| Curtain Call - part 1 What would a real dragon do? That was a question Carla asked herself often. What would a real dragon do? Whatever she pleased, of course! And right now it pleased her to luxuriate in a pile of tinkling silver coins. There was definitely something to be said for ‘working’ for Eglantine, even if the woman was the very definition of gullible. No, her being gullible only made her so much better as an employer for Carla. “Miss Carla?” A timid voice called. Carla opened her eyes. Who dared interrupt her happy time? “MISS Carla,” she corrected, without dignifying the interloper with a glance. “Mistress Carla. Please,sorry. The baroness wants to see you.” Carla affected a grumble as she sat up. The soft jingling of heavy silver coins falling and rolling across her skin and scales delighted her ears. “Does she?” She asked gruffly. Eglantine usually knew better than to call on her. The Empusa had tried to show her off to visitors once. And that had been the end of it. She was much too grateful to have Carla here guarding her riches to risk her ire. But then why was she calling now? “What does she want?” Carla demanded gruffly and let herself fall back into the pile of silver. “She did not say,” the servant said. Was that Pip? Zip? It definitely wasn’t Nip. Carla had a hard time telling the baroness’ bed warmers apart. “Then I don’t care,” Carla said. In truth, it wouldn’t cost her anything to go and see what the woman wanted. It wasn’t as though Carla was truly too proud for that kind of stuff. But that wasn’t the point. The point was that a real dragon wouldn’t lower herself to wait on the pleasure of a mere Empusa. And so, neither did Carla. Her position, after all, depended on authenticity. “But I was told to fetch you, Mistress Carla,” the servant girl said. “Let Eglantine know I’m hard at work guarding her riches then,” Carla said flippantly. “But mistress Carla, I really think that…,” “What?” Carla asked gruffly and mustered the young servant girl with a well practiced glare. The kind you throw at an offending piece of dung. In truth, the little pussybus was far from that. Carla wouldn’t have minded to have those red eyes looking up at her from between her thighs… But no. “Shoo, little girl,” she told the pussybus and cast her from her mind. As expected, she heard the girl retreat and the gate to the vault close. Carla breathed a relaxed sigh. It was oh so tiring to affect the masque of the stern, proud dragon. With snaking motions of her tail, she propelled herself through the pile of silver. There glinted the occasional gem and bauble of gold, but most of her, or rather Eglantine’s, riches were made of silver from Athalia’s own mines. She floundered about in the pile for a while longer, until she heard the sound of the locks being disengaged once more. “Did I not say that I was hard at work?” She demanded, making sure to put a hint of threat and anger into her voice. “Yes, I can see that,” said an unfamiliar, deep voice. Carla righted herself and prepared to glare down the unexpected intruder. But when she opened her eyes, she didn’t manage more than a gulp. “My pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the massive woman said. Carla quickly caught herself and came to her feet. Even when she straightened out, she had to look up to the newcomer. A dragon with fiery red scales stood before her. A familiar sigil emblazoned on her silken blouse. Why in the name of all the lords was the seneschal of house Nightshroud standing in her vault? Cool, stay cool, Carla, she told herself. “This is not a place for an outsider, Treva,” Carla said coolly. She had considered throwing in a barb about the red dragon not really being a Nightshroud, but perhaps that was too much provocation. “It’s alright Carla,” came the cheerful voice of the baroness. “Zip told me you were worried about leaving my treasure unattended, so I invited Miss Treva to come see you down here. After all, she came all this way.” There was a hint of reprimand in her voice. Of course it was. Having the representative of such a powerful woman come to Athalia and want to see Carla, instead of the baroness herself probably rankled the Empusa’s pride. Behind Eglantine, Amaya lurked attentively. The Cambion’s eyes were always glued to the silver legged woman’s backside. And not just because she was her bodyguard. “Thank you baroness,” Treva said with a nod to the far shorter woman. “If you do not mind, I would like to discuss my matron’s business with my… kinswoman. If it would be agreeable with you, I would like to see you afterwards, when I have completed my duty.” “Oh?” Eglantine cooed and Carla had to admit that the red dragon had hit just the right tone. That the mighty dragon requested an audience beyond what her duties demanded would surely stroke the empusa’s ego. “Please, you can call me Elegantine,” Eglantine said with a seductive smile. Treva nodded, but then waited for them to be left alone. As the heavy doors of the vault fell shut, Treva’s pleasant smile turned into a business-like mask. “What does the seneschal of house Nightshroud want with me?” Carla demanded, affecting annoyance at the rudeness of the red dragon. “Drop the act,” Treva said and came closer. Carla stubbornly held her ground, but in her mind her thoughts were racing. What does she mean? Does she know? Why does she know? “You are very rude for someone intruding upon my ground,” Carla said threateningly. She bared her claws at the taller dragon. It was a dangerous game she was playing now. And it would have been, even if this one was not reputed to be extremely dangerous, even by the standards of her kind. “And you are stubborn in your deception,” Treva said. “I said to drop the act. I know your game and I am not here to unmask you.” Carla narrowed her eyes. “I do not appreciate your poorly veiled accusations, kinswoman.“ Treva raised an eyebrow. “The matron has a job for you. After which she will allow you to return here and resume your masquerade.” “I’m a dragon!” Carla said in outrage. “If the matron wants something done, she can well do it her-,” She didn’t get to finish her sentence. Faster than she could follow, she was lying on her back in the pile of silver. The red dragon on top of her with fangs bared and a claw at her throat. Carla strained at the dragon’s arm with her own considerable strength, but it didn’t even budge. “If you had said that to Capella or Altair or the matron herself, you would be hurting very, very badly right now. Be thankful I am the one teaching you this lesson,” Treva said coolly, but with a dangerous glint in her hard eyes. “Play your game, but recognize when the jig is up. Your options now are to obey or for me to expose your secret. Which one do you choose, imposter?” Carla bit her lip, then closed her eyes and nodded in supplication. “I will obey.” A hint of a smile flashed across Treva’s face and she released her hold on Carla. “Good, good. Pack what you need. I will inform Eglantine she’ll have to do without her dragon for a month or two.” Treva turned towards the door of the vault. “Wait,” Carla called. “How did you know?” A rumbling chuckle emanated from the dragon. “We have known about your mother for nearly 300 years.” --- Treva looked after the receding form of the imposter and shook her head wryly. How did anyone mistake that for a dragon’s graceful flight? Then she quietly pondered to herself. Would she have been fooled, at least for a time, had she not known? It remained to be seen if Carla could fulfill her task. If everything went well, the matron did not have to know. Not until the time came at least. And if push came to shove, Treva had nothing to worry about. Rigel had given her the go-ahead after all. As much as Treva admired the matron, there were some undeniable flaws in her pridefulness. Was it, after all, to be an advantage that Treva had been born to her echidna mother? It had to be said that Rigel did not suffer from an overly prideful nature either, but she would certainly benefit greatly if the imposter succeeded. She tapped her claw against the marble floor as she considered everything. “Miss Treva, would you care for some tea?” Treva sighed inwardly and affected the unassuming, but pleasant smile she tended to wear at affairs like this. The baroness was a few cards short of a full deck, but was a pleasant enough woman. How far would a smarter and more ambitious woman be able to take Athalia, capitalizing on its wealth? It led some credence to the rumor she’d heard that the marchioness of Kilkelly had thwarted a few plots against Eglantine. Or rather ordered plots thwarted. “Gladly,” Treva said. |
| Curtain Call - part 2 - Frustration Carla groaned inwardly as Epiphany set down the box on the table before her. Though this was a triumph of sorts that had cost her a great deal of annoyance, the large stack of documents did not lift her mood. Not at all. “Is there anything else you require,... my lady?” The young hummingway asked while puffing out her chest proudly. “These are all the documents pertaining to that particular case?” “Indeed,” Epiphany crooned happily. “We pride ourselves on the stellar organization of all our documents. Every detail that has been recorded, you will find in there. Well, every publicly available detail, of course.” The last part she added almost as an afterthought. Carla stopped her eyebrow from twitching and simply said. “Thank you, Epiphany. That will be all.” “Of course… my Lady.” The hummingway bowed respectfully and moved away. Carla allowed herself to let out an annoyed huff. The girl had no idea how to address her properly. Not that there was a proper address for her, but that wasn’t the point. She began methodically looking through the different documents Epiphany had brought her. Witness testimonies, legal precedents, transcripts. This would take her a while. Again. While she carefully sorted the documents, Carla inwardly cursed Treva and all of house Nightshroud. Where did they get off settling her with the Alnorian bureaucracy? And why send her to retrieve something from a woman more than a millenia in the Lords-damned grave? They probably didn’t even know, did they? She’d been sent to follow the trail of a powerful sorceress. No one had said anything about a damned countess. Finding out about that had been a bitch and a half. Of course, getting sensitive information about Amarantian nobility was something else entirely than learning something about a mere sorceress, no matter how powerful. She shuddered when she thought back on running from junior clerk to senior clerk, never with quite the right form, only to be informed that the blasted countess was actually dead. She should’ve abandoned her task then and there. Screw her cushy life in Athalia, say goodbye to Eglantine and find somewhere else, something new. But no, Carla had to be stubborn. She just had to ask what had happened to the countess's estate and belongings. Ten days! Ten days of a wild chase throughout Alnor’s administration. And all of that just to get access to the public records. Carla almost felt like crying when she skim-read through a file that did nothing more than to describe in great detail what clothing had been worn by whom on one single day of the court proceedings. --- Carla was nursing a stiff drink in a nice tavern. She felt drained, though all she had done that day was sit around and read circumlocutory documents written by self-indulgent clerks. Couldn’t they simply record what part of the woman’s estate had gone where? The judge had decided in favor of the countess's husband, but of course he too would be long dead. Not that the judgment had included a succinct verdict on who was entitled to what. If only there was at least a detailed list of what belongings in question had been argued over. But no. That would have been too much detail. Better to describe for the third time the nice frills on the dress worn by one of the solicitors. She could always go to the old manor, see if that was still around. Perhaps that would give her a clue. But Carla didn’t know much about magic and tomes or the like. How would she even know whether she had in her hands what she’d been sent to find? And what were the odds that the manor remained untouched after all these years? After all, the man would be long dead. Someone new would have moved in by now. Or would they? There was much to be said against the Alnorian bureaucracy, but she found it difficult to believe it was easy to take possession of a place like that. If she had to take a guess, just getting the information on where the manor was to be found would take a few more days. At least if she was forced to go through official channels. The only explanation Carla could come up with was that these bureaucrats got off on people’s misery. Either that or she had to start applying a lot of grease. She suffered a brief existential crisis as she contemplated engaging once again with junior, mid grade and senior clerks, only to be told that she was missing that one crucial form that would send her straight to the beginning. Even if no one had taken possession of the place, it would surely have been ransacked by someone in the intervening years. And who knew if the countess had even left behind any of the records in question? Would they remain legible after all this time? Carla weighed the heavy purse Treva had settled her with. It had mollified her initially, back when she thought that what remained would at least compensate her for the inconvenience. Back when the task seemed a simple one. Now her funds were draining and she felt no closer to the final goal. So absorbed was Carla in her self-pity, that it took her a while to notice the figure that stood in front of her table and tried to catch her attention. “What?” She growled and was glad for the fact that, no matter her state of mind, she had mastered the art of maintaining her mask of high- and mightiness. The youko in front of her bowed, but not in an obsequious way. “My Lady Carla, it is such a special privilege to meet you once again.” Carla narrowed her eyes and scanned her face more carefully. There was something vaguely familiar about her. But from where? “I wonder, how long has it been?” The youko wondered, either oblivious or uncaring of Carla’s lack of recognition. “I have not accompanied my mother to Teremir in quite some time. I hope your own mother fares well enough?” Things clicked into place. Her mother. Teremir. Youko. “Helia,” Carla said. “Yes, things fare well in Teremir, I hear.” Go away, Carla thought. She had no particular desire to make trouble for her mother, but considering she was in a tough place because of her mother’s lack of discretion in the first place, she was also not inclined to play nice on her behalf just then. “Circe, please call me Circe,” the youko, Circe said. Carla remembered her now. Circe’s mother was a wealthy merchant based in Alnor, but with interests all over Amarante. She had seen them a few times before she left home. What did she want? Carla affected a bored mask that was only half pretend and took a sip that burned pleasantly on her tongue. When it became obvious that she wasn’t going to be carrying the conversation, Circe mercifully came right to the point. “We have heard of your interest in the countess Alexna.” Now that caught Carla’s attention. |
| Curtain Call - part 3 - The Road There is some bullshit going on here, Damon thought to himself. He’d done so every day since they’d departed Alnor. What am I even doing here? This is nothing like my usual duties. He chewed on his lips and threw a displeased look at the minotaur. He’d told her he’d bother to remember her name when she stopped making her crude remarks toward him. Since she’d just made another one of those, it seemed to him she did not much care about him remembering her name. Damon could well imagine what it was she did care about. After all, she never tired of talking about it. Even as those thoughts made their way through his mind she swatted her ample backside in open invitation. Damon instead gathered his cloak tighter about him as a gust of chill autumn wind breezed past them. The minotaur might well have put her words into action by now, he expected, if the two of them had been alone. Such was the issue of men and mamono both. Few of them had the wherewithal to resist a juicy opportunity. But with the ratio of men and women being what it was, there tended to be other mamono around to stop them from getting out of line. Even if only because they were hoping it might improve their own chances to get laid. Luckily they were not alone. There were two more. Circe, for whom he could not say much other than that the Youko had not made any overtures towards him in a long time. Not after her mother had explained with a great deal of emphasis that it did not behoove her to tangle with a mere servant boy. A strange attitude by the standards of mamono, but one of the few cases where Damon was glad for the severity of the older Helia, his mistress. Something about Circe, technically mistress Circe, just rubbed him the wrong way. Then there was the fourth person in their group and the one that confounded Damon most of all. The minotaur was a mercenary, a hired guard. Circe was here to make sure whatever this errand meant to achieve was carried through. But what the hell was a dragon doing with them? Carla, he liked the name. He’d never met a dragon before, but he liked what he saw. Her deep blue scales and great wings. And strangely enough that feeling did not appear entirely unrequited. She was not so crass as the minotaur. Made no comments on bruising his pelvis or crushing his head between her thighs. But he had noted her steal the occasional glance at his ass, at his chiseled chest. He was well attuned to these things. After all, comforting his mistress’ guests was, under normal circumstances, his primary responsibility. Strange still. Dragons were reputed to be among the most selective of all mamono with their partners and not prone to meaningless fucking. So why would she be showing interest in him of all people? Of course, Damon knew he was considered handsome. He was tall, well built, in good shape. But he was also a servant and a glorified bed warmer. He stole another glance at the dragon. Perhaps someone like her might be his ticket to freedom. A ticket to freedom or into another gilded cage. He bit his lip. He should not think ill of her. Not when he knew little of her and nothing of her intentions. And in any case, there wasn’t such a long time left for him. “How much further?” The minotaur demanded in her crass voice. “What do you care?” Carla sneered at the woman. It seemed she shared in Damon’s general dislike of her. Another thing that served to elevate her in his mind. “I’ve got places to be, cocks to ride, although….” She shot him a suggestive grin and he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, like you can afford many cocks to ride…,” Damon muttered under his breath. “What was that? Do I need to show you my skills? One taste of this pussy and you’ll be hooked for life!” The minotaur declared with a grin, before actually slipping a finger into her pants and rubbing herself. Damon scoffed. As if he hadn’t seen that and a hundred more intimate gestures a hundred times over. “You have been amply compensated for your time,” Circe declared imperiously. She really had a talent for talking down to people and didn’t even need to use particularly harsh words to do so. “Right. Still I’m not sure why we’ve got the fuckmeat with us and I can’t have a taste. It’s really just one big fucking tease, you know?” The minotaur pulled her hand out of her pants and splayed her fingers that were glistening with wetness. A low growl emanated from Carla’s chest, but the minotaur showed herself to be barely impressed. Damon chose to ignore her. “My servant is not here for your use,” Circe said. “Yeah, yeah. Contingency and all that,” the minotaur waved Circe’s words away. “What the fuck do you need a guy as a contingency for? Have him whip out his cock and distract whoever tries to stab us? Shake his ass to attract attention while we get the loot?” She flicked her tail at Damon and he growled with annoyance. “Can’t say that wouldn’t be distracting for me. Might help if I get a good look at it before things get serious.” This whole business really couldn’t be over fast enough for Damon. “Shut your filthy trap before I shut it for you,” Carla growled and Damon gave her an appreciative nod. Unfortunately, once more the minotaur showed herself utterly unimpressed. Then a shiver ran through him as another gust of chill wind surpassed the defenses of his cloak. Carla seemed to take note of that and took a step closer. He thought he might get wrapped in those wings of hers, but perhaps he had misinterpreted her intent, for she simply continued walking after all, leaving him to wonder if her stepping closer had just been a trick of his mind after all. They had been on the road for a fair number of days at that point, but by his estimation they would be reaching the estate of the late countess Alexna the next day. He had studied the maps and documents extensively. In many ways this was not so different from his usual responsibilities. Study the available information and come up with a plan of action. The second part though was usually easer to achieve when he knew what the objective was or what was expected of him. The minotaur was not alone in wondering what he was doing here. Never before had he been tasked with doing anything outside Alnor’s city limits. Yet neither the Mistress Helia, nor Circe had seen fit to enlighten him and even Carla, though she had been kind enough to him, had not seen fit to explain her presence. But they were going to the estate of the late Countess Alexna. That much he knew. The name meant nothing to him. Unsurprising, considering that her line ended a thousand years before his birth. The estate they were heading to had been awarded in perpetuity to the late countess’ husband and had, at least officially, never been claimed. Her land holdings had long passed on to other possessions though. Surely that husband was long dead as well. By his best estimate, they were going there to retrieve something. But why wait for this long? And what were they to retrieve? And why was he here? And what were the odds that whatever they had come for was still there after all this time? He probably wouldn’t be getting any answers until they arrived and yet he pondered those questions as they sat around a comfortable fire that evening. Pondering those questions also helped him tune out the annoying minotaur, who was telling some tall tale from her supposed past. “You look tense,” Carla told him. Apparently she did not care about listening to the braggart either. Instead she considered him with her dark eyes and he wasn’t sure what to read in them. Was he really just hoping that she might help him get away from his life? Was he reading things into her bearing because he wanted them there? “My apologies,” he said suavely. “I am simply contemplating the task before us.” A knowing smirk briefly flitted across her pretty face before her visage turned stern once more. “You are wondering why you are here?” She guessed. He nodded his head at her. “Quite. I must admit to some frustration.” He hoped she might take pity on him and give him something. Anything, really. She nodded sagely. “I cannot enlighten you about my purpose, I’m afraid and have given my word not to discuss your mistress’ business either.” He twisted his lips into a well practiced pout and with some satisfaction he saw one of her eyes twitch at that. “Have you heard of house Nightshroud?” Carla asked him. “No,” Damon said with a shake of his head. He had familiarized himself well enough with anyone who was someone within Alnor and some ways into Amarante beyond. But his learning was poor where the other realms were concerned. “A house of powerful dragons from Westholm. In Elizabeth,” Carla explained. Her eyes watched him intently. Perhaps making sure he was paying proper attention to her? In any case, he was not inclined to snub the woman and paid his full attention to her. “But not your house?” He ventured. “No,” she confirmed. “But that house is well affiliated with my mother. And so I am here to do a favor that could not be entrusted to one of their servants.” He licked his lips and considered her words. Doing a favor or being compelled to do something? Was her mother perhaps under the thrall of that house Nightshroud? He did not know much about the power structures or politics between dragons and was loathe to insult her by accident. “Surely, they are glad to have such a reliable agent,” he finally said. Not good, but not too bad either. A smirk played across her lips for a moment and she nodded. “And what of Damon? What is a young man like you doing here?” She asked with a hint of a tease hidden under her strict veneer. He bit his lip and felt his annoyance at his own ignorance return. --- Just after noon the next day they finally reached their destination. A large estate, built from white marble. The tooth of time had taken its toll and yet it was still an impressive affair. Damon was no stranger to the luxurious estates of Alnor, but owing to the limited space those tended to be a lot smaller than this one was. The estate had two great wings and a great garden before it that was covered in wild growth. The whole place was enclosed by a fairly wide stream that flowed along merrily. “Stay on your toes!” Circe reminded the group as they made to cross a fairly wide bridge built from large hewn stones. The bridge too had seen better days and they all set their steps carefully. On the other side, the minotaur took the lead position and for once she had shut her annoying mouth. She had pulled her large, two-handed ax from the loop on her back and was rolling the grip in her large hands as her eyes attentively scanned from side to side. Perhaps, for all her bragging and crassness, there was some substance to the woman. Even if Damon yet wondered what she intended to use that weapon on. Carla came behind her, moving with great confidence that no indication that she feared an attack of any sort. Circe and him came up in the rear. They made straight for the wide portal that permitted entrance into the once magnificent building. The portal itself had long rotted to nothing and left a yawning hole of seemingly crumbling stonework. At least there doesn’t seem to be anyone around…, he was thinking. The minotaur’s cautious attitude seemed to have put him just slightly on his guard. “Who seeketh to cross the threshold?” A booming voice called and Damon cursed his premature relief. |
mugen91Dec 2, 2023 7:39 AM
| Curtain Call - part 4 - A Nuisance in Triplicates Carla muttered a series of choice curses as her eyes scanned left and right for the speaker. Why can’t things ever be easy? She wondered. I just want to go back to my pile of silver! Her head swiveled from side to side some more, yet she failed to spot whomever had addressed them. She’d been too preoccupied daydreaming about being done with her errand and maybe she’d entertained the notion of taking Damon along with her as just compensation for her time. Remembering the man, she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him behind her. She had to ignore the fluttering sensation in her stomach as the pretty man brushed against her. Get your mind out of the gutter! She quietly scolded herself. This is not meant to be. You’re gonna get yourself exposed. And yet… “Got eyes on ‘em?” Kirila asked. Eyes on them? I’ve got eyes on something better, Carla thought as her eyes were caught by his arms poking out of his coat and his handsome features. “No,” Carla finally growled. She didn’t much like the minotaur, but she would gladly have her take the lead. Carla wasn’t exactly a fighter after all. And she constantly felt distracted with Mr. Perfect around. “Up top!” Came the call from Damon behind her. “The fuck is that?” Kirila demanded and for once Carla was in agreement with the woman. “That’s…,” Circe began and then fell quiet as the large form standing atop the roof ten meters above them lept towards the ground. A long, prehensile tail sailed behind the figure, allowing it to gracefully control their leap. Carla once more pulled Damon behind her as the tall, four-legged form gracefully touched down on the ground with a loud thump. She’d never seen a mamono like that. Never even heard of one like it. It walked on four legs, like a centaur, but sported the body of a giant hound with short, dark fur. Vicious looking claws adorned each of its four paws. Also like a centaur, her upper body was humanoid in shape. Only it had three heads that seemed to float above and around her shoulders. Were they attached at all? She had chains attached to her collar that anchored the heads and seemed to keep them from floating away. The woman, or was it women? They had some resemblance to a Hellhound. “Well?” The middle head spoke. “Who seeketh to cross the gate? Know that it is guarded by mine own hands!” “Our hands!” The head on the right corrected her. “Fuck off, Mu,” the middle head called. “We finally have someone challenging the gate, don’t ruin this for us!” “You’re breaking the immersion, Alpha,” the head on the left said. That answers the question of whether they are one or multiple women, Carla thought. Now, what was the right move? If this thing was going to impede them, they’d probably have to take her out. Take them out? Carla wasn’t sure. But were they an enemy? Their bickering amongst one another surely took away some of their initial menace. “Whoa there!” Called the middle head, Alpha, as it seemed. Kirila, brandishing her ax, had quietly tried to move behind the thing while it was busy arguing with itself. The unknown mamono brandished her long tail at the minotaur. It was topped with glowing red spikes. Not something Carla was keen to get acquainted with. One of the heads had rotated around to keep the minotaur in sight, while the other two heads looked at the rest of their quartet. Carla was so done with this entire situation. Damon was certainly the only good thing about it, but wasn’t his presence really just torture to her? She couldn’t reveal herself to him and she didn’t have the coin to buy him out from his mistress. And now they were facing off with this strange woman / women. “Who art thou? Dost though not have manners? Dost people not announce themselves anymore? Art thou a craven coward?” Called the right head, Mu. “You’re butchering my cool accent!” Called the middle head. “A craven is already a kind of coward,” the leftmost head commented dryly. Carla exchanged a glance with Circe that expressed at once bewilderment and mild worry, but the youko looked more surprised than worried. And the reason was revealed just a moment later. “Mighty Anatu!” Circe called and grabbed the attention of the beastly woman / women. “I was unaware that you had settled here.” “You know of us?” Asked the head to the left suspiciously. “Of course. You once guarded the meadow-gate of Alnor, did you not? Many are the tales of the mighty cerberus Anatu and how fiercely she guarded the gate.” “Heh,” The middle head exclaimed and a mild blush came across her face. “Hey, it wasn’t no stinking meadow-gate. We were guarding the very underworld itself!” Mu declared. “What is your purpose and desire in this place?” The head on the left asked, ignoring Mu’s outburst entirely. “Yeah, right? What’chu doing here?” Mu asked. Already she seemed to have forgotten her misgivings about the meadow-gate. Instead, she seemed in good spirits after Circe’s flattering. “We are on a quest to uncover documents of great import!” Circe called and her voice was an impassioned plea. The woman pulled off being at once authoritative and demure. Carla couldn’t help but wonder who had taught her. “A quest?” Mu asked, curiosity dripping from her voice. “A quest, indeed,” Circe agreed. “These documents. Documents of great import. They are deep within the catacombs beneath the mansion. If we can but retrieve these, we’ll…” The youko was interrupted when all three heads shouted in unison. “NO!” Carla was by no means a small woman. To say that she was unaccustomed to being lept over would be an understatement. But that is what Anatu did. Her bulky form sailed gracefully overhead to land between them and the crumbling stonework of the mansion's entry portal. “The ways to the underworld must remain closed!” Called the left head. “That’s right, Omega!” Called Alpha, the middle head. The cerberus moved into a low stance, a fighting stance perhaps. “Our sacred duty must be upheld!” “Calm everyone,” Carla called as her patience slowly ran low. She employed her best soothing and at once threatening, sonorous tone. The kind that usually had sensible people complying with her. She took a threatening step forward and flexed her claw. “Surely, you do not wish to escalate this situation?” “We’ve never fought a dragon before,” Mu called eagerly and unexpectedly. “Think we can take her?” She sounded curious to find out. Something that made Carla deeply uncomfortable. What was it recently with people not backing down in front of her? Had all sense flown from the word? Her mind raced to play through different scenarios. How would she go about getting her way? Getting her way without actually having to fight? “I’m feeling kind today,” Carla continued her spiel. “I would regret snuffing out one from a species so rare, but to get between a dragon and her desires is foolishness.” “Yeah, but we’re the cerberus and this is our gate,” Alpha said seriously. “We can’t just let you through, you know?” “Come on, we can take her, ez pz,” Kirila said and spat a globule of spit before Anatu’s paws. “There is no need,” Circe said calmly, then addressed Anatu. “Surely, you must realize that there is no such thing as the underworld? If you were to allow us passage, perhaps if you were even to accompany us, I could reward you. Quite richly.” “No underworld?” Alpha demanded. “You claim there is no underworld, and yet you seek to descend into the deep beneath this gate,” Omega, the one on the left, called in an accusatory tone. “Is the cerberus not one who stops others from leaving the underworld?” Circe asked slyly. “It sounds like the catacombs are the underworld. Would that not mean that you should let us pass?” Was that how it worked? Carla wasn’t sure. She had never heard of a cerberus or any gate it was guarding. In any case, the three heads were exchanging looks and whispering amongst each other before coming to an accord. “We misspoke!” Mu declared. “What?” Carla heard Damon demand from behind her in pure exasperation. Carla then realized that she had, on instinct perhaps, kept the man behind her all throughout the exchange. And the cerberus seemed to have been too intent on the rest of them to pay any heed to the figure hidden behind Carla’s bulkier frame. Now Damon came forward from behind her and instantly, Carla could see the facade of the three heads cracking, though to different degrees. “Are you suggesting all of this-” He made an all encompassing gesture. “That this is the underworld and the inside of that crumbling mansion is what? The overworld?” “Well,” Alpha said. “These are complicated matters,” Omega said, but refused to meet anyone’s gaze. “We cannot expect foolish mortals to… to understand this stuff, you know?” “Who are you?” Mu asked Damon and Carla felt herself stiffen. “You see,” Circe said slyly. “This is my servant.” “A servant?” Mu asked with bewilderment. “He doesn’t look like a servant at all!” Omega said dreamily. “It’s a hot guy!” Alpha exclaimed passionately. “Yes, he cuts quite the figure, doesn’t he?” Circe’s voice was sprinkled with a promise of unimagined pleasure and even Carla could not stop herself from imagining herself on her back with Damon lying atop her, pumping his hips. No, no, Carla chided herself. Mind out of the gutter, now! The cerberus displayed less self control than Carla. Alpha was licking her lips and any fool could have read on her face what she was thinking about. Meanwhile Mu leered curiously while Omega bit her lips in a clumsy kind of seductive way. The only one worse than those three was Kirila, who ogled him worse than all of them combined. “Perhaps Damon could convince you to let us pass?” Circe wondered. Alpha still seemed beyond speech as she imagined the possibilities. “You think he likes cerberus’?” Wondered Mu. “Does he want to cross our threshold?” Pondered Omega. “Now, now,” Circe interrupted them in the kindly voice of a saleswoman. “I would not be entirely opposed to the idea of Damon getting to know you three lovely and very fierce guardians, but…” Carla felt her eyelid twitch at the insinuation, but it seemed at least two of the heads were not quite following. “Is Damon his name?” Mu asked. “What does she mean?” Alpha wondered. “She wishes to buy passage to the underworld with the flesh of this man,” Omega explained. “His flesh? I’m more interested in his meat though,” Alpha admitted and made Omega roll her eyes. Carla took an involuntary step forward, but Circe was the first to interrupt their train of thought. “Now, I cannot promise to release his… virtue to you.” There was something in the way she said ‘virtue’ that struck Carla in very much the wrong way. “But if you allow us passage, you may take him on a date and seek to convince him of your… arguments.” Carla felt her eyelid keep twitching. Relax, they are so hung up on guarding this stupid hole in the wall, they’re not going for it, she told herself. “We have a date!” Alpha called enthusiastically. “What do you like to do?” Mu asked Damon, who threw Circe an annoyed look. “Hmmpf,” Omega’s mood was somewhere between excitement and annoyance. “Fine!” “Whooohooo,” Alpha and Mu whooped. Their tail thrashed wildly behind them. That was until the hard, luminous tip smashed into the crumbling stonework with particular ferocity. “Oh, oh,” Alpha exclaimed, as the brickwork started to crumble. |
mugen91Dec 1, 2023 3:40 PM
Reply to Maku_The_Blue
Aww! Alpha, Omega and Mu are just precious!
Earnest if not entirely all there upstairs.
Though I'm always left a little bit conflicted in cases like this... I don't know if I should feel happy for them or sorry for them that they ended up in a place where people will let them indulge in their delusion.
Earnest if not entirely all there upstairs.
Though I'm always left a little bit conflicted in cases like this... I don't know if I should feel happy for them or sorry for them that they ended up in a place where people will let them indulge in their delusion.
| @Maku_The_Blue Is it really a delusion though, or is it a game they are very serious about playing? I'm not gonna tell :P |
| Curtain Call - part 5 - Unwelcome Visitors Damon coughed as a cloud of dust enveloped them. That damn clumsy cerberus. Was it really so difficult not to cause random destruction? And how much damn strength did she have in that ridiculous tail? The doorway had looked to be heavily eroded, but to bring down the wall with a wagging tail seemed too much. “Are you alright?” He heard Carla ask and he made another valiant attempt to clear his windpipe with a series of coughs. Then he went for his water skin and took a few deep gulps to clear his mouth of the dusty taste. Only then did he answer. “Yes, I appreciate your help. Very much.” Carla had pulled him back when the wall had started to crumble and cave. He got a good look at her and saw that she was covered in dust. From her dark hair to her pale skin and her fine dress. “Terribly sorry about that,” he said and indicated her general state. “If I had reacted more quickly, you could have made some more distance.” “Pay it no heed,” Carla said coolly. “More importantly.” She turned towards the mansion. The dusty cover was lifting to reveal the minotaur and Circe, the former of whom had pulled the latter out of the way of the worst of it. Both of them were in a similar state of dishevelment as Carla and, likely, himself. Circe would not be amused. She was always so meticulous about her appearance. Already he could see the lines of anger drawing across her face. Then his eyes wandered to where the cerberus and the entry portal to the mansion had stood. Right around that time, another ruckus was starting as the huge hound-like form lifted itself from the rubble around it. “Outch!” One of the heads, the one in the middle, complained. “What happened?” Asked the one on the right. “You two got too excited,” the one on the left remarked dryly. “What the…?” Damon started and stopped himself as he began to doubt himself. Alpha, Mu and Omega. That was how the three heads had called each other. But the head that had previously been on the left was now in the middle and yet it talked just like the one that was now on the right had before. Or was his perception playing a trick on him? He blinked a few times, then saw the chains that kept her heads close to her neck had gotten tangled. Was this all some kind of game? Was it all one woman after all? “Damn,” the one on the left said as she considered the mess. “Is our buddy gonna be angry?” The one on the right asked. “What about Damon?” Asked the one in the middle. “Damn, the chains,” the left one complained as the heads turned to look for him. Typical mamono, he thought. Have a bunch of bricks and marble fall on top of them and are already thinking about men again. Then his eyes widened as her heads started rotating around her neck until the chains were untangled. He clearly hadn’t been imagining things, the heads were configured differently now. “Who is this buddy you are referring to?” Circe asked and though she sounded courteous, Damon knew her well enough to know she was pissed. “You mean our bloody buddy?” Asked Mu. “She’s nice. She gives us food sometimes and plays games with us,” Alpha added. “And your bloody buddy is allowed to come and go as she pleases?” Carla asked and she made no attempt to hide her annoyance. “No matter,” Circe said. “Let us proceed.” The three headed woman / women looked various degrees of torn. But after all three took their time giving him a good, long stare, they all nodded their assent. Damon heaved a weary sigh and followed the others as they began climbing over the fresh pile of debris. Just let the rest of this place be more secure than the damn entrance way, Damon hoped. Things got easier after they passed the debris and an antechamber that led into the mansion proper. The place had still seen significantly better days, but the inside did look a fair bit better than the outside. Still, there really wasn’t all that much left here. Remnants of furniture mostly rotted away. The same was true for decorations, doors and more. No wonder, the place had been empty for a long time. “So who is this bloody buddy?” Carla was asking as the group went through wide corridors, led by the cerberus. “Is her name Yavina?” Circe asked and directed her question to the three headed woman. Mu, who had been busy grinning at Damon, answered. “No, she’s called White.” Her words put a thoughtful expression on Circe’s face. No doubt she was wondering who that ‘White’ person might be. “Vampire?” the minotaur ventured a guess. “Ya know, pale and sucks blood instead of cum.” “Is it a vampire?” Carla asked Anatu. “Hehe,” Alpha chuckled without turning. “Incorrect,” Omega said. “Then what is she?” Damon asked. Mu grinned at him some more. “Guess!” She said and Damon groaned. --- At least an hour had passed since they had entered the building and still they were walking around. It was a sizable mansion, but it seemed strange still. Much of that time had been spent trying to get out the identity of Anatu’s mysterious bloody buddy, but no matter what species of mamono was suggested, she’d just tell them no. She also refused to answer the question of what or who she was directly. Damon’s eyes lazily considered his surroundings. The corridors all looked eerily the same. Why was it taking them so long to get to this underground thing where Circe said they had to go? Then his eyes caught on something. Something that didn’t just seem familiar. It was familiar. He stopped to the side and picked up a bust of a man. He had taken note of it before for how misshapen it looked. “I think we’ve been here before,” Damon voiced his suspicion. “What do you mean?” Circe demanded. He held up the bust and told them how he recognized it from just briefly after they started their trek through the building. Circe put an icy glare on Anatu. “Have you been leading us in circles?” “Leading us in circles?” Mu asked. “We have not!” Alpha insisted. “What gave you the impression we knew our way around here?” Omega asked. The four of them blinked and stared at the cerberus silently. “Do you mean to tell us you don’t know the way?” Carla growled. “We’ve never been in here,” Omega said flatly. “We have merely guarded the gate,” Alpha confirmed. “By Kaori’s bra,” Circe muttered under her breath, then continued in a hiss. “And you never thought to inform us of this? Why take the lead if you do not know the way?” “There wasn’t enough space to walk next to you?” Mu wondered and they all cringed. All except the minotaur, who broke out into raucous laughter. After becoming aware that Anatu had no value as a guide, Circe took the lead. And though, to Damon’s knowledge, they hadn’t had access to any blueprints for the mansion, it took the youko only about ten minutes to find a winding stairway that led down into the ground. It was far narrower than the general corridors. So much so that Anatu had a hard time fitting through. Of course, none of them cared that much whether the cerberus joined them or not. It was mostly the three headed woman that had seemingly grown very insistent on following them along. He had a sinking suspicion that she / they were following either out of curiosity or because they wanted to be sure they would get the date that Circe had promised them. The constant barrage of questions, primarily from Mu, seemed to point to the second option. It wasn’t as if she / they seemed like bad people, but they were so innocent and seemingly gullible, Damon had no idea how to act around them. He was also reasonably sure that he was not interested. Not in that way, certainly. Not that Circe or his mistress would see fit to release him from his service prematurely anyway. At the bottom of the stairway was a large, high-ceilinged chamber supported by a dozen or more wide columns. The stonework around them showed no signs of erosion whatsoever and seemed well maintained. There were a few open passageways leading out of this room, but the most eye-catching thing was a large construction in its center. It was surrounded by a crisscrossing network of elaborate drawn shapes, decorated with many, many runes. Crowning the construction was a golden basin decorated with golden masks. That looks valuable, he thought idly as he considered the possibilities. Circe’s thoughts seemed to move along similar avenues. She had moved into the center of the room and was inspecting the shapes drawn onto the ground before studying the center construction that housed the basin. “That is not for you!” A voice called out and Damon swore he could hear it through his ears as much as he heard it straight in his head. It sounded calm and sophisticated and at once terribly threatening. His eyes, just like those of all the others, were drawn to one of the side passages through which a humanoid figure had just come. It wasn’t walking as much as it was floating just above the ground. Its entire body seemed nothing but a mass of shifting, viscous red liquid, decorated with accessories of red gold. It seemed they had finally encountered Anatu’s bloody buddy. “I asked if it was a blood golem and you said no!” Circe sneered at Anatu. “Golems aren’t liquid!” Alpha declared in a tone of utter conviction. “You moron!” Circe continued to sneer, but was interrupted by the new arrival. “You are not welcome in this place. Leave or face the consequences.” “Yavina, I presume?” Circe asked, repeating a name she had used some time earlier when they were still stumbling about above. And now Damon suddenly recalled where he knew the name from. It had been in the documents he looked at before. It was the name of one of the advocates who had worked with the late baroness’ husband to secure this estate. But why would she be here still? “I am Red,” the figure corrected and still he seemed to hear the voice with his mind and his ears, though it was less oppressive now. “And you will leave!” Nothing changed about the facsimile of a face the blood golem affected, but suddenly an ember sprang into existence next to it and quickly grew in size until a fireball about half a meter in diameter blazed at her side. “We are not here as your enemies,” Carla said and her calm, confident tone soothed his nerves. “They said they needed important documents,” Omega said. “Quiet, Anatu,” Red said evenly. “Do not make your transgressions worse than they already are!” “Fuck this blood bag,” the minotaur finally decided to chime in. She brandished her ax and looked raring to go. “We have a man with us,” Circe began a final gambit to defuse the situation. The blood golem scrutinized him, though she had no eyes to see and a second ember materialized to her other side. “He shan’t be harmed by my hands.” “Fuck!” Damon muttered and then everything happened very quickly. The air around Circe shimmered as if thousands of small crystals were refracting light and her five tails splayed out behind her and seemed to shimmer. The minotaur began to storm for the blood golem, followed shortly after by Carla. The bigger fireball was launched at Circe, but at a gesture, a stony spike shot out of the ground to pierce the fireball and it detonated with a thunderous boom. Damon was pelted with small shards of rock and had to momentarily shield his face with his arms. His mind was racing. Things had devolved faster than he might have expected. Anatu had not entered the confrontation and seemed quite unsure what to do. She continued to hover by his side while the minotaurs' ax cut through the enemy, splattering droplets of blood. Then Red was in one piece again and swiped her arm at the minotaur. The movement looked harmless enough, but the large woman nonetheless jumped back hastily. And not a moment too soon. As the arm swung, it elongated and still almost caught the crass woman’s throat. Then the second fireball launched at high speed right at Carla. The dragon was in full charge and had no chance to evade. Just before impact, it bloomed into dozens of smaller embers. Carla had to take them all head on with nothing more than her arms to shield her. They did not detonate with the same ferocity as the first fireball, yet when Carla’s charge halted and she turned to stare down the blood golem, the parts of her arms and torso not covered in scales were covered in painful looking burns and her nice dress was nothing more than a ruin which she quickly tore off as it continued to smolder. That, if nothing else, filled Damon with righteous indignation and he took a step forward. She’d said he would be unhurt. Maybe he could get up to some mischief? But then Circe launched a combination of her own. First, another spike of rock shot out from the ground to pierce through the bloom golem, then the shimmering air behind her grew and flew at the enemy. White frost blossomed along the ground and suddenly the blood golem moved as if in slow motion. “Gotcha!” the minotaur called in triumph as her ax cut through her once more. This time she seemed almost solid as the sharp metal cut through her form. “Away, fool!” Circe called and the temperature in the subterranean room dropped another few degrees as the youko prepared another spell. “Is that the reward one might expect when they attempt to dislodge you without causing you severe injury?” A familiar voice asked. With no small amount of confusion Damon turned to the entrance of the winding stairway that had led them down there. Another figure had appeared there. She was covered almost shoulder to toe in an elaborate suit of clinking white gold and carried a basket she gracefully set down on the final step. She seemed to walk, though she too didn’t quite touch the ground, into the room with deliberate steps, moving her hips in wide motions. “What is this?” Circe demanded. “That’s our bloody buddy,” Alpha said in a surprisingly small voice. “Hush Alpha. We will have a talk later. Return above, now!” “But!” Mu started. “What about our date?” The new arrival considered Damon. He could tell because her head was the only part of her body not covered in her ornamental dress. And though she didn’t have a real face, much like a slime, he could somehow tell he was being scrutinized. “I have a job to do. It would be much easier if you were more cooperative!” Carla hissed at the new arrival. “Your job is irrelevant to us!” the same voice, but coming from the other end of the room answered. Damon cursed as he turned. There was a third one. This one wore nothing but an elaborate masked helmet of sheer gold. The mask was some horrid, skeletal monster's visage. “Surrender now and we may yet show mercy for your transgressions.” “Surrender? How about you surrender before I freeze you all like that first one?” Circe shouted haughtily. The minotaur charged at the one with the white gold suit, but as she moved in, the ground beneath her seemed to give way and she fell, face first, into the hard ground. Before she could rise once more, the ground re-solidified and her legs were caught. “That’s one,” the white golden one said. “Don’t mess with me!” Circe shouted. The air shimmered and it grew cold once more, but then a sphere of water formed around the youko’s head. Bubble’s of air escaped her mouth as she tried in vain to free herself. Worse even, as the sphere slowly crystallized into ice, the shimmer of cold around her dissipated and Circe resorted to ineffectually shooting spikes of rock from the ground all around their two assailants. She pierced them, tore apart their golden ornamentation, but did no damage to them beyond that. But the two blood golems were not all that she hit. One of them went crashing into one of the columns holding up the ceiling. There was a frightful, terrible sound of rock crumbling, the screeching sound of rock against rock and cracks began to form in the ceiling. “WATCH OUT!” Alpha shouted, even as he saw Carla beginning to run their way. The cerberus leaned forward and pushed him hard enough to send him flying a few steps backwards. Far enough to avoid being crushed into a pulp by the massive piece of ceiling that had fallen from above. He sat there on his ass, staring at the few tonnes of rock with wide open eyes. His life was still playing out before his eyes when he broke out into a deranged sort of relieved laughter. Then another piece came loose from above and his laughter ceased abruptly. |
| Damn, the new reply feature is certainly a lot clunkier than the old quote feature :P Oscar level? You're gonna make the girls blush :P And cliff hangars sure are fun :P |
| Curtain Call - part 6 - Transfusion Damon’s eyes shot open with a start. Above him was an unfamiliar ceiling of smooth rock. It was lit by flickering lights of warm orange. His heart, which had seemed to beat rapidly when he woke, slowly began to calm down. He blinked once, then twice and tried to make sense of things. He… He abruptly sat up to stare at his legs and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw their outline beneath the blanket that still covered him from the waist down. They felt a bit numb, but there they were. So had it all been a dream? And where was he? “You are awake.” It was more of a statement then it was a question and it came from inside his head. He blinked. The voice was familiar. His breathing accelerated as a door to his left opened and in strode the blood golem. But not quite. This one wore the golden, masked helmet and the red gold accessories both. It also seemed to be larger. “How do you feel?” The same voice asked. Now it came both from inside his head and emanated from where her mouth would be if she had more than a facsimile of one. But of course, like a slime, this woman probably only had an approximation of these organs that normal living beings had. “Where am I?” He asked. “Not far from where our encounter took place,” the woman explained calmly. “Now, how do you feel?” He glared at her. “You’re in my head, aren’t you? So can’t you tell anyway?” Her head tilted to the side. “It would be rude to abuse this access I currently have. I prefer to speak normally. Though I might warn you that I can tell when you lie. It is hard to miss the physiological reactions, even were I to wish so.” “What do you mean?” He demanded. “A misunderstanding, I see. No matter. I am Yavina, faithful servant and familiar to the countess and count Alexna.” “You were the advocate.” “Yes, I am well read in amarantian law.” “Very well, what did you mean by misunderstanding?” “You believed I was in your head because you heard my voice in your mind. My meaning was more literal.” He looked at her while understanding yet evaded him. Then his eyes widened. “You don’t mean that…” “I do. It was necessary to preserve your life.” His hand gripped the sheets tightly and he was about to throw them off when a surprisingly solid hand gripped it. “You should steel your heart,” Yavina said softly. Her hand was surprisingly warm. It was wet, but less than he had expected. He swallowed hard, then nodded at her. Her hand released his wrist and he slowly pulled back the sheets. His heart fell and he felt sick. But there was also a sort of strange, detached fascination. “My apologies. I have mastered many schools of magic, but after the count’s passing, I never saw the need to deepen my knowledge of the healing arts.” He blinked a few times, irrationally hoping every time his eyes closed and reopened that the view in front of them would somehow change. But it didn’t. His left leg, from beneath the knee, was gone, as was his right foot. His right, lower leg was bandaged and splinted. But where his flesh and bone had been he now saw only blood. Blood that, without any vessels to carry it, still conformed to the shape of his lost limbs. “My kind has the ability to insert ourselves into other’s bloodstreams. Before yesterday, I was unaware that I could fashion limbs on a foreign body as well. Though I suspect it shall take some practice before you can walk as you were used to.” His back dropped down onto the cushioned surface that, he only now realized, wasn’t really a bed but a table that some of their camping supplies had been laid out on. As his mind raced, he struggled to verbalize his thoughts. This all had to be a dream, right? “It doesn’t even hurt,” he said, somewhat lamely. “It would, if I didn’t numb the sensation,” Yavina said. “Your recovery will take time. Neither your sister, nor I have the skills in healing magic to guarantee a swift recovery.” “I see.” His mind continued to whir along chaotic avenues. A large part was still simply rejecting what… “What do you mean?” He asked. “My skills at healing are underdeveloped. As are your sister’s.” “I don’t have a sister. Not that I know of anyway.” “You do,” Yavina said sincerely. “I know a thing or two about blood. And you and Circe are surely siblings. Though, obviously, you do not share a mother.” He blinked twice. First his legs and now this revelation. He wasn’t sure which one was the bigger revelation. But there was something more important first. “I feel like I am very calm about these things.” “I thought it would be more productive that way.” “What do you mean?” “A human male of your stature usually has about 6,5 liters of blood. You have lost a significant portion of that in the accident and I consumed some to both familiarize myself with your spirit energy and replenish my stocks of energy to prepare your treatment. As such, 4,21 liters of the blood currently flowing through your veins is me. In addition, of course, to the limbs I currency have fashioned for you.” “How does that explain my calmness?” “Since I am currently in your brain, I can interfere with certain processes that would impede your ability to form clear thoughts.” “You are messing with… interfering with my brain?” “I thought it would be more productive. I will stop if you ask me to.” He gave her a long look. And even though there were no real eyes looking back at him from behind that mask, he thought he felt her sincerity. Of course, if she was telling the truth, she might simply be inspiring these thoughts in him. No matter. He nodded. “Please do.” --- A horrified scream echoed through the underground space and made Carla jump. “What are you doing to him?” Circe demanded before Carla could. The youko had been beside herself after what had happened. They all had. But after learning that she and Damon shared blood, her guilt seemed to have grown even greater. “Yavina has stopped artificially maintaining his calm,” White explained. “He is aware of the rough circumstances, though we suspect it will be some time before he is calm enough to appreciate the finer details of the situation.” “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t attacked us without provocation!” Carla hissed. “Do you truly wish to reopen this argument?” White demanded. “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t illegally entered the premises intending to rob my mistress’ possessions!” “I’m so sorry,” Alpha wailed. The cerberus laid on the ground in front of white and had her heads lying in her lap If you could call it that. White had formed a third arm and was petting each of Anatu’s three heads. All three heads had been inconsolable since the ceiling collapsed. “I am disappointed you led these intruders into the mansion, Anatu, but you should not place blame upon yourself for what happened to Damon. It was your action that has led him to survival.” “So you’re saying it was my fault?” Circe demanded with a growl. “One with your abilities should know better than to throw such spells blindly,” White said sternly. “You were drowning me!” “We were incapacitating you. Had we wanted you dead, you would be dead.” “MHhhmhjdh,” Kirila mouthed angrily. The minotaur had her mouth magically sealed after annoying the blood golem. Probably the only good thing that had come out of the whole ordeal so far. “So, when can I expect you to return Damon and release us?” Circe demanded. “Return?” White asked. “Even if we are related, he is the property of my family.” “On what basis?” “Are you challenging my claim?” “Amarantian law is quite strict when it comes to the indenture of minors, as I recall. Who is the mother? Why was the child raised as a servant, rather than as a sibling? There are term limits, term limits which I imagine will expire in a few years at the latest. There is the fact that you ordered him to partake in an illegal invasion of a private residence with the intent to rob me and that your reckless use of lethal combat magics caused him severe injury. Need I continue? Do you need an advocate to tell you that these are all serious concerns that will be frowned upon in front of a judge?” “You plan to keep him here?” Carla asked and failed to fully keep the raw edge out of her own voice. “Did you plan to keep him? Share with him your secret?” White countered and caught Carla completely off guard. White seemed impassive. “Are you surprised that I am aware? I believe I mentioned it when I revealed Damon’s parentage. I know a few things about blood.” “So what if I intended to do so?” Carla asked and crossed her arms before her chest defensively. “You too, Lady Carla?” Circe asked and narrowed her eyes at her. Truthfully, Carla wasn’t sure about all that. He appeared interested enough, but was he truly interested in her or just in a way to a better life? And would he be interested in her or in Carla, the dragon. In any case, success in her mission still took priority for Carla. “There is still something else that I must accomplish,” Carla said. A ripple went through White’s head as it turned to regard her. “You wish to persist in your attempts at robbery?” Carla retrieved the sigil Treva had given her. “I am not here on my own behalf. I am on a trail of knowledge your mistress once researched on behalf of someone else.” The blood golem’s demeanor shifted at that, after seeming to consider the sigil for a few moments. “I understand.” “You… You understand?!” Circe demanded. “What about me? I am here for my mother! All we want is…” “And are you acting on an ancient covenant of my mistress’ making?” Circe shot an uncertain look Carla’s way, but all she could do was shrug her shoulders. It wasn’t as if she truly knew what all of this was all about. “My mother stumbled upon old documents some months ago. We wished merely to retrieve the late countess’ spellbooks and other troves of knowledge that may have remained.” “So you wished to rob us after all?” “The court dockets made no mention of anyone beyond her husband. Who is long dead, I might add!” “And yet you saw fit to enlist a dragon in your attempt at grave robbing and this specimen.” She shot a disapproving look at the minotaur, then changed the topic. “In any case,” White said. “We will return to Alnor first, to sort out Damon’s situation.” Circe appeared to want to argue, but White immediately cut her off. “Both his legal status and his health. Unless he wishes to stay bonded with us, he will need the help of an artificer to walk again. Though I suspect he will experience a far greater quality of life with us.” “And what about my quest?” Carla demanded. Secretly she was glad. It would give her some more opportunity to search her heart and to study Damon’s feelings. “When those matters are taken care of, I will accompany you to Westholm, to fulfill my mistress’ covenant.” “And leave this place you’ve looked after without protection?” Circe asked, somewhat slyly. A chuckle emanated from the golem’s facsimile of a mouth. “There is nothing of value left above and all that was left below has been secured beyond the reach of people like you. While I would prefer to maintain my vigil, this responsibility takes precedent.” |
| Well, now. That reveal about Damon and Circe was a kick in the soft parts. |
| "When you have bought your own load of hooey, you know exactly what it is worth." -- Bruce Sterling |
| Quite a shock indeed :P |
| My Little Light “Is this really a good idea?” Frederik asked as they made their way towards the old dilapidated building. The sign proclaiming ‘DANGER: DO NOT ENTER’ did not make him particularly feel better. “You afraid?” Emil asked and leaned in a little closer. “Don’t ruin this for me.” “Being afraid is like… totally lame, you know?” Lucille imparted a nugget of great wisdom. “It is pretty creepy though,” Darla added, scrutinizing the outline of the building herself. “That’s why it’s a test of courage,” Emil explained, giving him a sidelong look that suggested. ‘Come on, say something man. Don’t ruin this for me’. ‘Aren’t we a little old for this kind of stunt’? Was what he wanted to say. “Well, if we’re gonna do this, better be a little creepy, no?” He asked instead, rolling his eyes at Emil. Here he was, in the dead of night, helping his friend with his hare-brained scheme. Who the hell did tests of courage in this day and age? “So, two by two?” Darla asked, lacing her fingers with Emil’s. “That’s right,” Emil declared. “We’ll meet again in two hours?” “Sounds good!” Darla said and the two went in without further comment. “This is like… totally lame,” Lucille complained. “I reckon the two could have hooked up somewhere else,” Frederik agreed. “I’m like… not interested in you,” Lucille added. “Yeah, no worries,” he said. The feeling was mutual, after all. There was a moment of silence between them. “So, we just gonna stand around here for two hours then?” He checked his phone. 23:13. How did Emil come up with this stupid ass plan? “Waiting around is like… totally lame, you know?” Lucille complained. He sighed deeply and kicked a little rock lying in front of the steps leading into the building. He supposed it was somewhat boring to stand around here until the two lovebirds decided to come back. He wasn’t all that surprised that Emil thought that the old building would make for a thrilling ‘date’. But he was surprised that Darla seemed to agree. “You wanna go in as well then?” He asked and Lucille shrugged. Frederik sighed. This was going to be a long night. They slowly ascended the short flight of stairs and passed the rotted doors the other two had passed some minutes ago. Inside it was dark. Very dark, actually. The sky was overcast and not much light was entering from outside. In the dim light, naked concrete walls were visible. “Like… what even is this place supposed to be?” Lucille demanded. He shrugged. Not tall enough to be one of those old apartment buildings. He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight. --- “You think this place is safe?” Frederik asked, feeling mighty dubious about the structural integrity of the concrete surrounding them. Especially considering the big hole in the ground that yawned black before him. “I’m like… not sure,” Lucille said, sounding annoyed. Well, in truth, he was a little annoyed himself. He checked his phone. They’d been at it for barely twenty minutes. He sincerely hoped Emil and Darla weren’t ‘at it’. Not here. He didn’t want to imagine what kind of shit you’d catch if you scratched yourself up a little in this place. That and he didn’t want to imagine that Emil, and Darla were quite so weird. “Wanna head back?” He asked. “Like… sure,” Lucille agreed. He sighed. She wasn’t much of a conversationalist. He shined his light down the yawning hole one last time and turned. It was then that things went awry. The ground under his foot shifted and he shouted in surprise as he lost his footing. His shout cut off when he felt his body impact a hard and sloping concrete surface and he slid further into the darkness. He saw the light of his phone tumbling down into the darkness ahead of him before the light abruptly cut off accompanied by the sound of his phone hitting something hard. Then he hit something surprisingly soft with his torso and something surprisingly hard with his legs. A short cacophony of noise and then he stopped moving. “Arghhh,” he groaned. He was surrounded by total darkness. His hands rapidly roamed across his own body. His head, his shoulders, his arms, his torso, his hips, his legs, his hands. Nothing seemed to be broken. That was one piece of good news at least. Then he began groping about himself, trying to get a feel for his surroundings. There was some manner of metal frame to his side and something not quite soft, but not hard either. Something like a membrane of sorts. It was uncomfortably wet with cold, condensed water. To his other side there was more metal framing, but he couldn’t reach anymore of that membrane. He was lying on hard and cold concrete. The air was humid and there was a slightly unpleasant smell in the air. “Hey! Are you like… okay?” He heard a call from quite high above. He strained his eyes, but couldn’t make out any light. At least not until he briefly saw Lucille’s phone flashlight. “I’m fine,” he shouted. “I think. Get away from the hole. Call for help or something!” “Like… Alright. Just stay where you are!” She called down from above and the light disappeared. “Arghhh,” he groaned as he slowly pulled himself into sitting upright. It didn’t seem like anything was broken, but that didn’t mean that his body appreciated the tumble. Everywhere seemed to hurt at least a little. Using the metal framing to his side for leverage and almost pulling it over in the process, he managed to pull himself to his feet. Now from a different vantage, he groped about the empty air again until he found the metal frame he had used to pull himself to his feet. Again he found that same strange membrane. It seemed to be stretched across the metal framing. Three in total, at different heights. Were those… beds? Even if that’s what it was, he sure didn’t want to lie down on it. Not in this place. He looked around and saw nothing. The Darkness appeared absolute. Holding onto the bed frame for reference, he slowly shuffled his feet around in the hopes he might find his phone. He knew it was unlikely and the hope that it might still be working at all was doubly unlikely, but it gave him something to do. He looked up and squinted his eyes. Was that a hint of light coming from above? Maybe. He shuffled a little further and caught his feet on something. He stumbled and lost the frame he’d been holding on to. He took a few tottering steps to catch his balance. His worry of running face first into a concrete wall or pillar somehow made it more difficult to actually regain his balance, not to mention the total darkness. Finally he regained his balance and turned around his own axis with arms outstretched, but there was nothing in reach. He cursed loudly. What way were those beds? And what way was the hole? He looked up, but saw not even the suggestion of light above. “Just stay put!” He told himself. When you’re lost, just stay put and wait for rescue. That’s what they said was the right thing to do. “Yes, just stay put!” He told himself. He fumbled around a little more in the darkness until his fingers brushed against cold concrete. Glad to have something to anchor himself with, he slid down to the floor and resolved himself to wait out this situation. And perhaps that would be what he’d have done. If he hadn’t suddenly become aware of a soft, warm light in his peripheral vision. “Hello?” He called, softer than he intended. He blinked rapidly as the light grew brighter and warmer. He could see a concrete passage and a bend. The light came from around the bend. He slowly rose back to his feet, suppressing a few winces, and shuffled his way towards the source of the light. Wait for rescue be damned if he could have a little light. He rounded the bend in the concrete passage and halted. His mouth fell open in surprise and amazement. Floating beneath the ceiling was a woman. Pale as wax and severely underdressed, but a woman nonetheless. “Do you need help?” She asked in a monotone voice. Her face was entirely impassive, showing not a shred of emotion. “I…,” Frederik was at a loss for words as he took in the form before him. Leaving aside the fact that she was floating in the air before him and was almost naked, her legs were covered by something caught somewhere in the middle of resembling armor and a candlestick. Her hands were huge and the light was coming from a softly flickering flame atop her head. The figure tilted her head to the side, but still showed no emotion whatsoever upon her fine featured face. “Do you need help?” She repeated. “Mamono?” Frederik finally asked. He blinked rapidly. The situation was too strange. He’d heard of mamono on the news, but he’d never seen one. Had never even seen a picture of one like this before. The closest mamono was supposed to be a thousand kilometers away. “Mamono?” The figure asked and tilted her head back to its normal position. “Yes. Do you need help?” He racked his brain, trying to remember everything he’d heard. Mamono… MamoCorp… Coming in peace… Cultural exchange… Everything he’d heard said that mamono weren’t hostile to humans. They were simply strange and… he swallowed when he considered that this one had most of her smooth, waxy pale skin on display. There weren’t supposed to be any mamono in this place, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, could they? “I need help,” he finally said, just as the woman had begun to turn away from him. The flame atop her head flared a little brighter. “Help?” She asked softly. “It’s dark and I don’t know the way out. Can you help me?” He asked. The flame flared brighter yet, providing illumination more akin to a small campfire, rather than like a small candle as it had done before. The woman turned and began to float away and Frederik followed after her, trying not to stare too much at her well shaped backside. “What are you doing here?” He wondered as he followed her. “And what’s your name? And… what exactly are you?” The mamono turned her head slightly to regard him walking behind her, then stopped abruptly, almost making him run into her. She turned to face him fully and now standing right before her he realized that her skin wasn’t just waxy white. Her skin seemed to literally be made of wax. Truly what he’d heard had been correct. Mamono really were strange. “Candlegeist,” the woman said in her monotone voice. “Waiting.” “Waiting for what?” He asked. She gave him a long, long look. Then she turned around once more and floated ahead of him. As they passed through the dark structure, he thought that maybe this was some kind of old bunker. Though it was obviously either poorly maintained or poorly constructed, if the hole he’d fallen into was any indication. Probably a combination of both. They came by a fair number of heavy doors, which the Candlegeist opened with surprising ease and before long, they had reached a stairway and he heard footsteps moving downwards. The woman stopped abruptly, her light dimming significantly and turned towards him once more. “Have I been useful?” She asked. “Frederik?” He heard Emil call out from above. “I’m here!” He called and suddenly it grew dark again. He turned to the candlegeist but found that she had disappeared. There was a grating sound of metal against metal and as bright flashlights lit up the stairwell, he saw that the heavy metal door she’d opened to let him through had closed once more. --- A few hours later, Frederik found himself lying awake in his bed. He was deathly tired and sore all over, but his brain was working overtime and he doubted he’d be able to fall asleep anytime soon. His fingers roamed across the scratches he’d caught on his tumble down into the darkness. He’d been very lucky indeed. But his tumble was not the thing that kept him awake. The mysterious woman who’d lit his way and showed him how to leave the damp underground was what kept his mind busy. He hadn’t even had a chance to thank her before she disappeared. He’d tried to explain to the help that finally arrived that a mamono had helped him out of the dark, but they’d given him strange looks. He’d tried to open the heavy door that the candlegeist had closed behind her, but had been unable to get it open. In the end they had told him to come up with them so they could check him for injuries and, after they’d found he hadn’t suffered any worse than some scratches and bruises, they’d let him go and he’d made the half hour trek back home along with the other three. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knocking sound coming from his window. Did a bird hit it or… he rose from his pillow and froze. Floating in front of his window was the candlegeist. The flame atop her head was tiny and gave off barely any light. “How is she…” he wondered. He lived on the seventh floor. But of course, she could float, couldn’t she? She looked him straight in the eye and knocked softly against his window again with one of her big hands. He scrambled out of bed with a wince and pulled the window open and the woman floated inside. “Hello,” he said. “I didn’t get the chance before to…” “Have I been useful?” She asked. “I… what?” Of course she had been useful. “Of course, you helped me a lot. Thank you. Really. I mean it.” He still wasn’t sure what a mamono was doing in this place. But she had helped him without a doubt. She nodded, the barest hint of satisfaction on her face. “Will you use me again?” She asked. He blinked. “What do you mean?” “Do you still need me?” She asked. She floated down and touched the ground. Not floating anymore, she stood a little shorter than he did. “I mean I’m not sure I need…” He started. What did she mean, exactly? Mamono were strange, it was said. Not hostile, but looking for something instead… She took a step closer and he suddenly became aware of the fact that he was stark naked. She too was basically naked and a comforting aroma filled his bedroom. A little like a scented candle, but not like any he’d ever smelled before. Much better. “I am useful,” she declared and took another step forward. He took a step back, which prompted her to take another step towards him. He noted that, even though she appeared like she was made of wax, her body shifted and her naked breasts swayed slightly with every step she took. The backs of his knees caught the side of his bed and he fell back onto the bed when she took another step towards him. She stood directly in front of the bed and in front of him now, looking down on him. She leaned forward and his shoulders were enclosed by her large hands. They were comfortably warm and soft and felt slightly waxy. He blinked as her face hovered just a small distance above his own. Her eyes seemed almost to glow with a light of their own and had the color of a warm candle flame. How’d he not noticed that before? Her hair was like an unlit wick. The flame atop her head suddenly flared brightly and her face lowered down towards his. Her lips brushed against his gently. They too were soft and had a peculiar taste to them. Then her tongue touched against his lips. Pushing and demanding he let her in. It was warm, almost hot, and immediately tangled up with his own tongue. Even as she softly cooed into his mouth, her eyes staring deep into his didn’t show a hint of emotion at all. He softly bit her tongue and she halted briefly, blinking a few times. Then she climbed atop him. He may have been worried that her strange leg adornments might hurt him, but as she straddled his legs, that was not the case at all. All throughout, her tongue kept tangling with his own and probing into him, exploring him, filling him with her strange, but pleasant taste and smell. Her breasts were pushing against him as well. Like the rest of her skin, there was this vague sense of waxiness, but they were soft and full as well. They were warm as well and felt like the temperature was only going up. One of her big hands stopped pinning his shoulders and roamed down his body, towards his center. When she brushed against him, he realized how hard he was. Not a surprise really, with a beautiful woman straddling you. Even if said woman was a little strange. Finally, she interrupted their long kiss, pulling her tongue out of his mouth and pulling her face away from him a little. He lamented the absence of the hot appendage and her strangely soothing taste. “Good?” She asked softly. “Very,” he mumbled. “Do you need me?” She asked. She shimmied forward slightly and his heart beat rapidly in anticipation. “I want you,” he rasped. She pulled herself forward a little more and he gasped as her hot center pressed against his hardness, squishing it flush between their bodies. He tried to shimmy into a position that would let him enter her, but only succeeded when she raised her lips, letting his rod stand up proud. Then she sat down on it and his vision whited out for a moment. “Holy shit!” He gasped. It felt like his dick was enveloped in heat. Her insides were like a hot and extremely viscous liquid. Maybe a little like molten wax. In spite of the heat, he didn’t feel like he was getting burned at all. Pleasure assaulted his senses in ways he’d never experienced before. The discomfort from his scrapes and bruises fled his mind entirely and his being seemed to become reduced to the spot where they were connected. And it was only then that she began to move. He gasped and moaned and trembled at the sensory overload and then… “Fuuuck,” he muttered as he exploded less than a minute after she started. The candlegeists movement ceased and she hummed softly, eyes closed. The one hand that still pinned his shoulder trembled slightly as his cock lurched inside of her again and again. His body was rigid and only relaxed when he finished. He fell back with an exhausted breath. Short as it had been, it had been extremely overwhelming. He felt her second hand pin his other shoulder once more and saw her face hovering right over his own again. She scrutinized him through eyes that betrayed not a single thought, though the flame atop her head had grown to the intensity of a small bonfire. “Sorry,” he muttered softly. “It just felt so intense…” “Good?” She asked quietly. “Yes,” he confirmed. Her lips descended on his own once more and in the same movement he felt her hips swivel from left to right. He gasped into her mouth as the movement stimulated his oversensitive cock. He wasn’t sure how he knew, given that her face remained impassive, but he sensed that she enjoyed that. She moved again, her lips still pressed against his, and he trembled and quaked and moaned. His cock, which hadn’t even gone half soft after he’d finished, had rapidly surged back to full hardness as her seemingly semi-liquid insides caressed him with each new movement of the mamono atop him. He gasped again and felt one of her large hands cradle the back of his head. The movements of her hips sped up and at the same time her lips pressed against his with increased vigor. And he was still oh so very sensitive. He was helpless under the assault of sheer pleasure. As his body trembled and quaked under her relentless riding, the most he could manage was to tangle his tongue with hers, enjoying her soothing taste even as he breathed deep of that pleasant aroma. It seemed like the more intense the flame atop her head burned, the more intense her enticing smell grew. The mamono let out a moan as she slammed herself down on him with particular force that resulted in a wet sounding squelch and he mirrored the sound. It had only been a few minutes since his last climax and he felt like he was nearing the edge once more. As if in response to his quiet realization, the candlegeist redoubled her efforts, forcing his second load out of him only a moment later. The second time around was even more intense than the first. As he shot rope after rope into her burning hot insides, he saw stars and his body shook with uncontrolled tremors. She finally broke the kiss, looking down on him and he thought, through half lidded eyes, that her expression had changed, if just barely. It was a little warmer now. “Good?” She asked, just as before. Sweat glistened on his skin while hers remained perfectly the same as before. He wondered briefly whether she could sweat with that waxy skin of hers. “Good?” She asked again, a little more forceful. He looked into her eyes and saw that the fires there seemed to be burning brighter, just like the flame atop her head. “Incredible,” he muttered. “Is it good for you?” She blinked a few times, as if she hadn’t expected to be asked such a question. “Do you need me?” She asked, instead of answering his question. Frederik bit his lip. “Do you mean whether I want to do this again?” He asked. “Do you want me?” She asked. He looked up at her and felt strangely enamored with her. Well, even more enamored than any man might be with a woman who’d just given him the two most intense orgasms of his life. “Yes,” he confirmed. “I want - no - I need you.” Her lips broke into a soft smile. The first sign of obvious emotion she’d shown since he’d first met her just a few hours ago. She kissed him again then. Not intensely, not with tongue. Just a chaste, soft kiss. “Husband,” she said so quietly it could barely be heard. “Hus-?” He began to ask, but his question was cut off by a gasp as her hips began to move once more. --- Frederik was awoken by the singing of birds outside his still open window and immediately his mind was assailed by the events of the previous night. Had the evidence, the body of the beautiful candlegeist, not been snuggled up close against him not been there, he might have thought it all a dream. He did not feel the aches from his bruises and scrapes any longer. He felt a sense of exhaustion, which was no surprise given how long they’d been at it. He yawned softly and looked down at the mamono by his side. She had her head buried against his chest, sleeping soundly. He’d been worried at first the flame atop her head might burn him or burn down the apartment, but that worry had proven unnecessary. Her flame burned low and small now in her sleep. It looked cute. She looked cute. And the way her slightly waxy, soft skin pressed against him felt right. She’d called him her husband. Had done so a few times. He hadn’t had any real opportunity to ask her about it, but it felt right, somehow. And who could say? It was known that mamono were strange. Maybe that was their idea of a wedding? He hadn’t expected or planned to be married at any point in the near future. But somehow, the thought sat well with him. He craned his neck to kiss the top of her head. “My little light,” he whispered softly and felt the candlegeist stir gently in her sleep. |
Reply to Maku_The_Blue
@mugen91
I can finally get back to properly devoting some time and attention to this club again, so I thought I'd start by catching up on a few things! And boy... looks like Damon got it worse than either Toothless or Hiccup. At least he's surrounded by some capable women to help him get though this.
Gotta say though, that's an interesting idea for an interaction between a blood golem and a human. Naturally while reading the conversation about her occupying his brain as a portion of the total blood contained within, I immediately started wondering if she could a also occupy... 'other' organs as well. A girl like that could keep any guy up for as long as she (or anyone else) wanted.
Also, like tyger said, the reveal of familial relations between Damon and Circe came as a bit of a shock.
I can finally get back to properly devoting some time and attention to this club again, so I thought I'd start by catching up on a few things! And boy... looks like Damon got it worse than either Toothless or Hiccup. At least he's surrounded by some capable women to help him get though this.
Gotta say though, that's an interesting idea for an interaction between a blood golem and a human. Naturally while reading the conversation about her occupying his brain as a portion of the total blood contained within, I immediately started wondering if she could a also occupy... 'other' organs as well. A girl like that could keep any guy up for as long as she (or anyone else) wanted.
Also, like tyger said, the reveal of familial relations between Damon and Circe came as a bit of a shock.
| @Maku_The_Blue Should probably get around to finishing that one at some point. I had originally planned to have tyger write the next part (since Cerberus won the people's choice last year), but I guess that probably isn't happening anymore :P |
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