Chasing Godhood (Blueslime)

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP 75, EP 84, Status = Fine

Demetrius paled as Nala reminded him of their first time together, clearly remembering it less than favorably. "Right.... Yeah." He rose to his feet as Nala and Violet did, the assassin moving in time with Nala and not requiring a nod. Offering Nala a nod Demetrius said, "I'll do that."

He strode out of his private hut, leaving Nala alone with Violet who quickly helped her out of the hut as well as she explained, "Most of the girls are pretty scattered. Charlotte and Amanda are probably still back at the healing tent, we'll get them last, but last I know everyone else was pretty scattered." It took them about five minutes to gather up all of the girls that Nala had rescued from the goblins, but the bell rang from the center of the camp only a minute after they'd left Demetrius' private hut. None had recovered their minds as Violet had, some still didn't even remember their own names, but they at least seemed able to perform basic tasks so long as they were instructed properly.

When they arrived in a clump at the center of camp, Demetrius had already had the slaves brought out. Nala noted that there were a lot fewer of them now, less than half than had been present when she'd last seen them. Their whole group, all told, consisted of about twenty slavers, an equal numbers of slaves, a half dozen goblins, and about two dozen women. Demetrius was standing on a slightly raised platform so that he could see everyone and everyone could see him. They were close enough to the tent containing the wounded that they would be able to hear what was to be said as well. When he spotted Nala approaching, he gestured for her to come and stand beside the platform, and Violet followed her over and stood beside her with her arms crossed. Out of the corner of her eye, Nala could see Violet surveying the slaves as if she was looking for someone, but she settled back quickly. Whether she had found what she was looking for among the group or not was impossible for Nala to tell by her expression, and Demetrius began to speak a moment later, demanding Nala's attention along with that of everyone else.

"I know we've all had a rough couple of days, so I'm going to make this brief and be as candid as I possibly can. Over the past twenty four hours I have attempted on multiple occasions to contact our superiors and, when that failed, reached out to several of my own contacts. It was then that I learned that the creatures that attacked us last night was not an isolated incident." He paused for a moment, "The Necropolis has fallen, and as near as I can tell we're on our own out here." There was a murmur among the assembled men, slaver and slave alike, though the goblins and the girls didn't seem to know what he was talking about.

"As such, I suspect that we will no longer be receiving shipments of supplies in exchange for what we take from the mines, and as such I'm officially taking full control of this operation and declaring us separate from the Badarian Empire, effective immediately." Another murmur went through the men, and many of the slavers looked quite unhappy with this particular news. That sentiment only increased with what Demetrius said next, "As such, I can no longer guarantee that you'll be paid in coin for your services here. As near as I can tell the attacks have been pandemic across the globe. There may not be anyone left that we can sell the ore to anymore, so my first act is to shut down all mining operations until further notice."

There was another pause, and the angry grumbles were more audible this time. Clearing his throat to silence the increasingly disgruntled mercenaries, Demetrius went on once more, "My second act as acting commander is to offer pardon to all those held as slaves and offer to let them join us as equals. We-" Demetrius would have gone on but was quickly drown out by the angry shouts of several of the riflemen in the assembled crowd. A number of things were said at once, and Nala managed to pick out, "This is bullshit!" "They'll slit all our throats in our sleep first chance they get!" "I'm not sticking around if you let those animals off their chains!" Several others were simply looking up at Demetrius with shock and disgust, while still others were simply shaking their heads as if they thought he was joking. The only common ground among them seemed to be that they didn't like the idea one bit. Several of the slaves were eying their former taskmasters with smirks that made it quite clear that whoever had predicted violent intent on their part wasn't wrong.

Scowling and shouting for quiet, Demetrius eventually got his men under control again and went on, "Those who don't wish to stay will be allowed to leave with whatever supplies we can spare and a weapon with which to defend himself. That offer includes those who were once prisoners," Demetrius had to wait for another round of angry shouting to subside, "But I would like to remind all of you of the dangers present in the jungle! Staying here would guarantee safety from the creatures out there so long as there are enough of us to maintain the camp."

He paused again, "Any who wish to stay will be under the protection of the rest of the group, but will also be required to help upkeep and improve the community. If we want to survive out here we would all have to work together, putting our pasts behind us!" There was another angry outcry, this time from slavers and slaves alike, but they went silent in order to glare at one another as if insulted that they agreed on something. "We aren't alone in this, miss-" Demetrius was interrupted not by a group this time, but by a single voice that Nala was quickly able to point out among the crowd, a tall man with dark hair tied up into a ponytail and a clean shaven face. He said, "Why don't we just kill all of the slaves and most of the women and just leave as a group? Or hell, just leave the ones we don't want here to sort themselves out. We might lose a few men in the jungle, but getting back to the Empire would be a damn lot safer than staying in this festering shithole of a jungle in the long run! 'Sides, some of us have families waiting for us back home! Why the fuck should we stay out here when we're not even gettin paid anymore? Cuz you asked us nicely to?"

There were murmurs of agreement from many of the other slavers, and Demetrius scowled back at him. Before the man could reply, however, a low harsh voice that could nonetheless be heard by all sounded from above them, "Firstly, because attempting further harm against any of these women will result in your immediate termination." Everyone looked up to the source of the voice, and Nala immediately recognized Matthias in the form that he'd worn when they had met in the afterlife after the captain had killed her, garbed in a long black coat and with his face covered fully by an equally black mask. He was hovering some thirty feet over the group of men as if he were standing on air, his arms crossed over his chest. "That would include kidnapping them or killing them, to be clear. Secondly, not a one of you has a family that you care for. Thirdly, with the added danger of attacks by the invading creatures it is highly unlikely that any of you would survive to reach Badaria either as a group or individually."

Matthias hovered down to the ground next to Nala and Violet, his feet settling onto the earth silently as he faced the assembled congregation squarely. The mercenaries and slaves all looked some variation of uncomfortable by the daemon's presence, ranging from going pale at the sight of him to grasping for holy symbols of several different deities. Ironically, Nala spotted one man holding what was unmistakably a pewter cross of Avadel, the goddess of death whom she'd seen freed from Matthias the previous day.

Demetrius stared at Matthias for a moment and then looked back to the men and cleared his throat, securing some of their attention once more. "Working together here we have a much greater chance of surviving. We've survived this long out here for this long, we can surely do it for a little bit longer, long enough at least for the world to get itself back together! Miss Nala has assured me that she can organize our pardon on behalf of the local governments, if and when they should contact us. So long as we can learn to work together, as a group we might be able to thrive here!" He paused and glanced at Nala, inviting her up for her chance to speak.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Nala moved forward at the end of the long speech and all of its various interruptions, stepping up to the precipice of the platform and putting her in view of the slaves, slavers, women, and goblins alike.

"Demetrius has spoken well, and spoken truly. So has Matthias, the Godslayer - my good friend." Nala gestured to the masked daemon behind her. She then gazed meaningfully out into the crowd of slavers, the unspoken challenge clearly readable in her emerald gaze. Any man who chose the violent path would die.

"We are all faced with a harsh reality. We are cut off from the rest of the world, and every major nation is beset by this new enemy. Not everyone fared as well as we, for we had forewarning. But we were also a relatively minor target. This force was but a shadow of the power we can assume assaulted everywhere else. Right now we are alone, with only one another to depend upon for survival. Believe you me, I am no happier about this fact than you are."

Nala waved a hand over the area where the slavers were. "You were slavers, men of an Empire that has a long tradition of overstepping its boundaries. Yesterday I would gladly have killed the lot of you and not wept a single tear. Today, if you gave me a reason, I would still kill you and not weep, for most of you are horrible men with the basest of morals, and are only out here in this place because your own society would rather have you out in a hostile foreign land than back at home with them."

She smirked, and then waved a hand over the slave prisoners. "And you, at first I thought to rescue you, but then I heard of certain treatment that my friend here suffered at your hands." She nodded at Violet. "And then there was the temerity of the revolt and the hostage taking. Were I to have a good reason, I would strike you down too."

Nala held up her hands.

"So it is quite clear. We do not like each other. We probably want to murder one another in our sleep. There's only one thing that will stop us from doing this, and it is a very important fact: we will not survive if we give in to our feelings of hatred. A small portion of us would come out of the blood bath and gloat for a small while before the jungle and the roaming hoards of these grey monstrosities found us and annihilated anyone left. I do not know about you lot, but I have no intention of dying today, tomorrow, or any day soon.

"We must join together. We must learn to be better towards one another and to ourselves. I am willing to wipe the slate clean for every one of you, if you will do the same. We are in the same situation, facing a very real possibility of death. We must work together so that we can survive together. Otherwise we die apart. For those of you who do not believe me, or the words of the commander or of the daemon whose warning is the only reason any of us are still alive, then you are welcome to make out on your own. I doubt you'll last more than a day, but it's your life to throw away. For those who stay, we will learn to live in this place, building a safe haven and becoming masters of our own domain, answerable only to ourselves. All men and women will be equal. Each of us will have a fresh start. We will live long enough for the world to recover and society to find us, and when they do, I will make sure that those who stay are pardoned for any past wrongdoings."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP 75, EP 84, Status = Fine

The slaves and slavers scowled up at Nala as she took the stand, but none of them made a sound after she gestured toward Matthias. Apparently the threat of the daemon's wrath was sufficient to mollify the lot of them. Even so, they all scowled as Nala claimed that she would gladly have killed the lot of them under different circumstances, and would still kill them without any concern. The slaves didn't take that statement any better than the slavers did, but their attention was too focused on Nala for any of them to notice their agreement this time around.

Despite their mutual dislike of one another, however, there was no immediate argument against Nala's words. She could see the wheels in all of their heads turning, and heartless survivors though the lot of them were, they all reached the same conclusion. Nala could tell it as each of their expressions hardened, as if something that smelled foul had been presented before them, and they all glanced at one another. Demetrius seemed to see it too, as he climbed back up onto the stand and shouted, "You have one hour to make your decision. When you have, any of my men may come to me if they wish to leave. The slaves will be freed at the end of that hour, and given the same choice as their chains are taken off. For now, we'll be putting you back into your bunks. Dismissed."

He stepped back down and the crowd dispersed, a handful of men herding the soon to be freed slaves back into their prisons while the rest wandered off alone or in groups. Matthias and Violet remained where they'd been standing but turned as one toward Nala, the former still with his arms crossed over his chest while the later adopted a similar pose. Demetrius, unless Nala decided to stop him, returned quickly to his private quartets. The goblins and the girls all conglomerated around Nala, though with Violet and Matthias present and the girls largely being herded into passivity by Charlotte and Amanda they didn't crowd her.

It was Amanda who got to her first, and the girl's voice sounded slightly strained as she said, "We're not actually expected to stay here with them, are we?"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Nala had let out a slow exhale as the crowd of slavers and slaves alike dispersed back to their respective areas. She kept her gaze level and unwavering for as long as necessary, until the girls approached her and Amanda spoke. Then she allowed her visage to soften.

"My priority has to be keeping you all safe. According to Matthias and to Demetrius, whatever those things were that attacked us last night have attacked across the known realms. Every nation received wave after wave of these grey spawn, and not all were as lucky as we were to have been prepared for it -- and even when we were ready for it, I couldn't keep all of you safe."

Nala nodded towards Charlotte, hoping that the meaning would sink into Amanda, who had had to watch her sister killed by one of those things, her soul ripped from her body.

"The jungle by itself would be dangerous enough, but with those things roaming the wilds and all our homes, yours and mine, possibly being overrun, I can't see any other way of keeping you safe. Don't worry, these men will be dealt with harshly if one of them even so much as glances at you with disrespect, and I intend to make more than a few of them learn better manners. Who knows... maybe there are some decent men amongst them whose personalities have just been overwhelmed by their more antagonistic brethren. One thing is certain though, you're safer with me, Violet, and Matthias than you are out there, in the jungle, without any certainty of food, water, or shelter - not to mention the strength of arms and numbers to ward off malevolent wanderers. I'm going to keep you safe, and I'm also going to teach you to defend yourselves. Violet will help too. I honestly think it's the best thing for you now. I hope I can make you see that as well."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP 75, EP 84, Status = Fine

Amanda paled visibly as Nala motioned towards Charlotte, not making any further comment after the reminder of what had happened to her sister. Charlotte, however, didn’t seem to catch on, and after Nala explained further the reasons behind remaining here she said, “But what about our families? We were only a short ways away from our village when we were attacked by the goblins! Our community wasn’t very large, but we could provide for ourselves and kept the beasts of the jungle at bay just fine! Surely it can’t be too far from here, they couldn’t have been taken far!”

One of the goblins piped up, “We know where village is, could lead humans there from here. Easy.” Charlotte looked hopefully at Nala, and even Amanda adopted a slight look of yearning. Despite all that Nala had done for them, both of them very clearly wanted to go home. “Surely we could go there instead of staying here? I know that you mean to protect us by keeping us here in a group, we both do, but we can’t just… Just stay here, not when our home is so close by!” Charlotte continued desperately, but it wasn’t Nala who had to choose whether or not to dash the two girl’s hopes.

That dubious privilege was claimed by Matthias, who promptly said in his usual harsh voice, “Your family is dead or taken by the invaders. Your home is gone. Another group like the one that assaulted this encampment reached it at about the same time, and they did not weather the assault. There is nothing left there now save for a few corpses, the ashes of the dwellings that were caught in the short battle, and a handful of empty ruins that will likely be claimed by the jungle over the next few days.” The daemon’s arms had remained crossed over his chest as he explained the fate of Charlotte and Amanda’s parents, and the mask covering his face prevented them from viewing his expression. That left them only with his tone to determine any emotions that the words might inspire in him, and that he had said as much so casually likely did not help to ease the blow in the slightest.

The girls had turned to look at the daemon as he had spoken, and the gradual shifting of their expressions from hope to despair was painful to watch in and of itself. Every word had seemingly caused their distress to mount. Tears began to stream down Charlotte’s cheeks as the daemon neared his conclusion, and Amanda opened her mouth to speak several times but closed it without saying anything each time. “How… How do you know this?” Amanda finally demanded, her voice hot with anger and disbelief. Matthias turned his head to face her and replied, “I watched it happen while I was aiding in the defense of this camp. There were no survivors. Most of the inhabitants were captured and taken up into the alien vessel, and those that fled into the jungle were killed or captured by the hunters waiting within.”

Violet had placed one hand over her face when Matthias began to speak, her index finger and thumb clutching at the bridge of her nose, and Nala could see enough of her face to tell that she didn’t precisely approve of the manner in which Matthias had delivered the news of the destruction of Amanda and Charlotte’s home. She had grimaced and shot him an angry look when he mentioned the hunters hiding in the jungle, but the daemon didn’t seem to notice. Amanda had paled visibly, and her eyes went distant as her jaw clenched tightly at the further reminder of what had happened to her sister. Charlotte was sobbing lightly and moved to clutch at her sister, which Amanda hardly seemed to take notice of as she stared off into space.

Spoiler

If there’s anything inconsistent with established canon regarding Amanda and Charlotte in this post, lemme know so I can edit. I didn’t have the ability to reference earlier things in your thread since I wrote this in the car.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Nala gave Matthias a long and cross look while he delivered his information in the bluntest of manners to the two shocked girls. Rather than wasting time getting angry at him, she immediately spoke to the sisters.

"I am so very sorry for what happened to your village. I know it doesn't make it any easier, but I believe that the world over has suffered this day. We are lucky to be alive, and all we have now is each other. It will not be easy, but the two of you must look to one another for support, and to Violet and I as well. You are as close to a family as I have, and I intend to look after and protect you as if you were my own sisters."

The night elf placed a hand on Amanda's shoulder, and then her other on Charlotte's. Her eyes glowed green with traces of her magic, but enough of her pupils were visible to display the sympathy she felt for the two, who must have had many loved ones and friends in the destroyed village. It would be the same for all the surviving women.

"There is a reason you have been spared. You are going to live long and fulfilling lives, the both of you. I'm going to see to that."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP 75, EP 84, Status = Fine

As with the look that Violet shot his way, Nala’s look either didn’t concern Matthias or didn’t reach his awareness. Turning to more constructive efforts than berating the daemon for his lack delicacy, Nala’s words seemed to have some effect on the two sisters. Charlotte, though she was still sobbing softly into Amanda’s shoulder, gave Nala a grateful look as the night elf laid a hand on her shoulder. Amanda, on the other hand, gave Nala a look of hatred and anger that was so intense that it took what she said next for her to realize that it wasn’t directed at the witch herself, “I want to learn… To fight. To kill. Next time one of those monsters shows up or someone tries to attack Charlotte and I…. I want to be able to tear them apart.” She spoke with absolute resolution in her voice such that even Violet was taken aback by the power behind Amanda’s words.

Charlotte gave her sister a startled look, but then she looked back at Nala uncertainly, eventually giving her the slightest of nods. The sudden change in Amanda had seemingly taken Charlotte’s mind from her pain, as she straightened and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her face was still flushed and the area around her eyes was still inflamed in an angry red, but even the croaking voice in which Charlotte spoke next held at least a note of the certainty that had only moments ago played within Amanda’s, “Yes…. We can’t just rely on others to protect ourselves anymore. You and Violet… And… And him… You can’t be around us all the time. We’ve got to learn to defend ourselves if we’re to be useful around here.” Out of the corner of her eye, Nala saw that Matthias gave a small nod of his head as if approving of the sister’s decision.

“When do we start?” Amanda said evenly as her gaze settled on Nala, and Charlotte shot her a slightly pained look before turning back to Nala as well and awaiting her answer.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

The night elf, after hearing Amanda's words, recovered from her momentary surprise and smirked, choosing to comply with that burning passion within Amanda.

"We can start tonight, after the rest of the camp has made their decision to stay or go. The two of you will need to decide how you are going to focus your training. Violet can teach you a more physical and spiritual path. I can teach arcane arts of both Nature and Entropy. Whatever path you choose, it will require much of your attention, so I suggest one of you learn from Violet and the other learn from me, so that the both of you get hands on training. Whoever learns with me, I'm sure Demetrius could be convinced to teach his school of magic to as well."

Nala was a little saddened by Amanda's attitude. She was driven now by hatred and that meant that the aliens had killed something wonderful and sweet about her. Something that all the other trauma had failed to touch, whether it was goblins, or a sadistic captain, or the near death of her sister -- through that all she had remained the sweet young girl. Now that innocence was gone and she was a woman. Perhaps it was for the best. Nala could work with Amanda like this, but then again, so could Violet. She would leave the decision to Amanda about what course of training she wished to pursue.

"Whatever you choose. Both Violet and I will make sure that the two of you will be able to defend yourselves. With enough training, those things will learn to fear you."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP 75, EP 84, Status = Fine

"I would prefer something more... Visceral than magic," Amanda said evenly, causing Charlotte to look mortified for a moment. Violet, frowning in a manner suggesting that she didn't much like the way that things had played out, sighed and said, "I can teach you martial arts, and if you've got the gift I can teach you how to tap into it. I'm sure I can get some of Demetrius's men to teach you to shoot and serve as practice dummies. Even if they're unwilling, we can always use the goblins." Amanda looked delighted at this prospect, but that didn't much help Charlotte's mood by the look of things. "I... I suppose I can try... To learn magic if you and Demetrius are willing to teach me," she said as her voice shook slightly, but she met Nala's eyes even with tears still rolling down her cheeks. Matthias made no further comment on and remained still.

The next hour passed without any further events, leaving Nala free to do as she pleased with any of her companions until the bell rang once more, signalling the time for the men to decide whether they would stay or go. The slaves were taken out of their bunkhouses once more, several of them showing signs of fighting since Nala had last seen them. This time, however, their chains were released. The guards moved a good ways off after that, and the two groups eyed each other warily, the former slaves nursing the wrists that had worn manacles for so long. Both groups, being Badarian, were made up entirely of humans, leaving Nala and Matthias as the only members of their group who were of different races besides the group of goblins that she had acquired and two of the girls, who were night elves.

When the time came to announce their decision, all of the slaves and all but two of the slavers chose to stay. The goblins, sworn to serve Nala, and the girls she had rescued from them all chose to remain behind as well. The two men that had chosen to leave were given a week's worth of supplies and some extra ammunition and departed without a fuss. The crowd dispersed after that, men and women returning to their assigned tasks while a handful remained with the former slaves in order to give them things to do, a task overseen carefully by Demetrius.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Looking over Amanda once again, Nala was forced to resign herself to the very serious change that had overcome Amanda ever since Matthias announced what had happen to her village. There was nothing left from her old life to go back to, and she had been shown how truly powerless she was in the grand scheme of things. It angered Nala to have seen Matthias tear away her hope. He of all people should know what it was to lose yourself to thoughts of malice, revenge, and a singular desire to destroy all that you deemed unworthy without thought to circumstance. Hadn't Matthias walked that road for thousands of years? At the end, hadn't he been unhappy with what he had become? Nala would nip this in the bud, but not in front of Charlotte. Amanda would have to understand temperance, and Matthias may not know it yet, but Nala was going to make damn sure he was present to correct his mistake.

"Yes, of course, Amanda. Learn to shoot. And learn to choose your targets well..." Nala said ominously before turning to Charlotte with a sigh. "I will teach you the healing power of Nature, if you are willing my dear. It is a mighty teacher - the power to grow, the power to resist, the power to accept the way of things. The willow knows what the storm does not, the ability to endure pain outlives the ability to deal it."

She made sure Amanda heard that last bit too, before saying. "There will be no practice dummies - there has been enough death here. It is time we turned to cultivating life. It is the wise thing to do, though it will not be the easiest path."

---

When the slaves were freed and the men and women given their tasks, Nala confronted Matthias alone.

"You have poisoned that girl's mind, Matthias. There are harsh realities in this world, but not everyone deserves to be overwhelmed with them all at once. You more than anyone should know the pain of losing everything you knew and loved - you know what sort of a scar that can leave upon a soul! Don't dare speak to me of teaching the girl valuable lessons, because believe you me, you have done her no favor if she is unable to find joy and happiness! A heart consumed with hatred, is that what you had in mind for Amanda when you told her of her village's fate?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP 75, EP 84, Status = Fine

Charlotte, though still very uncertain of herself, gave Nala a shaky smile and managed to at least make herself sound genuine when she quietly said, "I... I think I'd like to go that way, yes. Healing... Yes... That sounds.... That's what I'd prefer." Violet rolled her eyes after Nala offered her reprimand and amended herself, "I only meant for the hand to hand portions! A couple of bruises aren't going to kill anybody even out here in the jungle, and that's the only way to learn properly!"

Getting Matthias alone proved as simple as asking it of the daemon, as the very moment that she asked it of him he calmly placed a hand on her shoulder. The two of them vanished into thin air and reappeared on the side of a cliff overlooking the jungle, moss and vines clinging to the stone platform upon which they stood. The sun was starting to set, the first hints of fiery orange creeping into its golden surface. The daemon's face, hidden as it was by his mask (or perhaps in this form it was his face?) was impossible for Nala to see, much less read any emotions on its surface as she reprimanded him for how he had delivered the news of the destruction of their village to Amanda and Charlotte.

As it always was while the daemon wore his inhuman form, Matthias' voice rumbled like two mountains grinding together and was completely devoid of discernible emotion, "She would have learned of it eventually anyway. She and her sister would not have remained here if they thought their blood awaited them over the horizon. Before you harp over my indelicate delivery, think on what it would have been like for them if they had gone to their homes, their hopes rising as the miles passed, only to find it in ruins, the bodies of those they had loved lying on the earth before them or vanished into the sky, in the hands of the abominations from the stars? Amanda's mind would not have survived it, and Charlotte would not have long outlived her alone, even with yourself and Violet."

The daemon had taken a step away from Nala after they had teleported and moved to stand on the side of the cliff, looking out over the jungle as the light washed over it and made it appear like a sea of fiery green. The sounds of life from all around them were nearly deafening even up here, but on the high mountainside there was little besides the two of them and the sparse vegetation. "I make no claim to have intended to better Amanda and Charlotte by delivering the news, but ultimately the manner in which they heard it is irrelevant. Had I given you the news to deliver to them gently at a time and manner of your choosing, do you truly believe that their reaction would have differed? If a scar is to be gained, let the blow be sharp and swift that it might heal cleanly. Unless you would have kept the fate of their home from them indefinitely, inventing excuses for them to stay here by your side as their hearts grew heavier by the day, and thoughts of home distracted them from their work?"

He turned back toward Nala and crossed his hands behinds his back, facing her squarely as he continued, "There was no avoiding this pain for them. I desired it no more than you did, but by doing as I did I at least minimized the damage to them. Firstly, by bringing the blow quickly and harshly to force them to face it." He offered Nala no chance to respond to that, cutting her off if she so much as opened her mouth, "I do not consider it a favor! There was simply no better option, delicacy and waiting in hopes of softening the blow would have had little difference." Unperturbed, the daemon went on, "Secondly, I took the decision on the manner in which to break the news from your hands. Yes you must deal with the fallout from it, but you and I both know that a choice is a much heavier burden than a responsibility, particularly one you volunteered for upon taking them under your care in the first place. And thirdly, that the news came from me will push them toward you. As you have said yourself, it is not the time to pull apart if you and yours wish to survive, and they would have resented you for it if you had told them of their family's demise, however irrational that might have been. They can dislike me all they want and it will cause your group no harm."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Nala's eyes narrowed. She could see some sense in what Matthias said, but she also saw presumption. Not that she was at all innocent of having done what he did, perhaps more given her petulant youth and selfish desires - but having gone through this recent crucible, learning to care for people besides herself, Nala couldn't help but resent what Matthias had done. Perhaps, part of it was also a resentment of her own personality.

"You don't know how Amanda and Charlotte would have reacted. And you don't know whether a softer method of explaining it would have resulted in the same results. You only think you know." Nala said, not letting the fire completely die from her voice. "You believe that both girls will heal cleanly from this? Have you seen Amanda? Did you not recognize that look in her eyes? You say that you did not do this as a favour, yet you try to justify it as one."

The night elf held her arms out at her sides, in a helpless motion as she shook here head staring out at the setting sun over the jungle landscape. It was beautiful, she realized, yet marred by the overwhelming burden she now carried. After a pause, she spoke again, now with a much more tender tone in her voice.

"I am not adept at counselling others in their grief, Matthias. I can't even deal with my own very well. That's why I've pushed everyone else in my life away and drowned myself in taboo study and my debauched little games. It's all a distraction, a defence mechanism. I can't be hurt if I don't really care for people. But now I do care. I care about Violet and Amanda and Charlotte. They were so helpless and I wanted to finally do something right with my power. But now I don't know if I can give them a life they'll enjoy - I don't know if I can make Amanda abandon the path she's set herself down... no -- that I allowed her to set herself on by bringing her to this accursed place, to that man and his goons, to the horrible creatures that took advantage of her. I'm not a god, Matthias. I can't protect her the way I want to. And if she gets herself killed... then will I lose Charlotte too?"

Nala clutched her green silk dress close to her body as a rare breeze rippled its ways across the jungle canopy to brush against her body. She closed her eyes and tears escaped them. For the first time in a long while, she experienced doubt in herself. Her magic and her skills, they couldn't do enough, and the world was only getting more and more dangerous.

"Matthias. Does my own mother yet live?" She asked, suddenly wanting to see her estranged parent, one last time, but fearing in her heart that such would not come to pass.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP 75, EP 84, Status = Fine

Matthias responded quickly but calmly in the face of Nala's angry words during her pause, "I have lived among and observed mortalkind of all sorts since before your ancestors split from the High Elves. Though it was a prediction rather than a certainty, my guesses in the realm of mortal behavior seldom prove inaccurate. I gave Charlotte and Amanda the best chance for recovery possible under the circumstances."

The daemon proved impassive and unreadable as ever as Nala revealed her worries to him, remaining still and silent as she clutched at herself and allowed tears to begin to stream down her cheeks. "Even I cannot say if Amanda will recover on her own," he began slowly and allowed a brief pause before going on, "But it is fortunate for her that she is not on her own. She has her sister, and she has Violet. She has you. Do you not believe that three of them do not feel the same as you, Violet perhaps most of all? She has failed to protect one whom she loved dearly once before. Her thoughts have strayed to you in every moment that they have not been concerned with a task immediately at hand. She even threatened violence against me if I had caused you any lingering harm during our night together."

Another pause between words drew Nala's eyes to the powerful daemon, and he appeared slumped and subdued now even in his masked form. Even so, Matthias' voice was still devoid of emotion as he continued, "You fear that you cannot protect them from the world? Then you realize your own limits now. It is no surprise that they should frighten you so if this is your first time acknowledging them. Perhaps you cannot stand alone. But you've just ensured that you don't have to. Share the weight of your worries with Violet, and each of you will lessen your burdens by half simply by knowing that another is near who shares them, and who will support you when you cannot stand on your own."

To Nala's question, Matthias simply answer, "Your mother lives and is her own master still. I can take you to her, if you wish."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

She relented on her reproach of Matthias. At the very least, he had meant well, and she couldn't stay angry at him for that - not when she was already suffering from her own concerns. His words after drew her eyes to his. So Violet had failed before? Was that why she punished herself and put herself down. Understanding and sympathy for the Amazonina welled in the witch's heart. She would need to speak to Violet and do as Matthias said, for both Violet's sake and her own... but something about the way Matthias slumped and his voice dropped, it concerned her. Was he sad because he perceived her changing?

"I may perceive my own limits... but I won't let them stop me. I can become better than I already am. I can acquire the power I need to protect Violet and everyone else that I care about. Your existence is proof of what one soul can do to go beyond its capability. I have you to thank for giving me back life, but you did it so that I can be something more. I won't stop at this. I'm just going to have to be strong enough to do what I set out to do and to protect a few others while doing so."

When he told her that her mother was alive and free, it was as though one weight of many had been lifted off her shoulders. "Yes, I would like to speak with her, but only very quickly. I should get back to the girls, especially at this early hour in their new lives. So... if you can bring me to Ch'Hiesol... I'll say what I have to say before coming back here."

As Matthias stepped closer and swept his cloak around her, Nala thought of confronting her mother again. Their last private conversation had been full of spiteful words - both of them saying things that they should not have, things they both likely would regret with time, if indeed they both still cared for one another on some level. For her own part, Nala knew she had some irreconcilable differences with her mother, but this recent brush with death and the true feelings of worry for someone besides herself had changed her feelings towards the woman. She was happy that her mother was alive, and she wanted her to know that.

Matthias' cloak was drawn back and Nala drew in a sharp breath. She was standing in the smoking ruins of what remained of Ch'Hiesol. The once beautiful night elven haven had been scarred by the signs of a terrible battle. Bodies of the fallen were in the process of being tended to by survivors, none of whom Nala immediately recognized. A few structures remained intact enough to give Nala an idea of where she was - near to the central temple complex, the sight of the Temple Tree, the conduit of spiritual power here, which doubled as a magical node. Her mother would be there, for she would have died defending that tree, and since she was alive, it too must have weathered the alien assault.

With Matthias striding behind her, Nala made her way along the streets until she reached the massive temple doors, which had been scorched and partially melted through. Everyone was too busy trying to restore order to dissuade her from entering, so Nala passed through the gates easily. Working her way through the earthen walled complex, Nala arrived finally at the inner sanctum. Here she was stopped, by two priest guardians who immediately recognized her. A brief encounter followed, wherein Nala suggested that the extreme circumstances were of more importance than her banishment. Matthias standing beside her easily lent his weight to her argument and after assuring them that she was not here out of any delusional attempt at revenge, the prodigal daughter was allowed to enter the Temple Tree chamber.

Her mother was there, kneeling at the base of the great tree, her hands clasped in prayer. Sensing someone enter the chamber she turned to look, and Nala could perceive the color draining from her cheeks. A mixture of emotions there, certainly.

"Nala. You've returned," the priestess turned back to the tree, perhaps so that she wouldn't have to show her face to Nala and betray whatever emotions were continuing to write themselves across her face.

"Yes, mother." Nala said evenly. As usual, they were testing each other. Nala wanted to see how her mother would react, while her mother was waiting for Nala to make the first move. Would this be yet another argument?

"Why have you come back?"

"Because I wanted to see that you were okay."

This drew a sigh. "I am alive. I cannot say the same for most of my priests and priestesses. Many of the acolytes were taken for some purpose that I dread to consider. My haven is a wreck and it may never recover. It took the sacrifice of my dear Kyederon, to preserve the sanctity of this temple sanctum. So am I okay? You tell me, daughter. Or are you even that anymore?"

The news was sobering. Nala knew exactly how her mother felt, having just experienced something all too similar. The only difference was that her mother hadn't been able to protect everyone. Kyederon... he had been the closest thing to a lover that mother had had after the long century of mourning following the death of Nala's father. Nala did not know if the two had ever shared a bed, for they both had such regard for tradition and propriety... but she knew how much they had cared for one another. Her mother must be devastated.

"Yes. I am your daughter. I will always be your daughter," Nala said, her heart catching in her throat as she tempered her voice. "I... I am sorry to hear about Kyederon. He was a wonderful elf."

Her mother bowed her head, and Nala could see the profile of her face trembling as it fought to avoid contorting in pain. "Tch... you hated him. You called him such horrible things... things I had once thought you only reserved for me."

"That's true, but that's only because I was angry at you. And he was always on your side. He loved you."

Now her mother did actively tremble, and no doubt tears were starting to flow freely. Nala continued. "You loved each other. But you never could admit it. It made me so angry to see you torture each other. It was so obvious and I --" Nala stopped, seeing how her mother was starting to break down. "And I never understood what you two had because I was too stupid to understand what it meant to care about anyone besides myself. I was so selfish..."

This made her mother stop crying for a moment, as she choked back her sobs long enough to turn to Nala and blink a few times. "You what?" It was as if she didn't believe her own ears.

"I'm sorry mother. Not for everything mind you, but, I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I said to you. I'm sorry I didn't understand the burden you had as the leader of this temple. You must have felt so alone. And your own daughter was doing everything in her power to be everything you didn't want under your own roof."

Her mother sniffed, "So... so you're coming back? You wish to come back to the temple? You'll renounce your heresy?"

Nala sighed, "No mother. I'm not a heretic. How I choose to live my life and what I choose to do with my magic is my own choice and I hope that one day you'll respect me for it. But... I just came to let you know that I respect you for what you were and what you are. I can't come back, even if you let me. There are people now who depend on me. I need to be there for them. I just... when the invaders came, I worried about you - I worried I would never have the chance to tell you I was sorry. So that's why I'm here, mother. I'm here to say I'm sorry, and that I do love you. Even if you consider me a heretic."

The door behind them opened and a priestess poked her head in. "High Priestess Kalevi, you're needed at the Southern Quarter. We've found survivors under the collapsed novice dormitories."

Her mother wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded to the priestess. "I will be there soon." She then approached Nala, and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Nala, by the laws I invoked upon your banishment, I cannot revoke your exile until you give up your heretical notions." She gazed into Nala's eyes intently. Perhaps wondering if even at this point that her manipulative daughter was only doing this to get back into the family's good graces. But when she looked into Nala's eyes, Kalevi could only see sincerity and a maturity there that was completely new.

"That being said... I love you as well, Nala, my daughter. I sense something has changed in you. Something for the better. In the midst of all this horror and loss... you are the one bright spot of hope that I have seen. For that, I thank you. If you are not ready to come back to me on my terms... then I will just wish you luck in whatever life you have found for yourself. I am happy you have found others that you truly care about. Go back to them. Take care of them. Treasure them..."

"Mother, about Kyederon... I truly, truly am sorry."

"It's... it's okay. After you left, he and I had many long talks. We... we did express our feelings for one another. Even in ways that you might approve of." Kalevi smiled sadly. That revelation led Nala's jaw to drop.

"But mother, what about your duty as High Priestess? And he as your sworn honor guard, what about the tradition that forbids --" Nala started to question, but Kalevi raised her hand to silence her.

"Love has a funny way of making even someone like me break the rules. But if you tell anyone about it, Nala, I will take you out of this world as easily as I put you in it. Now go. You're still banished and I have the injured to attend to. But go with my love."

The two of them embraced, and then awkwardly drew away from one another. Nala stepped aside and let Kalevi walk out into the Ch'Hiesol ruins to continue being the brave leader of this ravaged but surviving community. "I'm ready to go back now, Matthias."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

(No stats here cuz timeskip. Also, gain 4 exp. You can spend that now if you want, and any money that Nala has on new gear.)

As Nala moved through the temple complex of Ch'Hiesol with Matthias following a few steps behind, she would notice something odd. Though it wasn't a universal reaction by any means, some of the upper ranked residents of her mother's temple gaped in horror and terror as soon as they spotted Matthias following her, and immediately edged away. She would notice as well that her mother's eyes widened when she spotted the daemon, though she made no comment on it and Matthias chose to remain well away, giving them a semblance of privacy. When she returned to his side, she found the daemon gazing about as if admiring the surroundings, and at Nala's words he simply swept his cloak around her once more, causing both of them to vanish. They reappeared back in the camp, where they found Violet and Demetrius arguing. The latter looked quite calm, almost bored even, and answered Violet's near-hysterical demands in a somewhat dismissive tone. Both of them jumped in surprise at their sudden appearance, and Nala had to endure a ten minute lecture on vanishing without a trace from the amazonian assassin before Nala could even get a word in edgewise. All the same, she, Amanda, Charlotte, and Demetrius all seemed quite happy that she was back unharmed.

If, before they departed from Nala's former home in order to return to her new one, she inquired to Matthias about the stares he received or the manner in which his gaze lingered upon the tree at the heart of the temple, Matthias would stare at her silently for a moment before replying, "It has been many years since I set foot in this place. I killed Janis here, right where that tree grows now."

~~~~~~~~~​

Two years passed in the slaver camp, and for Nala it felt like the blink of an eye. The elven witch seemed to have little time to herself with all of the responsibilities she had assumed over the growing community, the days filled with decisions to make and eager people to teach, while her nights were filled with her favorite pastime, which had since become a responsibility in itself in a way.

Amanda, who worked tirelessly with Violet to learn all that she could in the ways of battle, became increasingly shut away emotionally and rebuffed any attempts to pierce the barrier that she had placed around herself. All the same, she excelled not only in her martial learning with Violet, but in Nala's training in the bedroom, becoming swiftly adept with both sexes. Even so, Nala couldn't help but notice that the girl hardly seemed to enjoy the acts, even when partnered with Nala herself, who's skill in the art of love had become somewhat legendary in the small community. She learned to harness the same power that Nala had even without any magical teachings, the ability to assert her influence over her partner when the act was completed.

Charlotte, in the meantime, studied beside Nala and learned all that she could of the secrets of Nature, and became a passable practitioner and experienced herbalist, a task that fell to her due to her sister's altered focus. Compared to her sister, Charlotte turned out to be a very tender lover, and alongside Amanda she mastered the unique sort of magic that Nala had pioneered. She became a fairly adept healer over time as well, a discipline that Demetrius, who had a much longer formal education than Nala, even if it was somewhat less focused, helped the girl along in as best he could.

The master of the slaver camp proved to be a fairly skilled practitioner, able to wield all of the elements with skill, though he couldn't match Nala in either of her chosen specialties. His talents lay elsewhere, in the realms of Fire and the mysterious Arcane to be specific, and Charlotte didn't take to either discipline with the zeal that she granted to Nature. All the same, Demetrius hardly required Nala's attentions to remain loyal, though he certainly never passed up a night with her if she was willing and free, particularly if she brought Violet along. Their second threesome didn't end nearly as disastrously as their first.

Violet assumed almost as much responsibility around the camp as Nala, staying by Nala's side day and night if the situation allowed for it. Though Nala hardly needed protection over the course of the next two years, Violet wouldn't hear a word of it. When Nala took the assassin as her lover, the woman was actually mildly reluctant at first, but a short ways in something within her seemed to break, and she responded with a passion that Nala could only compare either to herself or to Matthias. While basking in their mutual afterglow, Violet confided to Nala her growing feelings for her, and proved Matthias right by revealing all of her worries not only for Nala but for the other girls, and even the former slaves and slavers. However, no matter how hard she attempted to press, Nala could not pry much of the woman's history from her, and as she proved quite adept at resisting Nala's particular brand of magic, she never found out what it was that the assassin had failed at. If she ever asked Matthias about it, he would respond that it was Violet's secret to tell, not his.

Of course, there were many things that the daemon would not be so tight lipped about, and some of them he simply blurted out at the most awkward of moments. It was the daemon who revealed to Nala that she had become sterile due to her repeated trips into the afterlife, and also that mere heartbeats before her death in Demetrius' tent she had conceived the mage's child, though she had miscarried when her heart had stopped beating. Matthias was also the one to teach her how to properly utilize the gifts that the demon goddess had given her, and also the one who had advised her that while Nala herself might be unable to bear children, Violet most certainly was, and that she ought to be careful in the usage of one particular "gift" lest they produce a child. Of course, Nala was just as free to ignore that advice, if she wanted. All the same, the daemon was only occasionally present, and thus they had fewer opportunities to repeat the incident that had left Nala so sore the next day, and on their next night together Matthias was considerably more gentle anyway.

The girls that she had rescued from the goblins recovered from the demon's abuse to one degree or another, though all of them remained sexual charged, a fact that contributed greatly to the high morale of both the human men and the goblins that had once been their captors. Some of them became Nala's pupils in the magical arts, though none became quite as skilled as Charlotte at magic in the short time that Nala had to work with them. They, like all of the others, worked together to assist the camp however they could in ways other than through the use of their bodies, and one by one they regained portions of their memories under Nala's care.

The slaves and slavers, though initially hostile, quickly got over their initial distrust by necessity. Forced to work together by circumstance, the animosity between the two groups gradually dissolved, and by the end of their first year the two groups had melded seamlessly. Nala and her girls kept them as happy as could be expected under the circumstances, and the numerous tasks needed to maintain their community kept them too busy to bother opening up old wounds, particularly with Nala's influence pushing them to be more genteel with their neighbors. A handful of them even fathered children on Nala's proteges over the intervening two years, which only forced them to become even more bonded to the developing community.

The goblins, though hardly the happiest lot, knew when they were outmatched, and decided that staying beside Nala was better than wandering off into the jungle. Even so, they continuously requested the right to increase their numbers, and as they worked as tirelessly as anyone else and rapidly adapted to civilized life, if Nala was inclined to permit this several of the girls conceived by the diminutive demons willingly, swelling their ranks to however many Nala would permit. Even so, they remained both loyal and efficient so long as Nala maintained a decent hold on them, which was hardly a difficult task all things considered.

The wooden wall around the camp gradually grew, as did the buildings that it protected, and soon enough the camp could no longer be called a camp, but a village. Their numbers swelled not only from the children born within, but from refugees that arrived in groups or alone, coming out of the jungle in search of safety to find a thriving community developing. Soon enough they could no longer scavenge enough from the jungle itself, but by then they had started growing their own crops in a secluded portion of the camp. Nala's mastery of natural magics ensured that the crops prospered, and they rarely wanted for good food or clean water under her leadership.

Even so, this prosperity attracted some unwanted attention from those outside who would rather take from their community than join, a brief bandit problem followed by attention from the invaders, who attacked with regularity for some months, at one point even requiring Matthias assistance in order to rebuff. That was the only time that Nala ever really glimpsed the daemon's real power, when she called for his aid against the swarm of invaders that came down from a quartet of floating monstrosities each as large as a mansion and protected by a trio of the strange, floating, tentacled aliens that rebuffed any attempts on Nala's part to dislodge them. Matthias appeared next to her and with a single wave of his hand lit the night sky aflame, turning the entire force to dust save for those on the ground, which he butchered one by one or in groups with a sword and his gauntlet-clad hands, as well as some help from the recovered defenders. There were no more problems with the invaders after that. Of course, what came next was arguably worse, as a group of demons came, in the beginning of autumn two years after the aliens invaded, in order to demand fealty from Nala...

~~~~~~~~~​

Violet and Demetrius both glared openly at their opposites, a man and a woman clad in ornate armor darker than deepest midnight. Though their face's were hidden within their great helmets, Nala got the distinct impression that the heavily armored demons found their stern gaze more amusing than threatening, which only seemed to incense the two further. The two demon knights stood one either side of the door into Demetrius' private cabin, which served as their meeting sight, while Demetrius himself sat to Nala's left and Violet to her right. Sitting at the table across from them was a woman possessed of skin as pale as moonlight, her teeth stained black and showing through her slightly parted deep red lips. The woman was leaning back in her chair, one arm crossed under her bosom and the other holding a peach before her, which she was consuming slowly in a manner that was obviously meant to be a lewd display. And it was working quite well at that.

The way in which her eyes closed whenever she took a bite, and the slightest moans that escaped her lips as she consumed the succulent piece of fruit... The way in which her tongue lightly darted out to clear up the juices that ended up coating her pouted lips, and the light kisses that she left on the peach's core were all quite distracting, or at least had the potential to be so. The woman said nothing, ignoring any comments that Nala might make as she consumed the peach, which she had taken from the bowl at the center of the table. Only when she was finished and had licked herself clean, even pausing to suck on the peach's core for a moment before flicking it over her shoulder did the woman finally fold her large draconic wings over herself and lean forward to fold her hands on the table.

Looking Nala directly in the eyes from beneath her full sized, bull-like horns, her crimson orbs glowed softly as she exclaimed, "Delicious~" She offered Nala a seductive smile and let just a hint of suggestion fall into her voice as she continued, "Of course, there are a few other treats I'd like to try before I conclude my stay here! I have heard so many... Intriguing... Stories about this place!" From the look that she was giving Nala, there was little doubt about what she meant by her statement, and both of Nala's companions knew it as well, as they momentarily turned their glares upon her.

The reason for their glares was, of course, the piece of paper sitting before Nala, which had been sealed in wax with a crest that Nala had never seen before, demanding that Nala and her community swear fealty to those whom these demons apparently represented. The terms of fealty included portions of their crops, right to tax, right to station a garrison among them, and what the representative sitting across from Nala had called "breed and feed" rights, which would essentially allow the demons here to feed on the souls of the people in Nala's village and use the women to increase their numbers. Refusal of these terms would, of course, mean that they were not granted the demon lord's "protection" from the "ever growing" dangers present in the Pfitherian jungle in which Nala's village lay.

Matthias, who had warned that this would happen eventually, had not been present in Nala's village for over a month. At the time, he had counseled her not to accept union with the demons at all, but at the moment he was not here to influence Nala's decision one way or another. The demoness had read the terms aloud before handing Nala the letter containing them, at which point she had started eating the peach, and now she was gazing at Nala with a smirk while awaiting her answer.

(Feel free to name the village if you want, and contact me if any of the recap doesn't match up with what you'd intended Nala to accomplish in the time skip.)

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Nala's eyes had skimmed the first few sentences of the contract before she pushed it away from herself and sat back in her chair, her mouth opening to speak but halting when she saw the horned demon woman pick up the succulent peach and begin to eat it in a suggestive manner. This turned Nala on a bit, and a smile appeared on her lips as she watched the demon eat. Her own finger went to her lips and she began to bite it a bit and show her tongue flickering around it as she kept her eyes fixated on the demon's. As the demon moaned, so did Nala. While Violet and Demetrius might be glaring indignantly, Nala was putting on a much different front.

However, the slowness with which the demon ate the peach allowed Nala to take some time to think, and she did so by casting her mind back to the previous two years. Much had changed, most of it for the better. She had had much time to get comfortable with her newly acquired sexual powers and had practised as much as time would allow with as many lovers as she could. She preferred to experiment on men and goblins, affecting their slow mutations in ways that she desired and making their personalities just slightly more agreeable, without completely rewriting them. In effect, the men she took to bed in the village would find themselves being kinder, gentler lovers, with larger 'endowment' as time went on.

She never tried to use her mind affecting powers on her female lovers however, other than guiding their mutations to be non-affronting to their appearance or physiology. Amanda, Charlotte, and Violet would all have softer skin, and enhanced muscle control in their sexual organs, but they wouldn't be sprouting wings or any other additional appendages.

Nala had maintained her emotional distance with Amanda, but shared her concerns with Charlotte, whom she felt would be the best person to melt the icy barrier that her sister had constructed around her own heart.

The courtship of Violet would be one that the witch elf would always remember fondly. It had been unspoken that first time with one another. Nala had simply taken the girl by the hand, brought her to bed, kissed her, removed her clothing, and what had followed had been beautiful love making. Nala opened herself up slowly to Violet, and the girl had done likewise, until at last they knew one another well enough to share the full flame of their passion. Nala didn't need to know what 'failure' haunted Violet's past, she only needed to know the Amazonian beauty as she was now. The girl's constant worry and concern over her was so endearing to Nala, that she easily overlooked any scoldings she would get for her temporary disappearing acts that she was known to do on occasion.

Matthias' visits became sparse, but Nala understood why this was and didn't cling to him or appear needy. She knew she had to be able to stand on her own, and was content to be merely happy to see him when he stopped by. Of course, her bed and her understanding ear were always open to him if the world-weary daemon felt like opening up his human side for a while. She once did try to get the story of his fight with Janis out of him, and asked him what power remained in that temple tree, which her mother often felt she drew so much spiritual energy from.

Nala found that being sterile, which would've been a dream for her two years ago, was a bit different now that she had people she cared about and was feeling actual feelings of attachment. Suddenly, the idea of having a child wasn't so repulsive, and not having the choice of bearing one made her slightly sad. She was interested however in being able to sire a child via Corrini's gifts, though out of respect for Violet, she had yet to bring that subject up with her.

The goblins had been allowed to spawn children with the permission of the women they desired to breed with. Nala was actually surprised by the willingness of some girls, but given the short pregnancy period, it wasn't as much of a deal as the human men fathering children with the few females of the camp. Nala was happy for the mothers though, and she encouraged the village to rally around the infants and help out with the children's well-being in such an inhospitable land.

The day of the invaders' second assault had been a hectic experience. Nala had felt overwhelmed, but had been determined to take as many as she could down with her. Death was no big deal, right? She swore an oath that if she went back to the land of death, she'd fight off the minor daemons the same way Matthias must have, never giving in, until there was no more fight left in her. Fortunately for her and the rest of the village, Matthias had shown up to display his true power, and the invaders got the idea... this place was protected.

...

The demon who did not understand this fact finished her peach. When she said the word 'delicious' Nala grinned and said "Isn't it?"

The demon then made her other not so subtle intention clear and Nala leaned forward slowly, displaying her ample cleavage through the thin, silken dark green robes she preferred to wear, trimmed in gold. Nala then folded her fingers together and peered over them at the demon. Then, instead of speaking to her, she turned to Violet.

"I think I like her Violet dear, don't you?" she asked rhetorically, though Violet was free to answer if she wanted.

"Such brazen confidence, extreme passion just bubbling over in her every sinuous move, and an utter naivete about the danger she's walked into - you know, she very much reminds me of myself not so long ago..."

Turning back to the demon, she addressed her directly. "My sweet demonic treat, you are mistaking Kyederon for a simple, undefended community. If you've heard anything about us at all, then you'll have heard we've repelled two major assaults by the invaders who showed up two years ago. It's not in my interests to tell you how we are protected, only that we are. So you'll understand that when I tear up this cute little contract her. I'm not doing it out of indignation from what you must think are quite one sided terms, but rather that I know that if you bother to send an army of demons sloshing through the jungle to defeat us, we'll repel you, and likely send you all to oblivion. So really, by warning you now, I'm doing it for your sake, because I like you so. I'd rather we part as friends."

So saying, Nala tore the contract in half.

"Now, if all you wanted to do was sample my fruit, you really only needed to ask. I like demons, you know... one of my favorite teacher's was a demon named Corinni... maybe you've heard of her? She and I got along splendidly, so I don't see why you and I shouldn't... ah, what was your name again, my peach?"

Nala continued on, regardless. "Because if you were up for it, I'm sure you and your two friends there would enjoy letting off some steam after your long... hard journey?"

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP = 75, EP = 84, Status = Fine

The demoness across from her met Nala's eyes without hesitation, those deep crimson orbs whispering of dark promise and seemingly ready to suck Nala into their depths if she wasn't wary. Violet, who had been quite occupied with her glaring match with the helmet-clad demon knight standing across from her, nonetheless immediately replied; "No." Demetrius couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter at that, and the demoness who was the subject of the question let out a quick mirthful laugh herself. Even so, she remained silent otherwise right up until Nala had finished the statement in which she'd described the woman sitting across from her as naive. Her eyes flashed dangerously for just a fraction of a second at the suggestion, her smile becoming menacing rather than flirtatious, but the change in her demeanor lasted only for the blink of an eye, and as Nala was looking at Violet at the time she missed the whole of it.

Violet and Demetrius did not, but they let it slide by without comment as Nala turned back to the representative and issued her response to the demon's offer - while tearing up the contract she'd brought as well. That elicited little response from the woman other than a roll of her eyes, her overall demeanor not changing in the slightest despite the obvious refusal of the terms she had offered Nala, nor did she show any reaction at the mention of Corini. As such, she looked quite delighted at Nala's offer to "sample her fruit" if she was so inclined, offering her an appraising look that Violet did not miss and quite plainly did not like.

"I am inclined to agree with your assessment of the situation, if that is your final decision," the woman began casually, "In the courts, I am Lady Esmerala De'Corvin, seventeenth of the Line and current second to House Evergrey. But I think you may call me Esmerala! Or Em for short if you want to be lazy~!" Esmerala smiled at Nala for a moment with her hands still folded in front of her while Violet and Demetrius took it in turns to scowl at her, which she continued to take no detectable notice of. "While I cannot say that I am surprised by your reaction, I am disappointed that you would think so little of us."

She paused for a moment and leaned back in her chair once more, allowing her raven hair to cascade down behind her and giving Nala a somewhat better view of her full breasts which were covered only by the thin crimson robe that she wore. "If you had any extended relationship with our former queen, you no doubt know that we have no need for direct military action against you, nor would we ever expend the resources for it. We have our foothold on this world. Now we only need to wait for mortalkind to give themselves over to us willingly.... As they will, one soul at a time. You needn't ever fear us trudging though the jungle to assault your walls, sweet Nala.... We are eternal! We need only wait for you to realize that your lives will be better in our hands than in your own. And if we must wait a few centuries for that to happen, what does it matter to us?" She paused again to smile sweetly again, but this time there was a hint of poison present amongst the sugar she had been presenting up until now.

Violet's scowl had only deepened at Esmerala's words while Demetrius looked at least mildly disturbed by the woman's words. "As you say, it would be best that we part as friends, and after our long journey from.... What did your kind used to call it? Celesis? I think that's right... Anyway, my companions and I would certainly love some of your... Refreshments...." she continued as she finally swept her gaze over Violet and Demetrius while nibbling on her finger in a manner quite similar to the way that Nala had been doing it while she'd eaten the peach. "Of course, as a refined Lady, I find myself more and more preferring such things to involve only a singular fine dish as opposed to many different courses. There is so much more... Intimacy possible under such circumstances, don't you agree dear Nala?" she said in a low purr, and as before it was plain that her interest lay solely in Nala.

"Among the demon courts, there is a.... Game, that the lords and ladies like to play. A sort of dueling that results in no blood shed, because it is no contest of magic or arms as the more barbaric races seem to think is necessary," she began to explain coolly, "Tis the sort of contest I've heard you would both enjoy greatly and excel at, milady. Of course, the terms of the contest itself and the conditions for victory must be decided beforehand, as well as the winnings of course.... Would you be interested in playing such a game with me? I confess myself rusty at it, and fear that my skills in it have fallen after such a period of disuse."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

"On the contrary, Esmerela, I think very highly of demon kind," Nala said. "Of course, not your inclination towards rape and murder, nor your complete lack of empathy, nor your inability to coexist with yourselves without a lower caste to exploit - those I find all very debilitating attributes. But your strengths are incredible. As a young elf maiden, I was incredibly jealous of all the stories I'd heard of - well, of beautiful ladies of the demonic court, such as yourself."

Nala smiled, knowing that the demon would probably eat her flattery up with relish. In the meantime, Nala considered the implications of what the demoness had told her. Celesis was overrun. Nala hadn't been there since she was an acolyte, and it was sad to think she wouldn't see it as it once had been in its glory days. Still, the world continues to turn. If she wanted to see more beauty in the world, she would just have to create it herself.

"Now... if your plan is to sit behind walls and lay siege to mortal morality over the course of centuries, then I have no qualm with you. Demons will be demons." Nala spread her hands out, as if the tension of this meeting no longer existed.

Standing up, Nala smoothed her dress and then walked to the other side of the desk, where she offered a hand to Esmerela. "Since this has all been cleared up, let's retire to more comfortable quarters. You can explain this 'game' in more detail - though I already have a fairly good notion as to what you're referring to. In which case..." Nala looked Esmerela up and down. "It sounds like wonderful sport."

Nala gave a gesture for Violet and Demetrius to follow close as the witch elf took the demoness in hand and led her back to Nala's own private quarters, which were spacious enough for a decent amount of people to reside in comfortably. The bed itself took pride of place in the center, dominating the chamber. Nala had shaped its base from living wood, and the enormous mattress was stuffed with the feathers of many hundreds of tropical birds. Given the hot, steamy climate, little was needed in the way of blankets, so instead it was littered with many pillows, whose numbers also lined the edge of the room, so that observers could take a seat and watch any performances Nala might have put on for interested viewers.

"Please, make yourself comfortable, Lady Esmerela. So... you wish to challenge me to a contest at which you claim to be quite rusty? Now, why do I have trouble believing that? Mmm?" Nala tittered and then sat beside the demoness, leaning in towards her and putting a hand on her exposed leg, which she lightly caressed. She wanted to show no fear against this demoness. She had to rely on her own abilities and have confidence. If nothing else, Violet and Demetrius were here to back her up. She doubted that the two demon knights would fight as hard for Esmerela as Nala's companions would fight for her.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Spoiler

Nala: HP = 51, PP = 75, EP = 84, Status = Fine

Esmerala seemed to take no offense to Nala's examination of the more negative aspects of her race, and indeed the expression on her face suggested that she took the elven witch's words exactly as she had hoped that she would. When Nala rose and walked around the table toward the demoness, and offered her a hand up, Esmerala took it with a smile and rose smoothly to her feet, her great wings shifting behind her as Nala took in the details of her fantastic figure, built along more or less the same lines as Nala's own. "Oh it is indeed wonderful sport~" she crooned blithely, a smile on her face with the traces of the hunger that the demoness seemed barely able to suppress, which Nala could feel plainly through the tension in her body.

Violet and Demetrius rose to follow Nala at her beckon, though neither of them looked particularly happy with this turn of events. The two knights turned and fell into step smoothly behind their mistress, which caused something of a stir as Violet and Demetrius tried to catch up in order to do the same to Nala. As the demoness had taken Nala's arm in her own, keeping them close together, that was fairly difficult, and the two knights didn't budge an inch from their formation, forcing Violet and Demetrius to trail along behind them. While Demetrius seemed quite content with that, Violet scowled daggers at the backs of all three of the demons all the way to Nala's quarters, which were considerably larger than Demetrius' hut, though they were also somewhat less private being closer to the center of the village.

Along the way, Esmerala explained, "The game is simple but quite varied. It is a contest of both sexual skill and endurance, and the terms of it are decided between the participants, as are the winnings. As I suspected." They arrived at Nala's quarters, and Esmerala immediately strode to the bed. Her clothes seem to melt off of her body, piling on the floor at her feet along the way, and the sight of it caused Demetrius to flush slightly. "You may remove your armor, we are in no danger here I am sure~" the demoness said, and the two knights bowed in reply and said as one, "Yes milady." Their helmets came off first, followed by their chest plates and then their leg coverings and boots, the black armor left resting neatly upon the floor. The demons beneath were every bit as beautiful as Esmerala, even the man was incredibly handsome, but they moved to the outskirts of the room reflexively rather than join Nala and Esmerala in the center of the room. Violet and Demetrius, seeing this, did the same, and it just so happened that each of them ended up with the demon of the opposite sex.

Once her compatriots had stripped, Esmerala placed a finger upon her lips and made a thoughtful noise as she eyed Nala, who was then sitting beside her and lightly caressing her exposed thigh, pausing a moment before she said; "As the rules for this contest are fairly fluid and you are... Forgive me, inexperienced in them, I will suggest them, and you may approve or not as you choose. Hrm... Well, firstly I think we ought to agree on not using magic on one another, or attempting to use force to attempt to overpower one another. Such is generally a common ruling in these struggles, and forgive me, but I would prefer not to match my own limited magical skills against yours~ I would also submit that I will not feed on your soul while we battle, as such might create an unfair advantage if I were to take too much of your energy. Now, I think that the victor being the first to cause the other to cum once should be sufficient, yes? Of course, if you would like our duel to last a little longer, I wouldn't mind, but I would add the stipulation that one should be allowed to recover from their climax before the contest resumes. Even after one of us wins, there is no reason that we would have to stop there!"

Esmerala paused for a moment, but then added almost as an afterthought, "Oh, and the winnings! Hrm.... The winner will have the loser at their sexual beck and call for the duration of my stay here, though I would add that the winner cannot force the loser to do anything that would inhibit their ability to serve their respective responsibilities. So, what do you say, Nala?"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Undeniable (Blueslime)

Nala hadn't minded that the demon knight had taken pride of place behind the two leaders, leaving Violet and Demetrius to lag behind. Violet would just have to be quicker next time, lest she be nettled again, but still, Nala did not fear for her immediate safety -- it simply wouldn't be Esmerela's style, by what the witch elf had gleaned of her guest.

"A rather intuitive game," Nala commented as she locked arms with the demoness, her hips periodically brushing up against the noble's, intimating that there was every intention of the hostess accepting the challenge. "Straightforward objective, yet oh so many levels of mastery required to achieve victory. There is nothing like competition to bring out excellence - it is no wonder demons are so very good at the sexual arts. I do my best of course, but there is only so far that practice can take a person."

Nala waited as Esmerela left her clothes upon the bedroom floor and dictated that the two knights unbuckle their armor. "Indeed, you need not fear harm, so long as you threaten none. Ah, and truly, the two of you are far more disarming with that bulky plate off rather than on." She complimented the two demonic guards, noting how convenient it was that the knight of the opposite gender should be standing next to Demetrius and Violet. Turning to Esmerela, Nala said, "You obviously pick your aides well. They are beautiful."

As Esmerela was nude, Nala felt she shouldn't let the demoness feel out of place, and easily shrugged off the straps of her dress to let it fall to the floor, exposing all of her body, save for the thin string panties she wore with just enough stitching to cover the bare essentials of her modesty. She then sat beside the nude demon, stroking her thigh while she explained the suggested rules.

"I am comfortable with a single climax determining the winner of the competition, and I agree that no force should be used, nor aggressive magics... though I do like the thought of you spread eagled and held helpless by my vines." Nala grinned and trailed a finger up Esmerela's ribcage, to the underside of her breast, then up along the lovely orb itself. "In return, it would be only fair that you not drain me of my essence, since I will need it to make up for my mortal weaknesses... alas that I was not born with your physical properties..." Nala's finger traced around Esmerela's breast, suggestively. "And no, we needn't stop after victory is determined."

She stopped her tracing as Esmerela suggested the reward that would be earned. "Mmm, and how long was it that you wanted to stay my dear? After all, you were saying something about centuries not being that long for a demon to wait? Hmm hmm~" Nala grinned, as if noticing these potential loopholes was just part of the fun. "Let us say three days of sexual servitude, with the winner being able to demand a session and expect compliance within half an hour's time, enough for orders to be delegated to their officers. The sessions will take place in private and should extra parties be called upon to participate, the extras will be comprised equally of officers loyal to both the winner and loser, and every officer asked to participate must be willing to do so without coercion. The winner is obligated to ensure that at all times when not in session, the loser will be free to do as they please, as though the contest had not taken place. Individual sessions will not exceed three hours, and there must be at least a three hour recovery period after each session before a new one can be demanded. And finally, no body or mind alteration may be caused that would have an effect beyond the boundaries of an individual session. Do you find these conditions acceptable?"