Just Desserts

[Raet]

PS: I was not sure whether this should be a finished fic (as it is 46 pages long in Wordpad) or a oneshot.
PPS: Can you spot the reference to Saya no Uta? Feel free to mention it in your comments.

Please do read and enjoy.

Spoiler: show

Just Desserts

Clover reclined comfortably on a soft, velvety couch in the cosy lounge of her and her husband's small cottage. She a bovitauride, one of the gentlest of mamonme, felt she had attained her, albeit small, piece of heaven which it seemed the gods did not wish her and her kind to experience. Against all of the odds she had found a husband, how she wished she could give him a human child one day, but life was a cruel angel at times. Would the Demon Lord, their queen ever solve the problems she had inflicted on her kind?


Granted, she had been blessed with good looks as with the rest of mamonmekind when they had been scooped out of the dark mire of their savage past and raised to their current position, but good looks did not account for everything. Many of her kind seemed abysmally unaware that lust was not the only option, they also appeared to care more about breeding than anything else, especially considering that anything else meant the possible extinction of the humans they so frantically chased. She had found love and no amount of pleasure could replace that, love went beyond the ecstasy of being milked, beyond the earth shattering throes of passion. One day, one day she would help them all.


Stretching a milky arm, mottled by a few beauty spots as if one of the constellations in the often star studded night sky, she reached for a large, pearly porcelain bowl emblazoned with bright flowers, emerald vines and sapphire blue stars which occupied the small, polished table beside her. The occasion in which she had been gifted the fragile bowl dawned in her mind. Clover sighed while nostalgia held her in its gentle embrace.


When she had first started living here she had grazed in the field whilst her male friend was at the market, however one day he had come home and after finding her out in the field had informed her that his beloved would not eat grass on all fours. She had almost toppled over in delight. His beloved? He had presented her with a porcelain bowl, an important family heirloom and had told her that they would pick her food together so that she could eat from the bowl whenever she pleased.


The bowl at present, contained many different kinds of luscious greenery, plucked during a romantic early morning stroll with her husband in the meadow which stretched as far as the eye could see around their small, yet comfortable, stone cottage. She had put up with and grown used to her husband's tendency to eat meat, thankfully not of the bovine kind, but as of late had found recipes for meals which tasted so good that he did not always have to eat the rather sickening stuff.

Retrieving a handful of fragrant greens, a mixture of grass, wild flowers and herbs, Clover nibbled thoughtfully, her eyes misting over as a particularly poignant set of memories sailed into her mind.


She had met her husband Erien during her travels. At some point her inner compass which had up until that stage swung wild sending her through the endless fields searching for a lover, had swung in the direction of this small farming community and held true. She had met him on the winding, rutted track leading to the small town just east of their home. The man in question had possessed strong, wiry arms, his torso too appeared strong if a little on the thicker side as evidenced by a slight bulge around his belly, but otherwise he seemed fit and healthy. Warm, youthful, hazel eyes peered from below a mop of untidy, though slightly thinned she noted, chestnut hair. His mouth had been drawn into a happy go lucky smile which seemed as radiant as the sun.


The second she had seen that smile she had felt he would, no must be hers. He would bring her many young daughters and would pleasure her greatly. She would devote herself to him and produce her finest milk for his pleasure. Her gentle disposition however, tempered her forceful thoughts as she drank in the human standing before her.


Introducing herself by name she had told him that she had been travelling the wilds alone for months and had asked if he would please allow her to accompany him. The man had scratched his head in thought while gazing at her, apparently, she hoped, appraising her.


Indeed she had been blessed with an uncharacteristic colouring for her kind. Her flaxen white hair, mottled with caramel blotches rather than black draped her shoulders and framed a sleek, gently curved face. Two liquid, emerald eyes peeked from beneath a messy fringe of snow white and caramel brown. Two symmetrical white ears, the edges too appearing dipped in caramel, protruded from her thick silky hair while a pair of petite curved horns arched upwards above. Her womanly figure, though slight, curved gently below her ample bosom into a thin waist and toned belly before flaring into a pair of round hips. From her waist down, thick snowy white fur dappled once again with caramel brown blotches covered a pair of shapely, feminine legs complimented by a pair of large hooves. Her tail swished behind her gently. The Council of Four back home had named her as a Guernsey, a new offshoot amongst the bovitauridean race. She had directed a warm smile at the one who had garnered her attention.


She had confessed that she was worried that she may be targeted by more powerful mamonme who may desire her milk. Faced with the gentle, incredibly beautiful cow-woman standing before him, the farmer had at length relented. On the way to his home she had answered his many questions about the habits of monsters, telling him what little she claimed to know. She had also informed him about the fact that her kind were not monsters, that they were gentle and only wanted a human husband. For this reason other mamonme picked on her kind taking their milk as they knew there would be little resistance from their end.


When they had finally reached his home she had frozen in her tracks, more in admiration than anything else. A small, cozy, weathered stone cottage had greeted her eyes. Ivy traced a pattern of viridian green across the walls while a red roof of clay tiles sheltered the entire structure from the heaviest of storms. A carpet of meadow swept out in all directions from here, a profusion of wildflowers in all of the shades of the rainbow danced fitfully in the breeze. Small trees dotted the low hills and plains along with a few farmhouses sprinkled in between, a sparkling stream cut through the lower edge of the nearest sprawling meadow. This had been like a dream come true and if the human male accepted her it would be even better.


The bovitauride chewed thoughtfully on a particularly delicious herb, yes, that had been the start of this wonderful life. Lifting to her hooves the beautiful cow-woman clip-clopped over to a small sink in the kitchenette adjoining the comfortable lounge. Drawing some crystalline water from a silver tap she gazed out of the window at the windsail turning purposefully in the still day outside. He had bought that about a year ago, when her milk had begun selling at much higher prices. It really made life easier, it meant no more long treks down to the stream to fetch pails of water for their home.


Returning to the couch she sighed in contentment. She had stayed with him since her arrival at his home. When she had first, after a few, agonising days pressed her bosom gently against him, a sign of affection amongst her kind he had just looked at her dumbly, unsure of what to do. When she had asked him to touch them if he liked her he had... Though with much difficulty and a face the colour of a ripe strawberry.



She had pushed her chest against him even more forcefully, a sign that she had wished for his actions to become even more physical. He had however merely put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away. At the look on her face and her trembling lip he had informed her that what she wanted was something very special to him. He had made it blatantly clear that it was taking every last ounce of will that he could muster to keep himself from taking her up on her offer, however he would not perform those actions out of lust alone.


She had begged him to at the very least milk her. To this request he had complied albeit gingerly. Later she had pleasured herself in order to quench the urges burning in her body. She had been touched however, he had not been prepared to act on lust alone and she had not been all to sure why. At the time he had been in possession of an antique ARE (Articulatory Relay Engine), a type of communication device common throughout her world. Even her home stable had one. She had used the device in this house to contact a dear friend named Annah. Annah, a Doppelganger she had met on her travels had held out against her own lust in the past and the young bovitauride had need of her advice.


A clock ticked softly in the small lounge, punctuating the stillness of the room. Her friend had explained that what Erien had wanted was love and not lust, the emotion usually felt by mamonme. After receiving advice from Annah she had nervously decided to attempt to hold out against her baser instincts. Over the months ahead the bovitauride had gradually felt a change in herself. The act of holding out against her lust had been painful for the first week, harrowing in the second and by the end of the first month it had become an excruciating hunger, she felt she may jump Erien just to satisfy herself. By the fifth month, the hunger had reached a plateau. It had felt like an inferno raging within her belly, her shoulders had literally constricted themselves with need. Although it had become unbearable, she had noticed a different change taking place emotionally.


Erien had taken her on many romantic trips around the breathtaking countryside throughout the months, she had also accompanied him to parties at the various farms in the area as well. He had always treated her with respect and kindness which had filled her with a feeling of admiration for the enduring farmer, though they had their arguments, her gentle nature and his sense of honour had never allowed it to escalate to anything harmful. The feelings in her mind and heart had tempered the inferno raging inside, as a cyclops beating a hot hunk of steel into a beautiful work of art. The inferno had gradually given way to a warm, gentle flame which suffused her entire being. This feeling made her feel as if she could and would defend the man from the greatest of threats... Would even face Seretique herself for him. Could this be her friend's much vaunted love?


When he had, one sunny day, five months later, presented her with a ring with three rose red rubies in the shape of a Sida, her gentleness had flown out of the window as she had all but crushed him in an ecstatic, teary embrace. Erien had asked her to take a trip with him. She had happily obliged and had landed up a week later on a truly picturesque stretch of coastline.


The low yet rugged coastal hills were swathed in a blaze of dense, coppery, golden leafed fiddlewoods. These hills gave on to gently sloping, open meadows blanketed in heathers of snow white and rose quartz pink, all shot through by small copses of even more fiery, citrine orange fiddlewood trees. As they had neared the sea, the meadows had gradually been engulfed by great dunes of pinkish gold sea sand. After hitching the horses and securing the cart near a small stream, Erien had led the bovitauride over a great dune, and as they had crested the smooth heap of windblown sand, Clover had noticed a stray fishy being waiting below in the sparkling ocean water. A fishlike being which had brought all of her dreams during her ordeal over the past months to fulfilment. How.. How had he arranged this?


A Sea Bishop stood in wait in the water below, her calm smile only intensifying her beauty. Long, teal blue hair cascaded from a large poofy, pure white cap. A flowing, matching coat, open at her bosom and edged with a gleaming golden trim draped her body. Two large, iridescent fins emerged from her almost petal like sleeves covering a pair of delicate hands. At around her waist, her supple peach coloured skin changed to a long sapphire blue fish's tail. All in all she was quite lovely, a being of great internal and external beauty.


As they had finally reached the merbeing she ha-


Tock! Tock! Tock!


A brisk rapping on the polished, wooden door jolted Clover out of her floral-hemmed reverie. Erien? Had he arrived home early? She glanced at the finely carved, wooden clock hanging on the wall. Granted there were still about thirty dreary minutes left before he should have returned from the town market, but it was unusual for him to arrive without even the clatter of his new wagon on the uneven track. Had he become as stealthy as one of those Slugs? Pulling herself to her hooves she trotted towards the narrow window beside the door.


"Ugh!"


The bovine woman sighed in discontent, it was Fenich a farmer from one of the neighbouring farms. Oddly enough he had swathed himself in a great, dusty, kakhi brown coat which hung right down to his toes, what a bizarre choice of clothes for this sweltery weather. As much as she did not want to do it, Clover turned the key in the lock, producing a harsh, grating screech before opening the door.


"Good Afternoon Mister Fenich. What can I do for you on this fine day?"


One of her duties as Erien's wife, she felt, would be to maintain her husband's good name. She could not just turn someone away or ignore them on such a day, regardless of his rather strange choice of apparel.. He must be boiling under all that. While these thoughts floated through her mind, the rather sallow yet red-faced farmer eyed her in relief.


"Ah, Mrs Meadlowry, would you mind allowing a weary farmer a moment in the shade? It is rather hot out here."


The cow-woman sighed before motioning the poor fool in. Although she did not put her thoughts into words she wondered yet again what in the name of the Goddess had possessed him to make such an obviously poor choice of clothing given the weather outside. The man stepped over the slightly dusty threshold gratefully, as he passed her she could have sworn she had noticed a flash of something beneath that dull coat, she quickly dismissed it as merely her imagination and closed the door behind her with a clack.


Fenich strode heavily across the room before plonking himself down on a small, couch set beside the oblong table in the centre of the small lounge. Taking her time, Clover traipsed across to the small couch on the opposite side of the table. Reclining gently into her chair she turned her eyes to meet the man sitting across from her.


"So Mister Fenich, I trust you are well?"


The man nodded uttering a shallow sigh.


"Ah yes, I cannot complain, though today has been ridiculously hot hasn't it? So many chores back home and I just cannot complete them in this heat."


In her mind the bovitauride closed her eyes and shook her head in contempt, why are you wearing that ridiculous outfit then? She plucked a blade of grass from the fine bowl in front of her and nibbled on it calmly.


"Yes, the weather has been rather unbearable today. Erien does not let it get to him though."


Fenich nodded thoughtfully his eyes dipped down to her bountiful assets for a second before returning to her face.


"Is that so? Well Mrs Meadlowry, where pray tell is Erien at this time?"


Anger flashed across her mind like a brief arc of lightning in a grim stormy sky. Why, that man, he was looking at her chest! How dare he? She smiled proudly though at the thought of her Erien who unlike this lout, did not shirk his responsibilities because of the temperature. He was a man of honour and integrity, she returned her eyes to the weedy Fenich.


"He is attending the market for the morning. As I said before, the weather does not put him off performing his duties."


An unreadable expression took hold temporarily on the man's features before being washed away just as quickly.


"Erien still making decent sales at the market?"


Clover nodded, her calm face belying the seeds of unease budding in her belly. She felt she had been picking up some rather bad vibes in that expression which he had so quickly hidden.


"Still I find it a real shame. Man has a fine looking wife such as yourself, yet he leaves you alone all morning, a real shame."


She did not like where this conversation was heading and besides, everyone knew that the town did not accept her kind readily. Casting a furtive glance at the small wooden clock she saw that only ten minutes had passed. The cow-woman also noticed that Fenich appeared rather pleased with himself about something, the look was pretty much written in blazing, twenty foot letters across his pasty face. How could he be a farmer and look so unhealthy? Those feelings she had thought she had been picking up apparently were not misplaced. Steeling herself Clover decided to cut this visit short.


"I am flattered that you feel that way Mister Fenich, but that is really none of your business."


Fenich merely waggled his shoulders non-committedly. His face a picture of barely masked ridicule, the kind that could herald trouble.


"I am only speaking the truth lady, it is not my fault if you feel the same way."


The bovitauride spluttered in consternation. How, how dare he insult her like that? She did not feel that way at all! The questionable man coughed and massaged his throat as though a traveller parched by the merciless desert sun.


"I am sorry to inconvenience you like this, but I find myself rather thirsty, what with this heat and all. Could I possibly trouble you for a drink?"


Clover felt the unease from before growing increasingly focused, was he leering at her? Wrestling her anxiety back into the slimy grotto it had crawled out of, she stood up slowly.

"Very well Mister Fenich, but after that I would like you to leave. Would water be fine?"


The man shook his head in disdain, so he did not want water?


"Then I shall make you some tea, I will heat up some water for you if you don't mind waiting."


In a sudden flurry of reflexes which would have made a cat proud, Fenich leapt to his feet and grabbed the bovitauride's wrist painfully, Clover tried to pull away, but the shock of the change of situation appeared to have temporarily robbed her of her strength. What had once been a question in her mind had become a certainty very quickly as a dirty leer spread across his face.


"Let go!"


The man merely snickered.


"I do not think I am going to do that Mrs Meadlowry, I feel the only way to slake this thirst is with milk-"


The porcelain bowl shattered on the floor with a loud crash as Fenich unceremoniously swept it off the table top. No! The family heirloom, my first gift from him gone! The cow-woman felt her heart break along with the bowl lying shattered on the floor, contents strewn in a vaguely star-shaped burst. Twisting her wrist the man had her on her back against the cold, smooth surface of the table faster than a Danuki could con a man out of his money.


"-your milk. I am going to have it from the source as well."


"N-No!"


An abject cry of utter denial pierced the quiet of the room, but alas it was too late as Fenich tore the garment covering her large chest with a long, snagging growl as though a cat's claws caught in silk. Puckering his lips the man latched his mouth onto a breast and began to suck. A pleasured gasp snuck out of Clover's mouth as her milk spurted and splashed against the back of his throat. A sob, bereft of all hope, tore itself out of her body soon after as she covered her face with the back of a delicate hand. How had this happened? This was Erien's, not this, this ravager's. Using this train of thought which had taken root in her mind, the bovitauride clawed her way back into control. It felt like her soul was crying out its defiance at her debaucher, drawing her legs in under the body of the man pinning her to the table, she used all of her strength to hurl Fenich across the room.


The man collided heavily with the wall, smashing a large bookshelf directly underneath him. Books spilt onto the stony floor kicking up a small cloud of billowing dust. Clover managed to pull herself to her hooves shakily, he had stolen some of her milk, but she was back in control, he would not surprise her again... Ever.


Unfortunately however, her milk's properties had already begun taking effect, her violator had already pulled himself, groaning, to his feet. His lips curled into a sneer as he shook his head calmly and chuckled.


'He got up so easily? That should have killed him. He stole from me, he stole from Erien! So, so dirty! I have to get out of here! It broke! He broke it!'


Thoughts careened through the bovitauride's mind, jostling each other for supremacy as panic set in. Cautiously the cow-woman backed away from Fenich, her eyes marking the distance between her and the wooden kitchen door, the top half hung ajar to allow fresh air to enter her home. Her eyes cast around the now dusty room taking in details, the wooden bookshelf which had contained so many of those books she had pored over in her spare time, rent into jagged shards.


It had contained many kinds of dusty literary pieces before being destroyed. Erien had been more than happy that she was an avid reader and the range had been varied. In that shelf, books on the Luminaire and Eiraiha had rubbed spines with pieces regarding mamonme. Interspersed between these, many story books had also called these shelves home. Clover had found many stories she had grown up with as a child; The Dandelion in the Desert, The Siren and Silence, The Knight, the Witch and the Baphomet to name but a few. Amongst these she had also found multiple non-fiction books which had helped her learn a great deal more about the world around her.


Reading those Luminaire booklets, she had balked at the sections regarding mamonmekind eating humans, she could never follow the Luminaire, those persecuting, lying monsters. The Goddess Eiraiha though, had been another story. Her husband believed in and worshipped Her. She had read the books about the Goddess and had found many reasons that she could not refute dealing with the matter of why the Principal Goddess Eiraiha was so opposed to her kind. She felt though that all beings deserved redemption and had actively striven to live her married life according to at least some of the Goddess's ideals. Why, she had even attempted to take on Eiraiha herself as her own patron goddess. Clover had never felt any affirmations which could prove that She was listening, but it was the thought that counted surely?


Dust motes drifted lazily through shafts of radiant sunlight spilling from the small window located near the now ruined, furniture. Her eyes flitted across to the clock, ten minutes left.


"Keeping an eye on the time Clover?"


The man chortled to himself wickedly, his face a grimy window to the dark, dirty thoughts roiling inside.


"Don't you worry your pretty little head about a thing, he will be here just in time, I can assure you of that, in fact I am counting on it."


He began unbuttoning his coat, leisurely poking one button through a hole at a time. The bovitauride froze, her body already beginning to refuse her mind's commands. The man's sneer widened into grin which appeared to stretch beyond the confines of his face.


"Oh... Oh no, no no no no no..."


Clover stared horrified at the sight before her. As the great, dingy coat oozed down Fenich's less than impressive build, the reason for his strange choice of clothing became increasingly evident. He had clothed himself from head to toe in crimson, the colour of bloody roses, no, the colour of cursed rubies gleaming wickedly under a livid sun. She could already feel a fire infiltrating her body and taking hold in her abdominal regions. Her legs twitched and tensed seeming to anticipate what would soon follow. Fenich smirked, a cruel, inhuman thing.


The bovitauride gulped back some saliva noisily, swallowing the choking liquid so that she could at least offer some semblance of defiance. Tears clung perilously to the corners of her eyes, as though holding on for dear life.


"You, how can you do this to me? How can you do this to Erien? He has only ever treated you well."


The man chuckled derisively shaking his head in scorn.


"I have spent far too long watching that bastard Erien, everything is given to him, a thriving farm, a ravishing woman, everything, everything, he receives everything that I want. Today he will get his comeuppance, I will take his very wife for myself!"


Clover had already begun trotting towards the scarlet clad man entranced, as though her body were caught in the inexorable force which pulls the raindrops from the clouds above to meet the land below. Her breathing had become laboured, her soft cheeks flushed and burning.


'NO! Don't do this, you love Erien! You are above lust! Please stop!'


Her mind fired off harried commands, commands which were useless as her body had decided it had had enough of taking orders and would rather partake of the pleasure promised by the male standing just ahead of it. Another sob ripped itself free from her form. Why? Why would her flesh not obey her? She had tried so hard. Why?


Fenich allowed the ribald, toothy grin which had gained his face earlier to continue its residence as he opened his arms to receive the lust crazed woman. Dirty thoughts which clotted his brain finally had the chance to be enacted in real life.


"You like what you see Clover? I will give you everything you have ever wished that useless Erien would give you. Perhaps the shock will be such that he throws himself off a cliff somewhere! "


The cow-woman's mind cried out in agony, she would not cause his death, she, she would not do such a thing! Her body however, had other plans as it slank over to her crimson ravisher, the siren song of his outfit drawing her as a ship to ragged reefs. Her hoofsteps picked up speed as her slink turned into an outright charge. Clover crashed into Fenich with enough force to send the small couch the two had collapsed onto skimming across the small lounge. With a resounding crash, the couch smashed into the wall, its glossy, spiral carved legs snapping and precipitating the two onto the floor.


A shadow hung lewdly around the bovitauridean's eyes her mouth pulled into the semblance of a wicked, wanton smile. She huffed and panted with libidinous frenzy. Fenich snickered before reversing their positions. The cow-woman cooed appreciatively, inside however Clover wept bitterly, all attempts to regain control proving unsuccessful. In desperation her mind grabbed at an option which she had not been readily prepared to pursue. She had promised herself to Eiraiha, but with no response forthcoming and a promise of protection from other sources, she begged for help from the one person whom she felt had to answer her plea.


'Seretique, master of mamonmekind, oh Demon Lord, help me please, help this lowly mamonme, rescue me from this pain...'


...Nothing, no response. At her birth the Demon Lord's voice had rung in her mind, although she couldn't understand it then, she could now and remembered her promise that if she ever needed help, calling on her would bring her in all of her fury. This promise was one made to all members of her and the rest of mamonmekind. Had the Demon Lord forgotten? This was not the first time she had wondered just what Seretique was doing that no cure to the corruptive tendencies or child-bearing woes of her kind had been found yet. In the meantime she felt something nudging at the junction to her legs. Her mind snapped back to reality as she realised just what that wretched Fenich was up to.


"Nnnnnnn..."


Her mind protested the actions being performed, but she could feel herself giving up, what could she do if her body refused to listen? At that moment Fenich unceremoniously entered her. A single tear traced her soft, round, flushed cheek.


'No..'


"Fwaaaaaaaaaaa!"


Her entire body gasped around her in lascivious ecstasy. Her chest swelled as she arched her back and ground her hooves forcefully into a depression in the soft, wrecked couch, her tail pointed out behind her like some sort of wand. Her assailant chortled and grunted in pleasure, the sour stench of old liquor cloyed her nose as his sour breath blew in her face. He had been drinking liquor that morning or the night before it seemed. Her glazed eyes noted that according to the clock Erien would be back at any moment.


"Ooh!"


Yes! This was the greatest feeling he had ever encountered, he knew that she did not want his attention, but that was fine as far as he was concerned. The Principal God's laws be damned, he would take this woman for himself. Erien would probably kill himself over this he surmised, but that was fine with him. The farm and the bovitauride would be his.


"Hyaaahn!"


Just then a familiar clatter drifted in by the window as Erien's wagon slowly trundled up the coarse, rumpled track leading to their home.


"Unn!"


As yet another blissful moan escaped her lips, Clover's mind sang with terror. 'Oh no! No Erien! Don't come!' Her fear of her husband's reaction to the sight of his wife in a coital embrace with one of his neighbours and the impact it would have on him gripped her in an icy embrace, an embrace her flesh seemed to have no interest in sharing.


"Aha, I think he is back Clover! Are you ready to destroy him and become 'my' woman?"


The wicked man mocked her terror as he enjoyed the sensations her form continued to allow him. This was the greatest power he had ever had. He had never felt this exhilarated. He would enjoy corrupting her further once Erien was out of the way. He could have his way with her as much as he wanted. He savoured how her breath had become increasingly ragged as he increased the tempo of his actions.


The sound of a wagon being unhitched, chains ringing and wooden struts being propped on the ground. Two horses snorting, footsteps leading them back to the small barn built specifically for them. The bovitauridean's soul quaked in agony, she could already see the scene looping through her mind, his face, the pain, the suffering at the sight of.. In his mind at least, her betrayal. All she could do was hope, hope that he would notice the rose hued clothing her assailant was wearing, hope that he would not take it as badly as she knew he would.


"Huh...huh......Aaah."


She heard his footsteps crunching on the dusty sweep in front of their home, as yet another assertion of the wonder her body was feeling left her throat. Louder, louder, his footsteps paused just outside the front door.


"Clo-ver~"


He was calling for her, a solitary tear escaped her eye, tracking the path of the first over her gentle cheek. 'Don't, oh please, don't come in Erien.' Thoughts sighed through her mind like wind in the trees.


The door handle, a burnished brass affair, twisted slowly as Erien found the door unlocked. As he entered the room and turned to close the solid door, a cry of exultation slammed into the back of his head, it hit with all the force of a speeding chariot in a chaotic city. Whirling around a sight taken right out of a scene from Pandemonia itself seared itself in his mind, Clover his wife flat on her back, caught in the moment as his neighbour Fenich pleasured her supine body. Rage exploded inside him, a firework released in the middle of a crowd, however the shock of the situation, which he had been exposed to, far too quickly to react, froze him in a state of agonising limbo.


'No.'


Clover, even in her body's state of lustful vigour, saw her husband standing in the doorway, his hands clenched so tightly the blood had fled to other safer climes leaving his knuckles a ghostly white. She could see what was inevitably on its way, the pain felt almost tangible in the dusty air. There, his face managed to fall, seemingly in slow motion, as though an avalanche on an alpine slope. A look of complete and total anguish, as if the only rope preventing him from plummeting into a precipice of gloom had turned out to be a particularly vicious snake. She watched him as her body continued to heave and convulse in salacious fervor beneath the gangling Fenich. His mouth moved silently, she caught six letters written in his breath and her heart tore asunder.


'No! No! I am not Fennel! I am devoted, I love you! This is not what I want!'


Her mind screamed in misery, already he had begun turning away from the scene, just as that filthy Fenich had predicted, she knew the softness of her husband's heart... No! Her soul once again vented its anger at the pain being cast upon her husband; 'What are you doing Clover?! Are you just going to allow your husband to be wronged as you have?! You know what to do.' Yes, that was right the cow-woman realised there was something Fenich had not predicted, something he could never have expected from a mamonme like herself. Please, please let Her help me.


Somewhere in Heaven, an idyllic plane located at right angles to reality itself. An immaculate office occupied the ground floor of a large, many pillared building carved from purest, white marble. The sole occupant of said office sat consumed in dejection at a crystalline desk which gleamed in the morning light.


By all accounts this being could be described as looking nothing short of perfection. Beautiful deep eyes, the hue of lapis lazuli and flecked with gold peered from a triangular face, her strong cheek bones framing a petite nose and a modestly sized mouth. Her hair fell in a deluge of honey blonde, mellifluous whorls and waves which draped her shoulders and continued its terminal plummet to her glorious hips below. Her hips somehow managed to form a perfectly symmetrical partnership with her notable bosom before plunging into two, long, shapely legs. A golden belt adorned her curvy hips while a golden necklace holding a fist sized, sparkling ruby encircled her throat. Azure blue bangles encompassed her wrists. Covering her supple, peach-pink skin, a snow white robe, slit on either side of her lavish hips, swathed her body and emphasised all of her pure assets.


Eiraiha scratched in her pointed ear with a masterfully crafted earpick, apparently fashioned from bone china. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed in a combination of boredom mixed with an unhealthy dose of melancholy. A large pair of snow white wings unfurled behind her before folding themselves neatly behind her back.


What was she going to do? What could she do? She had taken over about three hundred years ago, after the revelation that the previous holder of her post had attempted to exterminate all of humanity. As the new goddess on the block She had done what She felt needed to be done, with the Prime God's help of course, to set things to rights. That however was before this whole mess had sent all of her plans a wry.


The previous Principal God had created the Demon Lord and all demons to destroy many if not all of the evil humans who inhabited the world adjacent to his own. The recordings in the history scrolls stated the reason for this being that the humans were flawed, they committed countless atrocities as well as various perverse and shameful acts and thus needed to be wiped clean. According to many rumours surrounding his summary expulsion from his post though, the real reason was a spat with a human woman who had refused his charms and had brought his "manliness or rather godliness" into question a few millennia back.


'Give them teeth! Give them claws! Make them rabid killing machines bent on destroying those failures!' For at least three millennia this had been the status quo until one day, the demons had grown fed up with the laws and chose instead to befriend rather than decimate those who had previously been their foes and prey.


It had astounded the inhabitants of Heaven when in a suspicious stroke of good fortune a succubus named Seretique had been in the right place at the right time to somehow claim the mantle of Demon Lord and overwrite the ordinances set in stone by the gods themselves. Not to mention how she had been able to change the appearance and behaviour of the demons which now chose to be known as "mamonme." Now these beings had become beautiful, lust-charged, copulation machines who were leading the human race to extinction... Even more surely than the previous Prinicipalcould have managed in his prime.


She had sent "him," Damian, her finest champion to remove the succubus from power. He had shown such promise, such virtue, he had had no problem surviving her own direct training without ever flinching. He had even mastered an inhuman variety of weapons as well as the art of perfect speechcraft, it was like they had been meant for each other. She had held such high plans for him, after his successful campaign he was to be ascended to her level where they would wed and do all those things a married couple does together, while living a life of love and virtue. They would have created a utopia free from the lascivious ways of those mamonme strumpets.


Or at least that had been the plan. Damian had not returned from Seretique's castle and after a week of waiting, her nails chewed to the quick, Eiraiha had finally descended Herself to retrieve him. She would also have some words to say to "that woman" regarding her and mamonmekinds' lewd ways. When She had finally arrived at the castle gates She had been forced to bring Her godly wrath to bear when She had been met by countless Dullahan and other beings bent on repelling Her.


The Principal Goddess's grip tautened upon the translucent, glassy surface as an especially painful part of that memory surfaced from the dark depths of her mind.


"That woman.."


The words oozed from Eiraiha's mouth dripping with venom. She had, at great length, broken through to the Demon Lord Seretique's throne room only to be met with a sight which she felt had to be a cruel, sick joke. Damian stood barring Her way to Seretique herself. A pair of stubby horns protruded from where his temples should have been. A thin spade like tail paddled the air in what could only be described as a slow, desultory dance. Pure silver armor emblazoned with Her holy signs and sigils had been traded for a sleek black leather coat which displayed every one of his muscles for all of the world to see.


"Damien, this one wishes to kill your wife, defend me, if you would be so kind."


'Damien? His name is Damian and what wife?'


Confusion had bloomed in her mind, a strange, nonsensical flower to be sure. Realisation had followed not long after in the form of a pain which tore into her belly and heart as she swayed where she stood. Her whole world had come crashing down around her. All of her plans, everything had been ruined by the Demon Lord who had stolen Her husband to be. The proud Principal God Eiraiha sobbed, then laughed, a cracked, hollow thing before sobbing her heart out on the smooth obsidian floor.


With a roar of pure, righteous, hysterical fury she all but flew at Seretique, her progress however was brought to an abrupt halt by Damien's powerful sword. Their blades clashed forcefully, metal screeching off metal in a skirling wail as a banshee on a stormy night. Gritting her flawless teeth she attempted to force her former love interest to his knees. The incubus Damien, a mockery of his former self had simply smiled at her across the edge of his rattling blade. That smile contained no purity at all, it was all temptation, lewd, salacious temptation.


"Lady, I would rather not mar the body of one as beautiful as yourself, I feel it would be quite a waste. Don't you agree?"


The Principal Goddess could already feel her cheeks heating up. Incubus or not, this was Damian standing across from her, his muscles flexing under that leather jacket, his eyes holding hers in a daring embrace, peering into her lucid depths...


It only took a moment of flustered, dreamy distraction for Damien to wrest the sword out of Eiraiha's now lax grip and bend Her over backwards. The bold dip allowing him to flash Seretique a cursory glance and raise a questioning eyebrow. The Demon Lord merely twirled her dainty hand in a blasé gesture of approval.


"Ah. Eiraiha, you were subjugated so easily, are you that keen to join our cause?"


Realising that she was at a distinct disadvantage and already feeling the corruptive ebb of Seretique's power, like tendrils of an anemone drawing in its prey, Eiraiha had wrenched herself free from Damien and fled back to Heaven. Her, the Principal God, fleeing from a mere succubus and her consort.


As she ground her pearly teeth in vexation, the Principal God's sullen, lingering gaze swept across Her office and alighted on an empty set of shelves hewn and carved tastefully from the same kind of pure, glassy crystal as her office desk. Her prayer-shelf. The prayer-shelf held all prayers dedicated to Her. The shelves however lay conspicuously barren of prayers. She had known this would happen, yet had not in her wildest dreams imagined it would take less than two hundred years for her sea of worshippers to dwindle to only a pool of adorers and then a mere puddle of venerators, before drying up completely.


She allowed the veil which otherwise hid her emotions to fall for a second as tears stained her cheeks and trickled down her chin. It was all their fault.. No, it was Her own fault too, She should have paid more attention to Her agents in the Human World.


Eiraiha had started the Luminaire about two and a half centuries ago, an organisation meant to spread Her message of peace, virtue and love. They were to speak against or warn of the dangers of living a lascivious lifestyle, of drowning in pleasure. If there was one point Eiraiha was stubborn about, it was that She wanted only the best for the human race. The Luminaire however had lost sight of Her teachings. They had become militant about half a century later and instead of preaching Her message of peace, love and virtue had instead spread a message of hatred towards other species and even humans engaged in relationships with other species. Death, sorrow, violence... Her message had been corrupted by humans who had made a grab for power. Was it any wonder Her support had plummeted so sharply?


'It was the loss of Damian that started all of this... That woman, she really did ruin everything.'


While the Principal God sat immersed in Her own gloom and anger, Her head cradled in her hands, a sound chimed musically from the direction of Her ornate prayer-shelf. Dragging Her seemingly weighty head out of Her delicate hands, Eiraiha glanced askance at the source of the pure, gentle thrumming which had broken the stifling silence of the room. A prayer had begun weaving itself out of the air. Radiant, golden orbs of light danced erratically as a shimmering scroll began to wax into reality. How long had it been since She had last seen this happen?


The whizzing gobbets of brilliance picked up their frenzied frolic, before amassing with what appeared to be a pleased, satisfied flourish. A small, tightly bound parchment plopped onto the bright, empty prayer shelf and waited. In a whirl of excitement Eiraiha leapt from Her chair and all but danced in a clatter of sandals on unblemished marble to the waiting scroll. The name "Clover Meadlowry" was inscribed on the binding seals in the typical gold ink used on all prayer scrolls. Snatching the scroll she tore open the seals and read.


'Oh Eiraiha, Lady of light, hear this humble bovitauride's plea..'


A cold, hard expression drifted across the Principal God's eyes, a filthy mamonme had prayed to her? The Goddess hurled the scroll onto the cold, hard floor and flounced across the room. Dropping into Her chair heavily, Eiraiha merely propped Her forehead on the desk and sighed. Now She really had hit rock bottom hadn't She? Of all things to receive a prayer from a, a lewd mamonme. Thoughts began to waft through Her mind, if she did not receive any prayers soon She would really be in trouble. mamonme are so numerous. No-one prays to me anymore, but a mamonme just did. Wait, a prayer from a mamonme? That should be impossible! mamonme are so numerous. mamonme are so numerous. mamonme are so numerous! A prayer from a mamonme!


The Principal God sat bolt upright at Her desk as an epiphany hit Her. She needed that scroll. Hauling herself out of Her chair she skipped over to the scroll and stooped to retrieve it. Continuing from where She had left off, a look of wonder filled Her flawless countenance.


'I have lived a married life of virtue, holding myself as best I could from my lascivious ways. I love my husband dearly and have only given my love freely. Now my efforts have been undermined, a human, Fenich ravishes me as I pray for your help and mercy. His heart is dark he wishes to corrupt me. My husband, my husband, I don't want this for him. Please save me from this fate. Save me from this pain. I have given myself to You. I would do anything You wish my Lady please. Please grant this plea, help me to call out, help me to protect my husband. So May it be.'


Well, not exactly the best prayer She had seen, but it was the thought that counted in this situation. Eiraiha walked over to a large book occupying a pillar in front of a large, flawless window which overlooked a perfectly manicured lawn. Heaven could be considered a wondrous place, and the view out of the Principal God's office window revealed only a small portion of this. Perfectly shorn lawns interspersed with inlaid marble paths stretched into the distance. Groves of peach trees, laden with fruit formed emerald protrusions which sheltered other great, marble buildings. Gardens full to the brim with all manner of gorgeous flowers which seemed to be caught in a permanent cycle of summer and spring, lined the many pathways and peach groves adding a splash of vivid colour to the otherwise viridian and ivory landscape.


Beings strolled along the walkways and across the lawns. Appearing as beautiful, petite women, clothed in stunning, pure white, thigh length, frilly dresses. Most kept their full, blonde hair short, almost touching their smooth shoulders. A pair of white wings jutted from every one of these beings' exquisite backs while a halo glimmered above their perfect heads. Ribbons tied casually around calves and forearms swayed gently in a scented breeze. These were Angels, the Prime God, He who is not a man or a woman's servants. The Angels chatted amongst each other or sauntered along the flower hemmed walkways.


Less numerous by far, angels resembling tall, striking men dressed in garments of unblemished, chalk white, strode purposefully towards imposing, bone white buildings towering in the distance. These men appeared ablaze with a holy fire which followed them wherever they trod, their lips moved ceaselessly as they repeated their endless mantra of praise for the Prime God. Six snowy wings sprouted from their backs, two covered their faces while the remaining four covered their feet or held at the ready for flight. These beings were the legendary Seraphim, the fiery ones. The Angels parted or scrambled out of the way of these powerful beings, many faces radiated respect whilst others showed outright adoration for their seniors.


Even more uncommon than the Seraphim, powerful looking angels guarded the entrances to the most important buildings. These angels appeared as scarily beautiful women or striking men... With a difference. Unlike the rest of the beings, these angels had four faces, one facing each direction and each as stunning or handsome as the first. Their hair sprouted at the crown of their heads and had been cropped at eye level to allow unhindered sight. All dressed in chalcedony white robes and wore an odd leather like belt, studded with living eyes. Powerful hands grasped flaming swords as tall as themselves while four matching bone white wings folded neatly at their backs. These beings, the Cherubim, formed the backbone of Heaven's defence.


The Principal God returned her gaze to the large, holy tome before her and placed a hand on its golden pages.


"Mamonme."


Raising Her hand, the book's pages blurred In a flurry of motion. Finally the page stopped at a large, intricate, ruby red heading titled 'mamonme.'


Eiraiha sighed and turned a page. Being a god Her skim reading skills were bound to be amazing, skimming through the wall of text she sped through the pages until a section headed by 'mamonme swayed by Love' met her eyes. She began to read.

"Ai, a Tyranno mamonme, evolved beyond lascivious lust toward seeking a marriage of love. Has children with her human husband. Does not allow her husband's stagnation, accepts her husband's need to travel for business purposes. She has been instrumental in converting her tribe to more pure, loving practices..."


The Goddess continued reading, her eyes widened at the next entry.


"Sara, a Skeleton mamonme. Despite her kind's cold, emotionless persona managed to find love. Abstained from lust to the danger of herself when she worried about her husband John being unable to work or meet acquaintances due to her influence. Has since adopted a relatively virtuous lifestyle in favour of love..."


"Mils, a Blue Slime mamonme. Committed adultery unwittingly. Showed honest repentance for her misdeed. Abstained from lustful actions to the danger of herself to prove her love and faithfulness to her husband Rilo. Has since adopted a relatively virtuous lifestyle in favour of love..."


"Annah, a Doppelganger mamonme. Entered her... Now husband Arthur's life by attempting to use deceit to acquire his lust. Abstained from her own lust to the danger of herself and out of her love for Arthur. Has since adopted a relatively virtuous lifestyle in favour of love..."


"Ixi...."


Eiraiha gazed out of the expansive window. A trio of Angels caught her eye, her mind however churned in thought.


"So many of these mamonme have been turning from lust alone, perhaps they are maturing... This could be precisely what I have been looking for. This might help me dethrone Seretique herself."


She turned back to the great book, Her mind intent on one more name; "Clover Meadlowry."


The holy book sped briskly through a few pages before stopping at its target. Eiraiha skimmed through a few more entries before finding the name of her venerator. She took a breath and read,


"Clover, a bovitauridean mamonme. Found her husband Erien, a farmer and attempted to seduce him. At his behest and under her own compulsion this mamonme woman abstained from lustful advances for ten months-"


The Principal God stared at the entry incredulous.


"Ten Months? A mamonme abstaining for ten months?! Impossible!"


Drawing a deep soothing breath, Eiraiha continued after her startling discovery.


"Upon marriage she sated her needs and through love has remained faithful ever since. Has lived a life of relative virtue, questions the Demon Lord's motives and wishes for her and her kind's right to bear mamonme and human children to avert the extinction of the human population. Has, surprisingly, become the first of her kind to accept the Principal God as her chosen deity of worship. Has however, shown disgust towards the Luminaire..."


The honey haired Goddess had read enough, she tapped a dainty digit against her cheek in thought. How many more mamonme were on the brink of praying to her? Had her revulsion for their kind blocked all other prayers which may have arrived before? Her support had diminished amongst humans, but appeared to have grown amongst the mamonme women's ranks. Had their support for Seretique all but collapsed? Perhaps she could increase her support and end that woman's reign for good. Eiraiha placed her hand on the leather bound volume. Her eyes slid shut in concentration.


"Human.. Fenich."


The large book rapidly shuffled its pages, stopping at a section populated with various humans going by the name "Fenich." Skimming the entries She came across one particular name which stood out, this being that the entry actually contained the name "Clover." The Fenich mentioned here went by the name of "Fenich Renburn."


"Fenich Renburn, a human male. Born to Sabine and Renthich Renburn. Showed promise in his childhood..."
Growing tired of the current section of the entry The Principal Goddess skimmed across the text to the section detailing his adulthood.


"...a lazy, excuse driven being. Guilty of Envy in the worst of terms as well as showing great disrespect to the Principal God in the form of a curse and outright defiance. Guilty of abuse of alcohol in the strongest sense. Guilty of plotting murder through surrepticious means. Guilty of drowning himself in salaciousness. Guilty of unconsented fornication..."


A flawless, delicate hand slammed thunderously against the great tome with a degree of force which corresponded to its appearance in about the same way as a fish corresponds to a desert. Eiraiha narrowed her eyes in what could only be a white hot, godly rage. This human had allowed himself to fall so far, he had given himself to lust, had even had the audacity to defy and curse Her and had committed such a heinous misdeed against a dedicated supplicant of her own.


Clover attempted yet again to call out to Erien, in yet another bid to get him to turn to her.


"Ehn..."


She wept bitterly deep within her soul. Even Eiraiha had ignored her. Was she wrong? Was this her punishment for falling for a human? At that most hopeless of moments a soft, tinkling voice called to her soul, a voice radiating purity. The voice filled her body with a peaceful warmth, a warmth rivalling even her love itself.


"Clover... Clover... Young child, I have heard your prayers and have decided to honour them. What you will do for Me is spread the message of love and virtue to your sisters, you will create a school to teach them precisely how to follow your example and spread My name amongst them. I will place the designs for a powerful method of blocking Seretique's energy from your land. You will have my protection in this endeavour Clover... Now call out to your husband, your body will resist you no more."


The bovitauride found her vocal chords under her control once again, her reaction was immediate.


"Erien! Save me!"


Her husband stopped in his tracks as though a sharp slap to his face had roused him from an enchanted trance. Turning to take in the scene once more, a scene which had become a mere blur in his memories, he noted the hue of Fenich's apparel...


In a second he had closed the gap between himself and the writhing mass which was his wife and her assailant. He was all over Fenich like a wildfire in a field of tinder. The defiler grunted in pain as an unforgiving shoulder connected with his torso and sent him sprawling onto the cool, dusty stone floor. His fists were as twin hammers and Fenich the anvil. A shower of rage driven blows rained upon the supine male whose hold on consciousness slipped rapidly through his feeble fingers. As the tempo of his justice increased, a pair of soft hands slipped around Erien's chest and gently attempted to prise him from the unconscious body on the floor.


"Enough Erien, it's enough, don't dirty your hands anymore on...sniff...him...sniff... You, you saved me."


The huffing man continued to flail as his wife used her inhuman strength to guide him away from Fenich. A sob seared the air and pierced through the rage which had all but consumed Erien. Clover! Turning to his wife she had already broken down, now that the last vestiges of the wanton frenzy she had been forced into had abated, her revulsion and misguided conscience had set in. She blamed herself for everything that had occurred. She a mamonme, a being cursed with her lustful charms.


In a moment of sudden clarity Erien shot up, grabbed a white sheet from the age worn, casket containing their linen-ware and draped it across the prone form of her debaucher. Taking his wife in his arms he pulled her close to him as her tears of anguish increased.


"Sob...He, he tried to steal me from you... He broke your...sob... present to me... He, he-"


Erien crushed his wife in a powerful embrace, he stroked her locks, placed small kisses upon her dainty horns and consoled her with soft words whispered into one of her caramel-blotched ears. As the bovitauridean wept pitifully against his chest, thoughts hurtled through his mind.


'I almost killed a man. Seeing her like that.. With someone else. I nearly, I nearly killed him. I left the Luminaire to avoid killing. She nearly got-'


Clover realised with a start, that Erien had lapsed into a litany of muttering. His soothing words and embrace had frittered away as his grip had weakened. With her tears finally clearing up, the end of a bitter storm, the bovitauride realised that the adrenalin which had shielded him from the pain of what he had seen and almost brought about must have worn off as well.


Her first thought was to hold him to her bosom, the source of life. Instead she remembered what Fenich had done to her, so, raising herself shakily, she headed to the kitchen to clean him from her body. She gasped in shock as cool, crystalline water splashed and trickled over the great, curving swell of her breast. As her memories of what Fenich had done to her assaulted her mind she grabbed a cloth and rubbed herself harshly. Clover huffed in desperation and anger. He had... He had dirtied her! she continued to scrub herself, her short, sharp strokes becoming increasingly frantic. Would she ever feel clean again? She cast a lingering glance over her shoulder at her husband. He needed to be calmed, she could see it in his gait and in the way he kept whispering to himself so incessantly.


Wiping off the rest of her body with the cool, damp cloth, she clip-clopped across to Erien without even bothering to cover herself. Enfolding him to her soft yet firm chest, Clover cradled her husband gently as his shoulders shook with emotion. He kept mumbling about almost killing Fenich and how he had thought she did not want him anymore. She wondered if his mind had been caught in some sort of dementian loop and decided it would be better for him to have a rest.


The bovitauridean, shushing her husband as though a mother to her child, guided him gently to drink from her. As she felt the dreamy flow of her milk leaving her body, a dangerous silence gripped the room. An ominous shadow drifted across her features, obscuring the upper reaches of her gentle face. A dangerous glint filled her eyes as though daggers gleaming in the shadows on a moonlit night. No-one - hurt - her - husband. Fenich would not get away with this. He would pay for what he had done to Erien and herself. Noting the now calm, rise and fall of her husband's chest, Clover carried him gently through the small cottage to their comfy bedroom.


The room, though small contained a snug, double bed. The bedposts were hewn from oak as with the rest of the bed and spiralled upwards toward bedknobs carved intricately in the form of a spray of ixia flowers and clover. The oaken bedboard which had been fashioned into many tasteful swoops and curves, teemed with a multitude of different kinds of meadow flowers, all etched into the smoothed polished surface in an effusion of artistic prowess. A large bay window afforded a sweeping view of the meadows, distant farms and mountains. Small, colourful tapestries depicting various wild flowers and a beautiful honey haired deity adorned the walls hanging at various intervals. The beautiful cow woman drew aside the white blanket edged with toffee coloured tassels and tucked Erien into their bed, before placing a loving kiss on his forehead.


'Now to get down to business.'


Pulling on a dainty, lacey smock she had bought from an aranaei during her travels, Clover walked into the small, slightly damaged lounge and looked at the still form covered in a white sheet. She couldn't just leave him here while she found the herbs she needed in the meadows. bovitaurideans typically live out their lives in the open field, thus a part of their early schooling involves learning about herbs and their medicinal and culinary uses. After firmly trussing up her assailant with a length of strong twine from the small cupboard below the kitchen sink, Clover headed out of the kitchen door to locate some heavensigh and boacurb, two herbs she had seen in the surrounding meadows. Given the situation and what had happened to her husband, the bovitauride was not above a little drugging similarly to how a lake is not above the sky.


After arriving back in her tiny kitchen, her arms full of the necessary ingredients, the bovitauride began with the task of steeping the herbs in water which she brought to a gentle simmer over the small wood fired stove which occupied the far end of the room. Humming purposefully she waited for the sedative tea to brew while checking on her husband and the now writhing and cursing Fenich. Nodding to herself, Clover poured a minimal dose of the tea into a small cup and a much greater dose into a large, chipped porcelain mug. She would rather not have her husband awake for this and she definitely wanted Fenich out for the rest of the day.


Carrying the large mug, tendrils of steam snaking from the slick surface, the bovitauridean poured the brew down Fenich's throat, oblivious or rather, unconcerned about the choking noises escaping his foul mouth. As the mixture took effect, Clover trotted languidly back to the kitchen and retrieved the smaller dose destined for Erien. After giving her husband a dose which would help him rest for a few more hours the bovitauride spent a few minutes enrapt by his serene, sleeping face. How could this have happened to them? On the bright side, Eiraiha had finally responded to her and proved her thoughts correct about redemption, but at what cost? She could have lost Erien from the experience and had been forced into a Fennelline situation. As tears began to track her face once again, she left the room and stumbled across to the ARE, she needed the help of one of her oldest friends she had met during her travels.


Flicking on the conduit positioned at the centre of the lustrous, squat base of the device, the ARE whined to life. A small polished sphere rose, spinning, from the small bowl shaped depression it rested in as the soft whine settled into a gentle, thrumming hum. Clover appraised the ten, spidery, burnished arms. Each were tipped with a shiny needle which allowed synchronization with the Multipath Vocalisation Cradle and allowed a person to create the necessary vortex through reality which would permit her spell to reach the corresponding ARE unhindered. The bovine woman did not understand the specifics, but she knew it worked and that was what was invaluable to her at this time.


Adjusting the necessary needles she pressed the main lever of the ARE and watched the arms perform their whirling, elegant ballet which would allow them to attune with the slight, silvery ball gyrating in front of her. The swirling, slender arms sank into the diminutive sphere and the whole mass of arms and orb sank into the waiting depression below. A small crystalline globe radiated a faint orange glow, an indication that the other ARE had not as yet synced to her spell. Clover heaved a sigh of relief and waited patiently for the spell to go through, at least it had not been denied.


"Come on, come on... Answer please."


The anxious bovitauride whined impatiently while drumming her fingertips on the surface next to the ARE. The light continued to glow citrine as if mocking her needs. She felt a little nervous about approaching her friend. It had been a few months since she had last contacted her and now she was contacting her to beg for a favour. Clover felt a compulsion to run her hands through her flaxen hair, but crushed it just as quickly. She would have to make it up to her. The orb shifted from orange to green and a familiar though slightly breathless voice answered on the other side.


"Yes, yes.. huff.. huff.. Hello?"


At the sound of her friend's voice, the bovitauridean leaned in close to the ARE.


"Serafina!"


Her friend Serafina was just the person to help out. She, being a mamonme who actually had experience with magic, had to have some skill that could help her. Meanwhile Serafina herself did not sound very impressed at her timing.


"Clover? Huff.. Your timing could have better! Van and I were this close-"


The bovitauride could almost imagine the fiery Lamia holding her thumb and slender pointing finger a centimeter apart, emphasizing just how small that amount really had been.


"-to rapture, we had been going for six hours and you interrupted us! This had better be good!"


Clover flushed a bright, garnet red at the implications of what she had interrupted, but just as quickly stuttered out her own nervous response.


"Sera, I, I need your help. P-please help me."


A dangerous moment of utter silence essued from the spell caught within the whirling embrace of the ARE, the nervous cow-woman called out her friend's name plaintively, in an attempt to draw out an answer from the ominous dead air.


"S-Sera?"


The musical voice which answered her seemed rather offkey.


"So... You have not spoken to me for a whole year, you interrupt my reaffirmation of my love for my husband and now you have the cheek, the cheek, to asssk for a favour? I-"


The bovitauride had never heard her friend sound so bitter or so angry before. She knew her friend as an intelligent, yet carefree woman, sometimes even leaning towards being a little silly. Although she had a rather scary, blazing temper at times, she was not a cruel person. Clover knew that her friend was in fact very cheerful and was a pleasure to be around. That 'sss' was a quirk of hers, usually displayed when she was being seductive or if she was in an incredibly emotional state. Had she hurt her this much? This was something she had to sort out with her friend, but to do this, she had to admit responsibility for her wrongdoings.


"Sera, I, I am truly sorry for being so distant this past year, can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me? I just, I was so caught up with Erien that I did not find the time. Please, please accept my sincerest apologies. Please Sera, I will not treat you like this again, I promise."


A soft sniff from the other end of the spell alerted the bovitauridean to the success of her reparations. She knew her friend was not one to hold grudges against her friends. A rather emotional voice issued from the small, shiny sphere spinning below.


"Do you mean that?"


Clover affirmed the question without a second thought, Serafina was an important friend to her, if she had hurt her heart, then this would be the right thing to do. Her affirmation drew another sniff from the ARE before her serpentine friend's own feelings gushed across the ether.


"I, I thought you did not want my friendship anymore, I was worried I had done something you did not appreciate. Perhaps I had offended you with my teasing, or you had just lost interest in me. Then you call me out of the blue and ask for a favour, I am sure you can understand my being somewhat upset about the whole affair."


Yes, she had a right to be upset with her, but now was not the time for that. She needed Serafina's help, yet she couldn't just blatantly ask her to help her after her friend had just poured out her heart to her could she? There had to be a way to ask properly. The energies within her skull danced furiously across her brain, searching for a solution... and then what seemed to be a chaotic mess came together to form a perfectly timed routine. An idea took hold.


"Sera, do you have a way of reaching me?"


Silence drifted across the connection once again.


"I was just thinking, you must know a spell which will allow you to visit me, you know... That one you were speaking about the last time I visited S... Skip-"


"You mean Skimming don't you?"


The Lamia's voice drifted from the spinning device, saturated by a slightly droll tone. Clover continued her ploy, ignoring the flatness in her friend's voice.


"Yes, exactly that. Skimming. Then you can visit me, we can chat about our last visit and what has happened in between, won't that be wonderful for us?"


A thoughtful pause greeted the bovitauridean, she knew that Serafina was not insensitive, she had probably seen right through her invitation. As if to confirm her thoughts the snake woman's voice trickled out across the gap in reality.


"Clover, what happened? This furtive behaviour is unlike you."


As she had thought, her friend had indeed figured out the invitation's play. She really had no choice but to come clean.


"It, well, I-"


Her voice hitched, an emotional cue to Serafina that something really was troubling her friend.


"I had to use heavensigh and boacurb Sera! How often do people-"


Her snakish friend interrupted her then, her own voice riddled with incredulity.


"Erien decided to show his true colours? You told me he had all of those Luminaire books, did he turn on you?"


Clover's voice hurtled back across the divide, shock and disbelief flooding her words.


"What?! No Sera! Erien is fine.. Well, actually he is not, but he would.. He would never do that to me! I will explain everything when you get here... Please."


Heaving a great sigh, which did not escape the ARE, Serafina's nonplussed voice once again made the bold trip across the ether to her friend on the other side.


"Sigh... You know Clover, just because I can 'use' magic, does not mean I can work miracles. What am I supposed to do about Van? I have left him in a state which will leave him... Helpless, for the next hour or so."


"Sera! Can you do it or can't you?"


Yet another moment of peace grappled with the waves. The bovitauride expelled a sigh of her own, she had admitted she was wrong, she had apologised and her friend could hear that she was in dire need of her. Why was Sera being so stubborn? Questions and shadows of thought flitted around her mind. Her friend's response fluttered swiftly across the void and to her waiting ears, an abashed inflection coursed through her words.


"Well you did not have to snap at me... What's that my pet? Go help her? Are you sure you want that?"


It seemed to Clover that Van had been listening in and was attempting to convince Sera to help her out. The bovitauridean sighed inwardly, relief flooding her mind. If there was one person who could get her serpentine friend to help her it would be him. Eventually a suitably persuaded Serafina's voice once again sallied forth from the ARE.


"Very well Clover, I will come visit you.."


The bovine woman's hand clenched in victory as a relieved smile slid onto her delicate features.


".. are you still living in the same area?"


Clover nodded automatically, as if her friend was in the same room as her. Confirming that her location had not changed, her friend laid bare the simple facts about the spell she would use to get to her.


"Okay Clover, listen to me carefully, I am still an intermediate in terms of the Skimming spell. I can only travel five hundred kilometres at a time, twice a day. I will need to spend the night on your side. Is that okay with you?"


"Of course, I would love to have you over Sera!"


The bovitauride could not believe her luck, she had not had a friend sleep over at her place since... Since she had moved in. It was not that Erien had anything against her having friends over, she had just been indecisive about inviting her friends over in the first place. She squirmed in excitement, her friend would finally see her humble abode. In the meantime, the Lamia continued with her side of the conversation.


"So then, this is what I will do, You will need to give me an hour with Van, I want to at least give him his release, okay?"


The sound of rustling paper crackled out of the spell whirring in front of her, it sounded like Serafina was running one of her slender digits across a large sheet... Probably a map.


"Alright, I just checked the map-"


'Heh! Just as I thought.'


Self-congratulatory thoughts sidled through the bovitauridean's mind as though they were a fat and pompous cat. Her friend's melodic tones, after a few seconds of silence returned to her ears as Serafina finished working out the logistics of the visit.


"-I see you live roughly one thousand and twenty kilometres from my own home, so you will need to give me another hour to walk the remaining twenty kilometres in order to land at your doorstep. is that okay with you?"


Yet again Clover found herself nodding happily, her silken hair falling in snowy ringlets around her head and draping her smooth, round shoulders.


"Yes, yes, that will be fine Sera."


"Well then, I shall see you in about two hours' time Clover. Don't forget to make your famous tea, will you?"


Her snakish friend's voice paused for mere seconds before issuing from the ARE, this time however she sounded a little more distant, she had probably slid off without ending the spell.


"Darling~ mother will be there in a second, just wait~"


The bovine woman's cheeks flushed a garnet red, that Serafina, she always likes to tease doesn't she? Flicking off the conduit, the purr of the ARE settled down to a whine once again as if protesting the end of the spell it had been holding. The bovitauride spun on her hoof as the spindly, silver arms retracted from the burnished ball which had returned to its resting spot in the small bowl shaped depression on the fat base. Returning once again to take in her husband's sleeping form, Clover leaned over Erien and whispered in his open ear.


"Serafina's coming dear, I called her to help me pay Fenich back for what he did to us... Tomorrow he will be nothing but a bad dream."


Pulling herself reluctantly from the bed, the bovitauridean trotted out of their cozy room to clean up the house for her highly anticipated visitor.


The two hours, though feeling like a lifetime for Clover hurtled by fairly quickly as time followed its typical action of not waiting for any man or mamonme. As the beautiful and dutiful cow-woman applied the final touches which would make the now dust free lounge look perfect, a loud crack tore through the air above her followed by a dull thump on the clay tiled roof above. Exiting the front door, the bovitauride looked up to see a sight she would not forget for the rest of her days.


A groaning Serafina lay splayed upon the red tiled roof of the homely cottage, her smooth, dulcet, violet locks had formed something of a messy halo around her head and shoulders. She too appeared entangled in her own shimmery, brick red tail. Thankfully it was not a hue that would affect Clover, however it did look ridiculous. Her coils formed a ring across the aged tiles and ran every which way including under and over her unfortunate friend's body. Unable to suppress her laughter the bovitauride giggled mirthfully, for once she could tease her friend.


"Oh my, Serafina, you appear to be in a bind~ Are you having fun up there?"


The groaning Lamia mock glared at her friend while attempting to detangle herself.


"Uff, Well, I guess there is a first time for everything, I am not used to being on the receiving end of a teasing..."


Finally managing to extricate herself from her own coils, the serpentine woman slid off the roof to join her friend below, a pair of intricately designed leather sandals bounced around fitfully from a leather loop attached to a sarong wrap draped over the Lamia's proportionate hips.


"I told you that I am still an intermediate when it comes to using that spell, I must have overshot my mark."


Standing before her bovine friend, Serafina took a wide, sweeping glance about her. The varicoloured meadows stretching toward the horizon, the dainty farmhouses speckling the more distant fields, the sparkling stream seeming to cut the whole scene in two... Serafina took in the picturesque scenery before turning back to her friend.


"This is a wonderful place you have here Clover, although the house could be bigger, but then again, the views are quite spectacular."


Clover blushed at the compliment and smiled at her friend coyly. A stray breath of wind ruffled her fringe.


"So would you like to come inside Sera? I have some tea brewed for us."


The stunning Lamia's nostrils flared instinctively, she had smelt something borne upon the puff of air, a smirk slid onto her face and tugged at her full lips.


"Oh Clover, I should be congratulating you shouldn't I? I believe Alraune Mead is in order is it not?"


The beauteous bovitauride gawped at her friend, confusion evident across her countenance.


"I, I don't know what you mean Sera."


The snakish woman tittered cheerfully.


"Come on Clover, the period of silence, the sudden frantic call, the fact that you are going to have a daughter-"


Serafina's nostrils twitched once again.


"A healthy daughter who smellsss just like Erien and you.. and something else, a Lamia's nossssse does not lie~"


Clover looked crestfallen, her expression of disbelief swelling rapidly, like a wave rising to crash upon the shore.


"But, that is impossible! I've been suppressing! I have taken herbs to stop pregnancy until I can have a human child! I.. I tried so hard."


The snake woman slipped closer and coiled around her heartbroken friend whose bottom lip trembled weakly. Pulling her into a tight embrace Serafina shushed her as though she were a child who had been teased by the village bully. Her tail quested up to the bovitauridean's snow and caramel blotched hair and tickled her crown whilst she cooed gently into Clover's ear.


"Now, now Clover, why are you so upset? You are a mamonme, it is only natural to have a daughter. You should be proud of yourself. Just think, now that you have a daughter on the way she will need a brother or a sister, possibly human to keep her company."


The bovine woman sniffed pathetically before wiping her eyes. Her plump lips formed a broken smile which stretched gradually into a warm, consoled grin.


"I do not know what I would do without you Sera, I am so sorry about my behaviour over the last year. Please, please forgive me."


Serafina released the bovitauride from her sleek, powerful coils and and gave her soft shoulder an affectionate squeeze.


"All is already forgiven Clover, I can see and smell that you had your reasons, I am just relieved that you called me to apologise and reaffirm our friendship... Now, how about that tea?"


With a quick dip of her head and a sweeping gesture of her hand the bovitauridean beauty invited her friend into her home. The serpent woman slithered past her, she made sure that her coils did not knock over any objects which may have been leaning against the stony, interior wall beside the threshold. Her gaze took in the room before her. The room was snug, an oblong table, polished to a high sheen stood positioned between two small couches, one had been broken? A pile of leather backed books had been stacked in a neat pile next to a rocky wall. Various floral embroideries depicting other bovitauridean women, as well as a portrait of four kindly bovitauride, seated in front of what appeared to be a large hall crafted to resemble a barn, adorned the walls. A small, polished, wooden clock whiled away the seconds.


"Cozy.."


Serafina's eyes picked out an object draped in white linen. Her sensitive nose was assaulted by the reeking stench of sour liquor, boacurb and heavensigh. Looking furtively at her comely friend, she noted that Clover had blanched, her face appeared pallid and she absolutely refused to look at the linen swathed lump on the floor.


"Clover... What...is...that?"


Clover's petite hand streamed up to her mouth as the memories of what had transpired earlier hit her in the belly. Bolting towards the kitchen sink, her hooves thudding across the floor she retched into the silvery basin, her shoulders heaving with exertion. Waving her hand behind her vaguely the cow woman sobbed into the basin, large tears plopping in the spinach green mess. The serpentine woman lifted the veil-like shroud and found a distasteful looking man. His arms had been bound to his body and... Was it her imagination or did he have the smell of her friend all over him?


"Who is this?"


The wary tone of her companion's voice denoted the fact that her friend was already beginning to put two and two together. The bovine maiden charged across to her friend and threw herself into her arms, her face however focused on the portrait of the Council of the Four.


"Look at his clothing Sera! He, he had his way with me! He was going to take me from Erien! He.... Sob....sob.."


As her acquaintance's declaration collapsed into a sea of sobs, a fury bursting forth from her very soul, wracked the Lamia, she tightened her clasp on her friend and looked down at the human with disgust. A fellow mamonme had been assailed in this way? Her own friend? How dare he? Her tail trembled, her rage had brought forth an object she usually reserved for coital use only. A thin papery object rattled wildly in time with the tremors rippling through her body. Her sinuous coils had already begun wrapping around him, constriction and murder filled her mind.


"No Sera! We can't kill him!"


The irate snake woman locked her eyes, which for safety's sake she had converted to a green colour, with her friend's and spluttered.


"He forccced himself on you Clover! He deservesss to die!"


The bovitauride shook her head slowly, her pearly hair obscuring her face. A beast lurked within the shadows of her features, one which made even Serafina swallow uneasily. Words seeped from her lips and emanated from beyond the curtain of her dappled locks.


"No Serafina, death is too good for him... That is why I need your help."


Serafina gaped at her friend, she knew that it was said that a bovitauride's vengeful streak was something to be feared, but she had no idea that her friend could respond in this manner. It was enough to send shivers down her spine. She remembered however, the state her friend had been in a few minutes before and felt her ire surging to the surface once more. Withdrawing from her friend's embrace the Lamia nodded grimly.


"I think I know where to send him... He wanted to have unconsented sex? Well then that is exactly what he shall get."


Chanting in a low tone the snakish femme traced intricate patterns through the air in front of her, as her voice intensified, glowing sigils winked into existence, spinning in an elaborate dance around her. Clover had never seen this before, she sat huddled on the couch furthest from Fenich and watched the pace of the whirling signs ebb as more and more seemed to will themselves into being around each other. As the serpent woman's incantation became more and more feverish, Clover could not help but notice her friend seemed more and more drained, her body shimmered under a coat of perspiration which had covered her form during her lengthy trance.


And then it was over. Serafina swayed on her tail, a delicate, svelte hand rested wearily on her temple as she attempted to steady her head. Clover rushed across to her companion's side as she crumpled bonelessly to the floor. Catching Serafina in her arms, the bovitauride gazed upon her friend's exhausted visage, her eyes awash with concern.


"Are you okay Sera?"


The Lamia breathed out heavily, her taxed tone escaping her mouth as a sigh.


"Yes Clover, I am fine. That spell just takes a lot out of me, it's called 'Translocate.' It will take effect in an hour's time."


Dragging herself up again, Serafina took a good, long look at the spell which resembled an intricate crocheted pattern hanging over the chalk white, linen draped, hump on the floor. She turned her eyes to her compatriot, her voice livening up as her lips drew up into a satisfied smile.


"Now where is that tea? This whole situation has got me dying of thirst."


The bovine woman clip-clopped into the kitchen, the sound of porcelain crockery clinked purposefully as the Lamia reclined comfortably on a plush couch. Clover's voice drifted into the comfortable lounge.


"Why did this happen to me Sera? I have been a good woman, I found myself a wonderful husband. I just, I just don't understand."


The cow woman strolled out of the kitchen, balancing a tray with a clattery sky blue, porcelain teapot and two dainty teacups in her hand. Serafina tracked her progress, her eyes full of concern. Her lithe coils drew up around her as she formed a support to rest her elbows on.


"This may have been traumatic, it was indeed a foul deed, but I really do not know what to say. We know that there are still flaws in Seretique's plan. I am sure though that everything will work out in the end."


Clover's expression took a bitter twist as she took a seat next to the small, shiny table. Pouring a steaming cup of tea she looked up at her friend quizzically.

"Milk?"


The Lamia nodded.


"Of course, yours is the best after all~"


The bovitauride smirked for a second, a few moments later she passed a steaming cup of milky tea to her friend before running her fingers through her flowing, chalcedony hair, a fretful mannerism.


"I don't agree Sera. She has been in power for three hundred years and she still has not helped us with our conception issues, as it stands we can only have children of our own kind and humans are dwindling. What will we do when the humans run out? I don't want my daughter to experience that. I don't think she deserves to be the Demon Lord anymore."


The snake woman's eyes narrowed at that, her eyes taking on an expression of utter seriousness.


"Clover, you should be careful, those are dangerous words. You know what would happen if she found out don't you? You know what happens to those who oppose her."


Clover returned the look with eyes brimming with brave determination, she took a sip from her own cup of tea before replying.


"Do not worry about me Sera, I have protection now. The reason I was saved before something I would have really regretted happened, was because Eiraiha answered my prayers... Sera! The Principal God answered my prayers! I thought she hated us."


Just then the clock chimed, piercing the oppressive silence which had taken hold and filling the house with its song. Serafina contemplated her friend uncomfortably before her incredulous voice burst from within.


"Have you completely lost your mind Clover?! The Principal God?! That is blasphemy! Even so if-"


Serafina did not get any further though, as the bovitauridean leapt to her hooves, her cheeks flushed a shade not too dissimilar from roses, her lip quivered ominously as if heralding a great torrent of emotion just waiting to flood free at any given moment.


"What is wrong with me wanting her gone?! Why must I take "my" husband to a Unicorn for a Pre-cure? Why must my husband even get the ruts? When is she going to cure us?! Why... Why did she fail to keep the promise she made to all of our kind? She did not help me at all whilst he ravaged me!"


The bovitauride sank to the soft couch once again and sighed before favouring her friend with an apologetic smile.


"I am sorry Sera, I, I am not behaving like my kind at all. Let's continue with our discussion, I will keep my emotions under control."


Serafina merely nodded primly before continuing with her point, the two did not even notice the passing of time as they debated the morals of following Eiraiha or Seretique. So enrapt were the two in their conversation that they did not even notice the increased radiance of the glyphs which now buzzed with energy. It was only when the sigils emitted a shrill thrumming hum as though crickets on a hot summer's night, that Serafina and Clover turned to the source of the noise.


The runes whirled and swirled around the white swathed lump. Within seconds the patterns had formed into a prismatic blur which surrounded Fenich's cloth covered form. At the height of their frenzied cavortions the charms congregated within the blanket. A high pitched "pop!" tore through the air and the linen which had until recently formed a large bundle on the floor, simply collapsed in on itself, seemingly imploding on the spot. Serafina slid across to the snowy sheet and lifted it carefully... Fenich was gone. The snake woman smirked before turning to Clover.


"He's gone dear.."


Her demeanor changed rapidly from a smug look, to that of intrigue. She slithered back across to her companion and sat down, her coils forming a comfortable seat below her.


"Now setting aside your assailant, if what you say about Eiraiha is true and not some delusion born from what happened to you earlier, then this is food for thought. Either way I want to...."


And thus the two continued their deep discussion. Serafina would indeed spend the night before returning to her husband the following day, leaving her assurance that she would not breathe a word about Clover's secret until the time was right. Erien never did recall Fenich's wretched deed, instead believing a stray incubus had attempted to have its way with his wife before being soundly beaten, whether this was the work of Eiraiha or just his mind, we will never know.


The couple would later relocate to the place of their marriage, starting a school to teach willing mamonme women about how to love their partner in a way which depended less on lust, while spreading the message that the Principal God offered redemption to all mamonme who followed Her. The goings would be slow in the beginning, the first student being an Alice and her onii-san as she called him, but soon the pace would pick up, the first major building, a ruin built by an Anubis and her husband would be erected not too long before a large crystal plinth known as a Pylon would be raised. As news spread by word of mouth, hordes of mamonme and their husbands would arrive en masse and the city of Crystal Plinth would be formed not long after.


But what happened to Fenich?


With a groan the ratty man pulled himself off the uneven floor below him.


"That filthy Erien, he ruined everything! Next time, next time I will take her for good, I'll.."


The miserable excuse for a human attempted to open his eyes, only to find that they were already open, the room was just dark, very, very dark. A piercing caustic light blinded him a moment later, forcing Fenich to raise his hands in fear as a feminine voice cut through the air.


"Renburn Fenich."


The voice tonkled, a haunted note to it, as though rusted bells in a pitch black forest, blown by an ominous breeze.


"You have fallen rather far and I am very displeased. The sin of Envy, the sin of Lasciviousness, the sin of Sloth, the sin of Greed, the sin of Coveting, not to mention cursing My name and defying Me. Looking at the list before me, I should sentence you to an eternity in the darkest depths of the abyss... What do you have to say for yourself Fenich?"


The cowering man in question motioned his hands pathetically as if attempting to appease The orb of brilliance before him.


"You do not understand your Greatness, it was not my fault, the, the Demon Lord made me do it!"


Barely contained anger shadowed the words which were to follow.


"So that... That woman-"


The voice seemed to struggle to form those words for a second.


"-told you to fornicate, without consent, with a member of her kind?"


"Yes, that is exactly what I-"


The voice cut him off, seething with rage, a solid wall of denouncement slammed into his ears.


"Do you take me for a fool Renburn?! You dared to attempt such salacious behaviour with a dedicated supplicant of my own?! You cursed Me, defied Me and still refuse to take responsibility for your actions!"


The disembodied voice seemed to pause in thought, it returned moments later, speaking in his ear as if confiding with him.


"Nevertheless, I will leave you with something. Given your location and the beings living here, I suppose a parting gift is in order, one which will make your punishment complete. You shall never feel pleasure again Renburn, whether human or incubus this ordinance will hold true. For the rest of your lifetime bliss will feel painful, as though the rending of your very soul, this is how it shall be. If rape is what you wanted, then that is exactly what you will get, you are on your own Fenich!"


The light blinked out leaving after images which seemed the colour of long rotten meat. A strange sensation washed over the weedy man. It seemed like pins and needles stinging his entire body. Something skittered in the gloom. Whirling on his feet, his heart pounding unsteadily in his ears, the corrupt human noted a red eye twinkling before him. A second later the sound of scuttling chitinous feet sounded from behind him. A dim light flickered into being, illuminating the wide cave and casting a web of shadows off the craggy walls. A low lust filled voice issued from the being standing before him.


"Sister, sister, look what has wandered-"


The being had the torso of a female, well defined, with a large bosom. Her skin was the hue of periwinkles. Long, matted, raven black hair fell around her shoulders and a pair of twisted horns, accentuating her face and in particular, her single, visible red eye. A pair of fur covered arms ended in elongate, wicked claws. Four pairs of trunk like, spidery legs attached to an abdomen which could have belonged to a massively enlarged, hairy tarantula. A wispy demonic fog, seeped off her rear forming an eerie tail, the mamonme had bound herself in tight, coal black leathers which seemed to enhance her lewdness to a harrowing level.


"-Into our pantry."


Another voice, this one belonging to what must have been a twin of the Ushi Oni before him, completed the sentence. Unlike the former this mamonme had clothed herself in pale pinks, she could have seemed almost cute, if not for the predatory glimmer in her eye. The two Ushi Oni ogled Fenich greedily before gazing at each other.


"This one-"


"-Smells delicious."


The two mamonme drew closer, Fenich looked about desperately, trying to find an exit from what promised to be a very bad end, as he backed away cautiously, his back brushed up against the unmistakable rugged texture of a solid, cave wall. The Ushi Oni traipsed over to the fearful man, the one in black grabbing his right hand painfully.


"I am Chihana, when I get a man in my claws heh, heh, I just cannot control myself."


The mamonme woman's voice had taken on a sadistically gleeful lilt. The pink draped mamonme grabbed his left arm and smiled, lust, as well as something else swelled within her smile.


"I am Chibara, I won't hurt you... Too much. Or rather not as much as my sister~"


The two turned their hungry eyes to the weedy man and pressed up against each other obscenely.


"I am the sugar.."


Chibara grinned maliciously while squeezing the terrified Fenich's hand, Chihana's grip sent a fiery pain streaking up his arm as she raked her talons across his soft flesh.


"...And I am the spice."


In a hall carved from pure, snow white marble and inlaid with gold traceries resembling spreading angel wings, Eiraiha cast one final glance into a voluminous sleeve of the ceremonial robe she wore and sighed in spite of herself. She was loathe to use curses, but even the Prime God had made use of them when handing down a particularly stern punishment. The Principal God caught a brief glimpse of the fallen sinner getting pounced by two particularly enthusiastic Ushi Oni, his screams of fear and pain cut off as the vision faded away, Fenich had finally received, his just desserts.


The Goddess turned to face the host of Angels, Valkyriar, Amori, Seraphim, Gods and Goddesses who had gathered for the congregation she had so recently called. The hall was abuzz with excited chatter as Angels chatted amongst themselves over the latest gossip in Heaven. A Goddess with shimmering citrine hair sat beside a Seraphim who managed to smile up at Eiraiha whilst simultaneously continuing his mantra of praise. The Goddess joined in with his smile, these two were Eiraiha's closest friends, Myrrias and Tariel. Eiraiha placed Her ethereal hands upon the crystal and gold interlaced podium before Her.


"Friends.."


The hall fell silent as soon as Her authoritarian voice rang out across the room.


"I have gathered you here today, to announce a new plan in our strategy regarding the Human World, In particular with regards to these 'mamonme.' "


Wings ruffled nervously as whispers ran up and down the length of the rows before Her.


"As you all know, it will only take one hundred years for all humans to become extinct... Or at least to have become incubi if you want to even refer to those beings as human."


Eiraiha took a deep breath before continuing.


"Containment is failing and if we do not find a solution soon, I fear Heaven itself may be influenced, this whole mess started during the previous Principal God's reign as you all must know."


How did Tariel manage to chant whilst managing to frown in consternation? Myrrias appeared to have swallowed an unripened peach by the look of her face. The goddess pressed on.


"That is why, this very morning, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that mamonme have begun praying to Us in Heaven in the hopes that a solution will be found. It appears the Demon Lord is not looking for a cure as adamantly as she has stated previously."


The hall remained silent, an Angel sat rooted to her pew, her mouth agape at this revelation. Myrrias wore a smirk which seemed to say that she had told her friend it would be this way in the first place.


"Which is why our procedure regarding these beings is going to change. Containment has only brought us this far, We need to actively search for a cure for this problem ourselves. mamonme are maturing and many humans accept them, it will show us in a poor light if we attempt to eradicate them, so as of today I am setting the ordinance Holy Cleansing into motion, We shall cleanse the taint from the demon energy which has been allowed to run rampant for so long. mamonme will be deemed as a species as important as humans."


A burst of frenzied chatter erupted amongst the congregation below. Myrrias beamed at her friend. She had become rather vocal about fair treatment for all beings in the past century. Tariel simply clenched his fist in support and smiled his animated smile at Her.


"Youkami, step forward!"


A band of scythe bearing Angels stood at attention. Their wings appeared silver-black whilst their silky hair fell in tresses which curled at their sublime shoulders. These Youkami, demigods who had stained themselves with demonic energy whilst cutting themselves off from the source were Heavens' newest weapon against the Demon Lord. With the scent of their energy, they would be indistinguishable from your average mamonme, thus being the perfect spies and saboteurs.


"Your first mission will be to infiltrate the Demon Lord's very castle and capture a serebim. Your ability to sever demonic energy will protect you from their wiles. Capture one, any, and retrieve a sample of her blood and energy. Apparently these beings are capable of upholding the looks and personalities of the mamonme people. Acquiring this genetic information will be important if we wish to maintain and increase their support."


The Youkami bowed deeply before disappearing out of one of the sumptuous hall's many exits. The Principal God looked to a vast host of Angels sitting towards the middle of the gathering.


"Scribes and Recordkeepers, I want to know anything and everything there is to know about mamonme physiology, if We created them, then we can fix them too. We will find a method of giving them the means to restock the human race for us. Everyone else within these walls, We will spread the goodwill of Heaven amongst these beings' ranks, eventually the Demon Lord will fall and I have just the person to take her place, a shining example of a reputable mamonme. That is all, you are adjourned. Praise be to the Prime and praise be to Heaven, our glorious land!"


With the gathering brought to a close, the congregation began to trickle out of the splendid hall. Some were wary, some were excited, Eiraiha knew there would be those who did not approve of the new shift in stance, but they would come around later. Myrrias strode up to Her and took Her hand in her own.


"You did wonderfully Eiraiha, I am so proud to see you finally taking charge of the situation, I am sure many were surprised by this new show of responsibility, my blessings will always be with you."


Tariel stepped forward, his chalk white robes burning fitfully.


"Praise be to the... You have done well Eiraiha... Prime God, may his grace and Mercy..."


And thus Heaven's new plan had been set in motion, it would be another seventy years before the taint would be cleansed, the Luminaire would be revealed to be responsible for sacrilege and eventually Seretique would be deposed after being proven to be spending her time selfishly invested in her own interests only. All of this is yet to come... But that will be a tale for another day.


=-FIN-=

Authors' works referenced in this story

Spoiler: show

Shadowknux
= Siren and Silence,
Mils,
Ai from Prehistoric Love
TheColdZepyhr
= Sara from The Smith and the Skeleton and
Annah from The Doppleganger
Perentie
A big thank you to Perentie for allowing me to use Serafina in this story, I tried to keep her as close to her personality from The Serpent and the Shoemaker as possible.
SpectralTime's ARE from Facade of a Web
Noms_Tiem of MGU.com's Windsail
Redem = inspiration for: The Knight, the Witch and the Baphomet

Spoiler: show

Chihana literally means Blood Flower, Chibara literally means Blood Rose

Youkami, literally standing for youki or demon energy and kami or god, these beings are similar to reapers, but instead of cutting life energy, they cut demon energy.