A Glowing Figure.

The figure is clearly a woman, but she has a cape on with a cowl over her head that is blocking the view of her face. Almost as if her head was made of darkness. You could see her body was slightly transparent, and the edges of her form glowed slightly blue. Her actual figure was quite pleasing to the eye. She had on a very tight outfit that showed off her large breasts, slim tummy, and wide hips. If she weren't wearing a cape you suspect she'd have a really nice ass. You instinctively place yourself in front of Yvette and Jane, and Dawn moves to your side. You frown slightly as you are pretty certain you know who this person is.

"I can not do anything to her" Dawn states quietly to you.

"What would you like to do to me beautiful? If it is something pleasant then let's work out how to meet up" the figure chuckles.

"It is not pleasant" Dawn states plainly.

"That is unfortunate, but not unexpected. Your magic will not work on me because I am not standing before you of course, but I'm sure you are aware of that since you are not really here as well are you? It matters not my beautiful lady AI. Before things turn unpleasant I think introductions are in order. My name is mine alone, but as you may have already worked out, I am referred to as The Mistress" the figure states, and then takes a slight bow "and who might I have the pleasure of speaking with today" she asks. You hold your hand up to make sure the others stay silent.

"I don't think you need any of their names. I am quite certain you are only interested in one person in this room" you tell her as you get off the bed to stand in front of her.

"Oh come now. There is no need for us to be enemies at this particular moment. If for no other reason then we can't do anything to one another, but the coming of Wendel is almost at hand. This is a time to rejoice and be merry, or at least that is how the Cult feels" The Mistress states in an almost mocking tone, but it almost sounded like she was maybe mocking the Cult.

"Why are you here" you ask her, and she sighs.

"John...you are spoiling my fun. Do you not know how many souls I have had to waste to locate your specific location, and by the way...using a mirror...genius. If you had not released such a burst of magic before, that allowed me to taste you, I doubt I would have ever found you. Not that I didn't know roughly where you were spending your time, but it would have made a face to face meeting like this impossible" The Mistress states as she starts walking around you. You watch her as she looks you up and down as she circles you.

"I do have to admit that I find you incredibly attractive. I find myself wishing I was really in this room with you, and that we were friends" she says turning around and bending over in front of you. She wiggles her hips back and forth enticingly as she pulls her cape to the side so you can see her ass better. You weren't wrong before, she did indeed have a great ass.

"Friends don't send their forces to capture their friends" you reply dryly. She giggles and teasingly tugs the waistband of her pants down slightly showing you the start of her bare ass.

"Oh come now. Are you still holding onto that little detail? I haven't sent any more forces have I" she asks teasingly as she stands back up to face you.

"Because you know we'd kill all of them again" you reply.

"Very possible, so it seems like we are at an impasse" she says crossing her arms.

"No, we aren't. You just don't have any way to capture me" you tell her.

"Do I not? Well that would be unfortunate for me wouldn't it. Whatever shall I do I wonder" she muses.

"Feel free to tell us all your ideas on how to do that. We can offer you our opinions on if they will work or not" you say smirking at her. She lightly chuckles for a moment, and then remains silent for a moment lost in thought before she sighs.

"I would possibly enjoy that actually. You have all these women surrounding you who are just as smart as you are. You can actually have conversations worth having. Everyone surrounding me are worthless idiots too scared to speak any truth to me" she says as her hand disappears into her cowl seemingly rubbing her face.

"I have seen all that happens here...heard all that happens here. My only companion, I had thought, is in another realm, and we can only speak for one minute every two days" she says almost to herself, but her statement worries you, and not just the spying part. Though you figure you should confirm that part first.

"So you've been able to spy on us I take it" you ask her.

"Just you actually. The spell I am using allows me to see and hear you, but things start to get blurry the farther I get from you" she states.

"So what is your plan here? By revealing yourself to us like this? Letting us know you can spy on me" you ask her. She seems to just stare at you for a moment.

"I have seen the empathy you have for others. How you help people who don't even ask for it. Even people who were an enemy" she says smirking. You assume she is referring to Sean.

"So I have a problem of my own, and I have...limited options available to me. It has taken me a while to...hmmm...build the courage, so to speak, to ask you for a tiny favor. Will you at least allow me to tell you my dilemma" she asks you.

"If you accept that I might say no immediately" you reply dryly.

"Allowing me to ask is enough. I have discovered Wendel has been lying to me" she says angrily "I use souls for my magic, and I am, I was told, the only one capable of swapping two souls" she explains.

"So you would swap my soul with Wendel's soul was the plan? I'm assuming he would take my body as well" you ask her.

"Yes, that was the plan. Only someone's soul that has been strengthened by the gods would survive the process, and both souls must survive" she answers.

"Where is the lie then" you ask her.

"The spell requires a sacrifice. Wendel told me it could use the souls I have captured" she replies.

"But the sacrifice can only be your own soul" you ask her.

"Yes...the transfer requires the caster's soul. It is an exceedingly difficult spell to understand, but with my souls helping me it would not be difficult to cast, but I have finally learned that little detail Wendel left out. I would kill myself essentially. He said he loved me...that we would rule this continent together. I have also learned that the short amount of time I had speaking with him was also a lie...because he was using the majority of his time with others in his cult. A council of betrayers conspiring behind my back...I was never in charge really...he has only ever seen me as a tool...as a way to get **** on Jason" she tells you sounding sad, but you tilt your head confused by that last statement.

"How would he get **** on Jason by tricking you into killing yourself" you ask her confused. She seems to stare at you for a moment.

"May I speak with Nadine" The Mistress suddenly asks. You stare at her as you think about the situation for a moment. Did this mean she was one of Jason's lovers?

"Dawn...is Nadine available" you ask her.

"She is right outside the door. I started showing everyone what was happening in the room when The Mistress first appeared" Dawn replies. The Mistress chuckles slightly.

"As I said...you are surrounded by smart women" the Mistress states.

"Let her in" you tell Dawn. Almost immediately the door opens. A robed Nadine enters right away staring at The Mistress curiously. Nadine walks over next to you still staring at The Mistress.

"Hello Nadine...it has been a very long time" The Mistress states.

"Why do I know your voice" Nadine asks almost sounding angry. The Mistress seemingly flinches from Nadine's tone. She takes a step forward as if to go to Nadine, but she stops. She hangs her head down lost in thought for a moment, and then finally lifts her head back up to pull the cowl off. With the cowl gone the darkness swirls and fades away like smoke in a breeze, and you can see her face finally. She seemed on the mature side, like Nadine and Annabel, and beautiful with short blonde hair, with a cute face. However, trailing up her neck and onto her face were what looked like purple veins as if she had been poisoned that was slowly spreading through her body.

"J-Jennifer" Nadine exclaims staring at her stunned.

"It has been a long time since anyone has called me by my name" Jennifer states.

"Why in Hel are you helping Wendel" Nadine asks demandingly. Jennifer flinches and then let's out a sigh.

"It is a long story, and I do not have the strength to maintain this spell for much longer" Jennifer says sadly "I have come for two reasons. I want to ask for your help...and...if that is not to be...then I wanted to see Nadine one last time" Jennifer states.

"How could this be anything other than a trap" you ask her.

"It is true. There is little reason to trust me. That is why I will submit to Subjection once I am before you" Jennifer states. You hear Nadine and Dawn gasp a little.

"What would that mean exactly" you ask everyone.

"It would mean that my connection to magic would go through someone else first" Jennifer answers.

"She would still be connected to magic, so she would not wither and die as she would if she were to be fully cut off from magic, but she would not be able to use any of the magic unless the person who she is Subjected to allows it to flow into her. She would have enough magic to live, but not enough to even cast the simplest of spells" Nadine answers. You furrow your eyebrows as you consider the proposal.

"What of you souls you use. Would you not be able to use those to cast spells" you ask Jennifer.

"No. It requires more magic then Subjection would allow to keep or use them. The souls I have collected would immediately be free" she replies.

"Runes then. You could use a rune to harm us" you state.

"No...runes will not function for those under Subjection. The spell for Subjection cuts them off from runes as well. Even runes that draw their power from the world" Nadine answers.

"Okay...how would you even get here, and do any of us even know how to cast this Subjection spell, because I know that I don't" you say looking at Dawn and Nadine. Dawn shakes her head no, but Nadine frowns.

"I do" Nadine answers. You notice Jennifer smiling shyly as she stares at Nadine, but it is hard to tell if she is just excited to see Nadine, or if her plan to trap you is working.

"Nadine, do you have any objection to using this spell on Jennifer" you ask Nadine.

"It is a cruel spell when used for...other reasons, but...it is possibly the only way we could guarantee she doesn't use magic to betray us. She will in essence be...helpless. In terms of magic at least. I would be willing to do it" she replies frowning still.

"Okay, that part of it is done, but we still don't have a way to get her here. Are you planning on just sneaking out and walking here" you ask Jennifer. Jennifer suddenly smirks as she continues staring at Nadine.

"That is also something I can help with. Jennifer and I were...well...we were with Jason together, and we became very close with each other. We had learned a spell together that allows us to signal where we are, and it will allow the other to teleport to us. It is how I created that rune I gave you when we first met" Nadine replies seemingly unable to look at you. You walk over to her, and you pull her into a hug. She hugs you back immediately, and by her tight squeeze you can tell she is wrestling with her emotions right now.

"I am certain this is very hard for you. You have already had memories dragged up because of me, and now here is another one standing in front of you. I prioritize your feelings over bringing Jennifer here and casting the Subjugation spell on her. It is unnecessary to me compared to your emotional well being. If you would prefer it I will tell her no" you whisper softly in her ear. Nadine takes in a deep breath to release it slowly, and she pulls back to look up into your eyes as she smiles sweetly at you.

"I didn't know I could love anyone more then I loved Jason, but you have shown me it is possible. I feel that bringing her here will be important to protecting that love we share. So...I am ok with all of it. I promise" Nadine tells you. You stare into her eyes to make sure she isn't lying to protect you, but you can't see or feel any deception. Reluctantly, you nod your head.

"Alright, what do we need to do" you say as you turn around to face Jennifer while you continue holding Nadine's hand. Jennifer stares at you holding each other's hand for a moment, and then she lets out a sigh.

"Nadine and I will open a pathway between us for me to teleport to your location. The distance is quite a long ways, so I will be rather weak when I appear. I may even pass out right after honestly. From there I will allow Nadine to use the Subjugation spell on me, and then I will pass out if I have not already since my magic will have been cut off. The only thing left for you to decide is who I will be Subjugated to" Jennifer answers.

"Me" Nadine answers confidently "You will be Subjugated to me" she states.

"Are you sure? We can discuss it a little if you'd like to" you tell Nadine.

"No. There is no need for discussion. It is the only condition I have for casting such a spell" Nadine states looking up at you. You can see her eyes are telling you she is confident about her choice, but...you can almost see a pleading look behind the confidence. You frown slightly as you let out a sigh, and your eyes wander over to Jennifer standing stoically before you. You can see no emotion in her eyes any longer, which worries you. This could so easily be a trap.

"Dawn, do you have any objections from a magic users point of view" you turn to look at her as you ask your question, but she shakes her head no.

"From a magical point of view Subjugation is rather final. No runes, no souls, no spells of any kind. My only caution is that the three of us scan her for any hidden runes on her person, or within her person. She would not need to use a rune for a rune to be useful to somebody else" Dawn states. You nod your head in agreement.

"Alright. Let's do this then. Everyone be on your guard" you tell them as you let go of Nadine. You, Dawn, and Nadine spread out in front of Jennifer, and you look over at Yvette and Jane. You start to open your mouth to tell them something, but they both shake their heads no.

"We're staying" they both say in unison. You close your mouth and sigh as you nod your head. You supposed with the path you were on right now, that you were going to need to accept that any of your girls would still want to help...even while pregnant.

"Ready" Nadine asks all of you.