Sitting in a comfortable chair, Wilmarina Noscrim stroked the head of the baby in her arms.
"She's quiet," whispered the young man with wavy brown hair seated across from her. "A lot quieter than her big sister at her age."
"All children are different," Wilmarina said. She gently patted one of the baby's ears, which were triangular and covered in green fur.
Since Primera—one of her fellow wives—was currently out of the house for work, Wilmarina was helping take care of the werewolf-elf's younger daughter. Taking care of a baby, even a relatively quiet one, might be seen as a burden for many people. But for someone as experienced at motherhood as Wilmarina, it was a trivial chore.
"So, Louis, when will you be having children of your own?" Wilmarina asked teasingly.
Louis blushed. "Th-That's still a bit early… It's something me, Gloria and June haven't really talked about yet…"
"Well, you three had best start talking about it soon," Wilmarina continued. "You're getting married just next month, after all."
"G-Guess so…" Louis said. His hazel eyes were filled with nervousness.
"I know that children can be a difficult subject," Wilmarina said. "Perhaps you could try easing into it. For example, you could start by talking about some of your friends who already have children, and their experiences."
Louis nodded slowly. "I'll give it a try. Thanks for the advice, Auntie Mary."
Louis was not a biological child of Wilmarina or any of her fellow wives—indeed, as monsters, they were no longer capable of bearing sons. He was originally an orphan from the orphanage that Sasha used to run. He was only a two-year-old at the time of the Fall of Lescatie, and while the older orphans had been adopted by various carers, young Louis had stubbornly refused to let go of Sasha's skirt. Eventually, an apologetic Sasha had asked if Louis could be adopted into the large family that already comprised herself, Wilmarina and several others.
And our family has grown larger since then… Wilmarina mused. When Louis does marry, will our family grow even larger, due to the addition of his wives and eventually children, or smaller, since Louis will be moving out? I suppose it's a matter of definitions.
"Anyway, how about I take over holding Priscilla?" Louis suggested. "You need some rest, Auntie Mary, and I could use the practice with… with children."
"Thank you for the offer," Wilmarina said, carefully handing over the baby. "Then I will go and check on the state of that stew that's cooking…"
Wilmarina stood up, left the room and began walking down a corridor.
It feels like only yesterday that he was still playing around, spending each night in the bed of a different woman. Now he's due to be married and making an effort to be responsible.
I wonder when my own daughters will do the same? …I suspect it will take at least a few years. With each one having different reasons for the delay…
She turned around a corner and passed by a closed door. Faintly audible through the door were moans of delight.
Elt and Mersé… Wilmarina thought. Should I join them?
That thought caused her body to heat up, among other responses.
N-No, if I join in now, I won't be leaving that room until at least sunset… if no one else thinks to check on the stew, it may overcook.
Thus, with great reluctance in her step, Wilmarina moved past the door.
Wilmarina reached the kitchen of the house. It was spacious and—despite being used to prepare the food of over twenty people—remarkably clean. Along one wall was a row of magic-powered stoves, one of which was occupied by a massive pot.
Picking up a ladle, Wilmarina opened the lid of the pot and had a taste of the contents.
It should cook for at least another half hour… and it's currently a smidgen too bland.
Wilmarina opened up a cabinet filled with a hundred different herbs and spices. She selected a small bottle with a spice blend that Mimil had prepared—the witch had recently gained an interest in cooking, and this was one of her products. Wilmarina put a pinch of the contents into the pot and stirred.
That's done. Wilmarina glanced at a clock that hung in the kitchen. It's almost time to begin roasting the pork for dinner. I'll start preparing it now…
Wilmarina took out a massive slab of pork from the kitchen's icebox, then rapidly cut it into pieces with a cleaver. She'd begun lathering it in sauce when someone else entered the kitchen.
"Oh, Mother!" said Elise, the younger of Wilmarina's twin daughters and a twenty-year-old succubus. She looked quite like her mother, except her blue hair was shorter and—out of a whim two years ago—she'd magically reduced her bust size. She currently wore a sleeveless grey dress. "Colette is working on this incredible experiment, you should come and see!"
"How long will that take?" Wilmarina asked.
"She's already set up, so it should only be a few minutes," Elise replied.
Wilmarina looked down at the pork pieces. There would be no problems with leaving these alone for just a few minutes.
"Alright, I'll watch…"
Wilmarina and Elise walked out of the kitchen. The latter was in front, her tail swishing cheerfully as she went.
They arrived at a dimly lit room filled with various kinds of magical equipment, including glyphs scattered over the floor, piles of gems and a shelf packed with staves. Already in this room were two people.
One was a plump alraune with green skin, long and untidy silver hair, pink eyes and pink petals. She wore a loose-fitting shirt on her humanoid body and nothing else. She was currently busy setting out gems on a particularly large and complicated glyph, one gem for every intersection of lines. This was Colette, Mersé's third daughter and a talented student in magical research. Her race was very different from her serpentine mother's, something possible thanks to echidnas being able to produce offspring of almost any race of monster.
The other was a succubus who slightly resembled Elise and Wilmarina, but she'd dyed most of her hair blonde, turned her wing membranes insect-like to follow a recent fashion trend, and obtained silver piercings in her ears, nose, navel and even the tip of her tail. Her attire exposed more skin than it covered, consisting of a pink crop top, black shorts cut just below the level of her hips, and gold bracelets. This was Amelia, the older of Wilmarina's twin daughters and… talented in fields that weren't very productive to society, in Wilmarina's opinion.
Colette looked up. "Auntie Mary? Thanks for coming!" she said. "You're about to see something amazing!"
"I'm relatively free at the moment, so it's the least I can do," Wilmarina said. "But why are you here, Amelia?"
"What, I can't be here to support her too?" Amelia said, rolling her eyes.
"H-Hey, no fighting!" Colette said.
"I'm the one who called her here, Mother," Elise said quickly. "After helping Colette with the first step, I went around looking for anyone interested in seeing the experiment. I also tried Father and Auntie Mersé, but, well…"
"I understand now," Wilmarina said. "But hold on, you said you helped Colette with her experiment. Isn't your field very different from hers?"
"Yes, but the first step was some basic theory that I could still contribute to," Elise replied. "Bouncing ideas off each other, essentially."
"I see… then just what is the experiment about?" Wilmarina asked. "You didn't explain it before bringing me here."
"Oh, oh, let me say it!" Colette interjected, holding up a hand and a few strands of ivy. "This is something that's going to change the world! Spatial transfer, or portals, that anyone can make use of, without needing great power or skill!"
"That… would certainly change the world," Wilmarina said.
But is Colette likely to achieve this today? Convenient portal creation is something that's been pursued by countless individuals and groups throughout history. Scholars who've been researching the mysteries of spatial magic for centuries have failed. Even today, it is a feat of gods or powerful monsters, or enchantments cast by the same.
Wilmarina kept these thoughts to herself. Discouraging Colette now wouldn't be beneficial. Even if the experiment failed at its intended purpose, it might yield useful information for future experiments.
"Okay, then I'll start!"
Colette pressed her hands together. Wilmarina felt a strong aura of mana from her—well, strong for a fifteen-year-old monster. And the gems on the glyph before her began glowing with white light.
The three succubi in the room watched intently. Even Amelia, who was normally more interested in maintaining her appearance and chatting with friends, watched intently.
The gems rose up from the glyph and began revolving around a white light that formed in their centre. It was like flies buzzing around a light, or perhaps planets orbiting a star.
"This is only a small-scale experiment," Colette explained, her focus never breaking. "Even if it works, it'd be a portal you could only fit a… maybe a finger through. Obviously, I'm not going to put my finger through, I've got some things on that table over there to test."
The light in the centre slowly but steadily grew larger. Wilmarina held her breath, and suspected the others were doing the same.
Could this actually work? Even a small portal would already be useful, such as for delivering letters or small parcels. And if the theory is proven, it shouldn't take much more to create larger portals…
Then the light's growth accelerated. In just two seconds, it went from finger-sized to boulder-sized. It also wasn't even in shape, with countless tendrils of varying lengths, like some misshapen sea urchin. The orbiting gems were consumed by it.
"Wait, something's wrong!" Colette screamed. "This shouldn't be—!"
Wilmarina reacted as soon as Colette finished saying "wrong". Moving faster than an arrow, she grabbed the three younger monsters using her arms and tail.
Must get out of the room—!
But before Wilmarina could reach the door, she felt an intense suction pulling her back, stronger than a hurricane-force wind. She dug her feet into the carpeted floor, but the carpet simply ripped.
"Why!?" "What's happening!?" "Someone, help!"
I refuse to let them get drawn in—ice, come to me!
Twin masses of ice formed around Wilmarina's legs, each reaching up to her ankles, anchoring her in place. This caused her to feel agony as the rest of her body still felt the suction, but she held fast with every bit of her strength.
Just a little longer…! The others in the house should have sensed this disturbance, and with their help—
"MOM, LOOK BEHIND!"
Hearing Amelia's shout, Wilmarina looked over her shoulder. The distorted portal hadn't stopped growing, and its tendrils had almost reached her back.
Too late…! Then I have to at least—
She tried to throw the three girls forward, to improve their chances even slightly. Before she could do that, her ice anchors were torn away from the floor.
All four monsters were drawn into the portal.
For a few seconds, Wilmarina felt herself tumble through—the void? The space in between everywhere else? All she knew was that she was surrounded by chaotically shifting colours, she felt no clear direction of gravity, and she could not let go of the girls.
"It's alright!" Wilmarina shouted, even as she herself didn't believe it. "I'm here with you!"
She heard some screamed responses. There was no time for a proper conversation, for a few seconds after entering the void, they exited it just as abruptly.
Wilmarina saw herself falling towards a dirt surface. She twisted around so as to land on her feet, then released the ice on her feet so it would no longer hinder her.
Then she looked around, and her heart sank.
"Girls," Wilmarina said quietly. She released her grip on the three. "Stay next to me, and don't say anything."
They were now surrounded by walls and ceiling of canvas, suggesting a pavilion of some sort. Lighting was provided by four torches that burned with purple flames. Humans in black robes stood in a circle around Wilmarina's group. And, scattered over the ground…
"A-Are those—!?" Elise gasped.
Colette let out a soft cry of terror, then a sound of rustling petals—she had closed up her flower to hide her body. She'd never been good around strangers.
Surrounding Wilmarina's group were eight dead humans: two babies, two children of perhaps eight or nine years, two young adults and two grey-haired elders, each pair with one male and one female. All had been killed by slitting their throats. Moreover, the blood spilled from their veins had gathered to form a pattern on the ground. A pattern with a vague yet disturbing resemblance to the glyph Colette had just used.
"It succeeded…"
"The ritual succeeded!"
The mages who'd performed this ritual—this summoning ritual, Wilmarina realised—spoke a language she had never heard. It was not the tongue used throughout the world. Nor was it Old Lescatian or Ancient Lescatian, languages that she'd been taught as part of her education as a Lescatian aristocrat. It didn't even sound like Dragonian, Zipangese or other languages she'd heard little of. However, the jubilation in the mages' voices and expressions was obvious.
Wilmarina held out her hand and silently called to her familiar partner.
If this is some strange location, or these mages have made preparations, then this may not work…
But her fears proved groundless. The demonic sword Orufoyu appeared, filling her hand with its familiar weight.
The mages immediately flinched in shock and fear. It seemed that summoning a weapon wasn't an everyday occurrence for them.
Good… that means they should be less of a threat than I first feared…
"O Great Demons, we beseech you, do not turn your wrath on us," one of the mages said fearfully. "We only ask of your power to crush our foes, and in return, you will receive fitting tribute!"
"A-Are the bindings working?" another mage asked their fellows. "Th-They should not be able to harm us, so as long everything was done correctly!"
Wilmarina frowned. She had some idea of what was going on, but she wouldn't be able to learn more so long as this language barrier remained.
There's a risk in doing this… but there's also risk in knowing nothing.
Wilmarina used her free hand to point at her own face. "Wilmarina Noscrim," she said. She then pointed at the ground beneath her feet. "Ground." She pointed at the mages surrounding them, moving her finger from one to the other. "…Humans."
The mages blinked in confusion. Soon enough, their apparent leader pointed at himself and said, "Markas. I am… Markas. I am a human, a sorcerer."
"Wait, Markas," a different sorcerer said. "If we are to teach them language… perhaps it would be more effective to teach them High Valyrian instead, as it is more widely useful than our own."
Markas seemed to agree with this. "Yes. Then…" he switched to a clearly different language, one that sounded more musical. "I am Markas. I am a human, a sorcerer."
This exchange continued for over twenty minutes, both sides learning more and more about each other's languages. Wilmarina returned her sword to the pocket dimension where it was normally stored—she could always draw it again if needed. Her daughters and stepdaughter did not participate in the conversation.
I now know that we are outside the city of Meereen, in a region known as Slaver's Bay, Wilmarina thought. Outside this pavilion is an alliance of armies from various places, including Yunkai, New Ghis, Tolos, Mantarys, Elyria, Qarth…
…And I have never heard of any of those places. At the very least, we have been summoned to a continent far from the one we know. Alternatively… this may be a separate dimension, similar to Wonderland…
At one point, Wilmarina and the lead warlock pointed at the dead humans and said their respective words for "corpse". That caused Amelia and Elise to shudder in revulsion. Colette showed no such reaction, mainly because she was still closed up.
Making these girls see such things, even if it wasn't fully intentional… is something I cannot forgive. But for now, I can't afford to show any of my feelings.
At another point, a warlock left the pavilion to fetch someone who was "our great and noble master." As she pushed past the exit flap, Wilmarina glimpsed darkness and rows of tents.
It is night here… at the very least, the time here is different to that of our home.
By the time the warlock finally returned, Wilmarina had learned hundreds of words as well as basic grammatical rules. It was not a moment too soon.
A human man entered the pavilion along with the returning warlock. He looked to be in his fifties, with grey hair and a wrinkled, round face. He was richly dressed in a garment of green and blue silk, one that required him to keep it in place with one hand.
"The ritual succeeded…" he said. "You've summoned four, clearly inhuman creatures…" His eyes wandered over the members of Wilmarina's group. He was confused at seeing Colette hidden in her petals, then looked at Wilmarina, Elise and especially Amelia with obvious desire.
For that, Wilmarina felt the urge to take his head off at once. She quashed that urge, much like she used to quash her urges to decapitate insolent noblemen who flirted with her, fools ignorant of who her heart had always belonged to. Instead, she looked the man in the eye.
"I am Wilmarina Noscrim. Tell me what you want."
The man looked dazed for a moment, but then he cleared his throat. "I am Gorzhak zo Eraz, one of the Wise Masters of Yunkai. I gathered these sorcerers tonight to summon… beings such as yourself, so as to help destroy foes of Yunkai, foes of the entire civilised world."
"Wait," Wilmarina interrupted. "I have yet to learn the word 'civilised'."
Gorzhak looked at Wilmarina suspiciously. Clearly, he was wondering how the demons he'd had summoned could be unfamiliar with Valyrian, which was apparently a widely used language in this world.
Wilmarina decided to combat those suspicions quickly. She spread out her wings and rose up into the air, just high enough to look down on everyone else present. Then she conjured up a large chunk of ice in one hand.
At home, such a display would only be considered impressive by children five years and below. Here, it was met with gasps of awe. More than one sorcerer dropped to their knees in deference.
"F-Forgive my insolence!" Gorzhak stammered. He wasn't on his knees, but he looked to be on the verge of doing so. "I… I did not mean—"
Wilmarina descended to the ground again. "Explain the situation. That's all I ask."
"V-Very well, Great Demon," Gorzhak said. "Well, erm, 'civilised' means… to be… to be more than mere animals?"
After asking question after question, continually pressing for more details, Wilmarina improved her language skills and also understood why she'd been summoned. The allied armies were opposed to Queen Daenerys Targaryen, who ruled over Meereen. This Daenerys had conquered the city by trickery, then brutally executed one hundred and sixty-three of its nobles.
And she became 'a foe of the entire civilised world' by banning slavery in her conquered territories, and freeing the slaves. Others, including the rest of this aptly named Slaver's Bay, hate this due to having economies, even cultures built on slavery.
Wilmarina could get Gorzhak to reveal information about slavery readily. The man showed no signs of guilt as he spoke, treating it as an ordinary aspect of life, no different from raising livestock.
Few ever see themselves as being evil. I do not see myself as such, yet others might for my betrayal of my country, my decision to side with monsters… still, I never treated people as mere tools, or as sacrifices to fuel magic.
More interesting is the detail of this queen commanding three dragons. Dragons who are vicious, non-anthropomorphic beasts… akin to the monsters of the previous era.
The summoning ritual couldn't have sent us back in time, could it…?
"The queen was last seen flying away from Meereen, on the back of one of the dragons," Gorzhak said. "It is likely she has perished… but even so, two dragons remain in the city. Some of my fellows do not see them as a significant threat, thinking that a few scorpions—ah, those are large weapons that shoot iron projectiles—would suffice to shoot them down. Others, including myself, are of a different mind…"
"So you decided to attempt this summoning ritual," Wilmarina said.
"Indeed, Great Demon," Gorzhak said, rubbing his hands together. "Of course, you'll be rewarded generously for your services. We Wise Masters of Yunkai hold wealth unmatched in the world. Any tribute you desire is yours. We can provide you with chests overflowing with gold and all types of jewels. I do not know if you consume the food of humans, but should that be the case, you may have delicacies prepared by the finest of chefs using only the most splendid of ingredients. And if it is human flesh you hunger for, why, Yunkai is the centre of training for bed slaves. We can provide each of you with a hundred comely boys—or girls, should you prefer. Any preferences for sex, appearance, age or other qualities, we can accommodate."
Wilmarina maintained a calm expression as she heard this sales pitch. The three girls weren't as disciplined, trembling in horror when they heard the offer of slaves. If they weren't believed to be demons summoned by magic, their reactions would have raised many questions.
What to do next? So far, the humans I've met here are weak and know little of magic, but I have no guarantee that others will be the same…
Wilmarina noticed the light coming in through the entrance of the tent. During the long conversations, dawn had arrived.
"…You have spoken of 'we' repeatedly," Wilmarina said. "Before I accept any offer, I must see all of your leaders agree to it as well."
"Of course, of course!" Gorzhak said. "I will send for them at once!"
Gorzhak ducked outside the tent and barked orders to the servants—no, slaves waiting there. The slaves hurried off.
"My fellows will be here shortly. In the meantime, do you have any immediate requests?"
"First, tell me more about the situation in the city: its defenders, its fortifications."
"Meereen has high and thick walls—though I doubt those will be any hindrance to one who can fly," Gorzhak said. "As for its defenders… pah. A motley rabble of freed slaves, sellswords, pit fighters, even some elderly knight from the Sunset Kingdoms who has no right still holding a sword. They do include Unsullied…" his expression turned grim, "slaves trained for nothing but war, who know no pain or fear. But even Unsullied cannot fly in the sky. Oh, and there is the bloody flux to consider as well."
"Bloody flux?"
"It is a sickness of the body, often leading to death," Gorzhak explained. "It is spreading within the city, weakening the defenders. It… affects our forces as well… but to a far lesser extent, I'm sure! Our forces are not penned up in an overcrowded city! And in any case, we number over seventy thousand, while they have a mere twenty thousand!"
Wilmarina nodded. "Then I have another request. I would know more about this dragon queen who is my target."
"Great Demon, I've already told you the majority of my own knowledge," Gorzhak said. "As for the remainder… I suppose it would be her actions prior to arriving in Slaver's Bay."
Over the next ten minutes, Wilmarina heard about the queen previously visiting the city of Qarth to the east—yet another location she'd never heard of. Before that, Daenerys had hatched her three dragons by uncertain means, and earlier still was her time in the Dothraki.
"Savages, the lot of them," Gorzhak said disdainfully. "They constantly stink of horse due to riding the beasts more often than not… some even claim that they enjoy coupling with horses. Ahem… Khal Drogo, the leader of a large herd of Dothraki, chose the princess of the fallen Targaryen dynasty for his wife. Some time later, he perished—some say it was murder by his own treacherous wife—and his herd scattered." Gorzhak rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "There was a brother as well…"
"Khal Drogo has a brother?" Wilmarina asked.
"No, it was a brother of Daenerys," Gorzhak replied. "His name was… Vizery? I do not recall, he has been dead for years. He originally arranged his sister's marriage to the Dothraki horselord, so as to gain an army with which to take back his kingdom." The man shrugged. "It ultimately never occurred. Vizery did receive the crown he sought, but in a molten form that boiled his brain. The story is quite infamous."
Wilmarina quietly reached behind herself with her tail, giving the three girls a reassuring tap each. Hearing about gruesome deaths could not be good for their mental health.
"…It seems the Targaryen family has had an interesting history."
"History that will soon come to an end," Gorzhak said confidently. "Perhaps it has already. More than a few people claim to have seen the girl plummet to her death from the black dragon, or be consumed by the vicious abomination. Valyrian blood shall not dominate Ghiscari again." He paused, then looked directly at Wilmarina. "I must say, Great Demon, you have acquired mastery of my language at an impressive speed, it is as if you have been practicing it for many years. Could that be another of your magical abilities?"
"It is simply a consequence of already knowing several languages," Wilmarina replied calmly. Some say that it helps in learning yet more languages."
"Perhaps, but I've yet to encounter any human with such ability," Gorzhak said, obviously trying to flatter Wilmarina. "It is truly impressive—ah? Well, it seems my fellows have arrived."
Footsteps of many people approaching could be heard. Wilmarina had first noticed these a few moments before Gorzhak did, but she decided to stay quiet about it.
"Great Demons, if you would be so gracious as to follow me outside…"
Gorzhak and Wilmarina's group stepped outside the pavilion at last. The sorcerers remained inside. That told Wilmarina that theirs probably wasn't a well-respected profession in this world.
Wilmarina hadn't seen an army camp in over two decades. This camp was less organised than those in her memories, with some tents big and others small, some in orderly arrangements and others scattered haphazardly. There were soldiers with varying skin colours and a diverse range of equipment, and they were busy maintaining their weapons, tending to animals, or simply cooking their first meal of the day.
That said, the sights of the camp were partly blocked out by the group gathered around the pavilion.
"I thought you were mad, to enlist those sorcerers from Asshai…" said a teenage girl dressed in black armour inlaid with gold. She was accompanied by muscular men wearing only breechclouts and yellow cloaks. "But it actually worked?"
"I have never seen their like before," said a short man with a plump chest. He was accompanied by soldiers who positively dwarfed him, the shortest of them being half again his height, and that was without counting the stilts attached to their legs. "Wait… what is that… giant flower?"
"She is with me as well," Wilmarina said firmly.
All eyes focused on Wilmarina. That suited her just fine. Looking into people's eyes was an excellent way of getting their measure.
The two leaders who've come here have no personal fighting ability, any more than Gorzhak does. And their soldiers… She looked at the scantily clad men and the excessively tall men on stilts. Appear to be purely for show.
The soldiers further away do seem to be capable at their jobs. Though right now, many of those soldiers were just staring in awe at the inhuman beings who'd just stepped out of a pavilion. Still, that's by the standards of unmodified humans.
Alright. Now I know what to do.
"These are Malazza and Paezhar, two other Wise Masters of Yunkai," Gorzhak introduced. "My apologies… I had hoped for the rest to come as well…"
It seems the rest could not be bothered to get up so early in the morning, Wilmarina thought. "It matters not. I merely need to know that more than one of you seeks my aid."
Gorzhak nodded and turned towards the other Wise Masters. "Malazza, Paezhar! These demons, called here by sorcerers under my command, have agreed to help us by slaying the dragons!"
The two Wise Masters looked at Wilmarina with doubting eyes. To be fair to them, two large beasts against four much smaller monsters seemed a poor match. Wilmarina sighed drew out Orufoyu again.
"By the Harpy's teats!" Malazza, the teenage girl, cursed. She stared wide-eyed at the demonic sword. "That… is certainly no mere trick…"
"It doesn't seem to be made of steel, or any other normal metal…" Paezhar, the short man, murmured. "What else can you accomplish, what other magics are at your disposal?"
Wilmarina held out her free hand towards a crate situated near one of the tents. She curled her fingers and lifted her hand, and the crate lifted up as well as if it were actually being grasped in her hand. That alone elicited gasps.
"Perhaps that is not enough proof for you. In that case—"
Wilmarina drew the crate to her using the same telekinetic magic. She glanced at its contents, then swung her hand upwards to throw the crate high into the air. She held Orufoyu underneath it, blade oriented so it was parallel to the ground with one edge facing up. The crate landed on the sword and was cut cleanly in half, as were the dozen or so short swords being stored within. Wood and metal struck the ground with a series of thuds.
"Entering Meereen and killing your foes would be simple enough," Wilmarina said coldly to the awed crowd. "But just what can you offer me in return?"
"N-Numerous things!" Malazza said gleefully. "From what you said earlier, all four of you are female? Then—"
"I am already wed," Wilmarina said firmly.
"I… see?" Malazza said, quite obviously curious as to what marriage among supernatural beings was like. "However, at least one of you does seem to appreciate the male form…"
Wilmarina didn't even need to look over her shoulder to know who Malazza was talking about. No doubt Elise was sneaking glances at the scantily clad slaves who served Malazza, despite the seriousness of the situation.
Take single monsters from a place where single men are almost non-existent, deposit them in a place filled with men, and this will happen, Wilmarina thought exasperatedly.
"You may have a hundred of Yunkai's most handsome male slaves now, as proof of our generosity," Malazza said. "After slaying the dragons, you may have two hundred—no, three hundred more. And if you're interested in the ones here—" she gestured at her slave soldiers, "I'll include them in the initial hundred!"
"Th-That's not—!" Elise exclaimed from behind Wilmarina.
"Aside from that," Paezhar said, sounding mildly contemptuous of his fellow's offer, "you may have first pick of the treasures within Meereen. It is an old city, with abundant wealth accumulated over the centuries: gold, silver, gemstones of all kinds, antique furniture, artworks crafted by masters. It also trains slaves of varying skillsets—rather, it used to train them, but regardless, it still contains many people who have been trained to serve. If any of those draw your interest, they are yours."
"And of course, you may have the wealth that we Wise Masters have brought here," Gorzhak added. "Should you request it and be willing to wait a week or two, we can also have more sent from Yunkai. Entire ships filled with gold and jewels, or the choicest of bedslaves, or whatever else you desire."
"…You Wise Masters have made an excellent case," Wilmarina said. "My answer is this."
Wilmarina turned to face the three terrified girls behind her. Her expression softened.
"Please just wait here…" she said in her native tongue, rather than that of this strange land. "It will be over soon. Don't worry, I'm not going to help them."
Then she conjured up a tremendous quantity of ice, denser and stronger than what she'd created earlier, shaping it with her mind into a hollow dome. The shocked expressions on the girls' faces almost made her stop, but she forced herself to complete the dome. Once it was complete, the opacity of the ice meant she could no longer see the girls clearly… nor would they be able to see outside clearly.
They'll be safe in there… I can only hope.
Wilmarina turned back towards the Wise Masters, now staring at her with similar expressions of shock.
"My answer: I refuse to help you in any way. Your enemy seems to be the better option."
Then Wilmarina infused mana into Orufoyu and swung it horizontally.
There were dozens of people nearby: the Wise Masters, their slaves, the warlocks still in the pavilion. Perhaps they had families who loved them. Perhaps they had friends they laughed and cried with. Perhaps not all of them agreed with this war.
For the sake of those she loved, Wilmarina hardened her heart against it all.
An arc of blue light flew out from Wilmarina's sword, tearing through shields, armour, flesh and bone like a scythe through wheat. It was so sudden that none of her victims even had time to say a word. They could only scream as their bodies thudded to the ground in pieces.
"WHY—!?"
"BUT OUR RITUAL SHOULD HAVE—"
Wilmarina stepped around the ice dome and unleashed another slash in the opposite direction, cutting down the warlocks and the pavilion as well.
Those eight you sacrificed will not be revived by this… but at least they have had justice of a sort.
There were still countless soldiers further away, in all directions. Wilmarina looked around. She saw men staring at her with open mouths. Some had fallen down out of sheer surprise.
"…If you don't wish to share their fate, then leave. Now."
That started a panicked rout. Soldiers ran away in all directions, not even trying to preserve any sense of dignity. A normal reaction for ordinary humans faced with a powerful monster. Wilmarina had been aiming for this, it was why she'd done something as brutal as cutting the Wise Masters and their followers in half.
Then Wilmarina raised her free hand and closed it, catching a crossbow bolt. She turned her head towards the soldier who'd fired it, who was now dropping his crossbow and turning to run.
Brave… but foolhardy.
She flew over to the soldier before he could take two steps, then thrust the bolt into his skull from behind, killing him quickly and painlessly. Without sparing another thought for him, she rose high into the air.
Below her was the sprawling camp of the allied armies. To the east was a large city with many pyramids and surrounded by high walls.
There must be tens of thousands here. Even if none are heroes or monsters, I can hardly kill every single one—for moral reasons as well as practical. What is the best way to destroy their morale?
Wilmarina spotted a soldier wearing more ornate armour than those nearby. He was shouting out orders, doing his best to restore order to the mob.
She swooped down and cut him in half from head to groin. The sight of two halves of a man, both gushing blood, broke the soldiers nearby.
Wilmarina spotted a silken pavilion with statues of harpies on its roof poles. Clearly, it belonged to one of the army's leaders.
She flew past the pavilion and cast a fire spell from her free hand. She wasn't nearly as adept with fire as with ice, but it didn't take much power to ignite silk. The tent's inhabitants immediately began to scream.
Wilmarina spotted tall wooden trebuchets, six of them. The sorts of siege weapons needed to threaten a walled city like Meereen. There were other siege weapons as well in the camp, catapults and the aforementioned scorpions, but these were smaller and presumably less powerful.
She approached the nearest trebuchet and struck it near the base with the flat of her sword. The massive structure lost balance and hit the ground with a resounding crash.
For the next minute, Wilmarina continued this routine. And what was once a massive army, no doubt taking great time and expense to assemble, devolved into pure chaos. Soldiers and camp followers ran in various directions, mostly towards a nearby river and the boats docked there. For obvious reasons, few ran towards the city they'd been besieging.
It's almost too easy. But I mustn't let down my guard. The moment I do—
MOMMOTHERAUNTIEMARY!
Wilmarina hadn't flinched from fighting a massive army, but she did from hearing these familiar voices in her head. Thinking quickly, she landed in the ruins of a collapsed pavilion, so as to hide herself from others. Only then did she set down her sword and used her right hand to grasp the bracelet on her left wrist: a golden circle with small gems of various colours around the perimeter.
One at a time, girls, Wilmarina thought—it was also possible to transmit sound via these telepathic bracelets, but that would be risky in the current situation. Is anything wrong—have they broken through the ice!?
Bracelets with telepathic enchantments were everyday accessories in modern Lescatie. Wilmarina didn't use hers as frequently as the younger generation, but she still found it useful for keeping in contact with people.
N-No, we're fine in here! Amelia replied. But what's with you out there!? We can't see a damn thing, just—we can just hear screaming!
I… you saw and heard the same things I did, Wilmarina thought. You might not have understood it all, but… we were summoned here by people who sacrificed others, and their leaders… one of them ordered the ritual, sacrifices included, while the others didn't care… and they wanted us, or at least me, to kill their enemies for them. I can't do that…
Th-That's right… Elise chimed in. But how does that lead to… to ALL THIS!?
Wilmarina peeked through holes in the tent at her surroundings. Most of the army were either fleeing or had become corpses on the increasingly bloody earth. Still, there were a few scattered bands of soldiers who still carried weapons and were fearfully looking for an enemy to fight. Additionally, one of the trebuchets still standing.
…Because once they realised I don't agree with them, they would have turned hostile, Wilmarina thought. They would have tried to hurt me, and you three as well… I couldn't let that happen.
Just stay in there, girls. I'll be back to you soon!
Wilmarina cut off the flow of magic from her body to the bracelet, ending the conversation there. If that had continued… she might have decided to stop fighting and immediately go back to the girls.
But I can't stop now… It's rarely a good idea to withdraw from battle before the enemy is truly defeated. I'm the only one here to protect the girls, so I can't afford to take any chances.
Here and now, I cannot afford to show mercy.
Wilmarina left the concealment of the tent and resumed her assault. She slew the leaders of those enemy groups who still retained some morale, and she toppled the sole remaining trebuchet and various other siege weapons.
During her flight, Wilmarina spotted many humans who had yet to flee, and not because they were dead. Some had been injured during the panic, leaving them unable to flee even though they clearly wanted to. Some were apparently too terrified to flee, and these tended to have collars around their necks.
Slaves abandoned by their masters? …Unfortunately, I have no time to spare to help them.
One particular group stood out. This consisted of a bulky man and two much smaller individuals, one male and one female. All three wore collars and were huddled in the remains of a tent.
Are those two dwarves? This world has dwarves as well?
But Wilmarina flew past in a fraction of a second, putting that strange group out of view. She put them out of her mind as well and returned to the one-sided battle.
As she was bisecting one soldier who wore gilded armour, she heard two distant roars from the direction of Meereen.
…It seems the besieged side has finally made its move. What, then, should I do next…?
Two large reptiles flew out from the city. They were the size of small elephants, and each had one pair of wings and one pair of legs. Their teeth and claws were black, like spikes of onyx.
They look like wyverns… I've only seen a wyvern revert to her primal form once, but that was very similar. Still, the people here call them 'dragons', with a word remarkably similar to the one we use… is it coincidence?
Either of the dragons had a stronger aura than all of the warlocks in that pavilion combined, like blazing wildfires compared to mere sparks. They were not opponents she could underestimate.
If they come close to where I left the girls… if their fire is even half as powerful as our world's wyverns, they could melt that ice in less than a minute. I can't let them get close!
Wilmarina rose up and stopped at around the altitude the dragons were flying at.
The two dragons roared. Wilmarina sensed no intelligence in those roars, only the fury of animals whose territory had been invaded.
"Wait! I am not your enemy—"
Twin jets of flame shot towards Wilmarina, each brighter than the sun.
Honestly—!
Wilmarina held out her sword, infused with ice magic, horizontally before her body. A barrier of solid ice appeared to block the flame. Steam billowed out as two extremes of temperature met and clashed.
The dragonfire subsided after a few seconds. Wilmarina broke up the shield, leaving behind small fragments of ice that soon melted and vaporised.
"Listen to me!" Wilmarina shouted. "Can you understand words!?"
The dragons circled around her. While obviously bewildered by her survival, their hostility was as intense as ever.
When the dragons began a pincer attack, Wilmarina could only sigh.
"Enough of this."
Wilmarina closed her eyes and snapped her fingers. This generated a dazzling flash of light, making both dragons scream in pain. Then she made a certain, invisible change to the magic flowing through her blade.
"I have had—"
She flew towards the cream-coloured dragon in front, bursting straight through the dragon's fiery breath, and cut through its neck with her Orufoyu. Even though no flesh was damaged and no blood was spilled, the dragon's wings stopped moving.
"Quite enough—"
Then she turned and flew towards the green-coloured dragon, cutting through its neck in the same manner.
"Today!"
Both dragons plummeted to the ground in quick succession, like a pair of meteors. Wilmarina landed between them.
Downed, but still spoiling for a fight, Wilmarina thought, seeing the two dragons struggling to stand back up. It doesn't look like they have any fractured bones from the fall. They seem to be about as durable as the various types of dragons from my world…
"You cannot defeat me," Wilmarina said. "Are you willing to at least listen?"
That was met with angry roars. The two dragons again opened their mouths and blazing light appeared within.
"Sleep!"
Wilmarina raised one hand and emitted an invisible pulse of magic, the sort that interfered with the mind. The dragons slowed down, their eyes began to droop and only tiny puffs of flame left their jaws. Eventually, they slumped to the ground and stopped moving, save for the slow pulsing of their chests as they breathed.
This spell is strong enough to keep a herd of oxen down for hours… but I'm not an expert in this kind of magic. I'm not sure how long it will last on targets as magically resistant as—
Before she could even finish that thought, the green dragon rose up on wings and legs. Its head, larger than a horse's, turned towards her again and snarled.
There was no more time to ponder. Wilmarina dashed forward and thrust Orufoyu into the green dragon's head. The blade sank in without harming the flesh, but the dragon still shook its head wildly in an attempt to dislodge it. The dragon's own mana flowed out from the point of contact, while Wilmarina's succubus mana flowed in.
When I transformed, Orufoyu transformed along with me, and it can be granted the same non-lethal property as demon realm silver! Still… is this the right thing to do? Killing the dragons would be quicker and simpler…
Wilmarina had already killed dozens today, and hundreds if one included everyone trampled to death in the army's rout. She'd done so because they were a potential threat to Amelia, Elsie and Colette. These dragons were also a potential threat, arguably an even more dangerous one.
Still, I'm not sure how to get us all back home… and after attacking that allied army, I've made enemies of almost all the countries in this region. If I kill these dragons, I also make the people of Meereen into my enemy… I can't protect the girls on my own, can't be alert for every second of every day.
On the one hand, monsterising these two dragons would certainly shock the Meereenese. On the other hand, it didn't seem like the Meereenese had much control over them. Changing the dragons into sapient beings might well be appreciated… with a strong emphasis on "might".
If I could put the dragons to sleep for longer, I might have gone back to the girls and had us all fly somewhere else, somewhere not threatened by war or primordial monsters…
If I was alone, I could have played the part of the summoned demon for longer, dealt with the Yunkai forces in a less abrupt and violent manner. But with the girls around… I couldn't have made them go through that experience any longer.
There's no sense thinking about paths that cannot be taken. I must focus on the present.
The green dragon was shrinking. Scales disappeared from areas of its body, being replaced by areas of smooth pale skin. Bronze-coloured hair began growing from the head, which was becoming shorter and more rounded. The shoulders became narrower, as did the hips but to a lesser extent.
In the distance, Wilmarina heard shouting from the guards atop Meereen's walls. None had fired any projectiles or spells at her yet, presumably due to the great distance separating them. She decided to ignore them unless they came closer.
Eventually, the green dragon had been fully transformed. She was now just slightly larger than Wilmarina, with wings for arms, scaly legs and a long tail. She was also unconscious. This was a fairly common result for those who'd been monsterised, due to the massive and disconcerting changes in anatomy.
Wilmarina turned towards the cream dragon. Her body didn't react as fast as it should.
Ugh… transforming the green took more energy than I expected… should I really do the same for this one? Perhaps I should leave now—AH!?
The decision was taken away from her by the cream dragon suddenly rising from its slumber and pouncing. With her body weakened, Wilmarina couldn't dodge in time. She was pinned to the ground by an immense weight.
"RAAAAAAAHHH!"
The cream dragon snapped at Wilmarina's face with its fang-lined jaws. She struck the side of its head using the palm of her hand. The attack took off a bit of skin from her hand, but it was strong enough to rattle the dragon's brain, slowing it down.
"Get… OFF!"
Wilmarina reached out for Orufoyu, which had fallen from her hands, and then thrust it up into the dragon's head. Like its compatriot, it resisted furiously by swinging its head from side to side. Its movements were so intense that Orufoyu was almost yanked from her grasp.
After a few seconds, the cream dragon stopped moving and began shrinking down. However, Wilmarina's vision grew dimmer at the same time.
I should stop… conserve my energy… but if monsterisation is interrupted halfway through… what happens?
Eventually, the cream dragon was fully monsterised as well. Wilmarina pushed her off herself with a major burst of effort. Then Wilmarina tried to sit up, yet she was overcome by dizziness and fell back down.
Perhaps… I really should have gone along with the Wise Masters for longer… learned more… perhaps swayed some of their troops to my side…
I've spent too long… living in peace… When I was still a hero… I would never have made… this tactical blunder…
Amelia… Elise… Colette… you should be safe in that ice… for a few hours at least…
I can only hope… I wake up before then… and that those in Meereen… don't decide… to execute me… first…
So just… wait… for… me…
AN: A bit of ASOIAF lore that I couldn't really fit into this chapter* – High Valyrian is the language once used by the Valyrians. After their empire fell, many dialects of bastard Valyrian developed, with many of the cities in Essos having their own dialect. Gorzhak, being from Yunkai, would speak in the Yunkish dialect of bastard Valyrian. The sorcerers know High Valyrian, but the language they initially speak in this chapter is that of their native Asshai, which is different to any of the Valyrian dialects. In this chapter, the four monsters are being taught a mix of High Valyrian and Yunkish bastard Valyrian.
That's the end of your brief lesson about fictional languages.
* I tried at first, but it would've meant even more exposition in a chapter already heavy with exposition.