Dark Fate: Book 1 – A New Fate

With an examination of my new form complete, I decided that the first thing to do was to take stock of my supplies. I had not planned on having a companion, but, thankfully, I had more than overprepared when I was maxing out all my credit cards buying supplies and gathering funds. Which meant, thankfully, that I had options.

As expected, selecting my replica katana as my starter weapon had done wonders for its usefulness. Well, at least compared to pre-System weapons, anyways. The good thing about the sword, other than the fact that it was now indestructible, was that it added my impressive strength to the weapon’s damage. So, even if it were a starter weapon, I’d be able to deal out quite a decent chunk of damage against any foes in reach.

And, really, the indestructible bit was very important. Durability mattered for weapons under the System. You used a melee weapon roughly, and you’d start chipping away at its durability. Not much, but after a battle you’d probably see the durability drop by a point or two.

This got worse the higher your Strength was compared to your weapon. If your Strength was more than double the maximum durability of your weapon, you’d start shaving off major chunks of durability every time the weapon hit something. Same if you used that weapon to block. Blocking a sword with another sword? Better hope your enemy’s strength wasn’t higher than the durability of your sword, or bad things would happen. Especially since ‘armor piercing’ or ‘sundering’ effects and abilities were out there in the world.

Which goes back to how important the starter weapon was, especially for me. With my strength, I’d shatter the Goblin Dagger on the very first blow I made with it. However, I could attack all day long with the Replica Katana, and it would always remain in one piece. Even when I, eventually, found a better weapon, this would be a solid backup.

I’d purchased four Bowie knives, primarily because I didn’t know how long it would be until I ran into someone with the ability to craft or repair weapons when the monsters started attacking, and a blade like a bowie was just too damn useful not to have around. So, once the Replica Katana was hanging on my right hip, one of my unenhanced Bowies rested securely on my left hip. A second Bowie and the Goblin Dagger went to Talia, and I ordered her to make the Bowie her starter weapon.

“What, you’re giving me a weapon? Why? My class makes my fists and feet perfect weapons.”

“Because, my pet, I know things you do not. The Battledancer class you have is an interesting one. You lack the ability to wear armor, but instead your body becomes a weapon. This is all well and good. However, people and monsters are going to start running wild, and the government isn’t going to be able to do shit about it. Which means we’re going to need to think about defense.

Guns and weapons of the old world were going to be barely effective in the new world, but everyone gets that starter melee weapon. When people or monsters start looking for prey, they’re going to judge people by their weapons and armor. A knight in plate with a sword and shield is a known factor. A rogue in leathers with a pair of short blades can be planned for.

But someone wearing no armor, and bearing no visible weapon? People will assume you are a mage, or something equally dangerous, and target you first. Well, even with just a knife, you’ll probably be mistaken for a healer, and targeted first all the same. It is hard to make someone visibly a martial artist, but we’ll work on it. The best way to do it will be to simply get all eyes on me.

Talia blinked, “Master, how did you know my class? And what class are you?”

“When I enslaved you, I got access to your Status, and learned everything about you. As for my class, I am a Warlock, specializing in Blood. The Warlock is an interesting class, in its own right. A limited kind of spellcaster, they are able to wear light armor, without issue, and still cast spells, what few spells I learn, that is.”

The Battledancer nodded, accepting that, for the moment, not like she had a choice. I could tell she wasn’t exactly happy with what had happened, but the System messages and the goblin showing up in her apartment had shocked her, scared her. She didn’t want to die, and I was clearly stronger, and knew what was going on. It was only natural that she was playing along, for now. I didn’t doubt that, once she felt more secure, and had a better grasp on things, I’d have to deal with her again. That was made perfectly clear from the tone in her voice when she spoke again.

“So, Master, what now? I would like to clean myself off and get dressed, if you don’t mind. Unless we’re simply going to stand naked in the living room until Rachel gets home?”

Rachel Adams was Talia’s roommate. She was at class when the Apocalypse happened. If things proceeded as they had, she wouldn’t make it back until tonight because of the monsters in the roads. If I recalled correctly, Rachel and her boyfriend, Bill, had fought their way across the city, and were quite upset to find that Talia was dead.

I considered my answer for a moment, before smiling at Talia, and saying, “No, I don’t think we’ll stand here waiting for Rachel. Cleaning up is a good idea. We’ll shower together, to make sure you get good and clean.”

Talia blanched slightly, obviously knowing what I intended to do. I could see her scrambling for a way out. “Uh. Well. But Master, your wings are too big! If both of us were in the shower, there’d be no room for anything. Perhaps I could draw you a bath, and take a shower after you are done?”

I shook my head. “Oh, these things? Yes, they might get in the way, I guess. Fortunately, I have the perfect solution to that!”

I concentrated on my shapeshifting power. I’d never had an ability like this one, but the System gave me the basics of how it worked. More fine tuning would have to come with practice and experimentation, as always. At any rate, what I had planned was simple enough.

My skin lost the ashen grey hue, returning to a more normal shade. Well, maybe a bit more tanned than I had been before. I kept my new muscled physique, as the proportions hadn’t changed that much, except for below the belt, and I wasn’t changing that at all. The horns, tail, and wings all shifted, and then seemed to melt into my body, leaving me looking like a buffer, tanner, better endowed version of my old self, with long hair.

I smirked at Talia as she gaped at the transformation. Privately, I was just glad that the transformation wasn’t painful. I had seen werewolves in the old timeline, and their transformations were said to be universally painful, part of the reason they didn’t shift unless they were angry. But then, a greater incubus was a shapeshifter at their core, not a being cursed with the shift. It made sense that I’d have an easier time of it in that respect.

I reached out, and grabbed Talia by the breast. Not hard, but firmly, my thumb circling her nipple as I groped her openly. She gasped, and then moaned despite herself. Stepping closer, I backed her against the doorframe, with nothing more than the insistent guidance of my hand grabbing her tit. I leaned forward, and my lips met hers.

Talia was shocked, I could sense that much, and for a moment I thought she would try to fight it. But as my second hand touched her waist, she gave in, opening her lips to my probing tongue. She melted into my arms, pressing herself against my body.

It wasn’t all my technique, of course. Or, rather, it wasn’t just my natural technique, that I’d learned in the old timeline. One of the skills I had, after all, was Seduction. And as a Greater Incubus, the skill was far more effective than it normally would be, even if my Charisma weren’t several times hers. Now that I had her here, in this situation, there was no way that she could resist my charms.

As I broke the kiss, my hand gripped her round backside, cupping her cheek. “By the way, Talia, I forgot to mention that I’m no lesser demon. My new race is a Greater Incubus. I think you’re going to find that being my pet can be quite enjoyable. After all, who better to take care of your body than a literal sex demon, hmm?”

Talia opened her lips to speak, but only a moan came out as I moved her towards the shower. I’d seen this reaction before, with others. Someone with Seduction and a high Charisma could bend people to their will over time. So many people learned to resist pain, to push through hardship. Few people bothered learning to resist the whispered words of promised pleasure from an attractive specimen.

Of course, looking back on things, I’d clearly been on the receiving end of that kind of treatment. My ‘lover’ had twisted me to her own designs. I saw that now. But I would not be so easy to fool a second time. No, this time I would be the one doing the taking, the controlling. I would be the one to make people crawl, and make them relish the thought of serving me.

And it was going to start now, here, in this place, with Talia. My first slave, taken unwillingly. She might have been unwilling to start, but soon she would forget all about that, as I bent her to my will.

I reached behind her, and turned on the shower, my eyes never leaving hers as they began to burn with lust. She wasn’t thinking about anything now, except the moment. The System? Her enslavement? That did not matter. All her thoughts, clearly, were on this moment, here, a man and a woman in the shower, my hands on her body.

Talia bit her lip, nervously, as the water began to pour upon us. My hand reached down between her thighs, and began rubbing her folds. Leaning forward, I breathed softly in her ear, and whispered, “Now, Talia, I am going to give you a choice. I’m going to take you now, but I’m going to let you decide whether you want it from the front, so I can see your face, or from behind, so I can really pound you. Make your choice, my cute little slave.”

And, for the first time as a slave, Talia made her choice.