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His Redemption (TheCorsair and Xana)

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Aurianna growled as the demon withdrew his cock. She came, but she wasn’t done fucking, and she certainly hadn’t given him permission to stop. Never the less, he turned her over, pinning her down. She could have fought him off, pushed him away, or down into the mud. Still she gave him a chance, curious to see where he would take things.

She couldn’t help but gasp as he pushed into her rosebud. Slick with her orgasm, he slipped right in, his thick crown paving the way into her body. She was anxious as he drove into her. Even his mere human strength, he could hurt her like this, and she wasn’t entirely sure she could trust him. He was a demon, after all.

Yet, he moved slow, never forcing, pacing himself with her breaths, inch by inch until she accepted all of him. “Fuck…” She exhaled, the sensation incredibly intense. She could feel every pulse within his meat, the slightest twitch sending shock waves throughout her body. He wasn’t even moving yet, just throbbing against the tight hole. Overwhelmed with the physical sensation, Aurianna’s breathing grew ragged, and loud. “Fuck,” she repeated again, adjusting the his girth, as it slid inside her, her body gripping him impossibly tight.

“Fuck yes, demon,” She rumbled, as he withdrew, and pushed into her once more. Low, long grunts as he stroked her, moaning in time with his movements. She brought her hand down to tease her clit and finger her cunt, so lost in the anal, she didn’t pay attention to which hand came down. Soon cold metal fingers toyed with her clit, causing her to yelp and seize, holding him in place as he buried himself in her ass. Nevertheless, she continued to use her metal fingers, bucking against his hips as she balanced the feeling of his hot body against her and her cool fingers inside her. It didn’t take too long for her hand to warm up, as it become soaking in her desire.

She could feel his cock against the thin membrane separating her holes, making her cunt feel incredibly tight around the two fingers she fucked herself with. She recalled her fever dream, both Matthias fucking both of her holes, and the memory nearly caused a second climax in itself. She couldn’t help but wonder if it would feel as good in the day, as both of them took her, and served her passion. Of course, there was no guarantee her lover would want to share her with her slave, but she pushed that thought away. She was getting fucked too good to think about such things. At least right now.

“Fuck,” She moaned again, her brain forgetting that other words existed, for the time being, “Fuck I think…I’m…I’m…I’m coming!” She cried out, fingers deep in her snatch, his cock plunged completely within her, both of her holes filled and overflowing with lust.
 
"That's right, Mistress," the Demon purred, rock-hard meat rocking in and out of her ass. "Tell me what you want me to do to you..." He groaned, a feral sound of lust as she gasped out the single word "Fuck", and his hand tightened around her wrist. With his free hand he lifted her hips up, giving her steel hand room to reach down, her steel fingers space to fill her slit as he thrust into her again. The feel of those fingers, rigid and chill and flexible against his cock through the thin walls of her sex, amde him groan again.

As she moaned "Fuck" again, he picked up the pace. His cock began moving faster, harder, pounding into her ass as she fucked herself with her hand and her whole body begged to be used. He gripped her hair with a grimy, taloned fist as he pounded into her, tugging her back and forcing her to support her upper body on her arm. "Tell me, Mistress," he demanded, words punctuated by grunts as his cock thrust deep into her rear again and again. "I know your dreams... is the reality of your demon slave violating you everything you hoped for? Are you going to cum on my dick? On my hard meat filling your ass?"

“Fuck!" she sobbed out, body arching beneath his. "I think…I’m…I’m…I’m coming!”

"Cum for me, Mistress!" he roared, lost in the delirium of buggering her, of feeling her fingers stroking his shaft as she fucked her self. The shock of her orgasm, her whole body clenching and her sobbing scream of release sent him over the edge as well. Fangs found the nape of her neck, tearing the flesh and letting blood fill his mouth as his cock pulsed within her. He sucked greedily, fangs worrying her flesh and tongue caressing the wounds as his seed coated her colon in thick ropes and dribbled down her mound and thighs. Finally, spent, his weight fell across her back. "Did I please you?" he teased, his tongue snaking over the rips in her flesh. "Does the feel of my filthy demon cock please my Mistress?"
 
Aurianna collapsed against the tree trunk as the demon finished with her, the force of her second orgasm and the demon’s release taking their toll on her. Filthy, as she was covered in mud and lust and blood, rational though began to return to her head. The weight of what she had just done weighing upon her now.

“Fuck,” She repeated once more, albeit differently, as she pushed the demon off of her now. Not so hard, just enough to get up, stand up on her rubbery legs. Letting him fuck both of her holes felt good in the moment, but was probably a mistake, as she remember she was going to have to walk back to Monsford.

Hells, the whole thing was probably a mistake, as she had no idea how she was going to explain this second demonic Matthias to her allies. Or even to Matthias, now that she thought long and hard about. “The fuck did I do?” she asked out loud resting her head in her hands, guilt washing over her now. Matthias loved her, and still she fucked the demon. She loved him, and still she cheated on him.

Just like you loved Jeoram?

The dark thought drew an incoherent scream from her lips, as she approached the closest tree and put her fist into it. She thought back to the happiness she felt last night, as Matthias told her he loved her, held her close and begged her to stay with him. Forever. It was everything she wanted, and yet here she was, fucking the demon for the hell of it. “Damn it all to hell!” She screamed, creating more splinters with her steel gauntlet, squeezing back the tears from her eyes. She didn’t deserve love, didn’t deserve happiness. She deserved to be nothing more than the demon’s fuck toy. A few more halfhearted hits to the tree, and as she shivered in shame.

She was too tired to be so mad at herself anymore, her self-loathing turning into a dull annoyance for the time being. She tried to find her clothes, just to discover the ruined remained of her pant, rendered completely unwearable by the demon’s earlier actions. “Did you have to rip my pants off?” She growled irritably, tossing the ruined rags off into the distance. She removed her cloak, fashioning it around her hips in a makeshift skirt. “Come on, demon,” She ordered, making her way back towards Monsford on weary feet.



Justine rested her head against the crenellation, exhaustion and boredom overtaking her. Time might not have gone so slowly if she bothered to make conversation with the traitor, but she wasn’t sure she was up for more irritation this day. But as the sun grew lower in the sky and her own despair grew heavier in her heart, Justine found herself seeking some banter to push back the fears.

“How has she been? Since you guys left the temple, I mean. It seemed like she was finally getting back to her old self, before…” Justine started, watching Matthias for a moment, before turning her attention back to the battlefield.

“She said some things last night that had me worried. And not just me.” Justine elaborated hugging her knee to her chest. “Should I be concerned?”

“It’s weird coming to you like this. She always told me everything, before. She told me everything that happened at Ebon Keep. At least I think…” She shuddered, at the memory of Aurianna crying in her lap, shaken by what had happened to her. “I just can’t believe she kept…” she gesture vaguely towards him, “whatever it is you guys have from me.” She sighed deeply, eyes following the Sarn as it flooded to almost three times it normal size. It was then, something caught her eyes.

“Do you see that? On the other side of the Sarn?” She stood now, bringing one hand to block the sun, as she moved closer to him. “Two figures, walking along the river! One has to be her, right?”
 
"Should you be concerned?" Matthias repeated, not looking away from the swollen Sarn. "That probably depends on what you're concerned about. I wasn't in your conversation yesterday, after all."

He didn't really feel like talking, particularly not with the Paladin who'd threatened to toss him from the walls. But conversation was a way to distract himself from his worries, and from the aching of his wounds. So he shifted on the cool stone, trying to find a less uncomfortable seat. "You may have guessed, but she's in a dark place right now." He tapped the side of his head. "Here."

"No shit," Justine responded.

"You asked," Matthias said. "You want my opinion or not?"

After a minute, Justine sighed. "Sorry."

A thin smile crooked Matthias' lips. "See, think about what she's been through. Captured, stripped of armor and weapons, and gang raped in the Ebon Keep..."

"I know," Justine snapped.

"No, you don't," Matthias snapped back, turning to stare at her. "No matter what she told you, you don't know." His hazel eyes bored into hers. "Did she tell you that Baath-Me'el made her orgasm as he raped her? Did she tell you about how that shame worms into your soul as the rapes continue, how you start to think there's something wrong with you?" Shock and horror showed on Justine's face, and he continued relentlessly. "That you deserve it. That you're filthy. That maybe you belong to Hell, that you are no more than a fuck toy for demons, because to your shame you found pleasure in rape."

Wrapping her arms around herself and shuddering, Justine looked away. But his words followed her. "Then we escaped, and she returned to safety. Only to have her fiancee force himself on her. Only to have half the Temple look at her like she had brought it on herself. Only to have a half-dozen Paladins ggand-rape her in the Cathedral."

He paused for a moment, staring at her. "Is it any wonder her faith is shaken? Is it any wonder that darkness calls to her? That she might lie with a demon and a traitor - the thing that took her to the Keep, yes, but that rescued her as well? The only thing that hasn't taken her by force or judged her for what happened to her? Is it any wonder that she might be drawn to power, to gaining the strength to ensure she is never hurt again?"

Justine shivered. Grinning, he tapped his right arm. "That steel arm is a perfect metaphor for her soul, Paladin."

"Do you see that?" Justine interrupted. "On the other side of the Sarn? Two figures, walking along the river! One has to be her, right?"

Matthias shaded his eyes. "I think... yez! And the other is... me?"


The Demon trudged behind Aurianna, watching the swishing of her improvised skirt as her hips swayed. Naked from the waist down, his appreciation was evident from more than just his eyes. From time to time, though, that lascivious gaze strayed to fall on Monsford and then to the Demonqueller rune on his wrist, and his expression became one of thoughtful hatred.

"Mistress?"

As she half-turned to look at him, his hellblade came off his hip. He screamed in agony as the dark flames clove through his forearm, sending his hand and the rune tumbling to the ground. And then he slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Fangs tore into her throat as he straddled her, and her blood poured down his throat.

"You said it yourself, Mistress," he leered, her blood wet on his mouth and chin as he pulled the makeshift skirt away. His wings unfurled with a snap, her blood healing the break and smoothing over the stump uf his arm. "Betrayal is what I do best."

He backhanded her as she tried to shove him away, splitting her lip and making her nose bleed., then clamped his remaining taloned hand around her throat. "Well, betrayal and this!" He laughed as he roughly drove his meat into her. "Like that, bitch?" he taunted, pounding his meat into her, rough and hard. "Gonna cum for me again? Gonna cum on my filthy demon cock while I have you in front of the whole city?"

His fangs tore into her flesh once more, as rough and painful as his cock in her cunt. "Gonna cum while I rape you in front of your boyfriend?"
 
Aurianna slogged through the mud, each step drawing dull pain from her pelvis. Each step bringing her closer to the judgmental faces of her friends, and Matthias. Growing closer to him made her stomach twist into knots, at her betrayal, and knowing she would have to tell him. This wasn’t something she could casually lie about. Not to him.

She heard the demon start to speak, and she swore to Afodisia, let him say something smart. Let him say something cruel. She wanted to beat him bloody, take her guilt and shame out on him. She just needed half a reason.

Well, he gave her more than half a reason, as he pulled his blade. Was he stupid enough to come after her? She ripped her spear off her back, primed to beat him into the mud when he did the unexpected. She froze in shock as he cleaved off his own hand, taking a moment to process the action. By the time she had realized why he had done it, it was too late. She was in the mud once more, as he pinned her down with his strength and his fangs buried into her throat.

She struggled against his grasp, as he siphoned her strength to him. She was already exhausted from fighting and fucking and feeding him, and now being drained even further. She struggled against him, but it was useless. Back at his full infernal strength, with her blood pumping through his veins, he overpowered the fatigued paladin. She brought up her right to push him away, but he hit her harder and faster than she could react. She was dizzy from the blow, as her own iron life seeping into her mouth. A pained gasp as she tried to take in a deep breath before he cut off her air Another pained gasp as he pushed himself into her, her cunt swollen from their earlier intercourse.

He strangled and fucked her, taunting her all the while, as she clawed at the talon wrapped around her neck. “Piece of shit,” She rasped out, as her legs flailed, trying to squirm away, but unable to find purchase in the mud.

This is what you fucking deserve, her mind whispered to her, mocked. You wanted to fuck a demon, didn’t you? The earlier tears came up now, as she resigned herself to this fate. This is what she deserved isn’t it? For cheating on him. Raped and beaten. This was all she was meant for. A demon’s whore, a broken fuck toy of hell. If only you just gave in to Hydranes, he wouldn’t be able to do this to you…


Justine watched the figures as they moved, as Aurianna’s features came into focus. She was walking slowly, but not limping, so that was a good sign. She wore her red cloak over her hips for some reason, but it didn’t matter. She was okay. She was safe. She hadn’t been captured.

Justine almost hugged Matthias in happiness, stopping short, but helping him up regardless. They could meet her by the ferry, and make sure she was as okay as she initially appeared. Except…what was that other figure?

Matthias spoke up, "I think... yes! And the other is... me?"

“Huh?” Justine questioned, looking at the fallen paladin for a moment. That’s right, he said something about a demonic version of him, walking around. She tried figure out what it meant, in the context of seeing this demon Matthias following behind Aurianna. It didn’t last long, as she watching the demon pull his sword and slice off his own hand.

“What the fuck…?” Justine murmured, watching the scene play out before her. She dropped Matthias to the ground as the demon tackled Aurianna down, racing for her bow. She readied an arrow, looking for her best shot. She wanted to plug him in the throat, as she watched the demon assault her friend, but with his face in Aurianna's neck it was too dangerous. If he moved she could hit Aurianna, and kill her.

So Justine took the best shot she could at the moment, sending her shafts through the fiend’s great wings. She sent off three in quick succession, until she had run out of arrows in her quiver. Fuck, she hadn’t restocked since the battle had ended. “I need more arrows!” She called, heedless of Matthias’ inability to help her with that.


Aurianna sobbed in time with the demon’s thrusts, as he split her open with his meat. His hand still rested on her throat, slowly restricting her breath. He wasn’t trying to throttle her straight out, just keep her weak and dizzy enough that she couldn’t really defend herself or fight him off.

He is going to impregnate you. Just like he promised yesterday. Make you carry his little half-devil bastards.

Tears and blood trailed down her face as she lamented the loss of the man who loved her, for her own recklessness. And she thought Hydranes was foolish for trusting him. What a stupid slut she was, just spreading herself for him not even an hour ago. Dumb fucking cunt.

A sharp whizzing noise drew her out of her self-pity. A golden arrow sunk into his wings, eliciting a furious growl from his bloodied lips. Red with her blood, that was. Two more followed close behind, peppering him. He stopped, trying to pulling the sanctified shafts from his wings, as the blessed metal singed his demonic flesh. It gave her a chance to fight back now. Pouring all of her pain into a right cross into his jaw, he fell off her. She shot up now dashing for her spear, jabbing him with the butt of it as he followed up towards her. She put some distance between them, just running away from him now.
 
Matthias watched in impotent horror and fury as the demon - as his own demonic soul - attacked Aurianna. Distantly, he was aware of Justine's swearing. But he didn't care. His entire focus narrowed to his lover, and his own soul raping her before him, and his hands clenched in to trembling fists. "Damn you," he hissed, teeth gritted. "Damn you..."

“I need more arrows!” Justine called as a golden shaft pierced the demon's wings, disrupting the rhythm of his attack. He watched Aurianna knock him away, then scramble for her spear. "More arrows!" Justine demanded again.

Wrenching himself away from the tableaux before him, he looked around wildly. There! A wicked, barbed thing embedded in a mantlet. A demon's arrow, one that had failed to find its mark earlier. Tearing it from the wood, he dragged the point along his forearm. "Gouxahl," he snarled, letting his life run over the point. "I name you, Gouxahl. I name you, Matthias. By oaths and blood, you are bound to me Gouxahl. By blood and oaths you are bound to me, Matthias."

The blood seemed to absorb into the demonic shaft, transforming it slowly from black to crimson. "I call to you, Gouxahl! I call to you, Matthias! Be bound! By my blood, Gouxahl By my will, Matthias! Bound, until the sun burns cold! Bound, until the stars burn dark!" The inhuman words rose in a crescendo of fury. "Bound, until I release you!"

He thrust the pulsing, crimson arrow into Justine's hand. "Hit the bastard," he snarled, voice shaking with emotion. "Hit him, and I will do the rest!"

She stared at the arrow for an instant, regarding it with the same loathing she would show a venomous serpent. Then, with a single smooth motion, she nocked and fired.


The Demon chased as she fled, laughing. "You weren't running a few minutes ago!" he taunted. "You ordered me to fuck you! Demanded it!" More laughter. "I was just giving you more of what you wanted!"

Wings spread as he leaped a fallen trunk, and they boomed as he flapped in pursuit now. "You wanted me in you, Mistress!" he laughed. "You dream of me, of Baath-Me'el! You want us both, Mistress!"

Soaring overhead, he landed before her. "And now, Mistress, I'll..." His words cut off as a crimson arrow sank a handspan into his chest. He staggered backwards, staring at it stupidly. Then, he screamed in agony. "No! NO!"

The arrow seemed to jerk, dragging him towards Monsford. "NO!" he screamed, dropping his hellblade and trying to tear it from his chest. "NO! I will not... NO! NO! Mistress! Mistress, please!" Unable to tear the barb from his flesh, he extended his remaining hand in a desperate plea. "SAVE ME! I will obey, Mistress! DO! NOT! LET! HIM!"

Screaming, he collapsed to the ground as the arrow seemed to become chains of blood and iron. The chains lashed around him, and then he faded from view.


Matthias screamed in agony as the arrow struck the Demon, clutching at his chest in sympathetic pain. Blood flowed from his lips as he bit them, concentrating on something only he could see. He seemed to wrestle with something only he could see, desperately trying to prevent something from being pulled away. And then he collapsed to the walkway.

Reflexively, Justine knelt down beside him. "You did it," she breathed, hesitantly touching his shoulder. "I don't know how you..." Her words trailed away as he looked up at her, eyes blazing with swirling gold and crimson light.

"I am his jail, and his jailer," the fallen Paladin snapped. "His prison, and his punishment." He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand up. As he did, his eyes faded to hazel once more. "And I will torture this fucker for eternity."

Swaying, he nearly fell. Justine caught him. "Go get her," he whispered. "Bring her back to me." And then he pushed away, shuddering and hissing in agony.
 
Aurianna sprinted on sore legs as she tried to escape the demon, both his pursuit and his taunts. But he was flying, even with the arrows piercing his wings, and he caught up easily. She slipped in the mud as she tried to stop herself from running into him as he landed before her. He was over her now, leering and bearing down upon her, continuing his assault-

A crimson arrow whirred by her head and into his chest. The demon howled in agony, and for a moment, Aurianna froze, eyes transfixed on the crimson arrow, seemingly pouring it’s crimson essence into the demon. He begged her, desperate against some fate she couldn’t have known or prevented, even if she wanted to. Scooting away from him as he pleaded, beseeched, implored her, as though she would help him again.

“Fuck you, betrayer,” She snarled as he was pulled away and bound, pure hatred in her eyes. She wasn’t sure exactly what it meant, but if it distressed the demon, it brought a smile to her lips.



Justine was off as soon as the words left Matthias’ lips, racing for the ferry docks. She took a canoe out, paddling with all the strength her divine gifts graced her with. The journey wasn’t easy, with the new-found volume of the Sarn, but Justine pushed on, her concern over Aurianna weighing heavier than the burn of aching muscles.

Aurianna shambled along the shore as Justine approached in her, nearly falling into her friend’s arms in relief.

“Are you okay?” Justine asked as she held Aurianna tight against her, ignoring the mud and blood that smeared her own armor. Aurianna nodded, and murmured a wordless answer, burying her face in Justine’s hair. They held each other for a few moments before Justine pulled away and pulled off her own cloak. She helped Aurianna put it on and lead her to the canoe, taking on rowing duty so Ari could rest. After a moment, Aurianna spoke.

“Is he…okay?” she requested softly, looking down in the water.

“I am much more concerned with you, right now,” Justine scowled, and then sighed. Maybe it would bring her a bit of comfort. “He is fine, more or less. Worried about you, mostly.” Justine took a moment to examine Aurianna as she nodded. Paler than this morning, wounded on her throat, but not too badly. It had stopped bleeding, at least. “No major injuries?” Justine asked, and Aurianna shook her head.

“I’ll be okay,” Aurianna uttered, putting up a weak smile, as they made it back to Monsford.

“Come on.” Justine said, helping her up and out of the canoe. “Let’s get you cleaned off and out of that wet armor.”
 
"If you don't hold still and let me examine you," Physiker Martin snapped, "then I'll sedate you."

"I won't drink a damn thing you give me," Matthias snapped back.

The Physiker looked at him for a moment, then produced a stout oaken cudgel. "Who said anything about drinking?"

The two men locked eyes for a moment, and then Matthias sighed. "All right. All right. I'll behave."

"Good," the Physiker muttered, unwrapping the bandage around his forearm. "You've plenty of time to see your lady love once she is brought back into the city. Now... hmmm? How did this happen?" Matthias peered at his arm, shoving aside the Physiker's hand. Beneath was smooth, unblemished flesh. He joined the Physiker in staring. "This was a mass of scabs and healing lacerations this morning," the Physiker said.

Matthias flexed his fingers. "I guess there's some good to making yourself into a soulcage."

"What?" asked Martin, blinking.

"Nothing. Check the rest of them, would you?"


The two men hurried through the hall, following Elsa. "Lady Justine brought her back," the girl was saying. "She's..."

"How is she?" Matthias demanded.

"I'm just an apprentice," Elsa answered. "I shouldn't say for sure but... she looks hurt. Not badly - not physically, anyway. Blood on her neck. But... I suspect she... she was..."

"She was," Matthias bit out. "I saw it happen, from the walls."

Only once, a dark voice gloated in his mind. She gave herself to me before that. Twice. The gloating voice became screams as Matthias concentrated on his binding, wracking the demon with agony.

When they entered the room, Justine was helping Aurianna bathe. Matthias rushed to her side, heedless of the grime that streaked her flesh and the water that beaded on her skin, and took her in his arms. "Ari," he whispered, voice shaking. "Ari."
 
Aurianna stood numbly as Justine undressed her, unable to meet her friend’s eyes. Justine didn’t take her relationship with Matthias well, what would she say if she knew she fucked the demon. Not just fucked, She demanded that he fuck her, threatened him if he refused. Would Justine have bothered to save her? Would Matthias? Did they know that woman they cared for was nothing but a disloyal whore, who deserved violation for her wanton ways.

“The water is warm, let’s get you in the tub,” Justine suggested gently, offering Aurianna an arm to help steady her. Aurianna sunk into the water, the heat soothing her pain, but not her guilt. She wanted to tell Justine to leave, to tell her that she deserved the pain and that she didn’t deserve her pity or concern. Instead she just whimpered, watching the water turn cloudy as the muddy and grime slid off her.

The door opened to Matthias and Martin, and Aurianna hugged her knees against her chest reflexively. Matthias came to her side, wrapping his arms around her back and pressing his head against hers. Mud from her hair stuck to his skin, but he didn’t flinch, or move away from her. Pain and caring in his voice as he whispered her name, as he acted as if she didn’t deserve it. Being in his arms was just what she needed, but the guilt brought up tears. “No…” She protested meekly, unable to accept the warmth of his affection.

Martin came around to look at her, while Matthias held her tightly. “I don’t need a physiker,” Aurianna chimed now, embarrassed by the attention lavished upon her. I brought this on myself.

“They said you were …attacked,” Martin spoke in innuendo. Aurianna clutched herself tighter.

“No major injuries. Nothing that wouldn’t heal in a day or two,” Aurianna insisted, unable to meet his gaze. Martin looked upon her for a moment longer, and nodded.

“Nothing seems life threatening. When you’re ready, I’ll check on you,” Martin offered, sensing her discomfort. He left with Elsa.

Aurianna looked to Justine, trying to put up a brave face. “Could you get me some clean, dry clothes? For when I am done?” Justine gave her a sympathetic look, before regarding Matthias coolly. Then she nodded.

“I’ll be right back,” Justine assured her, squeezing her shoulder before leaving as well, until Aurianna was alone with Matthias. She still couldn’t bring herself to look at him, just trembled in shame.

“I fucked up,” She admitted now, weeping, “I fucked up, and I don’t deserve you.”
 
She fucked me! the voice in his head mocked. He concentrated, and the mockery dissolved into screaming. Sounds of agony that he could easily shut away. "I... I know what happened..." he whispered, stroking her hair. "I..." His words trailed away as he tried the right way to say what he was going to say.

"Even after all these years, you're still rash, Ari. Hot-headed. Prone to make snap decisions, putting yourself in dangerous situations that you have to work three or four times as hard to get out of." He smiled, and kissed her forehead. "And I want to be furious. I want to be hurt, to rage and throw things. But..."

Sighing, he sat down next to the tub. "But... you fucked up?" A wry grin touched his lips. "Let's review, shall we? You went hunting a demon, one that is effectively a demonic version of me. You used your own body as bait, because it would work." He gripped her hand, feeling the warm flesh soft in his grip. "And then you fucked him. Me. The other me. And that does hurt, yes. But..."

Matthias sighed and looked away. "Ari, do you have any idea of the things I did? The things we did, when that demon was my soul? You fucked something that was half me." Clenching his free hand into a fist, he forced himself to look back at her. "You just made a mistake, Ari. I've..."

He bit his lip, looking away again. "I've raped men and women to death, Ari, bent over the corpses of their families. I've murdered infants. For sport. Had people roasted alive, to feed the Ravenous. I've..." He bit the litany off. "Ari... you made a mistake. And it cost you. But never say you don't deserve me. You deserve far, far better than me, and I don't understand why you keep choosing me."

For a long moment, he couldn't speak. Guilt washed over him, guilt and horror at the memory of his actions. Finally, brushing tears from his own eyes, he forced a smile he didn't feel. "Come on. Let me help you get washed up, and then put you to bed. I'm sure you can use the rest."
 
Aurianna listened quietly as Matthias tried to reassure her. It made her feel a little better about her infidelity, mostly by making her feel worse about her role in this fall from grace.

“You’re not that person anymore,” Aurianna tried convincing him, her hand coming up to caress his stubble rough cheeks. He gave her a fake smile, a fake smile she often wore these past couple of months.

"Come on. Let me help you get washed up, and then put you to bed. I'm sure you can use the rest."

“I would like that,” she admitted, as his hands began to caress her neck and head, strong fingers running through her hair. The cleansing and sensual massage was clouding her senses, making it easy to Aurianna to lose herself in the moment. Soft sighs turned into moans, as he scoured the mud from her back and arm. He came around to the other side of the tub, pulling her leg up to scrub the grime off her calves.

“Ahhh…Matthias. This is why I keep choosing you,” She exulted, sinking in the luxurious heat of the tub. Though, the water was cooling off now, so the heat must have been coming from her, “I swear your touch just sweeps away the pain and the ache.”

Something about what she had just said stuck with her. She opened her eyes, watching him work, his arms tensing as his hands rubbed her legs, fingers kneading the tight muscles in her limb. “You’re...you’re not injured anymore, are you?” she noticed, finally, observing the ease of movement, movement that would have been difficult or impossible for his just this morning.

“Just our luck huh? You’re finally healthy enough to enjoy all my charms, and here I go, getting myself…” She trailed off then, recalling how she brought this upon herself. She pulled her leg away from his hand now, taking her turn to feel guilty. She finished cleaning herself off, quietly, while Matthias readied a towel. There was a few more moments of silence as she dried herself off and dressed.

“So the demon is… he is in you, again?” She sussed out. Still, it seemed different from before. He didn’t look the demon traitor she had fled the temple with. He still looked like the man she woke up next to this morning, who comforted her after her nightmare. She looked into the hazel eyes as she tried to figure out what it all meant. As she tried to figure out if he still loved her, or just felt possessive.
 
"Sort of," Matthias replied. "I bound him, using his name, and sealed him away. I didn't have a container to seal him into to, though. So, I used myself." He flashed her a wry little smile. "After all, there's a hole in me that fits him perfectly."

Moving close, he wrapped his arms around her waist. "But," he continued, kissing her gently, "I'm not him. Not again." Another kiss, this one slightly less gentle. "I still love you, Ari."

A third kiss, this time his tongue slipped between her lips as he pulled her against his chest. "And, yeah. Somehow, binding him within me healed me. And if you, ah, felt better? I'd throw you down on the bed and demonstrate. For hours." His fourth kiss was gentle and chaste, and he held her close once more. "Instead, I'll just keep you warm through the night."
 
Aurianna clung to him as he held her, arms around his neck, kissing him back. “Matthias…” she murmured between kisses, shuddering at his suggestion to make love for hours. “Oh, it’s enough to make a woman regret those reckless choices she makes.” She rested her head against this chest, “But sleeping in your arms does sound nice.”

She followed him back towards the bedroom, hand in hand, pulling him into one last deep kiss as she closed the bedroom door. A kiss seeking his love and forgiveness, with her hands holding his face close to hers. The kiss lead them towards the bed, and continued as they lied in each other’s arms. But once the warmth and softness of the bed caught up to her, Aurianna could hardly resist closing her eyes, and letting the nether take her.


She awoke without dreams, which she considered a gift from the Goddess, in view of the last few days. Matthias was still sleeping when she woke, and while she wanted nothing more than to lie in his arms, her stomach growled for some food. So she made her way into the kitchen, where Elsa had some breakfast going.

“Good Morning, Lady Aurianna. You look much better, this morning,” The young girl greeted her, with all of the optimism of her cousin.

“I feel much better,” Aurianna admitted, surprised at something as simple as sleeping in his arms could everything seem all right. At least, for now. “I am however, quite hungry.”

“Of course! I have some sausage and bacon cooking, eggs, pancakes. And there is some bread and butter on the table, as well as fresh fruit. Please, help yourself!” Elsa rattled off, offering Aurianna a plate. “Oh and we have milk, or would you prefer some tea?”

Tea. It rocked Aurianna’s memory. It has been about a week, hasn’t it? “I’ll make myself some tea, actually,” Aurianna offered, holding up a finger and handing back to the room she shared with Matthias. She retrieved the wooden box from her things and opened it, to check its contents. There was a little left; just enough for today’s serving. It wouldn’t be so hard to get some more but…she looked over at her sleeping lover and sighed, happily. Maybe she wouldn’t bother. Finish off this last serving, and just, see what happens? Assuming they weren’t both killed when Hydranes decides to take the town. It was something to live for, at least.
 
"You think you can hold me?"

Matthias stretched, flexing his muscles and eyeing the Demon warily. "Oh," he said, keeping his voice light, "I know I can. Gouxahl."

They stood in a great rough-cut depression, floor liberally coated with an ashen black sand. The sky above them was black, flecked here and there with tiny stars of gold and red. The Demon lunged forward, progress halted by heavy chains of crimson-black iron fixed into the stone beneath. Despite himself, Matthias flinched. "You won't hold me forever, Matthias! You have no strength! I AM your strength!"

Ignoring the Demon, Matthias looked around with interest. "Is this what it's going to be like every night?" he wondered aloud. "Dreaming of my Demon?"

Chains clattered as the Demon tore at them. "Not yours!" he roared. "Never yours!"

"Oh, no," Matthias agreed. "You'd be Baath-Me'el's. Or is that Hydranes'? Or... Aurianna? You've pledged yourself to each of them in turn, after all."

"I am my OWN!" the Demon roared, lunging forward once more. Then he stopped, calming himself. "And you're weak, Matthias. Mortal. Without me, you are nothing." He folded his arms across his chest. "I'll be here, waiting. You'll fuck up. You always do. And I'll be ready."

"To what?" Matthias taunted. "Fail at something else?"

"To wear you like a suit once more," the Demon laughed. "And when I do, I'll pretend to be you. Ari'll spread herself for me, willingly. And I'll use her, Matthias. While you watch, from your chains, I'll break her and tear her and make her BEG me for it! And she will, Matthias. Because, deep down, she's nothing more than a whore..."

A loud crack cut off his words, as Matthias lashed a whip across the Demon's face. The Demon stumbled back, and Matthias struck again. Black blood flew with each blow, slashing furrows across the Demon's hide. "You," Matthias observed, voice calm and eyes burning with fury, "will learn to keep a civil tongue in your head."

"She'll... she'll see me... in you..." the Demon laughed, voice cracking with pain. "She'll look... at you... and wonder... is it... my lover..? Or... my... rapist..?" He screamed again, as the whip tore hide from his back. "Do... do you... know, I wonder..? Which... YOU... are..?"

Matthias woke with a start, still feeling the handle of the whip in his hand. Groggily, he rubbed his eyes, feeling as if he hadn't slept. "Ari?" he murmured, acutely aware of her absence from the bed they had shared. "Where...?" He blinked, then smiled as he saw her sitting at a small table. Tossing the bedclothes aside, he padded across the room and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Good morning, love," he murmured, kissing the side of her neck. "Did you sleep well?"

His eyes fell on the box, and his eyes hardened just a little. "It's... necessary, isn't it?" Then he rubbed his stubble-coated cheek against hers. "No, of course it is. I... well.. maybe someday, it... won't be." Then he stroked his chin and forced a chuckle, changing the subject. "What do you think? Would a beard suit me? Maybe I should grow it out, and start wearing robes with stars embroidered on them?"
 
“I did,” she replied with a pleased sigh, as he wrapped arms around her, and kissed her. She resisted kissing him back, with the bitter taste of the moon tea still on her tongue, but he took notice of the box anyways. She sensed the disappointment in his voice, as he asked her about it.

“It’s my last cup,” she said softly, running her finger around the rim of the empty cup. “Maybe, in the chaos of fighting for our lives, I'll forget to get some more,” she suggested playfully “Assuming we live long enough for any of it to matter…” she added, somberly, remembering her duty. He changed the subject, to lighten the mood.

"What do you think? Would a beard suit me? Maybe I should grow it out, and start wearing robes with stars embroidered on them?"

Aurianna couldn’t help but laugh, imagining him looking the part of an archetypal wizard. “A beard wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe if you wore it neat, like you used to…” Aurianna suggested, thinking back to the man who won little teenaged Aurianna’s heart. She nuzzled him one more time before standing up and stretching.

“Hungry? You should eat before we should meet with the rest of the paladins and some of the knowledge trackers from here to plan the next stage of our defense.” Aurianna recommended, picking up her empty plate. “I’ll dress while you eat, and then we can head over together.” A quick kiss upon his lips before turning back towards her armor, examining it before she donned it. The breast plate was scuffed and dented, but it maintained its integrity. She had to grab a different pair of breeches, since the demon ruined her last pair. At least it won’t happened again. She nodded to herself, pulling her pants over her hips. Matthias has it under control, he wouldn’t let the demon hurt me again. She laced up her breastplate, and put on her boots, as he finished eating.

Pulling him into one more kiss before they had to leave, she looking up into his hazel eyes. “I love you, Matthias, and if we make it out of this, alive, I want to make a life with you.”
 
Matthias tried to linger over the kiss, until she playfully pushed him away and went to get her clothes. At first he was distracted by watching her as she dressed, but the meal rapidly captured his attention. It was simple enough, as such things went. Pancakes with honey, and thick bacon, and bread with butter, and milk. But he hadn't tasted anything like it, not in a long decade. Within moments his resolve to savor the tastes failed, and he was shoveling it in as fast as he could. Finally, when the rest of the food was gone, he sopped up the last dregs of honey and bacon grease with bits of bread. As Aurianna finished dressing, he examined the plate and contemplated licking it.

Aurianna pulling him into a kiss broke that thought. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his lap as he kissed her back. Thick leather and chain mail and a breastplate obscured the contours of her body, but he held her anyway. “I love you, Matthias, and if we make it out of this, alive, I want to make a life with you.”

"Oh, we'll make it out alive," he answered, slapping her playfully on the rear and wincing as he stung his hand on her mail. "With a promise like that to look forward to, I guarantee it." Rising, he pulled on clothes of his own. A simple tunic of brown homespun, and checked breeches that were a trifle loose around the waist and a little short. But they were long enough to tuck into the boots he'd been given, and they fit well enough. "Now that I'm no longer a cripple," he remarked, opening the door for her, "I should see if I can scrounge up a weapon and something approximating armor. A sword and mail would be perfect, but I'd settle for a cudgel and a shield." A chuckle. "No need to risk depending on my magic, after all. Not with Yarost'cherv out there."


Justine sighed and shook her head as Aurianna and Matthias entered the 'war room' - Mayor Ingrud's kitchen, in truth - hand in hand. The glances the two exchanged reminded her of time she spent with Cassi, and she was glad for her friend. But... Matthias. Traitor and murderer, a thousand times over. What on earth did she see in him? Did heterosexuality rot the brain? She glanced around the room, noting Roland and Diana eyeing them as well. Not good. They already suspected her, after her drunken comments in the pub.

The trackers saw them as well, but didn't seem concerned. And why should they be? As far as they knew, he was nothing more than her lover.

Mayor Ingrud pounded a mug on the table, catching everyone's attention. "Good morning," she said, smiling. "And an especially good morning, since we're here to see it." She rolled out a large hide, on which a detailed map of Monsford and the surrounding countryside had been painted. "Alvida? Sjovald? The two of you were scouting the Sarn last night. Why don't you ink in the changes to the landscape, and then we can figure out what our next course of action is."
 
Alvida traced along the Sarn, adding nearly double width as she went along, bleeding over into the trees indicating the forest area to the south.

“So the Sarn is currently flooded, as rather dangerous to tread, as the rapids flow with excess volume,” Sjovald explained as Alvida modified the map. And the Valief plains are basically swamps at this point.”

“Any ideas?” Ingrud asked, looking over at the paladins and Matthias, “Other than abandon Monsford.”

“We want to funnel them,” Aurianna spoke up finally. We can use the Sarn as a natural barrier, as they are going to follow it to get back to us. So along here is where we want to set up traps and ambushes,” Aurianna explained indicating several stops on the maps. Diana made a face now. “What?” Aurianna barked, already annoyed with the dirty looks the two paladin had been giving her and Matthias since they walked in.

“It’s not terrible Ari, but,” Diana started, before sighing, “we are going to be trapped ourselves. We aren’t going to be able to pull back to Monsford easily with the Sarn between us and the town. And we are going to have to pull back, because we have five paladins, a ‘wizard’, around a thousand fighters and three-fifty archers. And they have…?”

“Atleast twenty five hundred,” Aurianna answered, listlessly. She could see Diana’s point, even if she detested the insolent way she brought it up.

“That’s assuming Hydranes isn’t fed up from our first attempt and comes herself,” Diana added.

“She is not going to do that. She would rather let us have the illusion of hope for as long as possible,” Aurianna countered. “Does anyone else have something better?”
 
"At lesst twenty-five hundred," Matthias mused, stroking his chin in thought. "And they're demons. So, at a conservative estimate, they're worth about..." He thought for a moment. "Eight to ten thousand nirmal human soldiers."

"Gee," Roland drawled. "Cheer us up, why don't you?"

"I'm not here to cheer you up, boy," Matthias answered, still looking at the map. "I've an interest in surviving this, and that won't happen if we underestimate the strength of the enemy." He glanced up, catching the man's eye. "Or were you going to lie to them? Sacrifice the village to buy enough time to escape?"

Roland's palms slapped the table as he rose. "How dare you, you traitor son of a bitch!"

Casually, Diana caught him by the wrist and pulled him back into his seat. "Settle down," she drawled. "He's just trying to wind you up."

Matthias ignored them both, still studying the map. "I don't like the plan. Torment's got about a third of her force in fliers, enough to negate the funnel and hit us from behind. No, we need something that dives us the advantage."

"No shit," Alvida laughed. "But what?"

"Monsford," Matthias declared. "It gives us a funnel, because we know they're coming here. And a bottleneck, because they'll need to ferry demons across the Sarn or build bridges, and we can hit them with arrows as they cross." He stabbed his finger onto the city. "We can rig traps in town as well. Deadfalls and spiked foottraps and such in the streets. Houses weakened and set to collapse. Nets above the streets to tangle fliers." He looked at the mayor. "And some of the buildings are stone?"

She nodded, and he grinned. "Make them seige the city. Then individual buildings. Make the bastards bleed for every foot. You wern't planning on surviving anyway, right?"

"I'd hoped to," Ingrud replied, then shrugged as he stared at her. "But no, I don't really think we will. We're just buying time."

"Great!" Matthias laughed. "Then you can put all your efforts into hurting the bastards!" He looked around. "So... which manner of death are we choosing? In town, or across the river?"
 
“We have maybe a day, day and a half before her forces are at our gates,” Sjovald declared, arms crossed before his chest. “Teodar and Xander are keeping watch for now, and will signal once they get sight of the host.”

“We should force than to siege Monsford,” Aurianna conceded, running her finger over the gates. “They will have to come at us form the south, mostly. We will pull back towards the east gate, as they gain ground.”

“Is now a good time?” A voice called into the kitchen, followed by the tall, lanky form of Otis, “Oh good, you are all here! Now I can show you my newest invention!”

“Otis, why didn’t you evacuate?!” Ingrud demanded, trying to usher him out.

“I told you three days ago woman! I have too much work here to abandon my workshop,” Otis tried to explain, looking over her at the map.

“You are about to abandon your life for love of your projects!” Ingrud reprimanded, exasperated.

“Oh, and I suppose I should leave the dyin’ to the young ones? Like hells!” He snapped back at her. “You are planning the city defense, right? Well my invention could help.”

Ingrud looked at him for a moment, sternly, before sighing. “Verrier himself would lose a stubbornness contest against you. What do you have?” the elder inventor lead the congreagation outside, over toward his workshop. Just outside was a strange, cylindrical object made of nearly pure iron. “By the Goddess, what is it?”

“I call it Dragon’s Fire,” Otis bragged, the group still not entirely convince what they were looking upon. “You put something inside here, light this over here on fire, and whatever you loaded is shot out with tremendous power.”

“Holy hells,” Justine muttered, and everyone else just nodded in agreement. “Does it work?”

“This one does, yes,’ Otis said, nodding.

“There are others?” Ingrud probed, a concerned look growing on her face.

“Yes, but they don’t work. Though, I suppose they could be rigged up to explode. One time use, but it would do some damage,” he speculated, rubbing his chin, “So, what do you think?”
 
Matthias examined the iron cylinder thoughtfully, running his fingers over it and peering at it carefully. "You put anything in this end here?" he asked, looking at the hole in the front. "Anything at all?"

"Yep," Otis answered. "I've tried it with stone balls, and with bits of junk around the shop."

"And then you set this cord on fire, and... the fire makes it shoot out?" He looked at the inventor. "How?"

"Not the fire," Otis bragged. "Firepowder. The stuff that makes..."

"Fireworks explode," Otis and Matthias finished together, Otis smug and gloating and Matthias thoughtful. He stared down at the Dragon's Fire for a moment, then slapped his head. "How did nobody see this before?"

"Cause I'm a genius," Otis told him.

Matthias whirled on him. "How much of the firepowder do you have?"

"Not a lot," Ingrud said, flatly. "I hope."

"Barrel full," Otis grinned, watching Ingrud wince at the thought.

"Hells," Matthias breathed. "That's... what? Two hundred pounds? How much does this thing need?"

Otis considered that. "Depends on the missile. More'n about a quarter of the weight of the missile, and you risk exploding the Dragon's Fire."

Matthias stared at him. Then, clapping Otis on the shoulder, he laughed. "You mad bastard! You utterly barking mad bastard. You've given us an edge!"

"He's given us a death sentence," Roland muttered.

"No, no, Torment did that!" Matthias laughed, wheeling around. "This thing's wheeled, right? So, we keep it in the town square, wheel it to wherever they breech, and turn it on the demons! Bury the others loosely near the walls, or in houses, and wait for a pack of the bastards to get there!" He spun back on Otis. "Would it explode in other things beside the Dragon's Fire?"

Otis shrugged. "Yeah. Anything that holds it close packed for a bit. Why?"

A feral grin. "Pack clay jugs with the stuff - no. Half full with the firepowder, and half with... nails. Or glass. Or, hell, whatever. Light a fuse and drop it into the demons when they hit the walls."

"I don't have that much of the firepowder!" Otis protested.

"You don't need that much," Matthias countered. "Once the wall comes down, the demons won't let you fire it more than a couple of times anyway."
 
“Otis!” Aurianna called as the rest of the paladins got to work booby-trapping the city. She pulled Matthias along with her.

“Ah, lady paladin. How is that arm working out for you?” the older man asked, prodding at the joints.

“Honestly? I am considering making punching my primary means of attack,” she answered, with a hearty laugh. Otis joined her, and pulled the arm up to examine it further.


“You really have to let me run some tests on it. You ran out so fast the day I fixed it for you I didn’t get a chance to take any data.”

“Well, perhaps if we make it out of this alive, I will give you a day to perform whatever tests you want. Just…no more surgery.” Aurianna offered, pulling her arm back to her side. “And speaking of surviving, do you have any spare weapons or armor for my, uh…Matthias here?”

Otis looked over the man, nodding absently. Then the spark of inspiration lit up the worn blue eyes. “I have just the thing!” he motion for them to follow him into the workshop. Half-finished weapons and armor littered the floor and countertops. Tossing several uncompleted arms away, he pulled out a segmented sword. Otis swung it before him in a figure eight pattern slowly before flicking his wrist faster than the old man should have been able to. Caught on Aurianna’s arm were the sections of the blade, connected on a thin chain. She released the parts, and the weapon once more retracted into a solid piece.

“I call it a sword whip, and I think this is the best time to test it out!” Otis declared, excitedly. Aurianna had a apprehensive look on her face.

“You don’t have some more...common? Simpler?” Aurianna prompted. Otis furrowed his brow and sighed.

“I could finish one of these, if you prefer, but it will take time, time I could be using help devise more traps for our impending demonic siege. It’s up to you.” Both turned towards Matthias now.



“Is she fucking the traitor?” Diana asked, as she helped Justine move one of the dragon’s fire into derelict dwelling. The question caught Justine off guard, where she almost dropped the weapon on her foot.

“Huh?”

“Is Aurianna fucking Matthias?” Diana repeated, enunciating carefully, scowling at Justine all the while.

“Why are you asking me?”

“Because you saw the same thing Roland and I did, but you didn’t seem surprised or concerned about it. So you must know something.” Diana deducted, setting down the iron shell in the middle of the floor.

“Maybe it’s none of our business,” Justine deflected, moving the broken down furniture to create a pathway.

“So she is,” Dianna spat, shaking her head. Justine just sighed. “What the fuck is wrong with her?

“Let it go,” Justine snapped, pulling nails out of the rotten wood. She poured a handful into the mouth of the improvised bomb. “She been through…a lot.”

“So she gets a pass to fuck the demon traitor?” Dianna griped, adding some broken glass to the chamber.

“You’ve seen him Diana, he obviously isn’t a demon anymore.”

“I saw he was barely walking yesterday, and he is just fine today. And Aurianna has a wound on her neck.”

“That…that happened yesterday. She was injured, fighting demons.” Justine stumbled over the explanation, already feeling guilt for spilling some of Ari’s secrets.
 
Matthias took the segmented blade gingerly, as if handling a serpent. "You," he said slowly, "must be fucking kidding me."

Otis looked hurt. "Not at all, not at all! Look, we all know that the true power in a sword stroke comes from the blade as it pivots at the balance point, right? It picks up speed, slashing into your target. This merely increases that speed, allowing you to strike harder! And the segments then act like a saw, tearing and cutting as you pull it away."

Cautiously, Matthias lashed the weapon. He'd used whips before, and it wasn't too different. But the weight meant it wasn't too similar, either. After a few tries, he decided he wasn't going to lash it around his own throat and tried something more complicated. Finally, carefully, he stopped it. "Right. I wasn't expecting to survive tomorrow anyway. How do I sheathe it?"

"Sheathe it?" Otis answered, blankly.

"Yes! Sheathe it!" Drawing a deep breath, Matthias continued in a calmer tone of voice. "How? Do I? Carry? It? You know, without cutting my hips or my dick off?"

"Oh!" Otis considered. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Shocked," Matthias muttered. "I am shocked to hear that."

"Hang on!" the inventor cried, digging through a chest. "Here you go!" He tossed Matthias a sack of fine-link chain mail. "Hang that from your belt, and coil it up in there."

Matthias looked at him, then at the sack, and then at Aurianna. "I really am going to kill myself with this fool thing, aren't I?"
 
Aurianna shook her head as Matthias took the weapon and tried a couple moves with it. “And you call me reckless. You realize this is the sort of thing I would do, right?” She teased him.

“I am all for improvising but…are you sure this is the right time to take up a new style? With life and death on the line?” Aurianna chided. “Do you at least have some armor he can use, so he doesn’t hurt himself learning how to use this?”
Otis pulled some silvery green scale mail down off the wall and fitted it to Matthias’s form. While they were occupied, Aurianna rolled one of the defunct dragon’s fire into an abandoned house. The place was in bad shape, the roof had collapsed the last time it was hit with a hard rain, and everything on the inside had severe water damage.

She pushed all the furniture at against the walls, and stacked chairs on top of the table once she ran out of wall space. A couple practice runs from on door to the other, adjusting furnishings each time, until it was nothing to run in one door and out the other. The plan was to lure in the demons, light the fuse, and run out before it blew up in their faces. Only the Afodisia and Hemares knew if such a crazy plan would actually work.



The rest of the day was spent devising, and building traps. A handful of pitfalls, clearly delineated beforehand. Wooden boards with nails and glass protruding, hidden in bushes and behind half walls, to be pulled out once the fiends swarmed the city. They even managed to finish a couple long twenty feet nets keeping one at each of the gates, south and west. It was late afternoon when everyone was dead tired, putting together dirty bombs of clay pots filled with metal shavings, glass and nails, half filled with fire powder. They designated half the fire powder to get used with the main Dragon’s Fire, and just enough set aside at each of the six defunct ones to blow them up.

A feast of whatever was on hand was cooked, for who knows how many of these people, it would be their last meal. Last supper, at least. Beer and wine flowed freely, and merriment followed in its wake. If they were going to die tomorrow, they sure as hell were going to live tonight.

Aurianna made sure to find Matthias, and hunkered herself down with him, damn the prying eyes of her fellow Paladins. Questions and explanation of their relationship could wait until they made it out of this alive, assuming any of them did. Aurianna had a glass of wine as the trackers told stories of their favorite times in Monsford, each one trying to one up the person before them. Once they all had a turn a tell a story the eyes shifted to Aurianna and Matthias, as platters of food were distributed out.
 
"Oh, trust me," Matthias grumbled. "This thing comes out in an emergency only. I'm thinking cudgels right now." He held his arms up as the mad inverntor began fitting the scale shirt to his chest. "I've got a life to plan for after this is all over, after all." Aurianna turned to leave, and he caught her by the arm and pulled her close. Her body, encased in steel as it was, was cool against him, but her lips were warm and inviting as he kissed her thoroughly. "After all," he grinned as her released her, "you did say you're out of tea...."

Another kiss, and then he spun her and slapped her rump playfully to send her on her way. "Don't go and do anything stupid while you're gone!"

"Are you quite done?" Otis harumphed.

"Nope. Never will be." Matthias cocked his head and held his arms out once more. "But I'm taking a break. Let's get this done."


The evening revels were well and truly started by the time Matthias arrived, armored in green and silver scale mail and leaning on a stout quarterstaff that he'd found time to cap with steel on either end. It wasn't his preferred weapon - he'd always been a swordsman - but it was a damn sight safer than the insane razor whip sword thing that clanked in the chainmail bag on his hip. He looked around the square, taking in the festivities. Over there, the three Paladins sat and talked with Teodor and Alvida. Roland and Diana were drinking steadily, doing his level best to drain the keg they were positioned near, and Teodor was manfully doing his part to keep up. Alvida nursed a mug of her own as she picked at her plate, and devoted most of her attention to Justine. All three Paladins spotted him about the same time, Justine giving him a peculiar look and the other two narrowing their eyes. He waved cheerily and picked his way through the crowd.

"Oi!" a voice called. "Wizard! Over here!" The voice belonged to Xander, sitting next to yet another of the red-haired women that Monsford seemed to produce in abundance. Idly, he wondered if Clara was some sort of anomaly. Leoni and Sjovald sat at the same table, along with Ingrud and Arthur. "It's bad luck to drink alone before a battle! Haven't you heard?"

Matthias wove through the crowd and pulled up a stool. "I've heard something of that, yeah. I'd always heard it was bad luck to be alone, before a battle."

"Oh, that's later," the woman next to Xander purred, wrapping her arms around him. "I plan to make sure he has all the luck..."

Xander blushed, and everyone else laughed. "You've, ah... you've not met my wife, wizard."

"Oh?" she asked, looking at him. "And when did I become your wife, then?"

"Well," he responded, "tonight, if you'll have me."

"Oh, I'll have you all right," she laughed. "But I'll have no talk of marriage before a battle, Xander."

He sighed dramatically. "Are you never going to make an honest man of me, Alva?"

The conversation shifted from the guard captain's love life, in large part due to his own efforts. Matthias drew himself a beer, and sat and listened to the stories they told of life in Monsford. Nothing dramatic. Just pleasant tales, reminding them of the good times and of why they were willing to fight and die on the morrow. During the tales Ari joined them as well, making the former Paladin smile as he felt her warmth next to him. Soon, though, the story telling had come round to him.

"Well," he began, cutting and eating a bite of roasted beef, "I clearly haven't any happy tales of Monsford. I haven't been here long enough, or in any condition to form them."

"Not to hear Martin talk," Leoni laughed.

"Martin talks a damn sight too much," Matthias answered without any real heat. "But, I've got a tale from... oh... fifteen years ago? The Siege of Troion."

There were several blank faces, but Arthur whistled long and low. "You were there?"

"Yep. The Host of Hatred had besieged the city for weeks, and they'd finally undermined the outer curtain wall. It came down at dawn, and the demons poured through the gap. Bloody work, that. Street to street fighting as we tried to pull back to the inner wall." He ate another bite of beef. "Didn't work, though. They came in fast and hard, overrunning us and smashing the gates of the inner wall before we could get it closed. Soon, it was isolated pockets of defenders fighting in a sea of demons."

He tapped his plate with his knife. "I was here, on the western wall. Me and three of my fellows. When the demon horde hit, we managed to fight our way to the tower here. At cost, though. Two of my men died en route, and all for nothing. Fliers had hit the top of the tower, and we opened the door to find an abattoir. So we stood back to back, killing and killing as we looked for a way out."

He ate some potatoes, then. "Terrible, terrible business. The ground was muddy with blood, and all I could hear was the screams of the dying and the war cries of the demons and the sound of steel cleaving flesh. James - that was the man backing me up - went down next, pulled down by a small thing with a knife and far too many teeth. I killed it, but not before it tore his throat out."

A swallow of beer. "So that just left me, right? With nothing left to lose, I carved my way through the demon horde towards the stairs, intending to make it to the top of the wall and jump. No shame in running, right? Not when you're the only human in a horde of demons. So I hack my way up the stairs, covered in blood and demon gore. Couldn't feel my left arm - which was a blessing, since it had been broken in two places by a mace - and my armor hacked into fragments. But I made it to the top of the stairs."

He downed the last of his mug. "Right to the wall itself, only to find myself face to face with Vaebahl himself, the Lord of Hate, and his Praetorians. Thirty of the most dangerous, most skilled, most powerful demons that Vaebahl could muster. And no way out. The wall, there, overlooked a cliff that fell a quarter mile to the sea."

Rising, Matthias drew another mug. He returned to the table and started eating. After a few minutes, the others at the table began looking at each other. "And..?" Ingrud finally prompted.

Matthias looked up. "And what?"

The mayor sighed. "And what happened then?"

"Oh. Oh, that." Matthias chuckled. "They killed me. Chopped me into tiny pieces, and danced on the bloody wreckage."

Everyone stared at him, and then Matthias had to duck as Arthur threw a beef bone at him. "You are not fucking funny!"

"Then why am I laughing?"
 
Aurianna laughed in spite of herself at Matthias’ trolling. “Allow me to apologize for my lover, the rapscallion that he is,” She assured the table, turn her face away as he came in for a kiss. That just resulted in him nipping her ear, which in turn garnered a pleased squeal from Aurianna.

“Okay, Lady Paladin, your turn,” Xander instructed, as Alva nuzzled him.

“Me? Oh, I don’t know,” she said, sinking in to Matthias’ arms. She took a refill on her wine and drank deep and long to get the attention off her.

“I know Ari! Why don’t you tell them how you slew the Horned Lord half naked! Oh, but then you would have to tell them why you were half naked, and suddenly we wouldn’t all be laughing, now would we?” Dianna came up now, slamming hands on the table, reeking of beer and whatever moonshine Otis had passed around earlier. Roland came over now whispering for Diana to come back and sit with them.

“What? Apparently we are on friendly terms with the traitor now!” Diana announced, a bit too loudly, a fair bit of drink in her already. “So, Matthias,” She spat out the name like bile, “Maybe you can help Roland here with his dilemma. See, he was engaged to Lhyra, but just over a month ago she caught him in bed with his apprentice- no I’m sorry his former apprentice- Lucian. Yeah I guess I forgot about his promotion. Seems like we are all just forgetting stuff that happened two months ago. Isn’t that right, Aurianna?” The two paladins meet each other’s eyes, burning with building indignation.

“You’re drunk Diana,” Roland said, pulling her away now. She swatted him away now, standing her ground.

“Roland stop! Now, where was I going with this?” Diana thought for a moment, “That’s right! So, Traitor, I am just going to assume you were fucking Ari back then too. Because betrayal in in your nature, and I can’t imagine you were any more loyal to Rielle than you were to Afodisia. So, how did you come to make the choice of your acolyte over your fiancée?”

“That’s enough Diana,” Justine joined in now, helping Roland pull Diana back.

“Why don’t you tell us how you would have lead the assault against a town like Monsford, Matthias! Back when you served Baath Me’el!” Shocked gasps and wide eyes followed the inebriated paladin and the fallen paladin, as everyone in the area turned their attention to the spectacle Diana was making. “But hey, it’s okay everybody! He betrayed him too! All for Aurianna! So long as we have Aurianna and her siren’s cunt, we can count on the traitor! I’m sure after the seven paladins who broke their vows over it last month, she knows how to use it now.”

Aurianna was on her feet before Diana had finished speaking, bringing her steel fist into Diana’s jaws with lightning speed. Diana retaliated with a knee to Ari’s gut, knocking her back into the table behind her. Diana rushed her once more, But Aurianna used her momentum against her, flipping her over and into the mud. Justine and Roland were pulling them apart now, aided by a few townspeople a piece.

Dianna escaped their grasp angrily, “Let go of me!” and stumbled off towards her room at the inn, muttering about traitors all the while. Aurianna heaved in rage for a bit longer, before taking a few breaths to calm herself, as Justine released her. The revelry took on a somber tone now, as everyone around tried to process what they had heard, just now.
 
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