...Come to an End

Ahsch regretted not calling off the service that evening.

Sure, he was only starting the event - he'd passed the honor of giving the full service off to his sister before the week-long, working 'vacation' had even started - but the sheer stress of having hundreds of extra people in the Temple, literally hours after the 'test' with Phashim, while worrying about the Kirasiel situation... it was a lot. Almost too much. Not to mention the risk of the Ley Spring being discovered, though given the royal bitch hadn't said anything, and the overall lack of knowledge that most mortals had about Ley Springs, that was more paranoia than real risk.

Even once his bit was done and he'd retreated to his quarters, there was little to do. Ariin was the public face of the Temple for the evening, Dorin was helping to coordinate the servants, the angels were putting their gnostic auras to good use, Rwnil was... somewhere, and the three acolytes and Elui were attending and assisting with the service. It was a much longer event this time, mainly because there was more material to use, though the total time commitment would be lower since there weren't going to be extended festivities afterwards. Which meant that Ahsch was alone with his familiar for the whole time. Hardly a sorry state of affairs, especially given his focus was ruined by the multiple sources of stress he was experiencing.

And all of which was to say that he fucked Mahat silly once they'd retired to his quarters. Much like earlier that day, it was a rough, almost violent session, as the Dominant Mage blew off steam by spanking, ****, squeezing, biting, and slapping his partner. Sturdy as she was - and masochistic enough to enjoy the treatment - Mahat held up well, and was rewarded with numerous orgasms, as Ahsch didn't find much enthusiasm in the denial of his familiar just then. A decidedly odd state of affairs, he was aware, but interests could wax and wane even on a moment-by-moment basis.

A couple hours later, when the service was over, Ariin and the angels finally returned to the Prophet's quarters to find Ahsch fast asleep, curled possessively around Mahat, his cock buried in her pussy, and an amused smile on the familiar's face.

"I can't believe you had wild, kinky sex twice in one day without inviting me!"

Sighing at his wife's ongoing outburst, Ahsch sipped his drink - spring water from the artificial lake at the Temple. The research team had already made a few discoveries about the results of the Ley Spring, which included the high concentration of Mana in the waters of the lake. A concentration that contributed to some rejuvenating properties when consumed. Nothing spectacular, and it wore off quickly outside the Ley Spring's 'demesne,' but enough that even just a simple glass of it was quite refreshing.

"For one, they were rather last-minute developments that you wouldn't have been able to attend," the hrafthi rebutted his wife - and not for the first time. "And second, the pre-'test' session lasted over an hour, and I somehow doubt you wouldn't feel left out if you had to stop long enough to prevent Sexual Learning from kicking in."

Avery glowered at her husband. "I didn't ask you for reasons," she grumbled.

Regular studying, practice, and training aside, most of Ahsch's first day back at R'sath had involved catching his wife up on the events of his little vacation. She had already been generally aware of what had happened, thanks to Daydreamweave, but only in the broadest strokes. The particulars had been left for a face-to-face conversation, as the elder Lord Odestag had taken up some of Ahsch's royal tasks during his absence, and had been left rather busy for the past ten days.

Chuckling, Ahsch finished his water. "If you're quite done whining about missing some sex - which I'm happy to make up to you - I'd like your opinion on things."

"Elui, the 'healthcare' program, and the cunt?" Ahsch huffed in amusement - she was sharp as ever. After a moment of thought, Avery obliged. "The bunny... I think you did the right thing - and the best that you could do, under the circumstances. Especially given the developments with Kirasiel, we can't risk having people know your secrets, not at this point. Even just that cunt knowing..." Avery shook her head. "I know she kind of pressured you into it, but why did you tell her the truth in the Canyon?"

Ahsch sighed. "Because she was terrified, and I... I pitied her. You know I don't want to become the sort of being that just ignores the plight of mortals, who can't relate to their struggles, fears, and worries. And even if she's a bit of a..." he paused at his wife's look, then continued, chuckling, "...okay, a lot of a bitch, she's not an evil person. Misguided, or petty, yes. But I don't think she's malicious, and just... letting her suffer without some kind of... I don't know, connection with another person... I didn't want her to die alone and afraid."

Avery stared at him, then shook her head. "You're too soft," she muttered.

"And you have more opinions to share."

Rolling her eyes, Avery did so. "Well, as far as Elui is concerned, I'd say you did good. I mean, maybe try fucking her, if you really want to get her loyalty - with how good you are in bed, it should be a piece of cake - but I don't really have any complaints aside from about the angels being so stupid." Ahsch could agree with that sentiment.

"As for your project for the Temple, I think it's a great idea. A bit... well, you, given it's all about helping people, you softie, but it would go a long way towards securing popular support for the Order. And might bring you in nicer with the Utsusians, given how they like to help everyone." She thought for a moment. "I am rather curious about the origins of those 'diagnostic' spells you were learning. I'm not familiar with a prominent god of medicine or healing, so I might sic Butler on the Royal Library to find some history about where they came from."

Ahsch nodded in agreement. "I'd like to know too. I took some time to examine my other learned spells, but those are all... well, 'normal,' I guess. No divine involvement from what I could see. Definitely something worth looking into."

Avery nodded as well. "Now, the cunt..." she sighed. "I honestly don't know. I'd like to just throw a collar around her neck and lock her in a dungeon, but we can't do that. I'd like to have you just dominate the shit out of her and turn her into your mewling toy, without an ounce of resistance left in her..." She shook her head. "The way I see it, the safest courses of action - at least in the short term - are also the riskiest: you either keep capitulating and letting her do whatever she damn well pleases, and risk your Fate getting all fucked up - among whatever mundane problems she drops on you - or you take drastic action to reign her in now, but risk the rest of the world fucking you over for **** and confining a Royal of a High House. Your middle ground... in the long run, from what you've told me about how your commands work, I think things will be okay. But without any way of guaranteeing her cooperation, especially right away..." she shook her head. "I don't like it."

The hrafthi sighed. "Me neither, but I don't think we have much choice. And, let's be honest, she hasn't shown any desire to betray my trust so far - she's petty, not stupid. I don't think I have to worry about..."

A familiar, solid knock interrupted Ahsch. With a shared glance, Avery called out, "Enter."

Butler came in, his mechanical eyes creased with concern. "A servant of Lady Celes is here," he said slowly. "She apparently requests Lord Ahsch's presence immediately. And alone."

The two royals shared a look. "I'll have Mahat..." Ahsch started.

"The messenger has clarified that you are expected entirely alone, My Lord," Butler interrupted. "Though I cannot imagine why, given the bond between mage and familiar."

Ahsch was frowning, though his was far outmatched by Avery's. "I don't like this," she muttered. "This late in the evening? Completely alone?"

"Mahat can keep an eye on me regardless of our distance," Ahsch pointed out. "And I can always reach you all with Daydreamweave." He smirked. "And besides, weren't we just saying she's not likely to do anything stupid?"

"That's what you were saying," Avery shot back darkly. Then she sighed. "Though... if she was planning to do anything, it's nothing she wouldn't do regardless of where you are." She shook her head. "I still don't like this."

Standing, Ahsch gave his wife a smirk. "It'll be fine," he said. "Even if she wanted to kill me, she can't, remember? 'Life Resistance!'"

Ahsch was initially confused when Kirasiel's messenger didn't bring him to her office, but further up the tower, to the House Celes suites. Though at the same time, it made some sense - it was well after dusk, and night was well underway. The Odestag suites were already quiet with most being asleep, and Ahsch and Avery were likely to join the rest of the House before long. So it made sense that Kirasiel would be in her suites, and not in her office.

Though it was somewhat odd that there was nobody around - at least, that he and the messenger ran into - within the suite itself. And that the room he was brought to was dark.

"Please make yourself comfortable, Lord Odestag," the messenger said with a formal bow. "Refreshments have been prepared on the balcony," he said, gesturing out the open door, before excusing himself.

After a glance around, Ahsch made his way out onto the balcony. It was a clear, starry night, pleasantly cool, and with only a hint of a breeze. The hrafthi checked the small table with 'refreshments' mostly out of curiosity - dinner had been filling, after all - but considered pouring himself a cup of the expensive and high-quality tea that was out when he saw what it was.

At least, until the sound of rushed, muffled footsteps right behind him made him turn, even as a familiar, panicked voice screamed, "Look out!"

Just as he caught sight of Avery at the balcony doorway - a horrified look etched on her face - a dark-cloaked, running figure slammed into him, a cold sensation piercing his chest right below his sternum, then shoving him a few feet back... and over the railing.

Time seemed to slow, and an almost painful, flaming cold sensation came from his divinity. Almost on instinct, Ahsch reached out his bond-sense towards his assailant, and found three that made his gut clench. The cloaked figure, the assassin, was employed by Byrdrek Fel'len, and Fauna Odestag. And while the bond they had with Kirasiel was one-way, Ahsch could tell that the Head of House Celes was a potential target for his killer.

Because he knew that he was dead. Whatever that cold sensation was - a look down showed it to be a small, ornate pin - it was inhibiting his magic, as well as his magical 'stats.' He knew exactly how he would survive a fall: center Float on himself, and slow his descent with a number of Spirit Strings. But whatever this pin was, it obviously had a 100% magic-sealing effect, and an almost as complete effect on his 'stats,' as, even with Protected Power, he only had access to 1 Magnitude of his power. 1 Mana Throughput. 100 Mana. And therefore, a Float radius of 2 meters, which could only move 1 meter per second, and a maximum carrying capacity of 50 kilograms from his Spirit Strings. There was literally no way that Float would be able to keep up with him, and the Spirit Strings would snap the moment he was able to cast them. And that would still take over a minute. Far longer if he multi-cast enough Spirit Strings in parallel to support his weight, but then he had to worry about deceleration, since they couldn't exert much ****. Even less with only 1 Magnitude.

Ahsch was almost tempted to try and turn, to see the ground, know how much time was left, but he didn't. He didn't want to count down the seconds until his ****. Instead, he kept his gaze up, where Avery was. Threefold Senses was still up, despite his condition, and he had the eyes of a hawk with Enhanced Senses. He could see his wife's horrified, broken expression, the tears that lined her eyes.

The blood that streaked her face that his memory supplied was from when she beheaded the assassin.

Ahsch wondered for a moment where she had come from, but remembered that her sheid Innate Magics let her disappear from perception if she wanted to. She probably had followed him, her paranoia demanding that she keep him safe. His soft, foolish, trusting ass.

...

The Tower sure is tall, he thought. I think we were near... floor 120? I wonder-