God Rising: The Cult of Ainz
Written by: AtheistBasementDragon
Edited by: The Usual Gang of Drunken Perverted Idiots
Chapter 195: Red Flames & Black Waters
...Nazarick...
"My empire is ready for the Synod, My Lord." Jircniv said as he knelt before the throne of kings. "Troublesome elements, influenced to excess by Theocracy teachings, have been 'mostly' removed."
"Mostly?" Albedo asked with a dangerous undertone. "Is it not your job to ensure they are 'entirely' removed? What 'exactly' does it mean to say 'mostly'?" She shifted her left foot slightly as if she were going to descend the stairs, a beautiful and wrathful inhuman vision, her wings twitched behind her.
Ainz raised his hand and put it in her path. "Relax, Albedo, I can tell you from experience in First World that old ways and old habits die hard. There were long dead faiths in that world that still echoed into their future thousands of years after their deities fell into obscurity. I'm sure my good Emperor is giving it his all."
Jircniv bowed his head deeply at the praise. "I am, what I mean is, there are none in positions of authority who can 'order' any attendee to vote against the Pope's proposal. Nor will there be any who are in a position to stir up rebellion. Those have been removed from the temples by the priestly leaders themselves."
"I sense a 'but' there. What have you not said, that you should say?" Albedo demanded, with less vitriol in her voice as she heard the successful measures already undertaken.
"But, wrong doesn't always mean stupid, and some, sensing the changes, have fled entirely, along with some of their more devout followers to the outskirts around the empire, just beyond our borders or into the hinterlands where they can hide. They won't change the outcome of the Synod at least, but they may pose a problem in the future." Jircniv reluctantly admitted. "Forgive my failure to capture them all."
"It does not matter." Ainz said as he struck Wise Undead Pose #2, with his hand outstretched as he remained seated and looked off into the distance as if in memory.
"It is well within expectations, you performed exceptionally well in handling all that you did, and most impressive of all, you discerned my will without having to wait for orders. You are learning to think as a true servant of Nazarick, and for that you deserve my praise. We will handle those remnants in due time, they will have a use... like those before them." He said cryptically and returned his hand to the armrest of his throne.
Jircniv blinked, 'He has the world on strings, just a puppet master, all works within his will, even when they oppose him.' The bloody emperor thought with awe. "I am sure you will do what is best." Jircniv stumbled the words out uncharacteristically.
"Best... yes. What is best. Funny sentence, isn't that? Said one way it is a statement, said another way it is a question that is often full of mystery. Best for who or what? Myself? My empire? My subjects? My people's futures or those of their children? My power? My children?" Ainz asked somewhat rhetorically.
"My Lord I... I don't know quite what to say to that." Jircniv said hesitantly.
"Imagine for a moment you had to make a choice, between your life... or the safety and prosperity of your empire. Which do you protect?" Ainz asked thoughtfully.
"It is the duty of the emperor to act for his empire, it... would not be an easy choice, but plunging myself into the abyss... well I did that once before, even if it didn't kill me." Jircniv said with an element of professional pride in his voice.
"I suppose you did." Ainz said thoughtfully as he stroked his chin, privately wondering what the hell Jircniv meant.
"And if you had to choose between what is best for your children and what is best for the world, or at least that part of it you rule, what do you choose?" Ainz asked further.
Jircniv was quiet... "That is a... harder choice, My Lord. I do not have a ready answer. I dread even the thought of such a choice."
Albedo watched in uncertainty as the two rulers conversed, and that uncertainty changed into confusion which in turn became concern.
"As do I." Ainz said in a low, deeply troubled tone.
"My Lord... why do you ask this, may I know? Perhaps then I can better answer..." Jircniv replied probingly, only to be waved off.
"No, thank you, but no. This is not an easy thing, but it is my burden, forgive the unpleasant question when you bring such pleasant news." Ainz bowed his head politely, drawing a flush of consternation from Emperor Jircniv.
"Albedo, see him rewarded with a weekend for himself and his wife in the spa here, and then join me in my office, there is much to do today." Ainz instructed as he stood up.
"My Lord." Albedo and Jircniv said in unison as they moved according to his orders, and he descended the stairs.
...Kami Miyako...
Raymond stared down at Yvon in his manor. "Think you're clever, don't you?"
The great meeting room was at once full of soldiers. Behemoths of men even half hungry and in the finest equipment the capital could offer. The clink and clank of metal drowned all thought for a few moments until they ceased to move. Yvon gave a wrinkled smile.
"I'm not as clever as some, but I'm the one the gods chose, if I'd been as clever as I wished, I would have seen before that Dominic is not the one after all. I would have seen that he's soft on animals, not as much as you, but still, too soft." Yvon remarked as he shook his head and closed his eyes to create a smug expression.
"That's true, but... I know things you don't know, and I've got an offer to make, if you refuse it, you'll die here. Chosen or not." Raymond said as he casually took out his knife.
Yvon looked around at the soldiers that were blocked almost every inch of wall to protect him, his smug expression deepened.
"You think you can kill me? You're a bit outnumbered." Yvon remarked with a very crackly laugh that spoke of his great age.
"One to one is all it takes, if I level this knife at you, it's just you I want, and I'm a former Black Scripture. Plus, I have backup." Raymond said easily as he looked down at the blade and stuck the tip in between the flesh and the nail of his pointing finger. As he cleaned from under it, Yvon suddenly looked less confident.
"For your differences, you and Dominic are a lot alike, you both have a nasty tendency to forget people who aren't your enemy, and assume that means that they must be weak. I was in charge of the scriptures. What do you think happened to the people who didn't make it through my training regimen?" Raymond asked with a bold laugh, the cares of his days seemed to fall away in the moment and he took a step forward. "I took them into my service as butlers and maids, one in particular, very special. Pretty, blonde, and bloodthirsty enough that Clementine would have told her to relax a bit."
Yvon's hesitation grew more evident, it infected the soldiers in the room. "She's outside right now, if I'm threatened, assuming you can threaten me, she'll be in here faster than you can say 'heartburn'." Raymond took another step forward. Yvon did not retreat, but nor did he speak or advance.
Finally Yvon broke the silence, "What do you offer?"
"Information, and in exchange, I want the artisan district left alone, I want to bring noncombatants there, the ones who can't fight for anyone. Keep your fighting out of there, make your oath on your status as the chosen one, and I will tell you something valuable." Raymond promised.
Yvon looked doubtful, he stroked his chin and made a fist with his other hand behind his back, "How do I know it is valuable?"
"Make your oath and find out." Raymond said bluntly.
Raymond felt the tension leave the room as Yvon gave in, his shoulders slumped and he sat down in a chair at the long table in the center. "Fine, what is it?"
"Dominic knows about your uprising, he knows everything, he's alerted his Agante all over the city and he's planning to ambush you if you attack tonight." Raymond said bluntly and Yvon's eyes shot wide open.
"I... how... no?" He tried to deny it, but Raymond stared hard at him, "How do you think I knew to come here? I didn't work this out. His servant came and informed me of it, of everything hoping to secure my help. One of your slaves escaped the stewpot and ran to warn Dominic, by nightfall, he'll be ready. If you want to win, you'd better act now." Raymond took a deep breath, "Good enough?"
Yvon's fingers rapped on the table over and over one after another as he thought things over. "Why would you help me?" He asked sharply. "How do I know this isn't a trap?"
"Because, Yvon, our nation will not survive with Dominic in power. If he dies, we might have peace, survive, and get a chance to rebuild. Even if you are the one in power, well whatever you might do, my nation comes first, and losing a war is bad for us. You'll be in a position to make peace. One day, we will have our strength back, but today is not that day, and unless this stops, that day will never come." Raymond's voice was filled with conviction and he sheathed his blade sharply for emphasis.
As Yvon listened, he pondered, and finally he slapped his hands flat on the table... "Alright, I believe you. We strike now, and nobody of mine will set foot in what is left of the artisan district. But you don't have long to get the ones you want to save, the fighting starts as fast as we can get to Dominic's home."
"Then I'd best get moving." Raymond said urgently and turned to walk out. Waving to the very visible and watchful blonde Solution who stood outside the manor on the grounds radiating hostility like a campfire blaze does heat.
She waved back.
"Yes, you'd best, and so must I." Yvon said, letting his gaze linger on the prowling blonde with the hungry gaze. "Come along men, send word to your units, it is time to attack Dominic's home, and make it quick, take horses and move with urgency."
"Sir!" The soldiers uttered in unison as Raymond left them behind and walked away with Solution at his side.
...Ruins of Wheaton...
The combined armies of the Draconic Kingdom, the Elf Kingdom, the Elf Liberation Forces, and Black Justice were assembled from all corners of their encampments. Some stood beyond the walls, others within, amassed in an enormous formation that stretched from one wall to the other and in deep ranks. Banners and flags flew in the wind, but to the survivors of the destruction, the true awe came not from the numbers, it came from the weather.
"It's so... marvelous." Fluder said as he clasped his hands together with eyes shining toward the sky and reflecting the sun. Around them was the warmth of spring. The snow, deep and thick, was rapidly melting away to nothing and running towards the gutters that would carry the blackened water, thick with ash, out of the city.
They saw it all from atop the governor's manor where the great flat viewing area gave them an expansive look over everything. "Beautiful, is the word I'd use for it." Skana remarked to the magic caster of the empire.
Her armor clinked slightly as she looked over her shoulder to speak to him, he brushed it off. "No, not the view, the magic."
"Oh, I should have guessed." Skana said with a low chuckle of amusement.
"Are you really serious about doing this?" Evileye asked as she approached, her youthful face bare of the mask that had long defined her identity, it showed the bold confidence, and the fangs behind her lips, of a skilled adventurer. Her red cloak fluttered around her as the winds where they stood lifted it up. "Is this really what you want?" She asked in a surprisingly girlish voice.
Neia, standing at the edge of the low crenelations, looked out over the city, the residents were gathered into one quarter for a 'special evening assembly'. She didn't answer Evileye for an uncomfortable number of seconds, when she did, she didn't look behind her.
"Yes and no." Neia said sadly. "I will do it, but I don't want to. I hate this. Do you know what I want, Keeno?" She asked as she looked at the mass ranks of flags and heard the sound of spears and halberds striking the stone in a rhythm that drowned out the anxious noises of the surviving peasants of the Theocracy and crushed their rising anger like they were stomping an insect into the mud.
"What?" Keeno asked with genuine interest as she stepped a little closer.
"I want to take my wife to a home of our own, carry her to a bed of our own, make love to her from dusk till dawn, and to spend the rest of my time well fed, happy, and drunk off something other than the blood of my enemies. That is what I really want. But I don't get what I want, and what I want doesn't matter. What matters is my duty." Neia answered, causing a lewd twinkle to rise in the eye of Skana the bold, that didn't end when she thrust her hand out and took Neia's in her own and squeezed it tight.
"Duty? You already killed most of this city, you intend to burn the homes of the survivors too? This is your duty?!" Gagaran said in disgust and began to stomp forward from the back, only to be held in place on either side by the hands of Tia and Tina, who shook their heads in quiet solidarity.
"Yes. It is." Neia responded, waving her hand over the crenelations out into the city at large, her voice grew sonorous and poured out like a river, calm on the surface, but concealing a powerful and all consuming tumult beneath, "Somewhere, hiding amidst the ruins, are the most ruthless and merciless agents of the Theocracy government, as bad as inquisitors and a hundred times deadlier. They kidnapped General Oma out of her own bed in her own camp, killed her and burned her body. They only 'barely' missed General Musan and might have gotten Queen Draudillon if she'd been present. They will not stop. So I cannot stop. I will go on, and on, and on, grinding down even a pebble in His Majesty's way until it is not even a grain of sand."
Gagaran clutched her head tightly for an instant and was no longer looking at Neia as the Black Paladin spoke her answer in a voice that was at once deadpan and powerful.
Lakyus reached out and touched Gagaran's shoulder, "Are you alright?" She asked gently.
"Ugh, never mind." The giantess said with distaste, "I'll go join the unit, just get it over with, I want out of this, all of this, as soon as possible. Burn it and put it behind us, I don't want to look at it anymore." She said crudely and spun around and walked out.
"So it'll be spring all the way to Kami Miyako?" General Musan said as he finished nodding in agreement with the grim Pope.
"Yes, all the way. No reason we should make our march anything less than a thing of legend. We herald the spring of a new world, so we might as well march in it." Neia let a little smile form.
"What about Kami Miyako itself?" Queen Draudillon asked with a burst of curiosity.
Neia looked behind her where the white clad Queen in her flowing dress and white breastplate approached. 'Truly, a royal woman if I've ever seen one. On par with Queen Calca for sheer presence.' "Dead of winter." She replied evenly.
"Alright, It seems everything is in place now. CZ, call for the gate. I'll explain what is about to happen." Neia took a deep breath, and spoke in a quiet voice, calling upon her talent as an evangelist to project it, her words carried to every ear.
"The scourge of god warned your nation many times, and still you did not listen. Now, those you have chosen to follow, have sent their agents into this city in an attempt to create more death." She paused as she could see that heads turned up in her direction and panic was starting to set in with earnest, the soldiers surrounding the city survivors lowered pikes, halberds, and spears in warning, and Neia went on.
"I, however, believe you have both suffered enough, and that you do not bear blood guilt for what happens when you are not resisting, therefore I will not kill you. I must however, destroy the nest of rats that has settled here. Be grateful, citizens of the former Slane Theocracy, you get to live, and only your city dies. Pass through the gate, and you will be resettled peacefully into new lives in a new place. Live peacefully there, where my Master settles you... and the scourge of god will never raise a sword against you again." A hint of rage underlay her every word, but the message she conveyed was only enhanced by the appearance of the [Gate] in front of them.
Neia studied the faces of the helpless population, seeing their despair, anger, and in some cases acceptance. Few looked back at her, but the moment their eyes met her haunting hollow darkness, born in them were the nightmares that the Black Pope's gaze would give them for the rest of their lives, they could not hurry enough to escape through the magic portal. The survivors of the once great city were herded like cattle toward the hole in space her master's impossible magic had created in reality.
Without breaking her gaze from the populace, she spoke to CZ, "Give the signal, please," with sweetness in her voice that was impossibly contradictory to the way she'd spoken only moments earlier.
CZ raised her spellgun, and fired a flare shot into the air, a few seconds later in a distant quarter of the city, smoke began to billow up into the air. Neia sat down on the crenelations with her legs dangling over the great height. Her hands at her side, she rocked slightly back and forth as more fires sprang up, and a haunting tune began to come from her that whispered only darkness into those who heard it.
"Tear down the bridges... drain all the rivers... burn down the town hall... there are no winners... draw all the weapons... sharpen the scissors... cut off the fetters... weep for the bitter..."* She sang lightly on until the survivors of Wheaton were gone and the pounding feet of her armies began to soften as more and more left the hard streets and began to pound instead on softer ground.
Neia looked over her shoulder when the music from her lips died and black smoke obscured their view of the walls. "Hear anything?" She asked those with preternatural hearing. Somewhere, a large building collapsed loudly. "Not that. I mean screams, human screams?" Neia clarified evenly.
Ears strained to distinguish small noises underneath the great, and then Oma, Keeno, and Zesshi said in unison, "I do." And stern, professional eyes turned as one, and arms raised to point as one to a wrecked corner of the city.
"How many?" Neia asked with professional interest.
The trio with supernatural hearing listened closely, "About six? Maybe seven?" Keeno suggested tentatively. "It's always difficult to tell in those conditions, but I'd say they're burning alive, and there's no way to know if any of them died without being able to scream."
"Sounds right to me." General Oma remarked as she took off her head and began to toss it back and forth between her hands in a kind of bored fidgety way.
"No, that's fine, that sounds about right for a squad of assassins." Neia remarked casually and looked over to Skana, "Vice Commander, how many skeletons do we still have?"
Skana thought it over for a moment, holding out her hands and quickly but quietly counting out some calculations on her fingers. "The fighting cost us most of the remainder, but around a thousand or two, why do you ask, General?"
"It occurs to me that we've already turned the waters red, now let's turn them black. We don't really need the skeletons anymore, Have them assembled and order them to dump the ash and soot and toppled materials into the river, they'll work out what we... I... have done, and that should put even more terror into their hearts. They think they know fear? No, no they do not, not yet. But they will. They will." She said and with a quick push she drew her legs up onto the stone and hopped to her feet. "Now let's get going, Skana, see to the skeletons and then join us at the front, it's a long walk to Kami Miyako even in good weather, and I'd rather get this finished."
General Musan swallowed hard as Zesshi reached up with an enormous smile on her commonly stern face and took Neia's hand, and politely if needlessly, helped her down. "I wish I could be there to see Dominic's face when the black water hits."
"Me too." Neia said pleasantly as she accepted the help down and the group began to file for the exit, "Oh, and let's leave this building alone, if it burns on its own, fine, but otherwise I say let's leave it be, bloodstains and all. Someday, somebody will come to this ruined city, and I'd prefer they know something of what happened here."
"As you like, General Baraja." Skana answered, and within the span of an hour from their brief parting, half of the world's most powerful leaders were in the saddle and gathered near the Pope, with over two hundred thousand soldiers and their horses putting distance between themselves and the burning husk of the once great city of Wheaton. Despite all their numbers, such was the conflagration and destruction that even at the head of the long column, farthest from the dead zone, they could still hear the sounds of collapse and roaring flames.
...Crossroads...
General Heikeren and Vice Commander Ira bent their knees to General Enri in the privacy of the former city governor's office. "General Enri, I'm here to offer my formal surrender, my sword is yours." General Heikeren said solemnly and reached to take it from his side.
Lupusregina took a small step, nothing great, just a mere finger's width closer to Enri as his hand went close to his blade. The Peasant General moved her foot subtly over to her companion, tapping her lightly, enough to draw her attention. It only took a look between them for Enri to convey her reassurance, and for Lupusregina to relax.
Enri refocused her attention on General Heikeren, "Keep your sword." She said, raising a hand in front of her. He halted.
"But you said before..." Heikeren began to say, before he was interrupted.
"No. When it came down to it, you did help save my life, true they were trying to kill both of you as well. But, that doesn't change the fact that you both kept your word, and throughout this conflict between us, you have kept your honor intact. Keep your sword, it may help keep the peace for you to be seen with it anyway." Enri answered confidently, and folded her hands together as she laid her elbows on her desk.
"I am grateful." Heikeren replied with a mingling of surprise and sincerity in his voice as he took his hands away from where the scabbard was secured, and lowered his gaze deferentially.
Enri rested her chin on the backs of her hands and for a moment they were quiet. "I have a dilemma, and I hope you can help me. I hope you're 'willing' to help me."
"Yes...?" Ira asked hesitantly.
"I'm going to be put in charge of the reconstruction of what 'was' the Slane Theocracy. Before it is broken up into different provinces, I have to put it back together, and so far only two things have proven effective at ruling this kingdom peacefully. Absolute brutality and absolute terror. I tried being nice and gentle and... well, you saw what happened, or at least, the aftermath of what happened." Enri remarked sardonically.
"Yes, but... what are you proposing?" Heikeren inquired curiously.
"If I don't show that there is a middle path, then my king may very well accept General Baraja's brutality eventually. I know him very well, there is no better king. But he has a king's duties. If there's a nest of monsters that won't allow themselves to be left alone, eventually you have to just stamp them out. I can't fail at this twice, you understand. Either I fail and I am then ordered to exterminate the country, or probably just as bad if not worse, Neia is ordered to take over in my place." Her eyes turned hard as stone and drilled into the brains of the two surrendered commanders.
"I promise you, if that happens, within three years there won't be a person alive who has more than a vague memory of living in Kami Miyako. She'll wipe out the adults and ship the children off to be raised in her temples. I know this woman, she will do 'anything' she thinks she has to. You understand me, don't you?" Enri asked gravely, trying very hard to ignore that Lupusregina was trying her best to suppress orgasmic bliss at the thought of such a scale of slaughter.
Audible swallows were answer enough. "Are you serious?" Heikeren asked faintly.
"Very. Her humanity dangles from a thread, a dull knife could cut it, and worse, after Sun's death, I begin to understand why that is. A few more years, and..." Enri suppressed a shudder and trailed off, then after she'd shaken off the diversionary thought, she continued. "To make this blunt, I want you and your corps of leaders to become the focal point of reconciliation. This city is your prison, but it can also be a garden out of which something new grows. I want there to be peace tomorrow so that our children do not have to come South again. What do you think?" She asked hopefully.
"I think if Neia... General Baraja, is allowed to exterminate all of Kami Miyako, you or she will end up having to wipe out the rest of this country sooner or later." Heikeren responded forcefully.
Enri turned her attention to Ira. "Your thoughts?" She asked.
Ira put her hand to her chest and raised her head to boldly meet the eyes of Enri. "I agree with Heikeren, even for people not from there, Kami Miyako is the cultural and religious center of our people, it was the first powerful human city to rise out of the lost times over six hundred years ago. It was said to be the place where the gods first appeared, stories even say that the divine will walk there again one day. If she does to Kami Miyako what she did to Yanana or to Wheaton, barely a human in this country wouldn't turn their farm implements into weapons."
"I see. That will be useful information in helping me stop her, but... assuming she doesn't do that. Can it work? Can you convince your leaders, your soldiers, to pursue peaceful lives?" Enri asked in a voice as grave as the promised extermination.
The weight of it sat heavy on the hearts of the General and Vice Commander, until Heikeren unburdened his mind, "I can't promise a yes. I'm sorry, but even when we were fighting one another, a measure of trust was necessary, and if I lie to you now, that'll be over. I honestly don't know. I won't say it is impossible, but... if you really mean what you say, and I believe you do, I think it can be done. Not easily, but... I can promise that I will do my all to help bring a peaceful transition about."
"That will have to do, that is all anyone can ever do anyway, their best." Enri said with resignation. "Alright, Lupu, can you take them to their quarters, I want to get some rest, this has been a long day, and I'll need my sleep if I'm going to deal with 'her' in the morning." Enri didn't bother to disguise her yawn, and it was mimicked immediately by her two human prisoners.
"No, I'll have one of the guards escort them, I'm escorting you to your room myself." Lupusregina said with utter finality and glared at her friend, folding her arms in front of her ample chest defiantly and daring Enri to argue.
"Fine." Enri said as she stood up and stretched. "I'm in no shape to argue. Guards!" She called out, and two imperial knights of Baharuth entered. "See them to the best quarters in what was once the noble district." She ordered simply, and gestured to the two officers.
Heikeren and Ira stood and bowed sincerely before walking out, leaving Lupusregina alone with Enri.
After giving the prisoners a few minutes of departure time and having space for themselves, Enri headed for the door herself. "So you're not angry with me?" Lupusregina asked with a hint of surprise.
Enri stopped short and turned around. "Angry? Why would I be?" She asked.
"Well, burns hurt like hell and I missed a group of ambushers, if I'd caught them, Sun might not have died and you wouldn't have been burnt." Lupusregina replied as if Enri were daft.
Enri came over to where Lupusregina stood, the werewolf woman had not moved. She reached out and took Lupusregina's hands in hers and gave a little squeeze. "You should think better of humans, you know. We're not stupid, even if we're weak relative to say... you. We're a violent race, a vengeful one, and we will do absolutely anything when we want something badly enough. You're powerful, but not omnipotent, not omniscient. You can't blame yourself for every little thing that goes wrong, besides, you did your job, you kept me alive. So why should I be angry?" Enri asked pragmatically, holding golden eyes as much as she did the tanned, soft, impossibly powerful hands.
"Ah, I'm guessing you forgot about the whole 'me getting off in the middle of it' thing?" Lupusregina asked tentatively.
Enri gave her head two very firm, decisive shakes. "No, that I definitely cannot forget, but I'm not mad anymore either. What I said before, with Sun and all, it was a moment of aimless anger on my part. You told me what you were, how you are." Enri said kindly and drew fearlessly closer to a predator capable of fending off terrible monsters. "It also tells me I can believe you completely about the other part of what you said."
"Other part?" Lupusregina asked, biting her lip in uncertain confusion.
"Yes, that if anything happened to me, you'd look after my husband, my family. Don't forget, most humans don't make it much past forty, over half my life may already be over even if I survive. Knowing you'll still be around, no matter what, to look after Nemu, it's comforting." Enri said and slowly enfolded Lupusregina into a bold and, as humans went, tight embrace.
A thousand lewd comments ran through Lupusregina's mind, she didn't say any of them. Instead she said quietly, "I'm sure His Majesty will make you immortal, you know, to continue your work, or maybe change you, make you into a werewolf like me, and keep you young and powerful through Nazarick's other goods, forget forty, you could see forty thousand." Lupusregina answered with a hint of urgency underlying her words.
Enri smiled and whispered into Lupusregina's ear, "If I were to change into anything, I'd want to be something like you, a werewolf, beautiful and strong. I think I'd make a pretty she-wolf." Enri's voice had a bit of a titter and a hint of smugness about it, "But I'll leave immortality to someone like Neia, she'd no doubt be thrilled to continue on forever under the Sorcerer King. But I'm not fit to live forever, I'm still a peasant, and accepting the cycle of mortality is part of me. Just look after my family when I'm gone, as much as His Majesty allows you to, for as long as we're worth doing that for."
Lupusregina returned the embrace hesitantly and whispered in turn, "You're the real sadist here, you know. Going and telling your best friend you're going to go and die on her and never come back, going to leave me with nothing but a fantastic orgasm and not even a roll in the hay for all the trouble you've put me through." The red headed werewolf said snarkily.
"I know, I'm a terrible best friend, forgive me?" Enri asked with abundant sarcasm and tenderness packed into every word.
"Yes, on the condition that you don't die for a long time." Lupusregina replied magnanimously.
"I'll do my best, Lupu." Enri said and let her arms fall away and headed for the door again. "Now, escort me to my bed so I can keep that promise for tonight at least?" She asked with a tiny hint of a smile on her still youthful pink lips.
Lupusregina slapped her hands against her cheeks and reared back, "Oh nooo! My General has ordered me to her bed, she's going to keep her promise to ravish me! Someone heeeeeelp meeeee!" She said as loudly as she did playfully.
Enri blushed a deep crimson, "Damn it, Lupu! Not again!"
Lupusregina did not stop laughing, nor did Enri stop blushing or stomping indignantly, all the way to the bedroom.
AN: *Lyrics are not my own, slightly modified version of 'Where Do We Go When It All Falls Down' by 'End of Silence'.
End of the chapter bombing, hope you found it worthwhile and I look forward to your feedback. Incidentally, I'm sure somebody will doubt Sun, the Goblin Strategist, could be so easily killed. But to that I point out that as a strategist, he need have no significant physical capabilities whatsoever, without a specific build saying otherwise, I went with the, all brain and little brawn, interpretation.