Chapter 9: A marble Throne
I found myself back in the void, this time atop the marble throne rising above the pulsing sea of red. It was surprising to find that I was fully in control of myself, though I could not entirely remember why that was surprising.
In fact I had not the slightest idea where I was. The creepy mist below was making my skin crawl. It rose and fell almost like waves in slow motion, a blood-red tide upon a featureless background.
The landscape, if I could even call it that, was barren of anything but the marble tower I stood upon, and whatever the foggy depths concealed. Above there was nothing but grey air, seemingly devoid of life, clouds or even stars. There were no celestial bodies, nothing that could tell me if it was dawn, dusk, or the middle of the night. Though, I had to admit to myself that it felt a bit dawny-ish.
The air was still and smelled much like a dank cellar where something had died a long time ago. It was musty and thick, feeling almost as if it could at any moment choke me.
I resolved that the most reasonable course of action would be to stay atop the tower, there was even what looked like a throne just a few steps further up the stairs I found myself on.
I had tried sitting on thrones in some of the ruins I had come across, and they were never very comfortable. Hard, no pillows and with no lumbar support whatsoever. No wonder the kings of old were so cranky.
Though, I reasoned, most of the thrones I had come across were probably never intended for humans in the first place. Chrysalis had never mentioned any human-like sapient creatures inhabiting the world either. Neither had she mentioned what the world was called.
Not that the thought of asking had crossed my mind either. All I thought of it was ‘not-earth’ mixed with a few choice curse-words when it threw obstacles in my path. Like a volcanic canyon filled with sharp jagged rocks that both cut and burned when I threaded upon them.
Oh, and the lava was great too, lost the pants I woke up in when they caught fire. Good times.
During my introspection the mist swirled and churned below, and I didn’t notice the incorporeal tendril that had begun rolling up the stairs like smoke from a pipe.
Which, of course made the sound of something hard striking marble just behind me, followed by an unholy shriek of frustration, it scared the living daylights out of me.
I may or may not have screamed like a little girl. A very manly, bearded girl, with chest-hair and a solid pair of... well, enough of that.
I jumped and turned with a speed that would impress martial artists for ages to come, raising my fists and prepared to face whatever horrid demon it was that had made the sound that hadn’t startled me in the slightest.
It was quite the surprise to see not a demon, but a woman clad in a white, semi-translucent dress with a stylized sun embossed on the chest. She stood with one foot on what seemed to be a smoky red tentacle of sorts. It writhed and twisted, trying to get loose, but the woman seemed to have a solid hold on it only showing a slightly disgusted expression on her soft and beautiful face.
Her hair was the strangest thing I had ever seen, it seemed to be billowing even though the air was stiflingly still and stale. The coloration baffled me, it seemed to contain the colors of both dawn and dusk. Pink through to blue, it was mesmerizing.
Or it would have been, if the creature she was pinning hadn’t let out another scream of insane rage. It jolted me out of my reverie, and my attention was once more pulled back to the rolling sea of red.
A figure was coalescing out of the mist, another female. This one seemed to be naked, her skin was the red of blood. She was screaming in frustration, pulling at the hand that was pinned beneath the somewhat more normal woman’s foot. Oh, and did I mention that she was naked?
It dawned on me that both the women before me were rather... exposed. The first woman’s dress was not concealing much, and seemed to be made up of gossamer or impossibly thin silk. I blushed furiously as I felt my blood rush to both my heads, and I praised whatever gods that were out there that I was apparently wearing pants.
I couldn’t even remember when I had seen a woman last. Especially not two, nearly naked women that looked close to tearing each other new ones.
This was either a very good, albeit weird, dream, or I had somehow been transported to somewhere I could learn to like.
Then their images shimmered, it was almost as if what I saw was an image superimposed on top of another, and my blood drained itself back into my body.
The woman in the white dress shimmered back and forth between a white horse with a horn and wings. Its mane and tail was the same as the woman’s hair, and on her flank was the stylized image of the sun that had been on her dress.
Beneath her the red woman was both a rather attractive, well-endowed female, and something that seemed to be taken directly from the deepest pits of Tartarus. Her head was serpent-like, and sported a single horn that curved back over her head and down to her neck. The edge of it looked sharper than the edge of a honed sword. Her body was still somewhat humanoid, obviously female, but covered in dark red scales that shimmered like blood. The similarities ended at her waist, where a serpent’s body began. It coiled down into the dark, boiling fog.
I felt a pressure in my head, as if the decision of what I was looking at was increasingly hard to make. Just when it was about to become painful, the images stabilized, and I was once more looking at two women locked in a staring contest.
“What the actual fuck.” I muttered and sat down hard on the marble staircase. This seemed to snap the two women out of their silent contest.
The white-clad woman, hereby dubbed sun-tits, turned to me and smiled. The smile was warm, and the world was literally brighter for it. In fact, the grey expanse above us seemed to lighten, and I could feel the air stir in a gentle breeze, moving the stale air.
Below her the red-skinned woman grinned a sly and almost serpentine grin, revealing shiny white teeth, too normal to be real. Her grin nearly counteracted the warmth from Sun-tits, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I dubbed her snake-butt.
I was not quite in my right mind at the time.
“Walker.” They spoke at the same time, and stared angrily at each other. Sun-tits lifted her foot slightly, and snake-butt pulled her hand out immediately and waved it in the air, wincing.
Sun-tits took the moment of silence as an opportunity to speak. “Walker. You are not supposed to be here again.” She said, her voice was melodic and motherly at the same time.
“Not yet at least.” Snake-butt said, while blowing at her hand. The white-clad woman glared at her. Their voices seemed familiar somehow, as if I had heard them in a forgotten dream.
I just groaned and shook my head, trying to clear the building pressure. I felt a light tap on my forehead, and everything seemed to come into sharper focus, and the pressure popped like a bubble.
I looked up to see Sun-tits’ hand being pulled back. I rolled my eyes and rubbed them vigorously, as if I had just woken up from sleep.
The red woman was staring at the white-clad one as if she had just touched her most prized possession.
“No meddling!” She hissed angrily and strode forward. She was taller than I had expected, taller than Sun-tits by at least a hand.
“That was not meddling. I was merely clearing his head.” Sun-tits smirked. “I expect that he will need it.”
“Meddling!” The other woman said venomously.
“Would you both shut up? Please?” I said and stood up, trying to keep my attention on their faces. “Just tell me what the hell is going on here!”
“You are dead.” The snake woman announced with a grin. “Again!”
“Dead?” I asked, looking down at myself. I seemed to be whole.
“Only nearly dead, Walker.” Sun-tits said calmly, placing a hand on my shoulder. I pushed it off, and her smile fell slightly.
“How the hell can I be near death now?” I thought furiously, my body was unmarred, almost unnervingly so. For the first time I could remember, I was free of scars. “I was doing fi... Chrysalis...” Her name came out in a hurt whisper.
“Quite so!” Snake-butt exclaimed cheerfully. “Seems your dear and only friend in this world has betrayed you!” She seemed almost ecstatic, far too happy I thought.
I turned to the white-dressed woman, hoping that she would offer a contradiction. Instead her smile had vanished, replaced by a sad frown.
“How?” I asked softly.
Before Sun-tits could reply, the red woman broke out in laughter. It was more of a mad cackle than a laugh. “Oh, you foolish little human. Her kind’s blood is highly... viral, in a way.”
“I am afraid that she speaks the truth, for once.” The dressed woman said, almost hesitantly.
“Okay. So I’m infected? By changeling blood? That sounds ridiculous!” I said loudly. “Ever since I woke up on this world I haven’t even caught a bloody cold!”
“Oh. But their blood is not an illness.” Red said cheerfully. “It’s magic!”
“Magic?” I asked. “That’s impossible.”
They both stared at me as if I had grown another eye, I couldn’t help feel foolish.
“You have seen her use magic before, Walker.” Sun-tits said with an air of incredulity.
“Right, that’s... true.” I felt my cheeks burn. “I’m having a hard time remembering anything beyond the last few hours.”
“This place will do that to one such as you.” The seemingly normal woman said.
“One such as me, huh? And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Incomplete. That is what she means.” The snake-woman answered for her.
“And how am I incomplete? I feel pretty whole?” It was strange. When the sun-lady said ‘one such as you’. It felt like a statement, snake-butt’s answer felt rude, even though her tone was neutral.
“You will find out soon enough Walker.” Sun-tits said placatingly, waving the issue away as if it were nothing.
And it was nothing. The issue fled from my mind as a leaf carried away by the wind.
“Fine.” I looked over at the women, and took a seat upon the marble throne. It was as uncomfortable as I had imagined, hard and cold to the touch. “You know my name. I don’t know yours. It’s rude not to introduce oneself.” I rested my head on my hand. I tried placing my elbow on the armrest, but couldn’t find a comfortable position. Still, I held it, no use in making myself look like a fool.
“Oh my, so forward.” The red lady said with a smirk, she had crept to the foot of the throne, looking up at me with what I could only call lust. “But I suppose it can do no harm. Or it will, such things are not easy to foretell.” She placed a hand on my leg, and I suppressed a shiver. The touch felt possessive, dirty. “You may call me Ate. Keep it close, or you might lose it.” She smirked.
The sunny lady was hesitating, but she finally met my eyes. “I cannot tell you my name as it is. It would cause imbalance.”
“Ate...” The name felt wrong somehow, as if saying it would bring misfortune just by uttering it, “has told me hers. Wouldn’t not telling me cause an imbalance?”
“I have already caused a shift just by being here. And clearing your mind, bringing you closer to this place, was stretching it.” She answered demurely. “Ate,” Her mouth twisted with disgust “put the scales back in balance by telling you her name. The only reason I am here at all is that I could not leave you to her whims.”
“I have no idea who you are. And giving me her name has not given me much of a clue as to who she is either.” I said, raising an eyebrow.
Ate seemed disappointed. “You should know who I am by my name alone, but I suppose this only makes it more interesting.” Her disappointment morphed into a sly grin.
“Whatever.” I said dismissively. “I want a name.”
The white woman looked down, then up and met my eyes once more. “Very well. You can call me Sunna.”
Ate writhed against my leg and threw her hands in the air in frustration. “That’s cheating! That’s not your name!”
“Sunna? I like it.” I said with a smile. The name felt right for her, even if Ate proclaimed that it did not belong to her. At least it was better than sun-tits.
Sunna returned my smile and sat down on on one of the armrests. “Now. I believe you are curious as to what you are doing here?”
I snorted. “Yeah? You tell me that I’m dead, or dying, and leave it at that. Now you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “There is still hope. I believe that Chrysalis did not intend for her... influence to do quite what it did.”
“Hardly!” Ate said with a cackle. “She wanted to make you fall for her!”
“Fall for her?” I was confused. “And she thought this was a good way to do it? With blood? How does that even work?”
“You heard her yourself.” Sunna said with a sad smile. “Assimilation can mean many things. Changeling blood is versatile in it’s ways. It allows for her to connect to whomever ingests it, or somehow has it mixed with their own.”
“The good part is that she can control the victim.” Ate said with a grin. “It can make them do just. what. she. wants.” She punctuated it with sliding a red finger down my leg. I shivered.
“If allowed to fully mix with the host’s blood, it could turn him or her into one of her kind. A changeling fully under her control.” Sunna was looking with disgust down at Ate’s actions. “But you are different. The blood would not mix with yours as it would with others.”
“So. She tried to take control. Then what?” I asked intrigued, and a little bit disgusted.
Ate grinned, and brought her hands together with a bang louder than should be possible. “Conflict! Your body is currently fighting the blood with all its dwindling power.” She giggled. “Soon you’ll be all mine.”
“Or you can return, and fight it with your will as much as your body.” Sunna interjected. “But you will have to choose.”
“Choose between what?”
“That’s simple. Allow her in.” Ate’s grin widened. “Or die.”
“Are there no alternatives?” I asked, shocked.
Sunna placed a hand on my shoulder. It was warm. “I am sorry, but she speaks the truth.” She scowled at Ate. “Surprisingly enough.”
“What will happen if I let her ‘in’?” I made air quotes with my hands.
Ate seemed ready to tell me, but Sunne silenced her with a look. “We cannot tell you. You will have to see for yourself.”
“If you should choose to die.” Ate said, running a hand up my leg. “You can come with me.” She bit her lower lip. “I’ll make sure you won’t regret it...” Her hand crept closer to my crotch.
“But he will not die.” Sunne said, swiping at Ate’s hand. “There is hope, but only should you choose life.”
Ate looked dismayed, but resigned as well.
“Fine. How do I get back? I’m ready to make my choice.” I rose from the throne, and the two women rose with me.
Ate grasped my face in a hand and fixed me with a sultry grin. “Like this.” She moved her face closer to mine, and just when her lips were about to touch mine, she twisted my head sharply to the side with a sickening snap.
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2288806
Wow. Someone got it D:
You get points for awesome.
Well, I lol'd. Good (if confusing) chapter.
Good show sir, good show.
I beseech you to write more! For the sake of naked ladies! And adventure! And butts! And more naked ladies!
2289194
Thanks mate. Nice chapter.
That was a well written chapter. Confusing. But good.
Wow, I've just brought in Até as an antagonist in my fic Wild Card. For a minor Greek goddess, she's surprisingly popular.
Also, bumble onwards dear Walker! If you meet enough goddesses, you might one day learn what the hell is going on
I think Ate is a naga.
To any of those who are confused as to who Até is, this is a link to her wiki page
Basically she is the Eldest daughter of Zeus and represents mischief, folly, delusion, and ruin. She was cast down from Mt. Olympus after she convinced Zeus to make his fist mortal son a great ruler.
The word Até also refers to the action or decision preformed by a hero that leads to their downfall.
Awesome.
I think Ate is something Walker carried back with him from Earth. Original sin and what not.
I only wonder how Chrysalis is going to try to explain herself when Walker wakes up.
Let's hope you didn't break your promise from chapter 8...
Motherfucking Chrysalis, i hope this doesn't go how I think it will.
if 'Ate' isn't Chrysilas,
then is she Tartarus's ruler?
Ok, dude needs to beat the black offa dat bitch
2289381 2289553
Well. She is pretty awesome. Being the daughter of Zeus and Eris, goddess of chaos and discord does make her a pretty good fit for the story.
I don't enjoy this chapter as much of the previous one, and I'll just show some of the questions I had reading it. I don't expect answers, but it might help to know where some readers might be coming from.
From a narrative standpoint, why does Walker need to make some sort of spiritual decision instead of waking up and figuring out the hard way about a magical connection that's forced it's way into him? His immortality is broken by magic? Wouldn't most of the creatures and perhaps even items in the pony world be magical in some way, including the ones that have harmed him in the past? Is Chrysalis just that special?
Why is his life so important, and why has he only gained interest of nebulous greater Powers now? If he is so special, why have these greater Powers ignored him for decades on end only to give him advice that amounts to 'push x to not die, ttyl maybe lol.' I assume Sunna is Celestia, who has the resources of an entire nation at her disposal, in addition to her own godlike power, and a similarly powerful sister to ask for help.
2299666
I'll try to answer some of this without revealing much of the plot to come.
I'm not entirely sure I understood the first question, but I haven't had my coffee yet. But yes, I could have just made them throw him to the wolves after a "You'll have to choose," without actually explaining what it would be between. That would have worked too, and I'm pretty sure what would happen next would be interesting to read. I think this worked as well, because he doesn't really know what it would entail 'to give in to her'. Can't really say more.
His immortality... Well, not dying from physical wounds and being immune to magical effects are two different things. And lingering/passive magical effects are different again. It's not like he has actively gone in to get himself hurt during his wanderings, and there are places where he hasn't been able to enter. The changeling blood is a kind of passive/active thing that depends on the presence of another changeling that can 'shape' the effect. This particular occasion is different because his body isn't reacting to the blood as it 'should', as well as Chrysalis already sharing a 'bond' of sorts with him.
Why is his life so important? Well. That's one of the questions that I can't answer without spoiling things.
Since he woke up he has had the urge to walk towards the rising sun. It's as good as any direction, isn't it? It's nok like something happened just about right outside where he had settled down for a while. I think you get the idea, and hope I don't come off as snappy, I'm not. I have coffee now.
As to why 'Sunna' isn't invoking all her resources... Well, first of that wouldn't make for much of a story. Sure, it could be interesting and a good read, but it wouldn't be this one.
The Journey is often more important than the destination.
I hope I answered your questions to your satisfaction, if not, feel free to PM me and we can discuss more there. I'm always open for critique.
read all of these chapters today, i was not disappointed.
can't wait til' the next chapter
2312946
This.
and by Celestia's beard your avatar is adorable xD
2339658finally someone who think's it's adorable
everyone just calls it ugly
Out of chapters
. Aw well, enjoy your vacation, and can't wait for more!
2376982>>2377275
You're actually the first that has noticed that none of them eats... The reason why is that Chrysalis knows a tiny little bit about what Walker is, but she doesn't want to tell. She did hint at knowing stuff in the... second? Third? chapter, the one where she starts laughing like a crazy-horse. Why? She thinks it's funny, even though it kinda grates on her that he seems to have forgotten.
And now that I'm back, there will be more. I'm starting the next chapter today if I get the time, or tomorrow. It's been stirring in my head for long enough now.
well thats a way to be waken from a dream.
Very interesting story. I enjoy it sofar. Keep up the good work!
MOAR!!!
Codex Alera, eh? I barely see it. Though I guess Bloody crows could be one. Walker is an Aleran?
ha ha "Sun-tits" (I'm so immature for laughing at that so much)
Also: incoming predicable joke!
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/103/d/5/praise_the_sun__by_bozikis-d61je08.png
Ate, the Greek Goddess of Ruin...
...I like Ate.
Ehehehh
Well that was unsettling.