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

Never in Savir’s history had there been a greater undertaking than the march to save Elusis’ people. When they reached Bravost and delivered news of the Harpy King’s defeat, Sultana Dudula readily lent her aid. She agreed to open her nation’s trove of foodstores to the effort, as well as take in many of the prisoners of war for the time being. Premier Theo Mambahu mobilized the East Saviran Trading Association’s fleet of merchants and manpower.

The journey through Sala’vir was met with little resistance, and remnants of Elusis’ fighting force quickly surrendered or fled when faced with the massive combined force. Especially when they saw their Harpy King imprisoned at the foremost wagon like some trophy.

When they reached Shamsir ridge, Edirashok Misiah rejoined her Avanessi brothers and sisters at last, adding another edirashem to their already large caravan. Kanae put Nona and Guel’s parents on a wagon bound for Shivarn village. An ocean of tears were shed as families ripped apart by the war reunited.

But standing on the ridge had given them a glimpse of how bad things had progressed in the Elusis basin. Water levels had risen significantly, reaching up to a full grown adult’s knees. The surface rippled like waves on a beach.

”Bad news, Kanae!” Sivvy came flying into the village from the caravans. ”The edirashoks held a meeting. Said their edirashems won’t be able to climb the ridge. It’s too steep and uneven. Their smaller wagons and carriages can though. But with the water level as high as it is, they might get swept by the waves.”

”We still have to try. There’s so many people living in Elusis. When it rises another foot, children will drown. If the edirashems can’t pass, we’ll launch every cart, wagon, and carriage to help evacuate the city and bring them here,” Kanae said.

They returned to inform the others, and thus began the massive operation to aid Elusis. Many of the smaller vehicles were still able to maneuver through the water. Some got stuck or were too low to the ground to drive.

Kanae ordered that the cage wagon containing the Harpy King be brought along, too. She wanted him to see what a united Savir looked like under better rulers.

”Kanae, I’ll go ahead and see if I can find Jahree!” Edina said from atop her undead dragon.

An army of flying undead took off and soared towards Elusis. The people were probably going to get the fright of their life before realizing that they were here to help. It was too bad Asa Mareer had returned to her rest. Edina expended an incredible amount of mana bringing that gigantic beast into battle.

”Sheesh. The ridge is so long, I can’t even see where it ends.” Arenade squinted into the distance.

”Yeah, it’s like one big crater. There’s a lot of people living here. I hope we can save them all,” Kanae said.

Thousands of soldiers, workers, and mercenaries waded through the knee-high waters with hundreds of vehicles rolling beside them. It took most of the morning and half the afternoon of marching in haste before they reached Elusis proper. Thanks to Edina going ahead, she and Jahree had spread throughout the city that they were here to help.

Many citizens were terrified at first, and who could blame them? A foreign army composed of what they had called enemies a few weeks ago showed up unannounced. Thankfully, few were outspoken about resisting help. Many were desperate, especially the under city residents.

Jahree’s revolution had ended in a tenuous stalemate. Harpy King loyalists and revolutionaries fought to a standstill, with the edge leaning towards the latter. What finally tipped the scales was when Kanae paraded Elusis wingless sultan through the streets. His disgrace was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

They split up their numbers to cover as much of Elusis as possible. Archbishop Patrice, Camilla, Delayn, Esta, and Dalu led the evacuation efforts in the eastern parts of the city. Rasheena, Cerberus, Renya, and Rown Company headed west. Sultana Dudula, The Mamba, and Sadul brought their mercenaries and trading guild north. Kanae and Sivvy marched with the Commonwealth forces through the city to its southern sections.

”Knock on every house you see. If no one answers, break in and check. Make sure you look in every nook and cranny in case some kids are playing hide and seek. We don’t have time to waste, so get moving!” Arenade ordered.

”Yes, Queen Arenade!” The army saluted and split up.

Kanae soared through the city keeping an ear out for help. She ran into Theena, Kara, and Micas, surrounding Seven who was digging around inside a barrel.

”What are you guys doing?” Kanae chuckled.

”Seven said he heard meowing and came over to check it out. I told him we didn’t have time to rescue every animal we found, but he wouldn’t listen,” Theena explained.

”Ow, ow, ow! Stupid cats! Owww!” Seven popped out with eight kittens clinging all over him with their claws buried in his skin.

The others laughed at Seven’s misfortune and slowly plucked the cats off him. They each cradled two. Poor kittens were soaked and freezing.

”Theena, Micas, do you two not want to go find your families?” Kanae asked.

”Mine live in the upper city, so they should be fine. I want to help out. I’m still an enlisted Elusis soldier, so my duty is to protect the city!” Micas exclaimed.

”And my folks should be okay now. I talked to Jahree, and he said they were put on a carriage bound for the edirashems.” Theena breathed a sigh of relief.

”That’s good.” She rested a hand on Theena’s shoulders and smiled. ”You four, keep up the good work but don’t push yourselves too hard.”

They sounded off in unison, and Kanae left them to it.

Throughout the next few days, everyone worked tirelessly and evacuated thousands in need. Vehicles came and went, ferrying people to the edirashems parked behind Shamsir where temporary lodgings awaited them.

Petyr busted down doors and barricades left up during the in-fighting. Sivvy carried children and elderly unable to wade through the waters to safety. Savirans joined hands in helping each other. They were no longer citizens of Elusis, Avanesse, or Bravost. Harpies from the upper city came down to help their surface neighbors.

On the third day, the flood took a turn for the worse and rose another two feet. Ripples coming from the south occasionally brought on a large wave that battered houses. Wagons and carriages could no longer drive, and ronoas and gorks risked getting swept by the currents. So when the last fleet of vehicles had left for Shamsir, they were ordered not to return. Edina was the only one left who could continue ferrying refugees upon her undead dragons and berinath.

Kanae headed down to the terrace of a wide administrative building they had been using as a temporary base to conduct rescue. Arenade, Petyr, Sivvy, and Lilith and the Sisters of Sin were getting things in order before flying up to the spires. The Harpy King, still in his cage, snickered as he watched them scramble.

”And what now, Queen Kanae? You have saved tens of thousands of lives. They are without homes and their livelihood. In other words, those urchins will become a parasite that leeches off the rest. A burden. Do you have enough food for them? Beds to rest? Roofs to shelter? All of Elusis may suffer now because you wanted to be selfless,” the Harpy King chided.

”I’m so tired of hearing you talk. All this time, you could’ve offered to help. Not once. You lost, don’t you understand that? Savir is united now more than ever,” Kanae explained.

”A vain notion,” he erupted into laughter. ”You are no more arrogant than I am. Why help people that cannot help themselves? My mother and her disciple Jahree are too shortsighted. In order for the strong to prosper, the weak must be culled. You waste valuable resources that could be given to those better suited to survive.”

”You’re a king. A Saviran sultan. People rely on you for help. It doesn’t matter if they’re weak or strong. Unlike you, at least Jahree is willing to give everything he can to save as many as possible,” she fired back.

”Then Jahree wastes his breath. These fools can all perish for all I care—

”Is that really how you feel, my lord?” a cold voice asked.

Before Kanae could make a retort, someone else had beaten her to it. A chill ran up their spines, and at the same time, an intense heat like the cursed Avanessi sun nipped at their skin. They spun around to find a harpy woman whose crimson plumes were all singed at the tips, yet a frosty mist emitted from her body. Her right arm was charred black and shifted like molten magma, while the other was dark blue from frostbite.

”Nasiri?” the Harpy King gasped.

”Hoh?” In a gust of wind, Elirashj took form on Sivvy’s back. ”Now, that is something to behold. You, child, possess not one but two elemental lords in you. Not only that, I hear their rage. You… subjugated them.”

”What?!” everyone cried.

”How? We killed you. We saw you get sucked into the elemental plane!” Sivvy growled.

Nasiri gazed at her deformed hands. ”I should have died. I was engulfed by the ocean, surrounded in flames, trapped beneath the earth, and stuck in a cyclone all at the same time. Two voices called out to me, the same ones I heard when I first tore open the rift. They wanted to be free, and so did I. We struck a bargain to break free.”

Kanae shot a look at Petyr. Even she was petrified. Nasiri was hard enough to fight on her own. Now, the harpy was infused with two elemental lords? They only had one on their side, but Sivvy and Elirashj might be out of their depths this time.

”Nasiri, I order you to break me out of this. We can still win!” the Harpy King shouted.

”These fools can perish for all I care. Isn’t that what you just said about Elusis? My home? My people?” Nasiri glared at her master.

”I… I…” He tripped over his own words as terror gripped him.

Nasiri beamed the Harpy King with her frostbitten hand, freezing him and his cage into a solid block of ice. She clenched her fist, shattering it into a million pieces.

”So much for seeing him face justice!” Arenade gulped.

”Lilith, you and the Sisters get the rest of the refugees to the spires. Now!” Kanae yelled.

They picked up the remaining ones and flew off.

”You’re next!” Nasiri whirled on them.

”Round two it is!” Sivvy flew up behind Nasiri with her felmetal maul raised high.

A large pane coalesced, and the hammer smashed into solid ice instead. Nasiri unleashed flames from the other arm, forcing Sivvy to retreat.

”Eat this!” Petyr infused her warhammer with Smite and flung it into the air.

Nasiri craned her neck to dodge it. The weapon flew past, but Sivvy snatched it mid-air and clobbered her over the head. She came crashing to the surface. Water splashed up and froze over, looking like a winter wonderland ornament. They turned into icicles that shot in every direction.

”Kanae!” Arenade conjured Holy Armament: Tower Shield, blocking the projectiles. ”Who in three hells is that, bitch?”

”Another Dervish, but Nasiri’s the most dangerous of all.” Kanae clicked her tongue.

”Guess it was too much to hope Buhar would be the last we ever see of her.” Sivvy landed next to them and handed Petyr the warhammer back.

Steam rolled in and past their legs. The dry heat of Savir had suddenly grown muggy and humid. Nasiri dashed through the fog and slugged Sivvy across the face, sending her flying. She spun to kick Petyr, who grabbed the leg instead.

”This is payback, cunt!” Petyr thrashed the harpy into the ground like a ragdoll.

Scorching flames wreathed Nasiri’s body. Petyr let go when it got too hot. The water around them boiled and steamed, creating an even thicker fog. Kanae and Arenade put their backs together to cover each other’s blindspot.

A shadow grew underneath them. They looked up in time to see a giant block of ice falling and dove out of the way.

”Do I need to Big Fucking Hammer this bitch? Because I will!” Arenade manifested her enormous gavel.

However, Nasiri coasted it in so much ice that it grew to twice the size. Arenade was unable to keep holding the much more unwieldy weapon and fell backwards.

”Just create a regular weapon already!” Kanae groaned, then darted back to avoid a volley of fireballs.

Damn it. Coat of Conflagration would have made getting close to Nasiri a lot easier. But it wasn’t as if she had time to fuck herself with Cockcalibur right now.

”I wanted to be revered… I should have been Exalted Mystic. The honor was robbed from me!” Nasiri howled, shooting out from the fog.

”But is that really what you wanted?” Kanae leveled the Blade of the First Temptress at her.

Petyr surfaced from the water, grabbed Nasiri by the leg again, and dragged her down. Sivvy descended to hold her by the scorched arm and winced at getting burned.

”Penance!” Arenade fired a spell to seize hold of all three. ”Er… Oops.”

”Us, too?!” Petyr and Sivvy cried.

”Keep her steady for me!” Kanae flew and plunged the sword through the harpy’s chest.

Nasiri sucked in a deep breath, and so did Kanae. Together, they witnessed a future that wasn’t possible anymore. Nasiri, clad in shamanistic ceremonial robes, kneeled in front of thousands of people, harpies, beastmen, dark elves, and humans alike. They reached out to her for guidance, and she was more than happy to help. Would have been happy.

Sadness wrenched at their hearts. Here, Nasiri was Exalted Mystic. Not revered. Beloved. With Ujit alive and well, alongside Jahree, smiling at her from a distant spire. The old mystic whispered something that Nasiri didn’t hear and tried to get closer.

Kanae pulled the blade out, and the vision ended.

”What… What did you make me see? I’m a crowned Monk. You shouldn’t have been able to affect my mind!” Nasiri snarled.

”Because I didn’t. The sword— well, it makes you climax first, then it shows you your deepest desires. You can’t lie to yourself. You saw what you really wanted,” Kanae explained.

”Ujit looked so happy… all I wanted was for her to acknowledge me…” She seemingly lost the will to fight and sulked.

Kanae motioned for Petyr and Sivvy to step away and give Nasiri space. They did, but only cautiously and with their weapons at the ready.

”Some of Ujit’s last words were praise about you,” Kanae said.

The flames waned and the chill subsided a little. It looked like Nasiri blinked back tears, or something had flown into her eyes.

”She… She did?” Nasiri stepped forward. ”No. You’re lying to me. Until the end, Ujit always chose Jahree over me. I was the better mystic. I should have been chosen to become the next Exalted Mystic!”

”Before Ujit sacrificed herself, she said she knew you were always capable of great things. It’s not that she doubted you. She worried that you were so ambitious, you forgot why you wanted to become Exalted Mystic. But she never doubted you,” Kanae explained.

The floodgates opened. Tears streamed down Nasiri’s cheeks and steamed off from the sheer heat of her body. Kanae motioned for the others to stand down.

”All I ever wanted was to help Elusis. I wanted the people to come to me for help. To hear them whisper my name in thanks. I’ve made them afraid of me instead, haven’t I?” Nasiri fell to her knees and wept.

Kanae bent down next to her. ”Sometimes, the greatest gratitude we can receive are the ones we don’t hear. I know that sounds silly, but when we help people, they won’t ever forget that. Even if you’re not around, they’ll think of you. Like Ujit’s last words to you. So, Nasiri. Help us. When the tidal wave arrives and sweeps Elusis away, there’s going to be no one left to even give thanks.”

The ground rumbled. All around them, the water rippled violently like a child throwing a tantrum in the bath. It began to recede. Everyone faced south, where a looming wave of slurry made of ice, mud, and sand rushed in the direction of the city.

Behind them, children started crying. People fled for higher ground, banging on the doors of upper city spires. Families held each other tightly and prayed. Others, who had lost hope, resigned themselves to their fate.

”Shit. Kanae, we have to fly up. Now!” Arenade yelled, tugging on her hand.

”You guys go! Maybe Breezy and I can slow down the flood!” Sivvy flew towards the wave.

”Nasiri, let’s go!” Kanae reached out, only to have her hand slapped away

Nasiri rose on her own and unfurled her wings.

”I failed my people one too many times. I will never be their Exalted Mystic… but I’d sooner cast my soul into the three hells before letting Elusis drown.” The harpy exploded into the sky.

While Sivvy and Elirashj called upon the wind to blow the water back with powerful gales, it wasn’t enough. Water was too strong a force. Possibly the greatest, given that it can wear away stone after enough time. When joined by Nasiri, however, the tides quite literally began to turn.

The incoming tidal slurry slowed. Kanae and Arenade lifted Petyr off the ground as it turned to ice beneath their feet. However, the massive wave continued its advance, drawing ever closer to Elusis and even pushing Nasiri back as if she was holding back the weight of an ocean. But it was working. The flood came within meters of the closest spire before freezing completely. Winds from Elirashj’s presence carried frost into the city.

”She actually did it…” Petyr’s eyes were wide with disbelief.

Exhausted, Nasiri fell from the sky. Sivvy caught her and brought her down to the others. She pushed them aside, opting to stand on her own.

”This doesn’t make us even,” Sivvy said.

”I don’t expect it to.” Nasiri turned to Kanae, her demeanor defeated yet somehow at peace. ”If you would permit me, I would like to leave.”

”None of us can really stop you if you tried. But where will you go?” Kanae asked.

”On a pilgrimage, I suppose. Much like Demigod Glentir did. Although, I don’t expect to end up being revered by the end of it like he was. I’ve made many mistakes after all. And someone has to ensure this stays frozen. Elusis becoming a lake is inevitable, but I can at least delay it long enough for you to evacuate the people. Farewell, Kanae. Elusis, too… and thank you.” She nodded once and flew south.

”Hmph. You really do have a habit of letting your enemies leave alive.” Petyr scoffed.

Kanae rolled her eyes.

As Nasiri disappeared, another group of harpies made their way down to take her place.

”Kanae!” Jahree descended from the upper city with several of his disciples. ”I don’t believe it… You… You stopped the flood! How did you achieve such a thing?”

Kanae shook her head. ”I didn’t. Nasiri did.”

They looked like someone had thrown a rock at them. However, one look at the seriousness in Kanae’s face and the frozen flood was all the answer Jahree needed.

”I see. So Nasiri came around in the end. I only wish I could have thanked her for saving Elusis. Ujit would be so proud.” Jahree pressed a hand to his chest and smiled.