Solo Missions

"I now call this meeting of the Alliance of Justice to order!"

Juska didn't have a gavel, so she banged her fist onto the table. Alice groaned.

"This is not the Alliance of… whatever," Alice said with exasperation.

"But our group needs a name!" Juska protested.

"We're not giving ourselves a name. Just… no."

"She does have a point," I said. "When the history books write about us, shouldn't they have something to call us? They'll probably make up their own name. We should have one of our choosing so that we control what we're called."

"And Luka's in charge, so.... It's settled!" Juska said triumphantly. "We are the Alliance of Justice! Now I just need to create a symbol for us that represents our diversity. Angels, humans, monsters, all fighting for justice!"

"How about we put it to a vote?" Alice asked the assembled party members. Present at the meeting were Juska, our core group, Nuruko, Promestein, the harpies, and Regina. Juska and I raised our hands. I wasn't sure about Alliance of Justice, but I was willing to discuss a name of some sort. Nuruko unsteadily added her own tentacle.

"The matter is settled," Alice said. "no name."

"But Luka's in charge!" Juska argued. "No one gave you the authority to call for a vote!"

"This is my castle," Alice replied. "I am the boss of all meetings held in my castle."

Juska sulked, but gave in for the time being. Then she brightened. "So what's my first mission?"

"That's what we're here to discuss," Alice said. "We need some ideas on how to help Queen Sara."

"I think I might have something," I volunteered. "Sara doesn't just carry monster blood. Her original monster ancestor is still alive."

"Sphinx!" Alice exclaimed. "Yes! I always thought that she might be the ancestor of the royal family! She might have some insight!"

"Count me out of that mission," Ilias said. "Sphinx is old school. She'll be very hostile to me. I'd rather not take a chance on being devoured."

"It shouldn't take many people," I pointed out. "I know Sphinx, as does Alice, indirectly. Sonya, I assume you'll be coming. Juska, you can tag along if you want. I'd be interested in seeing you in action."

"Cramped indoor spaces don't really play to my strengths," Juska replied. "But please don't think I'm not eager. I just know that you assemble your parties for best advantage, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses."

"Regina, how about you, then?" I asked. "I want to keep the party small for this mission. In theory, it should just be paying a visit to Sphinx. But I know there are monsters in there who test those who want to see her."

"I'd be honored to be included," Regina said, looking so much more confident fully clothed. Sonya had done very well picking tasteful everyday clothing for her.

"So that's settled," Alice said. "We have our party for the pyramid mission. We'll set out in the morning. Now about that Tartarus rift…"

"Alice, can I interrupt you for a second?" I asked. "I know the Tartarus rift will be our first order of business after we see Sphinx. But what's the deal with Grandeur? Why do we need to investigate a succubus for entertaining people?"

"Succubi don't always realize their own power," Alice answered. "There's a lewd aura around them at all times, even when they aren't trying to be lewd. A succubus who is a superstar is a thousand times worse."

"Dancing around on stage, presumably erotically, her dulcet tones seducing men," Ilias said. "If she's actually talented, the whole town could be obsessed with her in an unhealthy way."

"That still doesn't sound like our problem," I argued. "It's very strange to me that you two are arguing for a mission and I'm arguing against it."

"It might be no big deal," Alice conceded. "But as the Monster Lord, I have to investigate this. Half of my problems as Monster Lord are caused by succubi getting out of control."

"All right, well you know I have no problem checking out a succubus."

"Oh, we know, all right," Sonya said sourly.

"One reason I'm so interested in this Tartarus rift are the reports that the king disappeared into one," Alice continued. "Given the Queens condition, one elegant solution would be to bring the king back and have him reassume the throne. Then Sara could do what she wanted until she matured as a succubus and developed a small amount of self control."

"Are we really convinced this is normal, though?" I asked. "Like I told you, Sara on my world had a similar transformation. She didn't go nuts like that."

"Hopefully we can cure her," Sonya said. "Maybe the Sphinx will have something for us. I'm sure this isn't the first time such a situation has arisen. So about this rift. The first time we saw a possible future. The second time we saw this world's past."

"That's not confirmed," Promestein cut in."It did look like our own past, but those rifts connect multiple worlds. There are probably parallel worlds just like this one, worlds where we are holding this exact same meeting. Just because a world looks like ours and has the same history as ours doesn't mean it's the same world."

"Fair enough," Alice conceded. "I confess to some interest in what we'll find in that third rift as well. I think we'll gain a much better understanding of the situation the more rifts we explore."

"For that mission, I highly recommend bringing Hild," I said. "She was built for combat against apopt- apop… dammit, I can never pronounce that."

"Apoptosis," Ilias gently corrected me. "Yes, Hild definitely should be there with us."

"You know I'm not missing that one," Promestein said.

"Something's been bothering me," Ilias said out of nowhere.

"What's bothering you, Ilias?" I asked.

"What was this world's Luka's relationship to his father like?" Ilias asked. "Didn't you get the impression from his journal that he loved his father?"

"It was more than an impression. It was the whole reason for his journey. He wanted to find his father."

"That's what's bothering me," Ilias said. "Promestein pointing out that just because a world looks like ours doesn't mean it is ours got me thinking. I remember that Luka hated his father."

"Then that would mean…." Promstein said, stunned at first. "That could mean that you are not this world's Ilias!"

"It's a frightening thought, but what other explanation is there? I assumed my absence for the last thirty years was why I didn't recognize so much of this world. But I knew Marcellus, and I knew Luka, which would be impossible if I'd been gone. At first I thought that maybe I had the ability to see into the future, and I knew I had some sort of ability like that, although it was imperfect."

"My Ilias could see possible futures," Promestein said. "But she had no way of telling which were more likely than others. As a result, she would often assign me to analyze those possible futures to advise her on her best course of action."

"But I don't think that's what's going on here. I think I was brought here much as you were brought here, Promestein. But why? And why was I shrunken and depowered?"

"Most importantly," Alice noted. "If you aren't this world's Ilias, where is this world's Ilias?"

"Still missing, I would assume," Sonya said. "Since she would have been in heaven when it disappeared, she might be in a rift herself."

"Well, we've got enough on our plate for now," I pointed out. "Tomorrow morning, we go to the pyramid!"

I'd seen the pyramid many times, but it never ceased to amaze me how huge it was. It was far larger than any pyramid built on Earth. Sonya was awestruck.

"I know it's not the point of our journey to see the sights," Sonya said in wonder. "But that is really something."

"Do you know your way around that place?" Alice asked.

"Pretty well," I replied. "at least well enough to get to the Sphinx's chambers. I've never explored the place fully, but I used to visit the Sphinx at least once a year. She gets lonely."

We walked up to the entrance to find a scorpion girl guarding it. That was a new wrinkle. On my world, the monsters waited inside.

"What is your business here?" the scorpion girl demanded to know. "Are you here to take the Dragon Seal Trial?"

I showed her my Dragon Seal. The scorpion girl cocked an eyebrow. "So you've been here before," she observed.

"I seek an audience with Sphinx," I said. "We have a problem that I think she'll be interested in."

"There is only one way to gain an audience with Sphinx," she replied. "And if you desire it, you must go in alone. If your companions join you, it will be regarded as a hostile invasion, not a test."

"I've already been tested," I said. "Why do I get tested again?"

"It will not be the same test. This test will be one of temptation."

"The last test involved temptation."

"Towards the end, yes," the scorpion girl conceded. "The Dragon Seal Trial is meant to test physical strength and moral strength, both of which are needed to marry a monster. This test has a different purpose. It is to prevent Sphinx from being bothered for trivialities. If what you need to speak with her about is truly important, the test should be no challenge for you."

"Okay, so I just walk in, say no to all the girls, and I get to see her?"

"More or less."

"No problem. Alice, Sonya, Regina, are you three okay with waiting out here?"

"You have one hour," Alice warned.

I estimated that I should be done in half that time. I stepped into the dark pyramid and began making my way through the twisting passageways. I didn't worry about being surprised, or having my sword drawn. After all, I only had to resist temptation. I was good at that! Really, I was! I may have become a horn dog over the years, but only towards those I had affection for, or who I felt I had to have sex with to satisfy their debts to me. None of that applied. I was on a mission. I was going to complete my mission. In, out, no problem.

I was wrapped up in bandages in seconds, my body pulled close to the mummy girl before I was even aware of her presence.

"Does it feel good, human?" she asked seductively. "I can move my bandages as if they were a part of me."

"Aren't they a part of you?" I asked.

"Well… yes," the mummy girl conceded. "Which is why I can move them at will. They're nice and slimy. And warm."

She squeezed me affectionately, as bandages moved to undo my pants. "Don't I get to say no?" I asked. "this is supposed to be a temptation, not an assault."

"I'm not holding you tightly," she said. "Any man can break out as lightly as I'm holding you. All you have to do is make the decision."

So that's what I did. The mummy girl pouted. "Okay, I get it!" she shouted after me as I continued on. "Bandages aren't every man's thing! I can take rejection! But Lila is going to be far harder to resist!"

That got my attention. Lila was a cobra girl, and while she would obey the letter of the rules, I knew that she would stretch them as far as possible. I still didn't draw my sword, as that would be perceived as a hostile act. But I did want to avoid being wrapped up again.

Unfortunately, wrapping me up wasn't Lila's plan. She was waiting in the shadows, completely still, making it impossible for me to detect her presence even with Sylph assisting me. She came at me fangs first and bit deeply into my shoulder, injecting her paralyzing venom. She grabbed me with her arms to prevent me from falling.

"Oh, you are a delicious smelling man!" Lila exulted. "You may have resisted the mummy girl, but few men have resisted me."

Still not wrapping her tail around me, she pulled me close, removing my pants and thrusting my penis directly into her lamia pussy.

"That's…. not…. Temptation…." I protested, barely able to get the words out.

"Sure it is," Lila said, smirking as she stared into my face, her walls writhing around my shaft. "I'm betting you won't want me to stop. I've only put a little venom into you. You should recover in a few minutes. All you have to do is endure that long and then tell me to stop what I'm doing. Is that so hard?"

Her estimate of a few minutes was based on a normal man's response to her paralyzing venom. I recovered in less than two. Feeling me beginning to struggle, she tightened her vaginal walls, nearly causing me to reach orgasm.

"Let me go!" I shouted in her face. She stared at me in shock.

"Well fine!" Lila shouted back, roughly pushing me away. "I hope whatever you have to say to Sphinx is that important! I almost sent you to heaven!"

"I've had better," I said.

"Excuse me!?" Lila exclaimed. "I've killed men for lesser insults."

I turned and walked away from her as she continued to shout profanities at me. If she wanted to attack, that was her business. She would be no challenge to me with Sylph and my trusty sword. Grudgingly she huffed and slithered off.

I knew that the last temptation would be the toughest of all, but at least the Nefertiti lamias were nice girls. I wondered how far they'd go and had to slap myself because I was starting to hope that they'd go as far as Lila had gone. I could tell them to stop anytime I wanted. Of course I could.

Just before I reached the Sphinx's chambers, the four sisters emerged from a side corridor to block my path. "Greetings hero," the oldest said. "I see that you have the Dragon Seal Tattoo, but I don't remember you."

"It's hard to explain," I responded.

"I think it's very easy to explain," the second oldest said. "Your seal is a forgery."

"Forging the Dragon Seal is a grave crime," the youngest said. "Do you know what the sentence for such a crime is?"

"Um…. A lot of licking?" I asked.

"That," the oldest said. "Along with being raped by all of us, and then devoured."

"The Sphinx's chambers are right there," I pointed out, gesturing towards the massive door behind the sisters. "She's more than capable of devouring me herself if she so desires."

"We protect her from impudent fools wasting her time," the second youngest said.

I sighed. "You know, I really like you ladies," I said. "And if I'm being honest, I've always wanted to spend more time with you four. Well, three of you, anyway. You, Lauren," I said, pointing to the youngest. "I'll wait a few years for you. I'd really prefer not to hurt any of you. So please, get out of my way."

"A human believes that he can take on four lamias?!" the second oldest scoffed. "He's going to hurt US?! Fools get eaten in this place. Prepare to meet your feet!"

"Fate," the oldest corrected.

"Fate? It's not feet?"

"it's definitely fate."

"Prepare to meet your fate, human!"

I summoned Sylph as the four lamias rushed me. I really hated to do this, because I did consider them all friends. And they were not skilled fighters. Their offense, aside from binding, which was formidable, consisted entirely of pleasure attacks. The second youngest attempted to wrap me in her tail, but I easily dodged her. I felt the oldest's arms around me, grabbing me from behind. I swift elbow to the gut caused her to release me, but she recovered quickly as I turned to face her, sword in hand. She stuck out her tongue, intending to lick me. I slashed her tongue with my sword. She cried out in pain. Now remember, Angel Halo doesn't really cut, so I didn't detongue her. Instead, her tongue hung loosely from her mouth, paralyzed.

"You cuth my thung!" she mumbled in protest.

Even with Sylph, preventing four opponents from grabbing you is difficult in such a confined space. Her best pleasure attack rendered useless, the oldest grabbed my sword arm while the youngest tripped me with her tail. I was soon under a pile of snake, although none had a firm hold on me, mainly due to the fact that they never had been very good at fighting together. Once pleasuring an opponent, they worked together quite well. I again mentally kicked myself for not enjoying their teamwork as Sara evidently had, many times.

I began to feel their tongues on my body, except for the oldest, whose tongue still lolled ridiculously out of the side of her mouth as she struggled to keep my arms pinned. Then I felt something on my feet. It was warm, cozy, and moist. The feeling began moving up my legs. I got a glimpse of the second oldest at my feet, her mouth opened absurdly wide, my legs beginning to disappear into her mouth. She was trying to swallow me while the others distracted me! I hadn't really thought the Nefertiti sisters to be capable of that. Not that lamias can't swallow a man. They all can. It's just that many won't, and I had assumed the Nefertiti sisters didn't. They must really take this Dragon Seal seriously, I thought.

I managed to free my sword arm long enough to drive it right into the head of the lamia who was trying to eat me. I'd never done that before and was worried about how unpleasant it would be. It must have been pretty awful, because she began to shake uncontrollably as Angel Halo's sealing magic poured directly into her brain. I hoped there wouldn't be any permanent damage from that. I'd been assured long ago that Angel Halo couldn't do permanent damage unless the wielder willed it to do so. Still, I felt bad for her discomfort as she turned into a small brown snake and slithered away.

With my feet free and only one arm held, it was easy from there to end the lamias' resistance. Only the one who tried to eat me was sealed, but the oldest lay on her side, unable to move due to her tail being paralyzed, while the second youngest held her hand to a wound on her chest, looking at me as if I was a terrible person. The youngest cowered in a corner, untouched by my sword, but scared out of her wits by the horrible man who had abused her sisters so. I tried to tell myself that I'd used as little force as I could to save myself from being eaten. I still felt bad, however.

I started to push aside the heavy door barring Sphinx's chamber. It was not easy. Normally the lamias had done it for me, but they weren't in a helpful mood, for obvious reasons. The oldest taunted me as I struggled.

"Yes, human!" she yelled at my back. "Wear yourself out struggling with that door! Sphinx will eat you at her leisure. You'll be too tired to even run!"

The door began opening of its own volition. I slipped through, and found myself facing the legend herself. Even though I had considered her a friend, even a bit of a confidant, back on my world, she had never lost her intimidation factor. I never did find out how powerful she actually was. According to Alice, she was Monster Lord level, or at the very least, Heavenly Knight level. If she was irate at my treatment of the sisters, I could be in a lot of trouble. Looking at her face, she seemed to be at the very least peeved. I'd have to handle things very delicately.

"I had wanted to assume that my servants were mistaken, that perhaps they had forgotten you," the Sphinx growled. "But I do not recognize you either. You dare enter my presence with a forged Dragon Seal? You are the greatest of all fools, and you shall meet a fool's fate!"

"I am a fool," I admitted. "But not in the way that you think. You speak of fate, Sphinx. Well, read mine and you'll get some answers as to why I dare to face you."

The Sphinx paused and stared at me, as if reading my soul. Maybe she was reading my soul. I never did find out how she read fates, or what that entailed. After a few long moments where I worried that I'd have to fight her, she eyes widened in astonishment.

"You…. You're human, but…. You only entered this world weeks ago! Yet you are as old as I! How is this possible? Are you confounding my magic somehow?"

"My Dragon Seal isn't a forgery," I explained. "I passed the Dragon Seal trial. I just didn't do it in this world. I did it in an alternate world."

The sphinx tried to process that, but found it difficult to do, understandably. "Approach me," Sphinx ordered. "Let me inspect your seal."

Extending my wrist, I got closer to Sphinx. Her lower mouth could easily grab me where I was standing. I had to trust that she wouldn't try anything. I realized just then how little I knew about her. I'd visited her countless times, yet she had never really revealed enough about herself to give me a true sense of what kind of person she was.

Sphinx inspected my wrist, then looked into my eyes, clearly astonished. "It's real," she breathed. "Only I can perform the magic. Anyone can draw the design, but yours is no mere tattoo. It is enchanted with my own signature. I knew of the possibility of other universes, but I never imagined that I would meet someone from such a place!"

"I'm experiencing a lot of things I never imagined I would experience myself," I said. "Time travel, interdimensional travel, war, being dead and then not dead…."

"One day you must tell me all about it. But I don't think you came here to chat. What do you require of me?"

"One of your descendants, the Queen of Sabasa, her monster blood has awakened. She's going a bit nuts, draining man after man and neglecting her royal duties. Which is very bad, because there's a war going on and evidently she pulled her troops out of some alliance she was previously in."

"Presumably, she wishes to bring home the tasty men so that she may feed on them," Sphinx mused.

"Oh, you think…. Really? I guess it does make sense. The guards are pretty weak, and the civilians are generally older or too young. Wow, so she's doing this just to have better men to feed on?"

"When a human woman's monster blood awakens, her cravings can get out of control," Sphinx explained. "One who was born a monster grows into her appetites slowly. A human adult, however, would find the cravings irresistible, and she would be nearly insatiable."

"Is there a cure?"

"I'm afraid not. Once monster blood is awakened, there is no going back. It changes everything about a person."

"So she's always going to be like that, just endlessly feeding on men, to the exclusion of everything else in life?!"

"There may be a way to restore her sanity," Sphinx said. "But it won't be by curing her. It will be by speeding up her development. Left to her own devices, within a few months she would likely see her cravings diminish. Then she would be more rational. But you can accelerate the process. Here, take this."

Sphinx pricked herself and filled a small vial with her own blood. She handed the vial to me.

"Make her drink my blood and it should restore her sanity," Sphinx instructed.

"Thank you," I said gratefully. "I appreciate this so much."

"She is one of my children," Sphinx said. "I cannot ignore her troubles."

"I'm sorry I hurt your servants. I really didn't want to do that. Where I come from, we are friends."

"A misunderstanding," Sphinx said. "I shall speak to them. I expect that you will return to regale me with tales of your unusually long life."

"I can't make any promises, as I'm on a dangerous mission that will in all likelihood end in my death. And that's if it's successful."

"I understand," Sphinx said sadly. "Then if you can…. Have the Queen pay me a visit sometime. I have always wanted to meet one of my descendants."

"That I can do," I promised, and left the chamber.

"How did it go?" Alice asked as I exited the pyramid, my friends still waiting outside with the scorpion girl.

I held up the vial of blood. "Sphinx says making her drink this should restore her sanity."

"Got a plan for making her drink it?"

"I have some ideas," I said. "It looks like I'll have to do that mission solo as well. They'll only let me up to see her."

"Okay, just don't try to be cute and put it on your dick the way you did with the harpies," Alice warned. "She'll probably need more than a taste for it to work."

"Like I said, I have some ideas."

I found myself in Promestein's laboratory once again. As usual, I was sure to bring her some food, knowing that she simply wouldn't bother to eat if I didn't deliver sustenance to her. I had yet to see her in the dining room for any meals.

"What are you working on?" I asked her.

"Oh, just a sexual attraction bracelet," Promestein replied.

"A what? Why?"

"You'll wear it and then every monster we encounter will want your semen."

"Don't they already want that?" I asked. "How does that help me?"

"It doesn't help you, it helps your companions," Promestein explained patiently. "If monsters are so focused on pleasuring you that they forget to fight…."

"Ah, so I distract them and then they are easy pickings for the other party members!"

"Exactly! So, let me put this on you…."

She clipped the gold bracelet around my wrist.

"There!" she said with satisfaction. "Now on your way back to your room tonight, let me know how the monsters react to you."

"Uh huh…." I said dubiously, thinking of several ways that it could turn out very badly. "So anyway, I needed to borrow a syringe from you."

"Sure, I've got several. What do you need with a syringe? You're not using drugs, are you?"

"No, no! I just got some blood from the Sphinx and she said I had to make Sara drink it. But I was thinking that an injection would be more efficient."

"With blood?" Promestein mused. "Probably. The main advantage would be that it would hit her fast and none would be wasted. All right, let me get that for you."

"Have you made any progress on enchanting one of those to take samples of my power?" I asked.

"None whatsoever," Promestein answered as she rummaged through a drawer, pulling out a box containing syringes. "My counterpart must have gone to a lot of trouble. Making a syringe that can withdraw magic is easy. The issue is holding that magic. Yours is potent, so it would destroy any syringe not carrying the most powerful enchantment. It might not be possible for me to duplicate that. I'm guessing Promestein needed a Seraph to cast the actual enchantment, perhaps even Ilias herself. And our Ilias is a bit…. Less."

Promestein asked for the Sphinx blood, which I handed to her. She used the syringe to pull it carefully inside with a needle, then presented it to me.

"Neck is the best place," Promestein instructed.

"Thank you, I really appreciate your help."

"Anytime, boss," she said with a sheepish grin. "Hey, I still need that semen sample."

"Didn't you get some from me last time?"

"No, I made you ejaculate, but if you'll remember you came in my mouth. I never did get a proper sample."

"Oh," I said, nonplussed. Then I remembered. She'd been trying to talk me into taking her back to the "temple ruins" that weren't temple ruins. "That might interfere with the experiment you're having me do with this bracelet. If the monsters upstairs react…. Um…. Strongly to this bracelet, then I won't want to already be in critical ecstasy."

"Good point. Okay, tomorrow then? Think about how you want me to do it and let me know your preference."

"Wow, I get to make requests now?"

"I like you, Luka," she replied. "It's fun to make you happy. I've never worked for a boss as kind as you."

"Well, you always were my best, and only, employee. Thanks for everything you're doing here. And please, get some rest!"

"Yes, mom… I mean, boss."

Satisfied, I went upstairs, intending to go to my room. The syringe would make getting the blood to Sara a lot easier. Trying to force a succubus to swallow something she didn't want to swallow would probably require a fight, and I desperately didn't want to have to fight Sara.

I passed Lime in the hallway. She nodded to me and smiled as she passed. I walked a few more steps, then looked back. Lime had stopped and was staring at me. Uh oh. The bracelet! Lime hurtled back down the hall towards me, slamming into me with her slimy body. In an instant, my clothes were dissolved. Argh! My budget couldn't handle my clothing needs!

I managed to stagger to the wing where my bedroom was. Despite Lime's extreme lust, she had settled for a mere two ejaculations. I desperately needed to climb into bed and go to sleep. But between me and my destination was Regina. Oh crap. I started fumbling for the bracelet, trying to get it off.

"Are you okay, Luka?" Regina asked me. "Did someone eat you?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I answered, finally managing to get the bracelet off. I'd forgotten how badly critical ecstasy affected coordination, even though I could still walk.

"What's that weird, obscene magical aura around you?" Regina asked.

"Oh, this? It's the bracelet."

"W-were you trying to seduce me with that?" Regina asked, offended.

"No! You see, it was an experim-!"

"You pig!" Regina spat, and slapped me, then stomped down the hall.

Sighing, I set the bracelet on my bedside table and went to sleep.

"Back again?" one of the guards asked. "If you're not here to give her what she wants, she's going to be pretty angry with you."

"Yeah, she was very rough on us after you left the throne room, hehe," the other guard said.

"I intend to give her exactly what she wants this time," I assured them, hoping it was true.

"Well, if you don't, we don't mind. Go on up."

I ascended to the throne room once again. Sara was sitting on her throne, waiting for her next meal. Oddly enough, she wasn't wearing a crown. I hadn't noticed the first time, but she was still wearing her princess tiara. She probably thought it made her more enticing and less intimidating. At least she hadn't lost her mind so much that she was killing people or raping them. She was still asking, for the most part. That meant she could still be reached. But I'd tried that. Now it was time for more drastic measures.

"Please tell me that you're back because you couldn't get me out of your mind," Sara said, rising from her throne. "Few men refuse me. Those that do, they did so because they'd come up here to ask me about boring things, like taxes, or the war. But you were the most boring of all. Trying to help me. Why would I want to be helped? I've never felt better. I've never felt stronger. I don't even need bodyguards anymore. The only purpose they serve now is to provide me with sustenance."

"You've always been on my mind, Sara," I responded. "You don't know this, but you and I have a connection. Maybe in some alternate world I said yes to you, and maybe that changed everything for the better."

"Wow, you're philosophical," she chuckled. Of course, what I was talking about and what she was thinking about were completely different things. "Tell me more about it while I suck you."

I was tempted to let her start doing it, to put her in a position where I could easily inject her with the blood. Sara had never been even close to the top tier when it came to pleasing me. She had only ever done so in human form, which had its limitations, In addition, she didn't practice much, not being into guys and all. And yet the two times in my life that she had pleasured me stuck in my memory. I realized then that our connection had been far deeper than I'd consciously acknowledged. I really hadn't spent nearly enough time with Sara over the years. I remembered that despite our mutual promise to see more of each other, the next time I'd been alone with Sara had been standing over her open casket fifteen years later.

"W-Why are you crying?" Sara asked.

I realized that I was indeed tearing up pretty badly. I didn't hate living as long as I had. There had been so many good memories, so many loved ones. But I'd buried so many of them. Sara had been the one I regretted most, although I knew it wasn't my fault. We had both been so busy during her short lifetime.

"I'm sorry, Sara," I sobbed. "It's hard to explain."

I knew the real Sara was still in there when I saw the compassion in her face. She put her arms around me.

"You know, my sleeping chambers are just down the hall," she whispered. "Let me make you feel better about whatever's making you so sad."

"I just might take you up on that. But I came here to help you first," I said, pulling the syringe out of my pocket and injecting her, directly into her jugular. The effect was nearly instant as she sagged in my arms, staring at me with wide eyes, struggling to find words. She must have thought I'd poisoned her. Despite her belief in her new strength, she was still vulnerable to assassination. It was only luck that I'd gotten to her before the assassins' clan did.

"What…. What did you do to me?" she asked weakly.

"There's nothing wrong with you being a monster," I said, still holding her. "But the change wasn't meant to come upon you as an adult. Your ancestor, the Sphinx, gave me something that could accelerate your maturity. You should be able to function normally now, while still enjoying your new power."

Her eyes widened and she began to have a seizure. I prayed that this was normal, because I wasn't sure I could heal something like that. I'd only ever tried to heal physical wounds. It didn't last long. Her eyes cleared. I could tell that the Sphinx's blood had worked. She looked sane.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, pulling away from me. "What outrageous things have I done?!"

"Do you remember everything?" I asked.

"Yes, everything! So much… immorality! Will the Goddess ever forgive me?"

"You are what you are, Sara. You can't help that. All I did was put you back in control of yourself. Your cravings won't go away. I'm afraid you'll continue to be…. Immoral. But at least now you can keep it under control so that you can do your job."

"Yes, you're right!" she agreed. "Thank you so much, hero! I have a job to do! I'll have time to think about all that I've done later! Hero, who are y-?"

"Your majesty!" one of the guards from downstairs breathlessly ran into the throne room. "I'm sorry to interrupt your fun, but I have an urgent message! Something is happening in Luddite Village!"

"Luddite Village? Report, quickly!" Sara ordered.

"Three succubi have assaulted Luddite Village!" he responded.

"Thank you for your report!" Sara said. "Bring me my sword!"

"You're… sword, your majesty?"

"I'll be going there personally! Prepare for departure! Send word to San Ilia that Sabasa will be sending reinforcements to deal with the attack!"

"That will take days, Sara," I said. "If succubi are attacking that village, their lives can be measured in hours. How old is this information?"

"We can't be sure," the guard answered. "It's second or third hand information from monsters able to contact each other telepathically. And since Luddite Village has no monsters…."

"Okay, so the attack's probably been going on for hours, but not days. We can still save some people," I said.

"Hopefully the succubi aren't killing anyone?"

"We can hope, but I have a bad feeling. I need to go there right now! Sara, I'll be back and we'll talk later."

"Wait, let me get into my battle gear!" Sara said.

"Just you and me?" I asked. "Sara, this could be really dangerous!"

"Something tells me I'm safe with you, hero. Something also tells me that you can't be trusted to run off half cocked by yourself."

I had to admit she was right about that as the other guard returned from her bedroom with her battle gear. I noticed that it was the same gear she'd worn in the pyramid the first time we'd met. A pang of nostalgia hit me as I realized that I was about to go into battle with Sara for the first time in several lifetimes. Sara started undressing right in the throne room in front of me. I looked away. Despite our two sexual encounters, I'd never seen Sara naked before.

"I was about to take you to my room and have sex with you, hero," Sara said as she pulled on her light armor. "I'm not bashful, you can look."

"You don't even know my name."

"Then tell me your name."

"It's Luka."

"Luka? It sounds familiar to me. Anyway, how are we getting there?" Sara asked once she'd gotten dressed. "Do you have a harpy feather?"

"A harpy feather?"

"Yeah, harpy feathers often carry an enchantment that allows humans to teleport. I assume you have one?"

"No, I can actually teleport on my own," I replied. "Just hold onto me and we'll be in Luddite Village in an instant."

Sara grabbed onto me once again and smiled reassuringly. "Then let's go, my hero Luka."

In an instant, we were gone.