The Cycle of Violence

Lily woke up, belatedly realizing that she had dreamed of the days her life changed. For the better or for the worst, well, perhaps both. It had rained during the time she was asleep, which at least gave her the fleeting amusement of seeing her dry silhouette surrounded by water. If there ever was a boon to being able to turn into Lilith, it was that whatever stops that prevented her from using magyk was now gone.

Life had turned strangely new when Lily had been exiled to Atlanta, just as it did when she first became a Reaper. A childlike wonder began to envelop her as water began to rise to her outstretched fingers with a thought. On a whim, Lily had attempted to conjure bubbles the way she had seen Peregrine manipulate during her childhood, and was pleasantly surprised by the ease that they manifested. Her father had always complained about the effort it took him. Either he was lying, or it legitimately was that difficult for him; the notion that she had a better grasp on water magyk than the scumbag whose seed gave her life felt profoundly amusing.

Ever since that fateful night, she had been understandably nervous to examine her new form. It wasn’t until she and the pair of brothers had decided to lay low in outside the port city of Avaline that she truly began to understand her unnatural abilities.

The three of them had chosen Lily to scout the city, on account of her power to change between her Reaper and human forms to find them a ship that would be perfect to lead them to the Elvish continent. The small parts of her that refused to change like her left eye and arm had to be bandaged over, but thankfully it could easily pass for injuries.

It was mostly a sound plan. The only problem was that Lily knew next to nothing about seafaring vessels. She had grown near the mountains, with a lake only a half day’s hike from her family’s home. So she mostly absently loitered around the fish market, eyeing each ship that docked in the harbor, trying to figure out which would be best to steal. There were so many of them, and all of them looked capable to Lily’s inexperienced eyes. She didn’t know why some had two sails, others had three or even as many as five. Others also seemed to utilize steam engines in conjunction with sails and all sorts of complicated jargon.

Asking a ship captain had been a pointless endeavor. She had asked a particularly grizzled man with one eye how few crew members he absolutely needed for an expedition, and the man had garbled something Lily could have sworn was another language entirely. All she managed to vaguely understand was that he had a big ship and needed at least twenty others to make sailing possible.

Twenty sailors at the very least? Lily thought. The idea that she and the ogres would be able to escape seemed like a hopeless endeavor.

Lost in thought, Lily hadn’t noticed that she had reached for the same halibut as an actual customer. Pulling her hand away, she was about to offer an empty apology when she was struck dumb by the woman facing her.

The woman would have been considered a beauty in the Caucus mountains, where her vibrant red hair would have stood out among the snow and skies. It glittered like gemstones and danced in the light. With her powerful figure, she would have fit right in among Lily’s ancestors who braced the eternal winter season in the furs of their prey and a weapon in hand. And yet, there was an allure to her that seemed to emanate out from her. A purity that reached out to comfort and soothe those around her.

Lily had never encountered anyone quite like this woman with fiery red hair. In that moment, she knew she needed to speak with her, to listen to her. Any thoughts of finding a ship were banished from her mind.

“I’m sorry,” the woman said first, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Were you going to take that?”

Words seemed to fail Lily. Her tongue didn’t want to work. “Uh… I think so,” she mumbled, transfixed. It was like she had forgotten how to talk!

To her surprise, the woman took the fish and placed it in Lily’s hands. “Something tells me you’re not from around here,” she giggled. “Would you like some help finding what you need?”

Say something! Her mind prodded aggressively. Anything! “Please,” She stammered.

Idiot!

“I’m Vera,” the woman introduced, not noticing how captivated Lily was by her. She mistook her stammering for her nerves being in an unfamiliar city. “What’s your name?”

Roll with it! “Uh, Lily.” she managed to answer, feeling her cheeks blush furiously. You’ve seduced maidens and grandmothers alike! Why are you so nervous around her!

“Well, Lily, is there anything in particular that you’re looking for?” Vera asked her, smiling warmly, her eyes twinkling playfully at her.

A myriad of thoughts crossed Lily’s mind, none of which concerned ships or fish, but all involved the woman who had her complete and undivided attention. An idea then sprang to mind, heralding the return of rational thought in the presence of such stunning beauty. “Well, I don’t know.” She confessed. “If you have time, I’d love it if you could teach me more about what I’m about to get myself into. If you have knowledge of it, of course.”

The glow from Vera’s smile alleviated some of the darkness over Lily she didn’t know she was holding. “I have an hour to kill, so sure,” she replied.

Over the course of that hour, Vera taught her everything she knew about fishing and which were better for soups or grilled over a fire. She sounded like an enthusiast, which Lily soon learned was because Vera had grown up on a ship she had called a fifie, and had a knack for just about anything regarding the waters, not just ichthyology. The way she would go on to describe the migratory fishing patterns of the chompies, or the alien-like beauty of a vathlassa leviathan breaching the water’s surface was incredibly endearing as Lily hung onto every word.

It felt good. Lily didn’t feel like a monster in disguise while around Vera.

What felt like much longer than an hour but not actually had elapsed before Vera glanced at the city’s clock tower. Lily’s heart sank as apologies were given and Vera pulled herself off the bench they had sat at.

“Goodness,” Vera exclaimed. “I’ve gotten a bit off topic, haven't I? Wasn’t I supposed to just be telling you about the best fish to eat?”

“Were you? I don’t remember.” Lily asked, giggling nervously. “Um, if it’s alright with you, but I really enjoyed this. Would it be okay if we could meet again? Maybe you could tell me more about ships and ocean currents?”

Perhaps it was by chance. Perhaps it was fate. Lily didn’t know or care, all she knew was that she needed to see her again. Vera pursed her lips, considering.

“Sure,” she agreed. “How does the same time tomorrow sound to you?”

Lily had returned to the encampment she had set up with Thorn and Lupin feeling lighter than air. She paid the ogres no mind as they tried to interrogate her, something about a ship she was supposed to look for. She was far too enamored with the prospect of meeting Vera again the next day to care about ships of all things. There had been a beauty in Vera that was only appealing to Lily, leaving her feeling the heat of attraction now that she was alone.

She couldn’t help herself; the pressure was too much. Transforming into her true self, Lilith whirled on the ogres, snarling at them. The pair of brothers wisely left her to her solitude in her thicket of foliage as she gave into carnal desire. As the heat of temptation overwhelmed her, she began to admire her new body more and more, and understanding began to dawn upon her just how deadly and dangerous she was, and what she could do.

She had been transformed, not just physically into a monster, but also into a sexual carnivore that preyed on any and all weaker than herself, to satisfy the urges within. Their source of life was now fuel for her powers.

How ironic, Lilith smiled grimly to herself, that I am repulsed by them, but could grow so much stronger by such carnal interaction with them as well.

But perhaps there was another way?

Spurred on by this revelation, she waited until the cover of darkness to test her hypothesis. Before they even could resist, Lilith slew Thorn and Lupin as they dozed, smashing their skulls to dust with her spiked tail. As she put her theory to the test, she felt her powers increase like she had never known before. This changes everything, she crowed in celebration.

They had spent hours together, Lily and Vera. They had met almost daily, discussing ships and the sea and each other. Each time it felt like her feelings for Vera grew stronger and stronger. Lily was convinced the feeling was mutual. She made her feel better, like she wasn’t a monster. What Rhodes did to her… felt like it didn’t hurt as much when she was with Vera.

“Tell me about the seas,” Lily said one day. The two of them were huddled together, enjoying a picnic at a secluded spot on the beach. Sea raptors flew above them, eyeing their food hungrily. Lily occasionally tossed crumbs from her food their way while she would listen to Vera talk. Lily could have her all to herself.

“What do you want to know?” Vera asked, lounging beside her.

Lily thought for a moment.

“Are there any myths or legends about the seas?” She finally asked.

Vera turned on her side, thinking.

“I’ve told you about the God of the Seas, right?” Vera inquired.

“Yes, you’ve told me about your supposed God,” Lily snorted in good humor.

She was given a playful punch on the arm for her comment. “He’s real,” Vera insisted. “And this story proves it!”

Lily snuggled closer, eager to listen to her voice.

“Long ago, after the Ocean’s Ire created the world,” she began, giving her voice a sort of sing-song cadence. “And life began to fill it, Ah’qutros started to notice that the creatures always were in pairs. Most often male and female, but occasionally males together or females would bond with one another and create new life together.

“Ah’qutros’es heart began to grow heavy, for He had no partner of His own. So He left his home deep in the waters to find one to call His Bride. Coming ashore, the Father of Monster’s spoke with all His creations about His dilemma. Only two of His children had a possible answer for their Father.

“The Leviathan said, ‘Take anyone as your Bride. As Creator of all, any who is worthy should naturally be your prize.’

“While the Chompy argued ‘Love will find you. Simply be your best self and your patience will reward you.’

“Both their words appealed to the Great Serpent, which vexed His soul. Deeply troubled, the God then went to the children of men for advice. As he spoke with a village chieftain, Ah’qutros was struck by the beauty of the Chieftain’s daughter, who almost seemed to shrink before His presence.

“Making his decision, Ah’qutros struck a bargain with the Chieftain, and was allowed to marry his daughter on the condition that they remain in the village. Blind with infatuation, the Ocean God agreed. Joining the clan, Ah’qutros became their protector, romancing His new Bride and learning the ways of the humans.

“After years of living among them, the Ocean God became overjoyed when His Bride bore Him a child. But His heart then became heavy as He held His son and said, ‘This child is mortal, as his mother is. Both will grow old, and return to dust, while I remain.’ Remembering the words of the Chompy, Ah’qutros decided to make the most of the time He had left with His family. With His mighty powers, the Old One granted the entire village the ability to breathe underwater, and brought them to His palace under the waves. Generations later, the villagers were all gone, but the memories that Ah’qutros made, gave them new life in His heart.”

Lily burst into laughter as Vera finished her account, unable to hold herself back any longer at how ridiculous it all was.

Vera pouted, trying to punch Lily again, who dodged the attacks rather easily this time. They started grappling with one another, Lily laughing playfully as Vera tried to pin her down. Letting her, Lily became extremely conscious of how close they were to each other. Coming to that realization as well, Vera looked at Lily in confusion, flitting between her unbandaged eye and her lips. They both were breathing hard, and Lily couldn’t help but notice just how radiant she was under the sun.

Please, please please, She begged internally.

After what felt like an eternity, Vera finally bent closer and kissed her. Fireworks erupted inside Lily as she returned the passion. After what felt like an instant and an eternity all at once, they separated. Lily grinned as Vera blushed harder than a tomato.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” She blurted out. Lily felt her fireworks turn to stone. “Please understand, I’m not ready for any kind of relationship.” Vera smiled weakly. “Can we still be friends?”

No, no, no!

“Excuse me?”

Vera faltered. “Pardon?” She asked, her smile falling off her face.

“You can’t just do that and say, “Oops, can we still be friends?” Lily fumed.

“To be fair, I didn’t say ‘Oops’,” Vera replied tentatively.

The mood had been shattered. What was once so beautiful was now tense as a wedge suddenly became inserted between them. The waves punctuated the silence as each of them tried to find what to say next. Lily tried to ignore the impulse to walk away from Vera. They needed to talk about this…. Well, whatever this was between them.

“Lily,” Vera began finally. “I haven’t been honest with you. And I should.

“I’m not human.”

The words seemed to echo in her head. She said those three words with utter solemnity, and yet her mind couldn’t wrap itself around it. Fighting back tears, Vera held out her hand, then began to peel the skin from her palm.

Exposing metal underneath.

“I’m an Unimus,” Vera continued as Lily stared in astonishment. “Metal, magyk and slime make up my body instead of flesh and blood.”

“You’re… you’re a robot?” She asked, marveling at the circuitry that comprised her arm.

Vera screeched something in response, some kind of horrible grinding noise that no human could ever hope to produce without aid. Both of them flinched, then Vera blew out a breath. “D̷͎́ȏ̷̖n̶̜̍’̵̨̂t̶̗̿ ̷͓̄c̵͛͜a̸̪͛l̵͚͝ḷ̶́ ̶̰̉m̸̕ͅe̷͇̿ ̸̯̀ț̸̇h̵̘͘a̸̲͂t̵̪͝,!” She insisted, her voice halfway understandable and half unintelligible. “I’m… I’m not human. But I’m not a machine either.”

“Is that why you don’t want this?” Lily demanded. “Because I’m not an Unimus like you? Because of these?” She gestured to her bandages. “Do you even know why I wear them?”

“I thought you said you were attacked?”

Her answer caused Lily to laugh without mirth. The sound made Vera flinch. “You’re half-right,” She admitted. “It happened when a horrible man was having his way with me.” As she spoke she began to unwind the bandages, never breaking eye contact with Vera, who’s eyes widened with fear as she saw the mottled and oily flesh on her arm and her darkened red eye. “And I’ve had this ever since that day.”

Her altered eye and pockets of glistening flesh seemed to make Vera uncomfortable. She took a step back from Lily. “I’m sorry that you went through something so horrible,” Vera began nervously. “But that’s not the reason why I don’t want a relationship with you.

“I’ve only recently become an adult by my people’s standards. Puberty is different for Unimus,” She continued. “Everything is coming at me all at once. I didn’t start out barely a foot tall and grow to this size over the years. I was born like this,” Vera gestured all over herself. “I still need to sort out all the feelings I’m experiencing. It’s all so confusing.

“Will you please just give me some time?” She finally asked.

While her words felt emphatic and easy to understand, Lily barely noticed. A primal heat manifested within her stomach the moment their confrontation had started and it needed release. It took everything Lily had to tune out the cravings she now felt and listen to Vera. All she could see was her fiery hair glistening in the light, and the beautiful curves of her lips quivering in the sea foam. The wind tugged at her clothes, accentuating her figure.

So beautiful. Vera didn’t look like she had just become a grown up. She looked like a fully realized adult of twenty five years. Lily didn’t know if she was telling the truth or not, but her heart yearned for her regardless. Please… don’t shut me out, Lily silently prayed. I need this. I want this. I want you. The fire within her began to increase in intensity, and she grunted in discomfort. What Vera asked was ordinarily reasonable. Prior to the night everything went wrong, she would have gone along with it. But she wasn’t who she was before anymore, was she?

Faster than the eye can see, Lily pounced on Vera, knocking them both to the ground. Transforming into Lilith, she quickly pinned down her opponent, locking them together in a perverse embrace. Vera physically recoiled from Lilith’s appearance, and had she not been incapacitated, would have likely made some kind of struggle. But it was all in vain; Lilith was too strong for the Unimus.

“I don’t have the luxury of time,” Lilith answered, licking Vera’s cheek. “So be a good girl and love me.”

Vera’s cries became muffled as Lilith began to kiss her, Confused, Lilith ripped apart the dress.

“What the karc?” She exclaimed, completely dumbfounded at what she saw.

“I told you, I’m an Unimus,” Vera replied with dilated eyes, her voice said in monotone. “I do not possess human genitalia.”

She stopped resisting Lilith, which confused her until she realized that she must be exerting some kind of hypnotic suggestion on Vera. Grinning deviously, Lilith caressed the Unimus’ hair with her tendrils. “Then how do Unimus make love?”

“Via recreation,” came the answer. “Unimus will meld their mind with partners, temporarily becoming one.”

Lilith pressed herself against Vera. “Then become one with me, darling” She crooned.

“Very well,”

Tendrils wrapping around Vera’s temples, a bond was forged between the two. All at once, Lilith’s mind expanded. A bond enveloped her and Vera, catapulting them into the cosmos as a single entity. Stars mingled with their shared consciousness, and the world became nothing but numbers and concepts that eluded her understanding. Pleasure engulfed her, became her. She was Lilith, and she was Vera, intertwining and disassembling their identities as time faded away and all that was left was space. It was all so intense. Supernovae whirled around her, and belatedly, Lilith realized that Vera had fallen from their union, returning to the world below. She wasn’t surprised, and barely cared, being caught up in the rush of emotions. It was all so euphoric. Dreams danced as she lay awake, drifting in a sea of intelligences, carrying her away into bliss.

Lilith awoke, feeling her head spinning from the high. Beside her, lay Vera, still and cold. At some point, the Unimus had physically torn herself apart during their bond. Pity. Inspecting the mangled mess of flesh and metal, Lilith realized why, having now seen firsthand the effect she had on her partner. Her influence was poison, a corrupting influence on their souls so long as her depraved indiscretions were borne of magyk. Wiping off the liquids from her person, Lilith made way to the docks. With her powers of suggestion, procuring a ship to sail to the elvish continent would be easy.