The Mission

Noah and his friends continued traveling north, getting closer and closer to the Andromeda Estate. They moved through scorched wastelands and burnt forests, left behind by the Profane fires, but once they passed the ruins of the northern-most dwarf village, the forests were untouched, showing where the fiends had started their burning campaign. During the day, they pushed their mounts to their limits while aiding them with the special enchanted horse blankets Noah had made on the way back from Lumestada. It worked the same as his anti-paladin cloak, allowing Seraph to give the horses, as well as Foley's donkey, boosts to their speed, strength, and stamina. He had more than enough power to spare, as thoughts of saving his brother made his radiance greater than ever before. He was almost always glowing with his holy aura, even when he didn't mean to.

During the evenings, when they stopped to make camp, Noah continued sparring with Seraph and Roc, forcing them to work together to avoid a beating. Though it was clear their grudge couldn't be so easily erased, their skills were sharpening, and they were starting to learn from each other. They had yet to force Noah to remove his hat, but he had taken off his coat to free up his movements, which was a clear sign that they were getting better.

On one night in particular, they fought against him with the greatest ferocity shown yet. Every night of sparring had left them with bruised bodies and egos, and they were itching to cinch victory, and with it, their honor. Everyone watched as Roc lunged for Noah, not with a punch or kick, but with a simple tackle. Instead of using his wings to propel himself, he was using them to guard his body. Noah swung around with a kick to knock Roc aside, but with his talons gripping the earth, he withstood the blow, and Seraph emerged from behind him with a mighty punch.

Noah deflected the punch and was about to grab Seraph for a Judo throw, but Roc opened one of his wings and used it to separate the two of them. Noah moved to attack Roc, but he once more closed his defenses, while Seraph circled around and unleashed a roundhouse kick. This was a combination the two warriors had utilized several times already. Roc would play defense, using his wings as a shield to both block Noah's attacks and obscure his vision, then Seraph would attack, acting as a spear. Because of their mutual disdain for each other, this was not something they had verbally planned or conceived, but rather a technique they had instinctively developed. It was a strong formation, but not strong enough.

Noah ducked under the kick and rolled to the side, and both Roc and Seraph pounced on him. Noah grabbed Roc's leg and pulled him between him and Seraph, causing them to collide, then brought down a pair of chops onto the backs of their necks, bringing them down to the ground.

"Good effort today. Let's get some dinner," said Noah, slightly out of breath.

Roc and Seraph had to be shaken awake, and they followed him to the campsite. Roc sat next to Cynatas, who ruffled his hair. "You did well out there."

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, dejected.

Shannon handed out dinner to everyone, and Noah received his bowl. "She's right. I have a good feeling about this mission. So long as we stay in formation and don't get separated, I truly think we can save Lupin and wipe out the Profane around him."

"Noah, with so many Profane gathering at this mansion, do you suppose Bella will be there?" Alexis asked, staring into the campfire.

"There's a good chance. Why?"

"Because if she is, I want to be the one to kill her. That sword you showed the dwarves, you said it came from an elite Profane and did augmented damage to fiends. Can I borrow it? Maybe it can finish her off."

"I have multiple blades I can lend you," said Noah. "Considering that there likely will be fiends there, sharing them with you all would be a good idea. However, I was wondering about Bella. What if there was a chance we could bring her to our side? I'm sure she'd listen to me if I asked her to help us kill the Profane."

"Not a chance," said Seraph. "That thing murdered my father. If she's there, she dies."

"Considering how powerful you describe her as, she'd be an invaluable asset," Noah insisted.

"Noah, you weren't there," said Sophia. "You didn't see how many people she slaughtered. I know she was your favorite at the Knight's Sheath, but she can't be allowed to live. Even if she were to hand Lupin to us with a big bow, it wouldn't make up for what she's done, nor erase the threat she poses."

"It's because of me that she became what she is," added Cyrilo. "I played with fire, and she became an inferno that swallows everything. If she is there, we absolutely cannot leave until we're absolutely sure she's dead."

"Seriously, dude, we need to kill her, burn her, bury the ashes, salt the earth, and then take off and nuke the entire site from orbit," said Daniel. "It's the only way to be sure."

Noah had expected pushback on the Bella issue, but it didn't seem like anyone would budge an inch on this. It was one thing to have just Lupin mad at him, but Bella could threaten the cohesion of the whole group. "That's a shame. I really liked the idea of having one of the Profane on our side. I'm sure we could turn at least one of them against the others."

"Don't even think about it," said Valia. "After I nearly died from that darkness in me, I don't want to take the risk of letting one of those monsters around us. They can't be trusted, and they're walking poison. I don't even like you keeping those Carthace blades, among other reasons."

"Fine, fine, we'll do things your way. Anyway, here, take these."

Noah began pulling Carthace blades out of his ring and distributing them to the others. He had lost one sword at the Colbrand arena when Tarnas ended the attack, but he still had five more, plus a pair of daggers. However, he didn't give any to Sophia or Seraph, as their holy magic would end up destroying them. Roc also refused his as expected, preferring to rely on his bare hand. Cynatas didn't even touch hers, looking at it with a grimace. Valia and Shannon shared her disgust.

"You KNOW I hate these things," Valia muttered.

"Me too," said Shannon.

However, Alexis was in awe of the sword she received.

"It's so light, but it must be even tougher than steel. It gives me an unholy feeling when I grip it, but this material is amazing, like something from a dragon."

"Dude, this is awesome," said Daniel, getting up and swinging his sword around. "I feel like I could slaughter a whole army with this thing."

"It almost looks like it was forged," said Foley as he examined a dagger. "You got these from a Profane?"

"Her name was Carthace, a spider-type fiend. These blades are made from her legs, and the ink is made using her venom. Valia was the one who delivered the decisive blow."

"After you had sex with her," Valia groaned.

"Oh gods!" Alexis exclaimed in disgust, immediately dropping her sword and pushing it away. Everyone else discarded theirs with similar feelings.

"You're all overreacting," Noah said as he retrieved the blades. "It's not like I ejaculated on her legs or anything. Besides, you should be a little more sympathetic, Val. Need I remind you that she had her way with me against my will? I was stuck to her web, powerless, and she decided to use me as a toy, and test the rumors."

"Yeah, for the first round. But Shannon and I had the perfect view of you getting on top of her and going balls-deep. You got stabbed through the hands and still fingered her to completion."

"I'm a considerate lover and I take pride in my work."

"I'm really not sure I'm comfortable with the idea of using the body parts of your dead Profane lover," Alexis grimaced.

"And he broke her heart, too," Valia added, accusingly. "She couldn't wait to turn him and have a lovey-dovey-sexy future together. He even encouraged her, raised her hopes. She was about to kiss him, and he slashed her throat."

"I was deceiving her to drop her guard so I could land a sneak attack and then free you and Shannon. I saved your life, and this is how you thank me?"

"You really are the enemy of all women," Alexis muttered.

"Man, I could write a whole song about this, maybe even an album," said Daniel. "Any chance you want to give us a live demonstration with that trippy magic of yours? It could be the album art."

"I don't think anyone here needs to see that," said Valia, shaking her head.

"We've had our dinner and drinks, and it's time for a show," Daniel argued.

"Not that!" Valia hammered.

"I loved that story last night of you being a symphony conductor," said Sophia. "The music was so beautiful. Can you show us something like that?"

"Actually, tonight, I was thinking I'd show you something from my time on the sea. False World."

Noah cast his magic, and once again, the trees and mountains of Vandheim vanished, replaced by the open sky and ocean. Their campsite was now situated on the deck of an aircraft carrier, sloshing through the Atlantic. It took Noah's friends a moment to realize they were on a vessel and not dry ground, having never seen a ship so large. The surrounding ships of the fleet were just as impressive. Jets were lined up behind them, and they watched in awe as one came in for a landing, with the crewmembers working diligently. Had Noah flashed them the Rune of False, they'd feel the heaving of the ship and the might of the wind, but since they were technically having dinner, he just let them enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of naval life.

"I swear, I'll never get tired of this," said Alexis with a smile.

"So, where are you? Were you a deckhand?" Cyrilo asked.

"Please. I was the admiral of the Second Fleet, up there in that tower. All these vessels were under my command. We could have leveled a city like Colbrand in less than a minute. Roc, see those jets flying around us? They can move faster than sound itself. When you dive, I imagine you can reach somewhere between 150 and 200 miles an hour. These metal crafts can do ten times that speed."

"You just beat me in a fight, and now you're telling me this? How much more shame are you going to shovel onto me?" Roc complained.

"So, what, we're going to watch you bomb some country back to the Stone Age?" Daniel asked.

"Actually, you could say we were the ones who got bombed. Right about... now."

The sky then lit up with a thunderous boom as something penetrated the atmosphere. It soared over everyone's heads before striking the ocean in the distance, causing a brilliant flash and a gargantuan pillar of water to rise up to the height of the clouds. Noah's friends were reacting the same way as the illusory sailors, just as he remembered.

"It was a meteor. Our scientists guessed it was a lump of solid metal about the size of a cow, traveling around 20,000 miles an hour."

As Noah spoke, the shockwave of the impact hit the fleet, knocking men off the decks of several ships and even pushing a jet into the ocean. Radio towers and antennas snapped off while windows cracked and shattered. Noah's friends all instinctively shielded their faces from the incoming blast, having flashbacks of the wrath of the Wassengel, but all that hit them was the smell of the sea. However, the shockwave was only the beginning. A massive wall of water rose from the impact site, over a thousand feet high, and heading their way.

"I gave the order for all ships to turn towards the wave, try to ride over it, but half of the crew on the bridge were dead from the blast, and the other ships didn't fare so well either. It wasn't just kinetic force or the shrapnel that killed them. The meteor impact imparted so much thermal energy that it instantly vaporized the seawater, turning it into superheated steam. I had ducked down in time to avoid the most serious burns, but almost everyone around me had their faces melted off."

It seemed like the entire ocean was rising, picking up the hulking steel vessels like they were nothing. Once again, Noah's friends all felt their stomachs lurch as the aircraft carrier was lifted and began to tilt. They weren't actually feeling the shift in balance, but as the ship leaned past the point of no return and the ocean replaced the sky, their eyes tricked their minds. The aircraft carrier capsized, and suddenly, they were all underwater.

"Ok, this is just plain weird," said Daniel. He knew it was an illusion, but his mind still struggled to process the reality that he was sitting on dry ground and free to breathe.

"Look, there I am," said Noah, pointing to a man escaping through one of the bridge windows and swimming towards the surface. "That wave went on to destroy numerous coastal towns and cities. As for my fleet, of the thousands of men and women I had serving under me, less than a hundred made it." Noah released his magic, and they returned to the woods of Vandheim. "All right, what next? Do you want to see me get mauled by Bigfoot while I was fighting wildfires? Or when I discovered the lost city of Atlantis at the bottom of the ocean, populated by mermaids?"

"All I can think about is that spider chick. Seriously, I need to know if she was hot or not," said Daniel.

"You realize I'm sitting next to you, right?" Cyrilo asked, growing increasingly annoyed.

"Come on, you can't tell me you're not a little curious."

Noah sighed. "Fine, here. False World." He recast his magic, bringing everyone to the main chamber of Carthace's base. Surrounded by webs and darkness, everyone jerked in surprise when the spider queen descended, landing in the center of the camp with the fire beneath her. She crossed her arms and pointed one of her bladed legs at Daniel. "Well? Are you satisfied?" she asked.

Daniel turned to Cyrilo. "Be honest. How much money do you think she could have brought into the Knight's Sheath?"

"Well, she is quite attractive and quite scary, but there are plenty of guys who are into that sort of thing."

"I just can't believe that there is anyone in the world who could, you know, have their way with you against your will like that. I mean, you of all people," said Foley.

Noah looked at the Carthace illusion as he spoke. "Oh, it's happened to me plenty of times in the past. It doesn't matter how good a fighter you are when you're drugged, or paralyzed from the neck down, or getting jumped in the prison showers, or even still in diapers. Hell, I remember when I was around six months old and two guys kidnapped me from my crib and just... tore my insides to shreds. That death... that really messed me up for a while. I spent most of my next life in a drug-induced haze after that, just to try to forget, but that memory is burned in there."

He released the spell and looked back at his friends, seeing the gaunt looks of shock on everyone's faces and their mouths hanging open.

"Noah," Sophia gasped with tears falling from her lashes.

"A lot of stuff about me is starting to make sense now, isn't it?" Noah said, then pausing. "That's the first time I've been able to tell people that story. You know I've been through a lot of awful shit, but oftentimes, the worst part was that I could never tell anyone about it. I would die the most horrific, agonizing deaths, then the next thing I know, I'm reborn into a new body, surrounded by a new family, with whom I could never be honest.

All I could do was take the pain and memories of my death and swallow them, bury them deep down, while I pretended to just be a regular baby, a regular kid, a regular adult, never allowed to be my true self. I've done more than my fair share of awful things in the past, and when people asked me why, I could never tell them. I could never tell them what it was that made me the way I am."

Looking around, it was clear that Noah's story had ruined the evening. All that awaited was a night of awkward silence. "We've almost reached the Andromeda Estate. I suggest we all go to bed nice and early tonight and get up even earlier tomorrow." Noah got up and went to his tent, with Valia and Shannon joining him.

Everyone else continued to sit around the campfire, and Alexis noticed that Sophia kept looking at Noah's tent with a pained look.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"It's just... I just wish I could do something for him. I just want to hug him and make all the bad memories go away."

"I don't think there is anything you can do. What happened to him happened a long time ago, with who knows what occurring since then. He told his story and we listened. I think that's all we can do for him."

"There has to be more. All the time he's spent holding onto that memory, forced to deal with it alone. There has to be some way to make up for lost time and fill the hole in his heart."

Alexis looked around and sighed. "Then go tell him that. If you think talking to him will help, then the two of you can talk all night."

"Thank you," said Sophia, getting to her feet, only for Alexis to grasp her hand.

"But... only talking, please?"

"Have a little faith in me," Sophia replied. She walked over to Noah's tent and knelt by the entrance. "Noah? It's Sophia. Are you awake? Can I come in?"

"By all means," she heard Noah say.

She opened the flaps, finding Noah trying to sleep between Valia and Shannon, who seemed to be enacting Sophia's "hug the memories away" plan. They were both clinging tightly to his arms and even had their legs wrapped around his, as though afraid a wyvern was going to swoop down and snatch him up.

"Would you mind helping me out? They won't let go, and I'm really overheating."

"Just a little bit longer," said Valia.

Sophia sighed. "The two of you, make room." She then crawled into the tent and lay atop Noah's chest while hugging him tightly, leaving him struggling to breathe.

"Sophia..." he grunted.

"Just... let us take care of you for a little bit. Let yourself be held by the people who know the real you."

Noah gave up and lay his head back. "Thank you. All of you."

They set out the next day at first light, wanting to make every second count. They had reached northern Vandheim, on the border of the Ashok Mountains. The journey had been quiet, with no signs of the Profane, but that eventually changed when Roc and Cynatas descended from the sky.

"Noah, I spotted a group of fiends about a mile away."

"A war party?"

"No, moving too slow. I think they're patrolling the area. We're getting close to the mansion."

"Ok, we'll slip past them. You and Cynatas should stay on the ground with us. I don't want either of you getting spotted. If they have troops on the ground, they likely have them in the air as well.

"We're not going to take them out?" Seraph asked.

"And lose the element of surprise? If those peons go missing, their leaders will realize that there is someone out here capable of culling their ranks and raise their security. We need to ignore the small fry and focus on the upper echelon." Noah then raised his hand and dispersed his concealment mana over the group. "False Assembly."

Before, he could only shroud one other person to hide their existence, but since finding the Rune of False, his powers had grown by several magnitudes, and he could now shroud the whole group, so long as they stayed close together and didn't make any noise. They continued north, soon encountering the fiends on patrol. Everyone held their breath as they passed by, fearful of being spotted. Once they were in the clear, they moved on.

The further they went north, the more patrols they encountered. There were several close calls, where a sneeze or a horse's anxious whinnying drew the suspicions of the fiends, but Noah's group managed to slip by without being identified. They were leaving behind a scent trail that not even his magic could erase, but these roads were used by slave traders to deliver food to the mansion, so they had the benefit of olfactory camouflage. Finally, as it was getting late in the afternoon, the mansion came into sight.

"There it is," said Valia.

"We finally made it. My brother is being held in there, just waiting for me to save him," Seraph muttered.

"The members of my tribe always told me to avoid this place," said Roc. "They thought it was cursed, haunted. No one who went in ever came out. As children, we'd observe from a distance, too scared to get close. Despite knowing what's inside, I can't help but feel a bit nervous."

"Let's find a place where we can hide the horses and keep a lookout," Noah said.

Under the cover of Noah's magic, they searched the area for a location to use as a base camp. They discovered a cave, likely once inhabited by a bear and littered with the bones of its meals, but there were no signs indicating that it was currently occupied. The cave was large enough for everyone to take cover in.

"Ok, here's the plan: I'm going to sneak in and get a layout of the mansion. Escape routes, hiding places, traps, the strength and number of the Profane; everything I can learn about the place. I don't want us all to go in there blind. I'll also find Lupin and let him know what's about to happen. While I'm gone, all of you rest and recover. We're going to need all of our strength when we take a mansion. Do everything you can to avoid detection and confrontation. If the Profane find out we're here, this whole thing will go belly-up."

"You really think it's a good idea for you to go in there on your own?" Valia asked. "The last time we split up to take a Profane base, you ended up as that spider's sex slave."

"Well, here's hoping that history repeats itself, and technically, my scouting mission was a success back then. It was during the liberation that I got captured. Besides, what's the point in having stealth magic if I don't use it for stuff like this? I'll be back in a few hours, hopefully before sunset." He then handed Valia a harkonen orb. "If it seems like I'm going to be captured, I'll let you know on this."

"Well, you'd better not be," Valia replied before pulling him close and kissing him for luck. Shannon did the same, and Noah turned to everyone else.

"I'm not going to kiss you," Foley said.

"Noah, be safe," said Seraph. "Tell my brother I'm getting him out of there."

"I will, don't worry."

Noah then cast his invisibility and set off. He crossed through the woods around the Andromeda Estate and found a set of mountain steps leading up to the mansion. The moment he touched the first step, he realized he was on Cursed Earth. The entire mountain had been corrupted, likely for centuries. It would hinder him and his friends a bit, but they didn't come this far to quit. He climbed the steps and reached the mansion, sneaking in through a window. Once inside, he pulled out the controller for summoning Duska and activated it.

In the mansion kitchens, Duska was busy helping the chefs. Tonight was the party, and it was all hands on deck for getting everything right. As she carried a stack of plates, she shuddered, feeling her mark activate and send waves of pleasure through her, and had to stop herself from dropping them. Through that link, she could sense her master's location and realized he was in the mansion. Realizing he was so close both terrified and excited her. Her innate loyalty to the Profane made her fear for what was about to happen to them, but her flesh craved his touch like a drug. Her beloved master had arrived. Bella was nearby, sweeping the floors, and they made eye contact. Just from the look on Duska's face, she understood, and her own face lit up.

They both excused themselves from the rest of the kitchen staff, making up some pretext of being needed elsewhere, and quickly but subtly hurried off to find Noah. They arrived in an empty corridor and were left bewildered.

"Are you sure he's here?" Bella asked.

"I'm sure. The signal says he's just a few feet away."

"Hello, my lovelies," said Noah, appearing behind them and causing Duska and Bella to jump. However, Bella immediately pounced on him.

"Darling!"

"It's good to see you, Bella. We need to talk. Are there any private rooms?"

"I know a room, and it even has a bed," said Bella with a voracious gaze. "I have been so patient, and we aren't doing anything until you and I make up for lost time."

"I had a feeling you would say that. Lead the way."

He once more made himself invisible and followed them through the mansion. His missing presence left them confused, but a few words would keep them going and assure them that he was still there. They arrived at Lupin's room, now empty, with the mattress mended and returned.

"Isn't this where Lupin was staying? What happened?" Noah asked as he closed the door behind him and spread his concealment mana.

"He killed Nell," said Duska bitterly. "Apparently, she found out what we were planning and was going to snitch to Andromeda. Lupin killed her to keep her silent, and punished himself by asking to be moved to the dungeon."

"Damn," Noah muttered. Nell was an obstacle that he was glad got removed, but he could only imagine Lupin's mental state after being forced to murder the woman he loved. This could have long-lasting repercussions. "Are you ok?" he then asked Duska.

"I know why Lupin did it. Frankly, it was the reasonable choice, given the situation he was put in. But still, once you save the prince, let me hit him, at least once. Nell... my sister... deserves that much."

"Fair enough. Now, tonight is the Profane ball, correct?"

"That's right. Soon, the main hall will be flooded with Profane, including Helena. You will spare her, correct?"

"If you want her kept safe, you should pull her out of there before the fighting starts. Here, this drug should sedate her for a while. Just give her a reason to leave the room, knock her out, and stuff her in a broom closet for a while," he said, passing Duska a syringe. "Now, my friends don't know about either of you, and I want to keep it that way until we've gotten Lupin out of the mansion, so I need you to keep a low profile and not be seen. Once the fighting starts in the ballroom, Bella, I want you to take care of every Profane in the rest of the mansion. Guards, staff, anyone who could get in the way. When my friends and I make our escape, I want us to be running past scores of dead bodies."

"Understood. There is a pair of obnoxious twins I'm looking forward to punishing for always mouthing off," she said with violent glee.

"Can I trust you not to do anything to my friends? Alexis? Sophia? Cyrilo?"

"Yes, I'll leave them alone," she groaned while rolling her eyes.

"Good, because if they see you, they'll come after you. If that happens, you just run. Do whatever you can to stay away from them and avoid fighting. Under no circumstances are you to hurt them. Duska, after you've handled Helena, your job is to protect Lupin. My friends and I will be busy fighting the Profane, but I'll have removed Lupin from the main hall first. I'll hand him off to you, and you'll need to hide him somewhere close by until the battle is done, like inside a closet or armoire. If any Profane spot you two, you can say Andromeda ordered you to keep him safe, but if I or my friends spot you, just flee, and we'll grab Lupin."

"Understood. But Master, there is something you should know. Lord Ragar arrived two days ago, apparently coming from Duravound, where he had been working as our spy."

"Duravound?" Noah muttered. He suddenly remembered the king's indignant advisor, doing everything he could to conceal the return of the Profane, then disappearing after Noah's Diablos stunt. For a ghoul to elevate himself to such a high level in Duravound's government was concerning.

"There is something else. Curcio has dispatched two unique specimens to the mansion. They're highly modified and extremely powerful. Fortunately, the stronger of the two has been sealed in a special coffin and moved to the lowest level of the dungeons. I warn you to stay away from him."

"I understand. Thank you for the warning. Now, I need you to take me to Lupin and show me around the mansion."

"Not so fast," said Bella. "Aren't you forgetting something, Darling? I've been wearing this stupid maid outfit for weeks, waiting for you to rip it off with your teeth. You're not going anywhere until you glaze me like a ham."

Noah chuckled. "Of course, Bella. Duska, I hope being in this room won't make things difficult for you?"

"I exist to serve my master, anytime and anywhere. My flesh is yours to use as you see fit."

"Then let's spend some quality time together."

Biting their lips, the two women moved towards him, and the three let their tongues get acquainted. As Noah took turns kissing them, they pushed his coat off his shoulders and unfastened his belt. Noah helped Bella remove her maid outfit, while Duska shed her own outfit. As the last of Noah's clothes were discarded, she got down on her knees and put her oral skills to work, pleasuring her beloved master. She could taste how long he had been on the road, and his manly scent drove her wild.

Noah pulled his lips from Bella's and gave her breasts some proper affection, making Bella whimper from the honed movements of his tongue and fingers. Duska watched them from down below, hoping her master would compliment her devoted deepthroating. He reached down and ran his fingers through her hair, making her tail curl and writhe in excitement. He soon pulled his cock free of her mouth and motioned for her to get on the bed. Duska lay back with Bella beside her, and the two women eagerly spread their legs.

Noah knelt down and savored Duska's flavor, sending his tongue deep inside her. She moaned as he ate her out, with every movement he made making her tremble in happiness. Duska was well-used to her master's brutal technique, hammering her to within an inch of her life, but his skill in cunnilingus made her melt like an ice sculpture. The Profane certainly tasted different from normal women, but Noah drank up her nectar with the same vigor and enjoyment as he would with anyone else.

Bella lay beside them, playing with herself as she watched. She remembered when Noah gave his sex ed course at the Knight's Sheath, as well as his live demonstration with his classmate. Watching him work from the perspective of an outsider made her appreciate his skill and strength even more. Her heart burned with jealousy, seeing her beloved Darling pleasuring another woman, but those same flames made her so hot with lust. Noah played Duska like a flute, and seeing the reactions he could invoke in her, made Bella grow wild in anticipation.

Noah soon gave her a turn, and the swirling of his tongue inside her felt all the sweeter. The way he caressed her labia and stimulated her clit sent lightning up her now-arched back. Her furry toes curled in euphoria, and Noah gave her the first of many climaxes. He stood up with a smile and grasped his cock.

"I love you, Darling," Bella panted.

"I love you too, Master," Duska added with flushed cheeks.

"And I love you girls," he said. "But I'm going to fuck you like I hate you."

His words filled their eyes with fireworks, leaving them eager to receive his wrathful lust. He took Duska first, moving between his legs and ramming himself into her greedy pussy. He hammered her with unbridled speed, leaving her to cry out as he punished her cervix. The pleasure and pain were inseparable, with the savagery of his technique filling her with ecstasy.

Harder, deeper, faster; he fucked her with all of the power his mortal flesh could provide, leaving her to grip Bella's hand and moan through the storm, with her melon breasts rocking with each thrust. Noah couldn't help but give her everything he had, with machine-like persistence and endurance. Her succubus pussy was like nothing he'd ever felt before, seemingly trying to pull him ever deeper inside her and milk him of semen. Despite his love of elves, Profane sex was not something to dismiss.

"Master, I'm cumming! Please, I'm cumming!"

She knew her master well, and he didn't slow down at all. Euphoria bleached her mind of all thought and sensation, save for the brutal ramming of his cock inside her. She spasmed and arched as though her body was trying to escape him, but he held her still, refusing to let her off easy until she drenched him in her lustful nectar. He finally pulled out of her and stopped to catch his breath, leaving Duska shaking and crying from overwhelming pleasure, feeling like her soul had almost left her body.

He then moved over to Bella, trembling in excitement and looking like she was going to crawl out of her skin if she had to wait any longer. He forced himself inside her, taking her with the same intensity he had used to ravage Duska. Bella moaned endless profanities as he fucked her, completely forgetting they were supposed to be doing this in secret. It was fortunate that Noah had soundproofed the room. Watching him thrust into her again and again, fucking her with more ferocity than any past client could possibly muster, she was in awe of how calm he looked. It was hard for her to believe that of the two of them, he was the human.

"Bella, I'm gonna...."

"Yes, shoot it deep inside me! Pour it so deep that I'll be able to taste it!" she begged.

Noah halted his thrusts and shuddered as he filled her pussy with his seed, sending Bella's eyes rolling back in happiness.

"Ok, girls, it's your turn on top."

He didn't need to tell them twice, and as he lay back on the bed, they got in position as though communicating telepathically. Duska straddled his face, whimpering happily as his tongue once more went to work inside her. After how hard he fucked her, his cunnilingus was downright soothing, like ointment on a burn, and as his tongue swirled around inside her ass, she shivered in anticipation, eager to have it hammered just as roughly.

While Duska sat on his face, Bella went to work coaxing the flaccidity out of Noah's cock and restoring it to its former glory. Once he had regained his hard-on, she took a mixture of her saliva, nectar, and his semen and used it to lube up her ass. She got on top of him and guided his cock into her backdoor, purring in bliss as she lowered herself onto it. She began bouncing on his lap, savoring the feeling of her ring being stretched. Though Noah couldn't see it from under Duska's ass, Bella pulled out her special technique, shaking her own ass with the skill of a seasoned courtesan, sending her puffball tail moving so fast that it became a blur.

Noah was missing the spectacle, but her technique was not unappreciated. His cock felt downright pampered in her ass, with Bella making sure every single millimeter of flesh was adequately serviced with her soft insides. Since Noah had already finished in her front entrance, she was eager to feel him pour his load into the back, but it was a race to see who would cum first, and she wasn't sure how long she could hold on. Bella was grateful to her Profane flesh and stamina for allowing her to maintain her technique for so long, but it was a double-edged sword, since the feeling of Noah's cock swirling around her ass was also continuous.

"Oh yes!" she screamed as she climaxed first, her body shaking as waves of pleasure rushed through her. Her arms and legs went limp, and she fell off Noah's cock, gasping for air.

Having been given a chance to rest, Noah was ready to go back on the offensive. He pushed Duska off him and sat up.

"Duska, time to present yourself to your master."

"Of course," she said, excitedly. She turned around and flashed her ass like she was in heat, shaking it to attract him. "Please, Master, fuck my ass without mercy."

"Bella, a little help?" Noah then asked.

Bella crawled over with a smile. "Of course, Darling." She spread Duska's cheeks and spat on her asshole for lubrication. Duska then shivered as Bella inserted her fingers, ensuring she was ready to be penetrated. "Ooh, Darling, her ass is so loose. You've really been training her well."

"Well, Duska is such a good girl and has taken to it eagerly, right, Duska?"

"Yes, Master. Your loyal slave loves being trained. Please, I need more."

"Bella?" Noah asked.

While biting her lip, she guided him into Duska, relishing the sight of her ring stretching around his cock. With his hands on her hips, Noah began his thrusts, quickly building up speed at the same rate Duska's moans rose in pitch. Soon, he was hammering away at her, with Duska looking like she was undergoing an exorcism. Bella kept her head as close to the action as she could without getting in Noah's way, utterly hypnotized by the sight of his cock sliding back and forth in Duska's ass. She had been on the receiving end barely a minute ago, but seeing it up close made her jealousy flare up, and she craved to be sodomized once more, but she had to be patient.

While she waited for her next turn, she helped Noah, frequently applying fresh spit to help with the friction. He'd pull out of Duska's ass, and Bella would eagerly suck him off, replacing Duska's flavor with a layer of saliva, then she would guide him back in and continue to watch him work. As his speed increased, the placement of his hands shifted from her hips to her shoulders and finally to her horns, lifting her body up and changing the angle of his thrusts to their shared pleasure.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Duska moaned as he gave her yet another orgasm, with Noah grunting as he had one of his own.

Duska shivered as she felt his hot seed fill her, and she collapsed once he pulled out. Seeing the white syrup oozing out of Duska, Bella's greed could no longer be contained. She buried her face in Duska's ass, drinking up Noah's semen and using her long, Profane tongue to probe Duska's depths for any deposits she may have been trying to hoard. Duska moaned happily from the movements of Bella's tongue and opened her eyes as Noah circled around to her. He grabbed one of her horns and lifted her head up, jamming his cock in her mouth. She dutifully pleasured him, knowing that the sooner she got him hard again, the sooner he could get back to fucking her.

Instead, Noah got back on the bed and pulled Bella over to him. She got on his lap, this time facing him and leaning forward. His cock slid easily into her pussy, and with his hands gripping her ass, he began bucking his hips, fucking her like a jackhammer with Bella's trembling moans bouncing off the walls. He was moving at full speed and intensity, leaving Duska to watch in awe. How his jewels didn't simply fly off from the continuous, rapid whiplash, she'd never understand. Her eyes were glued to the sight of his semen, earlier deposited in Bella, getting whipped up into a foam and running down his shaft. She licked her lips, desperate to taste it.

"Oh gods! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Bella shrieked as she climaxed, with Noah's cock sliding out of her as she squirted like a summer storm. Duska saw her chance and dove in, greedily sucking her master's cock and licking up the mixture of seed and nectar.

"Duska, guide me back in," Noah ordered. She obeyed, shifting his cock into Bella's ass, and he once more began bucking his hips, sodomizing her at full force.

"Darling, I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!" Bella screamed in ecstasy as Noah wrecked her ass, all while he covered her breasts in kisses and love bites.

He eventually stopped, filling her up like a specimen cup and causing Bella to shed tears of joy. His cock slid out of Bella's ass, and he spread her cheeks, showing off her semen-filled gape to Duska. She understood what he wanted and went to town on Bella's ass, drinking up the semen that Noah had dumped in her. Bella shuddered happily as Duska's tongue cleaned her out, despite not wanting to share her Darling's seed with anyone.

"She's nice and loose, isn't she, Duska? See how many fingers you can get inside her."

Duska obeyed him, inserting one finger into Bella's back door, then two, three, and four, working them in up to the knuckle, with Bella's greedy ass taking everything she gave it. Duska worked her whole hand in, fisting Bella and making her groan in happiness. Noah worked his cock back into her pussy and resumed fucking her. Getting her pussy punished by Noah, while Duska fisted her ass up to the wrist, left Bella unable to voice or describe the lewd bliss mashing up her thoughts. She could only endure the two-pronged attack, soon having another gushing orgasm.

Bella collapsed, but Noah still had more strength and turned his attention back to Duska. He pushed her onto her back and got on top of her, resuming her vaginal punishment in the piledriver position. With her legs in the air and Noah dropping his full weight on her with each brutal thrust, Duska could only lie there and endure the wonderful assault. Each time Noah's cock barreled into her, her tail would stand out straight and erect like a lightning rod, and when he'd pull out, it would curl up like a pig's tail. With how hard and fast he was fucking her, hammering her slit like steel on an anvil, Duska was surprised the bedframe didn't simply give out beneath them. His endless vigor made her cum again and again, only ending when she felt him deposit his essence into her womb.

Noah got off the bed and turned to Bella. "I need that sweet mouth of yours."

She eagerly crawled over and began sucking him off, letting his cock make itself at home in every soft corner of her mouth. Like every other position, he was anything but gentle with her, face-fucking her as though trying to satiate a grudge. Bella let him have his way with her, loving the harsh treatment of her throat. While he slammed her non-existent gag reflex, he massaged her bunny ears, making her melt. The way he worked the cartilage at the base with his thumbs and teased the nerve endings in the tips with his fingers sapped her focus, and she was unable to properly service her beloved Darling. That said, her efforts weren't needed, and Noah continued fucking her throat at his own pace. She only snapped back to reality when she tasted his semen filling her mouth.

Noah then moved over to Duska, hanging her head off the edge of the mattress. He was hanging limp, so her first job was to get him hard once more. She lovingly sucked him off, trying to coax out every last unfired sperm. She relished the feeling of his soft member hardening in her mouth. With his rigidity restored, he returned to the harsh technique that she loved. Gripping her neck with both hands, he began brutally throat-fucking her as he had Bella.

Duska could only lie there and endure his viciousness, feeling his balls hitting her face every time he forced his cock into her esophagus. He was gripping her throat so tightly that she couldn't breathe, all to make sure that his cock was fully smothered by her inner flesh. In this moment of cruel depravity, as Duska felt her consciousness fade, she was happy beyond words. If this was how she died, being strangled with her master's cock punishing her throat, it would be a wonderfully sinful death.

Then, just as she was about to black out, there was an explosion of semen in her mouth, and Noah pulled out, leaving Duska coughing and choking on his seed, with a frothy mixture coating her face. Noah stepped back to catch his breath. Unfortunately, he was pressed for time, and he needed to save his strength for the fighting later, so that was all the attention he could give Bella and Duska, though it was hard to pull away. Their Profane bodies were like sponges that soaked up brutality and lust. Bella and Duska were left gasping for air and drained of strength, left sticky with a combined patina of their three sexual fluids.

"I suggest the three of us wash up, and then we get to work. Time's a factor."

With Noah cloaking them, the trio left Lupin's room and found a washroom where they scrubbed off all signs of their fornication.

"Hopefully, this'll be the last time I ever have to put on this stupid get-up," said Bella as she straightened her maid uniform.

"It's a shame. You look really good in it," Noah replied.

She squealed in happiness and grabbed his hands. "Let's fuck again! Take me right here!"

"Sorry, but that'll have to wait. I need you to continue the façade until the fighting starts. Duska, lead me to Lupin, and then show me around the mansion."

They split up, with Bella heading back to the kitchen and Duska bringing Noah down to the dungeons. There, they found Lupin sitting in his cell. "Keep watch for me," said Noah, sending Duska away. He then stepped up to the cell. "Lupin."

Lupin looked at him, his face a disheveled mess from grief. "Oh, Noah, come to check up on me again? Come to tell me you're on your way? But you'll never reach me. You'll just keep getting closer and closer, but the day of my freedom will never arrive. You're just a ghost. I'm probably just imagining you right now."

Noah reached through the bars of the cage. "Do I feel like a ghost?"

Lupin slowly got to his feet and approached, hesitating before grasping Noah's hand. To make contact with a fellow human being after so long nearly made him drop to his knees.

"You're really here?"

"Along with my friends and your brother. Right now, I'm just scouting the mansion, and when I return to them, we're going to come here and bust you out."

"Andromeda is going to have me by her side at the party."

"But you'll be the last thing on her mind, and in that moment, I'll get you away from her and replace you with a substitute to keep everyone distracted." As he spoke, he created an illusory clone of Lupin. With the advancement of his magic, he could now replicate people and animals without their genetic code or a summoning spell. It was simply a matter of projecting his memories. "Once you're out of harm's way, then the real party will begin. We're going to slaughter the Profane as payback for Welindar and Colbrand, got it?"

"I don't know how well I'll be able to fight. My muscles have weakened since I was taken. I'm basically just a shell of my former self."

"Don't worry about that. We'll keep you safe. But, if you feel your strength return and you want to join in, I'll have this ready for you." Noah held out his hand and conjured Lupin's chain from his ring. Seeing his old weapon, Lupin gasped, as though being reunited with a long-lost friend. "Everyone in Colbrand wanted to preserve this to create a memorial for you, but I convinced them to let me take it, saying I would find a warrior who could properly use it and join our fight, rather than letting it gather dust. Of course, the only one worthy to wield this weapon is you."

With a trembling hand, Lupin reached out and clutched his chain. The steel was cold, but he felt a rush of heat through him when he touched it. From the moment he had been captured, Lupin felt like he had lost his dignity, his strength, and his title, reduced to a helpless victim locked away in a cage like some pet while the world moved on without him. But gripping that chain, he felt it all come back. Even behind the bars of Andromeda's dungeon, he was still Lupin Oxam Vilard Albion, Prince of Uther.

"Thank you, Noah. Hold onto it for me until then."

"You'll get it back soon."

"Noah... do you know... about Nell?"

"Yes, Duska told me. I offer my condolences for your loss, and for the part you were forced to play."

"I murdered her, Noah. Have you ever been forced to kill someone you loved?"

"I have, and I know how terrible it is. But in truth, Nell died the moment she was turned. All you did was put her to rest. Don't regret your choice, only that you were forced to make it. You did what you did to secure your freedom, so you could return to your people and protect them as you were meant to. No matter what happens now, what challenges you face, what decisions you're forced to make, know that you can do anything, because you've already done the impossible. You've proven your strength and resolve, as both a man and a leader. No matter how bad things get, you can't turn away from it, because Nell is behind you, pushing you forward. Mourn her, cherish her, and avenge her."

Lupin once more grasped Noah's hand, gripping it so tightly that his own trembled. "Thank you, Noah, for everything. Thank you, my friend, my brother, my lord."

"I'll see you soon. Hold on until then."

Noah then departed, leaving to rejoin Duska and get the layout of the mansion. Soon after he left, Ora and Aro arrived, holding neatly folded clothes and a tub of hot water.

"Time to wash the dirty doggy, isn't it, Aro?"

"Mistress Andromeda wants him all clean and fancy for the party, Ora."

"I'll try not to scrub him too hard, Aro. Don't want to peel off his skin."

"And that mangy beard of his needs a trim. Hopefully, I won't accidentally slit his throat, Ora."

Lupin glared at them with fresh determination in his eyes, devoid of fear. "Just hurry up and do what you came here to do. I don't have all day to listen to your inane prattle."

Meanwhile, Duska showed Noah the mansion. He memorized the pathways, dangers, and assets as he formulated his plan. She even showed him the great hall where the party was being held, still full of Profane servants getting everything ready. If anything could be said about the Profane manor, it was that it was a beautiful piece of architecture. Everything was magnificently built and maintained, ranking above most palaces Noah had seen. He also had to give Andromeda credit for her taste in art and history. Her collection was vast and impressive. How strange that Noah first met Lupin at a party like this, and would now be rescuing him from one. Once he had all the information he needed, he fled the mansion and returned to his friends. The sun had set, and soon the party would begin.

"Anyone give you any trouble?" he asked Valia.

"No. No one has spotted us. Or, if they have, they're keeping a low presence and just observing."

"Did you find Lupin? How is he?" Seraph asked.

"A bit worse for wear, but alive and unhurt. At least they haven't turned him."

"So, are we going after him?" Shannon asked.

"Not quite yet. The whole mansion sits on Cursed Earth, even stronger than Carthace's, so I'm a little fatigued. Let me meditate and recover my strength. Then we can go. If there are any last-minute preparations to be made, do so now."

As Noah recovered from his romp with Bella and Duska, the party began. The Profane had all gathered in their finest noble attire, wearing the clothes of their prey. They chatted and socialized while servants walked around with trays of hors d'oeuvres from humans, dwarves, and beastmen, such as eyeballs skewered with toothpicks and whisked brain pate on crackers. They also carried glasses and cups filled with a mixture of blood and alcohol, dyeing their pale, Profane lips red. Musicians played gentle, lilting music, encouraging partygoers to dance without interrupting conversations.

Lupin was kept at Andromeda's side, his arm always ready for her to hold onto. The twin maids had done a good job of getting him prim and proper for the ball. Annoying though they were, they were well-skilled in cutting hair. The outfit he was wearing was also very extravagant. It made him chuckle, thinking about how much he used to loathe getting all dressed up for formal gatherings and parties with nobles. After all the time he spent in Welindar and Andromeda's mansion, he was actually quite comfortable in this familiar setting. The uniform of aristocracy gave him a blissful feeling of nostalgia.

As expected, all the Profane around him were glaring with hungry eyes. The drinks and hors d'oeuvres were whetting their appetites, and there were numerous dead bodies and whimpering victims hanging on meat hooks like sides of beef for the guests to feed on, but they couldn't resist ogling him. They could hear his heart beating, with every pulse making their mouths water. They'd never do anything to him with Andromeda around, so he made sure not to leave her side.

It was strange to see her in this light, so happy to talk to everyone, but it wasn't just the party that seemed to energize Andromeda. The more time he spent with her, the brighter she seemed to become. When he first arrived, she looked at him with the same disgust she'd show a rat or cockroach. When she invited him to dinner, she treated him as a toy for her to play with and torment, like a cat batting around a wounded mouse. But since they started spending more time together, like walking through the gardens or watching opera together, she had been downright kind, even consoling him over Nell.

He had thought she was just trying to manipulate him, but there really was genuine kindness and affection in her heart. Even now, the way she'd clutch his arm and smile at him, he almost forgot she was one of the Profane. Lupin's heart was still broken over Nell, but seeing Andromeda in this light, he couldn't help but wish he could have met her when she was human and wonder how things could have gone between them.

While Andromeda was the host, another ghoul was taking up a lot of attention. Ragar was attending, accompanied by his skeletal daughters. None of the Profane seemed bothered by their presence, but when Ragar met with Andromeda, it took a lot of willpower for Lupin not to stare, or even run off in terror.

"Ah, Andromeda, this is a lovely party you've thrown. Truly, having it anywhere else would have been an insult to such an important gathering."

"You know me, Ragar, I love being social. You may think of me as a shut-in, but I love spending time with friends and family just as much as anyone else. Here in this room, I am surrounded by my cherished kin."

"Hear, hear!"

"Now, you two have not been properly introduced. Ragar, this is Prince Lupin of Uther. Lupin, this is Ragar, our leader."

"Pleased to meet you, sir," said Lupin, hiding his disdain and extending his hand.

Ragar smiled and shook it. "The pleasure is mine. I heard stories about your victories in Welindar, how you triumphed over Kaisen and won the hearts of your people. Though said victories came at our expense, I cannot help but respect and admire such capable leadership. You would do very well as one of us, very well indeed."

"Praise from an adversary is the highest one can receive. Thank you."

"Enjoying the party?"

"I am, as a matter of fact. I was just thinking how nostalgic it was to be all dressed up at a fancy gathering. It's amazing, the things you miss when you've been away for so long."

"Too true. Too true. Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. Unfortunately, as leader of the Profane, there is a long list of people I still need to speak to at this engagement, something I'm sure you understand all too well."

"Painfully so, sir."

Ragar chuckled and departed with his daughters trailing behind him. Lupin then felt Andromeda grasp his arm. "I have a similar responsibility. Join me, won't you?"

Andromeda circled the room, fulfilling her role as hostess to meet with her guests. Lupin joined her, not that he had much choice. She would introduce him to everyone, showing him off like an exotic pet. He maintained a polite smile, hiding his disdain for these monsters, each of them seeking the destruction of his nation and the deaths of his people. With some, it was challenging to maintain a straight face, such as when Andromeda presented him to Miasmarda. The tall, misshapen wretch was something out of Lupin's nightmares, from the sick, gravelly voice oozing from behind a veil, to the long skeletal fingers with which he reached out to touch Lupin's face.

While listening to Andromeda gossip with a friend of hers from Ezeria, his eyes wandered, and as he looked around, he spotted someone in the crowd, one of the last people in the world he thought he would see. Rage, confusion, and disgust pulled Lupin away from Andromeda, and he forced his way through the crowd, tempting fate with several Profane snarling from his boldness, but he didn't care. He reached out and grabbed a slender arm with a furious grip.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Ziradith?"

The former duchess turned to him and smirked. "Well, well, if it isn't Leonard's golden boy. I haven't seen you since the basilisk gala. I can only imagine how small that paltry achievement must feel, compared to all of your failures."

"I know what you did. All those years, you sabotaged me and our country, pouring fuel on the Profane fire while calling yourself the Liege. Do you have any idea how many of my friends are dead because of you and your twisted ambitions? How many people have died because you chose to aid the Profane?"

She laughed in his face. "Do you have any idea how little I care? For so many years, you were my greatest obstacle in getting Galvin on the throne. I always hated you, hated how much Leonard loved you, and when Welindar fell, I was so happy, imagining you dying a gruesome death. Then, when I found out you were alive, I was furious, but only briefly, because I realized that living meant you could be made to suffer more. I can see I was right, see it in your eyes, and I love it."

"Finally, someone in this room I can kill, and no one will blame me."

Lupin reached out to grab her throat, but Andromeda snatched his wrist. "She is a guest in my house, same as you, and I will not have you harming her within these halls."

Lupin knew nothing he could say that would change Andromeda's mind. His chance to kill Ziradith had come and gone.

"Easy now. You wouldn't hit a pregnant woman, would you?" she asked mockingly, drawing Lupin's attention to her swelling stomach.

"What are you doing here?" Lupin again growled, then turning to Andromeda. "What is she doing here?"

"I was staying at that dwarf's base, the one missing his scalp."

"Curcio," said Andromeda.

"Right, Curcio. The man kept me in a windowless cell for weeks, insisting it was safe. The problem is that his base is full of fiends, and they tend to be idiots. Three times, they tried to eat me, and finally, Curcio decided that I would be better off somewhere else. Mistress Andromeda here runs a much tighter ship. Frankly, I wish I had come here sooner. It's so nice to be surrounded by like-minded people who understand class."

"That doesn't explain why you're allowed to live."

"Because, like you, my unborn child is of royal blood, meaning he'll be able to summon and control the Wassengel, and I'll control him. My new friends here will corrupt it into a Profane weapon, and turn me as well. I'll become immortal, while Uther will be wiped off the face of the planet. Everyone here knows I've already chosen to join the Profane and will be turned on schedule, so they love me. You, on the other hand, are just a slab of meat that they can't wait to torture."

"Wait a moment. Royal blood?" Lupin mumbled, doing some quick math. She wasn't far enough along to have been impregnated by Leonard. "Is Seraph the father?" he then asked. Ziradith didn't answer, but her smirk momentarily cracked, and the horror dawned on Lupin. "You disgusting, wretched whore. Even the Profane are too good for you!"

"Is that any way to talk to the mother of your nephew? I will do whatever I must to get what I want. Nothing matters in the face of overwhelming victory. No price is too great, no taboo too severe."

Lupin flashed a bitter smile. "I know someone who would agree with you there."

"And who's that? Some filthy beastman child that died in your arms when Welindar fell?"

"Oh, you've already met him. From what I heard, he was riding your ass at the Knight's Sheath."

Ziradith's lip curled, and she bared her teeth, suddenly overcome with blinding fury, but instead of lashing out, she leaned forward to whisper in Lupin's ear. "I am going to take a sickeningly perverse joy in murdering every single citizen of Uther. The people you love so much, the countrymen you so desperately want to protect, I will torture them slowly, every last man, woman, and child, until they beg me to end their pain. When they're all dead and Seraph's head is on a pike, then, and only then, will I kill you. And trust me, your death will be the most painful of all."

She then turned and walked away, leaving Lupin struggling to contain his hatred. Andromeda then grasped his hand. "Come dance with me."

She pulled him to the dance floor at the end of the hall, and while his simmering rage made it difficult for Lupin to get into the correct mindset, Andromeda didn't take no for an answer. She took his hands, clutching one and putting the other on her waist, and pulled him into the rhythm. He was surprised by her power, leaving him unable to defy her.

"Just take a deep breath. She's gone. Don't waste a single thought on her."

Lupin sighed. "I'm surrounded by sadistic cannibals with the blood of a demon, but she is, without a doubt, the evilest person in this entire mansion."

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult," Andromeda chuckled. They continued to dance, and with each step, Lupin felt his anger fading. "Thank you again for accompanying me to this party. I know it must be uncomfortable to be surrounded by people who only see you as a meal," she said.

"After growing up surrounded by greedy nobles, it's something I'm used to."

"Well, you look very dashing, quite different from how you were in the dungeon. I was worried you wanted to rot away and die down there, but there is light in your eyes once more, and I'm glad to see it."

"I can tell you are. I was just thinking how much things have changed since I first arrived."

"I'll admit, I was quite cold to you. Having to look after an unwanted guest in your home, I'm sure you can understand my frustration. But you reminded me that there is more to humans than simply food, and that there are people worth talking to beyond these walls."

"Well, I just want to thank you for the kindness you've shown me. After all the time I spent in Welindar, fighting the fiends, I thought the Profane were just mindless savages and cruel devils. You showed me that there is still some humanity hidden in the darkness, that compassion and care can be found. Again, thank you. I truly did enjoy joining you at the opera and discussing art and history with you. Of all the places to be held captive, I'm glad it was here."

Andromeda leaned her head on his chest, the two of them continuing to sway to the music. "Does that mean you've reconsidered my offer? Let me turn you, with every last bit of venom I have. Let me turn you so that you can be one of us. You won't just be a guest or captive anymore. This place won't be a prison, but a home, and you and I... we'll have all the time in the world to read each other poetry. You lost Nell, and I'm so sorry, but I'm here for you, and you and I can be together for all the long ages of the world."

Lupin hesitated. "Part of me wishes I could say yes. Part of me wishes I could just forget the outside world and spend the rest of my life in peace with you. You have no idea how much I wanted to accept it when Nell offered, and now you. Unfortunately, I can't accept. I was born a human, and I'll die a human. I know what it means for me to refuse, and I'm sorry for the position it puts you in, but for now, for this brief moment, let's forget about all of it and just keep dancing. No matter what happens in the future, I'm grateful that I got to dance with you."

Andromeda said nothing, simply closing her eyes and continuing to lean against him, with their joined bodies swaying like trees in the wind. Eventually, the sound of a fork clinking against a glass echoed through the hall, drawing everyone's attention to a raised stage where Ragar was standing with his daughters.

"Greetings, my fellow Profane! Sons and daughters of Zyrga! I am Ragar, the proud leader of our mighty clan. It is a pleasure to see you all here, old friends and new. Too long have we been scattered and unbound, forced to sleep and hide from both the sun and our own prey, but those days are over. Now, we can finally reunite and be our true selves, for soon, our god will return to this world and lead us into a new golden age!" Everyone in the hall clapped at his proclamation.

"There are many of us who could not be here tonight, those who gave their lives in service of our cause. Let us mourn and remember them and their sacrifice. They died so we could gather here today, so we could live. Then, of course, there are those who simply refused to come here. Anyone who knows Curcio and Tysinger knows they'd rather walk in the noon sun than attend a party like this. More drinks for us, I suppose."

There was scattered laughter through the hall, with friends of the two ghouls imagining Curcio hunched over in his lab, obsessing over his work, and Tysinger brooding while sharpening his sword in the dark. In the midst of the crowd, Duska approached Helena and tugged on her dress. "I need to talk to you, outside," she whispered, getting Helena to follow her out of the hall.

"It's been a long time since our founder, Somerset, the Mad Elf King, received the sacrament from Zyrga and created our race. But in that time, our calling, our mission, our dream, has not been forgotten. And what is that dream? A Profane world, a world united, free of war, strife, and inequality. That is what I wish to create! I'm sure many of you have noticed I brought my daughters along with me." He motioned to the two skeletons standing at his side.

"I still remember the terrible day their lives were taken. I had lost my wife some years before, and had to take care of them myself. They were my reason for living, how I coped with the death of my beloved, but they, too, were stolen from me by the chaos of this nightmarish reality. I was broken, bereft of purpose, willing to accept anything that would ease my pain, even death.

In my despair, I was offered the gift of the Profane, a gift I accepted. And what did I find? I had been blessed with the return of my children. With the magic given to me, the barrier that separated me from my daughters was broken, and they were able to dance and play just as they used to. The power of Zyrga had returned to me what I thought was lost forever, and so long as that power flows through my veins, my daughters will never truly die.

We have the opportunity to share this gift with the whole world. This chaotic, tragic world can be given the peace and order it has craved for so long. Under the might of Zyrga, death and pain will become a thing of the past, and none of us will ever mourn again. Soon, the day will come when we can put down our weapons and use our hands to hold our loved ones instead."

As Ragar continued his speech, Lupin stood beside Andromeda. He then felt a hand grasp his shoulder and heard a familiar voice. "It's time." He didn't know how no one else heard it, or how they didn't see Noah standing behind him, but it didn't matter. He took one last look at Andromeda, feeling a soft pain in his heart, and stepped away from her, leaving behind Noah's magical substitute in his place. He and Noah walked through the crowds, concealed by his mana, and left the ballroom.

"So let us give thanks to those who have fallen! Those who shall rise! Those who will return! And those who will join! We stand upon the cusp of a new age! A golden age! The Age of the Profane!" Ragar shouted, his speech being met with cheering and thunderous applause from his kin.

But as the ovation inevitably died down, one person continued loudly clapping, and Andromeda realized it was coming from right next to her. She turned and immediately jumped back, for where Lupin had been standing, Noah, or rather his clone, had taken his place. Everyone else turned and had a similar reaction, wondering who this stranger was. From smell and aura, he wasn't a Profane. Up on his platform, Ragar gritted his teeth in fury.

"Noah, you bastard!"

His snarl answered everyone's question, at least those who had heard the stories. They were standing in the presence of the Wandering Spirit. This human was surrounded on all sides by Profane, like a lost fish being circled by sharks, and yet he was without fear. For the foolish among them, he was simply an easy meal presenting himself to be devoured, but those who were older and wiser realized that appearances could be deceiving. After all, either this man was simultaneously skilled enough to sneak inside the party, yet stupid enough to seal his fate, or he had a damn good reason to stand so audaciously before them. It was clear he wouldn't have revealed himself like this unless he was absolutely sure no one in the room was a threat to him.

"That was a wonderful speech, Ragar. Very moving. How long did you practice it?" Noah taunted.

"Where's Lupin?" Andromeda demanded.

"He's safe, unlike you."

"I don't know what you have up your sleeve, but you made a grave mistake in coming here tonight," said Ragar. "You are alone and outnumbered."

"Outnumbered, certainly, but not outmatched, and I am far from alone."

Upon his words, all of the Profane on the dancefloor were simultaneously slain by some kind of invisible force. They were slashed, beaten, burned, and one simply exploded into a cloud of blood. Andromeda herself was spared by pure instinct, jumping far to the side before she could be attacked. The veil was lifted, and where the vanquished Profane had been standing, the real Noah and all of his friends appeared.

All of the Profane in the hall bared their fangs and claws at the arrival of these intruders, growling with fury and bloodlust. They would punish these foolish humans and bathe in their blood, but that was exactly what Noah wanted. He had considered maintaining the shroud and keeping the team invisible for the battle, but that would likely cause the Profane to scatter and keep their distance out of caution. He needed them to come charging in, driven by wrath and gluttony, so that they could be wiped out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are tonight's entertainment," Noah announced. "Daniel, how about you get us started with some Mood Music?"

Daniel hefted his guitar with a grin. "Time to really party." Then he started to play, laying out the opening chords of 'Roundabout.'

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