by Jake Daniel
I shook my head and turned back to the large man. “Alright Sven, grab that wagon. We’ll be waiting for you with your friends. If you don’t come back in the next hour then you can guarantee your friends here will be dead. You betray my trust and I’ll find you and your family. I won’t be as forgiving if it comes to that.” I gave him a hard slap on the shoulder. “Don’t let me down, Sven.”
The large man hurried away, his large leather boots clunked loudly as he travelled down the path. We stood our new prisoners upright and brought them inside the depths of the trees to where the others were waiting.
The satyr women, many of them half naked, surrounded the men and kept them pinned while we waited.
I could tell from the look on Gwen’s face that it relieved her to be around her sisters again. She shot me a smile every couple of minutes that told me she was going to thank me properly when given the chance, and I was completely okay with that.
Dahlia remained at my side while we waited for Sven to return. I lifted one of her hands and inspected her finger tips. From everything that I could see, she had normal, human hands, but there was nothing normal about her at all, and it was fantastic. Her kind, sweet, and curious nature was a stark contrast from Gwen’s funny, outgoing, and kill first, ask questions later attitude, but they complemented each other well.
I shifted my gaze between each of them, what I wanted to do to them, with them, and what I wanted them to do with me. I tried to push the images out of my head and closed my eyes. I figured it would be a much better use of my time to work on my skills, at least cultivating would give me a chance to avoid blue balls for the time being. Maybe.
I left the two captives with the rest of the girls and returned to the destroyed wagon. I found a small fallen log to sit on and tried to remember everything Gwen had taught me so far about cultivating spirit up to this point.
It felt like my Sight skill increased in strength, even if when I’d cultivated earlier, and even when I brought the glowing spirit into my core to slip into Aether’s mind. Although, it seemed to have its downfalls. It felt as if I’d been on a month long hunting trip and hiked several fourteeners along the way.
I used the next several minutes to practice bringing spirit into my core. The more I concentrated, the more I could see that this world and everything in it had spirit running through it. If I concentrated hard enough, I could pull the energy toward me, although I could not separate one type from the next.
Water spirit, for example, was much easier to pull by itself from the nearby streams than it was from inside a tree. When it was inside a tree, the blue tinted spirit mixed tightly with green and yellow strands. When I tried to pull it out of a tree, all three types came together.
I imagined that if I wanted to maximize a certain skill’s effectiveness, I’d want to fill my core with that type of spirit. So, if I ever figured out a water skill, I would concentrate on bringing in just water spirit into my core. I wanted to explore this theory further.
Gwen joined my side and gave me a nudge, breaking me from my deep concentration. “I have the girls taking care of the prisoners. By the time they’re done with them, they will be so mad with desire that they will wish they thought twice about joining Striker’s crew.”
Chapter Eighteen
I smiled and kept my eyes shut as I sensed the spirit from Gwen flowing through me. I responded without moving. “I am working on my cultivation. I think I’m getting the hang of it. I think I am about to reach fifth rank in Sight.”
Gwen let out a small yelp. “Fifth rank?! Already?! That is Grand Master. That would be amazing. It took me years to achieve that level.”
I focused on her pale blue eyes. Her silver hair was a little tousled and made her look wild. “There must be others that have been able to achieve levels this quickly. I mean, I haven’t really cultivated much. Most I have done to increase my level has been with you or actually using it to see things or communicate to others.”
Gwen let out a small giggle. “Oh, you’re only scratching the surface of what you’re going to do. I believe once you make a concentrated effort to cultivate spirit you’ll find not only your Sight, but your other skills as well, will improve in rank dramatically.” She paused and nudged me playfully. “You keep this up and you are going to be the one teaching me, instead of the other way around.”
“Is it normal to feel so completely drained every time I try to cultivate spirit? It feels like I’ve just run for miles each time I cultivate, even if it’s just for a moment.”
“Yes, that is normal. Many throughout Aurilon cannot cultivate at all, for it would kill them. You, Logan West, are different, however. Although, you need to be careful. If you try to push too hard, you may damage your core.”
“How would I do that? Wouldn’t it just fill up and not be able to accept any more?”
“Sort of. Hmm…” She paused and rubbed her chin. “Let me put it this way. It’s like drinking. The more you drink, the better you feel.”
“Until you drink too much and vomit all over the place.” I added.
“Exactly! That’s what I was going to say. Although, that has never happened to me, because unlike men I can handle my alcohol.” She giggled and shook her head. “Anyway, that’s a perfect way to look at it. The more you take in, the better you will feel, until you’ve had too much, then it may make you feel as if you’re dying or want to die.”
I nodded and took a deep breath. “Maybe I should call it a day on the cultivation front then.”
She smiled and shrugged. “Either that, or I’ll be rubbing your back while you are throwing up later.”
A rumbling came from the distance and we both shot to our feet. I ushered everybody back into the safety of the forest and watched intently.
After a few seconds, I saw two massive white horses pulling a wagon nearly twice the size Wofferd’s had been. Sitting atop the wagon and steering the horses was Sven. He had a determined look on his face as he scanned the area before pulling the wagon off the side of the road.
I waited a few seconds to ensure no one else was with him before exiting the forest. “Sven, that was quick. Thank you.”
Sven nodded and lowered himself from the wagon. “Please, I’ve held up my end of the bargain. Please hold up yours.”
I turned and called out to the forest. “Release them.”
The black-haired man and Aether walked out from the forest, a satyress on each side. The emo man looked love struck, and after the satyress gave me a small smile, I knew that she had him under some sort of spell.
They handed the prisoners off to Sven and returned to the others. “I inspected the three men and had a twinge of pity for them, but I soon remembered that these assholes had no problem only hours earlier, capturing and shipping off anyone deemed valuable in the capitol’s eyes. “I don’t want to see you around again. If I discover you’ve gone back to poaching and hunting monster girls, I’ll find you and kill you.”
Sven pulled the others toward him and they started back down toward Necross. Within a few minutes, we had everyone loaded back up and headed down the path toward the manor.
We’d only been gone a couple days, but it felt like it had been much longer at this point.
Gwen and Dahlia took up positions on either side of me and kept watch on the surrounding forest as we returned. I figured we would’ve run into at least a few of the poachers that had passed through earlier, but we made it all the way to the fork in the road that led to Dunway without seeing another soul.
The wagon rumbled down the road in the early morning light and by the time the sun had peaked up high enough to light our surroundings; we had reached the manor. Or, at least, what was once my manor.
The new arrivals had obviously been very busy while we’d been away. A tall reinforced wooden wall stretched in both directions, each side wrapped around in a wide arc, ensuring that there was no way inside except through the gate in the center.
Built from many of the surrounding t
rees, most of which were from outside the walls, the palisade was impressive. When I glanced past the top of the wall, I noticed most of the tall pines no longer stood inside as well.
Trails of saw dust and grooves where the logs had been drug marked the ground in all directions. The smell of fresh cut wood reminded me a little of my lodge back home.
The gate that stood in the middle was massive and looked incredibly reinforced with thick green pine logs framing out the opening.
Atop each side was an armed goblin. I pulled the wagon in front of the gate and once the goblins saw it was me they opened it slowly, revealing the manor and the lake off in the distance.
One goblin gave an awkward salute as we passed through. “Welcome back, Logan, sir.”
I gave him a wave to acknowledge him as we crossed inside. As we continued along the fresh path to the manor, I stared at the new line of huts along the edge of the lake.
They stood almost like little cabanas looking out at the waterfall. On either side of the path they had tilled the land in rows and several inhabitants, including a few goblins and lizard folk, were busy planting seeds.
I gave several of them a small wave as we continued through, with a few stopping to applaud our wagon as the girls stood up on the back waving to the others as if we were in a parade.
What may have surprised me most of all though was a large nearly completed building that sat next to the manor. I inspected it curiously as we approached.
It looked almost identical to the tavern in Dunway. My manor was not just a house anymore, it was turning into a village.
I chuckled and turned to Gwen. She had been staring at the same thing, and a wide smile rose across her face. She pulled me in for a very passionate kiss before releasing me. She blushed slightly before speaking. “Sorry, I got a little excited. It’s going to be so wonderful to live here, I just know it.”
I smiled and nodded. “I’d have to agree with you. This place is looking like a resort.” I paused and took a deep breath. It seemed like even more non-humans had arrived since we’d left. After I caught sight of several small dragon-like creatures hauling wood out of the forest, I knew my hunch was right.
Dahlia gave my arm a squeeze. It was almost as if she could feel my stress rising. It was one thing with a few people scattered about, but there were probably close to thirty occupying my manor and the surrounding area now.
It was going to be a stark difference from my life of relative solitude back home.
Dahlia craned her neck to get a full look of my face. “You’re upset. Why are you upset?”
I shook my head and stared forward. “I wouldn’t say I’m upset. I’m just not a huge fan of being around a lot of others. That is why back home I lived so far from everyone else, and those that did visit were only there for a few days at a time.”
Dahlia’s eyes turned down in sadness. “Oh, well, that’s understandable. If you want me to leave, I will.”
I whipped my head in her direction. “No, not at all. I want you here.”
She nodded and gave me a small smile. “Okay, but let me know if it becomes too much.”
I gave her a small kiss and ran a hand down along her arm. “Of course, but I can guarantee you right now that I love having you around and that will never happen.”
She gave me a small smile and gave my arm a squeeze.
Gwen stood up from the seat and turned back to the others in the wagon. “Alright, everyone out. Go get washed up. There are plenty of extra clothes inside.”
I jumped down off the wagon and turned to help Dahlia down behind me. I hadn’t noticed it before, but she was looking even more pale and tired than she had before.
I lifted her from the wagon and held her in my arms. She couldn’t have weighed over a hundred pounds. Her body was absolutely stunning, and even with its pale color held a sea green that made her look like a goddess.
I carried her into the manor, and Cress and Shah met us by the door.
Cress gave me a small nod. “Welcome back. We see you were successful. I hope you don’t mind, but we made a few improvements to your room.”
I adjusted Dahlia in my arms and nodded. “I don’t mind at all.”
The sisters escorted us upstairs and agreed to stand guard for as long as we needed. They had transformed my room. There were fresh white bed linens and white flowing curtains that hung down close to the floor.
I thanked Cress as she held the door open for me and stepped inside. There was also new furniture scattered throughout the room, including a nice wooden table and several chairs.
I set Dahlia gently onto the bed, and she nearly melted into the mattress. I had thought little of it, but she hadn’t really said much at all on our trip back after she bound the three idiots to the ground.
Even after she sensed I was off when we arrived back to the manor, I’d failed to ask her how she was doing. “Dahlia, are you okay?”
Dahlia stirred slightly and turned to face me. “Yes, thank you. I am just... I need to rest.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she stretched out on the bed. She arched her back, lifting her magnificent breasts close to my face before lowering slowly.
I bent down and kissed her softly on the forehead. She gave me a sweet smile and let out a small moan as she settled back down into the bed and fell asleep.
I shut the door lightly behind me and made my way back downstairs. As I neared the bottom, I stood face to face with Wofferd. “What the hell did you do with my horse and my wagon?”
I held my hands up defensively. “Hey now, listen, I found you a new wagon and now you have two horses. I don’t see what the issue is.”
Wofferd huffed, his large gut poked out of his large red robe as he stood in front of me, his bright pink boxer shorts peeked out from within. “Very well. Don’t think you have repaid your debt, though. I still expect payment in full for the cargo that it looks like you’ve misplaced.”
“Oh, they’re not misplaced. The same assholes that you make a living off of, set them on fire, along with your horse.”
“Grasshopper? You mean to tell me they set my Grasshopper on fire?” The large man’s eyes welled with sadness as he stared blankly through me.
“Yes, and I have a feeling they’d do it again one hundred times if given the chance.” I walked to the front door and paused before exiting. “I’m sorry about your horse. If I see any of those poachers again, I’ll ensure they pay for what they did.”
Wofferd sauntered over to one of the large chairs in front of the fireplace and plopped down without a word.
Great, I broke Wofferd. I exited the manor before it got awkward and walked over to the tavern. The holstaur barkeep greeted me as I neared. I gave her a small smile as I approached. “Hi Chloe, your new tavern looks outstanding. Is it everything you hoped for?”
She stamped her foot proudly, sending her gigantic breasts bouncing wildly on her chest. “Absolutely! It’s exactly what this place needed. Have to keep the others hydrated in these tough times.” A small smile rose to her face. “Everyone needs a place to unwind and let go of their stress every once in a while, even you Logan.”
“I’ll relax eventually, but for now I just want to make sure all of you are safe and have everything you need. Is there anything I can help with?”
Chloe laughed and plunged her hand down my pants. Before I even realized it, she had my length gripped tightly in her hand. She gave it a squeeze and leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “If Gwen and Dahlia are too exhausted from your trip, you know where to find me.” She pressed her large tits against my chest and pumped my hardening length slowly a few times. She released her grip and stepped back slowly with a surprised expression on her face. “If that’s what I knew you were working with, I’d have offered the day I met you.” She bent and grabbed a barrel of wine and hoisted it up onto her shoulder.
Chloe was a large woman, but not fat, and how she hoisted the full barrel up onto her shoulder proved that she was even stronger than she
looked. She pushed the door to the tavern open with one hoofed foot and entered. Her thin tail waved slowly behind her before disappearing inside behind her.
I stood in place for a moment to give myself a second to calm down. In that moment, I didn’t really give a fuck how many people were living at my manor; I was all in.
Chapter Nineteen
One thing I discovered over the past week, as if it were not apparent already, was that Gwen had an insatiable appetite for sex that matched mine, and it was amazing. We had sex every night, often multiple times a night, and at least once each morning.
Dahlia, even in her weakened state, studied us intently each time. In the past few days, she’d actually pleasured herself while watching us. Each time we’d finish, she’d come in unison as our pleasure sent her over the edge as well, and all three of us would sink into the bed. I’d usually pass out on my back, my arms wrapped around each of them, their naked bodies pressed up against mine.
Last night was no different, although, until this point, Dahlia had been very cautious with touching me. I knew where I stood with Gwen. She wanted me to take her anywhere and any time of day.
With Dahlia, though, I could tell that she was nervous, as if something were holding her back from giving herself completely.
I always remained respectful of her wishes and didn’t push things too far. Although, with the sweet smell of her nectar assailing my senses each night, it had become nearly impossible to hold myself back.
It had taken Dahlia several days to recapture a portion of her energy, and even then she had her good days and bad. Chloe created her several potions from her milk, which helped the Alraune for several hours before it would inevitably wear off.
Dahlia felt bad for not contributing around the manor, and offered to help in any way she could, but even if she could help, I didn’t want her to take the chance of setting herself back. I wanted her to heal completely from whatever was affecting her.