In this chapter . . . revelations! Finally, the plot threads all come together in time for the final act. At least I hope they do. I've tried not to leave any loose ends hanging, and I hope that you like the way I tied them all up.
And as always, thanks to my wonderful editor moncrifelle for the hard work.
******
Gladia stretched and yawned as she woke. She couldn't remember feeling so rested in ages. It had been one thing after another—escaping from the castle, moving to Asdale, becoming reunited with her family, and then having to recruit Malgos to the resistance's cause. She had barely had any time to catch her breath, and she now relished in full the wonderful feeling that only came with a good night's rest.
Speaking of which, the Mad Mage was lying next to her, snoring fit to wake the dead. Upon arriving at headquarters, he had begun barking orders and ordering the staff about—actions which didn't exactly make him popular among the resistance forces, but they complied duly. Upon getting everything in order—which to him meant a room, a feather bed and a feast fit for a king—he had proceeded to eat his fill and then fuck Gladia upon said bed until he fell asleep. Once again, the queen was thoroughly unsatisfied with his performance. She had never had to fake so many orgasms in her life! But she left him slumbering and none the wiser. At the very least she got a good meal and a night's rest out of it.
So now what was she to do? Malgos had been sated and feted, and unlike her children, she was no mage or warrior. She had done her part in bringing Malgos to their cause, and his abilities had better be worth the time and effort she spent in doing so! Now there was nothing for her to do but wait.
No, that wasn't entirely true. Not nothing. There were things that she still wanted to know. And now, the eve of the battle, it was a good a time as any to learn what they were. She had tried on her trek up the hill to the Mad Mage's castle to piece together the disparate threads of what information she had, and failed. No, far better to simply ask the resistance directly. Suiting action to word, Gladia slipped out of bed and walked into the council hall.
It proved an easy enough task to find one of the hooded figures. Preparations for the upcoming siege were in full swing, with arrows being fletched and armor battered in shape everywhere, but sure enough Tyzhe was flitting to and fro, supervising the work being done. She fixed him with an icy stare and motioned him (it? she?) to the side.
For once, the figure simply nodded and acceded to her request. No equivocations, explanations or obfuscatory comments. Things must be serious indeed to warrant such a response.
Gladia spoke plainly. "Whoever, or whatever you are, this has gone on far enough. If we are to risk life and limb for you, we deserve some answers about the resistance—about why you are doing this, and about the Crimson Mage."
The figure nodded once more, and drew back it's hood to reveal . . .
The face of an elfslut.
The queen couldn't help but take a step backwards in shock. The female (very female!) figure standing in front of her looked like her daughter, but there were certain key differences. Where Daphnia's skin was golden, the formerly hooded figure's skin was an emerald green, and where the princess had long hair, this one had short. Besides though, there was no mistaking the tapered ears, almond shaped eyes, and preternaturally beautiful facial features that all elfsluts had. The robes were too long to tell, but in all probability what they concealed was the ultra-voluptuous body of a transformed woman.
The figure, or the elfslut, rather, spoke and this time it was in a high, almost bell-like tone of voice. It seemed that they had been using magic to mask their voices before. Were all of them elfsluts as well? But she put her questions aside and focused on the sound of Tyzhe's voice.
"We know not if you have guessed, Your Highness, but the resistance as you know it is comprised of transformees. Yes, we are all like you, or your son, or daughter—victims of transformation magic, and our story is a long one.
"Rampillion did not start his reign of terror with Erecia. No, he was active a long, long time ago, long before you were born.
"The story does not start with him alone. Rampillion's teacher was a mage called Barglais, and it was he who first created the transformation magic that has wreaked so much havoc in your life and ours. He was an alchemist, not a mage, and his potions were much in demand for reasons that you can imagine."