by Marcus Sloss
I selected a room that looked to be a guest room and set our things down on the floor, before heading back to the sitting room to talk more about our future. We knew that the general would be a problem, but as things stood, we understood little about his powers, which meant we knew even less when it came to fighting against them.
We discussed the possibility of evading the black smoke he emitted from his body but knowing firsthand how quickly someone could become engulfed in the mist left us un-optimistic to that plan. I scrubbed at my hair, willing a plan to form, but nothing came.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I told the girls before entering the bathroom and shutting the door behind me.
I expected to find a shower like the one back in the Wen village, complete with a holding tank, but instead I found a shower head, a catalyst stuck in its frame. After examining the handiwork, I poured some of my mana into the stone, remembering when a similar stone had relayed Prince Theo’s message.
My attempt proved successful as a stream of hot water filtered out of the head. After removing my clothes, I stepped under the stream, letting the water wash off the journey and revive my spirit. I kept it short, not knowing how powerful the catalyst was and wanting to give the others a chance to use the luxury.
When I’d finished drying off, I found a set of clean clothes replacing my own, surely borrowed from the house’s owner. I made a mental note of all the things we’d repay when the villagers returned as I went back into the main living space. The girls sat on the bench in the room, having collected clean clothes of their own.
“It seems he didn’t live here alone,” Cera said, holding up a fresh dress.
I shrugged and joined them on the padded bench, Illia standing up to claim the next spot in the shower. When everyone had a turn using the shower, we returned to the center of the village where a fire pit stood so we could cook our dinner for the evening.
I half expected to run into someone as the time passed, but the village remained eerily quiet even as we lit the fire for our meal. We spent the rest of the evening around the firepit, fallow meat in hand, talking about whatever came up.
Illia asked questions concerning the sword she wanted to make for me, saying she would start her task in the morning. I couldn’t help feeling excited thinking about the final product of the weapon, and it seemed Illia was just as excited to get to work on it.
Again, the topic of the village resurfaced, more speculations on the Rexco’s power being discussed. By the time we returned to our decided sleeping quarters, the forest was dark, making it harder to see the footholds as we attempted to climb the tree.
I was the last to climb the trunk, wanting to be on the ground level as the girls climbed up in case anything happened, not trusting the slim footholds in the dark. Luckily, there were no incidents, but it left me wondering how the dwarves dealt with the inconvenience daily.
We entered the house, my mana gift used to illuminate the space, not bothering to light the candles, knowing we would soon be heading to bed. Illia chose her own room, and I followed her in, lighting the candle by her bedside before letting her have her space.
When I entered the bedroom I’d chosen to stay in, the girls were already under the covers, a space left between the two of them-- for me I assumed. As I neared, I saw them pat the empty space, a seductive grin on their faces. Pulling back the covers so I could slip in, I realized why they were smiling.
Under the covers, they were both completely naked, their beautiful forms softly illuminated by the candles that hung over the bed.
I instantly began undressing, my tunic slipping easily over my head before I threw it to the ground behind me.
The girls giggled, grabbing my arms to pull me onto the bed. Following their will, I laid between them, ready for whatever they were planning. Aquina went for my head, running her fingers through my hair as Cera began to pull at my trousers.
Looking into her crimson eyes, I kissed her lips that hovered over mine, begging me to kiss them. I could feel Cera still struggling with my pants, so I helped her along, my lips never leaving Aquina’s. My tongue and hers met, dancing together as I pulled her in closer.
Her breasts brushed the skin of my chest, their softness quickly fueling my already growing erection. Then, I felt Cera’s hand grip my member, her firm grasp sending a wave of pleasure through my body that only intensified as Aquina strengthened her grip on my hair, pulling me in for an even deeper kiss.
Moving my hands up Aquina’s body, I cupped her breasts, gently squeezing until a soft gasp left her lips. She moved to straddle my body, giving me a clearer view of her supple breasts and alluring skin.
As I reveled in her beauty, I felt Cera’s tongue run up the length of my erection, sending shivers through my body before she took me in her mouth, the warmth encompassing my manhood. Her body swayed up and down, her hand moving with the rhythm of her mouth to fully arouse my entire length.
I felt the pleasure building as she licked the tip with her tongue, her movements never ceasing. With two beauties coming at me at once, withstanding the climax for long seemed impossible. Aquina leaned in close, her breasts almost close enough to lick.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her closer, taking her in my mouth, my tongue sweeping across her nipple. I buried myself in the softness of her chest, the pleasure building to the point of no return. My body trembled from the release, my hands moving down Aquina’s body until I gripped her soft cheeks in my hands, feeling every ounce of pleasure from the climax.
Cera sat up, a look of satisfaction on her face as she swallowed willingly, wiping her bottom lip seductively with her thumb. Aquina smiled down at me, kissing my forehead, waiting for my breathing to settle.
I felt Cera’s hands rake over my abs, trying to arouse me once again. I wanted to tell her it was too soon, but before I could say the words, my libido proved me wrong, my manhood rising at her request.
“Let’s switch,” Cera said, pulling on Aquina’s foot.
With another deep kiss, Aquina moved from her position, Cera happily taking over. She plopped down on my abdomen, her nails digging into my chest before she leaned in to kiss me on the lips. My hands trailed up and down her thighs, Aquina doing the same to mine, the sensations almost too much to bear.
I felt Aquina gently stroking my revived erection with one hand and when I glanced down at her from my position she was fingering herself with the other. Another wave of desire swept through me, and I got the feeling we could continue all night long if they wanted to.
Wrapping my arms around Cera, I slid her along my body, wanting to give her the same pleasure she had given me. With her most intimate area now in reach, I gripped her backside, pulling her in close. I slipped my tongue into her warmth, eliciting a sigh of pleasure as she gripped the bed sheets in front of her, her body bucking toward me, wanting more.
I obliged, licking her from the base to the top of her entrance before I focused on her clit, my hands still tracing her body. While Cera’s pleas of pleasure intensified, Aquina straddled my lower body, slowly inserting my length into her warmth. A small moan escaped from her lips, my erection growing harder in response.
It felt so good inside her. My hands instinctively gripping the flesh in front of me, pulling Cera even closer, my tongue never stopping. Aquina gasped, feeling the whole of my member enter her. I wanted to thrust into her, the feeling so intense, but the position didn’t allow for it.
Still, as she slowly began to move, I could feel the sensation growing, threatening to overflow once again. I focused my attention back on Cera, her own pleasure building toward orgasm. We all three moved in rhythm, the sensation building simultaneously.
Cera reached the pinnacle first, my tongue trailing over her clit as she arched her back, her moans filled with pleasure. She rolled over onto the bed beside me, her breathing heavy but full of satisfaction. Now the only one on top of me, I rolled Aquina over, a gasp of surprise leaving her mouth as our positions changed.
Taking control, I thrust into her as I kissed her collarbone. She wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her fingers in my hair. The pleasure built quickly after that, and together we reached climax, her body trembling under me while she moaned in pleasure.
I grunted, burying my face into her neck as I released inside of her before collapsing on top of her, our heavy breathing in sync. I rolled over a moment later, once again finding myself in the middle. The two snuggled in closer, kissing me on the cheek before Aquina moved to blow out the candles.
Not bothering to clean up, Cera pulled the covers over all three of us, and, satisfied and exhausted, we all fell asleep.
CHAPTER 7
Dwarf village
Eighty-nine days after arrival
The next morning, I woke feeling refreshed. A knock on the door hurried my movements as I untangled myself from a sleeping Aquina and Cera.
After pulling on some clothes, I opened the door to find Illia waiting for me. She blushed slightly, looking past me for a moment before addressing me.
“Good morning! I thought we could get started on your weapon?” She said, her eyes still looking everywhere but at me.
“Sounds good,” I told her, trying not to laugh.
I assumed she had heard us last night. The walls of the hut were pretty thin after all.
“Right. Good,” she answered, her eyes peering up at me before her whole face flushed red.
Cute. I followed her out of the house and down onto solid ground, determined to locate the blacksmith workstation within the village.
“Do you know where the blacksmith is set up?” I asked her, wondering if things still looked the same as they did from six years ago.
“Hmm. No. A lot has changed since I lived here. After all, the Lezric destroyed a good chunk of the village the day they captured me. But when I did live here, it was built closer to the back of the village.”
I followed Illia who walked with a determined step, preparing herself for the gory scene that remained untouched.
“I see it!” she said excitedly, her pace increasing.
I saw it too, the small plaque that hung above one of the larger huts, a piece of ore drawn on the slate of wood, the indicator. Unfortunately, the house laid right in the middle of all the bodies, both dwarves and Rexco sprawled about the area. I was surprised we had missed it yesterday.
Unlike the first time we’d come across the bodies, this time I found myself hit with a wave of putrid air, the stench of the rotting corpses permeating the space. I wasn’t sure if that revealed the battle had been recent, or if we were just too surprised by the bodies before to notice the smell.
Whatever the reason, Illia seemed to notice this time as well, her first inclination to bury the dead. She wrinkled her nose when the smell reached her. Then, with a somber look on her face, she raised her hand. As she flipped it over, the dirt adjusted to her motion, consuming the bodies all at once.
She breathed out when the task concluded, feeling the weight of the deaths and the helplessness of the situation. True to her nature, Illia pushed aside her feelings, focusing on the things she could control.
“It’s right in here,” she pointed, heading toward the blacksmith’s hut.
Tools of the trade were set up inside, storage boxes filled with raw materials, ready to be shaped into a weapon. Illia resembled a kid in a candy store, her eyes lighting up when she saw all the supplies available.
Rushing over to a small pile of silver colored material, she grabbed a good size chunk and held it up to me.
“I think this will work best for your weapon.” She smiled, her eyes shining.
“Awesome, I can’t wait,” I told her, realizing she was already lost in her element.
She reminded me of Aquina when we had visited the specialty shop in the Hivini kingdom - so focused on her excitement she forgot about the world. Illia pulled a sword from the wall and handed it to me by the hilt.
“I need to see what sizing would best suit your build,” she told me, exchanging the sword for the next in a long line from the wall.
By the third sword, she nodded to herself, taking mental measurements.
“How does that one feel? It looks like a good size.”
I held it out in front of me, pretending I faced an enemy.
“It feels like a good size,” I agreed.
“Perfect. The weight will be different, but you should be able to adjust to it quickly. Mithril is the best metal you can find—without facing a dragon, anyway.” She added the last part with a shrug.
She set the metal on the wooden table, examining the surface.
“I bet I could upgrade all our weapons with this,” she mumbled, talking to herself.
“Do you need anything from me?”
She broke her focus on the unusual metal to look at me, thinking about my question.
“If I do, I’ll come find you. I’ll probably stay in here for now and work on our equipment. The sooner I finish, the sooner we will be able to leave.”
I nodded at her words, understanding that she didn’t need me to stick around. I left the blacksmith shop and wandered around the village for a bit, interested in how the dwarves had lived. Again, the eerie quiet felt unsettling, the number of houses alone meant the population had to be quite large.
I still couldn’t wrap my head around how everyone could just disappear, the dead bodies still so few in comparison to the missing. I wondered if they evacuated after the initial attack, choosing to abandon their homes in order to preserve their lives. Maybe they would simply return?
Lost in thought, I aimlessly walked, not noticing how far I had traveled. When I looked around, I realized the houses were all behind me, the small fence the only thing ahead. I continued walking until I reached the fence, figuring I might as well walk the full length before heading back.
The forest spread out even further than the marker, showing no signs of thinning from where I stood. As I made the decision to head back toward the center of town, wanting to get a start on breakfast, a wad of sticky fluid fell from the sky, landing in front of my feet.
I watched the substance as it sizzled before I directed my gaze toward the treetops, searching for the source. Fuck. My eyes locked with a manospider, another of the beasts from the nightmare forest making its way to another forest. I didn’t remember many fleeing from the nightmare forest, but the fact that I stood face to face with one meant that assumption had been wrong.
That or the spiderlings grew up incredibly fast. I tried my best to remain still as I watched the creature, its attention not seeming to be on me. In the tree’s branches, the spider seemed to be protecting something, not willing to move from its spot. Shifting slightly on my feet, I tried to get a better angle of what laid behind it.
A sack composed of spider silk hung between two branches, resting comfortably on a divot in the tree's trunk. If manospiders were anything like regular spiders, that sack would be full of hundreds of babies, each turning into a spiderling...then eventually a manospider. Great. Just great.
The nightmare forest was one thing, but this forest was home to the dwarves. I didn’t think they would appreciate it being overrun by spiders when they returned. If they returned.
I decided to alert the others, wanting backup before engaging with the massive spider. As I turned slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible, the spider still somehow honed in on my movement, its eyes glowing from within the branches.
A hiss-like sound escaped the beast as it hurled another wad of the slimy substance in my direction. So much for back up. I turned on my heels, throwing a fire orb in its direction, warning it that I wouldn’t be easy prey.
This didn’t seem to deter the beast as it lowered itself from the treetop until all its eight legs stood on solid ground.
We watched it approached confidently.
The eyes blinked inconsistently, the beast sizing me up before it made its attack.
First its leg swept out in front, a
iming for my torso, but when it missed the beast disappeared, reappearing behind me in a flash.
Same old tricks-- I found myself relieved that this spider’s moves mirrored the ones we faced previously. I felt a bit more confident seeing it rear back when I blocked its ‘surprise’ attack. This would be fun.
I decided to test all my gifts on the creature, needing the practice with them anyway. First up, earth. Raising a clump of rock into the air, I directed my mana toward it, sending it careening into the body of the spider. It struck the body and fell to the ground—not enough force.
The spider lashed out with a series of quick thrusts aimed for me. Not having a weapon, I blocked using my firewall, the legs unable to break through my defenses.
Again, I lifted another chunk of ground, and with more concentration and a bit more mana.
I spun my body and threw the rock toward the creature, trying to create more force behind the attack.
Not the most graceful of moves, but I did achieve the intended effect.
The rock crumbled upon impact with the spider’s body this time, the spider visibly shaken from the blow.
It didn’t take long for it to regain its composure though and once again it disappeared from my sight, reappearing moments later for another attack.
I wanted to hold it to the ground, make the earth rise and grab hold of the creature's limbs, but I still lacked the ability. I tried it none-the-less, but I only managed to build the rocks up from the ground, shaping them and strengthening them enough to hinder the creature’s movements proved too complicated at my current level.
The rocks already prepared, I lifted them into the air, lobbing them at the spider's many eyes. The first few hit, enraging the beast, its legs splaying wildly in my direction as it tried to stave off the attack.
I quickly realized that my earth mana gift was not strong enough to take on the spider, so I decided it would be a waste of mana to continue focusing on it.
Running toward the spider, I slid under it, sending a shot of fire up, aiming at its torso.