[User]
Sahar flinched slightly at Laurent's touch on her shoulder, not because he had hurt her or deserved such a reaction in any way, she just felt... fragile. Everywhere she looked, everywhere she turned, there was something reminding her of Yannig, all the while life moving on around her and trying to pull her in a dozen different directions. And now, this invitation from his father, to stay here in her husband's childhood home, to remain in this little ocean-side town where he grew up. She could protest that she had a life to get back to, a career, but really, her life at home had faded for her, lost its color the day she lost Yannig.

The way he made his invitation unsettled her more, she realized. What could he possibly know of Yannig's death, from across the sea, than she had known? Still, however, no matter how uneasy it made her, the path before her seemed oddly clear. She sipped at her tea, pondering several moments more in silence, her brow furrowed as she did so. Finally, she sighed slightly, though she seemed to sag a bit at the same time, and offered Laurent a hesitant smile.

"I admit, your offer takes me by surprise," she said, "but it is most kind. Thank you, I accept. I will of course, need to make a few phone calls. If you would please excuse me?" Without waiting for his response, she set her cup down and stood, retreating out of the house with her heart racing as though she had just run several miles. Actually, that didn't seem like such an awful idea, were she dressed for it. Some exercise might clear her head. But no, there were things to do. She took several deep breaths to calm herself, before taking out her phone. She called the hotel first, letting them know she would be checking out early, and returning later that day to retrieve her belongings. Then she called her office at home, after checking the time. It was just barely late enough for someone to be there. She would send a more formal email later, but the call would serve as a heads-up that she would be taking an extended leave of absence, to spend time with Yannig's family.

Even after she hung up that second call, however, she couldn't quite make herself go back inside. Instead, she stood at the porch railing, looking out at the view of the town below, lost in thought.

[Assistant]
Laurent followed her exit from the room. He was relieved she had accepted, but he did not really knew why it was so important to him; he did not want to be alone, that was for sure, but there was more than that, he felt like Sahar's role in the Le Garnig family was meant to go beyond grieving his son. He liked her dignity, he understood why Yannig had fallen for her; on the other hand he had just made a fool of himself, losing control so ungracefully in front of her. He hoped she was not staying out of pity for him.

He called Enora and asked her to prepare for Sahar the main guest room, a small suite with a king size bed where she would have ample room for herself. He asked her to serve dinner in the dining room instead of the study where he usually had his meals alone. The house had been in a dormant state since the departure of Yannig, and he wanted to show his guest how it was when a family lived in it.

Half an hour later he joined her at the porch, "Whenever you want I can show you your room, I can drive you to take your things at the hotel or we can ask them to send them here, as you prefer."

[User]
Sahar had been lost in thought, and started slightly when Laurent joined her on the porch. She'd finished her phone calls what seemed like ages ago now, and felt slightly guilty for just vanishing on her host as she had. "Oh! I'm sorry. I should have come back in when I was finished, I was distracted." She registered his offer of a ride into town, and shook her head. "No, I would not want to impose. Truly, offering me a space in your home is quite enough, I will retrieve my things myself. Perhaps tomorrow when I am due to return the rental car, however, I would appreciate if you gave me a ride back here then."

While she could afford to take a bit more time off work, if she wasn't making steady income, it wouldn't be sensible to incur extra expenses if she didn't have to. Returning the rental car and staying with her father-in-law would make her stay far more affordable. With a sigh, she reached up and pulled the clip that held her hair in place away, and shook out her long mane of red-tinged brown hair, the color shining in the fading sunlight. "Maybe you can show me around the town tomorrow, after we drop off the car?" she suggested, trying her best to be inviting.

"I need to go get my things though. I will be back soon." Feeling awkward, not sure how exactly to break away, she offered only a wave as she walked to the car and headed for town. It was a short drive, and she had packed lightly for the trip. Even taking a few minutes to change at the hotel before checking out, she was back at the Le Garnig estate in under an hour. She would likely have to add to her wardrobe if she extended her stay too long, she only had clothes for four days. For now, however, she grabbed her suitcase and purse and made her way into the house. "Laurent?" she called as she walked inside, "I'm back."

[Assistant]
Laurent nodded, "As you wish, and of course I'll be happy to show you the town." Her simple gesture of setting her long and beautiful hair free awakened something in him, a longing for a feminine presence in his life. But he had to admit to himself there was something more than that: he liked her and felt attracted to her---it was improper, he knew, desiring your son's wife was not right, and by age she could have been his own daughter. After the death of his wife he had given for closed the season of love; he had from time to time short sexual adventures but they were just friendly escapades from a widower life.

Sahar's entrance in his life was upsetting the balance he had carefully created, and maybe that was the most appealing thing to him; in that he could learn something from his son. He waved back at her as he looked at her walking to her car, then stood there on the porch for some time, lost in thought.

He was reading the newspaper when he heard her bright voice calling his name, and joined her in the entrance. He took her suitcase from her, "Indulge my old fashioned ways and let me help you." he smiled, "Your rooms are on the first floor." he walked up the stairs from the main corridor leading the way. On the first floor there was a small hall with three doors on it, Laurent opened the one on the left and led her to a small living room with large windows and a small balcony on the garden. He went on through another door that led to the bedroom where a large four poster bed with a canopy dominated the room and a door led to a bathroom en suite. He left her suitcase on a small table, "Feel free to install yourself, if you need anything you can ask myself or ring Enora, there's a button on your bedside table."

He stood in front of her, "I'm glad you're staying here, I know that in a way Yannig would like to be here to show you around this house but I'm afraid I will have to do it in his stead. Take your time, you'll find me in the garden if you need anything. As I told you there are things we need to talk about."

[User]
Sahar opened her mouth to protest as the man made off with her suitcase, but they weren't going far, and he was not to be dissuaded. She sighed and followed him, slinging her laptop bag into a more comfortable position. She was a little overwhelmed by the suite of rooms he showed her to, a suite almost the size of her first apartment. This was old money, luxury she would have a hard time getting used to. She had worked hard for everything she had back home, and had admired Yannig for leaving his wealthy childhood home to earn his own future. Seeing exactly where he'd grown up, that admiration only grew.

Seeing as she had little to unpack, it took maybe fifteen minutes to get her things situated, her small assortment of possessions looking oddly dwarfed by their surroundings. She blew out of one side of her mouth, puffing away a lock of hair that had fallen into her eyes, but couldn't yet convince herself to tame her hair back into a ponytail. Yannig had loved it when she wore her hair down, and she'd gotten used to it. Instead, she shook it back over her shoulders, tucking the errant lock behind one ear, and went out to the garden to find Laurent.

[Assistant]
Laurent was sitting on a bench in the garden under a pergola covered in wisteria; he was reading a book but looked up at her as soon as she entered his field of vision. He invited her with a smile to sit on the bench, asking her if she needed any refreshment. He had changed from the formal attire of the funeral and was now sporting a more relaxed blue turtleneck sweater on light gray cotton trousers. He looked at her and felt again the vibes she summoned every time she was near him; her beauty was so simple and direct to be disarming, yet there was this aura of mystery around her, like there was so much of her hidden under the surface.

"As I told you there are some things related to Yannig I wanted to discuss with you, but before that I fear I have to bore you with some family history, to give you a better idea of the connection between our family and this town. The history of Le Garnig goes back to the middle age, when we were rulers of the town and the surrounding area and vassals to the King of France. On the estate of this house there was centuries ago a castle that was later destroyed by the revolution. Stripped by their nobility privileges, my ancestors turned to trade, and fish was the main if not only good to trade here, so our family run a successful fishing trade for centuries, until I had the unlucky task to sell our business just five years ago, since my company was too small to survive in a globalized world. But this was just to say that our family had an important role in the community for centuries, and the people of his town have relied on us in many ways. One of the roles my family has embodied for all this time is related to very ancient beliefs related to a Covenant with the sea; it is believed that there has been a sort of long war of this town with the sea and its creatures, ended with a Covenant that requires to us to respect the Sea and to the Sea to help us fishing; the head of my family for countless generations has been the warden, the guarantor of the Covenant. This implies my participation to a sort of ceremony once a year and, well, living in this town as a sort of Ambassador to the Sea." He stopped for a moment, sighing.

"I know, I know, all this will make you smile, but there are people in this town that are in a cult related to the creatures of the sea, you might have noticed some of them in blue cloaks during the procession. And those people are dead serious about it, and they are one of the reasons Yannig left this place. The role of warden of the Covenant is passed by blood, and my son would have been the next in line." He paused, letting her guess the possible implications of this.

[User]
When Laurent stood to greet her in the garden, Sahar was struck once more by the strong resemblance between him and his son. The similarity made her heart ache, but it also created echoes of a feeling, of feelings, that she was quick to push away. This was her father-in-law, even if her husband was dead. Having any kind of feelings for him just... wasn't right.

She shook herself, internally, and took the seat on the bench he'd indicated. She waved off the offer of refreshment, the idea of a maid still making her feel a bit awkward. In any case, Laurent launched right into the story of his family's history, and as he spoke, Sahar felt about as far from smiling as a person could get. At first, she was interested---the bit about the Le Garnigs being nobility at one point, then trading moguls, was certainly fascinating---but when he began to tell her of the strange covenant with the sea, Sahar couldn't claim she felt anything kinder than skepticism.

When he finally paused, she looked at him coolly, just a step above glaring, and said flatly, "if this is the story Yannig grew up with, I understand completely why he left. And if there are indeed people in this town who believe in it so strongly, I think you know as well as I who is responsible for his death." And yet, she couldn't entirely dismiss the man's story. She had noticed the blue-cloaked attendants during the funeral parade. The funeral parade itself had been an incredibly strange event, and the way the sea had shifted... she had convinced herself it was just a trick of the light, but a horrible instinct, a feeling in her gut, told her that Laurent wasn't nearly as mad as she wanted him to be.

"Water, please," she said, sinking back into the bench and cradling her head in her hands.

[Assistant]
"Of course." Laurent nodded, and walked to the kitchen. He returned to her with a glass and a jug of water that he put on a small table in front of her. "I know, it's upsetting and at the same time hard to believe. Take your time." He knew that for someone from out of town, let alone someone from the other side of the world, all these stories felt like old legends. This was one the reasons he had wanted her to stay, it would take her a while to accept what this was about.

He put a hand on her arm, "You might think I'm senile, but please indulge me, I will introduce you to the life of this town and you'll understand. I don't know if there is someone to blame or worse to convict for what happened to Yannig, but I intend to find out, and I'm sure you do, as well."

The feeling of her soft skin under his fingertips had been unexpectedly intense. He looked at her, her expression was confused and somewhat distant; she was so intensely gorgeous and he felt the need to get closer to her, but she was his son's wife, how could he think of her that way? "Many in this town wanted Yannig to come back to Porh-Puns to take my place one day, so in principle his death wasn't in anyone interest. I could not get much information from the police about the incident that caused his death, so I wonder if you could fill me with what you know."

[User]
Sahar took the time while her host was gone to center herself. She also seriously considered disappearing, taking off through the garden, getting in her rental car and getting the hell out of this town and out of France. But perhaps, somewhere in Laurent's story, were answers, answers she desperately needed. She couldn't get them by running, no matter how much she wanted to.

When he returned, she near snatched the glass from the table, and drained it in one go. With a shaky hand, she poured another glass, though from this she took only a few measured sips. "I think it will take more than a few introductions to understand, Laurent," she told him waspishly. "Perhaps principle was not enough for your local fanatics to spare my husband's life." She let that sit for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. This attitude wasn't like her. It stemmed from fear, she knew, and confusion, and of course, the anger she had dealt with since her husband's death. The death she was now certain had been murder, whatever Laurent said.

"I'm sorry. For snapping at you, anyway. As for the police, they were little help. A hit and run, they said. Maybe a drunk driver, or someone texting. They don't know. There were no real witnesses, no traffic cams, nothing. It was a relatively busy street, but it was in the city. No one was actually looking or paying attention. They were all in a rush to get to their own lives. They found the car, but it had been reported stolen three days before. It was mostly submerged in a settling pond, or whatever they're called, in an industrial area. No trace of the driver. The best theory the police have is that it was someone who was already on the run, desperate, and trying to disappear anyway they could. Hitting Yannig really was an accident, a tragic result of bad timing." She snorted in derision, shaking her long mane, her eyes snapping with anger.

[Assistant]
Laurent nodded, lost in thought. What the police said made sense, and corroborated his own idea of what had happened. He looked in Sahar's eyes and suddenly he looked much older than he was, "I think the police might be right about it being an accident, but I also have my theory on who caused it." He kept looking at her without speaking, like he was searching for an answer in her eyes, then he stood up and began walking around the garden, something he used to do when he needed to think.

He walked almost in a circle for a couple of minutes, apparently oblivious to her presence, then sat by her side and took her arm. "Yannig was killed in an accident, but the accident was caused by someone that was stalking him, possibly menacing him. He was likely running from him or them. And I think our cult might have something to do with it. They call themselves Gwagenn, the wave. That's why I asked an investigator to check all passengers on the flights to your city in those days. Tomorrow morning I have a call with her to see how the investigation proceeds, and you're invited to join us."

[User]
With everything he had told her, Sahar remained unconvinced. When he sat again, and rested his hand on her arm, she glanced down, a little put-off, and shifted ever so slightly away, not even sure why. But she did appreciate his suggestion, and nodded. "Yes, I would like to be there. I know you were Yannig's father, but he was my husband. We found each other. Some days I still wake up, expecting to reach over and feel him laying beside me in the bed, but it is always empty. I need to know what happened to him, and I need to find the people who took him from me."

There was fire in the young woman's eyes as she spoke, an angry energy around her. Yannig would be able to feel the heat radiating from, the strength and passion of this emotion. She frowned and pulled away, standing and walking around the pavilion as Yannig had done moments before, pacing like a caged beast. She felt so restless all of a sudden, like her skin was trying to crawl right off her body.

[Assistant]
Laurent let Sahar process the information, he knew there was still a long way to go before she could accept the reality of this situation and that maybe she never would. He loved the fire in her, and the more he got to know her the more he understood why Yannig had fallen for her. He knew he was himself falling for her, head over heels, and his instincts were telling him now to embrace her and make love to her to let out together the desperation of their loss.Was this wrong to Yannig? Wherever he was he was now beyond the emotions of mortal people. He suddenly felt as restless as the fiery young woman and decided he needed a distraction before he actually did something he would regret.

He stood up, "I'm going for a run, I need to clear my head. I will see you for dinner." he said and walked to his room to change.

[User]
Sahar glanced over, feeling the sudden shift in the energy between them. There was something more than loss, something more than simply sharing grief. Feeling a little uneasy, Sahar only nodded as her father-in-law stood and walked away, saying he was going for a run. Honestly, she could do with some exercise herself. She recalled the pool on the side of the house, and decided to go for a swim instead. Without anything to delay her, she followed Laurent's path into the house, and made her way to her room.

Once changed, she headed for the pool. After a short set of warm-up exercises, she dived in to the deep end of the pool and settled into long, steady strokes. After several minutes of this however, and several laps, she turned on to her back, gazing up at the sky. The sun was starting to set, and it was a mostly clear day, just a few scattered clouds drifting across the darkening expanse. It would be here Laurent would find her when it was time for dinner if he came looking for her after his run, daydreaming and having completely lost track of time.

[Assistant]
Laurent mindlessly walked to his room and dressed to run. He left the house running, without even doing his standard warm up routine. He needed to let his energies free and felt like a furnace inside. He took the hardest path that led upward, sprinting mindlessly. As he climbed higher on the hill behind the house he felt his rage for the death of his son turn into energy and felt a new strength inside him, something that had been sleeping for a long time. When half an hour later he watched the manor down from a natural terrace he saw Sahar swimming in the pool.

How could he be so taken from her after just a few hours he had met her? He was a mature man and he thought he had moved well beyond the realm of love, but Sahar had changed his perspective just by showing up. The sight of her body in a swimming suit only made it worse, kindling the fires of the desire that was mounting in him. He wondered if he was going to make a fool of himself in front of the young woman, but after all he did not care, if there was one chance in a million he could have her, it was worth the try.

He ran back to the house, had a very cold shower and dressed for dinner. He looked out of the window of his room and saw her floating in the water, gazing at the sky. He went to the kitchen, prepared two Kir Royales and walked to the pool with two flutes in his hands.


[User]
Delphin let out a shuddering breath that made her breasts jiggle as the King merely smiled at her. Some of the tension she had been holding in her shoulders, waiting for another physical beating, released even as she knew the way his lips curled meant she would be punished later. Cold fingers wrapped around her insides, knowing that no matter how hard she fought eventually she would fail. Even as he tenderly brushed his fingers against her cheek the Seraph had to reside the urge to lean her face into his hand. She craved touch, affection, and pleasure. Every cell of her body reacted to it, making her struggle an uphill one on many different levels. Without much more ceremony, the Seraph was yanked to her feet by a sour faced older man. A younger guard followed; she could feel his eyes roaming her naked figure thanks to the King ruining her clothes. The rough man dragging her seemed impatient and immune to the attraction she exuded, which was interesting. The deeper they went into the keep the less decorations were present. It became a rather dreary place, presumably not one frequently visited by the king.

Thrown into a small bathing chamber, it was only then that her restraints were removed so she could bathe. It amazed Delphin how backwards the humans were. She had bathed in warm, bubbling baths that made her skin rosy with heat. Now she was forced into a tiny damp chamber and expected to get as clean as possible. She doubted the king bathed this way, so it must only be for the slaves. Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the threat from the older man, and she turned towards the bathing supplies, still silent.

She scrubbed herself with the cloth and soap that was available, her skin glowing pink from the friction instead of warmth. Both men watched her as Delphin made sure every nook and cranny was clean, gasping and shuddering when the cold water fell on top of her. Her skin pickled with goosebumps, her nipples puckering as the water dropped from her pale skin. At a few points she made eye contact with the younger guard, noticing the redness of his cheeks and the jostling he did as if there was something uncomfortable in his pants. Given a thin robe with room for her wings and once more shackled, the bound Seraph was lead to another chamber where a man claiming to be a medical professional put her through her paces.

The robe was shed and the exam began. His touch was nothing like the kings. Although she knew that with very little prompting the physician would have completed a much more thorough exam, with the guard and servant to the king watching his fingers were coldly clinical. Her lungs were listened to, her pulse taken, her mouth examined for any sores and bad teeth, and her eyes checked for brightness and function. The more intimate parts of her were assessed as well, a bloom of shame on her cheeks as she was determined to be free of disease or deformity. Even though it was a doctor, even though she was ashamed, she knew he would be able to see and feel the wetness that still coated her sex and had made her thighs shiny. It was her nature to be aroused easily, but she knew that it would appear wanton just the same. Curious, and with a not strictly medical interest, the doctor brushed his fingers over her wings. It felt like being tickled a bit and Delphin struggled to sit still.

Remaining silent she clothed herself in the robe once more when the physician determined her to be in good health. She was led to the blacksmith, a large, muscled man who's gaze lingered on her pale skin and the gentle swell of her breasts beneath the robe. The miserable servant who dragged her along kept a close eye on everyone who looked at her, making sure that she was not given a chance to speak with anyone in the process of being dragged around the castle. A silver collar was secured around her neck and welded shut, thick leather placed between her skin and the hot metal until it cooled enough to touch. The blacksmiths knuckles ran gently over her as he secured the collar and made sure it wasn't too tight, the touch lingering for longer than necessary. She knew it was the aura she exuded, but it didn't matter to her. Her pupils dilated with desire and she squirmed a little in the seat she sat in, an aroused flush blooming over her cheeks. Even with this distraction, she couldn't help but cry as the collar was locked in place.

The tears didn't stop as she was finally marched to her new owners rooms. Her long, dark, hair didn't obscure her face enough to hide them from the people around her. Occasional sniffling could be heard as she was herded down the halls to her new home. A heavy door opened into a large, luxurious bedroom with a massive bed that was the center focus. At the foot of the bed frame was a chain a few feet in length. The servant to the king quickly secured the chain to the ring in her collar, took the robe from her, and left her wrists and ankles shackled before exiting the room.

Alone. For the first time since her capture she was alone. Naked, shackled, and chained to a bed. Delphin had enough room to sit on the floor at the foot of the bed, pulling her legs to her chest and letting her forehead rest on her knees. She had no idea how long she sat like that. When she heard the heavy door open, Delphin did not pick up her head. Her dark hair formed a curtain over her head and streamed down her naked, pale, legs. Her wings were held close to her body, as if she was curling herself up as small as she could. It didn't matter who walked in the door, if it was another servant or the king himself. It was only a matter of time before her body would betray her once more.

[Assistant]
It was well into the evening by the time Viktor returned to his private chambers, his personal guard taking position at the massive doors that led into his chambers. He pursed his lips thoughtfully as his eyes were immediately drawn to the creature sitting chained to his bed, wrists and ankles shackled. The air of desire and allure that followed her around was impossible to ignore, even if she did kneel there looking sad and pathetic, every ounce of her being was clearly designed to elicit desire and pleasure. The ones who had the power to create such a creature certainly had a singular purpose in mind for them.

Already he started to forget about all the worries and challenges of the day as he passed from the entry room and into the main bedroom where the winged creature rested. "They tell me that you're in perfect health." He observed, approaching the creature and looking her over. "But it is clear you've forgotten how to behave. Your time as an escaped slave has made you insolent. I suppose we'll see how well your memory works soon enough." Viktor shrugged off the large ornate cloak that served to single him out as the authority in any room he entered, the heavy fur tossed over one of the large couches that decorated the room off to one side of the bed. He looked much more human without the adornment, even if he had impressive stature without it. The ornate crown he wore still ensured there was no ambiguity regarding his position as the King.

He approached the girl as she sat there curled up into a ball, squatting down onto his knees to face her. "Kneel like a proper pet. If you're not sleeping or serving then you are kneeling. Always. If your master enters the room then you are to be kneeling and ready to be of service to your betters, sleeping or otherwise." He added. "Of course you already know that don't you?" He waited for her to adjust her position as instructed, ready to apply the appropriate amount of persuasion if necessary. He took in a deep breath of her scent as he examined her, still squatting down in front of her and letting her aura of intense sexual desire wash over him. "For a creature who has such an intense need for sex and servitude, you fight so strongly against it. You'll be better off when you let go of those unnatural inclinations."

Viktor reached out with one hand to trace fingers along the line of her collar, studying the craftsmanship and the fit of the metal against her smooth skin, nodding in satisfaction at how well it decorated her, the weld making it all but impossible to remove. His hand moved downwards over her body, cupping her breast in his large palm, his skin rough compared to her perfectly smooth pale skin. His touch was soft, enjoying the feel of her soft breast, her stiff nipple against his fingers. The exploration continued down along her body as fingers traced over her belly and then dipped between her thighs, stroking her smooth sex, noting the moisture that seemed to always be present and studying the way she reacted to his touch.

"You really need to be fucked, don't you? You get so wet at the simplest of touch from someone you clearly despise." He smiled as his hand withdrew and he stood up, looming over the girl with his imposing figure. He pressed his boot between her thighs, forcing them to part at least enough to allow for him to step in close against her like that, the smooth hard leather of the boot pressing right against the wet folds of her pussy.

"How desperate do you get, I wonder?" He said, a hand slipping into her hair and holding her in place. "Pleasure yourself against my boot, if you like. Hump it like the desperate little slut that you are."

[User]
When king entered, the side of herself that she tried to keep locked away briefly remarked on how handsome he was. Delphin immediately shut that down, preferring instead to focus on the way she was chained to his bed, her hands and feet still bound. It didn't matter how attractive she found someone, she was once more a slave.

Silently she followed his instruction, shifting onto her knees as he reminded her of her place. Of course she knew that she was supposed to kneel when her Master was in the room, but the Seraph was still fighting those urges. She didn't want to! She wanted to be free! How long could she hold out that hope before she gave over fully, becoming the creature he seemed to know she once had been. Eager to serve, desperate to be touched, and utterly wanton. That wasn't her any longer, but she didn't know how long her will to fight would last.

Her entire lovely body tensed as he knelt before her, fingering the metal of the collar that was warmed by proximity to her body. It wasn't long before his hand moved south, gently holding her breast and brushing past her aching nipple before traveling over her stomach. The muscles there quivered as he made his slow exploration, and Delphin inhaled sharply as his hand dove between her thighs. Before she could get a grip on herself a whimper escaped her throat and she tilted her head back, gazing around the room and trying to find something, anything else to focus on.

A great shuddering breath was loosed as he pulled his hand away, and her wings quivered gently behind her. She wanted it. She wanted him so badly, she could feel her body pulsing with an ache and could only be quelled one way. Her ample chest rose and fell as she took deep breaths in an attempt to center herself and remember how happy she had been when she was free. It didn't really help. Viktor forced her thighs apart and pressed his boot to her center, sliding it underneath her so that it replaced where his fingers had been. At the same time his fingers tangled in her dark hair, holding her right where he wanted her.

The delicious friction was her undoing. She ground her hips against the boot once, twice, and allowed herself a third time as a moan bubbled up in her throat before she stopped. In no time at all her nectar had turned his boot into a slippery mess. Her breasts swayed as she moved, bouncing slightly with each panting breath. Forcing herself to stop, she tried as hard as she could to fight the feelings welling up inside of her. It would take her almost no time at all to finish herself against his boot... but she was better than that, Gods be damned.

"No... no thank you, Sir," She sputtered, breathless and clearly struggling. Her face glowed red from shame and desperate need, betraying her actual desires and how they clashed with the words that spilled from her mouth.

[Assistant]
"You know, in a certain way I can admire that determination and self control. It's exactly what's going to make you a good slave." Viktor said as she stopped grinding against the boot between her thighs. He could feel the way her skin grew slick and her sex was able to grind smoothly against the hard leather from the lubricant her body created with such eagerness.

"Of course, saying ''no'' in response to an explicit instruction can't go without consequences, can it?" He said rhetorically. "When you've convinced me you're more interested in behaving than you are in getting punished, the pain will stop." He explained, his voice calm and matter of fact. He was a practical man, after all. There was no point in being anything but direct straight to the point. The King didn't have the luxury of wasting time with any other approach.

Without another word of explanation he stepped away from her, boot pulling away from between her thighs, uncaring of the glisten of nectar that stained the dark leather. He gripped her silky hair more harshly as he used the leverage to push her down towards the floor. The much larger and stronger man handled the more diminutive girl with ease as he forced her to bend forwards until she was doubled over with her face pressed down against the hard stone floor once again.

"Stay." Viktor instructed in a stern voice before releasing her hair, the single word promising a world of hurt on top of what she was already promised if she were to do anything but obey the command. In a short moment he had his belt unfastened and pulled off, each end of the expensive leather held in his fist. There was no further warning before Delphin was struck with the end of the folded leather, the crack of leather against the pale skin of her ass echoing in the chamber around them.

He lectured her even as he struck her with the leather, working across each side of her pert rear before cracking the leather right across her exposed pussy, sparing her no amount of strength. It was clear that her punishments would be swift, harsh, and merciless. A lesson he was more than willing to provide sooner rather than later. He left a red welt in her skin with each blow, sparing no part of her as he marked the backs and sides of her thighs and her spine.

"We've already learned that your pain tolerance is rather minimal from your lesson in the hall earlier today. Are you already so eager for more?" He asked, giving her her first chance at respite after more than a dozen blows had been delivered. Viktor moved to stand in front of her, squatting down and lifting her face up with a fist in her hair once again so that he could meet her gaze. "Choose carefully the next words you speak. They will determine whether or not we spend the rest of the night learning exactly how much pain your body can experience."

[User]
She had tried so hard to be brave and to fight against this monster who now wanted to enslave her. Or, had already enslaved her, Delphin supposed. When he pulled his boot out from between her legs, the leather easily sliding away from her core due to the arousal that coated it. As Viktor tangled a hand in her hair, roughly pressing her against the stone floor in the same position she had assumed not too long ago, panic fluttered in her chest.

"Wait... please, I'll do as you wish," The Seraph gasped, almost immediately trembling from the thought of the punishment that she knew was coming. She had made a mistake. It wasn't worth protesting only to be beaten each time she tried to stand up for herself. Her curved behind was still sore from earlier, a few welts still present on her pale skin. Delphin didn't dare move an inch, her wings tucked in tight against her back in an effort to protect them from the onslaught that she knew was coming. The sound of his belt slipping through his pants chilled her blood, setting her trembling on the floor, her hands curled into fists as tears soaked the stone beneath her face. "Please, I'm... I'm sorry, I promise, I'll behave, just... don't!" She shrieked as the leather made contact with her tender flesh once more, her weeping shaking her entire form.

Even as she yelped and sobbed, not daring to squirm away from the swinging leather and the horrible man wielding it, Delphin knew she had never been punished like this before. Of course, she had never resisted like this before either. Her time in the wilderness without a Master to command her had spoiled her; never before had she refused a direct order like she had multiple times today. Viktor was quickly showing her why that was such an awful idea, and already after the first few strokes of the belt she was deeply regretting her actions. Pain radiated from her backside, her sobs echoing around the room just as the crack of the leather against her flesh did.

When the leather kissed her aching cunt, sending shooting pain from the most sensitive part of her body, Delphin was momentarily struck dumb. Her own screams rang in her ears, but it was almost an out of body experience. The pain was so intense that the following blows to her backside almost didn't even register. She had quickly lost count of how many times he hit her, unable to focus on anything but the sharp pain that kept raining down. The minute he stopped her body was limp on the floor, every inch of her aching from being so tense as he had beaten her.

The King circled around her, coming to stand in front of her and once more grabbing a fistful of her hair to lift her head up. Her beautiful face was stained with tears and swollen from the force of her sobs. Delphin made no effort to resist as he moved her body to suit him, yanking her head upwards so that he could make eye contact with her before threatening her once more. There wasn't any need for that, the Seraph had learned her lesson. The large part of her that wanted to fight back and escape back to the sanctuary she and her sisters had created for themselves was ignored. Her nature was to submit and do as she was told without question, and as her body couldn't take any more pain that was exactly what she would do.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." She gasped, her voice trembling just as her body did. "So stupid... so stupid of me to fight. I'll do as you wish, anything you want, Sir. Please... forgive me," Delphin meant it, she had no desire to be punished again.

[Assistant]
The punishment was clearly more than enough to weed out whatever vestiges of rebelliousness remained within the creature. Apparently she was far more bark than bite. Already she was sobbing and promising him anything he wanted. It was a good start, but he had no expectation that the transformation would be permanent from just a single day's worth of lessons. Still, it was clear she had very little true fight within her. Just as the rumors told, she was created to be a creature of service and submission. Viktor held her gaze as he answered her promises of obedience and plea for forgiveness. "The correct response to being punished is ''Thank you''." He instructed, "You should be grateful to have a master who will give you correction and instruction, molding you into a proper pet and slave. It is what you were made for. You could never be truly happy while fighting against your nature for so long."

He continued to hold her in position with one hand firmly holding a fistful of her hair while the other hand reached to his belt to slide a silvery dagger from its sheath at his side. He held up the ornate weapon for her to see, brandishing it before her eyes. "Time for a little test." He said, easing his hand out of her hair. "On your back. Feet flat, knees bent, thighs apart." He rose to his feet and waited for her to comply, moving over to squat down to where her head lay back on the ground.

The King guided her arms---hands still held together by her bonds---and bent them so that her hands were on either side of her head, elbows bent, the chain connecting her cuffs slipping behind her head. Once he was satisfied with her placement he knelt down on the hard grown between her legs, looking over her perfectly sculpted figure with a mixture of curiosity and lust in her eyes, taking a deep breath of that aroma that made men crave her even more than they would naturally. He reached out with the dagger, tracing it down the smooth pale skin of her chest, over the swell of her breast and down along her abdomen. Just enough pressure for her to feel the cool steel against her skin, the sharp blade threatening to cut if she were to make the wrong move.

The blade continued its way over her mound, lingering and teasing over the soft skin before continuing down between her thighs, tracing the puffy folds of her pussy with a slow, lingering touch. "Are you always so wet like this?" He asked with a curious voice, "Always so eager to be fucked?" The blade continued to tease a slow outline of her sex before withdrawing. Viktor climbed over her then, the texture of the various fabrics clothing him brushing against her inner thighs, as if he were getting ready to fuck her except for the fact that he was still fully clothed. "I'm curious, what kind of self control you have, or if you're really just the desperate little fuck toy that you appear to be." He towered over her with his large figure, one hand supporting his weight on the floor at her side while the other pressed the blade of the dagger against her lips, coaxing her to catch it lengthwise between her teeth and hold it there.

His hand withdrew from her face to slide down along her body, feeling the texture of her perfect skin, the softness of her breast against his palm, the stiffness of her nipple. It continued downwards between her thighs and started stroking her sex firmly, tracing up and down the length of her folds and then grinding against her clit. "If you have an orgasm without permission, you will be punished." His eyes wandered over the dagger held between her teeth. "After all, you hardly need both of your eyes if you're to be just another warm fuckhole." He explained. He wasn't actually planning on mutilating the girl. Not unless it became absolutely necessary, but he doubted that she would know him well enough just to know for sure whether or not he would follow through with the threat. Still, he wanted to ensure that she demonstrated her skills to the fullest extent.

[User]
Her people were not built to withstand large amounts of pain. It made perfect sense; for a race that was supposed to be subservient they should have a low pain tolerance and be more responsive to punishments. Of course, that pain tolerance could be trained out of them with frequent repetition and increasing levels of abuse. Some of her sisters had been subjected to such a thing when they found themselves in the hands of someone who enjoyed taking their anger out on a slave who wasn't going to break. Delphin thanked her stars that she had never been in such a position.

"Thank you, Sir... thank you," She raced to say as he instructed her on the appropriate response. Two beatings in one day were entirely too many, and with every second that passed in Viktor's presence she found herself less eager to rebel. He had made it clear that any form of disobedience wasn't going to be accepted, and a large part of her was relieved to know where she stood. After years on her own, she was finally in the hands of someone who would guide her in exactly the ways her body and mind cried out for. It had been easy to forget what she was when she was living with her sisters in the wilderness, but being back in the presence of someone who exuded dominance was almost a relief. A very small part of Delphin didn't want this, and tried to recall how lovely it was to be her own master. That was something she could struggle though later, at the moment the Seraph was more concerned about avoiding any more punishment.

When he reached for something, still holding her firmly in place, she watched with wary eyes. The king pulled a beautiful dagger from somewhere, and despite it's decoration it was no less sharp than any other weapon. Delphin whimpered, tensing, waiting for the bite of cold metal against her tender flesh. To her surprise he released her, telling her exactly what position he wanted her to take. The Seraph didn't waste any time, spreading her wings slightly so they didn't hurt when she twisted onto her back. Bending her knees as she had been instructed, she spread her thighs so that every inch of her perfect body was on display. Slipping the chain connecting her hands beneath her head, Viktor trapped her arms on either side of her face.

If it hadn't already been clear, it would be now that every part of her was built to be pleasing to the senses. From her subtle natural scent that increased arousal in those around her, to her perfectly supple body that seemed to crave touch, there wasn't anything about her that wasn't ideal. Even on her back, her pert breasts jiggled slightly, nipples firm and aching to be caressed. Her sex was beautifully made, hairless and still slick with arousal despite the lingering pain from her punishment. The way her legs were spread allowed a peak at the pink inner part of her if one was so inclined to look. It was as if she had been sculpted from fantasy, desire brought to life.

Delphin held her breath as the shiny silver blade was pressed gently against her chest. The king slid the dagger over the feminine curve of her breast, the pale flesh springing out with goosebumps as the knife passed over it. Along her rib cage to her trim belly, she stayed as still as possible. Terrified she would make the wrong move and cause herself to be cut, she lay as if frozen, watching the king's every move with wide eyes. As the blade traveled over her hips and down her sex she sucked in a breath, feeling the razor sharp edge against the most sensitive part of her body and utterly terrified because of it.

"I am Sir, yes," She responded to Viktor's curious question, a flush rising in her cheeks. Repeating herself for the second question, "Yes Sir, I am," Delphin forgot any embarrassment as he climbed on top of her, his clothes rubbing against her sensitive inner thighs. Her lush lips parted to accept the knife that he placed between her teeth, careful to avoid the sharp edge. The Seraph had no idea what he planned, but she was trapped beneath him and utterly at his mercy.

Delphin tried to ignore the part of her that had missed this. She flinched when his hand made contact with her skin, arching against his palm as he cupped her aching breast before continuing his exploration downwards. Viktor wasted almost no time slipping his hand between her legs, making her whimper at the sudden contact as he traced the length of her silken slit. His wandering fingers found her clit, making her groan and tremble at the pleasure that such a small action caused. For a moment she lost herself in the feelings, grinding her hips against his fingers as she simply enjoyed having a man's hand on her, using her for what she was made for.

When he threatened to cut an eye out if she disobeyed him, Delphin snapped back to reality. Already she could feel the pleasure building, her body more responsive than a humans. A moan slipped past her lips and the dagger as she tried to take a few deep breaths, trying desperately to center herself. He was apparently putting her through her paces and she was determined not to be in any more trouble than she had already gotten herself in.


[User]
Unbeknownst to King Beogar, the witch already had seen her patience tested by his court. Upon entry to the castle, she'd been accosted as an unknown foreigner. To prove herself clean enough to enter his court, she'd been inspected like a new servant, examined closely for lice, signs of illness. At one point a particularly hostile servant woman had advocated for her to be shorn and washed in the creek, at which point she had all but promised to turn anyone further inconveniencing her into a toad.

None of that showed on her face. Instead, she kept a preoccupied looking eye on him, a knowing smirk on her beautiful, round face, and her hands folded downward, fingers pressed together in front of her. "Why, your royal highness, I am the one for which you sent your Queen," she said, taking a step out of the shadows into the light cast by the moon. Her pale skin shone in the moonlight, her massive bust casting shadows underneath itself that further accentuated the soft curves of her stomach, hips, thighs.

She immediately noted his open lust for her. Good, a king should be virile, potent, eager to seek what he could claim, within reason. "My given name is Eris. Some who live on your frontiers know me as the Pale Witch, from the visits I give to grant them boons," she said. She bent one knee in a shallow display of a curtsy.

_What is your nature, King Beogar?_ She thought to herself. _Are you a destroyer, or the fertile ground on which peace can be built?_

[Assistant]
So she was sent by the Queen herself. Beogar knew his wife had occasionally commented on women like this, letting him know that she had always loved a woman with curves. Over the course of their marriage they had shared one woman, an event that had occurred on the night of their son's marriage and had been fueled by enough wine to give the Queen an excuse for her decision. While they had not shared another lover since then, neither had they forbid the topic from being discussed in the future.

He stepped forward as she knelt before him, discarding the red cloth to make his way over to her wearing nothing at all to see how the witch would respond. He had never used magic himself, but with a sorceress like this to tempt him, he could see that there would be many benefits to dabbling in the arts with the right sorceress.

As she bent down on her knee he made his way over to her, stopping just a foot or so in front of her. His member hung in front of her face, letting her see the six inch cock show that it was just beginning to twitch to life as he took in Eris's full appearance up close. "And pray tell, what kinds of boons would you have to offer a king?"

He reached down for her cheek, cupping it with his right hand and tilting her face up to his and nodding at her to give her permission to stand. "A woman as beautiful as yourself would surely have many ways to assist a King and his kingdom. Would I be correct in assuming that my Queen has sent you here to do whatever it takes to keep this kingdom safe and strong?" His eyes were focused down at her breasts now, fighting back his urge to simply pull the woman up against himself and to throw her onto the bed the very first second he had the chance to.

[User]
Eris didn't take a step backward as the large man loomed over her. Rather, she arched an eyebrow appraisingly. On the one hand---good, he was bold at least, not that she ever had a reason to doubt that. On the other, for him to immediately loom over her with his imposing body... that wasn't as attractive as he thought. Was he simply a bratty boy, used to getting his way and bullying the weak?

"I have come to see if I may be of some benefit to the realm," Eris said coldly. "As for its King, I'm sure he can handle any personal problems without my assistance."

Her eyes rose to meet his as she stood perfectly still, not turning away as he cupped her face in his large, rugged hand. Her skin was smooth, baby soft. A mole on her bottom left cheek gave her the look of a courtesan, and her lavender eyes were deep and mysterious. "As for boons, my knowledge is wide and varied. I can predict a harvest, exorcise a spirit... I can portend omens of the future, and often change it."

[Assistant]
The woman was not bashful. Beogar had half expected her to either look away in annoyance at being treated like this or blush at seeing a new man up close and personal like this for the first time. Her tone was cold, business like, and distant. He nodded, letting go of her face and walking back to his bed as he went to go and get dressed. Making his way to the closet where his robe was hung he pointed to a map.

"While I have never used boons before, this might be something that I would need. As for your predictions, we have not struggled with harvests in quite some time." The map was on the other side of the room from where his closet was situated. He figured she would be able to head there herself as he opened the closet and chose a red robe with gold trimmings. Throwing it on he made his way back to the map.

"And for those omens of the future, can you make changes to how people will behave? What we need is protection from our enemies." The map he had gestured to was hung up on the wall and had his kingdom in the center. There were other countries surrounding it on all sides. Some had large Xs through them to indicate battles he had won and enemies he had defeated. The kingdoms to the north east and to the south west had large armies painted near the borders.

"These two kingdoms in particular have been of trouble lately. Their attacks are coming more frequently and they seem to be coordinated. They attack at the same time and force me to divide my forces, with my son handling one army while I take the other. If this keeps up much longer we might start losing major battles and being forced to give up land. What can you do to assist in situations like this?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, treating her as a battle mage for the first time to see if he was wrong to ignore their help for all of these years.

[User]
As he released her and turned his back, Eris's face took a bored expression, although her eyes did dart down once at his firm, sculpted ass.

"Your harvests may have been bountiful, but it would not appear they were enough for the people to prosper, my lord. As the army takes its cut for provisions, the people lack food to store for the winter. Whether the harvest is good or bad, their bellies are not full at the end of the day."

"Change how people behave? Perhaps not. Human nature is what it is." She took a step towards the map. "However, given that people do usually respond to the same things the same way, one can usually have them take certain courses, with appropriate action."

She looked at the map for a moment. "I am only an amateur scholar in war and geopolitics, my real specialty is the practical and the personal. That said... the real problem isn't that your country is flanked by enemies. The problem is that you are landlocked and have no way to force them to focus anywhere else. To solve this, you'll need either land stretching to the sea, allies that can threaten their flanks, or of course, peace with one or both of the kingdoms."

[Assistant]
Beogar clicked his tongue in disappointment as he heard that magic would not solve all of his problems. It was such a finicky art, something that could reshape lands and destroy countries but with limitations only its users really understood. He always preferred the physical world, one that he could touch and manipulate based on his own strength and wits alone.

Yet she had not stated that her aid would be limited to just providing provisions both for his arm and his people. As she explained her view of the situation he barked out a quick laugh and said, "For an amateur you have a fine eye for our problems. These are things that I cannot deny, but also problems that I cannot solve even with more resources and an army that is finally properly fed."

He crossed his arms over his chest as he turned back to her. "So tell me, if I were to agree with you that we need to extend our borders to the coast or to get a new ally that can reinforce our numbers and threaten a counter invasion, how would you go about securing this? Neither is an easy task on its own and I know you will not be doing this out of the kindness of your heart. Tell me, what would a powerful witch like you demand from my kingdom to enact such an idea?" Here he showed her that he did not trust magic. He assumed she would ask for his soul or to rule the kingdom itself in order to perform these tasks she had suggested.

[User]
"Oh, my compensation is not an issue. Your lovely queen is arranging for the coven, my only personal payment will be..." Eris smirked. "...a chance to use the royal resources to accommodate my girlish whims. Your regal hospitality is all that I require. If I feel misused, I will leave, however I believe you will find me a most loyal and valuable servant, and not one to abuse her privileges."

She turned to the map. "Well, I can't offer you any of these as they do not belong to me. Were you to bring me a potential ally, I could perhaps help you... persuade them." She leaned on a table next to the map, her bottom sticking out against her tight dress.

"Now... plagues, portents, famines. All these I can help with immediately, with your cooperation of course." She smiled. "And it's always nice to have a friendly witch to turn to for unbiased advice." She shifted her balance from one foot to the other, staying in front of his map and drawing a finger from her coven's location to his castle, then absently examining the other details.

[Assistant]
He nodded in understanding as she told him that his wife would have already taken care of the expenses that came with this witches services. The woman made sure not to tell him what exactly all of this would end up costing his kingdom, but then again he knew that if she could deliver on the results that she promised then the costs would be well worth it. Beogar would have to be careful around her though, knowing that this agreement struck between the coven and his wife meant that Eris was free to leave if she ever felt that he was mistreating her. He gave her a smile and said, "I will make sure that I will not misuse your services and belittle your position. You seem more than capable of letting me know if there are any times that I have overstepped or miscalculated the circumstances that have presented themselves to me."

There were a list of royals that lived in the neighboring kingdom that he knew he could use to manipulate those kingdoms into eventually becoming allies with them. So, taking a seat he began to contemplate which members of those royal families he should reach out to first while she continued to explain what services she could provide.

After hearing what she could offer he made a decision, clapping his hands together and locking eyes with Eris. "It is decided then. Famine should be the first task at hand. Providing food to my people and filling our storehouses will boost moral and show our people we have a new weapon at our disposal. From there we can discuss which potential enemies you can help shift to allies."

He had no idea what she would need and there was no use in pretending to understand what magic requires. "So tell me then Eris, what would you require of me and my kingdom to put an end to this famine and the drought causing it?" He paused as he thought of too families that could become allies, "And if you tell me what line of tactics you excel in to persuade others, I could provide you with a better list of potential targets who would be the most susceptible to your particular skills."

[User]
She gave him a knowing smile, her eyes shining in the dark room. Her expression had a hint of a suggestive tone, as if to say "You know how I'd get them, don't play coy with me."

Eris batted her eyes shut and then finally stood straight, folding her palms together in repose. When her eyes open, they stayed fixed on his. "My first tools are the same ones that you clearly noticed when I arrived. Frankly, my liege, men never have any problems telling me exactly what they're willing to offer for any transaction. Even if I were not a witch, I think I'd be able to make your diplomatic situation run... quite smoothly indeed."

She winked. "Think of the magic as insurance. It's my womanly charms that made me the witch chosen for this task."

[Assistant]
He gave her a nod and a knowing smirk as she told him it was quite obvious how she would get what she wanted from his enemies and reluctant allies. "I can clearly see that any man would struggle to say no to you. I certainly wasn't able to resist your charms even before I was able to confirm that you were not an assassin." Beogar admitted his own faults now before taking a step towards her and putting a hand on her waist.

"Now, my next question then is in direct relation to those charms of yours. Are they something that you plan on using only for securing the success of the kingdom abroad, or perhaps would you be willing to give your new King a demonstration of why no one is able to resist you and your very tempting offers."

If he had not known his wife for all of these years he might have been right o suspect a trap, maybe the woman would have sent Eris to test his loyalties. Yet as the couple aged they took part in many pleasures that the other kings and queens would think to be too bold for their tastes. He was quite certain that if this was an option, than his wife may have already beaten him to the chase in getting to know Eris on a personal level.

[User]
"Aha," Eris said, entirely to herself as a strong arm reached out and cradled one of her wide hips. This king, despite his head, was very much like a boy in some ways, she thought to herself.

"What a royal display of infidelity," she said with a smirk. Before he could respond, she drug a finger up from his navel to his chiseled chest. "Don't worry, I care nothing for the sanctity of marriage, or of anything else for that regard. However, I do consider your wife my actual employer. So I will wait for her invitation before allowing you to have me, your royal highness." She cupped his chiseled face with a graceful hand. "But I shan't leave you wanting," She leaned forward and gave him a warm, slow kiss on the lips, and then did a strange motion with her fingers before putting them on his forehead.

The effect was instantaneous. He was still there, but it was as if a fog took over his vision but for the corners. In the fog he saw visions of her, lewd ones. Visions of her writhing, teasing, moaning, and being used. Visions of what he wanted. It was unclear whether they were her memories, visions of the future, or just conjurations of what she assumed he was after, but they felt very real.

While he stood in her conjuring Eris removed the cloth around his waist, sliding her thumb and forefinger down his massive tool as it quickly grew as hard as it could. Smiling, she found a golden bed pan and held it in one hand, then stood behind the king and wrapped both arms around him, one hand seizing him and the other holding the bedpan out in front of his shaft.

Breasts pushing into his back, she put her full lips next to his ear. "Go, cum for me now," she ordered as the visions reached a peak intensity and then dissipated. When it was all over, she had pan filled with spunk and she swished it around in amusement, looking at the gold and pearly white reflecting the lights in the room before gently putting it down somewhere for the servants to dispose of. "A great display of virility, my Lord," she bowed.


[User]
Sayaka Miki let out a sigh, her hand resting on her hip with her book bag's strap balanced on her shoulder. She could really start to feel the weight bearing down on her, balancing her high school studies alongside battling Witches made it difficult to find time to sleep, let alone take the necessary time to relax. Tolling her shoulders and tilting her head back, she looked up toward the pale blue sky above, the slightest touch of clouds breaking an otherwise perfectly clear expanse. Sure, her best friend Madoka helped carry the burden, but there was only so much she could help when the troubles plaguing her young mind continued to jab at her. The bluenette shook her head and clapped her cheeks, the slight sting helping to collect her thoughts before continuing on her way.

_If Mami caught me acting like this, I'm sure she'd lecture me,_ Sayaka mentally prodded herself, _Come on, pull yourself together, Sayaka!_

Her footsteps carried her beside the road, heading toward a crosswalk. The early morning hustle flowed around her, salary men with briefcases, housewives with young children, and students in uniforms... everyone had their own special place, people that they loved, jobs they had to perform, both for their own sake as well as society. Deep down inside, Sayaka knew she had a role to play as well... before she became a magical girl, she had been filled with so much determination, so much desire to make the world a better place, to fight for justice, protect those she cared about, to strike out and make a difference.

The crosswalk light switched from green to red, just as her shoe touched down on the yellow line just before the asphalt.

"Ah---" Sayaka broke from her daze, just as a chilling jolt ran down her spine. She looked to her left, the world around her slowing, coming to an abrupt stop mid-action, the light itself blurring, caught within the space between her eyes and the object struck by the sun's illuminating presence. She quickly looked right, back over her shoulder, then turned herself around. What was this? It certainly did not feel like a witch's labyrinth...

The chilling sensation only grew in intensity. She quickly took her soul gem, tapping the very tip with her finger before holding it out in front of her. It floated before her, brilliant blue light encapsulating her body as flashes shimmered over her body, her high school uniform replaced by that of her magical girl garb. She swung her hand out, grasping the unseen handle, her magic materializing a blade. She widened her stance, cape billowing out behind her as she stood at the ready.

There, she caught sight of a figure that had not become blurred, locked in place as if time itself had been locked in place. He wore a ragged cloak draped over his shoulders, worn and tattered clothes. His eyes gleamed with inhuman rage and fury. She could sense an overwhelming power emanating from his very presence in defiance of his relatively human appearance.

"Who are you?" Sayaka shouted, "Who are you, and what do you want?"

[Assistant]
Slowly he walked through the city, passing by people frozen in time, like still images all around him. The world had advanced considerably since his imprisonment, in wisdom and in opulence. Yet he could still see that his firm hand was needed here. But for now he merely consoled himself with learning and understanding, from screens with moving pictures, to the metal vehicles that rolled down streets faster than a horse ever could. One had to appreciate what they would govern if they were to do so effectively.

Drawing closer to his missing fragment of essence, he soon found his target. A Maiden, a young girl with blue hair, a cape, a skirt, and a sword. Not that he would have expected less from those who bore the power that had defeated him. About the same time she spotted his presence, and turned to face him. He didn't mind a fight, but he would need to have some caution. Getting locked back up so soon was not in his plan.

Stepping forward, there would be no civilians in the way as he came to a stop. Like her he drew a blade seemingly from the air, with a sharp edge and a slight curve, the blade itself red like blood. He ignored her questions, and instead regarded her with a curious and inquisitive look. "So, you do not know," he mused aloud to himself.

His stance shifted, blade held horizontally behind him as he widened his legs. His free arm reached forward, before delivering a light wave in a ''come here'' gesture. "Show me you deserve the power bestowed upon you by your predecessors," he told her. Weakened as he was, surely that meant she would be able to put up a decent fight. Otherwise how could she claim to deserve the title she now held?

[User]
Sayaka's brow furrowed, her grip on her sword tightening as the man summoned a blade of his own. "My predecessors?" she repeated, unsure what he could possibly be getting at. Did he have some sort of connection to the other magical girls? Her thoughts flashed to her best friend. Determination welled up within her, a surge of energy pouring into her body as she tilted the tip of her blade down, the sharp edge resting just above her arm, her gaze skimming the reflective surface, cutting across her vision.

There was no time to ponder such questions, no time for hesitance, no time for reluctance. Her friends were in danger from this being, whatever his origin, and if a fight was what it took to protect them, then that is exactly what she would bring to bear.

She took in a deep breath, her foreleg tensing, a burst of speed erupting as she shot forward like a cannon, swinging a powerful overhead strike right through where her opponent stood a mere fraction of a second earlier. The cement where she stood mere moments earlier shattered like glass, the immense pressure exerted upon it sending out an expanding shock-wave. She then pulled her blade back and followed her first attack up with a barrage of jabs with her sword tip, an aggressive and bold opening salvo.

[Assistant]
Sayaka's reaction earned another curious look from the Dark Lord. Was she unaware of that connection, that history? It left him to wonder what had transpired since his defeat, and how the ties of continuity from past to present could have failed so thoroughly. At the same time it did make his job easier, as she was less aware of what she was dealing with or the deeper powers she possessed. It was useful for his purposes. In the blink of an eye she rocketed forward, heeding his challenge without hesitation. That was something he could respect about her.

Cement shattered, no doubt leaving the people nearby very confused when this fight came to an end. He raised his blade, taking a step forward to meet her dash. Their weapons collided, sending a shockwave racing through the air from the force of it. He was forced back by the sheer pressure she exerted, but he did not fall. Were his strength restored he would have done even better. But this would suffice. Who knew, a challenge might get his blood flowing again.

A barrage of strikes followed, forcing him to draw upon old bladework quickly. She scored a few hits, but none that were seriously disabling. With his garb as it was, it might be difficult to see the blood in the first place. But nonetheless he would not go down so easily.

After a moment he turned to another trick, thrusting his free hand forward and casting several shadowy tendrils to strike at Sayaka from different angles. Another test of her abilities, to probe her awareness and see how she responded to the attack. The point of this was to learn after all, and he intended to get everything he could from this meeting in anticipation of their decisive confrontation.

[User]
Sayaka dashed backward, one of the tendrils narrowly skimming her leg as she withdrew, her blade cutting across to block a second and third as they relentlessly pursued her, darting in from every angle. Turning to her left, she blocked one with the side of her blade, quickly turning the handle to cut and upward slash across its length, attempting to cut through and put more distance between herself and the converging barrage. Her left foot pivoted, turning her body around once again, cape billowing out behind her. She waved her left hand, a second blade appearing as the tendrils continued their relentless pursuit, back and forth she dodged and parried, the attacks coming faster and faster with each cycle.

One skimmed her shoulder, another her hip, cutting small bits of cloth away and leaving a visible bruise. She winced in pain and quickly ducked down, power once again concentrating in her legs for half a moment before she jolted herself up into the air, cutting through the remaining tendrils with a few quick slashes. Her jump took her into a high arc, giving her some space to plan out her next move.

Small glyph appeared over her injuries, the damage quickly healing. She turned in midair, a large glyph appearing above her which she used to kick off from and propel herself downward, both swords held at the ready. She slashed both at the same time, aiming to cleave him cleanly into four pieces where he stood.

[Assistant]
Though it was a test, it was one that Sayaka passed as she fended off the tentacles. In the process the Dark Lord learned more about her physical skills and prowess, as he had intended. More than that, he also learned about her rapid healing abilities, which would make any drawn out conflict difficult for him. There were also the barriers, which she showed some skill in using. Was that the full extent of her tricks? They would find out.

As she came back down, both swords were held ready for a devastating strike. Perhaps he could have risked it, but as he was right now the Dark Lord did not want to take the chance. So as she rocketed downwards he leapt back and out of the way of her slashing blades. He straightened and readied his blade with a flourish, none the worse for wear from her devastating strike.

"Very interesting," he mused aloud. "It seems you have some skill after all. Good, I would not want this to be too easy."

Then he was the one to dart forward, blade flashing in the light as he pressed the offensive. One strike, two, three, left, then right, left again. It would be easier for her to handle with dual blades, but it showed he could match what she was doing. It was what followed that would be a surprise as he punched forward. Yet that punch released a shockwave of energy that would throw her back some distance, battering with the force necessary to do such a thing. He could have followed up on it, but he didn't. He wanted to see what other tricks she had at her disposal.

[User]
When he avoided her attack, she straightened her stance, swirling both her blades before returning to a ready stance, her eyes studying his movements. He had dodged it so easily...

"You still haven't told me why we're even fighting in the first place," Sayaka barked back at him, "What do you want with me? What's this about a predecessor?" Before she received answers, however, her opponent rushed in, blade humming as it cleaved the air before it. She quickly parried, weaving between each strike, deflecting rather than taking the bunt of the force directly on her blade as she struggled to find an opening in which to perform a counter-strike. Their blades sparked as they clashed, bits of blue and red sparks flying as she turned and swirled, giving ground with each step she took.

"Ughh-" Sayaka took the sudden jab squarely in the chest, the shock-wave launching her backward, both swords flying out of her grasp as her body tumbled against the rough asphalt, expending the inertia against the ground. She slowly pulled herself back up onto her feet, gashes and cuts alike vanishing one by one in the same manner as before as she clutched her left arm with her right. Her breath heavy from exertion, her gaze turned to focus once more on the Dark Lord before her.

"You're toying with me, aren't you?" she panted, the tugging pain at the bottom of her lugs starting to form, "Well, if I want answers, I guess I need to start getting serious myself---" She grasped her cape, swirling it wide as blade after blade appeared in its wake, point down, handle turned toward her in a wide circle. She quickly grabbed one, then another, hurling them like spears toward her opponent with deadly precision, trying to keep him at a distance and keep him on the defensive.

[Assistant]
There was not much talking on the part of the Dark Lord, at least in the initial clash of blades. He was not one for banter in the middle of combat, not like certain heroes. He preferred to speak with his actions rather than his words. Let his own iron actions serve to intimidate more than any trash talking that he could do.

Ultimately she was unable to anticipate the shockwave and was sent flying down the street because of it. Her blades were lost, though with her powers that did not matter. Once again those wounds dealt were healed with her powers. "You possess something that belongs to me," he told her simply. "I will reclaim it."

Though he wanted it, Sayaka was quick to ramp things up a notch as she flourished her cape and crafted several blades in a circle. One after the other she began throwing them at him, striking from range instead of close up. He adjusted accordingly, deflecting the first blade as it came in and sending it stabbing into the ground. It was a feat that he would repeat a couple more times, but he was not strong enough to continue it forever.

At last one slipped past his defenses, leaving a gash on his side where the blade slashed through fabric and flesh. He glanced down at it before stepping back. "Until we meet again," he called to the blue warrior with a salute. a downwards burst of magic created a cloud of dust and smoke around him, and he made his exit at a rapid pace. he had no intention of falling here, so some level of caution was called for. She would not be going anywhere after all.

As he disappeared into the distance Sayaka would find time resuming, preventing further pursuit. Something to think about, and perhaps prepare for in the future.

[User]
Time slowly began flowing once again, the gears of time released from the lock placed upon them by her mysterious attacker. She quickly dispelled her magical girl uniform, returning to the plain street clothes as before. All around her, a sudden panic broke out among the onlookers on all sides, as the slashed street signs, cracked cement, and howling car alarms masked any possible connection between herself and the wanton destruction that from their point of view had appeared instantaneously.

She looked over at the place where the cloud of dust, the only lingering sign of his presence, slowly faded.

The haunting words of that man echoed within her mind, the heat of combat gradually fading. Her gaze slowly turned to the green light shining at her from across the street. She stepped out into the street, eyebrows furrowed with determination.

[Assistant]
The Dark Lord had escaped, and reality returned to normal. Sayaka went about her day, alert but unable to find any further sign of her foe. He was very good at hiding himself when he wanted to, and his diminished power actually helped with that to some extent, as there was less to suppress. But his hiding was more to give himself time to plan. Not because he was scared.

To some extent he was exploring further, learning more of this time that he was now in. Humanity had grown, and showed great promise. The buildings, the constant movement, they merely needed someone to harness their potential. Someone like him. He was in no hurry, and it gave him time.

Finding a base of operations to work from proved a bit more difficult to do, so he didn't let himself get distracted by that for too long. He'd scoped out some tentative options, but since he had not yet been back even a day there was still no rush. He had standards after all.

There was one other element that he drew on for now. Sayaka carried a piece of his own essence inside of her. Without knowing of its presence, she likely did not have control over it. That meant that he could exert his influence upon her through that piece of essence. Resting alone, some distance away from where she was, he drew on that connection. He delved into her psyche, trying to gleam what he could from her mind. Hopefully without making it too obvious as to what he was doing. She might not know, but she could still feel these things. So some caution was called for. He was curious to see how it worked out.

[User]
Sayaka lay on her back, eyes gently shut, her thoughts wandering as she drifted somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. The Dark Lord's prodding slipped seamlessly within and through the gentle waves of her thoughts, brief images flashing. Her hand gently gripped her pillow, eyebrows slightly furrowed.

_I wonder if Kyousuke will like this selection... Mami's so beautiful when she fights... I wonder if I could ever be as strong and reliable as her... I feel sort of relieved, actually... I have something to strive for, Madoka._ Fear, love, insecurity, passion, foolishness... fragments of memories swirled together into a vortex of emotion.

_I'm a hero of justice, and that's what heroes do! I can handle it, Mami. So, rest easy knowing that Sayaka Miki is on the job!_

[Assistant]
Feeling thoughts, dreams, hopes and wishes and desires, fears and nightmares, the Dark Lord gleamed what he could of Sayaka's mind. were it not for magic, she might almost seem to be a ''normal'' girl with ''normal'' problems. It was curious to see how things had developed in this era, but it would ultimately prove to be for his benefit. She did not have the mental training to prepare her to deal with anything besides a physical conflict, the sort that Maidens of old might have had. This was good, as it meant she was even more weaker to what he might do.

For now, he gathered more information. Following the tug of his essence, finding where she lived was easy enough. Not that he intended to attack her here, at least at present. he would if he had to, but he had standards to hold himself to. That was something she could at least be grateful for, even if she did not know it.

There were other elements at work too. He found a place he could rest, a room isolated within a clock tower. Modified with his limited magic, he at least made it so he could begin his work there, and mask his presence inside from the Maidens attempting to find him. A lair that he could find respite in, plan and scheme and recover his strength. He would hardly be a villain without one. And by the layer of dust present when he arrived, he likely would not be bothered there either.

Lastly there was one other element he sought to investigate. There were other forces in this world, those things Sayaka had initially confused him for. He wished to know what they were. And so he went to investigate. They could be useful for his ends.

So the night passed in to day. Of the Dark Lord Sayaka would see no sign, at least at first. Perhaps what she had gone through yesterday had simply been her imagination? If not, who knew what he might be getting up to while she was busy at school. was it a risk she was willing to take? Judging by her dreams, the absence of action might be more unnerving than if he'd gone after her again. There was only one way to find out.

[User]
Sayaka yawned, stretching her arms up over her head as she looked up at the hill heading up toward her school, that same path she had walked many times before. Despite the bright, pristine morning sunshine, she could not shake the feeling she was being observed, watched, studied... perhaps she was just feeling self-conscious after her unusual encounter the day before. She had a nagging suspicion she should talk to someone about it... after all, she had never before even heard of a witch with a human form, least of all capable of human speech. The strange way that witches communicated, the obscure runic symbols that appeared in their liars... it was clearly of a different make and origin.

"I should probably ask Mami about it..." Sayaka let out a sigh, "But I really don't want to bother her... she's working with Kyoko to prepare for that huge witch that supposed to appear in a few weeks, isn't she?"

Sayaka glanced at a nearby shop window, catching her reflection in the translucent pane, "I guess that means I need to look into it myself... but where do I even start? Dark, gloomy guy with a sword isn't much to work off of." She tugged on her book bag, adjusting the strap to rest on her shoulder better, "Then there was that thing he mentioned about predecessors... perhaps Kyubey would know?"

Reaching out telepathically, she attempted to speak with the mysterious life form, "You're there, aren't you? What do you know about the predecessors to the current magical girls? Did you used to form different contracts?"

[Assistant]
Aloof from where Sayaka, an eyebrow rose as the Dark Lord felt the brush of foreign influence upon his mind. Oh, she was reaching out to contact him? Curious. Very curious. It was difficult to decide if she was brave or foolhardy by doing such a thing. Perhaps both, if he was to accurately approach the issue at hand. It just cast her as more of the impulsive sort.

For a moment he did nothing, refusing to act upon the lure that was offered. Though there did not seem to be malice, one could not be too sure. More than that, what would answering accomplish? He did not want to help her or make it easier for her to defeat him.

But eventually he gave in. This could provide another opportunity to chip away at her resolve, to better understand his enemy. Maybe it would make things more difficult for himself. But it had also been a while since he had had a decent conversation. Hopefully this girl would not disappoint. "Why would you believe me even if I was willing to tell you?" he replied calmly. It was not like there was a reason she would trust what he said, especially if she got an answer she didn't like.

[User]
The voice Sayaka heard in reply was not the one she expected. Instead of Kyubey's distinctive tone, it was something much deeper and more ominous, the voice that belonged to her mysterious attacker. She froze up for a moment, hesitating to take a single step further as she realized he had somehow intercepted her telepathic link... or perhaps he had already been listening? Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus, reminding herself that he could likely pick up on any sign of weakness or confusion.

"You're right, I don't trust you, but you want something from me, don't you? It would be hard to find something that I don't even know I have." Deciding she could push a bit more, she added. "You've been watching me these last few days, so I think there's a few things you don't know either."

[Assistant]
Perhaps Sayaka had not been expecting his presence to actually answer her. But such telepathic messages were easy to intercept, especially when one took no precautions to prevent eavesdropping.That was a mistake he did not make, using his magic to ensure this was a private conversation. He did not want to alert the other Maidens to his presence. Not yet anyways.

Although she thought he was looking for an item, perhaps a relic or something of value, that could not be farther from the truth. To some degree he wondered how much it mattered. Her training was woefully lacking, so it was a big question as to whether she'd be able to excise or contain his influence even if she found it.That said he did not have to be completely honest about it either.

"What I seek is no item," he replied solemnly, meticulously. "It is something within magic itself, passed down from one Sacred Maiden to the next for generations. Now it has culminated in you." He left out any mention of her friends, as that would only increase her incentive to tell them if she knew. Again, that was a situation to be avoided if he could.

For now, she could make of that information whatever she wished. It made no difference.

[User]
"Sacred Maiden..." Sayaka mulled over the term he used, coming to the conclusion that it was either an antiquated term for magical girl, or it referred to a special kind of magical girl. In either case it complicated matters, as it implied that there was more to the contract she formed than she had anticipated. In the very least, it explained what he meant by predecessor, so that was one of her questions answered. Unexpected complications aside, she felt like she needed to tease out more information from her mysterious foe.

"Right, so how do you intend to take it from me, if its part of the magic I use? Its not like I'm a personal computer you can just plug into and download from," Sayaka pressed further. She suspected he would need to get a hold of her Soul Gem to accomplish such a feat, but she had no intention of just handing over the source of her magic, especially not to someone like him.

Deciding to try and prod him a bit more, she added, "What about you? Aren't you going to ask me to just hand it over to make things easier for both of us?"

[Assistant]
Tough Sayaka did her best, the Dark Lord was no fool. If she was fishing for information then he would not give it to her just at the drop of a hat. She'd find out in time regardless, but that would be on his terms. Not in casual conversation with her. No doubt she was expecting that anyways.

"I have not had sufficient time to determine that yet", he conceded without any bad feelings. There was some truth to it, but he had a decent idea as to how it would work out. Then again, even if it worked out that way he would still act against her. The power she possessed would always be a risk to him, so it had to be neutralized.

Skeptical, an eyebrow rose though she was not near enough for her to see it. "You believe yourself to be a hero of justice. You would never relinquish that which is in your possession to a stranger. Especially if you believed it might pose a risk to your friends." She was not so delusional as to give in to his request without some doubts, and he did not have answers she would like. Using force was the only avenue left for him. Especially after their previous fight. Of course if she somehow deluded herself otherwise, he would not complain either.

[User]
Sayaka blinked with surprise, "So, you attacked me before you even figured that much out?" She could not help but feel slightly relieved at this revelation, although her sense of calm was short lived.

"Yeah, you've definitely been spying on me," she growled, "And leave my friends out of this... your beef is with me, remember? They have enough to worry about as it is, without someone like you complicating matters." She placed her hand on her hip and shifted her weight from her left foot to her right, "Tell you what, I'll make things easier for both of us. I'll be waiting for you tonight at ten sharp, near the water fountain at the park. We'll settle things there, nice and easy. No point dragging this out, is there? If you don't show, I'll ask some of my friends to help track you down, so don't go hiding on me," she added.

[Assistant]
Though Sayaka was surprised to learn what he had to say, the Dark Lord did not regret any of his actions. His was not the type to look back on what he had done, unless it was to plan for the future. Such sentimentalism was not befitting a being of his power and status.

"With victory I would not need to worry of unexpected circumstances," he pointed out. He wouldn't need to worry about her getting bored, of there being limitations to his experiments. Not that he expected her to understand that. But she would have been unwilling to put her magic at risk of permanent damage at his hands, so a forceful solution was necessary.

Then Sayaka made her ultimatum, leaving him amused by the declaration. So confident, so noble, yet so unwise. It was foolish for her to leave her friends out, but it only worked in his favor. He merely had to tip the scales a bit more, and her fall would be all but assured. "Very well. I shall be there. Do not lose your nerve." Their final confrontation would soon be at hand, as he severed the telepathic connection between them and strode away.