Ch.2

Upon awakening Adrian could feel his connection to the succubus who had long haunted his dreams, currently it felt like a thread streched over a great distance, he knew that she was still in the planes of the aetherium. He could even feel some of her surface emotions, she was feeling anxious though from what Adrian wasn't sure. His right hand no longer burned with pain, but visible on the back of his hand was a strange black mark shaped like an open rose in a circle of thorns. When dressing he decided it would be prudent to wear gloves from now on as odd as it might seem.

Much to Adrian's displeasure there was a carriage waiting to take him on the six week journey to the capital, he would have preferred to ride, at the same time he understood it would be unreasonable to ask the women to travel such a long way on horseback. He would have to purchase a new horse once he was settled in, for now he would simply leave the matter be.

One by one three large traveling chests were loaded onto the carriage's luggage rack, Adrian frowned as he watched a porter suddenly struggle to lift Annabelle's chest. He had no idea what the maid would have owned that would have been so heavy, he did however reach down to help the man. After two of his father's men joined the carriage driver the three of them were ushered into the cabin, it was large enough to sit four comfortably, each of the bench seats upholstered with red satin. Much to Adrian's suprise they also could be unmounted from the carriage walls and folded open into a bed, a carriage like this would cost a small fortune, though most nobles who were used to soft living would happily invest in such comforts.

There were several small towns situated along the network of paved roadways that crisscrossed the Empire's territories, they would reach the next town some time tomorrow morning at the earliest. The largest concern for travelers in the eastern provice were its terrible winter storms, one day the sky could be over cast, the next you'd be standing waist deep in snow. Fortunately it was summer and the sky was only lightly dotted with wisps of clouds.

Adrian let out a sigh as he gazed out the windo at the landscape he would one day inherit, it was a land of tough hardy farmers, loggers, and miners. The last of the frontier provinces with in the Empire's territories, a land of ruggged forests, swamps, mountains, and rolling hills. Annabelle too stared, though she was filled with a sense of excitement, never before had she seen anything grander than the Duke's fortress, and now she was going to the Imperial capital. Margitte was bored, so teribly bored, she tried to amuse herself with a game of cards, more than anything else she wished she could have traveled by horse or by foot. Now that she was free of the fortress she wanted to hunt, to run, and to feel the wild places of the world beneath her feet.

This was the first time Adrian had really looked at the head maid, he knew she was young, but if he had to guess she was thirty at the oldest. Her hair was currently hidden under her white cap but one curly locket or dark red hung down by her right cheek. Her skin was bronze in color, adrian followed the delicate curve of her neck and found it quickly stopped by the high neck line of her livery. Even through her livery he could tell her body was well maintained, unlike the rest of the maids of his father's household who were rather soft around the edges. He also knew from occasionally pinching the bottoms of curious maids that Margitte had a glare capable of cuting stone.

When night had fallen Adrian pondered if he would once more find Lilith within his dreams, the succubus was something of an enigma, they were spirits given shape by the desires of men. They belonged to a group of spirits colloquially referred to as demons, he was perplexed, she had become bound to his will, but to what degree did that binding hold.

The girls were both asleeps on the other unfolded carriage bed, Adrian listened to their quiet breathing, as he focused on each inhale and exhale he felt the lids gro heavier till eventually the dropped down like a pair of cellar doors. A force pulled at his mind drawing him further and further from his body till his eyes snapped open. "Good evening, master" a familiar voice cooed.

The room in which he found himself was one that was plush and luxurious, a four post bed lay before him curtained with gauzy silks of crimson, royal purple, and black. Only the most expensive of dyes and fabrics adorned the room, even his father could not afford to waste money on such lavish decorations. Adrian unconsciously shifted in his seat causing him to take note of its quality of stuffing and the smooth textures of it's crushed velvet upholstery, even the wood was of an unusual nature and quality have a marbled appearance. Instinctively Adrian knew that this was not the "world of dreams", his dreams never possesed such vividness.

Kneeling before him was Lilith, this was the first tim he was able to look upon her figure with out the mental haze of her charm magic. Dainty black horns like those of a ram grew from the corners of her forehead curling backwards till the tips lined up with the corners of her elegant jaw. Adrian's eyes drifted down her body following every detail of her flawless curves, she possessed bountiful breasts, two handfuls at least, though somewhat smaller than Annabelle's. Her lavendar colored eyes were almond shaped and perfectly proportioned to match her dainty nose and plush angel bow lips. Long luxurious raven hair cascaded over her shoulders to her mid back, a stark contrast to her porcelain skin. She wore a tight form fitting dress with a plunging V shaped neckline leaving a valley of cleavage exposed, a split running up to her wide child bearing hips left plenty of shapely thigh exposed for viewing. Wings like those of a dragon were folded behind her back and a tail with a heart shaped point lazily flitted this way or that like a feline's. She was a woman of exotic other worldly beauty, and she was his woman.

"Good evening Lilith" Adrian replied running a hand through his hair out of habit. "So, where have you dragged me off to" he inquired sitting back with his left foot seated on his right knee while resting his head on the knuckles of his right hand with his arm supported by the chair. "You're currently in the Palace of Carnal Desires on the Elemental plane of lust, or more accurately a reflection of your inner self is, it's a technique called astral projection" her almost professor like deliverance was a stange juxtaposition against her kneeling figure. "I see" Adrian replied furrowing his brow slightly, "you called me a warlock before, I assume my recently heightened senses, I can at times feel the desires and intents of those around me". Lilith smiled a dark seductive smirk, "its a form of magical perception inherited from the demonic taint running through your veins, we so called demonswho feed on extremes of human emotions, this enhanced perception allows a succubus to prey upon individuals with particularly stong desires". "How exactly does this perception work" he inquired. "It's instinctual for my kind, how ever much like your swordsmanship it needs to be honed to a razor sharp edge through practice" Adrian mused over her explanation tapping his fingers idly upon the arms of the chair.

"What powers does a warlock posses and how do I wield them" Adrian leaned forward deep in thought. Lilith let out a sigh, "that is not a question easily anwsered, unlike a wizards spells which are deliberately created to have a spefic desired effect, a warlock's powers are far more fluid being manifested by their force of will and shaped by their emotions and desires". Lilith raised her hand with her palm facing up, he could feel a sudden surge rushing through his familiar's body acompanied by an icy sensation of a deep seated hatred. He watched enraptured as a half dozen razor sharp shards of black-purple ice. "I trust that demonstration was sufficent explanation" she cooed slightly, the shards of born from her deep seated hatred floated idly at her side. Adrian closed his eyes feeling for the energy that flowed in his veins, it was a sickly sweet intoxicating feeling as he drew on the power, it surged from its dormant state trying to overcome his mind and posses his body. He gritted his teeth feeling the whispering tendrils of power trying to entice him into surrendering his will in exchange for limitless power.

"What you are feeling is the dark reflection of your inner self, an avatar of your darkest subconscious desires given life by the taint, if at any point you succumb to it's will, you will lose any semblance of your humanity, and your inner demon will be free to do as it desires" Lilith whispered within the depths of his mind. Adrian could see visions of his future should he give in, an endless harem of beautiful women mentally enslaved by his desires, countless conquests leaving the cities of his enemies swallowed by seas of black flames. A figure seated upon a throne of burnished gold dressed in blackened plate, large black horns grew from his forehead, he laughed deeply whilst one of his subjects begged for his life. "You needn't face your inner demon alone, at least this time I will stand at your side" Lilith whispered from beside him. Adrian nodded rushing forwards with his sword drawn, the demon regarded his lesser self with disdain intercepting the slash with his open gauntlet clad hand, a deep chuckle escaped his lips. Adrian felt his rage growing and poured that rage into his body imbuing him strength, he pushed through his inner demon's guard, his blade connecting with the blackened plate armor harmlessly. The demon smiled and swung his own blade into Adrian's armored abdomen bowling him over, he began a downward slash of his own. Adrian hastily attemped to guard with his sword only for the blow to halt mid air, a hail of shards of razor shap black ice each a foot in length to slam into the demon. Adrian thrust his sword into the exposed gap in the armor at the back of the knee severing the tendons and cartilage between the femur and shin bones. The demon let out a roar of pain smacking Adrian asside with the back of his fist after being dropped to a knee, he then directed his rage at Lilith, who was hovering over head, she was forced to dive and weave like a German pilot dodging anti air fire as bolts of pitch black flames hurtled towards her at high speed.

Adrian's head spun with the feeling of a concussion, his vission was focused on the blurred figure of his inner demon, he wanted that power for him self but he would not surrender himself to it. Lunging forward he grabbed the demon's exposed head, he could feel the power of the demon flowing beneath, he drew upon that power pulling it into himself. It jerked and thrashed attempting to free it's self from his grip but with each moment Adrian grew stronger and the demon's power withered away till all that was left was a withered husk of his demonic form. His body seared with pain from the fight and burned from the power within, he gripped that power and channeled his burning rage into the area around himself causing a sudden explosive burst of black flames dispelling the excess power in his system.

Adrian suddenly opened his eyes as he snapped back to reality, he panted heavily and rivulets of sweat poured down his body, lavendar eyes filled with lust and excitement stared into his emerald eyes. "You've conquered your inner demon taking your first step towards mastering your power, however should you ever falter it will consume you" she cooed gently panting in his ear