by Eden Redd
Heads shook in unison.
“Now I must go to my room. Please, give me a quiet moment,” Jayson said knowing full well they would try to barge in if it wasn’t said.
The semi-circle of beautiful monster girls parted, eyes looking to him adoringly. Jayson nodded and walked past. The coolness of the main hall flowed over him as he walked. Thoughts of reality long buried, he took in his virtual home with pleasant distraction. Reaching the end, he looked at the double doors to his bedroom. Hand reaching out, he took hold of the knob and pulled.
The door opened easily. Stepping inside, he closed it behind him and darkness filled the room. The curtains were drawn and slivers of light barely illuminated the dark shroud of the master bedroom. The knight could barely make out the outline of his oversized bed and several lumps along the sheets. A smile blooming, Jayson stepped closer, wanting to pull the blanket and look upon the beautiful pink haired troll taking up permanent residence in his bed.
Hand reaching out, the knight’s smile faded when a dark shadow moved into his peripheral vision. A glint of steel gleamed in what little light penetrated the darkness. Jayson froze and a sword blade came down. The knight whipped away, hand reaching up and grabbing a sword handle from over his shoulder. The intruder rushed the knight, slamming their shoulder into him. Jayson stumbled back and drew his short sword. A smile once again appeared on his lips as the intruder rushed him again with blade held high.
The knight brought up his sword, parrying the incoming blade. A metal song filled the dark room as swords clashed again and again. Jayson moved with ease, dodging and blocking each incoming sword strike. The intruder grunted in frustration but continued with their attacks. Despite the ease of blocking his opponent’s moves, their strength caused him to step back one foot at a time. If it continued, his back would be against the wall in six more parries.
Jayson activated his Disarm technique. Sword slashing upward and curling around the blade, a quick snap of his wrist and the enemy’s sword was knocked from their hand. The sword twirled and stabbed deep into a wooden wardrobe. Jayson rushed forward putting the sword to a feminine blue neck.
Oksuna eyed him; her long pink hair tied back and nearly glowing in the sliver of light. Dark eyes stared without a hint of fear. She wore a white dress, the top barely containing her large chest. It hugged at her thin waist and curved down powerful but supple legs. A slit ran along each side up to hips, showing her blue legs.
“You’re getting better. I’m glad you took my advice to use your strength. You had me at a disadvantage,” Jayson smiled.
Oksuna continued to gaze upon her lord as her hand rose up. With two fingers, she pressed them to the side of the blade and pushed it away. Jayson let the blade down for a moment before reaching up and sheathing it over his shoulder. Oksuna stepped closer, slender hands reaching out and tugging at his armor.
Jayson looked down with a happy smile, “I want to but we should….” The knight didn’t finish.
Oksuna leaned in, pressing her body and lips to her lord. Jayson muffled something as the troll wrapped her arms around him and held him close. The heat between them bloomed and Jayson was having a hard time keeping to his thoughts. Urges pressed on him to undress her and spend quality time but memories from reality filtered in. The code he memorized blazed in his mind and the stark meaning of his beloved Oksuna, that she may actually be awake, caused the knight to take a firm grip on her arms and push away.
Oksuna pulled back with questing eyes. Jayson kept his hands on her arms, head tilted. With a word, the lanterns in the room blazed to life. The knight pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed, patting the spot next to him. The nearly seven-foot-tall troll sat down next to her lord, eyes filled with curiosity.
“I wanted to…talk for a bit…”
Jayson took in a deep breath and continued, “I know you spend almost all of your time here in the keep. Are you afraid of leaving it?”
Oksuna’s gaze lowered.
“It’s okay if you’re afraid. I just want you to be happy. The other concubines go out around the town. I want you to know that you have that freedom as well.”
Oksuna folded her hands in her lap, silent.
“I know you can sing…but can you talk?”
The pink haired troll shook her head.
Jayson kept his loving gaze, “What if I can help you to speak? Will that be okay?”
Oksuna’s eyes widened but the rest of her remained still.
The knight looked down at the pink heart necklace around her neck, “I always want you to know, I love you and will do anything for you. Do you understand that? Is that something…special to you?”
Oksuna’s body seemed to relax. She lifted up a hand and placed it over her heart and then moved her palm over to Jayson’s chest, over his heart. A small shy smile appeared as she looked to him with loving intensity.
Jayson curled his fingers over her hand, keeping it to his chest, “I don’t want to do anything you don’t want to do. I can help you to speak but I will only try it if you want to.”
Oksuna kept her gaze for a long quiet moment. Jayson waited patiently. Despite his feelings and wants, if she was truly awake, then it would be her decision and only hers if she wanted the ability to speak. If she chose not to, then he would honor it the same either way.
The pink haired troll let a smirk slip as she watched her lord look to her. A moment later she gave a gentle nod, her eyes showing she was happy with the decision. Jayson returned her smirk with a broad smile. The code floated in his mind’s eye and his lips parted to recite them when there was a knocking at the master bedroom door.
“I said I wanted a quiet moment,” Jayson shouted while Oksuna smiled.
“I know my lord but messenger has arrived with an urgent message. She says she must see you immediately,” said the muffled voice of Dalya from the other side of the door.
Jayson hung his head. Oksuna leaned in and kissed his cheek before climbing into bed.
“We can continue this in a little while,” the knight said as he stood up.
Oksuna blew him a kiss and snuggled into the blankets. Jayson grinned as he turned and walked toward the door. Taking hold of the handle, he opened the door to see Dalya standing there. Right behind her stood a female dark elf in light leather armor, sword at her hip and a metal tube in her hand.
“Sir Reed, I have an urgent message for your eyes only,” The dark elf said matter of fact.
She reached up and held the metal cylinder with runes carved along it. Jayson reached out and took it from her. Grasping at the end, he twisted it until it opened. The dark elf bowed, stood up, turned and walked toward the front entrance. Fay met with the dark elf and escorted her out the front doors.
Jayson turned the cylinder in his hand. A scroll and a stone spilled out into his waiting hand. Handing the tube to Dalya, the knight unfurled the scroll while holding the stone between his fingers. Eyes moved from left to right, drinking in the words. When he was finished, he rolled up the scroll as Dalya watched him, her tail swishing back and forth.
“It’s from Lady Slytha. She has asked for my immediate presence,” Jayson said with a sliver of curiosity crawling into his mind.
Four
Jayson stood by an arched window, sunlight flooding in the small meeting hall. The player had it built so he could talk to his concubines without distraction. The meetings in the main play and sleeping rooms always seemed to give way to their desires. Building a room with nothing but chairs seemed to do the trick, even if it was for only a little while.
Concubines sat in some of the chairs while others leaned against the bare walls. Dalya stood to her lord’s side. The hellhounds took up a back corner, red eyes on the kitra. Oksuna sat with her fellow concubines, attentive and ready in the front row.
Jayson addressed the crowd, “I have to meet with Lady Slytha in a few minutes so I need everyone on their best behavior, gathering supplies and arming your selves. I have already talked to Dalya a
nd she will hand out your duties. I don’t know what this meeting is about but I want everyone ready. Hopefully it won’t take long and I should be back soon.”
“What are we preparing for?” Petal spoke up.
Jayson nodded, “As you know, Lance, Sonja and I are nearly to the west coast of Lukken. That is part of the reason I stopped here for a while before heading back to our last save point, so we could gear up. We don’t know what to expect when we get there and I have a feeling it might be big. That is why we need potions, arrows, weapons, everything we need to take on whatever threat we may run into.”
“It sounds dangerous. We should go with you,” Sardyna said with arms crossed and eyes closed.
The gathering of concubines nodded their heads in agreement.
Jayson looked to them with understanding, “I know you all want to protect me but if we go as an army, every monster or creature for miles will come right to us. I hate to say it but from this point on, it’s a scouting and stealth quest.”
Sardyna kept her arms crossed but opened her eyes, “Then you should bring me, Rala and Fos. We can best scout out and move faster than anyone here. The pack can watch over you.”
Jayson looked to the female hellhound, “I know you want to help. Be ready when I call on you and then you can protect me.”
Sardyna shrugged and closed her eyes again. The mood in the room clouded into concern. Jayson watched them as they looked to one another. Their actions were so life like that it was unnerving. Everything he learned about the NPC’s awakenings caused him to question all of his concubines and the digital world as a whole. Pushing away those maddening thoughts, the player fell back to taking control of the room again.
“I love all of you,” Jayson’s eyes fell on Oksuna for a split second before looking to the crowd again, “and because I love you, I want you all safe just like you want me safe. I hope it doesn’t come down to calling you into the heat of battle but if it does, we will work together to defeat it.”
The concubines shook their heads with conviction. A wave of confidence rolled through the knight as he gazed upon his concubine army. Twenty concubines and they could take on an army nearly ten times their size. Each held a different set of powers and abilities. Combining them with Sonja and Lance’s harems, they could take any threat head on.
Jayson continued, “Lance and Sonja will be stopping by later. If I’m not back by then, be sure to make them comfortable and ask them to wait. Tell only them about my meeting with Lady Slytha and no one else.”
A serious tone filled the room as the concubines agreed with a simple nod.
The knight turned to Dalya, “Make sure everyone gears up and keep Lance and Sonja happy.”
“We will,” Dalya said with confidence.
Jayson reached into his belt pouch and pulled out Lady Slytha’s recall stone.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Jayson said to Dalya.
The kitra nodded. The knight turned his gaze to the pink haired troll sitting in the first row. He nodded to her and she gave a slight nod back. Smoothing his thumb over the carved rune on the stone, the space around him vibrated. The virtual reality warped and a flash of light consumed his vision. A second ticked by before it faded nearly instantly. Looking around, the knight took in his surroundings.
The large stone and crystal room stretched out in all directions. Curtains billowed in the afternoon breeze from several balconies. A large oversized bed took up the center while a library of books filled one wall between balconies. Cabinets and wardrobe closets filled in the rest of the gaps as tapestries covered every wall not occupied with furniture. A table with two lavish chairs stood not too far from the bed with two glasses and three bottles of wine. The floor was a mosaic of tiles, forming into a map of Lukken under the knight’s booted feet.
“I’m happy you made time to see me,” said a kind, soft voice from a nearby shadow.
Jayson turned his head and smiled. Lady Slytha stepped out, her own smile greeting his. She wore a sheer light blue dress that nearly acted as a second skin adhering to her hourglass form. A plunging neckline showed the inner sides of her breasts and reached all the way down to her exposed belly button. Alabaster skin glowed against the darkness and silver white hair flowed from a widow’s peak, over her head and past her shoulders. Elven ears pointed up with her hair right behind them, helping to frame her face. High cheekbones and almond shaped eyes looked over the young knight as she sauntered forward and then past him.
Jayson noticed she didn’t have her wings out as he stared at her exposed bare back. The bottom of the dress covered her firm backside and little else. The dragon in elven skin walked over to a bottle of wine. Whispering a word, the cork moved up and fell into her waiting hand. Putting the cork down, she poured into each glass. Putting the bottle down and picking up each glass, she spun around, stepped over and handed one to the knight.
Jayson took the glass by the stem. Lady Slytha held up her glass and they both toasted before taking a deep sip. With an outstretched pale hand, she pointed to one of the chairs. Jayson made his way over and sat down. The lady moved to the other seat and sat down.
“I will always make time for you. What can I do for you, Lady Slytha?”
The dragon took a sip, eyes on the attentive knight, “We are alone. You don’t have to call me by my title. Please, call me by my first name, Myn.”
Jayson’s mouth melted into a smirk, “That is a lovely name. I don’t know why but I thought you would have….”
“…An extravagant regal name? I can understand why that may enter your mind. I have been a diplomat between the dragon and human kingdoms for so long that I sometimes forget my first name.”
Jayson took another sip before speaking, “It’s beautiful and suites you.”
The lady bowed her head slightly, “Thank you kind knight. How goes your quest?”
The knight swirled the wine in his glass, “Well. We are about a week from the coast. Once we are there, we can scout around and find out about the mysterious threat, if there still is one.”
“Do you believe there is no threat?” Myn asked as she took a sip.
Jayson looked to her, “I’m not sure. I feel like I’m assuming here, but the last few weeks, we haven’t encountered anything too tough. It leaves me feeling that something really bad might be waiting for us.”
Myn put her glass down on the table, “Your intuition may be correct. I must confess something to you and I do hope it will not strain our…budding friendship.”
The knight looked to the pale beauty but remained silent. He never thought of her as a friend, only a quest giver. She seemed important but the oddness of what she said about friendship caused the player to listen intently.
Myn continued, “When you first came to me, I admired your bravery and handsome charm. You not only pledged yourself but you fought to protect me and then you asked for one of my newest concubines as payment. I would have parted with any of my other concubines but you chose the one I knew had a deep history. I relented because I could see the loving beauty in your eyes and heart as you took to her and she to you. My people call it ‘Vuss’. It means ‘fated to be’. I, nor any of my people could ever stand in the way of such a powerful attraction. It would be a sin.”
The dragon in elven skin picked up her glass and took a deep sip before setting it back down and continued, “Your original quest was to find out what strange threats loomed to the west of Lukken. You and your friends have braved many trials and even fought in the first battle for the Middle Kingdoms. My people have taken note of your heroism.”
Jayson looked down, “We failed.”
Myn shook her head slightly, “You fought for the greater good and that is all we can do in these times. When you took on the quest, all I could hope for was for you to stay true to it and you have. The lovely Oksuna was a happy gift to you and I never regretted my decision. But now, I fear we all may be in danger the closer to the coast you reach.”
Jayson lo
oked down at his wine, “I know Oksuna is a Rose Seer. Her voice is somehow connected to the strange serpents I found carved along walls deep within a dungeon. She has a power but I don’t know if it’s to stop them or help them. I think the closer we get to the coast, the more danger she is in.”
Myn’s small smile faded, “Your instincts hold the truth, which is why you are here now. Lukken’s history is rich and vast. What I will share with you is forbidden to speak of and the mere act of telling you can place my position in jeopardy but I cannot keep these secrets any longer. I wish for your success, not only for me but for all of Lukken.”
Jayson gazed upon the beautiful dragon, “I will never give up until the quest is complete. You have my word and my honor.”
Myn nodded and took a deep sip of wine, “Thank you Sir Reed.”
“Jayson,” the knight said simply and direct.
A small pink color filled the lady’s high cheeks, “Jayson it is.”
The lady picked up a second open wine bottle and poured into each of their glasses before setting it down. Her eyes seemed to glow as her mind worked to find the right order of things to say. After a short pause, she looked to the patient knight and began.
“Dragons were among the first races to populate Lukken. The lands were vast and unexplored except for a number of humanoid tribes. The elders saw potential in some of them and we helped them to grow. Dragons showed them the skills of metal working, writing, math, stone and wood work. We brought the ancient teachings of magic and spell craft. It was a wondrous time of mutual cooperation. Our kind had reached these shores from the great beyond and we looked forward to building a paradise.”
“The great beyond?” Jayson asked.
Myn smiled, “The elders are not sure but they have dreams that our race flew among the stars. When we came to these lands and interacted with the young races, our memories of the great beyond faded. It is believed that our interaction and focus caused all our celestial knowledge to disappear until we decide to return to the stars. Little did we know, we were not the first powerful beings to appear on Lukken.