Chapter 22

For the first time in a long time, you were scared. Morala had ascended the yan-ladder much faster than you had expected. You were a fool for thinking that she would get better in time. Now her innocent attraction had blossomed and rotted into a jealous obsession. Her threats were absolutely genuine. She was a bit naïve, but she certainly wasn’t stupid, and she defiantly wasn’t inept with magic. You had no doubt that she could make good on her implied threats to silence you. After all, if you told Oroba or anyone else what was happening, they would separate you two then and there.

Deep down you had harbored a desperate hope that she would calm down and see reason after she had confronted you in the hall. Misguided to say the least. She had gotten much worse. Clearly the fairies were involved whatever scheme she had chosen to involve you in too. Now when you sat at your usual table, (you didn’t dare sit anywhere else with Morala watching you), half of the tiny women would giggle and make insinuations about your relationship with their princess. The others, whom you had gotten along well with in the past, would flee to the opposite side of the table to escape you. The looks of fear on their faces broke your heart.

“Anon.”

Your eyes snapped back to your food at Morala’s accusatory tone. That was the worst part of it all. If you so much as looked at another woman, she quickly corrected it. Her words were enough, but you swear she nudged your head with magic if you didn’t react fast enough.

What baffled you most was that Morala seemed almost as unhappy about your current dynamic as you. In public she was doting and kind, but when you were alone, she became surly and short tempered. The only thing that calmed her down was you sitting with her while she went about her work.

“Don’t forget that I’m still waiting on that supplement. I’m sure it will be useful for the practical exam I have coming up.” said Morala.

“I haven’t forgot. I’ll get some as soon as possible.” you assured her.

“Thanks, Anon. I really appreciate you looking out for me.” she said with a smile.

“Of course. I’m going in later today. I should have it by dinner.”

The supplement was your top priority. If you had known how far gone Morala really was, you would have never forked over the bag in the first place. The lab, and more specifically Breville and the other golems were constantly occupied by samples and backlog. You supposed the college could just whip some more up, but you supposed that creating something capable of poaching your man was a poor choice in the eyes of mamono. And the whole ‘playing God’ aspect of creating a sentient being but mamono didn’t seem like the kind to get hung up on morality when there was sexual deviance to be done.

Her wings fluttered a bit and for a moment, you saw the beautiful girl who befriended you in her soft features and caring face. There must be a way to save that; the core of who Morala really was. The reason you were so unprepared for this turn of events was because you trusted her so much. She seemed so incorruptible. That’s magic though. Who knows, there may be some weird interaction between you and mamono that makes them go crazy over time.

That doesn’t matter right now though. Right now, you just need to humor her so that she doesn’t do anything too rash. You would get the supplement, calm her down, and then go have a chat with Oroba or Magnara about her behavior. They would have a talk with her, she would cry, you would all make amends and be friends again. Easy.

Thinking back, you had overreacted when she had confronted you. Sure, she was defiantly losing it, there was no doubt about that. What you also knew is that if push came to shove there was ZERO chance of Morala doing anything to harm you. The way you saw it, the second you stepped past her she would break down and start crying. What worried you most was collateral. If she decided to toss one of the other students again, things would get ugly real quick.

You glanced up at her from your notes. She was staring at the book in front of her, but she wasn’t reading. Her half-lidded eyes were motionless.

“…Mora?” you asked hesitantly.

“Hmm?” Morala lurched as she snapped her head towards you.

“Are you alright? I think you need more sleep…” you suggested.

She let out a little whine as she stretched her arms and arched her back. “I’m alright Anon. Don’t worry, I’m almost done with the project I’ve been working on. I’ll sleep much better after it’s finished. But I’m certain that some spirit supplement would help wake me up~”

Her tone was playful, but you knew that her demand wasn’t a suggestion. Coincidentally, it was about time for you to head to the lab anyways. Pushing your things into your bag, you sling the satchel over your shoulder.

“Well just don’t take it tonight. You need to sleep. Take some in the morning.” You said.
“That sounds lovely! I’ll have it with the tea.” she said.
You waved goodbye and said hello to Ixade as you left.

~~~~~~~

A clump of faries flew out from atop a bookshelf giggling and fluttering around their princess.

“You two are perfect for each other!”

“It feels like you’re married already.”

“When are you gonna do anything to him mistress? Have you kissed him yet?”

Morala hushed the hoard of miniature women. “Now now, you know that Anon is still to weak for anything to happen between us. What is important at this moment is fostering the bond we share and ensuring that he has all the support and love he needs to become an upstanding and accomplished member of our society.”

 The fairies cheered.

“So kind mistress!”

“No wonder he loves you so much!”

“How many kids are you gonna have?”

Morala swept her hand over the fairies to silence them as Ixade scowled at them from a high bookshelf.
“Not so loud.” said Morala sternly. “Though Anon and I do love each other very much, our love is forbidden until he grows stronger.”

“Sorry mistress…” said one of the fairies turning her gaze to the book she was standing on.

Morala grinned. “Do not worry little one, I know that those of you who are still loyal to me only wish to see me happy. It makes me so proud to see all of you so eager to help a friend in need.”

“Anything for you mistress!”

“Wonderful! Now, go. You know what to do. Do not let him stray from your sight.” commanded Morala.

A few fairies took flight, and zipped down the hall after Anon.

~~~~~

You knocked lightly on the door to the laboratory.

“Come in!”

You pushed the door open to find Ergine hovering over an elaborate system of glass and boilers. She shoved a beaker that was taller than her under a spigot and turned a valve. A slow drip of viscous purple liquid began to flow into the container. Wiping her hands off in her fluff, she flew over to the bench you had laid your things on.

“So Anon, what did you need the lab for? Interested in practicing alchemy?” she asked.

“Uhh… no. I need to make more spirit supplement.” you said.

“Oh geez! That’s no good! I guess they haven’t got around to telling you yet.” said Ergine.

“Huh?”

“We gave a sample of your supplement to a succubus, and she lost control of her magic. She was no slouch either. One of the best students we have! Until we can find out exactly what caused the reaction, we can’t have you making any more spirit powder unless we ask for it.”

You gulped. “What?”

“Sorry, Anon. I guess it must be a shock to be the cause of danger for once, huh?”

Your mind raced with the implications of this turn of events. What were you going to do? Tell Morala that you weren’t allowed to make anymore? No, she’d probably drag you into the lab and milk you by hand if she had to. Sneaking in to make more was out of the question. The guards kept a close eye on you, and it was too dangerous to walk the halls unaccompanied. What were you going to do?

“Don’t worry, I think I know why you want to make more spirit supplement in the first place. I can’t help you much, but I do have some nice potions that will help the mood~” said Ergine with a wink.

Of course! You remember reading about some of the plants in the demon realms. There was at least one that calmed monsters down. You remembered that much. It was hard to say; you hadn’t been able to experience much mamono cuisine. Just the other day you had bedridden yourself by eating too many cookies with some sort of demonic product in the icing. A whole day vomiting demon juice and getting yelled at by Hicera. You really need more self-control…

“Actually, that may be able to help me out. I have a friend who’s really stressed out right now. What do you have that can help?” you asked eagerly.

The kesaran giggled. “Making people feel good is what I do best! Now tell me, what kind of stress is she under?” said Ergine.
“I don’t know exactly… She’s been more hostile and short-tempered lately. There’s just a distance between us that’s only getting wider.”

Ergine nodded and gave grunted out an affirmation. “What do you think is bothering her? Is it more work related, or is it something in your relationship?”

Both, you thought.

“Her work.” you lied. “Whatever she’s working on, she just can’t seem to forget it even when she should be relaxing.”

Ergine was quiet for a minute, then flew over to a strange contraption comprised of a funnel, some sort of grinder, and a set of claws underneath. She opened the cupboard above it with some effort and dragged two jars filled with dried plants.

“Anon, could you crank this please?” she asked as she lifted a few leaves out of each container.

You walked over to the crank as Ergine dipped a thin stick in a jar of some sort of some sort of goo. She slid the rod into the claws and instructed you to begin.

As you turned the crank, the plants were ground into a fine powder that fell onto the stick. The claws slowly turned in conjunction with the grinder, evenly coating the rod in a thick layer of herbs. You could smell the strange and pleasant scents wafting from the machine as it broke down the herbs.

“Three-parts stoic love and one-part melty love. This should help her unwind and help you two over come any spat you’re having.” said Ergine pulling the rod of incense out of the holders.

“Thank you, professor.” you said gently taking the wrapped stick. “Do I just burn this around her?”

“Yep. Just make sure that the space isn’t too confined. If the fumes get to concentrated things could get… well…”

“I get the idea.” you assure her. You’ll have to be careful about using this. Hopefully this was more of a catnip kind of thing rather than a “I am refreshed and now have the energy to molest someone” kind of relaxed.

Thanking her one last time, you set out to find your obsessive guardian.

~~~~~~

You dragged your feet on the way to the dining hall trying to figure out the best way to break the news to Morala. Wading through the crowd of mamono and the occasional male student, you wound your way to the fairy table. Morala watched you through the crowd as you approached.

“Hello, Anon.” she said cheerfully setting down her glass of wine.

“Hey Morala…” you said.

She cocked her head to the side. “What’s wrong Anon? Is something bothering you?”

You mean besides the way you’re acting? No.

“I, uh… I’m not allowed to make more spirit supplement…” your voice trailed off as you finished your report.

“What!”

The fairies on the table froze as Morala raised her voice in shock. Some hid behind the larger food items and one had attempted to play dead. Their tiny flitted between you and their princess.

“Mora, please, calm down.” you hissed. The mamono around you began to murmur and stare.

You took your seat and Morala immediately yanked it closer to her with her magic. It was a subtle movement, no more than you would be capable of producing with just your legs.

“What happened.” she asked firmly.

“Well, it turns out that my supplement is the equivalent of {cocaine} or something, so I’m not allowed to distribute anymore until the college can confirm that it’s safe.” you explain.

She gritted her teeth and clenched her silverware. “Who told you. Was it just Ergine? Or was it from Oroba?”

“I don’t know!” you insisted as she leaned towards you.

She huffed and took a long draw of her wine. She set her glass down and swore silently. You and the other fairies were too afraid to eat anything. Your stomach broke the tension by loudly protesting the lack of sustenance being provided to it.

Morala’s ears perked up. She looked at you with concern. “Anon, if you’re hungry, you should eat. You need to keep your strength up.”

You nodded in agreement and started to load up a plate with some of the dishes that were labeled as “safe for Anon to eat” by the succulent succubus chef.

You ate in silence while the other fairies resumed their conversations in hushed tones. Morala pouted and traced the rim of her glass with her finger. Seeing her like this did make you feel bad for her. It was hard to stay mad at such a cute woman, even if she was heading down the rapist road. After all, the only reason she was going this far to keep you from other monsters was her love for you.

The thought made you realize: Morala had never told you her feelings. In all the time you had been with her, all the times she had helped you, not once had her affection been verbally stated. It was obvious, but you couldn’t help but wonder if diving headfirst into love like this was normal for all monsters.

Well, obviously not SOME. But even an ogre would tell you she loved you after the deed, right? Was Morala just too preoccupied with her schooling? It could be innocence of all things. Titanias were not quick to recognize lewdness. Her inability to move past this platonic puppy-love may be fear or ignorance of what comes next. With any luck you would be avoiding all of that. Morala was great, but she just wasn’t your type.

You finished your meal and wiped your face. Time to put this incense to the test.

“Hey, Morala, I’m heading back to my room.”

“Oh! Alright. I’ll walk you back.” she said pushing herself out from the table.

Just as planned. She had gotten in the habit of traveling with you anywhere you went. Once she was in your room, you could light the stick, and try to convince her not to chain you to a magical radiator in an abandoned shack. Of course, you would have to get a guard to be stationed just outside. And crack the window. Don’t want her to get TOO calm after all.

The two of you walked/ flew down the hall wordlessly. When you arrived at your room you told her to head on in, and that you would be right back. Fetching one of the guards that was posted by your room, you instructed them to wait a bit closer than usual, and to not intervene unless they heard a commotion. In which case, they were free to break down the door.

You returned to your room and opened the door.

Morala was tossing back and forth on your bed with your pillow pressed into her face. She was making a happy humming noise as her feet kicked excitedly.

As she heard the door open she hurled your pillow at the headboard and sat upright. You couldn’t help but notice the wet splotches where her mouth had been.

“Anon! I was just, uh…” she stammered.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” you said. You awkwardly pull out a jar to burn the incense in while Morala adjusted her hair and clothes.

“S-so what did you want to do in your room?” she asked. You could hear the fidget of her wings from behind you.

“Well, I couldn’t get you the spirit supplement, so I got some incense from Ergine to help you relax. I know you’ve been stressed recently.” you said. You carefully conjured a bit of flame with the help of your rings. A geyser of fire shot out of your hands, searing a few pages on your desk. You beat out the flames and set the jar on the desk. After cracking the window, you took a seat next to Morala on your bed.

She began to breath a bit heavier and squirm.

“So, I know that you’ve been working hard on my behalf, but I think it’s time to address the problem between us.” you said.

Better to just get this over with. The incense began to fill the room with a minty-sweet aroma.

“Problem?” asked Morala. She stopped moving and looked over at you curiously.

“Yes! Mora, I’m worried about you! You’ve changed!”

“Me?” she asked quietly.

“Yes!” you got up and looked out the window over the town and lake below. The evening sun cast a long orange streak over the rippling waters. “When I got here you were the most kind and caring person I had met since I arrived. You helped me with whatever I needed, and always made sure that I was safe and on track. But then you… you weren’t you anymore. I never thought that I would see the day when you raised your voice at anything, but next thing I knew you were pinning mamono to walls and bossing the other fairies around.”

Morala was silent.

“What am I supposed to think?” you continued. “What should I’m losing a person I care about, and they won’t listen to me? Please Mora, don’t do anything crazy. That’s all I ask!”

You glanced over at the mega-fairy. She had a scowl on her face, but she certainly looked, relaxed.

“What do you mean crazy?” she asked in a whiny voice. “I do everything I do for YOU Anon.”

“I can take care of myself! I’m worried that you can’t see that. What if you’re becoming the very thing that you want to protect me from?”

Morala laid down on your bed and draped an arm over her face.

“You don’t understand…”

“I do understand; that’s why I’m worried. I’m scared that I’m going to lose you forever. Please, don’t become someone you aren’t for my sake.”

You sat next to her on the bed. “It isn’t the rest of the school that’s going crazy, it’s you. I just want things to be normal again.”

Morala rubbed her eyes with her sleeve and moved her arm away from her face. “But I’m scared…” she pouted.

“Don’t be. Everything will be alright.” you assured her. You clasped her hand and she squeezed back. Her eyes grew wide, and slowly closed. She let out a contented hum and began to fade in and out of consciousness.

You were close to falling asleep too. The day had been exhausting and the herbs only compounded your fatigue. Sliding into bed behind Morala, you quickly fall asleep.

~~~~~~~

“ADMAZ GUARD, OPEN UP!”

You thrashed in your covers as the door to your dorm room was ripped off it’s hinges with a thunderous crack. A battalion of fully armed mamono stormed into the tiny space.

Morala screamed and grabbed you, the worst possible thing she could have done in front of the people who were there to protect you. Heavy hands tore the two of you apart and you were swiftly princess-carried out of the room while Morala shrieked and flailed against the intruders.

It took several minutes to explain to the guards that nothing was happening, Morala was not trying to force herself on you, and that she was not the one who had lit the incense. During your explanation, the minotaur who was cradling you would not let you go for ‘safety reasons.’ Her hand supporting your lower half kept groping your ass, and the arm supporting your top half kept folding you into her breasts. The two heaving milk-tanks resting on your body and the heavy breathing of your handler made the interrogation take far longer than it should have.

At last Morala was released from her own questioning but was ordered to return to her own room. She nodded, and stiffly walked away. Poor girl. The minotaur sighed and set you down, telling you to get in as much trouble as you liked as long as she was on duty. With a hearty slap on your butt, she moseyed away with the rest of the squad leaving you alone in the lounge.

~~~~~~

The next day was awkward to say the least. You and Morala were both silent as you ate your breakfast. The fairies seemed to sense something was up, and pestered both of you with a stream of questions.

“Where did you both go last night?”

“Mistress smells like Anon!”

“Did something happen? Hey, hey! Why are you both so quiet?”

“Are you pregnant? Are we gonna have a sister?”

The mamono at the other tables around you whipped around or spat out their food at the last question.

“No! Please don’t say things like that! Nothing happened!” you said loud enough for the others to hear.

“Aww…”

Morala giggled at their disappointment. It was good to see her laugh again. You couldn’t remember the last time she had smiled like that.

“Anon!”

You turned to see a succubus hurrying towards you.

“Hello, my name is Buera. I was the one who tested your spirit supplement.” she explained.

The mamono around you hushed as they listened intently. Morala clenched her fists and remained sitting with her back to the stranger. You looked her in the eyes and smiled.

“I see. Well, what can I do for you?” you say as formally as possible.

“President Oroba wishes to know if you would be willing to produce more spirit supplement for experimentation.” she said.

“Experimentation?” you ask. As far as you knew, it was just monster pre-workout.

“Yes! Your supplement is quite unique! We want to better understand why it behaves in a different manner than samples from normal males.” said Buera.

“What do you mean ‘behaves differently.’” asked Morala swiveling around out of curiosity.

“Oh! I’ve said too much. I’m not supposed to divulge anything until we complete all the experiments that they have planned. Anyways, if you would please just stop by the laboratory after your afternoon class, it would be appreciated. Thanks Anon!”

Buera wandered away leaving you and Morala equally confused.

“What does she mean ‘different?!’” asked Morala again.

“I don’t know! They took the supplement from me as soon as I walked out the door. I didn’t even know who consumed it until she introduced herself!” you pleaded.

Morala glared at the succubus as she walked through the crowd.

“Get some for me too.”

“Huh?”

Morala turned back to you. “You heard me!” she said in a hushed tone. “If you’re making spirit supplement, the least you could do is sneak a little out for me. Ergine would let you! She likes us.”

“But Buera said it may be dangerous.”

“I just want a taste!” hissed Morala leaning towards you.

You recoiled as she came towards you. Seeing you lurch backwards, she stopped herself and took a deep breath.

“Please, Anon. I promise no one will get hurt.” she said.

Fuck. No way you could resist that pout.

“Fine. I’ll ask, but if Ergine says no, that’s that, okay? I don’t want you to blow anything up or something.” you said.

“Oh, thank you Anon! I’m so excited!” she said with a little clap.

You chuckled in spite of yourself. You knew that she was still toeing the line between protective friend and controlling sexual deviant, but she was a supernatural being made for seducing men and bringing them happiness after all. You return to your meal and help some fairies crack open the hard shell of a bread roll.

~~~~~~

“Anon! There you are! I was wondering if you were coming or not.” said Ergine as you walked into the lab.

“Hi Ergine, sorry I’m late. I had to ask Aegoli a few questions after her lecture.” you said setting your things down.

“Of course! Now, could I trouble you to get another sample for me?” asked Ergine hefting a beaker.

While you were busy, you heard the door open and people conversing. You were too busy to pay attention to what they were saying.
As you came out of the stall, you found Oroba, Hicera and Buera standing in the lab.

“Hello, Anon.” said Oroba.

“Oh! President, hi…” you said trying to move the cup of semen out of the way. It would seem that you were the only one who was uncomfortable with this situation. “Is there something you need?”

Ergine took the jar from you and hovered over to Breville.

“No, we were just coming to see the sample being made. Ergine tells us that the product is quite anomalous.” said Oroba.

“I’m here to collect a fraction for medical testing.” said Hicera.

“And I’m still a test dummy.” said Buera.

“Speaking of fractions, I was wondering if I could keep a tiny sample for myself.” You ask.

The monsters looked at you in confusion.

“Why?” asked Oroba.

“He wants to give it to a girl!” squealed Ergine.

“WHAT?!” shouted Oroba.

You done it now Ergine…

“Anon, please tell me that isn’t the case!” said Hicera.

“It isn’t like that! It’s not a gesture of love or anything, she’s just curious!” you said.

“It is a gesture of love whether you know it or not!” retorted Oroba.

“Who were you going to give it to?” asked Buera. Her tail was waggling behind her. She seemed more intent on the gossip than the danger.

“I just wanted to give a little to Morala as a thank you present.” You said.

Everyone relaxed as you mentioned Morala’s name.

“Anon, I don’t think it would be very wise to give any to Morala. She’s a very kind soul, but even she may get the wrong idea. There have also been… unconfirmed reports of strange behavior from her lately.” said Oroba.

Your heart leapt. She knew! This could all end now.

“Are you talking about her acting strange? Because I…”

A shimmer of light behind the others caught your attention. On the wall behind them, a tiny prismatic light shone next to a small silhouette. A chill ran down your spine. Your back was to the window, and there was only one thing you could think of that would cast such a strange shadow.

“Anon?” asked Hicera.

“…Because I think that she is just stressed.” you finished softly. That sneaky bitch. So that’s how she had been able to find you wherever you went, how she was able to find out about things seconds after they happened. You had underestimated the other fairies. Never had it occurred to you that they would actually be complicit in this lunacy. They seemed too innocent. You had always thought they just enjoyed the puppy aspect of love, like a gang of middle school girls teasing their friend.

If Morala was still shadowing you with minions, that meant she still didn’t trust you or anyone around you.

She hadn’t changed a bit.

“Anon?! What’s wrong? You’re so pale all of a sudden!” said Hicera moving towards you.

“I’m fine.” you muttered.

You got long-conned by a fucking fairy princess.

The ding from Breville saved you from any more interrogation as Ergine collected the supplement from her.

“Okie-dokie! We got a nice, piping hot batch of supplement Mrs. President!” said Ergine.

“Thank you, Ergine.” said Oroba.

She moved over to a lab bench and poured a bit out onto one of the working stations. It was just a mat that was ‘magically inert,’ whatever that meant.

You took a seat opposite the others and rested your chin on your hand. What were you going to do? Morala was further gone than you thought. Sure, the fairy could be acting on her own, it could be a huge coincidence, but it was all just to convenient.
You thought back to all the meals you had shared together. How the fairies would form little cliques and groups, and how over time some had become more fearful and timid around you while others had grown more bold and direct with their inquiries about your relationship to their leader. Those were the same fairies that you had seem most often in the halls.

“You were spot on with the texture part Buera…”

Your train of thought was interrupted by Oroba’s quip. She was prodding through the pile of powder with a small utensil.

“The grains are much larger than normal. Let’s run an energy diagnostic on it and see what it looks like.” she said.

Buera nodded and took a small scoop of the supplement. Adding it to a test tube, she poured in a small amount of liquid and swirled the vial a few times. The supplement disintegrated, leaving a clear solution. She went to a strange, boxy contraption and opened the lid. Slotting the tube into a holder, she shut the box and began to press some of the buttons on the side.
“Have you had time to read the report, Ergine?” asked Oroba.

“Yes. Very strange! I’ve never heard of anything like it before. Even high-quality supplement doesn’t behave like that. It would seem Anon is just volatile by nature.” said Ergine.

“Hmm… I wonder if a soul is only stable in its original plane…” mused Oroba.

“Stable or not, this supplement is dangerous. Think of what happened to poor Buera last time.” said Hicera.

“What DID happen?” you asked.

“Well, she looked like you when you first got here. I’m sure you heard the blast…” said Oroba.

“Yeah, I get the picture.” you said.

“Oh!”

The three of you turned to Buera as she read over a length of paper that was being spit out by the machine.

“This is… I don’t know what this is…” she said apologetically.

Tearing off the paper, she brought it over to the table.

Your Common literacy had progressed considerably, but you had no idea what any of the words or diagrams on the readout meant. It was frustrating not being able to read and write words that were uncommon in this language.

“This has to be wrong…” said Oroba.

“Why are their so many peaks?” asked Hicera.

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

“Nothing. The damn thing must be broken.” said Oroba. She folded up the sheet and poured most of the supplement into a small container. The remaining portion she gave to Buera.

“We’ll run another test tomorrow. This time, we’ll only use a little bit at a time. I think that if we stagger the consumption, we can stop any of the negative side effects.” said Oroba.

“Alright!” said Buera cheerfully. She scooped up the canister of supplement and left the lab.

“Hicera, I want to get this tested more thoroughly. We’ll send the rest to Tomb Haven University. They should be able to get a better idea about what’s going on.” said Oroba.

“Ara, swallowing your pride, president?” said Hicera smugly. You didn’t know she was capable of sass.

“Shut it.” Growled the demon. “I still don’t like them, but I haven’t been tinkering with magic for the centuries they have. Just make sure to make the correspondence as ambiguous as possible. I don’t want anymore crazy undead nobles trying to kidnap Anon. Keep the supplement in the medical vault and post an extra guard.”

“Very well president. So long Anon, it was good to see you healthy for once!” Hicera took the remaining supplement and exited the lab.

“Are you certain that you are alright Anon? You look troubled.” said Oroba.

“We can help!” said Ergine.

“No. I’m fine. Just tired I guess.” you said with a weak smile. The shimmering light on the wall behind them gleamed in the late afternoon sun.

~~~~~

“They have the supplement in the vault. You won’t be able to get in.” said Hyluciele.

“All of it?” asked Morala. She made another long arc of chalk on the floor connecting two sigils.

“Most. They gave the rest to Buera.”

Morala narrowed her eyes. “I knew it.”

“He was there talking to her in the lab. All of them. The president, the Head Practitioner, the Head Alchemist, seems like all of them decide where Anon goes and who he associates with.” said Hyluciele.

“They won’t take him from me.” said Morala.

“Do you have a plan mistress? You won’t be able to get past the wards in the vault.” said Hyluciele flying over to inspect Morala’s lines.

“We won’t need to. They have to take it out of the vault to transport it. What we need now is a bit of the supplement from that whore Buera.”

“I figured you would say as much. Here.”

Hyluciele landed and withdrew a single grain clump of supplement, no bigger than a pea.

“That was all I could take without her noticing.” said Hyluciele.

Morala stared at the ball. Anon’s essence. So close. She could take it right now, but the ritual she was conducting would be ruined without the focus.

Patience, Morala. Patience.

She looked over at the chalkboard with the names of her first five children scribbled on it. First four really, she wanted at least one to have a Terran name. If Anon wanted to name one or two more after people or things on Earth, well she wouldn’t be opposed. Morala rubbed the tattoo over her womb and sighed.

“I still don’t understand what the plan is mistress. Even when the spirit supplement is outside of the vault, it will still be too heavily guarded to take.” said the pixie.

“We aren’t taking it.”

“We aren’t?”

“No. In fact, we want THEM to take it.” said Morala moving to a circle to finish the delicate geometry needed to finish it.
“But why? Are you giving up on Anon?” asked Hyluciele quickly.

“Never. But a frontal attack would mean they separation from him forever. I cannot risk such a fate. Fortunately, the volatility that keeps me from his essence is the very thing that we will use to establish that it is *I* who am destined to be at his side.”

Hyluciele flew over the sprawling circuit of spell-circles. “With a hex mistress?”

“Precisely. The college will see that anyone who takes the powder is poisoned. When the toxicity of his essence is confirmed, I will come forth and be miraculously immune to the ruinous properties. No fool in all the lands could then claim that he and I were not destined for one another.”

The pixie grinned. What a clever girl. Hyluciele had been skeptical when her REAL mistress had ordered her to indoctrinate Morala to her cause, but the pixie now saw firsthand how powerful of an asset this innocent airhead turned out to be. Hyluciele couldn’t help but giggle with glee.

“My my, mistress! Everything is going according to your plans then! You’re just so smart it’s scary sometimes~”

~~~~~~~

The next morning Crowlyne, Oroba, Buera and Hicera all gathered on the practice field. It was more exposed than Oroba would have liked, but having a few onlookers was a small price to pay to ensure that another building didn’t receive any ‘surprise renovations.’

“Did you even ask him if he knew why his supplement was not reading correctly in the essence reader?” asked Crowlyne.

“He hardly knows what the spirit supplement even is. How would he know?” said Oroba.

“I just feel like he knows more than he’s letting on.” said Crowlyne.

“We can discuss this matter later. For now, let’s just get on with the experiment. Buera, dear, could you take one measure of supplement?”

Buera took one of the small glasses of supplement arranged in a line on a table and knocked it back.

The team of professors watched intently. Nothing happened.

“No effect. Next.” said Crowlyne scribbling down a note with her magic.

Buera consumed the next glass of supplement. She grimaced as the foul-tasting powder passed over her palate.

“Anything?” asked Hicera.

“I feel a little bit more energetic.” said Buera.

“Alright. Take one more and then we’ll take a break.” said Oroba.

Buera reached for the third glass and paused. She put both of her hands on the table and leaned over it with her head hung.

“Buera?” asked said Hicera.

“I’m fine. I just… felt a little dizzy.” she said dismissing them with a wave of her hand.

“Well then don’t take anymore.” said Oroba.

“No, really. I’m alright.” said Buera. She raised her head and took a deep breath. With a trembling hand she raised the third glass.

“Buera! Do-“

Before Oroba could stop her, the succubus had consumed half of the powder in the tiny glass.

Buera coughed violently and collapsed. Her body began to shake uncontrollably. The others rushed over to her as she vomited up the supplement.

“By the Demon Lord, what’s happening to her?” asked Oroba.

“I don’t know! Obviously some sort of reaction with the supplement!” shouted Hicera.

Buera was gasping for air on her back. Sweat rolled down her face onto the hands of the professors.

“Get her to the medical ward, NOW!”

~~~~~~

“How could this happen…” said Hicera.

The trio watched as nurses flocked around Buera’s bed.

“We should be thankful that she’s alright.” said Crowlyne.

“But why did it only happen THIS time?” said Oroba.

“If Anon can become sick by a build up of mamono mana, perhaps we can become ill if we consume too much of his.” speculated Hicera.

Oroba sighed. If Anon’s essence really was toxic this meant a whole new world of problems.

“Hicera, when is the shipment to Tomb Haven leaving?” asked Oroba.

“It should leave very soon, why?”

“Send a message along with it: ‘do not consume under any circumstances.’ I don’t want some lab assistant’s death on my hands if they lick their fingers after handling Anon’s supplement.”

Hicera signaled to one of the harpy nurses and handed her a note.

Oroba looked out the window over the city. She needed a drink.

~~~~~

Emballandae chuckled with glee in her carriage as the caravan of goods prepared to embark for Tomb Haven. She had made a deal with the college to get the supplement to her own university faster than a conventional delivery service. The fools probably thought that sending the package off with a powerful vampire for free was a great deal. She had personally taken the package with Anon’s spirit supplement. Opening the lid to the container, she licked her chops at the sight of the decadent white powder.

“Ma’am, I don’t think it’s wise to take that supplement…” said her ghoul guard captain.

“Don’t question me! I worked hard to get this! Anon is promised to me, you know that. Once Lussazan awakens and gives legitimacy to my claim there will be nothing to stand between me and my property. It is only right that I should have the privilege of tasting what I am entitled to.” said Emballandae. She took out a pinch with her magic and swirled the powder around in front of her face.

“The note was very clear not to take that! Milady, you may fall ill or-“

“Enough! Where my mother hires such blithering idiots like you is beyond me. If you had ANY sort of common sense you would know that the warning was to serve as a way to deter the ones transporting the supplement from eating it.”

“You’re saying it’s a bluff?”

“Of course it’s a bluff! Goodness, you commoners are so easy to fool. Don’t worry…” said Emballandae taking in a mouthful of the supplement. “If you are diligent and hardworking, you will always be assured a place at the side of someone as smart as ME.”

The ghoul captain watched silently as Emballandae’s face began to twitch and redden. The vampire let out a high-pitched moan and clasped her stomach. She fumbled for the door and only just managed to get her head outside before a torrent of bile poured out of her. When Emballandae had stopped vomiting she made no attempt to get back inside.

“…Milady?” asked the ghoul to the half of Emballandae that was still in the carriage. There was no response.

With a heavy sigh the ghoul exited the carriage on the opposite side and went to the other side to collect the puke-splattered maiden. As she carried her off to the infirmary, she redid the math in her head of when she would have enough money to retire with her husband.

~~~~~~

You were in the middle of your history homework when Hicera knocked on your door.

“Anon? It’s Hicera. I need to speak with you.” She said.

She sounded worried, but you weren’t surprised. The poor unicorn seemed to fret about everything.

Opening the door for her, you stand aside to let her in. She eyed the confined space of your dorm.

“I’ll just stay out here, thanks.” She said.

“Is something wrong?” you inquired.

“Well, yes. Two mamono recently fell ill after consuming the supplement you produced yesterday. I need to know EXACTLY what you ate and drank in the time before you made the sample.” She said.

“Wait, ill? What do you mean ill? Like poisoned ill?”

Hicera frowned and looked away. “We don’t know what’s wrong with them. They are recovering as we speak, but Oroba and I agree that it was probably something in your diet that tainted the supplement.”

“And why do you keep saying ‘they’? I thought that only Buera was going to test the supplement!” you said angrily. Were they selling the stuff behind your back?

“No, one of the mamono that was transporting a sample to a more well-equipped lab decided to partake in some of the product…” said Hicera.

Shocking.

“How would what I eat cause the supplement to go bad? The first batch I made was perfectly fine. If I’m eating demon-realm food and adjusting to the demon realm, shouldn’t I be making LESS toxic supplement?”

“We don’t know. It isn’t as if we have any records to call on in this matter. Now would you please just tell me?” she said in exasperation.

You quickly rattle off what you remember eating over the past few days. Hicera gave you more than a few dirty looks as you revealed just how many snacks you had been sneaking without her permission.

“I will go over this list with the other professors.” She said tucking away the parchment in one of the bags that hung over her equine half. “The sooner we figure out what’s causing this problem the better.”

You were just relieved that Morala wasn’t involved in this for once.

Or was she?

You did see the fairy outside the window of the lab when the supplement was made. Could they have poisoned the powder somehow?

“Hicera!” you called out.

She stopped abruptly, startled by your outburst.

“The supplement, was it poisoned?” you ask.

“No, it wasn’t. That’s what’s so strange about all of this. We tested the remaining powder for toxicity and couldn’t find anything. There was nothing added to it, and no indication that the supplement itself was tainted in anyway. It should theoretically be safe for consumption.”

“Then… is it possible that someone is using some sort of curse against the people who took the supplement?” you ask quietly. You didn’t really know if monsters had any malicious curses that weren’t sexual in nature.

Hicera frowned. “That’s a very specific thing to ask… Do you know something Anon?”

You swallowed in spite of yourself. “No, I was just curious, that’s all. In my world superstitious people would sometimes cast curses or hexes on people they didn’t like. It’s just an {Earth} thing, haha…” you said doing your best to play it off as a benign question.

“And just who wouldn’t like those girls who tried your supplement?” said Hicera.

Fuck.

Your eyes went wide and you began to stammer out a response. Nothing your racing mind could come up with seemed to make it to your mouth. No matter how much your jaw moved up and down, nothing came out.

A look of understanding slowly grew on Hicera’s face. “Anon…”

“I don’t know how to explain it that’s all! I told you, it was just an {Earth} thing. I have to get back to work!” you shout.
You slam the door and sit yourself back down at your desk. Why did you get the feeling that things were about to get a whole lot worse…

~~~~~~~

Morala stifled a yawn as she slowly flew towards her room. Fairies orbited around her, playing with each other or telling her news about the day. A fairy flew down the hall towards her.

“Mora! Mora there’s someone waiting for you…”

“Who is it little one?” she asked.

“It’s the president.” Said the fairy quietly.

Morala nodded and dismissed her. What could Oroba want with her she wondered?

Oroba was waiting just outside her door. The other fairies were keeping their distance from the out-of-place demon.

“President, to what do I owe the pleasure?” she asked.

“I’m afraid that this isn’t about pleasure. Have you heard the news?” Oroba asked.

Of course Morala had heard. The fairies had told her only minutes after Buera had succumb to her hex. She hadn’t anticipated the bumbling bloodsucker, but a noble becoming sick after stealing precious cargo she swore to guard was quite the scandal.

“I have. That poor vampire girl became sick after taking Anon’s supplement. What do you think could have caused such an ailment?” asked Morala with illegitimate concern.

“Initially we had no idea. But we tested them for any sort of magic and found that they were both the victims of the same curse.” said Oroba.

“A curse?”

“Yes. We’re worried that this is just the beginning. Obviously Anon is the target, so we will be transferring him somewhere safe.”

“What?!” shouted Morala.

Oroba raised an eyebrow. “Is that a problem, Ms. Fray? You wouldn’t happen to know anything about the perpetrator, would you?”

Morala silently cursed her outburst. For all her magical prowess, there was no way that she could get away with lying to a demon. She racked her mind for anything that could get her out of the trap.

“Mora wouldn’t do anything like that!”

The fairies around her came to her aid.

“Yeah!”

“How dare you!”

Oroba remained wordless as the cluster of tiny women hurled accusations at her. She removed herself from the wall she was leaning on and moved towards the exit.

“Have a good night, Ms. Fray. Don’t stay up too late.” said Oroba coldly.

Morala clenched her fists. She knew.

~~~~~~

You were awoken especially early by a brutal pounding on your door. The sun had barely crept over the horizon, casting a long ray of light over your ceiling. Rubbing the sleep from you eyes you shuffle to the door and asked for a name.

“It’s me Anon! Open up please.”

Morala. Of course. Who else.

She sounded distressed. For the first time in a long time, you used your better judgment and kept the door closed.

“Uhh, I’m not dressed. Can you just talk to me from there?” you asked.

There was a pause and then the sound of heavy sniffing from around the bottom of the door.

“You ARE dressed! DON’T LIE TO ME ANON! Now let me in!” she shouted. The pounding resumed with more intensity.

“No! Calm down! What the hell do you want from me?!” you retorted.

Morala stopped pounding and took a deep breath. “Anon, I know what I am about to ask will be a bit audacious, but I want you to truly consider it and think carefully about your decision. I know you will make the right choice, but you do need to decide quickly.”

Her voice betrayed her nerves. What had her so wound up?

“What do you want Morala…”

“I want you to come with me to the fairy kingdom.” she said.

You both stood in silence for a moment as you processed her request.

“Anon?”

“You want me to *what*?” you asked.

“Please Anon! It is too perilous here! In the fairy kingdom I could keep you safe! You could continue your studies with the best fey scholars in the realm and make new friends with the innumerable fairies. The land is more beautiful than any other, and all its inhabitants are virtuous and kind. You would never again fear for your safety or be threatened by one of the curs who seek to brazenly claim you for their own.”

“I don’t suppose you’ve talked to anyone else about this plan.” You said.

“I have not, but if they care for you even half as much as I, then they will be overcome with joy that you are in paradise.” said Morala.

You stared at the door. Morala’s breathing softly emanated from the other side. The handle rattled and shook as she tried once more to force her way in.

“Get packed as soon as you can, we can leave at once.”

“Morala… you know I can’t do that.” You said.

The rattling stopped.

“What?”

“I’m staying here Mora. I’m not leaving.” You said firmly.

“It is too dangerous here Anon. Did you not hear of the curse that afflicts the ones who took your supplement? You are being targeted!” said Morala. Her tone was becoming more commanding.

“No, I didn’t know it was a curse until you said it was. Answer my question first Morala: Was it you who cursed those poor girls?” you said.

“We don’t have time for this! OPEN THE DOOR!”

“ANSWER ME!” you shouted.

There was a flash outside the door and a boom echoed through the halls outside. A wall of sigils and glyphs appeared on the door as it held firm against the magical onslaught. Morala shrieked in frustration and flew away down the hall.

You hadn’t realized it, but you had backed yourself all the way across the room against the opposite wall. After a few minutes, you detached yourself and sat on your bed. Guess you were taking a sick day…

~~~~~

When the next knock came, you were prepared. The sun had risen, but your curtains blocked all but a sliver from entering your room. Your chair was firmly wedged under the door handle and the dresser blocked the remainder of the door frame.

“Who is it?” you demanded. Acting tough was difficult. You were starting to get hungry and had already resorted to using a vase to relieve yourself.

“Anon? It’s Nevkya. We need your help.”

You scrambled to push aside the barricade and crack open the door. Nevkya and a handful of guards packed the hallway.

“If you had to barricade yourself in, I assume you know what this is all about.” She said solemnly.

“Yeah. I know.” You said.

“Come with us.” She said turning and hurrying down the hall.

You fell into position in the middle of the guard cluster and followed after Nevkya amidst the rattle of armor.

~~~~~~

“Where are we going?” you asked breathlessly.

“I can’t say. But we’re almost there.” Said Nevkya.

Your party arrived at the medical wing, and you realized that the guard captain had taken a purposely roundabout route.

“Why are we here?” you asked.

Nevkya said nothing and pushed you inside. You noticed Buera and Emballandae laying in adjacent beds. Hicera was attending to another patient who was blocked by her horse-half.

“I brought him.” Said Nevkya.

Hicera turned and as she did, you saw Oroba laying in the bed.

“President?” you said in disbelief. She looked terrible. Her beautiful blue skin had become almost baby blue. Sweat poured down her face and she was moaning softly.

“She confronted Morala last night. There can now be no doubt that Morala Fray is responsible for the magical attacks on all three victims.” Said Nevkya.

You nodded. No words needed to be said.

“The situation is dire. We know that Morala must be conducting teltomancy on the college grounds. However, we are unable to locate her.” Continued Nevkya.

“What of she fled?” you asked.

“Not while you remain here.” said Hicera.

“Do we just wait her out? She has to show up eventually.” You suggest.

“Impossible. Morala is using very advanced teltomancy to circumvent both detection and wards. If she is left to her own devices, it is inevitable that more mamono will fall to curses, or that you will be bound to her.”

“Wait, bound? As in, soul-bound?” you ask.

“Indeed.” Said Nevkya.

“She can’t do that, can she? I thought the only way was through sex!” you said.

“There are spells that can link two beings in the same manner. They are difficult to preform and require a vast amount of energy. In other words, she may be casting the spell as we speak.” Said Hicera.

You collapsed into a chair to process the implication. Bound to Morala?

“Can we stop it?” you said.

“We can. Morala has proven her skill at circumventing conventional wards, but no caster can complete a teltomancy spell if they are interrupted. Our only option is to find Morala and destroy her ritual chamber.”

“I suppose that if it were as easy as it sounds you would have found it already…” you said.

“Morala has hidden herself well. That is why we need you.” Said Nevkya.

“As bait.” You said.

“No. Putting you in any sort of danger would only bring more curses down onto us. We need you to find her and distract her.”

“How should I know where she is? You and Hicera know the layout of the college better than I do and you STILL couldn’t find her.” You said.

“Think Anon! There must be some clue that she gave as to where she went all this time. Anything can help.” Said Hicera.

You thought for a moment. “I may not know where she is, but I know someone who might.”

~~~~~~

“Is Morala in trouble?” asked Pieris.

It certainly implicated her in things when the first thing she asks after seeing a platoon of guards storm the room is if her boss is alright.

“Mora is very confused Pieris. We need to go help her.” You said.

Pieris shook her head. “Mora changed! She isn’t nice to me anymore.”

“That’s why we’re here. We want to make her nice again. Wouldn’t you like to be friends with Mora again?”

Pieris sniffled and nodded.

“Then we need to know where she is.”

“She studies in a classroom that isn’t being used right now. In that tower. I don’t know what floor it’s on. She has a bunch of illusion spell protecting it so I got lost all the time.” Said Pieris.

“Thank you, Pieris. We’ll make sure she’s back to normal in no time.” You said.

~~~~~~

“Anything?” asked Nevkya.

Crowlyne shook her head. “This hall is clear too.”

“Are you certain that you would notice? There are illusion spells in place.”

Crowlyne scoffed. “That brat can’t hold a candle to me. I EARNED my title as High Magus mind you. If there were spells protecting this place I would be able to sense them.”

Your entourage moved to the next floor. You jostled between the guards, who were too wide to fit on the staircase with you in the middle.

“Wait.”

The guards rattled to a halt as Crowlyne gave her order.

“This is the place. Down this hall.” She pointed.

Slowly the group pressed forwards with Crowlyne and Nevkya at the front. Crowlyne stopped at a wall and frowned.

“Well, she certainly isn’t a slouch.” She said.

With a wave of her hand, the wall rippled and morphed into a door. The floor around it was scuffed from the moving of furniture into or out of the room.

“Anon, it’s up to you now. Morala doesn’t know much in the way of combat magic, so just worry about yourself. Try talking to her, and when we get a chance, we’ll break up her circles.” Said Nevkya.

You nodded. Your whole body felt heavy. What should you even say to her? Stepping forwards you listened to the noise from the other side of the door.

Morala was chanting something you couldn’t understand. The air around the door seemed to crackle with energy. You took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

The chanting stopped. There was a second of silence and a faint rustling before you hear Morala call out weakly.

“…Anon?”

“It’s me, Morala.”

Morala clattered around as she approached the door.

“How did you find me? Are you with other people out there?” she asked.

Nevkya mouthed ‘alone’ to you.

“Yeah, there are other people out here Mora.” You said.

Nevkya slapped a palm over her face and Crowlyne closed her eyes.

“… I see…” said Morala.

“I don’t think you do, Morala. You seem to be the only one who thinks that you haven’t gone crazy.”

“I am not crazy! You don’t understand! None of you do!” said Morala.

“Don’t understand what? Going any length for love? I bet I could find more than a few mamono who could sympathize with you. But this isn’t about how far you went, it’s about who you hurt getting there.” You said.

“They don’t matter!” said Morala.

“They matter to me! And if you really care about me than you wouldn’t be hurting the people I care about!” you said.

Morala began to cry. “I only wanted to protect you.”

“And yet here I am being protected from YOU.”

“They don’t understand you! They want to separate us!”

“You want to separate me from them! You want me all to yourself!”

“I want you because I care!” Morala wailed. She sobbed harder and sniffed.

“I care too, Mora. That’s why I’m here. I miss you. I miss talking about things on {Earth}, or watching the sunset, talking about our days, or even playing with the fairies. But you took those things away! You took away the things that made me care about you. And you did the same to the other fairies too.”

Morala was making short little wheezes.

“Please, open the door Mora. It’s over.”

She cried for a few more minutes and slowly collected herself.

“…If I open the door, will I ever get to see you again?” she asked.

“As long as you’re willing to get better. No more curses, no more spells, no more trickery or lying.”

Nevkya and Crowlyne looked at each other as Morala remained silent.

“…Would it make you happy?” she asked.

“Morala, nothing would make me happier than getting my friend back.” You said confidently.

There was a loud sigh and the door knob rattled. A wall of smoke billowed out of the room as the door swung inwards. Morala stood in the doorway topless.

You had never seen her without a modest dress on, and your pants became painfully tight seeing her breasts. They were heavy, but still managed to support themselves without hanging as far as you would guess. An intricate tattoo covered her lower abdomen.
“Then I’ll do it for you Anon.” she said with a tearful smile.

Before any of the gawking guards could stop her, she rushed forward and pulled you into a hug. You squeezed her back, even though you knew it would probably mean a trip to go get detoxified later.

All that mattered now was that Morala was back to normal.

~~~~~~

“I’m glad that you were able to resolve the incident without violence.” Said Oroba.

“I’m just glad she listened to reason.” You said taking the cup of tea she handed you.

“Thankfully she truly is a good girl at heart. I imagine the guilt of harming others must have weighed heavily on her.” Said Magnara.

“Will she be okay?” you asked.

“In time, yes. With enough distance and time her obsession will wane into a more conventional form of affection. She has been sent to her family’s fief in the Fairy Kingdoms. Her family has also graciously paid for all the damage she caused and for keeping her out of jail.” Said Oroba.

“Always nice to have the money…” you grumbled.

“Oh, don’t be like that Anon. I cared about her too; after all I’m the one who entrusted you to her care. I just didn’t think she had it in her. Then again, I suppose that I had never seen what her love was like.”

“I’m just glad that everything worked out in the end.” Said Magnara.

“Me too.” You agreed.

“Indeed. I shall see about finding you another tutor for Common speech. I think that you are more than independent enough to manage your own day to day life from now on.” Said Oroba.

“I’ll certainly try.” You said.

“Excellent! Now then…” Oroba raised her cup. “I do believe a toast is in order after that headache.”

The three of you clinked your glasses and took a sip of tea.

“I just hope that you can stay out of trouble Anon.” said Magnara.

~~~~~~~~~
The lich slowly opened her eyes. She had not experienced such fatigue since she had been alive. Her husband was nestled next to her, softly breathing on her cold skin.

A spectral eye manifested at her bedside and looked her over. It vanished in a puff of smoke as quickly as it had appeared.
Moments later the door opened and a tall vampire entered the room.

“Finally awake, Lussazan?”

“Lady Petropa…” whispered the lich.

“How do you feel?”

The lich could barely keep her eyes open. Even now the world seemed more like a dream than reality.

“I see.” Said the vampire. “Well recover quickly, I have need of you.”

“So… tired…” whispered the lich.

“I don’t care! Listen, the experiment worked. Do you hear me? It worked.” Said the vampire leaning over the supine corpse-woman. “So if you can’t get out of that bed or be of any use I’ll find someone who can!”

The lich’s eyes widened. Suddenly she didn’t feel so tired.

“It worked?”

Petropa sneered. “Oh? Did that get your attention? Yes, it worked. But I risk losing my investment. That WILL NOT happen. Is that clear?”

“Yes… Milady.” Said the lich. She was eager as could be, but could still only manage a whisper.

Petropa nodded. She quickly strode to the door. “I’ll have the servants bring you and your husband anything you need.” She said without glancing back. “Don’t disappoint me.”

The door closed leaving the couple in the dark. The lich lay awake thinking for some time, before embracing her husband and falling back to sleep.

END OF ARC 3: SHADOW OF TITANIA