Chapter 68 - Vol. 2 - 33

Ash

Ash kept her head low as she trailed behind Satsuhiro.

She'd leveled up four times off of these fights with the Nightmares but didn't allocate her points, leaving her like this.

Level 17

MP: 80/80

---

Attribute Points: 8

STR: 12

DEX: 14

CON: 10

INT: 10

WIS: 8

L: 100

The older Savior hadn't said a word as they walked away from where the portal had been. They'd both been in silence for the past half hour. There was something particularly bothersome about this transformation she'd gone through. That was, that she had nothing to take her mind off of it. 

As she followed the other Savior, what she'd become during the end of that fight was all she could think of. She wasn't sure if she was sad, scared, or pissed off. All she knew was that it bothered her for some reason. She just couldn't pinpoint why. 

"Hey," Satsuhiro finally said, after so long without speaking. "We'll be heading to see the Royal Council first. Then, we'll go back home." 

"Hm." Ash nodded. 

"And..." He started, but then he sighed and turned away. "Never mind." 

It took a few hours before they reached Jade. On the way, Ash saw more of Pearl's former citizens being led out of the city through the roads. As she and Satsuhiro drew closer to them, their eyes fell on her and she saw several people gasp, the soldiers instinctively reaching for their weapons before continuing on their way after the shock passed. 

I wonder how bad I look.  Ash thought. She could smell the demonic blood evaporating off of her under the sun's heat, the same liquid dripping off of her armor and falling onto the dirt with every step. Her damp hair clung to her skin and even her horns had some blood running down them. 

Gross.  She shook her head. 

The guards by the northern gate grimaced just as hard as the others had when they saw her. Unlike them though, these guys spoke up. 

"Need assistance?" One asked. 

"Could you call a carriage to take us to the Palace?" Satsuhiro requested. 

"Aye." 

Then, he gestured towards a few crates nearby and both Saviors sat on them, waiting for their transportation to come.

A few citizens gave Ash dirty looks. 

"Look at 'er," one old man said to a friend, "a demon right 'ere on our doorstep an' we ain't doing nothin' bout it." 

"The demon Savior, right?" Another middle-aged woman asked someone. "Disgusting. Magia's cursing us. She has to be." 

Ash heard them because, of course she did. They didn't exactly care to be subtle. 

Satsuhiro remained hunched over, his eyes on his hands. Ash kept her back pressed against a stone wall, looking up at the sky. 

Eventually, their carriage arrived and the two were taken to the heart of the city. 

---

Ash was given multiple opportunities to wash herself off. She rejected every single one. At a point, it started to seem to her like they were pressing her to do so, and still, she turned them down. 

You sent me to go fight, she thought.  The least you can do is see what it's like. 

With disturbed looks from the palace guards aimed their way, the pair were led to the Council's meeting room. Here, Talo was speaking with a few individuals, some of which she expected to see, others she hadn't. 

Mainly, some officers and to the right of the room, a priest. 

His face looked familiar to Ash. Maybe she'd seen him during her few visits to the church. He glared at her as she arrived, curling his lips with disgust as his eyes landed on the dried blood on her, forming a violet path from her lips to her chest. 

They each left the room as soon as the two Saviors arrived, thanks to a quick gesture from Talo. 

"Ah, so, our dear friends," they said. "How did your time go?" 

If they cared at all about Ash's current appearance, they were doing a good job of hiding it. 

"It was a success, but with a caveat," Satsuhiro said. "The portals are being held up by small pyramid-like objects. Objects which can be destroyed. However, they are protected by demonic energy." 

"The same magic Nightmares use to turn people into demons," Ash clarified silently. She remembered the feeling quite well from both, the visit to the portal and from when she fought the Nightmare during Kaori's trial.

"Unfortunately," Satsuhiro continued, "that means we know the portals can be taken down, but..." 

"... But possibly not by anyone other than Ash?" Talo asked. 

"Yes. That might be the case." 

"You didn't make sure?" 

"I refused to get close to them," Satsuhiro said. "I could feel the objects' energy on me, even as I stood a fair distance away. There was no telling what would happen if I got too close." 

"Hm. A bit on the safe side, but we understand. Losing a Savior like that would be unfortunate," Talo stated. "Very well. Though this news isn't quite as positive as we had hoped, hearing that we can, in fact, close the portals is a victory. Ah, we have a surprise for you."

"Hm?" Ash raised a brow as Talo walked up to her. 

"We recognize how dangerous this mission was. So, compensation must fit the task. Here, congratulations." 

Talo took Ash's hands and dropped a couple of coins in her palms. He gave a few to Satsuhiro as well. Ash looked down. 

Three white crowns. Enough to buy food and drink for a couple of months, a new wardrobe, equipment, etc. Three times the coin that Varcon had given her, what felt like such a long time ago. 

And Ash couldn't care less.

"Thanks..." She muttered. 

"Now, an update," Talo said, putting their hands behind their back. "A few other portals have opened up." 

"What?" Satsuhiro asked. 

"Again, all in random locations," Talo further explained. "One between Amber and Onyx, a few northwest, between Pearl and Sapphire, and a few small ones surrounding the city." 

Satsuhiro looked down, his hand on his chin. 

"There are no supply routes, no camps, no forts they could be targeting?" 

"No," Talo shook their head. "You can see why this is troubling for us. Clearly, things are being moved into position for something, but... what, exactly? On another, more positive side, though, we have contacted the other Saviors. Each one has been notified of the current state of this war." 

"Can we expect them to come meet us here?" 

"Maybe, it depends on them. As you know, the higher-level Saviors are... Fairly independent." 

Satsuhiro nodded. 

"Then, I guess that's it then." 

"For now, yes. Though, if any portals open too close to any of the cities, we will be looking for your assistance again. Especially, given what was learned." Talo glanced at Ash. 

"Right," Satsuhiro said and stood up. 

With that, they were good to return home. 

Outside the palace, Satsuhiro and Ash stood around for a moment. 

"Doesn't look like we'll be resting for too long. Such is the life of a Savior, I guess." 

Hearing that, the full weight of the last couple of weeks struck Ash. In truth, not much time had happened between the Battle of Pearl and this mission. Ash barely got any time to stretch her legs in the city upon returning to it. She needed to let loose. 

"... Can I take a day or two off?" She looked aside at Satsuhiro and asked. 

"That's your choice," Satsuhiro shrugged. "I'm your teacher, not your boss."

Ash nodded. 

"Then, yeah, I'm gonna take some time off." 

"Understood." 

---

They returned to the Savior House after that, finding it almost empty, save for two people, Metsumi and Opah. Opah was reading a children's book on the couch while Metsumi was going over some papers in the living room.

Ash waited for her to see them. A part of her wanted to look away, so as to avoid seeing her grossed-out expression. Another part of her was curious. And, as they walked in, she turned to look at them, grinning. 

"Welcome back!" She stood up and walked over to the two, wrapping them both in strong hugs. 

Ash eyed her strangely. 

"You're alright? Nothing broken?" She checked Ash's arms then, for any injuries. 

"I'm fine," Ash replied. 

"Good, good. Go take a shower then. You smell like shit," she said with a smile.

Ash blinked. Then, as Metsumi walked away, she chuckled. 

"Gotcha." 

A few minutes later, Ash sat in a wooden bathtub, the blood washing off of her skin as she looked up at the ceiling. She raised her hand and looked at it, imagining the claws that would usually come out when she went into her Demon Form. 

More demon than human, huh?  Ash thought.  Yeah. All my life I've been told that. I guess now... Well, now I know for sure that it's true.  Hopefully,  she closed her eyes.  Kaori and Keiko won't see me go that far. 

After that, she was drying herself off with a towel as she heard a knock at the front door of the house, followed by Metsumi's excited voice once again ringing out.  Hm?  She got dressed in an oversized white shirt and shorts, once again, borrowing some of Metsumi's clothes, and walked out into the hall. 

In the living room, Kaori, Mizaki, Akiven, and Kasumi were all there. 

"Thanks, Metsumi, we're soooo hungry!" Kaori said. 

"No problem, everyone, sit down, sit down, I'll whip something up for you." 

Ash wasn't prepared. 

She'd forgotten about something very important about her transformations. Her Lust. Thanks to the last fight, it was at 3/4. 

That meant that when her eyes fell on Kaori's figure, some dirt on her cheeks, her bright grin as she laughed at something Mizaki said, the way her Savior's Amor was almost painted onto her body the way it hugged her silhouette, she felt her heart begin to beat much faster than it was. 

A raw desire took control of her, so strong that she began to make a beeline towards the woman. Kaori saw her and a kind smile reached the corners of her lips. 

"Ash, how'd it go?" 

The half-demon didn't respond. Instead, as everyone's eyes fell on her, she walked right up to Kaori. 

The blonde Savior was sitting down. Ash put a knee between her legs and leaned down, so that their heads were level. Then, she took Kaori's lips with her own, so much force behind her kiss that she pushed Kaori against the back of her chair. 

"Uh..." Ash heard Mizaki say. She didn't care. 

For a few seconds, their lips danced until Kaori pushed her back. 

"A-Ash!" She whisper-yelled. "T-T-This isn't the time..." 

Ash blinked, remembering where she was. 

She looked around, seeing Mizaki blushing and Satsuhiro with his eyes closed as he drank something out of a ceramic cup. Kasumi had a brow raised at them, surprised. 

Akiven grinned. 

"Well, shit. Don't stop now, I was only just getting into it!" He said, earning a smack behind the head from Mizaki. 

Ash curled her hands into fists and spun, walking out of the room. 

Fuck.  She thought.  Fuck, fuck. Shit, I...  Between her legs, a fire had appeared so suddenly, one that Ash wasn't prepared to put out. She basically ran to her room, closing the door behind her and reaching under her shorts. 

Falling to her knees, she took a few deep breaths as a small amount of relief spread throughout her body. 

However, as she fantasized now about the blonde woman replacing the hand on her pussy with her tongue, a few different thoughts began to circulate in her mind. She wondered what it would be like if she were actually on the demon's side. 

She remembered what she'd become when she and Kaori had their moment back at the farm.  A part of her pictured herself in that form, flying over Jade and helping demonic forces wipe out the ungrateful citizens. Of course, she'd never act on such fantasies, even now with her thoughts flooded by these desires, but she couldn't deny that they were there.

She also remembered what she'd felt at that moment, with Kaori. 

She'd felt at home. She'd felt better than ever. 

A violet aura, so subtle no one else would probably notice it but her covered her skin. Was this always here? Ash giggled. The small chuckle bubbling into a louder laugh as she imagined herself with the wings, the horns, and the tail that had come from the form before.

More demon than human, huh? Ash grinned as she got to work, pushing and pulling, in and out of herself. 

Any other serious thoughts were drowned out by the feeling that built up inside of her and emerged in the form of an orgasm as she kept her back pressed to the wooden door. The last image she saw before it was that of her own demonic form.