by Erik Weir
“Steel Coalition,” Victor asked.
“We help and protect each other in times of crisis. There are about thirty of us upstairs. More should trickle in over the coming days,” Astor smiled.
“The town must not be pleased with all of you here,” Lily said.
Astor nodded. “Many of the town’s folk are hiding in their homes. The Mayor of the town has aired his grievances until he tried to bully us out. He backed down when he saw my iron. The men and women upstairs mean no harm despite their rough appearances. I trust them with my life just as I trust you.”
Vonn continued, “This side of the border will help conceal us from the strange man and any shadows. The Shadows are attracted to life and with abundant life on this side of the border, it will only aid in keeping us hidden.”
“How long were you planning to stay here,” Victor asked.
Vonn looked down, “We weren’t sure. Yimer and I had been studying tomes to find a way to conceal ourselves between realms. With the attack on Vala’s mountain, we thought to come up with a solution first before going there.”
Vonn’s black eyes watered, “We are truly sorry we could not aid in Vala’s defense. If we died trying to defend her mountain, other warp spawn would have felt it and come to investigate.”
“We managed to hold our defense and drive back Baaldir and his war wolves. I’m sure you had your reasons and I know I won’t hold it against you,” Victor smiled.
“Neither will I,” Lily cracked a small smile.
“Thank you for understanding,” Vonn said with a nod.
“Can you tell us anymore about the stranger,” Lily asked.
Vonn shifted uncomfortably in her seat, “It all happened so fast that I could not gain more than a few glimpses. The only aspects I witnessed were his dark power and madness. It nearly stunned me like it did Yimer, if not for my focus and keeping him at bay long enough so we could escape, he would have slain us as well.”
The warp spawn curled her fingers into fists on the table, dark eyes on Victor. “He was searching for you. He wanted to know your name.”
Victor’s brow went up, “Why is he so interested in me?”
Vonn kept her gaze, “It could be he touched on your power at some point but I’m not sure. Champions do exhibit brighter power due to their connections to higher beings. If the stranger is from my realm, he will be drawn like a moth to the flame.”
Victor looked down in thought as Lily picked up her wine bottle and gulped down the dark red liquid. Putting the bottle back on the table before her, she looked to everyone as she spoke.
“We are happy to know you are both alive and safe, but we should focus on our next steps. How close are you to disguising yourself and Yimer from detection?”
“We have succeeded on masking ourselves here, but we need to ensure he have several layers of mystical protection before travelling to Vala’s realm. We have two more spells to perform, but there is a third one that is eluding us.”
Lily nodded. “I can stay and help with research. The sooner we can leave, the better off we are. There has been some talk of Spell swords and Casters on their way here to arrest everyone.”
Astor dipped her hat low enough to cover her eyes. “That is not good news.”
“It’s not,” Lily stated flatly, “Time is running out and we should be leaving…tonight if possible.”
The Slinger stood up, “I’ll inform the others upstairs. It’s true a Slinger is worth four Casters but Spell swords have a refined magic that can tip the scales to their favor.”
Yimer pulled out books and placed them on the table. Lily and Vonn reached for tomes and opened them. Yimer joined them, grabbing another book and opening it.
Victor eyed the women, “How do you know those books hold the answers?”
Vonn smiled, “I pulled them from Dark Spire to me. Unless given to another, warp spawn can summon their library from anywhere.”
The young man nodded and then shivered from his wet clothes. Seeing Lily, Vonn and Yimer researching only made it apparent that he could not contribute in that way. With a gentle sigh, Victor stood up.
“Since you guys are in research mode, I’m going to take a walk and clear my head.”
Victor looked to Astor, “Any place to buy some dry clothes?”
“Across the road are a few shops. One or two of them might still be open,” Astor informed him as she reached into a belt pouch and pulled out a small stack of gold coins.
Astor slid the gold coins across the table until they were in front of Victor, “You will need some coin for any purchases.”
Victor scooped up the coins and grinned, “Thanks, Sugar Mama.”
Astor gave him a skewed look.
Victor stoop up, “It’s a term of high respect where I come from.”
Your knowledge is going to ruin all the realms.
Victor kept his grin, ignoring the shadow around his heart.
Astor smiled and tipped her hat to him. Victor yawned before giving Lily a quick wink, turned and made his way to the stairs. Climbing up, he entered the main floor where the laughter and loud conversations carried on unabated. Crossing the room, he looked over to see Dawn, Skye and Kira laughing and carrying on like old friends. It warmed his heart see them getting along. Dawn’s gaze caught Victor as he crossed the room and they each gave a heartfelt nod to each other.
Victor stepped outside and let out a long exhale. The rain had stopped and the clouds began to break apart to reveal the dying light of sunset. The faint touch of stars appeared before thick strands of dark clouds crossed the heavens.
Another cold shiver seeped into the young man as he stepped out onto the muddy street. Victor spotted a few people leaving their homes in a hurry, giving him nervous glances as they moved to other buildings and homes. A pang of sadness touched Victor as he didn’t want to scare or put anyone off.
They won’t understand.
“Maybe one day they will,” Victor whispered to himself.
Walking across the street to the other side, several shops were open, lantern light in their windows as the sky slid gently into night. Victor walked past each one, trying to get a glimpse if any were clothing shops. The chill in his bones began to seep deeper and he wanted to change in a hurry.
Stopping in front of a clothing shop, the Champion put his hand on the door and pushed. A bell rang as the door swung open. Victor stepped into the warm and homey little shop. A woman behind the counter smiled at the sight of the young man and rose up from her stool.
“How can I help you tonight?”
Victor smiled, “I need a new outfit.”
“You’ve come to the right place. I almost closed down for the evening since business has been dead today.”
“Is it because of the Slingers over at the tavern?”
The women gave a warm nod, “Yes and no. I thought for sure they would come over and buy a few things but clearly they have been spending their gold on drinks.”
Victor noticed he was staring at the shop keeper. She had blonde hair tied back tightly into a bun. Her eyes were pools of blue radiance and her demeanor inviting. Warmth touched Victor’s senses and subdued alarms went off in his mind and heart. Trying to not let it affect him, he quickly played it off as he moved to a small cluster of mannequins.
“Pardon my manners, what can I help you with,” the woman smiled and stepped from around the counter.
Victor looked to one mannequin; a wide-brimmed cowboy hat covered its blank head while a thick shirt with metal buttons lined the left side of the chest. It was black, same as the leather pants and boots. Victor liked it right away, but his attention was pulled to the shopkeeper at his side in a flowery white dress.
“This outfit seems pretty good,” Victor said while fighting the urge to gaze on the shopkeeper.
“Good eye, this one just arrived the other day,” the woman said before her eyes fluttered for a moment.
“Are you okay?”
The woman nodded,
“Yes, I must be overtired.”
“What’s your name?”
The women looked to Victor with shy eyes, “Alice.”
“Victor,” the young man said with a smile.
“Please to meet you,” Alice said and held out her hand.
Without thinking, Victor took it and warmth exploded from their touch. The two stayed where they were, looking to one another in some confused disbelief. Not letting go, energy danced along skin to a symphony of heart beats.
“You…seem familiar…like from a dream,” Alice said in a low voice.
Victor forced his hand to open and pull away. The signs were all there, but he had no idea how to approach it. She seemed like an acolyte, but gave no indication that she knew she was one. With so many acolytes in one place and time running out, Victor chose to not pursue it for fear it would add to his already full schedule of fighting evil and saving his friends.
Sounds reasonable, but we will have to come back another time.
Victor pointed to the outfit, “I think I will take this one.”
Alice nodded with confused eyes. Moving to the counter, she picked up a measuring tape. Victor stood, trying to chase away the heat between them. Alice measured his shoulders, arms and waist. Her hand lingered as she continued to work, touching him and almost not wanting to let go. The connection flared to life and Victor tried to push it all away. Thoughts warred with his inner self, fighting the temptation even with Vala’s power pushing him to awaken the acolyte.
“I may have one in the back that may fit your physique. Wait here a moment,” Alice smiled before turning and walking past thin curtains.
When Alice was gone, Victor let out a long exhale. The draw of Vala’s power was potent, so potent in fact it seemed to negate all logic and reason. He wondered if he should tell her, but the scenarios in his mind came out hilariously jagged. When the mental storm reached its zenith, Victor pushed it all away just as Alice came out of the back and placed a bundle of clothes, hat and boots on the counter.
“Here you are,” Alice smiled.
“Thank you,” Victor said simply and pulled out a stack of gold coins from his pocket.
Placing the coins on the counter, he was about to pull away when Alice closed her hand over his.
“This is generous, but it is too much,” Alice smiled sweetly.
Victor remained still, enjoying her warm touch. “Better it goes to you before I spend it on something I don’t need.”
Alice’s finger moved over Victor’s hand, “You’re…not like most men I see.”
Not moving, the intoxicating touch from Alice caused Victor to remain silent.
“Most of the men I meet are angry or self-absorbed. You…seem calm and…strong.”
“Alice…” Victor said, breaking the silence, “Thank you for selling me these fine garments, but I have friends waiting for me.”
The shopkeeper's eyes widened and she withdrew her hand. “I’m sorry, I don’t normally act like this. Please forgive me.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Victor said quickly. “There are a few problems I’m trying to solve and I wish I had more time.”
Alice bowed her head, her demeanor drawing back.
Victor picked up the clothes, hat and boots. “I will have to travel back through here at some point again. When I do, would you like to meet for dinner?”
Alice’s face shifted into a bemused grin, “That sounds nice.”
The young man gave the shopkeeper a nice smile before turning and stepping to the entrance door. Alice watched, heart thumping in her chest as the mysterious stranger stepped out of her shop and into the street. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she leaned on the counter and watched Victor walk across the street to the tavern.
Victor stepped up the small steps to the tavern entrance. A sign swung with the words “Black Fire Tavern” carved into it. Stepping along, he walked into the main room and was once again greeted by noise. Several slingers raised their frothy mugs to Vala’s Champion. Astor was among them, guzzling down amber liquid with many others. Victor wondered if she’d told them what to expect yet. But if she did, they didn’t seem too bothered by the prospect of being attacked. The men and women guzzled obscene amounts of alcohol, fueling the noise a few more decibels.
Victor sighed as he looked around for a place he could go and change. Alice chipped at his thoughts, but he knew he had to handle one problem at a time. Images of the many women in his love life began to assault him and just as he wrestled control, several people in the tavern whistled loud and hard.
Heads turned from the drunken revelry to see a pale white woman stepping down the stairs. White leathery wings were folded behind her with small horns gracing her head. Sleepy eyes scanned the room before a yawn forced her to close them. Victor drank in her form, quickly realizing many were whistling because she was completely nude. Firm powder white breasts hung unassisted while her feminine lines defined her sensual body. White scales covered her forearms to her hands while more flowed down from her knees to her clawed feet. Pink nipples glowed against white skin while a scaled tail swung lazily behind her. The apex between her legs was bare and smooth like the rest of her form.
Mildra’s eyes opened to small slits before she noticed Victor across the room. With a sleepy smile, she stepped off the stairs and walked through the center of the main room to the stunned Blade. Victor was caught in the hypnotic sway of her hips. When she reached him, the whistling and cheering grew louder when she draped her arms on Victor’s shoulders.
“I was looking for you. Shyryth and the rest wanted to…meet you in private,” Mildra said with a sultry voice.
Before Victor could say anything, Mildra reached down, grabbed him by the arm and pulled. The young man nearly stumbled along from Mildra’s power. Looking to the bar, Dawn, Skye, and Kira watched before smiling and lifting their drinks to him. The rest of the room gently pushed the young man and dragon to the stairs.
The warmth from Mildra’s hand blasted his nerves until they settled in blissful surrender. Victor noticed the fire burning from within and it had taken Alice’s touch to ignite it. Now helpless in Mildra’s grasp, he didn’t fight as he was brought up stairs and pulled along. A door stood partially open and sensual moans spilled out into the hallway. Mildra sauntered along until she reached the slightly opened door. Pulling Victor in with her, she quickly shut it.
Victor stood, eyes drinking in the sight before him. Shyryth was on the bed, her eyes focused down on a blue-haired woman between her legs. Vindrel licked between creamy thighs while Shyryth ran fingers through the blue dragon’s hair. On the bed next to Shyryth was Izy, watching the couple enjoy each other while she ran fingers over her womanhood, massaging herself and moaning with need. Bodies writhed to pleasure as they slowly glanced to the Victor and Mildra.
The white dragon woman took the clothes, hat, and boots from Victor’s hand and placed them on a nearby table. Turning to the dragon women on the bed, Mildra let out a happy sigh.
“I found him,” she said with a sultry sleepy tone before moving to Victor’s side and beginning to undress him.
Shyryth let out a small gasp, followed by a coo as she looked to Victor, “They…needed…worship.”
“It…has been…too long…,” Izy whined before she shuddered, wet fingers moving between her thighs.
Mildra worked, unbuttoning Victor’ shirt as the scents and warmth of the dragons nearly drowned all reasonable thought. Pulling the shirt free, she hummed a little tune as she took hold of his belt and unbuckled it.
“Shyryth told us everything. It would be an insult to Vala if we did not return her affection to her chosen Champion,” Mildra said with sleepy eyes.
Leather pants fell down and Victor moved on automatic, freeing his legs and feet from constrictive clothes and boots. Mildra stayed close, eyeing the morsel before her as white scaled hands touched his nude body.
“We worshipped in secret until Shyryth left us. When she wrote to us about he
r calling…we had to know why she broke our coven.”
Shyryth moaned louder as Vindrel continued to lick at her throbbing clit. “Forgive…me…”
Vindrel lifted her mouth from Shyryth’s valley with an evil grin, “When you can no longer stand, you will be forgiven.”
The room began to spin as heat pumped through arteries and veins. Victor was lost to the fuzzy sensations when bliss roared, a pale hand taking hold of his manhood and gently stroking it to life.
Mildra looked down with wanting serpent eyes as Victor’s cock thickened in her hand. “Vala chose well,” the white dragon whispered before kneeling to the floor.
The mood struck hard as the Blade stiffened before the white dragon woman. With sleepy eyes, a pointed pink tongue snaked out of Mildra’s mouth and ran along the veiny shaft. Hands took hold of Victor’s hips as the tongue drew his member to her waiting lips. Closing down, she gently suckled the tip as her eyes closed. Pleasure roared as Victor looked down at the white dragon. Mildra’s lips slid down the shaft as she hummed her delight.
The noises from the bed grew with every rise and fall of orgasms. Shyryth watched with wicked eyes, drinking in Victor’s strong body as he succumbed to Mildra’s kiss. Izy turned on her side, tanned skin pressed against Shyryth as she played with herself. The red and green dragon sucked in air as they watched Victor. Mildra’s white-haired head bobbed in long, slow strokes, the tips of horns touching Victor’s stomach before sliding back. Tongue circling at the tip, she stayed there before allowing his cock to move against her tongue and stab at her throat. Izy reached over and grabbed at one of Shyryth’s bare breasts while moaning through another orgasm. Vindrel stayed where she was, licking at the spilling warmth of Shyryth’s pink valley.
“Praise Vala,” Victor smiled before ecstasy washed his senses.
Mildra upped the tempo, hungrily sliding back and forth on Victor’s member. Energy poured into Victor’s body as primal urges lashed at his resolve. Bliss swelled as Mildra moaned from tasting a drop of pre-come. The storm within Victor began to reach its zenith as he gazed down on the white dragon woman.