Breeding Madness Vol 1 Outline (Patreon)

Sorry this took so long. I've been in a funk lately and when I kept thinking I was out of it, it would get stupid again. It's mostly because of my weird sleeping schedule, but after giving in and doing some writing in bed on my ipad instead of at my desk I've managed to speed back up again and am getting back to 3-4k words a day.

Remember that this is written for my ghostwriting friend so there are points where I'm talking to her specifically/points where I'm like 'describe this'.

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1 Opening Dream Sequence

We start with a vague description of Mithimere, a city beyond a dense forest and an unending sea of fog. It is on top of a silvery lake, floating on streets made of solidified mana. You can be vague and poetic, don't mention the name. It's a dream, and I don't have actual notes about the city or any of its features beyond these basic things. It's the biggest mage town there is, so mentioning a few vague things of that nature might be good.

Floating above the city is a ringed school on silvery clouds. It's old, ancient, awe-inspiring. A boy is in one of its many libraries. He's young, scared. Describe Zethras while remembering he's an ugly child and don't name him. We see flashes of him getting bullied as he approaches his destination. Every one of the many libraries in the Magicademy has a forbidden section. Dark, evil tomes. Magic no one was supposed to learn.

If he didn't go in and bring a book back, he was going to get in trouble with his bullies. Not that they could do anything worse to him than the teachers would as soon as they found out, but he didn't have a choice.

He reaches the entrance to the forbidden section. Play it up and make it spoopy, like the teachers are trying way too hard to make it look suspicious. There's only one way in that he can see. Knowing what this school is like, Zethras believes there is going to be some charm or spell or golem around that will catch him. He casts a couple of spells to try and detect magic, but he's young and not very skilled so his results are unreliable at best.

He briefly considers telling the teachers but can't even think about what the other kids would do to him.

Zethras gives in and walks straight through the entrance, expecting to be obliterated, teleported into danger, or some other magic trap to activate. Nothing does. He's very confused but the confusion gives way to interest when he takes in the view. Describe the evil magic library.

Instead of fear, Zethras is very into what he's seeing. He feels a calling among the many shelves, something he's never felt before. He approaches curiously, opening a random book of dark magic. Feel free to make up a topic for flavor. It doesn't take long until he's enthralled. He doesn't understand a word of it, but then again he's unable to understand most magic beyond a basic level. Still, this is different. He sits down and leans against the bookshelf to focus on what he sees.

His heart stops as soon as he hears footsteps coming from the opposite aisle. Zethras looks around for places to hide and leaves the aisle he's in, soon finding a study desk which he ducks underneath of, but someone grabs him from behind and the moment is played for horror.

A gentle and loving woman's voice apologizes and mumbles to herself about forgetting how she's not supposed to touch him when they're like this, causing Zethras to look back at her as he holds his book to his chest in fear. What he sees is Emla in her human form wearing a pretty red dress. Describe her features, but despite how beautiful she is, the boy's intuition tells him this woman will devour him whole if given a chance. Draw some kind of comparison to monsters, hinting at her nature.

Zethras nervously leaves the table and places his book on the desk then asks the woman why is she here and if he's going to get in trouble.

Why would you? We come here all the time, don't we?

Zethras is confused. This is his first time here.

She tilts her head and asks is it?

Zethras is now suddenly a teenager, and he really did not go soft on him. Boils, acne, greasy skin and hair, etc. don't make it seem like a sudden realization. It just happens.

He realizes she's right and he's angsty. Not sure why he keeps coming here when it never does him any good. He looks down at his book which is now an entire pile of books and the desk is covered in frustrated notes of his own making.

Emla says he might just not be the book learning type. Everyone child learns at different rates and excels in different ways.

Zethras, now eighteen, scoffs at this. He sits down at the desk which is now clear of books. He says tell my professors that, because I'm all out chances. I always thought it was weird how this place had no defenses and that I could just walk right in, but I never thought it was-

Emla's shushes him and sits across from him at the study desk. Supportive, she asks if he needs to vent about this again. She's always willing to listen even if she's heard it all before.

Zethras isn't sure what she means but disregards it just says he found out he can't stay here anymore, they're kicking him out now he's graduated from the basic schooling program. No college.

Emla asks if that really bothers him.

He'll miss the library but admits that he never felt like he belonged here anyway and it was nice to know for sure that no one wanted him so he could move on with his life.

She reassures him that he'll find somewhere to belong, but Zethras, now fully grown and spiteful, laughs in her face. He looks older than his twenty-five years and is already starting to get some streaks of gray in his hair.

I never did. Four years of wandering around doing this and that, never finding anywhere he could really fit in, and now he's stuck in shitty town with the worst job he's ever had. He looks around at the library and frowns. This was the only place that ever felt welcoming to him.

No wonder I keep dreaming about it.

She's smiling and impressed at him. It usually takes him longer to realize he's dreaming, asks what his first clue was. Filled with confidence knowing this was a dream, he says I never ran into anyone as pretty as you here in real life.

She's bashful but very appreciative and flirty back at him while stressing he shouldn't get any funny ideas just because it's a dream. Things are much more real than you might expect, and if you were to touch me you just might lose yourself completely. The way she talks is like a mother pointing out the obvious.

Losing himself doesn't sound bad to him. She gets the sense that he's very depressed and she tries to comfort him but it doesn't work. Emla then reveals to him that he doesn't have to worry much longer. He's almost there. Things have been a motion for a long time now and you're almost ready.

Ready for what?

To take your place where you belong, my beloved husband.

Zethras looks at her like she's crazy but she stares at him with an expression of adoration and love. What a sad man I am he assumes, conjuring up women in his dreams to comfort him.

Emla laughs at his naïveté before telling him to extend his hand. What about losing myself whole? She reminds him that she grabbed him a moment ago and it didn't do anything, right? He reluctantly does what she asks and she cautiously holds his hand for a moment while studying his expression. She starts to beam- this is wonderful. Her even further along than I thought! It might actually be time...! Yes, I can feel it! We're going to be together! Aren't you excited?

Zethras is concerned and answers with uncertainty as he feels a strange, creeping sensation the longer he looks at this woman. She smiles wider and wider, only then does he notice how inhumanly sharp her teeth become. He starts noticing other strange things about her as her features begin to morph. Behind her, Zethras sees a looming shadow made up of infinite beasts. Claws, talons, fangs, anything else you can think up. It threatens to swallow everything, including himself, and then it does.

2 Morning and Delivery

Zethras awakens, startled and covered in sweat. He gasps for air and looked around his darkened room. It's in the basement so there's no natural light. He tries lighting a sconce on the wall with fire magic but we see he's unskilled and it takes him several attempts to light it, Zethras becoming frustrated.

He mutters something about the wild dream he just had, but the life of him he can't remember anything about it. Nothing too out of the ordinary there, his dreams are always messy affairs and he always has trouble remembering them. Zethras can't help feeling like he's forgetting something important this time, though, but resigned himself knowing it was probably something stupid meant to distract him from the shitty day he was about to have.

Checking his clock reveals that it's about time for him to get up, anyway. He looks around his room for his robe, and we get a sense of the kind of person he is from the things he keeps. He should have three years worth of dark magical knickknacks and dusty books and scrolls. He finds his robe eventually but believes someone moved it while he was sleeping. We see his paranoia as he looks around the room again, telling the evil to show itself.

Nothing does and he mutters something about how crafty kobolds are. Those overgrown mountain lizards think they're so clever, that they can just sneak in to human society and control the world from behind the scenes- but Zethras is onto them. He believes himself to be above everyone else in a way. Not a very good way at this point in time, in a everyone else is a sheep way.

After eating some random food he keeps around for breakfast, up to you, and doing what little self-care he does in the morning, include a bit where he's at his mirror where we establish that he's ugly, he dreads leaving his room. He knows as soon as he does he's going have to go check on that idiot Lord.

Sighing, the mage picks up his staff- a very cheap, wooden thing barely befitting a hedge wizard let alone a suppose a court mage.

There's a knock on the door and Zethras reacts with paranoia, pointing his staff at the door and reflexively firing off what is supposed to be a ball of dark energy but is little more than a cotton ball of shadows. Probably for the best it didn't actually work, he considers. In an exaggerated tone Zethras asks the person to state their business.

On the other end is a maid, one not in the mood for this shit. She tells him that some more of his magic bullshit got here and if he doesn't open it up she's throwing it all away.

Collecting his evil paraphernalia is the only solace Zethras has in the world, so he drops the act and gets very defensive and apologetic as he opens the door. The maid is Rin in her human form. She's very bossy and rude, walking all over him which he stands by and allows even if on the inside he's thinking nasty and vengeful things. Perhaps add in some sort of indication that she knows what he's thinking. Subtle. Like her eyebrow twitching after he thinks something rude.

She drops his box on the floor and tells him to go through everything and make sure it's all there. Zethras insists he can do that alone but she threatens him to get it done with now so she knows whether or not he's missing anything. She says that she doesn't want to get in trouble with the Lord, and as rude as Zethras can be, he relates to that at least and he acquiesces.

He sorts through his most recent order. He'd used the warpstone network to visit Grimme's Grotto a while back and purchased some random things from one of his favorite dark magic shops. Details up to you, so long as it fits him but included is something he did in order- a slab written in strange indecipherable glyphs.

There is a sort of fake out as he stares at it- Rin is staring at him, he's staring at the glyphs. Things are tense but instead of driving him mad he's just like, I didn't order this. She is oddly annoyed and asks if he notices anything weird about it but he doesn't. She grumbles and rubs her temples, cursing.

Zethras has the paranoid thought that maybe this is a trap of some sort. He didn't order this, so he's suspicious of it. He hands it to Rin and says dispose of it. She gets uppity and talks down to him, you think you can tell me what to do, human? Zethras narrowed his eyes. Human?

Rin suddenly has elf ears and he blinks, wondering if those were there a second ago before thinking nothing of it. You are a maid, aren't you? Just to see to this, I unfortunately have a job to do. Tired of dealing with the strange maid, Zethras thrusts the stone slab into her grasp, puts his loot box on to a nearby desk and then hurriedly struts off. Rin's eyes flash angrily at him as he goes.

3 Mini-chapter

for a short time, we change to following one of the manor's maids, Fleur Smallgrove. An illegitimate daughter of Lord Grovewick and a drerlander woman who was long since died. She has the Drerland skin tone but not the facial features. Like many of his children, she's relegated to working in the basement of the manor. I'm going to let you define her experiences and her basic thoughts and feelings, but overall she is a sweet yet plain dark-haired girl with glasses who doesn't stand out.

We get a short definition of some of her duties, including cleaning out some of her Lord father's 'entertainment' chambers and feeding the 'entertainment'. Make sure to keep this vague but obvious. It's not all bad, hints that her prettier siblings have it worse... but between all of her shitty jobs, there's one piece of joy in life. She's the personal maid of Master Zethras.

Sort of. It's not official or anything, that's what she considers herself.

Not many would take pride in that, but she insists he's not as bad as everyone thinks he is. He's not even that ugly, either. He is always nice to her and she wishes she could only be of more service to him. Now she's finished with her current task, it's time to go and tidy up his room. He's very strict with how he likes everything unorganized, but Fleur mastered it to the point where he didn't like anyone else doing it. She took pride in that especially.

When she gets to his door, it's directly after he's just left and Rin is still standing there with the slab. Fleur is downtrodden that someone else is here to do her work, and although it's intimidating, she summons up the courage to say that it's her job to take care of Master Zethras's needs.

Rin is dismissive, yeah sure, but can you come over here and do me a favor? Fleur innocently agrees. Rin asks the girl to see if she notices anything weird about this and hands her the slab.

The poor girl stares at the slab and unlike Zethras, it has an immediate effect on her. She begins to sweat, her eyes dilate, her mouth foams as the glyphs sear and burn themselves into her fragile mind. Feel free to play of the horror of this girl going mad so that Rin's impassive reaction is funnier when the girl plops over and drops the slab, breaking it into many pieces.

Rin is annoyed and cradles her head, cursing again. She walks away from the scene and the unconscious girl as she sends out a telepathic message that she isn't happy about. 'Lady Emlaalth'kir was right. He's ready.'

4 Lord Baldwin Grovewick

Zethras walks through Grovewick Manor. We get a brief overview of the so-called noble House of Grovewick, who are one of the least powerful noble families of Hollobell. They are middling merchants by nature who just so happen to have a famous knight back in their family tree who served a much more influential man who granted the knight and his family rank for his deeds.

The current Lord was one Baldwin Grovewick- Zethras's employer as of the last three years. Zethras thinks back to the time he first came to Hollobell. He was at a low point in life, having just lost another job and he felt an inexplicable urge to come here to the city on the edge of the Drerland swamps, and why not? It was one of the last major towns in Rhoivan he'd yet to try, mainly because it was so close to the border with Tior and Zethras didn't like to hang about the place, but it was worth a shot.

The second he got there, the whole town seemed to be talking about how Lord Grovewick's prior court mage had died of mysterious circumstances and that he was now looking for a new one. The timing seemed too good to be true. He wasn't much of a mage by his own admission, but he still was one, so he put in an application. If only Zethras knew what he did now, he never would've applied.

Zethras readies himself for how bad it's going to be before entering his lord's court. It's a very small one and the only people there are a few nights, some business associates, and a bunch of servants. Lord Baldwin has a worrying fascination with the local Drerlander's and his staff was filled with them. Girls, mostly, and some young boys for good measure. The implication is obvious.

Lord Baldwin himself is on his seat of power, a very shabby looking thrown for even shabbier looking man. He is the personification of a slug. Drooling, glazed over eyes, one leg propped up covered in magical glowing gout, a Drerlander girl sitting on his lap. She looked vaguely uncomfortable but still has the typical smile and wide-eyed expression of her people.

The chattering stops and everyone looks at Zethras with Baldwin sarcastically greeting his mage. He inquires if Zethras received his little package of magical trinkets or whatever, and Zethras ingratiate's the Lord and thanks him for his generosity at fueling his ongoing studies of the magical arts.

There is some scattered laughter at this, but Baldwin quiets them down and thinks it's a noble pursuit. Maybe one of these days he'll buy something that makes him worth keeping around? More laughter. One of the guests asks why Baldwin does keep Zethras around, as it's not like he can solve any problems around here. Zethras clutches his staff and Baldwin thinks about this before strangely being unable to answer, as if there is a reason but he can't remember it. Another hint that something isn't right around here.

Zethras takes advantage of the Lord's confusion to reaffirm his loyalty to the court, explaining how Lord Baldwin is a generous man who even has a place for someone as lowly as himself. It's no secret that my talents aren't the stuff of legends, but I serve to the best of my ability. It pains him to say, but he adds, however low they might be.

Baldwin laughs and suddenly remembers that's why he keeps Zethras around- nobody in all the realms kisses ass quite so well. He grabs the Drerlandian girl by the hair and tells her to take notes, she'll need it for tonight. She's very uncomfortable by the implication, but the court doesn't seem anything other than amused.

Zethras feels drastically out of place. He looks around at all these mocking people living shallow empty lives, hating every last one of them and wishing them dead. The narration gives off a couple of anecdotes about these people here, juicy and disgusting details about them, culminating in the fact that the only people attracted to Lord Grovewick were just as bad as him.

Guess that says a lot about him, Zethras considers. He hated it here, but he didn't have any plans to ever leave. This was as good as it would get for him. Being a court mage was an honor someone of his talent wouldn't normally be afforded and it came with enough benefits and gold to bear with it...

Just as he thinks this, Baldwin beckons him closer and orders Zethras to begin today's treatment. Zethras is struck with horror. Here? Why not. Let's show everyone how helpful you can be. He painfully wiggles his gout ridden toes at Zethras, who begrudgingly takes a vial of potion from his belt.

He had advanced gout so powerful that even magic and alchemy could do little for it, and one of Zethras's main duties was continually experimenting on curing and treating it. Potions and healing were not his expertise, so he was fighting an uphill battle. That, and Zethras suspected the Lord didn't even want to be cured. The reason for that was simple- he lived to humiliate others, and Zethras was forced to subject himself to this if he wanted to keep his job.

There was always a sick smile on Baldwin's face whenever he watched Zethras apply his medicine, and today was no exception. It was bigger than usual on account of the crowd who watched in disbelief as Zethras poured the potion against the gout-ridden leg and winced as he started to rub it in.

Baldwin groans in pain. The girl looks away, still uncomfortable. This is definitely something that should've been done by someone of her standing, which was the point. People laugh and as Zethras continues his disgusting treatment Baldwin volunteers the mage's service to anyone who needs it. Come up with a few humiliating things they propose, all while Zethras smiles and bears it.

Chapter ends as Baldwin says it looks like Zethras has a busy day ahead of him, which Zethras grins saying he lives to be of service while inwardly thinking he's going to kill this man eventually.

5 Walking through the Town and Visiting Bookstore

give a short rundown of how the next couple of hours went for Zethras, how humiliating they were, how annoyed he is with everything, and so on. Worse, when he finally got a moment to himself his personal maid was unconscious in front of his chambers and no one noticed her until he did. He had to bring her to the servants quarters himself, not an easy task for someone so physically weak, but he felt bad for Fleur. She was nice to him and while somewhat ignorant of her, the thought of anything happening to her didn't sit right with him. Of course when he dropped her off her fellow maids assumed he'd done this or that, experimenting on her or using her, which he had to deny.

After all that, he's alone in his chamber and brooding. He's a dramatic person, so you can flip between narration and him muttering to himself. He can't keep suffering this humiliation, but his years spent traveling on the road and hopping from job to job stop him from just packing his things right now and leaving. He's comfortable. Things are secure, and as long as he can keep up his mask, doing something about it isn't worth the risk. At least, that's what Zethras tells himself.

Reality is he desperately wants to kill Lord Baldwin and is getting harder and harder to deny himself what he wants. His thoughts are flooded with ways to end this disgusting man- detail a few over the top and comical ideas he has to accomplish this.

Lord Baldwin is unmarried but has a number of bastards in the manor and out in Hollobell itself, so presumably one of them would take up the title of Lord Grovewick and everyone would be better off for it- most of all himself.

Still... Zethras believes acting on his impulses foolish for one simple reason- he'd be the most likely suspect. He'd read enough history books in the Magicademy to know everything always get pinned on the suspicious-looking dark mage before anyone else. Sure, a lot of the time those suspicions were correct but Zethras mumbles how perhaps if all those idiots don't want to keep getting murdered by dark mages then maybe they should stop treating us like less than human and giving us a reason to want to kill them all.

He tears at his hair as he becomes more depressed, wondering if there's even a point in continuing along with his life in this direction. He's not accomplishing anything- all of his experiments and attempts at learning higher magic go awry- to illustrate this maybe have him look at one of his workstations and describe some of the failed projects. He has no friends. He's never bothered with women nor was he about to start anytime soon.

With no future ahead of him, why not just go for it? (Out of character here but it's important to portray him more as a bumbling cartoon villain here than a justified antihero. Don't want to inspire anyone. He's at a low point in his life and he's capable of much better than this.)

Zethras decides fuck it, there'd be no harm in looking into ways to dispose of his problem and decides to make a trip to one of his favorite local bookstores. He debated using the warpstone network to pop over in Grimme's Grotto but decided he didn't feel like the hassle today. He has a quick meal, departs the manor, and sets off to the town square of Hollobell. Here is where you can take some of the things in the document I said about it and expand on them. Give a little flavor to it while drawing attention to the Drerlanders living here, with their faintly bluish skin tone, wide eyes and often gaping mouths.

They aren't the main population, but they're everywhere. Zethras himself finds them interesting- they are very obviously affected by the magical environment they came from- but most people look down on them with disdain, or in Baldwin's case, abuse them in other ways. It's hard not for him to feel sympathy when he sees so much of himself in the former swamp dwellers. At least a lot of them are just happy to be out of Drerland, rough treatment or not.

Somewhere among all this work in a reference to the calling of the swamp just so to establish for later on.

Zethras dwells on the swampy province and how close it is from here. He'd learned a lot about Drerland in his Magicademy days, and he knows full well how the place is beyond cursed ever since that whale fell from the sky millennia ago. There were forces at play some said were beyond the scope of dark magic and even beyond moral comprehension. An exaggeration, most likely, but one Zethras hoped was true.

He wanders into a dark alley where at the back is his favorite bookstore. It wasn't the biggest in Hollobell, but it was the one that catered to people with his tastes. Set the mood and describe it a little, but as Zethras approaches, he hears a scream coming from inside most likely belonged to the shop keep. He debates on what to do, clutching his staff defensively, and against all reason he charges forward. The owner wasn't Zethras's friend, but he was a decent man and that was worth risking himself for.

He opens the door and goes inside. Nothing is amiss, aside from a girl who Zethras had never seen before manning the counter. This is Nia in human form, so describe her as such with her wearing a cute dress. She's bratty and teasing, asking him what the big deal is with a smile. Zethras explained he heard a scream and thought it was the owner.

Nia tilts her head. I didn't scream just now. Are you sure your hearing is okay?

You're not the...

Nia continues to stare at him, and Zethras experiences a dull ache in his head which he rubs. He apologizes, explaining it's been a long day. She smirks, amusing herself with this new charade. Asks if he needs to vent about it to her like he always does.

Zethras then leans across the table and sighs- suddenly acting as if Nia is an old friend of his. He complains about some of the shit he had to do today and Nia is mockingly supportive of him but he's so hypnotized he can't tell she's talking down to him. Zethras slammed his fist on the table and explains how badly he wants to kill that inbred fuck- he's more inbred than half of Drerland, you know, his family tree intersects more times than a patch of briar!

Nia advises him to cool his shit and scream a little louder, why don't you. Zethras apologizes and hangs his head, she teasingly pats his shoulder and says to keep his chin up. Then, in a dangerous voice, she asks if he's serious about wanting to kill the fat fuck. Zethras hardly hesitates, looking up into her eyes with conviction and confirming his intentions.

Nia is apparently satisfied with that she sees and continues smiling. She stresses something he already figured, that he'd be the first suspect no matter well he hid his crime. No matter how accepted mages are in the common era, everyone is still looking for the first excuse to throw you people in the pyre, especially ugly looking dark mages like you.

Zethras tells her he knows, and Nia tells him to say it properly, humorously making him say I'm an ugly looking dark mage with her powers. She laughs, very amused, and Zethras doesn't react at all. Again, he stresses she's always been there for him-

for as long as you can remember, right?

Zethras's head hurts again and after it settles he confirms this as true. We were taken from the same village as children and throughout my days at the Magicademy you were always there for me- Nia is snorting- so I feel like I can trust you more than anyone else. He asks her what he should do with himself. He wanted to come here and look for books on inspiration, but do you think it's even a good idea?

I think it's always a good idea to follow your heart, she advises. If your heart is telling you you need to kill a man, then why is he still breathing?

Zethras ponders on this and his mind is more made up. You're right. I'll plan it out and not get caught. Nia points out is a really easy way for him to escape that he hasn't even considered- the swamp. If you go to Drerland, no one will come after you.

His delayed reaction is one of amused disbelief. He can't even comprehend going into Drerland. Maybe as far as its capital, but into the actual swampland? Never. Nia wonders if he's immune to the calling.

Zethras also laughs at this, dismissing the phenomenon as just another scheme by the kobolds. Nia is lost now. He's like I'm sure we talked about this before, haven't we? She says sure but why don't you remind me.

Those damned lizard people living in the mountains- they're in charge of everything. The monarchy, the council of archsages, the dukes, they got their scaly fingers in everything using their magic to conceal themselves among us...

Nia confirms you believe there's a secret group of monsters influencing humanity to better fit their agenda? Zethras says yes and Nia has a fit- the irony is way too much for her to bear, we just don't know that yet. She tells him to never change, he's too much.

He is hurt she doesn't believe him but to make it up to him she says she has something special. She leaves the booth- but not after a man's groaning voice calls out from under it which makes Nia stop her foot down and shoot Zethras another headache through her eyes. He asked if he just heard something, but he believes her when she says it's no big deal.

His head is really starting to hurt now and Nia mumbled to herself about how his tolerance has improved a bunch but he still can't handle it for too long. He doesn't hear her and she leads him past the dusty shelves of dark books to the row in the furthest section.

She urges him head and says he should know which one to pick, and sure enough, Zethras does after only a quick look at the shelf. The book is big, obviously magic, and it calls to him in a voice he faintly recognizes like one he'd heard in a dream. He takes it and it pulses with magic in his hands. The cover has the mark of Emlaalth'kir- the womb tattoo featured on the character references. Every so often it glows pink.

Just by looking at it it captivates his mind and his hands tremble to hold it. He forgets where he is, what he's doing, he's suddenly consumed with understanding that he needs to read this book. Nia weaves her hand in front of his face to test how into it he is, asking if he lost his mind and all that fun stuff or no.

Zethras briefly snaps out of it and he apologizes before asking how much he owes for the book. He is manic, insisting he has to have it. Nia says he's already paid, he just doesn't know it yet. Zethras is too caught in his frenzy to think much of this and merely thanks her as he leaves. She is amused by this and looking forward to what the future holds, as things are about to get a lot more interesting from now on.

6 Opening the Book

clutching the book to his chest and storming through the manor, Zethras holes up in his study and wipes his largest reading desk clean, brushing it with his sleeve. Books topple onto the floor and some cups fall and break. Zethras doesn't care. He just places his new book at the center of the desk and pulls out his chair to sit.

We get some more detailed observations about the book as Zethras looks at it. He's never seen anything like this, not even in the forbidden libraries of his youth. Even in the state he's in, he knows that opening the book will be a point of no return. Whatever was written within it he would never be able to rid himself of the knowledge.

Zethras does it anyway. He didn't care about the consequences, he has the belief that this book was made specifically for him somehow and that everything would work itself out as long as he read it. He finally cracks it open and braces himself.

A maddening pink light bursts out of the pages, his thoughts becoming corrupted and consumed by lust, ambition, and a powerful urge to breed and procreate. These strange emotions last only a moment as the light subsides and Zethras takes a look at the pages now he's back in control. As expected, the knowledge inside is written in an ancient script he has no way of translating.

He curses, believing himself a fool to think this would be so easy. He flips through the pages, looking for anything that immediately stands out to him. There are illustrations that hurt his mind to look upon. Mindbending diagrams. Other dreadful things. They beckon him to continue even as the pain increases and he's done skimming through the massive book in a few minutes.

Zethras falls back in his chair, disappointed. Forget about giving him inspiration to kill his employer, as it stood, it didn't do anything for him at all. He doesn't know why he let himself get so carried away. It was just a book, the same as any other of his tomes, and aside from giving him a headache there wasn't that much special about it. He had to face the truth- he was desperate and looking for anything to give him hope.

After brooding about it for a moment, he decides to not give up so easily. Something about the book was still calling to him and he couldn't ignore the possibility that there was something to it. Zethras gets up and checks the books in his study, looking for some translation guides and books on ancient runes. He then remembers he brought them out to the reading chair in his bedroom the other night when he was playing around with deciphering some artifact or something, finding them at the table there.

Satisfied, Zethras holds the books close and reminds himself that his childhood friend has never steered him wrong before. This leads to him having a moment of clarity, soon remembering he has no childhood friend and that the girl he talked to was a complete stranger. Scared, he drops the books and contemplates what the hell is going on. His irrational mind goes into overdrive, feel free to make up some paranoid ramblings here.

He's not happy that he told this mysterious girl about his murder plans, believing she might be under Lord Baldwin's employ somehow, or worse. With new resolve, he decides he's going to go and burn the book. He can't trust it. He can't trust anyone. When he gets back to his study, the book is opened. It was closed before. Worse, some runes on the page are glowing.

The magic infects his mind and resistance starts to fade away. He forgets his suspicions, catching them aside as foolish. No, he needs to investigate. Zethras approaches his desk and looked down at the pages the book is opened to. The left page is an illustration of a strange, swirly-patterned egg falling from a sea of stars. The right page is merely a few runes that read 'Emlaalth'kir'. He says this out loud and his world changes.

His brain feels like it's been torn in half straight down the middle and instead of emptiness where the middle should be it was as if revealing a hidden third section of his brain with eyes that could see so much more than he ever knew there was in the world. Images flood his mind- a monstrous woman with an unending womb, the cosmic void, stars, unfathomable entities, the works.

Everything threatens to swallow Zethras, he believes he is on the verge of losing his ego and fading into oblivion, until he struggles and refuses to accept this fate. He's gone through so much. He's struggled. He'll keep struggling. This isn't the end, not because of some damn book.

Screaming, Zethras closes the book and everything becomes calm. He's gasping for air, more certain than ever that he needs to burn the book now that he's triumphed over it. A woman's voice advises him not to, as there's still plenty it can teach him. This startles him and he looks around, picking up his staff and firing off another couple of reflexive shadow orbs. Point out that they're noticeably bigger than the ones from before without being too on the nose.

Zethras demands the presence to reveal itself, but Emla's disappointed he doesn't recognize her voice. This makes him curious and introspective, making him realize it does sound faintly familiar, but too many strange things happened today for him to simply take it at face value. There's a chance the book is simply making him think it sounds familiar, after all.

Emla says such caution serves him well, but promises she doesn't mean him any harm. Asks if he remembers his dreams, but Zethras admits to having poor dream recall mainly because he always dreams unpleasant things. She asks if they are really all that bad, and Zethras feels as if he's forgetting something.

He brushes it aside, wanting answers. Zethras asks straight up what the deal is here. Is the book itself talking to him, is it a conduit, who was the girl at the bookstore today. Emla teases him for being demanding, claiming she likes that in a man. Zethras is taken aback, before claiming he's not so lonely that he is about to start flirting with a book. Clarification comes as Emla explains that the girl was a servant of hers and that she is not the book, but a higher power that the book opened his mind enough to hear the voice of.

So you're a god, then?

No, I'm your god.

The gravity of her words seeps in and Zethras loses composure for a moment until explaining he doesn't worship any gods and isn't about to start. The twins never did much for him and the only interest he has in the deities of foreign realms are purely academic. She claims to be a deity not from any realm he's ever heard of, which admittedly catches his interest. She likes that he is driven by a hunger for knowledge and that if he were to accept her terms he would be given more than he could ever ask for.

But

Zethras can't believe he's in this situation. A being claiming to be a god offering him everything he's ever wanted, but he knows full well what happens to mages in this position. There's always a catch. The deal is never quite what's promised, and so on.

The voice is sad and genuinely disappointed, claiming she could never do anything to hurt him. Strange as it was, Zethras couldn't help feeling it was so sincere that he had no choice but to believe her. He loosens his position and says he'll at least hear her out.

Emla explains that by agreeing to serve her, Zethras will become an unparalleled master of the dark arts, a sorcerer capable of tumbling even the Council of Archsages themselves. Zethras laughs at that, believing the woman to be overselling it a little. There is silence as Emla was caught. She admits to exaggerating a little bit, but honestly, the power isn't the main thing here. She can give him what he really wants more than anything else.

Zethras scoffs, thinking there's no way she could know him to such an extent. She then surprises him by telling him he will have a place by her side, a place to truly belong where others look up to him with respect and adoration and he is filled with more love than he thought possible. People will turn to him for guidance and advice and respond with genuine thankfulness, seeing him as a guiding light. He will be worshiped as she is worshiped, for we are two halves yet to become one. Is that not what you want?

Suddenly, the proposal sounds a lot more appealing to Zethras. Though he still harbors major doubts, he can't help his interest. Emla can tell he's into it and pleads with him, to which he asks if such a powerful being should really resort to begging to win herself converts. Again she's silent after having been called out. Frustrated, Zethras rubs his head and wants to know how this would hypothetically go down.

She's excited at the prospect again, explaining how in due time he will have to seek her out and make the journey alone after he's proved his worth. There it is, the catch. How exactly am I going to prove my worth? You're not ready for that yet. You've got a big book to go through before it's time for any of that.

Zethras is catching on, suspecting that the next time he opens the book it's going to be readable now, isn't it? She praises him but says he'll understand more of the words the longer he works at them. It would be too much for your mind if you could read everything all at once. How reassuring. Emla makes it clear that he can still walk away at this point if he truly desires, but he interrupts her by pointing his chair out and sitting at his desk. He says that he already opened the book and he can't take that back, so he might as well see if she can make good on her word. I'll read the damn book.

Again, she is overly excited like a child. She's so happy for him, already talking about how amazing everything is going to be when they're together. Zethras blushes at this but doesn't press on the implication. He asks instead when he'll hear from her next and she tells him that it won't be for a while and to start with he needs to read the book. She assumes this will take him a while, telling him the book is meant to ease him into knowledge that humans weren't meant to know, but Zethras disregards her warning.

He says this isn't his first book of secrets and that he can handle this, to which Emla shows her typical support. She says not underestimate it but at the same time she stresses how much she believes in him. Make it genuine and so overbearing he doesn't know how to process it. He won't fail, she knows it. Then, their conversation ends.

For the first time in his life, Zethras feels what unconditional love feels like. He's overwhelmed, but once more already. He starts to think that Emlaalth'kir might not be such a bad god to serve under and whether anything came of this or not, it wasn't as if he had much to lose. He flips to the first page and gets started, motivated and still tempting fate by believing this is going to be easy.

7 Finishing Book

Zethras knew it would be easy, but was surprised it only took him one sitting. His hand traced his place across the page, the trembling make it hard to keep his pace. It didn't matter. He was so close to finishing, so close to understanding the final truth. His feeble, once empty brain was now alive and brimming with magic both arcane and beyond.

Zethras had never realized just how small everything was in the grand scheme of things. He still didn't, but even revealing a fraction of one percent was enough to change a man irrevocably. It was as he feared, there really was no going back. Like he even wanted to at this point. Not with what he knew of the ones beyond the blackest sea, and not what he knew about his new goddess.

She'd been with him for years and he never even knew it. On every night he managed sleep, she was there for him in his dreams, listening to his complaints and giving him support, making life all the more bearable. He remembered her.

I want you to go on about some of his dreams. Just a few detailed examples would be nice as long as it paints a picture of them being cute together that ultimately culminate in him understanding that he must be with her if he ever wants to find the place he belongs. They’re also still foggy- he doesn’t fully remember all of it, but enough.

Zethras was just about there. His hand turned to the final page- only three paragraphs to go. Each one is a struggle, draining his willpower and what little remained of his sanity if anything. Sweat poured off him, he struggled for air, but then it was down to two paragraphs. And then to one. The sentences dwindled down until there was only one, his excitement unprecedented.

As soon as he finishes, he’s disappointed. There’s still so much for him to learn and he doesn’t feel like he’s even scratched the surface. Right as he becomes disheartened, someone calls out to him.

He turns around to see Rin in her human form and she tells him that the Lord requests his presence. She recoils at the sight of him, saying she didn't think it would fuck him up this bad. Zethras suddenly has some awareness of his surroundings and he looks around at what used to be his mundane life, finding it looking strange and alien to him now. He pays little mind to Rin, which creeps her out.

She asks if he heard her, and she's getting irritated. Zethras turns his gaze back to her, taking in a new look at the girl and while unable to see the full truth he understands much more than he used to. You're one of hers, aren't you? You're not really a maid here. Not a kobold either- everything was so much bigger than kobold this entire time...

Rin is surprised he had such insight, but still won't give him much credit. She says she's not important right now and that he better go and see his boss before it's too late. Zethras doesn't understand. Why would he waste time with such an insignificant gnat when he could be furthering his mind? He's almost there- he needs to finish it so that Emlaalth'kir will speak to him again. He has so much he wants to ask her, so much he wants to tell her... above all, he wants to hear her voice again.

You will, if you prove yourself. And I'm going to do this by seeing the slug lord how? Rin only gives him a wicked smile with sharp teeth, suggesting he should probably know by now. It takes Zethras a moment to horse her meaning but when he does a wicked smile of his own appears on his face. Ah, yes. How could I have been so stupid?

Rin is satisfied, then tosses him a sack of things he'll need. He catches it but the weight hurts his arm and make him aware of the state his hand is in. He drops the sack and looks at his wrinkled and gray features before running his hand against his old and wrinkled face. Rather than horrified, he seems to think that this makes sense. He isn't surprised, simply asking how long he'd been reading for. Four weeks straight.

Zethras struggles with this in silence. So that smell- yeah, you're gonna need some new robes. Rin laughs at how it sucks for whoever is gonna have to clean the chair, though. Zethras is uncertain he'll be able to do what needs to be done when he's in such a state, but Rin tells him to check the bag for a small box. A present from his goddess.

This invigorates Zethras and he fights against his aching body to rip open the sack and dig through the contents, pulling out a box containing a the tip of a writhing, still-living tentacle which even after everything he'd experienced and learned of in his reading still caused immense mental trauma to look upon. There was also a handwritten note written in the common tongue that was much easier to parse.

It's an adorable congratulation note like a loving wife might write for her husband. Emla is so proud of him and says if you made it this far than we're at the final stretch. Just so you know, I typically don't approve of this sort of thing(sacrifice)... But I'm making an exception because of how much this means to you. Take this part of me and devour it, regain your strength, and do what you've always dreamed of doing. We will be together soon.

Again the feeling of being loved is all-consuming and the note makes him very emotional. With no hesitation, he devours the tentacle after closing his eyes. Describe some sort of slightly horrific sensation he feels but afterwards he's feeling much better. He stands and his body feels good- better than he remembers.

Marginally a little more impressed, Rin crosses her arms and makes some subtle remark about him not being as ugly to look at anymore but without actually saying it.

Rin tells him he better be grateful for the mistress and he is. He asks about Rin and who she is, but she is standoffish and makes it very clear she has no interest in him and that there is no way he's going to live up Emla's expectations. She's naive, idealistic. Why she thinks the world of you, I'll never understand, but make sure you remember that you're on your own and I'm not gonna be helping you with whatever comes ahead.

Zethras cautions Rin that that's his goddess she's talking about, calling his staff to his hand. Not threatening, but almost. Rin takes it as a threat and laughs, saying he would regret picking this fight, trust me. There's a brief flash of her full ir'athrid form that causes him psychic damage. Do what you have to do and if you're lucky, maybe you'll get to see Emla in person before he succumbs to madness.

Zethras considers this and after what he just experienced with the book, he understands there is a large chance that she is right. He might not make the cut, but even so, he declares that as long as Emlaalth'kir believes in him that's cause enough for him to try and live up to her expectations. Rin makes an acknowledging grunt but doesn't let on whether she approves or not, simply leaving him to his business.

8 Preparation

He wastes no time in getting himself ready, freshening himself up with a number of hygiene spells that are also more effective than they usually are. He would've preferred a bath, but there was no time. He had places to be and someone waiting for him when he got there.

Before changing into clean robes, he has a look at his appearance in the mirror and is shocked by what he finds. His condition isn't just better, he looks different. Handsome, even. His hair is no longer matted and kelp-like, but silky, and his physique is more toned and not as lanky. Even his flaccid deck is bigger. Zethras can't help thinking that if the twins handed out miracles like this more often, they would probably have a lot more devout followers than they already do.

As he continues to stare at himself, he realizes that he can use this new appearance to his advantage. He's got a good idea.

He goes through the bag that Rin gave him, finding a bunch of occult ritual items of your choosing that will go into the upcoming spell. There are silver lined chalk and vials of mysterious blood and other liquids, those are the important ones but you can add more to give the ritual some spice.

Zethras understands that if everything goes right, he's not going to come back. He looks around his room, at the collection of things he's acquired over the years. List some of his favorites before saying that none of it means anything to him now. He thought he'd been chasing knowledge all this time when he'd not even been chasing scraps on the table. None of it is worth taking with him.

There's a lot he should do in preparation. After the deed is done, he will be leaving immediately and while he wasn't sure where, the signs are pointing to Drerland. He'd need food and water, so he summons a maid by ringing a bell to fill him a vastbag's worth of supplies for the road. He's surprised to see that it's Fleur, expecting her to have quit because of what he now assumes happened to her with his increased knowledge. In the last four weeks half of her hair turned white from stress and dark rings are under her eyes now, and she seems to have a brand new anxiety disorder, but whatever she suffered she's back at work.

Fleur is very surprised that Zethras has called on her. Everyone thought you were never going to leave your study. Though anxious, she's a little surprised by how handsome he is now which gives Zethras a small ego boost when she points out how different he looks and the infatuation is apparent. He teases her, saying you didn't think I was holed up in their all this time with nothing to show for it, do you? She's flustered but he goes on.

He asks why it is no one has checked on him until now and she starts to explain it, but pauses when her mind becomes befuddled. Why didn't we...? Zethras mumbles he thought as much. There was no way Baldwin would just let him alone for so long if there wasn't some magical bullshit stopping him.

The maid, still acting cute in his presence, asks if there's anything else she can do for him. Zethras senses an opportunity here to be daring. Before, he'd never think of doing like this but he's hot now. That, and the idea of advancing on a woman and creeping her out means absolutely nothing in the cosmic scheme of things so the fear he feels is inconsequential.

He steps in close and smiles warmly at her, maybe she backs up into a wall and he does the classic pin. He thanks her for her service these last three years, how she was always kind and never looked at him with pity. Make sure that his words are silvery here- as his confidence increases, we start to get more examples of his potential as a cult leader.

He tells her that he's going to be leaving and to avoid the court. Make sure that you never speak a word about assisting me, is that clear? As he speaks, he's running her finger from her neck to her chin and it's very effective. She's willing to do anything he says like this, and runs off to get him his food.

In the brief time she is gone, Zethras is a little shocked at what he just did and how well it worked. Is it truly so easy to influence others with your appearance, or was there something more to it? As much as he wanted to stay and find out, he always found Fleur cute, someone was waiting for him.

She brings back the food in a hurry which he thanks her for and he again insists that she forget about him if she knows what's good for her, but as he goes Fleur asks if she'll ever see him again. Everyone else always made fun of him, but Fleur admits that she never thought Zethras was that bad and serving him was so much better than all of her other duties.

Zethras is surprised to hear this, thinking to himself how he has a lot more to learn that he thought he did. Maybe if he noticed sooner... No, things would still have been the same. His life was building to this moment and there's no escaping his fate.

He's sweet with her, saying maybe if you're lucky enough to one day receive the call of the swamp, our paths may yet intersect, but for your sake I hope that's not the case. She asks if that means he is leaving for Drerland which he confirms most likely yes. All the same, he's thankful for having had such a decent servant and thanks her by taking her hand and giving her a tiny kiss, teasing her by making a joke about her status as someone of noble blood.

He leaves her and dons his hood, blissfully unaware that he was just the reason she experienced her own personal call of the swamp.

9 The Ritual

Zethras is on his way to the Lord's court. Servants are whispering about him and pointing even more than they usually did. This might've irritated him before, but again, everything means so little to Zethras now that he has a heightened perspective. Let them talk amongst themselves, what difference does it make?

Inside, he's steeling himself for what he's about to do. Everything is set, he just has to play things the right way to really make a spectacle out of it. This wasn't just for his own satisfaction, it was to prove himself to his new goddess and that meant doing it right.

Zethras lingers in front of the door to the court, not from fear, but excitement. How ironic. He used to dread these moments before court every day of his life, but now that he was about to submit the resignation of a lifetime, Zethras was on pins and needles and nearly giddy with glee.

He closes his eyes and for the first time he makes a prayer to Emlaalth'kir. He doesn't know the right way to do it so he just offers up some simple words and caps it off with this is for you. Zethras extends his staff and opens the door with his magic, stepping inside.

It was a testament to how redundant his day-to-day life was that Zethras could barely tell four weeks had passed. All the familiar faces were there, exactly where he'd left them. Everyone stops their chatting and murmuring to look at the hooded mage, the mood growing tense as he proceeds forward. Lord Grovewick is amused as ever, this time he's being attended to by a pair of young boys. He mockingly announces to everyone that the hermit has returned from his mountaintop.

Zethras apologizes for his recent absence in court, says he's not too far off with his joke. Lord Grovewick pushes him, telling him that he's on incredibly thin ice. If he wasted any more time...

Zethras asks what he would've done. Fire him? Lord Grovewick stumbles and denies this, making Zethras think this was another part of the conspiracy around his life. If only he knew a little sooner just how much he could get away with around here, his life would've been a lot more bearable.

Pushing him a little more, he tells Baldwin that if firing isn't harsh enough punishment, perhaps they could work something out with the executioner. One of the other characters chimes in about how fun that would be, but Grovewick snaps and says the very thought of punishing Zethras brings pain to his head. The other character shrinks back and Grovewick forces one of the uncomfortable boys to kiss it better, which makes Zethras feel sick.

In any case, Grovewick expects to be told what Zethras was doing with his time. Zethras is vague and aloof about it, talking up to his big reveal. He leads the crowd on, gets them whispering again and excited as he explains how he came across a certain book and so on. Even Grovewick is not immune to the hype.

Zethras continues to talk until bragging about finally concocting a cure for his Lord's magical gout- along with so much more. It turns out that his discovery wasn't just a simple cure, it was a ritual to transform one's body into an idealized version of itself. His claims start to get a little out of hand, which prompts doubt from Grovewick. That's when Zethras reveals his face.

Everyone is shocked, especially some of the court ladies, but Grovewick most of all. The big slug isn't unaware of his disgusting countenance and now his interest is fully maxed out. He knows that Zethras isn't vain enough to pull a stunt like this if he didn't actually mean it, so he assumes this isn't an illusion or a glamour. Zethras confirms this is real and teases, asking if this discovery was worth his extended absence.

Grovewick admits that it is, so long as he's able to replicate the results. Oh, I can... Zethras insists, saying it would be his greatest honor to perform the rites for everyone currently in attendance. Grovewick is ecstatic, but one of the other Lords has his protests and thinks it's suspicious because Zethras is a dark mage and all that.

There is a brief moment of tension where Zethras worries his plan is about to fall apart and considers his options, only for Grovewick to settle these doubts. When has Zethras ever had the spine to do anything of the sort? This assures any skeptics, while further reinforcing to Zethras that everyone had it coming.

There's something that needs to be done before he can prepare the ritual, however. Zethras wants that no children be present. Grovewick looks at his boys and asks if that's really necessary, claiming that they've likely seen far worse than what's about to happen but Zethras continues to insist. I sincerely doubt that...

Grovewick consents and his attendants run off, thankful to get away even if they assume it's only a delay. With everything cleared up, Zethras gets to work. He prepares the ritual, while I'll leave the intricate details up to you for whatever you want to include, he should use the stuff I already mentioned to create a big circle as the crowd watches him in anticipation.

He finishes within an hour and everything is ready. He hopes this goes off without a hitch. A ritual can only succeed if the caster is of capable skill and though his mind has broadened he's not convinced it's applicable to his magic as of yet. Some self-doubt still remains, but he's able to clear it up by remembering what it's all for. He either succeeds here or he doesn't, and that will be that.

He announces to everyone that he's finished and as everyone take a step inside the large circle, Zethras personally extending his hand to Grovewick to help the massive man out of his throne with a deceitful smile. Zethras does whatever he needs to do to activate the ritual, then begins chanting. He can't say where the words are coming from- they weren't in his book- but he instinctually knows them.

What follows is a chant honoring Emlaalth'kir, mother of monsters, and it should pertain to that. The atmosphere grows more intense the longer he speaks until it becomes very obvious something is wrong. Even as people try to tell him to stop, Zethras continues and keeps going. Light erupts from the circle, the ground gives way to an inky void. He concludes the ritual by spelling it out that he's making an offering to Emla and demanding to know where he needs to go to be with her.

The information flashes through his mind, giving him a vision of a path through the swamps ending in a ruined town sitting against a lake hidden deep, deep within the marshes. Beneath the lake he sees a hidden palace, black and abyssal. In that castle, he hears her call for him.

Zethras regained his breath and then marvels in his success and watches as from the void comes different monster parts. Go crazy. Detail everyone getting torn apart and have Grovewick try and run away only to trip because of his gout. Zethras follows after him, mocking. Didn't think I was capable, did you? Grovewick tells him to cut the shit and then start bartering like these people always do. He's very happy to see this but Zethras insists he has to be on his way soon- he doesn't have time to waste.

Then again, is revenge ever a waste of time? Zethras asks as he magically alters the bottom of his cheap staff so that it's sharp. Grovewick still pleads even further, which gives Zethras an idea. He promises to spare the Lord if he can make it through a special gout treatment without passing out. Grovewick does without hesitation, only to understand what is about to happen and beg no. Zethras only smiles and says yes.

when you describe this, make sure it's not gratuitous. Just casual. I think the thought is horrifying enough without actually getting into it.

Zethras drives the bottom of his staff into one of Grovewick's gout bubbles or whatever you want to call them. Horrifying pain and screaming, and when Zethras removes it, he marveled at how easy that was. Maybe he should've tried curing him this way sooner? Zethras gets called a monster, prompting his fury and a swift 'no, you' as he drives the staff into the next one. The pain is so tremendous that he almost blacks out, barely hanging on.

There's only one more and he reiterates his promise to not kill Grovewick if he can go without passing out. Grovewick mumbles something back at him and the last one is taking care of with the Lord still managing to hang in there. Zethras is impressed, and says that he's a man of his word. Some of the monster parts form around Grovewick and start to bite and tear at him.

Grovewick calls him a liar and the ironic twist is revealed. I only said I wouldn't kill you. They're still going to.

Zethras watches with glee as the final victim of his sacrifice is consumed whole, his three years in Hollobell now already feeling like a distant memory as the court is quiet and empty, with not even a drop of blood to be found of the victims. Everything was taken by his goddess, and now is the time to make his leave. Already packed and ready to go, Zethras slips out of the manor and heads off.

9 The Journey

shockingly, no one seems to be coming after him. Even as he makes his way past the city limit on a cheap broomstick, no one has flagged him down even when he was leaving the manor. He wonders if this is another form of aid. Even though that redheaded maid said she wouldn't be helping anymore, he imagined something was up but wasn't about to take any chances by sticking around long enough to find out.

He's flying towards the Drerland border, the swamps slowly becoming visible in the far off distance. He thinks about what he's just done. Revenge felt amazing, even if he just became another statistic on why dark mages have the reputation that they do. Part of him thinks he might've got a little bit overboard. Sure, he had his violent fantasies before, but this was still a little over the top.

He still can't believe he even pulled the ritual off. His magic ability seems to have generally increased across the board- another case in point is his broom handling. He was never cut out for it or the precise mana manipulation that went into the skill. It was always an area where his grades were lacking back at the Magicademy, but things were going just fine. He's not suddenly a pro, but he's doing just fine.

The broom isn't going to hold out for long, though. He crosses into Drerland, avoiding the  capital city mentioned in the doc. He doesn’t want people to see him there, even though it’s not like anyone will ever find him again once he gets far enough into the swamp.

Unfortunately, the broom lasts a lot less long than he was hoping it would. The speed starts to stutter, it loses altitude, and he brings it down safely.

Zethras takes in the surroundings. Describe creepy bog, especially the smells. It smells worse than the horrific gorefest he caused earlier that day, which says something. He decides to chill here for a bit and catch his bearings.

Excited as he is to be with his new goddess, part of him doesnt enjoy the idea of holing up in here for the rest of his life. It’s hot, humid, bugs are everywhere and not just regular ones but monster ones, too.

He wonders if he’s even going to make it far enough to be with her. His magic isn’t going to be reliable- which is a big factor as to why no one ever gets found in Drerland. Something about this entire province has been tainted beyond comprehension, more so than just about every other place in Karnalle such as Mount Montbrand, the Gnarled Woods, or even the Necrolands in southern Rhoivan.

Millennia ago, it used to be an ordinary place, but when the whale fell from the sky it brought along with it its evil and who knows what else. With his new knowledge, Zethras assumes that the whale of legend is likely one of the Ones Beyond he’d learned of in his book. He rubs his head, the knowledge hurting. He still can barely fathom how out there swimming amongst the stars are gods older than the gods of Karnalle, and the thought brings him fear and intrigue.

His goddess is one of these beings, and he again can’t believe what he’s signed up for… but he’s ready to continue his journey. This is going to suck. Really, really hard. Eating that tentacle made him hot and more athletic, but he was still a squishy mage when it came down to it. He figures that this is another test. He has to prove himself worthy of physically making it to Emla.

Annoying, but fair. Besides, Zethras is in far too deep to care now. He begins his march.

Describe his journey. I want to leave this part to you, but come up with some filler junk for me to expand on and play around with. His journey should crawl on for weeks and weeks, his food dwindling down even as he begins to ration it. Ironically this makes him skinny and ugly again. Easy come, easy go.

The swamp is full of danger and even when nothing is attacking him he feels the presence of beings watching him with uncaring eyes. There should be a few minor Lovecraftian entities along his way so that his mind continues to expand.

His sanity is tested. He should classically be running on fumes and raving mad by the time his journey is over, but slowly, he starts to recognize more and more landmarks from his vision that point him in the right direction.

Right as his mania is at its peak, he wanders past the bog and a dense forest of mangroves into a strange region that has a more livable climate. It’s like it’s own little pocketed off area in Drerland, pressed up against the mountains. I’ll explain the geography when you’re actually writing it. In the distance he sees the ruined town and the lake from his vision and he runs ahead with his last bit of strength.

He recalls the palace beneath the lake and being so close to it is driving him mad with anticipation. He is desperate, he’s come so far to be here and sacrificed so much, yet there’s no one here to greet him. That’s when the idea comes to him- his journey isn’t done. He still has to go to her.

He discards his robes and wades into the water, announcing his arrival and apologizing for being so late. He casually explains what took him so long, but hopes this self baptism will make up for it.

Never much of a swimmer and with a body already past the point of exhaustion, his attempt to swim to the center of the large lake go poorly- yet even as his muscles ache and he struggles to remain above surface, there’s not a doubt in his mind that he’s doing the right thing and that she’s watching him.

He voluntarily gives in after his body tells him it can’t go on and he sinks into the lake, water filling his lungs and drowning him. As he passes out, Zethras feels himself being pulled into a hug and into a warm pair of bosoms. He wonders if this is what having a mother is like, or something like that. You can word it better but it feels like a mother’s love.

10 Waking Dreams mini chapter

Zethras is unconscious, not dreaming but somewhat aware of his surroundings. In between states. He hears three voices talking amongst themselves.

Rin can’t believe he willingly drowned himself like that. I would’ve went and picked him up if it you’d only asked.

Emla is shy, saying she’s nervous about how their first meeting would go. The time had to be right! She wasn’t ready.

Rin points out she had the entire time he was fucking around in the swamp to get ready, and that’s still enough?

Nia insists that it’s pretty funny how he drowned himself like an idiot. You still sure about this, Emmy? There’s still time to off him and trade up.

Rin chastises her for shorthanding the name like that, Nia tells her to fuck off, but Rin still agrees with Nia in that neither thinks this is the best idea.

Emla quiets them both down and reminds them this isn’t up for discussion. That man is more important to my destiny than I could ever hope to explain to you.

If I hear either of you suggest anything on that note again, I will… she mumbles angrily, showing she’s rather cute when upset.

Rin gives a half hearted apology but Nia says she was mostly joking, anyway. She’s a little interested in this human. Rin scoffs, can’t be serious.

In a way, yes. You have to admit, he was pretty sadistic back there. I doubt it’ll amount to anything, but hey, he could be worse.

Rin thinks praising a human for their sadism is redundant. They’re all just violent apes duking it out, as if that’s the only thing they know how to do.

Nia still sees something there and doesn’t expect an idiot like Rin to get it. Rin counters back, and Emla is exasperated and thankful she’s going to finally have someone new to talk to after 18 years of the two of them.

Both of them apologize, and Zethras begins to stir. Emla’s anxiety makes her worry and she tells Nia to go and make him something to eat, he must be starving. She frets and fusses, she’s not ready for this and decides to buy herself a little more time.

Zethras feels a magical sensation wash over him and he becomes drowsy again, falling into deeper sleep.

11 Vacuous Cradle/Emla

Zethras awakens in a very unfamiliar place. I’m going to give you freedom here, but the gist of it is that the Vacuous Cradle is a big obsidian palace with what Lovecraft loved to call ‘non-Euclidean’ geometry. It’s alien, unlike any other structure in the world except others of its origin. There are bio-organic elements. Pulsing veins, damp surfaces, things like that. Think a much tamer version of H.R. Giger. It’s warm and humid inside, too, giving the impression of being inside a womb. Don’t outright say that but you get the idea.

Zethras is in a bedroom. It’s lit by green flames, making the black walls all shiny and oily looking. Being here makes him assume he must have made it, because this doesn’t look like any of the Endless Hells he’s read about.

He’s taking in a lot of eldritch sights here but his sanity is at a decent level. Nowhere near as bad as it was during his journey.

He’s dressed in simple clothes, his staff is nowhere to be found, and the only thing in the room besides the bed is a creepy table with loads of dinner plates covered up by pans or w/e those are called.

He’s very hungry and his body hasn’t fully recovered from the stress of his journey, but he forces himself out of bed to investigate the food. He sits down at the table and after some light suspenseful build up unveils one of the dishes.

It’s just catfish. Pretty much all of the food is stuff you’d find in a swamp, so feel free to get creative. The animals are likely mutated by the eldritch energies of Drerland so you can do things like extra eyes, glowing patterns, uncomfortably shaped produce, and so on.

This’ll be a bigger part of the series later when the cult is thriving and they need to produce food, but only stuff like this grows in Drerland.

He notices another handwritten note from Emla. Proud of him, eat up, I’ll be waiting for you when done. Lot to talk about.

He finds it funny how suspicious he used to be about food and here he is about to devour a ton of shady swamp things without even questioning it. He’s only able to do so because of his trust in his goddess. She hasn’t done wrong by him yet, which is more than he can say about everyone else in his life besides Fleur.

That briefly makes him think of his former maid, hopes she’ll find a way to survive. She’s not the oldest of Grovewick’s bastards so she won’t be inheriting the place, but he hopes whoever does will keep her on as staff.

Ah, well. That’s enough reminiscing about life in Hollobell, if you could call it that. As far as he’s concerned, his life hasn’t truly begun yet. Not until he’s met with his goddess.

Zethras starts to eat and to his surprise, everything tastes far better than it looks. Much better than his meals back ‘home’, and it even rivals the food at the Magicademy. He’s not a gourmet but he was raised on food made by Brownies, a sort of house fairy, so his standards are a little high.

Stress a few of the details on how well things were cooked, this is important for his interactions with Nia later.

Zethras finishes soon enough and has eaten so much that he can barely move. After the journey he’s had, he needed it badly. He’s tempted to go back over to the bed and sleep it off, but he forces himself to get up and leave into a creepy hallway.

The note didn’t say which way to go, but he somehow knows the way. He feels her calling him, and he wanders through empty hall after dreadful empty hall. The tone should be isolated and dreary. Give the impression of how big this place is so that it’s sadder when it’s revealed Emla has been confined here her whole life.

Eventually he works his way to a huge set of doors with her mark emblazoned on it, as well as the mark on Zethras he’ll get soon. Also pictured are runes, glowing veins, etc. He knows that beyond the doors is his goddess, and likely her court, too. Zethras amuses himself, wondering if he should apply to be her court mage.

He almost opens the massive door but then thinks better of it. He’s dealing with a god beyond his understanding and as nice as she seems, he needs to take things seriously. He announces his presence outside the door and asks for permission to enter. After a few seconds of delay, Emla gives him the go ahead. She sounds slightly nervous, but Zethras thinks he must be imagining that.

He’s the nervous one. He can only vaguely remember her from his dreams, but he knows that she’s beautiful. He straightens his clothes a little and fusses with his impossibly curly hair before pushing open the huge door.

Describe the large throne room. There should be a sexual atmosphere in Emla’s presence, his thoughts slightly twisted and turned towards breeding. Be subtle. Sitting at a throne at the end of the room(the throne is inside the remains of a big creepy-looking eggshell, the one she hatched from) is Emla- but looking at her straight on is enough for Zethras’s head to pound and his knees to buckle. We get a brief description of her from this. Purple skin, curvy, big breasts, the monster parts.

Emla is pouty. Oh dear, still too much?

Zethras apologizes for being unable to take in the sight of her. He’s not worthy. She asks him to please not talk like that, she gets enough of that from her servants. He still thinks it’s appropriate but as she continues to insist he gets the feeling it’s not up for discussion and awkwardly forces himself to use a more casual tone.

To start with, stop calling me Emlaalth’kir and call me ‘Emla’. A cosmic deity going by a short and cute nickname is very surreal and his expectations keep being shattered, but he says it and she blushes and fawns over how long she’s waited to hear him say that. It’s strange for him.

She’s pleased, and to show it she takes on a form he can recognize- her human one. Maybe this will be more manageable for you? It is, and he’s struck by how beautiful she is. Until now he only had the faded version of her seen through his dreams and seeing her here now blows that out of proportion.

She’s a little embarrassed about how he’s staring but when prompted he apologizes because she’s so radiantly beautiful even in this lower form. Emla blushes and is very pleased with the praise, teasing I should certainly hope so, as a fertility goddess that sort of comes with the territory.

She asks if he’s ok that she’s a little curvy, explaining that she opted for one reflecting her true form but that she can change it to better suit his tastes. Zethras inappropriately blurts out it’s more than ok, she looks amazing, before catching himself and getting shy. Emla is bashful, too, but this just makes him feel very strange.

This… was not what he was expecting. He didn’t have a frame of reference, but he was almost convinced that there was a flirty thing going on here and that he feels a spark. He surely must be mistaken. Emla is probably just very kind and motherly because of the sort of deity she is, and whatever reason he’s here for it’s certainly not that.

She asks him if he’s doing ok, he says yes and to lighten the mood he jokes about no wonder he can’t get all these thoughts of breeding out of his head since she’s a fertility goddess and all that. He then realizes how awkward and stupid that sounded as she becomes shy and giggles at him being overeager, getting ahead of himself.

Zethras apologizes, has a lot on his mind. That’s only natural she assures, but tells him that she can’t exactly speak candidly with him if he understands her meaning. From the book, Zethras gathers that the more knowledge regarding anything related to the ones beyond he gains, the more the limits of his mind are tested. Therefore he assumes she has to be careful with what she’s saying so as to not squish his brain like a grape between her fingers.

She giggles and praises his colorful metaphor, as well as for being quick on the uptake. She asks if he enjoyed his book for that matter, and he very much did. He always knew there was more to this world, to reality, than first appearances and vindication is freeing. He thanks her for that and hopes he’ll have the chance to further his understanding here by her side.

That’s the idea. Bit by bit, you’ll be acclimated to the world as it truly is. That’s not the only reason you came here and sacrificed everything though, is it?

Zethras admits that no, above his scholarly pursuits and the development of his magic he came because of what Emla promised him- a place to belong where people will respect and love him. All his life he’s been an outcast, and nothing appeals to him more than a place at Emla’s side no matter how small.

Emla smiles awkwardly, explains that the place by her side is a lot bigger than he might think. She didn’t call out to him just so that he could serve her mindlessly, he is to be her husband, the father of her uncountable children, and the architect of her future cult.

She’s blushing and fidgeting like a bride to be at her own statement.

This knowledge hits him hard as he stares at Emla’s body in a sexual light, his sanity flickering as he nearly tumbles over.

She’s concerned, but he insists he’s ok and that maybe they should take this from the top a bit slower.

12 Details

He didn’t mishear her and the flirty atmosphere wasn’t just a hallucination from his crazed mind. Everything up to now has been with the singular goal of getting him to journey here and prove his worth as a mate to Emla.

She tries to explain this succinctly and make it easy for him to comprehend, but her excitement still shows through and so does his confusion. The obvious question here is why me, but Emla is afraid that probably can’t be elaborated on yet. It involves her mother and- just the casual mention of a more powerful being than Emla almost knocks him out but he is resilient, says he gets it. Just tell me what you can.

It’s something of a family tradition. Someone was fated to be my other half and after searching the veil of dreams year after year she finally came across Zethras and knew she’d finally found him. But how could you tell he wants to know. Bashful, she tells him to look at her. Can’t you tell when you look at me?

The adoration, the obsession, the captivating factor she has, the obscene urges that bubble to the surface in her presence… all of those are signs.

Zethras admits he’s a virgin and didn’t think much of it because that’s just how that goes when he sees immensely beautiful women. She teases him back saying he’s good at the flirting but if he isn’t careful she’ll be unable to control herself and she might come closer. That wouldn’t be good- she won’t be able to hold back. Zethras gulps, imagining the meaning.

Emla catches herself and gets flustered, apologizes. Says that part is a while away yet, as there are steps to this. We need to get you used to me, used to all of this, before we can make things official between us.

Zethras stops her and asks her to elaborate on what it means to be her partner, and what’s this all about starting a cult? Emla thinks of how to phrase it in a way that won’t inflict psychic damage. She tells him that she is a very young entity in the grand scheme of things, and she’s what’s called a ‘lowly one’. The term hurts him to hear, but he repeats it and internalizes it through willpower. She continues after making sure he’s ok.

Though her species differs from the sort of gods he knows of, they have one thing in common- worship makes them more powerful. Zethras finds that this makes sense, asks her how many worshippers she has currently. Emla gets embarrassed, asking him if he is still going to worship her. Yes? Then one.

Zethras is surprised, but then again, the lifeless town on the lake didn’t exactly have a bustling community to it. She’s defensive, saying she waited until she found him to begin her efforts. Stresses that he’s integral to her future, which he doesn’t understand but accepts and starts thinking.

So I’m going to build you a cult, am I? What will that entail? Emla says there will be time for more discussion later. It’s better that they pace all of this out so that his mind has time to process everything he’s hearing. He tries to insist but Emla’s stomach grumbles and it’s phenomenally loud. Echoes through the big empty hall. She hangs her head in shame, red-faced.

She was so excited to meet him that she hasn’t eaten yet today, she says. Zethras finds this adorable but says nothing on the topic, only that he can wait if she needs to eat or whatever. She’s thankful and invites him to the dining hall, but he’s already eaten. Shyly, she tells him that he could still accompany her. She’s been without him for so long and now that he’s here she couldn’t bare to be parted.

Zethras is so overwhelmed by all of this. He doesn’t know how to respond to all these feelings of love and adoration that he feels he has done nothing to deserve. Well, he did read a book and kill a bunch of assholes, but that hardly seemed enough to win over the heart of a goddess.

Whatever the case, he accepts. Emla speaks and magically addresses Nia, telling her to have dinner prepared and that Zethras won’t be eating so she needn’t cook for him. No response that Zethras can hear, but she’s apparently satisfied. She leads him through more creepy alien hallways telling him they will continue the conversation after she eats.

Brisk conversation as they go. Also, they’re still walking far apart. He asks how many servants she has in such a big castle and is shocked to hear only two. He figures it must get lonely, to which she admits to sadly but that will all change now that he’s here.

She explains that this place is known as the Vacuous Cradle, but with his help, it won’t stay empty for much longer.

Embarrassed, Zethras changes topics and puts the pieces together and assume’s he’s already met both of her servants, then. Correct, but you’ll be meeting them for real very soon.

Zethras is intimidated by that fact, but tries not to let it show. Useless against a god. She assures them that they aren’t that bad, and that no harm will come to him when he’s under her protection. He says so you’re inadvertently admitting there’s a chance they would hurt me if I wasn’t. She tries to play it cool and laughs it off awkwardly, which isn’t reassuring.

Describe the alien dining hall. Maybe there’s a glowing, steaming pool of what looks like acid and waterfalls delivering it from within the castle walls like blood. Focal point is a massive table, and it’s stocked comically to bursting with tons of raw and in some cases still live meat. Tons of squirming, writhing and so on.

Zethras is stunned, but he seats himself as Emla nonchalantly takes her seat at the center of the table, then surprises him by using the chair as a booster to walk right onto the table and seat herself at the center. Her mouth is drooling to a comical extent, matching the waterfalls. Her human form flickers and he can see animalistic traces underneath, making it hard to look at her.

She says she’ll only need a few minutes and makes doubly sure he doesn’t want any food before she starts. He says no and she advises him to shut his eyes, it might be a lot to take in.

He gets the impression that she’s right on this account and doesn’t argue, simply letting her do her thing. It’s violent and crazy. Describe what he hears like it’s a horror scene. She makes all kinds of animal sounds, the food she eats makes cries of pain, and glasses and plates get thrown around and shattered in her frenzy.

Eventually she stops and she tells him he can open his eyes. Describe the aftermath and otherworldly mess. His mind struggles to process how she ate that much so quickly, and he realizes in horror he was right to close his eyes. She’s laying down on the table in a minor food coma, looking very unbecoming of a woman so beautiful. The only different is she has a *slightly* swollen stomach.

She feels so much better, but then notices Zethras is unnerved. Thinks she’s stupid, she should’ve just ate without him, but he says it’s ok, he’d rather be here and work on getting used to being with her since it seems like he’s in it for the long haul now. She’s excited, asking you are?

I came all this way, didn’t I? Sure, I still don’t get what all I’m going to be doing for you, but meeting you today and getting to talk to you has only convinced me I made the right decision.

She gets really emotional and happy, though hopes he won’t change his mind once he hears more about his duties. Will you tell me more about my role? Yes. Already said he has to build a cult for her, but there’s more to it than that.

She tells him to brace himself for likely mental damage oncoming, saying that her family are breeders of monsters. He will be branded and his body morphed to become more suitable for his role- breeding. He shall breed Emla, her servants, and all her future worshippers.

She’s clearly getting off on imagining this. She starts to monologue about making everyone’s tummy swollen with offspring, and about how large their family is going to become, but she’s interrupted by Zethras passing out and smashing his head against the side of the table.

Oh. She’s very embarrassed and ashamed.

13 End of first day

Zethras awakens in a lounge room of sorts, describe it briefly, but Emla is there with him and has been staring at him sleeping. She’s relieved he’s awake and apologizes, it’s hard to gauge how much he can handle.

He’s feeling like he has a huge hangover, Emla feels guilty still. She asks what all he remembers, and the thought embarrasses him. It’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s his imagination at the moment but he thinks she said something about breeding?

Emla confirms, blushes happy again but this time cuts herself off short so she doesn’t go off the deep end. Despite his pain Zethras is eager to learn more (not in a pervy way). She tells him that he can rest for now and they’ll talk of such things tomorrow.

He’s still determined to continue the discussion but Emla goes into stern mommy mode and chastises him, saying he’s no used to her as a soulless husk with a mind lost to madness. She’s already said too much for one day and that’s that.

Zethras is very weak to this side of her and he finds himself submissively agreeing without much resistance. He excuses himself saying that while he doubts how much use he’ll be, especially at sex and cult leadership matters, this is the first time he’s ever felt valued to this extent and he admits to being in a rush to live up to her expectations.

Emla is sorry for making him feel this way and stresses that she’s not expecting him to figure everything out right away. They’re going to work toward it- together. He’s thankful she’s so patient with him, but it is only his first day here. She tells him that the breeding and cult things won’t be for a while, anyway, and she’ll explain more about it tomorrow.

Zethras asks what he should do until then, she’ll lead him back to his room. As for entertainment, she’ll have some books brought to his temporary chambers. Temporary? She blushes, joking that to her understanding it’s bad when human couples share different rooms, right? He blushes back. Right. Anyway, the books won’t be anything sanity challenging but she assures him they’ll be entertaining enough.

Zethras asks about his staff, he hasn’t seen it since he woke up. She’s evasive, telling him not to think about it for now. Strange, but ok.

Before packing it in for the night, if it even was nighttime, he asks when he will meet her servants. Emla considers this.

Doesn’t want to risk it, not even if they kept to their human forms. They’re rowdy and something might happen she can’t plan for. The key word there is human form, and he questions what they are but she is vague. They’re not like her, as in gods, but something lesser. Probably all she should say about it for now.

Zethras reckons he’s going to get real tired of hearing that, but she promises his mental tolerance is going to increase a *lot* once he undertakes the next step in their relationship. And when will that be? Tomorrow if all goes well and he’s willing, she blushes. He doesn’t hesitate to say he is.

She’s pleased, though stresses it’ll be dangerous. He doesn’t care and was expecting as much so it’s all the same. He puts it very clear that from now on stop worrying about if it’s dangerous or whatever. If I need to do it in order to be with you, then I will.

Emla thanks him, he doesn’t know how much it means to hear that. He jokes, am I capable of comprehending how much it means? Maybe eventually he’ll understand but currently no.

The mood between them is good and Emla decides this is a good time to wrap up for today, even if she doesn’t want to separate. Tomorrow he will meet the servants at breakfast and in the afternoon discussion will continue. If all goes well after that, they’ll see about the next step she talked about. Zethras is fine with all of this and she leads him back to his chambers where she obviously doesn’t want to say goodnight but forces herself to.

He thanks her for everything and for bringing him here, and especially for letting him kill all those assholes back there. She laughs but tells him she’s not the sort of goddess who enjoys human sacrifices, but maybe every now and again she’ll overlook it regarding the circumstances. The two part as Zethras enters.

He sees that there’s a bookshelf now where there wasn’t before, and it’s stuffed with general books on dark magic. They’re all fairly rare and he’s interested in them but currently he needs to decompress.

He collapses onto the bed and starts thinking of Emla. She’s better than he dreamed. He thinks he’s going along with everything a little too well because of how pretty she is, but he can’t exactly help himself there. She’s captivating. Perhaps mind alteringly so. But even if these weren’t his own actions and he was being subconsciously guided to serving Emla, he really doesn’t care.

It’s strange, but he already feels like he belongs here. He’s getting used to the empty halls and creepy atmosphere of the Vacuous Cradle, but what matters is the future. It hurts his mind to even conceive of having sex with Emla, let alone fathering her children.

And then there’s the whole building Emla a cult thing. How would he even go about that? He’s not charismatic enough to be a spiritual leader, but the idea of having a group of devoted cultists bearing his children and servicing his sexual needs is not an unpleasant one.

He figures that was what she meant by the love and respect he would gain at her side… still, everything is just so wild to think about. It’s taking a toll on him and he surrenders to sleep for the night, thanking Emla once again through an impromptu prayer- only to be surprised when she telepathically responds and tells him you’re welcome and goodnight, my love.

He should’ve expected that, and she agrees yes he should’ve. Then he sleeps.

14 The Maids

Zethras awakens after a dreamless sleep to find his head is clear and he feels better than he has in ages. First thing he does is pray and thank Emla in an over the top way for letting him wake to see another day, which makes her excited but bashful for him teasing her like that. Said he shouldn’t be so formal but now he’s doing it to mess with her. He claims innocence.

She tells him there’s new clothes for him on the table and he should wash up before joining her in the dining hall where she and her servants are waiting for him- she’s eating without him to avoid what happened yesterday. He’s a little intimidated about meeting the servants but won’t let it stop him, but he wonders where he’s supposed to clean up. Then he notices theres an additional room that wasn’t there before. Right, of course.

It’s a creepy alien bathroom. The toilet seems alive, and the shower is a big cylinder that when he steps inside it fills with a strange gel, submerging him like a tank. Oddly he can breath through this gel but it’s still startling. It cleans him in ways he’s never been cleaned before and he comes out sparkling.

He gets changed and though he isn’t used to the layout yet he’s still able to somehow feel his way to Emla, and he knocks on the door to ask if she’s still eating. Emla just finished and says he can enter. He does, and sees Rin and Nia magically levitating all that remains of Emla’s colossal breakfast into the acid pits bit by bit. It swallows everything whole, spitting out noxious gas.

Focus on the girls and how he recognizes them. His memory is very unreliable at this point due to all the changes he’s been through, but he still recalls them both clear as day. Describe the outfits they’re wearing.

Zethras remarks at how efficient that is, Emla teases that he doesn’t know the half of it. Zethras jokes don’t tell me the Cradle needs to eat, too? When she looks away he realizes that the Cradle *is* alive and that knowledge brings him to his knees.

Rin is unimpressed. Calls him pathetic and states her doubts again to Emla. Nia tells her to calm down, saying that he’s only a human and that’s the most they can expect from his kind. Asks him if he’ll be ok or if he’s gonna cry and piss his pants. Emla gets mad but Zethras stumbles to his feet and insists he’ll be fine.

He gives Nia a determined glare, which she smirks at. Says he’s changed a little these last few months, and tests it by psychically messing with him. She asks did you miss me, big brother?

His head hurts but he stumbles to the dining table and says I know for a fact you aren’t my little sister, and you’re not my childhood friend, either. Aww you remembered me! She’s surprised his tolerance has increased so much since last time, though.

Emla is super mad and embarrassed. You messed with his mind a few months ago?! Nia shrugs it was just for fun and nothing permanent came of it.

Rin joins Emla’s side and points out how she followed Emla’s orders exactly, Nia jokes about Rin getting started with the ass kissing bright and early today huh. Fight almost starts and they flicker and show a trace of their true forms until Emla finally gets mad and orders them to stop. Introduce yourselves and then go get his food.

Rin is upset at her ruining Emla’s mood, Nia is annoyed at her fun ruined. To make it easier on him, they agreed on nicknames so he doesn’t have to worry about their weird sounding names- Rin and Nia. Simple enough.

They disappear into the kitchen which he finds out is behind the dining hall. Emla is very stressed about them ruining everything, hopes he’s able to tolerate their disrespectfulness for the time being. Zethras has a lot of experience with that, so he should manage. Emla is sorry for that but while he’s waiting, he asks how long exactly she’s had his eye on him.

She’s surprised, but he point out that the dreams and the maids knowing his location in real life and the testing his tolerance thing… how long has this been going on? Emla clarifies that they’ve been building him up to this for three years ever since I first found you in the Veil of Dreams- the topic makes his head hurt and he stresses again that this is getting old.

Emla reminds him they’ll do something to make it better later, and he’s relieved to hear it. She hopes he isn’t bothered by the fact that they kept and eye on him. This amuses him. A god apologizing for influencing the lives of mortals? She really is full of surprises.

She smiles at this but it’s sad, still feels a little guilty. Zethras digs through his memories to try and find where he as at three years ago before realizing why she might feel bad. Ah. He thinks how he’d just lost another job at the time and was unsure of where to go and he had a strange inclination to head to Hollobell of all places, where he landed a job almost instantly.

He doesn’t express any of this, but Emla can tell what he’s thinking. I had you brought closer where I could observe you, stresses though she’s a god she’s not omniscient and the only glimpses she had into his life were through his dreams. She gets subtly mad, insisting Rin never told her how tough his career was on him, and if she’d known-

Zethras is quick to forgive. Doesnt matter now that he’s here, and he’d prefer to move forward rather than look behind him. That’s relieving for her to hear.

The girls return with food and are bickering about something else, before rudely laying out the spread before him. Rin barely acknowledges him, Nia teases. Trying to be the bigger man he thanks them, says whoever made his food yesterday was an excellent cook.

Nia handles most of the cooking around here and she’s a little pleased to hear this. Emla eats too fast to appreciate the effort that goes into her meals and Rin is a thankless bitch. Rin clarifies only to you. Emla sighs and commands them to sit with her and let him eat in peace.

It’s an unsettling breakfast. Rin glares at him and Nia smirks while Emla watches him adoringly. Rather than confronting any of them, he just tries to get done with it as soon as possible. He thanks Nia again when he’s done but Rin demands gratitude as she was the one who went and provided everything.

Nia teases she didn’t think Rin needed the sentiments from a simple human. The suggestion makes Rin annoyed but she puts it down that if he’s really going to be living here with them she expects him to know his place. Zethras counters he thought his place was to be by Emla’s side, which annoys her. That remains to be seen.

Emla says he’s right, you know. In time you are going to have to accept it, both of you. This man is my equal and you are to treat him with the reverence and love you show me. Unless you’ve forgotten our agreement…? Rin is embarrassed/annoyed but says she will comply, but won’t make it easy for him, and Nia is more open to it but can’t promise it’ll go smoothly, either. Who knows what might happen…?

Zethras looks to Emla for answers, wants to know if the implication he’s picking up is correct. Probably, yes. Zethras looks at the maids again now in a new light and doesn’t know what to make of things. Not only Emla, but these girls, too? Both were cute, aside from the nasty personalities, but he couldn’t imagine doing that kind of thing with either of them. Then again, he couldn’t imagine doing it with Emla or a pack of devoted cultists, either.

Rin picks up on the way he’s looking at her and it offends her deeply. She asks to be excused as the food stores are running low and she has better things to do. Emla allows it and dismisses Nia as well. Nia says goodbye with a devious smile and a curtsy, welcoming her new master mockingly while giggling to herself.

When they leave, Zethras sees how upset Emla is. She says please tell me you don’t hate them. They’re nice once you get to know them, I promise. Zethras assures her he doesn’t hate them, but they’re not making it easy to like them, either… she supposes that’s as good as it will get for now.

He wants to know if he’s really supposed to sleep with them. She looks at him and blushes, saying they’ll talk about this in private. She invites him into her bedchamber shyly.

15 The mission

Describe Emla’s bedchamber. It should be huge, with an absolutely massive bed. There is a pervasive aura of sexuality here that is raw and powerful. They are seated far apart from each other, which Zethras expected but still is disappointed by. Emla is laying cutely on top of a mountain of pillows.

Now that he’s had time to recover from his time on the road, she believes it’s time to tell him more about his duties in specific. She thinks he can handle it, she won’t be saying anything too revealing. Starts off by confirming yes he is going to have sex with her maids and many other women.

Without getting into specifics that might harm him, she reiterates she is a fertility goddess and that she theoretically gains power not only from sexual contact but from her followers doing it as well, especially impregnation. Therefore to begin accruing power, it’s imperative that he acclimate himself to sex and get suitable practice.

Then Rin and Nia are…? Warm ups. You would almost certainly die if we were to so much as kiss, currently, so we’ll need to work up to it. He’s not confident about this. Neither of them like him, but Rin especially looks like she’s looking for the first chance to kill him.

Emla reveals a soft side, saying they only want what’s best for her. They were the ones who raised me. Oh. Kind of weird, but he’s into it. He wonders if human women would’ve been better for this task, but Emla points out that she’s fresh out. That, and doing it with them will increase his tolerance because they’re…

Something beyond human, he finishes. She agrees. He asks if that was what she mentioned- the thing they would do today that would increase his the limits of his mind. No, that’s something else. He wants to know what, but it’s hard for her to express herself. He gets the feeling she’s going to ask something big of him, she confirms. How far are you willing to go for me?

Zethras nonchalantly lists the absurd stuff he’s done for her thus far which gets the point across pretty well. She asks if he’d be willing to become no longer human. The question hangs in the air for a while. It’s tense. He asks what he would become. She is silent for a while, before answering one word that hurts his mind- Kin.

Zethras cradles his head, willing to do anything to speed this along and stop all the damn pain. She reiterates that there’s no going back after this, but he takes a firm tone with her and asks her to stop treating him like a child. There was already no going back for him. He’s way past that point, and her coddling him only belittles what he’s already done to be with her thus far.

Emla blushes from his fierceness but realizes he’s right. She needs to take him more seriously and resolves to do so. He’s happy and tells her he’s ready whenever she is. In order to undergo the transformation, he needs to be on the edge of release. He is taken aback. Release as in… she reminds him fertility goddess, and he says right, right. Sex based powers, nothing to be shocked about.

It’s awkward for him. So like… right here? In front of you? She says I just asked you to impregnate the girls who took care of me since I first hatched. I assure you this isn’t weird for me.

Ok, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s still a virgin and this is all new territory. All the better, she claims. This way he can ease into it and gain some confidence before attempting to make a move on Rin and Nia. Zethras blushes but says that’s fair and he starts to strip while Emla watches with her full attention. She’s very into it, drinking in the sight of him. She says he’s very handsome, but he remarks that he wasn’t before eating that tentacle of hers.

She claims he was handsome before then, too, but she might be biased. He laughs, and is more comfortable. He manages to slip out of his pants, Emla staring at him intently. She’s in amazement over how a man looks like down there. He can’t believe she hasn’t done this before, but she pouts about having saved herself for him. This excites him, which she notices and points out Rin and Nia haven’t been bred yet either because their species is very finnicky about such things.

He’s nervous but he gets excited when Emla starts explaining everything she wants to do to it. He’s not big, merely average, and it’s fully displayed to her.

She tells him to get started and he does, but it’s still difficult. She tells him to remember what it’s for. Every time I’ve talked about your duty here, you’ve liked it, haven’t you? Don’t think I don’t notice how you swell whenever I mention you breeding me, my maids and my future followers. You want this just as much as I do. Maybe I do he admits, stroking.

She scoots a little closer, enthralled. She’s dirty talking to him and getting him to imagine all this stuff, making him harder and harder. Emphasize the pregnancy bit because fetish. To excite him harder, she tells him the truth about Nia and Rin. They aren’t just to get him used to sex, but they’re a test of his potential as a leader.

She teases him, saying he has to teach them a lesson in respect and show them that he is their master now just as much as she is. The only way to do that is to fuck them into submission and make them recognize your worth. You’ve always wanted respect, haven’t you? This is your chance to earn it. Once their bellies are full and bursting, then it will be time to do the same to me.

The thought drives him wild and he announces he’s almost there, and as into it as Emla is, she forces herself to stop and apologizes. She warns him that this is likely going to hurt. He’s taken aback by the suddenness, but reality flickers around him and he sees a hint of her normal form with tentacles bursting out of her. They impale him in different spots throughout his body just as he hits his climax, and he watches in horror as they begin pumping something inside of him. On his pubic mound, he feels a rune being inscribed.

It’s unbearably warm, his vision fades in and out, his muscles are tearing, and worst of all is his penis and balls. He feels it morphing and writhing like it’s alive and his balls ache, too. He’s orgasming throughout this, rope after rope like he’s losing every drop of fluid in his body. It’s insane, but after who knows how long, it’s over.

16 Vol 1 End

He falls back onto the bed and Emla is quick to check on him. Asking if he’s conscious. Somehow, he’s still vaguely here right now. That’s a relief, the transformation seems to have affected him more than was expected. He asks serious it is and if he’s still recognizably human. She clarifies mostly he is but jokes there’s always a chance that might change down the line.

She asks if he feels different mentally, but he still feels like the same person which he is relieved about.

Zethras manages to pull himself up and look down at his body, and the change is obvious. He’s stunned by what he sees at the groin. Describe his penis and the area around it, using some monstrous terms. He is very conflicted but leaning towards positive reaction to it. Emla claims it should definitely help him tame the others and that it’s certainly worthy of worshipping once they have some followers. The idea is very arousing, bringing him further to life, but Emla still doesn’t think it’s a good idea to help him with it, sadly.

She gets him some towels to clean up the sweat from his transformation and then magically cleans the bed, though she hesitates and stares at his semen as if she wants to taste it but doesn’t.

Disappointing, but he asks her to try and test his limits now to see if he can handle more knowledge. She thinks that’s a good idea and explains that she has given him the mark L’Deibo, making him a member of what her people call the Kin. It grants him a significant amount of Emla’s powers, specifically allowing him to mark women as belonging to Emla in a sense. What sense? She hesitates, this is probably the part where it will hurt him, but he presses her to say it.

It binds their wombs to Emla’s, making any children that mother produces a monster to join Emla’s growing brood. The child will be of both Emla and the mother’s blood, as well as Zethras obviously. He takes this information fairly well, only a slight irritation instead of a headache.

They’re both relieved by his progress, and Zethras comments on the monster thing asking what he should expect baby wise. Her kind produces offspring of endless shapes and sizes so there is no limit on what his children might look like. Good to know.

Internally, Zethras is thinking how he never thought he’d be a father, let alone on this scale… but if that’s what Emla needs him to be he’s not going to turn her down.

Zethras asks how he should go about dealing with Nia and Rin, if he’s really supposed to just go for it. Emla says they should talk about it together so she can reiterate everything, then talks to them out loud, summoning them. Zethras is surprised, thinks to cover up, but Emla doesn’t see the point. He should show it off, Emla thinks.

Zethras has his doubts, but his transformation has left him more optimistic about his future here. Maybe they’ll be softer on him now that he’s not a human? It was worth hoping for.

Nia and Rin, fresh back from hunting, enter the room. Zethras is sitting at the bed, not attempting to hide his new asset as per Emla’s request. Nia is like oh hello, Rin is angered to see it and looks away. Emla announces that his ascension was a success and that they’re moving forward with the next stage of the plan.

Assuming their are no objections? Nia clarifies none from her, and Rin struggles. It’s not like she can ever deny a request from her Emla so it’s a moot point to even ask, she says.

Emla points out it’s not, saying she would never force anyone to do something they don’t want to do. Zethras jokes about the kind of cult she wants him to build where everything is done consensual. A bit unorthodox but he can work with it. Either way, Rin reaffirms her position that she will breed with Zethras as her goddess demands. Again, not demanding, Emla clarifies, but Nia says this is the best they’re going to get.

Nia then smirks at him and ask how he’s feeling and if he’s enjoying the ascended life so far. He points out he’s sitting naked on a giant bed while three cute girls are checking out his junk so it could be a lot worse. Nia likes his response but Rin predictably says she’s not checking out anything, and then says she hopes he doesn’t expect to be treated any differently. Doesn’t matter if he’s kin, he’s still just a human to her and he always will be.

Emla challenges Rin on this, saying he’ll prove her wrong sooner or later. Rin hmphs, and Zethras asks about the whole kin thing. Nia offhandedly explains Kin are members of lesser races who pledge themselves to entities such as Emla, those who come from beyond. Technically Nia and Rin are from a race that comes from the blackest sea as well, but they aren’t gods.

He asks what they are, thinking he can handle it now. Nia is all too eager to share, perhaps sadistically, but Emla cuts her off to protect him before he stops her. She allows him to try and Nia continues to say they are ir’athrids. Just the name is fine, he’ll learn about the species itself later.

That sounds very familiar to him but he can’t quite place it. Rin points out that to his people they’re known as mindflayers, which makes him understand. There were some mentions of them in some books back at the forbidden section, and he’s a little excited to actually meet some.

Nia points out how excited he is, which gets him to be slightly embarrassed. Rin takes this chance to warn him about their species. They’re violent, sadistic and love nothing more than scrambling the minds of any who piss them off. He probably can’t even handle touching them as he is, she scoffs.

Emla is frustrated but before she knows it Zethras has stood and taken Rin’s hand casually. She is stunned, Nia is amused. Seems like it’s not as bad as she claims. Rin stutters for a moment before demanding he know his place, and her human form flickers to reveal her hybrid one. It’s still a little much for him and he can’t look straight at her, but he forces himself to get a good look for at least a few seconds. Describe it.

She almost attacks him with her tentacles, but Zethras feels an evil presence behind him- Emla showing off some of her power as a reminder to Rin. An attack on her husband is as good as an attack on her, she claims. Are you attacking me after so many years of service, Rin? It is you who must know your place!

Rin cowers and backs down apologizing, Nia makes fun of her for it, but Emla turns towards Nia and explains she knows her intentions and she is never as innocent as she likes others to believe. Unsurprisingly, Nia claims innocence. She’s going to be good friends with Zethras real soon.

In a moment Emla’s rage settles and she acts upset and pouty. I know neither of you have ever approved of my decision, but if I’m to build a cult and finally leave this castle, we’re doing it my way. Besides, Rin and Nia mean so much to her. She wants desperately for them to bare her mark and spawn beautiful children for their family.

Rin and Nia are both apprehensive, not about the children but they’re upset for upsetting Emla. Rin reiterates she’s fine with him doing whatever, and Nia agrees. Zethras still has his doubts but they seem genuine enough, but he remembers how Emla said these two were a test for him as well. He needs to command their respect if he wants to be worthy of Emla. That seems almost impossible at the moment, but he’s willing to rise to the challenge.

Zethras begins to dress himself in front of everyone, enduring teasing from Nia and disappointment from Emla. He says that there’s a lot he wants to do now that he’s settled in and has left his humanity behind. He hopes that Emla won’t mind if he gets started. She wants to know his intentions but is supportive. He wants to get better acquainted with the Vacuous Cradle and soon, the surface and surrounding region. There’s a lot to take into consideration when developing a community and he wants to get started. She motherly praises him for his initiative, and he commands Nia to show him around the Cradle for today.

Nia is at first teasing him over it, but then promises she’ll service him however he pleases. Rin scoffs, calls her something dismissive, then asks her new master sarcastically if she has permission to go and continue her hunting. He plays into the sarcasm to not be intimidated by her, giving her a pretentious, masterly approval. Also tells her that soon he wants her to show him around the surface. Annoyed, Rin storms off but angrily says she’ll do just that.

Emla tells him he has the right approach. Don’t show weakness to either of them. Nia confirms this as a good idea, teasing how unpredictable she is and that she’s always been unable to stop herself from breaking the weak. Zethras gets the feeling that this is not an exaggeration and though it troubles him he refuses to back down. He has to earn Nia’s respect, and Rin’s too.

It doesn't bother him. Emla expects this of him, but even if she didn't, he'd want to do it for himself. He has the chance to be architect of his destiny and to build the place he'd always dreamed of, and he's going to take it. First comes winning over Nia and Rin as he gets used to the place, then making things official with Emla, and then, building a cult. He'll either pull it off or go mad trying, so it's time to start trying.