Feature Writer: BlackRosesBloomRed /
Published: 28.01.2017
Feature Title: OBLIVION 3 /
Story Codes: Erotic Horror /
Synopsis: Marriage to a demon god is not what Kristasia expects /
Author’s Notes: Hey guys, this is my first story on here. Please feel free to leave me any helpful comments or feedback you can think of! It’ll be slow, no sex for the first couple of chapters, but I hope the quality of the writing will keep you interested before the steamy bits come in 😉 This will actually be a part of a much longer series which I hope I can one day have completed on here. Well, here it goes…
Oblivion
THE NINTH REALM CHRONICLES: OBLIVION
CHAPTER THREE: DAEDRONUS’S TALE
Kristasia, formerly a slave less than a day ago and now the wife of a demon god, paused as she entered her new husband’s bedroom with him. She had escaped her wrathful master, a horde of demon soldiers, and a twisted creature half man and half spider, but after agreeing to spend forever with him, she was fairly certain there would be no escaping the demon god. She’d never been with a man before, but from what she’d seen during her life as a slave, it wasn’t good. Being that he was a demon god and not a mortal man, she wasn’t so sure what to expect of her wedding night.
“You mentioned that there was more to marrying a god than what happened earlier,” she stated, her eyes upon the bed as she faced away from him.
“Yes. It requires a special sort of… consummation,” he replied.
“All marriages are consummated with sex. That is nothing special.”
“Ah, but a different sort of sex,” was his enigmatic response as he strode past her and hopped into the bed.
“How many different sorts are there?” she demanded, her limited experience making her even more nervous than she had been before.
“Well… there are good sorts, great sorts, terrible sorts, bad sorts, mediocre sorts, strange sorts, and downright weird sorts, the sort that are weird, even to me,” he replied. “But you shouldn’t worry. This will be the amazing sort. Perhaps something more comfortable as you join me in bed?”
She looked down to find herself wearing a sheer black gown that barely covered her breasts and came just short of her upper thighs.
“I’m clothed, I suppose, yet I still feel the urge to cover myself,” she commented uneasily.
“Cover yourself with the sheets, in my bed, and please, do refrain yourself from looking for sharp weapons as you come,” he mocked.
“Should I find any, you’ll be the first to know,” she replied darkly as she crept to the edge of the bed, pulled back the satin sheets, and joined him.
“Lay on your stomach, if you would, and I shall give you a very nice massage as I explain just a few small details to you,” Daedronus said as he perched himself on his elbow beside her.
Slowly Kristasia turned to lay on her stomach, resting her head upon the pillow. The demon god’s hand slipped beneath the nearly nonexistent nightgown and fell upon her skin in a way that brought a sigh from her throat. His large hand, warm and heavy, slowly began to massage away every ache and knot from the base of her skull to the small of her back. Knowing fingers kneaded up her neck, across her shoulders, and down both arms before making their way down her spine. She arched her back involuntarily and small chill bumps formed on her skin. No one had ever touched her this way. She’d never had a backrub, or really very many pleasant touches at all in her life.
“There are many different types of bonds that souls may have. I already have a bond with your soul as it was, once, a part of mine. All souls share this common bond. However, there are deeper bonds that some souls form, often without even knowing it. These bonds usually take years in the mortal realm, or some small form of magic. The bond between a parent and child is usually formed upon the child’s birth and it bonds the souls in a family bond. The bond between soul mates, which usually starts between simple lovers, is much more complex. Even a bond of mastership can form naturally over time between two souls, though it’s usually formed through the magic spells of sorcerers who bind other souls to servitude. It is, however, the bond of lovers I wish to form with your soul. I shall form it now, rather quickly, with magic rather than time. Brash, I know, but I’ve spent my existence waiting and I don’t wish to wait for this,” the demon god explained as he continued to rub her muscles into complacence.
“What do you propose?” she asked softly, only truly half listening as she drowned in the bliss of his hands.
“I shall bind my soul to yours, and yours to mine. If you die, I will die. If I die, you will die. You will feel all that I feel, and I will feel all that you feel. You will know my thoughts and my heart as surely as I shall know yours. I shall say a vow to you and you shall say one to me. We will make love, and when we are through, the bond will be complete and you, my darling, shall have your forever,” he whispered softly into her ear.
His warm breath on her skin sent a small shiver down her spine as he continued to caress the skin of her back.
“Can you actually die?” she asked softly, tilting her head closer as his soft lips brushed the top of her ear.
“Sort of. Theoretically,” he replied. “Now you should repeat the words I say to you. I will be yours forever, until the world does decay. I will never love another, for as long as I may. My heart is yours, as your heart is mine. So shall it be until the end of all time.”
“That sounds like a poem,” she whispered.
“All magic is poetic and all poems are magic. Now repeat it,” he urged.
So Kristasia did.
“Now let me show you something, the likes of which you’ve yet to see,” he whispered softly into her ear before kissing it.
All of her worry and hesitation seemed to ease away, and whether or not this was of his doing, Kristasia knew only that she felt suddenly at ease with him. His lips sucked in the top of her ear and his tongue slid along the rim of it and down to her lobe. Hot breath tickled her neck and she drew in air at the sweet sensation. He nibbled and nuzzled his way down her ear, slowly satisfying every inch of skin he touched. His expert hand massaged lower and she barely noticed he was now caressing her perfectly soft and rounded bottom. Nor did she realize that all clothing had vanished from the vicinity.
For what seemed like an eternity all Kristasia felt was the sweet touch of his lips feathering her neck with kisses, taking in her skin and stroking it with his tongue, and his hot breath rolling over her like the welcome warmth of a cozy fire. She didn’t notice her body pressing into his, squirming against him, or the sound of her own gasps, or the burn of her flesh. Then his hand had descended even further and as he cupped her soft bottom, his finger slid effortlessly into the moisture hidden between the upper reaches of her thighs.
The cry she let out then was loud enough that even she heard it as her back arched and her body shuddered. Only then did she notice she was burning up, her mouth was dry, her heart was pounding, and her head was swimming with an intoxicating buzz beyond anything she’d ever felt. Her nether regions, which had never before been subjected to this sort of feeling, clenched tightly around his finger as moisture slowly eased out.
“Do you like that?” he whispered softly, his very breath making her jerk as he slowly withdrew his finger, teasing her inner walls as he did.
“Please,” she moaned, her own voice foreign to her.
“Please what?” he whispered as his finger left her, but remained to tickle her drenched outer lips.
Truthfully, she had no idea what she was asking for, but the burning heat within her, no matter how wonderful, demanded relief. Kristasia had never touched herself before, but a part of her wanted to now. She wanted to slid her own fingers inside and continue the blissful passion he had ignited to its full potential.
“Certainly not, my sweet,” he whispered to her. “I’m not nearly done.”
With a grace and ease that was perfectly natural, Daedronus rolled her onto her side and left her almost unaware that he’d moved her at all. Then his lips descended on hers in a slow and graceful manner. To start, his kisses fell like feathers and she drew close to him, demanding more. Her hands pressed against his chest, feeling the firm, muscled body of a man for the first time. It was only then that she noticed his skin was burning as well.
His kisses came faster and stayed longer as he dragged his lips across hers in a slow and teasing manner. His tongue came in, the very tip entering her swollen, willing lips. His hand trailed down her side and his thumb brushed across her hard, budding nipples. She moaned into his lips as they covered her in a deeper kiss and his tongue slid into her just as slowly and wonderfully as his finger hand. He cupped her breast, just the perfect fit to his large hand, and drew slow circles around her begging nipple. His thumb finally settled lightly upon it and as she squirmed against him, he teased it softly.
Her own hands trailed lower, exploring him and feeling as hard muscles tensed and rippled beneath her search fingertips. Then she came across his hard, waiting organ, pressing into her belly. She gripped it softly and ran her fingers up and down, exploring every inch, from its firm base to its moist head. His kisses became harder and she heard him let out his own soft moan.
Kristasia couldn’t help but imagine how wonderful that part of him would feel, sliding into her swollen lips as his finger had. It would fit so perfectly, snug against each wall, and stroke her insides as it went far deeper than even his lengthy finger could. At the thought of him filling her, his thumb still caressing her stiff nipple, and his tongue stroking hers, a shudder ran through her entire body.
In an instant every muscle in her body tensed up and she cried out against him as the muscles released in a spasm. Her entire body jerked as wave after wave of powerful sensation overwhelmed her. The pleasure was so intense, it was nearly painful, but far better than any pain she’d ever felt. For a moment all she could do was hold him as she cried out and her body remained beyond control. His movements slowed and he held her as she shuddered in his arms, stroking her spine softly.
“The sounds you make are so sweet,” he whispered to her as her she regained control of her voice and her muscles finally relaxed, weak from her pleasure.
“That was…” she started breathlessly, but words seemed far beyond her grasp.
“Only the beginning,” he chuckled softly, his eyes alight with a wicked grin.
“You…” she tried to start again.
“I’m far from done,” he replied.
He rolled her over more so that she lay on her back and leaned over her to lay a feather kiss upon her nipple as he cupped her breast. She sucked in her breath as her head fell back against the pillow. Daedronus leaned over her more fully and kissed her other nipple which had since been pressed against the bed. He swirled his tongue around it, pulling back as she arched her back, so as to only tickle and tease. Already the heat was returning to her and her breasts swelled against his tongue.
Again the heat and the pleasure began to build and she thought that she could take no more of his soft, slow kisses and his gentle caressing tongue. Then he moved down lower, kissing a trail down her stomach and laying down between her thighs. Another cry tore itself from her throat and her hands moved to play in his silken black hair as his lips feathered kisses upon her swollen mound. Again she craved something to fill her, but her empty muscle clenched around nothing as she arched her hips against his teasing mouth.
The tip of his tongue slowly stroked her up and down and her stomach dropped as she sucked in breath with every stroke. She moved her hips against him, begging for more pressure, more strokes, and wishing that it would never end. Though her flesh was swollen almost painfully and she burned for that spasm of release, she felt as though she could have stayed in this pleasure drunk state with him forever. Then, finally, he slowed his caressing tongue even more and her hips jerked violently beneath him.
He laid a single, deep kiss and sucked on her until she was overcome with spasms, even more violently than before. Her thighs squeezed him tightly and her hands gripped his hair. She cried out again, her scream not muffled by his gentle mouth this time. His mouth did not leave her flesh and continued to suck and nibble until every last spasm had left her and she lay beneath him in a sweat, unable to move and barely able to breathe.
“Still not done,” he told her rather proudly as he moved to lay beside her again.
“I’ll die,” she gasped, thinking that her weak muscles could not handle another spasm like that.
“Then so shall I and the world shall end,” he replied, smiling down at her. “At least we’ll die happy.”
He gave her not another minute to recover before his fingers moved to massage her still swollen mound. They glided across the film of moisture on her aching lips and tickled the soft flesh between them. Then, with moisture they collected, the stroked back up to her aching mound, still slick from the wetness of his tongue. She shuddered, and though the heat was slower to return and her muscles felt like jelly, they began to tense again.
“Please, I can’t take anymore,” she begged even as her hips moved against him.
“Oh, but don’t you want to feel me?” he teased her softly as he pressed his hard length against her thigh.
She moaned at the thought of his thick, long organ filling her. Her nether muscles clenched at the suggestion, still unsatisfied despite her many long spasms. A much deeper part of her that she’d never felt before clenched within her belly, craving the feeling of his touch. Her hand moved almost unthinkingly to his hard phallus and gripped it, her fingertips unable to meet around his thick shaft. As her hand moved to his rounded head, the thought of it pressing into her, parting her clenched muscles, brought back every inch of swelling and all the burning heat of her flesh.
“I thought as much,” he whispered as his fingers continued to stroke over her swollen mound.
Then, once again he had slipped a single finger down between her slippery lips as far as it would go. He tickled her insides and she shuddered beneath him.
“Please,” she begged again.
“Please what?” he asked as he pressed his finger down into her again.
“Please give it to me,” she cried as she gripped him and turned her hips towards him.
“Oh,” he moaned, both in pleasure and in mock enlightenment. “Is that what you want? How could I deny such a sweet request?”
He shifted to lay on top of her, his hips between her perfect thighs and the head of his organ positioned against her desperate lips. His length twitched against her, his head rubbing her slick opening and drawing out another shudder.
“Please,” she repeated desperately as she pressed her hips against him, even as he pulled back.
“This part will hurt a bit, sweet one. You must be ready,” he warned her as he eased his head into her swollen flesh, but despite her arching hips, refused her enter her fully.
“I’m ready!” she cried heatedly as he continued to tease her pleading opening with the promise of fulfillment.
“As you wish,” he whispered, his own voice heated and his dark eyes dusky.
He eased his head into her opening, every inch satisfying the grip of her aching muscles. They clenched around him as his head submerged fully within her swollen lips. He drew back slightly and she sucked in air as he did, a cry forming in her throat. Then he pressed back in, just enough to submerge his swollen tip. Her muscles tensed and she could feel the building spasm. She arched against him, every muscle tight, begging to feel his fullness in her before her muscles spasmed again, empty. Then, at the last possible moment, he leaned back into her, every inch of his long, thick, hard organ filling her.
Though Kristasia was vaguely aware of the sharp, tearing pain of her virginity, she was far more away of the satisfaction of the aching spot within her finally being touched. She cried out again, spasms wracking her body. He continued to thrust himself into her over and over again, bringing more spasms and holding her tightly as she jerked and cried beneath him. He made noises of his own, though she was mostly unaware of his deep gravelly moans, being entirely overtaken by the overwhelming rush of deafening, blinding, dumbing pleasure. It only began to slow for her when his thrusts became faster, more demanding, and as her muscles clenched tightly around him one final time, she felt his body do as hers just had.
The demon god gave his own deep cry as his muscles tensed. He held her tightly as his own body spasmed against hers. Her arms were wrapped around him and she held him to her, her fingertips aware of the shudders running down his spine. Suddenly she was overcome with another spasm of her own, more powerful than any of the three before it. She screamed, the pleasure so overwhelming that it turned into some sort of strange pain. Her mind itself began to ache with a sensation that was not her own. The feelings, so overwhelming and powerful, were far too much and it was then that Kristasia lost consciousness.
When Kristasia finally woke, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction and pride before she even opened her eyes. When she did open them, curious about this foreign feeling, it was to the smiling face of the demon god she’d pledged her forever to.
“I am proud,” he responded, as if to her curiosity. “Not just any man can pleasure his woman so well, nor does just any man have a woman so worthy of it as you. I was rather overcome with you last night and I forgot to mention to you just how beautiful you are.”
Her cheeks turned red at the compliment. She had been told she was pretty before, but never in such a manner.
“You can feel what I feel now. You know that I mean it,” he whispered softly against her cheek. “Did you sleep well, my love?”
“If you feel as I feel now, you should know,” she replied as she forced her aching muscles to move and stretch.
“Certainly, but this bond is new to you and you still enjoy being asked and being able to willing share information. You’re hungry. Would you like lunch?” he asked pleasantly.
She could feel a warm sort of affection, the desire to care for someone in the way one would take care of a cherished pet that was more like family or a loved child.
“I don’t know if I can move, but I’d rather like a bath,” she replied.
“I should certainly like to take one with you,” he stated, a grin raising his cheeks.
“No. I really can’t bear that right now,” she said as she tried to sit up, her muscles revolting as she did.
“I know. I will try to keep my desire for you contained until you’re ready. Next time it will be much better,” he laughed. “We’ll just take a bath and nothing more.”
At his mere suggestion, they were suddenly in a tub of steaming water in his bathroom. Before Kristasia could even comprehend the change of setting, he was already beginning to run a soapy cloth across her skin.
“That will take some getting used to,” she said, shaking off the strange sensation that came with his sudden teleportation.
“I’ve no doubt you will eventually,” he responded.
“Daedronus, what time is it? How long did we sleep?” Kristasia suddenly asked, a sense of worry overcoming any thoughts of the handsome, naked man who was currently slathering her with soap in hot, steaming water.
“The child is fine. Do you think I would allow harm to her?” he chuckled.
“You did not answer my question.”
“We slept for about ten hours or so. You slept for about two days.”
“What?!” she cried, splashing water as she jolted in surprise.
“Calm down,” he told her, his own feelings of calm washing over her in a soothing wave.
“Where is she?” Kristasia demanded.
“I told you, she is fine. Scawp is a fine companion. He watches her well. My Daedran have never had the pleasure of meeting a child before. Children do not exist here. The souls of children reincarnate instantly upon death and do not come here until they have lived at least one life to adulthood. Having never experienced a child before, my Daedran are quite taken with her. They know she is mine, as you are, and they treat her as a princess out of respect and out of fondness. She is rather happy. Creed… well… he is rather unhappy. He feels that playing silly games with a child is rather unfitting of his stature and he is rather embarrassed when his men catch him playing with the girl. He doesn’t want to appear soft or weak or silly to them. He’ll grow out of that. I find it rather amusing, actually,” Daedronus laughed. “Let me show you.”
Kristasia’s vision was suddenly overtaken by images of Creed, Scawp, and Lonia playing hide and seek in the hallways of the tower. Creed was hiding with Lonia while Scawp was sniffing around. He came around a corner and cried out, jumping up and down as he pointed at them, so pleased to have won the game. Lonia began giggling and Creed smiled, a strangely warm look on the demon’s scarred face. Suddenly a lesser ranking Daedran, going about his own business, stumbled upon them and Creed’s smile vanished. He stiffened instantly, glaring at his underling, and ordered the demon man move on.
“See? He likes playing with her. He just doesn’t like that he likes it,” Daedronus laughed.
“I want to go see her,” Kristasia stated.
“We’ll finish our bath quickly then,” Daedronus replied.
Creed stopped almost halfway through his rant and stared at the demon god. His eyes were directed at Creed, his mouth forming a serious line, his head tilted as if he were paying utmost attention to his general.
“You’re not paying attention, are you?” Creed demanded.
“How could you tell? I thought I was doing so well,” Daedronus complained as his look dropped instantly away into one of frustrated boredom.
“Too well. No one’s expression is ever that perfect,” Creed growled.
“But I’m a god, Creed. I am perfect!” the demon god exclaimed as he pressed a hand to his heart in mock offense.
“A perfect ass,” Creed snapped as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oh, that’s it! I have a great idea!” Daedronus exclaimed suddenly.
“Do tell,” his demon general said so dryly that the room nearly turned to desert.
“I’ll take them to the Fields of Iarel. They’ll love that!” he cried as he stood up from the table in the dining hall where he’d been sitting.
“Good. I’ll get a break,” Creed grumbled.
“Oh, don’t be silly. You’ll be coming too,” Daedronus told him with a grin as he strode over to the spot in the hall where Kristasia sat with Lonia and Scawp.
“Well that’s ever so wonderful. You shall be an artist someday. Do you think so?” Daedronus asked the child as he stooped down near her to study the painting she’d made upon his floor.
“I don’t know,” Lonia replied thoughtfully as she looked down at her illegible masterpiece.
“What exactly are these paints made out of?” Kristasia asked, looking up from her tiny farmland painting.
“You probably don’t want to know,” Daedronus stated and she could feel his honesty as well as he could feel her growing uncertainty.
“Scawp make scawp!” Scawp cried, wagging his tail in excitement as he pointed down at a strange little stick figure possessing pointed ears, a tail, and claws.
“You’re a messy little fellow, aren’t you?” Daedronus asked as he eyed the beast who was covered in various shades of red, black, white, brown, yellow, orange, and green paint.
“And this Scawp bed!” he then cried as he pointed to the green blob beside his character. “And Scawp bestes friend!”
Further on down was a small green triangle with a white face surrounded in yellow smears which was apparently meant to represent Lonia.
“Bestes friend?” Daedronus teased the beast.
“Lonia say Scawp bestes friend!” Scawp shouted rather proudly as he began to bounce up and down.
“Well, would you like to go to somewhere very pretty where you can play all day?” Daedronus then asked.
“Yes!” Lonia cried as she left the paints discarded on the floor and jumped up.
“Come and take my hands,” Daedronus said, holding his hands out to them.
“Where is this place?” Kristasia then asked.
“Quite a good distance away. It is not within my kingdom, but still it’s within this realm. Come and I’ll show you,” he replied.
Kristasia and Lonia each took one of his hands.
“Master,” Scawp said as he timidly approached Kristasia. “Master, Scawp come?”
“Of course, silly,” she replied as she held her hand out to the little beast who quickly took it.
“And Creed too?” Lonia asked, her eyes turning on Creed with enough sweetness to melt a glacier.
“Oh, I really don’t want to. After all, someone has to stay and clean up this mess,” Creed replied as he pointed to the paint all over the floor.
“And even if you stayed here, it still wouldn’t be you,” Daedronus laughed.
“Please, Creed?” Lonia pleaded, her impossibly large eyes becoming impossibly larger.
“Oh, alright,” Creed sighed, taking the little girl’s outstretched hand.
He looked back at the Daedran in the hall behind him who were still enjoying the end of their meal and who were watching all too intensely.
“What are you waiting for?” Creed roared at them. “Clean this up!”
Then he, the child, the little beast, the demon god, and Sixth Realm’s new goddess all disappeared into thin air.
The five of them appeared in a bright green field of grass with all imaginable kinds of flowers scattered across it. Perfect trees of every kind and sort grew interspersed amongst the grass and flowers with plenty of room between them. A bright blue sky shined above with only a few happy white clouds and a soft summer sun.
“What is this place?” Kristasia asked as she stared around in wonder.
“The Fields of Iarel. The Ninth Realm is a realm like any other. If I and my seven brothers were not here to pollute it, most of the land would look like this. Or like Haradreth.”
“Haradreth?” she then inquired.
“Oh, that’s a horrible place you don’t wish to visit. We inhabit the center of the land. Beyond our kingdoms is this; the Fields of Iarel. Beyond that are the Plains of Haradreth. Horrid place, really. Better not to talk about it,” he replied lightly.
Lonia and Scawp had already taken off to play. Creed glared after them, his arms crossing his chest in disdain. Daedronus gave him a hefty pat on his back and the demon general turned to look upon him with flaming eyes like burning coal.
“Go play. There are no Daedran around to see you. Go tarnish your ruthless image with silliness,” Daedronus encouraged him.
“I don’t want to.”
“Ah. I know. It’s hard. Do it anyway. That’s an order,” Daedronus replied as he shoved his friend forward.
Creed snarled as well as any vicious animal could before glowering at his lord. Then he finally gave in and strode away into the grassy field after the little girl and the strange beast. Daedronus sat down beneath a leafy tree and beckoned Kristasia to come to him. They sat for a while in the shade of the tree and watched as the others played.
“If you are still enough and quiet enough for long enough, you will witness the softening of the fierce and mighty Creed,” Daedronus whispered to her as he motioned towards his general.
As Kristasia observed him, she discovered that his scarred face had formed something that looked a rather lot like a smile.
“So this is how you spend your eternity?” she then asked him as she relaxed at his side.
“Oh, no! Not me! I spend my eternity locked inside a dark and foreboding castle sleeping in my throne chair and causing occasional catastrophe to keep my servants and mortals from boredom. Oh, and I occasionally fight with my brothers and they fight with me. You know, I send some of my servants to go wreak havoc in their realm. They send theirs into mine. Things like that. It’s been centuries since I’ve last been here. I thought you might enjoy it, though,” he explained.
“That’s it? That’s all you do?” she asked as she looked up into his dark eyes.
“Well… now that you mention it, there is something else I might do. I really do enjoy it, but I don’t do it often. I rarely find a partner who can keep up with me,” he responded.
“Oh? And what’s that?” she asked.
He drew her in close as his lips descended upon hers in a soft kiss. Then his warm breath was on her neck, sending shivers down her spine as he nibbled the edges of her ear.
“Not now!” she exclaimed, pushing at him playfully.
“Why? The children are off playing. Can’t we?” he asked devilishly.
“Not out here in the open!”
“I promise I’ll stop if someone comes near,” he whispered before returning his lips to her throat.
“Daedronus!” she squeaked as she squirmed against him.
“Okay. Then I’ll only kiss you. I promise.”
“And will those kisses be going any lower than my neck?” she asked.
“Well… not much lower,” he grinned. “Well… not very much lower.”
“Not where someone might see!” she exclaimed.
“Who’s here to…” he began before suddenly stopping.
His eyes shut and his face formed into a mask of concentration. Kristasia felt a sudden sting of unease. A strange sound came to her like the ringing of distant voices. Faded echoes came from every direction and no direction at all. It almost seemed as if the faint voices were in her own head.
“Well that’s unpleasant,” Daedronus muttered as the echoes stopped immediately and he opened his eyes.
“What?” Kristasia demanded, his unease strengthening her own.
“Oh, they’re summoning me to a Council meeting. I’ve been a bad boy and they want me to take my scolding,” he muttered drearily.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, my brothers are a little incensed. That’s all. Nothing to worry about. Every time we have a little family reunion they want to put some presumptuous title on it like the Grand Meeting of the Council of Gods and they expect I should attend. They’re just mad I didn’t introduce any of them to their new sister-in-law. Silly family politics,” he replied as he waved his hand dismissively.
“Tell me the truth,” Kristasia ordered as she crossed her arms and stared at him sternly.
“I was telling you the truth.”
“The whole truth.”
“Well, they’re a little mad I’ve brought you into this realm. Oh, and that I bonded our souls. They’re just jealous, really. Not a single one of them can keep a woman satisfied and they’re just taking their ego issues out on me. The woes of being a middle child,” he shrugged.
“Daedronus, what do they want?” she asked.
“Me to go attend their meeting so they can yell at me. I really don’t feel the need to…” he paused again and his eyes shut.
Kristasia very distinctly heard a faint voice echo inside her head.
“Now, Daedronus,” the voice ordered.
“I’m busy, you see…” Daedronus’s voice echoed in response.
“Now!” many voices cried at once.
Daedronus opened his eyes and gave Kristasia a rather mischievous grin.
“Would you like to meet my brothers?” he asked.
“I don’t think…” she started before he cut her off.
“Oh, we won’t be long! Creed!” he shouted across the field.
The Daedran general herded Lonia and Scawp back towards his master.
“Stay here and play with them. Kristasia and I must go to the Grand Meeting of the Council of Gods,” Daedronus said as he took on a lofty tone and rolled his eyes.
“You can’t take her with you,” Creed said.
“I’m so sorry, my lord. I didn’t mean to displease you. Tell me what I can’t do again?” Daedronus requested.
“My lord, you can’t take her. They’ll be enraged!” Creed declared.
“That’s exactly what I was going for. I’m glad you agree. Watch the children, will you?” Daedronus asked.
“My Lord, be careful. Bonding yourself to a mortal has weakened you. Right now, you are not equal to one of them, let alone seven,” Creed warned.
“What will they do, Creed? Destroy me?” Daedronus laughed before taking Kristasia’s hand and disappearing.
When Daedronus and Kristasia reappeared, they were in a large circular room with a circular table in its center. Eight high glass windows were mounted around them on white walls that joined the high white ceiling to the gleaming marble floor.
“You made us wait all this time and then you bring that thing?” a furious man demanded as he glared at Daedronus from his spot at the table.
“Her name is Kristasia. She’s very darling. Don’t you agree?” Daedronus asked as he strode up to the empty seat beside the man.
“Send her back to your domain now,” the man growled.
He had a stern face with sharp features and skin as pale as that of a corpse. His hair was as black as coal and his eyes as dark as the depths of the ocean. Heavy black brows cast dark shadows across his white skin and ash-colored lips formed a stern sneer as Daedronus sat down beside him.
“Oh. We’re missing a chair. Not a problem,” Daedronus said as a ninth chair appeared before him. “Kristasia, please sit down.”
She all but trembled as she took her seat between Daedronus and another man who was little more than a creature. His skin was the color of ash, but his eyelids and the skin beneath his eyes were entirely black. Beneath thin black brows his eyes were a burning red that glowed at the center of the blackness. Deep lines cut his forehead and the sides of his cheeks and a malevolent scar cut down one side of his face. His ashen lips curled as she sat and he looked at her as if he would rather eat her than sit beside her.
“Darling, this is my oldest brother, Firolus,” Daedronus said as he motioned to the demonic man beside her.
He flashed her a toothy grin, showing off the razor points beneath his lips that looked more like the teeth of a beast than the teeth of a man. Kristasia shuddered.
“This is Atronachus, my second oldest brother. We don’t get along very well. Sibling rivalry and all that. That’s Malcinius. He’s alright most days,” Daedronus said as he motioned further on down the table to an entirely human-looking man with a boyish face framed by long, dark hair. He glared, but did not look nearly as hateful as some of the others.
“We have Dagnius. He’s an arrogant prick because he thinks his mortals are smarter than ours,” Daedronus introduced, motioning to a long-haired brunette man with a disapproving glare and little more.
“Triolus, my very favorite brother,” Daedronus said as he motioned to a dark-haired man whose most striking feature was the large set of black-feathered wings he possessed. “He’s everyone’s favorite except for Dimentius, but he’s a little demented.”
“Daedronus, I’ve had enough of your nonsense,” Dimentius growled as his fist pounded the stone table top.
Dimentius looked like a human man, and like most of his brothers, had long black hair and heavy, dark brows. Only the shining silver of his eyes made him look at all unnatural.
“And that brings us back to Unicus,” Daedronus said as he made his way around the table.
Unicus sat beside Firolus and together they looked like a demon and angel side by side. Unicus had a beautiful face and hair as white as frost, contrasting with all of his brothers. His skin was fair, but not ghastly pale, and his eyes were a stunning blue. He most certainly was the fairest of them all in appearance.
“You, my darling, are sitting at a table with the Eight Lords. Can you guys yell at me and tell me how terrible I am and then let me go about my business?” Daedronus requested politely.
“You cannot bring a mortal into the Council of Lords!” Atronachus began yelling.
“See? That’s excellent. Keep going,” Daedronus coaxed.
“Daedronus, it is against our law to bond our souls to mortals. If any one of us is harmed or injured or destroyed, it will unbalance the realms! You’ve weakened yourself and given your enemies two targets to shoot at instead of one. You’ve brought a mortal into our court!” Firolus growled from beside him. “What you’ve done is beyond ridiculous.”
“What enemies do I have here in a court of my brothers?” Daedronus asked incredulously.
“When you no longer wish for the mortal, then what?” Malcinius asked. “You’ve made her a god now. You cannot just discard her. If she becomes unhappy with her life and wishes her mortality back, then what? She cannot just discard her status as a goddess. Atronachus is already plotting ways to steal your Grand Divinity Stone and award it to one of his sons.”
“Well then yell at him. You traitorous, back-stabbing, vindictive monster! How could you possibly have plans to kill your own brother, steal his Grand Divinity Stone, and give it to your son in his place? How terrible and awful. I think he’s the real problem,” Daedronus stated, motioning with his thumb to the man sitting beside him.
“You are not worthy of being a god. Look at how you defy our laws, laws that were set in place to keep us all alive! Look at how you flaunt your defiance and how proud you are of it! You sicken and disgust me,” Atronachus snapped.
“You are unbalancing everything,” Dimentius added. “There is a natural order. Things have their place in the universe. Step back into yours and put her back in hers.”
“I have not done anything wrong. The universe is fine. If you’re worried Atronachus will find an easier time killing me because of her, then worry not. I’m sure Lucinder will fill my place at this table just as well as I will. If you’re worried I’ll discard her, then worry not, for I won’t. It might unbalance the realms or something, right? If you’re worried she’ll discard me, then worry not. I’m a superior lover with beyond enough talent to keep her satisfied for eternity,” Daedronus stated.
All around them the gods shook their heads, groaned, and rolled their eyes. Kristasia blushed a color of red that wasn’t often seen on something other than a fruit.
“Daedronus, you’ve brought livings mortals into our realm. That is your worst offense. Yet here you compound it with more and more madness. Then you’ve bonded your soul to one and made her a goddess. Now you insult us all by letting her sit among us. What did you think would happen? Did you think we would not be angry? The realm already changes because of what you’ve done! Do you not feel it? Or are you so self-absorbed that you cannot feel the changes you bring to this world anymore?” Unicus then demanded.
“I am not the first nor the only one of us to bring living mortals here. Am I affecting this realm any more than any of you? You’re all mostly mad that I’ve got something that none of you have. Admit it. Oh, and you’re also mad that now that I have a wife, I’ll begin having children and my realm will expand. You’re mad that I’ve brought what you consider to be a lesser being into your high and mighty presence. You’re all just mad that I’m doing something different. Different is scary. Scary is bad. Get over it, cowards,” Daedronus snapped.
“You are not the first nor the only, but after the last incident, we agreed that there would be no more. You are changing the realm. Whatever your change brings, none of us can see it, for the future cast by a Lord is dark even to other Lords. The fate you bring about by bringing not only one, but two living mortals here is uncertain to all of us, but what is certain is that there is a change coming. Are you willing to risk that?” Triolus inquired.
“Two living mortals will not change this realm so much. It is my future and I have seen into it,” Daedronus declared firmly.
“You have seen into a future that has been untouched by consequence. You have seen into a perfect future that you crave to bring to existence. You are a god to your mortals, but you are mortal among us. You cannot see a future in which we intervene. The future you have seen is nothing but a chance. It is one of many and you do not even know how many it is one of,” Unicus said darkly.
“Is that a threat?” Daedronus asked and Kristasia could sense an unnerving amount of surprise tickling at her through their bond. Was he truly surprised by their reaction? Had he not expected it? Fear tugged at her heart. What could that mean?
“Do as you will, idiot,” Firolus muttered. “I don’t care either way. I just don’t understand why you insist on self-destruction.”
“Are you worried for me?” Daedronus asked the man who looked more like a demon-god than himself.
“No. Go screw yourself,” Firolus spat. “I just don’t want Atronachus’s ugly brat sitting next to me at this table. Even your mortal is preferable to that.”
“Disgusting as it is, I suppose there’s nothing we can do about his little living mortal. He has made her a god,” Unicus agreed. “But this offense won’t go unnoticed. Atronachus’s son would not bring us such disruption, I’m certain.”
“I have sons too. I think Kayden would fill his spot better than Lucinder,” Firolus argued.
“See, you all want to kill me, but none of you will because you’d be too busy fighting over which one of your sons would get my place,” Daedronus pointed out.
“I don’t believe we must go to war over this. Daedronus has done as he wished to do and that is no different than what any of us do. He has done no harm thus far. He has affected our future and therefore he is the only one who can see into it. He says he does not see harm. Let him be,” Triolus stated.
“Even a Lord does not see all the future and it is darkened when other Lords involve themselves. He cannot see any futures in which we intervene. He could look into the future until his eyes melted from his skull, but if I banished his little slut from existence right now, he’d never see it coming,” Atronachus spat. “We all know this. His word is useless.”
“To do such a thing would create a war and no one here needs to see the future to know how that would end,” Triolus quipped. “Let him be.”
“I’ll let him be, but if he does do harm, I’m sending Godrian after his Grand Divinity Stone,” Dagnius added.
“Do I get a vote? I want to vote for Drazzah,” Daedronus said, turning to smile at Malcinius.
Even Malcinius rolled his eyes at the suggestion of his youngest son being granted the position of Lord.
“There is no undoing the bond now,” Triolus said. “I do not agree with his decision, but it has brought us no harm. Still, Daedronus, the antics must stop. Perhaps you will be well entertained now and you’ll cease tearing holes in the universe and such.”
“I only did that once and it was an accident,” Daedronus said defensively.
“That’s it?” Atronachus demanded. “I want him punished!”
“Punished for what, Atronachus? Falling in love with a mortal or for stealing your lover from you a few thousand years ago?” Daedronus jeered.
“You have no fears, Daedronus. You fear losing nothing. Nothing but your mortal and I cannot take her from you unless I am prepared to destroy you. But she fears losing something. Someone,” Atronachus threatened.
“Do that, Atronachus, and we will fight not with servants crossing borders or with tricks in the mortal realms, but hand to hand, god to god, and if I win that fight, she will occupy your spot at this table permanently,” Daedronus threatened darkly.
“We don’t want a war. A war would destroy us all. Switching Lordships is a very… dangerous task. It’s never been done before. It’s all speculation. It’s very risky. We might all be destroyed by such a thing. No one here really wants that. Atronachus, you will hold back your anger. Daedronus, you will calm your spirits. We will all forget and forgive this transgression and remember that if one of us makes a mistake, everyone and everything will be destroyed. Daedronus, we simply wish to discourage this wild behavior of yours,” Unicus said calmly.
“I’m a Lord. I own a realm. I don’t need to be scolded by the likes of you. I am aware of what I am doing, as I always have been. If my actions upset you, pay more attention to your own realms and less to mine. I know my actions and my consequences,” Daedronus stated.
“If you do much more, we may be forced to agree on your replacement,” Dimentius threatened darkly.
“I dare you,” Daedronus growled as he stood form the table.
“I would fight with you, Daedronus, but see that you don’t burn all your bridges before that time comes,” Firolus warned as he stood from the table as well. “I have better things to do. I have things to ruin, pillage, burn, and destroy. Excuse me.”
Firolus disappeared from the room.
“If he can leave, I’m leaving too,” Daedronus stated before taking Kristasia’s hand and disappearing back to the Fields of Iarel.
“They were very angry with you,” Kristasia said nervously as they sat, once again, beneath the leafy tree.
A terrible feeling of dread washed over her and at that moment Kristasia was uncertain if it was hers or his.
“We are powerful creatures. Any transgressions committed by one of us has powerful consequences. Even we cannot see all future things. Even we are not entirely omnipotent. We get angry. We get bored. We hold grudges. We hate. The most prominent emotions of our realms become us on occasion. If our realm is sad, we become sad. If we are sad, our realm becomes sad. Any one of the eight of us are capable of ending everything that exists, including the other seven. They can get a little worried sometimes,” Daedronus explained. “That and no one has ever brought a living mortal into this realm before. It will change things here. Certainly. But it won’t be enough to cause mass destruction or anything.”
“A living mortal?” Kristasia inquired.
“Well… yes. As real as this world seems, it is not real in the way that yours is to you. It’s all real, but reality here is more fluid. This realm is of spirits and soul and magic. All the mortals here are dead. They have no real bodies. If I killed a mortal in my kingdom, his body would disintegrate immediately and reform back outside the gates of my castle. You can’t kill something that’s already dead. You, on the other hand, are the only flesh and blood thing here. If someone killed you, I’m not entirely sure what would become of you. Neither are they,” Daedronus explained.
“You’re worried,” Kristasia accused suddenly. “Why are you worried? Daedronus, you shouldn’t have taken me.”
“I’m worried because… because I can sense something strange. Something is decidedly different. I can’t quite figure out what, but…”
“Daedronus!” Creed’s voice cried out as his form came rushing across the field. “Daedronus!”
Immediately the demon god rose to his feet and Kristasia saw the black flames in his eyes. He already knew.
“Who?” Daedronus demanded fiercely as his demon general reached his side in a breathless panic.
Kristasia felt a sudden and intense rage shoot through her, but it was gone as quickly as it came and suddenly she could sense nothing of Daedronus’s emotions.
“Lucinder!”
“That bastard!” Daedronus snarled in a sudden rage.
“No,” Kristasia whispered as she scanned the field. “No! Where is she?”
“Lucinder took her,” Creed whispered gravely.
“And you just let him? You just let one of them take her?” Kristasia demanded, a panic coming over her.
“As if I could stop him!” Creed roared at her. “I am no god! I am no Lord! I am nothing but a servant! But you, Daedronus! I told you not to take her there! I knew they would be furious! The God of Cruelty has taken that child and it is your fault!”
“Creed, be quiet,” Daedronus warned, though he did not look so angry anymore as his eyes stared through Creed.
“You cannot fix this one so easily! You are weakened in your state and you’ve infuriated all of them and no one is going to help you and you can do nothing by yourself! What will you do?!” Creed demanded harshly. “You’ve gone too far!”
“I will go and get her,” Daedronus growled through gritted teeth, though his eyes still stared off into nothing.
“How? Atronachus will destroy you! He’ll rip you to pieces!” Creed raged.
“Shut up, Creed. It will be fine.”
“How could you let this happen?” Kristasia whispered, the shock still overwhelming her. Only a few hours ago they had been coloring on the floor together.
“I did not really think they would go so far. This behavior is… unexpected. Something about this feels… different. Bringing you here really has changed things,” the demon god stated in a low voice as his empty eyes stared off into the space of the field. “It won’t be easy, but I will get her back.”
“How?” Kristasia demanded, even more worried now that she has lost all sense of his feelings. He had cut himself off from her.
“The way I told Atronachus that I would if he did this,” Daedronus responded.
Suddenly the three of them stood in a room bathed by the glowing white light of Daedronus’s Grand Divinity Stone.
“My Lord!” a Daedran shouted suddenly who had been standing in the room, waiting for them.
“What are you doing here?” Creed demanded of his grave-faced soldier.
“Noar and Ryandor are marching armies of servants to our lands! They’re not here yet, but they will cross our borders soon!” the Daedran soldier exclaimed.
“We’re in trouble, my Lord,” Creed stated as he turned to look at the demon god who was also his best friend. “Atronachus has been preparing for this. What are we going to do?”
“Creed, you must stay here. Send all the rest of the Daedran to meet Noar and Ryandor at the border. That’s all we can do. I must go,” Daedronus replied.
“You heard him. Gather the others and march,” Creed barked.
The Daedran soldier fled from the room.
“What are you going to do?” Kristasia asked, her voice cutting into him like a knife.
“This is my heart and my soul,” he said to Kristasia as he pointed to the stone. “Atronachus and his son, Lucinder, care nothing for a small mortal child. They have taken her, but they will not harm her. She is only bait. They want me to leave my kingdom and come for her, as I will. But when I leave, one of them will be coming for this. Creed, you must stay here with Kristasia and guard it. However, if Lucinder comes, as I venture he will, and he defeats Creed, as I venture he may, then you will be the only thing protecting my existence, Kristasia.”
“And what should I do against a god?” she demanded, tears wetting her cheeks.
“You should do what only you have the power to do,” Daedronus replied.
“What can I do?”
“Take my heart and soul, for I give it to you freely,” the demon god replied.
“Daedronus…” Creed began sternly.
“Say nothing!” Daedronus snapped sharply at him. “If Lucinder comes here and kills Creed, take the stone from its pedestal. I’m sorry I allowed this to happen. I have finally pushed past the limits of what I’m allowed. Should I ever return, I promise I will not ever venture so far again. It appears that even a god can be foolish sometimes. I love you.”
Then he was gone.
THE END OF CHAPTER THREE