Chapter 13: Rise of the Beast
Horatius
Gilgamesh squirms with a playful smile as Scáthach gently teases her slight chest, rocking her toned hips back-and-forth across the Queen of Hero's in a shared enjoyment of mutual friction.
"You always struck me as a more demanding and take charge lover, Lord of Spirits...what is this manner of sensitive and tender play-mmh~?!"
Evidently having taken issue with Gilgamesh's snide comment Scáthach yanks the other Heroic Spirit up by the back of her neck, bringing her into a heated kiss as the Golden Queen's cheeks pink slightly with amusement and mounting lust, her own slim arms dancing across the Queen of Ulster's firm ass and calves.
As for me I'm busy divesting Altera of her already sparse clothing, the fabric of her chest coverings slipping away and exposing her slim but perfectly teardrop shaped breasts, a finger teasing the underside of her tender flesh as she releases a small breath of enjoyment, quiet nature and disposition not forgotten even in the heat of passion.
Now I'm starting to get into it, my groin twitching as the King of Combat's taut glutes massage my growing bulge, a familiar sensation that never ceases to excite as I nuzzle her pale and smoke-tinged hair, the earthy and feminine scent like a drug to anyone with a working olfactory system.
"Horatius..."
Thrilled at the all too rare murmuring of my name my fingers trace the counters of her lithe flanks, a thin layering of svelte skin covering hard and unyielding muscle, the material of her loincloth giving way beneath my exploring digits as the curve of her loins leads to the small and womanly slit just beginning to show the opening stages of damp arousal, a sharp exhalation leaving the Hunnic King as I lovingly rock our pressed lower halves together.
Glancing back towards where Gilgamesh and Scáthach are warring for dominance yet another trill of mounting lust courses through my veins at their shared actions.
At some point when I was enjoying my shared passions with Altera they divested themselves of their clothing, Scáthach's ample bosom rubbing up against the blonde's more slight chest, stiff peaks pimpling with eagerness at both the friction and cold air as a great deal of tongue marks their mutual passions, the Heroic Spirits parting as a brief thread of glistening saliva marks their breathy lip lock, splattering across the Queen of Uruk's collarbone from where she lays beneath the Lord of Spirits with an aroused smirk.
"Tapping out already, Queen of Ulster? I expected more from-"
"Altera, dear~? Help me loosen up the arrogant little minx here, would you?"
The King of Combat wordlessly kneels next to Scáthach on a sinfully soft blanket the Queen of Heroes no doubt manifested, both women using one arm to pin their opposite's appendages to the ground, one leg each keeping Gilgamesh's own from moving even a fraction...and with motions rather similar to that of a bird of prey they latch onto a modest breast, licking, nibbling and biting with teasing maneuvers that cause the Golden Queen to jerk and twitch ever so slightly, nowhere near as stoic as she pretends to be.
Especially not once the pair use their free hands to lightly trace the flat contours of her stomach, caressing the mildly puffy skin of her vulva-
-and with no warning whatsoever dig their fingers into Gilgamesh's moist and tight folds, the Queen sharply gasping as the two warriors of old begin to quickly drive even an experienced lover like the Queen of Uruk to fever pitches of excitement.
I content myself with kneeling before the writhing trio of unbelievably attractive females, hand gently and slowly pumping my cock as I observe Altera and Scáthach work their magic on the smaller woman at their mercy.
Tantric Rituals are no easy feat to pull off. And most Magus, much to their private chagrin, are actually quite terrible at the art. To properly enact this kind of energy transfer one has to trust. Trust that they can understand and match their partner's rhythm. That they can lower both physical and mental barriers...and perhaps the biggest hurdle for your run of the mill Magi, ditch the ego.
Mutual, synchronized climax is the most important requirement for a properly enacted Tantric Ritual. Cum too early or too late and the whole act is kaput.
That's the kind of knowledge most would only acquire after several sessions of lovemaking, or if they were some kind of natural Succubi offshoot...I can't and won't pretend to be some natural or fantastic guru on the art of sex but with age comes wisdom and pattern recognition, enough for me to spot the signs just by observing the now writhing Queen of Heroes.
...Really, for all of their differences in temperament, personality and approach to problems Altera and Scáthach make for quite the lethal pair in bed.
The maroon-haired woman is forceful and energetic, yet precise. Aggressively sawing her fingers in and out of Gilgamesh while simultaneously hitting sensitive points with unfailing accuracy. Altera is soft and tender, leisurely massaging the Queen of Uruk's insides with far more languid motions than Scáthach...but much like with her fighting style the woman is relentless, attacking Gilgamesh's clit at such a merciless yet sedate pace that it's almost like watching a painter, the moans and squeals issuing from the Queen of Hero's throat admittedly turning me on even further, even though her body size and shape isn't really my type.
It's hard to remain unmoved when such a feast is laid before any non-asexual eyes.
It's after only a minute of observation that I nod to myself, satisfied with the gathered knowledge of Gilgamesh's signs of arousal and imminent orgasms, prying Altera and Scáthach off of the Queen of Uruk's legs as they remove themselves from her breasts with wet pops of freed suction, eyeing me with hungry gazes as my hands firmly grasp the tiny ass of the Hero Queen, line up my length with her spasming and dripping canal as my companions remove their fingers-
-and force myself into the grasping tunnel as Gilgamesh throatily moans at the penetration, gazing up at me with predatory eyes of crimson, tongue lustfully running over perfect lips as she gasps, "Well, Gladiator? Is the body of the world's greatest Queen not perfect beyond description~? Be grateful, not many have had the pleasure of so much as kissing my feet-AHH~!"
"Hah! Such conceited words from a moaning little girl...consider yourself lucky that we cannot spend more time breaking you in, Gilgamesh. Queen and partaker of all excess or not you would crumble beneath our ministrations like a fresh virgin~."
Scáthach seems to exult in the Queen's growing haze of arousal as I flex the muscles of my groin, angling my cock upwards even through the constricting vice that is Gilgamesh's cunt to better massage the bumpy patch of skin that had her squirming helplessly earlier, fingers kneading her toned yet silky buttocks as I use the doughy handholds to bring our loins into steady, rhythmic contact.
The final nail in the coffin is Scáthach moving to shove her tongue down the heaving Queen's throat, Altera acting far more feral as her usually contrite nature is replaced with escalating arousal, teeth harshly biting onto a turgid nipple as yanks of the tanned woman's neck stretches the slight breast like a predator tearing at its prey, Gilgamesh's walls shivering and compressing with desperate energy as she yelps into the Lord of Spirit's throat, my steady breath picking up pace as I lose myself in the tempo and heat of our love making, of crushing pressure and burning friction as my body instinctively listens to the pleas of the Queen of Uruk's form...and just like that it's time.
The Golden Hero's skin reddens around her abdomen and tits, her chest heaves for air around Scáthach's domination and the rate of her cunt's muscle spasms picks up the pace as I wordlessly send a burst of emotion to my partners.
Both women's fingers snake towards Gilgamesh's clit, peeling back what little bit of her protective hood still concealed the bundle of nerves...and twist just as I force myself as deep into her tiny hole as I can, allowing the searing pressure and euphoria of orgasm to burst through my brain just as I reach for Gilgamesh's mind through our connection, the Hero Queen reciprocating the action even through her haze of excitement.
For one, glorious moment that feels as if we're frozen in time, the contact of one soul to another tearing away at the boundaries of perception and individuality-
"You will be the bridge, the pathway that unites Divine and Mortal once more and guarantees our ascension for generations to come..."
"When you enter the arena, raise your hand and salute the Emperor! You may not be able to decide how you will die, but you will decide how you are remembered!"
"How cruel a thing it is, to burden a pure child like yourself with the impossible task of reversing the passage of time to an age long gone."
"Congratulations, slave...today you are no longer a prisoner of Rome and its people. You have won the Emperor's favor and are now one of his own."
-and as I flood her body with both my seed and power the Queen of Heroes violently gasps, groaning deeply as her legs crush my waist with Supernatural power, the esoteric markings upon her body glowing with such a bloody light that it almost seems to outshine the stars, pulsating with the time of her heartbeat.
"My goodness...such strength you wield, Gladiator~."
Gilgamesh's blatantly purred and perverted words caress my ears as the high of ecstasy slowly retreats, her form wavering like hot wax as she gains height, becomes fuller in both the chest and hips while nubile attractiveness swiftly morphs into mature beauty, those same ruby eyes now boring into my own from atop the body of nothing short of a Goddess.
"Do you find yourself now not so reticent about enjoying ourselves in a more intimate manner? Or will you still protest that this form is not to your liking?"
I offer up an amused smile at the challenging words and blatant way at how she spreads her athletic legs, exposing bright pink lips with nothing but utmost confidence in her allure.
"If we had more time on our hands, certainly. But that's not the case, unfortunately."
My hand reaches out and wraps around Altera's thin neck, dragging the King of combat directly in front of me as the other appendage smoothly pinches a bullet-hard nipple, the normally quiet woman's breathy voice sounding out a brief moan.
"Scáthach? Keep our Queen busy, would you?"
"Oh as if you need to ask~!"
The maroon-haired female sidles up behind Gilgamesh, fingers already curling pervertedly as she eyes the once more fully grown Heroic Spirit-
-and a smooth twist of the Golden Queen's form now has her on top, shining tresses seamlessly intermingling with the dark red of Scáthach's as their generous busts squish and push up against the other, matching smiles of predatory intent alighting their flawless features as Gilgamesh's nails gently caress the side of the Lord of Spirit's cheeks...both the facial and rear ones.
The sight quickly reinvigorates my member, taut flesh needily pushing up against Altera's dripping cleft as the King of Combat begins to rock her hips from side-to-side, panting with open desire.
"Master...please, put it in me-ahh~!"
A smooth insertion once more surrounds me with blissful heat and pressure, Altera erotically gasping as she thrusts her taut body backwards, hilting herself on my length in a frenzy of amorous motion completely out of character for the typically subdued and quiet individual, my cock being dragged up, down, left, right, back, forward...the sight of her tanned skin swaying before me as the ruby lips of Scáthach and Gilgamesh meet, tongues dancing in a swirl of base lust as their svelte curves gyrate against the other.
Both sight and sensation begin to overwhelm me, teeth latching onto the King of Combat's ear as I hiss, "I'm almost there, Altera!"
"Y-yes, Horatius, I'm-"
Muscles spasm and as the Heroic Spirit's slick walls milk me for all I'm worth the barrier between our souls shatters, memories and sensations pouring into the other as we both moan out our respective highs, Irappu's power flooding into Altera as the markings upon her body, much like with Gilgamesh, begin to glow and pulse in time with the beat of my heart, rainbow streamers illuminating the landscape around us.
Sweat freely beads across my brow and steam billows out of my lungs, the strenuous activity and massive amounts of raw mana coursing through my form causing my body to warm...but I don't even humor the idea of stopping, Altera enthusiastically pulling Gilgamesh from atop of Scáthach, dragging the Queen of Heroes into a plaintive kiss that leaves the bustier woman smirking, playfully slipping a pair of fingers into the Hunnic King's snatch before swirling them around for a moment before retracting them.
With a batch of white, sticky liquid coating them that she domineeringly sticks near Altera's mouth, the King of Combat obediently sucking the digits clean as the Golden Queen smirks salaciously.
That's...advanced.
"Are you forgetting someone~?"
Musical tones coincide with Scáthach pushing me to the ground, straddling my groin as the heated drops of arousal coat my lower half in an act that yet again has me standing at attention.
"I think my feelings are hurt, that you would choose the other two over me..."
My hands lift up her generous hips just enough that my cock can search out her weeping entrance-
-and a short thrust has us both gasp in mutual satisfaction, the Lord of Spirits moaning as she begins to fondle and massage her massive bust with wanton lust as I smile at her.
"If we had more time I'd endeavor to prove that you have nothing to fear...but we're really not that lucky."
Lightly whimpering as the angle of my penetration brushes up against a sensitive patch of skin the woman breathily responds, "Then I suppose we'll just have to make this moment count until we can once more enjoy each other, won't we?"
"It's as you say, Scáthach-urg!"
The erotic female begins bouncing atop of my body, powerful muscles flexing as killing friction brings me to the edge within moments, the usual discipline I employ during romantic trysts set aside in favor of reaching my climax as soon as possible.
Such a damn shame...normally amorous nights are far more prolonged between us.
"Scáthach, are you-"
"Yes, Horatius, just tell me when you-mmm~!"
A high-pitched whine leaves the voluptuous Heroic Spirit riding me, our simultaneous orgasm once more leaving me gasping for breath as power surges into her being, runic formation emblazoned along her skin shining like beacons as tiny wisps of deathly smoke stream outwards, a holdover from her time spent among the Land of Shadows, no doubt.
And then the moment is over, my disappointment at having to cut things short coinciding with my wilting flagpole as Scáthach catches my lips in a passionate kiss, ruby eyes containing a playful glint as she whispers, "We're not finished with this by any stretch of the imagination...just so you know."
"Never thought otherwise."
The Lord of Spirits rolls her eyes as she separates Altera and Gilgamesh who had just been getting into the swing of things, the Golden Queen huffing in irritation as she chastises Scáthach with, "There exist more polite and gracious methods of interruption, Witch of Dun Scaith."
"Not when the fate of more than one world may be at stake. Come on now, Altera. There'll be time for intimacy at a later date."
The Hunnic King lightly pouts but nonetheless manifests her clothing and Photon Ray in bursts of prismatic light, the sword almost too bright to directly look at.
Gilgamesh reciprocates the action, golden armor and helm snapping into place as bloody light illuminates what few gaps exist, Scáthach's body suit alight with Primal Runes and other thaumaturgical inscriptions as two spears of crimson manifest within her palms.
"Let's get to work and ensure our companions are still in one piece, shall we?"
Pulling on a fresh set of clothes from the stockpile nearby I grimace at the simple fact that there's no real good way to clean myself off before marching to battle.
Years of readily accessible hygiene products have spoiled me, when it was a small miracle having ready access to hot water a few hundred to thousand years ago.
How times change.
"Ok, let's get a move on and-"
"Thank you, my love… for finally bringing unto me a true gift."
"...Tia?"
Silence greets me, the world seeming to fall silent as even the Heroic Spirits don't seem to notice my shifted mood.
"Tia, what are you-"
Something shifts inside of me, almost like a light kick to my abdomen or groin…
And then I begin to scream.
Vali
"So am I the only one that feels somewhat uneasy the deeper we travel?"
Tobio's neutral question makes no change upon my expression, still locked in a cold scowl.
"No, I certainly feel it as well. The Trihexa's influence, I presume?"
Lilith nods, safely secured on Dulio's back as her tone is quiet and wavering.
"It's violent and...scary. Not like Mister Horatius and the others..."
I elect not to comment and instead focus on running as fast as possible while still remaining alert, the corridors of the fortress winding and twisting in ever increasing complexity as a cold rage works itself further and further into my normal calm.
Grandfather...he's so close.
[Be at ease, Vali. Working yourself into a frenzy at this juncture will only serve to aid your foes, not your allies.]
"I know. But I've been dreaming of this moment for years. At last, that bastard is finally within my grasp."
Albion gives a small hum of agreement and caution within equal measure before falling silent, Tobio speaking up with, "Vali...don't lose sight of what we're here to do."
Of course one of my oldest comrades would recognize my shift in mood.
"I haven't. But killing Rizevim will coincide with out mission to stop Trihexa's manifestation, so our desires align."
I know Tobio well enough to imagine the unconvinced expression he would be wearing...and I can't really bring myself to care at this moment.
The usual excitement and frenzy I would be feeling, the pulse of raging lust for battle...right now it's absent, filled with a cold desire to simply kill. I've waited and trained for far too long to be denied now.
"We're close. Stay sharp."
Dulio's usual politeness and soft spoken tones are absent, replaced with calm efficiency as we approach a pair of doors equal in size and ostentatiousness to the ones Lilith ripped apart earlier. A situation that repeats itself as a shadow detaches from the small clone of Ophis and with a shriek of stressed material it's torn from its hinges, tossed aside like inconsequential garbage.
We rush through, stride not so much as broken as we slip past the entryway at a dead sprint and come upon the sight we saw through Gilgamesh's artifact.
It's a bit different seeing it in person.
The colossal and ominously silent body of the great beast, immobile and motionless caricatures of Scale Mail armors lining the walls in countless thousands...and the remnants of Hades' power, twisting and eating away at the seals keeping the creature in a perpetual slumber.
"Why, Vali-kun~! So nice of you to come and visit your dear old Grandpappy! Are you here to commemorate the occasion of my retirement to an entirely new and unmolested plane of existence? If so I have to say your timing is impeccable."
My gaze slowly ratchets around to gaze at the man who's features might very well be my own in a few hundred years, if I truly descended the path of lunacy and insanity with zero regard for anybody else.
...I can't even bring myself to reply, so all-consuming is my desire to kill.
"You take Rizevim, Vali-kun. Lilith-chan and I will handle Crom Cruach while Dulio-san takes on Grendel."
...Right. I hadn't even noticed the two Evil Dragons present. But Tobio's plan is nothing if not sensible. Cruach was said to be on par with Ddraig and Albion while Grendel is immune to weaponry. His matchups provide the best chances of either outright winning or stalling long enough for the rest of our group to arrive.
And that's just about all the waiting I can take, pushing off of the overhang we had stopped at with a burst of speed, teeth locked in a snarl as I activate my Balance Breaker, armor snapping into place around my form as raw power flows through my body.
"Ah ah ah, such a naughty and impolite boy, Vali-kun~!"
Grandfather smirks as I approach at breakneck speed, fist cocked behind my head as he no doubt expects my power to disappear once his Sacred Gear canceller takes effect-
-except I deactivate it all on my own, his unhinged expression turning to one of bewilderment and shock as I close the distance, fist already coated in an unstable swirl of demonic energy ready to plant itself right into his face.
Which it promptly does, an explosion of pent up magical energy creating a resounding BANG of released force that launches the psychotic bastard through a wall and likely even beyond that, the thrill of hurting the son of a bitch that tortured me and my mother for so long feeling like a balm directly applied to my soul.
…
I want more.
My mind is distantly aware of Lilith's larger form crashing into Crom Cruach's, destroying a significant portion of the auditorium while Tobio summons up a storm of swords to seek out weak points in the Dragon's scales, of Dulio creating a gale of wind that tosses the cursing Grendel up high, following the Dragon on wings of pure white and normally placid features locked in an expression of dire seriousness.
As for me? I race after grandfather with little else but a feral smile and lust for blood.
The man stumbles out of the ruined masonry, snarling with anger at my blow with such vehemence that I feel a giddy sense of joy at finally striking back at the monster.
"Someone's being a cheeky little fuck...guess it's the elder's duty to show the youngsters how things are-"
Taking advantage of his foolish monologue I manifest my wings, giving a hard flap to one side that rotates my body while also adding yet another burst of speed...and my leg smoothly rotates upwards to connect with the son of a bitch's chin, smashing him yet again through a series of walls with concussive force.
Hmph, continue to speak and rage all you wish, grandfather...shutting your mouth will never cease to be a warm and joyous event for your dearest grandson.
"You rotten brat!"
My haze of bloodlust is promptly shattered as a buildup of gargantuan amounts of Demonic Energy is followed by an annihilating beam of power that would have destroyed me where I stood, erasing a significant chunk of the fortress in an impressive display of raw power.
I suppose the old rat wasn't given the title of Super Devil merely out of politeness. But that's fine...I know how to win.
Bleeding and bruised from where I struck him Rizevim continues to fire away with wild abandon, wings acting as channels for his power as I swiftly sidestep his assault by a hairsbreadth, eyes narrowed and waiting for my chance.
I had initially formed no plan for this confrontation, relying on my fury and rage to carry the day. Scáthach disabused me of that plan, the martial-minded woman quickly pointing out the flaws in such a simple approach before seeking to instruct me in as many things she could in the short time we had together. Not really enough time to master anything of substance, certainly...but I've always been a fast learner. And the warrior woman is nothing if not a teacher the pupil wishes to avoid disappointing.
An anticipatory grin colors my features as Grandfather ramps up the assault, chunks of burning rock and heat wash from destroyed structures marking my flesh with angry lines and bleeding gashes.
Any moment now...this man is arrogant and prideful, my continued survival will irritate and insult him, prod the fool to take more direct action in bringing me to heel.
And then it happens, the deluge of raw strength coming to a halt as his wings snap into bladed forms, cracking like oversized whips as he manically states, "Sorry about this, Vali-boy...but grandpappy is busting out the belt~!"
I calmly coat my fist in a swirl of Demonic Energy, sadistically grinning at the coming surprise grandfather dearest is in for. No doubt he's too arrogant and self-assured to imagine that perhaps I'm smiling because I know he's dead, not out of misplaced courage.
A screech of laughter as his bladed wings slice towards my body-
SQUELCH!
-and my hand rams itself through his heart and out his back, eyes snapping wide as his mouth forms a perfect 'o' of surprise, runes engraved onto both of our chests fading from sight.
While my Devil translation abilities hadn't been able to properly discern just what it was Scáthach had called those runes the effect itself was quite simple to understand. Applying it during my initial blow to his body had created a connection of sorts, one allowing an individual to appear at a predetermined distance away from the opposing rune within an eyeblink, as long as I had had visual perception of it.
All I'd had to do was wait for his guard to drop and then channel power into the engraving...and now victory is mine.
"O-oh...fuck..."
With contemptuous ease I rip my limb free from his flesh, a spray of loose gore coating our surroundings as I critically examine the clear liquid and glass shards stuck to my arm.
"A vial of Phoenix Tears? Directly over your heart? You never really were much of a warrior, grandfather."
My sneer is matched only by his thwarted rage, slowly collapsing as sporadic jets of arterial blood stain his robes and armor, my attention turning elsewhere.
The sounds of battle still ring outwards throughout the building, relief lightly coursing through my veins. It seems the others are still alive and well...best of all, Horatius and the rest arriving will only further cement our victory for certain.
"Heh...eh heh heh...eh hah HEEEE!"
Grandfather's wheezed laughter brings my attention back to him, the dying man offering one last grin of unrepentant malice.
"You sure...got me good...Vali-kun...but I get my last wish anyway."
A trembling finger points to the slumbering Trihexa, Hades' dark purple miasma still being drawn towards the countless seals upon the beast...now supplemented by black, red and silver power that causes my eyes to widen in apprehension.
[Vali, he's using his own life force to-]
I don't hesitate, spinning on my heel with energy once more flaring to life along my arm...and with a sharp thrust of aforementioned limb grandfather's head is destroyed in a spray of skull, brains and blood.
Dammit! He used the last bit of his remaining power to expedite Trihexa's reawakening! The only question is...was it enough? Did I act in time?
My gaze locks onto the gargantuan beast, still motionless in its artificial slumber…
An eyelid twitches. An armor stirs.
And the apocalypse wakes, shifting where it slumbers as the army of artificial Scale Mails begin to move, false muscle and shifting metal creating a rising chorus of noise that causes me to manifest my wings and sprint towards the still ongoing battle between my comrades and their respective foes, teeth gritted in frustration at my failure.
"Dammit, where the Hell are Horatius and the others?!"
Horatius
I'm only distantly aware of the concerned shouts from Altera, Scáthach and Gilgamesh, only vaguely comprehending how my body aches and stomach stretches, as if trying to contain a swollen ball.
My attention is reserved for the incorporeal Goddess cupping my face with an expression halfway between triumphant and remorseful, tingling palms a counterpoint to my roiling guts that feel like they're being shoved aside by an angry animal.
"What did you...do to me?"
Pursed lips and sorrowful eyes gaze are my initial answer, Tiamat slowly explaining, "When we joined together, when your body mated with mine...I transferred my essence into your own, just as I accepted your seed into my womb."
The implications of that cause a ball of sick to rise in my throat that has nothing to do with whatever is physically ailing me, humorless grin pulling my mouth into a ghastly rictus.
"So...you basically raped me for my genetics, is that it?"
"NO!"
The Goddess retreats as if burned, arms wrapping around her shoulders in a defensive gesture, features displaying nothing but horror and regret at my accusation.
...It's then that I notice her limbs aren't restrained by chains any longer, moving freely about her body.
"Tia, what did you-"
"I...I always treasured the moments we would spend together, intimate or not. It was...like being loved again."
Honest sorrow simmers in those hypnotic pupils of hers.
"But after you searched for so long, never finding more than distant or unlikely hints...I began to despair. I desired a way out and so...I plotted. Using your seed I created many offspring, those composed of both you and Irappu while containing an embryo of my own being."
I begin to dry heave, something trying to force its way out of my throat as I begin to realize just what it is she did.
"I succeeded, after many attempts. A small creature, no larger than the tiniest of specks yet similar enough to you and your connection to Gaia's extension that it slipped past my prison with no difficulty to be found. And then...I waited."
"We...we came to this world..."
Tiamat stands, now visibly walking rather than floating, freed legs gracefully bringing her to stand before Gilgamesh as she reaches out a hand. But where she can physically interact with me the same obviously isn't true for others, limbs passing through the Heroic Spirit's body with none the wiser.
"Away from the purview of Gaia and its laws. And then the Golden Queen made repeated usage of Ea, her treasure of Genesis that called to the facet of me residing in your body."
She moves on to Altera, the Hunnic King staring at me with subtle alarm as I begin to tremble and sweat, Tiamat's expression melancholy as her fingers slide right through the other woman as if they didn't exist.
"The avatar of the White Titan displayed her true power, an old foe that stirred to full awareness my facet within. And the final key...was you."
This time she can physically interact with her target, slim arms cradling me as an unbearable pressure forces its way up my windpipe.
"Your battle against another primordial being, then your ritual of mana transfer...the ambient power flowing through you offered enough strength that I could fully awaken, transfer myself outside of my cage into this world. And now..."
The slightest whisper of lips upon my own, Tia pulling back as tears freely fall down her skin and stain a twisted smile.
"Now I can return to our world and create it anew. Even though you will hate me, even though you will despise me...because that is how I will remain free."
…
I've never felt more helpless than in this moment.
Stuck on the ground with a spasming and useless to so much as speak...and faced with Tiamat's anguished expression, knowing and wanting nothing more than to be removed from her instinctive nature but enslaved to it anyway...because I failed her.
She vanishes from my sight-
-and a wad of crimson mud is expelled from my mouth, painting the ground with its pulsating colors and I would have immediately collapsed were it not for my three companions keeping me upright, muscles aching and lungs heaving as I desperately try to point to the congealed wad of corrupted whatever.
"Horatius! What happened, do we need to-"
"T-the mud...stop the mud!"
Altera's voice is tight with worry as she quickly states, "Master, we do not sense or see any mud."
They...they don't see it?! But how-
The ground shakes.
All four of us ratchet our gazes towards the fortress, a bass rumble more than slightly reminiscent of a beast's challenging roar reaching our ears as seven heads raise themselves out of the broken roof, smoldering eyes scanning the landscape as a magic circle flares to life above the monstrosity, tearing open a hole in the sky that leads to some extra dimensional rift that swirls with chaotic streamers of colors and imagery.
And the mud, visible only to me, swiftly winds its way towards both the Trihexa and the portal with sure movements.
"...Fuck."
It is only now, as I go through and edit this chapter, that i realize the title can be mistaken as a penis joke, given the nature of the first half.
Oops.
Poor taste in banana humor aside...shit's going down.