Hero, Don't Kill The Demon King! Chapter 1: Lives Not Yet Thrown Away

[scorri]

And now they were moving. Great, perfect, just what he needed right now. He couldn't even try to safely push her away, as she was (almost certainly purposefully) laying over both of his arms, leaving him well and truly stuck. Still laying still and staring up at the tent, he carefully nodded. "Sure, sure. Cold, so you come warm up here. You know, most people would just find a blanket, or do something like ask but I suppose you're not exactly normal." He was starting to blab, he knew it, but better that than focusing on anything else going on right now. "And sure, Ness was busy, so who else but me? Hhhh." The whispering in both ears was certainly starting to get to him, not something he had any way to fight against. "It's... a morning. Certainly." He couldn't deny that it was nice, but that wasn't the point.

"I can see what Lavinia meant about being careful. You don't know the meaning of fighting fair, do you?" The laugh, the whispering, the close quarters, all would have been bad enough with just one of her. Two of them had him at a complete loss. "I uh... Hhhh, I should probably get ready to get up though. As... interesting... as this is, we're... going to be going somewhere. Probably. I assume. Not just camping here all day."

[Ether]

"Mmm... good morning, Xalrei~" Nessraya cooed into the dragonewt's ear, the signs of her waking all too obvious. Well, she hadn't made any move to get up just yet, and the succubus had no plans to force the issue. Allowing her tail to gingerly wrap around Xalrei's, she snuggled a bit closer.

"I do hope you slept well~"

[Nanami Touko]

"Mmmmm..." Morning... Right... Things to do, food to eat, plans to make, and another long walk to begin. The Asamis sighed, flopping harder against Bladen. She didn't want to get up, or think about walking, marching, carrying things... "Alright, here's the deal, my pretty little crow." Both of them smiled at him, and then said in unison. "If you can tell which of me is the real one, we'll get up."

---

This had to have been incredibly important... And from the sounds of things, it was, but... "Yes, I know of where you all came from... And that you disappeared so long ago. I figured you were simply the last remnant of a dead species. I'm afraid..." This wouldn't be good news, and while Lavinia didn't personally know this woman, she still didn't want to have to deliver pain. Alas... "I don't know a thing. I was tasked with raising Thesephine at the time... I didn't have much time for world knowledge, beyond the walls of the castle. I'd heard they left Vaia, but not to where, or why." Lavinia bowed every so slightly, a frown on her face. "I'm sorry, Gabriela. Perhaps someone else will know, or an answer will pop up during our travels, but..." Even with how long they all lived, fifty years was still a long time for information to sit. "Perhaps ask Asami?"

[scorri]

Bladen mentally groaned as instead of getting up, she snuggled even closer. While there was certainly part of him that was enjoying having two very attractive kitsunes snuggled up against him, there was a time and a place for such a thing. And now was certainly neither the time nor the place. And now she wanted to play games with him. Well, more games. Since realistically, all of this was one big game to her. He'd be lying to himself if he tried to believe that she actually was interested in more than just playing with him. A couple of blushes, a few reactions, that was all she wanted, nothing more. That's why Lavinia had warned him.

A game. Right then. If that's what this was, then that's how to treat it. Then what was the best answer here? It was a coin flip as to which was the right one after all. So perhaps the answer wasn't the important thing, so much as making her enjoy the answer... "Well now, technically, as far as I can see it, you're both the real one. I mean, one is you and the other is your magic. It's all a part of you, just separated for now. It's not like you have Lavinia in here disguised as you. So that's my answer. Technically, both are you!" He didn't think this would work, but it was better than playing by her rules.

[Xinnidy]

"I slept enough." Agni quickly answered Marina's question. It wasn't like he couldn't handle a long walk --he's had far worse--, his body was simply better rested than his mind. Still, he kept a close eye on Marina... there were no bite marks on her, which was good.

Lavinia was awake all along... she hadn't as much to worry regarding sleep, but she still paid a price. Agni couldn't imagine the burning of her skin felt nice. "You'll need to not bare your fangs, but we could make it work..." And then, the siren intruded, whisking Lavinia for a moment --but it did leave Marina with Agni, something he was far more comfortable about--. "Well then, I will say, I am hungry. How about you, Marina?" A fleeting question, as he already led the way back to the tents, expecting Marina to follow. Jerky wasn't as fine as the cuts of meat he could enjoy at his father's marquessate, but once you were on a mission for so long, you got used to it.

[Ursali]

"M-Morning, Nessraya." Xalrei fumbled her response, further flustered by the succubus' intimate actions. At least it was her back being snuggled, rather than her front. Nessraya's tail intertwining with hers was already pushing her composure to the limit; she didn't any more stimulation. 

"Yeah, I did." She sighed, shifting in place. Her blush lightened as her face turned serious, regaining some of her composure. "I wouldn't have, if not for you. Probably be dead tired and still hating myself. So thanks for that. I really do appreciate it... All of it, I guess."

[Ether]

"Well, I try to help where I can~ Mmm, an exhausted soldier with low morale will just get herself killed, after all... and besides, it isn't like this little arrangement wasn't... mutually beneficial~" Nessraya cooed, drumming her fingers gently across Xalrei's tight, toned belly, as she lazily kissed at the back of the dragonewt's neck. Considering how seriously the woman had been trying to portray herself so far, these moments of vulnerability made for a nice little treat, if she did say so herself.

"I'd be more than happy to raise your spirits any time, Xalrei~"

[GoldsbroTSG]

Marina gave a nod, as she turned around to follow Agni. She took a deep breath in hopes that the redness from her embarrassment wasn't too obvious. However she still couldn't get rid of the light red on her face. At the mention of being hungry, she felt a rumble in her stomach as she lightly laughed.

"Haha... I guess I am pretty hungry. We didn't really get to eat yesterday, huh?" It really didn't feel it for some time. Maybe all the time stressing over the fighting held her over. She gave a hunger-driven sigh, "I'd go on trips with my parents, and they always had a giant bag of jerky with them. We can make that work till we find a town." Suddenly her expression sullied at the thought of 'town'.

A town won't be good for me... nono you're stronger than to scare like that, Marina. You'll be fine.

[Michelaar]

Gabriela looked pretty disappointed, but what could she do? However, this could rule one thing out. They never went to the castle. Sirens have never worked for the castle, but minded their own business. "So they left Vaia? That's odd..... Well, thanks for your time. I'll make sure to ask Asami later. I suppose that's another reason besides money that i'll stay loyal. And when I do find out what happened to my tribe, I can finally put it all to rest. For now, i'll go back to the way you are used to me." She gave a smile, but it didn't look very genuine, and more forced. 

"By the way... I would be careful around miss hero if I were you. You never know what truly lies behind someone's exterior. I would know, ha ha..." Gabriela gave a wink, and stretched her wings. "As a survivor of an endangered species, I will do my best not to disappoint you all."

[Ursali]

"Yeah, I suppose so. But still I, ah... hhhnnn." Her blush returned as her composure crumbled, leaving faster than before. She squirmed under Nessraya's touch, eventually sitting up in an attempt to retreat, one of her arms coming along to protect her modesty. Honestly, was it so much to ask that the succubus remain serious for more than a few seconds? She shook her head, sighing.

"C-C'mon, we have to get up soon... We don't have time for a morning after." She huffed, embarrassed, but putting her foot down. Hopefully that would be enough. She didn't want to have to fend off a succubus while trying to get dressed.

[Ether]

"Fine, fine~ I suppose I can let you be for now." Nessraya replied with a slight pout, sticking her tongue out at Xalrei as the dragonewt moved to sit up, giggling as she bothered to cover her chest in present company... how silly. Shuffling out from their shared bedding, Nessraya stood and began to stretch, showing far less care for modesty than Xalrei had... it wasn't like either of them had anything left to hide at this point. A few moments of stretching and a light yawn later, the succubus reached to the pile of fabric that her clothing had become, beginning to dress herself.

"You're quite cute when you're embarrassed though, Xalrei. It's a good look."

[Ursali]

A sigh of relief escaped Xalrei's lips, free from Nessraya's clutches. Not that she hadn't enjoyed the woman's... skills, it was just that the succubus was just too much for the tomboy dragonewt to handle. She couldn't resist the urge to stretch as she rose to her feet; though, only one arm rose above her head, still insisting on covering herself. She caught Nessraya stretching out of the corner of her eye as she grabbed her own clothes, resisting the temptation to turn and stare. Xalrei was sure the other woman was just teasing her at this point.

"Sh-Shut up. Like I care about being cute." Yep, definitely teasing her. Unfortunately, she couldn't really do much about that.

[Nanami Touko]

"Both?" Asami looked bored by that answer, sighing, before regaining her normal smile. Both, what a cop out. He wouldn't even play along? "Are you really not enjoying this?" A pout, a heavier sigh, the one on his right leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Well, wrong answer~" The other one poofed into a log roll, as previously, Asami picking herself up and brushing her robes off. "You should just be honest if you're not having fun, Bladen. No one likes a spoil sport." Her tongue stuck out a moment, she slipped out of his tent and yawned at the morning light. "Breakfast... I suppose... Oh, hello~ Miss hero~ Agni~! Let's eat together~" Skipping off towards the unfortunate humans, Asami figured a change of pace would improve her mood.

---

"Watch out for the hero?" Lavinia couldn't help a smirk, Gabriela's warning not something she could take very seriously. "Marina is... Someone that should never have been a part of this in the first place. She's too gentle for war, let alone hurting someone." The girl had fallen asleep resting against a vampire, her sworn enemy not days ago. The fact she was so gentle told Lavinia enough, there was no way someone could act that well. If Marina held any hatred or fear, she would've been terrified at the thought of a vampire snacking on her neck as she slept.

"In the off chance, Marina does betray us, or tries to kill any of us... Then I will put her down myself." Lavinia simply hoped that day wouldn't have to come, wishing the girl well in all of this chaos. Whether or not Agni would help anchor her remained to be seen, as well, but Lavinia had far less reservations about the thought of killing him. Despite knowing the church's wrongdoings, even having seen them firsthand, he still felt hesitant about all of this... That was worrying. Were he to become a liability along the way, he would have to be left behind.

"I'm sure you'll do wonderfully, Gabriela... If that's all, then." Lavinia slipped past her and headed back towards the group. She didn't need to eat, but... Well, the salty chew of jerky, was just so very alluring.

[Ether]

"No need to be shy. Feel free to stare all you'd like, Xalrei~" Nessraya teased, turning her head back towards the dragonewt with a smirk, pants held just below her hips for a moment before pulling them over and on. Her shirt followed in short order, and with that, Nessraya walked towards the exit of the tent, caressing Xalrei's face with her tail as she passed.

"Well, I care, Xalrei~ I think that letting loose every so often would be good for you, rather than being serious all of the time. Even if I'm the only one you'll show it to, as much a shame as that might be~" The general concluded, stepping out the flap of the tent with a skip in her step, doing a gentle twirl in the morning breeze and allowing her wings to stretch out now that they had room to do so.

"Mmmnah~ What a wonderful morning~" She noted... it appeared that people were gathering for breakfast. What wonderful timing~

[scorri]

Bladen sighed, shutting the tent flap behind her and finally sitting up. It seemed that even in not trying to play the game, he had lost it. Perhaps that was for the best. He wasn't here to be a fox's plaything. It would be better if she gave up on taunting him now, right? She would go, find a better target, like Agni or Marina, and leave him be to his mission. He couldn't help but think back to last night. There had been a brief moment there where it seemed like she cared. But then today... If I'm not entertaining, she doesn't care. That's that at the end of the day.

He groaned, and flopped back down onto the ground. Her leaving him alone was a good thing. That was what he needed to just keep reminding himself. He would leave her alone and she would leave him alone and he wouldn't need to deal with a fox that only wanted to get enjoyment from his reactions. It was better this way. I'm just going to... stay here for a while longer. Get her out of my mind, relax, be ready for the day. I can skip breakfast for that...

[Xinnidy]

"Indeed, things were rather busy last night... but we can't go on without food, not you and I." The fact some of the monsters could was a logistic wonder, it made sense that the church couldn't make much progress without a hero against them, despite their numbers advantage. "Well, let's not wait any longer, if you're fine with jerky, let me just--"

Agni was getting their share of breakfast from the sacks when Asami, called out to them, getting in the way of things ever-so-joyfully. "...Hello, Asami. We can eat together, if you'd like." No point in shooing her off, really. "Do you also want jerky?"

 

[GoldsbroTSG]

She nodded at Agni's comment about needing food, remembering being told that a long time ago back home. She approached, still putting her armor back on, awaiting for what Agni was going to be taken out, then pausing as she looked over to hear Asami's approach. 

"Good morning, Miss Asami." She nodded in agreement, "Please, join us." She swung around her cloak, and clipped it back on. 

[Michelaar]

As Lavinia shot her down and left, all Gabriela could do was shake her head. What a fool. Too gentle? What a strange excuse. It could simply be an act. Gabriela personally didn't have any reason to distrust Marina, and said her comment mostly jokingly, but Lavinia taking it seriously annoyed her. Those lofty ideals Lavinia has.. truly naïve. But I suppose there is nothing that can be done, certainly not while Marina clings to Lavinia like it was her own mother. She would keep an eye on her and her trusted protector, Agni. 

Gabriela's hunger really went away at the thought of her family and so she decided to spread her wings and head to the top of the tree and sing a song. A song about love and war seemed appropriate, and as she began singing in the top of the tree, she felt free, for just a moment.

[Nanami Touko]

"I wouldn't mind eating... With you, Agni~" Asami left her curious pause to his imagination, stepping around them and rummaging around the sack for a strip of the dried meat, munching on it happily. She seemed content with that for the moment, glancing past the humans at the cloaked figure approaching camp. "Hello Lavinia~"

"Yes, hello... And good morning to everyone else." Gabriela had begun to sing, Lavinia casting a glance her way. So long as she didn't attempt to charm anyone with her songs, the sound was pleasant, and the vampire would voice no complaints. "I hope you all can hear me, even those of you still indisposed." Her voice raised to hit the camp, she placed herself in the relative center, clearing her throat. "As we have lost our horses, we will have to walk to the next village... It would be longer, and, rather embarrassing to head back to the castle for another pair, so we shall have to make do!" Hopefully that made sense to them, though for some, they could simply hover. This would only be a pain to those on foot.

"Once we reach the village of Narvi, I will attempt to find us new horses, and a new wagon. It should take us about half the day to reach it on foot from where we are... I do not think we will have to worry about church soldiers for the moment, but bandits and deserters may set themselves upon us. Be prepared!" Lavinia had never thought she'd see the day where her own men, people she'd trained, trained with, and fought alongside, would turn on her for coin or worse... Yet, here they were, on the plains of Vaia, hoping to avoid that exact situation.

"We move to leave after you've all had a chance to eat. I hope your rest was plentiful." It would have to be, for such a long march. Small speech finished, hopefully everyone else was up to speed. If not, they could ask her, Asami, or anyone that had been paying attention for direction. For now... "Excuse me, Asami." Lavinia brushed the fox aside, fetching her own little stick of jerky. "I don't exactly need this, but... W... Well, I can't help myself. The taste is... Alluring."

[Ursali]

Even with Nessraya's prodding, Xalrei kept her eyes to herself. It wasn't that she didn't want to see, but entirely her own stubbornness in committing to her previous decision. She focused her attention on getting dressed instead. While her claws were useful in a fight that was the extent their benefits; even with clothing designed around her use she still had some difficulty getting the clasps that secured her clothing locked in. She would've asked Nessraya for assistance if she didn't know it would open her up to more teasing. Aside from jumping at the sudden feeling of the succubus' tail on her face, all she gave Nessraya was a grumpy -totally not cute- huff as she left the tent.

"Hah... Can't let my guard down around her. Even then she's still hard to deal with. Honestly..." She put a claw to her face, shaking her head. She quickly finished dressing, slipping her tail through her skirt and pulling the garment up. Casual wear ready, and armor left behind for the moment, she exited the tent, stopping mid beeline towards the food as Lavinia began laying out the plan for the day. Had Marina had any input or was this all the vampire's doing? Whatever. She was hungry, therefore that didn't really matter right now.

She paid the humans little attention as she grabbed her own stick of dried meet. Even Asami and Lavinia still only got a brief nod of acknowledgment before she bit into her breakfast.

Edited July 16, 2019 by Ursali

[Xinnidy]

Of course that fox had to stick that pause in there. Agni turned his gaze to Asami, not sparing a suspicious look. "Alright. Then eat with us." Agni was definitely concerned about Asami's intentions, whatever her brain might have cooked up to bother them with. Agni grabbed a few sticks and some bread, handing them to Marina first. At this point he stood up and turned to acknowledge Lavinia and her speech, following it with a light nod. "Eat all you need, Marina. That village should be a chance to restock. I don't believe you should be stingy." He returned his attention to the sacks, getting a few sticks for himself.

Seeing Lavinia join them was an amusing surprise, however. It was enough to wring out a muted laugh from Agni. "Can't resist a strip of meat, or do you just like your food salty?" It was an amusing, innocent preference by the proud vampire. It was almost endearing.

...Ah, another person came to eat as well, that one. "Good morning." Agni wasn't going to let that dragoness walk away unprodded when she clearly wished otherwise.

[Nanami Touko]

"Boo, you're no fun either... I guess it's back to Bladen. What's with the guys around here~?" Asami let out a sigh that was quickly muffled by a bread roll, chewing quietly on the hunk of cooked wheat, finally shut up, for once.

Lavinia found herself blushing, shaking her head, and hiding herself under her hood just a bit more. "Hush, I-I just... When you stop needing to eat, it becomes a luxury, so... I can't help indulging myself, now and then. That's all. You don't have to poke fun at me, over it." Tearing into her chunk of jerky without hesitance, Lavinia let a smile come back, the salty taste and hefty chew something wonderful, having ignored food for the past month or so. "I always forget how nice food is~"

"Wow, Lavinia, getting flustered over a human... Nice to see you back on the market~" Asami had finished her bite, so it was back to teasing. Speaking of... Xalrei had come out of Nessraya's tent~

"Not at all, Asami," Lavinia replied coolly, the fox not getting what she wished for, once more. "I was merely surprised... Besides, Agni has better things to do than butter up a monster, right, Agni?" Another small flash of her fangs, while he didn't deserve the prodding, it was nice to see where he sat. She still couldn't fully trust him, after all... Marina, perhaps, but Agni? Were they to run into a situation he could escape in, Lavinia was confident he would bundle up Marina and run.

"Whatever you say, musclehead... I guess a guy would have to be pretty weird to fall for you, you're beefier than the meat you're eating." Asami was getting very tired of not getting reactions, but surely, this one wouldn't fail. Slipping past the humans, and leaning against Xalrei, she smiled. "So... How was she?"

[Xinnidy]

Asami definitely didn't enjoy his cold response... useful information for future reference. Lavinia however, was definitely flustered about Agni's comments. He didn't expect them to be that effective. "I am poking no fun." Seeing Lavinia enjoy a strip of jerky was like seeing a child savoring a candy... it was not meant to be patronizing, but if Agni put it that way Lavinia would definitely think otherwise. "It's just endearing. Human." Maybe that was too heavy on the other end of the serious scale, considering who he was talking to. "Regardless of what you are now."

Those fangs were still.... weird, but Lavinia did look like a normal woman enjoying some food at that point in time. There was some sense of normalcy to enjoying some food around most of these monsters this time... Agni even chuckled at Asami's parting jab. "Beefier than the meat? I wouldn't have guessed it from your face." And the fact Lavinia was always armored or heavily clothed.

[Ursali]

...Why was that human trying to engage with her? Her attempt to ignore him hadn't been a mistake. Her mood was, all things considered, good and she didn't want to ruin it by playing whatever game Mr. Noble had in mind. "What do you want? I'm trying to eat." To accentuate she took another bite of jerky and reached for some bread for herself. There, brush him aside and focus on what mattered: getting a good meal. Hopefully, he'd take the hint and leave her be like she was doing to him.

Completely caught off guard by resident teaser #2's -or was she #1- question, Xalrei's face flushed as she simultaneously choked on the bite she'd taken and nearly dropped the bread she'd just grabbed. After a moment of pounding her chest, the bit of jerky finally passing, she turned to glare at the kitsune. "For Hel's sake, don't do that to someone when they're eating! It is really asking too much to be able to eat in peace?" She grumbled, deflecting the question as she took a bite of her bread to further close out her response.

[Nanami Touko]

"That good, huh~?" If the choking wasn't enough of a sign, Asami didn't know what was. Satisfied to have gotten a reaction out of someone, she relaxed and ate her food in silence.

"None of me is human. I pray you do not forget that, Agni." His seeing her as such would only hurt him, going forward. She would not pretend to hide her traits and urges simply to appease his appreciation. "As for her comment... I try to stay in top shape. This armor does not move itself, and a bow is a lot harder to handle than people give it credit. I suppose, 'musclehead' is accurate..." It was mostly her arms and her core, though she did pay attention to all of her body.