by Eden Redd
“Stay with Oksuna,” Jayson said to Lunatina.
The jester gave him a fearful gaze as the knight strode forward. Oksuna heard Jayson and backed up, giving the pale jester a comforting smile. Lunatina ignored her, eyes on the knight as he reached Lance’s side. The two knights stepped closer to the archway, observing vines crisscrossing across cracked ancient stone.
Jayson fished into his side pouch and pulled out the map once again. Unfurling the parchment, he could see the old drawing had the forest edge a few miles from where the portal would be.
Lance looked to the map, “It looks like the forest has grown some since this was drawn.”
Jayson nodded, “It did, but not by much. However, our path appears to be unkempt from this point on.”
Both knights looked down the overgrown path and could make something out in the distance. The trees swayed to another cold wind and the faint mist around their boots swirled and rippled before smoothing out once again. Jayson knew if they travelled in further, they would be setting up camp surrounded by overgrowth. The thought unsettled him but they had travelled so far and their destination was so close, the temptation to see if the portal still stood was overwhelming.
“Let’s move in. We can see if it’s safe to set up camp,” Jayson said.
Lance looked to his fellow knight and smirked, “You are so different then when we first met.”
Jayson eyed the white knight and returned the smirk, “I’m turning you on, aren’t I.”
Lance gave a slow nod, his eyes drinking in Jayson’s confident smirk. Jayson turned to the rest of the group and signaled that they were all heading through the archway and into the forest. Heads nodded in acknowledgement. Jayson took lead and Lance followed. The party moved into a single line, making sure to give themselves plenty of room in case of an ambush.
Jayson moved ahead, eyes alert. Mentally he commanded three fighting techniques at the ready, their names in the corner of his vision and ready to activate. On they walked as the sun dipped lower and lower in the sky. Oksuna walked along, her eyes looking from left to right until something moved closer behind her. The troll glanced back to see Lunatina had moved so close, she was inches away from the troll’s back. Oksuna smiled and returned to scanning the forest around them.
Sonja kept to the rear, her eyes spotting two large white shapes amid the trees. They were far away and she could barely make them out. They were still and long. Narrowing her eyes, relief washed over once she decided they looked like nothing more than long boulders amid the dark forest. Turning back to the path, she stepped carefully through the overgrown grass.
The sun touched mountain range to the west. Bright light flashed across the heavens and then dimmed with each passing moment. Jayson picked up his pace. The last thing he wanted was the party to set up camp in the dark. Pushing along, minutes passed before the path opened up into a large clearing.
Jayson stood as the rest of the party moved in closer from behind. Eyes took in the triangular structure as it stood in the dying light. Vines ran along the rune covered stonework. The clearing around the structure was wide, wide enough if they needed to camp for the night. Knights and concubines gathered around Jayson and looked on with wondrous excitement.
Jayson looked to Sonja and Lance before stepping forward. The white and blue knight trailed behind, their formation a triangle. The knights stopped before the hollowed-out circle within the stone triangle. Jayson reached into his collar and pulled out a red pointed gem. Stepping forward, he unhooked the necklace over his head and held out his arm. The gem pulsed and pulsed, a red aura appearing around it. When the knight was a foot away, he positioned the gem and his hand within the circle.
The gem vibrated as red light shined. Runes glowed, matching the pulses from the gem. The sun was halfway set when the pulsing rapidly increased. Jayson was concerned for his hand and as his nerve was about to give out, the pulses had a machinegun like vibration before immediately becoming still. A dim red light filled the center of the portal and there it remained.
Jayson pulled back his arm and eyed the light. It was transparent and glowed with crimson power, but beyond that, nothing more happened.
Lance stepped closer, observing the red light, “Hmmm, I thought there would be more.”
“Let’s set up camp. I assume now that the portal is open, Lady Slytha will send help our way,” Jayson commanded, turned and walked back to the concubines.
Lance watched the knight as Sonja moved to his side.
“He’s been pretty bossy lately. It’s pretty hot,” Sonja smiled.
“Yes, it is,” Lance said with his own smile blooming.
***
Night smothered the world in soothing darkness. Stars shined in the clear sky as a fire burned in the middle of camp. Tents were set up and the concubines pulled out rations to share among themselves. Jayson sat off to the side, his right to the camp and his left to the glowing portal. It had been a few hours since it was activated but nothing came through. The player wondered if Myn had trouble gathering others to help.
Oksuna stepped over and sat to the knight’s right. The chill in the air was nearly too much and Jayson found himself moving closer to her, taking in her burning body heat. The troll in white snuggled inward, enjoying the company of her lord.
“We may have to wait here a while,” Jayson said in a low tone.
“I’m…happy to wait with…you,” Oksuna answered.
The knight turned his attention to her smiling face, “I’m still getting used to you talking. I’m sorry for all the previous one sided conversations.”
“I’m not. I like listening to you,” Oksuna said perfectly.
“I love your voice…..I love everything about you…” Jayson said as his gaze turned downward.
“I feel the same,” the pink haired troll snuggled closer.
Old questions bloomed in the knight’s mind, “What was it like for you…when you were in the troll kingdoms?”
Oksuna’s smile faded slightly, “They treated me well, most of the time. I was taken cared of but sometimes the masters were a little demanding…with their time.”
Jayson listened intently as the beautiful troll continued.
“It was considered a sacred duty for Rose Seers to please the Masters. Some were gentle but others…they enjoyed inflicting pain then pleasure.”
“I’m sorry you went through that.”
Oksuna bowed her head, “It was my duty to please and follow their commands.”
“Well, now you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Jayson said with strength in his tone.
“I know,” Oksuna said and brought her mouth to her lord’s ear. “But you can have me do anything for you and I would gladly accept.”
Jayson grinned, “It goes both ways.”
“I know,” Oksuna smiled and kissed Jayson’s neck.
Jayson looked off to the fire pit in the middle of camp, his mind picking out what he wanted to say, “I always felt that I would become like you….or like you were before. I was quiet and introverted, even at parties. But when I met you, I instantly knew we were alike. Even though you didn’t speak, I could tell you had a wanting that needed to be satisfied. I found it, here in Lukken with you, but what do you want? What are you searching for?”
Oksuna stayed close as she spoke, “When we met, your boldness to Lady Slytha…caused my heart to quicken. You showed strength and to a dragon. I must admit….it stoked my fire in a way I had never felt before. She could have denied you but….you wanted me and I saw that you would not leave unless she relented. I still think about how you asked to claim me. I sang my answer and you fulfilled your promise.”
Jayson smiled, “Yea, I still think about it too.”
Oksuna felt the knight put his arm around her. Despite her size, she felt smaller around him. His needs and wants were so strong, even thinking about it caused a wet feeling to flow. Jayson eyed the troll as her eyes glittered in the camp fire light. He wanted no
thing more than to lay her down and snuggle close under the stars. The dark forest around them was the only thought keeping him from carrying it through.
The long-haired troll looked to her lord, “I could please you while you watch the forest,” she said as if reading his mind.
Jayson’s expression didn’t change as he considered it. It wouldn’t be the first time she pleased him in front of others, even if they were forty feet away. He did wonder how she seemed to know every time.
“I’m a Rose Seer. I have the ability to feel your wants and your lust. I can feel without touching you that you are hard as stone. I only ask to wrap my lips around you so that you can feel better,” Oksuna said in a not so innocent tone.
Jayson couldn’t hold back a certain leer, “Let’s talk a little longer and then we can…be intimate while someone else takes watch.”
Oksuna nodded and snuggled against her lord.
By the fire, Lunatina had several bowls out and was pouring small vials of liquid into each one. When she was done, she pulled out other ingredients and sprinkled them into each of the bowls before taking a mortar and pressing it to the inside. Sardyna stepped over and sat by the pale alchemist in jester clothes. The hellhound’s red eyes watched as she worked but she also noticed the small glances to her lord and the troll at his side.
“What are you doing?” the hellhound asked.
“Making more invisibility potions for the journey, I need to be well stocked at all times,” the jester continued to mash ingredients.
Sardyna gave a wicked smile before shaking her head slightly, “Not that. Why do you keep looking to my lord?”
Lunatina’s brow formed a light V as she continued her crafting, “I’m not looking at your lord.”
“Are you looking at Oksuna?”
Lunatina’s brow hardened into a sharp V, “I’m not looking at her either! Don’t you have a bone to find?”
“Why? It’s fun to watch you be jealous,” Sardyna sneered.
Lunatina stopped her crafting and sat, her brow softening, “It’s not what you think. I’m not jealous. I was trying to think of a solution to my problem.”
Sardyna sat; her black furry tail wagging as she waited.
The jester continued, “Spending the last few nights out here by myself only showed that I’m not as strong as I thought I was. My previous lord gave me work but I also took care of his concubines. I’m fascinated with their ability to resurrect. I have potions that heal and elixirs that can cure most known diseases but I cannot bring back the dead. This quest we are on is a little too dangerous and if I could, I would make my way back to the kingdoms and find a new lord or lady to serve.”
Sardyna gave the alchemist a hard stare, “You don’t believe in Lord Reed?”
The jester let out a frustrated exhale, “You don’t understand. This quest is a death sentence for me. Lord Reed will resurrect. Sonja and Lance will resurrect. All the concubines here will resurrect….”
Lunatina’s head lowered, “….I will simply die.”
Sardyna tilted her head, “You cannot stop fate. If it is destined, then so shall it be.”
Lunatina turned her eyes to the hellhound, black lips curling into a crazy smile, “You don’t get it and I don’t expect you too. I need a plan….” The jester stared at the hellhound for a long moment, “….And I think I just came up with one.”
Sonja was by the forest edge, eyes peering in, trying to penetrate the wall of shadows. A hand touched her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Sword drawn, she looked to see Lance at her side, a smile on his face.
“I nearly cut your head off,” Sonja said, flustered.
The white knight ignored the threat, “I think we need to do something about Jayson.”
Sonja looked past Lance’s shoulder to see Jayson and Oksuna snuggled together and talking, “Like break them up or something?” Sonja said with a raised eyebrow.
Lance let out a small laugh, “No. I think we need to go over and spend some quality time.”
Sonja’s eyes softened as she saw the look in his eyes, “You’re horny aren’t you.”
Lance continued, “We don’t know when we are going to get another quiet moment. The concubines can watch the camp while we go into a tent.”
Sonja sheathed her sword, “He’s been turning you on and now you can’t think straight.”
Lance eyed her and smiled, “Hasn’t he been doing the same thing to you?”
Sonja opened her mouth but no words came out at first. Then she shook her head and smiled.
“Yea, you both have been driving me crazy. I was just trying to be patient because this quest was so important.”
“We could have Oksuna join us. I know they seem to be getting closer,” Lance said as he looked over to Jayson and Oksuna.
Sonja snapped her fingers and Lance turned his attention to her, “Lance, focus. I’m sure when he wants to, he would be happy for all of us to be together. For the moment, I think he’s enjoying his time with Oksuna now that she can talk.”
Lance’s eyes sagged a little as a sudden realization fell over him, “I don’t mean to be selfish. Since we all met in reality, I can’t stop thinking about us. I…..” The white knight trailed off as his eyes looked past Sonja.
The blue knight turned her head to the forest. Two wet dots gleamed among the dark trees. They were high, almost to the tree branches. They hovered, the glint of firelight touching them. A crawling fear snaked up her spine as she took a step back. Lance’s hand landed on the pommel of his rapier and he slowly drew it from its sheath. Sonja’s hand moved to her shoulder, fingers curling around the pommel of her blade and half drawing it out.
“Back up to the camp,” Lance said in a harsh whisper. “I’ll…..” The knight never finished.
The gleaming dots seemed to flare open as something big bolted toward them. The thing crashed through the trees, uprooting them or splintering them to pieces. Sonja drew her sword but Lance planted a hand on her armored chest and pushed. The blue knight fell backwards as something big and white broke from the tree line.
Time slowed down as Sonja fell. Not in control, she stared at the four-legged horror emerging from the forest. Its skin was a pale white, wrinkled and sickly. Black eyes stared down a long, hound-like snout as dagger sized teeth vibrated from a sickening growl. From its shoulders, a long white tentacle whipped about from each one. At the ends of the tentacles were savage looking hooks like a scorpion’s stinger. The thing stood at twenty feet tall at the shoulders. Its paws unsheathed thick claws as it continued its charge, dirt spraying into the air with each foot fall.
Lance charged the creature. With one sideways slash of his blade, a white light cut outward. The thing leaped into the air as the thin razor light cut across a section of tree trunks, splitting them in half. The creature came down on the white knight, its chest crashing into him and forcing the knight to the ground. Tentacles whipped out and stabbed downward. Lance brought his rapier up, his blade clashing with hard stingers and parrying them away. The knight fought them away as he focused on each lightning attack from the creature.
A ghostly blade struck the monster’s side, stabbing deep. As the ghostly blade faded away, the creature lifted its head to see Sonja as she was slowly standing up. Lance took the chance and drove his rapier into the creature’s leg. The monster winced before hefting up a paw and slashing at the ground. The white knight was lifted and thrown from the strike. He landed on the ground, sending up chunks of earth.
The giant monster set its sights on the blue knight when a fire ball streaked through the sky and crashed into the creature’s shoulder. Lance’s concubine, Balog came to their aid with fireballs appearing in his hands, throwing them one after the other. The fire elemental in man form continued his barrage as the whole camp charged. Sardyna was on all fours, rushing toward the beast while Luk, Lance’s elf healer, rushed to his lord’s side. Kell whispered incantations, pointing his dark hand and a stream of fire bursting forth. Le
af, Sonja’s concubine, stomped forward. The dryad’s arms lengthened as vines burst forth.
The pale monster roared as fire balls struck it and exploded. Extended dryad hands slashed at wrinkled skin while a hellhound leapt into the air, a stream of fire blazing from her mouth. Smoke and blast marks appear along the monster but it did not step back. Sonja was close to it and could see what little damage they were doing. Small marks appeared but the monster looked like it wasn’t truly being damaged.
Sonja lifted her sword up and activated her Shadow Warrior technique. Two grey versions appeared next to her, identical in every way down to their armor and swords. Sonja took a deep inhale and rushed forward with her shadow clones by her side. The three slashed at the air, sending ghostly blades into the monster, three at a time.
“Mistress! The monster is magic resistant!” Kell shouted and then began another incantation.
Sonja and her clones focused on one of the monster’s legs, blades coming down, hacking and slashing. The blue knight noticed it was like striking tree bark. Blades shivered from each strike but the monster wasn’t slowing down. Tentacles whipped out and one came down on one of Sonja’s clones. The point slashed into it, splitting it in half and it faded from existence. Sonja and her remaining clone fought on, slashing and slashing as a light to her right caught her attention.
Jayson was by the creature’s other leg, one sword blazing with fire and the other white with frost flowing off of it. Activating his technique, he spun like a top, fire and ice slashing at the monster’s leg. It let out a nightmare inducing screech as it pulled back and lashed outward. In mid spin, Jayson was lifted off the ground and thrown thirty feet.
Hooked tentacles came down on Leaf as he rushed to his mistress’s side. The dryad grunted as the bark across his chest was slashed and pieces broke off. Sonja pressed on, slashing over and over again. The monster’s hit points were still in the green as she and her clone drove the attack. Panic started to set in as the monster continued its own barrage. It was too strong, much too strong.