Project Viper: Testing Fates (Patreon)

Hi folks! Another commissioned Project Viper fic for you today, with a pair of stars from the latest Fire Emblem (which I haven't played but hopefully did okay with)! 

Honestly, I planned to do a few edits to this one to sort out some small details, but time didn't allow for it. Unfortunate! But I hope you enjoy anyway, and lemme know what you think of it!

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(Contains some bimbofication, purification and monstergirlification!)

Sealed Security Recording 6X79 - Classified Material - Tier 9 and above only

“Okay, this is a tricky one…” Agent Laz muttered, leafing through the file in front of him. “I know this kind of work is pretty tricky, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a situation quite like this one.”

“Yeah.” Agent Yennifer sighed, leaning back in her chair, arms folded behind her head. “I know what you mean. Ancient empires, crazy religions, that… weird… crest stuff, holy crap…” She shook her head. “It’s complicated. I’m just glad we caught it before we both went down there – imagine if we’d brought both of them in.”

“…” Laz paused. The file he was holding tapped against the dinner table they were speaking over. “What if we did that, though?”

Yennifer blinked. “What?”

“What if we brought them both in and… I don’t know.” He waved a hand in the air. “Let them sort it out amongst themselves. Put ‘em in a contest, see who wins. That way we can work out which of them is actually a good person and which one’s the villain.”

The blonde-haired agent pursed her lips, thinking it through. “That… Might work, I guess? Give them moral tests, judge them accordingly…”

“And if it doesn’t, we can just reset the timeline and figure something else out, right?” Laz was getting more and more into this idea, Yennifer could see. Hoo boy, this might be trouble. “Besides, we have unlimited resources and budget. Shouldn’t we use them for something? Let’s find out which one of these two is the real hero of their story – and which one’s the villain.”

Project VIPER thinking at its finest.

Yennifer glanced down at the folders laying on their table one last time, before shrugging and nodding. It was worth a go. Between Edelgard Von Hresvelg and Rhea/”Seiros”… Surely one of them had to be the bigger villain, right?

-

Edelgard opened her eyes, and frowned as she saw not a familiar ceiling, but rather an open sky, with the sun shining high above and naught but a few wisps of cloud to mar it. The Empress of the Adrestian Empire raised an arm to shield her vision, and then blinked, looking left, looking right. Her lips pursed.

“Hubert?” She called, listening for some sign of her ever-present ally. If he could respond to her, he would – there was no doubt in her whatsoever. “Teacher?” Her second call was of a more personal nature – for the person she desired to see more than the one she expected. Byleth’s presence would have reassured her no matter what the situation.

But neither answered. She was alone.

Irritating.

The Empress took a deep breath, and rose to her feet, her red robes ruffling as she stood – it seemed she had fallen asleep fully dressed, for whatever curious reason. Very well. She was not some weak maiden who needed to be helped through adversity. Whatever had happened to her, she would face it and overcome it on her own. She could do no less for the sake of her ambitions.

Of course, overcoming this required knowing what ‘this’ was, and her surroundings were singularly unhelpful when it came to giving her any information. She was stood upon a roughly paved road that ran through a green field, stretching off into the distance in either direction. Aside from the occasional tree dotting the landscape and a few distant hills and mountains, she could see no signs of civilization, landmarks, or anything familiar at all. It was like she wasn’t even in Fódlan anymore.

Definitely irritating.

“Hello?” She called out, still looking around for answers. “Is anyone here? Where am I? What’s going on?”

But there was nothing but the quiet sound of birdsong to answer her.

She sighed. What had she been expecting, someone to step out from behind a tree? Perhaps this was the work of those wretches who slithered in the shadows – she couldn’t think of many others who might do something odd like this. Though it wasn’t as if she didn’t have plenty of enemies besides them – the price of ambition was high, no matter what that ambition might…

… No, okay Edie, this wasn’t the time to be getting melancholic. This was the time for action. She looked down the path, forwards, and backwards. There didn’t seem to be any tracks or markers – no signs of distinction at all. How had she ended up here, then? Some teleportation magic, perhaps?

It didn’t matter. If there was no way of knowing which way to go was correct, all she could do was pick one, and advance, making the best of what she had. So she did just that – setting off in the direction she was facing, the one she mentally dubbed ‘forward’, and walking off towards the horizon.

Hopefully she’d find some sign of… something, before too long.

-

Archbishop Rhea was becoming impatient. She had been walking down this road for what felt like hours now – having woken here in the middle of nowhere with no idea why, and no clue as to how. All things considered, it was probably something to do with that vile Empress and her consort – perhaps they’d found a ritual to banish her from the continent to cement their influence? Well if so, they’d regret it – no power would keep her from Fódlan for long, and once she returned home, her retribution would be brutal and swift.

Her role as the head of the church demanded no less.

For now, though, she had little choice but to follow the path that was laid out for her. That wasn’t a role she was keen to play, but unless she wanted to burn the energy required to assume her dragon form, it was her only option. Her white robes weren’t entirely fit for extended foot travel, but she was a hardier figure than most would suspect given her frame – being an immortal dragon would do that to you – and honestly, the hardship didn’t really affect her. Exhaustion wasn’t a problem – her fraying patience was. If she didn’t find someone or something soon, she was going to have to reconsider- Ah, what was that?

There, on the horizon, was a structure – a wooden platform with a single strut pointing upwards, and a rope… Hm. The Archbishop raised an eyebrow. What was a gallows doing all the way out here?

Even more surprisingly, it was apparently in use – two figures could be seen on the scaffold, one standing by the lever, the other with their head in the noose. It was bizarre – but it was also the first thing she’d seen since she had arrived in this place. She approached cautiously…

And was surprised to be greeted in a friendly manner. “Fair day to you Archbishiop!” The executioner said, a black hood covering his face. “What an unexpected surprise to see one such as you wandering in this neck of the woods.”

Rhea’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. If her suspicions were correct, and this indeed was not Fódlan, then this man shouldn’t have any idea who she was – and yet her welcomed her so casually? No, this was wrong.

“Yes, so I imagine,” she answered neutrally. “Might I ask you just where ‘here’ is, exactly?”

The executioner shrugged. “I’m afraid I’m not much one for geography, ma’am. I’m just here to see justice carried out.”

Justice? Her eyes swept over to the man in the noose. He looked haggard, a grim, scruffy beard and long, unkempt hair, his clothes clearly the rags of a prison cell. “I take it the man has committed a crime?”

“Aye,” the Executioner nodded. “Theft. Stole a meal right out of a noble’s hands. Sad tale, but the law is the law.”

“Hm.” She looked back at the prisoner. Executed for stealing a meal? Unfortunate… But understandable. Humans were an unruly rabble – once they started breaking your rules in small ways, they started breaking them in big ways as well. It was a pattern she had seen repeated all too often in her life – especially in the behaviour of the ones who had betrayed her in the Holy Tomb. The law was the law for a reason – no exceptions.

Her green eyes flicked back to the executioner. “I take it, then, that you know where the nearest settlement is? I have been travelling for some time, and I would like to find a place to rest.”

“Of course, your holiness.” The man jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. “Just keep following the path – you’ll find the keep in no time.”

“Thank you.” And Rhea walked on, sparing no glance for the men she left behind.”

-

“He’s being hanged for what?” Edelgard looked incredulous. “Don’t be absurd, let him down at once!”

“Can’t do that, Ma’am, he’s-“ Was as far as the executioner got before the Empress’s axe chopped through the rope over the prisoner’s head and shattered the wooden frame with a crackly thunk.

“It seems I have done it myself,” she said with a shrug, replacing the axe at her side. “What nonsense. Are you alright to walk, sir?”

The prisoner stared at her, wide eyed, before stepping down off of the scaffold. For a moment, he seemed unsure – and then he took off, running at an unexpected speed over the horizon.

“… I shall take that as a yes,” Edelgard muttered, before looking back at the executioner. “Are you going to chase him?”

The man in the hood shook his head. “Not my job, Ma’am. I’m just here to drop ‘em.”

“I see. Well then.” She turned to walk away. “Clearly I need to have a word with your lord…”

The executioner offered no objections, letting her stride away without complaint, disappearing into the distance behind her – which only served to confirm the bizarreness of the encounter. None of that had felt natural to the Empress – it had all been set up in some way. For what reason she couldn’t say, but…

“Ah, your majesty, wait!”

Hm? She turned – and blinked as she saw the prisoner that she’d just freed running to catch up. “Ah, hello. Are you alright?”

“Thanks to you, Ma’am,” the man said with a nod, skidding to a halt next to her. In his hands he held a dark box. “I owe you my life. Here – please accept this token of my gratitude…”

“Ah, that’s really not necessary,” she demurred, smiling politely. “I merely corrected an injustice.”

“Please, Lady Edelgard.” He offered the box. “It’s nothing I can use anyway – it’s a magical weapon. Legends say it’s powerful – able to bind any opponent and force them to obey their conqueror.”

That drew the Empress up short. Truly? That seemed unlikely. “Let me see that…” she said, carefully taking the box and cautiously opening the lid, peering inside. Within, she saw the coil of a lengthy whip. To her senses, it radiated magic like nothing she’d ever seen. “I… Thise are… Are you sure you wish to give these to…”

She looked up. The prisoner was gone. Once again, she stood alone on the path. Just her – and her new weapon.

“Huh.”

-

Rhea hadn’t been walking for long before the next obstacle on her path popped up. It was sudden – a creeping dark mist rolling over her as if from nowhere, turning a bright summer’s day into a shrouded October eve.

The Archbishop was less than impressed. “Whoever is doing this is quickly wearing on my patience,” she muttered.

“So sorry, your holiness,” came the unexpected reply – a hooded figure taking shape in the mist. “I apologise for the inconvenience.”

Rhea paused, studying the new arrival with annoyed caution. She could sense their foul aura from ten feet away. “I’m sure you do. What is it that you want, Spirit?”

“So direct!” The figure laughed. “I like that. Very well, Archbishop, I shall speak plainly. I have heard of your difficulties with the… upstart Empress and your former protégé…”

If Rhea’s expression didn’t say all that needed to be said, her snarl certainly did.

“And I have come to offer my aid…” It raised a hand, a swirling white light in its palm. “I offer you a weapon which will grant you that which you desire most – the humiliation and subjugation of your foe.”

“You think I have need of such things?” The anger in Rhea was fierce, and allowed her no weaknesses. “I am more than capable of crushing those… children… with my own two hands.”

“I’ve no doubt!” The spirit hovered in the air. “But with this, there will be no need. Simply use this power with them in front of you, and your foe will be defeated. You will not even need to dirty your hands with their heretical blood.”

“I see…” Hm. Such a weapon could be useful… “But I know your kind offers nothing for free. What would it cost me, Spirit?”

She couldn’t see the things face beneath its hood, but she was sure it was smiling. “Oh, not much, Archbishop. Simply… your first bor-“

A divine fist, righteously applied, turned out to be very effective at banishing corrupt spirits. “No thank you,” Rhea said to the spirit’s vanishing corpse. “I more than capable of doing it with my own two hands.”

-

“And what will you do with them?” Edelgard asked, her arms folded in annoyance. This spirit was far too smug for its own good.

“Do? Why, raise them as our conduit for this world!”

“Annnnd this won’t involve torture or painfully trying to twist their bodies into monsterous forms?”

“… No, not really.”

“No having to sacrifice innocents in a blood ritual or killing my girlfriend’s parents?”

“That’s, ah, really quite specific, I don’t-“

“I’m just looking for the catch.” The Empress shrugged. “I mean I’m not sure I going to have a first born anyway, it might be inconvenient in regards to succession – I want the next Emperor to be chosen on merit, not because they’re my child…”

“Ah, well-“

“Actually,” she continued, stroking her chin in deep thought. “If I did commit an indiscretion – or, I don’t know, something happened, and I did end up with child, having a place for them to go would be quite convenient. If anything this would solve a potential problem for me.”

The spirit hovered uncertainly.

“You know what? Deal. As long as you treat them well I don’t see a problem.” She reached out and seized the dark creature’s hand, shaking it firmly.

It stared at their handshake with confusion for a moment, before vanishing, the mist retreating as fast as it had come. Edelgard blinked, and looked around.

“Hey, where’s that weapon you promised me? Don’t you run away after I accepted your- Tch!” She sighed in irritation. “Typical higher being. Never trust them.”

She continued on down the road, putting the odd encounter behind her.

-

“Rhea…”

The Archbishop paused again, looking behind her to where the spirit’s corpse had disintegrated. There, instead of the lingering shrouds of mist she had expected, floated a swirling orb of light. “Rhea… You have passed the test…”

“Test?” The green haired dragon in human form turned to face the light. “I’ve no patience for games, spirit.”

The spirit wasn’t listening, instead simply carrying on with its speech. “In refusing to give up something so precious for power, you have proven the purity of your heart, and thus earned the weapon which you were offered.”

The air shimmered, a glowing white box appearing before the patience-tested archbishop. Curiosity tempered her annoyance, and she cautiously pulled the lid open, revealing a pair of leather gloves. The magic within them was obviously strong, even without her trying to sense it.

“Just what are these-“ She looked up. The light had vanished, along with all trace of their encounter.

“… Just what games are being played here…” She muttered, lifting the gloves up and inspecting them. “Still, it would be a waste to overlook a gift like this. For now…” She pulled them on, the leather sliding easily over her fingers. “I shall make use of what you have given me. But know that I despise being toyed with, spirit.”

With little else to do, she continued on down the road – new weapons wrapped around her palms.

-

“Well,” said Agent Yennifer, looking over their readouts from the holodeck, “that’s both of them through two tests now – one fail and one win each.”

“Yeah…” Laz was sat in the monitoring chair, his feet up on the top of the console he was supposed to be monitoring. “The Empress seems more empathetic to people, while the Archbishop is more averse to making deals with evil. Damn, this was supposed to help us work out which one was the villain – I’m just feeling more confused than ever here.”

“We’re not done yet!” Yennifer remained a beacon of optimism. “There’s still the third test, right? That should sort things out.”

“…” Laz shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah I suppose…”

Yennifer blinked. “You don’t sound too certain. What did you make the third test, anyway?”

“…Well, I figured if we got to this point and we didn’t already have a winner then the best way forward would be for them to sort it out themselves.”

“Sort it out… themselves?” She looked at him. “Sort it out how?”

“YOU!!!” Twin shouts blasted through the speakers around the pair’s monitoring booth, making both Agents jump and spin to face their computer screens. There, at the end of both pathways…

-

Edelgard and Rhea stared at one another, pure, undiluted hatred clear on each women’s face. For a moment the air was so thick with tension that even the wind refused to blow, the entire scene held in a frozen tableau.

And then Edelgard broke it, grabbing her axe. “I should have known you were the one behind all of this! Is this another of the sick and twisted games you play to rule over Fódlan? Where is my teacher?!”

Rhea was no less aggressive, drawing her blade without second thought. “Foolish child – you accuse me? But this is so obviously your doing – some heinous ritual meant to confuse me. Are your crimes not great enough already? I should have executed you the moment I first saw you – allow me to correct my error now!”

It would be a mistake to think that both women weren’t paying attention – that they hadn’t noticed that neither of them seemed to know what was going on, or who was to blame. Both had registered this fact, and found it worthy of consideration. But the fact was that both were now stood across from their mortal enemy, weapons in hand, and nothing to get in the way of their business. Their confusion was a minor concern next to that.

The two charged at each other, twin screams of rage echoing across the plains, sword meeting axe – which, somewhat predictably, went poorly for the axe-wielder, driving her back and leaving her bloody with a strike across her arm. The Empress hissed, glaring daggers at Rhea, who simply gave her a viciously smug smile in return.

“What did you think was going to happen, heritic? Without your army, with no shadows for you to hide in, you are nothing compared to me.”

And there was some truth to that – sort of. Rhea was powerful, Edelgard had known that from the start – and she hadn’t gotten into this fight without knowing that. Ideally she would have had allies to fight at her side for this… But failing that, she did still have a trick up her sleeve.

“If you are stronger than me,” she muttered, drawing the gift she’d received from the prisoner she’d saved from her belt, “then I only have to bring a greater power in to defeat you!”

That gave the Archbishop pause. She could feel the power radiating from the whip in Edelgard’s hands from here. So, she’d found herself a weapon like that as well, had she? “Heh. Very well,” she said, discarding her blade and raising her gloved fists – it had been a long time since she’d fought hand to hand, but she’d never lost the knack. “If you’ll go that far, I’ll meet and exceed you now!”

There were no more words to be said. Lightning crackled between the pair – and then they both charged at once, whip cracking to curl around Rhea’s neck, while an open gloved palm struck towards Edelgard’s face…

-

“Shit. I didn’t think they’d both use them at once.”

-

Rhea felt the whip wrap around her throat tightly, yanking her back and away from her opponent as the world went white. She found herself falling, the ground beneath her disappearing as she struggled to pull herself loose – but her hands stopped an inch away from her neck, some force preventing them from reaching the coil constricting her.

And then she began to feel strange. That powerful magic began to grow around her, settling over her like a blanket. Her body was starting to feel warm…

She hadn’t used her dragon form in years, maybe centuries, but she still remembered how it felt to shift into it. This felt much the same. Power gathering in her limbs, spreading through her body as tension filled her muscles, her limbs stretching in ways that a human body couldn’t accommodate. But that was fine, because she was becoming less human by the second...

Her legs went first, bulking up and shifting to support a different kind of gait, one that used four legs instead of two. Her feet split, her five toes merging into three spread claws, white scales spreading up from each talon to over her ankles as her sandals were ripped apart by the growing flesh they tried to contain. Her dress didn’t fare much better, being hoisted and torn as the scales kept spreading, and Rhea lost all sign of humanity below her waist, her draconic nature coming right to the fore – the massive white tail sprouting from her behind dealing the last blow to her holy garments and ripping the cloth completely from her body.

Now naked, Rhea struggled, trying to resist whatever power was compelling her to change – but it was hopeless. The transformation continued, forcing her down onto all fours as her bone structure entirely shifted, and wings finally burst from her back. White scales continued to replace pale skin – and soon it was only her head left, balanced on a dragon’s body. Then even that began to change.

But this time it was different. Unlike the rest of her transformation, which had proceeded as normal, if against her will, this part felt… off. Normally the change into a dragon came with a rush of sensation and a burst of strength, discarding the weakness of a frail human body. But this time the feeling was muted, distant and fuzzy. Instead of everything coming into sudden sharp contrast, her mind felt… slow. Blunted. Instead of racing, it was stumbling. Why? What was…

As her mouth pushed out, becoming a snout and maw, she could almost feel her brain starting to shrink. Complicated thoughts became harder, and then all but impossible as her eyes shifted to draconic orbs, and a bony crest began to form over her brow. What was she doing? Why was she… What had happened to…

… I …

Her confusion deepened, her thoughts unspooling in her head as her mind simplified, turning from the intellect of a wise and powerful dragon into the basic empty instinct of a mindless beast. Her eyes blinked once, and the shine of intelligence within them winked out, replaced with dull incomperehension.

The whip around her throat shone as the transformation completed itself, Rhea growing up to half of her normal draconic size. Then it shifted, the weapon losing its glow as it turned from a whip into a sealed collar, binding the great beast completely, with a leash leading to the hand of…

… Mistress? …

-

Edelgard fell backwards, the gloved palm wrapped around her eyes. Desperately, she fought to pull it away – a little surprised that the strike hadn’t actually hurt her – but the force drove her to the ground, or to where the ground was supposed to be. Instead she found herself floating, blind in a strange empty void.

“Let go of me, you vile-!”

She gasped as the leather over her eyes lit up with pure white light, so bright she thought it might blind her, and she felt her body weaken, relaxing completely even as she fell through the void. Something was flowing into her, flowing with the light, washing in through her eyes and into… her… mind…

Edelgard von Hresvelg was the Empress of the Adrestian Empire. She had planned and put into motion an almost unstoppable plan to conquer an entire continent and overturn a millennia of church enforced stagnation as a teenager. Her willpower was second to none. Even gods would be forced to back down before her. And yet…

And yet there was nothing she could do. She could feel it as the light leaked into her head and began to bleach away everything within. She could feel as her own thoughts began to loose colour, began to fade, dissolve away before the power like a spider’s web fraying to dust inside a sunbeam. Memories of her life began to drip out of her. Her ambitions. Her life in the Empire. The torture she had suffered for her crest. The foundation of who she was, crumbling.

She tried to struggle, but her body was limp, and it wouldn’t respond. The only thing she got was her mouth slowly dropping open, drool starting to trickle down her chin, the tickling feeling prickling at her as more and more of her mind was erased. The light just swept in, shining down right to her very core, and blew everything else away.

Finally, even the struggles in her mind fell silent, and all resistance ceased, her eyes turning completely white as the light within claimed her. All was still.

With her head empty, then, she didn’t notice as her body began to change. As her breasts began to swell, and her behind plumped. As her hair lost its pale lilac shade, replaced with a faint light green. As her crown melted away, replaced by a silver tiara, and her bright red empress robes turned into a tightly fitting silver breastplate and leggings.

And she didn’t notice as the light began to put new things into her head, to replace the thoughts she’d lost. Ideas about justice, and loyalty, and worship. Thoughts about how glorious the goddess Sothis was, and the divine right of the church of Seiros. Knowledge about the world, and her place within it.

Slowly, her heart began to beat, love for the church and its mandate filling it to the brim.

And then, with a final flash, the gloves knocked a few points off the former Empress’s IQ, filling her with the urge to bounce and giggle, before vanishing completely.

Edie blinked, her sluggish brain stalling for a moment, before the light came back on, and…

“Rhea?”

-

The light died down, leaving the two fighters once again standing on the empty road. But both women had changed in the mere moment since they’d both activated their final attacks. In the place of one, now sat a hunched dragon, bound by a collar and wrapped in riding apparel, complete with a saddle and bit. In the place of the other now stood a vapid looking green haired woman in the silver armour of a paladin, complete with the emblem of her goddess, Sothis, hanging around her neck. Both stared at each other, blinking with confusion. And then…

“Rhea!” Edie cheered, bouncing over to her mount and giving her a hug. “Wow, I’m so happy to see you! I was, like, super lost – did you come looking for me girl?”

The white dragon nodded, nuzzling its head against her chest, drawing a pleased giggle and a shower of petting from its mistress.

“Oh, you’re such a good girl. The best steed in the whole wide world! I knew I could count on you!” Edie smiled, before quickly mounting up on her dragon’s back. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I need to get out there and preach the word of Sothis~ And get you some food – I bet you’re starving after such a long flight!”

Rhea huffed in agreement, before spreading her wings and rising into the air, bearing her rider, her mistress, and her one true owner into the sky. For Mistress Edie, she’d do anything, anytime, anywhere – that was what a good mount did!

And meanwhile, Edie the Paladin leaned back, her breasts squeezing up against the cleavage line of her scandalously low cut breastplate, and smiled. Soon, she’d be back home, ready to help everyone see the light – especially that sexy teacher of hers, who was, like, technically Sothis herself? Which was the best.

Who wouldn’t want to follow her stupid sexy goddess, huh? No one, that’s who! And she’d convince them all, no matter how many jumping jacks she had to do!

Heehee, people always really liked it when she did that, for some reason~

-

“…”

“So like I said,” Laz sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Tricky.”

“This was an utter disaster,” Yennifer whined, her head in her hands. “Why did you give them both weapons like that? How are we going to fix this?”

“Eh. Does it really need fixing?” Laz didn’t seem too bothered. “They both seem happier. Maybe it’ll resolve itself.”

“Resolve itse- Are you crazy?” The agent stared at him, incredulousness written bold on her face. “We need to rewind them and kick this case up to a proper team.”

“Nah, nah, it’s fine. All going according to plan.” Laz nodded to himself. “We’ll just send them back to their world, see how it goes. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“There is no way I’m letting you-“

“Hey hey, calm down. Look, do this for me and I’ll make sure the next case we get on that world with all those ‘heroic spirits’ ends up on your desk, how about that?”

“… The one with all the blondes?”

“That’s the one.”

There was a silent, tense pause. Then Yennifer slid out of her chair. “I was never here, understood? Do your own stupid plan, I’m not involved.”

“Understood!” He saluted as she hurried off out of the door, before leaning back in his seat. Ahhh, Yennifer. Such a stickler for the rules. But as he watched the new bimbo paladin and her mount fly off over the horizon through the portal back to their home world, he was confident this would all work out for the best. Sure, it wasn’t his original plan – but how bad could it be?

Really?