Chapter 33: Framework 11

Arlois leaned in, her breath hot against Elania’s ear. “Contia will become dangerous—for you, for Yolani, for all your followers.”

Elania struggled against the invisible bonds, but her body remained frozen.

The other woman’s hands roamed lower, skimming over her stomach, dipping beneath the waistband of her pants. Elania’s breath hitched, a strangled sound escaping her throat.

Desperation clawed as Arlois’ fingers ventured lower. She had to break free. Her eyes darted around, searching for something, anything, that could help.

And then it hit her: the mana shards embedded in her left bracer.

There was no hesitation. With a surge of will, she reached out with her mind, grasping for the shards’ energy. She pulled on them, compressing their power to the maximum.

Arlois’ eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak, but the release was faster.

The compressed energy shotgunned outward, enveloping Arlois in a searing wave of power.

When the blast dissipated, Arlois still stood several meters away, her wings folded around her, sizzling with the impact. Shock and annoyance etched her face, her hair glowing with a few traces of cinders and burnt ends.

Elania struggled, still held tight by the invisible force that bound her.

Arlois brushed her fingers through her singed hair. “I forgot about your artificer’s little tricks,” she said. “I’m impressed you managed to do that much, considering.” She circled Elania at a safe distance.

Elania found her mouth freed from the invisible bonds. She glared at Arlois, her voice dripping with venom. “What is with you bitches and the need for sexual assault?”

“Ember probably just wanted to fuck you and Yolani and have a fun time together,” Arlois said, her tone nonchalant. “She’s lonely as much as she tries to hide it. Mortals are transient, and other demi-divine and their oracles are much more attractive.”

Elania gritted her teeth as she flexed. Frustration burned as nothing budged.

“That doesn’t make it right,” Elania spat, her eyes blazing with anger. “You can’t just force yourself on someone like that.”

Arlois froze, her expression turning to stone. Without another word, she raised her hand and pointed.

Elania shouted as gravity suddenly gripped her and slammed her into the void’s floor on her back. The invisible force was crushing.

“Can’t I?” Arlois spat venomously. The woman spread two fingers, and suddenly Elania felt her legs be forced apart, leaving her splayed on the ground. Panic ran through her spine as Arlois came to stand above her.

“What will you do, Spark, when a male demi-divine plucks you into his [Domain], and spreads your legs?” Arlois said.

The woman’s voice shushed until it was the barest whisper. “…they don’t like to kill us because of that.”

Fear, revulsion, and anger warred for control before Elania found she could speak again. “Arlois, let me go,” she whispered.

Arlois looked down at her, a sad glint in her eyes, before waving her hand.

The invisible force evaporated, and Elania scrambled to her feet. She moved away to what felt like a safe distance.

She wanted to scream, to yell at the other woman. She drew a ragged breath instead. “How can I stop it?”

Arlois turned and raised her head and let out a laugh—a pained, wounded sound.

“If I knew that, Spark, I wouldn’t have a half-dozen bastards roaming the realms,” Arlois said.

Elania’s eyes widened at the implication.

The grayness vanished, and she found herself back in the private room, seated across from Arlois as if they had never moved. Disorientation washed over her, and she blinked, trying to make sense of the sudden shift in reality.

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“Never do that again,” Elania wheezed.

The violation of her person and the helplessness she had felt still lingered, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

Arlois looked away. “I won’t,” she said flatly. “I hope the message was clearly received.”

Elania turned her head and crossed her arms, unable to look at the other woman. The silence stretched between them, heavy and oppressive.

“What can I do to protect myself?” Elania finally said. “Was there really any purpose in abusing me to make the point if there isn’t a solution?”

Arlois’ expression softened, a flicker of something akin to regret crossing her features. “First, focus on creating a [Regalia] with Yolani. A [Regalia] is a powerful divine item imbued with your essence and bound to your soul. It will strengthen your connection to your oracle and followers while providing a measure of protection against other demi-divines.”

Elania shifted in her seat as Arlois’ gaze drifted to Eziel. The weapon seemed to pulse with a faint energy, as if sensing the attention directed towards it.

“Where did you get that sword?” Arlois asked, her eyes sharp with interest.

Elania opened her mouth to respond, but Arlois held up a hand, cutting her off. “It doesn’t matter. But that sword might be a good first step in making a [Regalia]. Magic gear, whether artificed or not, forms a sound basis for [Regalia] and will give you a head start over something like a stick.”

“If it’s that easy, then why the fucking sexual assault?” Elania asked.

Arlois sighed, leaning back in her chair. “That’s just the start. You should align your skills and abilities to a single theme, taking powers that are closely related and cementing your abilities in the minds of your followers—and, to a lesser extent, the general populace. That is the true method to increasing the strength of your [Domain].”

Sun Emperor. Did that mean he used the sun as his [Domain] or wielded sun-styled attacks? Elania’s frown deepened.

“I have a lot of skills already, but they’re an eclectic mess,” she admitted, her fingers tapping against the arm of her chair.

Arlois nodded and gave a hint of a smile. “Just get rid of the skills you don’t need or don’t use regularly,” she advised. “It’ll be easier to gain new ones and rank up the rest.”

Elania blinked, her eyes widening in surprise. “How the heck can I remove skills? I didn’t even know that was possible.”

“It is for demi-divines,” Arlois said. “We would have a sad time if we couldn’t re-arrange them.” A frown appeared on her face. “If we had more time, I would suggest increasing your level to claim more perks, but I doubt there will be time for many monster hunts.”

“Okay, so let’s say I do that,” Elania said. “I align my skills, make a [Regalia], and cement my abilities in my followers’ minds. What then? How do I protect myself from other demi-divines who might try to take advantage of me?”

Arlois met her gaze. “All of that is not a guarantee,” she admitted. “But it’s a start. The stronger your [Domain], the more difficult it will be for others to penetrate it. And with a [Regalia], you’ll have a powerful tool to help defend against any unwanted advances.”

Elania’s hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms as she glared at Arlois. Anger and frustration bubbled up, threatening to spill over. “But until then, any demi-divine can just walk up and violate me?”

Arlois’ expression hardened. She gestured to the surrounding room. “Right now, you’re in the center of my power. The center of my [Domain].”

Elania’s eyes narrowed, her gaze darting around the room. The walls seemed to pulse with an unseen energy at the mention, a tangible reminder of Arlois’ strength.

“You’re inside my tower,” Arlois continued. “I’ve had a long time to cement my protection and authority here.”

Elania’s jaw clenched, her teeth grinding together as she listened to Arlois’ words.

Arlois leaned forward, her eyes glinting with a dangerous light. “If the Sun Emperor himself were where you sat, he would be at my mercy. I’d pluck his cherished orbs off myself and feed them to him before he could use them again.”

Elania’s eyes widened, a shiver running down her spine at the casual brutality of Arlois’ words. The other woman took a deep breath, seeming to calm slightly.

“It would be unlikely for any to hold you like I did,” Arlois added “And you would be able to fight back—at a massive disadvantage.”

The Tower met her gaze, her expression serious. “The conflict is as mental as it is a clash of divinity.”

Elania slumped in her chair.

The fragile foundation she had built with Yolani felt like a house of cards, ready to crumble at the slightest breeze, now. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. She blinked them away, refusing to show weakness in front of the other demi-divine.

Arlois’ gaze softened as she rose from her seat, crossing the room to sit beside Elania.

It was impossible not to tense, her muscles coiling like springs ready to snap. Arlois placed a hand on Elania’s shoulder, a gesture meant to comfort her, but it did the opposite.

“You could flee,” Arlois said. “Take the airships and go. It might be safer.”

Elania’s eyes slid Arlois. The trust she had placed in the older woman had been shattered, burned to ashes. It wasn’t any different from the mistreatment Yolani had suffered at Ember’s hands.

Beneath the anger, a glimmer of understanding took root. She swallowed hard, trying to reconcile the violence done to her with the grim reality Arlois had painted.

The older woman had been trying to terrify her, to make her understand the gravity of the situation.

Logically, Elania could understand it.

But emotionally, the betrayal cut deep.

She had started to think of Arlois as a friend, a mentor, someone she could trust and rely on to help her. But that trust lay shattered at her feet, the pieces too jagged to put back together.

Elania stood abruptly, shrugging off Arlois’ hand.

“We’re working on the [Regalia],” she said. “Send the payment for the Guard to the estate. We’ll start preparing to assist the city.”

Elania turned on her heel and strode out of the room, her footsteps echoing in the silence she left behind.