The Hero Became a Succubus, and the Only Way to Level is to… What?!

They agreed to leave for Gem Spire at night. Not wanting to bundle up too much of their eggs into a single basket, Kanae volunteered Edina to stay behind at the association tower. If anything were to attack here, that force would meet two Saint Priests and a necromancer with the power to summon an army. Additionally, if anything were to happen to them, she was their best shot at a rescue.

”I guess it’s pointless to disguise ourselves if Riley knows we’re coming,” Kanae said, dropping her Human Form.

”Not to mention, walking into a trap. What’s the plan? Just waltz in there?” Renya asked.

”That’s up to her.” She glanced over to Petyr, who was sitting at the bar and taking shots of liquor.

Any other time, Kanae would have been more than happy to join the paladin in drinking. Renya and Edina probably felt the same. However, it was obvious to them that the high elf wanted to steel her nerves. Bothering her might result in a hammer to the face.

Petyr downed her fourth shot and hoisted the felsteel warhammer onto her shoulder. She expelled a quivering breath, then peeled away from the counter to join them.

”I’m ready. There isn’t a naive bone in my body that thinks Riley just wants to talk. I only want to find out how far she’s taking this, and what she wants to achieve. Whatever way the pendulum swings, it’s going to end in a fight.” Petyr clenched her fists until the knuckles turned white.

They boarded an association carriage to bring them to Gem Spire. It was erected in the eastern part of Elusis. Their driver pointed it out on the way. Old and faded murals of jewelists faceting crystals and gems were in desperate need of another paint job. With the other spires, the colors became more vibrant on the upper sections. However, the entire length of Gem Spire had been neglected. For decades, probably.

The carriage coach let them off at the base of the tower, in a rather seedy section of the under-city. Trash mounds piled up, infested with rats and people hoping to find something to eat. They were mostly non-harpy beastmen, dark elves, and Arkesian humans. A few goblins were among them.

Rogues hoping for an easy mark lurked behind the shadow of the spire and buildings surrounding the district. When they saw Kanae and her companions hopping off the carriage, some moved to intercept them. They turned around after laying eyes on Petyr, her scowl, and the maul propped on one shoulder.

Their carriage scurried back to a safer part of the city, leaving Kanae, Renya, and Petyr behind to look up at Gem Spire.

”What, are we supposed to climb this?” Renya scratched her ear.

Heavy chains rattled as a lift lowered down to them. The platform was a large metal box that almost looked like a prison cell ripped out of some dungeon. Kanae motioned for everyone to stand back and inspected it for traps. Nothing. Not even enchantments of runes, just a regular lift made of iron.

Satisfied that they weren’t walking themselves into a cage, the other two entered after her. The lift began its slow rise up the spire. Renya covered her eyes with her hat for the entire ascent. It brought them to a terrace around the spire’s midpoint. Guild members of the Dryoak Consortium were waiting when they arrived, the barren tree tabard draped proudly over their chests.

A gray minotaur wielding a double-sided axe opened the gate and said, ”Guildmaster’s waiting for you inside.”

The three of them entered the wide archway leading inside the spire. Consortium thugs from the terrace followed them closely from behind. Kanae expected a private meeting like they had back at the Three Stooges in the Shaded Pits. Instead, they walked into a bustling pub furnished with wenches filling large pints from casks, drunk patrons demanding more alcohol, and minstrels performing traditional Saviran music from stringed instruments and flutes.

Riley beckoned to them from the railing on the second floor. They climbed the stairs to a private venue, away from the crowds but not from the boisterous revelry. She seated herself at the center of a C-shaped couch, one leg crossed over the other and holding a glass of beer.

The guildmaster of the Dryoak Consortium had a makeover since they last saw her, too. Her signature look of a poncho and wide-brimmed hat was gone. They were replaced with a long dark brown coat, parted down the middle to display the consortium tabard. A new smaller hat crowned her head.

In their first meeting, Riley had come to them like a predator prowling into new territory. Now, they had come to Riley like foxes stumbling into the lion’s den.

”Bold of you to invite us after stabbing us in the back and taking off in Vanuis,” Kanae said.

”It was just business. But word on the street is everything turned out fine in Avanesse. Your doing, no doubt. I’ve been busy, too.” Riley flashed a wry smile from underneath that hat.

”Doing what exactly?” Petyr finally spoke up.

Even though most of her face was covered, Kanae could tell Riley’s gaze had flicked to Petyr. The guildmaster motioned for them to sit to either side of her, but they refused. Renya being Renya, made herself comfortable and plopped down. Riley whistled sharply. Moments later, a bar wench came up with four pints of ale for them. Again, only Renya partook in Riley’s hospitality.

”The Harpy King is an incredible man. I had the pleasure of meeting him personally when I delivered the magic weapons. A little too uncompromising and grouchy, but ambitious. He wants to become Grand Sultan of Savir. I gave the manpower of my entire guild for his pet mining projects, and in exchange, he promised me an army of elementals. Even the mighty Empire of Ortesia won’t be able to stand against their tide.” Riley fell into a fantastical reverie and shuddered.

”The empire controls most of the western continent. Your new friend can’t even control Savir on his own. Don’t you see how pointless this is? Is revenge really all you can think about?” Petyr asked, shaking her from her fantasy.

”Revenge is all I have left!” the guildmaster snapped. ”Every day, I relive running through that burning orchard… The burn scars on my skin haven’t stopped aching since.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, letting slip the scared little girl from back then before quickly recomposing herself. ”Maybe one day, when I’ve made Ortesia feel what I felt, my scars will stop hurting. But to that end… the real reason for my invitation is you.”

Unseen eyes fell solely on Kanae.

”It takes an idiot to underestimate you. The Harpy King knows you made a fool of the Dervish Five, what you did to Praijya, and how you orchestrated Cerberus and Rasheena’s union. Care to make new alliances?” Riley suggested.

”After you turned on us once? Funny.” Kanae crossed her arms.

”There’s a term I use in my field for people who go back on a deal. Blacklisted. You don’t do business with someone who tried to fuck you,” Renya chimed in.

Riley wagged a finger in her direction. ”Funny you should mention that, when Solasta Rown did exactly that.”

”What do you know about my old man? Spill, or I spill your guts.” She sat upright, one hand resting on the outline of her flintlock inside her coat.

”Oh, not much.” The guildmaster shrugged. ”Only bits and pieces from the Harpy King’s ramblings. Something about making off with a load of the Harpy King’s money. Seems Rown Company might be built off the back of stolen wealth?”

Solasta Rown getting his start off stealing the Harpy King’s money sounded par for the course, given the company’s shady background. It made sense why there was bad blood between Rown Company and the leader of Elusis. Something didn’t add up though. What was Solasta doing in Savir to begin with? And…

Why did Renya feel so strongly about this? The dark elf’s hands squeezed her knees, lost in thought. Stiff lips spoke silently, only enough for her own ears to hear.

”Well, you probably already know my answer. Just in case I’m not clear, it’s a ’fuck no’. Make sure to tell that to the Harpy King,” Kanae said.

”That’s too bad. I really hoped you could see past our incident in Vanuis.” Riley sighed.

”Damn it, Riley. What do I have to do to get through your thick skull? Revenge isn’t what you really want, I just know it. Kanae over here has a sword that can reveal your deepest desire. Can we try that? Whatever it turns out to be, I’ll help you with it,” Petyr pleaded.

”It’s true. Though, I have to stab you with it. Won’t hurt, but… it will make you cum.” She revealed the Blade of the First Temptress.

”You know how stupid that sounds? As if I’m going to let you stick a sword in me. I’m tired of you talking like you know me. It’s so fucking annoying. How about I show you what the Harpy King gave me instead?” The guildmaster snapped her fingers, sparking a flame that smoldered in mid-air that burned a red-hued spear into existence. She thrusted it straight for Petyr, who parried the tip with the head of the warhammer. A ripple of energy tore through their bodies and vibrated Kanae’s very bones.

Everyone recognized the color. Felmetal.

”How ironic…” Riley continued as a cloak of flames wreathed her entire body. ”That the Harpy King infused me with the exact thing that took everything from me. But I can’t be thankful enough. Imagine how poetic it’s going to be when I set fire to Ortesia.”

”Can’t do that if you’re missing a head.” Still seated, Renya had one flintlock pointed at Riley and the other over her shoulder at the consortium thug mid-step.

The guild flooded onto the floor. They were outnumbered three to twenty, but who knows how many more were downstairs. Kanae tried exerting Mass Charm on them, but the spell unsurprisingly didn’t work. The Dryoak Consortium had previously pedalled the anti-succubus magic potions after all. Of course, they still had some for themselves.

”If you wanted me to beat sense into you, then you should have said so from the start.” Petyr growled.

”The only one about to get beat is you—”

Renya fired a shot point-blank into Riley’s head, blowing her hat off. The guildmaster didn’t so much as flinch. All the fire on her body accumulated onto the felmetal spear. A geyser of flames blasted Petyr off the second floor. Kanae barely avoided the scorching wave. The high elf landed on a table, sending patrons running away screaming.

”What the fuck?” Renya gasped and stared down the barrel of her smoking gun.

The side Riley was shot from steamed like someone had dropped a hot chunk of iron into water. She was uninjured. Not even a scratch. The felmetal spear continued to roil like the surface of the sun, and yet she wielded it without feeling the heat.

”Felmetal and elemental magic. I can’t think of a better, stronger combination. Regular steel would have melted. Adamantine, not the best conductor of magic. But felmetal? You can infuse even an elemental in this. I’m strong enough to beat the empire’s greatest knight!” Riley cackled.

Kanae cursed under her breath. Someone screamed from behind them. Petyr, holding a cask in one hand, had climbed back upstairs and was tossing guild members over. Even though they were also infused with elemental powers, none of them were a match for fury incarnate.

”No one is stronger than ME!” Petyr boomed, throwing the cask into her.

Ale drenched Riley from head to toe, but the flames didn’t subside. They steamed off instead and made the pub smell even stronger of alcohol. Kanae called down Hailstorm, pummeling the floor. Renya jumped over the couch to escape the chilling blast. She pelted the guildmaster with a volley of arcane bolts, but they did little other than to annoy her.

The two distracted Riley long enough for Petyr to body slam her off the second floor. They ran up to the broken railing. Floorboards and wooden furniture ignited quickly. Smoke filled the ceiling. Petyr and Riley clashed with their felmetal weapons. Each impact sent shockwaves knocking people off their feet. Casks cracked open from the sheer force of their battle, soaking the ground and putting out fires.

”This isn’t good. We’re going to draw attention to Gem Spire!” Kanae warned.

”Yeah, I don’t wanna be here when the harpies come either. Petyr, we gotta hightail it!” Renya shouted, firing shots at two guild members trying to sneak up on them.

”Renya, it’s time to go!” she yelled.

”You two go! I’m finishing this here and now. Either I die, or Riley comes with me!” Petyr fired back.

Riley threw a fiery punch and caught Petyr across the cheek. She retaliated with a downward swing of her maul and missed. It caved in the floor, and both of them fell through. Burning rubble showered them from above as the ceiling on this floor cracked and splintered.

”No, Petyr!” Kanae tried to go after them, but Renya held her back.

”That fucking idiot. We can’t stay! Leave Petyr to her death wish. She might survive a tower falling on her, but we can’t. And you’re my only way off this spire!” Renya argued.

They raced past the hole in the ground. It was nothing but fiery debris down there. Kanae squeezed her eyes shut for a second, fighting the urge to dive in and help. The two reached the terrace, but someone had already taken the lift. She picked up Renya, who clung on for dear life, and descended from the spire.

Specks of figures in the upper-city made a beeline for Gem Spire. But Kanae and Renya were going to be long gone by the time they got there. Both of them returned to the association outpost covered in soot and burns. The spire was still visible from here, smoke billowing from every vent and window, and swarming with harpies from the upper-city.

”By the Supreme One’s beard, what happened?” Patrice came running downstairs, her palms glowing with healing magic to help them.

”And where’s that blowhard, Petyr?” Delayn asked.

”She is… with you, isn’t she?” the archbishop echoed the Saint Priest’s question worriedly.

Kanae and Renya didn’t answer. Their lack of one was more than enough for them to realize.