By: Lucien

Luzella’s face flashed in Yuldasha’s mirror. The Amazonian was inside an animal skin command tent located outside among the northern Kazdruk coast. There she sat, dignified and content. An elvish slave woman stood behind her, chained by a thick metal collar. The slave stood massaging Luzella’s muscular trapezius. Her small delicate hands ran over Luzella’s oiled skin, caressing across each defined muscle. Helots moved behind Luzella, working tirelessly to gather the dead bodies of elven soldiers. Yuldasha smiled at the great Kazdruk warrior as she spoke.

“Master Yuldasha, the elves have broken through the Northern coast. As planned, a handful of small remaining groups managed to evade our forces and moved through. They’re heading deeper into the heart of our dominion. Should we hunt them down?”

“That won’t be necessary just yet; give them some leeway. I want to give them hope, Luzella. Give them purpose and glory, let them gaze upon this Spire. Just when they’re within reach of their Queen, will we strike them down like sickles through drought-ridden wheat.”

“As you wish, Master,” Luzella smiled.

“Wait until nightfall, then place a light presence across their heels. Push them into our arms, Luzella.”

 “It will be my pleasure, Master,” Luzella said, curling her lips upward in delight. “The Northern coast is secured, but what of the Southern coast?”

 “They’re of no concern. Let them come – we will bask in their ignorance and slay them at our doors.”

 Luzella nodded. “Of course, Master.”

 Yuldasha watched the Helots closely working behind Luzella. She scrutinized with extreme detail, watching every move they made.

“Luzella, have your Helots been following orders? Any strange behavior or insubordination? Perhaps any possible deserters?”

” Negative Master, these soldiers are normal. If anything would be note worthy, it would be their apparent increased libido Master. But that is understandable given there working conditions and continued exposure to captured female elven soldiers. Other then that, they appear normal Master.” Luzella spoke looking a bit perplexed but knowing better then to question her Master.

Yuldasha looked onward at the working Helots through the mirror and nodded to Luzella .

“Good. Lets just say we’ve had a few incidents with various regiments of Helots. Keep a close eye on them and report any strange behavior to me. “

” As you wish Master.”

“Stick to your current orders Luzella.”

Luzella nodded and her image vanished.

Yuldasha extinguished her mirror and turned to Queen Aria. The setting sun basked into their chamber, spilling across Aria’s back. The elvish Queen kneeled on all fours at the base of Yuldasha’s throne. She looked up at her new Master with a sullen face. The human Ulla resided next to Aria, laying feebly in steel shackles, still holding hope and perseverance.

 “Your people find you quite important, don’t they, Aria?” Yuldasha grinned, sipping fine wine from her goblet.

 Aria looked up, but said nothing. She only dropped her head in defeat and submission.

 “They’re trying to rescue you; how noble of them. I wonder how close they will come to achieving their goal?”

 Ulla tilted over to the Elven Queen, realizing the mental games Yuldasha was trying to play. She leaned closer and whispered into her ear.

“They will succeed, Queen Aria; don’t let her break you. You must believe in yourself, believe in your people.”

Yuldasha smirked at the human’s optimistic comment to the elf. “There is no hope for either of you,” she spat while pulling on Ulla’s chain leash. “Tell me, Ulla – do you still believe in your people?”

 Ulla looked away defiantly. “Yes, the Goldulin people are strong.”

 Yuldasha’s eyes flickered in amusement. “The history of your people is quite interesting, Ulla.”

 “You know nothing of my people! Our Empire, or its history!”

“Oh but I do, Ulla. And all of its dirty secrets… speaking of secrets, I believe it’s time I share something special with you. Something I think the two of you will find most interesting,” Yuldasha commented as she ran her tongue across her bottom lip and turned to a guard across the far wall.

“Guard, bring me forth the Follower of Morkate.”

“Yes, Master. As you wish,” the guard bowed and quickly left the chamber.

Ulla’s eyes widened at the stabbing word Morkate, the ancient Goddess who was worshiped so many moons ago. Long before the Kazdruk invasion, it was the only evil across these lands. An idol of bloodlust and sexual hunger, a parasitic cult of vampirism devoted to the dark. The word alone sent chills up her back. Oan was Goldulin’s true God – the bringer of light and a blade to a shadow’s throat. All Cults of Morkate were outlawed and destroyed under strict rule of the human empire.

“Morkate?” Ulla whispered in disbelief.

 “Ah, that name interests you doesn’t it, Ulla? It runs deep in your land’s history.”

Ulla only looked away in anger. More mind games, she thought to herself.

 Queen Aria looked on, puzzled. Her elven people had heard of Morkate but she only knew of the goddess vaguely. Nothing more than a mere piety pagan cult followed by ignorant humans.

The chamber door opened and a large oak crucifix was dragged in by two large guards. Chained to the wood was a naked, lithe female human, or what appeared to be one. The tall woman screamed out in a crazed rage, her pale skin flexed as she tried to free herself. A leather sack covered her head and was tied with a cord around her neck. The human was strong for her size; her chains looked as if they would snap at any moment, but the Kazdruk steel held. She continued to scream out in an animalistic rage.

“I can smell their sweet blood! Free me at once! Let me feed! You must let me feed! Morkate will curse you all! You can’t capture the shadows, you can’t control darkness, you cannot hide from her cold touch! No one can stop her children!”

“Silence, you deranged lamprey! Guards, bring her closer.” The woman fell silent.

 “Yuldassshaaa,” the vampire hissed softly. “I thought I recognized your sweet scent.”

 Ulla looked on in horror. Another Kazdruk experiment, she thought to herself. Those monsters, what have they done to her?

“What did you do to her!” Ulla yelled out in anger.

“Young Ulla, I did nothing,” Yuldasha grinned.

“Lies! You did this to her!”

“Quite the contrary, Ulla; she did this to herself. She hid this from you and your people.”

“Hid what? My people? Is she a soldier of Goldulin?” Ulla looked on puzzled and angered. She rose to her feet.

“This is a follower of the ones you pathetic humans call Morkate. But more interestingly, she was the leader of your people, Ulla. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but your Empire despised followers of Morkate, no?”

“Wha-” Ulla stared back at the faceless human, trying to envision the face underneath. Her blood began to boil. “…blasphemy…” she whispered to herself.

“Lies! This is just another game of yours, Yuldasha! Empress Nera was a devoted follower of Oan, our true savior. She died on her feet! She died with honor fighting off you bloody bastards. She held her sword proudly in the Great Hall of Ridgeblade!” Ulla yelled at Yuldasha, outstretching her hand. “I know because I was there, ye serpent!”

“Such certainty, Ulla, and so confidant. The truth will revise your opinion.” Yuldasha waved her hand towards one of the Kazdruk guards. “Whether or not you wish to believe, the truth is… this creature was the Empress of The Goldulin Empire!”

 The guard pulled the sack off the woman’s head. The crazed vampiric human hissed in the low candlelight. Her crimson eyes reflected the ambiance of Yuldasha’s chamber like a feline. The setting sun danced off her blonde hair and pale face. Her pearl fangs glimmered behind her pale lips. She pulled herself forward once again trying to free herself.

 Queen Aria placed her hand over her mouth in shock. She looked on, just as surprised as Ulla.

 “That poor soul…” she whispered to herself.

“LIES!” Ulla screamed in hatred and contempt. Her world had suddenly been crushed. Her breath was knocked out of her as Empress Nera of Goldulin stood before her.

 Her own Empress, once believed to be dead, now stood before her a Vampire – an abomination, a worshiper of Morkate. After all these years, the woman she was sworn to protect was no better than the Kazdruk.

“No… how could this be?” Ulla whispered.

She was seething. She thought back to all the brave men and women who had lost their lives protecting the King and Empress. Fighting the initial Kazdruk invasion, doing her best to protect a lie.

“Empress Nera… you heretic, how could you! May Oan have mercy on your cursed soul.”

Yuldasha gestured towards the guards, but Ulla placed her hand out to them like she wanted them to halt.

“No, wait!” Ulla yelled, walking towards Nera.

Yuldasha looked on in interest, giving Ulla the needed slack to reach her. Nera looked at Ulla in a crazed hunger.

“I refuse to believe this, Nera. This must be some sort of trick… a demonic illusion.”

Ulla reached out to touch Nera’s cold skin. Nera smiled and waited; as soon as Ulla’s trembling hand touched Nera’s skin, she lashed outward, biting Ulla’s arm. Ulla jumped back, leaving a long bloody slash down her arm, falling backward and grasping her wound.

“Thats enough! Guards, take her away!” Yuldasha ordered.

The guards placed the leather back over Nera’s face and pulled her out of the main chamber.

Ulla looked down at her slashed arm. The pain was real, her blood was real, the burning was real. Empress Nera was indeed a savage monster. This fresh laceration would be a constant reminder of her betrayal to Goldulin and her people.

>><<

We carried ourselves through the cursed red sands.The once beautiful Goldulin Empire was now nothing but a wretched land of despair, filled with evils beyond elven comprehension. A land now of defiled soil and everlasting crimson hue. The very air was thin and cool, swimming with loss and distress.

We had received word that the northern Wayyel landing party had not fared well. Only thirty ships made it ashore at their northern point. Out of our forty that we, Blue Lotus had sent, only twenty made it to our southern waypoint. Yesterday we received a letter by a Wayyel Carrier hawk.

Despite our odds, the objectives remained the same – Reach Wayyel’s Queen and help our northern cousins rescue her. After the southern beachhead we hadn’t encountered much Kazdruk activity. Our nerves began tiring of the constant thought of a Kazdruk ambush that never came. Nothing but red barren land. We carried on northward.

>><< 

 Aeltha paced back and forth in her chamber, pondering Kamri’s staff requirements. “You seek the weight of light wood but the strength of Demkk.”

 “That is correct, High Sorceress Aeltha,” Kamri nodded. “Is something even possible?”

Aeltha deviously smiled at the question.

“Anything is possible, Kamri. It all depends on how far you’re willing to go, depends on how many sacrifices you’re willing to make. Your staff will require a living offering to bind our materials. Any creature will do, but I suggest a humanoid; the binding will be more stable. The stronger the source’s essence, the stronger the bond. Go to the prison level of this spire, Kamri. Find someone or something that draws to you them. Bring them back and we will begin. Choose wisely, Kamri; I will continue the preparations.”

Kamri bowed and left the chamber heading downward, deep into the prison level.

The prison level was dim as usual. Moans and suffering spilled into the narrow halls. Cries for help and freedom danced across the steel prison bars. A single candle hung off the wall every ten meters or so. The dim flames flickered in the cool draft. Kamri ran her hand across the smooth stone hallways. She looked into each cell as she walked by. Most were filled with humans, former Goldulin soldiers and peasants. Kamri criss-crossed between sections of cells searching for the right sacrifice. None of the prisoners called out to her or seemed correct.

 She soon found herself towards the far corner. A small set of dark stairs led to a lower sub level. She was about to step down the short set of stairs when she heard a familiar female voice. A Kazdruk guard and a woman spoke. Kamri stopped dead in her tracks and backed against the wall, tilting her pointed ear in the direction of the speakers. The unmistakable broken accent of Jelthra echoed off the damp walls. Kamri clenched her fist in anger. She had trouble thinking straight. She could only see red; her blood was on fire, vengeance filling her mind. She wanted to slit Jelthra’s throat and bathe in it.

 Kamri took a deep breath trying to compose herself. She stayed out of sight, remaining in the dark shadows and listening carefully.

 “…yes, Jelthra, these cells here are open, but back there beyond that wall, hold rather violent beasts. High Sorceress Aeltha ordered us to keep them separated. I believe they’re experiments of hers.”

 “Good, keep deez cells here open, I vill be transporting new prisoners to dis section tomorrow.”

 “As you wish, Jelthra.”

Kamri heard the two separate and move off in opposite directions. Cloven footsteps marched away into a labyrinth of more cells. She peered her head around the corner to see the back of Jelthra, her heeled boots clicking on the stone surface. She was heading towards the back side of the section. Kamri followed after her, quickly and silently, cloaked by the cell’s shadows. Jelthra moved into the next cell block. A loud chorus of roars lashed out right as Jelthra entered. Kamri focused, her body slightly tensed and ready for combat.

 She then noticed that the adjoining cell block held roughly thirty cages filled wild creatures of all kinds. Twisted experiments of demon and beast. Aeltha’s personal stock of prototype warbeasts, some more successful than others. All of them extremely dangerous.

 Kamri peered around the corner facing the large wide entrance, watching Jelthra closely. As she turned the corner, Kamri brushed her hand across a long chain heading upward into the shadows. The slight jingle was lost in the roar of wild beasts. Kamri looked upward and noticed she was standing under a large steel gate. The chain ran up to a release mechanism. The open gate ran the width of the entire chamber entrance. If closed, it would seal off the entrance to this room.

Kamri looked beyond Jelthra and noticed that the other side of the chamber was a stone wall. This chamber only held one way in and out. Jelthra kept walking further into the chamber, examining the strange beasts and Aeltha’s twisted handy work. Kamri scanned over the cages quickly and noticed all the cages held a single bolt pin lock that held the cage doors closed.

 Kamri smiled to herself, a deep devious and destructive smile. She crept slowly into the chamber keeping a close eye on Jelthra, who was now close to the very end of the chamber. The first cage on her left held a two headed Keeat hound growling softly as it paced back and fourth. The next cage on her right held a large segmented reptilian beast with hundreds of centipede like legs and long sharp fangs. The oversized snake like demon smashed into the cage door at the sight of Kamri. She backed up and kept moving. The next cage held a large exotic creature. The dark purplish beast lowered itself onto its four thick muscular legs. It held a low center of gravity and moved its self backward away from the cage door. It pulled itself low as if it were about to launch itself outward. Waiting, ready to violently ponce. Kamri watched as it hid itself in the deep cage shadow. Only its glowing yellow eyes peering from the dark. It flashed a row of sharp serrated teeth.

 Kamri suddenly caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Near her left foot, emerging from a gap under the cage door was a slimy, dark purple tendril. She quickly stepped back before it could warp around her foot. Kamri looked back at Jelthra, then back to the creature and smiled nefariously. She looked at the cage door’s lock. This cage held a large lock pad as well as a steel pin. Kamri placed her palm on the lock and ignited the lock with intense heat. The Kazdruk magic burned into the steel. Kamri’s eyes gleamed as the lock started to weaken.The metal began to melt and warp. Kamri smiled and quickly exited the chamber, returning to the outer cell-block shadows. She reached the opening and looked up while pulling down hard on the dangling entrance chain. The chain disengaged the winch as Jelthra looked back, jumping at the sudden loud clanking of the closing cage door that was now falling downward.

“No, vait!”

Jelthra ran back as quickly as she could, but she was too late. She slid on her heels and bumped into the gate as it reached the floor. The heavy gate latched into place, sealing off the entrance and trapping Jelthra inside.

 Jelthra knocked on the gate hard with her fists. “Guards! lez me out! I’m still in here!” She looked around for the chain system to reopen the gate. She quickly realized there was no chain on this side of the gate.

 “Guards! I said lez me out!” Jelthra yelled, continuing to slam the gate with her fists. The gate only held a single horizontal slit to view through. She inched up on her toes to peer through. The outside chamber was empty, only flickering candles.

 “Those incompetent guards vill surely pay for dis. I swear!”

 Jelthra had noticed that the chamber had fallen eerily silent.

A Keeat hound behind her let out a uneasy whine, momentarily cutting through the silence. She spun around, scanning the chamber hold. The third cage in was wide open, the holding cell empty. Its door slowly swayed further open until it bumped softly against the steel side of the neighboring cage. Jelthra froze in her tracks peering slowly back and forth. A steel pin covered in slick slime rolled to her feet. Jelthra slowly took a few steps backward. She reached back over her shoulder to unsheathe her sword. Jelthra’s eye widened in terror when her hand only grasped empty air; her sheath was empty. She swallowed hard as she ran her hand down lower and felt more wet sticky resin across the back of the sheath. She slowly walked backward until her ass softly bumped into the locked gate.

Long thin strands of saliva fell from above, pooling on the floor around Jelthra. She hesitantly looked upward into the endless shadows, trying to make out any movement up above. She thought she might be seeing a wet glistening surface. Jelthra shot her hand out and ignited a fire spell in her palm. The orange sphere of flame flickered about, swirling and pulsing. Jelthra watched the large shadow move across the high ceiling and down the far side of wall. The strange beast was large, much larger than any Keeat hound. Jelthra grimaced as the creature vanished into the dark shadows again.

Jelthra looked around nervously, trying to obtain a visual on the creature. The beast reappeared quickly to her left behind a break in the cages. The demon lumbered across the stone floor on all fours, moving at incredible speed towards her. Jelthra tossed her fire spell at the charging beast where it exploded across the creatures angled head with little effect. Jelthra dove off to the side into a summersault to avoid the large creature. She rolled out of the dive ready to fight. The creature shook its head side to side, merely shaking off the fireball. Jelthra’s eyes widened at the beast’s apparent invulnerability to fire. The beast let out a blood curdling roar and turned to face Jelthra again.

Jelthra side stepped trying to keep the creature at a distance. She made her way towards the gate, quickly tossing another fireball. The ball exploded, sending cinders in all directions. The beast lowered itself and advanced towards Jelthra slowly. Jelthra noticed many long thick tendrils erecting from the underside of the beast. They slide out across the ground leaving wet slimy trials. The tentacles ran off to either side, widening the beast’s coverage and further trapping its prey. There was no way Jelthra could make it past them, so she reached down to her boot and pulled out a dagger. The immense creature moved closer and closer, cornering Jelthra.

Without warning, a long phallus-like tendril shot outward, striking towards her at blurring speed. Jelthra dodged the strike and slashed at the slimy tentacle. Before she could gather her balance, a second tendril lashed out wrapping itself around her wrist. It squeezed her tight, causing her to drop her dagger. Another tendril launched out, wrapping around her legs. Before she knew it she was completely entangled with thick tentacles. Jelthra struggled to free herself but the beast pulled her downward. Jelthra cried out as she was pulled out from under her feet landing hard on her back. The heavy beast lunged forward landing on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

A wall of tendrils ripped apart her clothing and wrapped around her body, pulling her closer to his.The snake like appendages slid into her groin, slithering around frantically for any openings they could find. Jelthra tried pushing the heavy beast off, but it didn’t budge as her hands only pushed into soft leathery muscle. The long tentacles found their mark, pulling her thong aside, sinking into her pussy. The brutal girth of the tendril spread her lips wide. Another sank into her tight ass, filling her up with thick, slick meat. Jelthra screamed as the slick cock slid further and further up her ass. The creature’s jaws opened wide over her face spilling out long strands of saliva. Jelthra gritted her teeth and pulled her face away from the dangerously sharp row of predatory teeth.

A long segmented tongue erected itself from the beast’s mouth and slid across Jelthra’s face looking for an opening. Jelthra screamed again from the wide double intrusion. The thick tongue tentacle took the open opportunity and forced itself into Jelthra’s mouth, spreading her blue lips open wide. The long cocktongue slid down her throat, turning her cries into wet soft gagging. Jelthra’s eyes shot open wide in terror as all of her holes were filled. The beast’s tentacles pulled her even closer to his body as he began to pump his prey full of warm, ropey seed. A torrent of hot cum flushed up inside Jelthra’s cunt and tight ass. She squirmed in place as she felt each tentacle simultaneously pumping inside her.

Load after load or warm fluid spilled down her throat, overflowing up out of her mouth and nostrils. She violently kicked her entangled legs as she choked on the thick loads. Her stomach stretched as it was pumped full of hot sperm. Jelthra dug her hands into the floor as her womb was filled well beyond capacity. The hot cum spilled out of her cunt and ass, gushing onto the floor into thick ropey pools. The nefarious beast held its prey tightly underneath as its emptied the last of its cum reservoir into his new human mate. The beast kept its tentacles tightly wrapped around Jelthra and pulled her into the dark shadows, leaving behind nothing but smeared pools of cum and a dagger.

 The caged creatures remained silent. Only a faint, muffled gagging would eek out from time to time, emitting from the lightless abyssal corner of the chamber.