Bending the Rules Pt. 03: Battle Test

"You're such a tease."

/Oh, just wait until you hear what I've got in store for this stud. Yeah, I'm talking to you. I'm getting all wet just looking at those merciless red eyes, that strong jaw, those beautiful fangs. I should have come and seen you days ago, I know, I've just been so... busy. No rest for the wicked. But of course you know what that's like. You've been working so hard, no time for pleasure. We both need this.../

Nuru rubbed his face, trying to keep his eyes pointed the right direction.

/Mm, yes, I do too. Do you see this? These tits are made for touching. They've been so lonely, aching for a gentle hand. Or maybe.... not so gentle./

Now he shook his head, trying to will away the distraction.

/...You're not sure? Take a closer look. Let me get this dress out of the way. There we go. Oh yeah, touch me. I'm melting for you. And you're getting so hard for me. Why sure, I can see it, bulging up in your loincloth. Oh, wow. What is that, twelve inches, at least? Fourteen! Oh, careful with that, you might poke somebody's ovary out. Not if you stick it in my face? Why, how would you know where I keep my ovaries? Well, prove it, mister. See if you can find my ovaries with that massive stalactite. Oh wait, it's sticking up now, it's a stalagmite. Hahahah!"

Nuru held his head in his hands. "What have I gotten myself into?"

/Oh, yes, grab me by the horns. Yeah, show me your will, you devil. Mmm, yes, you wanna fuck my face? Make me drool all over your 'wand of power.' Make me your dirty little demon whore./

Nuru was perfectly erect now, trying nonchalantly to hide it walking down the road into town. He considered running, then considered what would happen if Adana said something truly mind-boggling near some tree roots. He had good DEX, but he was tired and had a sense that he was under the influence of some other magical influence.

/Yes, slap me. Yeah, choke me. Show me what I'm good for./

Nuru tried not to imagine the half of the conversation he was missing, and failed.

/...What? Well, I can do a lot of things, but I'm not sure I'm equipped to gag on it. But if you think you can make me... Mmm. Mmmmmmm!/

The sounds of aggressive sexual contact echoed through Nuru's head. He was both a little terrified, and horrifically turned on. Was she just showing off, or did she really like that? Why had he ever thought he might be able to handle such a creature? The things she was willing to do - might even insist on doing...

/Oh, you are so ready! Take me! Take my every hole! Give me that hot magma!/

The temple was almost in sight now.

/Oh, yes! Slam that hard meat into my cunt! Destroy me with that mighty weapon!/

Nuru broke into a jog as he saw it, not so much believing that it would help, but just to be doing something trying to take his mind off of it. He went inside, ran to the altar.

"Back so soon?" Father Emeka said.

"Yes, Father, I've leveled again. Or, I'm ready to."

"You said you would be, but I hardly believed twice in one day... is something the matter?"

"Oh, nothing much, really." Just a voice in my head driving me crazy, he tried not to add.

"Wait, Nuru, wait. Slow down."

"What is it?"

"I sense something... Ah, best go get your level. But, promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"Don't leave the safety of sanctuary here until I come back. OK?"

"What...?" Nuru said as the priest dashed away.

"Just do that, Nuru, stay here!"

He'd never seen the man move with such urgency before.

/Oh, gods below that's some good dick. Oh, I never want this to end! But I know you have other matters to attend to... finish it... cum for me. Yes, yes, I want it all, cum inside my twat. Fill me up with that demon seed!/

Nuru stepped up to the altar, praying for some relief, as well as his heavenly reward. His vision went white.

Hmm, Level Four. He chose a few skills and burned his spare EXP, hoping for a little more LCK. But it was not to be. Perhaps he needed to work on his karma. He left the altar.

/Oh, yes, oh - oh - oh- o*

Something clicked in Nuru's head, and the voice went suddenly silent. He sat down on a prayer rug and waited, enjoying the blessed moment of peace. Several minutes later, Father Emeka came back, panting and wheezing, carrying some kind of box.

"Nuru... oh thank the gods."

He coughed, wheezed a bit, then straightened up a bit and made his way up the aisle.

"Father, are you alright?"

Nuru got up to walk with him.

"Fine... fine. Glad to see you're still here. Nuru, we need to talk."

"We do? About what?"

"Inside... this reliquary... is a powerful artifact. I have held it for many long years... awaiting this day. Come, sit."

"I don't understand. It's getting late, I should-"

"No, Nuru, this cannot wait. I should have guessed earlier that you were playing with forces beyond your control. What once I thought to be harmless fun, I now see has turned into a very dangerous circumstance. You have been touched by a demon."

"Father, everything's fine. She can't touch me, I have no MP to manipulate."

"My son, demons are more clever than you give them credit for. Let me show you. Give me this one chance to prove it to you. It will take a little time, but have faith. Stay within the shelter of the Sanctuary Temple, where the artifact will protect you."

"With you? Father, are asking me to become a priest?"

"Nuru, I am not a Demon Hunter, but I spent many years preparing to be one. Trust me, I can see the aura on you clearly now. I was proven the more correct by suppressing the connection with this artifact, which is draining me and will not last but a few hours. Nuru, tell me the truth. Did you give a demon your name?"

"I... yes."

"I am a soulsmith, albeit a low level one. I can change your name, your true name. You must do this now."

"What is going on, Father? Why?"

"I will show you. Please, do this first. You may keep Nuru as a nick, for casual conversation, but you must find something longer, more secure. Do not give this out, ever, except to one you trust above all others, and only for the purpose of Resurrection, should you ever be able to afford it."

Nuru nodded. The priest closed his eyes, held out a hand with a stone in it, and an ethereal square floated between them bearing the runes that made up his name. He could not bear to change it completely; he added a few vowel runes, and then some complexity runes and numerals to the end. He selected the symbol to make it so. He felt a subtle shift inside himself, and then Father Emeka slammed his palms together.

"!Mafi Girma Jiko Suna Nuru!" he intoned, his voice booming powerfully through the building, making Nuru's hair stand up.

He held out a hand to show the quartz in his hand, glowing with inner light.

"This is all that remains of your old True Name. Come with me."

They walked out the side exit to the barren ground where the wood was chopped for the funereal pyres. An old oven that marked the first kitchen that had been build here was just beyond.

"This is the edge of sanctified ground. Watch."

The priest tossed the quartz crystal high into the air. As it soared back down to the ground outside the temple, a red spot flared on the ground and then a torrent of liquid fire erupted and burst into several diverging streams that cooled the further they went, forming hollow antlers that bubbled and spat and grew more slowly at the ends until they did nothing more than glow a dull red, thrusting high into the air and bending outward in all directions. The smell of sulfur filled the air, and what little grass had been there withered and smoked, crumbling to ash. At the end of each antler, embedded in the glowing-coal-colored ends, was embedded a small piece of glowing quartz that flickered and faded to darkness.

"Gods above..." Nuru said.

"You were targeted. Either the demon you spoke to, or another they sold it to, cast an Infernal Ritual meant to kill you."

"I... was such a fool."

"Nuru, when I was your age, I dreamed of having that influence. I thought I would put such a fear into the demons that they would all know my name, all be bent to the singular purpose of my destruction. They were the idle fantasies of youth, of course. But whatever you've done has stirred them mightily. I can do little but applaud you, though I hope I have impressed upon you the importance of caution."

"Yes. Yes, you have. Thank you, Father."

"This is my purpose in this life, my son. No thanks are needed. I knew the youth were most vulnerable to such influences, and this is why I have stayed here in the low-level area, away from all hope of fame or glory, though my heart has yearned for it always."

"There is clearly much more I need to learn."

"There is a man I know. Go and see him."

"I will."

But damned if he wasn't still hard as a rock, remembering every moan and sigh of the succubus with perfect clarity. Father Emeka offered him a prayer rug to sleep on, which he accepted. Though highly conflicted about imagining the succubus that had just tried to kill him, he nevertheless had to masturbate to fall asleep.