Chosen, Chapter 54: Burn My Dread (Content warning)

AidanThe RealmsFourthday, 1st week of the 8th month, Godless Age 597Pre-dawnCeallach Macht, Mistvale Highlands

Despite being confident that there would be no more ambushes, Aidan still augmented his vision and hearing with two casts of Minor Shift. He also used his Summer Sword to emanate daylight; the blade glowed a brilliant yellowish-white and lit up the entire tunnel. Llwyd took off at a quick walk. It was a jog for Aidan, but Aidan let him set the pace. Don't give an order you aren't sure will be obeyed, he thought to himself.

Just as before, the tunnel narrowed as it extended into the hill. Four times the main path split off into even more confined passageways, but Aidan already knew where he was going. Shortly after the final side passage, however, he began to see vines extending along the ground, ceiling, and walls. Those weren't there last time, I'm sure of it. He remembered how smooth the stone walls were before. Even Llwyd slowed down when he spotted the brown, dried plants. He didn't stop, though, and Aidan didn't ask him to.

"I do not like this. Those vines have to be coming from the heart of this place, but they were not here a week ago. The Taig can control them, so now we can expect to be attacked on all sides. We can't risk backtracking, though; we do not have the time. There's too much at stake. Brighid, I'm tasking you with fighting off anything that attacks us from behind. Go ahead and start burning them with that heat aura, even. The Taig already knows we're coming." She nodded and activated her aura again. The tendrils nearest her started to smolder. Aidan added his Flame Jet to the task as he continued to give orders.

"We're almost there. There will only be room for one of us to go through the door at a time. Ceirios, I want you to send the golem in first and tell it to occupy the dakhol. I won't risk any of us when it could be waiting just inside the entrance to smash whoever walks in first. Llwyd, I won't try to stop you from going in second, but please be careful and don't lose your head regardless of what you see. Ysbail, you're after him. Concentrate on disabling the dakhol. I'll be the last one in. Anwn, Ceirios, stay outside unless you have no other choice. Concentrate your attacks on the Taig if it's there. The wolves won't do any good inside, so keep them back and have them help Brighid. My salamander and I will deal with the vines and the brambles around the altar, then help with the Taig." He paused, then added, "Be careful, everyone; this is the literal heart of the Taig's power, and attacks will come from every side. As you may have already figured out, I already died once trying to cleanse this place. I would prefer if none of you paid the same price."

Even as he finished his quiet orders, the light from his sword shined on the ornate archway leading into the altar room. Aidan could make out something reflecting a glint of light in the middle of the chamber. As a group, the strike team stepped forward, weapons and spells at the ready, until daylight illuminated the center of the chamber.

The circular chamber was choked with thick, dead vines. They covered every surface of the room, leaving no safe footing. The altar at the center was no longer visible at all; a giant mass of brambles eight feet across pulsed and beat there instead. And, pinned to the heart like an insect, was Cai's half-naked body. Blood oozed from the myriad holes driven through her humanoid torso by the thorns, though her lower body was still encased in armor.

Llwyd let out a strangled sob and surged forward into the room. Aidan and Ceirios both cursed; Ysbail followed him in. Thankfully, neither of them were leveled by a lurking dakhol's club. As soon as Llwyd stepped inside, the vines on the floor twisted with incredible speed and wrapped around him, jerking him into the air. Aidan unleashed his Burning Barrage, controlling them to spin around Ysbail and detonate at the base of the mass of plants holding Llwyd. To his relief, the detonations disintegrated a chunk of the vines holding Llwyd, and he crashed back to the ground.

Ysbail hewed into the plants near her, slicing through several with each swing, but Llwyd's mace was far less effective. He was soon wrapped up from behind once again. Aidan followed Ceirios's golem into the chamber and did his best to clear the area with Flame Jets. Almost as soon as he started, however, Brighid cried out from behind them, "There are too many! I cannot fight them all off! Shit! Aidan!" Brighid's voice rose in pitch at the last, and Aidan spun around to see his love lifted into the air by her wrists and ankles. More vines wrapped around Ceirios and Anwn; the wolves were small and agile enough that they were still free, but they could do nothing against the sheer number of creepers arrayed against them. Aidan raised his hand to burn the vines around Brighid, but before he could free her, the spell's duration ended.

Aidan cursed and started casting again. Something grabbed his foot and yanked, sending him sprawling and dragging him into the room. He maintained his concentration through sheer willpower, completing the spell and burning the vine around his ankle, but another whipped up and around his hand, forcing it down to the ground. He dropped the Summer Sword and, now desperate, started to cast with his other hand, but it was hopeless. Within a heartbeat, he was ensnared, desiccated ropes twining around every limb. His mind writhed in terror and despair.

One by one, the rest of the strike team were caught and dragged into the altar chamber; only the wolves managed to escape, fleeing back up the tunnel. Once they were all caught or fled, the Tannath Taig stepped out into the room. The twisted, androgynous, beautiful humanoid clapped its hands in childlike glee and threw its arms wide. "Greetings, my little rat! I am overjoyed that you have returned! I would like to sit and chat, and let you know of the grand reward you have earned!" Its hands glowed with a sickly green-black swirl, and Aidan heard creaking as the plants in the room shifted. They lifted him and pressed him back against the wall, wrapping around him until he was bound like a mummy with only his head free. Brighid, Anwn, Ceirios, Ysbail, and Llwyd were brought around in front of him, each struggling against the looser bindings around them. Smoke rose from the plants handling Brighid, but the Taig waved its hand and repaired the damage. The golem and salamander suffered a swift end, the creepers around them constricting and twisting until both summoned creatures vanished. Of Riama, there was no sign.

The Taig beckoned to something out of sight. The dakhol ambled into the chamber, walking on all fours like an ape. "Go find yourself a partner first; I know you must be fit to burst. I suggest the plump one over there, she looks like a nice juicy mare." The Taig spoke in Ghirantish and waved its minion towards Ceirios. She shrieked as the vines lowered her to the ground and forced her hind legs apart. The brutish monster loped over to her and pulled its loincloth aside. Paying no attention to her panicked screams, the dakhol grabbed Ceirios by the hips and plunged its obscene penis into her. Aidan turned his head and looked away, sifting through all his spells and Abilities, desperate for a solution.

The Taig would have none of it, though. Vines wrapped around his forehead and forced Aidan to watch the rape. He closed his eyes to block the sight, but he could still hear the centaur's cries of pain and pleas for mercy. "Oh yes, such a reward you have earned for all of my vines and Manikins you burned. A feast for your ears and your eyes, watch your friends, hear their cries!" Aidan forced himself to open his eyes, to watch the results of his failure. Plants snaked up from the floor and down from the ceiling, sliding under his allies' armor to caress their skin. He observed, helpless, as vines began to violate the others. Then, Brighid rose up, suspended in a net of vines, and brought in front of Aidan. They stripped her armor from her, piece by piece, then tendrils slipped around her breasts and teased her neck. Another pair slid between her hind legs. Brighid thrashed her head from side to side in denial.

"But this one is special, is she not? I can feel your presence on her, just a bit." The Taig continued in its infuriating, rhyming sing-song. The plants around Brighid convulsed, then pink flowers started to bloom all over them. "Now watch and see just what you have wrought as I make your own mate dance for me and submit!" The flowers contracted, then expanded, ejecting a cloud of pollen into Brighid's face and all over her bare skin. She jerked her head away, but the damage was done. A flush suffused her face, and Aidan watched it race down her neck and onto her breasts. Her eyes darted to his. Aidan could see the familiar spark of lust warring with shame and despair in her emerald gaze.

"Oh, oh, oh," she began to whimper in time with the lewd thrusts of the vines behind her. "Oh, no, oh, Aidan, no, no, ohhhhh!" Aidan was rotated to keep facing Brighid as the net of plants around her withdrew and lowered her to the ground. As soon as her hooves touched the stone floor, she began pushing backward in rhythm with the vines. "Oh, Brigantia, oh Aidan, I am sorry, sorry, so good, I am sorry!"

Aidan could see only one possible solution. Summoning all his Willpower and Charisma, he focused on his intent and spoke in Divine Speech. "[Set us free.]" For a moment, everything in the room halted. The vines and dakhol ceased their depredations, and even the Taig trembled in place.

Then, the corrupted nature spirit seemed to flare with dark energy and the sounds of sex resumed. "Curiouser and curiouser; this is a delight! Bound and helpless, despairing and broken, yet still you fight!"

Aidan could smell the thick scent of Brighid's arousal. She was writhing in pleasure now, eagerly thrusting backward and arching her back to present her breasts to the vines caressing them. Her eyes locked on his and she moaned, "Oh fuck, Aidan, going to cum, gonna cum, so good. Fuck! Cumming!" She threw her head back and cried out in pleasure. Aidan could do nothing but watch the muscles in her rump clench and flutter in the way he knew from personal experience signaled an intense orgasm.

Hope fled from Aidan. Tears spilled down his cheeks. Please, Patron, I beg of you: give me the power to save her. Give me the power to save my team. Please! I will be your instrument in the world, just please, help me!

Time stopped.

Aidan's vision darkened until he could see nothing but a humanoid-shaped flame dancing before him. A familiar voice spoke to him. "[Thy plea is heard, O Champion. Let not despair claim thy heart, for all is not lost. This boon is within my/our power to grant thee, dear one. Know that the cost is high. I/We must work through thee, and thou must supply the power, for to take direct action is Forbidden. Art thou willing to pay the price? I/We will think no less of thee shouldst thou refuse.]"

"Anything!" Aidan cried. "I will pay any price to save her!"

His Patron nodded. "[I/We thought it so. Prepare thyself, for should thy will falter, this chance will be lost.]"

Aidan's vision returned to normal, and time resumed flowing, though at a fraction of its normal pace. He felt Power coursing through him, guiding his mind to gather manna from his surroundings, shaping it into intricate flows that wove through his very soul. Words came to him, and he Spoke. "[Scarlet plumes stir the ashes; golden flames bloom in their wake. Kindle the soul, consume the mind, ignite the flesh. I give mine life to light the Phoenix's Pyre!]"