by Eden Redd
Trystan knew this was his chance to act. Moving his fingers into arcane symbols and speaking mysterious words, a spell cast but nothing happened. Trystan looked around bewildered and repeated the spell. There wasn’t even a fizzle. The mage looked up and his eyes met Damon’s. The enemy mage shook his head slightly and pulled out a rolled-up scroll.
Trystan looked up at the chains over his head. He noticed there were runes carved into the metal. He didn’t understand what they meant but he deduced they were there to stop any kind of spell casting. The young mage called on Kira but she did not answer. He could feel her presence over his heart but she was quiet and unmoving.
Freya stood over the lizard man below her. She stepped over him and bent her knees, straddling the scaled creature. Trystan watched as Freya pressed her slit to the erect penis of the lizard man. Moaning loudly, the dark cock penetrated her and she slid down all the way to the hilt. Devva and Paula did the same. Moaning and giggling as they lowered on to the lizard men on their backs. Hips moved and breasts bounced. Trystan tried a spell repeatedly to no effect. The mage glanced over to see Nia staring at the coupling with fear.
Damon Wick stepped forward, scroll open and the moon rising above the horizon behind him. The renegade mage began speaking mysterious words. Vibrations and intensity grew from his words as he repeated them again and again. The sharp lines of reality began to wave and bend to unknown forces. Familiar feelings flowed over Trystan. When he dreamed of the Libro Nocte, the black book’s touch caused a similar sensation but here it felt a hundred times more powerful.
Freya and her colleagues moaned like rutting beasts to the maddening vibrations. The lizard men cried out to the horror inducing vibrations. Trystan looked to them and cringed as their movements moved to a higher tempo. Freya threw her hands up as did her two shadow sisters. Daggers shined in the firelight as they arced from the group of shadow mages to the three shadow sisters. Palms open, dagger pommels landed in each one. The vibrations around them shook the very air with power. Freya, Devva and Paula cried out as they pointed the daggers over the lizard men’s throats.
“Don’t do this!” Trystan screamed but his voice was lost to the sonic storm of ancient words.
The lizard men reached up and took hold of the shadow women’s wrists. Orgasms bloomed and hands pulled. Trystan watched in horror as the lizard men forced the daggers into their own throats. A mad gleam glowed in Freya’s eyes as she helped drive the daggers in each of her hands deep into scaled flesh. Blood spurted and poured. The albino dipped her fingers into the red fountain and smeared it over her white skin and breasts. Heart’s pumping, blood filled the circular groove and met with each stream. Lightning struck the sea off in the distance. The thunderclap reached them a moment later. Damon said the final words with a whisper, the scroll burning up and turning to ash in his hands.
Trystan looked away, not wanting to process what he just witnessed. Gazing to his right, Aznara stared as if the image burned into her retinas. No sound came from Nia and Sunara. Freya stood up, blood on her hands and legs, an indifferent smile on her lips. Damon bowed his head and turned his back to the ocean behind him.
The blue mage turned his head, unsure what would happen next. In the distance, a plume of white water sprouted into the night sky. All bodies and eyes turned to see the amazing sight. Water surged upward, nearly a mile into the sky before it came falling back to the sea’s cold embrace. The chains holding Trystan opened and fell away. The mage let his arms drop and he rubbed his wrists. Getting to his feet, Damon beckoned him over.
Reluctantly, the mage walked over the three corpses and pooled blood. Some shadow mages looked back with cautious eyes. Trystan showed no fear for he walked as if in a trance. Something dark touched his spirit and a weakness pooled in his mind. Looking out from top of the pyramid, the ocean bubbled and something white penetrated the watery surface. Trystan stared as one of the fabled bone ships rose up from the depths, the bow pointing into the sky. The ship fell forward and the hull sent up mighty plumes of water.
Mesmerized, Trystan gazed as sails made of skin unrolled of their own accord across a bone white masthead. The ship turned and raced to the island by supernatural power. A large inhuman skull with an open mouth twisted into a silent scream made up the bow of the ship. It charged toward them with ghostly speed.
Damon leaned in close to the stunned mage, “Thank you for making this meeting possible. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
All eyes turned to the bone ship. Water parted as the ship moved in close to the island. When it was in but twenty feet, the ship turned to its side and a white gangplank slid out. Touching land, strange figures moved on the main deck. Trystan stared, drinking in every detail as the figures moved off the deck and down the white gangplank in single file.
Tentacles shifted into makeshift legs as the crew stepped onto firm land. Spears held in pale hands, half women and half squid creatures moved to the base of the pyramid. They wore gold armor on their shoulders and chests. Bellies covered in scaled armor, arms were humanoid with armbands and rings. Long lustrous hair tied back into ponytails and they each were strikingly beautiful with angular faces and oval eyes. In the middle of the tentacle women was a larger version. She wore a long robe with the front open to reveal a shapely body. Long purple hair spilled down behind her head and over her shoulders, a web-like headdress pointed up and fanned out giving her a regal appearance. When the group moved closer, the mage could see that the one in the robe was over seven feet tall.
The group of shadow mages moved back, two of them putting hands on Trystan’s shoulders and pulling him back with them. Damon was the only one to stay at the edge of the stairs with a welcoming smile on his lips. The smaller tentacle women were at the top, spears leaning forward and hard stares on the renegade mage. Trystan noticed the tentacle women were not smaller, only smaller compared to the one with purple hair. They were close to six feet tall and may be taller if their tentacles were not bent at the ends to become makeshift feet.
The larger tentacle woman stepped forward and peered down at Damon, her face blank and unreadable.
After a long pause, the purple-haired tentacle woman spoke, “I am Theena, Kraken High Priestess to the almighty Draygon, the Dead Sea God. You have summoned me for a wish. Speak your desire and may your soul belong to Draygon from this point on.”
Damon stepped forward, “Beautiful Theena, my name is Damon Wick. I have summoned you but before we speak about true desire, I ask for you to stay and let me entertain you?”
The kraken eyed the mage as he bowed, “You waste my valuable time for entertainment?”
Damon kept his head bowed, “I have no wish to waste any time with you. I only wish to begin our relationship with a night to remember. Please indulge me and we can get down to business.”
The renegade mage made a quick hand signal. Shadows moved and formed in a large black table and two chairs. A shadow mage to the side brought over two wine glasses and a bottle of wine. Theena looked at the set up but her purple lips barely smirked. Damon stood up and tapped the table. A black water rose melted up from the shadow table and turned a shade of purple. Trystan had never seen anyone change a construct another color before.
Damon held out a hand. Theena let her hand touch his. The renegade mage guided her to the table and pulled out her seat. The high priestess sat down as he pushed it under her. The size of the high priestess dwarfed her host. Damon picked up the uncorked bottle and began to pour red wine. Theena picked up her glass, as Damon picked up his. They clinked their glasses and each took a sip.
“As entertaining as this may be, I am needed elsewhere,” The high priestess said as she put down her glass.
“I understand but we should live for the moment. How goes the war with the living? I hear it has grown difficult recently.”
Theena’s hand clenched the stem of her wine glass.
Damon continued, “I mean no disrespect to your efforts in the war. I’m sure one day the
Dead Sea God will consume all. I was merely stating current events. The sirens and mermaids have sided with the land dwellers.”
“They will be consumed just like all those who do not follow Draygon’s ways.”
Damon nodded, “I agree to a certain extent. Is it true the Dead Sea God is looking for converts?”
Theena gave a wicked smile, “Those who follow his path will earn a place in his halls of knowledge and protection. All others shall be consumed.”
Damon leaned in a little, making eye contact, “What if I offered to help your lord with followers, converts to his ways? I’m sure the influx of land worshippers would turn the tide in your war.”
The high priestess kept her face a blank mask, “Is that your wish? You wish to help Draygon with his war?”
Damon gave a mischievous smile, “I offer to help in your war as something extra to sweeten the pot. I will tell you my wish but first, how about some entertainment.”
The renegade mage turned to the group of shadow mages. All of them parted, leaving Trystan along in the middle of the circle, the three dead lizard men bodies pointed toward the center. Freya picked up her robe and put it back on. The flaming braziers glowed brighter, illuminating the entire area so everyone could see.
Damon turned to Theena again, “You know of the Elemental College?”
Theena looked to Trystan, “We know all.”
“Good. My offer to you is simple. I pledge the Shadow, Night and Terror colleges will teach students the ways of Draygon. The Dead Sea God will have a greater influence on land then he ever had before. There are many students willing to learn his ways and will add to your cause. One of my students will challenge one of the Elemental College students to show our willingness and power. The outcome will either prove or disprove the offer. If the shadow student fails, then you may have her soul. If she wins, consider my proposal.”
The high priestess eyed the mage with a smirk, “You intrigue me, mage. Entertain me and we will see if your words ring true.”
“When it is over, we will discuss my wish but enjoy the show,” Damon finished.
Trystan turned to Freya. Dread touched his mind as he watched the shadow mage make a hand signal. Shadows leaped up and formed into a large hammer. The blue mage made a hand signal; a stream of water shot up from the ocean and landed by his foot, forming into a staff.
“You beat me last time because it was the middle of the day. Now you’re in my element. Prepare to get your ass handed to you,” Freya sneered.
Trystan took hold of his staff, “I would ask you to stop this but I know you won’t. You really are evil and I pity you.”
Freya bended her knees and gripped her hammer, “When it is over, I will have you on your knees, begging me to stop. Now fight, loser!” Freya screamed and pounced.
Sixteen
Shadows spiked up around Trystan as Freya leaped high into the air. The mage spun, striking out with his staff and dissipating shadows. Spinning away, he held his staff sideways just as Freya came down. Black hammer and blue staff clashed with mana sparks flying. Shadows emerged again. Trystan picked up his foot, planted it on Freya’s stomach and pushed hard. Freya kept sliding backwards and back flipped onto her feet. Pointing his staff, the end blasted off, forming a water bolt. Freya brought her hammer across and smacked it away with ease.
The blue mage took a step back with mist rolling from his chest. Freya eyed him as the mist morphed and turned into Kira. The dragon familiar fell to her knees with a dazed and confused look in her eyes.
“I see you want to bring our daughter into the fight,” Freya laughed.
“She is not our daughter. She is my familiar!” Trystan said through gritted teeth.
The shadow mage laughed on, “You fool! She was inked with part of my essence. She has parts from both of us. She is our daughter and always will be.”
“Master….I feel dizzy…” Kira said in a low voice.
Freya stood up straighter, “Master? He is your father and you will call him by his proper title.”
Trystan turned his head slightly and looked to Kira with one eye, “I know you feel dizzy my familiar. Stay back.”
Freya stopped laughing, “No, stay where you are, I want you to see what happens next. I want you to sit there and make no move to help him.”
Kira stayed on her knees, black wings folded over her shoulders. Trystan eyed her, as she made no effort to move away. The mage turned to Freya and held his staff at the ready.
“She was made to protect you from everything else but me. We both can command her and only us. She will not aid you unless I let her,” Freya said smugly.
Trystan kept his stance, “Why do you have to do these things? Why not just let me go and move on?”
Freya let her hammer down just an inch, eyes meeting Trystan’s, “You belong to me Trystan and one night you will understand that. Now I will teach you your place in our relationship!”
Freya howled like a beast from nightmares as she charged. Trystan held his ground, weapons clashed. The shadow mage brought her foot up while pushing Trystan’s staff up. Her foot struck him in the throat. The young mage stumbled back, gasping for breath. Freya capitalized on the situation and drove her foot into his stomach. The mage bent over and fell to his knees. Freya spun around with her black hammer outstretched. The mage could not recover as the hammer struck him hard across the face.
Nia winced as Trystan went flying backwards to the stone floor. The mage turned onto his stomach, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth and his eye puffing up. With a hand signal, Trystan’s staff exploded into water bolts. They all turned mid-air and shot at the shadow mage. Freya grinned as shadows leaped up, striking and shattering each bolt into watery mists. Trystan made another hand signal, water vapor forming into bolts once again. Freya launched herself, driving her knee into the same side of his head she had struck before. A splash of blood flew through the air and landed at Nia’s feet.
Freya stood over Trystan as he struggled to push his upper body up. Blood trickled from his mouth. His right eye closed shut as the skin around it puffed up further. The shadow mage swung her hammer and drove it into Trystan’s side, rolling the mage several times before he lay flat on his back. Two ribs ached and the mage knew they were broken.
“Pathetic,” Freya said as she stepped toward him, “You fought better the first time. What happened? Are you holding back because you don’t want to hurt me? You had no problems outside of the Stukarr walls.”
Trystan struggled to sit up, “I did have a…a problem with it. You don’t remember?” The mage spit blood.
“I remember you fighting to impress that bitch over there,” Freya pointed to the chained Nia, “What happened? You two on the outs?”
“What does it matter to you?” Trystan made a hand signal and his staff reformed in his hands.
Freya stepped over to Trystan as he sat. She brought the hammer down on his staff, shattering it to mist, “I hear that you two don’t see each other anymore. I hear that she has fallen for someone else.”
Trystan looked up dazed, “What do you…mean?”
Freya gave a wicked grin, “Sunara, you don’t have to play the part anymore.”
Trystan looked over with his one working eye to the blue-haired succubus. Darkness covered her eyes. Moving her hands, the chains opened and the demoness stood up. Trystan’s heart sagged in his beaten chest. The succubus walked across to the other side with the gathered shadow mages.
The young mage kept his eye on her until she turned around, “Sunara, I….I thought we were all friends?”
Sunara’s mouth frowned in annoyed dismay, “We were never friends.”
Aznara struggled in her binds, “Sister! Why? Why are you doing this?”
“Sister? We are not sisters. You are a weight around my neck. We joined a college that is racist and prejudice toward anything not human. I joined the winning side that accepts us for who we are long before we entered the Stukarr gates,” Sunara glar
ed.
“I….don’t understand,” Aznara said in a low weak voice.
“How could you?” Sunara laughed, “You spent so much pining over Trystan that you never saw what was actually going on. You never questioned anything I did. You blindly followed me like some whipped dog just because we shared a rookery.”
The chains around Aznara’s wrists opened. The succubus stood up, looking to her sister with disbelief.
Sunara continued, “Now is your chance to prove yourself. Come with me to the Night College. We can learn in an environment that will praise our abilities and honor our knowledge. We will become our own masters and shape the world into a better place.”
The blue-haired succubus looked to the fallen Trystan, “Or stay here and be his bitch. He doesn’t love you. He is a human, using us to do his bidding.”
“You’re wrong,” Trystan coughed, “We are friends, all of us. Sunara, don’t let them convince you their way is better. They are using you for their own evil purposes. They were willing to kill innocent people with the slime attack. Can’t you see that?”
Sunara tilted her head forward, shadows covering her eyes again, “I know. I helped plan the slime attack. What are a few human deaths compared to the millions of monsters who died during human wars?”
“You…helped plan the attacks….” Aznara stared with disbelief.
“I did,” Sunara crossed her arms, “Now choose. Come with me or forever be a second-class citizen in a dying human world.”
Aznara looked from Sunara to Trystan. The mage coughed and another glob of blood dripped from his bottom lip. The succubus looked back to her sister and her hands curled into fists. She stepped closer to Trystan and knelt down, clawed hands on him and eyes filled with concern.
Sunara was silent for a moment, “You have made your choice.”
Trystan looked up into Aznara’s red eyes, “Thank you but you didn’t have to stay.”
