918 - Seven Treasures
“Mei Li! Say something! MEI LI!”
Having changed into her hybrid form, Nenet could feel herself starting to panic as the nine-tailed fox in her arms didn’t respond. Although there were no external marks on her, the raspy, shallow breathing coming from the kumiho made it clear that she was in bad shape, blood trickling from the corner of her muzzle.
Wracked with guilt over having been the one to injure her friend so badly, Nenet looked over at Yotimo. “Help her!”
The old adlet was already jogging toward them, putting Bloodletter away as he crouched down to examine the fox. Putting a hand to her throat, her grimaced, and the sight made Nenet’s heart clench. But she stayed silent as Yotimo peeled one of Mei Li’s eyelids back, his frown deepening.
He performed several other quick checks, before sighing and shaking his head. “There’s nothing I can do.”
“Wh-what does that mean?!”
“It means that she’s injured in a way I don’t know how to heal,” answered Yotimo softly. “She doesn’t have a broken bone or a ruptured organ, or any sort of wound that I stitch up or treat with a poultice.”
Her lower lip trembling, Nenet looked over at where Yura was still sitting with her eyes closed. “What about-”
“I’m a shaman, not a healer, child,” answered Akna’s grandmother, her voice soft. “I know all sorts of remedies and herb lore, but I don’t have magic that can close wounds and mend injuries like your master.”
Nenet wanted to berate both of them, to snarl and curse and rage at the two of them for being so useless, but the words wouldn’t leave her throat.
She knew who was really to blame for what had happened to Mei Li.
“I’m sorry,” she whimpered, pulling her friend closer, hating that all she could do was apologize. “I’m so sor-”
“Don’t cry.”
The words came to her ears a millisecond after her connection to Lex suddenly burst open in her mind. In an instant, she knew that he was back in this world, and was only a short distance away, in the same place as Solvei. She could feel the emotions radiating off of him, the same guilt and shame that she was feeling, except his was joined with a murderous desire to punish the ones who had attacked them.
But the voice she’d heard hadn’t been Lex’s.
“Everything’s going to be alright.”
The speaker was a woman, appearing at Nenet’s side as if out of nowhere. Her silver eyes were warm and compassionate. Her smile was soft and heartfelt. And her body was statuesque in the extreme, composed of curves that would have caused any bystander – male or female – to stop what they were doing and stare as she walked by.
Though the fact that her nakedness was hidden only by her hair – the same glistening silver as her eyes – would likely have been part of that.
In fact, the sheer volume of hair that spilled down from her head was enough to make Nenet gape, stunned as much by the incredible mass of it as by the unknown woman’s sudden appearance. Adagio had been quite proud of the long and lustrous mane that she’d sported, but this lady put her to shame!
Nor had the newcomer simply been content to let her argent locks simply fall from her head without adornment. Instead, she’d wrapped them around her body in complex patterns, winding them around her arms, legs and torso in dizzying configurations that turned her hair into a skintight outfit, albeit one which hugged her so tightly and left so many bare patches of creamy skin that she might as well have gone unclad for how little was hidden from view. Even then, she still had plenty of tresses to spare, allowing a long curtain of knee-length loose hairs to float behind her like a voluminous cloak.
Smiling, the mystery woman crouched down so that she was at eye-level with Nenet, holding one hand out. The gesture sent a rush of warmth through the sphinx, as though she’d just been enfolded in a soft blanket, suddenly feeling safe and secure in a way that she hadn’t experienced since Lex had left. “Your name is Nenet, right?” continued the beauty. “I’m Agapay, and I was-”
She didn’t have a chance to finish as the elementals that Solvei had summoned, registering the newcomer as an intruder, turned and charged at her.
But they hadn’t even made it halfway to her before a piercing shriek came from above.
Nenet was barely able to make out the shape of an enormous raven, its wingspan longer than she was tall, before it slammed into the elemental that was closest to Agapay, knocking it to the ground with such force that the snow was kicked up by the impact, forming a thick cloud that obscured everything.
“Pathetic,” came a throaty female voice from within the sudden flurry. “Foes like these aren’t worthy of opposing me.”
A sudden gust of wind dispelled the snow squall, revealing that the elemental had been completely smashed.
But standing in the center of what had been its chest wasn’t a gigantic raven.
Instead, it was a knight.
Nenet couldn’t think of any other way to describe her. Fully six feet tall – almost a foot taller than Agapay – the second arrival was clad from head to toe in thick armor, completely hiding her features beneath the metal covering. The armor itself was completely blackened, as though it was made from cast iron rather than steel, and Nenet could see the powerful magical aura radiating off of it, almost as notable as the myriad spikes and sharp edges that adorned each ridge.
Nor did the magic or the menace that it exuded hide the armor’s exquisite workmanship. The ridges on the cuirass were folded over each other, each one longer than they were wide, tapered slightly at the tip, giving the entire thing a look of feathers. The sabatons were forged to resemble talons, as were the gauntlets. The helmet was shaped like a stylized raven, its beak serving as the visor.
Most notable of all was the cloak that hung from the figure’s back. Pure black, it wasn’t made of fur or fibers, but was instead made entirely of glossy black feathers, forming a backdrop like folded wings against the decorative feathers of her armor.
The remaining elementals didn’t seem to care, charging the figure with their tremendous fists raised.
But the armored figure didn’t move an inch, simply snorting coldly as the icy giants bore down on it.
When the closest one got within range, it threw a heavy punch, to which the armored figure simply lifted its left arm...
And Nenet’s jaw dropped as she saw a shield appear where none had been before.
But it wasn’t the sudden appearance of the shield that was surprising.
Rather, it was the design of it that made the sphinx’s eyes go wide.
After all, she’d heard the term “tower shield” before – having read it in one of Adagio’s books – but she’d never imagined one which was an actual tower.
Fully nine feet tall and five feet wide, the shield looked as though someone had constructed a miniature tower and then torn one side off of it. There were crenellations at the top, corners at each edge where the wall started to turn, and even arrow slits on the side, one of which was being used as a handhold by the armored figure. And just like the armor she wore, the tower shield was practically dripping with magic.
Which made it no surprise at all when the elemental’s punch didn’t make so much as a dent.
“I’ll commend you on your bravery,” rumbled the armored woman. “But you’re no match for me!”
Her last statement ended in a roar as she pivoted at the hip, pulling her shield back as she brought her other arm around. And just like the shield had appeared out of nowhere, she was now holding a sword where a moment ago her gauntlet had been empty.
The sword’s blade was blackened to match her armor. Its edge was straight, with the tip being hooked slightly. And its length was equal to that of the tower shield, being only slightly less wide, and glimmering with even more magic.
Amidst her confusion, Nenet suddenly felt very sorry for the ice elemental.
A moment later it was so much broken ice and powder, its fellows joining it as they rushed at the menacing figure – compelled by the instructions Solvei had given them – and were similarly dispatched.
The entire affair, from when Agapay had arrived through when the elementals had been destroyed, had taken barely ten seconds.
That had been time enough, however, for Yotimo to recover from his shock and draw Bloodletter, barking a command to his warriors. A moment later they fell in and moved to encircle the armored figure, weapons drawn and pointed at her.
But none of them looked eager for a fight.
Holding her oversized sword and shield as though they weighed nothing at all, the armored woman looked the adlets over before giving a disdainful harumph. “Weaklings, all of you,” she pronounced contemptuously. “No wonder His Highness sent me here to guard this place.”
“Branwen, you’re scaring them,” snapped Agapay, frowning at the knight. “Calm down and put your weapons away.”
“I don’t take orders from you, harlot.” Branwen’s sneer was visible beneath her raven helmet. “By order of Queen Penelope, my only master is His Highness, Lex Legis.”
That was enough to shock Nenet back to her senses. “Lex sent you?!”
The raven helmet turned her way then, and the air seemed to grow colder as Nenet saw two white eyes – the irises the same color as the sclera, making the pupils seem like dots within a pale sea – come to rest on her. “You will refer to him with respect, wench, or I’ll-”
“You’d best not finish that sentence,” cut in Agapay. “Unless you want our lord to hear that you threatened one of the people he wanted us to help.”
A rumbling growl came from within the armor, but Branwen offered no rebuttal. Instead, she slammed the bottom of her shield against the ground. Immediately, it began to grow in place, forcing Yotimo and his warriors to fall back as its width tripled, its height doubling in an instant. Nor did it stop there, as the missing walls grew from its sides, extending outward and surrounding Branwen before the final wall grew between them, a thick steel door forming in its center...which swung open a moment later.
It was immediately followed by the sound of a second portal opening, this one being a trapdoor located on the roof of the building. A moment later, Branwen looked down at Agapay from behind the crenellations.
“Heal His Highness’s tarts, and then bring the two of them within,” ordered the raven-knight, before looking out at the wide-eyed adlets. “And if any of you try to breach the walls of this keep once they’re inside, your blood will stain my blade!”
Agapay sighed, giving Nenet an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about her. Let’s get your friend – Mei Li, isn’t it? – fixed up, and then we can talk.”
But despite the sense of calming serenity coming off of the hair-clad woman, Nenet leaned away from her as she clutched Mei Li to her chest protectively. “Who are you people?! What are you?! How do you know Lex, and why-”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, calm down.” Agapay held both of her hands up. “I promise I’ll explain everything, but please, let me heal her first.”
“I...” Wavering just for a moment, Nenet felt almost dizzy at what was going on, suddenly overcome with exhaustion as her confusion grew worse than she could handle-
It’s alright, Nenet. I sent those two. They work for me, now.
Master! Lex’s voice in her mind was more comforting than whatever strange aura surrounded Agapay, causing a rush of relief to go through her. What’s happening?! I don’t know what’s going on or what to do, and...Mei Li...
I know. I received her message. The remorse she felt from him spiked then, but just for a moment. Then his feelings settled into resolve. Once I finish things here, I’ll make up for the pain my negligence has caused you all. Until then, let those two help.
She wanted to say that she understood, or that she was still angry at him, or that she felt horrible for what she’d done to Mei Li, or any of a hundred other thoughts that went through her head at that moment. But one question overpowered them all.
Is Solvei okay?
She is. And I won’t let anything else happen to her.
His declaration made the tension in Nenet’s chest ease, and she managed a smile, even though she knew he couldn’t see it, holding Mei Li out toward Agapay. Just be careful that nothing happens to you, either.
I will.
She didn’t say anything else, watching as the silvery-haired woman put a hand on the vixen’s forehead. A soft light instantly surrounded the kumiho, and a moment later her eyes fluttered open. “Nngh, Elder Sister? I-, huh?!”
Her eyes going wide as she caught sight of the unfamiliar face and the equally unfamiliar fortification in the background, Mei Li staggered back, returning to her human form. “What...?”
“I’m your ally,” cut in Agapay. “My name is Agapay, and I’m a chasmalim. What you’d call an angel of passion. By order of my patron, Agrat, Lex Legis holds my exclusive contract. So long as he does, his desires are my desires, and right now what he desires is for you to be safe and protected.”
“Which is all the more reason to hurry and move them inside,” rumbled Branwen from atop the keep, gesturing impatiently at the open door below.
Agapay sighed. “That’s Branwen. She’s a vilderavn, an Unseelie knight of the Autumn Court-”
“In service to Her Majesty, Queen Penelope La Gard, who has ordered me to serve as His Highness Lex Legis’s adjutant,” finished Branwen. “Now get inside before I haul you there myself!”
“She takes her duties to her queen very seriously,” explained Agapay, the angel ushering Mei Li and Nenet toward the open door of the keep.
Mei Li paused on the way, glancing in the direction Solvei had gone, and Nenet knew that she was telepathically communicating with Lex as well. A moment later, Mei Li smiled softly, then continued to let herself be escorted toward Branwen’s fortress. “How did the two of you come into our husband’s service?”
“Ah.” Agapay blushed, a shudder running through her. “That’s an...interesting story...”
None of the lesser titans had come back with him.
That had been entirely within Lex’s expectations. Each of them were planar powers in their own right, even if minor ones, and had responsibilities and schemes to match. Even Almina – whose life in the City of Glass had effectively ended when he’d taken her virginity – still needed to head back and put her affairs in order before she was formally disowned. Nor had any of the others lacked for schemes to manage, duties to be performed, servants to oversee, and numerous other tasks that needed to be tended to.
But by that same token, none had been willing to simply cut ties with him after he’d finished with them. Even if they knew nothing about what had happened to Adagio, they were all still in desperate straits for their own reasons, and learning that their ill-considered investment in the Siren was going to earn them nothing had only made that worse. Combined with how he’d just proven his strength by easily besting all of them – physically, magically, and carnally – all seven had been quite eager to formally establish working a working relationship with him.
Which meant that, with the pleasure concluded, it had been time to get down to business.
There, too, Lex had taken full advantage of them.
After all, he had no further use for them now that he knew they couldn’t help him recover Adagio’s soul. But each of them was highly motivated in convincing him to help improve their respective circumstances, knowing that a titan as powerful as him could potentially do a great deal to assist them. Combined with how they couldn’t dangle sex in front of him as an incentive – he’d already had his fill of that from them, and could easily summon them for more whenever he wanted – they’d all been highly motivated to cut favorable bargains, striving to outdo each other in terms of what they could offer him.
In the end, Lex had struck deals with each and every one of them, all heavily lopsided in his favor. The specifics had been different for each one, save for two points of commonality.
The first had been that each of them would assign a liaison to remain with him. After having allowed Adagio to run free with the aristeia they’d given her, none of the lesser titans had been willing to make another agreement without assigning someone to look out for their interests.
Of course, even if Lex hadn’t been able to read their minds and see into their futures, he would have known they were lying. Having spent most of his mortal life formulating a comprehensive methodology of governance, the fact that these “liaisons” were meant to serve as spies – monitoring his actions and reporting back to their respective mistresses – had been pathetically obvious. But that hadn’t bothered him in the slightest; given how easily he had overcome their superiors, Lex had no doubt that he could keep their agents in line. Even if he couldn’t use the Charismata on them, controlling them wouldn’t be difficult.
It helped that all seven of their designated agents had enthusiastically consented to his placing a suite of spells over them, ranging from compulsions to monitoring to conditional curses, and several others. He’d been slightly surprised by how readily they’d submitted to what had essentially been bondage, but reading their minds had revealed the reasons behind their eagerness.
All seven had their own agendas. Some were ambitious – hoping he’d come to value them over their mistress, helping to supplant her – while others were treacherous, thinking that he’d let his guard down at some point and give them an opportunity to seize on some advantage they could use to manipulate him. Several, to his disgust, were hoping to become pregnant, eager to bear the spawn of a powerful titan, something which had reminded him far too much of Harrowing Ordeal’s desire to breed Aria.
None of those, however, had been reason enough for him to disqualify them from entering his service. Entangled in his magic, he now had seven powerful new servants, each one with considerable magic of their own. They weren’t trustworthy, but Lex knew if he couldn’t manage that, then he had no right to try and govern an entire nation, since foreign entities would always have their own schemes that he’d need to deal with.
And of course, he’d also gained seven supernaturally beautiful outlets he could use if the inner beast that was his libido went on a rampage again.
But that was for later. For now, he held Solvei close as he glanced at the enemies she’d been fighting.
They were all recovering from their shock at his sudden appearance, and his foresight told him that they’d resume attacking momentarily.
He didn’t intend to give them a chance.
Dima, Yamini, deal with those empyreal animals.
I can handle them myself! spat Yamini, her striped tail twitching as flames began to sprout along her body.
I’ll wash them all away before you have a chance, cat, snickered Dima, the water she kept around herself already starting to surge.
Lex ignored their bickering. Sirrush, Spice, focus on the eladrin.
Ooh, this’ll be fun! squealed Spice, the succubus sounding delighted by the assignment he’d given her. I can’t wait to introduce them to Sugar!
I’d rather kill the elves, hissed Sirrush, claws flexing as her scaley tail thrashed. Say I can gut them!
They’re too strong for you, responded Lex, paying no attention to her outraged squawk before turning to the last member of his band. Carnelia.
I’m yours to command, lover, answered the brachina – that was apparently how “pleasure devil” was pronounced in Infernal – with a coy smile. Just tell me what you want me to do.
Lex’s eyes slid over to where Burly’s soul – he’d learned the stallion’s name from scanning Solvei’s memories just now, able to pull them from her mind as easily as he could her thoughts – was hovering over his body, trying to force its way back in. Handle that stallion before he becomes even more of a nuisance.
The redhead gave him a charming smile and a saucy wink as she adjusted her glasses. Consider it done. But what are you going to do in the meantime?
Lex didn’t answer immediately, instead glancing at Thilaera, Loraestil, and Vystalaran in turn...frowning as his gaze lingered on that last one.
I’m going to test out my new equipment.
That had been the second point of commonality in the deals he’d struck with the lesser titans: that each of them give him at least one magical item of considerable power.
And now, it was time to put the seven treasures he’d received to use.
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Upgrades, people! Upgrades!
Jokes aside, Lex certainly came out of the negotiation quite the winner here and I expect that the seven lesser titans will offer more to him to further ingratiate themselves to him down the line and I'm more than certain that their servants will do the same.
Still, as he pointed out, they're not trustworthy due to their agendas so he can't ever let his guard down with any of them, but so long as they serve him well and never jeopardize his goals or the safety and well being of those he cares for, he'll put up with them.
Lex uses his Suprise Attack round with Advantage to instead move various pieces while setting up the new board out of sight?
Using the Ioun Stones shows his much greater preference for continous or reuseable weaker items than one offs though his Wand of 5 uses was just about passable to his consideration?
11831675 Lex did indeed walk away from his liaison (that's really the best word for it) with those seven lesser titans with a lot to show for it. The irony, of course, is that he didn't get what he actually wanted, which was Adagio's soul. I call that ironic because wanting something very badly, but being unable to acquire it even as he finds numerous other valuable things in the effort, is really the story of Lex's life, i.e. that he wanted to be able to understand others, and has never been able to achieve that, even as he's acquired incredible power, immortality, political control, riches, magic, beautiful girls, etc.
Of course, the seven girls he's brought back with him are a very far cry from Solvei and his other "wives," in that they're not devoted to him, being more akin to allies (or even just allies of convenience) with their own goals and desires. Still, as Lex himself noted, he's confident that he can manage them, to the point of using spells and other abilities to serve as leashes on their ability to undermine him. We'll see if that works out the way he thinks it will...
11831985 "Advantage" is a D&D 5E-ism that Pathfinder 1E doesn't make use of.
That said, Lex does indeed seem to prefer continuous (or at least permanent) items to limited-use ones. That's likely because he can make his own limited-use items, either with his tulpa (which have to be designed as permanent items, but which he can use only for an extremely short period of time) or by putting spells into gemstones beforehand. Presumably the seven treasures he acquired from the lesser titans are more impressive than that.