Jank grumbles as he brings Nicora to the chamber. As part of his 'punishment' for his behavior during the hunt, he hasn't been allowed to put any pants back on, which causes plenty of tittering and joking as he leads the Skreek through the upper part of the tower. Nicora's hands are bound behind her, and that's how Jank is guiding her, but she's otherwise untouched.
"Hold on," Jank notes once they're inside, and grabs a tether from the wall. This clips to Nicora's bound wrists and then to a d-ring in the floor. He then goes to the complicated restraint frame and starts turning cranks to get it into an upright position.
"Y'know, yer built just like yer mind, tiny," Nikky remarks, bearing her trademark smirk across her lips. "I still having fun, are vou?"
"Well, enjoy it while you can," Jank says. "Tomorrow I'll have pants, and you'll be a hat or jacket or something.."
"Tsk, you should be more careful Jank," a new voice says. It's Dimity bar Abbas, entering the room and closing the door behind her. "You may be joining her after all, after your display today." The Eeee woman still has her whip, and leans forward to get a better look at Nikky.
Nikky just cackles. "Y'kin think dat all ya like, batbutt, My feelin' is you gonna have an interestin' day tomorrow," she notes to Jank. She rolls her head back around in a fluid and languid sort of roll until she's now looking at Dimity. "Ah, tis de only one of de hunt vho took anyt'ing serious an actually dressed t' be useful," she notes, "Don' expect me to bow."
"Why would you bow, except to offer your rear?" Dimity asks. "Proper etiquette is for you to prostrate yourself to me." Turning to Jank, she pats him on the rear with the butt of her whip.. right in the center in fact, causing the man to jump a bit. "Show me how this thing works. Lord Ugo is washing and changing.. you know how long that can take."
And while Dimity is distracted, Nikky actually tries to wipe her tail across the leather-clad Eeee's backside. Not a swat, but more of a playful poke. "Don' expect dat either," she notes.
"An even if dat fat one washed fer a year, he no look any better," the rat adds.
Dimity looks back at Nicora and raises an eyebrow. "Are you offering me your tail? It won't make much of a whip, but I can add it to my flog.." she notes. Jank seems almost happy for the distraction, and hurries to finish preparing the table.
"There.." he says, and goes to fetch Nicora, unleashing her from the floor. "Just back right up to it," he says. "And spread your legs so I can secure your ankles."
"You be so lucky. I'm still in de game and I still see de goal. Question is, do vou?" Nikky remarks a bit vaguely. She swats Jank a bit hardly with her tail before she actually still listens and backs up to the frame like a good little girl. "Stay alert, you need an opening at some point ... but you always have the shadow itself if you must react fast," she thinks to herself as she feels the frame pressed against her back.
Jank secures Nikky's ankles with leather straps, then unbinds her hands so the can be secured too. In this configuration, the table is like a big upright 'T', so the Skreek's arms would go straight out.
And Nikky giggles when others might be terrified. "Ooo, I like dis table, coul' be fun," she remarks as the rat continues to behave; she lets Jenk secure her arms straight out too.
After the straps are tightened, Nikky feels some give where they attach to the frame. Maybe Geryon really did rig it so she could pull her hands free.
Dimity looks over the table, and asks, "Can the pivots go beyond the range of the victim's joints?"
"Vell, vell, I kin enjoy all dis till I be good an ready to wreack havoc!" Nikky thinks. She almost cackles, but stops herself.
Jank looks at the cranks, and then shakes his head, "I don't think so. It's not like a rack.."
"Put her on her back," Lady Abbas requests. Jank swallows, but obeys, turning the appropriate cranks to get Nikky horizontal.
And Nikky finds herself looking at the ceiling. Her heart is beating, she's nervous. Not afraid of what might happen to her here, she can endure just about anything physical. More of what is likely to happen later when she ... rampages. "Dis room is too pink," she comments.
Tap-tap-tap goes the butt of Dimity's whip on Nikky's nethers. "What caused you to be so lustful in your pursuit, Jank?" she asks.
"Huh?" the man asks. "Uh.. dunno. It's got a mind of its own, I suppose."
The tapping on her nethers causes the rat to twitch several times. "Eeheh," says Nikky, somehow actually enjoying the tough. She's a weird one.
"Why aren't you aroused now then?" she asks Jank. "Here she is, all splayed out and helpless.."
"The Lord probably wouldn't like a servant messing with his toys," Jank says reasonably.
"Maybe me bein' helpless isn' as fun as rapin' a strugglin' girl," Nikky offers from her vantage point.
"What would he do to you?" Dimity asks, grinning. "You're already likely to be castrated. This could be your last chance." She pokes Nikky some more then, and says, "Well, try struggling a bit then.."
Nikky smirks and thus squirms around a bit. "Haf' t' say yer cuter dan he is," the rat notes to Dimity.
"Are you.. ah.." Jank says, remembering he's talking to a noble, and a crazy-cruel one at that. "I assure you, my Lady, that if I were in the mood, I'd be on her like stink," he claims isntead.
And of course Nikky squirms a bit more as she taps into the aura given by Snow ... and targets it upon Jank and Jank alone. A little, slow building, perhaps to make his boy appear to betray a lie. It should be obvious since he has no pants...
The Eeee urps, as things start to rise. It doesn't help that Dimity is staring rather judgmentally at his progress. Once he's fully saluting, she uses the butt of her whip again to bob him up a down a bit. "Acceptable," she declares, and steps back. "Rape her. And look like you're enjoying it too."
Nikky has never seen someone look so terrified, especially while mounting her. A few whip-slaps across his butt encourage him to set a pace that Dimity is happy with.
"Am I actually got to let myself get raped?" Nikky wonders, "And is it really rape if you allow it? I could stop it." The spread rat glares and glowers at at both Eeee now. Aaannnd, soon Jank is doing just that ... and due to Inala's blessing she likely feels just right too; since the rat is sort of Inala's prostitute. "Ehehehehe," the rat says as she squirms about, acting as if she is trying to stop it from happening.
Jank is torn. He's still terrified, but also realizing that Nikky feels wonderful. Lust is beginning to win out, and he actually tries grabbing her breasts as well as he gets into it.
And honestly, Nikky is enjoying it too; there's sort of a thrill to it. So, she's using the lust aura to over-come the fear Jank is feeling. There's no denying the rat simply adores having sex when it comes down to it. "Enjoin' de show?" she remarks in a hiss at Dimity, whom is likely lurking nearby.
Jank is pretty far gone now, even kissing Nikky as he builds to a crescendo.. only to cry out in pain as Dimity grabs him by the berries, and yanks him backwards out of Nikky. "I said to look like you were enjoying it," she chides the man, who is now curled up on the floor in pain. "I'm not actually going to let you befoul Ugo's prize. Besides, this way you might be grateful to have those things removed."
"Ey, y' coul have let 'im finish. I actually like how dat part feels," Nikky complains in annoyance to be suddenly deprived of the offer to Inala. "Keep it up an I my no be so accomodatin'."
The whip-butt comes into play again.. going right up into Nikky. "Oh, is this what you wanted?" Dimity asks sweetly, as she wiggles and plunges the leather handle around.
Okay, so that part surprises the Rat and causes her to squeak out loudly and squirm about on the table. Sadly, it also pushes her right over the edge she was on too and starts twitching on the frame as enjoyment ripples through her like mad. "Ooookay, she a mean one," she thinks.
"You're certainly a responsive one," Dimity says, and keeps up the manipulation to see if she can make Nikky uncomfortable at all. "I wonder how much you can really take?"
Nikky's squirming around and this time meaning it. She's also cackling just under her breath as her body reacts to the situation in all sorts of pleasurable ways. "I be servin' sailors fer a long time; it helps ya develop down dere. Something I bets vou know nothin' about," the skreek remarks.
"Oh, is that a challenge?" Dimity asks, and starts to slowly pull out the whip handle. "See if you can keep me from pulling it out all the way then."
Nikky's eyes narrow and the skreek tries to bear her muscles down as hard as she can to hold onto the whip handle as hard as she can. Hopefully it has ridges given how slick she usually is. The rat also grits her teeth as she strains.
The hard implants inside her tunnel, while usually providing a very stimulating surface, also act a bit like teeth when the rat bears down. The handle is gripped firmly! Dimity's eyes go wide as she keeps tugging to no avail. "My my my.. how interesting!" she comments.
"Eheheh," Nikky cackles while she continues to hold onto the handle tightly. "Y' gots to train to be a proper ship tail," she claims.
"Hmmm," Dimity ponders. "Alright, let go," she says, "and I'll let you have Jank back.." she offers.
Nikky seems to think about this for a bit. Eventually, the skreek relaxes herself and lets go.
Dimity pulls Jank back to his feet. Thanks to the aura, he's still ramrod ready despite the pain. "Go on, I want to test something," she tells the man, and pushes him towards Nikky.
And Nikky tries to look all seductive on the table for Jenk, too. "Prolly last chance," she notes, "Before snippin'."
With a groan, Jank resumes where he left off.. it a bit more delicately. He's probably still in some pain. And Dimity is right there, crouching down to watch over Nikky's shoulder. "When he climaxes, I want you to try and crush him," she whispers to Nikky. "I'll try to keep him from popping too soon."
Nikky's eyes turn and she eyes Dimity. "This one is insane. And a monster," the rat thinks. Still given all those Jank has abused over the years, she might actually try to do it, though Inala's blessing may not allow it. Anyway, for the moment, she's back to enjoying the act she has become addicted to.
Dimity's solution to keeping Jank intact is to whip him whenever it looks like he's going to climax. And whenever she gets tired of waiting, apparently. She's also very expert with her whip. She never catches the delicate wing membranes, which would certainly tear. She keeps her stroke across her bum, although it may be reaching the point of diminishing returns - Jank is likely starting to associate the pain with the pleasure of being inside Nikky.
Nikky knows all about associating and treating pain as a form of pleasure; Nicora is practically the poster child of that neurosis. The skreek ... she giggles and cackles to herself; enjoying how everything feels just so nice ... and she's an expert at manipulation of things in that area. So, she's likely not helping the bat in keeping things from happening.
Poor Jank. He's too bombarded by conflicting sensations to really focus, and so things eventually happen on their own. He shudders and moans, practically collapsing on top of Nikky.
And Nikky enjoys it; she always done, the feeling of the 'gift' to Inala's domain. And for the moment, she lets him enjoy it too ... then she decides to be evil and do what Dimity asks. She starts to clench down slow at first, but getting harder and harder. Whether Inala's blessing allows her to actually do anything other that fit 'just right' remains to be seen.
The pressure quickly rouses Jank from his post-coital torpor. "What?" he asks, and begins to panic when he find he can't pull out! "Are those teeth? Kindly Ones.." he cries out, and really does start to cry. He probably could pull out if he really tried.. but might lose some skin in the process!
Nikky keeps bearing down as tight as she can ... for a few seconds at least. Then she relaxes to let the bat go. She isn't that evil, after all.
Dimity has been standing and biting on her whip the whole time, looking.. well, like she's about to pop herself. Until Nikky releases Jank, who promptly falls back on his freshly-whipped ass. He quickly curls up and holds himself protectively. "You didn't completely crush him," Dimity notes, sounding disappointed. "I was going to ask Ugo to let me have you, as an addition to my own torture room, too.."
"Dat was as far as I coul' take him. You coul still ask an wit' more training perhaps," Nikky suggests and wiggles her brow. "Nevermind I intend to kill you long before then," the thinks to herself.
"I shall just have to make do with my specially trained hunting grok," Dimity says. "First the tongue, then the teeth. Would you like to meet her, Jank?"
Nikky hmfs. "I'm much better dan some dumb animal," she remarks, "'cept I expect yas trained it t' also mount you, eh?" The skreek cackles!
The man on the floor is still muttering a prayer to Sunala it seems, and doesn't respond. Dimity frowns at that. "What a useless man you are. Can you crawl at least? I may ride you out of here." She then gives Nikky a withering stare. "I think I shall let Ugo deal with you," she says, her voice dripping acid.
"Sure. I see you later an ve play more," Nikky counters right back. She also smiles with a disturbingly predatory smile for a rat.
Using her whip, Dimity works out her frustration on Jank, getting him to open the door and then get on his hands and knees. She sits on his back, and whips him some more to get him going. An outside guard closes the door once they've passed.
Nikky lets out a long breath. "Dis place full of crazy peoples," she comments to the empty room. She has a lot of cleansing to still do ... nevermind what she will have to endure from the Lord himself. He needs to be at the peak of his excitement before his end comes; that's proper justice.
The doors at the other end of the chamber swing open, along with a cloud of smoke? Lord Ugolino appears, his arms outstretched to hold his cape (although a bat with a cape is just redundant). He's still got a high collar, but is dressed in leather straps and belts, save for a ridiculously oversized rhinestone-studded codpiece. "Aha! Prepare for the defining moment of your life, my dear!" he announces squeakily.
Nikky can't help herself; she starts laughing like mad. "Dear Gods, you look ridiculous!" the skreek somehow manages out between her laughter. "You're going to make him mad ... but you're also going to kill him. So, eh," she thinks to herself as she wiggles on the 'frame'. The question is ... what does he intend to do?
"You are creature of the muck, so my dazzling brilliance is unfathomable to you," Ugo claims, sweeping into the room to peruse the rack of toys. He chooses.. a feather duster?
And Nikky just rolls her eyes. "Dis guy is sad. Were he not a killer I would feel bad killing him," the skreek thinks.
"You are a very naughty girl who must be taught proper manners," Ugo says, and uses the duster on Nikky's nose!
Nikky promptly sneezes! Then bites onto the duster!
"Oh-ho, fiesty!" Ugo remarks, and yanks the duster away, only to throw it across the room. "You are so old compared to the ones I usually prefer, but we will see if you are adequate to the challenge." He then starts tickling her sides with his fingers, and actually makes coochy-coochy noises.
And Nikky just looks at him. "Yer a sicko," she remarks a bit dryly. "Now I see, you like children." It's so sad that she actually doesn't giggle from the tickling.
Ugo gasps! "You aren't ticklish?" he asks in disbelief. "All girls are supposed to be ticklish!"
"Entirely depends on de situation on if I be ticklish or no. And Ve all haf different spots," Nikky notes.
"A treasure hunt it is then!" the deranged bat declares, and tries different spots! Armpits, behind the knees, the ears.. anywhere that might get a reaction.
"Dimity was scary. Dis guy is just ... honestly he be sad," Nikky thinks to herself and sighs. She lets him explore for now, not yet ready to kill him. Behind the knees and well her feet come out as a little ticklish. A giggle or two. Maybe.
Ugo likewise seems disappointed. He turns back to the toy rack. "Hmm," he ponders, and selects a stoppered bottle. He uncorks it and takes a sniff, wrinkling his nose. He selects a small paintbrush next, before returning to the table.
"Oh joy, something dat stinks," Nikky thinks, nose wrinkling a little. She does have to wonder just what this is, though ... and her hands and feet flex and contract a bit in worry.
The brush is dipped in and withdrawn, bringing with it a scent that is a bit like vinegar. Then Ugolino begins to carefully paint the substance onto Nikky's nipples.. which feel like they're both burning and shriveling at the same time.
"Ey! Ow! Dat hurts!" Nikky cries out, arching her back up at the rather sizable discomfort that attacks her chest. Still, her time as Nicora and all that form endured allows her to endure it without totally freaking out.
"Ah, so you do feel something?" Ugo asks, a bit triumphantly. He does set aside the bottle.. only to lean in and bite Nikky's right nipple. Apparently he likes the seasoning!
Nikky's teeth grit tight! Good thought she had those pierced before and knows how that sort of pain feels. "Knock it off ya bastard!" the rat shouts, squirming. She starts flexing and relaxing her left hand too, just in case she has to strike soon. But ... she doesn't try to manifest her horrib stinger, not yet.
Ugo ignores the plea, and continues to kneed and suck at each breast until he's satisfied. "Mmmm, I suppose there is something to be said for more mature woman," he notes, and picks up the bottle again. "Now then.. what next? Your ears? Nose? Lips.. or maybe your eyes? Or you could act a bit more.. appreciative.. of my attention."
Nikky's eyes narrow. "Give me something t' be appreciative of," the skreek counters, fingers curling into fists.
"Oh? A little preview maybe?" Ugo asks. He stands up and back a way, and then unstraps his codpiece. The rumors of him being sensitive about things seem a bit unfounded, given that the man is hung like a Rhian. It seems impossible given his slight frame. "You might last longer. But only just a bit. Those other girls.. well, they always bled to death afterwards.. or during, sometimes. It is my curse to never be able to make love to the same woman twice, you see. Tragic, isn't it?"
"Eh, I be wit' bigger," Nikky counters and grins hugely. "Y'say it was a curse? From who?"
And of course, Nikky, the girl fond of big, relaxes her hands just a little.
"Well, a curse of my parentage perhaps," Ugo says, waving a hand in a bit of an effeminate gesture. "And you haven't even seen me aroused yet, so I will not think much of your boast." He then begins working the cranks and levers of the table, changing it's configuration a bit. Nikky's arms are swept back over her head, stretching her body a bit, while the knees are brought up and her legs spread further.
Nikky grunts, finding her body stretched upward and legs parted. "Well, this is undignified!" she has to think about this uncomfortable position, it reminds her of the ones at the medical spa so long ago. "Okay, I do kinna want t' see you excited now," the skreek admits, "I like big."
"Oh?" Ugo says once he's done repositioning the Skreek's limbs. He stands between her legs, and flops his murder-weapon across her lower belly. "Hmm. You seemed much more exciting during the hunt," he note, still un-aroused. He tries kneading Nikky's breasts some more, but it isn't quite doing it for him. "The others always begged and cried and were so, so afraid," he notes.
"I be around, I serve on pirate ships. Y' get used to some danger," Nikky coos at his ... and starts to turn up the lust aura again as she looks down at the goofy-looking Eeee between her legs and his rather oversized appendage. She even waggles her brow.
Ugo seems surprised to be responding. "My.. my.." he notes, fascinated by the progress it seems, given the way he stares at himself. And it gets big, nearly three times the original size! Where does he keep the extra blood? Or is he really cursed.. by Inala?
Nikky's eyes go wide. "Okay, now dat is impressive," Nikky has to admit in her own surprise. "Dat look like some sort of Inala blessin' go crazy or somethin'." Still, she's keeping up the aura and the tension in the room. She even flutters her eyes at him and kisses the air.
"Inala ... is this your doing?" Nikky also thinks, in case the Goddess can hear, or answer. Killing him might anger her.
Ugo thumps it against Nikky's stomach a few times, then backs up and takes the plunge! Now it's his turn to look surprised, as he meets no sudden blockage, or ultra-constrictive friction! His eyes go wide.
"My parents.. I was conceived in Inala's temple," Ugo admits. "But there was some argument over whether it was a miracle of Inala or not, so my parents refused to make the traditional offering and claimed the Kindly One had done nothing.."
And Nikky squeals! Only it is one of enjoyment; she can't help herself in what she likes! "Ooooooo," okay, dat is niiiice,/" she coos out. And the story then makes her twitch a bit. If she kills him, will that anger Inala? "/Inala? I have a duty to kill this one and he carries your blessing ... will I anger you?/" the rat thinks; that aspect /really/ makes her nervous.
As Ugo starts to pump, he says, "Clearly they angered the Goddess, who cursed me in retaliation.. ensuring I would never sire an heir.." He too is being taken by the bliss. He may never have had an actually pleasant session before.
"And so I twist her.. desires.. use them to torture and kill... oooo," the man goes, become more and more lost in it all.
And Nikky ... well, she arches her back and enjoys, even if the sheer size makes movement visible in her gut! "Dat may may be, yes," she has to agree as she gets a bit into it as well, right down to clenching and squeezing to make it all the more enjoyable for him. "You don' seem tortured righ now," she hisses.
"No.. I.. ungh!" Maybe there isn't extra blood, and the longer he does this the greater the chance of brain damage. "Never lasted this long.." he gasps. It's only been a few minutes.. but if he was using young girls before, they likely did die or became 'unusable' before too long. But now.. Now Ugo can really go all the way! The restraint table is groaning and shuddering from the two of them now.
And Nikky ... she plans to take him the entire way. Maybe that was the point, if he releases, he dies? Who knows? Still ... it feels really good. The skreek is moaning, giggling, and somehow cackling the entire time! "He almost as good as de Snake in Paradise!" she thinks; her current favorite playmate.
Ugo's thin chest is really laboring now as he tries to get full breathes. It's been almost fifteen minutes since they started, and he's looking a little.. asphyxiated? That probably helps the intensity of when he finally does release his Fountain of Life - which may be a bit more literal this time. He really looks drained, if euphoric. Another side-effect of a brain starved of oxygen. But there's no follow-up release, pressure-wise. The aura is still in effect! So Ugo just keeps going, driven by supernatural desire.
The fountain comes and the rat is shocked she doesn't explode! But ... another blessing of Inala, the ability to be everyone's perfect lover. Nikky's lefy hand clenches into a fist and she ... tries to find her stinger deep within that arm of hers (metaphorically speaking) and summon it forth; her own 'spear' growing in its excitement in this perverse moment. She also starts drawing back the aura, or trying to, in prep for killing the Lord.
The hand changes.. the fur receding and the skin turning green as the tattoo emerges. The barb starts to grow as well. But even with the aura withdrawn, Ugo isn't deflating. If anything, he's trying harder. Live by the sword, die by the sword may be very much true in this case, especially if it's part of Inala's curse.
Nikky pulls hard with her left hand, trying to yank it free from the binding. "Time to end this!" she thinks.
There a strain, then a snap as the cuff pulls loose. Ugo shudders again and rattles. Nikky can feel his pulse after all.. and it's starting to flutter.
And Nikky brings the barb up and plunges it into the side of the man's neck! "Curse or no, you are responsible for many deaths and I am here as your judgment," she hisses at the Eeee that is still impaling her.. Fingers flex and she starts feeling that forearm pulsage a bit as if poison glands were at work ... and into him she feeds some of the horrors of disease she collected from the hospices!
The man may be too far gone to really appreciate it all. His fur begins to fall out and his skin blister and rupture.. but still he is driven to drive into Nikky! Joints swell and crack with inflammation, making Ugo seem more like a deranged marionette than a person. The belts and straps slide down as he becomes emaciated, sometimes taking chunks of skin with them. His eyes go black and shrink into his skull, teeth fall out and clatter across the floor.. and finally, the 'root' of his connection to Nikky gives out and he falls to the floor in a heap, still twitching. He doesn't quite melt like Velkarno, but he seems to have aged a century or so. Black bile flows from desiccated lips and every other orifice. The one thing not effected is still inside Nikky. Undamaged, if detached, and either stuck in rigor mortis or perpetually pressurized.
"Ewwww," goes Nikky and she yanks her right arm free next. Before she can even hope to sit up ... she has to reach down. Soon she feels the squelchy fleshy end of what is still inside her and she starts to pull on it to see if she can get it out of her. "Okay, this because nasty. Talk about a mood killer," the thinks.
The item is still intact, unaffected by the cumulative curses of Gorphat. So it probably is a curse from Inala. One that will actually outlive its owner, it seems, since it isn't showing any signs of death or decay.
"Ugh, I will have to give this to Mave, I guess. It belongs to Inala after all. I don't want it," Nikky remarks, looking ill as she throws the heavy appendage to the side. She now has to work on unstrapping her feet and getting off this horrible table. The oddest thing too is she actuallt feels empty, she hasn't felt like that since Inala blessed her.
At least she's free to unbuckle her ankles now, although reaching them is awkward because of the positioning of her legs.
Nikky slips herself off the table ... then drops down to all fours. A new form is in order to bring some justice to this tower now. That form will be ... Scourge. The quad-standing skreek arches her back and closes her eyes, focusing inward to find the shadow ... then bring it out and relax the tension on this body and nudging it to a form that both disturbs her and excites her; the neuter dragon fungus, Scourge.
After such a robust session of mating.. it's odd to now feel nothing there. The dark creature seems out of place in the colorful, almost flowery chamber. But there hasn't been any interruption. Nobody has come to check on the Lord, or bring 'clean up' supplies. The notion of him being dead at the hands of his victim doesn't seem to part of their thought processes. But.. there was a guard outside the door.
Scourge splits its tail apart and scoops up what remains of the Lord that hasn't rotted; the Inala-blessed part. "I do not know if I will ever get used to Gorphat's neutering of me in this form. She even forces me to 'birth' out of my maw, like that monster worm when Nicora was pregnant," it thinks. The monster then lumbers his way over tot he door and knocks on it by using its head to summon the guard. When the guard appears ... Scourge will 'spore' the guard in a must of its breath, then take control of him through them.
The door opens, and the guard says, "What do you wish, my lord," automatically before even noticing the scene.
And Scourge draws back, inhales, and releases a burst of spores, engulfing the guard! Whether they smell bad or not ... Scourge has no idea.
The man doubles over choking, since this close the spores were very thick.. but it also meant he received a massive dose of them - enough that Scourge has a chance of controlling him.
And Scourge immediately focuses on the guard, its mind going 'fuzzy' as it tries to be both itself and become the guard as well; taking him through the millions of microscopic bits of itself it just buried the guard in.
It may be dangerous to have so many spores in one person, but that hardly seems an issue at the moment. The guard jerks about and looks ill, but eventually seems to heed the commands that are coming from inside his own head anyway, even if he does look and act a bit drunk.
"Take me to Dimity," Scourge commands the guard, "Without being seen. Or Jenk. Whichever is currently closer."
"Lady Abbas.." the man mutters, as if half-asleep, and lurches down the corridor towards the guest suites.
And Scourge lumbers along after him with the Lord's large 'bit' coiled up in its tail tentacles.
It's quite a hike, as nobody puts the suites that close together, for safety (or spying) reasons. At least the floor seems clear - servants don't loiter around waiting for orders, probably for fear of being spontaneously included into whatever games the Lord is playing at the moment. There is a guard outside Dimity's chambers however, who doesn't appear alarmed.. but also isn't really looking down the hall. His ear is clearly pressed to the door.
Scourge draws in anther bread to spore the next guard. Mostly just to put it in a stupor, so he won't cause any problems with Scourge enters the chamber.
The cloud envelopes the man's head before he fully realizes he has company, and it is much easier to put someone to sleep with them than try to control them.
"Yes, both of you now go to sleep, I must tend to your guest," Scourge hisses to the two guards. If they do as ordered ... now it will try to listen at the door for a moment.
As the guards slump down to nap, Scourge may lament the lack of Eeee-level hearing. But other senses make the door essentially transparent. There are two people beyond it, one of them in pain and the other.. excited. The snap of a whip can be heard every so often through the door itself.
"Ah, she is still playing with Jenk. Good. I have plans for both," Scourge thinks. Now ... given Gorphat's love of challenge, Scourge has no working hands ... so it mist open its toothless maw and use its tongue to operate the door. Once the latch releases ... in quickly, then use its bulk to close the door hard following it.
The inside of the chamber is dimly lit by only a few candles. That is enough for Dimity's purposes though. Jank is standing against a wall, holding.. a melon.. against his crotch. He's bleeding, which Scourge can mostly tell from his distress more than any other cues, and Dimity is trying to slice the melon with her whip. She doesn't always hit it, apparently, and who knows what will happen once it's all whipped away. "What is it?" Dimity asks without even looking towards the door. "I'm busy."
"I'm here to finish the play you decided to deny the rat. Bad choice on your part, really," Scourge hisses out in its odd hollow voice. Its maw then opens and its many-pronged tongue shoots out to try and whip Dimity's lets out from under her! "Now you both play on my terms..." It is also pushing the draconic aura hard in this room, trying to intimidate, to halt flailing or attempts to flee.
Dimity goes down at the unexpected blow! "What? Who dares.." she cries out, but indignity gives way to fear the aura pins her. It doesn't do much to Jank, who was pretty much already in that situation, and may even be a little relieved now. Anything to make the torture stop is fine by him.
"Now, the male first," Scourge states with authority as it positions itself before the door so that neither can possibly leave. Its head snakes from side to side as it looks at the male. "Two choices for you. Horrible death through disease, or facing that which you forced on others. Choose," it tells the naked bat.
"Won't you let me kill her first at least?" Jank asks. He sounds broken though. "Which is faster? I just want this to end.."
"She will face judgment as well," Scourge orders with finality, "Your life as it stands ends, either way. Approach me."
"What life?" the guard asks, and crawls towards death without much hesitation.
"The one you squandered on brutalizing others, mostly young women. Since you have cost this world many, you will replace one of them," Scourge declares. Its tail flicks, flinging the appendage it brought with it to the side. The tail whips around then splits and wraps about the man tightly. Oily darkness begins its spread across his battered and broken body. "Perhaps in your new one you will choose another way," it intones as the final bits of the oily shadow engulfs his face and ears. And that is when the transformation begins, and this is one Scourge puts a lot of energy and a fair amount of time into so that it will last a very long time if possible. And the choice is ... a doe. Scourge has kenned a few and uses one of the many patterns to shape the broken Eeee into a petite lapi girl. The former guard will now have to live with the concerns of being attacked, raped, and all the other horrible things that he perpetrated on them over his life. Perhaps he will learn a new appreciation
for others. Perhaps not. Either way it is his punishment.
When the transformation is done, the new doe blinks and looks herself over. "Who am I now?" she asks. "I don't have to be Jank!" she seems genuinely happy about it.
"That choice is yours to make. Your life will not be easy or safe; there will be many challenges," Scourge points out as its attention turns to Dimity, "But make a better one of it than the last. As for this one ... I have a debt to settle with the Abbas family and their choice to follow their undead relative," it says as it approaches the paralyzed Eeee. "How many lives have you destroyed?" it asks of her.
The newly minted doe hugs Scourge around the neck before hurrying towards the door and peeking out at the dozing guards. "Sorry boys, but I'm finally out of this hell-hole!" she says to them. "I don't care if I end up in another hell, but at least it'll be one I chose!" And then she's gone.
"What are you talking about?" Dimity manages to ask. "I've not destroyed any life that was worth anything."
Scourge actually ... feels some pity for her. It is glad that it didn't just kill her outright. "Now you. Tell me what the undead Abrenego plans," Scourge hisses at her, its noseless muzzle pressing up against her nose. "And all life has value. All life has potential."
"Abednego.. he doesn't talk to me," Dimity claims, or rather pleads. "I'm not in charge of anything! I'm just the price-bride of the clan.."
"Explain," Scourge demands.
"And are you the one Greyron worked for?" it inquires next.
"Who is Geryon?" the woman asks, confused and frightened. "I'm.. the clan virgin. To be sold into marriage to seal a contract or exchange of property with another Lord.."
"You were to marry the Lord that I just turned into ... goo and ... that?" Scourge asks, tilting its head, then gesturing to the severed body part on the floor.
"What? No! Not Ugo!" Dimity claims. "I just have to.. mingle.. with everyone. Just in case."
"And torture and mutilate people? By all rights I should sage Ugo's fate with you," Scourge remarks coldly, "Or have you make love to what remains of him in punishment."
"I was frustrated!" Dimity cries in excuse. "I'm just property so I did what I could to make myself feel better!"
"And that makes it right?" Scourge asks next. It is still nose to nose with her.
"What is right?" Dimity asks, shaking now. "If it was wrong, why didn't anyone stop me?"
"Fear. Indifference. Laziness," Scourge suggests. "It is always easier to look the other way than to stop something that is wrong. You spoke of using groks to remove body parts of people. Am I to ignore that and spare you?"
"What makes you different from me?" Dimity manages to ask, pushing a bit of defiance through the oppressive aura. "What do you want me to say? That I should accept my fate like that worm Jank? That I be pathetic, and unworthy.. just like the ones I mutilated? Is that what you want?"
"I sacrificed myself to focus on making the world better," Scourge remarks without showing even a hit of concern at her defiance. "Look at me, I am little more than an animal, I allowed myself to be made into this so that I could destroy those that follow Amena. In the end I will likely die and I will never see my children, or the woman who would have been my wife. Now that you know what I am, what are you? Why do you see yourself as better than others? Than that guard, or that skreek?"
"Because I'm part of the ruling class," Dimity says. "Even if I don't get to rule. I have more power than them. The power to.. do.. what I.." she starts to falter there. "I'm just a slave like everyone else. I just get to do things that make me think I'm not."
"And what would you do, if you had the choice?" Scourge inquires next. "Tell me why you deserve to live."
"You said all life has value," Dimity says. "So.. I must too, right? But what.. I don't have choices. Are you going to change me into someone else? I won't survive long. Without my privilege, what am I?"
"I intended to kill you. Horribly and slowly," Scourge says, "For all the pain you have caused others. But, now I do not know. I could change you, yes. Without your privilege you are like everyone else and have to make your own future. You could choose, for instance, to become Yodhgorphat. Or you could choose to help others. Or travel. Or work."
Dimity.. sneers. "No.. I don't want to start over, remembering who I was. That is too cruel, too.. unbearable. If you can kill who I am but let me live.. that I could handle. I could not do it with my own ghost haunting me. My memories are of no use to anyone anyway."
"Mm," Scourge thinks. Its jaws open wide and he buries her in a cloud of spores too! She will sleep and it can carry her back to the temple of Gorphat to work on her. Then ... just take her to the hospice as if a lost sole to start over.
Lost soul, dimwit.
That leaves.. well, Geryon perhaps? There is another family member set to take Ugolino's place after all.
Scourge ties up the prone woman with her own whip. As for Geryon ... he would be hard to find, except he would come to kill Nikky later. So, the dragon thing scoops up the cursed Inala bit and heads ... right back to the chamber where Ugo was killed. He'll show up there sooner or later to 'reward' Nikky after all. Then he'll just come claim this one, release the other prisoners, then leave.
It isn't long of a wait. There isn't even a knock, as the door is opened and Geryon peeks in.
And Scourge is waiting beside the door. It uses its tail to try to grab Geryon and yank him the rest of the way in!
"Oof!" the man says as he's whipped into the room.
Scourge closes the door and sits on the man. "Looking for the rat? Preparing to kill her?" it asks of the prone man.
"That depends," Geryon says, and notes the remains of Ugolino. "Did she kill Ugolino as planned?"
"Only thing left is his bit," Scourge notes and dangles it in front of Geryon's nose. "So, yes."
"And you.. I've heard of you," Geryon says. "Although I assumed you were aligned with Rephath. Still.. you are the rat's protector?"
"I am the city's protector," Scourge notes simply. "The rat is but one of many."
"Well.. my agreement was with her," Geryon says, still keeping remarkable calm. "I see that she has kept her end. Now, what business do we have?"
"That entirely depends on who you serve. Keep up the attitude with me and you will share the pile's fate," Scourge says flatly.
"I serve the interests of the House of Antenora," Geryon claims. "The interests, not the leader. The next in line is Gorson. He is young, not seen as a threat by the others yet. I'm sure seeing Ugolino like this will make an impression on him. Positive, I would hope."
"I could simply eliminate the entire family," Scourge says, "I could make this entire tower have such a plague no one would ever come to it again. I will make this plain and simple, the hunts stop. Brutalization of the public stops. There will be no enslavements. Do you understand me?"
"Or what I will next time will make what happened to Ugolino be something to hope for instead of the horror I think of," Scourge continues. "And you will be the first person I come to. I can find you anywhere and any time."
"That would have ended with Ugolino anyway," Geryon claims. "Why do you think I wanted him out of the way? He would not have brought us into the future. Where would you like the captives delivered?"
"To any of the hospices that have been opened. The crippled skreek, Otto ... he should be delivered to the hospice closest to the Temple of Gorphat. He can be tended to best there, Do not betray me," Scourge says as it lets Geryon up. "As for the skreek, what would you have done with her?" it inquires.
"The deal was her freedom, so that is what is to be done with her," Geryon says as he stands and brushes himself off. He takes another look at the remains of his former lord, and says, "Although she is welcome to anything she can carry off from Ugolino's belongings. I hope that I will not need her services again. It has taken years to weed out the worst heirs here. I have high hopes for Gorson. His parents wisely sent him abroad for his education."
"Now, are you being honest with me? That is the question I must answer," Scourge says darkly as its eyes narrow. Only one thing that might work the Scales of Repath. "Will you pass judgement?" it asks as it tries to bring them forth to probe at the truth of what this man is claiming.
It's different from when the Wraith did it. Rephath doesn't appear and hold the scales over the man's head. It's more that Scourge's sussing takes on a new dimension. Geryon believes he is serving his House, and doing his duty to protect it. There's no remorse for Ugolino, certainly - but it seems Geryon didn't really consider him part of the House. The House is all, more than just the clan or the ruling family. Our reputation can only be restored through change and embracing the new era. I just have to make sure the right person is in charge when the time is right.
"Mmmm, Scourge says and glowers at Geryon, lips drawing back into a snarl as the room feels heavier. "I have judged you," it says, "And your fate is set."
The man stands to attention. "Is there anything I need to do before I meet it?" he asks. "I have duties to perform, after all."
"Make the new era honorable," Scourge notes as the weight evaporates from the room. "Not one that serves fetishes or creatures such as Amena and her puppet, the General, or her puppet, the undead Abrenego. If any of those come to be I will come for you and your entire House."
"So the rumors about Abednego are true then?" Geryon asks. "Well, Gorson will have little reason to deal with the Abbas family. I will make sure of that. He is a very bright lad, and not easily taken in by temptation."
"/They are true. A storm is coming that I must face and eliminate," the dragon-thing explains while its split-tail collects of the only solid bit of remains from Ugolino. "/I have other matters to attend to now,/" it says, "/With fortune, we will not meet again./"
"I have a feeling we will," Geryon says. "It is important to serve the City, after all. You may have need of us."
Scourge waves its farewell with the severed bit clasp in its tail as it slinks back out the door. It hopes this isn't a mistake, but it must collect the sleeping Dimity and take her back to the temple now. There she will stay until she can be clensed.
Perhaps the lack of guards on the floor isn't normal after all, but simply part of Geryon's preparations. Likewise, there is a distinct absence of people along the route Jank brought Nikky by, leading to one of the outside landing platforms.
A naked doe sits on the platform. "Can I get a ride too?" she asks, seeing Scourge with the sleeping Dimity in its grasp.
"I hope I can trust this Geryon. I suppose it is I that must have faith they wish for a better city too," Scourge thinks as it slinks along. "I suppose if you wish. This one I have plans for. You I can take you to the streets," it says.
"The maze?" ex-Jank asks. "That should be good enough.."
"A hospice for now, near the Temple of Gorphat," Scourge notes as it crouches down. "Climb on."
The doe climbs up and hangs on (although carefully avoids grabbing any of Scourge's fringe tentacles). "Thank you," the doe says. "I never thought I'd get to say that so much!"
"I think the whipping made her crazy," Scourge thinks as it slips off the edge of the platform and takes to the air! The route is an easy one it knows well, and a place it feels as its home. The temple of its Mother. Granted it must drop off the doe at the hospice outside first, but that is simple enough.
The sanctuary town is still busy, day and night. There are fewer tents and more shacks now, it seems.
A pair of sacred drones meet Scourge in the air, to provide escort.
Scourge chitters at the drones in a happy greeting. It drops and glides low, then lands and lets the doe slide off its back. "Another that needs clothing and basic food. She may be able to help as well. Will someone see to her?" it calls out to the workers in the Hospice. The Eeee in its tail grip (and with the phallus), that it keeps a hold of.
There's some commotion, but the glowing symbol on Scourge's head eases suspicion. There are a lot more people in the Temple now. Someone comes forth and helps the doe down. "Come with me," she says, and leads her away.
Fon and Sil show up next. "How may we be of service?" Fon asks, and bows.
Scourge dips its head, then marches up towards the Temple. "I need this Eeee taken to a chamber and placed there to rest," it notes as it extends its tail so the pair can take her if they wish. "I will tend to her later."
"Of course," Fon says, taking the sleeping Dimity. Sil follows Scourge, watching the drones. "Is it you, my lady?" she whispers.
"Perhaps. Why do you ask?" Scourge inquires as it walks along, heading towards the section where the High Priestess chambers are.
"The drones only act this way around the High Priestess," Sil says.
"I serve Mother in all ways. Is something amiss?" Scourge inquires as she enters into the chambers of the high priestess and drops off the phallus in the corner. "That will be taken to the Temple of Inala later."
"It's very impressive," Sil admits. "Nothing is amiss, my lady. Is there anything you require or would have us know?"
"Not at the moment. Can you give me some privacy so that I may return to normal?" Scourge inquires of Sil.
"Of course," Sil says, and bows before leaving the chamber.
Scourge bobs its head and stands on all fours in the middle of the room. It focuses on the shadow and falls back into its inky embrace. Shapes take form in its mind, the feel of cool air on barren skin, the tightness of scars upon its scalp, to even the constant ache in non-existent loins. When the shadow withdraws, Nicora's eyes open; feeling the soft weight of for breasts swaying lightly from where she now is on all fours on the floor, and the tickle of the breeze over the four more teats below those, and yes, the ache that accompanies her swollen and blessed nethers She sits upright and runs her hands over her waxy and smooth skin as well. "Ah, there, that is better. I feel normal again," the Yodhgorphat says to her room.
"What a wonderful thing to hear," Gorphat notes from where she sits in the High Priestess's chair. "Although it does imply you do not yet feel comfortable in Scourge.."
Nicora crawls over and sits at Gorphat's feet. She lays her head in Gorphat's lap and lightly hugs one of the Goddess's legs. "I prefer to be in your image with all of you blessings tingling and bobbing," she admits, "I am most comfortable as your Daughter. Scourge is ... a challenge that I will improve at."
Gorphat pets Nicora's bald, scarred head. "And you have brought me something this time. A new acolyte to serve under you? A high-born virgin at that! Uncorrupted by Inala.."
"Once I treat her as Scourge to erase her past she may indeed make a good acolyte and new Daughter for you," Nicora agrees, "And yes, uncorrupted by Inala. I know in that I have failed and thus why you have made my nethers inflamed and in constant ache."
"Only to counter Inala's tampering," Gorphat claims. "It is no fault of your own. There is an affliction of the brain. It causes swelling, fever.. but if overcome, the memory may be lost, but not the skills."
"I must admit to you mother that though the ache is trying and difficult I have come to adore it as it is yet another mark you have placed upon me. Even if Inala released me I would ask of you to leave your blessings. I wish your touch and marks upon me," Nicora claims as she lovingly strokes along Gorphat's leg. "As for this disease you speak of, is it here and covered in the books? I can afflict her with it."
"It is derived from the worms," Gorphat says. "Take one and set it in a bowl until it dries out. Grind it with a mortar until it is a fine powder. Blow it into the girl's face, so that she breathes it in. This will induce a coma, and her mind will be malleable as she relives her life as if a nightmare. It when they are recalled that memories can be altered, suppressed or changed. Scourge can easily do this during the fever time."
"From the worms I regularly bathe in? They have not harmed me," Nicora notes as she now nuzzles Gorphat's thigh affectionately. "I will do as you instruct with them and then as Scourge clear her to innocence. Then perhaps she will willingly choose a life of serving you as I have. Though I do fear being replaced."
"I know that you will leave me someday, as Phlagaea did," Gorphat says. "But before then, you will rebuild my Yodh. More are needed, now more than ever as our influence expands."
"I will always return to you Mother, even though I may be gone for long periods," Nicora claims. "I cherish what I have become, what you have shaped me into. Every scar, deformation, and swelling."
"And the sacred horrib children I have born for you as well," she adds.
"You please my ears," Gorphat says. "Turn the girl into one of us. Prove that service to Me is a rewarding choice."
"Of course, Mother, such is my duty," Nicora says as she looks up. "Serving you is rewarding. Bearing your blessings and becoming stronger is worth it. Though when you had made me blind, deaf, and barely able to speak I found comfort in knowing I was yours. Even when I could not walk because of the queen horrib within me was near birth I found strength in being your daughter. All I have been through for you has been worth it. I will endure and learn from any and every blessing and curse you bestow upon me. In time, so will she."
"She may not be strong enough," Gorphat says. "Besides.. only you are worthy of those blessings and curses. Only you may be my symbol. Others will serve you, and their afflictions will be lesser ones."
"I beg that you will continue to give me new afflictions now and then so that I may grow steadily and stronger in service to you," Nicora requests, "I wish to be your ultimate symbol of a dedicated Daughter."
"You are much more than that," Gorphat says. "You are a symbol of strength. Strength to change things. That is what they all see when they look at you. That you serve me brings me glory.. I do not bring it to you. They come because of you."
The Yodhgorphat actually looks embarrassed and is flushing bright green at that. "You are worth serving utterly," she murmurs. "I also must apologize for bringing that Inala-cursed flesh in here. I will be taking it to her Temple soon to dispose of it," Nicora promises.
"I am impressed by my Sister's curse," Gorphat admits. "It was.. clever. But yes, I would rather it be returned to Her domain."
"As would I. It is ... disturbing. Nothing of that size could be useful to me," Nicora notes and shivers. "I will be glad when it is gone."
"It would make an interesting rolling pin, but we don't do much baking here," Gorphat admits. "Say hello to my Sister when you return it."
"I will do so and try to not let her seduce me further," Nicora promises.
"Better Inala seduces you than Blakat," Gorphat notes, patting Nicora some more.
Nicora actually chuckles softly at that. "That is not something Blakat does that I know of. She just takes things," the furless Eeee points out. "And I have to negotiate with her daughters to use the foot of her mountain as another hospice."
"Hmm, unfortunate," Gorphat says. "I rather liked getting all of the attention. But I suppose it is necessary. Be sure to get rid of the cursed phallus as well, either there or taking it to Inala's temple first."
"Do you think they would want it?" Nicora has to ask as she eyes where the gross thing still lays. "And I am sorry, but there is no more space here for people, new places must be found that would be generally safe."
"I do not collect trophies," Gorphat points out. "Blakat does.. and Inala is covetous of what she feels is hers."
"Mm, best to return it to Inala's temple then. I will have to take something to the temple of Blakat as well. Some cheap jewels, perhaps," the Yodhgorphat muses.
"I'm sure Inala can supply suitable baubles," Gorphat sniffs. "Let her play a part."
Nicora chuckles. "True enough, I am sure she can. But, she may want something in return," the ugly Eeee points out.
Gorphat waves her hand, which drips a bit. "She is greedy, but I am feeling generous. I will take pity on my poorer Sister and allow you to do something for her."
"And you will not later punish me?" Nicora asks, bare brow arched curiously from where she is still hugging on Gorphat's leg. Nuzzling it now and then too, in spite of the smell.
"I retain the right to should I feel it warranted," Gorphat claims. "Whether for service to Inala or to Blakat."
Nicora rubs her still swollen bits from her other blessings. "I ... see. Well, I hope I do nothing to warrant that," she admits, then kisses the Goddess' leg. "Is there anything more you wish of me before I tend to these tasks?"
"Not at the moment," Gorphat says. "I will try to think of something suitable though, to make up for dealing with Inala and Blakat."
Nicora kisses Gorphat's thigh, then pushes herself back to her feet. "Then I will go tend to it," she says as she goes to collect the 'trophy'. Of course she also grabs an old blanket to wrap it in too. It is rather gross.
By the time Nicora is done putting on her bandages, Gorphat's presence has faded. Everyone bows and greets her as she exits the Temple to make the flight to Mt. Inala. Then it's a familiar trip down into the bunker to seek out Mave.
"Must you look like that when you visit?" the Yodhinala asks, giving Nicora a critical looking over.
"I'm sure she'll just love to see me like this. But I do have a present for her," Nicora thinks as she comes into the chamber, carrying the object under her arm, "Hah, I was right." She holds out the bandaged dangly bit to Mave and remarks, "Official business. This is what is left of one of Inala's curses. I am returning it to her."
Mave raises an eyebrow and takes the bundle. "Ah.. one of my mother's curses," she notes. "I think I remember the family. It really does not pay to insult the Goddess of Fertility. I think I can use this.. with a few extra ingredients. What else have you been up to?"
"Use it for what?" Nicora inquires, brow arched. "I have mostly been dealing with questionable families. Two have been dealt with, there are likely more. I also have to venture to the Temple of Blakat and negotiate a deal to allow refugees to build a hospice there. Which brings up another point ... I need something for them to steal. So, since I brought you that, I need something from the store rooms the Yodhblakat would want."
"So the upper treasures they stole are not enough now?" Mave asks, and then smiles. "Very well, but I'll need a small favor in return, since you're going to the Temple of Blakat."
Nicora rubs her forehead. "It will depend on the favor," she notes. "Ask it. I have learned that favors never seem to go well for me."
"The Barinala will be there," Mave notes. "I just need you to collect their energies for me, in your Yodhinala form. There, within Blakat's Temple."
"So I have to change into basically you and seduce them all?" Nicora asks, "That is ... dangerous. I was worried you were going to ask me to make love to that thing I brought you."
"I assumed you already had," Mave notes. "How else would it have gotten to such a state?"
"Not in this form I haven't! I am not sure I could," Nicora admits.
"Why would I care about what you do in that form?" Mave asks, sniffing a bit. "It is not an Inala-approved one, after all." She sets the souvenir on a table and heads back into the wardrobe stacks. When she returns, she's holding a very fancy looking belt, made of multiple Zolk ropes and shiny clasps and buckles. "This should be sufficient for what passes for the Yodhblakat nowadays."
Nicora takes the belt and wraps it around her waist. It takes a bit of fiddling to figure out where all the clasps go and fit, it looks like it probably should have matching stockings, frankly. "There, they can steal it from me and be satisfied," she remarks. The Yodhgorphat then actually hugs Mave and kisses her on the cheek, probably just to be annoying. "Thank you."
Mave predictably rubs her cheek. "I think.. that I shall take a bath," she announces. "I'll also make sure that Tulani does not find the phallus. I would not want her thinking less of Pierce and Alptraum, after all.."
Nicora takes hold of Mave again and kisses her on the lips for that comment. "Anything else you want to add?" she asks sweetly.
Pursing her lips, Mave shakes her head. "Just remember to bring the collected energy to me, please."
"I could stay a while and we could enjoy each other," Nicora offers and flutters her eyelash-less eyelids.
"I expect we will be doing that quite well when you return," Mave claims, batting her real eyelashes back at Nicora. "But not as a Yodhgorphat. Inala and Gorphat do not have that sort of relationship."
"But we could. Aren't you curious to explore this body and what it can offer?" Nicora asks honestly. "You might enjoy it."
"Gorphat is not the seductive one, remember," Mave points out.. and wags a finger at Nicora. "You're acting like Inala now."
Nicora crosses her arms and goes hmph. "I am just trying to change things. But I suppose you would be afraid I am better than you," the Yodhgorphat notes and waves a hand. "I shall see you later with the energy you have requested. Perhaps I will ken one of them as well." She turns and heads back towards the exit stairwell
"Good idea!" Mave calls behind her. The flight to Mt. Blakat is a bit longer, and darkness has begun to fall once she arrives.
"Who goes there!" a familiar, nasty voice calls out from the battlements.
"Yodhgorphat Scourge," Nicora calls back, "I have come with a proposition to discuss with your High Priestess."
"Ugh, that means you'll want to come inside doesn't it?" the guard says with a bit of disgust. "Stay there!" she demands, before vanishing.
"Of course I want to come in. Do not fret, I am no longer infected," Nicora calls back and smirks.
There a lot of clanking and swearing before the main door begins to open.. only just enough for someone to squeeze through though. An angry face looks out from it, but mellows slightly at the sight of the fancy belt. "Well.. come in then if you're going to. Door closes in ten seconds!"
"Ah, at least they like what they see they can steal. That is something I suppose," Nicora thinks as she hurries forward. Being furless means she's thinner than normal, so hopefully squeezing through shouldn't be an issue.
The Yodhblakat 'helps' Nicora along by yanking on the belt to drag her through. And she keeps tugging on it even after Nicora is inside.
Nicora struggles back by trying to hold onto the belt! She knows she shouldn't make it seem too easy or it might be considered insulting. It has to seem like theft, after all! "Thank you for allowing me in," she says while she tugs.
Thanking the Yodhblakat just makes her growl. Another good yank and the belt comes free! The big Eeee woman grins, and then gets clouted on the back of her head by Rizalka, who takes the belt from her. "Ah.. you. What do you want? I thought the Yodhgorphat were decent enough on their own when it comes to destroying things, so it can't be that."
"I came to ask for use of the land at the base of your mountain," Nicora notes as she rubs her minor rope burns from the tugging. "The main hospice is overflowing and another safe location is required for those with no other place to go. And I do mean safe. Are you willing to consider it? Blakat's mountain is suitable."
Rizalka's expression is blank, as if she is unable to process this. "You... want us.. to provide land for.. for.. charity?" she finally asks.
"Basically, yes," Nicora says as well as nods. "It is of no value to you as it is and it would bring honor to Blakat to have more people here."
"And I can negotiate for things Blakat may desire if that is also required," Nicora notes, "Anything within my power, anyway."
"Honor?" Rizalka asks in surprise. "Anything? Well.. I must.. uh.. consult with the goddess," the de-facto High Priestess says, and grabs Nicora's arm to bring her deeper into the Temple-fortress, to the Altar.
"And I have to as well?" Nicora asks. Visiting this particular Goddess always has random results.
"That is up to Her," Rizalka says, looking unhappy. The reach the altar, and with a sigh, the Yodhblakat sits on the end of it. She takes a cudgel from her belt.. and smacks herself right in the middle of her forehead. She then falls flat on her back, clearly knocked out.
And ... that sends Nicora into giggles! She even ends up bent over with her hands on her knees while laughing. "You know, this might be a good time to collect from the Barinala," she thinks as she looks down at the prone Eeee.
Blakat appears, and leans over the unconscious Eeee. She even snaps her fingers in front of Rizalka's nose and makes weird faces at her. "Hah, I'm always surprised that she goes through with that!" she tells Nicora.
Nicora stands upright fast and tries to look respectable. "She does this often?" the Yodhgorphat inquires. "I came to ask for a ... favor. We wish to lose the land at the base of your Mountain to build another safe Hospice. More people coming near would do well to bring you new energy and faith..."
Blakat sidles over next to Nicora and puts an arm around her shoulder. "Hmmm. Mmmm. a /favor. Hmmm. Yes. That would definitely be a /favor/.." the goddess goes on. "And.. you'll do me a /favor/ in return, yesssssss?"
Nicora's ears start twitching in nervousness. "If such is required and within my power to do I will attempt it," the Yodhgorphat claims noncommittally.
"Ah!" Blakat says, and swings Nicora around, grabs her hand and extends that arm out, puts her other around the Yodhgorphat's waist.. and does the Tango, ending in a deep dip. "You've really gone all out for Gorphat. If I'm to be host to another of your little missions.. well, I would like a bit of representation too!"
Nicora goes eek as she is spun and danced around, then finding herself in a deep dip and looking right up at Blakat. Poor Nicora's eyes are wide too. "Ah, what sort of representation are you looking for?" the Yodhgorphat squeaks a bit, ears quivering.
"Why, nothing you haven't already done for Gorphat," Blakat says. "Or Inala!" She spins Nicora around to face the unconscious Rizalka. "You can use her as a model! Create a Yodhblakat form, just for me!"
"Oh! You just want me to create a body clone?" Nicora asks, "That I can do!" Boy, does Nicora feel relieved. "Shall I do it now?"
"Of, for a start, certainly," Blakat says. "And it's probably best to do it while Rizalka is napping.."
Nicora tries to extract herself from Blakat's gasp so that she can go over and kneel beside the unconscious Yodhblakat. She places her hands upon the prone Eeee and closes her eyes. This part she likes anyway; she lets the shadow flow out of her and around ... then into Rizalka. This makes Nicora quiver and coo in pleasure from all the lovely sensations of exploring someone so intimately! It even makes her already swollen bits tingle even more from the excitement.
Rizalka is.. unsurprisingly.. riddled with healed injuries. There are bone scars from edged weapons, blunt trauma effects and more. It's a wonder the woman can move. She's also built a bit like a man (and tastes a bit of excess testosterone as well). But she never stirs or moves throughout the kenning process.
Nicora finally draws the shadow back and shivers. "There, I have the pattern. I could look like her now if i wish it," she murmurs to the room.
Blakat is grinning like the Cheshire Bat. "Yes! I want you do that now," she says. "Oh.. you can remove your bandages first if you want.. but it would be more entertaining to see you burst through them when you get bigger!"
"I need them to get home," Nicora notes as she goes about unwrapping herself from the bandages. She doesn't bother with folding them, Yodhgorphat are not exactly known for being neat. She remains kneeled and pushes the shadow back out, engulfing herself into the void now. Once there it is just overlaying the new image of Rizalka on top of herself, then pushing it outward, like shedding an old skin for a new one.
The first time for a form is always the hardest. But Nicora has plenty of practice at least. It takes time, and leaves her a bit spent once it's completed. There are a few differences, of course. The new Eeee is burly like Rizalka, but darker furred, silver-eyed and with pale hair.
Blakat claps her hands like a child and does a little dance. "Ah, yes, yes, yes! Just so! And now for the next part, yes?"
The newly 'born' Yodhblakat falls forward and rests on her hands and knees for a moment, just breathing. "Next part? There is more?" she asks as she turns her head to look up at Blakat. She also ends up scratching a bit at the more wooly body-fur too. She isn't used to be furred anymore, honestly.
"Of course there is more!" Blakat says, throwing her arms up. "I want to be honored like Gorphat! You have to do the same thing for me that you did for her! Come along now," she commands, and starts heading out of the chamber without looking to see if Nicora (Nikat? Blakora?) is getting up to follow.
Nikat pushes herself to her feet and shakes her head slowly. "This is not going to end well, I can tell," as she lumbers off after Blakat. She also then discovers this body has a slight limp due to a stiff ankle from being broken a few too many times.
That makes it harder, since Blakat keeps to a quick pace as she leads Nikat deeper into the Temple.. and thus into older areas. Eventually she stops and waits in a strangely familiar looking chamber. It's got pillars, and a big square sunken bath, currently empty. But if were filled with slime and glowing worms, it'd be just like the Temple of Gorphat.
"I see ... an empty tub," Nikat says with hints of one who seems to think every possible nightmare in existence is about to devour her. "So ... Mother," Nikat says as she eyes the unpredictable Goddess ... "What is my role in your ... service?"
"Here," Blakat says, and points to a wooden box beneath a stone bench. "Open that up! It's a surprise!"
"I don't think anyone likes surprises from Blakat," Nikat thinks rather grimly. Still, she is here and she has to someone negotiate this land use agreement. So, like one walking to the gallows the burly woman goes over to the bench. She settles down on it and pulls the box out from under it. With a deep breath ... she opens the box slowly.
Inside the box, on a bed of crushed purple velvet.. is a golden phallus. It's not huge or studded with gems or anything - it looks less sculpted and more 'cast from a mold'. It's also hollow, the gold shell being rather thin, as if it were meant to go over the real thing.
"Oookay, that is ... it looks like something from Inala's temple," Nikat admits as she reaches down into the box and lifts the shell out for further inspection. "What is it for?"
"Hah!" Blakat says. "It is from sissy's Temple! One wealthy woman was so enamored of a certain Barinala that she had this made from a life-cast so that her husband could wear it! He didn't think the idea was that great though, so it stayed in the Temple.."
"Okay ... so what am I do do with it?" Nikat asks as she looks up and arches her scarred eyebrows. "It is well shaped at least. I see why she liked him."
Blakat comes up next to Nikat, and reaches down to cup her nethers. "Gorphat makes you always aroused, doesn't she?" the goddess whispers. "I can't really do that. I can make you more aggressive. Which can also be arousing. I want you to pleasure yourself with the phallus, here in my bath.. and get it all the way up in there."
"Gorphat makes Nicora always aroused," Nikat corrects arching up from the sudden contact, "It is a curse. As for pleasuring myself with this, I can do that. But ... what do you mean by all the way up in there?" The new Yodhblakat's eyes narrow just a little, suspecting something.
"Alll the way!" Blakat repeats, and indicates just much of the phallus should remain exposed. It isn't much! "Once you get started.. well, a Yodhblakat gets aggressive. You'll want it all, believe me.." she grins.
Nikat eyes Blakat suspiciously, but she does get up from the bench now and makes her way down into the empty tub before her. There she kneels down, and finds herself grateful for heavily calloused knees as it doesn't bother them at all to kneel on a stone floor. The phallus is set aside as the Yodhblakat positions herself with legs spread just so. Once in that position ... well, she just starts with her fingers to get things 'started'. She is also not surprised that she quickly finds out this body is scarred up a bit down there too; the Yodhblakat has actual splits in parts of her gate.
This is likely testament to the whole 'like it rough' image. And also while a smooth, golden toy would be prized - nothing abrasive! Once the pilot light is going though, things tend to heat up fast. Nikat wants to dominate something.. even if it's just herself at that point. Blakat lies on the floor above, her chin rested on intertwined fingers as she watches.
Nikat finds herself ... growling. Wanting something was quite right ... and what is at hand is that golden tool the Yodhblakat stole. She picks that u p and unceremoniously plunges it up into her body, hard. Of course this hurts some, which juts drives those aggressive feeling all the more. Her scarred up face contorts into a strange mix of pleasure and anger as she starts to use that toy in earnest. She really pushes on it hard, trying to make it go deeper each time, along with violent grinding and twisting about inside her. It's like a fight and the harder it gets, the harder she wants it!
It's a good thing it's hollow, because otherwise it might be a bit too heavy. But it also means it can warm up faster. And it is big enough to get past the cervix, even on a plus-sized Yodhblakat!
Nikat's lips draw back in a snarl as she works it past the cervix ring; probably because it really hurts to do that, as she pushes deep. Her eyes are narrow, her breathing raspy and growls; it is more like someone in the heat of battle than the heat of bed with how she looks! But, she's really doing a number impaling herself on it; wearing a Yodhblakat's body means picking up their proclivities.
There's also some.. stickiness? Do the Yodhblakat sweat glue? No, it's.. webbing. Greve is dancing around the edges of the bath now, squirting out webbing that's mostly covered Nikat's legs now.
And Nikat doesn't seem to care at the moment. She's just too into it and the feeling of restraint is like being grabbed in battle! So this makes her ... well, it's pushing her nicely over that violent edge of thrashing pleasure. The tool? It's deep to the point it basically isn't visible anymore outside of that it keeps her sort of open-looking. Her head arches back and she howls at the ceiling; a battle cry!
Greve pounces then, wrapping the woman in thick webbing until she can't really move. The demon is really excited too, chittering and gibbering like a madman.
And this leaves a thrashing Yodhblakat looking like a cocooned mummy of sorts! And the toy is still quite deep in her, leaving her, well, very open (though at least with a nice metal guard lining her). As the sex-rage starts to come down a little, her focus returns too. "Bllht?" Nikat tries to say ... but her head is also encased, and that means it is a bit hard to talk! Or even see for that matter. She is suddenly aware of Greve too. "What are they doing?" the new Yodhblakat wonders ... and winces. She might have overdone it a bit; things really hurt below.
"Time for the bath!" Blakat announces, and the bath begins to fill. But not with slime or water. The droplets have multiple legs, and are crawling all over Nikat soon enough.. but more pointedly following the conveniently opened tunnel to her womb. She's being bathed in tiny spiders.
"Aauuuugh!" goes Nikat as she feels all the horrible little things crawling all over her. Worse ... soon inside her! Greve's webbing is strong, though, and this is a good thing because it keeps her from thrashing too much and hurting herself. She also has to remember that the device had an opening too so the wearer could still fertilize those they slept with ... so the blasted spiders have a passage clean and easy right into her most private of areas! "This is awful! Why is Blakat doing this?!?!?" the poor Yodhblakat thinks.
The spiders keep filing into her.. and filling her. Really filling her. Her belly, the only part not wrapped tightly in webs, is starting to stretch! "Don't worry, a little insanity is all you need to deal with things," Blakat claims.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," Nikat thinks. This brings back a lot of unpleasant memories, for certain; she still remembers her pregnancies! The cocoon thrashes about and she tries to clench down to stop the flow ... but well, that metal tube is rather unrelenting. What's worse is she knows they are spiders. She hates spiders!
Greve is poking and pinching her as well. At least until she's absolutely full.. then he starts mating with her. Of course, she can't feel anything because of the golden tube, which stays put while the demon goes to work. It seems good enough for him though, since he seems to be enjoying it, based on the gibbering and cackling.
"I knew this was a bad idea. I knew it!" Nikat thinks. It is a small mercy she can't feel Greve inside her at least; bit her distended and heavy gut is quite good enough to remind her of the situation unfortunately. Or maybe it isn't so good she can't feel him because he provides zero distraction to thinking about just what is going on! This is something out of her nightmares.
The demon finishes, and clambers off to.. a safe distance? He perches at the edge of the bath, next to Blakat, and watches with his multiple eyes. Things are happening in there, Nikat can feel. There's way too much motion, and things are getting even more distended. "Gorphat has so many sacred monsters now," Blakat notes. "I'm just getting one out of you. So far. It'll be the best one though!" And then she's cackling as well.
"Out of me? Out how?!" she thinks. That tube is still quite wedged inside her and boy is she thrashing like a wrapped up, inflating, pear. Granted the pain also excites the Blakat aspects of this form which somehow manages to just make all of this worse. She howls, sort of. Her wrapped up face makes it come out like a guttural hiss.
It's a bit twisted, but as a Yodhblakat.. pain is pleasure. As for how this abomination is getting out of her, the first hint comes when the golden tube goes shooting out across the bath to bounce off of the far wall. Something is wiggling and stretching things. Two claw-tipped, hairy legs emerge first. And keep emerging for some time, until they extend at least two feet out.
The bound Yodhblakat leans forward until her sticky jaw is now on the floor and her butt is hiked into the air to facilitate ... things. The pain at least is a welcome distraction even though what is coming out is tearing and stretching this body pretty horribly! Nikat is probably very glad she can't see what is coming out of her; all she can tell is it is long.
At least it's soft, at first. She can feel the surface harden as it expands just outside her gate. And it goes on, and on, and on. It can't possibly have all been inside of her. And while she can't see it emerging, that doesn't stop the front of it from crawling around to look her in the face. It's got a lot of eyes on a oval head, just above a very wide mouth, which is toothy and drooly. It's got the shell and fur of a spider, and the legs are spidery as well.. but there are too many of them. The body segments just go on and on.. and are still coming out of her. It's some sort of spider-pede monster.
Nikat's body convulses in spasms as it forces more and more of this horrible creature out of her. What little she can see of it through the webbing makes her eyes go huge. "Oh Gods, that is a monster!" she thinks, "Birthing the Horrib Queen wasn't nearly this bad. Incubating it was also mostly pleasant until the end too." She jerks about again, but the webbing holds fast ... and she keeps feeling more coming. She must look a right horror from behind; she must be stretched seemingly impossibly wide.
Things finally come to an end, as a final long section pulls free. The creature is circling Nikat now, so she gets to see the full blood-smeared extent of it. When the end comes.. it's another head, just like at the other end. At least it doesn't look like it can spin a web..
"Ooooo, isn't he just pwecious!" Blakat coos. "My widdle-waddle-nightmare-bugaboobiepookins!"
"G..me...out..oof...", Nikat tries to grown through the web. The agony in her nethers is at least fueling enough defiance in her to struggle again. This better be all Blakat wanted! Grr!
The webbing is feeling a bit more brittle now, and the surge of anger gives Nikat the strength to break it. No wonder the Yodhblakat always seem angry!
"Raaagh!" goes Nikat as webbing goes flying everywhere! She sits up, fuming and snorting like a beast. But before she launches into battle with anything she has at least sone sense to see how badly she was ... damaged from that down below.
Actually.. it doesn't look too damaged. There's some blood, bug given all the previous damage.. things are pretty tough.
"You could have warned me what you had planned!" Nikat snarls as she jumps to her feet and shakes her fists at Blakat. "Is this enough? Do you feel I have given you enough to safely use the land?!?"
Blakat grins, and says, "That depends! You aren't a true Yodhblakat yet.. until you fight me!" Then she gets up and takes an exaggerated boxing stance.
Nikat takes a stance, growling. "Do I really want to be an actual Yodhblakat?" she has to wonder. Then of course the anger all takes over and she launches herself at Blakat in a flurry of claws, teeth and anger! She wants to break something!
The Mad Goddess laughs and laughs as she lets Nikat maul her! "That's it! More! MORE! Show me what you got little girl!"
Nikat probably isn't thinking much right now. She's going at Blakat like some sort of mad animal, right down to the biting and shaking of her head! At times she's probably climbed up on Blakat shoulder's and is even chewing on the Goddess' head!
And Blakat loves it! Although she does fight back, if only to drive Nikat to greater levels of rage. One blow to the head nearly spins the new Yodhblakat around and makes her see stars. It also.. makes her tingle.
And Nikat spins and scrapes, and leaves gouges in the stone from her claws! And she isn't going to stop, Blakat will have to knock her out first! All that is likely 'aware' to Nikat right now is the over-riding need to thrash this thing into a million tiny pieces. She doesn't even care what happens to herself.
The fight goes on, bruises blooming and rationality shrinking, until a peak is reached. Blakat flicks Nikat across the nose with her finger, and that puts her over the edge. It's a full-body pain-gasm. A flush of endorphins and adrenaline puts Nikat into an almost altered state of awareness.
and that leaves Nikat back-arched, arms spread, and howling at the ceiling in pain and rage. she doesn't know, or care, if her body is even completely intact. All she knows is the rush that tears through here and makes her ride that moment. When it crashes ... though ...
Blakat is there to catch her, holding her up by her cheeks as she cups Nikat's head. The goddess kisses her, then asks, "Has Gorphat or Inala ever made you feel this alive?"
Nikat growls and kisses Blakat right back! "Never," she snarls in reply. Though ... when Nicora was at her worst with all the curses and carring the horrib queen, that did make the Yodhgorphat feel pretty alive and attached to her Goddess. She wouldn't tell Blakat that, though!
Blakat smiles her mad grin, and licks Nikat's nose. "Now.. I am going to introduce Fluffy to Rizalka. I think I'll have him sleep in her bed as well.. as suits the High Priestess of Blakat. You can tell your friends they are free to use the land.. but not to approach the Temple, unless they seek out the pleasures of battle."
"I will do so. Before I go, may I visit your .... cheerleaders?" Nikat asks with a bloody and scary grin.
"Oh, recovered already?" Blakat asks, then tilts her head.. way too far to the right. Necks shouldn't bend like that. "This is an Inala thing, isn't it? Well.. I expect you to make love like a Yodhblakat. Which is to say, wage battle. Go on, show the pretty boys who is boss."
"I have things to tend to with them, yes," Nikat claims as she staggers, balancing herself so that she can wander out of there (and find a safe place to change into the Yodhinala body) and heal up a bit from that chaos. "I need to learn to say no," she thinks as she wobbles.
There are plenty of empty chambers in the Temple. Some have the remains of old loot in them, and one.. well, it looks like a transplanted bower from the Temple of Inala. Which it probably is.
And Nikat collapses into that one to lay there and breathe for a bit. Her eyes close and out comes the shadow again to soothe her body. She rests in that nothingness for a long time before she seeks out the form of the Yodhinala and brings it forward now, then outward as if shedding one skin for another like a great serpent. "Must collect their energies to take to Mave later," she thinks.
It's a bit of a relief to become Mavetraum again.. at least for the lack-of-pain aspect. But the body feels weaker, physically. It isn't something Alptraum ever really noticed when shifting from male to female before, much less female to female.
And Mavetraum licks over her delicate lips. She sits up slowly and stretches. "Well now, time to go find me some boy toys," she murmurs, "And bathe in their pleasure." And to find them ... well, that just requires using the aura to track them down first. It isn't even that much of a sexual desire for Mavetraum; she just wants to prove she can control them by their hormones.
It isn't hard to spot the harem, since it's the only place with a masculine resonance. Given the chaos of the Temple layout, the aura is a godsend (literally). But soon Mavetraum is parting the bead curtain leading to the lair of the Barinalas. Pillows seem to be the main motif, furniture wise, along with a big standing bathtub.
The six men are lounging about, if doing pushups and crunches counts as lounging.
"Hello boys," Mavetraum coos out as she steps through the curtain. "I'm here so that you may renew your vows to Inala and worship her through me," she practically purrs at the six men. "My body is an altar to her greatness and it wishes for all of you to give to it." And the naked Eeee sashays the rest of the way into the room.
All of the men hop to their feet.. and pounce on the Yodhinala! Their time with the Yodhblakat as made them a bit harder, muscle wise.. and also a bit more aggressive. Every limb, her back and her torso soon has someone caressing and kissing it.
And And Mavetraum giggles as she squirms about! "Good, good. Now, I have three ways into my body and I expect them all to be blessed by you. And my hands .... and my feet ... and ..." the Yodhinala lists off in rather lewd bluntness as she starts to caress and pet the men back in kind.
She barely ever touches the ground, surrounded on all sides by the men. Two suckle, two penetrate, and two vie for the attention of her tongue. Their time with the Yodhblakat has made them a bit rougher as well. There's a lot of pounding, as the two below synchronize their efforts.
And true to Yodhinala, it all feels just lovely to her. So filling and what her tongue can find and enjoy, tasty too! It is an orgy of bliss and excitement and it all flows to her, forming a nice, soft, glow in her lower abdomen, where the jewel lives just above her vulva when she is in Snowcora form. She doesn't speak, she cannot as she is occupied. But, her body does quite a bit of speaking on its own in this carnal bliss.
The men are well trained. And they rotate, making sure each one gets a turn releasing his fountain through Inala's Gate. Several times! It seems like they aren't going to let Mavetraum leave at this rate, willing to keep it up so long as she is able to accept them.
And Mavetraum keeps it up until it feels like the 'orb' is full, that it can grow warm no further. Only by then she is a glistening mess ... and giggling. "There there. You have all served Inala well," she coos at them as she makes them stop and draw back. "And I must go so that I can take your offering to her in the next couple days," she purrs.
"You will return?" the leader asks. "You are so nice and soft.. and you don't bite."
"If I can, if I can," Mavetraum promises. Now that she can wear the skin of a Yodhblakat, this may actually be possible. She kisses each man in turn and saunters her way to the door, giving them a long and possibly agonizing look as she leaves their chamber. "Ugh, I have to return to Nicora now to rebandage and leave," she thinks. Just when she was getting used to being furred, back to being bald.
The Altar room is empty. Rizalka either woke up and left.. or Fluffy carried her off. But the bandages are where Nicora left them.
Mavetraum sits down besides it and closes her eyes. The shadow flows and she finds herself back in lovely limbo. She has to give up forms of beauty and strength to go back to ... one barren, green, and layered in several different blessings and curses that make every day have its own challenges. When the shadows recede, She is once more bare, waxy, and in need of her bandages. Those she collects and starts wrapping herself back up.
The shadow hand is exposed on Nicora, and she can see that the orb is rather dim. Three changes in such a short time, and one them a brand new one.. it's drained her considerably. She's also hungry. It might be a good idea to recharge off Tulani soon.
Still, in spite of it all she has a fondness for this form; she has even grown to appreciate the eight teats Gorphat's curse has inflicted upon her. It makes her distinctive. The Eeee now rises and stretches. Her right hand aches and that tells her she must seek out Tulani. So ... she must depart the Temple of Blakat, then go looking for her friend. Aura searching may help there.
It's nearly midnight, which means Tulani - if she keeps to her usual schedule - is likely to be prowling around the Streets Below, looking for trouble.
And so that is where Nicora goes. It is unlikely anyone would bother a glowing Yodhgorphat, after all.
Well, anyone but a dragon. It's Tulani who finds Nicora first! "What are you doing out here like that?" the dragon rumbles, perched on a flying buttress.
Nicora holds up her dimly glowing right hand. "I need energy and I need a meal," the Yodhgorphat says bluntly. "It has been a tiring day." She gestures for the dragon to land ... and then she dies to do so herself.
"Hmph," Tulani grunts as she lands on a relatively debris-free 'hill' next to Nicora. There's a slow explosion of frigid steam, which ends with a wet, naked winged feline replacing the dragon. Her sheathed sword is worn on a flexible harness.. one that lets her keep it in either form, even when the Light scales up to match. "Do you even have your teeth back in this form?" she asks.
Nicora smiles wide, showing all her nice sharp teeth again. "Yes, I do. And right now it is easier to just stay in this form, I have had too many shifts today," she admits. "So ... sorry to seem somewhat in a hurry, but meal or charging first?" She smiles apologetically.
Tulani pull the Light half-way out to let Nicora charge up from it. "So.. are you gonna drool on me or anything, if you're staying like this?" she asks. "I saw a new bunny down at Camp Gorphat earlier. Looked a bit familiar.. was that you?"
Nicora holds out her hand and sighs, the ache leaving her. "No, I won't drool. Gorphat lifted all those curses from me, I only have a couple remaining and they are tolerable," the Yodhgorphat explains. "The doe you saw was not me, but an Eeee I changed from one of the households. An abused and fairly mean guard named Jank. He was honestly happy to become a she and a doe to escape it. It was either that or killing him," she admits. "And you know me, I always try to take a path that does not involve killing."
"Bunnification is an odd recourse," Tulani admits. "Do you need it to be permanent?"
"I think he would prefer it to be permanent. He was cruel to women, so I made him a relatively defenseless one so that he had to face hardships," Nicora explains.
"I'll see if I can stab the doe then," Tulani notes, rattling the Light a bit. "Should work, I imagine."
"There is also a large injured skreek I wish to treat when he arrives. I want to fix his old injuries; they are pretty bad," Nicora says and shrugs. "Nikky found a friend in him in her short stay in the dungeon. And that reminds me, any more households I should infiltrate?"
"There is one on the opposite side from the others, closer to the Velkarno tower," Tulani says. "Not as bad as them, but not much better. Hortus Clan. They were never really nobles, just wealthy criminals that bought and bribed their way to power. They might be smuggling weapons, and either amassing them or getting them to the General somehow."
"Any obvious ways to infiltrate?" the Yodhgorphat asks as she curls her finger in a come-hither motion, then smiles hungrily.
The Sphynx winces slightly, but bends and presents her neck. "Still working on that angle," she admits. "There's a bit more paranoia than usual.. either because of who they deal with or because of what happened to their neighbors."
"I could always go in as livestock, I have the hog forms," Nicora points out, "That would not be suspicious." She then curls her arms around Tulani and hugs the sphynx tight to her bandaged and bare body. Her jaw parts and she closes it around Tulani's lower shoulder and neck to drink her meal.
Tulani shudders. "I'll look into that path," she says. "I need a night off soon, I think."
Nicora is occupied drinking her fill for a bit. When she draws her head back her teeth are bloody and she licks them. "I agree. There should be a simple bar-hopping night soon. Me as my old Alptraum self, even. Well, with my hair covered at least. And no worries, just a night of fun," she suggests.
"It's a date," Tulani says, rubbing her neck. "I'll drop by the Temple tomorrow and we can see about your friend."
"That sounds perfect. I want to just return to the temple and rest. Tomorrow I also need to deliver something to Mave, so once we tend to the rat and that, I should be free for a bit," Nicora claims.
Tulani stands back, and the air begins to chill. "Do you need an escort back?" she asks.
"Probably not," Nicora admits as she spreads her wings. "Few people dare mess with Yodhgorphat. As hideous as I am, I am also pretty safe. Besides, I do not wish to startle the camp. You're big and noticeable."
"True.. but I'm also pretty and shiny," Tulani claims, as she transforms into a silver ice dragon once more. "Things have been relatively quiet down here recently. Hopefully a good sign."
"You are pretty and shiny. I am hideous and shiny, I know," Nicora admits and shrugs her shoulders. "And yes, it is. I am glad to hear some things seem to be improving." Her wings spread, then the Eeee takes to the air!
Nothing surprising happens along the way to the Temple - but Nicora does feel watched. There are still plenty of folks down in the undercity, who haven't left for the mission yet. Although maybe with a second one started, that could change. Those who don't leave.. they could be the sort who likes being able to do whatever they want though.
"Mmm, well, the new hospice can start soon. I cannot worry too much about being watched, I know I stand out. Still, must not fly too low," the Yodhgorphat thinks as she glides in, lands, and makes her way 'home'.
Once inside her chambers, it's easier to relax. At least, for a moment or two. "You've been busy.. giving birth again," Gorphat's voice whispers into Nicora's head. There's the sensation of a phantom hand on her 'tail' then. "Here, just so you don't forget what it's like to NOT be pregnant, a little gift.." There's a shock that runs up her tail, into her back.. and into her uterus. Muscles cramp, as she immediately begins to menstruate.
"Augh!" Nicora groans, curling up and shedding her bandages once she starts bleeding and cramping severely. "Why? It was Blakat's requirement of me to obtain the land agreement," she complains as she shivers from the bleeding discomfort.
"This is a gift," Gorphat whispers. "A respite from birthing. A cleansing. And the balance to Inala's fertility."
"Mostly the cleansing thing though," the goddess notes. "You were full of spiders. Eww."
Nicora groans softly. "And when it is over...?" she inquires in pain; her cramps are Gorphat enhanced after all, so are rather agonizing. "And yes, spiders that was ... ugh. The worms or the horribs are my preference," the in pain Eeee admits.
"When it is over? I haven't decided when it will end," Gorphat notes. "You need some rejuvenation in that area, so a few cycles should freshen things."
Nicora groans and actually whimpers a bit. "A few cycles?" she asks, "These are agony. I forgot how bad they felt."
"Now you remember," Gorphat says, sounding pleased. "You are welcome, daughter."
"Yes, I quite remember now," Nicora admits as she clutches her cramping gut. "You are stern and harsh, Mother, but I accept it and cherish you," the Yodhgorphat claims.
"Then I am being a good mother," the goddess says.
"I don't know if this classifies as good, but then I've been here so long it is hard for me to know anymore," Nicora thinks as she remains curled up. It is going to be a long and painful night. If she is even able to sleep at all. "Will you lay with me, Mother?" she actually asks of Gorphat.
There's a presence felt then, if not really a physical one. But it is motherly, and somewhat comforting.
Nicora should not find comfort in the arms of a mercurial and cruel Godess, yet somehow she does. Her eyes close and she tries to .... rest. In between gut-wrenching agony from the cramps of the very first curse Gorphat ever put on her. It is as strong and cruel as ever. IT is going to be a long few days indeed.