Tabitha pouted. “Why should I have to leave? It’s her problem with me, not mine with her. I even generously offered to share master with her. I should be rewarded for that.”
Lilith, Alistern’s Succubus, sighed. “Tabitha, you know very well the issue. Do you wish to cause Stewart grief?”
Tabitha frowned as she shook her head. “No… But it’s not fair that she wants me to be abandoned just so she can feel safe.”
Stewart took Tabitha by the hand. “We will talk later. For now, go back home.”
Her eyes wet with tears, Tabitha sniffled. “Fine, master. You should consider where you can find real happiness: with someone who will limit you or with someone who only wants you to have all the happiness you can? Lilith keeps her master satisfied, as I would you, if you would only let me.”
Stewart nodded once. “Later. For now, go.” Tabitha vanished in a puff of smoke. “Can we get going now?” Stewart asked, walking into the barren wastes that lay before him. Grimgar jogged after Stewart to talk with him while the others began to move in his wake.
Lilith held back as Flora was the last to start walking. “Flora?” Lilith said softly to get her attention. “Can we talk a moment?”
Flora eyed Lilith for a moment before nodding sharply once. “Go ahead.”
“It’s about Stewart,” Lilith began as they fell into step. “You know how much this hurts him, yes?” Flora nodded once, not looking at the Succubus beside her. Lilith continued, “I think you are misunderstanding some things about Summoners and their minions. He doesn’t sleep with her. You know this, right?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Flora spat through clenched teeth. “He spends time with her just to keep her happy. He doesn’t spend extra time with me to keep me happy. It doesn’t matter that he’s just spanking and flogging her.”
Lilith sighed silently before considering another track. “You know she is needling you at this point, right? She knows that when she clings to him, you get irate, which causes arguments between you and Stewart. That forces you apart, even if only slightly, and allows her a better chance to come between you.”
Flora growled, “I will hurt that little bitch.”
“I think you are missing the point,” Lilith replied. “What if you played her game back at her? Why not do as she suggests— even just once— to throw her off her game? Join Stewart one time when he has her out and prove to her that you are the alpha female. She is like me; we are naturally submissive, but if we think we have a chance to dominate another, we will do so. She is dominating your relationship by causing a rift and she loves it. Every time you get worked up, it makes her a little more certain that she is the alpha female to Stewart.”
Flora frowned as she processed what Lilith was saying. “I don’t like women like that, though.”
Lilith let out a clear, small laugh. “That doesn’t matter. Stewart doesn’t sleep with her, so what makes you think you would have to? Just immobilize her and take a whip to her. Your vines would work rather well, I think. You wouldn’t even need to lay hands on her yourself.”
Flora chewed her lip as she thought over what Lilith had said. “Why? Why are you helping me now, of all times?”
Lilith gave her a bright smile. “Alistern asked me to help you understand. As his devoted minion, I will do whatever makes him happiest. The only thing I would not do willingly is leave him. Thankfully, he cares for me much more than I would ever have dreamed possible. He even told me he loved me last night,” Lilith shivered in pleasure as she recalled the moment. “I dare not hope that he will say it again, but when he did, my heart burst with joy. Succubi know from birth that we will almost never find love, but I think maybe I might become one of the lucky few.” She coughed, looking away. “That isn’t important right now. What is important is that you think things over.”
Flora gave a nod. “Fine. I’ll consider what you’ve said. Go tell Alistern thank you, but tell him to stay out of it from now on.”
With a small bow of her head, Lilith hurried off to take Alistern’s arm and whispered to him what she had done. Alistern nodded sagely. He patted Lilith’s arm, smiling back over his shoulder at Flora, lost in her thoughts.
A few minutes later, Almira fell into step beside Flora. “You okay?”
Flora shrugged. “I don’t know. Lilith gave me some things to think about and she made a few good points. I’m not sure what I should feel right now, but I feel a little lost, honestly.”
Almira patted her shoulder. “Well if you want to talk, I will be here for you.” She lifted her visor to kiss her friend’s cheek. “I have faith that you will be okay.”
“Faith from a Paladin of the Dark Lord? Well, that sure makes me feel better,” Flora said, rolling her eyes.
Almira laughed, “Glad to hear it.”
Flora reached over and hugged her friend with one arm. “Thanks, Almira. So, what about you and Grim? Are you ever going to pin him down and make him understand that he needs to Dwarf up and make the first move?”
Almira shrugged. “Neither of us is entirely comfortable with that. You know how our parents are… they would flip just as badly if I came home with a Dwarf as his would if he brought me home. I mean, I’m not even sure he really wants more than friendship.”
Flora giggled, “Oh, and I thought I was the clueless one here. Almira, he always glances at you when you’re not looking, like he can’t keep his eyes off you. Just as you do to him. It’s painfully obvious to the rest of us. Maybe you need to Elf up and tackle him one night. What’s that old saying? ‘Once you go Elf, you don’t go back?’”
Almira let out a groan, “Oh please, not that stereotype. Though I must admit there is some truth to it. We really are the best.”
Flora let out a rude sound, “Not even close. Soft fur, pliable skin, and a tail to boot? Lunari are the best and don’t you forget it.”
They fell into playful banter while the group walked into the desert known as the Dead Lands. The two in the back were laughing as they talked, but Stewart was grim faced at the head of the group. He stomped along in a foul mood with Grimgar at his side, equally quiet.
After they crested another dune, Grimgar spoke up, “So Stew, thin’s still be rough with ye and Flora?”
Stewart’s eyes were cold when he glanced at his short friend. “Smart, aren’t you? It surprises me the metal you pound hasn’t ambushed you yet, what with it being more intelligent and all.”
Grimgar shook his head, “I nay be tryin’ to start a fight. I just be wonderin’ why ye have nay had a sit down talk with her yet. Explain thin’s and—”
“I have,” Stewart snapped, interrupting his friend. “She’s impossible! She became even more adamant about me not keeping Tabitha happy after that talk.”
Grimgar sucked at his teeth. “Hmm, tha’ be nay good. Have ye thought about maybe doin’ as she asks?”
Stewart’s eyes blazed quite literally as he looked straight ahead, his face hard. “I will never abandon a minion like my parents did to me.”
Grimgar winced, “Aye. Sorry, did nay mean it like tha’.”
Stewart grunted, “Besides, should you really be giving me relationship advice? Or have you finally grown a set and asked Almira?”
Grimgar huffed. “Fine. Sulk to yeself, then.” Grimgar dropped back, stewing over how much Stewart’s words had stung him.
“Master, there are skeletons ahead,” Waltrim rumbled, snapping Stewart out of his funk.
Stewart stopped and began to buff Waltrim as the others caught up to him. “Waltrim, you’re the lead. Go attack them. We will be right behind you.”
Alistern grunted, “Theoliphius, you’re the off tank. Follow along with Waltrim.”
“Yes master,” was the reply as Alistern finished buffing him.
Almira came up behind the two Destroyers. “I will handle any casters. You boys focus on the melee.”
They began to jog over to where Waltrim had seen the monsters, and a few moments later, they could see the ten sk
eletons rising up from the sand around them. Covered in broken pieces of plate and chainmail and holding a variety of weapons, they advanced toward the group.
“Master, I can’t Daze or mind control the undead,” Lilith reminded Alistern.
“Aye lass, I know tha’,” he said, bringing up a second Imp and Destroyer. “Theoliphius, go help yourself out. Vizax, you know your role.” The second Destroyer rushed after Stewart’s Destroyers while the two Vizax began to chant.
Stewart nodded to the second Imp he had summoned. “Help Vizax and focus on the same targets like normal, Illos.”
Both Imps just grinned at him and began chanting the same spell as Vizax. Three Destroyers crashed into the horde of skeletons, shields high and weapons swinging. Almira went wide toward the two skeletons in tattered robes that were holding staves in the back.
“I hope these fuckers ain’t Necromancers,” she muttered to herself when she closed the distance. Just before she got into melee, one of the skeletons finished its spell. Chains of darkness burst from the ground and arrested her movement. “Fucking Necros here. Need some help, please.”
Illos nodded, focusing on Almira and using Burning Cleanse, an Ability that burned the debuff off Almira at the cost of one percent of her life. She was fine with the trade off, since it let her close the distance with the two casters.
“Right. Let’s dance, shall we?” Her mace hammered into the skeleton whose spell had bound her. A bright red flash came from her weapon as it impacted the mob, one of her god-given abilities adding fire damage to each of her blows. “Burn, you miserable pile of bones!” she yelled, her face twisted with bloodlust behind her visor.
The skeleton lost a good chunk of its hit points to her attack before the other caster locked her in place with chains of darkness again. Illos’ clone cleansed her, dispelling the chains and pulling more health from her as the two skeletons backed up.
Three bursts of fire engulfed the casters as three of the four Imps landed Fire Bursts. The combined damage was enough to break the wounded one and drop the other to about a quarter of its life.
Almira laughed wildly while she hammered into it. “Die, die, die!”
Behind her, the trio of Destroyers held the other eight skeletons while Flora rooted them, vines springing from the dunes to wrap the monsters’ legs. Alistern and Stewart both fixated on the same mob, throwing Fire Bursts onto it and damaging the entire group. Grimgar appeared behind the monster, his attacks killing it. He vanished in a puff of smoke to reposition himself as the casters all targeted the next skeleton.
As Almira killed the second caster, four Fire Bursts from the Imps ripped into the group of remaining enemies, stripping chunks of their life away. Theoliphius used his area taunt, Savage Roar, to make sure they stayed on him, the Imps having done enough damage to pull aggro.
The last of the skeletons fell over, dead, after only another minute. The party was mostly unscathed, and the Destroyers recovered their hit points once combat was over. The Imps and the casters took longer to recover their mana, as the AoE spells they’d used had taken a lot to cast.
Almira kicked at one of the bodies, “Over already? What a waste.”
Grimgar appeared next to her. “Be plenty more further in, lass. We know this be just a warm up for what is to come, aye? Besides, we get off easy with all the tanks and damage that Alistern and Stewart can bring.”
Almira snorted, “I could have tanked them solo. If Flora keeps me healed, that is.”
“Easy enough,” Flora chimed in. “Let's loot up and get moving again. Is it two days to the ruins?”
“Yes, more or less. Depends on how many things get between us,” Stewart answered.
“Ya know, there be a dungeon in the ruins,” Alistern added, a mischievous smile on his face. “I think we should pop in and see what it’s like.”
“That place be for level one hundreds. Mayhap it be a bit high for us,” Grimgar said, doubt in his voice.
Almira sniffed, “We would be fine. I can handle it.”
Stewart chewed his lip briefly. “Let's leave that thought for now and get moving. We can discuss what we want to do once we reach the ruins.”
“Good enough for me,” Alistern said as he started walking. “Two days. Let’s have a bit of fun on the way, eh?”
~*~*~
They traveled for most of the first day, killing skeletons, zombies, and even a few golems. When the sun had begun to set behind the dunes, they made camp.
“Iffin the wind picks up, we might be in trouble,” Grimgar said, looking at the barren and sandy expanse around them. “I do nay wish to be buried in the sand tonight.”
“It is a moot point,” Almira chuckled, “because we are taking watches just to be sure. Flora has the first watch, and I will take the last watch. You three figure out who takes the ones in the middle.” She set her tent up and stripped her plate off before crawling inside, dragging her armor in behind her.
Grimgar let his eyes travel over her lithe form and turned away, his cheeks turning a touch pink. “Aye. I will take the fourth watch, then. Alistern will take mid and Stew will take second.” Alistern and Stewart agreed to his suggestion as they finished getting their tents up.
“I have food ready,” Flora stated, setting out a small spread of food with two jugs of liquid. “It’s sandwich stuff and either wine or tea.”
Grimgar wrinkled his nose. “Aich, no ale? Why do ye wish to punish me, lass?”
“We had to save space, and besides, you always bring a few flasks along.” Flora sat down by the food and built herself a sandwich. She poured a cup of wine and looked up at Almira, who nodded. Flora poured her friend a cup as well, handing it to the Elven woman with a smile.
“It is nice of the gods to make camps immune to attacks,” Alistern chuckled.
“You always say that,” Stewart sighed, “but it will be hard to sleep tonight, regardless.”
Grimgar nodded sagely. “Aye, what with Lilith's voice always cryin' out. Can ye just cuddle tonight, for our sake?”
Lilith bowed her head, “If master wishes it, then we shall.”
Flora snorted. “Right, like he wears the pants in your relationship.”
Lilith's eyes twinkled from under her lashes. “Of course he does. Master's hand guides me in all things,” she replied with a faint smirk.
Alistern's chest puffed up a touch more. “Tha's me good minion.”
“Alistern... tonight at least, just cuddle,” Almira said, finally joining them around the food. “I had a lot of work today and would like some decent sleep tonight.”
Alistern rolled his eyes, “Ya just be bitter, but fine. I will give in to me friend’s wishes.”
The rest of the meal was eaten mostly in silence, with only a few requests for something to be passed. Once they were sated, Flora pulled out a flute. The others smiled as she began to play a calming melody that drifted throughout the camp.
Alistern pulled Lilith to him, holding her loosely in his arms and resting his cheek alongside hers. Grimgar glanced at Almira, his hand opening and closing momentarily while he considered maybe moving over next to her. Almira averted her eyes from Grimgar, knowing what he wrestled with. She herself wrestled with the same idea, but was still torn as to what she should do.
Stewart got up and left the others to go to his tent. He could feel Flora's eyes on him as he went inside. He paused when the flap closed behind him and let out a sigh of frustration. He either had to abandon Tabitha or lose the budding relationship with Flora. Why did she put him into this spot? He seethed, his hands clenched in anger. He got out of his leathers and crawled into his bedroll, wishing someone would help him. He fell asleep a few minutes later, exhausted both emotionally and physically.
Flora watched Stewart go to his tent as she played her song. When he didn't emerge after a few minutes, her next song became one that reflected her angst. Grimgar listened to the new song for a moment, the song pulling at his heart, and fled to his tent.
&nbs
p; Alistern shook his head sadly, taking Lilith's hand to lead her to their tent for the night. Almira sat beside her friend when Flora finished her song. Once the music had stopped, the two women exchanged looks that mirrored each other’s emotional state.
“I guess we both feel the same way,” Flora said as she put her flute away.
“Yeah. Yours is a bit easier to solve, I think,” Almira replied. “If I do what my heart asks me to do, it very well might sever all ties with my family.”
“I understand. Grimgar won't make the first move for the same reason. Maybe one day, you two will be able to come to an understanding. I still don't know what I should do with Stewart,” Flora sighed, pulling her knees to her chin and holding her legs.
Tales from the Dead Man Inn Page 2
