Chapter 35: Sinful Taste
The large stone doors rumbled, age weathering the hinges to just barely functional status, but their purpose was eventually fulfilled. The large edifices, which had required several of her Uncle's men to drag closed, opened once more. However rather than the team of men she expected to see preforming such a feat, instead it was single man with long flowing white hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Who...?" she didn't realize it when she had whispered to herself, how scratchy and weak her voice had become, "Who are you?"
Her voice as muted as it was still reached the intruder. He smiled in response, a confident, alluring thing.
"I? My lady, I am merely a passing thief." She sincerely doubted that, but he was not finished, "I am here to rob this maze of it's most precious treasure."
She wanted to ask what he was after, but he merely looked meaningfully at her, allowing her to realize what he was insinuating. She was sure that should she have had the blood to spare, she would have blushed.
"Tell me, what do you think of this world?" The non sequitur took her by surprise, making her blink slowly in confusion.
"This world?" She queried.
"Yes, this world." The man walked leisurely up to where she was restrained, her attention suddenly being drawn to the fact that she was completely naked, "You see, I have a way to leave this world completely, bringing along those I wish. I would like to make you an offer, but I will first free you. I am not such a brute as to..."
"I agree." He paused, his confidence faltering for the briefest moments, "Your offer, I agree to it. Take me away. Steal me."
"That's a surprise." He smiled, confidence swiftly rallied, "You have no idea what I want from you. What if I want you to be my slave?"
"That's fine." She spoke, "Kill me, abuse me if you want. Anything is better than this imprisonment."
She didn't think he would do so, however. It was a rare person who would break a 'precious treasure' so frivolously. Even should the worst come to pass, once she was free she could merely gather enough magic to destroy herself. Either way, she would be free of this torment.
Her belief was verified however, as the mysterious man merely shook his head and smiled sadly, "I would never do such a thing. I know it is difficult to trust merely my words, but I hope my actions will soon speak for me."
With that, his blue eyes suddenly glowed a bright crimson, almost looking pink as he beheld the solid cube of magic that functioned as her prison. As he did so, he knelt to her level, turning his head to the side and offering to her the wide expanse of his neck.
"I'll have you free in a moment. However, you must be thirsty. Go ahead, drink your full."
His actions stunned her. Having someone freely offer her their blood? He obviously knew she was a vampire, yet he had no fear of her whatsoever. A distant part of her warned her that this was incredibly suspicious, but the vast majority of her agreed wholeheartedly with her achingly thirsty fangs.
Baring the sharp appendages, she sank them deep into his shoulder before she could stop herself, taking a deep, heady pull of the precious crimson liquid he had offered. The first couple of mouthfuls were already speeding down her gullet, resting safely in her stomach before the taste hit her.
It was indescribable, spicy, varied, powerful, dangerous. His blood tasted of sin, the feeling she got from the liquid was titillating, as if she was partaking in something illicit, taboo. Her first desperate gulps had subsided, and now she drew long, languid sips from his body, the warm liquid travelling through her body and resting near where another ball of warmth was starting to appear.
As she did, conflicting feelings assaulted her. The feeling of relaxing lazily on a breezy day, the feeling of adoration from her previous subjects all extolling her name, the stuffed feeling of fullness from a long delicious feast, the sensation of crushing a rival and securing the prize that they had desired, the joy of her large personal collections, the thrill of a good fight, the warm tingle of beholding an attractive potential suitor...
His blood was highly addictive, she lost herself in the sensation, lazily suckling at his neck for what seemed like an eternity. She only came back to herself as he spoke, his deep voice rumbling through his body such that she could feel it against her lips.
"Lets get you of there, shall we?"
Her eyes snapped open, as she jerked her head back, realization at just how much she had drunk fulling her, "I'm sorry! I took so much and..."
His warm laughter stopped her apologies, "No need to worry. You could take 4 times as much from me and it wouldn't be a problem."
As she digested the sheer insanity that she had just heard, she watched as he held up a palm, an incredibly complex magic circle flaring to life above it. Just staring at it stole her breath away, the sheer amount of arcane understanding that one would have to accrue to create such a thing was staggering.
"What are you...?" She whispered, at a loss to explain the various feats he was preforming.
"Well." He smiled, flicking his hand and activating the circle, causing her prison to start dissolving, fading away and letting her lower her arms for the first time in centuries, "I was going to tell you before giving you my offer."
Standing up, he looked to where a shadow had been forming in the room, her hated Uncle having prepared a countermeasure for anyone attempting to do what he had just done. The strange man waved his arm, a lavish coat appearing over her shoulders as he grinned viciously.
"You see, I'm one thing you should really not be accepting offers from so easily." As he said that, two bat-like wings burst into life behind him.
They looked similar to a vampire's, but at the same time a profound wrongness suffused them.
"I am Damocles Sagan, Lord of the Sagan pillar of Hell." He shot up into the air, a purple glow surrounding his right hand, so intense that at it's centre it turned black.
Swooping down, he slammed down into the scorpion that had just finished materializing from the darkness, blitzing it before it could act, causing it to screech out in pain, blue blood flying from the crater that his attack opened into it's carapace. The giant scorpion, it's carapace encrusted with metal, collapsed lifelessly.
Demon. That is what he was, she realized. She drew the cloak around her protectively as he turned towards her, a gentle smile on his face.
"So, I will make you the offer here and now." He flew down to where she was kneeling, hand extended warmly toward her, "Join my family. Become mine and I vow to protect you, so that a betrayal like the one that befell you here will never happen to you again."
His words were in stark contrast to how he looked, his bat-like wings extended as he was framed by a defeated, conquered foe. That such words of kindness could come from a Demon was darkly amusing thing.
She resolved herself. She stated that what he wanted didn't matter, so long as he rescued her. She would make herself a liar.
She grasped his hand, "Name me."
At his raised eyebrow, she elaborated, "I agree to your terms, whatever they may be. The old me, the one that isn't yours, is dead. So give me a name, if you are speaking the truth. If this will really never happen again... then it can't happen to the person you gave a name to."
She was probably didn't explain it properly, but that was fine. The real reasoning was something she would never admit to. She was as peace with whatever he decided to do to her, but of course she would still try to make sure he treated her well.
What was it her mother said when she had found that injured bird?
Ah yes.
'Don't give it a name, or you'll get attached.'
"I see." He spoke, gently lifting her to her feet, a hand extended to softly rub her head, "Then I will say it again. You will never be betrayed like that again, Selene."
Selene, huh? She rather liked the sound of that. Her thoughts were interrupted by him sweeping her off of her feet, holding her to his chest in a princess carry. With the arm under her knees, he waved a hand, causing the scorpion to be sucked up into a summoned vortex as she blinked in surprise.
"What are you doing?!" She asked, flustered by the sudden intimate contact.
"Carrying you." He glibly replied, "You are recovering from starvation, asking you to move as quickly as we need to would just be cruel."
"I'm not weak." She was definitely not pouting as she said that.
"No, you're not." He smiled, using his arm to jostle her head to his shoulder, "So rest, drink, recover and grow even stronger. Let me handle things for a bit."
As she gave into the temptation of sinking her fangs into his shoulder, Selene thought to herself, 'He is the strangest Demon I have ever heard of.'
"I am most displeased."
Serafall stiffened at those words, watching as the thing in front of her steepled two of it's hands, the other two clasped on it's lap. She was really regretting insisting to come along with Falbium. Her family, the Sitri, had several contracted Magicians, as befit an old and noble house of Devils. One of them was a well renowned Diviner, his skills allowing him to look into the strings of fate and discover the past.
It was much more reliable than those that tried to prophesize the future, with significantly higher accuracy. She had reached out to him, as the moon flew through the sky, with a glowing blue sign that none had seen before shining proudly on it's surface. He had used his skills at her request, divining the past of the being that had preformed such an audacious feat.
Last she knew, he was still screaming, raving about the 'cold that devoured all light' and other such nonsense. So, with only that to go off of, it was no wonder she was flooded with queries from the other factions as soon as the rumour that Damocles Sagan was visiting Japan at the time of the occurrence spread. It could have been the Shinto, of course, but no one truly believed that those shut-ins would do something so disruptive.
Seeing as the celestial body had come to rest directly above Kyoto, it did not take a genius to put two and two together. Still, she did not expect this.
The thing masquerading as a woman was sat in one of the chairs of the Sagan Manor, her cold eyes taking in the visage of the two Satans that had arrived as soon as Falbium was roused from the hole he had hid in as soon as he sniffed out that this situation was likely to lead to work.
Serafall had spent a lot of times among gods and other divine beings, but this new one reminded her of a very specific encounter, in her early hundreds.
Ophis the Infinite.
At the time masquerading as an old man, it was summoned by a rather foolish coven, and wiped an entire landmass off the face of the Earth. It was only appeased and left after a group of diplomats fro mall the Factions gathered and spoke to it as one, allowing them to present a force strong enough for the dragon to consider them worth it's attention.
She believed the place that occurred was currently called the Bermuda Triangle.
However, the situations were not a perfect one to one. The being was not materializing completely in the world. The vessel that was visible was strong, but not anywhere near the strength of the Infinite Dragon. In a direct confrontation, it would likely lose to Sirzechs. If it's strength did not increase.
Which was a mighty big if.
The well of power that she could sense at the edge of her awareness, the very implication of it made the space around the thing feel heavy. She did not know why it was not exerting it's full will, but she fervently wished that nothing changed it's mind.
"It is most unpleasant to hear that." Falbium replied, looking absolutely done with the whole deal, "May I inquire as to the reason?"
"My Lord is being forced to participate in the charade of explaining himself due to my actions. The fact that he has been inconvenienced by mine selfishness... tis most aggravating." It tapped it's fingers against each other rhythmically, "Mayhaps I should merely retake control of my Moon, and impart the reasoning for my actions upon the entire world?"
"I would humbly request that you don't." Was her fellow Satan's response, apparently uncaring or unknowing of the thing he was speaking to truly was, "Just so that we are on the same page, your Lord is Damocles Sagan?"
"Indeed. He is my one true Lord." The wide brimmed hat dipped in a nod at the acknowledgement.
"Is this a lord you swear fealty to, or are you the Lady to his Lord?" Falbium inquired, pragmatic as always.
"The Second."
"You are aware of his relationship he has with his Peerage?" Was the polite question, that was met by the creaking protest of the chair the being was sat on.
"I am. Concubines are not a concept that is foreign to me." The words were icy, making it clear that although it was familiar with the concept, it was far from pleased at the prospect.
Great, somehow the Sagan had now seduced an eldritch monstrosity.
"How did Damocles beco..." Serafall started to ask the question, only to suddenly be forced back into her seat as frigid blue eyes glared into her own.
"Thou shalt remain silent, wretch." Serafall was dead. If she moved or made a sound, she would die. Nothing could save her.
It made her feel little again, so long had it been since she was so completely and thoroughly overpowered.
There was a cough, Falbium awkwardly attempting to rescue his colleague, "My apologies, but Serafall is the Satan of Foreign Affairs. This issue is within her responsibilities."
The blue eyes did not soften, but the pressure crushing Serafall into her seat eased. She knew that she was held in exceptionally poor regard by the Sagan Peerage, but she did not realise just how hostile they were up until this very moment.
"Very well." The being spoke, "Speak, but know that thou tread upon dangerous ice."
"Thank you for your patience." Serafall drew upon all her long experience, doing everything she could to not set off the bomb she was now aware she was sat across from, "I was merely curious how Lord Sagan came to know you, as you are clearly not of this world."
"My birthplace is a realm where time and space are twisted, folded and intertwined many times." Came the response, "In the distant past, or the distant future, My Lord shall impress me greatly. The details of which art private."
"I understand. Thank you for indulging in our curiosity." She didn't really, of course, the explanation able to be interpreted in many ways, but discerning the mechanics behind all this was something Serafall would rather leave to Ajuka, "I wish to aid you and Lord Sagan in providing a satisfying explanation to the many beings that have been disturbed by your arrival here."
Her statement was met with narrowed eyes, but she was not interrupted as she continued, "Your power was felt across the globe. If we could provide them with your goals, or what you desire, we could stop them from making assumptions and acting against you prematurely."
"Are you insinuating that I would be unable to protect my Lord from these beings?" It was clearly not trusting a word she said.
"Not at all, but seeking out battles when they can be avoided would eat up valuable time and attention from you both." She was careful to explain herself, but not as if she was speaking to someone unintelligent, a careful balancing act that she had been forced to get very good at.
"Very well. I have no interest in the Gods of this world and what they do or plan. You may assure them that I shall not interfere." The being spoke, pointedly not revealing what it actually planned to accomplish here, but Serafall sensed that pressing further would be unwise.
"That will relieve many, I'm sure." Falbium seemed to relax at it's admission.
At a certain level of strength, lying became unnecessary.
"If it is not too presumptive, might we have your name and the domains that you control? Knowledge of that will allow us to more easily explain the situation." Falbium continued asking the pertinent questions.
Serafall could feel the domains of the being through it's power, they stretched forth like a sea, multiple different colours whirling like a kaleidoscope. Getting the thing to commit to a couple would allow tensions to decrease, instead of coming out with the news that the new God had the domain of almost every other God on Earth.
"My name is Ranni, Goddess of the Dark Moon and the Chill night." Serafall felt a trail of goosebumps travel down her spine at the admission, remembering the diviner's words.
'The Vengeful Moon that devours all.'
"I do not have a land to claim dominion over, of course. Although." The being spoke, causing both Satans to tense, "There is something I wish to achieve that involves your faction."
Falbium and Serafall looked at each other, silently communicating before Falbium turned back to the extraterrestrial, "May I as what that is?"
"Indeed you may." Came the response, "Tell me, what is your marriage culture here? I wish to ratify my nuptials."
Serafall felt a pounding headache coming on.
"That's..." Even Falbium was taken aback, "I will have to ask Sirzechs to see if we have anything for inter dimensional marriage. Maybe we should discuss this with Lord Sagan?"
"Very well, I shall await my Lord's return."
About that, where was the Sagan Lord anyway?
"Might we inquire as to his current whereabouts?" Serafall hazarded to ask.
"I was drawn to this reality, reunited with my beloved by a prayer. There is someone who is fervently praying for salvation, a shining beacon of despair. He has gone to rescue them, as thanks for the aid in reuniting us."
Serafall felt her headache double in intensity. She could already sense this would turn into a whole thing. The smug grin that the Sagan Queen had been sending her way the entire meeting was not helping.
The one shining beacon in this whole mess is at least if Ranni and Damocles got married, her mother would stop attempting to throw her dear Sona at the Sagan.