The Hero Became a Succubus, and the Only Way to Level is to… What?!
Chapter 413 – Apex of Isha (Part 1)

Every key player gathered around the table in Crystal Lodge's largest suite. A heated argument erupted from all sides on how to approach Isha Palace, and time was running out. The Avanessi royal army's two-pronged attack had cut the resistance in half. Rasheena's scouts reported back that they controlled The Commons, including the gate and fortifications. While one half held the only way out of the city, the second half slowly made its way here while crushing pockets of resistance.

Guerilla attacks from Renya, Romira, and her stalkers did nothing more than annoy the disciplined fighting force. Some of the resistance leaders were sweating bullets, muttering about how this was the end of the line for them. The royal army was only hours away.

Kris, the explorer, had sent word via Rasheena's scouts that she was okay all the way back in The Claw. After the Avanesse's initial offensive a few days ago, she decided to stay low at the inn where they first stayed. That alone took a load off Kanae's shoulders. 

Rasheena pounded the table and snapped Kanae from her reverie. "If I hear any more bellyaching, I'll rip out your throats myself and save the executioner the trouble."

And just like that, no one else uttered a word.

"The sultan is the only one who can call off the Avanessi royal army," she continued after a sigh. "We have to seize hold of Cerberus."

"Your army can't think for themselves? They obey a sultan whose mind is likely under succubus sway," Alicia said.

"Doesn't matter," Petyr scoffed. "Infantry obey their officers, officers obey their generals, and generals obey their monarch. If Sultan Cerberus is giving orders, a competent army need only act, not think. I'm rather impressed by the Avanessi royal army. Launching a pincer attack after outsiders softened up the resistance, then cutting off our escape… It was a simple yet brilliant tactical maneuver. Ortesia can learn a thing or two from them. I wish to speak with the commander responsible for this."

"You just might, rightbefore we get executed, if we don't figure a way out of this!" Kanae groaned.

Petyr scoffed again, this time more derisively. She snatched a pencil from a resistance officer's hands and made marks on the crudely-drawn map. A lot of details were missing, since someone had come up with it on short notice. The map contained landmarks, Edirashok Colonnades, a few blocks, and Isha Palace.

However, in less than a minute, Petyr drew an entire battle plan rife with points of assault and holdouts. Her most remarkable illustration detailed the royal army pincer's past movements, as well as a prediction of their next course.

"They lured us in to rout the resistance in one fell swoop. There are three roads leading into the square around Edirashok Colonnades. If I were them, I'd control all three to box you in. They will have to divide their forces to achieve that. I propose we leave the bulk of the resistance here, and send the rest through this alley." Petyr tapped on a narrow passage behind the colonnades that wraps around back to the thoroughfare. "It is too small for any army to consider using. We will sneak past and lure the force in the west road into a fight. Those of the colonnades will rush out to attack the same force from behind. All of this must happen before they enter the square, or they may catch on."

"A pincer of our own. Brilliant. And what happens to those left here who are incapable of fighting?" Rasheena asked.

"Pray that the assault force reaches Sultan Cerberus soon," she replied coldly.

"That's it then? It's over… We're all doomed…" Edirashok Misiah's pointed ears drooped.

"Perhaps not." Odika rubbed his chin. "The stairs are the only way up to the colonnades, and it is heavily barricaded. Not to mention, when the remaining two forces arrive, they will wonder where their third force is and investigate. I presume, your assault force will be long gone by then?"

Petyr nodded.

"Very well. This high elf's plan seems sound. The edirashoks and our militia will make our stand. Hopefully, not our final stand. Rasheena, may the dunes rise in your favor." Odika produced a pouch of sand from his person and sprinkled a few on the map.

Zayn did the same, and Misiah, though an utter nervous wreck, followed suit. Kanae thought it must have been a thoughtful gesture in Avanessi culture, but Rasheena grimaced. Everyone split up to make their final preparations.

"Hey." Kanae caught up to Rasheena on the way downstairs. "What did dropping sand mean?"

"I don't have a lesson of tradition or culture for you this time. It is merely superstition borne from royal and noble blood. When it seems certain our time has come, we take sand collected from our birthplace and sprinkle some upon our resting place. In that way, we hope not to come back as ghosts," Rasheena explained.

"You didn't sprinkle any of your own. Are you that confident about living to see another day?"

"Hah! Funny," she laughed. "I do not hold the same superstitions. Tomorrow, Avanesse will either remember me as a hero or a villain. But that is the task of a historian. Today, I am the leader of the Avanessi resistance and nothing more." She looked past Kanae to someone behind her. "Edirashok Zayn."

"Forgive me, Lady Rasheena. I'd like a moment with Kanae before her departure," Zayn said.

Rasheena squinted at the both of them suspiciously, but she ultimately took her leave. Kanae and Zayn stood awkwardly in front of each other until he offered to take this to a private setting. They entered a room at random. It was empty, save for some discarded clothes and a disheveled bed as a sign of someone having hastily left some time ago.

The edirashok wasn't a towering giant to Kanae anymore. She stood at even height with him, if not a little taller because of her horns. 

"You were a grown succubus woman all along. My heart cannot reconcile it." Zayn frowned.

"I'm sorry for lying to you. This is the real me." Kanae nervously twiddled her thumbs.

"I only wanted to see her in you one last time before we leave. Goodbye— whoa!"

Kanae shoved Zayn into bed and climbed on top of him. He flailed around underneath as her tail yanked his pants down.

"W-What are you doing?!" Zayn panicked.

"I'm going to make you remember me the only way I know how. With my pussy." Kanae made his dick erect with Turn Horny on his dick and straddled her entrance against it.

"No, please! Wait… I… oh…. Oohhhh!" He threw his head back when they connected again after so long.

Both of them shuddered. Kanae felt his cock blow a load into her already. She chewed on her lower lip and moaned. The same cut of meat, the same juice… That pleasure from before came flooding back just like his spunk.

"Just one more time! Your dick still remembers! I know because of how much it's throbbing inside me!" Kanae exclaimed, picking up speed as she bounced on Zayn's cock.

"Ahh! I remember now! This tightness and how soaked you are… I'm going to fuck you senseless again like old times!" Zayn pulled her down for a kiss and pounded even harder.

They climaxed a second time wrapped in each other's arms. Cum leaked out from where they were connected. Kanae's womb was too full of his pent-up load to take it all. While lying on top of Zayn, she trembled from him caressing her back.

There was no time to bask in their orgasm or to have pillow talk. Kanae and Zayn quickly got dressed, even though the urge to go again, and again, and again like old times nipped temptingly at their bodies.

"Thank you, Kanae. Your love from before has kindled my heart. Although I don't see a future with you, I do often wonder how things could have been if our wedding happened," Zayn said thoughtfully.

"I couldn't stay that way forever. My relationships back home would be in shambles!" Kanae chuckled.

"Y-You… are bespoken to someone?" he stammered.

"Let's see…" She began to list them off her fingers. "I'm wedded to Arenade and Noah. Mitty is my goblin mate. I also have a dreadmourn lover with whom I birthed many foals with."

The edirashok's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Ignoring the fact that dreadmourns should be extinct… you're in a relationship with one? Moreover, it sired offspring with you?!" Zayn stared with his mouth agape.

"Our nights in the stable together are always so passionate. Titan's the only one with enough stamina to outlast me." Kanae reminisced and embraced herself, shuddering in pleasure.

"Per… Perhaps it is for the best that our relationship didn't work out." He gulped.

They emerged from Crystal Lodge with both groups ready to launch an attack, and the third group comprising the three edirashoks and their forces prepared to stay behind. To no surprise, everyone was uneasy. The plan could very well fail.

However, Kanae had her utmost faith in Petyr's plan. She might not be Avaline, the Rook of Rotandrix. But she was formerly Lord-Major of Ortesia's invasionary force into the Commonwealth, a seasoned commander that nearly defeated them.

"Kanae, one more thing!" Zayn stopped her from leaving. "I don't control Riben Crow anymore. He's become unhinged."

"I kind of figured that since you're here, and he isn't. What happened?" Kanae asked.

"After Vanuis… I couldn't stand the thought of war," he explained. "So, I was among the edirashoks who spoke up against it during the Meeting of Sands. That didn't go well, as you can imagine. Riben left me and sided with Sultan Cerberus. But I suspect his loyalties aren't exactly stone solid. One thing is certain: he won't stop until his family is resurrected."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks." She smiled.

Kanae, Petyr, Claudia, and Alicia joined Rasheena plus twenty of the sneakiest members of the resistance. Her officers, Renya, and Romira took charge of leading the second strike force into the square. Edirashok Colonnades was severely undermanned now. Everyone staying behind had essentially signed their death warrant.

The back alley behind the colonnades was full of trash and debris. It didn't even see any fighting and managed to be messier than the battle-torn streets. Kanae and the sisters were able to fly above it and remain hidden. Everyone else had to climb over rubble, broken carts, and spoiled food.

At the end of the narrow passage, Alicia casted Magical Stealth on herself to check if the main road was clear. It was. The constant fighting earlier had left the avenue deserted. Citizens were holed up in their homes and didn't even dare peer out the windows. Crushed vendor stalls, shattered glass, and discarded weapons littered the pavement.

They hurried up the road and reached the first intersection, but the only path that mattered was the street connecting the thoroughfare and the square to Edirashok colonnade. A sizable force currently marched in that direction and had their backs unwittingly turned to them. The rear guard was going to have no clue what was coming.

"You high elven scoundrel. One look at our city, and you formulated a plan of attack that easily?" Rasheena snickered anxiously.

"I joined the Rook of Rotandrix in a campaign against a city of humans once. They built their city in similar gigantic blocks. Buildings packed tight like untraversable canyons. The Avanessi royal army, already divided into two, further split their forces into three to cover more ground, not realizing that their architecture has walled them off from readily reinforcing each other," Petyr explained.

Kanae saw it now. This section of The Royal Grounds catered to opulence and grandness. The stretch of buildings and townhouses were their own obstacles. By the time the other parts of the army realized what was happening, they still needed to run all the way down the large block and back up in order to help.

"Resistance ahead! Spears, at the ready!" the commander of the Avanessi force ahead shouted.

"They spotted our second group. When do we attack?" Rasheena asked.

"When we're in the thick of it, listen to my orders and nothing else." Petyr infused her warhammer with holy energy and charged into battle. "Now we attack!"

A few of the rear infantry finally looked back. By then, it was too late. Petyr and Claudia slammed into the back of the royal army, throwing their formation into disarray. Despite being hit from both sides, they recovered quickly.

Kanae flew over the battle and, using the Blade of the First Temptress, casted Hailstorm. She brought a blizzard down on their heads. Infantry slipped on ice they weren't used to treading on. Many retaliated by firing magical spells and arrows into the sky. But their arms and fingers were trembling too much from the frigid cold, and most of their shots whiffed.

Meanwhile, officers of the resistance pushed into the vanguard of the royal army. Renya and her clones fired arcane bolts. They ducked behind cover while advancing steadily. Romira's Stalkers rained arrows down from the rooftops.

Two harpy soldiers suddenly launched into the air.

"Don't let them warn the others!" Petyr shouted.

Kanae chased one down, drawing close enough to charm him to a halt. Something struck the second one in the chest, and he plummeted into a veranda.

"Kanae, Claudia, Alicia! Charm as many as you can and make a hole in the army to let the resistance through!" Petyr ordered next.

Mages in the royal army attempted a counteroffensive, but the succubi's magic reached them first. The three of them casted Mass Charm, seizing hundreds among the thousands. They were still vastly outnumbered, but the point wasn't to beat them.

Kanae commanded the charmed thralls to open a path in their defensive formation. The resistance raced down the split in the royal army.

"Yes! Yes!" Petyr pumped a fist in the air as almost 700 resistance members flooded past. "Now, I feel alive. We're done here. Push to the land bridge across Isha Palace! Kanae, slow them down!"

"Uh, right!" Kanae was almost too distracted in awe of the paladin's very Rook of Rotandrix-like plan. She recomposed herself and casted Conjured Caltrops. The royal army's attempt to give chase stopped abruptly. No one wanted to step on spikes scattered across the ground. Those that tried realized their painful mistake real fast.

Everyone booked it for the land bridge while the traps and charmed thralls held the army back. The defenses in front of Isha Palace were light, only a few bone brutes and stray Ortesian knights. Petyr easily tossed the undead monstrosities into the oasis, and Claudia gave the high elves a CBT treatment in the form of a swift kick to the balls with her stilettos.

"I know we're on a roll and hate to be that chick, but… the army's hot on our fucking ass!" Renya warned.

"I'll slow them down!" Kanae lifted into the air until someone grabbed her tail and yanked her back to the ground.

"Watch out!" Alicia pulled her back.

Petyr slammed her warhammer into the bridge. The first hit caused an earthquake, and the second collapsed a part of it. As the stone crumbled into the oasis, some of the infantry near the front skidded to a stop. A few couldn't slow down in time and fell over, splashing into the water below.

"Kanae, you and the two who can fly, enter from above. The rest of us will go from the palace entrance," Rasheena instructed.

"Are you sure we should be splitting up right now?" Kanae asked.

"Better we not put all our eggs in one basket in case they have a trap waiting for us on the other side. Find my nephew. Demand that he call off the royal army. Charm him if you must," she implored.

Kanae, Claudia, and Alicia agreed. They flew up just as Petyr bashed open the entrance into Isha Palace. The succubi trio landed on an upper garden terrace, about five floors above ground. Native cactus and shrubs grew in garden beds. Judging by their sad foliage, no one had tended to them for a while.

They approached the wide open entry connecting the terrace to the inner palace, only to have a dark shadow creeping out from within.

"I was going to have such a nice wedding," Elaine's haunting voice echoed to them from the darkness. "It might have been to some cattle young man, but a wedding nonetheless. I even had a very beautiful gown prepared. I can forgive that. Ambrosia returned a little while ago. You wounded her pride, which I at least found amusing. But I saw what you did to Jhene. You hurt her. You hurt my beloved sister. That is unforgivable. Come then, Kanae. My wayward sisters, too. The shadows are hungry, and you will not escape them this time."

"No takesies-backsies on the invitation! You, Amby, and Jhene need a good old fashioned beating, and I'm coming to get my revenge." Claudia cracked her fists.

"On your toes, you two. The three of them are in there, and it was hard enough to fight each of them alone," Kanae cautioned.

"Oh, I'm ready." Alicia's fingers trembled with anticipation rather than fear.