Succumania

All of a sudden, he felt deeply tired. 

No. No, this wasn't real. It couldn't be.

The Hatman was dead. He had to be. Saki had made sure of that. There was no way, absolutely no way, that bastard could still be walking this earth.

Was it the copycat? The one Alma Elma and the Lilith Sisters had seen the other day? Was someone pretending to be him just to spite him?

But who?

His mind raced with half-formed theories, but he knew he wouldn't find the answers here. Not in the waking world.

From a small, lacquered box, he withdrew a bundle of incense—black as the void, laced with silver veins. He lit it, the scent unfurling in the air like a whisper from another realm.

Then, he carefully slipped into his bed and closed his eyes, using his Control spell to fall into a deep sleep. 

His thoughts stilled, and a few minutes later, he found himself at the entrance of a large castle under the starry night sky, a fortress of dreams. It possessed no gates as it needed none. It possessed no guards as all were welcome. 

A velvet carpet and a dark floor made of marble greeted him, ornate with chandeliers lighting the large corridors covered in tapestries and carvings. 

A space outside of time and dimensions, unique across all universes. The Lord of Dream's lair, the abyss of decadence: Oneirothys.

"Eh? Wait isn't that—" A succubus's startled gasp reached his ears as he strode past her. She lurched toward him, fumbling to catch his sleeve, but he shoved her aside without breaking stride.

"Hey! Luka, stop!" Another called out, but he shoved her aside with his hand. 

"You can't see Master right now! She's busy!" A third succubus planted herself before a towering door, arms outstretched in a futile barricade. "Please, listen to us!"

Of course, she told them to keep him away. The more he heard their pleas to stop, the more the uneasy feeling in his chest grew. 

"Step aside!" he shoved her aside and pushed the final door leading to the elevator.

It wasn't an elevator per se and more of a room of mirrors, each one reflecting a level of the castle. He went for the one straight forward, in the middle, ornated with an alien velvet rock. 

His hand touched the mirror.

But nothing happened.

"I told you, she's busy right now!" the succubus he just shoved said as she approached carefully. "You could've told us you were coming first you know!"

"I'll wait then," he turned sharply to face the succubus. "She will be available at some point in the day, right?"

"Huh..." She fidgeted, avoiding his gaze. He noticed the way her tail flicked anxiously, how her eyes darted to the other succubi—yet none stepped in to help her.

"I don't think so…" she admitted, almost reluctantly.

Luka's expression darkened. "What is she doing right now?" He stepped toward her, and she flinched. "She isn't here?"

She hesitated.

"Nina," he said, voice dropping lower. "Is she even okay?"

The succubus stiffened, her lips pressing into a thin line. "She's... fine," she said, but there was a tremor in her voice.

Luka's patience thinned. "That wasn't an answer."

She looked around again, desperate for another succubus to step in. None did. Finally, she sighed, rubbing her arm. "Listen… Master doesn't want to be disturbed right now. Nina is in her room, that's all I can say."

"I don't give a damn what she wants," Luka snapped, stepping toward the mirror again. He pressed his palm against the cool surface, concentrating. It should have let him through. It always did. The fact that it wasn't responding meant only one thing—

She was keeping him out.

"Let me in," he ordered.

"I—I can't do that," the succubus stammered, her wings twitching. "Only Master can let you through, and she—"

"She what?!" His voice raised, echoing through the chamber.

She swallowed hard. "She doesn't want to see you."

He froze. 

Now he was almost certain. 

"Is it because the Hatman is back?" he asked, his lips quivering. 

The succubus's eyes widened, and she immediately looked away, embarrassed. "N-No… Of course not…" she said, clearly unconvinced.

Luka's fists clenched, and in a surge of fury, he drove his knuckles into the mirror. The glass shattered with a sound like breaking bones, but the shards didn't fall—they hung suspended, glinting like frozen tears. From the fractured center, a hand emerged—pale, trembling, and achingly familiar. It seized his wrist and yanked him forward.

He didn't resist. The world dissolved, and when his vision cleared, he stood in Saki's chamber. A fireplace cast the only light, its flames licking at the shadows.

Saki stood before him, her back to the fire, her face half-hidden in darkness. Her shoulders quivered, and when she turned her head slightly, the firelight caught the sheen of tears in her eyes.

"Saki," he whispered. "Look at me."

But she only dropped her head in shame, clutching her arm in silence.

"Is he really alive?"

"I'm sorry…"

Luka's heart sank. Her silence was answer enough. 

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" His voice rose to a deafening volume, echoing through the chamber. It took every ounce of his willpower to restrain himself from touching her, from shaking her until she gave him the answers he needed.

Still, Saki recoiled in fear, her hands raised defensively. "Listen, I was—"

"All of this time, I thought he was dead!" but Luka pressed on, stepping toward her. His hands were trembling from rage. "You killed him! You told me you killed him!"

"I did! Listen to me!"

"Why should I listen to you when you've been lying to me this whole time?!" Luka's voice cracked, the weight of betrayal crushing him. "You told me everything was fine! You told me I was safe! And now he's back, and you've been hiding it from me like I'm some child who can't handle the truth!"

Saki flinched, her wings folding tightly against her back. "I didn't want to hurt you—!"

"You lied to me!" His voice cracked, tears beginning to well in his eyes. "Just like last time… Just like every, damn, time…" he dropped to his knees, a sob escaping his throat. 

The sheer absurdity of it all—the betrayal, the fear, the crushing realization that the Hatman was still out there—hit him like a tidal wave. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he fought to keep himself together.

Saki's expression softened, her fear giving way to guilt. She took a hesitant step toward him, her hand reaching out but stopping short of touching him. "Luka…"

"Don't," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Just… don't."

Saki hesitated, her hand hovering in the air before she let it fall to her side. "I didn't mean to hurt you," she said, her voice trembling. "I thought… I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I could protect you."

"Protect me from him?!" Luka shot back, his head snapping toward her. "Why? Because you think he can kill me? Is that it?"

"Yes!" she gritted her teeth."And because you're too blind with rage to see the danger! He'll see you coming from a mile away, Luka!

Luka's jaw tightened, his fists trembling at his sides. "And what would you have me do, Saki? Sit back and wait for him to come for me? So that I can watch what's left of my friends die?!" His voice cracked, tears streaming down his face as the weight of his fear and anger spilled over.

She froze, her eyes widening as his words hit her like a punch to the gut. 

"Luka…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"No," he said, cutting her off. His voice was raw, filled with pain. "You don't get to tell me to wait. You don't get to tell me to sit back and do nothing while he destroys everything I care about. Not again."

"But there's nothing you can do, Luka," a voice interrupted with a cough. "Honestly, if you could go argue somewhere else… I'm trying to sleep here."

"Nina?!" Saki and Luka turned their heads toward the bed, their voices rising in unison.

"Yes, Nina here," the figure on the bed groaned, propping herself up on one elbow. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were half-lidded with exhaustion, but her tone was as sharp as ever. "Now, if you two could stop crying for a second and breathe like responsible adults, it would be greaaat ." She picked up her glasses from the bedside table and breathed on the lens to clean it with her blouse. 

Luka blinked, momentarily stunned. "Nina, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Sleeping," she replied flatly, rubbing her eyes. "Or at least, I was trying to, until you two decided to have your little melodrama right next to my bed."

"You took your time, seriously…" Nina sighed in relief. "You've been asleep for a long time, you know that?"

"Oh, I know," Nina smirked while putting her glasses on. "So, while I was asleep that bastard has risen from the dead, is that it?"

"Yes," Saki clutched her arm, her expression darkening. "He was revived during the portal crisis as a nightmare. I cut off his head just the other day, but…"

"Wait, he was dead before?" Luka blinked as he wiped his tears. "What's going on?"

Nina leaned back against the headboard, her smirk fading into a more serious expression. "Saki didn't lie to you when she told you she killed him. At least that's what I get."

Saki nodded, her brown hair catching the fireplace's light. "Exactly. I didn't lie to you about that part… I just felt so guilty about his return that I thought I should protect you and say nothing."

"Maybe we should gather all the information we know about him," Nina sighed. "How about that? After this, we can decide what to do."

Saki and Luka nodded, albeit weakly, and they joined Nina on the very large bed, sitting cross-legged.

The succubus told them everything, how she met the Hatman in Tokyo, his ability to come back every time he was killed just like her, and his plan to eradicate all succubi.

Luka, his emotions more stable now thanks to the tranquil atmosphere, brought his hand up his chin, in deep thoughts.

"Eradicate all succubi…? That's an odd plan, even for him."

"Does he hold a grudge against you?" Nina chuckled while looking at Saki.

"Perhaps… But I still don't know what the whole of his plan entails. He was pretty vague about it."

"Killing all succubi seems clear to me," Luka sighed. "But… What about his plan to become immortal—Or right, he is immortal now."

Saki nodded, her expression tightening. "He's like me in that way…" She looked away, hiding the memory of his chilling ultimatum: Luka must die if I'm to end.

"A nightmare, huh…" Luka mused. "Sounds like some of the girls I know. But you said that instead of living thanks to the concept of dreams, he lives off fear?"

"Yes," Saki confirmed. "Succubi thrive on passion and desire. Nightmares like him feed on terror. The more fear he inspires, the stronger he grows."

"That's…" Luka exhaled sharply. "That's really bad."

Nina adjusted her glasses. "Which means killing him the usual way is pointless. He'll just come back as long as someone is afraid of him."

Saki nodded grimly. "That's how he survived his first death. Someone, somewhere, still feared him—and that was enough."

Luka drummed his fingers against his knee. "So, let me get this straight. He wants to wipe out succubi, but we don't know why. He's functionally immortal because he's a nightmare, and every time he's killed, he revives as long as someone is afraid of him."

"That about sums it up," Nina muttered.

"Wait," Luka said, a spark of realization in his eyes. "Doesn't he need a core fear, like you need a core memory, Saki?"

"Probably," she replied, nodding slowly.

"What are you two talking about?" Nina raised an eyebrow. "What's that 'core memory' thing?"

Saki smiled faintly. "I'm eternal as long as someone holds a core memory of me—a moment so unforgettable it shapes their future self."

"Got it," Nina said, scribbling on a scrap of paper. "Not easy to maintain."

"Yup," Saki smiled. "And the one with the core memory that saved me was Mister Luka over here," she leaned against him while grabbing his arm.

"Sometimes I wish I could forget you…" he muttered with a deadpan.

"How rude!" She pouted, releasing him with a dramatic huff.

Nina smirked at their exchange but quickly returned to business. "So if nightmares work the same way, that means the Hatman must have a core fear anchoring him. Something—or someone—who will always be afraid of him no matter what."

Saki stiffened, a flicker of panic crossing her face. Damn it.

"That's me, then," Luka sighed, oblivious to her reaction. "Problem is, erasing memories isn't that simple."

Saki exhaled in relief, masking her dread. "I didn't want to say it… I thought you'd try to kill yourself to stop him."

"Are you insane?" Luka shot back, incredulous. "He's the one going down, not me!"

Nina tapped her pen against her notes, her sharp mind already turning.

"If you're his core fear," she said, glancing at Luka, "then you're the key. Killing yourself is an option but…" Saki shook her head and shot her a glare. "I guess this is off the table."

"The Hatman did manage to erase a core memory thought," Saki's fingers tightened on her thighs. "But I still don't know how he managed to do that though…"

"How do you know that?" Luka asked.

"He did it while we fought for the first time," she explained. "I… I can't explain why, it would be useless anyway."

Luka tilted his head in confusion but didn't push further.

"So it's possible then," Nina nodded. "Luka, do you think you could be able to do it? Considering…"

"Maybe," he shrugged, his earlier fire now tempered by the weight of the situation. "I guess all the heat I had a minute ago is gone now, so I'm realizing my chances are slim right now."

Nina leaned back, her smirk returning. "Well, that's a start. At least you're not charging in blindly anymore."

Luka grumbled but they both shot him a smile he couldn't rebuke. 

"I'm sorry for having yelled at you, Saki," he said in an embarrassed tone.

"And I'm sorry for having kept this a secret, Luka," she replied with a warm smile. "Am I forgiven?"

"You are," he chuckled. "But no more secrets like that, okay?" 

"Well, if you insist…" she scratched her cheek, a playful glint in her eye. "I have another secret to tell you then."

"Huh?" he blinked, his heart skipping a beat. "Wait, it's not as bad, I hope!"

"No, no," she chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. "It's just that I can't tell you everything since it's a surprise. But basically, I'm preparing some kind of huge party with a… very confident individual. You'll be invited."

Luka's eyes widened, a mix of curiosity and apprehension crossing his face. "A party? With who? And why does it sound like I should be worried?"

Saki's smile widened, her tone teasing. "Oh, you'll see~," she chuckled. "Which also means…" she quickly tapped Luka's left arm with her finger. "I'm revoking our contract."

"Huh?!" Luka's voice rose in surprise, his eyes darting to the mark on his arm. It shimmered faintly, the intricate design fading slightly under Saki's touch. "Wait, what? Why?"

Saki's expression softened, her playful tone giving way to something more serious. "Because this party isn't just a celebration, Luka. It's a turning point. And I need you to be free to make your own choices, without any ties holding you back."

Luka stared at her, his mind racing. "But… Isn't that contract helping me in dream situations? Without it, I could've died against Daji tonight!"

Saki sighed. "You would've been fine… By that point, you're almost as good as me in terms of mental fortitude. In fact, this mark was nerfing you."

Nina's head rose from her piece of paper, and Luka joined her in a synchronized "What?"

"You couldn't use magic before, right? I was cutting off your mana supply by siphoning it for myself," Saki said with an almost embarrassed tone. "It needed time to heal after you overloaded yourself, so I figured using life force instead could be a good replacement."

Luka blinked, processing her words. "So it's healed now? I can use magic again?"

"Yes," she said, her smirk widening. "And… there's another thing you can do once more… and this one… you'll need to adapt your body again…" Her smirk turned almost devilish as she brought her finger to trace along the nape of his neck.

Luka stiffened, his eyes widening as a strange sensation rippled through him.

But the stiffness quickly reached down below, a surge of heat traversing his whole body and an old familiar sensation that he almost forgot about.

Arousal.

Saki leaned closer, almost ignoring Nina as she whispered in his ear. "Here we go, how does it feel to be able to sense that stiffness in your pants again?"

"Wow," Nina interjected, shifting awkwardly on the bed. "Can you save this for when I'm gone?"

Saki pulled back with a laugh, waving off Nina's discomfort. "Relax, I'm joking. Luka might be functional again, but he's not getting me that easily."

"S-Saki…" Luka stammered, his voice tight, embarrassment prickling his eyes with tears.

"Yes?" she chirped, tilting her head innocently.

"All this time…" he said, his words trembling, "it was you?"

"Oops," she giggled, sticking out her tongue like a carefree fool. "Guess I should've mentioned it."

"I live with sex demons, you idiot!" Luka lunged for her neck, but she slipped off the bed with a dancer's grace, dodging him effortlessly. "They'll kill me!"

"Nah, it will be fine," she waved her hand. "Because I made sure to cultivate you well," she brought her hand to her mouth in a haughty manner. "That's why I am putting you through this trial, my dear ex-contractor…"

"Trial?!" His voice spiked, shrill with panic.

I HAVE A VERY BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS

Saki's grin stretched wider, devilish and daring. "If you can keep your virginity until the big party—or even after…" She drew out the words, savoring his growing horror. "I'll declare you worthy to be my husband, the one and only king of the Dreamworld."

Luka's face turned bright red, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "W-What?! Are you serious?!"

Nina, who had been quietly observing the exchange, couldn't hold back a snort. "Oh, this is going to be good. I'm staying for this."

Saki's grin was full of mischief now. "Oh, I'm dead serious. Consider it your final test, Luka. If you can resist the temptations of a house full of succubi, then you'll have proven yourself worthy."

Luka groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Are you serious? Why?"

"Because I'm tired of waiting," she crossed her arms in a huff. "I love you, and I'm tired of pretending I'm not. But since I can't choose anyone without stupid rules…" she rolled her eyes before stopping them at Luka. "This trial is fitting. I have faith in you!"

"Faith?!" he yelped, his voice cracking again. "You touched my neck, and I'm already a mess! They'll notice!"

"Hmm…" Saki mused, her gaze dropping pointedly. Luka scrambled to cover himself, but she tapped her chin, feigning deep thought. "Maybe keeping you unaroused so long was a miscalculation. You might be… hypersensitive now."

"Hypersensitive? You've turned me into a walking target!"

She shrugged, nonchalant. "Fine, let them pounce. I'm giving you freedom—live your life with someone else if you want. We're unbound now."

"Hey! This is unfair! We both know you would hate that!" 

"Is it, though?" Her tone sobered, the mischief fading as she met his eyes. "What I'm asking is unfair, Luka. You'd be right to hate me for this, to call it bullshit."

He blinked, thrown off. "What?"

"Do you want to know how many men I've slept with while we traveled together?" she asked, her voice flat, serious.

"Almost every night," he deadpanned. "I don't want to know the number, please."

"Exactly," she sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I'm a succubus—I've had my pick of men, whenever I wanted, while I kept you locked down, unable to even feel for years. And being my husband? It's not some prize. It's a burden—responsibilities, problems. It's almost cruel to ask this of you."

Luka stared at her, the firelight flickering in his wide eyes. "So what—you're admitting this is messed up, but you're still throwing me this trial?"

Saki's lips quirked, a faint, bitter smile. "I'm not going to lie, I would prefer if it was different," she sighed. "This is why I won't stop you if you walk away."

"Wouldn't it be more fair if I could do whatever I wanted until we get married?" he deadpanned.

"T-That's—!" she stammered, her cheeks flushing. "That would destroy the whole point of the trial!"

Luka arched an eyebrow, a flicker of satisfaction at her fluster cutting through his frustration. "Oh? So it's fine for you to bed half the world, but I get one loophole, and the trial's toast?"

Saki recovered quickly, crossing her arms with a huff. "It's not about me! The trial's about you—" she stopped, her eyes widening before gazing downward. "About your love for me…" she muttered. "Actually, never mind, fuck all you want, I don't care," she waved her hand off dismissively. "But if you fall for them, the trial is over."

"Wait—what? You're serious?"

"Yeah. Screw it. Sleep with them, flirt with them, whatever. Just don't fall in love. That's the line."

Nina leaned forward, her smirk widening. "Now that's interesting…"

Luka's mouth opened, then closed, his mind racing. "So I can… do whatever, but if I catch feelings, I'm out? That's the trial now?"

Saki nodded, her jaw tight. "Yep. Prove your heart's still mine—or don't. Your call."

"And if I fail?" he asked, his voice quieter now. 

"Then you're free," she said, her tone steady but her eyes glistening. "No trial, no throne, no me. I'll live with it."

"And the Hatman? How do I deal with him in this mess?" he asked.

"Well…" she muttered, unsure of herself.

"It's useless to worry about him for now," Nina interjected. "I'll try to organize something with you in the meantime. We can only prepare for what he is going to throw at us."

Luka exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "You know… None of you makes this easy. In that dream Daji made, for once, I could have no problems."

Saki's lips quirked. 

"But… When I saw that guy with these caricatures of the people I knew…" he muttered, a smile creeping in. "I missed their attitudes immediately."

He continued, facing her. "So it's fine. Be a pain in the ass all you want. I'll just promise that no matter what happens, I'll still have fun with you, okay?"

"D-Don't say it like that," Saki's eyebrows twitched. "It sounds like I'm already friendzoned."

"Welcome to the club," Nina sighed. 

Luka blinked, turning to her. "Wait—you've been friendzoned? By who?"

"Alma Elma…" she sniffled. 

"There, there," Luka patted her shoulder. "Still, is that a situation where I can do whatever I want… How do I prove my love, if I were to have one?"

"Don't say you don't love me already!" Saki stomped her foot, tears welling up as her voice cracked. "Anyway! New rule! Fuck you! If you don't survive our honeymoon, that's how I'll know!"

"ARE YOU THREATENING TO KILL ME NOW?!"

"I'll suck you dry!" she barked, her teeth grinding with exaggerated menace. "If you love me, you'll survive!"

"WHAT KIND OF CHOICE IS THAT?!"

Saki's grin turned feral, her wings flaring as she leaned into her absurd declaration. "The best kind! Prove your love by not dying—simple!"

"Simple?! You're insane! I'm supposed to survive you draining me to death?!"

"Exactly!" she chirped, her tears morphing into a gleeful glint. "It's romantic! A true test of devotion!"

Nina snorted, barely containing her laughter.

Ahahah!" Saki cackled, her green eyes flashing red, a hint of her old self slipping through her manic grin.

"YOUR NIGHTLORD IS SHOWING!" Luka shouted, stumbling back as the air crackled with her unhinged energy.

"Exactly!" she barked, her finger pointing toward the door. "Now, get out of here before I snap!" 

"You already snapped—Ah!" 

Luka barely had time to react as Saki lunged at him, her playful menace turning into a full-blown attack. He stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding her grasp as Nina burst into laughter, clutching her sides.

"This is the best day of my life!" Nina wheezed, tears streaming down her face.

Luka shot her a glare, but his focus snapped back to Saki, who was now chasing him around the chamber, her grin wild and relentless. "Argh! Stop it!" he yelled, ducking another swipe.

"I'll tickle you 'til you wake up!" she cackled, her tail twitching with glee as it snaked closer. He hit the wall, trapped, her fingers wiggling menacingly as they closed in.

"S-Saki! This isn't fair! P-Please!" he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation.

"Saki tickle attack!" she crowed, launching herself at him. Her fingers found their mark, dancing across his ribs, his sides, everywhere—unleashing a torrent of helpless laughter as he squirmed against the stone.

Luka thrashed, his laughter echoing off the chamber walls, a mix of torment and reluctant joy. "S-Stop! I can't—breathe!" he gasped, tears prickling his eyes as Saki's relentless tickling pushed him to the brink.

"Survive this, and the honeymoon's a breeze!" she teased, her red-tinged eyes gleaming with mischief as her tail joined the fray, brushing his neck with maddening precision.

The world blurred, a dizzying spiral of sensation, and then—snap—he jolted awake, sprawled in his bed. His chest heaved, lungs clawing for air, a faint ache lingering in his sides. With a groan, he winced and lifted the sheets, peering down.

"Shit…" He clenched his teeth, a damp spot spreading across his pants. His voice dropped to a growl, embarrassment burning his cheeks. "She made me piss myself…"

"Insane," he muttered, rubbing his face with both hands. "She's absolutely insane." But the memory of her wild grin, Nina's uncontrollable laughter—it stirred something warm beneath the mortification.

With a sigh, he swung his legs over the bed's edge, wincing as he stood. "First: clean up. Then: figure out how to not die by succubus—or nightmare."

Now…

How do you survive the succ?