***The Infernal Plane of Lust***

***Amon***

“I am so sorry! Soso sorryy!” Felicia apologized profoundly with a torn expression on her face while she tried to hand Khorne the half-digested remains of one of his subordinate. “I don’t know what got into Vorephilia. We just fed her this morning, so she shouldn’t have been hungry enough to snatch someone off the path. It may be that she is a little bit antsy for nutrients now that the Storm Season is almost upon us.”

Khorne in turn only stepped away from the downcast succubus who was carrying the rescued victim of her pet. It had been a lengthy procedure to rescue the idiotic demon, involving a lot of cutting and hacking.

Which explained why the scissors were also sharpened on the outside of the blades. Previously, I couldn’t make sense of the strangely shaped gardening tool that could easily double as a sword when it was closed, but now that I had seen how the sharp edges could be used to pry open the pod I had to admit that it was definitely a thought-out design.

Unfortunately for the victim, Felicia hadn’t been fast enough to get him out before most of his skin was dissolved, leaving him as a fleshier version of his former self. And from what I guessed, there was also a paralytic effect to the plant’s digestive juices, because the helpful succubus had to struggle in order to drag the plant’s victim away from the plant and back into the courtyard.

The demon in question was a totally limp sack of meat. Worse, it didn't seem like he was overly bothered by having his raw flesh being dragged over the dirty cobblestone.

Suffice it to say, none of the bystanders had felt enough kinship with the victim to leave the courtyard’s supposed safety in order to provide help in saving the poor sod.

“Graah…” the half-melted demon groaned in what sounded like a mixture of pain and strangely enough, pleasure. “K- Kill meee… p- please!”

Okay, now I definitely wouldn’t go anywhere close to that plant ever again. His tone definitely freaked me out.

Khorne rolled his eyes and gestured for one of his men.

The minion in question didn’t lose any time in finishing off the idiot who had himself caught by the forest’s flora. A clean swipe with the sword was enough for the head to be rolling over the ground.

“Could have told me that earlier…” Felicia mumbled. “Then I wouldn’t have peeled him out of that pod. You could have taken him with you once you left.”

“Doubt he would have lasted that long,” one of Khorne’s men commented.

“Oh, it isn’t that bad,” Felicia explained innocently. “Phili only digests the parts that aren’t needed, like skin, flesh, bones… the organs she keeps alive to use for infinite fertilizer and nutrient production. She also digs the pods into the ground during the Storm Season for protection, so there wouldn’t have been a danger of dying to your man.”

Her explanation took on a more nerdy tone as she went into the details. “You have no idea what a mess it is to clean out pods that have been left alone for any length of time. But Phili's prey is definitely easier to carry once they are softened up. Like, with a shovel.” She gestured at a shovel that had its place next to the scissors. Though, it looked more like a spoon, which was perfect for scraping-out those pods.

“I didn’t have to know that,” Kitia commented from next to me while Uphir turned away, covering his mouth as if he was about to barf.

Khorne gave the succubus a benevolent smile. He was probably about to say something that would have burdened the diplomatic relationship between him and the succubi when a gorgeous woman stepped into the courtyard.

She was as beautiful as Isabella but had jet-black hair compared to Isa’s preferred red. Though, I had seen Isa change her colours quite frequently when she was in the mood.

Nonetheless, there were other differences.

With a figure that belonged to a lean gymnast, her beauty didn’t lack behind other succubi and showed that there was no need to go overboard with the curves, or her bust size. Her perfect face also gave me a more mature impression of the woman. And where Isabella’s stance still showed signs of insecurity, this woman was pure confidence and elegance.

Even her tail moved sensuously with every step, showing her perfect control over her body.

The newcomer walked like a queen right into the middle of Khorne’s men and gave the Demon Lord an elegant nod that neither acknowledged him as her better nor placed herself above him. “I see that you had an encounter with my daughter’s pet. Was that man of any significance to you? I hope that the shrubbery in front of our castle didn't cause offence.”

“Of course not, Lady Ashborn.” Khorne took the woman’s hand and kissed it. “He was just a guard – one who proved himself less capable than he should be, I fear. Maybe your abode will be a sufficient test for my men’s qualifications.”

She smiled in reply and linked arms with him, then gestured towards the entrance in a grand manner. “Welcome to my castle. May it be everything you wished for.”

Khorne allowed himself to be led into Ashley's abode and the rest of us followed. Inside, Khorne's men were received by dozens of succubi who offered food and drink.

Ashley gestured towards an Anima Stone that stood right next to the entrance. “You may bind yourselves so that you don't have to repeat the journey should some unfortunate mishap occur. I seriously hope it won't be the case, but my daughters can still be impulsive at times. But be assured, I will have them give back any souls they might take in the heat of the moment. We are allies after all.”

Khorne and his men took the offer, while I wasn't so sure whether I wanted my bind-point to be in a succubus den. Shax, Jebril, Philomena, Kitia, and Uphir were equally hesitant, but when Ebandon strolled forward and casually touched the Anima Stone, we could hardly say no as his minions.

I searched the scene for Isabella while I stood in line, but she was strangely absent.

We held ourselves back while the succubi played the generous hosts and Khorne and Ashley had a private chat at the side, right until she gestured for Ebandon to approach.

Since there was nothing else we could do, we followed our warband's leader.

She addressed Ebandon as soon as he was close enough. “Please, come with us. There are some things that should be discussed in private.” Turning her attention towards me and my group, she shot Ebandon a curious smile. “And who are these younglings?”

“Members of my warband,” Ebandon explained hesitantly.

“I invited them because of their outstanding talents,” Khorne assisted. “Please forgive that my entourage got a little bigger than it was negotiated, but I had to give our Amon something to reward him for his outstanding performance in bringing down that titan! I thought that a few days of relaxation at your abode would be a sufficient reward.”

Ashley didn't allow herself to show any sign of annoyance. “I see. It indeed came to my attention that someone was daring enough to punch a titan in the eye.” She laughed gently. “So it was you, Amon? My daughters were talking about it all day since we got the news.”

I cleared my throat. “It was nothing much, Lady Ashley.”

“Nothing he says,” Ashley replied in a bemused manner. “Don't sell yourself short. And you should also know why Khorne is trying to keep a young prodigy like yourself close at hand. Why don't you accompany us while you tell us of your goals. I will give you a tour of the castle while we are at it. So that you won't get lost during your stay.”

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She gestured for us to follow, and Khorne and Ebandon did so on the woman's heels.

I turned around towards my minions and spread my hands questioningly.

Uphir sighed and waved me off while Kitia gestured for me to get going, lest I angered the powerful Demon Lords. Shax and Philomena didn't seem to care, indicating that they thought they would be fine on their own. And Jebril seemed her usual insecure self.

So I cursed the Infernum and followed Ashley alone while I tried to downplay my deeds. “I really just took the opportunity,” I explained as soon as I caught up. “I have been experimenting with improved mana channelling and internal mana manipulation. That gave me enough of a strength boost to get past the titan's guards and punch the thing. In order to distract it, I simply imagined myself being bothered by a fly – and the only thing that really stood out was it getting into my eye.”

Ebandon cleared his throat. “Ex'Zibril trained him and his companions.”

“That is a valid explanation of why someone who focuses on magic would punch his opponent,” Ashley replied good-naturedly. “How is Ex doing by the way?”

“Oh, you know...” Ebandon edged. “Avoiding everything that has the title of Demon Lord, or is a succubus. He seems content to tutor the new arrivals...”

I tuned them out while Ebandon kept talking and studied the castle's grand and lascivious architecture. There were pictures, sculptures, and mural paintings. Of course, all depicted erotic scenes of lust and sexy demonesses. I expected it to be something of the sort, maybe like stumbling into a mortal bordello?

And yet, it was different from my imaginations about Isabella's home.

I had to admit that none of the art was in bad taste. And everything was seriously high quality.

Never in my life would I have thought to place value on something like a painting, but these were masterworks of the highest quality. It seemed like the succubi of Ashborn castle didn't just practise the sexual arts.

Ebandon nudged me from the side. “Don't look at the stuff for too long or it will addle your mind.”

“My mind?” I questioned with a whisper.

“Yeah, like mind magic stuff,” he grumbled.

I studied my surroundings with a different eye from then onwards, noting the subtle magic that was woven into every nook and cranny of the castle. Most of it seemed harmless, aiming only at relaxing the onlooker. But the enchantments on one particular picture were so hideously complex that I quickly looked away, vowing that I would study that one only with several layers of safeguards in place.

Ashley made true on her promise to give us the grand tour, even warning us away from some of the items. Aside from the entrance hall, we got to see the guest quarters, a grand dining hall, and a separate part of the castle that was equipped with all sorts of entertainments like a library or even a reinforced training hall like the one we had back at the warband.

At last, Ashley showed us up a winding stairway towards the entrance of her private quarters, which apparently took up the entirety of the castle's central tower.

“I am afraid that we have to leave you on your own from now on, Amon,” Ashley addressed me in front of her door. “There are these pesky political issues between myself and Khorne to be taken care of. Ebandon, don't run away. I need you too for some of the details.”

The warband leader who was in the process of leaving turned back like some scolded child. “Of course, my Lady.”

“I think that I will find my way easily enough,” I assured our hostess and let out a relieved sigh once the door closed behind the three of them.

Turning back around, I made my way down the winding stairway, hoping that I would find my minions to get out of here quickly. None of our hosts ever said that we couldn’t make a run for it after a token visit.

On my way down, my eyes fell onto the stairway's central pillar and I couldn't help but ogle it. The pillar was a sculpture made out of white marble, but that wasn't what caught the eye. Countless life-sized intertwined succubi were represented in it, each of them seeming to lure the watcher in. One naked example held out her hands, inviting me with spread legs to come to her.

Another curled head over heels around her sisters, offering her lush lips.

I shook myself and steeled my resolve to take another step. No matter how life-like, it was just enchanted marble. I wouldn’t fall for such a simple trick!

But a few steps further down I encountered a grandiose scene.

It was the display of a succubus that looked so very much like Isabella. She was hugging the pillar while tantalizingly stretching out that perfect ass to anyone who walked by. Her tail infuriatingly hid exactly the interesting bit of her womanly anatomy as it snaked down between her cheeks and wound around the left leg.

The scene gave me a sting in my heart as I remembered that one time we had together. Never since had I encountered a woman that could satisfy me so completely. Kitia, Jebril, the waitress at the bar, they all lacked a certain something that left me yearning for more.

My eyes strode involuntarily up and down the hallway, searching, and then returned towards Isabella's sculpture. It seemed like I was alone. What would it hurt to grab a feel from a statue? It may be creepy, but who would know?

I reached out and placed my left hand on the statue's left ass cheek.

One moment later I let out a sigh and had to chuckle. Of course, it was just plain, cold stone. What else had I expected? To get the real thing?

I turned, intending to search for the others when I stumbled because my hand couldn't leave the stone. This forced me to make some skilful contortions in order to avoid a bad fall. Once I had collected myself, I was standing back in front of Isabella's likeness, my hand still stuck in exactly the same position. I pulled, but it wouldn't budge. It was like I had touched my tongue to metal under freezing temperatures!

“What the...” I placed my right hand on the other cheek to gain some leverage and pulled again while I circulated as much mana as I dared, but it felt like I would rather rip my hand off than to achieve anything.

Okay, this was getting ridiculous! Thanks to internal mana circulation I should have been able to crush the stone.

I quickly checked up and down the stairway and thankfully found nobody. After another check, I verified that there wasn't some tricky enchantment that was fooling me. Just to be sure, I sent a quick Dispel into the statue without achieving anything. It was like I had just tried to disenchant mundane rock.

Cursing, I placed first one foot on the statue's upper thigh, and then the other.

Then I closed my eyes and pulled with all my might until I almost felt the tears coming out of my eyes. Not that demons ever cried. In fact, demons were incapable of crying since we had no tear ducts.

“Oh, no, no, no,” Isabella's sweet voice made me stop. “I am up for any kind of mischief, but I am afraid that I would have to train my ass in preparation for this position before we can try it.”

Upon opening my eyes, I witnessed that the upper body of Isa's statue had contorted around and transformed into a real-life version of herself. She was now leaning out of the pillar, supporting her chin with both hands while she leaned onto her own lower back.

The sight was extremely disconcerting, since it gave the impression of a warped Isabella, though I guessed that there must be some form of spacial magic at play.

I stopped pulling, admitting that everything I did was only making it worse. In addition to my hands, my feet were now also glued to the sculpture. “Isabella, this isn't what it looks like.”

Her eyes wandered down to both of my hands on her ass and she smiled. “Oh, au contraire. I think it's exactly what it looks like.”

“I was studying the texture.” I evaded her eyes.

This was so embarrassing. Being found like this after avoiding her advances all the time!

“Sure, you did.” Isabella nodded mockingly. “Though, you chose to study the texture in a very suspicious spot. Too afraid to ask for the real thing?”

“You know that I don't want to end up as some soulless husk,” I barked. “Now let me out of here before I decide to damage the pillar.” In fact, I had already tried my best aside from using the other's chaos magic. And I wasn't so sure whether that would be such a great idea in close vicinity to two Demon Lords.

Isabella shrugged. “I doubt you can. And you are not getting out of here before you admit it.”

“Admit what?” I asked.

“Admit your true feelings for me.” She drew little circles over the back of my right hand. “And maybe we could have some special time together. I felt itchy ever since the forest...” she moped.

“I don't know what you are talking about!” I replied quickly.

“Oh, you know exactly what I am talking about,” Isabella huffed. “To think that I am willing to offer you being your mate in all things and you aren't even willing to admit that much!”

“Shh...” I hushed her to be silent and listened up the stairway. It sounded like steps and as if someone was talking. “Someone is coming! Get me off right now. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it would be if your mother found me stuck to your statue's ass?”

“Mmh...” Isabella smacked her lips, showing no sign of remorse. “Imagine what it would look like if mother and Khorne found you like this. It would be hilarious.”

The steps were coming closer. There was no mistaking it. Someone was coming down the stairway!

“Fine! Fine!” I gave in, talking quickly. “If you have to know, I desire you!” Not love, I would never openly admit to that. “No other demoness has ever given me that much satisfaction and I can't stop thinking about you every time I get horny. Other females are just a bland imitation compared to our time in the woods. Are you happy now?”

“There, there, that wasn't so hard, was it?” Isabella reached out and cupped my face between her hands, kissing me full on the lips. Her smell and taste were intoxicating, and when our tongues touched, I felt a spark of electricity shoot down my spine.

Then she pulled me into the pillar, probably just moments before the one who was coming down the stairway could see us.