by Jason Herc
I could still feel my Flame building up pressure within Ember. Her Node was partially cracked open, which was probably why I could already circulate a small amount of Flame through her. But I couldn't send the full strength of my Flame through her yet.
I began drawing my Flame out through Ember's throat, re-absorbing my flame before sending it back into her through my mouth and fingers. I had essentially reversed the direction of my Flame's circulation, much like I might try to deal with a clog in some piece of piping. I let the pressure build up inside Ember again. This time, I filled her lower regions with Flame, but only a small trickle of Flame passed out of her throat back into my groin.
I pushed harder and harder, with my cock in her throat, my finger in her ass, and my tongue inside her pussy, all the while thrusting into the center of her being with my Flame as well.
Ember raised her head, gasping for air. "Your Flame," she said. "It's stretching me, opening me out. It feels…so good, but it's starting to hurt too."
I slowed down the buildup of pressure from my Flame. "Do you want me to stop?" I asked
"No! Don't stop!" Ember pleaded. "Split me open inside. Make me bleed, like a virgin, if that's what it takes."
"We're not going to have anyone bleeding," I said. But Ember was right. For whatever reason, her Node was more difficult to open then Allura's. It was as if Ember's tighter and smaller pussy somehow translated into the current tightness of her Node.
"Don't worry," I said. "We'll go slowly and gently until I open—"
"Just do it!" Ember screamed. "Fuck me fast and hard until I'm open. Open me!"
Ember swallowed my cock again and began throatfucking me with a renewed determination. Her lips smashed into my crotch as she pounded her throat raw on my cock like some kind of jackhammer, making gurgling noises as she did so.
I reversed the flow of my Flame's once more, sending it surging through my cock down into her mouth. But her Node still wouldn't open completely. I had to hurry. I couldn't last much longer with my cock's head rubbing against the ridges of Ember's throat.
I had an idea.
"Allura," I called out. "Allura, get over here."
In an instant, Allura was in bed with us, naked like Ember and me.
"Give me your pussy," I commanded Allura. "And I want you to work on Ember's pussy."
Allura obeyed without saying a word. We shifted position so that we were lying together in a triangle, my crotch still grinding into Ember's face, but with my own face now between Allura's thighs. Allura had her own head in between Ember slim thighs as well.
I sent my flame into Allura, circulating it through her Node. As I withdrew my Flame from Ember, she cried out in dismay.
"Don't worry. We're going to open you, Ember. Together."
My Flame cycled through Allura and me, faster and faster. Allura's pussy had a different, richer taste, and her seeping juices soon washed out Ember's flavor from my mouth.
Allura panted heavily as she continued to lick Ember. I lifted my head slightly to watch as the bulbous tip of Allura's tail slid into Ember's asshole, returning the favor as Ember had done to her before.
My cock throbbed at the site of Allura pleasuring Ember in both of her holes.
I was close, very close, to finishing. I pushed more of my Flame into Allura until there was a spinning vortex of Flame between us.
I strained and clenched my teeth as I fought to hold myself back for just a little bit longer, but Ember's throat suddenly squeezed in a series of pulsing spasms as she made herself gag on purpose.
My cock jerked and began spurting down Ember's open throat. I immediately redirected the spinning vortex of Flame from Allura's Node into Ember through my lower body.
I filled Ember with my cum and Flame at the same time, pouring a torrent of each into her. Her Node swelled and expanded as it received my Flame.
Finally. Ember's Node broke open, and Ember screamed loudly, the ragged vibrations tickling my cock and sending me into another round of cumming.
Somewhere, I sensed Allura nibbling on Ember's clit while thrusting her tail in and out of her asshole. As Ember's Node burst open, a flood of Flame rushed out of Ember's lower regions and into Allura's mouth.
My Flames passed easily through Allura's own Node, returning to me.
The cycle was complete.
My Flame was circulating between all three of us, passing through Ember and Allura's Node in one large loop.
Allura's thighs clenched around my head, and I knew that she had orgasmed as well.
After a while, the three of us stopped moving, although we remained inside each other. We lay there, linked in body and Flame, for what felt like hours. My Flame circulated through the three of us the entire time.
After what seemed like an eternity, we finally pulled apart. I looked at Ember's face. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, and her hair was drenched with sweat, sticky strands of clumped hair falling down her face.
She tried to talk, but ended up coughing. When she recovered, though, she smiled.
"I did it," Ember said. "I did it, didn't I?"
"No, we did it," I said. "We did it together." I reached out for Ember's hand, and then grabbed Allura's as well.
I gave Ember's hand a gentle squeeze. "When I wake up, I want you to show me what you can do."
With that, I passed out, exhausted.
CHAPTER 22
I woke up to find Allura and Ember in bed with me on either side. Ember had found a new dress somewhere. Apparently, demons didn't really need to sleep, but sleep was still a luxury and pleasure that they would enjoy as they could.
One of them should have stayed awake to stand guard in case of danger, but I decided to let that lapse in security slide after what we had just gone through.
I wasn't sure how long I'd been sleeping, but I was feeling well-rested and energized even more so than the last time when I had opened Allura's Node. I let the excess Flame swirl within me, then leaped straight out of bed onto the ground in one Flame-driven motion.
I would need to test my sword and strength against true opponents one day. But for now, we needed to figure out where we stood.
"Ember," I said. "Ember, wake up."
I clapped my hands sharply. At the sudden noise, Ember's eyes jerked open. Allura open her eyes as well.
"Is something wrong?" Allura asked.
"No, but it's time for Ember to show us what she can do."
Ember nodded. "I can feel you now. I mean I can feel your Flame, even more than before." She closed her eyes for a second, as if focusing on something within her mind. Her eyes open again, this time wide with excitement.
"I think I can cultivate my own Flame, too," Ember said eagerly.
"Your Node is definitely open, then. Come on, show us what you can do."
"Yes, show us," Allura said with a warm smile. "I think opening Ember's Node might have affected the Flame in me as well. Does that make sense?"
"I don't know. Like Crowley said, we're breaking new ground here. If your Flame comes from me, and my Flame is affected by both of you, it's not strange that opening Ember's Node would make you stronger as well."
Allura looked over at Ember. "So as one sister grows, so will the other."
Perfect. I wouldn't have to worry about the succubi bickering or competing for my Flame and attention if each one benefited the other. I was happy that they could be bound to each other as much as they were bound to me.
"Ember, are you ready?" I asked.
Ember responded by walking to the center of the room. She stood in a relaxed post, her wings half-spread and her feet shoulder-width apart. She held her fists at her side when they suddenly flared with orange Flame.
"I feel it," Ember said. "I can shape it and control it, not like Allura does, but in a different way."
Ember delivered three quick strikes into the air in front of her with her fists. She moved next to one of the rock walls and raised her right fist in preparation for a strike.
"Well," I said. "Will that be safe?" I looked around the walls and ceiling. The room seemed well built, by I didn't want to risk collapsing the place on us. I had no idea how strong Ember was now.
"Don't worry," Ember said. "It's not only about raw strength. It's about control. I think I can control my power much better than before. Watch."
Ember twisted her hips as she punched the wall, throwing her entire body weight into the blow. Her Flame-wreathed fist met the wall with a loud crack. When she removed her fist, I could make out the imprint of her hand on the stone wall.
"I controlled the strike to only leave a small mark," Ember said. "If I wanted, I'm pretty sure that I could have shattered the entire wall."
She had struck the wall with surgical precision, somehow preventing the force of her blow from traveling throughout the wall. I could see how that might be useful in certain situations when she wasn't free to unleash her power wildly.
"There's more," Ember said. "I can feel the Flame so much better now. I should be able to…"
A circle of orange light appeared in front of her right arm, covering her forearm as if she was wearing a shield. She rapped the surface with her left knuckles. The shield of light gave off the sound of a solid object.
"Allura," Ember said. "Throw me one of your needles."
Allura looked to me to see if I would object. I raised an eyebrow but didn't question Ember's judgment. "Go for it."
Allura shrugged, then flicked her wrist. A single black needle whipped through the air toward Ember. She shifted her position to catch the needle on her shield of Flame. The needle clattered off the surface and fall to the ground, disintegrating after a moment.
Ember began to lower her shield arm, but I wanted to test the Bloodstain that Yaeger had given me.
"Hold on," I said as I drew my red blade.
"Oh," Ember said. Her brows furrowed slightly.
"Don't worry. I just want to test the blade against your shield. I'm not going to cut you."
"Yes, master." Ember presented her Flame shield.
I held my sword for a moment, trying to decide how best to test the blade. I ended up stabbing the tip of my sword into a section of Ember's shield.
There was resistance, as if I was trying to slide a knife into a slab of meat or butter. But my sword definitely cut through the shield.
I had picked a safe spot on the shield so that my blade slid past Ember's shield arm without cutting it. Ember shook her arm, and the shield disappeared.
I could cut through Flame, although I had been effectively cutting through my own Flame. I wasn't sure if that counted as a proper test, but it looked like Yaeger's Bloodstain was working.
A voice spoke from behind us. "I see you've been productive."
I spun around to find that Crowley had somehow snuck up on the three of us, entering our room without anyone noticing. I glanced at the door, which was still closed.
"I opened Ember's Node," I said.
"So I noticed. How was the delivery to the potter?"
I frowned. "He's not exactly a potter. And where did you get that much money? Who's Yaeger, exactly?"
"That's my own business, and that's his business. As for you, did you learn what you needed?"
"Yeah. He gave me two manuals. The Swordsight talent and the Bladebrush style." I showed him my red blade. "And this. His Bloodstain."
Crowley raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't part of the deal. He must have liked you."
"Liked me? He threatened to kill me if I so much as touched his daughter."
Crowley laughed. "You know how fathers are. But make no mistake. Yaeger hasn't given his Bloodstain to anyone in at least a thousand years. You should be honored."
"You gave Yaeger a king's fortune on my behalf. Yaeger gave me his secret hereditary power." I shook my head. "You really hate the Obsidian Emperor that much?"
Crowley touched my red blade with a crooked finger, running it along its length. He whistled. "Yaeger hates the Emperor. I just don't want the universe to end."
His yellow eyes lit up with a dangerous gleam. "As for the money," he said. "Had you stolen it…"
The threat hung unspoken in the air without any need for Crowley to finish the sentence. I gave Allura a look. See. I told you. She held up her hands in an apologetic gesture.
Crowley laughed. He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a bright white stone, one of the Flame stones from before. He tossed it to me. I caught it, but an instant later, the Flame stone turned dark, looking like an ordinary little rock.
"What's this?" I asked.
Allura scowled. "The damn beggar tricked us. Those riches were just ordinary rocks, weren't they? With a glamor to fool us."
Crowley didn't reply, but his yellow eyes twinkled.
"But what about Yaeger's payment…" I began.
"Oh, there was payment enough in the bag you carried," Crowley said. "But enough of that. What else did you learn?"
I tilted my head, thinking. "We saw a clash between the Blood Army and a sect on the way back. Seems like the Emperor isn't that popular."
"No, the sects have never gotten along with the authorities, but they've mostly behaved so far. The Obsidian Emperor is no fool. He knows that if the sects ever banded together, they could bring chaos to the Abyss. Instead, he lets them run free and flout their independence. They end up bickering with each other for their petty games of politics and power."
"So they're all bark and no bite? I had thought it would be useful to ally with one."
"Oh, you should certainly join a sect. I was going to suggest that as the next step you take on your Path. They're a formidable force, if a bit misguided."
"Do you think they'd shield me from the likes of Ryder?"
Crowley spat on the ground. "That Imperial dog? He wouldn't dare upset the balance of power with a blatant attack on a sect member. But beware. He could still try to reach you in other ways if he had reason to. Right now, you're merely a suspicious figure. If you joined a sect, you'll immediately become a more visible target."
"If that's the case, I could stay here. Train underground with you. Stay out of sight."
"While that would sound like a wise move, that would defeat the purpose of becoming a Seeker. Flame that is buried will wither. To grow as a Seeker, you must find and welcome new challenges."
I had to agree with Crowley. I didn't like the idea of sulking underground. "What about you? Your guild hides their strength, don't they? How do they progress as Seekers?"
Crowley chuckled. "Don't mistake the Path of a young stripling with that of an old badger. Your Path is not the Path of a beggar."
"Then how do I go about joining a sect? Whose door do I knock on?"
"Simple. Prove your worth in a tournament, and they'll invite you into their ranks."
I nodded eagerly at the chance to test my strength. "And who exactly would I be fighting in a tournament?"
"Other Seekers, most at the beginning of their journeys. Don't underestimate the competition, though. You'll likely need to open at least one more Node before you'll be ready for the tournament. The next one's in a month's time, which should give you time to prepare."
One month seemed so far away and yet too soon as the same time. I was itching to get into the ring with an opponent, but I also knew that I had a long way to go. I had barely been a Seeker for a day. My practice fight with Yaeger had shown that even with my head start, I still had much to learn before I mastered the techniques I had gained.
It would also take time for me to build up my Flame to the next level, so that I could open another Node. That also left the question of who's Node I would open next. Allura or Ember? I pushed the decision to a later time.
"Any advice on how to proceed? I can work on cultivating my Flame and practicing techniques with Ember and Allura." I realized that I could be at a disadvantage if I entered a tournament by myself. My Flame was linked to my succubi, and I was strongest with them at my side, unlike an ordinary Seeker. "I'll be figh
ting by myself in the tournament?"
Allura held up a pair of black needles. "I could support you with my needles from a distance."
Ember flashed her claw-tipped hands. "And I could tear apart your enemies from up close."
Crowley considered the two succubi. "You could fight with one of them. Trainers are allowed to bring one summoned creature or pet. You'd have to designate one of them as your pet."
"An obedience collar," I said. "Would that work?" I found the whole idea of an obedience collar disturbing and was glad that Ember had broken the other one.
Crowley nodded. "You have one?"
Allura produced the metallic collar from wherever she had been carrying it. A glance at its shiny surface was enough to tell me that it was still broken.
"Just this," Allura said. "It no longer functions."
"Normally, that wouldn't be enough," Crowley said, "but in this case, wearing it would likely convince the tournament officials that she's your pet."
"Let me guess. Because no normal succubi would willingly submit to a Seeker?"
Ember chuckled. "Yes, that's true. Succubi are used to enslaving others. They wouldn't ever consider submitting to a man."
"But you two are different," I said.
"No, you're different," Ember said.
I looked back at the collar in Allura's hand. That hunk of metal might still be useful, then. "If you think that'll work, let's go for it."
"You'll need to practice working with your succubi in tandem, then. You'll want to absorb any demon cores you acquire before the tournament. Let's see. Anything else?" Crowley scratched under his chin. "If all else fails, there's nothing like a good jaunt through the Abyss to spice things up. We'll see how it goes in a month's time, I suppose."
Crowley made it sound like he wasn't going to be around, which didn't surprise me.
"I take it you'll be elsewhere," I said.
Crowley grinned. "Beggar business." His face turned serious for a moment as he studied me. "Soon. Soon you'll be ready."
Ready for what? That hardly made sense to me, but I didn't question the old beggar. After a quick nod from him, Crowley vanished further into the underground waterways.