Unconquered Pt. 15

"Get on! Get on!" One shouted, then knelt and lifted his crossbow. He opened up on a new wave of devilish reinforcements -- his fellows adding to the chattering. "Come on, lets show these fucks what the militat can do!"

Bolts thudded into the devils -- who screeched and fell backwards. Those that didn't collapse to their knees, hissing and gurgling as their blood pumped into the ground.

Nova landed beside Ember, grinning. "Hey, Unconquered," she said, cheerfully. "You look a bit...fucked up."

"Nova..." Ember whispered. He had never expected to see Nova again -- not after their meeting in the Sunder. He had made a makeshift alliance with her, but their lines of communication had never been formalized. But...he beamed at her. "Nova, gods, I never thought I'd be so fucking glad to see a Locust P-" He stopped. "A...a Champion of Lyca. Sory."

Nova rolled her eyes. "Come on. We just hit that bad boy with a broadside. He won't be down for long!"

Ember felt his arm being tugged over June and Nova's shoulders. The two of them shuffled him up onto the skyship -- and the skyship, teeming with the freed souls -- began to lift into the air. As they did so, the Shadow Dragon writhed, then began to unmove back to his standing state. His notmouth was already open and void-fire blazed along his tongue and his teeth, dripping onto the city. On the deck of the ship, Ember saw that the woman at the helm was a burly, sturdy looking woman who seemed to be at least half cat. Not like Ceaith. Rather, it was as if her body had been bisected in half, with one half being cat-human, and the other half being full human.

"Captain! Get us the here out of Hell!" Nova shouted.

"Yes, Champion," the Captain said -- bellowing orders. The aetheric sails strained and the skyship swept upwards, the deck turning to a severe angle. June and Ember clung together, trying to keep themselves from pitching onto their faces. Other freed souls clung to the railing. The swirling, howling souls that roared around us swung around and around and around us -- and then we emerged from the depths of Hell and into the wild chaos of the sunder.

Behind them, the roaring of the Shadow Dragon filled the darkness in with hate.

***

Ceaith, Chirp, Xora and Jaquline slept together, their bodies cuddled up against one another. Their faces pressed together, their arms interlocked, and they snored the sleep of the absolutely, completely and totally exhausted. The Legion and the civilian survivors of Samsara were in a similar state, with only a few people still up and about, walking among the tents, keeping their eyes out. In the deep darkness of the forest, the sun's light barely reached.

Across the camp, June Devilblooded stood and stretched her arms behind her back. She knew that this body wasn't going to last through this, so she had found a cute looking Samsaran who hadn't known enough to be confused when she had shoved his pants down and started riding his cock. The feeling his cum inside of her felt marvelous.

The akuma-devil that filled June's body knew she was gay.

If she had been straight, it would have seduced a woman.

What mattered was not the raw, physical pleasure of the act. The akuma felt nothing alike. What mattered was the cruelty. The horror that June would have felt. The exquisite sense of shame and furious impotent rage that would have filled her. Those tiny bits of feeling were spurted along the nearly invisible astral thread that tied the akuma to the real soul of June as she boiled in her vat, and that was what really made all this worth doing in the first place.

The akuma made June whistled to herself as she walked through the camp, peppy and cheerful. Her tail lashed. Her hand went down to caress her knife. But the whistle faded as she drew closer and closer to the Lunar tent. She knew, for certain, that she'd have to start with Ceaith. But if she could get Xora too, that'd leave the wilting, wimpering Chirp and the stupid Jaquline as the only Lunars and they would get completely demolished.

The akuma licked June's lips as her movement slowed. She began to walk, slowly, very slowly, towards the tent. Her tail snaked out, then gently started to lift and brush aside the tent flap, revealing the sleeping Lunars within. Throughout the long Cycles of the land, the Lunars and the Unconquered were, more often than not, killed by treachery and ambush far more than they were ever killed in the field of battle. And wasn't that just the most delightful thing?

The akuma reached down and gripped the hilt of the dagger. The feeling of the heavy leather against her skin was almost more erotic than the feeling of that fumbling virgin. She drew the dagger. Slowly. Inch. By. Inch. The blade gleamed with devil venom, ready to not just kill the Lunars, but to send them straight to Hell. All she would need to do would be to give them the tiniest...little...nicks.

A vibration buzzed along the akuma's spine.

June's eyes widened and she yelped. "What!?"

Each Lunar's eyes opened.

Ceaith sprang to her feet in one smooth motion. Her eyes took in the knife, June, her position. "You bitch," Ceaith growled.

Then June went flying backwards almost ten feet, crashing against a tree with a grunt. The knife thudded to the ground, impacting into the grass knife point first. The grass around it began to die in a slowly spreading wave. Ceaith looked down at her fist, then over at her Lunars. "I...didn't even hit her," she whispered as June groaned, then was yanked up by her ankle, as if by an invisible rope. She was swung around, then smashed into a bunch of brushes. Greenery went flying and June was dragged out of it, her body covered in scratches, her hair a mess of twigs and leaves. Her arms flailed.

"No- get out you bitch -- fuck you!" June grabbed at her own throat. Then she flipped, end over end, and almost came down in the fire. Chirp, their eyes wide, ran forward. They flung themselves down next to June.

"Get out of her. Now!" Chirp shouted, their soulgem glowing.

"What the fuck is happening?" Ceaith whispered.

June's back arched. And then green flames exploded from her mouth. They shot into the air, roaring and hissing and swirling in circles. For a few seconds, Ceaith thought they were going to rush into the air -- but then June's arm snapped out. She held a small brass bottle in her hand, pulled from one of her many pockets. She swept it out, catching the green flame. Then she slammed down a stopper covered in holy symbols and the sigil of the Unconquered. She rolled onto her back, then sat up, looking at the brass bottle, her eyes wild.

Xora and Jaquline both looked at Ceaith, questioning.

"I don't know!" Ceaith yelped.

June stood, shakily, holding the brass bottle over her head. "Hah...hahaha...ahahahaha!" She cackled. "I got you, you scum fucker! I got you, you piece of fucking shit, fucking-" She stopped, jerking her head up. "Goat!" She pointed at Ceaith. "Where!"

"He's..." Ceaith sniffed, then pointed in the direction that she had smelled the ugly fucker. June sprinted off, screaming at the top of her lungs -- an inarticulate roar of absolute fury. Ceaith, Xora, Jaquline and Chirp all exchanged a glance, then sprinted after her. They all came to Goat's tent -- and found that it was empty. Two Legionaries lay on the ground before it, dead as the day they had been born. June looked around wildly, while Ceaith knelt to the ground, operating on instinct.

"I can't smell him," she whispered.

"Oh of course the fucker got away," she hissed. "Fucking-"

A crow flew down from the sky, transforming as it fell. Soon, Tayar was standing before them, looking at the collection of them with her brow furrowed. "Your plan worked, Ceaith," she said, simply. "They'll be here within two days."

Ceaith shook her head, holding up her hands. "Hold. The. Fuck. Up!" She said. "Before I start fucking gloating -- what the fuck is happening?"

June, wincing, sat down on a nearby stump. She looked...different. Thinner. More tired. Her eyes had bags under them that Ceaith had never seen before. She closed her eyes, then focused herself. When she opened her eyes, Ceaith felt a tension relax inside of her. June was looking like herself again. She was grinning slightly and looking sardonic as her tail lashed from side to side. "Simple. Goat Who Wrestles was a traitor. He sold us out to Bahul -- he either knew that he was alive the whole time, or Bahul turned him at some point during our travels. Goat taught Ember Vengeful Crystalline Hawk Style because he knew that it'd distract Ember...for...when he made me into an akuma."

Chirp nodded subtly, while Ceaith tried to find comforting words.

The only thing that came out of her was: "Wow. That...sucks."

June snorted. "Yeah. That's a good word for it." She closed her eyes, took a breath. "Anywho-"

"Skyship, ho!" A Legionary shouted.

"Can stuff stop happening for just five fucking seconds?" Ceaith snarled.

But then everything was lost in the confusion of the entire camp trying to get into a defensive position -- Tayar dispelling any hope that they were coming due to her actions in the west with a tiny shake of her head. Legionaries and civilians alike snatched up weapons and tried to get into cover -- but it was pathetic compared to the normal abilities of the Piss Boot Legion. They had no artillery, no warstriders, no skyships, and only a few exhausted Lunars. Which, to be fair, would be enough against most armies. But not against the might of the Regency, if it was brought fully to bear.

Ceaith, Chirp, Tayar, Xora and Jaquline strode out to stand before their forces. Chirp had clenched their hands tightly, their jaw clenched as well. Ceaith saw that they were ready to kill. If they needed to.

Ceaith felt her heart break a tiny bit. She forced that down and instead put on a sardonic little grin.

"It's just...one battleship," Ceaith said. "We can take it."

Her lovers nodded. Chirp gave her a little thumbs up.

The skyship swept down. But rather than opening fire, it settled down, belly first, onto the clearing. The gangplank lowered and Ceaith growled, letting her claws spring out. She focused on the moment before the battle. The hesitation. The excitement. Anything that distracted her from the gnawing, swirling hole -- the hole that she and her fellow Lunars had stood on for the entire night. In the darkened tent, in the arms of her lovers, in the arms of her wives and her sari, Ceaith had allowed herself to cry. To cling to them. To sob.

That hole remained there, even in the light of the sun, even out in the world.

A shock of dark hair came to the gangplank.

A red forehead.

A pair of warm eyes.

A familiar pair of lips.

A slender neck.

A sleek, muscular torso, wrapped in bandages, with an arm crooked hard against his side.

Ceaith felt her claws ache. Her mouth opened slowly and her eyes widened. "N-no..." she whispered. "No, no, no, no, no. It can't be. Don't do this. Don't. Don't do this to me." She whispered. But her nose flared and around the gathering snot in her nostrils, she could smell him. And if he had smelled like him, then she would have known it was a trick. But Ember didn't smell like Ember. He smelled like a boy who had crawled out of an alchemist workshop and fallen in every brimstone pile along the way. There was no spark of connection that tugged her forward...

Save for the one in her heart.

Ceaith started to run forward. Chirp was at her left, and Xora at Chirp's left. To her right, there was Tayar and Jaquline. All five of them sprinted forward as Ember came down to the grass. He smiled. "Hey d-ooff!"

He sprawled onto his back as they slammed into him.

Until the day she died, Ceaith would claim she hit him first.

Ember groaned as he laid on his back, whispering. "Ribs. Broken. Ribs." But then Chirp's mouth was pressed to his mouth. Their tongue thrust into his mouth, their hands caressing along Ember's body. Ceaith shivered and nuzzled against his neck. She licked at his skin gently, her rough tongue rasping along his skin, while Tayar slid up behind her and Xora sat beside one of Ember's flung out arms. Xora leaned down and kissed his palm, while Jaquline pushed herself up against Ceaith's other side. Ceaith whispered in Ember's ear.

"If you ever ever do that again, I will kill you," She breathed.

"Get sent to hell?" Ember mumbled.

Ceaith grabbed onto his leggings and shredded them with her claws. His cock sprang free -- noticeably smaller and less impressive than before. Ceaith closed her hand around him, squeezing him as Chirp blushed. "Y-You can, uh, you can...you don't have too-" They stammered.

"Shut up," Ceaith whispered. "And get my pants off."

Chirp blushed, then reached out, their hands hooking on Ceaith's tight leggings. As they slipped down past her rump, Ceaith felt her hot, eager arousal, dripping along her thighs. She sat back and felt Ember entering her. He filled her and Ceaith hissed, softly. "I prefer your smaller dick, I can pretend it's a strap, okay?" Ceaith whispered as Chirp blushed, then swung their hips up and over, then sat back down, their ass against Ember's mouth, shutting up any complaint as Xora pressed his palm to her sex. Jaq and Tayar both watched, eager for their chance. Their turn. Xora moaned, softly, shuddering, while Chirp rolled their head back.

"Yes...yes, tongue me..." They moaned.

Ceaith began to rock herself up and down on Ember, her head rolling back, gasping. "Jaq, show me your titties, please. Now." She moaned, softly -- trying to hide how much she was needing this. The foxy Agate smirked, then rolled her top up, showing off the firm, rosy tips of her breasts. Ceaith shuddered and gasped out as she felt her climax rushing through her. Ember groaned, muffled -- and there was a warmth gushing into Ceaith.

Her eyes closed and she shuddered.

"Gods..." she breathed. "That was a fast round..."

Chirp paused.

They both started to move back.

Ember was passed out, his face filled with bliss, his eyes closed.

The Lunars all exchanged a glance.

"...d-doesn't he normally...last longer?" Xora whispered.

"Where's his soul gem?" Chirp whispered.

Ceaith blinked.

"I just fucked a man who wasn't the Unconquered!?" She yelped, then sprang to her feet. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" She blushed. "Don't fucking tell any-" She stopped, and saw that the entire Legion and the civilians who had all arranged themselves up to defend the camp were all gaping at her. She saw them. She stopped. Then she flushed and glared at them. "I'm a lesbian, but I can do what I fucking want! So, all of you, uh, fuck off!" She snapped, then glared at Ember. "Gods, Ember."

Ember groaned happily. Still out cold.

***

Ejana, Granite, Jerin Kah, the Lunars, Solar and June sat around a rough map of the Land, laid out and unfolded and weighted by several stones. Looking down at it, Ember rubbed his aching ribs. "This is a bit of a downgrade. Where's the Starshrike?" he asked.

"We don't know," Ceaith said.

"When the combined airships of four Legions all show up and open fire on you," Ejana said. "We lose track of things -- the last time I saw the Starshrike, it was flying off with a smoking engine, heading up into the air. I think the crew panicked." She shook her head slowly.

"Great," Ember said, rubbing his palm. "Still. I know what we need to do -- and I know what the Regent, what Bahul is up too." He frowned. "Or, more accurately, she knows." He jerked his thumb at a robed figure that stood in the treeline. "There, is that dramatic enough, you- "

"It is I!" The robed figure stepped forward, throwing her arms wide, the robes cascading off her body as glowing hologlyphic images flared around her body, shimmering beams of light shooting off in every direction. "THE ELEGANT NOVA OF PROGRESSION!"

"Who?" Ceaith asked as Chirp groaned.

"You again?" They asked.

"Hey, I saved your husband's life," Nova said. "And my brain augmentations -- including the 4^th Augmentation Circle and Manifold Dynamic Thought Enhancement Charm -- have allowed me to immediately deduce the vile plan of the so called Good King Bahul." She grinned, her hands going to her silvery hips. "You may bask in my genius now."

Ember smiled, wanly. "This is how she was for the entire flight back," he said.

"Why do you think I rode my silver thread back here?" June asked, smirking slightly.

Nova smirked. "This is your vile enemy's device, yes?" She asked holding out her palm, a small gemstone set in her palm glowing as it shone down upon the ground, creating a shimmering replica of the statue of the Regent with all the components on it. "Those are thrusters." She grinned. "You see, if the Regent is an Unconquered, then an object that shares his body type and form can channel his power into it. Those thrusters can focus that energy downward into the ground!"

Ceaith scowled. "What good does that do?" She asked. "I mean, it's a fucking statue made of gold, I could bend it in half in my warform!"

Nova blinked. "Are you that back- oh, what am I saying, of course you're that backward. You guys don't even know about the magitechnological application of putting random gear insignias on your uniforms!" She laughed.

"Nova!" Ember snapped -- and despite no longer being the Unconquered, Nova blushed and nodded.

"Right," she said. "It lets him fly."

"...he can fly now?" Ceaith asked.

"No, dumb dumb," Nova said, ignoring Ember's growl. "It lets the statue fly."

Ember nodded. "That's his plan," he said, quietly. "The Regent is going to take that statue into the sky." He drew a slow breath. What he said next was weighted with a terrifying finality. It tolled like a bell -- magic or no magic. "

"He's going to kill the Sun."

TO BE CONTINUED