by Prax Venter
“Turn around, tourists,” growled the one on the right. Their metal armor was exquisitely ornate and projected a sense of power Mark was sure had to be magic. These guys were orders of magnitude more powerful than his current group. It only inspired him.
“We’d really like to see this Dreamcatcher. Anyone we could talk to about getting past? Maybe slip you a few coins?”
Both Vulpath warriors tapped the space between their tall ears five times.
“Fool! You’ll bring her attention upon us,” the one on the right yelled over the howling wind. “I aught’a cut you down…”
“No!” shouted the other quickly. “You know it’ll be worse luck to touch them now.”
“What’s going on out here?” a new voice called from the door of a small stone keep near the gate.
“Captain, this pup wants to give himself and his Enthralled to the banshee,” said the right guard.
This Captain clutched a paintbrush in one hand and only wore a simple chain hauberk. He tilted his wolf-like head, studying Mark and his beast-women.
“No,” he said, crossing his arms. “Go about your business, Collector.”
“What if my business lies beyond these gates? There’s got to be a way to get past, or you wouldn’t have built a gate with hinges.”
The captain looked over at the gleaming gemstone barrier and snorted out a gout of hot breath from his black nose.
“A smartass. Fine. Go seek permission from the Cloud Consulate. Turn around and find the big building that juts over the other Levels. Come back here with a writ of passage, and I’ll open the gate.”
The Vulpath captain did not wait for a response and closed the door behind him. The other two guards determined the matter settled and also returned to their posts by the gate.
Mark exchanged glances with Sasha and Jezebel before he led them away. As they moved, his eye thankfully quieted down.
“This sounds like it’s going to be really boring,” Sasha said, jamming her hands in the pockets of her short coat. Her chrome legs reflected the bright morning sun, their shapely curves demanding his attention.
“I’m fascinated to learn more about their system of government,” Jezebel said, her head swiveling around as she searched for the Cloud Consulate. He looked deeper into the satyr and saw that she fancied herself the creator of this world. She had kicked off the process that brought life to these people, along with all their triumphs and plights.
“Hey, Jez. Why aren’t these people uh, self-aware, like you and Sasha? I don’t know a lot about what is happening with you two, but can one of these NPCs ever understand they’re in a game?”
His Enthralled satyr and succubus shared a look he had seen one other time. This was about the other Mark. “You two remember that I can see right into your heads when you do that, right?” he said.
Jezebel answered, but there was a dread behind her words.
“They don’t question the nature of their reality and all tools they use to inspect it just show them more of the same. It’s surprisingly hard to prove you are in a simulated universe from the inside. But to answer your question, yes. If the right set of circumstances and conditions exist, NPCs from The Crystal Heart can become aware of a larger existence.”
Had he let out some terrible monster and asked to have his memory wiped so he didn’t feel guilty? Sasha seemed more angry than afraid, but not at him. Mark sighed. All of this was useless conjecture. He was happy with who he was, damn it- despite rewinding an impactful portion of his life.
“Thanks, Jez,” Mark said with a smile. “That’s all I need to know.” He had phrased his words carefully and the cloud that had darkened her heart dissipated. His freckled satyr looked over at him with a weight lifted from her mind.
“Our destination is two blocks ahead and on the right. ETA: two minutes.” Sasha said, changing the subject. She pointed at a huge building ahead of them, the back of which seemed to extend past the sheer cliff and overlooking the Fire Level.
Once inside, they found that the building was massive, and echoing halls spread out before them with unending red-velvet ropes running in pairs around everything.
After waiting for fifteen minutes in an artistic license renewal line, they were told they were in the wrong place and sent to see a chancellor on the third floor. Then the chancellor told them they’d waive the thirty-copper filing fee, but that Mark would need to get the written recommendation from something called a Judicar on the Earth Level of Thomellia and then have that stamped by a Master of the Glass on the Fire Level. With the correct documents, they would be allowed to pay the five-gold audience fee to get their case heard by the High Council of Thomellia- which met only once a week. And after all that bullshit, there was a good chance they’d just say no.
Mark, Sasha, and Jezebel were a few paces away from the exit when his Enthralled succubus let her thoughts be known, loudly.
“For a bunch of art lovers, they sure have a hard-on for red tape!” The stone slab halls of the Cloud Consulate echoed with “-ape, -ape, -ape…” as the doors closed behind them.
Standing out in the brisk air of the Wind Level, Mark began to weigh their options. That Wrongside sounded like their only real move.
“Collector.”
Mark turned to see a beautiful and regal Vulpath female walking forward. It looked like she had been waiting for them outside. She had on a long robe with vibrant hot-pinks, blacks, and teals all clashing together with striking contrast. Two pointed ears stood on the top of her head and poking through black hair styled into a bob cut, but the rest of her body was covered in creamy-white fur. A few gray shocks expressed her age, yet also enhanced her allure.
Her deep blue eyes shone with intelligence when she spoke.
“Will you three join me for a walk? I may want to hire you for a job.”
Mark smiled to himself. Of course someone would be there. This person would be able to fake the document or something like that. She’d have a quest or an errand she’d want completed in return, but this was a video game after all, wasn’t it?
“We’d love to go for a walk,” Mark said, looking over at his horned beast-women and motioned with his head for them to follow.
They made it two blocks before the Vulpath spoke again.
“My home is a few minutes away. Before we go much further, I’ll hear your reaction to my proposition. I want you to Enthrall me, help me collect a rare pigment, then transfer me my pool of essence. I’ll use the points to upgrade a unique skill to affect one painting. Then, simply disavow me and go on your way.”
Mark’s brows came down.
“Oh, is that all?” Jezebel said.
The Vulpath continued, unfazed. “I have what you need. If you want to talk more, follow me home. If you are uninterested, walk away now.”
Mark focused his magic eye on the wolf-woman. “Are you trying to trick me?”
She grinned, exposing long, white canines. “If I were, would I admit it?”
“I noticed you didn’t answer the question.”
The female turned and looked at his scarred eye. “No, I am not trying to trick you, Lover. I’m trying to be famous.”
It was the truth. Mark looked back at Sasha and Jezebel. The succubus was nodding, and the faun-like satyr was worried. But it wasn’t a no.
Mark wordlessly kept pace with the Vulpath until she padded up a stone stairwell leading to one of many stone homes in a long row.
She put her paw on the knob and turned to look over her shoulder. “I am Audra.”
Mark nodded. “A pleasure. I am Mark, and this is Sasha and Jezebel.”
Audra pulled her lips back in another Vulpath smile before opening the door. “Welcome to my home.”
It was much smaller on the inside, and every wall was covered in paintings. Audra hurried around picking up a bra and some other silky garments before tossing them behind a paper changing screen.
“I wasn’t planning on guests,” she said, sparking a device to ignite s
ome wood tucked into her hearth. “But I can have some tea ready in moments. Blackleaf, Sunny Bark, or Lemon Wisp?” A darker black eyebrow rose over the wolf-woman’s alluring cobalt eyes.
“Uh, nothing for me,” Mark said and looked over his shoulder to see Jezebel decline with a head shake.
“I’ll have a go at some of the Lemon Wisp,” Sasha said, peeling her coat off.
“Good, I’ll just make a whole pot. The rest’ll want to dive on in once the whole house is warmed by its fragrance. Please sit down.”
Mark noticed a stuffed loveseat and a pillowy ottoman. Sasha plopped down on the soft footstool, leaving room for her wings, while Mark and Jezebel sat next to each other on the loveseat. Audra wiped her hands on a cloth, tossed it aside and stood before Mark and his beast-women.
“I was part of a battle harem once and Enthralled to a Hexer a long time ago. He was a human from the sandy deserts of the Xerishan Empire, and we had a solid six months together before we added a wild harpy to our group.” The Vulpath’s eyes grew distant, and Mark could tell she was reliving happy times. “Her name was Zooshma. She was a pure ball of energy and full of never-ending wonder about the world. The three of us blazed a swath across the land making a lot of great memories and a lot of coin.
“Then, Zoosh was trampled to death by a stampede of ten-story war buffalo in the Darkshell Crag.”
“Oh shit,” Sasha said, putting her hand to her mouth.
Audra turned to gaze at the succubus. “Nothing was the same after that, and my Collector took her death very badly. It was mutually agreed to disavow and go our own ways. As far as I know, he still wanders the desert, trying to get so lost that his grief can no longer find him.”
Audra sighed, and Mark saw an inward worry. A worry for herself, because she could no longer cry over this past. These days she wondered if she could no longer feel anything at all. The cream-colored Vulpath gathered herself and continued.
“Yes, tragic, but a long time ago, and in another lifetime. Now I have devoted the rest of my time on this plane of existence to my art. Putting myself onto a canvas is now… important to me.”
Mark looked around and saw that many of the stretched canvases that cluttered the small, open living space portrayed half-finished portraits and still-lifes.
“When I was first Enthralled, a unique starting path unlocked- Good Eye, it was called. Being that we were forming a battle harem, I chose to upgrade my Aeromancy and leave such a useless crafting skill behind.”
“So,” Jezebel broke in, “now you want Mark to Enthrall you so you can choose that path, and create one painting?”
Audra held out one clawed finger. “No. I want him to earn me some essence while we hunt down a shell of the Void Clam. Mark will then lie with me to transfer essence. I will upgrade this skill as much as I can… and then finally I will create the one painting that will draw everyone’s eye.”
“What do we get out of this?” Sasha asked bluntly.
The tea kettle began to howl, and Audra went to attend to it. The air did smell very lemony, and Mark was second-guessing his position on tea. She set out some cups and filled them with scoops of honey-colored crystals. He was glad to see her preparing four cups. He had no idea how old this wolf-woman was, but as she bent over to find a spoon, Mark got a glimpse of plump, furry melons under the robe she wore. The female Vulpath continued while she prepared the drinks.
“Zooshma also had a valuable innate skill and was part of the reason we chose her. As you know, all harpies can imbue a Recall Charm once a day. With her daredevil flying ability, she nabbed us many possible adventure locations over the years. I happen to have a Recall Charm that will take you right outside, the… ‘you know where’, at the top of the mountain.”
Audra stopped stirring to tap her head five times in the same ritual he’d seen before with the guards.
“You can get us safely past the gate and higher up the mountain?” Mark asked, pinning her down with his magic eye.
“Yes. I mean, that’s what the stone was labeled. I’d never use it. I’ll give you an extra Thomellia Charm to bring you back, just in case. If my plan works and I’m able to paint my masterpiece… money will never be an issue for me.”
Sasha nodded as she was handed a cup and saucer. The succubus blew some of the steam from her hot lemony drink, then asked a good question.
“Why haven’t you done this before? This place is a pretty big hub city. Couldn’t convince any other Collectors?”
Audra smiled as she handed out cups to Mark and Jezebel.
“I’ve been in a… dry spell for a long time. This idea took hold today when I heard your request in the consulate. It’s not as if I’m just standing out by the air-ship terminal, waiting for random Collectors to proposition. I was in line for renewing my artistic license, and I noticed a human and his unique Enthralled. It reminded me of the old days and of a path not taken. Your Collector looks like my type, has a problem I can solve, and is a Lover with an open slot. I’m taking a spur-of-the-moment chance.”
Mark leaned back, sipping his sweet and sour tea to hide his huge grin. She thought he was her type? He was already sold on this idea. It would save them time, they’d get more essence before facing whatever madness the Dreamcatcher had up there… and there was the part about rolling around with this older yet attractive wolf-woman.
“What do you two think?” he asked his Enthralled.
Audra sipped her tea with her small canine mouth. “I am glad I didn’t stumble into one of those asshole Collectors. You three look like you make a good team.”
“We do,” Sasha said, her wings extending slightly, “and I’m in.”
Jezebel kept her green eyes on the wolf-woman.
“You’ll be done with this painting in a few days?” she asked.
“Hopefully one day.”
“You swear to let Mark disavow you afterward?”
The wolf-woman smiled. “You are still a new team, adorable. Jezebel, believe me, my battle harem days are over, and I am planning on being recognized as a great artist. Not only do I want to be easily found and adored, our bond would make it impossible for me to hide from any of you for very long.”
Jezebel looked over at Mark, worry still visible on her face- even without his magic eye. He put his hand on her sleek doe thigh, and she gave him the briefest of nods.
“Deal,” he said. “What’s next?”
The cream-colored wolf-woman put down her cup of steaming tea.
“We will be taking one of my Recall Charms far to the southwest, to a small seaside town called Kojita. In doing some research on rare pigments, I discovered a tale of a shipwright specializing in living vessels that is said to have harvested these rare shells for his magics. There will be combat as this ambitious shipwright was apparently slain by his own constructs. Are you ready to leave now?”
“Wait,” Mark said, holding up his hand. “Living vessels? Like he made boats that were alive?”
“Yes, is that a problem?”
Mark let out a short laugh. “No. No problem, just fascinating.”
“What happens if these tales are only tales,” Jezebel asked, still suspicious, “or the shells have already been looted?”
Audra nodded. “Then we collect what essence we can, and I’ll have to use the sub-par pigment that I have. You’ll still receive your agreed-upon payment.”
She clasped her clawed hands and looked around the group for more questions, her eyebrow raised. Everyone remained silent, so the Vulpath painter continued.
“Then the next step is filling out your harem, Collector.”
Mark absolutely loved her calm, matter-of-fact demeanor. Her deep blue eyes held on his and noticed that he was now seeing a level deeper into the experienced wolf-woman. Audra had opened her heart to Mark, allowing him to see a thick black smudge across her chest that wasn’t there a moment ago. He squinted, and he realized it was his Truthseeing eye kicking into overdrive.
There was a part of t
his ex-Enthralled Vulpath that… hated herself. There was a dirty rift of self-doubt and personal resentment that severed her mind’s connection to her deeper emotions, and her heart- but he couldn’t really see why. She didn’t either. The wolf-woman painter was hiding that part from even herself.
Mark put down his tea and stood up. He walked over to Audra and took her furry hand in his. The fact that these creatures preferred putting paint brushes in their monster hands delighted him to no end, and he smiled as he looked deep into her midnight-blue eyes.
“Audra, together we will free your trapped heart and help you imprint the truest expression of your soul onto this universe.”
Her eyes went wide, her pupils dilated, and Mark’s newly Enthralled Vulpath’s furry hand squeezed his tightly.
Audra sucked in a shuddering breath before she spoke, her chest heaving.
“My, for being new you are very good at this,” she said, exhaling a breath that smelled of sugary lemon tea. Her eyes lingered on his as an old hunger blossomed within her.
Mark nodded. “Welcome to the team, Audra. Now, let’s go Collect some essence, and maybe a magic shell.”
She nodded and let go of his hand. “I was not planning on leaving today, so give me a moment to change and pack a small bag.”
Audra retrieved a set of black leather armor from a box under a bookcase and went behind the folding changing screen. This was the first display of modesty Mark had seen in The Crystal Heart.
He turned around and looked down at his two beast-women to find their eyes locked on his. They couldn’t talk without being heard as their new harem member was only a few feet away, slipping into her old adventuring gear.
He gave them a shrug. “Sure beats messing with that consulate.”
Sasha spun around and put her hand on Jezebel’s furry thigh. “You wanted an adventure, Momma Bear. This is what one looks like.”
Moments later, Audra stepped out in her combat gear, and Mark’s mouth hung open. Her huge paw-like feet were bare, and fishnet stockings stretched over her legs, ending in black leather shorts. Her cream-colored tail swayed back and forth from a convenient hole, and he realized she’d kept it hidden beneath her robes. Half her stomach was bare until her thick, leather chest plate took over. The thing looked like it could stop a bullet and was molded to fit two enormous breasts. Each was covered in luxurious white fur and pressed together, almost spilling out of the top. Her arms were encased by black, fingerless gloves that continued halfway up her biceps. Mark looked past her leather collar to her intelligent, deep-blue eyes.