The Burning

Note: Remember, I would be glad to have any comments anyone has, posted as reviews, whether they be telling me what you like, or telling me what you don't like, and how to make it better. From the number of hits I keep getting, I'm assuming people keep coming back for more, so make sure I know how you feel about the series so far! :)

Note 2: I'll warn you in advance, this chapter is fairly long, so make sure you're prepared to read for awhile, rather than getting some short little blurb. :)

Chapter Fourteen

"What is the meaning of this?" Mint asked calmly, looking only at Aerai after her initial glances at the two other Blood Elves. "Why have you brought these with you?" She gestured vaguely in the direction of the women standing on either side of Aerai, her words referring to them as things, not people.
"These are friends," Aerai answered. At this, Mint arched one eyebrow.
"Friends? Friends of yours perhaps, but not mine. I do not make friends with the plagued." The Crusader girl regarded Arsika and Arrwynn with open disgust and hostility, the ordinarily kind and quiet young woman she normally was transformed in the presence of those not part of the sacred order she belonged to. Arrwynn frowned and stepped forward.
"Now wait just a minute! I'm not plagued--" However, the silver-maned elf was interrupted by Aerai as she held out one arm to the side, blocking her friend's advance.
"Please, let me do the talking." Aerai requested. Arrwynn looked at her briefly, before returning to her original position, and crossing her arms over the feathers of her robe's chest area, looking like she was pouting. Aerai then said to Mint, "Very well. These are friends of mine. The one to my left is Arrwynn. The one to my right is Arsika."
"Yes, yes. Very good. You named your pet zombies. Why are they here?" At this, Arrwynn's frown deepened, her eyebrows knitting together.
"Arsika is the reason why I asked for help. I am not as experienced in these matters as yourself, and came seeking advice."
"Cut off its head, burn the head and body seperately, and either scatter the ashes in two different places, or bury them at least a mile apart, preferably on consecrated ground." Mint responded.
"Mint, please, I am being serious."
"So am I."

This back and forth went on for a few more minutes, until Arsika, who had been silent the entire time, watching the exchange, finally threw her arms out to the sides and hissed out, "Enough!" Everyone turned to look at the red-head. Even Mint honored Arsika with a cool gaze of disdain. "I was raised with the understanding that manners and politeness were a necessity when communicating with others, because they prevented half the universe from strangling the other half. I don't know if you are always this much of a little bitch to people the first time you meet them, but you have made absolutely no effort to treat us with the common courtesy that a civilized person would, and it ends NOW. I don't care if you think we're plagued. I don't care if you were hurt badly in the past, and so you lash out at those around you, because you don't know how to deal with the pain inside. I don't care who you are, where you're from, or if I ever meet you again. But right now, there is a larger problem here than your own bloated ego. If you're as experienced as Aerai claims you are, use your abilities to look deep inside of me and tell me what you find there."
"You talk a lot for a zombie, but I suppose the sooner I humor you, the sooner I can return to helping the Scarlet Crusade slaughter you wretched heathens, freeing you from the curse of Undeath." Mint sneered. Then she casually focused her mind on Arsika, scanning her without really expecting to find anything she didn't already assume to be in the body of one plagued. However, her scan stopped on something about midway down Arsika's body. There, at the core of her being, was a small spherical object she couldn't identify. Frowning, the Crusader girl paid more attention, sharpening her senses from a cursory blanket scan, to a detailed pin-point scan, directed precisely at that object inside of the elf. She saw it was a black sphere of some sort. She saw it had silver runes etched on its surface. She saw a flicker of movement within the sphere, as though something had just drifted by below the dark surface. An even closer inspection penetrated that surface, thrusting Mint's awareness into the cold blackness, and putting her face to face with the thing she had seen only vaguely before.

The visage of Sargeras himself. Mint's mind reflexively jumped back to her own self, senses retreating, as she stood there in the darkness, the moon casting a dim glow on the graveyard when unnatural clouds weren't concealing it. She was apalled and horrified at her discovery, for though she had never seen Sargeras in person before, she had been told enough of him, and seen enough of other demons, that she knew from the enormity of the corruption she had just felt in comparison to a common demon, that the face she had seen could belong to no other. She took several steps back, fear overcoming her, and then Aerai asked, "What did you see?" Mint's shocked awareness responded to the words by trying to force her attention on the speaker, to break from the discovery that the leader of the Burning Legion was only a few yards away from her. As she stared numbly at the elf, and she once again spoke, saying, "Mint? What did you see?" the Crusader girl did her best to fight off her fear, as anger swelled up within her.
"How dare you do this," Mint hissed out at Aerai. "How dare you bring that monster here! First you ally yourself with the plagued, and then you make pacts with the Dark Titan himself? You are no better than a demon!"
"Please listen, Mint," Aerai pleaded. "It's not what you think."
"Silence, traitor! You have betrayed the Guardian's trust! You who are sworn to defend this world against the Burning Legion! You who are sworn to do battle with the demons!" Mint shouted out. Then she turned her furious jade gaze from the black-haired Blood Elf, and onto the red-haired one. She wanted to run from here. To put distance between herself and this horror, and get help from the Crusaders. But she wasn't the timid girl she once was. She had been given strength by her lover, Jonas. She knew she could not run, and that for Jonas' sake, and the sake of the Scarlet Crusade, she had to end this here and now. Holy golden light began to shine between the palms of her hands as she brought them together in front of her. "You are sworn to do these things... And so am I. I will not abandon my duty."

Seeing Mint preparing an attack, Arsika turned her body completely towards the young human girl, solid-green eyes narrowing, long red eyebrows pointing down as she switched from being angry at her treatment, to being prepared to fight with all seriousness, and no emotions getting in the way. Just as Mint gathered her own powers, the red-haired Blood Elf drew one hand up slowly from her side, bright crimson flames trailing from her fingertips, as she prepared to unleash the magic she had devoted her life to studying and mastering. The two females of different races glared, the tension between them mounting. Mint's loathing and hate for what stood before her only fueled her dedication to what she perceived as her duty. Arsika had no hatred for Mint, but she would not fight with anything less than her best effort to ensure her survival, even if it meant killing this delusional girl. With only a few seconds left before the battle began, Aerai suddenly threw herself directly between the two, and yelled, "STOP!"
"Do not think I will restrain myself because you bar my way, traitor." Mint warned, though she did not launch her attack.
"Move aside, Aerai." Arsika ordered quietly, and calmly. "She's not going to listen to reason. She's too much of a fanatic." The red-head likewise did not take action to begin the battle, though she certainly could have merely by stepping around Aerai.
"Both of you stop this and listen," Aerai demanded. "Mint, this is not Sargeras."
"Liar!" Mint spat. "I know what I saw! The very face of evil!"
"And on that face, were the eyes open?" Aerai asked, a desperate plan forming in her mind.
"What?" Mint asked, momentarily distracted.
"Were the eyes open?" Aerai repeated her question, hoping this worked.
"I..." Mint's face, which had previously been twisted into an expression of rage, gradually altered into one of confusion. Aerai's question had thrown her off. Her mind struggled to switch gears from preparedness to fight to the death, to recalling the details of that chilling encounter her mind had had inside that dark sphere. Thoughtfully, she dredged up the image of Sargeras' face, and though she shuddered at doing so, she found what she was looking for, and answered, "No, the eyes were closed."
"Were there ANY details that were definite? Anything that was more than an outline?" Aerai pressed. Mint didn't see what the point of these questions were, and was starting to become annoyed, but answered anyway.
"No, it was all in shadow. Everything was vague." Then she paused as she recalled something. "All aside from the left horn. The very tip burned with dim fire."
"And do you know what that means, Mint? Think about it for a moment."
"I do not need to think about it, it is plainly clear to me." Mint let out an irritated breath. "Sargeras is not in control of this plagued one, and she still acts as an intelligent being. The Dark Titan slumbers."

Aerai felt the tension disappate slightly, at least for Mint, as the Crusader girl looked down at the ground, deep in thought. Arsika, however, was still standing behind Aerai with magic flames engulfing her fingers, prepared to strike the moment she felt she had no choice but to do so. "Arsika, you can put down your hand now, and put away your magic. There will be no fighting here." Arsika did not move to obey, however.
"I'll be glad to terminate hostilities, as soon as she stops pointing that at us." Arsika answered, eyes still locked on Mint, and the glowing between the girl's hands, which could be unleashed in an instant. Aerai wished Arsika wasn't so stubborn, but knew her friend had a valid concern. So she turned her attention back on Mint Evarise.
"You have the right idea, but it is more than just slumber that Sargeras' essence is affected by. It is bound and sealed. It cannot take action unless the seal is broken." As Aerai said this, Mint's head came back up.
"Then there is still time to slay the host, and deny Sargeras a vessel." She seemed to be preparing to attack again, and Arsika's fingers twitched slightly as the flames intensified. Aerai, frustrated, tried one last gambit.
"Yes, you could kill her, but then what do you think would happen to the dark energy?" Aerai asked quickly. Mint looked uncertain for a moment, her hands dipping slightly.
"Well, it would--"
"The seal would be broken," Aerai interrupted. "And then Sargeras' power would be set free, and it would kill you, and me, and lay waste to the Scarlet Monastery, and all those within! Would you really expose the world to the Dark Titan by acting so rashly?"

These words shocked Mint greatly, as she imagined briefly the entire Scarlet Crusade ended by a wicked, dark shadow, looming up over the Monastery in the form of a demon, glowing red eyes gazing with hatred upon the devotion and righteousness of the world's saviors... And then bringing one mighty, clawed hand down, and crushing the entire structure. The hope of the world ended in an instant. And all because of her. This mental image was so vivid, and inspired so much emotion in her, that she immediately dismissed the holy power in her hands, and let them drop limply to her sides. Eyes wide, the brunette hung her head and asked in a quavering voice, "What can be done, then? What hope is there?" She didn't expect an answer to this question, as the anger and the fear drained out of her, leaving her feeling numb at her conclusion that the Burning Legion's victory was inevitable. However, she received an answer that drew her head back up.
"That is what we came to you to find out." Aerai replied.
"Me?" Mint asked, not understanding.
"Yes, you. You, who have more experience with the power of the Tirisfalen than I. You, who can advise us on the proper course of action at this time. Do we attempt to remove the dark energy from Arsika somehow? To destroy it? To transfer it to a container or something that can be more easily managed?" At these words, Mint came out of her state of hopelessness, and began to seriously think about what she could do to help, and what had to happen. A determined expression appeared on her face, showing how experienced the young woman really was.
"The first thing that we should do, before anything else, is to make sure the seal is secure. I do not wish to have gone through all this for no reason at all." Then Mint strode forward, and Aerai stepped out of the way. Arsika had allowed her Mana to return to her reserves and lowered her own hand when Mint had cancelled her attack, and now stood there and watched calmly as the human approached her. She was a bit startled, however, when Mint stopped a few inches away from her, looked up at her, and politely inquired, "May I examine the seal?"
"Certainly," Arsika answered with equal politeness, nodding her head in assent. Mint then lifted one hand and delicately placed her fingertips on the Blood Elf's forehead, closing her eyes while she concentrated. Unlike when Aerai had done this same thing, Mint did not make any special signs with her freehand, perhaps showing she needed no such aids, due to her greater skill. Despite the difference in methods, Arsika could feel the same power welling up inside of Mint that she had sensed in Aerai just before she experienced incredible pain, and tensed slightly, to try to weather the torment on her feet. However, this time, when that strange power entered her, Arsika did not feel any discomfort at all. The energy that flowed into her was light, soft, warm, and joyful. It was like distilled sunlight, and was very strong. Strong enough that Arsika actually had to consciously deny the impulse to feed upon the energy, as her magic addiction urged her to. She had gotten into enough trouble already by absorbing strange energy fields.

Arsika allowed her body to relax somewhat, as she was soothed by the sensation of Mint's power winding itself down into the space just below her stomach. And then the energy contacted the black orb wedged in her soul, and her eyes, which had started to drift closed, snapped open as she felt the dark power spasm suddenly. Mint's energy did not hesitate, and flowed over the ball, moulding to its surface, and as it did so the essence of Sargeras convulsed more and more violently, responding to the power of the Tirisfalen by trying to escape. Arsika felt pain, but this time she knew it was not her that was in pain, but the Dark Titan's corruption that suffered. It had never been her that was in pain, even when Aerai had initially sealed it. What she had suffered had been the emotional and psychological dependency she was developing on the demon power being suddenly starved, throwing her system into shock, and the symbiosis between herself and the energy causing her to feel the pain IT suffered. She would have to remember this detail. Sargeras was pained by the Guardian's power. There might be a use for that knowledge someday.

Right then, however, the Crusader girl's energy finished surrounding the orb of darkness, completely coating it. Arsika had thought that Mint was completely unaware of her environment while she did this, and was concentrating solely on the task at hand, so she was surprised when the young woman suddenly started speaking. "Who in the name of the Light did this?" She asked in amazement with her eyes still closed. "Aerai, was it you who bound the energy?"
"Yes, I did. It was a rush job, and I'm not as experienced with seals as you are--" Aerai began.
"I would have to agree with that analysis whole-heartedly. This certainly looks like the work of an amateur. Look at this! This line of runes is off-center, these three runes over here are not even aligned with each other, this chain is MISSING a rune--and why, for the love of all that is holy, did you not only implement the Twenty-Seventh Rune, in a binding seal but put it in upside-down and backwards? Why!?" Mint exclaimed, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.
"Inverting it introduces more power into the seal, and reduces outside influences." Aerai answered.
"Well yes, I know that, you silly elf," Mint retorted. "But it also introduces more instability on the inside. It is a Chaos symbol! It does NOT belong in a seal of this import!"
"Well, I had to link the chains together somehow..." Aerai muttered defensively.
"That is what the TWELFTH Rune is for! Really, I--You don't mean to tell me you made a Chaos symbol the nexus point in this abomination, do you!?" Mint shouted, horrified. "What would possess you do such a thing!?"

While all this was going on, Arrwynn watched the exchange in amusement, and Arsika merely stood there as she felt Mint's energy at work. The flow of light had, for lack of a better term, solidified, and now there was a thick layer of what Arsika's mind perceived as being glass encasing the black orb. In her mind's eye, what had before been horrendous dark energy forced into a ball shape, and bound only by a few lines of glowing blue-white symbols across it, was now a larger sphere with a transparent layer, and with at least three times more runes etched into the glass-like portion's surface. The core of darkness, with the previous set of runes still on it, seemed to be frozen within the glass, and that added protection, far more stable than what Aerai had used, provided Arsika with a sense of safety, and allowed her to dispel the anxiety she had felt since waking up that morning. Mint's energy retreated, back up to the red-haired elf's forehead, until it had fully withdrawn into the girl's fingers. Only then did she withdraw her hand, and open her eyes.

"It really is a good thing you came to me," Mint said. "With the state that seal was in, I would estimate there were about three more days before it fell apart completely." At that announcement, Arsika's anxiety returned. Arrwynn asked what Arsika was thinking.
"Three days? We really had that short of a time?"
"Well," Mint said, as she looked up at the night sky thoughtfully. "If I was feeling generous -- and I am not -- I MIGHT extend my approximation to a little less than a week, under ideal circumstances, but I seriously doubt it would last any longer than that, even with regular maintenance every single day." Mint brought her gaze down and saw the stricken look on Arsika's face, as the elf considered how close she had come to disaster. The brunette quickly said, "Oh, don't worry, with the seal I just put on you there are now three layers of protection. My seal, Aerai's attempt at a seal, and both seals reinforcing each other. There is little chance of the corruption getting loose now."
"So what is our next step?" Aerai asked, still a bit bothered by the criticism of her work. Mint turned her head towards the other bearer of the Tirisfalen's power.
"Ah, yes. Though I do not care to admit it, I am nowhere near powerful enough or skilled enough to remove the dark energy, to destroy it, or to do anything else to it beyond sealing it. Really, I don't even know if it's possible to affect the energy beyond that. But I know someone else you can go to, who may know precisely what to do next. She and I exchange letters on occasion, and she has been instructing me in her writings about a great many things. That is why I know more about seals than you. She taught me most of what I know, and I don't think I've been shown more than a fraction of her knowledge." The three elves considered this information, until Arrwynn spoke up.
"Wait, you exchange letters? Don't you people kill everyone else? Who delivers your mail?"
"Oh, please," Mint rolled her eyes. "You're still alive, are you not?" Arrwynn admitted that this was a point in Mint's favor, and the human girl answered the second question. "There is a ship that comes by every month or so, to deliver supplies and such for the Monastery. It also brings a letter from the one I told you about, and takes a letter from me back to her when it returns to its home port. It sets anchor off the North Coast." The girl then pointed off to the north-west. "They used to do so further to the south-west, near the Soliden Farmstead, but the combination of slimey Murlocs on the beaches, the Undead stationed nearby at Agamand Mills, and the proximity to the filthy, rotting, plague-infested hovels of Deathknell convinced them that the closer they were to the Monastery, where we can protect them easier, the better. We still keep a tower guarded out by the Farmstead regardless, however, just for if there was ever an emergency of some kind, as well as to protect the farmers."
"Ahhh," Aerai let out. "That's one mystery solved." Everyone looked at her questioningly, and she elaborated, "Many people outside of the Scarlet Crusade have often wondered how the people up here at the Monastery haven't starved to death by now, since no one ever sees the Crusaders out hunting, or any signs of farming, and even merchants and caravans never come near, and never report having done business with you, or even being attacked for supplies."
"Yes," Mint agreed. "We prefer to keep our supply line secret. And now that you know about it, you are not to tell anyone else, for any reason. Is that understood?" The girl's tone did not invite argument, and none of the elves felt compelled to disagree, so they nodded in acceptance. Satisfied, Mint said, "The woman you must speak with lives in Kalimdor."
"Kalimdor?" Arsika asked in surprise. She hadn't expected to have to travel so far in search of a solution to this problem of hers.
"Yes, that's right. The continent across the ocean." She then gave directions on where to go to reach this mysterious woman. When she was done, she looked expectantly at the three women before her, as each of them looked at each other. Finally, Aerai cleared her throat.
"Um, that what put us in the region of Darkshore?" Aerai asked.
"Yes," confirmed Mint.
"In the vicinity of Auberdine?" Aerai questioned.
"Most assuredly," the Crusader girl confirmed again. She noticed this time when the women looked at each other, and was confused by the odd expressions on their faces.
"And what, pray tell, is this person's name?" Arsika inquired, hoping her rising concerns were invalid. That hope was crushed quickly.
"She calls herself Mosslace. Aureadu Mosslace." Silence. "She's a Night Elf." Mint added helpfully, as though they couldn't tell by the name. The silence this time was frigid, to the point of making Mint uncomfortable. Shifting slightly, she asked, "Did I say something wrong?"
"It isn't you that is the problem. It is the fact we must meet with a Darnassian that bothers us." Aerai answered quietly. Mint furrowed her brow, trying to think of how that was a problem.
"But why? Aren't you both elves?"
"Why does the Scarlet Crusade kill their own kind, when you're both humans?" Arrwynn retorted with uncharacteristic coldness.
"That is entirely different! They are plagued!" Mint protested.
"Don't question our prejudices, and we won't question yours." Aerai suggested. Mint puffed up for a moment, prepared to deny she was prejudiced, just out of reflex, but she was interrupted by Arsika.
"Alright, I think we have spent enough time here. Thank you for your help, but we have to get to Kalimdor now. Come on, we should get going towards the Zeppelin Tower, so we can make the next flight." Arrwynn and Aerai were both surprised by this, but though the silver-haired elf moved to follow Arsika as she began to walk out of the graveyard, Aerai halted them both.
"Wait, we can't take a Zeppelin."
"Why not? Isn't that the most direct route?" Arsika asked.
"Perhaps so, but there are problems with doing that. Namely the fact that we'd have to trek all the way back across the country-side to get there, giving time for anyone who followed us from Hillsbrad to catch up with us." Aerai said. This made Arsika and Arrwynn look at each other in surprise.
"But... Didn't we leave before they showed up? How would they know where we were now, and why would they be following us in the first place?" Arrwynn asked in confusion.
"We might have lost them, possibly, but if you recall that energy we felt before, do you really think that someone that powerful would lose track of us just because we flew out of there on the back of giant bats? Furthermore, would you want to bet on the people of Tarren Mill not informing that person where we'd gone or how, if they were asked, when we left no instructions for them to do otherwise? All they'd have to do is ask the Bat Handler if three bats bearing female Blood Elves had departed recently, and where they had been headed. And finally, do you want to risk all of our lives on the chance that we were not followed either by that magic user, or by someone else who had reason to do so? We are not exactly without enemies."

The thought was sobering, and Arrwynn agreed she would not want to chance any of that. Arsika said, "Well, we all know the teleportation spell for Orgrimmar, right? Why can't we just teleport there?" This seemed to make sense, but Aerai had another objection.
"That would place us directly on the second floor of a building that contained a number of skilled Mages, and which other Mages came to regularly for training. And even if the trainers or students somehow did not detect the presence of the dark energy, what about all the other Mages, and Warlocks, and Priests, and Shaman, and so on that would be present in that city? The chance of discovery would increase exponentially every time we came within fifty feet of someone with either magic or spiritual powers."
"B-but doesn't that seal thing keep the energy under control? Wouldn't it be hidden from others?" Arrwynn asked.
"It might, or it might not. However, I do not want to tempt fate, and as a result have to witness Arsika get dissected by some power-hungry lunatic intent on obtaining Sargeras' power for himself, or some Priest who wants to purge her, or anything else." Aerai said.
"Then how do you suggest we get to Kalimdor?" Arsika asked pointedly.
"That... I do not know." Aerai said and sighed.
"Terrific," Arsika muttered sarcastically. Then all three sin'dorei stood there and tried to think of some other way of reaching the other continent. Mint, meanwhile, had stood there and listened to the whole debate, while a struggle went on inside of her. Her loyalty to the Crusade demanded she keep quiet. Her loyalty to Medivh, and the planet itself, demanded she speak up. The latter eventually won out.
"I think I know a way for you to get to Kalimdor that will prevent anyone from following you, and which will not attract attention." The quiet voice of the only human present said. The three elves turned to face her, looking expectant. She mentally kicked herself, but it was too late now. Sighing, she continued, "I don't know if this will work or not, but... You can take the ship."
"The ship?" Arrwynn asked in confusion.
"The ship of the Scarlet Crusade. The one that comes every month to drop off supplies, and which carries letters back and forth. That one." Looks of dawning comprehension and hope filled the faces of the other women. "It won't be easy," Mint warned. "There will be guards from the Monastery there, to ensure that nothing tries to attack the ship, or steal the supplies. But while they are busy clearing the area of Murlocs, and Gnolls, you should be able to get close enough that you might sneak aboard when no one is looking."
"When does the ship arrive next?" Aerai asked.
"Tommorow morning, or possibly as late as noon. No later." Mint supplied. This seemed to be almost too good to be true. Infact, Arsika was a naturally suspicious person and had a question.
"If there will be guards on the shore, won't there be guards on the ship itself? It will be very difficult to remain undetected for an entire sea-voyage with a ship full of Crusaders." However, Mint shook her head.
"The ship isn't crewed by Crusaders, or even humans."
"Oh, no?"
"It is crewed by Goblins."
"Goblins!" Arrwynn exclaimed.
"Yes, from the neutral town of Ratchet, part of the Steamwheedle Cartel. Which is where the ship will be returning to when it heads to Kalimdor."
"Wait one moment," Arsika protested. "I have been to Ratchet, and I have only ever seen ships from Booty Bay make port there. Why have I never seen this secret ship of yours?"
"Because," Mint replied with a grin. "This is a very special ship."
"Is it enchanted to be invisible?" Arsika asked.
"Not exactly. This is a ship that swims."
"Swims? What do you mean?" Aerai asked.
"Oh, you'll just have to see for yourself. It's hard to explain," Mint answered, though the elves suspected from the size of her grin that the Crusader girl was just enjoying keeping them in the dark.
"Alright, I suppose this 'special ship' is our best bet. Let's head down to the beach and find a good place to hide, where we won't be discovered." Aerai suggested. The other two elves turned to leave, and so did Mint, but Arsika stopped her.
"Mint?" The red-head called out. Mint paused and turned around.
"Yes?"
"Thank you," Arsika said. "For everything you've done for us."
"Oh, you're very welcome." Mint replied with a broad smile. It was a very nice smile, that made the disdain and hate she had shown early seem a distant memory. This was the true young woman that stood before Arsika now. The elf returned the smile. But then Mint seemed to catch herself, and wiped the smile off her face, replacing it with a mask of annoyance. "Just try to keep yourself out of trouble. I don't want to have to come out here again and solve all your problems for you a second time." Mint scolded. Arsika nodded soberly.
"I hope not to have to spend any more time in the presence of such an insufferable little brat." Arsika said in a completely serious tone.
"What!?" Mint yelled angrily, but then she saw Arsika smiling, and a brief smirk touched her lips before she began to leave again. Arsika too moved to follow her travelling companions, who were waiting up on a cliff edge, looking for a way to get down to the beach without having to encounter any patrols. However, Mint stopped and whirled around, to call out to her Arsika. "Oh, one more thing! I noticed when I was scanning you that you don't have much in the way of willpower or mental defenses when it comes to demonic influences. You may wish to spend your freetime from now on strengthening your will, and building up a resistance to such things. I am confident the seal will hold unless it is tampered with, but just incase something happens, it would be best if you had the ability to fight back against the dark energy, should it get loose." Arsika thought back to how she couldn't even begin to call upon her inner strength to free herself from the corruption of Sargeras before. How she had struggled to pull some sort of resistance together, and found herself lacking the desire to resist at all.
"That's good advice. But how should I go about it?"
"Oh, it's different for everyone. Some people have certain training methods, or meditation, or what-have-you, but in the end, think on it, and do what feels right to you." Mint answered. Arsika nodded, and then waved her goodbye, before joining the other two elves in climbing down the rocky cliff face.

Mint smiled to herself as she walked up the mountain path, leading back to the Monastery, thinking on how different she felt now. Like she had just made some new friends. She pondered briefly if this meant that the Crusade's doctrine was incorrect about all the other people in the world being plagued, but before she could begin to question the beliefs she had been ingrained with for years, she froze mid-step, and remembered something that made her blood run cold. The Elixir. The Scarlet Elixir. The one High Inquisitor Whitemane had asked her to bring to her. The one she should have long ago returned with. How long had she been out here? She tried to guess at what time it was right now, and all her estimates came up the same: Too long. Panicking, she ran back to the graveyard. She had to get the ingredients for the Elixir. She desperately searched for the unique plant that she had only found growing in this area. A small plant, not even a full bush, that had tiny red berries growing on it. She looked all over, and even searched places she knew the plant did not grow. And all the while, her mind was ticking off the seconds and minutes she wasted. She ran up to the cliff's edge that the elves had descended down. Her new friends were nowhere in sight, having quickly headed away from there, but Mint's jade eyes finally alighted upon what she was looking for.

Letting out a cry of relief, she scrambled down the rocks, to a tiny ledge where one of the strange berried plants sprung up between two rocks. Her hands shook as she did her best to pick the berries without squishing them or dropping any. There weren't many, and she'd need all of them that she could find, with only one plant. Then placing the berries in an inner pocket of her robe, she climbed back up onto the cliff's edge, and ran as fast as she could up the path, past the guards who seemed to have forgotten she was out there, as they looked quite surprised to see her. She didn't even notice, her attention was focused on the Monastery as it grew larger and larger in her vision. She struggled to breathe properly as she ran, being far from an athlete, as she ran through the various hallways, and doors, and stairs, and so forth, until she reached her Alchemy lab. Its location wasn't secret anymore, but she didn't need to worry about anyone else being in there. It had been officially declared off-limits by the High Inquisitor, to anyone but herself, Mograine, and Mint. 'Oh, by the Light, the High Inquisitor,' Mint mentally moaned in horror, thinking on how furious she would be for being kept waiting so long. Finding the plant had seemed to take an eternity, but it had really only been about fifteen minutes. But fifteen minutes was another fifteen added onto the time beyond when she should have been back already. It would just be worse and worse the longer she took.

Mint quickly but carefully prepared the Elixir, squeezing the berries until their juice came out into a vial, and then mixing in a few other substances, and mixing them all together. The purple mush that resulted looked nothing like the brilliant red liquid that Whitemane drank. This was because the final ingredient had not been added. Mint had never been able to complete the Scarlet Elixir properly, using only physical ingredients. She had had to use the power of the Tirisfalen to fuse all the ingredients together on a level she didn't have a word for, but which was so intrinsic to the universe she knew it had to be right. When she used her powers to complete the Elixir, it obtained its special properties, and the only form that Whitemane had ever seen it in. But now, as Mint closed her eyes, concentrating, and trying to use her powers to finish the job, she discovered to her increasing horror that she didn't have the energy needed. She had used up too much putting the seal on Arsika. Tears ran from her eyes as she sobbed, pouring all the energy she had into the Elixir, and though it swirled together and turned mostly red, there were swirls of black inside that shouldn't be there. There was no way that the Glorious One wouldn't notice them, and Mint wasn't stupid enough to give the leader of the Crusade an incomplete product without testing it.

There had to be something she could do. Something. Anything. She looked around the laboratory, trying to find something she could use in place of her energy. But what was there? What could possibly substitute for the power of the Tirisfalen? Then she looked at a letter she had left out on a table. A letter from Mosslace. Accompanying the letter had been instructions on how to brew a potion the Night Elf was experimenting with that required only a few common herbs and reagents, and produced a substance with an enormous energy reaction. A desperate idea formed in Mint's head, and the young woman dashed about her lab, checking various cabinets, until she found all the ingredients described in the letter. She prepared them as directed and caefully poured the clear cyan liquid that resulted into the vial of incomplete Elixir, and nearly shrieked when she saw the result. The Elixir had turned absolutely pitch-black. It was ruined. There was no way she could hand this over to Whitemane. She had screwed up big time, and she felt sick when she thought about her failure, and what it meant for her. What would happen? Would she be sent to the interrogator for punishment? Would she be removed from the sacred order and made nothing more than a house-servant? Would she be banished from the Monastery entirely? It was that last possibility that scared her the most, for she had nowhere else to go, no one else to turn to, no friends, and no family on the outside. Worst of all, she'd be seperated from Jonas.

Her tear filled eyes stared at the vial of black liquid, as she cried, and as she watched, the contents of the glass vial began to change. She thought it was an optical illusion at first, but as she wiped her eyes clear, she stared in disbelief as the blackness gradually changed from the blackness of night, to the familiar red of the Scarlet Elixir. She had seen this happen before. A delayed chemical reaction. She didn't care how or why it had happened this time, though, and instead let out a sob of joy, as she carefully poured the now-red substance into the type of bottle she always gave to the High Inquisitor, knowing she would kill herself if she spilled even a single drop after all that. When she finished, she put a stopper in the bottle, picked it up, and in a dead-run, headed with it out of the Library, and towards the Cathedral.

Eventually, she reached the doors to the Chapel, and saw Scarlet Commander Mograine standing watch outside of them. She was completely out of breath, almost to the point of passing out, when she skidded to a halt before him. For some reason he was scowling at her. Before he had always shown polite disinterest in her when she brought the Elixir to the High Inquisitor. She assumed it was due solely to her late arrival, and put no more thought into it, instead holding up the bottle of Scarlet Elixir to show she had a valid reason for being there. Mograine stepped aside, flicking some of his orange-blonde hair out of his face as he pulled up his red bandanna on his forehead, and pushed one of the doors open wide enough to permit Mint entry. The Crusader girl slipped in, and the door shut behind her, with what to her seemed great loudness. At the other end of the Chapel, standing before the altar with her back to Mint, was the High Inquisitor. Mint could smell a strange odor in here. It was somehow familiar, and quite pungent, but she couldn't place it. In her frazzled state, she was amazed she even picked up on such a detail, but perhaps the adrenaline surging through her was heightening her senses and awareness.

Shaking in fear, Mint tried to swallow a lump in her throat, and began advancing towards the altar. The further forward she moved, the stronger the smell became, until she realized she was standing right in front of the source of it, and looked down at a large dark spot on the red carpet. The carpet stretched from the door to the altar, and the darkness marked where something had been spilled, or where it had gotten wet somehow. She abruptly remembered what that odor was. She had smelled it often enough when she and Jonas made love, but then it was often mixed with his own male scent. She now understood that this is what the smell was like by itself. It was the smell of female arousal, and of a woman's nectar. Her already-flushed face turned even more red in embarassment at the thought of the High Inquisitor doing anything that could result in such a large wet spot, or such a strong, pervasive scent in this large room. To Mint's eyes, Whitemane had always been on some pedestal of holiness far beyond her reach. Something more than human. To realize that the Glorious One did human things like this, that she was a mortal woman, with physical needs, just like herself, put a new perspective on things. She still regarded Whitemane as her superior, and a subject of admiration, but now she felt closer to her. Like she wasn't so inhuman, so distant. Like she could understand her a little bit better.

And then the High Inquisitor said, "Do you have the Scarlet Elixir?" The woman's voice was calm, stable, and showed no sign of anger or anything else that betrayed her feelings on Mint's tardiness. Still, the girl was cautious, as she stuttered a little, and then got ahold of herself, forcing her voice to be stable as well.
"Yes, Glorious One. I have a full bottle."
"Place it on the altar, next to me." Whitemane ordered. Mint acknowledged this as respectfully as possible, and quickly advanced beyond the strongly-scented dark spot on the carpet, and approached the altar. As she came closer, she grew more and more tense, for some reason she could not explain. Her eyes scanned the High Inquisitor, as she stood there in front of the stone slab, bent forward slightly, both hands on the altar itself. Her white hair hung on either side of her head, creating a curtain that hid her face. Somehow it was the fact she couldn't see Whitemane's face that bothered her the most. Yet she did not hesitate for a moment, despite her growing apprehension, and paused a little bit behind the High Inquisitor, and off to the side, before leaning forward, stretching her arm out as far as she could, trying to avoid violating Whitemane's personal space by standing too close, and gently set the bottle down on the altar's surface with a faint clink of glass on stone. Whitemane didn't move an inch. Didn't even seem to be breathing. Like she was a statue of flesh. Mint took in a breath, as the tension inside of her continued to build, and she held that breath, as her fingers left the bottle, her sweaty fingers sticking to the cool surface for a moment before it was gone from her grasp. She slowly withdrew her hand, pulling her arm back, and still Whitemane did not move, did not speak, did not do anything.

She let out her held breath shudderingly, as she felt the tension ebb. Nothing was going to happen. She was alright. Everything was going to be okay. She looked upon the High Inquisitor, hunched over the altar, and felt her previous worries replaced by sadness and pity for the woman. She had such heavy responsibilities, and had done so much for this world, and yet there was so much more to do. She felt even more like she could understand her leader, feel her hopes and dreams, and she wanted to do all she could to help her achieve them. From now on she would stop slacking off. She would find something to make Whitemane proud to have her as a Crusader. She finished withdrawing her hand, and turned to leave the Chapel, and let the High Inquisitor drink her Elixir in peace. Her thoughts drifted to Jonas, and wondered if he was back yet from his patrol, and if he had been kept waiting long.

And that was when a red-gloved hand shot out and seized Mint's wrist in a crushing grip so suddenly she shrieked and jumped at least a foot in the air. When she landed, heart pounding in her chest, jade eyes wide with fright, she turned back towards the altar and found herself face to face with Whitemane. Her bizarre red eyes seethed with fury, and her red-painted lips were pulled back to expose her white teeth, bared in her anger. Mint had never found the High Inquisitor so terrifying as at that moment. Whitemane hissed out between her teeth, "I have you now, you little bitch."

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Jonas had just returned from patrol. It had been successful, as he had known it would be, and aside from a couple of scratches on a few of the Crusaders who had been on the team, there had been no injuries or deaths on his side. The refugees, on the other hand, littered the ground with their corpses -- or at least parts of their corpses. Some limbs and such had sort of gotten thrown clear of the battle, and off into the underbrush accidentally, when Jonas and his men got carried away with their hacking and slashing. The only disappointments of the evening had been the lack of any challenge whatsoever in combat, and the fact that he believed some of the Gnolls had managed to escape into the night while he was busy slaying their kin. All in all, however, it had been fairly enjoyable as far as missions went, and spirits had been high among the men when they returned to the Monastery. Jonas made mention of the fact he was going to get cleaned up, and take care of something, when he excused himself from the presence of the other Crusaders. One of them had jokingly suggested that perhaps Jonas was departing for a secret rendezvous with some pretty young lady, and when Jonas had merely grinned at them, there had been a brief pause, before they all bursted out laughing, being quite loud despite the hour.

Jonas gave one final wink, and then left to change out of his armor. After doing so, and replacing it with his normal uniform, red with some white, he wandered about the Monastery for a bit, searching for Mint. All that blood he had spilled had made him quite excited, and his lust for his lover was burning hot inside of him. A good fight always gave him an erection, as did killing large numbers of heathens. He didn't know why. It just felt that good to him. And the erection typically lasted for hours at a time. He was quite ready to make love to Mint literally all night long, as he often did. He knew she would probably be walking funny for a few days afterwards, and would be quite tired, but she and he both would be happy, and that was what mattered. The blonde-haired Scarlet Centurion didn't find Mint in the Library, or in any of the other places she frequented. He didn't find her anywhere at all, in fact. He started to become concerned, and asked various guards if they'd seen her come back from outside. He had a horrible suspicion that something bad had happened to her out there, but he soon learned that she had been seen just a short time ago. She had been out for quite some time, and then charged through the Monastery like the Lich King himself was after her, heading to the place Jonas knew she had her lab. She had been in there for a few minutes, according to one of the guards, and then ran towards the Cathedral.

Jonas was relieved she was safe, but didn't know why it had taken Mint so long to get back to the High Inquisitor with the Elixir. Had she had trouble finding the ingredients she needed? On some strange hunch, he continued to follow her trail, asking guards and anyone else he came across if they'd seen Mint Evarise, making sure she had actually headed to the Chapel. Eventually he learned that she had not only arrived in the Cathedral, and been seen entering the hallway leading to the Chapel, but that it had been a few minutes since she went in, and that she had yet to emerge. This bothered Jonas. It shouldn't take that long to drop off the Elixir. He wondered if maybe Mint had gotten in trouble with the High Inquisitor for taking so long, and hoped desperately she wasn't punished too severely. He entered the hallway leading to the Chapel, thinking he'd wait for her to come out, calm her and listen to her if she needed him to, and then he'd take her back to her room, and comfort her all night long in every way he could think of. He was still very aroused, after all, even with his concern for his lover.

However, scarcely two seconds after stepping into the hallway, Scarlet Commander Mograine took notice of him and immediately growled, "You are not permitted here currently. Leave at once."
"Sir, I--" Jonas began.
"Leave at once." Mograine's voice brooked no argument. It was an order, and Jonas had to follow it. Leaving the hallway, he went back to Mint's room, and let himself in, shutting the door behind him, and lying down on her bed. He crossed his arms behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling, hoping that Mint would be okay. She told him he worried too much, but lately he felt like he didn't worry enough. He figured she would be allowed out of the Chapel at some point, regardless of what her punishment was. Probably she'd get a lecture, be told what her punishment would be, and then sent away to wait for when it was scheduled to occur. She would probably be upset, but he knew how to distract her. He entertained himself with thoughts of the ways he would distract her, picturing her in the lingerie he had covertly had a passing Tailor custom make for Mint. It had probably been quite odd for the poor man to be accosted by a Scarlet Centurion, given a large sum of money, and told to make the sexiest undergarments he knew how, and even provided measurements. Jonas had been so satisfied with the job, he let the Tailor continue on his way without any violence or so much as a harsh word.

Many times Mint had worn the outfit for him, and he never failed to be struck speechless when he saw her in it. It was red and black, silk, and was composed of three parts. There was the red, thong-like bottom which left Mint's legs, hips, and parts of her inner-thighs exposed, as well as her adorable rear. There was also a top which perfectly conformed to the outline of Mint's breasts, sculpting them and lifting them, allowing the bumps of her nipples to protrude through the fabric, as well as pressing her tits together, so that there was plenty of cleavage to look over. And then there a sheer black sheet of semi-transparent fabric that stretched from the bottom of the top, to upper-edge of the thong. It made Mint's stomach and abs, and her little belly button appear darker, partially concealed. The combination of these three things was so sexy that it was usually mere moments after seeing the brunette wearing them that she found herself divested of them, courtesy of Jonas. Even now, as Jonas lay on the bed, fantasizing about just SEEING Mint wearing it, he felt like he was going to cum in his pants. He heard footsteps outside in the hallway. Feminine footsteps. He turned his head to the side, grinning broadly, and expecting Mint to come through the door at any second, but the footsteps continued past the room, and vanished down the hall.

Jonas sighed in disappointment, and wondered where Mint was and what was happening to her right now. He wasn't going to become impatient, though. He had time. He would wait for her all night if he had to.

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"You," Whitemane began forcefully. "Are late." She was still holding Mint's wrist, squeezing so hard that pain was shooting through the young woman's arm. Mint tried to stammer something out, some sort of explanation, or apology, but she was so scared nothing intelligible came out. And Whitemane didn't seem to be paying attention anyway. She was focused to a frightening degree, her red eyes wide, a snarl on her lips, as she continued to talk. "This. Is. Unacceptable."
"P-p-please, Glorious One, I'm sorry! I couldn't find the--" Mint was interrupted as the High Inquisitor's other hand left the altar, came around, and slapped her in the face with a sharp crack. Pain exploded in her skull, and she felt like her jaw had just been broken.
"Silence! I will not have any excuses! Do you know what I have suffered while waiting for you? Do you? Do you know what I suffer every. Single. Day? All that I do for this Monastery on a regular basis? I devote myself to the Light, to saving this world, and to keeping the Crusaders alive, and what do I ask you to do? What? Make me my Elixir and bring it to me, WHEN I NEED IT." Despite the ferocity of Whitemane's words, and the ever-increasing pressure on Mint's wrist, until the pain was so terrible she couldn't even stand, and fell to her knees on the carpet, staring up at the High Inquisitor with tears in her jade eyes, the older woman was not shouting. She was instead alternating between whispering viciously and speaking at normal conversational volume. Somehow all that intensity, instead of being yelled at, made this even worse. As Mint kneeled on the floor, whimpering, and not daring to try to pull her arm free of Whitemane's grip, despite the agony she was in, the High Inquisitor continued to rant. "We took you in. You, a filthy child, cowering inside of a water barrel, while all around you your family and neighbors fought and died against the Undead. And this is how you repay us?" These words wounded Mint terribly. They hurt her worse than the physical pain she felt right now.
"Please forgive me, High Inquisitor! Please, please, please! I am sorry! It won't happen again, please, please, please..." She cried out, and she didn't even know if Whitemane was listening to her, as those red eyes bored into her own, digging into her very soul. The High Inquisitor suddenly twisted her hand, and made Mint scream as her wrist was bent at an unnatural angle. "Please, ma'am! Please, you're breaking my arm! Please, stop!" She begged. Whitemane knew all about Mint's insecurities, had deliberately chosen her words to reduce Mint to this state. She was not the High Inquisitor because she had nice tits. She had her rank because she knew the weaknesses of those beneath her, whether they be ally or enemy. She knew how to control them. She knew how to make them hurt. And as she stared down at Mint, and saw those jade eyes looking back up at her, in a mix of terror and agony, she knew that what Mint said was true. This would never happen again. The girl would kill herself before she allowed herself to be late with Whitemane's Elixir a second time. But she wasn't done. The lesson had been learned, but now it had to be driven home. She released Mint's wrist, and the girl immediately jerked it away and held it close to her, cradling it with her other arm, as she sobbed like a little baby on the floor. This was not because Mint was any weaker than anyone else. Whitemane had made other women, as well as grown men, hardened warriors who had faced the horrors of the Undead in battle for years, cry their eyes out, turned into snivelling dogs, eager to please her in any way she ordered them to, willing to give their lives if it meant not displeasing her further.
"There will be a punishment for this," Whitemane informed Mint calmly. The anger had leeched from her voice, and Mint didn't say anything, just nodded in acceptance and cried quietly while she awaited the verdict. "I will have to think very carefully about an appropriate manner in which to expunge your sins from you. In the meantime, you will return to your room for the night. Now stand up." Mint obeyed instantly, leaping to her feet, though she kept her head down, eyes on the floor, as she continued to tremble. Whitemane then lifted the bottle full of red liquid off the altar, pulled out the stopper, and said, "I want you to think very carefully about what you have done tonight, and what I have said. Think on it, and pray for forgiveness. With any luck we will have salvaged you by the day after tommorow, and all will be well." Mint nodded her head silently again. "Leave now," Whitemane ordered, and then started to lift the bottle to her lips, while Mint turned around quickly, preparing to leave. However, the High Inquisitor checked the motion of her hand before the bottle reached her lips, the red liquid danced just near the lip of the bottle, prepared to fall into her mouth and deliver her to heaven. Yet for some reason she hesitated. She had what she wanted, and she was stopping herself from drinking it. Slowly she lowered the bottle from her lips, and called out, "Wait."

Mint had already begun to walk down the carpet, eyes on the floor, headed for the door, but she froze when she heard the High Inquisitor's order. She turned her head slowly to look over her shoulder, eyes wide, wondering what was going to happen now. And she saw something that gave her the creeping horrors. Whitemane held the bottle up in front of one side of her face, her eyes peering through the liquid within. She shook it a little, and then lowered it to sniff slightly at the top of the bottle. She turned her red-eyed gaze on Mint and said in a dangerous tone, "This does not smell like it usually does." Narrowing her eyes to near-slits, she suspiciously asked, "Are you sure this is the Scarlet Elixir?" Mint turned around and began enthusiastically assuring the woman standing in front of the altar that it was indeed the exact same Scarlet Elixir she always had. She didn't realize until after she did this that she had comitted herself to a course of action. She had sealed her fate. If there were any unpredictable side-effects, any problems, anything at all that went wrong, she would have to admit she lied to the High Inquisitor herself. This could mean her death. Whitemane eyed the red liquid in the bottle carefully, and shook it once more, just a little, watching the substance slosh and dance merrily, innocently, within. She couldn't wait any longer. Her anger had warded off the depression far better than her arousal had earlier, but now that it returned to her, it seemed to be even more severe than before. She had to have her Elixir NOW. Sitting down on the altar, the cold stone pressing against her partially-bare cheeks, having replaced her underwear while she waited for Mint, Whitemane lifted the bottle, and gave one last warning look at Mint as she started to drink it. Her gaze told Mint, 'If anything negative comes of me drinking this, you will wish yourself dead.' And Mint believed every unspoken word of that sharp glare.

As the Scarlet Elixir flowed over Whitemane's tongue, and down her throat, she silently rejoiced. It had the same flavor as usual, regardless of what it smelled like. Crimson light filled her, turning the world around her dim and shadowy, as pleasure burned its way through her being. Mint stood and watched nervously, until she saw Whitemane's eyes dialate, her expression becoming unfocused, her head lolling back, tilting her unseeing gaze heavenwards. These were the signs she had seen before, and recognized as meaning the Scarlet Elixir was doing its job. She sighed in relief, and once more turned to leave. However, behind her, Whitemane's head came back down, until she was looking forward again, and Mint paused as she heard the sound of the empty bottle clinking on the stone altar as it was set down. And then the High Inquisitor's voice rang out. "Where do you think you are going?" Mint whipped around, staring in fear and disbelief at the woman sitting on the altar. She should have been completely out of it right now! She should be in a daze for the next several hours! Had that energy potion she added in diluted the rest of the Elixir somehow? Reduced its duration? "Come here." Whitemane said, her voice sounding a bit different than usual. Uneven. One hand raised and a finger curl inwards a few times, gesturing for her to come closer. The young woman meekly but quickly moved to obey the order, and came closer, until she could see that there was something different about Whitemane. Her eyes had the same intensity they had before, when they were staring into her own, but now those red eyes contained something else. A primal hunger she had seen before, but never in the eyes of a woman. Whitemane's red lips pulled back into a savage smile, her white teeth exposed once again, and Mint's heart stopped beating for a couple seconds.

"Come closer," Whitemane ordered in her strange, uneven voice, as she continued to smile, and Mint obeyed once more, though hesitantly, until she was within a few inches of the older woman. Then the Crusade-leader's red-silk encased right hand shot up and around, fingers gripping Mint by the back of her neck, making the Brunette let out a short noise of fear and tense up, as she looked into Whitemane's eyes. Then something completely unexpected happened, and the white-haired woman used her grip on Mint's neck to jerk her inwards, and pressed her red lips to the brunette's own. Whitemane kissed Mint fiercely, her red eyes closed, while Mint's jade eyes not only remained open but widened in shock. She had never kissed another woman before. Beyond not having the opportunity to do so, she now knew why. She didn't like it. It made her feel bad inside, like she was doing something she ought not to do. She had never had any interest in other women, and even if she had, she was in love with Jonas, not Whitemane. And yet here she was, being forced to kiss the High Inquisitor's soft lips, and though it seemed to cause strange feelings in her she couldn't identify, she wanted it to stop. And suddenly it did, as Whitemane jerked Mint back by the neck again, their lips seperating with a loud smack. Whitemane resumed smiling that savage grin of hers, though she took a moment to trace her tongue over her lips. Her red eyes stared into Mint's unblinkingly, and the brunette was suddenly very, very frightened of the woman before her. More frightened than she had been before, and in a way completely alien to her.

"I have a job for you," Whitemane breathed out, warm air escaping her mouth and washing over Mint's lips, only a few inches away from her own. "One I expect you to pursue whole-heartedly, and with the same devotion I would expect of any Crusader loyal to our cause." Mint was paralyzed, she couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't do anything but stand there in Whitemane's grip. And then she was suddenly forced down to the ground, on her knees, and there was the sound of fabric rustling, and then the grip on her neck was suddenly released. Mint's head slowly lifted, along with her gaze, and she found herself staring at the sex of another woman for the first time in her life. It was barely concealed by a pair of red panties with semi-transparent designs in them, and she stared, entranced for some reason, perhaps in shock due to all that had happened in so short a time. She could see what she thought was moisture coating the dark-pink nether lips underneath the panties, and could smell that same musky odor she had smelled before when she first entered the Chapel, only it was now even stronger. Then a red-gloved hand came down and pulled the crotch of the panties aside, exposing the pussy to the open air. Mint once more found herself staring, not knowing what was going on, not knowing what would happen next, not knowing anything, just mindlessly examining all the details before her. And then Whitemane said, "Pleasure me with your tongue." Mint's gaze broke from the sight of Whitemane's sex, and locked onto the High Inquisitor's eyes. She stared in dawning horror, as her brain processed what had just been said, what she was being told to do. She shook her head violently back and forth.
"Please, no..." She begged. Whitemane did not fly into a rage, oddly, instead just pressing her red lips together and speaking quietly.
"You will not refuse me."
"P-please," Mint tried again, trying to formulate some excuse to get her out of this. "I am not attracted to women! I don't want to do this!"
"We all must do things we do not want to," Whitemane replied, sounding almost sad. "But this is your duty. You have much to repay after all we have done for you. You will give back what you owe, starting now." Mint shook all over, as the High Inquisitor used psychology against her again. She didn't know why Whitemane was acting this way all of a sudden, though she suspected somewhere in her overwhelmed mind that the different mixture she had used in the Scarlet Elixir had something to do with it, but she felt the same emotions of being a freeloader, deadweight, useless, that she had thought overcome and long gone, welling up inside of her. What had she done for the Scarlet Monastery? Read books? How did that repay their endless patience and kindness. Their boundless generosity in saving her life, giving her a home, food, water, clothing, an education. It was because of them she had met Jonas.

Jonas. That thought rocked her. What would Jonas think of this if he found out? She couldn't let him know. She didn't want to hurt him. And yet she could not refuse the task before her. It was being given by the Glorious One herself, and if she was behaving oddly, was it not Mint's own fault for preparing the wrong Elixir? She turned her gaze once more on Whitemane's sex. She could feel the heat radiating from it, could see the traces of feminine wetness leaking out of her slit, and fought down the urge to cry, trying to steel herself, to not be a weak-willed little girl. She moved her face closer, her lips quivering, and extended her tongue, as she began to lick tentatively at the mound of the Crusade's leader. It was just weak poking with the tip of her tongue at first, but she knew she was not doing as she had been ordered, and was not giving the High Inquisitor pleasure, so she gathered her determination, closed her eyes, and pressed her tongue completely against another woman's genitalia, licking firmly and slowly over everything she could. When her tongue contacted Whitemane's juices, her eyes shot open. The taste was strange, different from anything she had ever tasted before, and yet she could not claim to either like it or dislike it. All she knew was that it made her tongue tingle, and she tried not to think about what she was doing, to put her mind somewhere else, and focus solely on doing the job assigned to her. She heard quiet moans above her, coming from Whitemane's mouth, and knew she was doing well. She tried to take some satisfaction in that. They all had a duty to perform, and this was hers.

---------------End Chapter Fourteen---------------