Bloody Redemption [Eteru/Richard]

Richard’s display of dominance was rather erotic to behold. The scene was right out of a lot of artwork on Hypnonexus. Especially if the content was related to vampires. The act didn’t concern him for the most part as it was pragmatic. As it stands the greatest possible threat was the Ghoul population that have gone unchecked for who knows how long. It was anyone's guess on how much of them there were out there. Therefore he can’t just stand by, especially when he has the assets to do so. He’s now obligated to protect his country from Eskalivi. And he’ll take the routes he can tolerate to reach that goal.

Richard sharing their abilities solidifies that concern. From what he has seen so far. Blood Arts was strong. And who knows how much it evolved over time. Before he could make a comment his friend spoke again. A small grin forming on his face as he heard his words. “Oh, her name is Maravi? I came across her when projecting into your mind. I was wondering who she was.” It didn’t surprise him that she wanted a body. Considering how much of a hot mess she was watching Richard use his sister’s body as a love doll plus his own nudging. He would have been surprised if she wasn’t craving for a body so that Richard could use her in the same fashion.

“To answer that and a question earlier. I’m able to control biology at a cellular level. It’s very possible for me to create a new body for her. To make things easier for myself, one sec…” Lincoln vanished for a split second. In his hand was one of Maravi’s bones. Lincoln must have ran over to where they were freshly buried to get it. “Needed to get her bone because it holds her DNA. I’ll use it as a map to make a body that is truly her own. Along with some bonus features.” He gave a wink. Mostly to her spirit if she was watching. It was clear to him that she would want a body that can handle any sort of physical punishment.

Opening his palm the bone floated a bit into the air. Prismatic static dance along the ancient bone. Then with passing seconds they would watch as a female Ialao adult body is regrown from the singular bone. Nude as the day she was first born. Lincoln eases her new body down. Her luscious flesh jiggles with every micromovement. Her body stood with her head down. Eyes closed. It was evident to Richard that his friend had made her noticeably chubbier.

Lincoln then held a hand to the open air between her body and Richard. A silver thread of energy came out of her chest to connect to the ring that housed Maravi’s soul. “I can’t move souls. But I can make a connection that they can use to move through. So here you go Maravi, all you have to do is move through it to get in your new body. There’s tweaks as said. I’m sure you’ll feel what they are when you get in. Oh a major thing is that I made your body capable of getting pregnant by Richard. Hyper fertile as well, so expect giving birth to multiple children every time. On that note they would be Ialao in biology while having whatever Ghoul abilities.”

Given her horniness it was likely she would already be moving through the connecting before he spoke the first syllable. Besides feeling the change from a incorporeal body to a physical one. There was an innate sense of just how different her new body was. Her bones and muscles were more durable to handle all sorts of rough sex. Stamina was no longer a issue for having sex often. Her throat was modified in a way that it won’t be strained or damaged by intense oral sex. Her breasts seem like they can produce an infinite amount of milk. Simply put her body was built to be fucked by Richard. And it’s surely perfect.

Beside her body there was one other aspect that has been given finishing touches. Her organic mind. The sensation of margin the spiritual to the biological is equivalent to submerging in a bath of hormones. Her libido was off the charts. It certainly didn’t help that she was now standing naked before her friend whose erection is visible in his pants. And it also didn’t help that the thoughts of being the first to hog him and bear his children were deafening. Off to the side, Lincoln was happy to see a reunion such as this. It’s not often that the dead can be given a second chance at life.

“Now while I would be happy to let you two fuck each other brains out for hours on end. We’re on a schedule. I’m not cruel of course, Richard you can just carryfuck Maravi on over there.” He didn’t need to add that once they get to the mind and lock on to the memory trail that she can keep having sex with his body once they go through the memories. Because he can tell she’s eager to worship his tool for a good while. Making a gesture with his hand the two thralls were picked up by his telekinesis to be carried. “Beat you there.” Lincoln zooms off to the train tunnel to get to the mine shaft from that direction instead of trying to find it from above.

It was doubtful that there were any great number of them given their domineering and competitive natures. If the memories of Richard's past were any indication the secluded enclaves that exist in this period were likely sporadic and small in number, covens of small numbers being centred around a single leader. Though there always existed the potential for there to be larger covens with multiple leaders on planets with huge populations, like Tavern worlds or such. Luckily though Lincoln had a way of safely pacifying them at his disposal in the way of his friend. It was still likely that conflict will arise but Richard can potentially rise to be quite the figure for good if handled correctly.

Richard listened intently to Lincoln's explanation of this power he had used. It fascinated him that he could so freely alter the fabric of life so freely, something that interested Maravi too but currently her mind was oh so hopelessly clouded with desires. Though Rich was surprised that Lincoln caught sight of Maravi's spirit as he was passing through into his mind... Then again that made sense, there was a link between him and the ring that housed her soul. But thinking on it, her sudden adamant desire for a body may have something to do with Lincoln taking notice of her as he walked him through memory lane. "So how are you going to-" Richard was cut off as he had just caught the end of a Lincoln shaped cloud of dust speeding off.

"... Well holy shit he's faST!?" Richard nearly jumped out of his skin as Lincoln reappeared from nowhere. "You scared the crap out of- Is that..." Richard's train of thought was brought to a halt as he sees a piece of bone that he knew all too well. He was fast enough to go back to the prison's entrance and grab a bone?? "That's insanely fast."

Though very convenient. Maravi noted aloud in Richard's head as she watched through his eyes. Though she definitely caught Lincoln's wink as her muzzle flared in pink embarrassment within the ring.

The pair of them get to marvel in the speedy creation of Maravi's new body, fashioned from the bone of her original form. Of course Richard noticed right away that her form was meatier than it was in her past life. Not that he minded it. Very much the opposite... Though his gaze did shift to the antlers on her head, a brief mental image of him having a handle on those certainly helped in giving Maravi all the encouragement she needed once Lincoln forged the connection. He was very much right, once that silver string was in place she was halfway across before he could finish the word 'souls'.

Richard watched as her soul zipped along the line before it filled this new and stunning vessel, her soul taking to its new home rather quickly as the Ialoa's eyes fluttered open. Maravi could already feel that this body was built for some proper rough and tumble. She was dazed at first, her hands exploring her glorious curves as she sees that some 'creative liberties' were taken... Not that she minded. Her mind finally caught up as he mentions hyper fertility. Something that immediately perked her ears right up as she absentmindedly placed a hand over her core. As her spirit settled into her new body she felt the immediate rush of hormones that her soul had only faint memory of since her death, the experience was almost too much as her gaze longingly drifted to Richard with desire in her eyes. The only things she caught from Lincoln's explanation were 'getting pregnant by Richard' and most importantly 'multiple children every time' something that she felt in her soul was what she eagerly wanted.

Richard was marvelling at this miracle of life before his eyes raised to meet the hungry gaze of his priestess friend, who he could already tell was eager to get into the practice of the miracle of life right away. He could see her gaze locked onto his not so hidden rod before she stumbled forward, not quite used to walking again as he closed the gap between them quickly, catching her mid stumble as his fingers sank into blessed flesh with a less than restrained erotic moan right into his ear. Her moan filled his head, snapping most of his rationality right there and then. It was only because of Lincoln that he had sense enough to not do away with his clothes and give Maravi what she needed right then and there.

His excellent suggestion of carryfucking Maravi to their next destination, the mineshaft in Darktooth, peeked Richard's attention, he was going to order his new hires to follow Lincoln but it would seem that his friend beat him to it. Though he hoped that his dare to beat him was a joke, he wanted to take a little time with Maravi.

As Lincoln takes off for the tunnel, Richard doesn't waste a moment to lock lips with Maravi. She more than eagerly draped her arms around his shoulders, pressing her more than bountiful chest against his own while her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. His tongue rolled and twisted amongst her own as he wasted no time in getting himself ready, wasting mana was not above him either as he simply dispersed his clothing back into raw mana and releasing his heated rod, much to the delighted and muffled squeal of Maravi as she felt it slide against her plush rear. As Maravi happily sucked on Richard's tongue, one of her hands lightly running through and tugging his hair, the pair spoke telepathically. Better to use their breaths for moaning than to waste a precious moment exchanging words.

I didn't think I'd see the day when I would be able to hold you in my arms. Richard accentuates this as his hand eagerly sinking his fingers into her well rounded rear, getting yet another delighted moan from the Ialoa as she hopelessly grinds against his burning rod beneath her.

N-Neither did I. It's almost like a dream. But it all feels so wonderfully real~!

A bright smile crossed his face as he still had yet to come up for air. Richard uses his free hand as he lightly hefts her ample cheek to the side as he starts to slide himself deep into her core as the pair of them moan their connected delight as the tip of his spear kisses right at the gate to her very core. A perfect fit, amazingly snug... Literally made for perfect compatibility. Rich made a mental note of Lincoln's craftsmanship as he took his first step, bouncing his giddy and horny friend on his spear as she shuttered and drenched his thighs in her honeyed scent. The Ghoul's eyes filled with their lustful crimson as he was hit with the intoxicating release. After a moment he takes another step, then another, and another. Each time Maravi goes through these mini releases as she clamps down around him, each time her ears almost roll into the back of her head.

Pretty quickly Maravi's moans could be heard throughout the tunnel to Darktooth as Richard started to get into a brisk job with the wonderful visual of the luscious jiggling flesh of the priestess that was eagerly riding him while she begged him to go faster… Now how could he deny such compelling encouragement. His pace only quickened, his grip on her growing firmer as he started to run down the passage, sending his breeding tool striking up into numerous sweet spots as his grinds and stirs it into her core with each step he takes.

The pair of them poured their passions into evr action, eager to release the tension of their shared decades together now that they were finally able to release all their pent up feelings and desires. No longer bound by the petty rules and laws of an age that no longer exists… For Richard this lessened the burden of loneliness on his soul, to rediscover what it means to pour his passion into someone who he adores. Their roles may have been prisoner and jailer, but if things were different it was likely that the two of them could have been lovers.

For Maravi it was liberating, to feel the burning passion of the one she grew so close to after being sacrificed by her tribe to seal him away, such a pure and troubled soul that she did her best to sooth… She could now do so directly, look into his eyes and feel his touch against her own. She leaned her head back, screaming his name into the whatever heavens will hear them before she looked longingly into Richard’s eyes, her fingers running through his hair as her eyes could be heart shaped at this point. “Please Rich, bless my womb with your offspring~!”

Rich was entirely sucked in by the longing look in her eyes, despite the depravity he could only see the blissful innocence of her genuine desire to bear his young and smother him in her love, he was hopelessly swept up in her emotions. He felt a tightness in his core one that he could feel tugging even into the back of his mind as his eyes shined their illustrious crimson, they were just about at the end of the tunnel, pulling in to the station as Richard bottomed out, shoving all he could inside as he gave Maravi both barrels of his pent up love. Both of them scream in their individual delights as Maravi could feel her core being filled with the hot essence of life as she beamed a wonderful smile, melting in Richard’s grip as she peppered his face with kisses. Feeling his essence drip from her with each following step he took as they finally arrived in Darktooth, no doubt Lincoln having already beat them.

Lincoln came to a stop up near the entryway of the mine shaft. At the end of a tunnel he could see slivers of natural light poking through the dense vegetation. The tunnel itself was reclaimed by nature. Roots, vines, and moss layered it. It will take a few minutes now to search for the memory on the world line. His friends will be here by then. The thought put a grin on his face as he imagined Richard bouncing his friend like a jackhammer as he sped down the tunnel. Making full use of Maravi’s enhanced durability to not worry about the g-force.

He set down Richard’s new pawns next to him. In spite of his perverse nature his eyes didn’t stray on any part of their nude forms for long. To him they weren’t that eye-catching. That and for the most part he’s just desensitized to nudity. On that note however he does need to give them some decency for when they eventually go outside to find the next point of interest. A group of naked women going through a forest is a bit weird if anyone sees it.

Using his power to generate cloth the two women found themselves wearing cow-print underwear. With one other set placed on nearby mossy rock for Maravi to wear later. That done he looked at the duo. “While we wait for your lord, tell me important things that I should now. Who sent you here, how many of you are there, where did you come from, ect. Most importantly…” His eyes briefly shimmer with a kaleidoscopic dance of colors. “..Who would be good choices for Richard to remind them who they’re meant to serve for the betterment of the Union?”

Setting his gaze to the entrance of the mine he began to focus while keeping an ear out to listen to the women. Psychometry is easier when he has something specific that ties the memory to the planetary world line. The estate was easier because it was an isolated place that hasn't been touched until now. It’s a different story when he’s drawing history from pure terrain that is exposed to the elements. Everything has their own mark on time. The rain, the plants, the animals. Not to mention the possible explorers that could have come through here after the fact. Their world lines attributing to the overlapping built over time. Much like layers in the earth.

Thankfully he was able to discern the ‘depth’ of the memory he picked up from the estate in the grand sea of time. And he zeroed on the certain world line that went through here. Now that he was close to the origin point he would have a better time following the world’s memory outside. Taking in the information he looked back to the depths that led to Darktooth. Certain that Richard will be jogging up any second with a now drenched Maravi from who knows how many continuous orgasms.

As Lincoln set the pair down and then fully clothed them, their eyes snapped back to their original colours before they briefly looked around to see where they were. The pair now had some newly fabricated memories and identities thanks to their enthrallment by Richard, their new lives were as soldiers devoted to the truth that Richard was trying to save their kind from falling even more into darkness. They will serve to make sure that so many of the historical lies surrounding him are exposed and corrected. Now that Lincoln was asking them to reveal details surrounding their previous existence while their new master takes his time in getting here, they both share a look of reluctance before a golden ripple flashes in their eyes that sends a shiver through their bodies. Their previous reluctance disappears with the shiver as it seems Richard won’t have his friend being denied.

Titan’s name did not change from the origin, now she had a more friendly and free spoken attitude, she was less reserved than she was in her previous existence and is way more likely to speak her mind with honesty. Speaking in a Proscorian accent. She set her hands on her hips as she looked down at the very fitting Cow-print underwear that was stretched over her voluptuous curves. “Well the master trusts you, so I guess we can too! Our old employer was named Safia Helfrieg, a real pain to work with. She’s the current Matriarch of the Helfrieg noble family, they only have like 4 members. Basically trash compared to our master.”

The short stack was named Lizzy, her previously foul attitude and lack of tact was replaced with just a confrontational attitude but had a secretive sweet side that she will likely only show to her master. Her previous buzz cut had been turned into a pixie cut while she got her thumb under one of the straps, slightly lifting it with a raised eyebrow before she continued where her friend left off. “The Helfrieg’s rule over a bunch of smaller groups and they have an alliance with afew small houses on other and one big house I can’t recall the name of on other planets in this part of the galaxy. But in total there are only about seventy of us spread out across this planet. In our group there are ten of us on this continent including a member of the Helfrieg House. As for where we came from, we came from a listening post we have in the mountains here. It was just me and Titan here staying here to keep an eye out for people who might try to bring back the legend of our master.”

“Though we do have a main base in the south in what was a shrine back in our masters era. Some sort of underground shrine to worship some old god our people worshipped. I have zero idea about it though.” Titan admits as she has a sorry look on her face as her shoulders slump, wishing she knew more to tell. “We’re just low level muscle for tracking down individuals. We don’t get told much in the way of really important details.”

As Lincoln asks his most important question Titan tries her best to think about it before Lizzy comes back with an answer immediately. “Well all of the Helfrieg family would be a good start, if our lord takes them over then this planet would serve as a good jump point for his control to spread. As we said they have allies in other much smaller groups. If we take them over we can pool them onto another planet to keep them from hurting people. Once we have the numbers we can scout out any more hidden communities and strike at them, bringing them into the fold.”

Lincoln would be right with his estimations, as he looked down towards the tunnel entrance he would spot Richard jogging into the settlement from the station, his lips wrapped around one of Maravi’s breasts as he eagerly gets a drink of her sweet milk to restore his stamina. Maravi was still tightly gripping onto Richard with his spear buried in her core, with a very different kind of milk dripping down her thighs as they come to a stop, her legs let go of his waist but Richard gives her one last hot treat shot right into her core before they get to business, a squeal of delight leaves Maravi as she turns to jelly in his arms again. Titan and Lizzy both watch on with red faces as they do their best to look dutiful, but rather jealous of their masters first mistress.

Richard reluctantly separates himself from Maravi’s milky teeth to look up to Lincoln, helping Maravi up as he uses magic to clean himself up but leaving Maravi drenched in his mark for now so that she can get to enjoy the fact that for right now she was his sole lover. “Learn anything of interest from our new friends?” He shouts up to Lincoln, there was a 60 story gap separating the two of them at this moment.

He raised his brow when he heard that the supposed noble family was that small. Even taking into account that they are people who clearly try to remain undetected. Compared to small royal families in other aristocracies it felt like it could be a cadet house but he doubts it. “That’s close to being wiped out small.” It felt like it was ideal to try to have a large family size to preserve the species. They could easily do that and still remain under the radar. Or considering recent events to be blatant about it. Stories about mass public orgies over in Angelarium circulated a lot over the interwebs in recent years. Iammelonians don't seem to mind shameless disregard for decency anymore which is good for his plans. However not everyone is tolerant of depravity just yet.

The rundown produced a lot of good information. If they were stationed at a listening post then it was best to secure that and find a way to swiftly secure the seventy other traitors on this planet before words leave the world. The last thing they need is losing the element of surprise this early on. Continuing to think he heard Richard’s shout crystal clear. A little funny considering Richard seemed to have assumed he had super hearing which he does of course but he doesn’t know that. “Come up and I’ll tell you. By the way I don’t think you need to clean up. Maravi and these two need to do something at all when you’re in a meditative state.” Richard should have been able to understand what he meant. He just knows that the trio would love to give Richard a tongue bath.

When Richard gets up to where he is he fills him on what they got so far. Then he starts pulling up the memories from the world around them and transmits them to Richard. “Let's follow the next trek in your sister’s journey.” As he said that he wondered about Richard's other sisters. While he doesn’t know much about the other since she went with their mother. The other seemed antagonistic. If there was anything that hurts to see for Lincoln it’s poor familial relationships. Hopefully the reunion plays out alright. Otherwise he may need to intervene to remind her of her sisterly duties.

As Lincoln remarks that those numbers were close to being wiped out, Lizzy gives a small scoff to him. Though he was about right. "House Helfrieg has a lot of enemies thanks to the large family they're aligned with. It doesn't help that we live a secretive existence as is. Large scale fighting is almost nearly out of the question, but the civil war emboldened plenty of factions to fight more openly. But that led to investigations from both sides before the Union won."

Titan nodded along with her lover's explanation before she chimed in with some juicy knowledge of her own. "House Helfrieg never got involved with any of that. But we did have to engage confederate forces more than once and make it look like Union ambushes. I even got to fight a Taurus one on one." This would certainly explain the firearms they had in their possession. Unfortunately there was so much of this picture incomplete, with tons of information they don’t yet have. It might be a good idea to capture one of the nobles quickly so that they can get the bigger picture as soon as possible.

Richard and Maravi started to make their way up to them as they started to ascend a sort of central spire in the middle of the settlement. A large winding staircase that connected to all the walkways, houses, businesses and stores along with the mineshafts in the settlement with a connected rail track system for minecarts to be sent for processing.

Richard perks an eyebrow as he heard Lincoln tell him not to clean himself up, with a quick glance to Maravi’s blushing face after Lincoln said she and his new guards will need something to do while they explore the past, a cheeky smirk crossed his face as he left himself caked in Maravi’s scent. “Aaah I see! Well I wouldn’t want Maravi and my new minions to be bored. Titan, Lizzy, do play nice with Mistress Maravi will you once I’m in the dream. There’s plenty enough for all of you~”

Both Titan and Lizzy both stand at attention once their names are called but the sudden flush of scarlet in their expressions spoke volumes of their embarrassment and of their desires to happily ‘service’ their new master. All the while Maravi was blushing bright red as Richard calls her his mistress. She had only been back amongst the living for less than an hour and already she felt so ecstatic. Plus there was the nice ring to it, to know that she ranked higher than these two women that were now in his thrall. “I don’t like the idea of having to share you so soon, but I’ll make the exception since you gave me such a wonderful gift dear~” She says as she leans over and shows her place at his side before the pair of ghouls by locking lips with Richard. To which he gave a smirk and gave Maravi a hard swat on the rear, making that luscious cake jiggle on impact for her cheeky use of her new authority.

“Of course master Richard!” Titan dutifully replied, trying to ignore the flurry of mental images involving servicing her new master with her milk tanks tightly wrapped around his manhood.

Lizzy tried to not sound as enthusiastic but she still followed the orders of her master to the letter. Even as her legs trembled and slightly crossed with the idea of being impaled on her masters pole only to be used as a cheap toy. “O-Of course master. We would never dream of offending your mistress.”

Once they were on the final level before the entrance to the overgrown mineshaft, Richard cast a sun charm spell on himself and his new goons. They were closer to the surface than he thought… Though he did like the new items of clothing that Lizzy and Titan were wearing. ... I might have to make this a permanent uniform when I actually have an estate of my own.

Meanwhile Maravi was helping herself to her new set of Cowprint underwear as she gave a small giggle at the way she jiggled so frequently. “You did this on purpose didn’t you?” She aims at Lincoln as she sees that the other two were wearing similar underwear. Richard certainly didn’t complain, and even found it fitting all around since all three of them were quite gifted in the milk department. “I like it.”

“Well you would, you big perv.” Maravi teases as she uses her own natural magic to shift and shape the roots and moss into a nice and cushy couch of sorts for herself to sit in. Rich gave a smirk to her cheeky comeback as he just owns it with a nod. “You didn’t complain about me being a perv on our run here~”

Now that they were here Richard listens to everything Lincoln says regarding what Titan and Lizzy told him. And just like Lincoln, Rich was amazed that such a small house was given free reign over a whole planet. Either this family was waging a constant war with another noble faction on this planet, or something else was going on. “Only five members… Matriarch included… Do you know where the member of her house you were serving is?”

Titan gave a quick nod to her master’s question though Lizzy answered him as she steps forward, trying ever so hard to keep eye contact with him as he stands there in nothing. “Yes my master, the slimy weasel that was incharge of us before we were liberated into your service is named Trevor Helfrieg. A cowardly bastard that delights in the torture of those weaker than him. He was last held up at our listening post. He should still be there.” Richard’s eyebrow furrowed at hearing this, though he did get an idea as he gave a quick glance to Lincoln. Perhaps this slimy dirtball could be ‘helped’ in much the same way that Titan and Lizzy had been saved from themselves.

“Alright, we’ll decide his fate once myself and Lincoln discover more about my sister's journey all those years ago. Enjoy yourselves while I’m working~” He says as he sits down on the couch that Maravi had created, closing his eyes as he enters the protected memory of the land that Lincoln had placed into his mind. While on the outside, the girls barely waited for his eyes to close before they all pounced on him.

With his own mind, Richard was fully clothed once more and looking around at the scene around them as the world pieced itself together. Melissa was standing at the entrance to the mineshaft, a new piece of equipment now around her arm. A steel gauntlet that went all the way up the forearm with a yellow gemstone of sorts adorning it… All of her soldiers now had these items while some carried bags of food and supplies. One of the grave Knights even levitated some larger crates behind him as they ready themselves.

“Alright. Is that everything?” Melissa asks as she stares out at her troops all sigh off with either a nod or a vocal yes. “Okay, to go over the plan. We’re going back towards Richard’s Prison and setting up a base. We’ll watch over him until we can come up with a way to set him free. Any questions?”

One of the Grave Knight’s did raise their hand before being given permission to speak. “Would it not be more prudent to marshal more forces? We do not have the numbers to stand against any Mooncrest forces we may encounter as we create our base.”

Melissa grew quiet as she looked to the side, no doubt considering her options as she knew well enough that most of their forces were now either with Camila or back with Conny and the rest of the family.

Richard crossed his arms over his chest, thinking aloud as he looked to the mineshaft door. “Before I was imprisoned our family had alliances with several noble houses. Most were out of convenience, others were because they owed me a favour. But my mothers house was genuinely loyal to us. I doubt they would betray us… And off the top of my head I can only think of one other house that would side with Melissa to watch over me… The Einsfrost family. They aren’t loyal, and they are far from trustworthy. But… They owe me quite the hefty favour since I saved their matriarch from summary execution.”

Melissa looks back to her soldiers before half turning to the door “We can solve that once we get to the sight. The Mooncrest tribe will be too busy trying to take care of the other houses and their aggressive expansion plans to notice us move into the neighbourhood. Lets go!”

They would have to follow behind Melissa as she leads the way to the surface, exiting the mineshaft that broke onto the surface before they started to take a mountain trail down towards the surrounding forest land and begin their trek towards his prison. Richard looked up to the memory of the sun as they followed in the footsteps of his sister. “So they set up a base close to my prison… I wonder why I never heard anything about it.”

There was something sinfully tantalizing to see a once innocent priestess be corrupted. If it weren’t for Talmia’s influence he would have felt shame and guilt. His spirit has been unbowed, unbent, unbroken for a very long time. But the culmination of many factors led him once indomitable will fell to the hands he thought he completely trusted. He doesn’t have the faintest clue of just how much of him have been corrupted. For the time being it was good that he wasn’t completely deep in the mindset of a degenerate. It helped that everyone looked dull compared to Alcra. Not even Titan who is near her body shape is pathetic in comparison. As a result of everything being paled in comparison he just wasn’t very turned on except for the moment when Richard used the memory body of his sister as a love doll. That instance turned him on greatly.

It was this relaxed demeanor that made him more aware of his surroundings. Looking at the luminosity of the light peaking through at the end of the tunnel he guessed that there is ten minutes of daylight left. Once they’re done here they will have the cover of night time. He was broken out of his musing when Maravi spoke to him. Drawing a smirk from him. “It’s easy to discern what Richard’s preference is.” Goes to show that degenerates do share the same wavelength.

Listening to more of the information he spoke up. “I’ll go get him real quick and bring her back. Just in case to prevent him from getting suspicious with the radio silence.” He gave Richard a memory chunk to look through that will give him enough time to make the round trip. Leaving a dust cloud in his shape once more he zoomed out and flew up into the twilight sky. Using details from the thralls memories to locate the place they came from.

In a few minutes the gathering of lovers who are surely worshiping their master’s cock would see Lincoln pop back into view followed by a soft gust of wind a few seconds later. Floating beside him was a dazed, naked woman. Lincoln didn’t say anything as he didn't want to disturb their display of servitude but they would know who the now curvaceous woman was. Who was still in a daze. Having not only been plucked away before she could blink but like the thralls her mind was hammered by the force that was Lincoln’s will. If she had any guards around they too have been turned. And the listening post would certainly have fallen into a orgy den since they left.

Lincoln brought her over to the overgrown wall. Combining his plant growth and telekinesis powers. Sturdy vines came alive on the wall. Reaching out to bind Trevor to the wall. Tried in bondage with her legs spread open and her arms tied behind her back to push her now heavy chest forward. Lincoln grabbed her cheeks to make her look into his eyes. Swirling with a kaleidoscope of colors. Signifying that he was in the altered state of mind once more. ”You’ve done bad things. As penance you’re to remain bound to watch the show and only Richard is able to give you relief.” More wines went around her head to prevent her from speaking. It’s rude to bother your betters with whining after all. Lincoln also made it that Trevor will become increasingly horny as time goes one. More so that she normally would in this situation.

He returned to normal when he stepped away. Projecting himself back into Richard in time to see the group exiting the food. Then he reached back out into the world to reconnect the rest of the information. Lincoln held a stoic face when he heard Richard speak. There wasn’t any mention of a base either. And that reminded him of a lot of tragic moments in his lifetime. Everyone, even himself, underestimates the great vastness that is Time. Many often believe they can be loyal forever. To guard a place or object to the end of time. Only to end as bones or their minds becoming half gone. It stands to show why most of the time the sentinels are non-sentient and inorganic. Because they have a better time bearing the stress of time before they begin to crumble to the infinite march of time.

Lincoln could think of a few possibilities. None of them pleasant to think about. Putting his hands in his pockets he gave a light hearted shrug. “We’ll see when we get there.” The scene continues to be locked on her as the memory progresses. A part of him hopes for Richard sake that when he begins to fast forward that it won’t be too overwhelming for him.

It’s just as well that everyone seemed to be inferior to Alcra to Lincoln, while Richard could likely argue that there was some definite competition he was speaking from a very biased standpoint of his own. So the pair will have to agree to disagree. Though on the point of corruption it was good for the group that Lincoln was still mostly himself, and for the most part Richard has not taken great notice of the inconsistencies in what he has been told and what he has seen concerning his friend and benefactor. Though that could certainly all change in time the further they tread on this wild incestual tail chase. Which seemed to be the only thing that got his friends rocks off, not that he minded. If Richard was at all able he would want to return the favour.

Maravi hummed along with Lincoln’s notion of the both he and Richard being on similar wavelengths, a knowing smirk on her face. And while she was certainly corrupted in her desires for Richard, she had retained alot of her original self. Since that is what Richard seemingly wanted, not some unflinching cocksleeve but the woman grew fond of. Though he certainly didn’t mind that she was wild and durable in the sack, something that they both tested thoroughly on their run here.

In the time it took Lincoln to vanish and return, the group of lovers were all showing their newfound devotion for their new master. With Richard laying across the couch made of vines and moss with Lizzy rising his royal spear with gusto, the indentation of his shape showing in her stomach as she raised and fell by squatting again and again, showing the power of her core muscles while they were accompanied by the sound of her more than generous ass smacking down against her masters thighs while her face was the very expression of melting bliss. Titan had taken a rather nice position as she sat on Richard’s face, making use of his tongue that seemed to be acting on its own despite his mind very much occupied elsewhere, all the while Maravi was locking lips with Titan as she played with the giant woman’s mountainous cleavage, enjoying the giantess’s muffled moans and squeals as she tweaked and pulled on her nipples. Maravi had taken the liberty of borrowing one of Richard’s hands as she uses it to explore her painted core, gasping and cooing softly as she moves his digits against sweet spots of hers.

Of course once Lincoln came back with their soon to be newest ally, the girls did look over with Lizzy being the one to actually speak up as she recognises the new woman that he brought along. “Well well looks like Trevor got caught~” None of them would weep for the penance that the Ghoul Noble must endure before Richard came back.

Though now, as the Ghoul known as Trevor is having to deal with the mind warping alterations she had just gone through. Trying to speak up to strike some kind of bargain with her captor out of fear of death, and so she could try to use her blood art to escape, but the mental attacks lashed any thoughts from her mind as she grit her teeth to manage the pain. Not that the pain will last very long, she could feel it in her lions. A heat was starting to rise in her core the more she watched as these women rode and helped themselves to a Black haired ghoul… Now that she was here and perfectly able to see the man, even though his face was being engulfed in massive thighs, she knew who it was. N-No way…! I thought it was just some stupid joke! But this man… The power he has at his side in this ally of his! I-I need to get out of here, warn my sister! Though all sort of thoughts of escape started to turn to mush in her poor little head as her lust continued to build. Trevor may have been a black haired ghoul, likely having quite the unique and powerful skill. But that paled in comparison to the mental strength and power of the one who was responsible for Usurping his people’s first Kingdom. And she will get to see just how badly she was going to enjoy throwing herself at his feet after he awakens from viewing this memory.

Back within the mental realm, after Lincoln rejoined Richard in their trek towards the base that Melissa wanted to build, Richard stood there, arms folded over his chest as he watched Melissa getting her hands dirty in getting this base built… He could feel it in Lincoln’s voice as he told him that they will simply see when they get there. “Right…” His optimism waned with every step they took.

Right now they were passing through the woods but moving up a massive hill with a sheer cliff at the top that overlooked the patch of forest that had Richard’s prison, it was here that Melissa and her forces started diggin, using magic to shape them an underground bunker that would be able to weather enemy attacks and allow them to spy on the prison. He stepped away from behind his sister to stand at the very top of this lone cliff face, a mini mountain amidst the forest. He remembered seeing it as he was heading towards the family estate… They were so close to it. Yet at the very wrong time. “Well… It looks like they set up their base here. I just wonder… N-Nevermind.” He says as he it was clear in his voice that his mind was poisoning him with worries and doubts of what has happened over the eras.

Lincoln came up to stand beside him. Looking out onto the forest below. It was very early in its growth. Trees far apart enough that he could see sections of the forest floor. And there was a wide, open clearing around Richard’s prison. The structure stood taller than the trees. Making it very easy to make out. Gazing out into the horizon he spoke in a somber tone. “The way you were imprisoned was merciful. Being in complete nothingness saved you from truly comprehending just how much time passed.” Lincoln took a look back to the back in construction. Specifically at Melissa. Her eyes held bright glimmers of hope. Fully confident that she can wait as long it needs to be to rescue her brother.

In time he’ll see if she is those special souls who are able to stand defiant against the current of time much like this mountain. Looking back out into the forest he made a circular motion with his hand. Making a translucent ring in the air. “Here we go. Let’s see the strength of her love to you. You have my sympathy, Richard.” The world changed when the ring connected. Richard would catch quick that Lincoln was speeding up time. The forest was a primal clock that told them just how much time was slipping through their fingers like sand.

First the trees were a bright green. Then the colors of autumn spread across the forest like a wave before the leaves fell. Exposing the branches as snow blankets the forest. And the cycle repeats itself. It was slow at first to build up to the momentum. A year per two seconds, then every second, till finally stopping at a cycle in a half of a second. The forest was growing before them with a timelapse like effect. Becoming denser and taller til they couldn’t see the forest floor anymore. They watch roots and moss grow over Richard’s prison. Trees and other planets growing from it. Eventually there came a point where the once visible prison has been completely overtaken by time.

They could see the mountain changing over time as well. At the start it seemed like they were constantly adding new extensions to it. Stairs and roads on the hill, new entryways, structures being erected in various places. Then it started to slow down. The blurs that signified moving people were becoming less. Over time it seems there were less and less people. “The world still holds her memory for quite awhile. She’s doing significantly better than many would in her position. And taking a peek ahead on my end, her commitment is praiseworthy.” At this point it was certain that she exhausted every way to break him out and was just simply waiting to see if one day the prison breaks. Her watch came down to an attrition war against Time. The end of this will determine which side buckled first.

A little over an hour passed in here.

The timelapse stopped in the middle of a heavy winter. Everything around them was a pure expanse of snow. It was impossible to see the prison now. Roughly 7,800 years have passed since they started fast forwarding. “This is the final minutes that this hill remembers Melissa. It would seem she’s the only one left as well.” He wasn’t going to say how long she had been alone. Richard is dealing with enough as is. Lincoln looked around. The hill fortifications and structures were long abandoned. There were centuries old scars of battles. The stairs and roads were barely noticeable anymore. It was likely that she gave up keeping it nice around the entire mountain. “She’s inside the bunker. And to save you an even worse meltdown she’s not doing to die. Otherwise the mountain will still have memories of her.” Meaning she will leave and never return.

Richard stands at the cliff edge while casting his eyes out at the budding forest below. He knew this place all too well… To be able to look down upon his prison from this height was strangely liberating despite the fact that he knows that right around now he was down there in arcane chains, likely having a pleasant conversation with Marav. Meanwhile his sister was up here preparing to start a long vigil.

Being imprisoned there… I lost all forms of social interaction once Maravi passed away in the first hundred years. I cycled through madness and stability so many times that I’m surprised that I can be classified as sane. To imagine what Melissa will go through-

He cut himself off quickly as the thought alone, the thought of his sisters sharing in his misfortune. It tied knots in his stomach. He never wanted any of this for them… The way Lincoln described his imprisonment as merciful made him hate himself, the fact that Lincoln was right and he was thankful for it… Thankful while his family suffered so much for or because of him. They deserved far better... “Merciful huh. You’re right. But it doesn’t make me feel any better about any of this.”

Richard gazed back over his shoulder to the construction work that was beginning, he could see the hopeful and determined looks in the faces of soldiers that he recognised well enough… And then there was Melissa, her eyes were bright with the hope of getting to see him again. For some reason, that look on her face brought him nothing but dread.

Why…

He turned back around, seeing the forming of the magic ring that Lincoln held in his hands. At a glance he could at least hazard a guess at its function… The reality of it made his stomach churn. He didn’t even think he was ready to watch it all change, he didn’t want to see the hope in his sister’s eyes to fade… But he needed to know what happened. “I hope I don’t need it.” He doomed himself from the very start.

Why don’t I just tell him to stop…

Because he can’t leave this as it is. Melissa needed to be found.

He looked on as time marched on all around them, taking in the details of how it all went on around them. From the forests rapid growth to the additional structures and increase in people that rushed around the mountain in blurred silhouettes. He even took to guessing where he mentally at the time as the years marched one… Pretty soon however, as he watched his prison get swallowed by nature, his heart would begin to sink.

I should just close my eyes…

He couldn’t bring himself to stop.

Once that prison was no longer in view he steeled his heart and turned around to face what he wanted to ignore. The slow and inevitable decline of his sister’s vigil…

Why am I torturing myself like this…

Because he needed to see.

He watched as the centuries faded in a matter of minutes, he watched as the number of people that lived here at this base of Melissa’s construction started to dwindle slowly. He watched as battles were fought here, furiously won but not without losses. Both defensive and offensive, he could even see the momentary explosions of fights fought down below as she attempted to use force to try and free him with no success. He knew where he was then… Context to the rumbles in the earth around him. “...’Year 4,872 of imprisonment. 30th of August: I was woken up from a horrible nightmare by some tremors that rocked my chamber, I thought I was hallucinating them before I saw Maravi’s bones jostle about in that decaying chair they propped her up in. Must just be earthquakes, I can’t feel them anymore. I wonder if I'll ever eat pie again.’...” Being stuck with spikes through your body, there isn’t much to do but lose all semblance of time management. Still he did his best to keep up, for all the good that did him.

He saw his sisters silhouette zip and move around them, his eyes never leaving her figure… In this way it was another mercy that Lincoln would not slow it down, if he did then Richard’s would now doubt shatter at the sight of hope decaying in her eyes with every new decade that passes.

As the time lapse finally stopped after an hour of watching time flow around them, Richard’s gaz was distant. His heart was heavy in his chest after watching his sister’s silhouette march this hill alone for so long… Then for the last good 20 minutes he watched her trek get shorter and shorter. Until finally she didn’t come out of the bunker at all for the past 50 years. All the while he finally had an idea for how many years that passed before it came to a stop…

7,800 years…

His gaze shifted to the lone hatch to the bunker below, the only thing in this fortification that still had some light colouring it from within. Over the course of this entire endeavour the crimson in his eyes gave away to a dull and lonesome look coloured with gold while his very soul shivered with grief. To hear she wasn’t dying did bring some small relief, but Lincoln could only feel an ungodly amount of dread in Richard. And that dread would finally come to a head…

A lone sound started to churn amidst the howling wind that moved through the abandoned structures on this hillside. The sound of metal striking metal. Soon Melissa, wearing a mismatch of armors that she seemed to have fashioned together for protection, stepped out from the bunker as the moon was just rising over the horizon. She hadn’t aged a day… But time had not been kind to her. She stepped up onto the cliff edge, looking out towards the spot where the Prison was one last time… Her eyes were sunken, tired… Devoid of the hope that she previously had all those lifetimes ago. She only took a final glance before she turned around, swinging a large blade over her shoulder as she started to make her trek down the mountain… Only saying one thing as her voice breaks, and tears grace her cheek.

“I’m sorry Richard…”

Richard watched her start to make her way down the mountain in silence with only the sound of his heartbeat in his ears. If Lincoln looked, he would see a face devoid of expression before the dream world he had constructed in Richard’s head trembled. Richard hasn’t said a word yet but his heart and mind were already trying to reject every trace of this magic, to get it and the knowledge it brought him out by any means necessary. It was trying to smash it all into pieces, to forget everything that happened to try and protect the fragile balance he had fined.

But he refused to let it go.

Richard burned this visual into his mind, taking in this pain and grafting it on his heart so that he would be better prepared for this the next time they look into his family… His body trembles on the spot as he balled up his fists, his once blank face now had tears streaming down his face as he let out slow and shaken sighs. “She’s alive… That’s what counts. I…”

A long silence filled the air again before he looked to Lincoln. “I need time… Can we… Not look into my family for a while? Do anything else… Literally anything else. I can’t handle seeing my family like this. Torturing themselves… My heart will break..” It sounded like it already has.

Stars would dance across Richard’s vision as sharp pain flared across his face. His cheek stinging while the force would make him buckle. ”You need time?” This is the first time Richard would feel genuine danger from his voice. Sharp, crisp, ancient. This wasn’t Lincoln the human who brought him to nightclubs and introduced him to the wide galaxy. This was Little Light. One of two last Heroes who have lived to the end. Who bore a weight on his shoulders too vast for one mortal to bear.

”You need time?” Lincoln repeated incredulously. In spite of the tone it was evident that he was holding back his bite. Voice still soft yet bore an undertone of someone offended. Looming over Richard he bent down. Gripped the front of his shirt to bring him up to his feet. Holding him close enough where their face is inches apart. His expression was stoic. Luminous blue eyes spoke anger yet held sympathy.

”I had hoped Richard. That maybe, just maybe you would have taken this differently. That you would understand what you need to do next. And yet you ask for time.” He spat out the last word as if it tasted bitter. ”Let me give you one of the absolute truths about the universe. It doesn’t give a damn about either of us. We don’t owe time. It’s the peak of arrogance to think time will stop for us. It doesn’t in the slightest. Time didn’t stop for me when my family, friends,and teammates die in front of me. Time didn’t stop when great tragedies unfold before my very eyes. Time just doesn’t stop for anyone!” Lincoln roughly let go of Richard.

He made a wide gesture to the world around them. ”A damned hour. That’s how long it seemingly took for you to get weak in the knees. To make your will falter. Is this how you will repay what she did for you? To honor her memory by stopping the search to wrap the tits of strangers around you cock? Is that the thanks she get for waiting this long?” For a moment it seemed like he was about to give Richard another backhand but stopped himself.

Lincoln paused for a moment before speaking. ”You want to know why I chose a life on Valai? Get into a relationship with Alcra? Indulge myself in perverse activities? Because I finally came to the end of my journey as Little Light. I’m no longer obligated to the responsibility I took on so long ago. I can allow myself to experience the life I turned away from on that fateful night.” it was clear by now that not only was he a tad peeved that Richard wanted to stop the search. But also because he felt Richard insulted his sister’s devotion.

He then points to Richard. ”But you? Your journey is far from over. And you will see this to the end. No matter how hard you fall to the floor you will stand up and march on. Only at the end do you have the freedom to rest your weary head.” Lincoln took a few steps away. Taking a breath to calm himself. Giving a sigh before shaking his head he came back over to Richard. Pulling the poor man into a comforting hug.

“There, there. If you fall, I won’t mind carrying you on my back.” That was the sort of person Lincoln was. A weathered pillar for people to lean against for support. To carry their ideals and dreams when they can’t. “We’ve covered a lot of time. The remaining period is now much more bearable to navigate.” It’s a bit concerning to him as she left during the early days of the uprisings that rippled across Immaleon. Later giving birth to the Red Scare. “Come on, let’s finish this.”

Lincoln left Richard’s mind. Outside he was calm but much less interested in the lewd activities around him. Around ten minutes have passed in the real world. With a gesture he made another cow bikini near Trevor who was likely soaked with her own sweat and arousal. Then Lincoln just simply began walking off. “I’ll fly on ahead.” Was all he said before vanishing. And will be waiting for Richard and the growing posse up on that certain hill. Standing in the same spot as he did in the memory.

Richard looked back upon the horizon after he asked for time, the entire request was a hastily made and desperate act. In some warped corner of his mind he wanted was for this all to be some bad dream, a cowardly part of him wishing that he was still imprisoned and going through yet another age of madness. Such torture would fit the lengths he has previously gone to punish himself.

Though he wouldn’t have the time to feel sorry for himself, his entire being screams in danger as collapsed to one knee before he could even register that he was struck across the face with blinding speed. The damaged flesh blackened by damage, even inside his own mind he registered such burning pain. His one good golden eyes looked up into the serious face of a side of Lincoln he has not seen yet. It… It was like staring into an event horizon.

The shock of being struck was overshadowed by the crushing pressure that was Little Light, the hero that survived till the death of his previous universe. He had wondered why he never really felt as if he was in the presence of a mighty power that has seen all of creation flicker out like a candle light. This is the reason… He hides it away, was the truth of his soul slumbering behind a facade to exist as his new life?

This feeling of danger did not pass at all, something deep inside of him knew he couldn’t stand against this man or even defend himself. He was frozen, at the mercy of this power as he stared like a deer in headlights as he was picked up by his shirt and brought face to face with him, forced to listen as Lincoln tore him apart verbally for his inexcusable cowardice and gall for trying to even think of backing out now. Especially after seeing everything he has been shown. He couldn’t help but grit his teeth even through his fear. But he was only angry at himself. He’s right… I… I can’t even be mad at him. I don’t have the right.

As he was cast back to the ground before him, laying flat on his back while seeing Lincoln gesture to the world around them as he continued to berate him on the weakness of his resolve, on how he only needed an hour to break him like this. Though whether he did have the right to be angry at Lincoln or not, rage would easily find its way into his heart as Little Light insinuates that he was stopping because of something so petty and vain, the evidence was damning of course seeing his growing following. But he knew full well this never started out as a trip of debaucherous intent, they were innocent… Only with Lincoln’s involvement did things turn down the path of corruption. He just wanted his family back. What right did this man from another universe, so lonely that he had to wish for a new life, have to judge him for faltering. In Lincoln’s own words and creed he was an Eskavali wearing the skin of a loyal patriot.

…

No…

He was being too harsh, falling for Little Light’s provocations too easily. This line of thinking will only lead to ruin. Still, the rage in his heart, this wound he has been given in both his pride and trust will not be quelled easily.

Richard braced himself for a backhand that never came, just looking up in silent contemplation after looking so enraged before he saw the hesitation. With that hesitation, Little Light shed off a veil of secrecy he had been hiding while Richard lay there silently and listened as he looked up in the starry night sky.

After telling him all of this, pointing out that he still had responsibilities and obligations to fulfill, Richard understood why he was mad… And he had to agree. He had been foolish, besmirching his sister’s devotion in its enormity just because he could handle the fact that it was worn away… Unlike Camila who had written him off after a mere decade, Melissa had stayed and watched over him for nearly 8,000 years.

I’ve been an idiot… My will is lacking… My convictions even more so… I need to atone. So long as my sisters are still lost to me I have no right to sit by and whine, I need to establish a hold and expand my influence. I will make use of any Ghoul that tries to stop me, try to steal or control me. All will be made to kneel.

He was going to try and meet Little Light eye to eye and apologise, but confusingly he was pulled up into a warm embrace and told that he wouldn’t mind in helping him back up if he fell again. It was pretty disorienting to have to shift between moods like this, though clearly Lincoln had an easier time of it… This kind of moodswing. There was something he was missing…

He did not have time to think on this more however. He had so much on his mind, it was a good thing that he was still using the Parallel Processing spell to augment his own thought processes… In thinking that. He knew he had to make a permanent base of operation and restart from square one. He was certainly powerful on his own, but all of his artefacts and items that he had as a noble are all surely done as dust in the wind by now. Or at least in the hands of morons who don’t know how to use them, keeping them as curios. Hell… Some items might be amongst what remains of his family, if he was lucky. He’ll have to get his hands on a soul smith of capable skill to remake most of the items that he had in his past. The rest, he can competently recreate himself.

Once they were back in the real world, Richard opened his eyes to see himself tongue deep in Lizzy’s mouth as she happily sucked on it while he could feel Titan helping herself to his tool while Maravi was herself tongue deep inside of Lizzy as she enjoyed the essence of life that Richard pumped into the Ghoul shortstack while he was dreaming. Looks like they’ve all been enjoying themselves While he was still sore from Lincoln telling him off, it was all necessary. His mind was crystal clear. He knew what he needed to do next.

Hearing Lincoln leave to wait at the hill, Richard knew what he must do now. Lay the foundations for his future. He looked up to Lizzy, stroking his hand through her hair before he pulled his tongue from her mouth. “You did wonderfully my dear Lizzy.” He says in a soft and soothing voice, devoid of the mindless domineering of before. His mind now focussed, driven to advance his goals. While Lizzy blushed and sat up, he moved his hands to sink his fingers into Titan’s spacious rear before he slammed his hips into the giantess as he gave a grunt of satisfaction, rewarding her devotion with his seed drenching her insides alongside plenty of mana to sustain her. “You’ve done well too Titan, your loyalty to me will never be overlooked.” He says as he uses his mana to cast a sort of telekinesis to lift the buxom woman up and off his length. Standing up from his laid back position, feeling the pain of Titan nearly breaking his pelvis in her euphoria, he looks over to Maravi and gives her a deep kiss, helping her clear her mind of the imbalance hormones that were wreaking havoc on her senses. “We’re getting closer to finding Melissa. And don’t you worry it isn’t going to devolve into lewd stuff so quickly, we both got pretty swept in it before.” He says with a sincere smile before his attention is drawn to the woman bound to the nearby wall, drenched in her own lust.

Maravi looked alittle worn out once Richard helped clear her head, though she largely didn’t mind everything that happened. Since they were all of her own desires anyways, though she did feel abit embarrassed about being so swept up in the lewd mood like that. Still, she was happy to see Richard starting to act like himself again instead of so lost and bumbling, flinching at everything related to his family. Once his gaze moved to the bound woman she spoke up. “That would be Trevor. You were already under the mental spell before your friend came back with her. What are you going to do with her?”

Richard stepped over to the drooling mess of a woman, lower body twitching as her eyes were half rolled into the back of her head before they locked onto Richard before it quickly descended down to his exposed tool, delight quickly flashed across her face before desperation started to replace that. She was half babbling about cock and begging for it. Yet his composure did not falter as he looked into her eyes. “What indeed. Well this is Trevor Helfrieg, and she’s a Black haired Ghoul taboot… She’ll be useful in my plans to finally create a peaceful kingdom.”

Maravi raised an eyebrow skeptical as she looked to him and then to the girl that was babbling incoherently. She knows that he tried to create a haven for his people in this world before, a place where their predatory nature would fade away and they could become better people… How did he plan on doing that now? “You got imprisoned the last time you did that love… I don’t want to see that happen again.”

Richard looked back at Maravi with a warm smile, reaching back to cup her cheek which she nuzzled into out of worry. “I have no plans of getting imprisoned again. But neither do I want to watch my people continue down this destructive path.” He says as his hand lingers for a moment longer before he returns to fully face before Trevor. His eyes changed from their hazel to glow with their royal gold, his black aura rising around him again. Just like with Titan and Lizzy, Richard’s influence was being poured into Trevor's head as he started to dominate the scattered mind of this modern day rare breed. “Submit. Inferior King. Settle into your fate and embrace your new life in my new era. Forsake your identity, your house and ideals to further my own.”

He could feel resistance, even after being this far gone from lust alone her subconscious was unwilling. Though he knew that he could make her submit easily, a slight grin while his golden eyes glow brighter he stepped closer with his hands getting hold of her hips while he angles himself right. With a single, merciful thrust he finally grants this poor woman exactly what she wants, as she screams in delight Richard kept hammering away as he felt her resistance crumble. Trevor’s Crimson eyes become tainted, a golden ring appearing around her iris’s to show that she has submitted to the will of her new King. For her acceptance of his rule he followed a steadily building tradition that will likely follow as his kingdom grows, he pried her from the wall and carried her over to the couch where Titan was resting, in a fluid motion he flipped Trevor around and shoved her face into Titan’s drooling nethers and having her service her new friend in this steadily building kingdom, even letting Lizzy have a go at riding the once proud nobles face before he sealed this new bond of there’s by filling her core with a superior King’s seed.

---

A short while later Lincoln would notice that Richard was starting to make the trek up the broken hill, most of its structures gone now and the mostly collapsed bunker a curiosity for tourists to poke around in. He would see that Richard had only come with Maravi, the other three seemingly off somewhere else while Richard looked up to him with a clear mind and a determined gaze. Getting smacked around did him some good. “I sent Tessa, Lizzy and Titan to secure the rest of Tessa’s old bodyguards and give an all clear signal to her siblings so they don’t come along uninvited.” Tessa must be the new name of Trevor, and by the sounds of it Richard was already starting to secure a hold for himself. “I… Thank you Lincoln. I needed the wake up call. I was being stupid. I won’t falter again.” Bold words, but will he be able to back them up… Only time will tell.

Lincoln gave a nod of understanding. Looking out to the forest below. Eyeing the exotic birds moving about in the treetops. Then he turned to face Richard. His gaze was soft. “There’s no shame in faltering, what’s important is whether or not you stand back up. That side, I was a bit rough myself.” The water now under the bridge he went down to business. Heading to the hatch that led to the bunker, he hadn’t gone down to check yet. It felt proper to have waited for Richard before venturing into those forgotten depths. Who knows how deep the bunker goes. With how much time have passed he wouldn’t be surprise if the underground system was as large as a small town. He certainly would if he was staying in one place and needed something to do to relive the boredom.

Another reason for his decision to wait is that he doesn’t like going into forgotten places by himself. Company makes the weight of the forgotten more bearable. Who knows what they will find down there. Especially when they clear out the portions that been blocked off by cave-ins. Will there be hallways covered in millions of notches, each one signifying a day? Is there a room dedicated as a shrine to Richard that she trashed in grief? Does the study hold dairies that showed Melissa gradual descent over the years? They’ll soon find out just what is in the bunker. “Just want you to know Richard. You’re not alone in this.” Lincoln felt those were important words that also needed to be said.

With Lincoln telling him that there was no shame in faltering as long as you stand back up, Richard gave a short nod back to him as he started to look back towards the bunker’s entrance. “Perhaps, but it was a wake up call I sorely needed.” Accepting that it was all water under the bridge for them since right now Richard didn’t have much of a foothold, he’d need the guidance of his friend to make sure he doesn’t gain the ire of the Union.

Maravi, now sporting something that resembled her old attire as a priestess while still having the cow print underwear underneath, didn’t know what had transpired between the two of them in Richard’s head but it sounds like they had some sort of falling out. She seemed relieved that they seemed to have worked it out though, if not for Lincoln then she wouldn’t be able to stand here and support Richard through this time. And she was happy to see that Lincoln was still ready to support him too.

As they started to head down in the complex with Richard doing his best to use magic to restore some of the collapsed doors and hallways while also using some spell to map the path ahead of them, the three of them would start to see a large system of tunnels that lead to a large open chamber in the centre of the hill’s structure, Lincoln’s intuition seemed to be right on the money. As they came in level of detail and function in the stone works and even some level of piping worked into the interior of the walls was amateurish but clearly workable, but the further they explored down as Richard restored more and more of this place… The level of intricacy and detail in the carvings steadily became masterful… Melissa had a very long time to practice and make this place into a home. Though towards the end she saw little point in maintaining it. It didn’t seem to stop at just the base of the mountain either, the complex would seem to reach further into the earth…

Richard held in his hand a spell that mapped and displayed just how far down and how expansive this network was… It was more reminiscent of an Ant Hive with a massive chamber situated at the very bottom, more than a mile beneath the earth. There lots of offshoot tunnels that led to smaller chambers and even hosted a wide range of facilities, from what looked like a manufacturing hub and a mining operation to numerous residential chambers and nurseries... There was even a lone tunnel that seemed to stretch from the main chamber in the direction of Richard’s prison but it seemed like it had completely collapsed… Likely sabotaged or stopped by the magics that held Richard prisoner for so long.

“You could settle thousands of people in these tunnels and still have space… Melissa must have really wanted to wage a campaign to get you back with this much space.” Maravi pointed out on the map Richard was generating as they started to step into a large tunnel after coming down the main flight of steps from the surface… The Chamber seemed to be a sort of tram rail that led directly down towards the central chamber. The tram was a large steel box with an interior space that has, obviously, completely rusted and now hopelessly inoperable without tons of inhuman elbow grease. Though with the looks of modifications and completely melting the rails and wheels in place it had been turned into a living space, likely by Melissa.

What used to be the door inside looked like it had rusted off of its hinges, though on closer inspection it was likely that it was half torn off and left there to deteriorate like that. The interior walls were covered by hundreds of etched marks, tallies of the days before they seemed to just not bother. It looked like the place had been ransacked with numerous bits of floorboards torn up and the lone desk overturned and emptied in search of hidden items, likely by noisy tourists who wanted to play archaeologist or make a quick credit… There were even some left behind relics of explorers before them outside close to the tracks. Ropes tied to pipes and such.

Richard let out a huff of annoyance, anything left behind here would have been left by the Ialoan’s. And he doubted Melissa would want to keep any reminder of what she wanted to leave behind and move on… Anything that looked interesting in here would have been carried off by looters or Ghouls of the past. Obviously they could look back through the history of the bunker and see what was stored in this room for themselves but then Richard would have to see the desperate hope on his sisters face. “We won’t find anything he-” A soft pulse of mana rippled out from the tunnel below them, one that instantly caught the attention of Richard as his head near enough snapped in the direction of it. The resonance of this mana was very particular, one that brought back a wave of nostalgia.

Lincoln didn’t feel this puzzle anytime before now, only once Richard came close enough did something choose to reveal itself. Turning back to get onto the tram station again he looks down past numerous tram stops towards the bottom, a pale light glistening at the bottom of the tracks. “I have no idea how Melissa got her hands on it. But she found my staff, I thought your father destroyed it, didn’t he?” He says looking back to Maravi as she gave a quick nod while she looked as equally curious as Richard. “He did, or at least I think he did. I know he broke it in two during the battle of Lunar Ridge but I don’t know what he did with the actual mana cube you used for the staff head.”

“Then… Could she have just gotten the mana cube back? That… Maybe during one of the battles… If she got it back then it would save me a hell of a lot of time trying to recreate another one. I sunk nearly 50 years of mana and gemstones trying to make it the first time.” Richard peered down into the pit of that tunnel as he now furrowed his brow, Melissa risked her life to retrieve something that meant far more to him than money or material wealth ever will. A timeless treasure that only he could use, then again anyone that boasted a masterful knowledge of the magical world could unlock the secrets of his treasured cube. “Well. How about we go down and get it? I know we’re here to look for clues to where she went. But if my cube hasn’t been stolen then it's likely that there has to be tons of untouched stuff down where it’s being kept.” He says before he looks back to Lincoln, he knows that he’ll likely be able to find out where she went with them having a look into the past, back on one the days before she left the hill, but he wanted to check if she may have tried to leave something for him to find if he did get out.

It wasn’t a surprise to see just how much was built. Especially with how much time she must have had in the place. Looking about the place his musings were put on pause when he heard his companions speak up. Taking a glance to the bottom of the pit he gave a shrug. “I don’t see why not? Let’s head down.” Lincoln was curious what was left behind as well. And was preparing to draw upon the memory to transmit to Richard. This time with Maravi as well. They weren’t in a horny mood and it felt silly for her to stand around why they wade through memories. That and he was certain her presence there would help Richard just in case.

With Lincoln’s agreement the trio start to head down with Maravi holding on to Richard bridal style as he gracefully rides the rail tracks down, controlling his speed with a magnetism spell on the soles of his feet. The tram stations that pass them on the way down were marked in the old Zantine tongues, that seemed to change slightly the deeper they go, coloured by different eras of dialect and such since language isn’t a stagnant mess but an ever evolving force… The stations themselves seemed to lead to different facilities and residential areas that were built into the underground… It was a wonder why no other ghouls have tried to move in and make this place a settlement.

“I’m going to need to learn how to actually speak the modern tongue instead of using this translator.” Richard remarks aloud, Maravi just smiling up to him as she drapes her arms around his neck as they travel down, it was selfish of her but she wanted to relish this moment where she could serve as his beacon in the uncertainty that he was faced with… Even if none of his sisters were as they once were, she will do her best to remain as the constant he needs going forward. “Make sure to teach me too, I can’t speak in the new tongue. I’m surprised that Lincoln can even understand me.” She says with a soft giggle in his ear as she nestles into his neck.

Richard looked down at her as she grew comfy on their descent down into the pit, a slight smile curling on his lips as his tension started to ebb away, his shoulders relaxing from all the stress he had rested on himself stupidly. “It’s a promise. And Lncoln’s always weird like that, he understood me well enough when he let me out of prison.”

His friend was always a man of astounding talent, being a man who’s lived till the end of his original universe it should be a given that he’s more than skilled in the universal arts of life. Yet still, Richard fails to see the ceiling of just what Lincoln can do, his feats seem to be ever climbing for the time being. Alcra really is a lucky woman, even if she knows about the truth of Lincoln or not. To have a man like that devoted to you like that, makes a man wonder.

Richard’s silent contemplation ends as the pale light gives way as the rail leads them all down into the chamber below. It seemed to be a natural formation that Melissa must have dug into instead of excavating it all out herself like the other passages. The main feature of this cavern, besides the unnatural pale green light that was dimly lighting the cavern around them, was the pyramid at the very back. The station at the end of the tracks was only a small walk away from the pyramid steps. “I didn’t think she would make a pyramid to house her stuff… Maybe she got influenced by Anubte culture somewhere down the line..?”

“Anubites aren’t the only race that make Pyramid-like structures… But they are a safe bet.” Maravi says as she reluctantly gets down from her comfy spot nestled up against Richard, taking her first steps onto the station's platform before looking out to the imposing structure at the back of the chamber. The flow of mana down here was irregular, unnaturally forced towards a centre. Something she noticed with alot of Ghoul architecture in the past, always that same dominance. And while she had seen it too in Richard, he doesn’t use it without measure, his kind soul is still there even after all this time. Just murked down by misfortune. “The mana seems to be going up into the pyramid…”

“Recharging my cube?” Richard thinks aloud, with nothing else to power or seemingly sustain down here he could think of no other conclusion. He and Maravi begin to move towards the starting steps up, watching as visible swirls of mana encircle and climb up after them as they make their way up the stone steps.

Once they reach the very top of the steps they are greeted by something familiar, a blood seal on the floor in front of the door. A set of massive stone doors with what appears to be an enchantment on them, all the while there were multiple blast marks and attempts to destroy the doors by treasure hunters and explorers that came before them, now this put a smile on Richards face. “Melissa… Now how did you learn to use a complex enchantment like this…?” Stepping into the centre of the blood seal, he bites into his thumb and lets some droplets hit the seal. For the first few moments there was no reaction, before a low rumble started to start under the seal as it lit up in a bright red light.

The doors grind as they slide open, revealing a second pair of stone doors that slide away soon after the first set. With this, it revealed the interior space… A large stone room decorated with old House Grimm memorabilia opened up, at the very back of the room up on a pedestal of stone and old tech was an Amber cube with white glowing etchings all across it, pulling mana into it. The tech from the pillar it sat on coiled around and then down into some sort of generator that had wires leading to multiple inoperable work stations and a funny looking desk of sorts.

Stepping into the room, the cube would start to shine as mana was being converted into energy thanks to the once dormant generator, forced back into service after so long… With most of the stations inoperable, only one item amongst the numerous tech items lit up. The funny desk… A crude holographic interface lit up, a small orange box with the words ‘Play’ on it. Richard and Maravi looked to it, perplexed for a moment as ideas swirled in their heads… Richard was almost afraid to press play, though he only half looked back to Lincoln over his shoulder, while Maravi entwined her fingers with his free hand with a reassuring smile on her face. “Well. Let's see if this thing works. If not. Then we’ll see what it was meant for in the memory scape.” With that, the usurper pressed play.

Pressing his finger through the crude display of light triggers the interface to buffer slightly, a small ring of blue orbs spin around before the image of Maravi, wearing the same attire as the day she left the hill behind, was in view. Her face was flushed red and her eyes red from crying. Sniffling slightly as she tried to make herself look presentable.

“The only way you're watching this is if you’re the one I intend this for or you’re his descendant. Or Camila. If it's the very latter, go f*ck yourself. If you’re his descendant… Then this isn’t the best first impression of your aunty Melissa… But… If you’re Richard… If… If you’re standing there. Then please. I… I just can’t wait any longer… I’m sorry.” Melissa let out a long and troubled sigh, heavy with grief as she raised her head back, sighing again with a shivered tone as she tried to collect herself.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get you out. You’d think after 7,000ish years the Zantine’s let up. But there are still sentry’s guarding the prison even after all this time. Even though I’m the only one left… I’m leaving Carrad. Going to use some of the contacts I’ve been making and move south… May as well explore the galaxy alittle before… Well… Heh… I’ve been given the coordinates to an unimpressive and hostile little dirtball out past Anubite territory… Those Jackals really know how to build their structures to last. Might try to mingle with afew while I pass through the territory..”
She takes a long pause, staring down at her feet before she looks over to the cube which was now on their right. “If by some miracle any of this equipment lasts and you’re watching this… Come find me. Tell me yourself that I wasn’t an idiot to keep staying here… Tell me… Anything… Oh. Right. I found your.. Uh… Magic gem thingy… Fovian’s great great ect grandson actually left it as a peace offering after a skirmish we had afew months ago… I guess his group were growing tired of having to fight me through the eras… Hehehe… Heh… Just… I hope I’m still there if you come looking for me…” She says as she looks up into the display, holographic eyes meeting Richard’s own as he grips Maravi’s hand alittle tighter. Soon after, the display would flicker with Melissa’s image disappearing and now displaying the coordinates she was talking about…

After a moment reading them Richard’s face lit up in recognition, he had ready these coordinated before, just yesterday in the hotel room. With that he gives a soft smile, starting to move to the pillar as he sets his hand on thecube. A black light flashing through it before it naturally lifts up and hovers around the Onyx Warlock, the mana it contained now bolstering his own as he smiles at Lincoln and Maravi. Especially smiling to Lincoln, the coordinated in question were ones he should know all too well. “Valai, the planet she was travelling to is Valai. Looks like I get to see your homeworld my friend."

Lincoln gave light-hearted snort to Maravi’s comment and was prepared to bounce back a witty remark on how he can understand horny speech regardless of language. But he didn’t feel in the mood to indulge in friendly banter. He did find it funny how he quickly became the third wheel by talking about him as if he’s not there. Cute dorks he thought. If they were set on a mission he was sure they would gradually get more intimate with each other. First light touching, then petting, and soon a heated makeout session.

From Maravi he could tell that she wanted to savor the moments she has with him before his sisters enter the picture. He hopes she will fit in fine with them. The last thing he wants to see is a unbalanced polygamous relationship. Everyone loving each other equally is the key to a stable group. The surface of his thoughts became fuzzy. As a friend he should intervene to make everyone happy if that happens. They of all people definitely deserve to experience that sort of love.

He did feel an opening in the conversation when they got into the chamber. “It’s very likely. Like everyone else, people go through phases of what interest them. Especially when they’re looking for new things to invest in. I’m still defined by my birth culture in my last life but over time I got interested in numerous other cultures.” He ascended up the pyramid with them. Impressed by how much was built down here. And a bit saddening. He knows what it’s like to dedicate long periods of time to a project all by yourself. Solitude is nice, but after all you start to wish to hear other things instead the sound of your own thoughts.

Then he heard Richard make a remark of amazement at the durability of the enchantment. “The same as with all things. She had time. We all here know that with immortality, you have time to eventually achieve anything you desire.” When they meet her he expects her to be vastly more experienced and skilled than Richard. His friend was stagnant for years while Melissa while had the freedom to learn many things.

Watching the hologram he was mildly amused when she told Camila to go fuck herself. But his brain itches. Evidence is mounting that Richard’s sisters need to have their pretty little heads scrubbed of sad thoughts in order for them to be a happy family again. That is his duty of a loyal friend. They all deserve to feel love and pleasure.

Those thoughts were put on pause for a more pressing concern. A slight frown graced his lips when he heard that the prison had been guarded by the Zantines. That didn’t add up. This planet was eventually abandoned by the Ialao because it was too far away for their infrastructure at the time to support it. And they haven't gone back to it since. It would be only a few millennia later that anyone decided to reinvest into it. The only way Zantines would be there at the beginning if.it was members of a Zantine Secret Cult protecting the prison. Possibly by a ghoul who wanted to ensure Richard remained trapped. And wasn’t there a shrine to a dark god nearby?

His deep musing was broken when Richard spoke to him. Giving a small grin when he realized what he said. “It would appear that even in this life I’m met with strange coincidences.” And there was a feeling he’s going to end up going back to Valai after he moves to Trikon. “Heh, well then we have our next stop. I have an overly specific power in which one of the techniques I know is banishing people to their home. I use it to self-banish myself to skip the return trip home whenever I go somewhere. Been able to stay there longer because of it since I don’t need to worry about as much time management.”

Of course they need to wrap up things here. “Once we take every ghoul into account in this world we can hop over there. I’ll have to stay on Valai because in three weeks I have to get things ready for my move to Trikon. In the meantime we can use those weeks to search for Melissa and possibly other ghoul households that might be hiding there.” He then gave a smile. “But yeah beside that it’ll be fun to show you around.”

Lincoln certainly wasn’t wrong about what would happen if the pair were left alone to their own devices, infact it nearly devolved as such on their walk over after Richard had sent Tessa and her new guards out to gather her old bodyguards and convert them to be Richard’s supporters. Even an Inferior Royal can overwhelm and dominate the minds of Noble and Peasant class Ghouls. As they spoke Tessa was converting her old guard to now worship their true King.

In the wake of the beginnings of Richard’s future polygamous relationship it would certainly be a test of wills at first, conflict amongst the sisters, those who he see’s fit to join his house and Maravi will likely test each other for their places in the hierarchy. But they would certainly find balance, though not at first. Even still, his help would be appreciated as long he didn’t take things too far.

While they scaled the pyramid steps and Lincoln not only gave his views on how interests and skills change and grow over time it started to get the thought of his sisters skills and Blood Arts changing. Melissa, who could only manage to use Shock Nullification, had managed to master enchantment arts and numerous other fields of expertise…

She’s grown far stronger and more powerful than even me no doubt… And if that's her, just how much stronger are the rest of my family if they’re still around?

Richard has been stagnant in all development thanks to his imprisonment, he was naturally strong but such things didn’t matter in the face of thousands of years of training and breakthroughs in limitations. While his own had atrophied, all but his ability to directly devour the mana around him were withered or recovering. His recovery of his old artefacts and creation of new ones would certainly make up for his lack of training or progress after so long. He’ll need to rely on those who he now calls his allies more than he did in the past, likely until such a time as he can fend for himself reliably. To use his strength for those he loves and wishes to protect. Though that was still a long way off.

While Richard was thinking of his own shortcomings and imagining the hurdles his family had likely overcome during his imprisonment, Lincoln was starting to increase his musings around the strangeness of the inconsistencies that surrounded Richard’s imprisonment over the numerous eras. His recollection of Lizzy’s recollection of a shrine someone on this continent was correct, and while he may not know it yet his guess at a secret cult was on the money as well. A ghoul had taken over the duties of ensuring Richard’s imprisonment after the Ialoa left Carrad behind. And how they lurked out of the attention of the Psion’s only gave way to more musings… Could the Helfrieg family be connected to the Ghoul that wished to see Richard imprisonment continued?

Though for now such conspiracy level thoughts would need to be curbed. Richard did find the coincidence funny at the very least, the fact that his sister settled on the same world as the man that freed him. Fate has a funny habit of doing things like that it would seem. Though after hearing this very backwards way of getting home he raised an eyebrow, finding it… Well strange was a good way of putting it. “You banish yourself back home? I’ll admit, that's an unorthodox but admittedly brilliant way of getting back home in a pinch. And that's a really funny way of ending fights too. Just send someone home if you’re sick of them. But… How does that work when you use it on a hermit or wanderer? Does it send them to a place that the individual considers home? What if they think home is by your side? What if-?” Maravi decides to spare Lincoln by pulling Richard into her cleavage, quieting him down from his endless questions on the increasing abilities of Lincoln’s. Of course Rich did initially grumble about it but he nestled himself against those mounds to relax for the moment.

Once Lincoln speaks up about their current business concerning the unaccounted Ghouls on the planet however, Richard gave a muffled groan before he reluctantly pried himself away from the soft heaven he had been pulled into to speak. “I’m actually already on that. I instructed Tessa to begin repurposing her old networks and resources to gather up the Ghouls that are hiding. Doing it all hush hush for now though, so her progress will be slow until she has the numbers for big moves. For now I told her to use my old estate as her new base of operations. No sense in making her build a new base when we can rebuild the old...”

Though on the topic of reusing the old, he looked to the temple around him and even to the facilities this bunker had access to. It was all made for the purpose of his freedom, a dream that never came true… Using this place, giving it a new purpose would certainly be beneficial. But perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to use it for the sake of his expansion… For now he’ll keep this place in mind. Who knows, maybe someone else can make use for this place in the future, as long as he supervises such. He isn’t going to let just anyone move in and take credit for Melissa's hard work.

Lincoln chuckled when Maravi silenced Richard in such a brazen fashion. “It’s alright I don’t mind the questions. To answer them yeah it’s an unorthodox power, even when I expanded upon it the ability was fairly overly specific. It started as I described, it can send people home through different means. Banishment as said or making them walk home and outright teleportation. I later improved upon it to be able to manipulate the concept of a home. Shift rooms around, repair furniture, change the ambience, get rid of dust. Very useful to use in a place with a lot of children.” One being an orphanage which Richard would know Lincoln lived in for many years.

Since Richard came to learn so much of his powers he felt he might as well clue him in on where it’s all coming from. “The reason I have something so specific is because as with everything else I’ve shown, it all stems from one power. One for All. For every connection I form with someone whether it be significant, major or minor. I get an ability from that bond. And the powers I get from a minor tend to not be as refined or overly specific. To use a tree analogy, significant and major bonds are the trunk of a tree that I can easily go down branches to learn other usages. Minor ones mean they’re branches, and so I have to pretty much reverse engineer the power to reach the trunk. Then I’m able to branch out.”

He then crossed his arms. Tilting his head before responding. “Huh, in that case then I suppose we would want to go to Valai in a little bit then? You have to tell them where we’re heading and I have to go get my stuff.” It was a one way trip after all so they have to make sure they have everything ready before stepping over. On another note he was rather looking forward to showing him around the place. The faces of his friends come across his mind. His mind shivered in recalling them. He’ll really miss them when he leaves for Trikon. It makes him sad. He needs to correct that somehow. “Speaking of which, I suppose I’ll do that now.” If nothing stopped him he would head back on up to make a quick trip to his hotel room to get his bags.

Both Richard and Maravi listened to Lincoln as he went out of his way to tell Rich the specifics of his power with an accompanying chuckle, once he mentioned its usefulness that he found in it after building upon the power he could already think of some nifty examples for such a power. Finding relevance in his past as he grew up in the orphanage. What's more than that, the pair of them were surprised that he was actually getting to hear where these strangely specific and unique powers seem to stem from.

One for all…?

A flash of brief recognition fades as dejavu sparks in the back of the immortals mind, he could have sworn he heard something similar to that before but… No it was gone.

Though a new train of thought quickly took the place of that small lapse in memory, if connections gave Lincoln these new abilities… What was he getting from him? It was safe to say at this point that Lincoln was heavily invested in his family woes. Surely he must hold some sort of spot in this tree, and then what kind of power does Lincoln get from him? Such questions were already visible on his face before he did speak up to ask. All the while the amber cube now floats beside his head as it collects more ambient mana from around them, the cubes function was still somewhat vague. So far it seemed like it was nothing more than a magic hoover.

He was about to as his questions of course but Lincoln changed the subject faster than Richard could ask him. He’ll have to ask him later, still it was refreshing to see that Lincoln was surprised that Richard had thought ahead like he did. The puzzled head tilt was especially nice. Though he did detect a hint of sadness, a shiver in the soul of his friend. Enough of one for Richard to notice anyways before he went back to their hotel room to get ready. Once he was ready reached up and plucked the cube out of the air as he wondered what that was about.

Maravi picks up on her lover's puzzled expression as he stares into the empty space where Lincoln had stood moments before. “What’s wrong?” She asks with a curious gaze of her own.

Richard gave a slight shrug as his eyes met his lover’s, getting the feeling he might get the complete picture once they get to Valai later today. After everything was sorted anyways. “It’s nothing, just got a funny feeling from Lincoln before he vanished…” With that he does his best to put that beside for now, they have something important to do before they can return to the hotel. “We should get topside and tell our underlings that we’ll be offplanet for the next few days.” With the cube in hand he was tempted to try and use a teleport spell of his own, but he was not willing to risk the both of them in a botched spell. He pockets his treasured relic for now, the pair of them using magnetism to ride the tracks back up through the tram shaft right back to the surface.

Once they were topside, the sight of this planet’s two moon’s hanging right above them now, Richard pulls on the tethers that connect him to his underlings. In that instance, Tessa uses the powers she was born with as she rises from Richard’s shadow, breaking the surface tension of it initially as if the shadow itself had the consistency of water. Tessa was wearing a long black dress that showed off a lot of her long and succulent legs, along with white leggings and high heels and black sleeves on her arms. As she appeared fully she looked up, eyes flashing their vibrant crimson as she smiled joyously up to her master. “Master, you called for me?”

For an inferior King, now a proper Queen at his call, Tessa’s powers would be put to better use serving him. He was rather amused that she would use ‘Shadow Emissary’ in such a shallow way, only thinking of it as an extension of herself and nothing more. He was delighted to fill her head with so many new possibilities and uses of the power while further cementing her desire to serve him, in learning from him she will become his most loyal Countess. In that she will be greatly rewarded… His house will benefit from offspring from the two of them.

Richard nods as he looks back to Tessa over his shoulder. Maravi clinging to Richard’s arm as she looked back at Tessa over his shoulder. “I have. How goes your roundup of your old forces? Do any of your siblings or Safia suspect your defection?”

Tessa shook her head, her proud smile remaining while a hint of smug curls her lips. “No my lord, using the tricks you taught me I can mask my true appearance with that of my old one. Even changing my voice to match my lesser self, they suspect nothing. As for my forces, all now bow to you and we have moved into the old estate as instructed. Titan is helping with reconstruction efforts while Lizzy is helping my scouts gather intel on other ghoul communities that may be trying to stay under the radar.”

“So quickly.” Richard was actually surprised that they managed to accomplish so much so quickly. How industrious of them. “I’m pleased with your progress, do what you must to get the estate restored. But I want no innocent lives dragged into our affairs.” He says before he looks to the cube in his grip, he would need a way to keep his underlings in check and their hunger sated while he was away. As his golden eyes pierced the amber exterior, he tinkered away at the interior runes to make the cube react in a specific way and under a very specific set of orders that will prevent theft or abuse before offering it to Tessa. “You will be rewarded once I return. Take this and enshrine it in the town square, and continue on the current orders you have been given.”

Tessa’s expression became puzzled as she accepted the cube before realising the significance of this. Though she does still speak up. “You’re leaving my lord? Does this mean your investigations have bore fruit?”

“They have, we’ve found Melissa. Lincoln will be helping me get there soon and I don’t know when we’ll return. So do your best.” Richard leaves out where they had actually found her, for good reason. If things failed here then they could not be tracked through Tessa if she were captured in an unforeseen raid on them. While he did not predict one anytime soon, it was always better to be safe than sorry. Tessa knew this, she was in a hurry to disappoint her master and fail him for the rewards he promised for her success made her shiver to her core. “I will fulfill your ambitions master. By the time you return, the Helfrieg family will be yours. Though I regret that I am not strong enough to use compulsion and dominate my sister Safia, only your will can break her.”

“She’s that strong?” He says while Tessa nods. With a moment of silence to think on how to handle Safia. Though that will be decided later. “Very well. See to it Tessa, I eagerly await news of your success upon my return.” Tessa gave a delighted smile as she nodded. “Of course, Lord Grimm, Mistress Grimm~” She teases Maravi before she sinks right back into his shadow, returning to the front while Richard and Maravi start to take the route down the hill and back towards the hotel Lincoln was staying in.

Once they returned to the Hotel they were looking to see if Lincoln was ready, they did take about 20 minutes to get back since Maravi needed Richard to ease her tensions after Tessa teased her so. Something he was more than happy to do since he thought she was cute when she got all mad and huffy.

Lincoln wasn’t surprised in the slightest when it took them a while to get to the hotel. If anything he was amazed they got there in that amount of time at all. He expected an hour or so at the very least. Maravi seemed like the type to want to have a head start on wringing Richard’s love out of him. Ah cute pair they are. He was already waiting outside for them. Leaning against the wall with his bags by his feet as he does stuff on his tablet. A pair of orange headphones on his head playing some upbeat Lo-Fi music to him. His head slightly swaying side to side with the beat. It was the musty smell being carried with the breeze that made him realize his friends must be nearby. Sure enough when he glanced up he saw them coming up to the hotel. Giving a smile he powered everything down to put them in the bags. Then slung them over his shoulder.

“Oh, was that it? I expected for you two to show up at daybreak. Man Richard, don’t tell me you’re that badly out of shape.” Giving a chuckle he went up to the two. “I take it we’re all set then?” If so he would proceed with his power. An amber outline of a cube went up around them. Then in a blink of an eye they were somewhere completely different. It was still in the early hours of the day, the sun hadn't come up yet. But Richard and Maravi would see that the area they were in was a fairly typical suburb with a bit more green than most. Valorians like having their urbanization look pretty. Especially when they’re more eco-friendly than say humans. The three of them were on a sidewalk right next to a gate. Beyond it they could see a decent sized structure. It had a very big front lawn of at least three acres with trees spaced out from the other.

Lincoln looks over to the building. “That’ll be the orphanage. I’ll head in real quick to put away my stuff.” As he was speaking to Richard he noticed that he had been expecting for them to come in with them. He gave a sigh, “I’ll invite you two another time when you’re not slathered in the stench of sex.” And he didn’t even pointed out how he could still see sex stains running down Maravi legs. He may be willing to indulge in lewdness but when it comes to being around children he becomes very serious about their well being,

With that end of discussion he went to open the gate and head inside. They could see him walk down the pathway up to the door. Opening it he went inside. Whether or not Lincoln did it on purpose, he too came back out in exactly twenty minutes. “Ah, sorry about that. Got sidetracked.” It did seem he was honest about that. “So where do we want to start? Got any special power to track down other vampires?” He looks to Richard with a questioning look.

Seeing Lincoln outside of the apartment all ready to go with bags at his feet, Richard was delighted that they were all ready to go. Though Lincoln certainly wasn't wrong about Maravi, she has had him mostly to herself all day. Of course the ever so cheeky comment made by his friend did get a rise out of him as he just smirks over to Lincoln. “Hardy harr. I’m not in that bad shape. Though I guess I definitely over reached since I only got out of my imprisonment just a little before yesterday.”

“You did wonderfully, dear. Don’t listen to the man with blue balls.” Maravi says with a supportive kiss on the cheek, lifting him slightly after the tease his friend gave him with the worry he might have performed, while at the same time throwing shade Lincoln’s way. The quip did bring a smile to his face but he did defend his friend somewhat. “Now now, he was only teasing. Trust me, he has the resolve of iron. And his girlfriend will get painted white when he next sees her.”

Other than that they were pretty much set, and with that nod of confirmation that looked up to the strange cube that formed around them and then… Bam. Their surroundings changed so suddenly. To see themselves in quite the urban setting was strange, refreshing even. Maravi hasn’t seen a sight like this in some time. “Oh wow, the Valorian’s have quite nice suburbs.” She definitely appreciated the eco-friendly atmosphere that this place had. Though with the sun yet to rise Richard did charm himself with protection, no need for the whole neighbourhood to watch a man combust into flames in the middle of the street. He had to think of the children after all. Though hindsight would yet again play them for fools as Lincoln reminded them of their current fragrance. Richard and Maravi’s faces lit up like Christmas trees after they had forgotten about the smell and evidence. So they waited outside, Richard using some lifestyle magics that Maravi had taught him during their years together to wash up quickly while out of view of anyone waking up in their houses. Mostly to get rid of the smell and so they wouldn’t be leaving a… Trail. The pair didn’t argue when it came to affecting the kids inside, they would never dream of it. Maravi especially, though that was likely out of a bias of her own biology wanting to become a good mother for Richard’s children.

After that unpleasant scare was out of the way Richard had the chance to at least look upon the building his friend grew up in, all the while remembering the location and committing it to memory, you never know when you’ll need to come back to a place like this in the future and Lincoln won’t always be around to banish himself back home with them at his side. Plus he wouldn’t mind getting to ask around to get uncoloured opinions of Lincoln without him there to sway juicy stories from being made tame with his presence.

Though the fact he came back in exactly 20 minutes did make him shake his head with a smile on his face. It didn’t take a genius to see that Lincoln was still teasing. “Side tracked. Right.” Richard took a look back down the road to the rest of the street before he looked to Lincoln as he asked if he had any special powers for tracking other Ghouls. He did look curious about that himself for a moment before he shook his head. “Afraid not, otherwise Titan and Lizzy wouldn’t have gotten the jump on us remember. I would have detected the listening post first. The only way I’ll know is when I see them… It was easier back in the past, you wouldn’t see any humans around so anyone who looked like us was a ghoul.” Well that wasn’t exactly true, he could feel the strength of other Ghouls in close proximity. But at best that was only several meters. Even then Ghouls of lower classes would undoubtedly feel Richard’s presence before he could feel theirs. It was easier to notice a royal as a peasant than for a royal to notice a peasant. “But hey, how many humanoids women with white hair can be on Valai anyways?”

“Oh sweetie.” Maravi started to stroke Richard’s hair while the man in question looked curious as to why. “You’re one of the most amazing sorcerers I’ve ever met. But you can be so dumb sometimes.” Richard didn’t appreciate being outed for his optimism. But he will still take the compliment. “I’m serious, I doubt her attitude towards wanting to live a quiet life has changed terribly much. At best she likely took up something befitting her skills… I doubt she’d live in the city. It would be too tempting if she was really craving mana.”

Lincoln stood around listening to the two. It was a shame they didn’t really knew where to start. Trying to find someone with a likely hidden identity is no small feat. Giving a hum he pulled out his phone. Pulling up his instant messaging app to send a DM to a very close friend who might help. She’s very good with finding information like this so if anyone she may be the best bet they have. There was a green pip that signified she was on. Sure enough she responded and they began texting to each other. “Getting a friend of mine to lend a hand. Don’t worry she’s trustworthy. We’ve known each other for close to a decade.” A large majority was of that was online. The first time they met in person was for a convention about four years back.

After texting for a few more minutes he put his phone away. “It’ll be a bit she said. The lack of a picture doesn’t help her but she can manage. She enjoys the challenge.” That left them the same place they are at. Standing around looking at each other. Might as well carry the conversation. “A lot of things could have happened. Perhaps she did join the city life. Dyed her hair. Changed her body shape. The possibilities are endless. Say, are you sure there isn’t some sort of fancy tracking spell? You two are related by blood after all. Can’t you use a spell that detects only your blood therefore it will only detect her blood as well?” It was a guess but it didn’t hurt to ast.

Richard did notice that Lincoln was typing away on his phone while he and Maravi were thinking on what they should do next. He was happy to hear that Lincoln had a trustworthy friend that he called upon. Honestly with how little they knew of what they can do to start looking for Melissa. He was grateful that Lincoln brought in someone he could trust, he didn’t want this getting too big or blown out of proportions… The last thing he wanted was for his people to be openly hunted down. “I’m not super picky on help right now, if you trust them then that's enough for me my friend.”

As Richard looked around the street, picking his brain on things he could use to try and help them find either some Ghouls that may know something, or his sister, something stirs within him. Back at the ruins of his estate, his desire to reconnect and preserve his family's memory that were spurred on by Lincoln’s words began to crystallize. A murky black aura started to rise over his skin while an array of abstract runic characters started to scroll before his eyes, a new fundamentals of a spell that represented his desires for reconnection was now taking form.

A smirk started to appear on his face as he looked to Lincoln through the scrawling script after he had asked him if he had anything that could help him find Melissa with some fancy tracking spell. “I think I’m about to.” He says as he opens his left hand and raises it. “By the ripple and flowing laws of the blood of creation: May blood always run thicker so that no tide may keep them separated.” The blackened cloak of energy that surrounded him all rushed into the palm of his hand, the murky vapour that rose from the aura started to take the form of multiple overlapping rings that all gyrate around a single small red orb that formed from the fundamental characters that scrolled before Richard’s eyes. Now that the spell had finally formed it started to pulse, echoing Richard’s Richard’s own heartbeat before it was carried off in the natural flow of this world's magic.

“This magic only works best when used on a planet where my family is, alive or dead. It doesn’t work well through space, magical ripples can get affected by a number of things without constant energy keeping them strong… But here I can use the planet's natural mana to carry my signal. Only issue that might arise is that this might go two ways, and it can pick up anyone loosely related to me by blood. The stronger the connection, the stronger the reaction.” He says as he looks to the spell as it works its wonders, wondering how long it will take. Maravi raised a curious eyebrow as she leaned into Richard’s peripheral vision. “Reaction? What kind of reaction?”

The wary yet gleeful look in Richard’s eyes spoke volumes, he had no real idea since the spell was newly forged. This was a wondrous new experience since he had learned spells second hand from other magicians and wizards from amongst his kind and the ever rare and open minded Ialoa and Zantine offworlder he encountered. This was the first time he had forged a magic that was all his own… It was exhilarating.

Richard was almost so caught up in the excitement of creating his own spells and magics that he didn’t immediately feel something that was quite perplexing. His excitement came crashing down as he felt like his heart was tugged in several directions. A desperate breath for air gripped him as he fell to one knee, hand clutching at his clothes over his heart as the overwhelming sensation of multiple minds being touched by his spell have all come with acknowledgement of his presence but are unable to tell where. Maravi was quick to try and find the source of pain in Richard as she tried to ease the burden on him “What’s happening?” Maravi was understandably panicked with his current state. She lays her hands on his back, trying to ease the burden that was being inflicted on him due to his spell drawing the conscious attention of multiple minds.

He grit his teeth and focussed himself as he tried to figure out where the different minds were relative to him… S-So many… B-but the spell isn’t perfect yet. I’m only feeling Ghouls here, none related to me...G-Guh.. Fuck they’re really trying to pry into my head. He decided to let go before he does some permanent damage to himself, but in the final moments of the connection he was exerting he felt it… The pluck of a single string as his heart and Melissa’s beat in sync had the world around them fall away into an endlessly folding expanse of white. That single string connected them for only a second. But that second felt like an eternity in that moment that they could stare into each other's eyes across the vast distances that separated them both.

The connection snapped, separating them once again for a second time as this world of melting white started to fall away back to the conscious world. As Richard snapped back to reality he would find himself being tended to by Maravi as a splitting headache was now plaguing him, and feeling absurdly drained of mana. The spell he used wasn’t supposed to drain so much. But his proximity to Lincoln had helped his soul react with the strangeness of his Eldritch existence… In that strange moment Lincoln would see the potential of his friend, by a freak instance, a chaotic accident that likely won’t ever take place until he finds and creates it himself. In the moment he had found the string of his sister's existence their souls briefly resonated in a separate plane, one that lasted only a second. But he had created a separate plane of existence for just a shallow moment by pure accident. If he can do that by accident, how high can he climb with actual effort?

He nurses his headache as he stands up, Maravi fussing over him as she stays basically glued to his side. He didn’t mind her fussing though, he did try to calm her down as he looked over to Lincoln “That didn’t work as well as I thought it did but I know roughly where she is. Trouble is I think abunch of other Ghouls know where I roughly am too.” Maravi uses some of her magic to tend to his headache, looking nervous now as she worries that his stunt has put him in danger. In his state he won’t be able to fight 100%. Still he was surprised that he found her quickly enough. “Mmm… We can worry about those Ghoul’s later. Where is Melissa?”

Richard kept holding the side of his head as he turned around to look westwards. “She’s living in a city, it’s pretty far but she knows I’m here too. I-I don’t know how to explain it but… But I saw her, and she saw me. Just for a second. But. But I know she’s here. She… Well she hasn’t changed that much beside the fact she dyed her hair brown. She even had glasses and she was wearing a suit.”

Lincoln gave a blank stare when Richard just cast that spell to the wind. He likes his friend truly, but goodness does it show how he came to be imprisoned in the first place if he was that short sighted. Oh well, there is no use crying over spilled milk. They just got to roll with whatever comes their way. Sure enough to his lack of surprise he could feel Richard being poked back by who knows how many ghouls on Valai. That fact alone upsets him. He dealt with beings like Nightwalkers before. The thought of them being on Valai in general unnerved him. It made him wonder just how close he was to them over the years and he hadn’t noticed. At times like this he wishes he was a bit more alert of his surroundings.

Traces of a very old memory gave shape to a depressing imagination. The picture of Valai winter woodlands comes to mind. Moon shining in the night sky. Flurries dancing with the breeze. He could picture a Valroian walking among the trees. Enjoying the mystical scenery. Unaware of the shadow with cruel teeth and claws stalking a life so vibrant and full of potential. But the shadow didn’t care. It saw them as nothing more than a bag of meat. And lo it descended upon the Valorian. Defiling the pure snow covered ground with blankets of crimson. Lincoln often wonders if his mind is torturing him like this as a sign that some part of himself denounced his new life choices.

And deep down he accepts it. All this life told him that he always will be a Hero no matter how much he tries to step away from it. To lay down and do nothing goes against his nature. A nature he constantly had to betray over the years. Even though he knew that it doesn’t matter if he tried to contribute to society. The Valorians will push him away. Their very cultural identity shun the notion that men can be any assistance to them. Being unwanted has always been a sore spot for Lincoln. Because if he can’t help others, then who is he? It’s for this reason that he was grateful for having the Orphanage. It gave him a purpose in this life. And he happily helped all the children who came through those doors.

He also understood that there was hardly any point to beat himself up about this. What matters is how he proceeds with the fact that there are likely hundreds to thousands of Ghouls on Valai. Normally that thought would have sprung him into some sort of action. Go to some authority to grant aid. Instead he simply stood there. Feeling detached in a way an individual hears an atrocity on television before going back to playing Fortlight. That once persistent flame in his chest is cold. Richard have just seen it shortly ago. That brief spark of righteous fury that promised only vengeance. The reason it lasted so short is because Lincoln’s rage is not as potent anymore ever since his other half left him. Taking away his pain as well. As much as he wished that he had left it with him, it wasn’t hard to imagine what would have occurred if he kept all that misery weighing in his soul. Little Light wouldn’t have taken the abuse lying down without a fight.

While Richard told their next destination to the group. Lincoln heard a familiar heartbeat nearby. Glancing down the sidewalk he saw his friend casually strolling towards them. “Ah, there’s Maya! My friend I was just talking to.” He gave them enough context before walking away to meet up with her. Maya seemingly laid back air was complimented by her outfit as well. A soft jade Easy Blazer and pleat pants. Richard would sense nothing off about her. Maya seemed to be an everyday regular human.

Maya's passive expression morphed into a soft grin when Lincoln came up to her and the two shared a friendly hug. “Out on your morning walk?” Lincoln remarks. Her routine slipped his mind which is normal whenever he teleports between worlds. Not every planet uses the same time so it takes a few minutes for him to click back into the external system.

“Only for a bit.” The two continue to engage in light small talk. Amicably chatting away without a care in the world. Along the line their hands instinctively sought each other out. Holding hands as a pair of really close friends would. Studying each other's faces like normal friends would. It was Maya who brought Lincoln’s attention to the current issue. “I take it you don’t need my help anymore?” She doesn’t seem to be bothered with that.

Lincoln however felt guilty from that. Holding her hand close to him. “It would be a joy if we had you with us. If you’re feeling up for a little adventure.” Lincoln was certainly hopeful that she would. Part of it is mostly because he wants to spend as much time with his friends before leaving for Trikon in a few weeks.

His friend continued to give a soft smile, “I would like that. You have already piqued my curiosity about all this.” Not too much from what Richard could sense however. For the most part she was just happy to tag along with Lincoln.

Still holding hands, Lincoln brought Maya over and gave a round of introductions. He then gives an abridged version of what’s going on that basically sums up to finding Richard’s lost sister in a city nearby. He didn’t bring up the other things yet such as how they met, the exact nature of Richard’s people, and among other things. Lincoln did state that Richard’s people are cryptids. Maya once again didn’t seem fully engaged with the subject. She was just satisfied to be hanging out with Lincoln.

Maya leaned against Lincoln,”Off to the city then huh. We should get going before rush hour.” Lincoln softly nods in agreement. In an hour or so is when more people start waking up to head to their work in the city. And like all Valorian cities, every aspect of it has gender segregation. Some parts were worse than the colored segregation during the time period he was first born in.

Thinking of that he should brief Richard and Maravi on that. “Right I should tell you guys a bit about Valorian customs. To put it bluntly misandry is the norm. Especially in cities. Richard and I are unable to use the main sidewalks to walk through the city, those are exclusively for women. Instead we use an alleyway network to get around the place. It looks unappealing but for the past few years they’ve been empty when I went through them. Most of the men who have been a part of the Matriarchy have jumped ship to head to the new Republic State for a better life, no matter how marginal it is. Another thing to remember is unless you know the person, we’re to remain six feet away from women at all times. We can’t look at them, we can’t talk to them unless they initiate it first, and that about sums up the important stuff to know at the moment.”

“Their bigotry never ceases to astound me. An interstellar civilization yet still carries traits of being primitive savages. A pity. That verbally expressed, this is why we should hurry on. I prefer if we spend as little time as we can in the city.” Regardless of how spiteful that sounded, Richard could sense that it’s coming from somewhere else. Another thing he noticed was that Maya had a subtle lisp in her speaking pattern.

Lincoln gave a light somber expression, “Maya is not wrong, we shouldn’t hang around in the big city for long. Come on Richard, lead the way.”