by Dante King
He tilted his head in a quizzical expression but soon scurried off, returning a few moments later with a wooden pail of water that he set down at my feet. I squatted and passed my hand over the water, feeling a quick surge of magical power as I did this. Just to make sure I’d done it correctly, I pried a rusty nail from the deck and dropped it into the clear liquid in the pail. There was a furious hissing and sizzling, and within a few seconds, the nail had dissolved completely.
“I wouldn’t drink this if I were you,” I said.
“You turned it to acid, Lord Vance!”
“I need acid for what I’m about to do,” I said. “Come a little closer, Rollar.”
I felt the flesh of my right-hand fingers turn as hard as steel in anticipation.
“This might sting a little,” I said to Rollar as he took a step toward me. “But don’t fight it. Relax, even if it looks terrifying.”
“Of course, Lord Vance.”
Without further ado, I slammed my right hand through his iron breastplate and past his flesh and muscles. I curled my fingers around his beating heart and ripped it out of his chest. His eyes bulged and he gasped, stumbling back.
I dropped his beating heart into the acid, the pail broiling and frothing. I pulled it out a second later, and, as it had been long ago when Isu had done this exact thing to me and I had done the same to Cranton, his heart had turned black. I lunged forward and slammed his new black heart into the cavity in his chest. The gaping, bloody wound closed up in mere seconds, leaving no trace that it had been there, as did the hole in his breastplate.
Rollar’s eyes were still on the verge of popping, it seemed, and his nostrils were flared with fright, but when his heart was back in his chest, a calmer expression came across his face.
“I... I... I feel amazing!” he roared, raising his fists to the sky. “Praise you, Lord Vance, you’ve done it!”
“We’re not quite done yet,” I said. His glee was infectious, and I knew I’d done the right thing by making him Fated. “I made Cranton a Death priest, but you’re no clergyman; you’re a warrior.”
What would I make Rollar? I had a name on my lips, and it made me smile even to think of it.
Chapter Nine
“I will make you a Death Knight,” I said to Rollar. “I command you to kneel.”
Rollar obeyed without a word.
I drew Grave Oath, the Death power sizzling in the steel.
I wasn’t sure how I would make Rollar into a Death Knight, but my hands started to move, as though carried by an unseen force. First, I drew the edge of the blade across Rollar’s right shoulder pauldron. The leather hissed and crackled as it warped into armor made of bone, in the shape of a giant skeletal hand resting on Rollar’s shoulder. I did the same to his left shoulder pauldron, then drew the edge of Grave Oath’s blade across his breastplate. The iron turned red and bubbled, as if it was being melted in a blacksmith’s forge, then it too transformed, becoming a strong, thick ribcage of bone protecting Rollar’s torso. I did the same to the armor on his forearms, thighs, and calves, and all of them turned to bone.
“There’s one more thing to do before you’re a fully fledged Death Knight,” I said to Rollar. “But this part, you must do yourself.” I handed Grave Oath to him. “A Death Knight cannot ride a living mount.”
Rollar took the dagger from me and then turned and looked at his direbear, knowing what needed to be done. There was great sadness in his eyes, for this direbear, wild and ferocious as it was, was like a puppy to him.
“Don’t worry,” I said to him. “Your old friend will still be with you. He’ll just be a little different. You already possess the power to raise him from life to unlife.”
Rollar seemed unsure for a moment, but his doubts quickly vanished. Determined, he nodded and approached his direbear with all the sobriety of a funerary march. He stroked the massive creature’s neck and pressed his forehead against the bear’s.
“Lord Vance,” he said to me, “when this is done, how do I make it... undead?”
“When it’s over, close your eyes and focus on the bear’s heart. You’ll need to pluck some of your own life force from your heart, and it’ll drain you the first time. It gets easier with practice.”
Rollar nodded and breathed in deep. “All right. I’ll do whatever you ask of me, Lord Vance, and now I’ll show you just how great an honor I consider it to be that you’ve chosen me as your first Death Knight.”
He lifted the direbear’s massive left arm. If any other person had tried to do this, the wild creature would have ripped their head off, but it trusted its master.
“You’ve served me faithfully, old friend,” Rollar said to the direbear, “but now, the time has come to serve me in a new way. Goodbye, for now.”
And he slammed Grave Oath into the direbear’s heart. The beast reared up and let out a thunderous roar that shook the timbers of the ship. Then it toppled forward, crashing like a boulder launched from a great siege engine onto the deck, dead.
Rollar bent over the corpse even as its blood pooled beneath it and closed his eyes. For a long time, nothing happened, even though Rollar was furrowing his brow with increasing intensity and actually starting to sweat with the furiousness of his effort and concentration. Finally, I started to feel it, the presence of Death magic working in front of me. I glanced up at Isu, and she gave me a knowing nod; she could also feel it.
The direbear’s still corpse started to twitch. The movements were barely perceptible, but they were there. I stared intently at the creature’s glazed-over eyes, waiting for the telltale sign that the Death magic was truly working. Slowly but surely, the familiar yellow-green color, like a drop of concentrated ink splashed into clear water, swirled around the direbear’s eyeball. Then the color spread and glowed with an unearthly light. Rollar was breathing hard, as if undertaking a task of great exertion, and sweat was dripping off his forehead and running down his neck. His hands, clenched into tight fists, were shaking.
Then, finally, it happened. The direbear’s eyes glowed brightly, and it thundered out a powerful roar. It rose to its feet, animated once again, but no longer alive.
Rollar staggered backward, and I had to catch him to prevent him from collapsing. He gripped me tightly, holding on for support, but when he opened his eyes, a broad smile spread across his bearded face.
“I did it, Lord Vance, I did it.”
“Yes, you did, Rollar,” I said, “and I’m proud of you. You are now officially my first Death Knight.”
He quickly knelt at my feet and handed Grave Oath back to me.
“And I will serve you with honor and loyalty, until earthworms feast on my buried flesh.”
“Rise, Rollar, first Death Knight of the Temple of Necrosis!” I roared, and when Rollar rose shakily to his feet, everyone let out a massive cheer.
“Time to celebrate,” I said. “Crew, break out the grog!”
The pirates, who had gathered to watch Rollar’s ceremony, all cheered once more, even louder. They ran to grab the rum barrels—which they cracked open at the slightest excuse—and started handing out wooden tankards. I tossed the bucket of acid overboard; I could just picture some drunk pirate attempting to chug it and liquefying his innards instead of his inhibitions.
My party drank a toast to Rollar, my first Death Knight. The pirates’ rum was strong and harsh, and the women all coughed and almost choked on it. Even Rollar coughed and rasped a little, but Drok tossed his tankard of rum back as if it was nothing but water. Grinning, he asked Percy for a refill. The jolly First Mate was only too happy to oblige, and he and Drok promptly began a drinking contest. Percy could drink, but Drok was in another league when it came to sucking back booze, and soon enough, Percy was reeling and slurring his words, but Drok was still chugging rum happily, with no apparent ill effects.
With my tankard of rum in my hand, I walked toward the ship’s bow. The sun was directly behind us, sinking low in the sky as we sailed east, and on the eastern horizon,
there was nothing but open water as far as the eye could see.
I stood on the prow, smiling as the wind rippled through my hair, thinking about how awesome it would be when we finally got to Yeng. I heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Rami-Xayon walking over to join me.
“Your wind is pushing us at a good pace across the ocean, Rami-Xayon,” I said. “But is there any way you can make it stronger? I’m pretty damn eager to get to Yeng.”
“I’m already using a lot of my power to keep it at this strength. Any stronger, and I might start exhausting myself.”
“And I thought you were a strong and powerful goddess,” a new voice said. “Perhaps your powers are not as potent as those of other goddesses.”
We both turned around and saw Anna-Lucielle approaching us. The setting sun created an alluring backlight that lit her up with a halo and made her slim figure, with its subtle curves in all the right places, look even more desirable than usual. I’d noticed a light rivalry growing between the two goddesses, and in recent days, it seemed as if they had been subtly vying for my attention.
“Ladies, ladies.” I took Anna-Lucielle’s hand in my right and Rami-Xayon’s in my left. “There’s no need for any jealousy here. I won’t lie and say it isn’t a little bit of a turn-on to see two gorgeous creatures fighting over me, but you know what’s better than fighting over something? Sharing it. I think you can both learn to share nicely, right?”
The goddesses looked at each other, and in their eyes was the familiar glint of rivalry, but there was also something else: the spark of passionate desire.
“I think,” Rami-Xayon said, her almond eyes flitting back and forth between me and Anna-Lucielle, “that the three of us could engage in a private exercise. Anna-Lucielle and I could share what we both greatly desire.”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to such an exercise,” Anna-Lucielle said, her own eyes filled with the same ravenous fire. “In fact, I think it could be rather enlightening.”
Seeing the two of them staring at both myself and each other made hot blood rush to my cock at a furious pace. Two goddesses, one god, and a boatload—no pun intended—of sexual tension that had reached boiling point.
A powerful release was long overdue for all three of us.
“Come, fellow divinities,” I said as I led each of them by the hand in the direction of my cabin. “I think it’s time you two learned to share.”
“I’m ready,” Anna-Lucielle said, her already swelling nipples pressing through the silk fabric of her dress.
“As am I,” Rami-Xayon said, her beautiful oval face starting to flush with arousal.
“Rollar,” I said to my new Death Knight in passing, “make sure nobody disturbs me for the next hour or so. And if you hear any strange noises coming from my cabin, don’t come knocking.”
Rollar chuckled and nodded knowingly. “Don’t worry, Lord Vance; I’ll make sure nobody bothers you until you’re done.”
With a wink, I led Rami-Xayon and Anna-Lucielle into the captain’s cabin, which was by far the largest and most luxurious cabin on the ship. Argryl had left it in a bit of a filthy state, but the pirate crew had given it a thorough scrubbing, and of course, we’d changed the sheets.
The moment I closed the cabin door, Rami-Xayon and Anna-Lucielle removed their clothes, as if they’d practiced this together. There was something graceful about their shared movements, something that went far beyond the effect of either of them alone. Rami-Xayon gracefully peeled her form-fitting enjarta catsuit off her lithe, tawny body, while Anna-Lucielle pulled a cord on her silk dress, and the garment slipped off her shoulders and dropped to the ground around her ankles.
I’d seen both of their nude bodies before, but I took a moment to appreciate the tantalizing view before my eyes. Two slim, naked female forms, each with nigh-on perfect proportions. Anna-Lucielle’s round breasts with their pink, swollen nipples were slightly larger than Rami-Xayon’s, with their puffy dark nipples, but all four were a good handful for my paws. Two heads of long black hair swished silkily around two sets of slim shoulders. Rami-Xayon’s Yengish hair was true jet black, and straight, while Anna-Lucielle’s was slightly wavy, and a very dark shade of brown rather than black, although its darkness was accentuated by her milky skin.
“I think you two should find a way to make up,” I said to them as I removed my assassin’s gear and light armor. “Can you think of a way?”
“What on earth could he be talking about, Rami-Xayon?” Anna-Lucielle said in a breathy low tone, her gaze lingering on me for a few seconds before she turned to Rami-Xayon.
“I haven’t got a clue,” Rami-Xayon answered, making sure to round her lips tantalizingly as she breathed that final vowel.
They both giggled and showed just the tips of their tongues on the cusp of their lips.
“We won’t do it if you don’t say it,” Rami-Xayon added. “We’ll just stay here and wait.” She stretched her arms above her head, her mouth still slightly open.
I pulled my cloth chest armor and shirt off, and both women’s eyes sparkled at seeing me shirtless.
“Oh, you think I’m shy?” I said with a grin, chuckling as I saw their inability to keep their eyes off my torso. “I’ll say it: kiss. Kiss, and seal the deal. There’ll be no more rivalry from now on. Only love.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea.” Rami-Xayon turned to feast her hungry eyes on Anna-Lucielle’s naked body.
“As do I,” Anna-Lucielle half-spoke, half-whispered, locking eyes with Rami-Xayon.
The pair of beautiful goddesses slipped their hands around each other’s necks and waists, intensity building in their eyes. There was some kind of sexual energy two women created when they pleasured each other so that their man could be taken to even greater heights of arousal.
They gasped softly and moaned as their tongues explored each other’s mouths, while their hands caressed each other’s naked bodies. Anna-Lucielle reached down and brushed her fingertips over Rami-Xayon’s ass, and Rami-Xayon traced a flirtatious hand down the small of Anna-Lucielle’s back. Soon, their hands were exploring more sensitive regions of their bodies, and I felt my cock about to burst from the sight of it.
“Mind if I squeeze in there, goddesses?” I asked as I slid off my pants and freed my prick.
They paused to invite me, each beckoning me with one finger, every inch of their welcoming bodies inviting me in.
I stepped up to them, my cock hard as a Frost Giant’s stone club, and grabbed a handful of tit, one goddess’s in each hand. They both let out little sighs of pleasure as I dug my fingertips into their breasts and fondled their stiffening nipples. Then I tilted my head in Rami-Xayon’s direction and pressed my lips against hers before I slid my tongue into her hot, eager mouth.
While Rami-Xayon and I were kissing, Anna-Lucielle leaned in and started kissing my neck, nuzzling my ear, and caressing my chest. I eased off from Rami-Xayon and started passionately kissing Anna-Lucielle. Rami, meanwhile, started kissing my chest, licking my nipples, and dragging her tongue down my ribs and over my stomach in a leisurely journey down to my throbbing dick.
I could sense that there was still some rivalry between the goddesses, and it might just play out now in a way I would appreciate. Rami-Xayon was calling up her Wind powers as she hovered her juicy lips around the head of my cock. And I knew this was going to be a blowjob I would remember.
I paused doing the tongue dance with Anna-Lucielle for a moment.
“Don’t start any hurricanes in here,” I said to Rami-Xayon as she softly curled both of her hands around my shaft.
Holding it, and slowly moving her hands up and down, she stared up at me with those dark eyes and gently swirled the tip of her tongue around the head of my cock, smiling mischievously.
“I’m just putting the ‘blow’ in blowjob, Vance,” she said as she licked me like I was rare candy. “You’ll see what this Wind Goddess is truly capable of when it comes to pleasing her master.”
I v
ery much liked the fact that she was referring to me as her master, but I liked what she did next even better. Stretching her rosebud mouth wide open to swallow my sizeable head, she took my prick in her mouth. Then, she started to suck while gently bobbing her head and moaning with pleasure. I shuddered as Rami-Xayon’s Wind magic came into play, swirling a little tornado of hot, moist air around my shaft that greatly enhanced the sucking action she was performing on my head.
“Damn,” I gasped as I slipped my right hand into Rami-Xayon’s hair and gripped a tight fistful to pull her a little more forcefully. “Now that’s how you should always use your Wind power.”
Not to be outdone, Anna-Lucielle brought her Charm magic into play.
She reached down and cupped my balls, fondling them while Rami-Xayon was using both her mouth and her Wind magic to suck my cock. Every one of Anna-Lucielle’s touches was laden with Charm magic, which enhanced the pleasure that came from them to an almost unbearably intense degree. My knees became weak beneath me, while the two goddesses worked me with their bodies and their magic. For the first time in a good while, I had to concentrate to avoid blowing my load mere minutes into the session.
There was no way I was going to disappoint my two gorgeous goddesses though.
“That feels fucking amazing,” I said, “but I’ve got a better idea, just for a while. Why don’t you two use your magic on each other? Let’s see who can make the other’s pleasure reach the highest peak, while I fuck both of you?”
Rami-Xayon paused her blowjob and popped my stiff prick out of her mouth, and Anna-Lucielle stopped playing with my balls.
“I like the sound of that,” Anna-Lucielle said before dropping to her knees and starting to suck on Rami-Xayon’s right breast.
Rami-Xayon gasped, and from the way she started bucking and gyrating her hips I knew that Anna-Lucielle was using her Charm magic to make the action of her tongue on Rami-Xayon’s stiff nipple potently pleasurable. Biting her lower lip and staring up at me with puppy-dog eyes, Rami-Xayon started tugging on my cock with smooth hand movements, overcome by the sensations of pure ecstasy that Anna-Lucielle was coursing through her body.