Battle mansion: Renya's fight

Challenging a person to a fight was commonplace in Selene’s growing town. From simple disputes to simply wanting a friendly spar, as long as you followed the rules the mansion welcomed it all. And everyone did mean everyone. One day the town butcher could be fighting the Innkeeper. Another day a traveller could be fighting one of the mansion’s Kikimora workers.

That was the way things worked here. It also meant that one particular request came by every now and again, like today.

~X~

“I wish to fight Selene!”

Selene, who had been lounging in her chair and not paying that much attention, perked up at her name. Another warrior wishes to challenge her?

Challenging Selene herself was not off the table.  It felt good to unwind with a bout or two. Being who she was people saw losing as a foregone conclusion, so fighters often challenged her for the experience, a mindset she delighted in. Of course, there were others, arrogant fools boasting about their power and claiming they could take her down with ease or trying to goad her to use more of her power. The memory of the lesson she taught them and all who saw that fight brought a smile to her face.

Selene examined her would be challenger as she walked from her seat and into the arena, Lily following her down. The challenger looked like a human female knight in her late forties. Her brunette turning grey hair, stern expression and that she held herself like an experienced warrior and was armoured as such helped with her look. In all, she looked every part a veteran warrior. “Tell me your name,”   Selene said.

“Reyna.” The knight answered with pride.

“Not that I’m complaining, but why do you wish to fight me? Quite a few skilled warriors pass through the town every month, so there are many here that would like to test their skills against you. Going straight for the top feels a little odd.” Selene questioned.

The knight paused and took a deep breath. “I’m getting on in my years, it won’t be long before age starts to dull my skills, so I want one last fight with all I’ve got while I think I’ve still got it, why not fight one of the best?” She said with conviction.

Selene stared her down. The look in her eyes, she was mostly telling the truth but there was something more to her... like she was hiding something important. Not matter, it had been some time since she a good bout, and she was serious. “Very well, we’ll do this right now.  What’s your weapon of choice?”

“Just a spear, doesn’t need to be fancy,” Renya said.

“You heard her, right?” Selene asked turning to Lily, who nodded and flew out of the arena. The succubus returned with a spear and handed it over to the knight, who gave it some swings to test the weight. Satisfied with it, she took a few steps back and got into position. Lily backed away from the two as Selene unsheathed her sword.  There the crowd was completely silent, waiting for the first move.

The knight launched forward with a trust at Selene’s head, The Lilim simply moved her head out of the way and brought up her sword to block the follow-up kick. Renya’s assault was not over as she kept attacking until Selene parried her spear and made her stumble backwards.  Selene then went on the attack, swinging her sword in a fast wide arc, Renya leaned back and let the sword pass over her as going for another thrust, only for Selene’s tail to slap the spear into the ground. Instead of pulling the spear out of the ground as the lilim expected, the knight used her boot to kick the blade up, forcing Selene back before the blade caught her face.

Selene grinned. Such skill in this woman! Even with her self-imposed limits, she had expected to end this fight quickly. She hadn’t felt this excited about a fight in a long time. Maybe it was time to let loose a bit more? She took a deep breath as she felt some more of her energy flow through her body. And once again attacked the knight.

The exchange of blows had the crowd roaring in excitement. Few people could stand up to Selene and even fewer when she was actually motivated, but this human woman looked to be going the distance using all kinds of techniques and skills in order to keep up.

Sadly, there was only so much Renya had in terms of stamina and with Selene getting more excited and putting power into her blows, the more it showed the difference in power. Renya, however, continued to fight, her will to continue stronger than any fatigue.

Selene eventually paused in her attack when she realised her opponent had long since stopped going on the offence and was going for counters in an attempt to conserve energy. Renya was breathing hard, her face was drenched in sweat and her hands were shaking. But it was the look in her eyes and the grip on her spear that told Selene the fight wasn’t over just yet. “This has been a fine match, I was glad someone could take me this far.” Selene praised. Still, this fight was to end soon. Renya had finally reached her limits. It was clear as day that she couldn’t take much more big hits before she keeled over. The knight looked down at her spear before looking at Selene; her eyes still alight with passion. Before once more reading

“Thanks” Renya panted out with a smile as she returned to her stance.  “Come on! You haven’t beaten me yet! I still have more! She declared as she rushed towards the lilim. Selene was ecstatic; this woman was putting everything she had into this fight. To see such strength fade with age, it was a truly a shame that this flame was dying out, such a rare gem.

After dodging another of Selene’s swings, Renya backed up a little further. And started spinning her spear before stomping the floor ash she assumed a different stance than the one she usually took. No words were exchanged as Selene got the message clear; this would be her last attack. The crowd fell silent as the tension in the room grew heavy.

Without warning, Renya let loose a war cry as she burst forward and looked like she was going for a spear thrust aiming for Selene’s head. Selene read the move as a feint and sure enough, the spear moved downwards towards her gut. Selene got ready to block, only for Renya to spin her body as she got close and strike Selene in her side. In a snap reflex, Selene spun on her heel and punched the knight in the gut. The echo of the lilim denting the chest plate could be heard around the arena.

Selene stared wide-eyed at the trembling knight as she looked up to the lilim, smiling like she was satisfied with the outcome before she collapsed unconscious. The crowd roared in applause

“Renya!”  Selene watched as a man similarly armoured like Renya ran into the arena and lifted her up, whispering words into her ear as he cradled her unconscious form.

 “And you are?” she asked the man.

“I’m her husband, Clive.” The man said.

Selene’s eyebrow rose. “I see…” she snapped her fingers and two kikimoras appeared “Take her to a room, make sure she’s okay and take him with you. One of you is to stay with them and tell me when she wakes.” The maids nodded and helped the two of them out the arena.

Lily then approached. “That was a wonderful bout, mistress! I didn’t expect her to be that strong.”

Selene nodded. “It feels good to loosen up after so long. Still, I want to talk to her when she’s awake.” She said as she sheaved her sword. “handle the rest of the fights. I’m going to clean myself up.” Selene said walking out of the arena, waving to the audience as she did so

~X~ (Sometime later)

Selene didn’t have to wait for long as Renya was up and about within the hour. She entered the room, she saw the knight talking with Clive seated in chairs, Renya being out of her armour and wearing simple under clothes. Noticing the door open the two stopped their conversation and acknowledged Selene with a nod. “How are you feeling?” she asked

“Wonderful, I wanted the fight of a lifetime, and I certainly got it.” She said with a laugh. “Those rumours about how strong you lilims are don’t do you justice. Makes me wonder just how strong you are at your max.

Selene laughed “I honestly don’t know, anyone with that kind of power doesn’t really have the time nor caring to fight, can’t say I blame them though as the work they do is more important,” She said with a shrug.

“Either way.” Renya got up from her seat and bowed to Selene. “Thank you for facing me in combat, with it, along with it. I’ve got a request.”

“A request?” Selene parroted. “What is it? Money? A place to stay for a while?”

“Actually…” Renya said, starting to stutter. “I was hoping that you could… change me into a monster.

Selene’s eyes widened in interest but all she said was a simple “Explain.”

“You see,  my husband and I found out long ago that I could not bear children… it hurt us both that we couldn’t have a family, we desired and we didn’t feel right with adoption. So we simply settled down with just the two of us… until my husband heard a few things…” Renya was slowly getting more emotional. So Clive took over.

“I had heard that the process of women becoming monsters had restorative capabilities to the body to a certain extent, most importantly the woman would be able to conceive albeit under conditions, the obvious loss of her humanity, and being unable to bear a son,” he explained. “And so we talked about it for ages, as we knew this would be no easy step to take, and eventually we decided that this was what we wanted.”

Selene put a finger under her chin. “So when you wanted to fight me…”

Renya smiled “I wanted to leave my humanity with a bang, Just how strong was I? How far did I get as a human, it helps that I really am getting old, so it was a good a motivation to fight you at my peak if any. And now we’re here.”

Renya took a knee and lowered her head. “I request is this, lilim of swords; please, turn me into a monster, I don’t care what you change me into, what I must do, so long as I can grant myself and my beloved the family we desire, I will always be in your debt.”

Selene stared for a second and the smiled before she laughed joyously. “You really are a rare gem, you know that? I should be thanking you, this has been a most refreshing day for me, rise Renya, let me give you what you desire so much.”

The knight lifted herself up before Selene as black sludge-like liquid formed in Selene's hand.  At the sight of it, Renya flinched. “Relax.” Selene said, A voice taking on a rather ethereal tone “just relax and embrace it, if you must focus on something else, then focus on your husband.” The black liquid now formed into an orb in the lilim’s hand that she then slowly sunk into Renya’s chest. The knight let a moan out from the sensation and Selene grinned “that’s it, feel the new sensations merge with the old let it flow through you.”

As Selene continued to speak soothing words into Renya’s ear, changes were going through the knight's body, a spade tipped-tail had sprouted from her backside and extended slowly, the same with a pair of wings that extended out of her back and curved horns that emerged from her head. There were other changes as well, her face had lost its wrinkles and save one streak her hair had turned from dark grey to an inky, silk flowing black. While this was going on her face was one of pure ecstasy, revelling in the pleasure the transformation was giving her. And just like just like that, it was over. Like a puppet with its strings cut, Renya fell to her knees and slumped over, breathing hard.

“It’s done,” Selene said with a proud smile.”

“Amazing… she looks the looks twenty years younger!” Clive said in awe as the newly transformed Renya stumbled to her feet, her glazed over eyes first landed on Selene.

 “Lady Selene.” She intoned slowly.

“None of that, for now,” Selene said. “Don’t you want to see Clive?”

“Clive?” the new succubus parroted. And like water was poured on her snapped out of her daze, she looked behind her and saw her husband. Her face instantly lit up in joy “Clive… Clive!”

“Renya are you- mmmph!“ his question was cut off by Renya closing the distance in a flash holding him in an embrace and kissing like her life depended on it.

“Clive… it feels so good, everything feels so good, please my love… I need you right now!”

Selene, chuckling to herself, left the room and closed the door behind her as Renya pulled her husband to the bed with her tail.

~X~ (three days later)
Selene had invited Renya to breakfast in order to talk about long-term plans. The two, along with Lily and Clive, were seated around a table, in the private dining room of the mansion. Renya had taken to using her tail to play with Clive, and Clive was using all he could to stay calm.

“To be honest, we didn’t really plan the next step beyond the whole starting a family thing,” Renya said with a blush and a laugh. “I guess we’re going to just settle down in a monster friendly state or something along those lines.”

“Why not settle down here?” Lily asked.

“Here, as in the battle mansion?” Renya asked.

Selene nodded. “It’s always good to have another friend around the mansion, and there are loads of jobs both in the mansion and the town you and your husband can fill. We're just getting off the ground as a green realm so I need all the help I can get.”

Renya thought to herself, before looking at her husband. “What do you think, Clive?” stopping the movements of her tail

Clive sighed in relief, able to think clearly. “I say we go for it, with this, we will work for people we know, besides, with something like the mansion we can keep in shape and fight for much longer.” He said.

“Well then, I guess we have a deal,” Renya said extending her hand to Selene, who shook it.

“Welcome to the fold, I think we’re gonna get along nicely. I’ll give you a tour of the town and the mansion later.”

“That’s something, now that I think about it. The maps mark out the Battle mansion and the town, but the town has no name. What’s with that?” Clive asked

“Despite how long the town has been around, mistress has yet to give it a name,” Lily said with annoyance clear in her voice.

“Oh, not this again…” Selene groaned.

“Don’t give me that, mistress!” Lily growled. “I keep telling you people get confused and usually you are off watching the fights or sightseeing so I have to deal with it! to you know how tiring it is to listen to the same complaints about the town name?”

“I told you I’d get round to it when a can.” Selene sighed

“Well I know you’ve got nothing planned and the arena’s closed for the day, so you and I are going to be settling this out once and for all! Along with sending you sisters those papers you were meant to last month” Lily declared.

Renya and Clive could only laugh as Selene looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here while arguing with her right-hand succubus. The thought of living at the mansion seemed more fun by the second.