by Atlas Kane
“They’re here! I have the lot of them headed this way! Get out of there and set the damn bait!” she hollered, then ran back to finish luring in their prey.
Cade summoned the eel carcass, wincing at the terrible smell. Jesus! It’s like a fish made a baby with a mayonnaise sandwich! It was enough to make him gag, but the description had said pungent, so no surprise there. Then he found a bush off to one side next to Satemi and insisted she explain her reasoning once again.
“Yes, I am certain, Cade. The item’s description was quite clear. Once the beast consumes the eel carcass, it must be subdued for two full minutes. After that, it will be given a blessing and become loyal to its captors.”
“And if it breaks free?” he asked despite having a strong suspicion of the answer.
“It is a single-use item. If we fail, the soup is spoiled.”
Minda came closer, switching to a few plantains she’d gathered the day before. The poor woman tossed them a worried glance, no doubt worried she’d have to somehow separate the group. Yet a moment later, one of the larger boars, the one with three stripes across its brow, sniffed the air noisily. Cade waved her over, and she darted for cover.
The boar shoved aside its fellows, who by now had the scent as well, and fell on the eel carcass with savage delight.
Exactly how it had been designed, the cage door slammed shut behind it, triggered by the boar kicking a lever. The dumb beast didn’t seem to notice or mind at all as it busied itself devouring its disgusting meal. Cade gave the hand signal, an upraised fist, and all three villagers crossed over toward the trap and got into position.
In only a few moments, the boar finished eating. Above its head, visible for all to see, a two-minute timer began ticking downward. Cade had hopes the boar wouldn’t mind being shut in, hopes that were fed by its placid observation of its new surroundings. But when it discovered it couldn’t back out, all hell broke loose.
The boar bucked a few times, kicking at the gate savagely.
“It’s go time!” Cade shouted, no longer needing to be sneaky as the boar squealed out in horror.
Minda cast her roots on the animal, the twisting growths wrapping around the boar’s legs. Satemi grabbed the cordage that had been woven through the cage, cinching it tight and tying the lengths off. These ran over the top of the boar’s back, holding it in place opposite Minda’s roots.
Finally, Cade activated Culling the Pack and struck the boar’s flank. The resulting wound slowed the thrashing considerably but did little to flag its strength.
The boar went into a frenzy.
The few lingering boars who were snuffling about scattered away into the bushes nearby.
Before them, the beast made an unforgettable display of primal fury. The cage was kicked and rattled, the huge logs shuddering like twigs in a storm. A few of the ropes Satemi tied snapped away first, and then Minda’s roots. Once it had more freedom, the boar began to bash its body into the cage, bending the support beams and shaking the construction loose at its hinges.
It had been less than a minute when Cade knew their plan failed. No way the cage could stand up more than another handful of blows from the wild beast. He nearly gave the signal for them to retreat when he had one final desperate idea.
Rushing over to the front of the cage where the boar’s head continued to thrash, Cade summoned every Scorching Sweet Potato he had left in his Inventory. A pile of the tubers cascaded over the beast’s shoulders, falling to the ground around it. A second passed, and the food remained unnoticed, but then the boar stilled, its great nose snuffling. And then it began to eat.
Cade glanced over at his companions, a look of wild surprise flashing in his eyes. No way is this gonna work! he thought, but as the pig moved from tuber to tuber, the seconds fell away.
The beast ate quickly, so the girls took turns dropping other items of food before the pig. Mangos and various seeds, and even a stack of venison steaks, all of which the boar happily ate.
Then the timer ran out, and the boar grew more placid still. Cade approached and ran a hand over its rough hide. When he made contact, Cade gasped. A menu popped up before his eyes, and the sounds that Minda and Satemi made gave him the impression they were seeing the information as well.
Niyan Brimstone Boar - Pet
Level 4
Scavenger Fauna
1 Available Passive Trait
Stone Boar - The Brimstone Boar’s Constitution and Strength are elevated, granting the beast tremendous abilities in battle as a war mount. Its physical prowess receives the greatest part of the Pet Blessing.
Fire Boar - The Brimstone Boar’s Intelligence and Strength are elevated, granting the beast tremendous abilities as a frontline fighter. Its skills receive the greatest part of the Pet Blessing.
Wind Boar - The Brimstone Boar’s Constitution, Strength, and Intelligence are all elevated, granting the beast the flexibility to function as both a war mount and battle pet. An equal share of the Pet Blessing is granted to both its skills and physical prowess.
Cade wasn’t entirely sure what decision to make here, but both women spoke up at once, their instant agreement swaying him. “Wind!” they said, and chuckled quietly at the timing. Cade nodded and selected Wind Boar. Immediately, the boar went completely still. Its body grew, muscles bulging and its skin stretching to accommodate its rapid growth.
The trap that had once been just big enough to allow the boar’s stocky frame burst away, the cordage snapping as its occupant became far too large for its dimensions.
Then the boar glowed, a crimson light swirling around its bulk and coalescing over its skull. The energy absorbed into the beast and its body shuddered from the transformation. When it next looked at Cade, its eye red-rimmed and fatigued, a far deeper intelligence rested within than before. No longer a simple-minded and amiable pig, the pet knew them and knew itself to be one of theirs.
Another prompt came up before Cade’s vision and he focused on it, ignoring the creeping chills that crawled across his skin.
3 Available Active Skills
Boundless Sprint - The Brimstone Boar can activate a sprint that increases travel speed by 50%. 5-minute Duration. 30-minute Cooldown.
Cavalry Charge - The Brimstone Boar can activate a charge that increases all damage dealt from physical attacks. 30-second Duration. 5-minute Cooldown.
Relentless Gore - The Brimstone Boar’s tusks double in size and in attack damage potential. 2-minute Duration. 15-minute Cooldown.
Cinder Breath - The Brimstone Boar draws upon its nether origins and breathes out a cloud of burning cinders. Causes moderate Fire damage to all enemies caught in the blast. Attack range 20 feet. 1-hour Cooldown.
Fiery Regrowth - The Brimstone Boar uses the coals within to rekindle its diminished flame. Causes moderate health and stamina regeneration over thirty seconds. 1-hour Cooldown.
Hell Roar - The Brimstone Boar terrorizes its foes with a roar from the depths of hell. Inflicts a Cowered debuff on all foes within a 30-foot radius. Enemy level and Wisdom score may nullify ability. 1-hour Cooldown.
Cade blinked, the choices both appealing and nerve wracking. Again, the women helped, to an extent at least. Minda spoke first. “Fiery Regrowth. We don’t want our friend here to die. That is the only skill it has to heal.”
Nodding, Satemi cleared her throat and added, “Relentless Gore. If this thing had tusks twice the size they already are, our foes had better be well and truly afraid.”
Two of the choices out of the way, Cade considered the third. Hell Roar could be very useful, but only on weaker enemies it seemed. Still, when facing a horde of Abyss Cats, Cade would love to give them a debuff to make the fight easier. Still, he held off. Hopefully, the boar would be able to level up. They could choose that skill later. Though its range was limited, Cade felt Cinder Breath was the best option. Their group had only Minda’s bow as a ranged attack other than his slow-to-recharge blast staff. Any additional ranged attack would be welcome. He announc
ed his choice aloud and finalized the skills.
The boar shimmered with fell energy once more, then after craning back its thick head and bellowing at the sky, ambled away up the hill toward camp.
Shocked and amazed, the three villagers headed back home with their new companion. When they got there, the beast was already asleep, a pile of breathing hide a few paces from the fire. “We’ll need to name that thing,” Cade said, hands on hips as he studied their boar.
The women laughed, and agreed, Minda adding only, “Tonight we all feast, including our new friend. I have a surprise. Do whatever tasks you have for the rest of the day, and at sunset, the festivities begin.”
Minda slipped away to her garden and whatever preparations she had. Satemi told Cade she would be repurposing the logs of the trap, walking back down the hill. Finally, Cade was left to his own devices, and he had grenades to design.
His only moment of insight had been when one of the logs of the trap split during the scuffle. The tree was incredibly strong and flexible, looking almost like an immense version of bamboo. The inside of the logs were hollow as well, which seemed to be the perfect solution. Cade found the grove of Bastion Trees, as he learned they were called, discovering a few saplings. When he cut one down, his suspicions were rewarded. They too were hollow.
So Cade cut a single ten-foot length down and returned to camp. The sapling was only an inch and a half thick, which should be perfect for his purposes. Retrieving clay from the stream bed, a resource Satemi located the day before, Cade fell to work. If they were going to celebrate tonight, Cade would make sure to bring some fireworks.
The day passed in a blur of crafting madness, and when Cade felt confident his creations would pass any inspection, he made his way to the waterfall and scrubbed two days of filth from his body. The water was almost hot, warmed as it was by over a hundred feet of dark stone. Gods this feels good, he thought, closing his eyes and letting the water soothe his stiff neck and shoulders.
A few giggles told him he was no longer alone. Minda and Satemi joined him, their beautiful forms elegant and gorgeous as always. Satemi still would not relinquish the mask, and Cade found he was having trouble remembering the shape of her face and color of her eyes. They would need to convince her soon to remove the mask, at least during times like this.
Four hands began working at Cade’s shoulders and back, and he smiled at the women who had given him so much trust and support. The act was not as much sensual as it was loving, and each of the three took turns receiving brief but welcome massages.
Their shower was brief. Satemi told them she’d found a new way to spice their steaks, and they were all excited to sample her discovery. The three headed down to camp where the fire was stoked and food prepared. Their pig friend kept sleeping, exhausted by his transformation. The beast’s belly rose and fell like bellows.
“That’s it! What do you two think of the name Bellows? In my world it means the big sack of air you use to fuel a fire. By itself, bellow means to roar. This guy does both…” Cade waited for a response and was pleased when both women laughed at the suggestion.
“Bellows it is then,” Minda said, grinning at the boar. “I think he will like it too. Now, if I have both of your attention, I have something special for tonight.”
Cade glanced over to Satemi, but her mask gave nothing away. Feeling she had their attention, Minda summoned an item from her Inventory. It looked like a cup but was green and seemed alive. “This is the blossom from a Lycani flower. They are quite rare. I gathered it days ago after detecting the faint aroma. I want us to drink it tonight and… enjoy its effects.”
“Liquor then?” Satemi asked, more than a little enthusiasm in her voice.
“Not quite. It affects the mind more than alcohol alone, though I think the nectar has some of that as well. It is meant to disorient any insects or animals who try to drink the nectar. Yet for humans, the effect can be quite stimulating.”
Cade chuckled, looking at the beastkin woman who smiled back, a gleam of mischief in her eyes. “Drugs? You are meaning to drug us then?”
“Quite so,” Minda admitted and took the first sip. She came to Satemi next who lifted her mask enough to accept the drink. Finally, Cade stared into the remaining nectar, a pinkish opaque liquid that looked as innocent as a mouthful of punch. Screw it. When in Antinium, do as your women do.
The taste was bitter and floral, almost like rose water. But other than a faint burn of alcohol, went down easily enough.
Then the group ate and shared a few stories as the sky darkened above them. The food was amazing, some new pepper plant giving their steak a much needed change in flavor. Cade looked at both of his companions and felt an indescribable warmth towards them. They were good people, strong women, and perhaps, he mused, the loves of his life. His mind passed through the long list of small services and kindness they’d both so willingly shown him. Cade’s chest began to swell with a bounty of unbridled emotion. He wanted nothing more than to hug the both of them, kiss their hands, their hair, and their feet.
It was his final thought that let Cade know he was good and high at last.
Second was the odd tilt the world soon adopted, as if everything were hung sideways at the most subtle angle. The three laughed of course, a good bout of giggling that left them all languid and subdued. Everything seemed quite ridiculous. The world they lived in, the leather costumes they were wearing, the savage swords Satemi wore at her hips, all were revealed in all their apparent hilarity.
Cade latched onto his last observation, and standing, pointed to the woman’s oversized weapons. “What do you plan on doing with those anyhow? Gonna kill a flock of dragons? I mean, one of those things would be enough for most people, but you had to get two of em!”
Minda was snorting, her cute feline features contorting with laughter. “Shut up. Just shut the hell up, Cade. Your face is too much to look at when you talk right now. I mean, thank the gods Satemi’s wearing that mask. How could I deal with two bald-faced weirdos at a time like this?”
Satemi rolled to her back, her stomach heaving. “Bald-faced? Nobody else here has fur on their nose, girl! You’re the one that’s odd. Cute as shit, don’t get me wrong. But… right?” she finished, lifting up on one elbow and gesturing for Cade’s support.
He shook his head soundly, refusing to be a part of anything as base as teasing one of his most beautiful women friends. And so of course he felt the strong desire to tell them so. “She’s as lovely as three flowers pressed into one. She’s as pretty as that little pond over there. And really hot too. And…” Cade stopped talking as his head rolled, a bout of dizziness taking him.
His response was too much for Satemi, and she fell flat on her back again, legs splayed open facing the fire. “Pretty as a pond?! Oh, Minda! You’re rutting a silver-tongued bard!”
And her last words were too much for all of them. They laughed, their bodies shaking in silent hilarity, all of them high as kites.
This stage lasted another five or ten minutes, though to Cade it seemed a day if not a year. But when it receded, deeper emotions began to roll through his body. A few tears streamed from the corners of his eyes, and he rolled onto his side to face the women.
“It’s true though. You are both so gorgeous and kind too. What am I? What kind of four-legged idiot am I to have the luck of loving you both?”
Minda sat up, her face growing serious as well. “Shut up, Cade. You might be bald-faced, but I love you too. You are brave and selfless. And I am gonna show you exactly how much.”
Cade stared as the woman crawled toward him, her limbs sluggish but her eyes fierce. She straddled him and called out to Satemi. “You, tall and gorgeous. I know you won’t remove that thing from your face, but you didn’t swear off pleasure. Come and join us.” Then she slid Cade’s cock out and kissed it gently.
The sky was black, the stars beginning to emerge in scores. The roof over the fire pit glowed orange, and Cade moaned as Minda took him in her
mouth. He heard a gasp to one side and lolled his head over to see Satemi, lying down facing them, the gleaming metal mask hiding her pleasure. Her body betrayed the rest, however, her hand tucked into her trousers, the other sliding up under her shirt to tease an unseen nipple.
The sensations of Minda’s mouth moving over him and watching Satemi play with herself rushed through his frantic nerves. He felt the insides of his thighs grow electric. Cade moaned, a long and primal sound escaping his throat and ringing off the cliff face behind them. He filled Minda’s mouth with his cum, and she hummed against his dick, enjoying every drop.
His orgasm worked to clear his mind somewhat, and Cade sat up. He saw Minda then in all her beauty, her bright, sparking eyes filled with untamed lust. She licked at the corners of her mouth, swallowing the last of his seed.
Lust rebounded in his core, and he felt his dick grow hard once more. Whatever this damn nectar is, I want more! I feel like I’m on ecstasy and cocaine at the same time, Cade thought. The feeling was better though. It felt natural, not sweaty and tinged with anxiety.
Cade reached down and gripped his cock, squeezing out the last few drops of his cum. He nodded to Minda, who licked the rest away with a smile. Then he gripped her behind the neck and forced her to her hands and knees. Minda groaned, her ass tilting up as she fell into position.