by Byron Kings
One of the negatives of going into a medically induced coma to live only in your mind was that the body reacted to certain things in the virtual world. The doctors had warned me more than once than a particularly gruesome death within the game could permanently damage my brain, but I didn’t care. An extra hundred thousand credits had bought me three back-ups of my virtual self. Being able to feel as if I lived in the game world, I’d be able to outperform many other players.
HARPER>> You logged in for good?
I smiled at the notification hovering in the air.
DRAKE>> I’m here forever just like you.
HARPER>> Hang on, I’m coming over.
Someone banged on the door leading outside.
“Hold on,” I shouted as I walked over.
I smiled as I opened the door and saw Harper on the other side. Dressed in tight black and red leather armor, she looked sexy and deadly. She threw her arms around my chiseled waist and hugged me. I bent my head and kissed the top of her flaming red hair.
“So good to see you,” she said. “There’s a new horn sword up for grabs. Did you hear?”
“What?” My eyes opened a bit wider. “When did it happen? I haven’t been on in a few days.”
“Earlier this morning,” she said, still clinging to me.
I glanced over her shoulder and saw a few less than reputable men leering at us.
“Come inside,” I said. “This section of the city’s not safe.”
“I can take care of myself just fine,” she replied.
She pulled her arms back before slipping past me. After closing the door, I turned around. She was kneeling on the floor in front of the closed door, looking up at me with a hungry grin on her pretty, freckled face.
“It’s been so long,” I mumbled.
She giggled. “Only a few days. Geez…”
I walked over and sat down on my leather couch. She came over and curled against me. I loved her soft yet firm skin and the way she made me feel. We sat silently for a few moments.
“So glad you’re back permanently,” she said. “We can spend even more time together.”
I nodded, not saying a word. Would she try to pin me down in the game? She knew I liked to sleep with lots of people and didn’t want to be tied down to any single person.
“Me too,” I mumbled, still thinking about the Horn Sword.
The steel blade would let me finally use my magic skills.
“We could rule this game as king and queen,” she purred.
I petted the top of her head in a consoling way, not wanting to get into a fight. Most people would swear we were a couple, but the reality was far different. She didn’t mind if I slept with others in the game, and I left her to do her own thing too. Was it my fault she still wanted to be with me? Nah. Fuck that noise. Spending the rest of my life in Battle Empire would be incredible. I had nothing but time.
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CHAPTER 2
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King of all the Pricks
The next morning, Harper, as usual, woke up before me. Sleep inside the game could be so strange. One full hour of uninterrupted rest would reset health and mana while sexual energy would be depleted. The exact mechanics of sexual energy were hidden, but I’d seen more than one battle swayed by someone high on multiple in-game orgasms. Harper pulled the covers back as I yawned and stretched. She purred and reached between my legs. I pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed, knowing we’d never get anything done if I let her have it whenever she wanted it.
“You’re no fun,” she teased as I stood and walked across the room.
“We’ll have time for fun later,” I said. “We need to work on getting me a Horn Sword and becoming a king for some real power in here.”
She laid on her side, propped up by her elbow, watching me as I got dressed. “You promise?”
I turned and gave her my what-the-hell-you-talking-about look. She smiled and shook her head.
“Come on,” I said. “We’ve got a big day.”
“Do you really think the king’s going to meet with you right away?”
“Like I told you last night, he’ll want to see me. I’ve got a good feeling about it. Trust me.”
She crawled out of bed. The sight of her supple, naked body was almost too strong of an urge to resist. She didn’t make it easy to get anything done.
“King Krueger is a real prick,” she noted as she put on her clothes.
“Most men in power because they’re assholes,” I countered.
She stayed silent as I slipped my ordinary yet high-grade sword into the sheath at my side. While not nearly as powerful as a horn sword, I’d killed quite a few monsters and other players with it. After nearly a decade of playing the game in my limited spare time, I’d built up a reputable player character for myself. As Harper finished dressing, I went over my character sheet to think about my Level Points and how I would spend them.
I had spent so much time concentrating on my career to afford to play Battle Empire full-time after retiring, I wasn’t even in the top fifty percent of most powerful players in the game. With a bit of hard grinding - literally and figuratively - I’d fix that problem in no time flat. Fuck all the haters who said otherwise. I grinned as I thought about living the rest of my life in the game. The idea of becoming a powerful ruler drove me to push myself.
Most of the part-time assholes in the game just spent their time trying to cause grief for those of us who spent more time in the virtual world. Griefers were jealous fucks. I wasted no time with them. Well, not all of them. Some, like King Gregor, were on my radar. A part-timer, he’d paid to become king of the badlands, a strip of land on the edge of the main continent in the game.
I fucking hated people who paid to get their way to the top. Cheaters abounded in Battle Empire, even with the harsh penalties if you got caught. The lure of easy money and power in the game was too much for some people to ignore. Me? I loved the game on many levels. Yes, fucking so many fine women was nice and all, but the big reason I loved playing Battle Empire was the power. Unlike the real world, I had a chance to scratch and crawl my way to the top virtually. With so much more time to invest into the game world, I saw myself quickly unseating King Gregor and taking his spot. Fuck that guy. Currently, I needed to work with him, but that wouldn’t last.
“Are you ready, or are you going to stare at your stats all day?” Harper asked.
I glanced up and grinned.
“Been waiting on you, dear.”
She rolled her eyes then opened the front door. I followed her outside. On the way to the king’s residence in the center of the city, I thought about how to phrase my request. King Gregor’s help would allow me to more quickly acquire a horn sword and gain some power in the game. At that point, I would be able to kill him and take his power, becoming a king of the realms.
A pale woman dressed in tight black leather stood in our path on one of the side streets leading toward the center of the city.
“Oh no,” Harper muttered, slowing down.
“What?” I asked. “You know her or something?”
“I do,” Harper said. “She’s this submissive that’s been chasing me. Morgana. I think she’s a lonely housewife in the real world or something. She’s obviously got money for insane body modifications and good equipment, but she’s bloody annoying most of the time. Well, except when we’re fucking.“
“Hello!” the woman in leather squealed as we approached.
She waved a hand, showing off her perfect body. The obvious money she’d put into making her character’s avatar might be enough for me to forget about her shortcomings. She might turn out to be useful to me in some way.
“Hey,” Harper said as we stopped. “What’s up?”
“I’m going full-time,” Morgana said.
“Oh?” Harper asked. “What about your husband?”
“He finally died,” Morgana replied fl
ippantly, still smiling.
Damn. What a cold bitch. I like her.
“Congrats,” I said, not acting excited.
“I need to talk with you,” Morgana said.
“About what?” Harper asked.
“Can we speak alone?” Morgana glanced at me then back at Harper. “Is that okay?”
“Go ahead,” I said, waving a hand through the air. “Talking to King Gregor won’t take too much time, I don’t think. It might be better if I go alone.”
“Are you sure?” Harper asked, putting her hand on my bicep.
I nodded then leaned down to kiss her.
“Have fun. I’ll talk to you later.”
She smiled. As I walked, their voices getting lost in the sea of sounds in the city, I turned my attention to King Gregor and my attempt to procure a horn sword of my own. Owning one was the only way to truly rule even the smallest of kingdoms in the game. I needed to convince the king to help me get my own. Wouldn’t be easy, but I had to try.
The closer I got to the center of the city, the more guards I saw lurking about. I paid them no heed as I strode past them, heading toward the Inner Gate. Like most rulers in the game, King Gregor didn’t fuck around when it came to defenses. After grabbing hold of power, he’d done everything to hold onto it. I’d do the same once I acquired my own.
Until then, I’d need to kiss ass and claw my way to the fucking top. At the gates to the king’s enclosed palace, I stopped and raised my hands. Two guards atop the wall peered down.
“I’m here to see the king,” I said loud enough for them to hear.
“What’s your business?” one of them asked.
“Do you have an appointment?” his shorter buddy added.
“Tell him Drake’s here to see him,” I said. “He’ll want to talk to me.”
Over the last two years, I’d saved King Gregor’s ass more than once. I planned to call in the favors I’d done for him and convince him to help me get the new horn sword about to drop. The guards whispered to each other before one scurried away. I waited with my arms crossed over my chest. With everything I’d done for him, I didn’t expect too long unless he was fucking. I grinned as I remembered our nickname for him - Quickie Dickie. All the women I’d encountered over the years had all said the same thing. The king of the realms couldn’t last in bed. I tilted my head back and glanced up at the remaining guard. He wouldn’t be too hard to kill.
All the other guards in the compound would take me out, not to mention the spellcasters in his group. Sex magic took a while to build up properly, but once you got the grid connected with multiple partners, things got fucking interesting. I wasn’t worried personally about raising my sex magic quickly but having one of the rare horn swords would make my life easier.
The massive wooden gate swung open. I walked inside after it finished, sneering at the smaller guard. He said nothing as he motioned for me to follow him. I picked up the distinct smell of weed as we moved closer to the center of the fortified keep where he lived. Him being high as fuck would give me an edge when dealing with him. I smiled as the guard stopped.
“Be respectful, or we’ll kill your ass,” he said before opening a door.
“You seem like the type of guy who would want my ass, but that’s not my game,” I said.
“No, wait, I meant…”
“Step aside,” I said, bustling past him.
He muttered something indecipherable as I walked into the throne room. King Gregor sat on his throne as two dozen of the finest women I’d seen in a while danced and swayed before him. All the sexual energy in the room hit me as I strode toward the king. Several of his women stared at my ass, but I paid them no mind, concentrating on the throne I wanted to own.
“You again,” King Gregor said then took a puff from a fat ass joint.
I stopped a few feet in front of his throne, not bothering to bow. He sat back, relaxed, puffing on the joint. Four guards surrounded him, all heavily armored.
“You don’t sound happy to see the man who saved your life,” I said.
“Show some fucking respect,” King Gregor said, sitting up. “I heard you’re full time now.”
“Yup,” I said, nodding my head.
“That’s great,” he said. “Are you coming to work for me?”
“Not exactly. I’m here to call in all the favors I’ve given you over the years.”
The king smoked his joint, not answering. Fucking bastard.
“You were keeping track of everything you did for me?” he asked a moment later.
“No, but I want to grab the horn sword about to drop and start my own kingdom.”
“And fight against me?” King Gregor asked.
“Not if it’s not necessary,” I replied.
“It’d be easier if you just came and worked for me,” he said. “We could expand. My brain and your brawn would go far. Not to mention the sizable group I’ve built up.”
He snapped his finger. Two of the scantily clad women danced up, their bodies rubbing against mine. I let them have their fun, keeping my attention on the king.
“They’re nice, but I want my own. You understand, don’t you?”
“I do,” King Gregor said. “Don’t think I don’t.”
Fuck. He’s not going to help me. I know it.
“Will you please help me? It’s the right thing to do.”
The king shook his head.
“You’d be too big of a risk,” he said. “You either help me or become my enemy.”
“That’s messed up,” I said.
He grinned and nodded.
“Welcome to the full-time game,” he said. “Heavy hangs the head that wears the crown and wields one of the horn swords. You should help me get a second one. I could expand my kingdom and make sure you don’t want for anything in here.”
“That’s not the way I want to play,” I countered. “You know me.”
“I know you all too well, Drake. That’s why I’m saying no.”
Fuck you, then, I thought while smiling and unconcerned on the outside.
“If you come to your senses, let me know.”
The king laughed. I felt the sexual energy in the room turn darker.
“You should go,” King Gregor said, standing up and undoing his belt. “It’s fucking time.”
Without another word, I turned and made my way through the flailing, half-naked women. The guard at the door snickered as I walked through.
“Don’t you fucking start,” I snapped.
He followed as I walked toward the exit.
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CHAPTER 3
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Morgana Makes Up For It
As I approached the front door of my humble home, pissed at the king for being an asshole, I thought about other ways to easily get my hands on a horn sword. Could I expand my own group more quickly? Once inside, I failed to notice the clothes strewn about on the floor. When I hit the living room and heard passionate moaning from the bedroom, I stopped.
Harper? Fucking another guy in my own damn house? I pushed the door to my bedroom opened and barged in, ready to kill a guy. Harper and Morgana, both naked, looked up. I grinned as I saw the pure lust painted on their faces. Sweat dripped from their lithe bodies. From the looks of it, they’d been going at it for a while. I took off my clothes and joined them.
A half-hour later, we finished spectacularly.
“Join my group,” I commanded.
Morgana blinked rapidly.
“Can I?” she asked, almost begging.
Harper smiled and nodded.
“I’ll join,” she said.
<< Your group has increased! >>
<< +1 female - Morgana, human fighter >>
<< + 10 sexual energy! >>
Ooh. Another fighter. I should’ve figured with the big ass sword she had strapped to her back when we ran across her in the street. Fuck King Gregor and the rest of the fool
s.
“I’ve got even better news,” Harper said.
“Oh?” I cocked my head to the side.
“Yeah,” she said, nodding. “Morgana has heard about a map to the location of the new horn sword spawning. She can help us get yours, baby.”
I smiled, feeling even better. A good quick fuck was nice, but a horn sword would lead to me wielding all sorts of power in the game world.
“That’s great,” I said. “We’ll have breakfast and talk about it.”
“No round two?” Harper asked with sad puppy eyes.
“Later. We’ve got work to do.” I glanced at Morgana. “You know of a map?”
She nodded and spilled her guts. A new dungeon had formed to the west in the badlands.
“How do you know the map’s there?” I asked, suspicious.
“My last master told me,” she said. “He treated me like shit, and I left.”
“Who was he?” I asked.
“King Taintor.”
“He’s a fucking asshole,” I said.
She said nothing, staring up at me with those eyes of hers.
“You did good picking this one, Harper,” I said.
My main woman smiled then wrapped her arms around. Despite my better judgment, the three of us fucked again. I wanted to get started on the quest to find my horn sword, but sometimes my dick had a mind of its own. As the two beautiful women serviced me, I laid back and enjoyed every single sensation. The rest of my life was going to be great.
* * * * *
I gave a wizard a hundred gold to teleport the three of us outside the new dungeon which turned out to be nothing more than a hole in the ground. Harper and Morgana stood to my left and right respectively while I peered down into the darkness.
“Hello,” someone said behind us.
I whirled around, sword at the ready. A man wearing outlandish red and yellow clothes stood. The stringed instrument on his back gave away his class. A bard was the last thing we needed to run into while out in the wild.