With Tulani off searching out suitable replacements for the Azeds, Alptraum had a few days to deal with other things. An appearance by the Shrine Maiden on Mt. Sunala, and by Yodhgorphat Scourge at the Mt. Gorphat mission recharged the disease-curse energy, in case anyone needed to be melted like Velkarno had been. As the Yodhgorphat, Nicora was also able to gather other useful information from the growing population gathering at the Temple.
For instance, the Recruiters (Graytowners looking for people to eventually move in and work at the under-renovation tower) were a bit more obvious now, no longer trying to blend in with the undercity folk. They had an actual kiosk, where they were doing basic skills and literacy testing. They were especially eager to find literate people who could tutor others, targeting the older residents.
Fon and Sil had made more progress cleaning up the public areas of the Temple as well, which had probably never gotten the sort of use they were now. There were more retainers that needed a place to stay, and someone had even managed to provide uniforms. Slash and his gang were sporting green leather tunics and trousers, and also had helmets and new looking weapons. They didn't act as guards or police though - they were the Eyes of Gorphat now, going into the Streets Below and basically looking for trouble and anyone who might need a bit of help. Another group, almost all women, were the Distributors, wearing robes with 'Compassion of Gorphat' in classic runes. They were the ones who basically made sure the food and other supplies that 'mysteriously arrived through the grace of the Kindly Ones' made their way to those who needed them.
Sil was still the one mostly in charge of the Temple's upkeep, and despite having more helpers still seemed to be constantly on the verge of exhaustion.
Bandaged, robed, and looking reasonably respectable (a rarity for a Yodhgorphat), Nicora is making her way through the temple. How she gets in unseen ... well, she does know the back entrances after all! It helps keep up the mystery to just appear now and then. "You can rest, Sil," Nicora notes as she approaches the caretaker, "IT does no one a service if you become too weak to help."
"My Lady," Sil replies, and drops to her knees - though whether out of respect or because she wanted to rest her legs is uncertain. "It is good to see you again. The Temple.. there have been requests that I do not have the authority to answer."
Alptraum tilts her head to the side and looks at Sil with her left eye. "Requests? What sort of requests? And by whom?" she inquires. Question asked, Nicora goes to help Sil back to her feet.
Upright once more, Sil says, "The Gray men.. the Recruiters.. they ask me about the chapel. How many can it hold, is the air safe to breath, and so on. They talk of 'the next step' and if I can read and write."
Nicora's bare brow arches. "And what is this next step?" the Yodhgorphat asks. she isn't quite sure of the condition of the chapel either; it is something she will have to check on.
"It.. I do not know if it is blasphemous or not, My Lady," Sil says, looking frustrated. "They want to use it as a school. They say it is necessary, and it would be much faster if they could use the chapel.."
"I see no issue with using it as a school. It is doing no service to the city being empty," Nicora points out, "So I shall have to check on its condition and get it cleaned."
"I haven't let them inspect it themselves," Sil admits. "There was a woman with them, who did not say anything, and didn't even seem interested in the conversation.. but was studying the structure here very intently. She did not look like someone from Graytown, but a Noble. There is much construction happening in Graytown.."
"Mm, I suppose a noble is better than it being a Yodhzakaro," Nicora muses as she rubs her, for once, clean chin. "Are they still around? If so I should speak with them."
The Recruiters are in their own tent, with a kiosk in front. They come and go.. I think they serve in shifts, so there is always someone there."
Nicora nods a bit at that. "Take me to them," she commands, though the tone is generally polite. "And oh, how are the ... ah, horribs doing?"
"They keep to themselves, mostly," Sil says, as she leads Nicora toward the main entrance. "Sometimes they get curious. I think they have found a secret way in and out of the Temple. I never see them carrying food through the areas used by people. There are rumors that they patrol beyond the edges of the.. village.."
Nicora nods as she walks. "That is not unexpected. And their new queen? Is she fine?" she asks next as she looks about as they pass through the main entrance and out onto the more occupied grounds.
"When I dare to look in on their nest.. she seems happy. And large. I do not know how big a Horrib Queen becomes. The drones are already larger than any normal horribs. Slash claims that one of them goes with the Eyes when they venture into the Streets Below. He calls him Brutus."
"Hmm. I shall have to look in on her as well, I went through enough agony for her," Nicora remarks. That still causes nightmares. "And one has taken to guarding others? That is ... well, unexpected. The name fits."
"He keeps away the lesser horribs, apparently," Sil claims, as the descend into the 'village' now. It certainly is more of a community than just a hospice for the sick. The tent of the Recruiters is a bit gaudy, looking like it belonged to a circus (or to gypsies), all purple and gold and blue and green, with patches in even more colors. There is a kiosk near the entrance, where a tired looking teenager is having a rather ragged man read from a card.
"Well, that is rather gaudy," Nicora also has to admit, but her past still finds it a bit quaint as well as a bit homesick inducing. She continues on towards the teenager and the ragged man. She also doesn't interrupt, she waits for a polite break in the reading before she speaks up. "How goes your work, child?" she asks the tired teenager. Granded the teenager might jump through the roof for being addressed directly, but then that's half the fun of being spooky.
"Ah!" the boy squeaks when he sees who is addressing him. "Yodhgorphat! I... ah.. that is.. that last man did well. He read the phrase back as it should be instead of just how it was written.. that's.. uh.. something we're supposed to make note of." He tries to smile, goes a bit too far and has to dial it back down, trying not to look too nervous.
Nicora politely does not laugh. "Deliberate misspellings to see if they understand the correct form, not just the basics. A reasonable thing to check for," the Yodggorphat agrees along with a satisfactory nod. "I understand that there have been inquiries about using the old chapel as a school."
"There have?" the boys asks, surprised. "Oh! That's.. that's organizer stuff, ma'am," he recovers, and gestures back into the tent. "It sounds like they've stopped arguing for now, at least.."
"Then I suppose I should speak to them directly," th Yodhgorphat says ... then walks past the boy and into the tent! Who is going to stop her, after all? Besides, such behavior is to be expected and Nicora has to keep up some appearances.
"We just can't do that, Chief," a middle-aged Eeee is quietly telling a younger woman who has clearly been brought up with access to beauty products. "The base of Mt. Blakat is almost certainly full of booby traps.." The professional looking woman frowns, and says, "Then those three causeways I've marked need proper reinforcement - not just magic - and you still need a staging area on the opposite side of the city.. if not three or four.." The conversation pauses when both Eeee notice Nicora. The man gets down on his knees, while the woman bows from the waist.
"There are still Yodhblakat at Mt. Blakat," Nicora advises, "You would be mindful of their capriciousness. "For what exactly do you wish to use that mountain? I can make a formal request. Of course that will come after I decide in the request to use the old chapel here as a school. I wish to know more of what you wish to do to it."
"Yodhgorphat," the woman says, "what you have accomplished here is a miracle.. but it is not quite enough, while also being almost too much. This area is nearly at capacity in terms of how many people it can host before becoming untenable. It is also only reachable by, at best, a fifth of the total population of the Streets Below. I was merely telling Bahb here that we need more such missions around the city in order to reach everyone, and not all of the sacred mountains are as suitable as yours."
"And you wish to now use Mt. Blakat as another? It will be difficult to convince the few Yodhblakat in residence to allow such, but I imagine I can convince them," the Yodhgorphat notes. "And I must know ... you are who, exactly?"
The woman's ears blush, and she bows again. "Forgive me for not introducing myself before speaking!" she says. "I am Vielerka, a Chief Engineer with the Cenesta Construction Group."
"Ah, the Cenesta family. I know of them though the Barsunala," Nicora says and nods her head once. "A respectable and honorable family by his accounts. Are they now involved in the building here? Or, is this more your own choice?"
"They are involved in everything, your grace," Vialerka says with a slight grin. "And while others have only to deal with budgets and deadlines I am tasked with dealing with reality. And we are facing a housing crisis: tower renovations are behind schedule for the Graytown Expansion project, which is essential to... well, all of their other plans. They need someplace to bring these people..." She gestures to the community outside of the tent.. "where they can be productive enough to then afford to move further up into the city, thus making room for the next group.. and so on."
"This is not an insubstantial undertaking and I do not envy your job to find functional housing for those from the undercity," Nicora notes. "There was also questions about the old chapel. Is the intention to make that residential as well. The caretaker mentioned something about a school."
"Yes, the school!" the man pipes up. "We need a safe place where we can hold mass-teaching.. it is a foreign method, rather than the usual tutoring by parents or others, so I can only hope that such a non-traditional approach will not offend the Kindly Ones. It's just that the Temple of Gorphat is.. unique.."
Nicora's bare brow arches a bit. "I am curious to understand how you define 'unique'," the Yodhgorphat says in the sort of tone that implies you'll get a 'gift' from your grandmother if she doesn't like the answer. The kind of gift that even a pawn shop wouldn't take in trade.
Vialerka clears her throat, and explains, "The Temple of Gorphat is one of the oldest.. perhaps the oldest.. of the great temples. This is because it was not constructed so much as carved out. The other Temples have been moved and rebuilt over the course of the centuries, with most now residing at the summits of the Seven Sisters. They are more exposed to the elements and harder to expand or repurpose. By digging into the mountain itself, however, the Temple of Gorphat is incredibly secure and maintains a constant temperature and humidity. And because it is carved out.. it is easy to expand. All it takes is brute labor, which, frankly, you have in abundance at this point. One or two engineers would be needed for supervision, rather than an entire construction crew."
"True, it is as much a fortress as it is a temple," Nicora must concede, "And your desire is to expand upon it and repair it?" She pauses there as she taps her chin in thought. "There are sections that should be left alone out of respect, but as for expansion and other repairs ... I see no harm in doing so. As it stands it is not serving the city as well as it could. That should change. While I wish to see the intended changes in plan form first, you, in general, have my permission. I rather imagine you needed that just to explore it further. I cannot imagine you would have risked entering it otherwise."
"That is very generous of you and Gorphat," Vialerka says, and bows again. "We can increase the number of people this area can support if we can make use of the Temple and construct a few sewers and aqueducts.."
"And make your job a lot easier too, eh, Via?" Bahb says with a grin, before looking serious again. "We would need to see how large the chapel is already, and what condition it is in.. and make a map of the areas that will have public access."
"You wish to make the place more sanitary?" Nicora asks, her tone taking on a moment of horror. The hideous Eeee then grins slightly, "It would lose its charming smell, but I suppose nothing lasts forever. Just ensure the plans are shown to me, or passed to me through Sil before any work is done. As for mapping it out, I will inform Sill to allow you access to the areas you have requested."
"Thank you again, Yodhgorphat," the engineer says, with another bow. "And also for speaking to the Yodhblakat on our behalf. We would not be needing access to their Temple, since it is so high up. Only to the base of the mountain."
"They may agree, but I must warn you I still expect they will harass you now and then as a matter of course," Nicora warns. She also leans in to get a better look at the Engineer. "Have you considered becoming a Yodh, yourself?" she actually asks. "I could use some acolytes."
"We all must serve as our talents allow," the woman claims. "I am honored by the offer, and will keep it mind when I plan for my retirement. There is just so much to build before then, though. And I am not even involved in inventing a new economy from scratch."
"No one ever accepts my offers," Nicora notes, "Though I am not surprised. I am appreciative of all the help you are doing. Please convey my thanks to the Cenesta family as well. Is there anything more you wish to ask of me?"
"Legend holds that there are areas of the Temple were diseases and toxins are cultivated," Vialerka notes, sounding a bit embarrassed to be bringing up the topic. "Is that true? Do we need to construct barriers to prevent people from wandering?"
"It is true. It would be wise to have some separation barriers constructed to prevent accidental access to things best left undisturbed. The worst are not kept here, at least," the Yodhgorphat confirms. "Those are deep and low in the temple."
other temples.
"Thank you for your clear reply," the engineer says. "I expected the Yodh to deny everything in order to maintain an air of mystery. I will arrange a meeting with Sil to conduct an inspection."
"Maintaining such secrets at this time would be counter-productive," Nicora notes simply. "And it is nothing to be ashamed of, methods for treating them required having samples of them."
"I have collection of cracked stone blocks myself," Vialerka says. "I understand the need. Do you have any questions for me, Yodhgorphat?"
"Why? Why are you helping? What made the Cenesta family decide to help?" Nicora inquires.
"I'm an engineer," the woman says. "I build and repair. I want my work to be appreciated and meaningful. As for the Cenestas.. this is just part of their plan. Not originally, but they saw the advantage to be had in involving themselves. You've saved them a lot of effort, I've been told, getting all of this started."
"Then why have they not come to thank me personally?" Nicora inquires. "Outside of that I am hideous, foul, and have an unpleasant odor, that is."
"They are quite busy, I understand," Vialerka says apologetically, and bows. "They are not alone in this endeavor, either. And while there are still those who prefer the old status quo, there is risk in their involvement being widely known. They are a bit overextended, so if this all fails.. they will lose everything."
"They are not the only ones who will lose everything, I will as well as the Barsunala to name two," Nicora points out. "So the simple solution preventing that is to not fail, now isn't it?
"Well, that is the optimal base outcome," Vialerka agrees. "That is the start of the next phase."
"May I make a suggestion on these residences you build? I suggest that you build them like keeps; they may be required to fend off an attack of the undead someday," Nicora notes grimly. "There are darker forces working in the shadows that would see the entire city fall."
"Another good reason to renovate your Temple then," Vialerka says after the initial shock of the suggestion. "We had hoped to move away from the castle methodology.."
"It is a temporary measure. Once the matter is dealt with the re-enforcements can be removed," Nicora notes.
"I hope it can be dealt with before the fortifications become necessary," the engineer says. "I'd rather be reinforcing bridges."
"That is for the Barsunala to deal with, not I. You would have to request such of him," Nicora points out.
"Hobnobbing with demigods is not something I'm prepared for," the woman notes with a nervous laugh. "Now, if he needs a temple built.. that I can deal with."
"He would be hurt if he heard you say that," Nicora notes with a smirk. "He is ... overly emotional for one in his position," she adds as she waves her hand about. "And I rather expect he would turn down the offer for a temple, such are not his concerns or desires."
"The Sisters are all about being over-emotional.." the engineer notes, then goes a bit pale when she remembers who she's talking to. "That is.. uh.. gods do everything in a big way.."
"Amusing save," Nicora remarks. "If there is nothing else, I will leave you to your work."
The woman and her partner both bow. "Thank you for seeing us, Yodhgorphat," Bahb says. "I'm sure you're very busy."
"Too busy, it seems. I do not get enough time to be appropriately lazy and foul these days," Nicora laments, "I do not have near the amount of body fungus as I should have. Mm, perhaps someday again." With that, the Yodhgorphat turns and leaves, and true enough, she doesn't even leave behind a lingering odor. Blasphemy!
After letting Sil know to expect Vialerka's call, and what to show her and what not to show her, Nicora heads for her private chambers.. but first peeks in next door, where the sacred horribs have set up their nest. Two of the drones are present, and buzz up to great Nicora. Behind them is a nearly Eeee-sized form hanging from the ceiling.
"Aww, hello my little babies, how are you doing?" Nicora actually coos to the larger horribs that have come to greet her. The spotting of the larger form behind them makes her eyes go huge. Is that the thing that came from her not so long ago? "Am I allowed to see the queen?" she inquires of her children.
The drones back up, giving Nicora a clear bath to the queen. The room has been altered a bit, with resin covering the furniture, often with shiny stones or bits of broken glass embedded in it.
Nicora slinks through the resin-covered bug layer, approaching the roosting queen. "Hello," she says to it gently, "Do you remember me at all?" It is even weirder that she actually feels some affection for the queen before her. She even reaches out and tries to touch it lightly.
The dangling queen turns slightly, bringing itself more into the light. It doesn't look like the other queen Nicora met on the Path of Affliction. It's bigger, and.. more person-like. The armor is pale, almost white, and it has a face that resembles Nicora's.. albeit one made of carefully positioned mouth-parts to create the illusion.
Nicora runs her fingers over this strange insect creature. "Hello, I guess you do," she coos at it. "You seem to be growing quickly and well. This is good. Soon you will be able to start having your own children, yes?"
The face opens up and the creature chitters, its faceted eyes glowing red. Given the usual reproduction method of horribs, the sacred ones may require a sacrifice of some sort to accomplish it.
"I might use you to induct new Yodgorphat, perhaps each applicant must give birth to a brood, mmm?" Nicora continues to coo disturbingly. "Maybe perhaps some day even I will host a brood for you. Would you like that?"
The queen makes a ratcheting sound that might be.. pleasure? It will take a while to figure out all of her moods, most likely. But being a sacred horrib queen, she probably does expect to have a place in Temple functions.
Nicora does take some time, and if the queen permits, to explore the strange creature a bit with sight and feel. Namely, she's trying to see just how this one reproduces and if it is like its smaller brethren, or different somehow. "Or perhaps me first to ensure it is safe. When there is time for such, of course," she mutters.
It's got the big stinger.. and ovipositor and feeding tube like a normal horrib queen would. But then, the drones have feeding tubes too, which normal ones do not.
Nicora actually feels along the ovipositor and gauges the reaction of the queen. The feeding tube too. "You are larger than I expected," she admits.
The queen twitches a bit, and tries to imitate Nicora's face again. Now, if it just had matching tattoos..
Nicora chuckles and massages the ovipositor now. "I shall have to teach you how to use this in a way that would be safe for an acolyte; teach you how to womb lay," the Yodhgorphat notes with an evil sort of smile.
"And that way Inala's gate can become Gorphat's wound, mmm?" the disturbed Yodhgorphat chuckles.
The drones buzz around, their wings making a sort of laughter as well.
"That would set a new tradition," a familiar raspy voice notes. "It may make recruiting new Yodh difficult however."
"We'll start teaching you soon, I promise," Nicora tells the queen, then actually leans in and kisses it on its forehead. She then turns and looks for Gorphat. "Well, the old challenges may not be doable, new ones would be required. It would be a true test and a good final one," Nicora notes.
"A new Path, for a new generation?" the Goddess of Affliction asks. "I suppose they'll be cleaning blackboards as well. Will you share Hosheb with the promising ones?"
"Mm, possibly. It could also just be the duty of the High Priestess to host and birth the horrib children, if you feel that is more likely to not scare off recruits," Nicora offers the Goddess as she approaches and kneels down before her in respect. "I am willing to host horribs in your honor as needed as well."
"I think you enjoy it," Gorphat accuses, and reaches out to pinch Nicora's cheek. "It's not proper religion if you enjoy it, you know."
"I enjoy serving you and I enjoy that it keeps that aspect of myself from falling to Inala," Nicora counters.
"You have Barada's clever tongue too," Gorphat notes. "But I am willing to overlook such little things.. in the hopes of seeing the Yodhblakat fume over having guests.. but guests too poor to steal from." She laughs, which turns into a coughing fit. "Also that people will come here to learn," she notes when she recovers.
"IT brings more people here and in time they will come to worship you," Nicora claims. "You wished for more to appreciate your greatness."
"Yes," Gorphat purrs. "However.. it is unusual to have.. servants.." the goddess notes. "You will have to come up with an official-sounding designation for them, if they are to act in My name. Not Yodh.. not daughters. Nieces? You'll think of something.."
Nicora nods firmly, "I will. Only a very few will ever undertake the trials and ritual scarring to become your daughters. I do not regret the decision I made to become yours." She even leans in and gently nuzzles the Goddess of Affliction's leg from where she kneels.
"Make sure you try to recruit the prettier ones," Gorphat says, raising her foot to nudge Nicora's chin upwards. "Maybe then I can supplant Inala as well. This will be the Temple of Hot Teachers of Affliction. You need to parade about naked more often."
Nicora looks upward. "I will do what I can. And if it is your wish I will forgo wearing any clothing at all and always be naked in your honor," she offers the Goddess before her. She also shifts a bit as kneeling 'aggravates' her condition, the blessing Gorphat still has upon her Inala's gate that causes it to remain hyper sensitive and always swollen.
"Well, around the Temple anyway," Gorphat relents. "It is more dignified that way. You should make the men squirm, after all - one way or another. Especially the little Eyes. They are already intimidated by your presence. Plus, they are returning from their patrol soon."
And then while kneeling before her Goddess, Nicora unrobes and unwraps her bandages carefully. In a couple minutes, the Eeee is completely naked. "I must admit I feel too clean. I think I will visit the pools to bathe soon, and perhaps summon Hosheb as I have not seen him for some time. That is, if you permit it, Mother Gorphat," she says.
"I'm happy that you have returned," Gorphat notes. "I am hard pressed to deny you anything, my daughter." And then the presence fades, leaving behind just Gorphat's odor.
Nicora sighs, missing when she used to produce such an odor. The naked Yodhgorphat rises. She turns and kisses her hanging child on its 'cheek', then it is out of this chamber. She takes her removed garments, those she will return to her chambers. Then it is on to her favorite bathing area, the worm pools.
The pools are still as she left them: glowing slightly, and squirmy. Maybe she should allow the public access, just to see who will bathe with her?
Nicora actually chuckles at that thought. She just might since the pools are actually quite safe. The Yodhgorphat draws a deep breath and approaching the squirming, greenish liquid. With a sigh, she eases one foot into the pool, then another. Step by step the Eeee sinks into the slime until it is lapping against her chin.
The worms cluster up against her, attracted by body heat.. or novelty. Who knows what a worm thinks? It's a soothing not-quite-massage, at least, with the inevitable nibbling on teats and other bits. After a few minutes, the peace is interrupted slightly, as someone is calling out, "Yodhgorphat?" It sounds like Slash.
And naturally Nicora also spreads her legs and even Inala's gate with her fingers should the worms wish to go deeper. She then dips her head under the slime and comes bakc up so that all of her is glistening before she answers that call. "I am in the chamber of the pools," she calls out.
It takes a while before Slash finds his way. His green outfit looks even greener in the glow. "Ah.. forgive me for interrupting, Yodhgorphat.." the boy says. "I was told you were here and.. uh.. I should report to you, right?"
"I am bathing and relaxing, it is not a significant interrupt," Nicora tells the man. At least he can't see what goes on beneath the surface of the pool. "Give me your report," she requests.
"Yes, ma'am!" Slash says, and stands up straight and even throws a salute. "We went as planned to check the area around Antenora Tower, which nobody who has arrived here had any news from. And we found.. uh.. nothing. Or rather, nobody. There should have been somebody though, we're certain. There were signs of people having been there. But they didn't come here, ma'am."
Nicora rolls her jaw slightly. "That is concerning. I shall have to investigate why. Was there anything in the tower at all?" she asks as she bobs in the pool of goo. The worms currently nursing on her teats are feeling quite nice at the moment.
"Well, Francis says that there were some Skreek families in the area," Slash reports. "The Tower is still occupied by the Antenora clan, currently led by Lord Ugolino.. maybe. They tend to stab one another to advance, I've been told."
Nicora's head bobs again. "Interesting. Any signs of anyone visiting the tower at all? Or does it look blockaded and without visitors for some time?" she inquires.
"The lower levels are sealed," the Eeee notes. "Uh.. Francis says he heard stories about the Antenoras hunting people for sport, and as a way to thin themselves out via hunting accidents. They supposedly liked to hunt Skreeks, since.. well, they couldn't fly away I guess."
"Mmm, I know someone I can ask to look into them further. If tuch is true, I will deal with them appropriately. Is there anything else to report?" Nicora asks.
"We've met a few people coming from further off, and helped them back here," Slash says. "Sick people, mostly. It's pretty dangerous to travel very far via the Streets Below, and all of the people that could get here easily are already here. Foz floated the notion of setting up some sort of armed escort that could go out further, but that would only cover small groups."
"Understood. There are discussions on setting up other locations of refuge. One may be at the base of Mt. Blakat. I have to go 'discuss' this with the remaining Yodhblakat and come to an agreement. Or, I 'll just make them all sick or itch," Nicora says with a bemused smirk.
"The Yodhblakat?" Slash asks, looking horrified. "But they're all crazy bit.. uh.. rather violent in their beliefs, ma'am. Do you want us to go with you for protection?"
Nicora shakes her head as she bobs along. "No need. I can deal with them," she insists. "They rightfully fear me."
"Oh.. sometimes I forget you can cause disease.. hehe.." Slash admits, and runs his hand through his hair. "I mean, you.. don't seem scary.."
"I could make you sick right now," Nicora remarks rather dryly. She then also lifts up one of her hands, bringing a worm with it. She licks the worm right in front of the man, possibly to make a point about just what she is.
The boy does look ill from that. "Uh, I believe you, mistress!" he claims before he gets too queasy.
Nicora drops the worm back into the pool. The insides of her mouth are all slimy now unfortunately. "Is there anything further to report?" she inquires with little connecting streams of slime between her lips and teeth.
"N-no Ma'am," Slash says. "Is there anything you want us to do?"
Nicora rubs her slimy chin. "Nothing I can think of at the moment. You may go rest. I will send one of the horribs to fetch you should I think of something," she offers.
"Brutus? Yes, Mistress, we'll watch for him!" Slash says and bows. "Can I touch your scalp for luck?" he then asks, out of the blue.
Nicora chuckles and swims to the side of the pool. "Of course. But later I may ask you to make love to me," she adds on, smirking. She tilts her head down a bit to make the scar on the top of her head prominent.
"Is that good luck?" Slash asks, and kneels down to runs his palm over the decorative scars.
"No, but it is fun," Nicora admits.
"Well.. uh.. it didn't hurt Shiv," Slash concedes. "And you were a lot more oozy then.."
Nicora sighs, "Yes, I was. I miss that." The Yodhgorphat gestures, "You may go." She then turns and climbs her way out of the pool, shaking off worms and pulling them out of her as she goes.
Slash hurries off, and Nicora hears, "I do not notice the difference," coming from the shadows. It's rather clicky and insectile.
Nicora looks over her shoulders. "Ah, hello lover," the Eeee coos, "I have missed you." Once she has gotten the worms off (and most out), she wipes off as much slime as she can. What remains leaves her with that lovely rubbery-waxy look her skin usually has.
Hosheb emerges from between two pillars, and bows. "What would you have of me?" he asks.
Nicora saunters over. She reaches up and even strokes the demon's horrible face. "Am I still desirable even without all of Mother's curses?" she asks of the monster.
The demon's mouthparts click and wiggle. "Yes," he answers, and pinches Nicora with his pinchers.
The pinching ... makes the Yodhgorphat squirm. Nicora says, "Mother healed me, so mating may hurt again but ..." The Yodhgorphat strokes the demon's face, then turns away from him. Down she goes onto all fours. She even reaches back and pulls her serpentine tail up and out of the way. "Then I want you to take me as you would any victim; my gift to you ... the pleasure of a victim," she offers.
Hosheb is obedient. Which means Nicora not only finds herself impaled, but wrapped in several limbs and carried into the air!
And like any dutiful victim, Nicora cries out in pain! True to Gorphat's word, she was completely healed at Inala's gate ... which means the spined, segmented, part of Hosheb hurts when it impales her! The Eeee grits both her teeth and eyes in the clutches of the demon ... and out she whispers is ... "Yessss."
The stinger-tipped tail curves around, and starts to stab Nicora's torso.. a few times. The paralytic is injected, and muscles go numb. Nothing else goes numb though, so she still feels the rest. She just can't move or feel anything else at the moment.
The stinger is unexpected and causes her to try out again; bringing back memories of the first time she was captured by the horribs! Granted that time at least they weren't ravishing her body at the time so there wasn't any intense pain to go along with it! Still, she did ask for it this time in a way. The Yodhgorphat's jaws are tight as she hisses out the demon's name; both sounding pleading and desirous at the same time. Inala's gate and passage burn, both from the segmented part inside her and from Gorphat's own blessing.
There's more buzzing, as the drones arrive and begin to fly around excitedly, often bumping into Nicora. She's dripping down onto the floor from on high as well, both milk and blood. This seems to be what the drones are after.
"What is going on?" Nicora hisses to the demon that still holds her tight in its painful grip. She can't move enough to even squirm slightly; she is completely at the demon's mercy.
"You are my prey," Hosheb notes, and gets a bit more forceful in his mating. "This is what you wished for."
"So I did," Nicora admits, thinking she should have worded that a little better. Things only get more painful, which leaves the Eeee with her eyes closed, jaws tight, and her breathing pained and rapid.
It takes time. The first sign that Hosheb is actually finished is when they return to the floor. Well, nearly finished.. he just needed better leverage. When he's really finished Nicora feels it, especially given the somewhat wounded nature of the affected area.
And somehow Nicora finds some pleasure in this; probably due to the 'corrupted' training being a Yodhgorphat has put her through. When the washing pain comes she cries out as her body responds in pleasured kind. Body still generally limp, only a few small shivers come through her. "Yeeesssss," the Yodhgorphat hisses out in agony; pleased that the demon has blessed her with its essence.
The pain doesn't last. Once Hosheb pulls out, things begin to go numb.
"Aaaahhhh," Nicora gasps out, grateful for the numbness that follows.
The drones crawl over Nicora, cleaning here and there. "That was... gratifying," Hosheb claims. "Thank you."
"And thank you. It has been some time since I have felt ... that," the Yodhgorphat admits, "It was exquisite. Stay if you wish. Or go if you need to. I promise to visit more frequently."
"My energies are spent, but I will see you again.." Hosheb says, before fading into the shadows.
"My children, can you carry me back to my room so I can rest?" Nicora asks of the drones that dote over her, cleaning.
The two mutant horribs latch onto Nicora and lift her. It must be quite a sight, if anyone were unfortunate enough to witness it. At least Nicora is numb enough to not be hurt by the pinchers as she's carried.
"This place really messes with me mentally. When I am here, I am utterly a Yodhgorphat. It is frightening," Nicora thinks as she's dragged along, "But at least I am numb right now. Some rest, some checking for major injury, then I contact Tulani about the next tower to check. Always more to do, ugh."