This is quite the development.
Although they appeared to have won, something or perhaps someone had snatched up Luz Noceda at the last second.
What perils await our hero? And how will her fiancée take it?
All answers lie ahead…
The DGP players, along with their navigator, were brought back to the Desire Temple after the end of the mission. The supporters, however, did not return with them and were likely transported back to their respective viewing rooms.
"Glad to be back," Sasha happily sighed. As fun as it was to have an adventure in another world, it was good to be back on good old Earth.
"I kinda wished we could've stayed longer," Marcy opined. It was sad that their stay in the Demon Realm had to end so abruptly, but she knew they could not stay forever as long as the DGP had any say in it.
"Eager to see if succubi actually existed there, Mar-Mar?" Sasha teased.
"Oh, like you wouldn't have been any less eager to find one, Sashy," Marcy teased back with a cattish grin.
"You are such a horny nerd." Sasha walked up and wrapped her left arm around Marcy's waist before kissing her girlfriend on the cheek. "But you're my horny nerd."
"Luz!?" Amity suddenly cried out when she found her fiancée missing. "Where's Luz!?"
"Huh?" Sasha blinked, and that was when she realised their fourth player was missing too. "Speaking of horny nerds, yeah, where is Noceda?"
"I don't think she came back with us," Marcy concluded as she noted her absence. "That's never happened before."
Tsumuri was in agreement as she was already checking her tablet to figure out what had gone wrong. However, Amity immediately marched up to Tsumuri and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Where is Luz!?" she demanded, shaking her.
"I...I don't know," Tsumuri answered, unable to comprehend what had gone wrong. "She should have come back with us."
"Well, she didn't!" Amity snapped. "Where is she!? WHERE IS LUZ?!"
Yes, where is Luz Noceda? The answer to that question may surprise you.
Meanwhile, the young woman was about to discover where she ended up...
"Ugh...what happened... Where am I...?"
Luz groaned as she sat up, finding herself in a bed of some kind. It was quite luxurious with a canopy, and the dark purple sheets were soft to the touch.
How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was being transported back to the Desire Temple when she was suddenly blinded by a violet light.
She got out of the bed and checked her pockets. Patting herself, the first thing she noticed was that her Driver was missing. Not only that, her Spider Phone and Raise Buckles were gone as well.
"Not good," she grimaced. She was unarmed, in a strange place, with no way of contacting the others.
'Be glad you weren't harmed,' her inner demon said. Luz ignored the voice to look around the room. It was a large, lavishly decorated room fit for royalty. It was furnished with a wide sofa, an ornate coffee table, a fireplace with a roaring fire, and of course a very large bed. She also found a dressing table with a vanity mirror that was framed with polished black miniature skulls. Another full-length mirror hung from the wall.
Her eyes fell on the door and she went to open it.
It was, fortunately, unlocked.
"OK, let's get out of here," Luz decided.
'Don't forget your gear,' her inner demon reminded. Luz rolled her eyes. No, of course, she would not forget her equipment. She would find her stuff and get out of there.
"Time to get sneaky."
She opened the door and realised her plan had a flaw when she stepped out. Flanking the door were two people in robes and hoods, wearing masks that looked like Oscura but without her signature horns. When they saw the door open, they turned to her.
"My-"
Luz slammed the door shut and immediately pressed her back against it.
"Crap, crap, crap!" Luz cursed. Of course, the room would be guarded. That was why they did not bother to lock it! And when she saw the guards, she knew where she was. "The cult got me!"
In the mirrors on the wall and dressing table, Luz could see the visage of Empress Oscura sneering at her.
"You mean our cult got us," her inner demon corrected.
Luz did not bother correcting her as she paced the room. If she was in the Oscura cult's headquarters, then escape was going to be difficult. She went to the dressing table and pulled out the drawers to find anything that could help her. Fortunately, she found a few sheets of paper and a pencil.
"Yes!" She sat down and began drawing glyphs.
"Are you trying to escape?" her inner demon asked, smirking in amusement.
"Of course! The cult-"
"Our cult."
"They got me! I need to get out of here!"
"Oh, and you expect to do that with only a few sheets of paper?" her inner demon scoffed. "The cult would include powerful witches. While I doubt they would intentionally harm us, they would not let us go without a fight."
"So, what? I should just sit here and do nothing?" Luz demanded.
"No, I'm suggesting you use this to your advantage. They think you're Empress Oscura. So, act like it," her inner demon suggested. "Didn't you want to fix this cult? Now you're here and you have a chance to fix your mistakes, yet you still want to run away. But go ahead, try and fight your way out of this place, and waste this golden opportunity fate has presented you."
Her reflection in the mirrors returned to normal after that.
Luz would rather not listen to her inner demon, but she was right. Luz could try to incapacitate the guards, but the rest of the cultists would try to stop her. Even with her glyphs, she would not be able to fight her way out if they overwhelmed her. And she had planned to speak to the cult, to try and convince them to stop worshipping her and change their ways. Maybe by being Empress Oscura, she could do that. The idea of even pretending to be her old self filled her with anxiety, especially considering she was in the heart of a cult of sycophants who worshipped the very ground she tread upon. In the end, she sighed heavily and placed the pencil and paper back down.
"Alright, fine," Luz relented. "We'll do it your way." She was reluctant to listen to her inner demon, but it was a good plan. She just hoped she could do it. She went to the door and opened it. When she did, the guards stood at attention. "You two, take me to your leader, now."
"Yes, My Empress!" The guards bowed, and Luz stepped out so they could escort her. "Please, follow us." Luz kept her guard up as she allowed them to lead the way.
The guards took her to a door and opened it for her. It looked like an office and sitting inside with a book was who Luz assumed to be the Head Priest.
"Hey, are you the one in charge?" Luz asked. The Head Priest suddenly gasped and slammed the book shut before running around the table to greet Luz.
"My Empress, you came!" the Head Priest spoke happily. No, wait, that was a girl's voice. Head Priestess, then.
"Looking at you..." Luz started as she looked at the Head Priestess' mask, which sported Oscura's signature horns. "You must be in charge."
"Yes, My Empress," the Head Priestess confirmed.
"Take off your mask. I wish for us to speak face to face," Luz commanded, crossing her arms.
The Head Priestess removed her mask, and Luz's eyes widened in recognition.
"My Empress, I am Head Priestess Bria and I welcome you back home."
Luz's mind flashed back to four years ago, remembering the fourteen-year-old Construction Track witch girl who had been so enamoured with Oscura. Bria had grown to become the cult's leader. On the one hand, it made perfect sense. On the other hand, it just reinforced Luz's guilt.
'Fan-freakin'-tastic, Luz. You went and turned a fangirl into a cult leader…' Luz mentally facepalmed herself. 'As if this couldn't get any worse. Okay, well, at least I know who I'm dealing with.'
'Should've seen this coming, but it does make perfect sense. Back then she was so taken by us. Heck, if it weren't for certain factors, she'd probably be–'
'Don't you even finish that sentence! Ugh, play it cool, Luz. Keep up the act. Don't tip off Bria that you aren't the all-powerful empress she thinks you are.'
"So, Bria..." Luz began imperiously. "I can assume you are responsible for me being here."
"Yes, My Empress," Bria confirmed again. "After you appeared, we had our oracles search for you and found you on the Knee. So, we had you brought here immediately."
"I see," Luz nodded. She walked around the room, hands behind her back as if inspecting Bria's office - all while keeping up an air of superiority. "I was planning to come here myself, so this saves me the trip."
"I'm so glad we can finally meet after all these years." Bria practically teleported right in front of Luz. The witch's eyes were wide and sparkling with joy. Heck, even her cheeks looked a little flushed. "I knew that you would one day find your way back here, back to us! This world has forgotten all the good work you have done, those ungrateful louts! But now that you have returned, we can show those fools that you should rule again!"
Luz gulped. Bria had definitely drunk her own Kool-Aid, like a whole barrel of it.
'Pretty sure she's also h-o-r–'
'If anyone is that, it's you!'
'Hi pot, I'm kettle, have we met?'
'...I seriously hate you.'
Luz used her right hand to gently push Bria back, keeping her out of her personal space.
"I am pleased that you have kept the faith, Bria," Luz acknowledged. "Know that your wait has not been in vain. I have returned, and with a message for–!"
A sudden growl from her stomach cut her off.
'Well, that was dignified.'
'Oh, shut up!'
"Heh, well, that was embarrassing," Luz sheepishly admitted.
"Oh, forgive me, My Empress! Our oracles did see that you had been in a battle recently. You must be famished! Don't worry, we'll have a meal prepared for you. Until then, may I offer you a bath and a change of clothes?"
Luz was about to refuse, not wanting to leave herself exposed, but she needed to maintain her cover. Besides, a bath and a meal did sound nice.
"Very well," Luz permitted. "You may have the honour of preparing my meal and bath, Bria."
That command made Bria's eyes light up before she immediately went and spoke into a microphone on her desk.
"Prepare a bath, a meal, and a change of clothes for Our Empress!" she commanded. "This is what we've trained for, everyone, so move it!"
Back in the Desire Temple Lounge, Tsumuri was trying to locate Luz while Amity sat on the couch, worried sick. The pink-haired witch's left foot was continuously tapping on the floor, filled with anxiety regarding the fate of her fiancée.
What happened to Luz?
Where was she?
These questions would repeat in her mind over and over until she got answers.
Sasha and Marcy sat beside her, offering her emotional support.
"Amity, you need to relax," Marcy advised her. "I'm sure Tsumuri will be able to find Luz."
"I know, but I can't help it." Amity stared at her hands. "Luz was right there in front of me, and it's killing me that I don't know where she is."
"Maybe she's stuck in the Demon Realm?" Sasha suggested.
"And that's even worse!" Amity cried. "She's stuck in a world that wants her dead!"
"Hey, we don't know that for sure," Marcy retorted, glaring at Sasha for even suggesting that. "Maybe she's back at home, with her family."
"No, she's not," Tsumuri clarified as she checked her tablet. "I've found Ms. Noceda. She's still in the Demon Realm."
"Or I could be completely wrong, and we need to worry," Marcy corrected.
Luz was escorted to a luxurious private bath. A pool had been built in the middle of the floor, filled with warm water that came out of fountains shaped like demon heads. The water appeared to be clean and clear, with steam rising from it. Luz, however, was not alone as she was attended by a group of four cultists - two witches and two demons.
The witches were attractive. One was male and the other female. The male witch had dark skin, a muscular body and wearing trunks. His hair was cut short and shiny. The female witch was petite, dressed in a bikini, and her blue hair was in twintails.
The demons were also a male and female pair. The male looked like the stereotypical depiction of a demon, with red skin, horns, a spaded tail and hooves. Instead of trunks, he wore a loincloth. He also had silky smooth hair. The female demon appeared to have green scales for skin, fin-like ears with a head of bushy orange hair and clad in a bikini.
"We shall bathe you, My Empress," they said in unison. Luz blushed as they gathered around her and began stripping her.
"Hey, wait! I can undress myself!" Luz protested but they continued to undress her, taking off her clothes with ease before guiding her to the pool so she could have a soak. While it was embarrassing, the way they treated her felt nice.
Luz released a long sigh of contentment. That last battle with the Jyamatos was both physically and mentally exhausting. And soaking in the warm soothing water was making her aching muscles sing with joy.
"Oh~ man, this feels good. I might actually fall asleep here," Luz commented.
'Now how's that for a headline? 'The powerful Empress Oscura drowns in her bath...' You better stay awake! We are not suffering such indignity!' her inner demon shouted.
'You're making it a little hard to enjoy this bath.'
Once she had a soak, Luz exited the pool and the attendants had her sit down on a stool as they bathed her. Luz gulped. This was slightly uncomfortable. She half-expected one or all four of these cultists to start doing things to her. Let's face it, it didn't get more vulnerable than being naked in a bathroom. And without her Buckles and Driver, Luz was at the mercy of these four.
The Latina had to resist the urge to flinch as the male demon gently took her left arm and began lathering it while the witch male did the same for her right arm. The female fish demon ran her hands up and down Luz's right leg, taking great care to not apply too much pressure. The female witch was behind her, gently massaging her scalp as she worked the shampoo into Luz's hair.
Luz couldn't help but release a delighted moan from their work, a moan that she immediately regretted as she quickly scanned the faces of the four cultists. Thankfully, they did not seem to react to her moan.
"Empress, do you wish for me to apply more pressure to your scalp?" the female witch asked.
"Uh, n-no, you're fine," Luz responded.
"Empress, would you like for us to wash your front as well?" the male witch inquired.
"If you prefer, I can scrub your intimate area, My Empress," the female demon offered.
"Ah, uh, no, I'll take care of those myself!" There was only one person she was going to allow to fondle her tits and crotch, and she was sure that none of these fours' names were Amity Blight. "Although…I could use some help with my back."
"Of course, My Empress," the male demon and witch complied in unison.
"As you wish, My Empress," the female witch acquiesced.
True to their word, the male demon and witch did not go any further than her shoulders, collar, and neck, leaving her front alone. The same was true of the female demon, her hands never rose higher than her thighs; and when she lathered her inner thighs, she took great care to not touch her Empress's private area.
'Just play along with this, Luz. They aren't hurting you, and so far they haven't committed any crimes… Okay, they kidnapped me, but other than that, they haven't hurt anyone…so far.'
"EEP!" Luz yelped as she felt the female demon suddenly brush against her crotch.
The male demon and witch paused in shock, along with the female witch who had witnessed the female demon accidentally brush against Luz's crotch. Luz looked down at the female demon, who was now looking up at her with eyes wide and filled with fear. She immediately backed away and pressed her forehead to the floor, bowing in deep apology.
"I'm sorry, My Empress! I didn't mean to sully your most intimate area with my hand! The-the soap made me slip, I swear, My Empress!" the female demon cried.
The other three cultists had worried looks. They knew of their Empress' legendary wrath. It was why she was feared, loved, and respected by their flock. But still, they were fearful of experiencing the great Empress Oscura's wrath up close.
Luz was very aware that the others were expecting her to inflict great harm upon the female demon who had transgressed on her, despite her insistence that no one was to touch her there.
'Think, Luz, think!'
Luz gathered her composure and, as much as she didn't want to, she adopted her old persona. The Latina slowly stood up, making the other three cultists back away and bow their heads, their bodies shaking in fear of what might happen to one of their own.
"Are you sure it was an accident? Or were you just that eager to touch my nethers with your unworthy hands?" Luz coldly questioned.
"NO, NO! I swear by the Titan, My Empress, I would never sully your precious place with my unworthy hands, not without your permission! The soap made my hands slippery, and with my scales…it…it just happened! Please, My Empress, I beg you, mercy!"
Luz knelt before the female demon and commanded, "Raise your head and look at me."
The female demon looked up and was surprised to see an understanding expression.
"I get it, I know you would never willingly disobey me. And given how you are, I'm glad you were able to take that much care in preventing it from happening more than once," Luz said in appreciation.
"My…My Empress," the female demon gasped.
Luz then changed her expression, returning it to her infamous glare as she sternly warned, "But in the future, do not go above the knees. Is that understood?"
"Of course! Of course! I promise!"
"So long as you understand, then that's fine." Luz sat back down and held out her hand. "Now, will someone please put some soap in my hand so I can wash my front?" The female demon quickly drew a spell circle and produced the soap for her. "Much appreciated. Despite that little mishap, you have all done excellent work. But I advise greater caution next time."
"Yes, My Empress! Thank you!" they complied in gratitude.
Luz released a sigh of relief. Despite her harsh words, they all seemed to have a smile on their faces. Probably glad that she showed them mercy. After finishing her front, the female witch cast a water spell and rinsed off Luz's body. She was then led into the huge bath as the cultists helped her into the pool of warm water. Luz let out a content moan as she felt the warm water soothe all her aches and pains from the previous battles, her fatigue melting away into the bath altogether.
'Is this not what we were always meant to have? A luxurious bath, worshippers to pamper us, all the things that we were denied.'
'Don't start with me. As nice as this is, they're not doing this because they want to show their appreciation. They're doing it because they worship me like some kind of god. I'm done with all of that, and you know it.'
'Then I suggest you enjoy it while you can. Treat it as a vacation. You are a VIP after all.'
"How is she still in the Demon Realm?!" Amity loudly questioned.
"I believe something must have interfered during the transport back," Tsumuri answered.
"Then bring her back!" Amity demanded.
Tsumuri nodded and put in the command to bring Luz back to the Desire Temple. Unfortunately, her tablet screen flashed with a huge [ERROR!] message.
"Oh…um…I don't know how to say this, but…I can't," Tsumuri spoke in dismay.
"What do you mean you can't?" Amity's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"What I mean to say is there's some kind of interference that's preventing me from bringing Ms. Noceda back," Tsumuri clarified as she repeatedly attempted to bring Luz back, only to receive the same [ERROR!] message again and again.
"Hold on, back up. You're telling me, you guys - the DGP - with all your reality warping, interdimensional, life and death powers, can't just instantly zap Luz back here because of a software error?!" Sasha exclaimed in disbelief.
"I am just as baffled by this as you are, Ms. Waybright. This has never occurred in all my time as a navigator in the Desire Grand Prix," Tsumuri informed, both perplexed and seriously concerned by this whole situation.
"Wait, you can't bring her back, but can you send us back to the Demon Realm?" Marcy requested.
"I could, but not without permission from the Game Master," Tsumuri said. Suddenly, the large holographic screen appeared, showing the Game Master's masked visage.
{I'll allow it.}
The bath was incredibly relaxing, and Luz thought that was the end of it. It turned out it wasn't. After being dried and wrapped in a towel, two cultists escorted Luz to another area connected to the bath. When they opened the door, she saw a padded table in the centre of the room which was filled with the aroma of scented candles, giving the room a warm glow. Next to the padded table was a multi-armed demon of indeterminate gender, possibly non-binary.
"Uh, what's this?" Luz asked.
"This is our masseuse, My Empress."
"They will work your tired muscles."
The masseuse gave a bow to Luz.
"My name is Sven, My Empress."
Still wrapped in her towel, Luz sighed. She was not in any position to say no to these people. Technically, she was, but it would seem suspicious if she refused their hospitality.
'And again, no Driver, no Buckles, plus zero ways to contact Amity or the others.'
"Very well."
Luz stepped into the room, again, feeling nervous. Especially when the two cultist escorts closed the door behind her, leaving the human alone with the multi-armed demon. A myriad of unpleasant thoughts passed through her mind, wondering what this demon could do to her in this room with only one exit. But she had to believe that they wouldn't do anything to her. Considering how the female fish demon reacted earlier, it may be that they were really afraid of invoking her wrath.
With that in mind, Luz moved to the table and took off her towel. She handed it to Sven, who graciously took it from her and folded it before placing it on a shelf. Luz decided to lie down on her stomach, not wanting to expose more of herself to these cultists than she already had to. She placed her head through the face hole of the table and waited. Luz had to resist the urge to flinch or jerk away as she felt Sven hands on her. But instead of feeling her up, they were very professional.
Luz started to hear some pops and cracks. There was some pain at first, but then a rush of euphoria followed. The masseuse was using all their hands to massage and knead all the spots that Luz had tension in.
It was absolutely magnificent.
"You have many kinks and knots, My Empress. Not good at all," Sven noted in concern.
"Mmmmm~ stress…lotta stress…"
"I can only imagine. Please allow me to work on you, My Empress. Healing sigils and the like can fix problems, but some are better fixed by hand. The Isles need you to be healthy and strong! Oh, forgive me for speaking out of line."
"Mmmm…no, no. You have a point. Tell me, do you do this professionally?" Luz curiously asked.
"Yes, I am one of the best masseuses on the Boiling Isles. I have been honing my craft to one day have the honour of providing my services to you, My Empress. I may not be the best when it comes to combat, but I promise to do the best for you," Sven said.
"Well, you have more than – oh, lower, lower – earned your place – aahhh~. The Isles don't just need warriors, it needs many types of people, who can do what only they can do best. It was the whole reason I abolished the Coven System, so all witches and demons could be the best they could be without anything limiting them."
"And we thank you for that every single day, My Empress."
'See? Even though we did go a little crazy towards the end, overall, we had a positive impact.'
'You call wanting to destroy the Demon Realm and wage war on the Multiverse a little crazy? You do realise that there was at least one Rider there who – aside from the other Luz and Anne – probably would have wiped the floor with us?'
'Details, details. What matters is the end result.'
"Apologies, My Empress. You have a big knot; this may hurt for a moment."
*CRACK!*
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaahhhhhhhh~, that actually feels goooood~"
"Game Master?" Tsumuri questioned as the players looked at the GM of the DGP.
{I will allow you to return to the Demon Realm to retrieve Oscura,} the Game Master permitted. {Until all players have been brought back to the Desire Temple, the reset system will be on hold.}
"The reset?" Marcy repeated. "You mean you're going to wipe all evidence of our presence in the Boiling Isles, memories and all."
{The Demon Realm is subject to the same reset conditions as your world, Newtonne. We cannot have evidence of our little games, less the stability of your world and the Demon Realm, be thrown off kilter,} the Game Master confirmed. After that, the screen disappeared.
"Well, looks like it's a rescue mission," Sasha said as she prepared herself to go back to the Boiling Isles.
"Yes!" Marcy cheered. "We're going back!" She quickly realised that she was being too happy, and apologised, "Sorry, I got excited."
"No, it's fine," Amity smiled, glad that Sasha and Marcy were on board. "Tsumuri, where is Luz?"
Tsumuri brought up a map of the Boiling Isles and enlarged it to show where Luz was located.
"Right there." Tsumuri pointed at the spot on the map where Luz's ID Core symbol was.
"Where is that?" Marcy questioned, but Amity recognised it immediately.
"That's Glandus High," the witch answered, and she soon realised who had taken Luz. "The cult has her!"
"You mean that crazy cult that worships her?" Sasha asked. "How did they snatch her?"
"With magic, obviously,!" Marcy concluded. "They must've used magic to track Luz and grab her just as we were being transported back here!"
"At least she's safe, right?" Sasha questioned.
"Y-yeah, she should be fine," Amity said hopefully.
"Um, well, for now," Marcy interjected. "These cultists are expecting Empress Oscura, and Luz isn't exactly an evil overlord anymore. She could pretend, but how long can she keep it up before they realise she's not the same Empress Oscura anymore? What will they do then?"
"Oh, Titan," Amity paled.
"But then again, they could also see Luz not only as a goddess to be worshipped but also as a sexual icon, maybe something akin to a fertility goddess. In which case, they might try and enact some kind of-"
"MARCY! NOT! HELPING!" Sasha yelled.
After the incredibly godly massage, Luz was provided with a change of clothes. Unfortunately, it was not her DGP uniform. It was a set of clothes she had hoped to never lay eyes on for the rest of her life, the outfit she only saw in her nightmares.
Bria had delivered a complete replica of her Empress Oscura dress, complete with her golden crown. Luz's hands shook when she held the garment as the memories of all her past misdeeds replayed in her mind.
Luz threw the dress back on the table and took a calming breath. She had to get herself together. These cultists were expecting to see their goddess in all her glory. What she needed was time. So long as she continued to play the part of Empress Oscura, she could buy time to come up with a plan. Until then, she had to bite the bullet.
With great reluctance, Luz donned her old empress clothes. It was unsettling how easily she remembered where everything was supposed to go.
The Latina looked at herself in the mirror, resisting the urge to tear it all off. It almost looked unnatural without the scars that marred her body. But then again, those scars never really went away, they just could not be seen anymore.
'Hm, she even got the measurements right,' Luz's inner demon admitted. 'Say what you will about me, but we make this look good.'
Luz was about to retort when she heard a knock at her door.
"Enter."
Bria was the one who opened the door. She bowed to Luz and announced, "My Empress, your dinner is ready!"
"Dinner? Is it that late already?" Luz asked.
"Indeed, it has been a long day. Please, follow me to the banquet hall. We have a wonderful meal prepared for you," Bria kindly requested.
Luz only now felt the empty pit in her stomach, a light growl coming from it, reminding the teen that she hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast.
"Very well. Lead the way, Bria."
Bria smiled and stood outside as she waited for Luz. Once Luz left the room, Bria used her magic to close the door behind her, and together the two walked down the long hallway. As they did, Luz took a moment to really take in Bria's features. She remembered the witch as she was four years ago. Back then, the aforementioned witch had short purple hair and was slightly muscular due to her time in the Construction Track. Now, Luz had to admit that Bria had grown to become a beautiful woman.
Bria's hair had grown, now reaching halfway down her back. Her robes hid it, but Luz could tell that Bria hadn't lost any of her muscle tone since she was a kid. And as much as she tried not to notice, Bria had also grown up in other areas as well. The freckles on the cult leader's face just added to her cuteness and appeal, which made Luz a little sad that Bria was wasting her life leading a cult instead of pursuing her own goals.
"You've grown up a lot since I last saw you, Bria," Luz observed.
"I have, yes, but you look just as beautiful as the day I first met you, My Empress," Bria replied with a smile.
"Y-yeah, that's mostly because my power aged me up. After the battle, I returned to my original age, so now, I look closer to how I was back then after four years."
"I'm glad, it just means now we're the same age," Bria said gratefully before quickly correcting herself, "Oh, but don't worry! Just because we are, I'm not assuming we're the same, My Empress!"
"It's okay, really. I was just worried that you might've found the way I acted back then a bit creepy. I mean, in my mind I was still fourteen, but my body didn't match my mental age," Luz clarified.
"No, if anything, now that you've told me this, it's even more amazing what you did!" Bria gushed. "You conquered the Boiling Isles, obtained great power, and became a ruler at such a young age. None of us at Glandus had any kind of aspirations like that, but you showed us that we are only bound by the limitations of our minds and abilities. But walls like that were meant to be broken down, and challenges met, so that we may ascend to greater heights of power. And you, a human, reached that apex before any of us."
"Well, when you put it like that, I'm surprised you weren't jealous or angry," Luz remarked.
"Oh, no. If anything, it's even more impressive that you were so powerful despite being human. You proved everyone wrong! You spat in their faces and hoisted yourself up higher above them all in one fell swoop, showing them your great and terrible power! It's not something to be angry about or feel jealous towards. If anything, it's something to admire, to be inspired by!" Bria preached.
'I'm starting to see how Bria was able to become the leader of this cult… She has a way of putting such a positive spin on what I did, and making me sound like a great and powerful being,' Luz thought.
'Sound like? Heh, we are a great and powerful being. We could be again now that we're back in the Demon Realm. We can take back the power, recreate another Philosopher's Stone, and ditch this Desire Grand Prix nonsense!'
'That is the absolute last thing I want! I'd rather throw myself into the Boiling Sea than create another Philosopher's Stone!'
"Oh, we're here!"
Luz snapped out of her little argument with her inner demon and gawked at the banquet hall. Given that this was Glandus High, she expected it to be more like the cafeteria when she infiltrated Hexside. But considering the entire structure was more like a huge castle, it seemed as though everything underwent a huge remodel. Considering that the last time she was here, Luz didn't remember them having a huge bath or a massage area.
'They literally converted the entire school into a castle, readying it for the day I'd come back,' Luz thought.
The banquet hall had a horizontal table that sat at the far end upon some raised steps. A red carpet was rolled out that led directly to the steps, and on both of the carpet's sides were the cultists who bowed in reverence to their goddess. Bria led Luz down the red carpet and up the steps. After ascending about five steps, one of the cultists drew a spell circle and had the table split in two, allowing Luz to sit on the ornate chair that was clearly meant for her alone. After taking her seat, the table merged back together. There were two cultists dressed as waiters behind her, both ready to serve their Empress a drink or whatever she needed.
Just as she sat down, some other cultists entered through a different doorway, one that led to the kitchen no doubt. They wheeled a tray in and brought it to the steps where a waiter stepped down, grabbed the platter that was on the tray and placed it before Luz. Bria shooed the waiter away, as it seemed she wanted the honour of revealing the meal to Luz personally.
"Now, My Empress, your dinner is served," Bria presented as she lifted the lid off the tray.
Luz was expecting the usual Boiling Isles cuisine but, to her surprise, that was not what was served to her. When the cover was lifted, Luz's mouth began to water as she looked at the steak and potato wedges she was served with. The meat was noticeably seasoned and still sizzling, with a light amount of butter melting on it. It looked so delicious just from the sight alone and smelled just as divine. As far as Luz was concerned, this meal looked like something she would get at a fancy restaurant.
"Whoa…Bria…I wasn't expecting this," Luz gaped in awe.
"We were fully aware of your dietary restrictions. So, I had our researchers comb through as many human-related cookbooks and other paraphernalia, as well as accounts from when you were in power, to verify which foods most closely resembled those from your world and were fit for your consumption," Bria explained. She popped open a bottle of apple blood and poured the (non-alcoholic) beverage into a top-quality wine glass.
"You guys did all that for me? That can't have been easy."
Bria shook her head and responded, "When it comes to you, My Empress, no amount of work is too daunting. The last thing anyone here wants is to cause you harm. We want you to be strong and healthy, and to that end, we made sure that none of the food you are served wouldn't be incompatible with your human physiology. But please, do tell us if this is to your liking. Our chefs are on standby and ready to make whatever it is you desire."
Luz took up the fork and knife. She didn't know where they got the meat for the steak, but she decided not to question it. She took the knife and cut a piece off the steak. After stabbing it with her fork, she raised it to her eye to inspect it. Luz briefly wondered if this food was laced with anything. After what happened with Boscha, Luz was a little more cautious about who handled her food, at least here in the Demon Realm.
Bria seemed to notice her Empress' hesitation and assuaged, "You needn't worry about any poisons or potions, My Empress. Your meals are thoroughly triple-checked and monitored from start to finish. And if such a thing were to occur, we have several witches and demons here who excel at Healing and Potion magic, ready to do whatever it takes to save your life should it come to that. So, you may enjoy your meal without worry."
'Damn, they really thought of everything. How can they be this devoted to me? I almost killed them all when I became Scyn Oscura! Never mind, I'll just have to keep this up.'
Luz, taking Bria at the witch's word, opened her mouth and ate the piece of steak. The moment she did, an explosion of flavour went off in her mouth, making her eyes widen with delight. The meat was so tender and juicy that it practically melted in her mouth. After that first bite, Luz began tearing into the steak with gusto, savouring every bite.
"Bria, this is delicious!" Luz praised. "Compliments to the chef!"
"Oh, wonderful, My Empress! The chef will be most pleased to hear such praise!" Bria gushed. "And with that, My Empress, let us begin your entertainment!"
Luz stopped her eating, looked up at Bria, and blinked. "...Uh, 'entertainment'?"
Bria clapped her hands and immediately, a group of the cultists drew spell circles and produced instruments. Once in hand, the band began to play some music. Once the music started, the doors to the banquet hall opened. Luz was surprised to see the two witches and two demons who had helped to bathe her earlier, but now they were dressed in black robes. All four of them made their way to the table and stopped when they were at least five feet away from the front steps. Once there, all four cultists threw off their robes, making Luz drop her fork.
The female witch and demon were dressed in – what might pass as – bikinis. Although the strings that kept them together were very thin, with triangle-shaped cups that covered both of the women's nipples, allowing the rest of their ample assets to be viewed. The lower parts were as much the same way, with only a small triangle-shaped piece of cloth keeping their respective crotches from being viewed in full, but a slight shift in either direction would allow Luz to get a full view. Thanks to the strings being so thin, it was as if the girls were practically naked. The male witch and demon were bare-chested and wearing nothing but loincloths, and Luz was fairly certain that there was nothing else behind those strips of cloth. Finally, Luz could see that they each had a layer of oil spread across their bodies to give their skin a noticeable shine.
"B-Bria, what's this?" Luz asked, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Your entertainment, My Empress. Please do not mind us and enjoy the show," Bria insisted.
Luz wasn't sure if she could keep eating as she witnessed the four begin to dance in a very sensual and provocative manner. The witch woman and demon woman began to paw at each other, moving their bodies to the rhythmic flow of the music. The male demon and witch were doing something similar to their female counterparts, striking poses, and pushing up on each other in ways that made Luz gulp hard. Every so often they would switch partners, the male witch would dance with the female demon, and vice versa, both pairs doing their absolute best to entertain their Empress. And in the case of the female fish demon, she seemed to be dancing with a greater purpose, possibly to make up for her earlier blunder in the bath.
'Oh, crap! Oh, crap! This is hot! Why is it so hot to watch?!' Luz thought as her face heated up.
'Now this is disappointing.'
'How?'
'Why didn't we think of this when we were on the throne? Damn, we could've had hot witches and demons dancing for us every day.'
'Ugh, can you not be horny for two seconds?!'
'…I feel like we just had this conversation not too long ago. Don't deny that you're enjoying the show.'
'I'm not cheating on Amity!'
'When did I ever say that? There isn't anything against looking. Your browser history says that much.'
'…I guess it's okay to look. Screw it, I'm gonna focus on my meal!'
Luz returned to eating her meal. Despite the sensual entertainment, it did nothing to dull the deliciousness of the food that she was served.
Bria moved a little closer to the table and whispered, "My Empress, if these four please you, just say the word. I will have them waiting for you in your bedchamber."
Luz nearly choked on her steak when Bria gave her that offer. The Latina beat her chest for a few seconds and managed to swallow the piece of steak she was chewing.
"Uh…t-thank you, Bria, I-I'll keep that in mind," Luz respectfully replied.
Bria blushed a little and added, "If you prefer a single partner, ahem…I-I am available at your whim."
'Hmm, Bria has become a strong and beautiful girl. I don't think Amity would mind–'
'Shut your whore mouth right there.'
Luz tried to focus on her meal, but the dancing was just too entrancing to ignore. She tried to think of Amity which, unfortunately, did not help matters when she saw the heads of the female dancers replaced with that of her fiancée.
'This is going to sound rich coming from me…but there might actually be such a thing as too much sexy.'
'Bite your tongue, you wretched girl!'
The DGP Riders were teleported into Glandus High's courtyard. Sasha and Marcy took a moment to admire Scyn Oscura's statue.
"It's beautiful, in a scary kinda way," Marcy confessed.
"No kidding," Sasha concurred. Scyn Oscura was a monster, true, but the way she was being depicted as a statue was both majestic and terrifying.
"Now, to find Luz." Amity drew a small spell circle over her engagement ring. Immediately, a line shot out of the ring and towards the front door. "Let's go."
The front door was blasted open; and Amity ran in, followed by Sasha and Marcy. They followed the line that Amity had drawn with her spell. Oddly enough, there did not seem to be any guards as nobody responded when they broke in.
"So, this line connects to Luz?" Sasha asked as she ran alongside Amity.
"Yeah, I spent weeks coming up with the spell. It's a way for us to find each other," Amity explained.
"Oh, like the 'Red String of Fate'," Marcy summarised.
"Yes, like that," Amity agreed as they ran through the hall before turning to face a door. "Here."
"The supply closet?" Sasha asked again, but Amity did not waste time and blasted the door to pieces with a fireball. Instead of a closet full of mops, brooms and cleaning items, there was a set of stairs that led down below the school. "Not a supply closet."
They ran down the stairs, with Amity praying to the Titan that Luz was OK.
After her delicious meal, Luz was asked to speak with the cultists. They had been waiting for years, praying for her return. Her inner demon was touched by their devotion, but Luz just could not fathom the amount of fanaticism the cult held for Empress Oscura. After everything she had done, it just seemed so surreal, but these people worshipped power and Empress Oscura had been the pinnacle of it.
The chapel was decorated with banners that had her magic circle woven into the fabric, and there was an altar that Luz feared would be used for a bloody sacrifice. Bria guided her behind the altar as candles were lit at each corner. Additional light was provided via light spells that covered the room in a purple glow.
Luz took a deep breath. She needed to play along and buy some time so she could figure out a plan.
"My devoted followers, I stand before you, as I have returned to the Boiling Isles. I know I have been gone for too long and you have heard of my demise. Yet, as you can see, the news of my death has been greatly exaggerated."
Luz observed as they silently listened, hanging onto her every word.
'This is my chance. I can correct the mistakes I made and turn this around! I just need to convince them that there's a better way! I can turn this cult into a force for good rather than a gaggle of dark fanatics!'
'I could list all the ways why that's not going to work.'
'Well, it's a good thing I don't give a crap what you think!'
Luz was determined now. These people weren't evil, they weren't monsters, they were just misguided for believing in a false messiah. It was like the people of the Boiling Isles when Belos was in charge, but she was not Belos. She had the power to shift their way of thinking, and all she needed to do was move them with her words. If successful, the Boiling Isles would truly have nothing to fear from them.
'This can work, I know it can!'
The cultists watched as Luz stood up a little straighter and puffed out her chest. Her newfound confidence and determination showed in her stance and her gaze, invigorating the crowd as they waited to hear what else their Empress - their goddess - would say.
"The truth is that I was in another world, the Human Realm, so I could heal. During my time away, I rediscovered something I lost before: hope. I can share this hope with you, show you the way, because hope gives me strength and it can give you strength as well."
The cultists began to murmur amongst themselves as they pondered their Empress' discovery.
"The power of hope is strong. It gives us strength when even all else feels impossible. Yes, I gained great power, but my hope was hanging on by a thread. And then, what was left of it was shredded to nothingness, bringing me to the edge of madness, condemning this world to destruction!" Luz pounded the altar as she furrowed her brow, but smiled as she continued, "But I have new hope, and I stand here today to bring you that hope! So that the Boiling Isles, and you, my followers, can move forward into a new and brighter future!"
The crowd cheered loudly upon hearing this declaration. Even Bria was moved to tears.
"OS-CU-RA!"
"OS-CU-RA!"
"OS-CU-RA!"
"OS-CU-RA!"
"OS-CU–!"
The chanting instantly ceased as the doors to the chapel were busted wide open. The cultists, Bria, and Luz looked in that direction. The Latina gasped.
"Luz!" Amity shouted as she burst into the chapel with Sasha and Marcy.
Bria's brow furrowed as she gazed upon the intruders and shouted, "HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT THE SERMON OF OUR EMPRESS!? FOLLOWERS, PREPARE FOR BATTLE! EXPEL THESE INTRUDERS!"
The cultists immediately wielded swords, axes, and knives, and even drew spell circles, all ready to fight and kill Amity, Sasha, and Marcy for their trespasses against their Empress.
But Luz was panicking, for two reasons...
'NO! I HAD THEM! I WAS SO CLOSE! Ugh, never mind that! They're going to get piled on if I don't do something! That or Amity will most likely kill them all if I don't. Uh…uh… Ah-ha!'
"MY FOLLOWERS, HEED MY COMMAND: STAY YOUR WEAPONS AND HALT YOUR SPELLS! SO SAY YOUR EMPRESS!" Luz shouted as she held out her right hand with a flourish, making her cape flap from her swift motion.
It was only now that Amity took a good look at Luz, and gasped. Her fiancée was once again dressed in the imperial garb of Empress Oscura. It was a sight that she had never thought she would ever see again, at least not in this lifetime. Amity's hands shook a bit as memories of their past started to resurface. Fear started to creep into her heart, fear that these crazy fanatics might've brainwashed Luz to become Empress Oscura again.
"What the hell? W-Why is Luz dressed like that?" Sasha questioned.
"You don't think that they…brainwashed her, do you?" Marcy asked.
"Luz…please, tell me this isn't happening," Amity whispered.
Bria turned her attention back to Luz, giving her an expression of disbelief.
"My Empress, they just barged into our sacred hall! This is a blasphemous offence to you! These intruders must be punished!" Bria protested. "Even more so since one of them is none other than Amity Blight! She was part of the rebellion that ended your reign, and was at one time a recurring assassin of yours!"
Luz shot Bria her infamous glare, which instantly made the witch cower.
"Bria, are you intentionally seeking to piss me off?" Luz challenged with an edge in her voice.
"No! No! My Empress, I would do nothing to anger you!" Bria denied.
"Then tell me why I shouldn't stop you all from killing my betrothed?!"
The cultists and Bria looked at Luz with shock.
"Empress Oscura, are you saying that…you and Amity Blight are engaged?" Bria gasped.
Luz crossed her arms as she shot them all a confident smirk.
"Yes, we are. One of the other things I managed to do during my little sabbatical was convert Amity Blight! She has seen the light of my brilliance and power! And as such, she has sworn to give herself to me in body, heart, mind, and soul!" Luz slammed her hands onto the altar, hard, causing Bria and the cultists to jump. "AND IF ANY OF YOU SO MUCH AS HARM ONE HAIR ON HER HEAD, I'LL INCINERATE THIS ENTIRE CASTLE UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT! I'LL EVEN MAKE SURE I ERASE YOUR SOULS IF I HAVE TO! AM I UNDERSTOOD?!"
The cultists immediately dropped their weapons and dismissed their spell circles before they dropped to their knees and bowed their heads to the floor.
"YES, MY EMPRESS!"
It was at this moment that Amity understood what was going on. At least, she hoped she understood. Luz did not possess that kind of power. Even with the Oscura Buckle, she didn't have nearly the same level of power as she did back then as Empress Oscura.
'This is a bluff! It has to be! Okay, then we just need to play along,' Amity surmised.
"M-My Empress, begging your pardon, but who are the other two humans then? If Amity Blight is your betrothed, then who are they?" Bria inquired.
'SHIIIIIIIIT!'
"Oh, them? They're my…my…MY CONCUBINES!" Luz announced. "Do not misunderstand me, I have nothing but the deepest of love for my betrothed, but she and I agreed that having a couple of side pieces isn't cheating. And these two have more than proven themselves both on the battlefield and in bed. Speaking of which, now that they have arrived, I'm feeling a little frisky. This meeting is adjourned, I wish to have some privacy with my betrothed and my sexy little concubines."
Sasha was moving her mouth up and down, trying to find the words to express herself in this moment but each time failing. She couldn't have heard that right. Luz Noceda, just called her a concubine, a freaking sex slave!
While Sasha was steadily building to a boil, Marcy's mind was fast at work trying to figure out Luz's angle. However, it didn't take long when she glanced over at Amity and saw the expression she was making.
"NOCEDA, WHA– MMMPH!" Marcy hurriedly smacked her hand over Sasha's mouth and made the best seductive expression she could muster at that moment.
"You'll have to forgive Sasha, she's very high-spirited. Our Mistress takes great pleasure in dominating her into submission," Marcy excused.
"Mmmph hmmmuuuph?! (Excuse me?!)"
Amity understood where this was going and quickly adopted her old persona, that of the Alpha witch of her old high school days.
"Sorry, beloved. You know Sasha: she's got a mouth on her, but she knows how to use it when it counts," Amity smirked like her old self.
Sasha shot a glare at Amity as if saying, "Oh, not you too!"
Marcy reached behind Sasha and made the blonde yelp when she pinched her rear.
"Sashy, play along! We are not in the best position right now," Marcy whispered.
Sasha glanced about the area, groaning in annoyance upon realising that they were a little outnumbered and they didn't exactly know what these witches and demons were capable of. A brawl wouldn't bode well for them right now. With little choice, Sasha rolled her eyes and nodded her head. Seeing her compliance, Marcy removed her hand so Sasha could speak.
"Forgive me…My Empress, I spoke out of line." Sasha gave a slight bow. "I meant no offence."
Luz crossed her arms, smirking as she looked down at Sasha and remarked, "Hmm, you'll be receiving some light punishment from Amity and me. But we'll decide on that once we're in my private chamber."
"Umm…" Bria started.
Luz glanced at her High Priestess.
"Yes, Bria?"
"M-Might I join you, Empress?" Bria asked tentatively.
Luz's right eye twitched, her cheeks reddening at the offer.
"Uh, ahem, Bria, you have much to do before we get to any of that. Once the Boiling Isles is back under my control, me, my betrothed and my concubines will lavish you with the praise you deserve," Luz promised (lied).
Bria's face lit up red at the possibility of becoming intimate with her goddess.
"I understand, My Empress! It'll make the moment all the sweeter once you're truly back at the apex of your power!" Bria clapped her hands and the other cultists stood at attention. "Please escort the Empress and her entourage to her chamber!"
"And we are not to be disturbed!" Luz added. "I don't like any interruptions while I'm having fun, am I understood?!"
The cultists led Luz and the others to her private chamber. Once they were inside, Luz turned around to the cultists and shot a death glare their way.
"Remember, I am not to be disturbed for any reason. If I even think you're outside my door listening in on my fun, I'll personally gut you all and put you on display as an example for the next set of people who think eavesdropping is tolerated! Am I understood?!" Luz ordered.
"Y-YES, MY EMPRESS!" the cultists shouted in unison before quickly vacating the hall.
Luz glanced up and down the hall a couple of times, and sighed with relief after seeing that they had done as she ordered. The Latina closed the door and slumped her back against it. However, the moment she did, Sasha appeared in front of her and slammed her right hand against the door, making her jump.
"So, Mistress, Marcy and I are your 'concubines', your little pet sex slaves, huh?"
"S-Sasha, please calm down…"
"Out of all the damn things you could've said, you chose concubines?!" Sasha yelled with a twitching left eye.
"I panicked, OK!? It was the first thing that popped into my head!" Luz explained. "Anyway, it worked, didn't it? They didn't attack you, and now we're safe for the time being."
"You make me wonder sometimes, Noceda! Is this just your way of playing out some dirty little fantasy of yours, huh?!" Sasha accused. "I knew it! You have been after Marcy and me this whole time! You've wanted our bodies! Admit it!"
Marcy walked over to gently grab Sasha by the shoulders and pull her girlfriend away from Luz.
"C'mon, Sashy, she was just trying to keep us safe. I mean, yeah, she could've said we were her royal consorts instead, but at least we're okay," Marcy defended.
"How the hell is 'royal consort' any better?" Sasha snorted.
"Well, 'concubines' denotes that we're just her personal sex slaves, while 'royal consorts' makes it sound like we're sex slaves but also her lovers. Or even better, Luz could've said royal harem!"
Amity, Luz, and Sasha gave Marcy a deadpan look.
"What?" the Taiwanese girl innocently asked.
"Marcy's sexual fantasies aside–" Amity started.
"Hey!"
"Those cult freaks didn't hurt you, did they?" Amity asked worriedly.
Luz moved away from the door, walked across the room, and then sat down at the edge of her huge bed.
"The opposite, really. Ever since I got here, they've treated me with overwhelming reverence, fear, and respect. They bathed me in this luxuriously huge bath–"
"WHOA! HOLD ON!" Amity interrupted. "They bathed you?! As in, they took your clothes off and had their hands all over you?! Who were they?! I'm going to–!"
"No, no, batata! They didn't molest me or anything! If anything, they were very careful," Luz stated. "One did accidentally touch me down there, but it was an accident."
"Oh, that's alright, I guess," Amity reluctantly conceded.
"And ay dios mío, I was given the most amazing massage of my entire life!" Luz smiled, remembering Sven's heavenly massage.
Amity's left eye twitched.
"I'm sorry, am I hearing correctly that at least multiple people had their hands all over you?!" Amity frothed.
"H-h-hey, I said they didn't do anything sus! I swear, Amity!" Luz pleaded.
"One of them touched you in your special spot! How is that not sus?!" Amity shouted in outrage. The pink-haired witch then took deep, calming breaths. She wanted to believe her lover's words, and she chose to...for now.
"Then they gave me this outfit…ugh… Afterwards, they took me to this big dining hall and made me a meal."
"A meal?" Marcy questioned suspiciously. "They didn't spike it with potions, did they?"
"No, strange as it may sound, I believe Bria when she said that they took great care to make sure no poisons or potions slipped into it. They even made me a freaking steak!" Luz exclaimed.
"Steak?! Seriously?" Sasha incredulously questioned.
"I kinda don't want to know where they got the meat. But they have apparently been studying up on human cuisine, as well as what foods I could eat. And then there was the entertainment…"
"Oh, Titan, what now?" Amity sighed in exasperation.
"Uh, well, they kinda had music – good music at that – and, well…they had dancers."
"Not sounding too bad so far," Sasha commented.
"Two of which were female and were wearing, basically, the very definition of string bikinis, and two males that were just wearing loincloths."
Sasha couldn't keep her face from going bright red as she imagined a couple of hot girls and hot guys dancing practically naked. Marcy saw this, grumbled, and lightly elbowed her girlfriend in the side.
"I can dance sexy and dress sexy if I wanted to, you know?" Marcy whined.
"I-I know! Mar-Mar, I'm not– it's just– help me out here, Blight!" Sasha begged as she had a bi panic attack.
Amity kept her arms crossed, but could not hide the blush on her face.
"So, they bathed you, massaged you, gave you a lavish meal with…provocative entertainment, and then it looks like you were giving them a speech of some kind," Amity summarised. "Sounds like you had…fun."
"If we take everything you've told us into account…I think we can safely assume these cultists see you not just as an empress but as a living goddess. Luckily that fear and reverence makes it so that they follow your commands, which is a plus," Marcy noted. "Still…"
"I know," Luz sighed. "They're clinging onto who I was from four years ago: a monster."
Sasha looked at Luz and asked, "What I don't get is, why haven't you gone Rider and busted these cult freaks up already?"
Luz raised two fingers and listed, "Two reasons - one: they took my Driver, so I can't transform right now. And two: even though I have the light, fire and ice glyphs, they're not enough for me to effectively fight through these guys who can use magic. And despite my fighting skills, I'm woefully underpowered against them without my Rider gear."
"Good point," Sasha accepted. "And yet, when we got here, we could've taken them on. So, why didn't you let us take care of them?"
Luz grabbed onto her left arm with her right hand, giving it a squeeze as she lowered her gaze.
"Because they're not in their right minds, and it's all my fault. These cultists were originally students in this school, including Bria. And she's only like that because I praised her, I made her believe in me… made them all believe in Oscura…"
Amity could see where this was going and sat down next to Luz as she draped her left arm over her fiancée's shoulders.
"Luz, you are not responsible for them. Empress Oscura is the one they worship. You're not her, and you haven't been for four years. If they can't move on then that's their problem, not yours," Amity stated reassuringly.
"It is my problem, Amity," Luz argued. "I can't just walk away from this."
"What do you plan on doing?" Marcy inquired. "We can't stay here forever. And if you leave, what then?"
"Look, I don't think they're too far gone. Eda told us that they haven't hurt anyone, they just worship me – as unpopular as that is right now – but other than that, no attacks, no killings, no sacrifices. They're just like a really, really, really dedicated fan club!"
"Yes, that's a cult," Sasha translated. "Luz, c'mon, you can't possibly think you can save these people, do you?"
"Why not?!" Luz retorted. "I was saved! I was able to come out of the darkness!"
'So you think.'
"I'm not about to abandon them! Maybe I can turn things around! Maybe I can make them see that I was just a flawed person, just a girl who was hurting so bad she wanted to make everyone else hurt as bad as she did! That's not someone anyone should worship! Just…" Luz released a deep sigh. "Just give me some time, please. I can't go back, not yet. I still have to fix this mistake, just like I did with the lives I took, just like how we're fighting to get Anne back."
Sasha and Marcy went silent.
Amity growled a little. She did not like this at all.
"Luz, there's a few ways this ends and all of them range from bittersweet to terrible. Best case scenario: you manage to convince them that you aren't the goddess that they see you as. But in the process, you create a splinter faction that goes against them; and they become even more radical than these guys and decide to be aggressive rather than passive," Amity argued.
Marcy rubbed the back of her head as she sadly added, "It's true, history is filled with organisations that often have a splinter cell that takes the ideals of the group they split from and takes them to a whole different extreme. Which typically ends up with people getting hurt or killed…"
"The worst-case scenario: they don't believe you, they continue to worship you, and decide to wage war on the Boiling Isles since they have their great leader back," Amity finished.
"I hate to say it, Noceda: but no matter which way you slice it, these guys are going down. About the only thing you can do – if at all – is figure out how badly they'll be hurt when they hit the ground," Sasha added.
"UGH!" Luz shot up from the bed, took a few steps and then turned to stare down her friends and fiancée. "WHY DON'T YOU GUYS TRUST ME?! CAN'T YOU TRUST THAT I CAN AT LEAST DO THIS MUCH?! Just like before…"
Amity's eyes widened. For a moment, the image of her fiancée shifted. She was no longer looking at the young woman who had managed to make a new life. Instead, she saw the hurt and sad fourteen-year-old version of Luz with a look that begged her to help. When Amity blinked again, she saw Luz as she was now.
'Not again,' Amity thought in dismay.
The pink-haired witch stood up. She stared into the eyes of her beloved and gave an answer that shocked Sasha and Marcy...
"Okay, let's do it," Amity decided.
"WHAT?!" Sasha exclaimed.
"Amity, you're not serious, are you?" Marcy questioned.
"I made the mistake of not helping you when you needed me most, Luz. I won't make that mistake again. I refuse to let history repeat itself," Amity swore.
"Mi amor…"
"We'll do what we can. We'll try and convince them. But, Luz, I want you to promise me something: promise me that after this is over, you won't hesitate and do what you have to do. I understand that you want to help them and that you want to sway them from the path of darkness, but if they become a real threat to the Boiling Isles…"
Luz reached out and took Amity's hands firmly into her own.
"I won't hesitate," Luz promised. "Just like you said, we won't let history repeat itself. I won't let them hurt a single person in this world."
Sasha glanced at Marcy, and Marcy to Sasha. A silent agreement seemed to have been reached between them. The two human girls stood on either side of Amity and each placed a hand on Luz's shoulders.
"To be honest, I think you're batshit crazy to want to help these freaks…but considering I gave you so much shit before, I owe you. So, I'll help out," Sasha volunteered.
"You won't be in this alone, you'll have us, your friends," Marcy added, smiling reassuringly.
Luz began to shed some tears as she hugged Amity, while Sasha and Marcy wrapped their arms around the couple.
"Thank you, guys," Luz said gratefully.
"Just one thing," Sasha interjected.
"What?"
"You're gonna clear up the whole 'concubine' thing."
"Really?" Amity deadpanned.
"I agree, we should be your royal harem instead," Marcy proposed.
"I can work with that," Luz teased.
"Denied!" Amity and Sasha rejected in unison. Luz and Marcy pouted.
"Our girlfriends are no fun sometimes, Marce."
"I know, but we still love them anyway."
*Knock, Knock*
"Crap! Get down!" Luz quickly lurched forward, causing herself and the girls to stumble backwards until they hit the bed. The door slowly opened, and Bria popped her head in.
"E-excuse me, My Empress. I know you said not to disturb you, but I was wondering…" Bria stopped when she witnessed what was unfolding before her.
All three girls had somehow ended up piled onto the bed, with Luz on top of them in a rather suggestive manner. Luz's right knee was precariously positioned between Amity's legs, while Luz's hands were currently pressed atop Sasha and Marcy's breasts respectively. The Latina shot Bria a death glare as she looked at the witch from over her shoulder.
"BRIA! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT DISTURBING ME?!" Luz yelled.
"S-s-sorry, My Empress! I'm sorry! I-I just wanted to know if you preferred to have them changed into a more suitable attire!"
All four girls looked at Bria with confusion and repeated at the same time, "'Suitable attire'?"
Bria opened the door a little more and rolled in a rack with…various skimpy clothing options. It was generous to call them 'clothing' as most of them left very little to the imagination, some provided a full view of the more private and intimate areas of the female anatomy.
"N-n-no, Bria! Neither I nor my beloved or concubines require that! The only state of dress I want them in is a state of undress! Now get the hell out!" Luz gave Marcy and Sasha's breasts a squeeze and pushed her knee against Amity's crotch, eliciting a yelp from all three at the same time. "We just finished our discussion about Sasha's punishment, and we were about to get busy!"
"My apologies, My Empress! I'm deeply sorry! I should've known better. Concubines are better without clothing, of course! I promise, no more interruptions!"
"Wait!" Luz halted her. "Bria, if you are leaving, then I want my things returned to me."
"Yes, I understand, My Empress! Your items will be returned to you!"
Bria hurriedly got out of the room, closing the door behind her. Luz let out a deep sigh, relieved that they managed to fool her. When she looked back at the girls, all three of them had varied expressions: Sasha was blushing and looked ready to punch Luz right in the face. Amity was red in the face and looked caught between wanting to also assault her and possibly wanting to go further. Marcy…well…she was blushing too, but her gaze was transfixed on Luz's hand which was still groping her left breast.
"Uh…I…Uh…" Luz stammered.
"You dirty little–!" Sasha growled.
"AAH!" Luz screamed as she quickly got off the three. Sasha jumped off the bed and went to grab Luz, but the Latina dodged. "I'm sorry! I had to think on my feet!"
"Your perverted feet, you mean! Now come over here and take your punishment!" Sasha exclaimed.
'Ooh~, kinky!' Luz's inner demon cackled.
'YOU ARE NOT HELPING!' Luz mentally screamed at her inner demon.
Amity and Marcy watched as Sasha chased Luz around the room, believing that they would let the blonde inflict her punishment on the Latina for a minute or two before the two girlfriends inevitably pulled the blonde away.
The Game Master was watching the events unfold in the Demon Realm.
"Even when given the opportunity to return home, Oscura still decides to stay for what she believes to be an important reason," he observed. "History repeats itself."
Another holographic screen suddenly appeared in front of him, showing that he was receiving a call from the DGP's Producer. Taking off his mask, Mr. Butler pressed his hand on the screen to accept it.
"Mr. Producer," Mr. Butler greeted as the producer, Niram, appeared in holographic form in the Game Master's chamber.
{It would appear that your game in the Demon Realm has yet to conclude,} Niram observed.
"There were complications when transporting the players back, sir," Mr. Butler excused. "But rest assured, this will be resolved and we can go ahead with the reset. However, I believe we should let it play out."
{Oh?} Niram raised an eyebrow. {Please, explain, Butler.}
Mr. Butler opened another holographic screen, which showed the viewership of the current season and the numbers were only rising.
"I believe sending Oscura to the Demon Realm has netted us higher ratings, as you can see here," Mr. Butler pointed out. "And I have read the comments as well. The audience demands more drama."
{I see, and from what I've gathered, Oscura's story is full of it. Not to mention a good dose of hope and tragedy.}
"I say we let the story play out until the very end," Mr. Butler proposed. "After all, as you have said before, 'The best entertainment is raw reality, not edited fiction'."
{Indeed. Please continue to monitor the situation. I'll be watching, Game Master.}
The hologram vanished, and the Game Master turned his attention back to the Demon Realm. He already sent camera drones to capture and stream every single moment. This could be their greatest season yet.
The Game Master returned his attention to the holographic screen that was displaying the contestants. It was then that he noticed Soaron had wrestled Oscura to the ground, putting her in a headlock from behind as the Latina gagged and tapped on the blonde's arm repeatedly in an attempt to desperately tell her that she had given up.
{Do you like this, 'Mistress'?! Shall I choke you harder, Mistress?!} Sasha yelled as she tightened the headlock a little.
{ACK…! MERCY…! I'M TAPPING OUT…! I'M TAPPING OUT…!} Luz choked out.
{Okay, Sasha, that's enough! Luz is turning blue!} Marcy warned.
{Nah, I think she can last a minute longer,} Amity allowed.
{T-T-TRAI…TOR…!}
"Entertaining, indeed."
It was no software error that prevented Tsumuri from transporting Oscura back. Rather, when the Game Master discovered the girl was missing, he decided to prevent her return to create more drama. It was what the audience craved and as a Game Master, his duty was to make the DGP as entertaining as possible while still adhering to the rules. However, that did not prevent him from bending the rules.
{Uh, Noceda? Hey, Noceda? Oops…}
{AAH! Luz, wake up!}
{I told you to stop!}
{I'm sorry! I was mad and in the heat of the moment!}
Mr. Butler deadpanned. "Entertaining…and yet incredibly dysfunctional."
Well now, this is a development.
Our young heroes thought that the game was over but, as it turns out, it has only just begun.
Can Luz prevail in changing the cult?
Or is she doomed to go down a slippery slope that threatens to awaken her darker persona?
The suspense is palpable, isn't it?