Deliver a critical blow.

The room is dimly lit by three flickering pink flames atop a tray of scented candles, none of which appear melted, resting on a simple desk that looks as if it'd disassemble with relative ease. Nearby is a bed big enough for one, with lush fancy sheets--the most expensive looking item nearby, except for those keen enough to notice the magic nature of the candles on display. It's surprisingly quiet here, even if the walls were built only by materials found nearby. It's an impressive construction all things considered. She likely demands only the best, though it seems she also keeps skillful company. They respect her, despite her prissy personality.

Said personality is apparently not connected to the dark magic that's taken her. It's altered her in other ways, and pushed her to making strange decisions. You saw the creature, just for a few moments now. It seems to be forcefully nudges from her body when she becomes overly flustered. Whether it's the influx of emotion, the dizzied state of her mind, or it actually is linked to arousal, you don't know. Regardless, you've figured out how to push her buttons.

Before she knows it, she's up against the corner of the desk.

You pin her there--not by ****, but by proximity, as her desires pushing her to stay. Your hand grips the back of the chair beside you. She looks up and down, to the flickering of enchanted flames upon a bare, toned torso--moisture on your body, droplets of sweat running down every crevice of your muscles, to a flexing stomach, and then to the curve of your pelvic to something hidden beneath a belt and fabric, though it does little to keep her from spotting a bulge attempting it escape from its material prison. When her gaze returns to your face, she sees the Demon King looming down at her. Your breath is hot. Your eyes are piercing. Heat radiates from your core.

She licks her lips. Her hips move--struggling to resist the urge to grind against your knee, so close it's nearly between her legs. She keeps a trembling hand against the desk's surface. Her nails scratch into the wood, making the only sound to fill the small room besides the orchestra of two people's heavy breathing.

"... Monarch," you whisper. As you do, your other hand touches her chin, forcing her eyes to stare into yours.

A jolt shocks her system--an involuntary shudder of pleasure.

You continue. Your voice is soft and tender. "You've struck me in the heart. I know you wished only to speak on important business, but I can't look away. I've never felt this way before."

"Aaoohhh..." The elf makes a strange sound you can't quite describe. It might have been her brain melting.

Then you lean closer. Your lips nearly touch. "Monarch," you repeat her name. It is unlikely her real one, but perhaps hearing it over and over will affect her similarly to Amara. "Shh. We have plenty of time. Before anything else, I want to ask something selfish. There's something I desire."

Her face is burning red. Her chest heaves up and down. Sweat runs down her forehead, chin, and drips to the ample curves of her bosom. "Wh-What do you d-desire?" she stutters out.

You open your mouth half an inch from hers and let it linger before responding. "You."

Then you kiss. The moan is quite loud, to where it's likely those outside could hear, and it's more than you expected from a kiss alone, though the girl was absolutely infatuated. You look her her eyes squinting to stay open. They roll back, and she falls limp in your embrace. At last you pull together. Your knee pushes between her thighs, and you can feel her buck up against you. This all happens in seconds. There's hardly time to react, and that goes for all three of you. As soon as your tongue strikes at hers, your attention locks onto the creature now being forcefully torn from her back.

When you pull from her, she lets out a long exasperated, "Oooooohhhhhh~!" and nearly faints, though you grab her by the hips, much to her pleasure, and spin her to the seat.

At the same time, your hand reaches to the side and grabs the shadow by its throat, or where you assume one would be found, and you bring its weight down upon her bed. It's tangible, so it isn't a literal cloud of darkness. In fact, the longer it's removed from its host, the more it takes shape.

It's jet black, though you can see well enough to trace its outline to one like a tree--stocky, long, with jagged arms like branches. When it opens its mouth, you can see straight though jagged teeth and to the blanket on the other side. As for its eyes, however, they beam with tiny pinholes as bright as stars in the night's sky. These twinkling lights seem more malevolent than beautiful, however, and the creature writhes and hisses while trying to escape from your pin.

Meanwhile, Monarch is exhausted. She breathes deeply in and out, though not just because of what you did to her. It's like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders. Her looks to you, and a fury lights in her eyes like a growing fire. "You--" When she squeezes the back of the chair, it creaks in her strength. "Kill that thing right now!" she demands through clenched teeth.

"Right away, your Majesty," you saw with your sword already being drawn. "But what is it?"

"I do not know and I do not care. Not at this current moment!"

"Fair answer." Then just as you release the creature, you bring a second hand to your weapon's handle, and swing a mighty blow across the center of the lanky shadow.

It screeches in pain and anger as it becomes severed in twain. Though moments after, the top half--where the arms are still present--attempts to leap and claw at your face. You're much too quick, however, so it does little. You pirouette back in a rhythmic dodge, splitting this segment vertically down the middle. They hit the ground with a thud, despite they're strange two-dimensional appearance. All three chunks are still squirming, so that's doesn't bode well. You ready yourself for the next one.

This thing can't split forever, surely.

Either way, it doesn't attack. The three individual shadows instead dart to the doorway, swinging it open as they scream across the encampment outside.