The Concubine Contract

by Eden Redd

  Shoulder’s tight; he stepped to his beat up Chevy, a small box on the hood. Glancing back, Johnny closed the door and locked it, watching from behind the glass windows. The rest of the team stepped over to watch and see if Nathan was going to do anything crazy.

  The young man swiped the small box from the hood and opened the driver’s side door. Sitting down and placing the box on the passenger seat, he closed the car door, ready to drive off with his head held high. Keys out, they slipped into the ignition and were given a turn. Nathan stared forward as the car whined and chattered but didn’t turn on. Nathan turned the key again but the car made a whirling noise, not starting.

  “Come on….not now….” Nathan said trying to coax the aging car.

  The team watched as Nathan tried again and again. The car simply wouldn’t start. The storm grew once again, flashing across frayed nerves as he tried again to start the car. Heat crawled into his face. All he wanted was to drive off with his head held high. Now, here he was, car dying and everyone watching him like some tiger in a zoo.

  “Please start…” Nathan whispered.

  The car chattered a whine.

  “Please start…” Nathan growled.

  The car sputtered.

  “PLEASE START!” Nathan shouted at the top of his lungs.

  The engine growled to life.

  Nathan glanced over at the team as they continued to watch. Betty held her hands to her mouth while several employees’s talked out the sides of their mouths. Nathan must have looked like a crazy person but he quickly pushed it all away.

  Driving off, Nathan patted the steering wheel with one hand as if apologizing to the Chevy. The car turned onto the street and he drove off, the last shackles of his day job falling from his spirit.

  Two

  The afternoon sun shined down as Nathan opened his car door. A leg stretched out but he continued to sit, taking in the fresh air. Under his arm was his small box with two shirts, a Lich King bobble head, several pens that belonged to everyone but him and a small plastic bag with feeder goldfish swimming about that he picked up from the pet store on the way home. The young man closed his eyes, attempting to calm down. A new worry creased his brow as he wondered what he was going to tell Dad.

  “He doesn’t need to know yet,” Nathan whispered to himself as he firmed up his resolve and stood up from the driver’s side.

  Closing the door quietly, he plotted a path through the side door, to the basement. If he moved quickly and Dad was somewhere else in the house, he could slip downstairs. He would have some explaining to do to Shelly but Nathan was sure she would understand.

  Smiling to himself, Nathan made his way up to the side porch and to the door. Glancing in through the kitchen window, the coast was clear. Keys out, the lock clicked open and Nathan slid in, closing the door quietly behind him. The basement door was ten feet away and if he moved like a ninja, he could make it.

  Nathan took a small breath and one step before his father walked into the kitchen. Father and son froze as their eyes questioned what the other one was doing. It was Dad who broke the moment of silence.

  “Your job called. They wanted to make sure you were still at this address so they can send you your last check.”

  Nathan’s shoulders sank low.

  Robert eyed his son for a moment, “Want to talk about it?”

  “No,” Nathan said flatly.

  “It might help.”

  Nathan moved to the middle of the kitchen and put the box down. Robert moved to a chair and sat down, concerned eyes on his son. Nathan sat down opposite of him and told him everything that happened.

  Robert listened as Nathan gave the gory details. When he was done, Nathan sat back and ran his hand through his hair, eyes looking away. A small silence filled the kitchen and when Robert felt his son was finished, he spoke up.

  “You didn’t like that that job anyway.”

  “It was a pretty terrible job,” Nathan said indifferently.

  Robert nodded, “I’m sure you will need some time but I’m also sure you will come up with a new plan. In the mean time, I could make some calls to my old buddies. Maybe one of them can find you a position somewhere.”

  Nathan looked up to his dad, “Thanks but I think I need a break for awhile.”

  Robert’s eyes lowered a little, “The longer you take, the harder it will be to get a new job. Have you tried for any graphic design positions?”

  Nathan let out a sigh, “The world doesn’t need another graphic designer.”

  Robert grew silent. He could see the pain in Nathan’s eyes as he looked away. His fatherly heart thumped as he watched his son struggle with life. He wanted nothing more than to give him the world, anything to ease his pain. Knowing that only fueled his need to comfort his son but deep down he knew he had to let him be his own man.

  “We could go see a movie or hang out?” Robert said with a smile.

  Nathan continued to look away, “I think I just want to be by myself for awhile.”

  Robert nodded, not wanting to add to his son’s troubles.

  Nathan was silent for a moment before he stood up with the box under his arm. Without a word, he moved to the basement door and opened it. Robert watched as his son stepped through and closed it behind him.

  “Take all the time you need, son,” Robert whispered.

  Nathan took each step in turn, wood creaking from the shifting weight. He reached the bottom and turned to his basement apartment. Shelly poked her head from her shell, looking from the glass aquarium. Nathan dropped the box on the couch and pulled out the plastic bag. Ripping the top open, he moved to an empty feeder tank by Shelly’s tank and dumped the goldfish into the clear waters. Scooping up a net, the young man slipped it into the feeder tank and caught two little goldfish.

  “Early supper time,” Nathan said as he picked up the wriggling fish and dumped them in Shelly’s little water pool.

  The turtle scooted to the water and dove in head first as the goldfish swam in circles. Beak open, she snapped at one and cut it in half before devouring each piece in turn. When she was done, she snapped at the other goldfish, swallowing it whole.

  “It’s a turtle eat goldfish world,” Nathan smiled.

  The young man turned from the turtle tank and surveyed his surroundings. The basement apartment was well furnished since that’s where most of his money went. Eyes turned to the Mind’s Eye Gear game console where the last of his dwindling cash went. The final check he would receive from Kelly’s Burgers would only be a day and half pay.

  Nathan stood silently, mind working and eyes drinking in his surroundings. He lived most of his life upstairs in the house until he couldn’t take it anymore. Moving down to the basement was better but not by much. The ghosts and memories drifting from room to room upstairs was enough to keep him down below, where he could keep to his thoughts instead of shadowy dark images.

  As he relaxed in the warmth of his space, the same thought flowed like a comforting tide in his mind, unable to disappear because he simply couldn’t let it.

  “I’ve become a basement dwelling troll,” Nathan said with a sad laugh.

  Shelly climbed out of the water and looked up at the young man.

  Nathan turned to her and gave a weak smile, “It’s okay. The world is a cruel place but down here, we’re safe.”

  Nathan looked over from the tank to the MEG console and helmet. Immediately, he walked over and scooped up the helmet. Turning, he stepped to his bedroom and turned on the light. A twin bed lay in the middle of the medium sized bedroom. Fantasy paintings covered the walls and a closet to the left stood open. On the bed was a MEG body suit and love box. Blue lines ran along the white specially designed fabric while the love box lay on its side, right beside it.

  “I guess I’ll have plenty of time for some adventures,” Nathan said as he stepped closer to the bed and began to undress.

  ***

  Eyes opening, Nathan couldn’t fight the grin spreading from ear to ea
r. As he sat up, Wynn stood with wings folded behind her and a kind smile on her lips. The player took a deep breath before standing up and facing the beautiful angel. The excitement returned; pumping through his veins as his mind raced with ideas.

  “Are you ready to create your character for Lewd Saga?” Wynn said.

  Nathan nodded and before his eyes, six 2D menus appeared around him. Each one held different information as line after line scrolled down every few seconds. Nathan’s eyes moved from one to the next, taking in the information bit by bit.

  “I can assist with any questions you may have,” Wynn said, but her words didn’t seem to reach the player.

  Nathan continued to look to each screen in turn. One screen held races, another had classes. One scrolled down with weapons and another with armor. The last two screens showed playing styles and kinks. The player wanted nothing more than to go over every piece of data, trying to piece together the perfect mixture so he could excel right out the gate.

  Game logic began to blur in the player’s mind. Reality licked his thoughts and he couldn’t push away the day’s events. They clawed into his heart as he tried to shake it and focus at the task at hand. Character creation was one of the best moments for Nathan when starting a game, but the horrible shit from the day kept pooling in his mind.

  Wynn could see the light dim in Nathan’s eyes and stepped closer, hand reaching out and touching his cheek. Nathan looked up from the screens, drinking in her beauty and dimming the terrible thoughts. No words were said as Nathan smirked and turned his gaze back to the character races. The list circled back to the top and the words glowed in his mind.

  “The troll race, tell me about them.”

  Wynn nodded, “The trolls or ‘Kunarr’, are the masters of the southern kingdoms of Lukken. They desire to overthrow the dragon and human race, bringing a new order to the lands. They have access to certain classes not offered by many of the other races. Despite the political views of the troll kingdoms, most consider them evil. One does not have to be troll to be evil. Lewd Saga allows players to bring their own moral code into the game.”

  Nathan smirked as he tapped at the troll race option. In a blink of an eye, his hand turned a medium blue. Wynn waved a hand and a full length mirror appeared. Nathan looked into the mirror and took in his new avatar appearance. The player’s perception changed to match his new height. In reality he was five feet ten inches but he could see he had grown to over six feet. His body had shifted into a strong T shape. Muscles were toned but not overly big. His head took on a rectangular appearance and short dreadlock hair covered the top. The player’s new face changed but kept some of his natural appearance except his nose. It became a little pointed and his eyes had taken on a dark shade. A strong chin completed the look.

  “Not bad,” Nathan said as he turned slightly to take it in.

  The player gazed at himself before going back to the screens. The race selection faded away and then he looked to the class options. The list scrolled as eyes moved from one line to the next. There seemed to be hundreds of different classes, from knights, clerics and rogues to witches, paladins and monks. The list went on until he tapped it to stop.

  “What’s a Shadowmancer?”

  “A Shadowmancer is a combination class of a Rogue and a Necromancer. The class focuses on some combat ability but splits it with necromancy magic. These types of classes can never specialize in either but create a blend for a discriminating player. You can never achieve the high level items and skills of a single pure class but it will offer unique options only you can use or take advantage of.

  “Shadowmancers begin with special abilities such as Whisper to the Dead and Soul Drink. You will receive a few spells and the ability to learn other necromantic spells as you adventure through the game. I must warn you, necromancers, witches and Shadowmancers are shunned by most for they cannot be trusted.”

  Nathan smiled at the angel, “Nobody trusts me anyway,” and tapped the Shadowmancer class.

  Black leather and a cloak appeared on Nathan’s body. He looked to the mirror to see the hood over his head, casting a shadow over the top half of his face. The shine of dark eyes blinked as the player returned to the floating 2D screens.

  “Wynn, before we continue, I want you to turn on progression, stat and loot alerts. I will tailor it as I go but I want to make sure I have every number in front of me.”

  Wynn bowed her head, “As you wish.”

  Special Ability gained: Whisper to the Dead. Player may spend Charisma points to speak to the dead and convince them to share information or fight for the Shadowmancer. Charisma influences this ability.

  Special Ability gained: Soul Drink. Player can drink from a living soul to fuel their personal Dark Mana pool. Dark Mana is used to raise undead, perform spells and charge weapons with dark energy.

  Special Skill gained: Sneak. Player can hide from detection. Higher levels will allow player to hide from magic detection. Dexterity influences this ability.

  Racial Ability gained: Regeneration. Player will regenerate at a faster rate compared to most humanoid races. Ability activates when not in combat. Stamina influences this ability.

  Nathan read each line until Wynn’s head tilted forward and shadows covered her eyes. The player watched as tiny black bats appeared at her feet and spun into a whirlwind. The mini tornado of bats spiraled around the angel until she was completely engulfed. Long seconds passed before the bats surged into the air and flew off in all directions.

  The shadowmancer stared as Wynn slowly lifted her head, her entire body taking on a new appearance. Gone were the angel’s wings; replaced by black bat-like wings as they unfurled outward and flexed. Small horns poked from her forehead and her eyes, lined with darkness, contained a mischievous gaze. Black lips curved into a smirk against reddish skin. The white hair on her head turned a deep abyssal black. A serpent like tail flicked behind her with a heart-shaped tip. The robe she wore before turned into a skimpy black bikini top and bottom, barely leaving anything to the imagination.

  “Due to your class choice, my appearance has changed to compliment it. Only beings belonging to the sphere of darkness may be in one another’s company,” Wynn said with a crazy grin.

  Nathan nodded, “I like it. You look good.”

  Wynn closed her eyes, “And you smell delicious, my Shadowmancer.”

  The very air changed and Nathan could sense the weight of sexual energy. He couldn’t deny the attraction but he knew if he lost his focus, his character could miss something vital during creation.

  “We should continue,” Nathan said while looking down at the floating 2D screens.

  Wynn kept her grin as she opened her eyes halfway, “What name shall you choose? I wish to know it so I can scream it in your ear.”

  Nathan looked up and eyed the succubus. Thoughts flowed to the name he’d wanted to use for a year; a name everyone would know when they heard it, “Nero. Nero Synn.”

  Wynn gave a slow nod while eyeing him like a piece of meat, “Yes, Nero.”

  A new screen appeared before Nero. Looking to it, he saw that the displayed information also appeared in the corner of his vision. The player looked it over and could see it was his character stats.

  Nero Synn

  Shadowmancer Troll

  Hit Points(HP)- 50

  Armor- 5

  Dark Mana Pool- 35

  Strength- 10 (Influences how strong you are)

  Intelligence- 10 (Influences knowledge skills)

  Wisdom- 10 (Influences magical abilities and spells)

  Dexterity- 10 (Influences agility and speed)

  Stamina- 10 (Influences HP and recovery)

  Charisma- 10 (Special class stat. Influences NPC interaction)

  Character Stat Point Pool- 10

  Wynn stepped to a tree and leaned against it, arching her chest upwards, breasts straining against the tight fabric, “Ten is the average starting points for each stat. You have ten points to spend but you can real
locate points from one stat to the next. Once you’re done, it is permanent until you gain items, take special lovers or achieve conquests in battle, skills, politics or affairs of the heart. Lewd Saga allows players to gain power through all manner of avenues.”

  Nero nodded, “Is the stat cap still at 90?”

  Wynn let herself relax against the tree, “It has been increased to 101.”

  The shadowmancer turned to the 2D screen and began playing with the numbers. Tapping at them increased or decreased at his command. The player noticed the bonuses as the stat increased and the negatives as it decreased. Not wanting to completely min max the game, he adjusted the stat numbers until he felt they were perfect.

  Nero Synn

  Shadowmancer Troll

  Hit Points(HP)- 50

  Armor- 5

  Dark Mana Pool- 35

  Strength- 9 (+0 to damage)

  Intelligence- 11 (+0 to skills)

  Wisdom- 12 (+1 magical abilities and spells)

  Dexterity- 12 (+1 agility and speed)

  Stamina- 11 (+0 to HP)

  Charisma- 15 (+2 to charm undead)

  The succubus writhed her ass and back against the thick tree like a cat in heat, making small moaning sounds before she spoke.

  “Encounters have a four level tier system. The harder the encounter, the harder it is to succeed. Encounters are Minor, Small, Moderate and Difficult. Since you have chosen stats, progression and combat logs, I must inform you of the difficulty ratings. These will influence every fight, skill, magic spell; anything you wish to succeed when it comes to Lewd Saga.

  “Minor encounters are easy. They run on a 1 to 10 encounter roll. If you want to cast a light spell or toss a ball at a tree, your stats will influence it to see if you succeed. When you gain higher stats, certain minor encounters will succeed automatically. It scales up from there.