The Eros Expansion

by Prax Venter

  Mark yelled, “Vale! Turn a-” before something grabbed his arm and violently jerked him from Vale's back.

  Mark struggled with his attacker as he watched bubbles rush up to the sun-silvered surface of the ocean. He saw Vale's long, serpentine shadow get surrounded by three smaller shadows as they circled, darting in for attacks.

  The giant naga was getting farther away as he was pulled deeper, and panic began to grip him harder than the fingers around his arm. He spun to see his attacker and looked right into the simple, plastic face of a painted mermaid.

  Her red lips were frozen into a permanent kiss, and her sightless eyes were inches from his. The plastic creature's lower half was all fish and bent at almost a forty-five-degree angle. It was pulling him down deeper and deeper without moving. Even her yellow-blonde hair was a rigid mass of plastic along the side of her body.

  Mark twisted his arm and used his feet to push off her hard stomach to break free from the creature’s grasp. The instant he did, he felt a light fluttering in his gut as essence entered his body from up above. His girls must be winning the battle up there. Kicking his legs and pushing water away from him with his arms, he tried to make a break for the surface.

  Before he got very far though, a second plastic mermaid with red hair came to join the first. Together, they used their plastic arms to latch on and resumed pulling him to the bottom of the ocean.

  Mark was very glad he didn't remove his clothes before getting in the water. No oxygen was not a problem for his magic cloth armor, but the pressure on his ears and skull from the countless gallons of ocean above him was slowly becoming a concern.

  Cold blackness began to surround him as he was pulled down, struggling against the immovable hunks of plastic clamped to his arms. His mind raced for options. He could pull one of his girls to him with Harem Recall, but that would doom them both.

  He didn't have to worry about it long, because his panicked thoughts were scattered by a massive shadow coming straight down at him.

  He quickly recognized it as Vale in her full armor, but he was surprised when she held out her ring and screamed a deafening blast of sound vibrations through the water.

  The yellow-haired mermaid let go of Mark's arm and quickly floated right by his face to latch on to the other, red-haired one. In the dark depths of the ocean, he saw a pink halo over the charmed mermaid's head and was dumbfounded for a moment, just staring at the plastic half-women as they wrestled for dominance. He didn't think Vale's charm was supposed to work in this gameworld.

  As the heavily armored giant naga sank past Mark, she tapped the gem on her forehead and began to wave her snake half violently back and forth to reverse her momentum. Mark clasped her outreached hand and held on as she rocketed them to the surface.

  For good measure, he imbued Vale with a stamina enhancement, giving her more energy to reach the surface quickly before she ran out of oxygen. The force of the water on his face as they shot upward was so intense he had to close his eyes, and it felt like she was going to pull his arm out of its socket.

  When they broke the surface, Vale gasped for air and pulled Mark to the shore.

  “Are you okay?” she called over her shoulder.

  “Yeah,” he responded, glad to see Ahnix, Roo- with a strange skeleton, standing on the shore.

  Vale let go when they hit the rock shelf that started the shoreline, and Mark quickly crawled up out of the water. Ahnix ran to his side and helped him up while checking for wounds.

  “I'm fine,” he said, waving her off. “How is everyone else?”

  “Soaked,” Roo said, a miserable note in her voice. Mark turned his attention to the dripping velvet-girl, and she looked very sad indeed. Her perfect lips were pulled down into a frown, and he noticed she was still holding the iron rake with the red-licorice Blood Vine.

  “So, no one needs any healing?” Mark asked, probing along their bond but everyone did seem to be fine.

  “I can't thank ya enough,” the skeleton newcomer said. Mark looked over and saw that he wore a brown poncho over his skeletal body. He continued in a higher-pitched voice that made Mark think this guy was supposed to be a young man. “It's been two days those nasty, beautiful beasties kept me trapped.”

  “Trapped where?” Mark asked.

  “He was laying down in the boat,” Ahnix said. “I stepped all over him when I teleported over to help Vale with her attackers.”

  “Terrified, I was! Heard tales tell of alluring fish women pull'n men down to the briny deep. Seen 'em pop their pretty heads up near shore where I set a second pole, anchored by some rocks. Tossed my rod over and laid still, I did- praying they don't notice. Bumped the boat a few times but...” he coughed, putting his skeletal hand to his bone throat. “Need water.”

  “Come on,” Mark said, collecting his shoes and crossbow. “Let's head back to town and see Captain Helgin.” He paused. “Wait. You are his crew member, right?”

  “I be known as Caltrop, aye.”

  “That's the last one,” Vale said as she picked up her Judge 559 and iron shield. “Just need to knock out Big Toe tonight, and we complete our mission.”

  Caltrop turned his hollow eye sockets on Vale. “Big Toe? That beast is undefeated in the Nest.”

  “Vale is undefeated in multiple universes,” Mark said, then also looked at Vale. “Speaking of universes. How did you charm that creepy, plastic mermaid under the water?”

  “They're shaped odd, but they weren't robots. I had to try something, and I am glad it worked. Physically fighting them both off you underwater would have taken way too long.”

  Ahnix spoke up. “It's complicated, but I am starting to visualize how data is classified within all these systems and subsystems. The overall space-station gameworld we are in should allow you to use your Hex abilities on non-robot-type entities inside the adventure domes, even if those things are formed from millions of tiny robots.”

  “Some of that was nonsense but being able to use my Hex abilities is good news.”

  “I wish I had an instant dry ability,” Roo said, then snapped her head up. “Oh! Wait-”

  She handed Mark the iron rake. She took a dainty step back, held her hand out and flicked open her fingers. Instantly, a small fire engulfed her legs up to her knees, sputtered for a moment and then went out.

  “Darn,” she said, kicking the ground with her toe.

  Mark walked up to the dejected Roo, wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. Water squished out of her fabric skin and he could tell she felt a bit more lumpy than usual.

  “I'd love to squeeze you dry,” he said.

  “I'll help, too,” Vale said, wrapping her tail around Roo's legs.

  The skeletal crewmen coughed into his bony fist. “You lot can fuck around all you like, I need water. Meet you at the Slog and Grog.” Mark watched as he started to march off down the shore.

  Vale nodded after the skeleton in the poncho.

  “Sun is going down. We should head back to Candlewick to prepare for the fight.”

  - 15 -

  Mark and Ahnix stood among the small, skeletal crowd gathered on the beach to watch the final match of the evening. Two blazing bonfires flanked the ring, throwing flickering light over the roped-off, square arena of sand. Roo sat directly inside of one of the towering fires, letting the hot air blow through her damp, flame-proof body.

  The matches hadn't been too exciting. Watching two skeletons circle and slam their fists into each other's skulls got boring fast, but based on the oddity now entering the ring with Vale- things were about to get much more interesting.

  The Viper's Nest announcer began to speak in a loud voice, and the crowd grew silent.

  “In the blue corner, we have a newcomer to the Viper's Nest, a sizable lady who looks like she can handle herself in a dark alley. Coming from far, far away- Vale!”

  Mark stood and began to clap loudly, and Roo whooped a few times from her spot in the fire. Ahnix just nodded to the giant naga who looked over to
her cheering section. Vale's armor was off, and she only wore the loosely wrapped cloth that encircled her chest and her hips, covering her lady parts.

  “And in this corner, the beast with the big feet and bigger fists, the reigning champion, only in the ring for his barrelful of bananas- Big Toe!”

  The rest of the crowd cheered as the massive brown plastic ape pounded his solid chest with his fists. The movement was almost comical, arms moving on joints that looked like something Mark had seen on an action figure. The face was painted on like every other animal they had seen on the island, but the paint was chipped and scratched like it had seen some rough treatment.

  The only part of Big Toe that moved was his bulky arms. Otherwise, he half-floated in the odd, jerky way that made Mark think of an invisible, giant child playing with a toy.

  “Now I want a good clean fight,” the skeleton in the nice white shirt announcing the fight began again. “Nothing fancy, fists only, and nothing below the waist.”

  Vale nodded, and the eight-foot ape across from her tilted backward and bellowed into the air.

  With a wave of his hand, the announcer became the referee and yelled, “Fight!”

  Big Toe, the plastic ape, slid across the sand toward Vale at an alarming speed. The giant naga held up both of her forearms as one of his fists pounded straight into her. Mark could feel a shadow of the bone-jarring strike through their bond and brought his eyebrows down as he watched Vale slide sideways around her opponent.

  She shook out her arms and brought them back up into a boxer pose. The giant naga continued to circle Big Toe until she was in the middle of the ring and lunged forward with a quick jab. The large ape zipped backward, his frozen plastic legs remaining motionless as he dug a line in the sand. Vale's strike whiffed, but she didn't underestimate her opponent and was prepared for the counter-attack. She pulled her fist back quickly and leaned back, dodging the ape's wide, right hook. His fists were the size of her head, and Mark became slightly worried that this fight was going to be more challenging than he first thought.

  In a blur of motion that seemed to defy physics, Big Toe scooted forward and launched a jab with his left- connecting squarely with Vale's nose.

  The crowd let out a collective “Ooo,” as Mark felt the painful sting of the strike and knew it was much worse for his giant naga. Vale shook her head and brought her arms up again, looking for an opening.

  The plastic ape was relentless though and launched his right fist into her tightly muscled stomach.

  Hurt again, Vale dodged backward and away from the follow-up blows. She doubled over, her pure white hair spilling down and placed her arm over her stomach. Mark considered healing her, or even enhancing her, but he knew that might get them disqualified- and worse, Vale would be pissed at him for breaking the rules.

  But she knew what she was doing. Apparently holding her stomach was a ruse meant to draw the ape in to finish her off. As the plastic creature lunged forward, Vale went low under the attack and came up with a powerful rising uppercut. Her muscled arm was raised high in the air after the devastating attack, and the cloth strips barely contained her massive breasts as she moved. Her toned body was lit by the orange firelight, and Mark thought she looked absolutely amazing.

  The strike landed square on the ape's jaw and sent him staggering backward. He shook his whole body, side to side, to clear the minor stun, but Vale was there before he could react. She dodged sideways as if to avoid a punch the ape hadn't thrown and spun back with a hook connecting into the side of Big Toe's head.

  He was hurt, but not down, and the two blows that Vale landed sent him into a rage. The brown toy ape bellowed a roaring noise from a frozen, plastic mouth and rushed at Vale again. She held up her arms and blocked most of the onslaught, but a few got through, striking her face and shoulders.

  The giant naga just held her ground and tried to weather the ape's wild flurry of attacks, but Mark could feel that her arms and body were taking some serious damage and had to resist the instinct to heal her again. He felt a warm, furry hand on his and looked over to Ahnix staring into his eyes. She nodded and sent him her confidence that Vale could handle this ridiculous-looking plastic creature. He sighed and nodded in agreement, lacing his fingers through hers.

  “Go Vale!” Mark cheered into the ring causing Roo to echo his sentiment from her place in the fire.

  “Yeah! Go! Go! Go! Pound that monkey!” the velvet girl called.

  He felt Vale perk up a little at the encouragement and smiled to himself. He could do something that wasn't technically cheating. They all could.

  He called on Ahnix and Roo to pour all their confidence and encouragement into their cherished giant naga as she took blow after blow from the enraged ape.

  Both of his girls understood and honed their focus on the bond they all shared with each other, sending wave after wave of love to Vale. And it worked.

  Just as Big Toe was about to come down on Vale's head with both of his fists, Vale surged forward and raised her left arm to strike upward at the incoming overhead blow. This caught the toy ape by surprise, and she was able to hold both of his arms over his head with her left forearm while proceeding to jab the creature in his exposed face, repeatedly, with her right fist. It was like watching a jackhammer destroy a slab of concrete.

  Empowered by the positive vibes Mark, Ahnix, and Roo were sending, Vale rained down a flurry of her own, and Big Toe started to react slower and slower to her punches. The giant naga got in a powerful right hook, square on the creature's painted face, and it was over. The brown, plastic ape fell backward like a single domino and just lay motionless as the skeletal referee came over and started counting.

  Mark looked over to Vale, panting as she took the time to recover and noticed a trickle of blood running out of her perfect nose.

  “Eight... nine...aaand ten! Vale is the new champion of the Viper's Nest!”

  A lot of the skeletons in the crowd must have bet against Vale as there were numerous moans, but Mark, Roo, and Ahnix all clapped and cheered for their friend.

  As soon as Vale exited the boxing ring, Mark let out the torrent of healing power he had pent up, and the giant naga sucked in a breath as she was bombarded by his pleasurable energies.

  “Mmm. Thanks, master,” the violet-eyed naga said as she wove up to them. “That was a good one.” Vale only called him that when she was particularly turned on, and Mark became excited just thinking about rolling around with his thickly muscled, giant naga.

  “What a great punch!” Roo said, skipping up to them. “You're such a good fighter, Vale.”

  “Aye, she is,” a melodious voice that Mark recognized called out. They all turned to see the skeletal belle in the powder-blue bodice, Sabrina, accompanied by her companion, Nate.

  Mark dipped his head forward. “Does this mean you give your consent to let first mate Nate join back up with Captain Helgin?”

  “I do,” she said, and Mark felt a massive amount of essence rush into his prostate from completing the multi-part quest. His Enthralled all turned their heads, feeling a shadow of what he felt, and it caused a feedback loop of arousing excitement between them.

  “That's all of them,” Vale said, crossing her arms under her massive, cloth-wrapped breasts, then focused on Nate. “Go tell Captain Helgin we sail for Silvermist Isle in the morning.”

  “Oh, I'll make sure he does,” Sabrina said. “The sooner we can establish our nest egg, the better, honey.”

  Sabrina curtsied, and Nate followed her lead with an awkward bow before they turned to leave. As Mark watched them go, he noticed four skeletons hoisting Big Toe up and carrying him off, too.

  “I hope he'll be okay,” Vale said, her eyebrows arched.

  After a few minutes, all the spectators had left. The Viper's Nest arena was a short way down the beach from town, and Mark noticed he had been left alone on a stretch of tropical paradise with three of the most beautiful women in the universe. Maybe it was the essence pushing to get o
ut, but each one of them was irresistible right now.

  “So,” Roo said, a sly smile forming on her lips. “Should I summon a door home?”

  “No,” Vale and Ahnix, said at the same time.

  Roo dropped her hand as the giant naga and the cat girl locked eyes.

  “Can I ride you in the ocean?” Ahnix asked.

  Mark had to laugh. “It was as fun as it looked.”

  Roo's eyes opened wide behind her mask. “Aren't you guys worried about sharks, or mermaids, or... sea creatures?”

  Vale pulled off the cloth strips covering her breasts and put them under her shield, next to her shotgun. Mark was mesmerized by her enormous black nipples lit by the bonfire.

  “No,” she said. “The water here is clear and shallow for a lot farther out. Nothing like that bottomless shelf up north.”

  Ahnix wiggled her hips as she pulled off her leather shorts. “Yeah, we'll be fine. Besides, we're near town. Every NPC knows towns are a safe zone, Roo.”

  Mark watched with a little jealousy as Vale and Ahnix finished stripping and raced out into the ocean. Above them, an impossibly huge moon shone on the world like a silver spotlight. It was a clear, warm night and a soft breeze blew across his nose as he inhaled a deep, content breath. There was something about this tropical island that seemed to make them all relaxed and happy.

  Mark shook his head and looked over at Roo. Relaxed and happy- except when ghostly pain monsters break your favorite fabric-girl's mind. Her black eyes were currently watching Ahnix and Vale splash around in the dark ocean with a worried half-squint.

  He decided it was time he tested their new connection.

  “Roo,” he started softly. “There is something you need to know.”

  She turned to face him and tilted her head to the side, her straight, lilac hair brushing against her shoulder.

  “Back in the dunes, when you were attacked, something happened that you don't remember.”

  He felt concern ooze out of her. “What do you mean?”

  “You were unconscious- locked in your own mind, and I couldn't heal you alone. Vale, Ahnix, and I had to go in and rescue you.”