Tooth and Claw, Part 3


The squad of elven rangers watches you warily. Their hands are tight on their bows, their bodies tense, unsure whether they will soon need to defend themselves. What will your next move be? Ensnare them with subtle, diabolical temptation? Summon another demon?

In that moment of hesitation, you move swiftly. Not toward any of them, but toward the injured elves, kneeling down beside the cadet. She's the one bleeding the most. And even though you've already determined their severity of her wounds, you pretend to anxiously check her for the benefit of the onlookers.

You put pressure on the gash, as the scared young elf looks up at the demon kneeling over her. Wondering if your fiendish visage is the last sight she will ever see. You let the tension and anxiety last for just the right amount of time... then allow your face to break into a relieved smile.

"It's not as bad as it looks," you say in a comforting voice, easing her out of her fear. "You're going to be fine. Just make sure to have a cleric look at it as soon as possible."

The young elf sags in relief. Behind you, you can hear the other elves relaxing as well. You give that sense of relief a few moments to properly settle in, and only then do you continue. "Though if the pain is too bad... there is something I can do that would help you heal faster. But there are side effects, so only take it if you're sure."

"Side effects...?" the girl echoes, nervously.

With a small grin, you lean down until you're whispering right into her sensitive elven ear. "An increase in your sexual pleasure and desire," you say so only she can hear, causing her to shiver and blush red. Then you pull back and speak at a normal volume. "It's a necessary part of the gift. I'd understand if you felt hesitant. But I thought I should at least offer it, considering how painful that cut looks."

"Th-that's not necessary..." she stammers, holding fast to her duty. Though from the way she's looking up at you, you get the feeling that she was tempted. "I'll... I'll be fine. But... thank you for the offer. And for saving me from those orcs."

By this point the elves are checking on the other wounded, though all of them are keeping a wary eye on you and Verika. You're pretty sure they would have already confronted you, except they don't want to tip their hand that they know what Lady Alicia told them about your true nature.

Well. That, and they also probably realize that if they did provoke you and it came to a fight, their small, partially-injured squad wouldn't stand the slightest chance against a heroine. Not to mention whatever demonic aid you can conjure up on top of that.

Still, eventually one of the elves has to venture a question. "Who is the child, Verika?" he asks. "Why were those orcs trying to kill her?"

Juri has, by this point, come up behind you and is hiding behind you, gripping the edge of your wing tight as she peeks around it to look at the elves with wide eyes. She most likely has only known "elves" as the fierce, terrifying enemies of her country. Agents of fear and death, much like orcs would seem to human children. You reach back, putting your hand on her shoulder and tucking her close under your wing, while Verika answers.

"She's a refugee we helped escape from Kovora," the drow says. "We're trying to keep her safe. And trying to figure out why the Church of Melca wants her dead so badly."

The elves exchange glances again. "Perhaps you should come back to the village with us," the leader says, trying to not to let his suspicions show through. "You can rest there, and you'll all be safe."

Of course, "safe" is a relative term. In their village you'll be surrounded, with the elves having a far greater numbers advantage than they do now, if they don't like your answers and decide you need to be subdued. There's no way the leader isn't thinking of that in his offer.

That said... you do also detect a hint of uncertainty in his voice as well. These elves have known Verika for a very long time, as their village's protector. And—coupled with the visceral sight of her fighting Melcan forces to protect Juri—it's enough to make them want to believe that this is all just some horrible misunderstanding.

It's the same fundamental kindness and compassion that led them to spare Verika in the first place. Exactly what you were counting on with this strategy.

The elves lead you through the woods. Soon enough, you start to recognize your surroundings from your previous visit. Just like before, the closer you get to the village the more you start to wander off course without realizing it. Though thanks to the improvement in your intellect and your new reservoir of knowledge, you're much better able to analyze how the magic barrier around their village is affecting you.

But you don't make any comments, just allowing yourself to be led by the rangers. Until once again you find yourself in the small, quaint-looking village that holds this remnant of the elvish people.

The news of Verika's return spreads quickly, as the leader of the rangers rushes off to make his report. Soon a crowd has gathered. Some look uncertain, some look frightened, some look concerned for Verika. All watch you with silent trepidation, even as Juri clings tight to you.

Finally, the crowd parts to allow three figures through. One you recognize immediately as Relis' mother. The captain of the rangers. You can see the tension and guilt twisting inside of her, as she tries to keep up the pretense of impassivity.

The second figure is a woman wearing religious vestments, adorned with a symbol you recognize from the shrine that you, Khaytala and Verika talked in after escaping the Underworld. Which means she must be a priestess of Havti, the goddess of healing. She holds a holy symbol tight in her hand, and you've no doubt she's prepared to act should you make a single wrong move.

The final of the three figures is a male, and you suspect that he's far older than the other two. Though it's always hard to tell with elves, since they stop physically aging. Still, even without the signs that are usually the most obvious, the long years have still left their toll on him. Looking into his eyes, you can see a wisdom—and a weariness—that speaks to a life full of both joys and sorrows. A life with more of each than most mortals could even imagine.

The village elder.

"Ah, hello..." he says kindly, holding out his hands to the three of you. "Verika. Talavar. And..." Here he pauses. Then he switches from elvish to orcish. His words become slow and stilted, with a severe accent, but he's proficient enough that Juri can understand him. "...a new friend. I bid you all welcome. Please, be at ease."

There's enough warmth in his voice that Juri actually does relax just a bit. He's also much better than the younger elves at hiding his suspicion of you. The ancient leader looks at you with those tired, deep eyes. And you feel like he's taking your measure, with his untold centuries of experience and wisdom.

You incline your head in a small bow. "Thank you, sir," you say, sticking to elvish so you can be sure to catch all the onlookers with your words. "I am deeply grateful to be among your people again. Your rangers rescued us from a very dangerous situation."

The elder raises a hand. "It is nothing compared to the debt which we still owe you, for taking the risks you did to save our people," he says. And to your surprise, you think he does mean that, despite everything he's learned since. Though that sense of being carefully evaluated does not fade either.

"You are too kind," you say, modestly. Then you act as though something had just occurred to you, in perfect innocence. "Though... now that you mention it, where are Relis, Belan and the others? We were very much hoping to see them again."

The crowd of elves shift uncomfortably at the question about their imprisoned kin. It's then that the priestess steps up, her brow furrowed. "Wait!" she demands. "First, you must explain what the rangers saw you do in battle. They said you summoned a ravening fiend to battle those orcs. How exactly did you do that?"

She already knows the true answer from what Lady Alicia told her, of course. This priestess is trying to catch you into a lie. She wants to see how you will react. She wants to see how you will attempt to obscure the issue, perhaps by trying to claim it was a spell of some kind.

Even as the elves wait for your reply, you notice more and more rangers subtly taking positions at every angle around you, their hands on their bows. It's not just the squad you first encountered; their entire force now surrounds you. All of them ready to let their deadly arrows fly should it become necessary. To say nothing of the powerful cleric who is even now trying to trap you, trying to demonstrate your deceit.

However, since you know that the priestess intends this as a trap... it instead becomes an opportunity.

It's time to really start your performance.

You exhale, letting your shoulders slump a little and lowering your eyes. "You're right," you say, nodding sadly. "You're right, I... I should have told you before. I was just... afraid. Afraid of what your reaction would be. But that was wrong. I should never have mistrusted those who have only ever shown me kindness. I'm so sorry for thinking that of you."

Once you've framed acceptance in their minds as the "good" response, you press on to the heart of the matter. "The truth is... I'm not actually a tiefling," you say. "My demonic nature is full, not partial. I usually keep it a secret, but... when I saw those orcs about to attack the rangers who had put themselves at risk for us, I..."

Here you pause for dramatic effect, as though this is all a wrenching confession on your part. "I had to do something! I couldn't risk them getting hurt on my account. Even if it put my own secret at risk."

Of course, in reality you knew that your secret had been revealed since long before you even entered the forest. And you'd planned to use your summons from the beginning. But your display of pathos sends a small ripple of uncertainty through the watching elves. The priestess is caught off-guard, but she tries to recover. "Then... then who is your summoner, demon?" she demands.

Now this is a much tighter needle to thread. You can't lie, since the elves already know the real answer to this question too. And yet you can't be too conciliatory either. At least not yet. Any approach that seems too much like "giving in" to the enemies Melca wants to see defeated could put Lily in even greater trouble with her sadistic patron.

"I was summoned in Kovora," you admit, sending murmurs through the watching crowd. At the same time, you gesture down to Juri. "That was how I found this brave girl. Even now, she is hunted by her own people. You must understand, there is far more unrest in Kovora than you realize. And not every faction there wishes you dead."

Caught off guard by your repeated admissions, the priestess is left scrambling to adjust her argument... and she takes the bait you laid with the subtle emphasis of that last word. "Then what do you wish for us?" she fires back. "Are we to prefer being fucked into your slaves? Like you did with the elves you corrupted?"

That's the opening you were waiting for. "Slaves?" you say, as though confused. "Corrupted?" Then you look urgently back and forth through the crowd once again, before turning back to the priestess. Which is when you put on your best look of desperate horror. "No... Then... the reason that Relis and the others aren't here... Please tell me you haven't harmed them!"

"What? No!" Now the priestess is really on the defensive. "We would never—! They've only been held prisoner!"

You let out a deep, shuddering sigh of relief. The key is taking every opportunity to show concern for the elves' welfare, while at the same time putting your opponent into the role of defensively justifying the stringent measures. You can feel your expert manipulation slowly starting to have an effect, planting small doubts into the hearts of the onlookers.

Now you just need to coax those seeds into growing.

"Thank you for that forbearance..." you say earnestly. "But... please. Whatever doubts you may have... let me be the one to bear them. Don't lock away your fellow elves for the rest of their lives, just because of what I am!"

You start to look around, addressing the crowd as much as the priestess, pitching your voice to rise with passion as you bend all your charisma toward moving their hearts. "If nothing else, talk to them! Do they seem like 'slaves' to you? Did any of them seem like they were no longer the very same elves you knew and loved, after we rescued them from the Underworld? At least give them a chance to prove that there's nothing to fear from any of this!"

Then you allow a bit of your alluring, seductive demeanor to slip through. Just a little, though, not enough that it becomes too intimidating, too fast. "I do believe in sharing pleasures of the flesh," you say. "I won't deny that. But please... listen to what your friends and loved ones tell you that actually means, before you decide whether it's something that's worth imprisoning them over."

Relis' mother watches you as you speak, tortured conflict in her eyes. Of all the people here, she alone knows how you're carefully underselling the raw debauchery into which you've tempted the captive elves. She's experienced it with her own body, in her incestuous coupling with Relis. But even so... she can't quite bring herself to say anything.

Is it her shame over what she's done leaving her unable to admit it aloud? Is it her love for her daughter, that she can't bring herself to give up on a chance to free Relis from her imprisonment? Or is it her lustful yearning for the ecstasy she's had a taste of, and wants so desperately to experience again?

Probably it's a mixture of all three.

You turn again as you continue your impassioned address, and you make sure to catch her eye specifically as you do. And you time it with an assurance, one that only she knows is aimed directly at her.

"Don't worry," you say. "I wouldn't do anything to harm any of you. Just trust me... and trust the ones you love. It will give you more than you ever dreamed." In that moment, you allow her to see that you know what she and Relis did. You allow her to see that you hold her very heart in the palm of your demonic hand.

And she realizes that it thrills her.

With that realization, the last vestige of her resistance crumbles. In truth, she was already lost from the first time she willingly had sex with her demonically-corrupted daughter. But now she truly admits it to herself.

The priestess continues to question you, of course. But you, in turn, continue to use her interrogation for your own purposes. Revealing only what you want revealed. Guiding her to ask only what you want her to ask. And then using that to win over the crowd even more.

Not that you expect to talk so many elves into a mass orgy right this moment, unfortunately. There's only so much you can accomplish with words alone in such a short timeframe. And you can't exactly use your aphrodisiac touch on a group of this size. But considering that you have the support of so many people that they've grown up with all their lives, you feel confident you can talk your way out of any attempt to attack you.

Finally, Relis' mother speaks up. "We've been at this for well over an hour," she says. "And they are already tired from their journey here. Especially the girl. I am satisfied enough that this can wait for tomorrow, at least. For now, we should let them rest."

The priestess gives a small, guilty flinch at that, glancing down at Juri, who by this point is indeed leaning tiredly against Verika's leg. You can see that, despite the priestess' intense misgivings about you, she genuinely does feel compassion toward the child in front of her, even an orc child. "...you may be right," she finally admits. "But this demon will still need to be watched. And carefully."

"I can keep him under guard," offers Relis' mother, concealing her true feelings admirably well. "As captain of the rangers, I should be the one to shoulder that risk." You suppress a chuckle. Such noble self-sacrifice she's displaying. It nearly brings a tear to your eye.

"That's too dangerous!" protests the priestess. "We ought contain him in the shrine. The blessings of Havti can create wards that will ensure that he causes no trouble." You wince. Spending the night on holy ground does not sound very enjoyable. On the other hand, this priestess is your most vocal adversary. So the chance to work on her alone, even just a bit, might be quite useful. And on holy ground, you wouldn't have to be nearly so guarded with your words either.

To your surprise, the elder is the next to speak up. "I do not believe that Talavar has anything too nefarious in mind," he says, wry amusement in the ancient elf's voice. "At least... not for this night. But if he is willing, I too would appreciate the chance to speak in a more relaxed setting. There are... certain questions I too have for him. So I would be willing to act as his guard as well."

It's an intriguing question. The three offers already seem on equal enough footing that you could probably tilt it one way or the other with your persuasion. But which offer would be the best for your aims?

Relis' mother would give a virtually-guaranteed chance to replenish your Lust, and fuck her firmly onto your side. You would also have the entire night to question the ranger captain about the situation in the forest, perhaps allowing you to figure out more detailed information about Fallhazel—including her most recent location and actions—than you'd be able to get with a more hurried questioning.

The priestess would be the most taxing. But that route would also give the chance to make some headway with your most strident opponent here. You might also be able to get a bit more information on the situation between the local divinities, and from a non-Melcan source.

And the elder... you really don't know what to expect from him. You get the feeling that he knows—or at least suspects—more than he's willing to admit. But whether that presents an opportunity or a risk? That's something you can't say for sure.

Still, you'll need to make a choice. In whose custody do you nudge them toward placing you?