Suddenly a Succubus - Book Five
Copyright© 2025 by Nyx Nyghtingale
Chapter 1
Supernatural Sex Story: Chapter 1 - After months of chaos and magical threats, a new semester finally dawns for Aurelius University. Amara and friends have settled into a new and jubilant routine, working with other students to keep the campus safe while they work on repairing the Planar Gate. While minor threats from The Wilds occasionally crop up in the background, Vee finds herself struggling with a new problem: her angelic powers are beginning to fade. Can she keep herself, and her friends, safe without them?
Caution: This Supernatural Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Fa/Fa Consensual Romantic Lesbian BiSexual Fiction School Ghost Magic Demons
Soft, muted sunlight drifted through the window, silently illuminating the small apartment as it landed. The radiant beams of light did their best to pierce the thick clouds above, but with winter in full swing, every second of their presence represented the aftermath of a fierce battle. The sunlight swelled as it found a particularly thin patch of clouds, illuminating even more of the elegant campus that was Aurelius University.
The campus itself was just starting to stir, and for a vast majority of the student population, they did so with great reluctance. The lengthy holiday vacation had only ended a week prior, and many were still struggling to readjust to the demands of early morning classes.
Among the few students waking at this time, however, one in particular did so with practiced enthusiasm. In spite of the early hour, and somehow even in spite of her tired shuffling, she still managed to carry herself with poise and elegance as she walked out of the bedroom. She had short, brilliant blonde hair that framed her face perfectly before ending just above her shoulders, though a few loose strands belied that she’d only recently risen from bed. Her face itself had sleek features that were capable of pivoting on a dime between endlessly compassionate and fiercely protective, yet no matter which expression she wore, her face always seemed unnaturally symmetrical. In fact, were it not for the large scars cutting through her left eyebrow and right upper lip, some might consider her the very face of perfection itself.
For Vequaniel Bennett, however, those scars were her most treasured feature. Her birth had been a literal Miracle, an act of Divinity bestowed upon her mother on the condition that the resulting daughter be an Angel: a servant of Heaven meant to enact the Divine’s will on Earth. The scars that shattered the illusion of her perfection were real, tangible reminders that, despite her lineage, she was just as capable of making mistakes as everyone else.
At the moment, however, she didn’t care to question her appearance, or her role in the divine schemes of Heaven and Hell. As she balanced precariously between sleep and the waking world, she cared only to take whatever steps brought her closer to coffee.
Opening the cabinet over the coffee machine, she pulled out a small bag of beans and poured them into an electric grinder. Not only did grinding her own beans create a stronger flavor, but it added another step in the delightful routine of procuring her morning beverage. As she carefully poured the freshly-ground beans into the coffee machine, she wondered if her love of this routine tied into her religious upbringing. Perhaps all the hours spent memorizing scripture, preparing communion, and rehearsing hymns had instilled a love of custom and ritual that carried over into her love of making coffee.
As soft bubbling noises filled her ears, she took a deep breath and stretched her arms over her head. A heavy yawn overtook her as she reached higher and higher, her back eventually cracking in a few places. Vee sighed in relief, then leaned forward against the kitchen counter to look out over the apartment.
It technically wasn’t her place, though after the last few weeks it was hard to argue otherwise. It belonged to her girlfriend, Amara Lamour: the strongest and most beautiful person on campus, at least in Vee’s eyes. A few months ago, Amara had discovered an otherworldly lineage of her own, though hers came from a much less holy direction. She’d unknowingly been a demon her entire life, and losing her virginity had kickstarted a surprise second puberty. Only weeks later, a terrible chain of events had led Vee to think that banishing Amara to Hell was necessary to keep the campus safe. Thankfully, she’d failed, and the scars from that night reminded Vee every day that people were more complicated than they appeared, and that the Church knew less than they’d have her believe.
Amara’s transformation, on top of uprooting her entire life, had also wreaked havoc on her apartment. Large talons present on the tips of her wings and the tendency of hellfire to spring forth from her demonic actions had caused countless scrapes, gouges, and burns throughout the home. Shortly after the two of them started dating, Vee’s desire for well-kept surroundings had led her to tap into her Divine powers and restore the damage herself.
Now, the place practically sparkled. After painstakingly scouring the apartment to remove all traces of demonic damage, Vee had also taken the opportunity to add her own flair to the decorations. It wasn’t that Amara had completely forgone the process—she had a collection of framed pictures adorning the walls—but many small touches had simply been ignored. Vee had insisted on adding fanciful flourishes to the many crooks, crannies, and crevices around the apartment, and she was immensely proud of the results.
After a few minutes of appreciating her handiwork, Vee happily turned her attention back to the coffee. A piping hot elixir of alertness stood waiting for her, and she hummed with satisfaction as she pulled the mug into her hands. She inhaled its rich aroma, then took her first sip and smiled as warmth flooded her body.
With the specter of sleep now thoroughly banished, Vee walked to the other side of the counter to grab her backpack. She opened it up, spread out her various folders, binders, and notebooks, and began double checking all the assignments due this week. Her previous semester had ended disastrously, an unfortunate side effect of a crazed student pulling her into Purgatory and causing her to miss all of her finals. Now, more than ever, she needed to step up her studying game and prove she deserved to be here.
Half an hour later, the bedroom door opened once more and a very sleepy succubus followed in Vee’s footsteps, shuffling towards the kitchen as she yawned and rubbed her eyes. Unlike Vee, however, she was completely nude.
Long, wavy, brownish-auburn hair cascaded over her bare shoulders, her beautiful locks somewhat disrupted by the various errant strands that jutted out at awkward angles, a remnant of having just woken up. Towards the front of her head, two blackened horns emerged, piercing the tangled mess of hair and briefly flashing hints of red as sunlight danced across them. Every inch of her rich sienna skin seemed to sparkle in the morning light, the curves of her hips and breasts each catching the light in different, equally seductive ways.
Not that she was consciously trying to seduce Vee. At least, not yet. Probably. As Amara had grown more and more comfortable with her demonic identity, she’d begun to fully internalize her immense sexual appeal, and now it seemed like even absentminded actions were precision designed to make her look as sexually appealing as possible.
Vee, who was standing next to the counter as she sipped her coffee and checked her homework, flashed a warm smile towards Amara. “Morning love. How are you feeling?”
Amara slowly shuffled behind Vee, wrapping her arms around her waist before resting her head on her back. “Mmmmmrgh...” she mumbled.
“Still tired?” Vee asked. She then felt the subtle nod of Amara’s head as she kept leaning against her. “I just made coffee, and there’s more than enough for you.”
This time, Amara shook her head. “No coffee ... not strong enough...” As she finished speaking, her tail crept closer and wrapped itself around Vee’s leg, inching higher and higher with a silent suggestion of what Amara actually needed right now.
Glancing over to the clock, Vee quickly ran the numbers.
So long as she doesn’t take her time, which she normally doesn’t in the morning, I should have more than enough time to shower afterwards and still be on time for class.
Amara’s demonic tail, colored deep crimson, curled even tighter as its tip reached for the top of Vee’s pajama pants. Her hands released their hold on Vee’s waist, then pushed inside Vee’s shirt to gently scratch her back. That tender, loving gesture only lasted a few moments, however, and she quickly found herself distracted by Vee’s lack of a bra. Her hands slipped forward, fingers reaching eagerly for Vee’s breasts.
With a quiet gasp, Vee leaned backwards against Amara, her own hands reaching for her demonic girlfriend’s soft thighs. Powerful muscles lay just beneath the skin, yet in spite of their presence, Amara’s legs were practically as soft as pillows. Vee closed her eyes, focusing on the feelings of both touching and being touched, and happily welcomed the wave of arousal that crested over her.
The warmth of Amara’s embrace grew steadily hotter as she held Vee tighter. Amara’s hands, now gently massaging Vee’s breasts, lightly pinched them just hard enough to make Vee twitch with excitement. As this happened, her tail readjusted, wrapping around Vee’s waist before carefully and expertly pushing her pants down. A cold breeze met Vee’s bare legs, but the discomfort it brought immediately evaporated as Amara released a small burst of warm air, perfectly accommodating Vee’s arousal as she sank deeper into the succubus’s embrace.
Fuck ... she’s too good at this...
As Vee started to grow more excited at the thought of Amara’s tail, the gentle massage of Amara’s hands began to feel tame in comparison to what she really wanted. At that exact moment, however, an intangible warmth reached deep into Vee’s spirit, connecting them both in a manner possible only for an angel and a demon.
That connection betrayed Vee’s desires, her want for something rougher, and Amara happily obliged. She pushed Vee closer to the counter, then moved her hands to the angel’s back. Grabbing Vee tight, Amara pushed her down until her face met the faux marble counter, and Vee grabbed tight in anticipation. She wasn’t always in the mood for this kind of desperate, primal fucking, but after a tense first week of classes it sounded like the perfect way to relieve stress.
Now bent over like an animal in heat, Vee hummed in excitement as Amara stepped closer, her deliciously warm thighs meeting Vee’s. One of Amara’s hands slid higher, lightly scratching Vee’s back before pushing into her hair and gently grabbing hold. Amara’s other hand moved lower, tracing over the curves of Vee’s body before coming to rest on her hips. After grabbing tight there as well, Amara’s tail pushed Vee’s pajama pants even further down, completely exposing her legs. The demonic tail slithered around Vee’s left thigh, then her right, pinning the angel in place with her legs just far enough apart to welcome a desperate fucking. With Vee now completely trapped in her girlfriend’s grasp, the tip of Amara’s tail approached Vee’s dripping sex.
Amara’s tail was completely prehensile, and her control over it never ceased to amaze. It had taken Vee longer than she’d ever admit to adjust to the feeling of being fucked by something that felt, for all intents and purposes, like a snake or some kind of sentient tentacle. In time, thankfully, she’d come to love the unique experiences it afforded; of course, as a part of the most wonderful woman in the world, it hadn’t been a hard sell.
The tip of the tail lightly brushed against Vee’s pussy, flicking back and forth with playful intent as Vee gasped and moaned. She tried to push her hips back against the flared tip, silently pleading for more, but Amara’s intense grasp held her still, driving her even further into a horny stupor.
“Amara ... fuck, give it to me!” Vee pleaded. She released her hold on the kitchen counter, reaching back to try and pull Amara closer, and was caught off guard when Amara instead grabbed her hands and pinned them to her back. Vee felt a flash of warmth, then flinched in surprise as Amara clicked a pair of fluffy handcuffs around her wrists.
Amara leaned forward, her heavy breasts pushing against Vee’s back as she kept her hands pinned down. “I need you hotter than a boiling pot of coffee, love. I wasn’t expecting you to want something so rough today, but who am I to say no?” Amara whispered, her breath so hot Vee swore she felt sparks of hellfire dance across her face. More than the bondage, more than the tail teasing her slick entrance, Amara’s sultry voice sent shivers down Vee’s spine.
It seemed to be enough for Amara as well, as her tail finally caved to Vee’s desperation. Its pointed tip pushed into Vee’s pussy, moving deeper and deeper with each passing second. The flared nature of the tip felt incredible, and as it slid further into Vee’s sex, it began twisting and twitching in search of Vee’s most sensitive spots. The soft ridges of Amara’s tail gently massaged the quivering walls of Vee’s pussy, and delightful tremors of pleasure surged through her body. Her back involuntarily arched as she surrendered to Amara’s tail, no longer trying to push against it now that it was inside her.
Only needing one hand to pin Vee down, Amara moved her other hand to Vee’s face. She gently caressed the angel’s cheek, up and down, before lightly grabbing her neck and whispering into her ear once more. “Do you like that, Vee? Do you like my tail fucking you senseless while you’re completely under my control?”
With each thrust, each delicate twist, Amara’s tail seemed to chase away another ounce of stress that had built up in Vee’s body. Several partial orgasms had already caught her off guard, and she began wondering what Amara had in store to truly push her over the edge. Such errant thoughts were pushed from her mind, however, when Amara’s tail twitched again, twisting faster than usual before its flared tip pulled back, threatening to pull out entirely.
Vee whimpered, pleading as best she could for Amara not to stop. She threw as much as her weight as she could into fucking Amara, each time meeting resistance from the thicker parts of the demonic tail still wrapped around her thighs. They rippled and shook with power, effortlessly holding Vee in place as Amara continued teasing her.
“There it is,” Amara whispered, her seductive voice like honey to Vee’s ears. “There’s the desperate little angel I need to wake me up. Do you want to cum?”
“Amara ... fuck, yes, please!!” Vee gasped.
A slow, sensual chuckle filled Vee’s world, and Amara slowly released her hold on Vee’s neck. Her fingers traced across Vee’s shoulder, down her back, over her hips, before finally sliding around towards her throbbing clit. Even if Amara couldn’t read Vee’s arousal with near-perfect precision, all their weeks of constant fucking had given Amara intimate knowledge of what Vee enjoyed most in the bedroom. The thick, demonic tail fucking her in slow, long strokes was amazing, but the one thing that truly set Vee off was having her clit played with.
Amara fingers inched closer, pausing to gently massage Vee’s thigh. Vee twitched in anticipation, her clit throbbing and Amara’s tail continued sliding in and out, twisting back and forth. When Amara’s fingers moved again, they carefully spread open and danced around Vee’s clit, somehow finding a way to massage her pussy while avoiding the most sensitive part. Had it not been for the tail keeping her occupied, Vee would have started cussing at Amara for being such a tease.
Each second dragged on for an eternity as Vee’s body ached for release. She took deep, ragged breaths as her body trembled with pleasure, her final orgasm held back by a tiny thread completely under Amara’s control.
When Amara finally succumbed to both their desires, she did so with every part of her body acting in perfect unison. The flared tip of her tail found the most sensitive spot inside Vee, her warm lips kissed Vee’s neck and whispered sweet nothings into her ear, and her fingers began deftly massaging Vee’s pulsing clit. The combination of all of Vee’s favorite things overwhelmed her, the pleasure so intense she swore it might short-circuit her.
Her back arched and she threw her head back with a triumphant moan of orgasmic pleasure. The hand that previously held her wrists down quickly moved to her chest, holding her steady while also lightly pinching her nipples just to drive her further into ecstasy.
The two girls stayed there, locked together in perfect union, as Vee’s orgasm overpowered them both. Amara’s demonic feeding enabled her to feel all of Vee’s pleasure, and she came just as hard as she continued fucking Vee. Seconds after the first wave crested, and a resurgence of pleasure began to swell, Vee turned her head towards Amara. Their lips met, completing their union and stressing that, more than anything, this was an expression of love just as much as an expression of lust. As their tongues brushed together, Vee decided she’d had enough bondage, and tugged at her handcuffs hard enough to shatter the illusion. The cuffs faded from reality, freeing her hands to reach for Amara’s waist.
Holding each other tight, it took nearly another minute for both of them to ride out the last vestiges of their shared orgasm. The pleasure slowly faded, occasionally attempting small resurgences, but in the end the passion had transitioned completely to the pair’s embrace. Finally, after a series of ragged breaths, Vee pulled her lips away from Amara and simply leaned against her.
“Wow,” Vee muttered. “That’s one way to wake up. Better than coffee?”
Amara chuckled. “Not even close. I’d give up coffee in a heartbeat if you asked me to.”
“Thankfully, I would never do anything so cruel.” Vee took a deep breath, then kicked her pajama pants off before starting towards the bathroom. “And speaking of coffee, don’t forget to actually have some! I’m still not letting you see if you can survive on sex alone!”
“Oh come on, we have to try at some point!” Amara whined.
“No! Coffee, breakfast, classes!” Vee shouted over her shoulder as she pulled her shirt off. With a massive smile, and a quick giggle as she ruminated on how happy she was, Vee jumped into the shower to get ready for school.
Vee’s morning classes were every bit as predictable as she’d hoped. She turned in all her homework, took detailed notes on all her new assignments, and participated in class as much as was appropriate; it was important not to answer every question, of course, lest she appear desperate or over-ambitious.
One teacher in particular, Mr. Kokkinos, had also taught a class of hers last semester. As Vee was in the middle of petitioning the school to let her retake all her missed finals, she took the opportunity to check in with him while she had the chance. Unfortunately for Vee, there still was no official ruling on this request. Ordinary rules prohibited students from retaking finals, and while exceptions were sometimes made, the decision needed to pass through several hands before Vee would have an answer.
It sucks I can’t just tell them the truth. I feel like ‘being sucked into Purgatory’ counts as a pretty damn good excuse.
She only had two classes in the morning, after which she’d given herself a break for lunch. After her third class let out, while she was busy packing up her stuff, another student ran up to her with a smile on her face. Her dreadlocks bounced back and forth as she stopped moving, though even then, she continued bouncing back and forth with unusual pep.
“Hey Vee! How’d the weekend treat you!” the student asked.
Dreadlocks, athlete, she’s friends with Naomi, this is ... this is ... Natalie!
“Hi Natalie,” Vee said with a calm smile. “Pretty quiet, all things considered. Any weekend I get to sleep in is a good one in my books, right?”
They both laughed, and as Vee started walking towards the exit, Natalie accompanied her. “Oof, tell me about it. Coach has got us up at stupid early hours to practice, and I’m already sick of it. Although I’d rather be running for fun than ... well, y’know.”
With a slow nod, Vee acknowledged the open-ended statement. Natalie was one of the unlucky students that stayed on campus over the Winter Break, which meant she’d been swept up in magical nonsense as monsters and witches overtook the school for several chaotic weeks. “Trust me, no one is happier about that than I am.”
“Hey, speaking of that, is our first, um...” Natalie looked around briefly to make sure no one was listening in. “Is our first AV Club meeting soon?”
Vee leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Next Tuesday, the 26th, at Whitmore Hall. You’re in the group chat, aren’t you?”
“I mean. yeah, but I suck at keeping up with stuff like that,” Natalie muttered. “Should I assume Amara’s gonna be there? Is she, like ... cool now? I heard you two were dating, and I was kinda hoping that would mellow her out a bit.”
“Everything’s fine, Natalie. Promise,” Vee said, casting a reassuring smile at Natalie.
“Right, yeah, cool. Anyways, I gotta run, I don’t have lunch yet, but I’ll catch you later!” Natalie’s departure was much more literal than Vee expected, and she watched as Natalie started running in the opposite direction, likely on the verge of being late for class.
It only took a few minutes for Vee to make it to the cafeteria, get her food, and start combing the dining hall for her friends. They tried to pick corner tables as often as possible, mostly for Chloé’s benefit, but sometimes they weren’t so lucky. Thankfully, fortune seemed to be on their side today, and Vee quickly found Amara and Chloé at their preferred table.
Amara was wearing a long red jacket that flattered her form perfectly, which made sense given all her clothes were illusory. She was able to summon and resize her clothing on a whim, and she took full advantage of this to give herself gorgeous outfits whenever she wanted.
Chloé was hunched over the table, wrapped in her usual long blue peacoat. A scarf hung around her neck and thin, round glasses sat on her nose, highlighting her bright green eyes as she slowly picked at her lunch. She had soft, petite features, with light brown hair loosely tied into a bun behind her head. Notably, she had a thin streak of white hair that extended all the way from her right temple to the back of her head. As she saw Vee approach, she perked up in excitement and waved hello.
Sliding in next to her girlfriend, Vee gave Amara a kiss on the cheek before digging into her lunch. “Hey Chloé! How are you doing today?”
“Oh, you know, the usual,” Chloé muttered. She looked up at Vee with a weak smile, but Vee didn’t hold that against her. Several weeks back, in their final confrontation against the student that had attempted to strand Amara and Vee in Purgatory, Chloé had gotten trapped halfway inside a portal between dimensions. She now existed in a permanent state of suspension between planes, her natural form being completely intangible and invisible. Although she was capable of reforming her body, it took a great deal of effort, and she was still trying to figure out her new routine now that school had started up again.
Immediately after talking, Chloé winced and quickly returned to hunching over the table, clenching her fists as she grit her teeth. For a split second, imperceptible to anyone not already looking, her form flickered, her body growing slightly transparent. Thankfully, the fit was over just as soon as it began, and Chloé let out a sigh of relief.
Eager to keep Chloé distracted from the complications of her condition, Vee tried to change the subject. “What’s your charity app up to? That’s been going for a while now, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah!” Chloé said, instantly perking up. “We’ve gained a little more traction, and new user sign-ups continue to trend upwards, which is really nice. It certainly helps that our marketing advisor is also our top-performing content creator.”
With a devious chuckle, Amara looked up from her lunch. “Well, what can I say? If the people love quality photoshoots, who am I to deny them the pleasure? Besides, I’m happy to help, and the extra money has certainly been nice on my end.”
“And?” Vee asked, playfully nudging Amara.
“And... maybe it’s a blast showing off my true form and getting a bunch of attention. So what? I’m a succubus, it’s in our blood!”
Vee chuckled to herself as she thought of Amara’s last set of photos. Not only had Vee helped with the camera, but she’d also gotten special treatment after they were finished. “Oh, Chloé, before I forget: I was speaking with Natalie just a few minutes ago. Apparently she doesn’t keep up with the group chat, but she confirmed that she’ll be at our AV Club meeting next week.
“Oh, perfect!” Chloé said happily. “I haven’t asked people to RSVP, but I’m certainly hoping everyone is able to make it.”
“Wait, AV Club?” Amara asked, tilting her head in confusion. “Since when does our school have an AV Club?”
“Amara, please tell me you’re joking,” Vee said.
Looking back and forth between the other girls, Amara started panicking. “No! What am I missing here?”
Chloé sighed. “You’ve been ignoring both group chats, haven’t you?”
“Well, I-I...” Amara’s face turned red as she stammered. “I figured if anything important came up, Vee would tell me about it! She’s way better at keeping track of that shit than I am!”
Placing a hand on Amara’s thigh, Vee leaned in to explain. “It’s a nickname Chloé came up with. We needed a way to organize all the students that know about magic, and ideally some verbiage that would allow us to talk about it in public without giving away any secrets.”
“Since all those students are helping us keep tabs on any potential incursions, I jokingly started calling them the Aurelius Vanguard in my head,” Chloé muttered, her cheeks turning pink for a moment. “But, um, I said it aloud once and Vee said she really liked it, and she suggested we make it official so everyone was on the same page.”
“Ohhh, gotcha,” Amara said. “That’s really clever! And a really good name!”
“You really need to start paying attention to the group chats, Amara,” Vee said quietly. “If anyone finds something magical that needs our attention, that’s how they let us know. What if they send something when we’re not together?”
“Okay, I get it, I’ll unmute the chats,” the succubus groaned.
With a small laugh, Vee returned to her lunch. The rest of the meal passed quickly, the three girls mostly talking about their classes and how the first week of school had gone. Unfortunately, with only an hour for lunch, they were soon forced to part ways and head off to their afternoon classes.
Vee’s afternoon classes were every bit as predictable as her morning classes, and for that she was grateful. The cycle of exchanging old homework for new homework continued, and she took careful notes during each and every lecture to keep herself sharp. Another benefit of the new semester was the chance it gave her to reconnect with friends that had returned home for the holidays. After spending so many weeks surrounded by magic, planar incursions, and otherworldly drama, it was refreshing to talk to students that remained untouched by the chaotic world of magic.
Her last official engagement for the day wasn’t a class, but a private vocal lesson. She’d been singing as long as she could remember, and music was often the perfect solution whenever she needed to shake off the malaise of a long day at school.
Today was especially exciting, as she was beginning to put together her repertoire for the new semester. Many weeks had been spent agonizing over the perfect songs; pieces to illustrate her vocal range, pieces to highlight both her dramatic and lighthearted musical capabilities, as well as a healthy collection of both modern and classical music. She was particularly excited to start work on “Sempre Libera,” a song from Italian opera “La Traviata” composed by Giuseppe Verdi.
After happily catching up with her voice teacher, a delightful older woman by the name of Mrs. Leese, they jumped straight into Vee’s catalogue of music. Many of the earlier songs went well, and she was purposely saving Sempre Libera for last due to how excited she was for it. When the moment finally came, she threw herself into her performance with much the same excitement Amara threw herself into her photoshoots and Chloé threw herself into her games.
“Sempre libera degg´io folleggiare di gioia in gioia, vo´che scorra il viver mio pei sentieri del piacer. Nasca il giorno, o il giorno muoia, sempre lieta ne´ ritrovi, a diletti sempre nuovi dee volare il mio pen—”
Near the end of Vee’s performance, an uncomfortable strain caught her by surprise, and she was forced to finish prematurely. After a few light coughs, she took a deep breath to try and diagnose the issue. “I’m so sorry, I’m not sure what happened,” Vee muttered to her teacher.
“Have you caught something? It is cold and flu season,” Mrs. Leese asked politely.
“No, I...” Vee stopped herself. It would be suspicious to say she’d never been sick before, as true as the statement was. “I don’t think so. Perhaps we should stop here? Just to be safe?”
“Of course, dear. We were almost finished anyways,” the teacher said.