The Creators Ch. 10

"Your Holiness; Her Holiness, Julia Glendian, and Her Holiness, Willowbud—"

"I know, Bianca," I said, flustered. "Let them up." Bianca nodded at the ground, then closed the door behind her. A minute later, Julia and Willowbud were sitting across from me, and I was very confused.

"So..." I said after Julia had explained herself, "...we're going to... play Capture the Flag with orphans?"

"That's right," Julia nodded, her ruby lips smiling in that pious way that reminded me of my mother. Please don't awaken something in me; the Sorenson family can only stand so much incest.

"I thought it was fucking stupid too, but she's the boss for now," Willowbud grumbled. Somehow, this had something to do with Julia and Willowbud's 'temptation game' but I had no fucking idea what. If the good sister thought Willowbud gave a shit about orphans, then she was poorly mistaken; Night Eyes had made hundreds of orphans.

"Ok," I nodded, "why not? I guess it could be fun."

Willowbud gave me a look that told me she disagreed, and that my agreeing with Julia was a betrayal. Well, fuck her and the stick up her ass; Capture the Flag was fun.

"And," I added, smirking at Willowbud, "my team is going to kick the shit out of your team."

"Do you really think I'm that easy to manipulate?" Willowbud scowled.

"Yes," I grinned at her. Her scowl darkened.

"Fuck. Yeah, I am," she sighed. "Bandon, I am going to fucking destroy you."

"Because you're such an inspiring leader," I sneered. "I'll have your team calling me 'Daddy' before this is over."

"My team is literally going to kill your team, Honey," Willowbud grinned. "I turned a pack of urchins into a gang of murderers when I was eleven; what do you think I can do with disenfranchised orphans now?"

"I can grow them all ponies and puppies; you can make them big rocks. We'll see who they like better," I laughed. "Your team is gonna abandon you the first chance they get."

"My team will bathe in the blood of your offerings."

"And my team is going to play fairly, and with good sportsmanship," Julia said pompously, but added a little smile that told me she wasn't being entirely honest. Judging by the look in Willowbud's eye, her banter hadn't been entirely dishonest. This was going to be one fucked up game of Capture the Flag.

WILLOWBUD

The grassy mall had been divided into three sections, marking the territories of the three teams. The crowd had been cleared, and now amassed at the sides of the newly-made field, staring excitedly and confusedly as Brandon, Sister Julia and I inspected the lineup of twenty-one orphans Sister Julia had selected from her temple. I had a moment of déjà vu; I'd once been in a lineup like that, eagerly awaiting the team captain to pick me, and praying that I didn't get picked last. It must've been when I was very young and still in Arbortus, because it sure as shit didn't happen when I was in Drastin. Judging by the shape of the kids before me, it didn't look like any of them had ever played a game in their lives. To them, the only game that had mattered was, 'don't starve today.' I knew I should be focusing on the real game, 'the temptation game,' but I was too distracted with winning this children's game. I couldn't help it; I was a competitor to the core.

Sister Julia will probably play mostly fair, but Brandon is going to cheat his ass off. He'll make his territory a maze of jungle, so I'll need little guerilla soldiers to wade through the brush. Nymphs; I need nymphs. There were three nymphs; a twelve-year-old boy, a girl who looked about ten, and one who was barely five.

"You, boy," I pointed to the eldest of the three. The boy strutted forth, sneering at the other orphans, gloating that he'd been picked first. I liked the arrogance. Brandon scowled at me, and I grinned back. I know your game, and I've got your MVP, motherfucker. Brandon begrudgingly picked the ten-year-old nymph, and she walked shyly to her team captain. Julia studied the lineup, then unwisely chose a goblin, leaving me the last of the nymphs, who I greedily took under my wing. I smirked at Brandon, very much enjoying the way frustration played across his face. He picked four elves, one centaur (who I really wanted, but the fucker nabbed him before I could), and one human. I added some defensive muscle with four preteen orcs and some speed with an elf, while Sister Julia made it obvious that she was intentionally picking the most pathetic of the children just to make them feel good. Not only was her team comprised entirely of dwarves and goblins, but half of them had missing limbs. Fine, be a charity case, you dumb bitch.

"Jade Tao, Astrid Skyborne, and Bianca Blackwing will be the referees, but they will not referee their own gods. Jade will be Brandon's ref, Bianca will be Night Eyes's ref, and Astrid will be my ref," Sister Julia said. "The rules are simple. The flags must be accessible to everyone. If you get tagged in someone else's territory, you go to the jail at the corner of the territory you were tagged in. If you get tagged out of jail, you must go back to your territory before you can attack again. When one team captures another team's flag, that team is coopted into the victor's team. Now, before we begin, I'd like to say a prayer to commemorate—" and I put up a thirty-foot wall surrounding my territory, a stone maze within it, and a citadel in the very center. Sister Julia's muffled squawk of indignation barely sounded from the other side of my wall, and I turned to my little army with a maleficent grin on my face.

"Alright team, here's how this is gonna go down," I said, huddling my soldiers together. "Sister Julia picked all the weak little shits, so we're not even going to worry about her. Brandon's team's the real threat, but he went mostly for speed," I gestured to the maze, "which I've negated. You, big guy," I pointed to the biggest of the orc children, "what's your name?"

"Grok," Grok said, puffing out his chest.

"You get in a lot of fights, Grok?" I smirked at him.

"I win a lot of fights, Your Holiness," Grok grinned back, producing a thick fist scarred with teeth marks.

"That's what I like to hear," I said, grabbing his shoulder, and turning to the other orcs. "When I'm not here, Grok's in charge. Grok, when you see Brandon's little minions encroaching on our territory, I want you to make sure they regret it. Don't just tag them out; beat the ever-living-shit out of the fuckers until Bianca makes you stop."

"Oh, we'll tag 'em, Your Holiness," Grok smiled behind an evil brow, smashing his fist into his palm. I liked the little bastard more and more.

"Don't bite on distractions, and don't give chase if they run away. Set up ambushes, pummel the fuckers, then send 'em limping to jail. Spread out and patrol, and whistle when you need help. If you need to get through a wall..." I knocked three times against the maze wall next to me, and a portion of the rock slid away to reveal a tunnel, "...it's that easy. Use it to your advantage. Here's the flag; put it in the citadel in the middle of the maze, and keep your fastest to guard it."

Grok nodded, and he and his three minions disappeared into the maze. I huddled my offense together. "Alright team, you three and me are the invasion party. You, elf, what's your name?" I asked the dawn-blood, picking her specifically for her nymph heritage.

"Ternia," Ternia said shyly.

"And you, what's your name?" I asked the nymph-boy.

"Barkmoss!" Barkmoss said proudly.

"Barkmoss, you're the distraction," I said. "They'll be planning for you to be the flag-runner, so we need to use that. Ternia, I want you to scout ahead, use your ears and eyes to find the defenders, then relay back to us. Barkmoss is gonna hit the treetops to pull the defenders off, meanwhile, me and..." I glanced down at the youngest of my team, a nymph girl no older than five.

"...Tulipfall," Tulipfall barely whispered.

"...Tulipfall are gonna sneak around for the flag. Barkmoss, do you know bird calls?"

"All of 'em!" Barkmoss grinned.

"Great. Robin means 'the flag is west,' cardinal means 'the flag is east,' and Eagle means 'we've got the flag.' Loon means 'the enemy is coming for you,' and crow-caw how many are coming. Dove means 'run back and help the defenders.' Got it?"

"Yeah!" Barkmoss said excitedly, then grabbed Ternia by the wrist, and raced up the steps that rose along my side of the wall. They jumped over the side, and disappeared into the dense forest that had grown in Brandon's territory. I took Tulipfall by the hand, and made to race after them, but the little nymph was an anchor on my arm.

"What?" I asked her.

"I'm scared," she whispered at her feet. I dropped to my knee until our eyes were level, and placed a tender thumb on her chin, raising her gaze until it met with mine.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Grok talked about you all the time at the old place," Tulipfall said quietly, her lips trembling. "He said you were the 'baddest lady in the whole world.'"

"That's right, Tulipfall. I am the baddest lady in the whole world," I said. "Now, do you think there's anything in that forest scarier than me?"

"No," Tulipfall hissed, a tear running down her cheek, "but I don't want to go in there; not with you."

"Hey," I started compassionately, wiping her tear away with my thumb, "quit being such a fucking pussy, or I'll give you a reason to be scared of me." And I yanked the little turd onto her feet, and dragged her blubbering ass up the steps. I was not going to lose to Brandon just because one of my star players was barely past shitting her diapers.

LUCILLA

Freydis looked better after having taken a shower, but barely. Her fingers balled into fists and her knuckles cracked as she stared out the window, where Brandon, Willowbud and Julia had turned the mall into some kind of multi-terrain field. Above the thrice-divided field, Jade, Bianca, and Astrid flew, watching the contest closely.

"Astrid is still the same woman," I lied to Freydis. "She endures her hardships with honor and dignity, and has never fallen to temptation. Every day she tries to save Willowbud from Corruption, no matter the punishment."

"Of course she does," Freydis said quietly.

"But you don't think she can succeed? You don't think Julia can succeed?"

"No," Freydis said simply. Her eyes flitted up and down, and I didn't have to look to know they were following her daughter. "Your elf is right, Bound One. Willowbud needs to die. It would be best if Julia did it herself to ensure that Corruption dies too, but if she won't, then we must do what we can without her."

"Freydis, you're talking about killing a god," I said. "And if I let you do that; Julia would never forgive me."

"You can lie."

"But you can't."

"I have found that telling partial-truths often achieves the same aim," Freydis replied. "I told that little whore that I would leave Drastin today, and I will. I will walk out of the gate, then I will turn back, and walk in. If I can deceive, then so can you."

"Give Julia time."

"Time acts against those who do not act, Bound One," Freydis frowned. "How long will you wait? Until Julia comes to your bed with black in her eyes?"

"Shut the fuck up!" I snarled. Freydis stared placidly back, bowing her head slightly. She knew she'd hit a nerve, and I knew she'd meant to.

"Flora says Julia is volatile and dangerous," Freydis said quietly. "I believe Julia is good and kind, but that doesn't mean Flora is wrong. Julia is both." Freydis stooped until her eyes were practically touching mine. "It's not a matter of betraying Julia, Bound One; it's a matter of stopping Julia from betraying herself. You have done it before."

"Passion," I muttered. Freydis nodded, and pulled out an ivory-tipped arrow.

"I need three-hundred yards, and an immobile target," Freydis said. "Any winged-warrior will spot me within a half-mile, so I need the Breytans to be absent."

"I didn't agree," I hissed.

"She won't even know what happened," Freydis continued. "I'll put it through her left eye. One moment, life; the next, nothing. No pain, no horror. It's the least I can do for my matron god."

"Freydis..."

"The Creators have enemies around the world, some even older than the Iona Guard. Look," Freydis pointed to the hieroglyphics etched onto her arrowhead, "the Kane Collective. An easy shift of blame, a public death, and an honorable funeral. Julia can live the rest of her life believing she was right about Willowbud, and you can live the rest of your life with her."

I stared at Freydis for a long time, and she stared back, unflinching, unashamed. She was right, of course. It had to be done, and soon.

"What about Flora?" I asked.

"She is bedridden with Tera's lust. She won't be a problem." Freydis dared a hand on my knee, and spoke softly, "Julia will never know it was you, Bound One. If I am caught, I will end myself before I'm made to talk, I swear it to you." And I knew she was telling me the truth. Wouldn't it be more of a betrayal to Julia if I did nothing? But this was different than Passion; this wasn't a desperation shot at the end of the game, this was premeditated murder. I hated Willowbud, but I guessed it was really Night Eyes I hated; I'd never actually met Willowbud. Willowbud was innocent, a victim more than any of us, but I couldn't risk Julia for a woman I'd never met.

"Tomorrow night at the championship fight," I barely said the words. "I'll make sure Julia is out of Willowbud's booth, and Sara will make sure the Breytans are compromised. You'll have a clear shot." I gave Freydis a deathly stare. "Don't fucking miss."

WILLOWBUD

It felt strange racing through the treetops. I instinctively knew where to put my feet, when to duck, and what to grasp, but the instincts felt like another woman's, and the memories they produced felt like another girl's. Is this how Sister Julia wants me to feel? Is this why she made Brandon play along?

My heart beat to the cadence of my arboreal dance, my soles slid expertly along the bark, my hands confidently grabbed knobs and branches as I swung without fear through the canopy. God, did it feel good. The otherness of the instincts began to subside, and the primitive voice within sang its tribal joy. This is right. This is what I'm meant to do!

I actually laughed as I leapt from tree to tree, sprinting without slowing, diving head-first through tight spaces in the branches, flipping over obstacles so I didn't break stride when I landed. Tulipfall raced after me, keeping pace without much effort, using her small body to navigate the canopy in ways I couldn't with my woman's frame. I was sweating and panting when I skidded to a stop on a pine branch, my heart thundering with exhilaration, my face split with a near-manic grin.

"Holy shit, that was fucking fun!" I laughed, and laughed even harder at Tulipfall's terrified face. The mournful call of a loon rang in the distance, and my ears perked up. Three crow-caws sounded after it, and my grin widened. "Hide!" I giggled, pushing Tulipfall behind a needle-covered branch, then lying flat on the one next to it. I held my breath and turned to the little nymph, putting a silencing finger over my lips as footsteps thundered below us. Tulipfall looked ready to piss herself, but she kept her hands pressed over her mouth, muffling her cries. I looked between the needles at the defenders below us. Brandon had given the little bastards tigers to ride.

"You said you saw two of them?" Brandon's voice said.

"Yeah, and one of them was definitely Her Holiness," an elvish child's voice answered.

"I think I saw Tulipfall with her," another elf-child laughed. Tulipfall suppressed a squeak next to me, and I heard the cats below us shift suddenly.

"You hear something, girl?" Brandon asked his tiger.

"They're around here somewhere, I know it!" one of the elves giggled excitedly. I carefully reached into my pocket, and pulled out a single gold coin. I launched the piece with a flick of my thumb, and heard it explode against a tree fifty yards away. There was a rapid shuffle beneath me, a few whoops, and the defenders took the bait. I let out the breath I'd been holding, and narrowed my eyes at Tulipfall. She shriveled against the tree, trying to make herself even smaller than she already was. There was a galloping sound below us, then another loon call.

"They're right here!" a voice screamed from directly above us, and Brandon's nymph-girl came plummeting from the tree tops. I swore, grabbed Tulipfall, and literally threw her at my assailant, but I wasn't nearly strong enough to toss children any great distance, and Tulipfall disappeared into the brush right as the nymph-girl landed on me.

"Tagged!" she grinned in my face.

"Tagged!" Jade Tao echoed from above, the smallest smile on her face.

"Fuck!" I screamed, and pushed the nymph-girl off me so that she'd plummet fifty feet to her horrifying death. Unfortunately, the nimble child thought my attempted murder was merely a game, deftly caught the branch, and swung back up, sticking her tongue out at me. Brandon and his troops came bounding after, identical shit-eating grins on all their faces. Had I anymore coins, I might've killed the lot of them. As I was, stuck in a tree with nothing but bark and leaf, I was practically helpless.

"Hi Honey," Brandon cooed up at me. "Barkmoss was really cheap, you know that? All I had to do was offer him a unicorn, and he gave up your signals."

"Sorry, Your Holiness!" Barkmoss called, straddling his ill-gotten prize below me.

"It's a horse with a fucking horn!" Brandon laughed. "You were betrayed for a retarded pony!"

"You're the reason your parents are dead, Barkmoss!" I growled. The nymph-boy just laughed. Drastin orphans heard worse than that before breakfast. If they got breakfast. I glowered down at the lot of them as Jade hoisted me into her strong arms, and flew me to jail. Brandon waved teasingly after me, then he and his cohorts, including the traitorous Barkmoss, rode their beasts to the border.

"Did you just try to kill a child, Your Holiness?" Jade Tao asked in that nonjudgmental, curious way with which she spoke.

"It wasn't my best moment," I sighed. "Don't tell Sister Julia."

TERA

There was nothing quite like a gangbang to make an ancient succubus feel young again. I was so full that my belly was still distended when I got out of the shower of my safehouse. My flesh was youthful and radiant, my muscles were loose and lithe, and my mood was absolutely splendid. Not only had I been filled to capacity, but Freydis Skyborne was leaving Drastin, which meant I didn't have an imminent battle with a valkyrie looming over my head. Justina was looking noticeably better after she'd cleaned Astrid out, and was lying next to Angela on the bed as they tore through the books.

"...there it is again: Chaos!" Justina exclaimed. "No one calls her 'Corruption' before then. She must've changed!"

"But how do hosts change Sentients?" Angela asked. "It sounded like Greed turned to Sorrow because her host killed herself; is that really the only way?"

"No," Justina pondered, tapping her lips. "I think the host has to challenge the Sentient's preconception of itself. Greed believed her host committed suicide as the ultimate act of avarice, and since Sentients personify their titles, they naturally gravitate to extremes. In order for Greed to truly become 'greed,' she believed she had to convince all her hosts to kill themselves, and so became 'Sorrow.'"

"So, how the hell could Willowbud convince Corruption to change?"