Succubus Quest Ch. 4

The sign had said Kampi Village, but as Vivian approached, it looked more like a fortress. The road had led her to a chest-height stone wall backed with palisade, grim spikes of wood that towered beneath the thin moonlight. The entrance was flanked by a pair of lanterns, like twin anglers drawing her in with their lure.

The gate was open and unguarded, but Vivian still hesitated. It felt off. Wrong, somehow, in a way she couldn’t quite place. She crept forward, boots scuffing softly against the dirt as she stepped, looking around for a sign that someone was watching her and finding none. The succubus glanced back at the road, which was quickly followed by the dark forest she had left. Was she going to return to Granny and say she’d gotten nervous? After how kind the troll had been? No, she was just overthinking this. Nerves, nothing more.

Vivian passed through the torchlight and into the village, checking her hood for the fourth time to make sure her horns were adequately concealed. Her tail, likewise, was tucked into the back of her pants. It was uncomfortable, not having clothes designed for that purpose, but she could make do. “You are a strong, independent demon,” Vivian muttered to herself. “You just need to get in, find the alchemy supplies, and get out.”

Where to start, though? It was late, too late for anyone to be around. Not that she wanted to ask directions. Two more lamps burned along the main road, offering sparse illumination further into the town. Better to stick to the shadows, Vivian thought. She didn’t have any skill at sneaking. Or at anything else, if she were honest with herself. But there wasn’t time to think about that now. Granny was going to help her get things started. Level up, drink potions, whatever this brave new world required. Then, when she was ready, Vivian would figure out what to do with herself.

“Bit of an evening stroll, miss?”

Vivian spun, nearly tripping over her feet as she moved. She stared. There was a man standing five meters away, middle-aged, heavily bearded. He was wearing armor under some kind of uniform, green and white, and a heavy cudgel hung from a loop at his belt.

The succubus’ mind raced. The man was obviously a guard, or some kind of law enforcement - exactly what she’d wanted to avoid. She needed to say something. And it had to be good. Alicia Verne, her Oratory teacher, had said that there were seven words that, spoken properly, could seduce any man.

“Uh, hi,” Vivian offered. Miss Verne would have wept.

The man raised an eyebrow. “Don’t recall as I’ve seen you ‘round, before,” he said, tone overcasual. “A man might ask what a traveler’s up to, wandering into our fine town at this hour.” He folded his arms across his chest, chin tilted up, looking down his nose at her. “But I’m sure you have a reasonable explanation?”

Vivian exhaled slowly, trying to remain calm. “I’m a new adventurer,” she said. That wasn’t exactly a lie. “I know it’s late, but I’ve been walking all day. I was hoping to sleep at the… inn? Tavern?”

The man’s expression softened slightly. “You don’t seem much of an adventurer, but… well, it takes all sorts I suppose. Ms. Fairwen won’t mind you napping a bit in the stables, I expect, only make sure you’re up come dawn. She’s a bit of a temper, that one.” He took a step forward. “And the mayor’ll want to see you in the morning. Always has a talk with the new ones, he does. You can’t miss him - big house, smack in the center of town. I’d head there once the sun’s up, if I were you.”

Relief trickled down the back of Vivian’s neck. Why had she been so worried? This was a starting area, right? Things had more or less conformed to her expectations of a fantasy world. Which was unsettling in its own way, now that she thought about it. But whatever the case, this was just the generic friendly guard you meet the first time you’re in town.

“That’s great,” Vivian said. She forced an awkward smile. “So… where did you say I should sleep?”

“Oh, that’s right this way, miss.” The man stepped forward, almost on top of her. “I’ll just need to check you for weapons, then we’ll be on our way.”

“Weapons?” Vivian started to ask, but his hand was already resting on her shoulder. The man’s eyes bored into her, a deep and mesmerizing blue. They flashed, and she felt unclothed by the intensity of his eyes.

“Right,” the man said, expressing souring. “Just as I expected - more of them goblin tricks.”

“More of what?” Vivian squeaked.

One hand held her in place while the other reached up, tugging the hood from her head and exposing the pair of curled black horns. “Never could get your disguise spells right, you lot. Thought you could slip one past ol’ Lucas, but no sir. Not this time, not ever.” Lucas’ grip tightened and he began to lead Vivian down the street, forcing her to trot to keep up with his longer stride.

“There’s been some mistake,” Vivian stammered. “I’m not - ” She froze mid-sentence. Would declaring herself not a goblin really help her case? It was likely better than the truth, and the man clearly had his mind made up. She tried to duck away and run, but his hand only tightened painfully and half-pushed, half-dragged her along beside him.

“You can plead your case all you like come morning, little goblin,” the man chuckled. “Lucky for you, you’ll get to see the mayor, same as before. He’ll have the truth out, one way or the other. You’ll see.”

Vivian tried to consider her options, combing through her memory for ways to escape, but nothing appeared. It was strange. Almost more frightening than her present circumstances. She’d received the finest education her mother could arrange for the first 25 years of her life. Studied under the best teachers. Classroom lessons, practical training, fieldwork. None had served to awaken some hidden talent, as mother had hoped, but Vivian had done the work and she’d been damn good at it. But now, being forced to march alongside this clod, nothing useful came to mind. Her stomach felt hollow as she began to suspect that it was more than the panic running wild through her body. This was something else. Something she’d lost.

The rest of the trip was a blur, and soon Vivian found herself pushed none-too-gently into a stone cell. The iron bars clanged shut behind her with grim finality, locking with a clak-clak as the key turned.

“Don’t you go nowhere,” Lucas said, chortling to himself. “We’ll be spending the night here. No sneaking your way out - it won’t do you no good, and I’ll thump you if you try any of that goblin mischief.” He tapped the truncheon at his belt before settling into a wooden chair and checking the keys at his belt.

Breathe, Vivian told herself. You’re better than this. Whatever memory problems she was having could come later. She just needed to stay calm, consider her options and plan a way out. There were hours till sunrise, after all. She could make this work.