There must not have been any news, because Ben slept like a log and was not disturbed until midday. For the first time, he had some privacy, as the spacious base allowed for each guest to have their own rooms. As Ben lay in bed awake, he thought about what had brought him there. All he'd done was try to be a good Samaritan to a lady who was in danger. That had sent him on the adventure of a lifetime. An adventure that he'd thought would end with him as the big hero. But his failure with the ring made him question that narrative.
The spirits seemed to hear his thoughts. Wait, could they hear his thoughts?
"Your heart seems heavy, Ben," Undine said. "I imagine you're doubting yourself after Luka's ring didn't accept you."
"Don't worry, Ben!" Sylph exclaimed. "You've got us!"
"Thanks, guys," Ben sighed. "I dunno, it just feels like I was able to hold it together because I thought this story ended with me getting all that power and saving the day. Now I'm not so sure. I mean, I'm powerful, but can I really take on the ruler of hell?"
"Ilias beat her once, and Luka and we defeated Ilias," Salamander said.
"You won't be alone," Undine added. "You have more powerful allies than Luka or Heinrich could ever dream of."
"I guess," Ben sighed. "Thank you all so much for accepting me. I was completely useless before you four."
"I admit I was skeptical," Undine said. "You are still a weak man. And yet, your weakness makes our powers easier for you to use, somehow."
"Normally a weak man would be consumed by our power," Salamander explained. "Especially mine. Somehow the elements just come naturally to you."
"Hey, Salamander, are we friends?"
"Well…. I've only known you for a day. But…. A contract is a pretty intimate thing, even though we didn't do the full contract."
"There's a full contract?"
"Yep!" Sylph piped up. "The touch on the wrist thing is just the basic contract!"
"Call it the 'starter contract," Undine chuckled.
"So what's the next level contract?" Ben asked.. "Would it make me even more powerful?"
"Not really," Salamander said. "It would just make the bind stronger. We've only ever done that kind of contract once, when Promestein sealed us. Luka needed a stronger contract in order to be able to use our powers at all."
"So what did that involve? " Ben asked. "Would that be something you want to do with me?"
There was a long pause. Finally, Sylph spoke cheerfully.
"We'd love to do it with you! But you should probably wait until you've had your special moment. We wouldn't want to take that from you."
"What does that mean?" Ben asked. Then he figured it out. "Seriously? That's the stronger contract?!"
"Didn't you take basic physics in school, boy?!" Salamander said impatiently. "Semen is energy. To form a stronger contract, you need more energy! Did you think we came with ports where you can insert a better battery! Kids these days!"
"We do have ports!" Sylph said helpfully. "They just don't take batteries. C'mon Gnome, what do our ports take? Say it!"
Gnome slapped Sylph.
"What Gnome mean to say," Undine said. "Was that our ports take p-"
"I get it!" Ben exclaimed. "I'm a little slow, but I get it! But that didn't answer the question, Salamander. Are we friends?"
"Why are you asking just me?" Salamander asked suspiciously.
"I was kinda hoping for a favor."
"What kind of favor?" Salamander asked, even more suspiciously.
"Oh, Sandy, you know you're going to say yes, you old grump!" Sylph laughed. "You already love Ben as much as we do!"
"First off, don't call me that!" Salamander growled. "If you're going to give me a stupid nickname, it should be Sally, or Mandy! Sandy for Salamander makes no sense you little airhead!"
Gnome slapped Sylph again.
"I was wondering if you could teach Emma how to use your element," Ben said. "Her family is poor, so she can't afford the lessons, and she needs-"
"She needs to master an element so that she can be an elite?" Salamander finished for him. "Hmmmm…. I think somebody likes this girl. What an unusual situation, a hero falling for a dragonkin warrior. Unprecedented!"
The other spirits laughed. Even Gnome laughed, albeit silently.
"I haven't… fallen for her. I just… want to do something nice for her, that's all."
"Is that what that kiss was?" Undine teased.
"Wait, they kissed?!" Salamander asked in astonishment.
"That's what you get for always being last to contract with a hero," Undine said smugly. "You miss a lot of the good stuff."
"Well, if it'll get you laid, Ben, I'll give her lessons!"
"I'm not trying to get l- You know what, thank you. Thank you so much."
"No problem," Salamander said. "Now all she has to do is survive this."
Yes, there was that. His inner dialogue with the spirits was interrupted by a knock on the door. Ben got out of bed and answered. Standing before him was an incredibly beautiful woman, and yet extremely threatening at the same time. She had dark hair and a predatory gaze, which she fixed on him.
"Oh my, aren't you a delicious one," she purred. "Micaela has summoned us to the conference room. I have been there once before, so I can escort you. Come with me."
Ben didn't like this woman at all, but decided that it was unlikely that anyone that could hurt him could get into the compound. He also suddenly remembered how powerful he was. If she meant him harm, he would show her that he wasn't a pushover. He'd beaten a dragon, after all! He nodded and walked with the woman.
"I didn't catch your name," Ben tried to say as casually as possible.
"I am Hiruko," she replied. "We haven't met."
"Do you work here?"
"I do not. Like you, I am an exceptionally powerful being who has been enlisted in this great battle. Unlike you, I am excited for it. I have not enjoyed a good fight in millennia."
"Why didn't Promestein or Emma come for me?"
Hiruko shrugged. "My quarters were next to yours. Micaela sent a telepathic summons. You cannot communicate that way, so it was necessary to get you. My sisters will be fetching your companions. You will see them in the conference room."
"So, who are you?"
"You would know me as one of the Six Ancestors. "
"Oh," Ben replied. To his surprise, meeting an Ancestor was no longer of great significance to him. He was, however, embarrassed that he hadn't memorized the names of the Ancestors from his mythology classes. Except for Tamamo, of course, more because as a Heavenly Knight she was an actual historical figure. The other Ancestors had remained creatures of legend, despite the fact that they'd apparently been walking the surface for two thousand years. "Soooo…. What have you been doing the past two thousand years to lay low?"
"Many, many things," Hiruko chuckled. "One cannot do the same thing for thousands of years and not be noticed. Unless you are Tamamo and content to simply live a quiet life in Yamatai as an object of worship. In my current persona, I am Yui Kantara, marine biologist. But I am near the useful end of that life, having done it for forty years. What do you think I should do next, young hero?"
"Next?" Ben laughed. "It seems to me that immortals are about to be pretty well known again. Why not just be…. Yourself?"
Hiruko seemed to give that some thought. She grinned and nodded.
"I guess you're right, human," she finally said. "For a time, perhaps it would be fun to just be…. Hiruko, ancestor of all sea creatures. We immortals had our reasons for drifting out of the public eye, but now that we are needed, it may be ideal for us to rule this world for a few generations."
"I…. don't think that's what I was saying."
"Yes, rule the world…. That is a very good idea. Thank you, Ben Greenberg."
"Ben!" Ashley yelled, rushing Ben and hugging him. She turned to indicate yet another incredibly gorgeous woman. Ben had seen more perfect tens in the last month than he'd seen in his life, even counting television and the internet. This particular woman was a succubus that put even Sofia to shame. "This is Minagi! She's the ancestor of all succubi! And she said she could help me with my problem!"
"That's great, Ashley!" Ben exclaimed.
"We'll need your help, Ben," Minagi said, smiling in a very weird way at him. "Once all this is over, of course. So here's the treatment plan. Since she can get dick down her throat but nothing else, we need to train her gag reflex by having her do exercises with her throat every day. Since you've been helping her with her medication, I'm sure you won't mind helping her with her exercises. Of course, I'll need to demonstrate on you. If she uses improper technique she could injure herself."
Ben flushed beet red.
"Someone's got a stiffy," Hiruko observed. Ben's face turned another shade of red.
"I g-guess I can help out," Ben stammered. "It's medical, right?"
"Of course!" Minagi laughed. "I assure you, there is no other way to do this!"
"First rule about succubi, Ben," Promestein said, joining them in the corridor. "They lie. I'm a doctor. There are plenty of ways to treat her gag reflex issue that don't involve your dick."
"But none that are as fun or effective!" Minagi argued. "She's already on medication. Which she still can't keep down without 'help'. What kind of treatment do you suggest as an alternative?"
"Well, first we'd need to scope her," Promestein said as the group continued to walk down the seemingly endless corridors. Ben noticed for the first time that Promestein was being escorted by a snakelike woman with wings. Who was also unbelievably lovely. Another Ancestor, he had to assume.
"What does that involve?" Ashley asked.
"We take an endoscope, and we shove it down your throat all the way down to your esophagus, and see if there's anything in there that is causing your problem, and then we would probably do surgery to correct any abnormalities."
"That sounds horrible!" Ashley cried.
"Orrrr….." Minagi suggested. "You could just give Ben a lot of amazing blow jobs until you're cured."
"Monsters," Promestein mumbled, shaking her head.
"Who's blowing Ben now?" Emma asked, as the last member of the party to join them.
"Medical blowjobs," Minagi corrected.
"Oh," Emma said, rolling her eyes. "Ashley. That's fine."
"'That's fine'," Emma's companion, a green haired woman, mimicked in a mocking tone. "I didn't know he needed your permission. Sounds like someone's getting attached."
"I didn't mean-!" Emma started, then decided to keep her mouth shut. To her relief, she was saved by the appearance of Agent Landon Haven.
"Right this way, ladies and gentleman," he said jovially.
Ben entered what appeared to be a very sophisticated conference room, with multiple screens tuned silently into various news networks. He took a seat at random. Emma and Ashley chose to sit next to him. Micaela took charge of the meeting as soon as everyone was seated.
"We've been fortunate so far in that the panic has been less than I expected," the Seraph began. "Nevertheless, the world economy is grinding to a halt as citizens board up their homes and prepare."
"Because putting wood over your windows will keep demons out," Promestein said sarcastically.
"Indeed," Micaela said, nodding. "But the reason I've called you all here is because tomorrow is going to be the pivotal day. The barrier is finally weakening as it is attacked from the outside by Zurith's lackeys. It will fall sometime tomorrow."
"Is there anything we should be doing to disrupt their work?" Agent Haven asked.
"Short of sending a few powerful individuals there to do battle with them, no," Micaela replied. "And I'm afraid we don't have enough powerful individuals to spare. At best, they would delay the ultimate demise of Ilias' barrier."
"That's correct," Ilias confirmed. "I no longer possess the power to recreate it. It's falling. It's inevitable."
"If the barrier falls, then how do we win?" Ben asked. "I keep hearing that we have to close the gates and lock them shut or some shit like that, but how?"
"That's I come in," Alipheese said. "Back in the day, Ilias created the barrier by herself, because there was no other way to do it. She and I couldn't interact. It's why I didn't help her fight Zurith. But now we can interact, so we were thinking that we'd create a barrier of holy and dark magic which will hopefully be stronger than what we had before. We were hoping to add Luka's power to it to make it even stronger, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen now."
"Still, I've done the math," Ilias said. "A holy/dark barrier should keep hell out of our world for at least another fifty thousand years."
"That's a discussion for later, however," Micaela interjected. "With hell's legions pouring out of the gate, Ilias and Alipheese can't do anything about it."
"At our current power levels, we'd need to have several hours of uninterrupted time," Ilias said.
Ben started to ask another question, but Micaela cut him off. "Before you ask more questions, first listen to the reason I called you all here. We found Zurith."
"She's here?!" Promestein exclaimed. "When? And do we know how yet?"
"The how, no," Micaela replied. "The when….. it looks like she's been here for weeks."
"Weeks?!" Ilias exclaimed. "That's impossible! I would have seen her on the Iliastron!"
"Iliastron?" Agent Haven asked, eyebrows raised.
"When Luka took most of my power away, I lost most of my omniscience with it. In the past, I'd just know she was there. So since I didn't have magic, I used technology, supplemented by what magic I had access to. Namely, Eden. Eden always had more power than the knowledge to use it, so I often teach her how to do spells that I need cast. Such as the one that powers the Iliastron."
"And this thing is supposed to be omniscient?" Haven asked.
"Mostly. It's still not as good as what I was before, of course. Still, it couldn't have missed Zurith! How did you find her?"
"Satellite," Micaela answered. "She's in an abandoned dragon cave in a remote region of Hellgondo. Agent Walter, how confident are we about that?"
An agent that Ben hadn't seen before stood up and brought up the site on one of the screens with a remote control.
"This intelligence is pretty high confidence, but I need to stress that there are no certainties," Agent Walter explained. "We've deduced that it's Zurith due to sheer amount of demonic activity in the area, as well as the local dragons steering clear of the area."
"That…. Doesn't sound like high confidence," Promestein said.
"There's more, and this might be of particular interest to you, Promestein. We're reading energy emissions from that cave that strongly suggest dimensional displacement."
"Big deal," Alipheese said. "Anyone who teleports leaves that kind of signature behind."
"And that signature is very distinct and easy to pick up," Agent Walter said. "At the risk of getting too far into the weeds, there are four major types of teleportation. Angels use one type, powerful monsters another, and fairies and elves use a third type. But there's a fourth type."
"Science-based teleportation," Promestein breathed. "The kind I invented to gain access to Earth."
"Exactly. Except the portal being used doesn't go to Earth or come from Earth. It comes from somewhere unknown."
"Hell," Ashley said, voice quavering.
"We believe that's it, with a high level of confidence."
"How did they get access to that technology?" Tamamo asked. "It's not like you can go to Science Mart and get one of those! And even if you could, there were no demons here! They were trapped in hell!"
"I'm very interested in finding out the answer to that question myself," Promestein said. "So I'm guessing we're going to go to that cave and find out."
"That's the idea," Micaela said. "We also have good reason to believe that Zurith can't manage her forces unless she's on this world. If there was some way to destroy her…."
"We may not even have to," Promestein said. "If we can destroy that portal before the barrier is broken, we can beat her!"
"I'm not following," Alipheese said.
"Basic science," Promestein explained. "Ilias, you can maintain your power whether you're in heaven or on the surface, because holy energy permeates the entire world. The same goes for you, Alipheese."
"Ah, I get it!" Ilias said with a knowing nod. "Whatever dark energies make up hell, they don't exist here naturally. That's probably why Zurith stays close to that portal. What little of her home's energy seeps out keeps her strong. But cut that power source off…"
"Cut that power source off, and Zurith is like you on Earth. Basically, just a human."
"Which means she can then be killed."
"That's my working theory," Promestein said.
"So we know that we have to assault that cave," Micaela noted. "Who will be part of that force?"
"I definitely have to go," Promestein said. "I have the Luka ring, as limited as it is. And if that is my tech, I'm the one who has the best chance of knowing how to destroy it."
"If you're going, I'm going," Ben said. "I've got the spirits, after all."
"I agree. I'll need you for certain."
"Then I'm going as well," Emma volunteered. "I pledged my sword to Ben. Where he goes, I go."
"I'll be tagging along as well," Tamamo piped up. "The spirits are great, the ring is great, but I'm more powerful than any of you. I'm the only one who can go toe to toe with her for at least a short time."
"Are you sure, Tamamo?" Saja asked. "Your sisters and I were planning to be present at the main front in the desert."
"Tammy's always done her own thing," Alipheese said. "You other five, go to the desert. The humans will need some powerful assistance. As for me, I'm going with Tamamo. I'm still mad that I never got to take that bitch on the first time. I'm not gonna turn down the chance now."
Ilias took Alipheese's hand. "Then I'm going along as well. I know more about fighting her than anyone else here. You'll need me."
"And I go where Ilias goes," Eden pronounced. "Micaela, would you come as well? It would be a great honor to serve with you once again."
"I'm afraid my role is not to fight," Micaela said. "My sword has grown rusty. I'll be coordinating things from here."
"So what do I do?" Ashley asked. "I know I don't really have any combat skills, but I want to help any way I can."
"You know what, Ashley? Come see me after the meeting. I might have a little something for you. You too, Minagi. From what I understand, mass battles aren't your thing either."
"Alas, I don't have hundreds of tentacles, nor can I turn my own body into a weapon that can strike at a hundred foes as Kanade and Kanon do," Minagi sighed. "I was going to stand with my sisters, but if you have something better…?"
"I think I do," Agent Walter said, smiling. "Something well suited to your particular…. Talents."
"Ooh, I'm intrigued," Minagi said flirtatiously. "Will this involve… demonstrating my talents to you personally?"
To Ben's surprise, Agent Walter wasn't flustered at all. The man reminded Ben of James Bond. Handsome, unflappable. "Just see me after the meeting."
The meeting adjourned by late afternoon. They had all agreed to assault the cave in the morning. Ben was worried that waiting until then would be cutting things way too close given the imminence of the collapse of the barrier, but people who had lived a lot longer than him had prevailed. There was worry that night was the worst time to attempt an assault on the queen demon. Her strength could be greater at night. In addition, fatigue could be a problem if the fight went on too long. Everyone was encouraged to turn in as early as possible and get as much rest as they could. Ben wasn't sure how that would be possible, but he intended to try. Worst case, he could be put to sleep by one of his monster friends.
Tamamo walked by his side as he headed back to his quarters.
"You know, Luka had to wait until morning to fight the greatest battle of his life," the kitsune said. "He didn't argue about it like you did in there, but I could tell he wanted to get on with it. People were dying in cities all over the world while we slept. But more would have died had we begun our attack late in the day. We have to succeed. Better a delayed success than an immediate failure. Do you understand?"
Ben nodded. He knew enough to know that he had no knowledge of warfighting.
"Good," Tamamo said. "Here's some more advice: say what you need to say to your friends. Don't leave anything unsaid that you'll regret later should they not survive the coming battle. Luka started the night scared and worried, but also troubled by his relationships with his allies. By the time he went to sleep that night, all was right with his world. Don't be afraid to visit the people you'll be fighting with tomorrow. Chances are, it'll be awhile before they get to sleep. They'll be kept up by their worries as well. If you talk to them, open your heart to them, maybe you'll help them find the peace they need to get some rest."
Tamamo pointed out her own room, should Ben wish to talk, then finished escorting him to his own. Ben knew he had a lot to think about.
Ashley and Minagi followed Agent Walter to an incredibly large room that appeared to be an armory. Ashley could only stare at the incredible array of advanced weaponry, from tanks, to artillery, to missiles.
"This is incredible!" Ashley exclaimed. "But what does this have to do with me? Are we just passing through this place?"
Agent Walter didn't answer, instead leading the two succubi through the armory towards two incredibly huge blast doors. He scanned his badge and the blast doors slowly opened, to reveal a hangar full of airplanes. There was only one other person in the hangar, a strikingly handsome blonde man that immediately caught her eye. He smiled at Ashley. She smiled back shyly. Minagi was less shy.
"Agent Walter, I didn't know you were serving refreshments!" Minagi said, visibly undressing the man with her eyes.
"The refreshment in question is our best pilot, Drake Powell," Agent Walter said, introducing the two women to the young pilot.
"So you two ladies are our volunteers?" Drake asked, flashing a confident smile that seemed to catch Minagi off guard and which made Ashley's knees weak.
"Volunteers?" Minagi asked suspiciously. "Volunteers for what?"
"To fly these things!" Drake said enthusiastically.
"PROTECT is a very well funded organization," Agent Walter explained. "But our money buys us more stuff than warm bodies to use the stuff. Drake's not just our best pilot. He's our only pilot."
"I'm their only pilot," Drake confirmed, and pointed out three sleek jets arrayed in front of the group. "And these brand spanking new toys are more advanced than anything the United Provinces Air Force has. Any one of these, with the right pilot, namely me, is as good as fifty of the best model the UPAF can put into the air."
"I don't know how to fly a plane," Ashley said uncomfortably.
"But you know how to fly!" Drake countered. Ashley found his enthusiasm to be contagious, his confidence reassuring. "Most of flying, especially with these kinds of planes, is just understanding the physics of flight."
"Those physics come naturally to you," Agent Walter added.
"I don't kmow…." Ashley mumbled.
"Well, I do," Minagi declared. "Drake, teach me how to operate one of these things. What kind of weapons do they have?"
"I'd get into the technical terms," Agent Walter replied. "But rest assured, they all go boom. Drake will teach you how to make big booms without killing your allies."
"And then I'll help him make big explosions," Minagi chortled. Then Minagi frowned as Ashley pushed her aside and stood in front of Drake.
"Teach me, too!" Ashley said hurriedly. "I want to make a lot of explosions with you too!"
Ben had a lot on his mind. Going to sleep seemed to be out of the question for the time being, so he wandered the halls looking for Emma's room. The problem was that he had no idea which room she was in. There were seemingly endless rooms, like a giant hotel, with no way of telling who was in which room. He knew that Hiruko was next to his, but decided that she was not someone he particularly wanted to talk to. Making a decision, he knocked on a random door after he felt that he'd wandered enough. Perhaps someone would know where he could find Emma.
"Come in!" A voice that was definitely not Emma's answered his knock. Tentatively, Ben opened the door, then immediately closed it again.
"You're naked!" Ben yelled from behind the door. "Why would you tell me to come in when you're naked!?"
"I'm so sorry, Ben!" Eden yelled back. "I'm just used to this. Please do come in, I'm not embarrassed."
Ben peaked into Eden's room once again. To his relief, she was dressed, in flowing white robes.
"This is what I wear in my goddess role," Eden explained. "But I have always preferred my natural state. I have spent almost all of my time naked ever since I stopped appearing to the believers on the surface."
"How did you get changed so quickly?" Ben asked.
"Oh, it's just magic," Eden said, and waved her hand. Her clothes disappeared, exposing her nudity again. She waved her hand again and the white robes reappeared.
"You're beautiful," Ben stammered, his eyes fixated on the goddess.
"Easy now, hero," Eden said softly. "I have a certain…. Effect on men that I cannot control. You'll get used to it if we spend enough time together."
"So wow. You're the goddess. I've never talked to a goddess before."
"I'm not really a goddess," Eden laughed. "I'm a Seraph. Made from the essence of Ilias herself. You should talk to Ilias. She's in the room to the right of mine. I think she likes you. She has a thing for heroes."
"She called me a loser."
"She was just blowing off steam," Eden said. "She's been watching you with interest ever since Promestein found you."
"On the Iliastron?"
"Yes, on the Iliastron," Eden laughed. "Your aptitude for using the spirits is quite impressive. You will be a huge asset to us in the battle against Zurith."
"Eden…. Are you scared?"
"Are you scared, Ben?" Eden asked.
"I've never been more scared in my life," Ben replied, chuckling nervously.
"Then that just means you are brave, since you are going anyway. I'm afraid I'm not as brave as you. I am not frightened, but only because as a holy being I do not feel pain. I can be killed by a powerful enough being, but I don't fear death. Because of my familiarity with the nature of the soul, I know that I will pass on to a better place when the end comes. If Zurith actually could hurt me, I doubt I'd be as brave as you. I have felt pain once. It was…. Not an experience that I care to repeat."
"Thanks for reminding me that I can feel pain," Ben chuckled again. "How does she fight? What kind of power does she have?"
"I don't know," Eden admitted. "Only Ilias has ever faced her in combat. Go speak to her. I doubt that she will tell you anything that will put your mind at rest. Comforting words are not one of her strengths. But perhaps I can help."
Eden rose and embraced Ben. Pure serenity flowed over him, reaching down to his very soul.
"I can do this," Ben said. "Thank you, Eden. I really think I can do this now."
"I'm sure once you talk to Ilias you'll need me to hug you again, so my door is always open to you. I'll be expecting you soon."
Ben went next door to Eden's room and knocked.
"What?!" a shrill voice shouted from behing the door.
"It's Ben!" Ben yelled back.
"Oh," Ilias said disinterestedly. "Come in."
Ben opened the door cautiously, half expecting Ilias to be naked. She was not, dressed in white robes similar to Eden's. Her wings were stretched out nearly wall to wall. Ben marveled at her beauty. He found it easy to understand why she had been worshipped for so long.
"So what brings you to my hovel?" Ilias asked. "I can't believe these accommodations! So Spartan! This bed is nearly impossible to sleep on! And nothing here is pink! How can I sleep in a drab, gray room!?"
"Ummm… Eden said you might have some information about Zurith? Since we have to fight her tomorrow, I wanted to find out anything I could."
"Oh, Zurith?" Ilias asked. "Well, she has unparalleled hand to hand combat skills, powerful magic that can destroy gods, and she can change into this insanely scary tentacle thingy that can crush school buses. Since you're a man, she may use sexual skills on you. If you give in, you'll probably be damned for eternity, forced to serve her."
"Okay, then," Ben replied, his serenity shattered as his mind conjured up scary images of a tentacle demon trying to sexually molest him with one tentacle while crushing a school bus full of screaming children with another. "How did you beat her?"
"Back then I had all my power and a big fuckin' flaming sword!" Ilias said enthusiastically. "Now Eden uses that sword. I also hit her with enough holy power to destroy a small moon. I used so much that I nearly destroyed myself. As it was, I destroyed the Safina forest. That's why it's a desert now."
"Safina used to be forest land?" Ben asked.
"That's right," Ilias replied. "By the time I got there, she had already wrecked a third of the place. Our battle ended up destroying the rest of it."
"Why didn't you put it back?" Ben asked.
"Hmmmm..Maybe I should have done that. Oh well, live and learn. Wanna fuck?"
Ben was speechless. What kind of goddess was this? Eden had seemed every inch a goddess, but this woman only had the appearance of one.
"You're into that dragonkin girl, aren't you?" Ilias chortled. "Well, this is probably your last night alive, so you really should get it on while you have the chance, virgin."
"Um… do you know what room she's in?"
"Nope," Ilias replied. "My omniscience got taken away by the last hero I recruited, and I don't have my Iliastron here. I really should invest in a mobile version. I'll have to ask Promestein about that."
"I guess I'll go look for her then, and thanks for the…. Advice."
"Well, if you want to come see me, I'll be happy to take your virginity. I took Luka's."
Ben wasn't sure what to say, so he bade Ilias goodbye and knocked on another random door. Promestein answered and opened the door to let Ben in.
"Nervous about tomorrow?" she asked.
"Yeah, just a bit," Ben replied sarcastically. "What was it, a month ago that I was just a kid trying to get into a good college? And now I'm some hero. Although a hero who didn't do what you needed me to do."
"That's not your fault. Maybe I made the spell too narrow. I was sure the ring would work for you. But you didn't come up completely empty. The spirits are powerful and you have an incredible affinity for them."
"I hope it'll be enough."
"Well, if you came for comfort, or a ra-ra speech, you came to the wrong room. If you have questions, maybe I can answer them. But moral support? I'm afraid I fall short in that department."
"I think Ilias already answered my questions."
"Ouch!" Promstein winced. "Now you might have to get one of the monster girls to put you to sleep tonight."
"I think it's Emma's day to feed anyway. Do you know where she's staying?"
"No idea. But if it's her feeding day, just go to your room and wait. She'll need all the energy she can get for tomorrow, so I'd say her coming to see you is a near certainty. Unless she found another delicious man to feed on tonight."
"Would she do that?!" Ben asked, alarmed.
"Gotcha!" Promestein teased. "You have a thing for her, don't you? I think it's mutual. Now granted, I'm no expert on love, but I've interacted with monsters long enough to know that while most aren't monogamous, they do like their reliable food. She's not going to eat other men if she has you available. So you might want to get back to your room before she goes wandering off in search of one of the handsome agents."
"Good idea! Thanks Promestein!" Ben, now with a sense of urgency, opened the door to leave, then turned back. "And good luck tomorrow. I guess since you can use the ring, you're the most important part of this whole caper."
"Don't remind me. I am so not cut out for this."
Ben rushed back to his room, only to find that Emma was already there, sitting on his bed. Ben wasn't sure how romantic it was to be a monster girl's main food source, but decided that since this whole love thing was so new to him, that he would take what he could get. He sat down next to Emma. There was an uncomfortable silence.
"Nervous about tomorrow?" Ben asked, borrowing a line from Promestein.
"Nope," Emma replied noncomittaly. "I'm a warrior. Tomorrow is as good a day to die as any. How about you?"
"Scared shitless," Ben chuckled. "I just hope that when it all goes down that I do well."
"You will," Emma said, showing tenderness in her voice for the first time since he'd met her. "We'll have plenty of backup. Two goddesses, Tamamo, and a badass ring wielding angel. On the downside, the angel is a lab geek, the goddesses are fake, and Tamamo probably hasn't seen action in over a thousand years."
"What happened to your mom, Emma?" Ben asked.
"Why would you want to talk about that now? You need your sleep. Lay down and let me suck your dick."
"No," Ben insisted. "I want to know. We might die tomorrow. I just…."
"Just what?"
"I don't know, I just….. want to know more about you."
"Well, if you must know," Emma said. "It was a car accident. I was six years old. She was in New Remina to give a sword clinic at a comic convention. Mom was more of an entertainer than a true warrior, but she did know her stuff. She had made elite. But she never made it to the convention. Her cab got into an accident and she was killed. Must have been one hell of an accident to kill someone like her."
"I'm so sorry," Ben said.
"My dad, he always wanted his daughter to be his little girl. He didn't want me involved in any of that warrior stuff, and if mom had lived I probably wouldn't have. She didn't want that for me either. She used to tell me that the world moved on from that kind of thing a long time ago. The United Provinces has an army, but it's not like they ever did any real fighting. It was always a just in case type of deal, and most dragonkins joined the military instead of training the traditional way."
"Did you train the traditional way?"
"I trained every way I could," Emma said. "I wanted to be just like mom. The guns are all me, though. Mom stuck to swords and other traditional weapons. But I knew that I wanted to be a real adventurer, not a military brat or an entertainer. And look what happened to me on my very first adventure! I hit on a doozy, didn't I?"
"You could definitely say that," Ben laughed, nodding.
"When you found me fighting those goons, I thought that kind of thing would be my whole adventuring life. Fight bandits, do some favors for small towns, that sort of thing. And now here I am, trying to save the world. Life is crazy."
The uncomfortable silence returned for a few moments. Then, throwing caution to the wind, Ben kissed her. She returned his kiss with fervor and began working on his clothes. Ben hadn't expected that, but decided to go with the flow. This could be his last night alive, after all.
Her lips still attached to his, Emma pushed him down onto the bed and climbed on top of him. Losing patience, she tore at his clothes, ripping them. Once he was thoroughly naked, she sat up and removed her own.
"I want to rape you, Ben," she said huskily. "I know you wanted it to be special, so I understand if you don't want me to do it, but I really want to."
"If you want to have sex with me, then the answer is yes," Ben replied. "But if I say it's okay, it's not rape."
"Yes it is," Emma countered.
"No it isn't. I think that word doesn't mean what you think-"
She shut him up with another long kiss, her hand reaching for his penis and shoving it inside her. Both of them gasped as he entered her. She was tight and a lot hotter than he had expected. Emma began to slowly rotate her hips as she stared into his eyes. She began to get hotter.
"You're really hot!" Ben gasped.
"I'm part of the dragon family. We get that way. Don't worry, it can't hurt you no matter how hot it gets. Just enjoy it."
She began to pump him faster and harder, her excitement increasing along with her heat. Ben's excitement was increasing as well. Suddenly, he ejaculated inside of her. He hadn't been ready for that. It had overcome him so fast he'd barely had time to register that it was happening until he was already in the middle of it.
"I'm good, huh?" Emma laughed. "And you're delicious as always. We're nowhere near done yet, though."
She went back to the slow gyrations. Ben, however, had other ideas. Using a move she had taught him to get an opponent off of him, he reversed positions with her, assuming a missionary pose. She squealed in delight.
"Now you're raping me!" she laughed.
"I'm pretty sure I'm not."
Her response was to pull him closer and urge him to thrust as deep as he could. Ben obliged and his mind nearly went white. He came again.
"Don't worry about it," she whispered. "You can't get me pregnant unless I want you to. Just empty as much of your seed into me as you want. I can use the energy. I hope this is as special for you as you wanted it to be."
"Is it special for you?" Ben panted.
She kissed him again, softly this time. "More than you can imagine, Ben."
Ben came two more times over the following ten minutes, then collapsed, the critical ecstasy having grown too strong for him to remain on top of her. Emma wasn't finished, however, resuming her position on top of him and continuing to make love to him until he passed out.