Master! I think we have a problem!
Having heard Nenet’s message before she’d actually sent it thanks to his trans-temporal sense, Lex was already looking through the sphinx’s eyes, knowing that she was standing at the entrance to the mountain fortress. Although he didn’t bother transmitting it in reply, he agreed with her take on the situation.
They did indeed have a problem.
The massive portal that had opened up a short distance from Nenet’s position – in complete defiance of Adagio’s wards – had already disgorged a dozen monsters, and more were pouring through with each passing moment.
Undulating across the frozen ground were a several creatures that looked like six-foot tall mounds of snow, except for the fact that each of them sprouted four long tentacles topped with stinger, and their bodies were peppered with several dozen reddish eyes. Moving between them were creatures that looked like six-legged polar bears, save for the long horn protruding from their foreheads. They were accompanied by several humanoids, each as tall as Sissel, but with dark blue skin and a third eye centered in the middle of their foreheads.
But what concerned Lex the most was what hadn’t come through the portal yet.
The size of a castle, the rift in space hung open in the air. Though Nenet’s eyes, the space beyond it was obscured by a raging blizzard, one that made the snowstorms of the last few days seem gentle by comparison. Even so, the sphinx’s vision was keen enough that Lex could see the throngs of creatures rushing, flying, slithering, and oozing their way through the gate. And behind them all was a massive form the size of a glacier...
But the glowing blue eyes gave away that it was something far more sinister.
I’ve put an illusion over the entrance, murmured Nenet, stepping back from the cave opening nervously. But I don’t know if that’ll fool them for very long.
It won’t need to. I’m going out there.
Across their link, Nenet’s anxiety grew immeasurably worse. Master, you can’t! There’s more of those creatures coming through every moment! I don’t even know what most of them are! And if...if that’s really the demigod that Adagio wounded, he’s going to be furious when he sees that you’ve taken his divinity!
He’ll also be able to see that I’m the champion of a goddess far greater than him, replied Lex easily. He won’t dare-
The words caught in his throat as the barbed wire around his foreleg suddenly clenched, drawing blood.
That was enough to command Lex’s undivided attention, ceasing to borrow Nenet’s vision so that he could stare at the goddess-given mark in shock. That the barbed wire had been able to wound him was no surprise; although it looked like an ordinary length of metal, he knew that it was the manifestation of the Night Mare’s own divinity, and as such could easily penetrate his defenses, even as a titan.
What had surprised him, rather, was that his foresight hadn’t predicted that.
...Master? What’s wrong?
Nenet’s question was enough to bring Lex back to the present. That something had just happened outside of what his trans-temporal sense could foresee had significant implications, but the fact that the Night Mare had just chastised him for thinking that his status as her champion would daunt Kryonex was an issue of more immediate concern.
Silently, Lex began casting another spell.
Nenet, have you determined if Adagio had any forces left in reserve?
She did, Master. Grisela’s remaining puppets were all busy stripping my siblings’ rooms of anything valuable, and the astradaemons were still patrolling the Ethereal Plane around this area.
“Were”?
He could almost hear the sphinx cringe. I, um...I killed them all.
Despite himself, Lex couldn’t help but feel slightly impressed. While Grisela’s puppets were little more than simple automatons without their maker guiding them, the astradaemons were no minor opponents. Not to mention the fact that he hadn’t sensed Nenet taking any injuries while he’d been fighting Adagio. Good. Then that’s one less thing I need to be concerned with.
But Master, even with this new power I gained, I had to use almost all of my magic to do it! Now I won’t be able to help you against those monsters outside! In his mind, he registered self-recrimination coming from the sphinx. It would have been better if you’d left me behind and brought Solvei along instead.
No, Nenet, answered Lex, the mere idea of summoning Solvei all that he needed for his foresight to again confirm that it would have been catastrophically bad. For what’s about to happen, I’d rather have you here than her. She wouldn’t have been able to attack ethereal creatures, or keep those monsters from seeing the entrance to this place. And you’re the better choice to make sure Adagio doesn’t try anything else.
So...it’s over? You defeated her?
See for yourself.
No sooner had Lex said that than he summoned Nenet to his side, the sphinx swaying at the abrupt teleportation. Blinking, she looked around the destroyed boudoir, awed at the sheer scale of the damage. But when she caught sight of Adagio at the far end of the chamber, she almost toppled over in shock.
Adagio was doing a striptease.
Even as Nenet watched, the Siren – contained within a cage of black crystals that took up nearly half the room – slowly strut across the length of her prison, hips swaying with each step. Coming to a stop right in front of the bars, she slowly bent at the waist, showing a generous portion of cleavage as she effortlessly brought her fingers to her ankles and traced them upwards, drawing the hem of her dress up.
Just before it reached her waist, she turned so that she was standing in profile, flipping the edge of the dress up in time to show her bare hip before letting the fabric fall. Canting her head backward and thrusting her chest out, she ran her tongue over her lips and winked before turning and flipping her hair, the motion heralding a new round of writhing as she continued to sensuously dance.
Confused and repulsed, Nenet looked at Lex. This is defeating her?!
This is her incapacitated, corrected Lex, not bothering to look at either of them. Instead, his horn glowed as he cursed the entire area to become impervious to teleportation; the first of several defenses that would need to be laid down before he could deal with the situation outside...though how he handled that would depend on what his other spell – which he had yet to finish casting – revealed.
But she’s trying to seduce you again! And you said you almost fell for her charms last time!
Focus on the magical spectrum and take another look at her.
Grimacing, Nenet took a deep breath before turning back to Adagio, the Siren continuing to wordlessly caper and prance in her prison.
After a few seconds, Nenet’s brow furrowed. She’s...under some sort of compulsion? No, it’s a curse! But it’s not on her. It’s on... Pausing, she double-checked her conclusion before finishing. It’s on her shoes?
Correct.
Next was a ward to make physically breaching the place that much more difficult, layering the interior hallways with magic designed to confuse and confound intruders. It was the same spell he’d once used to protect the rescue party that he’d brought to Vanhoover when they’d stayed in that abandoned warehouse, except now he was able to augment it far beyond its original parameters, and cast it much more quickly.
I wove curses into all of her magic items, he explained as he applied the spell. While that limited their effectiveness to inversions of their original functionality, it was much easier to affect her that way than by cursing her directly, since she was already utilizing the magic involved. Her footwear, for instance, was enchanted to allow her to move faster and easier. Now, every time she tries to move, it’s translated into wasteful and unproductive motion.
Nenet gave him a sidelong glance before looking back at where Adagio was grinding her backside against the bars. I’m not sure that’s how I’d describe it.
The malediction operates using her idea of wasteful motion, noted Lex, moving on to an anti-scrying ward. Nor is it her only curse. Her dress was designed to abet her spellcasting prowess; now it dampens it. If she manages to cast anything despite its suppression, her spell-storing ring now serves to disrupt the activation of magical energy. And her telekinetic ring now saps her physical strength, just to make sure she can’t get out of that cage.
I’d be more worried about her shattering it with her voice, noted Nenet. I mean, I know you’ve made it really hard for her to use her magic, but she broke through the last curse you put on her...
By using aristeia, noted Lex. She doesn’t have that anymore, which is why I doubt she’ll break the renewed curse of silence that I put on her. It's less secure without a magic item to tie it into, but her voice is too dangerous not to stifle. Even then, I want you here to make sure she doesn’t try anything.
Nenet made no immediate reply, instead biting her lip for a long moment before turning to look at him. Master...are you going to fight Kryonex?
The fact that he’d foreseen the question was the only thing that kept Lex from glancing at the barbed wire around his foreleg. I’m hoping it won’t come to that. But if it does, then I’m prepared to try.
Is there any reason we can’t just run away? You have teleportation magic now, and his army hasn’t spotted us. Why not just go?
Nenet, the only reason Kryonex is here is because he’s already determined that this is where Adagio fled to. If all he finds is an empty hideaway, do you think that he’ll give up the search and go back to his realm? Or will he send his minions out to look for her, inflicting mayhem on everyone nearby?
But that’s not our-
Solvei’s tribe is only a few days’ journey from here, he reminded her. Less than that by air. And Kryonex is the patron god of the yetis, who were their enemies. If he sends his monsters out, then the adlets will be among the very first to suffer for it.
That was enough to make Nenet wince. Then...then you should-
Absolutely not.
But Nenet wouldn’t be dissuaded. You should just give Adagio to him! I don’t know if it’ll work, but if you turn her over to him, he might be satisfied and go away!
Nenet-
I know you love her sisters, but she’s not like them! She’s not good like you said they are! Fear came from her across their link, and even without reading her thoughts, he knew she was remembering how he’d lost his temper the last time she’d mentioned Sonata and Aria. She’s selfish and cruel! She did terrible things, and hurt so many people! And she did it all just because she wanted to be popular! That’s worse than if-
Nenet, stop.
But...!
He reached a claw toward her then, hating the way she gave a frightened squeak and squeezed her eyes shut, thinking that he was going to throttle her again. But he had no intention of being so rough with her ever again, instead patting her head as gently as he could. I promised her sisters that I would bring her back. It was the last thing I promised them, and I intend to keep it, even if it means fighting a demigod.
Sniffling, Nenet looked up at him through watery eyes. She’s not worth it.
Sonata and Aria are. Withdrawing his claw, he glanced back at the dancing Siren. And even if that wasn’t true, Adagio is still a Siren, and Sirens are ponies. Equestrian ponies. Now that she’s in my custody, I won’t turn her over to a foreign power, no matter how egregious her crimes.
Giving Nenet one final look, Lex turned toward the door, sparing only the briefest glance at the dancing Siren. Despite the erotic way she writhed and caressed herself, the only thing he felt at that moment was determination. I am the one who will judge her. Not Kryonex. Not Iliana. Not Kara or whatever other creatures she trafficked with. Me.
He didn’t wait for Nenet to respond, turning and walking out the door.
Walking through the magical traps and defenses as though they weren’t there – thanks to Mystaria’s clasp, he was immune to his own spells – Lex approached the entrance to the mountain tunnel, knowing that it likely wouldn’t be much longer before the monsters pouring through the gate discovered it.
But as he rounded the last bend, he saw that they hadn’t found it yet. That was a fortunate circumstance, since it gave him time to finish the spell he’d begun casting several minutes earlier.
Contemplating the barbed wire around his leg again, Lex waited until his spell was almost done before he turned his attention back to his foresight. This time it didn’t surprise him when he received no information about what was about to happen, even as his communion spell took effect.
My champion, came the voice of the Night Mare into his mind. You were wise to contact me. We have much to discuss, and very little time...