A Virtual Temptress Ch. 06

The crowds parted like grass, reforming once they'd passed. Gaius wished, at times like this, that the Templar armor and iconography was less distinctive. But the regulations were specific: members of the Order Inquisition were to appear in full uniform when on-duty, unless specifically ordered otherwise by their Knight Commander.

If the note was a trap, whoever sent it would know they were coming. Gaius adjusted his shoulder plate, glancing at the man a step behind him. He wouldn't voice his fears to William -- not when the man had only been promoted to the order two months ago. William was adapting well, but he was still in training. There was enough on the man's mind as it was.

The message had been simple enough: a request for the Templars to meet an informant at the abandoned church a quarter-mile south of Hangman's Hollow. The anonymous source claimed to have information on the cult activity they'd been tracking the past few weeks with minimal success.

"Do you think it's legitimate?" William asked, echoing his own concerns.

Gaius shrugged. He slowed his pace slightly to match his partner's. "It is convenient, and perhaps suspicious because of that. But cultist activity is most often exposed by one of their own growing a shred of conscience, in my experience. We'll assume the letter was sent in good faith, while remaining wary for any deception or ambush."

They returned to silence, minds on the task ahead. It was their first break since the trail had gone cold two weeks ago. Two bodies, partially desiccated, with no wounds upon them. They were most likely killed by magic, hence the Order Inquisition's jurisdiction over the case. No sign of a struggle. Both nude, with no easy means of identifying them. And both with their faces twisted in ecstasy.

Some sort of ritual sacrifice, perhaps by initiates to an arcane or demonic cult. Whether the bodies came from victims or members it was difficult to ascertain.

The only apparent witness to the attacks, a wealthy art dealer named Silas Revene, had left town suddenly after they had occurred. Acquaintances had said that it was unlike him, and that he had only spoken of a purchase he needed to make in Southspire. He would likely not return for some time. Access to his home, a lavish two-story apartment in the western Bazaar District, had proven impossible to acquire. The investigation had been rapidly bogged down by a team of lawyers claiming it would infringe on the privacy of Revene's clients. The warrant would come through eventually, but not before Silas had returned and scoured anything relevant or potentially incriminating.

The men stopped, looking up at the ruined cathedral. It had once been dedicated to Kelothan, a god of wisdom and mysticism, but had been abandoned some thirty years ago. Arches and pillars of crumbling stone were choked with ivy, illuminated by shafts of flickering sunlight that flowed past the trees overhead and through the shattered roof.

Gaius pushed one of the double doors open, watching the shifting light dance among the shadowed interior.

"What now?" William asked.

"The note asked us to wait inside. We'll do just that. If our informant is looking to escape a cult, they'll be skittish -- no sense frightening them off. We've arrived an hour early in hopes of avoiding an ambush, or at least disrupting one." He indicated one half of the interior with his gauntleted hand. "You'll sweep the east side, I'll cover the west. Look for any signs of recent activity that might indicate this is more than a clandestine meeting. No lanterns -- we want to be as circumspect as possible. Once the area is secure, we'll wait somewhere with a view of both exits. Sitting, so as to not intimidate our friend. We'll complete the Prayer of Warding before they arrive, as an additional precaution." He paused, meeting William's eyes. "Understood?"

The other man nodded, following Gaius into the ruins of the cathedral. William muttered the Litany of the Calm Mind under his breath. Surely everything would go well. They'd meet the informant, break open the case. Call in the Order Militant to help them deal with the cult. He'd be promoted from initiate to full sword brother, like as not. Everything was going to be fine.

*****

"I've run into a little problem lately, Daniel. Do you think you could take care of it for me?"

Dan knew they were moving to the edge of the city, but he wasn't sure exactly where they were. He needed to focus on Lexi -- she was talking, and that was more important than anything else. "Of course," he said. "I'd be happy to help. What's the matter?"

The succubus sighed. "I'm afraid I was a little careless when I first entered the city. I knew it would be some time before I could track you down, and in the meantime I had to feed. Now that I could hide my true nature I could move freely about the city, but still, I didn't want to draw too much attention to myself. I found two men who wouldn't be missed, squatting in a disused house near the bridge. We had a lovely time together."

Dan nodded occasionally as she spoke. It must have been difficult for Lexi, being new in Nath Valen. The city was immense, confusing for any first-time traveler. It had taken him almost a month before he was familiar with the main thoroughfares.

"Unfortunately, someone noticed what had happened," Lexi continued. "And he alerted the authorities. I met the man at his house and persuaded him not to take things any further. Silas was ever so helpful once I explained everything. He even offered me the key to his home while he was traveling, off to some city to find a gift for me."

She stopped for a moment, furrowing her brows as she looked around. After a minute she began walking again. "Ah, I remember. This way please, Daniel. As I was saying, I had thought that took care of everything, but some men stopped by the apartment the next day. They were quite rude, pounding on the door and demanding to speak with the owner. 'On authority of the Order Inquisition,' they said. They returned twice more after that, and I'm afraid they'll try something drastic. I can't keep looking over my shoulder forever, and from what I understand these Templars are not easily persuaded once they set their mind to something. "

Dan grimaced. It was a tough spot, no mistake. The Templar orders -- Militant, Judiciary, and Inquisition -- were the highest authority in Nath Valen, aside from the Regent Council itself. They worked with the city guard most of the time, assisting with investigations. The Inquisitors specialized in hunting down rogue mages.

There'd been plenty of forum posts detailing how you didn't want to mess with the Templars. They were high level -- just how high no one was sure -- and very good at what they did. They also had no issue with slapping down adventurers who caused too much trouble in the city, as many had learned during the first few weeks after launch. Any seasoned adventuring party had a solid chance against the city guard, but if they called in the Templars you either dropped your weapons or tried to run.

Lexi stopped, looking up at a ruined structure that had once been a temple of some kind. She shielded her eyes against the midday sun, then thought better of it and moved into the shade beside the building. "But you're here now, so everything will be just fine. Isn't that right, Daniel?" She smiled at him, playing with her hair.

Dan walked slowly to stand next to her, going through what she'd said again. "Hold on, help you with what?"

"I wrote a letter to the men who've been pursuing me," she said, "Telling them I had information on their case. I asked them to meet me." She glanced toward the building behind her, her smile fading slightly. "Inside here, so you could take care of them for me."

"Wait, you want me to fight them?" Dan's voice went up before he realized that a pair of Templars were inside the building. "I can't do that," he whispered. "They'll slaughter me!"

"You said you'd help me with my problem, Daniel." She batted her eyelashes, pouting prettily. "Can't you do it for me?"

Too panicked to be distracted, Dan began pacing slowly in front of her. "They're better than me. And there are two of them. And they're Inquisitors! Specially trained to fight mages. I want to help, it's just, I mean. How can I win against that? They'll kill me, and I'll have to start another character."

"Poor Daniel." The succubus stepped forward, and Dan stopped pacing. "No need to fret. I'll be right here with you. You want to help me, don't you?"

Dan squinted at her. "... yes, of course."

"You'd do anything for me, wouldn't you?"

He nodded. "Anything."

Lexi took his face in her hands. "I'll be right behind you, darling. Go on now. Take care of those nasty Templars for me." She put one hand behind his head before pulling him into a passionate kiss.

Dan's head spun, dozens of pink hearts fluttering across his vision as his mind went fuzzy. Lexi's mouth, soft and tender, pressed against his own as her tongue slipped between his lips. His hair stood on end, and he closed his eyes against the intensity of what he was feeling. Her hips ground against his cock as she embraced him, breasts pressed tight against his chest. Something immaterial flooded into him, setting his body alight with sensation.

Lexi stepped back. The moment faded, but not the feeling that burned in his chest. Dan felt more awake, more alive than he had imagined possible. Power crackled through his veins like electric wildfire, flooding his body with light and sound and heat.

Boon: Demonic Gift

- Magic Power ++++

- Intellect ++++

- Speed ++++

- Energy ++++

- Health ++++

Head swimming, Dan stumbled over a piece of fallen masonry. Lexi smiled weakly at him. "That's everything I can give you, Daniel." She put a hand against the crumbling wall, slightly out of breath. "I'll be just a moment. This won't last terribly long, so you'd best move quickly. Break their wards, but don't hurt them."

Dan's mind was a moil of fear, excitement, and arousal as he walked into the temple. He pulled up his UI and toggled Spell Damage from lethal to non-lethal. He'd have to win this fight quickly, before they could close on him. He might have the edge in range, but he couldn't outlast them. Templars were trained to fight mages, so their anti-magic ward would be potent.

Dan took a deep breath to calm himself, drawing in energy. Heat distorted the air around him, a shimmering aura of barely contained power.

The Templars were already moving toward him, threading their way between the tumbled pews. They must have felt the spell being cast outside and known something was off. They were fifty feet away. The men drew their blades in unison. Their shields were poised to intercept his first attack. A pale blue glimmer flickered around their bodies, evidence that their wards were active.

Thirty feet. Dan knew he'd have to time this correctly. He'd done it before, once, but never with such need for precision. Twenty. The Templars rushed him, shields slightly lowered as they brought their blades up to attack, one approaching from either side.

Dan waited till they were ten feet away before he let loose the Furnace Blast he'd been channeling. There was no fire, only heat and impact. The Templars flew back, runes on their shields flaring with blue-white light as the ward absorbed the pain, but not the impact. One fell to the ground, the other maintaining his balance but struggling to reorient himself.

Reddish light flickered against the shadowed walls of the cathedral as Dan moved, boots slamming into the ground as he charged the staggered Templar. Incanting as quickly as he could, Dan unleashed a Magmatic Burst just as the man was readying his defense. Fire and molten rock surged out of his hands, slamming into the Templar and reducing his shield to slag. The man cursed, casting it aside and readying himself to attack.

Dan's heard the whistling of a sword and dove forward, the lingering heat of his own spell scorching his face as the second Templar's blade sliced cleanly through the hem of his robes. The two men pushed forward in concert, hemming him in with a practiced maneuver.

Three seconds till they hit him. Dan closed his eyes. Two seconds. White-hot light glowed around his body as his Solar Flare went off, blinding his attackers and giving Dan a moment of space. He readied a Firebolt, peppering his attackers as they recovered and retreating towards the shattered altar.

There wasn't much time left. The overwhelming power Dan had felt minutes before was fading quickly, draining out of him with each spell he cast and each passing moment. He kept the altar between himself and the Templars, then realized they had stopped moving. They were speaking -- no, casting a spell. A circle of light appeared around each man. Damn it, they were renewing their wards -- he had to act now.

It was a bad idea. If it didn't work, he'd be dead. But there wasn't time. Dan sprinted toward the Templars, panting out the words to the spell as he vaulted over an overturned bench. The Blazing Nova completed just as he reached them, half a second before their prayer took effect. Their wards cracked into a network of glowing shards, then splintered against the fury of Dan's magic. Both men were knocked off their feet, shattering furniture as they went.

Dan had overspent his mana. He could feel the pounding in his head as the last of his excess power fled. Equilibrium left him. He sank to the ground, vision dimming as consciousness fled. He hoped it had been enough.

*****

Gaius fumbled for his weapon. He felt slightly reassured as his hand closed around the still-hot hilt, ignoring the pain in his body as he lurched to his feet. Where was the mage? Unconscious, thank the gods. Typical warlock. Give them a taste of demonic power, and they overtax themselves every time. The fellow should be out for at least ten minutes.

"William?" He scanned the ruined scene around them, spotting his companion lying amid a pile of splintered wood. A leg shifted slightly, trying to find purchase. "Easy son, it's over with. Take a moment to get yourself together. He only just breached our wards."

William blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision. It was still spotty after that lightshow the mage had set off. Bracing one arm, he brought himself to a sitting position. "He's dead?"

"Just unconscious, it seems. We'll rest for a moment, then drag him back to the barracks."

"Alright." The fight had been closer than it should have been, William reflected. The pyromancer had known what he was doing; he just hadn't known who he was up against. William frowned, looking at the wreckage around him. Several of the pews were still smoldering. It had at least been abandoned -- no real property damage, despite everything that had occurred. He grinned, feeling foolish. A fight for their lives, and here he was thinking about the paperwork they'd racked up.

William's eyes refocused at the sound of footsteps walking toward them. "Miss, I'm afraid this is a crime scene, I'll have to ask you to leave." He furrowed his brow. "Miss, you can't just. Just. Oh. Wow."

The girl was achingly beautiful. She was dressed in a brown leather bodice, thin black panties, and translucent black thigh highs. Her large, perfect breasts swayed hypnotically as she walked toward them. Her skin was pale and smooth, her hair a wavy golden cascade that fell just past her shoulders. Curling black horns poked through her tresses, and a smooth black tail flowed gracefully from her backside. Her lips, curled into a slight smile, were a glossy black. Her eyes moved between the two Templars.

"Hello there, boys," she purred.

"You. You're a, uh." Will was finding it difficult to organize his thoughts.

"Demon," Gaius finished for him. He wanted to tell William to keep calm, to avert his gaze and find his weapon, but his tongue felt thick and heavy.

The succubus strutted slowly down the aisle, each movement drawing their eyes to the voluptuous curves of her thighs, her hips, her breasts. She paused a short distance between the two, running her hands through her silken hair and arching her back.

Gaius scowled. "She's trying to distract us, William. Keep your focus on your weapon and the task at hand." His words came out slurred, uncertain. What was happening? Who was this creature?

"Do you like looking at my body?" Lexi smiled as she unlaced her bodice, her breasts spilling over its confines. "Mm, I thought you might. Just keep staring, that's it. You might find your thoughts are a little fuzzy, but don't worry about that." She ran her hands over her breasts, teasing the soft pink nipples. "It feel sooo nice, staring at my big, sexy titties. Do they make your cocks all stiff and excited?"

William started to nod, then stopped himself. What was he doing? He tried to meet his mentor's gaze, but found he couldn't look away from the woman in front of him. He didn't want to. She was the most alluring thing he'd ever seen. Thoughts bubbled up through the haze, telling him to resist, to pick up his sword and fight back, but they were muffled as though deep underwater. He was drowning in her beauty, mind scrambling for something, anything to hang on to.

Gaius maintained his glower, willing himself to resist and praying that William would do the same. He'd signaled for backup the moment they'd felt demonic magic outside the chapel. He would hold out until the city watch arrived, and they'd send this fiend back to the pit.

Lexi walked to stand in front of Gaius, moving gracefully through the debris. "My, such spirit," she said. "Very resilient." She began removing his armor with practiced ease, fingertips slicing through the straps that held his mail in place, before finally removing his helmet. The armor clattered to the ground as she dropped it. "So much power... You'll be perfect, darling."

Gaius fought against the spell, hands clenched with concentration. Just a few more moments, he thought.

Lexi took one more step, placing her hands on the Templar's cheeks and drawing his face down to hers. "Why don't I give you a taste," whispered, before pressing her lips against his.

Gaius' world dissolved around him, his resistance forgotten. Her lips were soft and delicate, her tongue stealing into his mouth and teasing his own. He felt the heat of her body, her full breasts, her curvy hips pressed against him, drawing him into her. His cock sprung to life, straining against her thigh as she ground against him.

Something was flowing out of his body, Gaius realized dimly. Something important. He felt his knees buckle slightly, then a shiver ran through his body. The pleasure was indescribable, overwhelming.

Lexi pulled back, arms still laced around the Templar's neck so that he had to lean forward. "Did you like that?" she asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

Gaius nodded feverishly, then stopped. What was he doing? She'd taken something from him. Drained out his life force. But gods, it had felt incredible. His body trembled with desire as he stared at the woman in front of him. His lust was palpable. Just a little more would be alright, surely. That would be wrong, wouldn't it? But he couldn't seem to remember why.

The succubus reached down, massaging the man's cock through his trousers, stroking him with her fingertips. "Mmm, you're all hot and sticky down here. Why don't you lie down and show me how hard you've gotten?"

His body moving before he could process her request, Gaius lay down in the middle of the aisle and stared in longing at the goddess standing above him. He fumbled at his belt and unlaced his pants, freeing his erection. It ached wonderfully, desperate to be touched.

Lexi slid her foot up the man's shaft, smirking as he groaned with pleasure at silky smoothness of her stockings. "Poor, weak boys," she said. "You're so big and strong, until a pretty girl gives you a wink and a smile and you turn to mush." She crawled onto the Templar's chest, propping herself to sit with his throbbing erection between her feet. The succubus nestled his cock between her feet, slowly sliding it between them.