TITLE    : Demonic Submission Ch. 20
STORYID  : demonic-submission-ch-20
SUMMARY  : The Nephilim share secrets, and a new foe stands before her.
AUTHOR   : TheLastChaosLord@lit
DATE     : 2013-06-10
CATEGORY : exhibitionist-voyeur
FLAGS    : h
TAGS     : |demon|incubus|red head|female on female|humiliation|


<i>Hello again all.



I'd like to thank WanderingMindGames for all the help she has given me with this, and the previous chapter. This is doubly so, as I apparently missed the foreword with the last chapter. 



This chapter goes into what the Nephilim think of the Fell Born and what they know about them, and as a result, the Fell Born are explained somewhat, at least from their view point. Following that, we see the beginnings of the demonic court and Celestine is faced with a demon from Tristan's past before meeting a force that threatens to crush her sanity.



I'd also like to give a special thanks to everyone who has been supportive over the last few chapters. As always, comments are welcome. 



Anywho, hope you all enjoy. </i>



~~~~



"You did WHAT?!" Blake roared into the face of Dominace. "We could have used him, pried information from him and traced this back to the master he served! What where you thinking!?" Blake was exasperated. Dominace had butchered a demon, one that could have given them vital intelligence about what happened here. Instead he killed the demon out of hand, which was likely little more than a low level spy or enforcer.



"Still your tongue human!" Dominace snapped back. "I saw a demon, and I killed it. It's that simple. Now be silent, before I silence you." Dominace's tone resonated with a deep threat, enough to make the other Nephilim look to him with sudden wariness. Even the Rookie looked surprised by his words, like hearing them from a Nephilim was utterly impossible. Yet despite all the cowing power behind the warrior's words, Blake was utterly unfazed. 



Instead the mortal stepped up and put his face right into the grill of Dominace's helmet, teeth clenched in stoic defiance. "Go ahead." Blake hissed to the Warrior in front of him. "Silence me. Strike me down and kill me, and prove that you're no better than the demon you just butchered. Actually, you'd end up proving your <i>worse! </i>After all, you and your kind were born to shield humanity from <i>THEM! </i>So, are you going to give up everything you were meant to be, all over not being unable to admit you made a mistake? Or are you going to admit you went and screwed up because you got all stab happy?" Blake asked harshly, giving no ground and showing absolutely no fear to the warrior standing in front of him. 



Dominace stared at Blake through the visor of his helmet, gritting his jaw as he tried to come to terms with what the mortal was saying. Eventually he let out a frustrated rumble and turned away from Blake. "Enough! I will admit that I allowed my aggression to get the best of me... I saw the demon and I struck... I did not think of other potential that he might have held." He turned back to the other Nephilim and Blake. "But I doubt he would have shared anything even if we did capture him. I'm certain that was a demon of pride, willing to carry out his orders even as he was dying." Dominace explained. 



"Well now we'll never know will we?" Blake asked sharply.



"Enough!" Milana spoke up firmly. "Thomas... Dominace has admitted his mistake. I understand your frustration, but he has taken the first step in making amends, now you must take the next step and forgive him, as is only just. Yes we could have used the demon, but there will be other opportunities, so you must let it go. If you do not, your resentment may fester, leaving you open to them..." Milana's voice was soft and gentle by the end, enough to sooth Blake's anger. 



Blake ran his fingers through his hair and let out a long sigh. "You... You are right, as usual Milana." Blake turned to Dominace. "I apologize for my less than gentle words. Even if I'm the lead on this, it was out of line. It's like you said, you were just trying to do your job. Just try not to let your zeal get away with you next time, alright?" Blake asked simply, which Dominace gave a slight nod in agreement. "Great. Alright... well I think we're more or less done here. We'll get the CSI's to bag and tag everything for us and then we'll pull it to our offices. No point in them keeping it when they won't have an idea on how to use it. You guys should get out of here. We'll call you when we've got some more time to talk. I'm curious what this 'Fell Born' thing is." Blake said as he began to try and light up his cigarette. 



However before it lit, Milana reached forwards and pulled it from his lips. "Ah ah ah. I told you, I don't like men who smoke." She smiled to him slightly as he grumbled before she flicked the smoke out the hole and down to god knows where. Turning to Dominace and Darass she spoke again. "Let's go. Hera, will you stay with Thomas and Laura? They may need the extra protection." Milana asked pleasantly and Hera nodded without hesitation.



"Hey, what do you mean 'extra protection'?" Thomas asked grumpily. "You've never done this before..." 



Milana shrugged before she turned to leap through the hole in the wall she came through, quickly followed by Dominace and Darass. Laura looked to Hera as she folded her wings back and took her human form... Her armor and wings disappeared, leaving the tall and fit woman wearing normal civilian clothes. Blake grumbled before giving her his jacket, which had the SIT logo stamped on it. Hopefully it would get her out of the building without raising to many questions, like how she got in... "Do you know anything about these 'Fell Born'?" He asked as they headed out. 



"Not really." She replied frankly. "There is only one thing I know for certain about them."



"Oh?" Laura asked curiously. "And what is that?"



"That we are supposed to kill them on sight. No exceptions, No mercy, No forgiveness." Hera responded, less than enthusiastically. 



"And?" Blake asked. "Isn't that kind of the norm for all demons?" 



"Fell Born aren't demons... They're humans..." Hera admitted, having to look away at their sudden shock.



Blake walked over to the crater in the wall and started looking down from it. "What are you doing?" Laura asked, worried he might fall. 



"Looking for my smoke." Blake responded grimly. "I think I'm gonna need it..." 



~~~~



Claude worked easily as he enjoyed the morning sun as its light shined into the patio room. He was currently getting breakfast ready for his lord, whom, thanks to last nights events, had trouble getting to sleep. Claude suspected he would be awake within 20-25 minuets, and prided himself on being able to gauge when his master might awaken. For years Claude has seen to his master's meals when there was a schedule to keep and his lord could not simply take his time waiting for his breakfast or other meals to be prepared. "Now... What meat shall we prepare?" Claude asked himself as he looked over the pantry. "steak, bacon or sausage?" He asked aloud. "Perhaps I could prepare some breakfast ham?" 



"I would go with the Steak." Celestine's voice sounded from behind him. Claude didn't jump in surprise, or even look back to her. Instead he forced himself to become calm and distant. 



Claude turned to Celestine and bowed his head lightly to her. "Good morning Miss Celestine. I hope you slept well?" Claude asked, though his tone suggested it was only a formality.



Celestine shrugged. "Not very." She moved to take a seat at the table and looked to Claude. "Tristan was a roller coaster of emotions last night... I think I could feel him distantly while I slept. Didn't make sleeping very easy." She shrugged again. "Still getting used to feeling what he does. At least distance puts some damper on that. But I'm sure you don't want to hear about this. Personally, I'd go with the steak." Celestine repeated as she looked to the open pantry. 



Claude turned back to the pantry and considered the steak. He was about to take it out when a question began to irk him. He knew he shouldn't ask. In fact he knew he should communicate as little as possible with her... but he couldn't let it be. "What makes you suggest the steak, Miss Celestine?" he asked, trying to be casual in his questioning.



"We didn't have dinner last night, meaning the last time he ate was at lunch time." She explained casually. 



"That was the last time he ate normal food, yes." Claude corrected politely. "Perhaps you are correct. A fine choice." Claude proceeded to remove a steak from the pantry and looked to her. "Would you like one as well Miss Celestine?" he asked simply as he turned to her again. However when he looked at her, she gave him pause. 



Celestine's gaze wasn't exactly cold or hard... it wasn't even angry or threatening. Instead it was like Celestine was looking right through his polite decorum... Like she could see him, stripped of all his pride. What disturbed Claude the most however, was the fact that she seemed... less than impressed with what she found. Like Claude was lacking. It was not a feeling he was accustomed to... somehow it made him feel... imperfect. "Take a smaller one out please." Her words snapped him out of the lethargy her gaze inflicted upon him. "I'll cut it up and make an omelet once it thaws." She added casually.



"Of... course. I'll set it aside here." Claude responded, turning his back on her again. As soon as she spoke, the feeling her gaze leveled upon him seemed to disappear, like she looked at him with respect again. Once Claude had set aside the meat he began preparing other things, primarily biscuits to go with his lord's meal. However, as he kneaded the dough he found the silence almost deafening as Celestine simply looked out into the gardens. "Miss Celestine, might I ask you something?" 



Celestine looked back to him and nodded. "Of course Claude, so long as you drop the 'Miss' that you seem to have picked up again." Celestine replied with a gentle smile. 



Claude couldn't help but smile back, and genuinely so too, before turning away and going back to work as he spoke. "Of course Celestine. I wanted to ask; a moment ago you looked at me most oddly... I've been trying to decipher what such a gaze meant... if anything that is." Claude asked, keeping his voice formal as he could. Her smile seemed to disarm him, and not looking at her helped prevent that.



"Oh... hum. That is a curious thing to ask, and difficult to answer I suppose." Celestine began. "I don't know... I suppose it came as a result of your dig at me." Celestine answered idly.



"Dig? I'm not sure what you mean." Claude replied, slightly confused by her answer. 



"Yes you do." Celestine retorted, though a touch of confusion lined her voice. "You intentionally brought up the fact that Tristan ate Marie's soul yesterday in an attempt to create some distance between us. No, you never mentioned Marie or Tristan, but you knew saying it like that would bring memories of what I saw forward. My guess is that you were hoping to shock me away, that the memories would keep me quiet while you worked, and therefore limit our contact. I suppose if I were to describe the feeling I had while looking at you like that, it would be that I was surprised that you would lower yourself to such a method. I always thought you would be above such underhanded tactics." Celestine's voice was calm, though perhaps a tad hurt. Claude wasn't looking to her, but he could feel that she was looking right at him. Somehow it was unnerving. 



Claude turned to her and found her scrutinizing him. It wasn't the same gaze as before, and Claude mentally slapped himself for being thankful for that. "I assure you, I would have to be very hard pressed to do something that I deemed beneath me. Further, I must say that is a fairly long assumption Celestine, that I was intending to build distance between us." He responded calmly. 



"Not really. The moment I said 'Yes you do', you stopped kneading that dough, like you were startled that I caught you. Further, you just stared at it while I explained. It's not hard evidence, but it's enough to convince me." Celestine elaborated. 



Her emerald green gaze made Claude feel awkward, and unsure of himself. Again, something he hated extremely. "Forgive my rude behavior Mi-... Celestine."



"Not until you tell me why." Celestine came back quickly. 



"Why? Why what?" Claude asked, frowning slightly.



"Why have you been trying to put distance between us? You are so polite it almost hurts yet it feels like I couldn't see you with binoculars you are so far away." Celestine expressed, taking a step closer to him. "But why? I can tell you're not afraid of me. Fear of a regular human would be absurd to someone like you. Even if I was another demon I doubt you would fear me. Pride would keep you from it. So why are you doing this?" Celestine accented her question taking another step forwards, standing across the island table from Claude.



Claude looked down at her for a long moment, pondering what sort of response he could give her. He caught himself hoping that she would just drop it and again mentally slapped himself for wishing for such a thing. He was more then capable of handling this. "As you said, it is not because I fear you, Celestine. It would be more accurate to say that there are times I find your company... unpleasant." Claude said as politely as he could. 



"Unpleasant?" Celestine asked curiously, though the slight smile that crossed her features showed that she wasn't upset with him. "Now whatever did I do to make you feel like that Claude?" Celestine inquired, inquisitiveness shining in her eyes as she leaned over the counter. 



"To specify one thing would be a lengthy and difficult procedure. Suffice it to say, there are a number of things about you that disagree with me. Not least of which is the impact you have on those around you. Excluding myself, you tend to make reasonable people reckless and the unreasonable downright rash and foolish." Claude explained his voice relaxed and calm. If he was trying to hurt Celestine, it wasn't showing in his voice. However he did realize she was throwing him off his timing. He was several minuets behind now and he got straight back to work.



"You will have to forgive me if I didn't realize. After all, I didn't know Tristan and Rena before I was taken, so I have nothing to compare." Celestine was casual in her response but clearly trying to coax more out of Claude. Claude kept himself from looking at her directly as he worked, a new discomfort setting in at how easily she guessed to whom he was referring. 



"There would be no point in forgiving you Celestine." Claude began with easy calm as he began to set the biscuits into the oven. "It is not like you can change who you are." 



Celestine shrugged. "I suppose you are right. I'm only human after all." She said amused.



"A flaw I learned to tolerate, despite the many failings it brings with it." Claude responded instantly. His voice wasn't harsh, if anything it was very slightly amused. He wasn't joking, Claude probably wasn't capable of joking... but still, he smiled lightly to her, as he was unwillingly being pulled into her amused banter.



"Ouch!" Celestine responded, amused by his words. "Well that hurt. Are you suggesting there could never be a human that would meet your lofty standards?"



"If there is, I have yet to meet one. I doubt it is possible though. The concept of a human, an intrinsically flawed creature, ever reaching to my standards is inconceivable. Your species is simply too imperfect to ever reach that state. As you said, you're only human." Claude, explained clearly proud of what he perceived to be his species noble breeding. "Now, if you will excuse me Celestine, I have my lord's breakfast to prepare. Unfortunately, conversing with you is a distraction, and is beginning to throw off my timing, so I must desist." Claude explained turning away as he started to prepare a mix of seasoning for the breakfast steak.



"Odd... I figured such a perfect example of your species wouldn't have any problem at all working and talking at the same time. Surely you are capable of multi-tasking Claude... There are many humans that can after all." Celestine said almost playfully. 



Claude paused and kept himself from sighing in frustration, as such a thing was utterly beneath him. He did however glance over his shoulder at her. "You are trying to play at my pride... trying to use it against me to get what you want." He commented simply.



"Yes, I am." Celestine admitted. "But knowing that won't change anything, will it?" She asked with a coy smirk.



Claude observed her for a long moment, before a slight, if not very impressed, smile crossed his features. "No, I suppose it won't. Quite cunning of you, my dear." Claude complemented. 



"High praise indeed." Celestine responded, "But then I have a fine teacher." She said pandering to his pride again. 



Claude nodded. "Indeed, I am a fine teacher. But I think that's enough self adulation for now." Claude commented idly as he returned to his work.



"Of course." Celestine responded, leveling her voice into a mock serious one. "We wouldn't want anyone to think either of us are arrogant." Celestine said, though by the end she couldn't help but grin. Despite himself, Claude again found himself amused by her words. "But honestly though, are you saying that no human will ever be good enough for you?" She asked curiously. "And do most demons think that?"



Claude nodded as he worked. "Indeed that is the case for most demons. You know we look down on your species as little more than food that we like to play with. Some of your species might be intriguing, but little more." 



"So you even think that way about me hum?" Celestine asked, still playful, though perhaps less so then before. 



"Quite so." Claude responded easily, quicker to respond now than when they began. 



"Strange to hear you say that Tristan has such bad taste." Celestine commented. 



"Hardly." Claude began. "I might think you imperfect and less than most demons Celestine, but I hardly think that claiming you, as my lord has done, was an expression of poor taste. Quite the contrary in fact. Even at face value, you are a prize that many would desire if they knew you even a little. You are strong, beautiful, fairly intelligent, and much to the distress and exhilaration of my lord, willful." 



Celestine blushed lightly at his comments. Yet to hide it she spoke up. "At face value? Your words suggest there is more to it than that."



"Perhaps there is. But that is a discussion for another time, don't you think?" Claude asked simply, looking to Celestine calmly. 



"Perhaps so. After all, I think the steak is done. Much longer and it will start to burn." Celestine said looking past him at the pan. 



Claude did a mental check, and was surprised to realize how much time had elapsed as they spoke... He quickly got the steak out of the pan and onto a plate before it started to burn. As frustrating as it was, he had to admit that if she hadn't mentioned it, the steak might have been burnt. Checking further, Celestine had delayed him more than he feared. His lord may already be awake and Claude hadn't even left for his chambers yet. Claude got everything together and took the tray of food with him as he headed for his masters chambers. 



"I'll see you later Claude." Celestine said easily as he rushed away, moving to the stove herself to get her own breakfast ready. 



As Claude hurried to his lord's chambers he couldn't help but think how despite not wanting to, Celestine was perfectly apt at dragging him into a conversation. More than that, the more they spoke, the more relaxed he became, and the more of an effect she had on him. By the end of it, he wasn't even trying to resist any more... 'Disarming' hardly even covered what Claude thought of Celestine. 



"Damn that woman." Claude couldn't help but curse her, even as he denied that she was beginning to learn how to pull at his strings...



~~~~



When Claude arrived at his lord's chambers he found Tristan standing on his small balcony enjoying the sunrise. He had planned to apologize for his tardiness but found the words wouldn't come, when faced with the striking scene in front of him. Tristan stood in calm yet focused contemplation, and it felt wrong somehow to ruin the scene in front of him by speaking up. Still, eventually the picture was shattered when Tristan turned to nod to Claude. "Good morning my friend, I was wondering what had happened. You are usually here before I even wake on busy days like this." Lord Durial clearly wasn't upset with Claude, but was curious. 

<hr pg="2" />"My apologies my lord. I was distracted while preparing your meal. Celestine came in and dragged me into conversation with her." Claude admitted as he set out the food. 



Tristan sat down and began to eat without preamble but after a few mouthfuls he spoke again. "She can be distracting at times, there is no doubt about that." Tristan agreed. 



"Quite, my lord. She noticed that I've been trying to keep my distance from her and demanded an answer why. I was able to circle around the core of the subject but I don't believe she has accepted it fully. She suspects something else is at work." Claude reported simply.



"I'm not surprised." Tristan said before eating another piece of meat. "She's sharp, and learns quickly. The fact that she determined something was going on is unavoidable. Still, I'm surprised you let her distract you. Usually you're so focused." Tristan wasn't complaining or even reprimanding, simply making a comment.



"She has a way of drawing one in." Claude admitted. 



"I know." Tristan agreed again. "But enough about her. Shall we start going over the information for the court?" 



"Of course my lord." Claude nodded before pulling out the files he had gathered.



~~~~



Celestine sat in front of the dresser that dominated one wall of her room as she slowly ran a brush through her hair. She had been contemplating Claude's words, and wondering what it was about her that seemed to put him on edge. Whatever it was, it only seemed to concern him, leaving Tristan and Rena unaffected. It was also possible that the two of them simply didn't care about whatever issue Claude was having with her. Shrugging it off, Celestine continued to brush her hair and prepare for when she would leave for the demonic court with Tristan and the others. She had already made up her luggage and had taken special care to ensure her highlight piece was ready to go. 



<i>("Celestine... do you have a moment?") </i>His voice came through into her mind, startling her only a little. For whatever reason she was becoming used to the sudden messages, sort of like she knew they were coming before he spoke to her. 



<i>("I do.") </i>Celestine responded simply, not wanting to assume anything. 



<i>("I want to show you something. Please come to my study and let me know when you're outside the door. If you would be so kind that is.") </i>To her mind, Tristan sounded... mildly concerned, though also excited. 



Celestine rose to her feet and double checked herself in the mirror to make sure she looked good, though she cursed herself out halfway through, realizing she was preening for him. Shaking it off she began to head his way before answering. <i>("Sure, I'm on my way.") </i>



Several minuets later, Celestine stood outside Tristan's study and pondered knocking. Instead she figured there was a more direct and simple method. <i>("I'm here Tristan.") </i>She sent to him as she waited idly for him to respond. 



<i>("Come on in. But please close the door behind you.") </i>Tristan instructed and Celestine had to roll her eyes at this. Whatever it was he was planning; did it really need all this? 



She touched her hand to the handle of the door and she felt it then... She knew what this was, only because she had felt it before, Tristan's power was waxing behind these doors... He wasn't aiming it at her, she could tell that much. But it was there, and it was growing. Taking a deep breath to steel herself against any of his magic, Celestine opened the door and entered without preamble. She was about to speak, but the moment she looked up, her jaw went slack and she couldn't help but gape at what she saw...



Tristan turned to face her, though at a glance she only knew it was him because of the Mark she bore and little else... As she looked closer she realized something... "You-... you wanted to show me your true form..." She eventually stammered out, awe in her voice... Tristan stood more or less as tall as he was before, except now he bore two great horns from just within his hairline that curved forwards and then back up over his head. In front of them were smaller horns that followed the curve of the largest pair, but barely poked through his skin. From his back a set of strong yet elegant wings unfolded, each bearing a hook like claw at the joint. The light of the late morning sun glowing through the thin membranes, making him look as if he glowed in the light. His skin had a slightly more reddish in complexion to it compared to his original pallor. Tristan bore new fangs, though they were hardly more than a few millimeters longer than his original canines. Up both arms, runes looked to be etched into his otherwise flawless skin, each of which glowed in the same pale gold light that emanated from his eyes, though those were different as well. The white of his eyes had changed to a glossy black, sparingly dotted with flecks of silver that almost looked like stars... A tail flicked back and forth from behind him and Celestine could see that it actually belonged to him...



Celestine felt herself breathing quickly as she leaned up against the door, only still on her feet because of its support. "You're... breathtaking..." Was all Celestine could manage as she looked him over. To her eyes... he was magnificent to look upon. If Tristan in his humanoid form was stately, then in his demonic he was down right regal. His facial features did not change almost at all, save for his eyes. However his mane of hair had shifted some, his hair slightly longer and a touch more wild looking, though this only added to the attraction that she felt pulling her to him. Even the horns, which she knew should repulse her, seemed to have their own attraction. They were perfectly smooth, and almost looked like they had been buffed. She wondered what they would feel like against her skin...



"Why thank you." He said with a slight smile as he stepped towards her. "I wanted to show you this now, so you might not be surprised by it when we arrived." Even his voice was slightly different. It was lower, and Celestine wasn't sure, but she could almost hear the power he had in his voice. It was like his power reverberated in his tone, and she could feel it rumbling in her chest. 



"I-... I can feel your power... it's..." Celestine had to shake her head to clear her thoughts. She knew he wasn't pressing his powers on her, but that didn't mean it wasn't beginning to affect her regardless. "It's so much!" She expressed, suprised. "It's like I'm standing at the base of a towering dam, with billions of gallons of water barely held back." Celestine shook her head again trying to focus. But when she looked to him again she found him so much closer now, his hand reaching out to take her chin lightly in his feather grip and tilting her gaze up to meet his golden eyes.



She felt the brush of his nails against her skin, and saw that they seemed slightly darker, and ended in very shallow points. They were not meant to claw or rip, like Rena's, but were instead meant to hold onto someone tightly... She couldn't help but be drawn to his gaze and when her eyes met his again she quivered lightly in his hand. "I don't tend to wander about in my true form, for precisely that reason. Will you be able to handle it?" he asked curiously, looking for how she was reacting as he gazed into her eyes. 



"I'll-... I'll be fine." Celestine managed to get out, though she most defiantly did not feel fine at this exact moment. 



"I can force more of it down if you like. Other demons might question why my power appears weaker, but if you can't focus because of it..." Tristan began, clearly concerned. 



Celestine felt slightly embarrassed by his concern, not liking this somewhat touching display for her well being. Still, she focused as she closed her eyes and after a moment reopened them to meet his gaze. "I can handle this Tristan." She said firmly, steadying her breathing and her heart rate. If she couldn't handle this, what was to say she could handle the presence of other demonic lords? "See?" She asked straightening herself and meeting his gaze resolutely. "I'm more than capable." 



By the time she was done, she could feel a flutter of want ripple through him. Her steadfastness was arousing him and she could feel it. Before she could stop herself, Celestine felt herself blushing lightly at his desires. "I can see that." He rumbled lowly before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. It wasn't a kiss that was lost to lust or desire, but instead it was soft and passionate. Celestine made to pull away at first but she felt his strong hand slide to the small of her back and pull her gently forwards. Soon the warmth of his lips was winning her over and she couldn't help but kiss back, closing her eyes and losing herself to it for a long moment. 



But her rational mind finally broke through and Celestine had to pull away, turning her head away in the process as she broke the kiss. He didn't force her to stay, or even fight to keep her there, but despite that, her chest was so tight if felt like her heart was about to be crushed. "D-Don't." She stammered out, hardly sounding as convincing as she wanted to. She continued to back up but bumped into something warm. Turning to look she found Tristan's wings had wrapped around her, while not actually touching her. "Let me out." She demanded quietly, confused by what she was feeling right now as it swirled around in her head and heart. 



Tristan folded his wings back without hesitation, still observing her as he released her from his cage. "My apologies. I did not intend for that to happen." He admitted, surprising Celestine lightly. 



"What? The kiss or where you wrapped your wings around us?" Celestine asked, regaining some strength in her voice now that she wasn't looking at him directly. 



"The wings. I most definitely intended to kiss you." Tristan admitted without hesitation or pause. 



"Of course you did." Celestine responded, not at all surprised. "So you've shown me your true form... but why? You said you didn't want me to be surprised by it..." Celestine asked curiously, as she got a handle on looking at him directly. "Are you going to be in this form during the Court?"



"Yes, and every other demon will be in their true forms as well." Tristan replied calmly. "Which I'll warn you now, may be a lot to take in at once. Many demons have very odd and strange forms, completely inhuman and might be utterly bizarre to you. I wanted to warn you ahead of time." Tristan explained. "Not all of them will have an aura of power like I do, but the other demonic lords probably will." 



Celestine nodded. "Okay." She looked him over once again and forced down any lingering urge to stare. "I won't gawk like I just did with you, so don't worry about that." 



"I know I won't have to." Tristan said honestly, making a shot of pride swell in Celestine. He had faith in her, and she had to fight not to bask in it. "Stick close to me when we get there. In all likelihood the other Lords and Ladies will exchange pleasantries, and I'll be expected to respond and do the same. Some might inquire about you, so remember what we talked about. I'll be wearing the robe and armor you saw at John's boutique." Tristan finished simply. 



Celestine knew what his last words meant... He was asking her to wear her dress, without actually asking her to. Not that she minded overly much since she wanted to wear it. "I'll dress accordingly." Celestine responded easily. "Is there anything else? I still have some preparation to do before we go." 



"No, go ahead Celestine." Tristan replied easily. Celestine nodded once before turning to head out, though she paused at the door to glance back at him in this form again, trying to settle the conflicting emotions that ran through her before she disappeared out of sight.



~~~~



"So what exactly is a Fell Born?" Laura asked as Darass, Milana and Dominace arrived at the dinner where Blake, Laura and Hera were waiting. All the Nephilim bore their human forms, as to not arouse suspicion. They were in a secluded booth, far from most of the other customers in the dinner. The owner knew Blake, and always seated them there to keep out prying eyes and ears. It was sort of a return favor for saving his daughter from a particularly vicious envy demon...



Milana slid in along side Blake while the others took their seats. Before she responded she reached out and snatched an unlit smoke from Blake's lips before crushing it in an ashtray. "Fell Born are hard to explain." She began. "Their bodies are, in essence, identical to that of any other human. Physical capability, mental ability, and other 'normal' traits are all essentially the same as any other human out there. The only reason they are something all together different, is because of the difference in the soul." 



"Hold on," Blake interrupted as gently as possible. "Hera told us these were humans... and that your kind have a 'kill on sight' sort of thing going on with them... Doesn't that fly in the face of your purpose: to shield humanity from the demons and other malignant supernaturals out there?" Thomas asked, clearly not sitting well with the idea of murdering a human.



"You are right Thomas, it does fly in the face of everything we try and do. We try to avoid even harming marked servants of demons; simply because they are still human... there is always a chance to repent. But the Fell Born are something else entirely. There is no chance for repentance because no sin caused them to be what they are. There is no taint to purify, because they were born that way, engrained in their very souls. They are, simply put, born cursed. There is no cure, there is no fix or suppressing their power... The only way to be rid of it is to kill them. It's... Awful, but it has to be done." Milana explained, also clearly not happy with having to murder a human. 



"What makes these people so dangerous?" Laura asked, clearly not accepting the 'Killing humans' part yet.



"They are, in essence, walking personifications of moral corruption. Their presence taints those humans around them into becoming corrupt and lost to one or more of the primal sins in some fashion. What is worse is the fact that most Fell Born don't even realize what they are doing over the course of their lives. The power often grows slowly as they age; afflicting their closest friends or those they spend a lot of time with... It takes a lifetime for their powers to reach their final stages, but if a Fell Born makes it to his death bed, he or she will probably have ruined hundreds of lives by the time they die of old age. However, the growth of a Fell Born's powers can be accelerated when in proximity to demons. Which brings up a Fell Born's secondary powers. As the Fell Born matures, it develops two additional powers. The first of these is a sort of natural lure for demons, and the second is a natural resistance to their powers. Most demons likely won't even realize it's happening, but for whatever reason, the Fell Born's soul will seem particularly appetizing, and draw them to the mortal. Yet weaker demons won't be able to bring themselves to consume the mortal. Instead they'll simply keep their distance, and likely not make a move. This is likely because of the Fell Born's natural resistance to their powers. However the demons' proximity will still trigger the rapid growth in the Fell Born's powers. Stronger demons will be able to overcome the repulsion, though this seems to be the intention. The stronger the demon, the more quickly the Fell Born's powers grow." Milana paused and turned her head to each of her companions as they listened to her. Blind as she was, they could somehow feel her worried gaze from behind the pure white blindfold she bore even in her human form.



"Hold on." Blake piped up. "This is a lot to take in at once, and we haven't even gotten to the part where these 'Fell Born' are dangerous to humans other than some vague reference to moral corruption. But before that, if they draw demons to them, aren't they a sort of self destructive species? Those powerful demons you mentioned would be able to approach them and consume them before anything serious happened, wouldn't they? Even if they didn't know what was going on?" Blake asked, clearly unconvinced. 



"You are correct. But then..." Milana sighed tiredly. "That is sort of the point..." 



Everyone looked to her like she was nuts. "But that doesn't make any sense..." Laura responded. "I mean what is the point if you only end up demon chow?" 



Even the other Nephilim looked to Milana with some confusion. As much as they didn't want to disbelieve her, her words defied any sort of sense at all... She smiled apologetically. "I am sorry for being vague but... I am not lying. The point is to be consumed. As far as can be determined, the Fell Born draw powerful demons to them for the express purpose of having their souls consumed. The reason behind this is to trigger a transformation into something else. We all know that demons are capable of turning Mortals into hell spawn, or even new demons if enough effort is put in. The Fell Born's powers seem to draw in powerful demons in an attempt to trigger exactly that. Except instead of becoming a demon or hell spawn, all accounts suggest they become something infinitely worse." Milana explained, though she sounded less than completely confident herself. 



"Worse?" Dominace piped up. "What in the pit could be worse than demons?" 



"That's... hard to explain and in order to do so I'll need to go into some basic theory about creation itself, so please be patient... In essence, when the divine created everything, everything existed based on the fundamental laws of nature. There was no right, there was no wrong, there just was. As a result, there was not virtue or sin either, beyond the piety of the divine itself. But when Man was created, he was given the power of choice, something nothing else in creation had, and this brought virtue and vice into the world. Virtue, while not something that exists within the natural law, does follow it to some degree. The Virtuous work together to fine a balance between all, so that the society they create can function in a sustainable and proper manner. This allows Virtue to function indefinably in the natural world, despite not being natural itself because the virtuous should account for the Natural Law when striking their balance. Vice, on the other hand flies in the face of the natural law. Instead of balance, Vice breeds imbalance, where a few hoard much, and the rest suffer because of it." As Milana spoke, Thomas couldn't help but be reminded of his younger days, when he sat and listened to his teachers. Warm memories for the most part, and something that Milana often brought up when she explained something. 



Dominace was however becoming impatient and lifted his hand. "I don't mean to be the ass at the table, but is the point coming soon?" Hera gave him an elbow to the ribs and an annoyed look. "Oh come on Hera... I can tell her lecture is boring you as well." Dominace said glancing to Hera. Still, Hera didn't deny him either. 



"Patience is a virtue, Dominace." Milana said with a forgiving smile. "I will come to the point shortly. Now where was I?... Oh yes. Vice flies in the face of natural law. It is, by its very nature, completely unnatural. The universe, by its very design, abhors the unnatural. As a result, it attempts to compensate and remove the offending source, usually by overcompensating. The Nephilim and True Angels are attempts to prevent that overcompensation, in managing the strongest sources of Vice as best we can. But we are not perfect, and the True Angels don't walk the universe casually due to their own laws, and the simple fact that the universe simply couldn't handle their presence for an extended period of time. As a result of this, imbalance inevitably results, and that imbalance triggers the creation of the Fell Born." When Milana paused, she smiled lightly as she realized everyone was listening very intently. 

<hr pg="3" />"The odd thing is the imbalance is not enough to cause a cataclysm of any sort at all. The Nephilim and humanity itself keeps the universe from falling apart. Sure, it might look terrible, but there are many more virtuous people out there than those full of vice, hence why things haven't fallen apart. Still, the Fell Born very occasionally pop up. Usually they are killed by our kind before they can become too powerful, or before demons can consume them and trigger their transformations." Milana said, clearly as curious as to the reasons as the rest. 



"Now, what a Fell Born becomes when it transforms it not entirely clear, and many theories abound, but they are almost universally called 'Dark Ascendants'. These creatures have only one driving force behind them... the abolishment of all sin. Usually this will mean that they will destroy the very demons that helped create them shortly after they are born. The Dark Ascendants are powerful beyond reason, capable of literally igniting any sin ablaze in the fires of oblivion. In essence, they wipe the sin clean from reality." Milana paused when Laura seemed very confused, though also to snatch away another smoke from Thomas, as he nervously tried to light up, much to his grumbling.



"Wait... what is the problem then? If these things are born to wipe out demons, then why are we trying to stop them? Yes, I get that sacrificing a mortal to kill demons is never something we should willingly do, but if it means wiping out all the demons, can't we even consider it?" Laura asked, looking to each of them in turn. 



Blake grunted, clearly frustrated and worried. "Damn it Rookie, try and keep up! Milana didn't say that these things targeted demons... She said they targeted sin itself. I hate to tell you this, but every damn person on this planet has their vices and none of us are free of sin. Meaning that every damn person on our planet would end up being this things target..." 



"Correct Thomas. The Dark Ascendants are not our allies, in fact they are the greatest threat we can ever face. It usually takes the presence of at least one True Angel to destroy a Dark Ascendant, simply because the Angels are the only ones pure enough to not be affected by their powers. Even Nephilim wouldn't stand up for more than a few moments." Milana admitted sadly. 



"Why is that?" Darass asked, "Sure, we are not perfect, but even if it did destroy parts of us, parts that might be associated with vices, would it be enough to kill us?" 



"Yes." Milana said flatly. "A Dark Ascendant doesn't just destroy sin, it makes them grow to corrupt the person completely before whipping it, and the person away. It's believed they do this in order to prevent new sin from being created... Only a complete and total lack of vice would make you immune." Milana explained her voice tense. 



"Which means..." Thomas began. "Even if people started flocking to confessionals or whatever means they had to cleanse themselves of sin, it wouldn't be enough. Mankind probably wouldn't survive. We are, by our very nature, impure. If the Fell Born that caused that explosion at the loft is turned into one of these Dark Ascendants, we have a serious problem on our hands." Thomas said grimly. "We have to stop that, no matter the cost."



"Even if it means murdering an innocent." Laura said, clearly unsure if she could do it...



"You said that the Fell Born caused the explosion at the Loft." Dominace injected, "How exactly? You didn't mention any powers like that..." 



Milana let out a slow sigh. "The Fell Born has what can be described as partial access to a Dark Ascendant's powers. As I said, they are walking corruption, they plant a seed of moral decay in the souls around them and these slowly grow to eventually bring ruin to the mortal they are planted in. The Fell Born might have not even intended for such a curse to be placed, but it often happens regardless. This is especially true for those who upset or hurt the Fell Born. Usually, this simply results in a ruined life for whatever mortal is cursed in such a manner. However, if a mortals soul is tainted further, say by the power of a demon, a transformation occurs not unlike a mortal being turned into a hell spawn. The transformation burns up everything about the person, body, mind and soul, leaving only corruption and the fire of oblivion. In essence, you could call it the spawn of a Dark Ascendant. However unlike hell spawn and demons, the Fell Born will have no control over its creation. It wouldn't surprise me if while it was alive, that creature was writhed in the black fire of oblivion, hence the burns we saw... When one of these creatures dies, the soul burn completes itself, and the fires of oblivion turn in on themselves, resulting in an explosion like the one we saw." 



Dominace spoke up again. "What about the demons themselves, don't they know about the Fell Born? Wouldn't those powerful enough to cause the transformation know not to do it?" 



"Yes and no." Milana responded. "Demons are inherently deceitful, and don't like sharing information. They might have stories about the Fell Born that their whole race knows, but it would be little more than a "boogie man" myth like humanity has. I'm guessing the majority of them wouldn't even be able to recognize a Fell Born for what it was." Milana explained. 



"Never mind the fact that most demons wouldn't even allow themselves to consider a human to be a threat to them." Laura said amused by demonic arrogance. 



"Perhaps, but perhaps not." Milana replied. "Demons have their own myths, which, unlike humanity, they take very seriously. If a demon were to learn that a mortal is Fell Born, they might do anything and everything within their power to see them destroyed in order to protect themselves. They would even cooperate with other demons, even those they considered enemies to destroy the common enemy. The Witch Hunts in ages past are prime examples of that, when demons thought Fell Born more common and feared them with almost hysteric vigor." Milana finished explaining. 



Everyone sat quietly for a long moment as they pondered what this all meant. Eventually Blake reached to fish out another smoke. He didn't show it, but it was a battle to keep his hands from shaking. He got the smoke out of the box but paused when he realized Milana had turned towards him, watching him from behind her blindfold. "You honestly can't tell me no at this point Milana... After everything you just dropped on us?" Blake asked firmly. 



Milana seemed to ponder for a long moment before speaking up hesitantly. "Just this one time... But no more than one... You are going to need to breathe deep soon..." 



Blake frowned, confused by her words. "What does that mean?" he asked as he put the smoke to his lips.



"I don't know..." She shrugged. "It was part of a vision, but it was too blurry to make heads or tales of. Sorry, I know I'm a Seer, but it's all I could come up with." 



Blake shrugged. "It's fine." He grumbled, trying to ignore her humble words and apologies. Whenever she did this it made him feel awkward... Then again, he had to wonder what her visions meant. 



Blake took a puff of the smoke and blew it away from everyone. Once free, his hand slid down to rest under the table. He didn't show it, but when Milana slid her hand into his he felt the contentment that only she could really give him. So he squeezed her hand back gently, as much as he wanted to do more, this was all he could manage...



~~~~



"Lord Durial and Company!" The crier yelled out over the din of the court as Tristan and his companions entered the large chamber from one of the seven entry halls. Many of those around the entry hall bowed their heads to Tristan as he entered, about to give their welcome to him. However all fell silent for a moment as they were surprised by what followed along side him. Beside Lord Durial, for the first time in anyone's memory, a Marked Servant walked, and even to the eyes of demons, she was brilliant to behold. 



Celestine allowed her eyes to adjust to the sudden change of light from the corridor to the main chamber as she contemplated what she had seen on her way here... They were underground, she knew that much at least, after taking an elevator that took their whole vehicle down below the surface. They had come to the Dagon International complex, and taken the elevator from there. Celestine had heard of the Dagon corporation occasionally through the news. It was some sort of multinational corporation that focused on pharmaceuticals, medicine and bio-engineering. From what she recalled, they were lauded as one of the forefront medical researches and were responsible for several drugs that some considered miracles as well as more resilient crops that could thrive in harsher environments. Though there were also inquiries into bio-engineering or even 'human farming'.



Celestine couldn't help but wonder if this Sovereign that Tristan kept going on about was somehow in charge of the Dagon Corp. Given the fact that his home was under their headquarters and main complex, she had to figure he was... Still, as her eyes adjusted she found herself fighting not to stare at all the wicked and weird shapes around her. Most of the demons were humanoid, at least in this area, but she could see that there were others that were utterly abhorrent and inhuman in their shape. Even as she stepped out along side Tristan something stepped over them from a dozen feet above, casting a shadow over them for a moment. It looked like some sort of titanic spider, but it had far too many legs, and its body was a single orb of swirling fur and eyes... 



"You surprise us my lord!" A deep masculine voice brought Celestine's attention back to her immediate surroundings. At a glance she saw a short creature, no taller than four and a half feet speaking to Tristan. He was humanoid in shape, though he bore a second set of arms that were smaller than but just as muscled as the larger set hanging from his shoulders. Further, it did not seem to have a neck, instead its head was sunken and its maw was wide and where its throat should have been. Celestine could tell at just a glance its hide was thick, and covered in scars. "I cannot remember a time when you had a mortal at your side! And such a prize as well! She is marvelous to look upon!" He complemented with his wide grinning smile. 



"Thank you for your complement Gurrak. And the reason you don't recall is because it's never happened before. You know I find the company of most mortals to be tiring and woefully unfulfilling. Though I must admit, Celestine has proven to be a singular exception." Tristan said proudly. Gurrak turned to her and she bowed her head to him, staying quiet for now and not making direct eye contact. She did notice however two strong men behind Gurrak, and she could tell at a glance they were human, simply because they wore no strange shape. However beyond that she could see the faint glow of their marks, branded across their chests. Each man was well muscled, and not hard on the eyes. It didn't help that they were mostly naked, save for a few straps of leather and loin clothes along with the heavy long swords they bore. However just as she was about to look away, she noticed that both were looking at her, a mix of simple lust and curiosity painted on their features as they looked over her nearly naked form. She fought down the urge to blush as they looked over her exposed skin. 



Tristan turned to her. "This is Gurrak, one of the nobles sworn to me. He has always been loyal, and a fervent supporter of mine." He introduced before speaking to her through the mark. <i>("You can speak to him directly")</i>



"A pleasure to meet you Noble Gurrak, it is good to know that my lord has such strong supporters." Celestine said politely. She didn't know why, but she somehow sensed that Gurrak was a demon of wrath, not utterly dissimilar to Rena, though she could feel he had a much stronger martial bent to him, unlike Rena who focused more on the rage... 



Gurrak observed her for a long moment before grinning widely. "You have her dressed as a maiden to be on your arm Lord Durial, but I can see she is fit and strong on top of it... Tell me the truth of it little mortal, you have fought several times in your life, have you not?" Gurrak asked frankly. 



Celestine smiled lightly to him, though his assessment of her was startling accurate. "Indeed, you are correct sir. I have had to fight to defend myself and friends before meeting my lord, and since then, I've had to protect myself from an over eager sloth demon." Celestine admitted, with a touch of embellishment to help make Tristan look better. "Though I must admit I could only really slow the sloth demon down for a moment." She felt Tristan's approval through the mark and smiled a touch wider after glancing to him for a single moment.



"Impressive!" Gurrak bellowed. "Perhaps we will get to see you fight here during court; I think I might enjoy that!" Gurrak chuckled before turning to Tristan and continued to speak to him as they turned to start walking. She didn't understand what he meant by fighting, but she let it go for now, not willing to interrupt Tristan's thoughts while with someone loyal to him. 



However she suddenly felt a strong grip on her upper arm and turned to see one of Gurrak's servants holding her firmly. "Your name is Celestine, a fine name for a fine woman... Perhaps you will see fit to entertain me later." His voice was guttural, though proud. Further, he clearly expected that she should be honored by such an invitation. Rather it was better to say he was expecting her to do exactly what he wanted, which immediately made her blood boil. 



"Thank you, but I am at my lord's call and no one else's." Celestine said firmly, yanking her arm from his grip before turning her back on him. But she quickly felt his grip on her shoulder, yanking her to face him again.



"What an arrogant woman you are to think you can turn your back on me! Do you have any idea who I a-<i>URK!</i>" Whomever he was, was quickly cut off when Celestine struck him square in the throat, with enough force to nearly collapse his esophagus. The man staggered back as he sputtered, face going red in anger and from a lack of oxygen. 



"And who do you think you are to touch me like that!?" Celestine responded harshly as he fell to a knee trying to catch his breath. The mark was helping him recover quickly, and she was sure he bore a second mark like her. Shaking her head, she again turned away from him, about to rush to catch up with Tristan. But the scraping of metal on leather sounded, she turned her head back as the man drew his blade and swung it at her... In an instant Celestine knew she had no chance of escape, and couldn't even deflect the blow with anything... She felt a sudden surge of worry from Tristan, through the mark, and knew somehow that he wasn't going to make it in time to reach her...



The blade came forward but clanged off something hard... Celestine looked sideways to see it caught, in Rena's heavily armored hand. Looking back Rena had reached around Celestine and caught the blade, almost blind fury on her features as she wrenched the blade from the mortal's hands. His face was one of fear and surprise, like Rena protecting Celestine was somehow strange. Rena stepped forwards and held the blade up, before bending it far enough for it to shatter into fragments that scattered across the ground. "You heard her, you pathetic wretch!" Rena rumbled angrily. "You will not touch her again!" 



"Rena, enough!" Tristan ordered, and Rena backed away from the now shaking mortal, though kept herself in front of Celestine. Looking around, Celestine realized everyone was watching now, some with murderous glee... They wanted to see the man torn apart... Tristan turned to Gurrak, though he was clearly annoyed. "I assume your servants actions are not under your order?" 



"No, my lord." Gurrak responded flatly, cold fury written on his features as he glared at his mortal servant. "I think my servant allowed his pecker to think for him, so attractive your servant is." Gurrak explained. "Forgive me my lord, I should have him trained better. I will of course make reparations." Gurrak said unhappily. 



"Humm..." Tristan responded as he looked over the terrified servant. Yet as he did so Tristan spoke to Celestine via the mark. <i>("Do you think you could take him?") </i>He asked curiously. 



<i>("Wait, what? You mean in a fight?! Uh... maybe, if he wasn't armed. He looks used to wielding a weapon. Why? Are you going to ask me to fight him?") </i>Celestine responded, clearly confused. 



<i>("If you are comfortable with it, yes.") </i>Tristan responded amused. <i>("You wouldn't have to kill him, just beat him soundly. Though if you really wanted to, I suppose no one would care or even blame you if you killed him. Hell, Gurrak probably will either way.") </i>Tristan explained. 



<i>("This... It's too much to decide on the spot! I need time!") </i>Celestine pleaded as her mind whirled. She didn't want to seem weak to Tristan, nor make him look weak, but she didn't really exactly want to fight this guy either...



"Let me think on how you can repay me Gurrak." Tristan said aloud. "I assure you, it won't be a dire cost. Though I would ask you let your servant live long enough for me to decide... I have an idea in the works." Tristan said with a grin. 



Gurrak nodded grimly, before excusing himself. Celestine looked back to Rena before smiling thankfully. "Thanks... how many times is that that you've saved my butt?" 



Rena grinned, which was slightly unsettling given her teeth were much sharper in her demonic form and her features were much more feral. "Who's counting? Besides, I like having your cute butt around." Rena gave Celestine a look over, making Celestine blush slightly, before Rena spoke again. "Though I have to admit, at least that fellow has good taste, if no sense at all. You could have taken him." 



"Thank you for saying so." Celestine responded honestly while trying to keep up with Tristan. 



As the next few minuets passed, Tristan spoke with well over a dozen other nobles. As he did so, Celestine was able to observe her surroundings some. This chamber reminded her of the coliseum from ancient Rome... except it was underground. In the center was a large pit like area, with multiple gates and high stone walls. Around the pit were seats that looked to be meant for the elite, given the quality of the chairs and the extra space available for each individual. It was around the middle of this tier that Celestine noticed what could only be described as twelve thrones. Each had numerous extra seating around them apparently dedicated to whomever sat in said throne. Where they were currently was some sort of walkway that circled just above the tier reserved for the elite, and was clearly meant as a means for the elite to reach their seats, as well as give them a place to mingle. Celestine saw both demonic and mortal servants scurrying around working hard to fulfill the needs of their lords. 



Above them was what looked to be the tiers available for what Celestine guessed were the lower class of demons. Hundreds of demons dotted the upper tier already, many of which were mingling and talking amongst each other, though Celestine could see that a few minor brawls had broken out. Not really surprising given the nature of demons... Beyond that however, Celestine was certain she could feel air flowing up from under the coliseum, like there were lower levels. She could see there were hallways and staircases that led down, though had no idea as to where. When she thought of it, it was impressive that this whole facility was underground. However it was also freighting, that the demons could manage this without humanity even realizing it. 

<hr pg="4" />It was then that Celestine felt something akin to a shiver run down her back. It wasn't utterly unpleasant, almost like a pleasant sigh brushing against the back of her neck, but within a moment she felt something hidden behind it. It was power... Not utterly dissimilar to Tristan's... <i>("W-What is that?") </i>Celestine reflexively asked him without even thinking about it. She could tell that whomever it was, they were trying to suppress their power, to keep it hidden and secret... but they were coming closer with every second. 



<i>("What's wrong Celestine?") </i>Tristan asked, glancing her direction. 



<i>("You can't feel that?") </i>Celestine asked as she began to scour the crowd for the source. She didn't know why, but something about this presence made her feel terribly desperate... like she needed to stop its coming or she would lose everything. As she peered through the crowd, she caught a glimpse of what had to be the source... Celestine only saw her for a moment... but in that moment she couldn't help but know... That woman was a demon of lust, like Tristan, and only seeing her face, Celestine saw her almost stupefying beauty. 



Tristan looked to Celestine and saw her staring off into the crowd, as if she had found something. Immediately he turned to face it, and within a moment the crowd parted for the Demonic Duchess that stepped through, her entourage following her. The woman was, as ever, striking to behold. Every curve, every movement, every look was meant to entice and tempt... At a glance, one might think she and Tristan were somehow related, sharing similar complexions and some features. Both bore demonic wings, and tails, though hers were perhaps more feminine if such an attribute could be given to such things. Like Tristan, the woman bore horns, though they were set further back, and curled down and then forwards slightly, though like Tristan's, hers perfectly smooth. 



Unlike Tristan however, the demonic woman had an ample bosom and wide alluring hips, which swayed temptingly with each step. Her bust was only contained by a thin wrap, held in place by cords that criss crossed around her body. A shift was wrapped around her waste, though only was long enough to barely cover her groin. Beyond that, the only clothing she wore seemed to be jewelry, which ordained her horns, neck, fingers and almost anywhere she could festoon it upon herself, yet somehow it didn't seem gaudy. Further, the iris of her eyes glowed pale silver, where the whites of her eyes were not white at all, but a dark black sprinkled very lightly with golden flakes. Most notably however, was the almost blood red hair she bore, which was cut just above the shoulder. 



Despite the inhuman features, Celestine could see this woman's beauty, and knew just by her presence that she wasn't just another noble... She was at least on par with Tristan in terms of status... Other demons, nobles no less, bowed their head out of respect as she passed, just as they did to Tristan. Even those who owed fealty to him, bowed slightly to her... Celestine only realized after she had done it, but she had moved closer to Tristan, as if ready to keep this new comer from trying to snatch him away from her... As much as she wanted to berate herself for how she felt, something inside her told her that it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility... Tristan's next word confirmed her fears and made her chest feel tight.



"Navira!" Tristan said with a smooth pleased voice. "You are blindingly beautiful as ever." Tristan opened his arms to embrace her. "It has been too long since we've seen each other. Something we must see to remedying for the future. I must say parties are not the same without you." Tristan's voice was charming, and carried his powerful charisma under it, making Celestine, who wasn't even the target of his voice shiver slightly in secret desire. He was kind and friendly to the newcomer, more so than he had been with anyone else so far at court. 



"It is good to see you too, lover." Navira's voice was as seductive as sin as she stepped forwards and embraced Tristan, hugging him as she pressed her body, and bust, up against his broad chest, eliciting more than a little skin to skin contact. Celestine suppressed the urge to vent her fury at having to watch this. How could she dare be so forward!? 



But in a moment Celestine could see it wasn't just Navira being forward... one of Tristan's hands slid down her back and cupped her soft bottom and gave it a firm squeeze, eliciting a pleased gasp from Navira, before she leaned forwards and nipped lightly at Tristan's collar bone. The answering low pleased rumble from him told the truth of the matter more than words could...It didn't help that Celestine could feel Tristan's hunger for Navira through the demonic mark. He was restraining himself yes, but he still wanted her... 



Soon Tristan broke the contact, and Navira sighed lamenting the separation for a moment. "I am sorry I haven't had a chance to meet with you recently, I have been occupied with matters that can't be ignored." Tristan explained calmly.



Navira shrugged, which in itself was somehow a sultry act. "It is fine Durial, as much as I would want to punish you for it; I too have been sidelined by a new pet project of mine." She smiled mischievously as Tristan raised his eyebrow in interest. Yet, before he could ask, Navira turned to Claude. "Claudius, you are a picture of perfection." She said approvingly. "You must have worked your aides to death buffing your scales to make them shine so!" Navira complemented as she glanced at the reflection of herself in Claude's mirrored scales.



"You are too kind." Claude replied, friendlier than Celestine expected. "I do my best to keep them always shining." Claude explained happily. 



"A shame I can't find someone like you to serve me as you do your lord. Your skills would be so very useful." She looked to Tristan. "Can't I borrow him for a time? I promise to give him back." She asked coyly. 



Tristan chuckled but shook his head. "Alas no, I would be lost without my most faithful butler, even if I were to go without for a single day." Tristan may have exaggerated slightly, but he still did give a nod to Claude, showing how valuable he was to Tristan. 



Navira smiled but clearly knew what Tristan was talking about. "Oh well." She looked to Rena and again Celestine was surprised when Rena stepped forwards, smiling lightly. "Rena! You've gone and gotten more powerful haven't you?" Navira asked. "And a new tail, too! You must have swallowed up some unfortunate Lust demon to have earned that new feature. It suits you well." She complemented much to Rena's appreciation. 



"Yes I have Duchess Navira. And thank you, I've only really used it once so I haven't gotten a good grip on it yet, but I'm learning." Rena replied happily, clearly liking being around Navira. 



"Alas I suppose you still won't accept my offer to come to my service?" Navira asked, pouting lightly. 



Rena shook her head. "Thank you but no. I serve Lord Durial, and no one else." 



Navira sighed and shrugged once again turning towards Tristan about to speak. But when something suddenly caught her eye she stopped dead mid turn. "... And who is this?" She asked eyes fixed on Celestine, powerful curiosity glittering in her dark eyes. "Durial... have you gone and broken expectations and brought a mortal to court with you?" She asked surprised as she tentatively stepped towards Celestine. 



Celestine held her gaze with Navira's, her pride getting in the way of knowing that she should caste her head down and avert her eyes Duchess's. Still, Celestine somehow felt like she had to prove something to this woman... She fooled herself into not knowing why exactly.



"Indeed." Tristan said after a half moment of hesitation. "You could say I found a diamond in the rough when I happened upon her." Tristan said clearly proud of Celestine, which made Celestine all the more confident. 



When Navira came closer Celestine curtsied to her lightly, but held her gaze regardless. "A pleasure to meet you Duchess Navira." Celestine greeted in a smooth breathy voice. To her ears it sounded like her inner voice, confident and sultry, one to rival Navira's... Strange that it would come out now of all times... Still Celestine didn't have time to think about it. "I am Celestine, in the service of Lord Durial." 



Navira paused as Celestine spoke and smiled curiously, the short but noticeable fangs she bore became visible as her lips curled. A moment later she reached out a hand and gently brushed the back of her hand along Celestine's cheek, in a surprisingly intimate gesture. "Impressive." Navira complemented. "You are strikingly beautiful Celestine... And have a very powerful will... Durial must have had quite a bit of trouble reining you in..." Navira began to circle around Celestine inquisitively, looking over every curve and feature Celestine bore. 



"Indeed." Celestine responded lightly. "But I think he enjoyed the challenge." She continued, glancing to Tristan. She could see he was pleased with her response, though she could also feel an undercurrent of concern through the mark as well... As if he was worried about her... "I've found that he enjoys the conquest..." Celestine began as Navira came around in front of her again. "... So I make him work for it whenever he wishes for the pleasure of my... company." She finished, her voice implying more than a little. Celestine found herself smiling lightly to Navira, like they were sharing some sort of secret hidden under their words. 



Navira considered Celestine for a long moment before her smile grew larger. "Oh I know... I've been there, been fucked by him... I must admit, I like you... You are so lovely..." She leaned close and whispered into Celestine's ear, for only her to hear. "You're just on the cusp of diving into your desires... If only I could be there, and share them with you..." Navira purred lightly as she pulled away and smiled again to Celestine. "I sincerely hope that one day you and I can spend some quality time together..." And with that, Navira turned away and back to Tristan. 



Her words and actions left Celestine with her heart thundering in her chest and suddenly wondering what sort of lover Navira might be... Shaking off the feeling, Celestine began to follow Tristan as he walked with Navira. They seemed to be carrying on a conversation of sorts but Celestine couldn't focus on it as Tristan began to speak to her through the mark. <i>("Are you okay?") </i>He asked, clearly wondering about her and the impact Navira had on her.



<i>("I'll be fine...") </i>Celestine responded, trying to hide her own fears and doubts in concern to Navira... She didn't even understand her reaction; she sure as hell wasn't going to share it with Tristan... 



<i>("Alright... I'm sorry about all this. I didn't think so many would be drawn to you. Though I suppose it is in fact a complement to your quality.") </i>Tristan complemented her easily, clearly proud of her, which brought a slight blush to her features. 



<i>("Never mind me! You have to focus on talking with her don't you?") </i>Celestine asked flustered by his kind words.



Tristan didn't respond and after a moment Celestine was able catch her breath. They were not walking quickly, but the facility was quite large, making it more than a short walk to get where they were going. This gave Celestine a moment to glance to Navira's entourage and observe them. Like Tristan, Navira had several demons following her, though unlike Claude and Rena, they were horrible to look at. She could tell they were both lust demons, just by the feeling she got from them, but unlike the majority of the lust demons she had encountered before, they did not share the proportions of a human. 



The first of the demons was a large furry brute, with reversed knees and legs like the rear legs of a goat or horse. He had a broad chest, and long heavy arms, tipped with curled fingers and heavy claws. Between his legs hung a large phallus, easily as thick as her wrist and as long as her forearm, and that was when it was flaccid. Celestine had to repress a shudder as she imagined what it would be like hard, and how it would utterly ruin a woman, if it didn't just kill her outright... Its face was blessedly obscured by a mask, though the mask was utterly out of place on the creature, bearing almost angelic qualities before the creatures curling horns poked out from under the mask... The other demon was utterly unlike its companion. It was short and stooped over, and walked on a set of four legs rather than two. Nearly the entirety of this creature was clad in leather and buckles, all save for its back and face. Its face seemed to be encased in some sort of full helmet, with small holes for eyes that were covered over with black glass, and an air filter at the bottom... Its back on the other hand jingled loudly with each step, as thousands of piercings hung from the exposed and gnarled flesh... The arms of the creature were freakishly long, and appeared to be capable of turning in any direction it wished. Its fingers had needle like talons, which looked long stained with blood. This combined with how its arms could move, suggested that it installed all of its piercings itself...



Thankfully they were not the only company Navira kept, and three others caught Celestine's eye. The first seemed to be completely wrapped in a long dark cloak, though Celestine could tell she was a woman, and wasn't a demon... The hood of the cloak was pulled up to obscure her features but Celestine could see golden blond hair licking out from under the hood. The only other feature was a beautiful thin sword that hung from a belt around her waist... 



The other two around Navira were also human, but their garb was markedly more vulgar than the first... The first of the two was some sort of goth/punk woman... Tall and lithe, she bore hooker boots that went almost up to her hips and were held up by a black garter belt, a black and pink leather corset that left her bust exposed but supported it, and finally a set of fingerless leather gloves with studs over the knuckles. She also bore more than a few tattoo's, some of which covered her entire back. However at a glance Celestine could also tell that for all the markings, this woman only bore the first Demonic Mark. Further, this woman bore many piercings. Several hung from her ears and eyebrows, along with her lips and one from her nose. However the one that drew Celestine's attention the most was the heavy studs that pierced her nipples. They looked painful, but to her eyes, also highly erotic... Especially with the dark metal chain that hung between the two studs... It was an attractive accent to the woman's handful sized breasts.



In comparison to the first woman, the second looked like some perverse saint. She was shorter, but not quite pixie like. However unlike the first, her clothes were dominated by white and gold. She wore sandals that wrapped up to just below her knees, while leaving much of her lightly tanned skin visible. She wore a skirted corset, made of soft white leather and ribbed with gold, but like her companion, it left her breasts exposed. The skirt itself was white and lacy, and could be seen clearly through... Her hands were covered in see through white lace gloves, which looked so fragile that it seemed like a strong wind would ruin them. Her hair was a silver blond, which complemented her pale blue eyes well. She had blue gem earrings, which hung delicately from her ears. However another set of blue gems hung from the piercing she also bore in her nipples. Unlike her counter part, small rings hung from her nipples, and were less heavy and obvious. Celestine could also tell that she bore the first mark, but it was hidden somewhere, under her clothes...



Both of the women had their breasts on open display, and when Celestine glanced down, she found their shaved pussies on display as well. Neither attempted to cover themselves in any fashion at all, and if anything both were proudly walking along behind Navira. However it seemed they noticed Celestine observing them and she was surprised how they reacted. The one in white almost blushed and looked away, only to glance back and seemingly admire Celestine. The other however flipped Celestine the bird and grinned arrogantly. Celestine only raised her eyebrows in confusion and shook it off as they continued to walk. 



She listened in on Tristan's and Navira's conversation for a time and they would occasionally pause and trade pleasantries with another noble or the like. As she looked about more and more demons were streaming into the facility, though the majority of them were up in the common section. Some of them she recognized from Lavanna's home... However something kept irking her and drew her attention back to the woman in the cloak following Navira... 



Something was off about her... She wasn't a demon, Celestine could tell that... But she wasn't human either... Celestine focused hard, trying to figure it out but try as she might she couldn't quite manage it. However, the woman's back must have been burning from Celestine's gaze, as she turned to look at her. Celestine only caught it for a moment, but the woman's eyes glowed a dark blue before she lowered her hood further to obscure it. Frowning in confusion Celestine tried harder to feel anything from the woman, and slowly something began to form in her mind. She didn't understand it, or even recognize it... but this woman was clearly not human and somehow Celestine somehow knew was a threat... at least to her.



<i>("Tristan!") </i>Celestine reflexively called her mind's tone suddenly worried and desperate. Tristan turned to her suddenly frowning in concern. <i>("That woman... she isn't human... Not even a demon... It's... I don't know... I'm afraid of it... And I don't even know why!") </i>Celestine explained, panic growing in her mind. Why was she afraid? She had faced horrors that would make most people run screaming, and this unassuming woman was terrifying her?



Tristan looked to whom Celestine was backing away from and focused. It took him a moment but after peering through the veils that protected her, he understood. A single mental order told Rena to get between it and Celestine, which she promptly followed. "Navira, what have you done?!" he asked angrily as he raised his guard. Navira looked to him curiously before glancing to what he was glaring at. 



"Whatever do you mean Durial?" Her voice dripping with faked innocence, as she smiled with great amusement. The demons around them all went quiet at the disturbance, many moving to the lord or lady that they served. 



"Are you joking?! You've brought a <i>Nephilim </i>here, of all places?!" Tristan was angry, but more than that he was confused. However that one word seemed to ripple out into the crowd and every demon turned towards it, hate filling their eyes. However Celestine didn't have a clue what was going on...



Navira shrugged lightly. "Oh now you've gone and ruined the surprise!" She said, as if flustered, though she was clearly amused someone had caught her. She looked about and shook her head. "Relax everyone, she has been tamed... Isn't that right, Elanace?" Navira asked as she looked to the so-called Nephilim. The figure nodded once to her, though remained quiet. The crowd relaxed only slightly however. Navira sighed at seeing this. "Oh very well, if you require proof... Elanace... throw away that rag and get on your knees." Navira ordered with a cruel smile on her features. 



Elanace looked to Navira for a moment, as if surprised this was happening. But after that moment, she unbuckled her sword from her waist and removed her cloak. She was, at least to Celestine's eyes, somewhat attractive, though not on the same level as the mortals Navira kept with her, or anywhere close to Navira herself. She wore what looked to be a simple sleeveless shirt and skirt that went down to just above her knees. Further, Elanace looked to be a fighter of some sort, to muscled and lean to be highly attractive. Elanace apparently hesitated to get to her knees however, which made Navira cock her head slightly. That alone seemed to make Elanace fall to her knees quickly. 

<hr pg="5" />"Good." Navira responded. "Now show them your wings..." She ordered casually, and Elanace's head drooped, as if shamed. Celestine was confused until two great grey wings unfurled from Elanace's back... 



"Holy shit... is... is that an angel?" Celestine whispered to herself, stupefied by what she saw. 



<i>("No.") </i>Tristan's voice answered her firmly. <i>(If that was a True Angel, your eyes would have burnt out of their sockets and at least a hundred demons would be splattered all over the place by now with dozens more following them every moment...")</i>



Celestine looked awestruck to Tristan... That was, quite possibly the only time she's ever heard him so deadly serious... Navira's voice dragged her attention back to the sight in front of her though...



"Good girl... Now I want you to pleasure your mistress, in front of all these demons... You can do that for me, can't you?" Navira asked her voice breathy and full of anticipation. Elanace nodded once again after a moment and crawled up to Navira, before slipping her head under the shift that was wrapped around Navira's waist. Given Navira's reaction, Celestine was sure Elanace began to eat Navira out, in front of everyone... A pleased moan escaped Navira's lips as Elanace worked away... 



In moments the crowd of demons began to hoot and holler, cheering Navira on. Apparently the humiliation of one of these Nephilim was a big deal amongst them, and something they enjoyed watching greatly... Celestine could see the moisture running down Navira's legs... apparently being watched as she humiliated Elanace was enough to make her pussy gush as her tail flicked to and fro. She looked about the horde that watched, grinning in euphoric joy. That is until she came to one face that made her frown in confusion... That face belonged to Tristan... and for a long moment they looked to each other, Tristan cold, and almost uncaring, Navira confused and slightly lost. 



After a moment Navira spoke to Elanace. "Stop...I've had enough of your tongue for now." However, Elanace didn't stop immediately, apparently confused by Navira's commands, which earned her a lash from Navira's tail that left a stinging red streak on Elanace's pale skin. "I said <i>stop</i>!" Navira hissed out and Elanace quickly pulled back. "Now hide yourself wretch." Navira demanded as she turned to look at Tristan, unhappy resentment written on her features. She looked to the crowd after a moment, and told them to clear away, and in moments the crowd began to disperse. 



Celestine looked to those that followed Navira and saw that they were afraid... Apparently such behavior was uncommon for Navira. Elanace began to wrap herself in her dark cloak again as Navira stepped up to Tristan. When she spoke, her voice was cold, like she was forcing herself not to reveal any emotion at all. "You didn't approve of the show?" She asked him angrily. 



"Not really, no." Tristan responded. "It seemed to be more about humiliating your new pet then actually enjoying the feeling of her eating you out or her enjoying it at all. I suspect you may end up paying for that later." He said calmly, looking to Elanace, who suddenly turned her face away from everyone. But he saw enough... he saw a seed of resentment and hurt there...



Navira grit her teeth as she considered his words, and after a long moment she let out a sigh. "Perhaps... Perhaps in this one instance, you are correct." 



"Perhaps." Tristan allowed, letting Navira save some face for reasons beyond Celestine's comprehension. "Still, it is impressive that you captured and tamed a Nephilim at all. Congratulations Navira." Tristan said with a slightly warmer voice, which made Navira grin back. 



"You still think it was too much bringing her here don't you?" She asked, as if amused by her own actions. 



"Most definitely." He said simply.



Navira sighed and shrugged her blunder away. "Oh well... it could have been worse..." 



Celestine was about to wonder how, but something cold and terrible invaded her senses... She knew it was far away yet, but it was so unrepentantly evil that she just wanted to curl up and hide... What was worse... it was coming closer... 



"Celestine?" Tristan asked, suddenly confused by her terrified look. But just as she was about to respond, her voice caught in her throat and all that came out was a terrified squeak. A moment later, the screaming sound of mortals losing their minds ripped out across the chamber as she felt it suddenly accelerating towards her and drop down behind her with enough force to throw her off her feet... 



Black choking smoke billowed around her as Celestine tried to get up and face whatever it was that set her mind to the point of breaking... The acrid smoke smelled of burning flesh and ash, and even a breath of it made her want to vomit. When she looked up, Celestine was quite certain her heart stopped completely for a few moments at the sight of it... <i>It</i>... was the very personification of evil... It stood twice as tall as even Claude, and twice as wide to boot... Its hide was a violent crimson, thick and impossibly tough looking... It was vaguely humanoid, though a muscled beyond reason... It had a long dragon like tail covered in spines that dripped burning venom, which waved back and forth from behind it, leaving sizzling pits wherever its deadly payload leaked out and landed. From its back, two wings stretched out, from which the black smoke billowed out from. She could not see skin stretched between the fingers of the wings, as if this creature flew on nothing more than the chocking cloud it created...



Its arms were as thick as full grown trees, and covered in plated armor, which was decorated with the skulls of humans and demons alike... Where no armor covered, thick spines poked free, sharp enough to flense the skin off any who got too close. Its upper chest and shoulders were covered in similar armor, but as Celestine couldn't help but look closer. She saw runes etched into the plates, which seemed to twist and shift with each passing moment. Upon its chest hung a still living person, burnt and desiccated beyond what Celestine thought was possible, yet it was still very much alive as it somehow twitched and writhed in agony... Its limbs nothing more than broken and burnt stumps... lips long since peeled back and burned away. It occasionally mewled in agony, bringing fresh gore up with each sound from its ruined mouth. 



However, the single most terrifying aspect of this creature was its head... Long and heavy, the creature opened its lipless maw in a wide open smile, displaying the long stake like teeth that lined its jaw. However beneath it sat another mouth, smaller, but similar in appearance as the outer jaw... Upon its brow, no hair hung, but instead a thicket of demonic horns twisted into a parody of some insane crown. The largest horns jutted out, and were large enough to impale a human with ease... It bore two sets of eyes, each glowing in a malevolent red as the slit like pupils looked her over. 



Celestine wanted to scream... Actually, it was more accurate to say that she wanted to die... Just being in the presence of this thing was like being in the deepest of oceans... Like millions of tons of force were crushing down on her, like it would not just shatter her sanity, but instead would grind it into powder... Somehow, she gathered the strength to look back over her shoulder to Tristan and the others. But was horrified to see that they seemed frozen in place, in the process of becoming surprised that this creature was here at all. No, that was wrong... They were just moving very slowly... like they were at one thousandth the speed of her and this creature...



Looking back to it, she found it had come closer... its face mere inches from hers. Its grin growing even wider as it seemed to look into her very soul. 



This was it... this was when she was going to die... That was the only thing that ran through Celestine's mind as each second seemed like an eternity of fear... She felt her mind beginning to buckle under this creature's presence...



<i>NO! Just bear with it! We can do it! Just a little longer!</i>



Her inner voice sounded and Celestine felt its arms wrap around her hugging her tightly, shielding her from this abominations dreadful presence. Somehow the presence of her other side eased the burden, and Celestine was able to breathe again, and her heart thumped to life once more. 



But almost as if the creature had heard the inner voice, its inner maw opened and began to laugh, each chortle as loud as thunder. Its breath washed over Celestine and again she had to fight not to vomit. It smelled of brimstone, and if she had to define it... it smelled of pain and misery... Even her inner voice seemed stunned at its reaction.



<i><b>Just bear with it she says!</b></i> The thundering voice sounded inside Celestine's head, like a thousand nails on glass. <b><i>How marvelous! No wonder I was drawn to you, you and the siren song of your soul! Oh great wonders! Oh you lovely Fell Born! </i></b>



Celestine only heard herself screaming after his voice stopped echoing in her head...



~~~~

