please Karisa--d-don’t kill me!” Yuki tried to force through the tears and pain, “We’re sis-” Not allowing her to finish, Karisa drove the hilt of the knife down at Yuki’s windpipe to silence her and then began wildly slashing at her face through the nearly muted screaming until Yuki’s visage had become an unrecognizable mass of gore. As the image faded out, I only barely suppressed the powerful urge to vomit, never having seen something so brutally violent in my entire life. I had no time to consider the ramifications of what I’d just seen as I saw the evanescing form of my Risa perk up in an apparent sudden realization as she stepped forward and closed her eyes, causing another grand illusion to fill the space of the entire warehouse. Fading into being was a small, but well-appointed bedroom where Karisa sat on the bed next to the well-muscled young man from the ceremony, where they appeared to be conversing. “You sure, Ris? You’ve been packing every gold piece you’ve ever earned into that kitty bank since you got it,” the man said with a slightly concerned smile. “I know, and it’s a little sad to have to break it, but...I’ll never be able to support a husband if I don’t get my own business started,” Karisa replied. Giving Karisa a powerful hug, the man smiled as he ruffled the hair between her fuzzy ears, saying, “Well, look at you! All grown up, eh? With that kind of attitude you’ll be able to catch any man you want. Don’t you dare bring home some loser though, or I’ll beat his ass. You deserve a whole lot better than some random portal-bitch!” Blushing a bit as she pushed him away, Karisa replied, “You’re embarrassing me!” “Aww, little Ris is too big to be my snuggle bandit, now? Why, you already got your eye on someone special?” In response, Karisa’s blush only deepened as she looked away, unable to answer. The illusion shifted slightly, remaining in the same room as the illusory Risa seemed to fade a bit more from view. This time, Karisa was dressed in a bridesmaid gown, frantically searching through the room. “Damn it, where is she?” Karisa said out loud as she continued to search. “Looking for this?” Meryl asked from across the room as she held up the cat-shaped coin bank and shook it. “Give her back, Meryl!” Karisa shouted angrily. “You had it hidden next to a picture of Gabriel, you in love with him or something?” Unable to hide her blush, Karisa just screamed, “Shut up!” “Oh sweet Amarante, you ARE! Just how fucking stupid are you?” “Damn it Meryl! Give her back!” “He doesn’t even know how to fuck! Just lays there like a dead fish.” “What are you-” Interrupting her, Meryl added, “Yeah, Jory let us all have a turn--well, except you. She thought he might catch a disease or something from you. Actually…” she continued as a cruel smile spread across her face, “she asked me to tell you that it’s probably better if you don’t even come to the wedding.” “Anyway, take this stupid thing back,” Meryl said as she raised her arm and then threw the glass coin bank at the hard stone floor. The cat-shaped bank shattered into dozens of pieces, sending glass shards and the gold coins that had been contained within flying to every corner of the room. “Oooh, sorry. Damn thing slipped right out of my hand. Hey, at least it looks like you have enough to hit one of the cheap brothels--might as well pay now for the only taste of man you’ll ever get--got to stay ahead of inflation, right?” As the illusion started to phase from being, the Karisa in the image fell to her knees and began to wail in sadness. Several moments passed as her look slowly transformed to one of an all-consuming anger, her eyes taking on a feral quality as she crushed one of the pieces of glass in her hand. “I can see it, mother.” I finally heard my Risa say as the previous illusion passed into nothing, her voice sounding somewhat hollow and distant, “There is more…” I could see that whatever power Risa was using to manifest these other illusions was draining the solidity from her form even more quickly. I had no idea what that was going to mean, feeling utterly helpless to do anything but stare at the scenes as they were presented. The next image that manifested was of a cheap tavern, the city of Alnor just barely visible out the grimy windows. Meryl was conversing with a pair of cloaked figures. “It’s already handled, Ajora was dead the moment she tried on that dress. These old demon poisons are the best--it’s supposed to take her like three days to die, and it takes five days to distill an antidote!” “How are we getting paid?” one of the figures asked. “We can’t touch her share of the consortium, but I’ll cash out Ajora’s personal holdings and you guys will get half--should be close to two-hundred thousand gold.” “What about the husband?” “Much as I’d love to keep a man around, he’s a fucking horrible lay and this damn bureaucracy might just give him all of Ajora’s holdings if I forget to grease the right palms. So, after Ajora falls ‘ill’, kill him, sell him in Kaori, whatever you want, I don’t care as long as he’s gone.” Only visible to us, Karisa sat, cloaked in shadows, in the corner of the filthy tavern as she observed the entire exchange, her teeth clenched in rage. As the ruined warehouse came back into focus, Karisa shouted, “Stop, Risa! Please...just stop...” Looking over at Risa, she was now difficult to even see as the edges of her form were steadily being devoured by the cold press of reality. I saw her ears perk up one final time, accompanied by a slight smile in my direction, before the last remnants of the illusion that had been my Risa faded completely, her voice cutting through the gloom one final time to utter, barely above a distant whisper, “My love…” As Risa’s fading form finally passed into memory, an inconceivably impressive illusion, encompassing everything around us, manifested. The broken interior of the warehouse had been completely replaced with a well-appointed manor, clearly the dwelling of an important person in some regard. Within this fine home, an image played of a very young Karisa being tormented by her sisters. Meryl was the first to speak, “You happy, you worthless twat?” she said as she threw the young form of Karisa (who couldn’t have been more than 5 years old) down a small flight of stairs to a landing. “We’re being adopted by Lady Ajora--mother’s rival. It’s your fault,” Kaelie added as she leapt down to the landing and kicked the now-huddled little girl as she’d been trying to catch her breath, eliciting a small shriek of pain. With an uncaring smile, Yuki added in her sweet voice, “Karisa...we all have to take responsibility for our actions. Just like you should take responsibility for father’s suicide the moment he laid eyes upon the horrible little girl that had just murdered his wife.” As Meryl walked up to grab the little girl again, her hand passed through the illusion. “Displacement at your age? Not bad,” Meryl said with a laugh as she launched a fierce kick into what looked like empty space, where it connected with Karisa’s chest and sent her tumbling into a glass display case full of small family portraits. Picking up one of the larger shards of glass, the sharp edges cutting into her hands deeply, Karisa stood, brandishing the piece of glass like a knife, swinging it in the air to try and keep her sisters away. They stopped their advance and stood around her in a semicircle, trapping her in a corner. “Careful where you point that thing, sow. Someone might get hurt. But I guess you don’t have to stop on our account,” Meryl said, the scene shifting again to show that Karisa had been holding the glass shard poised against her own throat. “Just get it over with,” Kaeli said. “She’s right,” Meryl added, “We’d still have a mother if you’d never been born.” “And don’t you care about Ixi?” Yuki added with her false cheer, “She told us yesterday how much easier this would all be if you’d never been born. Can’t you see how sad she’s been? Convincing her lover to adopt us all--she can’t even take care of us anymore because you eat so much.” Her desperate voice cutting into the illusion, Karisa seemed to plead, “Please no...I don’t want to remember this!” The image of the grand hall wavered before resolidifying to show the young Karisa starting cry as the red-scaled form of Ixi strode into the hall. “Leave her alone, girls,” the dragon intoned in her powerful voice. “This little bitch started it! Stabbed me with a piece of glass!” Meryl said as she showed her arm to Ixi, now sporting an illusionary gash. “I don’t care who started it--I’m ending it. Either go outside or go to your room.” “Sorry Ixi,” Yuki said in a saccharine tone, “we didn’t think she’d break the glass. I’ll clean everything up later.” With that, the sisters walked off as the powerful arms of the dragon reached down and picked up the small, sobbing girl. Gently stroking her hair, Ixi whispered, “Don’t listen to anything they tell you, Karisa. Your mother loved you with all of her heart, even before you were born.” “W-why did she die, Ixi? Did I kill her?” “No no no, sweetie. Your mother was very sick--she had been for years. The healers told her she shouldn’t have another child but she got the Lord’s blessing anyway--that’s how badly she wanted to meet you.” “T-they said we have to move in with someone that hates us--Lady ‘Jora” “Not at all, she offered to adopt all four of you, I didn’t even have to ask.” “Are you coming too, Ixi?” “No...I--Jory has a...special person already so I’ll continue to live here, but I’ll come see you whenever you want, and I’ll still be around as Lady Ajora’s bodyguard.” A fresh round of tears starting to flow, Karisa wrapped her arms as tightly around Ixi as she could manage and cried out, “I want to stay with you, Ixi! Please don’t make me go! I promise I can be a good girl…” “You’re already a perfect little girl. Don’t worry sweetie,” Ixi said as she affectionately tilted Karisa’s chin to look her directly in the eye, “I’ll never be too far away to hear you. If you ever need me, just say my name and I’ll be there,” the dragon said as she pulled Karisa close and nuzzled the young girl gently with her cheek. “Okay. Then...then I’ll be strong like you. I’ll smile even when I’m sad because that’s what Ixi would do.” “Oh sweetie, don’t say that. I cry too sometimes, I just have to be extra strong to protect cute little girls like you.” “Why do you cry? Did you lose your mommy?” “I lost my mommy a long long time ago, but that’s not why. I cry because I can’t be near someone else I love, but you don’t need to worry about me.” “But...that’s sad,” Karisa said before making a small nod, “Then, c-can I maybe...can I call you mommy just once? I promise I won’t say it again after...” Now shocked into fighting unexpected stinging tears of her own, Ixi responded, “Why would you want to say something like that?” “Um...Yuki said that I’m only allowed to love my mommy...and...that nobody but my mommy would ever love me so...I wanted to pretend so I wouldn’t be sad. Um...and t-then you could be close to someone you love too,” the young girl said as she wrung her hands bashfully, her eyes on her own feet. “Sweetie,” Ixi began as she seemed to be battling to keep her tears in check, “You can love...whoever you want. And before you know it, other people will love you too. I just--don’t let anyone ever say otherwise. But...since I got you this going-away present--just this once...you can call me mommy.” Kneeling down to set the young danuki on the floor, staying on a knee to remain as close to eye level as her large form would allow, the dragon pulled a small, wrapped package from her bag and handed it to Karisa. “Go ahead--open it.” Tearing open the plain wrapping, Karisa finally saw the gift--a small lucky cat coin bank. “Ixi...it’s so pretty! And she has her cute paw in the air!” Karisa giggled as she smiled back at the dragon. Her look then turned a bit more serious and she continued, “I love you, mommy,” she said as she kissed Ixi on the cheek and tried to crawl back into her arms. “I love you too, Karisa,” the powerful woman managed to say even as her tears strained at her voice, the words coming out pinched, as she buried the tiny girl in her powerfully soft embrace. At that, the remaining illusions all faded, leaving only Karisa, Del, and I in this broken husk of a warehouse. “What...what was that?” I said out loud, again not even certain to whom I was addressing the question. No longer huddled on the ground, but still on her knees, Karisa shouted out, “That was what you wanted wasn’t it? The pain I see every single time I close my eyes? That’s what ‘she’ couldn’t handle!” she added, gesturing to the place in which the illusion of Risa had stood. “So...what, you handle all the pain and she gets all the happiness?” “Why do you care?! You said right to my face that you wanted to bury me. You killed the closest thing I ever had to a mother--the only person that ever loved me...and in the end you were just going to leave me too,” she said as she hugged her own shoulders, slightly rocking on the floor through her tears. “Karisa, I feel more guilt over that moment with Ixi than for anything else I’ve ever done. But Ixi...sacrificed herself for you--the only thing left to her that mattered. She begged me to save you! You forced her to watch as you slowly destroyed yourself.” “I took everything from her! She should have hated me...so I had to make her hate me...” “Well, you failed. Her last thought was of you--her last request was that I take care of you.” “How?! How dare you-” “Look! I know I’m selfish and arrogant--and it’s not even like I have a right to be. I just wanted to be a protector--Risa’s protector.” I said as I gestured to same empty space. “I told you, she is a fantasy--I...imagined her and she sprung to life on her own, living in my body.” “Why?” “I...you’re right, I failed--I deserve to suffer. I didn’t want to, but every time I think about what I did…” she began again and was wracked with a shuddering, tear-filled scream as her illusory sisters materialized again to renew their assault. “Stop!” I screamed as loud as I could muster as I saw the sisters take a step back. “I can’t...I didn’t even try to make ‘Risa’...she’s just who I should have been--who I always wanted to be--a sweet pacifist with a family that loves her. She could be kind and passionate despite being brought into this world by a terrible monster, and with no memory of the horrible things she’s done,” Karisa choked out between overwhelming bouts of tears. “If you want to live as her, then why don’t you?!” “Because I don’t deserve it!” she screamed, “If she got too happy, I’d start to lose control and she’d start to...remember everything that happened. It would have been fine if she’d never found Gabriel-- ‘Mike’....or you.” “That’s fucking bullshit!”, I shouted at her, “You’re allowed to smile, but never be happy? Allowed to cry, but never be sad? That isn’t living! Have you considered that she--no, that YOU are allowed to be happy despite everything that happened?” “I can’t! Every time I tried to forget--to convince myself that she was real--that I was the fantasy, the memories would come back.” “You aren’t meant to forget! You’re supposed to learn from it and move on! Where’s the girl that had to smack the will to live back into me when I was ready to give up on my own life?!” “She never existed in the first place!” I took a deep breath and continued. It felt like I was making some kind of progress--but this whole thing could come undone and vanish like a whisper into a storm if I wasn’t careful. Forcibly choking down sadness as I realized what I was saying, I asked, “If Risa is completely gone...hasn’t she just returned as a part of you? Isn't it as though you’ve lived as her the whole time she’s known me and Del? You’ve been ‘yourself’ less and less through this whole time until recently.” “That doesn’t matter, that...isn’t me.” I started realizing it the moment I started talking to her in earnest, but Karisa was, without a doubt, the woman I loved--or was quickly becoming her. It seemed that as my Risa had begun to fade, her feelings and memories had melded with, or added to, the core of Karisa’s being. Hiding herself in this shell of self-hate, she was trying to push me away (again!). She was the reason I ended up in that dark hole in the first place as she tried to protect herself from potential future sadness. Thinking on it now, my own emotional pain from before I took the leap that brought me to this world seemed laughable in comparison to what Karisa had been through, but everyone has a breaking point. I took a step towards her and she quickly got to her feet. “Don’t come near me!” she said as she pulled out the kitchen knife, still caked with Ixi’s blood, and held the serrated edge to her own throat as she started to cry again. “Stop!” I shouted out. “I...I can’t, Joe. I don’t want this anymore. It’s too much. I want to be with you more than anything else I’ve ever even wished for, but...I just can’t. I know Del can make you happier than some broken girl that should never have been born. I love you, but...this is the only way for me to atone for-” She was hurt and scared, and utterly convinced that she deserved all of this self-inflicted agony--so convinced that at some point she felt she needed to pretend to be someone else. At her core, however, she really did want to be the person I had been traveling with this whole time. The fantasy of Risa might be gone, but then--she was also standing right in front of me. With an inner smile I realized that if I hadn’t snapped out of that senseless stupor on my first wedding day, feeling like a lifetime ago now, I’d have been married to Karisa long before we even got to this day. I saw my chance and I took it. As she tried to blink away her tears, I charged toward her, leaping forward to grip the blade of the knife with both hands, making it impossible for the blade to reach her, letting out a violent hiss of pain as the steel edge cut deeply into my hands. “What are you doing?!” she screamed as she tried to pull the blade out of my grip, her efforts stymied by the troublesome bones in my hand not quite yielding to her strength. “I’m not letting you go! I told you that there is nowhere you can run to get away from me. I won’t let you push me away again!” I tried to focus only on her eyes, doing everything I could to will the nearly unbearable physical pain away as I continued, “I’ve already died three times, and you’ve been next to me each time I came back to life. I won’t let you deny that that means something! I don’t want to imagine trying to live in a world in which I’d never have the chance to wake up next to you ever again!” She screamed with the heady mixture of her rage and sorrow as she unintentionally sawed at my hands in trying to get the knife free from my grip, causing me to howl at the almost unbearable pain. I tried to twist the knife out of her grip, only succeeding in driving the edge more deeply into my own flesh. As she tried to push me away with her free hand, it started to feel as though the blade was about to break through the bones in my left hand hand. Somehow I managed to use the knife as a lever and twisted Karisa’s wrist enough to take the knife with me as she pushed me to the ground. Feeling my vision going cloudy as my body threatened to pass out to escape the pain, I yelled loudly as I stood, gripping the knife in my right hand, and hurled the weapon with all of my strength toward one of the cracks in the roof, the blade miraculously passing out of the building entirely. Everything that is or was Risa had already returned to become one with the girl standing before me. Whatever name she wanted to use didn’t matter. I could only hope that Risa’s feelings would be enough to convince Karisa’s battered heart to keep on living. Right as she had lost the grip on the knife, she fell back a step and tried to cover her face. “Come on. Don’t you want to be with me--with Del?” I asked as I ventured a glance at my badly bleeding hands. “You don’t even know me! You’re just a stupid human with stupid ideas.” “I know you--I know who you’ve been trying to be all this time--how you wish you could see yourself. You said as much on your own.” “You don’t know ANYTHING!” she screamed, almost shaking the walls, as her veneer began to crack further. I moved to put myself directly in front of her and looked at her hopefully, saying, “Then...why don’t you tell me? Tell me what else is so bad about you. I already know about your past and I’m still standing here. What else is there to know? I’d spend the rest of my life just learning the answer to that question if I had to.” Finally pushed beyond her breaking point, she hit me...hard. As her fist connected with the side of my face, it sent me reeling onto my back. Despite the pain, I rolled about for a moment before I forced myself back to my feet and stepped towards her again. She was still trying to run away--to convince me to run away. Almost regretting the likely outcome I quipped, “Going to take a lot more than that to get me to leave my wife--you’ll have to kill me first. I already told you but...I love you. I knew she was going to hit me again, but I had an inkling of what to do. As she reeled back to unleash her right fist at me again, I took a quick step forward, forcing her wild punch to land (still painfully) on my shoulder. “I’m not your wife, dumbass! You don’t love me; you love a fantasy! How many times do I have to tell you-” I sighed inwardly at how stubborn this girl was. Was she really going to pretend that she hadn’t already tried to marry me before by her own volition? As I looked at her, something caught my eye that convinced me that I didn’t need any further verification that this was my Risa in the ways that truly mattered. Placing a quick kiss on her forehead, knocking her off balance, I quickly reached up to her neck and laid my bloody fingers upon her necklace--the one I had snapped onto her myself. “Then why are you still wearing my necklace?” “No...it’s--I just-” she stuttered as she tried to look away. “I get it. You’ve done some really bad things--things that can’t be fixed or undone. Why should you have to spend the rest of eternity paying for them? You can be who you want to be, though if it’s a beautiful sad girl that deserves nothing but pain, then you’ll have to try that over my dead fucking body. Why not just be the girl I love--my wife? All you have to do is make the choice and you can be her--No, you already are her, and you’ve always been her.” “It would all be a lie, I’m not that girl.” she said, now focused on me. “You are more than just the girl I fell in love with. I told you I’m really not a one-woman sort of guy. Isn’t this like adding another gorgeous girl to my harem?” I said as I pulled her into a hug, unintentionally smearing the blood from my badly bleeding hands all over her clothing as I added, “Seriously though, you’ve been trying to convince me, Del, and even yourself this whole time to hate you--Why am I still here?” She was hesitating in her struggle. She could have easily thrown me off of her. “You’d stay with any girl that flipped her tail at you…” “You’re the only girl who’s ever flipped her tail at me.” I shook in overwhelming relief as I tried to breathe, realizing I’d been holding my breath for some time. I then pulled her into my embrace as tightly as I could manage, not willing to let her go. There would be a lifetime to sort out the fresh hell Karisa had tried to make for herself just over the last few months, but for now I wanted--needed her to just be happy. Ignoring the throbbing fist-sized pain in my face that was still threatening my knees with weakness, and the utterly excruciating pain in my hands as I forced them to hold her tight, I felt her slender body finally allow itself to relax a bit. “Karisa, right?” I asked softly, “We got off on the wrong foot. My name is Joseph, but I’d like you to call me Joe, okay?” Not even forming a response through the body-wracking sobs of anguish that seemed to come over her in waves as each painful memory bubbled back to the surface, she wrapped her shivering tail around me and held tightly--maybe still worried that I’d run away. “Mind if I call you Risa for short? I was torn between that and Special K,” I said, trying to be humorous--as much to keep myself strong as for her benefit. “Okay,” she quietly replied in the momentary valley between the peaks of her dysphoric agony. Taking a drawn-out intake of breath to breathe in her familiar intoxicating scent, I felt the rush of adrenaline leave me as my own limbs started to shake. With my new wife clinging to me tightly, I began to vacillate slightly on my feet as the weakness threatened to pull me to the ground. Without warning, I felt hands pressing into my back, holding me up. I turned to see Del smiling as she dried her own tears. I was really going to need to sit down soon. |
| Chapter 37 - Curtain Call I wasn’t sure how to feel as I was losing consciousness. On one brutally cut and bleeding hand, I felt like I’d resolved a serious crisis. On the other five-fingered world of pain, I wasn’t sure my new wife should be alone right now. It quickly became evident that how I felt wasn’t going to stop me from going under. I think I managed a frustrated sigh before I felt the sensation of falling. Karisa. I knew the name still bothered me on some level. But this was not going to be something I could just push under the rug by using a nickname with her for the rest of my life. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us to pretend like she was someone else. But then...who was she, really? The last thing she’d said was enough to confirm that Risa was certainly in there, but how far did that go? I made a decision that I wasn’t going to speculate. It meant breaking my rule about never giving someone a chance to stab me in the back twice, but after climbing to the top of this ridiculously craggy mountain, I’d be damned if I was just going to lie down and die after just seeing the view once. However strange this might have been, I was also going to hold off on diving into a crippling depression until I knew exactly what to expect from Karisa. Even though she’d agreed to it, I still couldn’t force myself to feel right calling her “Risa”. Maybe that would change in time, and at least I couldn’t imagine a better time to start being hopeful than on the day of my own wedding. What I actually knew was a pitiful shadow in the wake of what I didn’t know. Even with so many questions answered, I felt like the larger secrets hadn’t even been touched. After this last excursion into the strange, I wasn’t even certain I wanted to go digging for the answers. “Son of a bitch,” I managed to spit out as my first classy words upon coming awake and finding that I couldn’t see. About to will the entire world into a cinder, I was able to check my rage as a cloth was pulled from my eyes to reveal the light. Looking down at me, as so often was the case in my apparent fainting goat life, were the two most comfortably familiar sets of eyes I’d ever encountered. “I hate to ask this, but how long was I out?” I ventured, fully expecting to find that I’d been asleep an entire decade this time. “Only about an hour. You merely fainted from blood loss,” Del said as she examined me. “Where am I?” I asked, seeing an unfamiliar ceiling and a sterile looking white room besides. “This is the best apothecary Karisa was able to locate,” Del added as she moved across the room to investigate a few medical texts that sat upon a nearby shelf. Looking extremely guilty as she sat next to me on the bed, Karisa opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out as she looked away. “Alright,” I began as I slid myself up into a seated position, “We should talk.” Wiping away what might have been a renegade teardrop, Karisa turned back to me and started speaking, “I know you can’t forgive me, that I’m not the woman you want, that you’ve had nothing but pain as a result of me, and I know that-” I cut her off with a word, “Stop.” “O-okay?” “Those are all really big choices to have made for me while I was out for a damn hour. There is, however, a far FAR more important thing that we need to handle before we get to any of that.” “This is about the-” she began again, looking flustered. “I want food...and not oatmeal. I want a steak, some good wine, and...I don’t know...some kind of green vegetable that isn’t going to have me drooling for sex.” “But what about-” she started before I cut her off again, giggling to myself as I did so. “I’m also going to need you to do something for me, Karisa,” I said, trying out the name on my tongue. “Anything,” she answered. “Don’t bullshit me. You’re still wearing that necklace and we both know you’re not okay with just walking away from all of this,” I said with a smirk as I gestured suggestively to my slight form, even paler than normal from the blood loss. She finally smiled for just an instant before she almost tackled me in a hug. I was actually rather surprised at how composed she was compared to the hysterics in which she’d been wallowing before I passed out. Returning her warm embrace, I finally saw that my hands had been well-bandaged and didn’t seem to hurt at all. Far more interesting to me, however, was how very right this felt. Her scent, the perfect fit of her slender body against mine, and the endearing swish of her fluffy tail in response to running my unbandaged thumb over her sensitive ears, all felt like the girl I'd fallen for in the first place. “So, really...is there some place we can go eat?” I asked. Releasing her grip and sitting back, she thought for a moment before responding, “Well, there is a place where the nobles like to flaunt their men. They have an outworlder chef there that I’ve heard can make food that tastes exactly like the food from...the other world.” “Why am I just hearing about this now? You know how tired I am of oatmeal?!” “Well, it’s expensive! And you never complained before…” Jumping up from the bed, and almost instantly regretting the speed with which I had done so, I wobbled on my feet a bit before catching myself on Karisa’s shoulder. “So what are we waiting for?” I asked, no longer feeling like I was going to black out. “With the three of us...um...there’s one catch,” Karisa said as she lowered her eyes. “There is no problem,” Del said as she walked back over to us, “I shall have something waiting for you back at your childhood home--I assume you still own it?” “Wait, are you sure, Del?” Karisa asked. “Yes, I am certain. I need to get some things ready before I depart.” Not entirely convinced I’d heard her correctly, I looked at Del to see her avoiding my gaze. “Wait, what do you mean ‘before I depart’?” I asked. “There are dangerous things to which I must attend, and I have delayed too long already.” “Hold up, why are you just mentioning this now? Did something happen?” I asked. “It would put you in danger to explain, Joe.” “Damn it, Del! You said you’d start explaining things after the wedding...not that you’d leave.” Seeing my anger, Del simply kept her eyes averted, “I...should not be gone long. You two have much to discuss as well, and I’d simply be a hindrance-” As Del said that, I felt Karisa press something into the palm of my hand. Looking to her face for confirmation of what I was seeing, she simply smiled and gave me a light shove in Del’s direction, interrupting the lich as she was forced to catch my weakened form. “The ‘catch’, Del, is that you aren’t properly dressed to come with us,” Karisa said with a grin. “I see, you expect me to wear that horrid dress that-” Looking down again at what Karisa had handed me, I saw a necklace that looked identical to the one that Karisa now wore. Interrupting Del’s coming exposition on how much she hated that dress, I took a deep breath before I reached up and snapped the necklace on her, the clasp locking tightly with a satisfying ‘click’. I left my hands on her shoulders as I looked at her shifting expression, hoping for a smile. “Okay, so...technically, I lied,” Karisa said with a sheepish grin before continuing, “I wanted to be sure, so a few days ago I did some digging. I found that there is a precedent within the labyrinthine Alnor bureaucratic by-laws for two--and possibly more--monsters sharing the same husband if one, or more, is...unable to bear offspring.” Seemingly in shock at this turn, Del responded, “But I signed the document as a witness! You couldn’t have forged my mark upon a mystical document!” “And...maybe that document didn’t technically say ‘witness’ on the line you signed...perhaps your eyes were...playing tricks on you?” “This is...you tricked me...again. This is…” Del’s voice trailed off as she simply pressed herself against me in silence. “I’m sorry, Del. If I’m being completely honest, even now it's like I've been losing chunks of time and I...didn’t think I’d make it through that ceremony, so I drew up the marriage contract to make sure that at least nobody could take him from you…Isn’t this better?” Seemingly hesitant to speak, Del finally replied, her words coming across almost as a mumble as she said them with her face pressed against my chest, “Oh, this--Yes, this...is better. I continue to misjudge you, Karisa. I promise that it will not happen again.” Feeling like my stomach was going to turn itself inside-out from hunger, and determined to somehow squeeze some happiness out of this day for my TWO new wives, I spoke up, “So maybe we all go check out this eatery, and we can talk things over before any of us go off on dangerous quests alone?” “I feel like I haven’t eaten in ages,” Karisa replied as she took a step towards the door. “I will accompany the two of you if-” she paused before continuing in a whisper colored with an edge of disbelief, “-if my husband wishes it.” “He totally does,” I said with certainty as I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me. As the two of them damn near carried me across town to a very fine area of the city, not far from the Lord’s dwelling, I finally got a chance to really take in the beauty of the town, well...part of it. Apparently it is almost impossible to get anywhere in Alnor without somehow navigating through the (in)famous brothel district. That...was certainly a new experience. A garishly dressed man, naked from the waist down, was the first to call out to us, “Good day, ladies! Why not bring those clearly underused bodies just inside? We guarantee a...filling experience!” “Hey, fuck you, pal!” I shouted defensively. “Gasp! (yes, he actually said “gasp”) Such language. Why don’t you lose that portal rat in the gutter in which you found him and we’ll show you how a man truly uses his mouth.” “Joe, just ignore them,” Karisa whispered to me as she and Del continued to drag me down the street. “But, he’s-!” “A merchant,” Karisa interrupted, adding, “nobody actually listens to them.” Del looked, to my suddenly jealous eyes, like she was considering some of the shouted propositions, prompting me to make the wisest decision I’d made in at least four minutes. Taking a deep breath, I shouted back at one of the whores, “These are MY wives, and they’ll be busy with ME for the next two days!” I was already breaking that statement down into pieces to illustrate to myself just what went wrong before the words had even finished leaving my mouth. I imagined a dry-erase board with John Madden detailing just how, exactly, the whole thing had fallen apart, with lines and exclamations of “boom!” at various intervals. “That’s a rather ambitious claim, Joe,” Del said as she looked up at me with an obvious smirk. “Two days, with both of us?” Karisa asked. Not about to let sense take the wheel back from the stupidity that had fought so hard to seize it, I doubled down, loudly enough that the nearby whores could hear me “Fine! How about three days? Shouldn’t be a problem if you keep me fed!” With a giggle that grew and expanded into a full body laugh, Karisa tried to respond but fell back into a fit each time she tried to speak. Del was able to remain a bit more composed, as she said with a devious smile, “As you wish, my love. However much hilarity is to be had from just how far your reach exceeds your grasp, and your grasp exceeds your nerve, I will make certain that you are given the full measure of our attention to deliver on that boast.” Well, shit. There goes three days. Awesome. “At least I’ll get a chance to eat soon,” I thought to myself a short while later as we walked into a very fancy-looking building. Greeting us at the door, a very small elfin-looking girl dressed in a shimmering gown, with bright purple hair, rapidly fluttering wings, and an absolutely radiant smile, gave a polite bow as she hovered at eye level. “Welcome to the Winter Court Bistro. I assume you have made a reservation?” Taking a quick look into the crowded dining area, Karisa replied, “We have not, young miss. I do have fifty-” The faerie-looking girl started shaking her head before Karisa had even finished. “A hundred-” Stopping Karisa again with a shake of her head, the hostess spoke up, “Miss, this is a high class establishment…” Leaning over to Del I whispered, “Yeah, this is where she tries to paint sucking me off in the corner as just the sort of thing a high-class establishment like this demands…” Scowling at me slightly as she heard my too-loud whispering, the fairy replied, “While that might have been an acceptable payment, you’ll have to show me something more...interesting for your rudeness.” “Cuir mo leithscéal botún” I said, taking a shot in the dark, as I called on all seventeen wasted hours with my Irish Gaelic Rosetta Stone program, to attempt an apology in a way that I hoped might pique her interest. Her face brightened immediately as it seemed she had picked up on what I’d said, even through the translation spell (and what was probably horribly incorrect pronunciation as well). Turning away slightly as she chewed a finger in thought, she finally came back around with a wide smile. Now acting like an overly shy child, she lowered her chin and looked up at me through fluttering eyelashes, “I can’t get you a table just because you speak the old high tongue,” she began before looking directly at me and adding, “But there’s one tiny thing you could do for me.” I was starting to feel warm, not unlike how I’d felt in that church when the ringleader of the imps had been around. There was simply no way that this fairy was this cute when I walked in here. Feeling in a bit of a daze, I responded, “What’s that?” “Could you…” she began before stopping with an embarrassed giggle, “Would you let me touch it just once?” “You little-!” Karisa began before I cut her off. Inexplicably drawn forward, I answered, “Just once.” I couldn’t believe I’d just said that. I laughed inwardly at what must have been some magical effect working me over, and again as I pictured my headstone, engraved, as a final slap in the face, to say, “Just once.” To my unexpectedly overwhelming delight, she let out a loud giggle that drew looks from some of the other patrons as she seductively floated over to me and then...began rubbing her face on the cloth and scales that adorned my shoulder. “Oooh, it’s like there’s love in every single stitch,” she said with a slight shudder, adding, “to be wrapped in something so beautifully crafted...Heee.” I was more confused than anything else as the strange mental effect seemed to break the moment she touched me. Was she really getting turned on by the outfit Selvirin had made for me? As I tried to figure out how that could possibly be arousing, she abruptly broke off and regained her dignified demeanor. “This way please, I believe a table has just opened up.” “See?” I said to the scowls of my companions as we were seated near the edge of the large, open dining area, “It was totally fine.” While Karisa just seemed to be understandably pissed at the exchange, Del seemed more interested as she remarked, “I had heard that such beings existed, but this is my first time actually seeing one.” “So she’s more special than just...’special’?” “I believe she takes some form of sustenance from works of art.” “Sounds like an unseelie--wait. What did she say this place was called?” “The Winter Court Bistro!” a very jovial man interjected as he came up to the table. Looking up to the source of the voice, I saw an extremely attractive, well-toned, golden-haired man looking down at me with a smile. He was dressed in an outfit that would strain credibility to see him called anything other than “chef”. “Yeah, I thought so...are you the chef?” I asked, suddenly worried how relevant my knowledge on old folk tales might be. “That I am, and you are the first guests to successfully get Aeval off my back. This whole meal is on me--whatever you and your ladies would like.” “You’re serious? All I did was apologize in some broken-ass Gaelic and let her rub herself on my outfit.” “I don’t know, man...she’s weird,” he answered as he looked away nervously, adding, “She’s out back taking care of herself for a change, not to mention she’s not at all my type…” “Oh? She seemed cute enough. You don’t like your mates in travel size?” I asked. “Or female,” he added with a grimace, “So...welcome to my hell, I suppose. But enough bitching--what are you fine folks in the mood for?” “Well, my wife tells me that you can almost perfectly cater to the...outworlder palate.” “Oh ho!” he said in response, his smile returning, “I can do exactly that. Something I have to actually thank Aeval for...she managed to get me into pursuing my passion, which makes the...rest easier to deal with. I own two wine cellars, and I’ve personally mixed over a dozen different blends that’ll perfectly pair perfectly with whatever you might be in the mood to eat. And as for the food, well...I’ve been doing this for almost ten years so you’ll just have to trust me that if you close your eyes, you’ll think you’re back home.” “So what CAN you make?” I asked, probably already drooling at the thought of jamming down anything edible.” “Try me,” he said as he crossed his arms. I didn’t even have to think, nearly jumping out of my chair to ask, “How close can you get to a bone-in ribeye?” “Close enough you’ll still hear the moo. How you want that cooked?” He said with a smirk, almost as if he was testing me. “Run it through a warm room.” “I knew I liked you,” he said as he adjusted his apron, “And for the beautiful young Danuki?” he said with a slight bow in Karisa’s direction. Knocked from what looked like a self-conscious reverie, Karisa answered, “The same...and some wine.” “Splendid. And…” he hesitated as he looked down at Del. “I...am not certain. It should not be a problem to consume food, but I have not done so in several hundred years.” “Do you remember liking anything from...before?” I asked, not entirely sure how to phrase that question. “The last thing I can remember enjoying was roasted goat, with dates and barley paste.” Making a friendly nod, the chef smiled and replied, “I should be able to get pretty damn close, just give me a bit. I’ll bring out some wine in the meantime. I’m Patrick, by the way. Give me a shout if you need anything,” he said as he disappeared for a moment, returning with two bottles of wine and some glasses before vanishing towards the kitchen. “Through pain comes art,” I thought as I took my first tentative sip of the wine, realizing the moment it touched my tongue that it was easily the best wine I’d ever tasted. I smiled to see Karisa light up with a smile as she seemed to have a similar reaction. “Okay,” I began between sips of the wine, “One thing at a time. Del, what’s going on?” “I had hoped I would never need speak of this again, but I no longer feel comfortable keeping this from you entirely,” Del said as she locked her eyes on me, possibly to ascertain that I truly wanted to hear what she was about to say. With a nod, I met her gaze in the hope of reassuring her that she didn’t have anything about which she need worry. “This began about 4,400 years ago when an inspired visionary dreamed of a utopia for human and mamono alike. That dream was Blacksky. I was called in to advise and assist on the construction of a technomagical marvel that would act as the core of the city. You’ve actually seen the broken remains of that project within the Elysian Valley.” Despite her trepidation, Del seemed to be almost relieved to be telling us this story. As the wine started to relax my muscles, I leaned forward with an intense interest in Del’s tale. “You mean that church?” I asked. “Yes, that was the topside focusing mechanism with a larger component below ground. The city was built to exist simultaneously above and below ground. The system we designed was made to greatly lessen the flow of demonic energy below ground and channel it to the areas on the surface.” “Why would you do something like that?” Karisa asked, suddenly interested as well. “The goal was to create a city within which even demons could live comfortably. And despite what you might assume, it was working. Within only fifty years there were nearly a thousand residents and the city was growing extremely quickly.” “Del, this...is actually totally awesome, and I want to hear the whole story later, but what does this have to do with you leaving?” I asked, too worried about Del to be interested in the history lesson. “It should suffice to say that a great cataclysm was unleashed within the city. The rest of the small council and I sealed the doorway to the undercity in the hope that it would remain buried forever. But just as I told Miranda, destruction is far easier than creation. The barrier was shattered by someone ignorant of the danger that dwells within.” “What does your sister have to do with this?” With a sigh, Del shifted uncomfortably in her seat before replying, “She had nothing to do with it until she found my simulacrum as I was investigating the broken seal. When that barrier was broken, it was as if the entire land took a deep breath and exhaled death. Any practiced necromancer on the island would have felt it, and it’s impossible to say how many others would be interested in trying to plumb the depths of the broken city for the wealth of magical knowledge that remains in the archives.” “There has to be something you aren’t telling me. If you were just trying to reseal it, you would have just told me. It feels like you must have something else hidden down there.” “Many things. Aside from the potential horde of interested parties heading for the ruins, the two most troubling things are that it is where the rest of me remains sealed, and that someone will now be looking to...meet with me.” “Wait...what do you mean ‘the rest of you’”? I asked. “Joe. You told me that your feelings about me would not change no matter what you learned of me.” “And I meant it,” I said without flinching. “I...want you to forget you ever said such a foolish thing. Even if you truly believe it in this moment, my soul could not bear the weight of discovering that you had been mistaken.” I was silent a moment. I looked at Karisa and realized with shame that I still hadn’t settled my feelings on her particular matter. I couldn’t know what I’d really find in Del’s past if I dug deeply enough, or even if she’d be the same person once this matter was put to rest. Seeing my hesitation, Del actually smiled in relief, “I am pleased to see your oversold bluster of the day starts and ends with the misguided attempt at one upmanship with a whore in the street.” “But Del, I really-” “I have a compromise,” she said, gracefully cutting my statement short. “Too many things have lined up to bring this event to pass that I believe a hand must be guiding it, of fate or something more corporeal, I can’t be certain. If my prediction is correct, you will have your chance to decide if your feelings remain once the truth has been revealed to you. I ask only that you wait until such time to make your decision.” “You make it sound so grave. What if--and this is a big ‘if’--I can’t handle it?” “I will go or stay as you please.” “Del...I don’t own you.” “You are free to believe that, Joe.” Did she really feel that way? That made less than no sense to me. What’s so special about me? I guess, on some level, that meant that I could have pressed her for more information. Thankfully, however, I was saved from any of the thousands of inglorious things I could have said in response to that by the timely arrival of the chef personally bringing our our food. I wanted to cry to see the feast that had been laid before me. I was so hungry that I would have thrown myself at the plate even if the chef had told me that it was soylent green. This, however, looked like the largest piece of steak I’d ever seen served. I tore into the succulent flesh like a man possessed, getting some notion of the taste somewhere around the tenth bite. The chef did not disappoint. “I take it that you enjoy it?” he asked, already knowing the answer. “Mmmf narfn. Urh uhn,” I said, barely acknowledging his presence. “Sure thing, and anything else for you fine ladies?” Del just shook her head as she very carefully took tiny bites, seeming to take her time to savor the flavor. This was the first time I’d ever seen her eat anything that wasn’t...well...me, and I actually enjoyed seeing her analyze every bite. “This is really good, and just...unlike anything I’ve ever had before,” Karisa said, looking dumbfounded at the mix of spices Patrick had used as some kind of rub. “It’s a bit too complex for most of you folk, honestly. Mamono, I mean. I think your tastes are more sensitive. Most of the nobles only eat here because we’re considered a high-class establishment. No offense to you two ladies, but you don’t fit the profile of our normal guests.” “This is a special occasion. We were just...married earlier today,” Karisa said as her eyes seemed to shift about nervously. “Congratulations! Now I feel even...better about this meal being on the house. Well, I’d better get back to the kitchen before someone burns the place down. Let me know if you need anything else,” Patrick said as he left, hesitating a moment as he did so. After I’d finished the majority of the meal, I took a long pull from my wine glass and looked at Karisa. I’d been avoiding this, but it was time to get some answers. “Karisa,” I began. Taking several large gulps of wine, she refilled her glass to the brim before answering with a nervous sigh, “I’m ready...what do you want to know?” “There are a lot of things I don’t get and, to be honest, I have a lot of really weird questions.” “I’ll answer everything I can. But...there are some things that aren’t making sense to me too.” We’d already finished both bottles of wine, and before I could even think about imposing on Patrick for another, he deftly passed by on his way to another table leaving two more bottles. This was going to be an interesting evening. “Alright, so...tell me what happened after that first wedding.” “I don’t honestly remember, exactly. I was seeing the whole world in grey from the moment I walked into the hall. It wasn’t supposed to happen like that at all,” she said as she looked at her wine with a frustrated stare. “What do you mean?” “I know what you saw me with my sisters and...it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Well...I guess...I mean that I’d gotten so used to it that they were the last thing on my mind when I went to the wedding. It’s going to sound really immature, and it was, but I went there just to make a big scene. I wanted to make trouble for lady Ajora in front of all her noble guests. That scene in the bar before the wedding? The only thing I really processed was that they were going to get rid of Gabriel…” “So, about Gabriel,” I started again. “Gabriel Michael Weathersby, he said. He’d been in my life almost as far back as I could remember. But we’re getting off track here,” she paused for a moment in thought before continuing with a small nod, “But, anyway, that’s where everything got fuzzy. What you saw is what I remember but...I didn’t feel like I was in control at all.” “That makes me feel a bit better,” I said with a little smile, “But how did nobody else notice while everything was going on? Can you use glamour to affect so many people at once?” “Not a chance,” she said with certainty, “The most I’d ever been able to get to that point was 8, I could maybe get 12 or so now if I really pushed it. A glamour of that scale would take someone of phenomenal power or a group of people working in tandem. I know she was powerful, but I don’t think even someone as powerful as Ajora could have pulled that off.” “Is it possible that everything you saw and experienced was the illusion?” Del asked. Turning to look at Del angrily, her looked changed to one of serenity as Karisa truly considered that thought for what seemed to be the first time. “I...don’t think that’s right. I’m not sure why. I feel like...I should feel guilty for what happened there,” Karisa said as a strange mix of emotions seemed to come over her in waves. This was just getting more confusing, and I was already getting away from the reason I wanted to ask my questions in the first place. Absentmindedly taking a few more bites of food, I went back to my investigation. “So what’s the first thing you remember after the event?” “I was purchasing my cart and provisions for a trading trip to Kioko. Thinking on it now, it didn’t make a lick of sense, but I just didn’t see it. I don’t know where he came from, but I had ‘Mike’ with me at that point. I remember that I met him on the road...but...I don’t actually remember meeting him on the road. It was like I’d read it in a book. I wasn’t in a position to doubt my own thoughts...and he just felt so comfortably familiar...so…” she started to tear up at this point. “It’s okay if you want to stop-” “No. I need to accept all of this. I took him with me and I...had him as though he had always been mine. A lot of it is a blur...I know what I told you before about MY wedding is completely false. It was like I was starting to slowly realize what I was doing or that I wasn’t the only person in my head...so after about 6 months on the road, we made it back to Alnor and I knew I had to hide him.” “So then…” I began, not sure what I was even going to ask. No longer fighting tears, Karisa continued, “Even though I know I hid him--told him to run if he ever saw me again, I...felt like he’d been stolen from me. That was when I started seeing my sisters again, but after the first meeting...they seemed completely different.” “Wait wait, what do you mean ‘first meeting’? Did something change?” Closing her eyes for a moment as if she was trying to remember something, she continued, “It...felt wrong before, but when I think about it now...Okay, so I was restocking for another trip, and I’d made enough to buy a warehouse of sorts. I’d made some amazing profits, but then there was a fire and…” I realized something in that moment, spitting it out before the thought escaped, “Risa, you still have your ledgers, right? Pull them out.” “Oh, okay,” she said, almost shocked when I’d used that name. As she reached down into her bag, the look on her face seemed to morph back and forth through a dozen different emotions. With an almost growing desperation, she threw the first ledger open and started running her eyes down the page, scanning the many entries. I slid myself over next to her to watch as she went through the items again as she seemed to be silently mouthing each item to herself as she read it and tried to remember each transaction. “No...this isn’t right,” she said as she ran her hands through her hair, scratching at her head in confusion. “What do you see?” “I told you before that these prices just kept going up...that isn’t true at all. These prices are absolutely fine...but these items are all wrong. This is-” I cut her off, asking, “Where did I fall into your cart?” “It’s here,” she said pointing to an item on the list. “Prisoner Fruit (ruined by asshole) - 2200g loss” “What the fuck is this?” I asked. “I’m sorry, I was...just really pissed about-” “No no no, I was an asshole. That’s the only loss you recorded, but I know damn well I was covered in something black.” “Kraken ink,” Del added with a slight smile, “You still had the stains on what was left of your clothes when I found you.” “You...you’re right. I wouldn’t have had any prisoner fruit yet, I normally bought it in Charisse because the potency was always better, but I hadn’t gone into the desert yet on that trip. And I wouldn’t have paid that much for prisoner fruit even if I’d been drugged to desire nothing but prisoner fruit. What’s...going on here?” Karisa started looking like she might lose her nerve again--certainly the last thing we needed to happen in a crowded restaurant. Del placed a calming hand on her shoulder and smiled. “There is no need to be upset, Karisa. I see,” Del said as she leaned towards the ledger, getting a clear look at the inside for the first time, “We should leave before you two get any more inebriated.” “Wait Del, I think we’re on to-” “We’re leaving. Now,” Del said with a frightening authority. “I feel a little strange leaving without paying,” Karisa said sheepishly, back to herself. “We aren’t. Leave a gold piece,” I said. “That almost seems like an insult.” “Well, I’m not taking any chances on receiving a ‘gift’ from a place run, at least in part, by a faerie.” As we made our way out, I heard an angry female voice shout something I couldn’t quite make out followed by Patrick’s response, “Ha! I told you, you bitch.” Looking back I saw him smile and wave as he seemed to happily toss and catch the coin we’d left him. Allowing the copious amounts of wine coursing through my system to efficiently destroy any associated worries about what that exchange could have meant, Karisa and I were nearly dragged by Del into a nearby alleyway. “Del, what’s going on?” I asked. “I find it comical that Risa’s false threat outside of the Elysian Valley to burn this ledger to ash would have saved us many months of grief.” “I’m completely lost here.” “You don’t remember? She said that those ledgers are almost as much a part of her as my phylactery is a part of me. I never considered that she might have been being honest in that declaration. It also seems that we’ve found one of the missing pieces of this little puzzle. Turn to the final page in that ledger, Karisa,” Del commanded. Holding the ledger up for Del’s inspection, Karisa answered, “It’s completely blank...I normally leave the last page...wait, do I?” “Joe, hold on to her. She is going to find this to be exceptionally painful,” Del said as she reached out to the ledger and violently tore the blank page from the book. As Del grabbed the page, Karisa started to struggle in my grasp. I wasn’t going to be able to hold her for long, but Del didn’t even hesitate. Almost moving in slow-motion, the tear in the parchment drew down the page until the sound of tearing parchment transformed into a scream that was echoed in Karisa. There was a bright blue flash and I was thrown to the ground, temporarily dazed. After a moment, I heard an unfamiliar voice ask in a whining tone, “Oh come on! You couldn’t have waited until after the three-day romp?” |
Chapter 38 - Out of the Shadows “Well, I should probably go...” the unfamiliar voice said before I heard a yelp. My eyes finally clearing from the flash, I saw a glowing form, suspended in the air. It was female (obviously), and appeared as a ghostly version of the fox-woman from the earlier illusion, albeit with only one wispy tail. She looked to be in a small amount of pain as a large, dark violet hand seemed to have taken a hold on her entire body. I still had my grip on Karisa and she seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness. I tried to gently shake her awake, which prompted her to bury her face in my chest and start crying. “It’s gone...oh lords...it’s finally gone,” Karisa said as she wept in my arms. “Hey, let me go!” the spirit shouted. “I will consider it once you have answered all of my questions,” Del said with a serious look on her face. “I didn’t do anything wrong!” “Then you have nothing to fear.” “If the watch sees you, you’ll be in trouble.” Ignoring the spirits attempt at a threat, Del took a step closer, keeping her hand raised in the direction of the creature, saying, “Who instructed you to influence Karisa?” “Uhm...that’s a se-” the creature began before her voice turned into a scream. “Your existence will only persist as you remain useful to me. Let us begin again. Who-” “She asked me herself! Please stop squeezing me!” the spirit cried in desperation. “W-wait,” Karisa said weakly as she let me go and rose to her feet, “It was Meryl...she said nobody would believe me if I was crazy, but that I could have Gabriel…” “Right! See? I was just helping,” the spirit exclaimed. “You...made me think I was crazy. I’ve been fighting myself for almost two years because of you!” Karisa shouted as she stepped closer to the creature. “B-but...you agreed! You said it was okay to hide those memories as long as you could have Gabriel. I even changed it so you’d think he was someone else…” “Karisa?” Del asked with a curious look in her direction. “She’s right. I...saw something I wasn’t supposed to see. Oh…” “And now we have seen it as well. Your sister murdered Lady Ajora, and I imagine she has taken her place.” “Ajora was horrible! She made me and then left me in a cage when I wasn’t doing her dirty work!” the spirit shouted. “Be silent a moment, spirit,” Del commanded as she looked back to Karisa, “What do you wish to do?” “It was you! No...you’re the one that convinced me to get rid of Joe…” “Understood,” Del began as her energy covered the mouth of the spirit. “Wait!” I said, jumping to my feet, “Are you just going to kill her?” “I am. Even were I to ignore that she has caused harm to you and Karisa, she could simply return to Meryl and further compromise your safety,” Del answered mechanically. “Just...hold on. Karisa...what do you want to do?” “Let her go. This was my stupid choice in the first place. I need to start taking some responsibility for my own dumb decisions…” Karisa said calmly. “As you wish,” Del said with a small smile at Karisa before looking back towards the spirit, “Now, I have marked you, spirit. You aren’t entertaining any notions of reporting this to her sister, are you?” The fox spirit shook her head vigorously in response, still looking fearful. With that, the spirit was released from the grasp of Del’s magic. It remained floating in the air for a moment, staring at me with a look of obvious sadness on her face. Finally speaking up she said, “I’m sorry...for everything. I knew once you tried to hide Gabriel that you didn’t want me around anymore, and then everything started to fall apart once you met Joe.” Karisa replied, “This is my fault, you only did exactly what I asked you to do. Meryl couldn’t risk Gabriel finding out about what she’d done, and I told her I’d do anything to keep him.” “If that’s true, then why did you give him up yourself?” “I was so stupid...so insecure. I didn’t think I’d ever see another man smile at me or even care if I lived or died. I started to realize just how foolish I was the moment we...we…” I’d known something like this was coming and was still left without anything I could even imagine saying that could salve this wound. How do you tell someone that they just need to accept their role in a Greek tragedy and try to get over it? Placing my still-bandaged hand on Karisa’s shoulder, I asked, “What’s done is done. Would you be standing here right now if you hadn’t made that choice?” “No...and I know you’re right. I’m actually seeing clearly for the first time in over two years and...I still just want to run away from it all.” “Believe me, I know,” I began as I took a deep breath to continue, “But I won’t let you run or hide. Whatever you need...I’m--we’re here for you.” Turning to me, with tears in her eyes, she managed a smile, “I know. Plus, who could walk away from all this?” she asked as she poked my slender form. Adding to my surprise, the spirit floated around behind me and placed a small kiss on my neck, just below the ear before flying up into the air and vanishing over the top of the closest building. “Uh...what was that about?” I asked. “That spirit has been with Karisa since before you met her. Any monster spending so much time around you would develop feelings.” “Was that...flattery, Del?” I said trying to hide my stupid grin. “It was simply...an observation based upon the...data. At hand, that is…” Del said as she looked away, her voice trailing off. “So, it’s starting to get dark...where are we sleeping tonight?” I asked. “Del was right. I do still own that old house, but it’s absolutely filthy.” “Let us stay there for the evening and we can search for more suitable accommodations tomorrow, if you wish,” Del offered as Karisa lead us towards her childhood home. “So...about Ixi,” I said after a few minutes of walking, I broke the silence and wishing almost immediately that I hadn’t as I saw Karisa tense in response. After another few moments, Karisa responded, “Ixi...was Ajora’s lover. I don’t know if Ajora ever cared about her--Ixi always seemed so sad when she thought nobody was looking. She would have done almost anything Ajora asked of her. My sister...has a lot to answer for. But not now, and...maybe not from me.” Giving that statement some time to sit in the air, I finally replied, “You’re okay with that?” Taking a deep breath, Karisa almost angrily replied, “I’m not--not at all. But, damn it...I want to do some living for myself! I don’t want to think about revenge, or what I’ve lost, or what terrible thing is going to happen next. Can I do that? Am I allowed to have something--anything?!” “Yes! I just...wanted to know if you were okay--if there was anything I could do.” “Look, I’m...not okay, but I will be. All I need you to do for me is...be you.” “This is the place, is it not?” Del said, some time later, as she pointed at a rather large home. The place looked liked it might have been absolutely beautiful in its prime, but now it just looked like a run-down memory of a happier time that had not been kind in its passing. What was once a beautiful outdoor entryway, with a tiled stone mosaic depicting a bright sunburst, barely reminded one of the scene, even with the aid of the burnished light of the setting sun. The broken tiles had long lost any luster they might have once held. The stone and stucco walls had been stained by all manner of dark residue over the years, possible evidence of impromptu sexual encounters by passing monstrous participants too eager to reach their own homes. The ground around the once-fine home was littered by the many tiles that had broken or slipped free from the badly weathering roof above. There was still a fine bronze gate that held fast against entry to the innermost parts of the house within. The gate was shown to be unlocked, as Karisa easily pushed it open with a sigh before waving us forward. Half-heartedly motioning us through the iron-banded, grey elm door, Karisa moved in behind us and closed the door, throwing a latch to seal the portal. “So...it’s probably cleanest in the last room at the top of the-” Karisa began before falling to her knees at the sight that now greeted her. Looking around, I saw that the inside looked almost completely restored. The vaulted foyer positively shined, with the dark and varied wood used in the internal construction reflecting off of the brightly polished marble floor. The same tired sunburst mosaic of the outdoor entryway was shown again here, now painstakingly restored to gleam with a luster that threatened to put the resplendent setting sun to shame as it threw its last beams through the large windows of the home. “This was to be the gift I had waiting for you when I departed,” Del said as she helped Karisa to her feet. “How…? I was just here a week ago and it was falling apart!” “Skeletons can be quite good at manual labor. The construction is actually quite sound, it simply needed-” Cutting Del off, Karisa threw her arms around the lich, not even trying to fight the slowly rising sobs of happiness, “Thank you Del...you don’t know how much this means to me. I could-” Interrupting her own statement, she placed a kiss on Del’s cheek, not looking as though she had any intention of letting go afterwards. Del reached up and began running her long, pale fingers through the bright red strands of hair, whispering softly, “Be calm, Risa. I just...felt that if this home could help raise one such as you, I could imagine none better in which to...raise your own children.” I never could have imagined Del saying something so perfect. It also did not escape my notice that she had used the name “Risa”, her certainty enough to wear down nearly all of the doubts that I had remaining. Seeing the two women I loved sharing their own caring embrace also made made me feel more than hopeful about how our future would eventually turn out. Del whispered something else to Karisa that I couldn’t quite make out, earning a simple nod in response. “Okay,” Karisa said with a sniffle, “Let’s go upstairs to...our room,” she finished as she tried, in vain, to wipe away her continuing tears. It was clear on our way up to the master bedroom that this house still needed a lot of work, but the amount of work that had already been done was shocking when compared to how the place appeared on the outside. The master bedroom, however, looked to have seen the most work outside of the foyer, with new looking rugs draped across an otherwise well-polished floor. The other furniture seemed to have been removed with the exception of a very large four-post bed dominating the center of the room and drawing the eye upon entrance. With a sumptuously silken, dark crimson color, the bed practically begged to be lied upon. I hadn’t even realized just how tired I truly was, but one look at this bed brought that thought easily to the front of my mind. Not seeing any nightclothes for me, and not caring in the least, I stripped myself naked on the way to the bed, quickly sliding under the covers and looking back at my wives with a smile. “So? You guys coming to bed?” I asked with my arms wide. “Did he forget?” Karisa asked Del as she looked at me curiously, still trying to dry her tears. “No, I believe he was hoping that we would,” Del said with a smirk. To be honest, I nearly had forgotten about the hole I’d dug myself earlier. There was a caveat for food included, and just staring at the two beautiful women across the room would have been all the invitation I needed anyway. “I actually did forget, but I’m not planning to renege on what I said earlier.” “That’s good, Joe. I would have become somewhat cross if you’d upset Risa.” “I love both of you more than I’ll ever be able to say. So...get over here and see if you can’t make me regret biting off far far more than I can chew.” mild-ish h-scene, some emotional developments Some time later, I nearly jumped out of my skin as I came awake in a start, realizing that Del was bringing me to a sitting position. I wasn’t even certain when I’d fallen asleep. “As promised,” she said as she brushed my hair back from my eyes and offered some strangely-spiced bread and some sort of fruit juice with which to wash it down. “This is really good,” I said, eagerly digging in, adding, “Did you get some for Risa too?” “Of course. I fed her first as she had positioned herself almost directly atop you. She went back to sleep afterwards.” “Where did you get this bread?” I asked between bites as I tried to figure out exactly what I was tasting, “it’s...strange.” “Cells extracted from a...type of fungus were used to make it rise. The seasoning is from a variety of different plants,” Del said as she seemed to be avoiding my gaze. Catching on to where this was going, I took a large gulp from the glass of suddenly familiar-tasting juice, “So...what’s it going to do to me?” “Have I become so easy to read?” Del asked with a genuine displeasure. “Are you asking me if you’re easy on the eyes?” “There it is--the hilarity.,” Del said with a wry smile as she continued, “The juice is greatly diluted version of the elixir you were given before we threw you to the goblins, and the bread is simply a mixture of other...very arousing components.” “Am I going to be able to stay sane this time?” “However unlikely it may be that my calculations are incorrect, I have given myself and Risa a similar concoction. She will be around shortly,” Del added almost prophetically as Risa seemed to squirm about as if the room had just gotten a lot warmer. Quickly finishing my meal, I was unable to hold back a yawn as it broke from its prison, “Soo...how long should this take to start working?” Looking flushed as she seemed to be trying to do calculations in her head, she extended her arm towards the door to brace herself against an invisible wall or...stop some illusionary traffic, I supposed. “I gave myself a more concentrated dose of the serum, concerned that my physiology would not be as receptive to the chemicals. I was...mistaken. So…” She trailed off, her eyes almost glazing over momentarily. “So…?” I asked. “So I will need an accurate count of the seconds that pass before you find you can no longer count them,” She answered in a distracted voice as she dragged me towards the corner of the bed. “Del, I’m not even-” Silencing me with a slight frown, she replied, “You are ready. Now.” Her voice echoed across the polished marble floor, and through every corner of my mind. For a brief moment I was unable to think of any facet of my reality that wasn’t “now”, and the following second I was unable to even consider anything beyond that demand. My body was going to heed her command, and my mind could stay behind forever if it wished to disobey. Only touched by the haze for a moment, I regained control of myself in the span of a few heartbeats. “Then what are you waiting for?” I said as I tried to come to a seated position, my legs already having been pulled over the edge of the bed to rest on the floor. She answered by placing her hand in the center of my chest and pushing me back down as she moved forward to straddle me, her legs still planted on the floor just outside of my own, “For you to start counting.” slighty more intense h-scene. “There he is! Geez, finally,” Risa said as she smiled down at me in mock anger. “The drug can only sustain one for so long before the body must rest,” Del added. “Well, it’s already been two hours. I thought you said this was supposed to be some sort of punishment,” Risa added with a sly wink in my direction as she gracefully answered my unasked question of “How long was I out?” It was becoming my damn catch-phrase. I hadn’t yet said anything, but I looked over at Del with a bit of concern. Blushing a bit to see my expression, Del spoke up, “Your concern is appreciated, my love, but you need not worry. Though this is a far greater strain than any with which I have tested this body since it’s creation, it is not more than I can handle.” “Sure, Del,” Risa said, giving her a playful shove, “I’m pretty sure every neighbor for miles that heard you screaming believes that too.” “Your biological body would give out long before one such as mine, Risa.” “Are you guys seriously fighting about this?” I asked as I continued to get my bearings. “I don’t know, Del. Are we fighting about this?” Risa asked, sounding as if she were issuing a playful challenge. “I respect your talents, Risa, but you are two thousand years too early to-” Del paused before adding, “I...know this is a glamour, Risa.” “No shit, really?” Risa said as she rolled her eyes slightly, “No, really...I’ve always had the ability to clone Joe. And one of these days you’re going to need to learn how to resist these.” Letting out a moan as these unseen illusions must have begun their assault on Del, she replied, “You...will yield before I.” “Never!” Risa shot back with a playful smile. You guessed it. This one has magic Finally laying me on my back, Del positioned Risa next to me where she instinctively crawled into her preferred spot as though it was the most natural thing to do. “You aren’t...leaving, are you?” I asked lethargically. “Things have...changed somewhat since I made the decision to leave. Once I return with food, we shall have a proper discussion on where things will proceed from here,” Del answered as she gently brushed the hair from mine and Risa’s brow. “Okay, Del. You know I love you, right?” “I am...made more aware of that fact daily, Joe. Sleep now. With that I drifted off to dreamland, anxious for Del’s return. ----- --Back through Delilah’s eyes-- Procuring supplies had been simple enough and I was on my way back home in under an hour. “Excuse me miss, we need you to come with us,” a voice said in my direction. Turning, I saw two members of the city watch looking eminently ready for a fight, and staring at me to await my response. “What is this regarding?” I asked as I shifted my gaze around, looking for any other eyes that could be watching this exchange. An undead positively reeking of recent sexual activities drew enough second glances that it was impossible to determine if there were any parties that showed more than a passing interest in the exchange. “Just a few questions...there was a slaying down near the harbor yesterday and arcane forensics identified the cause as necromantic in origin. If you have nothing to hide, then you shouldn’t mind coming with us, right?” I had a very...firm alibi to cover the entirely of yesterday. As I wanted to let Joe and Risa sleep, I saw no harm in coming with them. They left me to wait for several hours while the guards questioned at least a dozen other undead about this death. I couldn’t help but be concerned about this potential setup as I sat between a ghoul and a skeleton, indicating that the order of the day must have been to gather up any undead for questioning. Many pointless and stressful hours later, I was released from questioning after using my abilities to simply question the spirit of the victim to find the killer. I laid out the details as the spirit tearfully related them. “The ineptitude with which this guard is run is truly baffling. The victim had necromantic essence within her because her husband had spent time at one of the brothels that caters to a taste for undead flesh. This is a clear suicide, the ‘victim’ having consumed poison which is still within her system. She claims she also left her husband a note explaining such--I can only assume it was more efficient to round up every undead in the city than to simply spend a few moments questioning the man,” I offered, upset that I had been detained for something so foolish. Finally making my way back home, away from the sheepish apologies of the watch, I found the gate swinging open. I hadn’t locked it, not having the key, but it was bothersome that I had forgotten to at least latch it. Rather than be upset at this turn, I simply smiled as my pace quickened, my feet longing to bring me back to the side of my lover. Ascending the stairs and throwing open the door to the master bedroom, I saw the windows open, a powerful breeze inviting the curtains and bedding to dance in the embrace of the wind. Moving quietly towards the bed, I saw a sealed letter laying upon what would have been my side of the bed. Already dreading the contents, I opened it quickly, at least somewhat reassured by the breathing lump that laid adjacent, hidden under the sheets. Dearest Delilah, We were friends once. None of us blamed you for what happened, and even before Enki left this world he made me swear that I would convince you to return to Ahmose to tell her what has transpired. I’m tired of waiting for you to get over your grief--or over yourself. Your Danuki is unharmed and remains within Alnor, resting peacefully within one of the houses I own. You are already aware that it would be too dangerous for her to accompany you to your destination. I’m certain that, with your intellect, you’re thinking that there is nothing I could do to convince you to return to Blacksky. Until recently, you’d have been right. What were the chances that the emotionless Sorrow of Blacksky would ever find her heart captured by a man? That makes this doubly painful for me. You know why I am doing this. Ahmose has lost her mind and will never leave that place. I would have delivered the report myself--even though it should be your responsibility--if I could. But as a true demon, you know that neither I, nor any of my servants, can survive in that place. If you ever felt any love for her as I did, you should have jumped at the first chance to save her from her insanity. I would be lying if I said that taking this route wasn’t enjoyable on some level. When I presented myself to your man and told him that I would have him, he managed to fight through my charm enough to offer me--ME, of all people, a chance to be pleasured by his tongue instead of forcing myself upon him, saying that he wasn’t ‘allowed’ to have sex with a succubus. Your essence was so strongly upon him that I thought he might actually escape. Luckily for me, you’d fed him some of my special tonic so overpowering him was not difficult. For what happened next I must apologize. I know that I could be forgiven my nature for claiming his body, but the genuine tears in his eyes made it a truly painful experience for me. You know that he loved you as well? You and some...Risa--the danuki, I assume. He must have screamed your names a hundred times as I repeatedly forced his body to betray him. Over and over I took him, and he just wouldn’t stop saying your names with every single breath. Those thoughts are...buried now, possibly forever. I am willing to face your vengeance for this, Delilah. If I must, I am willing to die for this crime. Nothing is so cruel as to force pleasure upon a being against their will. But you left me with no other choice. I spent nearly a hundred years begging and another four thousand waiting for you to walk again with the living. I know you must still love Ahmose or you would not still carry her sorrow. Now...I’ve poured so much demonic energy into this man that it will consume his entire being from within if it is not removed. There is only one place you can take him now to undo what I’ve done and I’m certain you’ve pieced that answer together by now. You were always telling us that we must always face the consequences of our actions. It’s your turn Delilah. As much as it pains me to the pit of my being, I swore an oath, and in fulfilling it, I will take and destroy everything you touch from now until the end of eternity until you perform this task and the...other. The final judgement of the council is absolute. You know that if you but asked, I would see the other task done? That...thing is hiding beneath that rancid pit of hate to the east. You’ll find it in your old home, west of Zarom. Again, I am more sorry than I could ever express that this was the only way. I hope that once this is resolved, you may still look upon me kindly. Always, Genevieve, Wrath of Blacksky I let the page fall from my grip, caught as it was in the breeze, to fly from the room into the open sky of Alnor. Any hope of running of hiding was gone. This wasn’t even a declaration of war. This was a reminder that I was alone for a reason. I looked at the huddled form of my beloved as he began to stir. I didn’t want to consider what she had done to him, or that she had thrown another grief upon Risa in tearing her away from him. “Del! You’re here!”, Joe cried out, the effects of the demonic energy having obviously warped his consciousness. “Yes, Joe. I’m-” Before I could finish, he threw himself upon me. As my lover thoughtlessly penetrated me, I saw his irises had been stained red with lust. He had become like an animal with no wants or desires beyond a need to spill his seed into any woman within reach. Even as my own monstrous urges were awakened by his frenzy, my heart was lost in sorrow. Why did I have to love him? Why did I have to need him? Why must I break every oath I had ever sworn upon that place to have him back--to be with him and Risa? As my tears began to flow freely, Joe seemed to take on an almost confused look--but didn’t even slow his pace for a moment. As each penetrating thrust made its way into me, shaking my entire body with the force of its need, each brought forth a painful memory. As I felt my body give in to my lover’s assault, I began to weep openly, screaming out in a sadness I hadn’t felt since before I had passed beyond humanity. Lying there on the floor with my hands limp at my sides, I finally felt my body betray me at the same moment that his went rigid with the release of his tainted essence within me. Part of me wanted to end this man that had become my weakness. Did I not believe that he would abandon me once he learned the truth? Did I dare to believe that he wouldn’t? No. It is only since I’ve met this man that I could even define or understand how empty my existence was without him. Even if he would reject me, I couldn’t let him stay like this. This wasn’t my lover, this wasn’t my chosen--this wasn’t my...Joe. With another painful wash of emotion passing over me, bringing a round of fresh tears, the body of my lover began its plunder again. “I no longer care if I must break every oath I’ve ever sworn,” I said out loud, “Once you are asleep, I will...take you to that place.” I placed an affectionate hand upon his cheek that went entirely unnoticed as he continued. “Even if you hate me for it...I will save you, my love.” His only response was another series of animalistic grunts as he fed me more of his energy. I would return to Blacksky. |
| Chapter 39 - Where Demons Fear to Tread “We gots you and the shapey girl, and idn’t she just a wight?” the ogre asked, slinging her spiked club over her shoulder. “Shut your stupid mouth. Dara is our last resort in case you fail,” a small, goat-horned girl angrily replied. Looking back over her company, Hekate should have been reassured. The baphomet stood at the head of a full company of monsters that were powerful and vicious, hand-picked by one of Lady Kaori’s inner circle to finally pull this thorn from her side. That the “volunteers” had been chosen from those condemned to die for some other offense was immaterial. The beast was clever, that much was certain. If there was one being in Kaori that couldn’t ever be allowed to show weakness, it was Kaori herself. Even mentioning this hole meant an execution, of the offender and any close associates at the least. As no general could acknowledge this threat, it had been given leave to grow and fester. It was impossible to know how many undead might roam these caves now, simply that there was enough to have devoured a legion of strong and capable soldiers over the years. Hekate had confidence that she would be the first to emerge from these caves victorious, as she had brought a special weapon. Hekate had specially contracted the doppelganger Dara, one of the most cruelly murderous beings Hekate had ever seen. Using her abilities to take the form of her target’s love, Dara would mercilessly murder them using her own prodigious skills. “Keep your heads on a swivel and move out, no negotiation, no quarter. Don’t forget that you’re all already dead for some crime or another. Killing this bitch brings us back to life,” Hekate yelled with a wave of her arm. The slaughter was quick, complete, and without mercy. Crawling away as she attempted to futilely reattach her severed arm, Hekate looked up at her attacker in disbelief as she held Dara, still cloaked in her transformation, by the throat. “Don’t...you recognize...me?” Dara choked out through the pain as her energy was being pulled from her. “I do,” the wight answered, a sickening snap following her reply as she tossed the body into a nearby corner, the doppelganger’s hair turning from silver back into black as her lifeless body flew. In a moment of clarity, Hekate threw her dead arm and a blast of hellfire at the creature as she turned and fled, the need to survive easily overwhelming any loyalty she might have felt toward her lord. If Kaori wanted this thing dead, she could come down and do it herself, Hekate thought as she ran. “You smell of your mother, Hekate. You are just as she remembered you,” the wight’s voice echoed through the caves and in Hekate’s ears. Hekate’s moment of hesitation was her undoing as she felt a hand on her back, followed by a paralyzing icy chill that ran through her entire body. “Fear…” the wight began, “I understand. You have no children to carry on your lineage. I will share in your pain for a moment before you pass from existence.” Hekate then felt all of her memories pulled to the surface at once before disintegrating, one after another, like castles made of dust, her screams becoming weaker as her strength was torn from her. She was vaguely aware of the cave floor as she fell onto her back. Hekate saw the wight as it wiped away a solitary tear, her face returning to an emotionless mask before the quick descent of the wight’s heel toward her face was the last thing Hekate ever saw. -------------------------------------------- “Mmm, that was...amazing,” Risa mumbled as she pulled in closer to the warm body next to her, smiling as she felt a hand affectionately rubbing at her ears. “It certainly sounded that way,” an unfamiliar voice replied. Risa almost instantly jumped from the soft bed upon which she had been sleeping to land on her feet, ready to fight. “Who the fuck are you?! Where’s Joe? Where am I?!” Risa fired off her questions one after the other. “You are in no danger here, you beautiful girl. If you would like to have a seat, I will answer your questions,” the succubus said as she patted the bed next to her. “I’ll stand, thanks. Now start talking…” Risa said as she looked around the room, trying to take in each detail in the likely event this turned into a fight. “Very well, then it would be rude of me to remain seated,” the succubus began as she came to her feet, offering a polite curtsy, “My name is Genevieve, I am simply a demon of no real importance. Your husband Joseph has been afflicted with a demonic malady and Delilah is taking him to a place where he can be cured. And finally, you are within one of my homes at the western edge of Alnor.” “Joe’s sick? What happened?” Risa asked, suddenly concerned. “A truly horrible creature...infected his essence in such a way that it appeared it would consume him if he did not receive treatment,” Genevieve said, her tone gravely serious. “How do you know this? Why didn’t Del tell me anything?” Risa asked, confused at this strange turn of events. “I am intimately familiar with the foul demon that attacked him. However, I am bound by contractual oath not to harm this demon directly. Delilah left you in my care because you would be in deadly peril if you had gone with her.” “So then...where did she go?” “Blacksky, the ruins of the undercity to be more specific. There is...someone there that can help him,” Genevieve said, looking upset about something. “Well...thanks for watching over me but, I need to go. I don’t care how dangerous it is. She’s been avoiding that place for a reason and I’m not letting her go alone,” Risa said as she started moving toward the door. “No!” Genevieve nearly shouted in desperation before continuing somewhat more calmly, “I promised that I would keep you safe and you simply can’t enter the undercity--it is an empty void of demonic energy, teeming with murderous undead.” “Amarante’s tits...that’s below the Elysian Valley, right? Fine. If you’re going to ‘watch over me’ then we’re leaving now.” “I could...persuade you to stay…” Genevieve said, somewhat menacingly. “You’re welcome to try, but you’ll probably want to head down to the street first. I’m already gone,” Risa said with a smile as she faded from Genevieve’s sight, the sound of a door slamming below quickly following as Genevieve bolted from the room and down the stairs. “Tch, too easy,” Risa muttered to herself as she faded back into view. Going through the drawers of this well-appointed bedroom, she found only clothing so revealing that it barely still warranted the term. “At least my strumpet of a husband will appreciate this,” she said to herself with a smirk as she dressed in a flowing, thin, silken two-piece number and then went to the open window to let out a loud whistle, startling the nearly frantic succubus on the street below. “We can play this game all night if you want, or you can just come with me,” Risa said with a crooked grin. Breathing a sigh of relief as she wiped her brow, Genevieve responded, “I will escort you to the Elysian Valley, but I must draw the line at entering the undercity.” Picking up on some of the undertones in her words, Risa asked as she leapt down to the street, “Don’t you care what happens to Delilah? She could get hurt or some other treasure hunting monster could attack her.” “I care far more than I can properly express. That was why I planned to do absolutely everything in my power to make certain you stay safe, at the least.” “Well...thanks. I can take care of myself, and besides...this might also sound strange, but I want to see the road again with my eyes to make sure it still...looks the same.” Starting to follow Risa towards the gate, Genevieve replied, “The road to the valley hasn’t changed for hundreds of years, dear.” “I get that, I’m just worried that maybe I have.” ---------------------------- I remembered pain, then heat, then shame...then more shame. “Joe? Are you awake?” “Del?” I began, even saying her name causing the blood to thunder in my ears, bringing an unbidden arousal, “No...wait!” “You need not worry, my love. I have confined your body within the grasp of the dead so that we can make this journey more quickly,” Del answered with a chilly note creeping into her voice. I could already feel my mind diving to the most impure thoughts I could ever imagine thinking. With those thoughts came a horrifying longing that brought pain when it was found unfulfilled. “You should--no. Del...I’m...sorry. Don’t release me. In fact, you can have me however you--No!” I said as I tried, in vain, to keep my thoughts ordered. “That is enough, Joe. It is understandable that this may be difficult to deal with. I am going to silence you for now, but I would like you to listen,” Del responded as her necromantic, disembodied, hands covered my mouth. I managed a frantic nod, part of me wanting desperately to shut up, the rest of me just willing to immediately follow any command she gave me. Looking around a bit, I saw the blur of the Amarante countryside speeding by as Del and I sat within a small cart made of bones, pulled by her magically conjured team of skeletal horses. I could remember Del saying that she would take me to some place--that she was going to help me. “There is nothing about which you need be sorry. I was simply afraid at the prospect of losing you and reminded of other...painful memories,” she said as she stared at me, her gaze softening a bit at my relief as she continued, “Body and soul, I will always be yours.” My mind was a jumble. Worse than when I’d consumed that strange elixir, this was a direct and demanding urge to mate. Every thought was warped into a lust-fueled fantasy, leaving me only enough presence of mind to be upset with myself for having the thought in the first place. Del continued to speak, her voice at once soothing me with its calmness and taunting me with memories of her body and what it could do to me. “You are going to meet someone that no living human has met in nearly four thousand years. There is a powerful mass of demonic energy within you that will destroy everything you are if it is not removed, and she is the only one I know that could remove it, save one of the lords.” I remembered the cause and longed for it once again, hating myself for the thought. “Since you are now technically a citizen of Blacksky due to your relationship with me, I can only hope that she will provide her assistance.” Del paused for a moment as a shiver seemed to pass over her as she looked to the east. “Despite whatever Genevieve told you, the fall of the city was entirely my fault. Thousands of lives were taken in a matter of hours because of my failure in judgement. I only watched as the city was undone, refusing to act as entire families turned to dust in the blink of an eye. The crime, however, is not that I made the mistake, but that I would do so again.” Her words were slightly sobering. Why would Del let such a thing happen? She was an extremely intelligent, logical, and deceptively compassionate woman. The most confusing thing was that she said she’d do the same thing again if given the chance. Had she been in love before? That was the only thing that seemed to make sense...that someone had asked her to let the destruction happen. I wasn’t going to find out the answer now, even if I had been able to keep my mind out of the gutter long enough to do so. “I am being intentionally evasive, Joe. The simple truth is that I do not want you to know the reasons for my choice. While I believe you would understand, and likely forgive me, I do not believe that I deserve to be forgiven.” She looked thoughtful as she continued, “Until I met you, I didn’t understand the greatest measure of what I allowed to die that day. It didn’t matter that generations of humans and mamono that had never known war, strife, or hunger were snuffed out. With how most monsters and even humans behave, I had assumed that it was only a selfish urge to see one’s line carried into the next generation that motivated them to spawn and protect their offspring…” Del trailed off as she looked back toward me and stared. I’d have felt uncomfortable if I hadn’t been so busy hoping that she was about to punish me for my earlier indiscretions. Looking forward, Del seemed to sigh slightly, “The rest will have to wait...it appears we will have company for the last leg of our journey.” As I followed her gaze, I saw two women that seemed to be arguing about something as we approached. The first caught my eye because she looked similar to Del, but with shorter purplish hair and a large book with a skull on the cover. She also had the same violet eyes, appearing perhaps to be slightly more expressive. My eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to taller of the two, however. She was a beauty beyond anything I had ever seen, nearly defying belief that she was anything more than a brilliant artist’s ideal of feminine beauty. With deep, gorgeous red eyes, almost white hair, and a confident smile that seemed to remain even while she argued, my already addled brain wanted to throw myself at her feet. Del grabbed my chin and turned me back in her direction, “It should go without saying that my sister and her...friend are not to be touched. I know that you cannot control yourself now, so this warning is for after you have been cured. For now, this spell will distract you and hopefully lessen the pressure upon you.” As she finished her statement, the skeletal arms around me pulled together into something resembling a fusion between a serpent and a human spine. One end of the...thing, opened up to reveal a fleshy interior, answering my desirous prayers as it snaked it’s way into my trousers, the rest of it holding me immobile. This thing may as well have been a machine designed to simply drain my essence for how effective it was. Whatever thoughts I might have been entertaining were thankfully washed away in what passed as “relief” in my current state. I hoped...and maybe regretted, that Delilah would see me cured quickly. |
| Chapter 40 - The End of Sorrow "I find it unlikely that we are seeing the two of you here by chance," Del said, looking unamused at the two women as we approached. "Zelia...somehow managed to get the information from Genevieve, and I thought it best that we accompanied you,” Del’s sister Cholris replied. The one that must have been Zelia simply looked in our direction with an air of disinterest. I was finding it difficult to even look away from her, at least until my squirming prison decided to clamp down with additional fervor. "I always wanted you to see this city, my sister. It is a pity that you have come to see it several millennia after its fall,” Del said as she looked down into the darkness. "You aren't saying that to simply criticize?" Cholris responded. "While it would be within my rights to do so, no. You'll see once we enter the city proper. Zelia? If you intend to join us we'll need you to keep any of the lesser undead from reaching us." Responding with a look of disdain, Zelia replied, "Fine.” Even in my addled state I couldn’t miss that there was more than a little tension passing between Del and Zelia. Without any further discussion, we pressed into the darkness. I say “we” but I was simply carried by my snake-like torture device as we moved down the rough stone steps. As we got further and further down into the earth, I started to feel a lot less confused as the unnatural feelings in my head started to rapidly cool. Looking around a bit with some recovered clarity, I saw Cholris call forth some sort of magical light that illuminated the way ahead. After a minute or two we reached the first landing, by that point feeling almost completely normal again. I actually let out a sigh of relief as I no longer felt that insane inner flame threatening to burn up the rest of my reason. The bone serpent must have taken my sigh as an invitation to squeeze out one last dollop of my energy before it set me back on my feet, my knees shaking slightly from my recent exertions, as it collapsed into dust. Aside from calming my head, whatever was going on (or not going on) in this place was making it feel more peaceful and soothing than any place I’d yet seen in this world. Thinking more on it, it wasn’t until I was in this place that I realized what “normal” felt like again. With Genevieve’s energy still swirling around inside of me, I still felt almost as irrationally aroused as I did when I was 16. But the remaining feelings had dulled to something that felt easier to deal with and more...natural. However subtle, the change was enough to convince me that perhaps the entire rest of the island was simply soaked with some level of that demonic energy. I wondered if that was by design or simply a side effect of something else entirely. “Even knowing the theoretical existence of this energy void, I am surprised to see that the effect is this overwhelming. Any magic that is not necromantic in nature would be dispelled almost immediately,” Del said as she looked about curiously. “Wasn’t this supposed to be a really big city above and below ground?” I asked Del, surprised that this small staircase would be enough to service an entire city. "These are little more than caves--built to act as an emergency escape. The majority of the primary pathways have long since collapsed in the years since the fall,” Del said as we continued through the dark caves, adding, ”One of the ancient altars is here as well...you should avoid touching it at all costs." Interrupting my coming question about the ancient altar, we all heard the sounds of many footsteps. Some of the steps were running, some simply shambling, but there were all coming directly for us. "Sister, sevenfold binding. We will turn as many to our purposes as possible, but do not stop moving forward," Del commanded as her undead form was wreathed in violet energy. With a nod, Cholris called forth a magical effect as I saw her pull a violin from the ether, resting her chin upon it. As she drew her bow across the strings, the vibrations of the strings seemed to distort the air slightly, casting an enchanting magical luminescence that reflected off of the many jagged surfaces of the surrounding cave. As the varying shades of violet energy streaked from the two undead sisters, the first line of undead stopped in their charge, turning back towards the rest of the horde. Many of them hissing in response like the escaping air of a slain man’s death rattle, they began ferociously clawing and biting at the others, stopping the wave of advancing dead as the magical effect took hold over them. The ensnared undead were more than a match for their fellows, the magically imbued purpose seeming to heighten their determination beyond feeding a ravenous hunger. Zelia drew her weapon and visibly brought forth a spectral claw, easily dispatching the few enemies that had broken through the lines, finishing off the fallen as we passed deeper into the bowels of the earth. Despite our progress, it was becoming clear that there were simply too many to handle. Even I could see that we were going to be overwhelmed before long if we didn't find another way through. As we barrelled further down the stairs into the darkness, the walls of this cave system quickly started to widen, opening up into a much wider hallway. Normally I’d have been grateful to have more room to move around, but it simply made holding back the tide of undead that much more difficult. Zelia was being pressed harder and harder to take care of the enemies that had broken through our advancing line, finding that she had to handle seven or eight at once. Her already impressive fighting skills broke far beyond the supernatural as she dashed back and forth in a blur that was almost impossible to track. "The easy part of this is almost over," Del began as she began to glow more brightly, "This passage opens into the courtyard before the east gate where we will be pressed from all sides. If we can pass the gate, the remaining defenses of the city should protect us." Coming from this wide tunnel into the clearing, I was struck dumb in awe as I saw the walls of the city. The stone walls looked like they had been physically pulled from the ground in one motion. The massive, solid iron gate was easily fifty meters high as it hung open, appearing large enough as to seem absolutely impossible to move without modern machinery. I had little time to admire the grandeur of the construction, however, as I saw a literal sea of undead between us and our goal. The mass of bodies made them impossible to count as they crawled on and over each other like swarming insects while they charged toward us. I couldn't imagine this mass being any less than a thousand enemies. The mouth of the tunnel in which we stood was now far too wide for us to keep enemies from pushing in along the sides. Wishing for only the second time since I’d come to this world for a weapon, I huddled closer to Del as I felt a sharp sting on my left shoulder, the claws of a senseless skeleton impacting with the draconic scales of my attire, the force of the impact still causing me to stumble. Quickly dispatching the attacker, Zelia shouted, "If you two are going to do something, then you'd better do it soon!" "Sister," Del began, "I'll need a moment to call Ashia, it will take twelve seconds of concentration. Try a second sevenfold binding and a rot lotus invocation." Cholris nodded, with obvious doubt on her face. The ground began to shake as Del's magical aura seemed to darken slightly, essence pouring from her into the ground. I put myself in the way of an incoming zombie arm aimed at Del, the attack thankfully only feeling like it was going to bruise the entire left side of my torso before I saw Zelia’s spectral claw tear through the creature. It felt like the longest twelve seconds of my life as I endured nearly a dozen attacks as the swarm was simply too numerous to be stopped. Cholris looked visibly pained as she tried to maintain control of her spell, the haunting melody of her magic nearly going out of tune, the effect visibly wavering as a result, and Zelia's movements were no longer even possible to follow with my eyes as she valiantly, yet hopelessly, tried to hold back this legion of hungering undead. With a snap in the air that quite literally stopped my heart for two beats, I then saw the effect Del had been creating. It was at once the most horrifying and uplifting sight I could remember. Tearing up through the solid stone of the cave floor as though it had been made of wet cardboard, a massive, vaguely female, being threw it’s deformed and distended limbs about for purchase. It looked like an unholy union between a human and a mastodon, the partially decayed flesh swollen with pustules and dripping steaming ichor that sizzled as it touched the stone floor. Towering over us at nearly 7 meters tall at the shoulder, it remained huddled over before us, a set of massive tusks seeming to vibrate in a hopeful expectation of a coming bloodbath. It let loose a throaty howl that sounded simultaneously like it was screaming in soul-rending agony and body tingling ecstasy. Hearing the howl filled me with fear, even knowing that it was an ally. Listening closely, the tortured bellow was like a hundred different disparate voices, the high end making me long for the comparatively dulcet screams of a ring wraith, and the lower component reverberating off of the cave walls, shaking me to the core as pieces of the walls and distant ceiling broke free. Far from being a slow, lumbering beast, the spell that had given it life had also dictated an impossible quickness for a creature of its size. With a blindingly quick sweep of its arm, the creature sent over a dozen undead hurtling in different directions. Then the creature bounded forward in an uneven lope on all fours, breaking through the undead ranks as though in a berserker rage. Wildly flailing its arms as it sped forward, hundreds of the attacking undead were hit so hard that their bodies nearly exploded from the impact, others being devoured in showers of gore on the occasions the tusks brought anything within range of it’s mouth. "Move now! You two protect our flank," Del seemed to order as we dashed to keep up with the creature as its rampage drove toward the city gates. Tearing into a sprint, I saw a small group coming in towards me. I made a rolling dive under one clumsy swing, Zelia pulling me to my feet almost quicker than I could react as she grabbed the attacker and threw it into another. Three more steps and I was grabbed from behind by the shoulders, the grab only slowing me down for a moment as one of the enchanted skeleton allies tackled the creature from the side to free me. Not even looking back, I continued to dash as fast as my legs would carry me towards the massive iron gates. Every muscle burning in the frantic sprint, I barely felt the dozen or more impacts upon me, my adrenaline too amped to even register them. Approaching the gates, Del grabbed my hand as she continued to pull me forward, past the hulking behemoth as it remained to cover our retreat. With a gasp of relief, Del slid to a stop as we crossed the threshold into the city itself. Looking back nervously, I saw with an even greater relief that none of the creatures seemed willing to follow us into the city. I doubled over, my hands on my own thighs as I tried to catch my breath as I heard the unliving juggernaut give out a piteous moan before finally seeming to dissolve into a disgusting fleshy pile. "Cholris! What's wrong?" I heard Zelia shout as her inhuman quickness allowed her to slide in to catch Cholris, just as the lich’s knees appeared to go weak. "It's...nothing, Zelia...just...this song," Cholris seemed to mutter, her eyes wide in surprise. Walking closer, Del helped Zelia bring Cholris back to her feet, saying, "I'm not surprised you can already hear it, sister. It will become stronger as we approach the center-" "Delilah!" Zelia began with an edge of frustration, "If she was going to be in danger you should have said something!" "Oh...no, she is in no danger. Because she has attuned much of her magic through song, you can think of this as the arcane equivalent of a human getting goosebumps when a piece of music affects them particularly strongly. It should pass soon. I am...sorry that I didn't mention it," Del replied, taken slightly off guard by a previously unheard note of concern in Zelia's voice. Finally having caught my breath enough to actually look around, I could plainly see that this city didn't look destroyed. Even through the passage of so many years, there was only minor wear on many of the buildings, a testament to the skill of the original builders, and a boon of never having had to deal with the forces of nature on the surface. I couldn’t directly match the architectural style to anything I’d ever seen or read about on Earth, but it looked as if at least a dozen different cultures had had a hand in the construction. I saw massive domed structures, soaring spires that reached into the impenetrable blackness above, entire buildings made of colored glass, and even entire streets and walkways that ran through the open air, connecting many of the buildings to one another. Some of those walkways looked ridiculously precarious, suggesting that there was some other magic in place to keep people from tumbling to their deaths, or that they were trafficked exclusively by monsters. The size of this place wasn’t nearly as large as Alnor, but I was far more struck by the level of skill that went into the design of these buildings. It was as if the entire place had been built with a unified plan in mind that left it looking like a work of art as much as a city. The only thing more powerful than the awe-struck feeling I had to see such a marvel was the overwhelming sadness that such a place had been almost completely abandoned. The streets and even some of the buildings were still illuminated in a pale magical light that seemed to emanate from small orbs, their light flickering and dim, but still remaining. Walking for a bit in an awed silence, we passed onto a wide street that had clearly been the main avenue of a large market. The many large shops and smaller stalls still stood almost entirely untouched, beyond a few signs of an attempted evacuation. "Allow me," Cholris said as she reached into her cloak and pulled out a bag and a red stone. She threw the bag into the air and clapped her hands, purple light starting to wrap around the bag as it flew through the air. A moment later, the bag exploded and the shape started to form. When the light cleared, an odd-looking skeleton was standing there. Looking at her, it was as if half of her face looked to be human while the other half was covered by a skull mask, with black long hair. She wore a dark blue button-up shirt with white pants and leather shoes. "Heyo!" The skeleton said cheerfully as she looked around. "Where am I, mistress Cholris?" She asked. "A place called Blacksky. Please introduce yourself,” Cholris replied. "Ahh right!" She said, straightening up her shirt. "Hello everyone, I am Lydia. Pleased to meet you all!" She smiled cheerfully. "Was that introduction only for the human or something?" Zelia sighed. "Ahh Miss Ana, I didn't see you there." Lydia said with a note of surprise. "It's Zelia now!" She griped. "Sorry Sorry!" “Uh...hello Lydia, it’s nice to meet you, I’m Joseph. You seem to be in a good mood.” “Yes! Nice to meet you!” the strange skeleton answered. "I didn't know you brought your old, witch assistant with you sister," Del cut in. "She’s quite helpful despite her...’spirited’ personality," Cholris replied. "Here Lydia," she added as she handed Lydia the violin she’d been carrying. "I take it you wish me to help you play 'That' song?" the skeleton asked. "Correct," Cholris answered as she set the red gem down onto the ground, clapping her hands again. The stone began to glow brightly, becoming blinding after a moment before clearing in a flash, leaving a grand piano in its place. Taking a seat by the piano she placed her fingers gently upon the keys and waited. With a smile, the skeleton Lydia started in on a song as Cholris closed her eyes, her own power seeming to weave itself in with the tones of the music as the sight before us began to waver and change just as it had when Risa had conjured her grand illusions at the wedding. This song started out somewhat quiet but moved into a powerful upbeat crescendo as spectral musicians manifested to take up other instrument and vocal parts. With the building of the song, the illusion became more solid. I gasped as I saw the empty street replaced in my vision of a bustling market with thousands of people coming and going as they went about their business. Even more surprising, however was that the undead girls with me had also changed to look very different as well. Cholris looked to be dressed in a fancy blue dress that screamed out “witch”. Her undead features had changed to look a bit more human with light brown hair and light reddish eyes. Zelia appeared human as well, with blonde hair, enchanting azure eyes and a softer smile that seemed determined not to leave her face for any reason. Looking now as though she was dressed in a suit of armor with a flowing skirt beneath, she looked at herself in an awed surprise, nearly beaming at what she was seeing. Del looked like a completely different person. With long greyish-brown hair and her normal violet eyes now a bespectacled reddish color like her sister. Her body showed the most drastic change, however, with her normally voluptuous figure now appearing thin and lithe, her skin now slightly darker and lightly freckled. "What am I seeing? How are you doing this?" I asked, awestruck at the scale of the illusion. Cholris continued her playing as she answered, "I have bound the lingering thoughts of the dead upon an illusion. What you see is what the spirits of the dead here remember of this place and of...us. Looking momentarily shocked at her illusory appearance, Del still shyly managed to say, "In another seven or eight hundred years this market would have surpassed the trade in Alnor, possibly even the Teremir free markets," before adding, "It is...surprisingly difficult to see myself this way again, but...thank you sister." As the song came to a close, the illusion faded back into memory along with the phantoms of the fallen city. Despite the power of the song, this was just another note of sadness within an already melancholy symphony. Each step towards the massive central tower seemed to evoke some memory in Del, her face warring with countless emotions. She never slowed in her pace, so I elected not to try and dredge up anything else until she was ready. Passing through several magically sealed doors into the giant structure I was once again shocked, this time to see a massive library sprawled out before us. “This is-” Zelia began as she looked around. “Yes,” Del quickly added, “The collected knowledge of all those that lived in Blacksky.” I hadn’t even thought about it in quite a while, but this was exactly what I would have loved to find shortly after I stumbled into this wonderland. “Can I...look around a bit?” I asked hopefully. Giving me a stern look, Del stepped toward me and pulled my face closer to hers, resting her forehead against mine as she closed her eyes, asking, “Are you certain you feel okay?” “I sort of want to rip my clothes off and jump you, but that’s not any different than any other normal day,” I said, flashing her a cheesy grin. With a shy smile, Del released her gentle grasp upon me as she replied, “Just be gentle with these books, the moisture control for the room still seems in effect, but they are all very old.” Hearing all I needed to hear, I happily dashed off down one of the aisles to find a suitably random spot and began looking through the titles on display. I didn’t know what I was expecting to find, but the vast majority of these were ridiculously esoteric. Running my hand gently over the spines of a particular row, I saw a large tome that grabbed my attention. Picking up the…”Encyclopedia Mamono - First Edition” I started gently thumbing through the pages. Through Del and Risa’s explanations and my own experiences thus far, it turned out that a lot of what I was seeing were things I already knew. I did at least confirm that I could have had things a lot worse upon arrival. Finding myself becoming far too excited as my mind tried to reason out new and inventive ways to get me into trouble with my wives, I closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. Wandering towards the far end of the room, I saw a small side room with a much smaller collection of books. Many of the books in here didn’t have obvious titles so I simply grabbed the first one I saw, finding a title on one of the first pages. “Which Witch? Make a Witch Your Bitch,” seemed to be hand-written on one of the first pages. Utterly amused by the unusual title, I began to read through what appeared to be one monster’s horrible experiences with a witch and then, the author claimed, the best ways to “make the bitch pay”. I was about to move on to another book when I saw something familiar jump off the page. I read the entire section to myself. Now, if one of those little husband-stealing whores has done enough to really deserve some pain, then there’s a specific boon you can demand to give them a proper taste of revenge. I may hate the flat-chested little thieves but I’ve still never forced one of them into this one. The Boon of Ten-Steps Reversal is a pretty awesome boon, normally the sort of thing a witch would only ever give her husband, and even then it's rare because of the extreme danger to the witch. Aside from binding the life of the witch to the life of the one given the boon, it also- I only got a quick glance at the rest before I heard Del’s soft footsteps approaching. Not sure what she might have had planned for that boon, I quickly closed the book and picked up the next closest one at hand, flipping to a random page. “What are you reading?” She asked, making me feel guilty with the innocence of question. “Uh…” I began as I looked down at the page, not even sure what this book was about, answering, “Just...this thing about something called uh...an Alp?” “I see,” she said as she stepped closer, “And do you find it...interesting?” I was sure I’d heard something about that creature before...something about it’s tail being used in some kind of elixir, but that was all I could remember. It didn’t seem like there would be any harm in just taking a shot in the dark. “Yeah, actually...so this is some kind of monster?” “How much did you read about them?” Delilah asked in a library-quiet voice. Trying to deflect the question, I replied, “I wouldn’t say I’m an expert or anything. I just thought they seemed really interesting...and isn’t their tail used in some kind of tonic?” “The tail can be useful, yes,” she replied somewhat distracted, “It might be best if you don’t think on them too much in your current state.” “But I don’t feel all that different than normal after coming down here,” I said, scratching my head at her sudden concern. Del looked to be deep in thought for a moment before seeming to come to a decision, “Alps are a variant succubus species that used to be men in a state not entirely unlike the one in which you are currently.” “Wait wait--what?” I asked, nearly dropping the book, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” “I am quite serious. I studied the process for...various reasons. As long as you have no conscious desire to become a woman, then you should be fine...probably.” “I just...don’t even want to think about that, Del.” “You’ve never considered it?” she asked. Putting the book back on the shelf, I turned to Del, “What’s this really about Del? I mean...sure, I’ve thought about it, but-” Turning and walking a few steps from me, she softly answered, “I still wouldn’t leave. Risa would cry at first...but she’d stay too.” I could tell that something was really getting to Del. She had been avoiding this place for quite some time, and I still couldn’t be sure why. Maybe it was harder for her to let go of the past. She certainly had a lot more of it than I did, but with all we’d been through, I’d have forgiven her even if she’d told me she stuck a knife into every man woman and child in this entire city. Whoever she was before I met her...she wasn’t that person now. “Anyway, just thinking about it doesn’t mean that turning into a monster is ever going to end up on my to-do list. If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to get moving towards this cure as soon as possible.” With a nod, Del led me back into the main room, flagging down our other two guests that were both engrossed in their own impromptu research. Beyond the library, through one more magically sealed door, we came into a large round room with five doors and a massive central pillar that seemed to vibrate with a strange power. Near the base of the pillar was a large, metal, egg-shaped capsule of sorts that looked as though it was attached to the pillar with strands of energy. Speaking up as we stood in the strange room, Del began, "I had originally intended to simply destroy this mechanism completely to free Ahmose, even though it could be dangerous to her. Since there is four of us though...it might be possible to undo the lock." "Why would a magical lock take four people to remove?" Zelia asked as she looked at the center device curiously. “I...keyed the lock to a song with four parts...the music box was broken and I couldn’t fix the problem," Delilah answered. “What song, sister? I may be familiar with-” “It was the music box you made me on my 12th birthday.” “Sister...you mean the song I learned from our mother?” Looking away as she placed a hand upon the cold metal of the device, Delilah began, “Until I met this man, the song from that music box was the only thing that made me...feel. Lorelei destroyed the music box, Cholris. I spent 712 years trying to put it back together, but even knowing every single pitch of that song by heart, I couldn’t recreate it.” “Why didn’t you just-” “I took it to the most skilled craftsmen on the entire island, but no one could fix it. Many told me to simply buy a new one...and so I did,” Del said as she moved to one of the doors nearby. The door bore the word “Sorrow” and slid open easily at Del’s touch. Seeing the inside of the room, I was almost overcome by a sudden tightness in my throat. The sight made me want to break down in tears as I tried to understand exactly what I was seeing. There were hundreds--possibly thousands of music boxes stacked in every single corner of the room. I saw no bed, decorations, or storage of any kind. In fact, the only thing visible in this room was the piles and piles of music boxes. “I listened to every single one of them, desperate to feel...something, but I got nothing from any of them.” “Sister! Why...didn’t you just come ask me to fix it?” “The last thing you had said to me was that I was being immature--that I needed to learn to do things on my own, so I left you alone with her,” Del said, pointing to Zelia. “Delilah…Why?” "My sister...you protected me when nobody else would. The song that Ahmose sings is familiar to you because it is a modified version of one of the songs you wrote soon after becoming friends with Anastasia. Within it is the sadness you felt on my behalf, but also the joy of a friendship that you felt I wouldn't understand." “It wasn’t like th-" "No, you were right. I didn't understand. By the time I had come to this place, however, I had come to make sense of it on some level. At my request, Genevieve worked with me tirelessly to perfect this song while maintaining the proper melody as well as the magical subscript that would power the mechanism." Cholris looked to be almost in shock, but Zelia was the more surprising of the two. "You know...I always invited you to join us whenever we did anything..." Zelia said as she looked directly into Del's eyes, adding, "I thought we could have become wonderful friends..." Del seemed to stumble onto a sudden realization as she replied, "Zelia...I would like to believe you, but I believe my own failings would have made it unlikely that we could have ever truly been friends. I do believe, however, that I have an...understanding of why there has been undue tension between us of late," Del finished as she shot a glance at Cholris. Pausing for a moment, Del handed the broken music box to Cholris. “This place was built on music so that I could always be reminded of you, my sister. But I am wasting time, and I will need all four of us to release this lock. Sister...I apologize, but it must be sung." "This looks like a job for you Zelia," Cholris said to a shocked looked Zelia. "Oh, I'm sorry but I...don’t believe I’m familiar with the melody..." She said as backed away from Cholris slowly. "Here, let me help you understand it..." Cholris said with a cold stare towards Zelia. "It has four parts so it will be the three of us, and Joe...or perhaps Lydia if he doesn’t feel up to it," Del said, looking like she might become annoyed. “I’ll absolutely do it, Del. Teach me the part and I’ll sing whatever you need,” I offered, knowing that there was still something big that had to be bothering Del. The least I could do was sing for her. "But..." Cholris began but thought better of whatever she was going to say when she saw the look in Del’s eyes. "Fine...but you owe me," Cholris relented, earning a tiny smile from Del. “So, how tough will this part be to learn? I’m pretty well-versed in music, but it’s been a long time since I’ve played anything,” I said as I looked around. “Come here a moment, Joseph,” Cholris said as she brought my forehead against hers for a few moments. As she did so, I heard her whisper some unfamiliar incantations quietly as I felt a strange feeling wash over me. There was no other way to really explain it beyond simply realizing in that moment that it may as well have been a song that I’d always known. I couldn’t help but feel a strange sort of comfort from the contact. It might have been odd, but I wanted this girl to accept me. Despite how Delilah might feel now, it was becoming extremely apparent that Cholris was another person on the very short list of people that Del trusted. That would have been enough by itself, but this was also family. For several moments after I felt I understood the song, Cholris maintained her hold on me. As I started to wonder what else she could possibly be doing, Del grabbed me around the waist and physically pulled me away. “That is enough of that,” Del said with a small scowl at her sister. “Ah...er, yes. That should do,” Cholris replied, a flush of color rushing to her face. The song itself was a very simple, yet haunting tune. As we sung out the tune, the ambient lighting in the room began to slowly dim as if in time to the melody, making the already somber tune feel almost like a dirge. Looking over at Del, I nearly lost the tune entirely as I saw her visage overcome with an almost boundless, childlike joy, completely unlike anything I’d ever seen her display. How such a sad song could evoke such obvious happiness within her was still a mystery, but it spoke volumes of the sort of past that Del likely shared with her sister. As our song came to a somewhat emotional close, the large metal egg-like center of the device opened, a large mass of dark hair spilling out first to reveal something completely unexpected. From the seam that appeared in the opening of the device, an entirely different song poured out, carried on the wings of an inhumanly beautiful voice. “My Sorrow. You brought guests to see me?” the unfamiliar voice called out as the song abruptly stopped. Laying amidst a bed of that same dark hair was an extremely young looking girl. She couldn’t have been more than six years old, her voice continuing to carry the subdued timbre of the song she’d been singing. As her voice washed over me, I felt all of my strength flee, the voice so far beyond anything I’d ever experienced that I couldn’t suppress the urge to kneel before it. As I fell to my knees, I saw the others make similar gestures before Del spoke up. “My lady,” she said quietly as the young girl opened her eyes and turned toward us. The girl had dark caramel skin with luxuriously rich mahogany tresses. Within her innocent-looking face were piercing eyes graced with powerful rust-colored irises that shone in the artificial light. Seeing us before her, the small girl kicked her legs out to let them swing as she looked us over. Taking a breath, she looked down at us and smiled. “Delilah, what brings you and your friends to see me?” Her voice was at once the most powerful and timid thing I had ever heard. As if squeaking mouse could convey the force of an avalanche in its voice. “My lady, I apologize. This is my sister Cholris, her friend Zelia, and my husband Joseph,” Del said, adding in a reverent tone, “This is the Lady Ahmose, the Light of Blacksky.” Ahmose smiled and gave a nod, “Welcome to our city. I hope that my Sorrow has not been too strict with you, though a husband is certainly wonderful news. Has my Wrath finally found a way to crack that armor and allow your light to shine forth?” “No, my lady. He...found me. But I have...much to report.” Stretching slightly, Ahmose asked, "Has Minori given birth to her triplets yet? Such an auspicious occasion as that simply demands that we throw a parade. Also, Enkidu's first report was full of errors. Even so, Genevieve acted like a smitten 8-year old boy, sending that minotaurus to attack him and his friend. You know her best...can't you tell her to play nicer?" “I will be having a chat with her about just that once I am able to locate her, my lady. There is a formal report I must deliver, however…” "Before Delilah delivers her report, I had a few queries. Zelia, right?" Ahmose said as she looked at the wight. "Yes...?" "I want to say that name doesn't suit you at all," Ahmose said, now looking entirely like a child as she looked away. Seemingly lost for words, Zelia just had to ask, "And what name would be better?" "You look like a...two name sort of person right now. Or maybe just a better name would do." Zelia looked as though she had just been gravely insulted, "So even you're bashing on my name?!" "I'm not trying to be mean, it's just that your...other name makes you completely different than your real self. My Sorrow told me of an Anastasia--she spoke the words and I heard 'noble' and 'proud' and 'strong' in them. You have the same words in you, in the same pitch and color." "That's because I was her... but not anymore... now I'm just..." Zelia said as she trailed off, a small tear rolling down her cheek. "But I also see another name...it also says 'strong' but the color is different. That color sounds like Guinevere." "That's impossible! The mad Lilim is dead, her life taken by my hands personally!" Ahmose looked thoughtful a moment and replied, "Did you know that when you fight too many slimes, you can get covered in slime? Just like if you stare into the dark too long, you let it stare back into you." Zelia replied, "No...what you are suggesting is… "If you really want, I can call you Zelia--even though that name feels sad or that you feel sad that you have to wear it," Ahmose said as she hopped down from her seat and stepped toward Zelia, her short stature causing her to strain to reach her small hand up to touch the wight’s cheek. "Don't worry, you still have all of the colors of Anastasia. I can hear them singing just as strong as they always have. It's easy to forget that living things and even undead are made up of much more light than dark...you are no exception." Zelia grabbed onto Ahmose’s arm and started to laugh, her eyes turning a darker scarlet. "That is absolutely hilarious. Only a child could think like that." "Why would thinking differently be better? If you think too much about where the honey comes from, how would you remember that it's supposed to be sweet?" "And just like a child, you overlook that you have nothing if it isn't taken from another. The bees need the honey to live, and the beekeeper gets stung every day to get it, but all you know is that it's sweet." "This city is different. We found beekeepers that liked to be stung. That made the bees want to make extra honey, and they were happy to share. When you stop telling people why they can't do things and start showing them how they can do what they want, everyone is happier." Zelia replied, "And what, may I ask, would you show them? How they could live fulfilling lives by living with men as their equals? AHAHA How naive! Men are merely tools we use to indulge ourselves so that we may forget for a brief moment that we are monsters." "Why would you ever want to forget what you are? If you can't remember something so simple, then you'll just cause pain to yourself and everyone around you when you try to take things you don't really want. We were meant to live together as equals." "Then why were we not created as equals? Why must I, a stronger being, bring myself down to their corruptible level when I could simply rape some poor bastard and rule over him?" "You just hurt him, yourself, and others when you do that. You're strong and beautiful, so why wouldn't you seek to find someone that would willingly give himself to you? Why else would monsters have been given so much time than to find the one that would truly love them? "Such a ludicrous fantasy. Just look at Kaori and every savage beast that exists in that wretched land. They are examples of what we truly are: monsters and nothing more or less. I would love to see everything cleansed in a sea of fire and darkness. That is the only way this world will ever be peaceful." "Guinevere thought that way, and for all her power she was beaten by a human hero." "If given a second chance, I doubt she would make the same mistake..." Zelia said as her eyes slowly reverted to their original hue, tears forming in her eyes. "None of us want that kind of peace. Existence is just an argument with the nothing. By being alive you are fighting the void by your nature. And we all want to be happy, even if we don't always know how exactly to do it. Isn't that how a hero should feel? Isn't that what you believe...Zelia?" "I...I don’t know..." she choked out, her tears continuing to streak down her cheeks. "I dont know what I should believe...all I want is to be accepted…” "There is only one in this room that doesn't accept you, Zelia. You let her memory get too close. But you would both still always be welcomed here in Blacksky." "But this place is-" Interrupting Zelia, Delilah cut in, "The city has fallen, my lady. It has been...close to 4000 years." Her expression not changing, Ahmose responded, "What happened, my Sorrow?" "It was my fault, my lady." "I will determine where to place the blame once I have heard the specific details." Stepping forward slightly, Delilah began,"Understood. 2 hours after midnight, 4033 years ago, 12th day of the 3rd month, the demonic energy focusing mechanism was reconfigured to release all of the stored energy onto the surface and permanently directed all energy away from the undercity. In the resulting confusion, the watch was overcome by a single attacker. This attacker proceeded to murder every citizen in the North and West undercity districts." "A moment, my Sorrow. I must commit their names to memory," Ahmose said as she closed her eyes a moment. "My lady! They are all dead. She didn’t stop there. Because of me, every single citizen is dead. The city is no more!" Del nearly shouted. "No, my Sorrow. A city is nothing more or less than its people. You and my Wrath still live, and your husband is also now a citizen. Are you certain there are no other survivors?" "I cannot be entirely certain, my lady. None of the humans could still live, but there could still be a few long-lived monsters and demons roaming the earth. There are also several thousand undead that have lost their minds still haunting the areas close to the city." "I will see to them. Now, who is the culprit responsible?" "I am responsible, my lady," Delilah said, not breaking her stare at Ahmose. "You modified the focusing device?" "No, however-" "And the people that died--you killed them?" "That isn't-" "Answer my questions, Delilah!" Ahmose said, her tiny form seeming to fill the room as her voice demanded unquestioning obedience. "Lorelei stole the key and changed the alignment." "And the murders?" Ahmose continued. "Those were also at Lorelei's hand." "Did you command her to take those actions?" Ahmose asked. "No, my lady." "Then your admission of guilt is refused." "But...I didn't do anything to stop her." "Neither did my elite guards and that was their chosen vocation. Is she still alive?" "Yes, my lady." "By the laws, the harshest punishment that exists is exile. This may call for something different," Ahmose said as she looked thoughtful, adding, "Tell me. How should I act, my Sorrow?" "You should demand that Genevieve and I track her down and destroy her." "I see. How would you prefer that I act, Delilah?" Taking another step forward with a desperate look in her eyes, Delilah pleaded, "Please! Do not ask me to destroy her. She has no concept of the fact that what she's done is wrong." "She is now a wight, correct? Why shouldn't she understand?" "Until that point she was a zombie. I had been...caring for her, putting my best into ensuring that she would grow to be strong and wise," Del said, her voice difficult to read. Her expression falling, Delilah continued with a deepening sadness, "I didn't ever want her to turn into someone like me, so I altered her psyche so that she would never feel emotion...so that nobody would ever be able to hurt her." Ahmose looked very contemplative as she listened, finally asking, "And how do you feel about those actions now?" "It was a horrible mistake, my lady. I...have only recently come to understand how horrible my crime against her truly was. All I can do is beg for your mercy and, eventually, for hers." Sitting back down onto the cushion of her own freakishly long hair, Ahmose closed her eyes a moment before answering, "I will need some time to consider all you have told me. I sense that there was also another reason you needed to speak with me?” “Yes, my lady. My husband has been infected with a large mass of demonic energy and I would beg of you to remove it before it damages him.” With a nod, Ahmose extended her hand towards me, “Joseph, step forward.” I did so, feeling tiny before this small girl that barely reached my waist. I dropped to a knee to bring myself to eye level, but looked away almost immediately. “Do I make you uncomfortable, Joseph? Answer truthfully.” “Yes,” I blurted out before I could even realize I was saying it. “Why?” “When you stopped singing, the fire started creeping back into my mind. I shouldn’t be near you, or anyone else…” I said, my body almost starting to shake. Placing her hand upon my cheek in a decidedly motherly fashion she turned my gaze to meet hers, saying, “I see. You don’t need to worry, Joseph. Look into my eyes and tell me what you see.” As I nervously did so, I felt my shaking stop immediately as a calm ran through me that was beyond description. Her gaze made it seem almost silly that I could feel anything but peace as I looked into her eyes. She didn’t blink, didn’t breathe, and didn’t look away for even a moment as I felt her eyes staring at my entire existence. Every shameful moment, every mistake, and every small triumph revealed itself to her gaze as she looked at me as if I was a painting. As I thought about the answer to her request, I saw the moon, calmly bathing the world in its pale light. “That is correct, Joseph. I am the moon that shines over Blacksky. Do you know why that is?” The only thoughts that came in response were that, unlike the sun, we could look at the moon, and that it shone with a light that was not its own. “You are correct again, Joseph. I shine with a light that is not my own. What light do you see when you look at me?” I didn’t know the answer to that question. As I continued to stare into the depths of her eyes, I caught the sight of something...odd. In the hypnotizing darkness of her pupils, I saw myself reflected, with Del standing behind me. But that couldn’t be right...unless… “Very good. My light is not my own, but the light of my people. I am nothing but a pale rock in the darkness without their light to give me meaning. You are now a citizen under the Blacksky, and your light is exceptionally bright, Joseph. Even in your darkest moment, your voice screamed out for life. When you jumped into oblivion, you were not hoping for your death but...something else. So I ask you, Joseph--Have you found what you’ve been looking for?” “Yes, I have,” I finally said out loud, surprising even myself a bit with my certainty. “Then take this secret with you,” she said again into my mind, “You were never in any danger from that energy that was within you. My Wrath can be misguided at times, but she is never truly destructive. When this feeling is gone from you, you will also remember the truth of that encounter with my Wrath.” I looked at her in disbelief. This was all an elaborate plan just to get Del down here? Having met this girl, I felt that it would have been worth it regardless. But then, what the hell was Genevieve’s real game? Ahmose then leaned forward and kissed me gently on the forehead, sending a strange charge through my entire body. When the feeling passed, I no longer felt the burning lust that had been consuming my thoughts. At that moment I remembered exactly how that encounter with Genevieve had transpired. I had some very some mixed feelings about it, but Del was going to need to know. “I would never share this with Delilah,” she spoke to my mind directly, “But I was afraid for my dream--my city.” “W-why are you telling me?” I thought to ask. “Because within your erratic light, I have already found an answer. I will keep dreaming of Blacksky until it can be fully reborn.” “I hope I get a chance to see it…” I said, lamenting my own mortality. “You will, Joseph. There is one last thing.” “Yes?” I asked. “I cannot see the future, but I worry about what you may be planning to do.” “You can see that, huh? You don’t need to worry about me, though.” “That is not true at all. You are a citizen of my Blacksky but, far more than that, you are a living being. If you should ever find yourself faced with an impossible decision, try to remember that sometimes the right answer is not to choose.” “I’ll try to keep that in mind. We can’t always have the happy ending we want, but I-” “I understand. You need not say any more,” she whispered into my mind with an air of finality. “Thank you…” I said, feeling humbled to be in her presence and not entirely certain why. With a nod and a small smile, she spoke up again, “I would like you to wait in the hall below until I have made my decision." "Yes, my lady," Delilah answered as she gave us each a clear look before escorting us from the room. The moment we entered the room below to wait, I grabbed Del and pulled her into a fierce hug. I was pretty sure she’d shown more emotion in the last several minutes than I’d seen out of her the entire time I’d known her. Once I had my arms around her I could feel her shaking as I gently stroked her hair. Del simply stood with her arms at her side as I held her. We waited in silence for several minutes, each of us lost in our own heads. I was lost for words again, not even knowing where to even begin saying something to Del. Whatever Ahmose had to say, I’m sure that there was no “right” answer in this situation. Several silent minutes later, we heard Ahmose’s voice call out for us in the same gentle tone, “I have made my decision.” I leaned down and whispered to Del, “Whatever happens, you know I’m with you.” With a nod, Del led us back up into the room. “Is there anything you would like to say before I give my judgement?” “Just that I am sorry, my lady. It is entirely my fault that you were left to sing alone in the dark for so long.” “I think I understand your reasons,” Ahmose began with a smile before her look turned deadly serious as she continued, “That is all?” Del seemed to hesitate as she turned something over in her mind, her glance passing over me. More concerned with her than with any sort of protocol, I stepped forward to place a reassuring hand on Del’s shoulder as she remained silent. Ahmose continued in her serious tone, “If there is nothing else, then you and Genevieve will seek out this wight and bring her before me, alive, to face judgement.” Stepping out of my grasp, Del nearly shouted i response, “But, my lady-!” Continuing despite Del’s outburst, Ahmose added, “While your husband and additional spouse are legal citizens of Blacksky, you shall no longer bear my sorrow.” “My lady, I regret that I can no longer be of use as your Sorrow, but even if it will mean my exile, I must refuse your demand,” Del said as her hand reached back towards mine, searching desperately for my grasp. Looking more curious than upset, Ahmose leaned forward and spoke up, “You...would abandon our dream and leave this task to my Wrath alone, just because of the regret you feel as a teacher and caretaker?” “No! My lady…” Del answered, her composure gone as she gripped my hand with all of her strength, “Not the regret I feel as a teacher, but...I...she--Lorelei is my daughter.” |
Chapter 41 - Out From the Darkness ------------------------ “You are mentally deficient--you must be. There is no other explanation. You’ve already failed nine times and you can’t imagine the sort of pain that it causes me every single time,” the strange voice called out in the blackness. “Yeah? Well this is like threading a needle while wearing fucking mittens, and it hurts me at least as much as it hurts you...believe me,” another voice responded. “Why don’t you just give up?” “Remember who’s in charge here.” “In charge?! That’s a laugh. If I see you in the street without your little ‘friends’, we’ll see exactly who’s ‘in charge’, you insect!” “So you’re just going to let yourself die then? Because you seem to be under the mistaken impression that any number of failures is going to stop me from trying.” “Fine, I’d rather be free of this curse anyway, but I don’t know what you expect me to do. If either of us dies then this is all for nothing.” “And I still have the option to buy another?” “Bitch left the rider in the contract. 20,000 gold, and only because I want to see how this plays out.” “Done. That brings me to 11...I’ll just have to beg on the streets for that much coin, I guess.” “I don’t know what you think you’re going to do with 11 that you couldn’t do with 10…” “You just leave thinking the big thoughts up to me.” “Asshole,” the first voice whispered before fading out. --------------------------------------------------------- "I can't believe you wouldn't tell me something like that! What's stopping me from destroying that monstrosity the moment I see it?" Cholris asked angrily. Del shouted back, "She is the only child I'll ever have--she's related to you by blood. Do you have any idea what it felt like to see her destroy this place? I watched my own flesh and blood murder thousands before my eyes. I begged her to stop but I had no reasons that made sense to her!" "It shouldn't exist in the first place!" Cholris yelled, throwing her book to the ground, "Curse that bastard! He ruined everything! We suffered through that hell together and you never even told me such an important piece of information?!" Del backed down slightly in response, "I have to believe that we went through that for some purpose! When I learned necromancy, I tore his spirit apart looking for that purpose but he had no answers beyond a pitiful, past due, apology. The damage was done long ago." "Why sister...WHY DID YOU KEEP THAT DAMNED ABOMINATION?!" Cholris screamed at the top of her lungs. Starting to shake as she began to lose her temper for the first time I could remember, Del shot back, "I didn't KEEP her!! Once I started to show, he beat me nearly to death and I LOST her!" "Yet you still kept the fetus, it seems...damn abomination." "Why even learn necromancy if not to use it for such things? If she's an abomination, then so am I." "You have no right to say that, Delilah. Do you have any idea what I went through to try and erase those memories of yours? Of mine?" "I know what you've done for me. I remember every breath I've taken since the age of four, but I still made certain that this place was built on your song so that I could never forget. But this is my only daughter..." Del trailed off, overcome with sadness. "So that gives you the right to bring that creature into this world?!" Tearfully shouting back, "You simply don't want to understand! It was my choice to make! That man took, and took, and took from me, and the thought of Lorelei was the only thing that made the pain worth bearing. When I lost her I shut it all out, but I don't NEED you to protect me anymore!" "That is enough," Ahmose said calmly as she pulled a curved staff from the air and tapped the butt of it onto the ground. Looking to Del, she asked, "Delilah, do you refuse my demand because you feel she should not be punished, or because you fear for her life?" "She has no emotions, so the only punishment that would matter to her is death. I won't let her be destroyed,” Del answered with certainty. "Destruction is more than that spawn deserves, I'll find her myself and-" Cholris said angrily, her face clouded in memories. Looking back to Cholris, Del interrupted, "This is my burden to bear, sister. Even if it may destroy me, I am doing whatever it takes to...protect the ones I love." With something resembling a growl, Cholris turned away and walked down to the hall, adding, "I need some time to think. Do whatever you wish, sister." "Delilah," Zelia asked while leaning against the wall. "What, Zelia?" She answered, still shaking from the confrontation. "Cholris told me about her past, some time after she became court wizard. She talked about the things that you went through and why you acted so distant," Zelia continued as she looked at Del intently. "Before you consider your emotions about your...’daughter’, consider what Cholris went through when she gave up her childhood to protect you. She put her entire soul into keeping you together. Remember that," Zelia said as she turned to head down the stairs. "To what end, Zelia?" Del asked despondently, "I've spent thousands of years considering all of it. Just because I didn't feel doesn't mean I didn't see. You gave up your mortal life to protect those important to you, do you feel that those people owe you a debt of their own happiness for your sacrifice? Can you honestly say that you wouldn't make that same sacrifice again for the ones you love?" "There was a saying my father told me once...’Don’t lie until it becomes truth,’” She said as she walked out the door, adding, "Maybe you can figure out what he meant by that." Del looked at me, expecting that this was what she felt I would find difficult to accept. Was I supposed to walk out of here and leave her now? In a vacuum, imagining someone bringing their child back to life as an undead was...questionable. Looking into Del’s eyes, however, I saw the only truth that mattered in this. "I said I'm with you, Del...and I meant it. Let me try to talk to her," I said with a light smile and a nod of certainty. "I...see," Del responded, lost for words. Making my way past Zelia, and after Cholris, I heard her voice echo out across the old library a few minutes later as I caught up to her. I don't know if she noticed me, but I moved closer and remained quiet so I didn't disturb her. Cholris had taken a seat on a large comfy-looking couch situated near the edge of the library as she pulled out a clear stone. She placed it on the ground in front of her and sighed. "I'm sorry to bother you now, but I need some advice..." Cholris said as the gem began to glow, the spectral form of a female appearing in front of her. "I'm happy to give you advice any time, dear," the ghost said kindly, taking a seat next to Cholris. She cuddled close as the ghostly woman said, "I happened to have heard some of what you said...you two should treat each other more nicely." "How can I when she has lied to me for over 4,000 years?!" Cholris rasped in a harsh whisper, her cheeks flushed in anger. "If we're going to split hairs, you did snap at her the last time you two spoke. You've been hiding plenty from her as well," the ghostly figure said with a kind smile. "That's...that's completely different!" Cholris said as her cheeks puffed angrily. The ghost simply giggled and wrapped her arms around Cholris. "You're one of the few people she still cares about in this world, and you know that your words can easily wound her." "I know... " Cholris said in a vaguely frustrated tone, burying her head in the ghostly woman's bosom. "La laaa la, La la la, laaaaaaa la La laaa." The woman started to sing a gentle lilting song while she stroked her hair. Cholris simply smiled and laid with her until she finished. "Thank you...mother," Cholris nearly whispered, wiping tears from her eyes. "Anytime, dear." Well...that was certainly interesting to have seen. What were the limits of magic in this world? A necromancer had saved my life, and another one had torn across the veil of death and brought her own mother back as a spirit to dwell within a crystal. Were there some lines that even they were not supposed to cross? No longer certain of myself, I reconsidered what I had planned to say as I approached. "Excuse me, Cholris?" I said quietly, but loud enough for her to hear. Dismissing the projection, she turned to me and asked, "What is it, Joseph?" "When I walked down here, I thought I was just going to try and convince you to let this all go, but..." I hesitated before continuing, "I think we need to talk. I know you care about her, but this isn't your call to make." "I know, but I still have a say in what she should and shouldn't do." "You can't make her choices for her, and this isn't a small thing to her. She's already made her choice, and we can either support her or get out of the way." "Do you have any idea what you're asking me to do?" Cholris asked as she got to her feet Taking a deep breath, I answered, “Does it matter? Maybe it's different for me, but I'd follow her to the gates of hell if she asked, or if she needed me to," I continued calmly, "I might want to know why, but I don't need any real reason beyond the fact that I love her." Cholris gave a half-smile as she replied, "Sometimes I think it would have been better if she’d picked a more sane individual..." "Believe me, I still don't know what she sees in me. But anyway, I need to know...Why are you so opposed to this Lorelei in the first place?" "Allow me to show you," she said with a wave of her hand as she conjured her violin again, the vibrations of the strings setting off a chain reaction of ripples in the air that once again formed into a pale illusion. "That's why she-" Cholris began. "Thank you," I cut in, feeling the need to say a lot of things to her, "For protecting her, I mean. I...can't really imagine how horrible that must have been for both of you, but..." I shakily took a deep breath as I looked around, "Have you looked at this place? She probably knows every single word in every single one of these books by heart..." "She may have knowledge, but that doesn't mean she knows how she should use it," Cholris replied. "You're absolutely right. What I mean to say, though, is that you...succeeded," I said as I tried to keep up at least a weak smile. "What...do you mean?" Cholris asked as she tilted her head slightly to await my response. "You gave up your own humanity to protect her, you stayed with her and acted as the parent she needed. The amazing person she is now wouldn’t exist if you hadn’t sacrificed so much for her. But...she doesn't need anyone to save her anymore. I'd be dead now if it wasn't for her, and I didn't marry her out of pity." “It has been so long since she has truly smiled... Maybe I never would have been able to get her out of it..." "Maybe your only problem was thinking that you had to do it alone. The fact that she can handle herself so well now is just further proof of what a damn good job you did." With a sigh, Cholris continued, "I know that she can handle herself, but I want you to keep reminding her that she shouldn't let her emotions cloud her judgement." "This is the only time I've seen her starting to let her emotions get the best of her, and all I can promise you is that I won't let this destroy her, no matter the cost." "I want you to promise me something else, Joseph." "What's that?" I asked curiously. "You are probably the last person to be able to make this call, but if it seems absolutely hopeless in your attempts to save Lorelei...I want you to convince Delilah to give up on her." I gave her a wide smile as I replied, "You might not believe me, but I've actually got a plan for this situation." "You mean that half-baked idea you have in your head? The chances of it working are less than 5%..." "No no no, not that plan! Where would I even find that many bananas? And I'd need at least six albino dwarves. How do you know about my plan anyway?" "Must you even ask that question?" "Huh...I hope Del can't do that. But eh...never mind, I guess." "Good." She pulls out a quartz crystal and holds it out towards me, asking, "I assumed you wanted to ask for this?" "I...hope that’s what I’ll be needing. Thank you." "I'm quickly revising my positive judgement on your sanity, but I will be curious to see if your ridiculous idea bears fruit," she said as she pulled a quartz crystal from elsewhere in her cloak and handed it to me. "I’m thinking that we're going to throw a huge party in Alnor since the wedding was five flavors of fucked, so hopefully I’ll have the plan more refined by then," I said as I slid the simple gemstone into a pouch, adding, "Just make sure that you and your friend Zelia can make it once the invitations go out." "I'll make sure she doesn't cause too much trouble," she says with a smile. "Perhaps you might also be able to meet 'him'..." "'Him?' That doesn't sound ominously misleading at all." "Heh...its a family tradition." "In that case 'sis', maybe I'll just have to keep this plan all to myself after all," I said with a wave and a smile as I bounced on my feet a moment, nearly dashing up the hallway a moment later. The conversation with Cholris had gone better than I could have even dreamed, given what she’d said before storming out. This meant that we’d have a chance to save Lorelei. I already had a plan, and given everything I’d seen to this point, I knew it was a good one. If I was lucky, I might even survive it. As I was about to pass Zelia, still wearing my stupid grin, I stepped aside with a deep bow in her direction, saying, "It has been a pleasure, milady." "Don't flatter yourself. My 'Husband' is more than you could ever be." Raising my eyes from the bow, I added, "I meant that it was MY pleasure. But the way you say that..." I trailed off as I watched Zelia walk back towards Cholris. I looked at the pair of them, earning a fierce scowl and a barely visible shaking of Cholris’s head to dispel any fantasies I had about any hot wight-on-lich action. With a slight cough I added, "More seriously...you might want to work on those anger issues," I said as Zelia looked like she was about to beat an education on said issues into my hide before I added, "But nobody is perfect, and any man would be lucky to have you." "I don't want any man...I want him." She turned and kept walking. As I made my way back up to Ahmose’s room, I wondered who Zelia actually had in mind. With her personality the way it was, I also wondered if she’d even told this man yet that he was her property. “Far better him than me,” I muttered to myself as I walked back up into the room. Both pairs of eyes were on me as I entered, Del looking particularly worried. As I looked at her, I was struck again by just how strong she had become, having gone through such a horrible ordeal. It was difficult to maintain the belief in this situation, but I’d always been the sort of person that felt that the trials we all endure are worth it to make us into the people we are. In an attempt to banish her doubts, I stepped forward and wrapped Del in a soft embrace. She had walked an unbelievably jagged and broken road to get here, and I was going to do everything I could to make sure that Del would not have to suffer again as long as I lived. “Cholris showed me what happened,” I said softly, as I ventured a quick look at Ahmose to make certain that this wasn’t disturbing her, earning a small smile and a nod from the tiny figure. “I see. Joe, do you...still wish to…” She asked, shaking in her hesitation before continuing, “Do you still want me?” “I’ll always want you, Del. Nothing you could have shown me here would have changed that.” “And...my daughter?” she asked as her voice began to crack again. Taking a deep breath I answered, “If you want to save her, then I’m with you. I don’t know exactly how we’re going to pull it off, but I have some ideas.” Breaking the momentary silence, Ahmose spoke up, “Delilah, I want to honor your desire to avoid her destruction, but she will need to be punished.” Stepping away from me and turning back towards Ahmose, Del answered, “But I already explained, my lady. What good would any punishment do if she simply doesn’t make the emotional connections?” “The correct answer is that punishment is what the law demands, and if she was your daughter then she was educated on the laws,” Ahmose said without averting her gaze from Del. “My lady?” I asked. “Yes, Joseph?” she responded, the barest hint of a smile reflecting in her eyes as she seemed to read my next line of questioning before it had even completely formed in my own mind. “Delilah is right in that any reasonable punishment would have little effect, assuming we could even carry it out, but…” I paused, worried that my idea might seem ridiculous. Her stare not wavering, Ahmose added, “Continue.” Stammering a bit in my uncertainty and still feeling tiny before this deceptively young-looking girl, I continued, “Well, what if...I mean--if it’s possible of course...Would there be a way to fix her lack of emotion? Del did sort of suggest that it was by design in the first place, so I thought that maybe…” Ahmose looked back to Del and asked as if she already knew the answer, “Would such a thing be possible?” Del looked crestfallen as she answered, “It...is certainly possible in concept, but at her level of power there is most likely no way I could make the modifications...unless if I had her completely immobilized on an operating table.” Clearing my throat, I asked, “This might also sound really stupid, but...when you said that Del would no longer bear your sorrow, how did you mean?” Her eyes slowly listing back in my direction, Ahmose spoke, “I must apologize to you both, as I fear you will not hear the answers you desire to some of your next questions. It is, to answer your query, my literal sorrow, bestowed upon the undead high council representative of Blacksky. Delilah is the only one that has ever carried it.” “That...doesn’t make a lot of sense,” I said. “It should make perfect sense, Joe,” Delilah said as she turned towards me, “We all have faults, and the faults of those who are meant to lead us are that much more dangerous to the people. So we took on her wrath, sorrow, shame, and pain, giving her half of our strength in exchange. We wore her weaknesses as regalia, knowing the symbol of our office meant the strength of the people and our ruler.” Wait just a damn minute. So that meant Del had only been using HALF of her power this entire time? I’d already seen her work wonders beyond what I even thought possible, and imagining the other things of which she might now be capable made me involuntarily shudder. She was right, though. The idea of taking on the weaknesses of the ruler and giving her even more power in exchange made so much sense that I wondered if any of the other lords did something similar. “I guess I meant that it didn’t make sense to me in the physical sense...this sort of magic is completely new to me. I never would have even imagined that such a thing would be possible. So, then my next question was if simply carrying the sorrow might cause a reaction in Lorelei.” Delilah lit up with a hopeful look at the prospect, “It’s very possible, however...Ahmose will only allow an elected undead representative to carry it, or the current representative’s chosen replacement. As there is no longer an undead council, this presents a problem.” She paused a moment before stepping towards Ahmose, “Please return your sorrow to me! I will bear the mantle again, gladly, my lady. Then I could-” Ahmose closed her eyes and shook her head, “No, Delilah. You carried my sorrow for far, far too long. It is my sincere wish that you never feel the touch of sorrow ever again.” “My lady...why? This might be the only way that I could ever get her back!” Del pleaded. “Delilah. You are being rash and overly hasty in this. You and Genevieve were the only ones to bear one of my weaknesses for more than a year or two, and only because your natures actively resisted the weight of them,” Ahmose said in a conciliatory tone. “Then Lorelei would be perfect as well!” Del eagerly replied. “I am sorry, Delilah, but I will not honor this request at this time. Have you considered what might happen to her if a return of her emotions suddenly allowed for a true understanding of what she has done?” Del’s face turned toward an angry desperation before understanding seemed to dawn upon her, “I-! No...you are right, my lady.” “I am going to set aside my judgement on Lorelei for now. I will not attempt to stop you from seeking another means to save her, but I want you to experience at least some of the happiness that you helped bring to so many within this nation. I will not consider this issue again until after you have borne witness to the birth of Joseph’s second child.” The weight of Ahmose’s words set upon Del immediately, her hand tightly grasping mine as she asked, “Understood. What...will you do now, my lady?” Standing back up from the egg-shaped bed in which she had lain for the last four millennia, Ahmose pulled a small ornamental knife from her belt and made a single pass through her long hair, just above the shoulder. The dark strands fell to the ground slowly as if they were descending through water. “I will find another black sky in which I can shine with the light of my people,” Ahmose said. Finally smiling again, Del produced a scroll and handed it to Ahmose, “I was hoping you might say that, my lady. That scroll contains a current map of the island with ideal locations clearly marked. I would still need Genevieve’s assistance, but I would also gladly construct another channeling matrix once you have need of it.” With a wide smile, Ahmose replied, “Your family will ever be welcomed as citizens under the black sky, and…” she paused a moment before giving me and Del a tight hug, “don’t forget that your happiness as citizens, wherever you may be, is my joy as a ruler.” Seeing Ahmose starting to walk from the room, I piped up, “Wait! Are you really going all alone?” “I am happy to know that you worry for my safety, but as you can see...” she said as she gestured first to the library and then to the streets far below us. As my eyes followed the sweeping gesture of her arm, I saw that the entire library as well as streets and massive plaza surrounding this tower were now packed to bursting with the undead that had been outside the city. Looking back at us with a smile, she said calmly, “I will not be going alone.” With that, the tiny girl shouldered her staff, now looking like a shepherd’s crook and called forth an ankh to her left hand. I was about to try and stop her from heading down the stairs when Del put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. As I watched Ahmose slowly descend the stairs, every single one of the undead, from the ghostly apparitions to the most rotted skeleton, fell instantly to their knees in reverence. As she passed, each of the creatures rose to their feet and began to follow her in a solemn procession. Just before she had passed from view completely, Ahmose looked back one final time and smiled, her aura now glowing brightly enough as to be almost blinding. She gave a childlike wave of her tiny left arm and then vanished beyond the western edge of the central plaza, the uncountable undead behind her taking more than an hour to file out completely. |
| Chapter 42 - A Tiny Seed The magical lights of the city had already begun to dim, feeling as though they did so in mourning at the departure of the city’s heart, as Ahmose made her way from the city completely. As the shadows became darker and more numerous, it felt as though I was seeing time, represented by the fading light, as it left this place behind. Even if another city like this were ever to be built, it was still sad beyond words that this place might never see the light again. It’s not as if there were teams of history-minded humans or monsters trying to dig up lost history...or at least none of which I was aware. Those who fail to heed the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them, I suppose. But then it seemed like most of the denizens of this world were completely happy to keep to the status quo. It was inspiring at least to know that Ahmose had something completely different in mind. Something about imagining her leading thousands of undead across the desert to the west made me smile. Who could know if she’d ever found another city as grand as this one once was, but with magic, thousands of monsters, and eventually humans, working toward the same end, it seemed more a question of “when” than one of “if”. I had to wonder if Del really was okay with waiting before trying to pursue Lorelei. I knew that such an encounter would not end well for anyone involved, but it was something that we couldn’t shove under the rug forever. At the very least, I wanted to make sure to delay the confrontation as long as possible, or at least until we were ready. “Del?” “Yes, Joe?” “Are you going to wait before going after Lorelei, like Ahmose suggested?” “Are you worried about me?” “You didn’t answer my question...and yes, I’m extremely worried.” “I have waited this long. What is a few more years?” Del said as we stared out one of the windows of the central spire. With a sigh, I turned and actually picked up Del into my arms as though she were a princess, reminding me again just how light she was, despite her amply pleasing curves. I looked down to see the curious look on her face and I simply smiled in answer. “Joe?” “Yes, Del?” “Why are you carrying me?” “It’s funny. Who’d ever think that an engine of necromantic destruction could be this cute?” Unable to hide her blush, she still sounded doubtful as she responded, “It sounds as if there is something for which you are about to ask me.” “I want you to promise me that you aren’t going to try to do anything with this Lorelei situation without telling me.” She looked away slightly, “You are not often this persistent, Joe.” I remained silent and continued to look down at her in my arms expectantly. “Couldn’t this wait until we have reunited with Risa?” she asked. A slight scowl creased my brow as I maintained my stare. “I see,” She began as her eyes met mine again, “I promise that I will not pursue anything related to her without telling you.” “Good. We’re a team now, Del. This will only work out for the best if we handle it together. She’s your daughter and I’m not going to rest until you have her back. I’ve got more ideas than I could even begin to explain, but...I just know that if you rush in there unprepared, everything will fall to pieces.” “You...can put me down now.” I set her back onto her feet, still wishing I could have held her a bit longer. As I stood back up, however, she almost immediately pulled on my arm, dragging me down into a kiss. Her pillowy lips still sent a warm current through me as they pressed firmly against mine. Finally breaking the kiss, she kept her hands locked together behind my neck, her forehead pressed against mine. “And you are certain you wish to remain with me? This is the last time I will ask, and I will bear you no malice were you to walk away.” Letting her finish, I moved her chin to stare directly back at her before I answered, “That’s all wrong, Del. We belong to each other and I’d want you to be pissed as hell if I tried to walk away. Who knows might happen? I might end up lost or on the wrong road and...I’d want to know that you’d pull me back.” “Are you telling me that I should go to any lengths to make certain that you do not get away?” I considered the possibilities that might make me regret such a request, but I answered just the same, “Yes, Del. If I ever try to leave you or Risa...do whatever it takes to make sure I can’t get away.” Letting out a deep sigh of relief, Del replied, “Understood, my love.” Picking her back up under her arms into a large hug, I whispered to her, “And don’t you think about trying to get away from me either, because no matter what you do or where you go, I will find you.” “I think, in the end, it will have been better for me to remain close to you, Joe.” After a overly dramatic spin, I set Del back on her feet and looked around. “So...what do we do now?” I asked. “Give me just a moment,” Del said as she went over to the device in the center of this room and opened a smaller side compartment, eventually pulling out a fingernail-sized piece of crystal and silver. “What’s that?” “It is another part of the reason this place needed to be sealed. This is simply the catalyst, and while we used this mechanism to promote a more comfortable atmosphere for those above and below ground, I’m sure you can see how this might be used as a weapon.” “Yeah…” I said wistfully, wishing I could grasp even the most basic understanding of magic. “Are you bothered by that thought? Or is it something else?” “Well, to be honest I wanted to learn how it worked...and then I realized it would be completely pointless.” “Knowledge is never pointless. Even if you cannot manipulate magical energy, having the understanding of how it is done might be still be useful to you some day.” “Huh...you know what? I like that idea. Magic is just what we call science that we don’t understand, and I’d like to start filling in the blanks on how this whole world works. You don’t mind teaching me once we’ve settled back down in Alnor?” I asked. “I look forward to the opportunity,” she answered with a smile. A moment later, Del perked up as I saw her eyes spot something out the window. Looking closer it looked like Risa and...Genevieve. That reminded me that I need to talk to Del about- Before I could even finish the thought, I saw her expression sour as she leapt from the tower, a series of skeletal arms passing her towards the ground. “Del, wait!” I shouted as I realized that she either couldn’t hear me or wasn’t listening. Cursing loudly and repeatedly, I dashed down the stairs and through the library, bursting out into the street around the spire. I made a sharp left turn and sprinted for all I was worth as I approached the place closest to where they had to be. As I came out onto a wide street, I saw Del approaching from the other side, her hair already starting to billow in the currents of her magic. Genevieve stopped in her tracks when she saw me and smiled sadly, her eyes closing a moment later. “Fuck this,” I thought, “I’m not going to watch this happen again...not because of me.” I saw Del’s form flicker slightly and knew that something had to be coming. It would have been impossible to say for sure if Del was actually going to try to kill Genevieve, but after Ahmose had cleared the cloudiness in my memory of the incident, as well as making it clear that Genevieve’s acts wouldn’t have caused any real damage, I didn’t want to take the chance. My last thought before I was close enough to dive on the helpless succubus was that it was a good thing Risa had forced me to start jogging again, and that the look on her face was quickly turning to confusion as I approached. I heard a scream the moment before I collided with Genevieve, feeling a sharp pain in my head as I did so. Opening my eyes that I realized I’d unintentionally closed, I looked down to see Genevieve’s face covered in blood, one of her horns partially broken. “No!” I shouted as I tried to frantically shake the succubus awake. I started to hyperventilate as I thought another life was about to slip away before my eyes, again because of me. I couldn’t even blame Del in this situation as she had plenty of reason to attack...I should have told her exactly what had transpired to set this all in motion. ----------------------------- --Several days ago. I heard a slight commotion that normally would have gone ignored had I not been so anxious to see Del return. I peeked out from the covers to see a group of nearly a dozen imps and...someone that was most definitely not an imp, all standing in the room. The non-imp stood about my height, her figure the perfect picture of lithe beauty, her skin pale and flawless. Two horns sprouted from the top of her head, a slight downward swoop upon their middle as they pointed up and forward. Her long tail with the heart-shaped end and leathery wings were a pure white color, matching her hair, but did nothing more than help confirm the fact that this was a succubus...and she was taking Risa. I was frozen in fear. If I jumped out now...who knew what they might do to Risa? And there was no way I could handle more than three imps...not to mention the completely unknown quantity in the succubus. "Carry the girl to my western home, but I promise you that if even a single hair on her head is disturbed, I'll sell you all into the slave pits, understood?" a melodic voice said with an authoritative certainty. "Yes, mistress Genevieve," One of the imps replied, "But...what about him? Can we-?" With a resounding crack, Genevieve slapped the imp across the face, nearly knocking the smaller girl from her feet. "There is no man here as far as you are concerned. You will all be paid enough to spend a week at any brothel you desire, but you are not to touch, breathe upon, or even think about this man for any reason," Genevieve nearly spat. "Yes, mistress. Sorry, mistress," The imp replied as Risa was gently carried from the room, the group of imps ferrying her carefully enough that she didn't even stir in her slumber. Once the imps had departed, leaving “Genevieve” alone in the room with me, I started to worry further on why she would have gone to so much trouble for me if she could afford to send her servants to any of the brothels in the city. This was not looking good at all. Still hiding beneath the blanket, I looked to the window and resolved to make a break for it. As I jumped up from the bed and dashed toward the large window, I lowered my shoulder, determined to crash through it, even readying myself for the coming fall from the second story of the house. The only thing that shattered was my pride, however, as I hit the solid window and was stopped as if I'd tried to shoulder my way through a brick wall. "Fucking hell!" I screamed as I struggled with the latch, my plan rapidly starting to fall apart. I felt the latch give as my hope returned. Throwing the window wide open, I didn't even venture a glance backward as I threw myself into the open air. "I can understand your concern, Joseph. But we have important matters to discuss," her voice whispered directly into my ear, making me realize that this woman had plucked me from the air and now had me held beneath each arm. Pulling me back into the room, she set me back on my feet, then gently pushed me back onto the bed. Despite the fact that she knew my name, it was going to take a lot more than some kindly spoken bullshit to convince me to lie down for a lust demon. I used the momentum of her gentle push to roll backwards off of the bed and dashed toward the door. This seemed like a good part of town, so if I got to the street, I figured I could scream for the watch. Either she had moved inhumanly fast or I'd been slowed down, but I ran directly into her soft body before reaching the door, her arms gently wrapping around me. "Please, Joseph. This is difficult enough already without you seemingly able to ignore my magic as if I were a newborn imp." "Look...I'm sure whatever you have to say is really important but in this whole crazy mess of shit the only hard ‘rule’ I ever heard was that I wasn't allowed to fuck a vampire, a succubus, or a fox for any reason." Even though her arms seemed to hold me gently, almost tenderly, they may as well have been made of steel for all the progress I made trying to pull them off of me. I tried going completely limp, which caused her to nearly drop me as I used the small amount of freedom to bring my forehead up into her chin as hard as I could manage. "Please...ah!" she seemed to plead with me as her grip relaxed at the forceful impact of my skull upon her chin, her feet shuffling backwards a moment to catch herself. Finding a moment of reprieve, I reached for the door again before I felt a snap and was completely overcome with a wave of heat that set every nerve, from my scalp to the soles of my feet, tingling. Even small movements became sweet agony, and I froze in place. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to resist her any more, I tried to beg, "Just let me go, please...I'll do whatever else you want. I'm even really good with my tongue, you could-" She only stepped toward me as I spoke, shaking her head in denial of everything I said, before embracing me again, my will to resist nearly completely broken. "Shh, I know that I don't deserve your touch, Joseph," she cooed at me as she stroked my hair affectionately. "Then why...are you doing this?" I asked, starting to find it hard to speak. "Because someone very important loves you," she said as she carried me back to the bed, gingerly laying me back upon it. "But-" I attempted before I lost any further ability to form words. "I know the many questions you have, but you need not ask them. I will tell you why this...is the only remaining option," she began. Taking a large breath, she continued, "There is but one reason why this is happening, that being that this is the only way to convince your lover, Delilah, to return to Blacksky and complete her duty as one of its administrators. We sealed the portal below with the belief that she would right the damage to the demonic channeling matrix and deliver the report of the city's destruction to Lady Ahmose...and free her from her prison." While she spoke, she continued to pace at the foot of the bed nervously, occasionally stopping to look me up and and down as if she had never seen a man before. Continuing on, she added, "Delilah refused to do so over some misplaced guilt regarding the fall of the city and has hidden from her duty for close to four thousand years. What I will...do to you, will appear to leave her no choice but to take you there." The confirmation of her intentions was enough to make me weep silently, my sight clouding over with tears as they ran easily down the side of my face. "I...know this will hurt you, but I need you to know that this is the most painful thing I have ever had to do. You captured the heart of someone that most people thought completely emotionless. I’ve always known better, but for the many hundreds of years that I considered her my dearest friend, and possibly throughout the rest of her life, no man or woman ever touched her in the way that you have." That wasn't making anything better--not at all. My mind reeled at the thought of what grievous thing Genevieve would do to me that would convince Del to dive back into a past she'd been avoiding for thousands of years. "I see the fear in your eyes, but there is no need. In truth, you will be in no real danger. You will feel as though your body is on fire, your thoughts of this encounter will be cloudy and muddled, and you may not be able to control your baser impulses, but I would not risk harming Delilah's only love, no matter the stakes. This is an elaborate lie to convince Delilah to confront her past and her duty." I looked around, still desperately seeking a way to escape this situation. As she looked down at me again, she started to softly cry as well, "There is nothing I could say in this moment, nor anything I could offer in repayment, nor any amount of grief on my part that could make up for this act." She perched herself over me and gently pulled my eyes closed with her fingers as she took me within her, the unnatural heat of her driving me through one last attempt to throw her off of me. My struggling quickly subsided as I felt another warmth forcing its way into me, stealing my breath and what remained of my strength. "This...will take...several hours," she began hesitantly before she broke down into a crying fit that wracked her entire body, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...forgive me," she forced out through her tears as her body made an entirely different request of me. I tried to think of Del and Risa--to imagine that this was just another glamour and that I would wake up and see my loving wives staring down at me, like always. There was no resistance, no brave struggle, and no fighting to the last against impossible odds. This woman--this demon, raped me. Even knowing and hating the act, she carried it out anyway. As much as I wanted to hate every moment of this violation, she made me enjoy it, laying bare the hidden parts of me that were only for those I truly loved. The shame made me want to lose myself, forget everything, and simply fall into an endless sleep. Through it all, I couldn't tune out the incomprehensible feeling of her own tears falling on me and the cries of her sadness as she took me without mercy. It was many hours before I finally fell into slumber, dreading what I would find when I awoke. ------------------------------ “Please don’t scream in my face, Joseph,” Genevieve said to me as she looked up at me, her face showing some measure of pain. Confused, I saw a drop of blood fall onto her face and realized that the blood was mine, spilling from a gash on my forehead that must have been cut on her now-damaged horn when I dove on her. “Oh, uh...right,” I said as I rolled off of her to assess the damage, quickly realizing that she appeared to be completely fine. “Joe...what the hell are you doing?” Risa asked angrily even as she quickly leaned down and tore a piece of her already revealing garment to press it to the gash on my forehead. “Del! I don’t know exactly what to say, but you can’t kill her,” I said as I looked over at my lich companion to see her shaking her head in disbelief. “I had no intention of doing so, my love. It is curious why you are so protective of her, however.” “I just didn’t want to see anyone else hurt because of me.” “I swear,” Risa began, “if you hadn’t just slashed yourself to the bone, I’d be angry with you. At least it doesn’t look horrible,” She said as she leaned in and began to gently lick at the wound, causing me to unintentionally shiver at the strange sensation. “Perhaps you’d like to explain things?” Del said to me, crossing her arms as I saw her dismiss a bony serpent that was coiled on the ground next to her. It looked almost exactly like the one in which she’d wrapped me before heading down here and must have been what her magic had brought forth. “Well, Ahmose cleared my mind enough to remember what actually happened, and she told me that I was never in any real danger…” “I see,” Del began, “Ish, would you care to elaborate before I become cross?” The succubus stood up and bowed deeply to Del and then to Risa before she began, “I...can’t even begin to ask your forgiveness for what I’ve done.” Del sighed and replied, “Even though I have cause to thank you for...some of this, Ish, perhaps you should at least begin to ask for forgiveness for raping our husband.” “What?! I thought you said a ‘terrible demon’ infected him!” Risa shouted, pulling me a bit closer in the process. “Karisa, I am that terrible demon. I needed Delilah to release Ahmose from her prison and the only way to do that was to convince her that she had no choice but to bring Joseph here.” Shaking her head, Risa continued to calmly stroke my hair as she replied, “I’m not going to pretend I’m okay with that. This is actually starting to piss me off so...Joe, please tell me what’s going on here.” With Risa continuing to lovingly kiss and lick at my still-weeping abrasion, I began explaining exactly what happened. I didn’t leave out any details, though I may have put particular emphasis on how hard I tried to escape. Going further, I began to expound upon everything that had transpired here, looking to Del before I started, needing to know that she was okay with me bringing it up, earning a nod from her. I kept my explanation as vague and delicate as possible, constantly looking over to Del for confirmation that she wasn’t bothered by my rehashing of the disturbing tale. When I had finally divulged the revelation of Lorelei’s relation to Del, Genevieve stepped forward to speak up, “Delilah, why didn’t you just tell me? I knew she was your zombie, but if I’d known she was your daughter-” “You would have hesitated if Ahmose gave the order for her destruction. I fully expected her to do so and that is why I tried to avoid the unsealing of this place. I’ve spent the last two millennia trying to figure out a way to save her and I’ve found nothing. A wight can’t be modified like a zombie,” Del said as she shook her head. “Wait,” Risa began, her slightly shaky voice and tight grip on me showing how much she had come to care about the lich, “Del...are you really okay with this?” “Yes, Risa. Ahmose’s cleverness is only surpassed by her kindness. Even though her judgement was to bring Lorelei before her, she said that she would delay that judgement. I don’t even know where Ahmose is right now since she no longer hold half of my power, making it impossible to track her directly. Even once she leads her people through the desert, she will be more concerned with rebuilding for quite some time.” “Sounds like a convenient loophole to me,” Risa said as she then began to fret over my disheveled hair, “But if she cared about you, then maybe that was her way of upholding the law while still doing you a favor.” “I think you’re right,” I said as I stood back up, “she wasn’t like anyone I’ve ever met and that...seems like the sort of thing she might have done.” “Damn it,” Risa mumbled, “Knowing that this was all for Del and the girl you left trapped down here...I’m not even allowed to be pissed at you for raping my husband,” Risa said with a glare at Genevieve. “Well, I did break part of her horn,” I offered. “Oh yes, paying to take you for stitches later is just the sort of revenge I had in mind.” Genevieve still seemed very upset as she continued, “I will still offer anything you ask for the offense that I have committed...even if you demand my life.” Del rolled her eyes, “This is just the sort of overdramatic behavior that annoys me about you, Ish. I won’t speak for those two, but I could think of a far better request that would satisfy me.” “I don’t want anything. I’m just glad nobody was hurt,” I offered. “Except you, genius. I swear, Joe...sometimes I don’t know about you,” Risa said with a sigh before adding, “though it goes completely against my nature, I still wouldn’t feel right asking for anything.” “In that case, I have my own request for you,” Del said as she crossed her arms. “Name it,” the succubus said with certainty. “Find me a copy of Tlazolteotl’s Meditations or an intact copy of the Black Sand Codex...both if you can manage it.” “Nobody has laid eyes on either of those for 5,000 years or more…” Genevieve said as she began to rub her damaged horn. “You can’t do it?” Del asked. “Fine! I’ll find them, even if I have to scrape the bottom of the sea to do so. I assume you’ll be returning to Alnor?” My companions and I shared a glance before nodding in unison. “You know, Ish, “ Delilah began, “You could just turn me down. These grand, ill-conceived gestures always get you into trouble.” Looking as though she would cry, the succubus replied, “That incident with Gil was not ill-conceived, it was just...poorly executed.” “Perhaps my genius is simply not up to the task of seeing the wisdom in threatening to kick down the gates of Charisse’s city and unleash an endless tide of undead upon her people if he didn’t agree to have sex with you.” “Delilah, why must you be so cruel?! I had to show a strong face after he killed that poor minotaurus-” “Which you sent after him in the first place. I suppose there were two interesting observations to be made from the outcome of your actions, however.” “Can we not simply abandon this topic? I am certain your companions do not find it interesting,” Genevieve said as she looked away, nervously crossing and uncrossing her arms. Ignoring Genevieve’s statement completely, Del continued, “It proved that a man, properly motivated by a mad desire to escape you, will literally move the heavens and earth to do so. The second observation is that I find some measure of...hilarity in having borne witness to those acts.” “Pretty sure we call that schadenfreude, Del. And that might put a few things into perspective,” I added as I thought back on a few choice incidents. Genevieve shook off her frustration with a slight frown before she finally continued, “Despite your continued acts of cruelty, there is something more. Though I still feel that it is little consolation, I’ve paid to have your home completely repaired. I also took care of the remaining furnishings, landscaping, and back taxes. Just yesterday, one my contacts found someone that was intimately familiar with how the place used to look and I spared no expense following their guidance.” “Wait,” Risa began, “Who could you have possibly found that would know something like that?” “Ah...a lamia, I was told. She was just outside Alnor. I believe she said her name was Emerald.” -------------------------------------- --Elsewhere “The door has opened and the Red Hand stirs,” the cowled figure spoke aloud, a gurgling wheeze coming forth in tandem with her otherwise powerful voice. The statement set off a chain reaction of whispers through the massive crowd that had gathered to hear the words of this priestess. “There is no need to fear, sisters and brothers! Even as the lash has broken us, the Red Hand promises to make us whole once more. Her kindness is without bounds. She takes the weak, the sickly, and the deformed without reservation or hesitation!” Titters within the crowd began to escalate as the many monsters and few humans alike shared nods of agreement, the sound of the spectators slowly becoming louder. “The masters of this land have stolen everything from us! Our homes and families were taken and replaced with the unending kiss of their whips and chains.” Suddenly from the crowd, a young Youko stood, her face half caved in and most of her teeth broken or missing, and shouted, “Murder them all!” “No, my sister! It is only natural to hate those that have brought us so much pain, but the Red Hand embraces the slavers and their masters as well. Each year, more and more of them seek her, many angry and afraid. Not a single monster OR human has ever been turned away!” Many within the crowd began to shout, cheer, or weep openly. The conversations were ones of love, hope, and acceptance. They had all been slaves, criminals, and outcasts before somehow finding their way here. It had been dangerous for any of them to hope until now, but many of them had heard the rumors or seen the aftermath of many sorties into that ever-growing tomb. The red-cowled figure continued, her fervor building, “I’m certain that you have been told that there is nowhere you belong, nobody that will ever care for you, and nothing you can do to escape an eternity of living torment. I have seen the Red Hand! I watched as she placed her loving touch upon my mother. Her pain was so great that I saw the Red Hand weep to accept it. And now my mother lives on as an eternal piece of the Red Hand!” The crowd began to shout doubtful accusations, the tone growing darker even as it continued to grow louder. “I sense your doubts, but I heard my mother call out my secret nickname through the voice of the Red Hand! There is no other way she could have known the name that only my mother ever used for me! I was only personally blessed with her touch for a moment. I wept to run from her embrace, but I knew that someone had to carry this message of hope to every person of Kaori, nay, the entire island itself!” As the cowled figure finished her statement, she threw back her hood to reveal her powerful draconic body, half covered in shining black scales, edged in a midnight blue. Her right arm, however, hung limp, broken beyond repair, and the entire right side of her body looked dessicated and withered as though all of the life had been pulled from it, those scales looking grey and cracked. The crowd gasped as they saw the once-powerful dragon looking nearly completely broken in body, some even turning away from the sight. Her one remaining blue eye, however, shined with a blazing light of determination, unshakeable even within the blasted ruins of the depleted mine in which she delivered her message. “Even now my body wishes to return to her embrace, this horrible necrosis a result of my body’s rejection of the impurities of the world after having touched perfection. But even though the Red Hand gives her gift freely, we cannot be selfish or we simply add our own weakness to her. We must be generous with this knowledge. Others must know, in Kaori and to the four corners of the island! Some may need to be forced into her embrace, and that is a truth that we must accept, but by drawing more to the Red Hand, we inevitably draw more to ourselves as well. When the Red Hand has touched everyone on the island, none of us will ever be alone again!” As the speaker pulled her cowl back on, the crowd went wild in a chorus of shouts and cheers, their wretched lives given over to a new purpose. |
| Chapter 43 - Playing Dirty At the mention of the lamia, I turned away slightly to look back into the city, ostensibly in a profound contemplation, but more to hide the physical evidence that thoughts of the scaly woman were creating. Completely ignoring that she was the monster that made my whoredom official, there had been at least a few things bothering me about the attack on Emerald’s shop...among many other things. “It seems it was no coincidence that my contact stumbled onto her, and solves part of the mystery as to the serpent pheromones that still cling to Joseph here,” Genevieve said as she began to worry over the blood that had stained her expensive-looking clothing. With a sigh of relief, Risa added, “I’m so relieved to know she’s alive. She was the first person I ever sold anything to and...she’s been a friend as long as I can remember. I remember her coming by the house all the time to play with me and my sisters.” The conversation was reminding me of Ixi. She might have been the perfect person to ask about Emerald, were she anything more than a memory now. Despite myself, I reached up to touch the scars on my face, hoping in vain that they could have just been more illusion. I wanted to be okay with how things had turned out as a result, but these scars went far deeper than the flesh. My tentative glances at my companions only made it clear that they had plenty of other things on their minds. This was not the time to get myself lost in dark memories, however. I tried to get my head back into the game as I commented on something that had rubbed me the wrong way. “Wait, what do you mean ‘part’ of the mystery?” I asked. “Well, Joseph,” she began in a deviously coy tone, “most lamia are exceedingly jealous. The scent they leave is typically quite strong so that they can track their conquest...to the ends of the earth if needed. Hers was very light, as though she was attempting to conceal it entirely. With the amusingly…diverse cocktail of scents upon you, I doubt any other monster would have even detected it.” “I don’t see how that explains anything,” I said over my shoulder, still trying to get my mind out of the gutter before I’d even consider turning back around completely. “I suppose, for you, it doesn’t really,” she answered with a giggle, “but there are only two reasons I can imagine for her scent to have been so light, and neither of them are that she is Karisa’s friend. For now, though, I’ll be off. If you need to get a message to me, you can probably find one of my imps to do so,” Genevieve said as she dusted herself off a bit. “Take care of yourself, Ish,” Del said, a conflicted tone still showing in her voice. “Do not worry yourselves over me. I’ll see the three of you again in the new Blacksky, if not sooner. I truly hope that I can extend my greeting to both of your children at that time as well,” she said with a smile at Del and Risa before she took to the air. With that we began our long trek back to Alnor...again. Luckily, it seemed that Risa’s “first aid” had managed to alleviate the need for potential stitches. I’d probably end up with another scar on my face, but I could imagine a lot of outcomes that would have been far less favorable. However, the rest of this was getting ridiculous. Every time it seemed like we had solved a problem, another half-dozen would spring up in its place. If I boiled it all down to the base components, however, I was simply left with two women, both with their hands clasped about my heart, that wanted to see their children. Thinking about it that way made it all seem a little easier to swallow. I just needed to try to forget, for now, the fact that one child was buried within an ancient emotionless killer, and the other(s) within a bureaucratic maelstrom that made the word byzantine fitting for nothing more complex than buying stamps at the post office. It was time to start filling in the blanks more completely. Having settled into a comfortable jogging pace, I spoke up, “Hey Risa?” “Yeah?” She answered as she looked over. “So, with your memories in one piece. What do you remember about that queen slime?” With a slight frown she replied, “Just that I never want that sort of goo inside me again.” “There’s a type of goo you do want--nevermind. Almost walked into that one.” “As for what you’re probably going to ask...I have no idea if it was my sister.” I thought for a moment before continuing, “Maybe we’ve been looking at this all wrong. When we thought you had an evil mother trying to drive us apart, Ixi’s attacks sort of made sense, but without that catalyst...everything starts falling apart, unless…” “You think Emerald was the target?” she added, quickly catching on. “And you, simply by extension, on the off chance that Emerald gave you something or told you something. What do you know about Emerald?” Risa looked thoughtful a moment before answering, “Well...Ixi told me that she was a good friend of my mother. She was around a lot while I was growing up...enough that I thought of her like an aunt. I also know she exiled herself from Alnor, which is normally only done if someone has run up an astronomically high debt.” “Hmm...that just begs many more questions.” “Why do you ask? “Well, living in Alnor is going to be difficult if someone is trying to kill us. I thought Emerald might have some insight, given that she was also a target.” “We’ve got too much coin now to just disappear. While this isn’t always the case, the only real death anyone need fear in Alnor is bankruptcy,” Risa added with a smile. Seems like Alnor really was my kind of town. I started to rummage through my mental bag of financial dark magic to see what might tumble into the light. Trying to cut through red tape was always easier with a massive sack of coins, after all. Several hours later, we finally stopped for a much needed break, my muscles willing and eager to remind me that I was far from being back in shape entirely. I walked a bit to stretch my legs before heaving myself into the relatively soft grass, just off the road. Walking over to stare down at me, Risa mused, “You’ve got the same look on your face that you had that night at the Honeybee, Joe,” her cheeks started to flush a bit. “I’ll tell you about it when we get back to Alnor, sexy,” I said as I tried to catch my breath. Her eyes giving me that increasingly irresistible half-lidded pout, she continued, “I don’t even get a hint?” The devious gears were turning in my head so fast that the friction was burning all of my potentially productive thoughts in an impromptu bonfire. If I gave in and started spilling the beans now, Risa would almost certainly pounce on me, and there was no way she’d be done before nightfall. I looked back up at Risa and then to Del, the latter’s skeletal steed fading as she slowly walked toward me. It wasn’t lost on me that there was certainly a lot of gender role reversal afoot in this world, and while I was a rather ineffectual gatekeeper, I still held the keys. This would probably end up being more exhausting than continuing to jog, but… “I’m thinking of buying up a brothel or two...maybe running some competition into the ground. You know...to start. If I pull off the rest of it the way I want, people will be paying us to take their gold, paying us to hold it, and paying us to get it back.” With an adorable shiver as she placed her warm hand on my chest, Risa leaned down and nibbled my ear as she whispered, “Oh, Joe...I love it when you talk dirty.” Before things got too out of hand, I motioned Del over, silently mouthing “You too.” Shaking her head slightly, unable to hide a tiny grin, Del quickly shuffled over to join the quickly shrinking clothing to skin ratio. Even though the air had started to grow slightly more chilly, at no point throughout the rest of the day or following evening did I feel anything but the most pleasant warmth I could imagine. Despite my body feeling spent before we even began, I enjoyed every exhausting moment of it, finally dropping into slumber some time after the sun had gone to its own bed. At some point in the middle of the night, I was awakened as I heard Del whispering to me as quietly as she could, “Do you really have a plan, Joe?” Perhaps not certain if I was asleep, her fingernails gently scratched at my chest near her resting place, the sensation enough to pull me gently awake enough to start running my hand through her silvery hair. “You mean for your daughter, right?” “Mmhm,” she seemed to mumble, obvious tears in her voice. “Have I ever broken a promise, no matter how insane?” “No, Joe. And that...is why I worry. How much did you read in that library?” “Not enough. But you’re going to teach me the rest of what I need to pull this off, Del.” “I...don’t want to. I have gone through hundreds of thousands of different scenarios in the pursuit of this...likely fantasy. If you get involved, I don’t see a way that you can survive,” she whispered as she brought herself in tighter against me. “This particular theory is even a bit beyond me, but have you considered that reality only exists because we are here to observe it?” “That seems counter-intuitive. In that case, there would have to have been an original observer for reality to exist in the first place,” Del said as she looked up at me curiously. “That’s an entirely different conversation...and now I completely forgot the point I was trying to make. What I can say is that I won’t die--well, at least not trying to save your daughter.” “How can you be so certain, Joe? I don’t mean to offend you, but I find it highly unlikely that you could come up with something in the last two years, most of which you spent asleep, that I have not considered in the last 4,000.” “Think about this, Del. You’ve always lived in this world, and so you see things through eyes that understand how it works--and how it doesn’t. My original point is that, maybe the only reason we can’t fly is because someone told us we couldn’t--because we accept it as fact.” “Joe...there is an order to how things work. Trying to fight the laws of reality is...insanity.” “Maybe...but where I come from...if a law doesn’t work, we change it.” She seemed to ponder that for a moment as she turned everything over in her head. “You have never broken a promise to either of us, despite the perceived impossibility of a few. Joe, I want you to promise me now that, no matter what else happens, you will not allow yourself to die in trying to save Lorelei.” Leaning down to place a kiss upon the top of her head, I let my hand drift across her perfectly smooth skin to rest in the middle of her back as I whispered in answer, “I promise.” Just then, watching the stars above as they quietly awaited the late arrival of the waning crescent moon, I looked down at the two embodiments of my happiness as they snuggled against me. No matter how many times I was blessed with this sight, it would always feel like home. That thought made it so much more painful when I considered the almost certain inevitability that I would break that final promise to Del. ----------------------------- “Are you Lady Karisa?” the one-eyed leader of the workers asked in a neutral tone. “Just Karisa is fine. Are you the people hired for the restoration?” “We are. Should be done by the end of the day, and that’s only because we had to bring in an earth-worker to bore out the sewer access,” the cyclops answered flatly. “And the cost is-” “Already taken care of. Even after all the updates…” the cyclops continued to drone on as I took a good look around this part of town, impressed by the visibly opulent homes of our neighbors. We’d made damn good time, making it back to Alnor in about four days. We even spent some time around the small trading outposts just outside the city looking for Emerald, but couldn’t even find anyone that had set eyes on a lamia recently. I was eager to get started on some of my plans, but I also had to get to know this city. I needed to know how the golden lifeblood of this city flowed, to find the concentrations, and identify a point of entry. “Dear~” I said to Risa with a light scratching on her lower back to get her attention. With a slight jump as she turned from watching the busy workers, she smiled as she answered, “Yes, love?” “I need a few gold coins, I want to go pick a few things up in the city.” “Oh, sure,” she said pulling out her jingling coinpurse, “How much do you think you’ll need?” “Shouldn’t need more than fifty…” I said with a smirk as she started to count out the coin, “...thousand.” Risa’s reaction was hilarious as she fumbled, and very nearly dropped, her coinpurse before turning back to me with an almost angry look. “Are you shitting me? I don’t care how sweet that ass is--I’m not giving you that much!” “But I never got you a wedding gift,” I said as I let my lower lip quiver in mock sadness. “I’ll totally concede that your last plan was pretty damn brilliant, but you got lucky. That could have gone bad in so many ways.” “But it didn’t,” I said, remaining calm. “But it could have!” she replied, losing her cool. “Well...I guess I could just go get a job,” I mumbled, trying to hide my smile, “What am I even qualified to do here? Nobody is going to take financial advice from an untested human rookie. What to do, what to do…” For emphasis, I took on an almost superheroic pose with my hands on my hips, throwing a disproportionate amount of focus to my lower midsection. Acting as though I’d just stumbled upon the answer, I spoke up, “Oh, I know! I could-” Stepping forward to cover my mouth, Risa bowed her head in defeat, “Fine, you bastard. If you lose this I’m going to chain you in the basement for a year while Del and I have our way with you.” “So...you’re saying there’s no downside here?” “Joe!” “I’m kidding, love. We’re going to be raising a family before long, and I’ll be damned if any child of mine will ever want for anything.” Risa flushed with color a bit before handing me her satchel, her look turning serious as she said, “Joe, this...is everything we own. From the ridiculous orders on that angel feather tonic, to the even more ludicrous ones for the testicles, as well as the charter and certificates for the Nukita Consortium. It may sound silly to you, but-” I silenced her with a kiss, my free hand reaching up to rub her ears. “It isn’t silly to me, Risa. I know that our future is in this bag. I’ll take care of it.” “I trust you, Joe. Just be careful, this city has chewed far up more than her fair share of folks that thought they could handle her.” With a kiss on her forehead and a lingering embrace, I answered, “Don’t worry, I’m fighting for a lot more now than just my woman’s honor.” “That’s sweet...but today is the only day you’ll be doing this alone. I’ll shave my tail before I’ll let you out-deal me in my hometown, so you’d better get a good head start!” With that I headed off towards the market with Del, giving myself some sobering slaps in the face to harden myself for some of what I’d probably have to deal with today. “You sure you don’t mind coming with me, Del?” “Even though your collar clearly marks you as a married man (I KNEW it was a fucking collar!), I would simply prefer to remain close to you. Is there anything I can do to be of assistance in this?” “Well...you’re too damn beautiful to look like hired muscle. Can you keep track of all the transactions? I’m hoping to have it all on paper, but when the numbers start getting large, I can’t handle it all in my head.” “Understood. To which place are we heading first?” I looked over the contracts to find the largest and found a contract for the sale of two-hundred hero testicles at a grossly inflated price, signed by a Miss Sadie of the Windfall Emporium. “Here,” I said with a nod down the vast market avenue to our destination, “Miss Sadie owes us nearly 12,000 gold.” “That is a rather large sum. What do you intend to do if she doesn’t have it?” “Honestly, I’m hoping she doesn’t,” I said with a smile. I watched the place for about 20 minutes before heading in, seeing a healthy number of customers enter and leave with purchases. Walking into the well-appointed shop, I noticed all manner of goods, from the mundane to the truly bizarre. Many of the items appeared to be “marital aids” ranging through many varying degrees of obscene. To all outward appearances, this was a well-run business. I steeled myself and walked in, receiving a warm greeting from the proprietor. “Welcome to the Windfall! Is there anything I can help you or your husband find?” Stepping up to the counter, I answered for myself, “Are you miss Sadie?” “I am, good sir. Have we met?” She asked, maintaining her smile. Damn it. Of course she had to be cute. That she was a Danuki might make this a bit less painful, but she was certainly not going to be happy to hear the news I had to deliver. “Yes, ah...I am a representative of the Nukita Consortium and I have a contract here that bears your mark and signature,” I said as I presented the document for inspection. The color drained from her face almost immediately, as she saw the document. It was nearly a minute before she responded, “I...can’t afford this much. You’re the last person to show up to collect on these and I just don’t have anything left.” This was the outcome for which I was hoping, but I needed to stay calm to spin this in a way that made it seem that I was doing her a favor. I was, after a fashion, but this was going to be a massive benefit for us in the long term. “I see. That presents a problem,” I began, “under normal circumstances I believe you’d be forced to sell any assets to meet the terms of the contract. By your position, can I assume that this shop represents the extent of your holdings?” “No, please! This shop is everything to me. My mother left it to me when she died and it’s the only thing I have left to remember her by.” “Well, the law is the law…” I said as I trailed off, looking away thoughtfully as though I was imagining an entirely different interior. “W-we can negotiate, can’t we? Sure! There has to be something you want, right? I have contacts all over the island.” With a mock sigh and another quick look around, I answered, “As we both know, the law is very clear. However…” I added as I saw a twinkle in her eye as she braced herself for what I was going to offer her as an alternative, “Even if the Consortium were to own the shop, we are too short of employees to run it. I have a better idea. How much would you say this shop is worth? And be honest or the terms that follow will be less favorable.” Clearly having done this calculation recently, she answered quickly, “About 27,000 or so...give or take a few hundred.” “Okay, here is what I have been authorized to do. If we take this to the courts, we’ll be given the shop in the dispute as you have no other assets to sell. However, the Consortium would be willing to take the shop for this contract and then sell the shop back to you on credit. Nothing would change in your daily business and we’d stretch the payments out, once a month over...say thirty years? For our trouble we’d ask a modest interest rate of...twenty percent?” “Wait wait, what? That comes out to-” she paused a moment to pull out an abacus, working the device like a professional, “-over 100,000 gold!” “Ah, but broken into much more simple monthly payments of less than 500. And, don’t forget, you get to keep this place and run it precisely as you see fit. The Consortium would never wish to harm an honest business. What’s 30 years to a near immortal anyway?” For a moment it looked like she might leap over the counter to strangle me, then for the follow few moments as though she would cry before she finally closed her eyes, deep in thought. Nearly a full minute later, her face cracked into a smile and she began to laugh somewhat sardonically, her gaze, thankfully, now looking more like respect than rage. “Ahhhh, merciful Amarante. You know damn well I can’t turn you down. Where’s the contract?” The girlish squee of the inner me was quickly cut short as I realized I hadn’t actually drawn up a contract for something like this. I started to get frantic for a moment before my beautiful companion stepped forward and set a stack of parchment on the counter. “In the future, it might be wise to come prepared for such negotiations, Joe. I picked up on the thrust of your proposal, however, and was able to draw up an acceptable contract” “Wait, this was your idea?” The Danuki asked me as she shifted on her feet suspiciously, a blush quickly coming to her cheeks. “I...ah, am but one small piece of the Nukita Consortium,” I ventured, quickly averting my gaze. “You don’t look so small to me,” she countered, looking me up and down, her eyes quickly taking on the feral glint of a hunter in sight of its prey. “I’ll have to...uh...leave that to the judgement of my wives.” “Indeed,” Del said, her tone annoyed, as she pushed the contract a bit closer to the shopkeeper. “Gah, fine!” she said as she quickly browsed the document, eventually leaving a mark in blood alongside a signature before she continued, “If you change your mind, drop by anytime and we can lock my husband in the closet for a few days~.” “Hey!” I heard a voice shout from somewhere on the 2nd floor. “I’m coming up! If you don’t want to lose those pants, they’d better be gone by the time I get up there!” Sadie shouted as I withdrew from the shop with Del. Once I’d made my way down the street a bit, I paused, my knees a bit weak at the realization of what we’d just done. That sensation only lasted a moment before the follow-up could not be contained as I literally leapt into the air in triumph, hundreds of passing eyes turning to look curiously at my insanity as I hopped around like a fool for the several minutes it took the giddiness to pass slightly. “Joe. You...don’t intend to perform this dance after every stop today, do you?” Del asked, her voice dry, but her face showing an adorably obvious amusement at my elation. “No, no...I don’t--I mean...probably not. You saved my ass in there, Del. The only thing this collar would have been good for was as something for her to grab onto for extra leverage while she rode me like a pony.” “I contemplated allowing that to transpire. You have done this to Risa at least twice, so you should have been well aware of the potential consequences.” “Well, she wouldn’t have looked twice at me if you hadn’t mentioned that it was my plan. Do you just enjoy seeing me squirm?” At that, Del reached up to my shoulder and pulled me a bit closer, placing a small kiss on my neck as she whispered, “I enjoy a great many things about you.” “I’m going to need you to pull back on being so dead sexy for a while, Del. We have a lot to get done today. We both know exactly how it’s going to go down once I tell Risa about this so can we like...stay on task?” “As you wish, my love. Tonight, then.” With a short stop to pick up several vials of ink, numerous quills, and a stack of good parchment, we made our way down the list of the victims of my testicular attack. Sadly, there was only one other target that was in as deep as the first, shattering my fantasies of becoming a power-mad robber baron after one day. I had been used to getting a certain kind of look from folks in this world, but I was getting an entirely unfamiliar series of glances from people today. Most of the looks seemed to be shock that I wasn’t just Del’s slave (well...any more than normal), and I heard more than a few comments about how cute it was that my assumed “other wife” let me play at business. I wanted to be angry...for a good five minutes. At the end of the day I still had (most of) the same rights as any mamono, was underestimated at first glance, and could potentially Lizzie Borden my way out of any trouble in which I might find myself. I wasn’t about to go a-hatchet-ing for no reason, but there were some very shady components of my plan, and it might come in especially handy if I could claim spermatorrhoea as a valid criminal defense plea. “This is the last place, right?” I asked Del, feeling exhausted from the many joy-filled leaping dances I had performed throughout the day. “It is, but this does not appear to be a normal shop,” she answered, directing my eyes to the well-made, but modest, sign above the door. The sign read, “Foxtail Importers and Interest Exchange” and looked far more upscale than any of the places we had yet visited today, their official-looking seal simply several fox tails emerging from a central point, arrayed in a circle. “Hey Del?” “Yes, Joe?” “You think this place is run by Danuki?” “I will attempt to humor you...One moment, please,” she began before pausing dramatically, “The Honeybee is run by a Bicorn, so it certainly remains a fascinating possibility.” With any comeback I might have had planned being effectively shattered, I asked instead, “You know anything about this place?” “Nothing beyond the name above the door. I am fairly certain that I have seen that crest before on a few fox girls, however inconceivable that may seem, given your theory. Far be it from me, however, to look askance at such an inspired notion.” Looking down at Del’s poker face, I couldn’t hold back a small grin, “That’s why I love you, Del.” “At least I have one weapon that can pierce that stone facade,” I thought as I watched her avert her eyes, a smile creeping upon her face. “Watch my ass in here, Del. I’ve got a bad feeling about this place.” I said as did some stretches to help shake out some of the nervousness that had been tightening my muscles into knots. “Understood. I will keep my eyes fixed upon it. Coupled with your happiness, it has been one of the few amusing diversions of the day.” The building itself was a wide stone and stucco structure, the massive tiled roof held up by arches that ran down into large stone columns. A small but impressive fountain murmured at us from within the large outdoor plaza before the imposing bronze double doors of the entrance. I walked with purpose up to the large doors and pushed, not pausing for even a moment as I passed into the gilded marble hall of the interior, the slightly hardened heels of my shoes sending out dull clicks that seemed to echo through the entire building. Ahead of me was a very bored-looking fox girl sitting behind a massive reception desk of a darkly rich, and reflectively polished, wood. She was dressed in an elegant yet simple drape, calling my modern views of the Hellenic War to mind. Our entrance earned little more than a raised eyebrow over the top of book she had been reading. With the echoing taunts of my own footsteps drawing out the process, it felt like several minutes before I reached the desk. As I opened my mouth to speak, the receptionist held up a finger in silence as she turned the page of her book. Another two minutes passed before I took deep breath, only to see the same finger come up again in silence, remaining in the air as she read through at least another half-dozen pages. “That’s how you to play this, bitch?” I thought as I gripped the sale contract, then slamming it down onto the desk as loudly as I could. The loud bang made the girl jump from her seat so quickly that she unintentionally tossed her book across the room in shock before turning back to me in very obvious annoyance. I met her frown with a polite smile and spoke up, “Just here to collect on this on behalf of the Nukita Consortium.” “We don’t deal with organizations obviously backed by raccoon-dogs. You must be mistaken.” “You know what? You’re probably right. Maybe a judge can sort it all out for us--let me just get out of your hair,” I answered, now completely done with whatever else this woman might have had to say. “Wait,” she said, nearly an entire minute full of patience-testing hatred coming into full bloom within my mind as I waited for her. “Who are you again?” That was it. I’d only ever been treated this poorly at a place of business once in my life, and this was all the motivation I should have needed to tear up the contract and storm out, maybe visiting again on some distant evening to burn this place to the ground...the potentially difficulty of burning stone notwithstanding. Reason had taken a back seat to rage, however, as I leaned in closer and whispered, hopefully too quietly for her to hear, “I am a representative of the Nukita Consortium, here to collect on-” “Ah yes,” she said, interrupting me, “you were here about opening a brothel. We will advance you up to two thousand gold, to be paid back in full plus an additional thousand gold after one year’s time.” “Are you joking?” I asked, now seething with enough anger. “Those are our terms, though you might be able to persuade me to lower the interest if you can demonstrate your skills as a whore. I’m feeling rather generous today.” I couldn’t have imagined that I’d ever get this angry with a person. My first instinct was to find a way to flip the desk, instantly realizing that it would simply destroy what was left of my self-respect to tear every muscle in my back in a futile venture. Even in this state, I could feel Del’s eyes upon me, begging me to turn back to her. I knew that she would help solve this problem. I also knew that it had become a matter of pride at this point, so turning to Del was the last thing I was going to do here. If politeness wasn’t going to work, maybe I just needed to be a bit more forceful. “Well? What are you going to-” she began, a condescendingly cold smile upon her lips. I interrupted her, shouting at the top of my lungs, “The ONLY testicles involved in this deal are the ones you bought from ME! So shut that fucking cock holster, walk your stupid ass to the vault, and bring me my gold before I really get rude, you cancerous twat!” The somewhat cathartic release left me really wanting to see her reaction to that, hoping for a display of unbridled rage or abject despair. Either would have been fine. As she took a deep breath to respond, another voice came from a short distance behind her. “There’s no need for vulgarity. Lucrezia, fetch the coin and have it brought to my office. We may have business with this...organization,” a strangely familiar voice called out. I strangled a surprised yip as I saw the well-dressed inari lightly walk toward us. It didn’t clear up the reality of who she actually was, but she sure looked like Risa’s image of Lady Ajora. The “receptionist” slammed her fist into the desk and shouted, “D-did you hear what he said to me?!” Her expression remained placid even as her seven tails swished about with just the tiniest bit of playfulness as she added, “Lucrezia, you’re going to give yourself wrinkles. His certificate bears our mark.” “He’s so deep in tanuki, he smells like the back of the bitch’s teeth. If you’re the one that made this deal, I’ll file a grievance with the guild and have you thrown out of here,” the younger-looking fox girl spouted off angrily as she turned to leave and then inexplicably turned and walked deeper into the large building. The older-looking fox shook her head with a light smile and said, “She can be so difficult sometimes. You two wait here and I’ll return with what you are owed.” The moment they were both out of the room I turned to Del, seeing a concerned look on her face. “Del...is that-?” “It is. Far more importantly--Are you okay, my love? I have never seen you so angry.” “Don’t worry about that now, we need to-” I began “No, Joe. You are my only concern. Set the document on the desk and come home with me.” I opened my mouth to protest but a pleading look of desperation from Del was enough to subvert my anger, convincing me to let it drop. With a simple nod I set the parchment on the desk and quickly headed towards the door, the mocking echoes of my footfalls now sounding like war drums in their intensity. As I touched the large metallic door handle, I heard the familiar voice again. “Leaving already, Joseph?” As I turned to look back, I just barely had time to react to the large pouch of coins that had been thrown at me. Catching the heavy purse, I noticed that it was rather warm and damp with something red. As my eyes went back to the older fox woman, she stared back at me seductively as she sat on the edge of the large desk as she licked what appeared to be blood from her fingers. With a crooked smile, she asked, “Is something the matter? You’ve only just arrived back in Alnor and you’re already jumping at shadows. That can’t be good for your long term health.” “I can worry about my health, you just worry about enjoying the fine fruits of the hero tree that you’ve purchased.” “It’s a pity you didn’t get to see it, monsters swooning in the streets just for the chance to see a profit from your balls. You know there is a much more straightforward way to do that, right?” “Why take the easy way through when I could find much more interesting ways to convince fine folks like yourself to willingly hand over all of your gold to the quickly-expanding Nukita Consortium?” Even from 15 meters away, her gaze cut through me like a blade. Her expression changed little, and her tone even less. She was more frightening to me by virtue of the fact that she seemed utterly impossible to read. “You don’t say...well perhaps I might be interested in investing a sizable fortune into such an organization.” “You’ll have your chance just like everyone else once we-” I began. “Go public?” She interrupted with a hint of devious intent in her emotionless smile as she continued, “Oh, you’re certainly not the first person to have brought such notions to Alnor from...elsewhere.” That was my verification that Ajora, or whoever she was, had at least some knowledge of my dark powers. Was this a challenge? My pride certainly wanted to believe that it was. Where else in this world would I really have a chance to stand as an equal...or possibly above even that? “Well, we’ve got a lot going on, so we should probably go...” I said, my voice still shaking slightly in the aftermath of my previous anger as it trailed off. “You sound frightened, Joseph.” “Frightened?” I began, trying to control my tone, “I’m just excited to have a new target.” “You really aren’t as good at this game as you believe, boy,” she quickly interrupted, before adding, “but you are more than welcome to play. Pass along my regards to my...daughter.” Before I could say anything in response, I felt a push from the other side of the door and jumped back a bit to get out of the way. Walking in the door, to my look of stunned disbelief, was Lucrezia, the fox girl I assumed was a quickly cooling corpse laying in one of the back rooms. “Oh, excuse me. Are you leaving?” she asked politely. “Yes, we’ve just...concluded our business,” I answered. “Thank you for trading with us today. We hope that all of your future ventures are fruitful and that we can do business again soon,” she said kindly, offering a small bow before heading over to the desk. As I looked up to where the other fox had been sitting, I saw only an empty spot on the desk. Taking another look at the pouch I had been tossed, I realized that the dampness was not from blood, but from some sort of citrusy-smelling fruit juice in which the bag had apparently been soaked. I was still scratching my head, wondering what the hell I’d just seen, as I made it out onto the street. I wasn’t even sure if I’d just been issued a threat, a challenge, or a series of random, unrelated images that served no purpose beyond trying (and succeeding) to piss me off. “Del?” “Yes, Joe?” “What the fuck just happened in there?” “You...received payment on a contract and a request to tell Risa about the meeting. The rest of it seemed to be illusion and posturing.” “Maybe she was trying to make some kind of point with that illusionary murder...or the illusion that there wasn’t one.” Del sighed as she answered, “It should be fairly obvious by now that I have some difficulty with well-crafted illusions.” “Guess that makes three of us,” I said with a smile as I took her hand, leading her back towards home, adding, “You know one good thing that came of that meeting, Del?” “Aside from the payment received? I can think of little else,” she said. “No...it might have proved my theory that the place might actually be run by Danuki!” I offered with a cheesy grin. “Even a broken sundial is correct once a day, Joe.” Despite our last stop being a strenuous test of my patience...that I ultimately failed, this had been an amazing day. Even still, we had a lot more to do tomorrow. Tonight, however, I’d get to tell my fluffy-tailed lover that when we set out the next morning at dawn, it would be with nearly ten times the gold that I’d left with today. A good head start, indeed. |
| Chapter 44 - From the Ground Up Even though I had no desire to ever return to my old life, there were a few things to which I still wished I had access. A camera to capture the look on Risa’s face when I started to deliver my report being near the top of the list. I carefully thought out the best way to explain what I had managed, weighing the best ways to achieve maximum impact. After going through all of the possibilities, I determined that the best way I could imagine was to slowly and carefully lay out exactly how our new financial position looked, and what the next steps were in the plan. Doing the exact opposite probably would have been a lot more fun, but she might have gone ahead with that dungeon plan even after I told her the truth. “I didn’t think you guys would ever get back!” Risa shouted from her sitting spot next to the gate, trying to hide the edge of nervousness in her voice as she hopped up and dashed over to us. “The repairs seem to have been completed,” Del said as she admired the outside of our new home. “I’m almost ready to forgive that succubus after how much she must have paid this team. They’re finishing up in the basement now but they should be done soon. Oh, here are some keys for each of you. The larger one is for the gate.” “So, you’re not going to ask how we did?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral. “Should I be worried?” she asked, looking too innocent in her question to let me feel okay about trying to mess with her. “Only if you’re worried about having too much gold.” The dam that had been holding her nervous emotion in check successfully ruptured, she nearly tackled me in a hug, peppering with kisses any exposed piece of skin she could find. “I didn’t want to worry...but I…” she trailed off as she finally rested her head against me, her fluffy tail almost shaking as it managed to pull me in even closer. “Don’t let his calm in this moment fool you, Risa. He jumped around, danced, and shouted after each successful deal, almost as if he’d been possessed,” Del said calmly. “So? I was nervous. I thought that if we were going to fail, I’d want it to be as a team. This is the first time that a financial failure would have ended up hurting more than just me,” I said as I let myself melt in Risa’s arms, not realizing how tense I’d been until I felt the knots started to untangle. “After we eat, you can give me all the details,” Risa said, not letting go as she did so. Another few minutes later, I saw what must have been the remains of the repair team leaving through the front door. The cyclops in charge came over to us and said, “It’s finished. We found these hidden in one of the load-bearing walls of the foundation,” she said as she extended a stack of parchment. Finally letting me go, Risa reached out to take the stack of loose pages from the cyclops, “I don’t recognize this handwriting at all. Thank you for these, and for completing this so quickly.” “If you have need of our services in the future, don’t hesitate to call on us,” The cyclops said with an almost mechanical bow before she headed into the city with her crew. As they walked off, I noticed the two shortest members of her crew looking back. Obviously goblins, their eyes seemed to linger on me a bit longer than was comfortable as they whispered about something. Recognition of some kind dawned on them as they both shot me knowing smiles, complete with hilariously lewd gestures. It would have been nice to believe that it was just normal goblin antics, but the more likely explanation left me wondering how fast the rumors of my goblin “conquest” might have travelled. “Let’s go eat before you sire another generation of goblins,” Risa said with a still-frustrated smile. “Yeah, I’d hate to be whored out by one of you while I’ve got an empty stomach.” “No you wouldn’t,” Risa said with a grin and a poke at my vulnerable ribs, “but I’ve realized that if you’ve got enough energy to be fantasizing about other girls, Del and I just aren’t taking advantage of our wifely privileges as often as we should.” “That is a very lucid conclusion to have reached, Risa,” Del added, completely unhelpfully. “You both know damn well I wasn’t fantasizing about either of them. Though that does make a lot of sense,” I said, trying to hide my own smile. With a giggle, Risa replied, “Thought you might like that, now let’s get inside so you can explain the rest of this plan while we eat.” Locking the sturdy gate securely behind us, we headed into our newly-refurbished home. From the moment I walked in, the amount of work that had been done in such a short amount of time was beyond rational belief. The wooden fixtures looked to have been regrown rather than replaced, the remaining stonework looked to have been completely remade, and the whole place looked as if the workers had magically turned back time rather than actually repair anything. Risa lead us through the main foyer, down a wide hallway, to a modest dining room. The table seemed large enough to seat ten people comfortably. While sheltered by the second floor of the house, this room was otherwise open to the outside, overlooking a sizeable backyard complete with a beautiful garden. It felt more like an open patio than a dining room, but with the cool breeze and the view, I wasn’t about to complain. Three places had been set near the head of the table. “You guys can have a seat...the food should be ready in just a bit.” “I appreciate that you considered me,” Del said quietly. “Give me a break, Del. That’s your seat. Even if you never eat another morsel of normal food, and even though I’m not sure what the hell to do with these other three forks, don’t forget this this is our table--you, me, and Joe.” “My knowledge of fine dining only covers two forks, at most,” I offered with a smile. With a somewhat shy smile of her own, Del answered, “I may excuse myself, but...thank you, Risa.” With that, Risa dashed off towards the kitchen, the too-loud sound of whatever was going on back there making me question the wisdom of trying one of Risa’s non-oatmeal dishes. As I looked over to Del, I realized that she had a slightly devious grin on her face. It only took a moment to realize, as I felt something prodding at my nether regions, that she had a taste for something entirely different this evening. Leaning over to whisper to me from her seat at the table, Del said, “I had no idea you’d enjoy my bone serpent so greatly, but I would hate for you to ruin Risa’s dinner. If you can maintain your composure throughout the meal, I’ll have something special for you later.” “What do you mean, something sp--haaa,” I attempted before being choked off by the familiar sensation assaulting my lap. “You will simply have to wait and see. You can consider it an introduction to how I will instruct you about magic.” That was at least intriguing enough to try to get myself under control. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I was excited enough to tell Risa about my full plan that I’d just have to find some way to suffer through Del’s totally unfair manipulation. “Okay, so...it’s stew. I think,” Risa finally said as she brought out a medium-sized pot and set it on the table. “You...mmm--rather, what do you mean ‘you think’?” I asked, continuing in hopes of hiding my tracks, “But it sure smells good. Mmmm” Damn it, Del. “Allow me,” Del said, offering to serve as she ladled some of the fragrant stew for me and Risa. I took a few bites, pretty sure that it wasn’t the worst thing I’d ever tasted. As the flavor began to sink in, I realized that there was a lot more subtlety to it than I had originally expected. While the hidden guest at the dinner table continued to nibble at me, I used (what I thought were) well-timed bites and gulps of wine to cover what was transpiring below deck. “So...do you like it?” “Oh...it’s so good,” I quickly offered in answer. Beaming back at me, Risa continued, “Okay then. So...where are we now, and what’s the rest of this plan?” That was when I was presented with my first great hurdle as Del’s creature dragged me beyond the threshold of my resistance. I slammed my glass down on the table, unintentionally, but tried to cover up my resulting squirming as a side effect of my own excitement at talking about the plan. Risa simply sat in rapt fascination, taking the occasional large bite of her stew, as I explained the deal I’d made with Sadie as well as the rest of the transactions. Most of them weren’t nearly as interesting, but when I explained the value of the contracts, she began to almost bounce in her chair. “So--haa, I mean...it wasn’t that hard to get her to agree. But the rest of the plan will be harder,” I continued, trying to remain calm. “Well...I always wanted to open an actual shop,” Risa said, somewhat wistfully. “My plan involves s-something like that...aaah--Err, how would you feel about owning a brothel?” “This isn’t just so you can-” Risa began somewhat angrily. Interrupting her, I chimed in, “No no no. I just...want you to think bigger...don’t ssstop...thinking bigger, I mean.” As she contemplated what I could mean, based on what I’d already told her, she took another sip of her wine before adding, “You’re talking about credit...but you’re not always going to have them laying over a barrel like we had that poor Sadie.” Biting through another moan, I answered, “Not yet...though you just gave me an even better idea,” I began before taking a large bite of food to hide a growl that was attempting to escape, “The original idea was to offer a service on credit that people wouldn’t think twice about abusing...but--Ha! What if credit was the service?” “We already have plenty of moneylenders...and it’s one of the most strictly regulated businesses in Alnor.” This wouldn’t have been the easiest thing to explain even without Del making my life the best kind of miserable. Chasing another large bite with a large swallow of wine to hide a wayward shiver, I held myself together for the good part. “O-okay. So goood...this stew, I m-mean. No...the moneylender is a splash of cold water and a s-stark reminder of how much someone is spending. What we need to be is the moneylender that silently follows people around to guarantee their purchases, even if they don’t have the gold on hand.” “That sounds good so far, but I feel like I’m missing--wait,” Risa said as she closed her eyes, adding, “We could set up arrangements with prolific merchants to let people use our guarantee at their business. The owner could even give us a small cut of the sale because people would be more likely to buy more. Then we’ve got the buyer on the hook for what they bought.” “Yes!” I shouted as I slammed my hands down on the table for emphasis, more at my body’s realization of its limit again than in response to Risa. Standing up from the table, Risa started to pace as she went over the specifics in her head. Mumbling occasionally, her ears would perk up adorably each time she put another one of the pieces together, her skin becoming slightly more flushed with each passing minute. “So, his plan made sense?” Del asked innocently. “It’s...beautiful. We’ll be able to avoid nearly all of the taxes and regulations that moneylenders have to deal with, and all we have to do is convince a few larger merchants of our ability to honor our end of the deal and we’re set.” “Then I suppose I’ll have a surprise for the two of you a bit later,” Del said as her skeletal assailant finally let me loose, returning to the lich. Finally given a moment to relax, I slumped in my chair, throwing back the rest of my wine and pouring another glass as I tried to get the lust-induced fog out of my head. “A surprise?” Risa asked. “You’ll see once you’ve fallen asleep,” Del said with a smile. “Yeah...that’s not creepy at all, Del,” I added. Seeing the look on Del’s face at my comment made me reverse course immediately. She had almost immediately gone from a look of relative happiness to one that looked as though she was about to cry, making me realize that this was something far more important to her than she had let on. “Del, I’m sorry...I didn’t mean it like that.” Standing up from the table and making her way from the room, Del nodded and whispered, “I...would prefer to be alone for a bit.” Seeing Del upset was breaking my heart, the failure to grasp what had triggered it making the thought that much more painful and confusing. As I moved to stand up from the table, Risa came over and gently pushed me back down into my chair. “Just...give her a minute, Joe. This ‘surprise’ must be something very important to her. I know you didn’t mean anything by it, but...Damn it, I don’t know.” “I’m going to talk to her. I’ll tell you about the rest of the plan tomorrow.” Pulling me to my feet, Risa drew me toward her. As her lips grazed mine, she let them linger as though in a gentle promise, her warm breath threatening to tease me further with its unspoken need. Even after the dinner I’d just been through, my body was begging me not to ignore these signals. Telling my body to piss off for the first time since I could remember, I took a step back, adding with a sigh, “I need to go talk to her, love.” Moving out of my way but sliding close enough to whisper to me, Risa answered, “You’re turning down your ridiculously aroused wife so you can go comfort some creepy undead girl?” “Risa, I-” “Because that’s the right answer, Joe. Damn it, she’s OUR creepy undead girl. Even though you told me what happened in Blacksky, I wasn’t there to see it. I feel like I’m just too dumb to understand what she’s going through. As much as I want to just let my urges take control right now, I know that she’s so more important than anything so base.” She looked like she was fighting a war within herself with her own desires. After a moment, Risa continued, “I don’t know how you’ve put up with us for this long. We haven’t made it easy, either. Men like you aren’t supposed to just fall out of the sky, you know? I’ve never seen her like this, though, and...if you could fix me, then-” she said as tears started to stain her voice. “Risa, I didn’t fix you. You were already perfect--you just didn’t remember all of the reasons why. Just give me a few minutes to go remind Del that she is too,” I answered with a kiss on her cheek, “And don’t stay down here too long, okay?” “Okay,” she replied, her hand reluctantly releasing mine as I ran up the stairs. Pausing for only a moment at the closed door, I slipped into the darkened bedroom. I saw Del’s small form hidden beneath the blanket, my entrance not provoking any reaction from her. I wasn’t entirely certain how I’d upset her, but I didn’t want to risk making it worse, so I began slowly. “Del?” I asked as I sat on the edge of the bed across from her. “Yes, Joe?” she asked from beneath the blanket. “I’m sorry that I upset you.” “What do you see when you look at me? Do I scare you?” she asked, throwing me off balance. Before I could answer, I felt the bed move as Del crawled over to me. Tears filled her eyes as I had only ever seen one other time in the recovered memories of my catatonic stupor. I was still at a loss as to how I had so deeply upset her. “I was just trying to mess with you, Del. You always seem to have a retort or snappy comeback ready when I say something like that and it makes me smile. I only tease you because I care.” Her eyes continuing to send tears streaking down her otherwise perfect skin, she answered, “It was not the first time you or Risa has said something similar. You were more frightened when you saw my construct, Ashia, than when you saw Ixi in her true form. You also seemed visibly disturbed when you learned that nearly half of my power had been sealed within Ahmose.” “I’m not going to lie to you, Del. Necromancy, by its nature, reminds me of death. Remember when you saw me the first time I met Selvirin? Death didn’t scare me then. But now I have a real desire to live, and I need to come to terms with the fact that the women I love, our children, and even this world are going to watch me slowly decay until there’s nothing left.” “So...I remind you that you will die? And death now frightens you?” Not able to even meet Del’s gaze, I threw myself onto my side, pulling part of the blanket up to hide my face. My voice partially muffled by the blanket, I answered, “No...you remind me that, no matter how much the thought terrifies me, or how much I try to fight it, that eventually I’ll leave both of you alone.” “But...you were quite correct when you explained to Risa in Elysian Valley that she should simply treasure the short time that we have with you.” “I did...and despite the doubts of my own self-worth, I believe you should. But the simple fact is that eventually you’ll both be alone and it will be my fault. That is what scares me, Del.” “I see,” Del said as she finally crawled over to me and pulled the blanket from my grasp, nestling herself into my arms in its place. “In that case, I would like you to continue to make such remarks. Much like the way you often like to argue, it is like a challenge to the other person to recognize that you are alive.” Sniffling a bit as I replied, I answered, “I wouldn’t have made it sound that grand...it just helps me to understand the other person better.” Running her hands through my hair as she brought my head gently to her chest, Del cooed in answer, “I understand, Joe. I was worried about how you felt because the nature of the...’surprise’ I mentioned could be damaging to your psyche if you were frightened by something in who I am.” “That doesn’t really make a lot of sense.” “It will,” she said as she squeezed me tightly, “And Risa, there is no need to hide...come here.” Looking over at the edge of the bed, I saw the distinct outline of the top of Risa’s head and ears, her viridian eyes catching just enough light to nearly glow in the darkened room as she ducked back into hiding. Realizing she’d been caught, she crawled into the bed a few moments later. “Are you guys both okay then?” she asked hopefully. “There is no reason for concern. I overreacted as a result of my own doubts.” Attempting to be helpful, I added, “I’ve heard that moving into a new house can be one of the most trying times in any relationship.” “Sounds about right,” Risa answered as she stretched somewhat overdramatically. Taking a moment to remove our clothing, we got ourselves situated into our more familiar sleeping position. The overwarm touch of Risa’s skin as she pulled in close made it immediately clear that she had other plans in mind before sleep. She seemed to be hesitating, however. “So, um...Del. Was that surprise something erotic? Because I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep after fantasizing about Joe’s plan all evening.” “It is something...intimate,” Del answered as she produced a strangely-shaped silver object, polished to a mirror-like shine. “What is that?” I asked as she laid the items gently upon my chest, the metal feeling very warm to the touch. “This is a transcendence fetish. I cannot explain exactly how it works as it was crafted with oneiromantic techniques with which I am not familiar, but it is supposed to allow a couple to fuse their consciousnesses for a brief time,” Del offered. “So it’s going to do something to our dreams?” Risa asked. “Not exactly, but that is the surprise,” Del said with a smile, “Just place your hand upon it and I will handle the rest.” As Risa did so, I felt the soft thrum of Del’s magic wash over me, the same magic that had put me to sleep after Selvirin’s attack, so long ago. With the soporific magic pouring over me, I closed my eyes. A moment later, I felt as though I started awake, but found myself somewhere else entirely. I wasn’t sure that I could call it a place, exactly. It felt like I was seeing nothing but an empty white room, but I wasn’t even sure that I was seeing it so much as experiencing the sensation of floating outside of the concepts of shapes. As I thought to call to my companions, I realized that I already felt their touch, and that I already held their hands in mine. I became aware of a din of arguing voices, realizing quickly that they were my own hyperactive thoughts, each trying to be the master of this strange setting. As I listened closer, I heard other voices, growing in intensity as they joined the fray. The voices that seemed to represent the thoughts of Del and Risa, while not as numerous, were no less loud as they entered my consciousness, running together and overlapping until I was becoming confused as to which thoughts remained my own. A fear started to grip me as I worried that I would lose my center within the sea of thoughts into which I had been tossed. I began to get frantic, the colors I perceived of the place starting to darken in my struggle. “Don’t be afraid,” a voice soothingly began over the chaos, “Even if you lose yourself, you will remain. Let yourself go.” Even though the voice was unfamiliar, it carried notes of a familiar tenderness. I looked back a moment and saw my fear manifested as a great black storm cloud, and so turned back around to the visible personification of what remained of my hope in the voice that spoke to me. I let my anxiety fall away from me all at once as I passed into the voice. I was overcome with a “flash” that blinded all of my senses. Even trying to consider what I’d just seen seemed impossible, as though my own mind was a deaf man to which another was trying to explain the musical nuances of a classical symphony. Jumping awake, and nearly flying from the bed, I realized that it was morning. “What the fuck was that?!” I shouted as I instinctively ran to look in the nearby mirror, for a moment not entirely certain what I should have seen looking back at me. “That was the surprise, my love,” Del said as she looked at me with a barely amused gaze, “For just a moment, the three of us became one in mind and spirit. While far too much for any of our minds to handle consciously, on a deeper level we will always have a more intimate understanding of each other...probably.” “What do you mean ‘probably’?” Risa asked, looking unconvinced. “It is...unfortunate that there is no real way to know for certain. I still cannot explain exactly what I felt.” “Sounds more like the perfect sales pitch to me. I do feel really good though. I can’t remember the last time I felt so rested,” Risa replied. Still agonizing over something I couldn’t explain, I asked, “Do I look normal?” “You look a lot more lively than you normally do in the morning...but everything else looks fine,” Risa said as she snuck her way over and ran her hands over me from head to toe, “Oh yeah...everything here is just fine.” “I detect no adverse or pattern-eroding effects upon you, Joe. But let me know if you start feeling any negative reactions.” I really did feel fine--great, actually. I knew, however, that there was something extremely important I was missing, and I felt like I was going to tear my hair out if I didn’t remember what it was. “Come on, Joe. You said you were going to tell me the rest of that plan today,” Risa pouted as she reached around from behind me to grab at my chest. “Okay,” I answered, finally able to shake the anxious thoughts from my head once I had my goal back in mind, “Are you sure you want to be naked while I explain this?” “Seems like it’ll just be more efficient this way.” “So I guess we’re taking the rest of the day off? Bah, whatever. So, I haven’t quite worked out how the whole credit service will work from a physical standpoint, but I really feel like owning a brothel is one of the next things we need to do.” “You were serious about that? I figured that was just Del’s little snake sucking the sense out of your head,” Risa said dryly. “Uh...you saw that?” I asked, blushing slightly. “Seriously? I know what you both look like when you’re enjoying yourselves, not to mention I could hear the slurping sounds from the damn kitchen. Though it was rather sweet of you to soldier through it, love.” “Just so you know, that stew was awesome. But we’re getting off topic here. At our last stop we ran into Ajora, and no--I have no idea if it really was her, a clone, or your sister in disguise. I just got the impression that she...well--I mean she said stuff. Okay, I guess the only thing of which I can be certain is that words were spoken. She says ‘hi’, by the way.” Turning me around to face her directly, she frowned as she answered, “You don’t think that was something you might have wanted to mention earlier?” I couldn’t stop my eyes from wandering over Risa’s naked body. Thinking back, I was pretty sure that this was the first time that I’d seen her completely exposed in good lighting. As the gentle outside breeze moved the curtains about, I watched the spots of sunlight dance across her beautiful, lightly-tanned skin. Clearing my throat as I averted my eyes slightly, I continued, “Well...it didn’t come up. But anyway...a large, well-functioning brothel is something I think we’ll need if a trade war breaks out.” “No, no, no. Joe, don’t change the subject.” “I don’t know what else to say about her, she was...weird. But-” Putting her hands on her hips, Risa said, “Look at me.” I turned back in response. “Why are you holding back?” she said with a grin. “You’re, uh...not talking about Ajora, are you?” “Not even a little. Your body is already aching in its need, how can you even think?” “One benefit of my ADHD, I guess. I can wait if you want to hear the-” “No,” Risa said with certainty as she placed a single hand on my chest, calmly pushing me back against the wall and then guiding me down to a seated position on the floor, “The last woman that felt you inside of her was that succubus, and even if I could think of anything else right now...I don’t want to.” short h-scene...hopefully not losing my touch too much here The ecstasy of our joining felt somehow different than normal, the exhaustion I should have felt being tempered with a warm feeling that ran from my toes to the tips of my fingers. Meeting Risa’s gaze for just a moment, I felt a familiar snap as my perceptions seemed to white-out entirely for several heartbeats. In that time I felt as though I was staring up at Risa, while at the same time staring down at myself from two different angles. When my vision finally cleared, I was waking up on the floor, my companions looking like they’d fallen asleep. I was still attached to Risa, the nearly painful physical sensations of removing myself almost making me woozy. I picked up both of my wives in turn, laying them back upon the soft bed as I tried to take stock of what had happened. It was nearly noon, judging by the position of the sun, which meant that I had blacked out for at least a few hours. Making my way toward the door, I thought it might be nice to make some food so that it would be ready once they woke up. I stopped in my tracks when I realized one potential snag in that plan. Del didn’t sleep. I leapt to the bed and tried to gently shake Del’s body. She didn’t feel any cooler than normal, but that her default state was one in which she didn’t breathe or have a heartbeat wasn’t doing anything to help a slowly rising panic level. Trying to remain calm, I began to nudge Risa. She, at least, seemed to respond slightly to my prodding. I hatched a desperate plan to try and awaken her. “Risa, I’m going to go have a three-way with your sister and a fox girl.” “You’re what?!” she shouted as she leapt up and tackled me, her eyes not even entirely open before she’d pounced. Quickly shaking my head, I tried to reply, “No, no...not really. I just wanted to wake you up, something might be wrong with Del.” Seeing the concern on my face, Risa quickly moved over to Del, placing a hand upon the lich’s forehead. Her own look of worry faded with a sigh of relief as she waved me over. “All I can tell you is that she’s asleep. I don’t know a lot about undead, and even less about liches, but she might have returned to her phylactery or something.” “So what do we do?” I asked. “Not a clue. Try kissing her--that would wake me up.” “Not as quickly as telling you I was going to plow your sister.” With a frown, Risa answered, “As ridiculous as it sounds, even to me, I think I was more angry about the fox girl. As for that plan...however hilarious it would be to see what Del’d do to you, I don’t think I want to watch you run the goblin gauntlet again, or anything even remotely similar.” Taking Risa’s suggestion, I leaned in and kissed my sleeping beauty. My smile returned a moment later as I saw her eyes flutter open with a look of confusion. “Sleep well, love?” I asked. “What happened?” Del asked, seeming slightly lethargic. “You’re asking us? The last thing I remember was feeling really strange...and like I was outside of myself before I woke up on the floor with you two next to me.” “I may have...miscalculated in the implementation of that device. It seems that it wasn’t designed to accommodate more than two people. The side effects should fade, but I will attempt to do some research in the interim.” “Does that mean you don’t want to come with us today?” Risa asked. Shaking her head as she got to her feet, Del replied, “I apologize to both of you, but I simply do not derive the same joy as you both from finding new ways to move gold from one place to another.” “No need to apologize, Del. I’d say that puts you in the majority anyway,” I said as I began getting dressed, adding, “And so you both know, I’m taking it as a personal victory that I was awake before both of you.” I tried, and failed, to shake the trepidation over how weird this day had been so far. Had Del picked that device up in Blacksky? I was reasonably certain that she didn’t have it on her before. I also didn’t feel like being knocked out for four hours was a minor side effect. I’d just have to tackle the issue with Del later. After we had dressed and eaten--those of us with an interest in such things--Risa and I set out to find a prime location to set up shop, or a willing seller. “Who’d have thought that someone like me, pure as the driven snow, would ever get into the skin business?” I mused out loud. “Yeah, it’s a complete mystery,” Risa said without further reaction, adding, “With how much this is going to set us back, maybe you’d better explain why this plan shouldn’t make me want to hit you.” “There are too many ears to go into detail, but Nukita needs to have some physical holdings and some reliable, alternate, income streams.” “So how do you want to do this?” “I’m leaving that up to you. You know this city better, you’re a better negotiator, and you’re a lot cuter,” I offered with a slight smile. “Flattery isn’t going to work,” Risa said with a pout, failing to hide a grin, “Damn it, this is serious.” “Okay, we want to aim for a higher-class establishment, but nothing beyond the average person’s reach. The sort of place a middle class girl might go when she wants to treat herself to something special.” “You’ve...huh--you’ve put a lot of thought into this...so I guess that means you really think we’re going to end up in some sort of trade war,” Risa said, concern starting to wend its way into her voice. Pushing our way through the crowd, all at once I had the urge to stop walking. Having made our way into the heart of a massive den of brothels, I looked over at the garish display of a nearby building, several mostly-naked men dancing behind the glass of the large bordello. The scene was distracting, not because of any sort of misplaced anger or sympathetic shame on my part, but because none of the passing women were paying any attention. “There you are! Ajora told me I’d find you here,” a familiar voice called out as a short, hooded figure ran up to me, asking, “You have it?” “Don’t bullshit me. We both know damn well you didn’t talk to Ajora,” I shot back. “You checking out where you’ll be working when this little plan of yours fails?” she replied, snidely. Producing the certificate that represented what I owed her, I handed it over, saying, “Well, you’re certainly the expert on failure. We done?” Turning away from me as Risa came to my side, the short girl began walking away, “I have to be off, I have a packed evening full of crushing worthless testicles under my heel, after all.” “Nukita thanks you for your patronage, bitch,” I nearly shouted as the short figure vanished into the crowd. “Uh...friend of yours?” Risa asked sarcastically. “You know how salty people can get when they end up on the wrong side of a bad deal,” I said emotionlessly before I turned back to the bordello and continued, “Does this turn you on?” “You’re the only one that-” she began. “Business time, Risa. Be honest.” “Honestly? All they’re doing is reminding me of the man I really want,” she began, my frown causing her to hesitate a moment, “Seriously. Look, take that one--the shota. Look at how he moves his hips--he’s probably at least your age or maybe even older. That’d be fine...but when a lady wants a boy, she doesn’t want to be reminded that he’s filled more axe wounds than a Kaori trauma chirurgeon.” “Anything else?” “This place has got to be run by a young succubus. Seems to take them a couple hundred years to the learn the concept of ‘subtlety’.” “Well, it’s been a while and I haven’t seen anyone go in or out,” I began, “You want to see if the owner is ready to cut her losses?” “Yeah, but so we’re clear...you’re off the table.” “Unless she’s willing trade it outright for one ride,” I added. “Right, that’d be a honey of a deal. You think she’d--wait...fucking--no!” Risa replied, looking almost comically torn at the prospect. “If Genevieve couldn’t turn me, you think any other demon would have a chance?” “That isn’t the point! You’re mine…” “You’re damn right, I am--and you’re mine. She wouldn’t go for it anyway, so don’t worry about it. She might go for some kind of lifetime discount though.” Nodding in response, Risa led the way as we entered the gaudy building. If it was even possible to imagine, the inside was even worse than the outside. Large mirror systems channeled sunlight into tawdry designs of hearts and vaguely phallic “art” throughout the place. The only monster customer within was an imp that seemed almost bored as she tried repeatedly to get a reaction from a man that seemed almost drugged into a state of utter disinterest. “Welcome to my garden of earthly delights!” an overexcited voice shouted as a succubus landed before us, having been sitting on a perch above the entryway. “Greetings,” Risa began politely, “My name is Karisa and this is my husband Joseph. We’re here to help.” Getting defensive almost immediately the succubus took a step back, “I...appreciate the offer, but no matter how many of you people try to get me to sell, I love this place.” Going into business mode completely, Risa answered, “You must be hemorrhaging gold, your ‘talent’ is lackluster and uninterested, and what’s worse--you know it.” “If you aren’t here as a customer...I would prefer that you leave,” the busty demon said as she averted her gaze. Her demeanor softening, Risa took a step forward, “You won’t be able to keep this place forever with the way it is. We also aren’t like anyone else that’s been in here to try and steal this place from you. What’s your name?” “You may call me Arianna. I already know that I can’t keep this place going for much longer, but it’s all I have. Even if I could sell it, it isn’t worth the amount of debt I’ve run up trying to keep it.” “Give me a number. Then we’ll see if there’s something special we can do for you,” Risa said, crossing her arms. “Just under 27,000.” “Done. Joe, you have that contract I drew up?” “Wait! I’ll still have nothing...maybe if you let me have a taste of-” “No. More than that--fuck no,” Risa said, not budging from her spot before adding, “There isn’t enough gold left in this city to buy a night with this man. I have something better to offer you, however. We’re offering you a job...the pay is shit, but it comes with a place to live and some fringe benefits with an up-and-coming bordello that you might enjoy.” “What do you mean, ‘we’? Isn’t he just your husband?” “He isn’t just my husband, but I mean ‘we’ as in the Nukita Consortium of which I am a representative.” “Mind if I have a word with your men, Arianna?” I asked. “Be my guest, just go through that door. Looks like they’ll be yours soon anyway...I mean--they aren’t slaves or anything, but they do work here...not that it’s done the place any good.” “Trust me,” Risa began as she gently patted the succubus on the back, “You’re going to like this arrangement a lot better. We’ll pay you twenty gold a week--a pittance, but I’m guessing it’s still twenty more than you made last week. This place is going to be almost completely renovated, but you will have you own private room that you can decorate as you please. You’ll also get one magic-free session per day with any employee here.” “Look, if you’re really willing to pay so much for this dive, I should tell you that all of the men here are just awful at what they do. I get that not everyone likes the decor, but if even one of these men knew what they were doing…” Arianna said, letting the statement die. “You let us worry about that. So? Do we have a deal?” “I don’t understand...you’re paying more than three times what this place is worth. If you waited a month, I’ll have already been exiled or forced into indentured servitude, and you could grab this place for a song.” “Is that what you want?” Risa asked. “No,” the succubus responded, “It just seems strange to me. Why are you being so kind?” “People normally don’t see strange coming, and we’ll see if you still think we’re being kind after a couple months of working you to the bone.” Heading into the side room, I was greeted by the sight of what appeared to be a lounge. I could see three men relaxing on large cushions and doors to the small windows to the outside in which the men had been failing to entice any but the most desperate passersby. “Another new guy? I imagine that means she won’t be addressing any of the complaints I handed her,” one of the men muttered loudly. “I’m sorry?” I offered. “My apologies, this is just the worst-run whorehouse I’ve ever seen. But you’ll see soon enough, right? My name’s Alphonse,” he said as he stood and offered a hand. Only after the fact considering where that hand may have been, I returned the firm handshake, answering, “I’m Joseph, and I’m not technically a new guy. I’m a representative of the Nukita Consortium--the organization that just bought this place.” “Yeah...good luck with that,” Alphonse said dismissively as he slumped back down onto the nearby cushion, “Just means you’ll be working here soon enough once the money runs out.” “I think this place can be fixed. And why do you guys even stay here? You can’t be making any gold with no customers,” I said as looked around at the small, but comfortable-looking lounge. With a genuine laugh, Alphonse replied, “She pays us by the day. Doesn’t matter how much work we actually do, not that this place was ever that busy to begin with. It’s pretty standard for a lot of whorehouses...You didn’t know?” That would certainly explain the lack of motivation. What I had to propose was certainly going to shake things up for these gentlemen, but I figured that they’d have to be interested--it wasn’t like they had a whole lot else going on. “Well, you’ll probably hate to hear this, as most folks dislike change, but there are going to be some big changes here. And before you storm out in a huff, I think that this is going to be a lot better for you guys.” “I’ve heard this speech before. It was right before I left the last place that decided we weren’t worth paying when we weren’t fucking.” “Whoa! Hold up,” I cut in, “How much were you making per client?” “Client? That’s funny. We got thirty gold per Jane, the house got the other hundred-thirty,” Alphonse explained, looking very angry as he did so. “Well...that isn’t how we roll. Before I made a fortune in...other things, this was probably going to be my profession, so I’ve put a lot of thought into this. Tell me what you think of this: you’ll each have your own room that you rent from us--say...fifty gold a day. It might end up a bit higher if this place gets popular. Of course you’d have a free month to build your client base. However, whatever you claim from the client is yours, alone.” “How much does the house charge the customers?” “Us? Nothing. I mean...we’ll probably set up some sort of bar or something to gouge them at least a little, but whatever she’s willing to pay for your time would be between you and her.” “Right, so if I get...a thousand gold from some crazy rich Danuki in an hour-” “Sounds like you just had a pretty damn good hour,” I cut in. “You...You’re serious?” he answered as the rest of the men in the room perked up, suddenly interested in our conversation. “As a pissed-off arachne. What? You’ve never been given the chance to take control of your own destiny? It does mean that you’ll have to take a little pride in what you do. If you sell a weak product, people aren’t going to come back to buy more, and certainly not at a rate higher than the quality would suggest.” As I had been speaking, the men that had been sitting around had all moved closer, the ones that had been dancing in the windows also called in by the others. I felt almost like the leader of a cult as I saw them look upon me, theirs mouths agape and eyes wide. Was this really so unbelievable? As I pondered how I’d end my little speech, I dropped my head and covered my mouth, appearing distraught over the former...plight of these men, instead desperately trying to stifle the urge to laugh as hard as I’d ever laughed before. I thought over the choice phrases: “No more half-assed whoring! Use the whole ass.” “Those holes aren’t going to fill themselves!” “Opportunity only knocks once, twice if you knock her up.” I decided instead to go for a modified version of one I’d used in a college debate a few years back. “Look, guys. This is simple supply and demand--you control the supply by virtue of your position. If you sell it right, you’ll also get to strongly influence the demand. I’m not going to ask for your answers now--we still have to renovate the shit out of this place first, anyway.” As I looked at the faces of the half-dozen men arrayed before me, a few more devious ideas came to mind as I added, “If you know any other fine gentlemen that are ready to stop taking the little that’s on offer and start demanding what they’re actually worth, bring them with you. We reopen in two weeks.” “Wait,” the very young shota-looking fellow among the men said as I turned to leave, “How do you know this will even work?” “I don’t. I did, however, make our organization over nine million gold with little more than testicles.” “What, in Amarante’s name, would they do with that much gold?” he asked in response. “Bring me back to life,” I said with a small bow as I excused myself. As I walked out of the room, I saw Risa leaning against a nearby wall, shaking her head in smiling disbelief. “What? That was all true!” I said, getting defensive. “Right, just like this whole plan is just insurance in case a trade war breaks out,” she replied cynically. “The rest of that came to me in the last hour. You don’t think it’s a good idea?” “It’s not exactly low-key, Joe. We’re going to end up with a lot more old-monied enemies.” “You’re right, it does sound like fun!” “What am I going to do with you, Joe?” Risa answered with an over-dramatic sigh. “I think you meant ‘to me’. After that, though...maybe just help me paint this town white while we get ready to take on the greatest challenge we could possibly face.” “You mean Lorelei?” Risa asked, her tone serious. “No, that comes later, Risa. This enemy is the bureaucracy of the great city of Alnor--it’s about time we start seriously working on bringing a few more fluffy tails into our lives.” |
| Chapter 45 - Settling In --Elsewhere-- For the past few weeks, the hunter had been feeling...abnormal. Most of her prey had stopped running or even attempting to fight back, as if they welcomed death. The energy she drew from those she hunted sustained her, but it was not the reason for her hunt. She had another hunger that could only be sated with the death of her prey. Even with days or years between her previous hunts, there had never been a reason to consider anything beyond the next hunt. She only understood the reason while she was hunting, and the only thing that remained afterwards was the knowledge that it was something she would not do without. Recently, however, she had felt something...else. The young bovine girl before her wore rags that failed to cover the deeps scars of the lash and other, harsher implements. Even with her body so badly beaten and scarred, she looked up at the hunter without fear. “Are you going to take my life?” the young girl asked earnestly. “I am,” the hunter replied as she stepped toward the girl, ready to pounce in the event of a defensive attack or attempt to flee. Instead, the girl simply nodded and kneeled before the hunter. As the hunter placed her hand upon the pre-pubescent holstaurus, she fell to her knees. While the energy of the young girl poured into the hunter, it brought with it her thoughts and memories. The other thing it carried was what had brought the hunter to her knees to experience it. The energy allowed the hunter to feel the emotions of the young girl. The eyes of the hunter came alive in the few moments it took to swallow all that remained of the holstaurus. In those few moments, as with each time she had stolen the energy of another, she knew what it was to feel. More than that, this girl gave her an emotion she hadn’t felt in thousands of years...joy. As the young girl quickly faded, she reached up to touch the cheek of the hunter. “I’m...sorry t-that my life...wasn’t happier. Thank you...for taking me...and for caring enough...to cry over me,” the holstaurus said as her voice faded, her consciousness, and eventually her very life following soon after. As the emotions taken from the girl faded, something remained. Throwing the corpse of the girl into a large pile of other bodies, the hunter was aware of a new sensation. “Unforgivable...mother.” Lorelei, the hunter, was aware of her first self-generated emotion. She was angry. --------- --Back in Alnor-- “Why did you tell them it would take two weeks?” Risa asked me as we arrived back at home, “If we use the same team that repaired the house, they could probably get it done in a couple days at most.” “Well, I didn’t want to give a time that was too soon, and when I’m trying to convince a bunch of guys to empower themselves, it wouldn’t have done to peek out the door and ask my wife when a good time would be for the grand re-opening…” “You’re just too cute, you know,” Risa replied as we headed upstairs, “I assumed a husband was going to be a financial morass, but you make me feel like I have to sprint to even keep up.” “And don’t you forget it!” I replied with an ape-like thumping of my chest, “But a gentleman has to keep at least a few secrets, so I’ll probably take a few shreds of my dark magic to the grave with me.” Dashing around in front of me, Risa put a hand on my chest, “Hold up. What makes you think I couldn’t figure them out on my own, smart guy?” Grinning back at her, I answered, “Eyes are up here, beautiful. Thanks for answering your own question, though.” Her eyes snapping up to meet mine, she blushed a bit, “I could squeeze it out of you.” “I’m sure you’d squeeze something out, but I doubt it’d be what you’re looking for. Seriously though, most of what’s left is ridiculously complex, dirty, or just plain illegal. Just because there aren’t laws for some of these things yet doesn’t mean they wouldn’t make a brutal example of us for trying some of it in the first place.” Still blushing a bit, she looked away as she replied, “Fine. Let’s see what else I can squeeze out before Del gets back then.” “But we just had sex a few hours ago!” I protested, even as I began removing my clothing. “This is the ‘secret’ tax,” she replied with a large grin. “Well, I guess we can’t very well have back taxes piling up.” Several wonderfully sweaty hours later, we heard the front door close to announce Del’s return. Thankfully, Risa had tired herself out and had reluctantly gone to the kitchen to take another crack at dinner. I had taken the opportunity to wander around the house to get to know it a bit better. Aside from the large master bedroom, there were three smaller bedrooms, a study--complete with enough shelf space to house a respectable library, the kitchen and dining rooms, and the room that ended my tour--the room with the bath. I knew there was a basement, but that would have to wait for another day. It didn’t go quite as fast as I would have hoped, but with a pump and an exhaust-equipped adjoining room with a wood-fired mechanism for heating the water, about an hour later, I was relaxing in a steamy piece of heaven. I heard doors opening and closing throughout the house as I let my remaining tension dissolve in the heavenly warmth of the soothing bath. As the sound of several doors continued, I had to wonder if it was so inconceivable that I’d be taking a bath of my own volition. “Here you are! I’ve been looking all over for you,” Risa said, brandishing a wooden spoon. “Is this really the last place you’d expect to find me?” I asked, almost sadly. “Er...no?” “I knew it! You weren’t even trying to be convincing,” I shouted in mock anger. Pointing her spoon at me she replied, “Don’t even try it. You know Del and I like your natural scent, but that doesn’t matter. Dinner should be ready soon.” “Okay, could you toss me the towel, then?” I asked as I stood up. Covering her mouth with the spoon, she picked up the nearby towel, a devious look coming over her face, “You mean this towel?” “Don’t even think about-” I began as she dashed from the room with a giggle. I ran out after her as her giggles escalated into full-on laughter. She looked back at me as I began to close the distance between us, cutting a sharp turn through the foyer. “Careful, Joe~” she teased. As I tried to turn, my wet feet overcame the coefficient of static friction of the smooth marble floor and I slipped, falling hard onto my hip as my wet body slid across the floor, finally coming to rest against the wall after much squealing and squeaking. “Oww…” I moaned, somewhat overdramatically. Running over to me, but somehow clever enough to realize that I hadn’t actually been hurt as she kept a bit of distance, Risa asked sweetly, “You okay?” Whispering back quietly, I answered, “Ernf owm nifm ta.” “Huh?” she said as she moved a bit closer, falling for the newb’s gambit. Quickly reaching for her, I grabbed her ankle with one hand as the other shot up towards her ticklish thigh. “No~!” she screamed as she laughed and allowed herself to be brought down by my assault. “Take that, you wench!” I taunted as I began to tickle her in earnest until I could get a grip on the towel and yank it from her grasp. “So forceful! Whatever has gotten you so riled up?” Risa asked as she stood up to let me dry myself. Grumbling under my breath in response as I dried myself in the foyer, I finally asked, “Do you have that comb?” “Yes, yes. And a new outfit for you to wear around the house. Just wait there a moment, love,” Risa said as she dashed upstairs for a moment, returning with her comb and what looked like a simple sheet. “Well this will just make things real convenient for you, no?” “Oh yeah! I mean--err...this is what most of the men here wear. When in Alnor, and all that…” Smiling, I took and quickly donned the simple toga, “I’m still wearing my normal outfit when we go out, though.” “Del’s washing it now, actually. Now come over here and let me see what we can do with that harpy’s nest on your head.” As Risa worked her comb through the knots that seemed to so easily manifest in my hair, I looked around, finding it hard to imagine that this house was actually ours. Back on Earth, I could never get my girlfriend to stop spending money long enough to even consider owning my own home. I’d also always been so broke that I could never get any of my “grand” plans into motion. Like having an actual gold mine and nothing to work it beyond a spoon. “Alright, let me see it from the front,” Risa said as she turned me around, “Ah...you’ve got something right...there,” she said as she leaned in. “You talking about-” I began before she silenced me with a kiss. “That’s got it, now lets go eat,” she happily said to me before shouting, “Del! Time to eat!” Del joined us at the table, even though she had no intention of eating. Her expression was nearly unreadable, and since she didn’t seem interested in being forthcoming about her day without prompting, I decided to ask if she’d found out anything. “So Del, we’re not going to go completely insane from the side effects from that item are we?” My stomach turned slightly as she looked away for a moment, finally replying, “I would advise enjoying this meal to the fullest, Joe.” “What?! It’s going to kill us or turn us into gibbering, mindless creatures isn’t it? I knew it…” I nearly shouted, putting my head in my hands. “No, you should enjoy this meal to the fullest because Risa worked so hard to prepare it. I, however, was unable to uncover anything more about any potential danger from the device,” she answered. As I looked up angrily, I saw a tiny smile forming at the corner of Del’s mouth, immediately destroying any desire I had to remain angry. “I swear, Del...sometimes…” I lost the thought halfway through that statement. “Yes?” She asked in an oversweet tone. “So you aren’t worried about continuing to use that thing as a teaching device?” “The worst possible outcome is we become one consciousness. Should such an outcome concern me?” “Yes, Del! It should concern you. You’ve got a much stronger mind than me so that means it would probably be like killing me, not to mention what it might do to my body.” She looked thoughtful as she considered that possibility before answering, “I hadn’t considered that...but the chances are so remote given the strength of your will that it should not be an issue.” From the kitchen, I heard Risa shout as she was finishing her preparations, “Don’t kill our husband, Del.” Moments later Risa brought the food into the dining room. It looked like another stew or soup, but this one tasted completely different, and absolutely divine. The first bite sold me as I tasted the heavy beef flavor along with a wide variety of spices, cinnamon being the only one I could recognize. “You like it?” Risa asked hopefully. “Mmm,” I answered, shoveling it into my mouth as fast as I could chew. “I imagine you should take that as an affirmative, Risa. There is little else that can silence him so expertly.” Risa beamed at that as she responded, “This was a recipe that Emerald taught me--said it was one my mother’s favorites. I’m surprised I even remember it, but it is really good. Thanks for bringing the meat, Del.” “It was no trouble. I wanted something productive to come of today after being unable to find a single scrap of information about the existence of this device, let alone potential dangers of using one.” After a large swallow to clear the way, I asked, “Well, there wasn’t another weird episode when Risa and I got it on earlier.” “Ah, you must mean when you returned home. That is encouraging. Perhaps there is nothing about which to concern ourselves.” After finishing the amazing dinner, the exertion of wandering around town, as well as two rather spirited sessions with Risa, laid itself heavy upon me. After nearly falling asleep in my chair at the table, I think I mentioned something about sleep and struggled up to bed. My companions helped me out of my clothes, a task made much simpler when it could just be pulled over my head, and I slid myself under the covers. “Get some sleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow,” Risa said as she gave me a small kiss on the cheek. As I started to fade out, I felt something cold being pressed into my hand as Del laid herself gently upon me. “Don’t worry, my love. If my calculations are correct, albeit ones based upon rumor and conjecture, this should be no more taxing to you than a normal night of sleep,” Del whispered. “Mmm, okay. What about you?” I murmured back. “It will force me into a type of slumber as well. Even though my eyes will not be upon you, I will not let you come to harm. Now, sleep.” As her final word reached me, it manifested in the irresistible urge to obey it as a command. ----------------------------------------- --Through Delilah’s eyes Fundamentals of Sorcery read like piece of dry erotica. So much teasing and building for a disappointing or non-existent payoff. I’d been blessed by that Baphomet for nearly two months and my sister drags me around like a doll. She wishes the best for me, and she reminds me of this often. I, however, seek purpose. There is a goal, but with no road leading to it that isn’t paved with knowledge. So I read these books. I finished the first tome in a week, the second in three days, the next four books were consumed in a day. Within a month I had memorized the entire contents of the library. My sister studies in her own way, but her methods are...scattered and illogical. The complementary harmonic waveforms she utilizes could be used to force energy into a sorcerous vehicle, but it is perplexing why she seems to intentionally make things more difficult for herself. Even more difficult to understand is her occasional jealousy. I have done nothing that she could not have done herself, but she wishes to protect me in her own way. I have no explanation for how that makes me feel beyond how the sun feels upon my face after a storm has passed. I look down at another book, this one acquired from a traveling merchant, to see that it is nothing more than a droning treatise about proper methods of gathering spiritual energy for the purposes of arcane manipulation. “This is...bullshit,” is the loud thought that assaults my mind as I look over the offering of another merchant. “This is...of no use to me,” I say in response to the merchant’s well-rehearsed pitch, not sure where the previous thought originated. There is no more theory to be had in this place, so I begin practical applications and field testing of every magical theorem I have learned. --------------------- As I slowly came awake, realizing that the dawn had crept up on me rather quickly, I felt very well rested. After Del had tried to use that device again, I was sure I’d be staring back into the mirror, trying to find a familiar face. I vaguely recalled some strange dreams, but as with most dreams, they faded quickly as visions of breakfast began to dominate my thoughts. Risa had already vanished from the bed, but Del remained with her head over my heart, her eyes closed as she slept for only the second time I could remember. With a little grin, I pulled her in a bit more tightly and ran my free hand through her hair. It was not lost on me that she’d spent nearly every single night since I met her with her eyes always watching over me as I slept, her ear to my heart as though concerned that it might stop its rhythmic thumping at any moment. My thoughts were torn between awakening my lich and allowing her to remain in a well-earned sleep. A worry over the potential distress she might feel if she awoke without me here won out as I leaned my head down and kissed her forehead, her eyes jolting open in response as though I’d flipped a switch. “It’s okay, I’ve got you,” I whispered to her momentarily frantic look as she jumped upon her awakening. “Ah--I see…” she answered, quickly calming down as she melted back into my arms. “You sure this thing is worth it?” I asked as I handed the silver object back to Del. “That depends. What is the fourth ether trigram’s counterpoint?” “I dunno, raw eldritch wind?” I answered almost automatically before adding, “Wait...what the fuck?” “Splendid,” Del said with a tired smile. Seeing the look on her face worried me a bit. She looked positively exhausted, and far less spry than when we had gone to sleep. “Are you okay? You look exhausted.” “The device was powered by my energy, and since I am not an oneiromancer, it draws more than it should. Experiencing your thoughts is also...very tiring.” “I’d have paid good money to have you explain that to a few of my grade school teachers that thought I was mentally disabled. But this is amazing...I don’t get how it all fits together, but I feel like you’ve managed to jam a year’s worth of knowledge into my head in one night.” With a sigh, Del replied, “That was my intention, but I had no idea how taxing this would be.” “Well, I can only think of one solution to that problem,” I answered with a smile as I disengaged from her slightly, only to shift myself to a position above her. “Oh yes, my love. Please just...don’t be gentle.” Somewhere around noon, I finally stumbled my way downstairs, Del leading me gently by the hand. “You guys!” I heard Risa shout from the kitchen,”I was going to bring you breakfast in bed,” she finished with a slight pout. “It’s already almost noon, sweetie,” I answered as I slumped myself down at the dining room table. “I can take him back upstairs for another hour, if you would prefer to do so, Risa,” Del added, sending me a sly sidewise glance to verify that, though she was joking, she wouldn’t turn down such an offer. Peeking her head in for a moment, Risa shook her head, “Not if we want to get anything done today. We’ve got to swing by that construction team’s headquarters and negotiate to have our whorehouse remodeled, then do a quick retraining of our desk demon, and then we received an invitation to meet with a few of the other local brothel owners about striking some sort of deal.” “That’s all on you Risa,” I answered as I tried to shake the life back into my lower half, adding, “I need to go purchase some hero testicles.” Coming fully into the room as she wielded a spatula, Risa frowned, “You’re not going to try that trick again are you?” “No, no,” I said, hopefully reassuringly, “I figure the price is in the shitter now and nobody will touch them again after the last catastrophe so I imagine I can get them for a song.” Looking up at me, Del added her own opinion, “I do not believe you should need their effect, Joe. Your demonic energy resistance is already exceptional for an outworlder.” “Yeah, fucking any girl that flips her tail at him helps with that,” Risa said as she slapped me playfully with her spatula. “You’re the only-” I began “Yeah, yeah,” Risa interrupted, “Save it for later, sexy.” “Anyway, they aren’t for me. I figure we can use them to help our employees deal with particularly difficult clients...or our competitors trying to drive them out of their minds.” “That’s a pretty good idea,” Risa said as she danced her way back into the kitchen. “Oh, and Del?” I asked. “Yes, Joe?” “That stuff you gave me before I took on the Sunslayer tribe...any chance you could make more of it?” “The ingredients are not exceptionally rare, and I imagine that Ish does not consider herself in a position to complain about my use of it as long as I do not divulge the recipe.” Smiling back at her, I answered, “Awesome. We’ll call it a secret blend and only sell it at the bar of our establishment at an astronomically large markup. I don’t think anyone could doubt the efficacy of the shit, either.” Another few minutes later and Risa brought out two plates with what looked very different than nearly any breakfast I could remember. With a large variety of olives, some type of omelet, and a seasoned pile of smoked pork, it was certainly a different fare than the one to which I had been accustomed. It was also among the most delicious things I had ever tasted. After the first few tentative bites, I went into devouring mode and tore into the meal as though it were my last. This apparently pleased Risa as she watched me eat for a few minutes before starting starting to eat herself. “Risa! What the--this is so good! Where was this cooking for the last...forever?” I asked, no longer sure how long we’d been together. “Like I said...you never complained about the oatmeal, and it’s ridiculously cheap…” she said as she trailed off. “And am I to believe you’ve just been this good at cooking all this time?” I asked as I continued to bring the delicious food into my mouth as fast as I could chew it. “Well…” she began, looking embarrassed at the praise. Finishing the last bite, I finally looked up at her and smiled, “Whatever. Just like marrying you and Del...it was worth the wait.” After getting dressed in my traveling clothes and kissing my wives goodbye, I headed out, telling them that I should be back in a few hours. Risa explained that she might be a bit late depending on how the meeting went, but I was confident she’d be able to handle herself. At least...I certainly hoped so. I didn’t want us to play dirty, but I wasn’t above swearing vengeance upon anyone that upset my wife. Following the sounds of shouts that weren’t sexual propositions, I made my way to the heart of the market, grabbing much more tightly to my pouch as I did so. I felt a bit giddy seeing the ridiculously crowded market and its testament to the beauty of trade. As I struggled amidst the press of bodies for at least an entire completely unproductive hour, I managed to squeeze my way into a sort of alley in an attempt to reevaluate what the hell I was actually doing here. Trying to get a look up and down the street upon which I’d found myself, all I could make out was more people. It looked (and smelled) like this is where much of the fish trading must have been done. I was reasonably certain I was nowhere near where I needed to be. Thinking on that just made me wonder--how exactly was I supposed to ask after this item? Was I just supposed to find an empty spot on the street and beg for balls? “Oh dear! What a coincidence to run into you here, Joseph,” I heard an unpleasantly familiar voice call out from across the street, loudly enough to draw eyes upon her and me. Trying to pretend like she must be referring to some other person with my name, and not entirely certain I cared if she had been calling to me, I tried to make my way further into the alley. About a minute later, I came to a crossroads between four buildings with no clear view of the main street. Attempting to breathe a sigh of relief, my breath caught in my throat as I realized that I had been surrounded on three sides by black-clad figures that began to advance towards me. Looking to their barely-exposed eyes for even a hint of desire for what I was carrying in my leather pouch, those eyes appeared to be far more interested in what I carried in my...sack. It couldn’t have gone better if it had been scripted, however, as the very person I’d been trying to avoid bounded into the small clearing, her bright fox tails swishing about as she checked her nails a moment. She reached back towards me, ostensibly to give me the universal “I’ve got this” stiff-arm, but instead grabbed a handful of my crotch. “Don’t worry, Joseph! I’ll handle these ruffians!” Risa’s possibly fake mother/sister foxgirl shouted. The figures held in their advance as she turned around completely to face me, a look of contemplation on her face as she added, “Though...you’ve gone into business now. A big boy like you doesn’t need to be saved.” What do you want, Ajora? Or should I call you-” “Ajora will do fine, though I might enjoy it if you called me mother--later perhaps. And what I want is nothing more than to show you around the market!” “Done. You take care of these menacing individuals of questionable intentions and I’ll let you show me around the market.” “That was fast. I certainly hope you aren’t always so quick on the draw when you’re...negotiating,” she taunted through narrowed eyes before adding, “Seems I have to deal with you three.” With a snap of her fingers, the now-obvious illusions faded back into nothing, filling me with an urge to kick this woman down a flight of stairs--Mt. Niesen came to mind. “You know, I used to think that hatred was a waste of energy. You’re really bringing me around on the concept, though.” “That’s sweet. Let’s go,” she said as she took my arm and led me back onto the street. Raising my voice to reach over the din as we were surrounded by people again, I asked, “Look, I got the point of whatever it was you were trying to do back there so you can go now.” “The point?” she began, “Maybe I just wanted to see your face as you tried to come up with excuses to use later with your wives as to why you didn’t simply just retreat back down the alley from which you’d come. Or were you going to leave that part out? Or maybe the point was that you shouldn’t jump at illusions. Or maybe you started a game that you’re going to finish, and you’ll need to be firmly in command of the rules for it to be satisfying to see you lose.” “Are you challenging me?” I asked of her dubious statement. “You’ll know when you’ve been issued a challenge. I’m quite certain of that,” she answered, not even looking as me as she led me down the street. “So then what-” I tried to ask. “I’m going to start charging you for questions. Shut up and listen. Just because you think you understand how a market works--you don’t understand how this market works.” “Maybe I’ll surprise you,” I replied confidently. “We’re done with the wordplay part of the tour. You’re just bad at it. No, this is a game to see how badly I can hurt you.” I’m sure the color left my cheeks as I considered the words of the likely insane woman on my arm. “Is that supposed to be a threat?” I bluffed. “I don’t make threats, Joseph. I make promises, and I make deals.” “Which is this?” “This is just me taking time out of my exceptionally busy day to teach you how to find what you’re looking for.” As much as I wanted to hate this woman, she actually did an admirable job of showing me the borders of the smaller and larger markets where smaller stalls turned into larger trading companies to handle the larger-scale imports and exports of Alnor. Despite the overcrowding, it was actually very well organized, with most products being easy to find once you knew under which category they fell. That she was showing me this had to mean that she truly was challenging me--or our consortium, it wasn’t entirely clear which. Within a couple short hours, she had nearly finished taking me from one end of the market to the other. “This is precisely the weapon with which I will take everything from you.” “I don’t think so. I’d have to play your game, and I get bored easily.” I answered as I worried over my wives and the little slice of comfort we’d already built. “I think you’ll play,” she began as we continued through part of the market with at least a dozen alchemical reagent vendors, “You certainly talk a good game. From most other humans it might be amusing, but then most other humans haven’t cut down an innocent dragon for no reason.” She was hitting my vulnerable spots and she had to know it. I didn’t know what she wanted from me, or from this “game”, but I was starting to really hope I could make her regret trying to get it. “That’s why you’ll lose this game, Joe. You think you can roll around in the mud without getting your hands dirty. I wonder if you’d considered how many fortunes you destroyed with your little venture last time.” Finally having a response, I nearly growled back, “I did consider it, I really did. I’m not, however, going to feel sorry for anyone that bought into something they didn’t understand, hoping for a quick profit, let alone something that everyone knew was next to worthless.” “So that’s how you justify exploiting others...I see,” she answered coldly. “When the Lord collects taxes, I doubt she ever feels like she’s exploiting anyone. Consider it tuition and a stupidity tax,” I shot back heatedly. “And you don’t even care what could happen to any of the people you care about? This is-” I stopped and turned to her, my voice thundering at her, “You can play all you want at this ‘game’ and your overblown perception of how much anyone gives a shit about you, but I’ll swear to you right now that if you ever say anything again that I could construe as a threat against my family-” Interrupting me as she grasped my throat in her hand, “You’ll do exactly what, boy?” I struggled to breathe for only a moment as one of the town guards passed, giving a fierce look in our direction, prompting her to release her grasp. Regaining my footing, I smiled back at her cruelly before turning to the nearby guard with an almost tearful expression, “Please don’t be upset with her! Milady is just distraught that her husband has been missing for so long...she’s almost given up hope that he could still be alive.” Looking slightly embarrassed to be put on the spot, the guard simply nodded as she said, “Well...good luck to you then,” before heading further down the street. “That--for starters. Del’s a necromancer too, so that means you can’t kill him...or me. I’d say that she’d be able to get the testimony out of our corpses to convict you of murder, but I doubt she’d let the law get in the way of doing what needed to be done.” “So you’re going to blackmail me?” she asked, matter-of-factly. “That would be playing dirty. Are we playing dirty?” I asked. “It was never me you had to worry about, boy,” she said as she placed a palm on my forehead and pushed me away slightly, adding, “whatever else of which I am guilty, I would never hurt your family--my family.” “You expect me to believe that after what I saw?” “What did you see?” she asked, with a note of genuine curiosity. Getting a bit angry as I remembered the images, I answered, “You made her life miserable, convinced her that she was the reason her mother was dead, literally drove her insane…” Poking me in the chest, she smiled as she replied, “I like that this bothers you. Seeing you angry is nearly as enjoyable as I imagine the sex that you’ll soon be offering me will be.” “I think I’ve seen enough of the market for the day,” I said as I made to push her away from me. “The deal was that you allow me to show you around the market, and you haven’t yet seen it all. For non-monetary transactions with human men, the rules are quite clear that I, as the wronged party, would be legally allowed to have you however I wish for at least an entire day.” “Fine,” I said with a sigh. “Now, Joseph...what you saw was a loving family member trying to help another come to grips with the harsher realities of this city. You also know that she offered her sanity in exchange for that filthy...’husband’ of mine. And while we’re being honest, Karisa did kill our mother, inasmuch as that ‘death’ in Alnor is to be bankrupted to the point of exile.” “Wait. Are you-” “Unless you’d like to continue this conversation over a spirited fucking, I don’t have any more to say. We’ve reached the end of our tour.” “Did it ever occur to you that we could be allies?” At the very least, she’d verified that she was Risa’s sister in saying “our” mother, and nobody but Meryl could have pulled off this level of acting based on what I knew. Her eyes lighting up somewhat disturbingly, she pushed me against a nearby building as she leaned in and whispered, “Oh my, yes. But let’s sign to make it official, just...mmm, let’s have that eager quill stain me with your mark, I’ll show you where to sign,” she finished as she kept me pinned to the wall, her free hand probing at me indecently. Pushing away her slender fingers, I quickly answered, “What the hell is wrong with you? Can’t you just tell me? No!” “I will tell you three things, Joseph. In exchange, you will play my game.” “What game? I need details,” I answered, not about to agree to a game of “sleep with your sister-in-law until she’s pregnant”. “This is a simple game with simple rules. Put simply, fucking me makes the pain stop. That’s the game.” I’d heard enough. We were close enough to normal guard patrol routes that screaming would put a stop to this. “Joseph, I own five brothels. It was effectively six until your organization decided to slide into my well-lubricated neighborhood. Nobody can afford to run a whorehouse without joining the official association, and that poor, overworked, clerk misplaces applications all the time...especially when she’s distracted by something shiny. A word from me today and you could be doing business tomorrow, with a 6-month tax moratorium to take a nice bite out of those remodeling costs.” “I could just go to the guards with what I know about you.” “That you haven’t already could implicate you as an accomplice. You might risk that if your family was being threatened, but they aren’t.” She was probably right. Even if I could get away with trying to carry out that threat, it would certainly cause problems for both of my wives. All it would take is some magical truth serum or something similar to drag out the whole sordid tale and I wasn’t going to risk that except as a last resort. Smiling as she saw the conflict war in my eyes, she continued, “On the other hand, that place could eat you alive for months while all of the permits process. And have you considered how much your other little project is going to cost? Fighting through that bureaucracy isn’t easy, but I don’t know if you can even imagine how difficult it would be with your eyes always threatening to play tricks on you.” “No, just...no. I could ask Risa but I already know her answer. My days as a whore are done.” “Oh no, Joseph. Your days as a whore are just beginning. If you don’t believe me, tell Karisa that I’ll pay eighty thousand gold as well.” “It’s not even worth telling her.” “I suppose you’re right. It isn’t worth telling her because she’s already been told at the meeting with the rest of the local brothel owners,” she said, pulling closer to press her body against me as she added, “There are few things more arousing than watching a little boy try to run.” “What could you possibly even want with me?! Go get plowed by one of your employees,” I said as I turned my head away from her. Ignoring me, she continued, “Joe, I am going to do things to you that’ll make your lich blush. You’ll be screaming my name while you’re buried in my ass, and begging as I milk you like a prize holstaurus. It’ll be so much more fun when you can actually see me.” She had to be bluffing. If she knew that I’d been blind…I buried the thought as I tried to slide my way out away from her. “Oh, did that slip out?” she asked as she trapped me, her arms against the wall at either side of my head and her powerful legs intertwined with mine, completely restricting my movement. “What are you talking about?” I asked with a silent prayer that she wasn’t going to answer the way I truly dreaded she might. “Are you excited at the thought of it? Or does your body just...remember me?” Fuck! Turning red from a mixture of rage and embarrassment, I hissed back at her, “You’re going to regret this.” “Oh, I doubt it. You gave me so many ideas that day, Joe. It didn’t seem like you held much back...but you did, didn’t you? You have other ideas floating around in there, don’t you?” she asked in a devious excitement as she prodded at my forehead repeatedly, licking the side of my face as I tried to turn my head away from her. I wanted to cry. This was all a result of my arrogance. When I told Risa’s sisters about those things...I never imagined that they could be used against me, at least not before I’d unveiled them myself in practice. Not only was this woman familiar with the vast majority of the tricks I might have tried, but she had more gold, more experience with this market, and what seemed to be a truly sadistic desire to hurt me personally. “Why are you doing this?” I asked, as my rage began quickly turning to despair. “I told you, Joe. This is a game. Ooooh, and it’s already so much fun. I’d strip right here in the street and let you take me, right here against this wall. I could use illusion to hide us and nobody would need to know,” she said as she began to seductively grind against me. If I let her have me here--no, she wouldn’t settle for that. She’d demand that I take her here. If I went through with it, then we’d be done with her, right? Nobody else would have to know. “No. I’d know...and so would Risa.” “How do you figure that, my future semen tank?” she whispered directly into my ear, her breath tickling me. “Because I’d tell her--I love her.” With a few more grinding gyrations against me, she finally stopped as she looked back at me, her eyes now disturbingly similar to Risa’s, “There’s a good boy. It sounds like you haven’t forgotten what I told you.” “Not that I needed you to tell me.” “And yet I did anyway. See, Joe? I told you that you’d play my game. Let’s see if you’re singing a different tune in two weeks when I stop by the house. If you wait that long, I’ll make your wives watch as you bury that gorgeous prick in me. Lords, just thinking about it is soaking me to my ankles.” With another lick of my face and a playful nibble on my ear, she finally backed away and straightened her hair. “I’d rather live in poverty with a wife that loves me than have control of every single gold piece in this city.” “You’re going to pretend that you’re one of those fools that claim money can’t buy happiness? Have you ever heard those words from a poor person? Or a hungry person? Or a homeless person? Don’t try to sell me on your bullshit platitudes when we both know the fucking truth. We’re done here...I look forward to seeing if you’ll even be a challenge,” She said as she quickly turned and walked off, leaving me stunned. That Meryl already knew most of the better ideas I could have tried to use at this point was going to be a huge thorn in my side. I thought back on what I’d told her and crossed any sort of market manipulation, boiler room, or mortgage-based ideas off the list. With Meryl watching us, they’d all be far too risky, especially given that if she was willing to drop 80k for a night with me, she wouldn’t even bat an eyelash at bankrupting us if I tried anything like that. I started to think of the even more ludicrous ideas and how I’d try to implement them in this market when it came to me all at once as I passed by a larger fish merchant. “...Damn things just aren’t biting. Every single one of our fish haulers has been at it, but we can’t make the damn things jump into the net,” a particularly cranky-sounding werecat said to a buyer. “Heh,” I chuckled to myself as I made my way back to the more “interesting” side of the market. I didn’t need to think more complex. There was a far simpler method that might just help us pull this off. I’d need to be a bit lucky, but it wasn’t looking like I had much to lose at this point. I set out for the proper vendors and, as expected, got more than a year’s supply of hero testicles, most of the sellers ready to kiss me for offering them anything at all for the “worthless” things. My purchases raised a few eyebrows, but too many people had been burned the last time to concern themselves over what a single man might do with them. My next stop was to see Sadie and maybe even offer her some good news. As I walked in, her initially friendly greeting turned sour quickly, “Welcome to--oh, it’s you. You here with manacles this time?” Bowing politely, I responded with a smile, “Far from it. I’m here to make you a deal...and ask for your help.” “I shouldn’t even be listening to you. My poor husband hasn’t been able to walk since you visited last,” she said with a blush that couldn’t entirely overtake her frown at me. “Oh, and what I’m about to tell you is quite risky...unless you trust that I’m right.” Taking payment from a customer in exchange for some kind of powder, she turned back to me, “Well let’s have it. Couldn’t possibly go worse than my last investment, right?” “It could go much, much worse. But first, the help...what’s your most popular, but most perishable product?” “Hmm...that’d have to be prisoner fruit, only stays good for a week at most, why?” “You expect the price to go up or down on that in the next month?” “Way up, definitely. It’s been starting to get colder at points north so a lot less of it will be coming in,” she answered, sounding more and more curious about why I was asking. “I say that it’s going to hit the floor in about...two weeks,” I said confidently as I crossed my arms. “Then you’d be wrong. You can’t control the weather, too much of them are traded for anyone to pull off whatever happened with those damn testicles, and in two hundred years the price of them has gone up steadily from this point of the year until early spring of the following year.” “Would you be willing to bet on that guess?” I asked. “You’re damn right I would!” she said, ready to hop the counter to shake on it the moment I offered her the chance. “Okay...let’s try this. I only came here because I feel a little bad that you got so burned on those testicles. You don’t have to trust me, but since you carry that fruit at all, you’re going to take a hit if my next little plan works. If all of the fruit that you have on hand now went bad, how badly would it hurt you?” “Well...it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but it’s easily the fastest moving item I sell,” she said as she tried to contemplate on what I could possibly do to affect the price. “If I turn out to be right, maybe next time you’ll trust me. Anyway, who are your biggest competitors, and is there anyone that sells this fruit in bulk?” Keeping her eyes on me, she slid herself off of her stool and produced a piece of parchment and quill, writing down several names before handing it to me. “Many thanks,” I said as I turned to leave. “Wait,” she said as she began wringing her hands in indecision, “how could you possibly know that the price is going to drop?” “Well, I’m sure you understand basic economics. If the supply for something increases and everything else remains the same, the price goes down. If the demand for something increases and everything else remains the same, the price goes up.” “Never heard it laid out so direct, but yeah. So?” “That’s all I can say. I may have a way to manipulate one of those factors. My wife--the lich you met before? She’s got an alchemical concoction that could...ah, I’ve said too much.” After that intentional slip that had little, if anything, to do with my actual plan, I walked toward the door. As I made my way out of the well-appointed shop, I saw at least four pairs of eyes on me. I wondered if the power of rumors might help things along. I made five related stops after that, negotiating rather abnormal contracts with the owners of three smaller shops and two bulk dealers of prisoner fruit. Nukita would take payment for selling massive quantities of the fruit at today’s price (plus a small premium for their trouble) for fresh delivery in three weeks. Because of the fruit’s short shelf life, we’d have to buy it on the delivery date for whatever the current price was. Since every single merchant thought, as Sadie did, that the price would be going up quite a bit, they were more than eager to take me up on my offer. With the easy part completed, and the price of the damn fruit already on the rise as rumors began to spread amongst the doubtful, I made my last stops of the day at as many brothels as I could. I had something interesting to propose to the whores of Alnor. |
| Chapter 46 - Looking for a Reason After nearly ten hours of negotiations with more whores than I could count, it was looking like my last resort was shaping up to have a real chance. This plan didn’t require anywhere near the level of poor decisions on the part of others to work as my last gamble, but a few hysterics certainly couldn’t hurt. Wandering through the streets towards home, I tried to stick close to patrolling guards. My adamant refusal of Meryl earlier would have seemed pretty silly in hindsight if I got myself raped in a dirty alley on the way home. One particularly observant werewolf guard actually approached me, somewhat grumpily. “Do you have to walk so close?! You smell of well-groomed whore and I don’t get paid for another three days.” “Uh...sorry? I was a bit worried roaming the streets alone so late at night,” I said sheepishly. “Don’t you worry. I’m not about to let some worthless criminal get her hands on you, especially if I have to spend the rest of the night frustrated. I’ll escort you home.” It was nearly midnight when I stumbled through the gate, making double certain to lock it securely behind me after being a bit weirded out by my escort moving a bit too close to pat me on the back...I can’t be certain, but I’m pretty sure she just wanted to smell my hair. I don’t know what I expected when I opened the door, but was very pleasantly surprised as Risa literally tackled me to the ground the moment the door opened. “Damn it, Joe! Where have you been?” she nearly yelled with her face buried in the nook of my shoulder for only a moment before she pulled back and began to look me over with an almost frenzied look on her face. “It’s a long story...let’s talk inside,” I said as I levered myself up, swinging Risa around so that I could carry her inside. I carried her through the kitchen, nodding to a bottle of wine as I passed, smiling when Risa picked it up. Coming back around through the dining room to head back toward the foyer, I flinched to see that Risa had made dinner as well, the untouched meal sitting at the table, long since cold waiting for my arrival. “Grab that too, sweetie,” I said as I looked down at her with a smile. “Okay, but...it won’t be any good cold. I could warm it up for you.” “It’s too late to fire up the...whatever it is you fire up in there. Where’s Del?” “The study, I think,” she answered sheepishly, worrying me over how long she’d been staring at the door before I opened it. Carrying Risa into the study, I gently set her down on the large couch before sitting down myself. Del barely looked up from her project, her brow furrowed in concentration as she mixed various fluids and powders within a rather advanced-looking alchemy set. As I slouched down and let my head loll back, I tried to think of where to start in explaining this shitstorm. “Here,” Risa said quietly as she handed me a large glass of wine. Taking a series of large swallows, rendering a hearty ‘fuck you’ to anyone that knew what tannins were, I softly spoke in Del’s direction, “We aren’t going to bother you if we talk in here, are we?” Not visibly reacting to my question, she answered without looking up from her task, “Not at all. I may be a bit distracted, but I am listening.” “Alright...it looks like we’re going to play a little game of roshambo.” “Uh…” Risa began, looking confused, “What’s that?” “Some people use it to refer to rock, paper, scissors...but those people are mentally challenged. Where I come from it’s a game where the participants take turns kicking each other in the balls until one party yields.” “Well, before we get into that, let me start with my news first,” Risa said as she sat up a bit more straight, “We’re...going to be in trouble. With the cost to buy that place, plus repairs, taxes, and other upkeep, we can’t afford to even keep it for more than another month...and that’s even assuming we had our employees renting the rooms like you planned, or that we could get the damn permits we need to run the place.” “Okay,” I said, making a mental note, “What else?” “You know, my--ah...sister offered to make all of those problems go away, in addition to kicking in an additional eighty thousand glittering solutions to other potential problems.” “Did she tell you what she wanted in return?” “Yes…” she began, her face flushing somewhat, “In detail. She...uh--she drew a picture,” she said as she handed it to me. I had to give Meryl credit...she had a talent. Artistic vision may not have been that talent, but this was certainly an...inspired work. I was depicted in a modified “standing dragon” position behind Meryl, my penis having been drawn as large as her upper thigh as it threw out gouts of cream that ran from nearly every orifice and down her legs onto the ground as she looked at the viewer with a comically large smile and a double peace sign. Oh, and it had Risa illustrated in the background, grinding naked on what looked like a bag of gold with a delighted look on her face. “Everything she does infuriates me. What the fuck is wrong with her?” I asked, exasperated. “She’s been very upset about something. Did she say anything to you?” Risa asked. “Hold on. I want to make sure we’re on the same page here. We are talking about the woman that drove you insane, killed Ajora, and sent Ixi after us, right? Not to mention the other technicolor bits you showed us at the wedding.” “We were going to talk all of that out. Like I said, I accepted that spirit of my own free will. Not to mention that, after what happened the last time we got to spend time with her, I didn’t think you’d mind the...other request.” Sliding out from Risa’s grasp, I stood up, “Are you kidding me? I wasn’t even still sure that actually happened! Not to mention I’ve been busy worrying about the two of you and her threats to destroy this tenuous home we’ve carved out. I don’t know, maybe the highlight was having her dry hump me through my clothes while I was pinned to a wall, taunting me that the only way to stop her from crushing our dreams is to fuck her.” Commenting from her lab station across the room, Del commented, “She is family, Joe. Not to mention that you know that her personality can be rather coarse. There is little chance she was serious, and you seemed to find her jibes amusing when you met last. This is also hardly the sort of thing that would normally upset you.” Both of my companions looked upset, not because they shared my viewpoint, but because I was somehow being unreasonable. I was feeling helpless, and that just made me more angry. As I looked back and forth between the two of them, it became clear from their expressions that they felt I was in the wrong. “So that’s it then?” I asked angrily as I shot a fierce stare at Risa, adding, “All that jealousy on your part was for nothing? Or does it not apply if I’m being paid by a murderer? If either of you want a whore, maybe try the western district. I’m leaving.” Overcome with anger, I threw my glass across the room and stormed out. I heard both of them call after me, but I wasn’t in the mood to listen. Walking towards the stairs, I froze in my tracks as I saw the focal point of my hate, back in her true form, standing at the top of the stairs with an annoyed look on her face. “I warned you not to make my sister cry, Joe.” “And I warned you what I’d do to anyone that upset her, and after what I’ve seen, it looks like I’ll have to adjust that to apply retroactively. So...you need me to show you the door? Because one of us is leaving right now.” When she didn’t immediately start moving, I turned and started walking towards the door. Leaping down to put herself between me and the door, Meryl spoke up, “I’m not going to let you leave with Karisa this upset. She’s been crying all night, worried about where you’ve been--she even sent me a messenger, hoping that you were with me.” “Then this would be your fault. You started this ‘game’, but you aren’t going to like how it ends.” “You don’t even care what I have to say?” she asked quietly. “I might have, once. Not after I saw how you treated her, and certainly not after you made me a murderer.” I continued making my way to the door, her footsteps keeping pace with mine when Risa burst into the foyer in tears. “Wait!” she shouted desperately as she ran up and grabbed my arm, her grip shakingly tentative as she pleaded with me, “Please, don’t leave. Please, please don’t go...Joe...we can fix this.” “No, Risa. I don’t think-” Putting herself again between me and the door, Meryl interrupted me, “What happened to you, Joe? Are you even the same person I met before? Because that guy was fucking blind and it didn’t bother him. You didn’t even hint before that messing around with you was going to set you off. What’s up with you?” “I shouldn’t be bothered that you’ve killed two people close to Risa and made an attempt on the third? That would be a start. That you threatened my family? That you act like you can do whatever you please with me and get away with it?” “You insulted me! What, you’re allowed to dish it out but you’re too fucking fragile to take it yourself?” “It doesn’t even matter. There is nothing else you could say that would make what you’ve done okay.” “It doesn’t matter that Ajora deserved to die? She and Emerald are supposed to get away with crushing a woman into exile and keeping her children as the spoils?” she suddenly added, her look turning deadly serious. “And what about Ixi? I had to watch her die in my arms because of you. You can’t negotiate your way out of that or explain it away,” I said as I tried to step around her. “I told you--I’m not letting you leave,” Meryl responded as she pushed me backwards a few steps. “You don’t own me,” I began as I took a step forward, adding, “Get out of my way,” I finished, the utter chill in my voice making her take a half-step back. “You leaving isn’t an option. You’ll have to come up with something better, Joe,” Meryl said as she stared at me directly, adding, “Can’t we sit down and talk about all of this? There’s more going on here than you understand.” I didn’t feel like myself in the least, and the last thing I wanted to do was try to talk through it. This was one of the few times that I needed to be alone or I’d just end up hurting the people I cared about. Seemingly in response to that thought, Risa nearly sobbed as she began to plead whisperingly to me, “Please, Joe. This isn’t you...this is--you’re just upset. I’m begging you, love. Don’t go.” “Fine,” I said as I looked back up at Meryl, “But only if I hear an apology to Karisa for how you treated her and one to me for insulting me, how about we start there?” Starting to look angry, Meryl took a step toward me, “You should watch your tone.” “Too proud, huh?” I asked, “No, you wouldn’t apologize to a mere human man that you called a whore earlier in the day. And you know what? Even if you did, it’s too fucking late.” Lunging forward, Meryl hit me in the chest, knocking the wind out of me as she grabbed my shoulders, shouting, “You unbelievable bastard! Who the fuck are you to tell me to apologize for taking vengeance on the people that hurt me and MY family?! You want me to tell you that I’m sorry I was an insufferable bitch of a teenager after finding out my entire life was a lie? You want me to apologize for trying to teach my prick of a brother-in-law that his arrogance is going to put his entire family in danger?” Trying and failing to push Meryl away from me, I looked up at her as I tried to catch my breath, “You hurt Karisa, and you made me a murderer. If you had just talked to me--to us...if you had trusted us even a little--but, no. You sent Ixi after us the day we left Alnor--to the town you knew was our destination, you hurt Belle, and you made Risa cry.” I didn’t think you’d be in any danger--I didn’t think Karisa had friends outside of Alnor. Damn it, Joe! I know that so many things went wrong, and a lot of them are my fault, but apologizing is like saying that all of it was a mistake. You know damn well you’d have done the same thing in my shoes! You think I didn’t hear about this little trip you plan to take to deep Kaori to teach a fucking wight, with a body count that probably rivals the Lord Kaori herself, about the power of friendship?! But that’s the man I saw in you before--a flame burning so hot within you that no darkness would swallow it. You say shit that’s completely insane with enough conviction that even I want to believe it.” She paused a moment before continuing as I tried to simply listen, “I don’t even remember my real mother because of Ajora, and the first memory I even have of Karisa is Emerald bringing her to Alnor to live with us. That snake ripped my baby sister from our mother’s arms, Joe. And she did it with a smile.” Trying to jam herself between us, the nearly hysterical Risa wordlessly tried to push Meryl away from me. “Then why couldn’t you just say that?!” I screamed, “I would have understood, or helped you, or at least done something.” “Because of that fucking fox spirit! She’d know anything I told Karisa and she was Ajora’s pet--just like Ixi. I was going to tell you everything once you’d all settled down, but you’ve been like a completely different person!” She shouted, nearly losing the grasp on her emotions. “What am I supposed to do?! Just forget that any of this happened--forget that your ‘mistake’ left a scar on my face that is a fucking noontime shadow compared to the one in my heart?! As I looked angrily back at her, I didn’t see the taunting look I expected in return, or the anger that some part of me wanted to see. I saw only a genuine concern that was so palpable that it made me want to escape from the guilt and shame it evoked. Even the fierceness of her gaze couldn’t hide that I had hurt her. I hated that there was some satisfaction in that thought. Why did I want to hurt her? Why would I want to hurt anybody? I tried to step outside myself to look at this from another angle. As I was still nearly beside myself in anger, it wasn’t all that hard. I began to wonder why was I so angry? I’d started getting angry right after I stopped in front of that brothel and met with that witch...or was it something that happened before that? And sure, that young (possibly fake) fox-girl was a bitch, but I’d worked in customer service for years and I never let that sort of thing get to me. As I thought on it, my knees went weak as if there was something else that happened in the last few days that I wasn’t able, or allowed, to remember. I was assaulted by a sickening sense of déjà vu as the world spun for a moment. After that, everything started to slowly clear. I somehow became very aware that there was a right way to proceed from here...as well as a wrong way. It wasn’t certain how I’d come by that little piece of knowledge, but this was going to spin further out of control if I didn’t remember the important pieces in this puzzle. Even if I knew Meryl was wrong, and that she had done the wrong things...she had done them for the right reasons. “That’s...enough,” I said as I reached over and pulled Meryl closer to me, sandwiching Risa between us as I added, “I...I’m sorry, Meryl. You’re very right in that I haven’t felt quite like myself since...wait,” I paused as I had a thought, adding, “Please, just...hold tight a moment, okay? Sorry for this…” I said as I turned to head towards Del. As I walked back into the study, I noticed that Del hadn’t moved at all in the many minutes since I’d left, her hands still diligently mixing various compounds together. “Joe, I’ll need you to come very close, I can’t take my eyes off of this until the reaction completes, and there is something you should know,” she began as I moved closer, her voice continuing in a soft whisper, “I am terribly sorry Joe, but you are in the wrong here. It is not your fault, however. You are carrying thoughts that are not your own, ones left untempered by the unconditional love of family.” She waited a full minute for a red liquid to turn green as it sat over a flame as she added, “I believe Risa has already realized the problem--it should be enough to say that this is one of those ‘side effects’ I mentioned and that many of those angry thoughts are likely Risa’s. That answer hit me like a truck the moment she mentioned it. Easily angered by a fox girl and some deep-seated, unresolved issues with Meryl? Yeah, those sounded like entirely original thoughts. I was more worried now about those side effects than I had been previously, and I hoped I hadn’t done too much damage to fix this. Del continued to whisper, barely loud enough that I could hear, “I apologize, Joe. I feel that this might have gone more smoothly if I had been there. Just be very careful. Risa loves her sister despite some residual ambivalent feelings about which she doesn’t feel ready to confront Meryl...for now, anyway. More than that, you should not put her in a position to choose between the two of you.” “You’re right...we may have to have some words about Ixi...but I don’t even really care about the rest. Fuck, Del...this is going to be a problem.” “Because of what you’ve been up to this evening? I imagine it will be, but you can be a very clever man, my love. You will think of something,” she said with the barest hint of a smile from behind her apparatus. As I walked back into the foyer, I saw Meryl stroking Risa’s hair in an affectionate hug, frantically waving me over once she saw me. “No...he was right, Karisa. I was young and angry...and stupid, but I never should have hurt you like that. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” Meryl cooed to Risa. I saw Risa whisper something in response to which Meryl only answered, “Okay, I promise.” As I stepped closer, I silently motioned for Meryl to pass Risa to me. Once I had my wife in my arms, I leaned back a bit and started to dry her tears until I could look her in the eye directly. “Everything is...mostly okay now. Del said it was one of those side effects from that device, and once I realized that those weren’t really my thoughts...I’m so sorry, love. I didn’t even realize.” “It’s okay, Joe. I...know what’s bothering you, but we can’t talk about it right now.” she answered with a sniffle. I gave her a small kiss as I let my hands drift to her hips, giving her a small squeeze as I said, “I know, sweetie. Why don’t you go lie down and I’ll be up to bed soon, okay?” “Okay...you promise you aren’t going to fight with Meryl anymore?” she asked, her wits sounding slightly dulled from the mental exertion she must have been going through as she saw me dealing with her own mixed feelings over Meryl’s past actions. “I promise.” Squeezing me back, Risa finally disengaged and gave Meryl a small hug before heading up to our room. “Come on, let’s go to the study,” I said as I waved for Meryl to follow me. “Uh...are you sure you’re okay?” she asked as she reached over to feel my forehead. I waved her hand off and simply had her continue to follow me. Walking into the study, I answered, partially for Del’s benefit, “I’m still fighting with some thoughts that aren’t really mine...my other beautiful wife tested a mysterious artifact on me...you know, for science.” “You weren’t complaining about it this morning,” Del said without looking up, adding, “Hello, Meryl.” “Hey. What are you making?” Meryl asked as she looked over. “I would not advise coming any closer as some of the ingredients can be painfully arousing if inhaled.” Turning to me, Meryl asked in surprise, “So you weren’t fucking around, hmm? I thought you dropped that rumor to drive the price of prisoner fruit down.” “I did...though I doubt it’ll work,” I said as I slumped down on the couch, gesturing to Meryl to have a seat. “Oh, don’t mind if I do,” she said as sat down directly on my lap. “See, now...this is something we need to work on,” I said with a sigh, still not entirely in control of my own thoughts. “Just making sure you weren’t feeding me a line--so can I guess what your dumb plan was?” “You won’t get it, and I’m not going to tell you the key part of it...yet.” “Let’s see...trying to flood the market?” “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response, you know better than I how much of that fruit is sold in a day.” “You sure you weren’t just trying to commit financial suicide or pray the rumors would overheat the market so you could catch it at the bottom?” “Look, you’re not going to guess it, but there are two ways you can make a shit-ton on this. If you have the gold on hand, you might even be able to take it both ways.” “And you’re just going to give me this information for free?” she asked as she arched an eyebrow. “Fuck no, you’re going to pay a massive finder’s fee to the tune of...twenty percent?” “I should haggle, but...I’m really sorry I hit you.” “Well, if I could back out of this now, I would...but at this po-” Without warning she turned and grabbed my shoulders, cutting me off completely as she said, “Joe--about Ixi. I just...I swear, she wasn’t supposed to get hurt, and certainly not by you. I didn’t even think she would hurt Emerald--my...uh...observers told me that she’d left on business and this was an attempt to flush her out. I didn’t find out until afterwards that she had anyone watching her shop. I thought she might have given something to Karisa that might help me track our mother down. Ixi was supposed to just be scary and find out if you knew anything.” “I’m not going to lie, Meryl...it still bothers me more than I’ll ever be able to explain, but I jumped to conclusions myself when she hit the ground. If I’d just tried to talk to her, maybe none of this would have ever happened,” I said as the thoughts of that encounter returned in a rush forcing me to cover my eyes to avoid betraying my emotions any more fully. Taking a deep breath, I continued, “But you need to know that, without Ixi and Emerald’s help, I never would have been able to save Karisa. Are you absolutely certain those three were involved as you suspect? Emerald adores Karisa...and I know that isn’t an act.” “Come on, Joe. I’m smart enough to know that there’s a lot more going on here than it seems, even if I still don’t know shit. Ajora wasn’t going to get a pass because it’s a matter of public record that she pushed my mother into exile. I don’t know the how or why, so there’s no way I’d try to kill Emerald until she tells me where my mother is...and even then...I don’t know. I’m pretty sure that’s not even her real name, which makes it an even larger bitch to try and track her scaly ass down. As for my mother...she may as well be a ghost. All I know is that our family name used to be Panna, but it’s been struck from every record in the city.” After a satisfied sigh, Del finally poured her concoction into a small vial, sealing it before walking over to sit on my lap as she said, “It is unlikely you will find Emerald unless she wishes it, Meryl. She is a magic user of no small skill. She was here not long ago, helping direct the builders as they reconstructed this place.” Her attention grabbed, she leaned in, “What?! When? How did-” Interrupting her, I added, “We already tried to find her, and she was long gone before we got here. Though that reminds me...were YOU the one paying that queen slime?” Slumping back down in her seat with a grumble, she answered, “You mean that one that had her way with me during your last market fiasco? No, I would have told you when you mentioned it before. I figured my sister hired it and just forgot about it...she was still crazy at that point. What did you do with that fox spirit anyway?” Leaning in against me, Del answered, “Joe asked that I let her free. I still find it strange that you would have ever allowed your sister to house that spirit in the first place.” “She was seventeen and crazy about that fucking dumbass, Gabriel,” Meryl answered, looking frustrated as she added, “I don’t need you to tell me that I should have been a bit more delicate about trying to keep her away from him.” With a frown, I added, “A bit more delicate? You told her she’d better spend the little she had saved at a whorehouse because she’d never have a chance at another man!” “Well, jackass, looks like my motivational tactic worked, seeing as she snagged a financial wizard of a husband and I don’t even have time to swing by my whorehouses most weeks,” Meryl answered with a jab at my shoulder. I took a moment to think of some of the things that had passed between me and my own sister that might have looked exceptionally bad out of context. Somewhere between her throwing a knife at my head and me stabbing her with a pen, I came upon the realization that we let family get away with a lot of shit that wouldn’t pass with anyone else. “Well, whatever,” I began as I rubbed the scar hidden at my hairline, “you weren’t even the most difficult family problem I was going to have to deal with,” I finished with a smile at Del. With a wry grin, Meryl answered, “And I’m sure you think your undead step-daughter is going to be the worst of it, but I can’t wait to see you struggle past level one on trying to make me an aunt.” “Just so you know...I’m still not fucking you for gold,” I said as I looked away. With an almost pained sigh, Meryl replied, “You are just no fun at all. I was going to help you guys out anyway, but I was being serious when I said that you really need to tone it down out there, Joe. Your new friend Sadie is a horrible gossip and you’ve already made yourself a target.” “So then...the price of prisoner fruit has gone up?” I asked with a smile at Meryl. “Oh yeah. For what it’s worth, one of my runners saw poor Sadie following your advice, but she’s taking a massive gamble on you. I’d say that people are out to get Nukita, but the reality is that they are out to get you.” Thinking that over for a moment, I failed to hide my smile as I responded, “Well, that’s not always a bad thing. You had no idea what I was going to do, and you’ve already had a crash course on my dark magic.” “Enough playing around, what do you want me to do? I’ll decide if it’s too crazy or if you’ll need to kick in anything extra to-” Interrupting her, I smiled as I answered, “For now, just do exactly what I told Sadie to do. But if you really want to send this shit into overdrive, join in the people that are planning on the price to go up, assuming you haven’t already. Just make sure that you can get out quickly, because I can get you a signal, but this isn’t exactly a digital marketplace and you don’t want to be one of the people left holding the bag.” I let that sink in for a minute as I watched the possibilities run through her head, her eyes showing that she couldn’t quite get over her doubts over whether I could really deliver. Rolling my eyes, I shot a quick glance at Del to see her smiling as though she could predict what I was about to say. I leveled my gaze back on Meryl and continued, “Okay, look. I’ve risked literally everything on this. That’s how confident I am that this is going to work. But since you’re still on the fence, and even though I know this is probably you just messing with me...If--and this is a big if--you follow my instructions, I might be willing to reopen discussions on that ‘something extra’ assuming that my wives don’t-” “I have no issue with such an arrangement,” Del interjected. “Great, thanks Del. That’s just...so helpful. Risa would also have to-” Her smile growing as she interrupted me again, Del said, “Risa has also already given her consent to such an arrangement. I am not supposed to tell you, however, that she finds watching you nearly as arousing as I.” Dropping my head into my hands, I answered, “You guys just figured everything out, didn’t you?” Meryl was a picture of serenity, if serenity was her nearly bouncing out of her seat with a massive grin. “Oh, now you’ve got my attention!” Meryl finally said, her voice elevated. “I just said that we could reopen discussions on-” With a mock frown, knowing that I’d basically just offered myself to sweeten the deal, Meryl cut in, “Those sort of statements fill me with...doubt. I need to know that you’re committed to this in mind and...body.” “I have a condition,” I said quietly in response. “Oh? You’ve got my attention, boy,” Meryl said as she leaned in a bit too close. “Make it two conditions. Okay, first...don’t call me boy. Second, don’t call me a whore. This isn’t happening for gold. This is...uh...a trust exercise. Even if--okay, even if I AM a whore, I don’t like hearing it from anyone but myself...maybe my wives if the mood is right. I’d like to say I can’t believe my wives would ever get behind such an arrangement, and then I think of all those potential unwed goblin mothers left in the wake of our last great plan. The wrongness of this statement in my world will also probably be lost on the both of you...but at least you’re family.” “Mmm...you drive a hard fucking bargain, Joe. Deal. Just make sure that after this is all done, you remember how to fucking drive something else hard.” “Really, I just don’t know how it’s possible that you haven’t found yourself a husband.” “Shut up! Good men don’t just fall out of the sky,” Meryl answered, jabbing my shoulder again with her finger. “Except when they do,” Del said as she ran her hand over my chest, placing a kiss upon my neck just below the line of my jaw. |
Chapter 47 - League of Non-Extraordinary Gentlemen After another hour of explaining most of the plan to Meryl and beating her advances off with a stick, I finally found my way out of my clothes and into bed. Risa immediately grabbed me and pulled herself in close, not hesitating for even a moment in assaulting me with her lips. Pausing for a moment, Risa whispered to me, "You had me so scared tonight, Joe. I thought that you'd decided that you'd had enough or that-" "Shhh," I interrupted as I pulled her on top of me, "One bad day, or week, or even year is not going to be enough to get rid of me, love. I told you, you're stuck with me until I'm dead." "Are you still angry with me?" Risa asked as she looked down at me, her eyes still slightly swollen from her earlier tears. "I was never angry with you. I was just...angry. All of those thoughts of how she treated you just...overwhelmed me. Of course, once I thought about some of the shit I'd gotten into with my own family, I guess it sort of put things in perspective." "Well..." she began as she looked away with a large smile, "She apologized for a lot when you went to go talk to Del. She also already dropped off that gold, you know." Reaching up to rub Risa's fuzzy ears that I never ceased to find adorable, I replied, "I figured. And I hope you're actually fine with her 'special' request." Blushing fiercely, she still forced her gaze back upon mine as she answered, "This is probably going to sound really silly, but...I wanted to make her jealous." With a happily resigned sigh, I answered, "Well, if I knew you were going to flatter me..." "Joe, I know you were upset earlier but...um..." she said as she began to reposition herself slightly upon me. "I believe the term you are looking for is 'make-up sex', Risa," Del said as she sauntered into the room, wearing nothing but a smile. (the smile was the part I was still getting used to) "If I recall, I was a bit upset with both of you..." I said, being wholly selfish. "I'll have you all night and tomorrow morning, my love," Del said as she showed me another glimpse of the damn silver artifact, adding, "I would prefer to watch the two of you." After what felt like several hours, I was finally let loose, my entire body still shaking. Del took Risa's place nearly the moment the latter had moved, earning a whine from me. "Del...I don't think I have anything left." Finally settling down upon me, but thankfully not moving, Del answered, "We both know that isn't true, but ignoring how lovely your and Risa's mixed essence feels within me, this is an attempt to mitigate the massive energy drain from the device as well as from the near insanity of your frenetic thoughts." "Aww...Del, you're messing up my sleeping spot," Risa pouted. "This shouldn't take more than another two evenings with how fast things have progressed," Del finished as she put her head upon my chest. We fell asleep a short time later. ---------------------------- --From Delilah's Perspective Cholris was offered the position of court mage. Another of the candidates tried to convince me that I had been cheated, given that I demonstrated a far greater grasp of magical theory. I believe it was clear that I did not truly want the position, and she...deserves it far more than I. She does not seem to be aware that she smiles far more often now. Once she met Anastasia, it became clear that she would desire to remain in this place. There is no more easy knowledge to be had here, so I have begun seeking it elsewhere. I began to study with the demons shortly after that. Far beyond simply being a different set of arcane formulations, it required an entirely different approach. For years I studied with them, coming to understand and respect their methods, even if those methods would ultimately fail to achieve the end for which I aimed. "Enough!" Viconia shouted, her anger waning as pride took its place, "You've taken to my flames far faster than I expected, and certainly far quicker than this rabble. If I allow this 'contest' to continue, I may find myself having to punish several of my witches. It saddens me that you have a thirst for something that you will not find here." Looking around at the other exhausted witches that served Viconia, I bowed to the baphomet that had blessed me with her touch, "I will not forget your gift, mistress. Some day soon, I will see your family repaid for this kindness." With nothing more to learn from the mighty baphomet, and my monstrous witch body simply to weak to handle anything greater, I began to research the dead arts and a way to transcend those limitations. ------------------------------- It wasn't the most unpleasant morning I could remember, though I was still tired from a lack of sleep. I smiled to see that Del hadn't moved, though a pain in my nether regions made it feel as though I'd been gnawed on all night. Wrapping my arms around my sleeping lich, I gave her a gentle squeeze. Just as before, she started awake with a momentarily frightened look on her face before calming down as her eyes met mine. Though not looking nearly as exhausted as the day before, Del still looked somewhat out of sorts. "I...may need to suspend this experiment, Joe." With a yawn, I replied, "But it hasn't made me feel strange since that first time." "That is because your mind is a thicket of disjointed half-thoughts and insanity...and music. Like staring into the maw of chaos itself, I cannot fathom how you even remember to draw breath." Feeling somewhat hurt at Del's statement, I tried to stay positive, "I...okay. I didn't know it was quite that bad. Your sister didn't seem to have any trouble with it." Only realizing after I'd said it that I may have struck a nerve, Del narrowed her gaze slightly before shaking off the thought. For a moment she looked to be in deep contemplation. "I meant no insult, my love. It is simply that this device is beyond my control, and while the effect upon you may be small, the effect upon me is...troubling." "If it's going to hurt you in any way, then throw the damn thing in the trash," I offered, worried at her tone. "It is not that it will harm me...this is somewhat difficult to explain. While you were indeed experiencing my memories as intended, the 'noise' that is your mind cannot be completely silenced while you do so. As a result, many of my memories have been changed, simply by the influence of your observation." Scratching my head a bit, I replied, "So...I see things wrong, then?" "No, but you do not see them as I do. I also worry that things beyond our conscious thoughts could cause a negative reaction with our memories," Del said with a slightly worried look. "I'm sure I could stand to think a bit more like you, but let's stop if you're worried. Also, uh...you can get up or move whenever you're ready," I finished with a smile. "It should not take more than one final evening to finish, and I would prefer to complete the experiment after having come this far," she said before giving a slight grin, adding, "And I fully intend to move." She wasn't lying. Risa managed to bring us breakfast in bed this time. The look on her face as she watched me eat was enough to make me blush. As I thought on what could possibly be so interesting about watching me eat, I realized that I'd been too busy worrying about business to sit back a moment and actually enjoy the fact that I was married to two amazing women. "I think I've come to a decision," I said between bites of Risa's delicious breakast. "You've decided to stop wearing clothes around the house? Or in town?" Risa said as she worked on her own plate. "Once this current deal is done, assuming we make enough...I think I want to be done with business," I said with a nod. "But-!" Risa began with a frown, "This has been so much fun! I'm a little cranky that you've risked everything we own on this one, but I thought it was something you liked to do." "Well...it is, but I know I had you worried yesterday, and I might not show it, but I'm terrified that I could lose everything we have by making another rash decision like this." Del leaned over towards me and spoke up, "I don't believe either of us wants you to feel that you need to become another person to please us." "Yeah, Joe. If I saw you as a delicious piece of man--let me start over. I don't just see you like that. You think I'd marry someone just because--you know what, scratch that too. Maybe we just pull back from making deals that'll put us in the poorhouse if they don't go right?" Thinking it over, I guess I was just feeling overly spoiled and wanted to do something special for my two favorite people. I hardly thought it would be a gift, but maybe this was the best time to start pursuing Amarante's blessing. "Okay, well I don't need to do anything else with this current plan for about two weeks so...you think that might be enough time to go after the Lord's blessing?" I asked hopefully. "I have done some research, but I have only barely discovered a point of entry," Del said as she stood up from the bed. Suddenly appearing impatient with the speed with which she could chew her food, Risa simply shoved what remained on her plate into her mouth and began washing it down with large gulps of water. After a final swallow, she hopped to her feet and grabbed my arm in an attempt to drag me from the bed, saying, "That is a fantastic idea! Let's go!" I was pretty sure I'd never seen Risa move so fast. If I hadn't been so desperate to finish her breakfast, I'm reasonably certain she'd have pushed me out the door naked. Seeing her excitement, at least, made me feel like this was the right thing to have offered to brighten her day. As we made our way down towards the docks, and Del's supposed "point of entry", there was a spring in my step that defied my lack of sleep from the night before. The butterflies in my stomach had me convinced that there was no way this day could go wrong. ------------------------------- --6 hours later-- "You miserable bitch! I'll-" I began to scream before Risa's hand covered my mouth, her and Del both straining to hold me back from assaulting the assistant to the interim wharfmaster's fucking wet nurse--likely a rapin' offense, I'm sure. Acting as the voice of reason, Del spoke up, "Perhaps you could check again? We already obtained the bronze serpent pass that should allow us one unrestricted visit with the wharfmaster to obtain a silver scale pass." Looking down at Del from her higher-than-needed (or justifiable) desk as she continued to run a nail file across her claws, the werecat answered in a forced monotone, "I already told you, a bronze serpent pass isn't good after noon." Still holding my mouth, but no more pleased with that answer, Risa spoke up, "We weren't issued the pass until nearly two hours past noon! Why would you issue a pass that isn't good the moment you hand it out?" "We have a lot of new trainees this week and it must have been issued by mistake. Happens all the time, really." Risa's grip relaxing slightly as her own anger started to manifest, I spoke back up, "What happens all the time? That you have new trainees? Or that those trainees waste our entire day?" "Sir, I don't do the hiring. If you'd like to lodge a complaint, just fill out one of those purple forms there and present it to any of the mamono resources executors and they'll be certain that the offending official receives a reprimand." "Where would we even find--You know what? Forget I even started to form that abortion of a thought that was where we could find one of these executors," I began, trying to remember that this still wasn't as bad as a tax audit, adding, "Look...there has to be some way to speed this along, right? You work hard...and there's no way the city pays you enough to deal with this on a daily basis." Reaching into my pouch, I grabbed a handful of about fifty gold coins and tried to hand a much heavier worthless pass back to the werecat official. As she took the coins she sighed. "Fine, you're obviously new to the city so let me just stamp this and issue you a writ of advancement and you can speak with the wharfmaster first thing tomorrow," she said as she brought her quill up to a piece of parchment. I nearly began to drool as I saw a small drop of ink fall from the tip of her quill upon the page, desperate for the next few moments that would release my building tension. My breath quickened slightly as the tantalizingly slow descent of the quill only further aroused my impatience. When the implement finally made contact with that virgin parchment, staining its helpless fibers in its chosen color, I let forth a shuddering sigh. Slowly and deliberately, the werecat signed her name on the form, holding it up to her face afterwards to dry the ink by gently blowing upon it. Moments later she extended the parchment to me, my fingers gripping tightly about this tiny sweet release. "Here you are. Just present this to-" She said before being interrupted by the sound of a distant bell, yanking the writ from my fingers the moment she heard it. "Just...hand me that and we'll be-" I began as my visage began to fall. "I apologize, sir. All further business will need to be handled tomorrow after the markets open at dawn," she said as she hung a "closed" sign over the front of the desk. Trying to remain calm, I spoke again, "But you've already signed it, just...put it in my hand, please." "Sir, that would be against regulations," she said as she busied herself with various invisible tasks atop her high desk. "You could just drop it on the floor! Accidents happen all the time!" I pleaded. "Sir, that would violate a number of-" "I'll pay you," I interrupted, "A hundred gold, right now." "Do you have any idea how stiff the penalty is for trying to bribe an Alnor official?" "W-what about that...uh...other gold?" I asked, suddenly a bit worried. "Oh! I thought that was simply a tip for the quality service I provided, or perhaps a compliment for how pretty my claws look," she said as she extended her paw, showing a very well-groomed set of claws before continuing, "Because if that was a bribe, I'd need to report you to the watch." Throwing up my hands as I made to storm from the building, I shouted, "Fine, it was a bribe! Good luck finding Gabriel Michael Weathersby ever again, though!" As I stormed into the street near the docks, I turned back to my companions to see defeated looks on both of their faces. I wasn't feeling much better, but I was prepared for this...or so I thought. "We can try again tomorrow, Joe," Del said consolingly. "Let's get home so we can eat early and get to bed...I think we'll want to be up before dawn," Risa added with a grimace. The only thing I remember about dinner was that it was delicious. After a short bath, we were all in bed before the warm light of the sun had even passed completely from the sky. I pulled Del atop me to where she had been the night before. "Are you certain, Joe?" Del asked, seeming far more worried about something else. "This is the last night, right? I'd rather just get it out of the way...as long as you're sure it won't cause you any problems." "Understood," she said as she got into...position, sending a shock up my spine at the heavenly contact within her. I turned and gave Risa a kiss as she snuggled as close as she could, given Del's position. She placed several tiny pecks of her own below my ear as we all drifted off to sleep. ------------------------------------ --Through Delilah's Eyes The discovery had been nothing short of miraculous. The rumors said that it was the cache of a mighty, long-dead mage from deep within the desert. All that mattered to me was that it included tomes and formulae that began to break open the mystery of death magic. It took years upon years of study to even begin to understand what was written here, the workings of necromancy being so completely different than anything I had ever encountered. After nearly a decade of study, I quickly began to realize that this would take a lifetime to master--longer even than the greatly extended lifespan I had been given by my demonic patron. I began to focus, instead, on concepts that centered on the transfer of consciousness, the containment of spirits, and the nature of the soul. It took nearly sixty years to refine that into the ritual that would create my first phylactery, the design barely able to maintain its continuity while my soul remained within it. After 22 further attempts, I settled upon what I could only describe as the "perfected" design. In holding my spirit within the container for nearly four days, however, I had managed to kill my own quasi-mortal body. Unfortunate. I spent 38 more years as nothing but a spirit within a vessel until another being stumbled onto me. Swearing to her that it was only temporary, I possessed the overly passive demon as a ghost and used her body to continue my research until I found a way to craft an appropriate vessel to house my essence. "Why are you crying?," I asked the young demon as I finally had flesh of my own again. "It hurts...this hunger is tearing me apart from the inside. I loved her...and she turned me into this horrible thing. My body needs nourishment, but normal food is like ash upon my lips with this hunger. I...came into this cave to die," the slender girl cried. "What is wrong with you? You appear no different than any other succubus I have encountered. You likely need an infusion of energy," I offered, not certain why I didn't just leave her there in the cave. "You don't...think I'm hideous? Anyone that looked at me could see that I am a monster..." "Why should you ever lament that fact?" I asked, adding, "You can write your own destiny, have any man or woman you want, and carve out a place to live your desires." "But...I don't want to force anyone to love me...like the woman that did this to me." Quickly becoming tired of this girl's pointless concerns, I answered, "Let us go. The nature of man is to desire you--you will never have to force anyone. You also posses a magic with which I am unfamiliar and I would have you teach it to me." "O-okay. I'm Ishtar, but my friends call me Ish." "Then I shall call you Ishtar. My name is Delilah--you can call me whatever you please." She taught me eromancy, and how to be at peace with physical contact again, but our true achievement was the focusing matrix... ---------------------- "Joe, wake up," I heard Risa's voice whisper, drawing me out of dreamland, the wayward fragments of gossamer fantasy quickly fading as I regained consciousness. To my great relief, Del seemed far more at peace upon awakening than on the two previous days. If anyone had been changed by the still unclear experiences of our last dreamscape, however, it was probably me. Nothing looked as though it had changed, but it was as though I simply "felt" different. I couldn't remember the dreams themselves, but thinking on it...I was pretty sure I could write down the ritual for Del's phylactery if I had enough parchment and a solid year of time to spend doing it. I guess that meant class was dismissed--I now had a bunch of new knowledge that would be about as useful to me in this world as my experience driving a car. At least now I understood why Del was convinced there might be no way to save Lorelei. Even with my far more abstract torrent of random thoughts and ideas, it was like trying to complete a solid white puzzle with no edge pieces. There was still one very remote possibility, but that would be a task for another day. It was still dark when our feet hit the street, Risa and I wolfing down large pieces of toast topped with a heavy coating of some fruit mixture. We made directly for the wharfmaster, our bronze serpent pass taunting me after the trials of yesterday. I wasn't entirely clear on the details, but from what I understood, we needed a bronze serpent pass to meet with the wharfmaster from whom we could obtain a silver scale pass. From there things started getting more fuzzy, but the goal for which we needed to aim, to get what we were after, was either a gold dragon pass, a notarized writ of introduction, or enough gold to buy a temporary seat on the Alnor market exchange. Upon hearing the last option, I had initially been quite excited, hoping for an easy way through this. The reality was that only two or three of the wealthiest citizens in the city would have even had a chance to place a bid, and despite my delusions of financial grandeur, we were not on that rather short list. More than that, even if we still had the massive pile of gold spent to settle Risa's debt in our hands, it wouldn't have been enough...so I let that fantasy die. That meant we were doing this the hard way. -------------------------------- "Everything seems to be in order here, sorry about the trouble you had yesterday--that's highly irregular," the interim wharfmaster said with a smile as she handed Risa our silver scale pass. My mind played some musical amalgamation of an angelic chorus and the Final Fantasy victory fanfare. Feeling like things were going our way, Risa bowed as she accepted it, "It's fine, now where can we present this?" The cheerful mermaid answered as she gestured out the window, "Technically, any watch captain should be able to get you on your way, but I'll do you a favor and tell you that your only real option is Meri at the northwest gatehouse." "Why is that?" Del asked, reasonably assuming that more information was better than less. "I happen to know that delivery on any licenses rated higher than a silver scale have stopped. Something about the printer going out of business, or a fire, or was it a suicide? Anyway, I'm only the interim wharfmaster so I don't know much more than that. I hope that helps!" Getting up early seemed to have been the right call. Everything seemed to be going our way today...well, aside from the fact that we now had to hike to the exact opposite corner of the city for our next target. Walking for nearly twenty minutes, I had a sudden dreadful thought. "How long should it take us to reach the north gate?" "Probably another hour assuming we don't run into any problems," Risa said as she stretched her arms into the air. "You know what? Let's jog. We still have three hours until noon, but I don't want to risk this pass being worthless by the time we get there." Already calling forth her skeletal conveyance, Del nodded, "I agree, and there should be no harm in arriving early." ----------------------- --Two and a half hours later "No, I'm pretty sure that, since arriving in this wonderful land, I've clearly understood everything said to me, so you'll have to pardon me for asking you to repeat that," I stated. "As I said, the watch captain has been transferred to the docks to train several new city employees. She should return a few hours after noon." "Didn't she leave someone behind to handle these sorts of requests?" Risa asked. "This is a grade four request and I have only been authorized to approve requests up to grade two. If you'd prefer to make an appointment, I would be more than happy to make certain she meets with you. Just fill out the-" Feeling Del press the parchment into my hands, I handed the form to this pointless functionary, an evil grin upon my face, "How fortunate that my companion has already filled it out." Rolling her eyes at my "victory", the stand-in captain accepted the form, "The earliest I'll be able to schedule a meeting is tomorrow. How does..." she began as she looked at a small piece of parchment in her palm, "...some time between noon and dusk work for you?" Remaining surprisingly calm, Risa replied, "Our silver scale pass is no good past noon." "Oh!" the guard said with a start, "Just go speak to the wharfmaster and apply for a business window extension and then that pass should be good until the close of business for the day its been issued." "Fine, set the appointment. Where do we meet her?" Risa asked. "Right here. Just make certain that you are here and ready at the time of the appointment or it may be cancelled." "Oh, we'll be here with fucking bells on," I said as I took the appointment slip. We made our way back to the interim wharfmaster and miraculously obtained the extension we needed, her cheerful demeanor taking at least some of the edge off of this day. With nothing more to be done today, however, we headed home. One very hot bath and one delicious meal later and I was throwing myself onto the couch in the study as Del set about making more of her miraculous sex tonic. Risa snuggled her way under my arm and into a spooning position in front of me, letting out a satisfied sigh as she did so. Absentmindedly rubbing her ears, receiving a satisfied cooing from her as I did so, I asked, "So, have you thought of any names?" "Mmm? Names for what?" Risa asked as she looked over her tail. "For our girls, silly." "Oh! I hadn't really thought on it too much. I like the name Aurielle," she said as she began to almost nervously toss her tail back and forth between her hands. "That is a fine name," Del said, again without deviating from her task. "What about you?" Risa asked as she reached back and gently scratched the back of my neck. "I've been thinking of it constantly, but they all sound dumb. I guess I do sort of like the name Arianwyn..." I said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "That is also a wonderful name," Del said. "Oooh, I like that one better than mine. I guess we can use both though, right?" "Yeah...I guess the hard part is going to be coming up with five more names after those two," I said jokingly as I pulled Risa in against me. "Del? You have any that you like?" Risa asked. "Anatu or Brighid would both be good names. Along with Ashia, my juggernaut, those are the names I would have chosen for my own children," Del answered, her tone not suggesting that the thought bothered her. "Now we just need to get in to meet the Lord and I'm sure she'll give us her blessing," Risa said hopefully. As I started to rise from the couch, bringing Risa with me to a sitting position, I remarked, "We should get to bed. The worst is probably behind us, but it's probably better to be prepared for anything." ----------------------- Day 3 "I appreciate your candor and I'm so sorry for the trouble you've had!" the guard captain Meri said with a bow, her curly pink tail moving like a spring as she did so, adding, "I've never heard of anyone having so much trouble with such a simple request. But don't you worry, as a loyal protector of this great city, I will personally see to it that your permit is expedited!" Well, that's what she said at about half past noon. After another five hours at the guard station, she returned with a smile and a large wooden box. "What is that?" I asked as she laid it at our feet. "These are the forms required to be licensed as a grain vendor." I threw my hands in the air and then my head into my hands as Risa rubbed my back, perhaps trying to console me, or perhaps convinced that I was vomiting. "Why would you bring us the forms required to register as a grain vendor? We stated that we were attempting to obtain a gold dragon pass," Del said in a dry tone of voice. With a smile as she tossed her floppy pig-like ears side to side, she replied, "Of course! And there are only two possible reasons you could possible want a gold dragon pass. Either to register as a grain vendor or to--oh...you don't want to be a grain vendor?" "We do not, Meri," Del said in answer. "B-but I used all of my expedite points for the week to get this...I'd normally need to wait three months for a request of that level," Meri said as she looked as though she was about to cry, her attempt at a kind deed being trampled. Resigning myself to the hell that would be this maze of paperwork, I stood up and placed a reassuring hand upon her shoulder, "We...uh...were also looking to get a grain seller's license, so we'll file these. How soon can you get another request through for the other reason someone would want a gold dragon pass?" With a small sniffle and a few quiet snorting "oink" sounds, Meri looked back up at me, "My points will refresh in three days--if you meet me here at noon, I'll get you that pass. I promise!" Defeated once again, we headed home. ~~~continued in part 2~~~ |
emeraldtrystJun 7, 2014 11:55 PM
| ~~~~continued from part 1!!~~~ “So Nukita is selling grain now?” Risa asked, unamused as she sat down at the dining room table with our dinner. “I don’t even know anymore. Del, if we register for this license do we have to sell grain?” “We do not. I also see little reason not to file this request. It’s a twenty year authorization, and Meri went to the trouble of having nearly everything pre-approved, and it should only cost about 200 gold for the processing fee.” “200 is a lot of gold to a lot of people Del,” Risa said as she jabbed forcefully at a piece of meat on her plate. “Then take it out of my allowance. I see several ways this might be of use. It allows nearly unrestricted rights to use, at a very reasonable cost, high-speed winged export couriers for the purposes of making a delivery to any place on the island.” Talking even as she despondently chewed at a large piece of meat, Risa answered, “But restricted to grain! If our lives ever end up depending on getting a grain exporter somewhere fast, I’ll triple your allowance.” “Risa...why does Del have an allowance?” I asked with a slight frown. “Because despite being a damn genius in every other field, she has no idea of the value of a gold piece,” Risa replied. Crossing her arms, Del answered, “I cannot be expected to understand the illogical, fluctuating, and arbitrary valuation given to the vast majority of things you mortals consume. I appreciate your concern, Joe, but this will prevent further stress on Risa’s part about my spending.” With a smile, I turned to Risa, “Oh? What was she buying?” “Dwarven steel plates! We’d have gotten more use, and certainly more amusement out of that ten thousand gold if we’d shoved it up a whore’s ass,” Risa said with a frown. “Why were you buying dwarven steel, Del?” I asked, genuinely interested now. “I thought that it might be useful,” Del said simply. “See?” Risa asked before looking back to Del to add, “And they’re staying in the basement until you actually find a use for them...one broken toe is enough agony to have suffered over your ‘just in case’.” Before heading to bed, I made certain that Del “lost” her silver artifact. I simply didn’t even want to risk any more potential side effects from it. In a momentary flash of insight, however, I thought of at least one way that it might be useful and placed it on the top shelf of my closet as I hung up my clothes, giggling slightly as I imagined Del trying to jump to reach it without magic. With that we went to bed together, no amount of exposure to this almost spiteful bureaucracy able to make the feeling of these two women in my arms any less perfect. ------------------ Day 6 True to her word, Meri arrived at the guard station promptly at noon with a large smile and the coveted gold dragon pass we’d been hunting. When she placed it into Risa’s hands, I wanted to kiss the suddenly more attractive orc-girl. “Just present that to one of the Lord’s guard and they’ll take care of you!” Meri said with an honest grin. “Thank you Meri...you have no idea what this means to us,” I replied, giving her a hug that drew a blush to her slightly pink cheeks. “It’s too bad I can’t watch! I imagine you’ll be getting busy pretty soon. Just don’t have too much fun! Oh, and just like most of the other passes you got, it can’t be used after noon,” she said as she headed back to her post with a wave. We could suffer another day of waiting if this was finally the golden ticket we’d been searching for. I chuckled a bit at seeing that this was actually a golden ticket. I can’t quite remember if I leapt for joy, kissed Del, or tickled Risa first, but all of those things definitely happened. “Well, looks like we have the rest of the day to kill on our own, rather than having it slain for us,” I said as I turned to my companions, “You mind if we check out the market? I want to see what the prisoner fruit is doing.” “I’m...nervous enough about tomorrow that I think checking the market is exactly the thing I need right now,” Risa said with a nod. “I have no objections if you do not mind me accompanying you,” Del answered, somewhat distantly. “Of course I’d prefer if you came with us, Del. Let’s roll.” Even if she’d been trying to hide it, Del sounded as if she had to be at least a bit jealous. I felt that I understood where she was coming from, even more so in the knowledge that her own child seemed an impossible distance from where we’d ever be able to reach. My plan on that was coming together, but as far as this blessing was concerned...that was a gift for Risa alone--assuming we could convince the lord that we were worthy. Arriving at the market, we were approached within moments by a familiar fake fox woman that must have been watching for us. “Where in the bleeding anal cavity have you been?! You set off a firestorm, b--err...Joe.” she whispered to us. “You get in on that action?” I asked Meryl with a self-assured smile. “Damn right I did. This might be too hot, though. You sure you have to wait another week?” “I do...if only as a favor to Sadie. Plus it’ll give the market a chance to further lose its mind. Is anyone betting the same direction as Nukita?” I asked. “A few shrimps with little gold and even less sense. At least one big player, but they’re sure as shit not being public about it. I haven’t gotten in yet myself, because I wanted to put more pressure on the market to drive the price higher first,” she said before noticing mine and Risa’s expressions as she added, “You guys get the pass you needed already?” “All we need to do is present it to one of the Lord’s guard tomorrow before noon and we should be on our way!” Risa said with a huge smile. “Damn, that’s about the fastest I’ve ever heard that being done. You better name the first one after me!” “Not a chance in hell,” I answered with a wry grin, “For now, though, let’s see if we can’t whip this fruit market into a smoothie. Risa, you better handle this one...masked if possible--we need people to start thinking that there are a lot more people in our consortium.” “On it. Though this is the last time I’m going to let you get away with having a ‘secret’ plan. Same orders you put in before?” “Yeah, and if you can get some contingent orders to buy at super deep discounts in exactly 15 days, then-” “Yeah, yeah. I have done this before, love. Last time you took one of your overlong naps, remember?” “I know, sweetie. I was just mentioning it. For the life of me, though...I just can’t quite remember why I was napping that time…” “Well, if it comes to you somehow, let me know and I’ll start leading you around town on a leash,” Risa said as she moved to tickle me, causing me to literally leap behind Del. After Risa negotiated another series of short sale orders, the market may as well have lost its mind, finally prompting “Ajora” to join our position in the market as well. That certainly cooled things off, a great many more people being aware of her and her organization than the upstart Nukita Consortium. The rumors in this case were actually a great benefit. Many mamono were convinced that Nukita was actually owned and run entirely by a man, given the two items upon which it had already focused. This actually worked in our favor as more and more people bet against us. Under normal circumstances, we’d have been ruined. In this case though, I had an almost foolproof plan to crash that entire market...for a week anyway. Even if we never tried anything so grand again, if we pulled something like this off for the second time, it would probably beat most of the fight out of anyone willing to try and bet against us directly. Given that this entire plan was rashly hatched as an attempt to hurt Meryl, there was also pretty much no way I’d ever let us get involved with anything like this again. I supposed that in the worst case we could always be grain sellers. After making our way home, the evening found us all in an almost complete silence, lost in our own thoughts. Everything would change tomorrow, wouldn’t it? Deciding to sit outside to enjoy the cool evening, we sat at the small table near the garden. I would see the occasional furtive glance shot my way by my companions as I did the same. Looking at Del, I could see her reaching up to touch the collar that matched the ones worn by Risa and I, her eyes always far away, looking East. Risa continued to fidget nervously, much like myself, her hands occasionally shaking as she rubbed her lower abdomen when she thought I wasn’t looking. “You guys ready for bed?” I asked some time later, adding, “We have a pretty big day tomorrow.” I received only silent nods from my wives in agreement as we cuddled up together in bed. It was a token gesture, really, as the stress from the market and nervousness about what to expect tomorrow kept Risa and I as awake as Del for most of the night. ---------------------- Day 7 Setting out just after dawn, we arrived outside the gates to Amarante’s personal domain near the center of the city. Both of my companions looking as though they had made peace with any of their lingering doubts, we approached one of the guards and Risa handed over the gold dragon pass we’d fought tooth and nail to obtain. “Ah, haven’t seen one of these in a while,” the guard answered as she looked it over to verify the authenticity, handing over a piece of rolled parchment once she appeared satisfied. “Just take this to the market center and present it to the guard on duty and then you can do just about whatever you want.” Somewhat confused, Risa opened the scroll and began reading, the parchment nearly slipping from her grasp completely as she finished. I quickly reached over to grab it and read it over myself. Writ For Authorization of Overt Public Sexual Display This writ represents a contract between the bearer(s), the Great City Amarante, and any potential spectators. Henceforth, all instances of “bearer(s)” shall refer to the party to which this writ has been issued, all instances of “watch” shall refer to the guards appointed under authority of the right noble Lord Amarante, all instances of “city” shall refer to the great city of Amarante, under the jurisdiction of the lord that rules in its name, all instances of “act” shall refer to congress of a sexual nature, “clean” shall mean unsullied by semen or any other human or mamono bodily fluid, all instances of “spectators” shall refer to any conscious beings within sight of the “act” that are not active participants, either in body or by proxy. Authorized this XX day of XXX year, this certificate allows the bearer(s) to engage in one (1) act of overt sexual display in the market center of the city for a period not to exceed seven (7) hours. Once presented to the watch, this also allows any spectators within two-hundred (200) meters of said act to perform any form of self satisfying act, provided that it does not interact or interfere with the bearer or other spectators, for the duration of the act and not to exceed one (1) hour after the completion of said act. Excluded mamono species include, but are not limited to, Mandragora, Arch (greater) Imp, Gnome, Ignis, Sylph, Undine, Glacies, Matango, and Kraken. The resident watch member can be called upon to provide up to one (1) pitcher of water, two (2) boxed lunches, and one (1) clean towel, at the expense of the bearer(s). “Here,” I said, handing the parchment to Del to sate her quickly growing curiosity. “I see,” she said after reading it, “It seems that this was not the correct pass to have obtained.” “No, Del. It was not the correct pass,” I replied in a droning monotone, my emotions shocked into hiding. As I tried to grasp the fact that, not only had we spent an entire week fighting through this hellish nightmare of civil service, we had done so to obtain the wrong license. For a moment I wanted to cry, in the next I wanted to burn the city down, and finally I just felt a numbness run over me. After another twenty seconds of silence, it happened. Despite my attempts to contain it, this urge would not be held back. I lost my shit in a spontaneous, unending burst of laughter. Starting as a giggle, it worked its way up to an almost painful body-wracking convulsive guffaw. “This--this is...ha ha,” I began, failing to actually string together the thought as I was doubled over, nearly unable to breathe. “Joe, this isn’t--hmmpf,” Risa began before the contagious laughter took her as well, also starting small until she was laughing so hard that tears began to stream down her face. Del stepped away for a moment to speak to the guard about something as Risa and I tried to get ourselves under control. Each time we managed a moment of silence, it would only hold for a few seconds before we were lost in the giggles again. “I have a new objective that we can begin pursuing tomorrow, The correct objective this time,” Del said evenly, adding, with a large grinning smirk, “This, however, appears to be quite the fortuitous opportunity to make good on your earlier promise of utilizing the ‘town square’, Risa.” “Oh, blessed Amarante, you’re right!” Risa answered. Whether by chance or design, this hiccup in our quest seemed to be exactly what we needed. The stress that we’d all been feeling for one reason or another had made this feel like a painful chore. If we couldn’t handle this bump in the road, then were we really ready for the extra responsibility of a child anyway? “Hahaha, okay...fuck it. Let’s just do it. I’m not letting this go to waste, so let’s give these bastards a show they’ll never forget!” I said before adding, “And hey, bonus that Del gets to be involved in this particular blessing.” “That sounds delightful. I wouldn’t miss it, my love.” As we approached the market center, the nervousness I had over what was about to go down was starting to creep over me. Before I could really let it sink in, however, I started to pick up on a very powerful, and very familiar scent. Unable to identify the scent in the context of a crowded street, I was able to quickly figure it out after taking a look at Risa. She was already flushed and breathing heavily with some mixture of nervousness and heightened arousal. Handing our writ over to the guard on duty, she simply nodded with a knowing grin and gestured to a raised podium with a small rail, typically used for market announcements. I swallowed hard and hoped that at least one of my companions would take the lead. Del leaned in towards the guard and spoke, “Let us know when seven hours have passed.” As my two companions began immediately pawing at me, I saw Meryl out of the corner of my eye with a look of shock that quickly turned to one of supreme jealousy as she realized what was happening. I figured she had to be following us, but I had far more pressing concerns than her on my hands. Somewhat crude, graphic h-scene--Uh...proceed with caution? What must have been seven hours later, I was handed an embarrassingly small towel and a waterskin. I’m pretty sure I drank the water, but I don’t know what happened with the towel. The next thing of which I was completely conscious was being laid down on my own soft bed. If this was what passed as a failure in the pursuit of our goal to get Amarante’s blessing, it wasn’t all that bad. At the very least it had burned out any stress that might have been left over actually going through with the process. It was time to really do some digging to find a way through through this bureaucratic maze. ---------------------- Day 12 “Sir, could you please step out of the line? As you can see there are many people waiting,” the third functionary of the day said. With a calm smile, I answered, “It’s fine. They’re all mamono, so they’d be just fine waiting there until I’m a pile of dessicated bones. We’ll leave when you hand us a level 7 pre-admission certificate.” “I’ve already explained that I am only a level 6 administrator, the level 7 minister won’t be in until tomorrow.” “You say that word ‘tomorrow’, but I don’t think it means what you think it means,” I said as I crossed my arms, not losing my smile, “but even if it does, I’m fine being patient right here.” “So, Risa,” Del began as she looked over, “Joe was getting in there pretty deep the other day. You are not overly sore, are you?” Catching on to Del’s devious tactic straight away, Risa answered, “Nah, it felt like he was jamming an entire petrified lamia up there, but that hot cream made it all worth it. Damn, he shot so much into me I was sure I could taste it.” “Perhaps next time you can take him anally. The force of his emissions could well push deep enough to give you an aftertaste,” Del answered with a sly glance at the nearby minister as the latter’s frustration began to quickly grow at this arousing talk. “Hey, you guys,” I said as I turned around part-way so that I would still be heard by the youko at the desk, “I’ve already fucked five city workers so that we could get this far and it would be mean to get her all turned on if she’s not going to help us,” I finished as I very obviously adjusted the front of my pants. “Just...just wait here a moment,” the youko said as she literally sprinted out the back door, leaving only a small sign behind that read, “Out to Lunch”. The people in line behind me all groaned in their own despair as they saw her leave, almost convincing me to feel bad. Our task was too noble to let such things concern us, however. It took less than ten minutes for the youko to return, her face flushed as if she’d sprinted through an entire marathon. She threw the small sign across the room and handed the already signed and notarized certificate we needed to Risa as she eagerly spoke up, “So...I get off in a couple hours, you think you might want to-” Cutting her off, I quickly chimed in, “You know...why don’t you swing by our place up in the whore district? It’s called ‘Catch and Release’. We’re open all the time and since you helped us out--you can get in the door free of charge.” “Really?” she asked, not yet aware that everyone got in the door free at our place. “Of course! I’d bring some gold for the...’extras’ we have, but that’ll be your call,” I finished, almost feeling sorry for the poor girl as we turned to leave. We’d been far more polite on this trip through the grinder, but had hit a dead end at this point for two days. I’d never seen goalposts move so far or so fast and I was done fucking around. By hook or by crook, we were getting the Lord’s blessing, and the fire of determination that had been lit within us after our public spectacle burned hot enough that we weren’t going to take “no” for an answer. ----------------------------- Day 14 “No.” “But I’d be willing to-” I tried. “No. There are only three people in the city with one of these keys, and I’m not going to let you ‘borrow’ it to set about whatever nefarious purposes you are intending,” the minotaurus groundskeeper said at our request to borrow the key we needed. We’d already gotten off on the wrong foot the moment I walked in the door. Apparently my overly red-themed attire sent her into a frenzy. Del had to summon her titanic undead construct to hold her down while Risa figured out a way to help the groundskeeper literally not see red. After that little altercation, she’d become rather uncooperative. I had other shit to do today, and this was not at all how I wanted to start things off. Apparently, to get our level 16 authorization, we needed to have our pass validated by one of the head groundskeepers of the central area of the city. The “only” problem with that project was that, apparently, nobody in the city had even seen a head groundskeeper in close to 20 years. If we could find him/her then we could get the last authorization we needed to meet with the Lord. Risa managed to pick up a lead from a ratcatcher at the western edge of the city that there was a locked door in the sewers near the docks that led to some sort of “secret groundskeeper society” room where they had meetings (I heard orgies). As the minotaurus had mentioned, she was one of only three people in the city that had one of these keys and we’d already tried to chase down the other two, coming up hilariously empty-handed each time. Breaking down the door wasn’t an option, as it would invalidate our current pass and force us to start over. I knew this because we had already done it twice--once when Risa sneezed on a ceremonial display of the purported “First Shed Skin of Lord Amarante!”, and again when I failed a cultural and naturalization test by touching the “touch-me flower” (come on! There was even a sign that said “Touch Me”). “What’s it going to take?” Risa asked, her hands on her hips. “Haven’t even smelled a man in four months...we could start there,” the groundskeeper said as she looked away slightly. “Okay, how about we end there? Give us the key and we’ll give you free admittance to our brothel.” “That the new looking one? Yeah, I already know it’s free to get in--what are you trying to pull here?” “What my wife means is that you’ll have your pick of absolutely any of the working whores to tend to your needs, any day next week. How about that?” I offered. “Fine. Take the damn thing--I don’t need it back either. Probably quitting this job tomorrow, anyway. You won’t be able to use it for another seven days though, that entire wing of the sewer is blocked off for slime removal.” “Thank you just the same,” I said, gratefully accepting the key as we headed back out to the street. “Did Meryl get our message?” I asked a few moments later. Del nodded, “She has. Do you wish for me to send another message?” “No, I need to deliver this one in person,” I said, shaking my head. “We’re coming with you,” Risa said as she took a step towards me, “I’ve waited two weeks to see this miraculous plan to keep us out of the poorhouse in a week when we have to deliver on all those orders.” “Of course you can come along, but you’ll have to wait outside for part of it,” I said as I looked away, hoping that would satisfy her but knowing that it wouldn’t, adding, “it...uh...it’s a whore thing. I need to reassure these gentleman of their pride and independence as men and it’ll come across totally wrong if you’re there.” “Fine...but I want a full run-down afterwards,” Risa relented easier than I expected with a small frown. “Trust me, sweetie...you won’t need one.” With that, we set out for our newly remodeled brothel, the “Catch and Release”. I figured that the literal meaning, along with wonderful series of potential double meanings to be taken from each word would help do the trick. Risa had gotten the place up and running much quicker than I had anticipated. With the assistance of the supremely skilled builders that had repaired our house and an extra nudge from Meryl to smooth things over with the local committee, our “gentlemen” had been doing business for nearly a week. Arianna and Alphonse were chatting near the door when I walked in, the former running off to look busy, the latter extending his hand for a handshake that quickly turned into a (less than) manly embrace. “Sir, you are a saint. This is the first time since I turned 13 that I’ve actually been proud to be a whore. Not only are we getting more respect, but I’ve never seen this sort of coin in my life.” Giving him a slap on the shoulder, I gave him a nod, “I thought you might like this arrangement. Looks like you managed to recruit a few more friends too.” Alphonse smiled as he replied, “All twenty rooms are full, and we’ve got others waiting for a spot to open up.” “Looks like we’ll have to open another place like this soon, then. I’m here for that...other thing we talked about, though. How soon can we-” “Not more than an hour or two at most. Just need to get the word out. I’m pretty sure most of us are excited about it, the fellows here a bit less so than our neighbors for obvious reasons. Are you certain you wish to do this?” he asked with a note of real concern. “It was going to need to happen eventually if we wanted to get a lot of these problems fixed. The fact that this place is already fully staffed is proof enough of how eager we are for change. Just so happens that I managed to get myself into a position that makes ‘eventually’ need to be now. I think a lot of the other owners, especially the ones that diversify their concerns, are going to be desperate to make a deal with us.” “I won’t pretend to know what you’re talking about there. How long?” Alphonse asked as he handed a letter to a messenger near the door. “Definitely not more than a week and a half at most,” I answered after a moment of contemplation, “I have a feeling they’ll be willing to talk by then.” “I’ll get a messenger to you if there’s a problem. It’s your gold, and everyone here knows that you can deliver so...I look forward to seeing what happens.” After a brief farewell to Alphonse and the rest of our employees, I headed back outside to my companions. For the first time in two weeks, something actually went the way I wanted it to go. I couldn’t contain my smile as I met back up with Del and Risa just outside of our establishment. Puzzled by my smile and still curious about what I’d been planning, Risa began to prod at me, “So? Can you tell me yet?” “Well...a couple weeks ago when we were wandering through the streets--before I saw this place, I saw some pretty horrible conditions at a lot of these brothels, and Alphonse said that the pay was absolutely abysmal at many of them. I tried to think of the best way to try and improve those conditions in an indirect way. I mean...it’s not like any one person could ever control all the brothels in Alnor, right?” “Right…” Risa answered, not at all sure where I was going with this. “So I just thought of the best way for workers in the same field from many different individual businesses could pull together to work toward better compensation and conditions for all of them.” “That’s great, but what does that have to do with this crazy market plan?” “That idea came to me by accident when I was angry with Meryl. I figured there was no way that we were going to be able to convince any of these brothel owners to just up and change their way of doing business--it’s probably been like this for thousands of years.” “Well they’ve been making a lot of gold for a long time. How would their whores ever convince them to change the way they do business?” “I believe I see,” Del interjected, “Your meetings with the many whores of Alnor was to unify them to work as a single group.” “Yep. So that’s what I did. I couldn’t get all of them, but I think Meryl should be able to handle the rest for now. This will result in better conditions and pay for all of the prostitutes of Alnor.” What I didn’t need to mention, as Risa had already pieced it all together, was that this little plan would also probably have a slight effect on the price of things like prisoner fruit. She also figured out that Nukita would likely be footing the bill for being humanitarian in this cause--we couldn’t exactly let the poor gentlemen starve, and they needed an incentive to keep fighting the good fight. As I watched Risa trying to tally the potential profits on our current venture against the costs of this little stunt in her head, a veritable throng of gentlemen walked out the doors of their respective employers and simply...stood there. Our “labor” union, representing the prostitutes of Alnor--The Brotherhood of Upstanding Gentlemen, was officially on strike. |
| Chapter 48 - Blood Hatred --------------------------- Elsewhere... "I'm having trouble deciding if you're the stupidest person alive, or just the stupidest that I've ever seen. It's not going to work. The first idea, maybe. For the second, you'd need an almost unimaginable level of energy. It would kill you--if you're lucky," the first voice said dismissively. "I've got most of the steps down now. This would be a lot easier if you'd be willing to actually help," the second voice answered. "Have I not told you that I utterly despise you? I enjoy seeing you fail." "Bullshit, I can hear the expectant frustration in your voice now every time I do. You want me to succeed." "By the Lords, you're arrogant. Though, I suppose it hasn't been as...satisfying to watch you fail as I had originally imagined." "Then-" "I can't directly interfere. Not my rules. All I will say is that you should forget being noble. It's not as if you can just turn back time, now...is it?" "Turn back time..." the second voice mused out loud. ----------------------------- --Back in Alnor Meryl had been pacing back and forth in our study for nearly an hour, stopping only occasionally to look over at me or Risa with an amusing mix of emotions. It was somewhat endearing that the most commonly visible was worry. "I...just have one question," Meryl said as she stopped pacing, asking with her back turned. "Uh...yes?" I answered, assuming it was directed at me. "What the fuck were you thinking?!" she said as she put her arms to either side of my head and leered down at me. "I was thinking about trying to do some damage to you specifically, remember? Since it was clearly pointed out that I had no hope of controlling the supply in the prisoner fruit market, I had to tackle the vast majority of the demand. It goes bad pretty quickly, but if you trusted me then you made a killing at the market anyway, so-" Blushing fiercely, likely at the thought of the coin, she shot back, "That isn't the point! Even the richest denizens of Alnor hit the brothels. I--er...they don't all have husbands to parade around!" "Meryl," Risa began apologetically, "if that's your main concern then-" "Stop. Just stop right there, Risa," I cut in, adding, "I want you to take that thought and bury it in the desert--right next to wherever they buried all those E.T. Atari games." "Buried the what? Never mind. I just don't want my sister to suffer when we've been given so much," Risa said, in a slightly over dramatic fashion, convincing me that she was loving the thought of making Meryl insane with jealousy. "You jackasses were made for each other," Meryl said in a huff as she turned away, "I'll be sure to take my free ride later, but I'm not going to live off of the scraps from my little sister's table." Back behind her alchemy apparatus, Del asked, "What is stopping the whores from continuing to work? I imagine that someone that may have had a recent windfall might be able to tempt one of them with a large enough pile of gold." "Two things, Del. First, as whores--don't even start with me, Meryl--we all signed a charter that details the rules of this organization. Anyone that tries to be a strikebreaker has to forfeit membership in the union. I already told everyone that signed this charter that by the time we're done, no brothel will hire a non-union whore. Second, I broke down and sponsored a few...uh...old friends from the Elysian Valley church to pay any of those filthy scabs they find to play 'doctor' until the dirty blackleg is a drooling vegetable." "Damn it. If I hadn't already tasted your energy, I'd swear we were blood related. Your ego certainly doesn't need this, but this plan was fucking brilliant. There's no chance that I would have guessed it." "People hardly ever think about the wheels on a cart until they break, but they're at least as important as the cargo," I said in an attempt to sound sagely. "Cut the shit," Meryl said, rolling her eyes, "This payday isn't large enough to hold you forever, so what are you going to do now?" "I was thinking of making you an offer on your whorehouses. You won't be making as much on them once the union deal comes through, but a safe, steady income sounds a lot better for raising a family." With a sigh, Meryl replied, "And there's no way you're going to budge on those concessions, is there?" "Not a chance. Playing around in the market and making gold may be fun...but not at the expense of honest working folk." "I like how you call whoring an 'honest' profession," Meryl replied with a smirk before shaking her head, "Fine. I'll let them go for half of your twenty percent fee from this last deal. It's still a great deal for me even after I pay to have the places fixed up, but..." she trailed off as she took a long look at Risa, continuing after another deep breath, "the fact that I'm even selling in the first place can be your wedding present." "Done!" Risa shouted with a smile as she jumped up to hug her sister. "Just make sure to let me know if you get another crazy idea, because I want in," Meryl answered, tightly squeezing Risa. "Well...we might be willing to cut you in on a piece of Nukita, then no matter what we do...you'll be partially involved. We already sold 10% to...uh...someone else. The price has risen dramatically since then, but we've got nowhere to go but up!" Risa said as her tail swayed slowly back and forth. "Is that right?" Meryl answered warmly, "Sounds like the sort of thing I wouldn't mind passing on to my own kids if I ever get the chance to see them. Sure." With warm farewells exchanged, Meryl headed out, but not before reminding me that she'd be collecting on my promise soon. Yeah...totally awesome. --------------------- The union negotiations had gone better than I could have ever hoped. After their initial angry demands, I'd simply ended the meeting with a smile, telling them I'd give them another week to think about it. Just as predicted, the price of the very perishable prisoner fruit hit the floor as we spread rumors that the strike could go on for a month or more. Since it had become semi-public knowledge that Nukita had a vested interest in seeing that price plummet, as well as a rumored hand in the union negotiations, the market turned in our direction very quickly. The aftermath put nearly a dozen other investors in our pocket as a result of the ensuing debt, but the feelings on Nukita itself were very mixed. There were a lot of people making a lot of gold just from the uncertainty that we were mixing into the market. I'd also received a handful of written threats, some almost hilariously graphic, promising what sounded, at worst, like a really rough night in Vegas. Better than being this world's Jimmy Hoffa, I supposed. Aside from Meryl, at least two other people had made out on the deal. I decided to pay a visit to one of them. "Welcome to the-" the cheerful voice began, before Sadie recognized me and shouted, "You!" I gave a small wave as I walked into Sadie's shop, curious how she'd been doing. She leapt the counter and nearly tackled me, pushing me against the doorjamb as she came far too close for any sort of legitimate business transaction...at least not with the strike still in progress. Leaning up against me, she spoke in a sultry whisper, her fluffy striped tail almost completely upright, "You weren't lying you beautiful, beautiful man! The doctor said my husband might never walk again if I don't give him a couple days to recover from what I did to him after I heard the news. With him unable to perform, won't you do me the honor of making me the filthiest cheating harlot in Alnor?" "I can hear you!" I heard a male voice shout from the second floor. "Shut up!" Sadie shouted in response, "His wife gets treated to sex in the market square and you can't even keep it up for four days! Mother was right about you!" "Uh...I think I came at a bad time, maybe I should-" "Not at all! You just pick the place and you can come. Any. Time. You. Like." She quickly answered. "Yeah..." I said, obviously pulling at my collar, "My wife would never forgive me. I just wanted to see that everything had worked out for you." With a frustrated sigh, Sadie thankfully backed off as she answered, "Aside from being forced to confront the sobering fact that I 'settled' and having to endure your constant sexual flirtations, things have been wonderful. Here," she said as she handed me a large satchel of coins, "This should even us up on the shop." "That it will. I did actually have one other question that I thought you might be able to answer," I said as clinically as possible in the hopes that she wouldn't take my statement as another sexual advance. "You want to know who the other big mystery seller was the bet with Nukita, right?" Startled that she'd gotten it on the first try, I responded, "How could you-" "She came here to tell me that you'd probably be asking after her and that, when you did, I should tell you only that she plans to buy her way out of exile with green gemstones." "Lamia?" I asked simply. "She was. It would be the first time I'd heard of someone actually buying their way out. You've got to be in pretty deep before considering exile. Most mamono would be fine working as an indentured servant for a couple hundred years until they get their heads back above water." "I thought once someone exiled themselves they couldn't trade in the city at all," I stated curiously. "She may have had a proxy, but I really couldn't say. Anyway, I should get back to work. If you change your mind on the sex, though, we can make my husband watch," she said loudly. "I can still hear you!" the voice shouted again from above. "Good! I'm inviting mother to come stay with us until you find a way to get your problem 'straightened out'! I snuck out the door to the sounds of the escalating domestic dispute. Sadie had to be talking about Emerald, but I was still confused on what the snake had to do with all of this, or if she just caught wind of my plan and thought it would turn out as well as the last one. After coming up empty on what she had in mind, I simply let the thought drop...if she wanted to speak with me, she'd find a way to reach me. -------------- After obtaining very favorable terms for the Brotherhood of Upstanding Gentlemen, the whores all went back to work. The other brothel owners didn't want to admit it, but once their employees felt that they had more control over their own destinies, their level of service greatly improved nearly across the board. The owners initially balked at a few of my ideas, most notably the idea of paid time off, but with half of those owners looking like they were about to chew their own fingers/paws/claws off from the stress of not being able to get their hands on a man in over a week, and in light of my argument that it would make it far less likely for the men to end up permanently burnt out or mentally "damaged", they reluctantly acquiesced. With all of that business done, dealing with only a few more threats of being made into a human chew-toy, and the slime removal operation thankfully now in a different part of the sewer system, my companions and I made our way down to find door for this key. "You think that's it?" Risa asked sarcastically. The sign above the large wooden door read "Groundskeeper's Secret Room" "This doesn't feel too easy to you guys?" I asked as I approached the door, hearing the satisfying release of the lock as I turned the key. "Apparently not," Del said as we pushed our way into the room. With a massive cushion in the middle of the room, suspicious stains on nearly every surface, and the stale scent of sex still hanging in the air, it was pretty clear for what this room had been used. It seemed to be almost completely empty, however, and I started to despair that this cycle through bureaucratic hell had been another bust. As I looked around the room, careful to avoid touching anything, I heard Risa gasp as she lifted part of the large cushion. Pulling out what looked like a leather-bound book, she sat on the cushion to open it before I could protest. "Looks like some sort of journal," she began as she leafed through the pages, "Ah, seems like the author was trying for the blessing as well," she added. "Are there any clues on where our next step should be?" Del asked. "Not really. Looks like they kept running into dead ends for weeks. The last entry just says 'Only the recumbent whore shall pass'. "Let me see that," I said, as Risa handed me the book. It most certainly did say exactly that. Someone had to be fucking with us at this point. "You look as though you have an idea of what this means," Del said as she saw my frown. "I wish I didn't. I have an idea...but I really hope it's just a coincidence if it turns out to be right." Locating the most stained section of the large cushion, as I mentally tacked on an extra hour of bath time for later, I laid myself down. As I did so, there was a loud sound of grinding stone at the other end of the room as another passage opened up. "Oh yay, even the cushion knows I'm a whore," I mumbled under my breath. "You think anyone or anything in this city doesn't? Remind me again--Who's the chairman of the whore's union?" Risa asked with a smirk as she helped me up, giving me a quick kiss as she did so. "It's not like its my primary job!" I pouted. "Good. As hot as I'd get watching you...we'd prefer to have you to ourselves," Risa said as she took a step back. "Agreed," Del added, "Let us follow this corridor." Following the new tunnel deeper underground, we eventually came to a dead end. In the wall at the end of the passage was a small alcove with nothing more than a life-like doll dressed in an extravagantly luxurious black dress with white frills and accents. Approaching the doll, I asked, "So...what the hell is this supposed to be?" "It appears to be a doll, Joe," Del answered, stating the obvious. "Thanks, Del. I meant...what are we supposed to do with it?" Almost in response to my question, the doll's mouth began to move mechanically as though powered by a steam-driven clockwork mechanism, saying in an adorably childlike voice, "Please insert coin!" After stating that, the doll's arms robotically moved up to a receiving position before her. "Uh...maybe we should give her a coin?" I wondered out loud. "Here," Risa said as she placed a gold coin in the outstretched hands of the doll. "Thank you!" the doll said as it turned slightly and dropped the coin into a slot in the stone wall before assuming the same pose again, saying, "Please insert coin!" "How many is she going to want?" Risa grumbled, handing over another coin, watching it disappear again with a slight frown. As the doll turned back around this time, the look on its face seemed to have changed. I was sure it had to be my imagination as this just seemed like some sort of mechanized toy. Continuing to move mechanically, the doll spoke again, "Please insert...penis!" afterwards opening her mouth and closing her eyes. "Okay, this doll is about to have an accident," Risa grumbled as she reached toward it. "Aww..." The doll said, no longer looking mechanical at all as she sat down in her alcove, starting to play with a long strand of her hair, "Please?", she added, looking up with pleading eyes. "No!" Risa and I shouted in unison. "Meanies!" the doll said as she crossed her arms in a huff, looking away from us. "Look, we're trying to meet with the Lord of this land. Can you help us?" I asked. "Maybe. I don't remember. People being mean to me makes me forget things," the doll answered, not even looking back at us. "Well maybe we can help each other without an exchange of bodily fluids," I offered. Looking up at me with her too-innocent eyes, the doll responded dejectedly, "Only a whore could have opened the door, so you're just saying you don't like me!" she finished as tears started to sparkle in her eyes. "Can you provide us a level 19 authorization?" Del asked directly. Her expression changing completely, she reached into her dress and pulled out a green eyeshade hat which she donned, replying more seriously, "No. Someone took all of my forms yesterday. I could requisition more but it'll take four weeks." "Forget it. We can just start over again," Risa said with a deep sigh. "Why would someone take all of your forms?" Del asked. "Don't tell my supervisor, but since I'm small...I sign them all in advance. She'll probably kick me down to level 12 for this..." "What if we could retrieve your forms? Could we have one?" I asked. "I already sent a notification to void them. The thief knew that she'd never be able to use them but she took them anyway. Who even does that? But if you can make her hurt...I can get you exactly what you want." "How do you even know what we want?" Risa asked, pointing her finger at the doll. "You already told me--you want to meet with Lord Amarante. I know the only shortcut you'd ever need...but it'll probably only be good for another three days. Bring me at least a drop of her blood and I'll tell you." "Why are you suddenly so cooperative?" Risa asked, somewhat worried over the suspicious nature of this request. "You're Karisa, right? Yeah, you have your mother's eyes. Not sure how the rest of you went so hilariously wrong, but-" "What?!" Risa cut in, "How do you know who I am--no, How do you know my mother?!" "Maybe I don't wanna tell you...you were mean to me," the doll pouted again as she removed the stereotypical accountant's hat. "She was here. That was who took your forms, no?" Del asked. "Maaaybe. But which mother, I wonder?" the doll giggled maniacally before letting out a long yawn, "Okay, I'm sleepy now. Bring that blood here in exactly three days and I'll forget that you were mean to me and get you in to see the Lord...or close enough." "How do we know we can trust you?" Risa asked. "Mmm...nap," the doll answered as she pressed a small stone behind her, the small alcove carrying her upwards like an elevator, out of sight. This wasn't the worst roadblock we'd hit in this quest, and I doubted it would be the last. If Risa's mother was here and took those forms, did that mean she was trying to stop us from seeing the lord? And which mother? Did the doll mean Meryl/Ajora or Risa's real mother? "What do you want to do, Risa?" I asked. "I...really have no idea. Either Meryl is fucking with us, Ajora isn't dead, or my real mother somehow made her way back into the city." "Risa, take Joe home. This was all the verification I needed for a suspicion of mine, so there is an important stop I must make before I return home." Making good on my promise not to doubt one of Del's plans, I leaned over and kissed her full on the lips, saying, "Don't stay out too late, Del." "Understood," she answered as she wrapped her arms around me just long enough to make me worry about where she intended to stop. ----------------------------- Arriving back at home, my initial relief at grabbing the gate was shattered the moment I found it unlocked. "Did you forget to lock the gate?" Risa asked somewhat nervously. "No. You know it's part of my routine--I always check it three times before we head out." "Damn it. Now I wish I'd gotten a weapon like Meryl suggested," Risa said with a frustrated sigh before adding, "Okay, just stay really close to me and I'll try to keep us invisible. If you see anyone you don't recognize, I want you to run." Her eyes left no room for questions. Her worry turned to a slight relief as I simply nodded in response. If I got caught it would just put Risa in more danger anyway. I felt a slight chill as Risa's illusion ran over me, cloaking us in invisibility. She reached out and took my hand, her body becoming visible to me as she did so, as she moved through the gate to the front door, finding it also unlocked. Opening the door as quietly as she could, she pulled me into the foyer where she paused. I saw her sniff the air and realized, likely to a far lesser degree than her, that someone was cooking something in the kitchen. Risa turned back to me and gave me a sign to stay put as she snuck her way through our home to the kitchen. A few moments later, I heard a familiar, but slightly muffled voice say, "You have the entire place redone and you don't even change the locks? Rather careless, darling. Bring your husband--we'll be eating shortly." --------------------------------- --Through Delilah's Eyes-- Nothing like the travesty that was our wedding was going to happen again. I considered it rather unfortunate that I had been unable to gather the remainder of the missing pieces to answer this quandary, but I was clear on enough. I'd had my fill of illusions and it was time to start throwing them into the light of day. I made my way to the Coveted Pearl, seeing my target in same seat in which I had left him. It would not have been difficult to believe that he had remained in that seat during the entire interim, but it mattered little. "Oh shit!" He exclaimed upon seeing me, moving to quickly stand before my skeletal assistants held him fast to his seat. "Hello again, Gabriel. Is your wife not here?" "She's uh...out fishing or something, I think," he answered as he looked around the bar. The place was nearly deserted this early in the evening. Coupled with my obvious anger, there was little chance that anyone would interfere in our discussion. "I find that unlikely. The only question that remains is if you willingly lied to me or if you were tricked into believing that all you told me was truth," I said as I leveled my angry gaze upon him. As he took another frantic look around, I saw a rather important piece of information on the floor beneath his chair. "Look, bitch. I don't know what you want to hear, but my wife will be back soon and you don't want to piss her off," he said, apparently stalling for time. As I started to pace back and forth next to his table, I began coldly, "Gabriel, you seem nervous. I can assure you that death is but a brief instant of pain that you need not fear. What I will do to you afterwards, however, transcends the feeble sensations of the body and, concordantly, the concepts you understand as fear. I have no love for torture--but I am not above utilizing it, so I would like you to think very carefully upon your answer to my next question. Nod if you understand." He nodded quickly, his eyes still scanning the room, stopping on the door often. "Where is Ajora?" "I don't-" I interrupted him before he could rouse my anger any further, "Your daughter Meryl is alive and well, an impossibility given your version of the wedding, we've driven the kitsune-bi from Karisa, and there are more than a few stray pieces of fox fur at your feet. Where is Ajora?" I saw his face light up in relief as I heard the door open and knew to try and shield my senses, but it was too little, too late. As the excruciating illusory foxfire assaulted me, I fell to my knees in a pain that was as all-consuming as it was beyond further description. The similar flames that Karisa had attempted upon me before not even seeming like the same school of magic. "She is right here, you piece of rotting foulness," the unfamiliar voice whispered into my ear from behind me, "Do we have business? Or have you simply come to be executed for threatening me on your last visit?" Able to redirect some of the pain to my limbs, I was able to respond, "We have...business." Grabbing my shoulder, sending more fiery agony through my entire body, she answered, "Then, by all means, visit me at my home. I'm certain my worthless daughter Meryl will be pleased to see you as well." "I will...meet...you tonight," I forced out through the increasing pain. "Splendid! It's so rare to have guests. I look forward to seeing my adopted daughter, Karisa, again as well." I remained paralyzed in barely conceivable pain for at least an hour after she left. This solved the vast majority of the remaining mysteries, and provided potential solutions to a few remaining problems. The lady Ajora must have been quite busy to have picked up her eighth tail, but she also represented a grave threat to Joe and Risa. This would be finished tonight...one way or the other. "No," I thought as I corrected that thought, shaking off the attempts from the bartender to call the watch on my behalf. This would end tonight in the only way that it could. ----------------------------------- "Emerald! Where in the blazes have you been?!" Risa seemed to call out as I made my way towards the dining room. "I'll pour the wine, you two--sit," the lamia said with a gesture to the table. A moment later, she returned with three glasses and a bottle. Rather than sit, she made to move Del's chair out of the way. "Wait," I chirped, "that's Del's place at the table." With an displeased frown in my direction, she relented with a small smile, taking the spot adjacent as she replied, "She needs no food, and still has a place at the table? She must be rather important to the both of you. I do owe you several favors, so I will let your rudeness pass, Joseph." "I didn't mean to be rude...it's just that we promised her that this was her seat," I offered, somewhat apologetically. "This is your home and I am but a guest, but enough of all that. I imagine you are both curious as to why I am here," Emerald said as she coiled herself into something resembling a seated position. "Where have you been?!" Risa reiterated, "Why is Meryl trying to track you down?" "Directly to the chase, I see," she began with a large smile, adding, "Let us start with the simple then. What do you know about your mother, Risa?" Taking a few tentative bites before deciding that the food was delicious, Risa answered, "Just what Ixi told me...that she had been sick and that she died right after I was born. Meryl also said our family name was Panna." With a reserved sigh, Emerald spoke up, "Lareina Panna. She was 'sick' in that she was being forced through a slow and painful exile at the hands of Ajora. She is very much alive, however, in the purely physical sense." "Meryl killed Ajora for that," I said. "No, she didn't, and what's worse, she's being influenced by a kitsune spirit, though not nearly to the degree that you were when we last had the opportunity to meet. It has simply made Ajora invisible to her, as well as hiding part of her nature. I mean no offense, darling, but your sister is far more resilient to mental influence than you were." "I know, but that was my own fault. I let the damn thing in for stupid reasons," Risa said as she hung her head slightly. "One very stupid 'reason', yes. But it seems that this wonderful piece of man-flesh here has helped you realize your mistake. I am overjoyed to see that you've come so far without a mother to take care of you as she should." "Meryl also told us that you stole us from our real mother...that Ixi was also involved," Risa said as she leveled a deadly serious stare at Emerald. Apparently in no hurry to answer, Emerald took a few small bites of the food she had prepared before answering, "And if I had? Would you hate me? Would you wish for my death?" "I...would want to know why. Not just why...but why leave us with Ajora?" Risa asked, her emotions unreadable. Uncoiling slightly and slithering away from the table to look out at the garden, Emerald replied, "I didn't leave you with Ajora. You were supposed to remain with Ixi. I...wish to make it clear that I mean this as no insult, but Ixi was too honest to live in this city...maybe this world." "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Risa shouted angrily as she stood up from the table. "On the battlefield she was peerless. She earned the mark of her adopted clan during the war more than a dozen times over. Her heart, however, was not nearly as hard as she wished and she was...seduced by Ajora. How could I have ever told her why even considering such a relationship was folly?" I couldn't see her face, but I could tell that her voice was starting to crack. Was Emerald...crying? --------------------------------------- --Through Delilah's Eyes-- Everything in the current state of things made sense except for the single unifying catalyst. For me, however, there was only one incitation. Ajora meant, at the least, to prevent Joe and Risa from meeting the lord to plead for her blessing. Based on Meryl's behavior in the few encounters in which I had seen her, it was starting to become clear that Risa had not been the only sister to be influenced by another presence. Convinced that she had been living as Ajora, and without something as solid as a new husband, as Risa had to hold her center, I couldn't be certain how Meryl would react when I tore that spirit from her. Despite her attempt at "civility", I knew that Ajora meant to attempt to kill or seal me if I came to her home. Unless she was a very practiced necromancer, I intended to show her that she would find that task nearly impossible. "I demand to speak with her," one of my dead spirits called out to me though our connection. "There shall be a contingency in effect that will allow you to manifest with my power once she likely immobilizes me. I would prefer that you simply listen until she attempts to act," I answered the powerful spirit. "You know the answers I wish to hear, and as long as you can get her to speak them, you won't need to worry about me, necromancer. After what you have done for me, I will honor my oath." Being only a short distance from our own home, Ajora's estate was quite a bit larger despite being built in the same style. I was greeted at the gate by Meryl, appearing almost in a daze as she invited me in. "Good evening, Meryl. Could you step closer a moment?" I asked as I extended a hand. "Huh? Okay..." she said as she took a step towards me. With a flick of my wrist, I sent a spirit chain into her. The translucent gold chain passed through her flesh without so much as a mark as it clasped around the spiritual passenger within her. Meryl began to howl in pain as the creature was torn from her. "No, no, no!" a second voice began to scream as it was ripped free from the home in which it had dwelled for an indeterminate number of years. Meryl fell into a barely-conscious daze as the spirit finally came completely free, her physical appearance changing slightly as her monstrous features changed from those of a Danuki to those of a Youko. "It appears there is much of which we must speak later, spirit," I said to the struggling kitsune-bi as I threw her into a spirit oubliette. I made my way to a large office-like sitting room, seeing a somewhat shocking scene upon my entrance. Rather short uh...cucumber scene. You've been warned! Turning her attention to me after a smirk at her captive husband, she spoke, "That was very dangerous what you did to my daughter, lich. I"ve had that spirit living within her since she was little more than an infant." "It seems there are many crimes of which you are guilty. Are there any others to which you would like to confess?" I asked. "The crime is that this filthy city even allows the rancid scent of those raccoon dogs to fester within its walls. Meryl was far better than the disgusting family in which she would have been raised." "That is why you drove her mother from the city? Why you sent Ixi to her death?" "Ixi was truly a saddening loss. Even this pitiful man was harder to seduce than that soft-hearted fool. The most difficult part of losing her will be the satisfaction in seeing that ignorant look of love on her face every time I let myself loose into that cocksleeve. At least that fire within her kept her warm for me," she said as she reached down to pet the slowly bobbing head of her husband. I could only look at her, baffled that such a comically mean-spirited person could even exist. I was unable to even see the potential benefit to be had from any of her actions. "I never even laid eyes on Lareina, but I had to hear from every single high society bitch about how kind and generous she was. Even while she was under Amarante"s blessing, she took in that infant gutter rat Meryl and then started pushing out even more of those filthy raccoon dogs. I figured that once I removed that illusion from Meryl, she"d be ecstatic to learn that she was something far greater than the pitiful Danuki that had adopted her." "Meryl loves her family even despite the damage your spirit tried to inflict." Nearly spitting her response at me, Ajora answered, "There is no family where there is no blood! I think that"s enough chatting with a corpse, however." Even knowing that it was coming, I couldn"t avoid the pain of her foxfire. Instantly paralyzed by the overwhelming pain, I vaguely saw Ajora kick Gabriel out of her way and move towards me, brandishing a rapier. "Do you have any last words for me to deliver to your husband as I"m educating him on how a mamono truly derives pleasure from a man?" Fighting through the pain, I forced out, "I will give...you...t-twelve seconds to...give me a drop of your blood willingly...b-before I take every...drop of it." With a light smile, Ajora continued to walk forward, polishing the edge of her weapon upon her voluminous sleeve as she did so, "That is all? No, I think I"ll keep all of it. In your next life, it might be worthwhile to learn how to better negotiate." With a lightning-quick slash, I felt a different pain that set the world spinning. I saw the room, the ceiling, then my own headless body as it descended slowly towards the floor. My thoughts in that moment were strangely scattered, most prominent among them a genuine wonder why this foolish creature would use a thrusting weapon like a machete. Any further thoughts were interrupted as my head hit the floor. With a quick slash of her blade to clean off what would have been blood, she turned a gentle eye upon Gabriel and spoke, "You see that, dear? You never had anything to worry about from the scary undead. I"ll always protect you, my love. Now I believe there was something we needed to finish, so get-" "Time is up." ------------------------------ Risa moved to take a step forward but hesitated, asking, "Wait...I mean, I know that she wasn"t going to have any children that way but why else would-" Definitely crying now, Emerald tried in vain to regain some of her composure before responding, "It"s my fault. I never should have returned to this city. The self-styled nobles put so much weight on lineage and breeding. You, Delilah, and Joseph have advanced so far and so fast...it"s only a matter of time before you"re able to recover your family name. I...wanted to beg you to leave it buried." Looking more angry in the face of Emerald"s apparent sadness, Risa jumped back in, "You aren"t answering my question!" Emerald turned back and threw her hands down on the table. As she did so, I saw several drops of her blood soak into the tablecloth from where her nails had been digging into her own hands. As Emerald opened her mouth to speak, I was suddenly overcome with a wave of severe dizziness and pain in my chest. I grabbed at my chest as if that might somehow stop the pain and lurched forward to my feet. "Joe! What"s wrong?!" Risa shouted, quickly darting over to catch me. "I...don"t know. It"s hard to breathe and I feel...weak," I struggled to respond over the crushing tightness in my chest. I was sure that I was having a heart attack. The thought made me want to laugh, actually. That everything I"d struggled through was about to end because I couldn"t lay off the fried foods before ending up in this world...it seemed hilarious to imagine. The thought that pushed everything else away was a very immediate worry over Del and a feeling that she"d been gravely harmed...or worse. "Let me see," Emerald said as she dried her tears and quickly slithered over to me. "Huh," I said as I started to black out with Emerald"s face looking down at me. "He"s losing a vast quantity of energy...but it looks like it"s leveling off," she said as she placed a hand on my chest, adding, "Take deep breaths Joseph, this should pass in a moment." Her eyes were far softer than I remembered from our first meeting, and I saw a genuine concern in her over my well-being. As she continued to press a warmth into my chest, the pain finally subsided and my light-headedness passed. As I stood back up under my own power, I had a sudden worry over what had caused the weakness in the first place. I had a horrible feeling that Del was in serious danger. ------------------------------------- --Through Delilah"s Eyes-- "Did you know?" "Were you aware?" "Was it not obvious?" "Have I told you?" "Are you familiar with this concept?" Ajora jumped as I walked back through the door, followed by four more exact duplicates. A murderously sibilant voice coming from each of my necromantic manifestations. "I am more construct than corpse." "It should have been clear." "You should have taken the deal." "Is this not how one negotiates?" "I would tell you that you should use your next life learning to never threaten the ones I love, but your soul itself will cease to be when I am done with you." Rather than gloat, I used her moment of confusion to step aside and allow a different manifested spirit through the door. Ashia would have caused too much damage and required far too much direct control. While it was a great deal more dangerous to use such a free-thinking undead manifestation, our interests were aligned enough in this to nearly eliminate any concern of a backlash. I gave the independent spirit a nod as she stepped forward toward Ajora. "No! You"re...dead! You--all of you!" Ajora said as she jumped back a step. "Then we"ll have something else in common in a few seconds," the spirit said with a cold confidence, adding with an unneeded stretching of her arms, "No more words, beloved. No more illusions--the lich and I are in agreement." Ajora started to backpedal toward the other side of the room, her husband forgotten in her terror. The spirit then charged forward with a clawed pulled back. In the next moment, her wicked claws shot forward, tearing a bloody swath through Ajora"s chest and exploding from her back...but not before doing the same to her husband that had somehow interposed himself between the two of them in a vain attempt to shield his wife. "Hah," Gabriel choked out as he unintentionally spit blood onto the similarly wounded fox-woman"s face. "You fool...they...would have let you go," Ajora choked out as she dropped her weapon and pulled the slightly shorter man into an embrace. "Yeah?" Gabriel asked, slightly sarcastically, "Well...ain"t that a bitch." "A clean death is far more than you deserve after what you did to those girls...far more than I deserved for letting it happen," the large spirit said as she faded back from view. "If you...have any...compassion, lich...don"t tell Meryl what I"ve done," Ajora said as she stroked the hair of her quickly fading husband, her own blood pouring onto the floor as well. With the voices of my constructs speaking in unison, I answered, "I don"t." As another set of eyes glinted from the doorway in the dying glow of the fading magic of my spiritual companion, I added, "Not that it would matter in this case." -------------------------------- "I"m fine...whatever it was must have passed," I said as I took a few experimental steps around the table. "Are you sure? What was it?" Risa asked with concern, her hand not leaving my shoulder as she made to support me. "Probably another side effect of that damn artifact," I offered, unable to think of anything else that could have caused the weakness, adding with concern, "But now I"m worried about Del." "Worry about yourself for now, Joe. She can take care of herself. But you have a real talent for trying to faint at the worst possible times," Risa said as she nearly picked me up off my feet in a tight hug. "Too tight!" I gasped, causing her to loosen her grip a bit as I continued, "And believe me, you don"t need to tell me." Slithering her way towards the door, Emerald spoke up, "I should go. It seems I"ve only made things worse." "That is unlikely," Del"s voice said from the corridor. As I looked up in relief toward the sound of her voice, I saw Del followed closely by Meryl. Del spoke up again in response to Emerald"s statement, "On the contrary, you are just the person for which we"ve been searching. The two of us have had a rather complicated evening and I would rather you answer a few questions before it turns even more complicated." Despite the very angry look on Del"s face attempting to act as a deterrent, I buried her in a hug, silencing her protestations and almost instantly softening her angry gaze. "I felt like something had happened to you...like you"d been hurt or-" With a quiet sigh, Del placed her delicate hand on my chest and answered softly, "I told you, my love. As long as you live, there is no force in this world that will kill me." Emerald scoffed at Del"s answer, "That"s a rather convenient explanation when you"re just leeching-" Stepping into the light, I finally saw what seemed so strange about Meryl as she spoke, "It"s time for some answers, and I"m not letting your scaly ass out that door until we have them!" She looked like the same person...if that person had been part fox instead of part tanuki. Conditioned as I was, I saw those traits first, but Risa didn"t even seem to notice as she stepped up next to her to face Emerald seemingly waiting for a response. Making me smile as she tried to speak with her voice muffled by my shoulder, Del, piped up, "This is the first time we"ve had occasion to truly meet, and as I look at you, I have to wonder if that was by design. You are no simple lamia." Now looking like she wanted to escape, but no less emotional, Emerald answered quietly, "If you can tell that much then it would be pointless to try and lie any further. You are correct, Delilah. I am no illusionist, but I am...something slightly different than a simple lamia." |
chimechuJun 7, 2014 5:17 PM
Chapter 49 - No More Illusions Having pushed me away slightly, Del took a step towards Emerald and simply crossed her arms expectantly. The effect of seeing Del's wonderfully ponderous breasts pushed up had an entirely different effect on me than the scaly woman before us. Cornered, but no longer looking like she would run, Emerald began slowly, "Blood calls to blood. No matter the distance I tried to put between you, you were drawn to each other. I want to hate you right now, Delilah. My heart begs me to smash your phylactery and then crush your body to dust, but...my heart is honest in ways my head never could be." As I took a closer look at Emerald, I finally noticed what should have been so obvious the first time I saw her. In all of Risa's illusions, my wife always kept her eyes the same enchanting green, and even after meeting Emerald it never really hit me that the visible part of that illusion had been perfect. They had the same eyes. Sliding away to face the garden, Emerald placed a hand on one of the columns and continued, "I can't hate you, however, because I know that this is all my fault. I've already lost so many pieces of my heart and I can't bear the thought of it happening again because of my own cowardice. I was Lareina Panna." "No...you're lying!" Meryl shouted as she stepped forward, "You--you brought Karisa to...Alnor to..." "Meryl...?" Risa began, suddenly realizing that her sister definitely looked different. Openly sobbing now, Emerald continued, "My mother told me that I was special...that my children would be as beautiful and varied as the colors of the sunset. But in this place more than any other, the ridiculous notions of 'proper' breeding meant that my daughters were never going to have the same opportunities as any of the other 'nobles'. So I spun lies upon lies in an attempt to give you all an identity that didn't involve such an imperfect mother." The silence that followed was thick enough to have been cut with a knife. Emerald continued as the memories seemed to come over her in pieces, "I've had so many children over the centuries, and I've managed to destroy-" "Stop," Meryl began as she leaned forward with a narrowed gaze, "We're not going to play the 'woe is me' fucking pity party. Are you my mother?" "Yes," Emerald answered simply. "Is Karisa my sister?" Meryl continued, looking like she might lose the momentum she'd gathered before asking her previous question. Turning back to look at Meryl directly, Emerald answered, "Yes." Her composure shattering as the answer struck her like a kick to the chest, Meryl looked up with her eyes full of tears as she shouted, "Then why are you still standing there when I need your arms around me?!" Hesitating for less than a heartbeat at the shouted words, Emerald slid forward and pulled the two sisters into her arms, holding them to her chest as her breathing went ragged and uneven in the wake of the overpowering emotion she felt at being able to truly embrace her girls as their mother. Seeing such a seemingly mismatched group, and having been through some measure of the hell that was this city's bureaucratic fog, I could begin to see at least part of why Emerald believed she wasn't a fit mother. At the same time, I felt that entire mindset was wrong. The difference was that I couldn't imagine myself possibly caring less about what any other person might have thought--noble or not. I felt a solid core of anger within me as I tried to imagine my own children being denied anything simply because of who I was. Emerald continued to weep at this bittersweet reunion, "I'm so sorry...this is all my fault and now Ixi and Ajora-" "Death is not too wide a gap over which to leave things unsaid," Del interrupted suddenly, "I will give you what I can--a few minutes at best." Not waiting for an answer, Del called forth a small globe of energy to her hand and whispered gently to it at first, then a bit more forcefully as her brow furrowed in what looked like a mild displeasure. Then, with a flash of violet light, the ghostly figures of Ajora and Ixi joined us in the room. Perhaps it was the tension of the moment, but I almost laughed when I saw them appear, their hands locked as though they were already fighting with each other. A few seconds later they simply turned away from each other in a sulking huff. Wise enough to know that she didn't have time to waste, Emerald slithered toward the pair of them, keeping a protecting hand over Risa and Meryl as she did so. Asserting her authority in a voice that was far more powerful than any I'd heard from her since the night I officially became a whore, Emerald loudly spoke, "That's enough, both of you. If you wish to blame anyone for what has transpired, you should blame me. Antarylixi, Ajora...I need to tell you-" "That you've won?" Ajora asked in a frustrated tone, "Yes, bravo. My body probably isn't even cold yet, you shrew." "Do not speak to her that way, she spent nearly everything she had to get you a seat at the Foxtail," Ixi added. "Hmm? Is someone talking? It sounded like talking but that can't be right. Can an onahole even talk?" "I wouldn't know. Can one tear your spine out through your chest?" "Be silent!" Emerald practically roared, "It is important that you both hear what I have to say, and we don't have much time." "Proceed, Miss Emerald," Ixi said with a half smile. "It's not as if I have any pressing business to which I must attend," Ajora added with a toss of her many tails. "Ajora...about 3300 years ago, you were born in a small village near the northern edge of the island. Your father's name was Xian. He had your temper, your high cheekbones, and your...erm...large endowments. The first time he looked at you, he wept...saying that he'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life. He died three years after you were born, being nearly 180 years old...saying that you were the only thing that kept him alive those last few years." Ajora looked shocked as Emerald gave her this information, asking, "How could you know-" "Antarylixi, you were born about 2100 years ago in the city surrounding Charisse's Lost Ruins. Your father was a man named Lagus. He was a very frail man with beautiful olive skin--an outworlder that nearly succumed to injuries from a great fire that sprang up in the library in which he worked. Though he preferred the company of other men, and was deathly afraid of fire, he would hold you for hours...even when your infant coughs and sneezes singed his hair on more than one occasion. He died shortly after you were adopted by the Bloodhorn clan...his own inner fire no longer kept burning by your presence." Ixi remained silent as Emerald continued, her spectral face deep in contemplation. "Because I did so much traveling in those days, and because my existence is apparently offensive to any mamono that believes in species 'purity', I was forced to register you as adopted children. I loved both of you your entire lives. Even if I was too much of a coward to do more than watch you from afar. Blood calls to blood, my mother told me. I failed to realize that simply being drawn toward each other did not mean you would understand why, and how that attraction could go so horribly wrong, "Emerald said despondently, tears still coming unbidden. Ixi was the first to shatter the blanketing silence, "If what you say is true--no...I believe you. Because I was nothing more than a warrior for so long, I didn't understand why I wanted to be near her...just that it felt right. Your weakness will earn you no further malice from me, but at the same time...I feel as though I barely know you. You trusted me to take care of Meryl, Yuki, Kaeli, and Karisa...and I loved them like my own children.," she paused with a wistful smile at Meryl and Risa, "I would go through the same trial again without a second thought, but if you have any love for me, you will swear to me that you will never put another through anything like this." Ajora scoffed, "What did you expect was supposed to happen here? We forgive you for being a glorified voyeur for several thousand years and then fade back into the shroud with warm wishes?" she continued as her spirit began to pace, "I made my own choices--your ridiculous notion of the blood drawing us together simply cheapens how I felt. It was my choice to...have those girls by my side, even if it meant tolerating their overly clingy, doe-eyed draconic caretaker. I suppose that it is the slightest bit impressive that you managed to do this all right under my nose..." she paused for a moment before continuing with a smile, "Aside from this scaly oaf, I suppose the little sisters you gave me were rather amazing." "Even though you nearly destroyed two of them and got the other two deported," Ixi said with a small grunt. "We're not having this discussion right now, unless you want to have it with your mouth full as you normally do when I have something to tell you." The two of them continued to argue, even as they started to fade. Maybe it was my imagination, but even though it seemed like their insults had become even more hateful, I could see that they were both smiling. After the images faded, I saw Del shake a bit on her feet. I quickly moved to catch her, earning a smile and a nod from her. Continuing to hold Del, I spoke up, "So then what do we call you?" Probably not the right thing to say, but it was the only thing that came to mind. "Joseph, you may call me whatever you wish. I have grown somewhat fond of 'Emerald' but if you wish to call me Lareina, you may do so." Stepping over to join us, Risa added, "How about mother?" Blushing a bit, she answered, "That...might be acceptable. I found the measure of that man to be...adequate." "Yeah, thanks," I said sarcastically. Still smiling, Risa asked, "So does this mean you'll get your ass out of the way of our attempts to meet with the lord?" At that Meryl stepped away and looked at Emerald's sheepish expression, shaking her head as she spoke up, "You'd better, because mother or not...I'll put the boot to your ass." "That is rather crude, Meryl...but you are right. I have little I can offer in apology, but it was one of my contacts that put you on the path to the bronze scale pass," Emerald said with a smirk. "We just need some of your blood to give to the doll you pissed off," I offered. "Here," she said, tossing a small vial to Risa, "Mallory and I go back a long way. I doubt she was actually upset." Turning to us, Meryl looked extremely embarrassed as she began to speak again, "So Risa, uh...it's starting to clear up in my head now, but I know you never really liked foxes..." Risa crossed her arms in an attempt to look like she was seriously considering this revelation as a problem, "You going to give up your business and sit around on your ass eating fried tofu?" "What the--fuck you! Take Joe out of the picture and I'd whip your ass!" "So...yes to the fried tofu then?" Risa answered with a wide grin. Dishing out a playful punch in the arm, Meryl headed towards the door, "Come on 'old lady', you're staying with me. Delilah, you also better come with me...we need to go talk to the watch about you killing Ajora." "Understood," Del said as she stepped forward. "Wait! Won't you be in some sort of trouble?" I asked. Turning back to smile at me with a slight blush, Del replied, "There are at least two witnesses that saw Ajora attack me with foxfire at the Coveted Pearl, and Meryl could swear under truth geasa that my actions were taken in self-defense after she attempted to behead me. My only potential crime was manifesting a free-willed spirit, with a non-ectoplasmic corpus, in a residential area." "Uh...attempted to behead you?" Meryl began. "Let us go, I wish to return before it is too late and the watch of this city ask far too many meaningless questions." ------------------------ Feeling like I needed a quiet evening to digest everything that I'd seen, I got the exact opposite once Del returned. Rousing me from my slumber with a simple kiss, Del said something about a catastrophic shortage of energy before she spent the next several hours sucking the energy from my body until I fell back to sleep. Still tired, but hopeful enough that we might actually make some progress today, we set out early the next morning, heading back to the place we'd found the doll originally. As we approached, I could have sworn I saw an evil glint in her eye. "Please insert-" "Don't even start," Risa said with a grumble, "We're early...you willing to make that deal today?" "Maaaybe. What's in it for me?" the doll asked as she turned slightly in an attempt to pretend she wasn't a wanton slut, despite her childlike features. "I spoke to my mother and she said that you two were friends, so...can you do us this favor? We'll make sure your supervisor never hears about the issue with the forms," Risa said optimistically. "Fine, you're blocking my light anyway. Let me see it," the doll said as she held up her small hands to receive the vial. As she took the vial and looked it over, she threw it against the nearby wall. "Ugh, who wants blood anyway?" she began as I felt the anger on our side of the conversation being slowly turned up as though it were a jet engine preparing for takeoff before she added, "Just wanted to see if you could get it. So here's the shortcut...and you'll want to listen really closely." Engines successfully disengaged, we leaned in closer to the well-dressed doll as she cleared her throat. "Okay. There are two guards at the gate that leads up to Amarante's dwelling, right?" "Right...we had to speak with one of them to get...uh--let's just say it was the wrong pass," I replied. "Haha, no. That was better than paid theater! I soaked my bloomers straight through! Actually, are they still damp? No...I guess they're okay." the doll said as she then spun an umbrella that seemed to have materialized from nowhere. "The guards at the gate?" Del urged. "Right. Okay, so what you'll do is go up to the guard on the left, right?" Fuck, I already knew where this was going. "The guard on the left, got it," Risa said, falling into the trap. "Right," the doll answered. "Wait, the guard on the-" Risa attempted. "From the perspective of inside the gate or outside the gate?" Del asked, thankfully interrupting this horrible attempt at a comedy routine. "Outside--guard on the left, right?" the doll replied. "So would it be correct to say that you are referring to the guard standing at the westernmost guard position?" "Geez, you guys have got to be the saltiest bunch I've seen come through here in a long time. Yeah, the one on the left--west...whatever. All you need to do is ask her to take two steps to her right--or west." Frowning, Risa answered, "That has to be the most ridiculous thing I've heard in this entire multi-week ordeal. How in the world could that possibly be a shortcut?" "I can't explain it, you'll just have to try it and see. If I'm wrong then you'd have to start over anyway because I won't have any new forms for another four weeks," the doll explained. "Let's just get this over with. It's early enough that we can probably scramble back up to a level 8 pass if this doesn't pan out," I said with a smile. "Even though it seems rather troublesome, I have enjoyed spending this time with the two of you," Del said as she turned to leave. "Watch out for booby traps!" the doll shouted as we made our way back into the sewers and finally back to the street. --------------------------- "Excuse me," Risa said, addressing the guard politely, "I know this is going to probably sound...strange, but would you kindly take two steps that way?" Risa finished in her most charming voice. With a strangely wide smile, the guard asked, "Are you prepared for the consequences?" "Why not?" Risa and I said in unison as Del simply nodded. The guard took two steps to her right (our left) and revealed something that nearly made my jaw hit the street. Posted on the wall, directly behind her, was a piece of parchment with several time slots listed, an empty line next to each of them. At the top of this parchment it said in bold letters: Sign up sheet to meet with Lord Amarante. (please print legibly in the time slot that you would like to request) "So," I began dumbfounded, "we can just sign our names on here? What about this slot here...the one that just says 'Now'?" The guard answered immediately, "If the slot is empty, you just print your name on the line and we let you through the gate." "How long has this thing been here?" I asked out of morbid curiosity. "Hard to say, really. I've only been here for three years and it was posted here before I transferred to this post. I heard it's being relocated to a more visible location in another day or two...or outright removed, apparently nobody was aware that it was here. So looks like you got here just in time!" Before I could ask any further questions, Risa had already signed our names on the line and started pulling us toward the gate. I fully expected the guards to stop us for improper shoe color on a Wednesday or too many people not named Ricardo. When the guards didn't move to stop us, I dared to believe that this might actually be it. --------------------------------- "So, Joe... You don't mind if I call you Joe, do you?" My startled attention was almost immediately pulled to the sound of the voice. I turned to see a snake woman comfortably sitting atop her many coils. Despite her reassuring smile, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something very odd about the small and completely barren hut in which I'd found myself. "If you wouldn't mind telling me how I got here, then you can call me whatever you'd like," I said as I tried to look around for any signs of where I was. I stared back to the snake-girl a bit more closely, trying to determine if she looked familiar. Not making a connection, I sighed in frustration, taking on a sour disposition at where I imagined this was probably going. The snake-girl let out a soft sigh, slightly but visibly annoyed by what she must have considered my brusque manner. "In due time, Joe... Please, take a seat. We certainly can't just leave you standing there," She said as she invited me to have a seat on a chair that I was quite sure wasn't there a second ago. "I don't imagine I'd get far if I tried to make a run for it. You'll have to forgive my frustration, I've just been through seven layers of hell and this cherry isn't exactly making the shit cake any more appetizing," I answered, slumping down into the chair as I looked around for anything else that might have changed or appeared. I continued, "I apologize--there's no reason to take my anger out on you. Though, you've got me at quite a disadvantage here..." I trailed off expectantly in the hope that this would prompt my host/fellow prisoner to introduce herself. She tilted her head quizzically, not understanding. Then, as realization finally dawned in her eyes, she quickly covered her mouth with the sleeve of the large but otherwise simple kimono she wore to hide a chuckle. "Oh, forgive me...I guess I haven't introduced myself after all. I just assumed that you..." she shook her head, quickly straightening herself back again. "I am Amarante, Lord of most of the Southern portion of this continent." "Oh," I began before the words had fully processed, then adding, "Oh, shit! Sorry!" I hopped out of the chair about as fast as humanly possible trying to at least get to a knee, adding, "I uh...meant something...else. My, but this is a wonderful city you have here!" If I could have dug a hole and buried myself in it, I would have done so as I felt my blush likely turning me beet red out to the ends of my ears. Her eyes immediately lit up at my mention of the city over which she rules, every trace of her previous irritation now gone from her face. "Do you like it? I am relieved to hear so. To know that even people from the other world still appreciate Alnor is always reassuring news..." Still feeling embarrassed, I answered, keeping my eyes alternately on the floor and any other place but her, "Honestly? I love it more than I can even say. Alnor is very nearly my ideal heaven. That so few issues actually have to come before you makes it...uh...totally fine for the difficulty involved in the ones that do." I winced a bit as I remembered the infamous Day 7 of my recent bureaucratic adventures. Continuing, I added, "I don't know if this matters to you, but this city is the only place I haven't felt like the rest of the world was out to get me--and that includes the world from which I came. I'd thank you for creating this place, but that'd probably sound presumptuous--like you made it for me. And of course that's just silly, you're probably ridiculously old--er...an old soul, you know. I also want to say that I ramble when I'm nervous...or drunk." "I am glad to hear so," she simply stated. Despite the fact that she seemed to be staring straight in my direction, I could tell that her gaze was going right through me. "This city, you see... It is my dream." She smiled faintly, fixing her gaze back upon me. "Ah, but that's enough about me for now. I take it that you're seeking for my blessing and counsel, correct?" "I...ah, yes. That was my intention, but..Del and Risa were supposed to be here. Somewhere between the gate and here, I managed to lose them." I started to get worried that I or one/both of them made a mistake somewhere in our paperwork. A little frown creased the almost perfectly fair skin of her forehead, "I see... But there is no need to apologize: I am sure that the two of them will be here soon. What troubles me, however, is that I'm afraid that one of my personal attendants happens to be running a little errand for me out of town at the moment. Performing a successful blessing without her here would be rather difficult, so would you mind waiting a while for her to return? Otherwise, you could always come back tomorrow..." I nearly collapsed into a neutron star at hearing the word "tomorrow", the bane of my existence for the past three weeks. The largest part of me was convinced that she was totally full of shit about the blessing being difficult for her. I also began to wonder about something she'd said earlier, coming to a firm decision on it. "I don't..." I began, swallowing hard before continuing, determination pushing me forward, "I don't mind waiting right here. Really, it's no trouble at all--however long it takes her. It must be something very important, right? Perhaps the Nukita Consortium can be of assistance to you?" I then took several deep breaths, the sort of preparation that would be obvious to anyone skilled in trade that I was about to to unleash the mother of all sales pitches in an attempt to pick up a massive client, kill time, or possibly annoy the Lord into submission. "Good." She smiled, to my surprise appearing to be quite relieved at the prospect that I wouldn't have to return on another day. She closed her eyes as I began to distinctly hear a faint breeze blowing outside. "There," the Lord suddenly announced with a warm smile, as if something had actually changed in the past quarter of a second. "There? Please forgive my relative ignorance, but did you just incept me or something? I wouldn't be surprised if you told me that gust of wind was my physical body sloughing off this mortal coil at this point..." "Something of the sort..." She simply replied, apparently unaware of what I could have meant by the word "incept" in this context. Snapping me from my worry that I'd somehow be asleep for another year, Del and Risa seemed to materialize next to me, kneeling respectfully before the lord. Amarante nodded approvingly back at the two of them, gesturing them to rise. Slowly unfurling herself, she silently slithered towards Risa. With a sudden, almost theatrical movement, the Lord embraced the Danuki tightly. "My child," she said, solemnly welcoming her. Slowly, she broke away from the embrace and bowed her head respectfully towards Del. "Child of Blacksky." Continuing to maintain a certain degree of solemnity, she curled back up into her original position, before addressing Del once more, "Quite a few of your tales have reached these old ears of mine throughout the decades, Sorrow of Ahmose. Still, I do believe that this is the first occasion that we actually meet in person, is it not?" Risa was still blushing at the attention and remained silent. Del lowered her eyes a moment before speaking, but continued with a polite smile, "I no longer bear her sorrow, my lord, but your acknowledgement is heartwarming. I had assumed that our project might have been taken as an insult, positioned as it was intentionally at the border of three lands. We...have not met personally, no." The Lord's eyebrow rose a little at the mentioning of Delilah's loss of her previous position, but she continued to beam, "Your assumption is correct, child of Blacksky. Your city was without doubt a rather irksome presence to me, and I am sure that Ahmose can vouch that the relations between the two of us have always been rather...Tense. Nonetheless, what good would holding a grudge towards someone who has nonetheless sought me out so openly do? In here, you are my treasured guest. Nothing more, nothing less..." Del replied with a nod, "It would be distressing to know that it troubled you overmuch. Such was the only way to guarantee independence for our citizens. Certainly you understand." A moment of silence followed, as Amarante thoroughly examined Delilah from head to toe, a faint aura of sadness transpiring from the Lord's paradoxically hermetic smile. It only lasted a second, though, as she quickly dismissed it and turned around to face me and Risa. "Still, while I sincerely thank you for your presence here, child of Blacksky, I hope that you can forgive me for my presumptuous belief that my attention should rather be more directed towards the more joyous matter at hand," she said as her smile turns to a certainly less than solemn grin as she addressed me and Risa. "So, to spare you with what might be my somewhat tiresome habit of dragging things on, tell me about yourselves!" Risa straightened up a bit, taking a breath as she did so, "I am just a merchant, my lord. You may already know all of this, but my name is Karisa. I was born in the city nearly twenty years ago. My...mother died giving birth to me, by all accounts. I'm...nobody special, really." I frowned at that negative statement and began my own answer, "She's being stupidly modest, my lord. She's the driving force behind our little business venture. I'm just an outworlder with some strange ideas, none of them would have ever been possible without her." Risa flushes in embarrassment at the attention as she replies, seeming to almost forget where she is, "Oh, come on!" she says before turning back to the lord, "No, I'd still be dragging my cart from town to town if he hadn't told me about his brilliant ideas. The other women in the city would be breaking our door down if they had any idea just how...amazing he...um..." She trailed off into silence, an even more fierce blush coloring her features as she rested her hands on her knees, her eyes on the floor. The Lord appeared to be an avid listener, urging us to go on with an expectant smile, "And just how did you two meet? Did my child go with a more traditional route and sweep you off your feet? A casual meeting, perhaps...?" At that point, she was starting to look less like a Lord considering whether she should grant us her blessing and more like an old neighbor with a particular taste for these sorts of stories. Risa began as she seemed to look back on the memories with some measure of fondness, "Well...he sort of fell from the sky, right into my cart. After that we haven't really been apart." Her statement reminding me of the painful circumstances that brought me here, I cut in with my own opinion, "Well, I didn't just fall from the sky. I jumped--from somewhere in my world that would have been high enough to kill me. Then there was this whole ordeal with a spider. I would have died--for all I know I was dead." Risa perked up in response to that, adding, "No, it was really dumb luck that I was even any help...and it was my fault he got hurt in the first place. But Delilah and I spent almost a year putting him back together." Del leaned forward to add her own clarification, "Karisa is leaving out that she ran up a debt of several million gold gathering the only suitable healing reagent that would allow us to heal him." Risa looked away nervously as she whispered in response, "Del, she probably doesn't care about that!" before turning back to the lord again, "It's really no big deal. I mean...I didn't even know what he was like before I made the decision to save him. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have let him walk into that forest in the first place--swept off his feet indeed." Amarante seemed to have finally finished having her fun, as she wriggled a bit in her uncharacteristic "seat" to find a more comfortable position. She looked satisfied enough by the looks of it, as if she had just finished indulging herself in a particularly large dinner. "I believe that ought to be enough to fill me in with all that I need to know about you and your past. Now, all that we are missing is the future..." I can feel her eyes upon me, watching me intently before she turned apologetically to my companions, "Forgive me, children, but I will have to speak with Joe for a while..." She dramatically snapped her fingers. In an instant the entire hut disappeared into a sea of blackness, leaving me and the Lord alone in what seems to be a bright spotlight as she finished, "... In private." She quietly moved up to me, her snake-like eyes never leaving my own. "I worry for those children. Their scars run deep. Deeper than any of yours," she begins, gently resting her hand upon the gash on that ran across my eye and down my face, left by the dragon Ixi. "Those scars show, especially within this world of mine. And yet they are still able to smile from their hearts, able to love. They have probably seen more happiness in these past months than they have in well over the past two decades." As if to drive the point home, the Lord smiled once more at me. "You have done well, Joe, to stay by their side." I hesitated only a moment before responding, "I'll be honest...this scares me more than anything else. You know as well as I do that my life is little more than the bat of an eyelash to both of them. My life will burn out long before its ever a concern for either of them. Even knowing that...this feels important, like maybe it's the ONLY important thing that I need to do." She nodded, somewhat gravely, before asking you an unexpected question, "Tell me, Joe: do you happen to have any long-term goal in mind?" Unable to look away, I still managed to look rather nervous as I took a breath to answer, "I...have several. I want to fill our house with laughter of mine and Risa's children, to see at least a few of my crazier business ventures come to fruition, and then see about rescuing Delilah's own daughter..." Amarante looked straight at you, literally radiating warmth. "I must admit I expected no less from you, Joe. But I wonder if you are prepared for the burden of such dreams..." I blinked. Suddenly, I am back in Alnor's city center as faceless shadows of its citizens almost frenetically go about their own business. A quick look at the starry sky above me is enough for me to realize that it is nighttime. I look around, beginning to worry about where Risa, Del or the Lord might have gone. And yet, as if driven by some otherworldly sense of purpose, my feet begin to slowly move forward, one after the other. I have no idea how long I've been slowly trudging, but the tall buildings of Alnor seem to have completely gone now. All that I can see now are the vast multitude of alien and unfamiliar stars around me and the winding moonlit cobblestone path along which I am walking. It is only when my legs are almost about to completely give in that I manage to wrap my head around the abstruse physics of the place in which I currently find myself. Somehow, the gentle winding path has managed to turn into what seems to be an enormous spiral, gently stretching upwards into the starry sky. Also, the more I think about it, the more the hard cobblestones beneath me seem to be acquiring a somewhat spongy, warm feel to them. I stop to touch it and run one of my fingers along it. Snake skin. Although I really can't explain to myself how I came to that conclusion. "Look again" Echoes the Lords' voice from a distance that seems to be as far as the one that separates the continent from the Moon. I cautiously do as instructed, suddenly conscious of the distance that separates me from the ground so far down below. The sight that fills my eyes as I peer down almost causes me to gasp in surprise: what I had thought to be merely scales are actually marble-white mansions, outlined by a vast network of streets and alleys. I look up again, just in time to gaze upon an equally awe-inducing, ludicrous sight. Amarante's milk-white body appears to draw a long line amongst the stars, spiraling endlessly upwards, along with the endless city that she appears to be wearing as a second skin. I blink again, unsure about whether to hope that I will wake up from this world or not. When I open my eyes once more, my entire view is filled with the sight of Amarante's golden eyes shining down upon me and the city below like a miniature pair of suns. "My dream, Joe, is not just a part of me. It is what I am." Beneath my feet, I can feel Amarante's entire body beginning to slither away. Before I can even react, I have begun to tumble helplessly. My efforts at trying to grasp at something that might break my fall prove to be fruitless as I sink towards the ground like a stone. "And the same goes for you." Without a sound, I am swallowed by the Earth below. I awaken. At least I think] I do, though the blackness that envelops me seems to suggest otherwise. My eyes see nothing, but I can still feel that I am not alone in the darkness; two obscure presences seem to be standing right by my side. "Will you love her?" whispers a cold, heartless voice in my left ear. "Will you be by her side when she is crying?" giggles a second voice in my right ear. "Will you protect her from harm?" "Will you smile for her when she is laughing?" "Will you bear the brunt of her hatred?" "Will you teach her to love this ever-short life of ours?" "Will you...?" "Will you...?" The cacophony of voices becomes almost maddening. "Yes!" I scream, "A hundred thousand times, yes. For her, there is no question you could ask to get a different answer. Even if you asked me to pull the moon down, or crack the sky, you'd get the same." "Swear it!" They both seem to stubbornly yell at the same time. I take in a massive breath and shout back at the voices, "I swear it! On my existence, my name, or my future. If I had stronger words to call forth on this oath, I would use them. My heart would demand no less!" The two voices finally disappear with a single, satisfied sigh, followed by a welcome silence. I am finally granted a moment to catch my breath. The endless series of almost otherworldly scenes that have just taken place before my eyes seem to have nonetheless taken their toll on me. As I begin to seriously wonder if the grim world that seems to stretch out all around will ever fade away like the others, it hits me. I am not alone in the darkness anymore. I look around, trying to pinpoint the exact position of this new presence, bracing myself for the worse. Finally, as if a light has been suddenly shone to reveal the main actress of the absurd play that seems to be unfolding all around me right now, Risa appears before me, apparently just as confused as I am by the blackness that seems to envelop everything around her but, more importantly, by my previous disappearance. Feeling as though I can still somehow move in this darkness, I resolve that I will not let Risa wander in it alone. I reach out in an attempt to pull her to me, if not to actually grab her, than at least to let her know that I am here. Thankfully confirming that this is no mere illusion, I feel her start for a moment as she feels the unexpected contact, only relaxing back into my embrace once she realizes it is my touch. She turns to face me directly as we continue to float in this darkness, her eyes say more in their gaze than any book as mine respond in kind, defying that words even be put to what was passing between us in that moment. "Karisa. Joe." A solemn voice cuts through the darkness, causing the two of us to spin around. This time, luckily, my eyes are not assaulted by some other bombastic vision; Amarante is quite simply standing before us, the whiteness that seems to be radiating out of her entire body acting almost like a weak beacon in this dark place. Peering behind her, I can even barely make out Del's silhouette as well. The Calm Lord soundlessly glides towards the two of you. "I bless you with a dream." There is something about the tone of her voice that causes a cold shiver to run down my back for a moment. A blue flame, no bigger than the one of a candle, appears in her outstretched palm. "Is this...our dream? Risa asks as her eyes move between me and the flame. As we both delicately take it from her hand, I can feel it gently beating. It is soothingly warm. As we take hold of the flame, we can feel the calm, measured pulse of it. It seems strange to think that something so small represents the nearly impossible goal which we set out to attain. With the light illuminating Risa's features, an almost unbelieving smile on her face, I know that this is the right choice. Whatever else happens, this moment--Karisa and Joseph holding their dream, would endure. "I don't have to say it, but I will. I love you Karisa," I say, using her unshortened name so that she'd never worry that I'd done this for some fantasy or without knowing exactly what I was doing. "You'll never need to say it, but I'll always be happy to hear it. I love you too, Joseph..." The Lord waits patiently, before finally moving closer to the Danuki. "My child," she says, kissing Karisa on the brow, "You have chosen well." The lord breaks away from her, slithering past Delilah with an acknowledging dip of her head. She stops right in front of me, at no more than a dozen of inches away from my face. "There will come a time when I will have to tear apart everything you ever strove for and everything you tried to build here bit by bit, stone by stone. Alnor is merciless, and everything must always start anew within it. If you continue down the path that I fear you are walking, there might come a time when we will meet on not such amiable terms." Amarante pauses before continuing, "But that time is not now. And until that day, Joe," Gently, she cups my head into her soft, white hands, "Do not ever stray from your dreams. Not even a single one of them." Slightly shocked, I respond, "Despite how it may seem, I don't want Alnor to be anything like the world from which I came. I took the express train out of there for a lot of good reasons. Knowing that this city is your dream, though, it just wouldn't be right for it to be boring. But I also wouldn't do anything to harm it...because it's part of my dream too. And really, where would the fun be in only dreaming about things you can see when you're awake?" Her smiles fades for but a brief second. Then, quite abruptly, she gives me a quick peck. The act appears to be more driven out of gratitude than actual desire, but nonetheless the molasses-like gob of demon-energy that momentarily courses through my entire body is enough to almost send every nerve in my body into a sizzling haywire. Without saying a single word, the Lord distances herself from the three of us, smiling radiantly. And with that, she is gone. The flame in my hand begins to grow, enveloping all of us in its almost comforting embrace. My eyes fluttered open, this time for real. Despite the cold, early morning sun that is rising on the horizon or the damp earth beneath me, however, the warmth from the dream still seemed to cling to me. |
| Chapter 50 - Fragments of Life ---------------- She dashed forward as I expected, my body already moving inside her guard. I stepped across where her balance line would be and threw a quick chop followed by an elbow, both of them catching her in the throat. Her attempt to reverse her momentum nearly bent her spine backwards over my knee as I threw a solid punch to her solar plexus. Not able to see the reaction but knowing what it would be, I ducked as her arm passed through my hair, just barely missing my skull as the air shuddered in the likely sonic boom that was created with the sheer speed of her passing hand. Grabbing her wrist before the arc of her punch had fully extended, I brought her arm down as I lunged upwards, breaking her arm at the elbow with my skull as the fulcrum of this bloody lever. I ticked the seconds off in my mind as she withdrew a moment. On the second tick I jumped slightly, bringing my knees up toward my chest, and reared my head back. I began hurling myself forward as if to go into a forward roll, my descending foot landing on her thigh with my hands on her shoulders as her dash had carried her forward so quickly that she was nearly beneath me. As she made to throw a skull-crushing punch at me, my face was already descending towards hers as fast as humanly possible. The barest touch of her knuckle grazed the outer edge of my eye socket as it passed, the force behind her attack turning the bone to powder, just as my forehead connected connected with her nose. Her mouth opened in pain or surprise--the goal I had been trying to achieve--and I spit the tiny object down her throat just as the crushing pain of her punch finally registered in my brain, easily pulling a scream from me as I hit the ground on my knees, my opponent jumping back and grabbing her throat as she threw a look of disbelief at me. Spitting black blood onto the ground as she tried to clear her eyes of the mixture of her and my blood, she calmly spoke, "I do not understand. How is a human able to move as you do?" Trying to hold my left eye in the socket to prevent it from falling free of its broken home, I drew a few lines in the dirt as I answered, "Would you understand if I told you I was cheating?" I kept the count. One, two. She takes a step forward. Seven, Eight. The ground begins to rumble as a nearby conflict seems to shake the entire nation of Kaori. "You know that you will die here, and yet there is hope and even joy within you. Are you a hero acting as the vanguard of the approaching army?" Damn it, I lost the count again. That thought was ground into a bloody mist as I had no more answers for her supernatural quickness. My arm was sundered from my body as her cruel grasp then punctured the skin of my chest to use my ribs and sternum like a convenient handle as she picked me up with a single arm to drain my essence from me. Smiling even as I coughed up blood, I let out one last gasp as I uttered, "I'm no hero, and that...is no army, Lorelei. That...is...your mother." ------------------ I snapped awake in a cold sweat, greeted immediately by Del's eyes looking at me in concern. "I...just had a really bad dream," I offered to the unasked question. "So it seems, my love," Del whispered back at me as she lovingly brushed the sweat-matted hair from my brow, "Do you wish to speak about it?" I leaned up a bit and kissed the top of her head, "It was just a dream, I'll be fine." I quickly closed my eyes, more in an attempt to hide from the still-knowing innocence of my lover's violet stare than in an attempt to go back to sleep. "Understood." --------------- Del, Risa, and I had been having a wonderful conversation about the quality of tea in the city. Before that it had been a rather complicated discussion about whether the hard prohibition on plowing a fox still applied given the revelations on Meryl. Some time before that it had been the delightful weather for this time of year. Just as Del has suspected, the city guards had needed to ask more than a few questions of Del and Meryl about what exactly had happened at Ajora's estate. It took nearly two days and the intervention of another necromancer to determine that, while she may have been somewhat excessive, Delilah's actions legally fell under those acceptable in self-defense. Due to the laws on mind control of a magic or spiritual nature, even if Meryl had planned the whole thing, the spiritual remains of the kitsune-bi upon her psyche cleared her of any suspicion. She wouldn't have been suspected in the first place if she hadn't also been the oldest of Ajora's adopted daughters, meaning that Meryl stood to inherit everything she already thought she owned. It turned out that we'd never learn what actually happened at Ajora and Gabriel's wedding. Del claimed that any further attempts to call Ajora's spirit back from the beyond would be damaging to her, and it was nothing more than a curiosity at this point. Emerald--Lareina had to leave the city, her exile still in effect, but made certain it would be far easier to contact her in the future. She also made a tearful demand that she be present at the birth of mine and Risa's child. It was a possibility that she might be able to buy herself out of exile, but with interest and the sheer size of her original debt, she was still short some two million gold--far more than we were willing or able to provide. With that all (mostly) settled, we finally got to spend some quiet time at home. For the last three days since meeting with Lord Amarante, however, about the only topic that seemed to have gone completely without discussion was sex between me and my wives. Seriously? Every single time my eyes caught Risa's, a flood of thoughts and emotions seemed to bury the both of us until one of us looked away. Even Del failed to bail us out in this instance, possibly realizing that this was a bit more complex than a case of stage fright. According to Del's research, and the agreement of nearly everyone else we asked, the lord's blessing was pretty damn absolute. If Risa and I made love, she would get pregnant. Sure, that wasn't far off from what they'd told me in health class--when you put tab 'P' into slot 'V', babies happen. Even with at least a few of my...'conquests' taunting me along those lines, and the now disturbing trend of every single goblin I passed on the street to smile and wink at me, I'd had so much sex since I got to this world with no such (obvious) consequences that I'd nearly forgotten that component. We didn't rush into this, and we'd had more than enough time to think this through while waiting in line and running all over hell's half-acre to even get in to see the Lord. This was definitely what we wanted, and all it would take is one of us to mention it to get us over the fear of staring into the unknown. "Are these Kioko leaves? This is just great--the touch of chicory adds just the right touch of bitterness," I said, offering the conversational equivalent of throwing up my hands in surrender. "Definitely. I got a great deal on them at the market yesterday. Pretty much got the shopkeeper to throw them in for free with the herbs I was picking up for dinner," Risa answered, her own white flag waving wildly. Del opened her mouth to speak, mine and Risa's eyes jumping to her immediately, possibly hopeful that she'd pull us out of this comical quagmire, "I received word from Ish that she managed to procure those tomes I requested. She said that she will deliver them personally within the month." Risa and I both let out a sigh of quiet frustration. "So how did she get them, and what do you hope to find in them?" I asked Del, not certain I was completely interested. "Apparently there is a vast collection of many impressive pieces of writing within Michiko's domain. Were it not for the inconvenience of being at the bottom of the sea, the thought of living in such a place would appeal to me. Regardless, I do not believe that these are original versions of the texts in question, but Ish was able to get a transcription of those and two other books that never made it into the Blacksky archives. I remain hopeful that that they may provide some options on how to resolve my magical conundrum." "If you find anything interesting, let me know. I haven't been much help, but that might be just the thing I need to come up with something," I offered. "Understood. If I do not find anything of true worth, I may need to revisit the notion of dragging her back by force." Risa seemed shocked at that, "Whoa there, sexy! You've got to be kidding. That's deep in Kaori's land, and I've heard that hornet's nest is even more riled up than normal lately after some sort of infighting. If you forced your way that close to Zarom, they'd probably start moving their proper military forces." "I appreciate your concern, Risa. At present, such an assault could possibly strain my magical reserves to the breaking point. I would never attempt such an incursion without a desperately pressing need," Del answered, now looking as though she was pondering that exact idea. Taking a deep breath over several seconds, I spoke again, changing the subject to the one that we'd all been wanting to address, "Risa, let's do it tonight." Knowing that I didn't mean an assault on Kaori, and seeing her nervous blush bring her color close to matching my own, she turned to look at me directly, "Okay." "Whew...I thought you might turn me down," I said in an attempt to get my heart back to beating at a reasonably normal rate. "No...I'm glad you said something. I've been so nervous--not to mention ridiculously horny. If you'd waited another day or two I would have probably just thrown myself at you like normal, and I want this to be special," Risa answered as she wrung her hands. "Would you like me to leave the two of you alone this evening?" Del asked flatly. Risa straightened up in her seat as she answered, "Absolutely not. Not only do you have every right to be there...I want you there." "Risa is right. You are an important part of this family and in this messed-up world, it just feels like you should be there," I added. "Understood," Del replied, looking slightly relieved. We remained silent for the next several minutes. I looked up at the sun and figured it couldn't be much later than noon and sighed as I took another sip of this increasingly annoying tea. "You know," I began as I set my cup back down on the table, "It's not like we have anything else to do today. Maybe after we finish this tea we could-" Risa answered by dumping the rest of it into the grass, "It was swill anyway. No wonder I got it for free." "I don't even really like tea," I said with a smile as I used my own cup to help water the garden. Having set my cup back down, Risa reached over and gently grabbed my hand as she stood and began slowly and deliberately leading me to our room. Del followed behind, looking just the tiniest bit distant even after I grabbed her own hand in an attempt to reassure her that this was what we wanted. It should have occurred to me that perhaps Del didn't want to be present for this. It represented something that wouldn't be possible for her and, perhaps more than that, reminded her of the important issue with Lorelei that was still hanging over her like deadly thunderhead. For now, though, she seemed at least calmed by our presence. Even though this moment, like the blessing with Amarante, was more for Risa, I wasn't going to let Del worry for much longer if I could help it. Today or tomorrow, I would start putting my plan to somehow recover Lorelei into motion. Those thoughts were temporarily (and thankfully) stifled by a series of passionate kisses from my Danuki bride as I was pulled into our room. Long-ish somewhat soft h-scene. More emotion than anything else My muscles gave out almost immediately afterwards as I nearly collapsed atop Risa, her own strength too sapped to even attempt to move me. With the sound of gentle weeping in her voice, blessedly colored by joy rather than pain, Del whispered to us as she stroked mine and Risa's hair, "That was...the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I should-" She made to get up but I used the strength I had left in my arm to grab her wrist in an attempt to keep her from leaving, only realizing after I had done so that Risa had grabbed Del's other wrist with the same intention. "If what I had experienced...before, had been anything like that, I would be a far different person today," Del whispered, her voice seemed to fade as I began to slip into an exhausted slumber, "I do not deserve either of you." My only response before I faded completely was an attempt to hold Del's hand a bit more tightly. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- After that day...things went, more or less, back to normal. "Normal" may not have been the word to describe it as the next day kicked off what I can only assume was a dedicated and concerted attempt by fate itself to convince me to take up drinking. The stress hit me like a steel-toed boot to the face as I started to worry if everything was going to be perfect, if we could afford everything we needed, if Risa was eating enough, all along with at least a thousand other shifting worries. On top of all that, both of my wives seemed to have had their libidos cranked even further beyond their already inhuman levels. Risa's overinflated desire could be understood possibly as a side effect of some insane mamono hormones as a result of her condition. With Del, I could only assume that it was some combination of a need to "keep up" mixed with a desire to see me laying, utterly insensate, in every room of the house as often as possible. Anything I said could be taken as an invitation. It was like walking on eggshells that had already been pre-cracked just to taunt me. -- "Looks like it's going to rain today," I said as I looked out the window at a few dark clouds in the sky. Throwing her bag (and any further desire to go shopping) across the room, Risa slid up behind me, "Oh, it's definitely going to be a wet one." -- "Hey, Risa. Have you seen any of my clothes? I mean...even the ones I had hanging up and in the drawers are gone." "I saw an ant in the kitchen so I thought we should wash them all," Risa said, looking positively devious. "How am I supposed to go out with no clothes?" "Mmm...I guess you'll just have to stay...in." -- "Del, where did you put all those dwarven steel plates that were in the basement?" I asked. "I found a use for them." "That's...a little vague. Did you-" "Let us copulate," she interrupted, her body pinning me to the floor. ---------------------- The only reprieve I managed to get was when Genevieve arrived about three weeks later to deliver the books she had promised to Del. The moment Del got her hands on them, she ran off with an almost childlike glee, vanishing for several days. She only came up for "air" when her energy reserves were low. That usually meant another day on my back. At least she took those opportunities to relate to me what she had learned from them so far, at least a few of the ideas sounding hopeful. It was hard to say how much I actually retained while my undead lover drove me to distraction, but a few stray pieces of information definitely put a finer edge on one of my plans. After only about a month, Risa was already starting to show a slight bump on her belly. I first noticed it in the bath as she was drying herself off. "See something you like?" Risa asked with a wide smile, snapping me from my reverie and making me realize I'd been staring. "All sorts of things--everything." Blushing a bit at my focused attention, Risa leaned down over the water to give me a kiss. I saw my chance and I took it, quickly pulling her off her feet and back into the large steaming bath. "Damn it, Joe...you know how long my tail takes to dry," she said as she sputtered slightly. "We'll call it payback for throwing me down into the flowerbed earlier," I quipped as I pulled her backwards into an embrace. Craning a slender arm back over her shoulder, she turned slightly to deliver the kiss that had been her original intention. "Dinner is going to be late," Risa said after our kiss as she shot me a seductive look of desire through her gorgeous half-lidded eyes. Repositioning her slightly on my lap, I pulled her back against me as I answered, "You looked like you had a taste for something else anyway." As she rubbed herself against me with a sultry chuckle, she replied, "Oh, always. But that look on your face says you just wanted to hug me and your daughter." Now blushing myself as I looked down over her shoulder at where my hands had chosen to rest, I mumbled a bit before giving an actual response, "I hope she doesn't know what I'm about to do to her mother." ----------------------- Taking one of the few chances I had to get out of the house, I waited until Risa had gone shopping for dinner and quickly made my way to Genevieve's home in an attempt to ask her for assistance that might turn my one increasingly desperate plan into two equally improbable options. Knocking at the gate brought an imp dressed (admittedly, rather adorably) in a fetching maid outfit. "Yes?" the maid imp asked as she peeked out through the crack offered by the slightly opened door. "I'm here to see the lady of the house, please. My name is Joseph...I don't believe she is expecting me," I offered politely. "Please step inside. The mistress is entertaining a few guests, but I will inform her of your arrival." The unusually reserved imp led me into a modest sitting room with several comfortable chairs, offering me a cup of tea while I waited. Not willing to brave the potential ingredients in said tea, I politely declined and simply stared out the window as I waited. Coming back into the room with far more color on her face to accompany what looked like marks from a whip or riding crop, the imp gave a small bow as she breathed heavily, "Hah...the mistress will be with you s-shortly." "Uh...thanks." Another handful of minutes later, the mistress herself stepped into the room, heading to a well-concealed bar across the far wall. As she passed by me, she exuded a scent that left no question as to what she'd been doing only moments before and she seemed to be trying to avoid looking at me completely. "Thank you for seeing me," I said a bit too quietly as she seemed to ignore me. As I took a breath to speak again, not certain she'd heard me, she finally spoke up with her back still facing me, "So you are the interim chairman of the prostitute's union." "I suppose that's technically-" Cutting in again as though she hadn't heard or wasn't listening to me, she continued, "I had hoped it might be some other man with the same name, given the substantial pain your reforms have caused me." Unable to read any kind of emotion in her voice, but somehow feeling guilty for coming here with a potentially ridiculous request, I remained silent for close to a full minute before trying to speak again, "I assure you that I wasn't-" Interrupting me yet again (Now she was just being a bitch), she finally turned around with an unreadable smile, "But you are here for another reason entirely, Joseph. Congratulations are also in order, no? Does your visit have something to do with your growing family?" The brightness of her smile had me fully convinced she'd forgotten about any anger she might have felt over the whore's reforms (that she mentioned less than two minutes prior), as I answered with a half-smile of my own, "In a roundabout way. Before I continue though, I need your assurance that nothing we speak of will leave this room." Now actually looking interested, Genevieve leaned back against the bar and stared straight through me as she answered, "You should have brought your charming wife Karisa, Joseph. She knows how to not look desperate when she's about to make an unreasonable request." "I guess I am desperate, and you may be the only person that can help. I wanted to come through that door with something I could even offer that might be able to persuade you, but I already know that there's nothing I could offer that you would want." There we go. Delivered like a practiced salesman. Throwing myself to the floor and kissing her feet would have likely seemed less flagrantly desperate. "Before I turn you down, why don't you at least tell me what it is you want," she said as she looked away. Giving a sigh, I quietly answered, "I need to know the final rune you used to create the Blacksky channeling focus with Del." Looking like she was as likely to laugh in my face as respond, she composed herself a bit before replying, "Oh? Going to break ground on your own city are we? What possible need could you have for such knowledge." "Knowledge is it's own-" Cutting me off with a gesture, she replied, "I am speaking with you, Joseph--not your wife." At that I stood, "That doesn't make it any less true. But this is for a purpose that is very important to me. I haven't seen Del in days because she's been digging through those books you got her trying desperately to find an answer." "Some things will always remain beyond our reach, Joseph," she answered quietly. "But this is important! Isn't there some way I could convince you to help me?" "I am truly sorry Joseph, but you would not survive learning the rune," she said as she turned back to me, her seriousness barbed with melancholy, "Had I known your request was for a reason of such import I would not have answered you so flippantly." With a deep sigh, I shook my head, "I knew it was a long shot anyway. I figured it was probably something only a demon could handle anyway or you'd have already taught it to Del." Making her way to the door in an obvious invitation for me to leave, she said, "I understand. I apologize that I could not be of more assistance but I cannot stay to chat at the moment, sadly, as I am entertaining several guests. If you have any further need of me, you can stop by again." Heading out the front door, I turned back and gave a small bow, "Thank you for seeing me though, it was a crazy idea anyway." "You are most welcome, Joseph. Please stop by again soon," she finished as she gently closed the door. I was reasonably certain I heard several cracks of a whip and some somewhat pained moans as I made my way down the street toward home. With Genevieve's rejection, I was left with only one option and a very slim chance of success. It was better than nothing, and far better than forcing Del to confront the daily reminder of her lost child. I knew that Del would say little, if anything, about how she truly felt about the situation. It was enough to know that she'd spent nearly her entire life learning and practicing necromancy for the sole reason of getting her daughter back. Shaking the thoughts off for now, I headed home to make sure that my increasingly horny pregnant wife didn't start humping the furniture in my absence. --------------------------- It took about another full month for Del to have completely digested the contents of the books she received from Genevieve. The resulting experiments had proven to be...unpromising. I gathered this information the night that she finished her tests. Finally attempting to slide into bed with Risa and I after nearly the entire month absent, Del had moved a bit too quickly and managed to rouse me from yet another disturbing dream. "Any luck?" I whispered hopefully to her in the dark, the frustrated look on her face answering my question before she even spoke. "There were many powerful and interesting techniques, but nothing that would be of any use," she answered as if exhausted. "Don't worry, Del. I'll keep trying to think of something," I said in the subdued voice of near-slumber "I know you will, my love." "Do you...need any energy? You look really exhausted," I asked. "No, Joe. Return to sleep," Del answered as she looked away. Now I was really worried. It was rare that I ever had to even mention sexual activities, the desires of my companions being greater than my own, but Del normally wouldn't have turned down my own offer for such activity if we were still in the presence of Lord Amarante. I wanted to cry in frustration at the warring emotions within me, each represented by one of the women beside me. While I continued to wrack my brain on how to make my only plan to recover Lorelei work, I felt Risa move slightly beside me. As I was about to move in an attempt to make her more comfortable, I realized that it wasn't Risa that had moved, but her tiny passenger. I covered my mouth to stifle a small gasp, my drowsiness almost instantly obliterated as the reality of this moment drew me into its inescapable clutches. My eyes flew to Risa's belly, the taut skin over her swollen middle only now seeming to be growing far more quickly than I would have ever imagined in so short a time. My breath quickened ever so slightly as I tried and failed to completely wrap my mind around the amazing thing I was seeing. "Give me your hand, Joe," Del gently whispered to me, a welcome smile upon her lips again. As I did so, she led my fingers softly to my daughter's ever-growing home, Del's own hand remaining on mine. "You seem surprised, my love." "She's growing so fast, Del." "Danuki pregnancies move more quickly than humans, typically lasting four to five months," Del continued in a whisper. "I just felt her move!" I spouted in a harsh whisper, nearly smacking myself as I felt Risa stir in her sleep. "Your warmth is different than Risa's so she likely knows you are checking on her. Perhaps she already has a touch of your amusing arrogance and is trying to impress you." As I was about to respond, I ventured a look to make sure Risa was still asleep only to see her eyes wide open, smiling up at me. Feeling suddenly very embarrassed, I made to pull my hand away before Risa spoke up. "She kick you awake too?" "Uh...sort of..." "I swear, Joe...you get bashful about the strangest things. You know Meryl commissioned a top artist to do an oil painting of our market encounter, right?" "You--you're joking, right?" "No, Risa is correct, Joe. I have not yet seen it, but I have been told that it was done very tastefully." "Del..." I began, lost for words. "I see. Joe, so I can update my notes, do you believe that statement would have elicited more hilarity if I had mentioned that it won a small local art prize and that quality reproductions can be had for less than one hundred gold pieces?" "Fuck, I don't know. We at least going to see any royalties?" I asked, trying to find a bright spot. "Since the act was performed under the public exhibition sanction of the city, the act itself is not owned by the participants. Any royalties in this case would go to Meryl since she purchased the rights to the original outright," Del added, oh-so-helpfully. "I think I'm ready to go back to sleep now," I said, closing my eyes. Despite myself, I couldn't help cracking a smile, destroying what I tried to pretend was anger. There was literally nothing I could imagine that was more embarrassing than the thought that, not only had my wives and I had many hours of hardcore sex in the most visible place in the city, but that my sister-in-law was actually making money selling paintings of the act. "Alright, Del...definitely more hilarity from the second statement," I said with a sigh of capitulation. "Understood." Taking on a slightly more serious tone, Risa pulled my hand back to her tummy, "Joe, we belong to each other. That goes for you too, Del--I mean it." "Under--rather...Thank you, Risa." After the events in Blacksky and the meeting with Ahmose, I thought that I'd have been okay with dying to bring Lorelei back to Del. Even in my absence, my undead lover would never let harm come to Risa or my child, and my wives would be far better teachers and role-models than a nearly mad whore with a lifespan that would be little more than a footnote on the grand wheel of any of their lives. The moment I felt my daughter shift in response to my touch, however, my nerve crumbled like an ice palace built on the surface of the sun. Even imagining the phrase "my daughter", I knew that I'd never let my little girl want for anything, and that included a loving father. I was left with two goals before we could have our "happily ever after". I needed to bring Lorelei back to Del, and I needed to keep myself alive in the process, no matter the cost. Assuming Del's statement was accurate, as her statements always are, I had at least another two months before this child was born, and I wasn't going to take the chance of Del having to suffer anything but joy to see that birth. That meant I had that much time to drag that murderous wight back to Del or find some way to fix her myself. The time for theory and speculation was done. The moment I awoke, I would set my only plan into motion. |
| Chapter 51 - From Two Stars, a River My chest heaving for all I was worth, I continued to drag her body behind me. Del and Risa were both so light, so why did this wight feel like a sack full of bricks? Maybe it would be easier if I didn’t have a gaping hole in my stomach, the price I paid to disable her. I’d seen enough movies and read enough books to know that a belly wound wouldn’t kill me right away, but it would kill me. I just had to hope that some sort of magic might help fix it or that Del could lay another miracle over me, assuming I could ever make my way back. Slipping upon some rocky detritus, I slammed my face into the upward-sloping floor of the cave. Trying to get my feet back beneath me, I realized that I simply didn’t have the strength. Where did everything go so wrong? ---------------------------------------------- “Yes, I can do it. And yes, that crystal should suffice, but-” “Then why can’t you just stop talking, take my gold, and give me what I need?” I asked, growing increasingly frustrated with this witch. Adjusting her oversized, wide-brimmed hat, she answered back, “Look, assuming you could find an opportunity to use it, disabling any undead--let alone a wight, is assault. If I craft this enchantment and you end up using it within the province, it’ll be easily traced back to my shop.” “I don’t know how I can make this any more clear. Did I not already say that I’m taking this to Kaori? I already offered to pay you double. Can’t you just assume I’m a stupid, worthless man that’s trying to foolishly act above his station?” I frowned inwardly when I realized that my final argument seemed to be the one having the most effect. Adjusting her hat again and shooting me an utterly transparent look of faux contemplation, she responded with the answer I was looking for. “Triple the normal rate and I’ll do it.” “Done,” I said as I slammed several large handfuls of coins down on the counter. For three-hundred gold, this was still a fraction of what I thought I’d have to pay. I would have paid a thousand or more at this point as every single other possibility had been a dead end. No matter how politely worded, Genevieve’s refusal to help hurt the worst. Until that point I actually had two potential options. Now I was left with only one bad option, subpar tools, and an expected aftermath that put me in horrible danger. I’d been playing cloak and dagger for too long in trying to enact this stratagem and now Risa was due to deliver within another two weeks. Assuming nothing went wrong, my plan involved a pair of ridiculously expensive masking potions for the trip, there and back, to make me and my transport invisible to the senses of most beings, and a piece of pure quartz with a modified enchantment of spirit trapping to disable my target. At great cost (and even greater difficulty to hide the expenditures) I managed to find the place where Lorelei was supposed to be hiding, a map to pinpoint the location, and an overpaid centaur to carry me there and back, ideally with my step-daughter in tow. On paper, the plan was horrible. In my head...it was just as bad or worse. I almost wished that Cholris hadn’t already seen at least part of the plan to tell me how slim my chances were. On the plus side, the only difficult parts of my plan were getting to one of the most hellish places in creation and then unleashing a questionable enchantment upon one of the most dangerous creatures walking the earth. It was patently obvious that I’d bitten off far more than I could chew. Every time I even looked at Risa, I was filled with such boundless joy that my conscience begged me to forget this risky venture. Risa seemed in a state of contagiously euphoric happiness herself, especially after each walk around Alnor. The jealous looks we got as a married couple would have been consumed like teardrops into a hurricane when put up against the venomous gawking that poured over us now. The sobering reality came in the slightly fading violet of Del’s eyes. Over the last months she had acted as though she was nothing more than happy for the both of us and that she felt as though this blessing applied to all three of us. I knew she was lying, but it wasn’t entirely clear if she did. Who’s to say that Del would have been any happier about seeing Risa with child if she was still on good terms with her own daughter? What if her greater sadness was that she’d never be able to bear a child of her husband? It’s interesting to me that Risa had the wrong of it from the start, thinking less of herself when she said that she’d never be able to do the sort of things that Del could do. While correct, it ignored the reality that the statement would have been just as true if Del had said it. Every time I tried to talk to Del about it, she would brush it off while looking genuinely happy about the situation. I knew her well enough by now to know that she wasn’t just upset, she was fading...and quickly. After her research into those new mystical books hadn’t yielded anything of use, it was as though the life started leaving Del completely. Could I really choose between Delilah and Karisa? Perhaps this wasn’t her intention, but Ahmose told me that the right option is sometimes not to choose. To me, that meant trying the only option I could imagine that would leave them both happy. ------------------------------- “I’m heading out, sweetie. Do you need anything from the market?” I asked Risa while I was finishing giving her a long footrub. Nearly asleep after my ultimate combination attack of backrub into footrub, she drowsily replied, “Mmm...some pork, and some raisins, and some more you.” Placing a kiss upon one of her well-relaxed feet and another softer one on her lips, I whispered to her, “I’ll see what I can do, so get some rest.” Pulling a blanket over her and heading out to the market, I set about looking for my transport contact. Today was going to be the day. I hadn’t seen Del in almost two days and Risa was still dead tired this early in the morning after wrestling with our unborn daughter all night. I left a vague note for Del explaining that I’d be back in a couple days with a present for her. There was little chance she would miss the meaning, so I needed to hurry. Finally meeting up with Clara, the “overpaid centaur”, I made the final payment to secure transport to and from my destination. I found, to my dismay, that actually riding her was out of the question. She intended to carry me like a princess the entire way. I was pretty sure that the tingling in the back of my skull was pride, fucking with me. Swallowing a centaur-sized dose of “pride” we made our way from the city at speeds that were fast enough to worry me that I might be dropped and trampled to death if she had to sneeze. I couldn’t argue with the speed, however, as it was unlikely that anything would be able to catch us. ------------------------------------------ Clara was blessedly quiet for the most part, only making a bit of small talk before we crossed the border into Kaori just as the sun was setting. “You supposed to be some kind of hero?” “Why do you ask?” “Well I wasn’t going to say anything given how much you paid in advance, but a single man alone, that deep in Kaori, wouldn’t last more than a few hours before making a swift job change to slave or eternal fuck-toy,” she answered without even looking at me. “Oh, no worries there,” I said. “So the boss was being serious when she said you were just completely insane. At least I won’t have to wait for you when you get bagged and hauled off to one of the slave pits.” “No, no. If you get me to my destination, I’ll be a dead man long before any of that if something goes wrong,” I said as I stared back at the quickly vanishing lands of Amarante. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you the full day you requested unless I personally see you dragged off by slavers or...something worse,” she said with a smirk. “I’ll be sure to write you a glowing review if I survive,” I said before going completely silent. ---------------------------------- “Where is he?!” Risa shouted, considerable pain adding a growl to her voice that made her sound like a woman possessed. “Calm down, girlie,” Meryl said, trying her best to be reassuring, “Delilah went after him, and if he was here, you’d have already broken his hand.” Now in tears, Risa threw her head back in a scream of pain, “I-I don’t know what to do, Meryl...He’s supposed to be here! Where did he-” Throwing the doors wide in what seemed to be a response to Risa unasked questions, the echidna formerly known as Emerald slithered her way into the room. “Lords, but you are far too early. Meryl, start boiling some water and fetch me some towels,” she said with authority as she leaned in to try and offer her daughter some comfort. “Okay!” Meryl said as she ran from the room, trying to shake some feeling back into her hand. “Em--I mean...Ahh!!” Risa screamed, her attempts at conversation strangled in pain. “You need to breathe, dear. I know it hurts, believe me,” she said as she put her ear to Risa’s midsection, her eyes going wide as she added, more calmly than her expression would suggest, “This is going to get very complicated. Delilah told me, but I didn’t think--Nevermind. Look at me--I need you here, Risa...we’ll give your deadbeat husband an earful later. Listen to my voice and trust me,” Lareina said, asserting her will through her emerald gaze, “Your body knows what to do, so the only thing you must do right now is listen to it--I will help you.” Biting through another unspeakably tight pain, Risa nodded, “Okay...I’ll try.” “That’s my girl.” --------------------------------- Does it make me a horrible person to see Clara’s dead body and worry more about my own trip home than whether she would survive? What about if I was also secretly worrying about my security deposit? “You should count yourself fortunate that it was we that discovered you and not the slavers,” a very large cowled woman said as she advanced upon me. With my face held in the dirt, I wasn’t certain yet that this was a favorable outcome as I responded, “Why is that? This...doesn’t seem much better for me, and certainly not for the centaur.” “She would not calm herself and she tried to escape. If any were to learn that we are here, we would be a target again for the oppressive forces of this land,” She answered with a voice that, while powerful, seemed to have a painful raspy edge to it. “So then who are you? I have something very important to do here and if I can’t do it, I may as well be dead,” I said in frustration, nearly choking on the dust of the broken ground beneath me. “We are the servants of the Red Hand, and she has told us of your coming.” I wasn’t certain about which to be more worried, that her answer sounded a bit too fanatical, or that someone was sure enough that I was coming to prepare a countermeasure to my expensive invisibility tonics. Hell, for all I knew, the damn tonic didn’t work in the first place and we’d been visible the whole time. I imagined that dwarven alchemist laughing her ass off and rolling around in the pile of gold I’d paid for these. The reality was, I was absolutely terrified, and thinking about my actual situation was probably just going to see me fall to pieces. I took a shot in the dark on the few beings that could possibly expect my arrival and asked, “Is the Red Hand a wight named Lorelei?” Instantly regretting my choice of words as a clawed foot pressed against my spine, the cowled woman replied as she did so, “None would dare ask the true name of the one who will deliver us! She is beyond the petty designations of your so-called scholars. But you will see soon enough when you become one with her.” Fuck. ------------------------------------------- Three large slaver camps, two mines, and one military outpost had been wiped off the map in two days, all of them falling under a straight black line on the map that started at the Kaori border. “It isn’t anything local, and Amarante’s troops would sooner piss themselves than cross the border,” the general’s assistant said. “Then what the fuck is it?” the general asked, as she stared down at the map. “Whatever it is, it looks like it’s heading straight for Zarom.” “This is just what I fucking need right now with Kaori-knows-how-many slavers pissing blood and demanding a crack at the Legion.” “We can’t afford-” With a resounding smack, the general silenced her assistant, “When I want your opinion, I’ll beat it out of you. Here’s how this is going to work. I can’t ignore this, so tell my girls--you know the ones--to start spreading rumors that this thing is a special Legion weapon, but we’ll look the other way on whatever happens as long as that ‘weapon’ is placed in our hands afterwards. We’ll mobilize three divisions of the army and try to draw it into that hole nobody speaks of.” “It’s a death sentence to even mention it! What if the Lord-” Interrupting her assistant again, the general spoke up, “Maybe it’s a death sentence for you, but I’ve never lost a battle in 900 years and the Lord knows it. If I want to talk about a hole, especially as it pertains to our long-term strategy, I’ll talk about a hole. If Kaori’s cunt was a tactical resource, that hole would get the same fucking treatment.” “Understood, general” “I’d rather not throw the slavers into the fire here, but better them than the military proper. Kaori actually pays attention when we lose any of those. We draw whatever this thing is into that hole and hope it does our job for us, if not then we’ll send in everything and bury whatever’s down there for good. See if a harpy scout can at least get some fucking eyes on this thing, get sappers into the area to prep for a breach, and notify all three of my divisions to prepare to mobilize.” “Yes, general.” -------------------------------------- From the descriptions I’d gotten of the Red Hand over the last few days I’d been stuck here as a “guest”, I was pretty sure she was actually Lorelei. This group seemed to be a cult that had begun to worship her as some kind of divine vessel...or some bullshit. All the same, this group looked like they’d gotten the short end of the stick their entire lives. I saw monsters that were deformed, burned, and otherwise scarred making up the largest part of the group. I felt sorry for them, but I was far more concerned about getting back home alive at this point than in any of their motives. They were going to take me directly to my target, but since I couldn’t risk any of them recognizing that crystal for what it was, I had to...take measures to make certain it wasn’t discovered. It certainly wasn’t the most shameful thing I’d ever had to do, but it was high on the list of the most physically uncomfortable. I knew by this point that Del would be coming for me. This cult had been “purifying” my body for two days in preparation for meeting the Red Hand, and my note had to have been discovered by now. That this purification hadn’t involved an inordinate amount of rape was surprising, and my hosts seemed to actually be treating me with a great deal of care. That prompted me to ask their leader about their “deity”. “What do you wish to know?” she asked me. “Why do you devote yourselves to her?” Pulling the cowl from her form, I was shocked nearly to silence to see what hid beneath. Almost a full half of her body was covered in cracked, grey scales, her right eye a milky-white orb. This stood in stark contrast to the other half of her body that identified her as a dragon. “I was condemned to die for the crime of association with a coward. My mother was highly-placed within the Kaori military, but called for a retreat against a small rebel faction. Two other divisions had to be called in to crush the rebels, but her crime meant that she was destined to die. For many years, the home of the Red Hand was thought to be a death sentence, but also a chance for one to redeem themselves of a crime--if we could kill whatever hid beneath the ground.” She turned to stare at me with her one good eye as she continued, “I was forced to reject the touch of the Red Hand after watching her drain the life of my mother. I would have remained on the run forever if the Red Hand had not called out to me. It was as if my mother’s own voice had been added to that of the Red Hand. That is why I took offense to your statement--she is very much like a wight, but those that feel her touch live within her forever. I can hear her voice in my mind, even now.” “So, you aren’t sending me to die. You’re sending me to become one with her?” I asked out of morbid curiosity, knowing that they were the same thing as far as I was concerned. “That is correct. You are in a unique position because the Red Hand seems to recognize you as...family. You have touched the Mother, have you not?” Well, that was all I needed to know this wasn’t a wasted venture. “If you mean my wife, Delilah, then yes.” “What is she like?” the priestess asked, her piercing gaze turning to one of intense curiosity. “Far more than my stupid words would ever be able to explain. She’s powerful, supremely intelligent, beautiful beyond description, loving, and...a-and…” I could say no more. My family was perfect, and the chance that I would be able to see them again seemed to be falling further and further from my grasp. “Thank you for telling me. I understand how you feel, but you need not worry. You will be with her again soon. Come, it is time.” ------------------------------ “You sure this is the Legion toy?” “Must be. You lost, darlin’?” “I am not. It would be in your best interests to move.” “See...we don’t think so. We’ve got nearly a hundred girls here with at least two dozen that have been hardened in an arcane crucible...so whatever spells you were thinking of using will be just about worthless.” “There is nothing that will stop me from moving toward my destination,” Del said as she approached the half-circle of mamono as they moved to surround her. “Well now I’m all curious as to what you think you’re going to be able to do. Far as I can see, the only place you’re going is into the ground.” Without breaking her even stride, Del answered, “It has been said that for every mamono alive, there are at least two corpses in the Kaori soil. For your sakes, I am sorry to say that number was grossly underestimated. Ashia.” The first three in front of Del never stood a chance as the ground itself opened into Ashia’s massive maw, the sound of bone, blade, and scale shattering at once caused the monsters behind and flanking the lich to surge forth. ------------------------------------ I was lead through the maze-like caves not far from where the cultists had set up their camp. As I felt a deep, almost painful, stirring in my chest that nearly brought me to my knees, I gasped in what felt like a vague pain. I assumed that it was because I was in the presence of the wight. My thoughts, however, were drawn to what Del might do if she thought I was in trouble. If what I saw outside the gates of Blacksky was what she was able to manage with only half of her power, I had to worry about what else she might be bring to bear if she knew that I was in danger. “Are you okay?” the priestess asked me as I braced myself against a nearby cave wall. “Yeah...just got a little dizzy for a moment. I guess she must put out a pretty strong aura.” As I my sight cleared, I saw that the cave wall was literally covered in handprints, the long-blackened blood of countless dead acting as the ink. This was “her” domain. It wasn’t a mystery how one might settle on the title “Red Hand”. “I need to ask you something,” I began hesitantly. “Yes?” the half-withered priestess replied. “What would you do if the Red Hand vanished...or was killed?” “Legions have fallen at her feet. Her strength easily overpowered my own mother, a hero of the dragon wars. Do you seriously intend to fight her, knowing that her touch would give you everlasting peace?” “That isn’t what I asked,” I said as I turned a harsh eye to her, possibly convincing her that I was serious, or that the question was at least worthy of an answer. “We have nothing else, nowhere to go, and little else in which to believe. No place would have us, scarred and broken as we are.” I smiled at her answer, still unable to fight the chill that ran through me as I responded, “I know a place. I’ll never truly understand the pain that you’ve suffered, but there is one that certainly would. Here,” I finished, handing her the map with the places Del had suggested to Ahmose clearly marked. “What is this?” she asked. “Just a dream right now, but it was the dream in which the Red Hand was born. I may never leave this place, but if I do...I wanted you to know that there is a place for you.” “I look forward to feeling your kindness once we are united within the Red Hand,” she answered with a polite smile. “Or wherever,” I said with a smirk as I continued alone into the darkness. It really wasn’t hard to know where I was going. There was a constant, steady pulse of energy coming from deeper within these caves and a slight glow that seemed to accompany it. It was interesting, to me at least, that this wasn’t even the most nervous I’d ever been. I had my enchanted crystal ready, but upon seeing Lorelei, however, any thoughts that I had on actually using it were nearly banished entirely. Del was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. In the purely physical terms, Zelia might have been even more stunning. The entry I’d read about wights in that encyclopedia suggested that they became even more radiant as they drew in more energy. Perhaps that could explain why the woman before me was so beautiful that the world around her seemed uglier in its audacity to even be visible next to this vision of perfection. She had scars, deep and numerous, clothes that were nothing more than a few shredded rags, and a gaze that seemed fierce enough to have torn through the stone behind me. It was as if those “unattractive” features had been deliberately chosen in defiance of, or to accentuate, the impossible loveliness that was otherwise on display. With her ivory skin, her mother’s stunning silvery hair, and a figure that defied reason in its proportioning, she could have had any man--claimed or no--with a barely insistent whisper. She started to walk towards me, her expression not changing. “You don’t want to ask me anything?” I squeaked out. “There is no need,” she said as the hypnotic sway of her hips reminded me even further of her mother, the sheer weight of her presence enough to trap me almost completely. As I struggled to come up with something else to say, she placed a finger upon my forehead as her eyes nearly exploded in a torrent of violet energy, her gaze narrowing from the fierce emotionlessness to an utter burning hatred. “You! She is within you” she said, her last words coming out as little more than an angry hiss. Moving as quickly as I could, I tried to bring the crystal up to touch her as I was nearly incapacitated by the soul-tearing ecstasy that came with her touch. My brain fired in random directions with my thoughts being thrown between supplication, fear, and an unquenchable thirst to live. My next moment of lucid perception was of the ground and Lorelei stumbling backwards away from me. Her eyes seemed to carry the black veins I had seen in Del before, always when she was upset. In this case, though, they ran down the wight’s perfectly flawed face like tar. “Your mind is a fabrication, another of her creations,” she said to me as she looked down upon my still shivering body. “No, but it has...melded with hers before,” I said as I rose upon shaking legs. “You have already forgiven her for what stands before you. You intend to bring me back, to change me, to kill me,” she said, the earlier emotion quickly leaving her voice. Wait...something in that statement was completely wrong. Ignoring the earlier outburst when she touched me, an emotionless creature shouldn’t fear death...or anything else for that matter. Now that I really think on it, if she was a mindless killing machine, why would she be allowing this cult to stay near her. “Do you...know what happens to the people you touch?” I asked, trying to buy time as much as out of a genuine curiosity. “Their energy becomes mine along with their memories and what you would call biochemical emotional response impressions.” “That doesn’t bother you?!” I shouted. “There are always more lives with more energy and more sensations,” she answered as though it was something that should be rather obvious. “What about the people you kill to take that energy?” I asked softly, already dreading the answer. “If I can take it from them, then there is no reason for their inferior bodies to exist. You believe that the mind is all that truly matters in a person. By your own reasoning, a superior vessel would be a more ideal place in which to keep those otherwise fragile thoughts. What will happen to your own thoughts once your body fails?” As she asked her question, the ground began to vibrate as if rocked by a distant explosion. I barely noticed the shaking, however, as she had managed to drive right into my weak point and one of the things over which I had been agonizing from the very moment I even considered the possibility of a relationship with Del and Risa. That very thought had been one of my justifications for even coming here personally. “There need be no pain. If you receive my touch willingly, you will experience an endless existence of overwhelming ecstasy. As your thoughts are saved within me, the last sensation to be written upon your soul will become your eternity. Take my hand.” Did I really have a different option, really? I would have a handful of years to be selfish with my two lovers...eventually seeing the growing sadness in their eyes as my skin began to wrinkle, my hair turning white in my body’s own admission of surrender against the ravages of time, and then an endless period afterwards for them. My narcissistic arrogance didn’t even want to accept the reality that there could be another man in either of their lives. Risa was very young, and would probably be able to move on in a few short years or less. She had a real family that cared about her now, a growing and profitable vocation, and she had… ...But what about Del? She had spent thousands of years alone. Genevieve told me that Del had never been touched by anyone as she had by me. What would she do if she found that I had died? What would she do if she learned it was her own daughter that had carried out the act? Why was I in this world in the first place? Because a one-in-a-million chance had landed me in this dream instead of a broken pile of gore on the street below the bridge from which I jumped? Maybe I survived the leap after all and was laying in a hospital bed, stuck in a coma...unable to live or die. Or maybe this is just a time-dilated fever dream, brought on by the adrenaline of my suicidal act, playing out in slow motion until the moment it would all inevitably shatter. If you knew you were living in a dream, no matter how wonderful, would you still want to stay asleep? I nodded to the wight and extended my hand to her. ----------------------------------- “I’ll be damned, she’s going right where we wanted,” the general said as she stared through the spyglass. “Wasn’t that your plan, general?” “Damn right it was. What did our scout say about her run-in with the slave hunters?” “She’s...not right anymore. We had to bind her after she nearly clawed the quartermaster to death. If anyone gets close to her she just starts screaming ‘the chains!’ over and over until she passes out.” “Sounds like Xiao’s company after those rebel witches somehow called down that acid storm. Get an interrogator to put some pain to her and see if we can get anything useful, otherwise just put her down. Can’t have her affecting morale.” “Yes, general. Any other orders?” “Take notes. I’ve always been curious to see what happens when an irresistible force runs into an immovable object.” ----------------------------------- With my palm turned toward the cave floor, I reached out to Lorelei, my eyes having clouded over with the murk of an inescapable reality. “Nothing you have ever experienced can prepare you for the sensation that will soon overwhelm you,” Lorelei said with a hollow smile. I nodded again as her hand moved to grasp mine. “I guess I’m just a selfish person,” I said as my eyes refocused on her extended hand, barely a hair’s breadth from my own. With that I clasped her hand, my enchanted gem pressing between our palms as her eyes went wide. Before the magic could even take effect, however, she had thrust her hand into my midsection, her fingers passing through me as easily as a blade. It was so quick and so direct that I almost couldn’t believe that I’d just witnessed that series of events, or that my dealings with that stupid magic shop actually represented gold well spent. I blacked out momentarily from the pain. Expecting that I’d be dead, I was rather surprised to come to my senses on my knees, the body of the wight on the ground before me. “Huh,” I said as I exhaled, surprised that it had been that easy. Well, I guess it hadn’t exactly been easy, as there was probably no way that I’d make it back home like this, especially not with my centaur escort already decomposing. It wasn’t as though I had a choice, however, so I used a piece of cloth to tie Lorelei’s hand shut around the enchanted gem, threw her over my shoulder, and started the long trek home. ------------------------------------- Where did everything go so wrong? Rolling on to my back, wishing I’d at least have been able to see the sky one last time, I stared at the cave ceiling. Chancing a quick look at my “captive” I saw her face still frozen in a look of confused rage. “That’s why you shouldn’t talk back to your stepfather,” I said with a hollow chuckle in a weak attempt to cheer myself up. I told myself that I was just taking a short break here, but my body had other plans and I knew it. Even after so much planning, coming all this way, and pulling one over on the most dangerous individual I’d ever met, I didn’t have it in me to even crawl my way home--let alone with this increasingly heavy passenger. Maybe I’d feel a little better after a nap. I had no idea how long I’d been asleep, but I came awake in a cold sweat, my joints feeling like concrete had been poured into them. Even continuing to breathe was painful, my chest feeling like it had been bound in slowly constricting metal bands. It took me a moment to even realize that someone was holding my hand, her head on my chest as she softly wept. “I’m so sorry Del. I...can’t keep that promise. You...need to tell Risa what happened--why I...why I can’t…” “My love...I cannot.” “You...have to. You have your daughter back and-” “I told you...while you live, there is nothing in this world that can kill me. I can reconstruct myself from my phylactery.” “Then-” “When my phylactery breaks this time, I will die. Where is my phylactery, my love?” she asked as she placed a gentle hand upon my chest, explaining why Del’s near destruction by Ajora had affected me so powerfully. “No...then…what about my daughter? I can’t leave Risa alone…” Her voice catching hard in her throat, she replied with a crushing sadness, “If you had but waited one more day, Joe. There were three beating hearts within Risa. It is to be...twins.” “Oh…” was all I could manage, my body no longer even strong enough to unleash the tears that were so desperate to escape. Where did everything go so wrong? Del laid herself down upon me one final time, her tears flowing freely onto my chest as she heard the steady rhythm of my heart begin to slow. “Del…” “Yes, Joe?” she answered, her voice drowning in tears. “I’m...sorry. I didn’t want you to ever be alone.” Producing the silver artifact that I thought I’d hidden, she placed it between our clasped hands. “We can at least dream together.” I was too weak to respond, but I would have smiled. Like a pit of quicksand, I was being drawn, slowly and inexorably, downward. Her composure finally shattering completely, Del threw herself over me and stared into my eyes, shouting, “Joe...Don’t--don’t go...please don’t go! I will do anything, say anything...be anyone you want me to be. Please give me just one more moment to feel your warmth, to have your arms around me and know that you would spit in the face of the world if it tried to take me. I was always waiting...my entire life. Waiting for my mother to get home, waiting for my father to realize she never would, waiting for the crushing silence in my heart to be filled with a voice...waiting for you. I am...afraid, Joe.” I answered in silence, barely able to hear her words. Where did everything go so wrong? With a shudder, I took one final breath and whispered one last statement as the life finally left me. Even as our two lives passed into oblivion, two lives emerged. Mine and Risa’s daughters didn’t wait long to spring forth into the world. The horribly bittersweet moment nearly overwhelmed Risa as she looked down at the beautiful things that she had made with her husband. Keeping to hers and her husband’s first choices, she named the twins Aurielle and Arianwyn. Roughly translating as gold and silver, the two beautiful girls were the greatest treasure that Risa had ever seen, or could even imagine. The tears that Risa shed now were nothing like those that would follow once she learned the truth of what had happened. She was young and it would have been foolish to believe that she would never find happiness again, or even that she would never find another man to love. In that moment, however, she had lost the person that had taught her what love was in the first place. And so my story came to a close… -------------------------------------- “There you are!” the first voice said, in a false excitement. “Where...am I?” the second voice asked in response. “I reserve the right to refuse to answer moronic questions. Unless you want to put it on your tab…?” the first voice asked suggestively. “Wait, I recognize your voice. You’re-” “Don’t you even dare. I might let you whisper my name into my ear as my fingernails carve the marks of my pleasure across your back, but that will come later. For now, don’t you have something more important you need to do?” “Something more important…” the second voice said, echoing in the blackness. “Come on, you filthy slut. Even if you don't, I have more important things to do.” “Who are you trying to fool? You’re probably sitting somewhere jilling yourself off on your staff!” “That’s going to cost you,” the first voice hissed into the darkness, adding, “Well? Are you ready?” “I am.” Where did everything go so wrong? |
Chapter 52 - From a River, Two Stars “Well that was about the most disappointing thing I’ve ever seen,” the general said with a frown as she looked at the three assembled bodies. “General?” her assistant answered. “Get my witch, I want her to look at something.” Moments later the short girl was dragged before the general. With angry indignation, the witch stood up as tall as her tiny form would allow and spoke, “I have better things to do than an autopsy on a human and two long-dead!” Projecting a killing intent that reminded all of the other nearby soldiers that they had other places to be, the general asked in a murderously quiet tone, “What did you just say?” “I...uh, I have other things I should-” the witch began. “Because all I hear is ‘Hilde, I miss my pitiful, maggot bait, shit-stain of a dead master. Please tear out my fucking heart so I can see her again!’” Biting back on overwhelming rage at hearing the general speak of her dead mistress Hekate, the witch managed to hide the pools of simmering hatred that were her eyes and answered, “I was conducting aggressive interrogation on the harpy as you requested, general.” “Caeth, go kill the damn harpy,” the general said to her assistant without even turning, adding, “And now we’re back to me stomping that flat chest even flatter if the next words out of your mouth aren’t ‘Whatever you wish, general.’” Her emotions back in check, the witch looked up and answered, “Whatever you wish, general.” “See? Easy as breaking a baphomet’s horns. You know enough necromancy to speak to dead humans, yes?” “With some difficulty, yes.” “You’re really pissing me off here. I don’t care if you have to cut off a fucking leg to do it. Pour the sand out of that Kioko finger-trap you call a twat and find out what this dead man knows.” Well aware that any further displeasure on the general’s part would probably see the army short one witch due to “suicide”, the witch quickly moved to the body of the fallen man. As the elder witch approached, she felt the touch of something powerful--something forbidden. “General!” the witch shouted as she ran back towards the imposing orcish commander. “Either that was really fast or you came to deliver some more red paint for my boots,” the general said as she brought her massive war axe to rest on her shoulder. Extending her staff towards the general, the two of them were suddenly surrounded in a glowing orb within a sea of utter blackness. Trying to look unimpressed, the general picked at one of her floppy ears before saying, “You’d better start talking fast.” “General, this is--was a dream spark. I don’t have enough time to explain fully, but it’s forbidden magic on a titanic scale...in a few moments we’ll cease to exist and-” “I don’t care about the specifics, that’s why I keep you around. What does it mean?” the general said, her voice staying calm. “It means somebody gave that man a way to see potential futures and now that future is-” the witch began. “Undone,” the witch said, her voice seeming to come from eight other exact copies, each of them also standing with a very annoyed orcish general. Looking at each other in the otherwise emptiness of the void in which they floated, the identical witches nodded to each other as all of them vanished but one, the other copies of Hilde vanishing as well. “This is all I can do, General. The only blessing that could accomplish such a feat should have given him ten opportunities to glimpse potential futures. There was only nine of us, so that means he didn’t die in one potential future...or, if he did, it was in a way so different that the army was not present to examine his body.” That was something the general understood. She smiled as she answered, “So you’re saying he did something on the tenth attempt to stop nine hundred of the most hardened soldiers this land has ever seen--he did something to stop me?!” “He could have simply given up or-” “No...he didn’t. You don’t get scars like those by taking the smart or easy way out,” the general said as she threw off her armor to show over a dozen different sets of similarly permanent scars as she added, “But what’s the point of telling me if we’re about to vanish like a fart down a sylph’s throat?” “I will make certain that you...’remember’ these possibilities that will never come to pass. Like sending a message from the future.” Shuddering slightly in what appeared to be orgasmic bliss, the Kaori general Hilde beamed with a wide, toothy smile. “Ooooh, you deliver on that and I’ll give you my personal recommendation for Kaori’s elite.” “I need no such honors,” the witch said as she began to trace arcane symbols in the air, “I wish only to know if--was...my mistress Hekate...strong?” “I figured if anyone was coming back from that hole, it was going to be her. Fighting her was the only real fun I’ve had in sixty years,” Hilde answered. “Fun?” “Oh yeah...but not as much fun as this is going to be,” the general whispered into the void. Snapping awake as though she had been daydreaming, Hilde strode from her quarters towards the barracks of the soldiers under her command. Unable to resist the urge to laugh, she said out loud, to nobody in particular, “Let’s see what you’ve got, little man.” ----------------------------------------------------------------- With a shudder, I took one final breath and whispered one last statement as the life finally left me. “To unsee the future, and upend the cascading sand, heed my call from oblivion. Miranda...” My perceptions shifted. It was impossible to explain how or in what way, but I was...somewhere else. Surrounded by blackness and aware of little more than my own consciousness, I was reminded of when I’d been robbed of all my senses. “There you are!” a voice shot through the darkness, the sound so overwhelming and all-encompassing to my senses that I felt I could hear, taste, and even touch the words. “Where...am I?” I asked, wondering why the afterlife was full of nothing but annoying bitch voice. “I reserve the right to refuse to answer moronic questions. Unless you want to put it on your tab…?” the voice asked suggestively. “Wait, I recognize your voice. You’re-” “Don’t you even dare. I might let you whisper my name into my ear as my fingernails carve the marks of my pleasure across your back, but that will come later. For now, don’t you have something more important you need to do?” “Something more important…” the second voice said, echoing in the blackness. “Come on, you filthy slut. Even if you don’t, I have more important things to do.” “Who are you trying to fool? You’re probably sitting somewhere jilling yourself off on your staff!” “That’s going to cost you,” the first voice hissed into the darkness, adding, “Well? Are you ready?” “I am.” ----------------------------------------- “You are mentally deficient--you must be. There is no other explanation. You’ve already failed nine times and you can’t imagine the sort of pain that it causes me every single time,” the witch’s voice called out in the blackness. “Yeah? Well this is like threading a needle while wearing fucking mittens, and it hurts me at least as much as it hurts you...believe me,” I answered back. “Why don’t you just give up?” she asked honestly. “Remember who’s in charge here,” I answered. “In charge?! That’s a laugh. If I see you in the street without your little ‘friends’, we’ll see exactly who’s ‘in charge’, you insect!” “So you’re just going to let yourself die then? Because you seem to be under the mistaken impression that any number of failures is going to stop me from trying,” I said with a calm certainty. “Fine, I’d rather be free of this curse anyway, but I don’t know what you expect me to do. If either of us dies then this is all for nothing,” she answered as her determination to spite me seemed to wane. “I know the missing piece...or at least I know where it is,” I said, willing my voice into the blackness, “and is it just me or do you actually...care what happens to me?” “I’m having trouble deciding if you’re the stupidest person alive, or just the stupidest that I’ve ever seen. It’s not going to work. The first idea, maybe. For the second, you’d need an almost unimaginable level of energy. It would kill you--if you’re lucky,” the witch answered directly. “I’ve got most of the steps down now. This would be a lot easier if you’d be willing to actually help,” I offered in frustrated tone. “Have I not told you that I utterly despise you? I enjoy seeing you fail.” “Bullshit, I can hear the expectant frustration in your voice now every time I do. You want me to succeed.” “By the Lords, you’re arrogant. Though, I suppose it hasn’t been as...satisfying to watch you fail as I had originally imagined.” “Then-” “I can’t directly interfere. All I will say is that you should forget being noble. It’s not as if you can just turn back time, now...is it?” “Turn back time…” I said as the answer came to me all at once. “No, I...uh...I was serious. You can’t just turn back time,” she said, possibly regretting her choice of words. “You sure? I heard about this other blessing that-” “You shut your whore mouth!” she began angrily, “Dreams and fantasy aren’t going to save you, so I’d forget you ever even heard that ridiculous rumor about time magic. You’re only ever going to get one more blessing from me, and I doubt you’re going to like it.” “I highly doubt that, but that’s not what I was getting at. It wouldn’t work on a born wight, but one that sprung from a zombie…” I trailed off as I tried to remember the formula. “If you’re talking about necromancy then keep it to yourself. I only work with real magic.” “And that’s why you never understood why you couldn’t hit me in the face that time,” I answered, realizing that at some point I must had developed a liking for necromancy...or maybe it was just a certain practitioner of it. “Where did everything go so wrong?” I wondered aloud, ignoring her. “How many times are you going to ask that same ridiculous question?! It went wrong when you arrived in this world, or when you turned down my affections, or maybe when you were born.” “I know what I have to do,” I answered with an air of finality, ignoring the angry witch. “Let’s hope so. This will be your last chance,” she said as my lack of vision began to fade to something more familiar. “You going to miss me?” I asked somewhat playfully. “Don’t you worry. I get the feeling that I’ll be seeing you oh-so-soon. You can look forward to giving me a nice deep taste of you then.” -------------------------------- I snapped awake in a cold sweat, greeted immediately by Del’s eyes looking at me in concern. “I...had a troubling dream,” I offered to the unasked question. “So it seems, my love,” Del whispered back at me as she lovingly brushed the sweat-matted hair from my brow, “Do you wish to speak about it?” I leaned up a bit and kissed the top of her head, “It was just a dream, I’ll be fine.” I quickly closed my eyes, more in an attempt to hide from the still-knowing innocence of my lover’s violet stare than in an attempt to go back to sleep. “Understood.” “But…” I spoke up, opening my eyes again, “if keeping an important promise meant that you had to break another...What would you do?” “That question cannot be answered within a vacuum, Joe. Some promises are unequal...some things are too precious to abandon or forsake, even in the face of an ironclad vow.” “Let me ask another way...Is there anything you can think of for which you would forsake any oath?” Her eyes narrowed only slightly to emphasize her point, the words cutting through me like a scythe through a wheat harvest, “You, my love.” “I...But-” With a yawn, Risa cut in, “Just because she sounds more serious when she says it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do the exact same thing,” adding as she snuggled a bit more closely, “If it meant I could be with you for even one more moment, even if you had to break every single other promise you’ve ever made, I’d prefer that to losing you.” “As is often the case of late, Risa and I are in perfect agreement.” “Okay,” I said simply, not able to come up with a response worthy of what I’d just heard as I slowly lapsed back into a fitful slumber, comforted by what I imagined were gentle nudges of encouragement from the tiny limbs of my unborn children. ------------------------------------------ Taking one of the few chances I had to get out of the house since knocking up my wife, I waited until Risa had gone shopping for dinner and quickly made my way to Genevieve’s home in an attempt to ask her for the assistance I needed to turn my one increasingly desperate failure of a plan into a real chance. Knocking at the gate brought an imp dressed in the adorably fetching maid outfit. “Yes?” the maid imp asked as she peeked out through the crack offered by the slightly opened door. “I’m here to see the lady of the house, please. My name is Joseph...I don’t believe she is expecting me,” I offered politely. “Please step inside. The mistress is entertaining a few guests, but I will inform her of your arrival.” The almost disturbingly reserved imp led me into a modest sitting room with several comfortable chairs, offering me a cup of tea while I waited. Not willing to brave the potential ingredients in said tea, I politely declined and simply stared out the window as I waited. I had to wonder why Genevieve had so many imps around her. The ones I’d encountered in that church could have been hundreds of years old or more but still acted like perpetual children. Maybe that was why I couldn’t hate them entirely, even after the way they treated me. I mean...from a very simple point of view, a man releasing his “white stuff” (as it was so eloquently put by one of them) is an indication that, regardless of what his mind and mouth were trying to say, his body certainly wasn’t complaining. If they thought like children and their bodies were like other monsters then, to them, they seriously thought they were just playing a game. Coming back into the room with far more color on her face to accompany what looked like marks from a whip or riding crop, the imp gave a small bow as she breathed heavily, “Hah...the mistress will be with you s-shortly.” “Uh...thanks,” I said, pushing the distracting thought of imps from my mind. After another few minutes, Genevieve stepped into the room, heading to the bar on the far wall. Just as I’d suspected, she reeked of sex on a level that was more than a little distracting. Even though it felt like I’d been in this exact situation before, I had no idea that her…”scent” would be so overpowering. “T-thank you for seeing me,” I said quietly, reasonably certain she’d heard me anyway. As I took a breath to speak again, hoping that might prompt her to start talking, she finally spoke up with her back still facing me, “So you are the interim chairman of the prostitute’s union.” “I suppose that’s technically-” Cutting in again as though she hadn’t heard or wasn’t listening to me, she continued, “I had hoped it might be some other man with the same name, given the substantial pain your reforms have caused me.” Unable to read any kind of emotion in her voice, but undeterred in getting to the real reason I was here, I waited only a few seconds before trying to speak again, “I assure you that I wasn’t-” Interrupting me yet again, she finally turned around with an unreadably fake smile, “But you are here for another reason entirely, Joseph. Congratulations are also in order, no? Does your visit have something to do with your growing family?” The brightness of her smile was dazzling enough to remind me that I’d have to find some way to pay her back with something worthwhile if she agreed to help me. Even if it was all an act, she was pretty damn good at it and, forgetting that rather painful rape, she didn’t seem otherwise interested in getting at my naughty bits. I answered with a half-smile of my own, “Yes. I...wanted to speak with you about something.” Now actually looking interested, Genevieve leaned back against the bar and stared straight through me as she answered, “You should have brought your charming wife Karisa, Joseph. She knows how to not look desperate when she’s about to make an unreasonable request.” Did I still look desperate? Hell, I probably looked worse than the first time I imagined this scenario. “I am desperate, and you are the only person that can help. There isn’t much that I can even imagine I could offer you, but this is...important. More important than I can really say.” Maybe I should have just said: “Sister, can you spare a dime?” “You’ll have to do far better than that. Why don’t you at least tell me what it is you want,” she said as she looked away. Releasing an almost pained sigh, I quietly answered, “I need to learn the final rune you used to create the Blacksky channeling focus with Del.” “Why?” she asked simply. “Knowledge is it’s own-” “I spoke with Delilah not two days past and I’m certain she tried that same tired line for some reason or another.” I came to my feet, the gravity of this moment no longer enough to hold me in the chair, “I haven’t seen her in two days. She’s frantically digging through those books you gave her for an answer that she simply isn’t going to find.” “Some things will always remain beyond our grasp, Joseph.” Stepping towards her, I answered directly, “Not this. Why do you still blame her for Gil-” “Joseph,” she interrupted, her smile vanishing, “I know that I wrought a grievous crime upon you, undoing part of who I was in the process, and you saw my grief as a result. Measure your words carefully or you will also see what several thousand years of torment looks like as well as the consequences of drawing forth those memories.” “I see that torment every single time I look at my wife. Were Del and I just tools to you? You said that you truly cared about Del...so are you a liar or just venomously spiteful?” Stepping towards me in two bounding steps, Genevieve’s presence alone pushed me back into the chair as she yelled down at me, “Just as she’s always said--we must face the consequences of our actions! I never lie and I swore thousands of years ago that I would never teach her that rune for what she did. I won’t let you unmake another piece of who I am!” I threw my arms down hard at the arms of the chair and screamed back at her, “Whatever she did, or whoever she was doesn’t matter anymore! I didn’t make you rape me when you could have just asked for my help! And you aren’t teaching her the rune--you’re teaching ME!” “I already-” This time I cut her off as I stood back up, coming face to face with her, “Maybe you don’t understand or don’t remember how this feels, but there is nothing--NOTHING that is beneath me to learn that rune! I can swear to you right now that the ‘consequence’ of trying to send me out that door empty-handed is that you will be a murderer--for killing me here or for sending me into Lorelei’s arms without the one chance I have to succeed!” I met her gaze without flinching, knowing that she could hear the truth in my voice. “But you can’t even-” Cutting in again, I placed my hands on her shoulders, “Anything. Ask me and I’ll do anything. I’ll lay down for you right here, promise you any amount of gold you can even imagine, or I’d-” She silenced me by pulling me tight into her arms. “That’s enough, Joseph. I understand.” “But-” I attempted, as I felt my strength starting to leave me. “Shhh...you need not say anything more,” she cooed as she began to stroke my hair, “You are such an impossibly foolish man. Knowing the rune is to have it inscribed upon your mind...the demonic energy would build within you until it destroys what you are, and you have no way to channel that energy…” I began to weep as I felt my last hope slipping away, my arms falling limply to my sides. “The reason that others of my kind tend to look upon me with such a wary eye is that I am not what a succubus should be. I still enjoy seeing unabashed lust pass between lovers, but I live to see unrepentant love. I had forgotten how such a love can consume all reason, just as it can crush any obstacle. The love I see before me demands an honest answer for the right reasons. I will inscribe the rune upon you as you wish, with two conditions.” I had heard Del’s last words nine times, or at least experienced them in horribly lifelike dreams from which I couldn’t escape. Every single time I heard those words, the pain grew more unbearable. The weight of my own helplessness, my own weakness, and my own mountain of failures nearly demanded that I give up. Finally, however...something had changed. My desperation had turned from a weakness into a strength. This was the first time I had managed to sway Genevieve. I could only nod my assent as I spent my keening sadness upon the shoulder of the lithe succubus, my tears running down her alabaster skin. “The first condition is that there will be a cost for this. It will not be a small thing, and I haven’t yet thought of anything appropriate, but you will know when it has been paid.” “O-okay. Agreed.” I stammered out. “For the second condition, you must consider this course of action for another three months. I will place the mark within a barrier of your own spiritual energy that will dissolve after that time has passed. Your life as you know it will be undone within two days of the barrier’s dissolution unless I or Delilah removes the rune.” I nodded again, trying to steady my breath as I answered, “Agreed. So then...I’ll pay the cost now?” “No, Joseph. Now you will sleep so that I can burn this rune into your mind. When you awaken, it will be in the arms of the two that drove you to make this choice. You cannot understand how much it means to me to be reminded of the hope and joy that are born from love. Thank you for showing it to me...or perhaps just giving me a clearer picture of something I already dared to believe about you.” She then tied a string around my wrist, whispering to me as the magical sleep overtook me, “So you know that this wasn’t a dream.” ---------------------------------------- A month had passed since Genevieve had delivered those books for Del. I already knew that she would not find the answers she needed within those pages. Just like every dreamlike failure before, this was when Del started to get more and more distant. It still broke my heart to see Risa’s happiness so painfully contrasted with Del’s growing despair. As I tried to think of a different approach--something more I could do to guarantee that this would go the way I felt it had to, the ever-so-gentle nudging at my side was all the urging I needed to remember what I was fighting for. “Del, I-” “Give me your hand, Joe,” Delilah said, the beautifully haunting smile upon her lips. As I did so, I let myself fall into the warmth of that moment. Tears rushed unbidden to my eyes as I now imagined a pair of beautiful girls, reaching up in tandem in an attempt to grab my hand. How could anything be more important than making sure that the first man these girls saw was their foolish, prideful father? “You’re shaking, love,” I heard Risa’s soft voice intone into the gentle night. “I’m so afraid right now. Every time I close my eyes I see a world without me in it. The times when I can see myself, I’ve lost one of you. Is it so wrong to be selfish?” I said, my voice shaking in as much frustration as actual sadness. Pulling herself closer to me and drawing my head gently to her chest, Risa answered, “It’s okay to be selfish, love. Haven’t we already taken the first steps down this road we chose together?” “I just…” I trailed off, knowing that explaining the actual reason for my anguish could cause any number of other problems. “Joe, whatever is truly causing you to worry,” Del began, her eyes seeming to draw me into their depths as she continued, “Do not forget that you are not alone. You can be far too timid when asking for something you want.” “I got the two of you just by asking-” “And don’t forget a daughter on the way that’s either trying to be a dancer or a martial artist with how active she is…” “Why not both?” I wondered with a smile, keeping that secret to myself as well. “I’ll try to stop worrying...it sure won’t do either of you any good. You’re right though, I’m not alone. I wish I’d realized that a bit sooner,” I said as I thought on my options. My new plan would absolutely work, and would be infinitely safer than trying to disable Lorelei as I had tried so many times, always resulting in a very slow, painful end for me. With the missing piece of the mechanism Genevieve used to channel demonic energy, I would cause a massive energy reversal within the wight. That inversion would set off a chain reaction that would cause Lorelei to revert back to a zombie state. The only problem with this new plan is that it would unleash nearly all of the demonic energy stored within her body, and being in such close proximity to that release would be very dangerous. That issue, however, could be circumvented in a few possible ways...one of which I already had available. This was going to be my last chance, and I needed to iron out a lot of the details, but the time for failure and hesitation was over. Even if they had only been painful potential fantasies, my family had suffered enough and this time, everyone was going to come out of that hole alive. I had almost exactly two months to get everything together. My two amazing women had reminded me that I wasn’t alone. I just needed to make sure that after this was all over, I’d remind them of the same thing. As soon as I got my ass out of bed, I’d put my real plan into motion. -------------------------------------------------- First among the things that remained to be dealt with was that damn cult. They weren’t exactly blameless in all this, but their beliefs had grown around a mote of truth. If that head priestess was to be believed, then succeeding in my plan meant damning them to a life of further torment. I made my first stop of the early morning at an art dealer. It would have been easier to just cough up the gold for my purchase, but I got a strange sense of amusement to know that being the subject of such a popular work of art afforded me a small degree of celebrity. As such, obtaining the canvas and oil equivalent to photographic evidence of my shame was as easy as spending an hour signing a few of the prints. With my prize in hand, I made my way to Genevieve’s home once again. “Yes?” the still-cute maid imp said as she answered my knock. “I have a gift for the lady of the house, may I see her?” I asked. “Please come inside, I will fetch her.” As the imp ran off, I chuckled a bit as I took in just how overdone her outfit truly was. I had to wonder if this was to Genevieve’s tastes or the guests that she might entertain. The finishing blow was the large pink bow tied around the imp’s tail. “Have you come to your senses, Joseph? Are you here to have that mark removed?” I heard Genevieve’s voice almost sing at me as she descended the nearby stairs. “Far from it, young miss,” I said with a bow. Her unimpressed frown overcome with a smile at my cheesy response, she continued down the stairs as she spoke in response, “My maid tells me you have a gift for me?” Presenting the wrapped canvas to her, I replied, “Indeed. I heard this painting is drawing a lot of notice around the city so I thought I’d get you a signed reproduction.” Her expression was unreadable as she looked it over before bringing her gaze to bear upon me once again, her look seeming to be more appraising of me than it had been of the painting. Blushing slightly in embarrassment, I spoke broke the silence, “I uh...really just needed an excuse to come see you.” “You are always welcome to visit, Joseph. I would hope that, in the future, your visits are simply to enjoy good company or conversation and not simply when you have something to beg of me.” Done beating around the bush, I just came out with my question, “Would you be able to deliver a message to Ahmose?” “I would. What message do you feel is important enough to merit her attention?” “There is a group of at least a hundred monsters...maybe even a handful of men, that are not going to have anywhere to go once I finish what I need to do. I just wanted to make sure that they would be welcome-” “All are welcome under the Black Sky,” she interrupted, sounding like a travel slogan. “Some of them are pretty messed up...and I doubt just physically,” I said as I turned away slightly. Stepping around to put herself back in my field of vision, she turned to me with a composed grin, “That is why you are so concerned?” I nodded. Pulling me into a small hug, she stepped back before happily replying, “Then you have brought two gifts today. Yes, all are welcome...or will be. Ahmose has chosen the location Del suggested at the northwestern edge of the great mountain where the lands of Kioko and Charisse meet.” “Okay, I’m pretty sure they’ll have a clear path out of Kaori. I’ll tell them where to go.” “A clear path you say? And so confidently,” Genevieve said as she threw a harsh look my way before adding, “I’ll send some imps to guide them.” “Be gentle with them...they’ve been through a lot,” I said as I gave a small bow and headed for the door. “Joseph.” she called out as I stepped back into the street. “Mmm?” I answered as I looked back. “You’re going to need Delilah to craft a focusing crystal, and you don’t have enough time for one of sufficient complexity,” she said with her arms crossed. “So that was your plan? To force me to spill my entire plan to Del?” “That is a part of it,” she said simply. “One that could bend that much demonic power would take years to craft,” I said as I turned back toward the street, adding, “I appreciate your concern, I really do...but I’m certain the pure diamond heart of Blacksky should suffice.” “Please be careful, Joseph,” she said in a tone that was as pleading as it was demanding. Giving one last look back, I looked the ancient succubus over. Despite her power, beauty, and thousands of years of accumulated knowledge and experience, she looked at that moment like the terrified girl I had seen in Del’s dream. “Don’t worry, Ish. You gave me everything I need to make sure this ends in happiness.” With a final wave I made my way back toward home. I wasn’t actually going home but to a fairly close neighbor, and for some reason I had a feeling that this visit wasn’t going to be nearly as...civil as my last one. Despite discussions on vulpine sexual matters reaching a stalemate, I was going to have to account for this debt eventually. If I was lucky I could get something else kicked in as a bonus at the same time. Taking a deep breath to steel myself for what would probably be a long rest of the day, I stepped up to the entrance of Meryl’s home and extended a hand to knock, the door flying open before my hand could even touch its heavy wooden construction. “Hey there, neighbor! You here to borrow a cup of sugar? I was just about to head over to your place!” Meryl said, her tail far too animated to be trustworthy. “Oh yeah?” I asked dryly, “What for?” “I’m making a pie and I need to borrow a bucket of frosting,” she said...somehow with a straight face. “What the hell kind of pie do you make with frosting? If you’re going to make a bad sex joke at least try to keep your euphemisms straight.” “Shows what you know!” she said with her smile returning, “There’s banana cream, chocolate cream, coconut cream…” “You mind if I come in-” “-side? You’d better or it’s not going to count,” she finished as she dragged me into the opulent home. I took that to mean Meryl was in the mood to redeem her free ride coupon. Sometimes I wonder about me. If I wasn’t already so tired of hearing myself say it, I’d have been asking: “Where did everything go so wrong?” “Don’t give me that ‘woe is me’ look, Joe. While you’ve been having your little council about me getting to be a special exception to your dumb relationship rules, did it ever cross your minds how I might feel about trying to live as someone else entirely now?” she asked, her expression darkening slightly as she stopped her purposeful stride. Damn it, damn it, damn it. Even if I consider that she had to have been spying on us to hear about any of that, the thought had crossed my mind that Meryl had gotten over her distress of finding out she was an entirely different species of mamono than she believed rather easily. To an outsider like me with a monster girl fetish, I often saw the inhuman traits before anything else so I figured it was something that only mattered to me. I took a hard look at Meryl, ignoring those traits for a moment to see the girl that actually mattered underneath. “You look like the same girl to me. Aren’t you supposed to be the strong older sister?” I asked, trying to cheer her up. “I don’t always want to be strong. You know that fucking spirit was nothing more than a buzzing insect in my ear. I let her keep up that illusion, I tried to let myself be passive about it...I think on some level I even knew that Ajora was still playing me. And somehow, a guy like you has to fall in love with Karisa when she was still crazier than a holstaurus on matango spore at a red-painted kiosk that only sells red paint.” This was taking a turn away from what I expected to something that could end up being a lot more painful. “Meryl, look-” “You don’t need to say it! I already know. It’s just...if you’d met me first...could you have fallen for...someone like me?” she asked, far more timidly than I’d ever heard her. “If I’d met you first, I doubt I’d even be the same person I am today. But why does that matter? It’s not a reflection on you that I fell in love with your sister. You’re an amazing woman with a talent for pissing me off beyond just about anyone I’ve ever met.” “They say hate is the closest emotion to love!” she replied, suddenly pulled out of her depression, “I’ve just been...thinking about it more recently. Did I tell you that I was cursed?” “I don’t think you’re cursed. I mean...just look at this place. Not to mention you have a caring family and about as much time as you can imagine to find the right person.” “No, I mean I really am cursed. I really pissed off this witch a few months ago and she said I’d be cursed to desire the one thing I could never have...and something about clumsiness. Fucking bitch,” she finished as she almost spit the last words from her mouth. “No way. You? Pissing someone off? Seriously though, don’t think that way. I mean...you uh...nevermind. Maybe you should head outside of Alnor? I mean, the ratio of women to men here is really not working in your favor, and you live too far from the gate to accidentally stumble onto many unclaimed men, you know?” I offered cautiously. “I think you just made me feel worse. I’ve always been afraid to leave the city, you know? I can’t even use glamour magic. That stupid spirit was basically dancing to my tune every time I ‘used’ it since every danuki can use it to some degree. But...maybe after Risa finally gives birth I’ll think about it. Might be nice to find an innocent boy of my own and run him down until he breaks.” “Yeah...you make it sound so romantic,” I said with a sigh. “It does make a girl feel special that you’d have tried to bring down the entire market just to get away from me,” she answered with far more joy than she should have had at that thought. “Well, I was already in love. Once you find a guy that isn’t...you can pull out all the stops to break the guy without feeling guilty, right?” “You just say the sweetest things,” Meryl said with a gentle push and a light blush. I was feeling a lot better about having come to see Meryl now. If it hadn’t been just the two of us, I doubt she’d have ever been so open. It also seemed like it would probably be a blessing that she’d be leaving the city after the girls were born. We were getting along a lot better now, but damn...this girl seemed to have an intuitive sense on exactly how to push my fucking buttons. I felt a shiver of genuine sympathy for whatever poor bastard she found to chase. “Oh, but look at me being a terrible host!” she began lightly, as she turned back to me with a devious grin. Great. Here we go. “It’s no trouble. I can get out of your hair if-” “Oh, Joe...I don’t mind if it gets in my hair! May as well cash in my free ride now if I’ll be leaving the city after my niece is born,” she declared as she grabbed my hand again, her fluffier (and damn it...adorable) fox tail excitedly swishing back and forth behind her. “Yeah...may as well,” I answered robotically, knowing there was no way to talk her out of it now, “Before that...I wanted to ask you about the rights to that painting you had-” “Not a fucking chance, Joe!” she interrupted with a disturbingly bright smile, “You’re lucky I don’t have the artist here now to capture what I’m about to do to you.” Thank God for small miracles, right? ------------------------------------------ With little else to prepare, I heeded the desire to spend as much time with Del and Risa as possible for the remaining month before I tried to carry out my plan. Even if Del seemed increasingly lost in a pit of dark thoughts, I had to believe that once I took care of what I needed, she’d be able to smile again for her own sake. As I imagined us all smiling just like before, I absentmindedly continued to rub Risa’s sore feet on the day I planned to go retrieve Lorelei. Even if all those attempts at bringing her back felt like vivid dreams, I wanted to make sure to leave as much of my actions unaltered as possible. That meant leaving at the same time and taking the same road. “Have you seen Del lately?” Risa asked with a note of concern, even as she let out a sigh to indicate that she was greatly enjoying the feeling of my hands working the stress out of her. “Not for about three days. Actually, Risa…” I began with hesitation, “I think I have a way to cheer her up and...I wanted to tell you because I didn’t want you to worry.” Sitting up slightly, Risa sent a frown my way as she countered, “Joe, I love you...but sometimes you are just one of the dumbest people I’ve ever met. You really don’t know why Del is upset?” “Isn’t it-” I attempted before being quickly silenced. Pulling me down into a quick kiss, Risa glared back at me as she answered, “You know damn well you talk in your sleep, so she already knows what you want to do. She’s been keeping her distance, hoping you’ll come to your stupid senses. She’s probably been trying to think of some way to help.” “So you mean…I’m the reason she’s upset?” I asked, upset in already knowing the answer. Placing her hands gently on either side of my face, Risa spoke softly, “Joe, listen to me. Del and I aren’t the only people that need you anymore. Not to mention, did you ever consider that Del just wanted you to understand and accept her even after you learned about her daughter?” “Are you telling me to give up on this?” I asked, my heart sinking. With a deep sigh, Risa replied, “No, Joe. I want you to choose to give up on this yourself. As much as I want to tie your ass up in the basement until you realize how stupid this is...you wouldn’t be the man I love if you were completely sane.” “But this time I-” I attempted before she again cut me off with a kiss assault. “I don’t want to know. I’ll just worry more if I do. Don’t make me a promise you can’t keep, but I don’t want to live without my husband, and I don’t want our daughter to grow up without a father. So you think about that, okay?” Leaning forward to rest my forehead against hers, I smiled, “Barring an absolute catastrophe, I already know how this will play out. I’ll be back alive, and I don’t care what I have to do to make that happen.” Closing her eyes a moment as she digested my words, she opened them once more with an angrier glint, “So, Joe...I heard you stopped by to see Meryl without telling me.” “Yeah...I was going to try to negotiate for...uh…” “Keep going, I want to hear this,” Risa said with a smile somewhere between playful and murderous. “One thing led to another and--That reminds me! She said that she’s going to leave Alnor,” I said, trying to change the subject. “Is that right? I think she mentioned something like that while she was telling me that you settled up that debt with her.” Taking up a more serious tone, I replied, “You know...I think she’s been spying on us. She was actually rather upset about your fox rule.” I then took up a concerted effort to distract my loving wife by strengthening the intensity of her foot massage. Her resistance lasted only a few moments before she leaned back onto the large cushion with a dramatic “harumph” of resignation. “You still should have told me, but I’ll let it go as long as you don’t stop...mmm...rubbing my feet. Thinking about it is also making me want something else massaged...if you even still find me attractive like this,” she said in a distant voice, lost in my attentions. “Risa...every single day I see you--every single day since the first time I saw you, you’re more beautiful than the day before.” With a contented smile, Risa slowly passed into sleep rather than push her request for a more...thorough massage. I took advantage of the situation and laid myself down behind her on the large couch and simply held her close, my hand gently running over her gravid middle as I tried to make sure my little ones stayed calm while their gorgeous mother tried to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Once I was sure she had finally fallen asleep, I carefully extricated myself from Risa’s embrace and leaned in as close to her swollen belly as possible and pressed my ear gently against the wall of my unborn children’s temporary home, feeling a shiver of joy as I could make out the tiny heartbeats within. “If something goes wrong--it shouldn’t--but...if it does, I’ll need you to take care of your mother, okay? Even if we never meet, I just needed you to know--or at least just to say it--that I will always love you.” Rising to leave, I felt Risa’s hand around my wrist, her grip refusing to let me go even as she slept. As I looked on helpless, tears spilled from the seams of her closed eyes as she desperately held on to me. “I won’t be gone long, Risa,” I gently whispered as I felt her grip reluctantly ease. With a final kiss upon her forehead, I headed out. Leaving my letter for Del on her pillow, I headed out toward the market. ------------------------------------------ “What have you been eating?” the centaur Clara asked as we made our way through the broken Kaori landscape. After a painful swallow, I shook my head, “You don’t want to know...and I don’t want to talk about it.” “Are those--wait...those aren’t-” “I really don’t want to talk about it,” I interrupted, worried that the mere thought of it would have me vomiting within seconds. “Fine, so what is it you wanted to tell me?” she asked. “When we get caught...if they’re wearing robes, don’t try to run.” “I thought these potions were supposed to keep us invisible,” she said with an edge of anger starting to peek through in her voice.” “They are, but someone knows I’m coming. They’re trying to hide from the slave hunters, among other things, and you’ll die if you try to escape.” “Where does that leave me after you get yourself killed?” she asked, sounding curious at my sincerity. “Someone should be coming to get me, and as far as I know...there’s nothing that’ll stop her.” “What makes you so sure?” “Nothing has yet.” ------------------------------------------ Three large slaver camps, two mines, and one military outpost had been wiped off the map in two days, all of them falling under a straight black line on the map that started at the Kaori border. “It isn’t anything local, and Amarante’s troops would sooner piss themselves than cross the border,” the general’s assistant said. “I know--it’s a lich,” the general Hilde answered as she stared down at the map. “Well...whatever it is, it looks like it’s heading straight for Zarom.” “She ain’t going to Zarom, she’s heading into that hole. Tell the rest of the slave hunters to pull back.” “They said they’ve already lost close to a hundred-” “Scout, get this message to one of the leaders of the hunters,” the general said as she handed off a piece of parchment to a nearby harpy. “General, we can’t begin staging anywhere near that-” Interrupting her assistant, the general continued to bark orders, “We can and we will. If that lich is coming, it means the man somehow completely slipped by our scouts. They had the same collar.” “Man? General, I don’t-” “Get my girls ready to move. I want that man in my hands--alive--the moment he brings down that wight.” “Uh...yes, general,” her assistant said with no small amount of confusion as she ran off. ------------------------------------------- “Are you okay?” the priestess asked me as I braced myself against the cave wall. Unlike whatever had happened the last time, this sensation was the almost perfect timing of realizing the grand demonic rune in my mind as the seal came apart all at once. Thinking about the design was physically painful and threatened to pull the strength from me even as I was so close to unleashing it. The realization of it was enough to know that it would work. I once again offered the priestess the promise of a peaceful life within the walls of the new Blacksky. This time, I also offered a warning that “the mother” would be here before long and that it wouldn’t be wise to stop her from coming down here. “We would not hinder the Mother in her quest to reunite with the Red Hand. Your kindness is born of ignorance, but I shall look forward to becoming one with you within the Red Hand. That kind heart of yours will benefit all those that have already joined with her, and will hopefully be a blessed reprieve from the sorrow she must consume in us.” “Then I guess I’ll see you when I see you,” I said with a smile. “Indeed, it won’t be long.” ------------------------------------------ As I made my way towards Lorelei’s chamber, I gave a silent nod of gratitude to the fallen heroes of the past that made this possible. At the thought, however, my iron stomach could no longer fight the thoughts of what I’d eaten. Throwing up at least two dozen of the oblong objects before I covered my mouth in an attempt to trap the rest of them in the roiling rejection of my stomach, I swallowed my own bile as I looked at the mess before me. I contemplated moving on without the cargo that I’d lost, but as much as I hated the thought with every sane fiber of my being, I wouldn’t risk letting myself die to the massive surge of demonic energy when this plan finally went off. The hardest thing I’d ever had to do was walk away from Risa as she slept only a few days ago. The task before me was a close second. All it took to force down my disgust, however, was the thought of coming home and feeling the the touch of my wife and our daughters. Hitting myself in the face a few times as a distraction, I began the horrific task of consuming the remaining hero testicles that I’d just thrown up. -------------------------------- Even knowing what she looked like after so many trips through this exact scenario, I had never been able to resist a gasp each time I saw her open her eyes. As soon as I came into view she started walking towards me. “Stop,” I said loudly as I began my mental count, “I’ve come to take you back to your mother.” “That will not happen, you cannot stop me,” she said without any trace of emotion. At that I began a necromantic chant. Without being able to channel demonic energy, it wouldn’t actually do anything, but the primary goal was to get her to charge at me to stop it, her existence so full of danger that she wouldn’t risk falling victim to the first “male necromancer.” She dashed forward as I expected, my body already moving inside her guard. I stepped across where her balance line would be and threw a quick chop followed by an elbow, both of them catching her in the throat. Her attempt to reverse her momentum nearly bent her spine backwards over my knee as I threw a solid punch to her solar plexus. Not able to see the reaction but knowing what it would be, I ducked as her arm passed through my hair, just barely missing my skull as the air shuddered in the likely sonic boom that was created with the sheer speed of her passing hand. Grabbing her wrist before the arc of her punch had fully extended, I brought her arm down as I lunged upwards, breaking her arm at the elbow with my skull as the fulcrum of this bloody lever. I ticked the seconds off in my mind as she withdrew a moment. On the second tick I jumped slightly, bringing my knees up toward my chest, and reared my head back. I began hurling myself forward as if to go into a forward roll, my descending foot landing on her thigh with my hands on her shoulders as her dash had carried her forward so quickly that she was nearly beneath me. As she made to throw a skull-crushing punch at me, my face was already descending towards hers as fast as humanly possible. After so many attempts at this exact scenario, I was able to avoid the broken eye socket completely this time, as my forehead connected at full force with her nose. As her mouth opened in pain or surprise--the goal I had been trying to achieve--I spit the Blacksky focusing gem down her throat as I hit the ground and shifted my feet in a circle, making two small steps forward and a small hop back as though I was taunting her. Lorelei had already leaped back and grabbed at her throat, possibly wondering what the thumbnail-sized object could have possibly been as she threw a look of utter disbelief at me. Spitting black blood onto the ground as she tried to clear her eyes of her own blood, she calmly spoke, “I do not understand. How is a human able to move as you do?” Drawing a few more lines in the dirt, I answered with a smirk, “Would you understand if I told you I was cheating?” I kept the count. One, two. She takes a step forward. Seven, Eight. The ground begins to rumble as Del’s nearby assault seems to shake the entire nation of Kaori. “You know that you will die here, and yet there is hope and even joy within you. Are you a hero acting as the vanguard of the approaching army?” I kept the count for two more beats as I stood up straight and spoke before I knew she would begin her final dash. “I’m no hero, even though I may have the essence of thirty heroes within me just at the moment. And that’s your mother, Lorelei. I’m done cheating so come and get it.” I had no more answers for her supernatural speed, but this time...I didn’t need any. Far faster than my eye could follow at this point, she moved forward...and right into the runic circle I had drawn in the dirt of the cave floor. Despite my near certainty that this would stop her, I opened the eyes that I had reflexively closed to see her knife-like hand only centimeters from where it would have torn off my arm, her entire body frozen in a column of coruscating light in violet hues. She could only manage a whimper as the might of Del and Genevieve’s greatest creation tore the energy from her body, the massive discharge collecting in a ball of light above her. As I watched her inhuman beauty fall from her, the skin drew away from its perfect pearlescence to a sickly green, her hair fell from her in large silvery clumps, and her many scars started to look more and more fitting. The essence of so many fallen monsters drew ever inward until the diaphanous energy took on a liquid texture, finally seeming to turn completely solid as tiny cracks began to show in the perfect black sphere. A sound like a piece of glass shattering was the only warning I had as the gem within Lorelei reached critical mass and broke under the strain of so much energy. I shielded my eyes in a fearful expectation of what would follow as the black sphere finally exploded in a violent expulsion of demonic power. As the energy ripped through me, I felt an even more powerful churning in my stomach as the vast quantity of energy did everything it could to electrify me. The feeling that assaulted my mind was to lust what a dragon is to a gekko. It came in waves for several minutes as the energy was released, the intensity slowing dying off. No longer able to hold my sickening “meal” down, I began to vomit up the foul testicles, each one now looking completely black as my body became desperate to force them out. For another several minutes as the energy continued to pulse from the dying focal point about my circle, I involuntarily purged myself of the defense mechanism I had devised. Miraculously, the energy release stopped as I came to rest on my side, my stomach blessedly empty. Looking at my quarry, I saw that she had completely reverted to a zombie state. As I looked myself over, I didn’t feel particularly good but it didn’t seem like I was going to die from what was left of the demonic energy in the air. I frowned, however, as I saw the very hungry zombie of Del’s daughter advancing towards me. She wasn’t moving very fast, thankfully, so I was able to keep my distance as I smiled. “I don’t have anything against zombies, but I’d like to hold off on the incest if you don’t mind,” I said as I made to lead her up the tunnel where I knew Del would find me. I wanted to jump with joy as I realized that, if Del had managed to get to me before, she should have no problem getting us both out of here. As I skipped my way down the tunnel, I was suddenly hit with something in the back of the head. Turning to see if Lorelei had somehow caught up to me, I saw a masked figure covered in a sheen of sweat as my vision went shaky, then blurry, then dark. The last thing of which I was cognizant was that Lorelei and I were being tied up and carried somewhere. ---------------------------- |
| ~~Part 2~~ “That was a show worth watching, but I’m already getting bored,” I heard an unfamiliar voice shout to my right as I came awake. “Release the two of them and you will come to no harm,” I heard Del’s voice respond. As my sight cleared, I saw a sea of (in)humanity around me that stretched on further than I could completely perceive. Directly beside me was Lorelei, bound as I was, with her arms behind her back. This was the absolute catastrophe I was trying to avoid. Wait...how long had I been out? As my mind wandered to that thought, I felt the omnipresence of the rune that had been burned in to my mind starting to consume my reason. “Del! Don’t worry about me!” I screamed, worried that I’d completely lose any grip I had on my sanity as the insidious magic ripped through my consciousness like a tornado through a library, my thoughts scattering in the tumult like unshelved books. “I am not leaving without you,” Del said plainly, but forcefully. “Well then I guess you have a choice, lich. Taking hostages is the coward’s way out, but even if I take credit for cleaning out this hole, Kaori is still going to want to know who the fuck brought down three slaver camps and a military outpost.” “I warned them but they refused to move,” Del replied. “So that leaves us in this little pickle,” the orcish general said as she drew a jagged-edged sword and held it to my neck, “I’m going to make one offer, and only one offer before I cut this maggot’s throat and watch you both die.” I saw Del’s eyes going over countless possibilities as she looked around frantically, her eyes settling back on the general a few moments later. “Make your offer.” With a victorious smile, the general pulled the sword back slightly, “What is your name, lich?” “Delilah,” my wife answered without hesitation. “Well, Delilah...I’m Hilde, and I’m going to give you one chance. Unweave the magic of your phylactery and kill yourself in front of me and I’ll let your man go.” The throbbing in my head was getting more and more unbearable, but there was no fucking way I was going to let that happen. As I tried to speak I was kicked in the stomach, the wind easily forced from me as I coughed at the onset of a new pain to go with the one that was already slowly driving me insane. “You open your mouth again, boy, and I’ll pull your tongue out through your throat,” Hilde said as she glared down at my squirming form. “If you harm him again, death will seem a pleasant distraction from the horrors that I will unleash upon you,” Del said as the sclera of her eyes went utterly black. “Oh, yeah? That sounds like a lot more fun anyway,” Hilde said as she stepped behind me and drove her jagged blade through me, apparently missing anything immediately vital, leaving the weapon within me. As she pulled a massive axe from nearby, she uttered one last word, “Attack.” ------------------------------------------------- “You’re almost through this, sweetie,” Lareina said in an assured voice, “Just give me one last push!” “You said that four fucking pushes ago!” Risa screamed as she bit down against the pain. “It’s a lot easier when you stop acting lazy,” Meryl offered, offering comfort in the familiar. “Don’t even start with me you…Hah,” Risa began before screaming again in pain, finishing her statement afterwards without missing a beat, “...you miserable bitch!” Smiling to see the fight in her sister rather than being upset, Meryl replied, “If I could trade places with you right now, I would. So use that anger and push, you little pansy!” “This one wants to hit the ground running,” Lareina said as she caught the first infant danuki, “Now just give me one more big push for her sister.” “Sister?!” Meryl and Risa screamed in unison, the latter shedding tears as the heady emotional cocktail mixed with the pain. Risa’s mother gave a wry smile, remaining calm for her daughter’s benefit as she spoke again, “She didn’t tell you? Oh, that Delilah is some piece of work. You’re so close now, Risa...aaaand, push!” ------------------------------------------ I didn’t actually feel much pain from the blade as the unbound demonic energy continued to rampage through my mind and body. Even if Del could survive this, I still might not make it through this in one piece if she didn’t hurry. What followed, however, was like something from a nightmare. I could hear the general giving orders as the first wave of enemies advanced on Del like an unorganized mob, the more ordered soldiers getting into position to advance afterwards. Del gave one last look at me and smiled apologetically as the explosion of her power left her standing in a small crater, even across the increasingly cacophonous battlefield, I heard her pleadingly whisper, “Please don’t be afraid, my love. Please don’t be afraid...of me.” “Ashia,” I heard Del’s voice echo ethereally as the ground before her opened up into that behemoth’s maw, crushing three enemies in a matter of seconds. The enemies quickly moved to encircle Del as I heard her voice call out other names, each accompanied by a dark rune that traced itself in the air. “Rena, Midnight, Tanis, Hrist, Annika,” Delilah said in succession as several more grotesque undead constructs of prodigious size leapt forth from the ground to tear in the attacking horde, the screams becoming a symphony of pain as the wall of soldiers began to split and fracture while they tried to fight off the onslaught of these new beasts. “She’s a necromancer! Take her down and they’ll go down too! Ipsthranis!” As the general called out the name a large woman took flight above the rabble, her draconic heritage as clear as the haughty grin on her face. “Crush the bitch!” Hilde called out, with a look of sick joy on her face. With her smile twisting and her jaw extending, it was clear that the dragon was transforming. As the dragon assumed her terrifying true form, the sight became so horrible to behold that even her allies hesitated to see it. Far more horrifying to her enemies, however, was the chill that had filled the air. After the bright flash that had called forth her other monstrous undead constructs, Del now wore a mask shaped like a golden skull, her skin turning darker and darker until she appeared as nothing more than a shadow with a skeletal golden face, her piercing violet eyes throwing an almost sickly pallor over all who gazed upon them. Taking a step towards me, Del threw her nearly spectral hands wide to the gasps of nearly all that could see as jagged, hooked, golden chains shot from the void of her body. At first seeming to hit nothing, sticking in the air as if to things unseen. As the rabble continued to look on in an almost instant abject terror, the screams began, not of the living, but of the souls of the dead that had thought to seek rest after putting themselves between Delilah and her beloved. The dead spirits screamed much as they might have in life, but in an unending peal that was no longer constrained by the need to breathe. Desperately clinging to their own dead bodies for the few seconds that they could resist the pull, they were all torn free, the screams escalating as though they’d just experienced slowly losing a limb. Pausing in her transformation, the dragon looked down as her face twisted into a mask of rage. Caring little for the fate of the other soldiers, the powerful woman looked down as this creature--this tiny creature ignored her? The look on her shifting face told the story--she believed she would teach Del to fear her, just as she had done with every other enemy that she had ever faced. With Del’s eyes looking up at the dragon, her shadowy arm reached out to the closest spirit that had been drawn in by her chains as the space below her mask unhinged only barely reminiscent of an opening jaw, revealing what looked like blackness at first glance. This was not a blackness, however, but a void that defied form or concept. Far more empty than just the absence of color, this was an abyss from which there could be no escape. Every single combatant jolted as the sound began. Having climbed several octaves beyond a scream, the spirit tore at its bonds in a last futile attempt to escape oblivion. The enemy’s nearly unshakable morale of moments earlier was eroding faster than a sand castle in the face of a rising tide. Whatever their opinions on war, death, or the afterlife, the lich left no question or possibility as she devoured the souls of the dead, her form growing slightly larger with each sickening ectoplasmic snap before each ghostly voice was silenced forever. The chill began to intensify as Delilah began an unintelligible whispering chant, the voice touching the ears of the assembled monsters more like a breath of frozen air than as sound, only a moment before the dragon had finished assuming its ancient form, letting forth a blast of heat that melted even the broken rocks of the ground below. As the massive amount of dust and smoke began to clear, it became clear that she had whispered another name. “Ixi.” Another massive draconic form had manifested, it’s great wing having been used to shield Del from the white-hot fire that had tried to destroy her. This was not a living dragon, however, the once-great red scales that covered her massive body having been replaced with the gleaming dwarven steel plates, solving the mystery as to the use she had found for them. The beast let forth a roar that shuddered, cracked, and gurgled as though carried across torn and blood-soaked vocal cords. The undead dragon looked to the sky above and almost seemed to smile as its massive body shot upwards with a titanic thrashing of its wings. Colliding in midair, the two dragons hit with such force that I, as well as many of the combatants, were forced to the ground from the resulting shockwave. While the beasts may have been closely matched in strength, the living dragon quickly learned that she had no hope of beating Del’s creation. Wheeling free of Ixi’s steel talons, the enemy dragon made a quick snap of its jaws, digging deeply into the undead creature’s throat. Satisfied that she had delivered a killing blow, she was unprepared when Ixi used her enemy’s jaws as leverage and pulled her hind legs up to rake the softer dragon’s underside, cutting through the membrane of a wing in the process. The writhing mass of draconic rage came crashing down into a group of soldiers that were being held in reserve, nearly a dozen of them crushed instantly as the thrashing beasts struggled for dominance. Panic began to spread through the ranks of the assembled soldiers as the general screamed herself hoarse in an attempt to regain control. Finally deciding to lead by example, she grabbed her massive axe and leapt to deal with Ixi before the rampaging beast could do any more damage. Ixi’s restless animated bones continued to unleash even more devastation, however, as she ignored a spine-shattering bite from her opponent to bring her steel-barbed tail into the face of the enemy, shattering the other dragon’s eyes as she did so. At Del’s command, Ixi left the blinded enemy and charged toward the general, her broken spine pulling back together with necromantic thread, much like what Del had used to put me back together so long ago. The enemy dragon became an ally in that moment as it began to flail around in a blind attempt to take vengeance against the mockery of draconic pride that had shattered her eyes. Dozens of enemy combatants were broken or crushed by the writhing dragon in her fury, her actual enemy already across the battlefield engaging the general. I remembered chief Sunslayer telling me she had subdued a dragon in her true form, but I didn’t completely believe it until I saw the orcish general stand to face Ixi wielding nothing more than a massive battleaxe. Leaping the massive tail swipe that aimed to end the fight quickly, the orc leapt forward and brought her axe down near the base of the tail, severing it outright, before kicking the piece too far away for Del’s magic to reattach it. “Come on! Is that all you’ve got?!” the general screamed in defiance of the massive creature that stood before her. While the general engaged Ixi in single combat, the area around Del had become little more than a pile of broken bodies. As I watched in a growing fear of my lover, one of Del’s eyes seemed to vanish as the other began growing to dominate the sight of all arrayed around her. Her body fell away completely to become nothing more than the embodiment of an absolute abyss, a single spiteful violet eye at its center. The murderous purplish light threw a sick shadow across everything as the many spirits became visible to everyone, their terrifying gestures now even more obvious as they tried in vain to claw at the ground, their own bodies, and even other spirits to avoid being unmade by that hateful darkness. Archers and magically-minded combatants flung spells and arrows at the vortex with no apparent effect, the dark energy growing ever larger and more ravenous with each soul that was torn to pieces within it. Above the din, my love’s voice cut across my ears like an icy gale, “Flee now or be torn to nothing.” From the center of the vortex, more and more golden chains began to streak to dozens, then hundreds of places, each one dragging another dead spirit towards oblivion. The sound of screams had grown to smother nearly every other sound as scattered enemies had started to flee, now more afraid of Delilah’s wrath than that of their general. As the battlefield became a hellish wonderland beyond what I thought my imagination could truly encompass, my eyes were drawn to the struggle between the orc Hilde and the draconic beast that was once Ixi. I doubted that any of Ixi’s powerful spirit remained in the animated corpse, but I found it strange that, in all of the horrible things that I saw anywhere else I looked, it was as if both the fallen dragon and the cruel general were smiling. After a short disengage, during which the general caught her breath, she let loose a squealing howl to the heavens that made her more a picture of a wild boar than the more pig-like appearance her orcish traits otherwise suggested. After her shrill cry of exultation, the general lunged at the undead monstrosity, rolling under a bone-shattering snap of the great jaws, her axe answering in an uppercut that shattered a half-dozen teeth. The great skull recoiling from the thunderous impact, a murderous steel claw cut across from the orcs left side. Rather than try to avoid the blow, the general leapt into it with her axe brandished in front of her, catching it before it could pick up enough speed to do any damage, but still knocking the orc back onto her heels. Turning her body, she allowed the momentum to carrying her into a spinning swing, after which she released the axe in an earth-splitting heave that cut the mighty dragon skeleton into halves, but not completely disabling it. With a laugh of triumph the general then jumped up to the reeling neck of the bony beast and latched her powerful hands at the hinge of the jaw and then dug her legs in hard. Screaming in exertion and pulling for all she was worth for what felt for several minutes, the general finally tore the massive dragon skull from where it connected to the spine and heaved it at least a hundred meters, the rest of the body falling to pieces as she did so. With an ungraceful but effective tumble, the orc came to her feet and scanned the battlefield, screaming, “Who’s next?!” Before the sound could even reach the remaining combatants, Ashia’s massive fist came down on the shoulders of the orc, sending her to a knee for a moment before Hilde reached around and caught the second descending fist in her arms. Using the heavy appendage as a focus, she then spun into a massive kick that broke the rotting hulk’s arm off at the shoulder. As I wondered if there was anything Del could conjure that would stop the rampaging orc, I looked around to see the battlefield all but deserted, the vast number of remaining soldiers having fled to points unknown. Looking back at Hilde, she was now surrounded by three of the immortal undead fiends and an already reconstructing Ixi as the souls of the countless dead that had died at Lorelei’s hands became fuel for a rage that Del had never unleashed, let alone felt. Rather than concede defeat, the orc continued to try and fight before a wild swing from Ashia snapped her leg at the knee, the following series of blows knocking her unconscious moments later. I looked at Del...seeing the massive spot of emptiness that had become her body still dominated by the violet eye. None of my words would come out, as I tried to call to her. As I tried to get back to my feet, I saw a shape in the sky and forgot that it should have been part of my plan. Coming to rest right beside me, one of a pair of harpies with a large basket asked, “You ordered an urgent...uh...wheat pickup?” “Just a moment…” I forced out, the confusing pain in my head masking any other pain I might have felt. (This was the song in my head for the following scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1S6GRWFZGo ) As I looked back to Del, she had assumed her familiar form again but looked to be hesitating in coming closer, the nervousness written plainly on her face, even from nearly a hundred meters. “The sword hit no vital organs, but we will need to get you to a doctor as soon as we return to Alnor,” she said as she came closer. “Del…” I attempted to say with weakening breath. Coming closer, she spoke quietly, “You were afraid...you are still afraid, Joe.” I closed my eyes and responded, “No...or not for the reasons you might think,” I began before I took a large breath and attempted to clear my head, “It scares me that anyone would go to those lengths...for me.” “My love, I told you that there is nothing more important to me than you. Why could you not just trust me? We had an eternity to get my daughter, and watching you do all of this for my sake has been...painful.” Trying to force myself up, I managed to slip free of my bonds as my mind seemed to clear completely. “I’m sorry, Del. Even after all I’ve been through, I never felt like I deserved this life. Even after we had a chance to settle down and actually live...I had to find another insane project to feel like I mattered. I got your daughter, Del...just...hug her or something so I won’t feel like I destroyed everything to satisfy my ego.” Moving quietly but with a quickness to her step, Del came upon the struggling zombie girl and simply held her, Lorelei’s struggling seeming to stop as her mostly blank expression seemed to smooth into one of a long-awaited calm. “Joe...for whatever your reasons, this is...thank you,” Delilah murmured as she shared an embrace for which she had been waiting thousands of years. I started to waver on my feet. There was something I had wanted to say but it was getting so hard to remember anything. “Joe! What’s wrong?!” I heard Del shout as I turned, realizing I had started to wander away. “I...took your gem and got the rune from Genevieve...but it’s not supposed to stay in my head...I think,” I answered, my own voice feeling far away. It would be okay if I could just feel Del touch me one more time--to hold my children even if it was only just once...to make sure that, even if I was forgotten, my family would never forget that they were loved. Del stood and dashed toward me as she realized what I meant, her arms reaching out to catch me as I started to fall forward… ...as she passed straight through me like a cloud of vapor, my body no longer solid. Her small feet caught on the loose stone as she fell to her knees behind me. “No, Joe...not like this…” Del wailed as she turned back to me. “It’s...okay, I had your phylactery moved...you’ll be okay this time,” I said as my words got harder and harder to form into sound. “This is no better...your children need you, Risa needs you…I need you. I do not want to imagine a world without you! You cannot die here! You need to focus your thoughts!” Focus my thoughts? Demonic energy is simply the energy of desire...I knew I learned that somewhere, but what could I do now? What was left of me had already been devoured. “I...love you Del. You and Risa are my heart and...being with you has been the most--the only thing that has mattered. Even--even if I had to do it all over again, knowing that I would die right here, right now...I wouldn’t hesitate.” “Joe, please don’t leave us alone! It was my fault...I’ll forgive you for every broken promise, every painful choice you made for my sake. Let me touch you again...please, you don’t have to-” There was nothing I wanted more than to touch her. The look in her eyes was one of absolute desperation but it was so hard to focus. I reached out to her and my hand passed through her, coming away with only thin strands of energy. My last thoughts as I faded completely were that I would do anything, pay any price, or honor any boon if I could stay. I forced the last vestiges of my will into that desire, focusing every thought that I had left on that singular wish. ------------------------------------------------ I felt...funny. It seemed strange to think of it in a term so simple, but there really wasn’t anything else that seemed to fit. Funny. I’m certain that I was dreaming, but I could say for how long...or what about. All at once I remembered what I wanted, what I had fought for, and what I would still give up anything to have. Delilah… Karisa… Aurielle… Arianwyn… Lorelei…? That’s right. Those are the names of the things I want. Would you really sacrifice everything to have them? Even who you are?” Who I am is a bad husband and an even worse father. If I had another chance to be there for my family...I’d never leave them alone again. “Good,” I heard my own voice say, “Because there is a way...we just need to focus.” Focus… “I’ve got it.” ------------------------------- I shot awake as I sucked in the largest breath I felt I’d ever taken, feeling like I’d just been hit with an adrenaline spike in the chest. My skin was still slightly cool to the touch and my heart slowly began to pick up its pace, acting like a car starting on a frigid morning back home. For several moments I just sat there, taking deep breaths as I savored the taste of the air, the scent of the sun as it spilled across our otherwise empty bed. Going over to my dresser, I found that my clothes had all been taken again. “Fuck it...I’m hungry. Whatever happens, happens,” I mumbled to myself as I lethargically made my way from the room and down the stairs. Somehow I’d knocked two pictures off the wall and tripped over my own feet twice just trying to get downstairs. Giving up any pretense of style, I simply draped myself over the railing and slowly slid myself down into the foyer. I could smell something that reminded me of breakfast cooking so I snuck my way to the dining room and managed to pour myself into my chair, letting myself slide even further down in the seat as I felt hungry enough to eat a horse. A whole horse, yeah. I was naked and didn’t have any pockets in which to keep any fucks to give, as long as it filled the void. “Joe?” I heard Risa say from behind me followed by the sound of a large dish shattering on the floor. “Mmm? What’s for breakfast? It is breakfast time, isn’t-” I didn’t finish my statement as Risa literally tackled me out of my chair and held me pinned to the floor, her hands on either side of my face as she cried harder than I’d ever seen. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” I asked as I reached up to stroke her cheek, realizing that I must have been out a while to have lost so much weight. Nearly hysterical, she began kissing my face anywhere she could find find purchase with her lips, “Where have you been?!” she screamed as she nearly threw herself against me. “I...don’t know, I guess. Wasn’t I just unconscious?” I answered quietly, pulling her in tightly and rubbing her back to try and calm her down. “You’ve been gone for weeks...I wouldn’t believe you were gone for good. You promised you’d come back...and now you’re here…” she sobbed, tiny hiccups interrupting her attempts to speak clearly. She pulled away again to look down at me again, her tears falling on my face as she kept trying to rub her eyes with the sleeves of her loose travelling outfit. “I don’t know exactly what happened...just that I felt like I passed out...or maybe faded out. I wanted to be here and then I woke up here,” I said with a weak smile as I reached up and rubbed one of her soft ears, her reaction being all I needed to remind me that this was home, and nothing was going to drag me away from it again. Looking around, I gasped as I remembered the rest of why I wanted to be here, “Where’s Del and...um…” “She took the girls to see Eme--I mean Lareina outside the city. We need to go see her!” Risa said suddenly as she stood and pulled me to my feet. “My clothes?” “Selvirin is still fixing the holes in your normal travelling outfit but your other clothes are still hanging up to dry...just a sec,” she said as she ran off with a bounce in her step that I hadn’t seen since we’d first set out for Elysian Valley. As I stood in the dining room waiting for Risa to return, I picked the chair back up and headed back towards the foyer, knocking the chair over again as I passed. “Cripes, it’s like I’m drunk,” I mumbled to myself as I set the chair back up and slowly backed away, keeping a close eye on it this time. As I backed into the foyer, I heard Risa call out softly from the top of the stairs, “Joe...we should talk really quick before we go.” That was not at all what I wanted to hear, as my heart fell from worry about what else could possibly be wrong. Maybe it was just the thought that I might have been dead, but there was definitely something else in Risa’s voice that was worrying me. As I walked into our room, Risa was laying back on the bed. She looked up and gave me a poor attempt at a smile and patted the bed next to her, beckoning me over to join her. Laying back down, I looked over at her in an attempt to figure out what was on her mind with no luck. Thankfully she didn’t keep me in suspense as she simply asked, “Do you still...want me?” “What kind of...of course! I’m a little--scratch that--I’m really tired but if you want me I’m yours,” I answered as I reached over to her. “Okay, that’s all I needed to know. You’ve been through a lot and I wanted to know that it was still you in there,” she answered with a large smile of relief as she sat back up and helped me get dressed in a loose toga and a hat, adding, “Until we get some real food in you, it’s probably better if you don’t get too much sun.” The trip outside the city didn’t take long at all. Lareina had set up a small trading post not far from the gate to buy things that were banned inside the city and while she probably carried out other questionable dealings, but I certainly didn’t have a leg on which to stand as far as questionable deals were concerned. As the small outpost came into view, I lost my composure entirely as I saw Lareina holding the two girls that had to be mine. Risa pulled me in a bit more tightly as we drew closer. Catching Lareina’s glance, I was treated to a wry smile and a raised eyebrow as she gave a nod in the direction of her small home while she continued to gently rock the two girls. “Let’s talk to Del first so she uh...let’s just talk to her first,” Risa said as she led me through the open door into the tiny shop in which Lareina currently lived. Before I could say anything, I felt a cooly soft embrace from a set of unfamiliar arms. As I turned to look, I saw the zombie form of Lorelei as she hugged me, her face still emotionless as she made a cooing moan that I could only imagine was her attempt at a greeting. “Dear, you need not hug her every time she comes through the door. Lareina, you are out of holstaurus milk. I could fetch some from-” she began, stopping as she turned to see me, “...Joe?” she added softly. Too embarrassed to meet her gaze as my mind rolled over the last words I’d heard her say, I simply nodded. Looking away from me, she spoke in a hushed voice, “You are...not wearing your collar.” “We can get another one, can’t we?” I offered, tears still in my voice as I tried to process this odd homecoming. “You are...certain you still wish to be with us?” she asked, her gaze still focused on something behind her. “What is it with you two today?” I said jokingly to lighten the mood before adding in a much more serious tone, “Whatever happened to me--wherever I’ve been dreaming--I came back for this family. Risa, Del...I came back for the two of you, for our daughters. I told you before, but I’ll love you for the rest of my life.” Finally turning to me with an expression more overcome with loving emotion than I’d ever seen on my undead lover, she took several quick steps forward and buried herself in my arms. “I’m so sorry, both of you...I promise I’ll never do anything so stupid again.” “Yes you will, Joe. It is in your nature, but as long as you never forget your home, we will always be waiting with open arms to have you back,” Del said through powerful bouts of tears. As I held my wives again, my zombie stepdaughter made another little unintelligible moan and also hugged the three of us. “She’s become rather...affectionate,” I said with a smile. “I am simply giving her the love she has always deserved. She is a bit more...intense with her clinging than I would prefer, but I have removed all of my modifications upon her mind so that she will develop naturally. But…” she said as she dried her eyes, “it is time to meet your daughters.” “Uuuuuh,” Lorelei said(?). “He does not speak zombie, my dear,” Del answered. “Uuuuuh,” the zombie girl moaned again, the sound seeming identical to the one before. “She would like to apologize for causing you so much trouble, to thank you for saving her, and to know if she can consider you her father as well,” Del translated, stretching credibility somewhat. In response, I reached over and gave the zombie a hug, tousling her hair as I answered, “If that’s what you want. I wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble for you if I didn’t care. I might need some time, but as long as you don’t try anything...uh...incestuous, then we’ll be just fine.” “Uuuuuh,” she moaned as she looked back to Del. “Yes, well...you heard him. Those are the rules,” my undead wife replied as she seemed to roll her eyes. “Uuuuuh,” Lorelei finished as she shuffled across the room to start moving some boxes. “Do not take such a tone with your...mother. This will be an adjustment for all of us,” Del said in answer before pulling me back outside. “Come here, Joseph,” Lareina said in a soft but stern voice, adding as I moved closer, “We may need to have a little chat about your poor treatment of my daughter on one of the most important days of her life.” “Sure, okay. Can...can I hold them?” I asked as I was nearly overwhelmed with the pair of perfectly angelic sleeping faces before me. “Let us try one at a time, this is Arianwyn,” she said as she gently passed the sleeping infant danuki to me. She felt warm in my embrace, far warmer than the actual heat being generated by her tiny body. Fussing for only a moment as she was placed in my arms, she calmed back down almost immediately, opening her eyes to gaze up at me with a curious look. “Hey there cutie,” I said as I reached up with my free hand to rub the tiny fuzzy ears atop her head, earning a heart melting coo that made my knees weak. Unlike my partial heterochromia, the younger of my beautiful daughters had two completely different colored eyes, one that was the same enchanting viridian that had helped me fall so helplessly for her mother, the other looking like my own grey-blue. “Arianwyn’s right eye is blue, but they are otherwise very difficult to distinguish,” Del said as she extended a finger towards the girl in my arms, the infant almost immediately grasping it with both hands and pulling it into her mouth. “Okay, love...I need to say hi to your sister, okay?” I said, asking permission. In response, the little girl crossed her arms and turned her nose up. “Uh…” I began, not sure I could believe what I was seeing. “Ah, many mamono are more capable at birth than human infants and also develop more quickly. I know they can already understand us, though they are not yet willing or able to speak,” Del offered helpfully as Risa took Ari from me. With that, Lareina handed me my older (by a few moments) daughter Aurielle. Perhaps as a test of my future sanity, she had the same color eyes, thankfully reversed in their placement. “Well at least I’ll never be put on the spot about which one of you is cuter,” I said to the adorable girl with a smile. Coming over towards me, Risa leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek, smiling as she said, “We sure do make ‘em good, don’t we?” Noticing that Auri seemed to really like me rubbing her back, I held her in a gentle hug with her tiny chin resting on my shoulder as I did exactly that, pleased beyond words at the small giggles she set free as I did so. All at once, however, I heard what sounded like a hiccup from her, followed by a slight gurgling as she threw up her breakfast down my back. With a smile, I took the accident in stride, “It’s my first day and I’m already taking fire,” I said as I heard my daughter’s voice start to hesitate. Bringing her around to face me I could see she looked like she was going to cry. “It’s okay, love,” I said as I gently touched her on the nose, “I didn’t like this toga anyway.” “We should still get your cleaned up,” Del said with a slight creasing of her brow. “I’ll take her,” Lareina offered. I placed a small kiss on the forehead of my daughters and let Del lead me to a small shed behind the house that contained a wash basin. As Del looked me over to appraise the damage, she came back around to look at me with a curious look on her face. “Would you prefer the good news or the bad news first, Joe?” “Uh...the good news?” I said, not sure what could be all that bad or good about this situation. “The good news is that she missed your clothes.” “Oh! Wait...then what’s the bad news?” “She got it all over your wings,” Del said, not breaking her stare. Wait. I started to hyperventilate as I stumbled back against the wall, the unseen and unfamiliar limbs knocking over everything around me. “Joe, be still,” Del commanded as I tried to cover my face. “No...but I…” “I did not remove the rune quickly enough, my love. So I am afraid that I have...some more bad news.” I already knew what she was going to say. Genevieve never really told me that it would kill me...just that my life as I knew it would be undone. That meant that I… “This was likely another side effect of the artifact. Some part of you felt and understood what it was to be...me. When your will manifested over the mass of demonic energy, that part of you must have desired this.” My hands shot to my own head, feeling the ridged horns sweeping forward from the top of my head. This was like a bad dream from which I wanted to escape...this couldn’t be real, could it? “If you would remain still, I would like to confirm something.” “Wait, Del...no. This can’t be right, I was-” “Joe. Did Risa or I push you away?” “No, but-” “Were you being truthful when you said that you still desire to remain with us?” I could only nod in response as I struggled to breathe. “Then your other concerns are...relatively minor. Now be still,” she said with authority as she lifted my toga to see what was hidden beneath. “Oh fuck Del...how bad is it?” I asked knowing that absolutely any answer would not be the answer I wanted to hear. Looking up at me now with an almost playful grin, she answered, “It all appears to be fully functional. And to ease your amusingly troubled mind, you are somewhat better...equipped than a typical woman,” she drove the point home by grasping what felt like a familiar piece of anatomy, making me shiver as she ran her finger along the one that was...unfamiliar. Not sure why it mattered as I knew that futanari monsters were sterile as males, I still breathed a sigh of relief in the knowledge that my entire sexual identity hadn’t been destroyed. As I stood in silence for several minutes to allow Del to clean off my wings, still trying and failing to process this catastrophe, she finally stood back before me with a frown. “There are three other things I must tell you, none of which you are going to like.” “This isn’t enough? Fine...let’s get it over with,” I replied despondently, still afraid of what she might tell me. “The first is that those two beautiful children are the only two that Risa will ever have by you.” I nodded somberly, already having realized that unfortunate fact. “The second is that you no longer have what some might refer to as a ‘soul’. From your perspective there will be no difference as you simply exist as a projection of your own will. Because of that blessing that was placed upon you, your soul may yet exist somewhere, but that is a worry for another day.” “Okay,” I answered, not feeling any different mentally even with the surprisingly palatable knowledge that I had no soul. “The final thing is that, however much you may hate it, you will have to...feed. Like me, your body has become one that must taking in spiritual energy to survive. Before you go completely insane over this, I know that Risa and I would be willing to help you.” “Del...I don’t..know if I can handle this,” I said, feeling ill. I knew I was hungry and, despite myself, I knew exactly what I needed to slake this slowly growing thirst. As my mind started down the spiral of depression, I looked up to see Risa smiling at the two of us as she passed by, my two beautiful daughters taking their fill of her milk. The flutter in my stomach reminded me how much this family meant to me. That reminder couldn’t have come at a better time. “You know what?” I asked before adding, “I told myself that I’d be able to handle anything if it was to stay with my family. So fuck it...nothing I ever do will be as disgusting as swallowing five dozen hero testicles so...bring it on, or whatever.” “I have never had the opportunity to experiment on a living Alp, my love. This is rather exciting,” Del said with far too much happiness in her voice. “Awesome, thanks for giving me something to look forward to, Del.” “Indeed, now let us fetch Risa and then find you something to eat.” So, just like that, the great worry I had of my wives outliving me by thousands of years was replaced with an entirely different series of problems. Some part of me still had to wonder what might have happened to my soul, but as I looked out at the road leading into the city, I saw Lorelei hugging random passersby and resigned myself to simply being happy with the amazingly unique family that had been entrusted to me. When I really thought on it, not only had I never been more happy, but I was also hopeful for the future. I could imagine a lot of other ways that this could have turned out far worse, all things considered. While Del and Risa discussed where they were going to find me some...food, I got to take a short nap. So there I was, sleeping again as though it were my one true talent, but this time I got to experience the unsurpassable joy of two other beautiful girls holding tight to either side of me. As I passed into the calming slumber of a midday nap, I decided definitively that no outcome could have been better than this. And so my story truly came to a close...for now. Survival Status: Failed. ------------------------------------------- *Bonus* Chapter ?? - Pieces Left Behind “You fucking bitch...why would you make me watch that?!” I screamed at Miranda. “I can understand your anger, but it’s your own fault for failing to remember that you’d paid me the 40,000 gold for another glimpse of a potential future,” she replied smugly. “Then I can just go through it again, right? And...stay alive this time…” I muttered, know that it was going to be a hopeless crapshoot at best. Every step of my plan near the end had to be executed perfectly to guarantee that I’d be able to stop Lorelei. Altering any step meant that it was simply a suicide run with little to no hope of survival. How did that fucking psychotic general even find out my plan in the first place? I suppose it didn’t really matter. “Wait...what happens now? I can’t just stay here in this void with you forever,” I offered as my frustration nearly overwhelmed me. “Well, Joseph...perhaps there is something else I could offer you. A special type of...freedom,” Miranda began, the tone of her voice making me already regret asking. “Just out with it for fuck’s sake,” I spat in anger. “The energy of the blessing is vast, but rather than use that energy to unsee this future, I can simply place you back in this world--the reality you’ve just seen.” “Damn it...I mean, I guess it wouldn’t be so horrible to live as an Alp as long as I can be with-” Interrupting me with a laugh, she cut in, “Oh no, Joseph. That beautiful futa is a true demon now, your soul would simply end up broken if I tried to put you in that body.” “So...even better, you send me back to a world where I can’t even be with the family I’ve been fighting so hard for in the first fucking place?!” “You saw the images I showed you, Joseph. Your family is healthy and happy. They have enough gold to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Would you even wish to destroy that, knowing how much you sacrificed to achieve it in the first place?” I knew I was being played, but I didn’t have any other options. I just needed to hear her angle to determine if it was something I could accept. “Are you taking the long way around this on purpose? Just tell me what you’re proposing. I don’t have a lot of choice in this because...you’re right. Accepting that fact is one of the hardest things I can even imagine, but there it is.” I blinked and found myself standing at the moment before I jumped to what should have been my death. As I looked around, the silence of the road suggested that I was still in some sort of dream. Was I really being given the choice to go through this entire ordeal again? I heard Miranda’s voice echo in the darkness, “You have grown on me somewhat so I will make you this offer: I will take the memories of the women you love and keep them with me. You will remember only that you willingly gave up the memories of your family to guarantee their happiness, and that you gave them to me. If you agree...make your choice.” I’d told myself before that if I ever found myself in this position, I wouldn’t have wasted a second on doubting hesitation. I didn’t disappoint as I flung myself over the railing and into the air. As I fell through the sky, I saw Miranda smiling at me as though she was upside-down. “You wouldn’t have really gone back to your world, this was just symbolic of your desire to honor our bargain.” “I don’t have a choice...the only way I can let them be happy is to forget and try to find a different happiness. Please hurry, Miranda...I won’t be able to bear the thought of losing the only true loves I’ve ever known for much longer.” “As you wish, Joseph. But I must warn you. One day, you will come to me to get these memories back, and I will demand a very high price for them. When that day arrives, be sure you do not arrive empty-handed.” I saw each memory as it was taken from me, starting from the end and moving forward to the beginning. The beauty of the world started to come into a much clearer focus. I lost the memory of fading away, then of numerous deaths as I tried to carry out a foolish plan, then of my wife, swollen with the proof of our love and the blessing of the Lord Amarante. I forgot the bureaucratic trials to meet the lord, the incomparable light of Ahmose and the journey through Blacksky, and I no longer remembered the mind bending house of mirrors that was the wedding and its illusion-packed fallout. No more thoughts remained in me of the quest to bring peace between Sunslayer’s goblins and Harpy Rock, the death of the mighty Ixi, or the stumbling steps of my journey to cure my blindness. Gone were the memories of my fall into the senseless dark, my first plan to upend the Alnor market, and the laughable zombie “horde” that plagued the Elysian Valley. Finally falling from my mind, with every sorrowful tear within me, were the memories of a beautiful ancient lich, the fiery passions of a traveling danuki merchant, and the cart into which I’d fallen that started it all. All I remembered was that I had been happy beyond words, that I had made a sacrifice to guarantee an everlasting happiness for the few that I had come to love, and that I had willingly given my memories to the witch Miranda. Finally, as I hit the ground on my back, stark naked and surrounded by trees...I think I remembered...that I needed to run. |
| i have 2...3 things |
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| You have no idea how many things I'm holding back my bitching about. But I will hold it back, this is your last chapter and I won't ruin the mood, I might make a longer comment later. And yes it was nothing short of awesome, very well written, not that we expected anything less from you. I'm kind of a sucker for happy endings, though wit that bonus chapter the confusion levels have broken some of my perception apparatuses so I'll assume that everything ended well. All in all, I had a great time reading it, I'll save more elaborate comments for later when I'm feeling up to it. |
| Oh god, I'm still reading it but I had to stop and comment... dude you ate testicles? that's dedication to a cause XD |
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| It was one hell of the ride and I should applaud you for great story. Until it went Inception-style in full swing and I stopped to understand what is real, if anything was ever real in the first place. And when it looked it is going back to normal, you once again you messed up with time, space and reality itself ... and I have no freaking idea what happened and what is a real ending. Like one becoming an Alp or one when you are forced to re-start all events from square one ... who the hell is Miranda if she can turn back time? |
| Signature removed. It was too good for this cruel world. |
| Okay...let's sort a couple things out. Compared to some of the other crap I've done, I didn't think this would be all that confusing, but I probably screwed up somewhere along the way so let me lay this out for the curious. |
| You mean I was actually right?! That never happens! I didn't get what was happening at first in the bonus chapter until I reread the bit about your/his soul being lost. But essentially Alp Joe has all the same feelings as MC Joe so Risa and Del get a happy ending but MC Joe gets the ultimate screwed over ending. (I find those the most sad of all endings, its almost along the lines of "everyone's happier for never having known me" kinda thing... Cirque du freak did that :P) Awesome way of allowing for a transition into a new story while at the same time possibly providing a connective feature between your two stories... a cross over with yourself though... wouldn't that technically be masturbation? Epic Chapter sir, you had me on the edge of my seat a number of times there and I'm a sucker for sad endings, they hurt but it's a good hurt I guess. :P |
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| [bawls inconsolably] It's... it's... over! WAAAAAAAAAAH!!! Can we agree that this was the most convoluted ending ever? I needed three reads to sort some of those passages out! It actually frustrated me a bit, but the final ending cleared it up (conversion to an Alp -- you have no room to talk about my blindness, sheesh). And the bonus chapter? Brilliant. That's similar to what King did with book 7 of the Dark Tower, and makes for a perfect transition to a sequel story. All in all, this has been one of the most enjoyable stories in the MSG. I'm sad to see it go... but I'm looking forward to the new stories that will spring up to fill the void. |
| "When you have bought your own load of hooey, you know exactly what it is worth." -- Bruce Sterling |
| Would be interesting that someone who actually remembers you runs into your newborn character. I originally took it as endless eight where your story actually runs again and again in circles. Plus I wondering who in Miranda. Perhaps a Time Lord in charge of all the transportation of newcommers? |
| Signature removed. It was too good for this cruel world. |
| So... You're going to just pull a Bioshock: Infinite ending on us? That's... Damn it. Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed this ending and I'm looking forward to the next story you present to us (Even though you might be using a Salamander...). |
| All right, time for the promised hyper comment, because there are some things that I can't hold back any longer. This comment contains major spoilers about the story, is biased on my personal opinion and mostly meant for the author to see. |
KamikadzeTMJun 30, 2014 9:49 AM
KamikadzeTM said: Kaori. Another nails in the coffin of mdude's empire. There is rather a question if we want this to happen or not, and that's something we want to ask Su. Should Kaori's regime collapse it would be actually one hell of the mess. Lord's loyalist forces? Official rebels fed up with the tyrant? Bladetail legion? Slave Hunters just waiting to tear out their part? Other lords expedition forces to regulate the confict? Everyone against everyone? And what about adding all the minor and relatively weak forces introduced through out hte stories? Ahmose's undead army. Haktivan übersoldats. Reini's demon militias. Zelia and other manipulators. mdude's mercenary army. Well, it would be fun. |
beast_regardsJun 30, 2014 9:55 AM
| Signature removed. It was too good for this cruel world. |
| @Kami: I agree with most, though the part where he was "cheating" I think was explained that he had seen this event several times, each time dying horribly or getting maimed, etc. and was eventually able to know every action she would take and know the exact timing so that he could avoid the attacks and counter them. No super human strength or power, just timing, leverage and reflexes. Though It does pose the question, just because I know when and where he'll fire the gun, can I still dodge it? About the illusions, again I agree but only in terms of how it affects physics. An illusionary ogre couldn't ACTUALLY knock a person a distance, though if the mind is fooled well enough they could think they were knocked a distance, but any onlookers (not affected by the illusion) would just see the person dancing about like a fool and falling down or acting like they are in pain (unless its all in their mind and they just lay there experiencing the illusion). Whatever perspective you put it through, if the mind is fooled, the body can be fooled (remember the matrix? you die in there and your body cannot survive without a mind.... though idk how it somehow spits up blood from a false injury?... w/e). So tactile sensations are easy, even a Lamia strangling or wrapping someone up, if their body believes it, it would be almost like being paralyzed. (watch Dr.Who, the episode where Amy thinks her hand is made of stone lol) Bringing up the Chronos girl? Shame on you sir, its still up for debate! lol Del's fight with Kaori soldiers... SHHH we all liked that scene, just ignore it and move on! :p though I never got to see the old stories so any Lord interactions are lost on me :( |
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| @GGM Hm, your cheat argument is fair but like you said, knowing and doing are different things. Illusions, well I agree that for example you can die from the intense pain from an illusion, but your body can't burst, your limbs can't break, and it's impossible to have any visible sign of injury. Though I will agree about the paralysis thing, to some degree. Yes, I also loved that scene. But just because I loved it, doesn't mean I accept and agree with it. |
| @Kami: As I said with the gun metaphor For the illusions, it all depends on how its perceived. You can be lead to believe its all happened but in reality you're laying there perfectly fine. Well since it was end game material, we could say she had reached her max potential. Whereas in the beginning she was nowhere near capable (ignoring the fact that she had only half of her power because of Ahmose) |
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| Okay! Some good points raised all around, so here we go... As above, ridiculously massive spoilers but there's no better time to point stuff out so...open invitation for anyone else that wants to point stuff out too =) So, I'll be happy to answer any other questions or concerns that folks might have. For the most part, almost everything I wrote had a reason for being there, but it doesn't mean all the reasons were good =P |
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