Rotten To The Core

Author's Note: This Geek Pride Day story takes place in a world very similar to our own. Many things will seem familiar while others are different in subtle or outrageous ways. This is by design and no cause for concern. Just enjoy the ride. If you're in a playful mood, feel free to keep an eye out for fifteen songs I've hidden in the story. Can you find them all?

Thanks go out to my lady love, for the usual ass-kicking and allowing me to use some of her characters. Even more thanks to bikoukumori, for a fantastic editing job and planting the seed for the succubus brothel. And of course big thanks to my valiant guinea pigs- ... I mean beta readers, for whipping this story into shape. My pain is your gain.

This story contains scenes of explicit violence and gore. All participants in sexual activities are adults.

* * * *

Torches lined the curving stairwell leading into the monastery's dungeon. Laura made her way down the weathered steps, uneven with centuries of use. She walked slowly. The last thing I need now is a sprained ankle, not this close to my graduation, she thought. Three revolutions around the stairwell's core and she had reached her destination. A long, arched corridor led away into darkness, with only a small oil lamp next to a door to the right offering a smidge of illumination. She took the lamp and opened the door. Inside, she lit a three-armed candelabra. There wasn't much to see apart from a low stool and a chest holding the equipment she would need for today's ceremony.

The last one, Laura promised herself. Ten years of trying to find my place and what did that get me? More bruises than I can remember and still no divine inspiration. She threw open the lid of the chest and withdrew its contents. A set of training armor and a bastard sword in its scabbard, both smelling of freshly cured leather. Laura pulled a hand's width of blade free and scowled.

Dull. Of course. No one needs to get hurt.

She donned the stiff leathers and attached the scabbard to her belt then she reclaimed the small lamp and left the room. Everything in Briou was done with purpose, even leaving most of the dungeons bereft of light. It was the Order's mission to drive the darkness away and, even in its most mundane tasks, this mission was upheld. Using a wick, Laura lit a series of lamps along the corridor's left side until she reached its end. She deposited the lamp in an alcove and turned to face the tall double doors leading ahead.

The stone doors rumbled inwards without her even touching them. Beyond, a large domed hall awaited. A singular shaft of daylight lanced down from the ceiling above, illuminating a sandy circle thirty feet across. The rest of the room was shrouded in shadows but she could hear whispers and shallow breathing echoing off the high walls. A lone figure waited in the circle, a tall female dark elf, wearing a similar set of combat leathers and casually hefting a twin to her own sword. Icy white hair was tied back in a firm braid and a friendly smile played around her lips as Laura came closer.

"You, Arach?"

The dark elf offered a slight bow. "No one said guest instructors are forbidden from assessing a candidate's prowess. The headmaster approved so you'll have to suffer me on your big day."

Laura drew her weapon. "Alright then. Prepare for an ass-kicking of epic proportions then." She raised her blade and cautiously advanced.

"At last!" Arach slowly circled Laura, well out of her blade's reach. "Today will be the day Frau Stürmer will punish me for all the bruises I inflicted!"

Laura chuckled. "I hope you'll grant me at least one clean victory. God knows I have tried to beat you, despite all your dirty tricks."

"No one will grant you anything, neither here nor in the world outside," Arach said, easily keeping Laura at arm's length. "If you want your victory, you'll have to earn it." The dark elf changed her grip and offered a beckoning gesture.

From painful experience, Laura knew full well what would happen if she lunged at the smiling dark elf. And on cue, the moment she dashed ahead, Arach dropped one of those blasted orbs of darkness onto the arena, snuffing out Laura's vision.

She heard Arach come closer, the soft crunch of her boots giving her away.

Laura reacted with blistering speed, her sword intercepting her opponent's blade at the same time as she did a small side step to evade any off-hand or kick attacks Arach might launch her way. The blades rang against each other. Laura could smell the dark lavender scent Arach used to anoint her body with. She was very close by. Laura changed the grip on her sword to a one-handed one and swung her fist at gut level, grinning viciously as she made contact with her instructor's armor. Now fully aware where Arach was, she followed up with a quick kick against her instructor's inner calf, followed by a pommel strike from above which Arach narrowly avoided.

There was hasty movement and the scent was gone too. Laura retreated until she could see again, all the while guarding with her blade. There was a slow clap from the other side of the perfect, round globe of darkness.

"Not bad at all," Arach said. "Apart from the fact you're holding back. I should be on my knees, puking my guts out, not doing a little jig for the audience's enjoyment."

"I got your attention and your shapely ass out of that darkness," Laura said. "Your vomit on my leathers wasn't part of the plan." Instead of circling around the globe, she dashed right through it, to where she had heard the dark elf's smooth alto voice. To her own amazement, she caught Arach off-guard -- the dark elf had expected her to circle the globe, as she had done so many times before.

Her sword weaved a curtain of steel in front as she battered Arach back, step by step. The duel would end if one of them yielded or left the ring for whatever reason. Her attack pressured Arach straight back to the edge of the circle.

Panting and covered in a light sweat, Arach dug her heels in. She shook out her left wrist and a gleaming dagger appeared in her hand which she used to parry Laura's incoming attack. A brutal headbutt stopped Laura's advance in its tracks.

Blinking away tears, Laura retreated two steps. "You and your dirty tricks!" she spat, nodding at the dagger.

"As if the monsters out there will ever offer you a fair fight," Arach calmly explained. "From now on, the time for dull blades is over."

"No one told the Quartermaster. Mine's dull."

"If you want a sharp blade, you'll have to earn it." Arach flourished with hers. "All you have to do is take mine."

"Maybe I will. Or I could simply batter you into submission with my dull length of steel," Laura said, launching into a quick series of two-handed slashes and stabs. Arach was forced back onto the defensive, much too busy parrying Laura's vicious attacks with both of her weapons. Still, Laura failed to land that one decisive strike which would shatter Arach's seemingly impenetrable defense.

If brute strength won't work, maybe some fancy footwork will, Laura thought, carving her foot in a sharp angle forward and kicking up a wall of sand. Arach had no choice but to avert her gaze or risk eyes full of sand. A moment later, Laura was through. She swatted Arach's sword aside with her blade and followed up with a hard wrench on that pesky dagger's cross guard. To her own surprise, Laura ended up with the weapon

"Oh, the Paladin's daughter has teeth," Arach laughed, jumping into the air. Again calling on her dark elven heritage, she levitated upwards and lashed out with her boot, missing Laura's face by a hair.

"Must be my witch mother's blood talking then," Laura snarled, dropping both weapons and grabbing the dark elf's foot, now at eye level. One hand around the booted ankle, she brutally twisted the foot, hoping to break whatever spell was holding Arach a good six feet off the ground. A pained grunt from above was warning enough. Twisting at the hip, Laura slammed Arach into the sand. Not waiting if the move had stunned her victim, Laura pounced, pinning Arach's arms to the sand with her knees. Draping her forearm across the writhing dark elf's neck, she exerted enough pressure to get her point across.

"Yield!" she ordered. A small shake of the head - and a knee to her back -- was all the answer she needed. Laura gritted her teeth and pushed down harder, locking in the choke. Arach's gaze was locked with hers until she fell unconscious. Laura immediately lifted her arm and checked Arach's vitals.

She'll be okay... I hope.

"The fight has concluded. Winner: Laura Stürmer!" a hollow, ghostly voice announced. There was a soft murmuring, a hint of applause. A shadowy figure wrapped in a monk's robe entered the circle and gestured imperiously. Laura slid off the unconscious instructor. The robed figure knelt down next to Arach and touched her forehead with a silver cross, chanting softly. With a gasp, Arach sat up, clutching her throat.

"Ow," she rasped.

"Are you okay?" Laura asked, relief filling her voice. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Being choked never is much fun, not even in bed," Arach croaked. "Still, as far as fight finishes went, you got me good." Taking the monk's hand, she got to her feet.

"Nonsense. You let me win," Laura insisted. "I can't believe you had no counter to a simple bodyslam and choke combo."

Arach coughed. "I had no idea you'd slam me out of my Levitate spell. Everything went to Hell after that. You beat me and I have the splitting headache to show for it." She closed the distance and hugged Laura emphatically. "Congratulations. The Order of Martinius welcomes you."

Laura hugged her back. "Thank you, I guess."

The dark elf took a step back and pulled a silver necklace from a belt pouch. A slender cross dangled from it, the edges picked out in blue. "Let me be the one to bestow the Order's badge of office upon you."

Laura took the necklace from her, somehow expecting the item to crumble to dust upon touching it. But nothing like that happened. It was a simple silver cross, imbued with a wisp of holy magic to turn away low-level undead even in the hands of a non-cleric. She donned the necklace and met Arach's gaze.

"I will do everything in my power to honor the Order and the trust it placed in me." Laura said with much more conviction than she felt.

* * * *

"You did what?" Victoria asked.

Laura stopped toweling her wet hair and giggled. "I tore her out of her Levitation spell, bodyslammed her into the sand and finished her off with a choke. I can't believe you missed that."

Vicky scoffed. "It's not like I did it on purpose! I had my own graduation to attend to. Sorry I missed the epic thrashing you gave our lovely combat instructor."

Like Arach, Victoria was a dark elf, although where Arach was all long limbs and taut muscles, Vicky was soft, smooth coal-black skin and curves. She and Laura had been roommates for the past two years and best friends not long after. Freshly bathed, Laura found Vicky lounging on her bed, silvery robes loosely draped around her shoulders. A silver necklace dangled between Victoria's breasts. A slender sword amulet declared her a priestess of the Moon Maiden.

"That's impossible," the dark elf snorted. "Levitating and tossing dark orbs is to us dark elves what walking and breathing is to you humans. Watch." She closed her eyes and, still on her back, hovered upwards. Her robe rustled off her shapely body, leaving Victoria grinning and naked on her back in mid air as she caressed over her breasts and towards her shaven mound. "I could get myself off and not fall down. Wanna see?"

Laura shook her head, laughing. "I'm not making this up. Let me show you."

"Hmmm, yes, touch me," Vicky purred, curling a leg inwards. "Right there."

Laura closed the distance and grabbed Vicky by the ankle and wrist. She pulled and levered but the grinning dark elf didn't budge. At her wit's end, Laura bent over her roommate and planted a kiss onto Vicky's lips. Squealing happily, the dark elf snaked an arm around Laura's naked shoulders and pulled her down onto the mattress, kissing her back hungrily.

"See? Now you went down," Laura gasped when they broke their kiss. Vicky's fingers caressed the inside of her thighs.

"Because I wanted to, not because you broke my concentration or anything," Vicky said softly.

Laura threw up her hands. "So she did let me win? Gods be damned, how will I ever be my own person when all I get is special treatment from everyone?" She crumpled onto the edge of the bed, sighing.

Vicky sat up and draped an arm around Laura's shoulders. "You did choke her and the Arbiter said the match was decided, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"So why beat yourself up over this? You've got your cross," Vicky's free hand caressed up between Laura's firm breasts, causing the holy symbol of the Order to tinkle against her finely inlaid fingernail, "and a very horny dark elf to celebrate with." She placed two fingers under Laura's chin and claimed a gentle kiss.

"Because I feel like they gave me a pass because of my whole fucking ancestry," Laura complained. "Generations of monster hunters are staring down my back and I feel everyone down to Decima Tempesta Magica wrinkling their noses at how easy I have it, despite not a single spark of magic in my blood."

Victoria shook her head, sighing softly. "If you call spending every single waking moment either in the armory, the sparring chambers or the infirmary 'easy' then we both have wildly varying ideas on what 'easy' is. Girl, all I had to do to finish my graduation was cast three healing spells and banish a combat circle full of skeletons. You, sweet boobs, just went full throttle with one of the best sword swingers in the whole Order and won."

"Speaking of which, how did it go for you?" Laura asked, her own distress forgotten for a moment.

Vicky leaned sideways and grabbed something from her nightstand, a small box containing a silver signet ring on blue velvet. "Ta-dah!" she said. "Since I already have a holy symbol, I asked if I could get a ring instead. The Arbiter was more than happy to oblige."

"That's fantastic!" Laura threw her arms around Vicky's neck and kissed her on the lips. Moaning softly, Vicky replied in kind. Both girls sank onto the bed, their hands roaming over their bodies while their kisses grew ever wilder.

Vicky kissed her way down Laura's body, flicking first one then the other nipple with her tongue. Lower she went, zeroing in on Laura's shaved pelvis. Laura pulled in a leg to allow Vicky easy access but at that exact moment her cell phone rang, making an ungodly racket on the marble top of her nightstand.

"Seriously? Now?" Vicky complained, falling back onto her mattress.

Laura picked up her phone and checked the display. "Shit," she muttered. "It's Mr. Aulin."

"The headmaster?" Vicky raised a snowy eyebrow. "You'd better take it then. Damn, just when things got going..."

Laura tapped the screen and took the call. A cool, male voice was on the other end.

"Laura. See me in my office at the earliest convenience please." The line clicked shut.

Vicky draped her crumpled robe around her shoulders. "I guess that was important?"

"You know him," Laura sighed. "'At your earliest convenience.' He probably wants to scold me for nearly killing Arach."

"Ugh. So much for our victory celebration. You know what? You go talk to Mr. Reginald, I'll have a look around in the Common Room, see if anyone can spare some soft drinks or gummy goblins for when you come back. And once we're high on sugar and caffeine, we'll finish what we just started, even if it's the last thing I do on this earth."

Despite her mood, Laura laughed. "It's nigh impossible to stay pissed around you for long." She fished a change of clothes from her wardrobe and struggled into it. "I don't know how you managed to stay around me so long."

Vicky rolled onto her back and pulled up a leg, invitingly caressing herself. "That's easy. Even if your hero's blood hasn't manifested in spell casting ability or crazy holy powers, you have the goddamn best tongue in this place. I bet even a succubus can learn a thing or two from you, honey lips."

"Shut the fuck up," Laura sputtered. "I never thought I'd ever go down on a girl. But who didn't let up until I tried?"

"I did!" Vicky exclaimed. "Do you regret your widened horizon?" She stopped playing with herself and looked rather sober all of a sudden.

Laura tightened her belt and bent down to place another gentle kiss onto Vicky's lips. "No. If there's one thing I haven't second-guessed during all of my time in Briou, it's ending up in bed with you. After my eighteenth birthday party no less. I hardly knew you!"

"Which made it all the sweeter. Strangers in the night, exchanging... hm..."

Laura slipped into a pair of running shoes. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"I damn well hope so!"

* * * *

The monastery was housed in an ancient castle, with most of the upper-floor rooms occupied by students. Below the main entrance, on the ground floor, were the main faculty offices, dark, windowless rooms only illuminated by torches and strange glowing balls of magic.

I mean, we're in the twenty-first century, why not simply use discreet electrical lights? No, it has to be done in accordance with Order tradition, especially in this tiny French backwater village!

Tradition was a big part of the Order of Martinius and nowhere was it more obvious than in the approach to the headmaster's office. The whole corridor was filled with portraits of Briou alumni, some little bigger than a stamp, others near life-size. Every single one was a masterpiece though, capturing even tiny details like the faint scar under the left eye of Camilla Stürmer she allegedly got during her first brawl with her soon-to-be husband when his signet ring clipped her cheek bone. Laura sighed and left the portrait of her raven-haired mother behind. Whenever she saw it, she wondered what her mother had done to get slapped by a goddamn paladin!

Gathering her courage, Laura knocked at Reginald Aulin's door.

"Come!"

She entered the dimly lit office, half expecting to catch a whiff of spilled blood. But, as always, the room was immaculate, despite belonging to a vampire.

Reginald Aulin was a tall, slender man seemingly in his late thirties. He had long, auburn hair he wore in a loose ponytail, along with clothing which made him look like a cross between a renaissance fop and something out of a vampire fangirl's wet dreams, complete with ruffled shirt and a rapier always in reach.

She still couldn't comprehend how a vampire had managed to become headmaster of a school for monster hunters. There were wild rumors involving everything from ancient binding spells to blackmail which were passed down from senior student to neophyte or -- in Laura's case -- from her parents. There were only two people who knew the truth: Reginald himself and Mother Rachel, the current head of the Order. The only thing Laura knew for certain was that Headmaster Aulin took his job very seriously and that no one had ever seen him feast on one of the students. In fact, he was like an old lioness, fiercely protective of anyone under his roof.

Still, there were some hints of modern times in the vampire's office, right in the open. A high end tablet PC rested atop a stack of binders to Reginald's right and two telephones stood on a side desk.

Laura offered a small bow. "You wanted to see me, sir?" With students from around the globe, everybody in Briou spoke English, alongside their own native tongues. During the evenings, when lessons were over, the Common Rooms were abuzz with students talking Elven, German, Orc, French or Dwarven. Some of the Mages in her year had begun to use Latin as a kind of secret language which Laura found hilarious.