"It seems as though the number of slaves has grown as of late." Lantessa chuckled at the expense of Auren, who we had brought back and chained in the basement alongside Aurelias and Winnegan.
Although we considered feminizing the incubus as Eudora had done with Noelle, none of us knew how it could be done without the master of the tower present. That plan was scrapped, much to our disappointment in losing a chance to further humiliate him.
"We didn't expect to bring back a demon either, but Auren was a blessing in disguise. The deep well of magic within him can be channeled into and power the tower. It took a lot of magic to move the tower from the Weeping Expanse to Lotherain. It will take significantly more to bring it to Thanreas," I explained.
Mira and Belle carefully carved runes into the wooden floor and walls around the incubus, making sure to double-check the grimoires that the inscriptions were correct and as precise as possible. Like what was done to Zertos, the purpose was to bind Auren's magic to the tower like a sort of faucet. The incubus' magic would drain one way but not the other.
"Me, a slave? Preposterous! When I get out of here, I shall make you serve as furniture. Release me this, damn it. You should be groveling and begging for my dick!" Auren screamed incessantly.
"Either you put this on, or I rip out your tongue." Mira held a ball gag in her shaking hand, doing everything she could to hold back from murdering Auren outright.
The incubus gulped. "The… gag…"
Relative silence returned now that he could no longer speak, which didn't say much since Aurelias was still getting railed by alraune tentacles behind him.
"Gurk bring shiny! Made sure to bring highest quality." The goblin descended the stairs in haste, carrying a handbasket full of magic crystals.
"Good work," I said, unburdening him of the basket.
"The final steps are done as soon as I embed the crystals into the runes," Belle said, licking her lips. She was in the zone when it came to this that Mira became a hindrance. Few could say they came close enough to match her ingenuity
Mira left the rest to our more capable colleague. She stood up, brushed her robes of dust and dirt, and stretched until her sockets popped.
"Come, love." Mira took Gurk by the hand and guided him towards the stairs, giving me a kiss as she passed. "Let us fetch down some of Eudora's prized tea and snacks. I know where she keeps them hidden in her private quarters."
I worried about Mira. She wouldn't like it if I said that out loud. Her commitment to carrying our child to a full term while still engaging in battle was admirable, but incredibly foolish. It was impossible to try and get through to her.
"Ellori, you have visitors!" Noelle yelled from the top of the stairs.
Kati and Ceris, an odd combination to be sure, greeted me at the front door. I invited them in to talk around the fire, whereupon Gurk and Noelle served us refreshments. It seemed Mira had remained upstairs to rest. Given her condition, that put my mind at ease for her to do so.
"I commit my tribe to fight for you," the kobold chief began. "However, I worry for the future of my tribe. We are only a few hundred and had lost many when the towers first emerged. If too many of us fall, the guardian tree may…"
"Kati came to me for counsel. I suggested that he keep a few fertile males here. That way, they may produce offsprings when the next wave of priestesses arrive with the bulk of our army," Ceris said.
"I have no reason to refuse. You and your tribe, including Flora, did a lot for me back then. If anything, I would encourage you to take up Ceris' offer." I nodded.
After all, Cammy's survival and strength hinged on the number of worshippers. Their collective devotion was what allowed her to thrive.
"Thank you, Savior! Thank you, High Priestess! I shall find suitable young males to remain in Ellowyn. In the battle to come, you shall have my spear!" Kati beat his chest, bowed, and left to tell his tribe the good news.
"A true leader, he is. If I were not already carrying, I would have liked to bear his children." Ceris smiled. She rubbed her belly and that smile flipped into a frown. "I'm hoping you can answer a puzzling question— Why are there no kobold or orc women? No centaura either?"
I knew this question was coming sooner or later. Ceris and her kin come from place beyond the reaches of humanity's taint. They did not know our evil nor our hubris. The answer was known to all witches as both a great mark of shame and accomplishment.
"A little over a century ago, the Council of Kings ordered the Witch's Academy to… impair the rate of reproduction of demi-humans," I answered and felt Vessyra's seething rage boil inside me.
"Blasphemy, genocide. An affront to the goddess," Ceris whispered in disdain.
All the council's sick plan served to do was turn demi-human males to seeking human women as partners after their female counterparts died out. The witches who took part in that profane experiment had long passed away, but each of us still carried that sin. It was our history.
"Don't worry. When this is over, I intend to right those wrongs. As we speak, Eileen is searching to reverse the effects through alchemy. We've seen how capable she is," I assured her.
That seemed to be enough to calm Ceris down. She likely suspected this for some time now. The elf sighed and partook in the snacks to distract herself, but quickly became engrossed in them as though suddenly made aware of her hunger. The cowl of the calm and collected elf I knew her to be fell away as she stuffed her mouth with each morsel.
"Mmm! Filled with jelly sweeter than bastil fruits— Oh, forgive me! This is unbecoming of a priestess. My cravings are fickle when I'm pregnant." She covered her mouth and blushed.
It wasn't often I got to see her like this. Instead of removing the temptations from the table, I called Noelle and Gurk to make more for our dear guest. Ceris was left in awe at the variety, her mouth watering like an open faucet.
"My, do you know how to spoil a girl. I might have to return the favor later." Ceris winked.
"Pregnancy isn't tough on you, is it?" I asked, worried for Mira and myself in the future when it comes to that.
"There is no mistaking that it is a burden. What I carry in my womb fills me with pride. After all, this is your gift to me," she said, affectionately stroking her belly bulge.
My throat seized as the tea I was drinking went down the wrong pipe. I glanced around the room and was relieved to see no one else around but us.
"I had a feeling… but it still came as a surprise…" Once the coughing fit subsided, I fetched a towel to wipe the spill I made.
Ceris offered to help, but I urged her to remain seated. Clutching the wet rag in hand, my mind spun with a heaviness that weighed down my entire being. Win or lose, the future was certainly going to be hectic for sure. I couldn't take back her pregnancy anyway.
"Speaking of surprises, will your priestesses' pregnancies hinder your people in any way?" I asked.
She shook her head, the giggle that erupted from her lips assuage some of my concern. "I have already sent the ones who aren't pregnant to Ferellis. They seem in dire need of relief. Besides, battle will soon come and this land is as fertile of magic as our wombs. Better to sow the seeds now rather than later."
It made sense now, but I wish I remained ignorant.
When they told me many of their priestesses had gotten pregnant, I couldn't help but wonder why? They knew better, of course. They understood much sooner than I that there would be great casualties in war. The bannerkin that served as their armies weren't the only ones that did battle. Their priestesses also fought in the only way they were able. Just like Kati, they were looking to what came after— their future.
"Ceris! Ellori!" It was Sheila who had burst through the front door calling their names. "It's Gale. She's finally come!"
We emerged from the tower to see a massive army coming down from the hills. Orcs, centaurs, elves, goblins, and more numbered in the thousands. Large, ape-armed rhinocerine beasts pulled wagons full of armaments and equipment, causing the ground to tremble with each step.
Leading them were six individuals mounted on large wolves decorated ornamental feathers and warpaint. Gale was among them. She wore heavy leathers and a helmet with the sharp antlers.
"My beloved sisters," Gale shouted with glee. "By Vessyra's grace, I have arrived at last with over four-thousand strong!"
