His Redemption (TheCorsair and Xana)

Ingrud was true to her word, and five trackers and scouts were assembled in the town square within the hour. They looked nothing alike, but there were certain resemblances - a wariness in the eyes, and an alertness in posture, and hard calluses on hands, and scars. All of them eyed Aurianna carefully as she returned to the square in Ingrud's company, and one of them bowed politely. "That's Teodor," she said, gesturing at the elderly man. "Don't let his age fool you. He's been hunting the Demonlands for nigh on thirty years, and he's not died."

"Not yet," Teodor said with a voice full of gravel. "Not for lack of trying."

"Did I mention he's a cheerful and optimistic cuss?" Ingrud laughed, then led Aurianna over to a slim redhead in grey-green leathers. "Alvida, the older sister of Thora - one of Clara's childhood friends."

Alvida smirked a little. "From what I heard, they spent some time renewing that friendship last night."

Shaking her head, Ingrud indicated a square-jawed, middle-aged man. "Xander. Captain of what passes for our city guard in Monsford. Spends a lot of time working the merchant trails along the Sarn." Her eyes turned to the last two. "Leoni and Sjovald. They've been partners for more than a decade, and finally made it official last spring."

Sjovald spat, and Leoni elbowed him in the ribs. "Behave," she hissed.

"Why?" Sjovald answered, sounding irritated. "We're heading towards the biggest demon army ever to threaten the Kingdoms, because she's got a cold bed?"

"You'd do it if it were me," she reminded him.

"If it were you," he answered, "I'd expect to find half the army dead by the time I found you. And you'd yell at me for being late."

"Give it a rest," Xander said. "A Paladin needs our help. Says it's important. That's good enough for me."

"Order's never helped us," Alvida muttered, lapsing into a sullen silence as Xander glared at her. He turned his attention back to Aurianna, and sighed.

"They're the best," he told her. "But they're... ah... independent." He glared at the other scouts one last time. "What do you need from us, my lady?"

“I don’t any of you risking yourself over my ‘cold bed’” Aurianna countered. “You’re just here to guide me in the right direction and get a good look at the force that will be at your gates within the week.” She should have left on her own. These people didn’t owe her anything, and half were already bitter at following her, given that she was younger than all but one of them. Or that she was a Paladin, she couldn’t be quite sure. She knew things weren't going to end well when they found out the man she running into death to rescue was a demon himself.

Aurianna took the lead, with her golden spear in hand, and a long sword sheathed behind her back. She had them travel back the way her and Clara had come. Was it two days ago? Aurianna had passed out too much to have a clear sense of time. The corpses of the succubi were still there, minus the spear she had pinned one to the tree with. Had Matthias taken it? She almost chuckled at the thought of him using it. Oh, she was sure he knew how, but she was already better than him when she became his apprentice at thirteen. It wasn’t a slight against him. There were six paladins better than her at that point, and by the time she took her vows, there was but one.

She spread out from the rest of the trackers, looking for more hopeful signs that Matthias might have evaded capture this entire time. She came across 3 slim dead bodies, so tall and thin she had a hard time believing they could put up a fight. Dark Choir, her mind reminded her, and she jumped down to check the wounds. He, still assuming it was her demon who wielded the missing spear, had hacked at them. Somewhat inelegant, and certainly brutal, but effective none the less. The ferocity exert on these things left her little doubt that it was her demon who had done this.

“Your man did that?” Alvida asked, coming up behind her.

“Probably, yeah, “ Aurianna responded, jumping back on her horse, “Are you surprised?”

“I guess I wasn’t expecting much, seeing as he got himself captured,” Alvida answered absently.

“Well, he was a Paladin,” she said, stumbling over the word “was,” enough that it was easily confused for “is.” “He was trained by our current lord commander. And he was the one that trained me.” She wasn’t sure why she was justifying Matthias’ rescue to her. Was he worth anything to Monsford? Possibly, but not because of his Paladin background. Still, “I am going to rescue a demon from some other demons,” wasn’t going to win her any friends. Alvida didn’t seem impressed by her rattling off his caliber, or supposed caliber, as it were. She did look down at the dead demons, and nod approvingly.

Not far off, they found another succubus, with a massive hole in her gut and a matching one in her throat. Nearby was the harrow blade, still covered in black blood. He wasn’t killed here, but he didn’t make it out unscathed either. There was no doubt now that Hydranes had him.

In the air, far to the west, Aurianna and Alvida both caught sight of demons in flight. Three of them, moving in circles, diving down and coming back up. The two women caught each other’s glances and nodded, heading off in that direction.

The rest of their comrades were fighting the succubi, all of whom had far more draconic features that the ones Aurianna was used to fighting, or even seeing. Surely the perverse offspring of Hydranes and her dragon consort. But the dragonborn succubi weren’t the only the threat here. Three large spider demons dropped from the trees, to reveal the feminine figure growing out of the bulb of their bodies. Aurianna took these on, while the rest of her group peppered their flying foes with arrows.

Hanging form their trees, spider demons shot their powerful webbing at her. She dodged the first lob, but the second caught onto her shiny new metal arm. Not seeing a point in fighting it, Aurianna grabbed a hold of the webbing, using it as a leash to pull the spider to her. She plunged her spear into igut as she pulled it close, twirling it to rip it free as the demon squirmed and died. The other was trying to retreat to the trees, but Aurianna used the web string from the demon to swing herself closer. Jumping at the ascending spider, Aurianna managed to grab a leg,hlding on tightly with one hand, as the metal one drove her spear into it’s soft abdomen, spilling it’s silk sack and black guts on the forest ground below.

“That must be the War Whore’s slave,” one of the draco-succubi exclaimed, flying low to swat at Leoni. The agile woman dodged easily. “The one Mother wants!”

Aurianna smirked arrogantly now. “If she wants me why did you send you to collect me?” One of them dove at the Paladin angrily, and Aurianna watched, waiting for that last moment to… SPLAT. The stupid demon bitch impaled herself on Aurianna’s spear, coughing up her black blood on Aurianna’s new arm. Aurianna kicked her off her spear, smashing her head in with a brutal kick.

Another dragon bitch came for Aurianna now, catching her throat with her wicked whip, and pulling her up in the air. Learning her lesson from the spider bitches, Aurianna climbed up the whip, grabbing a hold of her draconic clawed feet, as the succubus dropped her weapon. Kick and flailing, the demon tried to pry the paladin loose, getting a few good kicking into Aurianna’s stomach, as she flew higher and higher. From up here, Aurianna saw the massive demonic camp, and nodded, knowing now where to head off to next.

She scaled the succubus’ body, until her legs were wrapped around the Sucubus’ thighs. She drilled punch after hard steel punch into the draco-demon’s face, until it was naught but a grey black mush, and the bitch was no longer flying, but falling. Aurianna leveraged against her unconscious foe now, getting on top as the ground drew closer. Absorbing the impact, the demon’s body disintegrated upon contact with the ground . The Paladin rolled over now, catching her breath as her companions dispatch the last demon, and joined her, Teodar tossing her the golden spear.

"I saw their encampment. I'll lead the way." Aurianna declared, leaping up on her horse and to the west.

"That," Xandar observed dryly, "is a fuck of a lot if demons."

"Is that what it's called?" Leoni mused aloud.

"Hmm?" Sjovald asked.

"You kniw: a pack of wolves. A gaggle of geese. A fuckofalot if demons?"

They were all flat on their bellies in hollows, or curled behind brambles, or wrapped in cloaks to disguise their lines as they huddled against stonex. Anything they could do to maje it difficult for the demons to spot tnem, they tried. Because the encampment was a temporary fortress, with earthen walls rising from ditches that crawled with minor demons and crackled with fell magics. The angle was bad, but within the camp tents were laid out in a grid, all centered sround a mighty pavillion at the heart.

"Bet she's there," Alvida commented, unnecessarily.

"Don't like the looks o' that hillock there," Teodor said, pointing at the massive outcropping of grey-green stone by the pavillion. "Weren't nothin' like it, last I was here."

"When was that?" Sjovald asked.

"Fortnight back."

Everyone fell silent at that. Finally, Xander looked at Aurianna. "So... how do you want to handle this?"

Aurianna looked at the fortress before her, chewing her lip on how she could get in and out with Matthias with the same amount of limbs she currently possessed. She watched the flying demon moving in and out of the fortress, and she got a terrible idea. “Wait for me signal and cover my escape,” Aurianna explained, moving out of cover, “And be ready to move yourselves.”

Aurianna jumped out and made her way to the earthen fortress, not bothering to hide herself anymore. “That bitch of demon you call Mistress took my man,” She called out to the first demon that took notice of her. “And I want him back! Aurianna, the Spear of Love and War, calls out Hydranes.” It was the height of arrogance, not to mention stupidity, but Aurianna couldn’t help but smile as two demons carrying barbed chains came at her, trying to catch her on their cables. Grasping the chains, she let the two demons carry her right to their Mistress.

She could see Matthias, hanging limply from some hooks, while the demon lord lounged lazily on her dread dragon. Aurianna disentangled herself from the chain, letting herself fall, spear first into the demon applying the whip to him.

“Heard you were looking for me,” Aurianna called to the demon lord.

“You came to me? This was unexpected.” Hydranes mused, watching the Paladin curiously.

“Oh, didn’t Matthias tell you? I am reckless, impulsive, arrogant, and I rush into situations I am not prepared for. And I am not leaving without him.” Before Hydranes or her slaves could react, Aurianna began her incantation.

“The Goddess works though me,” Aurianna began speaking the prayer, as the skies opened for her. The sunlight gathered above her, concentrating upon her being, until it was single luminous beam focused on her spear. “I am her fury,” Aurianna lifted her spear high into the air, absorbing the holy power of her goddess, “AND I AM HER SPEAR!” She slammed her spear into the ground, creating a massive shockwave of light the spread out in a wide circle, obliterating the servant demons, maiming the warriors and incapacitated the arch demons. Spear still gleaming bright, she sliced through the chains holding Matthias, the only things that saved him from the power of her spell. As he landed on his feet, she pulled the sword from her sheathe, handing it to him.

“Up demon! You fight now, if you are still mine!”

Matthias staggered as he hit the ground, and accepted the proffered blade numbly. He stared at it with dull, hazel eyes, examining it as if in a dream. The movements made the hooks tear at his flesh, and he winced and bit his lip. Blood flowed, and for a moment his eyes clouded with crimson. Then, with a flicker of golden light, they became hazel once more. All around them, the demons that hadn't been destroyed by Aurianna's spell began to close in once more. He stated at them blankly, then turned to the woman who had cut him down from the frame. "Ari..?" he asked, sounding unsure of himself.

"Hold." The lone word cut through the angry sounds of the demonic horde. Hydranes had risen to her feet, lifting her hand up high. "Be at peace. The Paladin comes at my invitation."

The demons snarled, but they yielded to the will of their Lord. Hydranes' gaze swept the crowd, and a thin smile curved her lips as they retreated. Then her attention returned to Aurianna. "Impressive. I can see why Baath-Me'el wanted you so desperately." A single barking syllable of cruel laughter escaped her. "He is a fool, though - always taking by force that which may be acquired willingly."

Taking up a chain that trailed back behind her draconic consort - who had not bothered to stir at Aurianna's attack - she stepped down from the demon-dragon's arm. "Strong enough to endure Baath-Me'el's games. Strong enough to escape his fortress. Daring enough to enter my encampment on your own. These, my dear, are qualities I can admire." She gestured around the camp. "And so, I make you an offer. I have need of a strong, daring general. One worthy to command the Sisters of Night." She eyed Aurianna, amused at the defiance simmering in the woman's eyes. "And as an extra prize, I offer you Matthias. As your consort, or your amusement, or whatever you wish of him."

She jerked the chain. Matthias stared numbly at the figure that emerged from behind the bulk of the demon-dragon. It was nude, with ashen skin and ashen wings, and black talons on fingers and toes. Black horns, like those of a ram, curled from its brow, and its phallus stood erect like a third horn. It peered at the two figures before Hydranes with blood-red eyes, and leered with a mouth full of needles. It hunched like a beast, walking as much on four limbs and two, but it bore an unmistakable resemblance to the man at Aurianna's side.

"Whichever one of him you wish," the Demon Lord said with a sardonic smile.

"Hello, mistress," it said in a voice ill-fitted to human speech, and it's prehensile tongue licked it's lips.

Aurianna was already ready to fight her way out, slightly annoyed at the reticence Matthias was showing at the task. She tried to remind herself he must have been through hell, and she wasn’t exactly jumping up to help him when he first saved her either. There was something different about him, a difference she could not quite place, not while the adrenaline of impending battle raced through her veins. Maybe she was too confident, too arrogant that Matthias would want to help her. She had abandoned him, after all. She had left him to this fate, he was in the right to be bitter at her. Just because she forgave what he had done to her, didn’t mean he would do the same for her. His demon might not even allow it…

She listened to Hydranes’ proposal, not seriously considering it, sneering all the while, until the demon lord brought out the other Matthias. The expression on Aurianna’s face made it clear that she was not prepared for this. She looked back down at the man at her feet, seeing just that, the man. Before her was the demon, in all his unholy glory. She froze in her spot trying to process the choice before her. There was the one she wanted, and the one she needed, at least in the moment. The one who needed saving from the mistress of Torment, and the one who could actually help her escape the encampment alive and intact.

Well, shit. If she had to serve a demon lord, Hydranes certainly made a better case of it than Baath Me’el did. It appealed to her warrior nature, and her base nature as well, if she were being honest. Of course, if she refused, and failed to escape, she would be tortured until she agreed, and she doubted the deal she would receive then would be so alluring. So the only choice she truly had was to escape, but with which one?

"You can't just have one of us, Ari." Suddenly her fever dream seemed as prophetic as it was erotic She couldn’t leave the man here, to be tortured into madness and death. He was the one she loved, after all. The demon? She had already counted on his assistance in getting out. It was reckless of her, to be sure, but her reckless usually paid off. It forced her to adapt, to think on her feet, to use her environment to her benefit. And even now she was forming a terrible plan, in her head.

She quickly and quietly whispered the prayer of lay on hands, touching the Matthias at her side. She hoped he was human enough for her ability to heal rather than harm him, but either way, it wasn’t much. She had expended most of her divine energies with her earlier spell. She just need him to be able to run for his life. She took the sword from him as she did, fixing her gaze from Demonic Matthias back to Hydranes.

“Tell me, Mistress of Torment, how can you offer me the loyalty of a man who has none? Matthias is renowned for his oath-breaking, above all else.” Aurianna challenged, helping the man at her side get to his feet. With sword in hand, she swiftly cut her left arm, letting her blood dribble on the blade, before tossing it to the demon. It was a stupid scheme, banking on the demon’s fondness for her blood and other parts over his fear of the cruel demon currently commanding him. It was almost as stupid as climbing to the top of a tower, with no way down, or off, other than a suicidal jump as means of escape.

“Isn’t that right, demon?”

Her touch burned.

Matthias gasped in shock as the divine magic coursed through nerves qnd sinews and veins, then gasped again as the pain swept over him again. Mere shadows of the pain that had caused him to retreat into himself, yes. But still, the hooks in his ribs and forearms and legs were agony. Shredded muscle gave way, and he collapsed like a puppet without strings.

Distantly, her heard the demon - his demon - laugh.

---

The demon bent down, recovering the blade that lay at his feet. "Loyalty? Oh, I am loyal to the only thing worth being loyal to." He raised the blade, stghting along the edge with crimson eyes. "Myself."

Grinning, he ran a prehensile tongue along the steel, collecting the traces of Aurianna's blood. His free hand ran down his chest and over his hips, gripping his erect cock. "Join her, Ari,," he growled, swinging his blade and stroking his cock as he advanced. "I know you want it. I was there in your mind, Ari. In your dreams."

Circling left, he licked his lips. "In your dreams, Ari. Pounding your cunt while you sucked Baath-Me'el off. While you begged us to fill your holes, make a demon of you."

Blindingly fast he was on her, hammering at her guard with his sword. "Gonna fuck you raw, Ari! Gonna use you harder than Baath-Me'el ever did, and I'm gonna make you love it!" He laughed wildly. "BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAVE!"

Aurianna was…fucked. Doubly fucked, as the Matthias at her side winced at her touch, and the one before her mocked her attempts to sway him. Now she was in the middle of enemy territory, and the one person she had counted on to help her out was two people, neither of whom would assist her. One unable and the other unwilling.

All this over a cold bed, Ari?

That wouldn’t be a problem anymore if the demon had his way, though she wasn’t sure she would enjoy that. Or was it because she feared she would? Her surprise at his knowledge of her dreams would have to take a back seat. He seemed to prefer taking what he wanted from her, on his terms rather than receiving it from her, on her terms. And she gave him both a weapon, and incentive to claim it from her.

Brilliant plan, Ari! Why don’t you strip off that armor for him too? Bet that will get him on your side, the dark part of her mind snickered.

She blocked his first attack, holding her ground, pushing back against his immense strength. I am as strong as him, she reminded herself, even as his furious attacks tested her guard. Stronger now, because of the arm. Faster too. She deflected his blow, and followed up with a jab to the ribs, pushing him back, forcing him back.

Steel on steel rang out as he advanced to meet her once more. She pinned the sword down, hitting him in the chin with the butt of her spear. He growled angrily, swiping at her with his talons catching nothing but the plate mail on her arm. She spun around him now, bringing the spear in a wide circle to hit him in the back, knocking him forward a couple steps. She pressed the attack a, driving hard to pierce him with the tip. He side stepped well, managing to grab her spear, pulled her forward and using her own momentum against her. She stumbled a few steps before wresting her weapon from his clutches, all while he laughed fiendishly.

She pulled her spear back, closer to her, defensively. The demon lashed out with a powerful wide swing, using overwhelming strength to compensate for the large openings he was leaving in his form. She measured his strikes for the time. Blocking, parrying, deflecting, bracing for the strength of his swings, until, she dodged, rolling past his blow, and hacked at his ankle from her knees. He went down, and she jumped up to make her escape.

“Run now!” She called to the other Matthias, wondering if he was going to be any more loyal to her than this other one was. She attempted to make her escape, until talons gripped her hair, stopping her in her tracks. She couldn’t help but let out a yelping cry as her head stop moving before her body did, and claws pulled her back to his arms. He held her against his naked form, grinding his hardness against her ass. He began whispering something to her, but she wasn’t listening, interrupting his intimidation with a steel elbow to the gut, and a metal fist to the nose.

The pain freed her from his hold, and she picked up her spear, pivoting to swing it as his side. She felt the impact reverberate through her body, and heard the sickening crunch of bones giving way as her spear hit his ribs. He crumbled back now, enough that she could flee once more, catching up to the Other Matthias, stumbling along in agony. Spear in her armored right hand, her left hand grabbed his, pulling him along towards the exit of the encampment.

"Run now" Aurianna shouted, and with an act of willpower he wouldn't have believed he posessed, Matthias forced himself to his mangled feer and did as she demanded. Every step was fresh agony as the hooks in his flesh twisted and ripped, and he lert bloody footprints with each step. Within moments Aurianna had aught up with him, taking his hand and pulling him along in her wake.

Matthias' mind raced, trying to think. He'd be no use in a fight. Not badly hurt and possessing merely human strength. There had to be something else. And then he smiled, despite the pain. "Svetonosnogo," he called, voice a harsh whisper as he struggled to shape the alien syllables. "Svetonosnogo, Arilos Dawn-Lord holds the keys to your prison."

They twisted and jinked as Aurianna evaded demons. "Who dares invoke that name?" the demon-dragon rembled, and Matthias could feel the earth shake as it shifted its bulk.

Well, shit, Matthias thought. But it was too late to back out now. "Svetonosnogo! I am one who knows! Svetonosnogo! I am one who sees! Svetonosnogo! By the bindings of Arilos I command! Svetonosnogo! By the binding of Arilos I require a light against the darkness and a shield from my enemies!"

Blinding white radiance erupted from the wounded, naked man. Demons howled, screaming as the light seared their flesh, and they parted before the fleeing humans. "I can't... maintain this... for long... Ari," he gasped. "Get us... out..."

Aurianna cursed Matthias’ human weakness, within her own mind. If they weren’t in so much danger, she would have felt some guilt at this. But, now, as she desperately swatted demons aside as he hobbled along? It was difficult not to feel resentful.

Isn’t this what you wanted? The man?

He was speaking. She wasn’t listening to anything but her own furious cries, as she plunged her blade into the soft belly of a fiend, flicking her wrist hard to shake the body off. But his tone was…strange, and familiar. Suddenly the earth shook beneath them, startling the demons as much as the Paladin fleeing them. She remembered what he had done at The Ebon Court, and suspected this was much of the same. The light he summoned, while not divine in origin, was similar to her own, and had much of the same effect on the demons wishing to do them harm.

"I can't... maintain this... for long... Ari," he gasped. "Get us... out..."

She nodded then, and knew what she had to do. She lifted him against her metal arm, slinging him over her shoulder, not unlike how he had with her when they had fled Baath Me’el’s grasp. She knew the cold metallic limb would not be comfortable against his wounded body, but it was surely more comfortable that getting captured by the sadistic bitch once more. Relying solely on his spell to defend them, Aurianna raced at her full speed, pushing herself against her limits to get them out.

Just outside the gates, she saw her group, pulling bows to shoot the fiends pursuing her. The spell ran out as she made it to her horse, and she put Matthias on first, to rein the horse, while she sat behind, left arm around his waist, right wielding her spear, taking out the rest of their pursuers as the group raced back to Monsford.

Try as he might, Matthias could never remember their escape from the demonic encampment. Exhausted from hunger and drained by his ordeal and the strain of the spell he'd cast, he barely registered being carried by Aurianna or being thrown across the back of the horse. The return to Monsford was a blur of motion, of screams, and of pain. Somewhere during the trip, he lost consciousness.

---

"Gods, he's a mess," Xander observer, helping the unconscious man into the boat. "Is he going to live? I'd hate to have come all this way just to have him up and die."

"Bit tactless, don't you think?" grunted Teodor, hefting the unconscious man's legs.

"Just saying what we're all thinking," replied Xander.

"What I'm thinking," Alvida grumbled, holding her nocked bow and scanning the horizon, "is that you two need to shut the fuck up and shift him. Cause I want out of here."

"Besides," Sjovald added, " he's some kinda wizard, ain't he? Be handy to have, when the demons come."

"Right, he's in," Xander announced. "Quit jawin', and grab oars. We're leaving."

Aurianna helped with the oar pushing her fears down with every turn. She considering praying, but feared it was a bit blasphemous. The healing spell hadn’t helped, so he wasn’t fully human. He was still the man who had sold his soul for greater power, only now without the power. Besides, she had exhausted whatever good will she had built up with the Goddess, with her initial spell.

She wondered if her blood would help. Hard to check now, with the group in such close proximity. Passing him off as human was her best bet now, and hard to maintain that if she let him feed on her blood. With the hooks still in him, it would be pointless anyways, as the wounds would reopen as they tried to close. So he would have to wait until the hooks were out before she could even try. Given her success rate for trial and error today, her luck was not good.

“Another day, another Paladin dragging a half dead body into my city,” Ingrud mused with a sigh. “Get him to bed and we’ll have the Physiker tend to him. You got your man, now I need that intel. That was our deal.”

Aurianna nodded, carrying the unconscious man back to where she had rested. Elsa left for the healer, and Aurianna sat for a minute catching her breath as she looked down at Matthias. One last kiss, gently against his lips, and she followed behind Ingrud.

---

“Three thousand demons, give or take a hundred,” Aurianna announced, hardness in her voice. The council grimaced in near unison. “Around a third of those are flyers, so you are going to want as many arrows as you can get your hands on, between now and when they arrive. Which is less than two days away, to be certain. In addition, there are at least two hundred elite arch demons, which tend to be a good match for a veteran paladin one on one.”

“Have you faced those before?” an older woman questioned, trying to hide her fear under a façade of composure.

“In my ten years I have killed about fifty of them. And I have seen about hundred allies fall to them in that time. They aren’t to be taken lightly. But they aren’t even our first concern, right now,” Aurianna explained, flatly.

“And what would be our first concern?” The burly man with gray hair asked, leaning forward and folding his hands.

“I saw about sixty Dark Choir. At that size, they could demolish our defenses before the main force even arrives,” Aurianna warned, “Our first priority should be eliminating them, before they get in the vicinity of the city. They move in groups of three, and are physically weak, easy enough for a decent fighter to take down on their own. And they will have to take them down on their own, because the Dark Choir pose a terrible danger to any groups larger than that. I will volunteer for this duty, but I am going to need more people to help me. Separately, of course.”

“Anything else?”

“Pray to the Goddess and that dragon of yours that Hydranes doesn’t lead the attack. Because then we are fucked.”

Matthias awoke in slow stages. At first, he was only aware of pain - a dull ache that gnawed at his entire body, distantly. Slowly, he noticed other sensations. Tightness around chest and limbs. Cloth covering his body. Something thin and warm, with an unfamiliar taste, trickling down his throat. Finally, in a supreme act of will, he opened his eyes. A girl he didn't recognize noticed and paused, spoon halfway to his lips. "Oh, good. You're awake!"

She was... familiar. Ari's apprentice? The one he'd tried to rape, under the influence of the Dark Choir? An unfamiliar emotion surged through him, one that took a moment to identify. Shame. After a decade without that feeling, he didn't like it.

"Clara..." he managed in a hoarse croak. "I..." What? I'm sorry? Pathetic.

The girl smiled. "No, I'm her cousin. Elsa. Clara's... ". Her expression turned sad. "She's not here, right now."

Matthias tried to rise, and a strangled cry of pain escaped him as torn muscle stretched and pulled. Elsa put a hand on his chest, gently pushing him back down. "Stay there," she said, voice gentle and no-nonsense. "The physicist was able to get the hooks out and stitch you up, but you need to rest and heal."

"No time..." he gasped, trying to rise again. "The Host... Aurianna..."

She pushed him down again. "The Lady Aurianna is meeting with the Town Council about that now," she said. "Now lay there and drink your broth like a good patient, or I'll tie you down."

After a moment's hesitation, he did as he was ordered. Elsa put another spoon to his lips, and he drank it down. "That's good. What is it?"

She laughed. "Just beef broth. Why?"

"I... haven't had any in, well, a while." He finished the broth, running his tongue over his teeth as he did. Blunt teeth. Human teeth.

"Now," Elsa said, rising. "If you promise to lay there and behave, I'll send a message to Lady Aurianna and tell her you're awake." She moved to the door, then looked back. "Don't make m have to restrain you.

The door closed. Matthias stared at his hands, turning them back and forth as he examined their pinkish color. "What did that bitch do to me?"

Aurianna was about to head back out of the city to begin culling the rest of the Dark Choir, when a rumble in her gut reminded her she hadn’t eaten a real meal today. She tried to push down the hunger, focus on her duty, but she had pushed herself hard, harder than she had in quite a while. There was some beef stew, and she couldn’t deny how good it smelled. It made the hunger worse, and she was acutely aware of the ache in her muscles, and in particular the crook in her neck, from the Demon using her hair to stop her retreat. A short break, she should take a short break. She could hunt demons all afternoon. What difference would half an hour make, when three thousands demons were marching this way to sack the town?

“Lady Aurianna!” a voice called, a voice familiar enough to evoke a name and a face, but different enough to chase away the hope. Aurianna turned to see Elsa, trying hard not to think of Clara as she did. “The Man you brought you earlier, he woke up.”

“Matthias…” she whispered, and nodded. Surely she could spare a small break.
She brought a bowl of stew with her and entered the room. She smiled at him, trying not to let the concern show on her face, not entirely sure she was pulling it off. She knew the only reason he was still alive because it was crueler to keep him in pain than to kill him. She wanted to believe she would make Hydranes pay for this, but she couldn’t begin to imagine how.

“You’re awake,” She said softly, joining him on the bed, careful not to disturb him too much. She took his hand in hers, remembering to use the left hand, and suddenly quite self-conscious of her right arm encased in metal plates. “How are you feeling? Like hell I imagine,” She asked and answered, watching him, studying his face. He looked human enough, the color had returned to his features, and his eyes were no longer the bright red she had gotten used to.

“So…” a sigh, “I am sure you aren’t ready to talk about what happened, but maybe I can get a brief explanation. I mean I get that she somehow separated the demon from the man. From you. What does this mean?” She tried to ask, having trouble with the words. She starting eating her food, while she gave him a chance to answer.

Matthias stirred as he heard the door open. He hadn't been asleep, not really. But it was easier to keep his eyes closed right now. Because that way, he could hope he was about to fall asleep and escape the pain for a while. The bed jostled as someone sat down. "You're awake," Aurianna murmured, taking his hand.

"More or less," he conceded, opening his eyes. They swirled with red for a moment, then flickered golden and returned to hazel. She was beautiful as always, but she'd chosen to wear an armored sleeve for some reason.

“How are you feeling? Like hell I imagine,” She asked and answered, watching him, studying his face.

He chuckled and shook his head, then immediately regretted both actions. "No, no, I've felt like Hell before," he muttered, wincing. "This is... well, nowhere near as bad." He gestured with his free hand, showing off a forearm liberally wrapped with bandages. "This is the sort of pain you get from finally starting to heal. Hell's much worse."

“So…” a sigh, “I am sure you aren’t ready to talk about what happened, but maybe I can get a brief explanation. I mean I get that she somehow separated the demon from the man. From you. What does this mean?” She tried to ask, having trouble with the words. She starting eating her food, while she gave him a chance to answer.

For a while he just lay there, as if he'd gone to sleep. "It's... fuzzy," he said, after a time. "Hard to remember. I think I'd actually gone insane, for a little while. But..." A frown. "I remember... pain. Of course. But a tearing, like... like..." His free hand circled, grasping for words. "Like having your intestines torn out." He laughed again, and winced again. "No, I tell a lie. It was nothing like that, and everything like having my soul torn out."

Matthias shifted a little, trying to get comfortable. "It's not something I'd ever expected to experience twice."

He lay on the bed for a little longer, then held up his hands and stared at them in fascination again. "I don't know what that means, Ari. I mean, I don't think I have a soul now. Because the one I sold is in a signet ring on Baath-Me'el's little finger. And the one he gave me in return is walking around out there, somewhere." Turning his head on the pillow, he met Aurianna's gaze with eyes that swirled crimson once more, then returned to hazel with a flicker of gold. "By all rights, I should be dead. Dead, or some sort of... I don't know. A lich, or draugur, or something. Not something with a pulse and a living body."

Despite the pain, he forced himself to sit up. "By everything we know, Ari, I'm not even damned. I'm just..." He looked at his hands once more. "If I die, I'll just... end."

She listened quietly, examined him carefully, and ate slowly. She just sighed that he was as confused with what had happened as she was. He had no better idea what he was now. A soulless husk that still somehow lived and breathed. His eyes changed as he looked up at hers, from the scarlet she had known, to the hazel they had become.

Her hand reached out to touch his face, as he sat up at her level, trying to soothe the pain away. No, it was more than that. She wanted to touch him, to feel him, to believe this was real, and not some cruel dream. Her fingers traced his jaw, and cupped his chin. Goddess, she wanted to kiss him, but she retrained herself, not wanting to hurt him. She could wait.

“Is it…better this way?” She asked, intentionally vague, not even sure herself what she meant by it. There were benefits to having the demon in his soul, benefits she wished she could have relied on now. The power it gave couldn’t be denied, and having it on their side was better than having it on the demon lord’s side. Yet, it was a good thing, wasn’t it? That the demon was gone? Why didn’t it feel that way?

She finished her stew, but wasn’t so eager to leave him yet. She had only just gotten him back, but he needed to rest, and she needed to hunt. At least she was confident he wasn’t going anywhere, and the thought of returning to this bed later this evening, and holding him against her filled her with longing. She couldn’t help but smile affectionately, letting her contentment wash over her. It wouldn’t last, so she might as well cherish the small moments.

“Matthias, I…”She started, meeting his eyes, hesitating. She hadn’t said it since that night at the temple, not counting her dreams. After what he had done, she didn’t think she could love him again, and yet, she had risked her life for him. Obviously she still cared for him, and she wanted to say the words , feeling her heart tighten as she tried to hold them back. “I love you. I am not sure if that is what you want to hear, but…“ She chuckled before continuing, “Well, I needed to say it, I think I earned that much.” She got up now, not in the mood for another “I can’t love you” speech from him.

“Get some rest. I’ll be back around nightfall.”

"Is it better this way?" Matthias asked, leaning his face into her hand. "I don't know. Ask me again when I'm healed up." He smiled as she withdrew her hand, watching her eat with some interest. "All I can say that I gut now is that I hurt all over and I'm hungry." A shrug. "On the other hand, this is the first time in ten years that I've eaten something other than blood and didn't loathe it."

Idly, he found himself wondering if her blood would taste as sweet without the demon in him. And that led to a series of thoughts that made him wish he was recovered from his injuries. The idea of pulling her down, exploring her body and losing himself in her heat made him grow hard, and...

And then, she was saying she loved him. He opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. How did he feel about her? Now that the demon was gone. "You have," he agreed, voice soft. "And... I think I love you too. It's just..." He waved an aimless hand. "I don't know that I remember how to love, Ari." A small smile. "But I'd like the chance to learn how, once more."

Aurianna paused at the door, insisting that he get some rest. "I don't see that I have much choice," he answered with a laugh. "I don't think I could walk, yet." Cautiously, he leaned back. "And Ari? I... you be careful, out there." Hooded eyes met here. "I don't want to lose you. Not again."

Aurianna stopped midway tot the door, as he said he thought he loved her. Even the uncertain way he said it made her heart flutter. It washed away the insecurity of the future, or the questions they both had. Whatever his transformation meant, they would face it together.

"I don't know that I remember how to love, Ari." A small smile. "But I'd like the chance to learn how, once more."

She couldn’t help but return his smile. “I would like that, too. I look forward to it as well, once…” She stopped, remembering her duty, remembering the danger they were in. She sighed, and nodded, making her way out. “Get some rest. I’ll be back around nightfall.”

"And Ari? I... you be careful, out there." Hooded eyes met here. "I don't want to lose you. Not again."

“Well, I suppose I could be a little less reckless,” She flashed mischievous smirk, “for once.”

She passed the afternoon in the wilds around Monsford. It was a pain, given that this was never Aurianna’s area of expertise. She was good at fighting demons, not finding them. The chanting fiends were adept as keeping out of sight, and without allies to turn on, Aurianna wasn’t even sure when they were close. Dark Choir weren’t the only thing to contend with out here as she found more of the spider demons she fought earlier that day, dispatching them with relative ease, just as she had earlier.

Fifteen Dark Choir, as well as a handful of smaller tracker demons later, the sun was down, and her eyes were useless in the shadow of the moon. She would have to call it a night. She made her way back to Matthias, but he was still sleeping. As enticing as it was to wake him with kisses. upon his lips, and elsewhere, she resisted the temptation. He needed the rest, even if she was quite sure he wouldn’t mind the attention.

Instead, she opted to bathe, filing a small basin with cold water. She brought it up to the room, and stripped out of her armor, nude now, save the plate bracer. The cool water caused goosebumps to rise on her skin, and rouse her nipples, hard as she washed the sweat and dried blood from her skin. She covered herself with suds and rinsed off, letting the water bead over her soft curves.

Matthias drifted in and out of consciousness, aware of the nurse - Clara? or Elsa? - feeding him soup and checking his bandages. Once, she also gave him a small measure of something unpleasant tasting that dulled the pain and made unconsciousness harder to resist. He slept, then, to awake to the sound of pouring water. Sluggishly, he opened his eyes.

Aurianna stood there, her back to him, naked save for her armored sleeve and gauntlet. Moonlight struck silver from beads of water on her skin, and he followed the trail they left with his eyes. He'd seen her in all states of dress and undress, often writhing beneath or straining against him. But somehow, the unaffected ease of her nudity as she washed herself off aroused him more than he'd believed possible.

Too bad he ached all over, and could barely move his arms or legs.

"So," he managed, shifting a little to ease the pressure of the comforter against his hardness. "I see you made it back." He smirked. "Any recklessness?"

Damn, but he wanted to run his hands over those curves. Feel her smooth body against his, as he kissed his way down her spine. Licking his lips, he moved the quilt aside and started to climb out of bed. That ended, quickly, as pain spiked up from his violated forearm to dance along his bicep and into his back. "Fuck!" he gasped, thumping heavily back into the mattress. The impact brought a second cry of pain as he tugged painfully against his stitches and cracked ribs, and the world swam black before his vision for a moment.

"So," he croaked in a weak, pained voice once he'd recovered his breath, "not... not yet healed... ow. Shit. Ow." The last came as he shifted position, trying to lay back on his back once more. "Maybe... not so much better. Not right now." A weak grin. "I was going to pin you to the wall and ravish you." Another wince. "Maybe... maybe not yet."

Aurianna turned her neck to face him as spoke to her, patting herself dry with a nearby towel. “No I got all my reckless out earlier. I was careful; I had someone I was looking forward to coming back to.” She twisted the towel around her long hair, turning around to see him trying to get out of bed and experiencing tremendous pain in the effort. She rushed to his side, holding him steady with her metal arm, more concerned with his health than her own self-consciousness, in this moment.

“If I had known you would put your libido before your wellbeing, I wouldn’t have bathed in front of you,” She chided, helping him to find a comfortable position. She sighed as she watched him struggling against his own pain, caressing his face tenderly to soothe him.

"I was going to pin you to the wall and ravish you." Another wince. "Maybe... maybe not yet."

“As much as I would enjoy that, you need to take it easier. Try to recover from what happened…” She comforted him, pulling down the blanket some, to see if he had opened his stitches any. She tried not to the notice the tent formed around his hips.

“Thank the Goddess you didn’t tear your stitches trying to get your dick wet,” She praised, laughing lightly and teasing him with a suggestive glance, “That would have been hard to explain.” Still nude and slightly damp from her bath, she slid her body alongside his. She was careful, mindful of his injuries, not putting much pressure on him at all. Hovering over her, hands on either side of his head, she kissed him. Gently at first, letting him set the pace, indulging in a sensuous teasing of tongue and lips. It was a far cry from the manic necking they did before, but it was nice.

They could both use the tenderness after what had happened. Him, well, for obvious reasons, and for Aurianna, it was because of what the demon had said to her. What he had reminded her about herself. The dreams she couldn’t deny enjoying, even as she gave herself willing to Baath Me’el and Matthias. The demon had known about these shameful fantasies, and mocked her for them. Was she ruined? Forever tainted by what happened to her? Seeking to relive her violation, over and over again? She could enjoy gentle lovemaking, couldn’t she?

She broke the seal of their lips, pulling carefully from him. Sitting up on her prosthetic arm, her other arm traced the scars on his chest, not looking directly at him. “The demon said something, about my dreams. Intimate details, far too accurate to be mere speculations. He knew what I had dreamt. Did you…” She tried to pulled the words form the nether, “Did you know, as well? He spoke of it as though he was there, with me...” She looked at him now, feeling her face grow flush, as she recalled how most of her dreams in the past couple month were her fucking Matthias in some shape or form…

Her body was warm against his, all hard muscle under supple, soft skin. He still wasn't sure why she was still wearing the armored sleeve, but the contrast of the cool metal with warm flesh was agonisingly sensual. He opened his mouth as she kissed him, taking her tongue as it slipped into his mouth. He strained against her as best he could with his injuries, hands exploring her curves and cock hard against her thigh.

After an eternity, she broke the kiss. Moonlight caressed her skin as she lay next to him, tracing old scars with her fingertips. As she did, she hesitantly asked about her dreams. Matthias chuckled at the question, catching her hand and gently kissing her fingertips as he did. "Ari, he was me. Right up until he was torn out of me." His tongue played over the tip of her middle finger, and then he nipped it gently.

"I haven't had wet dreams in decades, Ari." Still holding her hand, he shiftrd carefully and kissed her gently. "Our dreams, though..?" A second kiss, this time parting her lips with his tongue. "I'd wake up gasping, dripping with cum and still feeling you against my skin."

Catching her expression, he cupped her cheek and kissed her gently once more. "And for what the opinion of a soulless former demon is worth, I don't think there's anything wrong with you. Everyone has dark thoughts, cruel and wicked impulses. It's which ones you act on that determine the kind of person you are."

Matthias' eyes rolled back in his head as Aurianna's mouth closed around his shaft. She was still wearing that sleeve and gauntlet, even now, and the cool metal on his dick made the heat of her mouth even more intense. Carefully lifting one arm, he ran his fingers through her hair as she sucked him, gasping and moaning in time with her rhythm. His hips began to move, sliding his cock between her lips and thrusting deeper into her mouth. His stomach and back ached with the motion, but he didn't care. Not right now.

When he felt he could no longer take her attentions, when he was ready to fill her mouth with his seed, she pulled away. His cock glistened in the moonlight, and he shuddered with anticipation as she straddled him. Her mouth was hot on his, and he could taste himself on her tongue, and then he cried out with mingled pleasure and pain as she sheathed him in the glorious wet heat of her sex. Pleasure, because she was like hot liquid silk around his aching hardness. Pain, because the pressure of her hands on his shoulders drove his wounded back deep into the bed. Carefully, he gripped her wrists and moved her hands to brace against the mattress beside his head. "Fuuuuk..." he sighed, arching his back a little at her words. "And you feel so good around me, Ari..." He rolled his hips against hers, and winced again as the stitches in his calves and back pulled.

"I'm... I'm afraid... you'll have to do.. most of the work..." he managed, running his fingers up her arms and over her shoulders. "I'm not... quite... up to... it..." He cupped her breasts, one hand bandaged and the other callused from long years of weapons practice, and caught one hard nipple with his lips. For a long moment he suckled at her, moaning against her damp flesh at the feel of the heat coating his sex.

"Fuck me, Ari," he whispered, kissing her. "Show me just how good I feel in you..."

She could see in the way he grimaced he was still in pain. She stopped for a moment, feeling guilty taking this from him while he was in such bad shape.

“Are you okay? Should I stop?” She looking down at him, resting on her arms. She didn’t move, just clenched her core as he throbbed within her, “I’ll just finish you aaahhfff,” She moaned out as he tasted her nipple loving the way his teased it with his tongue.

"I'm... I'm afraid... you'll have to do.. most of the work..." he managed, running his fingers up her arms and over her shoulders. "I'm not... quite... up to... it...”

“That’s okay,” She murmured, sliding her tongue around his in a hungry kiss, “I had planned on that much.” She sat up now, straighter writhing slowly over him loving the way he felt pressed into her walls. She brought one of her hands over to her clit, so he could play with her while she fucked him. Moved harder, faster, grunting her delight as her cunt stretched over his girth again and again. There was nice amount of friction making the hot meeting of their flesh even hotter: searing, burning, sweltering.

“Fuck yes!” She cried out, fucking him harder, hips and breasts bouncing in boundless bliss. Her eyes closed as she rode him with wanton abandon, needing nothing more than to submerge him within her depths, until he blessed with his release. His fingers on her clit made go work harder, her slit pulsing with impending climax, knowing that the feel of his seed spurting within her would drive her over the edge.

“Cum with me,” She demanded running her fingers through her still wet hair, the towel having fallen off during the intensity of her momentum. “I …need you…inside!”

It was frustrating, not being able to be more actively involved. Paradoxically it just made the sex hotter, knowing that he had to lay there and watch Aurianna fuck him. And the sight of her, head thrown back and breasts heaving as her cunt swallowed his dick, was incredible. Then she grabbed one of his hands, moving it to her clit, and he lost sight of her sex sliding up and down his shaft. But the way she gasped and her rhythm momentarily faltered as he found her clit made ut worth it.

"Ari..." he gasped out. "I'm... close... Ari..."

She reared up, her weight driving him deeper into her body, and he gasped at the sensation. "Cum with me," she demanded. Her arms, one bare and ine encased with steel, ran through her hair. Slats of moonlight and shadow played over her body as she posed above him, a wanton, carnal goddess. "I... need you... inside!"

"Ari!" he gasped, hands resting on her hips. He tried to drive himself up into her body, drive his aching cock to his final release, but the attempt sent a thrill if pain through his wounded back. All he could do was lay there, wracked with sweet torment as she fucked him - fucked herself on him - and felt his orgasm build.

"Ari..." he gasped in time with her mivements. "Ari... fuck... Ari! Fuck... me!" And suddenly he screamed her name as his release caught him. Her name became a drawn out, keening sound of ecstacy as he pulsed against her walls and his seed gushed into her. The feel of her orgasm tightening around him made him gasp, and his lips found hers as they rode out their shared pleasure.

Finally, spent, he stroked sweat-slicked skin as she slumoed against him. "I love you, Ari," he whispered.