NOVEL NEXT (Vol 5) Chapter 2: Power Plays *
Zadkiel stared up through the bars at the intimidating form of the divine being before him.
Her presence was significant — it held power and authority there, blatantly showcasing her as the mistress of the demesne. Moreover, she had weight to her words, a promise within the threat that showed she was not a paper tiger. He recognized it for what it was: the proper fur of a predator who’d killed, who was capable of crushing her enemies.
Hot.
But he was stuck under her boot. Her realm, her rules, and by those was he there at all, completely at her mercy. It was quite true that it felt much more overpowering than he expected of any other visitation.
Despite all of this, Zadkiel growled and muttered, “Bullshit. Deities can’t be held forever in a realm. Whatever it is that brought me here and holds me, it will weaken.”
The being that was definitely not the giggling Puck or Greenleaf at her core laughed at him derisively, almost mockingly. “So sure of fallacies, are we? You have no idea how many rules I’ve already broken.
“Do you not realize I plucked you out of the crosshairs of a many thousands-of-years-old Ultralich — or whatever the fuck the Sage is? And that he still does not know who I am? That I am the one who executed the psychic that sped to your battlefield to relieve the First Sage? That the stone you stand on is the bedrock of an Afterlife? Do you still think you have any conception of what I can do?”
Zadkiel stared some more, jaw clenched, but said nothing. A functioning Afterlife already? Impossible. It takes years.
The goddess gripped a fist out in front of her in a certain way, as if she were snatching up fishing lines or the like. “I grabbed the strings of your soul and ripped them away before he obliterated you as he did to Klymene Elvenblood. I gave you the choice but now you are under my control in this place as long as I deem necessary. You only return upon my whim, King of Nothing. If you want a crown again, I will be the one placing it on your head. Do you understand?”
It took Zadkiel a moment to process it. He swallowed a lump in his throat. “You want to be an empress. You want me as a subject. Under you forever. Is that the deal you seek?”
“Too literal, Zadkiel. I do not seek an empire exactly. I seek to destroy the Dominion, I seek to defeat the Sage. In this, I am the High General of a conquest of liberation. Afterward, the independence of existing states will go on as before, and those previously under the boot will have new independence brokered as is logical for given regions.”
“Is this to say you’d leave the Land of Naug to me?”
“Not exactly. I won’t support a tyrant anywhere.”
Zadkiel scoffed. “I am no tyrant! I kill tyrants. A conqueror, yes, but all I’ve ever done is reform the Land of Naug wherever my influence holds sway.”
“Then you won’t have a problem with my intentions for divided, free states. With universal laws to protect individuals.”
“Do you honestly think you know what will work in the region as an outsider?”
“Perhaps I should stop being. Perhaps it could use a ‘Puck’ after all.”
Zadkiel raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Maybe so. If you truly even care about the land.”
“What do you want for your homeland, then?”
“I seek the best for those loyal to me. As a whole, for a Naugite, the secret is that there is no Land of Naug. Only clans of varying sizes. I unified for glory and conquest. It is mutually beneficial, hence why many of my detractors followed me into the northern campaign. I would gain the most, however, in the potential to grow my church in other lands.”
“Where does the alliance with Traesh fit in? Glaelychus? What is his influence on you?”
Zadkiel allowed a slow grin on his face. “I believe that should be reserved for the bargaining table… Your Majesty.”
I have to get something out of locking in with that jackass. A right for so much wrong. Even if he thinks he’s my damned tutor full of infinite wisdom.
There seemed to be some glaring from those spooky eyes through the armor slit. But her voice came out calm. “Preliminary discussion, then. You will obey me as a superior until the war is concluded — afterward, you will not war with those under my protection. You will cease all sacrifices of blood. You will not shed innocent blood and you will consult me before assassinations other than direct Dominion leaders.
“You will not lie to me nor keep secrets pertaining to the health of the realm or those of my order. You will answer my questions truthfully in letter and spirit, not attempting to lead me to false conclusions. If something is too personal to you and would be a violation to reveal, you may refuse. Specifically, you will tell me everything about Glaelychus that is relevant to my interests and in dealing with him.”
Zadkiel felt his own facial expression turn sour. “I see you’ve already given it thought. But this is too far, too much. I’ll never accept it.” It was just theater as a hard bargainer, but he sold it with firm vehemence.
The goddess got closer — very close, her hands closing around the bars as she stared down with those glowing eyes. “Then you will rot here forever.”
Zadkiel met her gaze evenly for a long spell, then he laughed and threw his hands out. “Come on! You need me. You want me to do what I do best — war! We’ll make a great team! Your support will no doubt be unparalleled in significance. But chopping off my hands does neither of us any good.”
“Unchained, you’re a devil and a problem child. A wildcard. I have to deal with one of those already, I won’t tolerate another. I cannot. And I don’t believe you when you say you aren’t a tyrant. What I offer is nothing worse than any other fealty to divinity.”
“But we are equals, Goddess! The highest royalty side-by-side. Allow me to make a counteroffer.” This is my moment! Zadkiel grinned. “Let’s seal it as of old — with marriage! What could enforce more control, I ask? I’ll obey you absolutely then!” His eyes flashed from the goddess to a wide-eyed Azure. “And her, even. We could have the greatest wedding of all — three divine beings becoming one!”
And the consummation will be the greatest moment in history!
Azure sighed and facepalmed, while the goddess seemed to seethe, her chest rising and falling visibly in breath. Then she turned away swiftly, turning her back to him as if she’d leave. She paused. Her voice was just as seething as she finally said, “You’re insufferable, Zadkiel. Obviously, you need to stew a while longer to consider your situation seriously. I suggest you meditate on my offer.”
As the goddess began leaving, Zadkiel still had his hands out. “Whaaat?! Can you blame me for going for gold? I didn’t hear a no… hey, wait! Give me my body back! Shapeshifting!? I need to be me again!”
The goddess utterly ignored him as she went back upstairs. Azure paused to regard him, shaking her head seemingly in pity. “Just take the offer, Demon King. She’s the Empress, whether she admits it or not. All know it, all feel it. She is salvation, Zadkiel. If you want to impress her, show some appreciation and cut the spoiled lecher routine. Trust her. She’d rip apart the cosmos to save one she cares about. She risked so much for you already. Please don’t disappoint her again.”
Zadkiel stared — utterly dumbfounded at the speech — and then Azure left up the stairs. He called, “My image?! Talk to her for me? Please?!”
There was the sound of a shutting door, and Zadkiel let out a frustrated howl before flopping on the floor.
I blew it! How do I get out of this?
Azure’s words haunted him. ‘Salvation.’ It sounded ridiculous, but it was literally true in his case. Signing his life away out of ‘gratitude’ didn’t add up, though. Instead of being cut loose he was being wound and bound.
There’s no way around it. She’s a ‘moral’ type that’ll feel responsible for my actions. Thereby, I’ll have to agree to restrictions on my actions. At least I’ll be kept close, eh? I just need to think about what I can get away with in sweetening the deal. Sex? No! No, it won’t work — we have to be realistic…
✦•············•✦•···········•✦
Azure closed her eyes as she heard the final howl of Zadkiel. She sighed again as her back flopped against the door.
I shouldn’t really care. The warmonger, the butcher, the womanizer scumbag Demon King. But…
The Naugites were her people in a way like none other could claim or want to. In the sparse flashes of memory of that monster of reflections she was… she understood they were her children. Seeing his blue skin… she knew why it was reviled or exalted. Why it fueled magic. That Queen of Terrors she was had made it so. Once, they were her leaders, separated from the chaff.
I’m responsible for them as I am so much else. To see the Land of Naug become a better civilization… if I can do anything to bring it about… perhaps it is some recompense. And Zadkiel is a vehicle to help — if he would cooperate. If he would calm his loins. He’ll have to do that, one way or another.
Her Heavenly Delight had already steamed off back to her throne up top. She’d be alright — soon, the Pantheon would be born, and quite possibly the quest would level her. Plenty of distractions to cheer her.
I’d also take an encore of the recent bedchamber ‘distractions’ she had been persuaded to earlier, but she’s maybe not in the mood. She’d pout about duties needing doing, too…
Azure instead reached out to Aramis and Constance, to see what the spy networks were up to. Geirkos would be an interesting place after what Samantha pulled in obliterating their eyes and ears through the Astral, and Caneboro was always an adventure to navigate…
Samantha, Goddess of Fate & Illusion
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Goddess, level 6 [55/60]; Lesser Deity
Domains (5/5): Mirrors, Illusion, Fate, Light, Pneuma
Faith Energy: 5208/12000
FE (Mirrors): 70 ; (Illusion): 60 ; (Fate): 80 ; (Light): 100 ; (Pneuma): 138
Followers: 561 (Daily FE Gain: 768 [844 - 10])
Devout: 104+12
Priests: 63+15+13s
Brute: 0 [1/10]
Saboteur: 2 [18/30]
Magineer (Abjurer): 6 [57/70]
Bard: 2 [12/30]
MP: 181/181
Special Skills: First Aid, Tarot Reading, Meditation, Sympathetic Targeting, Swimming (Expert), Diplomacy, {W} Comprehension (Grandmaster), {R} Rogue's Luck, Priestly Ordination, Holy Relic Investiture, Create Servitor, Consecration, Magical Invention (Grandmaster), Detect Magic+2, Ritual Cast*, Draw Mana* (1/1), Tweak Spell, Inspire Ally (2/2), Musical Talent, Jack of All Trades 2, Exploit Weakness, Avoidance, Sabotage
Special Traits: Token User, Immortal, Demiplane Domain, Conceptual Body, Fueled By Faith, Spirit Sight, Soul Companion (Azure), Detection Ward, Split Prediction, Perfect Vision, Light Absorption, Spirit Armor
Avatars: Av 1 (Core): Samantha (Mental Res 3, Magic Res 1, Quick 3, PFE: 130/130; Faces: Core, Stillwater (Charisma 1, Vital Strike +1)), Av 2: Green (Mental Res 3, Magic Res 1, Quick 2, PFE: 130/130)
Spells (MP): Allspell Zero (1), Allspell Core (3), Hard Light Layer (4), Telekinetic Thrust (6), Seeking (8), Web (10), Delicate Touch (9), False Mind (22+), Personal Levitation (12), Pillar of Force (16+), Minor Contingency* (18), Justified Dispel (18), Breath of Spell Stasis (40)
Powers: FE Utilization, Grant Prayer (Illusion, Fate, Light), Mirror: (Sense, Communication, Maze, Walk, Other, Control), Intuition, Alter Fate, Create Phantasms, Grant Invisibility, Dazzling Spectrum, False Auras, Mirroring Duplicates*, Reflect Force, Light Manipulation, The Dawn Will Rise*, Removal, Channel Domain, The Unseen Animus, Purify, Phantasmal Haunt, Sheath of Light, Deific Pneumamancy
Items: Bound Staff/Scepter (+1 EL, Knockout, Spell Absorption 0/8), Suit of Mirrors (Relic; +2 M. Armor), Ring of Shield Projection, Ring of the Cheater, Amulet of All Defense, Dimension Closet Sack (portal DIA: 32 cm), Horn of the Wild’s Vengeance, Potion of Seal Major Wound (1)
Status: Ascendant, Big Boss, Savior of the Fae, Sponge of Knowledge, Spirit Terror, Spells of Deja Vu (5/999), Token User Promotional Bonus (28/30), Free Minor Divine Enchantment (1/use), Free Consecration (1/use)
Note: At the very beginning of the next chappy, Sammy will check her realm gains. This sheet accounts for this. Specialized FE got pumped, btw.
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