Ancient Ruins

by Benjamin Medrano

  Standing in front of her were two women. One looked like a dryad with pale skin, golden hair, and emerald eyes, while the other was a dusk elf with silver-pink hair and sky-blue eyes. The dryad was standing up straight, in fine, leaf-green clothing, and her posture was almost like a noble’s. In stark contrast to the dryad, the elf was wearing a bright red blouse and black trousers, but was sitting cross-legged in front of her, looking far more at ease.

  “Ah, you’re awake!” The elf’s eyes brightened and she smiled. “Sistina said you would be soon, but I didn’t think you’d be quite this quick.”

  “Umm… Sistina? Who are you?” Diamond asked, playing for time as she tried to place what had happened. She vaguely remembered a pitcher plant, which sounded like a dungeon, but what was going on with the elf here? “What happened?”

  “This is Sistina, and I am Phynis Constella.” The elf spoke nonchalantly, gesturing up at the dryad with a grin. “As for you? You were part of the invading group from Kelvanis. To get you out of the way, Sistina dropped you into a pitcher plant, and then we came and pulled you and the others out before you got digested.”

  “I… I see. And now what?” Diamond asked, stunned at the explanation. “What happened to the Adjudicator and the others?”

  “Oh, he’s the Adjudicator? Somehow that makes me want to change my mind on his surrender…” Phynis’ eyes narrowed, and Diamond felt her eyes widen as she finally registered the woman’s name.

  “Wait, you’re Princess Phynis? But… but why are you here?” she asked, stunned by the lack of guards, if nothing else.

  “No, I’m not a princess anymore. I told my mother that I was done. Quit, no claim on the throne, no lands, nothing. I’m just Phynis. And I’m here because Sistina claimed my brand for her own, making it so that no one in Kelvanis can command me.” Phynis smirked, grinning at Diamond. “Which is why, miss priestess, we’re here to offer you the same opportunity for freedom. And what’s your name, anyway?”

  “Ah… are you serious?” Diamond asked, hope welling up in her heart for the first time in what felt like decades, tears glittering at the edges of her eyes. “Could I really be free of them? Would she…?”

  “Sistina has never given me an order. She has never given any of us orders. I think she rather likes having them, because they increase the rate at which she gains mana, but she otherwise lets us do what we want,” Phynis replied compassionately, smiling gently. “So if you want to do it, it’s your choice. And you will be free if you so desire it.”

  “Please! I don’t want… I don’t want to be a slave anymore!” Diamond broke down, begging as hot tears began to spill down her face, heart almost breaking. “Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it!”

  “Sure, all you need to do is relax, and she’ll do the rest,” Phynis assured her softly, smiling, then paused and asked, “But you never did say what your name was.”

  “He… he renamed me, in a way that I’ve completely forgotten my old one. Now…” Hesitating a moment, Diamond swallowed before answering softly. “Now it’s Diamond.”

  “Beautiful,” Sistina spoke softly, kneeling down next to Diamond and touching the center of the brand before giving a gentle smile of her own. “You will be safe.”

  As the mana began to flood into the brand, Diamond gasped as she felt the first taste of freedom, and her tears began to flow even more freely.

  * * *

  Evansly swallowed again as he finished his report. He didn’t want to be the one to write a letter to the High Adjudicator, but there was no one else in the area to write it in his place. Not with Jared missing. And there was no other term for what had happened.

  Fifty elite soldiers and the Adjudicator of the entirety of Western Kelvanis had vanished into the mountainside, and less than an hour later, the tunnel they’d entered was gone as though it had never existed. No sign of the soldiers, no sign of the Adjudicator, not even a sign of Jared’s pet mages. The loss had him worried, because Jared was highly regarded as one of the most forgiving Adjudicators in the kingdom.

  Evansly could only hope that he wouldn’t be held responsible for the disaster. And without Jared, he wasn’t certain that he could get the forces that he obviously needed for security. It was a grim thought, and so unwelcome after the excitement of the last few days.

  Still, there was no going back, so he re-read the letter one last time before sealing it and calling for a messenger.

  * * *

  Jared winced, trying to adjust his position. He was in a soft bed, his left arm in a splint, and compresses covered most of his upper body. While some would say that he was lucky to be alive, he wasn’t entirely certain about that, with the way his injuries ached. And, of course, someone had left the pitcher of water and the mug on the left side of the bed. He suspected it was a deliberate attempt to spite him.

  But he blinked in surprise as the door to his room opened and in stepped Topaz and Princess Phynis. He opened his mouth, then shut it again, confused by the sight of seeing Topaz in normal clothing, her hair glittering strangely against it as she carried in a large basket of medical supplies, with Phynis holding a basket of wrappings. He might be confused about the situation, but at least it gave him an opportunity to fix the water problem, which he would be a fool to pass up.

  “Topaz, move the water to the other side of the bed for me,” he ordered, wincing slightly as he shifted again.

  “No.” Her voice held a note of distinct pleasure, he realized in shock as she glanced over at him.

  It took a moment for Jared find his voice again. “What? But… but you can’t…”

  “I was curious whether or not Sistina claiming my brand would actually work, so I asked Phynis to let me come here. And I have to say, having the freedom to tell you to go fuck yourself is delightful.” Topaz spoke almost pleasantly, her smile brighter and happier than he’d ever seen it before. “You know, if you weren’t a slaver and a power-hungry jerk, I might actually like you. But then you took pleasure in stealing everything that I felt important. So no, Jared. I won’t move the water for you.”

  Phynis giggled as Jared gaped at Topaz, and then he slowly managed to speak, gathering himself. “You… you are bound to that dryad, then? You’re her slave?”

  “Technically, yes. However, she doesn’t give orders. She’s perfectly happy to just sit under her tree and soak up sunlight most of the time,” Topaz told him, smiling broadly. “I must say it’s much nicer than waiting on you hand and foot.”

  “I think you’re going to find that things are going to get very awkward in the near future,” Jared replied, trying to ignore her thinly veiled insults, which he had to admit hurt somewhat. He’d thought that he’d treated them well enough, and it was only natural to take advantage of slaves. Especially in Kelvanis. But a part of him felt vindictive as he continued. “In case you were unaware, some of the changes that were made to you make you crave sex with your owner. So it might almost be better for you to have whatever she did undone if you don’t want to be intensely frustrated.”

  Both women went silent, staring at him, and satisfaction flooded Jared for a moment. But then they began to slowly giggle, then laugh. Topaz giggled and shook her head, her eyes glittering as she smiled, her voice almost sickly sweet. “Is that so? Well, that explains so much of my attraction to you, Jared. You were so confident in yourself that you enforced desire in all of us? Well, Jared, I’m sorry to inform you, but I’m fine with trying to woo a dryad. Especially a dryad who isn’t trying to control my entire life.”

  “But… but she’s a woman!” Jared protested, his confusion at her reaction only growing.

  “Are all human men like him?” Phynis asked, looking up at the slightly taller Topaz as she ignored Jared.

  “No, no… he’s just obviously incapable of imagining that women might like one another. It explains why he only ever had one of us in his room at a time,” Topaz replied, shaking her head as she went back to the door and opened it. “Well, a little, at least.�
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  “Poor man.” Phynis smirked and closed the door behind her. He faintly heard her voice through the door. “Has he never heard of lesbians?”

  In the bed, Jared just watched them go, utterly stunned by what had just happened. After a minute, he slumped backward in his bed, thoughts racing in circles, feeling even more utterly defeated than when he’d been backhanded by the golem.

  * * *

  “Sistina?” Phynis asked, slightly nervous this time. Her hands were behind her back and she was fidgeting nervously.

  The dryad looked up after a moment, blinking and tilting her head to the side with obvious curiosity. She was sitting under her tree, like normal, but at least none of the priestesses were around. That they were all priestesses of Medaea had come as a distinct shock to her, as had the information about what had been done to the seven of them. And that information was what had prompted her most recent visit.

  “I, umm… I had something I wanted to talk to you about,” Phynis murmured, trying to quell the mass of butterflies in her stomach.

  “Yes?” Sistina was getting very good at that word, Phynis realized with nervous humor. And the slight smile on Sistina’s face was also gratifying, as it showed the increased emotion she’d sensed in the dryad since her own rescue.

  “Well… when I visited the prisoner, Jared, I learned something. He said that the girls were changed to, umm… want to sleep with whomever owned them. And that’s you,” Phynis explained, and her anxiety spiked as Sistina nodded. She took another breath and then asked, “Will you?”

  Sistina seemed to consider that for a long minute, and then slowly nodded, her voice gentle. “If asked, yes.”

  “I… I see.” Phynis swallowed, looking around almost habitually to make sure no one was nearby. And then she asked, almost inaudibly as she looked at the ground. “M-me first?”

  A gentle finger slid along Phynis’ chin, raising her head just in time for Sistina to initiate a kiss with Phynis for the first time. Phynis’ eyes went wide as Sistina’s soft, warm lips met her own, and then the insistent kiss blew her thoughts away as she melted into the warmth and affection that flooded her via the kiss.

  When Sistina broke off the kiss, her arms were around Phynis’ back, and the dryad was looking her straight in the eye. In the depths of her eyes, Phynis saw a flicker of violet even as Sistina spoke warmly, gently. “Yes.”

  Epilogue

  Serel slowly emerged from the flood of desire and lust that had been wracking her body and mind for longer than she could remember. Each time she returned to herself it was the same, and just like always, she weakly pounded a hand against the violet crystal coffin surrounding her.

  Just like the last time, the crystal didn’t care at all. Somehow, the thick, syrupy liquid she was suspended in filled her lungs yet didn’t drown her, and it was hard to see through. She wasn’t sure if the crystal or the liquid was violet. It didn’t matter, as most of the time she was completely out of her mind with the pleasure that flooded her.

  The crystal was just barely taller than Serel and was suspended upright at one corner of an immense pentagram set into the floor of the room. Four other crystals were in each corner of the pentagram, each with one of the other female Enforcers she’d attended the party with, each with nearly mad eyes like her own. The pentacle itself glowed with light that looked violet to her blurred sight. In the center of the pentacle was an altar upon which lay Medaea, the goddess now completely naked save for the gems which Serel vaguely remembered placing on her body.

  At the foot of the altar was another crystal, this one with the angel within it, her body enveloped in similar liquid. Thin cables ran from the base of each of the crystals to the top of the one with the angel, and from the base of the angel’s crystal into the middle of a massive diagram built into the altar on which the goddess lay. The altar was glowing as well, though she could barely see it.

  But what she hated most about these waking moments was knowing what was coming. Behind each of the other four outer crystals was a figure, and she turned her head to look behind her. Outside of her own crystal was a woman with a face fit to break hearts and a body to inspire sin. A slowly lashing tail swayed behind her, broad leather wings protruded from her back, and thin, oddly attractive horns extended from just below her hairline.

  The succubus smiled, and her voice echoed in Serel’s mind. “Hold still for your medicine, Serel.”

  Serel wanted to fight, but the brand she bore didn’t allow that. Instead, she held still as the demon’s hand slipped through the crystal like it wasn’t there with a syringe in hand. The needle pierced her skin with a sharp pain, and Serel gasped as it penetrated her heart. The injection, though, was pure, raging pleasure and lust, as it blew away all thoughts once again.

  “Good girl… I’ll be back next week, darling,” the demon cooed in her mind, and Serel almost didn’t hear it as the demonic blood seeped through her veins.

  * * *

  Queen Calath read the letter again, her fingers trembling as she did so.

  To Her Majesty, Queen Calath Iris Constella,

  As I have been training to rule for my entire life, this letter pains me, but it is necessary. I, Princess Phynis Constella, hereby renounce my claim on the throne of Sifaren. I renounce my membership in the royal family of Sifaren, and all claims of nobility that derive from my family. I declare myself without family or kin, and that any children of my body will likewise be removed from the lineage of Sifaren. This I so avow before the gods themselves, may they witness my oath to be true. A copy of this letter has been provided to the Royal Archive and the Royal Council, that it may take effect as soon as possible.

  By My Own Hand,

  Phynis Constella, of the line of House Constella, Earldom of Everium

  P.S. This is for your eyes alone, Mother. How dare you? How dare you give Desa an order that asked her to betray me? How dare you betray your own daughter for political expediency? If you had told me originally, I might have even agreed, but you went behind my back. You avoided speaking with me when I was in Vara’Sel, and left me to be shattered by my experiences.

  And then, when I chose to take a slim glimmer of happiness in the darkness of my life, you tried to rip it away. I am done with this, Mother. I am done with Sifaren, as much as it pains me to say so. Zanath can have the throne, as much as it hurts to throw it aside. I am going to stay here and try to find happiness in the ruins of our forebears. And I think that with Sistina I will have it.

  I’m certain that Desa added her own dispatch that included Sistina’s reaction, so I will not bother addressing how badly you handled that either. Goodbye, Mother. I doubt we will meet again.

  Finishing the letter, Calath found her vision blurring. As the first hot tear trickled down her cheek, she felt a century older as she whispered softly, “What have I done?”

  Author’s Note

  For those that wonder, Ancient Ruins is intended to be the first book of a trilogy. I’ve plotted out books 2 and 3 as well, and they are solidly in place. For books beyond that? I could come up with two or three more that involve Lily, Phynis, and Sistina in particular, but they are not going to be part of this story arc. Anything beyond that is unlikely at best for the foreseeable future. So for those who care, this is going to be a trilogy. Don’t expect anything more, but also don’t expect anything less. Now, on to information about me.

  I believe I have a degree of Asperger’s Syndrome, based on some of my own habits and focus on some topics. Those topics are primarily books and games that are Fantasy and Science Fiction, and even more focused on elves and succubi. Due to this, I will warn that the latter two species will be exceedingly common in my writing. Best to let others know in case they don’t like such topics, hmm?

  I write because I enjoy creating and telling stories. My earliest work was truly horrible, and will never see the light of day again. I sure hope I’ve improved since then! As a game master for roleplaying games, I’m modestly competent. Not perfect
, but no one ever is. And if you have questions about characters, feel free to ask! If they’re a minor character, though, please refresh my memory? I have created literally thousands of characters, so I don’t always remember which one is which.

  I have to thank my parents for supporting my hobbies, even if I’m mortified by the thought of them reading this story. I thank my wife, Jessica, for supporting me and acting as a sounding board. I want to thank Joe for reading and proofreading the story, and also allowing me to insert him as the experienced cleric of the adventuring party within the pages. And thank you, everyone, who reads the story.

  And if you like it, please give it an honest review. It’ll motivate me to get off my lazy butt and write another one. In fact, I’ve already started on book two, currently working under the title of Spells of Old.

  Also, if you want to hear about new releases, get occasional sneak peeks of upcoming books, or hear about books I’ve read, sign up for my mailing list via the address below:

  http://eepurl.com/cGPT-b

  Also, Spells of Old can be found here:

  Spells of Old

  Find me:

  https://benjaminmedrano.com/

  BenjaminPMedrano@gmail.com

  Preview of Spells of Old

  Fate reached out and laid his hand gently on the tapestry. Before him were the tangled lives of mortals and immortals alike, woven together in a breathtaking pattern that few others could even begin to understand. Only his own lady could truly comprehend the breathtaking depth of the tapestry that slowly weaved itself before his eyes.

  Each thread possessed its own purpose, no matter how short it might be. Some threads were those of infants stillborn, their threads cut short almost as quickly as they’d begun, but impacting the fate of their family despite that. Other mortal threads were long or short, as seemingly insignificant threads touched on dozens of others. Those of dragons, gods, and other beings of power were still longer, and touched on countless lives that they impacted. Greater still were the threads of the primal gods, those which formed the edges of the tapestry, giving it form and solidity.