***The Infernal Plane of Lust***

***Amon***

It was hard to breathe but my surroundings felt soft and warm, it was safe. I hummed, dimly aware that something was slowly swaying back and forth on top of me while I was drifting at the edge of consciousness.

Right until the erotic moan of a female woke me up.

I was instantly awake and tried to get up – which posed a problem because I was covered in naked succubi.

“What the...” I squinted, taking my time while I sorted out my sleep-addled mind.

Isabella was sleeping to my right, her head nestled on my shoulder. Kasdeya mirrored her on the other side. That alone wouldn't have surprised me. I remembered as much as having to participate in Kas' so-called stress test, which meant Isa and Kas teaming up on me.

But I couldn't remember Claire joining us! The succubus was moaning in her sleep, her voice somewhat muffled against my chest while her hips gyrated on top of mine. Then I felt her seize up and tighten around me, forcing a climax out of me that I wasn't even aware had been building.

It took a moment for my brain to regain control over my body, but when I did so, I extracted my arms from Isabella and Kasdeya, and then gently but insistently, shoved the writhing Claire off of me.

She didn't even wake up and instead kept sleep-humping me in her dreams.

I sighed and looked down at myself. Physically, I felt completely fine, but the bed and the bedsheets were a mess. Then I noticed Danielle, who was curled up between my legs while bodily hugging my tail.

“Just what by the Infernum happened?” I croaked, realizing that my throat was as dry as a sheet of paper.

'We had the best night of our lives! Well, your life, to be exact. That's what happened!', the other commented from within my mind. 'Did I mention that Danielle is my new favourite?! That woman knows how to use a tail…’

The other kept on praising the succubi and their various skills in my mind, but I tuned it out while I tried to remember what had happened. For a demon who was used to having a perfect, photographic memory, not remembering something was a deeply disturbing experience.

As if she had heard my inner demon, Danielle cracked open an eye. “Oh, you are free again?” she noted cheerfully and uncurled herself from around my tail.

“Why are you here?” I croaked. “The last thing I remember is going to bed with Isa and Kas.”

Danielle's gaze swayed to my nether regions and stayed there as if it was glued in place – which was a little insulting. “I don't know what exactly you want to hear, but Kas called us in the middle of the night because some experiment of hers was going wrong. She said something about needing help, or you would kill the two of them.”

She chuckled. “Admittedly, it looked like little Isa and Kas had bitten off more than they could chew when we arrived. And you were in a kind of frenzy. Whatever you did, you have to tone down a little on that libido of yours.” The beautiful succubus crawled on top of me while she spoke, pointing out that my ranging boner hadn't waned in the slightest. Then she aligned her hips with mine and impaled herself without much fanfare. I could only hiss while her eyelids fluttered.

“I must admit,” she spoke while she slowly started to move. “I was thinking about inviting the rest of the family. You are truly a handful with whatever Kas did to improve your stamina. You are almost outperforming four succubi taking turns.”

“Hahaha...” I chuckled, hoping that I wouldn't have to deliver for the whole family now. But she was right that the amulet definitely needed some way to control which forms of endurance it provided. “I hope we can keep this between us?”

I still didn’t know what to do about Khorne. By the Infernum, I had more than enough worries already and they just kept stacking up: There was the other, although that issue seemed to improve lately; Ostreios wasn’t actively hunting me anymore, but I still had that bounty on my head; Sozzudon was also likely out for revenge if he was still alive; and then there were Khorne’s enemies who also had it out for me because I had fought on Khorne’s side in two major battles.

“Of course! Do you really think a real Ashborn would give up a specimen like you?” Danielle purred and kissed me on the cheek. Then she leaned down and mushed her perfectly formed chest against mine. “You are a keeper. I just wonder how we can break it to the rest of the family?”

“That wasn't exactly what I meant,” I grumbled. I didn't want to sound like an idiot. Waking up like this was a demon's dream... but with forty-one succubi, waking up like this would likely become a daily occurrence, and I surely needed some real sleep at some point.

At least I thought so. Or was the amulet enough to keep me going indefinitely? No matter how well I healed my body, there had to be some form of mental fatigue that came with abusing myself like this. I had to remind myself that including Ashley, there were forty-two succubi living in this castle.

Danielle started to bounce on top of me with a little more enthusiasm, managing to blow away that particular worry. At least for the moment.

“Hey, I know exactly what you meant,” Danielle moaned without stopping. “But allow us to convince you.”

“Convince me of what?” I asked.

The succubus slowed down and changed the angle. “Of saving our little Isa of course. Oh, that's the spot!” She purred and kissed my collarbone while she rubbed her whole body against me.

“You know…” I huffed and tried to hold her still, but she was like a snake in my arms. “I will try my best, but there is just so much to think about when it comes to Khorne. And now we have that fucked up tentacle thing to worry about too.”

“I am sure someone as ingenious as yourself, who is capable of slaying a titan class demon on his own, will have no problem with thinking of something,” Danielle replied without a hint of worry in her expression, and then she kissed me.

I didn't think much after that, but I managed to get away about an hour later. Though, not before the other succubi had woken up and taken turns – with a petulant Isa hogging most of my attention. That, and threatening me with a long discussion once we found some time to be alone.

What little was left of the morning I spent training with my minions, testing out the combat applications of my improved vitality. The result was very much to my satisfaction. Without the artefact I had already been relatively certain that I could put up a decent fight against all of them together.

But before I gained the amulet, I would have had to act very aggressively, hoping to take two or more out of the fight relatively quickly before they got the chance to wear me down.

But mere endurance was no longer an issue to me now. Now, I could take my time fighting defensively while I searched for an opening.

During training, I was also informed of the latest rumours that made the rounds through the castle.

Jebril confirmed that the fucked up tentacle thing had somehow escaped by using his victim as a mind-controlled diversion. Meanwhile, the real fucked up tentacle thing had somehow escaped, despite being bound by Khorne’s magic. Sadly, the exact details on how that had come to pass weren’t exactly public knowledge.

I was nonetheless slightly worried upon hearing that.

I had no idea that I had been chasing a puppet. Admittedly, I was so enraged that I didn’t bother to check what I was trying to smash or who was foolish enough to get in my way.

The matter remained concerning despite that and left a bad taste in my mouth, so I vowed to at least attempt to keep myself in check in the future. Having power was a good thing, but having all the power in the Infernum wouldn't help me if I didn’t have the emotional maturity to wield it.

Then there was the issue of the fucked up tentacle thing’s power. Admittedly, I had no clue how strong Khorne’s magical abilities were, but he was an officially recognized Demon Lord. Even if he focussed his skillset on martial arts and other things, his weakest of abilities should be leagues above that of a random warrior demon.

Khorne wouldn't have used a restraining skill on a potential enemy and then left him unattended if he thought it possible for the target to escape. From what little I had seen of him the guy just didn’t strike me as the type to make such a basic mistake.

For the fucked up tentacle thing to break out of a magical restraint that Khorne had put his faith in implied that the creature had serious powers of its own.

“Stop moping around and concentrate. My Shax still has things to learn, but that doesn’t mean that you should take him lightly!” Jada complained from atop Shax’s shoulder where she was sitting while the huge demon exercised his powers against a mana barrier that I had woven to keep him at bay.

I returned my attention to the combat training, admitting that the succubus had a point. Shax wasn’t magically inclined, but his physical prowess allowed him to dominate any battlefield. Somehow, he was also completely impervious to mental attacks. At least he was able to shrug off anything I had tried on him up until now.

My explanation was that Jada had formed a bond with Shax, just like the connection between Isa and myself. She was likely also training him in a similar fashion.

Shax grunted with effort and flexed his muscles, bringing down the humongous axe that he was wielding one-handedly.

There was serious power behind his move, so I angled my barrier to divert the blow instead of blocking it head-on. Sparks flew, but it worked, allowing me to rearrange my defences. I wasn’t in a hurry to retaliate. This was training after all.

“Where are you hiding all the time anyway?” Jebril asked while trying to narrow down my range of movement with a few well-placed barriers of her own. “You are seldomly in your room. Maybe you used it once or twice from what I have seen.”

“Oh, I am sure that a lone demon like him has plenty of beds to warm if he is caught out late,” Jada commented with a giggle, pointing out that she had more than enough sisters.

I rolled my eyes and took a shot at the succubus with a lazy orb of concentrated mana, but she just allowed herself to fall backwards, somehow using Shax’s body like a dancing pole to return to her perch on his shoulder. Her uncanny ability to stay in contact with the huge demon while he was wielding an axe half his size was frightening. It also seemed like it required no effort on her part at all.

I also learned that of the forty-one minions that Ashley had allowed Khorne to bring with him, five had already been permanently lost. If things kept going like this, there would be none of Khorne’s men left by the end of the season.

“I know that one of Khorne’s men was caught by that plant in front of the castle,” I spoke while I fended off the combined attacks of Uphir and Kitia. “He was then killed and sent back to Irkos before he could bind to the Anima Stone here. And then we lost two people to the fucked up tentacle thing, so what happened to the other two?”

“Just call it the Átahsaia instead of fucked up tentacle thing,” Kitia begged and unleashed a stream of continuous attacks with her sword, “The other two were found after the latest attack. It seems like the Átahsaia took the opportunity of the confusion during the chase to take down some more victims.”

“Which means that Khorne has now thirty-six men left,” I concluded, wondering about the fucked up tentacle thing’s tendency to go only after Khorne’s men. Would it stick to its modus operandi forever, or would it take other targets of opportunity? Were my people at risk?

I sighed and stomped down on my shadow just when Uphir’s face emerged, taking the demon off guard. “It seems like I will have to think of something after all.”

We continued to train like this for the rest of the morning until we got paid a visit by Hellith.

The beautiful succubus entered the training hall with a leisurely stroll. I remembered meeting her back in Irkos when Isa helped me to find Sozzudon. Hellith had been in charge of a pleasure hall back in the settlement, though there was more to it than that. She was in charge of the family’s information management, so to speak.

In other words, she was Ashley’s spymaster from what I could discern, and likely her right hand.

“I see that you are having fun despite the tension that’s hanging over the castle like a heavy fog.” She waved her hand with an easygoing smile on her face. If I hadn’t seen her other side back in Irkos, I would have believed her to be like her easygoing sisters.

Though, I had to stop myself there. It was certainly a grave mistake to think of the four succubi that I had woken up with today to be simple beings. I had probably seen just small fragments of their personalities. Even Isa still kept showing me more depth every minute I spent with her.

I dismissed my magic and turned to face the succubus. “Hellith, what brings you here? Have you found the fucked up tentacle thing?”

“Fucked up what?” She frowned, taken by surprise for a moment, but then Jada signalled her something and she seemed to understand. “Oh, you still insist on calling the Átahsaia that? I thought you were just emotional at the moment.”

“We can also shorten it to F.U.T.T., or a futt, if you like that better,” I admitted. “The thing doesn’t deserve what you are calling it.”

She cleared her throat. “I think I will keep calling it the Átahsaia. Anyway, I am here because Ashley and Khorne requested your presence.”

So it came to that. I was expecting that my little rampage would cause some reaction, though it wasn’t certain how Ashley and Khorne would take it. It was unfortunate that I had revealed my level of power right in front of them.

Infernum! One moment of passion and I had to bear the consequences. How would the mortals say it? Maybe... that there was no way back?

“I see,” I replied nonchalantly, not believing that the two Demon Lords would try anything too hasty. They were still caught in that little power play between the two of them. It was likely that they would try to force me to take sides, but I was relatively sure that as long as I played the neutral party, I wouldn’t change the balance of power in a meaningful way.

At least for as long as the storm season lasted, I was sure that Khorne and Ashley would be inclined to maintain the status quo. As for what happened after that, only Lust herself would know.

I snapped out of my thoughts and signalled Hellith with a wave of my hand that I was ready. “Why don’t you lead the way? We were about to be done here anyway.”

The succubus inclined her head and led me to Ashley’s quarters which also served as her office. On the way, I could confirm that most of last night’s damages were already gone. Aside from some missing artworks and imps who were polishing the marble floor, nothing hinted at the destruction I had wrought.

At the thought of the damages, I felt somewhat uneasy. Hopefully, Ashley wouldn't demand payment for the repairs. How much was one of Danielle’s masterworks worth? Were there other buyers who favoured such things aside from the succubi?

The artist herself hadn’t mentioned the loss of her creations this morning, so I hoped it wouldn't be too much of an issue.

We finally reached our destination and I entered the room. Hellith stayed outside, having only opened and closed the door behind me.

Ashley was at her office table while Khorne sat relaxed on a couch at the wall to my left. Both Demon Lords exuded a brooding atmosphere, making me wonder how this would be going down.

“Please, sit.” Ashley pointed at a chair in the middle of the room that was facing both of them.

I huffed at the command but did as I was told. There wasn’t any point in alienating them for nothing. Once I sat, it created a somewhat uncomfortable triangle between the three of us. “I hope this doesn’t turn into an interrogation,” I started the conversation.

“We just wanted to talk about your intentions,” Ashley replied. “Last night, it became clear for us that you are wielding considerably more power than we were aware of.” She looked towards Khorne who appeared like he was on the defence in this matter.

There was definitely something going on between the two that I wasn’t aware of.

I shrugged in reply. “I have never tried to hide my powers, nor do I have the habit of showing them off.”

“Then what were your intentions in coming here?” Ashley continued her game of twenty questions.

Again, I had nothing to hide. “None, really. I am a part of Ebandon’s warband, and Khorne invited me and my people to come here in order to spend the storm season. Other than that, I really have no quarrels with anyone – aside from that fucked up tentacle thing that almost busted my newest creation.” I couldn’t help from allowing a little bit of emotion into that last part.

When they stayed silent after that I decided that I wanted them to state their business plainly. “Just look. I am a simple demon. I do my stuff and as long as nobody tries to pull my tail, things are just fine for everyone. Yes, I have killed to increase my power, but I never went out of my way to put a permanent end to those who are in my way by mere chance alone. As far as demons in search of power go, I am a nice guy. Is there any special point to this meeting?”

“We are just trying to figure out how you are unbalancing the power between Ashley and myself,” Khorne explained and gestured between the succubus matriarch and himself. “When we decided to spend the season together, we expected only to have to deal with each other. Two Lords in a small castle like this are already stepping on each other's tails. Three are...”

“Not at all,” I replied without hesitation. “You two do your stuff and I do mine. Khorne, you have invited me here. I wouldn’t be here otherwise. And Ashley is our host. Neither of you owes me anything. At least that’s how I see the matter. I am not the sort to scheme or to be interested in politics. The only thing I seek is personal power. Exerting it over others is only a means of self-defence for me.”

I was spewing a whole lot of bullshit as far as I was concerned, hoping that they would leave it at that. I was trying my best to sell myself to be a demon like my tutor, Ex. Powerful, but not interested in lording over others.

I certainly wouldn't rub it in their faces that Ebandon himself was just Ashley’s lackey while he was also somehow involved with Khorne. I guessed that from the way in which Ebandon had deferred to the Demon Lord before we arrived at the castle. It could also be that my warband’s leader was just a bootlicker who grovelled to whoever seemed the more powerful at the moment. Ebandon certainly didn’t have issues with playing the high and mighty while he was back at his own headquarters.

Thankfully, neither Khorne nor Ashley seemed inclined to press the matter in the presence of each other.

After that, our conversation turned to the problem of the fucked up tentacle thing. As to which, I could only assure both of them that I would try my best to kill it if I encountered it. Currently, I had no clue on how to identify the creature, unless everyone in the castle would allow me to perform some soul magic.

There were ways to take inventory of the souls in someone’s possession. “If we took inventory of everyone’s souls, it would be an easy matter of identifying the fucked up tentacle thing the next time it kills someone. The person in possession of the victim’s souls is the perpetrator, as easy as that.”

Khorne and Ashley looked at each other, but it was clear that they weren’t comfortable with having everyone’s soul inventoried by me. It was an extension of more trust than any demon was likely to give to another. It would be like laying bare all of one’s skills and potential. The two Demon Lords understood that well enough.

“We will think about it,” Ashley admitted after a heavy silence.

I was dismissed soon afterward and returned to Kasdeya’s laboratory with important thoughts and plans spinning through my head. There was a lot to do before I could rest again.