Transcendence?

by Andur

  Both of them cheer and we start building. An hour later we are done. Ascathon didn't twitch a single muscle since then. “Looks like we will win by default.” I smile at Liandra and Violetta.

  Suddenly the ground starts to shake and I hear a crazy laugh behind me.

  “Mwahahaha! Fear me mortals! Behold the might of the great demon lord!” Ascathon raises his hands in a theatrical gesture and a magic circle appears at his feet.

  Then the ground under him starts to move and lifts him higher and higher. I watch agape as a gigantic sand castle is forming under his feet while lifting him to a level about five meters above us.

  “Tremble with fear mortals! I will show you the difference between you and me.” Dozens of fist sized water-balls appear all around Ascathon.

  “Noooo!”“NOO!”“Noo!”

  We throw ourselves in front of our castle as the bombardment starts.

  Phenex Empire, Capital

  “What do you mean with -intercepted-!?” I scream at the shivering mortals to my feet. “Why do I, the Immortal Empress, have to deal with everything by myself!? Is it too much to win a single naval victory against the Nation of Mist?”

  One of my generals crawls closer. “Your highness! We are doing everything in our might. But they are simply superior to our naval forces. Somehow they always find our fleets and disturb our advance. And their spells are simply too strong. Our strongest ships simply sink and vanish in the depths of the ocean.”

  “Haah... I guess I will have to take action myself....”

  18 - No!

  Nation of Mist, Great Sea

  “I am wet!”

  No seriously! The water is everywhere! Ascathon bombarded our castle with water-balls until it fell. I doubt that he held back in any way.

  It took me an hour to get the sand out of my hair! Haah... at least I can take a nice nap now. I leave the bath after putting on my nightgown and throw myself onto the bed of my room.

  “Nice ass... was that an invitation?”

  I turn around and pull the blanket over my body while shooting up. Ascathon is sitting on the couch with a big and heavy book in his hands. “What are you doing in my room!?”

  “Our room.”

  “My room!”

  “There aren't any more rooms in the mansion. We have to share.”

  “Then stay on the couch. If you touch the bed I will rip off something important!”

  He shakes his head and continues to read his book while I eye him with suspicion. But after half an hour I get tired and lie down to sleep. It was a busy day after all.

  While trying not to think about the guy in my room I drift off to sleep.

  …..

  ….

  …

  ..

  “AAAaah!”

  I shoot up and am standing in my bed one hundred percent awake. Assassins? Why the scream!? What's going on?

  The stars and the full moon are bright tonight and the big windows let just enough light inside the room to make my surroundings visible.

  Then I become aware of a dark figure wriggling on the floor. Haaah.... It's the stupid hermit with his nightmares again! Does that mean that I won't get a single night of sleep while I am on this island!?

  I jump from the bed and try to shake the idiot awake. “Hey. Wake up!” But after shaking him it seems that his bad dreams just became worse because he starts to wriggle and moan even more.

  Geez. What to do? Should I hit him to grant him eternal sleep? Suddenly his arms shoot out and hug me to pull me down to his side. Seriously? I start to wriggle myself out of his grasp. I am no hugging doll!

  “Don't leave me...”

  He mumbles something while his breathing smooths and his expression becomes relaxed again. Haah... I can't bring myself to wake him up now.

  I untangle myself from his embrace and walk back to my bed. So tired. Just a few more hours of sleep. That should do it.

  …..

  ….

  …

  ..

  “AAAaah!”

  I am upright in my bed with my arms raised sluggishly for defence. So tired! Where is the enemy!?

  Then my eyes fall onto a wriggling person on the ground and my mind catches up with the situation.

  For a few minutes I stare grumpily at the guy on the floor while I ponder about my options. Then I stand up and shake him like before while dangling a pillow in front of me.

  *snatch*

  “Don't leave me...”

  Like expected. I turn and throw myself onto the bed. Just an hour of sleep... just one hour...

  …..

  ….

  …

  ..

  “AAAaah!”

  I yank up again with burning eyes and feel anger welling up from deep inside me. This is the worst wedding night ever! My eyes wander to the wriggling figure on the ground.

  The pillow is a metre beside him. I stand up and loom above him while considering my options for the third time.

  If this goes on I will get no sleep at all.

  …..

  ….

  …

  ..

  Ascathon's POV

  Aaah. That was the best night of this life. The nightmares stopped at some point and I had a good dreamless sleep. I open my eyes while the gears in my head slowly start to turn again.

  Then I realize that something is definitely strange. Shouldn't I be lying on the hard couch? Why am I in the soft bed while lying on my back?

  And why is that black haired devil using me as a body pillow while hugging me from the side?

  “What the fuck happened last night?” I start mumbling to myself while some pearls of sweat appear on my forehead? Did we do it?

  “Shut up or I will crush you....” Celestial mumbles while strengthening her embrace and pressing the air out of my lungs.

  “What... WHAT HAPPENED?”

  Celestial looks up to me with bloodshot eyes and tears on her face. “You will take responsibility!”

  “Res... pon...si...bility?”

  “Shut up! You know what you have done!”

  Nooo! I don't know! What did I do in my sleep!? Did I blow it? Were a few years of frustration bad enough to loose my control?

  Kane told me that I should use the situation and fuck her until neither of us could stand any more. Then I should make a run for it and disappear under some stone for the rest of my life. But I am not a guy like that!

  Will I be a papa? With HER as mama!? What did I do to deserve this fate!?

  Celestial's POV

  It has been a few days since our first night and our small trip is coming to an end. Even though it was pretty horrible I could somehow turn the situation to my favour.

  I didn't mean my first words after waking up like that and the horrible sleepless night just added to my appearance and his misunderstanding.

  Though I didn't bother to clear the misunderstanding up after he came to the wrong conclusion. This gives me even more leverage on him.

  It's actually strange that he fell for the oldest trick in the book. Just sleep with a guy and act like something really horrible happened in the morning.

  He will go ballistic and lick your feet. Kukuku. I might have secured the upper position in this relationship.

  I hum while I walk back towards the big living room. But upon arrival I realize that nobody is there. Strange. I didn't find anyone throughout the whole mansion?

  There is just a little paper on the desk. Hmm...

  Dear Celestial, I arranged a sneaky departure while you were taking a bath. The others are deceived by illusion-magic. They think that you are safe and sound with us on the ship.

  Thanks for always taking so long! It's really reliable.

  Don't think of me as a fool. I found out that you weren't really pregnant and planned my revenge ever since!

  Maybe a few weeks on an isolated island will bring you to terms. Enjoy being beached for a while. I think I will find a way to explain your disappearance to Viol
etta and Liandra.

  Maybe you are lucky and Fingulf decides to visit his vacation-island. Though I doubt that because you frightened him so much. I will inform him about the demon who is sealed on his island.

  Sincerely yours,

  Your dear husband!

  “~Kukukukuku......~”

  Ascathon's POV

  I smile delighted while I see the island vanishing on the horizon. My little scheme worked out perfectly. Even now everyone thinks that Celestial is in her cabin while dealing with sea-sickness.

  “That's strange.” A seaman at my side points towards the horizon and reaches for a telescope at his belt.

  As he points towards the island I see a fast closing cloud of white exploding water. I squint my eyes with a feeling of dread as I spot a figure in front of the explosions!

  It's Celestial! She is kicking the water with such force that she is actually running on it! Holy....

  A moment later she reaches the ship and jumps on deck with a perfect somersault, landing right next to me.

  I force a smile onto my face. “Hi, dear! How unexpected to see you again so soon...”

  She turns and grabs my clothes while smiling and lifts me a few centimetres into the air.

  “....Kukukuku... ~Dear~ We have to talk!”

  19 - The cart before the horse.

  Norfolk, Sarn-Valley

  I am staring at Celestial. And she is staring at me.

  No idea how it came to be that we have this staring contest but it just turned out like that after we arrived back at my mansion.

  Strangely enough she didn't hit me after I tried to beach her. She just told me that we would talk later and then we didn't bother to talk with each other any more.

  I was just about to go to sleep when the door opened and Celestial waltzed inside with a pillow and a blanket under one arm, closing the door behind her.

  Right now I am lying in my bed while Celestial is sitting beside me with her pillow in front of her.

  “What are you doing here.”

  “Sleeping.”

  “You have your own room.”

  “Married couples sleep together.”

  “We are no ordinary married couple.”

  “You will have ~nightmares~ again.”

  “That has nothing to do with you.”

  “But sleeping with someone makes them go ~away~. And you were less grumpy recently.”

  “I tried to beach you.”

  “I lied to you so let's call it quits.”

  “I still don't get your reason. Knowing you, you must have an ulterior reason for this!”

  She starts to smile. “The nights are cold and lonely in this forsaken place.”

  I turn towards the wall. “Whatever. I am too tired for this.”

  But a hand grabs my shoulder and I am yanked onto my back. Then Celestial grabs my arm and stretches it to the side and hugs me while using my arm as a pillow.

  “I am no...”

  “Shut up!”

  I shut up while I consider my options. I could go to sleep without nightmares. Maybe. Even I realized during our honeymoon that sleeping with someone seems to stop my nightmares.

  I could throw her out of the bed and get slapped.

  I could get a nice feel from her and get slapped.

  I could leave the bed and get followed.

  Option one still sounds as the most compelling one.

  Then I look down at her sleeping face. She is a fast sleeper! It's somehow really relaxed now. Well. Probably it's better to sleep. Just a few days until the Ball of Fellmar.

  I shouldn't be tired when I have to talk to all those idiots.

  …..

  ….

  …

  *Slap!*

  My eyes fly open and I look at Celestial who is sitting on top of me. It seems like it's early in the morning because it's still dark, but not as dark as it would be in the night.

  I touch my burning cheek and focus on Celestial. “What's wrong with you?”

  “It's bugging me!” She folds her arms and glares down at me.

  “What's bugging you? And how am I at fault.” -Me

  “It's our eighth night. Yet you didn't even try to touch me!” She stabs her index finger into my chest. “Is everything working properly? I start to fear that something is wrong with me.”

  “Hah?”

  “Having a strange fetish is okay with me you know? I have seen the weirdest things so you can't creep me out.” She grabs my hand and places it on her well formed bust while placing her other hand on my forehead to feel my temperature.

  Then she starts to move on top of me in a way that should probably be arousing. But I can't help it. This whole situation is creeping me out! What's wrong in her head!?

  After getting no reaction she stops and folds her hands again. “Are you sure that everything is okay ~down there~?” She points down towards my groin.

  I point towards her head. “Are you sure that everything is okay ~up there~?”

  She stops to move and forms a fist while smiling. “Come again?”

  “I just find it strange that's all. I don't understand your thoughts at all.” I pull the blanket higher to separate us.

  Her expression drops. “I see. I see. You are one of that rare breed who prefer relationships with mutual feelings. Unexpected to find a guy like that in this world. But on the other hand you are reincarnated too. So you aren't really from this world.”

  I shove her from me and get out of the bed. A few seconds later I have changed into my normal clothes and walk towards the door. Did I hurt her pride by not trying to do anything to her?

  That's a funny thought in its own. So by doing nothing I frustrate her?

  “Ascathon!”

  I turn and look back to Celestial who is still sitting in the bed.

  “I have decided! I will flip your switch!” She points at me with a confident expression.

  While shaking my head I leave the room.

  The rest of the day turned out to be really annoying. Celestial followed me on every step while taking notes on everything I did. Be it eating or working. I even had the feeling that she noted down all my facial expressions! At some point I even snapped and asked her what's that all about.

  She just mumbled something about a medical record and psychoanalysis. Stupid. How does she intend to -flip my switch- by taking notes about my daily life.

  Right now I am working in my lab while trying to make a simple lamp which can be used in my future greenhouses. At least Celestial is a little helpful by handing me some tools when I need them.

  All those doctors and psychologists are just charlatans. How can you analyse the mind of someone without actually having a connection to it! It would require hundreds, thousands of years of experience for that!

  Oh.... I turn towards Celestial who is scribbling in her small notebook. “Say Celestial. What were you doing in your previous lifes. You know.... as a hobby for example. You know... like me. I always end up researching physics, magic, maths and stuff like that.”

  Celestial starts to gnaw at her pencil while thinking. “Most of the time I end up with biology, chemistry or medicine. But psychology is interesting too. I am not that good with magic or technology.” She gives me a meaningful grin and a shudder runs down my spine.

  *snap*

  She closed her little notebook with force and walks for the exit. “I think I have enough data. We will see each other later.”

  I watch her while she leaves the room. Should I make a run for it? Will she pull a strange stunt on me? Should I prepare an escape route?

  I start to gnaw on a nail while I watch the magic circuit in front of me.

  An hour later I leave my lab and walk towards the kitchen. I am hungry. But I find Violetta and Liandra at the door. “Hey, what's up you two? How are your studies going.”

  “Big sis threw us out of the kitchen.” Violetta points inside and when I take a look I find out that my kitchen suddenly transformed into someth
ing like an alchemy lab!?

  Celestial is standing with her back towards us in front of several brewing and bubbling pots. She is snickering while the room is brightened by light in different colours as the covers of the bottles are chattering up and down.

  Witch!

  That's the only thing which comes to my mind! She is a god damn witch!

  I close the door silently and grab Violetta's and Liandra's hands. “We will eat outside today. How about the inn down the street? I heard that they have a few new recipes for seafood.”

  Both kids are starting to shine while I walk down the corridor with them.

  The city's food resources got a wider range since I started to build a big fleet of fishing-boats. Well, it isn't just my merit. Celestial has a hang for administrative work and her changes to my plans seem to further my goals.

  So I didn't say anything against it. Though I would really like to know what's going on in her head right now!

  …...

  …..

  ….

  “Yawn...” Whoa... I am tired. The kids kept trying all sorts of food until I dragged them back home by force. I brought them to their beds right away.

  Afterwards I inspected my kitchen but Celestial was gone. The kitchen was in order and clean. Nothing hinted at the strange scene I witnessed earlier today. It was disturbing! Very disturbing.

  Aren't witches supposed to be messy, old and ugly little hags? I turn towards my bedroom to go to sleep.

  Upon my arrival there I witness another strange scene. Celestial is lying on her belly in the bed and snores like a lumberjack. She wears really dangerous clothes which can be almost seen through!

  Where the heck did she get those! Well, sorry. The snoring is destroying the atmosphere completely! She has a big box in both hands. Drugs? Well sorry. I surely won't eat anything you made after witnessing that scene in the kitchen.

  I pull the blanket over her and lie down. “Good night.” I mumble while I drift off.

  …..

  ….

  …

  *Slap!*

  What!? Who attacked me!?

  “You ignored me!”

  My eyes focus on Celestial who is sitting on top of me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes again. “It's not hard to ignore a snoring muscle monster.”

  “~Then how about this!?~”