6: Kingdom of the Dead
"Noooooooo!"
The squirrel girl cried as tentacles held her aloft, forcing her knees apart. A third tentacle rose up to her, drawing back to plunge between her legs… but before it could, Simon sliced the roots of all three tentacles. At once, they dropped the girl, and fell to the ground. As the girl struggled to rise, Simon pulled her to her feet. "Get back to the cart," he ordered. "Zarga and I can take care of this." Another tentacle snaked out from the underbrush, aimed toward the girl, but Simon cut it down with ease, like the others.
"But what about Jake! I won't leave him out here!" she shouted back.
Another tentacle darted towards Simon. But there was a brilliant flash of light, and a bright beam of light burned a hole through its trunk, forcing the tendril to withdraw. "Leave him to us," Zarga said, her eye still shining a brilliant red. "You just worry about yourself right now." The squirrel girl tensed, but ultimately relented, running away in the direction opposite of where the tentacles emerged.
Another pair of tentacles emerged from the darkness, speeding towards the two. Simon braced himself, and sliced one tendril down the middle. But before he could turn to the other, a white-hot beam shot out of Zarga's eye, cutting the second tendril in half. It wailed, and withdrew into the shadows, leaving behind only the scent of smoke.
But those tendrils were far from alone. A half dozen more slowly crept forward, poised to strike. Simon readied himself, and asked aloud, "I don't suppose you can hypnotize these tentacles into… not attacking us, could you?"
Zarga glanced over to him. "My hypnosis needs eye contact to work," she replied. "You see any eyes on those things?" Sure enough, the tentacles were without eyes, or seemingly any kind of sensory organ.
Simon tensed. "Alright then. The hard way it is." He then charged at the closest tentacle, thrusting his sword deep into its body.
For the last two days, the journey to Ikana had been uneventful. In that time, Simon had learned more about his traveling companions- they were merchants, as he suspected, who made their living trading between various cities on the continent. He'd also learned the squirrel girl was a species known as a ratatoskr- they specialized in gathering and distributing information, but had neither physical nor magical strength, so kept far from the front lines. Even so, he made sure his sword was ready in case the scent of monster blood overpowered her sense of reason.
However, their peace was short-lived. After all, danger lurked in every shadow in the monster realm, and not always in the form of randy females. And sure enough, as they journeyed down a road cutting through a particularly thick forest, a swarm of tentacles shot out from the surrounding trees, plucking the four from their wagon. Despite the terrified cries of his companions, however, Simon remained calm, and easily cut himself down with his new sword. He didn't believe he'd provoked the tentacle plants into attacking- lack of noses aside, they were known to attack both men and women indiscriminately of their own accord. It seemed that they'd simply come to the wrong place at the wrong time.
With one final swing, Simon cut down the last tentacle. At that moment, his attention was drawn by a loud shout. He followed it, forcing their way through the undergrowth with Zarga hot on his heels, and found Jake, arms wrapped tightly around a tree as a tentacle pulled on his legs. "Aaagh! Why does this keep happening to me!?" he cried.
Simon rushed toward the tentacle wrapped around Jake's legs, hacking through it with a single swing and sending the merchant sprawling on the ground. He thought silver wasn't supposed to harm monsters, but his sword cut through the tentacles as though they were any other plant. But he then remembered his lessons in monster ecology. Tentacle plants gradually gained sentience through exposure to demonic energy- in all likelihood, these plants were still developing, and thus, not fully sentient.
Jake quickly climbed to his feet, pulling up his trousers. "I guess that's another one I owe you."
"Aren't you embarrassed to have to have to be saved so much?" Zarga asked, arms crossed. "Don't you have any pride as a man?"
"None so cheap to be shaken up by something like this," the merchant replied indignantly. "This isn't even the first time this year I've been kidnapped."
Zarga's attention snapped to something to her left, and she fired another white beam from one of the eyes at the end of her tentacles. Simon looked just in time to see the beam burn a hole into another tentacle trying to creep up on them through the trees, which then collapsed. The gazer turned back to Jake. "You should get back to Mara. Simon and I have something to take care of."
"What are you talking about?" Simon asked, confused. "We found Jake. So let's back to the cart and get out of here before those tentacles can regroup."
Zarga shook her head. "Aren't you supposed to be an expert on hunting monsters? Tentacles are like zombies- they just keep coming at you until you get rid of the head."
"Huh?" Simon asked again.
The gazer huffed. "Come on, you saw how coordinated those tentacles were. They've got a leader nearby. And until we take it out, they'll just keep coming."
Simon hated to admit it, but Zarga has a point. These tentacles seemed much more intelligent than the norm, striking when their backs were turned, or from angles that were difficult to counter against. If there was an intelligence leading them, it was doubtful it would let them go so easily. So, Simon gave Jake a small nod, and the merchant scurried off, before asking, "So how do we find this 'leader?'"
"That's easy," Zarga replied. "Leaders can only control tentacle plants within a certain radius, so she has to be somewhere nearby. So, we'll follow the path of greatest resistance- the more tentacles we run into, the closer we're getting." One of her eye-stalks pointed ahead, behind Simon. "Most of the tentacles came from that direction. Seems like the best place to start looking."
Simon was surprised by the gazer's solid deductive skills. But, her reasoning was solid. So he nodded and replied, "Alright then. Let's go." He turned, creeping through the brush as he moved deeper into the woods.
It didn't take long for Simon to become unsettled. Although they moved deeper and deeper, no more tentacles attacked. But something was out there with them- he could hear the cracking of branches, and the rustle of leaves as whatever it was moved about, always out of sight, but still too close for comfort. Although he knew he shouldn't be distracting himself, Simon needed to do something to break the tension. So he asked out loud, "How long have you been able to do that?"
"Do… what?" Zarga asked.
Simon scratched his head. "Well, fire beams of light from your eyes." He only realized how ridiculous the question sounded when he asked it out loud. Gazers were best known for their hypnotic eye, but as monsters with strong innate magic, they made excellent mages, and had plenty of other skills at their disposal.
Zarga gave Simon an incredulous look. "Uh… since I was born? Magic like that's nothing for me." She stumbled slightly, but caught herself before Simon could intervene. "Well, okay, that particular spell takes a lot out of me. I think I've got maybe one good shot left in me before I drop."
Simon heard leaves rustling- he peered into the brush ahead, but if there was something there, it was lying in the darkness just outside the range of his vision. "Then you'd best save that last shot for when it really counts."
There was no answer.
"Zarga?" He looked back. But the gazer was nowhere in sight. The two had just entered a small break in the trees- not large by any means, but large enough that there was nowhere for the gazer to easily hide herself. Simon tightened his grip on his sword, raising it warily. "Zarga. Now really isn't the time for games."
"Hhhgggmmgh!" a muffled voice cried out. That harsh tone unmistakably belonged to Zarga, but the sound didn't come from the surrounding trees. It came from… above him. Simon looked up.
In his line of work, Simon had encountered plenty of monsters that showed exceptional intelligence, but the tentacle girl nestled in the tree branches above was particularly clever. Not only had it snuck up on them through the branches overhead, where it was both out of sight and out of reach, it also knew how to disable Zarga as well, wrapping its tentacles over her many eyes to block her hypnotizing gaze. The gazer struggled, but the plant girl held her firmly with two of its "legs," pinning her arms to her sides. The rest of its tentacles were… caressing the gazer's body, making her squirm, sliding over her thighs, her stomach, her chest. One tentacle in particular… thrust itself in and out of Zarga's mouth in a very…provocative way. It was such a vulgar sight, but for a moment, Simon was completely transfixed.
The tentacle girl shuddered in pleasure. "Mmmmm…" she moaned. "This one has such a wonderful mouth." It looked down on him, smiling. "Oh, what's with that face? Don't tell me she's never indulged you like this."
Simon steeled himself, pointing his sword up at the monster. "Come on down here and fight me." His words sounded confident, but internally Simon was cursing. He was at a total disadvantage. Climbing was out of the question- any lesser tentacles nearby would just pull him down before he could reach their leader. Throwing his sword wouldn't work, either- the tentacles could easily catch it, leaving him defenseless. He didn't have any firebombs, but even if he did, there was too much risk of Zarga being hurt by the blast. He cursed himself again, wishing he'd asked for a bow as well. His only chance was in an even fight, but with no leverage, there was no reason for the tentacle girl to oblige.
And the tentacle girl knew it. "I don't think I'm gonna do that," she replied, as another group of tentacles emerged from the brush near the ground, surrounding Simon and cutting off any avenue of escape. "I'm gonna stay right here and watch you tire yourself out. Once you're good and exhausted, I'll pin you down, and fuck your friend in front of you. If you put on a good enough show, I might even let you have a turn."
Simon gritted his teeth. The Inquisition's archives had made no mention of tentacle plants that could speak and lead others. So it was impossible to determine whether his scent was influencing her, or if this behavior was normal.
The tentacles shot towards Simon. He cut one with a horizontal swing, and then a second as it tried to grab his wrist, and a third when it tried to wrap around his waist. But then, something yanked at his ankle, and he was pulled off his feet. Quickly, Simon swung down, cutting the tentacle that had grabbed him, and rose back to his feet. Fortunately, it seemed the tentacles weren't affected by the scent of monster blood, as they didn't grab sensitive areas such as his neck, nor did they pull especially hard when they did grab him, seeming to prefer to immobilize rather than dismember him. Even so, the tentacles kept coming, no matter how many Simon cut down. And although exhaustion wasn't an issue for him, it would only be a matter of time before he made a mistake, and the tentacles got the better of him.
But as it turned out, he wouldn't have to wait. The tentacle girl watched him, her delight slowly replaced with irritation as Simon continued to resist. Until she could stand it no longer. "That's it." The plant girl raised up one of her "arms;" it split open, revealing dozens of tiny tendrils within. She then reached for Simon, her arm easily stretching over the twenty feet or so between them, and grabbed his sword arm. The tiny tendrils wrapped around him, grabbing his wrist, his elbow, his bicep, and tried to work their way under his fingers to loosen his grip on his sword. "Let's see how well you fight without that sword of yours!" Simon pulled back, trying to break the tentacle's grip, but he felt as if dozens of hands were holding onto him. Even with her arm stretched out, the tentacle girl's grip didn't seem to weaken at all. Simon pushed against the tentacle with his free hand, but it refused to budge even slightly…
Then, Simon's hand began to glow. A mist flowed from the tentacle into his own body, and the tentacle girl's unbreakable grip finally slackened, and Simon pulled himself free. He stumbled back, looking down at the mist surrounding his hand in shock. It was just like with the hobgoblin. But the sensation filling his body was… different. He didn't feel an overwhelming surge of strength- rather, he felt a presence. Several presences, all in the surrounding woods. He could… feel one of them drawing close. He looked back, sword raised, to be confronted by one of the lesser tentacles. But, it didn't do anything. It didn't grab him, or swing at him. It simply hung in the air, waiting.
A long, shuddering breath drew Simon's attention. It was the tentacle girl, still in the tree, but looking noticeably more exhausted. Her arm had retracted to its original length, and she no longer toyed with Zarga, simply holding her tightly. "What did you do to me?" she demanded.
At the same time Simon looked to the plant girl, the tentacle turned itself toward her as well. It was at that moment that he understood. It sounded completely absurd, but he had no other explanation for what was happening, for the strange sensations he felt. But, he had a chance to test it. He looked to the tentacle girl in the tree, before pointing his sword at her and shouting "Get her!"
The tentacle at his side darted toward the girl, along with a dozen others from the surrounding woods. The tentacle girl's eyes widened in shock, and she gasped, before throwing herself forward to another bundle of branches, evading the cluster of lesser tentacles. As she did, Zarga slipped from her grasp, and began to fall.
"Shit! Zarga!" Simon ran toward the gazer, but one of the tentacles turned, and wrapped itself around her, stopping her fall. Simon stumbled to a stop. He hadn't ordered the tentacle to catch her. He simply thought that he had to catch her, and the tentacles obeyed.
But then, a loud crack, and the rustle of leaves caught Simon's attention. Up above, one of the tentacles had grabbed the plant girl- she held onto a nearby tree with her tendrils, but it strained, cracking and bending as the lesser tentacle tried to pull her away. Bring her down here, Simon thought. And the tentacle obeyed- there was another crack as the tree finally gave and broke, and the tentacle pulled the girl away, throwing her on the ground a few feet away from Simon.
In an instant, the tentacle girl shot to her "feet," a furious glare on her face. "You think you can turn my friends against me?" she barked. One of the tentacles turned and darted toward Simon, but he cut it down before it could grab him. She held out her arm- in his head, he could feel the lesser tentacles' presences vanish. She must have reasserted control over them, but he wouldn't give her a chance to strike. He dashed towards her, pulling back his sword. The tentacles shot toward him- Simon dived under them, rolled to the tentacle girl's "feet," and swung upwards with all his strength.
A shock reverberated through Simon's arms. He felt the unmistakable sensation of his blade cutting into the tentacle girl's body… but it passed through her, as if she were a ghost. But even if his blade left no wound, it still had an effect- that strange mist appeared once more, billowing out of her body in a line across her upper body, where his blade had passed through her. The plant girl let out a gasp, and grabbed her chest with her "hands," but it didn't stop the flow of mist. She stumbled back, eyes wide. She looked to him, and opened her mouth as if to say something… before she collapsed. As soon as she hit the ground, the lesser tentacles writhed as if in agony, and fell to the ground, unmoving.
Cautiously, Simon approached the tentacle girl. The mist was still flowing from her body, but this would be far from the first time a monster feigned death to lure him into a trap. He knelt over her, sword raised to strike if the monster made any movement, and poked her with his free hand. But Simon found his caution was unnecessary. She was still breathing, but didn't respond to his touch in the slightest, as though she were in a deep sleep.
Letting out a relieved sigh, Simon stood, and sheathed his sword. "It looks like this demon realm silver really does work," he mused.
"Uh… Simon!" Zarga's voice called out. "Could you get me down?" Simon looked back- one of the tentacles was still holding Zarga aloft where it had caught her.
"Just a moment," he replied, and ordered, "Put her down over here." The tentacle slithered through the air, and set the gazer down in front of Simon, before retreating back into the darkness.
For several moments, Zarga stared after the tentacle, before turning to face Simon, eye wide. "How did you just do that?"
"I… I don't know," Simon confessed. "When I touched that tentacle girl, I… absorbed some kind of energy from her, I think."
Zarga looked at Simon oddly. He realized she wasn't looking at him, but… "Cassandra, did you do this?" the gazer asked.
For the first time in the past few days, Cassandra emerged. She'd kept herself hidden while around Jake and Mara; her presence would doubtlessly raise all sorts of questions that they wouldn't have been able to answer. "I… I didn't," she replied glancing to the fallen tentacle girl. "I felt Simon absorb some kind of energy from that monster, but I didn't have anything to do with it."
The three fell silent, pondering what this meant. But Simon then shook his head and said. "We can worry about this later. Let's get back to Mara and Jake."
"What's the rush?" Zarga asked, putting her hands on her hips. "That tentacle should be out for a few hours, at least."
"I'm not worried about her," Simon replied, glancing to the tentacle girl. "But I'm sure there's plenty of other monsters creeping around here somewhere." He then looked to Zarga. "I hope you remember the way back."
"I know the way," Cassandra replied, stepping- or rather, floating forward. So, Simon and Zarga followed the ghost as she drifted through the brush back the way they came, returning to Simon once the cart was finally in sight. In that time, Simon kept his sword ready, and Zarga scanned their surrounding with her eye stalks. But no other monsters appeared to confront them, and they stepped onto the small road cutting through the forest without incident.
Mara was the first to notice them approach. "Oh, hey! You made it!" She and Jake were huddled in the back of the cart- Jake held a frying pan, while Mara held a long, sharp kitchen knife, presumably to ward off any tentacles that tried to attack.
"Those tentacles won't be bothering us again anytime soon," Zarga said cheerfully. "Thanks for not bailing on us, by the way."
Jake looked Simon up and down. "Look at you. You've barely got a scratch on you! You sure you're not one of those Witcher fellas?"
Mara looked to Jake, glaring. "This again, Jake? I told you already: there's no such thing as Witchers…"
Simon didn't say anything else as Jake and Mara seated themselves at the front of the wagon, still arguing, and he climbed into the back. He could still feel the presence of the tentacles faintly. He concentrated, willing them to come, but they didn't respond to his commands. It seemed that whatever energy had allowed him to command the tentacles earlier was now exhausted.
Simon replayed the events that had just transpired in his head. That mist that flowed from the tentacle girl after striking her… it had to be her demonic energy. And he'd absorbed it into his own body- her energy, and the hobgoblin's days before. He knew that ghosts could absorb energy, but only to give themselves a corporeal body, and only spiritual energy from human men, not the demonic energy of other monsters. And he had never heard of a ghost- of any monster- absorbing the energy of another monster and assimilating its abilities as their own. Even monsters that could shape-shift could only assume the other monster's form, not their abilities. Incubi could be reshaped to suit the preferences of their monster partners, but that reshaping had its own limitations, and monsters couldn't give their "husbands" powers they themselves didn't possess. By all rights, what he'd done was impossible. Or, it should have been impossible.
But he'd done it. He'd seen it with his own eyes, felt the effects in his own body.
As the cart began to roll down the path, Simon looked down at his hands. All he could do was mutter to himself, "What the hell is happening to me?"
"So… what are these 'Witchers' you're always bringing up?" Zarga asked.
Mara glared. "Come on, don't encourage him," she said sternly.
But Jake ignored his companion's words, a broad smile on his face. "I was wondering when you'd finally ask about that." Then his tone darkened. "But anyway, when I was a lad, I heard rumors of a kingdom performing experiments to make the ultimate monster hunter. To make them stronger, faster, better with magic… y'know, all that. Infused people with all kinds of magic, twisted their bodies, practically made them monsters in their own right…"
It had been three days since Simon and the others' run-in with the tentacles. Thankfully, the group didn't encounter any further issues on the road. But Simon couldn't help but feel… unsettled as the group drew closer and closer to Ikana. The scenery had changed, the thick woods giving way to vast, dusty plains where nothing grew, not even weeds.
Jake and Mara drove the wagon from the front seats. Zarga sat just behind them, chatting idly with the other male. Simon kept to the rear, scanning the horizon for any approaching threats, when he spotted a figure on the road ahead. It was still a ways off, but even from their distance, he could recognize that clumsy, loping gait anywhere. "There's something up ahead," he said loudly, silencing any further conversation. His suspicions was confirmed as they drew closer to the figure.
A zombie.
She slowly shuffled along the side of the road, seemingly taking no notice of them. But even so, Simon never took his eyes off her, gripping his sword tightly until she disappeared over the horizon behind them. As a Purifier, he had no love for monsters, but it was the undead he despised most of all. And he hated them because of how tempting, how easy it was to underestimate them. They were neither fast nor bright, but they were strong, and wherever one was found, there would always be more nearby. He could name over a dozen men he'd served with who made the mistake of assuming the undead would be easy prey, only to be taken by surprise and torn limb from limb.
"Jake, why didn't you stop?" Mara asked. "We could've given her a lift."
"I get the feeling our Witcher friend in back wouldn't have liked that," the merchant replied, jerking a thumb at Simon- he was still watching the horizon, hand tight around the hilt of his sword.
Zarga reached over, laying a hand on Simon's shoulder. "You should ease up, you know. There's gonna be a lot more undead once we reach Ikana."
Simon only nodded in reply.
Zarga's words proved true over the next few hours. They passed more and more of the undead as they drew closer to the capital city, mostly zombies and skeletons, but there was the occasional ghost, dullahan, and even a pale, dark-haired woman riding in an ornate coach- a vampire, Simon assumed. Some were alone; some travelled in groups; and some traveled in pairs, accompanied by their incubus partners. More than once did they pass a couple shamelessly making love on the side of the road. Even though he'd been deflowered, Simon couldn't help but avert his eyes from the sight. How could two people be so open with their affections? he wondered.
As the crowd on the road began to thicken, something became visible over the horizon ahead- an enormous city, with walls of black stone, and bone-white towers rising up from within. Simon couldn't help but be reminded of the ribcage of some enormous long-dead beast- fitting, for the capital of an undead kingdom.
"There it is," Jake said. "The Undead Kingdom of Ikana."
"Spooky," Zarga said.
Even with the crowd, the cart rolled under the gate before too long, and down the city's main thoroughfare. Despite being a city of the dead, Simon was struck by how… lively it was. Sure, there was the occasional zombie stumbling clumsily down the street, but others moved with such grace that, were it not for their unnatural complexion, one would have no idea they were actually dead. He couldn't help but be reminded of the bustle of Solas. It felt like a lifetime ago since Simon had seen so many people.
It…
It had been a lifetime ago, he realized. He'd died- executed as a traitor. His old life- his career, his comrades, they were all gone forever.
"Hey!" Zarga called.
Simon jolted from suddenly being brought back into the real world. "Huh? What is it?"
"How long are you gonna sit around? We've got things to do, you know." The cart had come to a stop in front of one of the many buildings lining the thoroughfare. Zarga had climbed out of the wagon, and Jake and Mara were unloading their merchandise, while he sat idly.
That's right. His old life was over. But he had a new life. New responsibilities.
So Simon climbed out of the cart, and helped unload. Even if they did hire him as a bodyguard, he and Zarga did owe the merchants for the lift. He quickly learned the building they'd stopped in front of was a shop belonging to one of Jake's friends, who graciously let them stay when they visited, and held their wares as they searched for buyers.
With all four working together, the work was completed quickly, and they gathered at the rear of the cart to discuss their next move. "Right. That takes care of business," Mara said, and grabbed Jake's arm, wrapping her arms around it tightly. "We'll be in town for a few days, so you can go take care of whatever it is you needed to do here."
"What about you?" Simon asked.
Jake scratched his head nervously as Mara tugged his arm insistently. "We've, uh… got our own business to take care of. You know, appraisers and buyers to meet and all that, don't you worry about us. We'll meet up back here- ah, see you later!" By the end of the conversation, Mara was practically dragging Jake back into the shop.
Simon couldn't help but wonder where the two merchants were headed, when Zarga crossed her arms and said, "Huh. She was getting kinda twitchy the last few days. Guess she was just shy about having an audience."
Simon looked to Zarga, about to ask what she meant, before the realization of why a man and woman would want to spend time alone together struck. Brushing the thought aside, he instead asked, "So, where do we go from here."
"There." Zarga pointed down the road, where an enormous black palace stood. "The palace of Lady Elisanne, ruler of Ikana." With its rib-like flying buttresses and arched windows and great black spires, the palace was exactly the kind of place Simon could imagine an undead ruler living. All that was missing was an excessive amount of skull decorations.
"Is Lady Elisanne the expert we're looking for?" Simon asked.
Zarga glanced to Simon. "Not her- her court mage. A lich named Cleo."
Simon searched through his memory. Liches; powerful sorceresses who were transformed into the undead, often deliberately through their own actions. Because of their several lifespans' worth of studies, they had greater knowledge of magic than any human could ever hope to attain. But there was something strange about what Zarga said. Liches were typically solitary. rarely associated with other monsters- even their fellow undead, so it was strange to hear of one not only living in a city, but offering her services to a nation's ruler.
"She's not just any lich, though," Zarga added. "Lady Velvet said she was alive when Alba was founded. She might know something about how the Sacred Flame was made."
Simon frowned, crossing his arms. "I doubt things will be that convenient for us."
Zarga scowled at the former captain. "C'mon Simon, a little positive thinking won't kill you." She then grabbed his wrist. "But we have something to do first." Then, she started dragging him away from the cart. But she didn't drag him toward the palace as he expected. Rather, she dragged him into a nearby alleyway, pulling him deep, until they were well out of sight of passers-by. Once they were far enough away, Zarga pushed Simon against the alley wall, before dropping to her knees and fumbling to remove the armor around his waist.
"H-Hey, what are you-" he began.
"Just shut up and let me suck your dick," she said. "Most men I've known like this sort of thing."
Simon could only stare down at the gazer. He'd heard rumors that monsters would allow men to violate any orifice they wished, but he never believed it. He always assumed it was an embellishment, if not an outright lie, to make monsters seem more depraved than they truly were. He managed to stammer out, "Y-Y-You, don't have to-"
Her hands stopped and she looked up at him, eye narrowed. "Believe me, I know. But… you did kinda save me from that tentacle plant. And there's no way I'm letting you hold that over my head."
The tentacle plant? Right. He remembered how it had bound up Zarga in its tendrils, caressing her exposed body, thrusting a tendril in and out-
Simon felt his pants tighten. He quickly tried to turn his thoughts elsewhere, but nothing escaped from the gazer's all-seeing eye. "Hah. Your mouth always says no, but the little man down here always seems to rise to the occasion." She looked up at him with a smug smile, but her smile quickly vanished as his she struggled to remove the armor over his waist. "C'mon, how do you get this thing off!?" she growled. "I mean I can suck you through your pants if I have to, but I have to get this stupid thing outta the way first…"
Simon grabbed Zarga's wrists, stopping her. "Are… you're sure about this?"
The gazer looked up at him, annoyed. "Don't look at me like that. Makes me remember just how sad and boring the average Alban's love life is."
Simon didn't reply. In silence, he began to remove the armor pieces around his waist and legs, so Zarga had unrestricted access. He was surprised she hadn't commanded him to take his armor off, but, he supposed he should be thankful she was at least pretending he had a say in the matter.
As soon as the armor was off, Zarga's hands shot to the hem of Simon's trousers and pulled them down. He shivered slightly from the sudden rush of cold air that washed over his erection. Simon turned his gaze away, not wanting to see it, or the gazer's hungry expression. "You know…" she began. "I just realized I've never gotten a good look at your little guy until now." She licked her lips, though he didn't see it. "Hope it tastes as good as it looks."
Simon had to bring up his hands and cover his mouth to keep himself from crying out in surprise as an intense warmth smothered the tip of his member. He felt the warmth slowly work its way down his shaft- she moaned, the vibration sending a jolt of pleasure up his spine and making his knees shake. He closed his eyes, not daring to look, but that served only to make the sensation even more intense. So, he looked.
Zarga had his member in her mouth, slowly inching her way forward to the base. He thought that actually seeing the act would calm him. It didn't. His erection throbbed just from the sight, eliciting a small gasp from the gazer. He couldn't believe that anyone, even a monster, could do something so dirty. And yet… he couldn't help but feel… excited.
She pulled all the way back. "Oh, right. Velvet didn't do this for you yet, did she?" She grinned- he shivered from seeing all the sharp teeth she displayed, realizing just how close to them a very sensitive part of his anatomy had been. "Trust me, you're gonna love this."
She opened her mouth, but rather than taking in the shaft again, she slowly, softly began to lick around his tip. He gasped, as tiny jolts of pleasure surged from the tip, down his member and up his spine. He couldn't believe something so small could feel so good. But it wasn't enough. He reached out, to put his hands on her head-
Zarga pulled back, and her eyes flashed. "Ah- hands to yourself." His hands instantly returned to his sides as if pulled into place by ropes.
Of course. Even with her literally on her knees in front of him, she made sure to establish that she was the one in control. He let out a disappointed sigh.
"What'sh wrong?" the gazer asked in a familiar mocking tone, her words slightly slurred. "Didja wanna ram yer cock down my throat until ya burst?"
Simon bit his lip. He did. By Gabriel he wanted nothing more than to grab Zarga's head and thrust into her mouth until he came. But he wouldn't say it. Not to give the gazer the satisfaction of knowing she beat him, but because he couldn't believe he could want something so… filthy.
She kept licking. Every stroke of her tongue made the burning in his cock flare up, but somehow, it was never enough to push him over the edge. "C'mon, tell me. I can do thish all day, ya know."
Simon refused to answer.
"Sho that'sh how it'sh gonna be, huh?" Her tongue swirled underneath the skin at the tip of his cock. His hips bucked, and he cried out. His legs were trembling so much, he was sure they would've given out- only Zarga pressing his hips against the wall kept him on his feet. The heat in his member flared, and he thought for sure he would come…
But right before he could get that release, Zarga pulled back. He tried to move his hips, but the gazer looked up at him, eye aglow, and said, "Nope, you stay right there." His body locked up, and all he could do was stand with his back against the wall, panting, that pleasant burning sensation rapidly fading away.
"I'll make this easy for you," Zarga said, running her finger along the underside of his member. "You don't even have to repeat back what I said. Just say 'yes,' or 'no.' Easy, right?" She positioned herself so the tip of his penis rested on her lips. "Now, do you want me to suck your hot, thick cock, and drink every last drop of your semen?"
As a Purifier, Simon had been trained to resist seduction techniques from monsters. He… wasn't the best at it, to be sure, but his instructors were willing to overlook it due to his blade skills. Besides, they argued, the most interaction he would ideally have with monsters was killing them. Any attempt at seduction would be hastily constructed and easily resisted. Still, though he never used them, Simon took pride in his ability to resist the temptations monsters offered.
But in that moment, the resolve built up by years of training shattered like glass. And he whispered, "…yes."
Zarga kissed the tip of his member. "Good boy," she said gently. "Just let me know when you're about to come, alright?" And she took Simon's cock in her mouth.
Simon cried out, unable to suppress the sound with his body paralyzed. The sensation as the gazer bobbed her mouth up and down his length was completely different from her… pussy. But it was no less wonderful, and in moments, the heat and pressure returned. "Z… Zarga…" he gasped. "I'm… getting close."
The gazer hummed, and bobbed her head even faster, moaning and slurping and sucking noisily. It was too much for him. He didn't even try to hold it in. All the pressure was released, like a valve being released, and he felt spurt after spurt of heat flow down his member. "Mmm!" Zarga's eye widened in surprise, but she swallowed each shot with ease. She gave one last, hard suck to pull out any traces left behind, until finally letting it go with a noisy pop. He shivered from the cold, as Zarga wiped her mouth. "Mmmm… you might not be the longest-lasting, or have the biggest, but your stuff tastes amazing." She smiled up at him, a smug smile that only monsters seemed to be capable of. "Plus, it's cute how you treat every time like it's your first."
Simon looked down at Zarga, breathing hard, still frozen. "…I didn't know monsters used their mouths like that. I mean, I've heard rumors, but I thought people just made it up…"
Zarga grinned. "Monsters can use more than just their mouths, you know. Blowjobs, anal, tit fucking, thighjobs… some even use their armpits or their feet. Nothing is off-limits." Zarga's grin widened. "Bet the girl's back in Alba wouldn't do that."
Then, to Simon's shock, she pulled his pants back up, and snapped her fingers, unfreezing him. "Alright. Shall we get going?"
"Wh- that's it?" Simon was stunned, not just by the abrupt end, but also by the words that had come out of his own mouth.
"Well, I needed a little something to keep my strength up. But, if you really wanna keep going…" She leaned in, and gently kissed the tip of his erection through the fabric. "…then after we visit the palace, we can book a room at a nice quiet inn, and have the whole night to ourselves…"
That… did actually sound… no. No, he was letting himself get swept up in her pace again. Simon shook his head, as if trying to shake out the lustful thoughts within. They had a job to do. "Let's just concentrate on meeting up with that lich," he said firmly.
Zarga let out a disappointed sigh and stood. "Oh, you're no fun," she said. "One day you're gonna get all old and…" She trailed off, and looked to him with a confused expression. "Hold on. Can you get old now?"
That… was a good question. Simon knew he couldn't be killed, and he didn't need to eat or sleep, but other than that, he hadn't put much thought into his new "condition." Did he still age? Could he get sick? If he was wounded but not killed, would he heal? "All the more reason for us to see that mage," he replied. "Even if she doesn't know anything about the Sacred Flame, maybe she can tell us about the bond between me and Cassandra." Simon quickly put his armor back on. "Let's get going." And with that, he left the alley.
Zarga watched Simon go, mumbling to herself, "Damn. Thought I finally hooked him," before following after him.
The walk to the palace proved a short one. Simon and Zarga kept to the less-populated side streets, but not just to avoid triggering any monster's feral instincts. The scent of fresh semen, Simon learned, would draw the attention of any particularly amorous or desperate monsters, who would doubtlessly try to steal him away. And the last thing he and Zarga wanted was to get in trouble with the authorities before they could meet with Lady Elisanne.
Simon had to admit, he was feeling very far out of his element. The few times he wasn't in the field as a Purifier, he was training in the Inquisition Headquarters. But, there were times when he had to meet with royalty or nobles. They were all the same, from the king to the lowest baron; proud, snooty, hiding themselves behind walls and guards as though poverty was a disease that could be caught. Simon hadn't met many nobles, but he met enough to know he didn't like them. And, he expected much of the same from this Elisanne.
But Simon would be surprised when he and Zarga reached the palace. Unlike the grand manors in Solas, there was no wall or gate separating the palace from the rest of the city. In fact, Ikana's main thoroughfare ended right in front of a pair of incredibly tall doors of dark wood and black iron- the front door, Simon presumed. There weren't even any guards- just two empty suits of dark, heavy-looking suits of armor standing at each side of the doors. But then Simon saw one of the suits shift their feet. He jumped, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest, eliciting a row of laughter from Zarga. "What?" she asked, her tone teasing. "Never seen a living armor before?"
Simon, in truth, had not. Living armors were one of many species he had studied, but never encountered in the field. Mostly, he remembered the debate about their origins- whether they were once ordinary suits of armor saturated with demonic energy until they were finally given life; or if they had once been human women trapped in suits of cursed armor, their bodies withering away until nothing remained, their souls still trapped inside.
Without any hesitation, Zarga marched up to the door. "Hey," she said cheerfully. "We're here to see Lady Elisanne. Can we go inside?"
For a moment, the armor suits looked at one another. In a hollow, tinny voice that echoed within her armor, the guard on the left said, "Apologies, but Lady Elisanne isn't accepting visitors today. Please come back another time."
Simon blinked. The guard had been perfectly cordial- she even said please. Any private guard in Solas would've run off any would-be visitors with their weapons.
But before Simon could gawk at any more displays of common courtesy, a black cloud appeared between in front of Zarga, swirling in the air. The guards stepped forward, swords ready, as the cloud gradually took on Velvet's form. "I'm sorry to surprise you," she said, bowing. "I am Lilim Velvet, thirteenth daughter of the Overlord. I need to speak with Lady Elisanne, but can't meet with her in person. These people here are representatives I sent to Ikana on my behalf."
The armor suits looked at one another again, and lowered their swords. "Alright," the guard on the right said. "But remember, you're a guest in Lady Elisanne's home, even if you are the Overlord's daughter."
Velvet's shade smiled, said "Thank you," and immediately stepped between the guards, phasing through the door. Zarga however, had to push it open like a normal person.
The inside of the palace was equally as grand as the exterior, but nowhere near as dark. Tapestries and grand paintings depicting great battles seemed to hang on every wall. Torches set at regular intervals cast their light in the great halls, reaching all the way up to the ribbed, vaulted ceiling some fifteen feet overhead. Velvet's shade looked around. "Now, if I remember correctly, Elisanne's throne room should be… this way." She began floating down the hall, turning left at the first
As he and Zarga followed Velvet, Simon asked, "They let you in, just like that?"
Zara gave Simon a look. "Hello? Lady Velvet's a lilim, daughter of the Overlord? Y'know, ruler of all monsterkind? Not exactly the kind of person you say 'no' to."
"My name doesn't carry as much weight as it used to," Velvet began, "but it still opens up the occasional door here and there."
Velvet finally came to a stop in front of a tall wooden door of dark wood. There seemed to be some kind of commotion on the other side. Not from a fight or argument, but something else. Something Simon felt they shouldn't interrupt. "Um… it sounds like they're busy," he said. "Should we come back?"
"Nah, it's cool. They could probably use a break anyway," Zarga replied, as if she already knew what was happening inside the room, and pushed the doors open.
The hall on the other side of the door was vast, like the hall in Velvet's castle. Unlike the lilim's bare castle, however, this hall was richly decorated with rugs and tapestries of deep purple and gold. There were guards posted here as well- living armors just like at the front door, four in total, standing in front of a raised platform with an ornate gold-and-purple throne. But the guards weren't the only people in the room. Next to the throne stood a pale woman in a frayed purple cloak, her hood pulled up, and a strange artifice on her back. Simon turned his gaze away from her- the cloak was the woman's only clothing, her naked body fully on display. He looked for something, anything else to look at… and that was when he noticed… them.
Another woman, pale as the moon with light blonde hair, on her hands and knees, being fucked from behind by a young blonde man in the middle of the room.
"Ohh… ohh! Ohhhhh yesssssss!" She arched her back, her cries echoing in the room as her partner thrust into her one final time. Simon looked on his shock, raising up his hands, unsure whether to cover his mouth or his eyes. Zarga and Velvet, on the other hand, seemed completely unbothered.
The couple took no notice of the intruders, as the woman twisted, and pulled her partner into a deep kiss, their hips still rolling together. Simon couldn't help but feel a small twitch of jealousy in his stomach as he watched the couple kiss. Velvet was miles and miles away, and Zarga absolutely refused to kiss him, at least on the lips.
"Lady Elisanne…" the naked girl mumbled.
The couple finally broke their kiss, the irritation apparent in the woman's face. "Yes, yes, I'll be with them in a moment." The blonde woman stood, slowly lowered her dress, and pulled the straps over her shoulders to cover her chest. "I thought I told the guards that I was not to be interrupted today." As the young man hastily dressed himself, the woman climbed the steps leading up to the throne, and seated herself. The young man hastened to her side, now clad in a light suit of silver armor, a red hood on his shoulders.
"Now then," the pale woman began, "how exactly can I help you strangers?"
The three approached the platform. Zarga knelt. Simon kneeled as well, but Velvet remained standing. "You and I have met before, Lady Elisanne," the lilim replied. "I am Lilim Velvet, thirteenth daughter of the Overlord. I have come to humbly request the assistance of your court mage."
Elisanne put a hand on her chin, as if thinking. "Hmm… denied."
"What!?" Zarga shouted, climbing back onto her feet.
Velvet maintained her composure, but it was clear from her expression that she hadn't expected to be denied. "Lady Elisanne, your court mage may provide information vital to conquering the Kingdom of Alba. All we ask is for a short audience."
Elisanne replied coldly, "And I remember full well what your last 'short audience' regarding Alba brought to Ikana." She leaned forward in her throne. "Six thousand soldiers returned to their graves- may the ground lay lightly upon them. Another six thousand so badly damaged they will never again live ordinary lives. Two thousand more missing, and to this day still unaccounted for. And for what, exactly?" Her eyes narrowed, and she gripped the rests of her throne tightly. "This discussion is over. Now leave. Your status is the only thing stopping me from throwing you out by your heels."
The woman's words made something in Simon's mind stir. "Wait," he said. "Are you talking about the Black Legion?" He recalled learning about an invasion attempt mounted by a legion of undead twenty thousand strong. The invasion failed, of course, as the undead were paralyzed as soon as they entered the Barrier, making them easy targets for Alba's soldiers. Simon hadn't participated in the battle, however; it had taken place sixty years before he was born.
Elisanne looked to Simon, and then… laughed. "The Black Legion? Is that what you call it? Are you all truly so unimaginative?" She abruptly stopped laughing, and leaned forward, giving Simon a hard glare. "You're quite bold to come here, Alban. Even from here, I can smell the blood of all my sisters on you."
Velvet's shade stepped between Simon and Elisanne. "This man has pledged himself to my service. He challenged me to a duel, and lost."
"It's true," Zarga added. "Did the deed and everything."
The woman sat stiffly in her throne for a few moments, still glaring, before finally leaning back. "I must say, Velvet, if this boy is supposed to be some kind of 'secret weapon,' then I can't say I'm impressed."
Throughout the exchange, the girl wearing nothing but a cloak looked at the three silently. But Simon quickly realized her gaze was not fixed on Velvet, but… him. She turned, approaching Elisanne's throne, and said faintly, "My lady." She leaned in toward Elisanne, and whispered something to her.
The woman blinked, before looking at Simon, the anger in her eyes abating. "…It seems you have piqued the interest of my court mage, young man," she said. "She wishes to examine you."
Velvet perked up. "Then-"
Elisanne quickly cut her off: "Do bear in mind that I have not agreed to help you, Velvet. Cleo has simply taken interest in your companion. Nothing more." She stood. "But before that, I want to test you."
"A test?" Simon asked. "Why?"
Elisanne narrows her eyes at Simon. "I don't need to answer that question." She then looked to the young man at her side. "Euden, if you would."
The young man who had mounted Elisanne stepped down from the raised platform. He appeared young- roughly Simon's age when he first enlisted- but as an undead, he was doubtlessly much older than his appearance suggested.
"You know, I fought plenty of Alban soldiers in the invasion," he said. "I hope their standards went up over the last sixty years."
Simon didn't respond to the insult. Rather, he was hung up on the young man's name. Euden… Euden… he knew he'd heard the name before, but he couldn't place it. "That's a strange name you have," he said.
Euden laughed. "Trust me. If you knew what it meant, you would've turned and ran the moment you heard it."
The young man disappeared in the blink of an eye. He then reappeared right in front of Simon, sword in hand, and slashed him across the chest.
