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the final chapter of Lev's Tale! Yes, there's still more stories to go. The war story is just as long, actually! :D Thanks to everyone for reading. I truly appreciate it. ","description_bbcode_parsed":"Here's the final chapter of Lev's Tale! Yes, there's still more stories to go. The war story is just as long, actually! :D Thanks to everyone for reading. I truly appreciate it. ","writing":"[b]THE BOY HEROES FROM THE LAND OF ERIK (A Series of Epics)[/b]\n[b]Epic no. 4[/b] - \n[b]Lev’s Tale[/b]\nBy[i] DamiJon[/i]\n\n[b]Chapter Eighteen[/b] –\n\n\n\n\tFurther away in the kingdom, two other boys also prepare themselves mentally for the war. Despite the fact that they're calm and relaxing in the dimly lit baths of the demon temple, it's all that they can speak of today. Aizen raises his head back out from the steaming hot water, tossing rose petals at his husband, then swims over to his side and kisses his lips. My teachers are pretty pissed off at me for registering. “It's like they think I'm dead no matter what. They don't know what we're made of though.” He leans one warm on Holt's shoulder, the other resting on the tiles. “Plus, I'll be with you. We're unstoppable enough as it is. Imagine what it will be like having Aldan command us and a group of his choosing! Hell, we could take on all of Cruiberg ourselves!”\n\tHolt moves closer to his husband until their hips and sides touch. Pulling Aizen into his lap, Holt sighs. “I shouldn't have to tell you that this won't be a game. We won't be unstoppable. I'd rather we be uncatchable, if anything.” He plucks petals from the water, pushing one against each of Aizen's nipples, now exposed as the demon sits on Holt's lap. “You're too beautiful.” He furrows his brow as he narrows his eyes, looking at his partner.\n\tAizen blushes, kissing his boyfriends shoulders and chest. “You're the most beautiful of all though!” He takes the petals and puts them on top of Holt's head. “I know it's not a game. All of the medians at the temple are helping train me right now so that I'm able to be the best healer that I can be. I'll be the only medic in our group too... That will be a lot of work, I'm sure. We can't do all of the crazy stuff the white mages can. Maybe I can learn from a wizard or two at some point.” He finds a bar of soap floating around in the water, takes it and begins rubbing it into his tail before letting it soak in the water.\n\t“: I know. You're going to be a key part of our company.” He helps Aizen soap his tail, teasing the base. “Aldan hasn't made any formal requests yet, but I feel confident in his judgment. He's taking his time and care with who he wants with us. You and I are a foregone conclusion. You're too good a healer, I'm too good a tracker and scout. Arms up!” He commands. As Aizen reaches high, Holt leans in sniffing his pits. He lets his nose graze Aizen's skin, smiling as the demon shivers. “Soap! Although I guess I'm going to have to get used to you all stinky. Battle fields don't have baths every day.”\n\t“Yeah. But we weren't so clean when we first met, were we?” Aizen takes the bar of soap after he's done and begins scrubbing his boyfriends pale body, starting with his back. “The last thing I'm worried about is smelling bad. I worry about the rest of my people being wiped off of the map. Of E'hbel, my homeland, being torn asunder. Not just the demons, but the anthros and others that live out there too, because It's not just E'hbel they're after. That will be their end game, but there's hundreds of villages that they'll want to take first.”\n\t“It's not as if the Cruiberg love elves and half-elves. We're all hunted by them. Your people a bit more fanatically, and there are fewer of your kind.” Holt arches his back, a low moan escaping his throat. “I love this. I love how you wash my back.” Turning his head, he glances back. Aizen's face is oddly serious, concentrating as he is on scrubbing Holt's back. “I wonder about our arrangements. Should we hide what we are from the other soldiers? Or be open, sharing a tent and such? A demon and an elf are unusual enough in one unit. For them to be husbands and lovers? The other men might become jealous.”\n\t“Jealous?” He turns him around so that they're face to face, then begins rubbing the bar of soap into his stomach and chest. “I'd never thought of that. But don't they have prostitutes and rent boys for the warriors that give them beer and sex? Stuff like that? Why should they care about us?” He rolls his eyes, places the soap back into the basket, and firmly massages Holt as he brings up water to further clean him. “They can think whatever they want, but I'll be the one healing their wounds. No matter how strong an army is, you won't get far without medics. Better yet, a medic that knows how to fight.” Aizen pushes him further underwater, then dunks his head beneath it, then back up. “Better. Ah. I love how the light reflects off of your body. And...” He grabs one of Holt's arms. “If you keep lifting weights the way you do, you'll have muscles as big as Aldan's! Imagine that!” He giggles and can't even picture it in his head.\n\t“But you're so much more attractive than any rentboy or whore.” He scrapes some soap and bubbles from his chest and uses them to wash Aizen's chest and stomach. “You're right, though. If we pull our own weight, it shouldn't matter what we do together.” He giggles at the idea of being muscle bound like Aldan. Splashing water over himself again, he raises his arms, knitting his fingers together behind his head. He flexes his biceps and chest. Looking himself over, he shakes his head. “I don't think I'd look as good as Aldan does or as good as I do now.”\n\t“You'll always be good enough for me, obviously.” Aizen swims up closer to him until their chests touch. He kisses him passionately, then pulls himself out of the water with one hand and grabs two towels. The young demon had forgotten that there were a few other people at the baths, but of course nobody really cares here. They've walked on couples and orgies busting out here and have been caught themselves. Aizen scrubs his body quickly, then throws a towel at Holt as he stands up out of the bath. Instead of wrapping it around his waist, he lets it hang over his shoulders, letting his small boner stand out proud as if to say, 'Yup, that's my husband, and nothing gets me harder than him!' “I forgot to bring our clothes up with us. Care to walk nude with me back to our room?” He throws his wet towel into a bin after cleaning off his horns.\n\tHolt laughs. “You forgot!? Sure you did, Aiz. You just want to show off your demon-beauty to the rest of the temple.” He dries his hair, the rest of his body, tossing his towel with Aizen's. Taking Aizen's hand, he jerks Aizen close to him, again chest to chest. Bringing his lips to the demon boy's, his elf tongue explores the walls of Aizen's mouth. Aizen happily returns the favor. They part, both flushed and excited, a small strand of spit stretched between them before snapping. “Do we hold hands or dicks?” Holt laugh again, bright and clear. Some of the other demons in the baths glance over and smile. The two are well known throughout the temple, being the only demon-elf couple in the city. “Do you need to pee?” Holt grins slyly, bouncing his cock.\n\tAizen gladly pulls on his lovers erection once just to mess with him in front of everyone as they exit the pools. “We should be doing that stuff BEFORE we bath, not after!” They end up near the open restrooms and he pauses. “But... Yes. I do need to.”\n\t“We don't have to be messy about it.” He takes Aizen's hand, leading him into the restroom. “We could wait until we're home, but this is more fun.” He glances around. “We're alone. Good!” There's a twinkle in his eyes as Holt leans forward, quickly kissing Aizen's cheek. He drops into a crouch, looking up at his husband and grinning. “Don't go too fast, and we won't have any mess to worry about.” Closing his eyes, Holt leans forward, wrapping his lips around the head of Aizen's dick. He quickly slides down and back over the shaft twice before stopping with just the head in his mouth, leaving more room to deal with what's coming. His moans and suction let Aizen know that he's ready.\n\tAizen twirls his fingers over Holt's short hair as he exhales, allowing himself to release a few drops before giving his lover a mouthful of warm, watery piss. He stops at just about ten seconds, waiting for him to swallow it down. “I hope yours is really strong.” He aims with hard three inches and pisses again, this time letting just a small amount run down his chin. The young demon begins stroking himself with two fingers, dancing his hips as he masturbates, and then he releases the rest of it as he moans. “Ffffuuck. Feels so good. You think anyone else does this?”\n\tWarm, salty piss fills Holt's mouth. He swallows quickly, savoring the taste of the demon-pee, enjoying it warmth as it travels down his throat into his stomach. Aizen times it well and Holt is able to keep up with the flow. His own dick feels like iron, straining and eager to empty his bladder into Aizen's mouth. Fuck it, he thinks to himself. He pulls off the dick as urine still steams. “If they don't they ought to. . .” He holds AIzen's dick and aims it over his own face and chest, letting the liquid warmth wash over him. “I can't believe how good this feels, Aiz.” Rubbing his hands over his body, he works the urine into his skin, marking him as Aizen's, his body as Aizen's territory. He takes Aizen's dick into his mouth again, swallowing the piss as he slowly works the shaft and head.\n\t“Heh, you think we should always mark each other like that?” He sticks out his tongue. “Do you think your comrades can smell it when you're off for duty in the morning?” Aizen kneels down slowly, sucking on Holt's balls as he strokes him and licks the bottom part of his shaft to the tip. He coats his cock with spit and tongue, then playfully holds out his mouth.\n\t“They might. But they are soldiers and it's not like they have access to baths like we do.” Holt laughs, looking and watching Aizen working on his elfish cock. “Mmmm...nice. Sometimes they get pretty ripe. I don't know if they'd notice.” Reaching down, he strokes Aizen's hair and lightly, fondles his horns and, when it comes into range, his tail.\n\tAizen moves his tail far up enough to touch his neck and arcs his back a little bit in preparation for Holt. He reaches down, stroking himself with one hand. “You can mark me, babe. Before you're done, you can get the rest of it wherever you'd like on me.”\n\tNodding, Holt unleashes his own warm stream of piss into Aizen's mouth. He tries to moderate the stream so as not to overfill his mouth and he cuts the stream off to let the kneeling demon catch up. He resumes his spray, filling Aizen's mouth with the foamy spray. He jiggles his hips and splatters his urine on Aizen's face, then he aims his dick, splashing in short bursts at the kneeling boy's nipples and belly button specifically. “My babe, you are so beautiful like this.”\n\tAizen finishes swallowing before speaking, wiping his face off with a wet hand. “Am I? I can't tell. You're pretty fucking sexy from down here doing that to me.” Still stroking, he moves back to him and sucks the one drop from his tip before getting back into position. Like he wanted, the taste is strong, extremely raw and sour, and its warmth makes the fire inside of him want to light the world on fire. “You're gonna fuck me like there's no tomorrow, right? Fuck me like we're heading off to war?”\n\t“Yes, I am.” Holt nods. He runs a hand through Aizen's piss wet hair, pulling him towards his dick. He lets loose with the bit still held within his bladder. There's not much, but he shares it gladly with his lover. The stream trails off and ends. He doesn't pull out, letting Aizen suck him for a while instead.\n\tAizen keeps a good enough amount of Holt's pee in his mouth as he sucks him off. He holds onto his kneecaps as his tail rubs at his own stomach, feeling at this piss, which makes his own dick twitch. Feeling Holt coming closer, he stops and stands up, kissing his love. “Ah, damn! We're soaked!” He grabs a towel from by the sinks and they wipe down their feet and hair, leaving the rest wet to dry. They head downstairs and walk in front of a dozen or so people, none of them bothered by their nude bodies at all. Once they get into their bedroom, Aizen uses his powers to turn on only half of the candles, keeping it dimly lit, then furthering the ambience by lighting sage and incense. He makes a warm flowery tea for the two of them and carries it over to the mattress once it's done. “You know, we could use some of the money I won from that contest to buy a bed.” He slaps his forehead. “Well... I guess that would be kind of useless if we're leaving soon. Maybe when we get back and win the war we can reward our tired bodies with a bed. Yes?” He takes the first sip, then hands it to Holt.\n\tHolt rests his head on Aizen's shoulder. He takes the tea and sips slowly. “Mmm. I love your tea. Your people have such a way with tea and coffee. I don't understand why it's so much better when a demon makes it.” He returns the cup to his boyfriend. “Well, if we win and if you and I fight well, we might have bounty money as well. We could buy a house! Here in the city, or in the woods. Who knows?” He holds Aizen close, slowly stroking his demon-cock. “Do you think you'd ever want to live away from the temple?”\n\tAizen leans back, placing the cup down on the carpet. “Uhm... I don't know. Not too far away. It's a lot to think about right now.” He spins around on the bed, rolling Holt onto the right side and stroking him with a firm grip as they casually speak. “When was the last time we just gave each other handjobs?”\n\tHolt's eyebrows knit together. “I don't know. Let me check my Aizen and Holt sex diary...haha!” The young elf laughs loudly, joyously. He brings his face close to Aizen's, but instead of kissing him, he rubs his nose against Aizen's. “We can do this. Just kiss and stare into each other's eyes and handjob.”\n\tHe kisses him gently, gracing his lips before going at it again for tongue. They masturbate each other in silence for around ten minutes, taking their time to feel each-others skin and relax into the sensation. Aizen finally stops, spits into his hand and begins fingering himself quietly. “Were you wanting to do this? I'm all clean down there. Except for your pee, maybe.”\n\tWell, I'll have to make sure. Holt gives Aizen one last deep kiss. Breaking the kiss, his climbs to his knees, resting his butt on his heels. “Do you want to be on your tummy or back?”\n\t“Well, I'm always on my tummy. You can have me on my back this time.” Aizen maneuvers into position on his back, laying with his knees bent towards him and his ass up for him. He bends his back inwards a bit so that he's easier for his lover to fuck and play with. His tail lazily hangs over to his right side, the end of it twirling and flapping around every now and then. “Is this good?”\n\tHolt absent mindedly strokes his dick as he stares down at his lover. “Perfect.” He drops down onto his belly, his face between Aizen's legs. He kisses the boy's balls, licking them warmly, before tonguing his way towards Aizen's hole. “Now to see how clean you really are.” His tongue darts against Aizen's hole, tracing a circle around it, drawing the spiral tighter and tighter until the tip of his tongue pushes into Aizen. Moaning as his tongue delves deeply, Holt breathes deeply, inhaling the clean scent of his demon-husband and the aroma of his own piss. The smell is intoxicating, exhilarating. His tongue pushes in eagerly, followed by fingers. Fingers that press into the tender hole, loosening and teasing it, preparing him for the cock that yearns to bury itself in him.\n\tClimbing to his knees, Holt shuffles forward until he can press the tip of his dick against Aizen's hole. With a smile, he waits for Aizen's nod and once receiving it, he drives his cock slowly into the demon's hot, wet hole. He moans as he slides his entire five inches into his husband. He pulls back and pushes in, slowly for a minute or two. Then he takes Aizen's feet and lays them over his shoulders, kissing his toes as he does so. Raising himself on his own toes, he fucks Aizen. Deeply, and more rapidly, his cock sliding in faster and faster.\n\t“Ah, that's perfect, babe. Fuck me just like that for a while.” Aizen rubs one hand over his shoulders as his other strokes his thin little erection with two fingers. They kiss deeply and passionately and as the demon pinches his nipples, he signals for him to go faster.\n\t“Ungh...as you command...” Holt grins as he moans, staring down at Aizen. The young demon has the most beautiful face Holt's ever seen. Framed with blonde hair, it's the face of an angel. Holt chuckles at the thought before staring into his crimson eyes. He's heard others express fear and nervousness over Aizen's eyes, but he's loved the demon from the start. He see a smoldering fire of passion and devotion in those eyes. “Your butt is so hot!” He pumps his cock into Aizen faster and deeper, dipping his head down to kiss and nuzzle against Aizen's neck. “Ungh...I'm going to cum soon, husband.”\n\tAizen moans with every thrust, digging his nails into Holt's back, arms, and shoulders as he's being fucked. Without even touching his erection, he has a dry orgasm, and all of the neighbors hear it as it happens. He reaches his head up to kiss Holt without even thinking about it, simply doing it because he needs his oxygen pumping into his mouth, his love transmitting between both of them, and his taste everywhere on his body in every possible way. “Fuck, I love you, Holt. Cum inside of me.” He rubs his hands up Holt's thighs and to his chest. Holt's skin is so pale that you can see his veins, which make him look much more young than he really is, although there is his athletic body that would surprise anyone else that hasn't seen him without a shirt on. Of course, there's also his ears, which he doesn't always touch or play with, but secretly loves as well. 'I'm so grateful to have you' he thinks to himself. 'To be blessed with your presence for eternity. I promise to be the best husband possible on this planet.'\n\tA drop of sweat drips from the tip of Holt's nose, landing on Aizen's cheek. The blue in his eyes almost swirls as he follows the drop, licking Aizen's cheek. The licking turns into kissing and he peppers Aizen's face with a hundred kisses as he buries his cock in Aizen's ass. He can feel the load building and building, the tension in his balls reaching throughout his entire body as he feels his orgasm is imminent. “Oh...ungh...Love you so much...” Holt's words are choked off as he cums, his head jerking back as he cries out Aizen's name. His balls furiously pump his seed deep into his husband, his hips jerks and press into him, driving his cock deeper. A half dozen powerful burst of cum fill Aizen before the strength abandons Holt. The elf collapses onto Aizen, gasping for air as his cock twitches, still buried in the warm safety of his ass. His heart pounds as Holt lays on Aizen, weakly kissing his neck and collarbone, his face and chest where he can reach. “I swear myself to you, Aizen. For a thousand thousand lifetimes...”\n\t“... And I to you, only you, forever, as we are bounded.” Aizen kisses him, rubbing his fingers over his back as he sinks further into the bed, enveloped by his lovers presence and consumed by his love. After Holt pulls out of him and sits up in exhaustion, the demon grabs his tea, warming it back up with just his hands and offers it to him. “My love.” After he takes a sip, he does the same.\n\tHolt smiles warmly at Aizen, tracing his finger around Aizen's ear. He sips the tea, sighing after a few sips. “I have a confession, Aiz. Promise you won't use it against me.”\n\t“Go ahead and fess up.”\n\t“I'm relieved in a way that you're coming with us to war.” He looks down, tapping the rim of his teacup as he continues. “I don't think I could bear to be apart from you.” He looks at Aizen, smiling and blushing. “I know I couldn't stand being away from you. Whatever happens, we'll be together and that's what's important.”\n\t“Yeah... I know you didn't want me to come at first, but my people need me. Harath and Aigua need me.” He shrugs. “But you already understand... I'm just repeating myself now.” His tail slaps the bed a few times.\n\t“I need you.” Holts looks away, chewing nervously on a fingernail. Aizen can't recall seeing Holt do that before. “You have to be careful though. I'll probably tell you that a hundred times a day when we're out there.”\n\tAizen takes both of his hands, then leans in forward to kiss Holt's lips. “I can't promise to be careful in war, but I promise to survive.”\n\tHolt returns the kiss. “Good enough. I couldn't live without you. I wouldn't want to.” He looks at Aizen, taking in every centimeter of his husband's body. “Do you think we should move our things into Aldan's? So the temple can give our room to another. There are bound to be refugees from the north.”\n\t“That's a good idea.” He moves up closer to him in bed, relaxing to the scent of burning incense. “I'll let the high lord know about it. As for now, before we go out in training...” Aizen pecks Holt on the lips once again, then trails down from chin to both nipples, belly button, then begins stroking his cock again. The demon and half-elf couple make love again and again before they leave their apartment, immediately letting the new high lord know of their plans. Holt, who trains as he normally does, is given the chance to have his lunch and dinner breaks with his husband, while Aizen spends time learning from white mages and nurses techniques when having to heal the injured during battles and heavy situations. The couple grow stronger by each day that passes on. Unlike some others, the battlefield and forests don't worry them at all. They've grown up in this visceral mess of having their villages attacked and doing whatever is possible to survive. War was something they were born to expect. And now it's here and the two of them are prepared as if they're veterans.\n\t\n\tFurther on, back towards the capital of the city, the trio of humans and wolf-demon finally make their way back to the school, which has already been done for the day. Jay sits outside at the front, eating a donut in one hand, holding a bag with one in the other. When Jay runs up to him, he sinks his head lower, handing off the treat. “Hey... Are we about ready?”\n\tMilliken takes the donut and takes a bite. He sits down next to Jay, leaning his head on the older boy's shoulder. “Thank you for the donut. You seem sad. Did I do something wrong?”\n\tBryan and Alden enter the school, retrieving some personal items from Aldan's office.\n\t“No, you're fine.” He sighs. “It's just been a strange day for me... Wanting to visit my brother, then with all of the protests, and there's this new kid. Aldan says he's going to be living with us now.”\n\tMilliken wraps his arm around Jay's arm and holds the donut for him to take a bite. “We can visit your brother. The new boy won't with us too long. Doesn't he have to join the army or something? The house is big, so we won't have to share a room unless we want to. I like the way things are. With us sharing the room with Lev and Bryan. I feel better when they're around. I'm scared the new boy will think we're weird. Neke is a strange name, though, isn't it.”\n\t“He's a strange kid too.” He whispers. “But that's all I'll say for now.” Jay finishes his donut. “On the way back, we should secretly get a dozen more, somehow..” He laughs. Everyone emerges out, including the anxious Neke, who almost looks like he's ready to run away. Lev and Bryan hold hands, having small talk about Whirlwind and what they'll do when Aldan is gone to war.\n\t“Everyone ready? Everyone has everything?” Aldan seems happier than he's been lately. “Neke, do you need any help carrying anything?”\n\tMikey stands, still holding Jay and standing close to him. He nudges Jay and when the red-head looks at him, he glances down showing Jay some silver coins he has. Then he looks across the street to the café. “Daddy, can Jay and I get coffees before we head home?”\n\t“Sure.” Anyone else want coffee for the walk? He asks, looking at Neke. “Coffee, Neke?”\n\t“Uhm, sure...” Neke speaks quietly, afraid to mention his name to anyone, nor let them know what his crime are.\n\tJay, Milliken, and Bryan enter the shop to gather coffee while Lev gets to know a bit more about Neke. He's not too fond of him, but tries his best not to show it, especially after figuring out what he did to end up in the prison. When the boys arrive back out, Jay and Mikey laugh playfully, joking about fitting the box of jelly donuts into their backpack. The three boys hand out coffees to everyone. To nobodies surprise, Lev is disappointed in the coffee. They all walk beside each other and allow Aldan to lead the way.\n\tBryan walks hand in hand with Lev, bouncing his shoulder in his demon boyfriend every few steps. He playfully teases Lev about the coffee, and how it could never measure up to his. He pulls him over near Neke. “It must be pretty strange moving in with all of us. What's the word that grandpa Bennett used? Mikey, what did grandpa Bennett call us?”\n\tMilliken looks up, startled. “All of us? He said we were a 'menagerie'. A collection of strange and unique beasts.”\n\tBryan laughs. “Yep, that's it. We're a menagerie, alright. But we're friendly. Mostly.” He glances at Lev, sticking his tongue out at him. “I mean, don't feel self-conscious. We're all weird and different.”\n\tNeke argues. “Yeah, but I've done some really, really bad things... It's only thanks to your father and my guard that I am alive today. But I don't know if I should be.”\n\tJay tries to stay as silent as he can, but stops him from continuing on with the self hatred. “You know, we're walking to visit my brothers grave and Aldan's husbands grave too. Both of them did horrible things too, made bad decisions and it cost them their lives, but they weren't bad people.”\n\tMilliken nods, but doesn't say anything. He holds more tightly onto Jay's arm.\n\t“Yeah. The whole point now is to show you're not that Neke who did those bad things.” Bryan glances at Lev. “Sometimes you just need someone to believe in you. Dad believes in you or you wouldn't be with us. Don't be so down on yourself. I'm sure what you did isn't as bad as what some of us have done.”\n\tNeke digs his nails deep into his right arm, just wanting them to leave him alone. And so they do, but only to give him space, where as he thinks they must all hate him. Finally, they reach the cemetery, walking uphill and seeing the lake, then back down where the two lone graves rest peacefully. Jay squeezes his boyfriends hand, guiding him to his brothers tombstone, then kneels down next to it with him. To the right, the others gather by Drew's, while Neke sits down far away.\n\tAldan smiles at Neke as the boy sits. He makes his way to Drew's grave. He brushes dirt and leaves away from the stone marker, pulling at a couple of weeds growing near the base. He kneels next to the marker and grave, holding his hand flat against Drew's name carved into the face. “Hello, my love.” He falls silent for a moment, struggling with his emotions. Wiping tears from his eyes, he talks to his husband. “I'm sure you know about the war. I'm going to fight the Cruiberg. It's their plan that created the shadow that tormented you. They killed Kate and the littles, too. And you, in a way. I've got to pay them back for all of that.” He pausea again, swallowing hard. “Aizen and Holt are going with me. Lev and the boys are staying here. You'll watch over them, I hope.” He leans forward, resting his forehead against the cold marble. “I miss you so much.”\n\tBryan gives his father some time before he comforts him. The other two boys to the left make their way over when suddenly Lev notices something strange. He kneels down a few feet from the tombstone, places his hand down, and focuses for a moment. His tail slides around under his robe as he does so. “There's something different than last time... The shield I put up isn't her anymore and I don't think I can open a gate here either.”\n\tBryan rubs his back as he focuses. “What do you mean? Why would it disappear? Why wouldn't you be able to speak to him?”\n\tMilliken bites his bottom lip as he feels his heart clench. A theory comes to mind, but it seems impossible.\n\tAldan is too caught up in his prayers, his thoughts of Drew. He looks at Lev, his eyes confused. “What?”\n\tMikey, thinks for a moment. There are several possibilities, and he runs through each of them in his mind. His eyes scan the graveyard, seeking evidence to support or disprove any of the theories. Finally, two seem less impossible than the others. Still, he hesitates to share his thoughts.\n\tJay watches from a distance. Looking between the cluster around Drew's grave and Neke sitting alone at the base of the hill. Quietly, he approaches Milliken, standing near him, resting a hand lightly on his arm.\n\tLev stands up, pushing Aldan out of the way, and slowly raises one arm with a discomforting look grown over his face. “It's... because...” The dirt and grass is pulling upwards and is levitated into a pile on the side as the wolf-demon raises the coffin six feet from out of the ground and onto the grass. His face and horns are doused with sweat as he pants, then uses his powers to further pull off the nails of the coffin without touching it. In exhaustion, he falls to his knees, pointing out at the emptiness inside of the coffin. “There's nobody in there.” He explains while trying to catch his breath. “Somehow, he's alive. That's the only explanation as to how I couldn't open a gate to contact him. He's come back...”\n\tFury and anger mask Aldan's face as the coffin bursts from the ground. The anger gives way to stunned confusion. “Back? He's come back??” The words sound and feel strange. His stares at the empty casket. His mind trying to process what Lev is saying.\n\tMilliken leans down and examined the casket. He stands, looking at Lev and his father, his eyes wide and disbelieving. “There's no dirt inside. No rust on the nails, no degradation of the nail holes or scarring of the lid. It wasn't dug up, opened, and reburied. It's as if he was snatched out the ground.”\n\tAldan looks at his son. Slowly his mind stumbles over the unbelievable claim. “He's back? But back where? Drew...?”\n\tLev stands up, walking away and sits down on the hill. He speaks up loud enough. “Honestly, I have no clue where he is... There's demon folklore of hidden baths that are fluorescent green where some demons have come back to life, but I thought they were just stories. The only one that's been proven to exist was destroyed hundreds of years ago and was found on the other side of the world. Some say that there's one somewhere around E'hbel, but nobody has found it before...” Bryan walks over to him and sits down beside him. They're all in disbelief and shock as if they were trying to slap themselves silly from a dream. All of a sudden, his and Aldan's necklace glow a different color - bright floral green, but only for a few seconds. “I don't think that was Drew speaking to you that time... I think that was the Lord of Light himself...”\n\n\tFive months later.\n\n\t...And so it goes, more than a thousand miles away, five miles deep inside of a 32,000 ft tall mountain, a young, lost, and hopeless thirteen-year-old demon lays in a limestone room right beside the glowing neon green waters that he emerged from countless months ago. Since then, he's survived off swimming inside of the waters and living off shrimp. The walls of the cave are enormously tall and he doesn't even realize that he's so deep inside of a mountain, nevertheless a complex maze of other caves inside of it. To him, this place is nothing more than a purgatory he has been brought to after his death. To him, this must be his permanent punishment. The demon pulls himself up, washing his face and long brown hair in the water. He had once used a simple sharp rock to cut his hair before. Of course, there's no clothes inside, so he has lived nude as well. Days are endless here. No beginnings or ends. Just the presence and sounds of water echoing. He walks over to the other side of the cave wall, approximately a hundred feet in distance, and lays there, recalling his last days alive and being with his husband.\n\tHe's been down so long, alone and isolated, that his mind has begun to slip. He sure that he's heard tapping over the past few . . .whatevers? No one taps in purgatory, though. He weeps quietly hoping for mercy.\ntap\ntap-tap\ntap\n\t“Ah, Misty, I knew it! I knew!” A voice in the far darkness, echoing through the maze of interconnected tunnels. The sound of flesh against flesh followed by a low mewling sound. “Oh, don't deny it! Ya thought I was wrong this time, I know ya did.” Another mewling cry. “Ach, I forgive ya. But look at this! This complex must be huge.” The sounds of tapping and scraping. A light in the distance.\n\t“Ah, look at that. The glowing green waters. The demons have a legend of a place like this, Misty. Och, I bet there's emeralds and sapphires here the size of a man's head. And it's ours, all ours, girl! Heeheehee.”\n\tA shape in the distance. A warm light. Yellow. Orange. Red. Colors that the boy had forgotten. They come closer, merged into one. Fire and flame. A torch. A short man, moves slowly through the tunnels, coming closer. Behind him a huge lizard, with a pack and saddle on it back. Equipment and gear clank and tink as the beast follows the little man. “Heehee. I knew it, I knew it. Well, Misty, set up camp and then explore? Or explore and set up camp?” The beast mewls back, as if it understands the little man. “Oh? Well, then, luncheon it is, then camp, then exploring.”\n\tThe demon stands up and stays silent, hearing his own heartbeat as he tries to focus on a close sound. It sounds like someone's mining their way inside. His feline tail flaps around from side to side uncontrollably. He doesn't know how to feel other than anxious. Out of nowhere, he calls out. “Who goes there? Who are you? Show yourself!” After a while of waiting for a response, he gives up, laying back by the water and staring blankly into it.\n\t“Eh? Did ya hear that Misty? Sounded like a voice. A wee lad. Och, couldn't be. Not here.” Footsteps. Metal on stone coming closer. Heavy thudding steps followed by dragging. “Heehee. They say we spelunkers lose our minds in the end. Too much time in the dark. Too much time all alone. Well, that's why I have you, ain't it, Misty? You won't let me go mad, will ya? Heehee. Nope. Nosiree. I think I hear water up ahead.”\n\tThe steps come closer. “And stop. Aw, shite. Dammit, Misty, you were s'posed to stop me going mad. Now look at that? A naked, demon boy. Here. Well, hello there, naked demon boy hallucination! How are ya?”\n\tDrew looks around, startled and jumping back up like a feral cat, and looks for the face. He casts out a ball of fire that he ascends to the top until he see's the tiny face peeking at him from above. “Are you real?”\n\t“A crevasse! Of course I'm real. Are you real?” The face peers down from above through the darkness. “And if ya are, where are your clothes? Don't throwing no fire up at me either. That ain't friendly. And if ya are real, who are ya and why are ya here?”\n\t“Huh?” He's just as shocked and confused as the little person and his friend. “Uh, I don't know why I'm here anymore! I came out of this water a few months ago, maybe a year, I really don't know, so... There aren't any clothes in here.” He scratches his hair around his horns, curious to meet the little person, especially since he's not had any company. “Hey! Why don't you camp down here? I won't send any fire your way.”\n\t“Are them horns I see on yer head?” The little man stares down. \n\t“Uh, of course!” He feels his own horns. “All demons have 'em! Have you never seen horns before? Where am I anyway?”\n\t“Ach, of course I've seen horn. Demon's is good folk. 'cept those boy that murdered all them folk. But that's neither here nor there. Hold on, little lad. We'll be right down!” The face disappears. There are whispers from above. After a moment, a huge shadow appears at the edge of the crevasse. A giant lizard scrambles over the edge, climbing down the sheer wall quickly and almost silently. Bags and packs and loose tools hang from harnesses on the beast. Riding the beast, hanging on tightly, but riding it's back is a tiny man. It takes less than a minute for the beast and man to reach the underside of the crevasse. The creature tenses, then leaps. It lands with a loud thud, the gear and equipment clanging and rattling on its back. The little man smiles at the demon boy, raising his hat in greeting. “Halloo, demon lad! I am Newton Bullthistle, Spelunker Supreme. And this—\" He gestures to the beast. “Is Misty.”\n\t“Well, hello there Misty!” The young demon speaks in a childish, higher pitch tone as he kneels down to pet the scaly lizard, letting it lick his hand as well. “A spelunker? So there's more of your people here, right? You didn't say where I am.” He sits down with his legs crossed.\n\tNewton stands back, watching Drew and Misty getting to know each other. The giant lizard regards Drew with large, pale eyes. It sniffs him and licks his hand, leaving a trail of thick, sticky spit on Drew's hand. The small man pulls out a pipe, begins filling the bowl and lights. “Nope, lad. Misty and I are a solo expedition. Mapping the tunnels under the E”\n\t“E'hbel mountains. Yer about 6 miles down from the peak of Caer Grynnon. Prospecting for gems as well.” He exhales a plume of smoke. “Ya don't remember who ya are or how ya got here?”\n\t“E'hbel? I'm... Home?” He drags his hand along the cave rocks, then washes it off in the water. “So... I've been resurrected. But why?” The young demon, Drew, places one hand to his neck, feeling a thick scar that circles around his neck.\n\tNoticing Drew's scar, Newton whistles. He takes a couple of steps closer to the demon boy. “That's some scar you have, my friend.” Holding the torch high, which is about 4 feet off the ground for him, he reaches towards the scar. He stops before touching Drew's skin. “Do ya mind, lad?”\n\t“Uhm.. I guess.” Drew places his hand down, covering his privates as he does so.\n\t“I've seen 'em before, boy. Ya don't live 80 years my size and not get privates in yer eyes a few times.” He grins up at Drew Sometimes even on purpose. He examines the scar, feeling along it gently. “This is mighty odd. Goes clear around, but 'tweren't a rope made this. And it's fresh, as these things are reckoned. Like you got your head cut off and sown back on! Thankee.” Newton moves over to Misty, going through one of the packs on her harness. He pulls out some clothes, a pair of pants and a shirt, tossing them to Drew. “They're full size for me, but the should do you. So, tell me everything while I rustle us up some food.”\n\tDrew puts on the clothes, which are a tight fit for him, even though he's been skin and bones after living off tiny shrimp forever. “Well, I emerged from that water a while back, I'd say four or five months ago, maybe longer, and since then I've lived here alone. I tried escaping with my fire, but realized that it wasn't such a smart idea, since one mistake can have the entire foundations collapse on me. I can't climb up to that crevasse like you can. When I meditate, I can only float a foot off of the floor, and that takes me a few hours. There's just no way... The waters, I've gone as deep as I can, but it doesn't lead anywhere else. Maybe it does, but I can only swim underwater for ten or so minutes.”\n\tNodding along to Drew's story, Newton unpacks more gear. He starts a small fire and begins cooking up some salted meat, beans, and biscuits. “I've met demons before, but never met with them so I don't know what ya like or not. But then, as long as it ain't them little shrimp, I reckon you'll be happy.” He blows another smoke ring. “Let's start with yer name, young 'un.”\n\t“My name... It's Drew Colhan.” Drew sits closer to the lizard, petting him as he speaks. “Born in the mountains of E'hbel, but I spent summers in Varn Ra too. My mom passed away early on and eventually I moved with my father to a place called Harath. I don't know if you've heard of it.”\n\t“Oh, aye. I've heard of it. Been there a few times as well.” He passes Drew a biscuit and pours him a half-mug of beer, adding water to weaken the beverage. “Big war brewing 'tween Harath and Aquia against Cruiberg. Nasty mess. Stories say half the capital of Harath was blowed up by a demon boy. Working for Cruiberg, so it's war. That's what some says at least.” He passes Drew a bowl of beans and meat.\n\tDespite the fact that he only eats meat, he devours the beans anyway, then the animal. The beer has little, if any effect on him, but has a nice crisp taste to it. A lager from the capital village in Varn Ra with a thousand year old recipe. “By a demon?” Memories of the shadow comes back to him. He hasn't seen it ever since. “A demon would never work for the Cruiberg. That's impossible, illogical. Are the... Cruiberg already here? Attacking?”\n\t“Not yet, lad. They're in the skirmish bit. Small confrontations while the big armies gather and hope for an opening. 'course, I been down fer. . .” He counts off several fingers. “Four months now. They could be in the thick of it by now. But, one thing all the tales agree on. 'twas a demon boy, Lev The Destroyer some calls him. All sorts of story about him and Dark Mages and some guardsman who stopped him before he could target their king.”\n\t“Dark mages? Destroyer?” Drew stops eating and grows even more confused. “A guardsman? A prison guard? Was... His name Aldan by any chance?”\n\t“Oh, aye.” The small man wipes crumbs from his beard, eyeing Drew. “Are ye sure ye've been down here that long? Aldan Jaeger, Hero of Brackenford, The Black Savior of Harathi. So's it been told ta me. Heard of him?”\n\t“Yeah, I've heard of him.” Drew's face lights up with a smile. His tail sticks right up, then lays on top of the lizard as it rests. “That's my husband.” He returns to his food. “This Lev, the demon you mentioned, did he survive? What happened to him?”\n\t“Oh, aye. He's alive alright. Stories say he's living in the capital still. But ya can't be married to Aldan Jaeger. He had a wife what was slaughtered by Cruiberg assassins, 'long with his kids.” He shakes his head sadly. “Right horrible what was done to them. Story says Aldan's sworn to pluck the eyes out of the heads of each of the Cruiberg king for what was done to his family. Can't say as I blame him.” He takes the empty bowls and sets them aside. He glances at Drew with a glint in his eye. “Fancy some sweet candy?”\n\tHe sits still, almost paralyzed once he hears what happened to Kate and the kids. “No... thanks... I think I'm okay. In fact, you can leave me here now.” He walks away from him, hiding into a dark corner of the cave, his back rolling back and forth as he begins to lose his mind.\n\tNewton watches Drew disappear into the darkness. He starts to say something, but stops. He starts to walk after Drew, but hesitates. Instead, he goes over to Misty, taking more gear from the harnesses and talking to her. “Dunno what I said ta make him go like that. I can't just leave him here, can I girl. This ain't no fit place for anyone. I dunno what I did. I was just making talk and answering his questions. First person we sees in months and he's irate with us.” He pets the lizard, scratching under her chin. “Ain't hardly fair ta no one.”\n\tEventually, all of it hits him and he breaks into a storm of tears. Nothing has made since ever since the little man and his pet lizard came into play. At first, he thought he was dead or in purgatory, now it seems he's not only been brought back to life, but put somewhere worse. He imagines how they must have all been slaughtered by the Cruiberg, all of them except Aldan, who has to suffer in the pain and die with his rage on the battlefield. It's no use to leave. If they're really bounded for eternity, then why does it have to be like this?\n\tDrew's tears and sobs echo throughout that caves. Misty senses their vibrations through her throat tremblings. She mewls unhappily. Newton busies himself setting up a small camp. Eventually he stops, calling out into the dark. “Hey, there, lad. I dunno why yer crying, but if it's something I did, ya have to excuse me. I ain't used ta people, and sometimes I rubs them the wrong way.” He pauses, but continues. “'tain't all that bad.”\n\tHe snaps his fingers. “I picked this up last time I was in Harath.” He rummages through a small, sturdy chest. Crying out triumphantly, he holds aloft a sheaf of papers. “This here's a news story about another demon boy winning some music prize.” He begins reading aloud the story of Aizen's win in the composing competition. “Says here he wrote the piece fer his friends, Aldan and Drew. Hmm. Hmm. Ooh!”\n\t“Wha.... What?” Drew almost steps from the darkness as he wipes away his tears on the neck of his tunic, but stays hidden. “I'm glad for him... That he made it there safe. I always knew Aizen would make a good musician and told him about their schools in Harath.”\n\t“Oh aye. One of my cousins was there that night. Said the whole audience were in tears at the end. That there Aizen's elf-husband was fit ta blow a button. 'nother cuz of mine says the two of them are marching ta war with that Alden feller. They want revenge, too.” He pauses and continues uncertainly. “Ya say this Aldan fella was yer husband, too? I tell ya, things sure work different in big cities. Come on out, lad. Read the story fer yerself. Mayhap we can help each other.\"\n\tWith given time, Drew emerges from the dark and back over, reading through the paper in a few seconds. It's exactly what he dreamed would happen for Aizen, that he'd find a good husband early on and be a successful musician. The war part isn't too much of a surprise to him. He's always known that war against Cruiberg was on the verge of exploding, but if he's out there with Aldan... “I... There's a way out of here, isn't there? I mean, some way out for me.”\n\t“Oh, aye.” Newton nods. He sits by the fire. He pulls out a folded piece of paper and unwarps it. “According to me map, if we make straight out for the closest surface exit, we can have ya under the sun in. . .” He counts his fingers again. “. . .three days.”\n\t“Then I'll be at your service for whatever help you need if you help me get out of here.” Drew spits into the palm of hand, waiting for the shorter, but much older man to shake on it.\n\tNewton's smile, his teeth shining though his brown beard. He spits in his palm and shakes Drew's hand firmly. “Deal. Give us a day or so to rest up and search fer some stones or ore an' we'll get ya outta here and I'll stake me claim with the order.”\n\tThe two newly-met friends shake on their deal and finish dinner, preparing for their long adventure through the dangerous caves inside of the mountain before they make their way out. Little do they know that the war that the little man had mentioned had already begun just days after he left in search for treasure and rare, expensive rocks. Varn Ra, a village with an anthro majority and near a large lake a hundred miles opposite of E'hbel, had come under attack for the second time, but hasn't given up the fight for their people and land just yet. The gears of battle and mayhem have only just begun to spin into catastrophe and Cruiberg has seemed to effortlessly accomplish their beginning goals in battle, but that doesn't stop the hearts of Aigua and Harath from seeking justice for the non-humans and those living in their own kingdoms. About three hundred and fifty miles away from the mountain that Drew resides inside of, his long lost husband travels among the forests as a commander with two guerilla squads. Once again, fate and order of the universe seems to bring the two together, although slowly, as if they're magnets that can only be clenched by passing through destruction and tragedy. But through tragedy, hope keeps them going. Hope to be with one another again, to find peace not only for themselves, but for others just as vulnerable. So ends another chapter in the story of our warriors and continues on to the war for E'hbel.\n\n[b]The End…[/b]\n[b]…And to be continued in The Demon War![/b]\n\n","writing_bbcode_parsed":"THE BOY HEROES FROM THE LAND OF ERIK (A Series of Epics)
Epic no. 4 -
Lev’s Tale
By DamiJon
Chapter Eighteen –
\tFurther away in the kingdom, two other boys also prepare themselves mentally for the war. Despite the fact that they're calm and relaxing in the dimly lit baths of the demon temple, it's all that they can speak of today. Aizen raises his head back out from the steaming hot water, tossing rose petals at his husband, then swims over to his side and kisses his lips. My teachers are pretty pissed off at me for registering. “It's like they think I'm dead no matter what. They don't know what we're made of though.” He leans one warm on Holt's shoulder, the other resting on the tiles. “Plus, I'll be with you. We're unstoppable enough as it is. Imagine what it will be like having Aldan command us and a group of his choosing! Hell, we could take on all of Cruiberg ourselves!”
\tHolt moves closer to his husband until their hips and sides touch. Pulling Aizen into his lap, Holt sighs. “I shouldn't have to tell you that this won't be a game. We won't be unstoppable. I'd rather we be uncatchable, if anything.” He plucks petals from the water, pushing one against each of Aizen's nipples, now exposed as the demon sits on Holt's lap. “You're too beautiful.” He furrows his brow as he narrows his eyes, looking at his partner.
\tAizen blushes, kissing his boyfriends shoulders and chest. “You're the most beautiful of all though!” He takes the petals and puts them on top of Holt's head. “I know it's not a game. All of the medians at the temple are helping train me right now so that I'm able to be the best healer that I can be. I'll be the only medic in our group too... That will be a lot of work, I'm sure. We can't do all of the crazy stuff the white mages can. Maybe I can learn from a wizard or two at some point.” He finds a bar of soap floating around in the water, takes it and begins rubbing it into his tail before letting it soak in the water.
\t“: I know. You're going to be a key part of our company.” He helps Aizen soap his tail, teasing the base. “Aldan hasn't made any formal requests yet, but I feel confident in his judgment. He's taking his time and care with who he wants with us. You and I are a foregone conclusion. You're too good a healer, I'm too good a tracker and scout. Arms up!” He commands. As Aizen reaches high, Holt leans in sniffing his pits. He lets his nose graze Aizen's skin, smiling as the demon shivers. “Soap! Although I guess I'm going to have to get used to you all stinky. Battle fields don't have baths every day.”
\t“Yeah. But we weren't so clean when we first met, were we?” Aizen takes the bar of soap after he's done and begins scrubbing his boyfriends pale body, starting with his back. “The last thing I'm worried about is smelling bad. I worry about the rest of my people being wiped off of the map. Of E'hbel, my homeland, being torn asunder. Not just the demons, but the anthros and others that live out there too, because It's not just E'hbel they're after. That will be their end game, but there's hundreds of villages that they'll want to take first.”
\t“It's not as if the Cruiberg love elves and half-elves. We're all hunted by them. Your people a bit more fanatically, and there are fewer of your kind.” Holt arches his back, a low moan escaping his throat. “I love this. I love how you wash my back.” Turning his head, he glances back. Aizen's face is oddly serious, concentrating as he is on scrubbing Holt's back. “I wonder about our arrangements. Should we hide what we are from the other soldiers? Or be open, sharing a tent and such? A demon and an elf are unusual enough in one unit. For them to be husbands and lovers? The other men might become jealous.”
\t“Jealous?” He turns him around so that they're face to face, then begins rubbing the bar of soap into his stomach and chest. “I'd never thought of that. But don't they have prostitutes and rent boys for the warriors that give them beer and sex? Stuff like that? Why should they care about us?” He rolls his eyes, places the soap back into the basket, and firmly massages Holt as he brings up water to further clean him. “They can think whatever they want, but I'll be the one healing their wounds. No matter how strong an army is, you won't get far without medics. Better yet, a medic that knows how to fight.” Aizen pushes him further underwater, then dunks his head beneath it, then back up. “Better. Ah. I love how the light reflects off of your body. And...” He grabs one of Holt's arms. “If you keep lifting weights the way you do, you'll have muscles as big as Aldan's! Imagine that!” He giggles and can't even picture it in his head.
\t“But you're so much more attractive than any rentboy or whore.” He scrapes some soap and bubbles from his chest and uses them to wash Aizen's chest and stomach. “You're right, though. If we pull our own weight, it shouldn't matter what we do together.” He giggles at the idea of being muscle bound like Aldan. Splashing water over himself again, he raises his arms, knitting his fingers together behind his head. He flexes his biceps and chest. Looking himself over, he shakes his head. “I don't think I'd look as good as Aldan does or as good as I do now.”
\t“You'll always be good enough for me, obviously.” Aizen swims up closer to him until their chests touch. He kisses him passionately, then pulls himself out of the water with one hand and grabs two towels. The young demon had forgotten that there were a few other people at the baths, but of course nobody really cares here. They've walked on couples and orgies busting out here and have been caught themselves. Aizen scrubs his body quickly, then throws a towel at Holt as he stands up out of the bath. Instead of wrapping it around his waist, he lets it hang over his shoulders, letting his small boner stand out proud as if to say, 'Yup, that's my husband, and nothing gets me harder than him!' “I forgot to bring our clothes up with us. Care to walk nude with me back to our room?” He throws his wet towel into a bin after cleaning off his horns.
\tHolt laughs. “You forgot!? Sure you did, Aiz. You just want to show off your demon-beauty to the rest of the temple.” He dries his hair, the rest of his body, tossing his towel with Aizen's. Taking Aizen's hand, he jerks Aizen close to him, again chest to chest. Bringing his lips to the demon boy's, his elf tongue explores the walls of Aizen's mouth. Aizen happily returns the favor. They part, both flushed and excited, a small strand of spit stretched between them before snapping. “Do we hold hands or dicks?” Holt laugh again, bright and clear. Some of the other demons in the baths glance over and smile. The two are well known throughout the temple, being the only demon-elf couple in the city. “Do you need to pee?” Holt grins slyly, bouncing his cock.
\tAizen gladly pulls on his lovers erection once just to mess with him in front of everyone as they exit the pools. “We should be doing that stuff BEFORE we bath, not after!” They end up near the open restrooms and he pauses. “But... Yes. I do need to.”
\t“We don't have to be messy about it.” He takes Aizen's hand, leading him into the restroom. “We could wait until we're home, but this is more fun.” He glances around. “We're alone. Good!” There's a twinkle in his eyes as Holt leans forward, quickly kissing Aizen's cheek. He drops into a crouch, looking up at his husband and grinning. “Don't go too fast, and we won't have any mess to worry about.” Closing his eyes, Holt leans forward, wrapping his lips around the head of Aizen's dick. He quickly slides down and back over the shaft twice before stopping with just the head in his mouth, leaving more room to deal with what's coming. His moans and suction let Aizen know that he's ready.
\tAizen twirls his fingers over Holt's short hair as he exhales, allowing himself to release a few drops before giving his lover a mouthful of warm, watery piss. He stops at just about ten seconds, waiting for him to swallow it down. “I hope yours is really strong.” He aims with hard three inches and pisses again, this time letting just a small amount run down his chin. The young demon begins stroking himself with two fingers, dancing his hips as he masturbates, and then he releases the rest of it as he moans. “Ffffuuck. Feels so good. You think anyone else does this?”
\tWarm, salty piss fills Holt's mouth. He swallows quickly, savoring the taste of the demon-pee, enjoying it warmth as it travels down his throat into his stomach. Aizen times it well and Holt is able to keep up with the flow. His own dick feels like iron, straining and eager to empty his bladder into Aizen's mouth. Fuck it, he thinks to himself. He pulls off the dick as urine still steams. “If they don't they ought to. . .” He holds AIzen's dick and aims it over his own face and chest, letting the liquid warmth wash over him. “I can't believe how good this feels, Aiz.” Rubbing his hands over his body, he works the urine into his skin, marking him as Aizen's, his body as Aizen's territory. He takes Aizen's dick into his mouth again, swallowing the piss as he slowly works the shaft and head.
\t“Heh, you think we should always mark each other like that?” He sticks out his tongue. “Do you think your comrades can smell it when you're off for duty in the morning?” Aizen kneels down slowly, sucking on Holt's balls as he strokes him and licks the bottom part of his shaft to the tip. He coats his cock with spit and tongue, then playfully holds out his mouth.
\t“They might. But they are soldiers and it's not like they have access to baths like we do.” Holt laughs, looking and watching Aizen working on his elfish cock. “Mmmm...nice. Sometimes they get pretty ripe. I don't know if they'd notice.” Reaching down, he strokes Aizen's hair and lightly, fondles his horns and, when it comes into range, his tail.
\tAizen moves his tail far up enough to touch his neck and arcs his back a little bit in preparation for Holt. He reaches down, stroking himself with one hand. “You can mark me, babe. Before you're done, you can get the rest of it wherever you'd like on me.”
\tNodding, Holt unleashes his own warm stream of piss into Aizen's mouth. He tries to moderate the stream so as not to overfill his mouth and he cuts the stream off to let the kneeling demon catch up. He resumes his spray, filling Aizen's mouth with the foamy spray. He jiggles his hips and splatters his urine on Aizen's face, then he aims his dick, splashing in short bursts at the kneeling boy's nipples and belly button specifically. “My babe, you are so beautiful like this.”
\tAizen finishes swallowing before speaking, wiping his face off with a wet hand. “Am I? I can't tell. You're pretty fucking sexy from down here doing that to me.” Still stroking, he moves back to him and sucks the one drop from his tip before getting back into position. Like he wanted, the taste is strong, extremely raw and sour, and its warmth makes the fire inside of him want to light the world on fire. “You're gonna fuck me like there's no tomorrow, right? Fuck me like we're heading off to war?”
\t“Yes, I am.” Holt nods. He runs a hand through Aizen's piss wet hair, pulling him towards his dick. He lets loose with the bit still held within his bladder. There's not much, but he shares it gladly with his lover. The stream trails off and ends. He doesn't pull out, letting Aizen suck him for a while instead.
\tAizen keeps a good enough amount of Holt's pee in his mouth as he sucks him off. He holds onto his kneecaps as his tail rubs at his own stomach, feeling at this piss, which makes his own dick twitch. Feeling Holt coming closer, he stops and stands up, kissing his love. “Ah, damn! We're soaked!” He grabs a towel from by the sinks and they wipe down their feet and hair, leaving the rest wet to dry. They head downstairs and walk in front of a dozen or so people, none of them bothered by their nude bodies at all. Once they get into their bedroom, Aizen uses his powers to turn on only half of the candles, keeping it dimly lit, then furthering the ambience by lighting sage and incense. He makes a warm flowery tea for the two of them and carries it over to the mattress once it's done. “You know, we could use some of the money I won from that contest to buy a bed.” He slaps his forehead. “Well... I guess that would be kind of useless if we're leaving soon. Maybe when we get back and win the war we can reward our tired bodies with a bed. Yes?” He takes the first sip, then hands it to Holt.
\tHolt rests his head on Aizen's shoulder. He takes the tea and sips slowly. “Mmm. I love your tea. Your people have such a way with tea and coffee. I don't understand why it's so much better when a demon makes it.” He returns the cup to his boyfriend. “Well, if we win and if you and I fight well, we might have bounty money as well. We could buy a house! Here in the city, or in the woods. Who knows?” He holds Aizen close, slowly stroking his demon-cock. “Do you think you'd ever want to live away from the temple?”
\tAizen leans back, placing the cup down on the carpet. “Uhm... I don't know. Not too far away. It's a lot to think about right now.” He spins around on the bed, rolling Holt onto the right side and stroking him with a firm grip as they casually speak. “When was the last time we just gave each other handjobs?”
\tHolt's eyebrows knit together. “I don't know. Let me check my Aizen and Holt sex diary...haha!” The young elf laughs loudly, joyously. He brings his face close to Aizen's, but instead of kissing him, he rubs his nose against Aizen's. “We can do this. Just kiss and stare into each other's eyes and handjob.”
\tHe kisses him gently, gracing his lips before going at it again for tongue. They masturbate each other in silence for around ten minutes, taking their time to feel each-others skin and relax into the sensation. Aizen finally stops, spits into his hand and begins fingering himself quietly. “Were you wanting to do this? I'm all clean down there. Except for your pee, maybe.”
\tWell, I'll have to make sure. Holt gives Aizen one last deep kiss. Breaking the kiss, his climbs to his knees, resting his butt on his heels. “Do you want to be on your tummy or back?”
\t“Well, I'm always on my tummy. You can have me on my back this time.” Aizen maneuvers into position on his back, laying with his knees bent towards him and his ass up for him. He bends his back inwards a bit so that he's easier for his lover to fuck and play with. His tail lazily hangs over to his right side, the end of it twirling and flapping around every now and then. “Is this good?”
\tHolt absent mindedly strokes his dick as he stares down at his lover. “Perfect.” He drops down onto his belly, his face between Aizen's legs. He kisses the boy's balls, licking them warmly, before tonguing his way towards Aizen's hole. “Now to see how clean you really are.” His tongue darts against Aizen's hole, tracing a circle around it, drawing the spiral tighter and tighter until the tip of his tongue pushes into Aizen. Moaning as his tongue delves deeply, Holt breathes deeply, inhaling the clean scent of his demon-husband and the aroma of his own piss. The smell is intoxicating, exhilarating. His tongue pushes in eagerly, followed by fingers. Fingers that press into the tender hole, loosening and teasing it, preparing him for the cock that yearns to bury itself in him.
\tClimbing to his knees, Holt shuffles forward until he can press the tip of his dick against Aizen's hole. With a smile, he waits for Aizen's nod and once receiving it, he drives his cock slowly into the demon's hot, wet hole. He moans as he slides his entire five inches into his husband. He pulls back and pushes in, slowly for a minute or two. Then he takes Aizen's feet and lays them over his shoulders, kissing his toes as he does so. Raising himself on his own toes, he fucks Aizen. Deeply, and more rapidly, his cock sliding in faster and faster.
\t“Ah, that's perfect, babe. Fuck me just like that for a while.” Aizen rubs one hand over his shoulders as his other strokes his thin little erection with two fingers. They kiss deeply and passionately and as the demon pinches his nipples, he signals for him to go faster.
\t“Ungh...as you command...” Holt grins as he moans, staring down at Aizen. The young demon has the most beautiful face Holt's ever seen. Framed with blonde hair, it's the face of an angel. Holt chuckles at the thought before staring into his crimson eyes. He's heard others express fear and nervousness over Aizen's eyes, but he's loved the demon from the start. He see a smoldering fire of passion and devotion in those eyes. “Your butt is so hot!” He pumps his cock into Aizen faster and deeper, dipping his head down to kiss and nuzzle against Aizen's neck. “Ungh...I'm going to cum soon, husband.”
\tAizen moans with every thrust, digging his nails into Holt's back, arms, and shoulders as he's being fucked. Without even touching his erection, he has a dry orgasm, and all of the neighbors hear it as it happens. He reaches his head up to kiss Holt without even thinking about it, simply doing it because he needs his oxygen pumping into his mouth, his love transmitting between both of them, and his taste everywhere on his body in every possible way. “Fuck, I love you, Holt. Cum inside of me.” He rubs his hands up Holt's thighs and to his chest. Holt's skin is so pale that you can see his veins, which make him look much more young than he really is, although there is his athletic body that would surprise anyone else that hasn't seen him without a shirt on. Of course, there's also his ears, which he doesn't always touch or play with, but secretly loves as well. 'I'm so grateful to have you' he thinks to himself. 'To be blessed with your presence for eternity. I promise to be the best husband possible on this planet.'
\tA drop of sweat drips from the tip of Holt's nose, landing on Aizen's cheek. The blue in his eyes almost swirls as he follows the drop, licking Aizen's cheek. The licking turns into kissing and he peppers Aizen's face with a hundred kisses as he buries his cock in Aizen's ass. He can feel the load building and building, the tension in his balls reaching throughout his entire body as he feels his orgasm is imminent. “Oh...ungh...Love you so much...” Holt's words are choked off as he cums, his head jerking back as he cries out Aizen's name. His balls furiously pump his seed deep into his husband, his hips jerks and press into him, driving his cock deeper. A half dozen powerful burst of cum fill Aizen before the strength abandons Holt. The elf collapses onto Aizen, gasping for air as his cock twitches, still buried in the warm safety of his ass. His heart pounds as Holt lays on Aizen, weakly kissing his neck and collarbone, his face and chest where he can reach. “I swear myself to you, Aizen. For a thousand thousand lifetimes...”
\t“... And I to you, only you, forever, as we are bounded.” Aizen kisses him, rubbing his fingers over his back as he sinks further into the bed, enveloped by his lovers presence and consumed by his love. After Holt pulls out of him and sits up in exhaustion, the demon grabs his tea, warming it back up with just his hands and offers it to him. “My love.” After he takes a sip, he does the same.
\tHolt smiles warmly at Aizen, tracing his finger around Aizen's ear. He sips the tea, sighing after a few sips. “I have a confession, Aiz. Promise you won't use it against me.”
\t“Go ahead and fess up.”
\t“I'm relieved in a way that you're coming with us to war.” He looks down, tapping the rim of his teacup as he continues. “I don't think I could bear to be apart from you.” He looks at Aizen, smiling and blushing. “I know I couldn't stand being away from you. Whatever happens, we'll be together and that's what's important.”
\t“Yeah... I know you didn't want me to come at first, but my people need me. Harath and Aigua need me.” He shrugs. “But you already understand... I'm just repeating myself now.” His tail slaps the bed a few times.
\t“I need you.” Holts looks away, chewing nervously on a fingernail. Aizen can't recall seeing Holt do that before. “You have to be careful though. I'll probably tell you that a hundred times a day when we're out there.”
\tAizen takes both of his hands, then leans in forward to kiss Holt's lips. “I can't promise to be careful in war, but I promise to survive.”
\tHolt returns the kiss. “Good enough. I couldn't live without you. I wouldn't want to.” He looks at Aizen, taking in every centimeter of his husband's body. “Do you think we should move our things into Aldan's? So the temple can give our room to another. There are bound to be refugees from the north.”
\t“That's a good idea.” He moves up closer to him in bed, relaxing to the scent of burning incense. “I'll let the high lord know about it. As for now, before we go out in training...” Aizen pecks Holt on the lips once again, then trails down from chin to both nipples, belly button, then begins stroking his cock again. The demon and half-elf couple make love again and again before they leave their apartment, immediately letting the new high lord know of their plans. Holt, who trains as he normally does, is given the chance to have his lunch and dinner breaks with his husband, while Aizen spends time learning from white mages and nurses techniques when having to heal the injured during battles and heavy situations. The couple grow stronger by each day that passes on. Unlike some others, the battlefield and forests don't worry them at all. They've grown up in this visceral mess of having their villages attacked and doing whatever is possible to survive. War was something they were born to expect. And now it's here and the two of them are prepared as if they're veterans.
\t
\tFurther on, back towards the capital of the city, the trio of humans and wolf-demon finally make their way back to the school, which has already been done for the day. Jay sits outside at the front, eating a donut in one hand, holding a bag with one in the other. When Jay runs up to him, he sinks his head lower, handing off the treat. “Hey... Are we about ready?”
\tMilliken takes the donut and takes a bite. He sits down next to Jay, leaning his head on the older boy's shoulder. “Thank you for the donut. You seem sad. Did I do something wrong?”
\tBryan and Alden enter the school, retrieving some personal items from Aldan's office.
\t“No, you're fine.” He sighs. “It's just been a strange day for me... Wanting to visit my brother, then with all of the protests, and there's this new kid. Aldan says he's going to be living with us now.”
\tMilliken wraps his arm around Jay's arm and holds the donut for him to take a bite. “We can visit your brother. The new boy won't with us too long. Doesn't he have to join the army or something? The house is big, so we won't have to share a room unless we want to. I like the way things are. With us sharing the room with Lev and Bryan. I feel better when they're around. I'm scared the new boy will think we're weird. Neke is a strange name, though, isn't it.”
\t“He's a strange kid too.” He whispers. “But that's all I'll say for now.” Jay finishes his donut. “On the way back, we should secretly get a dozen more, somehow..” He laughs. Everyone emerges out, including the anxious Neke, who almost looks like he's ready to run away. Lev and Bryan hold hands, having small talk about Whirlwind and what they'll do when Aldan is gone to war.
\t“Everyone ready? Everyone has everything?” Aldan seems happier than he's been lately. “Neke, do you need any help carrying anything?”
\tMikey stands, still holding Jay and standing close to him. He nudges Jay and when the red-head looks at him, he glances down showing Jay some silver coins he has. Then he looks across the street to the café. “Daddy, can Jay and I get coffees before we head home?”
\t“Sure.” Anyone else want coffee for the walk? He asks, looking at Neke. “Coffee, Neke?”
\t“Uhm, sure...” Neke speaks quietly, afraid to mention his name to anyone, nor let them know what his crime are.
\tJay, Milliken, and Bryan enter the shop to gather coffee while Lev gets to know a bit more about Neke. He's not too fond of him, but tries his best not to show it, especially after figuring out what he did to end up in the prison. When the boys arrive back out, Jay and Mikey laugh playfully, joking about fitting the box of jelly donuts into their backpack. The three boys hand out coffees to everyone. To nobodies surprise, Lev is disappointed in the coffee. They all walk beside each other and allow Aldan to lead the way.
\tBryan walks hand in hand with Lev, bouncing his shoulder in his demon boyfriend every few steps. He playfully teases Lev about the coffee, and how it could never measure up to his. He pulls him over near Neke. “It must be pretty strange moving in with all of us. What's the word that grandpa Bennett used? Mikey, what did grandpa Bennett call us?”
\tMilliken looks up, startled. “All of us? He said we were a 'menagerie'. A collection of strange and unique beasts.”
\tBryan laughs. “Yep, that's it. We're a menagerie, alright. But we're friendly. Mostly.” He glances at Lev, sticking his tongue out at him. “I mean, don't feel self-conscious. We're all weird and different.”
\tNeke argues. “Yeah, but I've done some really, really bad things... It's only thanks to your father and my guard that I am alive today. But I don't know if I should be.”
\tJay tries to stay as silent as he can, but stops him from continuing on with the self hatred. “You know, we're walking to visit my brothers grave and Aldan's husbands grave too. Both of them did horrible things too, made bad decisions and it cost them their lives, but they weren't bad people.”
\tMilliken nods, but doesn't say anything. He holds more tightly onto Jay's arm.
\t“Yeah. The whole point now is to show you're not that Neke who did those bad things.” Bryan glances at Lev. “Sometimes you just need someone to believe in you. Dad believes in you or you wouldn't be with us. Don't be so down on yourself. I'm sure what you did isn't as bad as what some of us have done.”
\tNeke digs his nails deep into his right arm, just wanting them to leave him alone. And so they do, but only to give him space, where as he thinks they must all hate him. Finally, they reach the cemetery, walking uphill and seeing the lake, then back down where the two lone graves rest peacefully. Jay squeezes his boyfriends hand, guiding him to his brothers tombstone, then kneels down next to it with him. To the right, the others gather by Drew's, while Neke sits down far away.
\tAldan smiles at Neke as the boy sits. He makes his way to Drew's grave. He brushes dirt and leaves away from the stone marker, pulling at a couple of weeds growing near the base. He kneels next to the marker and grave, holding his hand flat against Drew's name carved into the face. “Hello, my love.” He falls silent for a moment, struggling with his emotions. Wiping tears from his eyes, he talks to his husband. “I'm sure you know about the war. I'm going to fight the Cruiberg. It's their plan that created the shadow that tormented you. They killed Kate and the littles, too. And you, in a way. I've got to pay them back for all of that.” He pausea again, swallowing hard. “Aizen and Holt are going with me. Lev and the boys are staying here. You'll watch over them, I hope.” He leans forward, resting his forehead against the cold marble. “I miss you so much.”
\tBryan gives his father some time before he comforts him. The other two boys to the left make their way over when suddenly Lev notices something strange. He kneels down a few feet from the tombstone, places his hand down, and focuses for a moment. His tail slides around under his robe as he does so. “There's something different than last time... The shield I put up isn't her anymore and I don't think I can open a gate here either.”
\tBryan rubs his back as he focuses. “What do you mean? Why would it disappear? Why wouldn't you be able to speak to him?”
\tMilliken bites his bottom lip as he feels his heart clench. A theory comes to mind, but it seems impossible.
\tAldan is too caught up in his prayers, his thoughts of Drew. He looks at Lev, his eyes confused. “What?”
\tMikey, thinks for a moment. There are several possibilities, and he runs through each of them in his mind. His eyes scan the graveyard, seeking evidence to support or disprove any of the theories. Finally, two seem less impossible than the others. Still, he hesitates to share his thoughts.
\tJay watches from a distance. Looking between the cluster around Drew's grave and Neke sitting alone at the base of the hill. Quietly, he approaches Milliken, standing near him, resting a hand lightly on his arm.
\tLev stands up, pushing Aldan out of the way, and slowly raises one arm with a discomforting look grown over his face. “It's... because...” The dirt and grass is pulling upwards and is levitated into a pile on the side as the wolf-demon raises the coffin six feet from out of the ground and onto the grass. His face and horns are doused with sweat as he pants, then uses his powers to further pull off the nails of the coffin without touching it. In exhaustion, he falls to his knees, pointing out at the emptiness inside of the coffin. “There's nobody in there.” He explains while trying to catch his breath. “Somehow, he's alive. That's the only explanation as to how I couldn't open a gate to contact him. He's come back...”
\tFury and anger mask Aldan's face as the coffin bursts from the ground. The anger gives way to stunned confusion. “Back? He's come back??” The words sound and feel strange. His stares at the empty casket. His mind trying to process what Lev is saying.
\tMilliken leans down and examined the casket. He stands, looking at Lev and his father, his eyes wide and disbelieving. “There's no dirt inside. No rust on the nails, no degradation of the nail holes or scarring of the lid. It wasn't dug up, opened, and reburied. It's as if he was snatched out the ground.”
\tAldan looks at his son. Slowly his mind stumbles over the unbelievable claim. “He's back? But back where? Drew...?”
\tLev stands up, walking away and sits down on the hill. He speaks up loud enough. “Honestly, I have no clue where he is... There's demon folklore of hidden baths that are fluorescent green where some demons have come back to life, but I thought they were just stories. The only one that's been proven to exist was destroyed hundreds of years ago and was found on the other side of the world. Some say that there's one somewhere around E'hbel, but nobody has found it before...” Bryan walks over to him and sits down beside him. They're all in disbelief and shock as if they were trying to slap themselves silly from a dream. All of a sudden, his and Aldan's necklace glow a different color - bright floral green, but only for a few seconds. “I don't think that was Drew speaking to you that time... I think that was the Lord of Light himself...”
\tFive months later.
\t...And so it goes, more than a thousand miles away, five miles deep inside of a 32,000 ft tall mountain, a young, lost, and hopeless thirteen-year-old demon lays in a limestone room right beside the glowing neon green waters that he emerged from countless months ago. Since then, he's survived off swimming inside of the waters and living off shrimp. The walls of the cave are enormously tall and he doesn't even realize that he's so deep inside of a mountain, nevertheless a complex maze of other caves inside of it. To him, this place is nothing more than a purgatory he has been brought to after his death. To him, this must be his permanent punishment. The demon pulls himself up, washing his face and long brown hair in the water. He had once used a simple sharp rock to cut his hair before. Of course, there's no clothes inside, so he has lived nude as well. Days are endless here. No beginnings or ends. Just the presence and sounds of water echoing. He walks over to the other side of the cave wall, approximately a hundred feet in distance, and lays there, recalling his last days alive and being with his husband.
\tHe's been down so long, alone and isolated, that his mind has begun to slip. He sure that he's heard tapping over the past few . . .whatevers? No one taps in purgatory, though. He weeps quietly hoping for mercy.
tap
tap-tap
tap
\t“Ah, Misty, I knew it! I knew!” A voice in the far darkness, echoing through the maze of interconnected tunnels. The sound of flesh against flesh followed by a low mewling sound. “Oh, don't deny it! Ya thought I was wrong this time, I know ya did.” Another mewling cry. “Ach, I forgive ya. But look at this! This complex must be huge.” The sounds of tapping and scraping. A light in the distance.
\t“Ah, look at that. The glowing green waters. The demons have a legend of a place like this, Misty. Och, I bet there's emeralds and sapphires here the size of a man's head. And it's ours, all ours, girl! Heeheehee.”
\tA shape in the distance. A warm light. Yellow. Orange. Red. Colors that the boy had forgotten. They come closer, merged into one. Fire and flame. A torch. A short man, moves slowly through the tunnels, coming closer. Behind him a huge lizard, with a pack and saddle on it back. Equipment and gear clank and tink as the beast follows the little man. “Heehee. I knew it, I knew it. Well, Misty, set up camp and then explore? Or explore and set up camp?” The beast mewls back, as if it understands the little man. “Oh? Well, then, luncheon it is, then camp, then exploring.”
\tThe demon stands up and stays silent, hearing his own heartbeat as he tries to focus on a close sound. It sounds like someone's mining their way inside. His feline tail flaps around from side to side uncontrollably. He doesn't know how to feel other than anxious. Out of nowhere, he calls out. “Who goes there? Who are you? Show yourself!” After a while of waiting for a response, he gives up, laying back by the water and staring blankly into it.
\t“Eh? Did ya hear that Misty? Sounded like a voice. A wee lad. Och, couldn't be. Not here.” Footsteps. Metal on stone coming closer. Heavy thudding steps followed by dragging. “Heehee. They say we spelunkers lose our minds in the end. Too much time in the dark. Too much time all alone. Well, that's why I have you, ain't it, Misty? You won't let me go mad, will ya? Heehee. Nope. Nosiree. I think I hear water up ahead.”
\tThe steps come closer. “And stop. Aw, shite. Dammit, Misty, you were s'posed to stop me going mad. Now look at that? A naked, demon boy. Here. Well, hello there, naked demon boy hallucination! How are ya?”
\tDrew looks around, startled and jumping back up like a feral cat, and looks for the face. He casts out a ball of fire that he ascends to the top until he see's the tiny face peeking at him from above. “Are you real?”
\t“A crevasse! Of course I'm real. Are you real?” The face peers down from above through the darkness. “And if ya are, where are your clothes? Don't throwing no fire up at me either. That ain't friendly. And if ya are real, who are ya and why are ya here?”
\t“Huh?” He's just as shocked and confused as the little person and his friend. “Uh, I don't know why I'm here anymore! I came out of this water a few months ago, maybe a year, I really don't know, so... There aren't any clothes in here.” He scratches his hair around his horns, curious to meet the little person, especially since he's not had any company. “Hey! Why don't you camp down here? I won't send any fire your way.”
\t“Are them horns I see on yer head?” The little man stares down.
\t“Uh, of course!” He feels his own horns. “All demons have 'em! Have you never seen horns before? Where am I anyway?”
\t“Ach, of course I've seen horn. Demon's is good folk. 'cept those boy that murdered all them folk. But that's neither here nor there. Hold on, little lad. We'll be right down!” The face disappears. There are whispers from above. After a moment, a huge shadow appears at the edge of the crevasse. A giant lizard scrambles over the edge, climbing down the sheer wall quickly and almost silently. Bags and packs and loose tools hang from harnesses on the beast. Riding the beast, hanging on tightly, but riding it's back is a tiny man. It takes less than a minute for the beast and man to reach the underside of the crevasse. The creature tenses, then leaps. It lands with a loud thud, the gear and equipment clanging and rattling on its back. The little man smiles at the demon boy, raising his hat in greeting. “Halloo, demon lad! I am Newton Bullthistle, Spelunker Supreme. And this—" He gestures to the beast. “Is Misty.”
\t“Well, hello there Misty!” The young demon speaks in a childish, higher pitch tone as he kneels down to pet the scaly lizard, letting it lick his hand as well. “A spelunker? So there's more of your people here, right? You didn't say where I am.” He sits down with his legs crossed.
\tNewton stands back, watching Drew and Misty getting to know each other. The giant lizard regards Drew with large, pale eyes. It sniffs him and licks his hand, leaving a trail of thick, sticky spit on Drew's hand. The small man pulls out a pipe, begins filling the bowl and lights. “Nope, lad. Misty and I are a solo expedition. Mapping the tunnels under the E”
\t“E'hbel mountains. Yer about 6 miles down from the peak of Caer Grynnon. Prospecting for gems as well.” He exhales a plume of smoke. “Ya don't remember who ya are or how ya got here?”
\t“E'hbel? I'm... Home?” He drags his hand along the cave rocks, then washes it off in the water. “So... I've been resurrected. But why?” The young demon, Drew, places one hand to his neck, feeling a thick scar that circles around his neck.
\tNoticing Drew's scar, Newton whistles. He takes a couple of steps closer to the demon boy. “That's some scar you have, my friend.” Holding the torch high, which is about 4 feet off the ground for him, he reaches towards the scar. He stops before touching Drew's skin. “Do ya mind, lad?”
\t“Uhm.. I guess.” Drew places his hand down, covering his privates as he does so.
\t“I've seen 'em before, boy. Ya don't live 80 years my size and not get privates in yer eyes a few times.” He grins up at Drew Sometimes even on purpose. He examines the scar, feeling along it gently. “This is mighty odd. Goes clear around, but 'tweren't a rope made this. And it's fresh, as these things are reckoned. Like you got your head cut off and sown back on! Thankee.” Newton moves over to Misty, going through one of the packs on her harness. He pulls out some clothes, a pair of pants and a shirt, tossing them to Drew. “They're full size for me, but the should do you. So, tell me everything while I rustle us up some food.”
\tDrew puts on the clothes, which are a tight fit for him, even though he's been skin and bones after living off tiny shrimp forever. “Well, I emerged from that water a while back, I'd say four or five months ago, maybe longer, and since then I've lived here alone. I tried escaping with my fire, but realized that it wasn't such a smart idea, since one mistake can have the entire foundations collapse on me. I can't climb up to that crevasse like you can. When I meditate, I can only float a foot off of the floor, and that takes me a few hours. There's just no way... The waters, I've gone as deep as I can, but it doesn't lead anywhere else. Maybe it does, but I can only swim underwater for ten or so minutes.”
\tNodding along to Drew's story, Newton unpacks more gear. He starts a small fire and begins cooking up some salted meat, beans, and biscuits. “I've met demons before, but never met with them so I don't know what ya like or not. But then, as long as it ain't them little shrimp, I reckon you'll be happy.” He blows another smoke ring. “Let's start with yer name, young 'un.”
\t“My name... It's Drew Colhan.” Drew sits closer to the lizard, petting him as he speaks. “Born in the mountains of E'hbel, but I spent summers in Varn Ra too. My mom passed away early on and eventually I moved with my father to a place called Harath. I don't know if you've heard of it.”
\t“Oh, aye. I've heard of it. Been there a few times as well.” He passes Drew a biscuit and pours him a half-mug of beer, adding water to weaken the beverage. “Big war brewing 'tween Harath and Aquia against Cruiberg. Nasty mess. Stories say half the capital of Harath was blowed up by a demon boy. Working for Cruiberg, so it's war. That's what some says at least.” He passes Drew a bowl of beans and meat.
\tDespite the fact that he only eats meat, he devours the beans anyway, then the animal. The beer has little, if any effect on him, but has a nice crisp taste to it. A lager from the capital village in Varn Ra with a thousand year old recipe. “By a demon?” Memories of the shadow comes back to him. He hasn't seen it ever since. “A demon would never work for the Cruiberg. That's impossible, illogical. Are the... Cruiberg already here? Attacking?”
\t“Not yet, lad. They're in the skirmish bit. Small confrontations while the big armies gather and hope for an opening. 'course, I been down fer. . .” He counts off several fingers. “Four months now. They could be in the thick of it by now. But, one thing all the tales agree on. 'twas a demon boy, Lev The Destroyer some calls him. All sorts of story about him and Dark Mages and some guardsman who stopped him before he could target their king.”
\t“Dark mages? Destroyer?” Drew stops eating and grows even more confused. “A guardsman? A prison guard? Was... His name Aldan by any chance?”
\t“Oh, aye.” The small man wipes crumbs from his beard, eyeing Drew. “Are ye sure ye've been down here that long? Aldan Jaeger, Hero of Brackenford, The Black Savior of Harathi. So's it been told ta me. Heard of him?”
\t“Yeah, I've heard of him.” Drew's face lights up with a smile. His tail sticks right up, then lays on top of the lizard as it rests. “That's my husband.” He returns to his food. “This Lev, the demon you mentioned, did he survive? What happened to him?”
\t“Oh, aye. He's alive alright. Stories say he's living in the capital still. But ya can't be married to Aldan Jaeger. He had a wife what was slaughtered by Cruiberg assassins, 'long with his kids.” He shakes his head sadly. “Right horrible what was done to them. Story says Aldan's sworn to pluck the eyes out of the heads of each of the Cruiberg king for what was done to his family. Can't say as I blame him.” He takes the empty bowls and sets them aside. He glances at Drew with a glint in his eye. “Fancy some sweet candy?”
\tHe sits still, almost paralyzed once he hears what happened to Kate and the kids. “No... thanks... I think I'm okay. In fact, you can leave me here now.” He walks away from him, hiding into a dark corner of the cave, his back rolling back and forth as he begins to lose his mind.
\tNewton watches Drew disappear into the darkness. He starts to say something, but stops. He starts to walk after Drew, but hesitates. Instead, he goes over to Misty, taking more gear from the harnesses and talking to her. “Dunno what I said ta make him go like that. I can't just leave him here, can I girl. This ain't no fit place for anyone. I dunno what I did. I was just making talk and answering his questions. First person we sees in months and he's irate with us.” He pets the lizard, scratching under her chin. “Ain't hardly fair ta no one.”
\tEventually, all of it hits him and he breaks into a storm of tears. Nothing has made since ever since the little man and his pet lizard came into play. At first, he thought he was dead or in purgatory, now it seems he's not only been brought back to life, but put somewhere worse. He imagines how they must have all been slaughtered by the Cruiberg, all of them except Aldan, who has to suffer in the pain and die with his rage on the battlefield. It's no use to leave. If they're really bounded for eternity, then why does it have to be like this?
\tDrew's tears and sobs echo throughout that caves. Misty senses their vibrations through her throat tremblings. She mewls unhappily. Newton busies himself setting up a small camp. Eventually he stops, calling out into the dark. “Hey, there, lad. I dunno why yer crying, but if it's something I did, ya have to excuse me. I ain't used ta people, and sometimes I rubs them the wrong way.” He pauses, but continues. “'tain't all that bad.”
\tHe snaps his fingers. “I picked this up last time I was in Harath.” He rummages through a small, sturdy chest. Crying out triumphantly, he holds aloft a sheaf of papers. “This here's a news story about another demon boy winning some music prize.” He begins reading aloud the story of Aizen's win in the composing competition. “Says here he wrote the piece fer his friends, Aldan and Drew. Hmm. Hmm. Ooh!”
\t“Wha.... What?” Drew almost steps from the darkness as he wipes away his tears on the neck of his tunic, but stays hidden. “I'm glad for him... That he made it there safe. I always knew Aizen would make a good musician and told him about their schools in Harath.”
\t“Oh aye. One of my cousins was there that night. Said the whole audience were in tears at the end. That there Aizen's elf-husband was fit ta blow a button. 'nother cuz of mine says the two of them are marching ta war with that Alden feller. They want revenge, too.” He pauses and continues uncertainly. “Ya say this Aldan fella was yer husband, too? I tell ya, things sure work different in big cities. Come on out, lad. Read the story fer yerself. Mayhap we can help each other."
\tWith given time, Drew emerges from the dark and back over, reading through the paper in a few seconds. It's exactly what he dreamed would happen for Aizen, that he'd find a good husband early on and be a successful musician. The war part isn't too much of a surprise to him. He's always known that war against Cruiberg was on the verge of exploding, but if he's out there with Aldan... “I... There's a way out of here, isn't there? I mean, some way out for me.”
\t“Oh, aye.” Newton nods. He sits by the fire. He pulls out a folded piece of paper and unwarps it. “According to me map, if we make straight out for the closest surface exit, we can have ya under the sun in. . .” He counts his fingers again. “. . .three days.”
\t“Then I'll be at your service for whatever help you need if you help me get out of here.” Drew spits into the palm of hand, waiting for the shorter, but much older man to shake on it.
\tNewton's smile, his teeth shining though his brown beard. He spits in his palm and shakes Drew's hand firmly. “Deal. Give us a day or so to rest up and search fer some stones or ore an' we'll get ya outta here and I'll stake me claim with the order.”
\tThe two newly-met friends shake on their deal and finish dinner, preparing for their long adventure through the dangerous caves inside of the mountain before they make their way out. Little do they know that the war that the little man had mentioned had already begun just days after he left in search for treasure and rare, expensive rocks. Varn Ra, a village with an anthro majority and near a large lake a hundred miles opposite of E'hbel, had come under attack for the second time, but hasn't given up the fight for their people and land just yet. The gears of battle and mayhem have only just begun to spin into catastrophe and Cruiberg has seemed to effortlessly accomplish their beginning goals in battle, but that doesn't stop the hearts of Aigua and Harath from seeking justice for the non-humans and those living in their own kingdoms. About three hundred and fifty miles away from the mountain that Drew resides inside of, his long lost husband travels among the forests as a commander with two guerilla squads. Once again, fate and order of the universe seems to bring the two together, although slowly, as if they're magnets that can only be clenched by passing through destruction and tragedy. But through tragedy, hope keeps them going. Hope to be with one another again, to find peace not only for themselves, but for others just as vulnerable. So ends another chapter in the story of our warriors and continues on to the war for E'hbel.
The End…
…And to be continued in The Demon War!
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