2 comments/ 23352 views/ 16 favorites Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest By: LesLumens DISCLAIMER: The stories in the "Celebrity" section of Literotica are all fictional parodies - none are true, nor are they approved of by the celebrities named in the stories. Authors write these fictitious stories about famous people for the same reason that Larry Flynt made fun of Jerry Falwell, because they can. The Supreme Court of the United States, the country where this site is located, has ruled that parodies involving famous people are perfectly and totally legal under the United States Constitution. The specific case law on this was decided in the case of "Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al. v. Jerry Falwell" in 1988. No harm is intended toward the celebrities featured in these stories, but they are public figures and in being so, they must accept that they are fair target for parodies by the public. We believe in the first amendment, and more broadly, in the basic principle of free speech and this section may push the boundaries of that principle, but the United States Supreme Court has approved of this type of material. We believe that the Supreme Court was correct in their decision. Author's Notes: The characters of Rubiss, Gwaelin, Lorik, the monster archetypes, and the world setting are not my creation. This is fanfiction, and I have put my own spin upon the DQ world in this story. No toe-stepping or offense is intended. This story picks up where my previous stories in the chain left off. You’ll want to read VR:DQ4, VR:DQ2, VR:DQ3, and VR:DQ5 (in that order) to know the whole story. Hope you like it! @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The featureless sky above was unnerving, devoid of clouds, sun, or any other feature that should be there. The dull gray made me feel like I was inside some sort of dust-covered snow globe. I could see well enough, but the lighting gave the impression of a late fall overcast, chill and gloomy despite the warmth of the air. The grass was much the same color as the evergreens, a deep green so dark that it was hard to tell where the shadows ended and the boughs began. The sea and mountains I could see were equally bland and almost lifeless looking. I tightened a couple of straps on my magic armor and sheathed my flame sword, thinking that the somewhat mournful overworld theme running through my head fit the place perfectly. After visiting the other bright and welcoming DQ worlds full of life and beauty, this one was a sharp and disheartening contrast. I’d already seen several slimes and even a few red slimes, but the creatures had shied away from me. If I remembered my last save in the game properly, I was on my way to the final battle in the SFC remake of the game. I couldn’t translate more than a little of the Japanese, but I knew the original game so well that I’d had little trouble finding my way. Thus, the monsters were fleeing from me exactly as they would have the hero in the game. I could see the town of Brecconary and Tantegel castle a short distance away. Both looked far more like dark ages fortresses than the cities and castles of the other DQ worlds. Turning toward the sea, I could see the black basalt specter of Charlock rising from the swirling mists. I could just make out the one bright spot in the world, the Rainbow Bridge. The old man had hinted that I was supposed to go to Kol, but I really wasn’t looking forward to the long hike around the mountains. The place was depressing, and I felt exhausted for some reason. Turning back toward town, I decided to stop off in Brecconary for a beer or three and a rest. The streets were paved with crumbling stone and lined with buildings constructed of whatever the occupants could find. A few substantial structures of stone lined the road, but most were made of wood, and some were little more than rude shacks. The people looked as downtrodden as their town. Everyone moved slowly from place to place with their heads down, and few spoke or acknowledged the others they encountered. Once I stepped into the inn, I realized that the tiles in the game had left out a lot. There were actually several rooms in the inn, and a small drinking area with a bar. A few townsfolk sat around nursing their brew silently, but I did see a few listening to a flute player with faint smiles on their faces. I grinned as well, recognizing the tune he played as the town theme of the game. “Welcome to my humble establishment, good traveler. Do you seek a place to bed down, perhaps?” I turned to the innkeeper and nodded. “I need a beer and a bed something fierce.” The innkeeper’s smile spread far wider, and I could see hope in his eyes. I assumed that he probably didn’t get much business to the tavern, and even less from people seeking rooms. I tried to remember the cost of the inn from the game, and then doubled that. I still had more gold coins jingling around in my bag than I knew what to do with, so I figured I might as well spread the wealth. “Good Master, this is...” “What I’m paying you,” I said, cutting him off. “Just take it.” “You are most kind. I will endeavor to make your stay here the most grand you have ever experienced.” “I appreciate it,” I responded, taking my room key from him. I walked over to the bar and took a seat. The flute player was now recounting the legend of Erdrick. I knew it well enough, considering I’d played through it in DQ Three several times. He linked the current descendant of Erdrick to the story, trying to drum up hope amongst those listening. I dropped a coin on the bar and ordered a beer, chuckling as the barkeep bit into the coin before staring at it in wide-eyed surprise. I turned back to the minstrel telling his story, and something hit me. I knew I was in the SFC version of the game, because I’d been able to discharge a fireball from my flame sword as I chose my equipment. The minstrel was referring to the characters and places in the game by the familiar U.S. localization terms, though. “Your mind changes things around to make you more comfortable,” a voice I knew all to well said from behind me. I turned toward the old man with a sigh, wondering what he was going to pull on me this time. “They aren’t even speaking a language you could actually understand. It’s part of the magic.” “Thanks for the heads-up. I suppose you’re here to try to shuffle me off to Kol. Well, go fuck yourself, old man. I’m staying right here.” The old man waved his hands in front of him in a gesture of mocking fear, and then scoffed before saying, “I’m here for the beer. You’ll go exactly where you’re supposed to go.” “Yeah, whatever,” I grumbled, purposely turning away from him as I finished my beer. When I glanced back over my shoulder a little while later, the old man was gone. A look around the room didn’t reveal him anywhere. I shrugged and ordered another beer. A little while later, with a good buzz on, I dropped a couple of coins in the minstrel’s hat and headed for my room. Just like hunger is the best sauce, exhaustion is the softest mattress. I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the scratchy pillow. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I awakened to cries of alarm, the sounds of a fight, and a drakee furiously beating its head against the window of my room. Fortunately, after so long practicing, I could pull on my armor as quickly as any soldier in the DQ worlds. I managed to get dressed and get my sword ready just as the drakee burst into the room. With little room to swing my sword in the tight confines, I resorted to a maneuver that had served me quite well on numerous occasions. I blocked the screeching bat-like creature with my shield, constantly batting it toward walls. Finally, the critter was in the perfect position to smash it hard against the wall with my shield. The sickening crunch told me that I’d surely busted several bones in the drakee’s body. It slid down the wall in cartoon fashion, flopping off the simple hand-carved headboard of the bed to land on the mattress. I scraped it off onto the floor and stabbed my sword into it to finish the drakee off. I heard a terrified woman’s scream from outside the inn, and I certainly couldn’t ignore that. I found the innkeeper furiously bashing a red slime to death with a broom, and other members of his family likewise dispatching other slimes with various household implements. With everything under control inside the inn, I stepped outside. Everywhere I looked people were battling slimes and drakees. While the townsfolk were doing well against the slimes, the flying drakees were staying out of reach and diving in to attack. The townsfolk had few weapons that could attack the airborne menaces. I drew my sword with a wicked grin. I pointed it at the nearest drakee and tracked the creature’s movement. I released a fireball from the sword just ahead of the creature’s path, and it fell like a screaming meteor to the earth below. My second fireball missed, but the third and fourth connected. Facing my effective fireball assault, the drakees took to their wings and fled the town. Without the distraction of the flying monsters, the slimes didn’t stand a chance. Red and blue goo soon coated the cracked flagstones throughout the town. With the threat finally ended, I turned to find the innkeeper wiping his brow after smashing a final slime to the ground. Towns were safe havens from monsters in the game, unless the plot demanded otherwise, so I was a little surprised at the attack. “Does this happen often?” The innkeeper shook his head. “Never before have any monsters dared to attack the town. It has happened before in other towns, but the monsters there are far more fearsome.” Must be some last ditch effort to stop or distract the hero, I thought. A group of soldiers suddenly burst through the main gate of town to fan out and stare with amazement at the carnage. I assumed by the embellishments on his armor that the one approaching the innkeeper and I was some sort of officer. When he addressed the innkeeper, that led me to the assumption that the man was some sort of unofficial governor in town. The soldier took off his hat and said, “We were set upon in the castle as well. I apologize for not arriving sooner, but it appears you had things well in hand.” The innkeeper slapped me on the shoulder and said, “Nay. Were it not for this traveler and his magical sword, we surely would have still struggled against the invading creatures even now.” The soldier looked me over and grunted approvingly. “The King will surely wish to reward you for your bravery, traveler.” I could tell that the guy was fishing for a name, so I supplied one. “Thakkor.” The soldier raised his eyebrows. “You seem to share the bravery and skill of the man for whom you are named.” That was a surprise. Apparently, my most common name in DQ Three actually translated over to the legend in this world. “Just did what I could,” I responded with a shrug. “Please, come with us and guest in the castle. The King will surely receive you in the morning.” I knew better than to refuse a Royal summons, even when issued without the direct word of the King. I turned to the innkeeper and clapped him on the shoulder. “Looks like you’re getting an even better deal than before. You get double the rent for half a night.” “Would that we could repay you for what you have done this night,” he said, clasping my hand in a firm handshake. “No need,” I responded, not knowing what else to say. I followed the soldiers back to the castle, where they put me up in a far more comfortable room within the castle. With the adrenaline rush gone, I soon slipped back into an exhausted slumber once more. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I was awakened politely, but insistently, the next day by an attractive middle-aged woman. The castle servants had somehow managed to polish my armor and bring in a tub without waking me, a testament to exactly how tired I was when I hit the hay. I was still pretty hazy when I tossed back the covers to climb out of bed. I came back to my senses just in time to notice the woman glancing away from my morning erection, hidden only by my boxers, and blushing furiously. She looked once more before closing the door, and I had to wonder if she’d find some excuse to come back in once she assumed I was in the bath. Washed and dressed in my sparkling armor, I had to admit that I cut a pretty dashing figure in the full-length mirror. Too bad this look wouldn’t work quite so well in the real world. A knock a few minutes later revealed another servant hoping I was ready, because the King was ready to see me. I was rather ill prepared for what awaited me when I exited the door. Quite a few of the townsfolk had turned out along with everyone in the castle to line the pathway to the stairs where the King and Gwaelin awaited. As soon as I stepped outside, armored men on either side of the path presented weapons, while others took up instruments. It was a little hard to not straighten my back and puff out my chest as the powerful, swelling cords of Overture sounded, the common theme of all the games. It never failed to give me goose bumps the first time it rang out whenever I started a new game, and it had the same effect upon me then. At the same time memories of getting my hands on a new game for the first time flooded through me, I also felt a little like I was reliving the end of the first Star Wars. It all combined to make me forget pretty much the entire procession, and the speech the King gave. I have no idea how I responded, and I only really came down as I ascended the stairs to the throne room with the King. The King wearily took a seat on his throne while Gwaelin took her place across from him. It was only then that I really noticed her. Damn, the hero is one lucky bastard, I thought as I looked at her. Gwaelin appeared to be about nineteen, with honey-gold hair that hung in perfect ringlets framing her face, and even the conservative gown she wore could do little to hide her perfect figure. She looked like a supermodel, but something in her eyes bespoke a lot more humanity than that, despite her lofty station. I had to fight the urge to chuckle as I remembered that I’d gone to rest at the inn with the hero while carrying Gwaelin home after rescuing her in the game. I had to wonder if the hero took opportunity to do more than sleep before returning her home to her father. I don’t know how he could have resisted. “We wish to offer our thanks personally for your brave and noble deeds in protecting our citizens. We also wish to ask of you a boon, Thakkor.” Crap. Knew this was too good to be true. “How may I be of service, your Majesty?” “One has come to us in need of escort to the city of Kol, and we cannot spare the soldiers to accompany her. The fair lady now intends to make the journey alone, and this weighs heavily upon our heart.” I could almost hear the knobby-kneed old man chuckling in my ear. I knew I was trapped, so I put on my best Mandorallen lofty nobility and responded, “Surely it doth weigh heavily upon mine own heart to consider the peril that a woman wouldst face alone upon the long, harsh journey to fair Kol, and I cannot in good conscience allow this to come to pass so long as I do possess the strength to lift mine sword, your Majesty. I do vouchsafe that the fair lady shall meet no misfortune so long as she doth travel at my side, though the foulest of monsters and creatures of the dark do beset us in our grand journey to the safe environs of fair Kol.” I was rather proud of myself when the King paused, obviously needing a moment to process my answer. If I’d opened up on him full force, I’d probably have knocked his crown off waxing poetic and verbose. “We are most pleased and grateful to hear such fine news, noble Thakkor. The fair lady impatiently awaits your answer, having agreed to wait only at our insistence after hearing of your deeds within Brecconary. We do hope you can leave on your journey soon, as we doubt she shall wait for much longer.” “I need only what I have, your Majesty. We may set out this very morn, from this very room.” “Our beloved daughter, so recently returned to us from the clutches of darkness, will escort you to the fair lady immediately then. We do fear that we must take council with wise men to discern the best course of action in light of the recent attacks.” “I understand, your Majesty,” I said with a bow. Gwaelin stood and gestured for me to approach. While she maintained her royal demeanor as she escorted me out of the throne room, I could see it falling from her shoulders like an unwanted cloak as soon as we closed the door. She pulled something from the bodice of her gown and glanced down at it. The heart shaped pendant could be only one thing, the twin amulet to the one the hero carried — Gwaelin’s love. “He’ll return to you soon enough, safe and triumphant. You’ll know long before he arrives, however, as light and life returns to the world ahead of him.” She turned to look at me with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. “I pray that you speak true, but are you a prognosticator? Is the future yours to behold?” I smiled and replied, “I put my faith in the blood of Erdrick, and in the cause of justice. He has already delivered you from the clutches of a dragon and liberated the artifacts of his line from far and wide. What evil could stand against him?” Gwaelin swelled with pride, love, and what I do believe was a hint of desire. “I believe as you do, though few share such high hopes. There is much of my love in you, I think. You resemble him, and so do your deeds. The one you are to escort is as dear to me as a sister, and it gives me comfort to know that she will travel with one such as you.” “I’ll protect her, Gwaelin.” Her smile was absolutely radiant. “So few will speak my name because of my station. It sounds almost as fine on your lips as upon those of my beloved Matusen, and though I like your noble tongue, I find your common speaking also a welcome change. I will take you to Renelle, that you may see her safely to Kol. She had experienced a vision, and I believe time is of the essence to see her delivered there.” “I’ll get her there as quickly as possible.” Gwaelin knocked on a door and said, “Renelle, he says he’ll escort you. He’s ready to leave whenever you are.” The door opened to reveal a woman that could very well have been Gwaelin’s twin, except for subtle differences in their facial features. Renelle’s robe gave me a better view of her body than Gwaelin’s gown, but it also revealed the woman’s profession. Well, at least I don’t have to worry about getting into trouble with her, I thought as I recognized her cleric’s vestments. “I’ve heard about what you did in the town. I’m glad you’re willing to protect me on the journey to Kol.” “Whenever you’re ready,” I responded. “Please be careful,” Gwaelin said, taking Renelle’s hand. “I will,” Renelle responded. “We must go now. I have waited to long already.” “My father has provided some things to aid you on your journey. I wish it could be more, but...” I held up my hand and smiled. “I understand. You have a whole nation to protect. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few — or the one.” The urge to do the Vulcan salute was almost impossible to resist. Gwaelin led us to a pair of treasure chests containing the supplies she’d spoken of. Within were several bottles of fairy water, a large tent, a pair of bedrolls, healing herbs, and other camping essentials. The thought of camping out in a hostile land full of riled up monsters wasn’t appealing, but I didn’t see any real choice. The old man was going to get me to Kol somehow, and he’d found his way. At least this way, there would be two sets of eyes and ears. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest II DISCLAIMER: The stories in the "Celebrity" section of Literotica are all fictional parodies - none are true, nor are they approved of by the celebrities named in the stories. Authors write these fictitious stories about famous people for the same reason that Larry Flynt made fun of Jerry Falwell, because they can. The Supreme Court of the United States, the country where this site is located, has ruled that parodies involving famous people are perfectly and totally legal under the United States Constitution. The specific case law on this was decided in the case of "Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al. v. Jerry Falwell" in 1988. No harm is intended toward the celebrities featured in these stories, but they are public figures and in being so, they must accept that they are fair target for parodies by the public. We believe in the first amendment, and more broadly, in the basic principle of free speech and this section may push the boundaries of that principle, but the United States Supreme Court has approved of this type of material. We believe that the Supreme Court was correct in their decision. Author's Notes: The characters of the two Princes, the Princess, and the world setting are not my creation. This is fanfiction, and I have put my own spin upon the DQ world in this story. No toe-stepping or offense is intended. This story picks up where my previous story in the chain (VR:DQIV) left off. Hope you like it! @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "This is impossible. Only the chosen ones, the descendants of Erdrick, could make it to this refuge," the nun admonished again. Groaning, I said, "Give me a break, Sister. Trust me -- I'm not here to muck up the prophecies, or cause some great rift in the cosmic balance. Give me a few minutes to think here, and I'll figure out some way to get out of your hair. Shouldn't you be praying for the safe deliverance of the chosen ones, or something?" The woman's high-pitched voice was grating on my nerves, as if I didn't have enough problems already. Letting out an indignant gasp, the nun stormed off, deeper into the monolith somewhere. Okay, time to think. What would the two princes be wearing? Odds are I'm not going to be able to use anything they are. That eliminates all the Erdrick equipment, the Thunder Sword, the Light Sword, and the fur coat -- as if I'd be caught dead wearing that anyhow. Ticking through D.Q. Two's item list in my head, I realized I was already wearing the best armor I could likely pull out of the bag. Okay, I'm stuck with Magic Armor. Let's see if I've got a Dragon Killer buried in here somewhere, though, because that's stronger than a broadsword. Oh, and a Shield of Strength. Rummaging around in my magical sack, I found what I was looking for. "Sweet," I muttered, and dropped the broadsword back into the bag. Giving the Dragon Killer a few practice swings, I grinned at the green aura of magical power surrounding it. Slipping the shield on my arm, I could almost feel the healing energy within it. "Speaking of magic..." I concentrated, hoping to have the words of a spell pop into my head. No such luck. Hmm, the Hero wouldn't have had any magic at the point where I popped up near Endor. The Hero in D.Q. Two doesn't have any magic at all. I guess that means I'm restricted to whatever abilities the Hero has in the game. "Guess it's just you and me, buddy," I said to my sword. Against hordes of smiling, instant death baddies, my brain finished for me, even though I was trying to ignore that particular little problem. Stones of Life would be nice, about a dozen of them strung around my neck would work, I think. No such thing in this game, though. Dragon's Bane -- that will at least help to block some spells. Digging through the bag again, I recognized one of the stones. Pulling it out, I strung the leather thong around my neck. Good thing I'm obsessed with gambling, I thought. The lottery in this game was more random than the casinos in later games, but I remembered making a pretty good haul. I could see another lying in the bag, so I gave a shot at pulling it out. I whistled the Finding an Item tune, and then held my breath, as I tried to slip the second stone around my neck. In the game, only one could be equipped. Fortunately for me, I appeared to be somewhat outside the rules. After having no trouble with the second stone, I dug around, and found another, buried under a set of Wayfarer's clothes. They had to be from alternate saves -- lucky for me -- or I wouldn't have had so many. Three Dragon's Banes should put a crimp in any of the monster's little death spells. Then I thought, Maybe I don't have to deal with them at all. I could just hit the portal, and head back to Beran. Surely I can handle the critters outside of Rhone, equipped as well as I am. A sound like an explosion outside drew me out of my musings. Walking over to the window, I was amazed to see three people outside the Monolith. I knew who it had to be, as the nun was right, nobody else should have been able to make it here. The explodet spell from the Princess did some damage, but it was a waste of magic power. The Prince's defeat spell took out all the Blizzards in one fell swoop. Even though the group was still a goodly distance away, I could tell they weren't in great shape. Remembering my runs through Rhone, I could certainly guess why. They were headed toward the Monolith, obviously on the way back for some healing, before they set out to try to reach Hargon's Castle again. With the Blizzards out of the way, as close as they were, they should have been home free. I have no idea where the Giants could have been hiding. They popped up as if from nowhere, rising above the staggering heroes. Surprising the descendants of Erdrick, the one-eyed gargantuans both swung their clubs. "Surround -- cast surround!" I shouted, but I knew they were too far away to hear me. The prince of Cannok dodged the attack of one giant, but the Hero wasn't so lucky. I winced as he went down, and a hazy specter appeared above his body. The crackle of lightning from the Princess' Staff of Thunder proved to be little more than an annoyance to the Giants. The Prince tried to dodge again, and attack, but with two giants now concentrating on him, he didn't really stand a chance. A moment later, he too fell to the earth, his spirit hovering above him. The desperate Princess made the right move, casting surround, and the Giants both flailed fruitlessly, missing her by a mile. It was only a temporary reprieve, however, and I knew it. My survival instinct warred with my conscience. They weren't real people. They were just video game characters. A quick reset -- the alternate reality spell, as I liked to call it -- and they'd be just fine. The Princess fled while the Giants were partially blinded by illusions, the bodies of her two cousins vanishing, now housed in the specters trailing along behind her. I could see tears running down her cheeks, and that's what made the decision. I walked over to the door, checked over my equipment once more, took a deep breath, and stepped outside. Two Blizzards were coming up on the Princess fast, and she hadn't seen them yet. I screamed, "Watch it! Blizzards!" The Princess glanced back over her shoulder, and I could hear her gasp, as she was that close to the safety of the Monolith now. Unfortunately, she wasn't close enough. Summoning up my courage, I charged out to join her. Desperate, the Princess once again opened up with the explodet spell. This time, the Prince wasn't alive to use his death magic against the beasts, and they survived. I reached her just as the Blizzards attacked, fortunately trying to tear her apart with their claws. I wondered how they could hit anything, or be hit, considering they looked like shimmering beings of light. While I couldn't see through them, they certainly looked insubstantial. The Princess managed to dodge the first Blizzard's wicked attack, and took only a glancing blow from the second. It was enough to drop her to her knees, however. Whipping my Dragon Killer into an overhead blow, I let out a scream, turning the attention of both the nasty critters to me. Part of me was silently screaming, Oh, that was fucking stupid. Heere's yer sign! I ignored it, following through with the strike. The Blizzard screamed, an ear-splitting sound that sparked an image of a cat being electrocuted in my head. The combination of a screeching yowl and a crackle of electricity marked the demise of the Blizzard. Not really prepared to have slain it in one blow, I was a bit off balance. The second Blizzard struck, its claws not penetrating my armor, but hurting nonetheless from the strength of the attack. I knew I was going to have a nasty bruise. Regaining my balance, I danced off to the side, swinging my sword in a feint, trying to draw the creature away from the Princess, who had lost consciousness. It obviously considered me the major threat at this point, because it ignored her and came after me. Weak and angry, the Blizzard turned to its death magic. I could feel the chill touch of the life-snuffing spell wash over me, and the warm glow of the Dragon's Bane amulets beneath my armor. "Nice try, Blizzard boy!" I charged back in, swinging my sword at the creatures out thrust arm. The Blizzard screamed in pain as the blow connected, and lashed out with its defeat spell again. Once more, luck -- and my Dragon's Bane amulets -- were on my side. The spell rolled off me, and I ducked a swipe of the creature's claws. It lost its balance, stumbling forward slightly when I wasn't where it expected me to be. I took advantage of the slip, and swung my sword at about where the creature's knees should be. The creature screamed again, louder than before, but looked groggy. I didn't give it time to recover its wits, and stabbed upward into the thing's chest. The Blizzard winked out of existence, and I turned, sighing with relief when I didn't see a third spirit hovering over the landscape. The Princess was still alive. Sheathing my sword, I picked her up, surprised by how light she was, and ran to the Monolith. Panting for breath, I tried to ignore the expressionless spooks hovering around my shoulder. I put the Princess down in front of the dais at the head of the Monolith, and as soon as I could manage, I shouted, "Hey, nun lady! The chosen ones could use a little healing here!" The bruise beneath my armor shot pain through me, and I remembered my Shield of Strength. Raising it overhead, I felt healing energy pour through me. The pain ceased, and my exhaustion vanished. Nice, I thought, Hell of a lot more convenient than screwing around with herbs. Safe within the Monolith now, and not feeling like dragging around the shield, I tucked it back in my magical bag. The nun walked out from somewhere deeper in the Monolith, and gasped upon seeing the state of the chosen ones. Moving immediately to the dais, she closed her eyes and offered a prayer. Healing energy poured through the Princess, and the two specters sank down into a reclining position. Once on the floor, the hazy images of the two Princes became their bodies once more, and they too were permeated by the holy light of the nun's magic. After a while, all three chosen ones groaned and stirred. They stood slowly, trying to shake the cobwebs out of their heads. "What happened? Is everyone alright?" The Hero asked his companions. The Prince and Princess both nodded their heads in the affirmative, and then the Princess turned toward me. "This man helped me. I don't believe I would have made it back without his aid." The Hero pulled off his helmet, shaking out his short, dark hair, and walked toward me, extending his hand. "You have my gratitude. I am Thakkor." Looks like it's time to fall back on my second run-through name, I thought. "Not a problem, Thak. The fate of the world does lie in your hands, after all. Just doing my part. My name's Matusen, but you can call me Matt." The Prince approached next, his spiky blonde hair bouncing as he walked. "You have my gratitude as well. I am Lars, Prince of Cannock." His tone struck me as a little arrogant. I shook the Prince's hand, but it took a lot of focus to keep my eyes on him. Behind him, the Princess was pulling off her miter, and shaking out a wealth of blonde hair. It had been hidden by the miter, and tucked into her Water Flying Cloth previously. Those are some big, blue eyes, I thought. Snapping my brain away from the beautiful Princess, I said to Lars, "You're welcome. Good to have you back." The Princess then approached. She moved with a dancer's grace, just the faintest hints of the curves hidden beneath her Water Flying Cloth showing. "I thank you as well. I am Gwen, the Princess of Moonbrooke." I took her hand and kissed it. Her cheeks turned rosy, which served to make her even more beautiful. "What sort of man would not come to the aid of someone in need? No thanks are necessary, Milady." Gwen's lips turned up into a smile. "I notice you didn't say a woman in need." I winked, and said, "I'm smarter than that." Gwen laughed, and pointed at Lars. "Perhaps you should teach him how to speak with a lady. He's quite hopeless." Lars protested, "Gwen!" Thakkor burst out into laughter, drawing an angry stare from his royal cousin, and more laughter from Gwen. I chuckled a little, but decided that cracking up at the Prince's embarrassment probably wasn't a good idea. Thakkor's expression turned somber after a minute or so. "Sorry, Lars, but I needed that laugh. How are we ever going to survive to even reach Hargon's castle, let alone defeat him?" I jumped in, "Do you still have a Leaf of the World Tree?" Thakkor shook his head, "I had to use it on Lars, after that Silver Batboon attack." I ticked off another vital piece of equipment I always carried when making a run for Hargon, "What about Wizard's Rings?" All three shook their head. Gwen answered, "We had one, but it dissolved when I restored my magic, shortly before you arrived to save us." I asked Gwen, "Are you carrying a Shield of Strength?" Gwen hung her head, "I couldn't possibly use something so heavy." I bent down and smiled at her. "You could put one in your bag, though, and use its magic to heal you when necessary. It won't weigh anything in the bag, and you could lift it long enough to heal yourself, I'm sure." "I have held Lars' for him sometimes," Gwen admitted, raising her head back up with a grin. "There you go," I told her with a smile. Tapping my finger on my chin, I said, "I'd say some shopping, and a little gambling is in order. It's a pain in the ass that nobody sells Wizard Rings, but I think I can win a few in the Lottery. I'm pretty lucky. We'll need some lottery tickets, and that means fighting some Healers. Either that, or hoping Puppet Men have the rings themselves." "We acquired our Wizard's Ring from a Puppet Man," Lars interjected. I countered, "Healers aren't very dangerous, though, and I really think I can pull off winning some. No sense taking the extra risk, unless we have to." Thakkor nodded. "It's worth a try. We'll need to get a new Leaf of the World Tree, and buy Gwen a Shield of Strength." The nun stepped forward then, curiosity and suspicion both evident in her eyes. She stared me down, asking, "Who are you?" I smiled at the nun, shrugging my shoulders. "Nobody important. I'm just trying to help. I can't explain why, but I've made a run through Rhone once or twice." Turning to Thakkor, I asked, "Did you make it to a fork in the path?" Thakkor nodded, "Yes, we found a place where there were two choices, both leading south, toward where we believe the pass through the mountains to Hargon's castle lies." "Did you take the eastern path?" I asked. "Yes, but we did not penetrate far, before we had to retreat," Thakkor answered. "The monsters there weren't as strong, were they?" Gwen piped up, "No, they weren't." Turning to the nun, Thakkor said, "I trust this man." Nodding her head, the nun said, "Very well, I will defer to the judgment of the chosen ones. In truth, I find his advice wise." "That's good enough for me," Thakkor announced. "We should use the portal, and go gather what we need." Pulling my shield back out of the bag, I said, "Once more unto the breech. Should be a cakewalk after Rhone, though." "A what?" Lars asked with confusion. I chuckled. "Sorry, expression from my homeland -- it's pretty localized, I guess. It will be easy. Let's get going, then. We have some Healers to beat up, and some prizes to win." @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Stepping out of the second portal, now back to safety in the town of Beran, I was glad I hadn't eaten anything in the last several hours. My stomach was quivering and lurching in a very uncomfortable manner. "I'm glad there's no need to do that very often," I muttered. My three companions, who all looked a little green as well, nodded their agreement. "First things first, let's sail to World Tree Island, and collect a new leaf," Thakkor suggested. "Good idea," I agreed. "Then we'll find some Healers hoarding lottery tickets." We crossed town, and I was again struck by just how little the game actually showed of the bustling cities. This was no glorified village with a dozen or so people living in it. The jaunt cross-country from Beran to the port was uneventful, which was surprising, considering how many strong enemies lived in the region. I discovered that in this real-world version of Dragon Quest, there was actually a village where the ship docked in the game. It was a collection of homes and businesses, which would have been the poor dockside area of a large city sitting directly on the seashore. It wasn't hard to find the docks once we got there. The smell was like a beacon that couldn't be ignored. I chuckled, thinking about how many stories I'd read about people dumping things into the sea, not thinking that they would come right back with the tide. Breathing shallowly, we hurried across the docks to the companion's boat. A sailor greeted us, "Your Majesties, we didn't expect you to return." "You mean you didn't expect us to return so soon?" Lars asked, his tone of voice carrying a note of rebuke. The sailor paused for a moment, and then answered, "Uhmm, yeah -- so soon. Are we bound for the sea again, then?" Thakkor replied, "To World Tree Island." Bowing, the sailor said, "Of course, Prince. Do we leave immediately? We are fully supplied, the crew is on board, and the tide appears to be with us." "If we're stocked up, let's get underway," I suggested. "The sooner we're away from the reek of the docks, the better," Lars agreed, holding his nose and rolling his eyes at the village we'd just passed through. The sailor rolled his eyes as well, and I could almost see him thinking the word, lubbers. "We'll get underway, then," the sailor announced, and then turned to shout orders to the crew. Having never been on a sailing vessel, I was completely unprepared for the amount of noise. The thunder of the sails, and the creaking of ropes and wood made it hard to hear someone who wasn't standing right next to you. The crew appeared to be competent, and we were running along at a good pace, the coastline slipping by. A pair of dolphins breeched, leaping above the waves next to the ship. Gwen stood by the rail, watching them. She noticed my shadow behind her, and turned to say, "It's nice to know that not every creature has been driven mad by Hargon's magic. Aren't they beautiful?" "Yep. Hard to believe the horrors that are in the world, at a time like this," I agreed. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest II The dolphins dived, and didn't resurface. I didn't think much of it at first, but then I started getting a bad feeling. "Well, they're gone. Maybe we should get away from the... FUCK!" A pair of smiling, jellyfish-like Man-O-Wars rose up from the waves, hovering directly toward us. As with the Babble I'd encountered near Endor, they certainly looked a lot less comical in real life. I pushed Gwen out of the way, drawing my sword. The creatures just missed Gwen, landing on the deck. "To arms!" A sailor shouted. The two Princes came up on deck, their weapons ready. My shield was in my bag, but I had the Dragon Killer out and ready. One of the vicious little jellyfish critters leapt toward Gwen, and I intercepted it, slicing in a wide arch with my sword. The creature deflated when I hit it, making a gurgling noise that sounded like someone hocking up phlegm, and fell to the deck. I spun, looking for the other monster, but a stroke of electricity from Gwen's Staff of Thunder found it before me. The creature twitched, steam and smoke boiling from it, and then fell to the deck. Its tentacles continued to twitch -- muscular contractions caused by the electrical shock -- but it was certainly dead. Thakkor and Lars sheathed their swords as they approached. "You fight well," Thakkor said with a grunt of approval. "I get by," I responded with a grin. I dug around in my bag, and found a cloth to wipe the critter slime off my sword. "You've saved me again, it seems," Gwen said, smiling beatifically. "They were just Man-O-Wars, you handled that second one well enough with your staff," I disagreed, while wiping down my sword. Holding it up to examine it, I decided it looked clean, and slipped it back into its sheathe at my hip. "I wish we had some Fairy Water left," Lars lamented. "The repel spell twists my tongue." "Hmm," I said, and dug into my bag. Sure enough, I found numerous bottles of Fairy Water. Pulling out one, I said, "Ask and ye shall receive!" "Thank you," Lars said with a relieved sigh. "I'm sorry I didn't think to cast the spell before we left." "Not your fault, Lars. It would have hardly worked in Rhone, so you're out of the routine," Thakkor said. After I sprinkled the Fairy Water over us, the remainder of our journey was uneventful. I saw numerous monsters out in the sea around us, but none approached out ship. When I noticed them drawing a little closer, I pulled out a second bottle and sprinkled it over us. We made it to World Tree Island without incident. Beaching the ship was an interesting experience, to say the least. Fortunately, the crew knew what they were doing, and we didn't hit too hard. I understood the necessity, considering that getting into a longboat in an ocean full of vicious monsters wasn't exactly wise, but it didn't make the thought of crashing our boat into a deserted island any more appealing. Once we all regained our balance, Gwen suggested, "Thakkor, why don't you go get the Leaf, since you usually carry it anyway. Lars, Matt, and I will go gather up some of the fruit here on the island. It will be a rare treat for a couple of days." "Sounds good to me," Thakkor agreed, and flipped a coil of rope that was tied to the rail over the edge. It landed in the sand, and he swung over the side. The Prince and Princess followed, and then I got a taste of the difficulty inherent in climbing down a rope while wearing armor. I wasn't looking forward to the climb back up onto the ship. Once we were on the beach, a couple of sailors tossed us down wicker baskets, to collect the fruit in. Once we had the baskets, we started hiking inland. Finding the World Tree wouldn't be any problem, because it dominated the horizon. The tree had to be a hundred feet tall, and shaded most of the island. We found the fruits Gwen was looking for long before we reached it, however. "It looks like these are ripe, and there are plenty of them. We won't have to carry the baskets so far, either," Gwen remarked, heading toward a berry bush. "I'll head on to the tree, then," Thakkor said, waving as he walked on. "I'll get the berries. Why don't you and Matt climb up and get some of the other fruit?" Gwen started whistling, as she gathered berries. I chuckled slightly, realizing that Gwen was whistling Endless World, one of the two overworld themes from the game. "I'm lighter, so boost me up, Matusen," Lars suggested. "Okay," I replied. We walked over to one of the trees, which had yellow colored, banana-like fruits hanging from it. Lars took off his more cumbersome plates of armor, and I cupped my hands, giving him a boost up to the lower branches. Lars started dropping down the fruit, and I deposited each in a basket after catching it. Soon enough, we had four baskets full. Glancing over, I saw that Gwen had filled two baskets with the berries, which looked much like cherries. She was bringing the second basket over to the trail and sitting it down, just as I dropped the last fruit from the tree into my basket. "I think that's about all they'll hold, Lars," I called up to the Prince. "Step back, and watch out then. I'm coming down," Lars responded. I picked up the baskets and moved them away from the tree, while Lars climbed back down to the lower branches again. When he reached them, he eased himself down, and then dropped to hang from a branch. A moment later, he hit the ground with a grunt, and dusted off his hands. "Let's get this back to the ship. We'll have the crew pull the baskets up, and then we'll relax on the beach until Thakkor gets back," Gwen said, picking up her two baskets with a little sound of exertion. Lars strapped back on his armor, and then we hefted our own burdens, following after the whistling Princess. I couldn't help but pick up the tune as well, which drew a roll of Lars' eyes. Once the baskets were on board, Gwen happily skipped off away from the ship toward a spot on the beach that was more or less free of driftwood and other debris. "I'm going to go take a nap under a tree," Lars said, and waved to me as he headed back toward the tree line. Shrugging, I walked over to the beach after Gwen. She kicked off her shoes, and hiked up her Water Flying Cloth, showing off a long expanse of very shapely leg. My lips twitched into a smile, even as my cock twitched with arousal beneath my armor. Gwen sat down on the beach, sticking her feet into the sand where the waves washed over her legs as they came in. I walked over and asked, "Is that a good idea? No way of knowing what's lurking out there." Gwen waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, "Poo. The monsters won't come this close to World Tree Island. This is one of the few places left in the world that is truly safe. Come sit down." Reaching into a pocket, Gwen withdrew some berries, wrapped in waxed paper, and a couple of the banana fruits. "Care for some fruit?" "Sure, why not," I said, accepting the banana from her. I sat down a little farther back, not really in the mood to put back on my boots with wet, sand covered feet later, or get my boots wet in the waves. Peeling the fruit, I found it tasted exactly like a banana. The tree it came from had looked more like an apple tree, but it was a banana, nonetheless. I figured the other fruits probably tasted like cherries, even though they came from a bush, instead of a tree. Gwen picked up one of the cherries by the stem, and dangled it over her mouth. I wondered if she had any idea how erotic the action of sucking the fruit from the stem looked. A second cherry followed, with exactly the same distracting display. I shifted a little in the sand, knowing that it was going to do little to relieve the pressure of my steadily rising erection. Hargon changed her into a dog, but I think a fox would have been far more appropriate. Damn, she's hot, I thought with a mental chuckle. Letting out a contented little sigh, Gwen leaned back and shook out her blonde hair. Sitting behind her, it gave me a good enough view to determine that she had perky breasts, which were probably just about a handful in size. She lay back for a minute or two, her eyes closed, letting the sun warm her face. Sitting back up, Gwen reached into her pocket again. When she pulled out one of the bananas, I thought, Oh boy -- don't tell me she's going to... She was. As Gwen slipped the banana between her lips, taking her sweet time with it before biting down, I thought, She has to know exactly what she's doing. There's no way any woman is this blatantly erotic naturally. Thakkor's voice rang out from behind us, "We'll have to wait for the tide, so I managed to catch a couple of pheasants on the way back. Would you mind cooking them, Gwen? Lars or I will just burn them." I thought I caught just a faint hint of irritation from Gwen, but if so, it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Of course, Thakkor. No sense wasting good meat on your cooking." Thakkor laughed, "At least I'm willing to admit it! Lars still believes he can cook!" "I can cook!" Lars protested. Thakkor countered, "Tell that to the rabbit stew we buried at sea a few weeks ago. Every fish for a mile around probably swam the other way when we threw it in!" Gwen stood up, brushing the sand off her bottom. When she finished, she turned toward me and bent slightly. "Did I get it all?" I couldn't see much through the thick Water Flying Cloth, but I could see enough to know she certainly had a very nice ass. "Looks good to me," I replied. I know I didn't imagine the slight raise of her eyebrows when I said that. Thakkor was still teasing Lars about his cooking. Gwen turned back around and said, "Why don't you take Lars inland, to look for some vegetables? He knows what he's looking for. He may not be able to cook, but he's good at recognizing plants. You bring back some firewood, and we'll have a hot meal before we set out again." "Can do," I replied. I stood up, wincing from the pressure of my erection against the metal codpiece of my armor. "Are you okay?" Gwen asked, with just the hints of a knowing smile on her lips. "Fine, just sitting down a little too long I think." Gwen's smile broadened a little, and she walked toward where Thakkor held the two pheasants by their necks. I walked over to Lars, and we set out inland. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thakkor sat back with a long, content sigh. "Gwen, remind me to thank whoever taught you to cook when we get home." A shout came down from the ship, "Tide's coming in!" Lars stood, and kicked sand over the fire until it was completely snuffed out. "Let's get going. We still have a long sail ahead of us." We all gathered up our belongings and headed toward the ship. Thakkor started stripping off his armor when we reached the rope. "I'm just going to have them toss down some sailcloth to wrap this in, and have them pull it up. I'm too full to try and climb wearing it." "Good idea," Lars remarked, going to work on the straps to his armor as well. "I'm going ahead," Gwen announced. Turning to me, she asked, "Give me a bit of a boost, Matusen?" "Sure," I answered, and followed her over to the rope. We waited until the square of sailcloth that would transport our armor dropped to the ground, and I tossed it to Thakkor, who was almost done removing his. I then cupped my hands under Gwen's feet as she grabbed the rope, lifting her as she climbed. I felt her slip a second later, and heard her exclaim, "Oh!" Looking up, I reached out to steady her. The hem of her magical gown dropped over my head as she slid down, leaving me looking straight up it at her bare -- very sexy -- bottom, which I was supporting with my hands to arrest her fall. Using my shoulders as steps, Gwen climbed again, looking back over her shoulder and saying, "Thank you for catching me." "No problem," I called back up. Other than the fact I have a raging hard-on again, I added silently. Thakkor and Lars both bundled up their armor in the sailcloth, and Thakkor turned to me. "Go ahead and get out of that armor. We'll send it all up together." Trying to ignore my erection banging on the codpiece again, I said, "Go ahead and send yours up, and get on board. That way you don't have to wait for me to get all this off." Thakkor nodded, and tied off the bundle. While they pulled it up, I tugged at the first of the straps on my armor, running the least arousing images I could think of through my head. Lunch ladies. That weird old woman with the goat beard who used to live up the street. The chick off Kingpin. That one did it. The image nearly made me gag, and sent my cock heading south in a hurry -- just in time. I removed the last of my armor, just as Lars sent the sailcloth back down. I tied it up, sent it on its way, and then climbed the rope behind it. A short while later, the tide buoyed us off the beach, and we were on our way again, protected this time by a repel spell from Lars. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "I'll never understand why they eat gold," Lars remarked, scooping up a few coins from amongst the muck of the dead Healer on the ground in front of us. Thakkor added, "Or weapons -- or lottery tickets for that matter. Just another symptom of Hargon's madness, I suppose. No ticket?" Lars shook his head. "Dozens of Healers, and who knows how many other monsters, and we only have one ticket to show for it." I noticed three more of the creatures popping up over a hill just to our right. "Incoming," I hissed to the others, who immediately set for battle. The healers looked startled, and very uncertain. I had a weird thought, spurred on by D.Q. Four, and acted on it for the hell of it. "Hey, you -- Healers! Give us lottery tickets, and we won't splatter you all over the landscape!" "Are you mad?" Thakkor asked me quietly. "Worth a shot," I whispered back. The creatures hovered close together, and appeared to be communicating with each other. One hovered forward slowly, its tentacles dangling limp below it, in what I assumed was a gesture indicating an intent of non-hostility. My three companions prepared themselves for battle, causing the Healer to hesitate, and hover backwards a few feet. "Hang on," I whispered. "Be ready, but try not to look threatening." "This is insane," Lars said in a quiet, singsong voice. "Shh, just trust him," Gwen admonished. The Healer remained where it was for a few more seconds, and then drifted slowly forward again. It stopped a short distance away, and started to speak. "Come. Give tickets. No kill. Go away." The thing's voice reminded me of Merman off the old Masters of the Universe cartoon. It sounded like the thing was speaking while gargling Listerine. "Okay then, show us where the tickets are, and we'll leave you alone," I answered the creature. It turned, and waved its tentacles in an oddly human beckoning gesture. The other Healers backed farther away, but remained within sight, their tentacles drooping in the same non-hostile posture as the lone on that had approached us. "I'm not following that monster into an ambush," Lars hissed. "I'll go," I told him. "Just keep your eyes open, and come save me if this is a trap. I don't think it is, though." "We'll be ready," Thakkor informed me. Nodding to him, I started off after the Healer. It went toward a rock up next to a tree, and I could see a hollow beneath the stone. The creature disappeared into the opening, and emerged a few moments later with something clutched in its tentacles. Hovering forward, it dropped the lottery tickets, actually little rectangular lead tokens, a few feet away from me. "Take. No kill. Go away," the creature said, while backing away. When the Healer was far enough away for both of us to feel comfortable, I took a few steps forward and scooped up the tickets. "Pleasure doing business with you," I said with a wave. "Go away," the Healer gurgled. Laughing, I said, "Yeah, no problem, we're going. We've got what we want." Jogging back to the chosen ones, I held up the four tickets and smiled. "I've never seen anyone reason with a monster before," Thakkor remarked with surprise. "I've never seen anyone mad enough to consider it," Lars added, shaking his head in disbelief. I shrugged my shoulders. "They're not all completely mad from Hargon's magic, and they're not stupid. I made them an offer that was too good to refuse. They already had all the evidence they needed that we could kill them, if we wanted to." I gestured at the nearby remains of the monsters from the previous battle. Thakkor chuckled. "Regardless, we have what we came for." I stuffed the tickets in my bag, and said, "Let's get to town and put these to good use. Five should be enough. Like I said -- I'm lucky!" @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lars shook his head and laughed, as the man running the lottery handed over our third Wizard's Ring. "I don't believe it. I simply don't believe it." I'd won several free plays, and lost one, before I won the first Wizard's Ring. The process was much the same for the other three, except I never had another dead spin of the wheels. "One ticket left. Let's see if we can't get a fourth, for insurance purposes." Thakkor laughed, "I don't see why not, you've certainly done well, and it isn't costing us anything." Handing over our last ticket, I told the man, "Give her one more spin. Poppa needs a new pair of shoes." The man stared at me in confusion for a moment, but then shook it off and turned back to the wheel. He gave it a spin, and when the first wheel stopped, I knew we weren't getting a fourth ring. I turned back to my companions and said, "Oh well, we got three, and had some fun." "We have a grand prize winner!" The man behind me announced. I turned, and saw the wheels had landed in the proper sequence to win me the Golden Card, which would give us a twenty-five percent discount on anything we purchased from a shop. "Woot!" I sang out, and took my prize from the man, who stomped off muttering to himself. Holding up the card, I said, "Looks like we'll be getting that Shield of Strength for Gwen on the cheap." Slapping her cousin playfully on the arm, Gwen told him, "Close your mouth, Lars, before a bird takes roost in it." "Impossible," Lars muttered, with another shake of his head. "Impossible perhaps, but true," Thakkor countered. "Let's go take a room at the Inn. We could probably all do with a good night's sleep. That storm that's rolling in will keep us from leaving today, but tomorrow, we're heading back to Rhone." That put a major damper on everyone's mood. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A good meal -- and plenty of drinks -- lightened us all up at the Inn later. The storm rattled the walls and windows, and we were all glad we hadn't decided to set out in the ship immediately. We were all a little tipsy, mostly because we hadn't paid for a thing since we'd walked in to the Inn. Someone had recognized us, and patrons had stood for our food and drink from that moment on. The innkeeper even offered us our first night's stay for free, even though we would be using three rooms -- one for me, one for the Princes, and one for Gwen. Thakkor stood, looking a little unsteady. "I'm going to bed. If I drink any more, I'm certainly going to regret it." Lars stood as well, "I agree, cousin. We should all seek our beds." Gwen yawned, and shook her head in agreement too. "Go on, I'm going to stay for a while. I'm a night owl, and I just don't feel like I could sleep yet," I told them. The three cousins wished me goodnight, and went to their rooms. One of the other patrons stumbled up to me, and slurred, "You wanna nuver un?" "Think I've had enough for tonight, friend," I said politely, steadying the guy before he fell on me. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest II Leaning down next to me, acting as if he was whispering, but talking loud enough to be heard on the other side of the room, the drunk said, "Hey, you wanna have some real fun? You go ta my brother's place. It's over behind Arcon's wevon... The werp... The place where they sell swords an' stuff." "I'll keep it in mind, thanks." The drunk nodded, nearly throwing himself off balance and pitching into the floor, and then stumbled back off to his table. I waved to one of the serving women, and asked her to bring me another small plate of stew. The stuff was delicious, and I figured having a bit more of a buffer against the alcohol couldn't hurt. Once I finished the stew, I sat back to listen to a flute player who was trying to earn his supper. The guy was pretty good, and he was playing songs from the game, of course. A few people even got up and danced when he played Only the Lonely Boy. Walking over, I dropped a few gold coins into his cup -- double what he'd earned from everyone else all evening. "Bless you, Sir," he said gratefully. "You're good, you earned it," I said, and then yawned. Bedtime for me, now, I thought, and headed upstairs. Entering my room, I pulled off my shirt, and draped it over the armor I'd removed upon first arriving at the Inn. My first priority had been a bath, and putting back on the armor would have made that pointless. Armor, I found, always stank, no matter what you did. I kicked off my boots, and then pulled off my pants, leaving me in just some short cotton pants, about the closest thing to boxer shorts in this world. Walking over to the bed, I pulled back the covers, and fell in. About two hours later, I sighed and stared up at the ceiling. I was tired, but I couldn't get to sleep. The Inn was quiet, the sounds from the taproom having died down an hour or so before. Only the continued buffeting of the wind and rain against the roof broke the silence. Then another sound intruded upon the quiet. I could barely make it out, but it sounded like a weak, gasping scream. Sitting up in bed, I heard something that sounded like weeping. I threw off the covers, and slid out of the bed. Walking around the room, I traced the sound to a wall -- the one separating my room from Gwen's. Grabbing my sword, thoughts of some drunk having broken into her room rushing through my head, I headed out my own door, and pressed my ear against hers. I could hear the sound of her crying quite clearly. Opening the door, I saw her pull the covers up and gasp. Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her cheeks. I shut the door, and lay my sword down on a chest of drawers nearby. "Are you okay, Gwen?" I asked, while lighting a lamp on the table next to my sword. Sniffling, she said, "I had a dream about... About..." Gwen started to cry again, and I walked over to the bed. She was sobbing into her sheets, and I stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. After a few false starts, I reached out and stroked her back gently. "It's okay, no matter what it was about, it was just a dream." Her voice broken up by gasps for breath, Gwen looked up at me and said, "How I wish it was only a dream. If it were, my father and everyone else in Moonbrooke would be alive." "Oh, Gwen..." I said helplessly. I could only guess how much she'd heard, hidden away in a cellar when Hargon launched his attack on Moonbrooke Castle. Worse, she might have seen the devastation, if they'd dragged her out of the cellar, before transforming her into a dog. I sat down on the bed, continuing to stroke her back in the only comforting gesture I could really provide her. After a minute or two, she threw her arms around me, weeping up against my bare chest. I wrapped my arms around her too, holding her and rocking back and forth, as I might have with a fussy baby in my arms. It took quite some time, but Gwen eventually cried out her tears. Sniffling, she wiped her face on the sheets, and lamented, "I must look absolutely dreadful." She was only wearing a light linen nightgown, something I hadn't noticed yet in my concern for her. I tore my eyes away from the clear outline of her breasts beneath the cloth, which confirmed my earlier guess from the beach. I was glad I only noticed the sight out of the corner of my eye, and so I wasn't staring right at them before I snapped out of it. "Nothing to be ashamed of, Gwen." Gwen sighed, "How can I ever hope to fight Hargon, if I can't even withstand a dream I've had more times than I can count?" Taking her trembling hand, I said, "Because you're the only one who can. You, Thakkor, and Lars are the only hope of saving everyone from Hargon. Life continues for now, but how long will it last? He's going to get stronger, and that's when the nightmare at Moonbrooke will be repeated everywhere. You've made it this far, because you have the inner strength and conviction to do what must be done. You're of the blood of Erdrick, blessed by Rubiss, and in the end -- you'll win." "I wish I was that confident," Gwen chuckled with a hint of self-depreciation. "You can do it, Gwen. Stop Hargon, rebuild Moonbrooke, and reverse all the damage he's done to the world." She looked up at me, smiling, and then I saw a rush of color flood her cheeks. "I'm sorry I woke you." I shrugged my left shoulder, still holding her right hand in mine. "I couldn't sleep anyhow. Seems to happen every time I drink. I tried to sop some of it up with some more stew, but it doesn't seem to have done the trick." The storm kicked up again, rattling the Inn stronger than ever. I knew I'd never have heard Gwen if the storm had surged like this earlier, and doubted that anyone would hear a three ring circus going on outside their own rooms now. Lightning flashed, overpowering the lamplight, and making everything look like it was being illuminated by a strobe light. The shockwaves from the resulting thunder added to the rattling of the walls and windows, and I half wondered if we were any safer on land than we would have been out in the ship. Gwen looked over at the window and shivered. "I hate lightning." "That's a little strange, coming from someone who fights with a Staff of Thunder," I chuckled, standing up to go close the curtains. It wouldn't completely block the flashes of light, but at least she wouldn't be able to see the forked bolts of nature's fury streaking through the sky. "That's different, I can control that," Gwen said as I walked toward the window. Her words trailed off a little at the end, becoming almost inaudible over the cacophony. I pulled the curtains closed, and turned to find Gwen's eyes were focused on my butt. My face grew warm, as I finally remembered I was standing in her room wearing nothing more than underwear, which probably did no more to hide me than her nightgown did to conceal her. "Uhm, I should probably get back to my room," I said. My inner devil was screaming at me, but my conscience was still in control at the moment, after spending so much time trying to comfort the distraught Princess. Gwen tilted her head, and I could tell that she hadn't heard me over the storm. I walked a little closer, and repeated, "I should probably get back to my room." Her eyes darted down at my crotch for a moment, the movement appearing almost reflexive, and bringing a fresh rush of color to her cheeks at the same time. She hesitated for a moment, and then said, "You're so kind -- and so handsome." I chuckled nervously, trying to ignore my inner devil, which was getting louder by the moment. After the incident with Nara and Mara, I was more than a little reluctant to get involved in any more shenanigans between the sheets, while I was stuck here in game world. "I try, but I don't know about that second part." "I do," Gwen said in a breathless whisper. I couldn't hear, but I could read the words in her lips and demeanor. She let the sheets fall to the bed, revealing the gown below, still clinging to her petite curves. "Do you think I'm beautiful?" Down, boy. Down, boy, I silently screamed at my cock, which ignored me, swelling with blood, and pressing tighter against the cotton restraining it by the moment. "You're a very beautiful woman." How else could I have answered? "Do you find me attractive?" Gwen asked, her glance at the growing bulge in my shorts nowhere near as short-lived this time. She leaned back slightly, putting her hands behind her, which served to pull her gown tighter over her breasts, revealing two very obvious points where her nipples pressed against the material. It was painfully obvious that I did, considering I was standing only a few feet away, stiff as a board, and barely covered. "Yes," was the only word I could manage to get out. Gwen swung her legs over the edge of the bed, long expanses of them visible, because her nightgown was short to begin with, and it had bunched up well above her knees in the bed. She crossed the few steps separating us, and ran her finger down my bare chest. "Do you want me?" I couldn't help but shiver from her touch, and the look of need in her blue eyes, staring into mine. My conscience fitfully made one last effort to stop the inevitable. "Gwen, you're just feeling vulnerable after the dream, and Rhone, and..." Shaking her head, Gwen put her finger to her lips in the universal -- apparently even across planes of reality -- sign for silence. She reached her arms around my neck, pulling me down at the same time she stood on her tiptoes, and kissed me. My inner devil laughed, kicking my conscience into the back of my head. Working graveyard shift for years, in a small town -- and being more than a little geeky -- it had been quite some time since I'd seen any action. Whether any of this was real or not, pent up sexual frustrations were going to trump everything else any time the potential to get next to a woman came up. I returned the kiss, my hands moving to rove over her back, and slipping down to her firm bottom. Gwen gasped and shuddered when our lips parted. "I want you," she whispered, her breath hot against my chest. "But..." "Shh," she admonished again. "I know what you're thinking. I have magic, remember?" Grabbing my hand, she tugged on it as she walked backward toward the bed. "I know spells that aren't for fighting monsters, and one of those lets me know when I can become with child. I've been casting it every day since the beach on World Tree Island, hoping we might have this chance." We reached the edge of the bed, and Gwen sat down, still holding my hand. "Make love to me. I don't want to face Rhone again without having the chance to be with a man again -- a good man, the kind that helps people he doesn't know, just because it's the right thing to do. I don't want to risk death, with that regret." I didn't answer with words, but my eyes obviously did. Gwen smiled sweetly, and tugged at the hem of her nightgown, pulling it over her head. My cock throbbed, as I drank in the sight of her bared body. Small pink nipples capped her breasts, which were just as firm and perky as I'd imagined them, and her mound was adorned with meticulously manicured blonde curls. She beckoned me with her eyes, glancing at the shorts that covered me, and then looking back up at me with a lusty grin. I pulled down the shorts, my erection twitching as if rejoicing in the freedom from its confinement. Gwen let out a little moan, and reached out to run her fingertips over it. When she withdrew her hand, her other slipped between her legs, to press over her sex, causing her to arch her back slightly and let out a sharp gasp. I climbed into the bed, beyond any hope of resisting now, and unable to find even the slightest hint of an excuse to do so, really. Gwen sat up just enough to wrap her arms around me, pulling me down to the bed as soon as she did so. Holding my body tight against her, she kissed me hungrily, her legs wrapping around me as well. My cock was throbbing against her leg, and I could feel her wet heat against mine where they were intertwined. The stiff points of her nipples brushed against me as our hands roamed over each other. We kissed, becoming more ardent by the moment, gasping and pressing our bodies even tighter together. Gwen broke away from the kiss with a sharp gasp, breathing heavily, and looking hungrily into my eyes. She lifted the leg lying atop mine slightly, and reached down to curl her fingers around my manhood. We both scooted a little bit on the bed, until the tip of my cock rested against her folds. Wiggling the swollen head between her lips, into the warm wetness beyond, Gwen used her other hand to pull my hips toward her. She let out a quavering cry of pleasure, as I slipped into her depths. A groan escaped me as well. She felt like heaven, squeezing me tight in her velvety embrace. We both rocked our hips slightly, stroking my cock inside her, moaning and sighing as the feeling overwhelmed us both. Our bodies continued to undulate against each other, and I was surprised to discover that I didn't feel the urge to start thrusting harder. Our eyes locked frequently, despite the fact that our eyelids fluttered shut on a regular basis. Our breathing quickened, as our pleasure mounted. The sensation was amazing, so different from the urgent pounding I was more accustomed to. I'd taken it slow with women before, but nothing like this. I'd heard the expression make love many times, but now I knew what it was really like. Gwen's beautiful blue eyes went wide, staring up into mine, and her lips parted. Tiny sounds of pleasure bubbled from her, and I could feel her walls squeezing tighter around me. Her mouth slipped open wider, and then she quivered, a long high-pitched gasp marking her gentle slide over the edge into orgasm. The tight clenching of her intimate muscles around me pushed me to the precipice as well, and I rocked my hips a bit faster. It was still nothing like fucking, and when I came, it was just as subdued as the road to it. My cream pumped out of me languidly, and she moaned as she felt the pool of heat from it spreading through her depths. We squeezed each other tight, our bodies trembling, and we both sucked in a great breath of air at the exact same moment, neither of us realizing we'd been holding our breath. We relaxed, still joined, and lay in each other's arms until the little after-quakes subsided. "That was so wonderful," Gwen whispered into my ear, the sound nearly lost in the continuing fury of the storm that still raged outside the Inn. I realized I hadn't even noticed all the noise the whole time we were coupling, and a little chuckle escaped me unbidden. Gwen giggled as well, and snuggled up against my chest. We relaxed a while longer -- and when Gwen shifted slightly -- my flaccid member slipped from her. Her eyes popped open, and she let out a little, "Oh," of surprise. I knew what the problem was, and rolled over to grab a towel from the empty washbasin on the bedside table. She smiled at me, saying, "Thank you," as I handed her the towel, and she then pressed it over her nether lips, where my cream was starting to dribble out. I started feeling guilty again, thinking that she was going to end up being hurt. The experience with Nara and Mara proved well enough that her feelings in this world would be very real, whether the whole shebang was or not. "Gwen, we're from different worlds..." You don't know how different, I thought. "I know, Matt. I've known that since I was a little girl. That doesn't mean I can't have a little bit of joy in my life now, before I have to bow to my duties. I know this can't be more than it is right now. I just want to have a little something saved up, for when I have to marry the right man according to politics, and not my feelings." I sighed. "Right about now, I'd like to forget that this is just a flight of fancy too. That was incredible, Gwen. I've never felt anything like it." A coquettish grin spread across her face, and Gwen said, "You're welcome," with mischief in her voice. "We should probably stop lying here being so sweet to each other, so we don't get caught up in something that can't be." She reached down to trace her fingers over my soft cock as she spoke. "Maybe we could do something a little different." I laughed and kissed her smiling lips. "It's going to be a little while before I'm doing anything at all, after that." "Maybe -- maybe not," Gwen said. Sitting up, she continued, "Like I said, not all of my magic is for fighting monsters. I know another spell that could make that little while a lot shorter." I knew what spell she was talking about. Apparently, that bit of magic crossed the worlds like so many of the magics mentioned in the games did. Taking a cue from her, I said, "You're naughty." "I can be much naughtier," she said sultrily, licking her lips. "Oh boy," I chuckled. Her fingers went back to my cock, stroking over it much quicker this time. "I want more." I grinned and twitched my eyebrows at her. "So do I." Letting out a purr, Gwen sat up and cast her spell. It was only beginning to work when she helped it along, leaning down and slurping my still soft cock between her lips. In no time, I was completely hard again. Gwen released me from her lips with a pop, and then rolled over onto her back, pulling two pillows beneath her shoulders. "Take me," she gasped, passionately. I sat up, and Gwen popped her legs wide open as I did so, pulling her knees up toward her chest. She leaned her head forward as I moved between her legs, watching as I sighed in pleasure, sinking into her hot sheathe again. There was nothing of soft or slow in our coupling this time. From the moment I took my first thrust, Gwen encouraged me to give it to her harder, and faster. She cried out her pleasure loudly, her voice mingling with the crashes of thunder and the roar of the wind. Grasping her legs, I gave her what she wanted without any reservations. Desensitized somewhat from having come only a short while before, I was able to hold off my orgasm for quite some time. Gwen came once, screaming and bucking beneath me, forcing me to simply hold on to her and ride out her climax -- further delaying my own. When she settled somewhat, I started thrusting into her again, feeling the tickling itch that told me I wasn't going to last much longer. One of Gwen's hands snaked down to her sex, rubbing her bud in quick circles. She gasped and screamed, her head alternately popping up to watch me pounding home into her, and slamming down hard onto the pillows as her back arched. When the loudest scream yet burst from her, her walls contracted tight around me, and I exploded inside her with a growl. My hips jerked spastically as I spurted jets of cum into her, growls and gasps accompanying each pulse of my throbbing organ. My head fell forward as my strength drained, and I panted for breath. Beneath me, Gwen likewise gasped for air. Shortly thereafter, I let go of her legs and fell down to the bed over her, supporting my weight partially on wobbling arms. Gwen moaned, and then let out a sensual, satisfied growl. We both laughed, though mine was a little weak and distant, as I barely had the strength to breathe, let alone anything else. "I've got to move, or I'm going to collapse on you," I gasped out. She let out a disappointed moan as I withdrew from her. My breath exploded from me in a gasping scream, and I fell heavily to the bed next to her. Gwen searched weakly until she found her towel, putting it back between her legs again. For a while, all we could do was try to catch our breath. "Mmm, that was wonderful too," Gwen cooed after a while. "Uh huh," I gasped in a high-pitched voice, prompting her to laugh. My eyes were getting heavy, and Gwen sat up when she saw it. She reached over and swatted my ass playfully. "No falling asleep. I would die of shame if my cousins saw you coming out of my room in the morning. I wouldn't mind if they knew we're doing things, but that is a bit much." Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest II I groaned and rolled over to the edge of the bed, getting up on wobbling knees. Gwen stared up at me with a satisfied smile, and the afterglow of her orgasms shining in her face. I leaned down and kissed her, and then walked around the bed to collect my shorts, afterward. I kissed the droopy-eyed Gwen once more, picked up my sword, and stumbled back to my own room, where I collapsed into the bed, asleep before I landed. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The storm blew itself out just before dawn, and the skies were clear when I awakened. Pulling on my clothes, whistling Only the Lonely Boy, I walked outside my room and downstairs when I finished dressing. Despite the fact I'd only slept about six hours, I was feeling pretty good -- for obvious reasons. Lars and Thakkor were already up, finishing their breakfast. Thakkor waved me over, while Lars turned away to request more coffee from a serving woman. I walked over, still whistling, and sat down. "Morning," I greeted them, with a wide smile. "You must have slept better than we did," Thakkor chuckled. "That damn storm kept me up most of the night." "I'm feeling good," I chuckled. "What's cooking?" "Ham and eggs," Thakkor replied, and then looked up, nodding in the direction of the stairs. I turned around to see Gwen skipping down the stairs. She crossed the room quickly, pulled a chair closer to me, and sat down with a cheery, "Good morning." Thakkor raised an eyebrow, while Lars' brow furrowed. Lars' expression remained dark, but the edges of a smile touched Thakkor's lips a moment or two later. When the serving woman returned with Lars' coffee, I requested a plate for Gwen and me, and two cups of coffee as well. I noticed that Lars kept his eyes averted from Gwen, and me, but didn't really pay it much mind. Lars was a bit stuck up, in my opinion. What should I have really expected from a guy who wore a fur coat as his most powerful armor? Lars chugged down his coffee, finishing it while Gwen and I were barely started with our breakfast. "I'm going to go ahead to the ship," he announced, rising without further comment, and walking back up to his room. I glanced at him as he left, wondering what the curt tone was about, but shrugged and returned to my meal. "Don't mind him. He's a bear any time he doesn't get enough sleep, or drinks. We have the best of both this morning. He's a little over-protective too." A knowing smile spread across Thakkor's lips as he said the last. His chuckle a moment later prompted me to look where he was looking, to see Gwen blushing. Still chuckling, Thakkor stood up and said, "I'm going to head back to the ship, too. Even though the monsters here aren't dangerous, we really shouldn't travel alone, and it's a bit of a walk to the ship. You two come along whenever you finish eating." He clapped me on the shoulder as he passed, and tickled Gwen's arm before heading for the stairs. Gwen was still blushing, and asked, "Are we that obvious?" "I guess so," I responded. "We'd better eat and get ready. If we miss the tide, Lars will have a cow." Gwen's eyes narrowed in confusion, and I laughed in response. "Another local phrase. He'll have a fit if we miss the tide." "You're funny," Gwen laughed. "And you're beautiful," I said with a wink. "And sweet," she came back, leaning over to give me a kiss on the cheek. First Lars, and then Thakkor came back downstairs, pausing at our table before heading back outside to set out for the ship. Gwen and I were nearly done with our breakfast, and Gwen told them we'd be along shortly. We finished eating, and I left a generous tip for the servers before we went back upstairs to get our things. I finished getting ready first, and walked over to knock on Gwen's door. "Come in, Matt," she answered from the other side of the portal. When I walked inside, she said, "I'm ready," hefting her bag over her shoulder. She smiled at me, and walked across the room to kiss me hungrily. "I wish we had one more night here. It will be so crowded on the ship." "There's always Beran," I said, offering her a wink. Gwen moaned, kissed me again, and grabbed my hand, leading me out of the room. We saw a few odd Kaskos Hoppers, and other monsters, on our way to the ship, but they all kept their distance. Like I'd told the cousins, the monsters weren't stupid, and they could tell we were dangerous. We reached the ship without incident, and we were underway with the tide. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks to Lars' repel spell, the two-day trip was uneventful. His spell seemed to work on him too, because we barely saw him during the voyage. I got a pleasant middle of the night wake up during the trip, when Gwen crawled into my bunk with me on the ship. The creaking of the bed mingled with the groaning of wood and ropes, but Gwen had to stuff a pillow in her mouth to muffle the sharply contrasting sounds of her pleasure. When we reached Beran, we headed directly for the weapon shop. I presented my Golden Card, much to the dismay of the merchant, and we left a short time later with a discounted Shield of Strength for Gwen. Pausing outside the shop, Thakkor said, "Well, are we ready then?" "Why don't we spend a night in town, and leave in the morning. I know you never sleep well on the ship, Thakkor," Gwen suggested. He obviously saw through her subterfuge, but a faint smile touched his lips. "I appreciate it, Gwen. We'll stay the night, and then go face Rhone in the morning, well rested." The innkeeper was no more pleased to see my Golden Card than the weapon merchant had been. He brightened up when I left him a tip equal to the discount. The result was that he actually made more off our stay than he would have otherwise. Gwen and Lars started toward their rooms, but Thakkor put his hand on my shoulder as I started that way. I turned around to see him smiling. "I know what Gwen is up to. You do understand that she is Royalty..." I held up my hand and interrupted, "We've been over it. I brought it up, actually. I think she just needs something to contrast her nightmares, and the nightmare to come." Thakkor nodded, and then smiled, clapping me on the shoulder. "She could do far worse than you, Matusen. You wouldn't happen to be a prince from a foreign land, would you?" "Foreign land -- yes. Prince -- no," I laughed. "More the pity. Of course, she's the Queen of Moonbrooke now, so she could change the rules, if she really wanted." "I don't think it's quite that serious, she said as much herself." "I would be suspicious of that, were I you," Thakkor laughed. "You may be right, though. Gwen is very devoted to her duty. Come along; let's have one last night of relaxation before we set out for Rhone." He paused for a moment and asked, "You will come with us, won't you? Blood of Erdrick or not, your sword and your knowledge would be of great help to us, I believe." I hadn't even taken time to consider it, trying just to enjoy myself, since I had no idea how to escape this game world and get back to reality again. The thought of fighting my way through Rhone, Hargon's Castle, and facing the mad wizard did not fit my description of enjoyable. "I wasn't there when you acquired the Charm of Rubiss. I'm not sure I'm included in that protection, and I don't know if anyone will survive without it." Scratching his chin, Thakkor said, "You may be right. We could return to the island, and see if Rubiss will bless you as well." "You shouldn't delay any more. You're ready now, and the sooner you take care of Hargon, the sooner things can get back to normal. I'll come with you as far as the Last Refuge. From there, I'll have to make a decision." "You might want to make that decision before we reach there, and tell Gwen as soon as possible," Thakkor suggested. "You're probably right. That's why you're Royalty, and I'm just a wanderer," I laughed. "Say -- Hello!" A voice sang out from behind us. I turned, and I was surprised to see the flute player from the Inn in Leftwyne approaching. "Will you be here tomorrow night? I'll be playing here then." "Sorry, we're leaving tomorrow," I informed him. His expression fell, but almost immediately brightened. "What about this evening? I'm playing some sort of tavern on the edge of town. You can't miss it; it has a sign with a rabbit out front." "I'll give it some thought. You play well, and I wouldn't mind listening again," I told him. Waving, the man left while saying, "I hope to see you there!" Thakkor asked, "What was that about?" I laughed, "I left him a rather large tip. The patrons were being a little stingy, and he does play well." Thakkor joined in my laughter. "That certainly explains it. Let's go get our things put away." We all came back down for lunch, sipping cups of wine while we waited for the food to arrive. Thakkor groaned and slouched in his chair. "I'm going to just relax all day, and turn in early. I'm still exhausted from the lack of sleep in Leftwyne." Gwen asked, "What about you, Lars?" Lars was examining his boots with a scowl at the time, and looked up when Gwen spoke. "I'm going to find someone to repair these boots; the scuffs are starting to get scuffs." Somehow, I managed to avoid rolling my eyes and gagging. Gwen turned to me then, "What about you, Matt? These two want to be boring, and I'd like to do something to take my mind off what we have to do tomorrow. We should probably turn in early too, but we can at least enjoy ourselves in the meantime." Taking another sip of my wine, I suggested, "There is a flute player I heard in Leftwyne that's playing on the edge of town tonight. He's pretty good, and I think he'll be disappointed if I don't show up." "That sounds fun," Gwen responded with a smile. The food showed up then, and we started eating. The soup was good -- really good. There was just a touch of something, some spice or herb, which seemed to be the source of a pleasant aftertaste. "This is good," Thakkor remarked. "I know I've had something like this before, but it seems like it was a long time ago." "I keep getting the same feeling," Lars remarked, bringing another spoonful to his mouth. "Oh no," Gwen said in a quiet voice, staring at her spoon. Thakkor looked over and saw some sort of seed floating on top of Gwen's spoon. His eyes went wide and he turned to Lars, standing up quickly. "Perita seed! I'll get her to her room." Lars dropped his spoon, coughing, and gasped out, "I'll find a bucket." He jumped up from the table as well. Getting up too, seeing that Gwen's face was turning pale, I asked, "What's wrong?" I grabbed Gwen's other arm, helping Thakkor lead her to her room. Thakkor explained, "Gwen is allergic to Perita seed. It makes her violently ill. That's why we only vaguely remembered it. Once the family found out she was allergic to it, it was banned from all the Royal kitchens." Gwen covered her mouth, stifling a burp, and then said, "Hurry," in a weak voice. The sound of running footsteps emerged behind us, and I glanced back to see Lars coming down the hallway, carrying a large wooden pail. We reached Gwen's door, and Thakkor opened it. Gwen looked over at me, and then glanced down at the floor. "I don't want you to see me like this. My cousins will take care of me. Please, don't come in." "It's not going to bother me, Gwen," I told her. "Please," she pleaded. "Okay, I won't come in," I agreed. "Go see the flute player. I'll be... Oh dear..." Gwen covered her mouth and stumbled into the room, quickly followed by Thakkor and Lars. Lars turned and shut the door, just a little harder than I though was necessary, leaving me standing alone in the hall. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I walked the streets of town, trying to figure out how I was going to tell Gwen I wouldn't be going with them to Hargon's Castle. Somehow, I knew there was no way I'd be allowed inside anyhow. I wasn't a sprite in a game, and I had no idea how real the danger from all the monsters would be to me. I really need to figure out how I got in here, and how to get out. The thought was only half-hearted, because I actually felt more alive here than I did in the real world. The prospect of a messy death wasn't all that appealing, but everything else had been a blast. A voice -- loud and croaking -- erupted from somewhere to my right. "Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Lee. Came from afar, a whole new world to see." I stopped in my tracks, spinning to look at the old man who was singing. He was bald, bony, and had a crazed look in his eyes. The garment he wore only reached his knobby knees, which he was slapping as he danced and sang. Not only was he singing to the tune of The Ballad of Jed Clampet, but he'd also used my real name. This weird old man knew of the real world -- and he knew me. The crazed codger continued, "He met him some nice ladies, the kind you hear in song. But he got a little greedy, and everything went wrong." Stepping up close to me, he waggled a long finger in my face and said his version of the spoken refrain. "Cheatin' that is. Two-timin'. Sleepin' 'round." I narrowed my eyes, not liking this the least little bit. The old man leapt up into the air, and launched back into the song. "Well the first thing you know, Lee is off once more. An old fella meets him, an' tells the boy the score. He said Alihian is the place you oughta be. So Lee tossed up his wing, the great city to see." "Who the hell are you?" I questioned him. Ignoring my question, the old man leaned in close to me, twitching his eyebrows and saying, "Louisa's Place. Find some friends. The key to home." "Who... are... you," I asked, slowly. Standing back up straight, the old man raised his hands up over his head, waving them around crazily. "Great Googlie Mooglie!" He screamed, and then ran off cackling into the crowd. I took off after him, but it seemed like every person in town decided to come out at that exact same moment, and I had to fight my way through the crowd. I came up to a street intersection, and realized I'd lost him. "Shit," I cursed, throwing my hands up in the air. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I went and checked on Gwen after a while, finding her lying in bed, feeling miserable. She shooed me back out of the room again when her stomach started lurching, and I was back to wandering. Thakkor and Lars were taking good care of her, and she obviously didn't want me around while she was being sick, and looking dreadful -- at least as dreadful as a woman that beautiful could look. I couldn't shake the old man out of my head. He obviously wanted me to go to Alihian, in D.Q. Three's world, and use a Wing of the Wyvern from there to do it. The question was -- why? Night was creeping up on me before I realized how long I'd been wandering, contemplating the strange old coot. The smell of something enticing turned my head, and I noticed it was coming from a building with a sign depicting a rabbit out front. The rabbit was standing on its hind legs, posing like a model with one paw on an outthrust hip, and the other cradling its cheek. Whatever's cooking smells good, I'm starving, and this is where that guy is going to play tonight. May as well get some grub and listen to some tunes. Decision made, I walked into the building. A few people were moving around the room, performing various tasks. One of them turned to me and said, "We'll be opening up in a few minutes. You can have a seat if you want, but we can't get you anything until we're actually open." Seeing a stage up front, I spied out a table with a good view, and waved to the guy who had spoken. "Works for me." He nodded, and went back to pulling chairs down off the table, preparing to open the tavern. Behind the bar, the barkeep washed mugs, and I could tell where the kitchen was from the heavenly scent wafting from it. I took a seat, and several other men came in shortly thereafter, also taking seats near the stage. The place filled up quickly, and I was glad I'd gotten in early. My table was set a bit apart from the others, center stage, so I wouldn't be in too much of a press. Crowds get to me, and the personal space suited me well. A gong sounded, and I chuckled when I saw six women dressed in revealing bunny costumes file out of a door near the bar. That explained the sign. It also made me a bit glad Gwen had come down ill. I didn't think she'd have been impressed with the place if she'd come with me. Luck on my side again, I thought. One of the girls sauntered over to me, "Can I get you anything, handsome?" "What's cooking back there?" "Barbeque ribs," she answered. I sighed with delight. "Bring me a slab of those, and a beer. When does the flute player start?" She looked at me with a confused expression, answering, "He's up first. He'll be starting in about fifteen minutes." "Thank you, sweet thang," I said with a wink, holding out a coin to her. She giggled, dropped the coin into her cleavage, and skipped off to the bar. I shook my head and laughed, once again wondering just how much of this was actually in the game creator's heads when they dreamed it up, but simply didn't make it past the censors to the actual code. I decided I'd just stay until the flute player finished, buy him a drink or two on top of his tip, and then head out. I just didn't feel in the mood to watch untouchable naked women dancing tonight. Even if I weren't going to Hargon's castle, I'd do well to be rested before the trek across Rhone, since I planned to go at least to the Final Refuge. The ribs were incredible, and the beer went down like water. I ordered a second beer, tipping the bunny waitress again. I knew that after two gold coins, she'd treat me like royalty for the remainder of my stay. When she got one after every stop at my table, she'd watch the door for my face until her dying day. Odds are the tips would add up to a week's salary, even in the short time I planned to stay tonight. I had piles of coin in my bag, and nothing I needed to spend it on, really. I'd just finished my ribs when the flute player came out. He started playing, and I tapped my foot, listening eagerly to the songs I didn't know, all similar to the tunes from the soundtrack of the game. When his tip jar came around, I noticed the musician looking at me. I winked in his direction, and let a tumble of coins fall in the jar so he could see them. He bobbed his head in appreciation, while continuing to play. I waved off the waitress when she came around again after that, the beer already going to my head. She pouted, and I tipped her anyway. That turned her frown upside-down. A provocatively dressed woman walked up beside me, sitting down in a chair at my table -- just about the time the flutist finished his set, and took a bow. The crowd applauded, and the woman waited until the noise died down before speaking. "Hey, handsome -- want some company?" I chuckled, realizing my lavish distribution of coins was getting a lot of notice. The woman was obviously a lady of the evening, and saw the potential for a big score in me. "I was getting ready to take off, actually. I just came to hear him play." She pouted, thrusting her well-displayed, ample breasts out toward me a bit. "I could keep you company somewhere else. It doesn't have to be here." The flute player walked over to me, and I saw his eyes drawn straight to the woman's breasts. His eyes stayed locked on them as he approached, and he nearly tripped over his own feet. Shaking his head, he looked over at me and said, "I just wanted to thank you for coming, and for your generosity." I gave him a little tip-o-the-hat gesture, and said, "Not a problem. I told you, you play well." Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest II His eyes were back on the prostitute's breasts again, and he jerked them away to respond. "You flatter me, sir. Once again, I thank you. I believe I will go have a beer before I go." "Have a good one," I said to him as he left. I chuckled when he took one last, longing glance at the woman's breasts before turning toward the bar. "So, Honey, what do you think? I'm really good company, and I'll keep you company all night long. I glanced over at the musician, sitting down at the bar and ordering. I grinned and reached into my bag for some coins. The prostitute's smile widened when she saw the glint of gold. Letting the coins fall from one hand down into the other in front of her, I said, "I really have to be going, but how about you keep him company tonight?" I nodded my head toward the flutist, who was now taking a pull from his tankard of beer. Putting her hand on her hip, she replied, "Honey, for that amount of coin, I'll company him until he can't see straight." I held out the hand with the coins, and she scooped them up. "You must really like his music," she said with a laugh. I looked over at the musician again, making sure he was still at the bar. I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and turned toward the front door of the place. I could have sword I saw Lars, but there was nobody in the door when I turned there to look. Shrugging my shoulders, I stood up and said, "Give him my money's worth." She stood up and smoothed out her dress, primping her hair a little. "Honey, he'll be unconscious by the time I'm done with him. This is enough for me to take the rest of tonight and tomorrow off. I'm very enthusiastic when I'm happy." She wiggled, causing her breasts to jiggle, and then glided over toward the bar. The first of the dancers came out then, and I turned toward the door. I saw the prostitute stroking her hand over the flutist's leg, pointing toward me with her other hand, and saw him looking at me -- his mouth and eyes both wide open. "Have fun!" I shouted to him, and headed out the door. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I peeked in on Gwen when I returned, finding her sound asleep, and looking a little less pale. When I quietly closed the door, I saw Thakkor approaching. He patted me on the shoulder and said, "She'll be fine. After some healing herb tea in the morning, she won't even have any residual weakness. Where have you been?" "I went to watch that guy play, like Gwen suggested." "That's odd. Gwen asked for you, and Lars said he'd bring you. He returned a while later, and said he couldn't find you. He knew where you'd planned to go earlier; I would have thought he'd go there first." Nodding to indicate what I was doing, and walking away from the door so our talking wouldn't wake Gwen, I said, "I thought I saw him at the door of the place, right before I left. He must have missed me. The place was pretty crowded." "Guess so. I dozed off earlier this afternoon, and I had a weird dream," Thakkor confided. "I think you may be right -- you shouldn't go with us to Hargon's castle." I sighed. "Wish I could. This isn't going to be an easy trip. I've got faith in the three of you, though." Clapping me on the shoulder, he agreed, "We have the blessing of Rubiss, and the blood of Erdrick. Hargon must be stopped, and we will do it. I'm going to get some sleep." "I'll come with you to the Final Refuge, and I'll be waiting there for you when you come back. Good night, Thakkor." "Good night, Matusen. Don't worry, Gwen will understand why you can't come, just like I do." We went to our rooms, and bedded down for the night. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Gwen was a bit distant the next morning, but I didn't think much of it. She was getting over an illness, and preparing to face the most difficult journey of her life, after all. After breakfast, we set out across town, on our way toward the dockside village. As we neared the edge of town, Lars brought Thakkor up short, and Gwen looked over at me. "We need to talk," she said. She walked a short distance away, and I followed. "Lars said he saw you at one of those taverns where women dance naked, paying a prostitute." Gwen paused for a moment before continuing, her lip quivering and her eyes hard, "While I was sick!" I grinned, "I just went to listen to that flute player. I didn't know it was that kind of place until I got inside. I listened to him play, gave him a tip he's never likely to forget, and then left as the dancers were starting to come out. You were asleep when I got back to the Inn." Gwen's eyes softened, and I mentally sighed in relief. "Hey, Honey. I was going to take the night off, but if you're coming back tonight, I'll change my mind." We both turned toward the voice, and I willed the prostitute, the one from the Bunny Club, to vanish. It didn't work. When I looked back at Gwen, her eyes were burning with anger. "I don't believe you!" She slapped me hard. Holding up my hands, I said, "Hold on, Gwen, it's not what you think! Remember how I said I tipped the..." Gwen growled, slapping me again, and hurting her hand, as Thakkor and Lars hurriedly approached. Lars had a smug grin on his face, but Thakkor looked both perplexed and concerned at the same time. Thakkor said, "Gwen, what's wrong? Let's hold on a minute and..." The prostitute laughed, and said, "If you don't want him any more, Sweetie, I'll take him!" Screaming in hurt rage, Gwen reached into her bag and pulled out her Staff of Thunder. "Have at thee, cad! I'll teach you to break my cousin's heart!" Lars shouted. "Gwen, please listen to me. I know what Lars saw, and I know how this looks, but I promise you that I didn't..." Her staff discharging cut me off, leaving me twitching. The blast had been weak, and mostly rolled off my magic armor, but I certainly felt it. If you've never felt the hair on your butt stand on end, allow me to not recommend it. She aimed the staff again, obviously beyond reason with anger. Turning to run, because Lars was preparing to hurl a fireball, even as Thakkor tried to scream some sense into both of them, I thought, Here we go again! Damn you Lars. I should have left you at that Inn in Leftwyne in the game, you lazy, self-important, overreacting ass! The fireball exploded against my armor, even as another stroke of electricity slammed into me. I was fine for the moment, but Lars and Gwen did have powerful magic, unlike Nara and Mara, the last time this had happened. I jumped down into a hollow, just as another fireball sailed over my head. I landed just right to slam the family jewels hard into the codpiece of my armor, bringing tears to my eyes and knocking the breath out of me. Trying to ignore the pain, I ran into a little patch of trees, choked with undergrowth. I hunkered down, opening my bag. Sitting right on top, as if placed there for me to find, was a Wing of the Wyvern. Pulling out the wing, I saw the maker's mark on it -- Alihian. I hesitated, wondering whether this was a good idea. That crazy old coot could have been up to anything. This was all to orchestrated. Lars appeared at the top of the hill above me, and I found I didn't have much choice. Hurling the wing into the air, I flew high into the sky. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hope you've enjoyed this story, and that you'll take a moment to vote. The vote form is right down there, after all *wink* The votes and comments from readers are our payment as free authors, and they're what keeps us going. Thanks to FTF for a great chain story idea, which I'm having a lot of fun with! Once again, I pop into a different DQ world, paving the way for VR:DQ3 to spill from my keyboard at some point. Keep yer eyes open! Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest III DISCLAIMER: The stories in the "Celebrity" section of Literotica are all fictional parodies - none are true, nor are they approved of by the celebrities named in the stories. Authors write these fictitious stories about famous people for the same reason that Larry Flynt made fun of Jerry Falwell, because they can. The Supreme Court of the United States, the country where this site is located, has ruled that parodies involving famous people are perfectly and totally legal under the United States Constitution. The specific case law on this was decided in the case of "Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al. v. Jerry Falwell" in 1988. No harm is intended toward the celebrities featured in these stories, but they are public figures and in being so, they must accept that they are fair target for parodies by the public. We believe in the first amendment, and more broadly, in the basic principle of free speech and this section may push the boundaries of that principle, but the United States Supreme Court has approved of this type of material. We believe that the Supreme Court was correct in their decision. Author's Notes: The character archetypes, Kandar, and the world setting are not my creation. This is fanfiction, and I have put my own spin upon the DQ world in this story. No toe-stepping or offense is intended. This story picks up where my previous stories in the chain left off. You'll want to read VR:DQ4 and VR:DQ2 (in that order) to know the whole story. Hope you like it! @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I knew from the moment I landed that the huge city in front of me was Alihian. It was where I'd expected to appear in this world, and the location looked right to me as best I could translate the tiles in the game into the reality around me. Birds chirped as they sailed on the warm breeze. The grass rustled under the touch of the wind as well, bringing with it the fresh scent of a world untainted by gasoline engines and coal-fired power plants. I couldn't help but marvel at the untouched beauty of this game turned reality. Well, you crazy old man, you got your wish. I'm here at Alihian. First things first, time to check my equipment. Running through D.Q. Three's equipment list in my head, I immediately seized on the thought of the Swordedge Armor. Monsters won't like that much, I thought, and chuckled. Rummaging through my magical bag, I managed to locate a suit. Grabbing it carefully to avoid cutting my hand off on its spikes, I tried to pull it out of the bag. "Ah, fuck," I cursed when the armor wouldn't come out of the bag. One of a kind item, and obviously somebody in the group with the Hero is wearing it. Oh well, Dragon Armor will work, I guess. The Dragon Armor emerged from my enchanted sack without a hitch. The Shield of Strength would work just as well here as it had in the D.Q. Two world. The only thing stronger was the Shield of Heroes, anyhow, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to get that out of the bag. I decided to forego a helm for now, but made a mental note to keep an Iron Mask near the top of the sack so I could grab it in a hurry if necessary. Changing out of my Magic Armor, I strapped on the scaled Dragon Armor, liking the way it felt. I didn't feel quite as stiff in the torso because the scales moved, where the solid plates of my Magic Armor hadn't. Either of the armors would provide strong protection against Blaze spells, which is always good. Leaning my Shield of Strength up against a nearby tree, I contemplated my choice of weapons. The Dragon Killer was a powerful weapon in this game, just as it had been in D.Q. Two. There were a few stronger ones, but most of those were one of a kind. There was one that wasn't, however. Digging through the bag, I let out a "Cha-Ching," when I recognized the Thor's Sword. While rare, it could be obtained from monsters in the game. Considering how often I wandered in circles building up to insane demigod-like levels, I often picked up plenty of those rare items. I pulled it toward me and exclaimed, "Ha!" The odd magic of my bag didn't stop me from retrieving the weapon. A cawing erupted behind me and I spun to see three Black Ravens streaking toward me. I started to reach for my Shield, but I could almost hear the Thor's Sword singing an alternative to me. "Oh, this is going to be too sweet," I chuckled. Aiming the weapon at the approaching birds, I willed the sword to discharge its magic. A roaring tongue of flame erupted from my sword, engulfing the three ravens. They went up like dry paper, with nothing more than a few odd bones and a couple of drifting feathers left to mark their existence. "Eat Firevolt, Tweetie," I laughed as the flames died down. Then, I remembered that the Hero had magic in the D.Q. Three world. Concentrating, I found the words of spells burning in my mind. While many of the spells the Hero had access to in this game were a bit weak and lame, there were a few gems. Boom could certainly be useful, as could Vivify, and the other healing spells. Zap, of course, was one I wanted to try out. I knew I'd have to find some companions if I wanted to use Thordain. It relied upon drawing magical power from more than just the caster to work. So, I've got some good armor, a shield that heals me, a sword that shoots tongues of fiery death, and some handy magic. Not bad. Not bad at all. I sheathed my sword and strapped on my shield. Another thought flitted through my mind and my brow furrowed. Unfortunately, I still don't know how in the hell I got into this situation, or how to get out of it. I have some weird old knobby-kneed man manipulating me and I've been on the receiving end of pissed off women twice now. Shrugging my shoulders, I thought, Not a damn thing I can do about it, though. I'm just going to have to go with the flow and try to have some fun. This beats watching re-runs or infomercials. Glancing at the city, I realized it was going to be a far longer walk than in the game. Appearing right next to the city was actually a couple of miles in this real version of the game world, if I was judging my distance right. "Oh well. Alihian, here I come." I set off whistling Adventure, the overworld theme of the game. That rousing tune set a quick pace and I made good time across the grassy field. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'd run across a slime or three, and a few more ravens, but none of them had been suicidal enough to venture too close to me. I lamented not having an opportunity to test out the Zap spell, but I had a whole huge city in front of me to explore. Alihian was easily the size of Endor, and the streets were crowded. I could smell wood smoke, food cooking, and the underlying scent of sweat from the crowds in the city. The guards at the gate let me walk in without a second glance -- although they were stopping many others who were armed. Must be my pseudo-connection to the Hero. Characters in games can get away with murder unless it's part of the plot of the game that they get in trouble. I passed by a house and drew up short, seeing something through the window. A very attractive young brunette was bending over, reaching into a cabinet, and I have a nice view of her firm bottom from my vantage point. Well, I'm close enough to the gates of town. I could make a run for it if I have to. I've got plenty of wings too -- if I need to beat a magical retreat. Let's see how far my connection to the hero extends. I walked around the house and put my hand on the doorknob. Common sense screamed at me that I was about to get myself in a boatload of trouble, but curiosity was having its say as well. RPG characters walk into people's houses all the time, rifle through drawers, and get nothing more than polite conversation in return. I silently debated for a second or two, but then muttered, "Ah, screw it," and opened the door. The brunette turned around and said, "Oh, hello. My name is Amy. What's yours?" Hoping I wouldn't encounter the Hero in this game I replied, "Thakkor. I was just going to have a quick look around." "Please, be my guest," she said pleasantly. "I was just going to have a bath. You will call out if you need anything?" "Of course," I replied aloud, while in my head I could hear Eddie Murphy imitating his father in the Barbeque bit, Do you believe this mother-fuckin' shit? "I'm off to my bath then," Amy announced cheerfully and turned to walk down the hall, deeper into her home. My stomach rumbled, which was confusing, as I'd had breakfast not too long before. Granted, it was in a different world, but it wasn't all that long ago all the same. Chuckling, I walked into a door that looked like it might lead to a kitchen. Sure enough, the room beyond was a kitchen with a small dining area. Seeing a wheel of cheese and a loaf of bread on the table, I headed toward it. Sitting down, I tore off a generous helping of cheese and a nice chunk of bread. The bread was fresh and the cheese delicious. I popped the final bite into my mouth and then looked around for something to wash it down. Unfortunately, the only thing I could find was water. It did the trick, but I decided the next thing I was going to look for was someplace selling booze. Walking back out into the hall, I could hear the sound of feminine humming. The tune was the town song from the game and it drifted toward me from the hallway where the brunette had gone earlier. Freeze, Jaywalker, my brain screamed at me in Beavis' voice. Nara, Mara, Gwen... Do you see a pattern developing here? Danger -- Danger Will Robinson! You've gotten into enough trouble with women, numbskull! Then the other half of my brain piped up, the one that distinctly resembled a devil on my shoulder. But, I just walked into her house unannounced and struck up a conversation with her. She's got a nice body and she's in the bath. What's to hurt, just taking a peek? Naturally, I started down the hall, but only after opening the front door first. I'll give this a go. If she screams, I'm out of here like a rat out of an aqueduct. If not, it proves I have a distinct amount of immunity with the citizenry, if not the characters in the game. Just a little experiment with potential naked lady thrown into the mix. I reached a doorway where the sound of water lapping and the volume of the woman humming told me I was in the right place. I peeked in to see the brunette rinsing lather off her ample breasts. "Oh, hello again. Did you find what you were looking for?" "I had a little bread and cheese, if that's okay?" "Oh, that's perfectly fine. The bread would just go stale before I could eat it all, and I have enough cheese to feed every mouse in the city." She stood up as she spoke, water running in rivulets down her nude body. The rest of her was just as splendid as her breasts, although she had a thick bush of hair between her legs, thoroughly hiding the treasure beneath. Seemingly unmindful that I was a strange man and I was standing only a couple of feet away from her when she was completely naked, Amy picked up a towel and began blotting her body dry. "I've never seen you before. Do you live here?" "No, just visiting. It's my first time, actually." "Oh, you'll love Alihian. It's a wonderful place," Amy beamed as she rubbed the towel over her breasts, causing them to jiggle in a very distracting way. The devil on my shoulder was screaming and beating drums, trying to get my attention, but discretion won the fight this time. "Well, I should really get going." The devil did sneak up on me then as I added. "You're a beautiful woman, Amy and you have a great body." She giggled and blushed, putting her hand over her left breast and casting her eyes downward for a moment. "Thank you, Thakkor. You're a handsome man as well, although I can't see much of your body through that armor." There was a great deal of suggestion in her voice, but I wasn't even remotely ready to risk that right now, no matter how hard I was. "Maybe I'll see you again some time." "I hope so. Enjoy your stay," she responded and waved to me. I waved back and walked out of the house, chuckling. I popped into a few more houses, supplementing my bread and cheese with a little bacon in one. In each place, the people responded to me in much the same way as the first woman. I even offered a rather lusty compliment to a blonde woman with very large breasts while she sat next to her husband. He smiled proudly, completely ignoring me staring down his wife's top and remarking about her nipples pressing against her blouse. He either ignored -- or didn't notice -- the lusty glance she gave me as well. As I walked out of the house, I thought, Whatever I've got going here must make me more appealing, too. The women back home sure don't eye me like that. I damn sure would have never hooked up with any woman like Nara, Mara, or Gwen. I caught sight of something familiar and fairly universal to any fantasy world. A signboard with a cluster of grapes on it always meant booze. It was something easy for the illiterate to recognize. Whistling the town theme and smiling as I thought about the first brunette soaping down her body, I made my way through the crowd and into the tavern. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I walked out of the tavern feeling good, both from the beer giving me a light head and all the attention from the barmaids. The place employed some beautiful women and lavish tips ensured I got excellent service, with lots of jiggling. I let out a belch that would have done a Tyrannosaur proud and chuckled when absolutely nobody around me reacted, save a man who gave me a thumbs up signal. I'd barely moved two streets into the city and the place was huge. I knew, more or less, where Louisa's place was and decided to head that way. I had little doubt that I'd be steered that way anyhow if my suspicions that someone was manipulating me were correct. It must have taken me close to two hours to reach the quarter of town where I expected to find the adventurer's meeting place. The press of the crowd -- and the distance alone -- conspired to make the journey anything but quick. By the time I got there, the noise of people talking and my own boots clattering on the cobblestones was getting on my nerves. I've never been fond of big cities, or rather all the people in them. I knew that the building I saw dominating this quarter could only be the adventurer's hall. Looking like a huge combination of a tavern, barracks, and inn, the place just screamed its purpose. Of course, the huge sign on the second story did a fair job of identifying Louisa's Place, too. I perked up the moment I walked in the place. The atmosphere was far friendlier than I'd expected. Laughter, singing, and conversation echoed off the polished wood walls. Directly in front of the door, behind a huge desk that doubled as a bar, stood a woman who could only be Louisa. She had the look of a retired adventurer about her. I guessed she was probably in her forties, but she was still a striking woman with a wealth of dark, curly hair. We locked eyes for a moment as I checked her out, and she offered me a bright smile, along with a beckoning nod of her head. Giving a little shrug, I walked toward the bar. As soon as I was within hearing range, Louisa called out, "You're new here aren't you, Sweetheart?" "Just got into town," I answered, coming to sit down on a stool in front of her. "Well, head on upstairs and get registered then. I'm assuming you're looking for work with that sword, aren't you?" I chuckled. "Well, I honestly don't know what I'm up to. Until I figure it out, selling my sword will do." "Good enough for me, Sweetheart. If you need a place to stay, come see me once you've signed up. I have plenty of rooms and they're free to registered members. You get a discount on drinks and other entertainment too, if you stay here in my place," Louisa explained. Smiling knowingly, I asked, "What's the catch?" "Can't fool you," Louisa declared, tapping her nose twice, and then pointing at me. "There's a small monthly fee, but I make most of my money by taking a percentage of fees you're paid by people who hire you through here." "Sounds fair enough." "Go get signed in then, Sweetheart," Louisa declared, slapping the bar. "The first drink is on me." I nodded and headed upstairs. I paid the monthly fee, which was indeed small, and didn't even amount to as much as I'd been tipping waitresses on any given day. I got my complimentary beer when I went back downstairs and decided just to relax for the evening. Somehow, I ended up sitting at a table with two attractive women and an adventuring merchant, who put me in mind of Taloon. I don't really remember what brought the four of us together, as I was stumbling drunk, but I do remember having a good time. When I turned to see who was entering upon hearing the door open, I noticed it was dark outside. "Damn, where's the time go," I muttered, slurring a little. A loud snore erupted from the sleeping merchant, slumped over in his chair next to me, prompting me to laugh. The two women joined in as well. The muscular blonde seated on the other side of him patted him on the head, saying, "He just didn't know what he was getting into." "I don't think I did, either," I chuckled because the room appeared to be moving in my drunken eyes. Louisa walked up to our table and held out a key attached to a wooden tag, which noted my room number. "You look like you're about done in for the night, Sweetheart. Here's your room key." "If I can manage to drag my carcass up there," I slurred. "You're right next to us," the blonde woman said. "We're off to bed too, so we'll walk you upstairs and make sure you get to your door. After that, you're on your own." "I'm glad I wasn't foolish enough to bet I could keep up with you. At least I can still walk," I said, while standing up. When the room went spinning, I grabbed the table to steady myself. "Well, sort of." The two women stood up as well, "Come on, Thakkor, let's get you to your bed." "Don't worry about Gregory here. We're used to this and we'll get him bedded down," Louisa offered, patting the snoring merchant on the head. I didn't really need any support, but having the two women walking beside me did at least provide bumpers to keep me from lurching too far to one side or the other. We made it up the stairs without incident, and the two women stopped in front of their door. "Yours is the next one down," the brunette explained. "Do you think you can make it?" Making a gesture as if I was tipping my hat, I said, "Yep, thanks. Fun night. Remind me to buy you a beer to thank you." "You bought all the drinks tonight," the blonde reminded me, raising her eyebrows and laughing. "So I did," I chuckled, realizing she was right. "Doesn't mean I can't buy you another does it?" "Not at all," the blonde laughed. "Go on. We'll keep an eye on you and make sure you manage to get the door open." Nodding, the action extremely exaggerated and nearly throwing me off balance, I turned toward my door. I made it through the few steps to the door of my room and managed to get the key in the lock. Leaning my head against the door, I twisted the key and unlocked the door. I turned back to the ladies and offered a thumbs up signal, prompting them both to laugh. They walked into their room at the same time I lurched into mine. Getting out of armor when you can barely walk and the room is spinning like a carousel isn't the easiest process in the world. It's a good thing that I'd switched to the Dragon Armor, because it only made a moderate rattling sound as the pieces fell to the floor. If I'd still been wearing the shaped metal pieces of the Magic Armor, it would have sounded like the Tin Man falling down a flight of stairs. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest III I managed to get it all off, eventually. I misjudged the distance when I tried to get into bed, however. The smart rap on my shins made me wish I'd left that part of my armor on. I fell across the bed with my eyes and teeth both tightly clenched against the pain. After a while, I managed to get up on the pillow, though getting under the coverings proved to be too complicated in my intoxicated state. When I drink, it's nearly impossible for me to go to sleep, and when I do, I usually wake up not long afterward. This time was no different, and I noticed some faint, fascinating sounds as I was trying to relax. After a few minutes, the sounds got louder and I realized what they were. One of the two women in the next room was having a very good time. Even though I was drifting off, I still heard the quavering scream of release signaling that the woman was coming. I fell asleep after that, but awoke not long after. I don't know how long it was, but what awakened me were more cries of ecstasy from next door. Dimly, I thought that the sounds were different, and that the difference indicated that both women were enjoying their night. Couple lucky bastards, I thought. Even my mental voice was slurred. I fell back to sleep and tossed and turned for the rest of the night, dozing for short periods of time. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Once again, I praised the ability of healing herbs to cure a hangover. After the magical remedy and a quick wash, I actually felt human again. I strapped on my armor and I was pleased to notice that it didn't seem to smell half as bad as metal armor did. The absence of the rusting metal stink was the likely reason. I opened the door to my room and the door next to mine opened at the same time. The brunette, whom I vaguely recalled was a healer, smiled and said, "Morning, Thakkor. Feeling delicate this morning?" "Just tired. Healing herbs took care of the hangover," I chuckled. The blonde soldier turned to her roommate, a quick flash of a half-smile on her lips. She then looked back at me and asked, "We didn't keep you up, did we?" My still fogged brain finally came up with the two women's names -- Cheryl and Annette. As I replied, I even managed to remember that Cheryl was the blonde. "Nah, I just don't sleep worth spit when I drink, Cheryl." Cheryl was a soldier, through and through. She was well-muscled, without looking masculine -- at all. Her wealth of long, sandy-blonde hair, ample breasts, and taut ass dismissed any illusions of her being manly. Annette was even more feminine. She had dark hair, bright green eyes, and sexy curves similar to Cheryl's -- just a little softer looking. Cheryl smiled and inclined her head, in a gesture of understanding. "Good. The last person to take your room complained all the time. I still think he was just jealous." When I noticed Annette blushing, everything snapped into focus. My first instinct was to assume that the women had invited men back to their room. Now I realized that they were the only ones in the room letting out those sounds of pleasure. That thought sent blood rushing down below. "You won't hear me complaining about the noise," I chuckled. "Oh?" Cheryl asked, raising her eyebrows. "It doesn't bother you?" "Why should it?" I responded, with a shrug. "Most men seem to feel threatened. At least, that's the impression I get from them once they find out," Cheryl explained. I finally remembered to close the door to my room. "Not me. I was going to go grab some breakfast and then see about getting in a bath. How about you?" "The breakfast or the bath?" Cheryl asked, offering a mock look of rebuke. "The breakfast," I laughed. "That's where we were headed. You okay with some company, Annette?" "That sounds fine," Annette replied. "Let's go see what Louisa has cooking, then," Cheryl declared and nodded toward the stairway that led down into the common areas. We chatted as we ate, mostly refreshing our drink-fogged memories about what we had discussed the night before. I sat back and let out a sigh, realizing I'd ate too much. "Shouldn't have had that last stack of hotcakes." Annette laughed. "True -- especially if someone wants to hire you today. You'll have to march on an overfull stomach." She paused for a moment, and then added, "I think I ate too much, too." Stretching a little, I said, "At least we'll be in the same boat if someone needs reckless sellswords." Cheryl shook her head. "We're not looking for work right now. We never accept a job unless Rebecca is here. She's off visiting her family. She's our wizard. I don't know enough spells to get us through if we run into something hairy." "We can start looking for work then," a voice called from across the room. I saw her first, as Cheryl and Annette's backs were to her. Though her voluminous robes hid most of her, I saw tantalizing hints of interesting curves as she approached. Her red hair really drew my eyes, and I noticed she had eyes of an even more striking shade of green than those of Annette. Sigh -- all the hot girls are lesbians, I thought. "Glad you're back, Becca. I'm ready to dust this place off me for a while," Cheryl called out. "I'm getting something to eat first, that's for certain," Rebecca declared as she sat down. She waved to one of the waitresses and then said, "Are you going to introduce me?" Her sly smile and appraising look made me wonder about my earlier conclusion that she was into girls. "This is Thakkor. He just got into town. We had a few too many beers together last night," Cheryl answered her friend. "You mean I had too much to drink," I chuckled. "Don't let them fool you. They can manage to walk when they're pissed, but their brains are stuck in the mud," Rebecca advised. The waitress took Rebecca's order and we chatted while she ate -- a little too much -- as we all had. Our conversation at the breakfast table combined with what I remembered from the night before confirmed my memory of my last save in this game. The Hero and his party should be in the Dark World, making their way toward Zoma. I'd chosen the right name, as I'd named the Hero something other than Thakkor in that save. As the morning wore on, we considered looking for something to do. The girls were lamenting their lack of funds and I was on the verge of offering to take them shopping. "Hello. What have we here?" Rebecca interjected. Following her gaze, we all saw a finely dressed woman entering the building and moving toward Louisa's desk. "The way she's dressed, she's not looking for work," Cheryl observed. "And that means she may be looking for someone to hire," Annette added. "As nice as that dress looks, she might just have some real money too," Rebecca finished, nodding her head sharply and raising her eyebrows. "Look formidable, everyone," Cheryl chuckled. We kept an eye on the woman as she talked to Louisa. Rebecca let out a quiet, hissed, "Yes," when Louisa pointed in the direction of our table and the woman walked our way. The woman approached and said, "Excuse me. My name is Lady Roma. I am seeking adventurers, in a matter of life and death." Her voice was musical and had an aristocratic air. Long blonde hair hung down her back in gentle waves, and she had the willowy body of a dancer, save for her well-endowed chest. "That's a good way to make us think about raising our fee, just coming out with life and death like that," Cheryl advised. "We're listening, though. We've been in hairy spots before and come out fine." "The money is of no matter. Foul men have taken my younger sister and I seek aid to see her released. Her captors make ransom demands, but I fear to leave her fate in the hands of their honesty upon delivering what they request," Lady Roma explained. "We've been on rescue missions before. We can handle that," Cheryl said. "I sought you out because I fear for my sister's virtue. I will pay you well -- whatever you ask." Guess I'm shit outta luck, I thought, Just my bloody luck. I caught knowing glances from the girls and I knew what they were thinking. Lady Roma didn't realize the women's sexual preference. Something told me that they wouldn't do anything like that, though. Glancing at the other women, who nodded their approval, Cheryl turned back to Lady Roma. "Well, if you'll pay for us to replenish our supplies a bit, we'll lower our fee. Our equipment took a beating on our last job." "Anything you ask," Lady Roma replied. "Sounds like we're working for you now, then," Cheryl said with a smile. I gave the girls a little tip o' the hat gesture and stood up from my chair. Cheryl quickly said, "We're a package of four, too. You don't have to worry about Thakkor and we'd be along to protect your sister anyhow." Lady Roma turned to eye me critically. "There is something about you," she said quietly. Turning back to Cheryl, she said, "I agree." The girls all stood up and Cheryl said, "Well, let's get going then, Lady Roma. We have a damsel in distress to rescue." @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Leaning over the rail of Lady Roma's ship, I watched the waves breaking across the bow in the ruddy light of sunset. The way the sailors behaved seemed odd to me. My last adventure on a ship had seemed more typical, with the sailors cursing and insulting each with almost every other word -- and that had been a royal ship. The mariners who sailed Lady Roma's ship were polite and efficient to a fault. I mused that it must be because a woman owned the ship and she'd chosen a higher class of people to man it. I'd cast the repel spell before we set out on our journey, so the monsters pretty much left us alone. That surprised my companions and the warriors Lady Roma employed for just such reasons. It did make the long voyage to Samanao a little boring, though. A pair of dolphins breeched the surface next to the ship, moving along beside us and appearing to be curious about the ship. I sensed Annette approaching before she spoke. "They're so beautiful. It's hard to believe the ocean is usually so dangerous when you see the dolphins or the whales. I'm surprised we haven't had to fight off any monsters yet." The conversation and the sound of her voice reminded me -- a bit painfully -- of Gwen. I shook it off and responded, "I used a little magic to keep the monsters off our back. It works like Fairy Water." "That is a rare spell," Annette remarked with surprise. "I picked it up somewhere," I chuckled. "Cheryl is a little miffed. She didn't bring anything to drink with her, assuming that the sailors would have plenty on board to buy," Annette remarked with a chuckle. Those words brought a spell to my mind, one that wasn't part of the game. Just like the spells Gwen and the sisters had used in my previous adventures, it was unique magic never mentioned in the game. I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrows in amusement. "Maybe I can do something about that. I have another little bit of magic that just might do the trick. Let's go get a cup of water." "Okay," Annette said with a curious expression, and followed me to the water barrel. I dipped a tin cup and cast my spell. The water glowed faintly for a moment, and I took a sip once it stopped glowing. I chuckled and handed the cup to Annette. She brought the cup to her lips, and her eyes widened with surprise. "This is wine, and very good wine at that." Giving a little bow, I said, "Why thank you, Milady." She laughed and said, "Cheryl isn't very fond of wine, though." Holding up a finger, I said, "Not a problem." I dipped another cup, and cast a slightly different spell. I sipped, and then passed the cup to Annette. "Your beer is just as good as your wine. I think I could almost drink a few of these and I don't usually have a taste for it," Annette remarked. Her expression betraying the grumpiness Annette had alluded to, Cheryl walked up on the deck with Rebecca. Annette waved them over, turning to offer me a conspiratorial smile. When the pair reached us, Annette handed the cup of beer to Cheryl, and asked, "Care for a drink?" "Yeah, but not of water," Cheryl snorted. Then she noticed the color of the liquid in the cup, and brought it up to her nose to sniff. Her eyes lit up, and she tipped the cup back. As soon as the liquid touched her tongue, Cheryl downed the beer in one long pull. Grabbing the cup in both hands when she finished the beer, she quivered in an almost embarrassing display of ecstasy. "Please tell me there's more," she sighed. "As much as you want," I responded. "A wee bit o' me magic ta make the journey quicker," I added in a stereotypical Irish accent, while wiggling my fingers in a pantomime of spellcasting. "We probably shouldn't get too pissed," Rebecca warned while flipping back a lock of her red hair, which had blown into her eyes. "There's a reason the Lady doesn't have any alcohol on board." "We can at least pass t' time in a bit o' comfort, though," Cheryl interjected, imitating my put-upon Irish accent. "Fill 'er up, Barkeep," she added with a laugh, holding out her cup to me. I wrangled a bucket a short while later to save time. We did manage to moderate our consumption, but we were certainly feeling good as the night wore on. Lady Roma visited with us for a short time and didn't appear to disapprove, although she admonished us not to provide the crew with any of the booze. When Roma announced she was turning in, Rebecca did the same. Once our employer returned below decks, Rebecca led Cheryl down the stairs as well. The looks on both their faces plainly revealed that adventure wasn't the only thing they'd been missing while Rebecca was away visiting her family. Annette smiled in their direction and laughed quietly. She then turned back to me and said, "I suppose I should turn in as well. Who knows what tomorrow may bring, and we should be rested." Looking up, I saw clouds obscuring the moon. "Looks like we have a storm rolling in. I might stay up a bit, but I'm not really in the mood to get soaked in a storm." As if on cue, a flash of lightning split the night sky. "Oh dear," Annette muttered. "I'm certainly getting off the deck now." "Sounds like a plan. After you," I agreed, gesturing toward the stairs. I marveled at the opulence of the ship again when we reached the lower deck. Designed to carry only one specific cargo, the Lady Roma, the ship reserved all its space for passengers. The crew, save the Captain and First Mate, had a common bunkhouse deep in the stern of the ship, but the bow portion entirely catered to the Lady and any guests she had on board. We all had our own cabins, which were spacious and lavishly furnished for a ship. Considering how much space our employer's cabin appeared to take up, I assumed she had a multi-room suite. Rebecca and Cheryl had chosen the two cabins farthest aft, which left me between them and Annette. Annette paused at her door and turned to me, just as I was about to pass her and go to my own cabin. "I don't suppose you could use your magic to make me another cup of wine, could you? I'm really not fond of storms, especially at sea." I smiled and said, "Sure. It will probably help you sleep and you can hardly offend anyone by being a bit drunk in your cabin." "Thank you. Please come in. I should have a cup and some water." Smiling broadly, Annette opened the door and walked into her cabin. She shut the door behind us and rummaged around in her kit until she found what she was looking for. Pulling out two cups, she said, "Share a drink with me?" "Sure, why not," I replied. The sound of thunder crashing from the storm above nearly drowned out my words, however. Annette filled the cups with water, and I cast my spell. Looking toward the window, she nervously said, "I hope this won't be a bad storm." I walked over and looked out, scanning the sky and the waves. "Looks like it will be a pretty quick storm. The wind isn't whipping up too badly. It'll probably be bumpy and loud for an hour or so, but we should be fine." "I hope not," Annette said and sat down on the bed. She held out my cup, and I walked over to take it. The storm hit us then, and the ship's motion let me know it beyond any doubt. Though my prediction was right and it wasn't bad, it was more than enough to force me to fight for balance. "You should probably sit down," Annette suggested, scooting over on the bed to make room. The room had a table and chairs, and the suggestion that I sit with her on the bed forced me to fight down my instinct to look surprised. After a moment of silent debate, I sat down on the bed, leaving plenty of room between us. Annette smiled and sipped her wine, but still glanced nervously at the window on occasion as well. We finished our cups, and I stood up. The smell of Annette's perfume was making me think about things that recent history proved would likely get me in trouble. "I should probably get to my bed." It only lasted for an instant, but I caught Annette's slight look of disappointment. She stood as well, smiling somewhat woodenly. Just then, the ship took a particularly violent lurch and Annette stumbled toward me. I instinctively reached out to steady her, and she fell into my arms. I couldn't help but be acutely aware of her firm breasts pressed up against my chest, her perfume, and the look in her eyes. The look was one of unmistakable arousal, which completely belied my assumption that the three women were lesbians. Annette stood on her tiptoes, obviously leaning in to kiss me. I began, "But I thought..." "We were lesbians? No. Well, Cheryl is, but she's curious. Why don't you help me take my mind off this awful storm?" Her voice carried hints of both seduction and genuine nervousness from the storm. "I don't know," I protested despite my body screaming at me to shut up. "Between my own screw ups and wrong impressions, that sort of thing has turned out more than a little badly for me lately." "It's just sex. I think you're handsome. Don't you think I'm pretty?" "Mmm Hmm," I replied, not really trusting myself to say more. "So why shouldn't we?" Annette asked sultrily, reaching down to run her fingers over the codpiece of my armor. "What about Cheryl and Rebecca?" "I'm sure they're busy, and they won't mind unless I refuse to give them details." She took a step back as she spoke, and undid the first of the buttons on her robe. "Take my mind off the storm," she said while continuing to disrobe. "No strings? Nobody's going to be hurling spells at me afterward if I look at another woman?" I asked with a chuckle. "No," Annette answered, letting her robe pool to the floor to reveal she wore nothing under it. She crooked her finger in a beckoning motion, and then chuckled nervously while color filled her face. My conscience retreated, knowing it was licked. I worked to pull my armor off as quickly as possible while Annette reclined on the bed. When I sat down to work on the straps securing the armor on my legs, Annette sat up to work on some of the other buckles. Between the two of us, I was down to my boxers in short order. Annette leaned in to get her kiss, reaching down to wrap her fingers around my erection at the same time. She moaned into the kiss as she caressed me, and I reached around her to run my fingers over her back and bottom. When our lips parted, I couldn't resist the sight of the pink tips adorning her perfectly shaped breasts any longer. I kissed my way down her neck and chest to wrap my lips around her right nipple. While I suckled the stiff buds, paying equal attention to both, Annette pulled down the front of my boxers to get her hands around my naked manhood. She stroked it with one hand, while her other hand caressed my back. I caught a hint of the scent of her arousal, and that awakened another hunger in me. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest III She lay back as I kissed down from her breasts toward her mound. The sounds of the storm drowned out her gasps of anticipation, but couldn't hide the desire in her eyes. I kissed the patch of closely cropped dark hair above her sex once while letting my breath play over her, and then slipped my tongue into her folds. I let out an amused moan, tasting her abundant bittersweet wetness. My lips and tongue danced over her, causing her body to undulate beneath me. She laid her hands on my shoulders and moaned in ecstasy as I stoked her fires higher. "I need you inside me," she suddenly gasped, lifting my head to look into her eyes. I shrugged off my boxers completely, and then moved into position between her widely parted legs. Her fingers insistently tugged on my hips as soon as she could reach me, her eyes begging for me to be inside her. I sank into her saturated depths with a groaning sigh. Annette moaned and licked her lips as I stroked my cock inside her. She reached down to trace slow circles over her clit, her breathing steadily growing quicker. She was squeezing me so tight that I knew I wasn't going to last long. I slowed down, trying to hold on until she reached her peak. I thought I wasn't going to make it, until she increased the pace of her fingers and her back arched beneath me. A warbling scream of release bubbled from her lips, and I felt a rush of warmth over my thrusting shaft from the increased flow of her juices. Her velvety soft walls caressed me, pushing me to the edge. Annette's eyes suddenly popped open and she gasped, "Not inside me!" With a growl, I pulled from her wet heat. Almost immediately, I pulsed and sent thick ropes of semen arching over her belly and breasts. I reached down and stroked my slick shaft, spurting my seed over her body twice more. She moaned and shuddered, caressing her sex with one hand, and swirling her fingers through my cum with the other. I held my cock in a tight grip as it continued to ooze. I closed my eyes and gasped as my orgasm played out. When my eyes popped open, I saw Annette bringing my cream to her lips to taste it with satisfied moans. Between licks she said, "I'm sorry. I forgot to cast my spell to make sure it was safe for you to come inside me. Mmm, it tastes good though." "Gods you felt so good. You're so wet," I groaned. I fell down to the bed next to her, my legs feeling a little wobbly. "You felt good too," Annette agreed in languid tones. She continued to swirl her fingers through my cream, bringing it to her lips to taste. We relaxed for a few minutes, and then I heard Annette whispering words of magic. She finished the spell, and looked over at me with a smile. "I should have just let you stay inside me." She reached over to trace her fingers over my softened cock and added, "I have another spell. Maybe you could do it for me now?" The hungry look in her eyes actually brought a twitch to my member, but I knew I still wouldn't be able to get hard for a while without help. "Go ahead and cast your spell," I whispered into her ear, and then suckled her earlobe. She gasped and arched her back, pulling me into a kiss. As soon as we broke from the kiss, she spoke the words of her spell. Blood rushed into my flaccid manhood, rapidly swelling it once more. Annette helped it along by wrapping her lips around me and sucking her own juices from the shaft. When I reached full erection, Annette lay back and said, "Please take me. I want to feel your cum inside me." I needed no further encouragement, and between her legs without delay. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I managed to get back to my cabin that night on wobbling knees. While Cheryl and Rebecca emerging from the same room in the morning wouldn't look too bad, me coming out of Annette's might be something entirely different. Annette had apparently been serious when she said that the other women would want details, because I saw them speaking together on deck that morning after breakfast. They looked in my direction and smiled quite often. I'm sure Rebecca and Cheryl recounted their night as well, and I'd have liked to have sat in on that conversation. The rest of the ocean journey was uneventful, save for a few moments when my Repel spell ran out, and I almost didn't cast it again quickly enough. We reached the port north of Samanao the next afternoon. Lady Roma sent word that the ship had made port, and carriages soon arrived to transport us to her home. The carriages were every bit as opulent as her ship, and the journey was a pleasant one. A noble of the Kingdom, Lady Roma had a castle a few miles from town. As with everything else she owned, the place was magnificent. She led us inside, where we met with the Captain of her guard in his own little war room. "Donnal is the one who suggested that I seek adventurers to rescue my sister. He feared his men were not properly trained for such a mission, and I worried for Emelia's innocence," Lady Roma explained once we sat down. She then nodded to a servant nearby, who brought over a framed canvas and held it up. "This is my sister Emelia," our employer revealed. "I can see why you were worried," Rebecca admitted. "She's a beautiful young woman." So could I. The painting depicted a blonde woman in her twenties, in the full, perfect blossom of womanhood. Donnal spoke next. "We tracked the kidnappers to their lair, a series of caverns to the west. My men are simply not trained for that sort of close quarters fighting on terrain not our own. We are trained to defend, not attack. We have met some of the kidnappers' demands, stalling for time by saying that the others will require longer to meet. We know Emelia is alive, because we demand evidence of such each time we meet with them." The guardsman stood and folded his hands behind him. "It is my belief that a small group of adventurers can appeal to the twisted nobility of these men, if and when the possibility of a stealthy rescue is thwarted. Kandar's various henchmen have ever been vulnerable to personal challenges." "Kandar? You mean his men didn't all give it up when he got his ass handed to him?" I asked. "Most did, and either left their lairs or started their own bands. Without the expertise of Kandar's network, most of them have been imprisoned. Some few, such as these, still maintain their loyalty. I believe they will be doubly off-balance because most of you are women." I snorted and said, "Meaning they'll be more interested in capturing them to rape them, rather than kill them. A little crass, don't you think?" "Only if you think you are not up to the task," Donnal said and raised his eyebrows. Cheryl chuckled. "I see where you're coming from there Captain. We're up to the task, and you're right about Kandar's thugs. I've ran afoul of them before and they start thinking with their dicks the moment they see a skirt." She turned to Lady Roma and apologized, "Sorry about that." "No apology is necessary. I find your candor refreshing," our employer said with a dismissive gesture and a smile. Rebecca tapped her hand on the table and said, "Show us where they are, and tell us what you know about what we'll be up against." Turning to the Lady of the castle, she added, "We'll bring your sister home safe." "I will be going with you," Lady Roma announced. "Absolutely not," Donnal countered. "It is my duty to protect you, and I will not allow this. If necessary, I will contact the King to attain orders to such effect." "What if she waited nearby out of sight with a large armed escort?" Annette suggested. "I suppose I could accept that," Donnal said in reserved tones. Roma sighed and said, "Very well, I will accept that as well. I simply wish to see my sister safe as quickly as possible." "Very well. Here is a map showing the position of the caves," Donnal said, and our education about the area began. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "Them are the caves," the young shepherd said. "There's only one way in there. I used to play there when I was a boy, and I'd have found any other way out." "They haven't been there long enough to make any big changes, even with magic," Rebecca declared. Donnal gave the young man a coin, and bade him to leave for his own safety. Cheryl tapped a parchment in her hand. "So with Johan's map of the caves, we know what we're looking at inside. Let's see if we can figure out how they would set up in there." We quickly determined that the leader of the band would likely take the largest chamber at the rear as his own, imprisoning Emelia in a smaller adjoining chamber accessible only through his. Two smaller open areas near the entrance would probably be where the other men made their home. Without a doubt, they would post sentries in the entrance cavern. Long narrow passages connected the chambers of the cave. "You say you've observed some of the men leaving at regular intervals?" Cheryl asked Donnal. "Yes. They venture out to attain supplies. We were told that if these men did not return within a certain amount of time each day they would be assumed dead or captured, and Emelia would be killed. Our guess from observing different groups leaving is that there are a dozen men within. They leave in groups of four." "That leaves only eight inside -- maybe nine if their leader hides in there all the time," I speculated. "So we wait to go in until they're gone, to give us better odds," Rebecca added. "Have any invisibility herbs?" I asked. Rebecca smiled slyly and produced a small silk pouch. "Yes, I do." Cheryl guessed, "Sneak in invisible and have Rebecca cast sleep on the sentry before he knows we're there?" I smiled. "Yep. That makes our odds even better." "It might work on the others deeper inside as well, if we can keep things quiet," Annette suggested. "I can find little to argue with this plan," Donnal agreed. "Let's go put our little friends to sleep then," I said with a wicked smile. When the group of kidnappers left for supplies a short while later, we checked our armor and weapons, used the invisibility herbs, and hurried toward the entrance of the cave. Trying to move when you can't see your companions -- or even your own body -- is a bit tricky, but we managed it without mishap. When we neared the cavern entrance, I could just see two sentries lounging inside, throwing dice. I heard Rebecca chanting, and smiled when the two men slumped over asleep. Our invisibility ran out as we rushed forward. Pausing in the entrance chamber, we heard no sounds of alarm. "Tie them up," Cheryl whispered in my ear. She then turned to pass the word to Annette as well. She and Rebecca stood ready to defend us if anyone attacked while Annette and I were distracted. Once we bound and gagged the two foul-smelling men, Cheryl and I dragged them over behind an outcropping of stone and hid them there. "So far so good," Rebecca whispered when we leaned in close to confer. "We got two for one here, so that leaves only six or seven inside if our information is right," Cheryl agreed. "If something isn't broke, don't fix it. Invisibility and the sleep spell again?" I asked. Everyone nodded, and Rebecca distributed the herbs. I found it a little easier to maneuver this time, but it was still a bit disconcerting. The most difficult part was keeping my armor from scraping along the narrow tunnel walls. I didn't like it when I saw the tunnel open into a dimly lit cavern ahead, because the tunnel didn't widen at all. The entrance was just as narrow as the tunnel, and that meant that Rebecca would have to be up front by herself to cast her spell. I couldn't see much in the room, but I heard Rebecca's soft chanting a moment later. When the chanting ended, I heard her hiss, "Got them." I smiled when I walked through the entrance to see six men fast asleep. Three lay on beds, and three were slumped over a table. Beer dripped off the table from overturned mugs. Cheryl's invisible hands tapped me on the shoulder, and I walked toward one of the men in bed with my rope. When I reached for him, I encountered something soft before I could reach him. I figured out it was Annette's breast when she whispered, "This is hardly the time for that, no matter how good it feels." I stifled a chuckle and moved to one of the other beds. It was a lot easier to tie them up when I could see what I was doing a short while later. I noticed Rebecca watching the tunnel we had entered the room from, while Cheryl stood near a makeshift door along another wall of the room. Once we finished tying up the three in the beds, I dragged the other three men over to the beds as well. We could have tied them to their chairs, but that would have made a lot of racket if they woke up and started struggling. This way, they'd only thump as they fell out of the bed, at worst. After taking care of all six men, we met in the center of the room again. "Talk about your luck. We shouldn't have anything to worry about except the leader now," Cheryl chuckled quietly. "Unless there are more of them than everyone thought," Rebecca warned. "We'll just have to be careful and hope they're right. If they are, this could be the easiest money we've ever earned," Annette whispered. "One more time," Rebecca said as she passed out the invisibility herbs. The next chamber we passed proved to be empty, probably because the ceiling had collapsed at some point to fill the room with boulders and rubble. I could see light ahead, and knew we were getting close to the large chamber where we expected to find the leader of the kidnappers. This tunnel widened near the opening of the chamber, giving us room to stand side by side. The scruffy leader of the kidnappers scowled as he wrote on a piece of parchment on a table before him. Rebecca once again whispered her sleep spell. She didn't get a chance to finish it, however. The man looked up with wide eyes, and grabbed a staff at his side. He pointed it toward the doorway, and Rebecca ceased her chant to shout, "Down!" We all dived into the room, ducking just in time to avoid the blast of fire from the man's staff. His eyes darted back and forth, searching for us. I knew our invisibility wasn't going to last long, and there was the added problem of Emelia sitting bound to a chair within the room. I started forward, hearing other footsteps off to one side. I had to bite off a curse and dive to the side when my opponent aimed his staff in my direction again and discharged it. He tracked the sound of my fall, and I had to roll out of the way of a second blast. Cheryl fared no better, having to duck almost as soon as my roll came to a halt. Worse still, our invisibility wore off. Now we all four stood revealed to him. Cheryl and I started forward again, depending upon our magical armor to take the brunt of the magical fire. When he blasted me again, my hope proved founded, but it was only cover for his true attack. I felt my head fill with fog and my eyelids getting heavy. Dimly I noticed Cheryl stumbling, and heard the sound of two bodies slumping to the floor behind me. Cheryl fell to her knees, and so did I. I fought the magical sleep, but I still ended up on the floor. I kept fighting and kept my eyes open, though I could do little more. Cheryl managed to stand. "You'll have to do better than that. Come on, bad boy. Why don't you face me like a man? I'm only a girl, after all." I felt the fog lifting from my head, and thought, Score one for insomnia. My arm and shield blocked the leader of the kidnappers from seeing my eyes, so I played possum while my head fully cleared. Our adversary blasted Cheryl again, but she shrugged it off and brandished her weapon. "I told you, dickless, you're going to have to do better than that." The wizard realized he was in trouble, and Cheryl's taunts didn't distract him from his easy way out. I saw the glance toward Emelia, and whispered the words of the Zap spell. Cheryl's continued stream of insults kept the wizard's attention, covering up the words of my spell. "Is that a robe or a dress?" Cheryl sneered, stalking toward the wizard. I finished my spell just as our adversary dived toward his captive. Lightning reached from my outstretched hand, halting the wizard in his tracks and spinning him around. I stumbled to my feet as the wizard fell to his knees, twitching from the electrical assault. I glanced back to see Rebecca and Annette rousing. Cheryl leapt forward, kicking the twitching wizard out of the way and stood protectively in front of his frightened captive. I saw the man reach for his staff, and summoned up my wits to move forward. He had ceased twitching and turned toward Cheryl. "The fire of my staff will burn her, if not you," he growled. He noticed me just in time, as I brought my sword down toward him. Bringing his staff overhead, he blocked the strike. The blade rang as if it had hit a steel rod. I fought the shock running through my arms and brought my sword back to strike again. He discharged the staff toward Cheryl and Emelia, just missing them, and immediately swung the weapon at me. I'd glanced toward the two women when the fire burst from his staff, and I just barely got my weapon in line. Despite defeating most of the force of his blow, it still rang against my codpiece with alarming strength. That pissed me off. I feigned a stroke from the right, causing him to bring his staff up to parry. When he did, I stepped forward into my false swing -- and kicked him square in the balls. His staff fell to the floor with a clatter from his nerveless fingers. His mouth opened wide, but nothing more than a croak emerged. A tear rolled down his cheek just as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his family jewels. I put my sword against the back of his neck. "Don't move. Don't even twitch. You're fast, but are you fast enough?" I dropped my voice into a Clint Eastwood impression. "So the question is -- do you feel lucky, punk?" His only answer was a tight squeak of pain. Cheryl put the edge of her sword to work on Emelia's bonds, while our two companions stood and moved toward us. A bleary-eyed Annette fumbled in her satchel for another length of rope. Cheryl cut the last rope binding Emelia to her chair and told Annette, "I'll do that. You get Emelia out of here." Annette nodded and helped the beautiful blonde girl to stand. When Emelia stumbled, Rebecca moved quickly to steady her. Already at work jerking the wizard's hands from his throbbing crotch around behind him, Cheryl said, "Help her, Becca. We've got this." Cheryl quickly tied the man's hands, and I removed my sword tip from his neck once she finished. Cheryl rolled him over and he haltingly grunted, "This isn't the end of this." "No?" Cheryl responded with a cheery smile -- and kicked him in the sack again. "Let's let the soldiers clean this place out." "Good idea," Cheryl laughed. "They aren't going anywhere." The man on the floor choked and sobbed pitifully, unable even to grasp his aching balls this time. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The returning group of four bandits met with a rude surprise, in the form of Donnal's heavily armed troupe of well-trained warriors. Needless to say, they surrendered rather quickly. With the entire group of kidnappers now in custody, we returned to the castle. Lady Roma offered us four enormous rooms, all attached to a central common room, for as long as we wished to stay. We all agreed that we certainly wouldn't pass up the chance to live in luxury for a while, but for tonight, we planned to celebrate. The ride to town in Lady Roma's carriage didn't take long, and we soon found a fine inn with even better booze. We took two adjoining rooms, and then selected a table in the common room to toast our victory. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest III Eat, drink, and be merry would be an understatement for the evening. I held back a little, deciding to make sure that the girls were always just a bit more lit up than I was. No sense letting them be sober enough to realize how goofy I acted when I was drunk. The sexual energy flowing through the glances and other subtle hints the girls shared ensured I spent most of the evening hard. I drained the last of a mug of beer and nearly choked on it when I saw someone I recognized. So there you are, I thought, as I saw the knobby-kneed old man vanish out the door. I'd only caught a glimpse, but the sound of his ridiculous laugh drifted back to me across the common room. "I'll be back in a bit. I just saw somebody I need to talk to," I said while standing up. "If you don't see us here, we'll be up in the room," Annette said with a wave. I tossed a few coins on the table as I turned toward the door. "Next round's on me." The girls cheered, and I laughed as I headed for the door. My mirth vanished when I exited the door and didn't see the old man. I heard his laughter, and turned toward the sound to see him vanishing around a corner. "Okay old man, this isn't funny," I growled under my breath and started after him. Every time I turned a corner, I'd catch just a glimpse of him vanishing around another. I knew I was moving into a residential area when the crowds thinned out and most of the windows were dark. I stopped trying to avoid attracting attention then, and broke out into a full run. The old man still managed to stay ahead of me. I saw him vanish between some bushes into what looked like a park, and kicked in every ounce of speed I could muster. I nearly collided with the geezer when I broke through the bushes. Skidding to a stop so I wouldn't snap him in half like a twig, I just avoided falling on my ass -- until he pushed me. As I hit the ground with a curse and a rattling of armor, the old man launched into song. "Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale -- a tale of a fateful trip. It started out to be a ball -- and then it turned to shit." I tried to get back to my feet and mumbled, "Old man, you're really starting to piss me off." Naturally, he ignored me -- except to sweep my feet out from under me with speed that was absolutely impossible for any normal man, let alone one who looked ninety. He didn't even pause in his singing. "He got himself some fine twin tail -- fulfilled his every wish. But he got caught up in the double cross -- ain't that just a bitch. Man that's such a bitch." Great, Gilligan's Island. Now I'm going to have this damn song stuck in my head all day. The old man had proved numerous times he was far more than he appeared. I decided to just sit it out and hear what he had to say, and then try to get him to tell me what I wanted to hear. "The Princess was his next hot love -- she caused his pulse to race. He learned his lesson and done her right -- but it blew up in his face. It blew up in his face." The old man threw his hands up and hopped into the air as he continued. "And now he's on another world with some hotties for a while. But will he learn -- the lesson true? Heaven can -- turn into hell. He'll be off again. Salabona the next to see. He'll heed my song if he's wise." "Wonderful, can I get up now?" I asked as I put my feet under me. He just stood over me staring with a silly smile. I stood up, towering over the old man. "I guess this means I'm supposed to visit D.Q. Five's world next, huh?" The codger just shrugged and chuckled. I let out an exasperated sigh, "Listen, what are you trying to pull? Did you drag me in here? What the hell is this all about?" The ridiculous, crazed look vanished from the old man's eyes, his expression turning completely serious. He pointed one bony finger at my chest and said in a clear, strong voice, "You." I sucked in a breath to question him again, but I never got the chance to speak. The man's serious demeanor evaporated, and he exclaimed, "Scrappy Dappy Doo!" With that, he jumped up and impossibly managed to flip over my head. I turned to chase him, but let out a sigh and made a dismissive gesture toward him as the old man vanished in the bushes. "Screw it; he'll never let me catch him." I walked out of the park and tried to get my bearings. I realized then that I hadn't paid enough attention in my run through the town. "Frikkin' great," I mumbled, and set off to try to find the inn again. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> My sense of direction proved to be about as reliable as your average television weatherman. By the time I navigated the long way back to the inn, pretty much the whole town had bedded down for the night. There were a few drunks still swaying unsteadily in their chairs, but that was all. A quick glance around let me know the girls had gone to our room. I sat down at the bar and ordered a beer, deciding I needed something to take the edge off my irritation. I took a long pull and turned to lean against the bar. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to see except a pair of drunks about to pass out. I took another pull -- and then it hit me. Dammit, I'm humming the theme to Gilligan's island. I swear, old man or not, I'm going to deck that codger the next time I see him. I tossed back the last of the beer, dropped a coin on the counter, and told the bartender to keep the change. I headed up the stairs, quietly whistling the pyramid music from the game to try to drive Gilligan out of my head. I dug into my pocket and found the key to the room when I hit the top of the stairs, dropping most of the sound out of my whistle and providing the tune mentally instead. The rooms we'd rented were at the end of the hall, most of them actually an overhang that provided a roof for the porch of the inn. I walked as softly as possible in my armored boots to avoid waking up the people sleeping in the other rooms, though I doubted anyone could hear me over some of the snoring going on. I slipped the key into the lock and opened the door. What to my wandering eyes should appear, I thought as I drank in the scene in front of me while closing the door. The double doors that adjoined our rooms were wide open, giving me a perfect view of the action in the girls' room. They'd pulled all the blankets, pillows, and even the mattresses into the floor in the center of the room. Rebecca lay on her back, one of Cheryl's nipples in her mouth. Hovering over her on all fours, Cheryl suckled one of Rebecca's nipples as well. The surprise, though, was Emelia lying beneath Annette, in the same position as the other two. I chuckled a bit nervously and shifted my weight in an attempt to relieve the pressure of my cock pressing against the codpiece of my armor. "Sorry," I said with a smile, the tone of my voice almost making it a question. Rebecca released Cheryl's nipple from her mouth and purred, "No you're not." I laughed for a second before saying, "Well, okay. I'm taking mental notes actually. Do you want me to close those doors so you can have some privacy?" Annette laughed and blushed. "We left them open for a reason, silly." "Annette has told her breathless little tale -- now I want to see reality," Rebecca added and twitched her eyebrows. Annette crooked her finger and said, "No strings. No fireballs. Just traveling companions sharing in some relaxation from the road. We're not jealous of each other." "I wouldn't say that," Rebecca laughed. "If it was as good as you say, I want a turn." "And I wish to thank you properly for rescuing me," Emelia giggled. "We're a little late to protect Emelia's virtue," Rebecca purred, stroking her finger over the blonde noblewoman's breast as she spoke. Cheryl rolled her eyes and snorted. "Oh, stop. You're curious, you say that all the time." Rebecca swatted Cheryl playfully on her taut bottom to punctuate the statement. "We just finally found a way around your maneuvering and put you in a position to confront it, for once." "A little curious -- maybe," Cheryl argued, leaning down to kiss Rebecca. When their lips parted, Rebecca looked back over at me and said, "Are you still dressed?" Annette stood up and walked toward me, "We can fix that soon enough." Rebecca laughed and stood too. I started to work on the buckles of my armor, but found that I just got in the way of the two women's deft fingers. In no time, they had me stripped down to my shorts. Emelia stroked her hands over Cheryl's body the whole time. Annette took Rebecca's hand and lay it over my erection, while Cheryl lay down to lean on one elbow, shaking her head and chuckling. Rebecca purred sensually, and squeezed my cock. She then pulled down my shorts and licked her lips when my manhood sprang free of the concealing material. Moving out of the way, Rebecca cupped my balls in her hand and stroked her fingers over them gently. She smiled at Cheryl and said, "Isn't it gorgeous?" Cheryl laughed. "It's ridiculous. It looks like a mushroom." She paused then and said, "It's not all hairy and dirty looking, though." "He shaves," Annette said, and took my right hand. Rebecca grabbed my left hand, and both women pulled me over to the little cushioned nest in the middle of the floor. Cheryl let out another derisive snort as she moved out of the way, but I noticed that her eyes never left my crotch. The girls pulled me down to the cushions, and Rebecca said to Cheryl, "Why don't you just watch? Emelia can thank him and show you how good a cock can feel while Annette and I lick you so you won't feel left out while you watch." Annette let out a little giggle and kissed Cheryl's hip. The blonde reached down to caress Annette's hair, parting her legs slightly at the same time. She rolled over just enough to give the dark-haired cleric access to her sex without losing her vantage point of my cock, only a few inches away from her face. Rebecca quickly moved to get her lips on Cheryl's body as well. Emelia situated me flat on my back and moved to kneel over me as Annette slipped between Cheryl's legs. When Annette's tongue slipped between the blonde's folds, Cheryl's eyes closed for an instant and fluttered. She let out a sigh of pleasure and quickly focused her gaze back on Emelia's blonde curls poised over my erection, however. Emelia reached down and grasped my cock, pointing it straight up at her nether lips. She squatted down a bit -- just enough for my glans to make contact with her folds -- and then rubbed the head of my cock over her. She let out a moan of anticipation, and then pushed my tip into her wet heat. I groaned as the blonde's silken sheath engulfed me. She sat down slowly on my erection, letting me feel every inch as it slipped into her warm embrace. When I was buried to the hilt inside her, Emelia wiggled her hips and let out a throaty sound of delight. "Mmm, he feels good inside me." "Gods, you feel incredible," I gasped in response. She smiled, and put her hands on my hips for leverage. We both let out sighs of pleasure as she rose up over me again, letting my slick shaft slide from inside her, all the way back to the tip. I groaned as Emelia bounced on my erection, her firm breasts jiggling from the energetic movements. Cheryl's eyes never left the scene in front of her, although the pace of her breathing increased from the touch of the other two women's talented tongues. "Yeah, that's it. Come for me," I encouraged the blonde riding me. Emelia moaned, "Mmm, I'm going to -- and soon. I haven't been with a man in so long. It feels so good." Cheryl let out little, quiet moans as Annette and Rebecca built a fire in her loins. Even though I usually don't get enough stimulation to come with a woman riding me, the tight squeeze of Emelia's velvety walls certainly moved me close quickly. I was behind in that race, though, because Emelia was climbing her mountain at an incredible pace. Cries of delight and gasps burst from Emelia as she drew nearer to climax. I could feel her juices squirting out onto my tummy whenever she hit bottom, a testament to how wet she was. I could smell the intoxicating scent of her arousal wafting over me while the squishy sounds of my erection sliding into her depths serenaded me. The blonde's eyes widened, and I knew she was close. "Oh yes. Oh -- oh yes," Emelia gasped, and then slammed her hips down hard one last time. Her head lolled back, and she cried out to the roof as she came. "Yeah, that's it," I growled, grabbing Emelia's hips and rocking them back and forth while thrusting upward into her tightly clenched depths. That set off a sharper spike of ecstasy within the blonde, causing her to let out a quavering squeal. I eased off and sat still as I felt my balls tighten. Emelia gasped and lashed her head, fighting for breath as her orgasm continued to assault her. Finally, it allowed her enough respite to lean down over me, the stiff points of her breasts dragging across my chest with her rapid breathing. Rebecca looked into Cheryl's eyes. "You want to taste her, don't you? I know how much you love it when we get so creamy. Do you want a taste?" "Yes," Cheryl gasped out, trembling in pleasure from Annette's tonguing. Emelia lifted her hips, releasing me from her clinging grasp and revealing my cock coated in thick layer of her creamy juices. She lifted her knee and moved beside me. "So taste me from him," she said sultrily. Annette planted a final kiss on Cheryl's swollen clit and sat up. Cheryl hesitated, but moved slowly toward me. Her eyes drank me in -- examining my cock as if it was some sort of weird animal she'd never encountered before. Her expression took on a slightly determined look, and she leaned over me. When the tip of her tongue touched near the base of my shaft, I let out a little grunt and my cock twitched up to bump her lips. Cheryl sat back with a crooked grin and asked, "Does that thing have a mind of its own?" She then licked her lips, to gather up Emelia's cream from them. Rebecca chuckled. "Sort of. Go on -- taste her. You're making me so wet." Cheryl leaned in again, once more touching me with just the tip of her tongue. After the twitch this time, her tongue traced the vein in my member upward toward the head. Her tongue broadened as she lapped upward, trying to get more of the bittersweet treat coating me. "Suck on the head," Rebecca instructed breathlessly, her fingers moving between her legs to caress her folds. Cheryl struggled with the angle for a moment, but managed to slurp my glans between her lips. I groaned, "Damn that feels good." "What do you think?" Annette asked in a sultry whisper. Cheryl let me slide from her lips with a pop. "It's different." Rebecca shuddered and said, "Okay, I'm going crazy. Come lick me." She lay down then and spread her legs wide. As Cheryl moved between Rebecca's thighs, Annette bent over me. She enveloped me in her warm mouth, and then sucked hard on her way back to the tip, cleaning me completely of Emelia's juices. As she finished with a kiss on the tip of my member, she moved to straddle me while casting her spell. Annette's smile let me know she was happy with the results of her magical divination. I let out a long groan as she sank down on me. I alternated between watching her riding my cock and the two blondes lapping Rebecca next to me. I've got to watch and take some notes, I thought, seeing the effect Cheryl and Emelia's lapping had on the redhead. The three of us were on perfectly synchronized rush toward climax. Rebecca yelped and dug her fingernails into Cheryl's back, as Annette slammed down ever harder on my cock. I felt my balls tightening, and knew I wasn't going to hold out much longer. When the redhead and brunette both cried out in orgasm at the same time, I lost control as well, spurting into Annette's clinging depths. The healer collapsed atop me and I wrapped my arms around her. Next to us, Cheryl crawled over Rebecca to share the redhead's juices with her in a kiss. When their lips parted, Rebecca asked, "Did he feel good, Anna?" Emelia cut off the last word by pressing her lips to the redhead's. "Oh, yes," Annette languidly moaned, snuggling up against me as her walls contracted around my softening member. Letting out a sigh, I echoed, "And she feels amazing." "Do you want to try it, Cher?" Rebecca asked, kneading the blonde's buttocks. Cheryl looked over at Annette quivering on top of me. A crooked grin crossed her face and she replied, "Maybe." "Do you want to try a taste first?" Rebecca suggested. Annette let out a gasp, and I felt her contracting tight around me. That prompted a moaning laugh from Rebecca. She reached over and patted the brunette's bottom. Anna took a deep breath, and then squealed as she slid off me. Rebecca stopped her from rolling over. "Stay just like that, on your hands and knees." Grabbing my hand, she told me, "You -- over here." I slid out from under the still trembling cleric to lie next to Rebecca and Emelia. I glanced over to see my cream welling up from between Annette's nether lips. "Get under there and taste them together," Rebecca purred, stroking her finger over Cheryl's right breast. "Aren't you the bossy one today?" Cheryl snorted playfully. "I don't catch you off guard often enough. I'm taking advantage of it," the redhead revealed and then chuckled. Cheryl rolled her eyes, but she also turned on the bed and moved toward Annette. Rebecca shivered and tugged on my arm, silently instructing me to move to where we could both get a good view. Cheryl slid under the cleric and pulled down on her hips. Annette let out a sharp gasp as the blonde stabbed her tongue into the cleric's cream-filled sex. Rebecca glanced into my eyes for a moment. "You're awful quiet." "I'm paying attention. A guy could learn something here." Rebecca laughed, the sound cut off by a gasping moan as we watched Cheryl pull down harder on Annette's bottom, moaning excitedly into her folds. The next thing I knew, the redhead was chanting a spell and my softening member reversed course. Fortunately, I didn't have to choose. I had an equally good view of Rebecca slurping the mingled cream from my cock and Cheryl lapping it from Annette's folds. The wizard let me slip from her lips and said, "Take me. Fill me up," in a sultry whisper. She then moved to her hands and knees in front of me -- facing the other two women and wiggling her bottom at me. I wasted no time sitting up and sinking into the redhead's depths. I felt a little tender, so I took it slow, which seemed to suit Rebecca just fine. She wiggled her hips back and forth and moaned approvingly as we both watched Annette build toward an explosion. Emelia reached under Rebecca to rub her fingers in quick circles over the redhead's clit. Annette came, a warbling scream bubbling from her as she climaxed on Cheryl's tongue. "Mmm, faster," Rebecca demanded, thrusting her hips back at me in time with my stroke into her depths. Annette pulled away from Cheryl's mouth with a gasp, covering her sex with her hands and falling to the cushions. The blonde sat up and licked her lips, twitching her eyebrows at Rebecca. "What... Did... You... Think?" Rebecca gasped out in time with my thrusts. "I liked it," Cheryl replied, licking her lips again. "More?" "Mmm hmm," Cheryl moaned in response. The redhead let out a sexy growl and looked back over her shoulder at me. "Do it. Give it to me." "Oh yeah," I grunted, gripping her hips harder and driving my cock home hard. I set a furious pace, letting go of all control. Rebecca was well ahead of me though, and exploded into orgasm with a scream after only a few hard thrusts. The tight squeeze of her walls added to the hot friction and pushed me closer to the edge. Rebecca looked back and growled, "Give it to me," and then squealed as another wave of orgasm rushed through her body. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest III Cheryl moved toward me, lying on her side to watch my cock rapidly sliding in and out of Rebecca. Emelia lay down on the bed and sucked one of Rebecca's swinging nipples into her mouth. I grunted with every thrust, until I slammed home one last time and erupted with a growling scream. Rebecca moaned in delight as I filled her with hot spurts of cum. My chin dropped to my chest as I panted for breath, and I closed my eyes. I popped them back open when I felt a hand caressing my tight balls. Cheryl ran her fingers over me, stroking Rebecca's upraised bottom at the same time. A few seconds later, Cheryl pushed on my hips, and I pulled free of Rebecca with a loud gasp. The blonde immediately lay down and pulled Rebecca down to her mouth. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open to watch Cheryl lapping up my cream and building the redhead toward another climax. Annette moved to the opposite side of the bed, having recovered from her own orgasm. She thrust three of her fingers into Cheryl's sex, leaning down to swirl her tongue over the blonde's clit at the same time. Rebecca reached her peak a couple of minutes later, and Cheryl screamed into the redhead's folds shortly thereafter. We all collapsed to the cushions, and I fought sleep as the four women cuddled with me, and each other. The last thing I remember before slipping off into exhausted slumber was Cheryl responding to Annette asking how curious she was now. Cheryl's answer of, "Very," brought a smile to my lips. I could hear the Star Trek theme playing in my head as I drifted off to sleep, and Shatner's voice saying, To boldly go where no man has gone before. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I awoke the next morning to three tongues sliding over my morning erection, and the sound of laughter when my eyes popped open in surprise. "Emelia had to leave last night, so her sister wouldn't find out she's not as innocent as she lets on," Rebecca told me. "Cheryl had a very naughty dream last night," Annette said playfully, stroking her finger over my cock, "About this." "She wants it," Rebecca teased in a singsong voice. "If you two don't stop, you can forget it," Cheryl said haughtily, crossing her arms over her bare breasts. "I'm still not sure about this." "Sorry, Cher," Annette apologized. She kissed the blonde and said, "Let us warm you up and make it up to you." A few seconds later, Cheryl wriggled and moaned from the touches of the other two women. I sat watching, my cock throbbing. I noted that even touches in innocent places like her elbows and shoulders sent shudders through the blonde's body. Going to have to remember to try that, I thought. Annette paused in the process of kissing Cheryl's feet, looking over at me and gesturing for me to approach. When I reached them, Annette guided me up to my knees between the blonde's parted legs. Wrapping her fingers around my cock, she rubbed it gently over Cheryl's folds. Cheryl's eyes popped wide open and she gasped. She looked down with just a little fear in her eyes, but I could certainly see arousal and curiosity there as well. "Just relax. If you change your mind, just say so. I think you're going to like it, though," Annette instructed, while continuing to rub my glans over the blonde's nether lips, coating the tip in a glistening layer of wetness. I groaned loud and long when Annette slipped me between Cheryl's moist lips a moment later. The blonde laid her head back and sighed, her labia quivering around the head of my cock. Rebecca moved to rub Cheryl's clit, while Annette pushed gently on my ass. I slipped slowly into Cheryl's depths, watching the blonde's eyes widen in surprise. "What do you think," Rebecca asked when my erection vanished inside Cheryl. "So full," Cheryl gasped. "Slowly. Gently," Annette admonished, and then slid up to suckle Cheryl's right nipple. Rebecca leaned down to swirl her tongue over the blonde's bud at the same time. I rocked my hips back, watching Cheryl's labia cling to me as I pulled free. When the ridge of my swollen helmet appeared between her lips, I pushed back in again. I had to fight not to start thrusting hard and fast. Keeping my cool, I stroked my cock into her with agonizing slowness. Cheryl's body moved in a gentle wave with my every thrust, her hands caressing the two women tantalizing her with their tongues. She let out little moans as I stroked her, looking down curiously at my slick shaft penetrating her on occasion. Slowly, but steadily, her pleasure mounted. While the slow stroking helped keep me from losing control, it could only do so much. I felt the itch in my loins growing in intensity by the moment. I gritted my teeth and breathed heavily, forced to fight down my orgasm, and struggling to keep my instincts to thrust hard in check. Rebecca sat up and whispered in my ear, "Just a little faster. She's close." She then immediately returned to her tonguing of the blonde's clit. I followed the cue, moving my hips a bit faster. Cheryl started to gasp for air, her eyes and mouth both wide open. I saw her lower lip quiver for a moment, and then she let out a deep, gasping scream as she came. Her walls clenched tight around me, and her back arched up off the mattress below. I pushed inside her to the hilt, feeling my own climax upon me. I rocked my hips slightly a couple of times, and then groaned as I came. My cream spurted from me gently, almost leaking from me in a long sustained squirt. A few shorter dribbles followed, and Cheryl covered her tummy with a moan, feeling my semen filling her up. I let my head hang down, delighting in the feeling of her wrapped around me, and her whimpers of pleasure. Soon enough, Annette wrapped her lips around me while Rebecca's tongue pushed inside Cheryl. We didn't leave the room until lunchtime. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It continued after we returned to Lady Roma's castle. While Cheryl was satisfied with that one experiment for the most part, she did ask me to slide inside her one more time a few days later. Emelia often snuck into our rooms during the night. The magic of the cleric and wizard allowed me to rise to the occasion numerous times each night, although the lack of sleep and over indulgence wore on me as time passed. Awakening early one morning, I snuck out of the common room where we'd fallen asleep, hoping for a respite from the morning ritual. My cock stung a little from overuse, and my back ached from over a week's worth of near constant thrusting. I was starting to feel like a human sex toy. I wandered the halls up toward the roof, thinking I'd just drink in the clean air, so different from the real world. I needed a break, and I was going to have to tell four hot women I wasn't in the mood today. The thought was so utterly alien that it made me laugh to think about it. Before I could make it all the way up to the roof, a matronly woman stepped out in front of me, scowling. I smiled and said, "Excuse me." The next thing I knew, she shoved a pair of panties that smelled distinctly of sex into my face, sticky wetness from inside them coating the tip of my nose. When the woman jerked the frilly garment away a moment later, I recognized them as the panties Emelia had worn the night before. "What is the meaning of this?" The woman asked angrily. "Whoa, what do you mean?" I asked, putting my hands up defensively and backing away. "You know very well what I mean. You've despoiled my charge. The evidence is right here. I saw her leaving your room, and found your seed in her underthings." "Hang on, now," I said, trying to figure out what to say. She launched a vicious kick in response. I dodged out of the way, moving around her and sprinting up the stairs beyond her toward the roof. Dammit, here we go again! I'm cursed! I burst through the door to the roof, whacking my head on the jamb and cursing again when I realized I'd left my magical bag in my room. Now what? How in the hell am I going to explain this? "Missing something?" I turned slowly, unable to believe what I'd heard. Standing on the battlements was the old man, holding out my magical sack. "Old man," I sighed. "Well now, you're looking a bit distraught and tender. I'd think you'd be on cloud nine, considering all the fun you've been having with those pretty ladies. Or, maybe it wasn't the dream come true you'd imagined it to be?" I growled, remembering the words of the old man's song. "Yeah, yeah -- heaven turned into hell. I could have dealt with that, the girls would have understood and given me a break. You set me up with Emelia's keeper though, didn't you?" The old man blew a raspberry and laughed. He jumped down to the roof and tossed my bag toward me. "I did no such thing. You should have known better. Thinking with your dick again, I see. I thought maybe you'd learned something with lovely Gwen." He made a sound like a buzzer, and then added, "Wrong again. Do you want to play, or pass? Spin the wheel of fortune again? Big bucks, no Whammies?" "Who in the fuck are you," I growled, slinging my bag over my shoulder and walking toward him. The old man let out a screeching approximation of a karate yell, putting his hands up in front of him. "I wouldn't try it, Daniel-San. Wax on -- wax off." He cocked his head, appearing to listen to something. "Maybe you'd better beat a hasty retreat. I think I hear soldiers on the way to the roof. I wonder if the punishment for despoiling noble women is imprisonment, or WHACK!" He shouted the last word, making a cutting motion with one hand in front of his crotch. I could hear voices drifting up the stairs. One of them I recognized as the woman who'd chased me up here, one was Emelia, and the last one was Lady Roma. "What is this all about?" I asked, throwing up my hands. "I told you," the old man said, rolling his eyes. "You'd best be getting along." "To Salabona, I suppose." The old man shrugged and grinned. I heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. "Clock's tickin', me boy," the old man warned, waggling his finger back and forth in front of him. I opened my bag, and sure enough, a wing of the wyvern sat right on top. The maker's mark plainly identified it as coming from D.Q. Five's world. I looked back up at the old man and said, "Get a kick out of this, don't you?" "It's a living," the old man replied with a smile. I saw the top of someone's head appear in the stairwell door. I reached into my bag and pulled out the wing. I didn't really have much choice, and I had little doubt that the old man's manipulations would have me doing it soon enough. "Up, up, and away!" The old man shouted, striking a pose like Superman taking flight. "Sister, don't do this," I heard Emelia say from the stairs. I tossed the wing into the air -- off on another magical journey. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hope you've enjoyed this story, and that you'll take a moment to vote. The vote form is right down there, after all *wink* The votes and comments from readers are our payment as free authors, and they're what keeps us going. Thanks to FTF for a great chain story idea, which I'm having a lot of fun with! Once again, I pop into a different DQ world, paving the way for VR:DQ5 to spill from my keyboard at some point. Keep yer eyes open! Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest IV DISCLAIMER: The stories in the "Celebrity" section of Literotica are all fictional parodies - none are true, nor are they approved of by the celebrities named in the stories. Authors write these fictitious stories about famous people for the same reason that Larry Flynt made fun of Jerry Falwell, because they can. The Supreme Court of the United States, the country where this site is located, has ruled that parodies involving famous people are perfectly and totally legal under the United States Constitution. The specific case law on this was decided in the case of "Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al. v. Jerry Falwell" in 1988. No harm is intended toward the celebrities featured in these stories, but they are public figures and in being so, they must accept that they are fair target for parodies by the public. We believe in the first amendment, and more broadly, in the basic principle of free speech and this section may push the boundaries of that principle, but the United States Supreme Court has approved of this type of material. We believe that the Supreme Court was correct in their decision. Author's Notes: The characters of Nara, Mara, and Taloon ( as well as the world setting ) are not my creation. I have added my own take to each of them. This is a fanfiction fantasy, and simply draws upon the original world/characters as a setting. No toe-stepping is intended. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} I awoke in clothes that felt stiff and damp, blinded by the bright sunlight streaming down on me. "Young Master, this is a most unwise place to take a nap, I must say." Squinting through the glare, I made out the silhouette of a man standing over me. Gradually, my eyes adjusted. The man was dressed garishly, with a wide comical mustache of gray. Looking around, I didn't notice anything familiar. In fact, everything looked entirely too green. The air smelled odd too -- cleaner. Sitting up, I muttered, "Where in the hell am I?" "You are a few miles southwest of Endor, young Master," Mr. Mustache answered me. I laughed, "Endor? Should I be looking for Ewoks or Taloon?" "You know Master Taloon? I would expect one acquainted with such a shrewd arms merchant to be better equipped. Unless you have things hidden in that obviously magical bag your head was resting on." Oh, man, I must have fallen asleep playing D.Q. Four. This is one fucked up dream, I thought with amusement. What the hell, may as well play along. "Thanks for the wake up call, good merchant. I assume you're a merchant by your sack of wares." The wandering dealer smiled, and replied, "Indeed I am, and I am at your service, should you require anything." "Well, let me go through my bag here, and see if I need anything." Picking up the bag, I could tell it was magical the moment I opened it. There's far more space inside the thing than it could possibly contain. Digging into the bag, I quickly recognized Erdrick's Armor. That should impress the hell out of the locals. Attempting to remove it from the bag, however, proved impossible. An attempt to drag out the Armor of Radiance from Dragon Quest three failed as well. What the hell? Grabbing a suit of leather armor, I found it came out of the bag easily enough. A maker's mark on it listed it as coming from the village of Lifecod. Testing a theory, I dug around until I saw something else familiar. The maker's mark on the wing of the wyvern said Leftwyne, and I was able to pull it from the bag without any problem. Okay, so something has to be common to all the games in order for me to get it out of the bag. Either that, or it has to come from this world. Not a problem. What's the strongest common armor? Magic Armor should work. After a moment, I found exactly what I was looking for. Pulling it out of the bag, along with a broadsword, I told the merchant, "It appears I'm fairly well supplied, I'm afraid, good merchant." Shrugging his shoulders and smiling, the wandering salesman said, "Such is my luck. I must warn you, there are many bubble slimes in this area." Having recognized several healing and antidote herbs in my bag, and now almost dressed in my Magic Armor, I wasn't terribly worried. I found the armor to be quite light, and the broadsword felt completely natural in my hands. The only thing I could guess was that my skills in the game were transferring over as skills within it. Attempts to cast a spell after that proved fruitless, however. Damn it, I laughed mentally. A good Zap spell or two would be pretty impressive. Oh well, I guess I'll have to depend upon my trusty sword here. Sheathing the sword, I said, "Thanks again, good merchant. Now, if you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction of Endor?" "I travel that way, if you wish to walk with me," he replied. "Sounds like a plan to me. Shall we go?" As we set off, I hoped I wouldn't wake up too soon. This dream was actually kind of fun. Seeing the Dragon Quest sprites as real, flesh and blood people was a real blast. I whistled Wagon Wheels March as we walked, and found that the tune actually set a good cadence for a quick hike. "That is quite a stirring tune, young Master. I recall now that I do not know your name." Well, I use this name the first time I play through any game, so it seems appropriate. "Just call me Thakkor." "Thakkor it shall be then, young Master. You may call me Bertir." He hesitated a bit as we continued on, tilting his head as if listening. "I would advise having your sword ready, Thakkor. I believe I hear something." Snapping my weapon free of its sheathe, I discovered the merchant's advice was quite sound only a moment later. A pack of three bubble slimes came bounding out of the underbrush along the trail, their smiling faces from the game nowhere near as amusing in real life. They bounced toward us at a quick pace, and the merchant next to me readied his sword, even as I brought mine in front of me. With a gurgling cry, the first one leaped at me. I reacted with perfectly timed instincts, slapping the creature aside and cleaving a great rift in its poison-oozing hide. The creature hit the ground and almost appeared to deflate, fitfully undulating in an attempt to rise again. I didn't have time to admire my handiwork, as the other two bubble slimes were already on the attack. Bringing my sword back across, I caught the slime attacking me with the flat of my blade. The blow sent it hurtling into the distance like a line drive. My merchant friend didn't have such good luck, and he took what looked like a painful wound to his right shoulder. He managed to batter away the attacking slime, and I stabbed down right through the center of it, holding my breath against the acrid stench of the creature's poison. For good measure, I jabbed the still twitching first slime, to make sure it stayed down. Glancing toward where the final bubble slime had landed, I saw it rapidly running away. I whistled the 'end of battle' sound effect, tilting my head as if listening for the level-up music to follow. "Damn, not enough experience, I guess," I chuckled. Turning back to my fellow traveler, I saw him breaking out in a sweat, not looking well at all. I asked, "Poison?" Bertir nodded, and then pointed weakly at the dissolving remains of the bubble slimes. Lying upon the ground were a few gold coins, and a pair of herbs. Those would be antidote herbs, of course. Bubble slimes drop antidotes, when they drop anything. Bertir having pointed out the herbs more or less confirmed it as well. Snatching up one of the herbs, I handed it to Bertir. He rubbed it on his shoulder wound, and almost immediately started to look better. After a minute or two, he said, "Thank you Thakkor. You fight quite well. I am lucky to have found such a worthy traveling companion." Clapping him on the opposite shoulder from the wound, I said, "No problem, Bertir. That's what you do on the road -- take care of your fellow travelers, right?" Picking up the coins from the ground, I handed half of them to Bertir. "Oh, and share the loot, of course." Laughing, and refusing to take the coins, Bertir said, "You did all the fighting, young Thakkor. The coins belong to you. I find I enjoy my gold more when I earn it through bartering, anyway." Pocketing the coins, I said, "Fair enough. How far are we from Endor?" "Just over that hill, and we will be there," he replied. Gesturing for him to take the lead, I launched back into Wagon Wheels March as we walked. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Endor was a big town in the game, but it paled in comparison to the sprawling city before me. Everywhere there were merchants, buying and selling. People bustled here and there, roaming from shop to shop, and home to home. The entire city seemed to be alive with movement as I walked the streets. Off in the distance, I could see a tall stone structure, with bright pennants on top. At first, I thought it was the castle, but then I noticed an even larger mountain of stone in the distance, and determined that the first must be the casino. I certainly planned to check that out at some point. "I must go to set up my booth. It has been a pleasure to travel with you, Thakkor," Bertir said, sticking out his hand to shake. "Same here. I'll be sure to look you up if I need anything," I replied while shaking his hand. Bertir walked off into the throng, and I took in the sights. The people were somewhat exotic, and oddly dressed, but otherwise they were regular people. I ran into an assortment of friendly, rude, and indifferent townsfolk, just as I might have expected to encounter in any fair-sized city. Fortunately, I had plenty of gold in my magical little sack, so I had an excuse to wander through a lot of the shops, adding to my stash of items. I also had plenty of gold for the local brew, which went down like water, but kicked like a mule. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} I woke up from a dream about home, my head pounding and my mouth dry. Once I was able to open my eyes, I dimly recognized the room at the Inn I'd stumbled into the night before. Can you dream in a dream? I expected to wake up at home, but I'm still here. This is getting just a little bit to frikkin' weird, I thought as I tried to drag my still partially inebriated carcass out of the bed. I was glad to find that healing herbs worked just as well on a hangover as a sword slash, and shortly after taking one, I was up and about again. I headed back out into the streets, planning to hit the casino and try my luck at some poker. I'd always done well in the game, so I decided I'd give it a shot. It looked like I was stuck here at that point, so I figured I may as well have a little fun. As I meandered through the streets, I happened across a gathering crowd. Curious as to what they were pushing in to see or hear, I wandered that way. I heard a female voice when I got closer. "... great darkness, and light. They will contend, with the fate of the world in the balance. This city carries a torch on the side of light." I managed to edge my way through the crowd, and I knew exactly who I was looking at, the moment I saw her. Leaning over a crystal ball, the fortuneteller speaking prophecy could have only be Nara. She appeared to be in a deep trance, but snapped out of it almost the moment I got a good look at her. "Bah, more vague prophecies," one man near me said, as he turned to walk away. A woman a few feet away said, "She predicted my husband's return, though. What if she's right?" A buzz rose up from the gathered people, as they all argued about the validity and relevance of Nara's prophecy. Seeing that Nara looked weak and dazed, I pushed my way through the crowd. "You okay there, Nara? You don't look so good," I asked. Nara replied, "I am fine. Sometimes visions come upon me, which are so strong, that they leave me a little out of sorts." A moment later, her head came up and she looked at me curiously. "How did you know my name?" Twitching my eyebrows, I said, "I have my own abilities, much the same as yours. I know what's going to happen. I believe your prophecy, by the way. You're one of those carrying a torch for the light too. You and your sister." May as well have a little fun with my knowledge of the game, I thought. Looking a little apprehensive, but obviously intrigued, Nara stood and said, "Would you please come into my tent? I would hear more of what you see in the future." "Sure, why not. Name's Thakkor," I replied. Nara wore heavy, concealing robes, but they couldn't hide the swell of her bosom. It took quite a bit of effort not to stare at her breasts, or any of her for that matter. She had sun-browned skin, big expressive eyes, full lips, and long, dark hair. Her sprite from the game certainly didn't do her justice. Nara walked over to her tent, the sway of her bottom a hypnotic sight indeed. She turned and pulled back the flap of the tent, gesturing for me to enter. The flap quickly closed behind us as soon as I stepped inside. "Please, have a seat, Thakkor, and tell me what you know," Nara requested, sitting down on a cushion within the tent. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} To say Nara was intrigued by what I told her would be a great understatement. Having played the game a million times, I was able to describe all sorts of things from the future. Nara listened with rapt attention, asking questions on occasion. Finally, I finished, and Nara summed up her thoughts in a single question. "You say that I, my sister, and these others will face a great evil, in times to come? One will come to draw us all together, and lead us to our destiny?" I answered, "That's it. Endor is important, but you, and those you'll meet here, are more important by far." Nara asked, "What is your place, in this destiny?" "To guide you, I suppose," I replied. It was more or less the truth, as when playing the game that was what I did. "May I try to get a sense of your future, Thakkor?" Smiling, I said, "Sure, why not." Reaching out, Nara took one of my hands, and laid it between the palms of hers. She closed her eyes, and almost immediately jerked, as if hit by a jolt of electricity. A gasp accompanied her sudden movement, and her eyes popped open a second later. I asked, "Did you see something?" A rather mischievous grin spread across Nara's beautiful face. "Yes, I did." "Sister, are you here? People are saying that you riled up a crowd with a prophecy today." I turned to see Mara pulling back the tent flap, and stepping inside. She looked much like her sister, save having a lither figure, with smaller breasts and narrower hips. She was also dressed in far from a conservative fashion, showing a great deal of very attractive skin. Mara paused upon seeing me, and raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, now who is this?" Her voice was seductive, and suggestive, the question directed as much to me as it was to Nara. "This is Thakkor. He sees the future, as I do. I will tell you of our visions later, as I know you will dance tonight. I would not wish you to be late." Nara's tone indicated that there were some silent communications going on between the two sisters, something I was not privy to. Mara let out a little amused sound. "Very well, I'll be by as soon as I'm done dancing tonight." "I will see you then, Sister," Nara responded with a smile that bordered on smug. A little bit of competition between the dear sisters, I see. They certainly glossed over this in the game script. I chuckled, and then realized, And they're competing over me. Well, well now. This has some interesting possibilities. Mara left, and Nara stood up almost immediately. "Will you come with me? I don't think this is the appropriate place to reveal my vision to you." I picked up just a touch of anticipation in Nara's voice. I raised my eyebrows in a silent question, and received an equally silent answer when color flooded Nara's cheeks. "Sure, lead on. You certainly have me wondering what you saw." Nara exuded an almost visible sense of excitement as I followed her through the streets of Endor. We soon reached the room she shared with her sister, and Nara quickly ushered me inside. The only furnishings were a pair of canopied beds, a table with two chairs, and a few trunks. I heard a bolt slide home behind me. Turning around, I found Nara facing me, locking the door behind her back with practiced ease. She asked, "Would you like to know what I saw in my vision?" "That was the plan for coming here," I laughed. Shaking her head slightly, Nara said, "No, my plan in coming here was to make that vision come true. In my vision, we both lay in my bed, spent from a wonderful evening of lovemaking." As she spoke, she walked over to me -- her hips swaying, and her hands working on the ties of her robes. By the time she reached me, her robe was slipping open, revealing the cleft between her large, firm breasts, and the tanned skin of her flat tummy. "I have to say -- that sounds like a wonderful vision of the future." Knocking on my breastplate, she said, "Take off that armor, and let us fulfill my premonition." I was rapidly discovering one of the significant drawbacks of metal armor -- it doesn't give very well against a swelling erection. Nara swept past me, pulling her robe down off her shoulders. I kept my eyes on her, while unbuckling my armor as fast as I could. When she reached her bed, she let the robe pool to the floor, revealing her full, naked backside in all its glory. Nara climbed into her bed, covering her body in the gauzy curtains, in what was a sexy display of feigned modesty. The nearly transparent material did nothing to hide her large breasts, capped by small, dark nipples, or the carefully manicured nest of curls adorning her mound. I started toward the bed, the final plates of my armor clanging to the floor even as I took the first step. I tugged my shirt over my head as I reached the bed, but Nara took the initiative after that. Pulling me close, using the waist of my pants as a handle, she pulled them down as soon as my knees pressed against the bed. I kicked off my boots, and stepped out of the material gathered at my ankles. Nara reached out to my smooth-shaven cock with a look of delighted surprise. She let out a little moan as she wrapped one hand around my shaft, cupping the orbs below in her other hand. "It's so smooth. I've never felt something so wonderful." Sighing from the soft touch of her hands on me, I responded, "I think I can safely say the same." Licking her lips, Nara said, "I think I can top it." Letting out a sharp gasp, I managed to say, "I think you're right," as her lips slipped over the head of my cock. After that first suckle, and a few tickles from her tongue, Nara appeared to be unhappy with the awkward angle, lying on her belly to reach me with her mouth. She tugged me onto the bed with her, and a push on my chest instructed me to lie down. My back barely hit the mattress before she leaned over me, sliding her hands up my legs until they reached my hips. She then lay down on her side next to me -- her breasts pressing against my leg with firm, delightful pressure -- and took me in her mouth again. I groaned as she engulfed nearly my entire length with that first slow suck. She then sucked in her cheeks nearly concave, sliding her soft, wet lips back toward the tip. Nara kept a tight vacuum on me, her full lips sliding over my shaft in a slow, teasing motion. Normally, it's very difficult to get me off with oral sex. Something about the angles, or the pressure, just keeps me below the point of no return. Such was not the case as Nara worked her magic on me. I could feel the itch building after only a few bobs of her head, and it steadily intensified with each wonderful stroke of her mouth. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest IV Pausing at the end of one slow suck, Nara suddenly bobbed her head quickly, over just the mushroom tip, for several strokes. Her tongue caressed me as she sucked, and I felt my balls tighten. When she swallowed me whole a moment later, I knew I wasn't going to last much longer. "If you..." I had to pause to gasp before I could finish. "If you keep that up, you're going to delay your half of the vision by a bit." Nara's lips slid back over me with agonizing slowness, releasing me with a pop. She looked up into my eyes with a satisfied, mischievous grin. "Feel good?" I chuckled weakly, "Yep." Rolling over onto my side, I took Nara's hand and guided her to move up toward the head of the bed. Now, of course, is when I'll wake up from this dream. That's always my luck. I didn't wake up, though. I kissed her neck, moving upward to suckle her earlobe lightly for a moment, and then started back down again. Her nipples were pebble hard when my lips reached them. Her moans were sharp and loud, as I sucked the stiff points, flicking them with my tongue. The pace of her breathing picked up, and I saw her hand creeping between her thighs in my peripheral vision. "Oh, you're making me ache," Nara said in a breathless whisper. Releasing her right nipple -- giving it a final curl of my tongue around it -- I told her, "I think I can do something about that." Nara gasped as I kissed her tummy, and then she moaned as I traced kisses over the taut flesh toward her mound. I moved my arms out of the way, one at a time, giving her room to part her legs. The scent of her arousal washed over me, prompting me to speed up my journey toward the source of it. Short trimmed, dark, curly hair adorned her sex -- just hiding the treasure beneath. A slow slide of my fingers parted her labia, revealing the sharply contrasting pink between them. Looking up into her eyes, and smiling for a moment, I lowered my lips to her. Nara let out a quavering gasp, one of her hands coming to rest on the back of my head. The very first swipe of my tongue over her wet folds revealed a uniquely spicy taste. Whatever caused it, I certainly liked it. Pressing my tongue in deep, I swirled it over her walls, gathering up the abundant, flavorful juices. It took only a few moments of experimentation to discover that Nara preferred a soft touch. I worked my tongue in slow strokes, teasing her labia, just brushing the pearl at their apex, stoking her fires steadily higher. "That feels so good," Nara moaned. I looked up to see that she was now rubbing her fingers over her stiff nipples, stimulating them as I lapped her. I gave her a deliberate swirl of my tongue on her clit, drawing a sharp yelp from her, and causing her hips to rise up to meet my mouth. I returned to the swollen bud a moment or two later, receiving much the same reaction. When I closed my lips over the center of her pleasure for a moment, she gasped out, "More!" With devilish intent, I released her clit and wiggled my tongue downward, between her labia. A broad stroke upward touched her special spot for a second, and I let out a sensual chuckle, as the pleading tone of her moan revealed what she wanted. I edged her higher with flicks of my tongue, and my suckling lips. Her breathing quickened yet again, and more of her juices washed over my tongue every time I moved downward for a taste of them. "Oh, please, I need to come," Nara said in a strained voice. I had already started to lift her hood, even as she said the words. Her body language had revealed her need long before her words. A warbling scream of pleasure burst from her as I gave her a strong stroke of my tongue over the bared nub. Nara's fingers curled into my hair, and I knew the time for teasing was over. Her hips rocked rhythmically up toward me, pressing me tight against her sex, as if I needed any additional encouragement. Wrapping my lips around her clit, I circled it with my tongue, increasing the speed of the strokes with every swirl. Yelps, moans, and gasps erupted from her as she climbed higher. When her fingers fisted into my hair, and she thrust her wet heat hard against my face, I knew she was there. Her thighs clamping tight around my ears muffled her scream of release, but I could feel the power of it reverberating through her entire body. I let up the pressure just long enough for the initial shock of her orgasm to pass, and then attacked her clit once more, with even more gusto. Her grip on me tightened, as she went into a string of multiple climaxes. Despite the ache in my neck and jaw, I was far from done with her when Nara pushed me away. Curling up into a fetal position, she clamped her hands over her sex, trembling and jerking as the aftershocks of her orgasm continued to rock her. I stroked her back, giving my painfully throbbing cock a quick stroke of my fingers to calm my own need as I did so. It took Nara a couple of minutes to uncurl, and she still gasped for air even then. "Oh, it has been too long," she moaned. "I've been touched by nothing more than my own fingers in months." Licking my lips, I said, "There's plenty more where that came from. I love how you taste. I could lick you for days." Shuddering from those words, she rolled over to brush her fingers over my cock. "I want to feel you inside me." I started to tell her I didn't have any condoms, but realized that the odds were she would have no idea what I was talking about. "Even if I pull out before I get there, there's still a risk of getting you pregnant." Wrapping her hand around me, stroking her hand over my hard flesh, she informed me, "It is safe now. My abilities have never failed to predict when I might become with child. Now is not such a time." Groaning from the feeling of her hand stroking me, I said, "I honestly don't know how long I'm going to last. I feel like I'm going to burst right now." Purring, Nara rolled onto her back and parted her legs wide. "Then do it. I have magic that can restore your vigor in very little time. I love feeling a man come inside me." The sight of her, legs and lips parted wide, teasingly stroking her folds, made that an easy request to fulfill. "Well, since you asked so nicely..." Nara chuckled quietly, and then purred as the head of my cock pressed up against her. She leaned up, and moaned as she watched me vanish into her tight canal. I closed my eyes, loving the tight squeeze of her, as I slipped easily into her saturated depths. "Damn, you feel good," I groaned as I hit bottom. "Mmm, so do you. Take me." She gasped as I withdrew, letting out a high-pitched grunt a moment later as I filled her again. Her fingers moved in slow circles over her clit, and she licked her lips sensually as I started thrusting in earnest. As tight as she was squeezing me, and as worked up as I was, I knew I wasn't going to last long at all. I tried to hold it back, hoping to get her to her peak -- or at least close enough to finish her off before I couldn't handle the sensitivity. After only a few more strokes, I knew the effort was going to be fruitless. Already teetering on the edge, it was going to take only the slightest change in the pace, or angle of my thrusts to make me explode. She saw the strain in my face, and stopped rubbing her clit. Gripping her legs behind the knees, she pulled them up toward her chest and said, "Give it to me, Thakkor. I want it." I didn't really have a lot of choice at that point. Tightening my grip on her hips, and spreading my knees a little farther apart, I dropped any pretense of control. The sound of our bodies coming together quickened for a few strokes, and then I was there. Letting out a growling scream, I erupted into her hot depths. She echoed my scream with a squealing moan, placing a caressing hand over her mound. As I haltingly rocked my hips, still spurting inside her, she softly said, "I like being able to make you lose control like that. It feels so good." "Gods, yes," I groaned. "Damn, you're wet." "It's been too long, and I was already wet from the moment I had the vision of us," Nara responded. Pulling free, amidst a protesting moan from Nara, I collapsed back onto the bed. "That's going to have to be some powerful magic, if you're going to get me up off this bed any time soon." Nara reached down to gather up a stream of her creamy juices, mingled with a dollop of my escaping semen, and brought it to her lips. Reaching between her still parted thighs for another taste, she said, "My magic has never failed me before." Nara rose up to her knees, licking her fingers clean. Moving her hands and speaking softly, she cast her spell. My eyes opened in surprise, as I felt the fog of ecstasy in my head fade somewhat. Strength flooded through my limbs, even as blood rushed back into my slowly softening cock. I sat up, still a little in awe of her magical trick, and Nara dropped to her hands and knees on the bed. Whipping her hair as she looked back over her shoulder at me, she said, "I like it this way. Do you?" "Oh, yeah," I replied, as I got up on my knees too. Nara slid her hands forward slightly, causing her hips to rock upward, giving me a clear view of her still dripping pussy. I teased her, running the tip of my erection over her slick lips, and then grasped her hips with both hands and drove my cock home. Nara sighed as I penetrated her, saying, "So deep." After only a pair of strokes, I could tell I wasn't going to come any time soon. I was still too desensitized from having just exploded in her only a minute or two before. After a few more strokes, her body language revealed that she wanted me to take it easy, as I had when lapping her. I set a measured pace, pulling back until the ridges of my cock head slipped from between her lips, and then pushing back in until my body pressed hard against hers. I knew the steady strokes had to be letting her feel every inch of me, and I certainly felt every inch of her, gripping me tight. Every few strokes, I would lean back, or forward a little, changing the angle at which I slipped into her wet heat. Every time I hit a new area of her depths, Nara would let out a long, deep moan. That prompted me to try turning slightly to the left and right as well, giving her even more varied sensations. Nara leaned down to lie with her upper body on the bed, reaching beneath her to rub her clit. At the same time, her hips started to move back toward my thrusts, indicating that she was ready for me to move away from the gentle pace. I increased the speed and strength of my thrusts, my loins starting to slap against her now jiggling bottom on every stroke. Between her wetness, and my semen still inside her, little squishy sounds joined the claps of our bodies meeting. I was starting to feel the first tingles of a building orgasm, but Nara was far ahead of me. Her hips thrust back at me hard, and I matched her obvious desire by giving her harder pumps of my pelvis as well. I could just see her fingers flashing over her sex, and she was panting for breath. Rising up for a moment, flipping her hair, and looking over her shoulder again, Nara gasped out, "Faster!" Getting a better grip on her hips, I gave her exactly what she wanted. Warbling screams of ecstasy bubbled from her as I took her with all I had. Just as I thought I'd have to slow down, or erupt inside her again, she came. Her face pressed into the mattress muffled Nara's scream, but it was still quite loud. Her walls clamped down tight on me, actually holding me in place. I probably could have pulled free and thrust again, if I'd really tried, but her hands reaching back to grab me indicated clearly enough she didn't want me to. She held me buried inside her, rhythmically contracting around my cock, and screaming her pleasure into the sheets. When her hands fell to the bed again, I felt a crooked grin crossing my face. The pause had staved off my own climax, and I knew that if I kept up a rapid pace, I would last even longer still. Grabbing her hips tight and spreading my knees apart, I pounded into her. Still coming, Nara let out a sharp scream when I started thrusting again. The scream was rapidly replaced with a growl as my cock slammed into her. I didn't relent in the slightest, assaulting her with all my strength. Her cries turned more animalistic by the moment, as I drove her to even higher plateaus. Sweat glistened on both our bodies, as I neared my own point of no return. Nara had reached the point where she could no longer voice her pleasure, emitting only rapid, blasting breaths from her wide-open mouth. She only found her voice again, to release a drawn out groan, when I buried my cock inside her and coated her walls with my cum again. I leaned over her, my knees feeling too weak to support me. Nara continued to gasp, trembling from the aftershocks of her orgasm. When I simply couldn't remain upright, I jerked from her with a scream, rolling heavily to my back on the bed. Nara's hips sank to the mattress, little tremors still rocking her. For quite some time, neither of us could do more than gasp for air, and pray nothing touched either of us within a foot of our oversensitive nether regions. When we both could move again, Nara asked me, "Where are you staying?" "Over at the Inn, I'm just visiting," I replied in a weak voice. "My sister will be home before much longer, but I don't want this to end just yet. I'll leave her a note, saying I went out to do a reading for someone in a nearby farmstead, and will be saying the night. Would you like to take me back to your room at the Inn?" Ah, what a wonderful dream, I thought. "I'd love to, just as soon as I can move again." Nara giggled and snuggled up against me. "You were wonderful." "So were you. Do you think we can top it?" "We can try," she replied with a laugh. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} I woke up the next day, still sticky and weak. Nara's spells proved quite potent, and I was able to get a rise twice more. I didn't even remember pulling from her the final time, before I collapsed into an exhausted slumber. Nara awoke a short time later, rolling over and kissing me. "Good Morning." "Probably closer to afternoon," I chuckled. Nara's eyes opened wide. "Oh -- oh dear. I have two important people scheduled for readings today. I must go, before I miss them." "I'll find something to do for the day," I said, folding my arms behind my head. "And I'll provide you with plenty to do tonight," Nara whispered sexily into my ear, before kissing me again and rising to look for her clothing. I lay in bed for a short while after Nara left, still feeling pretty worn out from the marathon sex the night before. Finally, boredom got to me, and I climbed reluctantly out of bed. A quick bath a little while later helped me feel better, and I hit the streets, dressed this time in common clothing. I passed Taloon's shop, and I almost went in. The crowd looked pretty thick, however, and I didn't really need anything. I decided to give it a miss for now, and head over for a long overdue date with the casino. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} I laughed as I lost yet another bet on the monster fights. The coins didn't really mean much, as I was just goofing off by that point. I'd lost two hands of poker upon first sitting down, but after a few double-downs on the third, I had sixty-four thousand coins in my casino account. After a couple more big wins, the dealers had started to scowl at me, so I decided that was enough poker for the day. Heading over to the slots, I played with a tiny percentage of my winnings. After quite a few losses, I hit a couple of big jackpots, and got back well into the black again. With a nice bankroll safely away from my gambling lust, I played for a few hours on the numerous machines. They were far more varied than those in the actual game were, and it was a great deal of fun. When the casino employees started scowling at me again, I moved on from the slots. After all, there was no sense in pissing them off and being thrown out my first day. Since then, I'd been watching monster fights for several hours. Once again, I'd only used a small percentage of my slot winnings, adding to the stockpile of coins from poker. I only had a few of those coins left, and with nightfall approaching, I decided to call it a day. One of the bunny girls walked over, offering me a drink. I grabbed the foaming tankard, and then slowly dropped a dozen casino coins into her cleavage with a wink, as a tip. Twitching her eyebrows, she said, "Just call out if you need anything. My name is Candy." "I'll do that. You're sweet, Candy." I managed to keep from chuckling at my own purposely-lame joke. "You don't know how sweet," she said as she turned. She looked back over her shoulder before stepping away, and added, "But maybe you'd like to find out?" I chuckled as she walked off, with a little extra sway in her shapely bottom -- much of which hung out of her skimpy costume. "No! Damn!" I recognized the voice, and turned to see Mara leaning her head up against one of the slot machines. She thumped her head against it a couple of times, and then sat bolt upright when a small troupe of musicians began to play. "Oh no," Mara gasped. She then hurried through a door near the casino stage. The door was labeled Performers Only. "So this is where you dance," I mumbled. Casino employees were in the process of moving around tables, and bringing out additional seats. I noticed that there were quite a few patrons, mostly men, also filtering in through the front door of the casino. I moved up toward the stage, planning to take a seat right up front, but a spindly worker put his hand on my chest before I could sit down. "If you want to sit in front, you have to pay. Three coins up front -- and you're expected to tip the dancers." I scowled at the guy for a moment, and then glanced down at his hand on my chest. He moved his hand, looking a little worried and apologetic. I pulled four casino coins out of my pocket, tossed them on the table, and said, "There you go. Take the fourth and buy yourself some manners, jackass. I'd be happy to teach you for free, if you'd like." The guy obviously caught the warning tone in my voice. "That won't be necessary, Sir. Thank you, Sir. Would you like a drink, Sir?" I chuckled and sat down. "That's better. If you're going to be in customer service, I suggest you moderate your attitude. You can take care of business without acting like an ass. Keep your eyes open. When I turn this tankard upside down, send Candy over with another one." "Of course, Sir. Enjoy the show, Sir." He then scampered off to the other side of the stage, to help where he would be as far from me as possible. I chuckled, thinking, If all my dreams were this much fun, I might actually get some regular sleep. Nara's planning to do naughty things with me again tonight, and Candy certainly looks like she's game, if things don't work out with Nara. I felt a little guilt for thinking that for a moment, but laughed it off and took another long pull from my beer. Screw it, this is just a dream. No sense in stifling it with my damn conscience. It isn't like I'm actually going to be hurting anyone's feelings; they're figments of my subconscious imagination. The music changed, and the first of the dancers came out. A blonde woman with an overly generous endowment topside, it was obviously that salient feature that drew the whoops and coins she earned for her dance -- because she wasn't that good. I tossed a coin her way, just to be polite. I was actually enjoying the music more than her dancing. It wasn't any song from the game, but it had all the flavor of the soundtrack. I always loved the game's music, and I found my feet tapping to the beat of the songs. I made a mental note to go tip the musicians when I had a chance. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest IV Two more dancers hit the stage after the blonde. Both were quite beautiful -- and a lot better dancers than the first. I finally flipped my tankard when the third woman started her dance, wisely moderating my consumption after my first experience with the potent local brew. Candy did a lot of bending over to show her cleavage, and brushing up against me as she delivered my drink. When I pulled out the coins to tip her, she shoved her tits in my face with a wink. I deposited the coins in exactly the same location as I had the first tip I'd given her. I missed most of the third girl's dance thanks to the closer action of the waitress. Loud whoops, tankards banging on tables, and feet stomping on the floor signaled the emergence of the next dancer on the stage. I looked back from where I was watching Candy's swishing bottom, and saw Mara take the stage. Her outfit was far more risqué than those of the previous dancers. Mara's firm, handful-sized breasts were almost completely bare, with only the nipples truly concealed. Likewise, ample amounts of her dark brown skin -- identical to her sister's -- showed through the nearly transparent silken skirt she wore. It looked like she wore some sort of panties beneath the skirt, but they blended so well with her skin that it was difficult to tell. I blew out a low whistle when Mara started to dance. Her movements screamed of sensuality, even before she started to weave through the crowd, gliding her hands over the patrons in the front row. Pirouetting sprites from the game didn't do her ability any more justice than the sprites representing the sisters did to show their true beauty. I thought that exotic dancers on any world would probably gnaw their own livers watching Mara dance. Her dance was so overtly sexual, it was nearly like watching porn. You almost forgot that she was dressed at all. Coins flew left and right onto the stage. Whenever a large amount of coins clattered on the wood, Mara would spin in the direction they had come from. The larger the amount of coin, the more attention she paid to the person who had tossed them. Grinning mischievously, I pulled out a handful of coins, and waited until Mara spun away from another table. I tossed the coins onto the stage with a loud clatter, and saw Mara's eyes light up when she turned and noticed me. The scene from History of the World where Josephus is being tested as a eunuch popped into my head as Mara danced around me. Rock hard instants after she arrived at my table, I quoted a line from the movie in my head, The jig is up! For just a moment, I thought I caught the scent of arousal from her. Considering how close her pussy was to my face at that point, I really didn't doubt it. I also knew that she wasn't wearing anything beneath that thin skirt, and that she was shaven bare. The music built to a crescendo as Mara spun around my chair, her hands roving over my chest and arms. When the music finished with a flourish, Mara finished her dance by spinning to her knees at my feet. She slid her hands up my legs as she stood, saying, "So, we meet again. Did you like my dance?" "You're, very -- very good," I replied. Mara glanced down without the slightest hint of shame at the bulge from my erection. She smiled and said, "I guess you did like my dance. I'll be back out in a little while for another spin, will you be here?" "I think I might stick around," I answered. Mara laughed and danced her way to the stage, to collect her coins and take a few bows. Once she went backstage, a poet came out. The patrons appeared to be tolerating him as a necessary evil, while the dancers and musicians took a break. Signaling the formerly rude employee, I told him to save my seat, and took the opportunity to walk over to the musicians. Pulling out coins, I said, "You all have a lot of talent, and nobody pays much attention to it because of the girls." I then started distributing generous tips to all the musicians. A man with a fiddle-like instrument spoke for the group, obviously the leader of the troupe. "It is nice to be appreciated, Sir. Is there anything you might like to hear? We play a few songs during the second break, before the back room show." Raising my eyebrows, I asked, "Back room show?" "Oh, new in town are you? The dancers perform a special show, for those who can afford admittance, after the regular show each evening. If you have enough coin to be so generous to us, I would suggest catching the show." "I think I might just do that. I had a good day at the tables, so I've got plenty of coins to throw around. Do you know this song?" I whistled a little bit of Nara and Mara's theme, much to the delight of the musicians. "No, we've never heard it, but I like it a great deal," the fiddle player answered. "If you can whistle the entire song, I'm sure we can learn it in short order. We have quite a long break still, as Wallen goes on forever with his poetry, and then we have a magician. The patrons drink a lot while those acts are going on, so the owners have stretched out their time. Nobody wants to lose their seat, so they stay through the whole silly thing." "I've got one more too. Does Mara dance in the special show later?" One of the other musicians blew out a whistle, "Does she ever!" I laughed and said, "Okay then, let's save both of these for when she dances in the special show. You can start out with the first, and then transition into this one." I whistled a few bars of the sister's battle theme from the game. The fiddle player clapped his hands, "Marvelous! Come, teach us these songs. They will fit perfectly with our standard set." @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} The troupe proved true to their leader's words, and they had mastered both songs during the break, even before the magician finished his act. I promised that I'd come back by later and teach them a few more. Many of the songs from the rest of the series would be good dancing music for the girls as well. They would also fit perfectly into the set, as they were written by the same composer. Taking my seat again, the third dancer took the stage first this time, her dance a little more provocative than her first outing. She still couldn't hold a candle to the pure sexual energy Mara exuded when she danced. Dipping into my coins, I tipped all three of the other dancing girls generously, figuring they could use the boost in confidence. Having to come back on after Mara was probably hard on the ego, even with the boring poet and magician in between. Candy got another rain of coins into her cleavage when I flipped my tankard again too. I'd had more beautiful female flesh pressing up against me in this one night than I'd ever had in real life. Mr. Sandman, I'm so going to kick your ass if you wake me up before Mara does her special dance. Even as I thought it, doubt as to whether this actually was a dream crept through me. After all, I'd slept through two nights here in Endor, and I'd never had a dream so long, or detailed. Even those annoying dreams where you work an eight-hour shift, only to awaken to the alarm and find out you have to do it for real, had never been this long and full of meaningless little details. Oh well, whatever it is, I'm having a blast. May as well enjoy it for now. Mara took the stage again to the same enthusiastic greeting. Once again, I stole her away at the end of her dance with a generous rain of coins on the stage. When Mara walked backstage this time, I noticed many of the other patrons were scowling at me. I just shrugged my shoulders and sat back in my chair with my brew. It wasn't as if I'd be doing this every night. I was only celebrating my first win. I'm too much of a penny-pincher to spread coins around the way I was tonight for very long. I sat and nursed my beer, listening to the singer on stage. She was quite good, and I made sure to drop several coins in the collection jar passed around for her when it reached me. I settled in and listened to her, waiting for the special show to start. Most of the patrons were leaving the stage area, having come for the dancers. So, when the man carrying the singer's collection jar started back toward the stage, I waved him over and added a few coins to my tip. When the young lady finished her songs, she went backstage. After playing a few songs, the musicians went through the same door. A large, dangerous looking man took up a station in front of the door, while another mousy man set up a table nearby. A well-dressed young fop walked over and poured a generous handful of coins into the bowl on the table, and the human wall moved out of the way to let him pass. A couple of other men, and at least one attractive young woman, started toward the door, digging into their coin purses. A few more people filed into the casino, proceeding immediately toward the guarded door. I stood up and got in line behind them, assuming the special show would be starting soon. When I reached the table, the mousy man looked at me and said, "You're new, aren't you?" I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Suppose I am." He recited the list of rules with all the passion of a man reading a honey do list from his wife. "You will keep your hands at your side at all times, save to distribute coins, drink, or eat. You may not touch the dancers, waitresses, or any other employee in any way. They may touch you in any fashion they wish, which you also approve of. You need only raise your hand above your head if you feel uncomfortable with anything the dancers are doing. If you break any of the rules, you will be forcibly removed, and banned from the casino entirely. Do you understand?" "Simple enough, you can look but you can't touch," I said, dropping the amount of coins indicated by a sign next to the bowl into it. The man guarding the door, who looked to be half ogre to me, stepped out of the way, and I walked into the backstage area. I grunted in surprised approval when I saw the soft looking chairs and piles of cushions scattered about the area. The musicians played a slow, quiet tune, and nude waitresses distributed drinks to the twenty or so patrons lounging around the room. The waitresses all wore a thin belt, adorned with a silken pouch. A place to carry their coins, I assumed. Candy's eyes lit up when she saw me, and she bounded toward me, her large breasts bouncing hypnotically. "I'm glad to see you. I'm afraid I don't have anywhere to put coins now, though." She affected a teasing pout, posing perfectly to give me a nice view of all her naked body's best features. "I'm sure you'll figure out something. I like my Candy unwrapped." Giggling, Candy escorted me to a couch near the stage. The stage was small, and I assumed that the dancers didn't make much use of it. As soon as I sat down, Candy leaned over me, straddling my legs, and letting her nipples scrape across my shirt. Her whisper was so suggestive, it could only be classified as an outright offer, "Would like anything?" "Yes, but considering the rules, I guess I'll have to settle for another beer." Candy laughed and stood up, but not before she rocked forward and let her breasts rub up against my chin. "I'll be right back." Candy was as good as her word, and when she sat the beer down, I reached in my pocket to get her tip. Once I had the coins in hand, Candy leaned in close, pressing her breasts together, creating an attractive little pouch at the top between them. "I told you that you'd figure something out," I laughed, and then dropped the coins into the beautiful little basket she'd created. Candy let out a little yelp, "Oh dear, those are cold." She stood up and let the coins drop into her hand. She then deposited them in the little pouch on her belt. "Maybe next time, I could just get them from your pocket for you." "There's another good idea, Candy. I'll give you a wave if I need another drink." "Save some for me, once the dancers come out," Candy requested, putting on her pout again. Leaning back, I laughed and told her, "I had a good day, don't worry. I've got plenty of coins to go around." Candy licked her lips and nodded, then bounded off toward the bar again. The couch was comfortable, the music was good, and the scenery couldn't be better. My eyes kept roving over toward the one female patron, who got just as much attention -- and seemed to enjoy it just as much -- as all the men in the room. She tipped lavishly, and she soon sat just as naked as the waitresses, the man who had entered with her stroking her thigh the whole time. The music picked up, and the first of the dancers came out. What ensued was more or less a long, roving lapdance. The dancers fished for coins in pockets, and other places, grinding their bodies up against the patrons, including me. I was already painfully stiff long before Mara took the stage, only the relief of the dancers and Candy 'looking for their coins' taking some of the edge off my arousal. Mara took the stage, and the musicians launched into the sisters' theme song from the game. Mara smiled at the musicians, closing her eyes and falling into the music. Unlike the other girls, she actually danced for a while, not immediately moving to the patrons to add her touch to the tip drawing enticements. When the troupe increased the tempo, making the transition into the battle song, Mara followed right along with the beat. As erotic as her dances before had been, they were nothing compared to the pure, undeniable sexuality of her dance this time. She let her hands rove over her nude body, and when she spun close to me at one point, I could actually see that she was wet. The patrons were all waving coins in the air, attempting to attract Mara's attention, but she was lost in the dance. I chuckled, thinking that the song would obviously resonate with her, as it was written for her in the game. Finally, she slipped back into reality, starting to move amongst the customers. I simply watched for a while, adjusting my throbbing erection on occasion, to keep it from driving me crazy. Mara's eyes kept flashing in my direction, and when I finally pulled out a few coins to jingle them in my hand, she moved toward me in short order. There was absolutely no mistaking the scent of her arousal this time. Sitting in my lap, she pressed her body up against me, whispering into my ear, "The musicians told me that you taught them this song. I love it. The beat is so -- exciting." "Glad you like it," I said. She stood up to lean over me, not just putting her breasts in my face, but actually pressing her right nipple up against my lips. Fighting the temptation to let the hard little point slip between my lips took a tremendous amount of effort. Mara danced around me, actually sliding over the couch back in a movement that I thought would be impossible to make look so graceful, and sexual. When she slipped a hand over the bulge in my trousers as she rose, I noted a slightly darker spot there, evidence of her wetness when she'd been grinding against my erection earlier. Slipping off the couch, Mara dropped to her knees, and sinuously wove her body in front of me, saying, "Were those coins just bait to lure me over here, or do you actually have some to give me for my dance?" "I think I have a few for you," I said. "Let me get them," she said, and immediately put her hand down the front of my pants. Her hand stroking my cock was like heaven, as aroused as I was, and considering how long the tease had been going on. "I can't seem to find them," Mara said with a crooked smile. Her hand continued to stroke over me, her fingers swirling over the head when she felt a drop of pre-cum ooze from me. "They're in my pocket, but you can keep looking if you'd like." Mara laughed and withdrew her hand from my pants. Bringing her fingers to her lips, she sucked them with a moan, and then slipped her hand into my pocket to fish for coins. She made sure to brush up against my cock several times in the process of removing the coins. Sitting in my lap again, she whispered, "Don't leave when they start clearing the room. I'll take care of it." She then spun out to finish her dance, the musicians taking the cue to bring the song to a crescendo. Mara finished with a spin that ended with her arms high over her head, her back arched, and her breasts thrust out to the room. Thunderous applause met her as she bowed to the crowd. The room was abuzz, and the most common thing I overheard was that Mara almost never touched anyone when she danced. Tonight, virtually no patron in the room had gone without having Mara in their lap. They were all quite pleased to have been here for such an exciting occasion. The employees let everyone stay for a short while; to talk and drink up a few more overpriced beverages. Then they started clearing the room. As Mara had asked, I remained in my seat. I got a few strange looks from the other customers leaving, but the staff paid me absolutely no mind. Mara had stopped briefly on her way to leave the stage, in order to speak with the bartender. Apparently, word had passed that I was to be allowed to remain. A short while later, even the employees and the musicians left the room. I took the last pull of my beer, and wished I'd thought to order one more. I could still hear the noise from the casino, loud and boisterous despite the late hour. I didn't have to wait long, though, because Mara appeared in the backstage door shortly after the last employee left. She was still nude, and gestured for me to approach while leaning seductively up against the doorjamb. As soon as I was within range, Mara reached out to pull me toward her by the waist of my pants. She pressed her lips to mine, even as she squeezed my erection through the material covering it. When she released me from the hungry kiss, she said, "I'm so glad my sister ran off to be a good working girl, and missed her chance with you. She never lives life, she's too busy working." Once again, my conscience reared up and screamed at me. Just as before, however, an excited woman, and the knowledge that none of this could be real overwhelmed it. Mara was already nude, and she pulled down on my pants even as she finished speaking. I'd have to be some kind of huge idiot to pass this chance up. Mara stroked her hand over my now bared cock, letting out a purr. "Oh, I like it nice and smooth like that. Most men don't understand how annoying all that hair down there is." Slipping a hand between her legs, I caressed her baby smooth nether lips, slipping a finger between them, into the wet heat beyond. "I like it too. You're so smooth -- not even a hint of a bump." "I cheat, I use magic. Hair will never grow anywhere except on my head. I have other magic too. I can give you your strength back, and get that beautiful cock hard again only a few minutes after you've filled up my mouth, or my pussy." Mara stroked me with short, quick pumps as she spoke. "I like the sound of that." There's a little common magic between healers and mages that they never mention in the games, I thought. Mara tugged my shirt up over my head, and then pulled me by the convenient handle of my manhood into the backstage area. She guided me over to a couch, and dropped to her knees simultaneously with my move to sit down. My ass had no more hit the cushions, than she leaned forward and swallowed my cock. Swallowed is the only word to describe what she did. In a single smooth motion, I slipped past her lips, and right into her throat. I gasped when I felt her throat squeeze around the tip of my cock. An instant later, her lips slid along my length back to the tip, and then she engulfed me again, her nose pressing up against the curly hairs above my shaft. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest IV Mara's hair whipped as her head bobbed over me. She took me in completely each time, never giving the slightest hint of discomfort. She never slowed, or hesitated in the slightest. After a full night of teasing, it was only my surprise at her skill that staved off an explosion. It didn't last long, with her mouth caressing me so well. I gasped and grunted, my balls tightening. My conscience did win out this time, and I warned her just as I reached the point of no return. "I'm about to come!" While I'm sure Mara heard me, she didn't acknowledge it. A pair of strokes from her hot mouth was all it took. When she felt the hot spurts of my cum burst into her throat, she held me there, sucking hard and swallowing. I just kept pulsing, sending my cream directly down her throat. She moaned around me as I stopped coming, letting me slip free of her mouth with a final, slow suck. I was still twitching, jerking, and oozing a few final drops of cum as Mara cast her spell. I let out a growling scream as the little bit of steel I'd lost surged back into me. The words of the spell must have still been echoing through the empty room when Mara turned, bent over, and guided my cock to her sex with practiced precision. An instant later, she sank down on me, and started to bounce on my cock. The thought that I should be worried about a woman who obviously was this practiced just sitting on my cock without protection flitted through my head. I dismissed it, just as I had the concern over Nara earlier. This wasn't real anyhow, and there were healers to take care of any inconvenient ailments Mara might have developed through promiscuity. It wasn't hard to put those thoughts out of my head, considering how good she felt wrapped around me, and the sexy sound of her voice talking dirty. "Yes! That cock feels so good. Does my pussy feel good?" "Oh, yeah," I grunted, reaching around to squeeze her breasts, running my fingers over her nipples as she continued to ride my cock. "Pinch my nipples!" Closing my fingers over the pebbled flesh, I squeezed her nipples. When she gasped out, "Harder," a moment later, I pinched them hard, drawing a sexy growl from her. After a few more bounces of her tight ass, Mara stood up and turned around, putting her hands on the arm of the couch. I got up as soon as she turned, and I was back inside her almost from the moment her hands touched the couch. Mara thrust back hard into every stroke, clamping down with her intimate muscles to squeeze me like a vice. I gave her dancer's ass a little smack, and she moaned in response. Giving her another, slightly harder, whack on her other cheek drew a sharp, "Yes!" A few spanks later, her ass was rosy red. Mara's head bumped off the couch back every time I pounded into her, and a near continuous scream echoed through the empty room, broken only by gasps and a few breathless cries of, "Fuck me! Harder!" "Oh, yes, do it, Fuck me! Oh, oh, yes, yes, YES!" The last word turned into a high-pitched squeal as Mara came. I was nearly there myself, and didn't relent in the slightest. Growling and gasping, Mara managed to spit out, "Come inside me! Do it!" She got her wish before she even finished the statement. Burying my cock inside her, I erupted with a growl into her tight embrace. My fingers dug into her hips, even as hers fisted in the throw on the arm of the couch. "Oh, so hot," Mara moaned, bucking her hips back at me. I gasped, pulling her tight against me to stop her from moving. My eyes were already trying to roll up in my head from the strength of my orgasm, and her tight pussy sliding over me was threatening to take my legs out from under me. It didn't help much, because her muscles rhythmically clamped down on me, causing me to throb and twitch, which in turn caused her to contract again. We stood, trembling, trapped in the seemingly endless cycle for a while, before I jerked free and fell to the couch. Mara leaned down, hugging the couch arm, her ass still high in the air. Her juices and my cream ran down her thighs in a steadily lengthening stream. Mara stood with a gasp a minute or so later, gathering up the sticky trail running down her leg with her fingers, and bringing them to her lips. Once she finished sucking them clean, Mara started chanting. By now, I recognized the words and gestures well enough. "Oh boy," I muttered just before the magic activated and my drooping cock reversed course again. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} The sunlight streaming through my room at the Inn awakened me long before I was ready. I'd only been in bed for a couple of hours after stumbling back on wobbly knees from the casino. My overworked cock stung when I tried to roll over, and that prompted me to drag my carcass out of bed. Grabbing a healing herb from my magical bag, I found that it not only stopped the stinging, it also woke me up. I'd planned on going straight back to bed, but after taking the herb, I felt like getting up and hitting the town again. Walking by Taloon's shop, I found him exiting, obviously armed for a journey. After a few minutes of conversation with him, he agreed to take me along on his trip. He was going out to whack a few monsters, in order to replenish his stock of broadswords cheap. I'd left my armor back at the inn, so I returned quickly to put it on. I was looking forward to seeing Taloon in action for real. I thought it would be fun to join with him in taunting the monsters, so I ran a few insults through my head as I strapped on my armor. I've seen better looking heads on a Demon Toadstool's warts! Your mother was a Big Sloth, wasn't she? Blazeghost? You look more like a flatulence flame to me, buddy! Too bad there's no way to get this armor back on quickly, I bet Taloon never thought of mooning the critters to irritate them. I stepped out the front door of the inn, turning toward Taloon's with a chuckle. The mirth caught in my throat when I saw Nara and Mara walking toward me, however. Nara's eyes locked with mine, and she growled, "There he is!" Mara started to gesture, and I muttered, "Oh shit." So much for no consequences because it's a dream! Spinning, I took to my heels, headed for the edge of town. My armor repelled Mara's blaze spell, but I still caught a little whiff of burning hair. I wasn't going to take any chances. The sisters shouldn't have any truly powerful spells at this point in the game, but I didn't feel like risking Mara whipping off a Blazemost, or Nara casting one of her death spells. Running in armor -- even magical armor -- isn't fun. I was chafing in places I didn't know I had, long before I reached the edge of town. A quick glance over my shoulder revealed Nara and Mara still in hot pursuit. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..." I cursed. That's what got you into this mess in the first place, dumbass! Once outside, the terrain worked to my advantage. There were quite a few clumps of trees, and lots of hills and valleys. I ducked into a thicket and hunkered down under a bush. When the sisters ran past me a minute or two later, I breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, how do I get out of this? Digging through my bag, I found a wing of the wyvern. Fuck, that won't work. The only town I've visited is Endor, and flying back there isn't going to do me any good. Dropping it back in the bag, I spotted another wing, this one designed somewhat different from the first. Pulling it out, I found the maker's mark from Leftwyne. Dragon Quest two, I thought. Those wings only take you back to the last place you've saved. I haven't been to the church here, so it won't take me there. "There he is!" I cursed again, looking at the magical wing, "Please work," I prayed, and hurled it into the air. I flew up high into the air through the wing's power, dissolving into motes of light as I traveled. @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} When I reformed, I found I was in an open-roofed building filled with what looked like religious regalia. Instead of a roof, a magical shield glimmered on occasion overhead. Walking over to a window, I looked out and my eyes opened wide. I saw a pair of Silver Batboons and a Blizzard creeping through the snow-covered landscape. "Who are you," sounded a voice from behind me, "The chosen ones have already gone to confront the darkness. You should not be here." Turning back around, I groaned. The last place I'd saved in Dragon Quest two was the final sanctuary. I was in Rhone, surrounded by giants and hordes of monsters with instant death spells. Slapping my forehead, I said to the nun that had emerged from somewhere within the sanctuary, "You got that right, Sister." @===||}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Apologies to anyone who knows the characters, and hoped for a little touchy-feely action between Nara and Mara. The story just didn't work out that way in my head ;) I hope you've enjoyed this little flight of fantasy into an 8-bit world. Won't you please take a moment to vote, and perhaps send a comment? Pretty please? *laugh* FallingToFly dreamed up a great idea for this chain, and this story was fun to write. Be sure to check out the rest of the Virtual Reality stories! Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest V DISCLAIMER: The stories in the "Celebrity" section of Literotica are all fictional parodies - none are true, nor are they approved of by the celebrities named in the stories. Authors write these fictitious stories about famous people for the same reason that Larry Flynt made fun of Jerry Falwell, because they can. The Supreme Court of the United States, the country where this site is located, has ruled that parodies involving famous people are perfectly and totally legal under the United States Constitution. The specific case law on this was decided in the case of "Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al. v. Jerry Falwell" in 1988. No harm is intended toward the celebrities featured in these stories, but they are public figures and in being so, they must accept that they are fair target for parodies by the public. We believe in the first amendment, and more broadly, in the basic principle of free speech and this section may push the boundaries of that principle, but the United States Supreme Court has approved of this type of material. We believe that the Supreme Court was correct in their decision. Author's Notes: The characters Bianca, Flora, the monster archetypes, and the world setting are not my creation. This is fanfiction, and I have put my own spin upon the DQ world in this story. No toe-stepping or offense is intended. This story picks up where my previous stories in the chain left off. You'll want to read VR:DQ4, VR:DQ2, and VR:DQ3 (in that order) to know the whole story. Hope you like it! @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That old man has to be mucking with these wings, I thought as I hefted my Sword of Miracles and looked around the surrounding countryside. I could see a well-worn path leading from the nearby bridge, but I couldn't see the city of Salabona. The wing should have dropped me at least close enough to see some sign of civilization. Slipping my sword into its sheathe, I chuckled. Sword of Miracles, Mystic Armor, Shield of Strength -- If anything does hit me, it's not going to hurt for more than three seconds with a full load of items that heal. For a minute or two, I considered turning around and heading some other direction, just to see if the old man would try to turn me around. Shrugging my shoulders, I started out toward Salabona, whistling Toward the Horizon, the overworld theme of the game. I stopped whistling after only one run through the song, deciding it really didn't have a good cadence for marching. It was a great song, but I kept having the urge to skip during some of the jaunty trills. As soon as I stopped whistling, I could hear faint sounds arising from somewhere behind me. Turning around, I saw a wagon emerge from around a small copse of trees. The man sitting atop the wagon looked wary, his eyes darting back and forth at every sprig of vegetation or rock large enough to hide a rabbit. The wagon approached at a brisk pace, and I decided to get off the road before the corpulent man on the buckboard ran me down. I spit out a curse at the same time as the man on the wagon let out an almost girlish scream of terror, both of us having seen the snakebats flying toward him. As the man in the wagon fumbled at his feet for something, I took off at a run in his direction. I spit out another curse when the snakebats reached the man first, one of them breathing its numbing breath. The merchant -- as the markings I could now see on his wagon identified my fellow traveler as -- fell down into his wagon, paralyzed. I was close, but not close enough. Doing the first thing that popped into my head, I screamed, "Snakes!" I unconsciously imitated Cosby from the Chickenheart story when I yelled. Somehow, I didn't think these creatures were just going to give me a snakey lick. I assumed that Jell-O smeared all over the floor wasn't going to help much either. Three of the creatures immediately turned toward me. The fourth snakebat, which had latched on to the merchant's ankle after breathing its numbing breath, leapt back into the air upon hearing its brethren hiss. Bloody hell, there's no way to protect against numbing breath in the game, I realized. I'd have to hit the monsters for my Sword of Miracles to heal me, walk for my armor to work, or raise my shield for that to have any effect. None of which I could do if I were paralyzed. Just like in D.Q. three's world, however, I had magic in this world. I could almost hear the words of one spell screaming at me. I started the chant, keeping a close eye on the winged snakes flapping rapidly toward me with their fangs bared. As soon as the snakebats were close, I unleashed my tornado spell. I let out a little whoop of delight when all four of the monsters whipped violently in circles within the whirling winds of the magic. One of them managed to pull free of the vortex, hurtling directly toward me in uncontrolled flight. I put up my shield and heard a satisfying thump as the creature slammed into the metal barrier. I danced back, feeling the creature's wings beating against my legs as it tried to right itself. Stomping down on the flailing monster, I pinned it to the ground and stabbed my sword into the thing's head. My spell ended, and the disoriented snakebats streaked upward to regain their sense of balance away from the threat of me on the ground. One of the four misjudged the proper direction, and hurtled into the ground with a crunch. From the awkward angle of the monster's right wing, I assumed it was broken. Hurrying over, I dispatched it with a chop of my sword. Two down -- two to go, I thought. I was wrong, though. It was Two down -- two going, going, gone. The other two snakebats, deciding I wasn't worth the trouble, flew away. Relieved that they'd left without turning their numbing breath on me, I jogged over toward the merchant's wagon to check on him. The corpulent man stirred a little as I approached, sitting up with another girlish yelp when he felt the bite on his ankle. When he turned in my direction, he squealed and passed out again. Rolling my eyes, I walked up and shook him. Looking at the man's feet, I could see a battered sword and a small bag. A healing herb peeking out of the partially open bag revealed the likely contents, so I picked it up. Opening the bag confirmed my initial suspicion, and I rubbed one of the healing herbs over the man's bite wound. Just for good measure, I gave it a treatment of antidote herb and full-moon herb as well, since there were plenty of both in the bag. With his wound fully healed, the merchant regained consciousness again. I managed to keep him from fainting immediately upon seeing me this time. "Are you alright there, neighbor?" I asked. "W-what happened to the snakebats?" He asked in response. "They didn't like their meal seasoned with steel, I guess." I patted my sword in its sheathe and pointed toward the two downed creatures. The merchant let out a great sigh of relief. "I am in your debt. My name is Mercurio -- item merchant extraordinaire." Chuckling, I responded, "Thakkor. I don't have a title yet." "It is a little pompous, isn't it?" "Maybe a bit," I replied with a laugh. "How can I repay you for coming to my aid?" "A ride into Salabona would work. I'm sure you'd feel a little better with some company, if you're headed that way?" "Splendid! I will surely find some other way to repay your kindness and bravery, however. You may rest assured of that." "Know where to get good beer when we get there?" "Oh, most certainly. Fine spirits, fine company, and visions of beauty," Mercurio replied, nudging me with his elbow and winking. "Bunny club, huh?" "The finest in the land," Mercurio answered, moving over to make room for me in the wagon. I climbed up into the wagon and said, "Head 'em up and move 'em out then, pardner." With a laugh and a snap of the reins, Mercurio set the wagon in motion. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I could see the city in the ruddy light of the sinking sun when we rounded a bend and Mercurio stiffened in the seat next to me. "What's the matter, Mercurio?" "The birds -- they are silent." "The noise of us approaching? A wagon isn't exactly quiet." Shaking his head, Mercurio responded, "No, the birds do no react so to such a common sight." Drawing my sword and sitting it across my knees, I said, "No need to worry." Tipping up his sword with my foot, I grabbed the leather-wrapped hilt and sat it on the seat next to us as well. "Just stay with the wagon. Can you use that at all?" "Somewhat," Mercurio replied, his tone of voice sheepish. "Just stay in the wagon, no matter what. That will make it harder for anything to get to you. Just swing that sword at anything that gets close." With an exaggerated nod, Mercurio returned to his nervous scan of the surrounding countryside. A moment later, he hissed, "Beastmaster." Following the direction of Mercurio's frightened gaze, I saw the hooded man as well. A purple-skinned curer hovered at his shoulder, and the beastmaster uncurled his whip as I watched. "Looks like negotiation is out of the question," I muttered. "Slow the wagon down and get ready," I whispered to the trembling merchant next to me. The beastmaster charged in, quickly covering the ground between us and angling his path to intersect us. I'd already guessed that there was no way we could outrun him in the slow wagon, and that's why I'd told Mercurio to slow down. As soon as we reached an acceptably slow speed, I hopped out of the wagon and matched the beastmaster's charge. The beastmaster hesitated as I ran toward him with my sword at the ready. I could see Mercurio bringing the wagon to a halt in my peripheral vision. The beastmaster skidded to a stop, taking up a defensive position. Slowing down and bringing my weapon up, I shouted across to our would-be attacker. "You look like you might have some brains under that hood. Why don't you just take your little purple gas-bag there and go right back where you came from. Otherwise, I'm going to have to chop you up into tiny bits and pieces like a Ginsu. Act now -- operators are standing by." I swear I could see the look of utter confusion on the beastmaster's face even through his concealing hood. The moment of hesitation didn't last long, however, and the beastmaster drew back his arm in preparation to sling his barbed whip at me. I moved in, knowing that all I had to do was get closer than the effective range of his whip to render the weapon useless. I had to drop my shield low when he struck. I managed to get the shield in line to stop the strike, aimed at my legs. By the time he withdrew the whip, I was right on top of him. The beastmaster cracked his whip in a short flip, the metal-laced tip barely deflecting off the shoulder plate of my armor to miss my face. Helmet next time, I thought as I smashed my shield into the beastmaster's face. As my opponent fell back, stunned, I thought, Wonder if he's thinking the same thing? My opponent flailed with his whip, the strike having little strength or speed behind it. Unfortunately for me, it had just enough to wrap around one leg. The barbs on the whip were just long enough to penetrate the chain between the plates on my knee, digging in painfully. The beastmaster jerked, but the whip didn't have enough purchase to fully grip, allowing me to maintain my feet. It did dig another point into the back of my knee, which pissed me off. Slashing down with my sword, I cut through the whip as though it was a length of twine. The limp coils dropped from my leg as the beastmaster stared at the useless handle in his hand. "Indiana Jones you ain't, fuckwit," I said with a smile. The beastmaster made a gurgling sound as he backed away, and the curer floated toward me with its tentacles waving in the air and a watery battle cry bubbling from its lips. I smacked it with the flat of my blade and sent it hurtling a dozen or more feet away from the battle. The beastmaster then snarled and charged me, holding the handle of his whip like a dagger. I swung my sword at the arm, thinking to eliminate the pitiful excuse for a weapon, which would hopefully convince the beastmaster to flee. Killing monsters like the snakebats was one thing, killing another person wasn't exactly something I felt comfortable doing. Now that he was essentially unarmed, I wasn't really fighting for my life any more. My enemy surprised me by dodging to the side, and I brought my swing up short, reversing the momentum as quickly as possible. The beastmaster sprang forward, and I realized that his weapon wasn't as useless as it initially appeared. A short blade sprang from the handle of the whip. I put my shield in line as my sword crossed back in front of me. The stroke was far from clean, but managed to numb the beastmaster's hand. My enemy's weapon fell from his nerveless grasp, even as my sword continued to cut through his hood where it attached to his clothing. "The hell?" I muttered as the torn cloth revealed a monstrous face with an immense tooth filled mouth. No more playing around with this damn thing, I quickly decided and stabbed downward with my sword. I felt healing energy flow through me as the Sword of Miracles worked its rejuvenating magic. The monster twitched and struggled for a few seconds, and then fell still. Seeing something out of the corner of my eye, I whirled on the curer. The creature's tentacles drooped and it sank closer to the ground, which looked to me like a submissive posture. I kept my sword trained on it anyway. "No kill. You strong," the creature said in a gurgling voice. I've got the hero's ability to recruit monsters, I realized. "You want to come along with me, do you?" There's a little insurance against the numbing monsters, I thought. "Come you," the curer replied. The creature hovered up a little higher, but kept its tentacles hanging in submission. "Amazing," I heard Mercurio mutter from behind me. I turned and he said, "You have the touch of a tamer. That is a rare ability indeed." I turned back to the curer and said, "You can come with me. Do you have a name?" "Name?" the curer asked, cocking its entire body sideways and sounding confused. Pointing at my chest, I said, "Thakkor." Well, it's the wrong game and he's the wrong species, but screw it. Pointing at the curer, I said, "Healie." Raising a tentacle to point at its head in a strangely human gesture, the curer repeated, "He-Lee." "You like it?" "He-Lee," the creature said again, an obvious sound of satisfaction in its watery voice. Turning back to Mercurio, I asked, "Do you have any problem with him coming along? I can walk if you'll be uncomfortable." "I'll manage," the merchant replied. "Let's go then, Healie." Waving his tentacles excitedly, Healie hovered over to follow me to the wagon. A few seconds later, we set off again. Riding in the wagon, Toward the Horizon didn't feel anywhere near as odd, so I whistled away as we traveled. After only one run-through, Mercurio joined in. An oddly gurgling approximation of a hum from Healie slowly built, remarkably following the tune with some skill. Our heads bobbing in tune with the song -- his entire body in Healie's case -- and we moved at a steady pace toward the city. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Healie started looking nervous as we approached Salabona, so we hid him in the wagon before we reached the city. He happily munched on a meal of leaves seasoned with healing herbs and looked content to await our return. It only took me a moment to discern the location of the bunny club on the outskirts of town. In the decreasing light of dusk, the abundant torches cast their flickering light over a stream of men moving toward the building and two scantily clad bunnies in the front. A woman walking down the street with a matronly escort caught my eye. Her platinum blonde hair stood out like a beacon, highlighted in red from the display of the setting sun. She wore a shy, sad smile on her beautiful face. Though wearing a reserved gown, I could still tell she had a petite, attractive figure lurking beneath the dress. "Stop the presses -- who's that?" I said in my best Nicholson Joker. "Presses?" Mercurio asked me with obvious confusion in his voice. "Local phrase," I chuckled. "I was just wondering who that blonde is." "Only the most beautiful and rich woman in the city, Flora." "She's certainly beautiful." And off-limits if I have any damn sense at all. I'm tired of getting in trouble with women. Someone directly connected to the plot of the game is sure to mean trouble. "Her father sponsors a challenge to win her hand. Perhaps you wish to try?" That reminded me of where I'd last saved the game, before my final run to retrieve the Water Ring. Assuming the hero would be focused on his quest and wouldn't have time for dalliance, I said, "I think I'll stick with something simpler." A sidelong glance at the bunny club easily indicated what I was talking about. Laughing, Mercurio replied, "Indeed. Shall we go drink too much and torture ourselves with visions of loveliness?" Clapping my traveling companion on the shoulder, I laughed with him as we walked up to the club. As I stepped inside, something hit me. I'd always been a bit of a loner and anti-social. Even when I'd first started this strange adventure, having too many people around me had set my nerves on edge. Entering the club now, I was looking forward to the lively atmosphere of the place. A redheaded bunny with perky breasts responded with a bright smile when I produced a coin to entice her to provide us with a good table. She seated us near the bar, and then scurried off to fill our order. Mercurio and I guzzled our brew, and I enjoyed his numerous stories about his travels. The merchant either had a fertile imagination, or he'd encountered a lot of colorful characters in his journeys across the land. After finishing one story, he glanced over at a door near the back of the common room with a wistful sigh. Following his gaze, I saw large men guarding the door and taking coin from the patrons eagerly passing through. Most of the others who remained seated shared Mercurio's expression. Letting a little smile cross my face, I stood up and said, "Come on, Mercurio." The merchant sighed and said, "I simply cannot conscience the cost of the fee to enter, let alone what I would surely spend within." Patting him on the shoulder, I said, "It's on me." "I couldn't..." Tugging on his arm, I countered before he could even finish. "You can, and you will." Despite his protests, Mercurio stood and followed me to the guarded door with a wide smile on his face. Once inside, the skimpy tops vanished from the bunnies, revealing a wide variety of beautiful breasts in every glance. Once again, a generous tip to an amply endowed bunny placed us at a good table right next to the stage. While a standard feature in strip clubs in my own world, I was surprised to see poles and horizontal bars spaced along the stage. The show here apparently resembled the dances of strippers in my own world more than what I'd seen so far in my strange adventure. My guess proved true when the dancers emerged. Mercurio glanced this way and that, almost intoxicated with all the revealed female skin and smiling so wide that I knew his cheek muscles had to hurt. I passed him coins to tip the dancers and the waitresses, ensuring that he received a lot of attention from the beautiful women. I glanced over upon hearing a musical female voice a few tables away ask, "Puff Puff?" The man eagerly nodded his head and handed over coin. A moment later, the dancer enclosed his face in her ample breasts, purring excitedly. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest V As I turned back to the stage, watching the next set of dancers strut out, one of those who had just stepped down from the stage sauntered over to our table and asked the same question. Mercurio's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. Nodding toward him, I pushed a pair of coins across the table toward the dancer. She picked up the coins and knelt down, surrounding Mercurio's smiling face with her breasts. He let out a content sigh and slumped in the chair when she released him. When she glanced at me, I shook my head slightly in the negative, drawing a pout from her. She perked up when I pushed her an additional coin by way of apology. It continued much the same for around an hour. Six dancers massaged Mercurio with their ample attributes, and he looked as though he was about to pass out. When I heard a slightly nervous voice over my shoulder ask the now familiar question, I turned to see a dancer that had really caught my eye on the stage. She was young, blonde, and lithe, with large, perfectly shaped breasts. Thinking that Mercurio had probably endured about all the teasing he could handle, I started to offer her a coin and politely decline. She surprised me by leaning in close and whispering, "Please. I'm new, and if you will let me give you a Puff Puff massage, it will impress my boss. You're very handsome and I would really like to." I could see some of the dancers glancing in our direction, and assumed that they were interested to see if the blonde would succeed where others had failed. Smiling, I pulled out two additional coins, three times the normal amount of the tip, and passed them to the blonde dancer -- fanned out so all three were plainly visible to anyone watching. Her smile was as blissful as Mercurio's when she accepted the coins and knelt down to lean toward me. I have to admit that the soft feeling of her young breasts wrapped around my face was pretty amazing. On a whim, I softly kissed each globe with a twist of my lips. She let out a little gasp with the first kiss, and then purred when I delivered the second. She then whispered, "Thank you," before releasing me from the warm nest of her bosom. "Thank you," I countered and offered her yet another coin. I let out a little chuckle when I saw most of the dancers passing by the blonde to congratulate her. A few did stare with obvious jealousy in her direction, though. I told Mercurio that I was headed for a bathroom break a minute or so later, and I was greeted by a provocatively dressed young woman as soon as I walked back into the back room of the club. "Hey there, handsome. How would you like more than a tease? I can give you a lot more for that coin you're passing around than you're getting." Glancing over at Mercurio, I chuckled and said, "I'll tell you what -- why don't you show my friend a good time instead? I've been paying for the dancers to torture him all night, so it's only fair." "It's your coin, honey," she replied with a smile. "I'm sure there will be plenty of time once he's snoozing..." She licked her lips as she trailed off. "Unfortunately, I just need to get to the snoozing part." I smiled when her eyes widened as I let coin fall into her hand. "Just take good care of him." I walked back over to the table with the working girl right behind, clapping Mercurio on the shoulder once I arrived. "Well, I'm going to go find a room at the inn. I didn't want to leave you without company, though." His eyes widened when she leaned down to kiss his neck and whisper in his ear. I couldn't hear what she said, but I'm sure it was enticing beyond any ability to ignore. Offering him a wink, I said, "Have fun," and left the club for the inn. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The next day, I hit the streets to see adventurers and townsfolk moving toward the mansion at the edge of town. I knew what was happening when I recognized the Hero and Bianca. Damn, what a choice to have to make, I thought as I stared at Bianca. Where Flora was all feminine curves and softness, Bianca was toned and athletic. She was, however, undeniably female. Her rugged clothing did nothing to hide the swell of her breasts, the subtle curve of her hips, or the hypnotic dance of her behind. I knew where I'd saved the game, so I knew how things would play out. The Hero was returning from his quest for the Water Ring, one of the two items that Flora's father wanted adventurers to retrieve in exchange for her hand in marriage. The real goal of the Hero was the Zenethian Shield, of course. It was simple happenstance that he'd find a lifelong partner in his adventure along the way. In the game, you had the choice between Flora and Bianca. Neither choice really affected the outcome, but I'd always chosen Bianca because it made sense. As childhood friends, it just appealed to me for them to be together. I could see hints of nervousness in Bianca when Flora appeared in a window of her father's mansion to wave at the Hero. Although far from keen on her father's idea to pawn her off in a contest, she certainly didn't appear to find the idea of marrying the Hero as off-putting. Unfortunately, I knew she was in for disappointment. Things always worked out in the game, however, so I knew Flora would find the right man for her -- without her father's interference this time. The disadvantage of knowing the whole plot of the game from numerous run-throughs was that I could almost dictate what would happen from this point on. I wished I had an easy way to Oracleberry, because I had the itch to sit in on a few rounds of poker to pass the time. Seeing several adventurers shuffling toward the tavern in defeat, knowing that the Hero had beaten them to the punch with Flora, I decided that was as good a place as any to spend the day. I went to the wagon to check on Healie, finding him contentedly floating about in the wagon examining the strange -- to him -- wares in minute detail. I made him another large salad sprinkled with healing herbs, gave him a pat on the head, and left him to his study of the various odds and ends in the wagon. As I approached the tavern, I saw Mercurio walking out of the inn with an expression I could only call delighted surprise, the lady of the evening I'd paid to spend time with him on his arm. I heard her say, "I have some things to do, but I'll see you later." She then kissed him and went on her way. Mercurio waved and watched her walk away, his eyes still somewhat glassy and a smile decorating his face that I assumed would remain there for some time. I laughed and walked over. "Looks like you had a good evening." "Oh my, yes -- tremendous!" "Just be careful or you'll spend up all your profits. She is a working girl, remember?" "Oh, I know," he replied, but sighed nevertheless. "I hear someone has returned with both rings, is this true?" "Yep. There are a bunch of adventurers at the tavern licking their wounds. Probably plenty of stories to hear, beer to drink, and people who need things that the world's greatest item merchant could provide for the right price." That snapped him right out of his slight melancholy, and we proceeded to the tavern side-by-side. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> By late evening, Mercurio was well into his cups and well on his way to a handsome profit from this visit. My prediction that the returning adventurers would need a lot of little odds and ends proved very true. Even though I'd went easy on the beer, I was feeling a little closed in as the sun set and the regulars filtered in to swell the already large crowd in the tavern. I told Mercurio I was going for a little walk to clear the smoke out of my lungs and headed outside. Taking a deep breath, I once again marveled at how clean the air smelled. Even though there were animals around everywhere, you couldn't smell them. The only thing on the breeze was the scent of earth, flowers, and spring. It was a far cry from the stink of exhaust and paper mills I was used to in the real world. The real world -- a place I'd almost forgotten about at this point. After so long hopping between the worlds of Dragon Quest, I wasn't even sure I wanted to return. My life there was pretty mundane, but here I was something more. I certainly didn't garner the sort of attention from the fairer sex there that I did here. I just walked, having no real destination in mind, lost in my thoughts. When I heard a soft, feminine voice, I paused and saw the Hero speaking with Bianca a short distance away. Even though I knew what they were talking about, I couldn't help but smile knowing that they were sealing a life-long relationship at this moment, which would lead to their wedding tomorrow. When the Hero left, I could tell that Bianca still doubted she would be chosen, but she obviously didn't see the expression on the Hero's face. He'd made his choice, probably long ago, and she'd find out tomorrow. I winced when I saw Bianca sniffle and tears running down her face. Before I even knew what I was doing, I'd walked over to her. "Are you okay?" Quickly wiping away her tears, Bianca replied, "Yes, it's nothing." "You don't cry over nothing." Nodding in the direction the Hero had walked back to the inn, I said, "He loves you. I can see it in his face. I think you may be missing some of the obvious clues he's giving you." "I don't know," Bianca sighed. "Trust me, and make sure that you look radiant tomorrow. You're about to be proposed to, and you'll want to look your best for it." "Do you really think so?" Bianca asked with the hints of a smile decorating her face. "There's no think to it. I'd wager everything I own on it." "You remind me of him," Bianca said while studying me. "How do you know so much?" "I can see a bit of the future now and again. You have a hard road ahead of you, but it will be worth it in the end. You'll have him by your side the whole time, too." "A seer once told me that, but I dismissed it." "Don't. You should go get your rest." Slapping a mosquito off my arm, I continued, "You don't want to be half asleep, red-eyed from crying, and covered in bug bites tomorrow." "Why do I feel so much better now?" Bianca asked with a smile. "Because it's nothing I said that convinced you. You knew it all along." "I think I'll take your advice. Thank you," Bianca said and held out her hand. Shaking her hand, I said, "You're welcome." She then turned and left, making her way back to wherever she was sleeping that night. Watching her butt sway in the moonlight, I thought, Lucky bastard, and chuckled. I walked back to the tavern, planning to tell Mercurio that I was turning in for the night, and to suggest that he should probably do the same. I wanted to get him out of there before I had to try to carry the corpulent merchant back to his bed. As I approached the inn, I saw the lady of the evening that had shared Mercurio's bed walking down the street and looking around. When she spotted me, she briskly walked in my direction. "Have you seen Mercurio?" "He's in the tavern having a few. Well, a few too many, really." Her brow furrowing, the working girl said, "I'll need to discourage that." Feeling protective, I said, "Look, Mercurio is a friend of mine. He's not exactly rolling in gold. I'd appreciate it if you didn't lead him on." I saw something then that startled me, color rising into her cheeks and a flash of anger in her eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?" "He's lonely. He may misunderstand business for something else." Looking over her shoulder at the tavern, she softly said, "This isn't business." Turning back to me, she said, "You didn't find it at all odd that I walked out with him this morning? I could have found three or four more men by morning." Now that she mentioned it, I realized that it was a little weird. I'd certainly paid her well, but not well enough to give up a chance to turn several more tricks for the evening. "Thinking about getting out of the business?" With a sweeping gesture of her hands at her body, she said, "I'm halfway to forty years old. How long will this last? He's a sweet man with a trade, and he actually got me there. No man has done that in a decade. None cared enough to." Her mention of discouraging his drinking made perfect sense now. I knew Mercurio was in deep trouble. She'd set her sights on him, and I had little doubt that he'd happily fall into her snare. Once again, I thought, Lucky bastard. Digging into my pouch, I pulled out a fistful of gold coins. "He's going to be a little too drunk to deal with this sort of shock tonight. Why don't you get a good night's sleep, and then use this to go shopping tomorrow. If you're going to change careers to merchant's wife, you'll need some clothes that fit the part. Just don't throw anything you have now away, I'm sure Mercurio will like seeing you in them." Her mouth wide open in surprise, she stared at the coins I'd pressed into her hands. "This is more money than I could make in a month." "That's for the wedding too," I said with a wink. "Go on. I need to get Mercurio to his bed before I have to carry him. I promise I'll keep him out of the tavern tomorrow and get him sobered up in the morning." "I don't know what to say," the woman softly said. "Like I said, Mercurio's a friend of mine. Just be good to him." "I will. Thank you." "You're welcome. Now off to bed with you." She nodded and secreted the coins in her ample bosom before walking back down the street. I shook my head as I turned back to the tavern, thinking, Now this is more like home, forever playing match-maker and never reaping any of the rewards. Oh well. I walked in and managed to get Mercurio to his bed just in time. He was snoring before his head even hit the pillow. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I kept my promise the next morning, having plenty of coffee on hand to wake the corpulent merchant up. As he started to feel human again, I told him I was going to feed Healie, and walked out of the room. I saw the woman he'd enthralled walking toward me, dressed in a conservative -- but still very enticing -- dress. I looked back into the room and said, "Someone's here to see you. Last chance to run for the hills." Mercurio stared at me in obvious confusion as I shut the door. She was staring daggers at me when I looked back at her. "Sorry, couldn't help myself. He's not running anywhere if he has any sense." Her expression softened, and I said, "You know, I don't even know your name." "Anna." A smile crossed her face when she said the name. "I haven't said that in so long. I've called myself Candy for years, and my real name almost feels strange." "Better get used to it. Beautiful name, by the way. Beautiful dress too. I know Mercurio is going to love it. I have a hungry curer to feed, so I'll leave the two of you alone." "Thank you again." "You're welcome again," I replied and laughed. I saved her the trouble of knocking and opened the door for her. I knew Mercurio wasn't going to protest her company anyway. When I reached the wagon, I found Healie looking a little bored. I don't know if it was the way his tentacles were hanging or the way he was hovering, but I just knew he was bored somehow. "Let's take a little walk, Healie. Well, a hover in your case, I guess." Healie perked up and floated out of the wagon, happily falling in behind me. I walked toward the main road, assuming that the curer would feel more at home out in the wilderness, and deciding that I could do with a little return to nature as well. Noticing a fishing pole and some well-crafted lures in Mercurio's wagon, I grabbed them before leaving. We'd just turned off the road to walk across the fields when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Turning back toward the city, I saw the Hero moving at a brisk, determined pace. Remembering the plot of the game, I knew that the Hero was on his way to pick up the silk veil in preparation to propose to Bianca. I also saw a Wyvern sweeping down on him. The Hero wasn't unaware of the danger, and drew his sword. I pulled my own weapon, planning to add my sword and Healie's magic to the battle, but I'd barely moved before the Hero cut down the fire-breathing monster almost without slowing. Another curer traveling with him healed his wounds as the Hero continued on, sheathing his weapon and not even bothering to check the dead creature for the treasures they often had. Damn, don't get in the way of a man on a mission, I thought as I put my own weapon away. I almost pitied any monster that dared to challenge the determined Hero at this point. I wanted to do some fishing, not fend off monsters, so I pulled out a bottle of fairy water and sprinkled it over me. As soon as I did so, I realized that I was actually traveling with a monster and looked over at Healie. He didn't appear to mind at all, so I assumed that the magic only worked on hostile creatures for some reason. I smacked a mosquito and wished I had some insect repellant to go with my monster repellant. Healie and I set out again toward a lake a short distance from town that looked promising. When we reached it, Healie hovered up a little higher and made some excited gurgling noises. Tentatively, a pair of curers emerged from the undergrowth around the lake, keeping one eye on me as they greeted Healie in their own language. Giving them some space, I moved away to the edge of the lake to find a good spot to fish. By the time I'd tied on my lure, the two curers and Healie were happily talking and frolicking nearby. I cast my line and settled in for a day of fishing. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I was feeling more than a little full when I returned to town. I'd caught several nice sized bass, most of which I'd thrown back, but I cooked a pair of them and had a fine meal. Healie parted company with his two new friends, content to follow me. He did perk up when I promised I'd come back to the lake to let him spend time with them again. It amazed me how much of what I said that the creature appeared to understand. The sun was setting, and I knew that the Hero and Bianca would be getting married soon, if the ceremony hadn't already begun. I imagined that the tavern would be pretty empty in light of the grand wedding, and looked forward to a relaxing evening of beer drinking. I also decided to take Healie with me, as I didn't want him sitting in the wagon bored. He looked a little apprehensive as we entered the village, but his curiosity soon overwhelmed any foreboding he felt about going into a human town. Before I even entered the town proper, I could hear the sounds of the celebration. The noise emanated from the far edge of town where the Flora's father provided free drink, leaving the rest of the town fairly quiet. Despite my unusual company, the tavernkeep was glad to see me. When Healie started showing curiosity for my beer, I drained all but about a quarter of my mug and nodded toward it. The jellyfish-like creature tested the brew by dipping in a tentacle and bringing it to its mouth, and then almost immediately wrapped its tentacles around the mug to pick it up. "Oh boy," I chuckled as the curer tipped up the mug and drank. "Take it easy, Healie. That stuff packs a punch." He didn't appear to be paying much attention to me. The tavernkeep just shook his head and looked worried. I couldn't really blame him, as the possibilities presented by a drunken monster in your establishment were rather frightening to consider. By the time I'd finished my next beer, Healie was hovering rather unsteadily and emitting a gurgling equivalent of laughter for no real reason. With the tavernkeep looking more nervous by the moment, I decided it was probably time to take my drunken companion out into the night air to sober him up a bit. The curer reluctantly followed me out of the tavern with a final longing glance at his empty mug. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest V The sounds of celebration were somewhat diminished when I exited the tavern, and stumbling townsfolk were moving toward their homes amidst loud conversation and laughter. I decided that putting drunken people and a drunken curer together probably wasn't a good idea, so I led Healie toward the less populated southern edge of town. There was a sort of park there, more or less defined by where people hadn't yet chosen to build. The place had a small woodlet and a little stream, which I thought would be the perfect place to get away from the crowds while Healie sobered up. The creature proved rather resilient, however, and was hovering more or less normally by the time we reached the wood. Walking along the stream, the sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking was a nice change from inebriated laughter. After a minute or two, Healie paused and emitted a cautionary rumbling sound. Just as I was about to ask him what was wrong, I heard the sound of muffled voices and leaves rustling. Something didn't sound right, and Healie's agitated state only seemed to confirm what I was feeling. Leaning in close to Healie, I said, "Let's go have a look." I kept my hand on my sword hilt until the voices gained definition. One voice was male and spoken in a low hiss. The second voice was female and muffled to the point that I drew my sword and picked up the pace. The first defined words I heard caused me to clench my teeth in anger -- "Maybe we'll have a bit more than those jewels, Pretty." Abandoning all sense of stealth, I pushed through the underbrush into a tiny clearing. The moonlight revealing a man holding Flora from behind and covering her mouth, while another stood in front of her with a dagger in one hand and glittering jewelry in the other. Both were facing my direction, having heard my hurried approach. "You just stay right there or we'll cut her up good," the man with the dagger warned, pressing it against Flora's breast to emphasize the point. Son of a bitch, I silently cursed. "Take the jewels and get out of here," I warned, trying to look as impressive as possible. "If you have any sense, then you know that you're caught and you're not going to get away with more than that." "Maybe we shut you up with a dagger and stick her with something friendlier instead," the dagger wielder countered, his companion punctuating it with a laugh. "Baaad maaan," Healie rumbled as he quickly hovered past me, his tentacles waving threateningly. "The hell?" The dagger wielder exclaimed, stumbling backward away from the rapidly approaching curer. Taking advantage of the distraction, I rushed forward toward the man holding Flora. The dagger wielder tried to dart back to his hostage, sensing the danger in losing that bargaining chip. At the same time, the man holding Flora released her waist to grasp for his own dagger. A second later, he screamed as Flora bit down hard. He screamed and jerked his hand away, allowing Flora to stumble away from the other man with the knife. The knife wielder ceased his attempts to reach Flora when Healie reached him. The curer's dexterous tentacles snapped out like whips, raking across the man's face. I pointed my sword at the other man and said, "On the ground and keep those hands where I can see them, or you're a dead man." "Get 'em off me," the other man screamed as he uselessly flailed his dagger at the bobbing curer assaulting him. Healie avoided every blow, and managed to snap off another painful strike of his tentacles every time. "Get rid of the dagger and get on the ground or I'll let him eat you," I shouted. "Eat," Healie gurgled ominously. The man hurled his dagger away and dropped to the ground like a puppet with cut strings. The shouting had attracted attention from the town, and a couple of the less inebriated men stumbled in with makeshift weapons. I let them take control of the two would-be rapists and knelt down next to the sobbing Flora. I could see bruises on her wrists as well as cuts and scrapes. I assumed there were more hidden by her ripped gown. I knelt down next to her and asked, "Are you okay?" "Hurt," Healie said with a bit of sadness in his odd watery voice. Waving his tentacles in a flowing pattern, he cast a spell of healing over Flora. The blonde stopped sobbing for a moment in amazement as her bruises vanished and her cuts closed. "T-thank you," she said cautiously to the hovering curer. "Good job, Healie," I said to my companion, who puffed up and looked proud. "We should get you back home." I held out my hand to help her rise, and she accepted the assistance. "What were you doing out here alone, anyway?" "I... I needed some time alone," Flora responded with a blush. I realized she was dealing with the Hero choosing Bianca over her. "Let's get you home," I said, dropping the subject. She nodded and we walked out of the wood. By the time we'd crossed about half of the town, word was rapidly spreading. Two muscular men that I assumed Flora recognized by her sigh of relief approached us at a run, albeit an unsteady one. When they reached us, Flora stood up proudly and said, "I am unharmed. This kind man has saved me." Looking over my shoulder at Healie, she said, "He and his adorable companion." Once again, Healie puffed up and his tentacles undulated as he smiled. "We'll take you home," one of the men offered. Flora cut him off and said, "If he is willing, I would like my rescuer to see me home. I feel safe in his presence." "Sure, I'll walk you home. Name's Thakkor." "Thank you, Thakkor." "We'll go speak with your father, he's worried," one of the men advised. "Please do," Flora said with a nod of her head. When we reached the house, Flora's father Ludman emerged with a gaggle of servants to usher the blonde into the house. "I cannot thank you enough for saving my daughter's life," he said to me. "I just did what I had to do." "Please, stay in one of my guest rooms this evening as a small first measure of repayment for your valiant deed." I could see that he wasn't going to let me argue with him, so I accepted. When one of the servants approached to whisper in Ludman's ear, he looked a little concerned. He glanced back at his daughter and let out a sigh. He then turned back to me and said, "You will guest in the room next to Flora's, as she feels safer with you nearby." "Only if you're comfortable with it," I said. "I trust my daughter's judgment," he said with a smile and a nod. "I'll accept the offer, then. I'm sure it will be more comfortable than the inn." A few minutes later, one of his servants led me to the guest room and made sure I had anything I could possibly desire. I kicked back in the bed, which proved to be just as comfortable as I'd assumed, and soon drifted off to sleep with Healie hovering nearby and snoring. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I awakened in the middle of the night, noticing that someone was in the darkened room with me. As my eyes adjusted to the gloom and the sleep fog burned off, I realized it was Flora. She was dressed in only a nightgown that left virtually nothing to the imagination, even in the dim light. "I wanted to thank you," she said in a small, quiet voice. Sitting up, I said, "I just did what anyone would have done." I noticed her glancing at my bare chest, and pulled the covers up a little because the only thing I was wearing was a pair of boxer shorts. "Few would have -- or could have -- shown such bravery," she countered, sitting down on the bed next to me. "You're welcome, but you really shouldn't be in here. People are going to assume things if they see you in here or see you leaving." "I don't care," Flora said with a hint of something I'd come to recognize during my time in the D.Q. worlds -- desire. Even as she spoke, her fingers glided down the part of her gown, freeing the loop and hook closures. "Flora..." I started to protest, but she leaned in and wrapped her arms around me, her now bared breasts pressing against me, and her lips stealing my breath. I couldn't help but return the kiss. As soon as our lips parted, my danger alarm went off. Haven't we been here before? I heard a nasally professor-like voice say in my head. I do believe it's turned out rather badly, has it not? Scooting away from Flora, I said, "Look, this is a really bad idea." Her lip quivered and she said, "Y-you don't want me?" My cock throbbing beneath the coverings certainly denied that, even if she couldn't see it. "It's not that, trust me. You're vulnerable right now, and I'm no good for you. I'm a wanderer -- a vagabond. You need someone who can stay here with you, and I can't do that." Flora slid off the bed, the sight of her body nearly stealing my conviction. Images of all the disastrous sexual encounters with characters from the games flashed through my head, and my sense of self-preservation won out. "I'm sorry, Flora -- really sorry." Her eyes filling with tears, Flora said, "I understand." She then slipped out of the room in a rush. I let out a sigh and fell back heavily on the pillow. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I got up early the next morning, to avoid any potential of an encounter with Flora. It took some work, but I managed to rebuff Ludman's continuous attempts to offer me rewards and escape his manor. I went to the inn first, peeking in to find Mercurio snoring away next to Anna. Both of them wore content smiles and cuddled against each other. Closing the door quietly, I left the inn, certain that Mercurio would be fine without my company. After a few greetings from townsfolk praising me for my brave deeds, I decided it was time to get out of town for the day. Grabbing my fishing pole from Mercurio's wagon, Healie and I set out for the lake. He found his friends and floated off to join them while I cast my line in the water, deciding I'd fish for catfish instead of bass today. I'd nearly dozed off in the warm sunlight when a voice startled me. "Havin' any luck, boy?" I groaned and opened my eyes to find the crazy old man sitting right next to me with a wide smile. "Can we just get on with the song and dance number so I can go back to fishing?" He snorted and slapped his bony knees. "Impatient. I thought maybe you'd learned something by now." "I've learned that the moment you show up that things go to hell." My pole bounced, and I reacted too late to set the hook. Pulling in the line, I stared at the bare hook for a second and then turned back to the old man. "See, there's my bad luck starting already." Standing up, the old man blew a raspberry and said, "Some folk see the glass as half full. Some see it as half empty. You see it as half full of piss!" I let out an exasperated, half growling sigh. I opened my mouth to scream my perpetual question asking what the hell the crazy old man wanted, but shook my head instead and returned to baiting my hook. "I've got plenty of examples to expect everything to turn to shit." Waggling his finger at me, the codger said, "And plenty of examples of how it doesn't, if you care to pay attention." He then nodded his head and grunted before clapping his hands. A second later, I could see his foot tapping in my peripheral vision as I cast back out my line. The old man leaned down in front of me and started singing. "Well here's the story -- of a man named Lee. He hopped in bed with some very lovely girls." "The Brady Bunch? It only gets worse," I muttered under my breath. "All of them were hot to trot -- and oh brother -- they really rocked his world." "You know, this is the creepiest one yet," I grumbled as I lay back on the bank. He bopped me on the forehead without missing a beat. "It's the story -- of a wet dream come true. The cure for the blues he'd felt at home. Couldn't snag a girl -- with a lasso -- so he was all alone." "Fuck you," I snarled. "But things always went wrong with those ladies. By bad luck and bad moves of his own. They say that no good deed goes unpunished. But maybe time will prove that's just a load of crap." He launched into another one of his ridiculous leaps, spinning around in the air. "A load of crap! A load of crap! Off to Kol just to prove it's a load of crap! Ba da dump!" I gave him a little golf clap, severely irritated that he'd jabbed a needle in a soft spot, my irritation at having no luck with women -- at least in the real world. "Are we done, now?" The codger leaned down and tapped me on the forehead with one long, bony finger. "I can see it sinking through the first two or three layers, no matter how much you deny it. Soon enough..." He bopped me on the forehead -- hard. "We'll have comprehension!" In the back of my head, part of me was trying to figure out what all his babbling about good deeds going unpunished was about -- which irritated the hell out of me. I knew it was exactly what he wanted. "Kol. D.Q. One. Message received, Starfleet Command. You can beam him out now, Scotty." Glancing over at him, I said, "If you were only wearing a red uniform," alluding to the unlucky ensigns in red uniforms that always seemed to die during planetary missions in the original Star Trek series. Pointing at my pole, he said, "You've got a bite -- and it won't be the last today." I felt the pole jerk as soon as he said it, and pulled to set the hook. "Damn," I muttered when I felt the fish start fighting. If the struggle it was putting up was any indication, this was going to be one huge fish. I tried to pull it in at first, but quickly realized that with a hand line, it was nearly impossible. Instead, I jumped up and moved around the lake according to the tugs on my pole, letting the fish wear itself out and hoping it didn't snap my line. After what felt like hours, I experimentally tugged on the line and felt the fish coming toward me. I pulled him in and let out a little whoop when I saw the catfish, which had to be at least twenty pounds. The fish offered a little more fight at the last minute, but soon weakened enough for me to stab it with my sword and pull it up on the bank. My mouth started watering immediately. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Well fed, relaxed, and enjoying a perfect warm evening, I stayed by the lake well after dark, staring at the unfamiliar stars. When I nearly dozed off, I decided it was time to return to civilization. While my fairy water was effective, it only had a limited duration, and I couldn't be sure I'd wake up in time to put on more. The thought of awakening to wyverns swooping down on me wasn't at all appealing. Healie looked even more reluctant to leave this time, so I told him, "Why don't you stay for tonight? I'll come visit, and if you want to stay here, you can." Healie bobbed his agreement and returned to the now larger group of curers that made their home around the pond. From the attention he was paying to one of them, I had the distinct impression it was a female. Or maybe it's a male and Healie is female, I thought, realizing that I really didn't have any clue. Shrugging off that impossible question, I returned to town and went to the inn first to check on Mercurio. I found him again sleeping next to Anna and wondered if they'd left the bed all day. He's going to be fifty pounds lighter if they keep that up, I thought as I closed the door. I walked toward the tavern from the inn, but after dealing with another rash of congratulations, I changed my mind. I turned instead toward the bunny club, hoping that people would be more interested in the girls than heaping accolades on me so I could enjoy a beer or two before I turned in. I suppressed a groan as I approached the club and saw a woman pointing at me. Another woman standing with her turned toward me, and they both started in my direction. So much for getting away from this. Well, maybe once I'm inside where the girls are half dressed... As the two women approached, however, I recognized one of them as the beautiful blonde bunny who'd nestled my face in her breasts on my first night here. She was dressed in common clothing this evening, but it did nothing to detract from how sexy she looked. The woman walking with her was no less beautiful and both were smiling as they approached. I offered a little tip-o'-the-hat gesture as they approached, which caused both women to smile even wider. "Do you remember me?" The blonde asked. "I never found out your name, but it would be hard to forget you," I replied. "I'm Mandy, and this is my friend Denise. Denise works for Ludwig, and Flora wanted her to find you. She never got a good look at you, and she knew I had, so she asked me to help her find you." "Well, here I am," I said, holding my hands out to the side and shrugging. Considering what had happened when Flora and I last saw each other, I was more than a little apprehensive about why she wanted to find me. Denise said, "Flora wrote a letter, and she asked me to find you to give it to you. It's back at our house because I didn't want to carry it around and rumple it." A man approached us just then, another in the string of people offering their thanks for my heroic actions in saving Flora. Once I managed to get rid of him by the expedient of pressing some coins in his hand and turning him toward the bunny club, the two women quietly laughed. "Why don't you come back to our house? You can hide there while you read it and escape all this," Mandy suggested. "I would have to be a very great fool to refuse the invitation to accompany two beautiful women anywhere," I said with a smile. I laughed then and said, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself." Twitching her eyebrows, Denise countered, "No need for apologies. I found it charming." Rein it in, I warned myself. The appearance of the old man always seemed to herald me dodging fireballs and death spells from the last woman I'd so much as kissed. Just stay as far away from soft, young, sexy, willing females as you can. When those thoughts sent a rush of blood between my legs, I thought, That didn't help. Denise then grasped one hand, while Mandy grabbed the other. They led me off across town to a side street and down the unlit little road. Their house was a humble little place, but plainly had a woman's touch everywhere. Mandy unlocked the door, and Denise tugged me inside. Once we crossed the threshold, Denise closed the door behind us and Mandy walked to the table in the center of the common room to pick up an elaborately decorated envelope addressed to Thakkor. I opened it up and read it, a little surprised by what I found within the envelope. Dearest Thakkor, I wish to once again express my thanks for your courageous actions in protecting my life and my virtue. No mere words or actions can truly repay you for this gift, but I hope that I might someday find the means to do so. I now find myself once again in your debt. Though it did surely rend my heart when you refused my embrace, I now understand the honorable character that prompted you to do so. Once again, you have protected my virtue, and no doubt have saved me from yet another wound -- one of the heart rather than the body -- which surely would have cut deeper than any knife. If you ever have a need that is within my ability to grant, do not hesitate to ask. Thank you once again, Flora Folding the letter back up and placing it in the envelope, I smiled and said, "All's well that ends well." I was half worried that I was going to end up getting chased out of town without even having the benefit of the sex this time. Denise smiled and said, "Flora told me what you did. I think that it's the bravest, most noble thing I've ever heard of." "And she told me as soon as she came home," Mandy added. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest V Both women's voices had taken on a tone of admiration that bordered on the sensual, and alarm bells went off in my head again. "It was the right thing to do. I try to do that whenever I can," I responded. "It's rare to find a man who thinks enough of a woman to resist her," Mandy said, walking closer to me. Denise also closed the distance between us and said, "It's exciting." There was no hint of sensuality in their voices now -- there was nothing else in their tone. "Is this a test?" I asked with a nervous chuckle. "Neither of us has virtue to protect. We're also not looking for a husband to settle down with," Denise said. Leaning in close to me, Mandy whispered, "We're just looking for a handsome man to have fun with." The kiss of her warm breath on my neck was immediately followed by an even warmer kiss from her lips. Taking up a position on the opposite side, Denise whispered, "Would you like to have fun with us?" She then kissed my neck as well, adding a swirl of her tongue in my ear for good measure that caused me to shiver and let out a little gasp. The alarms continued to go off in my head, but they steadily dimmed under the power of my heart thudding in my ears. The throbbing pressure echoed in my now hard cock, which was severely constrained within my armor. I finally surrendered to the relentless kisses and sexy whispers of the two blondes, reaching behind them to grasp two firm bottoms. That touch was all the girls needed, and they immediately went to work on my armor. With remarkable dexterity, Denise and Mandy removed buckles to let a steady rain of armor pieces clang to the floor. In the midst of stripping me bare, they also shed their own clothing. In short order, I stood naked next to two very excited nude blondes, who each grasped a hand to pull me to a bedroom. The two blondes guided me down onto the small bed, which barely provided enough room for them to take up positions on either side of me. As soon as they did, I tilted my head back and groaned as Mandy's lips slipped around my glans and Denise's hand wrapped around my shaft. Mandy moaned around me as Denise giggled and rasped her hand over the root of my shaft. When Mandy edged lower, Denise uncurled her fingers from around me and cupped my balls in her hand. Mandy sucked more energetically by the second, culminating in her pulling away with a cough when an involuntary lurch of my hips pushed the tip of my erection into her throat. Denise barely let Mandy's lip clear my glans before she engulfed me in her warm mouth. She sucked me deep and fast, her blonde hair whipping against my skin as she milked my cock in her mouth. I let out a gasp and my hips lurched again. Denise let out a little croak around me, but locked her lips around me again as soon as my swollen head left her throat. "If you keep that up..." I had to pause and groan as Denise pulled back to my purple helmet to suck it hard and flick her tongue over it. "I'm going to be out of commission for a while." Mandy shook her head and giggled. "I know some magic that can make you hard again." Do mothers teach that spell to their daughters at birth in the D.Q. worlds? I wondered. Denise let me slip free to rest her aching jaw, and Mandy took over giving me the incredible blowjob again. "You're about to come, aren't you?" Denise said and punctuated it with a purr. "Damn -- yes. Gods that feels good." Denise reached out and wrapped her hand around my shaft when Mandy reached the tip on her next suck. Mandy cupped my balls in her hand and gently rolled them as Mandy stroked me hard and fast, somehow knowing that I liked a tight grip without asking. Both women then leaned over me and tilted their heads sideways, stroking the head of my cock with their warm mouths. Only a few seconds of that was all I could take. With a growling gasp, I spurted my cream into their mouths and over their faces. The vibrations from the two blonde's twin moans made my next spurt even harder. They then took turns engulfing me in their mouths, drinking up the final dribbles of my semen until I was twitching and gasping with every touch. When I caught my breath and opened my eyes, the girls were kissing and licking my cum off each other's faces. Mandy looked over and said, "That was a lot of cum, and it tastes so good." "But we want more -- and not in our mouths," Denise added. She'd barely finished speaking before she started the words and gestures of a spell. Apparently, both of the girls knew the spell. I'd heard the spell enough times that I recognized it, and there was something slightly different about the version Denise was casting. When she finished, however, the expected result of my cock rising back to full mast confirmed that the magic had worked. Denise immediately spun on her knees and bent until her hands were on the bed, presenting her taut ass and her curl-trimmed sex to me. When I didn't move immediately, Mandy parted her friend's labia to reveal the moist pink treasure between them, and Denise wiggled her hips enticingly. That was all the invitation I needed. I rose up onto my knees, sliding my hands over Denise's bottom as I moved in behind her. Mandy wrapped her finger and thumb around my shaft just below the head, and guided me into Denise's wet heat. Denise let out a long groan as I slipped into her depths. She was soaking wet, and her walls tightly clenched around me as my balls pressed up against her. "Oh, so full," Denise moaned as I held my cock buried in her depths. My body took over at that point, not content with just feeling her wrapped around me. I rocked my hips, stroking my cock into her velvety depths with hot friction. Mandy moved into position to rub her friend's clit in quick circles, leaning over to make sure she had a good view of my cock plunging in and out of Denise's pussy. After only a few strokes, I knew something was odd. Denise felt incredible, but I wasn't feeling the rapidly building pressure that I expected. I could go for a long time with a girl riding me, but I usually popped far too quick in any other position. I could hold out sometimes, but that was fairly rare. This time, I felt like I could go all day before I filled her full of cum. Gripping Denise's hips harder, I added speed and power to my thrusts. "Oh yes. Faster. Harder," Denise gasped out. I could see her breasts swinging under the power of my thrusts, and Mandy's were even jiggling from where her hand touched Denise. I could feel the itch of my climax building as I pounded my cock home into Denise, but the pressure built at a sedate pace, leading me to believe that I had several good minutes left before I couldn't hold off any more. I looked down to watch her labia clinging to my pussy-slick shaft as I stroked her, and I could just see Mandy's fingers flashing from below. "Oh, oh -- oh yes," Denise gasped out several times, the pace, volume, and pitch of the words increasing with each shallow breath. She slammed her hips back at me every time I thrust forward, causing our flesh to collide with loud slaps on every stroke. "Mmm, she's going to come," Mandy purred, shifting her position a little. From the sharp gasp a moment later, I assumed that Mandy had found a better position to rub her friend's bud even faster. "Ohhh," Denise squealed, the sound long, drawn out, and ever louder. She then screamed, "Yes!" That exclamation was followed by rapid, almost growled repetitions of the word as she climaxed. Her walls clamped down tight around me, and I paused with my cock half-buried in her depths. She trembled beneath me, passionate sounds of bliss bursting from her lips. After a few deep breaths, she thrust her hips back at me and squealed again, the friction prompting a spike in her orgasm that caused her arms to lose their strength. She collapsed down to the bed, turning her head to the side to suck in rapid breaths. I was close to the edge, and it took all of my willpower not to take her hard and fast to finish the job. I couldn't help rocking my hips a little, each little twitch drawing a yelp from the blonde I was buried inside. With a determined growl, she levered back up onto her arms and looked back at me, her hair flipping in a wave over the opposite shoulder. "Do it," she gasped. Digging my hands into her hips, I did exactly that. I didn't really have any choice, because the first stroke of her clinging walls pushed me over the point of no return. I growled as I pounded into her, several rapid thrusts, and then slammed home, my cum bursting from me to coat her walls. "Mmm, so hot," Denise moaned as I haltingly thrust and twitched, leaning over her back, which glistened with sweat. A drop rolled off my forehead, down my nose, and dripped onto her back as I fought for breath. When a flex of her intimate muscles grabbed me tight, I jerked free of her with a sharp gasp as soon as I could. I fell back onto my ass, and then onto my back. I watched as Mandy crawled to the foot of the bed to kiss her friend, who was still twitching from the aftereffects of her orgasm. Feeling as weak as a kitten, I said, "Magic or no magic, I'm down for the count for a while." Mandy kissed Denise again, and then said, "I think we can find something to do while you regain your strength." Denise smiled and purred as Mandy gently nudged me out of the way. Mandy then lay down on her back and slid beneath her friend, reaching up at the same time to grasp Denise's buttocks. As Denise lowered her folds to Mandy's mouth, I could already see a dollop of my cream welling up from between Denise's nether lips. I relaxed and enjoyed the show of Mandy devouring my cream -- and Denise's pussy -- until Denise cried out in release again. With a few final kisses, Mandy moved out from underneath her friend. Denise immediately collapsed to the bed. Mandy turned toward me and licked her lips, her eyes locked on my still half-hard cock coated in Denise's juices. "I bet you'll be fine if I do all the work," Mandy said with a crooked smile. She didn't give me time to answer, but instead launched into her spell. A few words and gestures later, she sank down onto my erection with a long sigh. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I awoke the next morning with every muscle feeling as stiff as a board. One thing was not stiff -- it ached instead. The girls had given me quite the workout. The reason for my stiff muscles was sleeping in a bed with the two girls when it was plainly designed for only one. With both of them partially lying atop me, there was no possible way to get out of the bed without awakening them. I needed to pee, and wanted to get some healing herbs into me to deal with the painful throbbing of my abused manhood, so I worked on pulling limbs free. The girls did awaken, but only moved enough to let me rise, immediately pulling the covers up over their bodies and falling back to sleep. After a healing herb and a quick wash, I felt almost human again. I walked out into the town, feeling out of place. I could almost hear Bart from Blazing Saddles saying, My work here is done. Naturally, the rest of the scene ran through my head, concluding in a fictional crowd yelling, Bullshit! I chuckled, thinking that I'd pop that in the VCR as soon as I got home -- if I ever got home. The feeling remained, nagging at me as I walked across the town, breathing in the fresh morning air. Bianca and the Hero are together, so the world is in good hands. Mercurio has found love, and I'm pretty sure Healie has too. Flora will find someone, and she'll be more cautious about letting her emotions rule her from now on. I've probably pumped more gold into the taverns and the bunny club than they've seen in a month. Time to go. I hunted up some paper and struggled to work the inkwell and quill pen well enough to write notes to Mercurio and the girls. I left Mercurio's with the innkeeper and slipped the one for Mandy and Denise under their door. Settling my bag and sword belt into a more comfortable position, I hiked out of town before too many people awakened to begin the process of thanking me again. As I stepped out of town, I thought, It's nice to walk out instead of running for my life for once. Not trusting my luck, I increased my pace toward the lake. I had one more goodbye to deal with before I left this world. Healie floated out with all his friends as soon as I approached the lake. "Hey there, buddy," I said as I reached the shore. "Healie, I'm going on a journey, and I can't really take you with me. You've been a good friend on the road, and I'm sure going to miss you." "Go?" Healie questioned, looking a little crestfallen. One of the other curers floated close to him and nuzzled up against him. I assumed it was his girlfriend... boyfriend... whatever. "You'll be fine, Healie. Stay out of trouble, and be careful of humans. Not all of us are nice." "Bye," Healie said with a touch of sadness in his watery voice. He waved one of his tentacles in a very human gesture, which prompted the rest of the group to do the same. "Goodbye, Healie." With that, I reached into my bag. As I expected, there was a wing of the wyvern right on top. The maker's mark identified it as coming from Brecconary. Taking one last look at the pond and wishing I'd brought a fishing pole, I chuckled. Enough stalling. I hurled up my wing and flew up into the sky on yet another world-hopping journey. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hope you've enjoyed this tale in my little saga. Only one more to go now. Please take a moment to vote/comment if you like my stories. That's all us free authors get as payment for what we write, so toss us a bone! *laugh* Thanks to Roust for his editing, as always. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest Renelle was anxious to leave, and I’d barely packed the supplies into my magical bag before we were on the road. I cast the repel spell the moment we stepped outside the castle walls. It was heartening to note that any monsters we encountered as we walked north fled long before we reached them. If the critters were affected by the repel spell, they would probably stay away from fairy water too. Renelle marched along as though driven, lost in her own little world. I just kept my eyes open for trouble and didn’t disturb her. Keeping my eyes on the road and the ever-thickening foliage wasn’t exactly easy, though. Renelle’s bottom swayed in the most hypnotic way when she walked, and seemed to have an almost magnetic effect on my eyes. It helped to pass the time and dull a little of the depressing nature of the scenery as we moved farther away from civilization. I could feel my energy winding down and tell that Renelle was getting tired too, and that’s the only reason I knew it was night. With no sun, moon, stars, or even change in the light, it was the only way I knew how much time had passed. Despite her weariness, Renelle was still marching resolutely toward the first bridge. I got the impression that she’d just keep on walking until we reached Kol unless I pulled her up short. “Renelle, neither of us is going to be very alert if we keep going. We need to make camp for the night and get some rest. We’re just going to run into stronger monsters across the bridge, trust me.” She looked around as if only now realizing where we were. She sighed and said, “I suppose you’re right.” “I’ll get the tent up. If you don’t mind gathering up some dried grass and any kindling you can find nearby, I’ll get a fire going. Not much point in it since it isn’t actually going to get dark or cold, but camping without a fire just feels wrong.” I actually had to tear my eyes away from her when she smiled. She was beautiful enough anyway, but her smile made her look absolutely angelic. Her voice was just as incredible. “None talk about the way things were anymore. Everyone has given up hope.” I shrugged and said, “I’ve known Matusen for a long time. I’ve got faith in him.” Renelle’s smile lost a little of its light, and it worried me more than a little how sad that made me feel. Her eyes hardened with determination then, and she said, “That’s why I must reach Kol as quickly as possible.” “Your vision?” She nodded. “The goddess Rubiss spoke to me in my dreams. The dark one imprisoned her when he sealed away the ball of light. She has mustered her power until I was ready. I must free her. Without the power she gives to goodly magic, I fear even the blood of Erdrick may not be enough to see Matusen to victory.” This wasn’t part of the game, I thought. Rubiss wasn’t even in the original Dragon Quest. Hearing that she was captured didn’t sit well with me. “Then we need to get you where you’re going.” I rolled out the tent and said, “But for now, we need some rest.” Renelle nodded and her smile brightened a little once more. She turned to gather kindling for our fire. After a quick bite, we spread out our bedrolls for the night. I didn’t sleep very well, partly because I was nervous all night about the fairy water doing its job. More than anything, it was some subtle, enticing scent that Renelle wore. I hadn’t really noticed it while we were walking, but within the confines of the tent, I couldn’t ignore it. Between her perfume and the sight of her curled up in her blankets so close to me, I had a hard time thinking about much of anything else. I did finally drop off after going outside to clear my head and sprinkle some extra fairy water around. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shortly after we awakened the next day and crossed the bridge, I felt the hackles on the back of my neck stand up. I’d come to trust this sixth sense even in the real world, and I’d really started to pay attention to it since I’d awakened in the DQ universe. “Renelle, keep your eyes open and stay close.” “What’s wrong?” “Something’s up. I have a feeling that our good luck with the fairy water is about to run out.” I drew my sword in anticipation and strapped on my shield. We kept walking, our eyes warily scanning the scrub and tall grass for signs of danger. I barely caught the quiet chant and saw a flash of movement in time to interpose my body between the magician and Renelle. The fireball from the magician’s hurt spell exploded against my magic armor, the potent magical gear protecting me from all but a little warm breeze of air. I actually heard the cloaked magic user mutter, Uh oh, from his place of concealment in a knot of small, thick pine trees. “That’s not a fireball,” I said in my best Crocodile Dundee as I raised my sword. “This is a fireball,” I finished as I unleashed the sword’s power. While it wasn’t really much stronger than the magician’s hurt spell, I could unleash the blasts far more quickly than he could cast the spell. The wizard dived away from the first fireball, and then proceeded to do his best to dance out of the way of the volley I sent toward him. Soon enough, he was rolling around on the ground trying to put out his smoldering robe. When he managed to tear away the hem that threatened to burst into flames, I was standing right above him with my sword pointed at him. “You’re rare right now. If you don’t want to try for well done, I’d suggest you sit nice and still before I decide to throw another shrimp on the barbee.” Remarkable to me, the magician lunged past me toward Renelle with a growl. Feeling more than a little squeamish about killing another person, I opted to rap him smartly on the back of the head with my shield instead. He collapsed like a sack of potatoes on the ground. “Nutbag must be bleedin’ suicidal,” I muttered as I kicked him to make sure he was really out. Considering I gave him the nutcracker suite and he didn’t even budge, I felt it safe to assume he was well and truly unconscious. Renelle approached cautiously and said, “I feared as much. The Dragonlord knows about my quest.” Frikkin’ piddly-ass magician shouldn’t have been able to get through the repel spell, I thought as I regarded the downed magic user. I wouldn’t have expected anything short of a wyvern or a werewolf to have the guts to approach someone of my ‘level’ through the repel spell. “Then we need to get you to Kol as quickly as possible. I’ll feel better with some stout walls between us and the Dragonlord’s hordes.” “We must spend at least one more night in the wilderness, but I believe we can reach a place of safety in time.” I asked, “Where’s that?” “There is a cave that once served as a waypoint for travelers across the river. There is a shrine to Rubiss there where I believe we might find both safety and comfort.” It wasn’t anything that existed in the game, but I took her word for it. “Let’s just make sure that Wizzo the magician here doesn’t come following us.” A few chanted words later, my sleep spell compounded the bonk on his head to ensure that he wouldn’t be following us any time soon. The next magician was a little braver than the first, so I saw him just as he started his spell. My flame sword was far quicker than his spell casting, and I used the distraction of him putting out his robes to zap him with a sleep spell. I’d no more than sent him off to the Sandman before I noticed another magician in some bushes not far away. Some movement farther up the trail told me that there were probably more. I decided that an example might just be in order. The hurtmore spell had greater range and power than the hurt spell the magicians knew, so I had plenty of time to speak the chant and make the gestures. The resulting fireball blew the magician out of his bushes and sent him rolling down the hill toward the next one down the line. The flight of robed figures was almost comical. Two of them actually collided head on and managed to knock themselves out. We stayed atop the rise for a little while before continuing, and we had no trouble when we reached the bottom. “Looks like they got the point this time,” I chuckled as I stepped on a piece of smoldering robe. Renelle asked, “How is it that you know that spell?” I shrugged, even though I knew that I had the same spells as the hero. “I just picked it up somewhere.” “Few are blessed with that magic that do not serve the darkness. Only the most noble and trusted of warriors and wizards is allowed to learn that powerful magic. It is carefully controlled.” “Well, I don’t serve the Dragonlord, I can tell you that.” Renelle smiled then, relieving my worry that she thought I was some spy for the bad guys. “There is much more to you than is obvious. You are unique.” “More than you know, and not all of it is that great,” I chuckled. “We should continue,” Renelle said rather hastily, as though she wanted to change the subject. I nodded in response and set off again. Rather than walking ahead or behind me as she had for most of the journey, she fell into step with me instead. A couple more magicians showed their faces, and so did a few magidrakees. The latter fled from my repel spell, and word had apparently reached the former, because they all took to their heels the moment I aimed my sword at them. We were both feeling the effects of our long march when we reached the bridge. I knew we would face stronger monsters on the other side, but the promise of a safe haven was enough to keep me going. Luck was with us, and we reached the cave without further incident. The cave was well hidden by both an overhanging rock formation and a large, thick stand of trees. Once we ducked into the entrance, the cavern opened up into a wide space that had a ceiling high enough for me to stand upright, but not much more. “Do you feel it?” Renelle asked with an angelic smile. I had no idea what she was talking about at first, but then it hit me. “It’s that sort of warm feeling I get when I cast the repel spell, except a lot stronger.” “This cave is protected by the magic of the goddess. The Dragonlord’s evil has not yet reached this sanctuary.” A quick look around, aided by my radiant spell, revealed a source of clean water, plenty of wood for fires, and a fire pit with a natural chimney that worked very well. Concerned about the smoke, I went outside and looked to see that the smoke emerged quite some distance away from the actual cave in an area where swirling winds diffused it almost instantly. “Think I’ll go without the armor tonight. Sleeping in a tin can isn’t the most restful thing in the world,” I said as I sat back from our evening meal. “We might take this opportunity to wash,” Renelle suggested, and I had little doubt it was a subtle hint. Walking around in an iron suit tends to leave the distinctive smell of sweat and rust on you. The pool of water actually seemed almost designed for a bath, except the thing was cave water, and thus cold enough to turn away even the most daring and desperate of souls. It was sheltered behind a rock outcropping, providing privacy, and the swift flow of the water ensured that the water would be clean seconds after anything dirtied it. There were even sconces on the wall to hold torches. I went first because Renelle wanted to pray at the shrine. The water was just as cold as I’d anticipated, but it felt good to get the sweat and muck of the road off me. I pulled on some clean clothes from my bag and returned to the main part of the cavern to see Renelle had finished her prayers and sat waiting with a bundle of clothing and a towel. “The torches should last long enough, but just give me a yell if you need another.” I sat down next to the fire and shivered. “That water is obscenely cold.” “I’m not looking forward to that, but I can’t endure the grime any longer,” Renelle said as she stood up to take her turn. “I’ll keep the fire nice and warm,” I said as she walked back to the sheltered alcove. I built the fire up a little, and then turned back toward the pool for a moment. What I saw when I did was more than a little hard to ignore. In the dancing light of the torches, I could see Renelle’s shadow cast upon the wall. She stood in profile, smoothing water out of her hair with her back slightly arched. The pose served to perfectly accentuate her breasts and bottom in the flickering light. Mr. Happy immediately recovered from his shriveled retreat prompted by the frigid bath. I admit that I stared at the shadow the whole time she was bathing. The image of her was unbelievably arousing, not just because of her incredible body, but because I wasn’t actually seeing her, but rather the hints of her offered by her shadow. I only turned away to stoke up the fire when I saw her dressing once more. “That was frightfully cold,” she admitted as she stood up on her tiptoes to hang the robe she’d worn so far on our journey on a jutting rock near the fire. My eyes locked of their own accord on her nipples, poking provocatively at the material of the much thinner dress she’d chosen to wear while her robe dried. I nearly had to slap myself in the head to look away before she turned around again. Even after a few minutes of sitting around the fire, she was still shivering. I walked over to our bedrolls and retrieved a blanket for her. I draped it over her shoulders with a combined sense of relief and disappointment. With them covered by the blanket, I didn’t have to fight to keep my eyes off her breasts, but it was hard not to want to look as well. Once she warmed up enough to appear comfortable, I suggested that we should probably bed down for the night. The way the rock of the cave floor flowed meant that there wasn’t really a great deal of flat space to bed down on, thus we had to put our bedrolls right next to each other, even closer than we were in the tent the night before. The fire did a good job of warming the rocks — a little more than I really thought was physically possible. I wasn’t about to argue, though. For some reason, even in the spacious cave, I could still smell her perfume just as well as I had in the confines of the tent. I soon fell asleep to dream of the dancing shadow of her bathing — and a continuation much different from what actually happened when she emerged from her bath. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I really didn’t want to get up when I awakened. I was warm, comfortable, and well rested. When I finally came around, I recognized a weight on my chest. I opened my eyes to find Renelle resting her head on me and smiling sweetly in her sleep. My hand was also on her taut bottom, and the feeling caused my morning erection to twitch almost painfully. Her eyes opened only seconds later, and we both started a little, saying, “Sorry,” at the exact same time. She chuckled and blushed before sitting up to stretch. I turned away from the sight of her firm breasts jutting out toward me and moved to stoke up the fire. Only a minute or so later, I got another good look at the glorious globes when she stood up on her tiptoes to pull down her now dry robe. I had to hide the bulge in my trousers for quite a while as we prepared to leave again. There was something ominous in the air almost as soon as we stepped outside the cave. I had the distinct feeling that the monsters had known where we were and weren’t amused that they couldn’t reach us during the night. I pulled my sword after only a few steps, and Renelle looked equally wary. Our caution proved well founded when we rounded the mountains a few minutes later. A dry scraping sound and the clacking of bony teeth accompanied the skeleton moving toward us from the desert in the distance. I brought my sword to the ready and moved to stand in front of Renelle, but she put a restraining hand on my shoulder. “This is my domain,” she said with sad determination. The look in her eyes gave me pause, so I stood beside her, ready to leap in front of her at any moment. Renelle just stood calmly as the monster broke into a run with its sword held overhead. Once the skeleton was within twenty feet or so, Renelle pulled an amulet from within her robe and whispered a prayer to Rubiss. The skeleton disintegrated in mid stride, its bones tumbling across the grass for a foot or two from the momentum before coming to rest. Renelle kissed her amulet and said, “You are free, poor soul.” A growl of frustration preceded the magician leaping out from behind a rock to move into range to attack us. This time, I did interpose my body between our attacker and Renelle, chanting another spell I hadn’t tried yet. It was a race between the magician and me to complete our chants, and I won. The magician completed his spell, but gave his outstretched hand a look of surprised betrayal when no fireball leapt forth from it. My stopspell had sealed his magic. The robed magic user skidded to a halt to stare at his now trembling hand. “This is the part where you defiantly scream you haven’t seen the last of me and run away with your tail between your legs,” I yelled at the magician before starting the chant to send a far more powerful hurtmore spell his way. He skipped the line, but took the cue. I let the fireball go anyway and gave him a little boost in speed when it slammed into his retreating behind. Several more skeletons attacked us as we trekked north, but Renelle dispatched each of them easily with her ability to send the undead to their rest. Just as we were about to leave the desert behind, we ran into what I’d half expected ever since we crossed the bridge — a scorpion. The thing skittered out of the scrub close to us, and so it was up on us before I had time to start a spell chant. “Renelle, stay back,” I warned her as I brought up my shield and sword. This is frikkin’ nuts, I thought as I swallowed hard and stared down the nightmare. The creature was about half the size of a man, and the stinger looked deadly enough. While there was no poison in the game, there were a lot of things in this world that didn’t match the game. I was in no mood to discover one of them right now. I discharged a fireball from my flame sword as soon as I was set, but the scorpion shrugged it off. It attacked with its tail first, and the blow striking my silver shield felt like a pro football player slamming into it. I barely managed to keep my footing and take an off-balance swipe at the monster. The next lightning strike of the monster’s tail deflected off my shield almost immediately. This time the tip slammed into my breastplate as well. My armor held, but it did nothing to improve my morale. The scorpion wasn’t giving me a moment’s rest, or I would have slapped it with a sleep spell. As the creature pulled back its tail for another strike, it lashed out with its claws. I felt like I was fighting three dangerous opponents at once, and I wasn’t liking it much. The scorpion managed to get a grip on one of my calves eventually while I was blocking another stab from its tail with my shield. My armor held, and I didn’t even feel pressure from the bite of the giant claw. The creature stubbornly held on, and that gave me the opportunity I was looking for. With a swift slash, I cut through the scorpion’s leg, and the claw promptly let go of me. The monster immediately let out a hiss and backed away, at which point I felt a breeze stir up. The scorpion wasn’t feeling a breeze; it was caught in a whirlwind. While the hero didn’t have the magic in this game, it existed in the world, and was used in DQ Two. Renelle’s infernos spell sent the monster spinning and flipped it over on its back. As soon as the wind died down, I jumped in from the side missing a claw and stabbed downward. The scorpion twitched for a few seconds, and then fell still. Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest I pulled out a cloth to wipe off my sword and turned back to Renelle. “Thanks. You certainly rocked him like a hurricane.” I chuckled at the joke, but the look on Renelle’s face reminded me that music references from my world were completely lost on her. “Uhm, local expression,” I said with a weak shrug. Renelle sighed and shook her head at the scorpion. “It is so sad that the normal animals have been corrupted by the Dragonlord’s magic now, too. Were it not for that evil influence, the scorpion would have never attacked, and certainly would have fled after its first strike against metal armor.” I finished cleaning my sword and said, “So let’s get you to Kol. The sooner you do what you need to do, the sooner Matusen can do what he needs to do, and then the scorpions can go back to skittering around the desert eating centipedes.” We set off again, and soon I could see the woods surrounding Kol. While that was a welcome sight indicating that our journey was nearly over, it also meant that we had to trudge through the dark heart of that forest to reach our goal. The next string of assaults hit us as soon as we neared the woods. The magicians had obviously decided that attacking us was too risky. Skeletons were a waste of time against Renelle’s powers. Somehow, they managed to whip the magidrakees into enough of a frenzy to attack us, though. The creature’s hurt spells were no more effective against my armor than those of the magicians’ were, though. They also proved no more brave in the face of my rapid fireball volleys than their non-magical cousins back in Brecconary. The trail was actually well worn and easy to travel, so we made good time. I barely had to break stride to ward off the monsters, which grew less willing to attack us with every fireball I sent their way. I was still quite relieved when we stepped into a clearing and saw the walls of Kol. A small group of soldiers approached from the town and escorted us in, which meant that the final leg of our trip was completely uneventful. We went directly to the inn, where I plunked down a hefty sum and asked for two rooms. “I’m sorry, Sir. We have only one room remaining,” the innkeeper said in distant tones as he stared wide-eyed at the quantity of gold I’d just placed on his counter. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath. “That will be fine,” Renelle said. I nodded to her and then turned back to the innkeep. “One room it is, then. Tell you what — find someone to wash our clothes for us, and you can just keep what’s there.” The innkeeper offered a beaming smile and told me that would prove no problem at all. Once in the room, I gratefully pulled off my armor and changed my clothes. I thought I caught a glimpse of Renelle peeking at one point, but assumed it was just my imagination. I certainly had a lot of trouble resisting the urge to peek at her when I turned my back while she changed. “I’m exhausted, but the baths are calling to me. I will rest far better if I am clean, and the baths here are warm,” Renelle declared as soon as she finished dressing. “I could do with a bath too,” I agreed as I kicked my discarded clothing a little farther away from me to illustrate the point. “Let us go then, before the attendants close the baths for the day,” Renelle said with a smile as she started toward the door. We made it in time, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the baths. Twin mineral water pools steamed invitingly, separated by a stone wall tall enough to prevent those in one pool from seeing into the other. I assumed this was for separation of the sexes, and Renelle confirmed it a moment later. I stripped off my clothes and walked over to put my toe in the water. It was almost too hot, but I knew it would feel perfect as soon as I adjusted. I heard the sound of Renelle sighing contentedly as she sank into the water on the women’s side of the baths. I imagined Renelle bathing on the other side of the pool for a moment or two, but the predictable reaction that had on me forced me to push the thoughts aside and concentrate on washing. I felt cleaner than I had since arriving in the DQ universe as I climbed out of the pool to dry off. I could still hear Renelle splashing and humming the tune that played while you were choosing your name in the game. I put down my towel and walked toward the cubicle where I’d stored my clothing just as a door between the two baths opened. The matronly bath attendant gasped and stammered out an apology as she backed through the door, but she didn’t make much effort to take her eyes off my exposed manhood. As she stepped back through the door to close it, I saw Renelle hanging on to the edge of the pool looking in my direction for just a second. I couldn’t see anything more than her shoulders, but I suspected that she got a far better look at me. I was a little red-faced as I dressed, and I’m sure it got worse when she emerged from her side of the bath a little while later. Thankfully, she either hadn’t seen me, or chose not to bring it up. We just spoke of how good it felt to be clean as we returned to the inn. I closed the door and locked it behind us once we reached our room. “As good as that bath looked, that bed looks even better,” I remarked. Renelle’s face filled with color and she immediately turned toward the bed. I dropped my magical bag on the floor and turned down the covers. We slipped into the bed at the same time, pulling the covers over us. Renelle turned toward me and said, “I’m afraid.” I turned toward her and asked, “Why?” “The goddess says I will face great danger in my quest.” “You’ve held your own well enough so far, and you won’t be alone.” “You’ll come with me?” She reached out to stroke my cheek and smiled. “Of course.” She just stared into my eyes for a while, and there was something burning behind those blue eyes. My eyes widened a little as she edged forward, parting her lips. Tingles shot all through me as her lips touched mine. Her hand was still on my cheek, and mine moved to hers as we kissed. When our lips parted, I said, “Is this a good idea? I don’t want to be responsible for putting you in disfavor with Rubiss — especially right now.” Renelle kissed me on one cheek, and then moved to the other as she answered, her voice husky with desire. “The goddess wishes for all to rejoice in the blessings of life. Will you share this blessing with me?” Not that I could have resisted her words alone, but her hand sliding down my chest until it settled between my legs sealed the deal. I kissed her again, struggling to moderate the hunger I felt, though her own desire was evident in the passion with which she returned the kiss. I moved from her lips to her neck, drawing a sharp gasp from her as I traced kisses down toward her shoulder. The speed with which she removed her gown once she pulled away from my lips led me to believe that she’d left strategic buttons undone to speed up the process. She wasn’t wearing panties beneath the dress either, which seemed to confirm that assumption. It made me wonder how long she’d been thinking about this as she tugged at my shirt. While I pulled it off, she tugged my pants down. As soon as I kicked off my pants, I rolled over to kiss her chest, working my way down to her perfect, teardrop breasts. She quivered as I kissed the upper swell of first one, and then the other of the firm globes. When I wrapped my lips around the pale pink tip of her right breast, she let out a shuddering moan and arched her back up toward me. As I suckled her nipples, she reached beneath my body to caress my erection, the soft touch of her hand causing me to throb powerfully. The smell of her perfume now mixed in the air with an even more enticing scent, the evidence of her arousal. The heady scent of her need filled my lungs and drew me toward its source. I released her nipple with a final kiss and kissed my way down her body. She let out little whimpers with each touch of my lips, followed by a surprised sounding gasp as I placed a final kiss just above the trimmed patch of curls above her sex. I looked up to see a touch of apprehension mixed with curiosity in her eyes. I kissed her once more and quietly asked, “Nobody has done this for you before?” She shook her head a little nervously in response. “If you want me to stop, I will.” I waited a second or two for her to protest, and then kissed the creases where her thighs met her hips as I scooted down on the bed. She let out another loud gasp as I put my hands on her knees to part her legs. I smoothed away the silky curls hiding her folds with my fingers, drinking in the sight and scent of her before slipping my tongue into her heat. “Oh! Ah!” She exclaimed in high-pitched delight as my tongue washed over her. “Do you like it?” I asked before wiggling my tongue between her labia to get a good taste of her juices. Her hips rose up toward me as she answered, “Oh yes,” in a long, drawn out moan. I let out a little moaning chuckle as I increased the questing pressure of my tongue, seeking more of her abundant wetness. Her breathing quickened with every lap, and her hips regularly rose up to meet my lips, seeking even more contact with me. I looked up into her eyes to find her watching me with aroused fascination, her lips slightly parted as she panted for breath and caressed her right breast. I steadily turned more attention to the swollen bud at the apex of her lips. Every touch of my tongue caused her to lurch and gasp beneath me. “Oh, please don’t stop,” she begged in a tight voice as her hips trembled and her juices washed over my tongue. I certainly had no intention of stopping. I was lapping her hungrily, eager to feel her come on my tongue. Renelle stiffened beneath me as she sucked in rapid, shallow breaths. Her thighs tightened around my head and I heard a long, high-pitched gasp as she took in a deep breath. A moment later, her legs clamped down on me even more tightly and she erupted into a scream of release. I drank up the creamy flow of her juices as she came, tickling her clit with my tongue every so often to keep her pleasure ebbing and flowing. When her legs at last released me from their viselike grip, I could hear that her breathing was labored. I gave her one final kiss on her hood and rose from between her legs. Renelle cupped her hand over her sex and continued to tremble as the aftershocks of her orgasm shot through her body. I stroked her thighs and bottom as she slowly came down from her peak. When she finally recovered and opened her eyes, the blue orbs locked directly on my cock, poised between her legs as I knelt there and continued to caress her. She smiled and let out a moan as she grabbed my wrists and tugged me toward her. I slipped into her warm embrace with a long, satisfied groan. Her velvety walls caressed my entire length as I sank into her depths. “You feel so good,” I groaned as I pulled back to thrust inside her again. “Oh — so do you,” she moaned in response as pushed my cock back into her wet heat. I rocked my hips slowly, reveling in the feeling of her wrapped around me so tight and the look of bliss on her face. One of her hands moved to her clit to circle over it in time with my thrusts. The other caressed her breasts as her head lolled back and forth on the pillow. The speed of her fingers on her clit increased at about the same time my impulse to do the same happened. My body wanted to thrust with wild abandon, and it took all my willpower not to do it. I still involuntarily increased the pace of my thrusts steadily as we both built toward release. Soon Renelle’s fingers were moving in a blur over her bud as her upper body writhed on the bed. I was up to a quick, steady rhythm, and knew I wasn’t going to last much longer. I could feel the itch that signaled I was going to come soon growing with every deep penetration. “Oh yes,” Renelle moaned, each word drawn out, and then she squealed as her orgasm took hold of her. I groaned as her walls clamped down tight around me and a fresh rush of hot wetness engulfed my thrusting cock. I lost all conscious control at that point, giving in to the needs of my body. Only a few thrusts later, I erupted inside her with a series of growls and gasps, filling her full of cum. Renelle moaned and whimpered as her pussy rhythmically contracted around my cock. I fell forward heavily to support my weight over her on my arms. I leaned in to kiss her whenever we could both catch our breath, and finally slipped free of her warm embrace with the greatest reluctance. I collapsed to the bed, exhausted, and Renelle promptly snuggled up against me. We fell asleep in each other’s arms, and the warm afterglow. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I awakened with a start, as if from a nightmare. I don’t know what woke me up, but whatever it was had also roused Renelle. “Something is wrong,” she whispered to me before throwing off the covers and reaching for her clothing. I couldn’t argue with her, because I felt it too. The air felt as though it was charged with black emotions. The feeling was so strong that I barely looked as Renelle pulled on her clothing — despite how good she looked doing it. I grabbed up my armor, having a feeling that I was going to need it. A sound outside prompted me to look out the window, which quickly confirmed our uneasiness. Dragons, stonemen, and starwyverns were emerging from the woods and rushing past town to the southwest. Renelle voiced my guess as she looked over my shoulder. “He has reached Charlock. The Dragonlord calls his most powerful servants to protect him.” “Dragons and stonemen here? That’s not right,” I said as I continued to strap on my armor. “They would have guarded something important,” Renelle agreed. “Like Rubiss.” Renelle nodded. “It’s time. I can hear the goddess calling.” As I strapped on my sword, I said, “Let’s not keep her waiting then.” Renelle walked over and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss me. “Thank you for last night. It was wonderful. I’ve been so caught up in my quest that I haven’t even thought about my own needs. I just couldn’t face this without having a good memory to carry me through.” I started feeling guilty then. “Renelle, about last night...” She put her finger over my lips and said, “Shh. I understand. I do believe I could love you, but somehow I know you won’t be able to stay. I don’t regret being with you.” Her lips twitched up into a mischievous grin as she continued. “I won’t regret having the opportunity again, either.” “Me either.” I lifted my shield and asked, “Ready?” Renelle nodded and took my hand to squeeze it for a moment before heading toward the door. I followed, screwing up my courage and constantly telling myself that I’d already seen the outcome of the game numerous times. The hero wins, and that meant we had to win too. It wasn’t completely convincing. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The trampled trail had led us straight to a cave entrance. Not so much as a squirrel had accosted us during the entire journey, which made me think that we were well overdo. “That has to be it,” I whispered. “Somehow I doubt that all the critters have run off to Charlock.” “I can hear her call so clearly. She is anxious.” “So am I,” I responded with a nervous chuckle. My fingers tightened on the hilt of my sword as we started forward. Renelle tensed just as the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Almost instantly, the red clay around the entrance of the cave sprouted skeletons. Renelle reached for her amulet to call on her power, but one of the skeletons was just too close. I blocked a sword strike on my shield, and retaliated with a swift slash of my own. Either I was getting better at this by the day, or I was really lucky. The monster’s skull burst with a hollow crack, and its bones tumbled to the ground. Renelle’s power sent the rest back to their graves a second later. The ground was littered with red colored bones, prompting me to imitate Red Skelton’s voice, “Good night and god bless.” Renelle glanced at me with a slight look of confusion. “It would take too long to explain,” I chuckled. We stepped into the cave and I lit it up with a radiant spell. I may as well not have bothered, because I could see a huge, brightly lit chamber at the end of the rocky passage. “She’s there,” Renelle whispered. “Not much point in trying to sneak in. Be ready.” We walked forward, and I let my radiant spell burn out as the light from the chamber ahead filled the passage. I gestured for Renelle to hang back a bit so I could walk in first. Predictably, I was on the receiving end of magic the moment I stepped into the chamber. Three sleep spells hit me simultaneously. I could feel my eyes getting heavy, but I fought it off with a growl. “Sorry, I’ve always had a problem with insomnia,” I said sarcastically as I took in the chamber. Three wizards flanked a tall, statuesque woman. She stood in front of a statue of Rubiss that glowed with pale blue light. “You will fail,” The woman announced and laughed. “Here you will die, and so shall the spawn of Erdrick.” She gestured to her wizards and commanded, “Destroy them.” I put my shield in front of me as the fireballs from the wizards’ hurtmore spells roared toward me. My shield and armor held, but I certainly did feel the heat. A little gasp of pain caused me to glance back at Renelle. I clenched my teeth tight when I saw her putting out a flaming spot on her robe, revealing red skin beneath. Every qualm I had about getting into a fight with humans in the form of the wizards evaporated in an instant. I aimed my sword and let out a battle cry, shooting fireballs at the wizards to keep them off balance. The wizards dodged, even though they probably could have withstood the minor power of my sword. Seeing that Renelle had ducked behind an outcropping, I charged the nearest wizard. The magic user sputtered out a spell, and I took the fireball almost full in the face. The magic of my armor protected me once again, although I certainly got a minor burn this time. The same was true of the other two fireballs. I raised my sword overhead and swung a powerful overhand stroke at the wizard — who promptly screamed and dropped to the floor before my sword could reach him. A swift kick of my armored boot between the wizard’s legs caused him to curl up into a ball with a squeal. With him out of the fight for the moment, I turned on another of the wizards. Both were in the midst of casting spells again, but I knew I had to trust my armor. Another fireball ripped into me from the woman in front of the statue. I shrugged it off and continued my charge. The look on the wizard’s face as he completed his spell revealed his surprise. His spell had fizzled out. As I noticed that, I realized what the sound I’d heard subconsciously was Renelle speaking the words of a stopspell. I feinted with my sword instead of following through with the attack I’d actually planned. When the wizard flinched, I smashed him in the face with my shield. He crumpled to the ground much like the skeletons outside had earlier. The last wizard hit me with a fireball, and the woman sent another flying into the passage where Renelle was hiding. With one wizard unconscious and another still cradling his family jewels, I turned on the last. He turned tail and ran. Now I had a real dilemma. I’d managed to avoid killing the wizards, but my morals were screaming at me even worse about attacking a woman. The fireball she hurled at me didn’t really dull that feeling much. Movement in my peripheral vision caused me to glance back toward the cave entrance. “Renelle! Get back!” Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest The tall woman turned toward my unprotected companion, and my scream as I charged didn’t distract her in the slightest. Renelle shouted, “The globe of darkness, Thakkor!” I noticed the sphere between the statue and my enemy just as Renelle mentioned it. I was still way too far away though, and the wizardess was completing her spell. I don’t think that I even thought about what I did next. One second I was charging, and the next my sword was tumbling end over end toward both enemy and sphere. The fireball leapt toward Renelle and I heard her cry out in pain. My sword seemed to move in slow motion. I continued to run toward the wizardess with my shield in front of me, watching the flight of my weapon. Time resumed its normal march as my sword’s hilt hit the sphere of darkness. A sound like shattering glass was rapidly swallowed up by a loud drum-like sound. A second later, the shockwave hit me and knocked me off my feet. As I picked myself up off the ground, I saw the sphere was shattered. The wizardess was lying on the ground a short distance from her previous position. Renelle lay on the ground, her robes smoldering. The wizardess levered up to a seated position and screamed, “No!” The blue light around the statue intensified. I barely noticed it, because I was rushing toward Renelle with the words of a healmore spell on my lips. What little movement she made spoke of pain. “Fear not,” a soft, serene voice announced. The sound emerged from the statue, but seemed to fill the entire chamber. “Leave this place, bride of the darkness. If you remain, you risk your own life, and that of the Dragonlord’s child.” The wizardess let out a scream of frustration, and then spoke the words of a spell. She vanished from the cave — on the wings of an outside spell I assume. I watched a sphere of blue light emerge from the statue as I knelt down next to Renelle. “You have done well,” the disembodied voice I’d heard earlier said. The blue orb then drifted quickly toward us. Renelle looked up at the light and whispered, “Goddess,” in a pained voice. She reached out toward it, and I started chanting the healmore spell, seeing the painful burns on Renelle’s arms. I never finished the spell, because the blue orb hovered over Renelle for a moment, and then slipped through her charred robes and into her body. Right in front of my eyes, all of Renelle’s wounds healed. Renelle sat up and said, “Thank you, Rubiss. She then turned toward me with a beatific smile and said, “We did it.” The two remaining wizards in the room vanished in flashes of light as Renelle first sat up, and then stood. Renelle suddenly tugged my arm and said, “Oh, come outside.” “Renelle, what...” I started to ask, a little surprised by the strength of her tug. I let her pull me down the passage at a jog that bordered on a run. Nothing seemed different when we emerged into the dull gray light of the world. I opened my mouth to speak, but Renelle cut me off by saying, “Watch,” in a soft voice. As I looked around, I thought I heard something. It sounded like someone playing a harp way off in the distance. The sound steadily grew louder, and then it happened. Light filtered down through the trees as though the sun had emerged from behind a cloud. All around us, the leaves of the trees and undergrowth took on the vibrant green I’d experienced in all the other DQ worlds. Flowers sprouted at our feet, leaving us standing in a clearing full of daisies. Honeysuckle twined up around trees, filling the air with the scent of flowers. Birds burst into song from every corner of the wood. “Evil has been vanquished,” Renelle declared with a laugh, and then turned to me to wrap her arms around me. When we parted from the hug, Renelle looked down and blushed. Though her wounds had healed, her robes were burned through in several places. Her right breast was completely exposed, and hints of her fair skin peeked through everywhere. I couldn’t help but look, and that prompted Renelle to grin. She then cocked her head as though listening to something. I asked, “What is it?” Renelle’s grin grew wider. “The goddess has asked a favor of me — of us.” “Okay,” I said with a shrug of my shoulders. “I don’t think you’ll mind,” Renelle said. She then reached out and put one small finger on the center of my armored chest. I started as every clasp on my armor instantly opened, dropping a rain of plates down into the daisies. Somehow, not a single one fell on my foot, which was now bare. My boots were sitting off to one side, having come off my feet without me even noticing. Renelle pulled me back into her arms, kissing me passionately as she reached down to caress my rapidly swelling cock through my pants. I returned the kiss with equal strength, and she let out a long moan when our lips parted. “Right here in the open?” I asked as Renelle stripped off her robe. She nodded as her robe fell to the ground. “To rejoice in the return of light, life, and beauty to the world.” “You’re certainly beautiful,” I said with a grin as she stepped out of her robe toward me. Renelle wasted no time in pulling off my shirt and pants. When she kissed me again, she wrapped her soft hand around my manhood and stroked it. As we kissed, our tongues exploring each other, I had the curious sensation that some sort of magic was searching my memory. There’s another spell I don’t know, I thought, to which I swear I heard a quiet mental chuckle. Renelle suckled my bottom lip as we broke from the kiss, and then moved lower to kiss my chest. I couldn’t resist a gasp of anticipation as she continued to move lower, dropping slowly to her knees as she went. She knelt down in the daisies at my feet, giving me a seductive smile and stroking her hands over my legs. With a lick of her lips, she leaned in and tickled my balls with the tip of her tongue. I groaned and stroked her hair, amazed that a woman who’d never had anyone go down on her before was doing it for me — and doing it very well. She seemed to know exactly how I liked it, just a light touch. I was throbbing and dripping pre-cum as she lapped me until every inch of my family jewels were damp with her saliva. With a final flick of her tongue and a little moan, she moved up to trace her tongue along the vein of my cock. She kissed the tip when she reached it, once again looking up into my eyes with that sultry grin that only made me throb all the harder. Her lips parted a second later and slipped around my cock. “God that feels good, Renelle,” I groaned. Renelle answered with a little moan as she engulfed me even deeper in her hot mouth. If she’d never done this before, she was more than a natural. Between her concave cheeks and her talented tongue, she was giving me the best blowjob I’d ever had in my life. She took me deep, and at just the right speed. It wasn’t long before I felt the tingling itch that preceded an explosion. “I’m about to come,” I gasped to her in warning, not wanting to surprise her with an unwelcome blast. Once again, her only audible answer was a moan. Physically, she responded by sucking me harder and faster. I was well past the point of no-return even before that, though. With a loud, gasping groan, I came hard in her mouth. Renelle’s eyes opened wide with surprise, but she kept her lips locked tight around me. She slowly sucked me as I spurted twice more, my knees going weak as I breathed hard and tried to keep my balance. She released me with a pair of kisses on my still swollen glans, and then licked her lips as she put her hands behind her. I dropped to my knees as Renelle lay back in the flowers, an answer to both the parting her legs in invitation and my own weak knees. There could be little doubt that she wanted me to return the favor, and I certainly had no qualms about doing so. Any worries about someone walking up on us were long gone at this point. I leaned forward over her to curl my tongue around her right nipple. She let out a squeal of delight, followed by a long, drawn out moan. I sucked on first one, and then the other pink tip for a few seconds each, and then she gently pushed me downward. “Do it for me,” she said in a breathy whisper. I released her nipple from my lips with a pop and smiled at her, more than willing to comply. Her breasts rose and fell with her quickening breath as I sat back up over my knees and scooted backward. I lowered my lips to her folds, the scent of her arousal mingling with the fragrance of the flowers. I tilted my head to the side and pressed my tongue in deep for a full taste of her nectar. “Oh!” Renelle gasped as my tongue slipped into her warm canal, sounding almost as if she was experiencing this for the first time again. Her juices were flowing freely, giving me a good taste of her. I wiggled my head back and forth, drawing another exclamation of delight from her. Her scent and taste was intoxicating, causing me to lap her enthusiastically. I suckled her labia and flicked my tongue over every inch of her, steadily increasing the amount of time I spent on her swollen clit. Her sounds of pleasure grew louder by the second, and she twitched beneath me as I pushed her ever closer to orgasm. “Oh, there — don’t stop,” She begged as I circled her bud with my tongue. She pulled me to her with her hands, even as her hips rose upward to press her sex against my lips. With a moan, I sucked her clit between my lips and rolled it with my tongue. She cried out with rising volume every second, her pitch growing higher as she stiffened beneath me. At last, she let out a squeal and pulled me hard against her pussy. Her thighs clamped down around my ears and a fresh flood of juices washed over my tongue. I slowed down a little, but kept her coming for as long as she could endure it. Finally, she pushed me away with a gasp to moan and cradle my face in her hands. I licked my lips, but that didn’t do anything about the thick coating of her juices dripping off my chin. She quivered and gasped, her labia twitching as aftershocks raced through her body. Once she caught her breath, she sat up and kissed me hungrily, tasting her own juices on my lips. Then, she continued to lean forward, silently instructing me to lie down on my back. I was just about to tell her that it was going to be a few minutes before I could get hard again, but I felt a tingle run all through my body. I knew the sensation quite well, and wondered how she’d managed to cast the spell while her tongue was wrangling with mine. Regardless of how it happened, I was almost completely hard again by the time I sank into the daisies. Renelle straddled my hips and shivered from a final tingle from her orgasm washed over her. She reached between our bodies to lift my once again hard cock, letting the tip rest against her moist folds. “I’ve always wanted to experience this gift,” she sighed. Her words confused me, but I forgot all about it almost as fast as the question entered my mind when she sank down on me. I let out a sharp gasp as her bottom came to rest on my legs, completely enfolding me in her wet heat. Renelle sat straight up over my erection with a moan and wiggled her hips, stirring my cock inside her. She cupped her breasts as her hips continued to circle over me, and teased her nipples with her fingertips. I groaned and smiled at her, reaching out to curl my fingers around her bottom. “You look so sexy, and you feel so good.” She answered with a little purring moan and leaned over me. “So full,” she sighed, and then rocked her hips forward. Her hot canal caressed me as she rocked in a gentle wave on my cock. Though she moved only an inch or so with every stroke, the tight squeeze seemed to stimulate every inch of me. Her firm breasts swung in front of me, the erect nipples seemingly begging for me to take them in my mouth. I managed to get a couple of quick licks in, but Renelle started rocking faster, causing her breasts to swing too much to keep up with. Between her rapid breathing and the increasing volume of her moans and gasps, I knew she must have been getting close. I wasn’t even close to that point yet, and I didn’t care. The pleasure in her face was incredible. I let my hands slide to her hips as she sat up straighter, now bouncing over my cock. Her head lashed back and forth as her pleasure mounted. “Ah,” Renelle gasped in a high-pitched voice, and then dropped down hard over my hips. She threw her head back and cried out to the sky above, now filled with clouds colored in rosy hues by the setting sun. Her head snapped back forward in a flash of blonde hair as she trembled above me. Every pulse of orgasmic energy flowing through her caused her to squeeze me even tighter. I lay there drinking in the sight of her flushed skin and the ecstasy in her face until she finally leaned forward to lie down on my chest to catch her breath. “You look incredible when you come,” I whispered in her ear. Renelle moaned and snuggled up against me, her walls contracting around me one last time. Her breathing had regulated by this time, and she turned to look up into my eyes. “So do you. Take me,” she said in a breathless, lusty whisper. I didn’t need any more encouragement than that. I wrapped my arms around her and propped one leg under me, rolling us both over in the flowers. I slipped free of her as we changed positions, but not for long. She pulled her knees out wide and up toward her chest almost as soon as her back touched the ground. I groaned as much from the sight of the anticipation in her face as the feeling of slipping into her hot depths. Her right hand went between her legs to trace circles over her clit almost as soon as I fully pressed inside her. “Faster,” she begged even as I thrust back into her a second time. Her fingers matched her request, moving with greater speed over her swollen bud. She wanted me to come, but she wanted to come with me. Considering how deeply aroused she appeared, I imagined that it would probably happen. Renelle leaned up to watch my slick shaft sliding inside her at an ever-increasing rate. I glanced down on occasion to watch her lips clinging to me, as if trying to keep me buried inside her, but the ecstasy in her face and her bouncing breasts drew my eyes far more. I could already see the rosy flush I’d noticed as she got closer to coming spreading across her chest and filling her cheeks. That only spurred me on to greater efforts, and she matched them by moving her fingers so fast that they blurred over her clit. “Oh, I’m almost there,” Renelle moaned. “Me too. Come for me,” I grunted back to her as I tried to hold back the pressure of my own climax, which wasn’t easy. “Oh! Oh Yes!” She cried as her back arched and she squeezed me tight in orgasm. That’s all it took. With a loud, growling scream, I thrust hard inside her to the hilt and exploded. That’s the only word that applies to what I felt. It was like every ounce of my energy pulsed from me into her with the powerful jets of semen that coated her walls. I could barely catch my breath, and I couldn’t hold up my head. It twitched upward with each spurt of my cum, but that was all. Only my grip on her thighs and her left knee against my chest kept me upright. When I opened my eyes, I thought I caught a glimpse of something strange. At that moment, I attributed it to lack of blood in my brain. For just a fraction of a second, she looked different — almost as if another person was superimposed over her. I could have sworn I saw pointed ears, smaller, perkier breasts, and a slightly alien — but still extremely beautiful — cast to her features. As her orgasm wound down, she reached up toward my face with both hands. I wearily fell onto my hands and kissed her, my softening member slipping free of her clinging depths as I did so. Once our lips parted, I lay down with a thud in the flowers. I felt as though I couldn’t lift a finger, let alone get up. Renelle snuggled up next to me and we lay there sharing our warmth and our feelings in the light of a perfect sunset. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> We awakened after a brief nap to discover night was falling. I couldn’t help but smile at the moon in the sky with just hints of the brightest stars already emerging. Renelle snuggled up against me with a satisfied sigh. “I wish this could last forever.” “I could live with that.” “I have to go soon, though. The goddess must resume her place.” I kissed her head and said, “I know. I have a feeling I’m probably going to have to leave soon too.” “It’s not terribly fair, is it?” “Not really, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Renelle caressed my chest and responded, “Neither would I.” She then tilted her head as if listening to someone else, as she had done before. She nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, my eyes popped wide open as well. Renelle’s eyes were blue, but the eyes staring back at me then were a bright, vibrant green. “Do not be alarmed. I simply wished to speak with you a moment before we must go.” It was the same serene voice I’d heard inside the cave, and I knew who it was. “Long ago, I gave this gift to those who worship me, knowing the joy it would give them. Now, you have given me the gift of knowing that joy through Renelle. Even as she felt, I felt. It is truly a most blessed thing to know. I thank you, man from another world.” “You know?” I asked. She nodded, “I looked into your mind to discover what you knew of this blessing. It was most intriguing. Renelle will remember those things, as she will remember you. I will ensure she feels no undue pain from your memory, only joy.” “Wish you could do the same for me,” I said with a sigh, realizing that I felt a little more for Renelle than simple lust. Renelle... Rubiss... I suppose it was really both of them. A crooked grin crossed her face and she said, “It will not be my doing, but I believe you will know joy in her memory as well. Do not judge that old man too harshly. He has everyone’s best interests at heart.” “The old man?” She shivered. “Mmm. This blessing lingers. I may ask Renelle to share it with me again. You will learn in time. Now, we must go. You too will leave on a journey very soon.” “I’ll have to find the energy to get up first.” I’d no more than spoken the words before I felt strength flooding through me. She winked at me and smiled. “Now, we must go before the temptation to take advantage of your renewed strength overwhelms me. The world needs my power to complete the healing that has already begun.” I opened my mouth to respond, but there weren’t really any words. She nodded and closed her eyes. When they opened again, Renelle’s blue eyes looked back at me. “Thank you, Thakkor — for everything.” “You’re welcome, and thank you, too.” She placed her hand on my cheek and said, “Goodbye.” A single tear crept down the side of her face. It shone brightly in the deepening darkness, and then that glow spread, encompassing her entire body. A few moments later, I couldn’t feel her next to me any longer as she faded from sight. I got up and pulled my clothes on. When I picked up the first of the armored plates, I shrugged and slipped it into my magical bag instead. There wouldn’t be any danger from monsters, at least this night. My sword and shield soon followed. “Now what?” I muttered as I looked around. “I’d go straight to the nearest bar to brag about how I’d just tapped a goddess and made her scream like a banshee, but that’s just me.” I looked over my shoulder to find the old knobby-kneed man sitting behind me on a stump. I turned on my heel and took a couple of steps toward him. “No matter what Rubiss said, I’m not terribly fond of you.” Virtual Reality: Dragon Quest “Ah, don’t be such a stick in the mud. You just nailed a goddess and helped save the world. All in all, a pretty good day, I should say.” “Let’s just get to the song and dance number,” I said with a shake of my head. I was already missing Renelle’s presence, and my mood was souring by the second. “Everything happens for a reason,” the old man said in an uncharacteristically optimistic tone. He then slapped his knee and almost immediately whirled into a cartwheel to stop right in front of me. “I’m not in the mood for a song tonight. Look in your bag.” I opened the drawstring and saw something sitting right on top of the bag. As I’d expected, it was a wing of the wyvern. I pulled it out to look for the maker’s mark, wondering where I was off to next. To my surprise, it had the stylized E logo of Enix on it. I held it up and looked at it curiously for just a second. As I did so, the codger who had followed me thorough all the worlds said, “For old time’s sake. Have a nice trip!” Then he swept my feet out from under me. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I rubbed my head and opened my eyes with a groan. When I looked around, I realized I was in the floor at the foot of my found-along-the-side-of-the-road Lay-Z boy recliner. My half-assed repair job had broken down again, and the back had laid out flat, dumping me in the floor. On the television, the hero of DQ Four stood in the field, his theme playing as it had for hours, according to the clock. “I’m home,” I muttered in surprise. I shook my head then and thought, I’ve been home. Man, what a dream. I remember every moment of it. Has to be a frikkin’ world record for a dream or something. I’ve only been out for five hours or so. I shut down the NES, not really caring about what little progress I’d lose since my last save. Renelle’s face kept flashing in front of my eyes, and it was depressing. Figures — my dreams are just as disappointing as my life. I reached for my Dr. Pepper next to the chair, only to find it empty. “Bloody wonderful,” I grumbled. It was my last 2-liter, which meant I had to go out and get more. I snatched up my keys and headed out for the convenience store, the only thing that would be open in the wee hours of the morning. Docs tucked under my arm, I walked out of the store under the baleful stare of Wicked Winnie of the north-end Pantry, who wasn’t terribly amused that I’d walked across her freshly mopped floor to make my purchase. Wasn’t my fault that she’d mopped right in front of the rack I had to go to. I’d parked around the side because the tanker truck was on the small lot filling the gas tanks, and I almost walked right into someone as I turned the corner. I dropped my 2-liters in the process of trying to avoid the collision, but my irritation vanished almost immediately when I saw whom I’d almost run into. She said, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Let me help you.” I knelt down almost without thought to pick up my bottles even as she did the same. When we each reached for the same bottle and our hands touched, our eyes locked. That close and looking into her blue eyes, there could be little doubt that she may as well have been Renelle’s twin. She laughed and reached for the other bottle as I picked up the one I was touching. Her cheeks also turned a little red. She handed me the other bottle and said, “Sorry again. My name’s Tina.” “Lee,” I said as I stood up. I know I must have looked like an idiot staring at her with a mixture of longing and loss. She scooped up something else just before she stood and held it out to me. “Is this yours?” My eyes widened as she held out the little golden wing on a chain, emblazoned with the Enix E. “Yeah, it’s mine. Thanks.” The experiences in the DQ worlds rushed back over me, and I did something I never would have done before that strange dream journey, which I now knew hadn’t been a dream after all. “Would you like to go out some time?” Her blush this time was unmistakable. “I’d like that.” @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The old man stared into his crystal ball and said, “Done!” He then waved his hand over the crystal ball and the scene within switched. Now, within the crystal, a Japanese man frantically wrote down the ideas that had just come to him in a dream. The old man leaned in close to the crystal ball and examined what he was writing. “And, Done! Not exactly what I had in mind, but that will do. Number seven is as good as in the can now, eh Yuji?” The old man waved his hand over the crystal ball again and the device vanished. He clapped his hands together as if to dust them off and said, “I love it when a plan comes together.” With that, he transformed. Master Dragon sailed off skyward toward his castle in the heavens. @===||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hope you've enjoyed the journey through the DQ worlds as much as I have. Your vote and/or comment would be much appreciated, and you can always add me to your favorites, if you'd like ~_^ Apologies for the long wait between stories in this series, and thanks to flutterbug for the great chain idea. I know I deviated a little from the intended formula, but hell, it was fun! May the light shine upon thee.