Chapter 580 – Fleeing Hota’ree

Not a single one of them felt safe in Masakam anymore. Probably not in all of Hota'ree for that matter. Not to mention, now that they knew Queen-Mother Zariah's daughters had come to Nu-hauta in search of the temple, it had become a race against time. Everyone was in the middle of packing when the charmed Chief Sawa Ohamae returned. Petyr almost caved her head in until Kanae came between them.

"What are you going to do with the elf?" Hilde asked.

"We don't know how many in Masakam and Hota'ree are cultists. I don't want to take any chances. I'm going to Enthrall her. That way, the chief's people will continue to follow her leadership," Kanae explained.

Gretchen pushed Sawa Ohamae down to her knees. The elf looked up at them with wide eyes and anxiousness. Kanae charmed her. Enthrall's prerequisite demanded that the victim be affected by both Bond and Cursemark of Horniness, and that Bond needed them to be willing. Charm bypassed the willing part. Sawa eased up as the spell took effect, and since they had engaged in a sexual encounter earlier, Bond connected the two mentally.

Kanae shuddered as glimpses of Sawa's emotions flitted past. Lust. A desire to serve. Finding purpose. Deep rage for those who wronged her. Relief from the promise of a better future.

Next, Kanae branded Sawa with the Cursemark of Horniness. The symbol of a heart appeared on the elf's lower abdomen. Finally, Gretchen tilted Sawa's head back for Kanae to let drop a saliva brimming with incredible mana onto her tongue.

The ritual left Kanae winded. Hilde pulled a stool over for her to sit down on.

"I admit. I'm tickled seeing this performed on someone other than myself," Gretchen said, releasing her hold on Saya.

"Damn it!" Sawa jumped to her feet in fury. "I was meant to serve my Mistress Elaine! Not you!"

"Are you sure it worked? The fool sounds very much like it didn't." Petyr sneered.

"It worked. Someone under the effects of Enthrall retains their personality, just not their agency. Sawa, you serve me now. Answer me: what were your plans here? Was all that you told me earlier a lie?" Kanae asked.

The elf shook her head. "To create a separatist nation from the absent king and Nu-hauta. We would breed for the sake of serving our succubi masters. I still meant everything I said about Toro and the Iceweaver. Their plans endanger us all."

This complicated the evacuation. Ferrying them risked bringing countless Lust and Depravity cultists onto the mainland. Kanae needed to be sure. She drew the Blade of the First Temptress, brandishing the weapon at Sawa's chest. The elf winced as Kanae pushed the blade through, and it phased harmlessly into her body.

"Ahhhh! What's… happening?!" Sawa collapsed to the floor and shuddered as if brought to an orgasm.

Kanae pulled back and slashed Sawa across the chest again. Her sword passed right through, but this time the elf convulsed intensely. The Blade of the First Temptress offered her a glimpse into Chief Sawa's inner desires.

Cheek being caressed by Elaine, the Mistress of Pain. Sawa, on one knee and drooling from one side of her mouth. She dreamed of being Elaine's prized lover and personal servant, as well as producing children solely to serve as cattle for succubi masters. Sawa ruled not only Hota'ree but all of Nu-hauta, proclaiming the entire archipelago as belonging to the Cult of Lust and Depravity.

When Kanae tried to steer away from the visions, it thrusted her into the void. She emerged from the inky darkness to the sight of Sawa grinding a foot onto the back of Toro's head, screaming all sorts of obscenities. They were back at the cabin in the next blink of the eye.

"This bitch is crazy… Stay put for the time being and act like nothing is out of the ordinary around your people. They trust you, so slowly convince them the Cult of Lust and Depravity isn't the way to go. You've found light in the Eminence of Sin instead," Kanae instructed.

"Kuh… As you wish, Mistress Kanae." Sawa nodded.

Hilde summoned her dragon outside, and they climbed on to leave Masakam. Their destination was back around the Hota'ree to return to the Rown ships and the Seductress. As Kanae flew beside them, she noticed Petyr glancing over her shoulder and eyeing the volcano.

"Worried about another eruption?" Kanae asked.

"I'm wondering how King Toro and Bocchiri Ruu erected a volcano of that size from the seafloor. After giving it some thought, I realized that we've seen a similar power before," Petyr explained.

"You mean the power of an elemental?"

"Or an elemental lord. Because come to think of it, Toro never demonstrated the full extent of his infusion. He didn't put up much of a fight," she reminded her.

Kanae looked back at the volcano, too. In Savir, Toro was known as the Scorching Dervish. He was infused with a fire elemental, but would that really be enough to raise a mountain-sized volcano?

"Our ships in the distance!" Hilde shouted.

A sailor on the crow's nest of the Seductress waved to them with a flag. All of the Rown ships were right where they had left them. Kanae and Gretchen each lifted Petyr and Vestrid down to the Seductress, and Hilde joined them on the deck after putting her dragon away.

"Your Majesty is back sooner than we expected!" one crewman exclaimed.

"The island is crawling with cultists. We need to sail to Tau'we now. Where's Thedia?" Kanae asked.

The man led the group into the ship straight to the captain's quarters, where the door had been left ajar. Inside, Thedia instructed the captains of the other vessels in front of a map of what looked to be the archipelago. She turned their way and looked taken by surprise.

"Kanae? We were considering leaving for Sonnae. Have you already completed your business in Masakam?" Thedia motioned for the other captains to leave the room.

When they gave Thedia the shortened version of what happened, her face turned pale.

"We have to get to Sonnae first!" she cried after the explanation. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"What's at Sonnae?" Vestrid arched her brows.

"One of my lady Renya outposts. If the cultists control Hota'ree, we need to warn the Rown who are there!"

Kanae reluctantly agreed. Withdraw the Rown men from Sonnae, then sail to Tau'we. She glanced at the map spread flat on a standing board. A handful of large islands were orbited by many tinier ones, and Tau'we was at the very west.

The flotilla set off immediately. In the meantime, Kanae went to put her things down in the bedroom and found two Rown crewmen standing guard outside her door.

"Captain Thedia asked us to make sure Qoro doesn't escape. We've confined him in your room unless Vesh and Motta come by," one of them explained.

"Good work." Kanae entered to see Qoro sitting bored at the desk, flipping through the pages of a book he obviously wasn't reading. When he turned around, a wave of relief washed over him.

"Kanae! What news from Hota'ree?" Qoro ran over and asked.

"Nothing good. Chief Sawa Ohamae runs the island, hates your father enough to want to kill him, and has been in league with succubi from the Cult of Lust and Depravity to turn Nu-hauta into a glorified cattle ranch," she explained.

Maybe that was too much information to give at once. Qoro looked faint, staggering backwards into the bed. He sat at the very edge and pressed a hand to his face.

"That can't be. I know Chief Sawa. She's like an aunt to me… taught me fish diving…" Qoro mumbled.

"Desperation changes people. King Toro's volcano isn't helping either. Fish are dying around Masakam due to the changes in temperature of the water. They had to row farther out to catch anything," Kanae said.

"Just what is my father thinking?" He sulked.

The door creaked. Vesh and Motta were peering in just outside with Petyr standing behind them.

"Go take Qoro to the upper deck and get him some fresh air. I need to speak with Kanae alone," Petyr said.

It took some coaxing to get Qoro on his feet. As soon as they were gone, Petyr closed the door and folded her arms.

"Time to fess up. What are you hiding? Hilde and Gretchen seemed like they were in the know. Vestrid is unaware. Or maybe she pretends to be. We arrived in Nu-hauta knowing nothing about the cult being here, other than there is a temple somewhere in Tau'we. Yet you somehow knew they had come before Chief Sawa's loyalties came to light. How?"

Kanae sighed. Petyr was too perceptive. She fished into her satchel and pulled out Isabella.

"Because of this. Her name is Isabella, and she's a living grimoire. Fell quiet ever since she sensed the Mistresses nearby. She was Master Marwin's last gift to me before he passed away. He had it hidden away, like he knew Archbishop Patrice would comb over the entire tower for his secrets," Kanae explained.

"Been quiet, has she? Let me see." Petyr extended a hand.

Kanae gave Petyr the living grimoire. The high elf gripped the spine with both hands and twisted, threatening to tear it in half.

"OOOWWWWWWWW!" Isabella cried.

Petyr tossed the living grimoire, only for it to fly back up to her face.

"What was that for, you broom-headed cunt? That seriously hurt!" Isabella fumed.

"See. The living grimoire still has a mouth after all." Petyr sneered.

"Isabella." Kanae glared at her.

"Y-Yes, I can still talk… but I don't want to risk being found by the cult! Why wouldn't I keep quiet? We just left an island crawling with cultists that you had no idea until recently," she reasoned.

Fair point, Kanae thought but didn't want to say so.

"We need more information. Clearly, this living grimoire has them. I recommend we tear its pages apart until she coughs them up," Petyr suggested.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who is this ultra-violent bitch? My Mistress, fuck this woman and shut her up for me!" Isabella pleaded.

"No one's fucking Petyr besides her incubus boy toys. And unfortunately, Petyr, I'm not getting anything out of Isabella without doing some excessive fucking." Kanae shuddered and rubbed her stomach. "Which might be soon, because these urges are starting to get more frequent and intense."

"Hmph. You better hope you're in control enough not to come on to me, unless you want to find yourself at the bottom of the sea. Anyway, you're probably right to keep how you found Isabella a secret. Vestrid might be here to help us, but she's under Archbishop Patrice's orders. And I hate Patrice's guts." She growled.

The winds were strong today, which made the atmosphere less humid than usual. It also enabled the flotilla to sail quickly across the coast of Hota'ree. Kanae decided to start keeping Isabella close. She didn't want to risk losing her for any reason. When she had encountered Jester out at sea with Sawa, the Mistress of Farces seemed oblivious about the living grimoire. The cult was solely focused on finding their temple.

Kanae went up to the deck to stretch her wings against the breeze. It was a shame she couldn't enjoy the beautiful island of Hota'ree. Or Nu-hauta for that matter.

"Sonnae ahead!" the sailor on the crow's nest shouted.

Kanae walked to starboard to find a sprawling city built against the sheer cliffs of Hota'ree. Long wooden docks extended out to sea like claws, boasting hundreds of fishing vessels and rowboats. It reminded her of Kandis, but without the eyesore tall spire.

Thedia sidled up from behind, bracing both hands against the rail. "Since Hota'ree is the east-most of the large islands, Sonnae serves as a port for goods exported to the mainland. The archipelago normally ferries their merchandise there to be processed. During Renya's piracy days, she cut a deal with the local chief. She smuggled things through there between Ortesia and Radevic, gave the town a cut of the profits, and received a safehouse and protection in exchange. Neither states dared to make an enemy of Nu-hautans, so they let Renya be whenever she retreated there."

"Every time I hear something new about Renya, it just reinforces my belief that she belongs in jail." Kanae groaned into her hand.

A not so insignificant number of ships were heading in their direction. Long rowboats with the visage of a serpent on the front. They were wide enough to sport two columns of rowers on each side. The familiar drum beat echoed from far, joined by a rhythmic chorus of grunts and shouts.

"That's not a welcoming party," Kanae said.

"Because it's not!" Qoro raced up to them, panicking. "Those are war chants, and those types of boats are only used during times of battle. They're launching an attack!"

"All hands on deck! Raise the sails and go hard to port! We're leaving Sonnae!" Thedia shouted.

A crewman ran to the upper deck to sound the bells. The wheel spun as the navigator turned the ship away from the city. However, the incoming rowboats were speeding in on them like torpedoes.

"What's going on?" Vestrid emerged from under the ship first.

They looked to starboard as dozens of grapples flew on to the rails.

"We're under attack!" Kanae warned, drawing her whip.

The first wave of raiders climbed on board. Vestrid charged into battle, knocking them off with devastating blows from her twin maces. The real problem was the Seductress beginning to slow. Kanae glanced over board. Many of the warboats used grapples, chains, and hooks to cling onto the hull, dragging them to a crawl.

"Kanae, how can we help?" Vesh asked with Motta in tow.

Unbeknownst to them, a raider jumped up from behind. Kanae flourished her whip, cracking it on his crotch. He squeezed his legs shut and squealed in pain before falling off.

"Protect Qoro! Leave the fighting to us!" Kanae flew off the Seductress and landed in a warboat.

Thirty raiders turned to her, startled. Kanae casted Mass Charm and sowed chaos among them as they fought against each other. She grabbed a discarded saber and sliced the ropes holding the ship back.

Just then, Petyr jumped off from the Seductress. A single blow from her hammer destroyed the warboat, sending men and splinters flying everywhere. Gretchen swooped down to pick the paladin back up onto the ship.

With the extra weight removed, the Seductress led her pursuers trailing in her wake. They were still faster and gradually catching up. Then the roar of a dragon gave them pause. The black winged beast created waves that knocked warboats over simply flying near the surface. Hilde pulled the dragon back into the sky as javelins and arrows pelted them.

Kanae flew back onto the deck of the Seductress and picked up one of the elven raiders. She slammed him against the base of the mast.

"What gives? Does Sonnae attack every ship that passes by?" Kanae asked.

"For… the Mistress of Pain…" the man croaked.

"Kanae." Thedia grabbed her shoulder. "Force him to open his mouth."

Kanae casted Charm on him. When he opened wide, they saw the tri-dagger tattoo on his tongue. She released her control over the Rown man and clarity returned to him.

"Our base in Sonnae… it's lost to the cultists! By The Many… we've been under their succubus control for days," he groaned.

"Report to the first mate and find yourself a station." Thedia helped the exhausted elf up.

"Yes, Captain!" He saluted and ran off.

"Amethyst, they've stopped giving chase!" Vestrid shouted from the aft.

Hilde flew beside them and gave an affirmative nod. The warboats had stopped pursuing to rescue their fallen instead. Every Rown ship was accounted for, thank goodness.

In the opposite direction, they approached a landmass that stretched so far into both directions, Kanae could have mistaken it for the mainland. A shroud of mist blanketed large swathes of the island. Some of its mountains were tall enough to be snow-capped, too.

"Which island is this?" Kanae asked.

"That's Kashara," Qoro said. "The largest island on the Nu-hauta Archipelago. It goes by many names, but is most famously known as Island of Giants. A feral place, mostly uninhabited except for brazen hunters. I recall my father telling me stories about how our ancestors tried to settle the island but the wildlife proved too dangerous. Oh, oh!" His eyes glistened from having something special to share. "There are also stories that Kashara is ruled by an ancient deity of nature. Some among my people worship not out of reverence, but to placate it from extending its influence to the other islands."

"Perhaps Sonnae stopped giving chase because they saw where we were headed," Petyr wondered aloud.

"Whatever is there, we'll steer clear for now and sail along the coast for Tau'we. Hopefully, we don't come across any more cultists." Thedia chuckled before sounding the bell to the flotilla.