After a long while of contemplating his situation from the outside world, Alisson returned to the Nuam Keep in the middle of night, still a tad injured from his older sister’s beating. Celis still shuffled along at his backside wordlessly.
Walking through the darkened halls, Alisson saw a silhouette through the darkness. It was Marenix. Alisson stepped closer, and was content to walk by Marenix to his room.
“Are you going to find out what happened, master?” Marenix asked with a dull tone of voice.
“Knowing what happened won’t bring them back.” Alisson muttered, and Marenix fell silent for a long while before continuing,
“Why, master? Why didn’t you do anything?”
Marenix muttered to him, his words unsteady. Alisson knew what Marenix was asking about. Ashlynde.
Alisson averted his gaze, stopping by Marenix’s side. “I’m…I’m sorry.”
Alisson remembered the fear that had struck him in that moment, seeing Ashlynde on the gallows, thinking to himself, that if he acted to save her, Celis would be the one those execution grounds next.
“…Is that all you have to say?” Marenix clenched his fist, and looked up to Alisson. “Why didn’t you save her!? You have the strength to, so then why not!?”
Alisson fell silent, looking away guiltily.
“Why! Why didn’t you! Tell me!” Marenix grabbed Alisson’s hands, his eyes burning with rage. “She’s gone now! Because of you! She had nothing to do with any of this! And you took her away from me! For what!? To save yourself!? To save Celis!?”
He shot a glare at Celis.
Alisson’s eyes suddenly ignited, and he threw off Marenix’s hands.
“Yes!” Alisson shouted back. “I did it for Celis! I did it for myself! If you have a problem with that, then too bad! You can’t change anything because you’re just a weakling like Ashlynde was!”
Marenix looked up, suddenly in shock, and fearful.
Alisson growled, “Get the hell out of my sight!” He swung his arm out and pushed Marenix to the ground as he continued down the hall.
Alisson entered his room. Celis tried to follow him, but he shut the door on her.
“Leave me be. Stay somewhere else.”
He couldn’t bring himself to raise his voice at her.
“Yes, Alisson.”
He heard her respond from behind the door. Inside his room, waiting faithfully and patiently, was Dascha. She was sitting on the floor, her tail wagging. Alisson realized she probably had no idea what had happened within the last day. He sat down on his bed, cupping his forehead in his hands.
Dascha crawled between his legs, whining a little, and looking up at him.
“What do you want…?”
Alisson muttered. She pressed herself against his leg, grinding her body on it. Alisson flared with anger and kicked her away.
“Stop that! Stupid bitch…Think about something else for once!” Alisson snapped at her, and she backed away warily and quietly, suddenly aware of his temperament.
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“Do I even have any real allies left?” He thought out loud.
Celis was gone. She remained in body only. Marenix hated him – And he was a weakling who couldn’t offer anything to him anyway. Ashlynde was gone too. This stupid dog was only loyal to him out of a lust for breeding. The Kitsune and the Angels were just political allies; and that was only if he destroyed Irine like he said he would. The 51st, his unit that he had spent the last century building and fighting with, were no longer under his command. It’s not like they ever knew him personally. They were just subordinates. There was no one who could fill the hole that Celis left him. This would be his normal state of being now.
He sighed, and fell back onto his bed. His vision suddenly blurred, and he jumped in shock. A shell of him rose from his face and seeped out from under his clothes, forming into a copy of his body.
“I think you’re forgetting someone~!”
“Firo…” He sighed. “Don’t take my appearance. It’s weird.”
She leaned in to his face, and it felt like he was looking into a mirror. “I’m you, Alisson. I’m your shadow now. I’ll always be here.”
Alisson’s eyes flared again. “Then where were you when Apophria beat me! I sure as hell felt every ounce of those blows! So much for being armor…You damn parasite.” Alisson growled.
Firo sighed. “I purposely didn’t protect you. Else I would’ve revealed myself to her. You understand, right? It’s the same reason you never fought back today. Because deep down, you know it’s the right thing to do.” She pressed a finger on his chest.
Alisson was silent for a moment. “…What do you mean?”
Firo circled his chest with her finger. “You have two choices…only two paths that might get Celis back. Number one, submit to Sidonia.”
Alisson averted his eyes, frowning.
“I know, I know.” Firo whispered gently. “That’s what you’ve been thinking about. Whether or not to just submit. As a parasite…I recommend this option. It’s the safest bet to stay alive for you. But it involves hinging on Sidonia’s mercy; that she doesn’t get rid of you later on; and makes good on her word to return Celis back to her original form.”
Alisson nodded. These thoughts had been swirling around aimlessly in his mind, but he was silently thankful that Firo could lay them out without being burdened by emotions.
“Then, there’s option two.” Firo leaned back, straddling Alisson. “Concede and comply…For now. Until you find your opening. Until then, do as you’re told, gather your strength, and hope that there’s a way out of this mess. Personally, I recommend against this option. It’s far more dangerous to both you and our Celis. But we’re prideful, aren’t we? It’s a dumb emotion you filled me with…” She rubbed her belly. “But it’s a strong one. One that makes you not want to submit.”
Firo sighed, shaking her head. “Ultimately, the options are the same in the short term, it’s up to you to decide. Have you already?”
Alisson averted his eyes, not responding.
Firo smiled, and leaned in, her form changing back into a blue, viscous feminine figure like a chameleon changing its colors. “Don’t think I’m some rational thing anymore…I’m angry too.” She leaned in. “I feel your bloodlust. Your rage.” She shook her gelatinous lower half that was covering Alisson’s hips, “Your lust..”
“Shut up.” Alisson scowled.
Firo giggled. “All I’m saying, you’ve got two really willing girls in your room to relieve a lot of pent-up stress…”
Alisson flashed a sour look at her. He didn’t know if he would consider Firo as a girl, and perhaps he should just consider Dascha as an overgrown animal.
Perhaps sensing something from Firo’s words, Dascha jumped between Alisson’s legs, shoving her head into his groin. He pushed her back angrily, and sat up. He could see her tail wagging furiously, and she looked up to Alisson with large, heated eyes. It seemed that she wouldn’t let anything let her down.
“Thanks…For giving me council.” Alisson mumbled to Firo.
She nodded giddily. “I’ll always be here, for whatever you need me for…” She said with those fleeting words as she once again surged forward and engulfed Alisson’s body, before stabilizing in color and appearing as though she wasn’t even there.
He called his sleeping servants who hadn’t realized that he would return so late in the night.
“The whole bottle, master?”
He nodded. “The whole bottle.”
After they brought him what he requested, he sat quietly at his desk, jingling the ice in the whiskey filled glass. The sun would be rising soon. His father wasn’t really a drinking man, but this whiskey was his favorite. He apparently fell into quite the stupor when Alisson’s mother passed away in childbirth.
Father was off with the 1st and 2nd Sidonian armies, so Alisson silently apologized for pilfering from his collection behind his back.
He sat for a long time there, Dascha sleeping, curled up on the floor by his feet. After several glasses, Alisson made up his mind on what he would choose to do.
Despite how much Alisson drank that night, he never grew even the slightest bit tipsy. He supposed that no amount of drink could ease his pain.
“I’m sorry, Celis…” He muttered to himself.
Despite his words, his grief was eclipsed by a new feeling that had been nurtured within him. Rage.
***