We Are Taking Down the Goddess

The Demon Apple

The door opened to a narrow wooden corridor. The dust and wind from outside banged some of the pictures on the wall, creating a loud noise that announced their arrival. Aiko, Kana, and Ren dusted off the sand from their shoulders and made their way into the building. What started out as a simple hallway paved the way to a much bigger room, larger than anything Aiko has ever seen.

The young girl was taken aback by the unusual harp music that echoed around the room, and the sharp smell of cigars and drinks. She pushed her tattered hood off her face and raised her head. At that moment, her jaw dropped and her cheeks flushed bright red.

-        “Welcome, my lady. Care for a drink?”

A stunning woman with horns pointing from her head and wings tucked behind her back greeted Aiko with a smile. Aiko gazed upon her perfectly shaped body, that glistening dark skin with a hint of sensual sweat. She barely wore any clothes, except for the important bits and pieces. The only thing that stood out on her body were the obvious tattoos that covered her from head to toe – flattering her curves like that of a catwalk model. If Aiko could melt, she would do it right there and then.

Out of the blue, the lady pushed her short white hair behind her ears and gave Aiko a peck on the cheek. The young girl lost it.

Ren immediately rushed to her aid. The little pup stood between the woman and Aiko, blocking her from taking another step. But, the woman simply giggled and continued with the greetings.

-        “Welcome to The Demon Apple. We are at your service. Here you can get anything your heart desires.”

She finished the sentence with an emphasis on the word “anything”. Kana didn’t budge. She made her way to the inside of the tavern with haste. Aiko shook it off and quickly followed suit. She hugged Ren tightly and jumped towards the sorceress. But, not without looking at the woman one more time. Just to make sure she won’t give her another surprise kiss. The lady couldn’t help but smile at her pure and innocent reaction.

It didn’t take long for them to enter the main compartment. The moment the group took a step inside the main hall, Aiko and Ren realized they were standing on a ground covered with pink and red pillows made of the purest silk. It felt as if they were walking on clouds in the middle of a sunny day.

The further they got, the louder the music became. Laughter and smiles swirled in the air mixed with a dirty cloud of smoke. Aiko quickly noticed the countless other women that looked quite like the lady before. But, each of them was beautiful in her own way. They carried all sorts of beverages around the busy place.

One of the most unique aspects of the whole area were the secluded spots. Although there wasn’t a single wall that divided the tavern, a dozen curtains stuck to the ceiling gave each customer a sense of privacy. Aiko and Ren couldn’t see the other people’s faces, but from the sound of it, everyone there was beyond happy.

Aiko couldn’t explain it, but she felt incredibly uncomfortable. She hurried to Kana’s side and grabbed her by the clothes.

-        “Where are we? What is this place?”

-        “This is a tavern and the servers here are succubus.” – the woman answered and kept on walking.

-        “What is a succubus?” – Aiko stood there baffled.

Since Kana had no intention of explaining, Ren approached Aiko and whispered in her ear. Although Kana couldn’t hear a thing, Aiko’s reaction spoke a million words. Her cheeks flushed red once more.

-        “So, they pay for THAT!!!”

-        “Yes.” – Ren nodded.

-        “But, what if they don’t have enough money to pay?”

-        “The succubus would suck the life out of them. Just like they did with that person over there.”

Aiko peaked through the thin curtains and saw a lifeless man lying on the pillows with a huge smile on his face. The succubus who served him simply licked her lips and continued to talk with the guest nearby. He too looked dazed, enchanted by her beauty unfazed that a man just died near him.

-        “Why don’t they run away?”

-        “Aiko, some people come here with the sole purpose of dying a happy death. It’s the greatest pleasure they can get. Plus, it keeps the succubus nice and fed.”

Aiko was mortified. But, before she could utter another word, Kana reached the end of the room and knocked at one of the doors that led even deeper into the tavern.

-        “Come on in!” – a voice emerged from the other side of the door.

Kana pushed the door wide open, revealing a more elegant place. It was another cozy room with a single queen-sized bed. The chamber was dark, with only a couple of scented candles illuminating the silky sheets. The light from the main hall brightened up the place, exposing a tall lady with blood-red hair and head held high. She sat on the bed, resting her flawless deep blue skin. Her red eyes took Aiko and Ren’s breath away. Although she wasn’t beautiful in a typical way, like the golden curls or human skin one might expect, her unearthly beauty was a league above all the rest.

The woman quickly scanned the group for someone interesting. When her eyes locked on the sorceress, she quickly stood up and reached for the main hall. That’s when all the passing succubus simply bowed with respect.

-        “Kana! It’s been a while!”

She tried to give the sorceress a welcoming hug, but the woman pushed her away. A nearby succubus server who witnessed the whole thing growled in anger. For a moment there, Aiko and Ren felt threatened. The server’s fierce eyes made their blood run cold.

-        “No big deal!” – the stunning woman calmed the atmosphere with a simple smile. “How have you been?”

-        “Where is he?” - Kana mumbled with a serious glare.

-        “Oh come on. You know we don’t reveal personal information about our clients. It’s our policy.” – the woman giggled.

-        “Xeneth, we have no time to lose and you know it. Tell me. Where is he?”

-        “I see you’ve found the hidden gem.”

The mysterious woman grabbed Aiko by the waist and pulled the young girl up close towards her humungous breasts. She glided her hand gently through Aiko’s hair. At that moment, both Aiko and Ren fell into a daze. Their eyes became candles that sparkled with wild passion. They lost control over their body. To them, nothing else mattered except enjoying the moment. Suddenly, all the guests, both women, and men stood from their seats and walked towards the woman like charmed kittens waiting to be pet.

Kana flicked her fingers and with that simple sound, she lifted the enchanting spell. The guests regained their senses and hurried to their seats, overwhelmed with happiness that they managed to see the famous owner.

-        “The Groel came for her. I should have gotten there sooner. The entire elven army died, because of me.”

-        “Why do you always have to be so serious. So…stern.” – Xeneth let go of Aiko and pinched Kana’s cheek. “I love that about you.”

-        “I need you by my side, Xeneth. Now more than ever.”

-        “You are asking for her help?! Weren’t you just being rude to her? Plus, I still don’t get the whole “goddess” thing. It sounds too crazy to me. I’m sure you have me confused with someone else. And, you are both crazy! Crazy!”- Aiko protested.

-        “We need to get out of here!!” – Ren tried to pull Aiko towards the exit.

-        “Oh, don’t worry. We go way back. But, before you can find him, we need to take care of a couple of uninvited guests first.” – Xeneth said with a smirk.

-        “What are you talking about? There are just customers here.” – Aiko asked.

Suddenly, both Kana and Xeneth took up defensive positions. Without a moment too soon, the darkened windows shattered and a dozen assassins flocked the place. Their bleak grey eyes were devoid of any emotion. Their blunt hands stood steady, firmly holding onto their sharp daggers.

Aiko and Ren panicked. When Aiko laid eyes on their blood-stained leather shirts, the young girl fell to the ground. That blood must have come from some of the succubi outside guarding the place. She couldn’t help but tremble. Ren rushed towards her, but he knew he couldn’t do much to protect her, at least not in his current form.

The rest of the succubi servers immediately dashed by Xeneth’s side.

-        “Just like the good old days.” – she smiled while looking at those sinister killing machines.