The Succubae Seduction

A prophecy is revealed, and Lyden's path is set. But he has more important things to worry about, like rescuing his childhood friend. Will he be too late? He has already delayed longer than he ever wanted to. The path to Brooke is wrought with peril, but will the path out be any easier?

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Chapter 14

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The Prophecy

"It's no good," I call out, looking at the spinning tires of my car. The Orange Bubble's undercarriage is flush against the sand and no amount of pushing is going to get her free.

Thankfully all the dents and dings the dang Grindylows had put in her yesterday have healed and my car looks almost new again. I'm still finding it hard to believe that only a short while ago, it had been a burned up husk. The connection between the Orange Bubble and Angela still doesn't make complete sense to me, but at least I have them both here now.

The succubus, in her Amazon form to help push, brushes off her hands, shaking her head. "It's not far to Varun's demesne, but it'll take a while to swim that far, and we'll be tired by the time we arrive. Not good conditions for rescuing someone."

We've tried digging the car out, but the constant rain just runs the sand back into our holes. We've tried to find some wood or something to put under the tires so that they can get some traction, but everything is just too wet.

"We have company," Lisa says warily, and I turn to follow her gaze. She was also helping push, while AnnaBelle ran the steering wheel and pedals.

A single Grindylow, old, wrinkled, tentacles crooked at odd angles beneath it, and stooped with age is watching us. By the way it's holding its trident, I can tell that he needs it for support. At least, I think it's a 'he'. The large body of water sits behind the short creature, as it examines us with its large, shimmering, bulbous eyes.

"I don't think he means us any harm," Angela murmurs beside me.

"Are you truly a generator?" the green creature asks me. His voice is rough, as though speaking while out of the water takes some extra effort.

I nod, not really knowing what to say. This seems to get the little thing agitated, his many tentacles flapping against the sand, and I prepare myself for some sort of attack. I notice Lisa and Angela doing the same. The sound of the locks on my car informs me that AnnaBelle isn't missing out on the tension out here.

"Then the prophecy is coming true?" I'm not sure how, but I'm able to detect joy in the small monster's rough voice.

"What prophecy?" I ask, remembering Arethusa mentioning something about a prophecy as well. In stories, prophecies are never a good thing for those they involve. Of course, this is real life, so maybe the prophecy is about bunnies and rainbows. . . .

Yeah, I don't believe it either.

The Grindylow calms down and examines me again. Without warning, he begins speaking in his harsh voice. Even with the pouring rain, his words carry a sense of import that changes the mood of our group.

"When the air calms down,

And rain slows on Water's door.

Comes the time for all to wail.

A deadly new enemy to abhor.

A generator comes forth,

To save all or completely fail.

A foe that's timeless,

Even on our life's long scale.

Colors swirl to hide our nemesis,

Our destruction, he strives to make.

Only the blind can resist his will,

Unless his choice is a mistake.

A blade to kill, and a blade to save,

A talisman to forge the path between.

To kill and save, or save and kill,

One path to both, yet choices lean.

Our hero's life shall meet its end,

Unless he strikes the deadly beast.

His friends shall fall or rise,

Until all his efforts have ceased."

I just stare at the green creature. I mean, what does one say, after being told something so dark and dreary. Their hero's life shall meet its end? Friends rise and fall? What the heck? Even the incessant rain seems to grow quite at the import of those words.

"The winds have lessened and yesterday the rain did to," the ancient Grindylow states into the silence. "Generators have not been seen in either world for millennia. Witnesses saw you use your power to calm the rains, and we know the time is near, for air has lessened his blustering in his own realm." He uses his trident to walk closer to us, and I hold my ground despite my rising apprehension. "We will aid you on your quest, Generator." He bows low to me, and I can feel my cheeks go scarlet as the other two women out here look at me. "We are yours to command."

I jump as he lifts his weapon and slams the butt down in the wet sand three times.

"What the—" I start to say as the water begins to boil behind the old Grindylow. Well, boil more than the rain was already making it churn.

"Get into your transport, Generator. My people will move you to the water, where you may continue your righteous quest." The Grindylow bows to us, and I spare only a quick glance to Angela. Her eyes are wide as she stares at the sea, and I turn back to see the green heads of numerous Grindylows bobbing in the surf.

"Best do as he says," Angela states, and turns to open the car door. Knowing what a pain it is for her to get into the cramped Orange Bubble, I quickly send her original image to her, and marvel as her form shrinks to that of a 1600's black-oriental slave.

Lisa follows her, and AnnaBelle awkwardly moves into the passenger seat, letting me drive. As soon as my car door closes, the sea appears to puke up a bunch of little green creatures.

They swarm my car, making it rock back and forth. Is this the mistake the prophecy had mentioned? Trusting these little creatures?

My fears are quickly proven unfounded however, as they're able to lift us out of the sand, and carry us to the lapping waves. They continue to carry us, until the hood of the Orange Bubble is submerged. I feel my panic rise once again at entering the water, but I shove it down. It seems easier to do this time. My mental conditioning with the rain yesterday must be helping some.

Even after letting us go, the green little monsters swim next to us for a ways, before the elderly Grindylow, spry and fleet now that he's in the water, waves his trident to us in a salute, and the Grindylows depart.

"Angela," I turn and ask as soon as the last Grindylow vanishes, "what do you know about that prophecy?"

The succubus looks troubled, as I let the car have its way. I know we need to get to Brooke, but the old Grindylow's words are seriously bothering me.

"I don't know," she says after a few uncomfortable seconds. "This is the first I've heard of it." She shakes her head as if to get rid of a bad feeling, before adding. "I wouldn't put too much stock in it, though. Those creatures aren't known for their intelligence and are considered rather gullible. They likely believe anything they hear."

I would be inclined to believe her, if for no other reason than that I really don't like the line about the hero's life meeting its end, except that Arethusa had mentioned a prophecy as well. Looking into Angela's eyes, and a quick glance at Lisa, makes me drop it. Brooke needs us right now, and this prophecy business can wait.

As we drive, I remember something about my mystical car, and know that I should have time to get this question answered.

"Angela, you once told me that my car is powered by the same thing that generates energy for me, but never said what exactly that is." Despite how much I've seen the succubus change forms, it still comes as a shock to see her as a short Asian/black girl.

"Ambient energy," she says in that way of hers, as though those simple words explain everything. Of course, I give her my 'what do you mean' stare, and she sighs before clarifying. "All around us is ambient energy. The wind, falling rain, even the ground has ambient energy. This car can tap into a bit of it, and keep running. Generators are a bit different, in that they can tap into a larger amount, turning it to their own use."

"So, that's why the rain lessened yesterday?" I ask, understanding why there seemed to be so much more energy from our sex than previously experienced. The cute black woman actually blushes a bit at my statement, but nods.

The rest of the ride is silent, as I think about what she's revealed, before Angela has me stop about thirty minutes later.

"Head to the surface," she tells me, and the car begins moving without my direct control. Talk about a backseat driver! "It's not too late to turn back," she says to Lisa and AnnaBelle. She knows I'm going forward no matter what. "It will be dangerous down there. Once you drink from the vial, you'll be able to breathe under the water, but if you fall asleep, or even get knocked out, it's over." I can tell she's speaking more to AnnaBelle than Lisa. Lisa at least has some self-defense skills. AnnaBelle only has her faith.

"A young woman is in need of aid," the mature woman states. "I will help in every way I'm able. Let us say a prayer, before we drink that." She doesn't even wait for acquiescence before bowing her head. "Dear Lord, which art above us, please watch over us as we descend into the inky depths of thine enemy. Allow us to see with your light, and guide our spirits, that we may find the young woman and bring her to safety. Amen."

I hear a whispered "Amen," from Lisa, and quickly mumble one myself. If I didn't know better, I'd say the car actually brightens as AnnaBelle lifts her head back up, and I can see the fervent glow of her faith behind her eyes.

I hand over the two vials, one to each of the normal humans, and watch as Lisa pops the cork off hers, taking a sniff.

"Hmm, reminds me of fishing with my dad, when I was a little girl." I can see Lisa as a little girl, sitting in a metal boat, an older man with a fishing rod in his hands, and hooks dangling on his vest. The girl sits staring adoringly at her father, as he explains the intricacies of fishing.

Blinking, I return to myself, a bit surprised at the peek into the blonde's past. Especially since this time, there was nothing sexual going on, until I see a sparkle in the blonde's eyes, as she winks at me.

AnnaBelle only shudders when she smells hers, but plugs her nose and downs it. Lisa drinks hers at the same time, but she smiles dreamily as she does so.

The smile soon vanishes, as both women begin to grasp at their throats, making choking noises.

"He poisoned them!" I exclaim, worried that this is the mistake I might make.

"No," Angela shouts, "the potion lets them breathe underwater, but it takes away their ability to breathe normal air."

"You just think to say this now?" I grumble, knowing that the succubus hadn't meant any harm.

Angela looks abashed as she tries to open the passenger door from the back seat, but with AnnaBelle turning blue against it, she can't reach the handle.

Leaning across the older woman, I hit the lever, and she begins to fall back. I only have a second to gasp at the amount of water around us, before AnnaBelle's hands grip my shirt, pulling me after her.

We land with a splash, and already I can feel water filling my lungs. I can't breathe! Marchosias had been wrong. I needed the potion too. Gasping, I flail about, trying to get back to the surface, but I never learned how to properly swim. It's been decades since the last time I was actually in water above my knees, not counting when I was a dragon. My actions are counter-productive, as I lift my legs in an attempt to kick, while my arms waive uselessly. My lungs burn, crying out for air, and even though I can see the rain splattering down on the surface above me, I know I won't reach it before I black out.

Firm hands grip me, and for a second I think it's the water finally claiming me after all these years, until I see Lisa's worried eyes in front of me.

Why is she worried? The thought flits through my panicked brain. She's in the water now, and can breathe.

Somehow these thoughts are like a reset switch, and my mind calms down as I open my mouth, and fill my lungs. Air doesn't flow in, but the water feels just as good as I take another watery breath. The sensation of something thicker than air filling my lungs is a whole new experience, and I focus on that thought, rather than the water surrounding me, to keep calm and sane.

Lisa has a hold of my shoulders, and she's looking deep into my eyes. "Angela needs you," she says, and despite the water, I seem to be able to hear her just fine. I also notice bubbles popping out of gills on her neck. Knowing what I'm feeling, I wonder what that must feel like to her. I truly hope it didn't hurt truly her.

With her and AnnaBelle's help, I make it up to the surface, and spit out the water in my lungs, before I can talk to the succubus.

"What's wrong?" I ask, seeing Angela is sitting in the passenger's seat, her pretty feet dipping into the water.

"Were you just going to leave me behind?" She asks, arching one dark eyebrow.

"I can't swim," I remind her. "Come on, let's go."

"I can't yet," she tells me, and I realize what the holdup is. With the help of the other two women, I make it over to the car, and pull myself up to her level. Bringing my lips to hers, I kiss her deeply, sending the image of her as a mermaid, then wrap my arms around her, and fall back into the water.

She tries to yelp as the water surrounds us, but I don't release our kiss. The succubus is still able to push me away, and I smile as I watch her look at her tail, and then at her naked chest.

Angela easily swims back up to me, and puts on the most demure look I've ever seen. "Is this how my mastah likes his slave?" she asks in an accent that sounds authentic. For some reason it rubs me the wrong way. I have no problem playing master and slave, heck I'd done it a couple times with Sheila, my boss, but knowing that Angelica had

actually been

a slave, takes on a whole different connotation.

"No," I state firmly, my own voice sounding weird in the water. "This is how I want my dear friend." The corners of her mouth turn down for a second as I call her a dear friend, and I realize she took it the wrong way, but I don't know what else to say.

Seeing how easy it is for her to move around the water with her tail, I concentrate, and try to form my own legs into one, but it doesn't work. What the heck? I can breathe underwater thanks to my time with Brooke, but I can't make a fish's tail? Hmm, would a dragon's tail work? A couple seconds and a bit of a drain on my system later, my tailbone feels heavy. I give it a shake, and feel myself propelled through the water.

All three women are laughing at me, and I realize that I tore my pants in making the tail. "Dang it!" I swear, as I try to pull the rags back up to cover my genitals. After a few seconds of enduring their rising laughter at my attempts, I finally just give up, and let them sink to the sea's floor.

AnnaBelle ceases laughing as I turn to face them, and starts glaring instead, but I notice her taking a few glances at my manhood anyway.

It takes me a couple minutes to get the hang of using my tail to propel myself in the direction I want to go, and realize that swimming is a lot easier than trying to fly.

Grabbing Lisa, Angela grabs AnnaBelle, and this way we move quickly through the water, diving deeper.

* * *

"Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" AnnaBelle asks, as we look down on a scene of wonder. Buildings of every shape and size rise up from the sea floor. Tall thin structures that seem to be made of glass and are entirely see-thru, tower over squat perfectly round buildings made of some sort of shimmering blue or purple stone. Coral homes abut fields of seaweed, and schools of fish and other creatures swim around the metropolitan place. The entire city is massive, stretching in all directions as far as the eye can see. It would be entirely dark, if not for all the lights shining at the top of every building and at every corner.

I'm sure if I had perfect color vision, I would enjoy the scenery more, but right now all I can think about is Brooke being held captive in there somewhere.

"Is that where she's being held?" I ask Angela, pointing to what can only be described as an underwater castle. Its minarets stand taller than any other structure, piercing the water with their pointed tops. I can't help but wonder if the artists behind Disney's The Little Mermaid had been here, and received inspiration from this castle, though the one they drew did this one little justice on its sheer size.

"How will we ever find her in

that

?" Lisa asks surprisingly. She's normally so upbeat and optimistic, but looking at that castle, I have to wonder the same thing.

"As long as she hasn't been moved," mermaid Angela begins, "I can take us right to her." She swims over to me, and looks me seriously in the eyes. "You might not like what you see down there, Lyden. She was being tortured when I left."

"All the more reason to get her out of there, then," I state firmly, cursing myself for all the delays and detours we'd taken. Had I known she was being mistreated, I would have been quicker. I don't even wait as I charge for the castle, dragging Lisa behind me.

"Lyden, wait!" Angela yells behind me, but I don't slow down, until she swims in front of me, blocking my path. "We can't just go charging in there. We have to be more discreet."

Looking around at our group, I realize she's right. AnnaBelle and Lisa are still dressed in clothing from Earth, and while they can breathe underwater, they still look very human. It's not likely that any human-looking non-humans will be down there. With my tail, and Angela looking like a mermaid, we'll likely blend in well enough, but the other two women won't.

"What. . . ." I begin, not sure exactly what to ask.

"Relax," the succubus says soothingly. "I wouldn't have let them come if I didn't have a plan to get us in there. Just wait here for a moment." She turns and looks down, waiting for something, and I start to get antsy. Why is she just waiting?

A few minutes later, I see a group of four creatures swimming towards us.

"Calm down," Angela says when she sees me tense up. "Just follow my lead."

As the creatures come closer, I see that they're three mermen and a mermaid, all topless. The men's muscles are thick, and ripple as they swim. Even the woman looks tough. Two of the men and the woman each have a sword in hand. The third man carries a trident, and seems to be in charge.

"State your business for coming to Atlantis," the trident toting merman states officiously.

Atlantis?

Angela swims forward, stopping a respectful distance away, and bows to their leader. The bow actually looks odd in the water, but she pulls it off. "Captain," she starts, "I come bearing gifts from Marchosias. These two women have been breed to look human, yet are able to breathe in your lord's realm. I have been told that Lord Varun is expecting this year's tribute from the demon Marchosias."

The captain approaches the two women, and only gives my tail a cursory glance, and my bare groin an unhappy frown. "They look human, alright," he states. "Where did you get the clothing? It looks authentic as well."

Angela gives an easy laugh before replying. "I'm actually a succubus, only in this form to assist in delivering my master's rent. I can travel freely between realms, as long as I'm cautious."

"I know what you are, demon. I could smell your stink a mile off." It takes some effort not to whip the merman with my tail at his insulting comment. The man is arrogant, and condescending, but I see a warning glance from Angela, and hold still. He notices anyway. "Seems your lackey doesn't know his place."

"Please ignore him, captain. He was a failed breeding experiment. A mute. I only brought him to assist in delivering these other women," she easily lies. I knew that succubae had to be masters of deceit, but if I didn't know any better, she'd have me believing her.