The fortress loomed on the horizon like a wounded beast—its silhouette jagged, obsidian spires jutting upward like broken ribs. Fleshy red veins pulsed across its outer walls, glowing faintly with corrupted magic. The Bastion of Flesh was alive.
Aiko stood atop a hill, Damon at her side, Kael brooding just behind them. Even the wind here tasted wrong—too warm, tinged with copper and perfume. A cruel seduction whispered through the air.
"This is where they kept them?" she asked.
Damon nodded grimly. "The Heroines who came before you. Failed... or twisted. The Demon King doesn't waste assets. He turns them into brood mothers or... worse."
Aiko clenched her fists.
[==== SYSTEM NOTICE ====]
Quest Update: Confront the Bastion of Flesh
Objective: Locate and recover any surviving Heroines.
Secondary Objective: Resist the Corruption Pulse.
Warning: The Bastion radiates arousal-based enchantments.
Difficulty: High
Reward: ???
[===========================]
Kael spat to the side. "I still say we burn the place to the ground."
"We can't," Aiko said. "Not yet. There might be survivors. Allies. And I need answers. Why me? Why now?"
Damon raised an eyebrow. "You're walking into a sex-drenched prison engineered by your enemy. You sure your mind can handle it?"
Aiko turned to him, smirking. "I handled you, didn't I?"
Kael grumbled something under his breath.
They descended toward the Bastion.
---
The interior was worse.
The walls pulsed like living flesh, slick and warm beneath her fingers. The scent of sweat, musk, and something more carnal hung heavy in the air. Moans echoed in the distance—some pleasured, some broken.
They passed rooms sealed with flesh locks—pulsing membranes that opened at her touch. In each chamber, Aiko glimpsed shadows of what the Demon King had done. Women splayed across vine-thrones, chained to pleasure engines, bodies glowing with corrupted arousal magic. Some laughed. Others sobbed.
She stepped into one cell.
A girl sat in the center, naked and cross-legged, her eyes blindfolded with a band of silk. Her aura was twisted—once divine, now laced with infernal desire.
Aiko knelt. "What's your name?"
The girl tilted her head, smiling faintly. "I was Aurelle once. Now I am Lust's Echo."
[==== SYSTEM NOTICE ====]
Sync Candidate Detected: Aurelle – Former Heroine
Status: Mindfractured
Trait: Corruption-Infused Empath
Potential Skill: Dreambind – Entraps enemies in mental pleasure loops.
Warning: Emotional sync may carry residual corruption.
[===========================]
Kael barked, "We're not syncing with her. She's unstable."
Aiko met Aurelle's gaze. "But she could help us. She remembers."
"I remember everything," Aurelle whispered. "The first time he touched me. The first time I begged for more."
Damon shifted, uncomfortable. "We should move. The deeper you go, the stronger the corruption."
"I'm staying," Aiko said.
Kael grabbed her arm. "You're not—"
"Let her," Aurelle interrupted. "She's not like us. Not broken yet. But soon."
Aiko's aura began to hum.
She felt it then—the Bastion pressing against her will, trying to seep into her. To twist her desires, her instincts. She bit her lip hard, drawing blood.
And still, she sat before Aurelle, hands on her knees.
"Sync with me," Aurelle whispered. "Just once. See what I saw."
[==== SYSTEM NOTICE ====]
Temporary Sync Initiated: Partial Mindlink with Aurelle
Mental Anchor Engaged.
[===========================]
Aiko's vision blurred.
Then she was Aurelle—trapped, screaming, moaning, surrendering. Chains of velvet tightened around her wrists, a golden voice whispering "Good girl" over and over. Her body writhed in pleasure she didn't want but couldn't refuse.
And then—a glimpse.
A throne of bones. The Demon King's face hidden behind a mask of obsidian. Eyes like molten gold. A voice: "You are not the first. You will not be the last."
Aiko tore herself from the vision, gasping.
Kael caught her before she collapsed. "What did you see?"
She shook, tears burning at the corners of her eyes. "He's… he's using them. Sapping their power. Their pleasure fuels his armies."
Aurelle curled up. "Now you know."
Aiko stood shakily. "We're freeing them. All of them."
Damon crossed his arms. "Then we go to the Core."
Kael's hand hovered near his sword. "And what happens if she can't resist whatever's waiting?"
Aiko straightened. "Then you kill me."
He looked at her sharply. "Don't joke."
"I'm not."
They moved as a unit—Aiko leading, her aura held tight against her skin like a second suit of armor. But the Bastion wanted her. Its walls writhed as she passed, caressing her legs, teasing at the edges of her thoughts.
Then they reached the Heart.
A massive chamber pulsing with crimson light. In the center—an altar. And chained to it…
A woman. Her body glowed with power, her eyes open and blazing gold.
[==== SYSTEM NOTICE ====]
Named Entity Detected: Seraphine the Unbroken
Status: Bound by Demon King's Core Sigil
Role: First Heroine
Threat Level: Unknown
[===========================]
Seraphine looked up. "So… another one."
Aiko stepped closer. "You're Seraphine."
"I was."
"You're still alive."
"Not for long."
Chains wrapped around her limbs, embedding into her flesh, glowing with unholy script. The floor beneath her thrummed with arousal magic so strong it hurt to breathe.
Seraphine grinned. "He tried to break me. Couldn't. So he made me the battery. My desire powers this Bastion. You came here thinking you'd save someone? You feed it just by standing here."
Kael pulled his blade. "We end this now."
"No!" Seraphine shouted. "If you cut me free without replacing the Core, it'll implode. Everyone here dies. You need a new battery. One just as strong."
Aiko felt the system stir.
[==== SYSTEM NOTICE ====]
Core Transfer Possible
Condition: Willing Vessel with matching Heroine Core Signature
Subject: Aiko [Match: 96%]
Warning: Transfer will link user to Bastion. Control OR Corruption possible.
Choice must be made.
[===========================]
Damon growled. "You're not sacrificing yourself."
Kael shouted, "There has to be another way!"
Aiko stepped toward the altar.
Seraphine's eyes widened. "You're insane."
"No," Aiko said. "I'm tired of reacting. It's time I take control."
She touched the altar.
The world exploded in white.