Baron stumbled into his manor. His glazed eyes never left the floor as he slowly made his way to the stairs, and the empty bottle slipped from his grip. The servants who were going about their morning duties gave him worried stares. Baron groaned as he climbed the stairs, but his foot slipped off the step and he stumbled to his knees.
“What are you doing?” Baron looked to the top of the stairs. His father glared down at him with a gleam of disgust. “Someone bring him to my office, now,”
Bartholomew strode down the hall, and a servant helped Baron after him. The servant gently sat him down onto the sofa and left when Bartholomew stared at him. Baron sat there staring at the table, his hands shaking.
“Get a hold of yourself,” Bartholomew said slapping Baron across the head, “Your weakness is making me look bad.”
Baron glared up at his father, “I’m making you look bad,” he stood up, “The one making you look bad is you! You’re letting the monster walk all over you.”
“I’ve been preparing. You, on the other hand, got your attendant stolen from underneath you,” Bartholomew growled, “And it looks like you failed to bring her back.”
“The monster made it past our guards, doesn’t that concern you!”
“Of course it does,” Bartholomew sat at his desk, “That’s why I had them beaten and replaced. What worries me is how you found where it was holding Taela.”
“It…told me where to find her. It was a trap.”
“Of course it was you imbecile!” Bartholomew said, “And you fell right into it. Did it do anything to you?”
Baron felt the magic spell burn into his neck, “Just taunt me, then it took Taela away, after it killed Ema.”
Bartholomew sighed heavily, “So, you lost two women. You’re more hopeless than I thought. At this point, I’m more disappointed that it didn’t kill you outright, then it would have spared me this humiliation.”
“Fuck you, old man!” Baron said, “What would happen to your mighty empire if I did die? Would you take another whore to your bed until she bore you a son?”
“Yes,” Bartholomew’s voice emotionless, “We aren’t the Church boy. The only value someone has is whatever they can provide. Why do you think so many of our staff here are former prostitutes and thugs. Besides, you’re just as guilty for taking in whores. You’re no saint because you fell in love with one.”
“What about Reina?”
“She’s aware of her position, even when we’re fighting.”
“You’re not going to tell her about Taela,” Baron fell back onto the sofa, “She deserves to know.”
“I’ll let her know once I have the monster’s head,” Bartholomew pulled out his reports, “I need to get back to work. Go get cleaned up.”
“What are your plans for dealing with the monster?”
Bartholomew glared at him, “Leave,”
Baron scoffed and stormed out of the office. Charolette was standing outside and curtsied to him when he walked past her.
“I have a bath ready for you master,” Charolette said trying to keep up.
Baron nodded and made his way back to his room. He threw his clothes onto his common room sofa and entered the steaming bathroom. The warm water soothed his tired muscles, and it helped alleviate the headache that throbbed behind his eyes. Baron closed his eyes and laid his head on the soft towel that rested against the large copper tub.
“Let me wash you sir,” Water flowed over the side as Charolette climbed in. Her fingers ran along his neck, “How’d you get this mark?” she said worried.
Baron pulled her hands away. She can’t see the spell, good. “You don’t need to worry about it.”
Charolette nodded and started washing him. Her fingers dug into his body, massaging the aches as well as cleaning off the filth from last night. Her hands lingered around his lower half, but he couldn’t find the energy. She then climbed on top of him and started grinding. Normally, he would have taken a hold of her, burying his face into her soft, voluptuous chest, and had his way with her, but he couldn’t. All he could see was Ema’s body with blood pouring out of the hole in her head and the hurt stare in her eyes. He let out a sigh, trying his best not to break down.
Charolette pressed herself against him, “It’s all right,” she cooed into his ear as she ran her fingers through his hair. She placed a few gentle kisses on his cheeks and lip, “I’m here.”
Her weight was comforting, and Baron wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. He finally broke. Baron buried his face into Charolette’s chest, tears mixing with the bathwater. Charolette hugged him back. She whispered into his ears comforting words, but he couldn’t make them out. All he could hear was the monster’s last command.
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Maelon stepped out of his carriage and smiled at the large building. It’s pristine whitewashed exterior and glass dome took on the orange hue of the lanterns hanging off the walls. The warm light from the foyer beckoned him in, and he was met with frescos of beautiful men and women bathing on the banks of a river. Seven statues, each depicting the Virtues in sheer robes, lined the sides of the foyer with Touldan’s standing proud and center.
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A woman with honey hair and simple white robe that hug her figured curtsied to him, “Welcome to the bathhouse your grace,” she said with a sultry smile, “I have a letter from master Baron for you.”
My friend,
Something has come up and I won’t be able to meet with you tonight, but don’t worry, I’ve made sure that you’ll have plenty of company tonight.
Your friend,
Maelon laughed, “He’s turning into his father,” he handed the letter back, “So has anyone else arrived?”
“Not yet sir,” the woman said, “But master Baron reserved the bath solely for your use tonight. He also asked us to dim the lights so that you’d have a more intimate mood, so I assume that your guest shall arrive shortly,” Her eyes fluttered as she bit her lip, “Would you like me to keep you company until they arrive?”
“That’d be lovely,” Maelon smiled as he made his way into the change room.
The changing room consisted of a large wood paneled room with multiple baskets and cabinets to store the visitors clothes. Freshly laundered towels sat on top of the cabinets ready for use. After shedding his clothes, Maelon walked out into the large bath.
The main room consisted of two large pools. One pool was clouded from the oils and herbs dispersed throughout the steaming water while the second was filled with clear crisp water. Maelon jumped into the clear pool, and the cold water caused goosebumps to form over his body. He let himself float along the pool letting the cold-water work on his body. Once his body acclimated, he jumped into the warm bath. Maelon sighed in relief and allowed himself to drift off. After a few moments, he opened his eyes to see the lanterns dimmed.
“Shall I wash your back your grace?”
Maelon let his eyes take in the attendant’s supple body. He nodded and walked over to the wooden stool sitting by her. He smiled when her eyes lingered on his lower body. Maelon enjoyed the scrubbing the attendant gave him. Her soft bosoms gently rubbed against his back as she ran her hands along his chest and stomach. When her hands went lower, he let out a deep growl which caused her to chuckle. Thank you, Baron. Her hand stopped.
“Why’d you…stop?”
A black mist skirted across the floor. He felt the attendant’s shallow breathes, and the lights barely lit up the large central chamber.
“I…can’t move,” The attendant cried, “What’s that...by the gate.”
Maelon hadn’t noticed the gate at the far end of the room, but now, he couldn’t take his eyes off the two piercing red lights coming from the darkness behind it. The gate creaked open, and a metal claw dug into the stone wall. Another tore into the floor.
“Hallomarae’s grace, what is that?”
A monster stepped out of the darkness. It’s red eyes pierced through Maelon as it approached. The monster towered over them, and Maelon noticed that the black mist was seeping from its left hand.
A grinding chuckle came from the monster, “Are we…interrupting,” Maelon shivered as its stared down at him, “That looks painful, allow us to take care of it.”
The monster’s claw reached down and slid behind the attendant’s hand. Maelon cried as pain shot through him, and the attendant screamed as his blood poured into her open hand. The monster held up its prize appraising it.
“We were expecting…more,” it growled. The appendage rapidly turned black, and the monster dropped it. It left a black stain on the stone floor. “We’ll tend to that. We wouldn’t want you dying…yet.”
The pain eased up, but Maelon couldn’t take his eyes from what used to be his manhood.
“Damn you monster, I’m the Duke’s-” A claw racked against Maelon’s face, knocking to the floor.
“We know who you are, your grace,” the monster said, “We’ll deal with you soon enough, but first.”
Its gaze fell to the attendant, and she bawled as the monster approached. Maelon watched in horror as it picked the woman up by the neck, lifting her off the ground. A grinding metal noise came from it as its lower face opened, and his eyes grew wide as blood poured down her face. The bladed appendage retracted into the monster’s mouth with a sickening sound, and it threw the attendant’s corpse to the side.
“I’ll kill you!”
The monster’s laugh taunted him, “Is that so,” the black mist started to disperse, and Maelon could feel his body moving, “By all means, try.”
Maelon’s leg shook as he rose to his feet, but he stumbled towards the monster and swung at it. The monster ducked the attack and pushed Maelon into the warm bath. Maelon screamed, which caused the water to rush down his throat, and he coughed as he tried getting back to his feet. The monster was crouched by the edge of the pool with a single finger in the water. Maelon screamed as his body convulsed painfully. The pain stopped when the monster removed its finger, but he didn’t have the strength to stand.
The monster jumped into the pool and grabbed Maelon by the hair, shoving his face under the water. Maelon couldn’t scream, but water flooded his throat. When the monster pulled him up, Maelon coughed up the fluids through his mouth and nose. The monster slammed his face against the side of the pool then shoved him back under the water. The monster continued the cycle of drowning Maelon then pulling him up so he could get a breath of air.
Tears mixed with the water on his face, “Please…stop,”
“Stop,” the monster growl pulling him out of the pool, “Did you stop when she asked you to!”
“Who,”
“Meridith, you bastard!” the monster threw him into the cold pool.
The water shocked some of the life back into Maelon, and he scrambled to his feet trying to run away. A chill shot through his body, and his feet no longer moved. Maelon screamed in frustration when he saw his feet stuck in frozen water.
“There’s no escaping us,” The monster circled the pool to face Maelon, “Let’s see how you like it.”
Maelon cried as ice from the pool pierced him. The pain came in waves as it surged through his body when the spire crept further up but then would subside as the cold numbed it. Maelon tried struggling against his frozen bonds but all it did was cause his ankles to bleed and the pain from within to increase. Then, the pain intensified, and it nearly caused him to collapse.
“Don’t worry,” Magic enveloped the monster’s hand, and it washed over Maelon. It was torment as both relief and pain ran through him.
“I…don’t want…to die,” Maelon couldn’t stop the whimper from escaping.
“Repulsive,” the monster grinding growl grated his ears, “You’re supposed to be a hero,” the monster stepped onto the ice, “People speak about you in awe, as if you were blessed by the Virtues. The people worship you!” Maelon screamed at the spike pierced another organ, “Congratulations, you’ve made us lose our appetite.” Maelon released another howl as blood pooled at his feet.
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Reviled stared at the near lifeless body in front of him. The only thing keeping Maelon alive was the healing spell which kept him from dying of blood loss. Maelon released a sad whimper as the top of the spike pierced through his neck causing blood to run down his chest. Reviled growled at the sad sight in front of him as he cut off the magic for the healing spell. Blood gushed out of the open wounds, and Maelon’s eyes soon glazed over.
“Truly pathetic,”
Reviled summoned his sword and severed Maelon’s head. It picked up the head and made it’s way to the foyer. Reviled climbed onto the statue of Touldan and placed the head on the scale in the god’s left hand. Blood slowly pooled at the god’s feet.
“Fitting, don’t you think,” Reviled chuckled to the statue.
Touldan’s proud eyes glared back at the monster as it walked away. The lanterns had long since burned out as Reviled made its way back to the sewers.
“Baron,”
Y-yes. Baron’s voice echoed through its head.
“It’s done. You can come pick your whore up tomorrow night.”