TITLE    : Demonic Submission Ch. 22
STORYID  : demonic-submission-ch-22
SUMMARY  : It's easier to slip down the slope when its bloody...
AUTHOR   : TheLastChaosLord@lit
DATE     : 2013-06-26
CATEGORY : non-human-stories
FLAGS    : h
TAGS     : |demon|incubus|red head|group sex|facial|ffm|


<em>Hello all.</em>



<em>My thanks to WanderingMindGames for her help proofing this chapter and helping me out.</em>



<em>Some people have made mention that they want to see the Clash soon, and I assure you, it will be the next chapter. It is already written and just being proofed now so you'll see it soon after you are reading this chapter.</em>



<em>This chapter will largely deal with Celestine and the choices she is forced to make, some of which are perhaps less noble then they might appear. Otherwise it revolves around a Confrontation between Navira and Tristan.</em>



<em>Hope you all enjoy, and as ever, suggestions and thoughts are welcome.</em>



~~~~



The shriek of metal on metal sounded in Celestine's ears again as the blade in her hand skidded off her opponent's small buckler. The thumping of her heart hummed in her ears relentlessly, like a barely audible whisper above her fast but smooth breaths as she darted back again avoiding her opponent, which was trying to cave her skull in with the small metal shield he bore. The blow was so close that Celestine saw her reflection in the dented and scratched but still polished surface of the small disk as it sang past her face no farther than a few inches away.



She put some distance between them, and took a moment to take stock of her surroundings as she circled slowly. She was several levels beneath the primary chamber of the Sovereign's lair, and another level below the bazaar she had been in last night. The pit she was fighting in was perhaps as large as a boxing ring, and not nearly as deep as the primary stage far above, but the ring like pit they were was big enough for their needs. The walls were smooth, and the pit could only be exited if someone threw her a line to climb up with. Above, surrounding the edge of the pit were numerous demons watching and cheering them on. No, that was wrong. They were not cheering for her, or her opponents' victory... They were crying out their desire to see the combatants bleed and suffer.



Celestine glanced up and saw Tristan watching her calmly, a firm confidence written on his features. She didn't know where that confidence was coming from though. As far as she could tell, she was losing. Yes, she had a long knife that was sharp enough to cut flesh like butter, but her opponent, Gurrak's mortal servant who had tried to force himself on her yesterday, was a trained combatant. Even with only the buckler for protection and offence, Celestine was very aware of the mismatch.



Her glance turned into a glare as she considered Tristan, and how the hell she had ended up in this situation...



~~~~



"What is a <em>Fell Born</em> Tristan? What <em>am</em> I?" Celestine asked flatly, doing everything she could to keep the rampant emotions swirling around inside her from affecting her.



<em>Damn it why are you bringing that up?</em> Her inner voice asked desperately. <em>Can't we just enjoy the afterglow of a good fuck and get some needed sleep?"</em>



Celestine ignored her inner voice and shook off the gentle touch it tried to use to relax her. She forced herself to become tenser, like a coiled spring ready to snap. The day's events had left her reeling and distracted. They had left her unable to realize the gravity of what the Sovereign had said. But now that she had cleared her head, she recalled what Vestiem had told her, and that Tristan supposedly had the answers.



She watched as he stood somewhat stunned by her direct question. That in itself was proof that he knew what she was talking about, and it allowed anger to start flaring inside her. She could feel his mind working to try and answer her, before he suddenly cut himself off from her, providing more proof that he knew what she was talking about. After a few seconds more, he opened his mouth to speak, but this time Celestine cut him off, her voice firm and unyielding. "And don't lie to me. I know you know something about this... Vestiem said as much."



Tristan frowned for a moment, as if her words had annoyed him, but he relaxed a moment later and took a step towards her, holding out his hands in mock surrender, clearly trying to defuse the situation and get her to relax. It might have worked better, if he wasn't wearing his true demonic form... "Celestine, let's take a moment to breathe here. Tell me what he told you and we can go from there." He said with a gentle smile on his features.



She promptly wiped away his smile with her answer. "No. I'm not giving you time to think up some lie. Tell me the truth Tristan." Celestine's voice was, if anything, becoming more distant and harder still, giving Tristan pause. He had gained so much ground in getting her to trust and rely on him, but Vestiem had ruined all of that with a few words...



As she waited for his response, some emotion twisted inside her, growing stronger every time her mind circled around the knowledge that he was withholding information from her. She didn't understand what she was feeling. Or more accurately, she was keeping herself from understanding... If she acknowledged it, it would mean more than she was willing to accept right now.



Tristan sighed, clearly annoyed, though she could tell it wasn't directed at her. "It is far too late in the evening to go into that at depth Celestine. It will keep until the morning, so please go to bed and rest. I can tell you're exhausted and just standing up right now is almost more than you can handle. I'll explain this to you soon, just not now, alright?" He asked, clearly trying to get her to calm down.



Unfortunately it seemed to have the opposite effect. "Damn it Tristan, I said no! Explain it to me now. I know I'm tired but that doesn't matter. If this is about me, about... about why people slowly twist themselves into hating me than I need to know! Am I really responsible? Tell me, and no more evasions or lies..." Celestine demanded taking a step towards him, anger lining her voice, though it wasn't directed at him. Instead Tristan was surprised to realize it was directly inwards.



'Damn him' was all Tristan could think about. He had worked so hard to get Celestine's confidence in herself to the point where she didn't care what others might think, and now that had all gone to hell... Tristan shook his head. "Celestine, I've not lied to you about anything. Actually it would be fair to say that I've been more honest with you than I have been with any other mortal over the course of my life." He said, trying to keep off the subject of the Fell Born.



"And that's an accomplishment?" Celestine scoffed, clearly annoyed as she could see right through his attempts to evade her questions. "You don't keep your servants near you, and the ones you do have regular contact with, you tell them next to nothing. Sig was a perfect example of that. Please stop trying to dance around this and tell me!" Celestine pushed desperately. She didn't like to admit it, but every time he tried to avoid her questions, it felt like he was driving a knife into her back.



Tristan sighed. "Look... I know you are sort of a first for me. So perhaps it isn't a big deal to you that I can say I've been more open and honest with you than any other mortal. But it is for me. Usually I can't tolerate the presence of mortals for long so you can imagine how odd this is for me as well. Because of this, I'm taking things slowly, even though it might not seem like it." Tristan tried to explain.



"Slowly?" Celestine asked with dark amusement. "Tristan, you abducted me, molested me on at least a dozen occasions, let me watch someone I once called friend be turned into an incubator for the monsters you keep in your basement... All over the course of a few days... And now I'm told that some of that is my fault?" Celestine hugged herself and took a step back from him, slipping back into the shadowed corner. "Told that I might be a monster, responsible for ruining people's lives..." Her voice slipped further away, making Tristan grit his teeth in anger. She wasn't depressed, but it was clear she was thinking of ways to prevent it from ever happening again... including any drastic and tragically final steps that may require.



"You honestly think you are a monster? You, of all people?" Tristan shook his head and couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "Well that is ridiculous notion if I've ever heard one. You Celestine are no monster." Tristan said firmly.



"He said I wasn't human...." Celestine said looking to Tristan, confusion shining in her emerald eyes.



"Celestine..." Tristan shook his head and sighed. "First... You are most definitely human. Second, what have I told you about trusting demons? Think about it for just a moment... Vestiem is my kind's <em>Sovereign</em>... In order to have gained that position how many people do you think he's killed? How many <em>lies</em> and webs of deception do you think he's spun over the course of his millennia long life?" Tristan tried to coax, holding out his hand to her. Strange, that he would be holding his hand out to her, to pull her back into the light when his true goal was to drag her down into the darkness with him. Strange indeed... but sometimes you had to go back to go forwards again...



Celestine looked to his hand, as if she wanted to take it, but knew it was hazardous to her... Still, she reached out tentatively, but stopped as her hand hovered above his, as if she saw some new threat there... She looked up to meet his gaze again. She felt a shimmer of want and lust run through her as she met his beautiful eyes. Eyes that just minuets ago she had been staring into as he fucked her senseless and freed her from the terror that gripped her heart. "Is it possible to be human, and more?" She asked, her hand still hesitating to take his.



Tristan held her gaze for a moment, before a gentle and pleased smile began to spread across his features. "Yes Celestine. But that is not what makes me crave you every moment of every day." Tristan assured much to her surprise. He wondered for a moment if that was true or not. But he quickly decided it was indeed the case. Even before he ever suspected her of being a Fell Born, Tristan wanted her. No, that was incorrect. He needed her...



He felt her slip his hand gently into his, as if still expecting a betrayal or that he was going to suddenly change his stance. But instead he lightly closed his hand around hers, and pulled her from the darkness and into his arms. "There? Was that so hard now?" He asked smiling down to her as she blushed in embarrassment at his overly intimate gesture.



"You have no idea how difficult that was." She said coolly, still some distance between them in her voice at least. "Not all of us have your casual confidence. It is hard to trust you... After all, wasn't it you who told me not to trust demons, Mr. Demonic Lord?" She asked looking up to him, a slight grin on her features, but caution still lingered in her eyes.



"Indeed it was." Tristan responded, amused by her slight jab at him. "What a terrible corner I've pushed myself into." He lamented playfully. "However shall I earn your trust now?"



"You could tell me the truth." Celestine responded immediately. "Tell me about the 'Fell Born'..." she implored lightly.



Tristan lost much of his mirth at her request. His smiled lessened and his eyes became calculating. Seeing this Celestine began to pull away from him, expecting more evasion. It made her chest hurt and her mind spin slowly. For some reason she hated the idea of hearing more of his skirting around her questions. But just as she was about to turn her back on him he gripped her hand a little tighter and pulled her back to him. "I will." He said firmly. "But you must earn it." He said, his eyes urging her to meet his challenge.



"Earn it?" She asked perplexed. "I think I deserve to know Tristan... especially given it is about me." She pointed out.



"Perhaps you do." Tristan allowed. "If we were in your world still, the world of mortals and science and logic you would get your answers, but we aren't. We are in my world, full of monsters and evil deeds... a world where everything must be earned or stolen." He paused to let his words sink in, but after a moment more Celestine responded.



"What do you want me to do?" She asked coolly, wondering what he had planned for her. But then she wasn't doing this just for the sake of learning about what these "Fell Born" were. She was doing it to try and continue earning the Third Mark. Everything she did was to earn that, so that she could eventually turn it against him and rid the world of this skirt chasing monster... But she wasn't rushing, and the fact that this benefited her didn't hurt either. "You are not going to demand that I allow you to take advantage of me again? I think you've fucked me enough for today, thank you." Celestine had forced the words to be playful and have an air of seduction to them, or at least she thought she had forced them. She was surprised at how easily they came now, even though it was an attempt to make him lower his guard around her.



Tristan blinked at her brazen response and chuckled. "First of all, if you think all I seek from you is sex, you're wrong. Second of all, there will never be a point, under any circumstance, that I will feel that I have 'fucked you enough'. I meant what I said earlier Celestine. I have no intention of ever letting you go." He said with absolute honesty.



Celestine blushed lightly at his words and looked away, trying to hide her face. "W-whatever." She managed as she shook off his response and how it made her feel. "What do you want me to do to earn this information?" Celestine asked, blatantly trying to change the subject back to something she could handle more easily.



Tristan chuckled at her embarrassed response before answering her question. "Tomorrow you'll fight Gurrak's servant. You'll beat him, or I'll keep my information to myself. That will be the first step towards earning what you want."



Celestine looked to him confused and frustrated. "I have to kill someone to make you tell me?"



"No. You just have to beat him. I'll set it up so that he won't have any normal weapons, and that you'll have a knife. The both of you are marked twice, so it should be very hard for either of you to kill each other, even with the knife. Just don't go for the throat, head or heart and you should be okay." Tristan explained.



"Can I expect the same courtesy from him?" She asked dryly.



"Probably not." Tristan said with a shrug. "But you'll have a weapon and he won't, so you should have the advantage. You don't even have to use it if you don't want to; I just want you to have it on you." Tristan explained.



"Why? Why give me a weapon if you don't care if I use it." Celestine asked suspiciously.



"I'm not telling." Tristan said with a smile.



"Well that can't be good." Celestine said aloud as she watched him curiously. "Is there anything else?"



"Yes. I have several more conditions which you must commit to meeting before I even think about giving you any information. The first is that you must <em>never</em> speak about the Fell Born with anyone but me, and only when we are alone. The second condition will be something I will keep to myself until I feel comfortable announcing it. Is that acceptable?" Tristan asked as he cocked his head curiously.



"Are there more beyond those two?" Celestine asked bluntly.



"Of course. But few enough that you'll be able to manage them. Really only one or two more and you'll have the option to decline any of them if you feel they are too outlandish. If you do however, it will simply mean I won't share what I know." Tristan explained easily, smiling calmly as he held her lightly.



Celestine watched him for a long moment, knowing that an open ended situation like that could end up costing her a lot... "I'm walking into a trap, aren't I?" She asked, half amused half frustrated.



"Of sorts." Tristan admitted. "But don't worry; no harm will come to you because of it." He assured calmly.



"You don't inspire the greatest of confidence... You know that?" Celestine asked dryly. "Gah... In for a penny, in for a pound I suppose. Fine... But you better not be screwing around with me." She warned.



Tristan chuckled again. "No, I believe we concluded that activity a short while ago." He moved away as she blushed in embarrassment. He was thankfully looking away from her as he began to head to the door that joined their two rooms. "Now get some rest Celestine. You'll need it come the morning." He said easily.



"Fine... but... Just so you know. Earlier... that was just you taking advantage of me... I... didn't want that to happen. I was all out of sorts and... If not for Vestiem I wouldn't have been vulnerable like that. I wouldn't have let you take advantage of me..." She said clearly not totally convinced of it herself.



"Of course." Tristan accepted easily. "The thought of you wanting to have sex with me, and the concept of you enjoying it so much you nearly passed out on several occasions, while in your normal state of mind, never crossed my thoughts." Tristan said as he closed the door, grinning playfully and avoiding the spare pillow Celestine threw at him.



"Asshole..." She grumbled to herself as she sat back down on her bed, still wrapped in the sheet.



<em>And you are a liar, and a bad one at that...</em> Her inner voice sounded lightly, though she sounded highly pleased with herself. <em>We loved every moment of it. We clung to him for dear life. Admit it, he saved us from the nightmare... and he did it with some of the best sex we've ever had. Just imagine what it would be like if we went to him willingly, with the soul purpose of a good fuck...</em>



"Shut up." Celestine continued to grumble as she buried her head in her remaining pillow. Still, despite trying to push it out of her mind, the thought began to swirl in her mind... making her shiver in want all over again. "Damn it..." she whispered to herself. "I... want more..." she admitted, unsure of what that meant...



~~~~



Rest was not something she got a lot of that evening... She spent most of her waking hours torn between two subjects: what a Fell Born could be, and the mind numbingly great sex that she had with Tristan... Even recalling it was distracting, and nearly cost her a wallop across her midsection from the buckler her opponent wielded with a fair amount of skill. Though Celestine could tell he wished he had a blade instead.



Their 'sparring match' had started that morning. Tristan had sorted it out with Gurrak and set it up so that her opponent would only have the buckler where she would have the knife she was now holding. They were told specifically that they were not supposed to kill each other; that this sparing match was just to see how skilled of a fighter Celestine really was. However, given the angry gaze of her opponent, she doubted that was actually how he felt about the situation.



Her opponent threw a backhanded swing with the buckler at Celestine after she dodged his last attack. However she saw it coming and was able to step inside and bring up one arm to guard against his haphazard attempt to elbow her when he missed his opportunity with the small shield. On instinct and the desperate need to gain some ground, Celestine cut at him with the knife in her hand before darting back. She was fairly certain that it hadn't made a telling blow though, as the cutting angle was too shallow to do any real damage. However when they separated she quickly realized that her opponent was now favoring the opposite side. What's more, she saw blood begin to trickle down his leg to be left in the sand.



Apparently he saw her take notice and snarled out at her. "It's just a flesh wound wench!" As if he needed to convince her.



For whatever reason, the sight of him bleeding and his words made her laugh some before she spoke. "Of course it is. This is just a sparing match after all, right?" She grinned at him as she continued to circle. She was pleased to see that her words had shaken him, likely putting the idea in his head that she wasn't trying as hard as she could have been.

<hr pg="2" />He wasn't entirely wrong though. The blow was already beginning to stop bleeding, and the flesh would start mending soon. Again Celestine was impressed with the powers that the Demonic Marks gave her and her opponent. He had hit her several times already, mostly glancing blows but all had hurt badly. Yet at this point, most of places where he had hit her were hardly even sore. Still, Celestine could tell she wasn't exactly winning this thing by a land slide. If anything her opponent was still beating her, though by a little less now.



Her opponent began to rush her, drawing the buckler back to swing at her neck, probably hoping to break it with the side of the metal disk. However, Celestine knew this sort of attack; it came from those who were desperate or angry. Before he got close enough to make his swing, Celestine lashed out with her leg, kicking high and catching him in the side of the head, directly in the ear. The blow was enough to weaken his attack and the swing sailed limply in front of her face. He staggered past her, holding his now bleeding ear and trying to stay upright as his balance had been knocked about by her kick.



<em>("Don't hesitate Celestine, strike!")</em> Tristan sent to her, his voice confident in her and more than a little proud. She could feel how pleased he was seeing her like this. It wasn't because she was fighting... It was because she was proving that she was powerful and strong. That even when faced with a technically stronger opponent, she didn't back down. Maybe it was because of his admiration for her that she felt so elated when she darted forwards to attack again.



It was strange. Normally she didn't like fighting, hell she often hated it. A practice match was one thing, but actually having to defend herself was never enjoyable. Celestine always worried about going too far or possibly being overwhelmed by her attacker. It was one of the reasons she was so skilled; because she never wanted to be a victim, but never wanted to turn someone else into one either.



But all those concerns seemed to be set aside for this fight. She didn't know if she could win, but it didn't matter... She was enjoying this. She was enjoying hurting this man, who had tried to dominate her. As she closed in, her opponent made another back handed swung with the buckler, trying to catch her in the head. Celestine saw it a mile away, and ducked under it with ease, the power of the Demonic Mark making her fast and tireless. However it didn't make her immune to pain. As her opponent continued to turn, his free hand came up in a brutal uppercut, catching her on the chin. His turning momentum, combined with her dropping down right into the blow, made the impact powerful enough to take Celestine off her feet and land hard onto her back on the dirt floor.



Honestly it felt like she had just been cold-cocked with a brick, but beyond that she felt herself grinning. The challenge of this was only making this more fun, and made her hunger for more. Still, the blow stunned her. Enough so that she was only saved by Tristan's thoughts in her head. <em>("Move damn it!")</em> Celestine didn't look to see where it was coming from; she just rolled as quickly as she could to evade the incoming strike. Good thing too, as she saw the buckler be imbedded several inches into the dense sand by her opponent. If it had connected, she was fairly certain the makeshift weapon would have ended up imbedded several inches into her brain...



Celestine continued the roll and got to her feet in a fluid motion just in time to deflect a series of the blows from her opponent. Each felt like her foe was hitting her with a hammer, and after a few blows she knew she couldn't keep up with the barrage. He had already backed her against the wall and she couldn't get out to the right or left.



She could hear the crowd crying for her blood. Screaming for her opponent to kill her. They wanted to see Lord Durial's new pet splattered all over the ground. She could feel their want for bloodshed, the expression of glorious and gory wrath. She could sense the power of their desires, and how the air almost seemed to shudder with their lust for violence. Others wanted to see her beaten, and then taken by her opponent; violated and shown where her place was. She doubted Tristan would let it go that far, but she was sure his image would suffer for interfering.



She could hear someone laughing as well, a feminine voice that was being jarred around by something beyond her sight. Her opponent must have heard it too, as he flew into a rage as if he felt like he was being mocked. His blows nearly knocked her to her knees each time they landed. Yet somehow she always popped right back up, ready to take more.



Glancing up, she saw him bellow out at her, and swing wide and hard with the buckler, trying to punch her with its rim. No more than a fraction of a second must have passed between when she realized what was coming, to the moment when she acted. Some instinctual part of her took over then, and darted in close enough that she could have leaned forwards just a few inches and kissed him. Instead though, she felt the wash of hot blood over her hand, as she realized she had driven the knife into and out the back of the bicep of his attacking arm. He howled in pain as his attack was ruined, and tried to swing with his uninjured arm. Celestine let go of her knife, using that arm to block the incoming blow, before hopping high enough that she could swing her free arm's elbow down upon his shoulder joint with all her might.



The sickening popping sound from what was a dislocated shoulder or worse almost echoed in Celestine's ears as he staggered back, retreating from her as he tried to regroup. But something in her didn't let her hold back, and it didn't let her give him time to retreat... Celestine reached out, taking the handle of the long knife in her hand and pulled it out, ripping more flesh apart as she freed it from the muscle that held it, before she dragged its cutting edge across his chest, and then up and diagonally across his face.



Her opponent dropped to the ground and tried to push away, clearly in a ruined mess. Celestine followed him as he tried to escape, for a few steps at least. However she stopped when she realized the laughter she heard before was actually hers, still sounding from her lips almost manically... It was vicious, cold and taunting... She shook her head as she stopped herself from laughing, unsure of what had come over her. She realized what she had done in an instinctual blur, before looking to Tristan again for some reason, as if he could assure her that she was still herself. Or maybe it was to see if he approved...



She found him, smiling lightly as the crowd stood murmuring in surprise at the sudden retaliation and victory. She could feel how proud he was of her, and despite herself, she wrapped herself in it like a warm blanket and savored it. She would chastise herself later, but for now; she would bask in his praise.



She looked back to her opponent, who was curled up in pain. It was then that her head cleared enough and her higher thought functions came back to her. She felt a sliver of pity for how ruined he was, but she was fairly certain that he would recover in a few days... Not bad given most mortals would be bleeding to death from such wounds in just a few minuets... However before she turned away, Tristan's voice came to her through the mark. <em>("It's time to fulfill one of my caveats Celestine. The battle is done and everyone knows you've won.")</em>



<em>("Okay... so what do you want me to do?")</em> Celestine asked, remembering the unnamed condition Tristan had demanded of her last night.



<em>("I want you to help that man kill himself.")</em> Tristan said with perfect calm and ease, like he was talking about nothing more troubling than a sunny calm day...



<em>("What?!")</em> Celestine responded, snapping around and looking to him, confused and horrified. <em>("Wh-Why would I want to help a man kill himself?!")</em> She asked exasperated, unable to keep her face from showing her confusion.



<em>("Take care Celestine, wouldn't want others to realize your perplexity...")</em> Tristan warned easily. Celestine paused and turned back to the man, watching him as the crowd began to grow restless. No one was declaring a victor, even though it was obvious... Tristan's soothing calm voice entered her mind again, his serious words at odds with easy going tone. <em>("I don't know why you're hesitating. It is not like you should even care about this man... he tried to force himself on you, despite you telling him no. Further, he was clearly trying to kill you just now...")</em>



<em>("Being so forward doesn't mean he deserves to die!")</em> Celestine responded. <em>("As for trying to kill me... well... he... he wasn't successful so it doesn't mean I have to kill him!")</em> Celestine shot back, desperation clinging to her thoughts.



<em>("It doesn't matter if he deserves it or not Celestine... That man is going to die whether you help him or not. But if you don't help him now, Gurrak will make him suffer beyond the limits a human is capable of withstanding. He will likely die at the hands of his master after weeks, if not months of pain, and if he is lucky, that will be where it ends. If he is unlucky, Gurrak will coax life back into his broken frame and repeat the process all over again... for who knows how long. Frankly, helping him kill himself would be a mercy compared to what is store for him...")</em> Tristan explained easily. All the while the crowd was growing more restless. Celestine glanced to Gurrak and saw him fingering his weapons while glaring at his broken servant, mind working hard as he thought up new tortures for his failed servant...



<em>("You-... You can't be serious? How can I... how could anyone help someone else kill themselves?! I might as well be murdering him myself!")</em> Celestine implored, trying to come to terms with what Tristan was demanding she do. <em>("You told me I wouldn't have to kill anyone!")</em>



<em>("Well... If you feel that strongly against it, you could simply leave him be...")</em> She looked back to him as he tossed down the rope she could use to climb out. <em>("Just come on out, and you'll be done. You'll have forfeited your right to know the truth of course. But he'll be allowed to live, for a while longer at least, though some might not describe what is in his future as 'living'...")</em> Tristan responded, his voice slightly disappointed but apparently willing to let her give this up...  



Celestine stared at her opponent, a heap of ruin. He had pushed himself to one wall as he slowly bled from his injuries. He looked very pale but if left be, he probably would have survived. But he wasn't going to be left alone... that was not the way of demons... Gurrak would make his life hell for god knew how long... Before she realized it she was standing over him knife in hand as she looked down to him. The crowd went quiet again at the new development and her opponent looked up to her frowning, only one eye open, the other sealed closed with drying blood... He glanced to the knife still dripping with his blood, and then back to her, unsure what she was planning.



"He... your master... he'll torture you endlessly if you leave this ring alive... Won't he?" Celestine asked her voice hesitant and quiet.



The broken man glanced up to where his master was watching, and then back to Celestine, nodding some. "Yes... he will." He said, trying to sound level, but Celestine could hear how terrified he was.



Celestine opened her mouth to speak but the words wouldn't come. Part of her railed against doing this, and was screaming at her that this was too far, that this was a line she should never cross... It took her some time, but she pushed it aside... burying it under justifications... This man had tried to force himself on her, tried kill her... If she didn't help him end this, Gurrak would make him suffer needlessly... She took a deep breath and forced the words out. "Do you want to die?" Celestine was surprised by how detached she sounded, but it didn't stop her. "Would it be better, then letting Gurrak have you?"



Again her opponent nodded slowly, and with a broken voice he responded. "...Yes..."



Celestine held out the long knife for him to take, wary that this might be a trap but at this point Celestine doubted it. Her foe was broken and bloodied. She watched as he tried to lift one arm to take it, specifically the one where she had broken his shoulder. But his hand didn't lift more than a few inches as he hissed in pain. To his credit, he tried raising the other arm, but the weight of the buckler seemed too much for him now... with his muscles ruined as they were. He looked to her desperately as he spoke, voice weak and afraid. "...h-... Help me... Please..." Celestine pushed the knife out farther, but it was clear that he wasn't able to take it on his own. Celestine grit her teeth as she tried to find someway of doing this without having to accept what she was doing.



Eventually though, Celestine slipped the handle of the blade into his hands and squeezed his hand so it wouldn't slip free as she lifted the point of the blade to under his jaw. She could see the point of the blade shaking badly and at first thought it might be his hands that were shaking. But it quickly became apparent that he was level handed, and it was her who was shaking. She met his eyes and began to push up, forcing the blade through flesh with surprising ease. It traveled a few inches before she paused, wondering if that was enough, but a pained gurgle came from him and fresh blood slipped from his mouth and over her hands.



Horrified, Celestine almost screamed out before she simply shoved up as hard as she could. The sound of splitting cartilage and bone sounded and Celestine saw his body suddenly go rigid. As she met his eyes again, she saw the light fade from them, and slowly go glassy.



Try as she might, Celestine couldn't pull herself away from his dead gaze... She looked on and shuddered once and then a second time as if the empty shell that sat limply before had some sort of power over her... But before too long Tristan's thoughts filled her mind again, gentle and relaxing. <em>("Breathe Celestine...")</em> It was then that Celestine realized she had stopped breathing somewhere along the line and she gasped in air as she suddenly broke free from the corpse's spell over her. She fell back and quickly turned away from the body, hands still shaking some... <em>("Good... you're done now. Come on up and we'll get you cleaned up.")</em>



Celestine felt numb as she reached for the rope and once she got a good grip, Rena hauled her up with simple ease. As soon as she was over the edge of the pit, Rena smiled wide to her. "See? I told you! I knew you could take him!" Rena said grinning widely with her sharp and disturbing teeth on display. However when Celestine didn't respond immediately, Rena frowned lightly, realizing that Celestine was shaken by what she had done. "C-... Celestine?" Rena asked, her voice losing its mirth. She was so excited to see Celestine win that it was obvious that Rena forgot Celestine was human, and one that hadn't killed before either. "You okay?" she asked quietly, half hiding the fact that she was concerned for a human, half trying to help Celestine save face if she wasn't okay.



Celestine nodded lightly trying not to worry Rena as she turned to Tristan, looking to him confused and unsure. She could feel that he was proud of her, and happy for whatever reason, almost like he was satisfied. It was confusing and strange, and while she still enjoyed his approval, she wasn't as quick to lose herself in it any more... She saw movement in the pit and looked to see several other mortals start going in to remove the remains... Just looking at her opponent made Celestine feel nauseous and she had to look away, only to gaze upon Tristan again.



<em>("Why did you make me do that?")</em> She asked before even realizing she was speaking to him through the mark.



<em>("Why?")</em> Tristan asked perplexed by her question. <em>("I figured you would have preferred it this way. Fighting you was far more merciful than anything Gurrak would have done to him, and helping him commit suicide was even more so. Gurrak is a Wrath Demon Celestine, cruelty isn't just an option for him, it's the first, second and third option. It's usually the last one too.")</em> Tristan explained. <em>("Celestine... you shouldn't feel bad about this. You did the right thing...")</em> he added, his thoughts kind and soothing. Making the horror of what she had done seem less significant with each word.



<em>("I...I suppose you're right. But I sure shouldn't feel good about it either.")</em> Celestine said as she hugged herself. But she stopped, realizing there was still blood on her hands...



<em>("It isn't like you forced him to kill himself. You simply gave him the option and helped carry out his wishes. If he didn't want it to happen, he would have denied your offer. What's more, it's not like you wanted to kill him.")</em> Tristan sent to her through the mark. However when he continued, he spoke using his actual voice. "I think I might have pushed you into something you were not ready for... I apologize for that. Are you going to be alright?" He asked looking to her curiously and perhaps with a touch of concern that he couldn't hide.



Celestine felt him opening up to her through the Demonic Mark, and felt honest sincerity in concern to his question even as much of his voice hid it. Despite the fact that she knew he orchestrated this, she put on a strong front and nodded. "Yea... I'll be fine after a little while. Just... kinda surprised me is all. I wish you had told me this would happen ahead of time though." Celestine said taking the cloth offered to her by Claude to wipe away the drying blood from her hands.



Tristan shook his head. "I didn't want to risk it. If you had gone in there with doubts or hesitations that fellow might have actually killed you. It would have been the last thing he ever did, but you would still be dead. Not something I want to risk. That said, you fought brilliantly, and I could see you were getting into it some too." Tristan said to her proudly.



Celestine nodded, still pleased that she was still impressing him, but still slow to bask in it as she had when she was fighting. This would take a while to settle with herself... She wasn't as rattled as she was after her face to face with Vestiem, but than she doubted there was much in the world that could be as disturbing as that experience was... A flash of black and white from the corner of her eye caught her attention and Celestine saw Diana and Troy standing a ways off, looking to her curiously. Troy was kind enough to wave before Diana gently slapped the smaller woman's hand. Diana began to talk to Troy, and while Celestine couldn't hear them, she was sure Diana was chastising Troy for acting like a puppy again... It brought a slight smile to Celestine's face, seeing the two of them.



"You can go speak with them if you like." Tristan said gently.



Celestine turned to him a bit surprised to be caught looking to the two women. "Wouldn't that kind of be like associating with the enemy? I mean you and Navira are rivals aren't you?" Celestine asked curiously. Part of her wanted him to say 'no' that he and Navira were not opponents, so that she could go speak with Troy and Diana and to spend some time with other human beings, even if they were an odd couple. The rest of her wanted him to say 'yes', that he and Navira were rivals, because when Celestine was being honest with herself, that part of her was terrified Tristan would simply toss her away if the opportunity to be with Navira presented itself...

<hr pg="3" />Tristan shrugged at her question however. "Don't worry about it. It's not like you are going to go blabbing all my secrets to them. Besides, even if you did, Navira probably wouldn't be able to put much of what you know to any use." He explained easily. "Plus, talking with those two seems to raise your spirits, something that I'd like to see after what just happened."



Celestine nodded slowly, perplexed by Tristan's sudden generosity. Still, she didn't dwell on it too long, and turned to go to Diana and Troy. Tristan watched her go without any concern. It wasn't like she would be so far he couldn't reach her quickly. Plus, this gave him an opportunity to speak with someone... As soon as Celestine was out of earshot, he spoke to Rena. "Get that knife back Rena, I'm going to keep it as a memento of this occasion." Tristan said, clearly pleased with how things worked out...



~~~~



When Celestine reached Diana and Troy, she smiled lightly to both of them. "What are you two doing down here? I'd figure this place wouldn't really be your scene." Celestine inquired, glancing about and seeing numerous sparing pits and various training sets.



Diana replied quickly. "We were just passing b-"



But Troy cut her off, "We actually came to watch you and your fight! Way to go by the way!" Troy said in a bubbly voice. Celestine meanwhile noticed Diana was fuming at being cut off, and possibly slightly embarrassed that Troy just went out and told the truth on her when Diana was trying to seem uninterested. Troy continued. "At first we were worried you were going to lose, but then you came back and beat him! It was really exciting, Right Diana?" Troy asked turning to her and putting her on the spot.



Diana seemed startle by the sudden attention and glanced to Celestine, a little like a deer in the headlights... "Uh... yea... it was cool I guess." She managed to get out.



"What are you talking about? It was freaking awesome!" Troy said poking Diana lightly with a wide grin. "Admit it; you were cheering for her just as loud as I was!"



Diana went beet red and gave Troy a pinch to her backside. "Shut it you!" She hissed out and Troy yelped before rushing to hide behind Celestine, grinning from around her at Diana. Diana noticed that Celestine was smiling lightly to her before she looked away, again embarrassed.



"Thanks you for saying that. I was even having fun up until the part where I had to help him kill himself..." Celestine said running her cleaner hand through her hair. "That was... rough..." She admitted.



Troy looked to her concerned, clearly hoping Celestine was alright. However Diana took a different approach. "Wasn't that hard to watch from where I was standing Celestine." Her words were hard but amused. When Celestine looked to her a bit surprised by her tone, Diana continued. "That guy was an ass. I mean we hardly ever ran into him, but he was always acting like he was king of the world, at least in regards to other servants like us. He would always try and get his dick into us, and while I like a good cock, that fucker felt like he was entitled to us. He had the Second Mark, so it wasn't like we could do a lot other than run to Lady Navira, which was freaking humiliating... I know it might not seem normal to you, but frankly, it was good to see that cockwad kill himself. Bitch probably deserved more, but it was nice to see him die with my own eyes." Diana explained, a crooked grin on her face.



Celestine blinked in surprise. She hadn't been aware of what he had been doing to these two before he ran into her... She didn't feel vindicated because of Diana's words, but she sure as shit didn't feel so bad any more... "Well... then I guess you're welcome." Celestine said smiling to Diana, who grinned back.



"It is a shame though." Troy said aloud, causing Diana and Celestine to look at her confused. Troy continued quickly though, not wanting to seem like she was on the asshole's side. "It is a shame that you had to wear something like that when you fought him is what I mean!" Troy said indicating Celestine's clothes. "I mean... well they don't have the flash of the dress you wore yesterday... You were so pretty in that I could have died!" Troy exaggerated, smiling up to Celestine.



Diana shook her head. "Come on Troy, she wouldn't have been able to fight well in that thing. I agree with you, she was fucking <em>smoking</em> in that get up, but it might have been ruined if she fought in it."



Celestine looked down to the form fitting work out clothes she wore. "Hey now... these are not that bad are they?" She asked amused by the topic of her state of dress.



Diana shrugged. "They ain't that bad... but I have an idea..." She looked at Troy and grinned. Celestine looked at Troy and saw her grinning back at Diana, like they were sharing a thought.



"Uh... what are you two plotting...?" Celestine asked taking a step back as they turned on her. Diana jumped first, grabbing the lower hem of her Under-Armor shirt, and tried to start pulling it up. Troy meanwhile grabbed the waist of her pants and began to pull down, all the while giggling to herself. Celestine pulled away quickly, but they had a good hold on her. "Damn it, what are you doing?!" She asked, trying not to laugh. Their merriment seemed to be infectious.



"Oh nothing!" Diana replied.



"We just think you look better showing a lot more skin is all!" Troy finished, trying to pull the pants off Celestine, yet leaving the underwear where they were.



In a few moments they were all tangled up, laughing and giggling far away from where others would bother them. For a little while at least, the three of them were just women playing around and being silly for the sake of being silly...



~~~~



Tristan watched as Navira's servants began to play fight with Celestine and try and strip her down. "... Huh... well... didn't expect to see that..." he said to himself as he waited patiently. "Not that I mind the show..." Rena meanwhile was watching as well, clearly amused, and if Tristan wasn't wrong, perhaps slightly aroused. Still, she stayed out of Celestine's business, letting her friend relax some with the other mortals. She had retrieved the knife and stowed it away after wrapping it up in some cloth to hide it from Celestine. Claude was watching over them as well, just in case. This area wasn't terribly crowded with demons, and what demons were here were watching the other sparing pits...



"My Lord." A thick masculine voice sounded near Tristan. Tristan tore his gaze from Celestine and found Gurrak standing there, bowing slightly at the waist. "I hope everything went according to your plan?" Gurrak asked quietly, still bowing some.  



"Yes it did Gurrak. It was fortunate for me that your servant got a bit full of himself and acted the way he did when he first saw Celestine. It created a wonderful opportunity." Tristan commented idly.



Gurrak nodded once before glancing to Celestine and then back to Tristan. "While I do not question your wisdom my lord, might I ask why you arranged this? Arranged for her to help my servant kill himself?" Gurrak asked quietly.



Tristan smiled to her sworn noble. "Simple... I did it in order to convey one simple notion to her. That in some cases killing someone is better than the alternative of letting them live."



Gurrak frowned slightly. "I am sorry my lord... I still don't understand. In the eyes of anyone who knows me, what she did was a mercy... I would have flayed and tortured that fool for years, possibly longer..."



Tristan chuckled and smiled to Gurrak. "Oh I am aware. And so is she... but then that was part of the point."



Gurrak was about to ask more but a feminine voice cut him off. "The point is..." Navira's voice sounded, light and playful as they turned to look at her as she approached, "is that life has just been cheapened some for that young woman. Today what she did might have been a mercy... Tomorrow, it might be because she has learned that killing someone is not so dramatic an event as she once thought. Tomorrow it will be easier to kill again..." Navira said, stepping up to Tristan and looking to him, greatly amused. "In essence, this whole ordeal was to further tear down her perceptions of what is right and what is wrong ..." She finished, grinning lightly as she cocked her head to Tristan curiously.



Tristan looked back to her, calm but smiling lightly. "Saw through it did you?" Tristan asked pleasantly.



"Only because I've done something similar recently." Navira admitted. "I must admit Durial, that was well played and it looks like she is taking it in stride." Navira said lightly as she glanced to Celestine and her servants as they messed around. "It seems my servants have taken a shining too her as well." Navira noted with a smile.



"Yes, they appear to be Celestine's new fan club. You wouldn't have had anything to do with that, would you?" Tristan asked curiously, a part of him always wary of Navira and any scheme she might be concocting.



"Alas no. It would have been a good plan had I known about your new gem, but I didn't. But while we are on the subject, I wanted to talk to you about her..." Navira slid up along side Tristan and gently slipped her arm into his as she hugged herself up against him.



Meanwhile Claude turned to Gurrak, noticing that his lord had already shifted his attention wholly to Lady Navira. "Lord Gurrak, if there is anything else you wish to inquire about, do not hesitate to direct your questions to me. I will be happy to explain any of the points that perhaps elude you." Claude said with an easy bow, voice proud of the fact that he had been kept in the loop by his master. Gurrak nodded and took his leave, not harassing the two demonic lords as they continued to speak.



Navira seemed to wait for him to get out of earshot before she made to make her offer, but Tristan cut her off. "The answer is no." He said easily.



Navira frowned lightly. "You haven't even heard my offer yet."



"I don't need to. No, you can't have her. No you can't barrow her. And No, you can't play with her. The answer to all your questions in regards to Celestine, is no. Does that more or less expedite our conversation?" Tristan asked her, glancing at her, clearly amused.



Navira looked at him, pouting a little before letting out a long sigh. "Yes it does. I know I shouldn't have even asked but... I don't know. Something about her calls to me... Do you feel it too?" Navira asked absentmindedly.



Tristan lied easily. "I don't think so. Like I said before, I just happened upon her, nothing more, and nothing less."



Navira nodded. "Perhaps it is just me then." She shrugged. "Anyway... This afternoon the lords will be overseeing the quarrels between their lesser nobles and other young demons, and my card is delightfully empty, so I won't be terribly busy, mostly just watching the other Lords deal with their people. It should be a good show but some of them can end up being boring. My understanding is that your slate is a little more cluttered than mine. Is that true?"



Tristan frowned. "Yes. But why do you ask?"



"Well, last night Diana and Troy, those servants your Celestine is fooling around with, were all a titter after seeing you again yesterday. Understandable given that it is you... I was wondering if we might sit with you during the afternoon festivities. Perhaps the two of them can 'entertain' you while the other nobles conduct their business and for the rest of the court? I of course would only watch..." Navira suggested lightly, watching Troy manage to get Celestine's shorts down around her knees before Celestine was able to push her away and try and yank her shorts back up, leaving herself open for Diana to strike.



Tristan was quiet for a long moment, though Navira waited patiently. Eventually he spoke, being frank with her. "I don't know if I can trust you Navira. And that usually means I shouldn't."



"I know." Navira admitted. "After the last time and how badly it ended... Well... Let's just say I understand your hesitation. I mean... we nearly ate each other's souls for crying out loud..." Navira chuckled and sighed, before glancing up at him out of the corner of her eye. "But that is why I will only be watching. No participation on my part. I'll just enjoy watching you have your way with my girls." Navira said playfully, though he could hear the undercurrent of restraint there as well. He guessed Navira was the one who wanted to play with him... Then again he shared some of that sentiment in regards to her as well.



"This is a dangerous game Navira... Watching all too often leads to playing. When we are near each other we tend to stop thinking with our heads. Last time was proof of that. We both nearly died after all. Our servants were ready to go to war over a game we both willingly played, a game we both lost. I know you don't care about your underlings like I do mine, but I'm not so easily swayed to let those loyal to me fly off into the meat grinder... even if you are. Further, the fact is that you brought that Nephilim to court in hopes that you could impress me with it. Admittedly you did, but if you hadn't been doing it for me, you would have realized that bringing her here of all places was a mistake." Tristan said, voicing his clear concerns.



"I know." She admitted without hesitation. "There are times when you make me crazy." She sighed before continuing. "To be honest with you, I've been trying to take a page from your book recently. I see that looking out for those sworn to me does have its benefits... But regardless of that, you are right. If we fool around like we did back then it would only lead to one or both of us ending up dead... But you have to admit Durial... It was fun wasn't it? Spiraling towards oblivion in each others arms in the heat of near perfect sex?" Navira asked, gently leaning her head against his shoulder, her horns brushing up against him as she reminisced. Navira quaked once, remembering the perfect ecstasy of those few fleeting moments.



"It was fantastic, yes." Tristan admitted quietly. "But to allow it to happen again... to dare fate like that... it's too dangerous. I can't abandon those loyal to me so easily... not for the sake of pleasure alone, no matter how great it might be." Tristan said, though to Navira's ears, it sounded like he said it with a heavy heart.



"It is strange, hearing a Lust Demon say such things... But then perhaps that is why you are as powerful as you are. Then again I have my own power too, so I will be mindful of my own responsibilities. Still, we are creatures of lust, despite any responsibility we may have... to deny it is to deny ourselves, something neither of us is truly capable of doing for long. So my question remains standing... may the three of us sit with you during the trials?" Navira asked again, smiling up to him.



Tristan looked to her and smiled back. It was slightly sad but happy at the same time somehow. Tristan sighed and shook his head. "Seems you make me crazy too at times... Fine. But you are not to interfere or partake. Bring one of your own demons or mortals with you if you need the relief. Is that acceptable?"



Navira nodded slightly and smiled. "It is perfectly adequate." She responded, hugging his arm to her a little bit more. Being near him was apparently enough for her today. Knowing that she was bringing him pleasure through her servants was enough, even though she wished she could do it herself... "We should be leaving soon though. It will likely start in an hour or so. And your mortal still needs to get cleaned up after her match." She said pleasantly.



"Agreed. I'll call Celestine and the others..." Tristan said, as he began to reach out through the Mark to Celestine. <em>("We are leaving Celestine. Tell your two companions to come along. We'll be traveling together.")</em>



Tristan's voice sounded in her head and Celestine looked to where she knew he would be. However when she saw him, her heart suddenly sank like it had been hit by a torpedo. Navira was hanging onto him, almost lovingly. The sight of the two of them together stunned her, but after a moment she shook it off. <em>("...Yea I'm on my way now.")</em> Celestine sent to him, trying to keep the disappointment out of her thoughts. She turned to Troy and Diana and spoke up. "They want us to follow them. We are apparently heading out."



Troy and Diana nodded and followed easily, picking themselves up and followed Celestine as she went off after Tristan and Navira...



However Troy held Diana back for a moment... "Hey... why did you lie to her like that? We never saw or met that guy before today... so why?" Troy asked; quiet enough for Celestine to miss it.



Diana smiled lightly and shrugged. "She needed the reason to hate him... Better this then mourning an asshole right?" Diana asked. "Besides... she's more fun happy then upset."



"Are you two coming or what?" Celestine called back to the two women, who both rushed to catch up with her.



~~~~



Celestine arrived in the main chamber with Rena along side her. She had split off from the group to get cleaned up and showered while Tristan had gone ahead with the others to begin his affairs with something he called the 'Trials'. She had questioned Rena about it, and Rena had told her that it was when lesser nobles or other demons that were sworn to lords would present their grievances with other demons sworn to the same Lord. The Lord would then try and settle the dispute in whatever manner they saw fit... For some demons, this went straight to physical conflict. For others, like Tristan, the Lord would try and settle it amicably and without violence. It wasn't utterly unlike the Clash, however unlike the Clash; it didn't usually end in the death of one party... Further, it wasn't as 'put on' as the Clash was, whatever that meant...



Celestine had changed back into her queen like dress after showering and washing her hair. More than a little dirt and blood had gotten into it, and required a healthy scrubbing to get it clean and perfect again. Combined with how long it took to get her dress and its accessories on, Celestine had taken the better part of two hours to catch up with the others. What Celestine didn't want to admit to herself, but the fact was that she was dragging her heels on purpose. The image of Navira and Tristan kept swirling around in her mind, and each time it came up again, she kept feeling like Tristan was getting farther and farther away. She told herself that she couldn't allow that, because if Navira interfered, Celestine might never receive the Third Demonic Mark and make everything she'd endured so far pointless. Though part of her honestly wondered if it was not just simple jealousy that made her feel so insecure.



Regardless, Celestine felt better in her stately dress. It had always made her feel more than herself... More regal, more beautiful, but most of all it made her feel more alluring and exotic. What's more, she knew how Tristan felt whenever he looked to her in this dress. She knew seeing her in this made him hunger for her... made him want to slip his hands under the light fabric and play with her most sensitive spots. As they walked Celestine realized she was getting herself worked up... She was sure she was blushing and could feel her pussy warming. Taking a deep breath, she forced that all down. Right now she needed to be calm and collected, not lost to her own imagination.



As they went down the steps towards where Tristan's throne sat. Claude, as ever stood to Tristan's left, and just behind him. However she saw that two new chairs had been pulled up along side Tristan's and that her own chair, right next to his throne was occupied by someone. Tristan was standing and addressing several demons below in the pit, ordering them to end their bickering or something along that line as he divided whatever it was they were fighting over.

<hr pg="4" />However Celestine wasn't listening as much as she could have, as she realized Troy and Diana were sitting in the chairs adjacent to Tristan's... As Tristan finished he sat back down, and the two of them immediately pressed themselves up against him. Troy was whispering something into his ear, while Diana was far more brazen, and simply reached up under the hem of his clothes and reached for his groin. Celestine notice Navira watching from a little ways off, a slight blush to her features as she seemed to enjoy watching the two of them tempt Tristan.



Rena moved to take her own seat just behind Tristan's left, leaving Celestine standing sort of stunned as she watched... After a moment she shook it off and stepped forwards, sitting down along side Troy, as she tried to ignore the two of them throwing themselves at Tristan... She didn't need to feel jealous... She knew that. This was probably just some ploy on Navira's part meant to earn some favor from Tristan. At least Navira wasn't all over him...



Troy seemed to take notice of Celestine's arrival and turned to her. Her features slightly flushed and her breathe coming quickly. "Celestine! Oh you are so lucky... Lord Durial has been teasing us ever since we got here... He said he wouldn't go any further without you here... You must be his favorite... We get all worked up in between his turn to address his sworn demons and just as we almost convince him to let us have our fun he has to stop again! But you can spend as much time with him as you want whenever you want!" Troy's voice was breathy and a little squeaky... To anyone else in the world it might seem sultry and arousingly innocent. But for some reason, to Celestine it sounded like nails on a chalkboard...



When Celestine didn't reply Troy went back to whispering to Tristan. However Celestine was almost certain she had raised the volume of her voice some, just enough so that Celestine could over hear... "Lord Durial... Please... Celestine is here now... and you just finished with your servants. Surely you'll allow us to start now right? You've been teasing us for hours... we can hardly hold ourselves back any more..." Troy pleaded with him.



Diana spoke up as well. "She's right... much longer and I won't be able to stop myself... I want to taste your big thick fuck stick... I want to choke on it as you force it down my dirty mouth before you plaster my face in your thick hot cum..." Diana said with a lewd and raunchy voice.



Tristan didn't reply at first... In fact it seemed like he didn't even hear them, even as they exposed themselves to him. However after a moment he turned to look to Celestine calmly, as if waiting for something. "Is there something I can help you with Lord Durial?" She forced herself to ask, not looking to either Troy or Diana. She had to keep herself from becoming angry with them... Tristan's aura did this to all women, never mind the fact that this was what they were raised to be...



"I am just curious how you feel about these two... If you feel it is appropriate that they be acting like they are." Tristan pressed to Celestine, making her draw her gaze to him. She saw that Troy and Diana looked slightly confused as they glanced in her direction. However she also saw their raw need... how part of them desperately wanted this.



"Troy and Diana are simply offerings from Lady Navira... are they not? If so, then there is nothing wrong with what they are doing." Celestine managed to get out, her voice cool. This reminded Celestine of when she first met Rena, and been forced to decide whether Rena would be fucked by Tristan or not...



"I see. Well then..." Tristan lifted one hand to the back of Diana's head and began to coax her down towards the growing tent at his groin.



"Oh fuck yes." Diana gasped as she saw it and then flipped up the heavy cloth revealing Tristan's rapidly hardening manhood. "Hello Beautiful." She whispered out before kissing the head of his cock noisily and then let it slip past her lips and into her hungry hot mouth. In a few moments Diana was contending with Tristan's full cock, as she bobbed up and down it, her hands pumping along his shaft.



Troy whimpered at first for apparently being forgotten, before Tristan slipped his hand into her hair and took a firm grip, making her cry out in a tiny voice. He quickly pulled her into a hard kiss as she writhed in his grip. It didn't last long, as he tried to pull her higher up. Troy didn't hesitate to help him, getting on her knees on her chair as she brought her ample breasts up to his face, where he began to flick and pull at her nipple and the piercing that dangled from the sensitive nub.



Celestine did everything in her power not to watch the two of them pleasuring Tristan... She looked out to the main pit and saw two demons imploring another Demon Lord to see each of their arguments. The Lord in question heard both sides and then demanded that they fight over the spoils... In a heartbeat both of the demons began to try and kill each other... biting and clawing and ripping at one another... spilling fresh blood on the already ruddy sand...



After a few minuets, Celestine couldn't help but glance at Tristan and the two women... Diana had forced an impressive length of Tristan's cock down her throat before coming up and gasping for air as strings of saliva hung between her lips and his glistening cock... She didn't pause for long, just long enough to get a deep breath before hurling herself into it again. Driving herself far enough that Celestine could hear Diana gagging on Tristan's manhood... Troy was allowing Tristan to feast on her bosom, sucking on one nipple hard before moving over to the other. She apparently loved it when someone played with her hard eraser pink nipples, as each time they popped out of Tristan's mouth she shuddered violently and gasped in pleasure... Celestine could see both of them loved this, the dampness that began to run down their legs was proof of that...



Despite herself, she felt the warmth growing between her own legs as well, and forced herself to look away. But she couldn't close off her ears as she heard the sounds of the two women fornicating with Tristan. She tried hard to ignore it, but the growing heat in her pussy made her fidget and squirm. However as she fought to be still she felt something circle around her from behind her chair and settle in beside her. Celestine didn't even have to look to know that it was Navira... the power that surrounded her gave her away. It was subtle though... hidden once again. But this time it was different slightly...



Celestine glanced back and only saw a slight shimmer along side her, like the heat coming off a highway during a hot day... "Why can't I see you?" She whispered...



Navira's answer wasn't immediate, but when she did Celestine felt her lean in and whisper back into Celestine's ear, so close she could feel the touch of her lips against her lobe. "I think the better question would be how can you sense me?" Celestine went ridged at Navira's question... fearing that it might have something to do with being a Fell Born and that she gave something away... She stayed quiet though, not answering Navira's question. "Curious..." Navira continued, whispering to Celestine. Celestine could feel Navira's touch play across her skin... one hand was walking up Celestine's bare leg and was beginning to slip under the cloth that covered her groin. "Shhh..." Navira encouraged. "No need to cry out. I won't hurt you, I promise..." She said playfully, her warm sweet breath wafting over Celestine's senses.



Celestine glanced back to where Navira should have been sitting, and saw the Duchess sitting there idly... She focused but after a moment realized that whatever she was looking at was an illusion... it felt hollow to her senses... However she was drawn back when she felt Navira's fingers slip closer to her pussy. She tried to use one hand to slap Navira's away, but she wouldn't be dissuaded... "Oh, come now... can't we play a little? I can tell you want to..." Navira asked as her fingers got higher up. Somehow Celestine felt compelled not to call out for Tristan... It wasn't because of any power Navira was using, she would have felt that... Instead it was like she was embarrassed or like she didn't want Tristan to know what was happening and get the wrong idea...



"No I don't..." Celestine whispered out, little more then a breath so quiet she was sure not even Rena would over hear her...



"Oh but you do. But I suppose you don't want to play with me... but with him instead..." Celestine shuddered as her sultry voice played at her senses. "You wish you were there, his cock deep in your throat as you moaned on it... Or that it was your breasts he was ravaging... Part of me wishes it was you pleasuring him... I want to see why he values you so highly... But you are going to just sit back idly aren't you?" Navira asked curiously... "Maybe you don't have the nerve to simply push them out of your way to and take what you want... No... it's more likely you don't want to submit to him like that... you don't want to give in and hurl yourself at him. You want him to come to you, to subjugate and dominate you." Navira suggested, curiosity and lust dripping from her voice...



Celestine squirmed again as Tristan moved Troy and Diana so they both were keeling in front of him. He slid a little ways forwards on his chair and coaxed them to wrap their breasts around his cock and start working the slick surface with their breasts. Both women quickly complied, licking and kissing the tip of his protruding dick together, moaning around him happily while they began to finger each others' dripping cunts. Diana leaned back and put her free hand at the back of Troy's head and began to push her down upon Tristan's cock. "That's right." She said harshly as she made Troy deep throat Tristan. "Take that big fucking cock down your slutty fuckhole of a throat!" Diana demanded, pushing Troy down harder.



She held her there for long seconds, making Troy gag and sputter on Tristan's dick. Celestine saw Troy's eyes began to roll back as she was beginning to pass out from lack of air... Only to be dragged off again by Diana, who dove in herself and bobbed up and down on his dick as hard and as fast as she could, making wet noisy slurps with each pulse before she pulled away again. "FUCK! I love this dick!" She cried out before turning to Tristan. "She loves it too y'know." She said nodding to Troy. "She might look like an innocent little angel, but she's a dirty whore deep inside. She loves to have a big thick cock shoved into every hole at once before they all go off and cover her in cum." Diana purred as she stroked his dick and then looked to Troy. "Show him. Show him how much you want it!" Diana demanded.



Troy didn't hesitate to follow her more dominate companion's orders... She cocked her head back and opened her mouth wide, letting out a long low moan. "Please... Lord Durial... fuck my throat as hard as you can..." Troy uttered in a light hungry voice. "Then pour your hot cum all over me..."



"All over us." Diana corrected as she slid up along side Troy and opened her hungry mouth beside hers. "Come on baby," she continued "choke us like only a fat cock like yours can!" Diana demanded hungrily.



Tristan put his hands to both of their heads and dragged them down upon his dick. As he drove his manhood down one of their hungry mouths as deep as they could, the other would lick along the part that he couldn't force down or suckle on his heavy balls. Both moaned hungrily around him and worked as hard as they could to get him off. Celestine only had to look at him and she could tell he wasn't holding back at all... He would spill his seed all over them soon... A thirst began to assault Celestine again, making her mouth feel dry and light headed...



"You've gotten a taste for him... haven't you?" Navira whispered into her ear like a ghost... "I know what that's like... I know the taste of that salty nectar that fills the senses with sweet euphoria... Such a treat my servants will be getting..." Navira said, clearly tempting Celestine to simply throw her pride away and get down there with them...



"Maybe... maybe I have." Celestine whispered out, answering Navira's question. "But I'm not going to prostrate myself for your pleasure..." Celestine finished and looked to where she knew Navira knelt, Celestine's eyes cold and spiteful. Tristan might have missed it... but Navira probably set this whole thing up solely to see Celestine throw herself at Tristan. Or at least that was what Celestine guessed anyway. "You won't beat me." She hissed at Navira quietly... her resolve firm and unyielding.



Navira stared from her obfuscation, utterly stunned... Not only had Celestine denied her what Navira wanted to see, specifically Celestine humiliating herself in order to fulfill her desires, Celestine had called her on it, and spat in the face of her temptation... She watched amazed as Celestine turned away from her, and focused directly on the two demons that were busy fighting amongst each other. As Navira stared she realized something else, Tristan was watching Celestine...



Navira cursed inwardly; sure that Tristan was aware that she was accosting his servant... But after a moment she realized he was only watching Celestine, who was stubbornly refusing to be moved by Navira's servants' excessive attempts to be as carnal as possible. Navira continued to watch as she saw the pride and exhilaration in Tristan's eyes, hidden but there to someone like her, who knew where to look for it. She saw that Celestine's resolute hold over herself didn't waver, and it was that that pushed him over the edge, not Navira's servant's actions...



Celestine heard Tristan grunt lightly as he pulled Troy and Diana off his cock and aimed his cock at their attractive features, before his balls began pump his heavy seed all over them. Troy giggled lightly and purred as she caught as much of it as possible with her open mouth. Diana on the other hand moaned and begged for more, trying to get as much of it as possible on her face. It didn't take long for Tristan to spend himself and by the time he was done, both of the women had trouble opening their eyes as his seed cooled upon their flesh. Both pulled away from him as he released them, but they stuck close to each other, scooping off some of his seed before swallowing it down. They removed enough that they could see again before turning to one another and embracing without hesitation.



Celestine couldn't help but turn to look at the two of them, as they openly kissed and lapped at each others faces, licking the heavy cum from one enough before kissing and swapping it back and forth between them, content and hungry purrs coming from each of them as Troy and Diana continued to fornicate on their own. She didn't know why she hadn't realized it earlier, but Diana and Troy were quiet obviously lovers... Both of them pulled away from each other, streams of Tristan's cum hanging between them as they smiled to each other happily. In unison they turned towards Tristan and leaned forwards, each planting a kiss upon the tip of his cock in thanks...



Diana and Troy both got up, about ready to move to their chairs but Troy stopped Diana as they moved off some. "Uh...should we... you know... share?" She asked quietly to Diana, glancing to Celestine. "I mean... he is <em>her</em> master... we were just servicing him."



Diana glanced to Celestine and pondered for a moment, before nodding lightly. "Celestine..." She spoke up, drawing Celestine's attention as Diana and Troy moved in front of her. Tristan watched, curious about their generosity and how Celestine would handle it. He wasn't the only one though... Navira watched intently too, having moved off from Celestine back to her chair again. Diana continued. "Do you want some?" She asked scooping some of the remaining semen from Troy's soft features. "I'm sure you know, but it's fucking great!" she exclaimed, grinning widely.



Celestine looked to Diana somewhat stunned. She hadn't expected this... hadn't steeled herself against it. If she were in their place, she was certain she wouldn't have made the same offer. She was sure she was have greedily consumed it all herself... She could smell the scent of sex and Tristan's mouthwatering cum coming off the two women. Despite herself she felt the thirst burn even hotter now inside her, like she needed it. She felt her fingers dig into the cushioned arms of her chair as she warred with herself, fighting not to give in. Fighting not to simply grab them both and start lapping every drop of his seed from their features...



"...No..." She eventually managed to get out, thankful that her voice didn't croak. As soon as she said the word, part of her regretted it, but for the most part, she knew she had made the right decision. This was only proven when she felt a surge of pride along with an undercurrent of new lust radiate from Tristan. She glanced to him and saw him smiling pleased. Troy and Diana looked slightly disappointed, as if they had wanted to share their reward with her... "Thank you Diana, but no. You two did well; you deserve everything you've earned." Celestine continued, her voice becoming strong again as she put on airs for the two of them.



"Thank you Celestine." Troy said pleasantly. Diana nodded too, grinning to herself as she swallowed the dollop she had offered Celestine.



"There is one thing you can do though." Celestine found herself saying as soon as the idea popped into her head, before she had a chance to reconsider. "You've gone and claimed my chair Troy, I would like it back. It was meant for me after all..." Celestine explained calmly.



"Sure!" Troy said, stepping out of the way for Celestine who got up and moved closer to Tristan. Diana looked slightly distressed, knowing that her partner would be farther from her, But Troy lightened her mood when she pulled Diana with her into the chair that Celestine just vacated. Once Diana was seated, Troy snuggled in beside her, nuzzling up to Diana before giving a content purr.



Diana blushed hard at the affectionate action, glancing to Celestine as if she might help. Despite not wanting to, Celestine laughed lightly, amused by the adorable yet raunchy scene before her. She looked to Tristan to see if he noticed, though she was embarrassed when she found him looking only at her. <em>("Well done Celestine... Navigating through Navira's trap like that... I'll have to think of some way to reward you later.")</em> He said, a ripple of lust following his words.



Celestine blushed as her imagination began to kick in. She imagined herself in the scene that just played out before her, and found her breath catch at the notion of it... <em>("Th-That won't be necessary...Not that I can stop you if you want to force the issue... B-But you could have warned me you know.")</em> She added as she tried to keep her thoughts clean of her own desires, and not being entirely successful.



<em>("It wouldn't have been nearly as impressive if I had...")</em> Tristan commented calmly. Celestine rolled her eyes but secretly enjoyed his praise regardless. She didn't realize it, but she was slipping back into enjoying his approval without hesitation or pause... It made her feel important and unique. It made her feel wanted by him...



However just as she was about to respond a shudder ran over her and she went perfectly still. Another Demonic Lord was taking his turn addressing his people but that was far from her mind now... <em>HE</em> was near... Celestine glanced up and couldn't find his platform floating about... In fact she realized she hadn't seen it since yesterday...



<strong><em>"Well... looks like everyone enjoyed that little show... I know I did..."</em></strong> Vestiem's voice echoed in their minds. Instinctively they all knew he was behind them, somehow sneaking up on them beyond their collective notice until he made himself known. Tristan looked over his shoulder, as did Navira; both about to rise to greet him. But the Sovereign raised his hand to still them, his shroud thankfully up protecting the mortals. Celestine almost shuddered in fear, but as she glanced over, she saw both Troy and Diana were curled up in each others arms... Even with the Shroud, his presence was still effecting them some when Vestiem was this close. <strong><em>"I came to ask Lord Durial to meet me later, after the Trials are concluded."</em></strong> Each syllable made Celestine shiver once, as she fought to keep the dark terror that had gripped her once from gaining a hold on her once again.

<hr pg="5" />"Of course Sovereign." Tristan replied. "I will come to you as soon as I am able." He said as coolly as he could, fully aware that Vestiem knew about Celestine, and that this visit was probably just a reminder of that... The Sovereign nodded once before he turned away and faded from sight, as if he was never there... Everyone slowly sat back into their seats, trying to relax again. Hard to do, when every demon in the facility was suddenly watching them with curious eyes...



~~~~



Tristan had separated from the rest of his entourage, having ordered Claude and Rena to get Celestine back to his chambers while he met with the Sovereign. Even as he walked the wide path towards Vestiem's chambers, several demons glanced to him with curious hunger when they thought he wouldn't notice. He could almost feel their scheming... almost feel them ready to pounce at a moments notice to tear him apart...



Tristan ignored them. They were simple jackals waiting to be fed their scraps. Beneath him in every way, and creatures he could wipe out of existence by the dozen if the urge struck him. Still, he didn't like leaving Celestine. Even with Claude and Rena guarding her, she was vulnerable, especially with Gallarrion and whomever else might want to take a bite out of him...



Which, speak of the devil, he could feel Barathax waiting idly around the corner. Not something the Lord of Wrath was good at Tristan was sure. When Tristan came around the corner, he made to try and ignore Barathax, but apparently the wrath demon was waiting for Tristan specifically. The Bronze skinned giant turned to Tristan, grinning widely to reveal his thick sharp teeth. "Going to meet your doom Durial?" He asked, contempt dripping from his voice.



"Hardly." Tristan replied easily, as he continued to walk. "I expect that the Sovereign wishes to congratulate me yet again for some of my works. Just like he did when I ascended to the throne I now hold. If I recall correctly, he congratulated me for winning Renassi from you." Tristan brought up Rena's capture from Barathax, knowing it would be a sore point for the Lord of Wrath. Also because Tristan hated Barathax, for his gross abuse and mistreatment of Rena while she was under his service. "But tell me, when was the last time you received any words of praise from our lord Barathax? Oh wait... I remember... He never has praised you, has he?" Tristan asked with a slight grin.



Barathax thundered out a roar and swiped at Tristan with his huge hand, catching the Lord of Lust and slamming him against the wall. Tristan's mocking laughter showed the extent of how much Barathax had hurt him however... in response, Barathax drew his massive war axe back to strike at Tristan, in an attempt to split him in two. Tristan didn't hesitate to slam both fists into the arm that had him pinned, knocking the grip loose and darting out of the way before the axe imbedded itself deeply in the stone wall where Tristan once was.



"Slow as ever Barathax." Tristan mocked as he skirted around the Lord of Wrath, using his powers lightly to misdirect and confuse this opponent for a moment before he shot forwards like a cannon and decked Barathax with all his might, sending the giant staggering back a few feet.



When his balance came back Barathax looked to Tristan and grinned, spitting out a broken tooth like it was nothing. "And you're just as weak as ever Durial." When finished, Barathax began to press his powers, filling his weapon and body with dread energy, quickly making him capable of tearing a tank apart like it was tissue paper... So far both of them hadn't used their full powers; but Barathax was changing that, apparently willing to escalate this conflict.



"Enough!" Navira's voice echoed down the hall as she stepped forwards and glared at them both. "Lord Barathax... would you hinder Lord Durial from reaching the Sovereign? If so I suspect our king would be very unhappy with you..." She chided, trying to get him to back down. Barathax chuckled darkly and shrugged, making both the creatures of lust wonder what he knew or had up his sleeve. Barathax didn't say anything; instead he simply turned and left the two of them alone with one another in the hall. Navira knew that even the Lord of Wrath, for all his might when fighting at his fullest, couldn't take her and Durial on at once... Or at least she didn't think he could... Still, for him to withdraw like this was uncharacteristic. She turned to Tristan.



"You are an idiot." She snapped at him. "Why in Pit would you try and pick a fight with him?! You are strong Durial, I don't doubt that. But Barathax is too powerful for you to take on directly... Especially in this confining hall where you can't fly properly! I know that toss against the wall hurt more than you let on." By the time she finished, her voice was cold and withdrawn as she glared at Tristan.



"I'm Fine Navira." Tristan said dusting himself off. "Barathax is an oaf and a dullard. Besides, he deserves to be antagonized." Tristan said beginning to head towards the Sovereign's chambers.



Navira followed for a short while before she eventually spoke up, changing the subject entirely. "What is that mortal to you Durial?" Her voice was slightly concerned, though curious above all things.



Tristan frowned and shook his head. "What does it matter to you Navira? You can't have her so it shouldn't make a difference."



"That is what I'm talking about Durial... You've never brought a mortal with you to court before. And now, when you do, you seem to fawn over her. The Sovereign implied that she was some great prize, and I don't disagree, but it is strange, the level of focus you put on her... It is even stranger that you would bring her to court at all as she is now. She wasn't ready for this... We both can see that so I have to ask why?" Navira pushed, her voice becoming more insistent.



Tristan rumbled in annoyance. "Again, I ask why it matters to you Navira. I wanted her with me, pure and simple. Leaving her alone for three days and nights would have made me lose more ground in molding her than bringing her here. Right now, she is clay half molded, ready for the finishing touches to be set to make her something grand indeed. But if I leave her alone, the clay will sag and droop. I can't do that, I won't." He said turning to her, almost throwing the words at her.



Navira frowned, hearing him but not believing his words. To her they sounded like plausible excuses... "But she's just a mortal Durial! And you and I both know that she is affecting you almost as much as you do her. She's changed you. Before you were beautifully whimsical in nature, moving through each day like the whole world was your playground. But now... Now you're so serious... so focused. Others might not be able to see it but I can. Everything you do is related to her somehow... Even when I sent my girls to pleasure you, you turned it into something for Celestine! You tested her, and when she passed you were almost euphoric. I see the attraction there Durial, I really do, but I have to wonder how much you've actually put into her... And I have to wonder how much more you'll end up giving... One Mortal, no matter how valuable, isn't worth this." Navira said firmly, her voice almost pleading with him.



"She is!" He barked back. "You have no right to make suggestions on how I run my life Navira! None. You lost that chance years ago when you dragged me into that downward spiral towards oblivion. A spiral that <em><u>I</u></em> pulled us <em>both</em> out of if you are able to recall." He finished harshly.



"I... I know Durial." Navira said simply. "But to me... it looks like..." She paused as if the words were bitter poison to her.



"Spit it out Navira." Tristan demanded.



"It looks like you <em>love</em> her." Her words were accusing.



"Oh by the sins..." Tristan shook his head and had to fight not to snarl at Navira. "First you think to direct how I conduct my affairs and now you insult me?!"



Navira stood firm. "Do you?" She demanded.



"Don't be absurd Navira!" Tristan almost roared at her. "You know as well as I do Demons can't love Mortals. It is impossible and we both know it! To do so would give up what we are!"



"Then you can see why I'm concerned." Navira countered. "I know we are considered rivals by many, and in some ways that is very true. But I have too much respect for you to watch you toss away everything for some overly appetizing mortal." Her voice grew softer by the time she was done, trying to defuse the situation and calm both of them down.



"Your concern is not necessary Navira..." Tristan responded coolly, though not nearly as harshly as he had been with her moments ago.



"That makes me happy Durial... I know you probably don't trust me right now, but allow me to sit near your mortal during you Clash with Odeon... I'll keep my distance of course and will leave her alone unless someone tries something, but I want to show you that I still do support you, rival or not. Plus, your mortal seems to enjoy the company of my girls. Let them sit with her and put her at ease while she watches you do battle during the Clash tomorrow."



Tristan sighed and turned his back to her before nodding once. He didn't say any more, but instead continued on towards the Sovereign's chambers... leaving her alone with that.



He knew he didn't love Celestine. That was utterly impossible for him... But the thing she could become... That was a different story all together...



~~~~

