899 - More to Life
Nenet woke up screaming.
Terror and agony and despair assaulted her all at once, the undead tearing her apart even as they struggled to push past her, intent on slaying the people she’d been told to protect. The realization that she was about to fail them – to consign her new friend and the mother who’d betrayed her to the same miserable death that she was hovering on the brink of – was a torment in-and-of itself.
But the pain and the panic were nothing compared to the knowledge that she was disappointing her master. He’d taken her in, given her a purpose even knowing what a worthless, polluted creature she was, and now she was about to let him down.
That thought terrified her down to her core. For all that their bond was supposedly permanent, Nenet couldn’t believe that he lacked the power to undo it. If he could overcome Adagio, he could do anything...including finding a way to cut loose a useless, pathetic sphinx who couldn’t do what he needed. Which was why she had to figure out a solution, a way to overcome the undead and protect everyone without releasing Adagio but the wards were collapsing and Mei Li was tiring andtheundeadwereonherandnothingwasworkingandithurtsomuch-
Nenet, calm down. You’re safe now.
The words cut through her consciousness in an instant, dispelling her hysteria even as she found herself pulled into an embrace, strong limbs encircling her and holding her against a warm, powerful frame.
“M-Master...”
The word escaped her lips with a sob, tension rushing out of her all at once. The pain was gone, she realized belatedly. So was the fear and desperation.
But that didn’t mean that everything was okay.
“I’m sorry,” she moaned, burying her face in his chest as felt her eyes tearing up. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry...”
She kept up the litany of apologies as she sobbed, just like she had whenever Grisela had beaten her, collapsing and begging for forgiveness until her sister got tired of torturing her. Except this time there were no punches or kicks, no harsh screams or angry shrieks. Instead, Lex continued to hold her close as she cried, stroking her hair while murmuring soothing words. “It’s alright. You’re alright. You’re going to be okay.”
Nenet wasn’t sure how long they stayed that way, with her crying her eyes out and him reassuring her, but eventually she calmed down, sniffling as she pulled away from him. “Master, are you-, oh!” She gasped as she caught sight of the metal that now made up one of his limbs. “Your leg!”
“A replacement,” he explained, showing none of the shame she felt whenever someone mentioned her tail, “given to me by the Night Mare after I sacrificed the original.”
Nenet’s eyes widened at that. “‘Sacrificed’? Then, wait, does that mean you defeated Kryonex?! And all of those monsters too?! I-” A second later she remembered what – or rather, who – she’d forgotten. “Mei Li! Is she-”
“I am unharmed.”
Wearing a small smile, her new friend – back in her human form, albeit with her tails still visible and her vulpine ears sprouting from the top of her head for some reason – moved out from behind Lex. “I am happy that the same can be said for you.”
Letting out a relieved laugh, Nenet wiped her eyes, feeling herself finally start to relax. Her master had won the battle, and her new friend was okay. Everything really had worked out for the best somehow. “And Adagio?” she asked, looking around and belatedly realizing they weren’t in what was left of the Siren’s room anymore. “Is she still dancing in her cage?”
Mei Li’s fox ears flicked back, a grimace crossing her face as she looked away, and Nenet’s stomach clenched at the sight.
But before she could ask what had happened, Lex spoke. “Adagio is dead. She intruded on my battle with Kryonex, and circumstances left me no choice but to kill her.”
“...oh...”
Nenet didn’t know what else to say, the news leaving her feeling oddly numb. She knew that she should have been affected more strongly by what she’d just been told; that she should have celebrated that the Siren who had lied to and manipulated her was gone, or maybe felt a powerful sense of loss despite what an awful mother Adagio had been. But at that moment, all Nenet felt was hollow.
More to fill the silence than anything else, she asked the first question that came to mind. “How did she escape? Even if her cage was broken, those curses you put on her should have kept her contained?”
Mei Li blinked once. “You do not remember?”
Nenet cocked her head. “Remember what?”
“It’s not important now,” announced Lex. “Adagio’s joining the battle was unexpected, but ended up being worse for Kryonex than for me. In that regard, her escape from captivity was fortuitous.”
“But-”
Lex didn’t give the sphinx a chance to finish, turning to Mei Li. “Have you made a decision?”
Nenet didn’t even have time to wonder what he was talking about before the fox-woman bowed to the stallion. “I apologize for imposing on you further, but if you could return me to my home, I would gladly remain in your care until then.”
“So be it.” Lex turned back to her. “Nenet, I don’t plan on coming back here. Is there anything in this place that you want to take with you? Something you consider useful or personally valuable?”
Feeling slightly dizzy at how fast things were moving, Nenet shook her head. “No, Master. I already collected all of the remaining magic items I could find” – not that they’d been helpful at all – “and I don’t have any mementos or keepsakes. Grisela destroyed them whenever she found out I had one, so eventually I gave up.”
“I could restore whatever she ruined,” offered Lex. “So long as you have the component pieces, it would be easy.”
That managed to bring a small smile to Nenet’s face, even as she shook her head. “They’d just remind me of things I want to forget. But thank you.”
He nodded once, then turned toward the exit. “Let’s go then.”
Mei Li stood aside, gesturing for Nenet to follow him first, and the sphinx obliged. The three of them stepped into the hallway, and Nenet’s eyes widened as she beheld the extent of the destruction. For all that it had been stark and oppressive – Adagio had only infrequently blanketed the areas outside of her personal chamber with pleasing illusions, mostly whenever she’d been annoyed at having to look at the austere conditions of her hideaway – the mountain that the redoubt was built inside of was large and strong. To see the place in such shambles now meant that her master’s battle with the demigod had to have been epic.
And Adagio had voluntarily interfered with such a fight? Even after she’d fled from Kryonex before? And been so readily subdued by Lex only a short while ago?
Nenet couldn’t imagine it. Nor could she recall the Siren getting the chance to interfere in the first place. How had she broken free? Between having no more aristeia, the cage, and all of those curses, it shouldn’t have been possible for her to have gotten out.
Mei Li had made it sound like she’d forgotten something, and as she padded along behind Lex, Nenet couldn’t stop thinking about what.
Barely noticing as the debris cleared itself out of her master’s way – without so much as a word or a gesture from him, the dust and rubble slid aside, cracks in the floor sealing themselves with black crystals as fallen chunks of the ceiling rolled away from them – Nenet tried to think back. The corporeal undead had broken through, and she’d been shielding the entryway with her own body while Mei Li had been keeping the spectral ones at bay. Adagio had been yelling to be freed, saying they’d all die otherwise, and...and then...
Nenet frowned, trying to jog her memory. Something had happened, she knew. Something that had incapacitated her. But it hadn’t been the undead, and it certainly hadn’t been Adagio. But if that was the case, then the only thing that could have freed the Siren was...
Abeyance.
Nenet would have tripped if Lex hadn’t spun in place, catching her before she’d even started to fall. What’s wrong?
I... For the briefest moment, she considered holding her silence, but she couldn’t. Not when he’d just gone out of his way to comfort her. She owed him more than that, even if it meant his being disappointed in her. Master, I think...I think I’m the one who let Adagio out!
That isn’t something you should feel distressed about. I told you, her release was ultimately to Kryonex’s hindrance.
But I didn’t know that at the time! whimpered Nenet, cringing. All I knew was that the undead were breaking through, and we were going to die, and Adagio was yelling something about how she could help, but I didn’t believe her, and then something happened – I still can’t remember what – and I was passing out, and I think I cast an abeyance spell...
She trailed off as she consulted her mental catalogue of the spells she’d prepared, and realized that particular spell, which she’d prepared just in case Adagio had cut another deal with the daemons – since curses were the result of an extraplanar power sending their energy to someone over a link – was no longer there. I did! I cast that spell, even though you explicitly told me not to let her out, and-
And if you hadn’t, then you and Adagio and Mei Li would all have been killed, crippling my fighting power and likely becoming undead monsters yourselves, noted Lex. Nenet, I’m not mad that you disobeyed my orders. I’m relieved.
The idea that someone would be pleased that she’d defied them wasn’t something the sphinx could wrap her mind around, swallowing nervously. Really?
Yes, insisted Lex. I told you to keep Adagio imprisoned because it seemed like the best strategy at the time. But the circumstances changed, and you adjusted to them accordingly, making the best decision that you could based on the situation you found yourself in. And because you did, you and Mei Li both survived, and Adagio’s interference gave me what I needed to win.
But she died, protested Nenet weakly, looking down. She died, and I know you wanted to bring her back alive, because that’s what her sisters asked you to do. She could still remember how angry he’d been when she’d spoken ill of Adagio’s siblings, her paws trembling at the thought that he’d fly into another rage now.
I know, and I intend on keeping my promise to them, as well as my promise to be a better master to you, which is why I’m going to say this. Reaching out, he gently placed his claws on her cheeks, making her look up at him.
For the second time, you not only completed an incredibly difficult task of vital importance, but did so better than I expected.
Leaning forward, Lex brushed his lips across her forehead. I’m proud of you, my sphinx.
Immediately, the blood rushed to Nenet’s face as her chest tightened, leaving her feeling dizzy for some reason. Even stranger, she realized she was smiling, and she couldn’t seem to make herself stop. She could feel a laugh bubbling up inside of her, even though her eyes were turning watery again.
Most unusual of all was how good it all felt, the emotions wrapping around her in the most incredible way.
Proud of her. He was proud of her. In her entire life, no one had ever told her that. Her siblings had all ignored her or abused her, and Adagio had never once complimented her, simply telling her what to do with the vague promise – which Nenet now knew was a lie – that if she was a good spellbook, she’d introduce her to her father one day. But she’d never been proud of how hard her daughter had worked.
But now Lex, her master, was.
Biting her lip, not trusting herself to speak even in her thoughts, Nenet nodded. Lex returned the gesture, then turned around and continued leading them outside.
Glancing back, Nenet gave an embarrassed grin to Mei Li, who looked a little confused but smiled back.
Nenet almost giggled at her friend’s puzzlement, not because it was funny but because all of a sudden, everything made her want to grin. It was the way she’d expected to feel, the way she’d wanted to feel, when she’d agreed to become Lex’s familiar. The effect of Kara’s blessing that he’d loathed, but which she’d longed for, desperate to experience a life that had more than pain and suffering. And now, her hope was fulfilled, and Nenet couldn’t help but revel in it.
Falling in love was truly wonderful.
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Welcome back! Hope your holiday travels were fun and fulfilling!
Hmm, maybe Lex is exceeding his new views on what is important to him, being that his life is no longer for just himself anymore, more lives are literally being tied to him now, lol.
I think you were going for Nenet there.
Anyways, welcome back and hope you had a fun time.
As for Lex, things are back on track as well though I suppose it will change when he attempts to resurrect Adagio. Still, it was heartwarming to see Lex growing more caring towards those under his care though it is odd how he's becoming more sociable. Granted, he's gone through quite a lot in a really short span of time so it probably affected him to some extent.
11784171 Thanks! They were, and I had a great time!
We know that Lex has relaxed his problems with Kara's blessing, since he accepted his feelings toward Solvei not too long ago...and, more importantly, accepted her feelings for him, even knowing that they were a result of Kara's influence. Given that Nenet formed a bond with him knowing what would happen to her (and, apparently, anticipating it), it's perhaps no surprise that Lex has less guilt where she's concerned. But it's still odd that he's being so smooth.
11784308 Whoops, thanks for catching that! It's fixed now!
And I appreciate the kind words! I had a lot of fun, though it's also nice to rest now that things have settled down.
Lex's interaction with Nenet here was heartwarming, wasn't it? The poor sphinx is very much broken inside, and Lex is finally starting to help put her back together. The odd thing is that he's usually not very good at that, even if he wanted to be. Of course, between their bond and his ability to see into the immediate future, it's perhaps no surprise that he knew just what to say to help Nenet recover. Thankfully, he's grown enough to see the value in doing so, since before he would likely just have expected her to pull herself together and then berated her when she didn't.
I take it Lex is either going to just Greater Teleport to teh villages, or going to scale Nenet up to Full Sphinx and have her Flybe to get used to freedom more?
11784404 Given his speed and ability to fly, Lex doesn't even really need magic to go to the adlet village now, since Solvei is there and he knows where she is at all times. Since he can just summon Nenet, the only question is Mei Li. Maybe he can carry her, princess-style?