“So that was fun,” Astoria giggles, covering her mouth with a hand as she watches the helpless Stray falling into her new role as a magical sow. She jerks and pumps her hips as more tentacles rise to completely cover her body. Soon they’ll cocoon her completely until nothing remains... and her magical power will surely be useful to their cause. It’s poetic justice that the Augur’s champion is converted like that, to a magical battery. And as for the girl herself, with those powers and that temperament? She’s better off this way and less of a threat to society, for sure. And she’s enjoying herself fully... so everyone is happy.  

Moving on... what’s our next step? 

Astoria taps on her lips. Her blue eyes spark with determination.  

“The Augur will surely not sit on his hands. There’s more Champions and Strays to be found, for sure, and you have seen her. She’s powerful, but far from trained... and woefully overconfident. Facing a proper warrior, with no dearth of experience on their side, will be much harder. Also we’re still caged in these mountain valleys. We need ways to break the stalemate. Thankfully our new friend will provide us with the means to do just that.” 

I see. And if that’s not enough? Do you plan to contact... 

She holds that thought, blocking it out from her mind. Her eyes move to her palm, where in the middle of her hand lays a scar similar to a five-pointed star with arms like lotus leaves. It’s hard to point out even against her dark skin, lost as it seemingly is amidst the sea of her scars.  

But Astoria remembers. She remembers a grin and all the debts she’s going to have to repay sooner or later.  

“Not again. We have to do it on our own. And we’ll be fine.” 

You can lie to your heart, but not to me. There’s someone else you don’t want to face. Someone besides the Morningstar. 

Astoria sighs. She walks outside, leaving the girl to her fate. 

They reach a window looking on to the open morning. The entire, rough valley can be seen from here. And further south, the forests and fields of Ostrea proper, until the thin blue line of the ocean and the tiny dot that is Prinza Isla.  

“There is indeed another. There’s someone I’m afraid the Augur will set against us.” 

Your memories are like thunderous waves. I don’t like to interlope. Do you want to share? It’s alright, if you don’t... 

She smiles, lifting one of Uvasa’s tentacles to her mouth. She puts a kiss on the smooth, black surface.  

“You are never an interloper. But it’s not easy to think about it. It all comes back to the times before the banishment...” 

They are connected, so she can feel it take shape in Uvasa’s mind as well. He’s always been good at this. A tall girl, taller than her. Deep green eyes, a dash of freckles. A chiseled chin, a stern light in those pretty eyes. Standing above her, jaw set, as she reprimands the young princess for getting lost in the gardens once again.  

Oh. Oh... I see... 

“There’s one person I’m really afraid to face at the moment, Uvasa. And it’s not just because she’s the best the Augur can count on. That’s also because of our past together... and how I’m going to react to that.” 

MaraDarks

Thanks for reading! If you'd like more stories like this, there is my acclaimed Corrupted Heroines available (just click on the picture)!

And remember to watch out around tentacles.