Crisis of Faith by Benjamin Medrano (z-lib.org)

by Unknown

  The Empress’s eyebrows rose, but she nodded slightly in response. “Yes, that is right. The twins came from nowhere, severing the tree’s trunk in their opening strike, and while magic rebelled they slaughtered most of my people. I arrived and fought, but it was too late, and they had prepared. You two arrived, but they struck hard, heavily injuring both of you as you were forced to flee. I seem to recall seeing you struck in the head by a blast of their magic, but then a boulder landed on me. By the time I freed myself, you were all gone.”

  “I see. That likely was what caused my memories to be so fragmented, then,” Tyria murmured, scowling. “I really dislike those two.”

  “I don’t think anyone likes gods of destruction. They don’t give a damn about anyone,” Baldwin said, scowling. “I thought they were supposed to be aligned with Kylrius, but they tried to kill both of us. I don’t think they were even supposed to attack the world tree, for that matter.”

  “As you said, they do not care about others,” the Empress replied, then smiled coldly. “On the other hand, they had better take Fate’s advice. I’m going to hunt them down and end them, even if it takes until the end of the world.”

  The smile on the nymph’s face sent a chill down Tyria’s spine, and she swallowed hard. She didn’t really pity the two deities, but Tyria was quite glad that she wasn’t the one being targeted.

  “I wish you luck with that. Now, then… was there something else you wanted to talk about, Medaea?” Baldwin asked, glancing around as he grimaced. “I’d like to get away from here. I thought it made sense before, but I’ve only had bad luck every time I’ve come here.”

  “I can’t say that I blame you. As to that… no, there’s nothing else. Erethor and Eretha told me what I needed to know, which explains the problems that have been occurring,” Tyria said and let out a sigh as she added, “That said, with Fate’s warning, I’m not sure what I can tell my faithful.”

  “I do believe that is your own problem to work out. Do give Marin my regards when you see her,” the Empress said firmly, folding her arms.

  “Fair. Do you want me to work on your armor, though?” Baldwin asked, grimacing as he added, “Personally, I just want to let bygones be bygones. We weren’t really enemies, after all.”

  “I’d like that, I think. Would you mind adjusting my sword as well? I’m afraid that Irethiel altered both of them, and it doesn’t… quite suit me, if that makes any sense,” Tyria replied, warming up a little to him.

  “Sure,” Baldwin nodded, straightening. “Now, what exactly do you want?”

  Chapter 27

  Wenris swirled the dress’s skirt and frowned unhappily, turning to look at her back in the mirror, and particularly at how it almost reached her wings. While the dress was pretty enough, on the whole, she didn’t exactly like it. The problem was that she didn’t dare go overboard in Beacon.

  “Why do I have to be so modest?” the succubus muttered under her breath, a touch irritated.

  No one answered, of course, mostly because she was alone in the small apartment that had been set aside for Wenris’s use. It wasn’t on the palace grounds, sadly, but Wenris suspected that was because Sistina didn’t want to have her constantly leeching mana from the dungeon, even if she was giving mana to the residents of the palace.

  The thought of the mana the people within the palace were absorbing sent a shiver down the demon queen’s spine. No matter how powerful she was, the ability of mortals to grow was something she couldn’t underestimate, and no one had seen what heights they could achieve if allowed to live within the confines of a dungeon, and that made her wary, even if Sistina hadn’t on her own.

  A ripple in the aether caused Wenris to pause, though, and she frowned, trying to localize it. The source was distant, that much she could tell, but without being outside she’d have a hard time localizing it. It also was powerful, which concerned her a little more… but after a moment she shrugged, resolving to investigate if she had the chance to do so. For now, she was going to be reclaiming Diane. The elven woman wasn’t as much of a reward for her centuries in hiding, compared to the mantle of the Queen of Chains, but the elven woman was rather delightful in her own right.

  “Ah, well… it isn’t like I’ll have to wear the dress all night,” Wenris said, grinning at her reflection, then turned to leave, humming to herself.

  She didn’t see how the image in the mirror didn’t turn like it should have, but instead watched her leave, then smiled as though it’d seen something amusing.

  “Are you ready, dear?” Torkal asked, his voice taut as he looked at her.

  “Ready? For something which could lead to me losing who I am entirely, despite everything that’s been done?” Diane asked in a trembling voice, raising her eyebrows as she looked up at him. “I’ll never be ready for that.”

  That wasn’t entirely true, of course. A part of Diane was eagerly looking forward to being with Wenris, so that foolish part of her mind was ready, but a large part of her would have liked a few more centuries of time to distance herself from the succubus, if at all possible.

  “Well, true enough, but… well, I care about you. And what if she decides—” Torkal began, but Diane decided she’d had enough, and went up on her toes as she silenced him with an insistent kiss.

  The man responded after a moment of hesitation, returning the kiss fervently, which she appreciated, letting her eyes half-close as she held on to her beloved. Torkal had always tried to protect her, she knew, and she hated that he couldn’t do anything now, but… there wasn’t a choice. After a little while she broke away, meeting his gaze warmly.

  “We cannot change what she does, dear. We can only control ourselves, and do the best we can. I’m not going to lose you to Calath, hm?” Diane said, her eyes twinkling.

  “Dear! Have I ever even looked at her that way since I proposed to you?” Torkal protested, sounding a bit exasperated, which was rather the point of her comment, in truth.

  “No, but I want to be sure,” Diane teased, then looked at the door. “Still, she’ll likely be here any minute, so I’d best be ready.”

  “True enough. Just… be safe, please?” Torkal requested, looking even more nervous somehow.

  “Of course,” Diane said simply, glancing down at her dress, not entirely happy with how Wenris might react to it. The succubus had a way of reading things that Diane hadn’t expected from outfits or body language. It was frustrating at times, but fortunately it wasn’t mind reading.

  Her dress was simpler than many Diane owned, as it was made of soft wool that had been bleached a pure white. It clung close to her body for the most part, and the interior was lined with satin to keep her from itching, but it was a very nice dress, especially with how cold it was outside. The question was how Wenris would react to it.

  The knock at the door distracted Diane, though, and she cleared her throat, then called out. “Yes?”

  “Your guest has arrived, Lady Diane,” Maria said, the woman’s voice trembling slightly.

  Diane couldn’t blame her, since Wenris likely reminded her of her time in Kelvanis. Neither Maria or her sister, Meredith, had left Beacon after being freed from their slave brands, and they’d been chosen to serve Diane and Jaine when they’d returned. From a few things Diane had heard, their one complaint was that one of Phynis’s maids was also named Maria, which occasionally caused some confusion.

  “Thank you, Maria,” Diane said, opening the door to look at the beautiful, dark-haired human. Maria returned her smile nervously, giving a gentle bob of a curtsey, and Diane added, “If you’d like to find something to do while she’s here, that’s perfectly fine. I entirely understand if you want to avoid her.”

  Maria flushed a little at the offer, looking at the ground as she spoke. “Is… is it that obvious, Lady Diane? I was trying not to show how she makes me feel, but I’m just so… so skittish around her. I remember what she did to you, too.”

  “Oh, I feel… similarly. We’ve had a lot to work th
rough,” Diane said, leaving unsaid her own attraction to Maria, which she knew the human felt as well. Ulvian and Wenris had deliberately pushed Diane into Maria’s arms during captivity, and the feelings that had formed didn’t fade easily. For that matter, Diane knew that Jaine and Meredith had been spending a lot of time together, but she wasn’t going to pry. Their lives were their own to live. After a few moments she shook off the distraction and focused, though. “Still, I’m going to meet with her. We don’t want her getting upset, do we?”

  “Of course not!” Maria said, looking a touch horrified. She hesitated, though, then asked, “Is there anything you’d like prepared for your return in the morning?”

  “A nice, warm bath would be nice,” Diane replied wryly, and glanced back at Torkal, adding, “And ensuring that my husband is available, hm?”

  He snorted, smiling as he replied. “As if you could keep me away!”

  “If that’s what you want, I’ll make sure it’s ready for you,” Maria said, smiling as she added, sounding a little amused. “If nothing else, hot water is easy to come by in Beacon!”

  “True enough,” Diane said, giving her and Torkal each a last, nervous smile before heading for the stairs into the foyer. It felt like there were butterflies in her stomach, and she couldn’t honestly say whether she was afraid of Wenris or excited to see her.

  The question continued until she reached the top of the stairs, and Diane stopped instantly, her eyes widening as she saw the succubus below her, even as Wenris looked up in return.

  Wenris was in her natural form, or at least what Diane thought was her natural form, though her figure wasn’t quite as exaggerated as it had been before. The succubus’s bat-like wings were on full display, as was the silken length of her tail, and her horns were barely visible against the demon’s curly, raven-black hair which spilled down to her waist. Wenris’s eyes glowed a dull red, their slit pupils betraying her nature as she smiled, but it was her dress that caught Diane’s attention, as the succubus’s attempt at modesty drew even more attention than if she’d been naked, in Diane’s opinion.

  There was a narrow black bodice that covered the succubus’s breasts, as well as another across her hips, and both were attached to each other by fabric that ran up her sides, and she also wore long sleeves that each hooked over her middle finger. The dress was filled out by an elaborate, sheer black lace that was almost translucent, and it covered everything from Wenris’s neck down, save for the plunging back that allowed her wings to extend. It was beautiful, and revealed just enough of Wenris’s body to make someone want to see more, as did the onyx gems sewn into the dress, and one glittering from the demon’s navel. It also made Diane wonder if her dress might not have been something of a poor choice.

  “Diane, you’ve changed your eyes back!” Wenris said, slowly smiling as she looked up at Diane and took a deep breath, then paused, tilting her head as she added, a note of delight to her voice. “And… what’s this? Do I smell Tyria’s blood on you? You’ve remade your body anew once more!”

  “Ah… yes, I have,” Diane said, taken aback by Wenris instantly identifying the changes. It took her a moment, then she continued, trying to ignore the way her body was heating up. “I didn’t want to look like Ulvian wanted me to, so I asked her to change me back, and she agreed.”

  “I see. Mm… but you do smell lovely, I must say. And your outfit suits you,” Wenris said, her smile widening even more as she took a deep breath. “White as newly fallen snow… it fits, in my opinion. Now, then, shall we go?”

  “Is that wise? You’re…” Diane began, but her voice trailed off as Wenris’s body rippled and changed. In a few moments the demon’s horns, wings, and tail vanished, and her eyes instead were a bright sapphire blue, making her appear like a beautiful human foreigner.

  “Yes, walking around the city in demonic form would be a poor idea. However, I wanted to show you who I truly was to begin with, Diane,” Wenris purred, then made a beckoning gesture. “Now, come here, my queen.”

  “I’m not a queen,” Diane replied automatically, but she didn’t even realize she’d started moving until a few seconds later, and she flushed brightly as she realized what she was doing, as well as how Wenris was looking at her. She wasn’t going to be able to resist at all, even after several months away from Wenris, Diane realized.

  “Yes, you are. You are my queen,” Wenris replied with a particular emphasis on the possessive term, extending a hand to Diane confidently. “I am the new Queen of Chains, and you are mine. That makes you my queen if I say you are, even if you’ve lost Yisara. A pity, but there wasn’t any chance of your people giving it back to you with our link. Well, that and your pesky contract with Kelvanis, I suppose.”

  “O-oh,” Diane said, her eyes widening still more as a thread of fear rippled through her. She laid her hand in Wenris’s, and gasped as the succubus pulled her in close and kissed her.

  It was like an electric shock ran from Diane’s lips to her toes, causing them to curl in her shoes as her entire body tensed, then melted in the demon’s embrace. Wenris was warm, almost blazing with heat, and Diane realized belatedly exactly what Sistina had meant about Wenris’s touch being dangerous. Not that the thought lasted long, as the heat spilled into her body, and she found herself returning the kiss hungrily, almost like she’d been starving for attention.

  The kiss went on and on, until finally Wenris pulled away, leaving Diane feeling dizzy as the succubus held her, trying to catch her breath as Wenris chuckled softly, then spoke. “Oh, you did miss me, didn’t you? Mm… I missed you too, though I’ll admit to having some fun when crushing several upstarts. Not that they could compare to you.”

  “Um, what?” Diane asked, trying to regain some semblance of thought, but Wenris’s presence seemed to just be destroying any ability to concentrate, as her eyes kept drifting downward.

  “You’re mortal, and you have a strong soul. That is something which would attract any demon. It’s the reason I was willing to give up Jaine, because you were far, far more valuable to someone like me,” Wenris replied, her gaze drifting up the staircase, then she turned, pulling Diane toward the door. “Now, come along. We have a nice dinner waiting for us, then a room together. I don’t want to waste our time together.”

  “A-as you wish, Mistress Wenris,” Diane stammered, moving with Wenris as the succubus pulled a thick fur cloak off a cloak rack and put it on, then opened the door to reveal the streets and snow-covered roofs of Beacon before them, as well as a carriage waiting in the driveway of the manor. Wenris paused for a moment, looking at Diane speculatively, then smiled.

  “Unless, of course, you’d prefer to skip the dinner? You do look a touch out of sorts. Perhaps I left you alone for too long?” Wenris teased gently, reaching out to run a finger along Diane’s left ear, and the elf blushed brightly, at both the pleasant sensation and the implications of what Wenris was suggesting.

  “I’ll leave that up to you, Mistress Wenris,” Diane whispered in response, trying to fight the way she was feeling, and utterly failing. “Whatever you desire.”

  “Mm, but of course,” Wenris said, her eyes glittering mischievously.

  Then she helped Diane into the carriage, and they were on their way to wherever Wenris had in mind.

  Chapter 28

  Nadis stopped short, staring downward as she saw a carriage roll by, her hands tightening suddenly around the back of the chair. She gripped it so tightly she felt pain for a moment before she forced herself to loosen her grip on the chair.

  The sight of Diane in the carriage shouldn’t have caused such potent feelings, particularly not anger, and it wouldn’t have on its own. No, it was the apparently human woman who was in the carriage with Diane that caused rage to well up inside Nadis. The way Diane was blushing, plus the smile she’d seen on the woman’s face… that was enough for Nadis to identify the woman as the new demon queen who’d replaced Irethiel.

  If she was able destroy Wenris that moment, Nadis w
ould have. While she and Diane had never been close, she’d respected the queen’s iron will and willingness to do what was right even at the worst of times. That she was bound to a demon due to that just made everything worse. It didn’t matter that they were trying to save her by the expedient of redeeming Wenris, though. Nadis wanted Diane freed now.

  “Whatever did that chair do to you, Nadis?” Tyria’s voice distracted Nadis instantly, and she bit back a yelp as she spun around to face the goddess.

  Tyria looked much like she had before, with one exception that took Nadis aback, blinking as she looked at the goddess. Unlike every other time she’d seen Tyria, the goddess wasn’t in her armor, and there was no sword by her side. Instead she was wearing an elaborate toga, one of white, purple, and gold. The goddess was also smiling gently at Nadis, and the priestess quickly gathered herself, bowing her head slightly before her goddess.

  “Nothing, of course. I simply… I saw Diane and who I believe to be Wenris passing by,” Nadis replied, a shadow flickering across her face as she thought about the woman in the carriage. “I’m frustrated.”

  “You’re angry there’s nothing more you can do,” Tyria corrected, shaking her head as she glanced out the window. “I do not blame you. We are simply doing what we can.”

  “It’s… well, don’t you hate demons, My Lady? After everything they’ve done, particularly Irethiel?” Nadis asked, waving at the window.

  “Hate demons? No, of course not,” Tyria replied, looking at Nadis with obvious surprise. “I may hate some individuals, and given half a chance I’d have beheaded Irethiel myself, but I don’t hate them as a whole. If anything, I pity them.”