Rebirth of the Nephilim

“This is a really weird weapon.”

“Weird good or weird bad?”

“I don’t know… sort of… both? I just… I don’t understand how it works.”

Dys watched curiously as Sabina frowned and fretted over the opaline staff that she had received from Vetregin’s hoard. The eccentric enchanter had been staring at the weapon for the better part of an hour, sometimes using various esoteric tools, other times just holding the thing a few inches away from her eyes. Jadis had never seen Sabina so confused by an enchantment before, and the fact that she was struggling so much with it was starting to give her a little apprehension.

“Do you think there are any hidden dangers I should worry about?”

Sabina twisted and turned the staff from one side to another, her hands running up and down the rough-wrought surface.

“I don’t think so? Honestly, I’m not really sure, Dys. This is a very strange weapon, with a really, really strange enchantment. I’ve never even heard of anything like this before and I’ve read a lot of books on legendary enchantments, even more since we made it to Eldingholt and I got access to the Svaroga archives. Whoever made this weapon used a technique that has completely hidden all trace of the runes that would have gone into the crafting of the enchantment. I can’t find one hint of what they used or how they used them or even where the enchantment runes are. I presume inside the staff, sort of like the sword staff I made for you with Doru’s help, but I really don’t know. This is just such a weird weapon!”

Jadis, Thea, Meli, Maeve, and Noct had returned from the trip to Weigrun late in the night on the same day as having visited Jack and Vetregin. Their arrival had been slightly delayed by Noct’s… passionate request. The sensible part of Jadis had known that spending any extra time with her lover was just pushing her return to Volto further and further back, to the point of irresponsibility, or very nearly so. However, there really wasn’t any reality where Jadis saw herself saying no to one of her lover’s heartfelt demands. Especially not when presented in such an appealing way.

The moon was high in the sky when they had made their way inside of the Leviathan where all of her lovers had been waiting for them. There had been something of a ruckus as those who were sleeping were awoken by their arrival, but Jadis counted it a blessing that the worst thing she returned to was disturbed slumber.

Nothing crazy had happened while Jadis had been away, though the pressure of only being a few days away from Kastoria was starting to mount. There were still no large-scale attacks being made against the approaching column of soldiers, but the number of solo and small groups of Demons wandering into the lines had increased. The terrain had also become noticeably worse for travel, and the toxic fog that covered the landscape had grown thicker. The biggest news had been that the old Lares, Sirio, had encountered a Greater Demon while scouting near the southern shore some miles away from the army. The old tomcat had been clever enough to lead the spiky starfish-like monstrosity all the way to the main line, where Wilhelm and the rest of the elite fighters quickly fell upon the Demon like hawks hunting a hare.

According to Ammy, the fight was over so quickly that most of the soldiers didn’t even know it had happened until after they had settled for camp that evening.

Aside from that little tidbit of news, there wasn’t much else worth discussing, at least from the perspective of those who had stayed with the army. Jadis had far more information to deliver, and the nature of her new polymorphic weapon was honestly the least of it.

Noct of House Astrum

Race: Valravn

Primary Class: Bound Beast of Charos (31)

Secondary Class: Master of Bindings (25)

Tertiary Class: None

Combined Level Rating: 56

Health: 850/850

Magic: 450/450

Attributes

Strength: 699

Dexterity: 10

Agility: 50

Vitality: 40

Fortitude: 30

Endurance: 45

Arcane: 0

Divine: 0

Eldritch: 0

Focus: 45

Resilience: 30

Will: 25

   “That’s a lot of Strength,” Kerr murmured as she looked over Aila’s shoulder.

“Indeed,” the mage agreed absently as she continued to write her notes on Noct’s classes and their skills. “Exceptionally so. Considering the level differences involved, the fact that she has a higher Strength attribute than Jadis is quite remarkable.”

It was true. Noct had her beat by eighty-seven points. Not a huge amount, relative to the inflated numbers that Jadis and her lovers tossed around so casually, but enough that the difference was noticeable, even with Jadis’ natural advantages that came with being a giant Nephilim. A small part of her was sort of envious, in a silly way, as Jadis had always put a high premium on her Strength. A ridiculous thought, for certain, especially since Noct’s enhanced Strength was dependent on her.

“And we’re sure that she is… in control?” Severina whispered discreetly while averting her eyes from where Dys and Noct were intertwined.

“She is,” Jay assured the concerned justicar with a lopsided grin. “Noct is still just a little… worked up.”

Even though Jadis had devoted quite a bit of extra time to satisfying Noct’s demands for attention, the dark-haired beauty had not been wholly contented by her efforts. Jadis had been “forced” to attend to the Valravn twice more on the way back to Volto, and at the last Maeve had volunteered her services to keep Noct pleased while they were in transit for the last hour or so.

Jay watched as Severina’s gaze drifted towards Noct and her other self. She had to suppress a laugh at the way the Seraphim looked at them with a mixture of indignation and longing. Clearly, Jadis needed to devote a little time to her other winged lover. Though, if it was the specific situation Sev was after, Jadis would have to find something engaging for the blonde to write.

Noct lay on her stomach, legs straight and tucked tightly together, while one arm propped up her front. A book lay on the ground in front of her and she was filling its blank pages with detailed descriptions of her skills and their various applications. She was also both transformed into her fiercer form, and she was completely naked.

Dys knelt behind Noct, hands on her back between her wings, firmly rubbing and massaging the Valravn. Her cock was, naturally, buried deep inside her lover, a feat really only possible thanks to her extra size. She was keeping her movements light, so as not to make it too difficult for Noct to write, but she did have to keep moving as anytime she stopped, the growling started.

“That woman is so fucking pent up,” Maeve grunted as she wormed between Kerr and Severina, slumping against them both. “Probably going to need a few more hours of hard fucking before we can get her to sleep.”

“I can help with that,” Kerr perked up.

“Not before she finishes writing about her skills,” Aila stopped the therion from bounding over to the duo. “Don’t distract her anymore than she already is.”

“Actually, I think this might be the last batch,” Jay commented as Noct held up the journal she had been scribbling in.

“Here, I’ll take that for you,” Eir, who had been standing nearby speaking with Syd, said as she reached out for the book.

Noct let the elf take custody of her writings without a word, but the moment Eir had turned her back on the Valravn, a nest of belts and straps suddenly leapt from the floor and wrapped the shocked saint up in a particularly compromising position. Dragging her close, Noct tore open her nightshirt and began vigorously licking and nibbling the elf’s ass.

“I guess I’ll take this, then,” Syd said as she took the book from Eir’s bound hands.

“Y—yes, ah, thank you!” the elf yelped, her breath already coming hard as she wiggled her hips in encouragement.

“Aw, Eir got to her first,” Kerr pouted.

“Here you go,” Syd said as she passed the final section of skills to Aila. “Have fun. Or,” she said as she used a finger to lift the redhead’s chin so that she was meeting her gaze, rather than looking at the pages, “you could have some real fun. We’ve got a few hours before the sun rises, you know.”

Glancing first at Kerr, who was giving her best attempt at puppy eyes, and then at the rest of the women in the room, all of whom were growing more and more distracted by Dys, Eir, and Noct, the mage let out a sigh as a flush crept up her cheeks.

“Well, we did miss you.”

As Kerr whooped for joy and practically dragged Aila and Syd over to where Noct was making Eir sing, Jay carefully set the journal Noct had written in aside, along with all of Aila’s notes. Since she had been looking over the Valravn’s shoulder the whole time, Jadis already knew everything that she had put to paper. While yes, she was a bit distracted, that didn’t mean she hadn’t paid attention. She would just need to focus on truly analyzing Noct’s skills later.

Beast in Bondage

Passive Skill. Ropes, straps, belts, chains, and other restraining devices count as armor when you equip them. The number and type of items alters the armor rating from cloth, to light, to medium armor at maximum. While equipped with bindings, you have a decreased chance of damaging or breaking them via your own action.

Bound Beast’s Blessed Vigor

Passive Skill. Increases the Strength and Vitality attributes by 8 points.

Polearm Mastery I

Passive Skill. Provides a minor boost to the offensive value of polearm-type weapons.

Light Armor Mastery I

Passive Skill. Provides a minor boost to the defensive value of armor worn that falls under the category of lightweight, such as padded, hide, and leather.

Unbreakable Hold

Passive Skill. Increase your Strength Attribute by 0.75 while grappling a target. This boost is only calculated against the target you are grappling. Outside interference has a decreased effect on breaking your hold, and the sturdiness of your joints is improved while grappled

Polearm Power Thrust

Active Skill. Thrust your polearm at the target with greatly increased speed and strength. Cost – 20 stamina.

Aerial Assault I

Passive Skill. All of your attacks receive a minor boost to their speed and power while you are flying.

Bound Beast’s Blessed Resolve

Passive Skill. Increases the Endurance and Vitality attributes by 8 points.

Restrained Blow

Active Skill. Your next attack will deal less damage than normal while still hitting your target with the same power and speed as it would otherwise. Cost – 15 stamina.

Primeval Bound Beast’s Ferocity

Passive Skill. Increases the Strength and Agility attributes by 25 points.

Feral Containment: Passive Skill

Your armor value is increased by 0.2 of your Strength when you are equipped with defensive restraints. Opponents will have a harder time undoing any restraints that you have equipped, and using your restraints while grappling does not give them any bonuses against you

Catchpole Mastery I

Passive Skill. Provides a minor boost to the offensive value of catchpole-type weapons.

Light Armor Mastery II

Passive Skill. Provides a lesser boost to the defensive value of armor worn that falls under the category of lightweight, such as padded, hide, and leather.

Catchpole’s Disarming Strike

Active Skill. Attack your target with your catchpole with an increased chance of knocking a weapon or shield from their grasp. If the target is unarmed, you have an increased chance of causing dislocation of joints, instead.

Aerial Assault II: Passive Skill

All of your attacks receive a lesser boost to their speed and power while you are flying.

Bound Beast’s Blessed Tenacity

Passive Skill. Increases the Fortitude and Resilience attributes by 8 points.

While there were a lot of questions that Jadis had regarding Noct’s primary class and its many interesting and unique skills, there was one answer that the name gave her that she had not had up until that point. Bound Beast of Charos had more than an implication of the God’s favor. In fact, other than herself, Jadis knew that only Eir and Severina had classes that involved a deity’s name. Clearly, the god of war had given Noct his blessing, for whatever reason, which explained why he was so upset with Jadis for taking the Valravn’s attention away from him.

Still, strange a class as Noct’s primary one was, it couldn’t even compare to the weirdness of her secondary class’s skills.

Mark of Bondage

Active Skill. Designate a rope, strap, belt, chain, or other restraining device as yours. You must have lawful claim to the device for this skill to work. Any restraining device you have marked is subject to your control for use in future skills. These devices have an increased structural integrity equal to 0.25 of your Strength attribute. Cost – 10 stamina and 10 magic.

Fluid Bindings

Active Skill. Cause all marked restraints within 10 feet of your person to attach to you. Your marked bindings will attempt to wrap around you in the last way that you had attached them to yourself and will adjust accordingly if unable to. This skill can be reversed, causing all attached bindings to fall loose from your body. Cost – 20 stamina and 20 magic.

Master of Binding’s Resolution

Passive Skill. Increases the Endurance and Will attributes by 10 points.

Knot Mastery II

Passive Skill. Provides a lesser boost to the quality and skill of knots and similar bindings that you tie.

Master of Binding’s Reservoir

Passive Skill. Increase the Focus attribute by 15 points.

Bound to Your Will

Active Skill. Cause your marked bindings to restrain a target within 10 feet of you. The bindings will attach themselves to the target in the simplest and most efficient manner available. The number of bindings used will increase the cost of the skill. Cost – 2 stamina and 2 magic per binding.

Magic Bindings

Passive Skill. Your bindings count as being enchanted for purposes of calculating resistances.

Master of Binding’s Channeled Empowerment

Active Skill. Empower your restraints with magic, adding 0.25 of your Strength to their structural integrity. Cost – 5 stamina and 5 magic per minute.

Master’s Eccentricity

Passive Skill. Increases 5 attributes of your choice by 8 points.

Unbound by Your Will

Active Skill. Destroy the restraints of another that were not bound by your hand. The power of this skill is proportional to your Strength attribute. Cost – 100 stamina and 100 magic.

Bound to the Master

Passive Skill. All restraints that you have marked as your own via Mark of Bondage are treated as an extension of yourself. Each individual restraint can be controlled by your will, so long as they are within 10 feet. The number of restraints you can mark are limited to 1 per point in your Strength attribute.

Knot Mastery III

Passive Skill. Provides a greater boost to the quality and skill of knots and similar bindings that you tie.

Rapid Deployment

Passive Skill. The speed at which your bindings move is directly increased by your Agility attribute.

Master of Bindings was an unusual sounding class all on its own. With abilities centered around controlling restraints and skills that were powered by both stamina and magic, the class had to rate as one of the rarest and most esoteric ones known. That said, Jadis wasn’t at all surprised that Noct had earned Master of Bindings as her secondary class. Her father, Aelius, was something of an expert on obscure classes and skills, after all.

All Jadis wondered was what the fuck kind of conversation had motivated the old Seraphim to lead his daughter to such a unique class.

“Before we become, ah, too distracted,” Severina cleared her throat as she approached Jay. “Was there anything else that you wanted to discuss regarding your trip to Weigrun? Anything unexpected? Or something you forgot?”

“Oh, I forgot something alright,” Jay said as she picked Sev up and held her close, enjoying the feel of her athletic form pressed against her.

“You did?”

“Yup,” Jay nodded seriously. “I forgot to tell Vetregin that Villthyrial said hello.”

“…pardon?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jay gave her angelic lover a kiss. “I also forgot I was going to deliver Alfarr’s message from beyond the grave to Emperor Somerulf while we were passing by Eldingholt.”

“How exactly is that supposed to prevent me from worrying?”

“Eh, I guess it doesn’t really. But I’ll fly down south to deliver both messages after we take back Kastoria from the Demons. That should be soon enough, right?”

“…Valtar save us.”