It was a different kind of throne room Narcissa was standing in now. One was simple, whereas the other was opulent, with no gold or elaborate ivory carving on the walls. There were no rugs or tapestries. But there were six white angelic statues on either side of her. They were set in two rows of three on opposite sides of the hall. Above her, Narcissa could see a vast circular image. It showed Zigildrazia at the center, enthroned.

Around her were the other six demonic archons. Amysta was chained to her throne by a leash, blue-skinned with blades. Fortenex held his axe high and cried a war cry, armored from head to toe in black. Typhos roared, innumerable heads and limbs stretching across the sky. Then there was Coinfurth, sitting at a desk and reading papers. Last of all, Baltoth was standing apart from the others, lion-headed and clad in white robes.

Narcissa wondered who had made it. But it didn't really matter right now anyway. How had she gotten here? And how did she get back once she wanted to?

Narcissa had been returned to her battle armor. She could remember nothing of what had happened. At least not before she was pressed into the clouds. But her body was on fire with the residual lust from it. Alkela was there, silent. Garacel stood there as well. And in the throne lounged Zigildrazia, once again in her older form.

Narcissa felt drained.

Then the doors opened, and Zarana entered. She looked terrified, yet Narcissa enjoyed the woman's suffering. What was wrong with her? What had happened?

"Matron Zarana, I can't tell you how pleased I am that you could join us," said Zigildrazia.

Zarana fell to her knees and prostrated herself. She did not shake in terror, and Narcissa wondered why. "Queen Zigildrazia..."

"Now I heard some fascinating, regrettable stories," said Zigildrazia. "I'm told you were going to use these fine specimens before they were of age."

"I... I didn't..." Zarana gasped.

"Oh, I can already see into your mind," said Zigildrazia. "So tell me, why did you choose to betray us?"

"I didn't betray us!" cried Zarana. "I was told... I had no choice?"

"And why not?" asked Zigildrazia.

"It was Dakan," said Zarana. "Dakan, he told me... he told me that if I didn't give him them, he'd destroy my establishment and kill me."

"And yet you still performed the crime," noted Zigildrazia in bemusement. "Among others.

"Hmm, I ought to devise some punishment for Dakan. But now for you," She raised a hand.

Zarana looked at Narcissa. Something was enjoying what was happening here, but it wasn't her. Narcissa stepped forward, deciding she ought to try and help here. "Queen Zigildrazia, please don't hurt her. She made a mistake but was always very kind to us."

Zigildrazia sighed. "Oh, I'll give you a reasonable fine and send you off. It would be a shame to lose such a source of information. After all, your contacts provided us with the location of the Blade of Chaos."

Zarana arose. "Yes, thank you, Queen Zigildrazia. I assure you-"

"The fine will be leveled now," said Zigildrazia.

Zarana screamed as her left eye burst into flame. Yet it did not consume the flesh. Instead, it spread and soon covered Zarana's entire body. Her clothes were burned away, and her skin began to shift. Horns grew from her head as a short tail sprouted from her back. Her body also changed, her hips and breasts taking on exaggerated dimensions.

Her eyes were empty now. There was no fear or will behind them as they looked on Zigildrazia with adoration. A violet-skinned slave succubus.

"This work of art seems to be among my better ones," said Zigildrazia. "Perhaps I'll use it as a handmaiden of sorts. Do you want it, Narcissa?"

Narcissa opened her mouth to make a flat refusal. But she found herself blushing. Not for anything she felt, but as though she were a puppet on strings. "Thank you, my Queen. You honor me. But... no." Something within her was screaming in malice. It desired to kill the thing that had once been Zarana.

It was controlled.

"Well then, we may consider the debt settled," said Zigildrazia.

Narcissa wanted to rage. But she could not even feel angry at Zigildrazia. Instead, her mind was thinking about how wise and powerful she was. And how generous to give the thing which had been Zarana to her.

Then there was the part beneath it that was screaming. But it wasn't Narcissa. Because Zarana meant nothing to this thing. It was angry because it was controlled, not because of what that control meant. It whispered to Narcissa that it could give her the power to prevent herself. And to counteract the will of Zigildrazia.

"As for Dakan..." said Zigildrazia. "Do you have anything to say about this?"

Dakan emerged from the shadows. He did not look afraid. If nothing else, Narcissa could watch him die.

"Yes, I made the request," said Dakan. "Is that a problem?"

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Then Narcissa felt the rage she could not think towards Zigildrazia. Her axe, which Zigildrazia had given her, was in her hand at once. She surged toward Dakan, swinging it around.

But he brought around both hands and caught the axe by the haft.

And then both of them separated. They had no will in it. Zigildrazia's tails took hold of Narcissa and drew her up so they were face to face. "I shouldn't be too quick to bring violence into this place, Narcissa. Or I may get violent with you. I'd probably enjoy that, but you wouldn't." She set one clawed hand, so it was an inch from Narcissa's eye. Then she tossed Narcissa aside and drew herself up. "Now, I must punish Dakan to prevent these events from repeating. An example must be set for the greater good.

"Unfortunately, I don't care.

"Well, I'll warn you and pretend nothing happened."

"My-" began Dakan, a smug smile on his face.

And then Zigildrazia surged forward and drove her right hand through Dakan's chest. Her claws pierced his coat. He gasped as she dragged out his heart, blood seeping over his green jacket. And yet, even as her hand was removed, the flesh closed behind it to leave a rapidly drying stain. He looked at its own dead heart as Zigildrazia crushed it and screamed.

Clenching his chest, Dakan screamed in horror as blood poured out of his eyes. Then, shuddering in place, he fell to his knees, gasping. Had it regrown already? Queen Zigildrazia really was terrific, wasn't she?

"You may consider this it," said Zigildrazia. "Flaunt my laws again, Dakan, and I won't restore your heart when I pull it out next. Are we clear?"

"Y-yes..." gasped Dakan. "Of course, your radiance. It will not happen again."

"Good. I'm glad we had this talk," said Zigildrazia. "Now, perhaps we can move on to the next matter on the agenda. Garacel, how would you say the Blade of Chaos is progressing?"

"The battle outside Zigilus is winding down, Your Radiance," said Garacel. "It seems that the legions of Dinis are the victor. They have taken many casualties, and the life force is being used to replace our losses. However, more reinforcements have arrived.

"It seems the Emperor anticipated stiff resistance. Or perhaps it was the Disciple of Baltoth who anticipated as much."

"Do you believe we'll hold?" asked Zigildrazia.

"I can promise you to take this city will be the end of many legions," said Garacel. "Certainly, we will meet our quota. However, Tuor will soon come to reclaim the sword. He may succeed."

"And that would leave the Emperor weaker. It would force him to rely on my dear brother Baltoth," noted Zigildrazia. "My, this is a poser. What of your strategy?"

"As we speak," said Garacel, "the most valuable of the citizens of Zigilus have been evacuated. Artisans, craftsmen, powerful warriors. Though some have refused the summons."

"How nice of them," said Zigildrazia. "Very well, then. Open the portals."

"Portals?" said Narcissa. "What portals?"

"The portals I have been prepared to open for when Zigilus was lost," said Zigildrazia. She leaned back in her throne and stretched out her arms and tails. "Well, this Zigilus anyway. It was a new idea. I have been breeding this city and its inhabitants for my own purposes. They are infused with my will from birth and yet possess choices of their own.

"They are universally beautiful. And yet they have no conception of any beauty save mine. The population has reached a stage where they are what I want from all my subjects. But, unfortunately, all too soon, they will... degenerate.

"That's what happened to the first Zigilus. A city of pleasure and beauty, loyal, no, revolving around me. But when it reached its zenith, it began to decay. It fell victim to the vices it used and became little more than a brothel.

"No, best to cut things off here. Those worthy will become demons in my service. Those unworthy will be reincarnated in the bloodlines of the survivors. And the orgy of bloodshed will undoubtedly fill our quota for the Blade of Chaos. All without having to worry about destroying the Emperor."

"But..." Narcissa felt resistance herself. "What about the people?"

"Oh, they'll all die," said Zigildrazia. "I wouldn't worry. Mortal life is worthless. It's the work you put in that gives an existence value. Most people die dozens of times before going to one afterlife or another. Some hundreds.

"It's more a momentary inconvenience than a true problem."

"Why can't we just kill the legion?" asked Narcissa.

"Dear, didn't you listen?" asked Zigildrazia. "I should go into greater depth. Very well. The Emperor is selling out to Baltoth. However, I already have plans to supplant him with a new emperor who is favorable to me.

"Unfortunately, if we force a protracted siege, it could be years before it ends. No doubt, rebellions would crop up in the provinces and weaken the empire we were taking control of. Much better to get the whole thing over with."

"But that's horrible!" said Narcissa.

"Have you ever been in a city under siege?" asked Garacel flatly.

"No," said Narcissa.

"It starts out unpleasant," said Garacel in bitterness. "Food is short. Arrows fly over the walls. Flaming stones land in buildings. Then things get bad. Food gets ever scarcer. People eat dogs. Leather. Then each other. Plagues break out with everyone in such close quarters.

"It's an immensely nasty process. And chances are, in the end, everyone here would be killed by the enraged legions."

"Frankly, we're doing everyone here a favor by cutting the endless misery. We're giving them a swift death," said Zigildrazia. "They'll thank us in the next life."

"But... but you'll be killing them," said Narcissa. Zigildrazia could not be wrong. Yet Narcissa felt like she was. What was this?

Zigildrazia sighed and moved a hand through the air dismissively. "Oh, very well. We could have some fun with this. I'll open one or two portals and gradually scale things up. You and Alkela can spend that time defending the innocent and fighting demons.

"It should be an amusing diversion. Have fun."

"This seems like a complete waste of resources, Your Radiance," said Garacel.

"I know, isn't it?" asked Zigildrazia with a smile.

"This is wrong," realized Narcissa. "You are wrong."

Zigildrazia laughed and clasped taloned fingers together. She crossed one perfect leg over another. She was so beautiful. "My dear, I am the hardworking and homely manifestation of lust and sloth. Which of those qualities makes me a good person?

"I'll unleash the portals over Zarana's establishment in ten minutes."

There wasn't anything else to say. Narcissa raised her hammer and looked at her sister. "Come on, Alkela."

They ran through the portal.

"Have fun playing hero, my dears!" called Zigildrazia as they rushed out the door.

Narcissa was really starting to hate this.

Then, the voice within her reminded her that she had nearly forgotten Zarana. The woman who raised her and Narcissa had barely remembered her moments after her death. What was this? Narcissa had always been this way. It was how things were supposed to be. So why did it feel wrong?

It did not matter.

Narcissa had demons to slay.