Chapter 49: The Palace

POV David

I blinked and looked at my surroundings as I tried to find my bearings. Soft rugs and carpet covered the floor, silk and velvet drapes hung from pink columns. A purple mist hung in the air, various perfumes and incense. I looked a bit beyond where I found myself and saw pillows littered everywhere in lazy piles. Near couches and futons, at the foot of sprawling beds and just in massive piles.

Slowly sounds made their way back into my ears. Laughter, melodic singing and a soft comforting breeze that stirred the air. I looked for the source of the laughter but I couldn't see anyone through the veils and haze. A thick feeling permeated the air… like a primal desire…

I reached for my sword only to remember I'd given it to Shyora… I tried using 'telepathy' but no one responded… were they too far? If so… where was I? I spun as I heard more laughter, but there wasn't anyone there. The breeze flowed again, stirring the curtains to my left.

I carefully walked over, and peered beyond the veil. The same scenery repeated itself. I looked around again, I looked up to see the veils falling from a ceiling hidden by the colorful swirling mist. The breeze passed again, moving in a straight line, gently fluttering the veils.

I steeled myself and walked forward. Laughter came, this time from further ahead. But now indistinct chatter as well. I continued on my path, the breeze occasionally blowing to the left or right. The chatter grew more distinct as I continued until I could clearly make out what was being said.

"You like it when sister treats you like that?" a soft voice purred. A gruff groan replied. A sharp crack followed and another groan followed. I saw two figures through a curtain, a tall effeminate figure with a whip driving her heel into another figure on the floor. I crept closer, and peered through the veils separating us.

The figure curled her whip as she stepped off of the figure below her. She spoke with a voice like silk. "Now do you know why we listen to big sister?"

The figure on the ground stood, nodding. I backed away. That thing…it was a mass of limbs and torso stitched together to create a larger whole. "Yes m-mistress."

"Good."

The breeze blew insistently at me. I turned and followed it when the figures glanced in my direction. I'd briefly seen their tags appear. Solid red, level 8 and 11. I had no desire to discover how much that might hurt to fight. I continued for a while, navigating by the breeze alone when a figure suddenly appeared on the opposite side of a veil from me. The breeze reversed its course but the figure parted the veil before I could reverse my course.

"A human… here? What a treat…" The beautiful woman licked her lips. The horns, wings, and tail were so similar to Shyora… so she was a succubus. Where the hell was I?

She was pressed against me in an instant and I froze, her fingers teased my waist as she smiled seductively. "Let's have some fun dearest…"

'Charm resisted, A lesser succubus attempted to charm you.'

I stared at the slate before looking at the woman as she rose on her toes to kiss me. I quickly grabbed her and kicked her feet out from under her. Her wings flapped wildly as she fell. I dropped my knee on her wing and restrained her. "Where the hell am I?"

"Rough play dear?" she cooed as she squirmed under me. I grabbed the whip from her waist and threw it to the side. I dug my knee further into her wing and she cried out in pain.

"Let's start simple then." I muttered as I selected my skill.

'Command'. "Cooperate."

"What do you want?" she asked as she stopped squirming.

"Where am I?" I asked again.

"In the Palace of Seduction." She replied. What now?

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Rade." She replied

"Will you resist?" I asked as I dug my knee a little deeper into her wing's fleshy spines.

"No."

I slowly stood and let her go. She turned to me with a blank look. Almost a minute had passed, I was ready to fight her again but she stood completely still and watched me as the effects of the skill wore off. "Who are you?"

"You don't need to know." I replied.

"A human that isn't affected by my Succubus charm… You are interesting…" she mused softly. She slowly struck an erotic pose.

"Let's fuck." she winked.

I blinked and ignored the carnal feeling in me. "No."

Rade blinked in surprise, her mouth agape. She was halfway through taking off the revealing dress. I snorted and shook my head to clear it of this damn perfume… wait… I sniffed again. There was a strong aphrodisiac in the air, it was being masked by all the perfumes and incense.

Rade straightened and looked at me in amazement. "Why did you come to the palace? If not to satiate your desires?"

"I suppose I was summoned." I replied evenly. Rade shook her head.

"No mortal is just summoned to the Palace. You must be someone special then, or you want to strike a pact." She grinned and struck another pose.

"You are a lucky human, I'll strike a pact with you, I'll only take your soul in exchange for eternal pleasure." she smiled.

"Not interested…" I replied.

Rade pouted for a moment. "Perhaps you wish to trade someone else's soul?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Where's the exit?"

Rade giggled. "You don't just leave you silly human. Everything here is at our Queen's whim. She decides if you get to leave."

Finally, some sort of progress. "What will it take for you to take me to her?"

"Your soul…" Rade hid her smile behind her hand like a shy girl. This bullshit is getting annoying. I glanced at my skills… command was still on cooldown, would the transformation work? I did hold the title succubi prince… maybe it only worked when I was in that form?

I closed my eyes and selected the 'daemon form'. Rade gasped audibly as the transformation overtook me. She took several steps backwards and stumbled into a pillar. Fear shone like beacons from the depths of her eyes. She sputtered as I let my wings unfurl.

Everything came into a new focus. My senses tingled with the massive amounts of stimuli I was now receiving. I almost grunted in annoyance that my clothes were absolutely tainted beyond salvation. The shirt and pants were too tight, leaving no details to the imagination as to what was underneath.

"You… you!" Rade tried to become one with the pillar. I smirked a bit. Daemons were supposed to be arrogant assholes right?

"Are you going to take me to the Queen? Or do I need to teach you a lesson?" I let my voice slip into a growl at the end. Rade shook her head violently.

"I… I don't know where the Queen is." She sputtered.

I grabbed her chin and stared into her eyes. I snorted and let go of her. Fucking hell… I left her as I walked a few partitions over. The breeze pushed to my left. At this rate this breeze was my best bet…