by Prax Venter
He saw her mouth the word, "Master," with questions in her eyes, but the din of the arena drowned out any hope of speech.
Roo assisted him in helping the large, fully naked, naga off of the ground just as Ahnix was limping up.
He saw one of her exceedingly rare, small-mouthed smiles and tried to burn the image into his mind for safe keeping. They all hugged in the center of Sizor's Pit, grateful to have this set of trials behind them.
"To the victor go the spoils!" a much louder and deeper voice than the announcer boomed across the stadium. The audience grew quiet, and Mark noticed a large, black figure walking towards them.
It was Sizor himself, the heavily armored centaur, and he was moving across the arena to join them in the center.
When he arrived, he looked down on Mark and his girls, his eyes always hidden by the shadows of his horned helmet. He studied them for a moment before lifting a glowing blue stone to his mouth and speaking.
"I want to be the first to congratulate The Saviors; Mark, Ahnix, Roo, and Vale, on their impressive victory."
The crowd started to cheer again, and Sizor held up a black, gauntlet-clad hand, calling for silence. "As per the agreement, I will now take them into my private chambers to pick their prize for defeating all five levels of combat. It is up to them to reveal what priceless treasure they chose, and I hope to see The Saviors defeat many more enemies and earn many more victories!"
He pointed to the crowd and slowly turned in place, his massive hooves kicking up dust as he moved. "Do you have what it takes to be the next champion of the Pit?"
The crowd went wild as he lowered the magic stone from his face and beckoned Mark and his Enthralled to follow him.
Mark's heal had just enough time to cool down during the speech, and he fixed Ahnix ankle. They all followed the armored centaur out of the arena and into the victor's room.
The teller's station was empty, and Mark started to get bad vibes again. He really hoped they weren't going to get screwed over by this guy.
He led them into the bowels of the arena, and after a few twisting hallways, Sizor opened a large wooden door and bade them enter.
Mark walked in first and saw what must have been Sizor's office. The whole room was like an enormous jail cell, with iron bars along every wall. The back of the room was open to the arena floor giving Sizor a good view of every fight. There was a large desk that seemed to be custom made for the enormous size of the centaur. Also in the room was Feeira, his enthralled centaur woman, and Borf, standing just inside the iron gate that enclosed his office.
Mark and his girls were led past the opening and Borf slid an iron gate shut behind them.
"Please forgive the security measures, Mark. A lot of people want what I have stored in this room," Sizor said, pointing to a large chest with a purple glowing lock.
The heavily armored centaur pointed at the gate that Borf had just shut and said, "Lock."
Mark turned to look and saw another instance of the purple light now surrounding the keyhole.
"A unique ability I acquired in my travels across this dying world, and it has been quite handy at securing my possessions. And, speaking of unique abilities, Ahnix here has really caught my eye. Your team has eluded detection in my city, and her ability to instantly teleport has been crucial in winning your challenges."
Mark shifted uncomfortably as Ahnix's tail went from swaying side to side, to flipping aggressively.
Sizor continued, "I will, of course, honor our agreement and allow you to take one item from my chest. But before I grant you access to my most precious of treasures, I wish to make you an additional offer. You have decimated some fairly valuable combatants and one very rare creature of mine. I think it's only fair that you trade me one of your rare Enthralled. I'll offer five hundred gold pieces for Ahnix and your choice of a replacement from my stable of beast-women."
Before Mark could speak the female centaur stepped forward. "You should pick a centaur. You can ride them into battle and then ride them after battle." She pulled down her top and showed Mark a massive pair of tits, similar to Vale's.
Mark cleared his throat, feeling sweat build on his palms. "Thank you for your generous offer, but I'm afraid I will have to decline. I'd like to just pick an item from the chest if I may."
Sizor was silent for a moment and then crossed his massive arms.
"I knew you were a shrewd businessman, Mark. One thousand gold."
Mark sighed. "Ahnix is more valuable to me than all gold that is in this world or any world that exists in any dimension. She is off the table and-"
Sizor interrupted him. "Very well. I didn't want to do this, but you've left me no choice. Sleep."
Both Vale and Roo dropped to the ground unconscious. Borf raised his foot and held it over Vale's beautiful face. The elephant-man kept his small, beady eyes on Sizor and Mark started to feel waves of hatred radiate out of the wrinkled, gray creature. With the mental connection, Mark realized he could enthrall Borf.
"You don't want to lose two Enthralled, do you?" Sizor continued. "Now the new deal-"
"Ugh, you are stupid, Mark," Ahnix said, surprising everyone. "You should have just taken the gold."
She walked across the room to stand next to Sizor, who was watching her carefully. She ran her fingers along his thick, armored side.
"You think I want to be enthralled to this weakling? Just look at him. Look what he's wearing! If you'll recall, Mark, I was just telling you yesterday how weak you were, and now you're getting all sentimental again. The only way to survive in this shitty world is to grow powerful."
She turned her exotic eyes up into Sizor's dark helmet.
"I need a strong hand to guide my enhancement. From what I've seen, by your side is where true power is."
Mark had received the messages she sent him, he didn't know where she was going to bring him, but Mark knew she wanted him to enhance her and then pull her back after she teleported away. He tried to play his part convincingly.
"Ahnix, I knew this would come someday. But after we... I thought-"
"You thought wrong," the cat-girl said, walking along Sizor's side and peeking underneath his hindquarters. "Just look at this dick. Mmm, I'm going to get an upgrade in so many ways."
Sizor turned his attention back to Mark, who used the opportunity to pour as much energy into Ahnix as he could without being detected.
Borf was the only one who could see the golden rings close around Ahnix, but he kept his elephant mouth shut, as Mark suspected he would.
The heavily armored centaur chucked, "How humiliating for you, Mark. I'll still honor-" was all he got out before both he and Ahnix vanished.
Mark popped a bubble on Vale, just in case he was wrong about Borf and then focused all his attention on pulling Ahnix back to him. Feeira was screaming something, but he ignored her and searched the universe for his amazing Ahnix. He tried to feel her soft fur on his fingers and then mentally yanked her to him.
She reappeared at his side and slumped to the ground. One of her legs was bent at a horrible angle, and white bones were sticking out of her bloody fur in many places.
"Took you long enough..." she said, through tiny, clenched teeth.
Mark quickly healed her, and the severely broken leg snapped back to normal.
"What did you do? Where did you take him?" Feeira was still screeching, her tits still exposed, and pointing her spear at Mark.
Ahnix stood up, dusted herself off and looked at the panicked centaur. "Oh, about two miles from here."
Borf spoke up from behind him. "It doesn't matter... We're locked in here until he comes back. And then I'm sure he'll just kill you all."
Mark looked at the elephant-man and saw that he was no longer holding his wide foot over Vale's head. He let the bubble around Vale fall.
"That's right," Feeira said. "Sizor can run like the wind, and he'll be back here in less than ten minutes."
Ahnix snorted. "Oh, he'll be back sooner than that."
Mark was about to ask what she meant when a loud crash out in the center of the arena demanded their attention.
The glowing locks on the chest and on the door both went dim as Sizor's massive body struck the arena floor, and his flesh, blood, and bones were sent flying to every corner of his pit by the force of the impact.
Mark looked over to Ahnix, "You took him two miles straight up?"
"More or less."
Vale and Roo began to stir, and Borf quickly pulled open the gate behind them
"You truly are Saviors, you know that?" he rumbled. "There are a lot of slaves whose cells just opened or collars fell off. My wife is one of them. Get what you came for and leave. Chaos will reign in Hanno for quite some time."
And with that, he stomped out of Sizor's office and left them alone with Feeira.
"What just happened?" Vale said, shaking the cobwebs from her mind.
"Don't worry," Mark said, "We'll explain later, Ahnix get them ready to move, will you?"
She nodded and bent down to help a groggy Roo to her feet. Mark approached the unlocked chest containing all the epic prizes, and Feeira moved to block his path with her spear, tears rolling down her face.
He looked up at the beautiful centaur. "Look, Feeira, it's over. We killed a fucking dragon, and we turned the great Sizor into paste for threatening us. I am going to take one item from this chest, as was promised to us. If you think you can stop me, go right ahead and try."
He put his hand on top of her spear and pushed it towards the ground. She didn't resist and just watched him, unsure what to do now that her master was dead.
Mark turned from her and made his way to the huge, black prize chest. It looked like it was made from the same black metal as Sizor's armor had been. As he was pushing the lid back, Mark cynically wondered if it was just going to be empty. But it wasn't. There was actually a lot of random, strange-looking stuff in piled inside.
He had to move a wooden flute, gold-filigree puzzle box, and a marble statue of a winged horse out of the way before saw the bowl made of diamond. Finally finding what he came for, he let out a sigh of relief. He pulled out the bowl and caught Feeira's eye.
"This is it. I'm only taking this. The rest is yours if you want it, we're leaving."
They left the topless, forlorn centaur to consider her options as they exited the room and into the hallway. As soon as he passed the doorframe, a massive surge of essence almost knocked him over. He smiled to himself. They were growing more and more powerful.
"We turned Sizor to paste?" Roo asked as they moved.
"Ahnix teleported him into the stratosphere. No time for details now," Mark said, looking down the long hallway. "We need to find a secluded room and open the door home."
Mark heard someone running down the hall towards them and saw their arena escort, Minax, barreling towards them. She had a pancaked look in her large eyes.
“Minax, you okay?” Mark asked, but she didn't even look at them and continued running down the hallway, slapping her webbed feet on the stone as she moved.
“More a coming!” Ahnix yelled out behind him, and they got ready for whatever was headed their way.
Chasing behind Minax was a score of dirty looking humans, and Mark recognized two of them as the ones who had served them the food yesterday. Mark and his girls pressed against the wall, giving the angry mob room to pass by them.
Ahnix spoke up after they had gone. “Looks like you made a serious dent in the slave trade, Mark.”
“Yeah, come on. The sooner we're out of here, the better.”
They tried a few doors along the hallway until they found a storeroom with some barrels of liquid and crates of food. Mark waved his girls inside first and then shut the door behind him. Vale moved some of the heavier containers against the entrance to the storeroom as Roo summoned the way back home.
Mark looked around at the mountains of supplies surrounding them and got an idea.
"Hey, everyone, let's loot some of these delicious looking foodstuffs and stock up while we can!"
Roo had finished forming the door, pulled it open and spun around to face Mark. "Great idea. I'll make us a pantry- ooh and a kitchen!"
They grabbed things they knew would keep, especially barrels of wine and water, and stacked the main room of the house world with supplies.
The door to the storeroom began to rattle, and either someone was trying to stop them or had the same idea. Whichever it was, it was time to go.
Mark was the last one through and pulled the door closed, sealing them safely in their own, private dimension where no one could harm them.
- 21 -
Mark stepped through the magic doorway and into the home of the forest spirit, Mother. The wooden woman came to greet them as soon as they all were through and the door had vanished.
"Welcome back, Collector. I see you have gathered the items I had requested. This is very good."
Mark nodded and handed her the bowl and the splinter of celestial iron. He watched as she walked over to the still waters of her pond and filled the bowl with water. Then, she placed the piece of the fallen star on the surface of the water.
He wasn't prepared for what happened next. The creature known as Mother began to twist and bend her body, separating into individual branches. These branches split again and again until she had reshaped herself into a perfect sphere of continually twisting and weaving branches. The sphere hovered above the ground and surrounded the objects Mark had given her.
An intense radiance shown through in some places where the branches did not completely touch as they moved, and Mark had to shield his eyes.
When it was over, the writhing ball of wood pulled itself open and reformed into the familiar, voluptuous shape of the wooden woman.
She walked up to Mark and held out the object she had created. It looked like a regular compass but made from diamond. Inside, the glowing red needle of celestial iron rotated in the water and came to rest pointing over his left shoulder. He ran his hand over the smooth, transparent surface holding in the contents.
"There. As promised. The rest is entirely up to you. Just head to where the needle is pointing to find the closest piece of the Crystal Heart."
"Thank you, Mother. You have been extremely helpful," Mark said, bowing his head.
"I know. Now get to it."
She walked off into the forest, and Mark nodded to Roo. The velvet-girl held out her hand and reopened the door.
Once they were all back inside, Mark wandered into the map room. His enthralled followed him in, and they searched for the best place to start looking.
Vale's massive, exposed nipples caught his attention as they were inches from his face.
"Perhaps we should stop in and see how Donovan and the rest of Auxuma Village is doing. Maybe buy a new harness for Vale's extremely distracting melons?"
The giant naga put her hands on her hips and slightly shook her heavy tits for him. She had been sad about losing both of her gifts, the harness and the whip, to the dragon's fiery breath.
Ahnix traced a line from Mother's Forest to where the village should be.
"It's not on the map, but it should be right around here, somewhere. It's actually in line with the direction the needle was pointing. It's very far across the world, but if the device leads us back north, we'll know it's somewhere between the two points.
Mark shrugged. "Good, it's decided. Roo can you please take us to Auxuma Village?"
He looked over at Roo who was frowning, looking at the map.
"You sure that's what it's called? I'm not getting anything like that. I don't mean on the map. No town called Auxuma seems to exist that I can tell."
Ahnix looked over at Mark, "Maybe they changed the name after we left? The river returning was big for them."
"Okay, Roo. Can you just put us here, by the Vull?" He reached out and pointed to a place on the map.
"Sure."
The back door formed, and Roo pulled it open. They all ste
pped out onto the dirty sand near the sparkling waters of the Vull river, and Mark instantly felt the wrongness of a nearby tear in the world.
The door vanished, and Mark turned to look up-river and saw a massive blob of glitching white noise where the village should be.
Mark put his hands on his head in disbelief. He didn't think new tears could form. He was told they ripped open when the pieces of the Crystal Heart had shattered and ricocheted across the world.
"No..." Vale said and slithered towards it.
Ahnix put her hand on his shoulder and caught his eye. "Let's close it. They might be just fine, frozen in time like every other one."
It was worth a shot. He nodded and called everyone together.
"Okay, we're going to heal this tear. Roo, this is new for you, but it's time you learn how to do this."
"Me?" She looked terrified of the swirling chaos in front of them.
"Yes," Ahnix said. "Together, we can do anything. We've done this before, and we know you can do it too. Just put your hand in and demand it listen to you."
Mark nodded, and the four of them approached the tear, standing side by side. On the count of three, they all shoved their hands inside.
Roo cried out in pain, but everyone shouted words of encouragement to her. She pressed her big, velvety lips together, determined to not let anyone down and before long the tear in the world was healed.
And in its place was an empty crater.
Mark sank to his knees and shook his head. "How?"
Ahnix was looking at something on the other side of the river and pointed her finger towards where the two of them had walked across the desert, so many days ago.
Mark looked across the wide river, and he saw smaller tears, like bread crumbs, scattered at random intervals stretching as far as he could see.
"They followed us from the pyramid? Sasha’s minions?"
"It seems so," Ahnix said quietly, her tail hanging motionless between her legs
Mark grabbed a handful of the dirt from the ground where Donovan said they were going to plant vegetables and let it fall through his fingers.