Chapter 12: Tia - Bloody Winged Regiment
Three servings, that's all it took.
The first would get you hooked, the second destroys your inhibitions and critical thinking skills, and the third wipes away any sense of individual will remaining.
Three strong servings, or vials, of Succubi poison, and you were no longer human, just a submissive and breedable slave for Redevers to enjoy.
It smelled surprisingly sweet, even in its watered down form, and tasted like licorice. It was fizzy against the tongue, like a carbonated beverage, and tingled down your throat. Tia Serrano knew that from experience, having been forced to drink it several years ago.
She was lucky, having only indulged the taste of one vial, before being rescued. Had she been given a second serving of that exquisite beverage, Tia would've likely ended up alongside the poor slave girl, who was sitting in front of her.
One could be rehabilitated if only ingesting the first sample, albeit, it took time, and a considerable effort. Tia had to drink a watered down version of the poison, until eventually weaning herself off of it completely. Now she drank the more common 'non-poisonous' version of the beverage, commonly known as Allucia, to wet her pallet. It helped calm her nerves and keep her from losing her grip; falling prey to bad memories or yearning for the touch of an incubus master…
Damnit what am I thinking… Tia grumbled.
Had she been forced to drink two vials during her short lived internment, Tia would've been sent to a clinic, where her mind would've been scrubbed and potentially reprogrammed with implants to counteract the enslaved synapses. There was little else that could be done. There was no curative after ingesting too much of the poison.
Tia Serrano looked down at the poor slave brought before her, a collar wrapped around her throat. The woman had rose colored skin with stark purple nipples poking against the thin layer of silk fabric that loosely clung to her engorged breasts. Silk stockings ran up her arms and legs, but outside of that, she was mostly naked. She clearly had no undergarments, the loin cloth that descended from her waist to the ground provided easy access for her master, should he desire her.
The leash of the slaves collar was held by a rather tall Redever Incubus who smiled at Tia welcomely. As part of the peace treaty, their peoples were allowed to trade freely across their borders, and Tia had made numerous dealings with reputable merchants for special services.
As Commander of the Bloody Winged Regiment, Tia set up a special relationship with this particular gentleman, not that he was worthy of the title, that traded through the Attila District. With a coy smile, the Redever was here to make good on a special delivery.
"Twenty vials, sub-grade Allucia, like you asked." Allucia, that's what they called it. Not poison, or breeding juice, or concubine potion. There were multiple other names given to it, all of which did it better justice. For Cubi, it was like alcohol; for humans, it was something more. In this form, it was a strong narcotic and aphrodisiac. Far stronger than most.
"Allucia," the word flowed from the tip of Tia's tongue, and she hated how nice it sounded. She shot him a nod. "Thank you, this should be more than enough."
She fiddled in her seat. Should be, as long as I can control myself…
"If you ever need more, you know how to reach me." The incubus followed his statement with a bow. "Otherwise, I'll see you again in a month."
Tia waved him away, trying hard not to take pity on the woman he dragged behind him.
"Always a pleasure doing business with you," the Redever said, leaving the room.
Tia leaned back in her lounge chair, looking down at the vials of purple fluids packaged in an open crate. She reached out, uncorked a bottle, and smelled its contents. The watered down version still sent tingles through her core. Her heart began to race, her breathing labored, as she brought the tip of the vial to her lips. She leaned it back, and all her taste buds rejoiced.
She didn't want to swallow. The liquid was thick, and bubbly. The smell of it lit up her nostrils as she swished it around her gums. When Tia finally gulped it down, her throat contracted, before letting it flow to her stomach.
A warmth spread from there to her limbs, tickling the hair between her legs. Tia Serrano gasped a heavy sigh of relief as the Allucia did its job. That insatiable itch, that unrelenting craving, finally ceased… For now.
A warm bead of sweat strolled down the woman's ample bosoms, her soft skin began to stick to the undershirt of her uniform. Tia Serrano rested her chin in the palm of her hand, her long brown hair flowing down past her broad shoulders, clearly against uniform regulation, but no one would ever challenge her on that.
No one challenged Tia Serrano, hero of the Thirteenth Redever War, and Commander of the Bloody Winged Regiment, made famous during the Fourteenth. Because of her, the Godechill Mount still stood under human control, making it the only tangible gain humans made during the last two wars.
The Godechill Mount was a bastion just outside the city walls, its outer surface smoothed from the constant torrential blasts of wind. So grand, it was once home to the center of international trade between the Redevers and Human settlements. During the Thirteenth War it became the first major objective for Voxsturm's armed forces to claim, and then it quickly became the linchpin for additional assaults.
The mount was claimed, albeit at heinous losses. Like a rounded canker it rose from the wind blasted wasteland, a dark gray mound protruding from the flat surface. Once claimed, the people who had been living within were 'encouraged to leave', and a military bastion took its place.
The Fourteenth War had proved disastrous. The Redevers moving to retake most their lost territory and were nearly successful. The general leading their fourth grand army laid siege to them in the opening month of the war, but not before seizing all the outer fortifications and forcing their defenders into breeding pens. Thousands were given the slave marks, fed mind breaking poisons, and subjugated.
As the entire war ground down to a ruthless battle of attrition, Tia Serrano was dispatched, with what little forces they had left in reserve, to hold Voxsturm's only bastion beyond the canyon walls.
It was costly. Three months of constant bombardment, followed swiftly by wave after wave of assaults. Her fingers twitched at the memory. Their first commander died in those opening months, their second was scorched by a Redevers magi almost immediately after. The third disappeared during the chaos of the bloody offensive, his arms and legs were found hanging over the entrances of the underground tunnels as a warning.
Tia took command, being the only officer left, and managed the impossible. She avoided death. Her men fought for weeks, even after being cut off from the front lines, and fought without end until her motley band of soldiers became known as the Bloody Winged Regiment.
They fought on, until Voxsturm broke through Redever lines to relieve them, not out of duty, but out of necessity. Tia was fully aware of what fate was in store for her, should they be captured. Being bound and bred by some Redever master wasn't very appealing, so Tia resisted defeat with every ounce of her breath.
Ultimately, she was captured, much to her regret, but not for long. She expected it might happen during some offensive, instead rogues infiltrated the base in the middle of the night while she slept. She was nabbed and dragged to Redever base camps hidden underneath the Mount. For two days she was whipped and strangled for their amusement. They wanted to take their time, watching the fabled commander of the Bloody Winged Regiment break down under duress.
They eventually force fed her the strongest of their aphrodisiacs. With that, her world melted around her; new colors became visible, and entirely new sensations began to form. Just before they fed her a second vial, her men raided the Redever stronghold and rescued her from a lifetime of depravity.
When the Voxsturm regulars finally came, they expected to find a barren graveyard, its only living habitants Redever soldiers, or worse, broken human slaves. Instead they found her in command, with some fifty surviving guardsman. They wore blood soaked rags over their shoulders, which became the trademark for their newly christened 'Bloody-Winged' regiment. It would be quickly replaced with red dyed capes over their left shoulder guards.
The broken bones of countless soldiers littered the landscape, the swirling clouds that descended from the skies collected them, creating winds of sharpened bone. To brave the slopes of Godechill Mount was to illicit a grueling death. Even tacsuits and vehicles proved dangerous. Once bashed to pieces, the metal shrapnel only made the cyclonic winds even more lethal.
Thinking back on it, Tia shuddered. Since then, she had been elevated, her regiment included, and been given control of the famous Goremount fortress in the center of the Attila district. From the top of her fortress, looking outside the massive armor-glass window, she had a hell of a view.
Tia adjusted herself in her chair. She had chosen her office carefully, giving her the tallest view overlooking the district below. Far off into the distance, just over the lip of the wall, a thick column of wind churned the earth, the vortex easily five miles wide in diameter. Smaller daughter tornadoes sprouted from the mesocyclone above, curling and extending in twisted arches.
It was a haunting, blood curling, visage.
Within the wall, Tia got a clear view of the Attila district, including the military plaza and the road to lost memories which extended from the base of the bastion all the way through the Atillia district and to the curtain walls interior bastions.
Further off into the distance, not too far away from the vortex, stood a Behemoth, the Redevers primary weapon of war. The giant bipedal machine stood nearly forty stories tall, with giant protruding cannons built into its shoulders. Slabs of iron and steel protected it from the worst of the wind, and somehow it stood even against the tempest swirling around it. Whatever shield system they were using, or magical wards, they were far stronger than they were in the last war.
Should a Fifteenth Redever war ever start up, that war machine would unleash its furry. Its opening salvo would likely hit the Godechill outside the wall, shattering its underground railway and liberating it from TannReign governance. Long range artillery would respond, but Tia doubted it would even dent its armored plating.
She shoved the grim thoughts aside. There was no point in worrying about things outside of her control. She didn't know when the next war would happen. What she did know, however, was how good it felt not ending up as a breeding concubine for some Incubus. There were more than enough half breeds out there already.
Tia stood up, deciding to roam her office. She was just over six feet tall, with bronze colored skin, and dark almond eyes. She had almost regal facial features, her cheeks were soft, and her chin elegant. Had it not been for the jagged scar down the right side of her face, she might've been considered beautiful. The woman's body had been sculpted from war, giving her a muscular frame over her feminine curves, and it was decorated with scars and blemishes.
As a Colonel, she had the right to commission and customize her own uniform and the uniforms of her soldiers. She could even design her own from scratch if she so desired. What she had put together was a form fitting corset bodice that exposed the top portion of her chest and an ochre colored undershirt and trousers to compliment it. Shoulder pauldrons were decorative, etched in silver, and installed with golden tassels. Medals were pinned to her leather jacket. Her leather boots were designed with mid level heels. The red cape remained a trademark, the one she wore was altered with gold trim.
Before she could really enjoy the pleasure of her altered state, a message popped up on her terminal and was relayed to her ocular implants.
< Your son applied again for an expedition. > The message was sent by the Dean of of the University of Voxsturm.
Tia sighed, considering her response, before sending it. < I would appreciate it if his applications were rejected again, like last time. >
< Are you sure? He does exhibit— >
< No. > She responded, even before the Dean could finish writing his sentence.
< Of course, my apologies. >
< Thank you. > Tia ended the message.
She strolled back to her desk and retrieved a thin cigar from a wooden box. She cut the tip of the stick, brought it to her lips, and lit the other end. Drawing a long breath before exhaling, Tia savored the taste.
Staring out into the storm beyond the glass, Tia's mind wandered, like the very winds of magic. The idea of becoming like the woman the incubus merchant dragged around, his newest squeeze, sent a shudder down her spine.
Tia Serrano sighed, taking her seat and leaning back. She puffed on the cigar until she had the energy to go through some of her daily reports. Her staff handled all the leg work, but it was still her job to review everything. She swiped her hand to open a holographic monitor and gazed at the long list of communiques.
She shifted her attention from the long list of daily logs to her son's studies. She wondered how Theo was doing. Privately, she kept track of him. Logging into an administrative account on the Universities servers, she tracked through her sons whereabouts every day. Images from campus security cams populated her monitor, and she went through them quickly.
Lightning struck, this latest strike was strong enough to shake the wards in the sky, and it caused Tia to lose her concentration. She turned her seat to look outside.
The Goremount was a pyramid shaped structure of steel and concrete. So grand, it was once the anchor at the center of the city, before the city was expanded and reshaped. Some records claimed it was meant to be a bastion against Cubi armies in a long forgotten war. She doubted those accounts. Constructed before the time of Stormfall, its original purpose was clearly military, but for whom and against what was lost to history. Those were dark days, before the storms. Right now, it was an ancient but important relic. As the center of the military industrial complex, it was also the home of the most famous regiment of the last two wars, and Tia found it a vast improvement when compared to her last posting.
"War and chaos! That is the world beyond the wall."
"Shit," Tia cursed, hearing the broadcast from a Zenith that was now hovering near the fortress. It had been replayed off-and-on all day, giving her something else to worry about. "As the very skies threaten to smother our precious city, we must remember, it isn't these tempests that plaque our daily lives, but these Redever Cubi that continue to wage war with each passing generation! We must stand united as one! We must eradicate them once and for all!"
Tia listened to it while grinding her teeth, studying the voice, not so much the message. The late colonel's words were still ringing true over the cities many districts, echoing an outcry of panic and alarm to bind the masses against a common threat; the Redevers. She remembered hearing it on a daily basis living in the Mira district where his Zeniths once patrolled.
She wasn't sure how effective his words were now; whether the people below were galvanized by them, or long impartial.
The colonel was long dead, but even still, the clique he formed in the military still broadcast his message for the masses to hear. It was hard to discern if his propaganda made any impact, but one thing was for certain, his nagging to start another war was clearly endorsed by much of the senior staff.
She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the cushioning of her leather chair. Her stomach was growling, she would have to address that later.
The door to her inner sanctum opened. She felt the sudden need to hide the small box of Allucia on her desk, but stopped when she saw it was her trusted sub-commander that had entered.
"Can I get you anything else my lady commander?" Her subordinate, Captain-Commander Cynfael Melchior, had arrived to find his boss sitting idly at her desk, barely paying attention to the world around her. There was already a small pile of reports for her to go over, they had been growing all day, but all of them were left unattended.
As a vampire, Cynfael looked at her with muted red eyes. His skin was deathly pale, an eerie mixture of milky white and light gray that would've unnerved most people. His white hair was cropped short, and his patrician face was cleanly shaved.
"Melchior." She didn't feel the need to address him by his full title, such protocol was unnecessary between them, at least when no one else was in the room. Now that he was here, she supposed it was finally time to get down to some serious business. "Would you mind summoning the senior staff?" She looked to one particular pile of notes. "It's getting about time to discuss our blood-reaver problem."
Melchior raised a brow. "I can do that."
"Good and do me a favor." Tia adjusted her seat, taking another puff from her cigar. "I have this… Feeling… that my son is about to do something incredibly stupid. It's bothering me." She leaned back. "I want an update on his personal life, how he's doing at the academy."
"You could always just call him?" Cynfael Melchior didn't say what he was actually thinking. That it was ridiculous for her to be spying on him.
Without thinking, Tia looked over to the small cabinet on the left side of her desk. "I plan to, but I just want to be sure he's alright. My son can be stubborn, he likes to keep things to himself. His grades are slipping, and he's roaming around throughout the day on campus seemingly lost in thought."
Cynfael Melchior sighed. "I could task an operative to keep a watchful eye on him."
Tia smirked at that. "You know what… That doesn't sound like a bad idea." She shifted in her seat. "Got anyone in mind?"
Melchior hesitated, thinking about it. Finally, after several seconds, he nodded. "Actually I might, but she's going to be pissed."
"Who's going to be pissed?" Tia sneered.
"Corporal Junipor Reigns." Cynfael Melchior answered. "She's got a… Particular temper, and a need for confrontation, but she could use some time away from the wall. It'll be a simple enough job for her, and we've been needing to send a representative anyway for military recruitment on campus."
"If she's got a temper, why her?"
Cynfael coughed and then cleared his throat. "Time away from the wall will do her some good."
You're repeating yourself… Tia couldn't help but notice.
Tia searched her memory. "Was she behind that brawl between the Sraxis and Hellfire battalions." She only skimmed through the reports the other day, and left it to her trusted adviser to settle the dispute. Apparently, his resolution was sending the main aggressor as far away as possible, at least temporarily.
"No, actually." He paused. "I've dealt with that already. However, she was responsible for another fight."
"What other fight?" Tia's curiosity was peeked. The thin trail of smoke from her cigar wafted in front of her face.
"She's the one who punched a superior officer."
"What?" Tia froze, and then started laughing. "When did this happen?"
"This morning my lady."
"And you want to redeploy her to the other side of the city?" Tia wasn't sure what to make of this.
"She should be thankful you're not court-marshaling her."
"She's too good of a soldier, that and…" Cynfael's gaze drifted away, almost out of shame. "She's… My daughter."
Tia choked on that. "You… You cheeky dick waffle." Tia slammed her hand on the table. "Illegitimate, I presume?"
"It's not official, but she is my blood." A look crossed over his face, one of shame and awkward tension. "Nepotism had nothing to do with her enlistment or position… But it might have something to do with her temporary dismissal, rather than a more severe punishment. If you are displeased I will humbly accept resignation, or any punitive measure you require."
"Why didn't I know you had a daughter?" Tia rested her head in the palm of her hand. "You really should've told me. I might have paid more attention to her."
"That wouldn't have been necessary. She's a model soldier… Except for… Some personality issues."
"I see… And you can be sure she can control these personality issues while watching my son?" Tia sat back in her seat. Her smoke was gently cradled between her index and ring finger.
"I'm… Reasonably certain…" He answered.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm doing you a favor by sending her away…" Tia pondered. "Who did she assault?"
He didn't answer.
"No…" Tia realized in horror.
He still kept tight lipped.
"Shit…" Tia rubbed her forehead. "Fine, I'll do you this one favor for you, you can dispatch her. But Captain-Commander, you better set up a meeting between me and 'you-know-who' before he issues a death mark on her."
It was hard to see, given his pale skin, but Melchior was sweating. "What do you think I've been trying to do all week? Settling a dispute with a royal is…a delicate matter."
"Also," Tia leaned forward. "She better not punch my Theo."
Her Captain-Commander nodded.
"Now," Tia settled back, "Is there anything else we need to talk about?"
"Yes, actually." The Captain-Commander stepped forward, and delivered a parcel of information onto her already packed desk. "There's a General coming personally from the TannReign, and I have a feeling he's going to want to request a special division to handle the newest uprisings in Valia."
"Always beware a smiling General…" Tia sighed. She knew exactly who they were about to send and respected him the least of all. The TannReign had a bad habit of promoting sub-par commanders with little battle experience but knew what to say and how to say it to climb the ranks. This particular General liked earning accolades while sending others to fight for him, and he always smiled while doing it.
"Yes Commander," Melchior sighed. "It's most certainly him."
"Make sure to leave notices are given to Sraxis and Hellfire battalions before he arrives. Also, Warback battalion needs to be kept off the books, along with the Pale Knives." Tia tapped the single spot on her desk that wasn't covered. "I don't want that bastard commissioning them for anything right now."
"Then which battalion should we have on reserve for his little war?"
"Little war, let us hope its only a little war…" Tia was still upset. The last time the TannReign took some of her men to resolve anything, it left an entire sub-district in flames. "Not a battalion, let's take several fire teams from multiple companies to form a special platoon just for him."
"You want to piece-meal a platoon? Is that wise?"
"He'll request a battalion or two, I'll counter with what we have officially on the books that isn't already deployed." She leaned forward. "The real killers of my Bloody Winged Regiment won't be wasted if I can help it."
Melchior jotted down a few notes. "I'll be sure to pick out fire teams that aren't due for leave anytime soon. But I would have to include some units with real combat experience, otherwise the General will pick up on what you're doing."
"All my men are precious to me," Tia spoke seriously. "Which is why I don't want him souring moral or unleashing my forces without my presence. He can have a platoon, eight fire teams, if he just has to go nuts to earn another fucking medal. No more than that."
Melchior smiled. "Let's just hope he isn't coming with a surprise up his sleeve."
"Like another damn war with the Redevers?" Tia looked toward the massive window looking outside. One of the Zeniths broadcasting the late colonel's message could still be heard.
"There are rumors…"
"Shut them down," Tia shuddered. Old scars itched, some of them physical, others much deeper.
"Yes ma'am."
"Are we done here?" Tia asked, putting her cigar down.
"Are we ever done?" Melchior asked.
Tia laughed at that. "No, you have a point there."
Melchior reached out, picking up the crate of Allucia on her desk, and bringing it to the cabinet for safe keeping, and to keep it out of sight.
"Oh Captain-Commander, what ever would I do without you." She smirked, finishing the bottle she had already taken, and tossing it in the trash.