Norien Excerpts and Snippets
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aftanithBattle for Avalnar Potential Opening
Cilan walked the halls of Castle Tardis alone, and he was content in his solitude. Since his departure from Miralni's library, he had enjoyed the company of none but himself and the shades of memory and premonition that haunted the island. Ghosts slipping through time, given form by the god's sheer, unharnessed power. After the visit from Uglori, these specters did not reappear for quite some time.
When the goddess came to him, he recognized, though he had never set eyes on her before. There could be no mistaking her; the single strangest creature he had ever borne witness to, Uglori appeared to him as a woman beautiful in her countenance but monstrous in form, her naked, voluptuous torso joined to the lower body of a massive, powerful serpent. Her black hair seemed to billow about her like a cloud of smoke, and six arms stretched out from her torso, each holding in its hand an artifact of the upper pantheon. Very ominous.
As she approached him,
Liram/Korey/Jesse Threesome
Liram smiled as he watched Jesse work; the young man hovered over Korey, his fingers teasing her inside and out and his tongue tasting everything it could reach. Korey had closed her eyes some time ago; for several minutes, she hadn't seemed to know where to look as her gaze flickered back and forth between the two men. Perhaps she was simply wondering who she hated more.
Liram's hand rested leisurely on Jesse's back, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the naked flesh. At Korey's first mewl, his eyes sought out her face, and he watched intently as she peaked with almost no sound at all. Her eyes opened within seconds, dazed with pleasure yet somehow retaining their fury; she glared at him, and he laughed quietly.
Jesse had shifted away from her, and a moment of silence passed in which the three simply observed one another. Then Korey leaned forward to wrap her arms around Jesse and press her chest against his; Korey seemed to be smirking as she brought her lips to Jesse's, and Liram noted the sly glance she cast in his direction, almost as if mocking him. He grinned to himself, content to let her think she was winning, and leaned back to watch the show.
Jesse moaned as Korey's fingertips brushed across his flesh, and his erection twitched toward her; Liram wondered if--hoped that--she would make him beg.
With a snide smirk, she pulled away from the man to take a leisurely seat beside Liram. "I didn't realize you were such a voyeur."
"I was waiting for an invitation, love."
The Overseers Excerpt
Miralni stepped into the library, her path lit by the white, glowing orbs that hung in the air around her. She raced with silent steps toward the dark corner of the massive chamber, where she knew a wondrous sight would greet her.
Sure enough, Cilan stood in the little reading nook, his body bending as he stared down at one of several large tomes lying sprawled across the table. He felt her presence instantly, and he glanced up, waiting for her to address him.
"What are you searching for?"
"It's none of your concern, Miralni." He looked back down at the book. "You're the Librarian; you tell me."
Miralni frowned at him. "She won't help you."
Halfway through turning a page, Cilan hesitated. "She won't help, or she won't help me?"
"She will not avenge Diamira. There are some things even she cannot do."
Cilan snorted. "If your books are true, the Fury can make quick work of Iolias. That is all I ask."
"I'm afraid, my love, that it's not Queen Iolias whom you should be worried about." She stared at him a moment longer, then turned to leave.
Baffled, Cilan stared at the pages. Miralni's words were obviously meant as a warning, but it was one he could not comprehend. If she knew of a bigger threat than Iolias, why leave him uninformed? If she could see into the future, why not share those secrets with him?
He brushed that thought aside; he'd had quite enough with that particular line of thinking. No, what mattered now was revenge, and the Fury would get it for him, Miralni's predictions be damned.
Liram, Korey, and the Alchemist (inspired by Where Heroes Rush In)
My neck felt so stiff as I shifted in my bed, trying to roll to my side but restrained by the handcuffs that chained me to the...
Handcuffs?
I bolted upright--what the fuck is going on?--and my eyes franctically scanned the room; vast, completely black, and entirely foreign, I didn't recognize a thing from where I sat in the massive four-poster bed. Well, I did recognize one thing.
"Liram?" I whispered. "Liram, are you okay?"
I couldn't believe those words were coming out of my mouth, but more unbelievable was the sight before me: Liram, chained to the other end of the bed, seemingly unconscious and undeniably naked.
Oh. Oh, dear. I glanced down, only then realizing the full extent of our predicament. Kidnapped, naked, and chained to a bed. This was not going to go well.
I stretched across the surface of the bed, my legs reaching as far as they could, and I brought my heel down as hard as I could on Liram's shin; he was up in an instant, eyes wide with surprise, and he pulled against his restraints.
"Korey?" he breathed. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
"I would never," a cold voice startled me, and I jolted in my bonds, turning to glare at the skeletal monster of a man that shifted into sight from behind window's heavy black curtain.
"That's comforting."
He smiled despite my sarcasm, approaching the bed and putting an unapologetic hand upon my shoulder. I hissed, but Liram roared. "Get the fuck off her!"
The Myth
In the beginning, in the very first moments of our universe, there was only Uglori. We will never know how long the Goddess of Madness wandered alone, carrying her children inside her as the realm prepared itself for their birth. First Skara, the Lady of Chaos, emerged into the world, and then her brother, Liram, Lord of Order. They hated each other from the start.
Norien grew around them, and they watched eagerly the birth of the Sirah who would grow to become their subjects. They ruled the same lands, but they never met. When their paths finally crossed again, they knew the danger they were in.
Uglori had warned them, but they had ignored her; the thought of their union was ludicrous. But when they looked upon each other for the first time since maturity, they realized their mistake.
Skara, cold and defiant as always, couldn't feel the pull immediately. The panic, yes, but not its cause. She ignored her lust, as she failed yet to understand it.
Liram, always the passionate one and more used to weaponizing desire than letting it victimize him, knew immediately what lie ahead. But he couldn't resist the temptation, try as he might, and his plans began to shift. His need for conquest over Norien now expanded; he wanted to have Skara, too.
Years passed--no one knows exactly how many between that fateful day and the next. But as time passed, so did Skara's fear. Her resistance crumbling, the day of Liram and Skara's union finally came.
Fear gone completely, Skara lay pleased beside him, her lust finally satiated and her mind at ease. Liram, however, realized what he'd done, what they'd risked; panic gripped him now, far too late.
And in that frenzied horror, Liram committed the only crime he would ever regret: his sister-goddess asleep beside him, he sunk a blade deep into her heart.
Regret overcame him almost immediately, but it was, once again, too late to take back what he'd done; Skara's essence fled from her body, and Liram's powers could not bring it back. For years he searched the realm, sure he would eventually be reunited with his love, forgiven by her. But time passed fruitlessly.
Eventually, he turned to a fellow for help. Miralni, Goddess of Time, a neutral force in the struggle between Chaos and Order, could tell the secrets of the future, past, and present at will. She could tell him Skara's fate.
Miralni greeted Liram coldly, for she knew him by the crimes he'd carried out and by those he'd yet to commit. Skara is alive, she told him, but beyond even my reach. Consult Cilan, if you must.
And so Liram left to seek Miralni's lover, Cilan, the God of Space. Cilan cared nothing for the squabbles of the Gods and the Sirah, and Liram found him alone in an island fortress in the middle of the sea.
She is gone, Cilan told Liram. Gone to a place far beyond your grasp.
The words infuriated him. How is this possible, he asked. How could she leave me?
Uglori, Cilan explained. Uglori sought to protect her daughter, and now Skara lies beyond the edges of her mother's power. Not even I can bring her back. Perhaps when the time comes, Uglori will help her return.
So Liram stalked away, head bowed in shame.
post-Alchemist Korey/Liram/Jesse/Solene
She put up with him, that was all. She couldn't pretend the Alchemist hadn't changed their relationship, but that certainly didn't make them friends. Or allies. And it certainly didn't make them lovers.
Liram was an annoyance, not even a threat. He liked her, and she could stand him. So they were good. Safe. Balanced, if not quite comfortable.
After the Alchemist... She missed her friends, and she realized that endangered her. Not from them, of course; she'd probably never see them again. No, from Liram. Not that she thought he would hurt her; no, she was afraid of her emotions now more than ever. There were two clear paths in front of her: she could end up like Cilan, alone for eternity in a dark corner of Norien, unable to form or rekindle friendships or romances. Worse yet, she could follow in Solene's footsteps, find herself reduced in her loneliness to nothing more than Liram's whore.
She would never let that happen.
~
Liram seemed satisfied when he returned, which quite surprised Jesse. Both he and Solene had overheard just enough to get a general idea of Liram and Korey's ordeal, and Jesse had imagined the other god (how he loved saying that; he, Jesse Davis, was a god) would be furious, terrifying in his pure rage. And yet there Liram was, looking sated and content.
The difference, though subtle, was in a sense shocking; after their apotheosis, Liram never called for either Jesse or Solene. They seemed all but forgotten for some time, and during the apotheosis itself, when Liram bent his body over theirs for the first and last time in a while, he was simply... different. Not disinterested, exactly, but obviously he didn't need it from them. If anything, he seemed wryly amused, almost a spectator to their pleasure instead of a participant.
But Jesse was sure he would snap out of it. He always did.
~
Korey had to wonder: how did Cilan do it? How could he stand the solitude, the crushing realization that no one was coming, waiting, searching. No one was minding, or wondering, and once again, Korey felt the faintest twinge of despair.
She swore to visit Cilan soon.
~
Jesse knew before Liram. Maybe. At the very least, he saw her first, and it took only a moment's deliberation before he rushed to announce her arrival.
Liram didn't respond, merely nodded and dismissed him. So off Jesse went in search of Solene.
~
Korey scowled as Liram approached. "I haven't decided if I want to see you yet."
But Liram just laughed and drew her to him, letting her duck away from his grasp after a moment and ushering her into the castle.
~
He couldn't help it. He really couldn't, and he also couldn't stand Solene's smug expression as she watched him watching them. Solene just didn't understand yet, just didn't understand what they were, how this worked. She'd get it eventually.
It was beautiful, after all. Them, together. Every movement, every glance; they knew each other, completely, without uttering a single word. Silent and efficient, yet somehow the most purely intimate and passionate thing he'd ever witnessed. It was almost eerie in its magnificence.
"Just join them if they work you up that much," Solene said, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't impose on something already so complete without him, so perfect.
~
Korey knew they were watching, but ignored them. Liram was watching her, too, in that same odd way she'd caught him staring during their ordeal.
She ignored that, as well, choosing instead of focus on herself, to ignore prying eyes and magic auras, the crackle of power in the air around them and the rapt attention being paid to their performance.
It wasn't until later, when they'd finally paused for a moment's recuperation, that Liram laughed, having finally focused his attention on their audience after feigning obliviousness for so long.
Someone pushed the door open properly--Solene, Korey saw--and Jesse stepped in, though only because of Solene's urging shove.
Korey cast a passive glance at Liram then, watching for his response without managing to care about it, and she snorted quietly when Liram beckoned the two forward.
Jesse didn't seem to know what to do, and Solene seemed to be waiting for him. For a moment, the whole room seemed to wait for Jesse's move, and finally he stepped toward the bed.
Italus
Italus is golden this time of year. The breezes roll through the wheat field like waves, spanning as far as the eye can see. Even inside the buildings, the sun seems more brilliant, more majestic and illuminating here than anywhere else in Lerena. From the first time Colobert took me here, I was in love.
With the town, that is. I still can't say what I feel for Colobert himself. The noble thing would be to love him, of course; this stringing him along isn't good for the spark. And yet as much as I enjoy his devotion, his attention, his undeniable love for me... half the time I can't stand him. He has the tendency to smother, and that irks me to no end.
But it's those day when we manage to steal away, when we lock ourselves up in the golden embrace of his ancetral village, that I can honestly say I appreciate him.
There's an inn we like to stay at in town. Very much on the outskirts, it borders the edge of a seemingly endless ocean of wheat. I don't know what lies beyond that field, for I've never cared to ask. I assume woodlands.
The inn belongs to a relative of Colobert's. His second cousin, I believe. A middle-class woman of--to be polite--large stature and even larger personality, Ayala Luz is one of the few people I would ever think of turning to in a crisis. A headstrong, matronly figure with a soft spot for barnyard fowl, she is fiercely protective of all she takes under her wing. She enveloped me on the day we met.
Italus had glowed then as it does now, and yet I had been overwhelmingly anxious. Never had I been so far from my palace, and in all technicality, I hadn't quite cleared this trip with those in charge of my safety. As it turned out, I needn't worry so.
When Colobert took me to the inn, I didn't recognize its purpose. Barnyard fowl roamed the penned-in yard of the building, and so I assumed that my lover had for some reason taken me to a farmhouse. I could not imagine why.
It was only when we went inside that I realized my mistake; this could be no farmhouse, this building with its beautiful and well-peopled front lobby. It wasn't luxurious in the sense of the grand hotels in which I'd stayed before, but it had an incredibly picturesque and quaint charm that immediately won my heart.
The Overseers Prologue
Diamira crept out of the cottage she shared with Naelain, wincing at every creak of the floorboards and the shriek of the door hinge. The sand felt soft and cool beneath her feet as she darted to the edge of the water and whistled into the night. She hesitated a moment, fearful that Naelain had heard her call, then relaxed. He slept on.
When she saw the grey fin gliding across the waves, she waded out into the Gulf of Norien to meet the shark. It waited for her, swimming in slow circles just off the shore, and when she had mounted its torpedo-like back, it shot off into the night.
The miles passed swiftly as the shark raced across the Gulf, and Shenann's shore appeared on the horizon within the hour; when they reached the shallows, Diamira thanked her friend and sent him on his way. The beach lay before her, and she swam toward its promise.
Her visit would be a surprise to Cilan; she had decided upon a whim to see him, and now her legs carried her as fast as they could to his castle. Its spires towered above the tree line, beckoning her toward it. Not a single light shined amidst the dark stones, but Diamira knew her way; both the island and the castle felt like home to her, and she smiled as she ran.
The beach gave way to the forest, and for several minutes, she trampled through the undergrowth before she turned onto the stone path that led to the castle. Finally, the winding incline behind her, she bounded up the steps and pushed open the heavy wooden door.
She founded the hall empty, as she knew she would; in all the years Cilan had lived there, Diamira doubted he'd had a single visitor other than her. Miralni certainly wouldn't visit him...
Diamira brushed the thought aside. To think of the other Overseers now was to beckon guilt, and she knew better than to let that particular emotion intrude upon the fleeting moments she shared with Cilan. She savored the passion between them; she had never felt such a bond with Naelain, and she had no doubt that it never existed between Cilan and Miralni. After all, the couple had not even spoke to one another in nine thousand years.
When Diamira knocked on the door of Cilan's bedchamber, it opened immediately, much to her surprise. She had assumed that he would be asleep at this hour, yet he stood in front of her, fully clothed and staring at her as if horrified by her presence.
Her smiled faltered at the sight of his expression. "Is this a bad time?"
"Yes!" he barked, but he pulled her by the arm into the room nonetheless.
She tore her arm away from him, shocked by the rough treatment. "Cilan, what's going on? Is something wrong?"
He refused to look at her, his eyes fixed upon the floor and his body rigid. "You can't be here right now. Please go."
Diamira shook her head. "Tell me what's wrong. Are you alright?"
"Go!"
Diamira stumbled backward, stunned by the urgency in his voice. Above all else, it frightened her.
"Cilan, please tell me what's--"
She turned as the a knock on the door interrupted her. Cilan made no move to answer it, but he needn't bother; the door opened a moment later, and a tall, raven-haired woman stepped inside.
Diamira stared at her, eyes narrowed. The woman seemed familiar, and Diamira tried to recall where she might have met the stranger.
"Cilan," the woman began, sneering at Diamira, "what is she doing here? I thought I told you I was coming."
His every muscle visibly tense, Cilan stepped between the two woman. "Diamira, I'm sure you remember Queen Iolias."
Comprehension dawned on her as ancient memories flooded back. As the Overseer of Seas, Diamira had not set foot in the kingdom of Avalnar more than a few times in all her four billion years, but she did vaguely recognize the younger of the land's two Queens.
Yet this realization clarified little. "I'm sorry," she began, "but what business could the two of you have at this time of night?"
Iolias chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing. Don't you have a husband of your own to play with?"
Furious, Diamira whirled on Cilan. "What business?" she repeated, her fists clenched.
For the first time since her arrival, Cilan met her eyes, though he did so with great hesitation. "Diamira, please--"
"Don't 'please' me, Cilan. Answer me!"
Iolias laughed once more. "My, my, Diamira. Who knew an Overseer could be such a petty hypocrite? After all, how can you demand fidelity when you don't even practice it?"
Diamira closed her eyes, breathing deep and slow in the silence until she felt sure that her fury has subsided.
"Cilan, I will give you one chance, and one chance only. Tell me what is going on, or I am walking out that door for the last time. Lie to me, and it's the same."
Cilan didn't speak, his lips drawn into a tight, solemn line. Her eyes welling, Diamira turned away from him. Staring at the door, she tried one last time.
"I can't forgive you unless you confess."
She waited until she could not bear to stay any longer, and then she bolted. The door slammed behind her, and she raced into the night.
Ishizu
In the kingdom of Madara lies a fortress owned by a powerful Sorcerer. Though he is no ally of Queen Esis, he is in many respects an even greater tyrant than she. He owns vast lands upon which his allies/servants live, though his fortress is also home to many of them. Among those who dwell at his fortress is a young woman named Ishizu, an orphan whose presence at the fortress relates to a persistent rumor about her lineage. And there is a faction of the Sorcerer's followers--one man in particular, in fact--that is determined to prove their theory at risk of killing Ishizu in the process.
Ishizu only realizes it on the night that it nearly kills her. She and several other orphans have taken to the small playground beside the river. It lies beyond the fortress wall, which also serves as a dam, but none of the young men, women, or children realize that a deadly storm is on the way. Unfortunately for them, that "one man in particular" (temporary name: Lucius) does. Theorizing that the danger might draw out Ishizu's rumored latent powers, he locks the gate with the orphans still outside.
When they realize the storm and attempt to take shelter, they find themselves locked outside. The river is rising, and a tornado has already been spotted in the distance. Soon enough, they're standing in four-foot water, taking shelter under and on the flimsy playground equipment. A young girl (temporarily named Katherine) swims over to Ishizu, barely able to keep her head above water. Ish grabs her and hoists her up into her arms.
But then someone screams, and the danger seems unavoidable. A massive tornado is headed straight for them. They try to swim from its path, but don't get far; then, much to their relief, the gate opens and a women screams for them to hurry inside.
Beyond the gate, Ish realizes that Katherine is the reason they're still alive--her adoption had finally been approved that day, and her new mother had realized after looking for her that the orphans had been trapped outside.
The next day, Ishizu is retrieved by Lucius. His first plan foiled, he has something much worse in store for her now. He leads her to the courtyard, where several of his allies seize her and tie her down beneath a massive saw. They turn it on, much to Ish's horror, and watch as she tries in vain to defend herself. Every time she blasts the saw backward, it starts to advance faster, and when it's within a few inches of her body, she releases a blast powerful enough to knock her unconscious.
She wakes up in the infirmary with a trainee nurse, apparently the only person on duty, sowing shut a gash in her abdomen. Then the nurse tells her to return after the ball to be healed properly.
Ish has no idea what the nurse is talking about, and the startled nurse explains that the Sorcerer has thrown an impromptu ball in her honor to celebrate her as the hero of yesterday's near-tragedy. Ish protests, but the nurse sends her off--she's cutting it close already, and she must hurry to be ready on time.
Ish flees to her rooms, where waits a grumpy lady-in-waiting. Ishizu is squeezed into a tight corset goan; the lady fusses that there's no time to do her hair, but Ishizu rushes off without worrying.
In the waiting hall, she finds a crowd of people who don't seem entirely thrilled to see her. One who is, however, attracts Ishizu's attention: Katherine and her new father sit on a windowsill. Katherine and Ish hug, and Ish acquaints herself with Solomon, Katherine's new father.
Solomon (think Rory, but older and less attractive) reveals himself an interesting character. He self-identifies as gay, but is happily married to a woman. He goes on to explain that he is homosexual but heteromantic. Intrigued by this man and quite fond of his daughter, Ish invites Solomon and Katherine to join her table at the ball. Solomon protests--as the guest of honor, she'll be sitting with the Sorcerer, and they can't intrude--but Ish assures them that four sit to a table, and as the banquet is in her honor, she can and will sit by whomever she pleases... as long as Solomon and Katherine won't be frightened or too intimidated by the Sorcerer's presence.
Finally, Solomon agrees, and Ish turns down several men and women who ask to join her table. Arm-in-arm with Solomon and holding hands with Katherine, Ishizu enters the ballroom.
The tables are each already half-filled by the Sorcerer's inside circle, with the exception of the table at the very center. Katherine and Solomon take one side, and all eyes are on Ish as she sits besides the Sorcerer's vacant seat.
The Sorcerer arrives when everyone as been seated--in most cases, two of the inside circle across from two attractive, young, and single men and/or women. It is generally expected that most guests will be spending the night with whoever they chose to sit across from. And that is Ishizu's main concern--does the Sorcerer hope to take her to bed? Worse yet, will he demand it?
Though she's lived there nearly her entire life (and though she's been of major interest to him the entire time, which she doesn't realize) at the fortress, she's never met the Sorcerer, and introductions go around the table immediately. After eating, the Sorcerer asks Ishizu to dance, and they are alone on the floor for the first song. Then the Sorcerer, playing along with Ishizu's decision to invite Katherine and Solomon to their table, dances with Katherine while Solomon pairs with Ish. On that note, other couples take to the floor.
After dancing again with the Sorcerer, Ishizu is approached by Lucius. He demands to dance, then explains what he intended to do in the courtyard. She rejects his apology and stalks off. After turning several other men and women down, Ish and the Sorcerer take to the floor for the last song of the evening. Most couples at this point have chosen who they'll be going home with; pairings that didn't work out simply sit out. This frightens Ish--by dancing, she is essentially accepting the Sorcerer's advances, and yet she can't sit out without causing a scandal that could ruin her.
Ironically, it's Lucius who inadvertently saves her. As she dances, her wound rips
open, and when the Sorcerer sees the blood soaking through her corset, he has to heal her right there before she bleeds to death. To her relief, she is instructed to spend the night recuperating.
But she knows the next day will lead to an interrogation she'd rather avoid, and she fears that the Sorcerer does indeed intend to take her as soon as she's recovered. And still she dreads what Lucius will try next.
Cilan walked the halls of Castle Tardis alone, and he was content in his solitude. Since his departure from Miralni's library, he had enjoyed the company of none but himself and the shades of memory and premonition that haunted the island. Ghosts slipping through time, given form by the god's sheer, unharnessed power. After the visit from Uglori, these specters did not reappear for quite some time.
When the goddess came to him, he recognized, though he had never set eyes on her before. There could be no mistaking her; the single strangest creature he had ever borne witness to, Uglori appeared to him as a woman beautiful in her countenance but monstrous in form, her naked, voluptuous torso joined to the lower body of a massive, powerful serpent. Her black hair seemed to billow about her like a cloud of smoke, and six arms stretched out from her torso, each holding in its hand an artifact of the upper pantheon. Very ominous.
As she approached him,
Liram/Korey/Jesse Threesome
Liram smiled as he watched Jesse work; the young man hovered over Korey, his fingers teasing her inside and out and his tongue tasting everything it could reach. Korey had closed her eyes some time ago; for several minutes, she hadn't seemed to know where to look as her gaze flickered back and forth between the two men. Perhaps she was simply wondering who she hated more.
Liram's hand rested leisurely on Jesse's back, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the naked flesh. At Korey's first mewl, his eyes sought out her face, and he watched intently as she peaked with almost no sound at all. Her eyes opened within seconds, dazed with pleasure yet somehow retaining their fury; she glared at him, and he laughed quietly.
Jesse had shifted away from her, and a moment of silence passed in which the three simply observed one another. Then Korey leaned forward to wrap her arms around Jesse and press her chest against his; Korey seemed to be smirking as she brought her lips to Jesse's, and Liram noted the sly glance she cast in his direction, almost as if mocking him. He grinned to himself, content to let her think she was winning, and leaned back to watch the show.
Jesse moaned as Korey's fingertips brushed across his flesh, and his erection twitched toward her; Liram wondered if--hoped that--she would make him beg.
With a snide smirk, she pulled away from the man to take a leisurely seat beside Liram. "I didn't realize you were such a voyeur."
"I was waiting for an invitation, love."
The Overseers Excerpt
Miralni stepped into the library, her path lit by the white, glowing orbs that hung in the air around her. She raced with silent steps toward the dark corner of the massive chamber, where she knew a wondrous sight would greet her.
Sure enough, Cilan stood in the little reading nook, his body bending as he stared down at one of several large tomes lying sprawled across the table. He felt her presence instantly, and he glanced up, waiting for her to address him.
"What are you searching for?"
"It's none of your concern, Miralni." He looked back down at the book. "You're the Librarian; you tell me."
Miralni frowned at him. "She won't help you."
Halfway through turning a page, Cilan hesitated. "She won't help, or she won't help me?"
"She will not avenge Diamira. There are some things even she cannot do."
Cilan snorted. "If your books are true, the Fury can make quick work of Iolias. That is all I ask."
"I'm afraid, my love, that it's not Queen Iolias whom you should be worried about." She stared at him a moment longer, then turned to leave.
Baffled, Cilan stared at the pages. Miralni's words were obviously meant as a warning, but it was one he could not comprehend. If she knew of a bigger threat than Iolias, why leave him uninformed? If she could see into the future, why not share those secrets with him?
He brushed that thought aside; he'd had quite enough with that particular line of thinking. No, what mattered now was revenge, and the Fury would get it for him, Miralni's predictions be damned.
Liram, Korey, and the Alchemist (inspired by Where Heroes Rush In)
My neck felt so stiff as I shifted in my bed, trying to roll to my side but restrained by the handcuffs that chained me to the...
Handcuffs?
I bolted upright--what the fuck is going on?--and my eyes franctically scanned the room; vast, completely black, and entirely foreign, I didn't recognize a thing from where I sat in the massive four-poster bed. Well, I did recognize one thing.
"Liram?" I whispered. "Liram, are you okay?"
I couldn't believe those words were coming out of my mouth, but more unbelievable was the sight before me: Liram, chained to the other end of the bed, seemingly unconscious and undeniably naked.
Oh. Oh, dear. I glanced down, only then realizing the full extent of our predicament. Kidnapped, naked, and chained to a bed. This was not going to go well.
I stretched across the surface of the bed, my legs reaching as far as they could, and I brought my heel down as hard as I could on Liram's shin; he was up in an instant, eyes wide with surprise, and he pulled against his restraints.
"Korey?" he breathed. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"
"I would never," a cold voice startled me, and I jolted in my bonds, turning to glare at the skeletal monster of a man that shifted into sight from behind window's heavy black curtain.
"That's comforting."
He smiled despite my sarcasm, approaching the bed and putting an unapologetic hand upon my shoulder. I hissed, but Liram roared. "Get the fuck off her!"
The Myth
In the beginning, in the very first moments of our universe, there was only Uglori. We will never know how long the Goddess of Madness wandered alone, carrying her children inside her as the realm prepared itself for their birth. First Skara, the Lady of Chaos, emerged into the world, and then her brother, Liram, Lord of Order. They hated each other from the start.
Norien grew around them, and they watched eagerly the birth of the Sirah who would grow to become their subjects. They ruled the same lands, but they never met. When their paths finally crossed again, they knew the danger they were in.
Uglori had warned them, but they had ignored her; the thought of their union was ludicrous. But when they looked upon each other for the first time since maturity, they realized their mistake.
Skara, cold and defiant as always, couldn't feel the pull immediately. The panic, yes, but not its cause. She ignored her lust, as she failed yet to understand it.
Liram, always the passionate one and more used to weaponizing desire than letting it victimize him, knew immediately what lie ahead. But he couldn't resist the temptation, try as he might, and his plans began to shift. His need for conquest over Norien now expanded; he wanted to have Skara, too.
Years passed--no one knows exactly how many between that fateful day and the next. But as time passed, so did Skara's fear. Her resistance crumbling, the day of Liram and Skara's union finally came.
Fear gone completely, Skara lay pleased beside him, her lust finally satiated and her mind at ease. Liram, however, realized what he'd done, what they'd risked; panic gripped him now, far too late.
And in that frenzied horror, Liram committed the only crime he would ever regret: his sister-goddess asleep beside him, he sunk a blade deep into her heart.
Regret overcame him almost immediately, but it was, once again, too late to take back what he'd done; Skara's essence fled from her body, and Liram's powers could not bring it back. For years he searched the realm, sure he would eventually be reunited with his love, forgiven by her. But time passed fruitlessly.
Eventually, he turned to a fellow for help. Miralni, Goddess of Time, a neutral force in the struggle between Chaos and Order, could tell the secrets of the future, past, and present at will. She could tell him Skara's fate.
Miralni greeted Liram coldly, for she knew him by the crimes he'd carried out and by those he'd yet to commit. Skara is alive, she told him, but beyond even my reach. Consult Cilan, if you must.
And so Liram left to seek Miralni's lover, Cilan, the God of Space. Cilan cared nothing for the squabbles of the Gods and the Sirah, and Liram found him alone in an island fortress in the middle of the sea.
She is gone, Cilan told Liram. Gone to a place far beyond your grasp.
The words infuriated him. How is this possible, he asked. How could she leave me?
Uglori, Cilan explained. Uglori sought to protect her daughter, and now Skara lies beyond the edges of her mother's power. Not even I can bring her back. Perhaps when the time comes, Uglori will help her return.
So Liram stalked away, head bowed in shame.
post-Alchemist Korey/Liram/Jesse/Solene
She put up with him, that was all. She couldn't pretend the Alchemist hadn't changed their relationship, but that certainly didn't make them friends. Or allies. And it certainly didn't make them lovers.
Liram was an annoyance, not even a threat. He liked her, and she could stand him. So they were good. Safe. Balanced, if not quite comfortable.
After the Alchemist... She missed her friends, and she realized that endangered her. Not from them, of course; she'd probably never see them again. No, from Liram. Not that she thought he would hurt her; no, she was afraid of her emotions now more than ever. There were two clear paths in front of her: she could end up like Cilan, alone for eternity in a dark corner of Norien, unable to form or rekindle friendships or romances. Worse yet, she could follow in Solene's footsteps, find herself reduced in her loneliness to nothing more than Liram's whore.
She would never let that happen.
Liram seemed satisfied when he returned, which quite surprised Jesse. Both he and Solene had overheard just enough to get a general idea of Liram and Korey's ordeal, and Jesse had imagined the other god (how he loved saying that; he, Jesse Davis, was a god) would be furious, terrifying in his pure rage. And yet there Liram was, looking sated and content.
The difference, though subtle, was in a sense shocking; after their apotheosis, Liram never called for either Jesse or Solene. They seemed all but forgotten for some time, and during the apotheosis itself, when Liram bent his body over theirs for the first and last time in a while, he was simply... different. Not disinterested, exactly, but obviously he didn't need it from them. If anything, he seemed wryly amused, almost a spectator to their pleasure instead of a participant.
But Jesse was sure he would snap out of it. He always did.
Korey had to wonder: how did Cilan do it? How could he stand the solitude, the crushing realization that no one was coming, waiting, searching. No one was minding, or wondering, and once again, Korey felt the faintest twinge of despair.
She swore to visit Cilan soon.
Jesse knew before Liram. Maybe. At the very least, he saw her first, and it took only a moment's deliberation before he rushed to announce her arrival.
Liram didn't respond, merely nodded and dismissed him. So off Jesse went in search of Solene.
Korey scowled as Liram approached. "I haven't decided if I want to see you yet."
But Liram just laughed and drew her to him, letting her duck away from his grasp after a moment and ushering her into the castle.
He couldn't help it. He really couldn't, and he also couldn't stand Solene's smug expression as she watched him watching them. Solene just didn't understand yet, just didn't understand what they were, how this worked. She'd get it eventually.
It was beautiful, after all. Them, together. Every movement, every glance; they knew each other, completely, without uttering a single word. Silent and efficient, yet somehow the most purely intimate and passionate thing he'd ever witnessed. It was almost eerie in its magnificence.
"Just join them if they work you up that much," Solene said, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't impose on something already so complete without him, so perfect.
Korey knew they were watching, but ignored them. Liram was watching her, too, in that same odd way she'd caught him staring during their ordeal.
She ignored that, as well, choosing instead of focus on herself, to ignore prying eyes and magic auras, the crackle of power in the air around them and the rapt attention being paid to their performance.
It wasn't until later, when they'd finally paused for a moment's recuperation, that Liram laughed, having finally focused his attention on their audience after feigning obliviousness for so long.
Someone pushed the door open properly--Solene, Korey saw--and Jesse stepped in, though only because of Solene's urging shove.
Korey cast a passive glance at Liram then, watching for his response without managing to care about it, and she snorted quietly when Liram beckoned the two forward.
Jesse didn't seem to know what to do, and Solene seemed to be waiting for him. For a moment, the whole room seemed to wait for Jesse's move, and finally he stepped toward the bed.
Italus
Italus is golden this time of year. The breezes roll through the wheat field like waves, spanning as far as the eye can see. Even inside the buildings, the sun seems more brilliant, more majestic and illuminating here than anywhere else in Lerena. From the first time Colobert took me here, I was in love.
With the town, that is. I still can't say what I feel for Colobert himself. The noble thing would be to love him, of course; this stringing him along isn't good for the spark. And yet as much as I enjoy his devotion, his attention, his undeniable love for me... half the time I can't stand him. He has the tendency to smother, and that irks me to no end.
But it's those day when we manage to steal away, when we lock ourselves up in the golden embrace of his ancetral village, that I can honestly say I appreciate him.
There's an inn we like to stay at in town. Very much on the outskirts, it borders the edge of a seemingly endless ocean of wheat. I don't know what lies beyond that field, for I've never cared to ask. I assume woodlands.
The inn belongs to a relative of Colobert's. His second cousin, I believe. A middle-class woman of--to be polite--large stature and even larger personality, Ayala Luz is one of the few people I would ever think of turning to in a crisis. A headstrong, matronly figure with a soft spot for barnyard fowl, she is fiercely protective of all she takes under her wing. She enveloped me on the day we met.
Italus had glowed then as it does now, and yet I had been overwhelmingly anxious. Never had I been so far from my palace, and in all technicality, I hadn't quite cleared this trip with those in charge of my safety. As it turned out, I needn't worry so.
When Colobert took me to the inn, I didn't recognize its purpose. Barnyard fowl roamed the penned-in yard of the building, and so I assumed that my lover had for some reason taken me to a farmhouse. I could not imagine why.
It was only when we went inside that I realized my mistake; this could be no farmhouse, this building with its beautiful and well-peopled front lobby. It wasn't luxurious in the sense of the grand hotels in which I'd stayed before, but it had an incredibly picturesque and quaint charm that immediately won my heart.
The Overseers Prologue
Diamira crept out of the cottage she shared with Naelain, wincing at every creak of the floorboards and the shriek of the door hinge. The sand felt soft and cool beneath her feet as she darted to the edge of the water and whistled into the night. She hesitated a moment, fearful that Naelain had heard her call, then relaxed. He slept on.
When she saw the grey fin gliding across the waves, she waded out into the Gulf of Norien to meet the shark. It waited for her, swimming in slow circles just off the shore, and when she had mounted its torpedo-like back, it shot off into the night.
The miles passed swiftly as the shark raced across the Gulf, and Shenann's shore appeared on the horizon within the hour; when they reached the shallows, Diamira thanked her friend and sent him on his way. The beach lay before her, and she swam toward its promise.
Her visit would be a surprise to Cilan; she had decided upon a whim to see him, and now her legs carried her as fast as they could to his castle. Its spires towered above the tree line, beckoning her toward it. Not a single light shined amidst the dark stones, but Diamira knew her way; both the island and the castle felt like home to her, and she smiled as she ran.
The beach gave way to the forest, and for several minutes, she trampled through the undergrowth before she turned onto the stone path that led to the castle. Finally, the winding incline behind her, she bounded up the steps and pushed open the heavy wooden door.
She founded the hall empty, as she knew she would; in all the years Cilan had lived there, Diamira doubted he'd had a single visitor other than her. Miralni certainly wouldn't visit him...
Diamira brushed the thought aside. To think of the other Overseers now was to beckon guilt, and she knew better than to let that particular emotion intrude upon the fleeting moments she shared with Cilan. She savored the passion between them; she had never felt such a bond with Naelain, and she had no doubt that it never existed between Cilan and Miralni. After all, the couple had not even spoke to one another in nine thousand years.
When Diamira knocked on the door of Cilan's bedchamber, it opened immediately, much to her surprise. She had assumed that he would be asleep at this hour, yet he stood in front of her, fully clothed and staring at her as if horrified by her presence.
Her smiled faltered at the sight of his expression. "Is this a bad time?"
"Yes!" he barked, but he pulled her by the arm into the room nonetheless.
She tore her arm away from him, shocked by the rough treatment. "Cilan, what's going on? Is something wrong?"
He refused to look at her, his eyes fixed upon the floor and his body rigid. "You can't be here right now. Please go."
Diamira shook her head. "Tell me what's wrong. Are you alright?"
"Go!"
Diamira stumbled backward, stunned by the urgency in his voice. Above all else, it frightened her.
"Cilan, please tell me what's--"
She turned as the a knock on the door interrupted her. Cilan made no move to answer it, but he needn't bother; the door opened a moment later, and a tall, raven-haired woman stepped inside.
Diamira stared at her, eyes narrowed. The woman seemed familiar, and Diamira tried to recall where she might have met the stranger.
"Cilan," the woman began, sneering at Diamira, "what is she doing here? I thought I told you I was coming."
His every muscle visibly tense, Cilan stepped between the two woman. "Diamira, I'm sure you remember Queen Iolias."
Comprehension dawned on her as ancient memories flooded back. As the Overseer of Seas, Diamira had not set foot in the kingdom of Avalnar more than a few times in all her four billion years, but she did vaguely recognize the younger of the land's two Queens.
Yet this realization clarified little. "I'm sorry," she began, "but what business could the two of you have at this time of night?"
Iolias chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing. Don't you have a husband of your own to play with?"
Furious, Diamira whirled on Cilan. "What business?" she repeated, her fists clenched.
For the first time since her arrival, Cilan met her eyes, though he did so with great hesitation. "Diamira, please--"
"Don't 'please' me, Cilan. Answer me!"
Iolias laughed once more. "My, my, Diamira. Who knew an Overseer could be such a petty hypocrite? After all, how can you demand fidelity when you don't even practice it?"
Diamira closed her eyes, breathing deep and slow in the silence until she felt sure that her fury has subsided.
"Cilan, I will give you one chance, and one chance only. Tell me what is going on, or I am walking out that door for the last time. Lie to me, and it's the same."
Cilan didn't speak, his lips drawn into a tight, solemn line. Her eyes welling, Diamira turned away from him. Staring at the door, she tried one last time.
"I can't forgive you unless you confess."
She waited until she could not bear to stay any longer, and then she bolted. The door slammed behind her, and she raced into the night.
Ishizu
In the kingdom of Madara lies a fortress owned by a powerful Sorcerer. Though he is no ally of Queen Esis, he is in many respects an even greater tyrant than she. He owns vast lands upon which his allies/servants live, though his fortress is also home to many of them. Among those who dwell at his fortress is a young woman named Ishizu, an orphan whose presence at the fortress relates to a persistent rumor about her lineage. And there is a faction of the Sorcerer's followers--one man in particular, in fact--that is determined to prove their theory at risk of killing Ishizu in the process.
Ishizu only realizes it on the night that it nearly kills her. She and several other orphans have taken to the small playground beside the river. It lies beyond the fortress wall, which also serves as a dam, but none of the young men, women, or children realize that a deadly storm is on the way. Unfortunately for them, that "one man in particular" (temporary name: Lucius) does. Theorizing that the danger might draw out Ishizu's rumored latent powers, he locks the gate with the orphans still outside.
When they realize the storm and attempt to take shelter, they find themselves locked outside. The river is rising, and a tornado has already been spotted in the distance. Soon enough, they're standing in four-foot water, taking shelter under and on the flimsy playground equipment. A young girl (temporarily named Katherine) swims over to Ishizu, barely able to keep her head above water. Ish grabs her and hoists her up into her arms.
But then someone screams, and the danger seems unavoidable. A massive tornado is headed straight for them. They try to swim from its path, but don't get far; then, much to their relief, the gate opens and a women screams for them to hurry inside.
Beyond the gate, Ish realizes that Katherine is the reason they're still alive--her adoption had finally been approved that day, and her new mother had realized after looking for her that the orphans had been trapped outside.
The next day, Ishizu is retrieved by Lucius. His first plan foiled, he has something much worse in store for her now. He leads her to the courtyard, where several of his allies seize her and tie her down beneath a massive saw. They turn it on, much to Ish's horror, and watch as she tries in vain to defend herself. Every time she blasts the saw backward, it starts to advance faster, and when it's within a few inches of her body, she releases a blast powerful enough to knock her unconscious.
She wakes up in the infirmary with a trainee nurse, apparently the only person on duty, sowing shut a gash in her abdomen. Then the nurse tells her to return after the ball to be healed properly.
Ish has no idea what the nurse is talking about, and the startled nurse explains that the Sorcerer has thrown an impromptu ball in her honor to celebrate her as the hero of yesterday's near-tragedy. Ish protests, but the nurse sends her off--she's cutting it close already, and she must hurry to be ready on time.
Ish flees to her rooms, where waits a grumpy lady-in-waiting. Ishizu is squeezed into a tight corset goan; the lady fusses that there's no time to do her hair, but Ishizu rushes off without worrying.
In the waiting hall, she finds a crowd of people who don't seem entirely thrilled to see her. One who is, however, attracts Ishizu's attention: Katherine and her new father sit on a windowsill. Katherine and Ish hug, and Ish acquaints herself with Solomon, Katherine's new father.
Solomon (think Rory, but older and less attractive) reveals himself an interesting character. He self-identifies as gay, but is happily married to a woman. He goes on to explain that he is homosexual but heteromantic. Intrigued by this man and quite fond of his daughter, Ish invites Solomon and Katherine to join her table at the ball. Solomon protests--as the guest of honor, she'll be sitting with the Sorcerer, and they can't intrude--but Ish assures them that four sit to a table, and as the banquet is in her honor, she can and will sit by whomever she pleases... as long as Solomon and Katherine won't be frightened or too intimidated by the Sorcerer's presence.
Finally, Solomon agrees, and Ish turns down several men and women who ask to join her table. Arm-in-arm with Solomon and holding hands with Katherine, Ishizu enters the ballroom.
The tables are each already half-filled by the Sorcerer's inside circle, with the exception of the table at the very center. Katherine and Solomon take one side, and all eyes are on Ish as she sits besides the Sorcerer's vacant seat.
The Sorcerer arrives when everyone as been seated--in most cases, two of the inside circle across from two attractive, young, and single men and/or women. It is generally expected that most guests will be spending the night with whoever they chose to sit across from. And that is Ishizu's main concern--does the Sorcerer hope to take her to bed? Worse yet, will he demand it?
Though she's lived there nearly her entire life (and though she's been of major interest to him the entire time, which she doesn't realize) at the fortress, she's never met the Sorcerer, and introductions go around the table immediately. After eating, the Sorcerer asks Ishizu to dance, and they are alone on the floor for the first song. Then the Sorcerer, playing along with Ishizu's decision to invite Katherine and Solomon to their table, dances with Katherine while Solomon pairs with Ish. On that note, other couples take to the floor.
After dancing again with the Sorcerer, Ishizu is approached by Lucius. He demands to dance, then explains what he intended to do in the courtyard. She rejects his apology and stalks off. After turning several other men and women down, Ish and the Sorcerer take to the floor for the last song of the evening. Most couples at this point have chosen who they'll be going home with; pairings that didn't work out simply sit out. This frightens Ish--by dancing, she is essentially accepting the Sorcerer's advances, and yet she can't sit out without causing a scandal that could ruin her.
Ironically, it's Lucius who inadvertently saves her. As she dances, her wound rips
open, and when the Sorcerer sees the blood soaking through her corset, he has to heal her right there before she bleeds to death. To her relief, she is instructed to spend the night recuperating.
But she knows the next day will lead to an interrogation she'd rather avoid, and she fears that the Sorcerer does indeed intend to take her as soon as she's recovered. And still she dreads what Lucius will try next.
