Chapter 5

Gharni looked at the rings being offered by one of her lovers to the other. "I'm afraid I still don't understand," said Gharni, "why are you upset by them? I would have thought any gift of a sexual nature would be a turn on for you."

"I'm not upset by them Gharni," said Xlandria, "I'm thrilled and scared at what they represent. If I accept them and wear them then I am bound to Azran for all eternity."

Gharni glared at Azran. "Why would you do this to her Azran? Isn't it enough that she's already your slave?"

"Gharni, stop!" cried out the Succubus. "It's not a punishment, it's a gift, a wonderful gift. Like most demons, Succubae are virtually immortal. When we fall in battle our souls return to the Twisting Nether until we are summoned back by our masters. We also go there when we are dismissed from this realm or another minion is summoned and displaces us from this realm, but it is a horrible place, even for a demon. There is nothing in the nether but pain and suffering. Just being there is like feeling your skin dragged across rough sandstone, a burning hot sun bearing it's noon-day heat on you from all sides, the most bitterly cold winds from Northrend chilling your bones, and the stench of death and decay are everywhere." Tears began to roll down Xlandria's cheeks as she recalled the horrors of the Nether. "I love you both too much to describe anymore of it to you. This is why Azran apologizes to me every time he must summon one of his other minions, because he knows where I am going and what I must face there."

"I'm sorry Xlandria," said Gharni, "I didn't know, but what do the rings do?"

"The ring itself doesn't do anything," interrupted Azran. "It's simply a symbol of a pact between myself and Xlandria. The power comes from the promise. All creatures of the extremes of magic, whether of holy light or dark shadow, are bound by the promises they make. The magic that sustains them forces them to keep those promises. This ring represents the closest thing to a wedding ring that succubae have. Just like a wedding ring, it is a promise that our souls are bound to one another. THAT is why this is such a wonderful thing. If Xlandria falls in battle again or I am forced to dismiss her then her corporeal form will disappear like it always does, but her soul will remain with me. She will never have to return to the Twisting Nether again."

"That sounds wonderful, but why didn't you offer her this long ago?" asked Gharni.

"Because this promise exposes his soul to me," said Xlandria. "Succubae may be sex demons, but we are still demons. A demon, given the chance, can rip the soul from a mortal body and drag it into the Twisting Nether. This doesn't just mean he loves me, it means he trusts me with his soul."

"Are you sure of this Azran?" asked Gharni. "No offense intended Xlandria, I love you dearly, but I've always been taught to be very wary of demons."

"You're not wrong to be cautious Gharni," said Xlandria, surprising Gharni. "Many succubae have seduced their masters with the sole purpose of convincing them to put themselves into a position where the succubus could take hold of their soul. That's why this isn't to be given lightly. It's a sign of absolute trust. To make this pact, Azran must freely offer me a ring that pierces the flesh and I must freely pierce my own flesh and wear it."