Talika

Cold rain drummed, pounding against the heated ground, birthing puffs of ominous mist. Parts of the molten rock sizzled under this ice-cold assault, adding its sizzling wail to the ghastly cry of cohorts of departing souls. As the liquid stone lost its glow and died, so did the world around her as its life ebbed away, drained from the air, water, and earth. Soon even flames froze to the sound of that voice. A constant cackling of unsated hunger for mana. More, more! It wanted more! All those lives lost, all that power it stole and yet it wanted more! The creature hungered for more.

Cold sweat drenched Talika’s chocolate skin, each step she took brought her closer to the death of the worlds. The blood clad wraith. The destroyer. The unearthly beauty. The one of black flowing hairs and unnatural eyes. Talika watched as the creature, devoid of any semblance of humanity, tore with its claws at the fabric of the sacred veil dividing worlds. Watched as the world shook in its foundations. Watched as death swallowed all of creation to satisfy the will of this miserable being cacked in blood.

And it wailed. Power! It hungered for ever more power! Power to rip apart and destroy. It had to, it needed to. Without power it couldn't… their eyes met. Talika’s breath froze in her chest, her immortal life draining away along the life of her world under that insane gaze.

Ice gathered inside her chest, pushing air out of her lungs, as if death itself tried to crush her heart. The wraith saw her! It knew! It reached for her with its bloodied claws! It hungered for her power!

“…Talika?”

A hand, out of time and out of place, rocked her, summoning her wandering mind back into her body. Concerned, pink eyes of her lover hovered over her face.

“Nilia? Did I wake you? Forgive me.”

Talika spoke when air once again filled her chest. Just a vision. Nothing real. She reminded herself. Nothing more but a night's mare. Just a shadow of something that may or may not come.

But her heart still felt the icy clutch of the blood wraith. Her neck still bruised by that demonic clutch.

“You were being restless.”

The winged woman spoke in sadness. Almost as if she were accusing her of having an affair.

“The dream, it came once again?”

Nilia asked, her tail wrapped around the oracle’s leg. She did that whenever she feared her loved one may try to desert her.

“It is but a dream. One amongst many.”

Talika whispered as she slid her shivering palm along the side of her lover, trying to push the terror out of her own mind.

“No. Your dreams are anything but ‘just dreams’.”

Nilia drew her wings even tighter around them, her constricting cocoon forcing their naked bodies to press hard against each other. Now Talika could feel the tremors going through the weeping girl.

And they called her a daemon? A succubus? A leach that devoured life out of unsuspecting men? The oracle’s arms locked over Nilia’s back and pulled her as close as she could without suffocating the poor thing.

That so called daemon prayed no less than nine times a day to the goddess of light. Observed all religious practices her parents raised her in and, until quite recently, was a bashful virgin. Her only sin being her kin’s ability to freely move mana in and out of others. A gift or perhaps a curse for which humes, elves and others hunted her kin.

“Calm yourself. Even if mine, that was only a dream and it shall remain so for many, many sleepless nights.”

She cooed into Nilia’s long ear, biting its milky tip. Something the girl despised and at the same time it melted her away.

“S-stop… t-that’s unfair… n-not t-there…”

Talika felt her lover’s cheek burn against her chest. A welcomed warmth to calm her own heart.

“Since you care so much for me, I must reward your efforts.”

A simple lie to take their minds off her recuring nightmares. Smiling, the oracle closed her lips around the girl’s ear and sucked. Nilia moaned in a way only her kin could moan, her body lost to a forbidden pleasure.

*Either you two give it a rest already or I shall toss you off this island! *

An annoyed voice rumbled inside their minds and scent of burning wood and ash filled the air.

“Let them be, Asheira. It’s been a long and tiresome voyage. May they rest however they want while we can rest. And if you’re that jealous then, come. There’s a hot spring at the other end of this valley and I wouldn’t mind taking a long soak. You can keep me company.”

Soft male voice admonished the rumbling dragon.

*Well… I… well, my scales could use a scrub… *

For as ancient as she was, Asheira never could hide her feelings. While the others suffered in silence, she in turn held nothing but hatred for the winged girl.

“Good. Noreil, please watch over the others while we’re gone. I’ll send for you after I’m done with this grump. Your wings too look as if they need some attention.”

*As you wish, master. *

Talika could not see the source of that regal voice through the wings wrapped around her, but she felt the enormous, loving presence of the golden dragoness come over and surround them with her magnificent body. At the same time, in a gust of wind, Asheira’s imposing aura faded away, taking their master with her.

Northon’s charm and skill, the memory of which sent a heatwave all over the oracles body, could wrap any creature around his fingers. Talika bit her lips, feeling a pang of jealousy herself as her own body yearned for the emperor’s attention.

Perhaps later... No! She composed herself, pushing her memories out of her mind. She no longer could give way to those pleasures. The life of...

*The wraith is tormenting you again. Is there any way I can help? *

Noreil’s gentle voice entered her mind. Talika knew the dragoness wouldn’t invade her privacy without a reason but at the same time the oracle did not defend herself from this probing touch. She left her mind an open book for the dragon.

No.

She filled her thoughts with all the love she had for the ancient dragoness. She missed the touch of her old lover but the girl in her arms would not understand, and both the dragon and the oracle had no desire to harm the fragile girl. If such selfish attachment was what the girl needed, then so be it. She had yet a part to play in their crusade.

That is my curse to bear. Mine alone.

*It does not need to be so. *

Talika felt tears gather in her eyes when the dragon’s own feelings flooded her mind.

Thank you.

“What does she want now!? I can sense her poisoning your thoughts! Tell that wench to…”

“Nilia, please stop. You are hurting me.”

The oracle whispered as calmly as she could while the succubus held her in a crushing embrace.

“No one is trying to take me from you. No one would. No one will. We all love you.”

Talika rubbed her cheek against the head of the trembling girl.

“Then why are you whispering behind my back with that lizard!?”

Pain shot through the oracles body as one of her ribs gave up and cracked.

“Oh goddess! No! I, I did not mean to! I…”

As if burned by boiling water, Nilia unwound her wings and jumped away. Too terrified to touch her lover.

“My sweet, sweet one, stop. Sit, here.”

Talika pated the grass beside herself. A cracked rib wouldn’t kill her, but it still hurt. A little pain she could handle for the sake of their cause. Wooed by the oracles calm voice, the winged one dropped beside her.

“Good. Now, breath. Deep breaths. Good girl.”

She continued cooing and encouraging the terrified girl until her trashing tail calmed.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I… I hurt you again.”

Beads of tears were streaming down Nilia’s cheeks. Then she did something not even the oracle expected.

“Please, heal her.”

Nilia asked, her puffy eyes locked on the golden dragon. Her mind fighting with her heart to push out more words that did not want to leave her lips. Words she thought she should say.

*Thank you. I appreciate your efforts but that is not love. Do not force yourself to do what you will regret. My love does not require any sacrifice from you. None of us would ask from you anything you may not want. *

The golden dragoness used her smallest claw and stroked Nilia’s cheek then pressed the same claw against the oracle’s chest, spreading golden glow over the hurting woman.

*Such intimacy is most pleasurable if shared willingly and wiling you are not. I am glad you came to rely on me, but I will not accept that other request you're yet to voice. *

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“But I thought...”

The weeping girl lowered her eyes on her hurting lover, surrounded by a golden halo.

“You could have asked then you would know. I choose the way I live. You did not force me to live as you want. I shall never force you to live as I want.”

Freed from pain, Talika rose and embraced the weeping girl.

*Nor would either of us. Asheira may grumble all she wants but she is always first to see if you are unharmed. *

"How can I believe any of that if all I see is the pain in your eyes? You act as if I had stolen her from you."

“What we share among ourselves is a bond born of circumstances. Circumstances you were not part of. A bond that among many of its pleasures has its own demerits, especially in the eyes of others. “

The oracle explained while her lips kept placing kisses along the crying girl’s horns.

“However, I want you to understand, that is still a voluntary bond. You do not need to be part of that bond for me to be with you. We know it is against your nature and we respect that. I respect that. From the moment you chose to become mine I choose to become yours and yours only. Even our perverted master respects that and you know he is not one to keep his pants on for too long around such a cutie as you.”

Talika hugged the winged girl, pouring all her love into that embrace. Such a fickle mind this child has. So many horrors she has seen yet the world had planned such difficult fate for this little one. Before that happens, the oracle swore to herself, she shall shower the girl with all the love and affection she can give her. Oh, how much easier it would be if she allowed that burden to be share between them. They all loved the winged one, yet she stubbornly kept her heart locked from the others.

“Do you miss it?”

Nilia asked, her eyes low, not daring to look at her lover.

“Sometimes, yes. When I’m alone and you’re away I miss the warmth of my companions but not once did my mind wander when I’m with you. When I’m with you I am only with you. That is the truth.”

However painful, the oracle always choose truth over pleasant lies.

“Then why…”

Nilia could not finish. Her words got stuck in her throat.

“Because I love you. Because we love you. “

Talika did her best to calm the girl’s heart but some things even she could not change. Oddly enough, the one suffering the most from their peculiar predicament came to her rescue. Noreil lowered her maw to the crying girl.

*Look into my mind and stop doubting your love. *

The dragon’s soft voice rang in their minds. Talika knew the child would never do what the dragon asked so instead, the oracle took Nilia’s trembling hand and pressed it against the golden scales, just beside the magnificent, golden eye that watched them.

“I… I did not know… I… I am so sorry… so sorry... I caused you so much pain…”

Crying, the succubus pressed her entire body against the dragon’s maw. Talika knew what the child felt. Noreil let her experience what they all felt. Their unsated bond calling for the oracle. The pain of being so close yet so far from their lover. Their love for the shy, winged girl that locked her heart from them. And at the last, Noreil showed her their bond and the pleasure it brought them.

Showing that to this unlucky girl was something the oracle could not bring herself to. She knew Nilia would agree to anything had it come from her lover’s lips and that would be murder. More innocent blood on her cursed hands.

“You had caused nothing. If anyone should bear the blame, it is all mine.”

The oracle’s voice surprised all around them.

“While I have never lied to you, in my selfish desire to shield you from our curse, I had not told you the entire truth. If you choose to accept our bond, you shall become one of us. You will fully partake in our love but also, you shall follow us in our death. A death that draws near with each day and our days are numbered."

Distancing herself from the girl the oracle added.

"I beg you, do not cross that path. I have dreamed where it will take you and I do not want you to go there. "

That said, Talika watched the winged one. Watched and waited for the girl to shy away from her gaze. Just like she did in her dreams.

"I want to be with you like they are."

Talika shuddered hearing those words from her young lover. Clenching her fists Talika tried one final time to save girl. As painful as the method was. She had to try.

"Then ask them to tie your bound for I shall not put my hand to your death. That is too much even for me."

Tearful, the oracle run into the night.

Yet even the night did not shield her from her responsibility. Instead, it brought her where fate wanted her to be. Blind anger guided her through forests and meadows to the little pond at the end of the valley. There, shrouded by the steaming water, the emperor sat on a heated stone. As his mind wandered, his hands worked, sharpening his heavenly sword on a scale gifted by his lover. Resigned to her fate, Talika sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, and begging her gift to show her a way out. If not for them, then at least for that innocent girl.

"You know, it's creepy when you do that. Talking to people without saying a word. You do remember we lowly mortals cannot see into the future?"

Northon's pale body shone in the moonlight. A stark contrast against her chocolate skin. His musky, female voice another contrast against his manly body. Done with the sword, he broke her concentration with another one of his antics.

"You have promised me not to use that cursed ring again. It drains your life. Do not forget that."

Talika admonished her grinning master, her eyes locked on his shimmering body. Northon leaned over her, placing a kiss on her cheek. However, the one that she saw when he withdrew his lips was no master of her but a mistress that once stole her heart.

"Who else but you should know better we'll die before that ring eats up all my life."

The moonlight empress, Northon's magical alter ego pulled the oracle into a hug.

"Besides, you always preferred women. I must say I see a pattern there. The serpent sisters have similar preference. Is that like some secret sauce required to become an oracle?"

Talika smiled. In her dreams, she had this conversation countless yet, regardless of what she said, her old lover always made her smile.

"Do you regret following my words?"

The oracle asked one more time, just like she asked so many times in her dreams.

"No. I would not exchange a single day we had."

Northon's answer never changed.

"What if I'm wrong, what if…"

Moist lisps sealed her words before she could sink any deeper into her doubts.

"I believe you. I always will. "

The emperor spoke after his tongue left her mouth. How could he stop now?! Her own bond demanded more. Instead, the woman that once stole Talika's heart, slid out of her grasp and removed the ring that twisted her body. Returned to his original form, Northon lowered himself back into the pond.

The after such a long while the oracle was ready to give herself up yet, He kept his promise. He did not use her momentary weakness.

"Do you not resent me? I have destroyed your life."

She spoke after a while. The emperor stifled a laugh and stretched.

"Well, telling a five-years-old boy that you shall be his lover after he becomes a woman and sire a child with an elven princess does sound ridiculous but when you take into account that his mother chopped off her own legs to become a mermaid then the child begins to think."

Northon toyed with the cursed trinket his own mother gifted him. As a child he could not understand it but later he learned why. For her it was much safer to sleep at the bottom of a lake than inside of their palace. Many clans feared their bloodline and the magic power it held. Many sought their demise.

Since the same procedure that brought her safety would not work on a boy, his mother gave him the next best thing she could find. That cursed ring. It brought him many pleasures and saved his life countless times yet, every time he used that, it ate away a sliver of his lifespan. Just how many years he lost that way?

"I've spent most of my childhood, pretending to be my own maid just to avoid the countless assassins sent after me. If anything, your words have given me purpose. Aside from all the ridiculous things you said, you did mention something about saving the world. Which child does not dream of becoming a hero? "

Northon stroke his hairless, almost boyish chin.

"On the other hand, who knew that saving the world would require sleeping in the mud and bedding a haggu. You sure that was their queen and not their king?"

Well, she wasn't sure and her seeing did not discern that, so silence remained her only answer. Instead, the emperor spoke of their future as if possessing her own gift.

"The child chose to be burdened by our curse and you could not find no way to save her."

Talika answered with a nod. Tears she held for so long now flowed freely.

"How many seals did we destroy so far?"

Northon asked out of nowhere.

"Six."

She knew that was a pointless question but still, she humored him with an answer.

"How many times during our voyage did you come to believe, this is the time, I will die right here, right now?"

"I do not count."

"That many?"

Northon gave her a puzzled look.

"I thought you had more faith in our abilities."

"Faith has no part in this. We almost lost her two times. That is two times too many!"

Her own raised voice surprised her when its echoes silenced the night's countless critters.

"Then why do you keep pushing her away? Talika do not waste your time and energy on what you cannot change. Time, we have precious little left. Use it to be with her."

"She will die if she becomes part of our bond! I cannot allow that!"

"If she becomes part of us, she will die with us. If we leave her, she will die without you. Possibly by her own hand. If her death is certain regardless of your efforts, at least let her remaining life be the best she could have. Do not take that away from her.”

“Whoring herself to some strangers just because our curse compels her to?! What kind life is that?!”

“Talika, you best guard your words and your tone. Just because you think fate gave you the short stick does not mean I will tolerate you beating me with it. We have suffered enough of you playing house with that creature. Did your gift not shown you how many times I had to stop Asheira from slaughtering that toy of yours? Every night she comes to me begging for permission to remove the thief that stole you from us. I do not know how long her mind will last or how long I can restrain.”

The oracle stumbled up to her feet and tried to distance herself from the steaming pond, yet her body failed to obey her.

“Ah, now you feel it? It burns, does it not? Our bond. Your bond. Your magic. It yearns. Gods, do you even realize what it takes me keep talking and not to rape you? Do you know what it takes to resist the pull of the bond? No, of course you do not.”

Northon sighed and turned his back to her.

“Tell your creature to choose which death she prefers. You have time until the sunrise. Tonight is the last night I will honor my promise.”

“No…”

Talika dropped to her knees. They had this conversation countless times but never in her dreams did her fate unfold this wrong.

“Please, what kind of choice it that? At least let the child have some more time. I beg you.”

“No. They suffered long enough. End it before Asheira does.”

“Then perhaps I may offer an alternative?”

A voice without a presence, as if one belonging to a specter, joined them. Appearing as if darkness herself birthed the stranger’s body, a woman emerged from among the trees. Her frame, clad in dark, shimmering scales. Her face cloaked behind a mask.

“Who are you? What do you want? How did you get here?”

The emperor challenged; his heavenly sword raised at the apparition, his body put between it and his lover.

“To answer you, hmm, who am I? You may call me Dorothy as others did. How did I get here? I clicked my boots twice and they brought me here if it’s all that important to you. Why I’m here? What do I want? Nothing. Nothing at all. However, since our paths and objectives are somewhat aligned, if you call off those raging dragons, I shall offer you an alternative. Pretty please? I really, really don’t want to kill either of you but if those two get involved…”

Talika had little time to cover her face as dust and stones exploded from where Northon cut with his blade.

“Couldn’t you wait until I finish my monologue? It took me so long come up with what to say…”

Another slash ended with identical result. The apparition stood unmoved and unharmed in her place. Not even acknowledging his efforts, the strange woman raised her arm and pointed at the sky.

“Can you please stop those two before they’ll turn this place into a pot of melted cheese? I will need this island later and I’d appreciate it if you leave it the way it is now.”

Talika felt the emperor’s power flow through their bond and a heartbeat later, two dragons in their humanoid forms, materialized behind the invader.

“Thank you.”

Without showing any fear, the apparition nudged her head towards them and continued.

“You are hunting for the seals of the one from beyond. You destroyed six out of eight your oracle divined but she cannot find the next one.”

“How do you know that?”

Talika asked. For some unexplained reason she felt no fear toward that odd ghost without a presence.

“A little birdie told me? It does not matter how I know. What matter is, if you rush east, in a day or two you will come across land where people responsible for the remaining gates are building a ninth one. If you hurry, you may stop them and save your own lives. Without the ninth gate to resonate with the remaining ones shall become nothing more but an inconvenience.”

“Is that true?”

Eyes of her companions fell on the oracle.

“I do not know. It is possible. If there indeed is another gate, the resonance she speaks of does match with what I saw. “

*I do not trust in apparitions I cannot sense. Where is your mana? Is it as empty as your words? A trick to mislead us. *

“A trick? No.”

The apparition vanished and instantly reappeared behind the golden dragoness, the creature’s dark arms hugging the dragon from behind.

“This is a trick. A neat one is it not?”

The dragon flinched, too terrified to counterattack. In her long life no one could match her speed. To outrank her by this much?! What kind of daemon was this?

“Noreil, noble daughter of Isserion, I do not mean you any harm. If I did, neither of you would notice my coming but that is not my purpose here. If you heed my voice and destroy the ninth gate first, you may find there a little birdie locked inside a cage. Give her a hug from me. That is all that I ask. Oh, and leave at once. Time is of essence.”