Finding Purpose (Hafnium)

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"Maybe that's for the best" Krig replied with a note of regret in her voice, but despite that she winced again as she moved to sit up. Trying to stand had her on extremely wobbly legs, and when she took a bow-legged step away from the bed in order to don her robes she very nearly tumbled to the floor on lifting one of her legs. She wouldn't offer any resistance to any attempts on Tamonten's part to try and help her should the swordswoman notice her trouble standing, but once she was dressed she would wave her off and take a few hesitant, wincing steps in order to reach a point that her sore muscles could begin to stretch.

"Oookay," Krig replied when Tamonten went over her plan, opting afterwards to fall silent so that the swordswoman could move to permit Niserie into the room. "It's quite alright, I figured she was getting dressed from what you were saying" Niserie replied as she walked in, waving off Tamonten's apology for keeping her waiting. "What may I assist you with, miladies?" she continued with a curtsy.

She smiled brightly at Tamonten's enthusiastic thanks for the dress, her face lighting up to display its own brand of unnatural beauty all the more intensely as the supple lines of worry that were present there were instantly erased. "I had hoped you would find it acceptable! I would, of course, be happy to assist in making sure that you are presentable for when you go to meet Lady Xeon. Would you care to start on your makeup, or on your hair? And will milady's lover be desiring similar treatment?"

She turned her gaze to Krig, with her unkept violet and red hair and her exhausted appearance, whose expression immediately flattened. "Errr... Well, uhhh.... I don't..." she stuttered, her ears flattening and her tail hiding behind her, "I've... Well, I've never... Had anyone do that before. To my hair. Or, you know... Worn makeup. Will it hurt?" She seemed genuinely worried, but Niserie smiled brightly again and chuckled, "Oh, no, it won't hurt a bit! Well, not for you. Her hair might hurt a bit since she has so much of it, but your is short and straight enough that styling it shouldn't hurt a bit. So, would you like to? It's certainly no trouble either way."

Krig was still somewhat hesitant, but after a moment she would nod, "okay. It can't hurt, right?" With that conversation done with, Tamonten's reasons for coming forth would become the next subject of the maid's concern, and she would tilt her head to the side and adopt a curious look. "Oh? I know Lady Xeon has spoken with some of the local fae in an effort to bring an end to the hostilities... What would you like to ask?"

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

After taking a few moments offered by the distraction to drop the letter from Elawdrin and attempt to slide it under the bed with her foot, the swordswoman would focus more on supporting the foxgirl's efforts to stand and allowed Krig to handle the majority of sliding her own robe back on, and through it all she managed to keep the number of accidental gropes of her lover's rounded backside down to two before she was waved away. The first one might have even been believably an accident, if Krig had been drunk or blind.

After Niserie was in the room and they had moved onto the business of getting the pale girl presentable for her meeting with Xeon, Tamonten moved to answer but was initially cut off by the maid's question to Krig. She was going to say that Kringlicsly was beautiful enough without makeup, and that the foxgirl didn't have to worry about it if she didn't want to. While she wouldn't have been dishonest in that assertion, as Krig could've probably crawled directly through a sewer and Tamonten would've still found her the most gorgeous creature to ever set foot on Heloras, nay, Donevrion, but the possessed woman's imagination quickly ran away with her before she could open her mouth to voice it.

Tamonten... the swordswoman imagined an increasingly beautified Kringlicsly whispering to her before they leaned in together for a kiss. Tamonten... she imagined her lover whimpering as that similarly imaginary representation of herself began to slowly tug those robes away. Tamonten! The imagined Kringlicsly screamed in ecstasy and adopted an expression to match her pleasure as the pale girl settled between her legs and began putting all her recent practice to use yet again.

Her venture into fantasies would last even beyond the conclusion of their conversation, and she had to shake the dreamy look off of her face along with the fear that she might have drooled on herself while she was imagining all that before she finally answered the original question to her; "Hair first for me, I think. Best to get the worst out of the way to start with." She would then take a seat wherever Niserie deemed it easiest to work on her, so the maid could begin at her discretion. After that she began to explain why she had specifically asked for other woman. Even shaking the lewder fantasies from her head and verbally discussing another subject wasn't enough stop her from doing a mental fist pump in giddiness at the opportunity to be among the first two to see her lover in makeup and her hair styled though.

At Niserie's latest question, however, the pale girl's mind would return to business. "Yes, it was at the suggestion of Lady Jasmine of a nearby sanctuary that I came here," she explained. "A demon's soul is in my arm and she thought that Lady Xeon might be able to assist me, if she was so inclined. She spoke briefly of Lady Xeon's efforts to pursue peace. In truth, though, I'd like to know more about you specifically. I was wondering about things like why you decided to take your leave from the fae? And why you personally chose to follow Lady Xeon? I know I'm being intrusive for a person who has barely spoken to you, and I mean no offense in my questions, but I guess I'm seeking to learn from the wisdom and experience of someone who seems to have already been down a path similar to the one I'm following."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"Okay then" Niserie replied, and with a gesture drew a chair from the side of the room and directed Tamonten to sit in it. The maid began to run her fingers through the surface of Tamonten's hair, an act that might normally have been quite painful given how tangled it was but that was not only utterly painless, but actually feeling quite pleasant in this case. The woman apparently knew what she was doing, as when she began to hum and slide a light brush through Tamonten's milky hair it felt similarly pleasant. Krig would go and sit on the bed while Tamonten was tended to.

"Would you like me to style it, or just brush it out?" she asked, but then Tamonten began to ask questions, which she would endeavor to explain; "I never lived with the fae. I was born to a sidge who was captured by a sorcerer. My mother was tortured, by demons, before a mortal came and killed the sorcerer. He would have killed her too, but she slipped away. She was pregnant with me at the time, but could not bear to look at me. She still can't, or at least couldn't when I confronted her. That was... Thirty years ago now, I think. I was raised at a mortal orphanage, but when my unnatural heritage became clear the head of my orphanage hid me away. When I grew up only a year later, I was introduced as an initiate from the North to the others and inducted into the sisterhood. I... Well, my race and the needs that it entailed didn't make it easy to remain in a nunnery, so eventually I left, wandered a bit, met my mother at a glade far to the East at some point, and eventually ended up here. I follow Lady Xeon now because she was the first person I have ever met to accept me for what I am entirely, warts and all, and because she sought to make a better me not to fit her world image as the priestesses of the Star God did, but so that I could be whole all on my own, without the need for validation by the standards of others."

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

The maid's attentions on her scalp and through her hair sent a shiver of delight down the possessed warrior's spine. It was very pleasant having somebody else work through her snowy white mane, and Niserie's apparent experience in the area was not unappreciated. Tamonten didn't allow herself to get lost in the sensations, however, as easy as that might have been, and made it a point to carefully listen to the maid's tale. It was a task made easier by the shocking note on which the story started. The daughter of sorcerer and faerie, it was hard to imagine how despised her heritage would have been by their insular countrymen, especially if she had truly matured within a year. The swordswoman's own parents were only Amazonians, hailing from a place not that many miles to the east of her home, and even then it sometimes felt like a majority of the native Badarians of Shoestone only begrudgingly accepted their presence. And at least Tamonten had a relatively remote farm to call her home and the love of her own parents, home and love both being things that the maid apparently did not find even when she found her mother.

It got no better as Niserie explained that she was abandoned, stuck into an orphanage, and left to the followers of the Star God, as well. The name of that particular deity drew a grimace from her, though admittedly that reaction was entirely because it reminded her of Elawdrin's sick games. In truth, the pale woman wasn't familiar with the full breadth of the beliefs of the Star God's followers. Her father had never really spoken to her about religions and the gods, and often times she got the distinct impression that he didn't believe that any of the gods were worthy of worship. Her mother was slightly more religious and on many occasions lit a candle dedicated to one god or another and said a prayer, usually to the Goddess of Fertility for a large and healthy harvest and a larger and healthier family, but wasn't one to talk about it at any great length. She was left to discover her own opinions of the gods, based on what little she gleaned on her family's visits to the town, but the tenets, and by extension followers, of the Star God had seemed stuffy and snobbish to her even when she was a young girl and to claim that there was but one god worthy of worship seemed patently ridiculous to her. It was easy to imagine why a woman with Niserie's heritage might not want to remain around them.

By the end of Niserie's explanation, Tamonten found herself again desperately wishing that she had more in her conversational bag of tricks than bluntness and the occasional piece of bravado or punch to the nose. It wasn't that she lacked for words to say so much as she couldn't find the words that honored the magnitude of what the inherently sad, very personal tale that the maid had deemed her worthy of hearing, along with trying to find ones that didn't reveal more than she'd like to about herself. It wouldn't stop her from at least trying to do it though.

"Thank you for telling me that part of your story. For what it's worth, I admire you and your strength," she admitted as Niserie continued to work the tangles from her hair. "Mustering the courage to persevere for long enough to find Lady Xeon and what she had to offer you wasn't a small feat, and being able to do that makes you an amazing person." She couldn't help but feel a little bit odd complimenting somebody who not only had the strength to potentially crush her with a thought but had the aura to remind Tamonten of that fact, but she was nothing if not genuine in doing so. "I can only hope Evan -- he's another member of my traveling party who came to enter Lady Xeon's service -- can find what you have found with your Lady." It was true that the maid's tale had certainly put her at ease that bringing Evan into Xeon's service was the right decision to make, though that turned her thinking in another direction. "Lady Xeon is an amazing woman to have collected such impressive individuals in the chaos of this place." A scary woman, too. I can only hope she's truly on the side of peace, or the world may wish Elawdrin had been unleashed on it instead.

She was not so brave as to vocalize that last part though, and Niserie had been kind enough to answer her questions and in doing so answered many of her unasked questions so Tamonten decided not to press her luck in bluntness. There wasn't much point in trying to pry more information out of the maid about her mistress either, as it wouldn't be long before the pale girl could pursue those answers directly from the mouth of the Lady of Acheron herself and she was as prepared as she imagined she ever would be for that meeting except for a few questions that she still intended to direct at Kringlicsly. With all that in mind, she decided to turn her attention back to the question of how she'd like her hair. "For my hair... well, unless Krig has a special request in mind then how about fixing it in soft curls? I think simple suits me much better than anything elaborate. If that's too much trouble though then brushing it straight is fine, you'll be saving me a world of work from needing to go through it myself regardless."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"Oh, it's not that bad really" Niserie replied brightly, her tone alone conveying the fact that the woman was smiling. "I'm just another of milady's lost, hopeless cases, come to her for solace. There's no need to get so melodramatic about it, thanking me and everything," she continued, adding a slight giggle to punctuate her statement, "besides, it's not like that's everything. I won't say that my time with Xeon hasn't been a huge change for my life, one that I believe wholeheartedly to be for the better, but each of us is our own person. I'm sure that your friend will find his place here, and if he doesn't find his own then we will make one for him."

The maid gave another thoughtful hum at Tamonten's request regarding the styling of her hair, and after a moment of idly fondling her bangs Niserie would say; "That shouldn't be hard at all. Have you ever had it styled before? It could use a proper cleaning and conditioning if you get the time later, but I can certainly work with it for now. For someone with as rough a life as I can't help but think you lead, it's actually pretty nice and still in good shape. You might want to cut it if it gets too much longer, at least if you aren't going to put in the time that this much hair usually needs, but that's really up to you." From there she would begin working, using only her fingers and magic to add a light curl to the entirety of Tamonten's fairly huge mane of ivory hair, and when she was done Krig would give an appreciative noise and an approving smile.

"We'll do your hair next, and then I can move on to makeup" the maid said matter-of-factly, and then it was Krig's turn in the chair. She would be a very fidgety subject, but Niserie didn't seem to mind overly much, though unless prompted to speak both maid and kitsune would remain largely quiet while Krig's hair was given the same treatment as Tamonten's. "In a bun" her lover would announce suddenly, and Niserie would briefly look surprised before Krig would say; "I haven't figured out how to turn it off yet. I usually put it up in a pony tail when I do anything but it let hang, but this one time as a little girl I noticed a woman with her hair in this really elegant bun, and I always wanted to try and look like her. Can you do it?" Niserie, hesitating for only a moment with an unreadable expression, would eventually answer; "Yes."

And so it would be. Krig's hair took a little bit longer, but eventually Krig's violet and red locks would be drawn up into a fairly elegant bun not unlike the one that Lady Xeon had worn when she had walked in on the tail end of Tamonten and Krig's sexual misadventures in the bathing room. "So... Makeup next! You first, milady. Have you ever had makeup done properly before?"

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

"It deserves thanks if only because what you told me answered many of my questions," Tamonten replied cheerfully, not quite willing to let Niserie dismiss her compliments so easily. "The rest is simply me voicing my opinion of you, and whether you hear what that is or not it's not likely to change unless you're going to tell me that you also decided to burn down the over-sized chocolate cake factory or a house for wayward puppies and kittens on your way into Artmirst," she added with a smile of her own, and was willing to let the subject drop after that.

When Niserie made the comments about her hair however, Tamonten became defensive and folded her arms across her chest as she replied; "My mother used to fuss with it from time to time when she tried to clean me up for important occasions, but while I might not style it I do try to keep it clean and free of tangles. It's just been a difficult week, normally I brush it out in my downtime but I've not had much lately." She softened up shortly after that, her gaze falling to the floor even as her hands fell into her lap. "I... have my reasons for not cutting it. Maybe when I see my parents again, but not until then," she explained before going silent, already disliking how snappish her initial reaction had been and deciding it best not to say much else unless Niserie had more to say.

When her hair was finished and Krig's turn came about, she remained silent and stood off to the side, feeling too anxious to sit comfortably without Niserie's attentions on her hair despite that her soul's energy still hadn't recovered, as the foxgirl instructed the maid and Niserie went to work. Or at least she remained vocally silent. Can't turn it off? Oh, I am so going to find a way to abuse this, she thought in equal parts to herself and toward her lover. Not right then, though, as she became distracted by thoughts about the spirit wielder's tale. Mostly she got stuck on the thought of Krig as a child. That surely had to have been an adorable sight, little fluffy tail swishing about behind a small Kringlicsly and her tiny fox-like ears twitching and turning toward various noises.

It wasn't too long after that when it occurred to Tamonten that their children would be possessed of the same traits, which in turn had her thinking about her lover's pregnancy and her own again. In comparison to many of the stories she had heard since first setting foot in Artmirst, she felt almost unfairly lucky. To have had a home, to have known the love of her parents, to be coming up on a chance to return to both of those things, and to have been given an opportunity to share her own love and have children with the person who made her whole, even her possession and the time in Elawdrin's nightmarish prison couldn't outweigh all of that that.

The sight of Krig when her hair was finished would easily prove enough to shake the pale girl free of her private thoughts, however. "Wow," came her initial reaction, followed by a wide grin. The swordswoman was almost jealous of how the foxgirl's multicolored hair blended together to make that bun look all the prettier, another testament to Niserie's skills. "You look so regal," Tamonten added, taking another step back and tilting her head slightly as she took in her lover's new hairstyle in full. The spirit wielder could have passed for some sort of fluffy-tailed queen or noblewoman with the right posturing. The possessed warrior liked it, and not entirely just because it had been done with the hair on Kringlicsly's head. "I think it really suits you!" She felt a slight tinge of curiosity as to who might have inspired Krig, but it was only a fleeting interest as that seemed almost certainly a figure of the distant past.

And then it was her turn back in the chair. "A few times, though only light applications," she answered with none of the defensiveness that had come up about her hair. "And again at the hands of my mother. She tried her hardest to prepare me for life as a Badarian woman and give me the skills so that I might attract a husband and bear and raise his children, and I fought her nearly every step of the way. Imagine her surprise if she were to see which of those I've made the most progress on," Tamonten dryly added. "Unfortunately for her, in the old books of tales I always imagined myself as the knight or the dragon and never the princess. At the time I thought I'd have no need for a love at all beyond my swordsmanship, let alone trying to bait in a potential suitor like an fisherman might pull in a fish. I was wrong and pleasantly so on the first count and thankfully right on the second. And now I've found myself similarly wrong in originally holding the idea that there would never be any reason why I might want to know how to apply makeup," she admitted wryly. "So in this case I must leave myself fully in your capable hands."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"Fair enough" Niserie replied cheerfully, "no point to denying a compliment I guess. I promise that I don't do anything untoward to kittens or burn down chocolate cake factories, if that's worth anything, but you don't have to take my word on that if you don't want to~"

The maid would simply nod at Tamonten's explanation about her hair and leave it at that, but Krig would give her an odd look and, while she was having her hair worked on, would ask; "Why's that? Your hair... Why don't you want to cut it?" The kitsune would drop the matter if Tamonten indicated that she didn't want to say, but would listen intently otherwise. She wouldn't react in any visible way to whatever thoughts Tamonten had about her in, not even those of her as a child or her intent to abuse the kitsune's mind reading abilities.

Once it was Krig's turn to get her hair done, she would blush and smile at the compliments before offering a nod. "Thanks... I like it!" she would say once she had a chance to look in a mirror, turning her head this way and that as her tail wagged back and forth happily.

Then it was time for makeup, and again Niserie would nod, this time grinning back at Tamonten as she recited her explanation while Krig again blushed at the implications given at the end. "In the chair for you again then!" the maid said, directing Tamonten to sit, and then gave a thoughtful hum and walked three circles around the seated swordswoman. "I don't think you'll need any powder, you're already quite pale," she began, "and if I try to add color to your cheeks you'll just look like a porcelain doll from Celesis. I think I'm mostly going to concentrate around your eyes and see what I can do to emphasize them, they're quite a lovely shade of green. Does that sound good to you?"

Assuming that Tamonten agreed, Niserie would begin to do her work, applying eye shadow and mascara, most of it fairly dark. After a few moments she would pull back and look the swordswoman over only to mutter something unintelligible in a dissatisfied manner and bent down to get right back to work. She would continue for another few minutes, lean back, and then do the same one more time before finally leaning back and producing a satisfied look. "Mmm... That'll do, I think. What do you say, milady?" she said, glancing at Krig. The kitsune was looking at Tamonten oddly, one of her ears twitching, and after a moment she would tilt her head to continue staring. "You're.... Pretty!" she declared, though she sounded as if she wasn't quite sure whether or not she really liked it. Should she look in the mirror, she would find herself appearing more like a proper lady than she ever had in her life, the rich makeups and dress and the proper work done to her hair surpassing anything that her mother might have been able to do, at least in a purely objective sense.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

The swordswoman was a bit surprised when Krig asked for her reasons for not cutting her hair, but she didn't really have any reasons to refuse giving an answer. "It's tradition from my mother's side, and I guess it really mattered in her own childhood home. The idea is that hair signifies a person's bond to their parents, and as such cutting the hair is the same as cutting that bond. Where she was from it simply wasn't something to be considered until a person's coming of age ceremony," Tamonten punctuated the sentiment with a sigh. "I know it's ridiculous but it was one of the few places where I acquiesced to my mother's desires rather than stubbornly ignoring them and even then it was only because my father urged me to do so, and I regret that now." Along with all of the times I mistook her good intentions and love for strictness and disapproval, she mentally added, briefly forgetting that Kringlicsly could hear that as easily as her words but in the end not really caring that the other woman might've picked up on it when she did recall her lover's psychic abilities. "I suppose that when I put it that way it sounds like a kind of penance, doesn't it? But that's not it either. I just... I don't know. I suppose I want to be able to return to them when this is all over and show my parents that, however I might've changed, I'm still their daughter."

Later on, after she had agreed to Niserie's assessment and when her makeup was finished, Tamonten had issues keeping her entire body from tensing up in anticipation as she waited for Krig's verdict. She couldn't hold back a wide smile once her lover had described her as pretty either, and as she looked in the mirror to confirm her lover's assessment she ended up caught up in her own appearance enough to miss the hint of uncertainty in her fluffy-tailed other half's voice. The pale warrior had practically turned bashful schoolgirl as she turned back toward the kitsune in order to reply, "Thank you, I, um, I had hoped that you would like it." The majority of the reason she had done it had been to look pretty for Kringlicsly, after all. In truth, had the kitsune not been present, even a meeting Xeon, as impressive and mighty as she was, wouldn't have been enough to convince the swordswoman to get her hair styled and makeup applied.

And yet, despite those feelings that persisted and were reinforced every time Kringlicsly looked at her, the swordswoman herself had to bring her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle when she took a second look into the mirror. She abruptly felt very ridiculous getting so puffed up and swept away in her own looks as she had. It wasn't the same self-deprecation as she had held earlier, but rather it was caused by realization slowly washing over her. She hadn't changed roles or personalities to gain the beauty she had been granted by Niserie's makeup and styling work, and she certainly hadn't given anything up for it. She was still Tamonten. Her love for swordsmanship and Kringlicsly, her sense of justice and duty, and even her increasingly insatiable appetite for carnal pleasures were all still there. It was just that now they were joined by the knowledge that the ability to look the way she did then had been present for a long time where she had convinced herself that it wasn't long ago.

She wasn't sure why that amused her but at the same time she didn't care enough to search for the answers. It wasn't like she was going to worry about makeup and styling her hair every day. It was an enjoyable indulgence to be sure, and it was a welcome one after the time spent in Elawdrin's prison, but truth be told even as much as she loved Niserie's work the pale swordswoman knew that outside of her little vacation she'd far prefer using the time to train her body and with her sword or spending it simply relaxing with the kitsune. She might make use of the knowledge on a few special occasions with Kringlicsly in the future though, preferably with a dress far more permitting of wandering hands and tearing than the one she wore then.

Once she was past her muffled giggle fit and checking herself over in the mirror, Tamonten turned to face Niserie with a smile. "Thank you so much for this, Miss Niserie." Her tone overflowed with an infectious happiness as she stood up and put her pale hand out in an offer to shake the maid's hand. "I don't know if I can put into words how helpful this was for me," she continued. The possessed woman followed up, once the handshake was either accepted or denied, by stepping away from the chair and directing a comment at Krig. "I believe it's your turn if you'd still like to give it a try. It didn't hurt a bit, I promise. Don't feel like you have to though, because to be honest I'm not sure my heart will be able to stand the strain if Niserie manages to make you even prettier," she added the last part with a shameless grin.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

The ensuing explanation about the tradition relating to her hair caused Krig to tilt her head to the side, and after a moment she would say; "Oh... Well alright then. I... guess that that makes sense. Will... I ever meet your parents?" She seemed slightly nervous at the prospect.

"You are quite welcome milady," Niserie replied brightly while accepting Tamonten's offered hand, "it is my job, after all, and it also happens to be a hobby that I'm fond of despite that I don't really need it anymore. Shapeshifting and all that!" Then it was Krig's turn for makeup, she would hesitantly take her seat, and fidget in it while Niserie carefully applied some makeup on her. Krig had darker skin than Tamonten, so she would get a bit of powder to make her skin tone look a little paler, and then a bit of color would be added back in. Her eyes would get a little less work than Tamonten's, but she would fidget as great deal more than the swordswoman and thus it would take longer.

Finally, Niserie would pull away and pronounce herself finished, with Krig now looking the part of a proper lady and, despite her initial insecurity, would break out into a girlish grin upon seeing herself in a mirror. What the maid had done certainly accentuated Krig's natural features quite nicely, particularly the light mascara and eye shadow around her constantly shifting eyes that happened to be pink at the time. "There!" Niserie proclaimed, "now that you're both all fancy, I suppose you're ready to go and meet Lady Xeon?"

If Tamonten replied positively, so would Krig, and then the maid would curtsy and lead the two from their personal quarters and then out of the guest wing. Going through the room where she'd found herself face to face with a group of the maids while leading Sensensiel on a leash, up a set of stairs to the next level, and finally through a few more corridors, Tamonten and Krig would be stopped in front of a door from which the sounds of soft moans in the voice of their host undercut by no less than three sets of lower feminine coos were emanating. The door was cracked slightly, and Niserie gestured for them to wait while she simply opened the door and walked in.

Tamonten and Krig were briefly given a sight that would bring a natural blush to at least the kitsune's face, before the door was closed. Xeon had been seated on a chair, her Amazonian styled dress scrunched up around her waist and her perfectly formed legs parted while three of her maids tended to her. Specifically, two of them were on their knees on the floor, their hindquarters raised just enough that the two could see that they were both going commando and rapidly pumping two fingers into one another while their heads nuzzled together between Xeon's legs. The third maid was straddling the armrest of the oaken chair on which Xeon was sitting, one foot on the floor and the other knee on the seat of the chair, while her mouth was locked in an open-lipped embrace with that of her mistress while one of her hands smoothly worked to knead and rub one of Xeon's breasts and her spade-tipped tail teasingly circled the tip of the other.

More than the sight of it, the sheer presence of the four supernatural beauties engaged in the throes of passion made it impossible to look away. One of the maids on her knees was the one who had spoken to Tamonten back in the bath, and before then when she'd gone out to the baths with Krig on her back. The other she would recognize as the one that had taken Evan off, her pink hair and impressive height standing out against the shorter woman with shorter blond hair. The one on the armrest Tamonten didn't recognize, but with her raven hair that turned white at the tips, almost exactly like Krig's pattern-wise but with different colors, and her slimmer build she was no less visually stunning than the others. The most powerful presence was still the woman in the center of the spectacle, of course, and even doing nothing herself ghosts of the pleasure that her maids were granting to Xeon was transmitted through the woman's incredibly intense presence. Krig began to shake beside her, her pupils dilating and the peaks of her modest breasts hardening against the fabric of her robes, and Tamonten would feel similar from the spreading waves of arousal before the door was closed and the influence was partially cut off. Before then, however, Tamonten would be able to notice something else about the union. All three of the maids had been feeding from Xeon at once, deeply, the currents of energy siphoned from the powerful demon's soul so intense that they were almost visible, but the drain didn't seem to have been affecting the immense well of energy available to Xeon in the slightest. In fact, it almost seemed to have been getting bigger.

They would be left to wait a few minutes, the noises coming from the room dying down shortly after Niserie had entered, and there Tamonten would able to speak to her lover if she so wished. Eventually, however, the door would open again, and Niserie would usher them in. The three maids would be seen standing in a line in the back of the room, which after a second peak would be revealed to be a study of sorts, shelves of books and a writing desk and a few couches and the like being spread about it. Niserie would take her place with her coworkers after shutting the door behind Tamonten and Krig, leaving them to stand before the seated Xeon who displayed no signs of embarrassment at having been seen in the way that she had, and the woman would give Tamonten and Krig a nod of greeting and say; "Greetings, Tamonten and Kringlicsly. I trust you are recovering well from your ordeals?"

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

"I should hope so!" Tamonten replied to her lover's question with an amused smile. "If I tell them that I've fallen head-over-heels in love with someone and they never meet you then they might begin to believe that I've come up with an imaginary lover! And imagine how awkward that would be when they're introduced to their grandchildren," she added wryly. The swordswoman briefly considered mentioning that she'd like to meet Krig's own parents some day, but was stopped by remembering that parents had seemed like a sensitive topic for Niserie and that the same might be true for the fluffy-tailed spirit wielder. The pale girl wanted to know everything there was to know about Kringlicsly, of course, but she imagined that then wasn't the time to pry for information that hadn't at least been offered in some way. "Anyway, I'm sure they'll both like you. Look at how happy you've made their only child, after all."

"Cheater," she would later say with mock-disapproval at Niserie's comment about shapeshifting. Though she wore a smile, there was a tinge of very real envy in Tamonten's eyes as she quickly glanced between the figures of her lover and the maid and, despite being more confident about her figure and looks than she had been in many years, mentally complained; Would that I could shapeshift for a day.

The possessed girl would prove to be at an initial loss for words at the sight of her lover's finished makeup. She couldn't even come up with a joke. It wasn't that Kringlicsly was any sexier with her makeup and bun then than she had been, say, approaching the swordswoman in the tailoring shop on that first day in Artmirst, or anymore beautiful than she had been when Tamonten whispered as much to her the day they had arrived in Xeon's domain. The foxgirl's look was so striking after Niserie's efforts, though. She looked noble and elegant and to Tamonten it seemed to fit her as well as a glove, which she supposed made sense when she considered that Krig frequently seemed a queen to her. "You're beautiful, Krig," she finally managed to get the words to exit her mouth.

It didn't escape her notice that her lover's eyes had become pink, but it ended up being one of many other questions filed away for a later date when Niserie prompted that it might be time to go and meet with Lady Xeon. "As I'll ever be, I think," Tamonten answered the maid's inquiry, allowing more real uncertainty than she had intended to slip into her tone. Once Krig agreed as well, they were up and moving through the hallways on their way to meet with the Lady of Acheron herself. The swordswoman tried to use the time to organize her questions and comments in her head and making other mental last second preparations for her meeting, and as such didn't pay much attention to the scenery changes. Her focused efforts would last right up until Niserie opened the door and Tamonten got a peek inside, the result of which immediately scattered her thoughts to the four winds.

She really couldn't have predicted how unprepared she was to see such a thing until she had actually done so. As much as the visuals and the various auras had affected Kringlicsly, the pale girl proved to have even less self control and resilience. A haze of lust seemed to overwhelm her. A blush rose on her cheeks in mere seconds, probably instantly succeeding in making her look like one of the dolls that Niserie had described. Her breathing became erratic as arousal took hold of her. She was happier than ever at her choice not to go without underwear, as her bra hid her stiffened nubs from being noticeable through her dress and her panties stemmed the growing wetness between her legs from becoming visible to anybody looking at her. The aura was so tactile that it felt almost like somebody really was intimately touching her, or at least that was what she thought until she looked down and realized that her pale hand had wandered and her fingers truly were rubbing against her crotch through her dress.

Thankfully, the door shut shortly after and released her from the worst of it, though she couldn't help but feel like a snake still held under the sway of a charmer. Even after she was offered that minor relief, her mind continued to race. Tamonten could still see Xeon in her head, sitting in her chair with her three maids servicing her. In those mental images she imagined the Lady of Acheron both with a cock and without one, but the results were still the same. The swordswoman couldn't prevent herself from at least briefly seeing herself as being among the ones pleasuring the demonic demigoddess. There was something enthralling about the prospect of being the one to bring pleasure or warm the bed of such a great woman. To take her lips to Xeon's shaft or lower lips or to straddle the woman so that the pale girl could split herself on the demon queen, or, in those more daring daydreams, to bend the Lady of Acheron over and be the one to take her. And that was without thinking of the added benefit of all the power it seemed possible to drink from her....

No, no, no, no, no! Stop thinking about Xeon's crotch, gods dammit! That didn't really help her out either, because when she wasn't thinking about what rested between Xeon's legs and how she might devote her attentions on it she was thinking instead of the maids. She imagined the ecstatic feeling of being the one in the chair and receiving their attentions, or if she simply stacked the three up, grew a trio of cocks, and tried to fuck them all at once. Of course, they were probably all shapeshifters too, so they might fill all of her neglected holes in a change of pace instead.... No. This is wrong. I need to clear my head of this. Maybe if I try thinking of Krig instead.

Her thoughts acquiesced, though not quite in the way she desired. Instead she found herself imagining her sitting in the chair instead of Xeon, with Kringlicsly in a maid outfit between her legs. She found herself fantasizing about the same scene with their roles reversed as well. In truth, when she pushed herself to think of her fluffy-tailed lover the most major difference was that she ended up imagining all the same fantasies but simply between Krig and herself. While she consciously probably liked those particular daydreams the most, partly because they didn't make her feel guilty, they weren't helping her problem. Okay, that's obviously not working. I just need to think of business instead. That's why I'm here, after all, just on business. I just need to have my mind read about Elawdrin's prison, find out if she'll remove my demon, and then get back to the bedroom. No sex with all-powerful demons and their maids. No dress up games. No kinky stuff. Just business and then get back to the bedroom and then do the latter two with Krig.

She swallowed hard as she forcibly returned her hands to her sides. "It's apparently good to be the Lady of Acheron," she croaked out to Kringlicsly as an effort at a humorous quip, trying to grasp at her momentary willpower and use it to pull herself away from the haze that had settled in on her. In pursuit of strengthening that hold on her willpower, she quickly followed up with a question that she had deemed important anyway; "Krig, before we go in there, I wanted to ask you something. Since the prison break I've wanted to ask you if you'd teach me in general matters of the spirit and its powers. To be honest, I don't know very much about that or magic or... well, a lot of the things I've encountered on this journey, and there's nobody I trust more than you. We obviously don't have time to go through that now though, so for the moment I'd just like to know if there's anything I can do to mask my thoughts from unwanted reading? I don't think I have anything to deceive her about, but at the same time I don't really want my thoughts to be an open book to her when we go in there."

Regardless of how that brief conversation went, soon they would be shuffled in to meet the Lady of Acheron. Tamonten did her best to collect herself in the time spent waiting, and for the most part it worked. While Xeon might not have been embarrassed, Tamonten's blush renewed itself upon seeing the demoness sitting in the same chair with her dress back in place, largely because her mind immediately recalled all the differences in her posture and state of dress mere minutes prior. Without feeling the affect of the maid's efforts on Xeon through her aura, however, it was a much easier to ignore the beginnings of her renewed arousal. At the very least it was manageable. A frequent slave to her own lusts the pale girl may have been, but she'd had more than a little practice in suppressing herself when faced with Elawdrin, and though Xeon seemed like a genuinely kind woman she was, in the end, a more dangerous and powerful individual than the fallen angel could've ever hoped to be and she was flanked by four women who in their own right rivaled that enemy that it had taken Tamonten's entire group to slay.

The pale girl gave a small curtsy, the motion copied largely from Niserie's earlier such action, before replying to Xeon. "Most of them, for me at least. I've recovered from the prison break and our little victory party after, of course. The bathroom ordeal is still fresh enough that I can feel it but the more pleasant parts of it are similarly fresh enough in my head that the discomfort still seems entirely worth it," Tamonten replied with a wry grin, opting to try to use a bit of humor to distance herself from further fantasizing about what her host had just been doing. It helped her to feel a bit more confident and collected as well, even if the more logical parts of her brain were screaming at her that those were the last things she should be feeling in the company of five people who could literally make her stop existing with thoughts. "On that note, I must say that Miss Niserie was of great help in recovering enough from that and preparing to formally meet with you, Lady Xeon. Thanks to her, I think I'm as ready as I can be to give up my information regarding Elawdrin's prison."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"Ahh... Apparently, yeah... Eheh...." Krig replied, and refused quite aggressively to meet Tamonten's gaze, instead staring quite intently at a bit of wall. The psychic's gaze swiveled back to Tamonten when she spoke in a more serious tone, however, and her blush faded as she pondered the swordswoman's request.

"Well... I guess I can try, but I can't promise much. Particularly where the mind reading is concerned, I don't even know that I'm doing it at first sometimes, when I start reading people's thoughts. I just suddenly get... Strange ideas, or images that don't belong to me, and it takes me a few seconds to process it. I'm not sure how I'd fight against it, if I'm being honest, but I guess we can figure it out. I don't think we can do much now either, not when we're right outside the room, but maybe you can just.... Think of random things? Stuff that doesn't matter, or that might be distracting. It's hard to say."

When allowed into the powerful woman's study, she receive a nod in return for her curtsy, and Xeon would gesture towards a pair of chairs set before her. "Ahah.... That is good to hear. I had thought that you might need to postpone our meeting for a few days after I saw the mess you'd managed to make! I am glad that my hospitality made for such a happy memory," Xeon replied amicably, holding her welcoming, friendly smile on her face.

"Good... I am glad that she was helpful to you," Xeon replied when Tamonten began to speak in a more official capacity, and then leaned forward and folded her hands into a triangle in front of her. "Yes.... The fallen angel who took up residence in the prison on the edge of Artmirst. I had no idea what she was up to, only that she was capturing adventurers and demons, which is not so different from what my competitors were doing at the time. Varthic told me some, and Pano.... Tried to help with that, but you were there as long as he was, and I am interested to know what happened behind those walls. I was told of Hellish tortures and the prisoners being forced to rape one another, to create some sort of monster. What do you know of this?"

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

The pale girl would pull out Kringlicsly's chair for her and allow her to sit first before taking her own seat. "Yes, that is true on all counts," she plainly answered. The memories were still fresh and a small grimace briefly took hold of her expression when she thought about them, but Tamonten had more than recovered the strength she needed to speak about them. The bright side, if there was one, was that at least those memories made it much easier not to think with her groin. "Elawdrin took a — loathe as I am to use the words to describe her attentions — special interest in me, so I may be able to share a bit more than they were, though it is important to note that to some extent I'm sure she was playing some game or another with all of us. But before I share the story in as full as I can tell it, I must say something," she turned her head toward Kringlicsly. "I'm sorry, Krig. I wanted to tell you about all of this earlier so that you wouldn't have to hear it for the first time here, but never found the time or the setting. You're smart, I suspect you're much smarter than I am, at least, so I'm sure you've figured most of it out just by what I've let slip, but I'm still sorry that I couldn't confirm the story for you privately before doing so here."

With that, she returned her attention to the Lady of Acheron. "To put it plainly, Elawdrin's aim, as she told it and I understood it, was to breed individuals that caught her interest until she could crossbreed them with outsiders and create a race of monsters under her command that would take over the work of the angels and protect the world." Tamonten paused for a few moments, more to allow the information to sink in for Kringlicsly than for Xeon's sake, before continuing. "That was her stated goal. In truth, I believe she had been broken and corrupted even beyond her own recognition by one of the greater outsiders long ago, and was unknowingly creating an army of the lesser ones which would eventually escape her control and create a foothold on this world that it could use to consume our very existences." The pale girl decided to wait for Xeon's reply to that rather than pressing straightaway into the full story of what had happened in the prison.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"I see," the Lady of Acheron said thoughtfully when Tamonten explained that Elawdrin had taken special interest in her, and tilted her head thoughtfully while the swordswoman turned to speak to her lover. Krig was slightly taken aback by her sudden apology, but then simply shrugged and said; "Don't worry about it. It's not like I even want to know, beyond morbid curiosity. I'm happy to put that place far behind and leave it there. Preferably to burn down, but I guess to rot is good enough."

She, Xeon, and the demon's maids would listen, each in their own way, as Tamonten issued the first portion of the tale of her imprisonment. "Mmmm, that more or less matches what Varthic said. He didn't explain his reasoning very well, however, and told me to ask you. What makes you believe that this fallen angel was not genuine in her stated desire? Is it just a hunch, or do you have something more to base that dire theory on? I believe that what you say is probably true, knowing even what little I do about the ones from beyond, but the devil is in the details as they say, and the more I know the better I will be able to finally deal with the situation."

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

"Call it a hunch supported by a few pieces of evidence in that direction," she offered with a shrug. "I had only brief contact with the outsiders and they touched my mind with images so terrifying that I was ready to crawl into a corner and wait for the end of the world, at least until Krig healed me. Everything about them was alien and horrifying. I simply don't believe that it's possible to control something like those creatures. To be frank, I'd have believed her sooner if she said that she was going to control someone so powerful as you before I'd have believed that she could control the outsiders. At least when it comes to a person, you might win their respect or their trust or figure out what makes them tick and offer them something to keep them loyal, but not with those monsters. And if she wasn't controlling them, then that left that much less pleasant alternative."

"As for the evidence, she spoke to me at length during one of her worst tortures, during which she let it slip that she was captured by one of the creatures, which she explained as having broken her and having done things to her mind before depositing her back in our world. As much as I don't believe that those things are tameable, after having seen them in action I truly do not believe that they generally operate on catch and release. Moreover, after she was slain during the breakout, her body was reclaimed by one of the outsiders of such magnitude that I could not even look in its direction or risk my mind shattering by mere sight of it," she clutched at the chair tightly at that admission and went silent for a few moments. After a little bit of uncomfortable fidgeting she repositioned by crossing her legs and then continued. "That conversation with her especially was one of the things that I think you should read directly from my memories. I think it's important that you get her every word as it came from her mouth so that there's no chance of me forgetting something crucial in my retelling. My first and last meetings with her are probably important enough to warrant it as well, along with the entirety of my second encounter with her. There was also a letter that she left for me which deserves a read."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"Yes... That is about what I expected," Xeon replied to Tamonten's initial explanation about the madness she had encountered in Elawdrin's prison. "Those from beyond do not even exist in the same way that we do. Their minds, their bodies, and even the manner in which they perceive things are alien to us. To see them is torture to the mind, and to touch a mind as that angel no doubt did.... I would say that it is a kindness that she is dead, but if she was taken by one of the greater ones I cannot imagine that it is a mercy."

She seemed to slightly regret the angel's fate, but when Tamonten offered to let the demoness look into her mind her expression shifted into one of surprise. "That would save us a lot of time and talking, wouldn't it? I think going in order would be best. If we do it that way, don't be ashamed of anything you did and try to hide it, it'll make things more difficult and I don't want to cause you any pain" she replied, and if Tamonten announced her readiness she would stand up and stride forward. The powerful demon's hands gently reached out so that the tips of her fingers could rest against the side of Tamonten's head with her middle finger against the swordswoman's temples, and though the proximity to Xeon seemingly made Krig extremely uncomfortable the demoness didn't seem to intend any harm.

"Show me what you will," Xeon said quietly, "in what order you think best. I can see your thoughts as if they were my own." Then it was up to Tamonten to show Xeon what she wished, as the demoness seemed intent on leaving the initiative with her, likely for her comfort.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

"I will try," the swordswoman offered stoically in response to Xeon's suggestion that she not feel ashamed. "But in truth, I think killing Elawdrin was the easier of these two tasks." With that, she braced herself for the trial to come and the strain that came from being in such close proximity to Xeon's aura by taking in a deep breath and slowly letting it go, and then offered a small nod toward the powerful demoness.

Once the Lady of Acheron had taken her own position, Tamonten closed her eyes and tried to focus on those memories, that she might recall them as clearly as possible and aid whatever mental sorceries the demoness was employing. But where should she start? At the beginning, as Xeon said, she supposed. That would probably allow her to consciously recall the most of what had occurred. Reliving the whole of her experience in Elawdrin's prison wasn't exactly the most pleasant thought, and it was something that she had avoided since her breakdown in Krig's arms to some extent, but the pale girl would not shirk her duty to spread the word of what had happened in those walls. She just needed to determine what she considered as the 'beginning' of that nightmare....

When she comes to tell her that I was sorry... and that I loved her! Yes, it all came flooding back. Those words directed toward Sensensiel were what she had designated as the start to Elawdrin's torments. She didn't regret the stand she had made, not in the least, but the loss of her lover and what came next could easily be categorized as the beginning of Tamonten's despair over those days. So much agony and humiliation at the hands of those beasts. The pale girl had no desire to show Xeon the full of what had been done to her there, and it wasn't as if there was anything of use for the demoness to learn from it, so as soon as the swordswoman had gotten a grip on the beginning that she had been seeking she moved past those memories.

She similarly skimmed through the memories of her awakening in that cold, dark cell and her initial reunion with Varthic. She skimmed all the way into her first meeting with Elawdrin, when Tamonten had first set eyes on the fallen angel. She still remembered that first meeting well, and all the better for how her warden's beauty and grace were counteracted in every way by her cruelty and evil intentions. Interacting with the woman was like biting into a perfectly round, shiny red apple only to find it rotten and wormy. Tamonten put forth the effort to recall it all to the best of her memory, all the way from exchanging their names to her discovery that she was pregnant to her striking the angel and, despite her deep desire not to reveal it to Xeon, her full rape of the dragonkin. Despite the swordswoman's efforts to keep her recollection purely clinical and as true to the past as she could, however, some of the words she recalled seemed to echo more loudly in her head than others.

I can tell already that you're going to give me trouble, Tamonten... But I can tell something else about you too. You're afraid....
You are already pregnant! And with a little kitsune too~
If you prove difficult, I will simply abort the fetus and give you to my little puppies until you've tripled their numbers.
Damn right I'm going to give you trouble, you bitch!
Go on, go get her! She's all for you!
Fight it! Fight her! Please!
Ooooo~ It looks like she's going to cum soon! I knew her will couldn't hold out forever! Keep going, make her first time memorable~
No... S..Stop! Don't! No more! Please Stoppppp!!!

By the time she was through that memory, the pale girl's hands were balled up so tightly in her lap that it would've taken a pry bar to open them. Her body trembled with the ghosts of rage and shame she had felt that day. Tamonten wasn't going to stop yet though, she had to continue until Xeon knew the whole of her interactions. She began to move through her memories again, brushing past her awakening and her teaming up with Varthic and her time in the courtyard, eventually coming to her return to Elawdrin's lab to find the woman in a priestess's outfit. Tamonten would've skipped the memories entirely and moved directly to her second encounter with the fallen angel, but she did not want to risk muddling the timeline in her head or otherwise hampering her ability to recall events as clearly as she could.

As much as she despised the prospect, the pale girl didn't try to hide any part of what had come next from the demoness. She forced herself to recall every painful detail. The foul woman's spanking of her, the way the fallen angel had trodded on the pale girl, and even how she had come several times under Elawdrin's attentions. She revealed how her tormentor had presented the swordswoman with her worst possible fear and fooled Tamonten into believing that she had truly captured Kringlicsly. She showed Xeon the game she had been forced into and, by proxy, showed her how her nose had been broken and the conviction Elawdrin had held when the pale warrior had dared to question her reasoning. In the end, though, she spent the most time of all focusing herself on recalling Elawdrin's full answer to her at the end of the game, and her own misguided replies to it.

I play my games, have my fun... But my reasons for doing this are anything but forgotten.
If you think a bit of sharpened metal is enough to let you kill me, then I welcome the attempt! I'm sure that it'll be a fine show for your little kitten there, watching you die a hero's death.
I would rather Krig be forced to watch me die a hero's death than to see me become what you would have me be
I'm sorry, I guess I really am a coward who would deal with evil in return for the safety of someone I love.
I guess your pussy finally gets a real workout! You haven't gotten anything big stuffed in there since you got to play with my puppies, have you?
I'm doing this for Krig....
I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. This is all my fault.

By the time she had come to the end of the second encounter with Elawdrin, Tamonten realized that her eyes were watering and tried to wipe them as carefully as she could to avoid ruining Niserie's makeup work. She still didn't plan on stopping though, not even for a second. The swordswoman pushed herself then, briefly recalling those more notable points in her memories on the way to the breakout. It was all there. The finalization of her escape plans with Varthic, her efforts at cultivating a friendship with Evan, her desperate search for Kringlicsly, and her rape at Striga's hands. From there she took it slowly. The pale girl carefully remembered every swing of her sword, every hit taken, the terrifying outsiders, her rescue by Kringlicsly, Sashien, and Sensensiel, and her failed effort at saving Striga. Finally, she tried to recall the entirety of what had transpired in the room outside of Elawdrin's laboratory, her attempt at redeeming herself through death, the bladebeast, and finally the battle against the fallen angel and the woman's reclamation by the outsider.

I fear that the only justice I can offer you now is that I will ensure that Elawdrin is slain or that I will fall in the attempt, but I will promise you three this.
I'm going in first, and I'm going in alone. This madness ends today.
HOW DARE YOU!?
If I meant nothing to you, then you know what・Fine! Go ahead and get yourself killed, and accomplish nothing in the process! But don't expect us to just leave after you fail!
I'll return with Elawdrin's head.
So.... I suppose this is it then? This is the climactic showdown, where you slay me and end my evil once and for all? I suppose you wouldn't be open to a bit of banter first, hrm? Just to humor a woman on her way to the grave?
You know, I can't help but wonder what they always think when they come in here.... I mean, I always try to convince the groups that I'm actually trying to be stopped somehow, and I could have sworn you bought it when last we had girl talk. Did you? I'm curious!
We may not be friends, but how about you help me stick my sword into this bitch?!
Hah, if you can even get to her before I'm done taking her apart!

There is one more thing that you should see, Tamonten's latest thought wasn't a recalled comment but rather something directed at Xeon. She dropped her memories of the prison and instead thought back to the letter she had read no more than hours prior, but her main focus was on Elawdrin's offhanded comment that it was a habit of hers to pick willful subjects and give them an opportunity to break out. I think this was the reason behind her special interest in me. She expected that I was easy enough to manipulate that I would fall into her game and lead my friends and fellow dissenters to their own deaths. Would that I could say that I saw through her trickery and knew about her plot before her head had fallen.

"I... think that's it," she offered aloud through labored breathing. Xeon's look into her mind had drained her more than she thought it would, but she wasn't entirely certain how much of that was the magic and the demoness's mere presence and how much of it was the terrible emotions that those memories dredged up. "I hope that the information will be helpful." Tamonten paused for a few moments to weigh whether or not she should add what she was thinking or not before deciding to continue; "Lady Xeon, I'd like to know what's going to become of the prisoners and guards that your people rescued. I'd also like to know if you have any plans for Evan. I made them promises and I want to make sure that they'll be held," she explained.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"You don't quite know the truth in that," Xeon commented dryly when Tamonten suggested that killing Elawdrin would be easier than looking back on her time under the fallen angel's control without shame. "Just try to relax, and let it flow. Feelings and all," she continued bracingly, and then Tamonten would feel tiny mental probes extend from the powerful demoness as she dove into her own memories of the ordeals she had so recently survived.

Her eyes closed, the only way that she could perceive Xeon's reactions were by touch and sound, the demon's physical presence obviously unseen and her spirit so impossibly vast that detecting any change in it was all but impossible with her crude senses. That wasn't to say that there were no reactions to be had, however. As she began to go over her battle against the hellhounds and her first meeting with Sensensiel, the light touch of Xeon's fingers against her temples would increase their pressure just slightly, and she would hear the demoness swallow audibly just before the moment of the pale swordswoman's fall played itself out before the Lady of Acheron's mental eyes.

A probe went deeper than Tamonten might have liked as she tried skim over those memories, and she felt it as a few choice moments were glossed over before Xeon's attention momentarily settled upon the mental image that her demon had presented her when she had broken under the abuse of the hellhounds. No perceptible reaction from Xeon came beyond a brief hovering, and afterwards she continued on as Tamonten directed.

Through her dream and the reunion with Varthic in their cell, and on to the first meeting with the black-hearted angel, Xeon would watch. A thoughtful murmur came at the memory of Tamonten reaching out to strike the dark warden, but contrary to the obvious distress that the swordswoman experienced Xeon watched with a seemingly clinical attitude as Tamonten went on through that initial meeting to its conclusion with the traumatic rape of the first of the dragonkin sisters. Another brief moment of increased pressure on her temples came at that last taunting encouragement by the fallen angel, but no sound came from the woman reading her mind, and so Tamonten was able to continue on.

The next batch of memories were easier, up to a point. The planning with Varthic and with the people in the courtyard, at least, was free of anything to be ashamed of. The second meeting with the fallen angel loomed, however, Xeon again applied greater pressure both with her fingers and her mental probes as Tamonten got on with those agonizing memories. The torments, both inflected upon her and that she had been forced to inflict upon others, were witnessed in detail without much reaction beyond another thoughtful grunt from her host when she went over the final exchange with the fallen angel.

Still no words came to interrupt her, and so Tamonten was left to go on further, and though she was tearing up and had to wipe them away before her makeup was ruined Xeon offered her no opportunity to pause and collect herself. The swordswoman, to her credit, made no effort to stop, and so on they went towards the third and final encounter with the foul angel. There was yet another thoughtful grunt, this one a bit deeper than the others, when Tamonten went over what had transpired just before she had gone on alone to confront the angel, particularly when Krig had given her impassioned response to the idea.

Xeon watched, in Tamonten's mind, as she fought first the bladebeast and then the fallen angel herself, her allies falling en-masse when the woman had employed a portion of her deadly power and being distracted Evan, leaving only Varthic and herself to work to deliver the final blow. Then, a slight but notable gasp as the floor had opened to another reality, and that one horrid eye had looked up before Elawdrin's remains were seized and dragged down into whatever dimension that terrible being resided in.

Once that final memory was gone over, Xeon seemed ready to pull away, but the words that were broadcasted into the swordswoman's mind caused her to pause and wait another moment while Tamonten went over the contents of the letter that had been left in her diary by her captor. After that, she would pull away and step back, allowing Tamonten to speak aloud and recover and pulling away from her mind. "Indeed.... Well, that was.... Certainly something" the Lady of Acheron mumbled quietly, reaching up to rub her chin before turning around and returning to her seat.

"I am not sure if helpful is a word that I would use, given the content of it, but... Yes, I believe that I am better off knowing what you have shown me. Thank you," the demoness replied in an entirely placid manner, but it was different from before. Xeon's distant calmness when Tamonten and Kringlicsly had entered her study had possessed a warm and welcoming aspect that eased the intense presence of her aura somewhat, but now it was as cold as winter and left her aura undiminished entirely. Krig seemed to notice the difference, but the distressed look on her face might also simply have been a mirror of the pain that Tamonten had just relived, and regardless the kitsune quickly took Tamonten's pale hand in her own and squeezed it tightly.

"The guards that were... Infested.... Have been disintegrated completely, along with the creatures inhabiting their corpses. As for those forced to work for her, they will be watched carefully in case one of those things is secretly inhabiting them, but they won't be treated poorly so long as I rule here. If I can, they and the victims of the angel who are still sane will be integrated into my organization in whatever capacity they can be. As for those broken by their suffering... I don't know, in the long term, but for now they will be cared for by my staff in whatever manner we can. I believe that one such person is being looked at by one of my maids along with the unsullied angel that arrived with you, and most of the rest are being cared for similarly. The one named Evan I have met personally, and after some talking I decided that he could try his hand at being our dungeon keeper. He showed an enthusiasm for it, and I feel as if he'd be a better choice than a demon. Despite his appearance, there is no cruelty in him," Xeon replied to Tamonten's various concerns, speaking in an entirely calm voice.

"The happenings at this prison were not the only thing that you came here to discuss, however. Tell me why you came to see me originally.... Why you were sent here by Jasmine, and why you so badly need my help that you risked yourself and your lover to travel across Artmirst to find me," she continued, but at that point Krig looked slightly affronted. "Hey!" she protested angrily, and Xeon looked to her with a hint of surprise before the kitsune burst out; "She didn't... Risk me! I chose to come! And she wasn't about to bloody stop me!" Krig pouted for a moment before seemingly realizing who she was talking to and adopting a slightly frightened look of shame, but Xeon, rather than be angry with her outburst, adopted an indulgent smile and said; "Ahhhh, a poor choice of words on my part, my apologies!" Turning back to Tamonten, she continued; "So.... Your demon then? I think this time you can just use words, rather than show me."

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

"It's my duty to all those who died inside those walls to share this information with any who will listen," she replied with a shrug and a grimace, though the latter was more directed at the increased presence of Xeon's aura than anything else. "It's the past now, anyway, and there's nothing I can do to change it. She didn't break me in there, so I'll be damned if I'm going to let memories do what she couldn't. As long as I'm still alive, I'm going to keep getting stronger and fighting for the things I believe in if only to prevent these sorts of atrocities in the future," Tamonten squeezed her lover's hand tightly. She wasn't quite certain that she'd ever be able to look back at those memories without emotional pain, but there was no doubt in her proclamation.

Later, the swordswoman simply nodded in response to Xeon's machinations for the prisoners and guards. The Lady of Acheron's answer in those two departments was everything Tamonten could have ever hoped to hear, so she accepted it silently. She was glad even beyond that to hear that Evan had found a role that would suit him, though. She had been half-afraid that Xeon might have been of a mind to use him for battle or some other task that would again put Evan in the middle of baleful glares or those who would hurt him further. Being a dungeon keeper didn't seem like it would exempt him from either, but it would certainly lessen the chances compared to fighting and if he was comfortable with it and enthusiastic about the idea then all the better.

Xeon's comment about her risking Krig, on the other hand, hurt more than Tamonten could've prepared herself for. It still ate at her that due to her own overconfidence and lack of knowledge and preparation she had nearly gotten her lover raped by the hounds. She had already wrestled with the feeling and knew that, as with the other things she had done, she had no option but to keep moving forward and learn from her mistakes, but it still burned at her. Even the spirit wielder's outburst wasn't enough to alleviate her guilt in the matter completely. She didn't intend on moping on the subject though.

"I've no control at all over her, I'm afraid," Tamonten started after Krig's expression turned to shame, deciding that she would enjoy teasing the foxgirl and adding a touch of humor to an exchange that she had decided was getting a tad too serious. "She can be so fierce when she really wants something~" the pale girl went on melodramatically, further proving that she was about as cut out for the stage as her partner. She even crossed her arms and gave a few pretend shivers as she continued. "You saw her in my memories. So commanding, so powerful, so... sexy! I could simply never muster the willpower to deny her wishes when she's like that~" By the end of her little display she was simultaneously blushing in embarrassment and grinning in amusement, both emotions aimed squarely at her own actions. It was worth it in her book though, and if she were to be honest most of it was true.

"Yes, though, it is as you say," she would continue more seriously after a brief pause and any reactions the others might have to her foolishness. "There's a demonic soul confined to my left arm," the swordswoman confirmed and briefly raised her blackened limb for emphasis. "I suppose it's best if I start from the beginning here as well. In truth, I don't really know how it got into me or when. I remember hearing its voice even before my teenage years. It whispered things to me for most of what I can remember of my childhood. Sometimes it whispered suggestions, sometimes knowledge, and other times it held conversations with me. My parents thought it was an imaginary friend, and after a while I started to think they were right."

"But on the first day of my eighteenth year, it took control of my body," the swordswoman trailed off and simply stared into space for several moments. Those memories were uncomfortable to examine as well, though at least time had blunted the feeling for the most part. "I don't exactly know what happened after, but I was told that my father managed to subdue me and carried me off to an alchemist who owed him a favor, and that the alchemist created the seal on my arm to put me back in power of my body and keep the demon from ever seizing control again. He also created the regulator on my wrist to help counteract the shaking that the seal causes."

"He offered to help me further, and I know my father would've protected me, but I chose to flee the alchemist, my home, and family, for fear that I would endanger them if the demon was to overcome my seal. After that I wandered for years and thought that I would be able to simply survive that way, but several months ago it began to speak to me again and I panicked at the idea that it might defeat the seal and finished what it started. I wasn't willing to go back to the alchemist so I desperately searched for some sort of cure or way to get rid of it on my own and all the information I found pointed me to Artmirst. I arrived not more than a few weeks ago and a satyr... found me and took me to meet Lady Jasmine and the other faeries. She recommended that I return to Artmirst and seek you in order to remove this demon from my arm, and so I have. To make a lengthy story short, I am here to ask if you would be willing to remove the demonic soul from my arm, Lady Xeon," for a few moments Tamonten considered repeating what she had told Elawdrin about her own self doubts regarding the demon, but ended up deciding to conclude her tale there to see how Xeon would react first.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

Spoiler

Tamonten: HP = 89, PP = 61, EP = 1/66, Status = Alright, Low on EP, Pregnant

NPC Stats
Krig: HP = 51, PP = 52, EP = 131, Status = Alright, Pregnant

"Mmmmm, I can't say how many will listen, but I suppose that's one way to respond to what happened," Xeon replied thoughtfully, "at the very least it's better than the usual response... Babbling and raving and attacking everyone around you."

Krig would shoot an annoyed look towards Tamonten as the swordswoman made her joking quip, but it was a toothless sort of glare that melted quickly in the face of what she said. Xeon seemed mildly amused at the melodramatic retort given to the kitsune's outburst, and after indulging in the exchange the demoness gave a chuckle as Krig turned beat red. "I... You... But... Stoooop! Not... Not in front of people! You can't do that!" the kitsune protested, but after that second protest Xeon would remind them that they had other concerns to think about and pressed on to the more personal issue that Tamonten had come to speak to her about.

"I see.... Well, I believe that I can find a way to help you, Tamonten. You have given me some assistance, and of the methods that are available to us, only one truly costs me anything. Before I tell you what those options are, however, I must ask.... Do you desire vengeance, Tamonten? If it were possible, would you destroy the spirit locked in your arm for its crimes? Would you punish it with torments like it has caused to fall upon you? Would you lock it away helpless and unable to affect the world?" Xeon replied, her expression unreadable and her hands folded in front of her face.

 

[Hafnium]

Re: Finding Peace (Hafnium)

The demoness's question caught the swordswoman completely off guard. She had never given much thought to what she'd like to see become of the demon after it was gone from her arm, only that she had wanted it gone. Tamonten supposed that she had always simply assumed that the particulars of any ritual to remove it wouldn't give her the option of what became of it. Confronted with Xeon's question, the pale girl spent the better part of the next minute in uncertain silence with her eyes spending equal time focused on the demoness, as if there might be some correct answer that Xeon might betray with her expression, and Krig, as if the foxgirl might be able to offer some guidance, and the ground, as if it might offer her any answers that the other two couldn't.

"Do I desire vengeance...?" She echoed the question before attempting to meet Xeon's gaze again. "Of course I do. This demon has been a source of nothing but fear and misery. Do you think it would've shown my parents mercy if my father hadn't been able to stop it? Would it have shown Krig mercy if it had gotten loose? I remember enough of the visions it has fed me to know the answers already," she answered with barely contained rage, although it was directed at her dark passenger rather than Xeon. "I'd like nothing more than to put it into a body of its own so that I could rip it limb from limb with my bare hands, and I'd happily do so even while wearing this dress." She went silent for several seconds after her cold remark before eventually breaking that silence with a sigh, and when she continued the anger had left her tone. "But what a person desires and what will really help a person heal are often two different things, aren't they?"

"Yes," she answered her own question, "my time imprisoned by Elawdrin taught me that. I think separating her head from her body has done the least to heal me of the experiences she put me through, and I don't believe that taking vengeance on the demon in my arm will help me anymore than killing her did. After this last week, I think I'd do something far more cruel to it than to simply slay it or lock it away: I would force it to do good."

"I would see it given the same things that I promised Elawdrin's guards: a fair trial and judgment by its peers before being forced to redeem itself for all the wrong it has done in its lifetime by working in service of the greater good of its kin and Donevrion as a whole. I would see it in service of you or anyone who could keep it on that path until the day it died or until the ideals of honor and selflessness had been etched into its very soul, whichever came first. I would have it be stained by good as it tried to stain me with its own brand of evil. And if the options allow for it then it should count itself lucky, because I would be giving it a chance at redemption that I would've much rather given to Elawdrin," she concluded.