"Ahn give it to me! Harder!"

Veronica was bouncing atop him, her face flushed. Her body was the stuff of fantasies, her breasts bouncing along with her.

"Honey? We're home!" A familiar voice called, accompanied by footsteps on wooden floorboard. Alatar looked around. This was his parent's bedroom. He turned to the door, knowing too well what would happen.

The door opened, and his father and his younger self appeared. His father had a look of absolute horror and pain; his younger self, shock.

"H-honey?" his father stammered. "W-what is… who..."

He saw his father pull his dagger. He tried to shout, to catch his hand, anything, but instead he gripped Veronica's hips and slammed his manhood harder, causing her convulsions of ecstasy.

"AAAAAHHHNNNNNN YES YES YES I'M CUMMMMMINGGGGG! "

He saw crimson liquid spurt from his father's chest, he saw his younger self catching his father's body, his young hands stained with blood. He looked at his own hands, and there was blood on them too. He heard the scream of his younger self, the look of disgust and rage on his young face.

"FIRE, COME FORTH, BURN, BLAZE, DESTROY, OBEY!"

A torrent of fire burst forth setting everything ablaze. Veronica leaned on him, her flushed face adorned with beads of sweat, shining like diamonds at the fire's light. She licked his face. "Well, honey, don't you love me?"

Alatar woke up with a scream.

"Pass me the ball!"

"Run! He has it!"

"That's cheating!"

Children's voices echoed in the small courtyard of the orphanage. Amid them, the sight of a knight in full armor seemed so out of place, that many stopped their games and looked at him in awe. The knight smiled and proceeded to the old woman overseeing the children. "Greetings, Sister."

"Greetings, my child. What brings you here?"

"I'm looking for Father-"

Recognition struck the old woman's face. "Please wait at the chapel. He will be there in a few minutes."

"Thank you."

The knight entered a small chapel at the back of the orphanage. The place was well-kept, clean and tidy. The knight tossed some gold coins on the offerings plate, then proceeded to kneel in front of the altar. He put his sword in front of him, placed on it both his hands, and prayed.

"This is highly unusual, seeing you here."

Father Fullmoon entered the chapel and walked to the knight, who was still kneeling.

"So, what troubles you, child?"

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. Gravely."

"I know, Alatar. Come, let us sit."

Alatar sheathed his sword, and sat by the old priest.

"What troubles you?"

"I've had sex with a succubus."

"Willingly?"

"No. I mean… not at first. But then… I am afraid, the demon's miasma has taken seed in me, Father. My sleep is troubled, my thoughts turn to her. I don't know what to do. I've tried magic, I've tried training to exhaustion, I've even tried medicine and alchohol."

"The last one was unwise, Alatar. You don't douse a fire with oil."

"Yes, Father."

"Tell me, how is your sleep troubled?"

"I see again and again, my father committing suicide, my younger self setting everything ablaze… but I am on the bed, my father's bed, copulating with that... succubus."

"Come here."

Alatar knelt before the priest, who put his hands on his head. "Do you believe and adhere to the tenets of the Chief God?"

"Yes, Father."

"Do you respect the Holy Order of Her world?"

"Yes, Father."

"Then remember them when your mind is in doubt. No matter what temptations the Fallen one and her minions plant in your head, keep your eyes on the light. Remember, what happens when you lose sight of your road." The priest's voice wavered ever so slightly. "You, of all people, should know that."

"Yes, Father."

The old priest whispered a long prayer, and his hands started glowing a faint blue light. The blessing prayer was something that few priests could call forth; it required strong faith and calm heart. However, Alatar winced in pain; the usual calming holy mana caused a bad disturbance in his body. Something was amiss.

"What is it?" The priest sounded worried.

"It's nothing." Alatar answered quickly. There was no reason to trouble the old man too.

The priest's hand gripped his shoulder. "It is bad to lie, Alatar, especially in a temple."

He sighed. So much for not troubling. The dull pain came from his torso, so he pulled up his chainmail. Three dark spots stood out; one under his stomach, and two over his left and right breast. He smiled bitterly.

"It seems I live on borrowed time, Father."

"…"

"That succubus seems to have sown the very seed of corruption in me. I have tried to keep it from taking root, but it is a matter of time before it sprouts."

Alatar pulled his chainmail down. "Please don't tell anyone about it. Unless I lose control. Then, kill me. Fast."

"Why are you going through all this alone?"

"This is my burden. I will carry it."

Alatar closed the door in his small room and activated the seals. His desk was filled with treatises on monsters, past and present, autopsies done by mages and doctors, descriptions of spells and seals. His last finding, was a book of the Order's inner workings, proclaimed heretical and destroyed almost to the last copy. It was the work of a disgruntled priest, who wanted to take revenge for being sidelined in the cutthroat political game among the Order's members. The priest was executed and his name forgotten, but the part talking about the Order's punishments has a curious passage.

"Seal of… pleasure? What a vulgar name."

There were no more references on that; the priest either didn't know or wouldn't disclose such a secret. Yet it piqued his interest. Seal of pleasure… surely, as a punishment, it's not meant to give pleasure? Is it an ironic name for displeasure? Or is it to seal pleasure away? The last thought caused a jolt in his mind, bringing forth passages from treatises on the nature of monster mana. A plan started forming in his head, and he pulled out a parchment and a quill.

"Are those reports reliable?"

"Yes, commander. The scouts confirmed it twice. And by the numbers, I don't think they could be mistaken."

"Damn! We're not ready. Not by a long shot."

Comander Frederic frowned, looking at several scrolls before him. There were several members of the Order of Shadows around the table, Alatar and Pallanto among them.

"Two divisions of the Demon King's army, mostly dullahan and salamanders, along with ten dragons, began moving to Lescatie. There are also other reports for odd army unit movements, but nothing conclusive yet." one member said.

Frederic's face hardened. "They are preparing to attack."

Murmurs broke out along the table. Pallanto spoke up. "Should we let the top brass know? We may be forced to full military mobilization."

"It won't be enough." Frederic answered. "There isn't enough time, or resources, or able men. Druella must have known this; she plans to hit all across the border."

"The main force is gathering at Lescatie." Pallanto pointed at a specific report. "Should we try to focus everyone there?"

"If we focus everyone on Lescatie, we would just delay her. We don't have the manpower to attack the city. And the rest of the border will be virtually defenseless. The regular troops don't stand a chance against those fanatics."

"May I propose something?" All eyes turned to Alatar. "We can try to intercept most of the troops along the border. Attrition war. This will slow them down, or even discourage them altogether. Then, after dealing with them, we encircle Lescatie and start the biggest harassment campaign of all. That will give time to the Order's forces to mobilize, and less monsters to fight."

"Alatar, we can't leave Lescatie alone! The main bulk of Druella's supporters are there. If they move, they'll have the capital within a week. If the capital is lost, all is lost." Frederic said.

"I will stall for time. Their large number means that they need more provisions. If I hit the supply chain, and harass the troops, that will give you a couple weeks' worth of time. Can the others manage to finish and encircle Lescatie until then?"

"Barely. Still, it is a risky plan. You are just one man, Alatar-"

"We don't have much choice, commander. With all due respect."

Frederic eyed the young man. "This is a suicide mission, soldier. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, sir."

"We are already putting our necks out with this. This is not something the top brass even knows. Mobilizing our men into enemy territory will probably put us in the light, and then we will have to answer questions."

"Again, with all due respect, sir. Fuck the top brass." Nervous laughs broke along the table. Alatar smiled. "OK, not will full respect. Still, we can't hold every position at once, we can merely stall for time. Everyone has much more to worry than court martial. Even the top brass has to see that."

The knight commander sighed. "How do you expect me to believe you can hold out against the main force? Even a lunatic like you can see that we are sending our forces to their doom. But Lescatie? And you, alone? There is a clear line between bravery and stupidity."

"Sir, given the time we have, any other course of action will result in loss of territory. You know we can't give even an inch. Even if we focus more forces at Lescatie, one breach in the line will have the nearby forces surrounded. We must hold the entire line for two to three weeks, at least. That will give the Order enough time to move. Assuming they don't get caught up in their-"

"They won't. I'll see to it. No matter what these greedy bastards will argue about. The Order of Holy Light will be ready, at least. It is our best bet against the main force, anyway." The commander sighed again. "Fine. I'll regret this, but we'll move as this. I'll draw the battle plans and the orders. Pallanto, see to it that they reach their destination as soon as magically possible."

"Yes, sir."

"And, Alatar?"

"Sir?"

"Make sure you don't fail. Because if you do… I don't know if an incubus retains his memories, but I'll make sure to remember to find you or your carcass and fuck it in the ass."

"Understood, sir."

The participants rose, and turned to leave.

"Alatar, Pallanto, a word" the commander called.

P.S. Chapter 10 is out. Hold onto something, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Criticism welcome.