Mazuko Seduction

The Tale of Illianna and Vladimir

Chapter 2: Plans Unfolding

I finally got back to this one.   I know it's been a while but now my creative juices are flowing again and I'm coming up with new ideas.   Hope you enjoy.

The day had just begun with a fog  covering the valley city of Chelta.   The guards were standing at their post waiting for their captain to show.   Gabriel kept his post at the front of the town while waiting on Illianna.   As he watched through the fog he thought he saw something move in the distance.   He looked to see if any other guards were around.   When none were seen he began to move towards whatever he saw.   As he got to the spot he prodded the underbrush with his spear.   When nothing moved he began to turn around and head back for his post.   As he turned he was hit dead in the face with a metal object, and went flying back into the forest.   As he landed he started feeling drowsy  and fought to move.   As he started to get up he saw his attacker holding a sword who's hilt had been to bash his head.   It was a man-sized creature standing upright like a human but had four arms on its torso.   Its gapping jaws were filled with sharp, jagged fangs that where about an inch in length.   As the sleep began to overtake him Gabriel was locked with the ruby gaze of the monster's eyes, and as his consciousness slipped away he whispered, "Illianna, I'm sorry."

Illianna awoke that morning in her room of her parent's house.   She got up and headed for the bath house as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.   She smiled as she lowered her nude body into the hot spring.   Not everyone had there own hot spring attached directly to their house.   Of course it was kind of a fluke that the hot spring had come into existence in the first place.   It had happened when Illianna was about six years of age and was just beginning to practice magic.   She had been trying a stone spiker, but instead the ground sank into a bowl shape.   She had been very disappointed that the spell had done its total opposite.   But, when water started bubbling up in the middle she was overjoyed and ran to tell her mother that she had struck water.   After she had learned more control she had formed benches out of the sides of the impromptu spring.   And, now here she was soaking in the spring she had accidental created.   She breathed in deep, allowing the steam into her lungs, and exhaled to relax herself.   "Even if this is nice I wonder...what would it have been like to be born a normal girl," She ruminated to herself.

After a few moments of soaking she hauled herself out of the spring.   Her hair clung to her face and back and she remarked, "This won't do," as she began a spell.

"Fireweb," she said as a web of small flame constructed around her and a minute later she dispelled it.

"Much better," she remarked at her now dry body and hair.

She pulled on her tunic and pants as she went over to a cabinet on the other side of the room.   She opened the cabinet and grabbed her breastplate, leggings, bracers and strapped them on before heading towards the living room.   She saw her father sitting in a chair reading a letter from the druidic high council.   As she entered the room she called, "Good morning, father."

Arthur looked up and smiled at his daughter as she walked into the room.   His green eyes looking to her face but soon dropping to the armor she was wearing.   He frowned as he thought of how her young life was being wasted on guard duty.   But, none the less, he gave her a cheery, "Good morning Illianna."

Illianna sat down across from her father and asked, "What does the council want now?"

"Well, because of the increased attacks on the village they are calling for more young men to sign up for the guard.   They want you to train the newest batch of recruits," Arthur answered uninterested.

Illianna just kind grumbled as her mother walked in with two plates of food.   "Here you are dear," she said handing a plate to Arthur and then to Illianna, "Good morning, honey."

"Morning mom," Illianna replied before eating her breakfast.

About halfway through the meal came a din of noise from outside as they heard, "Captain Illianna...Captain Illianna!"

Before Illianna could move, the door burst open and a young man with black hair and blue eyes came in saying, "Captain, Gabriel...Gabriel's gone!"

"What!   What do you mean Gabriel is gone Andrew," Illianna yelled as she jumped up and grabbed her spear.

"He just disappeared from his post earlier this morning," the guard named Andrew answered while following his captain out the door.

Mirium and Arthur ran to the door to see their daughter running down the street towards the front of town.   As she kept going Mirium gripped her husband's hand saying, "Arthur, I have a bad feeling.   Do you think he could be behind this?"

"I don't know Mirium dear.   But, I think we should tell Illianna today after she gets home," Arthur said as he watched his daughter disappear down the road.

As Illianna got to the front of the town she noticed a group of guards heading towards the forest.   "Halt," She yelled as she made it within shouting range.

The guards came to a complete halt as their captains voice came to their ears.   No one even moved an eye lash as Illianna walked in front of them.   "Now what do you think you are doing," she asked sounding slightly miffed.

"Um...captain we were just...um...just going to look for Gabriel," one guard answered nervously.

"Your staying here," Illianna shouted, "I will go look for Gabriel while you protect the village."

"Yes, ma'am!" the guards shouted in unison and went to their post in a hurry.

Illianna then turned and said, "Andrew, your in charge until I come back."

"Yes, ma'am," Andrew replied with a salute.

Illianna returned the salute and dropped it in unison with Andrew before turning and going into the forest.

Illianna made her way through the under brush and trees as she looked for Gabriel.   She looked with her keen eyes, but didn't dare shout his name.   She didn't want to give up the element of surprise if the creatures were responsible for Gabriel's disappearance.   "I wish I could find there hideout and just kill them all myself," she thought enraged at Gabriel's disappearance.

"Kill us all...Quite a lofty goal," came a hissing voice from behind Illianna.

She snapped around her spear at the ready as she saw the creature standing before her.   It was a human sized creature with four arms.   Its head and body was reminiscent of a giant toad.   Its large mouth was filled with sharp, jagged teeth.   It smiled down at her as she glared at its way.   "So this is the high and mighty protector of the village of Chelta," it hissed.

"So what of it, were is Gabriel you monster," Illianna shouted while pointing her spear at the creature.

"That one you'll have to figure out.   But, I don't know if you want to," the creature answered and began to cackle as it disappeared into nothing.

Illianna looked around quickly trying to find the creature if it was a trap.   When nothing came she continued to look through the forest for Gabriel.   She looked for hours and yet she couldn't find any sign of the creatures or Gabriel.   As it was getting late in the afternoon she sat under a tree to take a break.   She reached in her pack and pulled out a hardtack biscuit and then took a bite.   As she looked through the forest she felt something wet hit her arm.   At first she thought it was rain, but then she looked down to see it was red.   She looked up quickly and saw in horror that Gabriel's body was hung in the tree.   She cast a flare arrow and cut the rope used to hang him up.   She caught the body as it fell and looked to him to see if he might still be alive.   He wasn't his life had left him long ago.   As the reality set in she felt tears run down her face as she began to sob quietly over Gabriel's body.   

Later that evening, as the sun was setting in the distance, the guards were getting worried about their captain and comrade.   Andrew, the guard left in charge, was organizing a group to go out and search when a call came from one of the watch towers.   "I see the captain coming from the forest," called the guard stationed in the tower.

All the guards turned to spot Illianna coming out of the woods carrying something.   As they moved towards her they realized that she was covered in blood, and that the thing she was carrying was a dead Gabriel.   When the got close enough Illianna spoke unemotionally, "Call the priest they have a funeral service to perform," as she laid the body down on the ground.

As one guard ran towards the temple Illianna turned towards the other guard and said, "From now on guards will be stationed in groups of two.   No one will work alone."

As all the guard shook their heads in agreement Illianna turned and walked down the street towards her house.   She passed by many people and didn't even pay heed to any remarks paid.   She came to her house, climbed the stairs to her room, slammed the door, and laid on her bed crying the night away.

Deep in the forest a small campfire light up a clearing with a group sitting near.   The group were smiling as they sat and waited for their leader to return.   "Well it seems that we have crushed some of that spirit of her's finally," said the young male with spiky green hair.

"Yes, but now she will fight harder for revenge," replied Ristos as he looked at the other man.

"Well when we will have to come up with something that will weaken her beyond the point of fighting," answered another young man with blue hair.

They sat for a few moments in silence, each trying to think of a way to continue the assault on Illianna's psyche.   Soon Kershe spoke up with an idea.   "Well hardly any of the town truly accepts her, and we just killed one of the few that do.   So if we can infiltrate someone in that will accept her when we can sway her to our side."

"And, just how are we suppose to do that," asked the green haired youth before also asking, "And just who is going to infiltrate the town?"

"That's were I come in," came a voice for the woods.

The occupants all turned to see Vladimir walk into the clearing and sit down next to Kershe.   After he was situated Ristos asked, "What do you mean my lord?"

"I will infiltrate the town and befriend Illianna to our side," Vladimir answered.

"Why you my lord?   Why can't you let someone else do it," Kershe asked.

"Because this is how it has to be.   It was prophesied that we are to meet and I must stay with the prophesy.   To deviate from the course could possibly destroy our chances," Vladimir answered.

"Then what are we to do," asked the young man with blue hair.

Vladimir stood and took his mask off of his face.   His human form wasn't much different from any human.   His features weren't too distinct, and the only thing that stood out was his hair.   His hair was a bright, fiery-red with silver strips going through it.   He then turned to the other mazuko and said, "You are to attack me."

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me.   I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

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