Chapter 58: Forget Me Not

"Learn from your mistakes."​

No one visits you in the darkness. Not that you're aware of.

You awaken sitting upright with your arm in a sling. Your head is a lot clearer. Not only is the acute pain in your abdomen and shoulder also gone, but your clothes fit properly again. Someone has changed your clothing while you were unconscious. The black, fitted garments almost resemble your old robes. Your bandages have been replaced underneath them.

The red light of the arena, the countless demons, the chaos, the haze of the drugs and most of your discomfort is entirely gone. Your eyes adjust to the light as you try to figure out where you've awoken. It looks like you're in well decorated and largely vacant bar. You are situated in the center, sitting in a reclining chair opposite a small table lined with more red candles. Several large windows across the stools and empty tables reveal the landscape of Remigius' domain. A bloody sunrise is breaking over countless demons leaving through countless doors.

There's a dull ache in your shoulder, and in your lap.

Remigius is sitting on your lap.

Your body instantly anticipates agony. You want to bolt upright. To back away instinctively.

She keeps a hand firmly on your shoulder, muttering something under her breath. She's in a different form than the ones you've seen previously. It's of an attractive woman, but with a far more modest frame, strawberry blonde hair, terribly pale skin, and stark yellow eyes. She's wearing a simple black dress lined with gold, and you don't entirely mind the sight.

You remain silent for a few more moments as she finishes the incantation. Healthy, sane relief spreads through your shoulder as she finishes.

She's actually kept her word.

"You— you kept your word, Remigius." It isn't a question. You state the fact plainly, hoping that saying it out loud will somehow make the situation you find yourself in feel less like a Dream.

"Yeah. What the fuck did you expect? It gets lonely down here. Good company's hard to come by. Couldn't send you off in the shape you were in." The succubus finishes her spell entirely.

You take off your sling effortlessly, enjoying the feeling of the mended sinew, the healthy limb and the complete absence of pain. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Seriously. Idonea would kill me."

You don't doubt it for a second, and retreat into yourself as the succubus gets even more comfortable on your lap. She lazily drapes an arm over your healed shoulder before digging in an elbow. The gentleness of the motion makes it obvious that she's merely testing her work, not trying to provoke a response from you.

You're terribly skinny again, but you're relieved to feel like your body is almost back to normal. It seems as if the demon has removed all traces of hers and Yech's work over you. There's little muscle that pushes back against her administrations. It's more bone, taut skin and neglected Flesh.

It's very hard to want to say anything more to the demon. What you mistook for a series of night terrors upon awakening hits you as actual memories from the evening before.

You almost unconsciously run a hand along your waist, your chest, your hips, your shoulders, your cheekbones, your wrists— reassuring yourself that the excess, the weight, the injuries, her drugs and all the pain is entirely gone.

Remigius looks over you still, admiring your scars, and meeting your eyes infrequently.

This woman tortured me mercilessly— all in the name of reminding me what that really means. How can I try to talk to her?

What can I possibly say?

There's one thing that's an open subject of discussion between you two, at least. "This form you've taken—"

She immediately interrupts, putting her other arm around your shoulders and leaning back to grant you a better look. She's made an attempt at decency. An elegant, narrow waist tapers up in a full chest, and covered shoulders. Wide hips and the legs straddling you are still bare, but she's at least partially shielded herself from your gaze.

She does have restraint. For a succubus, at least.

​

"You like it? I thought you might."

"It's nice. You look nice. Don't— don't get the wrong idea. I just thought— you might need to hear something earnest, for a change—"

"You're fucking hopeless, Daddy." The succubus skips off of you, twirling her dress before dropping herself gently into the chair opposite of you. Her voice still has that manic tilt to it. "...okay, maybe not completely hopeless. Thanks."

"You don't need to thank me. Please don't."

"What's the matter, Daddy? You going to slink back into your angst singularity the minute your head clears up?"

"What— no, that's— I was at as much fault for everything that we did to each other last night. The least I could do was— Mercy, Remigius, sit down— "

The succubus leans over the table, pressing a finger to your lips. "Ssshhh. Don't worry about it. You're actually learning something, right?"

The finger parts. She's so soft.

"I'm trying. I'm just—" You try to sit upright and properly, and try to make yourself presentable. Fiddling with your holy symbol and fixing your increasingly scruffy hair isn't much, but it makes you feel a little better. "I'm just glad I didn't ruin everything."

"Look at you, actually doing something with yourself! Isn't this nice. Remi's just a slut, she's never going to amount to anything. Can't trust a succubus as far as they can suck you. She's just a psychopath. If Yech could see this! Do say 'hi' to him for me?" With an obscene moan, the succubus stretches, looking out to the sunrise pealing over her domain. The bloody rays of the illusion cast a glow over the windows, shrouding you both in crimson as it comes into full view. "Thanks for stopping by, Daddy. I don't expect you'll ever want to see me again— not that anyone ever does— but this was fun."

A red rose is slid across the table, nestling in between the candles and wood.

"Try not to forget me."

You look down to the object for a moment.

​

Your body may be as hale as it's been in weeks, but the demon's administrations over your mind and soul are raw. The sage of your eyes pours back over Remigius earnestly. "I don't think I could if I tried."

Your fingers work around your holy symbol, staying entirely away from the rose before you. The cold metal is reassuring, and a welcome relief from the heat of the succubus' domain.

Staying to the opposite side of the table, you move to stand, but linger for only for another moment. "Before I go—"

"Of course you still fucking need something."

"I'm going to see Beltoro next. I'll— I'll be sure to say hello to him for you."

There's a long pause. Remigius starts to fidget as well, playing with the flame of one of the candles on the table. "Oh. Right."

"Is there anything— anything at all you could tell me about him?"

"Them."

"...anything that might make the encounter with them easier?"

The silence that weighs between the two of you has you on edge from the moment it starts.

As the minutes trickle on, you feel a sweat start to form on the back of your neck.

Remigius finally breaks it. You realize as soon as she speaks that she's crying again. "Probably not, Daddy— oh, fuck, I'm going to ruin my dress—"

There's a sniff as the demon moves to wipe off her face.

She looks up to you with a broad grin, eyes lanced with red. Her pointed teeth beam at you. "You're not afraid, right?"

"Should I be?"

"Terrified, Daddy. But are you?"

"No."

"Then you've got everything you'll need. You know I can't say it— but that's the—"

Fear does strike you. "Spirit. Mercy— I— I understand."

You turn to leave. The cold sweat on the back of your neck insists on staying with you.

Looking over your shoulder to the succubus, you see that she's making no motion to move or do anything more than play with the flame of the candles before her. She almost looks bored, despite her abject terror and distress moments before.

"Is it safe to leave the way I came?"

"Not on your life. Take the stairs down, and hang a right at the ticket booth. I'll call 'em off of you."

"Thank you, Remigius."

"It's the least I could do. Seriously."

Without another nod or look towards the demon, you leave her.

"...you really do keep your promises, Daddy."