A Virtual Temptress Ch. 12

"I cannot understand your hesitation, Daniel. Your plan is reasonable. And I have our stray Templar well in hand." Lexi held out her arm, eyeing the heavy black cloak from beneath its hood with unconcealed distaste. The fountain in the Courtyard of Bright Hope. "You've already made a pact with a demon. And you say this isn't your real world, so surely you have no moral compunctions."

Dan tried to relax as he observed the people walking by. He noted, with growing relief, that no one was paying attention to them. He ran his hand absentmindedly through the water.

"You're changing the subject."

"And if I am? I'd like to address your reluctance before we discuss this little experiment of yours."

Dan sighed. For the third time that hour, he flicked open the system message he'd received the day prior.

You have unlocked a new class! Due to your alliance with a being of the Far Realms, your entrance into the Nath Valen Arcanist's Society, and your proficiency as a Pyromancer, you now have access to the Hellfire Adept class! Would you like to change your class? You will retain all current class levels and abilities and become a level 1 Hellfire Adept. Gaining experience will advance your level in the Hellfire Adept class instead of your current class.

He'd been through the starting abilities several times. It seemed like a cross between pyro and warlock, which an emphasis on flexibility and close-range firepower. Dan was almost suspicious of how well it seemed to fit his playstyle -- he'd lose very little by moving out of Pyromancer.

The problem was that whenever a secret class was unlocked for the first time, Saga Online announced it server-wide. Dan didn't want to answer questions about what, exactly, he had done to become a Hellfire Adept.

Dan massaged the back of his neck. He'd already turned off messaging from anyone not on his friends list, so he'd only have to deal with other people in person. The guys from Steel Thunder were going to be curious, but he could brush them off pretty reasonably -- just feed them some bullshit about being a pyromancer and making a deal with something from the Far Realms, he couldn't say more, and he wasn't sure what else he had done. Class unlocks weren't always obvious in hindsight, after all.

"Yeah... you're probably right." Dan ran a hand through his hair, reopened the screen, and hit Accept.

SERVER ANNOUNCEMENT

Blaize Firewilde is the first player in Saga Online to unlock the Hellfire Adept Class! Congratulations!

Around the plaza, players flicked open their UI.

Dan looked at Lexi. "Done. Now, will you admit I was right?" He watched the succubus glower at him from under her hood. Even in a full-body cloak the fabric somehow accentuated her curves.

"I confess that it was effective, Daniel. And loathe though I may be to admit it, I do appreciate you informing me of this 'Talent Tree' system. We lack anything similar in my world." Lexi brushed a strand of blonde hair back inside her hood. "Now then. You have persuaded me to invest into this 'Restraint' talent. Three ranks. And as you have so smugly noted, it has made the humans around us disinterested in my presence. What I fail to see, however, is why I should bother myself with hiding? It is in a succubus' nature to flaunt herself, after all. I hope you won't find me brazen if I confess to enjoying male attention." She raised her eyebrows, mouth quirking into a smile.

"Lexi, we've been over this."

"Insufficiently. I may be bound to you by our contract, but it nonetheless behooves you to explain yourself. I can hardly be expected to support your endeavors if I do not understand your perspective." The succubus held out her hand, palm up, encouraging him. "This is your opportunity to persuade me. Speak."

Dan slowed his pace and looked around. He took a minute to find an isolated corner, motioning Lexi to follow and leaning against a retaining wall beneath the shade of the young maple tree that rose behind them.

"Okay, so." Dan scrunched up his face, thinking of how to best make his point. "Let's start with this: how many men can you seduce at once?"

Lexi eyed him skeptically, brows knitted beneath the shadow of her hood. "As many as can see me, I suppose."

"Ten?" Dan asked. The succubus nodded. "Twenty?" Another nod. "Two hundred?"

"Men are slaves to their desires, Daniel."

"And you're sure? You've seduced a small army of men before?"

"Well... not as such, no."

Dan took in breath as he picked up momentum. "So lets say you walk into a crowd, and every male player and NPC is charmed immediately. What about the women in the crowd?"

Lexi's frown deepened. "There are more men in this city than women, Daniel. Certainly among the adventurers."

"Okay, let's say you're in a crowd of one hundred people. Ten are women. Your magic works perfectly, and ninety men are staring at you and drooling on the floor, completely helpless. What's your plan for the ten?"

"Well," Lexi sighed. "My... thralls would fight them off. Or distract them, so I could be on my way."

"Okay, so you charm 90 men, they bog down the 10 women, you leave. What happens when your charm wears off on the men?"

Lexi stretched, squeaking out a yawn. "I am growing tired of this conversation, let us - "

"Answer the question."

Lexi met Dan's gaze for moment, then stared absentmindedly at the passersby. "You are infuriating. Men! Such simpleminded creatures."

"Lexi, answer the - "

"Yes, yes, I agree. Is that what you wanted to hear? I will restrain myself. Daniel, are you listening to me?"

Fumbling open the alarm warning, Dan read the message that had just spilled onto his screen: First meeting w/ Glorianna, BE EARLY. "Shit," he muttered. "Shit damn shit."

"Daniel?"

"The academy, I'm going to be late. Look, I'll meet you back at the house. Just... get ready for tonight, I guess. Don't do anything risky."

Lexi laughed. "When have you known me to be incautious?" The succubus eyed her master contemplatively as he hurried down the street. "I suppose he is correct. I'll need to be at my best this evening, and one can never have too much time to prepare."

* * * * *

"Ah, Mr. Firewilde. You're right on time."

Glorianna Brightwind was immaculate. Her white hair was kept in a tight, elaborate braid that trailed down the back of her silver overcoat. She nodded curtly, spun on the toe of her fur-hemmed boot, and began walking up the stairs.

Dan jogged to keep up.

He had run almost the entire way. A pyromancer's stamina bar is not generous, and the cramp in his side was growing increasingly painful despite the numbing effect of virtual reality. Fortunately, the Second Speaker of the Nath Valen Arcanist's Society kept her back to him as they walked. Less fortunately, the path to the academy angled steeply upwards.

"I do apologize for the stairs," Glorianna said. Her voice carried perfectly despite her brisk pace and her facing forward. "The teleportation stones are far more convenient but require attunement prior to use. A necessary precaution - no outsider can access the Society through magical means." She gestured toward the well-maintained granite slabs. "Thus, stairs.

"It also sets a vital precedent for our students, and more importantly their families. Which brings us to why you are here, Mr. Firewilde. Tell me, what do you know about our fine academy?"

He was still struggling to breathe, but Dan had at least done his research. "The school is here to train specialists, right? Mostly nobility, plus a few talents in each class from the common folk. Merit-based achievement, practical skills according to each student's vocation." He wheezed as quietly as possible. "Battlemages, Artillerists, and Peacekeepers are your most well-known, but I imagine there are a lot more specializations than that."

"A student of history - I am impressed, Mr. Firewilde. Indeed, there is much that goes on at the Society to which even the crown is not privy, let alone the Adventurer's Guild. We have had an unquiet history between the two organizations, I'm afraid, but our stance on admittance of non-citizenry is at the core of the Arcanist's Society's beliefs."

They had reached the first landing. "The view is quite magnificent, even from this height. Wouldn't you agree?" Glorianna gazed out into the dusk-cloaked city, tactfully failing to notice as Dan fought to calm his breathing. After a few minutes respite she turned away and began up the next set of stairs.

"This history brings us to your purpose here," the Speaker continued. "While our strict standards have strengthened us, they have also led to the occasional divide among our students. We have always resolved these differences swiftly in the past, but I believe outside assistance is called for in this particular instance. We have an exceptional group of young minds in the academy at this time, and you may trust that I have an eye for such talent. Alas, our instructional expertise has waned of late.

Glorianna sighed. "I do not mean to besmirch our instructors - far from it, in fact. The Arcanist's Society employs the most brilliant minds on the continent. Alas, while our research remains cutting edge, I fear that the formality of our instruction has led to a stagnation in practical applications."

"You're saying..." Dan frowned, considering the Potion of Greater Intellect in his satchel. It was his last vial, at least until he could get another blood sample from Lexi and have it processed. He pushed on, struggling to parse her language.

"Our present combat instructors are masters of their craft but maladaptable. The unusual levels of talent within the student body have led to instructors being overcome by their pupils. Not merely in the classroom, where such a thing is a source of pride for an educator, but in show matches and similar settings. Not a few of our students have grown overly bold with their victories, believing we have no more to teach them. They are remarkably incorrect, but this belief has hampered the quality of their instruction. I would like you to correct this issue."

They reached the top of the steps, and Glorianna opened the tall brass gates with a wave of her hand.

Dan leaned heavily against a retaining wall as the Speaker turned to face him at last. "Speaker Brightwind, I'm afraid you've lost me. Would you mind simplifying? What is it you need me to do?"

Glorianna sighed. "You are being hired as an instructor, Mr. Firewilde. I expect you to instruct." Her voice dropped slightly, eyebrows lowering. "But perhaps more importantly, I need you to instill respect into those little fools. And perhaps a bit of fear."

She resumed her dignified pose, eyeing Dan conspiratorially. "There is an unacceptable level of arrogance among the student body. Having bested their teachers, they believe themselves untouchable. A match for any foe! They are wrong, of course, but we have been unable to dissuade them of the notion. I am hiring you, an adventurer with an unorthodox combat style, for two purposes. First, I want you to knock the troublemakers off their pedestal and teach them a measure of respect. I trust that is within your capabilities?"

"Shouldn't be a problem." Maybe he was the overconfident one this time, but Dan held little doubt he could best an NPC mage in 1v1 combat.

"Excellent. The second thing I need you to do is to train them for the realities of modern combat. The world is changing quickly with the influx of adventurers into our world and we must adapt. I hardly expect you to bring the academy into the modern era single-handedly, but I would nonetheless appreciate your support in my project."

"Madame Speaker, your offer is more than generous and I'm not one to pass up being the first adventurer in the Arcanist's Society." Dan produced what he hoped was a sincere smile. "When do I start?"

* * * * *

Teleportation magic always made Dan a little dizzy, but that was a small price to pay for avoiding the stairs on the way down. Sore, tired, and ready for some real-life sleep, he slumped back to the townhouse and opened the door.

Dan stopped. He blinked. He slipped the key into his pocket, stepped inside, and closed the door.

"Lexi, what the hell is going on?"

The succubus was wearing a partially translucent nightgown that was artfully draped across her breasts, hair pulled back with a simple blue ribbon, eyes focused on one of the lore books Dan had given her the day before.

Shinji Shadowstep, aka Jimmy, was positioned below her, Lexi's plump asscheeks grasped with both hands as she knelt above his face. The man was entirely naked save his boots, grunting and moaning happily as he lapped at the demon's nectar-slick pussy.

"Daniel, you're home! This is not what it looks like, I assure you."

"Jesus, Lexi, how is it not? You were specifically instructed not to seduce anyone."

For the first time in her life, the succubus managed to look embarrassed. "This man, who claims to be a companion of yours, was creeping about the house when I encountered him. He asked all sorts of questions - Daniel, I fear he knows far too much about our activities. And, well..."

"So you didn't seduce him, but you're sitting on his face?"

"It was the only way to make him stop talking!"

Dan's mouth opened. He looked at Lexi. He looked at Jimmy. His mouth closed. "That... I actually believe."

Dan rubbed his hands with his eyes, squinted, then gestured to Jimmy. "He's a player, though - same as me. We can't just make wipe his memory or mind control him like you did with that Templar, right?"

Lexi grinned, hefting her breasts teasingly and glancing at the man pinned beneath her. "Daniel, please. When you're as attractive as I am, you can get away with all sorts of things."