3 comments/ 9215 views/ 19 favorites The Afflicted Ch. 19 By: ShyChiWriter Votes and comments are always appreciated. Also, please do add the story or me to your favorites list if you are so inclined. Also, do check out my other stories here on Literotica. Thanks, as always, for reading. * * * * They dressed in the governor's chamber. They had been given a new set of clothing just for the occasion. Florian showed up in person to be sure the silky attire he had created fit perfectly. He finished fitting the four women and stood back to admire the women. He had dressed them in layers. As he put it, a good evening ensemble was like a nesting doll, though not as bulky; you wanted to open it and see the next surprise within. He specifically examined Frederique and Abby and shook his head in wonder again. "You know," he said. "I use perhaps a third of the support in your garments that I do with other women. Your breasts defy logic, age, and gravity in ways a dressmaker could only dream of. I'm already making a fortune from the orders that are rolling in after your audience last week. The difficult part is explaining to my buxom customers that no corset or one of these new-fangled brassieres can replicate what the gods have granted to the ladies of the Seven. Thank you, though, for making me a rich man. Call on me any time, day or night. I hope to have the honor of dressing you beauties for centuries." "It is our honor to wear your creations," said Frederique. "When you say centuries, do you mean..." "Yes," said Florian. "I've been approved. I think it was what you wore at the audience that assured it. Now, if I can only find the right man. I've a particular fondness for Russians." "We'll keep our eye out," said Frederique with a wink. The men were dressed simply. Silk trousers, medium length long silk robes to go over it, and nothing else. "I like the way those pajamas fit you," said Aimée of Martin. Why she liked it was clearly evident. "Yes, well... I," Martin stammered, his cheeks three shades of red. "Sweet Martin," she said, kissing him tenderly while cupping his growing friend through the silk. "I love that you still get embarrassed. I hope you never lose that." "If you keep doing that," he protested, "I'll have even more reason to be embarrassed." "Perhaps I could relieve you now," she said in a sultry tone. "Not yet," said Frederique. "You've never been to a liaisongangen. Trust me, he'll get plenty of relief - and if I know anything about these events - our dear Martin will have shed any modesty he ever possessed within a few hours." In a flash, they were standing at the entrance of the great mansion that now belonged to Palo and Seiko. Frederique's words proved apt when the door opened and they were greeted by Jackie, in her usual garb, or lack of it. "You're here!" she shrieked. She hugged Abby and Aimée fiercely, kissed Frederique on the cheek, and introduced herself to Glennis warmly. The next thing they knew, she was leaping into the arms of Jacob, whom she had partnered with many times in the dorms. Her kiss was a passionate, loving greeting. Rushing into the scene, Hannah appeared and threw herself into Claude's arms. Hannah had been Claude's first partner in the dorms. Martin was a bit surprised. He looked at his mates with concern, but they simply smiled at the interchange. Like Palo had done, Martin was still learning the different levels of morality among the Afflicted. Among such a sexual race, a deep kiss could be the equivalent of a warm hug among mortals. Even a sexual union could simply be product of necessity or convenience, or even whim. So long as a mate's heart stayed true, jealousy was far less prevalent. That wasn't to say that mates didn't stay monogamous for months, years, or lifetimes. It was simply that the strong drives and long life of the Afflicted created a new paradigm of faithfulness. "Jacob, I've been hearing rumors," Jackie purred. "Tell me, are they true? Is 'little Jacob' really adjustable?" "Well..." he said, trying to deflect the question. "It is true, isn't it?" she squealed, looking to Aimée for confirmation. Aimée nodded with a wry grin. "Oh my god!" said Jackie. "You have to show me later. Promise you will!" "I suppose we could," said Abby. "You suppose," said Jackie. "I'll remind you that I covered for you in the dorms. I knew you two were popping in and out and I never said a word. You owe me." "Alright then," said Abby. "Wonderful," said Jackie. "I have greeting duty for the next hour. I'll find you later, maybe in the gym." They agreed and started into the party. Any prudishness left over from Martin's mortal days would indeed be mostly shaken away that evening. The celebrations in Dougga had been licentious, no doubt, but sexual activities had been kept mostly to private spaces. The mansion, it seemed, was a place where no holds were barred. In the first hallway, there were at least three couples fucking in chairs or on the floor, and two more floating above them, bumping off walls now and again, oblivious to anything but each other. Each bedroom was full, the kitchen was well used, and even the safe room had been opened for business. First, they did a tour of the home, greeting friends and kissing many necks - often the neck of a woman riding a man, or two necks where a woman was being taken from behind. There were, of course, couples not engaged in amorous activities, but not that many. Frederique was overjoyed to see many old friends whom she had missed in Dougga, but she was also relieved to be one of seven now. Before, she had been the main celebrity. Now, she was one of a group and it made her more normal in a way. "I feel overdressed," she said, after they passed through a parlor where three couples were enjoying one another. They all agreed. It wasn't just being overdressed, but so much passion had certainly begun affecting them, and that coupled with the heat caused them to need some relief from their clothing. The women removed their loose gowns and the men were soon shirtless and wearing only their pajama pants. This new state of undress only increased the number of stares aimed their way. They were wandering toward the gym when they happened upon Bullet and Brolly, who were coupling in a corridor. Bullet's muscular frame was pushed up against the wall while Brolly took her from behind. "Oh, hello luvs!" cried Brolly. "So good to see you." "Brolly," said Aimée. "Are you and Bullet...?" "No," said Bullet unequivocally. "Just settling a wager is all." "See you soon," said Brolly. He began his thrusting again. Bullet rested her cheek against the cool marble of the wall and gave in to Brolly's assault. Her face, however, bore a placid, almost bored look. "Damn!" muttered Abby as they walked away. "What's wrong?" asked Glennis. "I'll tell you later - but the whole thing is a shame." Just then, Seiko emerged from an intersecting corridor and smiled lovingly upon seeing them. "I've been looking for you," she said. "I'd heard you were here!" She was nearest to Jacob and gave him a loving hug which transitioned into a tender kiss. "Hello my stallion," she said, smiling. "I still believe your marvelous seed is the reason I am here. To think, I was this close to surrendering to despair. One night with you, and now look at me: a new mate, a new life. I will be forever grateful." She turned to Frederique and hugged her firmly, caressing the taller woman's face. "I must thank you again for how gracious you've been with Palo." "No," insisted Frederique. "I must thank you. I could only hope that my former mate would find such a woman. Where is he, by the way?" "He's around," said Seiko. "Since we are the hosts, we've barely seen each other, but you'll see him at the sharing." "There is to be a sharing?" exclaimed Frederique. "How wonderful!" "What's a sharing?" asked Glennis. "Is it where you share each other's partners?" "That goes without saying," said Seiko in a droll tone. "No, a sharing is sometimes a part of a liaisongangen where people share the gifts they've acquired from their new mates. It's a chance to show off, of course, but it is going to be so fun. By the way, I saw Galen and he is in the library. He wishes to speak to you when you get the chance." "We'll go there right away," said Frederique. As they walked toward the library, Aimée considered what was to come. "Sharing," she said. "What special skills might we share?" "I think if we put our seven heads together, we can come up with something," said Frederique. They arrived at the library and opened the door. Within were Galen, Colette, and Glennis's three parents. Though Galen and his mate were fully nude, the Elders were still robed in their usual elegant attire. "My goodness, you're here," said Glennis. "I wouldn't have expected that." The three Elders rose. "I am Sheireh," said the slightly taller woman, introducing herself to the group. "I am Glennis's egg mother." "I am Monshellen," said the other woman. "I was her birth mother." The three, while not necessarily embarrassed, possessed what could only be described as 'tolerance' for the blatant nudity and the activities happening just beyond the door to the library. "We were duty-bound to come," said Loenshellen. "When news of this event circulated, members of the Council strongly suggested we should attend. They said it was the closest thing to a wedding reception among your kind. Though our relationship is unusual, you are our daughter and agreed that it was important that we be here." "I see," said Glennis calmly. "I'm sorry to put you through such an ordeal: to be forced to mingle with the naked heathens." "Gently daughter," said Sheireh. "You judge us too harshly. We have long separated ourselves from the base passions of humanity, but that doesn't mean we look down upon you." "We simply have other priorities," said Monshellen. "While the Afflicted spend so much time in carnal pursuits, we prefer to dedicate that energy toward more intellectual endeavors." Glennis seemed ready to offer a retort, but Abby sent a thought to Glennis that she should let the matter rest. "Seiko said you wished to speak to us," said Frederique to Galen. "Yes, I did," said Galen. "I was wondering what you might be doing for the sharing." "Oh, we have a few ideas," said Frederique. "Will you be coming?" "Of course!" said Galen. "Seeing all the new pairings, all the new gifts. I wouldn't miss it." "Good," said Frederique. "What else?" "I received your note," said Galen to Frederique. "What note?" asked Abby. "It was to discuss a breeding chart," said Galen. "A breeding chart?" said Aimée. "Mother, what are we, horses?" "No, said Frederique, patiently. What we are is Seven. Seven people who cannot produce offspring with anyone else on the planet. Three of us are related. Problems can occur, just ask the Hapsburgs, and they were only close cousins. It is essential that we breed outward from this group, so that when we do begin to have children, we plan accordingly." "Were you planning on having children soon, Frederique?" asked Glennis. "Not necessarily," said Frederique, though she was blushing a bit. "We have all the time we need. I wasn't not planning on having children either. I simply want to be prepared." "A wise choice," said Galen. "However, I don't think it is something you need to worry about - ever." "What do you mean?" asked Frederique. "First of all," explained Galen. "You are new. I keep using that word, but I need you to understand the full meaning. Your very genetic code has been rewritten. Yes, you Claude and Aimée share similar pieces - similar building blocks - but by becoming a new race, much of the slate was wiped clean. Further, as I pointed out, your bodies are damned smart. I am fairly certain your systems would not allow for a flawed child to develop. Just - don't - worry. This is Galen talking, trust me." "Really?" said Frederique, incredulous. "Really," said Galen. "Just, have babies when you wish. We'll revisit this say, in a century or two. When we start talking about grandchildren, we'll see how things are going." A knock came at the door; Jackie poked her head in. "The sharing is about to begin," she said. "Don't' be late." "And that's our cue," said Galen. "My advice: don't worry about breeding charts. Blessings on you all." They arrived at the gym and Jackie was there standing guard, supervising the queue of people waiting to get in. "No clothes," she said. "No clothes in the gym, especially not for the sharing." "Damn," said Jacob. "I was looking forward to taking more time opening up these nesting dolls. Oh well, another time." The Elders, surprisingly, agreed to adhere to the rules of the gathering and disrobed with great formality. The gym quieted as the Seven walked in. They were among a truly beautiful race, and they still stood out. It helped that they were flanked by three Elders as well, who shone with their own rare beauty. The conversation began to pick up again and they walked around, looking for a good vantage point to watch the evening's festivities. They looked at tall cylindrical tank in the center of the room and both Abby and Claude shouted out at the same time. "It's Sean!" shouted Abby. "Jessamine!" shouted Claude. In the tank, two figures were swimming with each other. Jessamine saw them first, shot up through the tube rapidly, and started to climb down the tall ladder. "I'll get her," said Claude. He reached out with his gift and Jessamine smiled upon feeling herself become weightless. Sean soon followed and Frederique reached out to help the Irishman down. "How's that for an entrance?" said Jessamine when her feet touched the ground. She was lovelier than ever. The streaming water running from her hair and down her body enhanced her beauty even more. "Towel?" asked Aimée. "No need." With a tiny flick of her wrist, the water flew off of her body, as well as Sean's, and evaporated into the ether. It seemed obvious from the look on her face that Jessamine was anxious to properly greet the boys, but she wasn't sure how to proceed. Abby helped pave the way. The lovely redhead jumped into Sean's arms and kissed him intensely. Pulling back from the kiss, she held his face in her hands and peered at him intently. "My, you are handsome," she said. "You always felt handsome, but to see you. Amazing. Jessamine, you have a fine mate." "Thank you," she said. "You're mated?" said Frederique to Jessamine. "How wonderful!" Hugs of congratulation were offered around. Jessamine exchanged deep kisses with Jacob and Claude. These embraces were tinged with multi-hued overtones. They had, after all, been within less than a day of mating. Sean and Jessamine had found each other when Jessamine had slipped into the city water system to escape Hypatia. The two of them had helped each other. Being able to breathe below the water, they had taken refuge in the pumping station near the Hudson River. They had surfaced now and again to look for the resistance, but had remained cautious. One thing had led to the other, and they had taken each other as mates. They were perfectly suited for each other and were planning a home with rooms above and below the surface of the water on an island off the Virgin Islands. Just as they had finished telling their story, the companions felt a surge of emotion in Frederique's heart. Palo was approaching. This was the first time he and Frederique had seen each other since they had taken other mates. The fact that they were both naked didn't necessarily help the situation. Frederique felt a million emotions stirring in her system. Less than a month before, he had been her mate. She could not simply wash away the love and the passion, and the countless times she had made love to his Adonis-like body. He couldn't necessarily suppress his emotions either. He had been mated to the greatest woman the Afflicted had ever known and now she wasn't even attainable, she had moved onto an entire other race which also included his children. "Palo," she said quietly. "My Queen," he whispered back. She pulled him to her, hugging his muscular body to hers. When they broke the embrace, both of them had tears flowing down their faces. "Are you sad?" he asked. "No," she said, though her voice was shaky. "I can't describe it. I'm so happy, so very happy. You are too, yes?" "Every day with Seiko is a delight," he said. "I think what you and I are feeling is just the shock of it. We had Morocco, we had the children, all of it was so lovely. Now, we have this. I can't help but wonder; who was that man? Who was that couple?" "True," she said. "But look what we do have. Look at our amazing children." "They are amazing, aren't they?" said Palo. He turned to his son and daughter and took them in, in all of their beauty and radiance. "There has never been a father more proud," he said. He hugged Aimée to him fiercely. It wasn't until halfway through the hug that Aimée realized she was hugging her father - naked. It made no difference. Her time in the dorms had pushed the last of her inhibitions aside. He was still her father, and his strong arms enfolding her felt so comforting. Palo hugged Claude next and then turned to the others. "I offer you my congratulations," he said formally. "I doubt if there has ever been a father whose children were 'married' and he gained three daughters and two son-in-laws from the union, as well as one of his daughter-in-laws being his former mate. However, I think it is an amazing predicament to be in. I look forward to getting to know all of you better in the future." He took special notice of Martin. "Especially you, young man. If you are amenable, I would love to start lessons with you when it is convenient. It seems we share a similar gift." "I would be honored sir," said Martin. "More later," said Palo. They were interrupted by the approach of Cora, the stunning courtesan from Arnet's reign. She bore a humble look on her face. Cora was now alone. Her system had been cleansed of the stain of Arnet and the mortals she had taken to mate had been deemed unsuitable so they had also had their bodies purged of her Afflicted cells and had their memories wiped. "Great lady," she said, approaching Frederique. "I fear I did you great wrong when I was with Arnet and I wish to offer you my apologies and my eternal promise of loyalty." "Can I trust her?" asked Frederique of Abby in their minds. "I think you can," replied Abby. "She has been educated in the ways of the Afflicted and has taken the lessons to heart. She is aware of the chance she has been given. Yes, she can be trusted." This mental exchange happened very quickly, fast enough for Frederique to reply to Cora without pause. "War is an ugly thing, Cora," said Frederique. "And Arnet made it all the more unpleasant. I am pleased to have you among our kind. Well, to be accurate, to have you among the Afflicted." "I thank you, Great Lady. I offer my greetings to the rest of the Seven as well." Brolly suddenly appeared on a large raised cushion that was unoccupied. "Attention please, attention! Come to order, you naked savage bloodsuckers, oh, and you others as well." He said it with a grin on his face. No one could help but smile at the jocular Englishman's style. He rang a bell once more and people began to settle (and stop fucking in many cases). The Afflicted Ch. 19 "There has been a great number of pairings recently," he said. "I'm afraid you must interrupt the activities for a bit. You see, tonight, is a sharing. When one takes a mate, they often gain new, extended, or complementary gifts. Newly turned mortals, of which I understand there to be a few, discover their first gifts. Tonight, we'd like to see what you got. And, we get to see your private bits as well. I am the emcee and the judge." "Judge? Is there are prize?" called out Oppo, who was seated in one of the high 'nests' with Resi. "There is!" said Brolly. "The winning woman gets an evening with me. The winning couple gets a threesome with me. Finally, the winning male gets... to share his mate with me. No offense fellows, but ladies only for me." "That's not much of a prize!" shouted a woman playfully. "Oh sweetheart, once you've deplaced, your man is replaced. In truth, tonight is just for showing off. Though my personal prize offer still stands to any of the ladies. Now then, who would like to go first?" Anders, their friend from the dorms, stepped forward with a chocolate-skinned young woman named Jasmina whom he had met during his brief time with Arnet. When the cloud had cleared from their minds, they were swiftly taken with each other. "My name is Anders, and this is Jasmina," he said, smiling. "I am a flyer, and my beautiful mate is a spinner." A chorus of 'oohs' went up from the crowd. Before Martin could ask what it meant, Frederique cut him off. "Just watch," she said. One end of the gymnasium had been covered with targets. There were bulls-eyes on the wall and rings of every size suspended in the air. There were also several full-sized mannequins. Boxes holding every sort of object ranging from weapons to simple household implements were held in containers at that end of the large room. Scaurus was standing by the weaponry. Naked, the several deep scars on his chest somehow made him even more fearsome - and magnetic to look at. These were wounds he had taken on as a mortal in battle and the ring -he had never allowed his symbiote to erase the marks of his time as a Roman warrior. Palo stepped over to Frederique and whispered into her ear. "I forgot to mention one thing. Though we fairly certain we are safe, Scaurus asked that you keep a gentle eye out for ill intentions." Frederique nodded with understanding and passed on the message to the others. The room was peaceful at the time, but Abby and Glennis easily turned on the equivalent of a mental tripwire that would go off if anyone began expressing thoughts of malice toward anyone else in the room. With their new level of power, it was a simple thing and did nothing to distract from their watching the events. The objects Jasmina picked up seemed as unremarkable as could be. The first thing she picked up was simple lump of unformed clay. She held it in her hand and focused her attention on it. Dropping her hand, the clay stayed in the air and began to spin slowly. Once it reached a certain speed, as though on an invisible potter's wheel, the clay began to take the shape of an elegant vase. When done, she stopped the spinning and the pot hung beautifully in the air. "This, I could always do," said Jasmina. "But I had to fire it in a kiln like anyone else. Since I have become one with Anders, we discovered we have some unique attributes as a team." She picked up a jar of glaze and began painting it onto the vase. Anders picked up the narrative. "As any flier knows, there is a great deal of friction involved with the manipulation of air. When I mated with Jasmina, the new gift I received was the ability to see how I might rub two streams of air together. If done fast enough, even though they are merely air molecules, a great deal of heat can be generated. With practice, I soon learned how I might shape those streams." Jasmina nodded to Anders that she was finished. He turned his focus to the pot. For the few fliers in the room who could see wind currents, they saw two opposing streams of air begin to encircle the vase. For the rest of the attendees, they simply saw the vase begin to glow a deeper and deeper red. When it was at a full glow, Jasmina lifted up a bowl of water and held it near the vase and spoke. "We could let this cool gradually, but I'm a fan of a crackled glaze. The best way to achieve this is to cool the glaze quickly. What better way to cool something than by evaporation?" Anders swirled the air differently now, swooping the stream over the surface of the water and aiming the cool air at the vase. Those same flyers who could detect currents could see that the air was below freezing in temperature. In only a few seconds, the vase cooled and the surface crackled into a lovely red - reminiscent of the hues Frederique had worn. Anders took Jasmina's hand, and with their other hands, they each took hold of the vase and flew over to Frederique. "Great lady, please accept this as a gift," said Jasmina. "We will make one for each of you soon," said Anders. "Now we would like to show you the defensive implications of what we can do." Anders and Jasmina went on to illustrate how they could form disks and projectiles which Jasmine would spin at obscene rates and then Anders would send them flying toward targets with frightening effect. The demonstrations continued and ranged from pure beauty to deadly, and artistic to bawdy. One woman, Alexandra, had found that she could take anything she was seeing and project that image into thin air somewhere else. One couple discovered they had chameleon-like properties, but only when he was inside of her. The man joked that they were willing to volunteer for any surveillance activities at any time. There were other gifts of creation and material manipulation. The Seven were somewhat embarrassed to see a growing pile of gifts at their feet. They'd had no intention for the evening to be a tribute to them, but it seemed to be the wish of those whom they had saved. Brolly had obviously been briefed on the displays they would be seeing and proved to be adept at varying the bill to provide a phenomenally entertaining evening that no one in attendance would ever forget. Not only did he vary the presenters, but he also started with some strong 'acts' then went to the less impressive feats and then allowed the impressiveness to build, one following the other. As the number of those who had shared began to dwindle, it was clear that whoever was left must indeed have something spectacular to share. "Now, my lord and ladies, I would like you to meet one of the newest additions to our group, the frighteningly lovely Cora. Once one of the most renowned Courtesans of the Continent, she now joins us with gifts she is just beginning to discover." "Hello, my new friends," she said. "I thank you, Brolly, for that lovely introduction and my former profession is something I boast about with pride. It does my heart good to know that I am now among people who value lust as much as I do." "Oh, the poor girl," said Abby in mental-speak to all of her mates.. "Why poor girl?" asked Martin. "All of her life, she has been seeking approval. That was what led her to becoming a lady of the night, and what has driven her ever since. Now that she is free of material needs and is as lovely as ever, she still needs to please at the very core of her being. Do you see it, Frederique?" "I do indeed," replied Frederique. "Young Cora and I will be having a conversation before the evening is done." "As for my gift," said Cora. "I can fulfill your ultimate fantasy, your wildest dreams." "That's quite a boast," said Brolly. "Oh, is it now?" asked Cora. "Why don't you just see for yourself, my charming Englishman?" "Very well," said Brolly, taking up the challenge. "How, exactly, are you going to make my dreams come true?" "Well, we certainly don't have the time to truly make that happen, but my gift allows me to take the form of the woman you desire the most. I propose to kiss five men, and by doing so, I will take the form of the woman with whom they are most taken. But, I will warn you that there can be peril down that road. If you are mated, as most of you are... do you dare take the test to prove it is your beloved who occupies your topmost sexual thoughts? If you are unmated, are you brave enough to reveal the one you've been pining after in front of this great assemblage?" The impact of her words actually brought a hush over the room and both men and women alike could be seen fidgeting at the implications of what secrets Cora's gift might reveal. "Well, I'm not bothered," said Brolly. "No girl has my heart for the time being, at least not that I'm aware of." "We'll just see about that," said Cora. She moved to him and put her hands around his neck. "Come on now, you handsome jumper. Who really holds the key to your heart?" She pulled him into a deep embrace and as their lips met. As she kissed him, she melted into his body. Slowly her form changed to look very much like that of Leonora and everyone ooh'd and wolf-whistled, but they were soon cut short as Cora shifted again to Bullet (briefly), then Jackie, then a Council member, and then she shifted to something that looked very much like Frederique. "My goodness, you really are a slut," said Cora, pulling away from the kiss. "Guilty as charged," crowed Brolly proudly. "Now, who is your next victim? And I should add, with the way she kisses, 'victim' is a lovely, lovely word in this instance." "Take my husband!" said a brown-skinned woman who looked to hail from India or somewhere in that region. "I've wanted some questions answered for a while." Her husband, a tall Russian tried to protest but she would have none of it. "Come on then, Sergei," she said. She led him by the hand and presented him to Cora. "Come here, then," said Cora boldly. She kissed him and as she did, her skin slowly turned brown and when she stepped away from the kiss, she looked very much like the man's wife. The two of them were standing side-by-side and they could easily have been twins, though Cora's version was slightly more busty. "You see?" said the man defensively. "Wait... there's more," said Cora. She started shifting again. Her skin tone remained the same, but she grew perhaps three inches taller and a bit more svelte. Her face changed, too, she now looked much younger and had a face that was much more open and innocent looking. "My, my, who am I now?" said Cora's voice from the new face and body. "My niece," said the woman. "Just turned nineteen and newly awakened." "I... I'm sorry," stammered Sergei as he was led away by his ear. Abby and company listened in on the conversation as the couple retreated to a corner. "I'm not upset at your lustful thoughts," said the mate. "I'm upset at your dishonesty. I've seen how you look at her. You just have to tell me these things." It turned out that Sergei, much like Palo, was fairly new to the Afflicted and was still adjusting to their way of thought. "Next time we're home," said the woman. "You will take her... and I will watch." Cora's next two revelations were equally revealing, embarrassing, and humorous and it came time for her fifth choice. "Who will be the final one? Anyone? Anyone?" cried Brolly. Nobody would step forward. "I nominate General Scaurus!" cried Abby. "No!" said Scaurus at once. "What? Our bravest general, afraid to submit to the test of love?" asked Abby. "Of course I am," said Scaurus. "I'd face a sword before a tryst any day of the year." "Boo!" sounded the crowd, soon to be followed by chants of "Scaurus! Scaurus! Scaurus!" "Fine!" he finally said, surrendering. He crossed to Cora and took her hand in his. "No doubt, she will turn into my first wife, Julia," he said. "Fat load of good that will do, she's been gone almost a thousand years now." So saying, he turned angrily and gave Cora such a kiss that her knees buckled. When she stepped back, she was indeed very Roman looking with her hair piled high in the intricate style of the time. "Do you see?" said Scaurus, almost angrily. "What use is this, breaking my heart once more?" "One moment, General," said Cora. She pulled him into a tender kiss, made all the more poignant by the fact that the onlookers knew the context of Cora's form. This time, however, when Cora shifted there could be no doubt about the athletic figure she became. All heads looked at the figure of Bullet now in his arms. Then those same heads turned to look in surprise at the real Bullet, who was blushing six shades of red upon seeing that the owner of her heart returned her feelings... with undeniable evidence standing before them. "Well, aren't you going to do something about it?" shouted Abby. Bullet stood and walked to Scaurus as Cora slowly shifted back to her own form. "Is this true?" she whispered, though the room was so quiet all could hear her. "It... it is, I was too afraid to say anything." "So was I," said Bullet. "How I've longed for you, my wonderful General." "As have I," replied Scaurus. "I...I suppose we could apply for mating." "Approved!" cried Galen. "You two have been pre-approved for a quarter century. What's taken you so bloody long?" "Oh, if that's the case," said Bullet. She winked out and was seen briefly in the dressing area, then returned with a dagger in her hand. Within moments, she was in his arms, kissing him voraciously. A dagger appeared in her hand and she dipped it down, slicing a gash in the side of his neck and bending her lips to suck deeply. Scaurus followed suit and they took each other in the old way. "If you'll excuse us," said Scaurus. "We'd best finish this process in private." They winked out to a more private location to finish the ritual of mating. While the room buzzed at this development, Frederique indicated Cora to the rest of her mates. "Look at her, poor girl," she said. Cora was standing alone, looking downhearted. Many men were eyeing her hungrily, but for her, she seemed to have lost her enthusiasm. Abby reached out and listened gently to the courtesan's thoughts. "Always someone else," thought the malleable woman. "This will be my life now. Before, I was just a whore, now I am just to be the girl they want. Why couldn't one of them have wanted me and just me?" "I'll be having a talk with her later," whispered Frederique to her mates. Brolly continued the proceedings and was indeed quite gifted at working a crowd. At last, they were nearing the end. "Next," announced Brolly. "We have our two mermaids." "Couldn't you at least say Merfolk?" shouted Sean. "I don't know," said Brolly. "Put you in a corset, and I think you would make a delightful maid. Who agrees with me?" Sean was met with wolf-whistles and whoops all around, to which he shook his head with a playful smile. "Well then, lords and ladies, lovelies and letches," said Sean. "First of all, I would like to introduce you to my beautiful new mate, one of the newest members of our kind." "And I might add," said Brolly, "sustainer of our friends Claude and Jacob over there in their time of isolation. Oh, to be sustained by one such as Jessamine." There were hearty, lusty cheers from all around, but Jessamine held up her hand to silence them. "It was my honor," she said. "And each day I feel more honored to be a part of this amazing community - and eternally grateful to Frederique for plucking me from a life from which I thought I would never escape. I thank you, my lovely friend." "It is us who are lucky," said Frederique. "It was my honor to find you. If what you showed me in the mine was any indication, I can't wait to see what you have to show us." "We need volunteers," said Sean. "Three women, to be exact - and they must be willing to participate in sexual activities." Jackie's hand shot up before Sean was even done speaking and two other volunteers were easily found. Two men went to a square section in the floor next to the glass water column and lifted it up. Concealed below was a square pool perhaps three meters across. Like the pool in the Governor's Chamber, it had gradual steps. Jessamine led the three women to the pool and they stepped into the pool one on each side. They waited in ankle deep water as Sean prepared. "I had some ability in manipulating water before," he said. "But Jessie here came to it like - well, like a duck to water. Once we mated we found that our powers were greatly enhanced." He took Jessamine's hand. They nodded to each other and the show began. Tiny jets of water suddenly shot from the surface of the water, as if propelled from some fountain equipment below - though there was none. The patterns of the fountain began to be more complex and the crowd applauded as more and beautiful shapes emerged. That demonstration would have been quite enough, but it was clear there was more to come after a grand finale of fountain-works that ended in the three volunteers being surrounded by a sphere. They looked like something akin to three snow globes, though the contents were anything but a Christmas scene. "What we are about to do is a product of the two of us," said Jessamine. "Apart, we can do some impressive things, but together... well,.. I'll let you see for yourselves. This works best when we are underwater, so we will be adjourning to down below. We hadn't thought of this, but we would like to call on Alexandria to use her lovely talent to help you see us as well." Alexandra nodded and walked to the edge of the pool. Jessamine and Sean dove down to the deepest part of the pool, at which point Alexandra took what she was seeing and projected it into the air high above the surface of the water suspended equidistant between the three globes. Sean and Jessamine swam to each other and he pulled her into a kiss. Within a few moments, he was inside of her and they were making love. It was a quiet lovemaking between two swimmers. Next, three men made of water rose from the surface of the little pool. Their translucent shapes were all reminiscent of Sean, but each one seemed a bit different; one had broader shoulders, one was a bit taller overall. The water-man with Jackie grasped her by the shoulders and turned her away from him, kissing her neck and pushing himself against her ass. The one with the next woman over pulled her into him and began kissing her, and the third water-man knelt down to begin lashing away with his watery tongue. This made Frederique gasp and Galen also sat forward in wonder. "What is it?" asked Glennis of Frederique. "I have seen this sort of thing before," said Frederique. "There have been other water masters who could create lovers, or fighters for that matter. However, they were generally only able to create one figure. I knew one man who could do two, but they were identical. They moved identically, too. If he had taken two women like this, they would be getting pleasured simultaneously with the exact same motions. To create three independent shapes, that approaches a level of wizardry." The companions watched in wonder as the three women began copulating with their watery lovers. Jackie was soon bent over and was being pummeled from behind by her aqua-man. The globe around her muffled the majority of the sound. Her isolation actually made the sight more erotic. It was as though they were being offered a glimpse into some alien world where the lovers rose from the sea. The woman facing her lover had initially been a bit too tall for him to take her easily facing each other, but when it came time for him to enter her, he simply sank down a few inches in the water to be at the perfect height to take her facing forward. The last woman was laid down on a bed of water which somehow supported her and her lover climbed atop her and plunged his aqueous cock into her. All the while, Sean and Jessie's image kept slowly making love up above. The Afflicted Ch. 19 There was no doubt that the lovers were capable. The looks on the women's faces was clear evidence that they were experiencing some wonderful pleasures. It seemed Sean and Jessamine were timing things, because the pace and level of passion grew within each globe. As the moment of truth was coming close, the spheres slowly receded around the women and the sounds of their moans now reached their ears. Jackie was crying out with pleasure at each slam of aquatic hips against her. The other women, were also gasping out the stuttering cries preceding the inevitable orgasms that were just around the corner. Though the motions had not been synchronized, it was clear that Sean and Jessamine were timing things to a true climax, in every sense of the word. Just as the face of the projected Sean contorted into an orgasmic grimace, the women gave out three shrieks of joy as three liquid cocks tipped them over into joyful paralysis. Jackie fell over into the water and lay moaning as her water man dissolved back into the pool. The other women's lovers left them, too. Sean and Jessamine's heads soon rose from the surface of the water. They were met by a slow applause that grew thunderous as they stepped from the pool. The display had been erotic, yes, but the complexity of what they had done was the true reason for the ovation. "I just have question," said Brolly when things had died down. "When do the men get a turn? I want my very own water Jessamine. Who agrees?" There were roars of approval. Jessamine held up her hand. "We're almost there," she said. "Getting the ladies right is just a bit more complex." "Isn't it always?" said Brolly. "When you do, the queue will begin here in New York and stretch all the way back to Dougga, trust me. Now then, who do we have next on the docket? Who hasn't gone?" Three hands were raised. Palo's, Galen's, and Frederique's. "Not you," he said of Frederique. "You lot don't count, not in this part. Super beings not allowed. Hmm, I say - Galen." Galen nodded and stood. He beckoned to Colette, but also gestured for Pasteur and Villepreux-Power to join him as well. "I'm afraid we don't' have much of a demonstration," said Galen. "Instead, I have something of an instructional lecture." A groan rose from the audience. "Trust me, trust me," said Galen. "This crusty old scientist will offer something of interest, I promise. My friends, our companions from the Elders, would you join us?" He gestured to Loenshellen and his two partners, and also to Kenloen (Ken), who was seated among three Afflicted girls in another part of the room. They all looked confused, but stood and joined Galen in the center of the great pleasure dome. Padded chairs (meant for many delightful activities) were retrieved and the Elders were asked to sit in them. Galen stood by Monshellen, placing a hand on her shoulder. Pasteur went to Sheireh, Colette went to Ken, and Villepreux-Power went to Loenshellen. The chairs were facing the audience and each Afflicted had a hand placed on a shoulder. "As you know," began Galen. "The Elders are a dying race. They revealed this to us recently and our hearts went out to them." "Being who we are," said Jeannie, "we had to study the reasons for this, and we believe we've found an explanation." Pasteur spoke next. "It begins with the female reproductive system. While men produce a new sperm every day of their lives, women are born with a finite number of eggs. These aren't actually eggs, but follicles which develop into eggs, one a month." Colette spoke next. "Each woman begins with perhaps four hundred thousand viable follicles, though the number is difficult to determine. With one a month while she is fertile, that equates to perhaps four-hundred eggs that are ever released in a mortal woman during her fertile years. Those phenomenal numbers even make any problems a moot point for the Afflicted. Our oldest are approaching two millennia in age, so our women still have an ample supply." "The problem comes down to numbers," said Galen. Four hundred thousand, divided by twelve months in a year - that comes out to somewhere over thirty-thousand. Factor in unknown variables, and it makes sense that the Elders would begin to lose the ability to reproduce some time in the past few millennia." "It is indeed an odd phenomenon," continued Pasteur. "Your systems are burgeoning with life, but the original members of the valley somehow skipped this very essence of vitality. Later generations were even born sterile. That this basic building block of life would fail is truly a mystery, and one to which we will never know the answer. Even more mysterious is that your children should lose vitality and even the original men lost their ability to produce seed which was alive. It was as though your race itself gave up the idea of continuing." Jeannie Villepreux-Power spoke, addressing the four Elders in the room. "Now is the time for a bit of chastisement," she said. "Your kind has long been aware of us, but you have set yourselves aside. Our powers are far-reaching and diverse. To not befriend us; to not avail yourselves of what we could offer has been to your detriment, not ours." Colette spoke next. "We feel you may have misinterpreted the prophecy. The words you used were - "the wandering child will lead them to the replenished spring." By your reckoning, Glennis is the next line in the Elder continuum. By our reckoning, Glennis is no longer of your race. We believe that Glennis has led you to us." "You see," said Galen. "We have great abilities when it comes to healing. We can regrow limbs and any other parts. You are still incredibly alive as individuals, the only part that is 'dead' are the components that bring new life. We have rectified that." Loenshellen looked to Galen in surprise. "You mean you might be able to rectify that?" "No," said Galen calmly. "As we've been speaking, we have healed you. The four of you can now have children, with no difficulties. We will do the same for any of your kind who so desire." The cheeks of the two women were wet with tears. The men, too, were certainly weeping. In fact, there was barely a dry eye in the house. "You see," said Galen, "the wandering child was Glennis, but the spring that has been replenished is yours." "Well then," said Brolly. "It seems we have a clear winner. I'm not sure how you can exactly top reviving a race. Dr. Villepreux-Power, Colette, my place tomorrow evening. You can collect your prize then. Looking at the docket, it seems we only have our hosts Palo and Seiko remaining, other than our amazing seven. Palo, what exactly do you have to offer?" "Yes," said Palo, standing. "Seiko and I have gained some new significant skills upon mating. For our sharing, we propose to battle any other pair - other than members of the Seven, of course." "Any takers?" asked Brolly. The room was abuzz. Different couples were discussing whether they would like to take up the challenge, but it wasn't an easy choice. It wasn't from cowardice, but common-sense. Word of Seiko's windswords had spread quickly and Palo's ability in the air had grown exponentially during the past weeks of battles. To brave fighting them meant to also fulfill an obligation of being able opponents. Just then, Bullet and Scaurus reappeared, both of them flushed from recent exertions and Bullet, especially, was aglow with happiness. Perhaps it was because she was usually so stoic, the perpetual smile on her face made her seem exceptionally stunning. "And there we go!" cried Brolly, seeing the couple return. "What do you say, you two?" "Say to what?" asked Scaurus. "Seiko and Palo have challenged any other duo to a battle. "Ah..." said Scaurus. "Excellent. I'm game." "So am I," agreed Bullet. She kissed the General fondly on the cheek. "With my new mate at my side, I feel I could conquer the world." "Very good!" said Brolly. "I understand we have a few preparations to make. So, we will have a half hour break for food and refreshments, and then continue with our evening." In the break, Frederique had gathered her mates about her and ordered them to drink as much fluid as they could, especially the boys. "We have a crowd to please," she said. "We had best be prepared." Everyone actually reassembled early, excited for the events to come. "Oyez, oyez, oyez!" cried Brolly. "We will now continue our festivities." If I could, I would ask you to gather either in the nests or at the far end where appropriate precautions will be put in place." The crowd moved to where they were directed. Two people with gifts in shielding set to work and wove an invisible fabric across the end of the room where everyone gathered. Brolly was on the opposite side. He tossed a dagger toward the crowd and watched it clang off the invisible fence. It had been decided that clothing was allowed for this special event, so Palo and Seiko were preparing themselves in one area, strapping on swords and weapons over sleek leather armor. In another part of the room, Bullet and Scaurus has chosen more traditional battle armor. They had actually gone to another place for a brief time, evidently to spar with each other and test out their new skills. "In this corner," he said, "possessing more than two and a half millennia in battle and countless kills among them: Bullet and Scaurus!" The crowd cheered wildly. "In this corner, having far less experience, but a dazzling pedigree and a frightening reputation, new mates and our hosts: Palo and Seiko." The cheering was just as loud. "There are a few rules. One, you may only jump within this room behind the screen for evasion. No retreating elsewhere for your team to rest." Bullet nodded grimly. "Two," continued Brolly, "the battle will be no more than ten minutes. Three, the first seven-day wound will end the battle and the other team will be declared the victors. Now, I'm going to get the hell out of here and leave you to it." He popped out and reappeared on the other side of the screen with the crowd. The two pairs started out circling each other. Each flier floated above his respective mate. Though there were no attacks, it wasn't as though nothing was happening. Both pairs were tensed and ready, knowing the battle could easily end with one swift attack if they weren't careful. It was Palo who made the first move. In the blink of an eye, he shot out a lunge toward Bullet. It was an air lunge, right out of Seiko's book. Bullet was quick to move, but there could be no doubt about Palo's new gift. A harsh tear ripped through the fabric of the padded floor, and there was actually a trace of blood upon it, showing just how close Bullet had been to losing the match right away. Scaurus spared no time in countering. He flew toward Palo the instant he sent the blow toward Bullet, but he moved with such speed it was uncertain whether he flew or jumped. Seiko was ready, however, and she had slashed through the air above her directly in front of Palo creating a wall of air that Scaurus rebounded off of. He quickly zipped to a safe location. "I'm fine!" cried Bullet from a corner. She was sporting a tiny slash on her arm, nothing more. She zipped out and appeared near Seiko who sent a thrust her way, zipped out and was behind Seiko a split-second later. She drew first blood for her team, but only a little, nicking a scratch into Seiko's shoulder. Seiko evaded Bullet's attack with the move that would gain her a new nickname: 'Cricket'. She could not fly, but the gift she had gained from Palo's blood was an uncanny leaping ability. As Bullet attempted to fly a blade through her arm, Seiko popped up vertically, quite nearly hitting the ceiling of the gym which was a good nine or ten meters in height. Palo swooped in to catch her and the two of them hovered, ready to counter any attacks. Scaurus held back, which gave Palo and Seiko reason for concern. It had been a perfect opportunity for Scaurus to attack, yet he had waited. Bullet was waiting below. She pulled her hands apart and then clapped them together quickly. At the exact same moment, Scaurus lunged. The confusing thing was, he was clearly aiming for a spot below them. Palo and Seiko prepared to parry an upward attack, thinking he would swoop up at the last minute. The reason for Bullet's motion became clear. Suddenly, they fell sharply and were directly in the path of Scaurus's lightning attack. Only Palo's amazing sword arm allowed them to escape unscathed. "What happened?" asked Seiko. "She took away the air," muttered Palo. "Somehow, she deplaced every bit of air below us and created an instant vacuum." "Well then," muttered Seiko angrily. "How would they like to feel the opposite?" With a tiny nod of her forehead, Seiko sent out an attack that was almost the deciding strike. Two areas of air near their two opponents suddenly seemed to recede, and then expanded. Both Scaurus and Bullet were sent reeling, buffeted by the instant shockwave of a mini-storm. Palo darted toward Scaurus and Seiko sprang toward Bullet. Scaurus felt Palo's blade pierce his shoulder and it might have been the end of the battle had Bullet not deplaced away from Seiko straight to him and popped him out to a safe location. The battle was officially 'on' and the attacks began in earnest. There was no more circling or planning; there was no time. It should be noted that a common myth surrounding sword fighting is the idea of prolonged battles. For the most part, long battles are a creation of literature. In truth, the majority of battles and duels, even among the finest of swordsmen, are ended within one or two exchanges. The ten minute limit placed by Brolly was actually an absurd number. It was a mark no one would have thought would be reached. Yet, the minutes ticked by and the fighting grew more intense. In flashed Bullet; up jumped Seiko. Swoosh, came a deadly air-strike from Palo. Impossibly, Scaurus evaded it. Then Bullet would attack Palo, and Seiko would seize the distraction to leap for Scaurus. The wounds grew more and more numerous. Soon, there wasn't a limb or a face without a gash in it. Nine minutes, and the melee continued. Nine minutes and thirty seconds, they still fought. Brolly reached down for his bell, preparing to ring it; something he had never imagined he would be doing. With less than ten seconds, the opponents commenced a series of attacks and counter-attacks so swift that even the Seven had difficulty following the action. Suddenly, it stopped. Palo and Scaurus sensed something was wrong and stopped to look down at their mates. Seiko's face was an angry grin, and Bullet's teeth were gritted in determination. Each of their blades pierced the other's breast. Each blade had sunk into the heart of their opponent. "Now!" cried Abby in several minds. "I need you all, this instant!" The two fierce female warriors froze; fully immobilized down to the cellular level by the Seven. Both Scaurus and Palo were frozen, too. The rest of the room looked on in horror, but an instant later, they could see little because Bullet and Seiko were surrounded by the seven as well as Galen and the other scientists who had recently cured the Elders. "How should we proceed?" asked Abby. "First the blades," said Galen. "We need to remove them as gently as possible. They can do just as much damage going in as going out." "Easy," said Jacob. With a quick blink, the blades disappeared from the women's hands (and flesh) and dropped harmlessly to the floor beside the group. "Now we need to stitch," said Galen. "I'm a bit slow at it, but I can do it." "No need," said Martin. "I think I can see what to do, but if Abby can pass on the knowledge from you, I can do it right." Galen quickly transferred the information and Martin nodded grimly. In less than a heartbeat, the women's hearts and flesh were mended. "While we're at it," said Martin. "We can do some cleanup." With the combined power of his mates behind him, he reached out and 'stitched' every wound on the four warriors together. The blood remained on their skin, but below, their flesh was returned to exactly the way it had been before the battle. They released Bullet and Seiko and the two women gasped in surprise. They had been one iota away from death and now they were healed. "I feel I must declare this a tie," said Brolly. "As such, I award a special prize to these two women, very lucky women, I might add, you may join me at my abode two evenings from now." "Good battle," said Scaurus to Palo. "Indeed," said Palo. "Never again will I fight against you, sparring or otherwise." "Agreed," said the old general. The two women expressed the same sentiment to each other. * * * * "Now," said Brolly. "The grand finale - the pièce de résistance - our amazing seven are going to take the stage." "What are they going to do?" shouted a voice from the back. "Anything they bloody well want," said Brolly. "In advance, I would also like to declare them special winners and..." "And we can come over to your place in three days' time?" said Aimée. "How well you know me, young Aimée," said Brolly. "But actually, it is an open invitation. Any night, any time. I have one condition, however, it must be the four of you ladies together. Any less and I'll bar the door. Well then, have at it, you marvels of manhood, you luscious ladies. Show us what you've got, gifts or otherwise. We can't wait to see." The crowd was asked to take up the more casual seating of before and couples and groups gathered around the edges of the room to watch what was about to transpire. * * * * Votes and comments are always appreciated. Also, please do add the story or me to your favorites list if you are so inclined. Also, do check out my other stories here on Literotica. Thanks, as always, for reading.