Realm Walker Omnibus

by Erik Weir

“The village was torched and everyone was killed aside from us,” Lily said with a defeated edge before looking to the lizard women to her right. “The four women here were spared.”

  A lizard woman looked to Lily and Victor, “We were spared because we worship Vala. The Tusk Tribe wishes to defile and sacrifice us to their god, a lesson to any others who worship the goddess.”

  Victor let out a long exhale, “Great.”

  The Blade closed his eyes for a moment before turning it to the bound women. “My name is Victor and this beautiful demon is Lily. We are actually here to find you.”

  The lizard woman nodded. “We know. Vala gave us visions of you both. My name is Hisk. The three slyths at my side are Yex, Hox and Rhass. We belong to the Talon Clan, or what is left of it.”

  The slyth looked down with dark eyes. “In one moment, our lives changed for the worse…and the best. We have prayed to Vala and she answered. It only cost us our clan.”

  Victor nodded. “I wish it could have been different. We didn’t know what we were walking into. But I think right now we need to figure out how to get out of here. I think I can break us out but I don’t know where we are or where to escape to.”

  “We’re in the middle of their camp,” Lily whispered, “Even if we break out, we are outnumbered.”

  “So, it’s a challenge,” Victor smiled to the succubus.

  Lily shook her head, “This is serious.”

  Victor nodded, “I know, I know.”

  Hisk turned her slitted eyes to the Blade and Shield. “We know where to go.”

  “That’s some good news,” Victor smiled through the aching headache.

  “We just have to fight through an army first,” Lily rolled her eyes.

  Victor looked to Lily, “That’s the spirit.”

  The succubus gave the Blade a small smile before her eyes glanced to the dried blood on the side of Victor’s head. “Free me and I can heal you.”

  “In a moment, first, we need to make sure we have a solid plan.”

  Hisk moved her scaled green legs under her, pushing her body onto her knees. Tail lifting up against the pole, Lily and Victor could see an odd growth just at the base of her tail. Victor stared for a few seconds until he finally saw it. Painted straps coiled around tail, looking like the slyth’s skin and scales. It blended so well, that only when Hisk lifted her tail, could the Blade and Shield see a stone dagger hilt laying at the underside of her short tail.

  “We can defend ourselves but we will have a greater chance at success if we are allowed to summon allies,” Hisk stated.

  Victor eyed the slyth, “What do you need to summon friends?”

  “We must call on the harmony of the jungle and for that, we must use our voices.”

  Victor’s eyebrow rose as he wasn’t exactly sure what the slyth meant. The look in her slitted eyes burned with cunning, but Victor was at a loss on how they could distract the tribe enough to escape.

  The tent flap was pulled aside and four large men entered. Their eyes all fell on Victor as they stepped to the bound Blade. Victor looked up with an amused grin, knowing if he wasn’t shackled, he could take them. A quick glance to Lily, the succubus slowly shaking her head stopped the half-baked plan of escape. Looking back up, the Blade managed to see a thick fist before it crashed into his face. Pain roared again and the taste of blood-filled Victor’s mouth. Spitting it out, he looked up with a glare and then a sick, maddening smile formed.

  One bare-chested man pulled a stone dagger from the side of his loin cloth and sliced upward. The vines holding Victor’s wrists fell away. Hands grabbed him and pulled the Blade to his feet. Victor looked at them, seeing soft spots he could strike but stayed his hand as they pushed and pulled him out of the tent. Lily eyed the slyths in the tent, heart beating faster as concern painted her heart.

  Outside, the men pushed Victor along as everyone outside stood up. Victor let out a small whistle before he was pushed along. A sea of half-naked bodies stood, dark eyes on the Blade and creating a path. A roaring bonfire touched the sky as two moons glowed and stars twinkled across the heavens. Victor lost count as the tribe just seemed to keep going on. A city of tents took up the background as firelight painted them yellow and orange. Victor kept his best smile as he was pushed along. It quickly disappeared when something big huffed beyond thick trees to his left.

  “What was that,” Victor asked one of his captors.

  “Shut up,” the burly man said and punched the Blade in the head.

  Victor’s whole body slammed into another captor and he backhanded the Blade away. Victor stayed standing but the constant strikes to the head caused a dim confusing cloud to form. In his mind’s eyes, he could see his stats had regenerated but if he started using his abilities now, he wouldn’t make if fifty feet.

  The crowd parted by the bonfire, and Victor was shoved hard. The Blade stumbled forward again before stopping his momentum and standing up, chest out. Glancing around, the savages at the edge of the bonfire held weapons and nets at the ready. The Blade turned his gaze to a throne made of horns where the blonde woman from the attack sat, one leg over the other and a hard gaze on Victor.

  “You impressed me when you leapt into battle,” the woman said with a bored expression. “Then you fell like a child from a tree.”

  “Who puts children in trees,” Victor said with a sarcastic edge.

  “You are a fighter,” the woman said as a small smirk formed.

  “I’m a lover too,” Victor smiled.

  The woman gave him an amused head nod. “My name is Luka, leader of the Tusk Tribe. My people have called for you to be cut open, cleaned and roasted over fire. I have a mind to let them do it, but I feel you need to prove yourself again. I saw a fire in your eyes and I want to see it again. I offer a challenge. If you accept and survive, you will have my favor. If you refuse or die, your body will be cooked for the feast.”

  Cannibals! Fucking Cannibals! Accept! Accept!

  “I bet I do taste delicious, but I will have to accept your challenge.” Victor looked to the crowd, “You’re going to have to earn your meal.”

  The crowd made hissing and groaning sounds, lifting their weapons and daggers and making slicing motions. Victor grinned as he turned back to the tribal leader.

  Luka eyed the Blade slyly. “A test of strength is called. My best man verses you, no weapons.”

  Luka sat back in her throne, “We saw your Blade slide into your arm. If you call on it, the tribe will attack and carve you up where you stand.”

  Victor nodded, “I accept.”

  There is a very good chance they don’t know any martial arts. If they can be kept off balance, there’s a chance.

  Luka nodded. “TRIO,” the tribe leader shouted.

  Victor took a few steps forward, loosening his neck and arms. Jumping a little in place, he geared his mind for a fight. The crowd to the right of the bonfire parted and three, seven-foot men walked out. Their bodies were covered in scars and muscles no living man should ever have that big. Head sized fists hung at their sides and an animalistic growl crawled up their throats.

  Victor looked at the triplets as they approached, “You said your best man. I don’t think you know what plurals mean.”

  Luka gave a wicked grin, “They are my best man. They fight, hunt and live together as one. We all wish we could have a bond as pure as theirs.”

  “This is bullshit,” Victor muttered under his breath as he faced the incoming thick giants.

  The three men stopped their approach and glared down at Victor.

  “Alright, who’s first,” Victor said as he lifted his fists.

  The three men gave a sickening leer before they roared and charged.

  ***

  Lily looked to the shadows against the tent. When shouts, cheers, and roars filled the air, the succubus’s heart leapt in her chest. She had no idea what was happening, but a primal need to break free and help Victor pushed at every cell. Looking to the slyths, the demoness
watched as they began to move. The roar outside was enough for them to take action. One lifted her tail while another reached over with her clawed toes. Toes took hold of the hidden dagger under a tail and pulled it out. Flicking it, the stone dagger shot up and buried into a wooden pole of another slyth. Yex grabbed at it, turned it in her hands and began sawing away at the thick vines.

  Hisk leaned her head back as her fellow slyths worked. A vibration rose up her throat, humming with hypnotic pulses. Mouth opening, the vibrations grew in intensity, drowned out by the shouting and cheers throughout the camp. Lily turned her attention to the shadows against the tent edge, hoping Victor was holding his own against them.

  ***

  Trio rushed Victor as he stood his ground. The Blade kept his gaze steady as they reared back fists, ready to pummel his flesh into putty. When they were right over him, Victor spent a point of Strength, grinned, raised a leg, and rammed his heel into one of the burly men’s knee. The Trio in the middle grunted as his body came forward. Victor bent his knees while grabbing an incoming fist by the wrist. Strength powering his moves, he took the brunt of the attacker’s weight onto his shoulder as the other two men accidentally punched their middle brother in the back.

  Victor smiled as he held the middle brother and pulled, swinging him like a ragdoll sideways and into one of the other brothers. Both men went crashing to the ground as the last brother standing rushed the Blade with a flurry of punches. Victor’s arm was up, knocking away each punch with ease as he brought his leg up and planted it in the attacker’s stomach. The large man bent forward, eyes bulging before Victor’s fist slammed into his cheek. The power behind the blow was enough to cause the big man to spin in the air before crashing to the ground.

  The gathered crowds hissed their displeasure as Victor turned his attention to the other two standing up. Both men roared as they rushed the Blade. A fist shot out and Victor caught it open handed. Fingers crushed down, bones cracking and the Trio brother screaming. The Blade stepped back, dodging one blow and then another.

  Victor’s heart beat with confidence. Despite their physical strength, they telegraphed their moves every time. The Blade found it almost too easy to dodge or counter each attack. Fist reared back; the Blade stepped to the side as a large fist passed him. Stepping closer, he powered his fist into the brother’s stomach. The large man grunted but stayed upright, looking down at Victor.

  “Shit,” Victor said as his power was already used up.

  Before he could spend another point in strength, a large hand grabbed the Blade by the shoulder, lifted him up and smashed his entire body down on the ground. Victor’s eyes widened as a rib cracked. Rolling away, pain flared with each turn and he quickly stood up again. Side aching, the Blade watched as the three men regrouped and charged.

  “Come on,” Victor spat as the three brutes charged.

  The Blade spent a point in strength and reared back a fist. The Trio brother in the middle raised his fist. As it came down on the Blade, Victor smashed his fist directly into the incoming fist. The Trio brother screamed as his arm broke in a dozen points. Clutching his destroyed arm, the trio brother pulled back as the other two were on the Blade. Victor tried to dodge but the broken rib cut away at his insides, slowing his movements. He blocked one fist but couldn’t counter another. Pain bloomed before another fist struck the side of his head. Blood filled Victor’s mouth as he stumbled to the side. The two brothers followed, ramming fists into the smaller man.

  Luka watched as Victor tried to stay standing, two men beating him relentlessly. The crowd cheered the Trio brothers, weapons held high. Time slowed as Victor tried to regain his balance. Strength drained back to normal and there was no way he could match the guys beating him down. Falling to his knees, stats appeared in his mind.

  Victor Hobbs

  Acolytes Unlocked- 3/77

  Divine Orbs- 1

  Spheres of Influence

  Str (Gaia)- 0/2

  Con (Nano)- 1

  Int (Abyss)- 1

  Will (Holy)- 1

  Wis (Mind)- 1

  Cha (Shadow)- 2

  Swords

  Iron Sword

  Sphere Abilities/Powers

  Mind

  Speak/Read/Write Languages

  Gaia

  Nano

  Shadow

  Holy

  Abyss

  Thinking on his knees, he had to do something. He needed time and then it struck him like a lightning bolt. Spending a point of constitution, strength returned in a different way. The raining down of fists didn’t seem to hurt. The pain from the broken rib turned into a faint whisper. Victor still felt the full force of the blows but it was enough for him to gain a moment.

  Victor spent a point of Intelligence and his mind grew sharper as time slowed down. Logic filled his senses and weak points glowed like points of light. Victor managed a war cry of his own as the two Trio brothers pulled back their fists for another flurry of attacks. Constitution and intelligence blended together as Victor launched at his attackers with cold fury. A fist rammed into an unguarded throat as a foot crashed into another brother’s face. Blood spurted from his nose while the other one stepped back, clutching at his collapsed throat. Gasping for air, Victor closed the distance and rammed his foot into the brother’s balls. The saddest groan to fill the air silenced the crowd. The Trio brother grabbed at his battered balls, eyes crossing and fell over, mouth still gasping for air.

  The last one standing charged, blood spilling onto his thick chest. With no pain, Victor jumped, fist back. The Trio brother grabbed him in mid-air, blood leaking from his nose and covering his mouth. Victor switched up the attack, driving his boot into the brute’s throat while clamping his hands on the sides of the brute’s head. Thumbs stabbed into eyes as a cold fire burned within Victor. The Blade could see everything crystal clear as muffled screams rose up from the last brother.

  The Trio let go of Victor. The Blade fell to his feet, squared his shoulder and rammed it into the larger man’s gut. The last brother clutched at his face as he fell squarely on his back, moaning with ragged breath. The gathered tribe stared in silence as Victor stood, his body heaving, tight fists at his sides.

  “Who the FUCK is next,” Victor shouted as his power melted away.

  Legs trembled as some of the savages broke away from the crowd, weapons at the ready. Victor let out a small grunt as he fell to his knees, his options used up. Glancing back to the throne, Luka was gone. The Blade let out a small crazy laugh as savages moved in and took hold of him. Victor waited for the crude Blades to stab into him but when they never came, he looked up to see them dragging him along. A short moment later, he was picked up and thrown into a tent.

  The Blade stayed on the ground, body not responding and pain filling every part of his body. A shadow appeared over him. Victor barely turned his eyes to Luka’s blank gaze. The tribe leader knelt down, curled her arms under and lifted him up. Victor could barely believe her strength as she carried him over and gently lay him on a thick bed made up of furs. The warm comfort of the bed soothed his battered body but only a little.

  Luka stood at the edge, staring down with an indifferent gaze. “You fought well…for a Blade.”

  Victor looked to her, silent as a grave.

  Luka continued, “My god warned me of your abilities and cunning. He promised me greater power if you were slain.”

  Victor’s eyes drifted down to a stone dagger in her hand.

  Luka smirked. “I cannot understand what my god fears in you, priest of Vala. Baaldir respects strength and cunning above all else, and you showed his very tenets. We attacked the village not only to pillage, but to capture four of Vala’s acolytes. Little did we know a priest and priestess would be there waiting for us.”

  “Your god is an asshole,” Victor managed before wincing in pain.

  Luka leaned down, her gaze on Victor’s, “He is the god of the hunt. Vala’s ways weaken the heart. It has been known for thousands of years,
that is why she was murdered by others in the pantheon, to preserve the true ways.”

  “That’s some big words from a bunch of savages,” Victor grunted as pain radiated through his body like a spider web.

  Luka grinned. “You think because we live this way, we don’t know the histories of the realms? The Tempest realm is only for the strong and cunning. Here, one can become a demagogue if they can survive. I have reached such status through Baaldir, I can kill every member of my tribe, and still others will flock to my side for a taste of his favor.”

  Luka’s gaze travelled down Victor’s body, stopping at the bulge between his legs. “But there is a taste I wish satisfied before I spill your blood.”

  Victor shook his head, “You are clearly insane.”

  Luka began undoing Victor’s belt, a hunger in her eyes. “To taste from Vala’s priest would be a welcome change.”

  “Listen up cum slut, I’m not here for you to taste anything…,” The Blade stopped talking when Luka pulled his cock free.

  The tribe leader gazed down on Victor’s hardening member, licking her lips. The Blade tried to move but his body refused to budge. Looking to his stats, he had no idea what to do with what he had left. Mind spinning, he tried to think of something when warm lips closed around his hard manhood.

  “You fucking…crazy…bitch…,” Victor managed as warmth washed away some of the pain.

  A sick feeling took hold of the Blade, his cock hardening in the tribal leader’s mouth. Luka sucked, up and down on thick inches while her hand with the dagger rested on Victor’s stomach. The Blade barely moved, pleasure rushing through his damaged body as Luka moaned her delight.

  Closing his eyes, Victor eyed his stats, wondering what he could do. The Will stat glowed in his mind but since the power of influence was short lived; he doubted it would be enough to get him out of the tent. Having never used it before, he guessed that his body would respond if he spent the point. The Blade fought through the blending of pain and pleasure to come up with a second part of his plan. He could charm her with his charisma but he wasn’t sure if it would even be enough to let him go.