by Prax Venter
The king put his hand on the door and turned his eye-stalks towards Mark. "Now be warned, the beast in here is unsettling and grotesque, but she'll be quite the feast for our celebration tomorrow."
The king pulled open the door, and they followed him into the building.
Mark was not expecting to see what he saw. And from Ahnix's soft hiss behind him, she wasn’t either. Light streamed down from small windows in the ceiling to illuminate a giant, naked, half-snake half-woman, tied up inside the shack.
The first thing he noticed was that she had impossibly huge breasts with black nipples the size of shot glasses. Thick, silver rings pierced her nipples, and these rings were tied to ropes.
The ropes were draped over a wooden beam in the ceiling, then tied to a large metal shield on the other side. The shield was also oddly pierced by thick silver hoops along its edges, matching the ones through her nipples. The massive slab of metal was suspended in the air, being held by nothing but her piercings. Her thickly muscled arms were tied behind her back forcing her chest outwards even more.
Her snake bottom-half was covered in smooth, white scales and ended at her meaty vagina. Her top half was tight, charcoal gray skin and unmistakably female. She had a toned, muscular stomach and built like a formidable warrior. Relying on experience from other fantasy games he had played before, Mark thought she looked like a drow elf mixed with a naga. She had long pointed ears, which were also pierced in multiple locations by silver hoops and had high angular cheekbones. Her pure white hair was long and straight, and she had expressive, vibrant violet, almost pink eyes that silently pleaded with Mark to help her.
Mark stepped closer to the unfortunate creature. The top of her head must have reached to eight feet, and the bottom half of her was coiled around, leaving her true size a mystery.
Mark turned away and faced the slug king, "Surely there is no need to torture her like this!"
The king scoffed and slithered forward, towards the snake-woman, leaving a slimy trail on the dirty straw where he passed. Mark looked to Ahnix who had one hand over her mouth and one over her chest, her eyes wide and her tail hanging limply. Her attention flicked over to Mark and then back to the snake-woman in bondage behind him.
The slug king stopped when he was in front of the large metal shield that pulled her huge nipples upward.
"Nonsense, my boy. All naga love this sort of thing," he said, and then swung his mace against the shield like it was a gong.
The taut ropes that were tied up and over the rafter and back down to her nipples quivered with vibration, and the prisoner's eyes rolled into the back of her head. A bit of drool leaked passed the gag in her mouth.
Mark frowned. The vibe he was getting was that she did indeed like what was happening to her nipples as her piercings tugged them upward.
The naga’s half-lidded eyes moved around the room, looking at everyone watching her. Not only was she actually enjoying this, but she also enjoyed being watched, tied up as she was.
"See?" the king continued, pointing at her massive pussy.
She had very long inner labia folds that hung from a large, round clitoris. The thing looked like a pink softball. The inside of her pussy was a rosy pink that contrasted with her dark skin and was leaking pussy juice down the white, under-scales of her bottom half.
"Keeping her in an aroused state will make her meat all the more savory. I'll make sure you get a generously sized steak at the wedding feast, Mark. We were just going to eat her in a few days, but your arrival and the capturing of this beast is a sign from the heavens condoning this marriage! There are no coincidences, my boy!"
At the mention of her death by feast, the naga's eyes regained their clarity and focused on Mark with a different sort of gaze. Hatred. Apparently, she liked it a little rough, but not that rough.
Mark risked a wink at the woman and hoped she understood what it meant. He quickly turned to the King again. "How did you come by such an amazing specimen? A naga, was it? Her and that shield seem to be a matched set. Was it hers?"
"She was found struggling in one of our nets." The king shrugged. "The river provides. The Blessing protects. And yes, she fought and killed a few of my men. Only fitting she is made to hold that shield in front of her just a bit longer!"
Mark looked back up into the eyes of the giant naga and found they were closed. Tears were welling up between her dark eyelids and rolling down her cheeks.
Mark knew what he had to do. Every fiber of his being told him that this beast could be enthralled and that they were compatible. He needed to work out a plan to get her out, and they needed to do it tonight.
But he had to know she could be tamed before risking his and Ahnix's life by adding the minor complication of freeing this giant snake-woman.
He walked closer to the prisoner and ran his fingers over the scratched and dented surface of the shield that hung from her nipples. He gave it a slight push to start it swinging.
The naga opened her eyes at the sudden stimulus on her stretched nipples and looked down at him. He could tell she was torn between pleasure and fear. He walked passed the shield and got very close to her. He noticed that her hips curved out nicely, and he wondered what kind of ass she had back there.
"Careful son, too close and the horrid creature might risk ripping her nipples off to get you," the king chastised.
Mark ignored him and put his palm flush against the smooth scales of her warm hip. He looked deeply into her frightened eyes and concentrated all his will on calming and asserting his dominance over her.
Once he felt the thread of a mental connection between the two of them he mouthed quietly, "I will take you from here and make you mine to play with."
Her eyes went wide and, he pulled his hand back and slapped her round, scaly ass.
She jumped, and the motion caused the taut ropes to tug on her nipples. Mark clearly felt a new portion of his being open up for her and knew he was successful. She was now his. Now he just needed to figure out how to keep his promise.
He quickly spun and clapped a hand on the king's slimy back.
"Well, I think I’ve seen enough, sire. She sure is thickly-muscled, and I'm looking forward to tasting her." Mark said, hoping nobody saw that he just enthralled the giant naga under their noses.
Ahnix was staring at him through narrow eyes, and he was pretty sure she knew what just happened. Mark was eager to move on before anyone else figured it out.
"I’m sure your kingdom reaches far and wide. Show me what other wonders I am to one day share with your stunning daughter," he said, leading the king back towards the door.
Mark risked a look over his shoulder just before they exited, and the bound naga was watching him go, her white eyebrows raised, pleading him not to leave her alone after he had just promised to take her away from here.
They exited the shadows of the snake-woman's prison and toured the jungle kingdom for a few more hours. They inspected the training grounds where young slug men lifted heavy boulders and sparred with sticks. They visited the kitchens where fish and bugs were being ground into pastes. There was even a great garden filled with deadly yet beautiful plants and flowers. Mark feigned extreme interest in everything as he thought about how to free the giant naga- and themselves, without killing them all. He had to figure this out. He just couldn’t leave her there, especially after making her his own. And he could really use a massive tank like her on his team.
When the tour eventually came to an end, Mark had finalized his risky plan. He wanted to go home with all the prizes and with some luck, and Ahnix's help, they would.
With darkness falling over the jungle he didn't have much time. Mark asked the fat slug king if he could have a word with him alone and they stepped a few paces away from everyone.
"Your Grace," Mark began, "Just as you needed to confirm my validity I, naturally, had to be sure your kingdom was as grand as the rumors speak of. I have left a sizable fortune back at my homestead and, now that I plan on settli
ng down with your beautiful daughter and raising a family of powerful, Collector offspring, I would like to send my enthralled servant to retrieve my valuables. I firmly believe a man needs to provide for his children. A few chests of jewels and gold coins from my adventures, nothing outlandish. Do I have your leave to give these instructions to my Enthralled and send her to retrieve them?
The slug's antennae flailed about wildly for a moment, causing both of his eyes to close involuntarily. After regaining his composure, the royal slug cleared his slimy throat.
"A wise precaution my, boy. Very wise. Of course. Do what you need to do."
Mark bowed his head, walked over to Ahnix and took her by the arm. "A word?"
They walked a short distance into the darkness of the forest. Once they were a far enough away, she yanked her arm out of his.
"Let's head east. We can get probably half a mile before-"
"We aren't running," Mark interrupted her. "We are going to heal that tear and save that giant snake-woman. I have a plan, and I need your help."
"Save her?" Ahnix looked at Mark with anger in her eyes. "You plan to enthrall her don't you?"
"We need a tank, Ahnix. A warrior to take the hits, so you or I don't have too. Also, I kinda already did."
"I knew it. One look at those..." Her voice caught in her throat, and he knew why the small cat-girl was angry. Mark stepped in to wrap his arms around her.
"Ahnix, I need you. I will never let you go, do you hear me?" She nodded weakly, and he continued, "I'm a Lover, not a Fighter, baby. I am strongest with a team and enthralling her will only make us stronger. I have never betrayed you, and I don't plan on it now." He kissed her nose and, he hated to do it, but he pushed her away to arm's length. "Now listen, here is my plan, and I need to tell you fast before some slimy bastard gets suspicious and checks on us."
He told her twice, and she nodded when Mark asked if she thought it would work. He took the risk of taking her hand in his and lovingly touching his lips to her furry knuckles. He looked into her captivating, half-lidded eyes and wished her good luck.
Ahnix ran off into the forest, and Mark turned to go back to his betrothed. The king and his daughter were excitedly planning the events of the big day. When Mark approached, they were discussing who was, and wasn't, going to sit closest to the royal dais.
"...mother's sisters, those old puss bags, will not get within viewing distance of the main table and that is final my dear," the king gargled, angrily.
"But mother would have-" the princess began to blubber when Mark interjected.
"My king! If I may..." He took up position next to the princess. "I was hoping to have some time alone with your daughter, you know, to get to know her better. A stroll around the kingdom, just the two of us? I can't wait to discover all the little things we have in common." Mark then took her unsettlingly human-like, green hand in his own and kissed it just like he had done moments ago with Ahnix.
Before, he sincerely meant the look he gave his loyal and beautiful Egyptian queen. He drew on those recent actions to pull off what he thought was a convincing replay. It took a monumental force of will not to vomit, as his lips came away from her hand slightly coated in putrid mucus.
The king looked from Mark to his daughter and sighed. "Very well, but you will have two armed guards near at all times." He pointed his scepter near Mark's face. "I am trusting you with my Princess. Any harm comes to her, and you will find those odd bones you carry around inside you turned into a proper paste. Are we clear, boy?"
"As clear as crystal, your grace." Mark bowed his head to the king and then offered his arm to the slug princess, Jaseen. "My betrothed, will you join me on a moonlit stroll?"
Her mass quivered, and she slid closer, looping her arm around his. The king pointed at two, nearby, guards who promptly took up position behind them.
Mark led a winding path to his intended destination, not wanting to make it look like he had an agenda. They passed in front of the deadly gardens, and Mark compared her beauty to a jungle rose. They passed the kitchen, and he plucked a wriggling grub from one of the bowls and playfully popped it into her horrendous sack of a mouth. He led her to the broad riverboat he had noticed earlier so they could gaze into the swirling, white “blessing” and talk.
When they reached the narrow gangplank that stretched across onto the boat they had to pass over it one at a time.
"Ladies first," Mark said, as he extended his arm towards the boat. She slunk her slug body across and turned around on the deck, waiting for him. Mark went after her and almost lost his footing as his boots slid on the slime trail she left behind. He grasped on to the thin wood railing to either side and looked down at the rushing waters below. He gulped and quickly made his way across onto the boat. The two guards assigned to follow them waited on the shoreline, flanking the gangplank.
The old riverboat was fairly large with an ample deck and had a spacious cabin with a pitched roof, nestled in the center. The hull seemed large enough to house a sizable lower deck. The ship rocked gently as the river rushed passed, underneath and into the tear in the world about fifty yards in front of them.
Mark led her to the front of the ship and leaned against the guardrail, pretending to appreciate the humongous, glitchy mess in front of them.
He turned to the slug princess and smiled, "Hope you don't mind, I'm going to take off my shirt. The Jungle can get pretty steamy."
Without waiting for a response, he unslung his canvas sack from his shoulder and put it on the deck. Then he pulled his vest over his toned chest, making a show of it.
Her hourglass pupils watched every muscle as he flexed for her. He laid his vest over the railing of the ship and leaned against it.
"Not at all,” she said, as one of her seven nipples began to ooze puss. "In fact, ever since you cast that spell on me I have found you quite attractive, for a dry-skin. I knew my father has wanted me to wed and mate with a Collector, but all he really cares about is a powerful army. He never cared how I felt about it. Every handsome slug that came to court me he turned away, waiting for the off chance that a Collector would come along. And against all odds, here you are." She slid a bit closer.
"Dry-skin, huh? Maybe later we could get some of your sweet mucous all over me and fix that particular shortcoming."
Another nipple started to ooze. He was going to have to move this along before he finally puked from the stench. He hoped Ahnix was in position to see his first signal.
He raised his ring and cast another heal spell on Jaseen, hoping he wasn't going to need it for actual healing soon. Glowing sparks appeared above the slug princess and slowly descended around her. Her eyes closed, and the stalks they were on drooped downwards. Her grimy slit of a mouth opened, inadvertently forming a mucous bubble with her rancid breath. All of her nipples tightened, and puss dribbled out of them freely.
Her mucous mouth bubble popped and Mark almost lost it. If he puked now, he would blow everything. He didn't have to hold his bile down for long as he felt the boat tilt to one side under his feet. Such a motion was easily explained away by the turbulent waters below, but he was waiting for it.
He got his face as close as he dared to the slug princess and whispered near her ear hole, "Let’s go mess around a little in the garden. No one will know if we are careful."
She was so physically aroused it was easy to convince her that a little foreplay wouldn't be breaking any rules, so she agreed. Mark walked her to the gangplank and was about to let her cross first when he remembered that he carelessly left his vest on the railing at the front of the ship.
"You go ahead. I'll be right there. I just need to get my vest."
She nodded and slinked across. Mark went back for his white vest, put it on and walked back to the edge of the ship. He put his hands on the gangplank's railing and smiled at the guards and princess waiting for him on the other side.
Instead of crossing, Mark used all his strength and lifted the gangplank up, tossing it sideway
s to tumble into the waters below.
"Now!" he yelled.
Down at the back end, Ahnix slashed at the thick rope holding the boat from being carried along with the river, but it was going to take a few more swipes to hack through.
The guards instantly picked up on what was happening and reacted quickly. One threw his spear at Mark who dropped to the deck as it sailed right through the spot his chest had been a moment before.
The other slug started to emit a deep gurgling sound that reverberated off the tall trees around them.
The princess just watched, listless. Mark did feel sorry for her. Jaseen didn't seem like that bad of a person. Just disgusting.
He saw Ahnix was almost through the rope tethering the riverboat when a group of slug warrior reinforcements arrived at the platform and aimed to skewer her. She was their prime target; if they stopped her from cutting the rope, they would stop them.
Mark had blown his heal, and he didn't know if he would be able to do anything to save her if she got hit. The thickly muscled slugs launched their spears at her one at a time, but a massive figure with a giant shield appeared next to Ahnix and blocked every single one.
The cat-girl paused for a moment to look up at the naga they had just freed, towering over her, protecting her. The moment didn’t last long, and she went back to hacking at the rope.
The princess yelled out to Mark in an angry gurgle, "What do you think will happen? You'll be absorbed by our Great Blessing... You'll die you idiot!"
Mark ignored her and ran for the front of the boat. But Princess Jaseen was right- if this part didn't work they would all be dead.
Ahnix's claws finally severed through the rope as another volley of stone-tipped spears, aimed for her heart thunked harmlessly off the naga's shield. The boat was now free to be carried downriver, straight into the tear. As the lumbering vessel lurched forward, caught in the river's strong current, it bashed right through many of the cranes and nets carefully set up by the slug people.
Mark stuck his arm out as far as he could. The bow of the ship protruded over the hull allowing him to reach about three feet or so passed the part keeping them afloat.