The Smoke Witch & The Primordial King

Chapter 3: Duchess Mohini

(Narrator)

Munnin began to feel dizzy. Sinful had noticed her swaying as the scent of roses filled the room. she saw ally lifted her hands in a more intricate triangle formation casting a barrier. she stood up straighter feeling herself losing strength, she quickly casted a thorn barrier on herself. her head began to spin and the smell of roses became more potent. She buckled and began to fall, losing consciousness.

Sinful rushed to her aid as she fell loosely. He wrapped his arms under her, triggering her protection spell, thorny vines shot out from her and wrapped around his arms and upper torso. He grunted and winced at the sudden wounds inflicted on him “urgh”. he breathed deeply as the thorns drew blood with its spikes gouging his flesh. The vines constricted around him. His only choice was to not move until she woke. "the thorns would only sink deeper if i moved, what happened..?", he thought confused. the scent most potent but far too familiar for him to notice till now, but more of a rusted iron scent under its sweet fragrant facade. "roses, i see.." the gloom set over his expression causing his anxiety to spike. "f**k me" he whispered in annoyance as he looked down at munnin.

The door of the maidens room swung open, sinful whipped his head around to the entrance. the dutchess stood before him. "My darling, what on earth are you wrapped up in?"she asked eloquently with her cigarette in hand. Her dark indian hair loose in its curls, she stood in a non traditional dress one of deep red that matched her lips and shadow, her dress had a deep plunge and high slit revealing just enough to see her hip dip. Dangerously fabulous would be a word too soft for her fierce and fiery look.

Sinful hated seeing her, it meant she caught another fly in her web and he was an accomplice once again without knowing. "she cast some precaution spells, I believe I am tied up in her own rose bush" sinful looked down at the maiden in her slumber,"what is the duchess doing here" he thought.

the duchess walked closer to them where they sat intertwined in thorny vines. She reached toward him only to be met with energy bouncing her backward throwing her off balance. She fell against the couch tossing her hair about. In her frustration she ran her hand angrily through her hair and stood defiantly. incredibly irritated by being thrown off. "Sinful Bring her to me!" she demanded, her ruby necklace illuminated. The red line on his metal lock choker began to illuminate along. Sinful unable to refuse her command, his beautiful crystal blue eyes overcome with black, his body expanded, muscles enlarging, revealing a more beastly look to the marble gods appearance. he stood up abruptly the vines ripping across his flesh, leaving large gouges and broken vines across his skin, his blank expression staring into nothing in particular on the floor.

" Good boy, my sinful pet'' the duchess said alluringly to the companion Sinful. he whimpered in his mind, his face and body having small twitches of pain scattering through his muscles. but his composure remained otherwise. The maiden Munnin remained in his arms, covered in a small field barrier. coating her shape like armor. sinful looked at her "she is not an ordinary witch, her barriers, her thorns, are strong. my wounds aren't healing at all." he thought, the sound of his blood dripping onto the floor, filled his mind as He took a breath trying to calm his anxiety and blood loss.

the dutchess waved her hands in a circular motion overhead and touched the barrier, it kicked her back, the dutchess ready this time for the surge, she held the barrier having to fight it for several minutes before it crumbled. the dutchess huffed worn from the energy she had to put into the dismantle of the shield. Sinful looked to the duchess, his form reverting and his wounds still not healing. the dutchess ran her red gloved hand across his shoulders walking around him. Sinfuls face expressed his dread as her hand slid around him. A sad reminder of her ownership over him.

Mohini chuckled elegantly "Now the reason I came, my dear Munnin… your journey will end here before it begins.” she mind linked one of her 10 mages, Aristotle, her personal warden dealing in sealing magics and enchanted cells. He walked into Munnins room. “ my lord and lady mohini, how may i be of service”. She smiled, taken with his pleasantries. “ inspect the barrier she has so we may dismantle it then her.” she said matter of factly. He nodded, walking over to her and began to inspect while she layed in the arms of Sinful. Aristotles expression showed his disbelief "this type of seal is incredible" he grumbled under his breath.

All of a sudden Munnins eyes flashed open and smoke started to surround her, Munnins physical form melted into a puff of smoke leaving Sinfuls arms as he tried to grasp her. a moment of fear filled him, unsure if she had died and melted in his arms. Sinful moved his now free arms unsure if he saw that correctly. munnin formed a few feet across the room. " i should have figured they paid you to take me out at this junction." munnin reflected out loud. "i guess i'm more surprised by the stupidity of carrying it out realistically" she taunted. waving her hand in a dismissive motion. the slight was not missed and the dutchess grew irate. "how dare you wretched swine! you think you're a hot s**t, little moon Virgin! you'll kneel like the dog you are!" She threw a dark energy Munnins way. munnin rolled to the side to grab her sword in its sheath. the energy missing her and hitting the furniture behind her as the vanity exploded into pieces. Her sword now in hand she drew it from its holster, Munnins armor seeming to flicker back onto her body with its draw. mohini sent another blast her way along with aristotle. The balls of energy crackled their size growing larger.

Munnin stood ready, striking the energies away with her blade in single motion. Sinful jumped in front of the duchess to ensure her safety from the blast. they veered off splitting around them exploding in the corner destroying a few furnishings and scorching some tapestries. her sword crackled as it illuminated like the sun pure silver elegantly crafted with a moon handguard embellished with gold writing throughout. The blade itself, long and wide. It could rival Excalibur in size and length.

"where was all this sword coming from?" Sinful looked over past the dust at the sheath appearing small in form and substantially thinner then the one she holds." illusion work?" he thought, affixing his gaze back to munnin, her presence now appearing in front of him ready to deliver a blow, he held up his arms to defend against her strike. the dutchess produced a barrier around them, forcing munnin to meet the shield with her blade cracking its shell like glass. she kicked off the field landing a fair distance away from them on her feet. Aristotle cowered behind mohini and sinful.”She cracked the barrier!” Aristotle exclaimed.

munnin stood up straight "can't fight me can you duchesse. you were hoping i would be asleep with your weak floral work, or distracted by one of your pretty boys.'' Munnin said, irritated. sinful looked at munnin confused and hurt by her words. `` I didn't know mistress, i didnt… i enjoyed your company” he thought to himself. “Hard to think anyone could resist his beauty, his charms. Or do you think of him when men are around?” she taunted munnin with happenings in her past.

Munnin did not offer her a reaction to what she said.” nothing to say?” mohini quipped. “Your words are as fruitless as your magik mohini.” munnin tightened her grip on her sword, the dutchess angered by the slight, lowered what was left of her barrier and shot another pulse her way. munnin waited and with ease batted it away with the wave of her sword "your predictable" munnin taunted with a small laugh. the duchess now enraged lashed out producing energy whips she began slashing in Munnins direction disregarding everything in her way, frantically trying to get her target.

Sinful unaware of her pending attack was slashed from behind on the right side, he pulled away reacting as fast as he could, retreating to the right out of the way of his dutchess fury. she swung her whips hellishly trying to hit munnin, furious and as the Maiden said... predictable, Munnin simply phased her form into smoke, unphased by the uncontrolled demolition of Mohini's own castle. munnin stood hand resting on the hilt of her blade the tip staked into the carpet in front of her, nonchalant waiting for her tantrum to ease as she emptied her magik.

Sinful viewing from afar in disbelief that anyone could stand unharmed by the dutchess. "the dutchess, feared in this place for her power over us all. she was acting like a child in front of this noble woman. this holy knight, stern in the face of her enemy, calm and collected, poking at their emotions she uses the abilities of a skilled tactician" he continued to watch in awe as mohini continued to whip in fury.

the dutchess began to slow her movements finally realizing in her blind rage munnin stood un moved, unharmed, her form smoking and shifting in and out of sight. the duchess noticed the destruction she caused her castle. she screamed out, losing her mind. her hands glowing once more. her ruby necklace began to glow . "SINFUL BRING ME HER HEAD, LOCARISTRADA!" she screamed. a loud shift booming in the room. Rattling the castle itself.