The True Source of Magic - Chapter 1 - Part 3

Chapter 1 - Part 3

It was his skin that he was stripping, his flesh, and he kept peeling it off like it was a large overcoat. Apparently, it was also somewhat of an unpleasant experience for Cal, as he kept grunting while stripping away the layer of flesh. And the grunts grew gradually louder, and higher-pitched, until it was a woman yelling as the whole layer of flesh finally came undone. Underneath was a woman, slightly wet- and squished-looking, but very quickly, as she continued yelling, swelled and morphed. And when the yelling and swelling had subsided, there stood a woman of angelic (or devilish) beauty... bewitching face, curvaceous features... seductive allure exuded from every part of this woman. She was noticeably taller when she was Cal, but she still retained a regal height after her transformation. And, like Cal, her long hair was pitch black and luxuriant, and her eyes were just as dark in color, but they glistened much more than her hair. Her skin, however, was as pale as the full moon. This being was surely a Moon Elf; if so, the stories did not do their beauty justice.

"Well, Kadren," the woman said in a husky voice, "is this better?"

The woman picked up the Cal overcoat from the ground, which looked like some bizarre flesh-colored mass of soft wax, and handed it to one of the goblinoids, who held it for her.

"Who are you?" asked Kadren, fear and determination both gone, now with just awe and wonder. She could not help but admire the woman's beauty, and Kadren also felt she understood a man's lust, knowing that no man would be able to resist this woman.

"I am Lilith," answered the woman, simply.

Kadren paused, afraid that what she was going to say next was silly, but she said it anyway.

"You're not real... You're just a legend..."

The woman laughed.

"I am a legend, but I'm not just a legend. I am real. As a student of the faith, I'm sure you know the story of Lilith. The legend is much older than I am, but I think I've been Lilith long enough to start becoming my own legend."

Lilith surveyed Kadren, then, seeming to be satisfied that Kadren looked confused enough, she went on.

"I was not always called Lilith, but the legend of Lilith suited me; it suited what I wanted, what I wanted to become, so I took on the name Lilith, and became the legend."

"You're a succubus?... You... they... they exist?"

"I was the first of our kind; I am mother to all that have followed. I was not always as you see me now. I made myself what I am today. I could've been called anything, I suppose, but the stories of Lilith and succubi suited, so I became Lilith, and let others talk of me and my kind as succubi." She paused, and looked meaningfully at Kadren. "I want you to join us, Kadren. You could be the most powerful of my daughters. You are already one of my favourites. Your will is strong, and many would bend to it. Together we can tame and better this cruel world, this world full of wrong and suffering. We could finally bring peace and happiness. But we must do it with absolute certainty and authority. We may have gentle hearts, but we must guide with stern hands. And I will give you such power that all would obey you, and do what's right."

Kadren looked at the sleeping prisoners and their pitiable faces, and said: "They don't look very happy. They don't look like they've been ruled with a gentle heart."

"Actually, they are very happy, but all good things do come at a price. For great things to happen there must be sacrifices," said Lilith matter-of-factly. "But the paradise we would create..." Lilith's eyes glistened even more... "It will all be worth it."

Kadren appeared thoughtful, but she already had her answer; she was only pondering her words.

"I cannot join you," said Kadren finally. "Your means are too sinful to be worth any good you might achieve. There's only One who can lead us to paradise, and that one is not you. I beg that you use your powers to serve God. You've been blessed with incredible talents and you could do a lot of good as a servant of God. Please. Look at all this sin and suffering you're causing. I beg you to stop."

"Sin and suffering?" Lilith laughed. "That's preposterous. I deliver pleasure, not suffering. As for sin... Is not one of the holy teachings that all of us are sinful? It would be blasphemous to think one can be free of sin, so do not talk to me as if you are a sinless messenger of Heaven."

"I..." began Kadren, but she was interrupted and dismissed with the wave of a hand.

"However free of sin you think you might be, it is still a fact that what I provide is not sinful. It is not sinful to enjoy what God has given us, to the fullest extent. My purpose is to reduce the amount of sin in this world, and to ease suffering. Look at all the suffering caused by men in this world. Killing, maiming, pillaging, burning, warring. I would use my powers to put an end to all that. If your mission is to rid this world of sin, then you must join me."

Kadren had to think again. There seemed no chance that minds would be changed today, but she tried once more anyway.

"But look at your followers," said Kadren. "They look near death. Surely you can't say what you're doing here is good for them."

"And what's so bad about death?" Lilith challenged. "Surely a devout Sister such as yourself cannot say that death is evil. It is the manner of death that matters, and all those that I have touched die free of suffering, and they have the honour of contributing to the greater good."

"So you admit that you are killing these people."

"No. I'm helping them to live. To have a good life. What's the use of having many years if they are all terrible and meaningless. Many would trade their long miserable lives instantly if they could live but a minute of the life I offer. So many are born into meaningless servitude, serving a lord who cares not for them, letting them toil away in the fields with subsistence as their reward, and sending them off to battles that only enrich their greedy master's coffers, while making the servant's life more miserable still. How can you abide by this? How can you stand by and do nothing?"

"But what about free will? It isn't right to take away God's gift to us all. I've seen how you recruit your followers, and how you keep them. I see no freedom; I see no choice. You do a similar disservice as the ones you accuse, by controlling and manipulating your followers as you see fit, for your own purposes."

"Those who see reason should be given a choice, but those who do not, should not. Choice should be a privilege. You see the disastrous consequences all around you, when those who should not be deciding are given the power to do so. But to answer your question, I give everybody freedom. I merely introduce them to possibilities first. Afterward they stay of their own free will."

"You can't really believe that... Look at the lengths you had to go to to keep them sedated."

"That was your doing, Kadren. You interrupted the wonderful life they had been living, and they, being so used to such comforts and pleasures that I provide, suffered immensely from your cruel interruption. I had no choice but to soothe and calm them."

"But..."

"Enough!" Lilith said suddenly. "I tire of this pointless banter." She pointed at Kadren and gave a command to the goblinoids in their guttural tongue.

Several goblinoids rushed towards Kadren, but Kadren had no intention of engaging the soldiers; she wanted the captain. Kadren was quick, and she reached Lilith before the goblinoids could reach her, but Lilith was even quicker. Kadren's mace hit only air, and Lilith got behind her in the blink of an eye. Kadren swung around immediately with practiced precision, her body under her command again, and there was a brief moment of exhilaration as she welcomed back her reflexes like a long lost friend. But Kadren's respectable skill won her no victory. There was a split second satisfaction as Kadren felt impact, but, right afterward, pain and utter terror.

The pain was due to the fact that Kadren had used a two-handed attack, and her shield arm was now paying the price as the burn wound underneath the armour and salve protested. Kadren's terror came from the sight of where her mace had landed. The stern, blunt instrument that could break metal armour was now held in Lilith's hand, inches from her grinning face, as if it were nothing but a toy sword swung by a sickly child. Such power was in Lilith's talons that the impact Kadren felt was like that of striking a mountain. Kadren could sense incredibly dense magic focused in that iron hand and long slender fingers; and the mace would not return to Kadren's possession, tug as she might, for Lilith's grip was stronger than a vise. Kadren had never faced such a powerful enemy before; she had never even heard of such power in a living mortal, not even among the Elves. Kadren knew that, even if she were well-rested and at full strength, she would not stand a chance against Lilith. This was a demon she was facing, and Kadren was frozen in horror from the inside.

Kadren unfroze when her weapon was wrenched from her grasp and flung away where it landed with a resounding clang. In a blink, the goblinoids were upon her.

Kadren was weaponless, but not hopeless, for she herself was trained to be a weapon. She avoided the claws of the first one that reached her and welcomed it with a heavy fist to the face. There was a successful crunch and a shriek, but the next moment Kadren felt a whomp on her back, and, after some flurry of activity, found herself pinned to the ground, three goblinoids on top of her trunk and limbs, her burn wound protesting loudly in the process.

More commands in Goblin were spoken, and a couple more pairs of claws joined in Kadren's capture. They began tearing away at her cleric's robe, until it was gone. Her mail armour was much more difficult for the goblinoids, and Kadren ensured it was exceedingly difficult by putting up as much resistance as she could. But eventually her armor was forced off of her as well, and only her tunic remained.

More commands were uttered and Kadren was hoisted onto her knees to face Lilith.

"I'm sorry," said Lilith. "I should've warned you to keep your armour off... We've wasted all that effort you put into donning your armour."

She crouched so that she was about eye-level with Kadren.

"Beautiful..." said Lilith as she caressed Kadren's face with her long soft fingers. "I love the defiance in your eyes. Your will is incredible. I know you will become my favourite." And there was a mad gleam in her eyes, as if a treasure she had been searching for many years was finally in front of her. "But first I must make you see reason; otherwise, all your strength and will is wasted."

Lilith's deceptively strong feminine hands ripped open Kadren's tunic to expose Kadren's chest, and those same hands began softly tracing, feeling, cupping the areas on and around her breasts. Then she grasped Kadren's face gently in her hands and kissed her.

So unexpected was the comfortable softness of the kiss that Kadren forgot for a moment to be affronted. Lilith's lips reminded her of stories about luxuriant featherbeds owned by kings and queens, where the sleeper was wrapped in clouds of heavenly warmth and dreams; and the tongue was very pleasing as well, both demonstrating desire yet not being too intrusive, darting lightly here and there to exhilarate and soothe. By the time that Kadren thought of biting the tongue as a retaliatory attack, the kiss had already finished, and the last pieces of her clothing were being torn off.

Soon Kadren's wrists were bound, and she was led by the goblinoids to an area in the fur-carpeted ground some distance away from the sleeping prisoners. She was tied to one of the three beds that Kadren had noticed before, but had not paid full attention to. These were low beds of rather good material - not quite fit for a king, yet not something to be found in a peasant's home. The bedding looked washed and clean, which Kadren, even with all that was going on, somehow did notice. As her naked body was forced onto the bed, she felt the softness of the mattress, and decided that it must have been stuffed with wool, and not straw. The length of rope attached to her bonds was tied tightly to the head of the bed. Her legs were left free, and she closed them tight. Brave though she was, Kadren felt vulnerable in being exposed so, as this was one situation that Kadren did not train for. She was more ready for death than being naked.

Lilith noticed her distress and gave a light chuckle: "Oh, beautiful Kadren. How you delight me. You need not fear. I am not so cruel. I only wish to teach you and to nurture you. I will begin your training with something that you've been yearning for. It'll be my treat to you," said Lilith with a devious smile.

Kadren did not like the sound of those words.

---

Coj was there, yet he was also not really there. In trying to keep track of what was happening, he could only recall various pieces, like one might when conjuring up memories long past; some pieces were rather clear, but many pieces were rather foggy - or perhaps he chose not to remember. And he could not say what images were seen by his eyes, and which ones by his mind's eye. All in all, Coj felt like he was only a passenger, and someone else had taken over the reigns; yet he felt no desire to grab the reigns back.

He looked downwards and saw the maiden's round, fleshy bottom rippling lusciously under every heavy stroke of his hips. He saw milky-white skin, healthy and glowing, flushed or covered lightly with sweat here and there. He heard delightful yelps and moans from her that expressed pleasure, and those pleasant noises from her coaxed more and more enthusiasm from him. He recalled feeling delectable softness... of her breasts, of her backside, of her everything. He recalled moisture and wetness and warmth and heat, and how they slid, rubbed, and glided with each other, with various parts of each other, and how he had never felt so good, despite misgivings entering in and out of his mind, as he entered in and out of her; but the misgivings were fleeting thoughts, and seemed almost like somebody else's thoughts. He recalled knowing he should stop, but not having the capacity to. He recalled thoughts of Kadren, and trying to draw strength from love, but found that he was drawing from a well that was too deep, and the salvation that it held was always just beyond his reach. He knew things were terribly wrong, yet he did not care, or could not care.

How it came to be like this, he, again, could not fully recall. Coj remembered deciding to carry the naked maiden out of the cell. He remembered her protests. He remembered trying words one last time, many times, but ultimately he had to resort to physical strength. He remembered fighting the insidious magic that was hanging about, while the maiden was fighting his attempts to save them both; he remembered fighting a losing battle. He remembered trying to tie her up, with her own clothing, while trying not to hurt her. And his memory became foggier and foggier...

They became tangled up... She enjoyed his closeness, the physicality of his rescue attempt... She tried tempting him... attempting to fondle him under his leather armour, to caress him, to kiss him... He was frustrated... She was making things so difficult... He grabbed her wrists, but immediately let go when he thought he had hurt her... But she was smiling... She came up to him again... She was soft... The scent... her scent?... Intoxicating... She kept trying to get at him... kept rubbing against him... enjoying any reason to be close to him... enjoying his attempts to tie her up... He became angry... He held her down, on top of the straw... She was delighted... He became angrier... And then he grabbed her... by the shoulders first... then he grabbed her breasts... to punish her... because she kept moving his hands towards her breasts, which angered him so... She was ecstatic... He became even angrier... and he kissed her, angrily, harshly... again to punish... She enjoyed it... And she looked sublime... completely naked, except for a pretty choker on her delicate neck... And he began to enjoy as well... He punished her some more... grabbing, kissing, even slapping... lightly on her face, harder on her buttocks... And soon he found that the only way to release his anger was to punish her by giving her what she wanted... to show her how wrong she was... He quickly doffed his light armor, and shed his clothing... She helped... And then he was naked... His member was unsheathed, hard and pulsing with anger, and he wanted to stab her with it, to punish her.

And so he did. He slid inside her easily, as she was flowing with wetness, and she enveloped him, tight and warm. Over and over and over again he stabbed her, on top of her, under her, behind her, and it was extremely satisfying.

How long they continued their activities on the prison straw-bed, Coj did not know; but it must have been for quite a while, for he recalled releasing his fluid into her many times, yet he continued to be ready and aroused after each round. He was racked with pleasure each climax, and each time was more incredible than the last. She reached heights of ecstasy many times as well, more times than him, in fact, gasping, screaming, quivering, or bucking each time she did. Each time he released some of himself into her, he felt more and more of himself slipping away, until he did not belong to himself anymore. She became more alive and vigorous with each passing moment, and he knew more and more of his life was being sucked away the longer he stayed with her. He sensed the magic doing its evil work, but he did nothing about it; he could do nothing about it. All he could do was enjoy a slow pleasurable death.

But they suddenly stopped what they were doing when a husky voice was heard, saying: "Bring him to me."

Coj briefly saw a dark, piercing eye staring at him from a gemstone in the maiden's choker. He knew that the eye belonged to the puppeteer, the powerful magician he had sought to destroy. But now he wished to serve them, for the maiden desired to serve them, and Coj desired to serve the maiden.

It was also at this time that Coj noticed numerous tiny insects congregating densely on the ceiling, barely visible even to Coj's keen eyes. Buried deep amongst the fog of lust and pleasure, Coj felt a sharp tinge of regret... He sensed that the insects were the ones leaking the insidious magic, and he knew that his current circumstances could have been prevented by earlier detection of the swarm. But it was much too late now.

He was led by his new mistress through various chambers and passageways, and he followed as an obedient slave; all he wanted was to be inside her again. "Time to meet your goddess," she had said. They finally reached their destination, and he became aroused to bursting...

Welcoming him was the most sensuous creature he had ever encountered. Everything about this creature was sensual, every word she said, every movement she made, every look she gave. Every part of her was desirable, her eyes, her lips, her moonlight skin, her mounds of breast, her incredible, shapely hips - all of it screamed at him, demanding his abject admiration, demanding the most erect attention his phallus could salute, demanding every last drop of his seed and all of his essence; and he was willing to give it all to her. She was his mistress' mistress, and she was immeasurably more beautiful than his mistress, more beautiful than words could say. She was beautiful beyond imagination, beyond this world. He had found his true religion, and he would worship her, for she was his goddess.

Coj also saw Kadren, tied down, naked, shocked, vulnerable, and he felt guilt, fear, and anger in the very recesses of his mind; but those thoughts were transient and unimportant. He trusted in his goddess; she would make things better. Kadren would soon understand; she would forgive him. Once his goddess converted her, Kadren would worship as he did. They would enter paradise together.

---

Kadren saw Coj being led into the chamber through one of the three entrances; the magic fires guarding them had since subsided. Kadren choked back a sob as the meaning of Lilith's promises hit her right in the chest. Coj was naked, dazed and aroused, and he became fully erect when Lilith stepped in front of him. The maiden who led him was beautiful, but, like the prisoners, something about her countenance, although much more subtle, again suggested forced manipulation in trying to acquire elven beauty; and her curves, though beautifully luscious, also seemed somehow unnatural.

But Kadren thought only very briefly of forged beauty, for fear dominated her thoughts. She had been ready to die, but she had not been ready to see her warrior lover defeated, and defeated in such an undignified way.

Coj was led to Kadren's bedside by Lilith, and the maiden was left standing there, visibly upset about giving her prize away. Upon seeing the man she loved coming near, Kadren shifted away from Coj, as if he were something to be feared.

Lilith smiled and said, "What's the matter? Isn't this what you've been waiting for? There's no pesky boy to interfere in your union with this man. And what a man this is..." And here Lilith trailed her hands over Coj's powerful chest and sculpted abdomen. "I do see why you like him."

"How do you know so much about us?" asked Kadren.

"My eyes and ears extend beyond rock and walls. They extend beyond even towns and villages. I know many things. I also know that this man will provide you a wonderful experience for your first time, since he is so full of experience." Lilith chuckled to herself.

She then tugged at Coj's erect penis, to lead him closer to Kadren, and Coj glided like a puppet towards Kadren.

"What do you want him to do?" asked Lilith silkily. "Just ask, and it shall be done."

"Coj..." uttered Kadren, barely above a whisper. "Please. Please, wake up. Please!" she said more desperately. "You must! Please!"

But Coj did not move, and he did not answer. He just stood rooted, hovering over Kadren, staring blankly at her, his phallus jutting out like a lone branch.

"Oh, but Kadren, he is awake," said Lilith. "He's never been more awake in his life. He finally knows true meaning and purpose, and... satisfaction..." Lilith's lips curled up into an extremely satisfied grin. "And soon you will too. Come now. Tell him how you would like him to satisfy you. He'll do as you say, won't you Coj?"

"I'll do as you say," said Coj, in a far-off tone, and Kadren was not sure who he was addressing.

"Please, Coj... fight! Fight the enchantment. Please..." Kadren pleaded softly.

"It's alright," said Coj with a gentle smile, and his voice was dream-like. "It's wonderful. You'll understand soon. Trust in her. Trust in our goddess."

"Oh, how sweet!" said Lilith saccharinely. "He called me goddess!"

Coj grinned, child-like, as if he just received the highest of praises, and Kadren hung her head silently, despair setting in darkly. She could not beat Lilith, no matter what she tried, or how hard she tried. Lilith was just too powerful.

Kadren could sense the sinful magic emanating from Lilith, but it had minimal effect on Kadren now. The spell felt much weaker than before - when Lilith had a horde of believers exalting her and her lustful religion. The spell now was felt as a subtle warmth for Kadren, like one might feel after a small amount of drink. Perhaps, also, the spell would forever lose its hold on someone once it was broken even a single time. But whatever the case, the spell was still enough to keep Coj enchanted. Kadren sensed that it did not take much to keep Coj spellbound now, as he had given a large part of himself away... his will, his dignity, his defenses, his love... or did he ever love her? How could he give himself away so easily?... Darkness grew ever heavier inside Kadren, and she continued hanging her head in silence, letting the darkness eat away at her slowly.

After a while, Lilith seemed to grow tired of Kadren's inaction, and she sauntered over to the head of the bed, behind Kadren. She did some unseen thing, and Kadren's bonds loosened. She walked back to Kadren's bedside, and said, "Perhaps you would prefer to do something to your man, rather than have him do something to you. You are free of your bonds now. Do whatever you please."

With her hands free, a small fire stirred inside Kadren, and she lunged out of bed to slap Coj in the face. But even after the resounding crack, Coj still stood there under the spell. His eyes flickered, a faint look of surprise on his face, but nothing else. No love, no kindness, none of the Coj she remembered. She slapped him again, and again, and again, but still he stood there; his cheek reddened from Kadren's hand, but not from embarrassment, or guilt, or anger, or any other emotion Kadren wanted to see. There was only a dull look of shock on his face. Kadren fought back tears as she stared at her once mighty warrior, reduced to this shameful puppet...

Upon hearing Lilith chuckling softly behind her, Kadren whirled around to strike at her, not because she thought it would do any good, but because she was distraught, and there was nothing else to do. And, sure enough, her half-hearted fist met only air; and in the next second, Kadren was flung handily back onto the bed where she remained, defeated, demoralized, destroyed.

"Come now, Kadren. There is no point in fighting any longer. Even your dear Coj embraces the good I do. I'm letting you be with your man, as two lovers should, free from interference, free from the hateful rules and governance of lords and leaders with their own greedy motives. What do you say, Kadren? Would you like to finally have your man freely?"

Kadren stayed silent and stared at her feet.

"Still a believer in the sanctity of love, I see," said Lilith. "Very well..."

Lilith weaved her hands to and fro, and magic began invisibly trickling back to her. It was from the insects that the magic returned from, the swarm of tiny insects that Kadren just noticed congregating densely on the ground. It took a moment for Kadren to recognize what it was, for the swarm looked, on first glance, to be a layer of something shiny, like a layer of almost-invisible slimy moss. There was a tapering trail of them pointing towards the direction Coj and the maiden had come from. Upon seeing the insects, Kadren formed some ideas on how Lilith's powers were extended beyond rock and walls. Kadren also had a sneaking suspicion that the insects had been with her in the dark tunnel.

Lilith used the returned magic to strengthen the lustful spell. After the heated exchange, Coj had become less lustfully entranced, his eyes blinking and wondering, his phallus beginning to sag. Kadren herself felt a waning of the enchantment too. Whether it was because Lilith was running out of magic to maintain the spell, or whether it required more magic now to maintain it, Kadren knew not. With the spell bolstered, however, Kadren felt the drink-like warmth returning in herself, and she saw Coj gradually regain arousal.

Lilith then went up to Coj and caressed him here and there, and she stroked his member delicately several times. Coj's face and body became taut with painful-looking excitement, and his manhood was once again brimming with pulsing anticipation.

Kadren saw this and looked away, tears welling up in her eyes, and Lilith, aware of this, chuckled.

"If you will not enjoy my gift to you, then others will enjoy him in your stead."

Lilith motioned for the maiden, who had brought Coj in, to come over, and the delighted maiden came over to them, with a spring in her step. And soon he was inside her.

Kadren had seen Coj's powerful body in action before, thrusting effortlessly through their enemies' armour and defenses, but now Coj's powerful muscles were involved with another type of thrusting. Each thrust stabbed into Kadren's heart, and she died inside many times, yet she was forced to remain in that cave chamber and watch.

After Coj and the maiden had finished, they lay on the fur-laden ground, both looking satisfied. But the maiden wanted more, and she coaxed him with touches, caresses, and her ready mouth. Soon Coj's manhood began rising from its brief slumber, awoken by the maiden and unnaturally invigorated by Lilith's magery.

"Well, Kadren. What do you think of love now?" asked Lilith. "This is my first lesson to you my dear girl: that there is no true love between man and woman. True love is an invention born from lust. You've known that this man has loved and made love to others in the past, yet you still believed he would love only you. I now give you proof that he is but a man, and a man is guided only by his loins and knows nothing of true love. He is not your father; he is not even your brother; he is not family. That is the only true love in this world: family. I am your family Kadren; you will come to learn this." Lilith wiped away a tear from Kadren's cheek before continuing. "You will learn that I'm the one who truly loves you. But for now, I must continue to hurt you. I'm sorry, my dear. It pains me to do so, but I must."

And soon a deluge of carnal activities unfolded right before Kadren, as she sat there in the bed, incapacitated by a monstrous growing hopelessness, and mourning the loss of her dream.

As Coj and the maiden resumed their passions, Lilith gave some commands in Goblin. The goblinoids had been lying idly about, or grooming themselves and each other like animals, which Kadren would have found peculiar, had she the heart to be curious about such things. A couple of the goblinoids went to wake a female prisoner, who was then herded over to Coj, and she shuffled over in a clumsy stupor. Another goblinoid disappeared for a while, and reappeared with a gleaming dagger and a chalice. Lilith used the dagger to prick her forefinger, and instead of a drop of blood from the pinpoint wound, a thin but steady stream of bright red blood dripped into the chalice. Lilith waved a hand over the finger and the bleeding stopped. She then put the chalice to the lips of the prisoner. Quite soon afterward the prisoner began rousing. And then she became extremely aroused. With a quick permissive command from Lilith, the prisoner shot towards Coj like an arrow. Lilith's blood induced such a frightening frenzy of lust in the sickly-looking woman that Kadren was sure it would be the death of her. Although she looked ill and malnourished, and rather unattractive to Kadren, Coj looked at the prisoner with an insatiable appetite, and he handled her with such vigour that it was clear he had no thought of her poor health in mind. Kadren knew that Coj saw only irresistibly sensual beauty through the fog of the enchantment. A little while later, Lilith had another prisoner join Coj's party in a similar fashion. The new joiner appeared younger and much healthier, perhaps because she had been a prisoner for less time, and she may have even been quite pretty, but she was still marked with the same look of soul-draining illness as the others. Only the maiden who had first arrived with Coj looked completely healthy, and Kadren sensed that she was favoured by Lilith in some way.

Whatever they looked like to Kadren, Coj enjoyed them as if they were the healthiest, most delectable specimens, and they enjoyed him tremendously in turn... Moisture glistening, breasts swaying, mouths open... a lot of giving, a lot of receiving... backsides fleshy or not so fleshy, but flesh there and everywhere nonetheless, rippling or squished or squeezed... upper lips and lower lips, red lips and darker fleshier lips, lips with tongue, lips on lips, tongue on tongue... It was a haze of unhindered wants and needs. At one point, Coj had all three of their backsides pointing towards him, lined up side-by-side like eager statues, and he thrust into them in succession with great fervor. At other times it was just an indistinct mass of flesh... limbs tangled, hair messy, bodies intertwined... moans, yelps, and screams of delight... They went on for a long time, many times, and the wombs overflowed with Coj's fluid, the love sap dribbling down their thighs in a glistening display of ecstasy. On and on it went as Kadren sat their with tears slowly trickling down, unbidden and unwiped.

Finally, the carnal haze subsided. The two prisoners lay on the soft fur in a deep slumber, or were quietly dying - Kadren could not tell. The favoured maiden was the only one ready for more. Even though Coj appeared willing, his flesh was tired, and he was sagging, even as the maiden lovingly coaxed and fondled him. A goblinoid handed a chalice to Coj, and Kadren stirred from her dark daze with a sudden panic, thinking that it might be poison; but Lilith reassured immediately: "It's only water."

Coj drank eagerly from the cup, as Lilith recalled the maiden to her side. The maiden looked satisfied and proud as she skittered over to her mistress, like a girl to her mother.

Lilith spoke: "My dear Kadren. You have now seen the truth of man. I'm very sorry to hurt you so, but it is a lesson I must teach you, and I must teach it to you in such a way that it leaves no doubt. You have now seen the true nature of man, and there is no true love in it. Given the chance, a man will sard anything that is on all fours, just as you have witnessed. They can't help themselves. They are sinful creatures. They are pathetic creatures in need of our guidance. Even the most noble and beautiful man..." - she pointed her hand towards Coj - "is victim to such base tendencies."

Lilith turned to Coj as he finished his water and said to both him and the maiden: "Rest, my dears. You've done well."

Coj complied with a childlike smile on his face, and lay down to sleep on the soft fur. The maiden curled up next to him, and rested as well, while holding him and softly stroking his hair.

Lilith turned back to Kadren and continued on: "I loved a beautiful, half-elven man once. He was much like your beloved Coj. In fact you have met him. His name was Callum Rominel."

Kadren could not help but look up - from her downward stare of disdainful apathy - towards Lilith's face, to confirm the truth of the words.

"Yes, it's true," promised Lilith. "I was once much like you: a gifted Human girl... young, beautiful, talented... but stubborn, and foolish. Even the men we fall prey to are similar... both are half-elven, both of noble birth, both extremely beautiful and irresistibly charming... And they both have simple shortened names that they wield with such pompous delight." She chuckled. "Yes, indeed... you are very much my daughter. I want to protect you, to strengthen you, to let you grow and achieve greatness. I would rather hurt you now with the truth than have you face all-consuming sorrow, as I did."

Lilith looked into the distance. "I was once foolish enough to blindly love a man, just as you do now. What a waste of youth that was, such a waste of precious time, such a tragedy."

She turned back. "But I am grateful to him. He was instrumental to my awakening. I would not be who I am today without him. And he continues to be useful even in death. I use his very skin to wake others to the truths of this world."

And though Kadren felt like she was dead on the inside, some flicker of something must have flashed across her own face, because Lilith responded with: "Don't worry, I am not so barbaric to skin someone alive..."

Kadren looked away.

"I killed him first before skinning him."

Kadren looked back, and saw a mad twinkling in Lilith's eyes.

"He broke my heart and ruined me, just as your dear Coj would have, if I had allowed your foolishness to continue. You think you have suffered hurt now, but I have actually spared you true misery...." Kadren thought she saw a hint of genuine sadness. "Anne was my name... Anne of Boundless Beauty. The most beautiful maiden in all of Dritam, I was called..."

Continued in Chapter 1 - Part 4...

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