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The reptile was in his mind again, but this time he was standing in a long, musty hallway, made of red, ugly metal... and slowly, he strode down it, hearing the drip of water nearby. He reached a fork, and he decided to try the left path first, despite how compelling the door at the end of the short hallway to the right was.

Zerrex ended up at another fork, and this time he went right, before pausing at a hall that intersected into this one and glancing down it for a moment... then staring at the sight of a dead, bloody body covered in thick, monstrous maggots leaning against a dead end, still clad in torn-apart combat armor and a gas-mask. The Drakkaren made a face, and then he paused at the sight of the submachine gun the body was holding... and he carefully made his way down the hall before prying the gun out of the body's hand, ignoring the smell and the maggots... and he took a deep breath before searching the body's pockets as well and the utility belt the special-forces trooper was wearing.

He came up with two clips of ammunition and an identifaction card... and he wondered what the hell he'd use an ID card for in his own mind, before he paused and asked quietly, his voice echoing down the halls: "Why am I playing this game with myself... when I know this is all just in my own head? Why don't I just turn away and make something else happen?"

"Because you love games." The Drakkaren lowered his head as the corpse behind him stood up, the gas-mask falling off to reveal a rotted face that was slowly slothing off the yellowed skull beneath like paste, and it grinned before stumbling forwards to the Drakkaren's back, hissing: "Because the games make you feel special... and you want to be special... we all want to be special..."

The Drakkaren spun around and raised the submachine gun, then he winced at the fact the safety was still on, cursing under his breath and instead lashing out a foot, knocking the dead thing back into the wall behind it with a thud before pushing the safety off and aiming again at the zombie-thing... but it was still, and he shook his head slowly before turning away and making his way back down the hall, thinking quietly about what it had said at the same time. It's true... but there's something else, too. Some reason... something I'm looking for...

He paused and leaned carefully out to peer down another path... and immediately a camera locked onto him before the enormous machinegun it was attached to turned and began to fire at him, and the Drakkaren cursed as he leapt backwards into the safety of the hallway, bullets ricocheting off the metal plates as the reptile covered his face with a wince, feeling one of them whizzing into his leg but managing to maintain his ground even as it scratched over his scales, and a moment later the barrage ended. The reptile judged the gap, and thought for a moment about using his energy abilities to get past... but instead he simply leaned backwards for a moment, setting his feet on the ground, then threw himself forwards and dived past the gap, landing and going into a roll-

The floor tiles beneath him shattered and gave away, and the Drakkaren landed a moment later with a splash into knee-deep water, cursing under his breath as he sat up and brushed the excess dirt and debris he'd picked up during his fall off, then narrowing his eyes as he listened to the hum of machinery in the distance. The hallway's ceilings were low, and it left him barely enough room to walk through at a hunch... and there were also cables everywhere, some of them sparking and others hanging like vines and ivy. The metal here was blue... and the Drakkaren wondered if the color-coding meant anything as he carefully pushed his way forwards.

He tensed as he heard a rustling, raising the submachine gun and putting one hand on the back of his wrist... and then a vent ahead exploded and a six-armed, no-legged creature tore out of the gap, screaming from a gigantic mouth in the middle of a hairless torso as it charged towards him... and Zerrex snarled as he fired a quick burst of ammunition into it, and the monstrosity collapsed into the water, struggling for a few moments before going still. The reptile watched as it sank completely below the murky surface, and he realized anything could be in the water, just waiting for him to pass...

The reptile ejected the clip, counted the remaining bullets, and then slapped it back into place as he made his way along, carefully stepping over the bizarre creature and mumbling: "I need to be on meds or something. There's too many weird things in my head." A pause as he peered a corner, and then he added quietly: "There's another prime example."

At the end of the corridor was a door inside what was shaped almost like an enormous sexual orifice... but the part that bothered him most was the smiling happy face sticker slapped onto the door. The Drakkaren slowly made his way forwards, and the door creaked open to reveal a staircase leading down, the water somehow not flowing past the open frame at all... and he frowned a bit before sighing and accepting the invitation, striding down the grey steps and pushing open a metal gate at the end.

The Drakkaren stepped out onto a small stone bridge... and he crossed it slowly onto a round platform that seemed to be supported only by the stone bridges on either side, otherwise floating in the darkness. There was a bright red and yellow sun glowing in the distance, but what caught the reptile's attention was the small green hill in the center of the platform, with a few scattered rocks on it and unevolved animals and birds flitting happily around...

And sitting on a rock near the center, staring out at the sunset, was an unmarked, untattooed version of him, smiling and looking completely at peace with himself as a few birds twittered on his shoulders... then flew away when the Drakkaren glanced over his shoulder at Zerrex, saying softly: "Hey there, you made it. Sorry I couldn't invite you right in... you have a complex mind, and I'd like to keep things as safe as possible here. I don't like to fight."

"Yeah..." Zerrex said slowly, walking over and kneeling on the small walk that went around the hill, looking up at the benevolent version of him. "What am I doing here? Why am I trapped in my mind again... I went through all this years ago with Drake. Don't tell me that Anubis is doing the same thing to my head, is he?"

The creature â€" Good, as Zerrex called him â€" laughed and shook his head, smiling and holding out a finger, and a bird landed on it. He gazed at this affectionately for a moment as it sung a few gentle notes, and then it flew away as the lizard lowered his hand and landed on Zerrex's shoulder, the real Drakkaren blinking as Good said softly: "No... it's... a bit different this time, more and less complex. You're becoming a demon, Zerrex... and as you explore Hell, you're also discovering more about what makes you, you.

"I think we both know you have the ability to shatter all those chains if you want..." Good continued quietly, and Zerrex looked down shamefully. "Please Zerrex, don't fret about it. What will happen, will happen... but once you defeated Drake in your mind, and he was real. The Darkness... it isn't. The Beast, as you call him, exists only in your own mind, and he is your fear of becoming like your father, manifested into a personality due to the shattered personality you possess. You silly schizophrenic, you."

The two shared a faint laugh at this, and Zerrex shook his head slowly, rubbing at his head slowly before looking quietly up at Good, murmuring softly: "Am I too powerful? I don't know if I want to become a demon or not, anymore... and I don't know if my want to kill Az'Iriel is for vengeance, for retribution, for good, or... for evil. I can't fix Hell... but yet..."

"Yet you want to, I know. You have a messiah complex." Good smiled faintly, reaching down and patting Zerrex's cheek gently. "But that's okay. You get a lot done... the only problem is you suffer like crazy while doing it.

"Listen to me, Zerrex, and listen well... right now, you're in a deep, restful slumber. What you become when you wake up is in your hands... like your body, your mind is malleable right now. One day, you'll settle, and you'll lock in and become something permanent... but for now, you've got to put up with these shattered pieces of your mind, and these delusions of me and the others. I'm not saying you have to consciously make a decision to do good, evil, right, or wrong... but you do have to explore yourself a bit and who you are."

Good paused, then nodded to the door across the bridge opposite the one Zerrex had entered by. "That's one way to go... and the other way is down, or perhaps even up. It's all up to you, Zerrex... this is your mind." He smiled slightly again and shrugged a bit, saying softly: "Sorry I'm not much help... but I only know the same things you do, Zer. You better get moving, though, because the Beast is always on the hunt, and there's all sorts of other things in your head eager to get a bite out of you..."

The Drakkaren nodded, and then he slowly looked down into the darkness over the edge, and then up at the faintly-swirling sky above... and finally he smiled a bit at Good before deciding to take the simplest route, heading towards the bridge. Before he could begin to cross, however, the door on the other side warped and twisted, and Zerrex stared for a moment before it exploded off its hinges and a parade of tiny, faceless creatures made of burlap charged out, and the Drakkaren snarled as they immediately leapt at him, clinging to his body as the reptile fired into them, sending up explosions of green and yellow goo.

But there were simply too many, all of them pouring out of a fleshy, sick-looking passage that had been behind the door, and the Drakkaren staggered onto the door as Good leapt behind him, whacking away the tiny creatures with a plain wooden pole and looking disgusted... and then the stone bridge groaned and collapsed, and Zerrex fell, staring after Good as the lizard looked down at him in shock, chunks of stone and tiny burlap beasts falling after him through the darkness.

He looked back and forth, then snarled and spun in midair before feeling his wings burst out of his back, going into a steep dive before leaning suddenly up in a stretched J-curve to avoid the falling debris and creatures, and he let himself glide towards a nearby strone outcropping. He landed on it with a grunt and a flex, his wings slowly vanishing into his back as he stood on the dark, dank cliffs and looked slowly around.

There was a bookshelf and a chest randomly on one side of the cliffs, and the reptile walked over to these, glancing through them before he realized all the stuff he had picked up was gone, mumbling under his breath about inconsistencies in his mind. He cursed, then flung open the chest, stared at the pile of body parts inside, then he slammed it and kicked it hard off the cliff.

It fell, opening as it did so and spilling out gore and unnameable things... and the Drakkaren paused as he knelt down, noting a small suitcase that had been hidden in a hole in the floor beneath the chest. He opened this, and then smiled slightly at the large handgun glimmering inside, glancing it over and murmuring: "A .50 Echo Barrel... a bad imitation of my old .52's, but it works."

He snagged the two clips that were inside the suitcase, checked to see the gun was loaded, and made sure the safety was off... then he strode quickly towards the door and pulled it open to step into a narrow stone hallway. He made his way carefully down this to a rusted steel door at the end... and he nudged this carefully open with his shoulder before blinking as he emerged into what looked like a women's clothing store. And then he gaped as he saw his three girls all standing together and giggling, and he slowly approached them before Marina said tenderly up to him: "Hello, Daddy... are you here to watch me try on some sexy lingerie?"

"Marina." Cindy said sternly, as Cherry puttered around in the background, waving at Zerrex before peering back and forth and shoving an expensive blouse down between her large breasts. "This is a hard place, Zerrex... and there's two choices. Either leave... or take a walk through the city." She paused, then grasped his shoulders and said softly: "But if you walk into the city, you may never walk out... and you may fall silently into your own delusions, never to return to sanity or even the real world."

The Drakkaren's mouth went dry... and then he whispered in a shaking voice: "But... I miss you three. I miss you so much... and little Mahihko, where's Mahihko?"

"He's in the city..." Cindy said, and then she grabbed Zerrex's wrist, halting him from running away, and he glared at her over his shoulder before catching him and trembling as she repeated quietly: "You may never return."

He slumped... then looked down and nodded slowly as Marina hugged him tightly from the side, whispering softly as she nestled against him: "We miss you... we love you, Daddy. Please leave... please go back so you can come back to us in the real world..."

And Zerrex turned slowly towards the door, fighting back tears as he stumbled towards the door, forcing himself to think of this as yet another underhanded torture Hell had to offer... and he didn't even notice the marble hallway he stepped into when he opened the door, slumping quietly against one of the walls before it closed loudly behind him... and then Cherry said irritably: "Stop being a pussy, Boss."

The Drakkaren spun around to see her grinning widely, pulling the blouse out from between her immense cleavage and immediately putting the black, spiderweb-patterned blouse on over her sports-bra... and she stuck her tongue out at the reptile, in her usual body as she added amusedly: "What, you think I was just going to ignore you the whole time you were in there and not try to sneak out?"

"Cherry..." Zerrex said softly, and then the two hugged tightly before she grinned and grabbed his wrist, jerking him along to the end of the hallway and shoving open a set of double doors... and Zerrex stared as they emerged into a massive hall of golden arches and white marble, clouds slowly floating by the enormous open windows as he asked stupidly: "Heaven?"

"We call it the rest stop. Come on, Boss, let's indulge some fantasies." Cherry said with a smile, and then she slid an arm around his waist as he looked at her dumbly, saying softly: "It's okay... you'll wake up when we're done here. But for now, be content, Zerrex... this is just a dream, but we can make it the best fucking dream you ever had."

A thousand and some years later, Zerrex's eyes flickered open and he slowly sat up in bed, and Sin smiled warmly down at him, offering him a large, silver platter with a bowl of stew and a bottle of apple cider, and he took it, staring down at it before gazing back up and asking stupidly: "Is this still a dream?"

"No, Lord Zerrex... you're back in reality after having a long rest. It happens from time to time with demons." She said softly, and then she glanced over her shoulder at Mist and Shine, who were both grinning at him and looking relieved. "These two said they were willing to keep watch over you for all that time... but thankfully, we had a few people willing to switch out and ensure your safety."

"What do you mean?" Zerrex asked curiously, as he ate a spoonful of stew, making a bit of a face at all the time he had just lost. I wonder if I've been demoted... I can barely remember anything, but I think I actually had some pleasant dreams, at least... and I feel like I've only been asleep for a few good hours or something like that. "I mean... that protective ward would have kept out any unwanted visitors, right?"

"Not when they could do something like send you to the Marquee Sur Noir... we decided we wanted to be extra careful, since we were dealing with serious magical abilities." Sin said softly, shaking her head slowly. "But the Princess also requested you be watched, and that I report back the moment you wake up... but first I want to tend to you, and make sure you're okay."

The Drakkaren nodded a bit, offering a smile up to her as he dropped his spoon into the bowl of stew. "I'm fine, really... thank you for all this, by the way. I'm not too freaked out, either, since even Cherry told me about the sleep periods of demons, and I've heard about them from others as well..." He paused, glancing over at a small locket sitting on the desk, and he made a bit of a face. "Did... Feldspar drop that off?"

"How'd you know?" Mist asked, looking dryly entertained as her sister muttered something under her breast that sounded suspiciously like ‘that cunt.' "She wanted to see you, and wouldn't leave until we told her we'd get an Inquisitor to drag her off..."

"And she said she'd go above our heads and talk to the Princess... but she's no longer the Princess's right hand." Shine added, and Zerrex looked up sharply at this news. "Ever since her failure with the Lucifer's Eye and her incompetence in other matters... she's been demoted to only being part of the train. She's furious that she's no longer a handmaiden, and she's taken it as a personal betrayal..."

Mist paused, then glanced at Sin, who smiled a bit and bowed to them before creating a portal and leaving... and Mist leaned forwards as the portal vanished, adding as her sister grinned: "Feldspar is very vulnerable right now, and we hear that she's been roaming all throughout Hell, looking for guidance... we hear that she also comes here often, despite being forbidden to see you."

"But after being rejected from here by whatever magic the Scholars have been ordered to use to keep her away from the building, she usually goes and sits at top of the mountain. She might even be there right now... because if you went to her..." Shine added slyly, winking at the Drakkaren as she leaned forwards a bit.

Zerrex paused as he slowly took another sip of his stew... and then he wagged the spoon at them, doing his best to repress his grin. "You two... are very, very naughty girls. I'm going to have to bend you over my knee and spank you later." He paused as the two blushed deeply and shared a giggle, and then he asked curiously: "By the way... how long have I been out for?"

"One thousand, two hundred and fifty-four years." Mist said promptly, and Zerrex choked on his next spoonful of stew before she added mildly: "But Sin used her abilities to create a rift in the room... so only half that time has passed in the Wrath Circle. On the bright side, Alastor agreed to still let it count towards your punishment."

"Wonderful." Zerrex mumbled, wishing absently he'd been out for nine thousand years instead, in that case... but now he was feeling a bit freaked out, despite what he'd said earlier. So I've lost... five, six hundred years? Goddammit... I need to get back to work... "I need to get back to building up my strength, then..."

"Lord Zerrex, you went into that rest state because you had been pushed too hard, by yourself and the other occurances in Hell." Shine said firmly, looking at him with exasperation. "I mean, one of your seal chains wore out while you were asleep and snapped, so you've only got two left on you... so I think you should really start toning down your exercising for now." She paused, then looked down, adding softly: "Lord Zerrex... we don't just call you that because we are gladly still your Iuratus, even in the afterlife... we call you that because of the power you emanate. You feel like a demon lord now... or even a High Prince. Even now, in your Drakkaren body, I see you and..."

"I'd call it awe, but there's no fear..." Mist added quietly, and the twins stood up and walked over, sitting on either side of the Drakkaren and hugging him tightly from either side, the reptile looking back and forth with a bit of a blush. "You're our Master. We are yours, to do with as you like... and neither of us can imagine the strength you'd possess when fully riled."

"Are all demons stronger in their true bodies?" Zerrex asked quietly, looking back and forth before pausing and adding another question in an even-softer voice: "And... is the true form of our demon really only a reflection, an... an expression of our true selves?"

The two hesitated, then a portal appeared and Selena walked in through it, before making a face and adjusting her leather corset at the looks on the twin's features. "Wonderful. Either I've just interrupted you two giving him a handjob under the table, or far worse, it's question time from the retarded child. What did he just ask, why demons sleep so long?"

Zerrex attempted to look offended, but his curiosity got the better of him and he settled for being sulky as he crossed his arms, mumbling: "No, but that is a good question."

Selena rolled her eyes, then walked over and picked up the bowl of stew, helping herself to a spoonful and tilting her head back and forth thoughtfully before saying finally: "Think of it this way. When mortals sleep, their bodies heal up, right? But demons don't have a regular sleep pattern or anything like that, because our bodies regenerate about a hundred times faster and heal way better than mortals do.

"But we still get tired, even though it goes away, and we still cause damages to our bodies that can't just be repaired instantly, especially if we get in fights all the time or train ourselves to the point where we can bench-press so many tons it sounds like a ridiculous metaphor." Selena added sourly, and Zerrex grinned stupidly as he flexed his muscles, and the twins giggled before both coughed and looked away as Selena muttered: "Please, please don't encourage him.

"Anyway, we go into the long rests to completely replenish ourselves, and it lets our bodies develop a bit more, our demonic essences... grow, to coin a phrase." Selena added, then she paused to eat a few spoonfuls of soup, and finally glowered: "I know, you want to ask the question you did earlier, go ahead."

The reptile repeated it... and Selena frowned quietly before putting the soup bowl back down on the lizard's lap, and she finally sighed, sitting down on the floor and looking up at him with a faint smile. "Lord Zerrex... I don't know what to say to that. I know what you'd like me to say, yes or no definitely... but there is no definite yes or no, that's the big problem. I mean, how often do you see something walking around in full, hulking demon form? Only those who can't shift their bodies at all are trapped in their demon forms... and I don't know one demon who can honestly say they like being what they are all the time.

"No matter how powerful, our demonic forms become a prison to all of us..." Selena added quietly, looking down at her hand. "Because when we're fully... changed... we become slaves to our particular sins of choice, our passions, everything that we shouldn't. It was never meant to be that way, but what Lucifer and even God Himself didn't take into account was the very evil essence of Hell, of what might happen if someone was left in an almost-living force that was supposed to cause purification... but all it ended up doing was concentrating our own dark essences, not cleansing us but intensifying our sins..."

She stopped and looked down quietly, laughing a bit. "It's... sort of like a cosmic joke, you know? We can never ascend to Heaven because our very souls have been permanently stained, we are... permanently impure. I think that's part of what caused so much rage in Hell, what originally started the rebellion against Lucifer and Heaven; the fact that we had gone from the punished for eternity to the punished for forever..." she halted, then shook her head slowly and smiled slightly at Zerrex, adding softly: "Sorry. You know how I am... I just get talking sometimes."

"It's alright... I like to listen." Zerrex responded gently, gazing at her softly for a moment, and she glanced over his body before nodding a bit.

"Anyway, in short... it's a gift and it's a curse. Originally, the first demons who were lodged her permanently in Hell were given the forms to ensure they would be able to terrify and inspire cooperation in even the most powerful of Hell's denizens... but very quickly, it became apparent that there would need to be other special abilities handed down to certain demons, such as the first Inquisitors and the Monarchs, in order to subdue those of great power and great evil, who gained forms with even greater abilities." She paused, then shook her head slowly. "But there's always a ‘but...'

"See, when we're in demonic form, we're strong and our abilities are enhanced, physically and likewise... but we become far more vulnerable to certain rune-traps, enchantments, and spells, so it's a huge trade-off." Selena said quietly. "And as you've undoubtedly noticed, the sheer size of a demon in Hell can make it awkward to fight or change the logistics of a battle completely on its head. Especially due to the fact your strength is far greater than that of the average person of your size and stature... so the fact you can juggle a Gigataur like a toy gives you an incredible advantage against a larger opponent of strength even comparable to yours."

Zerrex nodded, smiling a bit. "It's like I always said back during the Great War, when people would question me about not shifting up my body to improve my strength... size is worthless when all it does is make you a better target. It's nice to have some height on an enemy, but being twice their size makes you an easy kill at any distance with a single high-powered rifle shot. Worse, it's awkward, and it's harder to move..."

"We get it." Selena said dryly, and Zerrex coughed, looking embarrassed as the twins glared at her, but the Inquisitor only rolled her eyes. "Fuck, you're like a walking textbook. You're so... bland sometimes. I wonder how people stood you as a mortal."

The Drakkaren grunted and shrugged. "I was bigger than almost everyone for half my life... they had to put up with me or I'd punch them in the head." He coughed at Selena's dour look, and then he muttered: "Well, you know as well as I do I'm in Hell for being an idiot, among other things..."

"That's a good way to put it." Selena rubbed at her muzzle slowly, then frowned a bit. "What was I saying? Right... the last point I wanted to make was that some demons have taught themselves either how to shapeshift or a spell to enable them to take on a different form, because their true body is very weak. They're rare, but they do exist... just like demons who, when in true demonic form, are only suited to living in water or the air, and don't do well on the ground."

The reptile nodded, making a bit of a face. "Wonderful. Well, thank crap I'm just a terrible monster, then." He leaned backwards with a mutter, and the twins sighed as Selena made a face and stood up, snagging his bottle of apple cider and creating a portal as the reptile looked up stupidly: "Hey, where are you going?"

"We are going to do some training. Since I know you're going to bitch and moan until we explore whatever new abilities you have, I figured we might as well go and take a look now." Selena muttered, and then she rolled his eyes as Zerrex brightened, leaping up and looking back and forth before grabbing his now-tattered robe and throwing it over one shoulder, heading for the portal before grunting as Selena shoved the Drakkaren backwards moodily. "Wait a minute, you idjit."

The reptile mumbled something under his breath about pushy females, and Selena glanced over to the twins, both of them standing and nodding as Mist created another portal, Shine carryng the tray behind her. The Drakkaren watched them leave with a frown, and Selena said softly: "It's alright, they're just going to throw anyone who might be watching off our trail. Now come on, let's go."

Zerrex made a face as they stepped through the portal, Selena pulling the cork out of the bottle and taking a drink before he said softly: "You know, I hate putting them in any sort of danger... and hey, what's happened over the last five hundred years, before we start fighting? I mean, what about the Naganatine twins and the Princess... and I heard some crazy stuff about Feldspar, too, and-"

"You really are like a child." Selena said flatly, and then she sat down on a nearby rock and patted between her legs, and Zerrex stared before realizing what she meant, coughing and walking over as she looked at him oddly, but didn't say anything. He sat down with his back to the flat stone, and she passed the bottle of cider down to him as she began to play with his hair â€" it had grown all the way down to the Drakkaren's ankles, but he didn't seem to notice or even care, and she smiled quietly to herself as she began to braid it back in a long ponytail, speaking in a soft voice: "Not a lot has happened... that's one of the nice things about Hell, you always have time...

"We took a small barracks in the Northern Province, that's the biggest news on the war front... there's been a lot of pressure on the Western Front, though, and lots of soldiers and Inquistors are worried about being sent in there. Another rather interesting tidbit is that Azazel and Astaroth have apparently vanished off the face of Hell, and the base was taken over by an ex-Inquisitor who immediately fired you when he heard about the game you had been playing with the twins. The Princess apparently had a personal chat with him, though, and now you have the job back... fuck, I'd say it must be nice to have everything done for you, but the Princess keeps throwing you into the worst possible jobs in each Circle when you could just join the Royal Legion with that brawny body of yours and just get a transfer every time you have to move to a different circle."

She paused, then added slyly: "And since I haven't had the chance to torture you for a while... if you want to hear more, I want you to turn around and lick my crotch, and beg me for more information." She paused again at the Drakkaren's glare up at her, then muttered: "Fuck. Fine. Be that way, but I expect you to make it up to me."

The lizard rolled his eyes, then he sighed and looked up at her, saying flatly: "How about this: you tell me all the interesting tidbits of information that have happened in Hell over the last while... and I'll play that stupid ‘Doggy' game with you for a while or whatever you call it."

Selena's eyes lit up at this, and she grinned widely, licking her muzzle slowly. "Now you're talking, Lord Zerrex... I haven't played that with you willingly for hundreds of years before you went into a rest state. Fine, I'll tell you everything I know... but like I said, things tend to take a long time to happen in Hell.

"I guess the only other big piece of information, though, is the fact that Az'Iriel has been moving troops from his northern sectors and the lines he's holding down with mortal technologies through a dimensional rift he still has total control over. It's hard to tell, but we think he's building up his invasion army with officers and more-experienced soldiers instead of newly-born soldier demons and lost souls. He's also apparently bred several new kinds of Plasmid and found some sort of magical ability that works on the mortal realm, but I don't want to even make guesses at the latter...

"Otherwise, most of what's happened over the last six hundred years is nothing more than tidbits here and there." Selena shook her head slowly, continuing to absently braid the Drakkaren's hair. "Let's see... oh, Amiglion was removed from duty and ordered to go back and work with the Scholars for demonstrating continuous incompetence on the battlefield... and Queen Lilith is preparing for her coronation ceremony, to officially step up to the role of being a Princess. Her father is very proud..." A pause as she glanced down at Zerrex, who frowned up at her. "Stepfather, I mean. Prince Raithe had seven wives, three husbands, and over forty concubines."

The Drakkaren blinked stupidly at this, then he asked slowly: "Like... are there any limits in Hell as to that stuff? Or could I go out and start making a harem and stuff as I wanted, and just... marry or snag whoever I wanted?"

Selena mused a bit at this, tilting her head back and forth. "Yes and no. Only monarchs are permitted to have concubines, since in Hell it's a position of great honor... and after you have more than two marital partners, you have to have it approved by the Governor of your territory. Only those upon a throne are permitted to marry as they like... but of course, if a monarch asks you, you can accept without authorization even without permission." She paused, rubbing the back of her head thoughtfully, then mumbled: "I don't know a lot about this shit, though... marriage is stupid."

Zerrex smiled a bit at her uncharacteristic childishness, and then she finished his ponytail, tying a small ball into the bottom of his hair before dropping it, and Zerrex blinked at the strange feeling coming from his head as she added flatly: "Engagements are almost always broken off in Hell, flash-marriages happen a lot and then someone ends up dying after a few thousand years together, and half of Hell's couples are incestuous, so that should tell you something about the marriage scheme down here. I recommend just giving out name tags to the chicks and dicks who like you and calling that your little personal harem."

"Wonderful, like a secret club... did you... tie my hair up?" The Drakkaren paused, grabbing the end of his ponytail, and then he looked at her for a few moments before finally crossing his arms, mumbling: "Okay, so what, maybe I like it a little bit. But please tell me the next time you're going to change my hairstyle. It's far better in battle if it's just cut down."

"This is hell, bitch. There's weirder things around than fighting with long hair." Selena grunted, then she clapped her hands together and said firmly: "Get the hell up now, come on! I want you to move your ass so we can test your demonic characteristics... first off, I want you to take on your demonic form."

The Drakkaren sighed as he slouched to his feet, feeling suddenly nervous as he strode about ten feet away, Selena remaining seated on the rock as she watched... and the reptile was both amazed and somewhat horrified by the fact it took him very little concentration to actually cause his body to start to shift.

In less than a minute, he stood just over thirty feet tall... but the only thing that had really changed was the appearance of the ridge of spikes down his back, along with one smaller, conical on his elbows, shoulders and knees. Both his sets of horns seemed to have lengthened somewhat, but he couldn't be sure... and he looked slowly at one hand, examining the way his fingers had become enormous, flexible claws shaped like long triangular prisms. He bent them slowly back and forth, the expression on the enormous demon's features quiet and thoughtful as Selena walked slowly around him, then asked curiously: "Can you do that legs-bent-backwards thing for me?"

The Drakkaren glanced down at her, then he paused before wincing as both his knees cracked loudly and his legs went backwards, standing now on his enormous, curved toeclaws as a long hook pushed out of either heel. He made a face, then Selena walked back around to his front and crossed her arms, looking her his body and noting with both surprise and amusement he had forgone his genitalia... either on instinct or because he knows I'll shout at him otherwise... "Alright... you have a good grasp of control over yourself. How do you feel?"

"Hungry?" Zerrex said dumbly, and when the Inquisitor glared at him, he rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly before brushing absently at his long, messy hair. "Selena, I'm a gigantic demon. This is still taking me a lot of time to get used to..." A pause, and he glanced over his shoulders, then grunted and slowly furled his angel wings before they vanished into his body. "I mean, it wouldn't be a stretch to call me ugly."

Selena snorted, shaking her head slowly and responding mildly: "Zerrex, your biceps look like they're bigger than wagons. Your body is enormous and muscular. I'm not going to talk about your penis lest you bring it out, but what happens down south there is quite impressive as well. For a demon, you're a hunk... and remember, size represents power down here in Hell... and you've got a lot of both."

Zerrex grunted, looking awkwardly back and forth before rubbing at the back of his head slowly again... and then he sighed and shook his head a bit, looking down at his hands and saying softly: "I'm scared of what's going to happen when I get going, though... what kind of powers do I possess, what can I do?"

The Inquisitor softened a bit at this as she half-turned away... then she coughed and turned back around, saying firmly: "Well, that's what we're here to find out. First of all, I want you to start with the basics... I want you to lash out with a tentacle at me, just like we practice. And by god, if you do anything funny..."

Zerrex rolled his eyes. "What are you going to do, Selena? I'm even bigger than your own true form in... mine." He paused, looking down at this realization that this was his real body now, his real representation of self... and then he cleared his throat when Selena gazed up at him with a tenderness that was strange for her, bringing one of his hands back and mumbling: "Here we go."

She readied herself, smilng slightly... and then Zerrex lashed out his hand, and not one, but four tentacles snapped out of his arm, moving with lightning speed and immediately binding all her limbs with surprising strength. She struggled, her eyes widening, and then Zerrex lifted her easily into the air as he stared at her, and the Inquisitor's muscles flexed as she began to try and jerk free with all her might... but the thick tendrils held her easily in place as the Drakkaren said mildly: "I could pop you in my mouth and eat you like a piece of candy right now, if I wanted to."

"Put me down or I'm going to set you on fire." Selena said sourly, and Zerrex sighed and rolled his eyes, deciding against trying to intimidate her: he had no doubt that Selena's magical abilities were still far superior to his own. So instead of attempting to look menacing â€" which he really thought wouldn't be that hard in this body â€" he simply guided her to the ground, then allowed the long, thick tendrils of flesh to slither free from around her before snapping his arm out to the side, and they swiftly retreated back into his forearm before he looked at his hand thoughtfully, Selena muttering: "Oh joy unbound. This is just what we need. You capable of things like that."

Zerrex stuck out his tongue at her, giggled stupidly as he remembered how long it was, and then he bit it again and winced, swiftly withdrawing it into his muzzle and holding the latter quietly in his hands. Selena stared at him, then she sighed and dropped her head in her hands, grumbling under her breath: "Worse than a retarded child... alright, Zerrex, let's move on to see what else you've got..."

After an hour, Zerrex was finally permitted to rest, feeling tired and cranky as he shrank back down to size and quickly threw on the robe he'd brought with him, every part of his body feeling sore. Admittedly, they'd done a lot of work and they'd come a long way to him better understanding his body and his powers, but at the same time, even he thought she'd pushed him harder than necessary. "You really are a bitch, you know that?"

"Hey, I get results." Selena defended, but she looked almost embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her head slowly, adding in a mutter: "It's not my fault you're too much of a pussy to keep up with me." Then again... oh, what the hell... "Alright, alright... to be honest, I wanted to see if you'd tire out, especially after seeing how your energy abilities worked in that form... and I'm honestly surprised it took that long to drain you. In that body, you're so..."

"Different." Zerrex murmured softly, shaking his head slowly... then he frowned a bit as Selena smiled faintly and shook her own head in return. "What?"

"No, Lord Zerrex... you're always you." she said gently, then she crossed her arms and smiled a bit. "You're very focused in that body... I mean, everything's increased and far more powerful in your demonic form, but your magic is still admittedly both shoddy and shitty... and you have excellent control already... but..." She paused for a moment, then looked away, adding softly: "I'm almost afraid to find out what's going to happen when we break those last two chains. Your hungers may start to awaken... and I wouldn't be surprised if your body changes even more. I mean, other than a few aesthetic changes and that weird thing you can do with your legs, there's no real change to your form... it's just like you get bigger and-"

"And my dick splits apart." Zerrex supplied helpfully, then he paused and glanced down curiously at himself, Selena making a face and then groaning at his next aloud wondering: "Do you think I could make weird things happen with myself even as I am now?"

"Yes you could, no I'm not going to teach you how, and no I'm not going to do it with you." Selena said irritably, then she grunted: "Anyway, we'll see what happens to you, but try and bear in mind that it might not be pleasant, alright?"

The reptile nodded a bit, then he frowned as she created a portal, asking curiously: "Aren't we going to play your dumb little game? Or you know, couldn't you at least hang out a bit longer? I don't even know what time it is."

"It's four in the afternoon, and the day is Lam." Selena said absently, and the Drakkaren cursed under his breath: it meant tomorrow was the start of his usual gauntlet through the Inqusitors, among other things... and they were doing ten-hour sessions last time I was awake... I'm getting really tired of having my ass handed to me for half the time, seriously... "You have work tomorrow at noon, probably only an eight-hour shift... I'll probably stop in after that to take you out for the fun you promised. But unfortunately, I have to report to the Princess as well... I just don't want to."

She looked moody for a few moments, and then shook her head a bit, glancing over to the Drakkaren and saying quietly: "Be careful, Zer... there's a lot of strange things afoot in this world right now, and a lot more than that want to hurt you. Watch your back and keep yourself safe, okay? I'll stop in as soon as I can, after I fake a report on how you're doing to the Princess."

"Thanks, Selena." Zerrex nodded a bit, smiling faintly as she stepped through the portal, then he sighed and watched a Craven jog by in the distance, likely chasing after some sort of Hell-animal. "Wonderful world we live in, I tell you... I might as well go and see if I can manipulate Feldspar some more, then..."

He created a portal himself, then stepped through it and into the back yard of the facility, before pausing and frowning as he found himself standing only twenty feet away from a figure in a black cloak. He tilted his head towards it as it looked at him, and then he asked slowly: "Queen Feldspar? Is that you?"

The figure turned and ran away up the narrow path leading towards the mountain peak... and the Drakkaren had a sneaking suspicion that this wasn't Feldspar... but it does look like the same thing I saw that time I went to get wood out here; the real question is do I follow or not, though? "Hey, who are you?"

The figure halted... but it only made a slow motion for him to follow, and the Drakkaren made a face. A moment later, however, the figure ran off... and Zerrex cursed under his breath as he immediately broke into a run, his feet pounding along the dirt trail and up the steep embankment into the mountains behind the halfway-house.

It was fast, though, as it led him up the winding path, sometimes leading him down short side trails and once through a small stretch of murky forest... and finally, they emerged onto a high plateau, and the reptile jogged slowly towards the tall cliffs overlooking most of the Circle of Wrath, noting with a grimace they were so high up he could probably crawl up the rock face on his other side to the next Circle if he wanted to... and then he paused and realized he was completely alone.

The Drakkaren turned in a slow circle, but after forty minutes of running, the figure had vanished... and he snarled a bit before turning around... and pausing as his eyes narrowed at the sight of a line of runes emitting a nasty-looking light at the only path leading on and off this highest plateau. He didn't know any enchantments to destroy runic symbols like that, and he had apparently set off the strange trap the moment he'd set foot past them... but even though it wasn't a very effective trap, he got the picture. I could leave... but whatever else, that figure wants me to find something up here...

Zerrex looked back and forth slowly, then he finally sighed and gazed up... and his eyes settled in shock on a strange sphere of purple and black light floating in the air nearby, a few feet above his head. It looked like a dimensional rift of some kind... and the reptile strode towards this eagerly before halting and tilting his head slowly, murmuring quietly: "Wait... this feels... different. This doesn't feel like the same aura the other Black Holes I saw while I was alive gave off... it's even more... malicious, even more stifling, evil. And even if it did lead to the mortal realm... all demons become weaker when they set foot in the world. Even Mephistopheles, the most powerful of the Naganatine, was slain by a mortal... and I might become weaker than I was when I was alive. I shouldn't..."

The rift above seemed to pulse in response to these words, waves of darkness blowing off it before it solidified slowly... and Zerrex's body went weak as he stared at an image of a grassy knoll, and a familiar, loving voice called: "Light! Come on, son, let's get going..."

"Mommy?" Zerrex stumbled forwards stupidly... and then tendrils of darkness snapped out of the now-glassy sphere and wrapped tightly around his arms and torso, and the reptile snarled, struggling against the tentacles of terrible energy before they simply ripped him off the ground and pulled him into the sphere...

And a few moments later, Zerrex was slowly pushing himself off the ground, his entire body in pain as he stared back and forth at a cavern that seemed to be made of black and red flesh. He looked over his shoulder at a strange runic circle engraved in the wall, then frowned a bit at this before slowly forcing himself to his feet with a grunt... and he paused as he looked down at himself quietly.

He was wearing military combat boots now... plain black jeans... and a light blue dress shirt that went well with the navy blue of his scales beneath. A pause as he brushed at his hair, and he realized his ponytail had been tightly rebraided... but there were also several odd-feeling hairties at the top of the long braid, and he made a face as he walked slowly forwards down the sloping hall, before that same voice called lovingly: "Oh, good, Zerrex! You're here, I'm so glad!"

"What kind of trick is this?" Zerrex meant to shout it, but it only came out in a whisper as his throat went dry... before he ducked under a low archway and stepped into a cramped hall, with a long, thin table covered in a dusty white tablecloth and lined with chairs on either side of the uncomfortably-narrow furnishing. Dirty silverware and plates had been set out, and it made the Drakkaren incredibly nervous as he walked slowly along the side of the wall, the walls becoming more-bumpy and transparent bubbles here and there filled with a glowing golden liquid Zerrex dearly hoped wasn't pus here and there.

He reached the head of the table, where an enormous wooden chair sat... and the Drakkaren lifted up his robe from the back of the table, which was soaked in bloodstains. He also noted it was the only place set with clean utensils and a sparkling white plate... and the reptile touched the delicate china gently before he stepped past and down through a stone archway... but despite the few stone tiles in the floor, this too was otherwise flesh... but on the bright side it led to a wooden door with several iron bands around it.

The Drakkaren carefully lifted the latch, then pushed the door open and... and immediately his hands were seized and he was pulled into the room by a laughing female, and she spun him around as they danced through the empty square room, boots squelching over flesh and tile as the lizard snarled and managed to wrench free... and then he stared at the cloaked figure, the cowl pushed back to reveal intensely-beautiful features and bright green eyes filled with insanity but also love... and Zerrex shuddered as he looked over the purple scales of features that otherwise undoubtedly belonged to his mother.

He opened his mouth, feeling vertigo seize his body... and then Celestial Narrius grasped his hands gently, saying softly: "My darling son... look how you've grown up! You've become so strong, so handsome..." She smiled, reaching up to stroke his face gently as she added tenderly: "And the things they say about you in Hell are incredible... even if it is still filled with silly fools who think they can control the fates of all the worlds..."

Celestial laughed softly, then she seemed to float backwards, her tattered back robe covering her body and leaving her hands visible only to the wrist, her features the only other thing the reptile could see... and she looked almost like some terrible wraith as she stretched out her arms and laughed again before hugging herself tightly, and the Drakkaren could almost swear he saw some terrible tremble of energy through the air before he asked in a whisper: "Mom... what... what are you doing here? I... what's going on?"

"And of course, you want to know if this is all real, if it's all some trick... I don't need telepathy like the Princess does to tell that's on your mind, too. I was here even before my husband, after all... I know the way Hell works, although this technically isn't Hell..." Celestial stepped forwards and turned around, and then she fell back against her son, and Zerrex automatically caught her. She smiled and closed her eyes, then wrapped an arm around his neck... and she felt light as feather in his arms despite the fact she was at least two feet taller than him, the female murmuring gently: "Strong as ever, my son... I still trust you after all these years, and I see I was right to do so... let my faith in you provide you with faith in me..."

The Drakkaren could only nod numbly: on the one hand, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight to his body, to never let go... but on the other, even the robe she wore felt strangely like it was composed of flesh, and it seemed to squirm and twist against him with her movements like it was some part of her body... and finally, she stood up and gently took his hands again, and he couldn't help but notice they felt cool and metallic. "I have so much to tell you, my son... my beautiful, wonderful little boy..."

She leaned in and kissed his forehead gently, and Zerrex bowed his head quietly towards her before she spun slowly in a circle with him, then hugged him tightly against her body, squeezing him firmly against her form as she caressed his face with one hand, and their matching eyes met as she whispered: "You look exactly how I remember you, darling Light... and so much has happened since I died... so much has happened since I came here, from the Unworld..."

Zerrex swallowed a bit, then he forced himself to hug her tightly back instead of simply hanging limp in her arms as he asked quietly: "How... what is the Unworld?"

Celestial smiled lovingly at him... and then she simply waved an arm out around her, and the world faded to black before they were suddenly standing in a world that was only made of dark colors: it was like the Marquee Sur Noir, but somehow worse... and there was nothing but the moan of tormented souls in the air, and a few twisted trees burning with dark fire... the same dark fire that consumed the forms of the terrible creatures staggering slowly around. But only ten yards ahead, he found himself staring at a burning form nailed to a large cross... and as it screamed, he realized it was his mother. "This is the Unworld... the End World, the place where all things are broken back down into energy, souls included... it comes after both Heaven and Hell, and angels and demons alike mourn and writhe in torment with mortals in a contest to see who will be dissolved last by the sick essence of this place... only the most powerful beings can withstand its terrible aura. It is a place not created by God or Devil... it is a place created by the Great Nothingness than lies beyond..."

The reptile shivered... then Celestial murmured quietly as a single black feather floated by: "Call this a cinematic effect... I just wanted to better illustrate essence... the feeling that your father was near."

The burning Drakkaren looked up suddenly, its eyes glowing green... and it tore itself free of the black-X of rotten wood and immediately chased after the dark feather, before grabbing it and savagely gobbling it up... and then Celestial murmured softly, as the form covered in that terrible not-energy began to writhe and convulse: "I found bits and pieces of Ifret's essence all throughout the Unworld... some I fought other entities for, but I made sure to gather up as much as I could... and a wonderful, incredible power filled me up..."

And Celestial stood, naked but whole, her eyes glowing red as Unworld beings covered in that terrible energy staggered towards her hungrily, apparently attracted by her energy... and she rose a hand, and one whiffed out like a candle before she held her hands in front of her, only a foot or so apart, and created a strange, sparking sphere of dark purple energy. She threw this into the air with a grin even as the creatures began to storm towards her... and it created a rip in the fabric of space and time, releasing a massive shockwave of dark energy that sent the Unworld beings surrounding her flying in all directions, many of them exploding in midair into that terrible energy, sending it raining down over the other strange beasts that inhabited the world.

The Celestial in the illusion leapt up and vanished through the portal... and then he was left standing here with his mother as she was now, the world fading back in as she slowly rubbed her hands along his back, gazing down at him lovingly and murmuring softly: "And that's how I ended up here, in the Rift... this is in the place between dimensions, between the Unworld and Hell, and I can freely move between both as I like. I have all the strength of your father flowing through me, but although I sense his energies in Hell and the Unworld both, I haven't been able to find him in either place..."

She looked down sadly, and then Zerrex stepped back and took her hands tightly, asking weakly: "You... you still love him, even after all he did to you?"

"I'll always love him... he'll always be mine..." Celestial smiled across at her son tenderly, gazing into his eyes affectionately as she added dreamily: "In fact, one day we'll be a family again... I feel his raw power coursing through my blood, giving me energies I wouldn't dream possible..."

Her green eyes seemed to flicker red for a moment, and then she shook her head quickly, sliding her hands up to grasp Zerrex's shoulders as she scolded quietly: "Now I know you and Ifret don't get along very well... and I know you may not even love him. But when we're all together, I'm going to keep you safe and make sure he never hurts you again, okay, Light? But you have to find him for me... and I don't care what you do with him, but I want him here with us, even if you have to drag him down to the Unworld."

"Mom... he's... he tried to..." Zerrex stammered, but Celestial shook her head firmly, shaking him once and locking gazes with him... and finally, he lowered his head and whispered: "He's in the Abyss... but he's a monster..."

"That's part of the reason I love him..." Celestial smiled tenderly, stroking her son's face gently with the back of her hand before leaning down and kissing his lips softly, using her mouth to urge her child into kissing him back... and slowly, he did so. He kissed her with the same hesistence, and then the same passion he had in several former lifetimes ago now, when he had just been a small child, pushing forwards and hugging her tightly around the waist as she grasped tightly into his shoulders... and then she slowly stepped back and smiled, tilting her head towards him and saying softly: "I love you, Zerrex..."

"I love you too, Mom..." Zerrex murmured... and then she slid back a bit and took his face into her hands, and he gazed up at her with adoration... and now a bit of fear mixed into the respect. She's... don't be this way... have you lost touch with reality? What am I doing? "Mom... I... you seem so different..."

"I'm strong now... I have the power to protect my wonderful little boy and my arrogant husband from the world, each other, and themselves..." Celestial said softly, her eyes burning with conviction, and then she slid backwards and hugged herself, laughing a bit. "But I haven't told you everything yet, and I know how you thirst for knowledge, Zerrex!"

She laced her fingers together, tilting her head slightly... and Zerrex slowly sat down on the floor and crossed his legs, looking up at her like a young child as she looked back down at him with affection and encouragement. "Yes, that's a good idea... make yourself comfortable." She paused, then held a hand out to the side, and a the walls and floor trembled and twisted before a couch pushed slowly out of the strange flesh as it tore and bubbled, blood and black ooze leaking out of the wound but quickly vanishing, until it looked as if the furnishing had always been there. Celestial strode over to sit down at this, then looked at Zerrex expectantly as he stared in shock at her power.

He got himself under control after a moment, then he quietly stood up and made his way over, looking at her and murmuring softly: "That's... that's incredible."

Celestial only shrugged, however, looking almost irritated for a moment before Zerrex sat down, and she regained her former composure, saying gently: "Not really... now, as I was saying before I was interrupted..." What? That's not like my mother... "Let's see... oh yes, Hell. I've explored it in every direction and I can't say I'm very impressed, especially with how much information the monarchs work to repress. With all the worlds out there, you think they'd be alright with admitting there's as many different hells as there are alternate physical worlds..."

Zerrex frowned a bit, and Celestial tickled under his muzzle with a quiet laugh. " Silly Light! Don't be so closeminded and give me that look of consternation you always get when trying to overthink something or just plain disbelieve it... but it's true! There are races called Droman in some worlds, and Humans in others... and where do you think some strange ideas come from? Ideas seem to cycle through the worlds, as if born from some great ‘ideal well' in the sky... it's as if we all have a connection with the alternate selves who may exist in other worlds.

"There's no such thing as a true ‘alternate world,' because there's no way you can flip the world and go from black to white, so to speak... but the different worlds all do often bear similar characteristics, and are composed of similar entities." Celestial added mildly, looking down at her black claws for a moment and then rubbing them against her robes slowly: a very Narriusesque gesture, and one that made Zerrex feel unnerved. "So yes, there are beings similar to you and me, and even Narrius and other creatures... just as if you travel through the Plains of Despair, you come to a Hell filled with these beings called ‘Humans;' strange, worthless and insane creatures for the most part...

"There's a very small difference between the different worlds and the different dimensions... for instance, all the physical worlds are somewhere in the physical universe." Celestial continued, looking almost bored now as she began to rub at her son's chest, slipping closer to him. "They can be travelled to should we ever develop the ability to actually move great distances through space... but Hell and Heaven? They stand apart... and even the Angels of Heaven fear there is a Greater Heaven, just as the Monarchs argue whether or not there is a Greater Hell... the only thing we know for sure..."

Celestial paused, then grinned sharkishly... and her eyes turned red, and Zerrex could see Narrius in her face as she said in a tender, venomous voice: "The only thing we know for sure... is that the Unworld is the end of everything... and that in the end, even the gods themselves are reduced to nothing more than the energy they were originally composed of, to once more be used as a building block for anything from a rock to another godling..."

Zerrex leaned away slowly, swallowing... and then Celestial shoved him down against the couch, her grin stretching wider as she pressed her palms against his muscular chest, Zerrex gazing up at her and swallowing thickly as she whispered: "Now you know the secret of the meaning of life... fuck and have fun. Oh son, even the gods die and rot to nothing... very few of us ever achieve true immortality, like I have by absorbing the bits of your father's essence I've found and escaping the Unworld... but how I have longed to see you again..."

Her eyes faded back to green from crimson, and her features softened as she took his face into her hands again, pressing her forearms against his chest as she leaned over him and pushed muzzle-to-muzzle, speaking quietly: "My little beloved child... I feel so happy that we're on our way to reuniting our family... and I'm so glad to see you developing your body, becoming stronger and better, on the path to becoming a great and powerful being like your father..."

Zerrex shivered at this, then he looked away and firmly pushed his mother back, causing her to frown before she narrowed her eyes as he said quietly: "I never want to be like my father... I hated him as a child, and I hate him even now."

"We'll fix that. You'll see." Celestial said in a calm voice... and yet it sounded like the darkest threat Zerrex had ever heard uttered, as he glanced up at her with surprise. But then she smiled as she straddled his waist, gently grasping the fly of his pants as she asked softly: "So my son... I remember all those eons ago now, when we had sex for the first and only time... I would like to experience that again with you, my son... will you grant me this wish? And afterwards, perhaps you could tell me about your life here... or you can go home, since I know how busy you are in Hell. But I'd like to share this with you... I'd like to show my darling little boy just how much I love him..."

Zerrex swallowed, not even knowing how to refuse... and then Celestial smiled as she slipped off him and the couch, striding out to the middle of the room and turning slowly around as she shrugged off her robes, revealing her large breasts and slender, gorgeous body, taunt and beautiful... and then she dropped the robes completely, standing naked before him... and Zerrex didn't know what to do or say as she said lovingly: "I'll do all the work."

She started by kneeling in front of him, gently and carefully pulling off his military boots to put them neatly aside, and he felt like a small child again as she moved slowly up to pull off his shirt next. She paused at his scars, and then she slowly began to trace each of them out quietly with one finger, gazing into his eyes and sharing tender, short kisses with him as her finger moved gently along his chest, working quietly downwards until she gripped his pants gently... and she carefully undid the fly before pulling them slowly off his body, gazing into his eyes tenderly before she looked down at his thick shaft and she laughed quietly, murmuring softly: "That's my big boy... and after being in Hell for so long, it looks like he's gained even more weight down there..."

Zerrex nodded quietly, blushing a bit and not speaking; he knew his size by heart, though, and it was a good forty-three inches now, and he'd gained almost another inch and a half of thickness. He flushed a bit deeper when Celestial leaned forwards, resting one hand on his waist and the other grasping his massive shaft, stroking it slowly from base to head as she kissed his chest quietly.

She kissed downwards, and her tongue trailed over his abdominals slowly as the Drakkaren's breath quickened, reaching one hand up to grasp her shoulder... and she paused to look up at him with a loving smile as his shaft grew rapidly towards erection. She continued to stroke it even as it grew longer, thicker and harder, even as it grew to just over three and a half feet, painfully-stiff in her hand as her tongue trailed slowly up between his abdominals... and then she stood and smiled, before bringing one leg up onto the couch and using the other to guide the head of his huge shaft against the lips of her sex.

He looked up at her, already breathing a bit hard but not wanting to disappoint his mother in any way... and then she slowly slid forwards and moaned quietly, Zerrex grunting in surprise at the tightness of her sex as he slid into her, not moving and only trembling, clutching the cushions of the couch as she slid forwards over him on her knees, one of her hands curling in his hair and the other grasping his shoulder... and she let out another moan, but continued to move with almost ease as he felt his huge length vanishing into her body bit-by-bit, breathing quietly as not even a speck of her blood dripped down his girthy obsidian shaft... and finally, she sat upon him, the Drakkaren's huge penis buried to the hilt in her body as they looked at each other lovingly... and then they kissed tenderly for a few slow moments.

Their mouths worked together, and Zerrex felt his breath pick up, his heart thudding in his chest before she drew slowly back, gazing at him quietly... and she reached down, guiding one of his hands to her bust as he flushed deeply, grasping the fair-sized swell and gazing at it as if this was his first time, rubbing his hand slowly over her breast and feeling her hard nipple scratch over his palm before he squeezed it gently between two fingers... and he gazed up at her quietly as she nodded and let out a soft sigh of hot breath over his face.

He squeezed his fingers against her breast as the other quietly grasped her hip... and she began to move up and down slowly, the Drakkaren grunting quietly and flushing as he felt himself already ready to release in her, the arousal and strange sensations almost too much for him as her passage tightly gripped and massaged him... but at the same time, her whole body had that artificial feel, like metal that had been heated up and overlayed with cloth. Their eyes locked, as she let out a quiet moan before whispering: "That's my boy... thrust Zerrex... show Mommy what you've learned..."

Zerrex nodded, and he began to move slowly in response to her gentle but long draws up and down his girthy member, pushing deep into her body and griding his huge shaft against the walls of her passage, earning a smile and a sound of sexual delight from her. His hand slid around to her buttock, squeezing it firmly before probing a finger beneath her tail to push gently at her rosebud, and she let out a quiet sigh of bliss before arching her back as he pushed a bit harder, using two fingers this time. She twisted her own body in subtle but incredible ways, and the reptile felt himself working hard to stay under control with the expert way she moved and ground against his thick penis.

His thrusts picked up rapidly, as she bounced and bucked in return, keeping pace easily as she grinned hungrily at him, her eyes burning as she grew more aggressive, and Zerrex soon found both of his hands gripping her hips just to try and anchor her against him while he pistoned in and out of her body, grunting quietly as her hands gripped tightly into his shoulders as she leaned forwards against him. She growled hungrily, and then leaned down and licked slowly over his throat before biting into it firmly, and Zerrex's eyes bulged in surprise as he arched his back, wincing and letting go of her for a bare moment, and she gyrated her hips rapidly while pushing down, and Zerrex felt like he had just been dominated by a tornado as he pushed back against the couch with a flush of embarrassment as he said raggedly: "Oh Gods... I... I can't... Mom... you're so good..."

"Go, that's what I want, I want you to release in me..." Celestial said hungrily, as she slammed herself down against him before bucking her hips rhythmatically as she drew back up his long length, her hands gripping tightly into his shoulders, a wide grin on her muzzle as she licked her muzzle hungrily. A moment later, she began to move firmly up and down him, and Zerrex let out a loud groan as he felt himself stiffening up past the point of no return, beginning to thrust as best he could in rhythm with her powerful movements.

A moment later, he released the first volley of seed into her, and Celestial cried out in bliss, grinning widely and looking both euphoric and triumphant as she rode him almost viciously, moving quickly and firmly as her passage clenched against him tightly, her son leaning into her with groans of mixed pain and pleasure at the forcefulness of her movements, his seed continuing to release into her over and over... and finally she shoved herself down, hilting him in her body as he fell back with a groan, panting hard as Celestial gazed down at him tenderly, taking his face in her hands and Zerrex swallowing at the fact she had barely become flushed. She knows tricks Cherry doesn't... "Excellent... you did well, Zerrex... you lasted a whole five minutes with our little game." Game? Did my mother just rape me? Am I missing something here? "But now it's really time for you to show how aggressive you can be..."

She smiled teasingly, then whispered softly: "I'll lay on my side... and you put my leg up over your shoulder... and you show me now what you've learned over all these years; keep in mind that your mother is a lot tougher than she looks... so don't hold back, son... I want you to impress me..."

Zerrex nodded, feeling flushed and almost humiliated, a bit of anger mixed with a strange submission as he turned slowly, and he groaned as she twisted and laid down on her side, putting her hands under her head as one of her flexible legs went up, her ankle resting against his shoulder as the other wrapped around his waist, and Zerrex leaned slightly forwards over her, wondering how the hell she could contort her body so easily: for him, having his knees folded under him was usually the most complex thing he got up to, like now.

He was facing her, still buried in her and with his knees spread in a V, one leg half-sliding off the couch so he could unfold his leg and press his foot against the floor... and he grasped the leg stretched over his shoulder with one hand, grasping the back of the couch with the other as Celestial gazed up at him with a teasing grin... and then she whispered softly: "Go."

The Drakkaren immediately began to thrust fast and hard into her, wanting to prove his worth to her, and Celestial let out a groan of surprise and pleasure as his huge length pistoned back and forth, the reptile grunting quietly before deciding to change positions, and she looked almost surprised as he ducked under her leg and slid it down so her legs were resting side-by-side, both half-wrapped around his waist as he grasped her inner thigh firmly with one hand, growling at the delicious bliss and improved tightness over his shaft as he thrusted hard into her with her laying on her side, reaching his other hand down to probe once more at her anus with two fingers.

She groaned in surprised pleasure at that... and then she arched her back with a surprised cry as he shoved both fingers forwards a moment later, burying them into her tender rosebud. She growled hungrily, and the Drakkaren began to thrust them firmly back and forth in time with his movements in and out of her tight, hot sex, feeling her passage massaging and squeezing firmly around his huge length as his testicles slapped firmly into her buttock again and again, the large orbs scraping over the material of the couch as he hammered in and out of her vagina.

He leaned forwards over her, bringing his other hand up to grasp one of her breasts, beginning to fondle it and squeeze into it roughly as she gazed up at him with hungry pants, looking up at him with a wide grin and her eyes burning with passion and need, before she arched her back as he pinched and twisted one of her nipples, moaning softly: "Yes, Zerrex! Yes, oh, treat mommy like you do any other girl..."

Zerrex growled quietly, his fingers continuing to plunge in and out of her anus for a moment before he pulled them free, and he quickly leaned away, his member pulling half-out of her vagina as he guided her onto her back, her head resting against the arm of the couch as she licked her muzzle slowly, her leg automatically wrapping around the other side of his waist to cradle his thick body... and then he drew his slick cock back inch-by-inch, Celestial gazing at him with lust and surprise before growling quietly as only the bulging head of his huge member was left buried in her stretched vagina... and he drew his eyes over her hungrily, then grinned down at her and said quietly: "I've dreamed about this, Mother... you've always been one of my favorite fantasies... and I've always wanted to make sure you knew just how much your son loves you..."

He flexed as she licked her muzzle slowly... and then she cried out as he slammed his hips forwards as hard as he could, instantly hilting his massive plus-forty inch shaft and sending his testicles crashing firmly into her anus. He began to hammer in and out of her, growling hungrily as he reached both hands up to grasp her breasts tightly, squeezing them firmly and fondling them roughly, and she cried out again and again as he slammed over and over into her body with his girthy, long cock.

Zerrex's short, powerful thrusts rocked Celestial's entire body, and then he moved his hands up to grasp her shoulder, squeezing into them with enough strength to make her bones creak as he leaned forwards and kissed her hungrily, and the mother and son worked their muzzles together with passion and almost-vicousness, half-biting at each other as her breasts bounced up against his chest as he leaned down against her, her own fingers digging into his back as she moaned and their tongues danced for what felt like hours of bliss.

The kiss broke, and Zerrex arched his back, pinning her beneath him as he hilted and gyrated his huge penis, before drawing back as far as he could and hammering firmly down into her body with his enormous length several times, causing Celestial to buck and shriek against him with ecstasy. He felt his orgasm already rising in his painfully-hard cock before he leaned back and sat up with a roar of pleasure, grabbing her by the sides and jerking her hard up against his body, before wrapping his arms around her waist as he thrusted upwards now, and she bounced back against him.

Celestial cried out in ecstasy, grasping her son's shoulders as he pounded up into her, but this time she was the one who was having trouble keeping up, crying out as Zerrex growled and flexed his muscular body against hers, his power causing her body to bounce and rock as she felt him stiffening inside her once more, and she screamed his name as Zerrex roared and held her tightly, pushing his head against her chest and gritting his teeth as he cried out hungrily: "Mom, oh mommy! Mom, yes, oh gods, mom... here it comes, all for you!"

"Give it to me, give it to me... give it to me, son!" Celestial howled in return, arching her back as her eyes turned red, and then she grinned down at Zerrex before seizing his muzzle and forcing him down into another kiss, her hands lacing into his hair as she breathed in his air and bit into his gums, their teeth clinking together as their tongues twisted, and Zerrex could taste his blood, feeling lightheaded even as he stiffend up entirely for the second time and thrusted hard into her over and over, feeling her bouncing and gyrating at the same time, milking him for all the seed she could get.

He blasted volley after volley into her, his testicles throbbing and his shaft pulsing with heat and power as he climaxed, falling limp and feeling weak as Celestial dominated him and ground against his body, seeming to suck all the energy out of him as his orgasm lasted unnaturally long, and yet still she kissed him... until finally, her hands stroked the underside of his muzzle as she drew back, and Zerrex slumped, panting hard, his heart thudding in his chest and agony rolling through his body as she slid slowly off him... and he stared at the sight of his chafed, slightly-bleeding penis... and Celestial's body didn't seem damaged or even exhausted in the slightest. He also noticed the lack of seed... and then grasped the base of his penis and leaned forwards, licking slowly over his shaft to the head, and Zerrex groaned quietly in a mix of pleasure and pain before she released his thick member.

He pulled himself up against the back of the couch, feeling himself already going flaccid... and Celestial sat down beside him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling his head against her bosom, and he could hear the patronizing tones of her voice clearly now as she said softly: "That's a big boy... that's my Zerrex. A whole twenty minutes, that second time... I'm impressed. You did well for your first time with me..." She licked his neck slowly, as Zerrex shivered: he knew she hadn't had a single orgasm, and usually his size alone was able to make a female release. Or... die, whatever comes first... "First time in this world, I mean... I'm very proud of my little boy..."

She paused, then sighed in pleasure, leaning down and nuzzling through his hair as she whispered: "I never told you because you were so young, and I'm sure you know already... but I was a porn star when I was alive. Celestial Bodies... such a bad name." She laughed, and then kissed his cheek before gazing into her eyes, her own slowly fading back to the green he'd inherited from her instead of the red of Narrius, and he wondered how much of him was inside her. "And you know... I'd be willing to do everything I did to those big strapping males to you, now that you're all grown up... and I was in some very kinky, naughty situations..."

It made Zerrex flush a bit and feel embarrassed for whatever reason, and he hugged her quietly around the waist before pushing against her, murmuring softly: "I just want to be with you, mother... I missed you for so long, and... I've always just wanted to stay close and be with you, to feel you again... sex is just a bonus, really..."

"Yes... you're such a tender child." Celestial said softly, and she sounded almost displeased as she looked down at him, the Drakkaren looking back up dumbly for a few moments before she stood and strode over to her robe, picking it up and putting it on. Zerrex blinked a bit at her silenced as she faced away, then he slid on his own pants before she turned to him, her eyes flashing red as she said softly: "You should leave, Light. I can tell I've worn you out... you're weaker than I thought."

Zerrex looked down, feeling deeply hurt as his hands trembled and dropped his laces, then he cleared his throat and retied the boot, mumbling quietly: "I'm sorry. I'll... go then." He hesitated, then glanced at her as she turned slowly towards him, a snarl spreading over her face as he put on his other boot. She didn't say anything as he tied it up, and then he looked up and asked simply: "What?"

"Manners, Zerrex." Celestial's hand trembled at her side, and then she stepped quickly forwards as he reached for his shirt, treading over it and shoving him back against the couch as she snarled: "I'm not your whore, to use and walk away from! Are you going to thank me or not?"

"I'm sorry!" Zerrex's tone was shocked, as he half-brought up an arm to cover himself and leaned away from her, a shudder running through his body at the fury and insanity in her eyes. No... not after all these years, no, please, I just got her back... "I'm... I'm sorry, mother. Thank you for the... for having sex with me." When she still didn't look pleased, he added quietly: "For making love to me."

She smiled at this, softening as her eyes slowly faded back to green, and then she blushed and trembled, stepping away and lacing her fingers together as she murmured: "It's... it's fine. I'm sorry, Light, I've been alone for too long, and funny things have happened to my head... I didn't mean to lash out. Here, come here..."

Zerrex stood up slowly, deciding to disregard his shirt as he stepped over to her... and she hugged him tightly, and he gladly returned the embrace as she rocked quietly with him, saying softly: "I love you, my child... you're all mine, and I'm all yours. We have each other now, and that's what's important... but you really should go before you're missed in Hell. I'm always here, and always glad to see you when you have a spare moment." She paused, then grasped his shoulders gently, adding quietly: "Watch out for the Princess... and..."

She paused for a long moment, before she smiled slowly as her eyes darkened, leaning in and whispering quietly: "I have a secret to share with you... but Narrius has escaped the Prison in the bottom of the Abyss. He had fled to a place where the Scholars cannot reach him... but I can and you can... if you know where to look..."

Celestial laughed quietly, then grabbed his hands and spun slowly around on the spot with him before she paused and closed her eyes, stepping backwards and holding her belly as she murmured softly: "My beautiful baby boy... now it's time..." She paused again, then shook her head and looked at Zerrex tenderly, stroking his face gently as the light in the room slowly faded to blue, the room darkening as she whispered: "I must rest... and you must leave. The portal is open... and my door is always open to you, if you can find the door to the Rift."

She paused, then her eyes turned red as she added firmly: "Now leave, Zerrex... I need my sleep, and I will not be responsible for you being captured and tortured in Hell. Get lost."

The Drakkaren opened his mouth... but Celestial was simply gone, and a moment later the light returned to normal and the reptile slowly backed away from the spot he'd been standing in, turning around in a circle as the room pulsed quietly around him. A shiver of fear and loss rolled down his spine, and then he quickly turned and left, looking back and forth as he made his way back through the short hall, and then the long dining room, trying to ignore the fact that the table had been decimated by some terrible force.

He made a face as he strode back into the place he had entered from, before pausing as he noted the glowing purple sphere in front of the glowing white circle of runes... and he sighed before stepping into it, wincing as he expecting another burst of agony... but instead he simply stepped out onto a clifftop, a purple haze surrounding him for a moment before vanishing.

He stared back and forth, realizing he'd stepped onto a lower set of cliffs in the mountains... and then he winced as he saw Feldspar sitting in plain mortal clothes, staring off into the distance and looking miserable. He weighed the chances of escaping without her noticing, and then he forced a smile as she looked over her shoulder curiously before her eyes widened in shock at seeing him.

"Zerryberry!" she shouted joyfully, and she leapt to her feet before charging him and tackling him in a hug, the Drakkaren staggering backwards as he wrapped his arms around her, wincing as she clung to his neck and shoved her face against him, immediately breaking into tears. "I was so worried about you, and the Princess has gone nuts, and everyone was being so mean... oh, my husband, my liege, my king... I missed you so much, I've been so worried!"

"I missed you too, Feldspar." Zerrex lied, and then he carefully pried her off him and set her down, as she giggled and clasped her hands together, swaying her arms back and forth as she gazed up at him adoringly... although he could already see the sexual thoughts forming in her mind, so he quickly asked in as concerned a voice as he could manage with all the confusion and negative emotions reeling through him: "Uh... how have you been doing?"

Feldspar immediately began a long, pointless rambling as she clung to him that only required Zerrex to rub her back and nod absently every now and then. Meanwhile, he was busy trying to sort out his own feeling and understand what the hell his mother had become... before he paused as Feldspar asked a question and he pretended to reflect on it for a few moments, before guessing finally: "Yes."

She brightened immediately, then nodded in return, saying sourly: "That's right... the Princess really should reappoint me. But no, Sin and Selena get all the attention these days, because they're your ‘handlers.' Handlers, like you're an animal or a monster! But I know that you only lashed out at me because of the side-effects of the Lucifer's Eye... after all, you love me, and we're a wonderful couple... oh, if only I could take you out of this place..."

She pressed against him tightly, hugging him firmly around the waist before she kissed his neck, looking up into his eyes and asking teasingly: "Would you be up for a bit of lovemaking, honey? I really could use some release right now..."

Zerrex winced, and when Feldspar frowned, he said stupidly: "I was um... I mean... you know..." He blushed, his groin still aching from what he'd went through as he tried to think of an appropriate lie... and then a lightbulb went off in his head as he mumbled with appropriate shame: "Selena raped me."

"What?" Feldspar looked horrified, and Zerrex nodded several times before undoing his fly with a deep blush and pushing his pants down a bit, and Feldspar grasped his penis roughly, causing him to groan in pain as she looked at its slightly-bleeding, scoured skin, before she snarled furiously and clenched her other hand tightly. "That bitch! I'll kill her!"

"Oh, I try and not hold anything against her... I know I could crush her at any time, but she's just doing her job... I have to remember not to tread too hard on the weak." Zerrex said airily, carefully extracting himself from her and doing up his pants before she could try and oral sex him back to health or something like that. Feldspar, however, was too busy looking at him with adoration for the moment, and he added after a moment: "I got that idea from how kindly you treat... everyone..."

The Drakkaren could barely keep a straight face, and Feldspar let out a loud sigh of pleasure and embraced him tightly, looking up at him lovingly as she whispered playfully: "The moment you get back to better health, I'm going to give you the best sex you ever had, Lord Zerrex..." You're going to bring me someone as tight as Little Arcy and as talented as my mother? "But yes... I don't understand at all why the Princess fired me when I'm obviously so beloved by everyone..."

She frowned and crossed her arms, resting back against the Drakkaren, then she shook her head and murmured: "Damn, I have to go... I had to take a job as an Inquisitor... but maybe I'll see you one of these days, huh?" She winked and nudged him playfully, before adding in a soft murmur: "I love you, Lord Zerrex... when you're done in this circle... we'll rule together, and we'll prove you and I deserve to stand above everyone else..."

Zerrex made a bit of a face, but Feldspar didn't notice as she created a portal and strolled through it, tossing a last wink over her shoulder... and the Drakkaren let out a sigh before creating a portal of his own and staggering through to finally end up back in his apartment. He collapsed on his cot, full of conflicting emotions and thoughts... and then he rolled over and simply yelled into his pillow in frustration before slumping on the cot and muttering: "I'm in Hell and I'm dead... and yet still my life keeps getting worse. I think I'm some sort of big joke up in Heaven or something."

It was all too much to take in and think about right now, so the Drakkaren forcibly shoved the thoughts to the side, instead picking up a book and reading for a little while... but only twenty minutes later, he threw it away in frustration, then he winced and grabbed his crotch at the pain caused simply by rubbing against the material of his pants, and he leaned back and yelled: "Sin!"

Ten seconds later, a portal opened, and Sin stepped through, looking at him with concern and then staring at his miserable expression as he continued to hold his groin, and then she sighed as he mumbled: "My weewee hurts. Or bigbig. Whatever you want to call it. In either case, it hurts a lot and I really want like... a mental sedative, too, because my life just got... infinitely more complex."

"We heard you vanished off the maps for a few moments, even though you were technically still in the Hell of Wrath..." Sin said softly, striding over to him and quietly touching his forehead, before undoing his pants and staring at the damage, carefully handling his penis but treating it no differently than she did his arm or leg â€" something that made him feel both amused and awkward. "It looks like you've lost a lot of energy... and this damage is pretty substantial, you're still bleeding past when your regenerative abilities should have kicked in. What exactly were you having sex with?"

Zerrex was quiet for a little while, and then he lowered his head and said softly: "My mother, in... some sort of space-time rift. She had escaped from what she called the Unworld, and she had my father's essence inside her somehow, at least a few parts of him... she felt so... so alien..."

Sin looked at him silently, and Zerrex gazed back at her, feeling anxiety nipping at his body before he asked hesitantly: "Is... did I say something bad?"

"She's... she's become something else. She's not the mother you knew or had... she's different now, if she died and went to the Unworld. I'm sorry..." Sin murmured softly, sitting quietly down beside Zerrex and taking his hand, using the other to slowly trace out a rune over his body in energy and causing his entire form to begin to glow weakly, the glow intensifying wherever Sin put her hand. They were both silent for a while, and then she sighed quietly. "You've had moderate exposure to the Unworld yourself here... likely from interacting with her and being in whatever pocket dimension you were in. You might not look it, but you're very sick right now... and you're going to feel a lot of pain for a few weeks at least. I want you to stay here and rest as much as possible... if you train, you'll only push the poison throughout your body."

"What's inside me?" Zerrex asked a bit more sharply than he meant to, feeling panic pushing in at his senses, and then he took a deep breath, clenching his eyes shut and fighting back tears as he whispered: "Goddammit... why is this happening? I just wanted my mother back, that's all..."

"It's going to be okay." Sin touched his forehead gently, and the reptile felt himself calming down as a soothing sensation rolled through his body, her other hand tightly squeezing his own as she said softly: "It's the Unworld's effect... it's to us what concentrated radiation is to a mortal... and so you might feel your emotions going a bit rampant for a little while, you'll feel nauseated and lethargic, and you might have some bad thoughts. I'm going to stay with you though, Lord Zerrex, and make sure you're okay... if... so long as that's okay with you, I mean."

"You've changed so much over the time we've known each other..." Zerrex said quietly, opening one eye and smiling faintly at her, and Sin blushed a bit as he added softly: "I like seeing you confident. I like it when you give advice... I like to see you acting more this way than being so shy..."

Sin blushed deeper, glancing down and murmuring softly: "It's... it's just the pain and... the punishment and some... other things. I'm sorry, Lord Zerrex, I mean..." She fumbled for her words, then simply broke off, moving her hand along his body before whispering a quick incantation, and Zerrex felt a heat spread through his groin and down his malehood as she said quietly: "That should heal the outer damage down there, at least. The rest should only take a few weeks to go away, the stuff that's infected your insides. It's not pure Unworld energy, thankfully, but it's still something malicious... it's enough to kill any mortal, no matter how strong they were, anyway."

Zerrex nodded a bit, making a face as he pulled up his pants and did them up, then he rolled onto his side, facing the wall as Sin stood up and stepped away, asking tiredly: "So... if I go to sleep, will I end up not waking up for another few thousand years? Because that would be really welcomed right now."

"Unfortunately no, Lord Zerrex..." Sin smiled faintly as she shook her head, quietly picking up a book off the floor and brushing it off before she sat on the cot beside him, murmuring softly: "Go ahead and get some rest... I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on you anyway, so this works out, little as I want you to be sick."

Zerrex grunted something, but he was already half-asleep... and moments later, he was snoring quietly away into his pillow, as Sin read silently through the book and glanced worriedly every so often at the Drakkaren. I just hope his body isn't too stressed by the Inquisitors... that could cause this thing to start getting worse instead of better...