Storiesonline.net ------- Ritual by John Evans Copyright© 2005 by John Evans ------- Description: Book 3 of the Pervikar series. Codes: cons non-con reluc coer bi het fant inc mother son BD oral anal beast size mod ------- ------- Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and mack_the_knife. ------- Chapter 1 Per leaned back against a tree gasping for breath. He looked over at Iona who was wiping sweat from her brow. "Was it good for you?" he asked. Iona, her body rocking back and forth as she tried to regain her breath, shot Per a look of scorn. She straightened up and looked around. "I hope there aren't any more of them," she panted. "This is getting tiresome." Per shook the dark blood off Dorgeth and looked down at the eight goblins they had just killed. He bent over and snatched up one of the rough cloaks that the goblins had been wearing. Per used it to wipe the remaining blood off his sword, sheathed it, and then walked over to Iona. "I agree," admitted Per. "At least, they're scattering apart and not grouping together." Per and Iona had left Delta to head back to the crater where Yayenski was supposed to have disappeared underground. The first several days had been idyllic. After that, they began seeing the scattered remnants of the force Yayenski had sent to assault the walled city of Delta. The attack had been so bloodily repulsed that the attackers broke apart and fled. Unfortunately, the defenders had suffered casualties, too. At first, Per and Iona could easily avoid the small groups of orcs, kobolds, and goblins they saw throughout the day. At night was different because these races were nocturnal and a couple of bands almost stumbled upon their campsites. Per and Iona kept a cold camp with no fire to give away their position. The closest group to pass them by was five hobgoblins. They came within twenty feet of the pair and Per kept them covered with his crossbow until they were out of sight and sound. The nights passed by uneasily. Every morning they set out for the crater. Per had slowed their pace and was keeping a sharp eye out. Even so, they ran into a group of three kobolds and then into the band of eight goblins. The kobolds were totally surprised and were quickly dispatched. The goblins entered a clearing from the other side at the same time Per and Iona walked out. It was a tough fight being outnumbered four to one, but, with their heavier armor and magical weapons, Per and Iona killed off all eight of them. "If this keeps up, we'll be fighting every inch of the way to the crater," said Iona, yanking her spear out of a goblin's chest. "Unfortunately, it's the only way I know how to follow Yayenski," replied Per. "We could circle around to MarHaven, the dwarven kingdom east of here, but there is no guarantee that their passages would lead to the crater or to what's underneath it." "It still might be best to circle around," said Iona. "I'd say most of these creatures are heading back towards the crater. Circling around may keep us from running into too many of them." "I doubt it'll do any good, but let's give it a try," said Per. "A couple of the creatures the General described that assaulted the walls I definitely don't want to meet by accident." The two of them circled around to the east. The number of encounters diminished and they were able to avoid them all. The sun was beginning to set when Iona held up her hand. Per looked at her questioningly and saw that she was listening to something with her head cocked to one side. Per took off his helmet and listened himself. He heard nothing at first and then heard a growl off to his left. Per jumped when he heard a bowstring twang and the meaty thunk of an arrow hitting flesh. A chorus of laughs broke out with (Good shot!) shouted out in orc. Per put his helmet back on and tightened the chin strap. He moved slowly forward and pulled Dorgeth out of its scabbard. A fire blazed in a clearing surrounded by shrubs so they were able to approach it unseen. Per rose up on his stirrups until he could see over the bushes. Six orcs were standing around the fire. All were dressed in ringmail and one was holding a bow. On the opposite side of the clearing were three naked bodies tied up by their wrists to a large oak branch. Two of the bodies were pincushioned with over a dozen arrows each. The third body was still twitching with four arrows sticking out of it. Per noticed something strange about the bodies and looked closer. The hanging bodies were males, but shorter in stature and stouter than a human. Long beards hung down past their waists. Even though, he had never met any of their race, Per was certain that they were dwarves. (Come on! Finish him off!) snarled one orc. (We got the female to get to!) (No rush, ) leered the orc with the bow as he notched another arrow. (That juicy tidbit will keep.) Using hand signals, Per indicated to Iona that there were six orcs and he was going to attack. Iona shook her head no and motioned that they should leave. Per stopped her and signaled again that they should attack. Iona's face took on a look of disgust, but agreed. When Koth burst through the brush in a single bound, the orcs froze. To them it appeared that evil incarnate had materialized in their midst. All they saw was a large figure in burnished fieldplate waving a bastard sword on a huge warhorse. The closest orc's eyes widened at the sight of two steel-shod hooves crashing down on him. His cohort next to him lived only a split second longer before Per cleaved Dorgeth through his skull. A third orc was slammed into by Koth. He bounced off the horse's front shoulder and spun off into a tree. There was a series of snaps and pops as the orc's back crashed into the tree trunk before he fell limply to the ground. Per managed to rein in Koth beside another orc. The orc grabbed for his sword and had it halfway out when Per buried Dorgeth into the orc's chest. The orc's ringmail armor crunched nosily and provided as much protection as a piece of paper. Per yanked Dorgeth free with a large splattering of blood. He looked over at Iona and saw her retrieving her spear from the back of an orc. The last orc was on the ground with a large gash in his skull. "I thought we were going to avoid these little incidents," said Iona sarcastically. "Extenuating circumstances," replied Per, nodding at the hanging dwarf bodies. "They're dead," said Iona sadly. "They were dead or dying when we got here," "She's not," said Per, looking in a new direction. Iona had to move several feet to one side to see around a concealing bush. Tied to a tree with a gag in her mouth was a female dwarf. She was short, but not as squat as the males were. Her thick dark brown hair was braided into two braids, which were tied up behind her head. She was wearing an embroidered brown skirt, a white blouse, and a brown and yellow outer corset. She looked to be around twenty years old. She started to struggle as Per and Iona approached her. She yanked against the ropes tying her hands behind her to the tree. She moaned loudly through her gag as if pleading with them to go away. Per stopped about six feet away from her and crouched down. "Miss, we mean you no harm, but you have to settle down before we release you," he said to the dwarf. "A scream could bring who knows what else here." He turned to look at Iona. "Do you speak dwarven?" "Mum mumph umph," came the muffled reply from the dwarf as Iona shook her head negatively. "I think she understands, though," stated Iona and she reached around the dwarf's head to untie the gag. "Of course, I understand what you're saying, you bloody stupid oaf," hissed the dwarf. "What do you think I am, some slimy kobold with a brain the size of a pea or a troll who doesn't have any brains at all?" "My apologies," muttered Per, now not quite sure if releasing her was such a good idea. He nevertheless quickly cut the ropes around her wrists and legs. "Where are my kinsmen?" asked the dwarf as she stood up. Per guessed her height to be slightly over four feet tall. She was broad across the shoulders as was all of her race. The round stiff corset and long skirt hid her body's shape. "I'm afraid the others are dead," stated Iona. "The orcs used them for target practice. We came upon you afterwards. We've haven't had a chance to cut them down yet." Pain flashed through the dwarf's brown eyes. She closed them and stood perfectly still as she tried to contain her emotions. Per suddenly liked her better for the feelings she had. "Another mark against the orcs for a debt they will repay," said the dwarf softly. "I was enroute to MarHaven. I have need of your assistance to get myself and my kinsmen's bodies there. You will be reimbursed for your time and efforts." "I am Per and this is Iona," said Per, standing up. "We are also headed to MarHaven and will help you." The dwarf inhaled sharply as she looked up at Per. "You're no human!" she accused angrily. "Never said I was," answered Per. "I am the one who is going to get you to MarHaven safely." He pulled off his helmet. "I'm half-ogre and half-human. I've given you our names, which appears to be manners beyond the grasp of a dwarf." "I'm Holina, daughter of Gola, not that the names would mean much to one such as you. Your manners would be strained, too, if you were trussed up like a chicken and the rest of your party killed." Per took in a deep breath and let it out in a big sigh. "My apologies, Holina. You've been through an ordeal. Come, we can cut your kinsmen down and tie them over the horses." "Apology accepted," said Holina contritely and even a little abashed. "My race has numerous grudges against orcs, goblins, ogres, and their ilk, and all for good cause. I'll go see what I can round up of our gear that the orcs haven't soiled yet." "Prickly," murmured Iona as Holina walked away. "I've heard dwarves are that way, but I think she was also trying to apologize." "Probably," commented Per. They cut down the dwarves' bodies and tied them over the horses. Holina gathered together all the dwarf armor, weapons, and equipment that was salvageable. She did not touch anything belonging to the orcs and spat on their carcasses each time she walked by one. Once packed, the three of them headed towards the dwarven kingdom and made camp late that evening. "Holina, can I ask you a question?" inquired Iona as the two of them sat next to the fire. Per had gone out for more firewood and was out of sight in the blackness of the forest. "You just did," replied Holina, "but ask away anyway. I've got a few of my own for you." "Very few dwarf women are seen outside of their realms, yet, here you are," stated Iona. "I was just wondering why, if you can tell me." "There was a great upheaval in the underground world recently, which I suppose you know of," said Holina. Iona nodded. "Our realm was attacked as well as the city of Delta. We barely managed to beat back the assault and we heard that it was the same for the humans. My father sent me to Delta to talk with them and find out what happened." "A person named Yayenski abducted Queen Shara from another kingdom to the north," said Iona. "He came here for some purpose and opened a crater in the middle of the forest. We think he managed to convince the races he came into contact with to attack Delta and, it sounds like, also your realm. According to a prophesy, there is an ancient spell that had a quota to be filled before it could be used." "Well, if the quota was in blood and lives, there was certainly enough given in the attacks to satisfy even the most blood-thirsty. Why are you two here?" "Per needs to rescue Queen Shara because he will probably be blamed for her abduction," said Iona. "I understand there is bad blood between the two of them, which would make Per the perfect suspect. We were headed to the crater to find a way to get to Yayenski, but it would have been a constant battle to get there. We were hoping that there might be underground passages from MarHaven, which would take us to the site. Yayenski is supposed to be underground now." "There are undoubtedly passages," stated Holina. "Most of our battle took place underground. Our king would be the one to ask. He has maps of almost all the tunnels and caves for the surrounding area. Are you Per's woman?" "I don't think Per belongs to any one woman," said Iona. "Why?" "Well, to put it bluntly, I was wondering what the attraction was. No offense, but I know you humans have some pretty perverse tastes, of which Per is one example." Per and his friends saved me and the group I was with after we had a run-in with a hobgoblin raiding party," said Iona flatly, her dislike for Holina evident on her face. "I owe him more than I can ever repay and Per is not your typical anything. Otherwise, he might have left you with your orc captors. Of course, I do like having his big, thick twelve-inch cock stuffed inside me. Maybe that's why your folk hate the big ones," and Iona held her pinkie finger straight up in the air. Holina looked ready to bite nails. She shook her head and then rocked back laughing hard. Iona jumped, not expecting this reaction as she was all tensed up for a fight. Holina wiped the tears of mirth away from her eyes. "Let me enlighten you," chuckled Holina. "My race puts on a dour, grim face in front of others, but we party and play hard amongst ourselves. My race may be short and squat, but that usually isn't the case of our men's private parts. They may not have much finesse, but they make up for it in gusto. I tell you what, I'll do something atypical for a dwarf. I'll keep an open mind about Per. Deal?" "Deal!" said Iona with a smile. "I lied before. I've only had eight inches of him inside me." Holina's eyes widened. "You mean, he really has... ?" Iona held her hands up about twelve inches apart. "Woof!" grunted Holina in amazement. The two of them both broke out laughing. Per, standing silently at the wood's edge, let out a silent sigh of relief. It was four and a half days later before Per caught his first glimpse of MarHaven. The distant peaks had always loomed on the horizon, but now Per could pick out towers and battlements built into the mountain. A massive barbican with tremendous doors guarded the entrance into the underground dwarven realm. When they were several hundred yards away from the barbican, Holina stopped them. Per could see numerous dwarves in chainmail lining the battlements. It was hard to tell their expressions because of their heavy beards and the distance. However, there was something very business-like about the way they were holding their crossbows, all seeming to point directly at Per. "Listen up," said Holina, turning to face Per and Iona. "You need to wait here while I go inside. Take the bodies off the horses and lay them on top of the shields. Please try a little reverence when you do this. Otherwise, you may end up as pincushions." Without saying another word, Holina turned around and walked into the cavernous opening as the gates were opened for her. Per and Iona looked at each other before going to untie the bodies and lay them out. When they were done, they sat on the ground, facing the barbican. "You know, I'm sort of getting tired of waiting outside cities with dead bodies," quipped Iona. "I know what you mean," replied Per. "I think that MarHaven isn't so much a city as an entire realm. My step-father, Tenan, told me some of the sagas of dwarves. Most of a dwarven realm is underground, stretching out a hundred miles in all directions." "What do you think they will do?" asked Iona, with a nod towards the barbican. "I don't know, but I'm keeping my helmet on until they show their intent. I don't want some hothead thinking my green hair could use a part in the middle made with a crossbow bolt. I may not be as lucky the second time around." Iona did not reply and the two of them sat silently for the next hour. Except for a dwarf or two shifting his weight from one foot to another, nothing moved. The only sound Per could hear, beyond the normal sounds of nature, was the dwarf pendants flapping in the breeze. It was understandable that both Per and Iona jumped at the first loud deep boom of a drum. Per and Iona scrambled to their feet as the drum continued to boom in a steady beat. The gates of the barbican swung open and out of the deep gloom of the barbican's entrance came nine dwarves. The leading dwarf was old, clearly seen by his craggy face and snow-white beard. He was dressed in brown robes and carried a double-edged axe in front of him. Six dwarves followed behind him dressed in chainmail, who in turn were followed by Holina and another dwarf. Per was sure that the dwarf in front was a shaman or priest of some sort. The dwarf held the axe as if it were more of a symbol than a weapon. The dwarf walking beside Holina was wearing platemail. He had a salt and pepper beard, which was braided down the front and tucked into his belt. The old dwarf stopped in front of the bodies as the six dwarves behind him walked up to stand beside the bodies. Each pair of dwarves picked up a shield with the fallen family member on it. The priest turned around and led the six back inside the barbican. "My daughter says you saved her life, which is the only reason why I am talking to one such as you," said the dwarf standing beside Holina. "Personally, I think you'd look better minus two legs and a head." "Father!" admonished Holina. "Just listen to him. Per, tell him about Yayenski." "I'll tell him, but I'm sure most of it will go over his head," replied Per. "... maybe if he stood up on a soapbox." "Per!" admonished Iona. "Alright, enough of the sweet talk," said the dwarf. "I'm Gola, son of Haddir, Steward of the Eastern Spine. Tell your story." Per told Gola of Queen Shara's abduction and how he had been trailing after her. He told him of Iona's involvement, how they got to Delta, and released her grandfather from his nocturnal hunting, and about Yayenski, the prophecy, and why he thought Yayenski was underground. "You've been busy," said Gola grudgingly. "I have to admit that something shook up the entire Underworld. The Eastern Spine caught the brunt of it. I'd like to know how he got all the evil races to cooperate together in such a short time. We had no warning whatsoever." "Maybe it was the effect of what he was trying to do," said Iona. "Whatever he is doing may have had a mass effect on the races because it needed that quota of blood or death." "Your words fill me with no comfort," stated Gola gloomily. "You two had best come inside. King Ether should be arriving this afternoon with an army to bolster our defenses. He needs to hear this and he'll decide what to do. There'll be a feast, which you are invited to. Come." Per and Iona followed Gola and Holina. Close up, Per could see the new and old scars on the massive stone blocks of the barbican. Eight horses could have walked side by side through the wide width of the doorway and the keystone of the arch towered high above Per's head. Inside the barbican's entrance, Per's eyes adjusted to the dim light and he could now see the tunnel that led into the mountain. A smooth stone floor traveled back several hundred yards before branching off in numerous directions. Pictures of great dwarven battles in carved relief lined the walls. Two dwarves wearing chainmail and carrying axes were waiting for Gola just inside the doorway. "This is Horgli and Kalli," said Gola to Per as he headed down the tunnel. The two dwarves had fallen in behind Per. "They're your guards. I announced that you are not to be harmed, but there is always one stone-brained idiot who never heard the order. Also, if you cause us grief, they will kill you." "Always nice to know where you stand," muttered Iona in a stage whisper. "I find it prevents misunderstandings," replied Gola without turning around. Per pulled off his helmet and looked back over his shoulder. The scowls on Horgli and Kalli's face deepened when they saw his green hair and violet eyes. They tightened their grip on their axes, but they did not say a word. They did not have to. Gola led them around a bend and up a huge marble staircase. Light was reflected into the tunnel from airshafts and off large convex mirrors, illuminating their path. Gola soon stopped in front of a doorway. "This is your room. Please, do not leave it," warned Gola. "The banquet will start after sundown, if the king arrives on time. I'll have someone come and get you." Gola and Holina nodded goodbye to Per and Iona before turning away. Per and Iona went into their room, leaving their taciturn guards outside. The room was a large bedroom with a sitting room and a large hearth. Sunlight streamed in through a window. Per took a quick look outside and snapped his head back in even faster. Vertigo from looking straight down one thousand feet distorted his vision. The image in his mind was one of a tall tower, half embedded into the side of the mountain. As Per's queasiness and dizziness diminished, he wondered how much of the original mountain was left after the dwarves had finished their construction. "Well, Per, do you think their king will help us?" asked Iona, flopping backward onto the bed. Per noted that the room furniture was human-size. The bed was large enough for both of them as long as he did not stretch out to his full height. "I don't know," he replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I guess we'll find out in a couple of hours. Nothing we can do, but wait until then." "Hmm, I wouldn't say there was nothing to do..." cooed Iona, arching one eyebrow. "Oh, Gods! Oh, Gods! Oh, Gods! Oh, Gods!" chanted Iona a little bit later. Strands of cum stuck to her hair and white drops of semen dripped off her face. She was bent over a table, face-down, with her legs spread wide apart. Standing behind her grasping her hips was Per. His two and a half inch thick dick plunged relentlessly into her stretched vagina and Iona was on her way to her fourth orgasm. Per's eyes were tinted red with his lust fully in control of him. Iona had licked and fondled his twelve inch cock until Per had spurted his thick, hot seed all over her face and tits. With her fingers vigorously rubbing her clit, Iona orgasmed as the same time as Per's first climax. She was always thrilled and amazed at the amount of cum Per produced. His lustcraze had taken over and he had been pounding her pussy for the better part of an hour. Iona gasped for breath as her hands clutched the edges of the table. Her body glistened with sweat as her ass thrust backwards with each of Per's forward thrusts. Per's hands gripped her hips and, despite being overcome with lust, he never jammed more than eight inches of his cock into Iona's dripping slit. Iona's passion was spiraling upward uncontrollably and her body shook in anticipation of her imminent release. Her orgasms were getting bigger with each successive one. Hissing between clenched teeth, the sexual tension in Iona's body had drawn her muscles as tight as a bowstring. Per was snorting as he rapidly fucked his massive cock in and out of Iona's steaming cunt. The table was rattling loudly from Iona's trembling and Per's increased pace. Iona felt her passion peak and screamed out loud as her orgasm overpowered her at the same time Per shoved his prick halfway into her and held it there. Per shook as he gushed and spurted a torrent of hot cum deep into Iona's womb. Each spurt seemed to set off another wave of ecstatic pleasure inside Iona because her body quaked with each surge of thick liquid seed. Iona could not stop trembling as her strength gave out and she collapsed onto the table as Per filled her to overflowing. Per, his lustcraze burned off by his climax, was gasping for breath as he leaned over Iona and rested his hands on the table. His thick prick was still wedged inside her, but he could feel his cum leaking out around the edges and dribbling down her legs. Per inhaled deeply and pushed himself upright. "You okay?" he asked. "Wasted," moaned Iona blissfully, not even lifted her head up. "Pull out." Per slowly flexed his hips backwards and felt his cock slid out of the warm, wet cocoon of her vagina. He shivered as the cool air hit his penis. Iona moaned as her overfilled womb began leaking streams of sperm down her legs. She shivered as a mini-orgasm coursed through her. "We still have a little time left," said Per as he poured wine into a goblet. "How about a bath?" "You go ahead," murmured Iona, still collapsed upon the table. "I'm too weak to stand up just yet. Just make sure you leave me some hot water." It was a little while later, with both of them bathed and the sun sinking on the horizon, when Per lit the candles in the room. He was wearing a green tunic with dark brown pants. Iona was lounged on the sofa in a pale blue dress. Per blew out the match when there was a knock on the door. Iona got up and opened it to find Holina standing there with Horgli and Kalli behind her. "My father has explained your mission to the king," said Holina as she entered the room. "You've been requested to present yourselves before him... if you will please follow me." Per and Iona walked behind Holina with their guards right behind them. Holina led them down several torch-lit hallways and staircases. It seemed that she was leading them downward into the very heart of the mountain. They finally came out onto a long hallway that stretched out of sight both to their left and right. Iona gasped at the sight because the hall was a full fifty feet wide and twice that in height. In front of them stood two immense wooden doors with six dwarves standing guard in front of them. The dwarves bowed to Holina and pulled open the doors. If Iona had been amazed before at the size of the corridor, she and Per were absolutely astounded at the chamber behind the doors. The word large was completely inadequate and huge did not even begin to cover it. Gargantuan was what sprang to Per's mind. Stone columns seemed to spring straight up from the floor to rise up to the dimly visible ceiling high above. Tables, chairs, and benches lined the floor and there was a raised dais in the center of the room. Dwarves of every age, sex and size were sitting at the tables and the noise was tremendous. Per, shaking his head to clear it, guessed that there had to be six to seven thousand dwarves in the chamber. Holina laughed at the expressions on both Iona and Per's faces. She then led the way down a stone staircase to the floor of the chamber. Per and Iona followed her and were soon walking towards the dais. As they passed tables, the noise decreased as dwarves fell silent to watch them with wary, guarded expressions. On the dais was a long table covered with a white linen cloth that draped over the sides to the floor. Per saw Gola sitting to the right of another dwarf. The dwarf beside Gola had snow-white hair and a beard that went down to his knees. A heavy gold crown encircled his brow and he was watching Per's approach with sharp eyes that missed nothing. Just before Per got to the dais, another younger dwarf stumbled out in front of him. Per stopped short as the young dwarf swayed back and forth in front of him. "Shot is ish the one we havst to mind our manners for," slurred the dwarf drunkenly, waving a flagon of beer back and forth in front of Per. "Jarla, sit down!" commanded Gola, half-rising out of his seat. "He's under my protection!" "Ohhh, shot is big lummox needs protection?" taunted Jarla. "Wha's if I doosh tis?" Jarla jerked his arm upward and the entire contents of his flagon splashed into Per's face. Iona and Holina screamed as they were caught in the splatter that came off Per's chest. Per shook the beer out of his eyes and spat out what had gone into his open mouth. The chamber was deathly quiet. "Wha's you dinks of that?" sneered Jarla leaning in towards Per. Per swung a roundhouse punch and his fist caught Jarla square on the chin. Jarla seemed to snap up straight onto his toes and he completely spun around twice. He stopped and swayed back and forth a couple of times before his eyes rolled up in his head and he crashed down to the floor. Benches and chairs scrapped back as every dwarf in the place stood up. "HOLD!" commanded the dwarf king in a booming voice. He then turned a steely gaze at Per. "Is there some reason why you struck one of our kinsmen who was too drunk to know any better?" Per licked the beer dripping off his mouth and smacked his lips appreciatively before saying, "Unless you tell me differently, I did what any sensible dwarf would do to someone who wastes good beer, Your Majesty." Iona winched, sure that Per had just talked them into a nice stay in a dark, dank cell. She was startled when the king began laughing. "Actually, you were a little more restrained than a dwarf would have been," laughed the king. "Someone get that sack of shit out of my sight and cut off, oh, let's say, six inches from his beard." Kalli and Horgli came forward and dragged Jarla away. "Come! Have a seat up here. More beer! Beer should be worn on the inside, not the outside!" Per and Iona walked up to the top of the dais. A chair and a cushion were brought forth for them. Per sat on the cushion next to the king and found that their heads were at the same height. A large pewter stein full of beer and a platter of meat was placed in front of him. Iona declined the beer, taking a flagon of wine instead. Per took a swig of his beer and agreed with the king. The beer was much better on the inside. All the dwarves had sat back down and the banquet continued as if nothing had happened. "Gola told me about your mission and how this Yayenski might be behind our troubles," said the king, before taking a bite out of a chicken leg. "Yes, Your Majesty," replied Per. "The disruption caused by Yayenski has made it impossible to track him above ground. The deaths he has caused seems to have allowed his to obtain his goals. The only way I can get to him is underground." "We dwarves do not put much faith in prophecies and dislike magic, apart from our forging and runesmithing," stated the king. "This disruption, as you put it, is far more wide spread than you know. Everything within one hundred miles of the crater was thrown into chaos. Old rivalries resurfaced. Races that were co-existing side by side are now at each other's throat. The army I brought here fought its way to the crater. It's a mile deep and went even deeper. The bottom caved in on itself and that way is no longer accessible. I think Yayenski is even deeper below the crater and closed the way after him." "So there's no way to get to him?" asked Per. "There may be," said the king, taking a swig of his beer. "I have an ancient map showing the way to a realm. The writing on the map says that the people of the realm offended a god. The god buried the land with earthquakes and volcanoes until the realm was no more. One pocket of that realm, about five miles in diameter, survived. I don't know how, but it was buried deep underground. The people who survived in the pocket fled the Underworld and made the map as they left. There are dire warnings on the map about disturbing what was in the pocket. By my best guess, it should be a cavern ten miles below the crater." "Yayenski must have heard about it and went there to obtain something that may have been left behind," mused Per. "My thoughts exactly," said the King. "The map is yours. My scribes are copying it even as we speak. We do not know what other disaster Yayenski may be courting if he is left alone. He must be stopped." King Ether sat back and sighed. "Enough of these gloomy thoughts... we're falling behind!" The king lifted his stein to Per and proceeded to drink it all down in one gulp. Per followed suit and no sooner did he thump his empty mug on the table then Holina refilled it from a nearby pitcher. Per and Iona drank and ate and then drank some more. Musicians set up their instruments and played lively tunes to the approval of all. Per marveled that the music could be heard over the thousands of dwarves and throughout the entire hall. It was much later, after the king had finished his twentieth or thirtieth beer and was swaying in his seat, when Gola stood up and banged loudly on a gong. The chamber fell silent. "Per... Iona, it's time for us married folk to retire," said Gola as the king was being helped to his feet. "You two are free to stay or go as you see fit." Per looked over at Iona, who just shrugged. Her cheeks were flushed and she was smiling. Per smiled back and turned to face Gola. "We'll stay if you don't mind," said Per. Gola nodded and took the arm of his wife. There was a tenseness in the air as the couple walked towards the double doors. All the other married dwarves were filing out through various exits. Gola went up the stairs and out of the chamber. Per was not ready for the joyful shout that went up as soon as the doors closed. The musicians began playing again and it seemed that half of the remaining dwarves got up to dance. The other half was guzzling down beer, mead, or wine. The partying became more raucous and rowdy. Per was feeling no pain after a short while later when a young dwarf asked Iona to dance. Iona gulped down the rest of her wine and stepped off the dais. Per laughed as she joined in the crush of dwarves dancing on the floor. Iona laughed and cavorted as she danced to the heavy beat of the music. Per was not left to himself. Holina and other dwarven maids refilled his stein, talked to him about his life, and brought him platters of food. It was a while later when Per found himself alone on the dais. Holina had gone off to refill the pitcher with beer, the other dwarven females and Iona were all out dancing on the floor. The banquet had become very boisterous and Per could not believe the amount of alcohol consumed by everyone. Per looked out past the mob of dancers and was suddenly startled halfway sober. A female dwarf had climbed up onto a table and was lying down with her skirt raised up around her waist. A male dwarf had his pants down around his knees and was lying in between her legs, fucking her for all he was worth. Per looked around and saw hundreds of other couples, some threesomes and a couple of foursomes... all in various stages of erotic couplings. Per was just about to stand up and get Iona when a pair of hands reached out from underneath the table. The hands grasped him about the hips and pulled him back down to a sitting position. Per looked down and saw Holina's brown eyes staring back up at him from under the linen cloth. "No, you don't," she said. "This is my one chance and I've been thinking about your cock ever since Iona told me about it. Now, scoot your hips under here," and she began to tug at Per's pants to pull them down. Per's alcohol-dulled mind was slowly registering what he was seeing. The banquet was dissolving into one huge orgy. Iona was still dancing, sort of. She had her partner's head pressed into her cleavage and his hands firmly gripped her ass. Iona laughed as she slapped her tits back and forth into his face. Per gasped as he felt a hand travel up his thigh and over the shaft of his penis. "Torak's Beard!" cooed Holina as her hands continued to rub Per's cock through his pants. Per opened his mouth to protest. He was pretty sure what Gola's reaction would be to this situation. His cock, however, did not recognize the danger and began to stiffen under Holina's ministrations. Holina gasped as its size increased and she undid Per's belt to try to pull his pants off. "Aw, fuck it," thought Per as he laid down flat and lifted his hips up. Holina yanked his pants down to his knees and inhaled sharply as she gazed upon the thick, long tube of hard cock. She quickly pulled off Per's boots and took his pants completely off. Still staring at his prick, Holina tore at the laces at the back of her corset and ripped off her skirt. Holina's body was like all dwarves', short and broad. Her wide shoulders tapered down to her waist before flowing out at her hips. Her pubic hair was a thick, dark brown bush, which matched her braided hair. Her breasts, which had been completely hidden by her corset, were round, firm and big enough for two dwarf handfuls. "Alright, let's get down to business," whispered Holina huskily. Per sighed drunkenly in pleasure as her warm, soft hands took a hold of his hard cock. Holina began to stroke it slowly up and down its length, sliding her fingers from the base to the tip. Per hissed when one of her hands let go and traveled down to fondle his large, heavy balls. A little note flitted through Per's besotted mind and he craned his head around to see what had caught his attention. The music had stopped and everyone had given up the pretext of dancing. Moans, sighs, groans, and gasps filled the air as the banquet degenerated into a fuckfest. Per spotted Iona off to one side of the dais. Her blue dress was folded over a chair and she was lying on top of a table. Her dancing partner was positioned between her legs and had her legs up over her head with her knees locked in place with his elbows. His cock was fucking her and Iona had her head bent back over the table's edge. She was holding onto the base of another dwarf's short, thick cock as she sucked and licked it. Per's cock was leaking copious amounts of pre-cum. Holina's eyes glittered in glee as she rubbed the slick, viscous liquid all over Per's cock. Per inhaled as waves of pleasure shot down to his balls as the lubrication made it easier for her hands to slide up and down his shaft. Holina was kneeling close to his side and Per slid his hand down to the juncture of her legs. Holina gasped when Per's fingers came into contact with her labia. She was wet and hot so Per's middle finger slid easily into her vagina. Holina moaned and ground her hips downward as Per's thumb contacted her clitoris. Slowly, his thumb rubbed back and forth over the sensitive nub causing Holina to shiver several times. "Moradin's Hammer!" panted Holina as Per stretched out her pussy by inserting a second finger. "That's sooooo good! (huff... huff) Oh, yes! YES!!! (pant... pant) I'm so... so... close! Earth and rock!! I don't care who's watching!" Holina took a firm grip on Per's prick, keeping it pointing straight up in the air. She stood up and stepped across his hips with one foot. Readjusting her grip on his cock, Holina squatted down so that it was aimed right at the entrance to her wet slit. "Holina..." Per said warningly. "Oh, shut up!" huffed Holina in her passion as she moved her feet slightly to move her position over his long, thick cock. "Dwarf dicks are built just like we are... short and thick. Our women have wide hips. I won't have any trouble with the width, just the LENGTH!!!" Holina's last words were forced past her vocal chords as her neck muscles went taut and hyper-extended. She had bent at the knees and took four inches of Per's cock into her tight, wet cunt in one push. Her hands gripped the lower half of his shaft painfully as she tried to both accommodate and keep herself up off the large prick she had stuffed inside her. "Maybe... ugh... maybe you... are... a little bigger... woff... around... than a dwarf," gasped Holina. "Let go and lean down onto your hands and knees," grimaced Per through gritted teeth as the pain from her grip went from uncomfortable to throbbing. He placed his hands on her waist to help her. Holina released her grip on Per's prick and leaned forward until she was resting on his chest. Four inches of his cock was still jammed up into her pussy and Per felt her vaginal muscles pulsating around his cock as they adjusted to his size. Holina was gasping heavily for a minute or two until her breathing slowed down. Per could feel her cunt loosen up around his shaft. Holina then got up on her hands and knees, and looked Per square in the eye. "I got me an ogre and I don't plan to let go until I'm satisfied," she said as she began to rock back and forth. "Half-ogre, ' corrected Per, savoring the delicious sensation of the hot, tight pussy fucking on his cock. "Shut up!" growled Holina as she impaled herself backwards, taking in another inch and increasing the pace. Per could not believe the vigor of Holina. After a few seconds, Holina was ramming herself back and forth on Per's hard prick. She had managed to take seven inches of his shaft inside her before she had bottomed out and was now fucking herself with it as hard and as fast as possible. Her meaty breasts bounced and danced each time she rocked. Per could feel his passion rising each time her tits slapped against his chest. Holina's juices were running down her legs and over Per's hips. She was actually snorting as her pleasure burned brightly. Per knew she was close from the way her pussy was clenching at his cock. His own testicles were tight in sexual tension, just waiting for the release. Per was quivering in his attempts to suppress his climax until Holina orgasmed. "Ahhhhhh!" gasped Holina as she thrust back and forth on the shaft splitting her. "I'm so... so... so close! I'm going... going... AAAGGGUUUHHH!!!!" Holina rammed herself back hard, stuffing as much of Per's cock into her as possible. Her body shook uncontrollably when she orgasmed as Per's cock hit up against her cervix. Her juices gushed out as her vaginal muscles clamped down tightly around Per's prick. The contractions around his shaft were all it took to send Per over the edge. A ripple seemed to originate in his toes and flashed up his legs to his balls. Per felt his testicles tighten and then gasped aloud as he felt his seed speed from his sac to the tip of his cock. His hips arched upward as all of his muscles spasmed involuntarily. His first spurt of gooey jizz seemed to be never-ending as he hosed it into Holina's waiting womb. Holina grunted in surprise as the force with which Per had spurted his seed into her. She then cried out as her vagina filled, setting off another massive orgasm within her. Her pussy kept contracting each time Per spurted into her again and again and again. She finally just collapsed on his chest in exhaustion as jism leaked out of her over-filled cunt. "Holina, please, get up!" Per heard Iona say in a worried voice. Per had closed his eyes and snapped them open to focus his fuzzy, alcoholic gaze at Iona. Iona was naked and her entire body was coated in cum. She was pulling the semi-comatose Holina off him. Holina's cunt gaped open as she slid off his cock and white sperm now poured out of her to pool under her ass. Iona leaned down to Per. "C'mon, Per," she cooed. "It's time for your second climax. I've got a hole just waiting for your cock." Per sat up, swaying. His alcohol-stupor brain told him he did not have the lustful burn in his groin. He looked up at Iona, but she had moved. She was bent over the head table, wiggling her ass around in small circles at him. "Over here, Per," she said. It appeared that Iona wanted him away from Holina, but Per's mind could not comprehend why. Still, with a beautiful woman shaking her ass at him, Per pushed it from his mind and stood up behind Iona. Per's cock was still hard and Iona moaned in delight as it easily slid into her drenched cunt. Slick liquids squished out as Per sank eight inches into her super-wet cunt. "This must be sloppy tenths or elevenths," thought Per as his cock, usually a tight fit inside Iona, seemed small in her over-fucked vagina. Per kept thrusting into Iona and, after a while, she growled in frustration. Iona had seen Per and Holina fucking like rabbits, but she had drunk too much and it was not until she saw Per climax that she remembered his lustcraze. She was hot and had orgasmed a couple of times, but still felt the need for a big one. Instead of raising her passion to a peak, the only thing Per's fucking was doing was raising her frustration level. "Here," snorted Iona, pulling forward to make Per's hard cock slip out of her super-slick slit. She reached underneath with one hand to grasp his cum-coated prick. Iona then placed the tip against her asshole. "In here." "You sure?" asked Per. Iona hunched backwards. Her ass was covered with dwarf cum and Per's cock was slick. Iona's eyes bulged out as his thick shaft stretched her rectum wide open and six inches sank into her nether hole. "HOOYAH!!!" gasped Iona as she began to pant heavily at the massive intrusion up her ass. She felt her passion soar through the painful pleasure. "Fuck me... slowly, but I want it all!" Per began to slowly slide his large cock in and out of Iona's incredibly tight asshole. Her sphincter was stretched wide around the veiny shaft of his cock. "Do you think she can take it all?" Per heard a nearby dwarf whisper to another. "A case of Old Forge ale that she does," said the other one. "Done!" Per continued his slow assault into Iona's bowels. He ground his hips around in a circle, causing Iona to gasp as he expanded her asshole even wider and pushed another inch into her. Iona exhaled loudly when Per pulled his cock almost out of her ass, but inhaled sharply as he shoved it back in again. Her rectal muscles tightened as her bunghole was stretched apart. Per stopped when he had eight inches inside her. Iona's ass and leg muscles were taut and trembling against Per's massive intrusion. Iona was panting heavily both in passion and pain as Per started to slowly fuck her up the ass. He slid his cock back and forth only a couple of inches while Iona became accustomed to his size. Soon, she started to hump back against him and her muscles loosened up. Per push another inch of his hard cock into her. With a gasp, Iona shoved back as Per thrust forward and then gritted her teeth as all twelve inches lodged deep into her rectum. Her sphincter was stretched wide around his prick and Iona actually got off on the pain. Shaking all over, she reached down between her legs and frantically rubbed her clit. "Sweet... It looks like she has a tree stuffed up her!" exclaimed the first dwarf in awe. "That's a case you owe me," said the second. "I'll catch you later. After watching this, I've got to get my rocks off!" Per, his cock fully seated in Iona's ass, grasped her by the hips and began banging the entire length of his turgid shaft in and out of her anus. Iona's asshole felt incredibly tight around his cock, tighter even than Holina's delectable cunt. There must have been about a hundred dwarves around them shouting, "Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!..." at each one of Per's thrusts. Only the dwarf that lost the bet looked disgruntled, but he watched with lust in his eyes. Per's body was beginning to quiver as his sexual passion increased. His large balls were slapping up against Iona's dripping pussy and her slick fingers. Iona orgasmed again and was building up for a third one. Her fingers were flying back and forth across her clitoris as Per reamed out her asshole. Per suddenly could not hold back anymore. With a bellow, he rammed his prick into Iona as his nuts tightened up painfully. Iona's eyes crossed both from the massive thrust into her ass and her third overwhelming orgasm. Her juices squirted out past her fingers as she felt Per's cock pulsate in her bowels. She gasped when she felt Per unload wad after wad of hot, thick, gooey sperm into her. It seemed like Per's whole body was emptying itself into Iona's ass and he thought it would never end. It did, however, and Per, both weak-kneed and drunk, collapsed onto the floor. Iona had crumpled flat onto the table. Her asshole gaped open, a black hole into her bowels and leaking out a generous amount of white cum. "You... huff, huff... over... your... gasp... lust," gasped Iona, licking her dry lips. "It... never... never... happened," Per gasped back to her. "Aw, shit!" Per heard Iona moan just before he passed out. ------- Chapter 2 Per grimaced as sunlight shined through the window into his eyes. With a grunt, he flipped over onto his side only to be shocked wide awake as pain lanced from his temples into every corner of his brain. He sat up quickly, which turned out to be another mistake because his head now felt like it was splitting apart. With a loud groan of pain, he hunched over to hold his head in his hands. "You mind keeping it down over there?" Per looked up and tried to focus on the blurry image of a woman. Iona was sitting in a chair, looking just as miserable as he felt. There was even a greenish tinge to her normally tanned skin color. They stared at each other for a couple of seconds before Iona put her hand up to her mouth to suppress a belch and then looked away. "I'm sorry, Per, but your bloodshot violet eyes are a little hard on my digestion this morning," apologized Iona. "I'm a little... delicate this morning." "I don't feel delicate. I'm just plain miserable," groaned Per. "What did they put in that ale?" "I don't know, but if I see another drop of it, I'm gonna barf! Oh, Gods! I'm shaking all over and can't stop. Do you have anything that will help?" "You're not going to like it," muttered Per as he stumbled over to his bags. He pulled out a small bottle and picked up two small glasses off the top of a table. He then poured the glasses full of amber liquid. He downed his with a quick gulp and handed the other to Iona. "You sure?" asked Iona, her lip curling in disgust. "Hold your nose and drink it down," said Per. Iona held her nose and swallowed all of the liquor down. She banged the glass on the table as she fought to keep the fiery spirit down. After a few moments, she gasped for air and looked scornfully at Per. Per settled his large body into a chair opposite her and closed his eyes. The two of them sat in the silence and stillness that only an intense hangover can cause. Iona's shakes lessened as time wore on. It was awhile later when she sighed. "I think I'm up for a bath now," she said. "Sorry, Per, no company allowed." "I'll still come with you," stated Per. "I'm not up for frolicking, either. All I want to do is soak." "Think our bodyguards know where the bathes are or do you think they'll bring the water up again?" asked Iona with a slight nod towards the door. "I'll ask," said Per, winching as he stood up. The time it would take to bring the water up was too long for Per and Iona, so they decided to go to the public baths. Getting to the baths would have seemed hilarious to Per if his head was not pounding so hard. It appeared that for males and females to take baths together offended dwarven sensibilities. Horgli and Kalli were completely flustered between trying to maintain tight security and still grant Iona's privacy. It appeared that dwarven female guards were nonexistent. The discussion degenerated down to whether bathing was good for Per or not, given his racial peculiarities. Per finally settled the argument by telling Horgli and Kalli that they could stand guard outside the door to the room that he and Iona were going to take a bath in. He told them that should cover their sense of decency and the security issue at the same time. The two dwarves did not like it, but they agreed. Per and Iona soon found themselves in adjacent bathtubs with their bodyguards entrenched outside the door. "I'm not feeling better," growled Per unhappily. "Well, you're the one who wanted a bath," countered Iona. Per shot her a look as he sat on the edge of a diminutive bathtub with his lower legs stuck in the hot water. The tub was wide enough to accommodate his body, but way too short for his seven-foot, six-inch frame. Iona was sitting in her tub with her knees pulled up to her chest. Per had to wash by pouring water over him with a small bucket as he stood in the tub. It was not the relaxing bath he had envisioned. "Per, why didn't you lose control last night?" asked Iona. "About last night..." Per started to say. Iona stopped him by laughing aloud. "Oh, Per, you look like the little boy who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Holina got to you first. Otherwise, you and I would have been doing the horizontal bop on the main table. I had a great time last night, though I did drink too much. As for my butt being sore this morning, it was worth the orgasms I had." "I didn't lose control last night probably because of our antics earlier in the day," stated Per. "You know, thinking back, I believe that it has only occurred once a day. The length of time it last varies, but it usually only happens once." "So if we fuck now, you'll succumb to it," said Iona thoughtfully. "Iona, I'm not feeling particularly amorous right now." "Trust me, Per, neither am I," replied Iona. "It's just a point worth remembering if you ever get into a situation where you have to retain control of yourself." A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. "The king and Gola would like to see you as soon as you two are dressed," yelled Kalli from the other side of the door. "When you're done whatever you're doing." "Geez, you'd think we were committing a mortal sin in here," griped Iona standing up and letting the water drip down her smooth, firm skin. "Hey, don't knock it," said Per. "I'm surprised that they are as tolerant of me as they are." "I guess we shouldn't keep them waiting, then," said Iona, toweling dry her body. Per chuckled, "I think I see why they don't want males and females bathing together. It's kind of sexy watching you dry off." Iona looked down between Per's legs. "Your brain is saying 'Go!', but your dick ain't even talking." Iona paused for a second. "You know, your balls are huge. No wonder you cum about a gallon each time." Per glanced down at his testicles. Each one was about the size of a lemon. "Yea, thanks to a satyr and a drugged dart, which almost killed me," he said. "As a result, they swelled up to twice what they were." "Neat trick... was it painful?" "I was in a delirium for most of it, but I believe it was," replied Per as he grabbed up a towel. "As you said, however, we shouldn't keep them waiting." It was only a short while later before Per and Iona were escorted by Horgli and Kalli to a chamber located deep within the mountain. The chamber was a thirty foot octagonal room, hewn from solid rock. Three-dimensional artwork had been carved right into the walls. Each relief depicted a dwarven leader at some critical point in dwarven history. Most of the scenes were of battles, but one displayed a meeting between dwarves, elves, men, and a couple other races. Two of the walls were blank. King Ether and Gola were sitting at a large round table. "Come in and sit down," commanded King Ether. "You're late." He passed a yellowed sheet of parchment over to Per. "This is the original map to the realm I told you about." The king pointed to a depiction of a large cavern drawn on the paper. "This is the cavern and these lines indicate tunnels leading to it. I'll have someone lead you to the start of the tunnel complex. How good are you at spelunking?" "I don't have much experience," replied Per. "Iona?" "I have some, but probably not much more than you," she stated. King Ether sighed heavily and said, "I'm afraid I am going to have to ask a great favor of the two of you. I need to get Holina to Delta to coordinate our actions and I haven't anyone to spare. I have to ask you two to escort her to the city. Per, you spoke of finding Yayenski and Queen Shara with some urgency. Can you spare the time to go back to Delta?" Per thought back, retracing the time it took to reach MarHaven. He traced a tunnel line with a finger. "How long do you think it will take to get to the cavern?" he asked. "It will take two days to get to the start of the tunnel," replied Gola. "The trip, based on the map, would take a dwarf several weeks. That's if you don't get lost, have to make a detour, or run into a nastie." "I think Yayenski is on some sort of schedule," stated Per. "I don't think we can afford to wait." "You may not understand why it is imperative for Holina to reach Delta," said King Ether. "After the initial chaotic attacks had been repulsed here and at Delta, it seemed that everything would settled back down, but it didn't. From what you have told me, Delta has not experienced any more assaults. We have and things in the Underworld are building up to a head. Delta is our closest neighbor. If we don't coordinate and act together, we may be overrun separately." Per looked over at Iona, who had a grim expression on her face. He turned back to face King Ether and an idea sparked in his mind. "Why not send Horgli and Kalli?" he suggested. "After Iona and I leave, they'll be free to escort Holina." "I took them off a critical assignment to guard you," said Gola. "I've already released them from guard duty and sent them back." Per sat still, trying to think up a different solution. He was certain that King Ether would not let him have the map or show him the tunnel start unless Holina was taken to Delta. He also felt that he could not afford to waste the time to make the trip back to Delta. "There is another way to do this," said Iona hesitantly. All three males looked over at her. "I'll take Holina to Delta and Per can go into the tunnels. My mother's in Delta, so I need to see to its safety. I can get Holina there by myself." Per saw in Iona's eyes that she did not like the option anymore than he did. Unfortunately, it was the only option he had that did not require him to go to Delta. "What do you say, Your Majesty?" he asked. "Half a mug is better than no beer at all," replied King Ether. "Holina will lead you to the start of the of the tunnel complex. She and Iona can then go out through Karmond's Gate. The gate is north of the crater area, which will allow them to circle around the site. Gola will outfit you with the gear you need to get to the cavern. When will you be ready to leave?" "It might be best if we don't put this off," said Per. "We can leave as soon as we get our gear together." "Per, I trust you because you saved one of our own, but be warned," said King Ether ominously. "If you play us false or betray us, our entire kingdom would destroy itself just to get revenge." Per swallowed nervously, nodded to the dwarf king, and followed Gola out of the room. Iona brought up the rear. Gola did not say anything as he led them down stone corridors and up polished marble staircases. He brought them to a beautifully carved door and opened it. Inside was a richly attired suite of rooms and Holina was standing in the main living room as they entered. "Well, father?" she asked upon seeing them. "Iona is going with you to Delta," Said Gola. "Per is going on alone to the cavern. Did you get everything I asked for?" "Yes," replied Holina. She looked like she was going to say something else, but stopped before she did. "When do we leave?" "As soon as you are ready." "The gear is in the workshop. I'll go get changed," said Holina before she walked off into another room. "The king has sent Iona's horse and mule to Karmond's Gate with one of our troops," said Gola, leading them into the workshop. Workbenches lined one wall and the opposite wall hade numerous tools hanging on it. On the center table was a large knapsack, rope, spikes, hammers, and all sorts of other climbing equipment. "Iona, you'll get equipment and rations at the Gate," stated Gola. "Per, I'm giving this to you now so you can take the next couple of days to get used to the weight and familiarize yourself with the equipment. Traveling in the Underworld is very different than above. There is no sun or moon to tell you day from night... rest when you are tired and travel when you are rested. Do not leave any traces of your passing. Marking tunnels is an amateurish trick and there are nasties that look for such things." Gola reached into the pile and pulled out a black rod. It was only a foot long and had a rope attached to the end of it. Gola pressed a button at the base and four spikes sprang out at forty-five degree angles from the central rod. "I used to roam the Underworld when I was a lad with barely a foot of beard," mused Gola. "This grappling hook went with me everywhere. It will hook onto anything and stay attached until you hold the rope and say 'Release'. The spike will then retract. It saved my life more than once. I'm loaning it to you." "I'm honored," said Per. "You will be given six weeks of field rations, not the best tasting food, but it will sustain you and it stays fresh for several months." "Six weeks worth?" questioned Per. "The king wasn't kidding about detours," said Gola acidly. "The map is ancient. There may have been cave-ins or a new watercourse may have cut through a tunnel. If you manage to rescue Queen Shara, that means another mouth to feed." "Sorry, didn't think it through," apologized Per. "Start," ordered Gola. "The Underworld is no place to make a mistake." "Neither is the Upperworld," retorted Per. "You're right, there," admitted Gola, "but I haven't seen the sky crash down on someone's head yet." "I'm ready," said Holina, standing in the doorway. "What do you think?" Holina had changed out of her straight corseted dress. Her thick hair was braided down in back in a single plait. She was wearing dark brown baggy pants, which had been stuffed into calf-high leather boots. Her blouse was a lighter brown with the tails hanging out and she had a wide leather belt strapped around her waist. "No, absolutely not," said Gola flatly. "Go back and get some proper clothes on." "Father!" exclaimed Holina in protest. "This is what I'm wearing!" "No, you're not," argued Gola, getting a little steamed. "No daughter of mine is going to parade around in that getup. We're not humans with all of their strange quirks." "Hey!" protested Iona at that last remark, who was completely ignored as Holina and Gola began to shout and yell at each other. Gola ended the argument when he reminded Holina that she was not too old to spank. Holina glowered in silence because she knew he could and would. She turned and stomped back into her room with a loud bang as she slammed the door. "That girl's going to be the death of me yet," muttered Gola to himself. He then said gruffly, "Pack it up, Per." Per loaded up the knapsack and carried it back out into the living room. Gola went over to stand beside a window, looking even more dour than usual. After a few moments, Gola harrumphed and stomped over to a chest that had been placed back in a corner of the room. He opened it and pulled out a leather satchel case. He then rummaged through the chest a bit and finally found what he was looking for. Per saw him pull out a red velvet bundle and looked over Gola's shoulder as he unwrapped the velvet. Wrapped in the velvet were two beautifully etched throwing axes. Gola looked at them fondly before bundling them up again. He placed the velvet inside the satchel and then went to looking back out the window. It was only a short wait until Holina came back out of her room wearing her traditional dwarven dress. She was also carrying a knapsack. "Better?" she asked her father snidely. "Yes," replied Gola nonplused. "I had better not hear of you wearing such clothes as you had on in our kingdom. I have a present for you," and he handed Holina the satchel. Holina looked at her father suspiciously. She then gasped when she opened it and saw the red velvet inside. "Are they... ?" she began to ask in wonder. "Yes," said Gola gruffly. "They were your mother's, may her soul rest in peace. I'll say it again... I'd better not hear of you wearing such clothing in the kingdom. Understand?" Holina's eyes widened for a second before she ran over to her father to hug and kiss him on the cheek. Gola sputtered half-heartedly, while Per and Iona affected not to notice. Holina ran back into her rooms where they heard her rummaging around. She came back out with her pack and looked at Per and Iona. "We'll stop by your rooms and then head out," she said to them. "Keep her safe," whispered Gola to Iona as they walked out the door. Per, Iona and Holina soon found themselves walking down a long underground boulevard. The roadway had to be at least one hundred feet wide and stretched far into the distance. Torches lit the roadway and dwarves of every sex, size and age could be seen congregating in small groups or walking along towards their own destinations. Hallways, rooms, caverns and tunnels intersected the major thoroughfare frequently. Per became nervous when they first started out because each time any dwarves spotted him, they would stop what they were doing just to keep an eye on him until he had passed by. He was sure the trip would have been unpleasant if Holina had not been walking with him and Iona. As the distance went by, the number of dwarves dwindled as did the number of intersecting branch-offs. They arrived at a heavily fortified gate, which marked the edge of the Eastern Spine city. Beyond the gate, the boulevard seemed to stretch on forever. "We'll be at a waypoint in several hours," said Holina. "It's like a small village and we will stop there to rest. We should get to Karmond's Gate late tomorrow afternoon." Their stay at the waypoint was uneventful, but comical. The inn had no beds that were large enough for Per's large body. He had to settle for tarp-covered straw on the floor. Iona managed to scrunch into one bed, but her sleep was interrupted each time she tried to stretch out. When Iona pointed out to the innkeeper that he should keep a larger bed on hand for just such and occasion, he pointed out that it was not economically sound to do that for a once in a lifetime occurrence. The three of them continued on from the waypoint. Per found the inability to tell day from night a little disturbing, but it struck him that he would have several weeks of traveling just like this. They finally reached Karmond's Gate and proceeded through it with only a little difficulty from the guards. "Are all dwarves so suspicious?" Iona asked Holina after they had finally managed to convince the guards that they had business within and that Per was not a danger. "No more than anyone else is at times like this," replied Holina. "Listen, I'm sure the inns here won't be any better than the one at the waypoint for someone of Per's size. If you don't mind, my father also has a place here. It's not that far away, but it is a little isolated." Iona laughed and said, "Holina, haven't you noticed the zone of silence that has surrounded Per whenever he walks past some of your people? I don't think a little isolation will bother us." Holina led them on through the minor city of Karmond's Gate. They stopped at the market and picked up food and drink before heading towards Gola's residence. The dwelling was at the top of a spiral stone staircase that had been carved from a single huge stalactite. The banister had also been carved out of the rock with intricate spiral designs. The stairs ended on a large stone platform. "Uh, did we take a wrong turn?" asked Per, looking at the stone wall in front of them. "I don't think so," giggled Holina, who pulled out a chain from around her neck. A silver key was attached to the chain. Holina walked slowly towards the stone wall and as she approached, the key began to glow and a small one-inch hole appeared in the wall. She inserted the key into the hole and turned it with a loud clink. Per and Iona gasped in amazement as seams appeared in the wall and a section of it slid silently open. The suite of rooms inside was as richly furnished as Gola's other abode, but this one had the musty air of desertion. Per saw a cloth-covered settee in the living room, which would be perfect from him to sleep on. He picked up the groceries and turned to look at Holina. "Where's the kitchen?" he asked. "Through there," said Holina, pointing towards a door. "Just put them on the table and I'll start dinner after we're settled in." "Uh, Per, just call us when you are ready," said Iona. "Holina, trust me, Per's better than most." "He cooks?" asked Holina skeptically. "I mean, I've eaten his campfire cooking and it's okay, but..." "Holina, if his cooking is not as great as I've said, I'll do the pots and pans," stated Iona. "Now, where's my room?" The kitchen was well-stocked with non-perishables, but it lacked many of the foodstuff normally found in a kitchen. Per took it as another indicator that this residence had not been used for some time. Everything was clean, which indicated that someone came in from time to time to do housework. Per was glad he took the extra care to buy what he needed from the market. He opened up the stove to check the flue and start a fire. "Mmm, that smells delicious," said Holina, walking to the kitchen two hours later. "Iona may win her bet." "I never doubted I would," added Iona, coming in after her and savoring the rich smell of roast beef, fresh biscuits, and a baked cheese casserole. "What have you two been doing while I've been slaving away in here?" asked Per jokingly as he carved the meat. "Oh, checking out our gear... sharpening weapons... figuring out how far we have to travel before it's safe for Holina to change outfits," replied Iona. "You know... important stuff." She then became serious. "Per, you're going to be alone underground. If something happens to you, no one will ever know." "I'll have to make sure that nothing happens to me then," said Per. "If I'm not successful, I think you will know soon enough both at Delta and here. Grab the biscuits, dinner's ready." Dinner started out subdued with everyone's thoughts dwelling on their impending journeys. The savory meal along with two bottles of excellent wine soon had them all joking and laughing. The three of them cleaned up the dirty dishes afterwards and then they settled down comfortably in the living room. "My father is still laughing about Jarla, the dwarf you punched out in the Great Hall," giggled Holina before taking another swig of wine. "His new nickname is Topsy and he's been so mortified over losing half-a-foot of beard that he hasn't come out of hiding yet." "How fast will it take his beard to grow back out," asked Iona, idly spinning an empty wine bottle around on the table. "Oh, a long time..." snickered Holina. "We dwarves are like the rock we live in... very slow to change. It will take him ten years or so to grow out that bit of beard." "I don't suppose he can stay hidden that long," commented Iona, watching the bottle slowly spin to a stop. "Oh-ho!" cried Holina in glee. "Per, you're it!" "Huh?" grunted Per, baffled by what Holina meant. "Iona, spun the bottle and it is pointing at you... hammer or axe?" "I don't understand, Holina." "It's a game," explained Holina. "You say 'hammer' if you want to do a task set by the person who spun the bottle. You say 'axe' if you want to answer a question put forth by the same person. The axe represents a real axe that chops off a portion of your beard if you don't answer truthfully." "We call it something else," said Iona. She looked over at Per. "Well, Per, which is it... truth or dare?" "Per laughed and said, "Hammer." Iona pursed her lips and said, "Strip... naked." Per shook his head because he was sure that was what Iona was going to tell him to do. He yanked off his boots and socks, tossing them towards a distant corner. He pulled his shirt off over his head and undid the wide leather belt holding his pants up. With a quick shove, his pants puddle to the floor and he flung them off with a kick. Both Iona and Holina were staring at his flaccid cock. Even soft, it was seven inches long and thick at the base. Under their gaze, Per felt his cock twitch and begin to grow. He quickly sat down and spun the bottle. It stopped pointing towards Holina. "Hammer," she stated even before the bottle completely stopped. "I don't think I should be the only one naked," suggested Per. Holina smiled widely and began to attack the laces on the front of her corset. She gasped gratefully as the hard, unyielding cone loosened to the point when she could pull it off. The thick woolen skirt followed, with her shoes and stocking not far behind. Holina pulled off her panties, displaying her thick patch of pubic hair. Her heavy breasts bounced free as Holina stripped off the bindings around them. Sighing with relief, Holina began to rub her hands all over her skin. "You're not even embarrassed!" huffed Iona. "You try wearing dwarven fashion," shot back Holina. "They haven't changed in five hundred years. The women lucky enough to be Gerot-Kazim... a warrior woman... gets to wear armor instead of a dress." Holina began to reach down for the bottle. "To the Nine Hells with the bottle!" said Iona as she stripped off her own clothing. "Hey what about the game?" complained Holina. "I've got a better game," said Iona as she reached over to stroke Per's cock. "Ooo, looks that way to me, too," cooed Holina as she knelt down beside Per to also grab his cock. With four hands pumping his cock, Per leaned back onto his elbows and gazed at Holina and Iona. Being a dwarf, Holina was wide in the chest, which made her breasts look larger and fuller than Iona's. Iona, being the taller of the two, seemed slender by comparison. Per's cock was leaking a copious amount of pre-cum, which Iona and Holina were slathering all over his hard shaft. Soon, both it and their hands were slippery from the clear liquid. Iona began to slide her hands up and down the entire twelve inch length as Holina reached lower. "Look at the size of these!" exclaimed Holina as she fondled and hefted Per's balls. Per felt his groin muscles tighten as Holina cradled his testicles in her hands. He was surprised at how delicate her touch and caress was. Per closed his eyes and concentrated on something else because Holina's fondling was bringing him close to the edge. Iona let go of Per's prick and he sighed in relief at the lessened stimulation. Iona kicked one leg over Per's hips and squatted down. She then reached down to grasp and aim his hard meat. "Hey!" pouted Holina in protest. "You got him first the last time," said Iona, licking her lips as she rubbed the fat tip of Per's cock over her damp slit. "Try above his shoulders. I think you'll be sur... aaaaah... prised." On her last word, Iona had rocked backwards, skewering two inches into her hot, wet cunt. Per's inch and a half thick shaft stretched her labia wide open. Iona took a second to adjust to the penetration and then ground down until eight inches of cock was stuffed up inside her. Bending at the knees, she began to bounce up and down on Per's impaling prick. Holina had let go of Per's nuts and scooted around towards his head. Per leaned back and helped her straddle his face so that she was facing Iona. Her hairy bush was right over his mouth and Per could smell the musky scent of her sex. He reached around her legs and grabbed a hold of her tight buns. Holina shivered and gasped as Per's tongue flickered over her engorged clit. Her musky scent filled Per's nostrils as he licked and laved at Holina's wet pussy. Iona was fucking herself silly on his cock and Per could feel the tension building back up in his balls again. Per delved his tongue deep into Holina's dripping snatch causing her to shudder in pleasure and gasp for breath. Her sex had an almost earthy taste to it and she had to brace her hands on Per's chest to maintain her position. Unconsciously, her hips began to grind around in little circles as her passion grew. Iona increased the pace of her bouncing and Per knew she was getting close. He continued his ministrations on Holina's pussy as she writhed and moaned above him. Per kneaded Holina's ass firmly feeling it flexed in his grip. He also felt tremors shoot through Holina's body, each one increasing in strength. When the next tremor started, Per sucked on Holina's clitoris and lashed at it with his tongue. "AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!" cried out Holina as she shook uncontrollably. It was like pure electric passion jolted through her body. She cried out as all of the muscles in her body tensed and her fingers tried to dig into Per's chest. Her orgasm seemed to course around and around inside her as her cunt clenched spasmodically. Her juices gushed out over Per's face and chin. Her throes of passion were shaking her body so much that Holina had to roll off Per to quiver ecstatically on the floor. Iona's body was glistening from sweat as she rode up and down on Per's cock. The sexual tension in his balls was becoming unbearable and Per braced for the imminent explosion. It was the next bounce which touched it off. With a sharp, guttural cry, Per arched his hips upwards. Iona's eyes rolled back in her head as he filled her to capacity with his hard shaft and then overfilled her womb with his first powerful spurt of hot cum. The spurt hit the right spot inside Iona, who screamed out as her own orgasm overpowered her. Unable to keep her squatting position, Iona collapsed onto Per's chest, her head resting on his collarbone. She shook and shivered through a multitude of orgasmic aftershocks as Per gushed into her three more times. The familiar fire of lust began to burn in Per's balls and his cock hardened up even more. He began to hunch his hips a little, moving his cock slightly in and out of Iona's stretched pussy. Iona felt the movement and knew what was happening. She looked down at Holina, who was laying face down on the floor. Iona slipped up off Per's cock, causing their combined juiced to flow out of her overfilled vagina. Tugging on Per's arm, she got him to kneel behind Holina and placed his hands on her hips. Holina sighed when Per pulled her hips upward. Iona grasped the base of Per's cum-slick cock and aimed it straight at Holina's dripping cunt. "Khazar-Ma!" gasped out Holina as two inches of Per's cock split her labia apart and stretched out the walls of her vagina. "Wait! Wait! I... WOOOF!" Per had pulled back slightly before shoving an additional two inches into her. Holina gritted her teeth and screwed her eyes shut as her pussy was painfully stretched out. Per held her hips and suddenly remained still with four inches of his cock stuffed inside her. Slowly, her vaginal muscles became used to his size and loosened as the pain decreased. Even caught up in his lust, Per sensed the change and began fucking Holina with short, quick jabs. "Ugh!... I... must... have... been... ow!... very drunk... the... other... night," grunted out Holina in time with each of Per's jabs. "Per has to cum twice," explained Iona, stroking Holina's thick brown hair. "His lust takes over after his first climax. I pulled you off of him in the hall because I did not want any unfortunate accidents to occur from it. However, our earlier romp had suppressed it in the hall. This is a little more private and controlled. Get ready for a ride because he won't stop until he cums again." "I... ugh... can't take all of him!" squealed Holina, sounding a little shrill. "Even in this state, he knows his limits," soothed Iona. "I'll be over here watching the fun." Iona moved away to a pile of cushions. Holina was on her elbows and knees with Per kneeling behind her. His long cock was angled downward into her leaking pussy because of the disparity in their heights. He had a tight grip on her hips and his hips were thrusting forward in the steady jabbing pace he had set. It was a little while later and Iona could not believe it. The wax tapers had burned down three-quarters of their lengths and Per was still going strong. His stamina was amazing. His relentless pace had rocked Holina through three tremendous orgasms and she had collapsed face-down onto the floor. Only her hips were up, being held in place by Per's grip. Her thighs were quivering uncontrollably and sweat dripped off every square inch of her body. Iona did not know how much longer this could go on, so she decided to add a little stimulation. Moving around behind Per, she knelt down close to his ear. "Cum, baby, cum," she whispered to him as she lightly scratched her fingernails from his tight balls up to his ass. Per's body jumped and caught Iona by surprise. He moaned loudly like a bull moose and his hips snapped forward as he pulled Holina's hips upwards. Her knees came off the floor as six inches of thick cock drove into her. Holina moaned at the Penetration, but was too exhausted to do anything else. Iona felt Per's muscles tighten and tense just before he shuddered as he climaxed. Holina's well-used cunt could not even hold his entire first spurt. Per's white cream leaked out around the edges and his second forced more of his jizz out to dribble down her thighs. Per felt his lust diminish with each gush spurting out of his cock. Gasping, he fell away from Holina. His cock pulled out of her gaping cunt with a wet, sucking sound. Holina, released from his grip, collapsed completely to the floor. "Is she... ?" Per tried to ask. "Just exhausted," said Iona with a smile. "You've been fucking her for the past hour or more." "What!?!" "Shhh... not so loud," admonished Iona. "Your lust took over, as usual, but it stayed in check. Frankly, I don't think I'll ever understand it." "Maybe it molds itself to the individual," suggested Per. "Maybe, but it's time to get cleaned up and get some rest. Pick up Holina and follow me." Per was up early the next morning. After washing up, he went into the kitchen and stoked up the fire. He puttered around making breakfast until Iona and Holina shuffled into the room. "Uh, good morning," said Per, unsure of what else to say. Holina broke out laughing. "Oh, Per, we dwarves aren't known for our subtleties. Let me just say that was the most fantastic fuck I've ever had and probably will ever have. It's hard to beat a dwarf for stamina, but you wore me out last night. I'd ask for a rematch, but we have to go our separate ways today." "What time do we have to leave?" asked Iona with a catch in her voice. "Right after breakfast," said Holina. "No sense putting it off. It will take us about an hour to get to the Inner Gate where Per has to go." Breakfast was delicious, but it was a subdued and sober affair. Little was said as they cleaned up the dishes and put them away. They left the residence and headed towards the Inner Gate. "That was my mother's residence before she married my father," said Holina, reminiscing as they walked. "I'm going to have to come here more often. Since she died, we've not returned." At the Inner Gate, Holina gave the guards papers signed by King Ether granting Per passage through the gate. Not knowing what to say, Per raised his hand and waved goodbye to Holina and Iona before he turned to head into the long dark tunnel. ------- Chapter 3 Karina stood by the ship's rail looking out over the wide expanse of water. The ship had been out of sight of land for ten days and it had been twenty-one days since it had left the Capitol of the Overlord. Karina knew it would be another fifteen days before the ship reached Firehold, the main city on the Sharak Islands. The god, Hades, had ordered her to go to the islands because the entrance to his realm was there. Karina was trying to get him to release a spirit from his plane of existence for the neccar ritual. During the long voyage, Karina had gotten her sea legs early on as had Lorilei. Genese, however, had been seasick every day and swore she was dying. Lorilei had amazed Karina by taking care of the girl until the worst of it had passed. Karina was a little put out and concerned by her two companions. Hades had told her that she could not ask any of her friends to come along with her on this trip. She had snuck out of the inn where they had been staying to get on this ship alone. Unfortunately, Lorilei had spotted her and thought Karina was sneaking away with Helga, Karina's friend and Lorilei's apprentice witch. Helga was a major bone of contention between the two women. Genese, a maid at the inn, saw Lorilei following Karina and tagged along after both of them. During the resulting confrontation in Karina's cabin on board, neither she nor Lorilei noticed that the ship had set sail until Genese told them so. What irritated Karina the most was that Lorilei and Genese had both refused to return to the Capitol from any of the half a dozen ports the ship stopped in. She even offered to pay for their passage and they still refused. Karina could understand Genese's motives since Karina had refused her, her mother and her sister from an abusive, drunken step-father. What she could not fathom was why Lorilei did not want to leave. As if the thought produced the person, Karina spotted Lorilei coming up the gangway. As the ship was traveling west-south-west into warmer climates, Karina had started wearing a white blouse and divided skirt. Lorilei had followed suit, but her skirt was a dark green, while Karina's was blue. Lorilei saw Karina and walked over to join her at the ship's rail. "How is Genese?" asked Karina. "Seeing to our dinner, dearie," replied Lorilei. "You know, I don't believe I've met a more subservient person. She's a perfect maid." "The drunk her mother had the misfortune of marrying made her that way," said Karina. "You remember that Helga was once my maid." "Helga has power," countered Lorilei. "She can move above where she started out. Genese has no power." "What about her potential?" asked Karina. "If she has no power, then why did you help her when she was so seasick?" "You should know that everyone has potential, dearie," said Lorilei. "It's just that almost no one ever uses it. You and Genese could swap positions. She would revert back to being a servant and you would rise above it. As for helping her, it was just to help her get back on her feet faster to wait on us." "Is that all it is... master and servant?" "Of course, dearie," replied Lorilei blithely. "What else is there in the world?... and it is masters and servant." Karina ignored the barb and asked, "Why did you stay? You could have left the ship at any of the ports and gone back. I thought Helga's training was all important to you." Lorilei grimaced and she said, "I could spin you a story about how I was tagging along to make your life miserable, but that is just a bonus. I cast an augury after the ship sailed from the Capitol. In my vision, I saw an old black pair of shears coming closer and closer to my thread of life if I left the ship. The shears backed off when I stayed with you." "You mean the Fates would have snipped your life thread if you left?" asked Karina in astonishment. "Oh, nothing quite as neat and tidy as that, dearie," said Lorilei with a chuckle. "And I'm still not safe going with you. Those shears hover over everyone's thread. I just don't want to cut my life short by staying where I'm not supposed to be." "So I get you for a companion whether I want you or not?" "That about sums it up," stated Lorilei. "I'm not fond of you, either." "I'm willing to make a truce," said Karina. "Since it seems that we are going to be together for awhile." "Agreed," said Lorilei. "We may not be allies, but, at least, not enemies." She smiled wickedly. "I also promise not to use your form anymore for sex." "You want me to get my axe?" asked Karina jokingly. Lorilei shuddered and took a step back in fright. "No, Karina, I don't. Please, don't even joke about something like that." "I'm sorry. What is it about Remarg that upsets you? Tenan couldn't tell me much about it except that it is ancient and is always sharp." "He was right about it being ancient," said Lorilei. "No one knows when it was made or who made it. Remarg has always been part of witch legends. It is the bane for us. It has been lost and found thousands of times." "If it was only supposed to be a legend, how did you recognize it?" "Well, dearie, it's been described to a 'T' in every story ever told about it. You show it to any of us... good, bad, woodwitch, seawitch... any of us and we would recognize it immediately." "Why is it a bane to witches?" asked Karina. "What does it do?" "I couldn't tell you. The stories tell of Remarg annihilating witch after witch. It is rumored that Remarg chooses its owner and its powers manifest based on the owner's needs. You also don't have to worry about me throwing it into the sea, dearie. I won't get within ten feet of it if at all possible and, even if I did throw it in, I'm sure it would come back thirsting for my blood." Karina was suddenly and uncomfortably aware that her right wrist, which had a bracelet with a little axe charm on it, was right next to Lorilei. She hastily licked her lips and turned around so her body was between the charm and Lorilei. Karina was sure that Lorilei did not associate the charm with Remarg and she wanted to keep some distance between them. "Good morning, ladies." Karina and Lorilei both turned to see the captain approaching them. His rolling gait spoke of many years at sea and his unconscious ability to adjust to the moving deck he stood on. "Good morning, captain," said Karina. "I trust the trip has not been too hard for you," said the captain. "My men haven't bothered you, have they?" "Not since the first one," stated Lorilei with a smile. After being only a couple of days out from the Capitol, one of the seamen decided to try his luck with the sea-sick Genese. Between her nausea and delirium, she was in no shape to put up much resistance. Luckily, the first mate put a stop to the seaman's advances before anything happened and before Lorilei could get her hands on him. Extra duty cleaning the bilges and the loss of the seaman's rum rations taught the rest of the crew to be on their best behavior concerning the women. Of course, after the first time Karina came on deck in full armor and weapons, the crew became really respectful. "Well, I hope you are enjoying the trip," said the captain. "We still have some distance to go before we reach the Sharak Islands. Boredom is the thing you have to watch out for on these long trips. Excuse me... Bosun, do you mind getting the men up in the sails back to work?" The bosun, who was just walking by, and the two women all looked upwards. Five seamen were up in the yardarms just sitting there on the spars gazing down at Karina and Lorilei. They all smiled, but then scurried across the ropes and arms at a bellowed order from the bosun. "My apologies for that," said the captain sincerely. "That is not necessary," replied Karina. "We're the only women on this trip. You can't expect your men not to look at us." The captain smiled and broke out in a laugh. "I have no desire for a mutiny, which is what would happen if I ordered the men to do that. There's an old adage... trite, but true. The sea is an unforgiving mistress. My crew can look at you and talk to you, but on their own time. Those men aloft had a job to do, which they were neglecting. They now know I do have eyes in the back of my head." Karina and Lorilei both laughed. "Sail ho! Off the port bow!" Karina glanced up at the masthead lookout and then stared out over the water trying to spot the other ship. The captain had hauled himself halfway up the rigging to peer out over the left side of the ship. Karina followed his gaze and spotted a speck of a sail in the distance. "Where is it, dearie?" asked Lorilei, looking this way and that. "Over there," said Karina, pointing at the other sail. "Deck ahoy!" yelled the lookout aloft. "She's changed direction towards us and put on more sail!" "Damn!" cursed the captain as he swung down to the deck. "You ladies had better get below." "Why? What's wrong?" asked Karina, alarmed by the captain's attitude. "Any flags?" bellowed the captain to the lookout. "No... none," yelled back the lookout. "Come with me," ordered the captain as he hurried towards the quarterdeck. "Most ships signal when they want to parley. By laying on more sail, that ship means to catch up with us. No signal and more sail means bad news in my book." "Pirates?" asked Lorilei. "Possibly... probably," answered the captain. "You have to get below. I just hope that they don't have a damn spellcaster with them." "I'm staying," replied Lorilei. "I'll be back as soon as I have my armor on," stated Karina, heading to the gangway. It took Karina only a short time to don on her armor and retrieve her shield. She felt the ship's movement change and guessed that the captain was putting on more sail. A pasty-faced Genese groaned in her bed at the movement and sat up with a belch. "What is it, milady?" she gasped out. "The captain doesn't like the look of another ship that was sighted," explained Karina. "I think he's trying to sail away from it. How are you feeling?" "Better," said Genese. "I haven't thrown up all day, though I have come close. I'm sorry I haven't been much use so far." "You've been sick," stated Karina. "I've got to go." Karina walked up on deck. The other ship was now astern and much closer. It was a lean sloop with all sail set. She watched impressed by its majesty as it seemed to skim through the waves. Karina turned and went to stand beside Lorilei at the back rail. She noticed that the crew had mounted four small ballistas on the railing and each one was manned by two seamen. "She's overtaking us," muttered the captain. "Aye, and she hasn't raised a flag yet. They're pirates and we're in for a fight." "Where's the rest of the crew?" asked Karina. "Armed and down below. Keeps them safe from any arrows or bolts that come our way," answered the captain. Just then a cry rang out and Karina spun around to see one of the sailors, who had been manning a ballista, fall to the deck with an arrow stuck through his shoulder. As if in response, the two ballistas in the stern fired off their projectiles towards the sloop. The sailors quickly began to winch back the heavy bowstrings as Karina moved to haul the injured man out of the way. Karina had stooped down to grasp the wounded man when the other sailor standing next to her cried out and toppled over on top of her. She was forced down to the deck and reached back to shove the sailor off of her. Glancing back, she saw an arrow transfixed into his chest. "Get that damned archer before he gets the rest of us!" cursed the captain to the other crew. The ballista bowstring thrummed and the large quarrel shot through the air at the other ship. It not only missed the archer, but the other ship entirely due to the crew's haste and nervousness. Karina, looking over the rail, saw the archer fit another arrow to his bow and take aim. A series of short buzzing sounds, like vip-vip-vip-vip-vip, caused Karina to turn sharply. Standing at the back rail was Lorilei with her left arm raised, palm outward with small white shafts of light shooting out from it. Karina's head snapped back around, but could not follow the shafts. Instead, she saw the archer staggering back with bloody rents in the front of his leather armor. As Karina stared at the archer, another set of white shafts buzzed forth from Lorilei, striking the archer again. He fell out of sight to the sloop's deck. At the same time that the second set of white shafts was striking the archer, a jagged, sparkling, blue ball of light flashed over from the sloop. It struck one of the brig's mainsails and, with a loud 'whump', blew the entire sail into tatters. Karina watched in horror as two sailors up in the rigging were knocked off. One fell screaming into the sea as the other crashed onto the deck with a thud. Blood immediately began to pool underneath his body. Karina heard Lorilei's voice take on an angry tone as she began muttering incantations and weaving her fingers in intricate patterns. Spells and counter spells flew back and forth between the two ships... some Karina could see... others she could only sense. "Stand by to repel boarders!" bellowed the captain. Karina left the wounded sailor where he was and stood up. The sloop was now closing in fast to the brig. At least sixty men were lined up along the sloop's railing and several had grappling hooks in their hands. "Surrender!" Karina looked over at the quarterdeck of the sloop. An athletic man in his mid-thirties had jumped up onto the rail and was holding onto the rigging by one hand. He had dark hair and a trimmed goatee. He clothing was black pants and boots with a maroon-colored shirt. A rapier hung by his side. "Surrender and I'll spare your crew!" he yelled. "Passengers?" yelled back the captain. The man made a face and an exaggerated shrug. "Ransomed if they're worth it." "Go to hell," shouted the captain. The pirate captain shrugged as if the answer was expected and inevitable. He pulled out his rapier to wave it over his head. "Grapples away!" he commanded. A dozen grapples flew from the sloop to the brig. One missed, but the other eleven thudded onto the deck. They were quickly pulled back to catch on the brig's rigging or railing. Karina quickly glanced at Lorilei, but saw that she was still engaged in her battle with the enemy magician. Karina felt the hard haft of Remarg in her hand and she stepped forward towards the nearest grapple. The sloop's crew was hauling in on the heavy ropes attached to the grapples, drawing the two ships closer together. Karina flipped back her cloak, revealing her unique armor. She missed the look of astonishment on the pirate captain's face when he caught sight of her silvery, form-fitting armor. Karina ran down the quarterdeck rail swinging Remarg. Four thick ropes parted easily under the sharp axe blade. Karina jumped down the steps to the main deck and cut four more ropes before she was hit from behind. She sprawled to the deck and rolled over a couple of times before she could look up to see what hit her. "Sorry to knock you down, lass, but you were going to keep us from our prize," said the pirate captain, grinning at her and holding onto the line which he had used to swing over from the other ship. The brig and the sloop were barely twenty feet apart when the brig's captain yelled for his crew to repel boarders. Karina swung at the pirate captain, who somersaulted backwards away from her whistling axe. Pandemonium broke out as the brig's crew boiled up from below and twenty pirates swung over from the sloop. Karina and the pirate captain became separated as fighting flared all over the brig's deck. She clambered to her feet and managed to cut two more grappling ropes before she was brought up short by a boarding pike whizzing by her head. She turned to find herself facing a scruffy-looking pirate wielding a cutlass. "Don' be doin' that, girl," he sneered. "If ye be as stacked as your armor, me mates will be wantin' to meet you. I bet you be as juicy as a lobster... once we shuck you outta that shell." Karina swung at him and missed. She caught his counter-stroke on her shield. The pirate's complacent look turned to one of concentration as he tried to get through Karina's defenses. Karina quickly ended the fight when she cut him deep across the thigh. The pirate cried out in pain and dropped his cutlass to use both hand to staunch the flow of blood. "I guess you forgot about the lobster's claws," said Karina as he hobbled back away from her. Karina raced up to the foredeck to cut the two lines that were up there, but other grapples had been thrown to catch the brig. Karina turned around to cut those ropes, but was confronted by the pirate captain. "Now, lass, I asked you not to be doing that," he said, blocking her way. "You're only delaying the inevitable." Karina pondered for a second on how to get past him to the three ropes bringing the two ships together. She inhaled sharply as she felt Remarg reshape itself and its lanyard disappeared from around her wrist. Karina then received a firm suggestion for her to throw her axe. Without thinking, Karina swung back with it and let it fly. Remarg had gone from being a single-edged battle axe to a double-bladed throwing axe. As it spun down the side of the ship, it cut through the three ropes and then, to everyone's surprise, circled up in an arc back towards Karina. Karina's eyes opened wide in horror as the spinning axe was coming back straight towards Lorilei. Karina took in a breath to yell a warning, but never shouted as the axe's flight veered slightly missing Lorilei by a scant inch. Karina barely had time to raise her hand to catch Remarg out of the air. "By Loki's mischief!" swore the pirate captain softly. He then physically shook off his amazement. He yelled, "Back to the ship! Back to the ship!" The pirates who had swung over to the brig backed away from their adversaries. The brig's crew also backed up creating a gap between the two forces. The pirates then swung back to their sloop or dived overboard to swim back. The pirate captain unhitched a line as he jumped up to the railing. "Guess it wasn't so inevitable after all," he said to Karina. "I'll be seeing you, lass." With that, he kicked back and swung over to his sloop. His crew had thrown out lines and fished the swimmers out of the ocean. The pirate captain turned, smiled and waved to Karina before bellowing out orders to set sail. The canvas sails on the sloop boomed as the ship changed its tack and headed west towards the horizon. Lorilei walked over to where Karina was. Her hair was plastered to her forehead and her clothes were rent and torn in various places. Karina was again struck by how much Lorilei looked like her twin sister, Ivin, except for the smoldering anger in her eyes. "What were you trying to do?" snapped Lorilei between clenched teeth. "Get me killed? Luckily, I had just finished off their magician or your little trick with that axe would have broken my concentration and would have gotten me fried." "No, I don't want you killed," replied Karina, "but I think Remarg did." "That... that was Remarg?" gasped Lorilei as her face went white as a ghost. Karina jumped forward and caught Lorilei before she swooned to the deck. Remarg had shrunk back to its charm bracelet size. Karina lowered Lorilei to a sitting position with her back against the railing. Lorilei shuddered and shook as she placed her head in her hands. "I'm a dead woman," she moaned, slowly shaking her head back and forth. "I'm a dead woman." "No, you're not," argued Karina. "You would have been if you had left me, remember? I need you too much to let anything happen to you." "Miladys, I need some help." Karina looked over her shoulder and jumped back at what she saw. Genese was standing by the gangway entrance and, to Karina's horror, she had blood all over both of her arms. Both Karina and Lorilei sprang to their feet and rushed over to Genese. "It's not mine," added Genese hastily, holding up her stained hands. "One of the pirates got down below. A sailor tried to protect me, but he's hurt real bad." Karina looked around quickly. Half a dozen of the brig's crew had some degree of injury, but all of them were being helped. She saw only two bodies being left alone and surmised that they had been killed. Karina looked at Lorilei, who nodded back at her, and they both followed Genese below. Outside of their cabin was a young boy around sixteen years old. He was lying curled up in a puddle of blood. Karina rolled him over gently onto his back. The boy cried out in pain with his hands clutching his stomach. She managed to pull his hands aside to reveal a gruesome, long, deep cut across his abdomen. A sharp, foul-smelling reek assailed Karina's nose just as she released his hands. She shot a look at Lorilei who gave her back the same knowing stare. "Genese, go into my brown case and bring me the golden candle," ordered Lorilei. "It's wrapped in parchment, about an inch in diameter and twelve inches long." "Yes, milady," responded Genese, who left and soon returned with the candle. Lorilei unwrapped the candle and held it in her left hand. She pointed her right finger at the wick and stated, "Illuminari!" The wick glowed briefly and then put forth a flame. Lorilei dripped some wax onto the floor boards before setting the candle down to keep it in place. "Will it help?" asked Karina. "It'll ease his pain," said Lorilei, not looking up. "Genese, you had better go up top," advised Karina. "You mean, he's..." gasped Genese horrified. "Go on up, dearie," ordered Lorilei in a tone that brooked no discussion. Genese curtsied quickly and ran up the steps. Karina was about to ask Lorilei if that was necessary, but was stopped by a loud sigh from the boy. She looked down to see the pain ease in his face and to watch the terrible wound close. His body was still covered in sweat and when Karina felt his forehead, it felt like he was burning up. "Ah, all the pain is gone," said the young man lazily. "Where did the girl go? She promised to stay with me." "She'll be back soon," said Karina softly. She turned to Lorilei and whispered, "Does he have a chance?" "No," whispered Lorilei. "Too much blood lost and his insides were slashed opened. The candle will ease his pain and close the wound, but it can't stop the corruption already loose in his body." "Where's the girl?" repeated the boy. "She, ugh, promised." "Hold on," Lorilei told him and went into their cabin. She was in there for a minute or so before the door opened again and Genese walked out. Karina knew that the real Genese had gone up on deck and that this had to be Lorilei using one of her spells. A sly wink and a leering smile from 'Genese' left Karina with no doubt who it was. "It's me, Genese," said Lorilei in Genese's voice as she knelt down beside the boy. Karina backed away. "I'm here now." "I thought you had left me," he said, licking his dry lips. "You promised to stay." "I had to leave for only a second," said Lorilei softly. "I... I was wondering if we could go out together when we hit port." "Well,..." hemmed Lorilei. "Oh, nothing you have to worry about," panted the boy, his eyes becoming feverishly bright. "I've... I've never been with a woman before." 'Genese's' eyebrows rose in disbelief and she asked, "You've never had sex with a woman?" Karina saw several emotions flash briefly across 'Genese's' face before it softened into smile. "I swore to save myself for my wedding day, but I do owe you my life. I think I know a way to solve your problem without breaking my oath." Lorilei stroked her hand right up his thigh and placed it directly on his crotch. The boy gasped as her fingers squeezed and fondled his cock through his trousers. Karina was shocked by Lorilei's actions, but did not move for fear of disturbing the boy's final minutes. She felt her body begin to heat up and she fished Aphrodite's pendant from underneath her armor to clasp it in her hand. "It's getting so hard," cooed 'Genese' as she continued to massage the rapidly growing prick. "I hope I'm doing this right. Maybe it'd be better if I pulled it out, dearie." Karina saw Lorilei reach up and untie the rope belt to the boy's pants. Lorilei then grabbed the top of his pants and managed to get them down to his knees. Karina inhaled sharply as the boy's cock popped into view. She felt the fires of her lust begin to rise and she fought to control them. "Oooo, it's so big!" gushed 'Genese' as she grasped the six-inch long cock. "Do you think it would be alright if I tasted it?" The boy's eyes had lost focus and sweat dripped off his body. There was however no mistaking his moan of ecstasy when Lorilei leaned over and laved her tongue around the head of his cock. She looked up to smile wickedly when she felt him arch his hips upward. Holding the base of his shaft with one hand, she opened her mouth and leaned down. Visions of cocks and pricks danced in Karina's mind. Her armor suddenly became very hot and constricting as she fought to maintain control. Lorilei, looking exactly like Genese, sucked on the boy's cock with loud slurping sounds. One finger and her thumb encircled the base of the boy's hard cock to hold it upright as her other hand cupped and gently played with his testicles. Karina was shaking as she barely managed to keep a hold on herself. She could feel her labia engorge and become slick from her own juices. The boy was moaning constantly from the exquisite sensations 'Genese's' mouth was producing on his organ. His feverish head rocked back and forth in his delirium as his passionate tension soared. Suddenly, the boy's hips arched upward and Lorilei grunted in surprise as he shot his milky seed into her mouth. Karina, her body hot and trembling in suppressed desire, watched as the boy's body shuddered each time he spurted. She saw 'Genese's' cheeks billow out slightly. Lorilei slurped her mouth off his cock, keeping her lips closed tightly. To Karina's surprise, she pulled a small glass bottle out of one of her pockets. Lorilei pulled the cork out and then, holding her lips over the opening, dribbled the thick, white sperm into the bottle. Replacing the cork, she reached over to touch the boy's sweaty cheek. "I've never sucked a cock before," said 'Genese'. "Was I good?" "It... it was... fantastic," gasped the boy before he went limp. "Tenan," gasped Karina feeling her last bit of control slip away. Karina's armor and weapons disappeared as she found herself floating among pale, pink clouds. Tenan appeared in front of her, his hard eight-inch cock jutting out in front of him. "Don't say a word," gasped Karina huskily. "Just make love to me." Tenan immediately understood her need as he smiled and floated over to her to give her a rich, passionate kiss. Karina moaned as she returned his kiss with equal fervor and felt his hands glide softly over her hips and waist. Tenan's hard prick slipped in between Karina's slightly parted legs and grazed across her wet outer pussy lips. Karina's last ounce of control evaporated with that touch and she pushed Tenan back onto a cloud. Tenan felt the cloud firm up under him like a mattress. Karina, her legs separated on either side of his hips, reached down to grasp his hard cock. Aligning it upward, she slid the tip up and down over her cunt before rocking backwards to sink all eight inches into her hot, waiting cunt. Her vaginal muscles adjusted to his size to grip the shaft tightly. Karina eyes were closed and her mouth opened as she savored the full feeling inside her. Her expression of ecstasy did not change as she began to hump back and forth on Tenan's cock. Tenan eased his hands down to Karina's churning hips. Her huge, heavy tits rubbed back and forth over his chest. With the cloud firmly supporting him, Tenan began to thrust upward to meet Karina's downward plunge. Karina gasped in lustful delight as their hips smacked together and his cock drove forcefully into her vagina. Faster and faster their hips met again and again in a fucking frenzy. Karina panted and moaned in her passion as her ash-blond hair whipped around her face. Tenan's face was screwed up in a grimace as he gritted his teeth in a losing battle to keep from cumming too soon. Karina's wet pussy gripped Tenan's cock like a glove. Jolts of pleasure seemed to zap down his hard shaft from his glans down to his balls. Tenan quivered as each jolt increased the tension pent up inside his body and threatened to send him over the edge. Lost in her lust, Karina ground herself down onto Tenan's prick and began to shake in a series of small tremors as she orgasmed. Her pussy gripped and squeezed his hard shaft finally sending Tenan over the top. With a low guttural roar, his hands tightened on her thighs and his hips arched upward. Tenan held himself there for a split-second before his thick hot cum blasted out into Karina's waiting vagina. Karina sighed in contentment, her lust leaving her as she felt Tenan's warm liquid filling her up. With his cock still inside her, Karina laid down on top of Tenan, her large breasts mashing up against his muscular chest. "Oh, Gods, I needed that!" she crooned in his ear. "So did I," responded Tenan. "I just hope Golden Sunlight doesn't kill me when I get back." "Why would she do that?" asked Karina, a little startled by his statement. "She's as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof," replied Tenan. "She's terrified of the swamp, not that I can blame her. It's malignant and foul. We've come across signs of lizard people, kobolds, some oozes and jellies, plus a couple of things I couldn't even name. Luckily, we've managed to bypass all of them. I just wish I could get rid of the feeling that the swamp is alive and watching us." "I think I'd rather have you a little nervous and on your guard," said Karina worriedly. "Are you sure that Morning Mist is in there?" "No, but it is the only place she could be," said Tenan with a sigh. "Trust me, I have no desire to remain here permanently. I'm not going to lower my guard until I'm out of the swamp with a lot of miles between it and us. How are things with your group?" Karina grimaced in anticipation to his response. "It depends upon which group you mean?" She told him everything... why she had to leave everyone behind, how Lorilei and Genese came on the ship, and the fight with the pirates. At the conclusion, Tenan just laid there open-mouthed. His face betrayed all his emotions of anger, fear and anxiety. It also showed his admiration and pride for Karina. "Honey, I don't know what to say," he admitted with a quick shake of his head. "To say I'm not worried about you being with a girl you don't know and an evil witch would be a lie. I wish Hades would have allowed you to take one friend with you, but that can't be changed now. We have searched about one-third of the swamp. Contact me in about ten days." How about bringing Golden Sunlight next time?" asked Karina. "You won't have to worry about getting stabbed then." "Sounds good," replied Tenan. "It'll at least give her a chance to relax. I hope to have Morning Mist by then." "Are you satisfied?" "Well, I'll have to let you know the next time you call for me," joked Tenan. "Obviously you're not!" said Karina as she slid down between his legs. Karina reached out and touched the firm mattress-like cloud underneath their bodies. The area under her hand changed for an instant before firming up again. It left a pink, slick gel on Karina's hand and Tenan gasped in delight as she grasped his semi-flaccid cock and began to stroke it. Karina smiled as her fingers wrapped around Tenan's prick. It took only two strokes before it hardened back up to its full length. Her hands glided easily up and down the gel-slicked shaft. When she rubbed her thumb back and forth over the flap of sensitive skin under the head of his cock, Tenan grunted in pleasure and his legs tightened involuntarily as waves of gratification coursed to his balls. Karina readjusted her two-fisted grip on the slick hard shaft and her hands began to pump up and down rapidly. Her smile widened as Tenan swallowed hard and gasped for air from the erotic sensations she was producing. The gel squished as her fingers gripped and squeezed his cock. Karina felt Tenan begin to tremble and his cock start to pulsate. Suddenly, he inhaled sharply and his hips arched upward. Karina sighed as his cock spewed forth its white, rich seed. Tenan's cock gushed out his gooey jizz over Karina hands. Karina purred in perverse pleasure as she gently squeezed his hard shaft to force more of the precious liquid out. Tenan's body went limp as the power of his climax subsided. Karina released his cock as parts of the cloud changed and they found themselves sitting on a pink pool of water. "This is new," commented Tenan, reaching down to touch the water. "This place surprises me every time I come here," said Karina, washing her hands and then moving closer to wash off Tenan's cock. "Hmmm," sighed Tenan as her hands gently caressed his cock. "I'm beginning to like it here." "Unfortunately we can't stay. Will that keep you satisfied for ten days?" "If it doesn't, I think the effort to do that would put me in an early grave," and Tenan disappeared. The pink clouds disappeared and Karina found herself back on the ship in the gangway. The dead boy was still there and so was Lorilei. Lorilei had changed back to herself and she gave a start when Karina materialized into view. "Neat trick, dearie," said Lorilei with a touch of acidity in her voice. Karina guessed that Lorilei really did not like to be surprised. "Sorry, just had to pop out for a second," apologized Karina. "It was longer than a second," stated Lorilei. "How far can you translocate with that spell? I'm guessing it can't be too far. Did you go over to the pirate ship?" "Uh, it's not that type of spell," hedged Karina, not wanting to give Lorilei too much information. "It just transports me to and from another... place?" "Place?" queried Lorilei. "Is it another place on this world or another plane?" "I'm not sure what you mean by another plane, but it's definitely not of this world." "Then it's another plane or dimension," said Lorilei. "Can you teach me the spell?" "I can't," said Karina. "I don't know how. The Goddess Aphrodite placed the spell on me. I just concentrate to send myself there. I always reappear right where I left from." "I don't suppose you can tell me anything about the plane you travel to." Karina just gave Lorilei a hard stare. "Oh, well. I guess we'd better tell the captain about this boy." The pirates had cost the crew three dead, two seriously wounded, and four others with minor wounds. They had left one of their own behind. The crew took it all stoically. Life on the deep blue was hard and unforgiving. The bosun patched up the four with minor wounds, gave them a double shot of rum and sent them off to light duty. The two seriously wounded were treated and taken to berths in the forecastle as the captain consigned the three dead men to the sea. It was late the next day when Genese asked Karina for permission to look after the two seriously wounded sailors. "Why?" asked Karina. "You know it won't be pleasant." "I know that!" snipped Genese. "I've had to clean up our rooms numerous times after one of my step-father's binges. I just don't want them to be alone without anyone watching over them." Genese, the captain and the bosun are both looking in on them." "When their duties permit," added Genese. "Otherwise, they only see the crewman who brings them their meals." Karina sighed, "Alright, but check with the captain. If he says yes, then you have my permission." Genese smiled, gave Karina a quick hug and strolled back towards the quarterdeck. She nodded to Lorilei in passing and went to the captain. Lorilei looked after her questioningly and then walked over to where Karina was standing. "What is she all smiles about?" asked Lorilei. "She wanted permission to care for the two wounded men below. I said it would okay if the captain gave his permission." "Well, dearie, that's fine as long as she doesn't neglect her regular duties," commented Lorilei. "If she does, we can just fend for ourselves," replied Karina. "You could always use that golden candle and heal them." "They're not worth it," stated Lorilei dryly. "You have no idea of the time, effort and expense involved in making that candle. I use it sparingly, even on myself." "But... uh... why did you use it on that boy who was dying, then?" asked Karina. "You and I both knew he wouldn't live." "Moment of weakness?" asked Lorilei in mock seriousness. Karina shot her a look of disbelief. "Never mind, dearie. Let's just say I did it and leave it at that." Karina was sure that Lorilei's use of the candle had something to do with the bottle of the boy's sperm. She even had a nagging doubt about his death. Karina was pretty sure that Lorilei could not have saved him, but she was not one hundred percent certain. Eight days later, the damage to the brig had been repaired so that Karina could not even tell that they had been in a fight. The two seriously wounded men had rapidly improved and the captain told Karina that by the time they made port, the two would be fit for duty. He also stated that Genese's nursing had made a real difference. It was later that evening when Lorilei asked Karina to follow her. Karina wondered what she was up to, but refrained from asking. Lorilei led her up on deck and forward. She rapped on the forecastle hatch before pushing it back and going down the gangway. The two of them entered the cable tier, which had been converted into a sickbay. Genese was sitting in there on a stool and talking to the two wounded sailors. The two sailors were lying in their beds, wearing loose, open-necked shirts. Both were young, in their early twenties, and looking fit, except being a little peaked. One had a bandage across his chest from a slashing knife wound and the other had his left arm wrapped up all the way to his shoulder. They both perked up visibly when Lorilei and Karina came into the room. "Genese, the captain has told me that you have been here every night," said Lorilei. "You need to rest, dearie. I thought you could use a good night's sleep. We've come here to replace you." At Genese's look of consternation, Lorilei added, "Don't worry. They're almost healed. We can manage for one night." "If you're sure..." said Genese as she stood up. "Well, good night, then." "Good night," said everyone as she left. "I see that she has already changed your bandages," said Lorilei, looking at the sailors. "I think she missed the one on my upper thigh," leered that sailor on the right, lightly touching his leg near his crotch. Before Karina could respond, Lorilei looked down at him and asked, "Would you have said that to Genese?" "No, I don't think I would have," stated the sailor, looking a little abashed. "She's sorta like the kid sister I never knew." "We're here to give her a needed break, not indulging in your fantasies," said Lorilei. She then fished into the bag that she had brought with her. "Here we are." Lorilei pulled out a round green candle which she set on the table and lit. Karina stared suspiciously between the candle, Lorilei, and the sailors, but nothing untoward happened. Lorilei took two small dolls and a comb out of the bag and then set it aside. "Do you mind if I comb your hair, dearies," she asked of the sailors. "I hate a man with messy hair. Karina, sit here and talk to these two while I straighten up their hair." Karina sat on the stool and talked to the two about their work, ports they have seen, and their adventures. Lorilei combed out their hair, listening also. When Lorilei had finished, she went over to the table where her candle was. Karina was not paying attention to her, but thought she heard her mutter something under her breath. She was distracted by one of the sailor's stories of how he eluded some town's guards to make it back to the brig just as it was casting off. "What is that?" asked the other sailor of Lorilei. Karina turned and saw Lorilei holding up the two dolls. The dolls were made of wax and resembled two men in sailor outfits. "They're wax molds of dolls I was making for Genese and her sister," replied Lorilei. When I am finished, I'll cast them in plaster. It'll be a reminder to her of her adventures on this trip. I've made them into sailors to remind her of you." Lorilei held the dolls out so the sailors could get a good look at them. "They're still fragile. Let's just lay them back on the table, shall we, dearies?" Lorilei laid the dolls down, one on either side of the green candle. No sooner had she done that, than Karina heard a thump and looked back to see that both sailors had slumped over. She jumped to her feet with an oath. "Easy, dearie," said Lorilei calmly. "What did you do to them?" asked Karina angrily. "Just put them to sleep... actually, they're in a trance. Aren't you, dearies?" "Yes," replied the sailors slurredly, still slumped over. "Straighten yourselves out, dearies," commanded Lorilei and the sailors pulled up and laid out straight on the beds without even opening their eyes. "Why?" asked Karina. "Why?" repeated Lorilei. "Because I'm horny and this way no one, but the two of us will be the wiser. Unless I'm wrong, you're just as lustful as I am. Which one do you want?" "What?!?" gasped Karina in shock. "Take the one with the bandaged arm," suggested Lorilei, moving over towards the sailor with the wounded chest. "I'll take this one," and she pulled back the bedsheet. The sailor did indeed have a cut on his thigh. His shirt had been pinned up short so that it would not irritate the wound or pull on the bandage. Karina inhaled sharply as she caught sight of the sailor's cock nestled limply in his pubic hair. She could feel her body heat up and her lust begin to take over. Karina almost reached for Aphrodite's pendant, but stopped and lowered her hand. She squeezed her legs together to try and stop the pleasurable itch between them. All she did was fan the fires burning down there and Karina felt her pussy become damp. Her mind began to fill with visions of cocks. Even so, Karina realized she could not disappear a second time in front of Lorilei. Despite their truce, Karina did not want Lorilei to know too much about her weakness. "Why not?" said Karina in a low husky voice. "You said they won't remember." "It'll be like a dream to them," replied Lorilei with an appraising glance at Karina. "You know, you surprise me." "Why, because I like a good fuck as much as you do?" asked Karina hastily unbuttoning her blouse. Lorilei laughed. "Well said! I hope they last a good long time." Both women stripped off their clothing. Thrills of pleasure shot through Karina's body as she realized that she was going to make love to a perfect stranger. She did not even know his name. Her lust increased and was almost overpowering her. Only the thought that she was not fighting it and wanted to keep it secret, kept her marginally in control. Karina looked over at Lorilei, now as naked as she was, and marveled at the fact of how physically identical she was to Ivin. "By Taperator's Crucible!" hissed Lorilei softly, staring at Karina's breasts. "I knew they were big, but..." "You assumed my shape in Tectin," panted Karina, turning to face her. "You should know." "That was an illusion," said Lorilei. "I can't see or feel it since I was the one who cast it. I'm surprised you don't walk half-bent over all the time. Are they heavy?" "Feel them." Lorilei straightened up. "I prefer men." "So do I... most of the time, that is. You asked... I offered and if you don't want to, I got a sailor to work on." Lorilei relaxed a little and then reached over to heft one of Karina's tits. Karina closed her eyes and licked her lips as her huge tits were weighed, bounced and squeezed in Lorilei's hands. Her passion threatened to take over just when Lorilei released the mammoth mounds. Karina immediately turned away and pulled back the bedsheet covering her sailor. His shirt was covering his genitals and Karina carefully pulled it up above his stomach. She sighed lustfully as his limp cock popped into view. Reaching down with both hands, she began to caress it. She was not even trying to fight her lust and desire. The sailor moaned softly as his prick stiffened under her touch. As it hardened, Karina leaned over and parted her full, rich lips. The head of his cock felt hot inside her mouth. Karina laved her tongue around and around, coating it with her saliva. She managed a glance over at Lorilei, who was stroking her sailor's cock with both hands. Lorilei caught her glance, winked, and smiled at Karina without missing a stroke. Karina turned her attention back to the cock in her mouth and started to bob her head up and down. A perverse thrill coursed through Karina at the thought of having the sailor ejaculate in her mouth and swallowing down his thick gooey seed. However, the fire between her legs could not be ignored and she released his shaft with a loud sucking sound. Panting in lust, Karina got onto the bed and straddled the sailor's hips. Reaching between them, she grasped and pointed his cock at her hot, eager cunt. With a loud gasp of relief and fulfillment, Karina rocked back, driving the hard shaft all the way into her tight vagina. "Oh, does that feel good!" sighed Lorilei. Karina looked sideways. Lorilei was in the same position she was, straddling the man's hips with his cock stuffed deep inside her. Both women began to rock back and forth, impaling themselves again and again on the hard pricks underneath them. Karina's vision started to take on a red haze, but she did not care. All she wanted to do was to orgasm in a tremendous bang. The two sailors moaned and gasped in their trances as they dreamed of the fulfillment of their wildest desires. Both Karina and Lorilei were panting heavily as their sexual tension increased inside them. Karina was trembling as her vaginal muscles gripped and clasped at the hard shaft filling her. Every time she rocked back, it felt like his cock filled her up completely. Karina finally could not hold back anymore. She ground her ass downward, screwing herself completely onto the sailor's cock and then she exploded. Her neck went taunt and her whole body shook as jolt after jolt of orgasmic pleasure shot throughout her. The red haze disappeared from her vision and her fingertips tingled from the sensations. She held herself still as she basked in the afterglow. Karina's eyes suddenly snapped opened and then she smiled. She felt the sailor's cock pulse inside her and she sighed as she felt him spurt out his hot cum into her womb. She caressed his face with her hand and cooed to him as he emptied himself into her. "Oooo, that was a good one, I'll wager," gasped Lorilei, still rocking her cunt up and down on the hard prick inside her. "Mine came a minute ago, but I haven't. I... Oh, dearie... Oh, yes! YES!!!" Lorilei shook and quivered as she orgasmed. She gritted her teeth and pinched her nipples as all the tension inside of her exploded. It took her several minutes before she could regain her breath. "Oh, I liked that!" she sighed in contentment. "How was your pop, dearie? You know, I half expected you to disappear again." "Mine was most satisfying," replied Karina. "I was right!" stated Lorilei with an evil grin. "You are as lustful as I am. Who knows what devilment the two of us can get into. I think these two might be good for one more without aggravating their wounds. What do you say?" Karina did not answer, but lifted herself off the sailor's slick cock. It slapped down wetly on his stomach. Karina then slid off the bed to the side opposite Lorilei. She reached out and grasped the semi-hard, cum-coated prick and started to gently pump it in her hand. Lorilei laughed softly and then gingerly turned around so that she was facing the sailor's feet. She racked gently back and forth with his cock still buried inside her. Karina could not get this one thought out of her mind. She knew she would not get any sleep tonight until she acted upon it. She kept her eyes on Lorilei as her fingers gently squeezed and pumped the cock in her hands. The sailor moaned and his cock hardened up again. Lorilei's humping must have revived the cock inside her because she was fucking herself up and down on almost its entire length. Karina could see that Lorilei was fully involved in her own pleasure. She then bent over and took the sailor's cock into her mouth. She tasted herself and his cum as she laved her tongue around the head of his prick. The thought alone of having him cum in her mouth gave a thrill she felt down to her toes. She pumped the base of his hard shaft with one hand, while her other hand was busy between her own legs. Her fingers easily found the nub of her clitoris and she rubbed it vigorously. Her head bobbed up and down in time with her pumping hand, filling and emptying her wet, hot mouth with hard, thick cockmeat. Her fingers on her clit were sending little shocks of gratification up from her cunt. Karina, her mouth filled, could only moan in desire as she sucked on the sailor's cock. The sailor was moaning and groaning as Karina intensified her actions. She could hear Lorilei gasping in delight and the sound of their hips smacking together. Karina could tell that her sailor was close. Her fingers rubbed frantically over her clit, hoping to cum at the same time he did. Her head bobbed up and down rapidly. The sailor suddenly inhaled sharply and Karina moaned in pure ecstasy as she tasted his first spurt of thick jizz. She clamped her lips around his shaft as he spurted again. Just then, her fingers hit the perfect spot and she orgasmed. Despite her body shaking in the throes of her own orgasm, Karina swallowed down both loads of thick, hot sperm and felt the sailor spurt forth a third time. He then went limp as his climax subsided. Karina slurped her lips off his cock, not wanting to lose a drop. She rolled the third load around in her mouth to savor it before gulping it down to join the other two warm spurts in her belly. Lorilei was still on her hands and knees straddling her sailor, but was not moving. Her head hung down as if she was exhausted and every now and then her body shook uncontrollably. She was covered in a sweaty sheen. Panting heavily, she turned her head to look at Karina. "What a rush, dearie. Nothing like it." "Do you need a hand?" asked Karina. "Please, I don't want to hit his wounds and open them up. That would take some explaining." Karina helped Lorilei get off the sailor. After they had regained their composure, they washed up and redressed. They then cleaned up the two sailors and snuggled them back down in their beds. Lorilei went over to the two dolls and removed the hair she had placed on them. She then broke the dolls and threw the pieces out of the porthole. Finally, she blew out the green candle and replaced it back into her bag. "Is that one different than the gold one?" asked Karina. "Of course, dearie," said Lorilei. "This one is relatively easy to make. It just puts people into a deep sleep or trance." "And the dolls?" "It wouldn't have been much fun with the three of you asleep," stated Lorilei, and then she smiled wickedly. "Or maybe it would have been if you all were found naked in the morning. Don't worry. It's just a joke. We have an understanding and I'll honor it. The dolls were just to make sure that only the sailors were affected. They'll wake in the morning feeling refreshed and having one hell of a dream. We're a lot alike, dearie." "I know, that is why I'm going to have to watch myself around you," said Karina, smiling at Lorilei. "Me, too," said Lorilei, "or you'll turn me into my sister. Come on, let's go back to the cabin." ------- Chapter 4 Karina awoke with a start. Last night's antics with the two sailors came back to her in a flash. A myriad of emotions coursed through her, a little bit of guilt for letting it happen, amusement about the entire situation, anger at Lorilei for setting off her lust again, and a bit of contentment on being laid. Karina sighed and chalked it up to another one of her experiences on this adventure. She threw back her bedsheets and stood up in the cabin she shared with the other two. Lorilei and Genese's beds were empty. Karina was a little surprised to find no breakfast laid out for her or hot water for her washing. Genese had taken it upon herself to be Karina's maid. She was usually so attentive and good at it that it made Karina uneasy. She had told Genese a dozen times that she did not need a maid, but the young girl would not hear of it. This breach in Genese's pattern was not like her at all. Karina quickly dressed and went up on deck. The sky was clear blue and the wind brisk, making the brig plow through the waves at a nice clip. Karina had just spotted Genese up at the bow when the captain came over to her. "Morning, milady," he said, greeting Karina. "Winds' up a bit, but nothing this old girl can't handle. I think we'll have good sailing right into port. Everything going smoothly in your cabin?" Why do you ask?" questioned Karina. The captain hemmed for a moment before saying, "When Genese came up this morning, I could barely get her to say good morning to me. It's still six days to port and that's a long time on a small ship." "Your ship is not small." "Bronha may look large, but not if you're stuck on her and trying to avoid someone," responded the captain. "Then she becomes about the size of a thimble." "I'll go talk to her," said Karina with a smile. "Would you have someone send Lorilei to us? We'll wait for her at the bow." "Of course." Karina headed towards Genese, who was standing at the railing looking out over the ocean. Even from the back, Karina could tell something was troubling her. Her hands gripped the railing tightly and her shoulder were hunched together. 'Good morning, Genese," said Karina. "Good Morning," mumbled Genese, slumping forward. She did not even look at Karina as she turned and made to leave. "Sorry, I have to get back to work." "Genese, stop," ordered Karina, moving into the girl's path. The two of them danced side to side as Genese tried to get around Karina, but she finally gave up and stood still. "What is the matter?" "Yes, dearie, what is the matter with you?" asked Lorilei, walking up from behind Karina. "I must admit I was a trifle miffed this morning with no breakfast being laid out." "Breakfast!" hissed Genese. "How can you talk about breakfast after what you two did last night?" "And what did we do last night?" asked Lorilei ominously. Genese looked around to see if anyone was listening before she said in a low voice, "You did something magical to the two sailors and then..." Genese blushed bright red. She then grew angrier. "The sailor on watch almost caught you. I had to distract him until I saw you two leave the forecastle." "You mean, you..." exclaimed Karina, shocked by Genese's statement. Genese's face grimaced in disgust. "No, I didn't do that. We just talked back on the quarterdeck, but you two could have been caught... and just to satisfy an urge." "You're right, Genese, and I apologize," said Karina. "We could have been caught and it would have been a mess if it didn't get us hanged or thrown overboard first. I don't think the captain's hospitality extends to putting hexes on his sailors. I am sorry, Genese. This is not an excuse, but something I had to do." "Nobody has to do anything," replied Genese with a touch of scorn. "Nothing, except live and die." "Dearie, that is a lie and you know it," stated Lorilei. "She's right, Genese," added Karina. "How many times did you go without eating or have to turn down extra money?" "That was... different," said Genese sullenly. "Just as my situation is different," said Karina. "Please sit down, Genese. If we are going to travel together, you need to know a little bit about my background and why I'm making this quest... you, too, Lorilei." "Are you sure?" asked Lorilei. "I'm not Ivin, you know." "I know and I probably wouldn't be telling you now, except that you both need to know. I'm still half-hoping that you'll go back when we reach Firehold." "I said I was going with you and I am," said Genese defiantly. "You know of my fate," replied Lorilei. Karina grimaced and said, "Okay, for starters, I'm human, but I have been altered." "By Ahhspah?" asked Lorilei. "Yes," replied Karina. "Genese, Ahhspah is the ogre god of fertility. When I was a young girl, just about your age, I was captured by a goblin scouting party. I was rescued by an ogre named Gar." Karina went on to tell her whole story from her rescue to the present day. While she left out a lot of details, she did get to the heart of it. She told them how she was altered and why, except for how she could lose control when she sees a penis. She told them of the ritual and how she met the original companions. She finished up by stating why she was on her way to Firehold alone. "We're going to the Underworld to... to see Hades?" stammered Genese white-faced. "Now you see why I did not want you to come," said Karina. "This is not a simple sea voyage of a pampered noblewoman. It's a quest I have to fulfill for my son's sake." "And you've been changed because..." Genese shook her head trying to take it all in. "Genese, have you ever seen an ogre?" asked Lorilei. "No." "Ogres are supposed to be one of the most powerful creatures in the world," explained Lorilei. "I understand they respect nothing, but strength and they have a brutal reputation." "So?" "So, for Karina to survive being with an ogre, she had to be altered or she would have died," stated Lorilei. "It answers some of the questions I've had about her." "Genese, I've told you the truth," said Karina. She then spied an iron rod about two feet long and as thick as a man's thumb attached to the ship's rail. Karina had seen sailors use it to splice rope. She pulled it out and handed it to Genese. "What would you say if I could bend that rod?" "It's not necessary," replied Genese, handing the rod back to her. "You may not have been able to control yourself last night and it's her fault," pointing at Lorilei. Lorilei's eyes narrowed for a second, they then widened as she broke out in laughter. "You're a sly one, dearie," chuckled Lorilei. "I'll take responsibility for last night and I promise no more magic will be used on the crew." "Fine," said Genese jumping to her feet. "If you'll wait here, Lady Karina, I'll bring you your breakfast." "Hmph! Looks like I'll be getting my own meals for awhile," stated Lorilei after Genese had left. "She's smart and hides it well." "Learned it from hiding things from her drunken step-father, no doubt," replied Karina. "Circumstances do mold people," stated Lorilei. "Well, with you being altered, we may have some really good times together!" "Lorilei, don't even surprise me that way," warned Karina. "You may live to regret it. I told you and Genese because we are traveling together and you needed to know. It doesn't mean I've told you everything about me." She then handed over the heavy iron rod to Lorilei and walked over to the opposite rail. The rod had been bent into a full circle. Lorilei pursed her lips and looked at the rod before casually dropping it over the side. She then walked over to Karina. "I know you don't trust me completely and that's understandable," she said to Karina. "Like it or not, we are going to have to depend on one another. You keep surprising me and I don't like surprises. It means I'm not in control. I have no problem following any whim or thought that enters my head, which seems to irritate you to no end. I agreed to a truce and now I'll go a step farther. I'll help you with your quest. Just remember, my way of doing things is different than yours." "Thank you, Lorilei. When I started this quest, I told Gar that I'd have to be more ogrish than human. I also told him that I would not fail my son. He told me an old saying that only dead ogres fail. I have no intention of failing and will do anything to succeed. Can you live with that?" "As long as I do live through it," quipped Lorilei with a smile. "Ah, Genese returns." Genese was indeed walking towards them carrying a cloth-covered tray. She set it down on a barrel and removed the cover. The tray held bread, cheese, and a bowl of wine. Genese stepped back without a smile and stood still. "As I see there is only enough for one, I'll go below to make my own," said Lorilei. She then glanced at Genese. "I also guess I'll have to do a lot of things myself from now on." "I came to work for Lady Karina," said Genese, not looking at either Karina or Lorilei. "Ta-Ta, dearies," said Lorilei before heading off below deck. "I've disappointed you greatly, haven't I?" asked Karina as she picked up and took a bite from a wedge of cheese. "Nonsense, milady, you apologized for your actions and I've accepted that no harm was done." "Are you sure?" asked Karina. "Am I sure of what?" asked Genese, her face showing her confusion. "That no harm was done," replied Karina. "You just addressed me in the same tone you use when you talk about your step-father. Have I fallen as far as that or is it that I'm more than I seem to be?" "Milady... Karina... I..." stammered Genese, looking more confused and a little scared. "Genese, please sit down. Are you afraid that I'll turn into someone like your step-father?" Genese sat down heavily. "I don't know. Ogres are... mean! They... they kill! If you're part ogre..." Karina knelt down so she was looking Genese in the eye. "Genese, I don't succumb to bloodlust. I don't think ogres do. Of course, the fact that they attack anything may seem like they do. My alterations are strictly carnal. I did tell you that Ahhspah was the ogre god of fertility, remember? I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. I've told you about me so that you know about why I am the way I am." "Do you lose control?" asked Genese. "Yes, but please don't tell Lorilei. There are times when I see a penis and I am overwhelmed with lust," said Karina. "What's it like?" asked Genese quickly. She then lowered her eyes and blushed. "I meant your condition, if you don't mind my asking." "It feels like my body is on fire, erotic visions fill my mind, and a red haze clouds my vision. I can't keep a coherent thought in my head. You've dated boys before, haven't you?" Genese stiffened and her eyes flashed angrily as she said, "A boy asked me out once when I was thirteen. My mother did not want me to go, but my step-father did. What I wasn't prepared for was for my step-father searching me afterwards for any trinket or money the boy might have given me. He told me that if I had been a whole lot friendlier to the boy I would have gotten something and not to give it away for free. I never went on another date afterwards." "Oh, Genese, I'm so sorry," said Karina sadly. "You're free of your step-father now. There's nothing holding you back from dating, having a good time, or anything else you want to do. In fact, now that you know about me, it would probably be best if I sent you back to Lady Triarii." Genese smile and said, "Still trying to get rid of me? You got me mom away from that drunk, gave my sister a better life, and gave me something far greater... hope. I may have put you on too high a pedestal, forgetting you are human... well, mostly human, but I owe you. I won't leave your side." "Genese, what I did for you I would do for anyone in the same situation," stated Karina. "This is going to get dangerous very soon... or I should say more dangerous, considering the pirates." "I know," said Genese. "You know Lorilei will be going with us?" "I imagine it came as a shock when she realized that I'm not her maid," snickered Genese. "I just hope she doesn't turn me into a frog or toad." "Well, you're not my maid, either," said Karina. "Yes, milady." "Genese, I mean it!" "So do I. Do you know where we will be staying when we get to Firehold?" "No," replied Karina. "We'll just find an inn when we get there." "I've talked to the captain and have a list of some good inns and taverns. I also found out which merchants will give us a fair deal and which ones to stay away from. You have your quest. My job is to make sure you don't have to worry about the mundane stuff." Karina laughed out loud. "Alright, you can do all the mundane stuff, but I'd rather have you as a companion than a maid. How about that?" "No, milady," Genese refused flatly. "Being your companion would put too many restrictions on me. I need the freedom of being a maid." Karina only gaped at her. "Well, it's true. Servants, particularly maids, are invisible to most people. They talk and discuss things in the room as if we weren't even there. Servants are also more open to other servants. At the inn where you found me, I learned a number of secrets. In hard times, they helped me family through." "You blackmailed the people?" asked Karina in astonishment. "Of course not, milady," scoffed Genese. "That would have been too dangerous. I just sold their secrets to others." Karina's mouth dropped open as she just stared at Genese. She then clutched her sides as she broke out in uncontrollable laughter at the complete absurdity of the situation. Karina laughed harder as she remembered how she tried to protect and shield Genese, when she did not need protecting at all. It took a couple of minutes before Karina could regain control of herself. "Tell me," she asked, wiping the tears away from her cheeks. "Do you have any secrets about Lorilei?" "About as many as I know about you," replied Genese. "Can you keep a secret?" "Yes, I can," whispered Karina, leaning in conspiratorially. ""So can I," whispered Genese, who then sat back. "Excuse me, milady. I have duties to attend to." Genese stood up and walked away, leaving Karina sitting there open-mouthed again. Karina then smiled and shook her head as she realized she had fallen into a simple verbal trap. She also realized she would have to reconsider her assessment of Genese. The rest of the day seemed unnatural to Karina. Genese had gone back to her servant role, except that she would not do anything for Lorilei. Lorilei took it all in stride, which surprised Karina. There were a couple of times Karina caught Lorilei staring at Genese as if she was also reappraising her opinion of the girl. It was later that night when Karina went off and found a secluded area all to herself. She pulled her pendant out from under her blouse and held it in her hand. Praying that they were ready, Karina whispered Tenan and Golden Sunlight's name. The ship's dark wood bulkheads disappeared and the now familiar pink clouds began to form as Karina found herself floating through the air. The creak and grown of the ship was replaced by a calming stillness, but Karina was conscious of the wind drifting over her and the barely perceptible trace of something else. It sounded like faint notes, but Karina could not hear enough of it to piece together a melody. Her concentration was broken when Tenan and Golden Sunlight appeared in front of her. Karina kept her eyes averted from Tenan's throbbing erection and looked at Golden Sunlight. She was shocked at the changes she saw. Golden Sunlight's healthy reddish skin now had a gray tinge to it. Big dark circles under her eyes emphasized the fear and despair reflected in them. Her body was as tense as a lute string drawn tight enough to snap. With a 'whump' and an 'oof' from Karina, Golden Sunlight flew into her and hugged her tightly in a bone-creaking embrace. Karina, after the initial shock, wrapped her arms around the quaking girl and held onto her trembling shoulders. Karina cooed softly in Golden Sunlight's ear as she looked up at Tenan's face. He nodded assuredly to her as if to say that this is what Golden Sunlight needed. It took a bit of time before Golden Sunlight could settle down enough for her to loosen her grip on Karina. Karina, for her part, just held her to her ample bosom and stroked her matted black hair. She kept from looking at Tenan to keep her lust in check. Finally, Golden Sunlight took in a deep breath and backed away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." and she hung her head down ashamedly. "You've been under a lot of stress," said Karina softly. "That is why we brought you here. There's nothing to be ashamed of." "You don't understand," countered Golden Sunlight. "I ran to you as a child would to her mother. While my people are free with their emotions as directed by the Great Spirit, to seek comfort that way should only occur within one's family. I did not mean to place that burden or responsibility on you." "I brought you here, so I am responsible for you," replied Karina. "But..." "Oh, shut up and fly!" interrupted Karina as she grasped Golden Sunlight by the wrist and flung her forward. "Whoa!" exclaimed Tenan as Golden Sunlight flew upwards with a shriek of delight. "Nice throw." "Thanks," said Karina watching the girl zoom through the air. "Do you have any idea what she was talking about?" "I'm not really sure. The Burgassi is a matriarchal society. I can only guess that you have taken on the role of being Golden Sunlight's surrogate mother. It's a position of power within the tribe, making you head of the family and giving you a say in the council meetings. Speaking of positions..." Tenan floated up behind Karina and wrapped his arms around her. Karina sighed as one strong arm crossed over her huge breasts and the other around her waist to hold her tightly to him. She could feel his hard cock pressing into the small of her back. She placed her arms over his. "What's your pleasure?" she asked. "From the front or the rear? In my ass?" Karina shivered a little bit in delight at that thought. She then pulled his arms apart and floated around to face him. She then gripped his cock with both hands. "How about a blowjob so intense it'll curl your toes?" "I..." was all Tenan could get out as he inhaled sharply because Karina lightly scratched her fingernails over his balls. "Can't decide?" teased Karina, lightly stroking his hard manhood. "Well, I think I saw your toes curl, so..." Before Tenan could say anything, Karina quickly floated downward and sealed her lips around the head of his prick. Tenan hissed and jerked as Karina lashed her tongue around and around the sensitive knob of his cock. The pleasure was so intense that it was almost painful and he fought hard not to climax. Karina pulled it out of her mouth only to lick it in long slow strokes from the base to the tip. Karina held Tenan's cock around the base with her thumb and forefinger. As soon as it was all wet and shiny, she let it go and winked up at Tenan. She gripped his hips and pulled him forward as she opened her mouth. Tenan shuddered as half of his eight inch cock disappeared into her hot, wet mouth. He was not ready when she started to push and pull on his hips, fucking his hard shaft in and out of her mouth. Tenan placed his hands on top of hers to steady himself. More and more of his cock was sliding down her throat and the pressure in his balls was building. Karina had her lips firmly sealed around the thick shaft and kept going forward until her nose was pressed into his pubic hair. Karina surprised Tenan again when she pushed his hips out quickly and pulled them back in again even faster. Her nose banged into his pelvis. Tenan grunted from both the impact and the quickness of his entire cock was sheathed into her throat again. He did not have time to think on it as Karina continued to roughly fuck his cock in and out of her mouth. Tenan gripped her hands to slow her down, but Karina stopped only long enough to move his hands onto her head and tug on them to move her head back and forth on his cock. "You sure?" asked Tenan tentatively. Karina gave a short nod, which produced a very strange sensation on his cock all the way down the throat. She replaced her hands on his hips and pulled them back and forth. Tenan began to gently fuck his cock in and out of her mouth, but jerked forward when she sank her fingernails into his buttocks. He took the hint and shoved his prick into her throat the way she wanted it. Karina could feel Tenan relax as his cock fucked its entire length in and out of her mouth. It was only the second time she had taken him deep into her throat. The first time had been when Gar had fucked her up the ass and had pushed her forward while she had Tenan's cock in her mouth. The ogre god Ahhspah had not altered her mouth the way he had her cunt and ass, and Karina was actually thrilled that she could manage to get all of Tenan's cock into her mouth. She also suspected that Tenan liked oral sex best and the way he was pistoning in and out of her mouth right now seemed to confirm it. Karina's lust was rising, but she was managing to hold it in check. Karina's eyes widened when she felt a pair of hands on her thighs. With Tenan holding her head tight, Karina could do nothing as the hands separated her legs and gentle fingers stroked over the wet folds of her pussy. She shivered as the fingers slowly parted her slit and a tongue darted in against her clitoris. The tongue continued to lick at her moist slit as Karina released Tenan's hips and reached out to pull the other person's body closer to her. Karina's hands roamed over the lithe, athletic body. She knew it was Golden Sunlight when her hands contacted the pert tits with hardened nipples. Karina pulled Golden Sunlight around enough so that her hands could travel down to the juncture of Golden Sunlight's legs and the damp pussy beyond. Tenan was breathing heavily as he continued his thrusting into Karina's mouth. Karina had set the pace for him and he kept at it, all eight inches of his cock sinking in and out of Karina's hot mouth. Karina was quivering in passion as Golden Sunlight's tongue delved, laved, lashed, and licked Karina's pussy. She returned the favor by having two fingers sawing in and out of Golden Sunlight's tight cunt. Tenan, over stimulated by the unbridled sex and Karina's oral ministrations, could not hold back. With a loud cry, his whole body arched backwards making his cock the thrusting point of his entire being. Even his hands were forced away from Karina's head by his muscle contractions. Karina tightened her lips around the base of his cock as she felt it pulsate in her throat. Her esophagus instinctively swallowed his torrent of hot spunk. Her satisfaction turned to amazement at both the length of his climax and her ability to hold her breath. Her air was just starting to run out when Tenan slumped forward, pulling his glistening cock out of her mouth. Karina did not have time to savor her sweet success of Tenan's climax. Her own passion was wracking her body as Golden Sunlight worked her tongue deep into Karina's hot pussy. Karina could feel her body tensing up in anticipation of her impending orgasm. A split-second before she came, Karina felt Golden Sunlight's body jerk and warm fluids gush out over her fingers, which were buried deep in the girl's cunt. Karina then shuddered, her breasts jiggling as her passion soared, and she felt her own juices flow out of her loins. All three of them floated apart, everyone gasping as if each breath would be their last. Karina, thanks to her enhanced stamina, recovered first and floated over to Tenan. He smiled at her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you... (pant)... okay?" he asked after kissing her. "I mean..." "I know what you mean," laughed Karina. "I'm under control. Golden Sunlight saw to that." "My pleasure, mother," cooed Golden Sunlight, floating over to join them. "I've never seen anyone take in a whole cock like that. How did you manage it? I gag if I suck on too much of a man's cock." "It has to do with the proper angle, loosening your throat, breathing control, and suppressing your gag reflex," stated Karina. "I found out by accident how to do it." "Magic?" asked Tenan. "No, Gar would have told me if Ahhspah had changed me like that," said Karina. "No, I found out when Gar was in my ass and he pushed me forward while I had your cock in my mouth." "Thank you for bringing me here, mother," said Golden Sunlight. "I feel alive again." "It was my pleasure, but I'm not your mother," stated Karina. "I would do this for anyone who needed it. I can't replace your real mother." "Nor would you," corrected Golden Sunlight. "The word 'mother' has many meanings in our tribe. You have not replaced her as much as supplanted her." "It means the same thing," argued Karina. "Not in our tribe," countered Golden Sunlight. "Your importance is now in front of hers in my eyes. She is not gone... Nanago can explain it better than I can. What you need to know is that I see you as my mother. We will let you know where the tribe is after we have found Morning Mist." Tenan's eyebrows went up at the absolute confidence Golden Sunlight expressed at their ability to find Morning Mist. Karina knew from Tenan's descriptions that the Petra Swamp was more than just a little dangerous. Golden Sunlight was not that scared little girl she was when Karina pulled her into this realm. She was more like her old self. "I want you both to be especially careful," said Karina, touching Golden Sunlight on the cheek. "When should I contact you again?" "I feel we are almost at the heart of the swamp," said Tenan. "We should find something soon, something other than the various plug-uglies and creatures we have been running into. Let's say fourteen days. I have to ask you not to contact us before that." Karina hid her shiver of apprehension and nodded that she understood. Tenan had told her before that he had to keep his mind focused because a mistake in the swamp would be fatal. "Are you satisfied?" she asked them. "Yes," they answered and both Tenan and Golden Sunlight disappeared. The pink clouds faded to be replaced by the oak timbers of the brig. Karina sighed wishing that the end of her tryst had not been with Tenan reminding her of how dangerous the Petra Swamp really was. She prayed to the Gods to keep them both safe. Karina headed for her cabin for what she knew would be a restless night's sleep. It was early in the morning six days later when Karina awoke from a sound sleep. She stared up at the wood ceiling wondering what had awoken her. It took her a few moments before she realized what is had been. The pitch of the ship had changed along with the sound of the wind, the creak of the timbers, and the thump of feet overhead. Karina swung her legs over the side of her bed and reached for her robe. "If it's important, give me a yell," muttered Lorilei sleepily before rolling over to her other side. Karina stuck her tongue out at Lorilei before pulling on her robe and heading topside. The captain was talking to the bosun on the quarterdeck. Karina looked up and saw the crew taking in the sails. She went up to the captain. "Morning, miss," greeted the captain, touching the brim of his hat. "Good morning. What is happening?" "Land," replied the captain, pointing off the port bow. Karina stared and she could discern a dark mass on the horizon. She jumped when a bright red flash erupted from the top of the mass. "Volcano," chuckled the captain at Karina's start. "How do you think Firehold got its name?" "Will we arrive tonight?" asked Karina. "No, I tend to be a cautious man. I like to see what's on the pier before I tie up to it. Why don't you go back to sleep. It'll be several hours before we dock." "I'll try," said Karina before she headed back to her cabin. Karina cat-napped the rest of the night away. Excited and apprehensive of what could be waiting for her on the island, she kept waking up every half an hour or so. She finally gave up on sleeping as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Karina filled a basin with water, took off her nightgown, and washed her face and arms. Lorilei harrumphed and propped herself up on her elbows. "You're bound and determined to get up this early, aren't you, dearie?" asked Lorilei sarcastically while staring reproachfully at Karina through her tousled hair. "Go back to sleep," said Karina, turning around to face Lorilei. "Oh, Hades! I'm awake now!" cursed Lorilei. She then froze as she was getting out of her bed. "I guess I'm going to better watch what I say considering who we will be seeing." Lorilei then waved a hand at Karina's humongous breasts. "Do you mind covering them up? I keep getting these feelings of inadequacy every time I see them out in the open." Karina laughed, saying, "Try holding a conversation with a man who can't look above them. I was talking to a courtier one time... I'd twist left and his head would turn right... I'd turn right and his head would turn left. It was like his eyeballs were leased to my cleavage. If I had turned completely around I think his head would have twisted off. Of course, you've tried on my form before." Lorilei smiled. "And as I told you, dearie, that was an illusion. There was no substance from my point of view, but I can see where you are coming from." Karina bound up her breasts and pulled on a blouse and a dress. She turned back to face Lorilei. "Can I ask you something that you'll answer truthfully?" "Depends on the question, dearie." "How is Helga as a witch? I mean, how good will she be?" asked Karina. "You mean good as in you're kind of good and I'm evil, or do you mean how powerful will she be?" asked Lorilei. "Don't answer that. Her upbringing and life itself will mold her character towards one alignment or another. Being a witch really doesn't push her one way or the other. As for how powerful she will become... with the proper motivation, drive, determination, and training she could well surpass me in several years." Before Karina could reply, there was a knock on the door. Karina opened it a crack to see who was there and then opened it all the way to allow Genese to enter. Genese was carrying a laden tray. "Breakfast for two," announced Genese, setting the tray down. "According to the captain, we should be docking around noon." "Does this mean things are back to normal?" asked Lorilei, eyeing the steaming mugs and warm bread. "Define normal," replied Genese. "To snub you in front of other people would bring unwanted attention to myself and thus to all of us. You now understand my position and I will be treating you the same as I did before." Lorilei laughed and said, "Then things are back to normal and I will keep my promise to you." Genese looked baffled for a moment and then asked, "What promise?" "Why not to use any more magic on the crew, dearie." Genese snorted and left the cabin as Karina hid her smile behind her hands. She and Lorilei ate heartily and went up to catch their first glimpse of land in several weeks. The island loomed large off the port bow. Karina's breath caught in her throat at its majesty in front of her eyes. The entire island surface undulated with sharp hills, deep valleys, and sheer cliffs. A waterfall fell several hundred feet from the top of a cliff before splashing down into a deep cut between two hills. The whole island was covered in lush green vegetation. A rumble made Karina look even higher. A towering volcano dominated the skyline. Billowing smoke and fiery sparks issued forth from the very top of it. "Impressive, isn't it?" asked the captain, coming up from behind Karina and Lorilei. "If it ever decides to blow..." he shuddered at the thought. "Well, I hope I'm not here. This is the easternmost island and the largest. You can see some of the other ones off the starboard side." Karina looked to the right and saw a number of other islands, some close and some off by the horizon. The ocean seemed dotted with all sorts of watercraft. There were small outriggers, galleys, large merchantmen, and a couple of warships, all sailing between the various islands. "Firehold's coming in sight now," commented the captain. Karina looked ahead and saw the city appear from around a spur of land. It was unlike any other city she had seen before. It was terraced up the side of a sheep hillside and large stone quays reached out into the bay like fingers. The buildings seemed impossibly tall until Karina realized that it was because of the steep grade of the hillside. Wide stone steps were in abundance as well as numerous bridges linking the buildings together. Each building was topped by a plaza or landscaped garden. Two massive fortresses guarded the harbor as towers and a tall stone wall protected the city from the landward side. "It's beautiful!" gasped Lorilei as she gazed at the breathtaking city. "Aye, it is," replied the captain. "Ah, here comes the custom officer. If you will excuse me..." The captain turned and bellowed out orders to take in the sails. A small sailboat was cutting through the waves towards their brig. A man in a uniform stood rock steady on its deck. The sailboat cut around the brig and came up alongside. The custom officer nimbly jumped from one ship to the other and climbed up over the rail. He saluted the quarterdeck before turning to face the captain. "Officer Emilio Vargas, captain," he said in a rich voice. "Good to see you again. May I see your crew roster and manifest, please?" "Of course, Officer Vargas," said the captain, handing over the manifest papers. "May I introduce Baroness Karina and Lady Lorilei? They and their maid will be staying in your fair city. Would you like to conduct the inspection?" "I think we can dispense with the inspection this time," said Vargas casually. "After all, I know your manifest is an accurate portrayal of what we would find." "Excuse me," interrupted Karina, "but did you just call the captain a thief?" "Of course not, Baroness!" exclaimed Vargas in mock affront. His white teeth gleamed in a smile as his dark eyes twinkled in amusement. "Not anymore than the captain would call me a pinching, conniving blackmailer who extorts exorbitant tolls out of honest merchants." "Thought it... never said it," muttered the captain. "There... you see!" exulted Vargas. "The two of us are just people doing our best in our chosen professions." "I don't think I'm going to try debating any topics with you," said Karina with a smile. "My father always said I had a quick and glib tongue," stated Vargas. "To what do we owe a visitation to our islands from such lovely and distinguished ladies?" "Shall we say the irrational whim of a scatter-brained noblewoman?" suggested Karina. The smile never wavered on Vargas' face, but the mirth left his eyes. "Let's say I'm here for my own purposes and a little sightseeing." "As you wish, Baroness. I am empowered to extend to you and your companions an invitation to be introduced to Prince Antonio Delga Volvantano, the ruler of our islands." "We would be delighted to accept," said Karina, looking over her shoulder at Genese. "We will be staying at... ?" "The Silver Schooner, milady," supplied Genese. "The Silver Schooner," repeated Karina. "Please send the invitation there." The mirth and amusement reappeared in Vargas' eyes and his smile grew even wider. "Baroness, I'm afraid there has been a miscommunication," he said with mirth. "The invitation's time is for as soon as we land. Their Highnesses wish to meet all distinguished visitors immediately. It is a very informal meeting and I will have the pleasure of your company when I escort you to them." "We will be delighted to meet them," said Karina. "I don't suppose anyone has refused the offer?" "Only those with something to hide," replied Vargas. "That is when things get... unpleasant." "That is something to be avoided," stated Lorilei sweetly. "I hope you will excuse me. Even if this meeting is informal, I would like to get freshened up and change into something a little more in keeping for a meeting with royalty." "I had better go, too," said Karina. "We also need to pack. Captain, will it be alright if we leave our luggage on board until we return?" "Yes, of course," replied the captain. Karina, Lorilei, and Genese went to their cabin to finish packing and prepare to meet the rulers of the Sharak Islands. Karina changed from her divided skirt and blouse into a sky-blue dress. Lorilei did not change, but put on the dark green hooded cloak Karina had first seen her wearing. The cloak was embroidered along the edges with gold and silver thread, and it fastened at the waist. Genese finished packing just as the ship bumped up against the dock. "Ah, you both look enchanting," exclaimed Vargas as he spied them coming up on deck. "Shall we be off?" Vargas escorted the three women down the gangplank. Two other men in the same uniform Vargas was wearing were waiting on the pier. Vargas muttered something like 'escort' to the two men as he handed them the crew and cargo manifests. Both men nodded and went on board as Vargas turned and led the women into the city proper. Karina followed Vargas and looked around in wonder as the city unfolded before her. The city was built like a series of wooden blocks. Level terraces sported small parks or plazas, and each was surrounded by stone buildings. Wide stone stairs led up and down between each level of the city. The four of them ascended level after level as the sun reached its zenith. Karina stopped once to watch a wagon being pushed off the edge of one terrace onto a floating platform. After the wagon was secured, the platform sank down to the lower terrace. "Impressive," commented Lorilei. "Our Magician's Guild was very pleased with themselves over that bit of magic," said Vargas. "The Masons were just as happy not to build ramps to every level of the city. Our destination is above the next level." Karina looked up and was surprised to see an impressive stone keep towering over her. It was situated in the center of the city halfway up the mountainside. Crowned with battlements and crenelments, the keep stood several stories high as if to hold dominion over the city. "Prince Bernardo Volvantano, who designed the city, was rumored to have short legs," said Vargas. "Even halfway up is still a trek as your maid can attest to." Karina turned around and saw Genese panting heavily at the top of the stairs they had just walked up. She was holding onto the stone wall for support and was clearly exhausted. Karina ran to her and helped her over to a nearby bench. "Please may we rest here to catch our breath?" asked Karina of Vargas. "Yes, please forgive my lack of consideration. Excuse me for a moment." Vargas walked over to a nearby building and went inside. He came back a few minutes later followed by a matronly woman dressed in a black embroidered dress. The woman was carrying a tray with three goblets and a pitcher. "A little water to refresh you," said Vargas, handing out the goblets. "Rest here for a few moments to catch your breath. I am so used to going up and down the steps that I forget that other visitors are not." "You're most kind, ' said Lorilei demurely, sipping from her goblet. "When you have rested enough, meet me over by the steps," said Vargas. "How are you feeling?" Karina asked Genese as Vargas moved away. "Better," gasped Genese. "If I didn't believe it before, I believe it now. You weren't even breathing hard at the top of those steps. I don't know how Lady Lorilei did it, though." "I saw all those steps and gave myself a little jolt of magic, dearie," replied Lorilei. "I could only do it to myself without Vargas noticing." "I've recovered enough," stated Genese, standing up. "After all, it's only one more flight of stairs." Karina looked over at the stone stairway. The next level was a full hundred feet above where they were sitting. She decided it was not worth arguing with Genese. Karina nodded her thanks to the woman with the tray and led the way over to where Vargas was waiting. "I have an alternate means of travel, if you wish to try it," said Vargas as he stepped up onto a floating platform. "Is it safe?" asked Karina. "We have had only one platform break," stated Vargas seriously. "Whether it was overloaded or a flaw in the platform's structure, we'll never know. I must confess I do not like standing on a stone with nothing, but air underneath it." "Genese?" asked Karina. "I follow you, milady." Karina was not going to make Genese climb all those steps. She accepted Vargas' hand and stepped up onto the platform. Lorilei smiled to herself as she followed Karina. Genese stepped up last. As soon as they were all on, the platform began to lift gently upwards. It quickly rose the hundred feet to the next level and stopped. Massive bronze doors blocked the entrance to this level, but a small postern gate was open to allow them to enter. Two men and two elves in gleaming armor guarded the gateway. "This way, please," said Vargas, leading the way. He led them into the keep and up two more short flights of stairs. The inside of the keep belied the stark exterior. Golden candelabras lit the inlaid wood hallways. Pictures and tapestries hung on the walls with sculptures artistically interspersed in between. Vargas led the three women into a sitting room. Four large windows opened onto a balcony, which overlooked the harbor. Karina was a little amazed at how high they were above it. "If you will please wait here, His Highness will join you shortly," said Vargas as he turned back towards the door. "Won't you be staying?" asked Karina. "No, I have to return to my duties, Baroness. As I said, His Highness likes to keep these meetings informal." He turned and went out, closing the door behind him. "What do you think?" Karina asked Lorilei. "Efficient, dearie... maybe too much so," replied Lorilei. "No one challenged Vargas coming up here with us. It's almost as if they expected us." "Sit down, Genese," ordered Karina. She had just noticed the young girl swaying on her feet. "I had not realized how far up we had trekked until I looked out the window. Please, sit down before you fall down." "Yes, milady," said Genese gratefully as she sank in relief on a chair. "You're right, Lorilei," said Karina. "They were expecting us." "Of course, we were," came a reply from the door. Karina and Lorilei turned to look. A man in his mid-fifties was framed in the doorway. He wore a blue doublet with a high collar and matching pants, which were tucked into glassy black boots. His brown hair was gray at the temples and he sported a handlebar moustache. His face was tan and craggy as if weathered by years at sea. A crash behind Karina made her spin around. She saw that Genese had tried to stand up, but her legs had failed her. She had fallen against a round table, knocking it over, and just managing to catch herself on another chair before she fell over. The man darted past Karina and Lorilei. He bent down and effortlessly scooped Genese up in his arms. Genese was so surprised that even though her mouth opened in protest, she could not utter a word. The man carried her around to the sofa and set her down gently. "Cramp?" asked the man. Genese nodded. "This may hurt a little," and he pushed up on Genese's toes, stretching the muscles in her calf. Genese hissed as prickling pain lanced up her leg from her muscles unknotting. The man sat on the sofa and began to gently massage her lower leg. "Please sit down," he said to Karina and Lorilei. "I'm Prince Antonio Volvantano." Genese gasped and tried to back away from him. "Oh stop that!" he ordered. "I know Colonel Vargas told you that this is just an informal meeting. If you get up too fast, your cramp will return." "Thank you, Your Highness," said Karina as she righted the table and sat down opposite the Prince. "How did you know we were coming?" "Believe it or not, sailors are worse gossips than old women," said the Prince. "A ship puts into port and its sailors tell of a fight between their ship and a certain brig. The brig was carrying a warrior-woman and a sorceress, who were instrumental in thwarting their attack." "They're here?" exclaimed Karina. "Your Highness, they're pirates!" "Yes, I know," replied Prince Antonio. "There are binding oaths on these islands giving all ships safe shelter that request it. The oaths are not only binding on us, the islanders, but also on the ship and crew. A long time ago, one captain thought to use the safe shelter request to sneak past the harbor defenses and sack the town. No sooner did his ship enter the harbor when a vortex sucked it down below the surface. It then spat it back out minus the crew. No one has broken the oath since then." "Your Highness, my leg is much better now," said Genese, red faced that a prince would minister to her needs. A twitch of a smile flitted across his face as Prince Antonio released Genese's leg. Genese sat up and straightened out her skirt as Prince Antonio turned back to face Karina and Lorilei. "Now, what really brings you to my islands?" he asked, holding up his hand. "Please do not insult my intelligence by saying you are here for a visit. Does this have anything to do with Queen Shara's abduction?" "You're well informed. No, I..." Karina stopped talking by a knock on the door. The door opened to admit a man and a woman. Both were in their fifties. The man was short with a close cropped beard and wearing gray robes. The woman was dressed in an elegant robe and sitting in a chair suspended off the floor, which was being pushed by the man. Prince Antonio stood up quickly with a startled look on his face. Karina, Lorilei and Genese stood also. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, dear," said the woman to Prince Antonio, "but Costas came to me with information about these three that I thought you should hear. Will you introduce us?" "Ahem," coughed Prince Antonio clearing his throat. "Baroness Karina, Lady Lorilei, and their maid, Genese, may I present my wife, Princess Sophia Volvantano. The gentleman with my wife is Costas, Cleric of Hades in Firehold." "My pleasure," said Princess Sophia nodding as Karina, Lorilei and Genese all curtsied. Karina could see that the Princess was paralyzed from the shoulders down and she wondered what had caused that. "I am also pleased to see you, milady," said Costas to Karina. He appeared to be pleasant and jovial, not at all the way Karina thought a priest of Hades should be. "Your Highness, Baroness Karina is here on a quest. What the quest is I do not know, but I have been instructed to take her up the volcano. I do know that the quest is personal and involves her family." "Is that true?" asked Prince Antonio of Karina. "Pretty much so, Your Highness, although it is a little more complicated than that." "... and Queen Shara?" "I knew she had been abducted, but nothing more than that," replied Karina. "Very well," said Prince Antonio. "I hope you enjoy your stay and that your quest is successful. If you run into any of the pirates, show them the same courtesy they show to you. It wouldn't do to be arrested for assault and murder. I'll have a courtier guide you back to the ship and then to your inn." "Nonsense, dear," said Princess Sophia. "They will stay with us." Prince Antonio glanced back and forth quickly between Karina and Lorilei. His face became stern as he said, "Sophia..." Princess Sophia stared back at him without batting an eye. Prince Antonio closed his eyes and his shoulders slumped with some sort of resignation. He took in a deep breath and nodded. "We would be honored to have you stay here," he said finally. "I'll go and have someone bring your luggage up." With that said, Prince Antonio left the room. Princess Sophia turned her head to look at Costas. "Would you be so kind as to show Lady Lorilei to the blue room in the east quadrant?" she asked. "You can call for them tomorrow after breakfast. I would like to spend a few moments alone with Baroness Karina, if you don't mind?" Costas and Lorilei both bowed at the dismissal. After the door closed behind them, Princess Sophia looked at Karina in an appraising gaze. "I have a favor to ask of you, Baroness," said Princess Sophia. "Yes, Your Highness?" "Sophia, please," stated Princess Sophia, licking her dry lips. "I would like you to make love to my husband." "I beg your pardon?" gasped Karina, shocked by what Princess Sophia ad just said. "Everything in this city is vertical, except for a few level spots and the interiors of the buildings," said Princess Sophia. "Ten years ago, I slipped and fell over a wall. The healers saved me, but could do nothing for my broken back. I am paralyzed from the neck down. I love my husband and he loves me, but after the accident, sex became a thing of the past. I tried to convince him that I could still please him, but he was too worried about anything that may aggravate my injury. I know he has needs and he has been denying them all this time. It's gotten to the point where I've been throwing every beautiful woman who crosses my path at him. Antonio knows I'll have either you or Lady Lorilei try to seduce him." "Why me?" asked Karina, feeling Princess Sophia's sorrow. "You showed compassion towards your maid," said Princess Sophia. Karina managed not to look up as she realized that Genese had not left the room, but was standing quietly in a corner. "I'm hoping that you will show the same compassion towards my husband... please?" Karina sighed. Her enhanced sex drive would kick in once she saw Prince Antonio naked, but she had no idea how to seduce a man who was expecting it and ready to reject her. She thought Lorilei could use magic, but knew that ruling lords and their families had magical guards against such tactics. "I'll try, Sophia, but I don't see any chance of success," said Karina. "Neither do I," replied Sophia sadly. "As I said, it's a ritual the two of us go through because I have hope. I'll show you to your room." Princess Sophia nodded and her chair swiveled around in midair. It then moved towards the door, which opened by itself at the chair's approach. Karina followed her and moved up to walk beside her. She faintly heard Genese following behind them. "Antonio made me this chair after the accident," related Sophia. "He had wizards enchant it to float and respond to my thoughts. He then had them cast spells on the doors to open when the chair approached." "That's... wonderful," replied Karina unsure of what to say. "Don't worry about hurting my feelings or saying the wrong thing," chuckled Sophia. "It's been ten years and I'm used to it." "Still, I would not like to give offense, even involuntarily," stated Karina. Princess Sophia stopped her chair and smiled up at Karina. "I think you're the right one. I'll send my maid around with instructions for tonight... plan on dinner." Princess Sophia guided them to their rooms and left. Karina turned to face Genese now that they were alone. "I don't stand a chance of getting him in bed, do I?" asked Karina. "No, milady," answered Genese. "You'd have to catch His Highness completely off guard and considering how long this has been going on, I'm sure there a are few tricks that he hasn't seen and prepared for." "Let's go see Lorilei. She's supposed to be next door." Lorilei was in her room, lying on a sofa and enjoying a glass of rich, red wine. Karina filled her in on Princess Sophia's request. She also told Lorilei of the accident and their assessment of Karina's chances. "I'm afraid you're both correct, dearies," said Lorilei, sitting up and rummaging through a bag. "I know both the Prince and Princess are warded against magic. We had better forget force, unless you want to end up in the dungeon. We can try my red candle. Its influence may go around his defenses since it's a subtle type of magic. Light it just before dinner when both of you are in the room." "I don't know if I want this to work," said Karina as Lorilei handed her the cloth-wrapped candle. "I doubt it will," said Lorilei, "but trying to break through his wards would definitely not be contusive to an amorous liaison." "Here, milady," said Genese. "I'll put the candle in your bag and go lay out your best dress once our baggage arrives. I have the maid's room adjoining yours." "Genese, I can do that," admonished Karina. "Yes, milady, but if we want this to succeed then we all have to do our part." "Is it the right thing to do?" asked Karina. "... to make a loving husband cheat on his wife, even with her approval?" "Sounds good to me!" said Lorilei, which brought a look of disapproval from Karina and Genese. "They're in a rut," said Genese slowly thinking over the situation. "The Princess loves the Prince enough to see his needs, even if it means another woman. The Prince won't cheat on his injured wife, so he denies his passion. It is a vicious circle that needs to be broken. I'm not sure what the outcome will be." "I told the Princess I would try and I'll give it my best," said Karina. Genese left and Karina stayed with Lorilei to discuss various strategies that she could use. Karina stopped when she realized that she was planning this like a battle instead of a seduction. She shook her head to clear it and thought that she had better start thinking more sensually. Lorilei might be good at devious and manipulation, but Karina thought the Prince would be ready for those tactics. Genese returned to inform her of the time for dinner. It was to take place in a small room downstairs. Karina bathed and Genese did up her long blond hair. The green dress hugged Karina's figure and was low-cut in the front to display her immense cleavage. Karina dabbed on a bit of perfume behind her ears and between her breasts. She almost took a glass of wine to calm her nerves, but realized that one glass would not do it and two would be too many. Unable to keep from fidgeting, Karina decided to walk around the keep until it was time. It was a short while later when Karina stood in a hallway looking at paintings of landscapes. Princess Sophia came around a corner and stopped her chair upon seeing Karina. The shock on her face was evident. "What are you doing here?" asked Princess Sophia. "You'll be late and Antonio won't wait for you." "What do you mean, Sophia?" asked Karina. "I still have some time left until we are supposed to meet." Princess Sophia's eyes went wide as she said, "You're suppose to meet with him now. Didn't my maid tell you?" "No, she told Genese," replied Karina. "Come," ordered Princess Sophia as she glided down the hallway. "We may still catch Antonio." They went down a flight of stairs, which Princess Sophia's chair floated down effortlessly. They were just about to round the last corner when they heard a door open. "I beg your pardon," they heard Prince Antonio say. "I, uh, was expecting someone else." "It's quite alright, Your Highness." Karina was shocked to hear Genese answer him. "Please, may I come in?" Karina looked at Princess Sophia, who nodded backwards with her head. Her chair swiveled around and glided back towards the stairs with Karina following after her. Princess Sophia went back up the stairs and down a dead-end hallway. Her chair gently bumped into a wall, which clicked and opened to reveal a secret chamber. The chamber was dark, but Princess Sophia glided on in. Karina tentatively walked in behind her and the wall closed. "Did you put her up to this?" whispered Princess Sophia. "No, I didn't know a thing of what she was doing, Your Highness," replied Karina softly. "Please call me Sophia. Be very quiet." Sophia turned her head to look at the back wall. "Open." A four foot wide by three feet high section of the wall split apart and opened wide. Karina looked out and saw a tall room where Prince Antonio and Genese were standing. The opening was in a dark upper corner of that room. "So, little one, where is your mistress?" asked Prince Antonio. "She will not be here for awhile, yet, Your Highness," stated Genese, lighting a thick red candle. "I told her the wrong time." "Why would you do that?" asked Prince Antonio bewildered. "It could cost you your position." "I did it because their plan would have failed," said Genese, walking over and standing in front of the Prince. "A noblewoman who catches you in a moment of weakness could replace your wife, especially if she becomes pregnant. I'm just a maid and no threat to Her Highness. I came of my own free will because I know your touch. It's kind and tender." She took a step forward. "I know you will be gentle with me for my first time." "You're... you're a virgin?" stammered Prince Antonio through suddenly dry lips. "Yes, Your Highness," murmured Genese. She took another step forward and looked up into his eyes. "I need this as much as you do," and she reached out a trembling hand to caress his cock through his clothing. The sharp intake of breath by Prince Antonio was matched by Princess Sophia. Genese's eyes opened wide as she felt his flaccid cock underneath his pants. She almost let go when it immediately hardened up to a full seven inches. Genese panted a little in fright, but damped down on her fear as she brought her other hand up to grip the rigid shaft of flesh. "Please, stop," gasped Prince Antonio, placing his hands on her slim shoulders. He was, however, unable to push Genese away as her inexperienced fingers caressed over his penis. "You need this," whispered Genese. Prince Antonio's hands gripped her shoulders holding her in place. "My wife," he started to say. "Her Highness does not understand why you are denying a basic human need." Karina could see the outline of the Prince's hard cock as Genese's fingers grasped it. She looked away as she felt her body become warm. Karina knew she had looked too long as a little burn of desire blossomed in her loins. Karina's nipples began to pucker and push out the fabric of her dress. She backed away from the window, fighting to keep her desire in check. She glanced up to look at Princess Sophia. Sophia's eyes were glued to the unfolding drama below her. Her lips curled up in a little smile and her eyes shined with hope. Karina, taking in a deep breath, backed up against the wall opposite the opening. Her desire was slowly building inside her no matter what she did. Karina closed her eyes. She did not have to see to know what was happening. Prince Antonio's need and desire were self-evident. Karina could envision him pulling Genese close in a warm embrace, unable to fight it anymore. Genese continued to stroke his cock through his pants, unsure of what to do next. Prince Antonio sensed her dilemma and turned her around to unbutton the back of her dress. Karina heard the slither of cloth as Genese's clothing dropped to the floor. Karina imagined Prince Antonio sliding his hands along Genese's sides and reaching around in front to gently squeeze her small breasts. Genese would shiver in passion and anticipation. Karina was sure Genese was panting through open lips as she turned around to face the Prince to undo his doublet with trembling fingers. Karina envisioned Genese trying to swallow as she unhooked his belt and ease his pants over his hips. The belt buckle clicked on the floor. Karina's eyes were still closed as she pictured Genese and Prince Antonio standing still and staring at each other's body. Genese had filled out from the skinny, undernourished serving girl she had been to a woman. Prince Antonio's body, still muscular, was sagging a little under the weight of age. Karina could almost feel Genese's fear at the sight of the Prince's hard cock jutting out from between his legs and her thought that it would never fit inside her. Karina imagined Prince Antonio stepping close and tenderly touching Genese's Face, dispelling most of her fear. Genese smiled up at him before he led her over to a reclining sofa. In her mind, Karina saw the Prince lay Genese down before sitting down beside her. He started to caress her body and Karina visualized Genese writhing in passion. She saw Genese shiver and then gasp as Prince Antonio's fingers strummed up her inner thigh to find her womanhood. In her mind, Karina could see Genese gasp and shudder as Prince Antonio leaned over to suckle at one of her breasts and his fingers gently parted the folds of her vagina. Genese's hands would grip the sides of the sofa as sensations and delights she had never experienced before coursed through her body. Karina was dimly aware of the moans and gasps filtering up through the opening from the room below. Karina dreamed that Genese was panting heavily through gritted teeth as Prince Antonio's fingers found and caressed her sensitive clitoris. "Sssstop... Sssstop," hissed Genese as the sexual tension inside her overwhelmed her and her body shook more and more. "I... I... AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" With those sounds, Karina visualized Genese's body arching off the recliner as her orgasm exploded inside her. Genese's hot, wet pussy would gush out its juices over the Prince's fingers, filling the air with her musky scent. Karina dreamed that the Prince would smile down at her in the pleasure of giving her that first orgasm, but would change to alarm as Genese's eyes rolled back in her head and she would faint dead away. "Baroness! Karina!" hissed Princess Sophia urgently. "What are you doing?" Karina opened her eyes to find herself staring back at Princess Sophia through a red haze. She had pulled up the front of her dress with her left hand and, with her right, was ramming two fingers in and out of her cunt furiously. Karina's sexual hunger came on full force and she barely held it in check as her mind filled with erotic desire. Knowing it would overwhelm her quickly, Karina grasped Aphrodite's pendant. With only Princess Sophia in front of her to focus on, Karina gasped out, "Their Highnesses." The keep dissolved all around Karina and Princess Sophia as did their clothes. Princess Sophia was still in her chair, though. A small part of Karina's erotically overloaded mind marveled at the firm shape of Princess Sophia. Obviously, Magical unguents and lotions were being used to keep her body in shape and to keep her muscles from atrophying. Karina heard a noise below her and looked down. Several feet below her was Prince Antonio. Karina's sex drive snapped apart her defenses and her mind lost all coherent thought when she caught sight of his prick. Bending her knees apart, Karina zoomed right down towards him and plastered her pussy onto his face. She reached down with both hands to grab his hair and hold his head in place. "Make me cum... make me cum... make me cum," chanted Karina over and over breathlessly. Whether it was his previous tryst with Genese, the fact that Karina had a death-grip on his hair, his unfulfilled and denied desire, or a combination of all three, Prince Antonio surrendered. His hands came up to grip Karina's fleshy ass as he buried his face into her wet cunt. The Prince's tongue licked away at Karina's pussy nectar as it also lashed back and forth over her clit. Karina's passion, already high from her masturbation, rose to a fever pitch. Karina was just about to orgasm when Prince Antonio's hands tightened on her butt. He grunted and began to mumble, but Karina was beyond caring what he said and held his head against her hot pussy, while continuing her chant. Prince Antonio must have sensed that the only way he was going to get free was to have Karina cum. His tongue renewed its assault on her clitoris, eliciting a cry of delight from her. Karina's whole body shook again and again as the erotic tension in her body climbed closer to its goal. Her breasts, pressed together by her arms, jiggled and quivered. A double lash across her sensitive bud set off all the passion stored up inside her. Karina quivered continuously as she cried out in the throes of her orgasmic release. Even with her lust sated, it took several moments before Karina could unclench her fingers from Prince Antonio's hair. As soon as she did so, he gingerly moved her aside. He was shaking a little as he looked down and said hoarsely, "Sophia, stop, please." Karina looked down. Princess Sophia had positioned her chair so that her head was level with his cock. While Karina had Prince Antonio's head locked between her legs, the Princess had been sucking and licking his hard shaft. With the head of his prick lodged between her lips, Princess Sophia bobbed her head back and forth causing her husband to shudder every now and then. She released his cock with a loud slurp. "No, Antonio, I will not stop. Why would you want me to?" "Because it isn't fair," said Antonio sadly. "I can't reciprocate. Sex should be for the pleasure of both partners." "So you denied yourself and denied me the pleasure of seeing you fulfilled," sobbed Sophia with tears streaking down her cheeks. "I saw you with the Baroness' maid and I was indescribably happy to see you give in to your needs. I love you and I know you love me. This is the closest I've gotten to you in years. Will you now deny me the pleasure of pleasuring you?" Prince Antonio touched the Princess's cheek tenderly. "I'm so sorry, dear. Can you forgive me for the wasted time? From now on, I promise never to deny you anything." "Good, then get that lovely fat cock up here for me to suck on," said Sophia lustily. "You've got about ten years of seed stored up inside that I want." Prince Antonio smiled at her and floated upward until his cock was right in front of her face. Princess Sophia licked her lips to wet them down as two tears of joy fell from her eyes. Her chair floated closer and her lips parted so she could stick out her tongue to lick over the head of his hard prick. Prince Antonio gave an involuntary shudder and groaned at the sensations she was producing through his cock. Sophia tilted her head down and slid one-third of his cock into her mouth. Karina kept absolutely still and quiet off to one side, not wanting to draw any attention to her or provide any distractions. Bobbing her head, Princess Sophia was taking half of Prince Antonio's prick in and out of her mouth. Her cheeks pulled inward as she sucked on the hard shaft. She moaned in pleasure each time Prince Antonio gasped or shuddered when she hit a particularly erogenous spot. Prince Antonio was gasping for air after only a few moments and Karina could sense that he would not last long. It was only a second or two later that his body tensed and his hips arched forward. Princess Sophia's eyes went wide as her husband climaxed. She had been joking about him storing up ten years worth of cum, but the way his cock was pumping the thick juice into her mouth, she now did not see it as such. Her cheeks billowed out, filled with his sperm, and she had to pull back before she choked on the next spurt. As it was, the last two large spurts splattered Prince Antonio's white, sticky sperm all over Princess Sophia's face. She swallowed down the creamy load in her mouth as Prince Antonio's climax tapered off. "Sophia, are you well?" gasped Prince Antonio. "I am fine," replied Princess Sophia. "In fact... better than fine. How was it for you?" "Gods, I thought I would never stop!" exclaimed Antonio breathlessly. "Same here," snipped Princess Sophia with a smile. "No ten tears waiting until the next time. We're going to keep you down to a manageable amount." "Your wish is my command," intoned Prince Antonio, smiling back at her. "Now, to a more immediate problem, where are we and how do we get out of here? I'm worried about Genese. She passed out just before we were brought here." "You're in a magical pleasure realm that I brought you to," said Karina, floating towards them. "You can leave anytime you are satisfied." "Satisfied?" stammered Prince Antonio. "I'm more than satisfied," and he disappeared. "Where did he go?" asked Princess Sophia, startled by his sudden disappearance. "Back to the room where Genese is," stated Karina. A small fragment of a cloud drifted by and coalesced into a damp sponge. "I guess we need to get you cleaned up." "You're the sorceress," said Princess Sophia as Karina washed the cum off her face and out of her hair. "It must be nice to have two such companions." "No, Lorilei is the sorceress. I have to admit that she and Genese were not the companions I expected on this trip." "Speaking of your maid, I am more grateful to her than you know," said Princess Sophia. "Do you think she would mind if I asked her to go to Antonio again? They never consummated the act. I don't know if you knew that. You were... uh... er... otherwise engaged." "I am sorry about that," apologized Karina. The damp sponge dissolved in her hand back into a pink cloud. "A certain god thought I needed magical enhancements... and I don't mean my breasts. The side effects were that my emotions in the area of sex are overpowering at times. As for Genese, you will have to ask her." "Then I am satisfied," said Princess Sophia and both of them disappeared. ------- Chapter 5 "How do you feel this morning?" Genese had been on the verge of waking up when she heard Karina ask the question. She opened her eyes and found herself lying in a king-size four-poster bed. Sunlight streamed through two large windows. The room was painted light blue with a mural of the heavens on the ceiling; scalloped edging framed the image. Genese slowly lifted her head off the soft down pillow to look at Karina. Karina was sitting in a plush dark blue chair by the doorway sewing a piece of cloth. Sitting next to her was Lorilei, who was holding a mug of hot tea with a spoon that was stirring itself around in the liquid. In the opposite corner, sitting in her floating chair, was Princess Sophia. A large book was floating in front of her with a pixie sitting on top of it. Genese gasped when she caught sight of Princess Sophia and jumped out of bed only to find out that she was completely naked. She yanked the bedcover off the bed and wrapped it around her. "Thank you, you are dismissed," said Princess Sophia to the pixie. The pixie flew up, marked the page, and closed the book. She then touched it and they both disappeared in a small flash of light. Princess Sophia turned her chair to face Genese. "Be at ease, Genese." "How... how did I get here, Your Highness?" stammered Genese, looking around for her clothing. "Genese, you passed out last night," said Karina, standing up. She led Genese over to the chair she had been sitting in and pushed the girl down into it. "Small wonder considering the small lunch you ate, no dinner at all, a hike up a million stairs, and then what happened between you and Prince Antonio. He carried you up here and you've been out ever since." "Did he... I mean..." and Genese fell silent, blushing a bright scarlet. "No, dearie, you didn't do the nasty with him," quipped Lorilei. "Not that you didn't get the juices flowing, if you know what I mean." "But... but..." stammered Genese. "Lady Lorilei, hush," commanded Princess Sophia. "Genese, by what you did last night, my husband was able to be intimate, able to recall all those feelings he kept suppressing. I think he was even beginning to suppress his love for me. I was finally able to please and pleasure him after you fainted. We're closer than we have been in a long time." "Yes, Your Highness," said Genese, standing up. "I'm happy I was able to help both of you. If you will excuse me I need to get dressed and attend to my duties." "Genese, I have to ask you something," said Princess Sophia. "Yes, Your Highness, I know what it is." "You do?" asked Princess Sophia, a little surprised by Genese's statement. "Is it to enflame his passion again, Your Highness?" asked Genese. "It could break the slender bond you two have forged." "Some bonds get stronger in heat," replied Princess Sophia. "My husband is correct. Sex is a participation activity. How long do you think that bond will last because of my lack of response to his caresses? How long before he tires of having to reposition me because he has to move a little? How long before he feels he's taking advantage of me because of my lack of mobility... before he's bored by the lack of variety?" "I don't know, Your Highness," stated Genese. "You two could switch bodies, just for the night," said Lorilei blandly as she took the spoon out of her tea. "It's not too difficult a spell." "No," said Princess Sophia flatly before anyone could speak. "I would not subject anyone to my body's handicap for even a minute. Then, there would also be the desire to make the arrangement permanent. That option will never be discussed or brought up again." "Yes, Your Highness," said Lorilei nonplused. "This argument may be moot," stated Karina. "I need to talk to that priest of Hades... Coster... Koslas... ?" "Costas," corrected Princess Sophia. "He should be arriving soon, if he's not here already. Come, let us go downstairs and let Genese dress in peace. Genese, please, think over my request." Karina and Lorilei followed Princess Sophia out the door and down the hallway. Princess Sophia's enchanted chair floated easily down the stairs. As they turned onto another hallway, Princess Sophia stopped and turned her chair around to face Karina. "Will you let her stay, if she agrees?" asked Sophia with pleading eyes. "I can not force her to stay anymore than I can force her to go with me," said Karina. "Only the Gods know how many times I've tried to send her home." "Oh, please, dearies," griped Lorilei, rolling her eyes. "This is beginning to get tedious. Karina, you worry about Costas and what we may need for the journey. I'll talk to Prince Antonio and Genese." "Uh, I don't think that is a good idea," said Karina. Princess Sophia's expression clearly showed she thought the same way. "You two will be too namby-pamby about it," said Lorilei. "That will mess it up even more, dearies. I... I will be, let's say, more brutally frank about the whole situation. Genese has already changed what it had been. Now is the time to move on to what it should become." "And that is... ?" asked Princess Sophia warily. "A royal consort or mistress, if you prefer," said Lorilei blandly. "One selected by you with the Prince's approval... one who has no power or authority. Of course, the position would have to be temporary, no more than a year before you send her packing with some suitable gift. If she doesn't leave, then she can be buried in the royal graveyard." "That's barbaric!" exclaimed Princess Sophia. "What sort of woman would put herself in that sort of position?" Lorilei laughed viciously and said, "I could name hundreds, dearie. You mean you don't know any woman who wouldn't have a liaison with your husband, even a temporary one, for... one, to be known to have had a tryst with Prince Antonio; two, for a chance to use the situation to gain some power or reward; or three, to try and replace you while she is here?" Lorilei's face lost its smile and took on a serious expression. "Genese would be perfect, probably on a permanent basis. She's intelligent, subtle, and devoted to those she gives her trust to. It would be your responsibility to keep her safe and out of the court politics and intrigues. You'll also have to decide what to do when she becomes pregnant." Princess Sophia was silent for a long time. She finally sighed, turned her chair around, and started back down the hallway. "You're quite right," she said to Lorilei. "I would have sugar-coated it too much. I accept your offer, Lady Lorilei, to mediate this matter for us. I want Genese, but I want her to stay of her own free will. It took some... honesty for me to see the situation clearly." "I'd be delighted to talk to both of them, if we return," said Lorilei. "If?" asked Princess Sophia. "Karina, where exactly is Costas taking the three of you?" Karina grimaced that Princess Sophia had caught Lorilei's slip of the tongue. She looked over at Lorilei, who also grimaced and shrugged her shoulders apologetically. Before Karina could answer, though, Genese walked around a corner and joined them. "Sophia, do you mind if we find Costas before I answer you?" asked Karina. "He will answer your question for me." "Of course," said Princess Sophia, miffed at being put off. They went down the hallway and entered into a large room. An oval table with a dozen chairs spaced around it dominated the center of the room. Prince Antonio and Costas were both sitting at the table and rose to their feet at the ladies' entrance. "Good morning, ladies," greeted Prince Antonio. "I hope you slept well?" "Very well, Your Highness," stated Lorilei with a smile. "Well, I'm sure you have things to discuss with Costas," said Prince Antonio. "If you will excuse Princess Sophia and myself..." "Your Highness, I would prefer if the two of you would remain, ' said Karina. "I want you to hear what Costas has to say." "Are you sure, milady?" asked Costas, losing some of his jovial spirit. "What about the other two ladies?" "They know where we are going, so that is not a problem," replied Karina. Costas' face went blank in shock. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he found his voice. "Milady, I believe there has been a misunderstanding. The invitation was for you alone. You are afforded a certain amount of protection by being invited. Your friends have no such protection and would be vulnerable to anything they meet." "Where are you going?" asked Princess Sophia with trepidation in her voice. Karina looked over at her and saw that she had already guessed the answer, despite asking the question. Prince Antonio stretched out his hand and touched his wife's cheek to calm her. "I have heard the legend that there was an entrance to... to your deity's realm somewhere on this island," said Prince Antonio. "I thought it was just a myth." "No, it is not a myth, Your Highness," said Costas. "You will not be able to find it, though. Even I will not be able to locate it again after I have escorted Baroness Karina there." "So, you are saying you will not take me with Karina on this trip?" asked Lorilei ominously. "You may accompany us, if you wish," said Costas flatly. "Only Baroness Karina stands a chance of returning. Cerberus won't let you in while you are alive and he'll definitely keep you in after he has killed you." "Enough!" exclaimed Karina, slapping a hand on the table. "Hades told me that death is a solitary experience. I am going to have to face this alone. No one will come with me and, if they follow me, I'll stake them out over an anthill until I return. Am I clear on this?" Genese and Lorilei did not like Karina's ultimatum, but both nodded their heads to agree with her wishes. Lorilei's frown changed into a smile and she began to chuckle. "Ah, just as well, dearies," she said. "I'd get sidetracked speaking to some ancient spirit. How long will you be gone?" "The trudge up the mountain will take the better part of a day," said Costas, his joviality returning. "That is if my master provided me with the right directions." "Is it safe to joke about Hades that way?" asked Lorilei with a chuckle. "Lady Lorilei, the one thing I am certain of is that I am not going to get out of this life alive," replied Costas in mock seriousness. "When should we leave?" asked Karina. "We can leave immediately," said Costas. "I brought provisions with me and will wait up to two weeks for your return." "I'll change into my armor and then we can go," said Karina. "Armor, Karina?" asked Princess Sophia as if she had not heard Karina correctly. "Just wait and see, Your Highness," said Lorilei before Karina could answer. Genese started to stand up. "Sit down, Genese. The four of us need to talk. Costas, go out and play with some dusty old bones or whatever it is that you do." "I prefer eyeballs for auguries myself, ' said Costas. "However, I get your drift and will wait for Baroness Karina at the main entrance to the keep." Karina went up to her room to change into her armor. Remarg remained a small charm around her wrist, so she slung her mace, Skeletonbane, from a hook on her belt. Karina thought that considering where she was going a mace enscrolled against the dead may not be a bad thing. She toyed with the idea of wearing her helmet, but decided not to shock Sophia and Antonio too much. She headed back down to the conference room. The door was still closed and she could not hear any sounds coming from within. Karina knocked and opened the door. Lorilei and Princess Sophia were sitting side by side at the table. The Princess' eyes opened wide in astonishment as Karina entered the room. To Princess Sophia, the armor and weapons totally transformed Karina's persona. Gone was the huge breasted Baroness and, in her place, now stood an exotically seductive messenger of death. Karina looked around and spied Genese standing in a far corner with her back to everyone. Prince Antonio was standing in the opposite corner. "What?" asked Karina of Lorilei, indicating the other two. "Did they throw a tantrum so you had to make them stand in a corner?" "Hardly that," replied Prince Antonio, walking towards Karina. "Lady Lorilei's... assessment was a little hard to digest all at one time. Nice outfit." "Thank you, Your Highness," said Karina. She walked over to Genese. "What do you think, Genese?" "Is this what you wish for me to do?" asked Genese, not turning around. "I credit you with being more than a little intelligent," said Karina. "What I wish for you is to be free and happy, and away from any danger I'll drag you into. I asked you what you thought." "I don't know!" cried Genese. "Lady Lorilei's proposal is the best solution for their problem, but... oh, I don't know. Why can't things just go on as they are?" Princess Sophia's chair glided over to her. "Genese," she said, "my husband and I have been living half-lives since my accident. That all changed last night, thanks to you. I do not want to go back to existing the other way." "Neither do I," stated Prince Antonio. "We are just offering you the position. Lady Lorilei was right in her assessment. There will be others who would covet the position for what they may be able to get out of it. I think you did what you did last night because you care and not for what you could get out of it. You can accept it or reject it as you will. If you wish for Baroness Karina's return, so be it." "In the meantime, I could use a cup of hot tea," said Lorilei to Genese. Genese smiled, curtsied, and said, "At once, milady." She then left the room to do Lorilei's bidding. "If you have any plans for tonight, cancel them," said Lorilei to Prince Antonio and Princess Sophia. "You two are going to have an intimate dinner for three with no interruptions." "I need to go myself," said Karina. "I'll accompany you, if you don't mind," said Prince Antonio. Princess Sophia bade Karina good-bye. Karina and Prince Antonio walked out of the room and down the hallway in silence. As they approached the entrance to the keep, Karina spotted Costas standing outside. He was holding the reins to a pack-laden donkey. Prince Antonio stopped before they reached him and turned to face Karina. "I don't know what the future holds for you, but I do want to thank you for what you have done for Sophia and myself." "It was more Genese's doing than anything I did," replied Karina. "How do you feel about her staying here?" "I can't say I won't miss her if she decides to stay," stated Karina. "She's been invaluable, but she has attached herself to being my maid ever since I saved her family from poverty and abuse. While I'm gone, introduce her around the court. Let her see the people she will have to deal with, both the good and the bad. I trust Genese. If she says no to your offer, it will be for a very good reason." "One like her obligation to you?" asked Prince Antonio. "There is no obligation," replied Karina. "When I return, I'll sit down and explain it to her." "Our thanks again. You have a long way to go... and good luck." Karina nodded to Prince Antonio and walked out to greet Costas. He returned her greeting merrily and headed uphill towards the city walls. Karina followed along behind him. The road was easy-going for the first several miles. They passed a couple of farming villages and a number of farms. The road divided and Costas turned towards the upward slope of the volcano. The going became steadily rougher as the road petered out and the two of them trudged upward over volcanic rock and scrub vegetation. The sun was past its zenith when Costas came to a stop. Karina looked around as she flexed and stretched her muscles. They had stopped on a ledge which had a panoramic view. Karina could see half the island and Firehold was clearly visible well below them. The sun glinted off the ocean with dark mounds of other islands dotting the surface. "Gateway," intoned Costas in a formal tone. Karina jumped back as two bronze columns supporting a huge marble arch literally rose from under the ground in front of her. The arch rose to twenty feet high and the columns were set eight feet apart. What was most frightening was the space between the columns. The entire archway was a solid gray sheet, which roiled and billowed. Karina walked around the columns and saw that it was the same in the back. "Welcome to the Gateway to Hades," said Costas with some levity. "Actually, it leads to the River Styx. You'll have to hire Charon or one of his minions to ferry you to the bronze gates of Pluton." "Pluton? What in the name of Hades... uh... I mean, what is Pluton?" asked Karina. Costas smiled. "Just another name for the realm of Hades. The road from the gate goes straight to his palace where my Lord will meet you. I will wait here two weeks for you to return." "And if I don't return?" asked Karina. "I have every confidence in your ability," replied Costas with a smile. "Just don't get sidetracked or I'm going to get hungry here." Karina shot him a look of scorn, but Costas had already turned around to unpack the donkey. With some trepidation, Karina stepped up close to the gray expanse between the columns. Inhaling deeply and gritting her teeth, she took a step forward. A pressure seemed to exert itself all over her body as Karina passed through the gateway. Everything went gray for less than a second before she found herself on the other side. A brownish-gray sky with no clouds hung over her as Karina looked around. She found herself on top of a small hill with stunted vegetation growing from the dull brown earth. The air was still, heavy, and smelled dusty with a hint of decay. Karina saw a wide, black river flowing about a mile away from where she was standing. The whole atmosphere of the place was oppressive. Karina could feel her will beginning to slip away. She shook herself to get rid of the feeling. Summoning up her courage and with a steely glint in her eyes, Karina set off towards the river. As she got closer, Karina could see a lot of activity at the river's edge. Humans, elves, dwarves, and numerous other beings mysteriously appeared at the bank. A tall man in a purple hooded cloak was directing them all. Most of the people got into ferries that were poling up and down the river. Some were turned away to lament their fate at the river's edge before they disappeared again. Karina stopped when she had her first good look at one of the ferrymen. They were almost as tall as Karina's five-foot, eleven-inch height and they were dressed in solid gray with hoods pulled up over their heads. What had stopped Karina were their gray, gaunt, almost skeletal faces. White luminous eyes gleamed from under their hoods. All activity stopped as all the ferry men turned to stare at Karina. "We've been waiting for you, Karina," came a deep voice from the man dressed in the purple cloak. His back was still to Karina and, even though, he stood only six feet tall, he seemed to tower over her. "You... you've been waiting for me?" asked Karina. The man snapped his long fingers in the air and all activity resumed. Karina was relieved to see that his fingers were flesh-colored. Her relief was short-lived as the man turned to face her. His face was human-looking, albeit a bit thin. Long, shoulder-length white hair could be seen under his hood and he had a full white beard. What terrified Karina were his flaming eyes. Flames actually flickered out of his eye sockets, rising up almost to his eyebrows. "I'm Charon," said the being. "Hades has asked me to ferry you to his realm." "Shall we go then?" Charon smiled, but unlike Costas', it was anything, but friendly. "Ah, but first we must settle the fee," he said. "Fee?" asked Karina suspiciously. "What fee? The God Hades ordered you to take me to his realm." "No, he asked me, but he did not pay my fee for ferrying you. That is your obligation." "What is the fee... how much?" Karina felt as if the heat from Charon's fiery orbs had pierced her to the core as he stared at her. "I haven't seen a living woman here in centuries," he said in his deep voice. "The fee is not in monetary terms." "I see," said Karina. "If I'm the first living woman here in centuries, what do you call these other females?" "If you look closely, you will see that they are, but shades of their former lives," replied Charon. "They lack fire and emotion." Karina looked and saw that the beings around them were translucent phantoms of the people they had been. They paid no attention to Karina or Charon, but were intent on being ferried to their final destination. Karina glanced up and down at Charon, appraising him. "Kind of a public place for a tryst," she said finally. "... and I have no desire to roll around in the dirt. I'll pay your fee, but someplace more comfortable than this.' Charon laughed with evil amusement. "You do have fire! I have someplace more comfortable, but also more dangerous. How about a pay-as-you-go plan?" "Where?" asked Karina. Charon turned to face the river. He held up his hand, palm up and fingers outstretched. From out of a grey mist in the middle of the river floated a large black ferry. Cushions and furs covered the benches and floorboards. The ferry floated silently towards them until it crunched up onto the bank. "Why is it dangerous?" asked Karina. "Because we will be on the River Styx," replied Charon. One drop of its water on your skin will make you forget everything you know... your name... your memories... your quest... Are you sure you wouldn't want to roll around in the dirt?" There was a dozen or so of the other demonic ferrymen standing around motionless. That more than anything else made up Karina's mind. She climbed into the black ferry and began unbuckling her greaves. "You coming?" she asked Charon. "That depends on you," he replied as he waved his minions back to work. Charon poled the ferry out into the middle of the river and began to scull the oar to move them downstream. Karina took off her greaves and then her boots. She unbuckled her armor, setting it down carefully. With a seductive smile, she peeled off the wrappings around her breasts. "Oh, Gods, this is turning me on!" she thought as she felt her body heat up and her breath become shallow. Karina unwound the bindings, shaking her monumental mounds of flesh free. She placed a hand over each tit, not even covering half of each one, and massaged the pliant globes. Karina's breasts had hardly any sag and her nipples hardened to poke into her palms. Heat blossomed in her loins and she squeezed her legs together as she felt her pussy moisten. She quickly slid out of the rest of her undergarments and turned to face Charon. "Do I meet with your approval?" cooed Karina, hefting her massive breasts towards him. Charon did not answer in words, but dropped his cloak in one fluid motion onto the floorboards of the ferry. His body was indeed thin, but very sinewy. Gnarled muscles bunched almost unnaturally up his arms and across his shoulders. His knobby nine inch cock jutted straight out from between his legs. Karina's whole body flashed hotly and she felt her lust rise as her breathing became heavier. Mesmerized by the sight of Charon's cock, Karina reached out and lightly traced her fingers over it. It was not exceedingly thick, but knobby, almost like ridges running around its shaft for the entire length. Karina had never seen a prick like it before. The heat from Charon's flaming eyes seemed to penetrate right through Karina's skin. She felt flushed as she brought her other hand up and lightly stroked her fingertips over his unusual cock. Even as hot as she felt, his prick was abnormally warm to the touch. Pursing her lips, Karina took a firmer grip on the shaft and started to pump it. The ridges rubbing back and forth in her hands only seemed to increase her lust. "Ah! Oh!" gasped Charon in pleasure. "It's been so long." "Sure... long..." murmured Karina, not really hearing him as her hands continued to stroke his hard meat. "There have been others," said Charon, misunderstanding Karina's comment. "The trouble with succubae is that they literally want a pound of flesh afterwards. You have strength andddddddd..." Charon's last sentence ended with a deep inhalation as the head of his cock was engulfed in Karina's warm, wet mouth. The head of his cock was oddly shaped, wide at the shaft and almost tapering down to a point. The knobby ridges felt funny as her mouth opened and closed slightly as her lips slid over them. Even in her lust, Karina could taste a dusky, almost bitter, flavor to Charon's skin. Karina moaned in disappointment as Charon pulled back away from her. The tip of his cock was slick with her spit as she released his cock and he turned her around. "Now, now, my dear," crooned Charon huskily. "Plenty of time for that later. It's time to pay your fee." Karina was not paying attention to what Charon was saying. Her body felt like it was on fire from her lust and her pussy was sopping wet in desire. She sighed in delight as she guessed his intentions when he made her bend forward. Her huge breasts swayed forward, hanging down heavily, as she bent her knees slightly and reached behind her with both hands. Karina hissed through her teeth with yearning as her fingers reached around her ass to splay on both sides of her dripping cunt. With a long gasp, she pulled her engorged labia apart, exposing the pink flesh inside. Charon stepped up behind Karina, grasping her hips with his strong hands. He flexed his knees, took aim, and straightened up suddenly. "AAAAAAAH!" exclaimed Karina raggedly in surprise. Her body shook in a series of jolts and her tits bounced up and down with each one. Charon had skewered all nine inches of his cock into her cunt with one thrust. It felt like every ridge on his cock hit against Karina's clitoris and rubbed up against it. The sensations were what caused her jolts and ignited her lust way beyond what it was. Her passion was so intense that it was like a pressure inside her that could barely be contained. Karina gasped for breath and she tingled all over. Her hands had slid upwards and were gripping her asscheeks tightly as if to hold herself together. Charon held himself still as his ferry floated along the river. Karina's pussy magically tightened down around his hard shaft. Charon suddenly flexed his hips backwards and then shoved his cock forward hard. The ridges of his cock thumped over her clit as he pulled out. Karina screamed in delight as the ridges hit back over her sensitive clit as Charon's cock thrust back in. Her whole body shook as jolts of pure pleasure coursed through her each time a ridge smacked against it. Karina cried out again and moaned in passion as Charon fucked his hard prick in and out of her hot, tight slit. It felt like a sexual washboard was rubbing back and forth over her clitoris. Her nipples had tightened up so hard that they actually ached. The ferry swayed in response to their motion, but Karina, lost in her lust, did not notice or care. All she wanted was more of the inhuman cock plowing in and out of her. Her pussy was leaking so much that her juices were dripping down her legs. Karina panted for air as Charon fucked his cock into her. Her hanging breasts jiggled and bounced with each thrust. Her muscles were so tense from the stimulation that Karina was quivering all over. The landscape suddenly changed. The ferry was now sluggishly moving along the river through a land of ice and snow. The wind was cool on Karina's sex-heated body, but it did not chill her. Charon fucked his cock relentlessly into her, not even noticing the scenery change. In her lust, Karina, still gripping her ass, was totally undisturbed by the several hundred demons lining the riverbank. White ice demons, skeletal-like bone demons, succubae, and numerous other types yelled and called out raucously to the passing ferry. "Fuck her! Fuck her! Fuck her!" "Over here... land over here!" "Charon, dock here! I need a ride, too." The calls and yells grew in intensity. Encouragements to Charon, propositions to Karina, bribes for a ride... all were ignored by Charon, whose hard shaft drove Karina's passion upward. One richly dressed demon stood alone on the bank with the other demons giving him a wide berth. He was handsome with red skin and curled horns on the side of his head. "Charon!" he yelled out. "Name your price... a ride... the woman... both!" "You know my policy, Aztarak," shouted back Charon as he shoved his cock deep into Karina, causing her to groan loudly in pleasure. "One passage per trip." Aztarak smiled. "Thought I'd give it a try. Mind if I watch the show?" "Not much I can do to stop you," yelled back Charon. Karina was trembling from her pent-up sexual tension. She began humping backwards hard against Charon's thrusts. "Fuck me!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "Harder! Fuck me! Fuck! Fuck! Faster! Faster!" Charon smiled down evilly at her and really began to pound his prick into her. The demons watching howled in malicious delight as Charon increased the speed and the strength of his thrusts. His hips smacked loudly against Karina's ass and she screamed in lust as her passion soared to a new height. His cock ridges were now bumping so fast over her clit that they produced one continuous current of pleasure coursing into Karina's wet cunt. Maybe it was a cool bit of breeze blowing over her nipples or a little extra strong thrust of Charon's cock, but something finally pushed Karina's over-stimulated body off the edge. Starting with a low yell and quickly reaching a long piercing shriek, all of Karina's passionate tension exploded inside her. Her hands released her ass and grasped Charon's wrists to hold herself up as her entire body shook and quaked. Karina's vaginal muscles clenched spasmodically around the hard cock in side her as if to milk it of its precious load. Charon growled and ground his cock as deep as it would go into Karina. Karina gasped as she felt his liquid seed spurt out of his twitching cock. His cum was hotter than any other jizz that had been shot inside her. The heat from his second spurt set off another orgasm inside her. Karina quivered as she felt her lust subside, while hot jism mixed with her own juices leaked out of her well-fucked cunt. Charon pulled his prick out of Karina and loosened his grip on her hips. Karina barely caught herself as she feel to her knees. Luckily, the furs covering the deck cushioned her knees. Catcalls and hoots of derision echoed around them from the watching demons. "Invite me aboard, woman, and I'll show you delights you've never imagined. Say the word and I'll suck his cum out of your pussy." Panting, Karina looked up to find the source of the feminine voice that sounded so close. She fell back against a cushioned bench when she spied a beautiful, six-foot tall, black haired demon flying thirty feet away from her. Karina's eyes widened in fright and her hand frantically searched for a weapon as her mind registered the demon's large bat-like wings, the horns protruding from her head, and her barbed tail. "Go away, Elzot," said Charon calmly as he pulled on his robe. "She has paid for passage and is not for you or your kind." Charon turned to face Karina. "Don't worry. She is at her limit and can not approach any closer." "There were times when you had me come closer," pouted Elzot. "And there will be times when I do so again," replied Charon. "This is not one of those times." "Even if I promise to be good?" asked Elzot in a little girl voice. Charon laughed heartily. "A succubus is very good at not keeping promises. That is the second best thing they are good at." "Third!" hissed Elzot. "Probably fourth! I hear she goes to see Hades. Does she know how she will get by Cerberus?" "Not my concern," stated Charon. "I merely give passage." "Hades told me to come," said Karina. "He would not put barriers in my path to his own realm." "Fool of a woman!" laughed Elzot maliciously. "You must wish for something from him and he is now putting you to the test. Cerberus is thirty feet long and his teeth are like razors. I can get you by him." Karina's mind was in a whirl. She knew Hades was testing her, but she had not actually considered what it would take to get into his realm. Rumor had it that Cerberus, the three-headed hound, guarded the gates to keep the living out and the dead in. Karina sat there on the ferry, cum oozing out of her cunt, baffled as to what to do. "Decide!" hissed Elzot. "Pluton approaches quickly." "What do you want?" asked Karina suspiciously. "A year and a day in the mortal plane," said Elzot, her eyes gleaming with glee. "I bind myself to you for that time. Hurry! The wall approaches!" Karina looked ahead and gasped at what she saw. A huge murky gray plane stretched out in front of them. It had no boundaries, going from horizon to horizon, and up into the sky until it was lost from sight. The Styx flowed right into it. Karina turned back to Elzot quickly. "A year and a day, and then you return to this place. You must obey my orders... the intent, not the letter of the order. You will not harm anyone, unless they are trying to harm us. Agree?" Elzot snarled angrily. "I would make myself servant to you and you set these conditions on me?" "Decide!" said Karina firmly. "I agree," said Elzot after a moment's hesitation. Karina opened her mouth to invite Elzot on board, but was stopped when Charon said, "Make her swear by the River Styx. It is binding then." "You... you damned, shit-eating, scum-sucking bastard of a night hag!" screamed Elzot in pure hate. "I'll pay you back for this even if it takes a thousand years!" The gray boundary was much closer. Karina quickly said to Elzot, "Swear... swear by the River Styx." Elzot's full, rich lips curled in hate as she said, "I swear by the River Styx that I will do as you have said." "Come, quickly!" yelled Karina, watching the boundary, which was only a few feet away. Elzot landed on the ferry just a second or two before they passed into the gray boundary. A cold chill washed over Karina as they floated through the barrier. The chill disappeared as quickly as it began and Karina found herself looking over a bleak, desolate plain with a light gray sky looming overhead. "Welcome to Pluton, the realm of Hades," said Charon. "What do I owe you for Elzot's passage?" asked Karina. "Nothing," replied Charon. "Your fee was for my services and the ferry. Who you have aboard is not my concern." "Well, Elzot, how do we get past Cerberus, if we need to?" asked Karina. "We will need to. Leave Cerberus to me, mistress. He is a supernatural creature, not some animal that can be easily duped. You need to be cleaned up." Karina's eyes widened in surprise as Elzot pushed her legs apart and knelt down between them. Karina shivered and jumped a little startled as Elzot started to lick up her inner thigh beginning with Karina's knee. Elzot's tongue was unusually long and incredibly agile as she licked and slurped at the cum that had dribbled down Karina's legs. Elzot's burgundy eyes locked onto Karina's face as her tongue seemed to snake its way back and forth slowly over Karina's skin. Every time she came across a glob of dull yellow cum, Elzot would circle her tongue around the slick splatter before sucking it into her mouth. Karina began breathing heavily as the sensuous tongue sent shivers up her spine and reached the top of her thigh. Karina gasped and shuddered as Elzot's tongue lapped under her leg along the edge of her buttocks and slithered up the side of her pussy. Elzot smiled evilly as Karina groaned in frustration when she lifted her head to begin working her way down Karina's other leg. Karina's hands gripped tightly onto the benches on either side of her and her huge tits heaved from her panting as her sexual tension increased. She threw back her head and hissed through her teeth as Elzot continued her slow, tantalizing, erotic tongue bath. Karina caught sight of Charon's fiery orbs gazing at Elzot's well-rounded ass. Releasing her grip on the benches, Karina leaned her elbows on the cushions and brought her hands around to push her mammoth breasts together. "How about... (gasp)... payment for a... ahhhh... return trip?" huffed Karina to Charon. "And if you don't return from seeing Lord Hades?" asked Charon, smiling at Karina. "Hssss!" inhaled Karina as Elzot's tongue found a particularly sensitive spot on her thigh. "Then... you've gotten... gotten a fee... aaaaaa fee for nothing." "Done!" said Charon slowly, his evil smile widening as he dropped his robe. Charon's knobby nine-inch cock was hard again and he stepped over the benches to get around Elzot. He straddled Karina's body and stood with his prick jutting out just above her pushed-up tits. Charon took a small step backwards so his feet were on either side of Karina's hips before reaching down with both hands. "Owww!" cried out Karina as Charon's fingers pinched her sensitive, passion-hardened nipples and pulled her upright by them. Her hands flew behind her to support herself and take her weight off her stretched breasts. Karina's legs flexed so that her ass came up off the deck. Charon chuckled malevolently and separated Karina's breasts to slap his dick down between them. Karina grunted in pain as he slapped her tits together several times just swinging them by her pinched nipples. Elzot had reached the top of Karina's thigh and slid her hands under her raised ass to grip an asscheek in each hand. Karina could feel Elzot's sharp fingernails prickling her skin. What she was not prepared for was when Elzot slightly pulled her butt apart and her dexterous tongue curled up between the crack and laved over her asshole. Karina shuddered and shivered as the tip of Elzot's tongue curled around and around the puckered opening, and began to worm its way inside. Charon let go suddenly of Karina's nipples and pushed her flat onto the deck. He followed her down, kneeling against her chest. The move was so sudden that Karina did not get a chance to move her arms, which were trapped underneath her. "This is an interesting development," said Charon at Karina's predicament. He placed his hands on either side of Karina's breasts and pushed the large, pliant mounds of flesh together, completely enclosing his hard cock between them. Charon began to vigorously fuck his prick into the cocoon of titflesh he had created. Despite, and maybe because of her sore nipples, Karina was shaking with passion and desire as the two demons had their way with her. Unable to move, she gasped for breath as one titfucked his long, peculiar cock between her humongous breasts, while the other's agile tongue writhed and snaked its way into her asshole. Karina almost groaned in relief when Elzot's tongue pulled out of her ass and she was able to set her butt down. Charon's cock was leaking pre-cum between Karina's breasts, lubricating the tunnel his prick was pumping in and out of. He was breathing heavily when he stopped and released her tits. Karina looked down between the valley of her breasts, waiting for him to ejaculate. Charon closed his fiery eyes and, with a shiver, controlled himself enough to hold off his climax. "AHHH!" cried out Karina, her body arching upward and her head thrown back. Elzot's tongue had stabbed deep into Karina's glistening pussy, piercing Karina to the core of her pent-up sexual tension. Wave after wave of orgasmic bliss washed over her as Elzot sealed her lips around Karina's gushing cunt. Karina's body arched again with another orgasm exploding inside her as Elzot's tongue coiled and curled inside her vagina, slurping up the accumulated jizz in there. "Mmuph!" Karina's body-arching spasm had thrown Charon forward. He decided to go with the flow and straightened his legs, while bracing his hands on the benches. With Karina gasping, Charon shoved four inches of his cock into what he considered an opportunity. Karina's eyes widened as her mouth was stuffed with hard, throbbing dick. Elzot's tongue wriggled deeper into Karina's womb, driving Karina towards a third and even bigger orgasm. Elzot had her lips sealed around Karina's labia and every now and then her lower jaw moved as she swallowed the combined cum she lapped out of Karina's hot tunnel. Charon's cock tasted a little bitterer with a spicy aftertaste. Karina guessed it was from the pre-cum he had been oozing out. She laved her tongue around the unusually pointy head as Charon eased his prick in and out of her mouth. "Oh, yes!" gasped Charon ecstatically. "Suck it! Fill your belly with hot demon seed!" He began to fuck his cock faster into Karina's mouth. "My balls boil! Oh, yes! Suck it till I cum and swallow it down for your ride home!" Karina sucked on Charon's cock as the hard shaft slid over her tongue. Her body was shaking from the buildup of tension caused by Elzot. The very tip of Elzot's tongue was flickering over an erogenous zone deep in Karina's cunt. The sensation sent jolt after jolt of electrified passion surging through Karina. Karina's lips stayed sealed around Charon's cock, despite the ridges they bounced over. Karina felt her passion could not be any stronger as the succubus' tongue lashed deep inside her dripping pussy and the demonic ferryman fucked his cock quickly in and out of her mouth. The fact that Karina was pinned to the deck only seemed to add to her pleasure. She sucked harder on the hot, stiff prick in her mouth and lashed her tongue against its spongy head. The titfucking he had done earlier had pushed Charon close to the edge. Karina added stimulation around the sensitive head of his cock now carried him over the brink. With a gargled cry of ecstasy and release, Charon's thin, gnarly body tensed up as he pushed his prick deep into Karina's mouth. Karina managed to keep from gagging as she felt his hot jism spew forth to fill her mouth. The taste was bitter and spicy-hot, but she kept her lips sealed around his shaft as her cheeks billowed out slightly as Charon spurted out his cum. Charon gasped loudly and fell off to one side, with a slurp from Karina as his cock left her full lips. She swallowed down the pungent load just a millisecond before her own release wracked through her body. "GGGGOOOODDDDSSSS!!!!" screamed out Karina as her hands cruelly pinched her nipples in rapturous pain as her body bucked and bounced uncontrollably. Her orgasm seemed to go on and on and on and on. It took quite awhile before she recovered enough to even speak. Karina finally raised her head to look at the other two in the ferry. Charon had his robe back on and was sedately sculling the ferry towards its destination. Elzot, her mouth shiny, was leaning back against the side of the boat. Her legs were splayed apart so that her own moist cunt was exposed. She was giving Karina an all-knowing look with a lecherous smile. "Hmm, you really do know how to have fun," smirked Elzot seductively. "Our relationship may not be such a bad thing." "Tit for tat?" asked Karina, licking her dry lips and wondering if she had the energy to get the voluptuous demoness off. "No, mistress," replied Elzot. "Later, perhaps... I need to stay sharp as we are very near. You have just enough time to get dressed." Karina rose up and then carefully stood, despite her shaky legs. Stretched out along one side of the Styx was a solid black stonewall. To Karina, it looked like it was over two hundred feet high. She looked over to the other riverbank to see a gray barrier stretching along the entire river's length. Farther downstream in the direction they were heading, was a massive gatehouse with huge bronze doors. "Welcome to the entrance to Pluton," said Charon. ------- Chapter 6 A towering black wall on one side and a gray opaque expanse on the other gave Karina a sense of dread as she struggled back into her armor. Charon's ferry floated sluggishly along the River Styx that ran between the black and the gray. Try as she might, Karina could not stop sneaking glances at the slowly approaching bronze gates set into the massive gatehouse. They were huge and silent as the grave. Karina was filled with a sense of foreboding as they floated closer and closer. Elzot, her eyes sharp with desire, was leaning out over the prow of the ferry. Karina looked back and saw Charon placidly sculling them towards the gates. There was a wide bank in front of the gatehouse and nothing grew in the dull brown soil. Karina jumped when another ferry appeared in front of them and stopped on the bank. Within one step onto the soil, six transparent ghosts were whisked in through the gates as if they were pulled inside by an invisible force. The other ferry then disappeared. Karina took in a deep breath to steady her nerves as Charon's ferry beached onto the bank with a crunch of gravel. "The Gates of Pluton," announced Charon. "When, and if, you leave, call for me from the bank of the river and I shall come to pick you up." "Thank you," said Karina. "The ride was..." She blushed. "... pleasurable." "We took the most direct route," stated Charon. "Perhaps you wish to see other planes on the return trip. Of course, that would cost you extra." "We'll see," said Karina as she and Elzot stepped off the ferry. Charon pushed his boat off the bank with his oar. He turned the ferry and, in a twinkling of an eye, it disappeared. Karina's sense of dread returned full force as she twisted around to face the gates. The bronze doors stood slightly ajar and a little over four hundred yards away. "It looks clear," said Karina, looking around. "Could Cerberus have been called away? Maybe Hades is going to allow us in." "Looks are deceiving," stated Elzot tensely. "I can't fly until we are through the gates." "Let's get going then," replied Karina. When they had walked halfway to the gatehouse, Karina had to admit that Elzot was correct. The ground, although appearing flat, actually rolled and undulated. They walked hesitantly forward until they were within one hundred feet of the massive portal. Karina began to believe that Hades had pulled Cerberus from his guard duty to allow her into his realm when three harmonious, unearthly howls split the air. "Run!" yelled Karina. "Run for the gate!" "NO!" cried out Elzot, yanking Karina back. "That is sure death! The howls were a warning. Wait." Cerberus sprang up from a fold in the ground in front of them. Karina gasped and her face went white in fear. She had heard all the stories about the three-headed guardian hound of Hades, but not one had prepared her for the reality. He was thirty feet long from nose to tail and covered in coarse gray fur. He was five times in length as Karina was tall. Three pairs of golden eyes pierced Karina to the core as all three heads snarled at the human and succubus in front of them. Cerberus' teeth looked to be as long as Karina's arm and as sharp as a needle. The size and speed of the huge hound did not terrify Karina as much as its intelligence and malevolence. With a speed that defied description, Cerberus sprang forward. Karina squeaked in fright as she was bowled over, hit by his massive shoulder. One head swung around to catch Elzot in her midriff with its snout. Her breath whooshed out as she was picked up off her feet by the impact and thrown a dozen or so feet to one side. Karina trembled violently as she tried to hold still as all three heads glared down over her. Each of his heads growled and snapped at her before Cerberus sprang away to head towards Elzot. Hardly daring to move, Karina raised her head slightly to watch him. The tall, stacked succubus had groggily gotten to her hooves when Cerberus ran into her again. Elzot went spinning through the air to land with a thud on the hard ground. Karina looked over at Cerberus and gasped in surprise to see that he had shrunk down to one-third his original size. All three heads turned to stare at Karina and she was sure that he was indicating to her that she was next. Elzot groaned in pain as she rolled over onto her stomach. Pushing herself up to her hands and knees, she shook her head to clear away the dizziness. The fact that both of her arms were suddenly gripped by two sets of jaws did not even register. Karina recoiled when she saw Cerberus pad up behind Elzot and climb on top of her. His two outer heads bit down on her arms just enough to hold her in place. Karina watched in horror as Cerberus' huge, blood-red, pointed cock slid out of its furry sheath. The knot at the base was bigger than her son's fist. Karina winched as Cerberus' haunches lunged forward. "AAAAIIIIEEEE!!!!" screamed Elzot as Cerberus' immense cock ripped into her unprepared cunt. Elzot's eyes bulged out in pain as her vaginal walls stretched to and beyond their limit. She screamed again when Cerberus pulled back and lunged forward again. She tried to get away, but was held in place by his jaws biting on her arms. The lunge was so forceful that Elzot's huge tits slapped her in the face. Elzot was completely helpless as Cerberus raped her. She grimaced each time his knot banged into her sore labia. She cried out in pain as Cerberus pulled back on her arms as he lunged forward. Her scream went on and on as his knot painfully squeezed into her pussy and worked its way up to the tip of his cock. Elzot almost passed out as his knot enlarged in her womb, tying the two of them together. Cerberus let go of her arms and, with his knot securing them together, really began to fuck her. His haunches were a blur as he rammed his cock in and out rapidly. One of his heads looked over at Karina as if to mark her as the next one he was going to play with. Karina trembled in fright as Elzot shook both in pain and from the battering Cerberus was giving her. Karina thought she should be doing something, but was so consumed in terror that she could not move. As she stared at the scene of Cerberus raping Elzot, she suddenly noticed that Elzot was signaling to her. Elzot's demon face was contorted in anguish and her cunt felt like someone had shoved a red-hot poker up into it. With his knot tying them together, pushing and pulling her body back and forth, Elzot felt like a rubber ball attached by a rubber band to a paddle. Despite the battering, pummeling, and the pain, she shot Karina a determined look and waved for her to run to the gates. Karina bounded to her feet and ran as fast as she could towards the gates. She heard one of Cerberus' heads yip and bark to the others, both of which howled in return. The hair on Karina's neck stood on end as all three heads howled again. A loud cry of pain and hurt from Elzot made Karina glance back. Cerberus had tried to chase after her, but was unable to because he was stuck to Elzot. A second later, Karina dashed through the gates. The landscape beyond was bleak, desolate and gray. A broad plain stretched for as far as the eye could see. An unused road ran from the gate towards the only building Karina could see. Stunted black trees lined the roadway leading up to the large, black, columned palace. There appeared to be a constant breeze, but it did not produce any sound. In fact, there was no sound at all, except Karina's breathing. What surprised Karina the most was a young woman walking towards her wearing a toga colored in light and dark green. "Hello, Karina," greeted the woman. "My husband just told me you were coming. I am Persephone." "Elzot... she... (gasp)... she" panted Karina breathlessly. Persephone walked over to the gates and looked out. Her expression was one of pure boredom and did not change when she saw Cerberus and Elzot. She looked back at Karina and gave a little shrug. "Cerberus is only playing with her," stated Persephone. "He won't like that that you got by him, which will make him a little more vicious. He won't permanently harm her, though." "But..." stammered Karina aghast at Persephone's lack of feeling, "do something." "I am," replied Persephone. "I am escorting you to my husband, Hades, so that you are not delayed any further." Karina heard another wail of pain wrenched out of Elzot. She turned towards Persephone, but did not say anything because of Persephone's upraised hand. "This is the land of the dead, Karina," said Persephone. "Passion... feelings... desires... all have no place here. Come with me." Karina held her peace as she followed behind Persephone. It was only a short while later before Persephone was guiding Karina up the black steps of Hades' palace. The enormous building was constructed completely of black marble and lit by some unseen light source. At the end of one corridor, Persephone opened a door and led Karina into a throne room. Hades was sitting on a large black throne and his countenance did not change as Karina entered the room. Persephone stood by the door as Karina walked forward. She stopped in front of the throne and bowed. Hades nodded back. There was a long moment of silence as Karina and Hades stared at each other. "I have come to request the release of the girl I need for my son's ritual," stated Karina. "Her name was Leekya," replied Hades. "Will you release her to me?" asked Karina. "On one condition," said Hades. "I wish to hold a party and put some bloom back into my wife's cheeks. I will need the Cup of Dionysus, which is currently in Zeus' possession on Olympus." "How do you expect..." Karina started to ask, but pulled herself up short. "Of course, I'll bring it here as soon as possible." "You do not have to bring it," stated Hades. "You just have to secure Zeus' word that he will deliver it to me." "Yes, Lord Hades," said Karina. She pursed her lips and blurted out, "Milord, about Elzot..." "The succubus you came with?" asked Hades. He reached out to the side with his right hand. Shimmering circular waves appeared before his fingertips and his hand disappeared into them up to his wrist. Hades then pulled his hand back out. Karina was shocked to see him holding three-inch high Elzot by the wings. Her entire body was limp and had scratches all over it. Her pussy and asshole were red raw and dripping thick white liquid. "Nasty, messy thing, isn't it?" remarked Hades, holding Elzot up this way and that to look at her. "Please, she said she could get me by Cerberus and she kept her part of the bargain," pleaded Karina. "Bargain?" questioned Hades. Hades stood up quickly and walked over to a table located against a wall. Karina followed him over to it. He unceremoniously dumped Elzot on top of the table and pulled open a drawer. Karina gasped when she saw that it was full of precious gems. Hades rummaged through the glittering stones until he found a small blue diamond, no bigger than a grain of sand. He waved a hand over the prostrate demon, cleaning her and healing all her wounds. Hades placed the diamond on her forehead and began to push it in with a finger. Elzot screamed, writhed and thrashed about as the blue stone was embedded into her forehead. Karina almost jumped forward to pull Hades off her, but his task only took a second before he stepped back from the table. Elzot got shakily to her feet, the blue diamond shimmering from her forehead. She stared back and forth between Hades and Karina before finally getting her bearings. Her eyes widened in fright when she realized that she had been shrunken to a diminutive size. She fanned her wings out wide and looked like she was ready to take off. "Stop!" commanded Hades in a tone that brooked no disobedience. "You made a bargain with this woman. Why?" Elzot's tail twitched back and forth before she answered, "I desired to return to the prime plane. I was too greedy last time, and was caught and imprisoned. This time I would have been more careful." "Collecting souls?" asked Hades. "Yes," replied Elzot with a puzzled look on her face as if she could not understand why she was telling the truth. Karina gasped at her admission. "Why is the bargain you made with this woman not valid?" asked Hades. "The bargain was made using my name from the Hells. It is not entirely enforceable on her plane of existence. The time limit would have been in effect, but with no constraints on me." Elzot's face took on a stricken look. "Why am I telling you this?" "The gem in your forehead has altered you," replied Hades. "You are still a demon succubus with all that it entails. The gem has only altered your alignment and makes you speak the truth." "No!" screamed Elzot, trying to pluck the stone out of her forehead. "Take it out! Take it out!" "To remove it means your death," stated Hades sternly. "With it in, you can now safely travel with Karina, if she wants you. Karina, you do realize that you do not have to take her? The bargain you made is invalid. I think you should, though. "Why?" asked Karina. "Elzot, what is your name in Karina's plane and how did you manage to escape your imprisonment?" "My other name is Phartom," said Elzot, unable to lie. "I was magically imprisoned because the wizards who defeated me weren't strong enough after the battle to send me back to the Hells. A giantess tricked a half-ogre into freeing me to save her daughter. I had bound the half-ogre, but miscalculated his strength. He got free and forced me to flee back to the Hells." "How did he do that?" Elzot's face twisted as she said, "He raped me and buggered me up the ass. The pain was so intense that I could only escape by leaving his plane." "That was Per, wasn't it?" asked Karina of Hades already knowing the answer. She looked at Elzot. "I need you. My son was that half-ogre. He has to participate in a ritual where he has to have sex with every female who has influenced him or had sex with him... that includes you. Our original bargain remains. What do you say, Phartom?" "I can not return to the Hells like this," replied Phartom. "I would be like a beacon that would draw every demon to me. I'm sure this is what Hades planned. I will go with you and hopefully survive in your world. Your son attacked me the only way he could because I was going to kill him. I will take part in the ritual provided he does not attack or hurt me." "Agreed," said Karina. "The time limit on your stay is gone from the bargain, but if you double-cross me, I'll have my son or his father tear that gem out of your forehead with their bare hands." "I understand," said Phartom. "I believe my survival is nonexistent if I do not stay with you." Hades restored Phartom to her normal size. The blue gem grew with her and measured an inch across in its final state. Hades nodded to Karina and left without saying another word. Persephone walked Karina and Phartom back to the bank of the Styx. My husband said that Leekya would be released upon Zeus' word that he can have the Cup of Dionysus," reminded Persephone. "She will materialize where you are at the time of the agreement." Persephone turned to face the river and called out, "Charon." Charon's black ferry suddenly materialized upstream. It slowly floated down to them and Charon grounded it upon the bank. His flaming eyes burned brighter as he took in the jewel in Phartom's forehead. Persephone nodded to him, turned, and walked back through the gate. "Elzot, you're different," said Charon in a husky voice heavy with desire. "You smell... good!" Phartom shuddered and faced towards Karina. "Charon's reaction is much more subdued than any other I would meet back in the Hells," she told her. "I spoke the truth when I said I was dependent upon you for my survival." "Let's get aboard then," said Karina climbing into the ferry. "Well, Karina, have you given any thought to my suggestion on seeing the other planes?" asked Charon as Phartom climbed aboard. "I'm sorry, but I can't spare the time," replied Karina. "Pity," said Charon as he poled the ferry off the bank and back into the middle of the river. "Was your quest successful?" "In a manner of speaking, Hades informed me of what I had to do." "And that is... ?" "Her business," interrupted Phartom. "And how do you feel about being changed, Elzot?" asked Charon. "How good are you?" "Call me Phartom and I'm good enough to pay for my own passage," replied Phartom sexily. She stood and took a step towards the stern, oozing sex. Her heavy breasts swayed as she moved and her nipples hardened in desire. Her red skin seemed to radiate heat. Karina suddenly felt gauche and inept. Phartom had put more sex appeal in that one stride than Karina could in a whole walk. She looked down self-consciously, but looked up again when a hand touched her shoulder. "I'm a succubus," said Phartom with a smile. "I have magical abilities, whereas you have natural ones. Don't think one is better than the other." Phartom turned from Karina and smiled wickedly at Charon as she sidled up against him. Charon chuckled as her hands roamed over his chest and arms. With a shrug of his shoulders, his purple robes slid off to puddle down around his feet. Phartom oohed and ahhed at the sight of his knobby nine inch cock. Not taking her eyes off of it, Phartom sank down to her knees as she grasped it with both hands. Karina watched as Phartom wrapped her sharp-nailed fingers around the shaft. She began to stroke it with exquisite slowness, her fingers sliding over each bumpy ridge. Charon closed his fiery eyes and groaned in pleasure. Phartom gave Karina a long sultry look as she stuck out her agile tongue to lick over the head of his cock. Karina felt hot and her armor was becoming very confining as she watched Phartom and Charon. Phartom kept looking at Karina and seemed to be putting on a show for her. Whenever she stroked Charon's prick, it seemed to be pointed right at Karina. When Phartom licked it, her eyes seemed to say, 'Don't you wish this was you.' Karina's breathing was getting heavier and she ground her thighs together to alleviate the itch at their junction. "Oh, Hells," cursed Karina at long last as she pulled at the buckles on her armor. Phartom was smiling a knowing smile when Karina knelt down naked beside her. She let go of Charon's cock with one hand to allow Karina to grab a hold of it. Charon groaned again as both Karina and Phartom laved their tongues around the head and down the shaft of his hard cock. Karina surprised Phartom when she placed her hand behind Phartom's head and pulled her forward for an open-mouthed, soul-searing kiss. They both continued to stroke Charon's cock as their kiss went on and on. Their tongues dueled with one another inside each other's mouth. Karina moaned, but did not break the kiss when Phartom hefted one of Karina's huge, heavy tits and tweaked the hard nipple. Karina let go of Charon's shaft and grabbed Phartom by the shoulders. She twisted the demon around and pushed her down so that Phartom was lying on her back on the bottom of the ferry. Karina spread Phartom's legs apart, exposing her hairless, moist cunt, and moved over to kneel between those legs. Phartom twitched her tail to one side and her glistening pussy was a light pink as compared to the rest of her dark red skin. Phartom writhed in delicious anticipation as Karina bent down onto her knees and elbows with her face inches away from Phartom's loins. "Tit for tat?" asked Karina, reminding Phartom of her promise. She looked back at Charon. "Don't stand on ceremony." Karina turned back and gently pried Phartom's labia apart before shoving one finger deep into her wet cunt. Phartom moaned and her hips bucked up a little at the intrusion. Karina's nose was filled with her heavy musky scent. Karina pushed a second finger into that hot tunnel as she felt Charon's hands grasp her hips. "More! More!" sighed Phartom, reaching up to grasp her large breasts as Karina added a third finger, shoving all three in and out of Phartom's vagina. Karina inhaled sharply when she felt the tip of Charon's hard cock touch the damp slit of her own dripping snatch. She knew what was coming, but still could not help from crying out or being shoved forward as Charon pushed his entire knobby dick into her in one thrust. Each knob and ridge seemed to bump right over Karina's engorged clitoris. Her whole body was pushed forward so that her nose bumped into Phartom's clit. Karina's nose slid up until her open mouth was in contact with Phartom's pussy. Unlike Charon, Phartom tasted sweet and sour instead of bitter to Karina. Backing up slightly, Karina began to lick and lap at Phartom's leaking cunt. Phartom groaned and began to hump her hips up and down in response. Karina pulled her three fingers out, shaped all of her fingers into a cone and then shoved them back in up to her knuckles. "Yes! Yes!" cried out Phartom in passion. "That's it! Stretch me! Fill me! Lick my bud until I gush all over your face! Oh, yes!" Karina did her best to concentrate on pleasuring Phartom. It was not easy with Charon jack-hammering his nine-inch cock in and out of Karina's vagina. Jolts of pleasure shot up into her body each time her clit was hit by his ridges. Her passion was rising rapidly and Karina turned that into energy to piston her fingers in and out of Phartom. Phartom was writhing continually and she was pinching her own nipples hard as she pulled her heavy tits up taunt by those long nubs. Phartom's clit was sticking straight out and Karina brought her other hand up to rub it between her forefinger and thumb. Phartom gasped and shuddered when Karina lashed her tongue over the tip of it. Phartom cried out and her hips arched upwards suddenly. Her orgasm had caught even her by surprise and it was so intense that her clear, thick juices squirted out, catching Karina in the face. Most of her juice splashed into Karina's open mouth, which she swallowed down reflexively. Even Charon had stopped his fucking at Phartom's peak. Both he and Karina stayed still, waiting for Phartom to recover her breath. "By Beelz..." gasped Phartom, when she could finally speak. "Oh... I guess... (gasp)... can't say that... any more. That was... (huff, huff)... more of a return... than I gave." She smiled as an idea formed in her mind. "Charon, the other hole." Karina gasped as Charon pulled his long, slick cock out of her dripping cunt and placed the tip against Karina's puckered asshole. Her breath came out in one, long exhalation as he very slowly pushed his knobby dick deep into her bowels. The knobs and ridges of his cock bumping past her sphincter muscle seemed to send waves of pleasure up Karina's spine. Karina was quivering all over by the time Charon had fully seated his prick into her. "Karina, lean back as far as you can," said Phartom with a lecherous gleam in her eyes. "Charon, get your hands under her knees and sit back." Karina found herself sitting on Charon's legs with her butt stuffed full of his cock. Her own legs were splayed apart, held up in the air by Charon's hands under her knees. Karina had to put her hands backwards to brace herself as her pussy was totally exposed to Phartom. Phartom moved around in front of Karina, noticing her sort of helpless position. She reached down between her legs and pulled her tail up between them. Karina gasped at the sight. She had seen Phartom's tail without really noticing it, but now with it pulled up between Phartom's legs, it looked a lot different. Phartom's tail was not a thin, whip-like tail, but long and thick with a triangular-shaped tip. Holding it in one hand, Phartom wiggled it back and forth like a snake. "As you can see it is prehensile. You're only the second one I've done this for," gasped Phartom huskily. Phartom scooted forward and hunched lower in front of Karina. Karina shivered as Phartom placed the triangular end of her tail between the wet folds of Karina's labia. She inhaled sharply, moaned, and shook as Phartom pushed forward, driving six inches of her tail into her hot, tight pussy. Shaking slightly, Karina looked down between the large valley of her breasts to the junction of her spread legs. Phartom's tail had split her folds apart and was stuck deep into Karina. She shuddered again and her eyes rolled back in her head as Phartom caused her tail to wriggle back and froth inside her. Charon also groaned, feeling Phartom's tail rub against his dick through the thin membrane that separated his cock in her ass from Phartom's tail. "Unique feeling, isn't it?" huffed Phartom heavily. "Watch my clit as I fuck you a couple of time with it." Karina looked down and watched as Phartom flexed her hips back and forth. She saw the thick tail slid in and out in her and then noticed in wonder that it rubbed back and forth over Phartom's clitoris with each thrust. Phartom gasped each time her tail dragged over her button. "You see," smirked Phartom sexily. "We both get off, but you get the added bonus of getting fucked up the ass at the same time." She paused for a second. "You're very tight. I'd better keep it short for the first time." Karina managed to reach forward with one hand to stroke Phartom's cheek and said, "I can take all you have to give." Phartom's tail was about two feet long. Karina guessed that about four inches were sliding back and forth between Phartom's legs and, with six inches inside her, there was over a foot of tail left. Phartom pushed forward, sinking another three inches into Karina. Karina felt her pussy stretch out and then tighten down around the flesh inside it. She moaned in pleasure and grabbed Phartom by the asscheeks and yanked her all the way in. Phartom's large tits mashed up against Karina's monumental ones. The two females' faces were only an inch apart as they stayed still gasping for breath at the sudden movement. The pull had set off a series of mini-orgasms in both of them. "You're... you're not human," stammered Phartom in amazement. "Yes, I am," panted Karina. "I'm just a little altered, that's all." Phartom arched her hips backwards, dragging a good quantity of her tail out of Karina before slamming forward again. Again and again she pounded her tail in and out of Karina's hot, tight tunnel. With each of Phartom's hard thrusts Karina rose upward causing Charon's cock to come partially out of her ass and when Phartom moved back, it entered back into Karina's bowels as she sank back down. Being double penetrated and to such a depth, Karina could not control her passion having orgasm after orgasm. Her body was drenched in sweat and with her tits being rubbed by Phartom's heavy globes only added to her excitement. Phartom was panting heavily from her own sexual ardor and sweating just as much as Karina. Karina's vaginal muscles magically tightened on Phartom's tail, making it drag forcefully over Phartom's clit. Every now and then Phartom would stop to wriggle her tail inside Karina, who would pop every time she did it. Charon was thrusting upward bumping his knobby cock in and out of Karina's ass. Gasping for breath after her tenth orgasm, Karina was becoming exhausted. Determined to make the demons climax also, She began humping back against them and tightening her vaginal and anal muscles. They were all breathing heavily when Karina pinched Phartom's nipples hard and yanked her breasts upward by them as she bit down on Phartom's collarbone. Twin lances of pleasurable pain shot through Phartom's nipples to the very core of her being. The extra pressure on her clit from her tail along with the painful bite pushed Phartom over the edge. She quivered and quaked as wave after wave of orgasmic bliss crashed inside her. Maybe it was the sensation of Phartom's tail shuddering deep inside Karina's womb or maybe it was Karina's tightening sphincter muscle or a combination of both that set Charon off. With a primal growl, her thrust upwards, skewering his cock all the way into Karina's ass. She felt his knobby cock pulsate just before it spewed forth its extra-hot cream into her rectum. Karina responded in kind with a massive orgasm of her own. All three of them collapsed onto the bottom of the ferry in a welter of arms, legs and one tail. Each was too drained to even pull apart from the other. It took awhile before Charon moved. He pulled his flaccid cock out of Karina's ass with a squishing sound. Karina moaned as her asshole gaped open and yellow cum dribbled out of it. Phartom groaned as she flexed her sore tail, pulling it out of Karina and moving it back into place behind her. Phartom grimaced as she sat up and leaned back against one of the seats. Her legs were splayed lewdly apart and Karina could see that her thighs were shiny from pussy juice. Phartom had a veiled look in her eyes and a satisfied smile on her full lips. "You know, with your... altered abilities, you could take over one of the planes of the Hells," she said to Karina. "Don't tell her that!" chided Charon, pulling on his robe and picking up his oar. "She might try it." "Later, perhaps," muttered Karina as she leaned over the side of the ferry to splash some water on her face. "OW! OW! OW!" Karina's wrist had been grabbed by Phartom. Her needle-sharp nails dug into Karina's flesh as she pulled the hand back. "You forgot what river you were on, didn't you?" snarled Phartom angrily. Karina looked at her bleeding wrist and then at the water, suddenly realizing what she had almost did, Karina collapsed in a fit of trembling terror. "If nothing else, that has convinced me that you have been changed, Phartom," said Charon matter-of-factly. "Elzot would have let her touch the water of the Styx and then used her to her own ends." "I know," replied Phartom. "That is why I can't stay here. I'm too vulnerable." "Do you think this woman can protect you?" asked Charon as Karina regained her composure. "She's willing to do anything to accomplish her goal," stated Phartom. "I need her as much as she needs me. We'll survive." "Get ready," said Charon to both of them. "We'll be landing soon." Karina looked up and saw the same bleak landscape she had seen when she first came through the gate. She and Phartom cleaned up and Karina donned her armor. When she finished with the last buckle, Karina turned to face Phartom. "Thank you," said Karina. "I... well, thank you." "I think you are the first person who has ever thanked me without my trying to stab you in the back," said Phartom with a chuckle. "I'm sure I'll return the favor before we're through." Charon guided his ferry to the landing and grounded it on the bank. He nodded to Karina as she and Phartom disembarked. Without saying another word, Charon poled off the bank and disappeared back up the river. Karina looked around and spotted the gate she had come through. The two females headed towards it, but Phartom stopped them before they went through. Phartom made some gestures and the air shimmered around her. Her skin became more flesh-toned and her tail disappeared. She was suddenly wearing a short black dress that had a slit down the front to her navel and a hemline that barely covered her ass. Knee-high black boots adorned her shapely legs. The only thing that had not gone away was her horns. "Your horns are still visible," mentioned Karina. "A priest of Hades is probably just on the other side of this gate." "Sorry, they're permanent," replied Phartom. She fluffed her black hair until most of the horns were covered. "I guess it's to give you humans some sort of warning. Better? Do try to keep him from trying to kill me. It'll simply ruin my dress." Karina took Phartom's hand, inhaled deeply for strength, and stepped forward into the gray veil of the gate. The other side had not changed much, except that it was dusk and there was a tent pitched about thirty feet away. A low rumble echoed from the gate and the two females moved quickly away from it as it disappeared back into the ground. The tent flaps parted as Costas looked out and then hurried over to where they were standing. "Lady Karina, you're back!" he said happily, "and you have her!" "I'm back, but this is not the woman I went for," replied Karina. "Your master has given me another task. This woman is essential to my goal, so the trip turned out better than I planned." "I see," said Costas, taking a good look at Phartom. "Costas, I mean it," warned Karina. "I need her. Hades put a jewel in her forehead before he returned her to me." Costas sighed and shrugged, "Of course, Lady Karina. I suggest we get her some other clothing before someone else makes an educated guess." He looked over at Phartom. "No offense meant, but your outfit is kind of a uniform among your kind." "No offense taken," replied Phartom. "It's functional and eye-catching. There's always the alternative." "Either one would look good to me," stated Costas with a smile. "Oh, a novelty," gushed Phartom. "A priest with a sense of humor." "I'll make some dinner during and after which I plan to ogle at both of you," said Costas. "Tomorrow morning, we'll head back to the palace. I'm sure their Highnesses will be relieved to see you." "Why would they be relieved?" asked Karina. "I haven't been gone that long." Phartom laughed, "You're not used to traveling the planes. How long has she been gone, priest?" "Please call me Costas. Karina, you've been gone ten days." They packed up the camp the next morning. Phartom dressed in some of Karina's spare clothing, but still exuded her sex appeal. Heading down the mountain to the city of Firehold was considerably easier than going up it. It was after midday when the three of them entered the city and made their way to the keep. As they approached, Karina spotted Lorilei sitting on a bench outside the main door. Lorilei looked up calmly at them and rose up to greet them. "Welcome back, dearie, ' she said to Karina. "I had a feeling you'd be back today." She looked at Phartom. "I was about to congratulate you, Karina, but I'm getting a smell of sulphur. She's not the one you went for." "No, but she's part of the ritual," stated Karina. "Phartom, this is Lorilei... Lorilei, Phartom." "A witch... I caught your smell, too," stated Phartom. "I'm beginning to feel a little inadequate in the nose department," griped Karina to Costas. "Don't let it worry you, dearie," said Lorilei urbanely. "The Gods obviously felt you needed bigger, more prominent assets." Costas sputtered, choked, and finally had to turn away laughing. Karina just smiled and shook her head. "It's not so much a smell as just a sense. Our minds senses something about the other person and associates it with an odor," explained Lorilei. "How are their Highnesses and Genese?" asked Karina. "We're making progress once I squashed Genese's objections," said Lorilei. "She doesn't object to the idea, just leaving you. She's beginning to understand Antonio's and Sophia's emotional needs. You know, the ones that have been suppressed since Sophia's accident." "How is the court treating her?" "Oh, the usual... several attempts to use her to influence the Prince, a couple of unfulfilled trysts, and some veiled insults," replied Lorilei. "Their Highnesses put a stop to the more serious infractions by having a courtier lose his head. He tried to blackmail Genese. The rest of the court has seen how the wind is blowing and has developed a hands-off attitude towards Genese. She has made some friends, though, dearie. The ones who are genuinely happy for Antonio and Sophia and are powerful enough or content enough to make her welcome. It's becoming positively maudlin around here." Karina broke out in a smile at Lorilei's news. "So, tell me, dearie, what news from the land of the dead?" "Hades wants the Cup of Dionysus," said Karina. "It's currently in Zeus' possession. All I have to do is to get Zeus to agree to give it to Hades. I don't have to take it there myself." "I wonder what Zeus will want for the Cup," sighed Lorilei. "Oh, Gods! I never even thought of that!" exclaimed Karina in despair. "I'll end up running all over this world trying to broker deals." "Worry about that later," said Lorilei. "Right now you have to go in and see their Highnesses and Genese." "This is where I am afraid I will have to leave you lovely ladies," stated Costas. "Lady Karina, it's been a pleasure." Karina gave him a big smile and kissed him on the cheek. Costas turned red and then shuffled away with his hand placed on the spot where she had kissed him. Lorilei turned and led Karina and Phartom inside to Prince Antonio and Princess Sophia's private rooms. "Karina!" shouted Genese when she saw who was coming in the door. She rushed over and wrapped her arms around her. Karina looked over her head and she returned the hug. Prince Antonio and Princess Sophia were by the sofa where Genese had been sitting. They were smiling at Karina, but she could also see the worry in their eyes. "Easy... easy... you'll bend the metal," cooed Karina to Genese. Genese snorted in laughter with tears running down her cheek. She released Karina and stepped back. Genese had matured and filled out in the ten days that Karina was gone. She had lost her air of invisibility she had when she was just a servant. She had also gained more confidence. "It's wonderful to see you again, Karina," said Princess Sophia, gliding her chair over to Karina. "I see you have someone new. Does this mean your mission was a success?" "Partially," replied Karina. "This is Phartom, a lady I did not know about, but who is also part of my mission. I met Hades and he has sent me on another task." "What task?' asked Genese. "All in due time," interrupted Prince Antonio. "It appears that you have just arrived, Lady Karina. I imagine you would like to bathe and get cleaned up first. I'll order for some food to be sent up and then you can tell us of your adventures." "I'll go draw you a bath, milady," said Genese, reverting back to her maid status. "No, Genese, you won't," stated Karina flatly. Genese stopped still, frozen by the coldness in Karina's words. Karina looked at Genese again. She was no longer the toothpick-thin scarecrow she had been. There was excitement and wonder in her eyes, though masked now by confusion. Karina relented and smiled at her. "You are no longer my maid," she told Genese. "I can see the changes in you that weren't there ten days ago. You've grown and matured. You've moved on." Indecision and panic flitted back and forth across Genese's face. She looked at their Highnesses and then at Karina. "Do you like it here?" asked Karina. "Yes," replied Genese. "And you're helping them," said Karina. "So much more than you could ever help me. To accomplish what I must, I will do things that would kill a normal person of fright. I do not wish this for you. Do you wish to stay here?" "Yes," replied Genese softly. Karina nodded and turned to leave. She heard Genese sob behind her and run over to Princess Sophia to cry on her shoulder. Two maids were waiting outside the suite to lead Karina and Phartom to their chambers. It was later after supper when they gathered again in their Highnesses private living room. Genese had regained her composure and listened avidly to Karina's edited version of what had happened after she entered the gate. "So Hades pushed the gem into your forehead with his finger and changed your nature?" asked Genese of Phartom in awe. "What were you before that he had to do that?" "Dearie, that is something you do not ask," said Lorilei ominously. "It's not polite and you may find out more than you want to know." "Oh, I'm sorry," stammered Genese, her face red in shame. "Please, forgive me." "Let's just say that this plane of existence is not my home one," replied Phartom with a laugh. "Hades wants you to secure a promise from Zeus to give Hades the Cup of Dionysus?" reiterated Princess Sophia, going back to the original topic. "Yes, which means I'll have to go to Olympus," said Karina. "Another trip through the planes." "Maybe not," stated Phartom. "That priest, Costas, said he can talk to his god. Maybe all you really need to do is to talk to a priest of Zeus." "That's so simple it might work," said Karina in wonder. "One problem," said Prince Antonio. "We're an island nation. Most of our temples and shrines are dedicated to gods and goddesses of the oceans and seas. We do have a shrine to Zeus, but not a cleric I know of." "I know of one," said Karina, thinking of Karlto, but then putting him aside. Karlto was a little too erratic and was out of favor with Zeus as much as he was in favor. Karina, however, knew of another priest of Zeus. "You'll have to set sail immediately," said Princess Sophia. "We can have a ship ready to sail in the morning." "That won't be necessary," said Karina. "I'll contact him tonight." "That's impossible," scoffed the Prince. "We're hundreds of leagues from the nearest civilization. No one's magic is that powerful." "How about a goddess?' asked Lorilei. "Um, I stand corrected," chuckled Prince Antonio. "It might be best to have a ship ready, dear," stated Princess Sophia. "No telling where Lady Karina will have to go after she contacts the priest." "Of course," replied Prince Antonio. "There will be a footman outside your door all evening, Lady Karina. If you need something, or find out where you have to go, just tell him. The hour is getting late and I suggest we all turn in." Genese walked over to Karina and took her by the hands. "I'm not sure, but I think I am doing the right thing by staying here," she said to Karina. "I want to thank you again for all that you have done for me." After saying that, Genese turned and followed Princess Sophia out of the room. Karina felt a pang of loss, but knew that Genese would find love here. Prince Antonio nodded to her as if guessing her thoughts. Karina went up to her chambers, changed into her nightgown, and climbed into bed. Lying on her back, Karina touched her pendant and said, "Erobs." Karina closed her eyes as her room at Firehold changed. She suddenly felt weightless and knew, without seeing, that Erobs was there among the pink clouds. "Where in all the planes am I?" she heard him growl. "Karina? Whoa! This can't be real!" "It is real," said Karina quickly when she heard Erobs begin to chant. "I brought you here with Aphrodite's pendant. We met at Woodhall where your temple is. We saved Nesbra from Beckdom and chased him from the town. I also fulfilled my contract with the magistrate quickly, if you will remember." Erobs stopped chanting and broke out laughing. "Too quickly," he laughed. "I know I wanted to see more at the time, but this is beyond my expectations." "I am at Firehold in the Sharak Islands," said Karina, keeping her eyes closed. "I need to contact Zeus. Hades has given me a task, which is to get Zeus to agree to give him the Cup of Dionysus." "Ah, so that is what he meant." "I beg your pardon?" "Zeus sent me a cryptic message a couple of nights ago," stated Erobs. "He told me to tell the one asking for the Cup of Dionysus that they need to give me the Ring of Ishtar." "The Ring of Ishtar... what is that?" "Ishtar is the mother goddess of the land to the south. The ring is known for its potent virility and fertility. The Sultan of Al-Haminin has it." Erobs sighed in exasperation. "Do you realize how hard it is to hold a conversation with someone who has their eyes closed?" "We needed to talk first," said Karina. "I have an easily activated lust." "Beckdom and the magistrate didn't seem to get you too excited," chuckled Erobs. "Not that much to be excited about," quipped Karina. Erobs laughed again. "True enough, but the magistrate's changed. We've become friends, so I'll just have to hide the truth from him, for friendship's sake." "Back to our topic, I'm to return the ring to you?" asked Karina. "Yes, I'm to place it in the temple on the altar. Zeus will then give the cup to Hades." "Thank you," said Karina. "That is what I needed to know." "That's it?" asked Erobs, sounding a little disappointed. "Well, you do have to be satisfied to leave this realm," replied Karina sexily, opening her eyes. Erobs was the same as Karina remembered him. His strong face and knowing eyes were framed by his gray hair and full, trimmed beard. His shoulders were broad and muscular, narrowing down to his flat stomach. His cock jutted straight out and Karina felt a hot jolt explode inside her, but she managed to retain control of herself. Her tryst with Charon seemed to have sated her lust. Erobs' cock looked to be seven inches long, but was much thicker around than most men's. His testicles hung down, appearing to be full and heavy with his waiting seed. "Will your husband be after me for this?" asked Erobs with a smile. "You're worried about that at a time like this?" asked Karina incredulously. "I didn't say I was going to stop," replied Erobs as he floated over to her and hefted her mammoth breasts from underneath. "Given my deity's peccadilloes, he'd defrock me if I did. I just want to be prepared in case your husband comes to look me up... By his thunderbolt, they're even larger than I remember!" "You're no slouch, either, ' said Karina, causing him to gasp as she firmly gripped his cock with both hands. "I can't even get my fingers around it." Erobs resisted the urge to squeeze the two overwhelming handfuls of titflesh he was holding. He slowly slid his hands around and over Karina's soft, plaint globes. It was Karina's turn to gasp as her nipples hardened and Erobs tweaked them between his forefingers and thumbs. He felt her grip loosen on his cock as she began to stroke the thick shaft. Erobs released Karina's nipples and slid his hands down over her narrow waist to her hips. To his eyes, her hips looked small, but he knew it was an optical illusion because of the huge size of her chest. By touch, her hips felt normal and Erobs gently slid a hand up into the juncture of her legs. Karina moaned as Erobs' fingers slid through her pubic hair and over her mound to the damp folds below. Erobs arched an eyebrow in surprise at how hot and wet she was. Karina floated backwards, pulling her knees up and spreading her legs to expose her glistening pussy to him. Still holding on to his cock, Karina pulled Erobs towards her until his thick prick was actually touching the entrance to her vagina. "Hold on," warned Erobs, grasping her hips. He moved his hips around slowly carefully wedging his cock into the moist folds of her labia. "I have to take it slow." Karina felt him carefully work just the tip of his solid shaft into her and realized why he was going so slowly. The extra-ordinary girth of his cock would have painfully stretched out an ordinary woman. He had learned to control his lust so that he would not hurt her and allow her to adjust to his size. Karina chuckled and reached down to grab a hold of his arms. "No need for that!" she said huskily and pushed herself down onto him fast. "WOOOO!!!" gasped both Karina and Erobs together. Karina pussy magically stretched out to accommodate the thickness of Erobs' prick, but it also tightened down to give a feeling that he had filled her to the brim. Erobs had only one other affair with a woman who could take him all at once and that was with High Priestess Ivin. Usually it took him some time to get fully inserted into a woman, if at all. "Go for it," hissed Karina sexily. "I can take you." He did, too. Karina had to admit that the one thing Erobs was not lacking was stamina. He locked his elbows under her knees and plowed into her so that her tits bobbed back and forth like gelatin on her chest. Erobs fucked her that way for a long time before rolling Karina over, and fucking her from behind. Karina cried out through two orgasms and then Erobs moved her to the side and ravaged her pussy straddling one of her legs until Karina was screaming in lust and pleasure. Erobs was gasping for breath and gritting his teeth to maintain his control. He was so tense with pent-up passion that he was actually shaking and his balls were tight, preparing for his tremendous release. He flipped Karina over again so that she was facing him and sank his cock back into her. Looking down, he saw that his thick shaft had spread her cunt lips so far apart that her clit was sticking out. He reached down between them and rubbed a finger over the engorged nub. "AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!" screamed out Karina hoarsely as her body shook in orgasmic spasms. Her juices gushed out liberally, coating their loins as her pussy clamped down in the stout, hard shaft inside it. Erobs was not prepared for the additional pressure. It seemed to him all of his erogenous buttons were pushed all at the same time. With a loud bellow, He grabbed Karina by the waist and rammed his cock deep into her. Karina gasped as she felt his cock enlarge. Caught in the throes of her own orgasm, she did not know what to make of it until she felt his first hard spurt of liquid seed. Karina pulled him down to her breasts as he quivered and shook through a prolonged climax. His balls pumped her womb full of his hot, sticky jism. Erobs placed his hands on Karina's tits and held onto them as if they were a life preserver. Again and again and again, his body shook each time his cock spurted. One fleeting thought raced briefly through his mind that he felt like his whole body was going to be sucked into Karina's hot cunt. Finally, his climax subsided, but it was awhile before he could let go and regain his breath. "I... I really... really don't care... if your husband... husband comes... after me," gasped Erobs. "That... that was... was worth it!" "Glad you think so," replied Karina with a smile. "Are you satisfied?" "More than... you'll ever know," said Erobs before he disappeared. Karina reached up quickly and touched her pendant. It had been some time since she had seen Tenan and wanted the chance to talk to him. She called out his name. The next morning they all met for breakfast. Phartom had some clothes tailored for her, which immediately caught everyone's attention. Her top consisted of two thin strips of cloth tied behind her neck and coming down her front to wrap around her waist. The strips barely covered her ample bosom and swayed to the left and the right whenever she turned. Skin-tight pants covered her ass and were tucked into knee-high boots. Phartom had arranged her hair so that her horns were not visible. "Nice outfit," commented Lorilei with a wink. Karina chose to ignore Phartom's outfit or the lack thereof, and proceeded to tell what Zeus wanted for the Cup of Dionysus. She left out the part of who she contacted, but she could see the curiosity gleam in Lorilei's eyes. "Al-Haminin," mused Prince Antonio. "That is a longer trip than it took you to get here, but you're in luck. In the harbor is one of the fastest ships to sail these oceans. I persuaded the captain to take you where you need to go." Prince Antonio rang a small crystal bell beside him. "He'll be here momentarily." "Under arrest?" asked Lorilei. "Of course not," replied Prince Antonio indignantly. "His ship had an unscheduled customs inspection. It was amazing how much untaxed and contraband goods were found on board. The ship was impounded." There was a knock on the door and it opened to admit a very irate man. "You scaly, back-stabbing..." yelled the man at Prince Antonio. "You impounded my ship! Do you realize how much wealth I have brought here? You're a bigger pirate than I am!" Prince Antonio broke out laughing, "I'm the government, you idiot! I have to be a bigger crook than you are. Captain MacGill, may I introduce Lady Karina Devon. I believe that you two have met before." The man turned to face Karina, who immediately recognized him as the pirate captain who had attacked the brig she had been sailing on. Out of her armor, it took him a couple of seconds to realize who she was. He visibly curbed in some of his anger and bowed to her. "She is the real reason your ship was impounded," stated Prince Antonio. "She needs to get to Al-Haminin as fast as possible with no side trip unless she orders it." "Just you?" asked MacGill, with a touch of mockery in his eyes. "Lady Lorilei and Lady Phartom will be coming with me," replied Karina. "Enchanted," said MacGill. He turned to face Prince Antonio. "What do I get out of it?" "Your ship back and your debt written off," said Prince Antonio. "That is, if they reach their destination." "You're not giving me much of a choice," said MacGill sourly. "None whatsoever." "Lady Karina, we sail in three hours," MacGill informed her. "I await your arrival with baited breath." "Great," thought Karina. "A witch, a succubus, a pirate and his crew all sailing to an unknown land. It just doesn't get any better." ------- Chapter 7 Karina looked at Al-Haminin in wonder. The city was easily as big as the Capitol, but its architecture was what amazed Karina the most. White plastered towers with onion-topped domes rose up in varying heights above the city walls. Arched windows dominated whereas Karina was used to square windows in buildings. Tilework and mosaics were in rich abundance. It was like nothing she had seen before. The voyage, which had started out several weeks ago, had been forced upon Captain MacGill and he resented it. Prince Antonio had forced the captain to give Karina, Lorilei, and Phartom passage to Al-Haminin by seizing all the goods on his ship. Genese, now a royal consort, had been torn between staying at Firehold and traveling with Karina. Her indecision had grated on Karina's nerves. Princess Sophia altered Captain MacGill's attitude by dumping a large sack of gold into his startled hands to pay for their passage. That and the promised release of all of his impounded goods, minus taxes, of course, had done much to restore his good nature. Lorilei took care of Genese. In her cold, calculating manner, Lorilei had Genese examine the entire situation and its possible outcomes, both if she stayed and if she left. Genese hated her for it, but could not deny her logic. It was a bittersweet parting when Karina said goodbye to Genese. Only one serious problem occurred during the voyage. When the pirates had tried to capture the brig Karina had been sailing on, she had wounded one of them and he held a grudge against her for it. Karina had to constantly watch out. A belaying pin nearly hit her when it fell from the rigging above. She had been splashed twice with seawater when he had been swabbing the deck. The final straw was when he released a barrel on deck to careen into her on the fifth day out. Karina stopped and picked up the heavy barrel to the surprise of the entire crew. The pirate, who had released it, yelled in shock and had to duck out of the way when she heaved it back at him. The barrel flew against the mainmast and shattered. Karina could hear Captain MacGill shouting questions from his cabin, but she had to keep her attention on the pirate. He had gotten up with a snarl and had drawn out a wicked looking dagger. Remarg did not enlarge, so Karina pulled her own dagger from its sheath. She and the pirate began to circle around one another, slashing as they searched for an advantage. Captain MacGill had rushed up on deck bellowing, but could not be heard over the shouts and cries of the crew, egging the two opponents on. The pirate feinted left and jabbed forward, scoring a bloody line on Karina's forearm. She backpedaled, hissing in pain, and then began circling again as the pirate grinned evilly at her. The grin fled from his face to be replaced by a look of pure hatred. He rushed forward, eager to end this before MacGill could interfere. Karina spun and ducked away from his lunge, feeling his knife whiz past her ear. She punched upward, hearing him grunt as her dagger slid up under his ribcage and piercing his heart. The two of them stayed frozen in that position until the pirate's last exhalation wheezed out of him and he collapsed onto the deck. Karina knelt down and covered the blackened wound to hide the poisonous nature of her dagger. Captain MacGill was furious, but did not attach any blame to Karina. He was angrier with himself for not putting a stop to it sooner. The dead pirate was tossed overboard and the crew became very respectful towards Karina. Phartom turned out to be a constant source of interest to Karina. With her blatant sexuality, revealing clothes, and suggestive mannerisms, Phartom received numerous subtle and not so subtle invitations and offers. She managed to turn them all down without actually doing so. Even Lorilei behaved on the voyage or, at least, Karina never caught her doing anything. Al-Haminin's port was bustling with people, ships, ferries, drows, strange sights, and even stranger smells. Karina spotted an orc ship berthed at a nearby pier. It was large, ramshackle, and looked hideous with five hooded orcs patrolling the deck. Karina wondered aloud how they could stand being all covered up because the heat was sweltering. "It's the sun," said MacGill, coming up behind her. "Orcs hate the sun. Don't let that scow of a boat fool you. Their ships are large, unwieldy, and sail about as well as a log, but they take a tremendous amount of punishment and if they manage to get alongside..." MacGill shuddered at the thought. "I hope your voyage was a pleasant one, lass." "Very pleasant," responded Karina. "I am sorry about the man I had to kill." "You saved me the trouble of doing it myself and it reminded my crew of how formidable you are. That made it a lot easier for them to obey my rules about the three of you." "Rules?" "Aye, lass," said MacGill. "Women to be ransomed are left alone to keep their value up. Women in the crew are treated just like the men... do your job and don't cause trouble on board. Women passengers... well, that's something new to us. Basically, I told the crew that they were free to try their hand with any of you, but, if they lost that hand, it was their problem." "You never tried," accused Karina jokingly. "I've seen you fight," quipped MacGill. "I've also a vested interest in getting you here safely. The scoundrel of a prince at Firehold is still holding my goods in his warehouse. Anyway, I understand you need to see the sultan." "Yes, I do," said Karina. "Any suggestions?" "Depends... how much money do you have on you?" "I'm supposed to tell a pirate that?" questioned Karina in mock horror. She then added, "Enough." MacGill smiled and said, "Well put, lass. Dress in your armor and, yes, I know it's hot enough to cook you in no time flat. You'll need to give two gold pieces to the customs official when he comes on board. That along with your appearance will make sure that the sultan is told of your arrival and your need to see him. Whether he grants you an audience or not is up to him. Women warriors are non-existent here. Women are regulated to the roles of wives, mothers, and servants." "Will being a warrior cause a problem if I meet him?" "Be deferential and remember he thinks he is superior just because he is a male and you are a lowly female. Treat him like royalty, which he is, and you'll be fine. Just remember that all males in his household will be superior to you in his eyes." "Great," muttered Karina sourly. The customs officer as a swarthy-looking man dressed in white robes and a turban. He cast a glance over Karina when he came aboard the sloop. His astonishment, however, knew no bounds when Captain MacGill informed him that Karina was a passenger, a noblewoman of means, and that she wished to have an audience with the sultan. The officer's charm and grace all flooded back to him when Karina placed the two gold pieces in his hand. After a quick and cursory inspection of the sloop, the customs officer left. "Thank the Gods he's gone!" gasped Karina, setting down her shield and helmet to wipe her dripping brow. "I need to get out of this!" "You'd better keep it on, dearie," stated Lorilei. "The sultan could send for you at any moment." "I need the ring he has," replied Karina. "I'm willing to pay him for it or get something he needs in exchange for it. The armor caught the customs attention. I'm not here to fight the sultan for his ring." "You'll need a veil and head covering," advised MacGill. "Your arms and legs will need to be completely covered." "I have a dress that can do that," replied Karina. "I don't have a veil, though." "Phartom and I will go get you one while you dress," said Lorilei. "There should be some vendors close by." A messenger soon arrived requesting Karina's presence at the palace. Lorilei had purchased a gold mesh scarf with a matching veil. It went perfectly with the long-sleeved blue gown Karina had put on. Karina was a little surprised when she walked down the gangplank to find MacGill on the dock with a litter and four porters. "I hired this for you, lass," he said to her. "It's past midday and getting hotter... unless you want to look like a wrung-out, damp rag in front of the sultan." "Thank you," said Karina, touching his arm. "I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you have done for us." "Just remember, you're a second class citizen in his eyes," warned MacGill. "No matter what, be civil and deferential." "If I'm not back by nightfall and you have not heard from me, will you take Lorilei and Phartom to the Capitol? My husband will pay you well for the passage." "I think they'll object to that, lass." "No, I've talked to them and they understand that any attempt to rescue me will get them killed if I am held prisoner," said Karina. "I want them away from here if things go wrong." Karina climbed into the litter and the porters picked it up as she closed the curtains. The porters slowly made their way through the packed and crowded streets. Turbaned men shouted and gestured at each other. Children ran this way and that amongst the adults. Vendors hawked their wares. Karina saw only a few women on the streets and they were all hooded and veiled. Actually, Karina could only guess that they were women, since their outfits hid them completely. The porters made their way to the palace and were stopped at the entrance. Karina was forced to dismount from the litter so that it could be searched by the guards. The guards paid Karina scant attention, except to exclaim to one another about the size of her chest. They talked to the porters, but did not say a word to Karina. Karina stood aside to be ignored until the guards and the porters had finished their business. She was then allowed to get back in the litter and carried into the palace. The main corridor of the palace was as wide as a street, which allowed the porters to carry Karina deep into the building. They stopped in front of an archway closed with a set of double doors and set the litter down. A middle-aged man in blue robes and a white turban was standing there. Karina stepped out of the litter, after which the porters picked it up and carried it off. The man was looking up and down at Karina in an appraising stare. Karina decided that her best course was to say nothing and just stand there. The man walked around her and then stopped in front of her again. "At least you wore a veil," stated the man without expecting a return comment. "The last northern woman came dressed in her barbaric outfit. You also have sense to realize your place. Sultan Kasim Al-Fahir Bashir, Ruler of the Eastern Crest, Exalted among all Men, and Favored of the Gods has graciously extended his permission for you to bask in his presence. Enter and pay homage." The man turned around and banged on the doors. The doors swung open slowly to reveal a tiled throne room. A heavy-set man with a thick beard sat on a gilded throne at the far end of the room. No one else was in the room as Karina walked forward and curtsied low to the sultan. As she straightened up, Karina took a good look at Sultan Bashir. He sat like a toad on his throne... not obese, but it was clear that he liked his luxuries. His jowls looked heavy and his beard was greasy. The pudgy fingers of his right hand were bejeweled, but his left hand only had a single ring on his ring finger. His robes and turban were pure white with a large sapphire pinned in the front of the turban. He looked at Karina with an air of superiority that irritated her. She kept her face bland and her eyes downcast. "That son of a jackal of an official was right!" snorted the sultan. "You would put a cow to shame. It must be cold in your northern climate that makes your teats so large. You need the extra padding." Sultan Bashir's laughter brayed offensively to Karina's ears. She kept her eyes down and was very glad for the veil, which hid the curl in her lips and the burn of anger in her cheeks. "You are at least decently attired and have the proper decorum," said Sultan Bashir. "Unlike that last sow who thought she was a man, coming in here in armor and with weapons. Where is your husband? Why would he allow you to go about unescorted? You have my permission to speak." "My husband is away on a dangerous mission," said Karina meekly, deciding to play up to the sultan's vanity. "My son is likewise engaged on behalf of our liege lord. There were no other men of our family available when this task was presented to me." "Task? What is this task?" asked Sultan Bashir. "A woman died and her soul is being held by the God Hades," said Karina. "I was told he wishes the Cup of Dionysus, which is currently in the possession of the God Zeus. A priest of Zeus has stated to me that his god desires the Ring of Ishtar and will exchange the Cup for it." Sultan Bashir sat up suddenly and looked down at the ring on his left hand. Karina fell silent and looked down at the floor. "The Ring of Ishtar," mused Sultan Bashir. He then looked coldly at Karina. "It is a ring given to me when I was a young man by the Goddess herself. A ring that shows the divine favor bestowed upon me. A ring that is the source of my virility and potency. A ring you want me to give to you... a woman." "Your Majesty..." began Karina. "Silence! I did not give you permission to speak!" yelled the sultan. "You said you have a son. I have fifty, so I can see the reason you want the ring." Karina's eyes widened in protest. "Yes, I can see through your lie! Your husband has gone off to find a cure for his impotence. All alone, you heard of the ring and traveled here to trick me out of it. Guards!" Ten guards suddenly appeared from behind curtained alcoves. They were armed with scimitars and carried curved bows. All the bows were fitted with arrows and each one was pointing at Karina. "Strip her and stake her out as a warning to others," ordered Sultan Bashir. One guard set aside his bow and scimitar before circling around behind Karina, being careful not to block the line of sight of the other bowmen. Karina, sure that if she did anything she would be shot full of arrows, stood perfectly still. She flinched as the guard snatched off her veil and tore her dress straight down the back. He did the same to her undergarments and all of her clothing fell to the floor. In embarrassed and sullen silence, Karina was marched out into the courtyard. On both side of the brick walk in the courtyard were squares of bare ground. Each square had four stakes driven deep into the earth. Karina was knocked to the ground from a blow of a guard's fist. She was dragged over to one of the patches of earth and tied spread-eagled by rough rope from her wrist and ankles to the stakes. The dirt was burning hot underneath her. "Listen..." said Karina before a guard backhanded her across the face. The guards stood up and left her there without as much as a backwards glance. Karina pulled and yanked on the ropes, but to no avail. The sun beat down on her naked body and sweat dripped off her to evaporate quickly on the ground. People walked past her and never looked over. Heat reflected off the hard-packed dirt, frying her from underneath as the sun scorched her from above. Karina had never felt such intense heat before. Aphrodite's pendant became so hot that it was burning her skin. Karina managed to get it to slide off to one side, but the chain it was attached to still felt like a ribbon of fire around her neck. Her throat became parched and her lips started to crack as the day wore on. She tried swallowing, but could not summon up enough spit to even wet her lips. The sun finally began to set and Karina groaned in relief as the building's shadow covered her. The coolness of the shade contrasted with the thousand burning stings caused by her sunburn. Her relief was short-lived as the sun continued to set and the heat disappeared quickly. Karina was soon shivering. The hot, sweltering air was replaced by a cold, chill wind that cut right through Karina's body. The night dragged on interminably as Karina froze, slept fitfully, and hurt all over. A second blazing hot day was followed by an equally cold night. Dawn was breaking on the third day when a young man, his nose pressed into a book, walked past Karina. He pulled up short and looked down at her. Closing his book, he walked around her, inspecting every inch of her burned red skin. Karina tried to say something, but her voice only croaked. The young man paid no attention to her, completing his inspection, and hurrying off. The blazing sun was heating up the day when five guards came into the courtyard and untied Karina. She cried out in pain past her parched, cracked lips as the men grabbed her sunburned wrists and dragged her into the palace. She was taken to the throne room and dumped in front of Sultan Bashir. She tried to rise, but only succeeded in partially raising up. Standing to the right of the sultan was the bookish young man. Behind the throne stood a woman all in veils, partially hidden in the shadows. "My son, Hassan, has a vast intellect and an insatiable curiosity that I try not to hinder," said Sultan Bashir. "He is currently studying human capacities and tolerances. His findings have been of a great help to some of my staff. We rarely get buxom northern women here so his studies have been hampered where they are concerned." "What studies?" croaked Karina. The sultan bristled that she had spoken without permission, but Hassan looked up with interest in his eyes. "Why, you're capacity for sex," replied Hassan. "Obviously, your northern climate made your body the way it is because you must have constant sex during the winter to stay warm. The last one only lasted through forty of my brothers before she died. I must experiment to ascertain the validity of my theories." "You wouldn't dare!" gasped Karina hatefully. "My husband would avenge such an insult, even from a sultan!" Sultan Bashir made a strange gesture and Karina slammed onto the floor as two guards whipped their spears around to strike her across her back with the shafts. The veiled woman behind the throne flinched as Karina was beaten flat by the two swift strikes. "Your husband does not care for you," stated Sultan Bashir. "If he did, he would have beaten you and locked you up at home. He would have sent men to do men's work. No, you had the absurd idea that you could do a man's job and came here to try to get my ring. Tie her to the table." Sultan Bashir and Hassan left the room as the guards dragged a stunned Karina into another room. Karina was dumped upon a very strange-looking table. The top was only three inches wide and set on an angle. Karina was placed face down on the top, which ran lengthwise down her body from her neck to her abdomen. Her legs were placed into two half-moon pieces and tied into place, which separated her legs forty-five degrees apart. Her arms were tied straight down by the wrists at crosspieces attached to the legs of the table. Karina shook her head to clear it of the dizziness caused by her dehydration and the blows from the guards. She realized that her head was lower than her hips, which had her ass sticking up in the air. Her huge, pendulant tits hung down on either side of the padded top. The guard half-carried and half-pushed the table with Karina tied to it back into the throne room. Karina cried out in pain when they set it down with a thud. The hemp ropes dug painfully into her wrists and legs. Her sunburned skin sent spasms of anguish where it touched either the wood, padding, or rope. Karina's normally full, rich lips were dry and cracked. One guard checked her bindings, nodded to the others, and then they left. Karina tried to pull the ropes apart but she was too weak. She looked up groggily when she heard a noise coming from behind the throne. The woman she had seen earlier scurried out and approached Karina. "I am so sorry," apologized the woman from behind her thick veil. She produced a bottle from underneath her robes. "Someone should have warned you not to come here." "Free me," croaked Karina. "I'll leave and send my husband back." "It is too late for that," said the woman mournfully. "Your husband, like the women of this sultanate, would be helpless against the Favorite of Ishtar. He would be killed without a thought. I came to do what little I can to help you." The woman moved around behind Karina. Karina hung her head back down, too exhausted to hold it up, but then she brought it up sharply when she felt delicate fingers sliding over her buttocks. She felt the woman smear something slick over the puckered hole of her anus and inhaled sharply as a greased finger wormed its way deep into her rectum. The woman rotated her finger around coating Karina's asshole with the substance. She pulled her finger out and smeared the slick liquid around Karina's vagina. She then wiped her hands on a towel. "I'm sorry, but that is all I can do for you," she said to Karina. "Maybe it will keep you from tearing and bleeding like the last one. I am sorry I ever bore Hassan. He loves knowledge for knowledge's sake with no thought about the cost to get it... I must go!" Hassan's mother hurried away and Karina heard footsteps coming towards her. She looked up just as Sultan Bashir and a large group of men entered the throne room. The men ranged from eighteen to twenty-five. Most of them looked at Karina as if they were appraising a new horse. "Oh, father, do we have to?" asked one in a bored tone. "Yes, you do," said Sultan Bashir. "It's for Hassan's study." It appears that this one's mother mated with a bull," commented a son, bouncing one of Karina's tits with his foot. Karina gritted her teeth through the pain caused by his foot contacting her sunburned skin. "She has udders like a cow." "Can we go in reverse order this time, father?" whined one of the youngest sons. "I never had a chance last time." "No, Hassan has explained why we must do his experiment in the same order each time," replied Sultan Bashir. His face lit up in anticipation as an idea occurred to him. "What we need is wine... and women!" Sultan Bashir clapped his hands together. Servants carrying trays and young women wearing veils so sheer as to be non-existent came into the room from the various alcoves. The servants and girls studiously avoided looking at Karina, tied naked and exposed to the platform in the middle of the room. The servants passed out goblets of wine and the atmosphere in the room took on a festive air. Karina clamped her eyes shut when the women began to rub themselves up against the men. In her weakened state, she did not want her lust to overpower her. She especially did not want to lose control in front of the sultan. Karina was therefore unprepared when a hard penis was shoved into her asshole. "AUGH!" screamed out Karina in intense pain. Sultan Bashir's eldest son had sneaked up behind Karina and had a woman hold his cock in position until he was ready to thrust forward. Even being greased up and with Ahhspah's alterations, it felt like a hot poker had been shoved into her ass. Karina's eyes flew open as the air in her lungs whooshed out of her. The eldest son grabbed her hips and ground his cock around inside her, causing even more pain. "Take it out! Take it out!" screamed Karina as the burning pain began to travel down her legs. Karina's body was changing, however. When she opened her eyes, she saw, but did not comprehend the dozen or so pricks in front of her. The pain in her ass kept her from forming any type of control at all and her lust took over in an instant. Her mind lost all coherent thought as a huge jolt of pain lanced through her entire body. Karina gasped as the intense pain spontaneously changed into a passionate pleasure just as intense as the pain had been. The more the son painfully fucked her up the ass, the more excited Karina became. Her sphincter muscle was clenching tightly around the son's prick and the added pressure pushed him well over the edge. With a guttural cry, he slammed his cock balls-deep into Karina's ass and let loose his gooey seed. Karina panted open-mouthed as she felt his release, but it was not enough to make her orgasm. The eldest pulled his cock out and moved off to one side, breathing heavily. The second eldest son walked up behind Karina and forcefully rammed his cock into her asshole. Karina cried out in both pain and pleasure, whipping her head back and forth in the throes of her passion. The second eldest lasted not much longer than the first. He was followed by the third eldest, then the fourth, the fifth, the sixth... Twenty-three sons had fucked Karina's ass. Her butt was bright red from being grasped, slapped, and spanked. Copious cum oozed out her wide open hole, but she had not orgasmed yet. Karina's pussy was dripping its juices down her legs and the nipples of her tits were so hard it was painful. The pain, however, only added to her passion. Karina was now snarling and begging the sons for more. "Father, she is unlike any other I have seen," said Hassan. "Her stamina is amazing. It is almost as good as a man's." "Ahmed will take care of that," commented Sultan Bashir. "He's next." Ahmed stood up. The sultan's twenty-fourth son was a little over six feet tall and stocky, which contrasted greatly with his shorter siblings. Two young women had been using both of their hands to keep his cock hard. It was almost eleven inches long and as thick around as one of the girl's wrists. Ahmed straddled his legs behind Karina and placed the tip of his immense cock at the opening to her rectum. Grabbing Karina's hips, Ahmed lunged forward, skewering all of his cock into her tight ass. The ogre magic inside Karina immediately widened her asshole to accommodate him and then tighten down around his shaft. "Aiye! I would have thought you others would have loosened her up by now!" grunted Ahmed. I'll have to widen her for the rest of you." The sudden and massive impalement stretched Karina's anus wider than it had been before. A new jolt of pain shot through her, which ignited the orgasmic release pent up inside. Karina started to shake uncontrollably and her passion erupted and juices squirted out of her cunt. She could not stop from bucking back against the huge cock as it thrust into her butt. As the throes of her orgasm tapered off, Karina stopped quivering and just laid limply on the platform. Ahmed, feeling her submission, savagely pulled his cock back until just the tip was touching her puckered hole before forcefully shoving it back into her bowels. The table creaked under the force of his thrust, but did not break. It had been built for such punishment. Ahmed pulled back and shoved again and again, brutally raping Karina's ass. Karina, spent from her orgasm and exhausted by her ordeal in the sun, could do nothing. Gasping for breath, she hung her head down. Slack-jawed, she stared at her tied wrists for awhile. Unexpectedly, she realized what she was seeing and blinked her eyes to clear away the haze. When the guards had stripped her, they could not get off her pendant or the charm around her wrist. Ahmed's forceful thrusts were causing Remarg in its miniature state to spin around. Each time it did, it nicked through a couple of strands of the rope binding her wrists. Hope flared within Karina giving her strength. "Is this the best your sons can do?" snarled Karina at Sultan Bashir. "They must take after their limp-dick father!" "Harder, Ahmed!" yelled Sultan Bashir, angered by the audaciousness of Karina. "Teach her the meaning of pain! I will be next to finish the lesson." Ahmed rammed his cock in and out of Karina, causing her to grit her teeth from the assault. Remarg was dancing around non-stop as the pounding shook the table. Slowly, strand by strand, the rope parted until it was almost cut through. Karina felt Ahmed grasp her hips tightly as he pushed his cock into her and held it there. Karina grimaced as she felt his hot cum gush into her ass. Angry and disgusted, Karina flexed her wrists and snapped apart the final portion of the rope. She felt Remarg enlarge in her hand as she shoved her hips backwards hard and pushed up off the table. Without even thinking, Karina swung Remarg behind her and felt it slice through Ahmed's body. Swinging Remarg back, she hacked the bonds holding her legs and staggered to her feet. Everyone had frozen at the sight of Karina getting free. It was just then that Ahmed finally caught his breath enough to scream as he clutched at his bloody groin. His cock, now devoid of blood, slipped out of Karina's ass to plop wetly onto the floor. Pandemonium ensued thereafter. The women all screamed shrilly and took off running this way and that. The servants followed suit, bumping into each other, dropping their trays, running into the women, and causing mass panic. The sultan's sons were yelling for the guards and backing away from Karina. Ahmed rolled on the floor, blood streaming from between his fingers. Karina ran towards Sultan Bashir, who was still sitting on his throne. The whiny son, who wanted a turn at her, was bumped by a servant and knocked into her path. Karina did not even slow down as she took a backhanded swipe at him. The son stiffened as Remarg sliced deep across his stomach. The son gasped as he pressed both hands against his abdomen trying to keep his cut intestines in. Sultan Bashir saw Karina coming for him with fury in her eyes. Yelling and screaming for someone to stop her, he stood up as she raced towards him. Giving way to his fear, he pulled around by one arm of the throne to get it between him and Karina. Karina swung at him and managed to catch his hand on the chair arm. Remarg bit deep into the gilded wood. Sultan Bashir cried out in pain and clutched his bloody left hand to his chest. Before Karina could pull Remarg free, he fled the room through a curtained alcove. Karina yanked Remarg free of the throne and looked down. Three of the sultan's fingers had been left behind, including the one with the ring on it. Karina's fury vanished at the sight of the ring and she grabbed it along the finger. Holding it tightly, Karina glanced around for a means of escape. Remarg immediately shrank back to its charm bracelet size. Everyone was still running everywhere, so Karina took off running towards the courtyard. The guards were running in, but paid her no more attention than any of the other naked women running about. Karina dashed out into the courtyard along with everyone else from the throne room. Servants, guards, half-naked girls, courtiers, and dignitaries were all milling about. The intense heat of the sun began sapping Karina's strength causing her to stumble. She knew she had to get out of the palace and then out of the city. Karina hoped that the sloop was gone, but even if it was not, she could not go there because it would be the first place they would look for her. Chaos reigned inside the palace. Karina knew it would not last and that the guards would soon be pursing her. She made her way towards the gate. A couple of people almost came forward to help her, but stopped when they caught sight of her blood-stained leg and sunburned body. Karina began looking in the rooms she passed by and found an empty guard room. She stripped sheets off a couple of beds and wrapped them around her body. She tore up a blanket to cover her head and drew it across her face before proceeding towards the gate. Karina reached the palace entrance with out being stopped. The guards were agitated because no one had informed them as to what had happened. Luckily for Karina, they fell back to obeying their last order and were more concerned with keeping people out than in. Karina walked through the archway, while the guards were arguing with some other people who were trying to get into the palace. She walked casually up the street until she could turn the corner. Karina then hurried towards the nearest city gate. Karina was gasping for breath from the sun beating down on her when she finally reached the exit to the city. She joined a group of travelers going out and walked with them for a short distance. The hot sand burned her feet, but Karina did not dare stop. She fell back away from the other travelers and headed off into the desert. The harsh glaring sun made Karina squint as she tried to peer through the shimmering haze. She continued to walk hoping to find some type of salvation in this hot, bleak environment. Her body had stopped perspiring a day before and Karina felt like she was burning up. She stumbled down a dry wash and her anger left her along with the strength it had brought. Karina's mind began to wander as her grip loosened on the sheets. The torn blanket slipped from her head and fell to the ground without her even noticing it. Karina staggered down the wash and then stumbled over a rock. She fell to her knees and knelt there in the sand as the sun continued to beat down on her unmercifully. Shaking her head, Karina managed to stand up and tripped on the last sheet she had tied around her waist. It pulled off and she left it there as she moved on. Time dragged on for her without meaning. Karina dreamed of cool forests and cold streams. She remembered first meeting Gar and then Tenan. She shivered in the cold and then shivered again. The cold brought her a little bit back to reality and she was surprised to find that night had fallen. Her mind then wandered off again as she continued to put one bloody foot in front of the other. The sun rose to find Karina sprawled out on the ground. The brilliant light stabbed her in the eyes and she groaned in pain. The cold disappeared as fast as it had come to be replaced by a blistering heat. Karina groaned again and tried to rise. She was unable to even lift her head off the ground. She brought her hand up to her face and looked at the sultan's finger. The image blurred and Karina whispered, "Ishtar." A low rumble of thunder resounded from the horizon. Karina's head flopped over to look in that direction when she heard another rumble. White billowing clouds sprang up from the horizon and rushed towards Karina at an unnatural speed. Karina watched them in dull fascination as they billowed towards her and then stopped. The middle of the clouds parted as if pushed aside and the upper half of a gigantic woman leaned out from behind them. Even in her delirium, Karina noticed that the woman was extremely beautiful. She had flawless olive skin and dark brown, almond-shaped eyes. Her lips were red, full, and curled upwards in a hint of a smile. She had black luxurious hair done up in a bun on top of her head with gold wire strung through it to hold it in place. The woman's breasts were titanic, even compared to her gigantic size, with dark areolas and nipples the size of a penis. Ropes of gems and pearls encircled the woman's neck and wrapped underneath her breasts. In Karina's hazy mind, the woman's tits seemed to slosh back and forth as if they were filled to the brim with milk. "You called me, but you are not the one I gave the ring to," said the woman in a rich voice that filled Karina with comfort. "Are you a thief that has stolen the ring and called me in your time of suffering? I, Ishtar, Goddess of Motherhood and the Earth, brook with no thief!" Karina tried to speak, but no words could get past her parched throat. She was just able to shake her head. "No?" asked Ishtar rhetorically. "No to what? No, you are no thief, or no, you do not want to suffer punishment for stealing my ring? I think it is time for the truth." Ishtar spread out her hand over Karina. Karina tried to shrink back into the dirt as the huge hand hovered over her. A white light emanated from Ishtar's palm and Karina felt a great lassitude come over her. A warmth penetrated her mind, but Karina did not care as it felt like a mother's caress. Images of her life flowed through her thoughts, each one briefly examined by the warmth before moving on to the next one. After the sequence of her escape into the desert had been looked at, the warmth left her mind. Karina focused her eyes to see Ishtar's hand retreating away from her. "You are no thief," said Ishtar, looking down at Karina with gentleness in her eyes. "You were doing what any mother would do for her child. Normally gifts from one pantheon of gods and goddesses are not given to another, but I will make an exception in your case." Ishtar leaned a little to the right so her tremendous left tit hovered in front of Karina's eyes. "I require Aphrodite's pendant. That will ensure that the ring is returned to me when Zeus is finished with it. You have to decide... the pendant or..." Ishtar shifted the other way so her right breast was now over Karina. "... the ring." Karina was close to passing out. Her mind was on fire and her body felt like it was burning up. Summoning the last of her strength, she whispered between cracked and blistered lips, "The ring." Ishtar cupped her right hand under her breast, pushing it forward. She then leaned down, gently pushing her nipple into Karina's mouth and squeezed. A trickle of warm milk squirted into Karina's mouth and she thirstily drank it down. She could feel the life-giving fluid immediately seep throughout her entire body. Desperate for more, Karina latched onto the humongous globe and sucked avidly at the huge nipple, swallowing the milk that gushed into her mouth. "Ooo, thirsty, aren't you?" asked Ishtar as one might say to a baby. She then chuckled. "You could become one of my priestesses. You have the dedication and right priorities as a mother, but I think you have too many gods and goddesses playing with you now. That's enough, little one." Ishtar leaned back, pulling her tit away from Karina, even though Karina tried to stay with it to suck out a couple more drops. Ishtar's milk was sweet and more delicious than anything Karina had tasted before. She let go of the nipple with reluctance and was surprised to find that she was completely healed. Ishtar leaned her bosom on her arms in the clouds as she looked down at Karina. "As much as I hate to lose this, I need the ring more," said Karina standing up and undoing Aphrodite's pendant from around her neck. "I give it to you in exchange for your ring." "I accept," replied Ishtar. She held out a hand and the pendant disappeared from Karina's hand to reappear in Ishtar's. Ishtar made a slight gesture. The sultan's finger disappeared along with all the blood that was on the ring. Karina felt something on her and jumped when she looked down to see that she was dressed in loose-fitting linen clothes. "You had better put it on. It would be a shame to lose such a hard-won item." "Can you help me out of the desert?" asked Karina as she slipped the ring on a finger. "Where would you like to go?" asked Ishtar. "I would like to go to Woodhall to give the ring to Erobs, but that would leave Lorilei and Phartom alone," stated Karina. "I guess it would be best to catch up with them and make sure Phartom gets to the ritual. Besides, all my gear is with them." Ishtar laughed and waved a hand. The entire landscape changed around Karina to be an oasis with a large tent pitched in the shade of the palm trees. The tent floor was covered with rugs and pillows. All sorts of food and drink were placed on low tables inside. "I wish for you to abide here," said Ishtar. "I have something I must do before you rejoin your friends." Karina went inside the tent. After eating and drinking, she laid down on a rug to rest. A great weariness came over her and she fell asleep. She dreamed she was standing behind Ishtar, who was now human size and in front of Sultan Bashir's palace. Ishtar was only wearing the strands of jewelry and bikini panties. Golden bell bracelets adorned her ankles and wrists. Four guards stood in her way with anger and disgust on their faces. "I decided to meddle in your dreams because you deserve to see this," heard Karina. She knew the message came from Ishtar, even though Ishtar did not speak. " Blasphemy!" shouted one of the guards. "How dare you show yourself with such indecency!" "Indecent?" snorted Ishtar to the guards. "I can read your thoughts. A lowly whore is more pure than you. Begone!" Ishtar waved her hands and all four guards flew backwards through the air before crashing hard into the wall behind them. "I waste no time with you!" Ishtar strode purposefully down the hallway with Karina's dream following behind her. Several other guards tried to stop her, but were batted aside to the left and right by invisible forces that smashed them up against the walls. As she approached the throne room doors, the servant who had admitted Karina into the room when she had arrived there came out of an antechamber to see what the noise was about. When he caught sight of Ishtar coming towards him, his face went chalk white. Trembling, he clutched at his chest and fell to his knees. His turban flew off his head as he hastily prostrated himself on the floor before her. "Finally, someone who recognizes me," muttered Ishtar ominously. "I am not pleased with my reception so far." "G... G... Great Mother, they could not know," stammered the servant in fright. "Could not know?" asked Ishtar. "Stay as you are, worm, and do not move until I tell you to." "Yes, Great Mother." "Great Mother?" asked Karina of the term in her dream. "I am the Goddess of unwed maidens, pregnant women, and general fertility throughout the land. He speaks of but one aspect of my being. Come." Ishtar stood in front of the doors, which opened slowly by themselves. She then strode into the room. Sultan Bashir was there crying over Ahmed's body, which had been laid out on a bier in front of the throne. Karina could hear women crying from a room off to one side. Sultan Bashir looked up as Ishtar walked forward. "Divine One, you have heard my prayers," cried out Sultan Bashir. A thief came here to steal your ring and when we chastised her, she cut off my fingers with a hidden weapon and stole it." He held up his hand and Karina was surprised to see that his fingers had been reattached and healed, except for his ring finger. "She killed Ahmed, the fruit of my loins and part of your divine will. You must help me recover the ring and wreak vengeance on the thief." "I must, must I?" asked Ishtar with a sneer. "Your guards did not recognize me. I wonder why? This false sniveling and sobbing is grating on my nerves. Tell the women to be silent." Sultan Bashir rushed over to the side room and yelled at the women to stop their crying. The lamentations ceased immediately. The sultan then moved slowly with some trepidation back to his throne. It was just then that Hassan walked into the chamber. He was reading a book, but looked up suddenly when he realized that there was another person in the room. He looked Ishtar up and down critically. "No, father, this one won't do at all," said Hassan. "The teat size is right, but she's not a Northerner. She is obviously one of our own, but defective because of her shape." "Defective?" exclaimed Ishtar, insulted and outrage. "Hassan, shut up!" shouted Sultan Bashir, his eyes bugging out and spittle flying from his mouth. Hassan looked at his father in astonishment. "Leave at once!" "Why, father?" asked Hassan. "She is a female and of no importance." "... and if I came with the will of Ishtar?" asked Ishtar softly. Sultan Bashir blanched in fright at her words. A quick gesture from Ishtar seemed to pin him back onto his throne. "My father is the favored of Ishtar," said Hassan contemptuously. "What you say is heresy. How can you, a woman, know the will of Ishtar?" "Because I am her," stated Ishtar ominously. Hassan looked to his father for confirmation. Sultan Bashir, white-faced and pinned to his throne, nodded. Hassan's face looked troubled for a second and then he bowed his head in thought. Ishtar watched him in amusement as he paced back and forth. "The fact that you are here must be because my father has had your ring stolen," stated Hassan. "You are upset over its loss since that would reflect badly upon your image." "Ah, logic," mused Ishtar. "Yes, logic," replied Hassan absentmindedly. "You have not rushed out to apprehend the thief, which indicated you already have her and the ring. Logic dictates that your presence here is to restore the life to our brother, Ahmed, and return the ring to its rightful owner. Do so immediately." "Where is your respect and reverence?" asked Ishtar. "Have not my priests and priestesses taught you anything?" "Since my father speaks for you, there was no need for them anymore," replied Hassan. "Where are they?" asked Ishtar. "Most would not subject themselves to your will," said Hassan. "They defied my father and had to be killed. I believe there was a novice who was taken into our family." "Summon her... Wait! Summon all of your family," ordered Ishtar. Hassan looked over to his father, who could only sit open-mouthed on his throne. "You look to your father when a goddess has given you an order?" "You are a goddess, but also a female. The fact that you gave your ring to my father proves that a male is superior to any female. A male god would be your better." "I gave my ring to an idealistic boy who wanted only the good of his people," said Ishtar. "I guess absolute power does corrupt absolutely. Summon your family and we shall put your logic to the test." Hassan left, but soon returned. Woman, heavily cowled, crept into the throne room and stayed close to the walls. Hassan's brothers walked in and stood defiantly in front of the throne. The young brother who had been cut down by Karina was brought in on a litter. "Hassan has told us that you are the Goddess Ishtar," said the eldest brother. "What have you done to our father?" "He knows who I am and is still of a mind to run," stated Ishtar. "I wish for him to remain. Where is the novice... the one who used to be in my temple?" A cloaked figure hesitantly stepped forward from the wall. Ishtar signaled her to come forward, which she did under the glaring eyes of Sultan Bashir's sons. The figure stood trembling in front of Ishtar, who waved a hand to make her heavy cloth fly off her. "Blasphemy!" cried of several of the sons. "I guess now would be the time to call on a male god to chastise me," said Ishtar to the sons before turning back to the girl. The novice appeared to be about twenty years old with dark hair and eyes, and dressed in a halter-top and matching shorts. She was obviously pregnant from the size of her swollen belly. That she had been ill-used was evident from the bruises and scars visible on her body. "Tell me, little mother, whose child do you carry?" asked Ishtar gently. "I... I do not know, Great Mother," stammered the girl in fright. "There were too... too many to keep track of." "Any luck, Hassan?" asked Ishtar. Hassan had been mumbling prayers under his breath. "How about if I give it a try? ANU!" A huge golden beam of light stabbed into the room onto the throne. Sultan Bashir was thrown off the throne to sprawl out full on the floor. A large muscular man with golden skin and a white nimbus surrounding him now sat on the throne. "How do you expect me to get anything done with everyone yelling for me, Ishtar?" asked Anu in a deep penetrating voice. "Your pardon, but I have a human here who needs to speak to you about me," said Ishtar, indicating Hassan. Anu's eyebrows rose and he said, "Speak... my time is short." "My Lord Anu, Ishtar is a goddess, but also a female," said Hassan. "She gave my father her ring to do her will among our people since she knew that only a male could do so. The ring was stolen by a thief. Ishtar returned here and heaped scorn upon the males of our household. She also uncovered a female, the property of our family. We respectfully request that you take her to task for the things she has done." Anu looked at Ishtar, who looked back at him. Karina dreamt that they were communicating, but at levels beyond her comprehension. Anu looked away to stare at Hassan. "Let us see what had happened to the thief, ' said Anu. Anu raised his hand in front of him and a sheet of multi-colored light sprang forth. Karina saw herself portrayed on the sheet going down the gangplank of the sloop. The image moved on to her meeting Sultan Bashir, being staked out in the courtyard, and her anal rape by his sons. Anu dissolved the sheet of light with a wave of his hands. "She came to request the ring and you subjected her to that," said Anu in disgust. "If I had my way, I would bring her here in her armor and with her weapons, but that is not my decision to make." Anu stood up as if to leave. "Wait!" shouted Hassan. "You would take her side against that of a man?" "Your logic is flawed," stated Anu. "Males are not superior to females just because they are males, the same as females are not superior to males. Your father misused his position and authority to consolidate his power." "No, that can not be! I have proven the superiority of males over females!" yelled Hassan. "I have seen how you proved it," said Anu with distain. "It is not superiority to use superior numbers, pain, humiliation, threats, or blackmail to subjugate a particular person or group. I tire of this. His mind is closed. What do you wish of me, Ishtar?" "Can you heal the wounded one and breathe life back into the other?" "You could do that yourself," said Anu. "Are you sure for this to be done? I do not feel this family is worth the effort." "Yes," replied Ishtar. She turned to look at Hassan. "You see? Anu could have commanded me, but instead he asks me. He treats me as an equal, even though he is a male." Hassan fell to his knees shaking in shock. Anu walked down off the throne and placed his hand on the wounded son. The son's breathing eased and the look of pain faded from his face. Anu then went to Ahmed. He held up his hand and a small, almost minuscule, prick of light appeared in his palm. He turned his hand over and the light floated down gently to land on Ahmed. Ahmed inhaled sharply and opened his eyes. He immediately clutched his groin and groaned in pain. "He'll die again if he is not healed," said Anu. "I'll take care of that," said Ishtar as her eyes became bright orange. "Ah, I see now," said Anu in understanding. "I will leave you to your instruction of these humans." Anu disappeared in a flash of light. Ishtar strode over to Ahmed and easily pulled his arms free of his genitals. Everyone shouted and moved backwards in fear as twin beams of orange light shot from her eyes to Ahmed's loins. A rank smell of burning flesh filled the air. Ahmed screamed and then passed out. "A perfect job of cauterization if I say so myself," stated Ishtar to herself. She looked at the pregnant novice. "There should be a man prostrate in the foyer. If he is still there, bring him here." The novice bowed and went out the doors. She quickly returned with the servant in tow. "I see you can follow my instructions," said Ishtar to him. "Are you married?" The servant nodded. "You will be the sultan and your wife the sultana. You two will rule together. Any disagreements between you and your wife, which can not be settled, will be brought before my priestess here. She will make the final decision. You, priestess, will go and reopen my temple." "No!... You can't do this!... We are the favored one!" shouted out Bashir's sons all at once to her announcement. The twin beams of orange energy lanced out from Ishtar's eyes, striking one son after another. Screams, curses, and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. Ishtar stalked one man down after the other, frying their genitals with her eyes. Several of Bashir's sons had tried to escape, but found their way blocked by the cloth curtains that had turned as hard as iron. In a terrible finale, Ishtar burned the cocks off the last three sons as they pleaded with her for mercy. She walked over to Bashir, still pinned to the floor, released his restraints, and kicked him over onto his back. "Your sons were disrespectful and ill-mannered," said Ishtar as she stood over the trembling Bashir. "Your line will not continue past them. I gave you the power to rule and you misused it." Bashir covered his groin with his hands. "Do not worry. I do not intend to do anything to your precious manhood. As a matter of fact, since you like your pleasure so much..." Ishtar held out her hand. Smoke billowed up from the floor and the dissipated to reveal three absolutely stunning women. One had flaming red hair, another whitish-blond, and the third had coal-black hair. Their hourglass, voluptuous bodies were almost unnatural in the sensual, seductive shapes. Their beautiful faces were only marred by their look of uncontrollable lust. "These are Hoori," explained Ishtar to Bashir. "I think the room at the top of the Great Tower would be perfect for the four of you to get acquainted. Enjoy the pleasure, Bashir. It will be never-ending until the day you die. Take him to the room." The Hoori sprang forward and quickly dragged Bashir out of the throne room. He struggled ineffectually against them, screaming and shouting until his voice disappeared from hearing. Ishtar turned to face the servant. "What is your name?" she asked him. "Abdul, Great Mother." "Bashir is to be locked into that room with the Hoori. You will provide meals and anything else they need. Bashir will go insane after awhile. The Hoori will keep him alive and on the day he dies, they will disappear. Do not attempt to entice the Hoori away from Bashir or you will suffer his fate." "Great Mother, what of my baby?" asked the novice. "It is of Bashir's line." "Since there was no marriage, your daughter is of your line alone," said Ishtar. "If your baby was a male, I would have torn it from your womb." "Great Mother, I will watch over the women of Bashir's house," said Abdul. "My wife and I will treat them well." "Be sure that you do," warned Ishtar. She then projected a thought to Karina. "Karina, it is time for us to part. Wake and continue your journey." Karina woke up and was surprised by the coolness of the air. She sat up quickly to find herself under an oak tree. Sleeping on the ground close by was Lorilei and Phartom. All of their gear was carefully piled up nearby. Karina stood up and saw a city about two miles away. With a shock, she realized that the city was Woodhall. "Greeting, milady, I've been waiting for you." Karina spun around to find a matronly woman in brown robes standing behind her. ------- Chapter 8 "Who are you?" asked Karina of the woman standing there. "I have been sent by one who does not wish the Ring of Ishtar to... let's say, fall into the wrong hands," said the woman. Karina was still a little disoriented by being transported thousands of miles from Al-Haminin to Woodhall. Lorilei and Phartom both sighed and started to wake up. The only thing Karina could think on was that since they were there with her, it had to be Ishtar's doing. She shook her head to get her thoughts straightened out. "I'm sorry," apologized Karina, stalling for time. "I'm a little out of it. I was a long way from here just minutes ago." "That's quite alright," said the woman, not moving from her position. "Check on your friends. I'm in no hurry." "Lorilei! Phartom! Wake up!" said Karina gently, but insistently. "Huh? What? What the... ?" exclaimed Lorilei as she awoke. She then recognized who was standing over her. "Karina, how did you get here... and where is here?" "We're a couple of miles outside Woodhall," said Karina, indicating the city in the distance. "The Goddess Ishtar must have transported us here and we have company." Lorilei and Phartom sprang to their feet. Lorilei was dressed only in her nightshift, while Phartom was not wearing anything at all. Karina was a little surprised to see that Phartom could maintain her disguise even while asleep. "If Ishtar transported us here, how did you get here?" asked Phartom of the woman, without even trying to cover her nakedness. "I knew you were going to have to see Erobs," replied the woman. "A little divination gave me this time and place." "So you're a priestess," said Karina. "What do you really want with the ring?" "As I said, I was sent by one who doesn't want the ring to fall into the wrong hands." "You knew we were coming to see Erobs," stated Karina. "You then know the ring is for Zeus." "The wrong hands," replied the woman with a smile. "And if I don't give it to you," asked Karina warily. "I'll be disappointed, but I'm not going to try to take it from you," said the woman sadly. "Maybe your friend in town can convince you." The woman turned and walked off into the woods. Karina and Lorilei visibly relaxed when she disappeared from sight. Phartom just shrugged her shoulders and suddenly transformed back to her succubus form. She stretched out luxuriously, fanning her wings out to their maximum extent. "Oh, that feels good," she cooed. "Sometimes it's a little confining in that other form." "I wonder what friend she was referring to is waiting for us in Woodhall," commented Lorilei, going over to their pile of gear to find a dress to wear. "It may not be a friend at all," replied Karina. "Where were you two before Ishtar brought us here?" "On the ship," stated Phartom. "It was about two hours after you left when Captain MacGill came hurrying on board with the rest of his crew. He immediately cast off the pier and put out to sea. As we were sailing out of the city's harbor, a company of soldiers showed up at the pier. The captain later told us that you had been arrested and that we were to be seized. He set a course to take us to your home city. We both ended up here. What happened to you?" "I'd rather not say," replied Karina, rummaging through their gear for her armor. "Let's just say I've got the ring and leave it at that." "That bad, huh?" said Lorilei. "Well, we're safe now. I think it would have been funny to see what they would have done with Phartom here, especially if she changed on them. Hopefully, the bastard will get what he deserves for what he did to you, Karina." "Oh, I'm sure he is," said Karina in grim satisfaction. "Ishtar locked him in a room for the rest of his life with three Hoori." "She didn't!" gasped Phartom. "One is enough to kill him!" "What's a Hoori?" asked Lorilei. "They're succubae who are being punished," replied Phartom. "They have been stripped of all their powers and reason, leaving them only an insatiable appetite for sex. That's every minute of every day. Punishment usually involves chaining them up so they can't satisfy their cravings." "I think Ishtar is going to keep the sultan alive," stated Karina. "She said he would live out his pleasures and the Hoori took him away right after she emasculated all fifty of his sons." "She did what?" exclaimed Lorilei. "Fifty? Oh, I see, dearie. Now I know why you don't want to talk about it." Karina sighed and sat down, holding onto her breastplate. "Maybe I should. It... I don't know." "Go ahead," said Phartom. "It might be better to talk about it." Karina told them everything that happened after she left the ship... her capture, Hassan's experiment, her escape, and meeting Ishtar. She told them of Ishtar going to see Sultan Bashir and what happened afterward. "So I've lost Aphrodite's pendant," finished Karina as she stood up to put on her padding. "I can't contact anyone anymore." "Sure, you can," said Lorilei. "You just have to do it the old fashioned way... crystal balls and that sort of stuff." "I can't do that. I don't know any magic." "Yes, but I do, and the sooner we get to Woodhall the sooner I can contact Melinar," replied Lorilei. "Hurry up and get into that oven you wear." Karina smiled and fitted her huge breasts into her breastplate before buckling it on. She quickly finished putting on her other pieces of armor and, lastly, grabbed her girdle. Slinging it around her waist, she buckled it into place. Karina gasped in shock and pain as she felt her insides knot up. Doubling over, she cried out as the pain shot through her arms and legs. She fell to the ground writhing as the pain continued. Karina felt like she was being pulled and stretched in every direction from the inside out. "Karina, what's wrong?" yelled Lorilei in alarm, running over to the fallen woman. "Her body's getting bigger!" exclaimed Phartom in a panic. "Quick, unbuckle her armor!" Lorilei and Phartom struggled with the ever-tightening buckles. Karina's muscles were changing, but the two of them managed to undo her armor. Karina gasped in relief as each tight strap loosened and the constricting armor fell away. The pain forced a final cry out of Karina before it left her as quickly as it had appeared. "What... what happened?" asked Karina in a deep voice. "Hecate!" whispered Lorilei in prayer as she stared at Karina. "What?" repeated Karina woozily. She felt different and could not focus on anything. She looked down at her body. Her legs had lost their feminine roundness and were now hairy and muscular. Hair had also sprouted on her arms and the back of her hands. What shocked her the most was that her chest was flat with hard pecs. Karina panicked and rolled over to get away from the nightmare she was seeing. She did not make it to her feet as her legs scissored together catching a lump of flesh at her groin between them. Stars flashed before Karina's eyes and she grunted as searing pain shot up from her loins. She rolled back over onto her side with both hands clutching the site of her pain. Lorilei and Phartom knelt beside her, trying to calm her down. "Karina... Karina, what was the last thing you touched?" asked Lorilei. "What's happened to me?" cried Karina. "What was the last thing you touched?" asked Lorilei again firmly. "The... the girdle," sobbed Karina. She then realized her hands were holding something that should not be attached to her body. "GODS! GODS!" "Sleep," commanded Lorilei, placing her palm on Karina's forehead. Karina's eyes rolled back in her head and her eyelids closed as she collapsed limply on the ground. Lorilei, followed by Phartom, got up and took the girdle off Karina. "What happened to her?" asked Phartom. "I mean..." "I know what you mean," said Lorilei. "I used a spell to put her to sleep. I don't want her running off while I do some tests on this girdle. It'll also give her a chance to calm down." It was a short while later before Karina groaned and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Lorilei and Phartom kneeling on either side of him. He felt strange and out of sorts. "Karina, are you awake?" asked Lorilei. Karina's eyes widened as he remembered what had just happened. "Take it easy. I've got something to tell you." "Go ahead," said Karina. "Okay, dearie. You've been transformed into a man. The girdle you put on was enchanted to change a person's gender. We think the woman that was here exchanged it for your real one. I guess it's punishment for not giving her the ring." "Can you change me back?" asked Karina. "No, and I've tried," replied Lorilei. "The magic's resistant to anything I can do." Karina took in several deep breaths to calm his nerves before he asked, "What do we do now?" "As to your condition, nothing," said Lorilei. "I suggest we go to town and see Erobs. He may have a solution." "I've got to pee," stated Karina with some trepidation. "Don't squat!" suggested Lorilei as Karina gingerly got to his feet. "Hold it in one hand and aim." "You're finding humor in this, aren't you?" growled Karina, threateningly. "No, dearie, just offering advice... unless you like urinating all over yourself." Karina relieved his full bladder and felt a strange bliss course through his body as he did so. After he finished, Karina noticed that his senses and perceptions were different. His eyesight was more acute, while his hearing had desensitized a little. The way he felt and noticed things were different than when he had been a woman. Karina looked around and saw that Lorilei and Phartom were busy packing up their gear. He stepped out of sight behind a huge shrub. Karina hesitantly pulled off the clothes he had on. His arms were thicker in the biceps and he had a broad chest. His stomach was flat going down to strong muscular legs. Karina looked up and around quickly to see if the other two were watching him. Satisfied that he was unseen, Karina looked down to inspect his package. His cock was about four inches long flaccid with a thick bush of dark blond pubic hair around it. Karina reached down gingerly and cradled his balls in his fingers. They felt big and heavy. Erotic sensations of pleasure at the junction of his legs caused Karina to gasp as his balls tightened up slightly. He let go and stood still to let the sensations diminish. Wrapping his clothes around his waist, Karina came out from behind the shrub and walked over to Lorilei and Phartom. "Nice cock, isn't it, dearie?" asked Lorilei noncommittally. "What... I... you..." stammered Karina in embarrassment. "It's perfectly natural to look over your new body," teased Lorilei. "You know, touch it... play with it." "Karina, Lorilei's just trying to get your goat," said Phartom, not looking up. "Ignore her." Karina nodded his thanks to Phartom, but stopped suddenly to stare. Lorilei was dressed in her traveling outfit, which seemed to enhance her curves. Her face, identical to the twin sister, Ivin, seemed to glow and fill Karina with warmth. Phartom was in her natural form of voluptuous, bat-winged nakedness. Karina gulped as he stared at Phartom's full swaying breasts. He then grimaced and gasped in shock. "What's wrong, Karina?" asked Phartom, noticing Karina was sort of hunched over. "Nothing," answered Karina quickly. "It's... uh... nothing." "Karina, you're not used to this body or any of the changes that comes with it," said Lorilei. "You're dealing with a lot of mental changes as well as the physical change. We can help you with the changes you don't understand." "Oh, I understand this one well enough," snorted Karina. "Well, what's the problem then?" asked Lorilei. Karina grimaced and moved his hands to his side as he straightened up. The clothing he had wrapped around his waist was tented straight out. Both Lorilei and Phartom stared at it open-mouthed. "You want to explain this?" asked Karina sourly. "Impressive for a human," commented Phartom. "Karina, I told you that you would be going through changes, ' said Lorilei. "You're having a male response to a naked succubus parading around in front of him." "True," added Phartom. "We practice and train for centuries and that, added to our magical abilities, lets us exude sex appeal unconsciously." "I can't walk around like this!" snapped Karina. "It's awkward and feels like a pole sticking out." "Yes, it does," stated Phartom softly as she moved closer. "Let's see it, Karina." Karina chewed on his lip nervously as Phartom grasped the cloth and pulled it aside. Karina's cock sprang into view. It was a full nine inches long and thick. Karina, staring down at it, put it around the same size as Bargan's prick. A bulbous head topped off his cock and Karina jumped a little in surprise when he made it twitch. "You have two choices," said Phartom. "You can take a nice cold dip in a freezing stream or..." Karina gasped as Phartom's fingers gently, but firmly encircled and grasped his cock. Karina, as a woman, had gripped and fondled a number of hard pricks, but to be on the receiving end by one who knew what she was doing was something else. Phartom smiled knowingly as her little finger pressed against the sensitive flap of skin just under the head of Karina's throbbing cock and rubbed. Karina gasped again and shook as electric jolts of pleasure surged up his cock and into his body. He felt his balls tighten up even more in response to her touch. His knees buckled and he had to put his hand on Phartom's shoulder to keep from falling over. "Sit her... him... oh, hells, sit him down before he falls down," said Lorilei to Phartom. Phartom released Karina's penis, causing Karina to groan in both anguish and relief as the tension in his body lessened. Karina gasped heavily a couple of times to regain control as Phartom made him sit down beside her. "Lay back," ordered Phartom. "Are you sure about this?" asked Karina nervously as Phartom gently pushed him back. "I... Ahhhhh!" Karina's last sentence was cut short by his sharp intake of air as Phartom took a hold of his cock and began to stroke it. Karina panted and was amazed at how soft Phartom's hand was and, yet how firmly it stroked the hard shaft between his legs. Karina's new body shook as his balls tightened in response to his rapidly increasing passion. All sorts of different emotions and feelings coursed through Karina. He closed his eyes as he felt the power of his building climax and a strange understanding that he wanted this release as much as he needed it. His body began tensing up as his passion approached its peak. Karina's eyes flew open in surprise as two more hands joined Phartom's. He looked down to see Lorilei kneeling on his other side and gripping his hard cock with both hands. She had stripped off her clothing and was as naked as Phartom. She shot Karina a wry smile. "Sorry," she said non-apologetically. "I just couldn't pass this up, dearie." "Careful," warned Phartom. "He's going to blow soon." "I know... he has no control yet," replied Lorilei. She leaned down and licked her tongue up his shaft from his balls to the tip. Karina gasped as his whole body shook violently from the intense jolt of pleasure that shot through him. "Do you want the honors?" Phartom gave Lorilei a wicked smile and then leaned over. Karina groaned in pleasure as his cock was engulfed into Phartom's warm, wet mouth. He shook all over again as her long, agile tongue laved around the sensitive head of his penis. Phartom's cheeks billowed inward as she sucked and bobbed her head up and down quickly. Karina's mind went blank in a sensory overload as his passion burst inside him. With a strangled cry, Karina involuntarily arched his hips upward. Phartom kept her lips locked around Karina's hard, pulsating shaft and gulped down his first hot, gooey spurt of cum. Karina was shaking non-stop as he felt his balls tighten and relax and tighten again as his jism boiled out of him. The exquisite release along with the feeling of his sperm shooting out of his prick was more than Karina could describe. It seemed like his climax was going on forever. Suddenly, all of his muscles went limp and Karina sagged on the ground as his ejaculations tapered off. "Mmmm!" purred Phartom as she slurped the last of his white seed off his cock and swallowed it down. "When you cum, you really cum!" It felt like you squirted out a cup of it or more!" "Oh, by all that's holy!" gasped Karina euphorically. "Is that what it feels like for all men? No wonder they want it all the time!" "We're not done yet," commented Lorilei, who began stroking Karina's cock again. "Why are... Wooo!" huffed Karina as his cock stopped softening and hardened back up. "It's one way of getting you used to this body," replied Lorilei. She held onto Karina's cock as she threw a leg over his hips. "Besides, I get to fuck a virgin!" "I'm not a virgin!" said Karina defensively. "In this body you are," stated Lorilei as she aimed his cock upward and sank down onto it. "Wow, dearie, you are a big one!" Karina's eyes actually crossed as his prick sank into the hot, wet tightness of Lorilei's pussy. The feeling of slick heat surrounding his shaft caused Karina to pant heavily for air. She could not get any control over her feelings at all. Lorilei ground her hips down until all nine inches was up inside her. She then squeezed her vaginal muscles around the hard meat. "GODS!!!" screamed out Karina. His hands slapped onto Lorilei's hips and gripped them forcefully as his body shuddered. Lorilei gasped in surprise as she felt his cock jerk and twitch inside her. She then moaned as she felt Karina shoot an enormous amount of hot liquid seed into her womb. The intensity of Karina's climax set off a small orgasm inside Lorilei. Karina fell back gasping for air as his climax petered out. Lorilei took in a deep breath to savor her little release and then she looked down at Karina. "That was quick," she said to Karina as she felt Karina's cock deflate inside her. Lorilei let Karina slip out of her and then rolled off to one side. "I'm... sorry," panted Karina. "I... I could not... control... it." "Men have grown up with their penises, Karina," said Phartom. "They have learned control with masturbation and affairs since puberty. You're new to this gender with all the changes that go with it. Male and female are not all that similar." "What do we do now?" asked Karina. "Get you dressed and head into town," said Phartom, standing up. She bent over to offer Karina a hand to help him up. Karina gulped as Phartom's large tits swayed in front of his face. They were almost as big as the ones he used to have. Large, dark brown areolas surrounded hard nipples that stuck out prominently. "Oh, Gods," moaned Karina as he hunched over and looked away. "It's hardening up again." "You said Ahhspah altered you," reminded Lorilei. "Maybe his alterations affect you differently as a male." "Either way, it's my turn," cooed Phartom sexily. She sat down facing Karina and spread his legs apart. Karina's eyes travels up her thighs to look at her hairless pussy. Phartom's labia were clearly engorged and it glistened with her slick secretions. Karina could smell her musky scent and licked his dry lips as he stared at her sex. Phartom hunched forward a little and brought her hands down between her legs, squeezing her breasts together between her arms. Karina's cock hardened even more as Phartom's fingers spread her pussy lips apart, exposing the wet, red flesh inside. "Come on, Karina," cooed Phartom huskily. "Stick that big old pole in my cunt and ride me hard!" Karina dived forward, but caught Phartom by surprise as he buried his head between her thighs. Phartom gasped as Karina moved his hands under her legs and licked up the center of her exposed slit. "I'm returning the favor," said Karina with a smile. "If I fuck you now, I'll pop just as fast as I did for Lorilei." Karina dipped back down between Phartom's legs. His tongue flicked up and down the moist folds causing Phartom to moan in delight. Phartom's pussy had the same bitter, spicy, but not unpleasant taste as Charon's cock. Karina found the stiff nub of Phartom's clit and for only a split-second how similar Phartom's demon cunt was to a human's. Phartom was gasping heavily as Karina's tongue lashed back and forth over her clit. Her fingers twined through Karina's hair. Karina felt like she had regained some control over how sexually excited he had been. He moved up between her legs, pushing her back onto the ground. "Take it slow," panted Phartom, "not for my sake, but so you can stay in control. OW! Watch it. You need to aim." "Sorry," apologized Karina nervously, unsure of exactly how to aim a cock from this side of it. Phartom reached down between them with one hand and guided Karina's cock to the slick entrance of her vagina. Karina groaned in rapture as the head of his cock slid into the hot, butter-like softness of Phartom's pussy. He stopped as he felt the tension building up in his balls. By staying still and concentrating on his breathing, Karina felt his passion subside a little. He then pushed forward a little more and stopped again before the sensations pushed him over the top. Unsure if he could maintain this slow insertion, Karina quickly shoved his cock forward. "Whoa!" gasped Phartom as all nine inches plowed into her and Karina's testicles slapped up against her ass. Karina was not looking at Phartom, but away from her as he huffed to remain in control. Phartom's vagina gripped his cock like a glove. The hot moistness of her pussy was causing a tingling sensation all over Karina's shaft and transforming into increased sexual tension in his balls. Karina gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. It took quite a bit of strength, but he managed to keep from climaxing. As his breath slowed, he opened his eyes and looked down at Phartom. "Better?" she asked. "Oh, Gods, no wonder guys like this so much!" gasped Karina in awe. "Almost as much as we females do," replied Phartom. "Ease out a little and then push back in... that's it. Set a pace you like. Ooo, yeah! That feels good, baby." Karina tentatively eased his cock partially out of Phartom's tight cunt. It seemed to grip at his shaft as it slid backwards. Biting his lower lip, Karina pushed forward, sinking his prick back into that delicious cocoon. Phartom brought her hands up under Karina's arms to hold onto his back as Karina got into a rhythm. "That's it, baby," cooed Phartom. "A little faster... Oh! Oh! Fuck me! Fuck me! Don't hold back, just fuck me!" Karina, gaining some confidence from Phartom's words, increased his pace and then increased it again. He could not believe how good it felt to have his cock plowing in and out of a hot, wet, tight cunt. Both of them were soon breathing heavily and trembling as their sexual tension rose. Phartom's face took on a feral look. "Ram it in! Ram it in, Karina!" snarled Phartom breathlessly. "Harder! Harder! I'm almost there!" Karina gritted his teeth and began using his legs to help him thrust forward. His balls slapped up against Phartom's ass, which was wet from her juices leaking out of her pussy. Her big breasts moved up and down on her chest like waves in response to Karina's forceful thrusts. Phartom's vaginal muscles tightened and loosened around his shaft as she hissed in ecstasy, and then dug her fingers into his back. Karina's balls were tightening up for his big release and he rammed his cock even harder into Phartom. "OH, HELLS... YES... I... AAAAAHHHHH!!!!" screamed Phartom as her orgasm exploded inside her. Her body spasmed as her cunt gripped Karina's cock as if to milk it dry. The pressure was too much for Karina and he slammed his cock all the way into Phartom. Phartom cried out again as pleasurable pain set her off again. Karina quivered and it seemed like it took an eternity for his hot, thick cum to burst out of his cock. Karina gasped as he felt his jizz suddenly race up his urethra and blast out into Phartom's dripping snatch. Phartom sighed in contentment as she felt Karina spurt and spurt and spurt his hot cum deep into her. She was a little amazed by how much jism Karina was pumping out, considering he had climaxed twice before. As his climax tapered off, he rolled off to one side, pulling his cock out of Phartom and causing their combined juices to leak out of her over-filled cunt. "Humph!" grumped Lorilei. "All I got was a one-second wonder." "Karina, close your eyes," ordered Phartom. "We need to get to town and visual stimulation seems to be keeping us here. Lorilei, I'd be delighted to sign you up to become a succubus. You'll learn how to keep a man hard." "Ah, no thanks," replied Lorilei. "I like my soul where it is. Hey, you're not supposed to deal in souls anymore." "Not supposed to, doesn't mean I can't," countered Phartom. "Get dressed Lorilei. Hades may have changed my way of thinking, but he left my abilities intact. My problem is confusion on how to use them." "Do what you like, dearie," said Lorilei. "That's my philosophy." Lorilei got dressed and Phartom transformed back into her human image, hiding her red skin and tail. After she had changed, Karina opened his eyes and rummaged through their gear in the hope of finding something to wear that would not draw too much attention. He managed to find a white shirt and a pair of pants that seemed masculine to him. As he dressed, Karina became aware of a variety of feelings he had not felt before. Although he was not sure how Ahhspah's magical modifications affected him in this form, Karina felt stronger and surer of himself. He could not get used to having a penis and testicles. They seemed to bind and pinch whenever he tried to walk or move. Karina finally adjusted it around to where it was comfortable. He heard Lorilei snicker as he groped and grasped his genitals. They picked up their gear and headed towards Woodhall. Karina slowed them up because he could not get comfortable. His balance was thrown completely off and he walked with his back arched backwards as if compensating for the massive breasts he used to have. "Well, Karina, do you think this cleric will freak out with a witch, a demon and a sex-changed person under his roof?" asked Lorilei. "Huh? Oh, I don't know," replied Karina. "I hope not. I'm sure Erobs is not the type of person I want to startle. I don't think he'll freak out completely, though." "Hopefully, he'll be easy to find," commented Phartom. "He should be," stated Karina. "He should be at the Temple of Zeus or someone there will know where he is." "I wonder who it is that is waiting for us in town?" asked Lorilei to herself. "Any thoughts, Karina?" "What is with you two?" asked Karina, puzzled by all their questions. "We're taking your mind off your walking, so that your new body can walk normally by instinct, dearie," said Lorilei. "You do look more natural than before." "Oh," said Karina, who then chuckled. "You know, I actually feel better... more powerful... more... more virile." "Karina, can you take off the Ring of Ishtar?" asked Lorilei. Karina looked down at his hand and the ring on his finger. He looked up and said, "Of course I can take it off." "Please, take it off, dearie." "Why?" asked Karina suspiciously. "Because it is influencing you," explained Lorilei. "I see the reason now behind your sex change. The ring influences males differently than females." "That's ridiculous," scoffed Karina. He looked at Lorilei with her great shape and sexy swaying hips. "You know, you are very beautiful." Lorilei almost stumbled as a thrill of pleasure shot through her. Her nipples hardened to stiff nubs and a warmth blossomed in her loins. Realizing what had just happened, she stopped and concentrated her immense will to dampen the emotions suddenly imposed on her. "Karina, stop," ordered Lorilei. Karina turned to look at her quizzically. "Do you know what you just did? You just made me want to desperately fuck you. You did it by just complementing me on my appearance. Remember the sultan and please try to take off the ring." Karina looked down at the ring again. He felt this was ridiculous and that the ring could not be influencing him. Karina reached for the ring, but his hand stopped just an inch away. He was just about to turn and start walking towards Woodhall again when he remembered the conversation between Ishtar and Sultan Bashir. Ishtar had given the ring to Bashir to rule his land, but he had misused the power. Disgusted by the memory, Karina yanked the ring off his finger. Karina gasped and sank to his knees at the loss he felt. The confidence and assurance vanished immediately. The manly virile image Karina had formed in his mind faded and he was beset by all the conflicting emotions of being a different gender. Karina knelt there, breathing slowly to regain his composure. "Karina?" asked Phartom, kneeling down beside him. "I'm okay," replied Karina, standing up and then helping Phartom up. "The power of the ring must have increased when I changed to being a male and I wasn't prepared for all those differences. Let's get to Erobs as soon as possible. I can't stay this way." "Easy, dearie," soothed Lorilei. "The ring helped you deal with the sex change. You're over the worst of it. Just concentrate on what needs to get done." "Okay," said Karina firmly. "Let's go." The three of them made their way to Woodhall. Karina asked for directions to the temple at the city gate. He was a little put out because the guards paid scant attention to him and kept glancing at Lorilei and Phartom. Karina then realized that he was jealous and that the guards, being men, would pay more attention to two beautiful females than to him. He sighed in resignation that he missed his feminine beauty. They walked on to the temple. There they informed the gateman that Karina wanted to see Erobs. They were escorted into the courtyard and told to wait. They waited only a short while before High Priest Erobs came down to greet them. "Good afternoon," said Erobs, the smile dropping a little on his face and stopping short of his three visitors. "It is good to see you again, Ivin. I was told that Lady Karina was here. Do you bring news of her?" "Sort of," replied Karina lamely. "I'm Karina. I put a girdle on this morning and it changed me from female to male. I think the person we met this morning switched my original girdle for this one. By the way, this is not Ivin, but her twin sister, Lorilei." "Hmm," grunted Erobs noncommittally. "You made remarkable time if you are Karina." "The Goddess Ishtar brought us here after I got her ring," said Karina. As for me bring Karina, how about... Nesbra, Ivin, Beckdom, the magistrate, pink clouds..." Erobs inhaled sharply at the last two words and then broke out in a smile. "You are Karina!" he exclaimed. "I am sorry about your predicament, but it is only a curse and easily lifted." "I don't think so, dearie," said Lorilei. "I tried. The curse is very powerful." "Do you mind if I try?" asked Erobs seriously. Lorilei waved her hand for him to go ahead. Erobs turned back to face Karina, lifted his arms, and stopped with a puzzled expression on his face. He shook himself, lifted his arms again, and stopped. "It can't be," he muttered aloud. "What?" asked Karina, Phartom, and Lorilei at the same time. "I can't say the ritual to dispel the curse," stated Erobs dumbfounded. "Both times I tried, I was cut off from Zeus' power. Tell about this person you met." Karina told him about the woman they met. He described her and related their conversation. At the end, Erobs stayed silent, thinking over the entire situation. "The wrong hands..." mused Erobs. "She must mean Zeus because the ring would not have stayed in my possession long." "Do you know who she is?" asked Phartom. "I'm pretty sure she is Zalasta, High Priestess of Hera. Hera is the wife of Zeus, who would have an excellent reason for keeping her husband's mitts off that ring." "But I've got to give him the ring!" exclaimed Karina. "I know, Karina," said Erobs. "Hold onto the ring until I have had a chance to talk to Zalasta. If I take it now, I'll have to put it on the altar and Leekya will appear. It is your only bargaining chip right now. Go to an inn. I'll contact you tomorrow." Karina despondently led the others to an inn that Erobs recommended. The day had been hard on his emotions and he felt drained of all of his energy. He entered the common room of the inn and looked around for the innkeeper. Karina gasped when he caught sight of a familiar face sitting at a table. "Helga?" he asked aloud, not believing his eyes. Helga looked up at Karina and then at the two women at his side. "Lorilei!" she cried out as she quickly stood up and rushed over to them. "Helga!" said Lorilei in delight. "How did you get here and why are you here?" "I could say I flew, but my talent is not that strong in that area yet," replied Helga jokingly. "I came with a merchant's caravan. The reason I'm here is because I had a dream. It was so realistic. When I woke up, I knew Karina needed me and that I was going to meet her here. Where is she?" "I'm right here," said Karina sourly. "Let's have a seat and we can tell you what happened," said Lorilei as Helga turned to stare at Karina in shock. They sat down at the table Helga had just vacated. Karina related to her everything that had happened since he had left the Capitol on the brig. He finished up with his sex change and how Erobs could not lift the curse. "How about contacting Gar?" suggested Helga. "He worships a different pathos of gods and goddesses. Ahhspah will help him lift the curse." "Except I have no way of contacting him, remember?" stated Karina tiredly. "I had to give Aphrodite's pendant to Ishtar." "Oh, pooh," pouted Helga. "I did forget. Can you call on Ahhspah directly?" "I don't think so," replied Karina. "Ogres are supposed to be self-sufficient. He may take it as a sign of weakness. That would not be a good thing." Karina paused for a second. "I'm glad you're here, Helga. You've brightened up a bad day and you've got me thinking of solutions instead of just moping about my fate." "Well, dearies, I, for one, am tired and need some sleep," said Lorilei. "I'll go and see about the rooms," said Helga as she got up and left to see the innkeeper. Karina went up to his room after Helga made the arrangements and gratefully set his gear down. The armor he normally wore when he was a female, but could not wear now, was heavy and cumbersome to cart around. He looked down at his wrist and was thankful that Remarg had stayed with him. Karina stripped off his clothing, blew out the candle, and crawled into bed. Karina awoke with a start. His hand was grasping the wooden shaft of Remarg, which had enlarged to its normal size. He was also aware that there was someone else in his room. Karina rolled out of bed, kicking off the covers, and raised Remarg gazing through the gloom at the blanket-wrapped person on the other side of the bed. "Easy, Karina, it's me... Helga." "Helga!" exclaimed Karina, lowering her axe, which shrank in size. "You frightened the shit out of me." "I'm sorry," apologized Helga. "It's just... well, I haven't seen you since you ran off." "It's alright, Helga," said Karina, calming down. "I really didn't have much of a choice when I left." "From what you told me, no choice at all," stated Helga. She hesitated and then asked, "What's it like being a man?" "Very different... not that I've had much experience yet to..." Suddenly the door crashed opened from being kicked. Karina and Helga both jumped back as four big, ugly orcs walked slowly into the room and fanned out on either side of the door. They halted and a fifth man came in through the door. He was dressed in finery and Karina recognized him immediately. "Beckdom," snarled Karina. "Ah, so the rumors are true," snipped Beckdom. "I received a report from one of my lackeys that Lady Karina had been transformed into a man and was carrying around an item of some value. You really shouldn't talk so loud at the dinner table." "And what makes you think I'll give it to you?" asked Karina. "Oh, I don't expect you to give it up willingly," said Beckdom. "Either way, I'll get it and I'll have the extra pleasure of watching my friends here beat you to a bloody pulp. None of your friends are here to help you, except your maid and she's worthless." "Worthless?" exclaimed Helga, dropping her blanket to reveal that she was naked underneath. "I'll show you worthless!" Helga snapped her arm straight out with her palm facing up towards the orcs. She spat out a two-syllable command and several white beams of light zipped from her palm to the nearest orc. The orc howled in pain as the white beams rent bloody paths through his body. He fell back against the wall with a loud crash and then thudded to the floor, leaving a wide red smear on the wall. Remarg swelled back up and Karina swung it at the orc closest to him. The orcs had been prepared to beat Karina with their fists and were not prepared for her attack. Remarg hit the orc at the juncture of his shoulder and neck. It cleaved through the ringmail armor with ease and crunched deep into the orc's chest. Beckdom turned and ran as Karina kicked the dead orc away from him, wrenching Remarg free from the gory flesh it had been imbedded in. The two remaining orcs fumbled for their swords, but more beams of light from Helga slew one of them. The last one yanked out his sword and made to stab Helga, but was engulfed from behind by a gout of flame. He screamed and writhed as the flame burned through his armor and seared him. The stench of burnt flesh permeated the air as he fell to the floor. "I can't leave you for a moment, can I?" griped Lorilei from the hallway outside Karina's broken door. "Beckdom... he's getting away!" yelled Karina, dashing out the door and down the steps. He was followed immediately by Phartom, Lorilei and Helga. Karina dashed out the main door of the inn into the street. The full moon revealed Beckdom running about a block away. Karina knew Beckdom was more familiar with the streets of Woodhall than he was and would probably escape. Still, he began to run after him, but pulled up short when he heard a whooshing sound coming from behind him. He turned around only to see Lorilei and Helga running out of the inn. Spinning back around, Karina saw Phartom, in her true form, land directly in front of Beckdom. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him to a halt. Having a six-foot tall, bat-winged, barb-tailed, horned demon grabbing you at night is enough to scare anyone. Beckdom screamed in terror as he pissed and shit on himself. His arms flailed about to try and get free. Phartom yanked him up by his shirt and ardently kissed him. Beckdom's screaming cut off immediately and his whole body froze. It then began to shake uncontrollably as the kiss went on and on. Karina's face screwed up in disgust and horror as he watched Beckdom's body begin to shrivel up. Phartom finally tore her lips away from Beckdom's with a satisfied gasp. A small white dot of light came out of his mouth and Phartom caught it in her hand. With a look of distain, Phartom let go of the emaciated corpse, allowing it to fall to the ground. She turned and walked back to Karina. "He really was evil, wasn't he?" asked Phartom, more to herself than to anyone else. "How did you know that?" asked Karina. Phartom licked her full, rich, red lips. "It's a... a taste they have." "What was that light that came out of him?' asked Helga still in shock. "His soul," replied Phartom with a shrug. "You're holding his soul?" gasped Helga aghast, which earned her a jab in the ribs from Lorilei. Phartom opened a small pouch on the thin belt around her waist. She carefully put the dot of light inside the pouch and closed it. "This person was responsible for all sorts of vicious and evil acts," stated Phartom. "That much I could gather just from tasting his soul. It also makes his soul more valuable in certain quarters." Phartom looked up when she heard a noise coming from within the inn. She quickly changed back to her human disguise. "This is not the place to discuss this, however, given our general state of undress." Indeed, Karina, Helga, and Phartom were completely naked and Lorilei's nightgown was so sheer as to be transparent. Karina looked at the women with him and felt a stirring in his loins. He quickly turned away and told them to go to their rooms. Karina quickly rushed upstairs, his semi-hard dick bouncing all the way, and pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt. He went back downstairs to tell the innkeeper about the attack and to summon the guard. The uproar caused by the dead orcs and the identity of Beckdom did not die down until very late. It was even necessary to have Erobs come to vouch for Karina and identify Beckdom's corpse. Even though Karina was cleared of all wrongdoings, he still had to move to another inn. His room, by all the blood and fire, was uninhabitable. Karina had just settled in and was lying down to sleep when there was a knock at his door. "Oh, Gods, now what?" groaned Karina as he wrapped a blanket around him and stumbled to the door. "Who is it?" "It's me, Helga." "What?" stammered Karina confusedly. He opened the door and saw Helga standing there. "What are you doing here?" "You're as dumb as any male," said Helga before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Karina staggered backwards as Helga leaned her entire weight on him. Helga's tongue darted into Karina's open mouth and began flicking around inside it. Karina managed to brace himself before they both fell over as Helga continued to kiss him. He felt his cock twitch and begin to harden as he started to return her kiss. Helga finally broke off and leaned back away from him with a sly smile on her face. "Don't you think we should close the door?" she asked. Karina closed the door, turned, and started to say, "Helga, we..." "Oh, pooh," interrupted Helga. "You're going to give me the same speech you gave me before. I'll give you the same reasons we should. You'll then bring up your change and I'll state you're still the same person inside. Well, I'm not going through all that and you may revert tomorrow." Helga began to quickly peel off her clothing causing Karina's cock to harden even more. "Helga?" Helga shot Karina a reproachful look at the question. "How do I look... as a man, I mean?" Helga dropped her skirt and kicked off her shoes. Stark-naked, she turned to the blanket-clad Karina and guided him over to a mirror hanging on the wall. She held up her hand and said, "Luminous." A pale light appeared in her palm and Karina caught sight of himself in the mirror. His face was the same, but with subtle differences. It was less rounded and more angular with a day's growth of beard on it. He had pulled his hair back to a ponytail and secured it with a rawhide thong. All in all, Karina had to say he was handsome. "Okay?" asked Helga, sensing Karina's reaction. "Now, drop that blanket." Karina licked his dry lips nervously and let the blanket slide to the floor. He straightened up for Helga's appraisal with his hard cock jutting out proudly. Helga took in his muscular arms and chest before her gaze traveled downward to his flat stomach. Her eyebrows arched upward at the sight of Karina's large, thick prick. Helga felt her body heat up and her breathing became a little heavier. She felt something she had only felt once before in the presence of a man. Her passion rose and her pussy secreted its juices to become slick in anticipation of her secret wish. Helga loved Karina and fervently wished on many occasions that Karina was a man. Now, with her wish coming true and standing in front of her, Helga could no more stop herself than Karina could when he had been under his lustcraze as a woman. Helga let her magical light go out and then guided Karina over to the bed. Karina opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. Deep down, he sensed Helga's need and sat down on the edge of the bed. Helga moved his legs apart and knelt down between them. "Oh, my!" gushed Helga as Karina gasped when Helga's cool, slim, finger encircled his hard cock. "As a man or a woman, you have some great assets!" "Well, Iiiiiiiii..." Karina inhaled deeply as Helga's head dipped down. He felt the head of his cock be engulfed into Helga's hot, wet mouth. Helga looked up with a twinkle in her eye before returning to the task at hand. Her two hands stroked the long shaft as her head bobbed up and down. Karina shuddered as erotic sensations sent jolts of pleasure down to his balls, which tightened up in response to Helga's oral ministrations. Karina was on the brink of a climax when Helga suddenly stopped and placed a hand around the head of his cock and squeezed. Karina grunted in discomfort, but was a little surprised when his sexual tension eased and his cock remained hard. Clear pre-cum oozed out of the slit at the tip of his penis. Helga dropped her head back down to continue sucking on Karina's cock. Again, Karina was approaching climax when Helga squeezed his cock and lessened his excitement. She did this twice more and Karina found it was taking longer each time for him to reach his peak. "That should do it," stated Helga after the last squeeze. She stood up and straddled Karina's legs. Holding onto his cock, Helga sat down on his lap. Both of them groaned as Karina's long, hard prick sank deep into her tight, hot cunt. When he was fully imbedded inside her, Helga wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her arms around his neck. "What... what was that... all about?" asked Karina huskily as Helga began to bounce up and down on his lap. "Why? Didn't you like it?" panted Helga. She ground her ass down on Karina's legs and gyrate her hips around and around in a circle. Karina moaned at the sensations and Helga shivered as a mini-orgasm coursed through her. "It's a control technique I was taught before I met your son. Some men have no staying power. Lorilei told me... Oh, Gods, that feels good!... told me about how the change may affect you. Oh, don't look so horrified. As soon as I saw your condition, I knew Lorilei would take advantage of it." "You're not upset?" asked Karina. Helga stopped her bouncing. "Karina, you said you'd have to be more ogre than human when you started this quest. That hasn't changed." She squeezed her vaginal muscles tightly around Karina's prick causing Karina to shiver in response. "I'll take you anyway I can get you." "Oh, you will, will you?" joked Karina as she slid her hands under Helga's ass. Helga gasped as Karina lifted her and stood up. Karina turned around and lowered Helga flat onto the bed. With his feet on the floor, Karina leaned down to kiss Helga as he pulled his cock out of her. Helga threw her head back with a moan as Karina slowly sank all nine inches of his hard meat back into her dripping snatch. Karina picked up the pace and Helga was soon writhing in passion as Karina fucked his cock in and out of Helga's slick slit. Karina felt good. Helga had desensitized his cock so that his passion rose slowly, despite the rapid thrusting of his hips. Helga was panting heavily and looking up at Karina with adoration and love in her eyes. Her eyes suddenly widened and she began to quiver. Her hands, which were holding on to Karina's arms, tightened their grip. "I... I... I... LOVE YOU!!!!" cried out Helga as her passion peaked and exploded inside her. Karina slowed and held onto Helga tightly as she spasmed underneath him. Helga bucked and shook as her orgasm overwhelmed her. Karina felt her juices gush out and her vagina grip at his cock as if it was milking it. The sensation was so unique to Karina that he lost control. With a guttural cry, he ground his cock as deep as it would go into Helga and let go. Helga gasped and hugged Karina to her when she felt him push his cock fully into her. She knew he was cumming and tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. She moaned in delight as she felt Karina's cock pulsate inside her and then spurt wad after wad of hot, thick jizz into her womb. "Yes! Yes!" cried Helga as she felt Karina shake with each spurt of gooey cum. She felt the thick cream begin to ooze out of her overfilled pussy and dribble down her ass. She suddenly spasmed as another orgasm went off inside her. "Fill me, my love. Give me all you have." The two of them laid still for a long time, both savoring the lingering sensations inside them and the feeling of being in each other's arms. Karina finally had to move because his legs were cramping up. With a groan of exquisite loss, he pulled his flaccid cock out of the warm cocoon it was in and flopped over onto the bed. Helga sighed in contentment and scooted around until she could curl up in his arms again. "By the Gods, Helga, that was so... so... so wonderful," said Karina. "I do love you, you know." "I know," replied Helga with a smile. "As much as you love Tenan, Per, and several others I could name. I'm happy that you love me." Helga took in a deep breath and Karina sensed a change in her. "Karina, have you given any thought as to what will happen if you can't change back?" ------- Chapter 9 Karina came up slowly from a deep sleep to sort of a half-dream state. He could hear the birds chirping and knew the sun was up, but had no desire to wake up fully. Indeed, he was basking in a most pleasurable sensation centered on his hard cock. A warm, wet suction on the head of his prick was sending tingles up and down his spine. Karina's passion was reaching a point where he could not ignore it any more and he opened his eyes. Karina looked down and saw that Helga had crawled up between his legs. She was holding his cock at the base with one hand, while her lips were sealed tight around the thick shaft. Her blue eyes were looking up at Karina's face as her hand slowly moved up and down. Her lips seemed to drag slowly over the sensitive, veiny skin. With her eyes watching for Karina's expressions, Karina immediately thought how sexy that looked and it pushed him over the edge. He felt his hips involuntarily arch upward. Helga kept her lips sealed around his cock as a huge spurt of gooey sperm spurted into her hot mouth. Karina shook and shuddered as he continued to ejaculate his milky seed. Helga's eyes widened in surprise as Karina kept spurting. She swallowed down his salty jism as fast as possible, but some still leaked out of the corners of her mouth. Karina, gasping for air, felt his climax taper off and his muscles relax. Helga slurped her mouth off his cock and licked it clean, after using a finger to scoop the cum off her chin. She sucked the jizz off her finger and smiled at Karina. "Good morning," greeted Helga coyly. "I hope you slept well." "Not really," said Karina truthfully. "I tossed and turned all night. I'm not used to this body, so I was uncomfortable not matter what position I was in. My wake-up was spectacular, though." Helga beamed. "I'm glad you liked it. You were dead to the world when I got up this morning, so I let you sleep. I woke you because I have breakfast for you." "Great, but I really have to go first." "Chamberpot's in the corner." Karina pissed into the pot, once again feeling the strange sensation of relieving himself through a penis. He sighed in contentment as he watched the yellow stream arch into the pot, only to have the liquid disappear. Karina wondered how far out of town the refuse site was where his urine was magically being transported to. It was no more than a passing thought and Karina quickly washed up. "I brought you some eggs, bacon, and toast," stated Helga, producing a covered tray. "There's cider in the pitcher." "Thank you. Aren't you having anything?" "I grabbed a bite to eat downstairs," replied Helga. "Then I just had a snack up here." Helga laughed when Karina turned bright red. Karina studiously ignored Helga as he dug into the food. He finished quickly, set the tray aside, and laid back on the bed with a contented burp. Helga smiled and snuggled down next to him. "I guess we should get dressed," said Karina as he lazily rubbed a hand up and down Helga's back. "What are you going to do if Erobs can't change you back?" asked Helga. "I can give up the ring and get changed back, but that would mean I won't get Leekya from Hades," replied Karina, thinking it through. "If I give to ring to Zeus, there's a good chance I'll never get changed back, which will ruin the ritual because I can't participate." "Participate?" asked Helga. "Uh, I'll no longer be Per's mother," added Karina quickly. "Of course," said Helga guardedly. She then brightened. "Maybe Zeus would like something else besides the Ring of Ishtar." "Maybe, but it's starting to become spring here," said Karina. "Time is getting short. We'll ask Erobs about it when we see him this afternoon." "That gives us the rest of the morning," said Helga, reaching up to stroke Karina's cock. Karina responded by rolling onto his side and softly sliding a hand up Helga's thigh. Helga gasped in delight as Karina's fingers found her wet folds and gently separated them to the hot flesh underneath. Helga's breasts jiggled when she shook in response to Karina's fingers rubbing over her clitoris. Karina felt more of Helga's slick juices flow out. He gasped in turn as Helga cupped his testicles and gently fondled them. "I think you're ready," said Helga, releasing Karina's genitals to push him onto his back. She then straddled his hips and lowered her wet pussy onto his hard, throbbing shaft. They both moaned in satisfaction when all nine inches was stuffed up inside her vagina. "Gee, corrupting my novice and not even inviting me to the party!" Karina looked up and Helga turned her head around to see Lorilei and Phartom standing in the doorway. Phartom reached back to close and lock the door behind her. "Apprentice," corrected Helga, not moving an inch. Lorilei's eyebrows arched upward. "You could have knocked!" growled Karina. "You two were a little too preoccupied to hear us... even if she had knocked," replied Phartom with a nod towards Lorilei. Helga shook her head, chuckled, and asked, "What are you waiting for... engraved invitations?" "Are you sure?" asked Lorilei and Karina at the same time. "You're part ogre, even as a male," stated Helga to Karina. "I can share while the sharing is good." "Smart girl," said Lorilei admiringly. "You won't be my apprentice very long." "What's the difference between a novice and an apprentice?" asked Karina. "Who cares?" asked Phartom rhetorically as she quickly stripped off her skimpy outfit. She looked at Helga and said, "Get ready for a change." "By the Gods!" exclaimed Helga in shock as Phartom's skin changed back to its natural reddish hue and the big, black bat wings appeared on her back. Helga almost jumped off the bed, but Karina's hands holding her thighs prevented her. "I know that you were... but... you..." stammered Helga. "Easy does it," soothed Phartom. "The first one is always the hardest," commented Lorilei. "The first one?" asked Karina. "Of course," replied Lorilei, peeling off her clothing. "Witches deal with demons and devils all the time. Sometimes we even get a straight answer from them." "And most times, an inexperienced witch gets dragged off to the Nine Hells," stated Phartom. She looked at Helga and Karina. "You first, Lorilei. I believe you were shorted the last time." "Hot damn!" exclaimed Lorilei as she pulled the pillow out from underneath Karina's head and climbed up onto the bed. Karina knew Lorilei was hot-blooded, but she was still a little amazed and shocked by Lorilei's reaction to her change. Lorilei once told him that she preferred men when it came to sex, and considering that Karina had been a woman until yesterday, he expected Lorilei to act differently. He then realized that to Lorilei there were only females and males, and he, right now, fell into the male category. "Think you can make your tongue last longer than your dick, dearie?" asked Lorilei with a wicked smile. "Get your ass up here on my face and I'll have you squirming in no time," answered Karina, returning Lorilei's smile with one of his own. Lorilei laughed and, kneeling on one leg, made an attempt to throw the other one over Karina's head. She gasped in surprise when Karina caught her leg by the knee with one hand. Lorilei had to put her foot down to keep her balance and then gasped again when Karina shoved a finger into her cunt. Karina was surprised to feel how wet Lorilei was. Her fingers slid easily between the moist folds and sank deep into Lorilei's steaming pussy. Keeping a hold on Lorilei's leg, Karina slid two more fingers into Lorilei's tight cunt. Lorilei moaned as she felt her vagina stretch out and wavered back and forth to remain upright. Karina fucked his fingers rapidly in and out of Lorilei, causing her to gasp and shiver. Concentrating on keeping her balance and with the unexpected probing, her passion flew unchecked and instantly exploded into a tremendous orgasm. "OH! I... YES! I'M... AAAHHH!!!" cried out Lorilei as her body shook uncontrollably. Her juices gushed out of her pussy to flow down over Karina's fingers. While Lorilei was still caught up in the throes of her passion, Karina knocked her foot backwards, causing Lorilei's knee to land on the bed and her hands to slap against Karina's chest. Karina's arms came up and over Lorilei's legs to hold her in place. He then lashed, licked and nibbled at her clit. "Hec... Hecate!" gasped Lorilei as another orgasm coursed through her. Her arms were visibly shaking as they supported her off Karina's muscular chest and her ass kept clenching together as she gushed out more fluid from her vagina. "Are you going to sit on that thing all day or are you going to do something with it?" asked Phartom of Helga. Helga shook herself out of her trance and smiled at Phartom. She began squeezing the hard shaft stuffed up her cunt with her vaginal muscles and rotating her hips around in circles. The one thing Baron Cedric had drilled into Helga during his long abuse of her was how to please a man. Now that Karina was a male, Helga decided she was going to show him delights he never thought of. She felt Karina shiver underneath her in pleasurable bliss. "Ooo, not bad," cooed Phartom, moving in behind Helga. "Would you like some lessons?" "Thank you very much," replied Helga, without missing a gyration, "but I've been taught enough lessons." "Must have been a bad time, but you did learn well," sighed Phartom in Helga's ear. Helga shivered and felt her body heat up from Phartom's sultry voice and hot breath on her neck. She moaned when she felt Phartom's fingers trace up her sides with a touch as light as a feather. Phartom's fingers continued to graze up over Helga's skin and move under her arms until Phartom's hands could cup both of Helga's breasts. Helga started gasping for breath as heat radiated from Phartom's hands to her breasts. She could feel her nipples becoming hard against Phartom's palms. Helga inhaled deeply as sharp-nailed fingers tightened and prickled her firm, pliant globes producing a pleasurable pain that thrilled Helga to the core. Phartom kneaded Helga's tits in circles, pulling out and mashing in, matching the rotation of Helga's hips. Helga closed her eyes, panting in passion from Phartom's hands and Karina's big cock. Helga straightened up suddenly when she felt Phartom's large, heavy breasts press up against her back and felt Phartom's tongue lick up her spine at the neck. She shivered as Phartom let go of her breasts and slid her tongue all the way down her spine. Helga gasped again and shivered when Phartom grabbed her ass and pulled her asscheeks apart. Phartom's tongue continued down to Helga's puckered hole. "Oh, Gods!" gasped Helga, quivering as shaking on top of Karina's cock as Phartom's long, agile tongue wormed its way into her rectum. "No! Oh, Gods! I'm... I'm cummmmmiiiiinnnnnggggg!!!!!" Helga panted heavily for breath and could not control her shaking as her vaginal muscles clenched around the hard shaft stuffed inside her. Her juices flowed out over Karina's cock and balls as Phartom's tongue delved even deeper into Helga's asshole. Phartom withdrew her tongue quickly and moved lower. "Harmuguphump!" shouted Karina, unintelligible because his mouth was pasted against Lorilei's pussy. "ARRRMMMM!!!!" Phartom had sucked both of his balls into her mouth and lashed her tongue back and forth over the two hard spheres. It was a tight fit for Phartom with her head pressed against Karina's scrotum between Helga's ass and the bed. Still, she had managed to wriggle a hand in and was rubbing the area between Karina's testicles and his asshole. The stimulation sent Karina over the edge and he bellowed into Lorilei's dripping pussy as he climaxed. With Phartom's fingers pressing against his ejaculatory tube, Karina grimaced as he felt his seed back up in pressure. Pure ecstasy flooded through his entire body when Phartom removed her fingers and his sperm shot out in one massive mass. Instead of pulsating and spurting, Karina came like a hose. It was long, huge, sustained rush of thick, gooey jizz that blasted into Helga's womb. Helga felt her womb fill immediately and the overflow squirt out of her vagina. Her eyes rolled backwards as another, bigger orgasm wracked her body. Light-headed and dizzy, she collapsed off to one side of the bed. Karina had not completely finished and white cum oozed out of the tip of his cock onto his stomach. Phartom grabbed Karina's cock, and sucked all nine inches into her mouth and throat. Humming with pleasure, she bobbed her head up and down getting Karina's cock nice and wet, licking the jism off Karina's stomach before returning to lick his cock clean. Lorilei, weak from her own orgasms, moved away from Karina's head, but had no room on the bed with Helga lying there. She, instead, just slid off the bed until she was sitting on the floor with her legs splayed apart and her back resting against the mattress. Phartom snuggled up against Karina's leg as everyone gasped for breath. The musky scent of sex filled the air. "What... Why are you breathing heavy, Phartom?" panted Karina. "I didn't even touch you." "I amused myself," breathed Phartom heavily with a twinkle in her eye. "This was a nice diversion, but what are we going to do now?" "I hope more of the same after we get our breath back," huffed Lorilei from over the side of the bed. "We need to see Erobs and find out what news he has," stated Karina, sitting upwards on his elbows. "And if it's bad news, dearie?" asked Lorilei. "No matter what he has to say, I have to give him the ring," said Karina. "I need Leekya and I think this is my only chance to get her before the ritual." "What about you?" asked Helga. "I'll still have some time to find a way to change back," replied Karina. "If worse comes to worse, I'll have Gar contact Ahhspah. I dread that confrontation, though." "Maybe Ahhspah can make Hera change you back," said Helga. Phartom looked aghast at Helga's suggestion and Lorilei even got up off the floor to face her. "Don't mention that again, child," warned Lorilei, emphasizing every word. 'Ahhspah and Hera are of different pathos. For Ahhspah to 'make' Hera do anything, she would have to be submissive or subordinate to him. The only way that would happen would be a war between the gods and Hera's side lost. That sort of war includes followers, bystanders, third parties... in short, everyone." "All I meant was maybe he could ask her to change Karina back," argued Helga. "Ah, to be so innocent," sing-songed Phartom. "She'll learn," said Lorilei, standing up straight and stretching her arms way above her head. "Oh, look... he's hard again." "You did that on purpose," cooed Phartom, tracing a sharp nail lightly up and down Karina's shaft. "What do you mean?" asked Helga. "We found out that our male Karina gets really turned on by watching naked ladies," teased Lorilei, who bent over at her waist and shook her breasts back and forth over Karina's head. "Just as much as you get turned on by a good, hard dick," countered Karina. "True... true, dearie. Now who gets the honors? Phartom, you haven't gotten any so far today." "I think there is enough for all three of us at the same time," said Phartom, grasping Karina's hard cock and stroking it. "Let's see which one of us will get the prize. No more than five sucks per person. Helga, you're first, then Lorilei, and I'll go last." Karina eyes widened when Phartom rolled over between his legs. She still had a hold on his stiff prick and was pointing it straight up. Lorilei licked her lips and moved around to Karina's other side as Helga scooted down. Karina almost came right then and there as he watched three beautiful faces watching his cock just inches away from it. Helga moved in first, rising up slightly, and taking the head of Karina's cock into her wet, hot mouth. Karina groaned when Helga's cheeks billowed inward and she started to move her head. Phartom's and Lorilei's tongues licked up and down his shaft as Helga's head bobbed up five times. She released his cock with a pout on her lips and bent down to lick at his shaft. Lorelei came in next, engulfing a good portion inside her mouth. She held it there, lashing the sensitive head with her tongue. She took so long that Phartom had to slap her on the arm. Lorilei chuckled, which produced some very strange sensations in Karina's groin, before sucking on it in long, very slow slurps. Karina could feel the tension building up quickly in his balls at the exquisite, torturous slowness. He just barely managed to hold off cumming until Lorilei finished off all five of her sucks. He shivered as Lorilei released the head of his cock. Karina watched Phartom rise up over his cock and felt a thrill shoot through his body. Her beautiful face with her red skin, luxurious black hair, huge hanging breasts and her pointed horns poised over his cock was a terrifying, yet incredibly sexy picture. He could feel his sexual tension increase just from the visual stimulation. Phartom's head snapped down like a striking snake and Karina watched as the head of his cock parted her full lips and disappeared into her hot mouth. The image in Karina's mind, Phartom's hot mouth, and Helga with Lorilei licking his shaft proved too much for Karina. He shuddered once as his groin pulsated hard several times. Karina's toes curled as he felt like his entire body was being drawn into his testicles and then rushing up his cock to Phartom's waiting mouth. With a long, loud groan of satisfied release, Karina pumped spurt after spurt of thick, gooey jism into Phartom's waiting mouth. Phartom, ready for Karina's climax, kept her lips sealed around the hard shaft until his spurts tapered off. She squeezed upward on his prick, getting the last little bit out before slurping her lips off of his long cock. Phartom looked at Lorilei with a quizzical expression as she opened her mouth to show the huge white load of cum inside it. One side of Lorilei's mouth crinkled up in a half-smile as she shook her head and looked purposefully at Helga. Phartom placed a hand behind Helga's neck and kissed her open-mouthed, transferring the whole amount of Karina's seed to Helga. "Mmuggumph!" grunted Helga in surprise as Phartom's tongue pushed the salty mass into her mouth. Phartom's agile tongue swiveled back and forth, stirring the thick liquid around and over Helga's tongue and teeth. Phartom pulled back and a long shiny strand of sperm linked her bottom lip to Helga's. It hung there suspended as Helga's look of surprise changed to one of delight. She closed her lips and swallowed down Karina's cum. Phartom reached up with one finger to break the strand off Helga's lip and then licked her own finger clean. Karina closed his eyes and gasped, "That was fantastic, but I do need to see Erobs. Can you please get dressed so we can go see him? Otherwise, we'll spend all day inside." "Sounds good to me," replied Lorilei, "but it might be best if you saved up your strength for tonight, dearie." "Lorilei!" exclaimed Helga in shock. She recovered and said, "Let's get dressed and meet Karina downstairs." The three females quickly dressed and left the room. After they had gone, Karina got up and dressed slowly. He was a little worried about Lorilei's statement because it seemed that Lorilei wanted him to stay a male and her sex toy. Karina warned himself to keep an eye on Lorilei. It would be just like her to mess things up so that he stayed as a man. Karina sighed and thought it may not make much of a difference if she did. Once he handed the Ring of Ishtar to Erobs, he might be stuck as this sex for a very long time... provided Ahhspah or Gar did not kill him. Karina shook off his melancholy and headed downstairs. He met the women and the four of them walked over to the temple. Erobs was there with the woman priestess, Zalasta. Neither of them appeared to be in good spirits. "I'm sorry, Karina," apologized Erobs. He jerked his thumb towards Zalasta. "She demands the ring before she will change you back. I've received no divine guidance on this, not even a word to see if there was something else you could get in place of the ring. I'm afraid you're on your own." "As it should be," stated Karina. "Let's go into the temple." "Karina, if you give the ring to Zeus, you will never change back!" warned Zalasta. "Don't do anything you will regret." "You sound like a nagging wife and we're not even married!" chided Karina coldly. Zalasta's face flushed red in anger. She started to move her fingers in a small pattern. "Don't do something you'll regret later, dearie," Lorilei said to her strongly. "He has Remarg." Zalasta's fingers stopped as if frozen. Her face turned white as she took a step backwards. Even Erobs stepped away from Karina. "Why is it everyone knows of my axe, except me?" griped Karina. "Self-preservation," commented Erobs, shaking off his shock. "Remarg is not just an axe. It's the bane of any spell-using being. We like to keep that type of information under wraps so it won't be misused." "Let's go inside," said Karina. "Karina, please don't do this," said Zalasta in a quiet voice. "I was not kidding when I said you would not be able to change back. Hera has forbidden any god or goddess you could call on from helping you. Even Zeus won't directly defy her. He will give the Cup of Dionysus to Hades if you give him the Ring of Ishtar. He has promised you that, but he won't change you back to a woman." "What if I call on Ishtar?" asked Karina as they headed into the temple. "She might help you, but do you truly believe you can worship her and leave your patron goddess, Demeter, behind?" "No, I don't suppose so, but then I'm doing this for my son because an ogre god that doesn't understand failure." "I've said all I can," stated Zalasta. They all walked down the main aisle of the temple to the white marble altar. Karina felt a piercing pang of depression and hopelessness as he stared at the ring in the palm of his hand. A feeling of disgust for the ring washed over Karina and he slapped it down onto the altar to get rid of it. The ring remained there for a second before it disappeared. Suddenly, a woman coalesced on the altar. The woman had flaming red hair and green eyes. She was in her early twenty's and clothed in a dress that was gray and dusty. Karina could smell the scent of the Underworld on her. The woman looked around at everyone in wonder. "Is it true? Am I really alive again?" she asked breathlessly. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes to savor the beautiful sensations of just breathing. "I was told I might... might..." Tears sprang from her eyes and she broke down sobbing. Karina enfolded her into his arms. "It's alright, Leekya," he said to her soothingly. "It's a shock that takes time to get over." It took a little while for Leekya to settle down. Zalasta left a few minutes after the ring had disappeared. Erobs, when Leekya was able to walk, managed to get them all out of the temple and into his private office. Karina told Leekya about the ritual and what had happened to get her soul released from Pluton. "Your son is Per?" asked Leekya for a third time. "I'm sorry. I just have a little problem with you being a man, Karina. Hades told me of your quest before he released me. I will take part in the ritual." "Thank you," said Karina. "We need to find you a room at the inn." "I... um..." stammered Leekya, embarrassed and patting down her dress. "I... uh... am broke." "Don't worry about that," said Karina smiling. "First, the room and then, new outfits. You can't travel in just that." They stopped by the inn and then went shopping. Leekya told them of how she was murdered and then set free by Per and his companions. Karina had heard it before from Octavia, but this was a different point of view. He would have never believed the sweet, ecstatic woman was the vain, selfish bitch she portrayed herself to be. He thought maybe dying changes a person. It was late when they returned to Leekya's room. Leekya was all excited about her purchases and they all sat in her room talking. Karina spotted Phartom giving Lorilei a look, to which Lorilei nodded back at her. Lorilei got up and left for a minute before returning. "I think it is time for us to get some rest," announced Lorilei. "Karina, what shall we do tomorrow?" "I guess we should head towards the Capitol," replied Karina. "We'll need horses and supplies. Erobs may be willing to help us. You are right, Lorilei. We do need some rest, especially you, Leekya." "Nonsense! I've never been more alive!" exclaimed Leekya. "You're euphoric from being alive, dearie," stated Lorilei. She produced a small purple candle and lit it. Karina watched Lorilei warily, knowing how powerful her candle magic was. The flame on the candle produced a soft orange glow and it wavered back and forth slowly from one side to another. "You do need to sleep, Leekya. Just sit still and look at the flame." "Oh, alright," said Leekya. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the flame of the candle. Nothing happened for about two seconds and then Leekya closed her eyes, sighed deeply, and slumped backwards. Lorilei caught her around the shoulders and positioned her back on the bed. Helga pulled Leekya's legs up onto the bed and covered her with a blanket. Lorilei motioned everyone to go outside, blew out the candle, and closed the door behind her. "She'll be out for about eight hours," said Lorilei. "Shall we go?" "Go?" asked Karina. "Go where?" "I don't know," replied Lorilei. "Phartom has some secret that involves just the four of us. I thought using a candle to put Leekya to sleep was better than tying her to the bed." "What are we going to do, Phartom?" asked Helga. "We need to go to where Ishtar transported us," said Phartom, picking up a canvas bag from the floor and heading down the stairs. She had obviously left the bag there before they went into the room. "I'll explain everything once we are there." Karina, Lorilei, and Helga all looked at one another, each one as baffled as the other. Karina shrugged his shoulders and followed after Phartom. Phartom led them out of the inn and down the street to one of the city gates. The sun was setting and the sky was turning dark. Phartom spoke to the guards to ensure that they could get back in after dark and set out into the countryside. It took them over an hour to get to the area. Phartom looked around and found a relatively flat piece of ground. "Is it possible to get some light?" she asked Lorilei. "I'd rather not do things by torchlight." "Sure, dearie. How much do you need?" "Enough to give me a twenty foot diameter," said Phartom. "Luminous," intoned Lorilei. A light appeared above them and shone down onto the ground. "It will only last an hour." "That should be good enough," said Phartom, opening her bag. She pulled out twine, stakes, a hammer, and two round sacks. Karina watched Phartom as she drove one stake into the ground and tied the twine to it. Phartom measured out the twine and tied another stake to that end. She then stretched the twine out tight and began scoring the ground in a big circle, using the stakes and twine to draw the circumference. Karina heard Lorilei's breath hiss between her teeth when Phartom shortened the twine by about a foot and start to gouge out another circle. The first circle was about twenty feet in diameter. "Who are you calling?" Lorilei asked Phartom. "... and why?" Phartom did not answer right away, but finished the circle first and then laid out the twine in a pentagram inside the inner circle. She bent over to dig out the straight lines. "Zalasta's correct," explained Phartom as she dug with the stake. "No one will cross Hera. Zeus could, but he has nothing to gain by doing so, even if you hadn't given him the ring. You could ask Ishtar, but that would mean giving up the faith you were raised on, which is almost impossible to do. The only solution I see is that you, Karina, can't ask anyone. Neither can Helga or Lorilei. So that leaves me." "Who are you going to ask?' questioned Karina, not sure she wanted to know the answer. Phartom ignored her and said, "Helga, those bags contain salt. Take one and pour the salt in the large circle. Lorilei, you do the inner circle in the opposite direction of Helga." "I know how it's done," stated Lorilei. "Helga, don't leave any gaps. When we're done, I'll inspect your circle and you will inspect mine. Are you doing the pentagram, Phartom?" "Yes, when you have completed that, I want the three of you to stand over by that tree." The two circles and the pentagram were soon completed. Karina, Helga, and Lorilei walked over and stood by the tree Phartom had pointed out. Phartom inspected her pentagram and both circles again. Satisfied, she began to make shapes with the salt in the dirt between the two circles. Lorilei kept straining to see what the shapes were and once was told to back away by Phartom when she edged too close. Phartom transformed back into her succubus form and walked over to the three women. "Who are you summoning?" asked Karina, trying not to stare at Phartom's large, swaying breasts. "Someone you don't want to meet in a dark alley," chided Phartom with a smile. She turned serious as she said, "He's someone who can contact the person we need. Lorilei, stay back or I'll kiss you and throw you into the circle." "Be that way, dearie," harrumphed Lorilei sourly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm sure there are secrets in your craft you don't want me to find out about either, dearie," stated Phartom sweetly. Lorilei's face lit up with a cunning grin. "How about we trade information?" "When Hades jams a gem in your forehead, we'll talk about it." "That's what I thought," muttered Lorilei. Phartom walked back to the circle and began to chant. Her arms made curious patterns in the air. Karina could not see all of the pattern because Phartom had her back to them. By Lorilei's snort of disgust, she could not see it either. Suddenly, a bluish-green light shot up into the air from where the salt had been poured out on the ground. The light collapsed back down, leaving glowing rings and symbols on the ground. "Impressive," murmured Lorilei. Black smoke boiled out of the ground in the center of the pentagram, but did not float out past the outer circle of Phartom's ward. The smoke filled the area and then immediate dissipated to reveal an immense creature standing there. It easily had to be sixteen feet tall with huge bat-like wings on its back. Its head was triangular shaped with sharp teeth jutting out of its mouth. Its feet were cloven hooves and the fingers ended in long, black talons. A black mist obscured the black body of the creature. The creature looked down at Phartom and then over at the three women. "What is that thing?" asked Helga, recoiling in horror. "A pit fiend," replied Lorilei, clearly not liking this development. "ELZOT!" boomed the fiend's deep, rumbling voice. He raised up a taloned forefinger and tapped his claw against the invisible barrier. Blue, green, and red sparks flickered briefly when the two made contact. "Very good... and getting two witches to help you make the circle. You know it's not necessary. We've had good times before with nothing between us." "Maybe so, Faroose, but I'm sure word of my meeting with Hades has made the rounds down below," replied Phartom. "And call me Phartom." "As you wish. Are you going to introduce me to the gentleman and the two lovely ladies?" "No, I don't think so," said Phartom. "C'mon, Phartom, the young one looks positively delicious," slavered Faroose, licking his chops. "Break the circle and we'll have that bauble out of your forehead in no time flat." Phartom laughed and said, "That is if I could trust you to remove it. You might just leave it in. Hmm, I wonder what a 'good' succubus would be forced to do in the Hells?" "Humph!" grunted Faroose, annoyed that she would be thinking that far ahead. "Fine, then. What do you want?" "I need to talk to your master," said Phartom. "I think I have something he wants." "And what do I get out of being a messenger boy?" asked Faroose, irked by so menial a task. "I'm sure your master will reward you when he sees what I have." "You're the one that first mentioned trust," snorted Faroose. "Let me see, I'm supposed to take your message to my master on the possibility that he may reward me, right?" "What do you want, Faroose?" asked Phartom. "How about half-an-hour with the young one?" "That's not going to happen and you know it," replied Phartom calmly. "She'd hurt you badly." Faroose threw back his head and roared in howls of fiendish delight. His wings opened and brushed the barrier, causing it to shimmer in multi-colored light as he laughed and laughed. "I must say that for you, Phartom," chuckled Faroose when he regained control of himself. "You were always good for a laugh. I tell you what... you name the price." Phartom arched and eyebrow and said, "If your master does not reward you, I'll spend that half-hour with you. That includes no trying to escape, no taking the gem from my forehead, no taking me to the Hells, and you have to swear by the River Styx." "Anything else goes?' asked Faroose, his eyes almost gleaming in suppressed anticipation. "Of course." "Done! I swear by the River Styx!" and Faroose disappeared. "What have you done?" exclaimed Karina, rushing forward. "I need you." "I made a bargain to get his help," replied Phartom nonplused. "... and an interesting bargain it was," said a deep voice from behind. Karina spun around. There standing behind them was a man. He was about six feet tall and dressed in red velvet robes that trailed all the way to the ground. His hair was jet-black and slicked back away from his forehead. He sported a spiked goatee. What set him apart from humanity, though, were the short horns on his forehead and the reddish tinge to his skin. "You're... you're... you're not in the circle!" stammered Helga in fright. "Smart girl," commented the man. He leaned forward conspiratorially. "A word of advice... your incantations will work better if you don't stutter." He looked at Lorilei and his expression hardened. "Don't even try it." Lorilei's fingers froze in the middle of their movement. She grimaced and lowered her hands to her side. The man turned to face Phartom and his genial manner returned. "That gem in your forehead almost improves you, Phartom," he said to her. "It will be interesting to see what happens if it is ever removed. What is it you wanted to see me about?" "This is Karina," said Phartom, introducing Karina. "He was a woman and put on a cursed girdle." "Ooo, kinky," said the man. "I'm sure he's a bit more fun for you this way. Well, Karina, what did you do to piss someone off like that?" I had a ring that I was supposed to give to a priest of Zeus," replied Karina. "Hera took exception and sent one of her priestesses after me." "Hera... hmmm," mused the man. "That would be powerful magic. Why should I help you?" "Phartom said you may be the only one who can," said Karina. He hesitated a second. "May I ask who you are?" "Phartom also said she has something that may interest me," stated the man. "However, manners first... I am Asmodeus, Ruler of the Nine Hells." Karina's mouth dropped open, Helga recoiled in terror. Lorilei's eyes glittered and considered the possibilities. Phartom looked bored and crossed her arms over her ample bosom. "I do so enjoy watching these humans," chuckled Asmodeus. "Oh, stop that!" Helga was muttering incantations of protection. Asmodeus pursed his lips together and blew at her. Karina saw the faint sheen of a bubble form around Helga. It quivered for a second or two before it dissolved into a mist. "Impressive," commented Asmodeus, raising an eyebrow. "With some training and experience, she'll be nigh unstoppable." He quickly glanced at Lorilei. "Don't even think about it. What ever you get from me won't be worth the price. Speaking of price... Phartom, what do you have that would interest me enough to change Karina back? Are you going to fulfill your bargain with Faroose?" "I will have to if you don't reward him for what I am about to show you," replied Phartom as she reached into her pouch and pulled out a small white worm. Karina wondered why Phartom had a worm in her pouch and then his eyes widened in horror. The head of the worm was human and looked just like Beckdom. It writhed and squiggled between Phartom's fingers as if it was trying to escape, but Phartom held onto it firmly. "Why would this soul interest me enough to remove the curse from Karina?" asked Asmodeus, sounding a little bored. "Maybe because the night hag Vaughn has marked it for her own?" asked Phartom sweetly. "I see," said Asmodeus very quietly. "Are you sure?" "You know her," stated Phartom. "She is very, very particular about who she helps and why. I could have bargained with her, but I'm not sure she has enough power to remove the curse. What do you think? Is it enough to remove the curse and pay Faroose for delivering my message?" "Why should I pay Faroose?" asked Asmodeus with a smile. "You're the one who entered into an agreement with him." "Faroose is full of himself and it is about time for you to take him down a peg or two again," replied Phartom. "He did not specify the amount, except for my time with him. Anything you pay him will fulfill my contract with him for being a messenger boy." Asmodeus threw his head back and roared with laughter. "Faroose will not be happy," said Asmodeus. "I'd avoid him for a century or so, if I were you. I agree to your terms. I will remove the curse, which should piss Hera off to no end, and pay Faroose what I think his time is worth. It definitely won't be worth what a half-hour with you would be worth... All in exchange for this soul." "Phartom, you can't do this," said Karina. "Karina, this isn't about good or evil," said Asmodeus. "It's a simple barter." "But it's for a soul," argued Karina. "One destined for the Hells because of his wickedness and the damnable bargain he made with an infernal creature," countered Asmodeus with a smile. "It will go to the Hells no matter what Phartom does. She is simply trying to do good by it." "But..." "No buts," said Asmodeus firmly. "No one here, including myself, can save this soul. While this bargain we have struck involves you, it is not a concern of yours nor do you have a say in the matter." Karina took in a breath, but changed his mind. He realized that there was nothing he could say which would change anything. "I was worried about Phartom," said Karina. "Isn't dealing in souls inherently evil?" "So is killing," said Asmodeus. "However, I don't think her alignment was... damaged when she obtained this soul. She could set it free, whereupon it would continue to grow into a Mane. It will be over six feet long and will attack anything that crosses its path. Would it be evil to let an evil thing go knowing it will do evil? She could take it to one of your priests or priestesses. They would banish it back to the Hells, but you certainly would be detained to answer questions like... How did you get it? Why are you with a succubus? How evil are you? It could get nasty very fast taking that route." "Yes, it could, but will this bargain harm Phartom?" asked Karina. "No," replied Asmodeus smiling. "She's not bargaining for her own soul and it is for someone else's good. Now, if the soul had not been destined for the Hells, that would be a different matter." "I still don't like it," stated Karina. "Luckily, your likes and dislikes don't really matter," said Asmodeus. "Unless, of course, you want to bargain your soul to remove the curse." "No, she doesn't," interrupted Phartom. "We have a deal, Lord Asmodeus." "Only seeing if I can sweeten the deal," said Asmodeus. He stepped towards Phartom with his arm outstretched and his palm upward. Phartom took a step forward and dropped the wriggling Mane, which had doubled in size into Asmodeus' palm. He inspected it, looking at it from all angles, before closing his fingers around it. With a quick shake of his hand, the Mane disappeared in a puff of black smoke. "Now, let's see about lifting this curse," said Asmodeus, turning to stare evilly at Karina. The night suddenly became very dark and much colder to Karina. "Oh, by the way, even if this doesn't work, it's going to hurt a lot." ------- Chapter 10 Per was hiding in a crevice, rubbing his left arm in an effort to get some feeling back into it. He grimaced as it felt like a thousand needles had been stuck into his arm. The muscles simply refused to respond at all. Per listened intently for the pursuit he knew was coming. Travel had been pretty easy when Per left Karmond's Gate. The dwarves had hewed underground boulevards and passageways for several miles past the gate he had gone through. The path, however, became rougher the farther he traveled. Natural formations, caverns, and tunnels became the byways Per had to follow. More than once, he silently thanked Gola for the equipment he provided, including the magical grapple. It took Per several days to get used to the closed in feeling of being underground. He was amazed that after several days of what he had taken to be absolute silence, he found that the underground was filled with noise. He was able to discern the sounds of earth, rock, and water with their reactions on one another. The map was as good as gold. Per was able to track his progress. The only thing it did not show was the height of the tunnels. More than once Per had to literally crawl through on his hands and knees. The map was the only real type of measurement he had once he lost his sense of day and night. The trek was not without peril. Small roving bands of orcs, kobolds, and goblins were scattered sporadically throughout the region. Per had managed to avoid contact with all of them, except one band of four goblins. The fight was brief and the goblins had been caught flat-footed. Per cleaved through flesh, bone, and armor, splattering their greenish blood across the rock walls. The sword thrust that one of them managed to make was turned aside by Per's plate armor. The intelligent races of the Underworld were, unfortunately, not the only danger. After many miles of travel and being close to his objective, Per ran into two creatures the likes of which he had never seen before. They resembled worms with white, multi-segmented bodies and lots of legs. Long tentacles protruded out from around each creature's mouth and they stared at Per with black, beady eyes. Both creatures charged at Per and lashed at him with their tentacles. Each hit gouged the surface of his shield and left a slimy trail behind. Per backed away, fending off their attacks the best he could. The tunnel was wide enough for both monsters to attack at the same time. Per knew he needed a more defensible position, but there was no cover around. Finally, a moment came when Per could act. Both creatures had struck at him at the same time, leaving themselves open for a counter attack. Per swung his shield before him, batting the tentacles aside. With a loud yell, and a mighty swing, he brought Dorgeth down on one of the creature's head and cleaved it right between the eyes. Ichor and mucous sprayed out of the mortal wound. The stench was almost overpowering. Per recoiled away from the thrashing creature, but the other one hit him with a tentacle at the elbow joint of his shield arm. To be moveable, the joint was sheathed with chainmail. The hard, bony tentacle broke several of the rings and cut into Per's arm. Per tried to raise his shield, but had difficulty doing so. His arm began to tingle and he quickly lost its use. The monster still alive seemed to be checking over its mate and not attacking him. Per quickly retreated away from it. He moved back to the last bend in the tunnel he had passed. The ceiling was about twenty-five feet high there and some seismic action had cracked the inner curve of the wall about fifteen feet off the ground. With his left arm useless, Per took his shield off. The entire arm was tingling painfully and he could not move any of the muscles from the shoulder down to his fingertips. Per left his shield leaning against a rock on the far wall. Without a shield, he knew he did not stand a chance against the many-tentacled worm. Using the grapple and with a lot of luck, he managed to pull himself up into the crack. It was just wide enough for him and deep enough to hide in. Per waited, praying that the paralysis wore off soon. He suddenly froze when he heard the rustling of something moving across rock. With Dorgeth clenched in his right hand, Per kept a sharp watch on the tunnel floor for the creature. Per caught movement at the periphery of his vision. It was only Tenan's lesson drilled into him time and again that kept Per motionless and silent. The creature was not slithering along the floor as Per expected it to, but it was crawling across the ceiling. Its sharp, clawed legs gripped the rock as its body undulated up and down. Per kept absolutely still as the monster crept closer. It stopped just over his shield and it reached down with its tentacles to touch the surface tentatively. It seemed to sense something because it began to move forward quickly. As it started to crawl past Per's hiding place, Per lunged forward and swung at its legs, cutting through six or seven of them. The worm's body sagged on that side, suddenly bereft of its hold on the ceiling. Its remaining legs scrambled to adjust its grip as Per stabbed his sword again and again into its body. Its tentacles whipped around, but trying to maintain its hold on the ceiling, it could not reach Per. Suddenly, the monster let go and crashed onto the rock floor in a series of several loud crunches. It lay still as yellowish ichor oozed out from underneath it. Per, breathing hard from his adrenaline rush, waited several minutes before climbing down. He as able to stiffly move the fingers of his left hand and was glad that the condition did not seem to be permanent. He picked up his shield and moved rapidly away from the carcasses. Later, when Per stopped to rest, he wished that he had the time to stop and examine the beasts. The paralysis had worn off and Per knew it was caused by the monster's tentacles. Per pushed the thought away as he knew that he had been injured at the time. He pulled out the map and studied it. He knew he was close and had to go cautiously from here on out. Another rest stop and several miles later, Per began to notice something. His infravision was blurring and he was having trouble seeing. He kept going and it was not until a mile later that he realized what the problem was. The tunnel was becoming brighter. Per moved forward slowly, stopping from time to time to allow his eyes to become accustomed to the light after so many days in pure darkness. Per became worried as he approached the light. It was as bright as daylight and his first thought was that he had made a wrong turn and was coming back up to the surface. The tunnel curved around sharply so he was not directly approaching the light. At the last turn, the tunnel opened up to let Per step out and gasp. The cavern before him was gigantic, almost three miles around in diameter. Magical light streamed down from the stone ceiling illuminating the entire area. A large waterfall gushed out of a wall to Per's right and formed a stream that snaked its way from one side of the cavern to the other. The entire floor was covered with vegetation. In the center of the cavern, a small plateau had thrust itself up and on top of it were a castle and another large structure. The large castle consisted of a stone keep and several stone buildings inside the wall that went all the way around the plateau. The other structure that caught Per's attention was like nothing he had seen before. It was a rectangular, twenty-foot high building with minarets at each corner. What was strange about it was that it was jet black with no windows and appeared to be made in one solid piece. Suddenly, a multi-colored light flashed out from each minaret, bathing the entire cavern for a milli-second. It happened so fast that Per could do nothing, but stand there. He froze, unsure of what just happened and looked around for threats. That was when he spotted the three kobolds coming towards him. The small, reddish-gray, lizard-like creatures had seen Per and were walking towards him unhurriedly. They were armed with short spears and had daggers belted around their waists. Per drew Dorgeth and waited for them by the cave mouth entrance. The three kobolds came up the incline to where Per was standing. The one in the lead, wearing a stone necklace, stopped four feet away from Per and looked him up and down. The lizard snout and slit eyes made it hard for Per to read the kobold's expression. You!" hissed the Kobold leader, his forked tongue flickering out between his sharp teeth. "You come with usss, offal!" Per stood still for a second and then lunged forward. The leader hissed in fright just as Dorgeth punched into the center of his chest. Dark red blood gushed out of the wound as Per yanked his sword free. The kobold shuddered and fell to the ground. The other two kobolds sprang backwards and pointed their spears at Per. "I did not like his tone," said Per. "What do you want?" The kobolds looked at one another and then one said, "Our master wishesss to see you. We takesss you to him." Per nodded and wiped the blood off Dorgeth. The kobold who did not speak reached down for the stone necklace, but Per stopped him by pointing Dorgeth at him. Per indicated for the other kobold to take the necklace. He then followed the two of them towards the castle. The trip through the vegetation was easy and a spiraling tunnel cut into the plateau led them to the top. The two kobolds led Per to the central keep and escorted him to the audience chamber. The castle was ancient and in need of repair, whereas the chamber had been swept and cleaned. The chamber was lined on both sides with stained glass windows depicting ancient battles. Per did not look at them because he was staring at the ornate throne at the other end of the chamber. A dark haired man was sitting on it and standing beside him was Cedric, the ex-Baron who had tried to enslave Per. Per snarled and rushed forward, intent on killing Cedric. He was ten feet away from the throne when he crashed into an invisible barrier. Per fell to the floor, stunned by the impact. Shaking his head to clear it of the ringing, he retrieved Dorgeth and painfully stood up. He reached out with one hand until he came in contact with the barrier. Per then backed up five feet and stood there. "Ah, I see you are going to be reasonable about this," said the man on the throne. Cedric smirked, but could not hide the hate in his eyes. "As you may have surmised, I am Yayenski, Per. You don't mind if I call you Per, do you?" Per nodded his head. "Wonderful! I've been watching your journey through my crystal ball. I am sorry about the ambush, but Cedric did not know who was following him and he took steps to remove that threat. That was, of course, before we knew it was you." "Where's Queen Shara?" asked Per. "Ah, straight to the point," commented Yayenski. "I guess considering your journey, you are entitled to an explanation. Many years ago when I was just an apprentice, I came across references to a magical building. This building acts as a storage facility for magical energy. It is the black building next door. I found Cedric during my search, who proved to be useful, and I acquired a following of kobolds. Imagine my joy when I finally discovered it and the environs around here were overrun with other races. I knew they had to be driven off before I could study the building." "Even at the edge of the cavern, I could feel the energy stored within the building. I tapped into it and felt it surge within me. My own power increased tenfold. I cast a spell compelling all the monsters around here to attack Delta. Much to my sown surprise, the building cast its own magic, blasting a tunnel to the surface. As soon as the other races had left, it closed the tunnel. The energy drain on the building was tremendous. The magical lights, which are maintained by the energy of the building, dimmed. "I knew I had to replenish the energy and focused my attention to that end. The wizard, wizards, or race that built it must have been randy old goats. Sexual energy inside the building is converted to magical energy. It seems that the building supplies you with whatever you need for gratification, even if you are alone." "I sent several kobolds into the building, but they are highly excitable beings. The energy they produced were just pinpricks before... well, let's just say that they could not stand the strain." "You went to all the trouble of kidnapping Queen Shara just to put her in the building?" asked Per in utter disbelief. "Oh, no," replied Yayenski. "Cedric's reward for helping me is the Overlord's kingdom. Her kidnapping was part of the plan to destabilize the kingdom. Unfortunately, I did need to recharge the building and since the Queen's sexual prowess is rumored to be unsurpassed... I really did not have much of choice. The jolt from her first orgasm put me on my back. The next two were just as exhilarating. She has slowed down after that." "She's dead?" asked Per in horror. "No, I can still sense her in the building. Let's just say she's just not... active." "You're making a mistake!" snarled Cedric, coming down from beside the throne to stand in front of Per on the other side of the barrier. "Just kill him and be done with it!" Per swung Dorgeth as hard as he could at Cedric. The sword rebounded off the barrier, but not before breaking the spell. The barrier shattered in a flash of light and a loud bang. Per was pushed back several feet, but Cedric was bowled over and slid across the marble floor to the back wall. Yayenski was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered. Per strode forward, but stopped when Yayenski's body blurred and then there were ten of him standing in front of Per. "You amaze me, Per," said all ten Yayenski. Cedric groaned behind them as he slowly pushed himself up off the floor. "I could let you kill Cedric, but I still have need of him. I have no desire to see my head on Delta's gate. Queen Shara is still alive. I can sense her in the building through the energy tap. You need me to open the building. Shall we call a truce?" "Truce," agreed Per. He did not like it, but he knew he had to rescue Queen Shara. If she died, he would be hunted down. Even so, Per would gladly pay those consequences to keep Cedric off the throne. "Cedric, why don't you wait here?" asked Yayenski in a tone that was almost a command. Cedric had gotten to his feet with bared teeth. "You'll be leaving soon and, as you said, we can't have any mistakes." Cedric took a couple of deep breaths and brought his anger under control. He pulled himself up straight and looked at Per with distain and distaste. "Truce," he spat out, "but you do know it won't apply to my cousin. Your meeting with her should be interesting." "You must be tired," said Yayenski, walking away from the throne. "My servants will show you your quarters. When you are ready, I will open the building for you." "Let's go now," said Per. "I want to get this over with." "As you wish." Yayenski led Per through the castle and out into the courtyard. The black building loomed just a couple of hundred feet in front of them. As they approached closer, Per could see that the building had no seams or gaps and appeared to have been made from a single piece of black rock, except for the double doors. The doors were twelve feet square and faced towards the castle. A niche one foot off the ground and eight feet high had been cut into the wall on the right hand side of the doors. A single gold strand ran down from the top to the bottom of the niche and it had been threaded through a two inch steel ball. The ball was floating one inch above the bottom of the niche. Per reached out to touch the ball and received a nasty shock. "Same thing happened to Cedric, if it makes you feel any better," said Yayenski, as Per sucked on his stinging fingertips. "It's a 'look, but don't touch' item. The ball moves up and down on the gold wire. When we first arrived it was almost touching the bottom with only a blade's width between." "What caused it to move up?" asked Per. "The kobolds I sent into the building and Queen Shara's antics," replied Yayenski. "Remember I told you that sexual activity inside the building is converted and stored." He waved a hand at the niche. "I believe it is a measuring device for how much energy is stored here. Are you ready?" "Go on," answered Per. Yayenski faced the doors and said, "Tobluk Arana Seggal. Iyata... Iyata... Iyata!" The door cracked open with a dull boom and split apart to reveal a foyer. The foyer had stone benches lined along its walls and magical illumination lighted the interior. Per turned to face Yayenski. "If she's not inside..." and Per gripped the hilt of his sword. "She is," said Yayenski. "She's still a part of my plans. I don't need her immediately, but, at some point, I will need her out of there." Per walked into the foyer and saw that there was a set of double doors leading further into the building. The benches were made of the same hard material as the building. A neatly folded pile of clothing had been placed on top of one of the benches. Per turned back to face Yayenski and was stunned to see the doors closing. "Wait! How do we get back?" yelled Per. "Alas, that is the one thing I have not figured out yet," replied Yayenski just as the doors banged shut. Per stood there seething and just staring at the closed doors. He turned around and went to the other set of doors. He pushed on them, but they would not budge. Suddenly, the light overhead changed to a lavender hue. Per looked around, but could not see anything that may have caused the change. Then, just as quick, the light changed back to white. "Please leave all armor, weapons, clothing, and jewelry on the bench," announced a voice that sounded a lot like Octavia. "You will not be allowed to enter the Simularium wearing or carrying anything, Per." "Who are you and how do you know my name?" asked Per, but the voice remained silent. Per sighed and began unbuckling his swordbelt. He was pretty sure that Yayenski was not lying to him about Queen Shara being inside. Per quickly stripped down and then stood in front of the inner doors. "I'm ready," he said. The light flashed to lavender again and then changed back. The inner door opened inward, revealing a lighted fifteen foot wide corridor going all the way to the back of the building. Doors lined the hallway on either side at irregular intervals. No two doors or doorframes were alike. At the end of the corridor, which had to be five hundred feet long, there was a staircase leading upward. Resigning himself to rescuing Queen Shara, Per sighed and stepped out of the foyer. The inner doors closed behind him. The nearest corridor door was to his left. Per walked closer to take a look at it. It was covered with runes and symbols Per had never seen before. Per put his ear up against the wood to listen, but could not hear anything. He opened the door and went inside. The room was oddly shaped with numerous walls jutting out at all angles. At its widest point, it was about seventy feet wide and Per guessed it to be around ninety feet deep. He was about to leave when he heard a noise come from behind one of the corners that stuck out into the room. Per took a step forward when a head peeked around the wall. "Per? Per, is that you?" asked Octavia. Per stood there stunned. Octavia ran forward, her large breasts bouncing with each stride. She walloped into Per and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Oh, Per, I thought I was going to be stuck here forever," she cried into his chest. "I never imagined I'd be saved by you. How did you find me?" "I didn't know you were here," mumbled Per, his thoughts a little incoherent. "How did you get here?" "I don't know," replied Octavia. "I've been here awhile. Come, let me show you something. I may be trapped here, but this place provides you with your heart's desire." Octavia led Per by the hand around the jutting corner. On the back side was a table laid out with all sorts of delectable food. The savory aroma made Per's mouth water. Octavia reached up to pull his head down to kiss him. "I'm so glad you're here," she said. "I've been so lonely. How about you fuck me silly, we grab something to eat, and then get the hell out of here?" "What about Queen Shara?" asked Per. "Who?" asked Octavia, just before she froze with a completely blank expression on her face. She snapped out of it a second later. "Oh, her... she'll be fine." "You're not Octavia!" accused Per, backing up away from her. "Of course, I'm Octavia," said Octavia. She brought her hands up and grabbed two handfuls of her huge, heavy tits. Her nipples stuck out like the fingertips. "Don't I look like her? If you bring that huge cock of yours here, I'll show you I fuck like her." Per just backed up until he reached the door. Keeping an eye on Octavia, he fumbled for the doorknob and finally managed to get the door open. As soon as he did that, Octavia shimmered and faded from view. "This place must make its own illusions," thought Per. "If she hadn't frozen there for a second... I wonder how big of a rush that would have given Yayenski?" Per continued down the corridor, opening doors as he went along. Each door opened up to a different room or hallway. Per did not go in, but yelled for Queen Shara before moving on. He finally reached the stairs and headed up to the second floor. At the top of the stairs was another wide corridor going back down the length of the building with doors on both sides. At the end of the corridor, Per could just make out a huddled form with long auburn hair. Per strode forward warily. He did not want to be taken in by another illusion. As he approached, the person raised her head to look at him. Per saw that she looked like Queen Shara. She stood up to stand before him regally. Her long, auburn hair hung down her back past her waist. Her large breasts were upthrust and proud, while her pubic hair was a shade darker that the hair on her head. She stood still, patiently waiting for him to get closer, and seeming unaffected by her nudity. "Queen Shara, I'm here to rescue you," said Per, then realizing how lame that sounded. Queen Shara chuckled once unpleasantly and said, "Yes, and that was what the last one said. I'm surprised it made you, though. You're still as ugly as I remember." She looked down at his flaccid dick. "I guess my subconscious had to give you that monster cock. I'm not going to play with any illusionary phantasm... just disappear back to wherever you came from." "You're no prize, either, especially after trying to kill me," stated Per. "Fortunately, I'm real and I need to get you back to the Capitol." "Real?" snorted Queen Shara in disgust. "How's your slut mother?" "Don't call her a slut, Your Royal Whore," snapped Per angrily. Queen Shara cocked her head to one side and looked at Per quizzically. She tentatively reached out a hand to touch him on the arm. Per jerked his arm away from her. "You... you are real!" she gasped in amazement. "I... I mean..." Queen Shara visibly shook off her shock. "How did you get here?" "I saw you kidnapped back at the Capitol and have been chasing after Your Majesty ever since," replied Per. "Why?" asked Queen Shara suspiciously. "We have no love between us." "True, but I was seen in the Capitol the night of your kidnapping. What do you think the Overlord would do to me when he heard I was there?" "Questioning... Interrogation, both magical and physical... Jail until you coughed up the truth or whatever they wanted to hear of what happened to me. I imagine it would be unpleasant." "I thought the same way," said Per. "I figured my only chance was to rescue you. How did you know I was real, Your Majesty?" "Whoever or what ever controls this building has a problem dealing with anger," stated Queen Shara. "Its phantasms take a second or two to work through the emotion. I apologize for calling your mother a slut." "Apology accepted, Your Majesty," said Per. "Now all we have to do is find a way out of here." "Let's leave off the 'Your Majesty' until we get back to the Capitol," she said. "Just call me Shara." Per could not help himself, but with the Queen allowing him to call her by her first name, he looked up and down her hourglass-shaped body. Suddenly, self-conscious, Per turned to hide his cock from her view. Shara, catching his gaze, also turned slightly and brought her arms up over her large chest. She then sighed in exasperation. "Let's be ridiculous and act like two teenagers who just hit puberty," she said sarcastically. "How about we worry about getting out of here and less about our modesty? Do you have any ideas?" "From what I saw outside, there is only one entrance in and out of this building," said Per. "I went into the first room with all the odd walls and met a... phantasm?..." Shara nodded. "... a phantasm of a girl I know." "I met my husband in that room," stated Shara. "He convinced me that he had come to rescue me. When I realized it wasn't him, I started to stay in the corridors. Food and drink appeared for me, but no other people showed up. The food wasn't an illusion." "Hello?" Per called up at the ceiling. "Hello? If you can hear us, let us know. We don't understand where we are." "Think it will work?" asked Shara, looking around. Suddenly, Octavia shimmered into view. "What is there to understand?" she asked Per and Shara. "This is a place of pleasure. Your gratification gives me energy... energy I desperately need." "Are you an illusion or for real?" asked Shara. "I am both," replied Octavia. "The entry room scanned you and your mind to make your stay here as enjoyable as possible." "I can see why you would enjoy it," said Shara, nodding towards Octavia's large tits. "Octavia's breasts are four inches larger than yours," stated Octavia. "They are also fuller. However, according to you and Per, his mother has everyone beat." "Let's change the subject," said Per quickly, suddenly feeling warm and a twitch in his cock. "is the building alive or is there something running it? If you are an illusion and real, then you are draining energy, aren't you?" "Yes, I am a drain on the energy stored within the building," replied the false Octavia. It might be best if you met with the one who maintains the building and the cavern. Take the second door on the right. You will be in a long corridor that turns left thrice. Enter the first door you find. It will be a round room with an obelisk inside. Touch the obelisk and you will be transported to the room where the one is." Octavia shimmered away. Per looked at Shara who nodded back to him. He opened the indicated door and they entered the hallway. They walked down it and after the third turn, they found a door on their left. Per opened the door and saw a round room with a granite obelisk in the center of the room. "Do you think it's safe?" asked Shara as Per entered the room. "Nothing's tried to harm us so far and if this place was built for pleasure, I doubt if anything will," stated Per. I don't think we have much of a choice either way if we want to get out." Shara nodded her agreement and entered the room to touch the cold, stone obelisk. Per inhaled deeply and placed his hand on it also. He immediately felt a pulling sensation that stopped as soon as it started. The room was the same, but the door was now gone and a revolving ball of lavender light floated above the pinnacle of the obelisk. "Greetings, Per and Shara." The light flashed in time with the words as they echoed out from the light. "I am the one who maintains these environs." "Who are you?" asked Per. "I am not a being in your sense of the word," replied the light. "I was constructed and called into existence by the people who inhabited these lands when they were above ground. A large portion of them studied wizardry and they conceived of a way to store magical energy in this building to tap into when they needed it. When the cataclysm came, I preserved the cavern, but none knew or could use the building. They left and other races moved into the cavern. Then a wizard entered the cavern. As per my instructions, I opened a power line to him." "The wizard drained almost all of my remaining energy to send the other races away. The kobolds, as you call them, did not understand my nature when he sent them in here and they are destructive of things they do not understand. My creations were forced to kill them. Shara has restored a small portion of my power." "By being deceived," commented Shara. "How do we get out of here?" "My needs are great at this time," flashed the light. "The wizard has not cut the power line and more than half the power you generated he has used. I can not let you go until more power has been saved." "We order you to let us go!" commanded Shara in her best royal voice. "While I can only harm those who try to damage the building, I was created with a self-preservation spell which overrides any command given to me," flashed the light. "So you could keep us here indefinitely," said Per. "No, I can not. When my power reaches a certain level, the self-preservation spell will stop working until my power drops again." "A quota," mused Per to himself. He turned to face Shara. "We aren't getting out until the power is restored enough to turn off the spell. I'll go to the first room. When we get out, we still have to deal with Yayenski and Cedric. Yayenski will be tapping the power I put back into the building." Per stopped and chuckled. "Maybe it'll be enough to knock him out." "What do you mean?" asked Shara. "Yayenski stated that your... uhm... encounter knocked him on his ass," answered Per. "Did it?" said Shara. She then began to pace around the room, her head bent in thought and her arms crossed over her large breasts. Per waited for her next to the obelisk. "The power line..." said Shara to the light. "Is its flow restricted in any way?" "I always open the line at maximum strength," flashed the light. "that strength is dependant on how many wizards are drawing power and how many creations I have in existence. A wizard is supposed to decrease the strength to what he needs and cut it off if he is not using it." "The wizard here has not done either of those things, has he?" asked Shara. "No." "What are you thinking?" asked Per. "Planning a strategy," said Shara. She turned back to the light. "How many of your creations can you stop or diminish without the wizard being aware of it?" "None," replied the light. "He will feel it by the increase of power flowing to him." "Good and bad points... I guess it can't be helped," said Shara. "Will you stop as many of your creations as possible?" "I can, if that is what you wish," flashed the light. "Almost all of the rooms have automatic triggers that form the creations for that room. Do you desire a room that does not draw power?" Shara pursed her sensuous lips together and glanced at Per. "Yes," she said. "Can you let us know when your energy level has been reached which will allow us to leave?" "I will make the light in the room change to lavender," replied the light. Touch the obelisk." Per felt the pulling sensation again as he and Shara touched the obelisk. The light disappeared and the door reappeared to his right. Per opened the door to find the main first floor corridor stretching to his left and right. Nyrandurril was standing in front of them in all of her naked loveliness. "If you will follow me, I will show you to the room," said the false Nyrandurril. She led them down the corridor towards the stairs. At the foot of the stairs, she turned left and entered another hallway. After walking down about sixty feet, she passed a door on their left and stopped at the door on their right. "This is the room," said Nyrandurril, opening the door to a pale blue hexagonal chamber about thirty feet across. The furniture in the room consisted of a large bed, two recliner sofas and two tables with chairs. Nyrandurril nodded to Per and Shara before shimmering out of view. "It must be shutting down some of its creations," said Shara as she walked into the room. "Per, the reason I wanted as much power going to Yayenski as possible was because of what you said. A wizard with unlimited power would be impossible to defeat. If he catches energy jolts or an overload of energy, it could put him out of commission. I think you are capable of taking care of Cedric by yourself." "Oh, and how do we create this energy without the illusions?" asked Per. Shara arched an eyebrow at him in disbelief and gave Per a look that spoke volumes. Per stared back uncomprehending until a glimmer of what she had planned germinated in his mind. His mouth dropped open in shock. "... but we don't even like each other!" he yelled at her. "This isn't about likes, dislikes, love, or any other emotion," said Shara plainly. "It's survival and sex. Don't make it anything else." Her face assumed a coy, innocent look as she cast her eyes downward demurely. She flipped her long wavy hair forward over her breasts and folded her hands over her pubic mound. "Don't you think I'm attractive?" "Uh, yes, I do, but you're scaring me," said Per warily. The room started to feel uncomfortably warm to him. "I think I prefer the real you." "The real me?" scoffed Shara. "There is no real me. However, I won't pull any more poses on you." She walked slowly towards Per, running an appraising eye over his physique. He was no beauty with a flat face and protruding canine teeth, but he was tall and very muscular. Her full lips curled up in a slight smile as she looked at his flaccid cock. Under her gaze, Per felt his cock twitch and begin to harden. "You're big and not exactly handsome," said Shara as she stopped in front of Per. "You do have an absolutely gorgeous cock, though." She reached out to touch his manhood. Her fingers were cool and gentle as they traced the length of Per's shaft. Per shivered as the exquisite sensations and his cock hardened up to its full twelve inch length. Shara wrapped the fingers of her hands around the thick shaft and slowly stroked it as she rhythmically squeezed it. Per groaned as he felt his balls tighten in response. "Uh... (cough)... Your Majesty... I, uh... I have to... uh... well, I have to cum, er, climax twice," stammered Per as his passion built quickly. "You can say cum, Per, or fuck, tits, ass..." said Shara without missing a stroke. "I'm planning on more than just twice. I want to give that wizard so much power his head will blow apart. I thought I told you to call me Shara," and her hands twisted in opposite directions. "Augh! Okay! Okay! Okay!" gasped Per, grimacing from the pain. Shara immediately relaxed her grip. "Sorry, you were getting close," said Shara as she delicately began to stroke his cock again. "I want you to last a good long time." "Wait until my second time around," said Per, still smarting from her action. Shara stopped caressing his prick, but did not let go. "You weren't kidding about having to cum twice, were you?" she asked. "No," replied Per, reluctant to give her that information, but realizing she had to know. "After I climax the first time, my lust takes over my body until I cum a second time. Sometimes it lasts beyond that." "Ooo," cooed Shara wickedly, squeezing his cock between her hands. "It's been awhile since I've had raw sex. Don't hold anything back." "That's just it... I can't," said Per as he brought his hands up to cup her breasts. Her skin was fair and creamy, with a smooth, soft texture. Her tits were a good size and Per marveled that they were soft and heavy at the same time. Per heft them in his hands and ran his thumbs over her hard nipples, enticing a moan of pleasure out of Shara. Her areolas were pale pink and her nipples thrust upward, just begging to be sucked. Shara inhaled sharply when Per captured both nubs between a finger and thumb, and pinched them with a slight tug outward. She began to pant as he bent down to lave his tongue around and around one of the sensitive nipples. Per slid one hand down over her stomach. Shara threw her head back and readjusted her stance to spread her legs farther apart. Per's hand glided over her crinkly pubic hair and slid down to her slit. She was already moist and Per could feel the heat coming from her loins. His middle finger worked its way through the slick folds of her labia to find the nub of her clitoris. Shara gasped and shivered as his finger came into contact with the sensitive organ. She suddenly pulled away from him. "Oh, no," she panted. "I want us to cum together. Lie down." Per climbed onto the bed and rolled over on his back. Shara, her face flushed in passion, knelt beside him. She took his hard, throbbing cock in her hands again and pointed it up towards the ceiling. She slowly stroked it, putting just a little more pressure on it with the up stroke. Per licked his dry lips as pre-cum started to ooze out of the tip. Shara broke out with a smile as she smeared the clear liquid all over Per's prick making it very slick. Shara let go of Per's cock and threw a leg over his hips. She then reached down between them to point his hard shaft up at the entrance to her pussy. Rocking back slightly, she lodged the head into the moist folds of her cunt before letting go of it. With a satisfied exhalation, Shara began to sink backwards. Per could feel his cock stretch her vagina open. Shara stopped after taking about four inches in and rotated her hips around in small circles. "You're a lot bigger than I thought," she said huskily. "How do you like royal cunt?" "As much as I like royal tits!" replied Per, who reached up to pinch both of her hard nipples. Shara gasped and shivered. Her vaginal muscles clenched around the portion of Per's cock that was in her. Per let go and Shara sat still, breathing heavily. "Sorry," mumbled Per. "Not your fault," sighed Shara blissfully. "I hope he got a good jolt from that one because the next one is going to knock his socks off." Shara rocked back and forth fucking herself on Per's hard cock. Biting her lower lip in passion, she sank more and more of the twelve-inch shaft into her tight, hot hole. Shara sighed in contentment when she pushed her round ass against Per's legs, embedding his cock fully into her pussy. "Oh, yeah! That is a big one," murmured Shara to herself. "So full... so deep..." her hips ground around and around to stretch herself out. "Oh, yeah." She moved upward causing Per's cock to ease out of her dripping snatch. His prick was almost ready to slip out entirely when Shara lunged backwards, ramming it deep inside her again. Shara began to pound herself up and down on Per's shaft and her long auburn hair fell forward over her face and Per's. Per reached up to cup her bouncing breasts, being careful not to pinch the nipples, even though the hard nubs dug into the palms of his hands. Their breathing became heavier and heavier as their passion rose and the musky scent of sex filled the air. "Let me... know... (huff, huff)... when you're ready," panted Shara. Her face was flushed and clearly showed her passion and bliss. Her vagina gripped at Per's prick as if it was milking it for his seed. Per felt his sexual tension building in his balls and knew he could only last a moment or two longer. "Almost..." he managed to gasp out as a warning when his tension was at its peak. Shara changed from the long, hard banging fuck to short, hard bounces. Per could not believe the pace she had set as her ass bounced furiously upon his legs. Her vagina was gripping his shaft as she pounded up and down on his cock and Per lost it. His fingers grasped Shara's areolas and nipples tightly as his climax exploded inside him. With a roar he shoved his cock fully into her and fired off a long, continuous stream of hot jizz deep into her womb. Shara gasped at the pain inflicted upon her breasts, but the pain also sent a jolt of pleasure through her body. She barely felt Per spurting his cum inside her as her own orgasm wracked her body. Shara shook uncontrollably and her juices flowed to combine with the massive load of jism already inside her. Together, the liquids gushed out of her full pussy. Her orgasm seemed to last forever, but finally tapered off and Shara collapsed limply onto Per's chest. "Oh, fuck me," moaned Shara weakly. "I haven't popped like that since..." She stopped talking when she felt the rock-hard prick still inside her begin to twitch up and down. She looked up to see Per's eyes starting to tinge red and felt him fighting his urge to grab her. Remembering Per's need, Shara flipped off him, causing his cum-coated cock to slap wetly onto his stomach. She jumped off the bed and stood beside it, bending over at the waist so that her arms and chest were resting on the mattress. "Come, Per," she ordered him. "Get behind me and fuck the shit out of me." Per quickly came off the bed and moved behind Shara. He grasped her by the waist and lunged forward. Shara's eyes bulged out as all twelve inches rammed into her dripping pussy. Her breath gasped out and then suddenly, without warning, she orgasmed again. Shara did not have time to savor it as Per was ramming his cock in and out of her vagina for all it was worth. His hips slapped up against her ass, causing it to ripple with each impact. A thrill of excitement coursed through Shara setting off another orgasm. She grabbed tightly onto the sheets. "Fuck me!" she yelled at Per. "Harder! Harder! Pound that cock into me! Fuck me! Fuck me! FUCK ME!!!" What she screamed must have registered on Per's lust-filled mind because he increased the speed and strength of his thrusts. His hands gripping her waist moved her back and forth in time to his thrusts. Shara quit talking and could only pant and groan as he reamed out her hot, tight cunt. Orgasm after orgasm exploded inside her as Per's prick sawed back and forth over her clitoris. Sweat gleamed on her body as Shara got fucked as she had never been before. Slowly, sometime later through her sex-induced stupor, Shara became aware that Per had been fucking her for a long time... long past the time when a normal person would have climaxed. He showed no signs of slowing or stopping. Shara had been taught seduction by the best and she knew she had to do something. She readjusted her grip on the sheets and pondered ways to make Per cum. Her current position made anal intercourse easy, but she was not willing to let him ram his large cock up her ass in his current state. Shara finally decided to bring her legs closer together and put the squeeze on. Per's lust-crazed mind felt the tightening around his cock. It signaled a change, which increased the sexual tension in his balls. With two more thrusts, Per hit his peak and rammed his cock all the way into Shara. Shara grunted as she felt he was going to come out of her mouth and Per unloaded all of his pent-up sperm deep into her womb. They stayed that way for a long time. Per, his face slack in exhaustion, moved first and managed to stagger back to one of the recliners. He just barely managed to sit down as he gasped for breath. Shara had collapsed onto the bed, her legs hanging down on the floor. White sperm dribbled out of her well-used slit to either roll down her legs or dribbled onto the floor. "Are... you... alright?" asked Per, his head hanging down. Shara groaned and, with infinite slowness, pushed herself up off the bed. Slowly she turned and walked weak-kneed over to where Per was. She held onto him as she sat down on the floor and leaned against one of his legs. "Do you have to cum again?" she asked through parched lips. Per chuckled and said, "No, it's past and only occurs once a day." "Thank the Gods!" sighed Shara in relief. She looked down at his dick. "Aw, you're going soft." "And I only came twice," said Per. "Oh, well." Shara looked up at Per with an arched eyebrow. She then began to laugh. "Twice has done my... legs in," she said with a smile. "However, I usually do what I plan on doing." Shara reached up between Per's legs with one hand and softly grasped his cock. She carefully kneaded it between her fingers, paying special attention to the sensitive flap of skin just under the head. Per was shocked when he felt his balls tighten up once more and his body begin to heat up. He was even more shocked when Shara bent down and took his semi-flaccid prick in her mouth to suck on. Per inhaled deeply as his cock was engulfed in her warm, wet mouth. Shara's tongue licked back and forth over the head and his shaft started to stiffen up. Shara had to let some of his cock out of her mouth as it hardened and brought her other hand up to also stroke its shaft. Her head bobbed up and down with her hair rippling in waves from the motion. Her soft hands pumped the length of Per's shaft. Per was so surprised by Shara's actions and the pleasure she was giving him that he could not resist at all. With a quick shiver and quake, he felt his balls tighten up just before his climax released and he spurted out his thick, white seed. Shara was waiting and felt the signs of Per's impending climax. She felt his cock pulsate in her mouth and sealed her lips around the tip as the first load spurted out. She swallowed down the salty substance as fast as it shot into her mouth. Per fell backwards onto the recliner as he finished gushing out his liquid jism. Shara took her mouth away from his cock with one last lick and gingerly released her hands from it. She looked up to give Per a knowing smile. "If I have to fight Cedric now, I'm a dead man," panted Per weakly. There was a knock on the door and before Per or Shara could move, it opened. Melinar and two other men walked in bearing trays of food, drink, and washbowls. They set the trays down on the tables. "I did not deem it prudent to change the light while Per was caught up in his lustcraze," said Melinar. "I hope this did not cause you any discomfort." "I didn't mint," said Per, which earned him a playful slap from Shara. "I thought you were not going to make any more creations." The energy tap has been severed and I can not sense the wizard inside the cavern. The kobolds and Cedric are also beyond the limits of the cavern. The power you have generated will last about one hundred years, providing there is no other drain on it." "Can you seal the cavern to prevent other wizards from coming here?" asked Shara. "It is possible, but it will cut into the duration of my power," replied Melinar. "Per or I will promise to return once a year to give you energy," suggested Shara, who looked up at Per. "Your power is too great for one wizard to wield alone. This way you and we will be safe." "I will seal the cavern," said the fake Melinar. "It is not necessary to come once a year unless you wish it. If you come every tenth year, that will be sufficient. I do warn you, if my power drops too low, I will open the cavern again." Two rings flashed into existence on the table. A man handed one to Per and the other to Shara. "The rings will transport you to the surface and back again. You must be standing above the cavern for them to work. Say 'Iyata' three times and you will be transported along with anything you are carrying." "I promise to return," said Shara. "May we leave?" "Follow me," said Melinar. He led them down the corridor to the entrance. The doors opened to the foyer and Melinar disappeared before reaching it. Per and Shara walked into the foyer and the inner doors closed as they quickly dressed. Shara put on a dark green gown that was very travel stained. As soon as they were dressed, the outer doors opened and they walked warily out of the building. "Do you think they are still close by?" asked Shara. "I don't think so," answered Per. "It said it did not sense them in the cavern. Let's be careful, though. I want to check through the castle to see if there is anything we can use for our return trip." Per found food in the kitchen and discovered Yayenski's and Cedric's living quarters. Cedric's room had been torn apart as if he had packed up hastily. Yayenski's room was neat and orderly. A crystal ball rested on a pedestal, which Per packed up along with any books he could find. The most startling discovery awaited them in the throne room. "Well, I think he died happy," stated Per. Yayenski was sitting on the throne all slumped down. His eyes were wide open with a frozen look of ecstasy on his face. The crotch of his pants were saturated. Per stripped off all of Yayenski's rings, bracelets, and necklaces. He then tied the body up in a blanket. "He's going to start to smell soon," said Shara with a curl to her lips. A lavender light shot in through the window and played back and forth over Yayenski's body. It disappeared as fast as it had appeared, leaving the body to glow a little before the glow faded from view. "I don't think so," replied Per. "Are you ready to leave?" "Let's get out of here," said Shara. ------- Chapter 11 Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and macktheknife. Following two days of rest in the castle, Per constructed a cairn of stones at the rim of the crater, where they had appeared with Yayenski's body. They stood near that cairn, looking into the forest. "How far is it to Delta?" asked Shara. "Several days," replied Per. "This area was infested with the remnants of the army of creatures Yayenski sent to attack Delta. Most of them should have gone back to their natural habitat, but there may be some stragglers. Are you any good with a weapon?" "Not unless you count my body as one," replied Shara with a smirk. "I can use a dagger, though." Per handed one of his extra daggers to her. Shara's dress, which was the one she had been wearing when she had been kidnapped, had endured much in the months of travel. Torn, stained, and worn threadbare, it would be hard to call it even a rag. Shara amazed Per by cutting down one of his shirts and a pair of his pants, and sewing them with needle and thread until they were a decent fit for her. Shara took the dagger and belted the scabbard to her waist. "Per, I know we have been over this, but I think we should head straight for Delta," stated Shara. "Cedric was right about the instability my abduction will cause. We need to get back to the Overlord as soon as possible." "I know, but remember, we have to make it back alive," replied Per. "It's an eight to ten day walk to Delta. It's only three to four to walk to the dwarven city, MarHaven. We can get my horse there and hopefully buy another. Even if we can't, we can ride double and it'll only be six to seven days back to Delta. We gain the security of being mounted and, at most, we only lose a day or two." "I know... I know..." said Shara placating. "You've said it all before." They made their way towards MarHaven. The time Per had spent underground had been sufficient to disperse the numerous creatures and beings that had been roaming through the forest before. It was midday of the third day since they had left the crater area when Per spotted the imposing barbican of MarHaven. "What are we stopping for?" asked Shara when they halted several hundred yards away from the barbican. "For someone of my size and heritage, it is best to play it safe with dwarves," stated Per. They waited more than half an hour before the huge doors of the barbican creaked opened. One dwarf came out of the inky darkness. Per immediately recognized Gola as the dwarf coming towards them. "Per! I thought that was you, lad," said Gola gruffly. "How in Torak's Beard did you get out here? I've got all the sentries on the lookout for you. When I got the call about you being here, I thought the woman might be Iona, but she's much bigger in the teats." Shara stared at Gola open-mouthed in shock as Per tried to hide his grin. "First time meeting a dwarf?" asked Gola of Shara. She shook her head and said, "No, but the others I have met were dour and taciturn, talking only about the business at hand. They left as soon as our business was concluded." "You must be Queen Shara," stated Gola. "The others you've met were traders and diplomats, ill at ease around folks bigger than us. I'm hoping that box contains what is left of Yayenski." Per nodded affirmatively. "Good, that's one less worry." "What else are you worried about?" asked Per. "Holina and Delta, to name two," replied Gola. "Since she and Iona left, we haven't heard one word from Delta and we've no one to spare to go see what the problem is. It's been weeks and I'm getting worried." "I don't like the sound of it, either," said Per. "We have to go to Delta and I promise to find Holina. Is my horse, Koth, here and do you have any horses or ponies we can buy?" "There's a human village in one of our mountain valleys that is taking care of your horse," said Gola. "I'll send word and he'll be here tonight. I'll have them bring down a selection of horses for you to pick from. You'll also need some supplies I suspect. Don't worry, Your Majesty, I'll provide them at a very reasonable rate." At dawn the next morning, Shara found herself seated on an ornate dwarven-made saddle on a spirited palomino. She named the horse Sprinter. Per was at first unsure of her choice, but when she and Sprinter rode circles around him and Koth, he reappraised his perception. "What do you think we'll find when we get to Delta?" asked Shara as they rode along. "I don't know," replied Per. "Given their recent history, it could be anything. I'm hoping it's just that they haven't anyone to spare to send messages to MarHaven." "You don't believe that, do you?" "No, I don't." It was several days later when Per heard hoof beats coming from down the road ahead of them. He knew they were close to Delta and, without knowing why, he did not want to be seen. Signaling silently to Shara, they rode off the road and hid in a large group of bushes. The hoof beats grew louder and Per saw a group of six riders, dressed in leather armor and were armed with swords, spears, and bows, appear from around a bend in the road. There appeared to be an attempt at uniformity in their dress, but it looked sloppy to Per. The riders came up the road at a trot and passed the two hidden people without seeing them. He waited a few minutes after they were gone before riding back out onto the road. "What was that about?" asked Shara. "What did you think of them?" asked Per, jerking a thumb in the direction of the riders. "Guards or militia of some sort," replied Shara. "they look to be newly formed and only partially trained." "In answer to your question, we don't know what the situation is at Delta. If those guys had been anything else... peasants... I would have stopped them for information. Strange, isn't it? They can send out patrols, but can't send anyone to MarHaven." They proceeded slowly from then on. It was easy to avoid people because there was not anyone about on the road. The farms they passed by were also avoided when Per spotted a couple of militia riders standing guard at the first one. Per and Shara were about two miles from Delta at dusk when they heard someone calling to them softly from the brush along side the road. Per stopped, turned to face the person, and drew Dorgeth from its sheath. The brush crackled and a young woman stepped out nervously to the side of the road. She was dressed in leather pants with low boots and a loose blouse. "I remember you," said Per. "You're the girl... your father owns the stable I housed my horse in. What are you doing out here?" "I don't really know," replied the girl. "Some crazy old man came by the stables and talked to me and my father this morning. The next thing I know I'm out here hiding from the patrols and waiting for you." "What's happened in the city?" asked Per. "Master Merchant Teamer took control of the city," said the girl. "He's scared people with the prophesy and he also holds a lot of notes for debts. He swayed enough people to his side that he could isolate the General and dispossess him as ruler. Rumor has it that the General, Lady Iona, and her mother are locked up in the dungeons. The city is closed to all non-humans and is locked up tight at night. That crazy man told me that the patrols are out looking for you." "Any chance of getting by the guards at the gates or do we have to assault the walls?" asked Per. It's funny you should say assault the walls because I do have a way to get you in," replied the girl. "The gates are double guarded by two different units at all times." The girl led them around the main gate that they had been approaching. At one spot, she indicated that they should leave their horses behind. Per tied the reins to a branch of a tree. He decided to forgo his heavy crossbow and pulled his halberd out. Per, Shara, and the girl all crept close to the tall city wall. Per was startled to see a thick, knotted rope hanging down from the battlements above. "Don't be surprised by what you see above," whispered the girl. "She said they won't remember anything. Just climb up and get down the steps. We'll hide you at my father's stables." "I can't climb that!" gasped Shara in a shocked tone, looking up at the dizzying height. "You go ahead," said Per to the girl. As she climbed up the rope, Per made a bowline noose at the end. He draped the noose over Shara's head and under her arms. "I'll pull you up. Just hold on tight and use your feet to keep you from banging into the wall." The girl quickly scurried up the rope and Per followed her up. As he approached the top of the wall, he heard grunts, gasps, and moans coming from the battlements. Per pulled himself up just enough to peer over the wall's crenellations. He almost let go of the rope in total astonishment. Contico was on the battlements and servicing five militiamen all at the same time. One was fucking her pussy as another banged her up the ass. The third one was holding her head as he fucked his hard cock in and out of her mouth. Contico was jacking off the last two with her hands. The girl was standing ten feet from them and motioning Per to come on. None of the militiamen were looking at her. Per carefully pulled himself on top of the wall. "We have to hurry," whispered the girl. "She said they'll lose their lust when they cum." Per suddenly understood that not all of Contico's plants had been destroyed. He wondered how she got out of the dungeon, but decided that was a question for later. He braced against the wall and began pulling upward. Shara was shaking in fright when she finally was pulled up to the top of the wall. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything and nodded to Per. Per climbed back down and tied the end of the rope around the box containing Yayenski's body. He then climbed back up and pulled the box up after him. Coiling and slinging the rope over his shoulder, Per picked up the box and nodded to the girl. He then followed her and Shara down the steps. The three of them sneaked through the streets, alleys, and hidden paths of Delta. Per was glad that the girl was leading them because he was lost after the second turn. It finally started to look familiar when he spotted the dwarven inn that refused to give him and Iona rooms. The inn, however, was a burned-out shell of a building. "Teamer ordered them to leave," whispered the girl, catching Per's stare. "They refused. His men burned them out and killed them all." "This is putting you in a great deal of danger," said Per quietly. "If we're caught..." "Let's hope we're not," stated the girl. "The patrols inside the city are all Teamer's men. It's funny. The army has been confined to their barracks and hasn't done anything. It's rumored that the General Staff is staying at the palace." "Or is being held hostage there," added Shara, her eyes glinting at the political intrigue. "More like their families are," corrected the girl. "There's a large group of militia patrolling the officer's quarters." "How about we get into the stables instead of standing in the street?" asked Per. They sneaked up the street and relaxed a little when they finally got into the stable. The girl led them up to the hayloft. "Shara, do you have any ideas of what to do?" asked Per. "I doubt Teamer will give me a chance to get at him." "That is a personal solution and may not accomplish what you desire, even if you do succeed," stated Shara. "The Merchant's Guild may be running the militia. If Teamer dies, another merchant may just take his place and we'll be back at the beginning. We need to get the army out of its current state of inactivity. They're the only ones who can free the hostages and defeat the militia. They're hunkered down in their barracks and we need them to break this siege." Per winched when Shara said the last word, but did not say anything. He knew his political awareness was infinitesimal compared to hers. Suddenly, Per heard a door latch click and he motioned the girl and Shara to remain quiet. Carefully picking Dorgeth up, he looked over the ledge to the floor below. "Hsst, where are you?" whispered Contico loudly. "Up here," said Per softly. Contico negotiated the ladder with some difficulty. When she finally managed to climb up, Per could see her clothing was all disarranged. She sat down on a bale of hay with a sigh of relief. "Oh, I haven't been fucked like that since... well, a long time," said Contico to Per. "The guards didn't remember a thing after they came off the pollen." "I thought it was all destroyed," said Per. "The flowers were, ' replied Contico. "I still had a small stash of pollen left that wasn't found. You're probably wondering why I'm helping you. Even when the General had me locked up in the dungeon, he treated me like a lady. Teamer is a pig. I guess he needed my cell, so he booted me out with nothing to my name. I prefer the General in charge than Teamer." "We were saying that we need the army in order to defeat the militia," said Shara. "Do either of you know any officers who would be willing to help us?" The girl shook her head, but Contico said, "I do, but I don't think Per can come with us. Teamer has given a description of him to everyone. Getting the army to act without orders is one thing... disobeying direct orders to capture Per is another. I'm sure Teamer does not want to add your head above the gate." "She's right, Per," said Shara. "It'll be better if I go and talk to the officers without you." "Wait a minute," said Per. He turned to face Contico. "You mean there's still a head above the gate. I thought Teamer would have gotten rid of it the first chance he got." "He tried," stated Contico. "It's protected by magic. The wizard who tried to break the spell protecting the head was literally blown apart into a thousand pieces." "I wonder what Teamer would do if we got Yayenski's head and body on the wall?" asked Per rhetorically. "Don't even try it!" exclaimed the girl. "That is the most heavily guarded gate of them all!" "What's this about heads?" asked Shara dumbfounded. Per explained to her about the prophesy and the three sieges. Shara listened as Per went on to tell how Teamer had tried to change the prophesy. At the end, she just shook her head. "He's probably bringing around its fulfillment each time he tries to stop it," stated Shara. "It does give me one more thing to bring before the officers." Contico left them, promising to return in the morning. The girl went to her house, while Per and Shara slept in the hayloft. The three women met in the morning and left Per alone in the stables. The girl's father came in to do work in the stables, but he obviously knew Per was there because he did not go up to the loft or even look up there. It was not until late afternoon before they returned. "The army isn't happy with the situation, but their General Staff hasn't issued any orders, so the units are locked into immobility," said Shara. "The officers weren't even talking to one another until we brought them all together." "What are they going to do?" asked Per. "Restore the General to power, free the families of the General Staff, and defeat the militia," said Shara glibly. "They're working out a plan tonight. The one thing they insist upon is that Yayenski's head and body must be place above the gate just prior to the attack." "And how did they suggest we do that?" asked Per crossly. "I doubt the four of us could even move the crypt stone, even if we didn't have to contend with the guards. We may be able to get the head in place, if we're extremely lucky, but the body is out of the question." "I'll go talk to them," said Shara. "We're going to have to take some action soon before we are found out." She left and returned a couple of hours later. "The officers want both, but will settle for the head," advised Shara. "To them, it's a symbol that the General is correct. I think it shows their faith in him. Everything is planned for tomorrow morning at dawn. Trumpeters will sound the start of the attack. They want control of the city, which means they will be concentrating on the inner defenses. They won't be assaulting the walls or gates unless it becomes necessary." "So, in other words, I have to sneak on top of a heavily fortified gate to get the head in place," said Per sourly. "I doubt you'll have to sneak if I take care of the guards like I did last night," said Contico with a smile. "I think you like the pollen too much," said Per. "Not the pollen and it beats blood, guts, and gore," replied Contico. "And what if there is more than five guards up there?" asked Per. "What if there are fifty?" "Then I'll be a very busy girl," stated Contico with a shiver. "I think we had better get some sleep. We're going to have to approach the Head Gate along the top of the wall, which means we'll have to leave early. We'll never get to the top of the gate if we try it from the ground. Once the army starts, the militia will increase their security." "I'm going to lay out my gear and rack out in the tack room," said Per as he headed to the ladder to climb down. He looked over at the girl. "I think we should all stay here in the stable. Can you stay out without alarming your father?" "I've stayed out here before," said the girl. "It won't be a problem." Per had almost told her to go home, but he was pretty sure that Mad Max was the crazy old man who had talked to her. Per was sure that Max had some reason for having her help him. As he laid out his armor and weapons, Per heard Contico and the girl whispering up in the loft. He rolled out his bedroll on the wood floor and stripped down to just his pants. Just as he was about to slide into his blankets, there was a knock on the tack room door. "Can I come in?" asked Contico. She had combed her mousy brown hair straight down off her face. Per noticed that she was wearing a gray robe that was tied around her waist with a sash. Her time in the dungeon had eliminated most of her plumpness, reducing her curves to well-rounded ones. "We've been talking. The bad thing about my pollen is that you don't remember much afterwards. I was sore for two weeks after our first encounter and can't remember a thing about it. She said I could go first because she wanted the wild ride... That is, if you want to." "First?" asked Per. Contico pointed upwards. Per looked up and jumped a little when he saw the girl looking down at him. She had opened a hatch in the hayloft floor and was lying down with her chin resting on her hands. Per then inhaled sharply as Contico's hand traveled up his thigh to rub his flaccid cock. "Oh, my!" gasped Contico, gently kneading the thick tube of Per's swelling cock. "No wonder I was so sore!" Per gasped as Contico wrapped both of her hands around his stiffening prick. Slowly she began to stroke it through his pants until it had hardened up to its full twelve inch length. Contico was breathing hard through her nostrils as she tightened her grip. She suddenly let go to attack the waistband of Per's pants. Per looked at Contico hard and was ready to stop her at any sign of redness in her eyes. There was none and he groaned aloud as her hand slipped into his pants to grab his raging cock. With wide eyes, Contico traced her fingers up and down the veiny shaft. She then gripped his waistband to pull his pants down. Per undid the sash to Contico's robe and opened it to reveal that she was wearing nothing underneath it. She shivered uncontrollably as Per's fingers slid over her brown thatch to her damp slit below. Contico yanked Per's pants down to his knees and grasped his cock with both hands. She slowly stroked it upward, causing clear pre-cum to ooze out of the tip. Letting go with one hand, she continued to stroke it, while smearing the clear, slick liquid over his glans. Per bit his lip as exquisite sensations coursed through his cock at Contico's caresses. He concentrated on parting the wet folds of her pussy and finding the engorged bud of her clitoris. Contico cried out and her hips arched forward as Per's thick fingers rubbed her sensitive nub. She shook with passion as her juices leaked out and down her legs. "I can't wait!" gasped Contico, lying down on her back with her legs spread apart. "Now!... Take me now!" Per rolled over on top of her. He held most of his weight off her as he reached down to aim his throbbing cock at her hot, wet vagina. The top of Contico's head barely made it up to his neck and she moaned in passion as she felt the head of his prick push against the wet folds of her slit. Contico grunted in surprise as Per flexed his hips forward, driving four inches of his cock into her. Contico's pussy stretched wide open to accommodate the large girth of his hard shaft. She hissed loudly as Per fucked her with short jabs before pushing another four inches in. Contico was sure he was going to come out of her mouth. Per slid his cock back and forth letting her get used to its size before pushing in the final four inches. Contico cried out and her whole body tensed as her cunt was stretched to its limit. Per held his cock still inside her, buried up to his balls, until the tenseness left her body, and he could feel her begin to relax. Slowly, gently, he began to slide his cock in and out of her tight, wet hole. Contico tensed up a couple more times, but that soon passed as she became used to his long, thick penis. Per picked up the pace and she began to pant in excitement. "Oh, yes! Fuck me... Fuck me hard!" encouraged Contico. "I've never been this full! Oh, Gods! Harder... Harder!" Per rammed his cock in and out of Contico's sweet slit. She brought her legs up and around his hips to pull him in with each thrust. Per's balls were slapping wetly against her ass with his pre-cum and her juices leaking out to pool under her butt. Per heard a noise off to his left. He looked over and saw that the girl had come down from the loft. She had bent over a sawhorse, which had long strips of leather draped over it, so she could watch the action from the side. She had one hand braced on the sawhorse, while the other was lodged between her spread legs. Contico's stretched pussy was gripping Per's cock tightly and he could feel the tension building in his testicles. Contico had orgasmed twice so far and was building up for another powerful one. She writhed, gasped, and moaned as the compressed ball of sexual energy grew inside her. The girl on the sawhorse was frigging herself with three fingers as Per sawed his long prick in and out of Contico. Contico suddenly gritted her teeth and arched her hips upward as the ball of energy exploded inside her. Her whole body spasmed as the hot juices gushed out of her cunt. Per's cock was tightly gripped by her vaginal muscles and it was enough to send him over the edge. Per could not help himself as he rammed his cock forward deep into Contico. He felt his cock pulsate as it spurted out wad after wad of thick, liquid seed. Contico's womb overfilled and rivulets of white sperm leaked down her ass. Then the burn in Per's balls began. "Over here, Per," called out the girl. She was still bent over the sawhorse, but had both hands holding on to it. Per pulled his cock out of Contico quickly and stood up. Contico, emotionally and physically drained, could only groan in disappointment at the empty feeling in her womb. Per moved over behind the girl, who was wondering if she had made a mistake, and grabbed her by the hips. Per flexed his knees until the tip of his rock-hard cock touched her dripping slit, and, with one smooth push, shoved half his cock into her. "WOOOF!!!" gasped the girl as her pussy stretched out around his shaft. "AUGHHH!!!" Her muscles tensed and she shook spasmodically as her body registered that six inches of veiny cock had just slid over her hyper-sensitized clitoris. Her orgasm was awesome. The girl had no chance to savor her pleasure as Per pulled back a little and pushed forward again. The girl's eyes bugged out as nine inches of thick cock widened her pussy even further. Her fingers gripped the sawhorse tightly as Per began to fuck her with long, hard strokes as his lustcraze began to take over. "By all that's..." Contico started to say as she regained some semblance of thought. She looked up at Per and saw the red tinge to his eyes. With a groan, she got up off the floor to look closer at him. Per was staring straight ahead with his hands grasping the girl's hips. He pushed forward again and the girl cried out as all twelve inches of his cock sank into her over-stretched pussy. Her body shook as he pulled back and thrust forward again. Contico watched, noting similarities and differences between Per's lustcraze and her pollen. "Oh, Gods, I'm gonna die!" cried the girl with tears in her eyes as her body jiggled and the sawhorse rocked from Per ramming his cock into her. The pain was intense as her vaginal muscles stretched out to accommodate his girth and the head of his prick pounded against her cervix. Luckily, Per's huge cock kept rubbing over her clit sending ever increasing spasms of pleasure into her body and causing her juices to flow. "Oh, Gods!" gasped the girl as her body shook uncontrollably. "I can't... (pant, pant)... I can't take... (huff, huff)... Oh, Gods! I'm gonna... gonna... GONNA CUM!!!" She screamed out the last two words as the friction of Per's cock sawing back and forth over her clitoris pushed her over the edge. The sawhorse rattled in her grip and her tits shook as she fought for control of her body in the explosive throes of her orgasm. Sweat dripped off her over-heated skin and the only reason her knees did not buckle underneath her was Per's tight grip on her hips. Clear juices squirted out of her ravaged pussy and rolled down her legs to her ankles. Her vagina clasped and gripped Per's turgid rod as if it was trying to milk it for its precious bounty. Per felt the added tightness around his cock and shoved forward. The girl grunted aloud as the tip of his cock banged into the top of her womb and he stopped when all twelve inches were embedded inside her. The girl did not even notice the pulsations of Per's prick as it gushed wad after wad of hot, thick cum deep into her cunt. Per held onto her hips tightly as he shot his creamy sperm into the girl. He could feel his lust drain out with each spurt. Panting heavily, he took two steps back before his knees gave out and he had to sit down heavily on the floor. With the release of her hips, the girl's knees also gave out and she managed to hold onto the sawhorse to lower herself down. Her pussy was stretched out and gobs of white sperm flowed out of her hole. "Interesting," commented Contico. Per looked over at the girl and asked, "Are you alright?" "I... I don't think I'll be doing this for awhile," said the girl with a trace of pain in her voice. "I should have done it the other way and rode you. Mind you, it was the most mind-blowing orgasm I've ever had." "C'mon, honey," said Contico softly. "It's time to get us cleaned up. I've got something for the soreness." Contico and the girl left. Per took a few minutes to regain his breath and strength before standing up. He went out back of the stables to the well and washed off. He walked back into the tack room and was surprised to see Shara there. She looked at him with no expression on her face and a large blanket wrapped around her. "Shara, I... um..." stammered Per, unsure of why she was there. "Relax, Per," said Shara, matter-of-factly. "I knew what the other two were up to and you should know by now that I'm not the jealous type. It was good for them and should help calm their nerves for what lies ahead." "Okay," said Per hesitantly, still unclear of where she was heading. Shara chuckled slightly and smiled at Per. "They may not have realized it, but those two came here because they were scared. They wanted you to make them forget about dawn tomorrow... at least for a little while." "Okay, but I'm still confused," stated Per. "Why are you here? I know you're not the faint at heart type." "Some people just hide it better," replied Shara. "Actually, I came here for you." "What? I'm not following you." "Contico and Celine came for their own reasons and needs. I came to take care of yours." "Celine?" "You really should learn the names of the women you make love to, Per." "Um..." stammered Per, remembering the lack of anything sexual since they had left the cavern... no flirting... no innuendoes... nothing. "I think my needs were satisfied by Contico and Celine." "Sit," commanded Shara, pointing at Per's bedroll, "and take off your clothes before you do." Per did as he was told, although he felt strange and uncomfortable. Shara dropped the blanket and he saw that she was dressed only in her shift. Her large breasts wobbled and knocked together under the thin material as she walked around behind him. The room was beginning to feel warm to Per as he self-consciously shifted his gaze away. "Relax," said Shara as she placed her hands on his shoulders and began to knead his muscles. She grunted as she probed a particularly tight knot of muscles. "You're all tensed up." "No shit!" muttered Per under his breath. He then said aloud, "You would be too if a queen in her shift was giving you a backrub. Ow!" Shara had dug her elbow into his back to loosen up his muscles. She did not apologize, but kept massaging his shoulders. Her ministrations paid off and Per could feel the tenseness leaving his body. "Lie back," ordered Shara and Per complied. She continued to massage his arms, legs and chest. Per relaxed completely and was in a drowsy state of mind. A warmth filled his body and he did not even flinch when her hands came down to his thigh and gently grasped his flaccid cock. Her touch was so light and delicate that Per first thought it was a continuation of her massage. He then sighed in pleasure as her hands slowly stroked his cock. Per shivered when Shara put her thumb on the sensitive flap of skin under the glans and gently rubbed it back and forth. His balls tightened at the touch and his prick swelled quickly to its full, hard length. Shara smiled slightly as she pulled Per's legs apart with one hand and then moved over to kneel between them. Her fingers seemed to flex around the shaft of his hard cock as she stroked it up and down. Per groaned at the unique sensation. His testicles tightened again and a large dollop of pre-cum oozed out of the tip, followed by more of the clear liquid. Shara's face took on a surprised look at the amount of pre-cum oozing out. "Juicy, aren't you?" she asked as she smeared the slick liquid around the head and then squeezed the top of his turgid shaft. Per growled as jolts of electric passion shot down his thick shaft as Shara kneaded and rubbed her slick fingers around the head of his cock. His hips involuntarily arched upward every now and then as his sexual tension rose in his loins. Hissing through clenched teeth, Per looked up as Shara pulled his cock over so that it was pointing towards his feet. Gripping the base of his prick, she stared at it like it was a snake. Per was not sure what she was up to when she lowered her head and engulfed the entire head of his cock into her mouth. Per gasped when his balls tightened up painfully as her full, rich, red lips sealed around his shaft and the warm, wet moistness of her mouth bathed the sensitive glans. Per fought for control and just managed to keep from climaxing. Shara pulled her mouth off of his cock with a wet slurp. She smiled at Per quickly before lowering her head again. Per was startled when she opened her mouth wide and took in, not only the head, but also a couple inches of the shaft as well. Shara bobbed her head back and forth several times before backing up so that only her luscious lips were touching the tip. Tasking in a deep breath, she lowered her head back down and this time, she took half of his cock down her throat. Per could only stare in amazement. No one, except for Electana and Diti had managed to get more than the head of his cock into their mouth. Shara was bobbing back and forth, literally fucking his cock with her throat. She came back up for air and then plunged right back down, until her nose was pressing up against Per's pubic hair. The sensations around his cock were like nothing he had felt before. Per was shaking in pent-up emotion and his balls had tightened up until they were rock hard. Shara, her mouth full of Per's cock, looked up into his eyes and continued to bob back and forth. Per could not hold back any more. With a guttural cry, his hips arched upward as all the sexual tension in his body snapped like a frozen twig. So much semen raced up his cock that he was sure that the first gush had blown the head of his cock off. Shara held onto the base of his shaft with her nose pressed up against his abdomen as a torrent of hot cum hosed out and down her throat to her waiting stomach. The passionate rush of his climax peaked quickly and Per collapsed gasping for breath. Shara pulled her mouth away with her eyes smoldering as she smiled in satisfaction. "I can't... can't believe..." panted Per. "I can usually do what I set my mind to," interrupted Shara. "Although, this nearly dislocated my jaw. Go to sleep, it will be dawn soon." Per did not recall falling asleep. The next thing he knew the young girl was shaking his arm. Per looked down and saw that Shara had covered him with a blanket. "Wake up," said the girl. "It's time to go." Per quickly put on his armor and grabbed the backpack containing the grappling hook Gola had given him and a length of rope. He belted Dorgeth around his waist and slung a quiver of bolts over his shoulder. Picking up his heavy crossbow, Per left the tack room to find Shara, Contico, and the girl waiting for him. Shara and the girl were wearing simple blouses and skirts. Contico was wearing just her robe and boots. Per looked outside and saw that it was still dark. "We have about an hour before it begins to get light," said Shara. "That is when the army will move." "We won't go directly to the gate," stated Contico. "We'll go to the closest stairwell to the top of the wall. I'll take care of the guards there with this." She held up a small linen bag about the size of a grape. "Just that?" asked Per. "There's enough pollen in here to affect over one hundred men," said Contico. "When you see that I am... uh... engaged, go up the stairs. I'll join you once their passion has passed." "If there's any fighting, hide and make your way back here," said Per as he pulled out Yayenski's body. He opened the box and marveled that it was not decomposing. Per unsheathed Dorgeth and chopped off Yayenski's head. He then quickly closed the box. The four of them left the stable and made their way to the wall. They did not encounter any patrols and were soon staring at the guards stationed at the bottom of the stairs that led up to the parapet. "I only see four guards," whispered Per. "I agree," replied Contico softly. She turned to Shara. "I'll drop the bag after they are infected. Take it with you in case there are other guards on top of the wall." Before Shara could reply, Contico turned and walked quickly towards the militia guards. They immediately spotted her and fanned out, holding their spears in readiness of an attack. "Halt!" ordered one of them. "What are you doing out? It's past curfew." "I woke up early and not having a man nearby in my bed meant I had to come out to find someone strong and virile," said Contico in a sexy voice as she kept walking towards them. She opened her robe and flashed her naked body at them. "No weapons, see?" The militiamen were flabbergasted. Per could see the emotions playing across their faces... lust versus duty. Contico walked up to them and touched each one on their face. In her hand was the small bag of pollen. She tossed it up the stairs after touching the last man. She took off her robe and draped it over the railing. The four men stared at her, unsure of what to do as the pollen started to affect them. First one, and then the other three dropped their spears and frantically pulled off their clothing. Per tapped the shoulders of Shara and the girl before running towards the stairs. The militiamen were mauling Contico and pulling her to the ground when Per reached her. She waved them on as one man slid under her and lowered her onto his hard cock. Another knelt behind her and pushed his throbbing prick up into her asshole. Contico hissed as she was double-penetrated. Her hands gripped the last two dicks bobbing in front of her face and she alternated back and forth sucking one then the other. The girl snatched up the small linen bag as she, Per, and Shara ran up the stairs. When they were three-quarters of the way up the stairs, Per stopped and peered around the parapet wall. He saw two more militiamen looking out away from the city about fifty feet away. Per eased back to where the girl and Shara had stopped. "Two more up top," he told them. "My turn," whispered the girl as she moved up the stairs. "Halt! What are you doing up here?" asked one man when he saw her coming towards them. "I came up for some air," replied the girl airily as she moved towards them. "You know the walls are off-limits to... what's this?" The guard grabbed her wrist as she was bringing her hand up to his face. The girl tried to jerk back, but was held tight in the man's grip. She opened her hand to show him the bag. "It's... it's just my perfume bag," she squealed in a frightened voice. "See?" The militiaman brought his nose closer to the bag and took a slight sniff. He relaxed his grip and the girl held it out to the other man, who also took a sniff. "It smells pretty good," said the second man, who began to smile. "Who cares about the smell," leered the first, with a tinge of red appearing in his eyes. "She looks good!" The girl tossed the linen bag aside, while the two men scrambled to get out of their armor. She was soon on her hands and knees with one man in front of her fucking his thick, short cock in and out of her mouth. The other one had flipped her skirt up over her creamy ass and was pounding into her juicy cunt from behind. Per and Shara passed them by with only a second's delay where Shara stopped to pick up the linen bag. "You know, with a hundred women and this pollen, I could seize this city without any bloodshed," said Shara, looking at the bag. "Don't inhale any of it," warned Per as they made their way towards the gate. "You don't need the women, either. All you have to do is to have the guards breathe it. They'll be compelled to go find their own amusement. That was why the General destroyed most of it and locked Contico up." "Then why would Contico fuck... ah, I see... guards not at their post... lust-crazed men breaking into houses... all of which is very noticeable and would bring an immediate response from their superiors." "Yes, now hush!" whispered Per. "We're almost at the gate." Per and Shara crept forward silently. Per could see three or four sleepy guards walking around down on the ground, but there appeared to be none up on the parapet. He set the box with Yayenski's body down carefully and pulled out Gola's grapple. The spikes on the grapple hooked tightly into the stone above the spot where the niches had been placed in the wall. With a grimace, Per picked up Yayenski's head and wrapped the rope around his arm before swinging over the edge of the wall. Shara gasped in fright and looked up when she heard two men talking. They were up on the wall and coming towards her and Per. Looking over the edge, she saw that it would take Per a minute or two to lower himself to the niches and put the head in place. It was time they did not have. Shara stood up and pulled her blouse apart to reveal a generous amount of cleavage. She then walked towards the two militiamen. "Stop!" ordered one of the men. "What are you doing up here?" "Just catching some night air," said Shara softly as she sauntered up to them and waved her hand under their noses. "We'll have to hold you... hold you... hold..." stammered the first man as his eyes became tinged with red and he lost his train of thought. Shara gasped in surprise when the guard pushed her down and backwards. She found herself sitting on the wall's stone floor with her back against the ramparts. The guard yanked down his pants, exposing his six inch, hard dick in front of Shara's face. Before she could do anything, the guard shoved forward, spearing his cock between her luscious, red lips. Shara gasped around the cock fucking her mouth when she felt her blouse rip apart and her large breasts bounce free. A hand grabbed each of her meaty jugs and slapped them together around a hard shaft of meat. The second militiaman pressed her tits tightly around his prick as he started to fuck his hard tool between them. Shara's instincts kicked in to suppress her gag reflex as the first man shoved his cock in and out of her mouth. Her throat muscles relaxed each time his prick slid in over her tongue. Despite a cock in her mouth and one between her breasts, Shara was detached from it all. Unsure of the aftereffects of the pollen, she decided not to do anything g to stimulate the guards and give Per more time. It was only because of this detachment that she was able to hear more footsteps coming towards them. Pinned as she was by the two pollen-sexed men, Shara could only look sideways. Her eyes widened in fright when she caught sight of a man making his rounds. He was obviously of a high rank being dressed in chainmail and walking with an air of authority. He stopped in shock at the sight of the two men abusing Shara. "What are you men doing?" he asked angrily, striding forward. "Stop that at once!" The officer attempted to pull the man titty-fucking Shara off of her. The guard was pulled partially away from her before he let go of her breasts and shoved the officer away. The officer, surprised by the strength of the shove, staggered backwards, stumbled, and fell. The guard turned back, painfully slapped Shara's tits together around his cock, and started pumping vigorously between her pliant mounds. "Enchantment!" hissed the officer. He started to get to his feet, but froze when he caught sight of the grappling hook wedged in the parapet. Shara was mumbling around the pumping cock in her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to warn Per. A sound of a scrape on the stone wall galvanized the officer to action. "Guards! Guards! Man the walls!" he shouted as he rushed over to where the rope went over the wall. Per had heard the commotion above with the two militiamen and then the scuffle with the officer. He had lowered down to where the niches were in the wall for the three heads. Holding onto the rope with one hand, Per managed to get Yayenski's head out with the other just when the officer looked over the parapet to spot Per. Per jammed Yayenski's head onto the spike in the niche as the officer yanked out his sword and swung at the rope. Per screwed his eyes shut and braced for the impact of his fall. Nothing happened. Per looked up quickly in surprise to see the ghost of Iona's grandfather gripping the swordwrist of the officer. The officer's sword fell free as his hand was numbed by the chilling spectral grasp. The officer screamed as the ghost with one hand flung him over the parapet to land with a loud thud on the ground below. Per quickly climbed up the rope. The white, wispy image of Iona's grandfather was floating above the stone of his tomb as Per climbed back on top of the wall. The two guards on Shara were grunting as they approached their pollen-induced climaxes, paying no attention to Per or the ghost. Per could hear shouts and people moving about from the gatehouse below. He picked up the box containing the headless body of Yayenski. "Is there anyway to open the second crypt?" he asked the ghost. The ghost nodded and disappeared. Per looked down at the back of the gatehouse and saw around fifty militiamen gathered there. They all looked up when the huge stone slab grated noisily as it began to rise. Per hurried over to the rising slab as the guards raced towards the steps. Per heard them pounding up the steps as he fretted before the slowly-rising stone. It had risen just enough for Per to shove the box under it when the militiamen ran up to the top of the wall. The guard fucking Shara's mouth grunted loudly and shoved his cock deep into her throat. Shara moaned in protest as she felt his prick pulsate and spew forth hot gooey sperm. With her nose pressed against his abdomen, she had no choice but to swallow down the entire load. The second guard quivered and he climaxed, shooting his wad all over Shara's neck and upper chest. Per shoved the box containing Yayenski's body into the alcove under the slab of stone, which was suspended in the air. The box crashed to the bottom of the crypt and Per had to pull his hand back quickly as the slab quickly settled back into place with a dull, dusty boom. Per jumped to his feet and pulled Dorgeth from its sheath as the guards arrived at the top of the steps and began to advance towards him. Suddenly, the ghosts of Iona's grandfather and Yayenski shot up through the stone slabs covering their tombs. Yayenski's wrists and ankles were bound with black bands similar to the ones on Iona's grandfather. The militia stopped cold at the sight of the two translucent specters. "Stop!" ordered Iona's grandfather in a hollow-sounding voice. "This being has fulfilled part of the prophesy." "Which is why we need to kill him and remove what he brought," growled a man who appeared to be in charge of the others. "That will not be allowed," stated Yayenski. "Are you not of this city?" "No, we work for Teamer and the Merchant's Guild," replied the guard. "C'mon, boys... get him!" The guards began to advance again towards Per with their swords drawn. Per, nervously backing up, prepared for their charge. In a flash, Iona's grandfather and Yayenski moved forward and militiamen began to fly up and over the outer edge of the wall. Pandemonium reigned. Guards cursed, yelled, tried to get away, or stabbed ineffectually at the two ghosts. Per involuntarily winched as bodies thudded to the ground below. A couple of the militia made it back to the steps and ran down them for their lives. Per watched in shock as they floated back up, struggling to get free of whatever was holding them aloft, and were tossed over the wall. The two guards on Shara were negligently flipped over the edge and then Shara screamed as she felt herself being picked up. "No, not her!" shouted Per. "Any women on the wall and not in armor are with me." Shara's movement stopped with her poised halfway over the wall. She was then set back down on the parapet where she collapsed, gasping for breath in fright. The two ghosts then appeared in front of Per. Horns were blowing all over the city and Per heard the tramp of army boots resounding in the streets. "We go to clear the wall," stated Yayenski, who disappeared with Iona's grandfather. Per stood still, hearing militiamen calling out in alarm and then in horror as they were tossed over the wall. There appeared to be only sporadic fighting within the city. Per started to go over to help Shara when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He was surprised when he saw Teamer's head appear. The fat merchant had a sword in his hand and two bodyguards in tow. "You!" gasped Teamer loudly, his lips curling in disgust, as he caught sight of Per. "You did this! You have brought on our ruin. Where are my guards? I put my most loyal troops here." "Down there," stated Per, pointing over the wall and moving around to place himself between Teamer and Shara. Teamer waddled over to the edge and looked down in profound shock at his men below. Several had been killed by the fall, but most survived with broken bones, concussion, sprains, and bruises. Teamer started shaking visibly as he backed away and his eyes had a wild look to them. "It all ends with you," Teamer said softly. He spun around to face his last two men. "Kill him! Any price you want! Just kill him!" The bodyguards looked at one another and then nodded. They crouched down in to a combat stance and moved slowly towards Per. Per circled to one side to keep them in front of him. Teamer moved back, confident in his men's abilities. Per adjusted his sweaty grip on Dorgeth's hilt as his adversaries moved apart. ------- Chapter 12 Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and macktheknife. The two body guards moved with assurance born from experience. Per shoved Shara behind him and moved to the center of the parapet. He had to keep the two of them in front of him. Per was pretty sure he would not last long if they managed to get on opposite sides of him. "Looks like he wants to play, Byorg," said one bodyguard. "Oh, good! I hate it when they just give up, Gustav," stated Byorg. "Run," ordered Per to Shara. "Try to get back to the stables." "They're blocking the stairway and I have no desire to pick my way through and unfamiliar city with armed men everywhere," commented Shara. "Well, move back then," snarled Per as the two bodyguards moved forward. Gustav swung at Per, who blocked the stroke on his shield. Per parried Byorg's thrust with Dorgeth. He spun away and had to move back as Gustav tried to cut him in the leg. The fight descended into swings, thrusts, and parries for Per. His superior field plate armor stopped a few of the blows he could not block. His counterstrikes were few and far between as he had to be completely on the defensive. He did get one good kick into Byorg's stomach when Byorg tried to get around behind him. It cost him though as Gustav nicked his shield arm when Per recovered from giving the kick. Gustav moved back to cover Byorg to allow him to get back up on his feet. The three adversaries stared at each other as they panted heavily from the exertion. Per could feel the sting of the cut, but realized it was superficial. "That's quite a woman you have there, Per," said Teamer in the silence, looking over at Shara. "Why don't you come over her, my dear, where it will be safer?" "You can't afford her," gasped Per. "Nonsense," commented Teamer. "Everyone has a price." He looked at Shara again. "What would you like to have to come over to my side?" "I want to be Queen of Delta," said Shara with a smile. You do dream big," said Teamer in admiration. "I'll have to get rid of my current wife, but that should not be a problem." "You misunderstood me," stated Shara flatly. "I don't want or require a husband to reign here. I think I would do better as a sole ruler." Teamer straightened up, affronted by Shara's comments. His face screwed up in rage as he pointed at her and said, "Kill them both." The fight resumed with particular viciousness. Per, Gustav, and Byorg all knew the outcome could only be settled by death. Per was still on the defensive, giving up ground as he parried and blocked the two bodyguards' attacks. Unfortunately, there came a time when he had to step too far to one side to dodge a stroke from Byorg and Gustav took the opportunity to move around him. Per was sure it would end quickly now that they had flanked him. He was surprised though when Gustav recoiled back from being hit in the front of his helmet with a small linen bag. "Watch the other one!" yelled Shara. "This one is mine!" Per turned to face Byorg, realizing what was going to happen behind him. He attacked, forcing Byorg back for the first time. Byorg jumped back, disengaging from Per to give himself some breathing room. "Gustav, what are you doing?" shouted Byorg, in confusion. "Attack him! Attack him now!" "He can't hear you," said Per. He heard pieces of armor dropping onto the stone walkway. "Even if he could, he can't resist what he is feeling." "Look out, Gustav!" screamed Byorg, just as Per heard the unmistakable sound of an edged weapon thudding into flesh. The sound occurred several more times. "He was my best friend and partner," snarled Byorg to Per. "I'll kill you both." "You two should have gotten into a safer business," replied Per. Byorg rained a series of blows at Per, who blocked and parried all of them. His counter-attack seemed to catch Byorg by surprise and Per's mighty blows dented and rent Byorg's shield to useless metal. Byorg and Gustav were unstoppable, but only when working as a team. Byorg had not trained as an individual fighter in years. The end came swiftly. Byorg launched a strike-parry-strike combination move, but forgot that it was based to match Gustav and his actions. Byorg overextended himself and Per loped off Byorg's sword arm at the elbow. Byorg screamed in pain as he clutched the stump of his arm. Blood squirted out from between his fingers as he collapsed onto the walkway. Per snatched up a nearby torch and knelt down on top of Byorg. He pried Byorg's hand away from the wound and pressed the burning end of the torch against the severed flesh. Byorg screamed again in pain as his flesh burned and hissed. Per continued to cauterize the wound until the bleeding had stopped. He looked down in disgust at the blackened flesh before jumping up to race over to Teamer. Teamer fell over backwards in an attempt to get away. "This is what you brought your men to," hissed Per in anger. Per grabbed Teamer by the hair and held his head up so he had to look at Byorg laying on the walkway with half of his right arm gone. Gustav was half undressed, lying in a pool of his own blood with a dozen stab wounds to his back. "Let me go!" yelled Teamer in fright. "You have no right to touch me. Hurt me and the Merchant's Guild will hunt you down!" Per snorted. "I've had assassins after me by royal decree. Do you think your precious Merchant's Guild is going to frighten me? My head is not going above the gate, but I think yours will do nicely." Teamer's scream of protest was cut short as Per negligently swung Dorgeth around back-handedly and slice Teamer's head off at the neck. The body stood upright for a couple of seconds, spurting twin geysers of blood up into the air, before collapsing backwards. Per wiped Dorgeth off on Teamer's expensive clothes and sheathed the sword. He picked up Teamer's head by the hair and grabbed a hold of his body by the ankle. Per dragged Teamer's body back to the stone slabs. There were faint sounds of fighting still going on in the city. Per stopped, dropped the head, and pulled out his sword again when he saw a group of armed men coming up the stairs to the parapet. "It's alright, Per," said Shara. "It's the army." They walked forward and were met by a young captain. Contico and Celine were also there. Per saw Shara give the small linen bag back to Contico. "Teamer, isn't it?" asked the captain. "We control most of the city, Lady Shara. I did expect more casualties from the militia on the wall... amazing that they all left their posts." "I don't think they had a choice," said Per tiredly. "My units report that the only place still under Merchant control is the palace keep," stated the captain. "What should we do with Teamer's body?" "Get your men to lift up the last stone slab," said Per. "I'm putting his head in the last niche." "It's as good a place as any," replied the captain. Per hooked his grapple onto the battlements and climbed over the wall. Below him on the ground were soldiers disarming and rounding up the militia that survived being thrown off the top of the wall. Per swung over to the last empty niche with Teamer's head. With a sigh of relief, he jammed the head on the spike. A white light burst forth from the niches. Yells and shouts echoed up from below. Per almost lost his grip on the rope, but managed to hang on despite being temporarily blinded. The white light blinked out and, as the spots cleared away from Per's vision, he could see that the niches had been transformed into solid stone with three granite heads looking out. Per quickly climbed back up and over the battlements just as the captain's soldiers were lowering the stone slab back into place. "That was... ahem... unexpected," said the captain. "Shall we go to the palace now?" "There is a severely wounded man over there," stated Per, pointing in Byorg's direction. "See to him," ordered the captain to a soldier by his side. "Shall we go, Lady Shara... Per?" Per, Shara, Contico, and Celine followed the captain down the stairs where they joined up with two squads of soldiers. They made their way through the streets under a lightening sky. Per saw some bodies in the street, groups of militiamen being held captive, and soldiers advising citizens to remain indoors. As they approached the palace, they were met by another officer. The new officer talked for a few moments with the captain. The captain left with him, leaving Per and the others under guard. He soon returned and approached Shara. "My apologies for leaving you, but I wanted to see the situation for myself before I brought you closer," stated the captain. "They have forted up in the palace and it is dangerous to get too close." "Have they released anyone?" asked Shara. "No, milady," replied the captain. "The General and the army staff are still prisoners inside, hopefully." "They probably don't know that Teamer's head now graces the wall above the gate," stated Per. "That may affect their stance on defending the palace." "It might at that," commented the captain. "Offer conditional amnesty to the militia inside," suggested Shara. "Also, remind them that the city is in the army's hands along with all the merchants' houses and wealth. They may not want to fight if they are not going to get paid." "Can I come with you?" Per asked the captain. "It will be dangerous." "I've got friends inside." The captain nodded and beckoned Per to follow him. They made their way by a curculios route until they were at the main entrance to the keep. The drawbridge was up and Per could see militiamen lining the walls. The captain had secured a white flag and attached it to a pole. He waved it back and forth until he received a similar response from the palace. The drawbridge lowered and a group of five men walked out. "State your business," commanded one man in rich clothing. Per saw that four of the men were dressed as wealthy merchants, while the fifth was a stern-looking militia officer. "The city is under control of the army," said the captain. "I am here to offer amnesty to the militia inside the palace. They are free to return home, but unarmed." "What of reprisals?" asked the militia officer. "I can't guarantee there won't be any, but the army will maintain order. Your final disposition rests with the General." "You're defying your king, soldier-boy," sneered one of the merchants. "Teamer is king of Delta. He will be returning soon with an army of his own." "Teamer's dead," said Per bluntly. "His head now adorns the Head Gate and his body lies within its walls." "You lie!" cursed the merchant. "No, I'm not," countered Per. "I'm sure the captain will offer escort and safe passage to any who wish to go and look." The captain nodded once affirmatively. "Remember, the army controls everything outside the palace, including your houses, stores, and wealth." The militia officer sighed deeply. "This war is over. On behalf of my men, I accept your offer of amnesty." "You can't!" shouted the merchant. "You're bought and paid for!" "You paid us monthly in arrears and that was two weeks ago," replied the officer. "Can you show me the funds right now to pay my men for this month?" The merchant's face took on a shocked look. "I didn't think so. I'm not going to throw their lives away. Captain, I hold myself accountable for my men and their actions. I will answer solely to the General." "What of us?" cried out another merchant. "You gentlemen are no longer my concern," replied the officer. He reached down and pulled a green strip of cloth from his belt. It had been tucked in there along with a red strip. The officer waved it over his head and Per looked up to see the militia leave their positions on the walls. "I'll send my men out in groups of ten for your inspection. Weapons will be left in the main courtyard. What of personal weapons... the ones that belong to individuals?" At this point, the four merchants broke away and raced back inside the palace. Per made to follow them, but was stopped by the militia officer. "If you chase after them, there may be a misunderstanding inside," said the officer. "My men have orders to capture them. They will replace the prisoners now locked up in the dungeon" "Your men can keep their daggers and knives," said the captain. "Personal weapons will be returned at the discretion of the General. Label them and set them aside. I will have them secured until his decision is made." "Fair enough... why don't we have your man here come inside with me? He can explain to the General what is going on." "He's not my man," corrected the captain. "He's the one that brought Yayenski's body back. There are three heads above the Head Gate." "Ah, the prophesy," mused the officer, knowingly. "You must be the Questor. Have you ever met the General?" "Once or twice," replied Per with a smile. "Good... Captain, wave that white flag from the drawbridge when you are ready and I'll send my men out." The captain nodded and walked away. The officer turned and headed towards the palace keep with Per in tow. "What's your name, son?" asked the officer. "Per... Per Devon." "I'm Colonel Holtz. I'm just glad this madness is over. Did Teamer suffer before he died?" "Not really, but he has an eternity of guarding the walls of Delta to reflect. If you thought it was madness, why did you go along with it?" "Because they would have gotten someone else if I didn't," replied Colonel Holtz. "I kept control on my men, reined in the worst of the merchants' intentions, and kept the prisoners alive." "And you got paid," added Per. Colonel Holtz grimaced. "Yes, I listened to my purse more than my heart or loyalty." They walked inside the palace wall entrance. Per saw the four merchants along with three others tied and gagged off to one side. Two men came forward to meet them. "We can keep daggers and knives," said Colonel Holtz to the two men briskly. "Label personal equipment and set if off to one side with four guards. All other weapons are to be left in the courtyard. When they wave the white flag, send ten men out at a time. Sergeant, you're in the first group. Make sure you account for everyone." "What do we do once we have left here?" asked the sergeant. "Go home. We are dissolved. I'm not sure what the General will do with me, but that's the price I have to pay for leading us into this folly. You will go home, understand?" "Yes, sir," replied both men. "Let's go see the prisoners, Per," said Colonel Holtz. Colonel Holtz led Per down to the dungeon. At the first cell door, he unbuckled his swordbelt and handed a set of keys to Per. Per unlocked the door and opened it. "Is it time for my execution?" Per heard the General ask from within the cell. "Sir, I have surrendered to the army," stated Colonel Holtz. "The Merchant's Guild is broken. The militia is being dissolved even as we speak. You are free, sir." The General came out of his cell. He was dirty and unshaven, but still had that overpowering air of authority. Colonel Holtz offered up his sword with both hands. The General took it, examined it, and raised an eyebrow in recognition. "My own sword?" asked the General. "I thought it would be safer with me than Teamer and his kind," stated Colonel Holtz. "I believe you know Per." "Of course, but where is Teamer?" "His head is above the gate along with Yayenski's," said Per. "You got them both?" asked the General. He then shook his head. "Time for that later. Let's get the others released." They released the General Staff of the Army, the palace guards and some other prisoners who had opposed the Merchant Guild's takeover. They found Iona, Inga, and Holina crowded together in one cell. Inga rushed to the General and hugged him tightly. Iona and Holina were a little more sedate, smiling their thanks to Per and gently touching his arms as if to make sure he was really there. They all trooped back up to the courtyard. The militia was gone and the captain was there with his soldiers guarding the weapons and the merchants. Shara, Contico, and Celine had managed to get inside the palace. "Your orders, sir?" asked the captain as he saluted the General smartly. "I guess you are the one I have to thank for rescuing us," stated the General returning the salute. "No, sir, it was Lady Shara who actually got us moving." "But you still took the initiative to act," said the General, "and that should be Queen Shara." "Qu... Qu... Queen Shara?" stammered the captain, looking a little pale. "Yes, Queen," repeated the General. "Wife of the Overlord and that sort of thing. Secure the streets until the City Guard can take over their duties again. Secure these prisoners in the dungeon. Report to the General Staff and I want your report of this action in two days, Major." The captain's head came up sharply and a smile spread across his face. "Yes, sir... and Colonel Holtz?" The General turned to face Colonel Holtz. Will you give me your word not to leave the city and to stay in your house?" asked the General. "I want you to report to the palace tomorrow morning. Will you give me your word on that?" "No, sir, I am sure a number of my men were killed or injured in the fighting. I know that some will have escaped and are in hiding. I wish to check on the injured and get those in hiding safely home before they do something rash." "Nothing more than I would do," replied the General. "Promise not to leave the city and report here tomorrow, fair enough?" "Yes, sir," said Colonel Holtz, who turned and left the palace. The General turned and stared intently at Per. He then looked around, taking in all the activity around him. "Well, Per, it appears you have found the unknown five," he said. "The unknown five?" asked Per in confusion before he remembered. "Ah, the prophesy, but I don't see any unknown five." "One, two, three, four, five..." counted the General, pointing in turn at Shara, Iona, Contico, Holina, and Celine. "They may be known to you, but unknown to someone else. Right now, we need to find you a place to stay. I'm not sure of the state of the rooms inside the palace. Major! Are there any places close by where we can put these people up in safety?" "There are several merchant houses nearby, which are under guard," replied the newly-promoted major, bringing muffled cries of protest from the bound merchants. "I believe ex-Lord Teamer's house would be sufficient." "All property of traitors belongs to the Lord of Delta," quoted the General. "We can settle the legalities later, but for now that house belongs to me. Have someone take our guests there and keep them safe." "I'm not leaving you," said Inga. "I've got to get cleaned up and out in the city where I can be seen. It'll reassure the people that I am back in power," stated the General. "I'm not leaving you," repeated Inga. "As you wish," said the General with tenderness in his voice. Per and the other five women were escorted by three squads of soldiers. They all gasped as the sergeant-in-charge led them to an opulent mansion, only slightly smaller than the palace itself. The six of them went inside while the sergeant posted his men outside. Per and the women halted in the foyer when they came face to face with about twenty servants. "May... may we help you?" asked a man hesitantly. He was dressed in formal clothing and Per guessed he was the head servant. "The General sent us," replied Per. "The palace is a little chaotic right now and he told us to room here." "This is Lord Teamer's residence," stated the servant a little fearfully. "We can not let you stay unless he has given you leave to do so." "Teamer is dead," stated Per. "The General has seized this residence since he has deemed Teamer to be a traitor." "Oh, I see," said the servant, assessing the information. "You, of course, are then welcome. We will vacate the premises as soon as possible." "Hold on," said Per quickly. "There is no reason for you to leave." "We have to," said the servant dryly. "We are all indentured servants. With Lord Teamer dead, our contracts pass on to his next-of-kin." "You are mistaken," corrected Shara. "As indentured servants, you are not property, but you are counted as part of Lord Teamer's wealth. The General has seized all of his assets, which, I believe, includes you." "Possession is nine-tenths of the law," quoted Holina. "Would you rather stay here under the General or over with Teamer's relatives while they settle the case?" The servant smiled and said, "I know it would be better for us here, but I will need some sort of official notification of our status." "I'll get that," responded Iona as she went out to talk to the sergeant. "May I offer you food and drink while the staff prepares your rooms?" asked the servant. "It would be inhospitable to refuse a request from the General. Is there anything else I can do for you?" "Bath?" asked Holina and Contico at the same time. "Of course, but... um..." The servant hesitated looking up and down Per's seven-foot, six inch frame. "Pool or fountain would be fine," suggested Per. "Yes, sir, but the water will be cold." "Hasn't killed me yet," laughed Per. The servant turned and began issuing orders to the rest of the staff. They took off on their assigned tasks with an air of relief. The servant led Per and the four women into the dining room, which was large enough to seat twenty people around the exquisite cherry wood table. Per started towards one of the chairs and then stopped. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to get out of this armor first," he said, looking warily at the chair and guessing if it would hold up his three hundred and fifty pounds. "There is a veranda through these doors," said the servant. "Lord Teamer installed a marble table and benches for dining outside." "Fine, we'll eat outside," said Shara flatly. Iona and Holina got Per unbuckled from his armor and left it in a corner of the dining room. The servant stated he would have it cared for. Per, dressed in his padding and breeches, picked up Dorgeth and went outside to the veranda. "Whew, Per, you smell!" complained Celine. "One of the disadvantages of wearing armor," replied Per. "The oil to keep it from rusting traps the smell of the metal and my sweat into the padding." They had just sat down when two maids, a footman, and the cook came out bearing trays laden with foot and drink. Per saw that the food consisted of whatever could be prepared quickly... eggs, cheese, jams, cooked meats, and breads. The servant plucked two pitchers from a tray and was pouring water or wine for them all. Shara tasted the wine and raised a questioning eyebrow to the servant. "An excellent vintage," she said admiringly. "Lord Teamer's finest," replied the servant. "I would hazard a guess it is not a vintage he readily shared," said Shara. "I believe you are the first to taste it besides Lord Teamer," stated the servant. It was just then that Iona came out onto the veranda, followed by her mother and the sergeant. Per stood up as they came forward. "You are the domo here?" asked Inga of the servant. "Yes, milady." "Do you know who I am?" she asked quickly. "Yes, milady." "I speak for the General," said Inga impatiently. "Lord Teamer is branded a traitor. All of his wealth, possessions, and holdings are forfeited to the crown... that includes contracts for indentured servants. Do you understand... uh, what is your name?" "Elijah, milady, and I do understand." "Good... I have to get back," said Inga. "Milady, it appears you are in a hurry, but, if I may, can I send word around to Lord Teamer's other holdings to inform them of the change?" "How much do you know of Lord Teamer's possessions?" asked Inga. "More than he thought I knew and enough for him to have me killed if he knew about it," stated Elijah. "Really?" asked Inga, losing a lot of her tenseness. "A considerable number?" "Yes, milady, and not all of them legal." "Stay here," ordered Inga to Elijah. "We need to secure as much of them as possible. I'll send back troops so make a list to give them." "Milady, some food before you leave?" asked Elijah. "I..." Inga swallowed hard as she looked longingly at the trays. "I... I have to get back." "He'll wait," said Iona, pushing her mother to the table. "He would wait forever for you. Eat! It won't do him or you any good if you faint from hunger." "Sergeant, send word to the General," commanded Inga. "We'll need troops to secure the late Lord Teamer's assets." "Yes, milady," replied the sergeant, who left immediately. They all sat down and ate their fill. Inga ate quickly and then left. They were just finishing when Per heard the stomp of marching boots coming from out in the street. He and the ladies went to the front door. A hundred men in two platoons were marching down the street towards the mansion in the morning light. They were being led by the major. "Your Majesty," greeted the major to Shara. "Per... ladies... The General sent me here with minimal instructions. Is Lady Inga still here?" "No, but I imagine he wishes you to secure Lord Teamer's assets," replied Shara. "The domo here knows a lot about Teamer's business dealings and where to find them. Seizing them will help break the back of the Merchant's Guild." "Then we should not delay," stated the major. Elijah went over all he knew with the major, the major's two lieutenants, and Shara. The other women went upstairs to their baths and beds. Per was led by another servant to a secluded pool, which had an artificial waterfall. He cleaned up and put on a robe that the servant had brought with him. The servant led him back to the mansion and up to the room set aside for Per. Per gasped when he opened the double doors. The room was huge with priceless paintings and sculptures around the walls. The bed was humongous and was covered with silky, rich cloth that shimmered in the light. "The domo thought you would be comfortable here," stated the servant. "It used to be the Master's bedroom." "I'm overwhelmed," said Per, looking around in wonder. "Get some rest, sir. I am supposed to wake you when the major returns." Per did not think he could fall asleep, but no sooner had he laid down on the bed, his body relaxed and he drifted off. It was just before noon when a knocking at his door woke him up. It seemed like he had just fallen asleep and he was still tired. He dressed quickly and headed downstairs. He heard footsteps behind him and spotted Shara on the landing. He waited for her to come down and they walked together into the morning room. "Your Majesty... Per..." beamed the major warmly as they entered the room. "The General should be well pleased with what we found. We even found a couple of merchants in hiding." "No problems. I hope?" asked Per. "Well, I did have a little trouble getting my men out of the ladies boarding house, but the biggest problem I had was at the small villa where he kept his mistress. I don't know what he saw in her, apart from her beauty. She was cold, calculating, with a tongue sharp enough to cut off a man's head. I finally just had my men strip her of all her jewelry and toss her out into the street. She was still screaming and yelling when I left there." "She may not have been able to comprehend Teamer's downfall," suggested Shara. "There were several who could not comprehend that," advised the major. "I'm just glad I took Elijah along with me. He settled most of the arguments." "It sounds like everything went well," said Shara. "Can we offer you some of Teamer's vintage wine? I would also like to hear more about your life. We did not get much of a chance to talk before. Per, be a dear, and go tell Elijah to let the servants get some rest. They have put in a hard morning and I'm sure the night wasn't too restful for them, either. You look like you could do with some more rest yourself." Per nodded to her and left to find Elijah. He related Shara's orders and Elijah's mouth twitched up into a smile. He thanked Per and said the servants would rest until sundown when they would prepare dinner. Per decided to walk around the mansion. He did not feel like going back to sleep because he would be up all night long then. He found the library, but nothing there captured his interest. Per headed back to the main foyer, planning on going to the garden, but stopped when he heard a noise coming from the morning room. Per crept as quietly as possible to the door. Carefully turning the handle, he opened the door and his mouth dropped open. He was so stunned that the gasp he was about to give got caught in his throat. The major was stark naked, lying on his back on the thick rug carpet. His head was towards Per with his feet in the opposite direction. His hands were cupping Shara's generous breast from underneath. She was also naked, sitting astride his hips with her hands on her own. Shara looked up at Per, gave him a look not to move, smiled, and winked at him. "I'm... gasp... I'm going to be burned at the stake... stake for this, aren't I?" panted the major in passion. "Only if you're indiscreet," replied Shara. Of course, then you might just be made to disappear." She ground her hips down on his, embedding his cock further into her tight cunt. The major groaned in ecstasy. "I did promise you a reward. The General beat me to your promotion, so I thought I'd do something else for you. Your risk earned you great rewards. Remember that." Shara raised her hands up to her luxurious, thick black hair and interlaced her fingers through it. Her large tits rose up magnificently and her hard nipples jutted out majestically. She began gyrating her hips around and around in circles. The major inhaled sharply as he felt his cock stir around inside her hot, wet snatch. He reached up with his forefingers and thumbs to pinch and rub her outthrust nipples between them. Shara shivered and moaned as jolts of pleasure shot through her breasts. She squeezed the hard shaft stuffed inside her with her vaginal muscles as she continued her gyrations. Her body took on a sheen as she began to perspire. Sweat dripped off the major's forehead and Per could see him fight to keep from cumming too soon. Per knew it was a lost cause. The pleasure from her nipples and the hard cock buried inside her caused Shara to have a series of mini-orgasms. As she shivered through each one, she shimmied her hips back and forth. The new motion pushed the major over the edge. With a loud grunt, his hands slapped down onto Shara's hips to hold her in place. His face grimaced and his whole body tensed up for that split-second before he climaxed. The major started to shake, starting with his head and then it traveled down his shoulders, across his chest and down to his groin. With a loud gasp, his hips arched upward. His cock pulsated and spewed forth his hot, thick seed into Shara's womb. Shara sighed in contentment as she felt him cum deep in her vagina. She then laid down on top of him, holding him close as they both gasped for breath. Per jerked upright when he heard loud voices coming from outside. He eased the door closed and headed out front to see what the problem was. The last thing he wanted was for Shara and the major to be seen. At the bottom of the steps, was a heavy, gray-haired, beady-eyed, angry woman arguing with the sergeant. Three young men and two women were with her. They were obviously the woman's children and Per recognized Teamer's characteristics in their faces. The woman looked up at the door opening and saw Per. "That!" spat the woman shrilly and pointing at Per. "You're denying my right to my house so that thing can live in it!" Per hurried down the steps and said firmly, "The General placed us here saying the palace wasn't fit for guests after the last person's residence there, Lady Teamer." "Don't try to match wits with me, boy," snarled Lady Teamer. "You don't have the equipment." "Gee, your husband thought I was inferior too... just before I stuck his head above the gate." Her children all gasped in unison and took a step backwards. Lady Teamer's eyes narrowed as she studied Per. Per gave her a little respect in that she showed no fear or reaction to his statement. "Well, I guess I should thank you for that small favor," said Lady Teamer calmly, which shocked her children even more. "Oh, grow up. I know you all aren't that innocent." She turned back to face Per. "I will not be thrown out of my house for the likes of you, though." "What about the likes of me?" asked Shara, walking out of the front door. Lady Teamer's face turned sourer than it had been before and said, "You're one of those stuck-up noble ladies, who prance around like they have a pole stuck up their butt. Why don't you grab your big fuck-toy here and go to the nearest sty, which is where your perverted practices belong?" "Sergeant, you know who I am, correct?" asked Shara. "Yes, Your Majesty." "Good... I've been insulted. Kill her and that mangy brood with her." "Wh... What, Your Majesty?" stammered the sergeant, his eyes becoming very wide. "She insulted me," repeated Shara imperially. "Kill her." "Your Majesty," interrupted Per. "Lady Teamer probably does not recognize you. I think you should at least let her know she has insulted royalty." "I'm Queen Shara, wife of the Overlord. The General put me up here when I was caught up in your city's recent unpleasantness. If you have an issue with the house, take it up with him." "But we need..." one of the sons started to say before Lady Teamer hit him in the face with her purse. "My apologies, Your Majesty," said Lady Teamer oily. "I did not wish for him to insult you and end up a corpse. I offer my apologies for any insult I may have given you. The events of the past couple of days have been trying and I forgot myself. If you will excuse us, I will go present my case to the General." "You are dismissed," said Shara, with a negligent wave of her hand before turning to go back inside. "Come along, Per." Per climbed back up the stairs, entered the house, and closed the door. Shara had stepped into the morning room and was watching Lady Teamer through the lace curtains. Per was glad to see that the major was not there. "I sent the major out the back way," stated Shara, watching Lady Teamer leave. "Thank you for stopping her. She would have bullied her way past the sergeant and that would have been awkward." "Embarrassing and probably deadly if they had seen you and the major," added Per. "You would have killed them?" asked Shara with just a hint of surprise in her voice. "We'll never know," replied Per. "I wonder what they wanted so badly from this house?" "I wondered about that myself," said Shara. "Maybe Elijah has an idea of what that might be. Tell the sergeant to keep a close eye out for people around this house. Lady Teamer doesn't strike me as the type to give up easily. You might want to catch up on some sleep. It's been a long morning." "You're right about that," stated Per. "I got some sleep, but I now feel like I could use some more." Per looked up at the sky. It was past noon, but it felt like he had been up for two days straight. His eyes were gritty and his muscles felt like lead weights. He decided he had better head back upstairs to his room. Per went up to his room and opened the door. He then froze in complete surprise. "Hello, Per. I understand I have you to thank for our rescue." Iona was naked, lying coyly on the bed. Her skin tone was paler than Per remembered and she had lost weight. There was no mistaking the lust in her eyes. She slowly swung herself out of the bed and sauntered over to Per. Iona pulled him into the room and closed the door. She then pulled his head down and gave him a passionate kiss. "Oh, Gods, it's so good to see you," gushed Iona as she broke the kiss and began peeling off Per's clothing. "Teamer threw us all in jail. We had no idea what was happening until we were released this morning." She stripped Per down to the skin. "Go lie down, while I put your clothes away. Teamer was obsessed with stopping the prophesy. In a coup, he captured the General and the entire General Staff of the army. His militia took over the city and then the surrounding countryside. Holina and I walked right into the city and were tossed in the dungeon with my mother." Iona finished putting Per's clothes away. She turned and walked sexily back towards the bed. "I'm so glad you got Yayenski and saved Queen Shara," stated Iona as she sat on the bed. "Now, it's time for your reward... Per?... Per?..." "Zzzzzzzzzzzz" ------- Chapter 13 Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and macktheknife. "I think we need to stop here." Per reined in Koth and turned in his saddle to look at Queen Shara. She was looking at him imperially as if she expected her statement to be obeyed immediately. Her attitude had become more 'royal' and, to Per, more irritating after they crossed the border and rode closer to the Capitol. "What now, Your Majesty?" asked the General, riding up from behind with Iona, indicating that Per was not the only one put out by her behavior. Shara flushed in embarrassment and said, "I'm sorry. Now that we're back, all my bad habits keep cropping up. I would like to stop so that I can get changed." "Changed?" asked Per uncomprehending. "Why? We're only a couple of hours from the Capitol." "Haven't you noticed the tenseness in the people we have encountered?" asked Shara. "They're jumpy, scared, and frightened. Remember the first village where we told them who I was? They would not believe it until after I changed out of my traveling outfit into something more regal. It reassured them and they finally began to relax around us." "So that's why we've stopped in every town and village along the way!" exclaimed Per. "Of course," stated Shara. Her face then lit up in comprehension. "Oh, I see. You did not understand. My dressing-up along with acting like my old self must have seemed like I was subverting the people or manipulating them." "The thought had occurred to me," said Per. "What's going on?" asked Holina as she, Celine, and Contico rode up. "May we please stop here?" Shara asked of Per and the General. "I think I need to explain some things." The General signaled his men to secure the area. Inga joined the group as they moved off the road. Their horses were led away and they made themselves comfortable on the ground or on fallen logs. Shara remained standing. "I wish to apologize," she said to everyone. "I am not used to explaining my actions, which has left you in the dark as to what I was doing. My people are tense and fearful. Their main concern was if they would survive the kingdom falling apart from my abduction. I was trying to reassure them by letting them know I had been rescued and was returning to them." "Ah! Now, I understand!" remarked the General. "I don't," replied Per. "I mean, I understand reassuring the people, but why all the theatrics?" "Per, what would you and other people think if your mother started wearing armor and acting like a fighter?" asked Shara. "Well, we'd... uh... um..." Per sighed. "We'd probably think she lost her mind." "Partially correct," stated Shara. "There is also possession and impersonation by any number of magical creatures. I will be subjugated to several days of magical tests to ensure I am the real Queen Shara as it is. I've been dressing and acting the way I have been because the people expect it of me. To dress and act differently would only increase their apprehension and add fuel to their doubts. Their fears may make them do something rash, which could be disastrous all around." "That would happen, Per," added the General, "especially with strange soldiers escorting her back to the Capitol." "I'm sorry if I snubbed anyone," said Shara. "It was just easier to keep up the appearances. I'll try to do better. Anyway, the General's messenger should have reached my husband by now and, if I know him, he'll be here within an hour. That is precious little time to change in. May I suggest we all freshen up? There will be a parade through the streets." "You're joking," scoffed Iona. "No, she's not," answered Holina and the General together. They smiled at each other and Holina went on to say, "Her abduction would be viewed as a weakness in this kingdom. A parade through the streets showing her return reinforces the monarchy." "Sounds like you know about these things," commented Contico. "My father is Warden of the Eastern Spine," said Holina. "Dwarven politics is a little rougher and tumble than human, but it is essentially the same." "Well, I, for one, am not going to look like a ragamuffin when we enter the Capitol," stated Inga. She turned to face the General. "Dear, would you please have someone bring my valise over to that shrubbery over there?" "You're not going to change dresses, are you?" asked the General. "Yes, I am," replied Inga stonily. "As your wife and visiting monarch, we will look our best. Don't you agree?" "Ah, yes, dear," stammered the General. "Smooth," joked Per to Holina. "I thought he was going to miss that threat." "Aw, fuck!" griped Holina, under her breath. "I'm going to have to get back into that dwarven torture device of a dress." "Why don't you set a new fashion and where something comfortable?" suggested Per. "Because this is the Capitol of the Overlord," replied Holina. "There will be dwarves there and my father will hear about it if I don't wear the traditional dress... especially if I parade it through the streets." Celine looked at her stained traveling outfit and said, "I'm afraid this is my best outfit." "I think we can do something better than that," said Inga. "Iona, I packed dresses for you." Iona looked up at her mother in shock. "I knew it would be a wasted effort, but I had hope. Would you mind if Celine borrows one? You can also try one on if you like." Iona sighed and said, "Yes, mother. Come on, Celine. Let's see what there is so we can get changed. Happy, mother?" "You're such a good girl," stated Inga with a smile. Soon the ladies were decked out in their finery. The men took their cue from them and made themselves presentable. Horses were groomed, armor cleaned and weapons inspected for rust. Celine looked lovely in a pink gown that only had to be darned in a couple of places. Holina, in her tight corset, did Celine's hair so that Celine changed from pretty to beautiful. Iona and Inga both wore blue gowns, while Contico was dressed in shimmering green. Shara looked every part a queen in radiant white. "Where did you get those dresses?" asked Per in awe as they presented themselves before him and the General. "These old things?" teased Shara, pirouetting around. "We have the General to thank for that." "I know an enchanting seamstress," confided the General. "She can turn out the most fabulous clothes, but that's as far as her magic will take her." "I'm sure our Thaumaturgical School can help her," stated Shara. "I'll even arrange transportation here so she can be tested." Inga laughed and said, "Nice try, Your Majesty. I prefer to keep her in our employ." Shara returned the laugh. "I thought I'd give it a try. Her work is marvelous." "Sir!" called out a soldier stationed down the road. "A troop of cavalry... Kingdom colors... two banners." "Lieutenant, form up the men," ordered the General. "Shara, your husband is approaching. One banner is the unit banner. The other, I presume, will be the royal banner." "Thank you," said Shara with a little catch in her voice. "It might be best if Per and I move forward to greet him." "As you wish," replied the General. "You know him better than I do." Shara nodded and started to walk down the road. Per followed after her and moved up beside her. They stopped when they were about a hundred yards from the others. Per could hear the faint hoof beats of approaching horses. "Per, I'm scared," admitted Shara suddenly. "I was plotting to have him overthrown the night I was captured. What if he found out about it?" "He won't learn it from me," said Per softly. "I believe you have changed, even though you backslide at times." Shara snorted as she tried to swallow her laughter. "Remember you have to show him that you have changed." The hoof beats became louder and the troop of about thirty lancers came cantering around the bend in the road. Per saw the Overlord in the lead. He raised his hand and slowed the troop down to walk. Shara's face was pinched tight and she was trembling slightly. The Overlord halted the troop and swung a leg over the neck of his horse to drop to the ground. "Courage, Your Majesty," whispered Per to Shara. "What would you want to see if the roles were reversed?" Shara took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She took two steps forward as the Overlord approached and then sank down to one knee. Per, not expecting her action, floundered for a second before dropping to one knee himself. Per heard the Overlord slow to a stop and also a collective gasp from the royal guards. "What are you doing, Shara?" asked the Overlord quietly so that only she and Per could hear him. "I'm kneeling before my liege lord and husband," replied Shara in the same tone. "I beg your forgiveness that my folly has brought us to this point." "Your folly is no worse than mine," replied the Overlord, moving forward and kneeling beside her. "I am glad you have returned unharmed. Come and stand up. I don't believe the queen or my wife should be kneeling in the dirt. My guards also wouldn't understand it." Per looked up to see some consternation on the faces of the horsemen who had ridden with the Overlord. He stood up after the Overlord had helped Shara to rise and motioned for Per to get up. The Overlord jumped a little bit and a shocked look appeared on his face when Shara wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. After a moment's hesitation, he hugged her back with murmurs of approval coming from his men. "Well, Per, it seems that you are the hero of the hour," said the Overlord. "I must admit it did not look good for you when Queen Shara was first abducted." "That was my thought, too, Your Majesty," replied Per. "I'm still amazed that you came after me, after all that I did," stated Shara. "Water under the bridge, Your Majesty," said Per. "No, it's not," said Shara firmly. She released her hold around the Overlord's waist. "Come, we have visitors and I'm sure you want to hear the story." "It'll have to be the short version," said the Overlord. "Preparations in the Capitol are being made and we have to leave here in one hour. There will be time tomorrow evening to go over the entire event with everyone involved." "Everyone, Your Majesty?" asked Per, stunned as he thought of all the people he had met while chasing after Queen Shara. "Maybe not everyone," chuckled the Overlord. He then turned serious. "As a matter of fact, your mother and step-father are missing. They left on some mission, leaving a warrior named Octavia in charge of the barony. She and her friends have done much to make it secure." "Let me introduce you to the Lord High General of Delta," said Shara. The General's men had lined the road at attention as the three of them walked between them. "Your Majesty," said the Overlord with a bow to the General. "Your Majesty," replied the General with a bow. "I think that should cover convention. Please call me Darek," and he held out his hand. "Ruger," said the Overlord, shaking hands. The rest of the time was spent with Per relating briefly the adventures that occurred during his rescue of Queen Shara. He showed Mad Max's prophesy to the Overlord and introduced him to everyone present. The Overlord read the prophesy twice before handing it back to Per, who hurriedly finished off the rest of his story. "There's a lot missing from your tale, Per, but, even so..." The Overlord shook his head. "I can scarcely believe it. Unfortunately, it is getting late and we have to get to the Capitol. I sent criers through the city and the people will be waiting for us. Darek, will you ride beside us when we enter the city?" The General nodded. "Thank you. Per, I want you to ride directly behind us to be followed in turn by the ladies." The ride to the Capitol was accomplished swiftly and without incident. As they approached the city, but before it was in sight, Per heard a dull roar that kept getting louder the closer they rode. Unsure of what it was, he nervously kept looking around until the General caught him at it. The General smiled at Per, winked and nodded his assurance that it was okay. Per settled down and finally found the source of the noise when they topped over a ridge that brought them into full view of the Capitol. "HURRAH!" "By the Gods!" swore Per as the wave of sound crashed over him, making Koth prance around. Thousands of citizens of the city were outside the city walls and lining the battlements. They had sent up a cry as soon as the royal party came into sight. The overlord's and the General's men moved out sharply as everyone else lined up in their assigned positions. The crowd was shouting out its enthusiasm as they rode in. In the forefront of the crowd were the courtiers, dignitaries, and nobles of the court along with the wizards of the Thaumaturgical School. Just before they rode through the gates, Queen Shara asked the Overlord to stop. He halted and Shara leaned over to talk to one of the wizards. The wizard nodded and cast a spell that caused little shimmering lights to fall to the ground. My people," said Shara. Her voice rolled out away from her so everyone could hear what she was saying. The crowd became silent. "I am Queen Shara and was kidnapped a year ago here in this very city by a blood relative. I was rescued and returned by Per Devon, son of Baron Tenan and Lady Karina. I understand the time during my absence was one of uncertainty and doubt, but the Kingdom persevered. It was kept safe and secure by one true and great ruler... my husband, the Overlord!" The cheer that went up from the people was deafening. The Overlord looked like he had been pole-axed until he managed to shake off his astonishment at her speech. Per took a quick look around at the cheering mob. His eyes lighted upon a group of nobles who were clearly not pleased with Shara's speech. The family resemblance between them and her was unmistakable. The royal party moved on through the packed streets to the palace. Everyone was celebrating, although Per was certain that the dour group by the city gate was not among them. The entire court, all the palace servants, staff, and guards had turned out and were waiting by the palace courtyard. A beautiful, older woman was standing at the top of the courtyard steps by the entrance. Per dismounted along with everyone else and walked up the steps. "Welcome back, Your Majesty," said the woman to Shara as she approached. "We are all grateful for your safe return." "That's not really true, Lady Triarii," said Shara sadly. "Hopefully, I will be able to change those attitudes." She then moved forward to hug Lady Triarii. "Your Majesty!" gasped Lady Triarii in shock. "Relax, it's just a show of support for you," said Shara with a smile. "I know it will take some time before you trust me or regard me as a friend. I have come to view things differently because of my kidnapping. I need to have a serious talk with you about my family... among other things." She shot a quick look at the Overlord. Lady Triarii's eyes widened and then narrowed. She said, "I'm afraid it won't be until tomorrow. After you get cleaned up from your travels, we're going to parade you around like a prize cow. I've sent couriers out to all the nearby villages, towns, and cities. The court wizards are contacting everyone else about your return. I expect the Capitol's population to double by tomorrow, which means another round of marching you out for show." "Lady Triarii!" admonished the Overlord, but he stopped when Shara broke out in laughter. "I already knew that was going to happen," laughed Shara. "It's kind of refreshing to have it put so bluntly." "You have changed," stated Lady Triarii with a slight smile. "Your Majesties, I must request some of your time before you change. There are people in the small audience chamber you need to see." Lady Triarii cast a steely glance at Per. "You, too. The servants will show the rest of the gentlemen and ladies to their rooms." The Overlord, Shara, and Per followed Lady Triarii away from the main entrance and down a hallway. She led them to a small doorway and opened the door. Inside was a small room with pictures of landscapes on the walls. Comfortable chairs and sofas were arranged neatly throughout the room. Five people stood up as they entered. "Mom?" gasped Per. "Per?" gasped Karina, resplendent in her armor. She ran over to hug him tightly to her. "Praise the Gods you're alive." "I guess we're just so much chopped liver," joked the Overlord to Shara. "Oh, Your Majesties, I'm sorry," stammered Karina, wiping away her tears. She bowed to both of them. "We arrived just after you left and Lady Triarii's kept us here ever since. I did not know my son was with you. May I introduce my companions?" "Your new ones, you mean," muttered the Overlord. "May I introduce Helga, Lorilei, Phartom, and Leekya," said Karina. "Ladies, this is the Overlord, ruler of this realm, and his wife, Queen Shara." The four women all curtsied with return nods from the two monarchs. An awkward silence filled the air until Lady Triarii coughed to remind them of the time. "Lady Karina, I'm glad you are safe, but you did disobey a royal command," said the Overlord. "Unfortunately, I do not have the time now to sort through everything. I would like to meet with everyone tomorrow night. I didn't ask last time so I'll ask now... will you give me your word to stay in the palace?" "Yes, Your Majesty," replied Karina. "Per, you will come with us," ordered the Overlord. "You are the Queen's savior and the people need to see you also... until tomorrow night." The Overlord, Shara, and Per left the room. Lady Triarii turned to face the five women. "I have rooms made up for each of you," she said. "Lady Karina, where is Genese? Her mother is getting a little frantic, despite the assurances coming from the Sharak Islands." "She stayed there with Prince Antonio and Princess Sophia," replied Karina. "She's, uh, helping them with a martial problem they had." "Ah, that would be related to the Princess' accident," said Lady Triarii. "I'll arrange a trip for her mother and sister to visit her there. Come, I'll show you to your rooms." "Lady Triarii..." She stopped and looked at Karina. "Have you heard from Tenan?" "I'm sorry, no." "Is it permissible to notify some people?" asked Karina. Lady Triarii chuckled and said, "There is a few waiting here for you already. I sent out messengers to notify Lady Octavia of Per's return after the ruler of Delta told us of the Queen's rescue. She should be here tomorrow." Lady Triarii led them up to their rooms. Helga, Lorilei, Phartom, and Leekya were put in large spacious bedrooms. Karina had a suite which had a large sitting room and a bedroom off to the side. Karina's mouth dropped open a second time when she saw who was waiting for her. Melinar was there along with Nyrandurril, Alana, Gedda, Nesbra, and Ivin. Everyone froze for a second before they squealed and cried out in delight at seeing one another. There was a lot of hugging and tears. Lady Triarii tried to make an unobtrusive exit, but Karina stopped her. "Can you stay awhile?" asked Karina. "We need to talk about something important." "Let me see Their Majesties off and I will return right after that." "What are you all doing here?" asked Karina after Lady Triarii left. "It appears that Bargan, Tessa, and I all received a message from our goddess," said Ivin. "She informed us that the time of the ritual was rapidly approaching. So, we got together and started mustering the troops, so to speak... um... shouldn't we have some introductions first?" "Of course," said Karina. "Ivin, Melinar, Nyrandurril, Alana, Nesbra, and Gedda, I'd like you to meet Lorilei, Phartom, Leekya, and Helga. I'm not sure who knows who. Phartom and Leekya are taking part in the ritual. I'm afraid to ask, but how are we doing finding everyone?" "Well," said Melinar, pulling a list out of her pocket. "We have Dorthea at the farm. Octavia, Cendri, Karlto, and Pawl were at your castle running things, but should be here soon. Bargan, Tessa, Calli, Andie, and Dorna are staying at the Temple of Aphrodite here in the city. We did manage to contact the two giantesses, who stated they would be at the farm." Melinar took in a deep breath. "We haven't heard from Gar or Tenan about Oraag, Morning Mist, or Golden Sunlight. You will have to tell us about the ghost." "That would be me," stated Leekya. "You?" exclaimed Gedda in disbelief. "You look kind of real to me." "And you did look fetching in my green shift," countered Leekya. Gedda's eyes widened in amazement. "By the Night! It is her!" She turned to look at Phartom. "Who would you be then?" "I'm the succubus the giantess released to save her daughter in exchange for Per's soul," stated Phartom primly. You could have heard a pin drop in the total silence that followed Phartom's statement. Karina, Helga, and Lorilei were the only ones not in total shock. "But... but... but... you look so human!" stammered Nyrandurril. "Looks can be deceiving, little elf," replied Phartom, pushing her hair back from her horns. Ivin started to raise her hands involuntarily to cast a spell. "Oh, stop that! Hades jammed this gem in my forehead changing my alignment from evil to good. I am now ill-suited to live in the Hells." "Do you mind if I test that?" asked Ivin. "Ivin, I trust her," said Karina. "It's alright, Karina," soothed Phartom. "It is a lot to take on faith... fire when ready." Ivin muttered an incantation and swung her arms around in a circle. A circle of white light flashed into place on the floor around her before disappearing. Phartom walked completely around Ivin looking down at the floor. She stopped when she was behind her. "Hmm, a circle of protection against evil," mused Phartom. She smiled and stepped over the boundary and leaned up against Ivin's back. "See... I'm good." Ivin smiled back. She then yelped and jumped forward as Phartom goosed her. "Maybe not that good," teased Phartom, which brought a roar of laughter from the other women. There was a knock at the door and Lady Triarii entered at Karina's bidding. "What can I do for you, Lady Karina?" she asked. "I need your assessment on the ritual that involves not only the women in this room, but others as well," stated Karina. She went over the entire ritual, who they had found, and who was still missing. Lady Triarii did not say a word, but her shrewd eyes kept glancing at the other women, gauging their reaction and emotions. Karina fell silent when she was done and waited. The only part she had left out was her role with her son. Lady Triarii stood and went over to pull on a bell cord. She gave a message to the servant who responded and then she sat back down. "I'd say you're in trouble," commented Lady Triarii, "but not as much as it first appears. By your list, you are missing five women, but have contacted two of the five, who said they would be at your farm. I think we can rest assured that Gar will not let you down. That leaves us with two missing that you know of. Including Queen Shara, Per rode here with six women. They do not include your missing two. I have sent for four of them. The General and Lady Inga are out with the Overlord and Queen Shara. Will Queen Shara take part in the ritual? I don't know. She has changed, but I don't know yet how much or if it's permanent." A knock at the door interrupted them. Lady Triarii opened the door and escorted four females into the room. "I'm glad I picked a large suite for you," she said to Karina. "This is Iona, Holina, Celine, and Contico. I'll leave it to you other ladies to introduce yourself." After the introductions, Karina related to the four newcomers about the ritual and what she had done to ensure its completion. "Torak's Beard!" cursed Holina, good-naturedly. "Do you know your son is one randy bastard?" "Smooth," muttered Iona. "Leave it to a dwarf to get right to the heart of a matter. I think there is something you need to see. We found a prophesy that relates to this. It's with Per's gear." "His room is five doors down and to the right," said Lady Triarii. "His gear should be there." Iona left and soon returned with a scroll case. She read Mad Max wife's prophesy to them in its entirety. "That's why we came back with Per," stated Iona. "We are the five unknowns, at least to you, Karina. I will take part in the ritual." "Me, too," piped in Celine. "Count me in," added Holina. "This sounds way too kinky," said Contico. "Count me in as well." "That only leaves Queen Shara," stated Karina. "Worry about that tomorrow," said Lady Triarii, rising up. "I've ordered food, wine, and ale to be sent up and it should be arriving shortly. It might be best to relax now and get to know one another." Karina escorted Lady Triarii to the door as the other females began to chat among themselves. Lady Triarii stopped at the door and turned around to face Karina. She leaned in close and whispered, "The most influential woman in a man's life is his mother." Karina took in a deep breath and said, "I know." "Ah, I see," stated Lady Triarii as if they were talking about the weather. "Do the others know?" 'Tenan knows. Gar told him. I'm sure some others have guessed." "You're a good mother, Karina. Per is very lucky." "You don't disapprove?" asked Karina. "Over something like that?" scoffed Lady Triarii. "My disapproval is usually reserved for the greedy and selfish who only care about themselves." Her face took on a sad expression. "... or those who hurt the innocent." "If you are referring to what happened to me at your villa, forget about it," said Karina, touching Lady Triarii on the arm. "It may not make you feel any better, but it was as much my fault as yours. I was running here and there, not caring about Queen Shara or the Kingdom. You and the Overlord had no idea what we were up to." Lady Triarii leaned closer and uncharacteristically hugged Karina. "Thank you," she said. "Remember not to leave the palace. It won't do you any good if you tick off the Overlord before the meeting tomorrow. Let everyone know that they are to be there... royal command." The night was an endless blur to Per. The Overlord and Shara led him around to every part of the city. People were partying as if there was no tomorrow. Per learned to ignore the speeches given after he heard them for the third time. Everyone kept coming up and congratulating him in the rescue. Men shook his hand, girls kissed him, and all sorts of items were given to him. Per managed to divest himself of most of the gifts as they moved about. It was early morning by the time they returned to the palace. Per crashed into his bed and it seemed like he was only asleep for a second before some functionary was waking him up again. It was another day of round-robin speech making and greeting the people. Per noticed that Shara showed more warmth to them as she let her old façade fall away. He caught sight of the Overlord looking at her with a smile on his face, pleased by her new attitude. It was late in the afternoon before they returned to the palace. "Get some rest, Per," ordered the Overlord. "We'll meet right after dinner. Someone will come to get you." Per did manage to get some more sleep and ate dinner with his mother. He could not help but smile as different people he knew came by to see him. Alana stopped by with Holina, then Helga popped in, and was followed by Nesbra, Contico, and Lorilei. Karina introduced the witch to Per just before they received the summons to appear before the Overlord. Karina was a little surprised when they were led, not to the throne room, but taken instead to a large chamber that was usually used for cabinet meetings. Per was surprised by the number of people there. He immediately saw Melinar, Nyrandurril, Vail, and Dareen standing by the door. Sitting off to one side was Octavia, Karlto, Pawl, Cendri, and Gedda. Seated at the large table were Alana, Nesbra, Lorilei, and Contico. Per recognized Ivin, Bargan, Tessa, Calli, Andie, and Dorna. There was a woman there who looked very familiar to Per, who was talking to Holina, Iona, and Celine, but he could not place her. Another woman that he did not recognize at all came over to greet him. "Good evening, Per," she said. "I wanted to greet you and apologize for what I did to you so that you don't go berserk on me." "Huh, sure," said Per hesitantly, unsure of what she was talking about. "Your mother was there when Hades changed me. I'm not the same as when we met. I'm Phartom." Per stiffened and his hand went automatically for Dorgeth's hilt, but he did not draw it out. Slowly, he released his grip and let go of the hilt, while taking in a deep breath to steady his nerves. "Does my mother know what you are?" he asked quietly. "Yes, we met in the Hells as she was traveling through to go see Hades," replied Phartom. "Leekya, over there, was the woman she was after. "Leekya?" asked Per, still unable to place the woman. "The ghost from Tymera's manor," stated Octavia, walking over to them. "It's really good to see you again, Per... and you, too, Karina. I wanted to beat you black and blue for sneaking away like that, but I realized that you did not have a choice." "You always have a choice," stated the Overlord, coming in through the door with Shara, Lady Triarii, the General, and Inga. "Not always, Your Majesty," said Karina as everyone bowed or curtsied. "Please, be seated," said the Overlord as Octavia whispered to Karina, "I've got some big items for you back at the farm." "Octavia, I don't think we have to keep this a secret anymore," said Karina softly. "Is it Gar?" "That's one of them," said Octavia with a smile. "He has Oraag and the two giantesses showed up." "From what Queen Shara told me last night, I think we should keep things informal," said the Overlord. "Please, feel free to speak without fear. This started with your abduction, my Queen. Why don't we start there?" Shara related her meeting with her uncle, Cedric's kidnapping, and the flight to Yayenski's underground castle. She unashamedly told how she and Per killed Yayenski, the battle at Delta, and their return to the Capitol. "You do know you just implicated your uncle in treason?" asked Lady Triarii. "Yes, in a plot I conceived," stated Shara. "It, most likely, fell apart after my kidnapping... just another thing I have to answer for." "We can discuss that later," stated the Overlord. "Per, it's your turn." Per managed to stammer his way through how he and his companions were separated and how he found his way back to the Capitol. He told of his encounters with Melinar, Nyrandurril, and Vail. He recounted the incident with Lord Letlow and how he and Dareen had seen Queen Shara's kidnapping. Per told of the chase, meeting Iona, going to Delta, and their encounter with Mad Max. He told of going to the Eastern Spine and finding his way through the caverns to Yayenski's hideout. Iona, Holina, Contico, and Celine all filled in their part in the adventure. "Well, at least we can stop looking for Letlow now," said Lady Triarii to the Overlord. "He was a bastard, but too powerful to remove. We're doing well to be rid of him." "You're right about that," replied the Overlord calmly. "Lady Karina, you're up." Karina told them everything, except her and Per's part in the ritual. She related the initial meeting with Gar, what the ritual entailed, and the search for everyone involved. Shara gave her a quizzical look a couple of times, but did not say anything. Karina finished up with Hades' task, her trip to the Sharak Islands, and her sex change incident. "Asmodeus changed you back?" gasped Ivin. "Painfully," stated Karina. "That's not your natural form, is it, Phartom?" asked Pawl. "No, it isn't," replied Phartom. "This image keeps people at ease." "No offense, Phartom, but can you change into your real shape?" asked the Overlord. "I prefer seeing the real side of beings I deal with." Phartom's body shimmered as she changed back into the voluptuous, red-skinned succubus she was. The only thing that did not change was the blue gem in the middle of her forehead. A couple of people squirmed in their seats, but whether it was because of her horns and wings or because of her sheer sexual nakedness was hard to tell. She, Lorilei, and Leekya filled in a couple of the missing pieces and then fell silent. "I'm... I'm amazed," stated the Overlord. Per could scarcely believe what his mother had done for him. "It is entirely up to Queen Shara if she participates in the ritual or not. I will not say anything on it one way or the other. However, if she does decide to participate, it can not happen in this realm. If it got out, the population would revolt, given all the stress they have been through." "I will take part in the ritual," said Shara. "There is one stipulation. It must take place in Yayenski's castle." "Your Majesty, that may be impossible," said Karina. "The time remaining for the ritual is very short. We can not make it there in time." "I have an obligation there, Lady Karina," said Shara. "It is outside the realm and the perfect location for an ogre ritual. Talk to... Gar, is it?... when we get back to your farm. We can leave tomorrow." "You can't, Your Majesty," argued Lady Triarii. "The people need to see you here." "The people of the realm need to see me," countered Shara. "This is a tour around the kingdom to show that I am alive and have returned. I also need to rest and recuperate from my ordeal." "Oh, I understand," said Lady Triarii. "The lands under Baron Tenan's control would be the best place to start." "Correct," said Shara with a smile. She turned to the others. "If you will excuse us, the Overlord, Lady Triarii and I have some private matters to discuss. Pull on the bellcord if you need anything. Lady Karina, the restriction on staying in the palace is rescinded." "Thank you, Your Majesty, but I think I'll stay in and just talk for now," said Karina. The Overlord, Shara, and Lady Triarii left. Karina had ale and wine brought up and the mood became festive. Old friends greeted one another and, at the same time, new friends were made. Pawl and Karlto could not keep their eyes off Phartom's obvious assets until Octavia whacked both of them on the back of the head. Tessa, by questioning the servants learned there were musicians in the palace and they soon had a party going on. "Per, do you mind escorting me to my room?" Per turned to find his mother standing beside him. She looked lovely in her pale blue gown. He stood up and offered her his arm. "Thank you," said Karina, taking his arm and walking with him out of the room. "I've seen Octavia party and I think I'll leave that to the younger ones." "I've seen her party, too. Ivin and her sister are your age," stated Per. "Yes, and Ivin should know better from the last time she went out with Octavia," chuckled Karina. "I can't believe we found them all... almost all. I'm worried about Tenan." "If I know Morning Mist and Golden Sunlight, they probably have exhausted him," said Per with a smile. "You know, it's funny to talk about things like this and not worry about what is being said." "This is my suite," said Karina. "Please, come in. It's things like that which I have to talk to you about." "What, mom?" asked Per as he entered the suite. "If it's about Tenan and the two girls..." Oh, no, I'm not worried about that," said Karina. "Have a seat. It's about myself and the ritual." She remained standing as Per sat down and took in a deep breath. "The ritual states that you have to make love to women who have influenced you greatly. That is why Queen Shara is part of it." "Yes?" replied Per when his mother stopped and looked at him questioningly. "Uh... er..." stammered Karina, her cheeks burning. "Okay, what do you think of me as a woman?" "Huh?" An image flitted through Per's mind of Karina bent over holding onto a tree. Her huge tits hanging down as Tenan fucked her from behind. The image always made Per horny and his mouth suddenly became dry. "I, uh, I think you're great... I mean... I, uh..." "I'm sorry, Per. I'm not doing this right," said Karina. "A mother influences her son a great deal. According to Ahhspah, I have to take part in the ritual with you. I don't know how you feel about this. Tenan knows and understands. I mean, I'm not exactly the girl of your dreams." Per looked down at the floor. "Actually, you are. On the night I went away, Gar and I watched you and Tenan. You were beautiful, sexy, had..." "Huge tits," supplied Karina smiling. "Gods, yes!" exclaimed Per, looking up. "I... I had blue balls for days afterwards." "Wait here," said Karina, who went into the bedroom and closed the door. Per sat still, puzzled by her sudden departure. He heard the door open and looked over. His mother was standing there completely naked. "As good as you remember?" she asked. "You're... ah... trimmer," stammered Per past his dry lips. "That's from the armor and the weapon practice," said Karina. "Son, I don't think we should have intercourse until the ritual, but I do want to be with you now. I also have a problem. I become very lustful when I see a... uh... cock." "I have to cum twice," said Per. "Like father, like son," muttered Karina. "I, uh, I don't know..." Per stood up and walked over to his mother. He pulled her close, feeling her mammoth breasts press against his abdomen. His hands roamed up and down her back, causing Karina to sigh in pleasure. Per stepped back and brought his hands up to cradle her soft, round, magnificent globes, but stopped his trembling hands just inches away from them. Karina placed her hands on top of his and stepped forward, so that his fingers sank into her pliant breasts. "Oh, Gods," moaned Per, touching the firmament of all his adolescent dreams. His mother's nipples were hard and poked into the palms of his hands as his fingers gently flexed to knead the soft mounds. Per's cock had hardened so much that it was painful. Karina was panting when Per moved her around and sat her down on the sofa. Karina leaned back, spreading her legs apart as Per knelt down between them. She gasped as his hands squeezed her breasts so that her nipples poked upward and then he leaned over to suckle at them. Karina moaned as lips that had not touched her breasts since Per had been an infant, sucked and nipped at the hard nubs. Per, finally touching the forbidden objects of his youthful desire, paid homage to one and then to the other, taking his time to kiss and tongue them all over. Karina was writhing in desire as he humongous tits became shiny from Per's saliva. She gasped when her son released her tits and began to kiss downward. She watched him, panting heavily, as he tongued her belly button and placed his hands under her legs. Per could see her pussy glistening with her secretions and smelled the musky scent of her sex. His hard cock was bent at an awkward angle in his pants, but he did not touch it for fear of losing control. He wanted to fuck her so badly, but knew he had to wait for the ritual. Per looked up at Karina's face and saw her smiling down at him. Without hesitation, he dipped his head down and licked his tongue up from the bottom of her slit to the hard nub of her clitoris. "Oh, Gods!!!" gasped Karina as her ass arched upwards off the sofa and her hands grabbed a hold of Per's greenish hair as she orgasmed. Her pussy juices flowed out as Per lapped at them. Karina's body kept shaking and writhing as Per cupped his hands under her ass to hold her up. He wormed his tongue deep into her snatch, setting off another orgasm within her. Karina's eyes were closed and she let go of his hair to squeeze and resqueeze handfuls of titflesh in rapturous ecstasy. A small part of Karina's mind wondered how Per was causing her so much delight. He was not as skillful as some others she had sex with. Karina's mind lost track of that thought as her passion climbed upward towards one big orgasm. 'AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!!!!" screamed out Karina as her sexual tension peaked and exploded inside her. Her pussy sprayed out juice all over Per's face and breast milk squirted out from between her fingers. Karina could not control her trembling body, but collapsed onto the sofa, spasming wildly. Per quickly released his mother's ass and gathered her up in his arms. He rocked her back and forth, holding onto her tightly as the intensity of her orgasm coursed through her. It took some time for Karina's breathing to return to normal and her muscle spasms to stop. "By the Gods!" panted Karina. "I haven't... haven't cum... like that since... well, a long... long time." "Happy to be of service, mom," said Per, inordinately pleased with himself. "Your turn," stated Karina, pushing her son back on the sofa and getting down on her knees. "Uh, mom? I do have to cum... uh... go twice," reminded Per. "I remember," said Karina, looking at his crotch. "You look a little cramped in there. A mother should see to her son's needs." Karina undid Per's belt buckle and reached inside his pants. She gave an 'Oh' of approval as her hand grasped Per's twelve-inch cock and straightened it out. Per sighed in relief as she eased his prick out of its uncomfortable position. Karina's fingers lightly traced up and down the veiny shaft before she pulled her hand out of his pants. She pulled off his shoes and, after Per rose up, pulled his pants completely off. Karina stopped to stare at her son's thick, hard cock and large balls. "Mom, are you okay?" asked Per. Karina started and smiled. "I'm fine... just mesmerized for a second." She cupped her hand under his testicles. "I don't remember them being this big." "It's the effect left from the poison of the satyr's dart," said Per, after gulping loudly from the sensation of Karina's fingers holding his balls. "Just relax and put your head back," said Karina huskily. Per leaned his head back as Karina grasped his hard cock with both hands. Per sighed in pleasure as she slowly began to jack her hands up and down. Per felt his balls tighten up slowly and was just a little startled by it because he thought he would have blown at her first touch. Copious amounts of pre-cum oozed out of the tip of his throbbing dick and he felt Karina smear it up and down his shaft making it slick beneath her fingers. Per inhaled sharply and his testicles really tightened when he felt a soft, warm, wet tongue lick at his balls. He kept his head back and his eyes closed to concentrate from cumming too soon, but he could not prevent the mental image of his mother laving her tongue around his scrotum from forming in his mind. Per gasped loudly as Karina licked her tongue up the underside of his shaft from the balls to the tip. Per groaned in ecstatic delight when the head of his cock was engulfed in Karina's hot, wet mouth. She had a hold of his cock with both hands and started to bob her head up and down as her hand pumped the shaft. Per, shaking in passion, had to look down and saw Karina sucking him off with all of her concentration on making him climax. The erotic imagery and the rapturous sensations surging through his prick sent Per over the edge. Karina felt all of Per's muscles tighten and his cock pulsed in her hands. She moaned in happiness when he flooded her mouth with his hot, salty sperm. Try as she might, Karina could not swallow fast enough and she had to let a good bit of his white jizz dribble back down his thick, hard prick. Her hands, still pumping his spurting cock, slathered the slick, viscous liquid all over it. Per quaked and spasmed as he seemed to shoot a never-ending load of cum into her mouth. What took him by surprise was the beginning of the lustful burning in his balls before his climax even tapered off. His eyes took on a reddish tinge and his cock hardened up like an iron bar. Karina must have sensed his change because she scooted closer and wrapped her huge, soft tits around his slick, cum-coated cock. "C'mon, baby," she said huskily, her voice thick with passion as she moved her entire body up and down. Per's slick cock slid easily between her warm, pliant boobs. Per shook when she laved her tongue around the head of his cock when it pushed out over the tops of her creamy mounds. "You're just like your father. He really enjoys a good tittyfuck." Per's climax came almost as fast as the onset of his lustcraze. The intensity of it made him shout out in passion as his whole body arched upward. His action caused his cock to jerk free from the cocoon of titflesh it had been trapped in. Karina barely managed to grab it with one hand as the first spurt of gooey jism flew out from the tip. The first wad caught Karina full in the face. She aimed his cock lower and sprayed the next three spurts over her monumental breasts. Per was gasping as his climax tapered off and he collapsed on the sofa. As the lust left him, he looked up at Karina to see her face splattered with his seed and her hands rubbing the slimy substance all over her tits. "Hey, darling, how do you feel?" asked Karina in a maternal voice, which contrasted greatly with the incredibly sexy figure in front of him. "Fine, mom," panted Per. "That was... was fantastic!" "Well, I need a bath," stated Karina, looking down at her cum-drenched body. "You need to rest up and get some strength back. I'm sure there are one or two ladies in your room waiting for you by now." Karina stood up and walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Per watched her go and discovered he was not in the least bit embarrassed as he considered how perfectly shaped her ass was and how beautifully it moved. He got off the sofa and found a washbasin in a side room. He cleaned up and left the suite. Per shook his head in amazement as he slowly walked to his room. He had always considered his mother beautiful and he had many a wet dream about her growing up. Per adored his step-father and could see why he was going along with this. Per was also a little stunned that Karina had managed to gather all the women in his life so far. With a shake of his head, Per opened the door to his room. He stopped when he saw Nyrandurril lying on his bed with the covers pulled up to her neck. She gave him a bright smile and arched a questioning eyebrow. Per winked at her and closed the door. It was a strange sight that greeted everyone's eyes five days later. Per and Karina rode into sight of the farm to see Rolph, Dagmar, and Dorthea standing in front of the farmhouse. What did surprise them were the two ten foot tall giantesses and the five hide tents. A wisp of smoke caught Per's attention and he looked over to see a robe-covered figure hunched over a pitiful fire about one hundred and fifty yards away from everyone else. Per was both astonished and pleased when a tent flap was thrown back and Nanago, Joran, Golden Sunlight, and Morning Mist stepped out. "That's Morning Mist with Golden Sunlight," said Per excitedly to Karina. "The giantesses are Electana and Diti." "Oh, thank the Gods!" said Karina gratefully. "I don't see Tenan or Gar, though." "They're probably off with Oraag somewhere to keep the tensions down," said Per. "Oraag can be a... a handful of trouble." Karina nodded and thought that their group was probably as unusual to the people at the farm as they were to them. Two troops of royal guards rode all around them to ensure the safety of the royal personages. Helga, Melinar, and Nyrandurril, who were forced into servitude under Baron Cedric, were there along with two of Melinar's friends, Dareen and Vail. Six of Per's original companions had come with a High Priest and five priestesses of Aphrodite. Karina looked behind her. Contico, Nesbra, Lorilei, and Phartom were all laughing about something. Celine and Iona were bringing up the rear with Holina and Leekya. All in all, their party, not counting the troops, numbered thirty. The troops split off as the party rode up to the farmhouse. Karina dismounted and, after nodding to Rolph, Dagmar, and Dorthea, she turned to face the giantesses. "Thank you for coming, Electana and Diti," she said to them. "I am Karina, Per's mother." "It is nice to meet you," replied Electana, kneeling down to be closer to Karina's height. "We submitted ourselves to your son. You sent your request in his name, so it was our duty to come." "My request?" queried Karina. "I forged your signature," whispered Octavia. "Oh... ah... yes, my request..." stammered Karina. "I did explain what the ritual was about, didn't I?" Electana and Diti both smiled. "Your letter was very explicit," stated Electana. "We will do our duty, unless Per has become too weak." "Care to try me now, Electana?" asked Per. Electana looked at him for several seconds and then said, "No, I am not assured victory. In any event, the humans would not understand and would interfere." "Let me know when you are ready," said Per, who looked over at Morning Mist and Golden Sunlight. "I'm glad you're safe. Where is Tenan?" Per was not ready for the tears that sprang from the two girls' eyes. He looked over at the others. Nanago and Joran had sad expressions on their faces. Dorthea was also crying while Rolph and Dagmar could not look him in the eye. "Per, he's... he's..." said Dagmar, choking on his words. "He's dying, Per," came a beautiful voice from behind them. Per turned to see Aphrodite standing there. "Where is he?" asked Karina frantically. "He is in the tent," said Nanago. He grabbed Karina by the shoulders when she started towards the teepees. "He's asleep and needs the rest." "But..." Karina started to say angrily. She then blew out a long breath. "I'm sorry. What happened to him?" "We found Morning Mist was being held by a group of witches in the swamp," said Golden Sunlight as Nanago released Karina's shoulders. "They had a small group of lizardmen working for them. Tenan devised a plan to get the lizardmen away and rescue Morning Mist. We killed all the witches, but before their leader fell, she cast some sort of spell on Tenan." "What did it look like?" asked Lorilei. "What did she say?" "It was sort of like a green flame that went into Tenan, but did not burn him," replied Golden Sunlight. "I heard the witch say something like, 'Nechro'." Karina and Per both saw the resignation that came to Lorilei's face. Per turned to face Aphrodite. "You can cure him, can't you?" he asked her. "I can't," replied Aphrodite sadly. "My agreement with Ahhspah is that I can not interfere or participate in the ritual. All the events here have to unfold in ogre fashion. Ahhspah may heal him, but it would be against his nature." "The curse is rarely used and particularly vicious since it poisons every part of person's body," said Lorilei. "It is used only as a last resort since it takes a lot of the caster's strength. Karina, let me see Tenan alone to confirm it. I won't lie... the outcome doesn't look good, dearie." "Do what you can for him," said Karina. "I'm going to see Gar and have a little chat with that god of his." "Not without me," said Per. "I'm in," added Octavia and several other people nodded. "No," said Karina firmly. "Per can come, but no one else." Karina led Per towards the clearing, guessing that Gar was probably there. As they left, they heard Dagmar giving out room assignments and laughing when he accidentally put the Overlord and Octavia in the same room. Per heard a noise behind them and turned to see Aphrodite following them. "Karina, wait a second," she said. Karina stopped and turned around. She waited for Aphrodite to say something, but was totally surprised when Aphrodite cupped Karina's face in her hands and soundly kissed her. Per's mouth dropped open and he gaped in shock at the two of them. Karina's eyes widened in amazement before they rolled back in her head as pleasure from the kiss overloaded her mind and a huge orgasm exploded inside her. Her knees buckled as her juices gushed out, drenching her undergarments. Only Aphrodite's hands on her face kept Karina on her feet. As it was, when Aphrodite broke the kiss and let go of her face, Karina did fall down onto her hands and knees. "There... that should take care of you in case Ahhspah does show up," said Aphrodite sweetly, wiping the corner of her mouth with a finger. "By... the... Gods!" gasped Karina, trying to shake off the effects of her orgasm. "You're welcome," said Aphrodite, who then helped Karina to up to her feet. "Shall we go?" Karina led them to the clearing, but stopped suddenly when they came within sight of it. Her mouth dropped open in total disbelief. Gar had a tall, green-skinned orc female tied over a large boulder so that her feet were completely off the ground. The ropes binding her wrists and ankles went underneath the huge rock. What had really startled Karina was that Gar was up behind the orc, banging her mightily with his massive cock. ------- Chapter 14 Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and mack_the_knife. ------- shouted Karina in ogre. Gar did not answer her, but continued to fuck his huge cock in and out of Oraag as Per, Karina, and Aphrodite looked on. A short while later, he rammed all fifteen inches of his cock deep into Oraag's cunt, pushing her hips upward and pulling tight the ropes around her ankles. Oraag groaned and shivered feebly as he emptied his large load of cum into her womb. Gar sighed in pleasure and Karina knew that this was his second climax. He suddenly pulled his glistening prick out of Oraag and strode over to where the three were standing. Oraag did not move, but hung limply over the boulder she was tied to as thick cum dribbled out of her stretched vagina. Gar did not even waste a glance back at her. bellowed Gar happily as he attempted to belt his loincloth on. hissed Karina, pointing at the comatose orc. complained Gar. Per looked over at Oraag. She was just as he remembered her... huge tits, flaring hips, snout-like face with long black hair. Her whole body convulsed once while he was watching her. Sweat was dripping off her body as she drooped limply over the boulder in complete exhaustion. asked Karina. yelled Gar angrily, causing Karina and Per to step back in fright. Karina started to ask, but stopped when Per touched her arm. "I think he's already tried and failed," whispered Per. "Oh," said Karina in understanding. Gar nodded and stomped off to the center of the clearing. He no sooner started to chant when a brilliant burst of light flashed next to him. It was gone in an instant and the sixteen-foot tall ogre god, Ahhspah, was standing there. Karina felt a twinge in her loins at the sight of his hard, four-foot long, tree-truck thick cock, but her earlier orgasm from Aphrodite's kiss seemed to keep her lust under control. said Ahhspah. answered Karina. said Ahhspah. Per felt a pang of disappointment and he saw the muscle on his mother's jaw tighten in frustration. He knew, as well as she did, that ogres believed in the survival of the fittest. That Gar had tried to help Tenan was highly unusual. said Karina coldly. Ahhspah looked down at Karina and then looked at Aphrodite. Aphrodite nodded to him as if he had said something to her. Ahhspah raised his hands and clapped them together. The world suddenly shifted sideways for Per. He heard screams and yells of fright as everything blurred in his vision. Per staggered as the motion stopped and he swallowed down the bile in his throat. Shaking his head to clear his vision, Per was surprised to see that he was back beside the castle in the underground cavern. Not only was he there, but so was everyone else who had been at the farm... everyone that is except the royal guards. Several people were picking themselves up off the ground and a few were being physically sick. asked Ahhspah of Karina. "Ecstatic," replied Karina sourly. Ahhspah raised his arms and began to chant. Golden sparkles began to appear on his hands and, at the end of his chanting, they flew upwards. The sparkles landed on everyone and seemed to float right into them. However, the sparkles going towards Aphrodite bounced away from her. said Ahhspah angrily. replied Aphrodite calmly. Ahhspah thought for a moment and then said, stated Aphrodite firmly. Ahhspah snorted in disgust and then disappeared. "What was that about?" asked Per of Aphrodite. "Ahhspah expected me to mate with you," said Aphrodite. "He forgot, however, that he inhibited my involvement in this. Karina, you had better go see to the others. I brought the Burgassi tents and Tenan here. They are inside the castle's courtyard. I also brought your two freight wagons loaded with supplies." "Mom, tell Queen Shara to check on the wizards we have," said Per. "She'll know what it's about." Per and Aphrodite walked around the castle after Karina had left them. They were soon beside the large, black, rectangular structure. Aphrodite reached out and touched it with her hand. "this was built so long ago," she said reminiscing. She looked down at the gauge. "I think I know why you came here. Are you ready, Per?" "As ready as I'll ever be," replied Per. "This is happening kind of fast." "Ogres do things that way," explained Aphrodite. "They live for the here and now... anything else before I go?" "A small favor, Divine One," asked Per. Aphrodite looked at him. "The castle is in need of fixing up and most of the room furnishings have disintegrated or are broken. Could you... you know?" and Per wiggled his fingers. Aphrodite laughed, "You're not going to be spending much time in the castle, if you know what I mean." "Yes, but the others are." "I think I can do something," said Aphrodite. She closed her eyes and a silvery sheen ran down from the top of the castle to the ground. Where the sheen touched the castle mortar was fixed, stones were cleaned, broken tiles were repaired, and debris disappeared. Curtains appeared in the windows and the woodwork looked freshly painted. Per heard the oohs and aahs from everyone as the castle was transformed back to its former glory. "Good enough?" asked Aphrodite smugly. "Divine One, I love you," exclaimed Per, kissing her on the cheek. "Easy there, big fellow," chuckled Aphrodite as she faded from view. "You have plenty of women to toy with this week. Save your strength and remind your mother of what I told her to do." Per walked back to where his mother was talking to a large gaggle of people. Doing a quick count, he realized that there were more than forty people here and about three-quarters of them were female. Per took in a deep breath when he realized the task set before him and was amazed by how Karina had gotten them all together. Per looked around and spotted the figure huddled in the robes off to one side. Karina was talking to Lorilei, so Per moved closer to Nanago. "Per, it is good to see you," said Nanago. "You and your family have done so much for us. I just wish the circumstances... well, you know." "I know," said Per, trying not to think of Tenan. He pointed at the hunched over figure. "I was wondering if you knew who that was." "Someone no longer of the Burgassi," replied Joran sadly as Karina walked over to them also. "She saved us in the swamp," countered Golden Sunlight as if carrying on an argument that had not been settled yet. "Yes, she did," replied Joran calmly, "but she is not of our line. We can do nothing for her." "What do you mean by she saved you in the swamp?" asked Karina. "After Tenan killed off the witches, the magic that had struck him, weakened him to a point where he could barely walk," said Golden Sunlight. "You know how I was in the swamp. Morning Mist could barely walk herself. Even with the witches gone, there were still a lot of evil things there. We were about to be overwhelmed when she rescued us." "What is her name?" asked Karina. "She does not have one," stated Joran. "She was thrown out of the Burgassi and has no family ties with us." "After what she did, she can be in my family," stated Karina. "You are not Burgassi," said Nanago sadly. "She will not accept your offer and, even if she did, she would still have no name." "Grandfather, Karina is my seri-sarcome," said Golden Sunlight timidly. Nanago, Joran, and Morning Mist gaped open-mouthed between Karina and Golden Sunlight. Nanago recovered first and bowed to Karina, followed in suit by the other two. Karina felt distinctly uncomfortable by their show of respect. "Karina, would you come with me?" asked Joran as she began to walk towards the figure. She and Karina stopped when they were standing right in front of that person. "You who has no name, this is Karina, seri-sarcome to Golden Sunlight and mother to Per. She wishes you to be of her line. Tell her your name." Per saw the person shudder and shake at Joran's pronouncement. The figure bent over as if bowing to Karina. "I have no name," said a muffled voice from underneath the robes. "I was once called Soft Dove." Karina suddenly remembered the story of her son and Soft Dove, and how Soft Dove had shamed the tribe. With a sigh, she knelt down beside the woman and stood her up, casting off the robes. Soft Dove was dressed in a leather halter top and a short leather skirt. She looked exactly the same as Per remembered. "The old Soft Dove no longer exists," said Karina. "Your name is now Soft Dove." Tears sprang to Soft Dove's eyes as she said, "I will be worthy of the name you have given me." "Go greet your sister," commanded Joran. Soft Dove went over to Golden Sunlight and they both hugged one another. She then hugged Morning Mist and Nanago. "Can you forgive me?" she asked of them. "For what?" asked Nanago. "You have done nothing wrong since you have been named." "What does seri-sarcome mean?" whispered Karina to Joran. "It basically means Comfort Mother," replied Joran. "It is a position of great respect, authority, and responsibility among our people. May I ask how it happened?" Karina told her of comforting Golden Sunlight when she brought her to the realm created by Aphrodite's pendant. "I see. You have three in your line... Per, Golden Sunlight, and Soft Dove. You are the first seri-sarcome we have had in twenty-six years. Golden Sunlight acknowledged you as one of her mothers and, considering what you did for Soft Dove, I believe she was right in doing so." "Couldn't you have done what I did?" asked Karina. "No, the old Soft Dove was of Nixta's line. Only one from that line or a seri-sarcome could take her back. Nixta would have never allowed one of her line to do so." Joran smiled. "She's going to have a fit when she hears of this." Lorilei came over to Karina and said, "You had better go see him now, while he is still awake." "Are you talking about Tenan?" asked Per anxiously. "How is he?" "He's dying," replied Lorilei. "He'll continue to weaken until then, dearie. I'd say he only has a couple of weeks left." Per and Karina went inside the Burgassi tent. Tenan was lying down on top of a pile of robes. He was propped up with a blanket covering his legs. Per noticed that he was breathing in slow, shallow breaths. Tenan's skin also appeared to have a grayish tinge to it. "It's so good to see both of you," said Tenan happily. "I was getting worried towards the end. I had not heard anything from either of you." Karina fought back her tears and knelt down beside him. "I had to give up Aphrodite's pendant to get Leekya, the ghost, out of Hades," she told Tenan. "I could not contact anyone after that until we returned to the Capitol. You do know we have everyone for the ritual?" "Yes, Octavia told me," replied Tenan weakly. "We're not at the farm, are we? I can feel a difference in the air." "No, we are not at the farm," said Per. "We're in the cavern where I rescued Queen Shara." Per went on to tell Tenan about his adventures to rescue Shara. Karina filled in about how Ahhspah transported them to the cavern. As she was finishing up, there came a scratching at the tent flap. They all looked up as the Overlord moved the flap aside. "Your Majesty," said Per. "Since we are going to spend a week here in... um... unusual circumstances, the General and I decided it is best to put aside all titles. Please call me Ruger, but only until we return to the surface. I came by to check on Tenan. I heard of your condition." "I just need a little rest, Your... Ruger," amended Tenan at the last second when the Overlord held up his hand. "Of course," stated the Overlord. "I will expect you back to your duties as soon as you are able. Per, Shara wants me to make you a royal guard. I don't believe drill and ceremony, pomp and splendor are to your style. I, therefore, plan to make you a marshal. It is the same rank as a sheriff, but, unlike a sheriff, you do not patrol a given territory. You basically have free rein inside and outside the Kingdom. You will be subject to the orders of the crown and Lady Triarii, who will be your immediate superior." "Thank you, Your Majesty," said Per. "Ruger," corrected the Overlord. He then smiled. "Don't worry. The name calling will probably get easier once we all lose our clothing. Now, if you will excuse me..." "I'll go with you," said Per. "I've tired Tenan enough with my talking." Per and the Overlord left the tent, leaving Karina and Tenan behind in silence. Tenan reached over to take a hold of Karina's hand. "It's alright, Karina. I know how bad my condition is," said Tenan with a smile. "All living things die. Only unnatural creatures try to go beyond the span of their years." "But I don't want you to go," cried Karina, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I know, but you have a ritual to get under way. Remember you have to be more ogre than human now." Tenan stopped to stare at her breastplate and run his fingers over it. "Gods, you look sexy in that!" Karina sniffed and smiled. "I look a lot better out of it." "Really?" teased Tenan. "That's something I haven't seen for awhile." "Are you sure?" asked Karina in concern. "I mean, with your condition..." "Karina, you can't hurt me... well, you can, but I want and need you." "If you're trying to sweet talk me out of this, you have," said Karina, standing up and unbuckling her armor. Tenan tried to sit up to take off the nightshirt he was wearing. He tugged at it, but had to lie back down gasping for breath. "I'm afraid... you'll have to do... most of the work," he panted ruefully. "Shh," hushed Karina, placing her breastplate, girdle, greaves, and padding aside. She was dressed only in her undergarments as she knelt down again. She picked up his hands and pressed them against her massive, bound tits. "They've ached for you." Tenan could feel her flesh pushing against the bindings and her hard nipples poking into his palms. With a smile, he undid the bindings and Karina sighed in relief as her breasts sprang free. Tenan marveled that, despite their tremendous size, there was only a little sag to them. He reached up and tweaked both of her nipples. Karina shivered as a jolt of erotic pleasure shot down to her loins. She rubbed her legs together feeling the wetness of her slit. "Naughty boy," she said sexily as she pulled the blanket off Tenan and lifted his nightshirt. "Oh, and all ready for me I see." Tenan's cock was hard and lying flat on his stomach. Karina quickly wriggled out of the rest of her undergarments and then reached down to gently grasp his throbbing penis. She threw a leg over his hips and leaned forward to point his cock at the entrance to her glistening snatch. Her heavy breasts brushed across Tenan's face and he gripped one in each hand to hold her in place. Karina sighed in pleasure as Tenan alternated between the two fleshy globes, sucking and nibbling on them. His actions caused her pussy to become saturated and begin to drip. "Enough of that," panted Karina huskily. "This is for you and you only get one shot at it." Karina sank backwards and Tenan exhaled in pure delight as his stiff rod penetrated and sank fully into her hot, tight tunnel. Karina's magical enhancement automatically adjusted her vagina to Tenan's cock size. They both groaned in ecstasy as Karina settled her round ass on his lap with his prick completely seated deep inside her. Karina sat straight up and slowly began to move up and down. She did not want to bounce on Tenan and decided to take it in a slow, loving manner. Tenan shivered as her vaginal muscles gripped at his hard shaft. Her pussy was placing unbelievably erotic pleasure on his cock and he could feel his sexual tension building up quickly. His hands rubbed up and down her legs, feeling her muscles as she flexed them to rise upwards. He smiled up at her and she smiled back at him. Karina could tell he was close to climaxing, but did not increase her pace. She felt all warm in side, but not just from passion. She had always known she loved Tenan, but now she realized how much. Tenan inhaled sharply as his body began to tremble. "Cum inside me, my love," whispered Karina as she lowered down onto his cock to have it deep inside her when he ejaculated. "Cum." Tenan could not hold back. His passion peaked and snapped as his testicles tightened. His hands gripped Karina's thighs as his liquid seed gushed forth into her waiting womb. Karina sighed in contentment as she felt him fill her up, but then gasped and shivered from an orgasm when Tenan quickly moved his hand to rub her clitoris. "Not... good... for... just... one," gasped Tenan breathlessly. "Shh, and thank you," sighed Karina with a smile. "Lie still and relax." Tenan closed his eyes and began to relax. Karina watched him as his breathing returned to normal and felt his cock deflate inside her. She felt his entire body going limp. Moving carefully, Karina slid off his cock and rolled off to one side without waking him. She found a cloth and a bowl of water to clean him off with before pulling his nightshirt back down over him. Karina covered Tenan with the blanket and heard a faint hiss behind her. Turning around she saw Lorilei looking in. "All finished, dearie?" whispered Lorilei, handing Karina a small blanket. "Yes," whispered back Karina. The blanket barely covered her breasts and left the bottom half of her butt exposed. "What am I supposed to do with this?" "Well, I figured with what's going to happen soon, it's not worth your time to cover up," smirked Lorilei. "Besides, it was all I could find, dearie. I was going to put Tenan down..." Karina gave her a horrified look. "... to sleep, but your way is much better. Get going. They are all waiting for you." Karina shot her a dirty look and wrapped her bindings back around her breasts. She whipped the blanket around her waist and tied it into place. After carefully transferring her armor outside the tent, she walked over to the keep's entrance where everyone was indeed waiting. Karina ignored the strange looks she received because of her attire and the rumbling she heard from Gar's chest, which she knew was him laughing. "Per, can you find everybody rooms in the castle?" asked Karina. "You and Her Maj... Shara have been the only ones here before. Gar and I need to release Oraag." "I'd like to come with you, Mom," said Per. "I only saw the throne room the last time I was here." "Go ahead, Per," said Bargan. "The castle is big enough to hold several hundred people. We will be able to find rooms for ourselves." "Hold on, Your Grace," said Tessa firmly. "We have wagons to unload first. I'm not going to have all the men disappear leaving the women to do the work." "I sleep there," said Gar, pointing at the stables before walking off towards the boulder which Oraag was tied to. "Alright, gentlemen, let's see to the wagons," said Bargan. "Tessa, why don't you and Dorthea find the kitchen?" "What do you want the rest of us to do?" asked Cendri. "Help out or explore, as you see fit," stated Bargan, untying the tailgate to one of the wagons. "Tessa has these ideas of what is man's work and what is woman's work." Tessa punched him in the arm. "Watch it! I'm still your superior!" "Not here," she reminded him. "Here Karina's in charge. I think even Gar will accede to her wishes." "Then why are you ordering us around?" asked Bargan. "I'm anticipating her orders... right, Karina?" asked Tessa. Karina smiled back at her. "I should have known better... I should have known better..." muttered Bargan to himself, but then he brightened up when Tessa kissed him on the cheek. Karina and Per left the group to go join Gar. Karina asked Gar as they approached him. Oraag grunted as Gar placed a hand on her back and leaned into her, mashing her large tits against the rough stone. replied Gar as if Oraag had not said anything at all. asked Karina, but Gar did not answer her. He picked up the boulder with Oraag still tied to it and pulled the ropes out from underneath it. Oraag moved back from the boulder and took the bindings off her wrists and ankles. said Karina. Oraag looked around warily as if gauging her chances of escaping before asking, stated Oraag shrewdly and with a hint of satisfaction. replied Karina. asked Oraag. said Karina and Oraag charged at her. Oraag was fast, faster than Karina expected. Unable to avoid her charge, Karina went down backwards, but managed to plant her foot in Oraag's stomach. Oraag grunted as Karina pushed upward with her foot and Oraag's momentum carried her right over Karina. Oraag hit the ground hard, but rolled right back up onto her feet immediately. To her, an orc that stayed down was going to be put down permanently. Karina had also gotten to her feet, but the bindings around her breasts had come undone. She quickly cast the bindings aside so that they would not get in her way as she and Oraag began to circle around one another. They both rushed at the other at the same time and went down in a welter of arms, legs, tits, and asses. Per watched his stacked mother wrestle with the buxom orc, grimaced, and had to adjust his raging hard-on to a more comfortable position in his pants. It was incredibly sexy to watch Oraag get Karina in a headlock and then see Karina reach between Oraag's legs to lift her up and over to break the hold. Per grinned when he heard his father's rumbling laughter beside him. asked Per. stated Gar. "You could have fooled me," thought Per as he winched when Oraag grabbed two handfuls of Karina's titflesh and twisted them painfully. Karina yelled and knocked Oraag's hands away. She spun around low and kicked Oraag's legs out from underneath her. Oraag fell forward and managed to catch herself on her hands before she hit the ground bodily. She did not have time to recover as her breath was explosively forced out of her from Karina jumping on her back. Karina banged Oraag's head on the ground a couple of times and then twisted one of Oraag's arms up behind her back. asked Karina. Oraag did not answer, but continued to struggle to get free. Karina twisted her arm up higher. yelled Oraag in pain. Karina released Oraag and both females stood up, breast heaving from their fight. Both were dirty and scratched. Karina had a split lip and Oraag was bleeding from her snout. stated Oraag before she walked away. ordered Karina. <... and I don't mean tying her back onto that boulder!> Karina walked stiffly back to the entrance to the keep where everyone was intensely working on their task at hand. Karina smiled, even though it hurt her lip, because she knew they had all stopped to watch the fight. Per had picked up her bindings and brought it back to her. Karina ached too much to even put it back on. Catching sight of Karlto, she called him over to her. "Got anything in your list of spells for aches, pains, bruises, and scratches?" she asked him. "I say, of course, I do," replied Karlto. His eyes snapped downward and his face became bright red. "I... um... er..." Karina looked down and saw the two red splotches on her breasts where Oraag had twisted them. Karlto could not seem to take his eyes off them and Karina could see his pants tenting out from his erection. "Karlto, why don't you go beat off somewhere?" said Ivin, coming out of the entrance. He licked his dry lips in embarrassment and nodded as he walked away. Ivin uttered a prayer and placed a hand on Karina's shoulder. All of her cuts and scratches immediately healed and her pains left her. Ivin snorted, "Men! Feeling better, Karina?" "Much, thank you," replied Karina. "How are you doing?" "You mean apart from feeling like I'm on a runaway wagon? I'm fine. I'm sorry to hear about your husband. I talked to Lorilei to see if I could do anything." "I know he's dying," said Karina. She stopped to swallow down her anger. "Aphrodite can't do anything because of her promise to Ahhspah. Ahhspah won't do anything because Tenan has to be strong enough to survive on his own or he is deemed too weak to live, and he won't let me postpone the damned ritual!" Easy, mom," soothed Per, hugging his mother close to him. She clutched to his arm for support. "I may not say this right, but I don't think Tenan regrets what has happened. He was doing it for you and me." Karina broke down crying and was held between Per and Ivin until she finally cried herself out. As her initial grief lessened, Karina was surprised to see the Overlord and Shara standing in front of her with sad eyes. They touched her on the shoulder and nodded as if to indicate their sorrow for her hurt. Singly or in pairs, the others came over to show their respect and support for her. Nesbra brought her some fruit, while Pawl and Karlto served her wine. No one even noticed Karina's half-naked state. "Thank you," said Karina with a final sniffle. "I don't know if I could have held it in much longer... What in the Hells was that!?!" Shouts of consternation sounded throughout the castle as multi-colored light burst forth from the four minarets of the black building to bathe the entire cavern. Even Per was caught unawares. "It's alright," he reassured Karina and Ivin. "It's the building's way of maintaining the magic in this cavern. I had better go tell Gar what it was before he does something rash." Per left to go to the stables. He saw Shara soothing her husband about the lights so that he would put his sword away. He saw Karina and Ivin walking over to tell the others what had happened. Per stepped through the door to the stables and explained to Gar about the lights. It was a little disconcerting talking to Gar because he was holding down Oraag at the time. Per asked him what her problem was. stated Gar. pleaded Oraag, crawling towards Per with lust in her eyes. Gar scooped up Oraag and held her so that her back was tight against his chest. His hands slipped under her knees and pulled her legs apart. Per saw Oraag's green slit glistening brightly in the dark bush of her pubic hair and his prick began to harden. Gar bounced Oraag up and down several times, causing her tits to jiggle and smack together as Per stripped out of his clothing. Per knelt in front of Oraag and aimed his large cock at the entrance to her pussy. With a single lunge and a cry of satisfaction from Oraag, Per sank all twelve inches of his thick, hard prick deep into her hot, dripping cunt. Gar indicated to Per to hook his arms underneath Oraag's knees. When Per had done so, Gar moved his hands up around her waist. Gar had stretched out Oraag's cunt allowing Per's cock to penetrate her fully, but with her legs pulled apart and held upward, her pussy had exquisitely tightened around Per's hard shaft. Per pulled his hips back, sliding his cock almost all the way out of Oraag before slamming it back into her. Oraag was moaning and babbling in lustful passion as Per's prick skewered her again and again. Gar pushed her down by the waist when Per thrust his cock in, increasing the strength of each thrust. Oraag's large breasts jiggled and shook with each impact. Per could feel the tension building quickly in his balls as Oraag began to pull and yank at her tits in lust. Gar's loincloth had slipped to one side and his massive cock was sliding up and down between the cheeks of Oraag's well-rounded ass. The tip of his cock traveled between the rosebud of her rectum to the top of her crack. It left behind a slimy trail of pre-cum that quickly lubricated the entire area. Oraag shivered each time it pressed against her asshole, both from pleasure and fear. Per could not hold back any longer. His balls had tightened up until the pressure was nigh unbearable. Oraag's vaginal muscles clenched and grasped at Per's shaft as her passion crested over and over again inside her. With a final lunge, Per buried his cock all the way into Oraag. He gasped loudly as his balls seemed to squeeze in on themselves over and over. Per gasped again in relief as all the tension in his body finally released and his thick seed gushed out of the tip of his prick into Oraag's hot vagina. Oraag shivered and smiled in intense satisfaction as she felt Per fill her with hot cum. Per shivered and shook as he spurted into her again. He felt his climax begin to lessen, but, at the same time, his cock hardened even more as his lust began to burn in his loins. Gar suddenly flipped Oraag off to one side. Per's cock popped out of her cunt with a wet squish and Oraag landed on her hands and knees. She knelt there gasping for breath as white jizz dribbled down her thighs. Her eyes snapped wide open when Per grabbed her hips and moved in behind her. Oraag's mouth dropped open as Per's cock missed her pussy and the head lodged into her asshole. Their combined juices coating his prick and the pre-cum Gar had smeared all over her butt allowed Per's hard prick to slide right into her tight rectum. Oraag spasmed as Per's thick shaft stretched her sphincter muscle wide open. It was uncomfortable and it burned a little, but not like the last time Per had fucked her up the ass. Oraag felt Per's grip on her hips and she knew she could not get away. A rumbling sound in front of her made Oraag look up to see Gar squatting several feet away watching them. grunted Oraag as Per rammed his cock deep into her ass. responded Gar cryptically. ordered Oraag. Gar's laughter rumbled again as Per, caught up in his lustcraze, continued to bang his rock-hard cock in and out of Oraag's tight ass. Oraag was breathing heavily as Gar moved forward and sat down in front of her. Oraag's body jerked each time Per thrust into her. Her round, heavy breasts danced and swayed with each impact. She reached out with both hands to grasp Gar's massive fifteen inch long prick. Neither hand could encircle the thick shaft. Oraag began to pump Gar's prick in time to Per's thrusts into her asshole. Oraag was perversely pleased. Not only had she been well-fucked to near insensibility by Per and now having her ass reamed out good, but she was also jerking off his father's huge cock. She had heard of human women taking it in their mouths, but decided that Gar might see it as a threat, thinking she was going to bite it. As it was, she was still a little disconcerted about Per and his family. Per had destroyed the orc tribe she had so patiently built up. Oraag was much more intelligent than the average orc and kept that fact hidden so she could manipulate things behind the scenes. Most of her enemies did not even realize it until she was slipping a knife between their ribs. Gar had ruined her second attempt at power when he came to retrieve her. Oraag had found a new tribe and had again worked, fucked, and killed her way to the chief. When he refused to let her go, Gar picked up a stone that must have weighed twenty pounds and chucked it at the chief. Not only did it crush the chief's breastplate, but it went on to kill one of the chief's guards and maim another. The rest of the orcs shoved her out when Gar picked up another stone. Oraag did try to use sex against Gar and he did take her up on her proposition, but would not let her go. Oraag shivered and orgasmed at the thought of the first time he stuffed his huge cock up her twat and banged her to climatic unconsciousness. Karina was much stronger than she appeared. Gar was more powerful, physically and mystically, than the average ogre. Per was, in painful pleasure, raping her ass like there was no tomorrow. "Maybe it is worth staying with this family," thought Oraag as she shivered through another orgasm. Per was lost in his lust as he pistoned his hard cock in and out of Oraag's rectum. He saw without comprehending the way her ass rippled each time his hips smacked up against it. His sexual tension was building up to a peak as her sphincter muscles clenched and gripped at the hard shaft stretching it open. Oraag suddenly grunted in pain as Per rammed his cock all the way into her and held it there. She felt his prick pulsate in her bowels as he emptied a huge load of hot, gooey cum deep inside her. Per shook and groaned in ecstasy as he spurted wad after wad of sticky jism into Oraag. The red tinge left his eyes as his climax went on and on. He finally slumped over and then fell backwards, gasping for breath. His cock popped out of Oraag's ass and she slumped down onto her face, also exhausted. Her green asshole gaped open, oozing Per's white cum out so that it dripped down her legs. Gar looked down at the unmoving Oraag, knocked her limp hands off his cock, and looked up at Per. He nodded his approval to Per and grabbed Oraag around the waist. Oraag moaned groggily as Gar turned her around and held her up over his lap. Per scooted backwards when Oraag gave out a banshee-like yell as Gar brought her straight down. She spasmed once and her eyes rolled back in her head as Gar's huge cock jammed right up into her asshole. Per knew he had stretched her open, but Gar's cock was much thicker than his. Gar shoved the barely conscious orc all the way down onto his prick and stood up effortlessly. To Per, with Gar's hands wrapped around Oraag's waist, it seemed like she was suspended in the air, held up only by the stiff prick shoved up her rectum. Her arms, legs, and head hung down limply as Gar readjusted his grip. He pulled her almost all the way off his huge cock before yanking her back sharply onto it. Oraag's arms and legs splayed outward as her muscles involuntarily tensed at Gar's massive dick shoved up into her ass again. Gar did not stop, but continued to pound Oraag up and down on his hard shaft. Oraag moaned and groaned, but Per could not tell if it was in pleasure, pain, or both. Per got up, redressed, and made his way out of the stable. He spotted Karina coming towards him and walked towards her. "What's going on in there?" she demanded sternly. "We heard her scream from inside the keep." "Dad's amusing himself," replied Per with a chuckle. "What? Damn him! We have a ritual to get started!" cursed Karina. "Mom, I think the ritual has already started," stated Per. "The impression I get from Gar is that it began with Ahhspah's blessing" "So nice of someone to tell me," muttered Karina darkly. She shook off her feelings. "The others are getting settled in. How about if we go see if the building will agree to being used for the ritual? Oh, I guess I can cross Oraag off my list, can't I?" "Yes, you can cross her off your list," replied Per as he started to walk towards the black building. The entity in the building calls itself a Simularium. Don't be surprised at what you find inside." They stopped in front of the closed door and Per looked over at the gauge. The gold ball was hovering only two to three inches from the bottom. "I'm afraid I don't know how to open the doors." Suddenly both he and Karina jumped back as the door made a loud noise and swung open. Per smiled at his mother and led her into the foyer, allowing the doors to swing shut behind them. Per started to undress as a lavender light bathed the room in purple glow. Karina saw her son stripping down to the skin, bit her lip in anxiety, but followed suit. She folded her blanket and bindings and laid them on a bench. The lavender light switched back to being white light and the inner doors opened. Octavia was waiting for them inside. "How did you get in here?" gasped Karina. Octavia and Per both smiled. "I'm a phantasm... a creation inside the Simularium," replied Octavia. "I am not the real Octavia. The purple light in the foyer allows me to read your mind so to enhance your pleasure inside. I understand the ritual and comprehend Shara's request to have it here. She is fulfilling a promise to help regenerate my power. There will not be a problem to hold the ritual inside." "How big is this place?" asked Karina, staring down the main corridor. "There are one hundred rooms," answered the fake Octavia. "All the rooms have a different design." "Design?" asked Per confused. "Purpose," amended Octavia. "This room to your left is the Room of One's True Love." "But I met you in there," stated Per in bewilderment. "Yes, and at the time, I was what you thought to be your true love," said Octavia. "This won't work," said Per with a little anxiety. "If Nyrandurril found out..." "Which will happen only if you tell her," stated the fake Octavia. "This room and some others only work for single individuals. If two or more people enter, the room will remain empty. I understand the purpose of the ritual. I will not create anything for anyone involved in the ritual until Per has consummated his portion with that person." "And after the consummation?" asked Karina. "Let them have fun," replied Octavia with a sly smile. "Sounds like a deal to me," said Karina. "Per, we had better get going." "Hold on," cautioned Per. He turned towards Octavia. "How many wizards still have a tap into the building?" "Only one," advised Octavia. "The others cut their taps, but she maintained it, even though she did reduce it to a minimal trickle." "Can you tell who it is?" asked Per. "Yes, it is the oldest of the two witches." "That's Lorilei," stated Karina sourly. "She always wants that little extra slice of the pie." "Let's teach her a lesson," said Per with a smile. "She's reduced the strength of the tap, but I think we can still get her wet. We need to have the creations stopped." "It won't make that big of a difference in this case," replied Octavia. "Yes, but it might be enough to teach her to listen when we tell her to do something," replied Per. "Why stop the creations?" asked Karina. "It pumps up the power," replied Per. "Lorilei might not notice the increase flow, but the surge will have an extra kick." "Surge... What surge?" asked Karina. "When... um... you and I cum," stammered Per, suddenly put off by his mother's seeming reluctance. "I figured that... uh... was why we came in here." "Oh! I... uh... I don't think I can do this now," said Karina quickly in embarrassment. "What?" exclaimed Per. "Why? I thought this was what you wanted to do." "No, it was something I had to do, but now I'm thinking this is the wrong thing to do," corrected Karina. "Ahhspah may not give me the choice, but we have to live with these people. I'm sure most of them have guessed what we were planning to do." "They haven't said anything," countered Per. "Nor will they if they can deny it," argued Karina. "I've seen some of the looks they give me. Lorilei takes perverse pleasure out of the situation, while others wonder if I can go through with it." "But the other night... ?" Per stated to ask. "A test to see if I could do it... and it was so easy to do," said Karina with a little disgust at herself. "I thought I could be ogreish about the whole thing and at the time, it was good. It was afterwards that I began to have doubts. Ogres don't think about what happens afterwards. No one knows of that. How can we face them if we do have sex? They won't be able to deny what happened between us and all of our relationships will change... not for the better either. Ask Octavia here if her feelings will change." "She's not the real Octavia," stated Per. Karina shook her head and said, "I'm sorry. I forgot you are just a phantasm." "Per is correct," stated the false Octavia. "I am just a construct, but I am part of the entity of this building. I have no morals as to your definition of right and wrong. That lies within the people who use my power. You, Karina, fear the possible outcome of an incestuous relationship with your son. Your son, on the other hand, will not accept your alternative to completing the ritual, which involves your slavery to Ahhspah. May I propose that we take it out of both of your hands?" Karina and Per both looked at the creation in bewilderment. "How do you propose we do that?" asked Per. "Like this!" and the fake Octavia raised her hands to send purple beams of light to strike both mother and son before disappearing. Per froze as his mind went blank. A lustful burning in his balls sprang into existence and his cock became hard as iron in response. The familiar red haze settled down over his eyes and his breathing intensified as his passion took control of him. Karina's mind filled with visions of hard, thick cocks as she felt her body heat up in desire. Gasping in lust, she saw a twelve-inch long hard cock right next to her and could not even associate it with her son. The morality, shame, and knowledge of possible destruction from an incestuous affair did not matter anymore. All she knew was that she had to have it. Mother and son clinched in a welter of arms, legs, cock, and tits. Karina's one goal was to get that thick slab of meat stuffed into her burning twat as fast as possible, and Per's driving desire to slam it into her with equal speed. As such, they managed to get in each other's way and fell to the floor. The floor had suddenly turned into a spongy material that cushioned their fall. Both of them, driven by their lust, desired the same goal, but, as such, they thwarted one another. Karina kept trying to get Per flat on his back so she could jam his thick, throbbing cock deep inside her hot cunt. Per kept trying to get his mother on her back so that he could shove his aching prick into her dripping slit. In their lustcraze, the two of them were matched in strength, but it was Per's mass that finally won out. Using his superior size, he flipped Karina over onto her hands and knees, and grabbed her tightly by the hips. Karina was just about to swing back around when Per yanked her violently backwards. "FFFFUUUUCCCCKKKK!!!!" screamed out Karina as all of Per's cock brutally rammed into her vagina. Only her inherent magic saved Karina from the pain of the rape. Her pussy automatically adjusted to Per's sudden intrusion, but she did not really care now that a thick, long cock was stuffed up inside her. Karina braced her hands on the spongy floor and humped back as Per banged his cock in and out of her vagina. Per had his hands wrapped under her hips, and was pushing and pulling Karina back and forth on his cock. Her legs were off the ground and the loud slap of flesh on flesh reverberated down the corridor each time her ass hit Per's gut. Karina's huge tits were actually hitting her in the face as they swung wildly back and forth. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" screamed Karina each time Per shoved his cock deep into her pussy. Her hair whipped around as she tossed her head in the throes of her frenzy. She had stopped fighting Per as soon as his cock jammed into her. Her only thought now was being fucked to oblivion. Per and Karina were panting heavily, each intent on reaching their lust-driven climax. The musky scent of raw sex filled the air. To Karina, the prick filling her was just a tool to drive her to a climatic orgasm. To Per, the tight, clasping vagina was the perfect tunnel to spark his explosive climax. Sweat dripped off the two grunting bodies as each one thrust and heaved in a sexual frenzy. The spongy nature of the floor actually allowed Karina to grip it with her fingers. Her teeth were clenched and her eyes screwed shut as she begged for the brutal pounding of her cunt. Per, lost in his own overwhelming desire, barely heard his mother yelling for him to fuck her harder. The only thing that registered with him was the hot, tight, clasping pussy he was fucking. The lust that controlled the two of them did not allow for Per and Karina to maintain any power over themselves. Their passion spiraled upward at a tremendous rate. Per was shaking from the tension building in his balls and only Karina's grip on floor kept her from quaking. Finally, when it seemed that they would collapse, Per's climax peaked inside him. With a loud shout, he buried his twelve-inch cock all the way into Karina's pussy. Karina's eyes flew open and she gasped loudly as she felt Per spew a torrent of hot cum into her womb. The added stimulation pushed her over the edge and her orgasm burst forth as she spurted out her juices to combine with her son's jism. Per shuddered and shook as he shot glob after glob of hot, sticky jizz deep into his mother's womb. Karina's vaginal muscles were milking his cock for every drop. Finally, with his cock still buried deep inside her, Per collapsed off to one side, dragging Karina over with him. They both lay on the floor gasping for breath as Per's cock throbbed and then deflated inside her. Per, still breathing hard, moved his hips backwards and pulled his flaccid cock out of Karina. Karina groaned a little as the soft shaft slid out of her well-fucked cunt. "Mom... I... uh..." stammered Per, embarrassed now that he was back in control of himself. "Hush, Per," soothed Karina, turning over to look at him. "We didn't have much of a choice in the matter. I won't say that I'm glad it happened, but, at the same time, I'm not sorry it did, either. It saves me from taking Ahhspah's alternative to the ritual." "I guess that was what the Simularium read in my mind," said Per. "I was serious before, Per," said Karina. "This can not happen again. Life as outcasts isn't fair to you, Tenan, or me." Per was about to reply when Octavia shimmered into view. She had an agitated look on her face. "Goblins!" she exclaimed. "Goblins have tunneled up from underneath the cavern floor. I had sealed the entrances to the cavern, but they have made a new one." "How many are there?" asked Per as he helped his mother to her feet. "Hundreds, but they are led by the human who was here before." "Cedric!" hissed Per in anger as he dashed towards the foyer. Per and Karina quickly dressed. Once outside the black building, they separated. Per raced towards the wall to see what was going on, while Karina ran towards the Burgassi tents to get her armor and weapons. Almost everyone was up on top of the wall when Per arrived there. He knew Tenan would not be there, but he was surprised to see that Cendri, Gedda, the General, Octavia, and Vail were missing. Per looked over the battlements and his mouth dropped open in shock. "Quite a few of the nasty, little buggers, aren't there?" stated Lorilei flatly. "I severed the tie to the building because of your antics inside and now it looks like we are going to need that power, dearie." "Look, um, Lorilei. The entity in the building created this cavern," said Per. "If we use up all its power, the roof could crash down on all of us." Lorilei remained silent as Per looked back over the battlements. A large hole had appeared in the floor of the cavern and a multitude of small, green-skinned goblins were pouring out of it. Despite some bickering and in-fighting, they quickly formed up in ranks. A tall human, who Per guessed to be Cedric, was standing in front of the formations looking at the castle. When the last goblin was in line, they began to march towards the plateau. Per guessed that there was close to five hundred goblins. "What are you all doing up there?" demanded the General from down in the courtyard. "Octavia has found the armory that, thanks to the magical restoration, is completely stocked. Everyone get down there and get dressed for battle." "Battle?" asked Celine in a frightened voice. "Can't we just negotiate with them?" "It's easier negotiating with a sword in your hand than trying to talk your way out of the cookpot," said the General kindly. "Go on, girl. Octavia will help you and I know you'll do us proud." Everyone left the wall, except for Per, the General, Pawl, Helga, Nyrandurril, Lorilei, and Phartom. Gar, Electana, and Diti were collecting rocks and placing them in bags. The General gave everyone remaining a quizzical look. "Armor will interfere with our spells," explained Pawl to the unasked question. "We learned magic, not weapons." "Yes, but you can still haul up weapons and supplies for the others," countered the General. "We need poles to fend off ladders, although it looks like they only have grappling hooks. Rope is easy to hack with an axe, unless, of course, you want to use a spell on each hook coming over the wall." "I catch your drift," said Pawl. "Coming, ladies?" "I'm hoping to talk our way out of this," said the General after everyone had left. "If they get inside, they'll swarm over us." "I doubt Cedric will listen to us, especially once he realizes who is inside," replied Per. "He'd kill off his army twice over just to get to some of us." He spotted Karina coming towards them dressed in her armor. "Cendri and Gedda have lowered the portcullis and are preparing a hot reception with oil for those who try that route," stated the General once Karina had joined them. "Everyone else is getting suited up and Octavia is posting them around the walls." "That's fine, but I don't know why you're telling me this," said Karina. "You're more experienced at this than I am." "Gar said you were in charge," explained the General. "He also said it was good of you to include a fight in the ritual." Karina shook her head and said, "I guess he sees it as an added bonus. If anyone gets killed... well, it's not as if we planned it." "Not even Cedric," stated Per, pointing over the wall. Cedric and several goblins were having a heated argument about the people up on the wall. A unit of fifty goblins were marching a curculios route towards the ramp and the gatehouse that led up to the top of the plateau. The rest of the goblins had stopped outside bow range of the plateau. Per looked behind him. Everyone, except the wizards and witches, were dressed in armor and carrying a variety of weapons. Most of the warriors and clerics had dressed in their own armor. Octavia was pointing to where she wanted people to go. She had sent most to where Per was ands a few to fortify the gatehouse. He also noticed that she had sent the novices, like Celine and Contico, to the rear to keep watch there. "Hallo, the castle!" called out Cedric. "This castle is the property of myself, King Cedric. Vacate it at once!" "King Cedric!" yelled back several voices in derision. "Why don't you crawl back into the sewer you came from and take your maggoty friends with you?" yelled Per. "Per? Per, it is you!" shouted Cedric in glee. "I would recognize your malformed body anywhere and that big-titted whore beside you must be your mother! Who else is with you?" Before Per could answer, Gar came up to the top of the wall and dropped his sack of rocks with a clatter. After hefting a stone which must have weighed twenty pounds in one hand, Gar gripped it firmly and spun around twice. The rock flew from his hand and Gar hopped around on one foot to watch where it went. The stone flew out over the wall and arched down towards Cedric. Cedric dove off to one side, even though it missed him by ten feet to his right. The rock killed two goblins outright, broke the arm of another when he tried to deflect it with his shield and smashed the legs to two other goblins. roared Gar to the goblins below. Per heard the goblins begin to mutter from Gar's announcement as Cedric picked himself up off the ground. A group of goblins shouted out Gar's name in anger and it was picked up by others. Within seconds, all the goblins were shouting, "I think they know who your father is," shouted the General. He yelled to everyone else, "Get ready!" Gar jumped up onto the top of the battlements and roared his defiance at the army below. Without waiting for orders, the goblins all surged forward together. ------- Chapter 15 Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and macktheknife. The two groups of adversaries had pulled back from one another. The initial skirmish had not gone well for the goblins. Per knew his father, Gar, hated goblins and usually killed them on sight, but, until now, he never realized how infamous Gar was to the goblin community and how much they hated him. The goblins had surged forward to get at Gar, despite Cedric's orders to the contrary. As it was, the majority of them packed in at the base of the plateau. Few of their grappling hooks made it up to the top of the wall because they did not have enough room to swing them around in the crush. The defenders on top of the wall cut the ropes as Gar hurled rocks down on the goblins. Electana and Diti, standing in the courtyard, lobbed stones over the wall. They could not see any of the goblins, but that did not matter as they could scarcely miss the massed throng below. The goblins countered the missiles by backing up and launching a hail of arrows and bolts at the defenders to keep them away from the grappling hooks. Pawl, Lorilei, Helga, and Nyrandurril decimated two units of archers with a couple of fireball spells, a few magic missiles, and other equally deadly magic. The remaining missile-armed goblins spread out so that they would not be so easy a target and continued to snipe at the people above. The climax of the battle occurred when a gout of flame whooshed out of the tunnel mouth that led from the cavern floor to the top of the plateau. Half of the goblin unit that Cedric had sent over there was caught in the flames. Per was scared that they had done something to breach the gatehouse and was preparing to run over there when Cendri came up to the roof of the gatehouse and waved an 'all's well' sign to him and the others. She then turned to fire several crossbow bolts after the retreating goblins. The battle degenerated into a stalemate after that and the goblins pulled back out of range. Per guessed that about fifty goblins had been killed and twice that number wounded. Karlto had taken a quarrel in his upper right chest when he had attempted to cut the rope to a hook. Ivin rushed over to him, yanked out the bolt, and healed the wound. His scream of pain had not even died down before Ivin was cutting the rope, and moving on. Diti had taken an arrow in her leg, which was healed by Bargan after the goblins had backed off. Per found himself looking over the parapets at the milling goblins with Bargan, Vail, Helga, Morning Mist, and Celine. Karlto had already gone down to the courtyard to repair the hole in his armor. The General was suggesting to Karina to set up a watch to allow the defenders a chance to rest and replenish their supplies. "Nice fight so far," commented Bargan. "So nice to be included in on all of this." "Sorry," apologized Per. "Considering I did not know about any of this until a few days ago, it's not what I expected either." Bargan grimaced in embarrassment and said, "I'm sorry also, Per. I'm just on edge from being transported here unexpectedly and then finding several hundred goblins thirsting for my blood." "I think today's been a little trying for all of us," replied Per. "You're right," said Bargan with some of his old humor. "If you will excuse me, I'll go see what I can do to help your mother. I'm sure it's been especially trying for her." "Do you think they will leave?" asked Celine anxiously, looking down at the goblins. "I doubt it," said Per. "Oh, look... Cedric is engaging in some goblin politics." The people with Per looked down just in time to see Cedric stab the goblin who was standing in front of him. He then hacked at the body on the ground until it was a bloody mess. A couple of goblins came over fearfully at Cedric's command and dragged the body away. "Why did he do that?" asked Celine, white-faced and aghast. "They didn't obey his orders," replied Vail. "They attacked before he had a plan. We were lucky that we killed and wounded so many." "Not that lucky," corrected Helga, with her chin tilted upward as if testing the air. "He's got the goblin shamans healing the wounded instead of preparing them for dinner." "Eww!" grimaced Celine. "You don't mean they... ewww!" "Remember that if you expect mercy from them," stated Vail. "Why don't you all go and get some sleep. Octavia set up the watch and I have the first shift with Morning Mist." Helga headed towards the keep, while Per and Celine walked down to the courtyard. They saw Pawl crossing the courtyard heading towards the keep. He spotted them and waited for them to catch up to him. "Quite a day, eh, Per?" asked Pawl with a smile. "Nothing's ever dull around you." "I seem to remember you getting into trouble all by yourself before we met," joked Per. "True... true, but I've changed," said Pawl. He then leered at Celine. "Well, almost changed." He looked back at Per and turned serious. "The next attack is going to be different. There's a group of shamans with the goblins who can nullify a good portion of our magic just as we can nullify theirs. It may come down to who can overpower who." "We know about the shamans, but you might want to tell my mother," said Per. "We'll all do our best when they attack again." "I'll go see Karina and then I need to rest," stated Pawl before moving off. Per made to follow him, but stopped when Celine put her hand on his arm. "Per, do we have time..." she began to ask him before she stopped. Celine took in another breath. "I mean, before they... you know... I want to, just in case." "Don't be afraid," reassured Per. "We can keep them out. Believe it or not, this is a pretty extraordinary group in this castle and I do include you with them." Celine looked down as she blushed and said, "Still, I told your mother I would. Do you mind if Contico joins us? We've become friends." "Go and fetch her if your mind is made up," said Per. "I'll meet you by the entrance to the black building over there." Celine soon returned with Contico in tow. They had both changed out of the leather armor Octavia made them wear and had left their weapons behind. Per looked on in disapproval as the two of them laughed and giggled their way towards him. "It wasn't a good idea to leave your gear behind," he told them sternly. "Oh, pooh," pouted Contico. "According to Cendri, it's going to take them several hours to heal up their troops, make a plan, and get everyone over there organized. Trust me... I would not have come out here at all if I thought there was a chance of an attack. You ready to do your duty, big boy? Hope you're as good as the first time." "If I remember correctly, the first time you were zonked out of your mind on your own pollen," Per reminded her. "I'm surprised you remember anything at all." "I don't," admitted Contico. "Well, I'm sober now. Let's say as good as the last time, shall we?" The three of them stepped into the foyer of the black building, stripped, and were bathed in lavender light. Celine was all eager and aglow with excitement, while Contico cast appraising glances at Per's muscles and thick, hard cock. The inner doors opened and they were met by a naked Iona. "How did you get in here?" asked Contico in amazement. "I'm not the real Iona," said the phantasm. "I am merely a representation of her to put you at ease. Shall we go?" "Go?" asked Celine. "Go where?" Iona just gave her a knowing smile and led the way down the main corridor. Halfway down the hallway, she took a left turn and went through a doorway to another corridor. She stopped two doors down. "Have fun," she said before shimmering from view. Per looked at Contico and Celine, who both shrugged their shoulders. They had no more a clue than Per did. Per opened the door, took a step inside, and fell three feet onto a huge pile of pillows. Celine howled in delight as she dove over Per to land facedown on the soft cushions. Contico laughed and launched herself into the room. Per, pretending to be grumpy, threw a couple of pillows at the women, which led to a mock battle where the air was filled with flying cushions. After several minutes, they all fell backwards laughing uproariously. "Oh, Gods, I haven't had this much fun since... well, a long time," chuckled Contico. "Neither have I," added Celine. "However, I did not come here to have a pillow fight." She rolled over quickly until she was next to Per. Per gasped as her small hands grabbed a hold of his semi-flaccid cock and began to stroke it. Celine stuck out her tongue and licked around the sensitive head of Per's prick. "Looks like you're on to something there," commented Contico, who also rolled over next to Per. "Is your tongue talented?" she asked him. Contico pushed Per back and threw a leg over his head. Per brought his hands up to grasp her plump ass and buried his face into her dripping cunt. Contico shivered and moaned in delight as Per's tongue licked deep into the folds of her vagina. "Do you want to... oh, yeah!... want to go first?" panted Contico to Celine. "Yes," replied Celine, slurping her mouth off Per's throbbing cock. Celine kept a hold of Per's hard shaft as she scooted her hips up towards his. Per felt Celine straddle him and rub her wet pussy up and down the length of his cock. She then pointed his cock straight up and nuzzled her hot snatch to the tip of his prick. With a loud gasp, she sank downward, impaling herself on the thick, hard shaft. Per turned his attention back to the pussy that was plastered to his face. As he licked and tongued Contico's cunt, Celine was slowly going up and down with half of his cock going in her tight slit. The last two times he had fucked Celine, Per had been in the throes of his lustcraze. He guessed this time she wanted to savor it, so he let her set her own pace. Per's tongue quickly brought Contico to two orgasms as Celine continued her slow, sedate fuck on his cock. She never took more than half of his twelve inch cock inside her and she cooed and moaned when she felt his hard shaft stretch her out to fill her completely. Per lapped and licked at Contico's wet pussy to take his mind off Celine's slow, sedate fuck on his prick. He felt Contico's thighs tremble as she came closer and closer to her peak. The musky scent of her sex filled his nostrils and he tasted the earthy tang of her juices. Contico leaned forward to rest her hands on Per's stomach for support as she quivered all over. Suddenly, her thighs clamped around Per's head and she moaned loudly as an orgasm washed over her. Her eyes opened wide in surprise as a second orgasm followed the first almost immediately. Contico, gasping for breath, rolled off to the side and Celine picked up the pace a little. She leaned forward to rest her hands on Per's chest as she bounced faster upon his thick cock. Per looked down between them to see his cock slid in and out of her tight vagina. Celine began to pant heavily as her sexual tension grew inside her. Her breasts swayed and jiggled as she rocked back and forth. Per felt his own climax building as her pussy tightened down around his shaft. Celine shivered, bounced one more time, gasped and shoved backwards to imbed Per's cock inside her as her orgasm skyrocketed to its height. Her vaginal muscles clutched and squeezed Per's shaft as if milking it for its seed. The added stimulation was enough to set off Per. With a loud grunt of pleasure, Per's body tensed up as his balls tightened. Celine gasped as she felt him spurt thick, hot sperm again and again into her womb, setting off a series of mini-orgasms within her. The burn began in Per's balls as Celine remained on his cock, humming in delight as she savored the warm orgasmic bliss coursing through her. Her eyes opened up when she felt Per's rock-hard cock twitch inside her. She saw the red tinge appear in his eyes and swung a leg up and over his hips. His prick slurped out of her over-filled hole as she rolled off to the side. Per sat up and felt a pull on his arm. With lust clouding his mind, he turned and pushed Contico onto her back. Contico smiled wickedly as she spread her legs for Per to move between them. She moaned when the tip of his throbbing cock touched the folds of her wet, hot slit. Contico gasped loudly and arched her back upwards as six inches of hard, thick cock shoved into her, stretching her vagina wide open. Contico's hands gripped Per's forearms tightly as he pulled back and shoved forward again. Her eyes rolled back in her head as he shoved an additional two inches into her. Per must have sensed this was the limit of how deep he could go. He pulled back and began to pump his substantial prick in and out of her slick, tight cunt. Contico moaned as she felt her vaginal muscles being deliciously stretched open. She began to shiver and shake as Per cock filled her womb again and again. His veiny shaft slid against her clitoris, increasing her passion tenfold. The pressure building inside her was rising to the breaking point as she stared up at Per's large chest above her. Contico peaked before she was aware of it and she screamed out her joy as her juices gushed out around Per's ramming cock. Per continued to fuck her and she orgasmed again and again. After her third orgasm, all of her strength fled away and she collapsed limply underneath him. It might have gone on a long time, but Celine decided to get into the act. She reached between Per's leg to caress and fondle his balls. That was enough to set Per off. His whole body tensed and Contico moaned feebly as she felt him shoot his hot, gooey jizz deep into her womb. She sighed in satisfaction as Per dumped another load into her and she felt his seed leaking out of her. "Oh, no, you don't!" exclaimed Contico as she felt Per shift his weight to roll off of her. She held him in place by his arms. "You can stay and cuddle for awhile." "I'm a bit heavy for cuddling, especially when I'm on top," replied Per, but stayed where he was. A knock on the door made all three of them look up sharply. Per rolled off to the side, pulling his semi-flaccid prick out of Contico's over-stretched pussy. Celine stood up and opened the door to allow Iona to enter. "Pardon the intrusion, but I believe the General is looking for you two ladies," said Iona. "Pawl and Soft Dove are sort of burying the hatchet in another room here. The Overlord and Shara decided to investigate a different room." "I guess we had better get back," said Per, getting up. "Per, do you mind staying for a bit?" asked Iona. "We'll catch you later," said Contico as she and Celine left. "How's your energy level?" asked Per when he and Iona were alone. "I beg your pardon?" "Your energy level?" repeated Per. "What are you talking about?" asked Iona. Per's mouth dropped open as realization hit him. "You're the real Iona!" he exclaimed. "Of course, I'm real!" counter Iona. She then realized what had happened. "Oh, I get it! Pawl, Soft Dove, and I were met inside by Karlto, but it wasn't really him... just something that was created in here." Holina materialized in the room and said, "I'm sorry. I did not mean to cause you harm or discomfort. I select random people from a person's past to greet them and put them at ease. Come, I have a room set aside for you two." Per looked at Iona, who stared back at him. She then wiggled her hips around. "What do you say, big boy?" she asked playfully. "Are you up for it?" "I think I'm good," stated Per with a smile. "Good... 'cause you owe me for the time you fell asleep on me in Delta." "You're gonna hold that over my head forever, aren't you?" griped Per. "Hmm, maybe," mused Iona, She then turned serious. "No, Per, I won't. If we survive this crap we're in, you'll become a marshal and I plan on returning to Delta. There's a lot of unfinished business I have to take care of there." "So, you're giving me the brush-off, eh?" joked Per. "Oh, no, you don't!" exclaimed Iona in mock anger. "You're not getting out of this that easily." She turned to face the fake Holina. "Will you lead us to our room?" "Of course," said the phantasm, who then led them down the main corridor. ""You do realize that your harem is going to split up once the ritual is done," stated Iona to Per. "Considering I didn't know I had a harem, that's no big deal," replied Per. "I am both amazed and grateful that everyone involved agreed to do this." "Let's see how grateful you are at the end of the week," laughed Iona. "That's why I wanted to be at the beginning of the line... before you lose a lot of that incredible stamina." "Yeah, and before the goblins get me first," quipped Per. "Hey, Holina, can Pawl tap into the power stored here in this building? I mean we are adding power now. Can he reestablish the connection?" "Yes, he can," replied the fake Holina. "He has to picture the building in his mind and reach out mentally to rejoin the link." Per turned to Iona and said, "Don't tell anyone else how to do that." "What? Why not?" asked Iona. "It would give us an edge over the goblins." "Because I don't trust Lorilei," replied Per. "She craves power too much. You remember Yayenski, don't you?" Iona nodded as the phantasm opened the door to a room. The circular room was at least one hundred feet across and the floor undulated in mounds and dips. The floor did not meet the wall at an edge, but curved upwards in a slope. It was colored bright yellow and was covered with some shiny substance. Per looked askance at the room, while Iona crouched down to touch the floor. The floor was soft and gave way to the pressure of her fingers. Iona lifted her fingers up to look at them as she rubbed them together. Per jumped as Iona gave out a warhoop and dove headfirst into the room. Her body splatted on the floor, spraying the viscous substance everywhere. She slid all the way to the opposite side of the room. Giggling and laughing, she got up onto her knees. Per saw that her lush body was covered by the clear, slick liquid. "Enjoy," stated Holina. "The room to your left when you come out has a pool where you can wash off after you are finished." She then disappeared. Per smiled and ruefully shook his head. Iona was coated in the slick gel and she smiled at him wickedly, crooking a finger to beckon him on. Per knew this was exactly what Iona wanted... messy sex. She could get off just from having Per splatter his cum all over her face. Iona beckoned him again and Per took a step into the room. Per jerked back towards the door, grabbing a hold of the frame as his foot shot out from underneath him. He managed to hold on and pull himself back to the corridor, while peals of laughter came from Iona. The gel on the floor was thick and very slippery. Per did not say a word, but scowled at the giggling Iona. Backing up a little, he ran at the doorway, jumped, and landed with both feet on the floor. Per crouched down and flew across the floor straight towards Iona. The speed of his approach surprised both of them and Iona scrambled to get out of the way. She found out she could not move because she had no traction. Per was all set to grab her when a small bump upset his plans. His feet slid up the rise and, as he corrected his stance, he lost it. Per's feet flew up into the air and he landed flat on his back. The floor's soft texture cushioned his impact and he shot past Iona. He managed to snag one of her ankles, but his hand slipped off half-a-second later. Per slid into the curve where the floor joined the wall. He actually went halfway up the wall before sliding back down. He came to rest against the small rise that had caused him to lose his balance. "Nice try, Per," taunted Iona gaily. "You almost got me on that one. Want to try again?" Per tried to scuttle towards Iona, but the thick gel made his progress slow. Iona, barely moving herself, was still able to avoid him, laughing and teasing him as they moved around the room. Per was getting frustrated and Iona was having the time of her life because his superior strength did not mean that much here. Per, having missed her a fourth time, banged both fists on the floor. "Aw, getting a little angry, are we?" cooed Iona. Per stayed quiet and began to size up the layout of the floor. He scuttled over to his left, making Iona move off to her right. He was not moving directly towards her, but she wanted to have the room to move. Per stopped when he was up against the doorframe leading out into the corridor. "You aren't going to leave me, are you?" pouted Iona in mock sadness. "No," replied Per as he kicked both feet against the doorway and slid across the floor on his belly. "Gotcha!" Iona screamed as Per wrapped an arm around her waist. He could feel her slip and slide in his arms, but he managed to hold on as they both slid to the wall and up it. Instead of sliding back down, though, Per flipped and landed on the floor with Iona on top of him. His breath whooshed out, but he still held onto her. He lay still with her on top of him as he tried to regain his breath. Iona was looking down at him with an unfathomable expression. Before Per could ask her what was on her mind, she bent down and kissed him full on the lips. Sweetness seemed to explode in Per's mouth as he tasted the gel that they had all over them. Iona moaned deeply in rapturous delight and her tongue darted into Per's mouth as if to taste more of the substance. Per found himself returning her kiss with equal ardor. His cock sprang to life and he groaned aloud as Iona's hand snaked down to rub his pulsating member. Per's hands roamed all over Iona's body, kneading her slick breasts and firm buttocks. Her nipples were hard nubs and Per tweaked them, feeling them pull and then slip out from between his fingers. Gasping for air, Iona broke away from their kissing and threw a leg over Per's hips. "Oh, Gods, I've never been this hot before!" she gasped. "If you hadn't caught me when you did... Oh, Gods, I need you in me now!" Iona slithered upward with a little sliding around on Per's chest. She somehow managed to get herself up onto her feet, crouched over Per's hard cock. She reached down and pointed his thick penis right at the entrance to her slick slit. Iona shifted her weight a little and suddenly her feet slipped out from underneath her. She landed with a thud and a splat onto Per's hips. Luckily, the super-slippery gel along with Iona's passionate readiness, allowed Per's cock to fully penetrate her without any pain. Still, her eyes bulged out at having twelve inches of thick, hard cock shoved deep into her vagina. She started to shake violently as an intense orgasm peaked and exploded inside her. Iona screamed out as unexpected ecstatic joy coursed through her body. Per tried to hold onto her, but she kept slipping out of his grasp. Finally, he just wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest until her massive orgasm subsided. "Oh... Oh, Gods!... My... OH!..." gasped Iona as she continued to shiver and shake in Per's arms. She managed to settle down a little bit. "That was so... I can't even... even describe it." She squeezed her vaginal muscles around Per's hard prick. "I think you need some relief, too." The next several minutes turned out to be comical. Iona found out that her feet and knees slipped whenever she tried to raise up on Per's cock. Per laughed hard at her third sprat fall onto his chest when her hands skidded out to the side. All in all, Iona had barely moved an inch up and down on his thick shaft. "Well, let's try this then," muttered Iona to herself. She cupped her hands under Per's armpits and pushed downwards towards her feet. Iona grunted as she slid backwards and only stopped when she hit the base of Per's prick. She then put her hands on top of his shoulders and pulled upwards. She would have slid right off Per's cock if he hadn't reach up for her shoulders to stop her momentum. "I think we have it now," stated Iona with a smile. "They were both smiling and laughing as Iona pulled herself up and Per pushed her back down. Per found it incredibly sexy since her entire body slid over his as his cock squished in and out of her velvety-soft pussy. It was not long before the laughter became pants and moans of passion. "Faster!" gasped Iona, pulling herself up quicker. "Faster!" Per pushed Iona down as fast as she was pulling herself up. The friction on his cock was causing his balls to tighten up painfully in anticipation of his climax. Iona's body was in constant motion, her tits and belly rubbing over Per's body as she slid up and down. Per pushed her down again, but she did not pull herself back up. Instead, her eyes unfocused and her mouth dropped open. She began to shake as another massive orgasm jolted through her body. Her vaginal muscles clenched and tightened around Per's shaft, which sent him over the edge. Per bellowed and held Iona down tight upon his prick. Iona felt him twitch inside her and then felt his warm seed fill her to overflowing. It felt like her womb was expanding to try to contain it all. She knew it could not when warm liquid oozed out and traveled down her thighs. "Gods, that was so... so..." gasped Iona weakly. "Fantastic?" suggested Per. "You have no idea how much so," replied Iona. "Now what?" "As much as I would like to continue, we should go back outside and see what the goblins are up to," stated Per. "Well, it should only take us an hour or so to get to the door over there," pointed out Iona, nodding to the door on the far side of the room. "We're against a wall," said Per, who rotated his body and kicked off the wall. Iona squealed in delighted horror as they shot across the room. Per stopped them by grabbing a hold of the doorframe. They went into the pool and washed up. The gel washed off easily and soon they were walking down the corridor towards the main entrance. As they approached the foyer doors, they both saw Pawl and Soft Dove standing there. "Have you two settled your differences?" asked Per. "We never had any difficulties between us," stated Soft Dove, who looked down and raised an eyebrow at the sight of Per's flaccid cock. "I did, however, vigorously apologize to Pawl for the former Soft Dove's actions. Was my apology adequate, Pawl?" "Any more vigorously and you'd have to prop me up against a wall to cast spells at the goblins," replied Pawl with a leering smile. "Speaking of spells..." said Per, who went on to tell Pawl how to tap into the power of the building. Pawl experimented, establishing and severing the power several times. "Remember not to let anyone else know how to do this," warned Per. "Nyrandurril is not going to like that when she finds out," stated Pawl. "Let's hope she doesn't find out," said Per as they entered the foyer and began dressing. Per walked out of the black building and went up to the top of the wall to see what the goblins were up to. He was joined there by Octavia and Ivin. The goblins were reorganizing into group of fifteen to twenty. Cedric was off to one side talking to four large goblins. "He's got something planned," stated Per to the two women. "It won't be like the last time when they just rushed forward," said Octavia. "It looks like he has the shamans going out, too" "Their magic is a little crude, but effective," said Ivin. She turned as Cendri joined them. "A lot of the magic, theirs and ours, is going to be nullified. We'll basically cancel each other out. "We have to keep them outside the wall," stated Cendri. "A single goblin or two is not that big a threat to the fighters, but they're extremely vicious and deadly in a mob." She looked out as the goblins began to move. "Time to get everyone up on the walls. I don't see any ladders, so they are sticking with grappling hooks. Not that it matters... goblins can skinny up a rope as fast as Gedda can pick a lock." Octavia went and got everyone out of the black building and the keep. As everyone took their places, Per noticed small stores of darts, spears, javelins, and arrows strategically placed where they could easily be gotten to. Per looked out and saw the goblins marching around the plateau. Every now and then a group of them would stop and face towards the plateau. The goblins were slowly forming a ring around the castle. "I was afraid of that," muttered Cendri. "He's going to rush us from all sides at the same time." "He's also spread out the shamans and put missile troops with each group," commented the General coming up the stairs. "We need to bolster the weaker members of our party. I'll go over with Inga and Celine. Spread out the witches and the wizards." Per quickly found himself guarding a section of wall with Contico and Nesbra. The section to his left was guarded by the Overlord, Shara and Holina. Lorilei was supposed to be working the magical protection for both sections, but she was yet to be found. "Where in the Hells is she?" snapped Per. "The goblins are almost in position." "They'll rest for a period of time to recover from their march," stated Nesbra. "Still, she should be here and no one has seen her. We could send Contico to the keep to... OH!" Per spun around in time to see a green-garbed figure fly out of the tower window towards them. It was Lorilei, who alighted on the wall next to them. "Miss me, dearies?" she asked with a smile. "Where have you been?" asked Per coldly. "Manners! Manners!" chided Lorilei. "Since we're stuck here, I decided to do a little exploring. I found all sorts of things. Don't worry... I've been keeping track of the little green snotnoses. I figured this is where I'm supposed to be since the other magic-users are spread out in different areas." "You're responsible for this and the Overlord's section," stated Nesbra. "Do you think it was wise announcing your arrival like that?" "Those goblins who saw me land here know I can do magic, dearie," said Lorilei with a little steel in her voice. "Those goblins are pissing in their pants hoping I don't charbroil or turn them inside out. They're not going to be real keen about getting close to the wall." Lorilei's prediction turned out to be true. The goblin archers and crossbow troops were sent in first as the shamans sought to nullify the defender's magic. Per saw spells fizzling out all around as goblin arrows and bolts kept everyone on the walls pinned down. His section was the last to be attacked as the goblins facing that section only moved timidly forward. Per managed to take out four goblins with his heavy crossbow before he even got a return volley. Things were hectic on other parts of the wall as arrows and bolts flew everywhere. Electana and Diti had to leave the courtyard to seek shelter after Diti took an arrow in the arm and Electana took two in her leg. Andie and Dorna healed them immediately with spells. Per sent Nesbra around to another section to help out, confident that he and Contico could hold their own. Contico followed Per's instruction to stay under cover and cut any grappling hooks that were thrown up. After Per managed to spit a shaman with a bolt, Lorilei was able to unleash a lightning bolt. The bolt decimated the group trying to get over Per's section of the wall. The goblins had been throwing their hooks up haphazardly and the few that actually did manage to hook onto the battlements were cut by Contico. The stench of burned flesh wafted upward and the living goblins retreated back from the wall. Their retreat unnerved the goblins on either side of them. Suddenly, those groups pulled back causing a withdrawal all round the plateau. Pawl tossed a fireball after them to keep them moving. Goblin horns sounded and drums thumped out a deep beat. The goblins pulled back even farther and set up picket lines around the plateau. Per helped Contico to her feet and went over to where Lorilei was leaning up against a crenellate. "Are you okay?" asked Per in concern. "I'm fine," gasped Lorilei. "I'm just exhausted. The shamans aren't anywhere near my power level, but there are more of them, dearie." "Well, that was a quick fight," stated the Overlord as he, Shara, and Holina came over to join them. "Their heart wasn't in it. I'd say we killed about two dozen or so." "Only two dozen?" asked Contico in disbelief. "I thought there would be more." "Listen... you can hear the shamans healing the wounded," said the Overlord. "I'm only making a guess about how many we really killed." "Won't they give up?" asked Shara. "I doubt it," replied Per. "The goblins hate my father too much. Frontal assaults are not really goblin style. They're crafty and sneaky. I'm sure attacking from all sides was Cedric's idea. They're setting up picket lines to make sure we can't get out." "Eventually, we will have to leave," stated Holina, cleaning green blood off one of her axes. "You're supposed to cut the rope before they climb to the top," admonished Per, giving Holina a stern stare. "But that's not as satisfying," countered Holina. "What do we do now?" asked Contico. "We assess the damage done, figure out what went wrong, and what went right," answered the Overlord. "We then plan on how to counter their next move." Pawl and Nesbra were walking around the wall towards them. Pawl gave Per a big smile and two thumbs up. Per shook his head negatively and then looked quickly at Lorilei. She was staring over the wall and did not seem to notice either Per or Pawl. "Your Majesty," greeted Nesbra to the Overlord. "The General and Cendri wish to see you. They are going to the throne room. I'm supposed to be on watch here." "I think I'll go down and check on Electana and Diti," said Per. "No one else was hurt, were they?" "I don't think so," replied Nesbra. "We do need to do something about their archers before one of them gets in a lucky shot." "I'll go and talk to the others about it," said the Overlord, "and I want you to call me Ruger while we are here." Per headed down to the courtyard and found Electana and Diti leaning up against a wall in the shade. Electana was examining the blood and tears in her skirt. Per was pleased to find the two black-skinned, red-haired Fire Giantesses as beautiful and voluptuous as he remembered. They both looked up as he approached. "Look at this!" griped Electana. "My skirt is ruined and I don't have another one to replace it!" "Mother..." sighed Diti. "Oh, be quiet," said Electana. "Just because we submitted to him doesn't mean we can't complain about things he's gotten us into." "I came down to see how you two were doing after the last attack," stated Per. "Just peachy," said Electana dryly. "Chucking rocks over the walls at targets I can't see... dodging arrows coming in from all sides... getting hit twice in the same leg. That was painful, you know." "You could get up on the wall, but I don't think there's enough stonework up there to hide tits that big," replied Per just as dryly. Electana stared at him for a second and then broke out laughing along with Diti. "You're right about that!" chuckled Electana, looking up at the human-sized parapet. "I know what it is. I'm frustrated. How about you shucking off that armor and giving me some relief?" "We'll have to go over to the black building," said Per. "You coming, Diti?" "Not this time," replied Diti. "Momma needs a good hard fuck all to herself. Of course, I'll expect one later." "That's my girl," exclaimed Electana gleefully. "what's so special about the black building?" "Let's just say it has a mind of its own," said Per. "Let's get going before the goblins can interfere." "Sounds like fun. I think I'll come along also," said Diti. The three of them walked over to the black building. Per glanced at the energy gauge and was surprised to see that it had barely moved since the last time he looked at it. He decided that the energy they had created earlier must have been used by Pawl during the attack. Per opened the outer door for the giantesses and followed them into the foyer. "Take off your clothes," said Per, starting to unbuckle his armor. "The door won't open unless you are naked. A purplish light will also come on so don't be surprised by it." Electana leaned over and whispered to her daughter, who laughed at what she said. They both smiled at Per as they removed their blouses and skirts. Electana's mammoth breasts bounced free as she pulled her blouse over her head. Her areolas had a reddish tinge against her coal-black skin. Per licked his suddenly dry lips at the sight of them. Electana's tits were easily twice the size of his mother's and, even though Electana was four feet taller than Karina, the sheer size of her breasts was awesome. Diti's breasts, although a little smaller than her mother's, were just as impressive. The lavender light bathed the entire foyer and the inner doors opened to reveal a young, well-muscled Fire Giant. "Haas! Where... When..." stammered Diti in shock and confusion. "I am not Hass, but a creation of this place," stated the fake Fire Giant, who was over eleven feet tall with reddish-blond hair. "Come with me." The phantasm led Per and the two giantesses down the main corridor before turning right to go down a different hallway. He stopped about halfway down. There were large doors on either side. Per and Electana have this room to the right," stated the fake Haas. "Diti, your room is opposite theirs." Electana and Diti both exchanged looks. They appeared to like this arrangement. Diti then turned to face Haas. "Will you be in here with me?" she asked him. "I can if you wish," replied the phantasm. "However, everything here has been designed to meet with Karina's specifications." "Shall we?" asked Per to Electana as he opened the twelve foot high door. The room inside was a round domed chamber. In the center of the room was a large metallic frame floating a couple of feet off the ground. It was vaguely humanoid in shape with braces for legs, arms, body, and head. "Well, this is certainly unique," commented Electana as she walked around inspecting the contraption. "I see no bed, but is this thing for you, me or both?" Per grabbed the bottom of one of the metallic leg frames and pulled it straight out. The metal was warm and smooth to the touch. He lifted up one of his legs beside it and the frame was clearly longer than his leg. "I think it's for you," stated Per. "Care to try it or do you want to get another room?" Electana inhaled and licked her lips. Her eyes strayed towards the door and then she seemed to make up her mind. "This room is fine," she said as she walked over to the floating frame and straddled it. Electana put each of her legs in the frame, sat back, and then put her arms in their respective places. She was floating three to four feet off the ground and tilted a little backwards. She shifted her body to the left and the entire frame spun slowly in that direction. Electana shifted the other way and turned in the opposite direction. "Ooo, this might be fun," she cooed in delight. She smiled wickedly at Per and spread her legs apart exposing her wet, glistening slit to him. "Are you ready to give it a try?" Per walked up and dropped to his knees in front of her. He could smell her musky scent and her dark red pubic hair glistened around her labia. Using his thumbs, Per gently pulled her cunt lips apart, exposing the wet flesh underneath. "Ahhhh!" sighed Electana luxuriously as Per dipped his head down and slowly licked his tongue all the way up from the bottom of her slit to the top. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Per wormed his tongue around and around the nub of Electana's clitoris, causing her to shake and squirm. Her hands came over, still in the framework, to grip and pinch her huge mounds of titflesh. Her nipples became hard nubs as Per's tongue delved into her cunt sending her passion spiraling upwards. Electana pinched her nipples between her thumbs and forefingers to pull them out away from her body. She shivered as the erotic pain increased her pleasure from Per's tongue lashing. Her juices were leaking out freely and Per's cheeks and chin were shiny from them. Per could feel the giantess quivering from her pent-up passion. Electana was moaning and gasping for air as the knot of sexual tension increased inside her. Per licked deep inside her one more time and then laved his tongue around her clit. "OH! MY... AHHHHHHH!!!!!" gasped out Electana as her orgasm exploded inside her. She arched backwards with her body still in the frame as she thrashed about. A gush of cunt juice squirted out of her and all over Per's face. He wiped most of it off with the back of his hand as he stood up between her legs. "Oh, fuck! That was... AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!" Electana had started to talk, but screamed out in ecstasy as Per placed his hands on her hips and rammed all twelve inches of his thick cock into her dripping snatch. Electana's eyes rolled back in her head as another massive orgasm coursed through her. Her massive globes quivered and shook as her entire body convulsed in rapture. Electana cried out again and again and again as Per rammed his entire prick in and out of her hot, wet pussy. Her face took on a determined look as she wrapped her legs around his hips and started to pull him forcefully forward. Per took the hint and increased the strength of his thrusts. Her mammoth black breasts bounced around and around in time to Per's thrusts. She was so wet that her pussy juice dribbled down her ass to splash onto the floor. Per could feel the tension building in his balls. It was not often that he could let go with his passion. Electana's size allowed him to release the restraint he usually had to keep under control. His balls were slapping nosily against her butt as his cock squished in and out of her vagina. Per began to tremble as the tension in his balls became unbearable. Electana sensed his pending climax and squeezed down with her vaginal muscles around his hard shaft. Per grunted at the extra pressure and the increased stimuli pushed him over the edge. With a loud gasp of satisfaction, he shoved his cock all the way into her and held it there. Electana felt Per tremble and his prick pulsate inside her. Another orgasm went off inside her as she felt the gush of hot jizz squirt out of his penis deep into her womb. She sighed as she felt him continue to spurt, filling her with his liquid seed. Electana shook her head to clear sweat away from her eyes and glanced over at the door. Per was gasping for breath and his cock was becoming flaccid in her vagina. Suddenly, a red beam of light shot out of nowhere and hit Per. The light winked out as fast as it had appeared. Per stiffened up and Electana gasped in surprise as his cock swelled up to become as hard as a rock. She looked up and saw the reddish tinge in his eyes. Electana inhaled sharply in surprise when Per began to lustfully bang her. Per went to town fucking her. Electana could not believe the pace he set and her body was wracked by one orgasm after another. Lying tilted back and with her body in the frame, she could do nothing to get free. Electana was sure that even if she could get out of the frame, she would not be able to break Per's grip around her waist. Floating in the air, Per used his arms to move her body back and forth on his hard cock. Sweat dripped off both of their bodies and each one was panting from passion and exertion. Per suddenly began to tense up and Electana felt his cock swell inside her. She gave out a long, loud sigh of relief as his cock throbbed and spewed forth another huge load of gooey jism into her already overfilled pussy. His cum oozed out of her to dribble down her ass and legs. "Oh, Gods!" gasped Per, backing away from Electana. "That... was..." He stopped as he bent over to catch his breath. Electana glanced at the door again and said, "Help me out of this, Per. I'm wasted." Per groaned as he straightened up. He took a step forward to help Electana and was immediately struck by the red beam of light again. Per froze as his cock snapped to attention and the red tinge appeared in his eyes again. Electana gasped in fright, but before she could do anything, Per grasped the frame and flipped the entire contraption upside down. Electana's scream was cut off when she found herself floating face-down towards the floor. Magical restraints held her in place. She could move, but she could not get free of the framework. Her fiery red hair hung down covering her face and her huge, pendulous tits almost dragged on the floor. Per pushed her legs apart and stepped in between them. Electana's eyes opened wide when she felt him grasp her hips. "Per, wait! Don't! You can't... I need to... OHHHHHHH!!!!!" Electana's breath rushed out of her lungs and her eyes crossed as Per yanked her backwards hard. All twelve inches of his cock rammed into her gooey cunt, causing their combined juices to squish out. Her breasts swung up to smack her on the chin before swinging back down. The force of the swing caused her hardened nipples to drag across the floor, which sent jolts of erotic pleasure throughout her body. Per pushed her forward and then brought her back sharply. Her groin smacked into his, bouncing her forward again until Per pulled her back again. Electana orgasmed quickly and her hands grabbed a double handful of her meaty tits to keep her nipples from dragging on the floor. Per literally banged the giantess back and forth on his thick, hard prick. It was almost an hour later and Per, caught up in his lustcraze, was still going strong. Electana, sweat dripping off her body, hung limply in the frame from all of her orgasms. She was too exhausted to even keep her breasts from dragging on the floor. She had cum so often that her juices had puddled underneath her. Electana moaned feebly as another orgasm rippled through her and she knew she could not take anymore. "Per,... I... submit... submit... to... you. Please! I... I... Fuck me up the ass!... Fuck me in the mouth!... Fuck my tits!... Only cum! Please... please... cum." She sighed when Per suddenly pulled his large cock out of her overused pussy. The frame tilted so that her body was on a slightly upward angle. Electana cried out as the tip of Per's prick hit the puckered hole of her anus and he pushed the entire length of his cock into her asshole. The width of his penis painfully stretched her out, but luckily was slick enough from her juices to slide right in. Electana was too weak and broken-willed to offer more than a token clenching of her sphincter muscles in resistance. Electana could feel Per's cock throbbing in her ass. Per then started to ream her butt with the same intensity that he had just fucked her cunt. Electana's breasts bounced and jiggled with each impact of her ass against Per's hips. His huge balls slapped up against her cunt, starting the buildup of another orgasm inside her. Electana's body shook and trembled as more and more sexual tension built inside her. She knew this orgasm was going to massive. She babbled incoherently urging Per on. Her head whipped back and forth, slapping her dank red hair across her face. She suddenly froze. Her entire body tensed and she screamed out in rapture as the release of all the energy inside her exploded. Her juices squirted out of her cunt to splash against Per's legs and milk shot out of her tits to spray across the floor. The clenching of her sphincter muscle around Per's shaft was enough to set him off. With a bellow to match her scream, Per jammed his cock as far as he could up Electana's rectum and let loose. All of his lust and pent-up sexual tension seemed to force its way out of his prick. Per gasped in both pain and relief as his cock felt like it was swollen to bursting before it literally hosed hot cum into her ass. Per, gasping for breath, pulled his cock out of Electana's butt with a loud, sucking sound. He staggered back a few feet and fell on his rump if exhaustion. Electana's asshole gaped open with a white rivulet of sperm dripping out. Per watched as the frame lowered her unconscious body to the floor, her huge breasts mashing out to the side, before it disappeared. "Here, drink this." Per managed to lift his head and saw Nyrandurril standing beside him holding a large glass of liquid. "I'm not the real one," said the phantasm. "I'm sorry I had to activate your lust, but Electana and Diti had something planned that would have interfered with your mother's ritual request. I determined that it would have been enough of a problem to take steps to nullify it." "Where's Diti?" asked Per as he drank. The liquid was cool, refreshing and immediately restored his strength. "Across the hall," said Nyrandurril phantasm. Per left Electana lying on the floor. He strode out of the room and crossed the hallway with the fake Nyrandurril following behind. He threw open the door and stopped in total shock. The room was black... black walls, black ceiling, black floor. In the center of the room was a florescent, pulsating green circle of light. Out of that circle of light were a dozen green tentacles, which also pulsated with a greenish light. Diti was being held in midair by half of the tentacles that had wrapped around her legs, arms, waist, and neck. Two tentacles had attached themselves to her breasts and were undulating like they were sucking on her nipples. Three others had entered each of her orifices and were pumping lustfully in and out of her. Diti was covered in sweat and she mumbled something around the tentacle in her mouth when she caught sight of Per. The tentacle popped out of her mouth and started to slither over her coal-black body, leaving a slimy trail behind it. "Please, Per, make it stop," pleaded Diti. "Mother and I thought we had a chance. I won't try it again... I promise!" Per looked at Nyrandurril, who just stared back at him. He turned to face Diti and asked, "What won't you do again?" "We thought we could take you out," cried Diti. "Please make it stop! I can't take anymore!" "And what if I fucked you until you split in two?" asked Per sternly. "Yes! Yes! Anything, just get them out!" screamed Diti in a panic. "I submit... I submit! Please... just get rid of them!" Diti gasped in relief when the tentacles popped out of her ass and cunt. They still held on to her and Per now gasped as the fake Nyrandurril grabbed his limp cock with both hands. She knelt down and licked his prick while her hands pumped it up and down. The action of her hands and the image of her extremely beautiful face laving over his prick soon had Per hard again. "Will the tentacles grab me?" he asked. "No, they will respond to your commands," said the phantasm before she disappeared. Per stepped up behind Diti and grabbed her hips. "Are you ready?" he asked her. "Yes... anything... just not the tentacles again... please, master?" Per lunged forward and sank his long, thick cock all the way into Diti's dripping snatch. Per could tell she had orgasmed numerous times because she was slick and loose. Diti inhaled sharply and moaned at the sudden penetration. Per pulled back and rammed forward again, causing the black skin of her ass to ripple from the impact. The tentacles pulled her legs apart and held Diti at an angle that was perfect for Per. He fucked her as hard as he could, letting his anger at their duplicity fuel his thrusts. Per knew that because of his time with Diti's mother that he would be able to stay hard for a very long time. Diti had shivered, quaked, moaned, and groaned through her second orgasm from Per's fucking before Per even felt the sexual tension begin to build in his testicles. Per increased his pace and Diti shook in passion as his cock blurred in and out of her over-used pussy. His tension rapidly increased and with a sharp intake of air, Per sank his cock balls deep into her vagina. The air escaped from his lungs in a long, slow hiss as Per felt his cock throb and then begin to spurt his thick, gooey seed into Diti. He stayed buried inside her until his cock completely deflated. As he backed away from Diti, the tentacles lowered her to the floor and then disappeared. As soon as they were gone, the door opened and Nyrandurril walked in. "Electana is still out in the other room," she stated. "You have done much to restore my power and I thank you for it." "You're welcome," said Per. "I think I'd better get some rest now." "Go ahead," said the phantasm. "I'll take care of the two giantesses until they recover." Per left the building and went back to the castle. He managed to get six hours of sleep until he was awakened by Octavia. "Rise and shine, lover boy," she said as his eyes opened. "The goblins are up to something." Per quickly redressed into his armor and headed to the walls along with everyone else. As soon as he was on top of the wall, he could see that Octavia was right. The goblins were moving back and forth, switching positions. Per glanced around quickly and saw that everyone that he could see was in position. "When will they attack?" asked Contico. "I'd say right now," stated Per as the goblins all shouted and surged towards the plateau. Per spun around in surprise as another loud shout came from the castle. To his horror, he saw about fifty goblins come boiling out of the castle followed by Cedric. Those goblins were all armed with bows and crossbows, which they began firing at the people up on the walls. "Lorilei, hex them!" yelled Per, pointing at the goblins in the courtyard. "I've made my own plans," said Lorilei with an evil smile as she sent a blast of magical force towards Pawl. ------- Chapter 16 Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and macktheknife. "Lorilei, no!" shouted Ivin too late. Lorilei's spell hit Pawl in a stunning, concussive blast. Luckily, he already had his defensive spells cast, but the combined assault from the goblin shamans and Lorilei's spell broke through them. Pawl was blasted off his feet, flew backwards twenty feet through the air, and landed in a crumpled heap against a stone parapet. The goblins in the courtyard were shooting arrows and bolts at everyone up on the walls, making them all lay flat to avoid being hit. Gar, because of his size, had to jump off the wall and seek shelter behind a building. "Keep firing," commanded Cedric. "The others will be here soon." Per looked around from where he was lying. All of his people were pinned down by missile from within and without. Magical lights, sounds, and other strange effects flew over the walls from the shamans because no one could counter them. They did not seem to be having much of an effect since everyone was cowering below the edge of the battlements. Per knew they had to do something quickly because the grappling hooks would be flying upward in a minute or two. From behind the keep came a lithe form running towards the goblins in the courtyard. Per was shocked to see that it was Soft Dove, dressed in a halter top and loincloth. She was carrying a spear with a scimitar belted to her side. First one, then two, then half a dozen missiles flew at her from the goblins. With moves that seemed more like a dance, Soft Dove evaded the arrows and bolts, while closing the gap between them. Per could see the goblins begin to back up the closer she came. She was almost upon them when she was hit by a white beam of light that flared all around her. Per looked up quickly towards the source of the light and saw Lorilei looking down with her arm outstretched. Per looked back. Soft Dove was still standing, but swaying back and forth as if she had been stunned. Her spear had fallen out of her hand and was lying on the ground. Per quickly turned his head and screwed his eyes shut as half the goblins unleashed a hail of missiles at her. The sound of a dozen arrows piercing her body was unmistakable. Sudden shouts and screams from the goblins made Per look back. He saw a man rise up from the earth right in front of the goblins. Tenan charged into them, slashing and cutting with sword and dagger. The goblins were shouting, as they attempted to flee his unexpected and merciless assault. "Lorilei!" Per looked up to see his mother standing about fifty feet away from Lorilei. She was dressed in her plate armor and holding a spear. Her silvery mask showed anger and the hurt of betrayal portrayed on her face. Lorilei stared at Karina for a second and then her face broke out in a savage grin. "No, I know my destiny now," said Lorilei to Karina. "It's to control the power of that building. If that half-baked magician can restore the link to it, so can I. I made a deal with Cedric last night. I'm not afraid of you, Karina. I took Remarg from your chambers and threw it down the well. You are defenseless to my powers." The expression on Karina's mask changed to one of stony indifference. Karina dropped the spear and held up her arm. "You're a fool, Lorilei," said Karina, oblivious to the arrows and spells whizzing past her. Per gulped as seeing the mask move as if it was his mother's own face. "The axe in my room was one I was using to cut ropes. This charm is Remarg." Lorilei eyes widened in horror as she perceived the tiny axe attached to the bracelet on Karina's wrist. She pulled a small wooden ball out of her pocket and threw it at Karina. It changed halfway to Karina into a ball of flame. Per gasped when he saw his mother catch the flaming ball with one hand. Karina stared at the flames gouting out from between her fingers for a second or two before tossing it over the wall. The ball exploded with a thunderous roar, frying dozens of goblins that had just gathered down below. Remarg grew to its normal size and Karina took a step towards Lorilei. Lorilei screamed out a spell and sent a bolt of lightning at Karina. As fast as the lightning was, Remarg was faster... coming up between the bolt and Karina. The bolt was deflected at a goblin shaman, who burst apart when he was hit. Lorilei desperately cast spell after spell as Karina moved step by step closer to Lorilei. The spells fizzled out, were deflected, or were just absorbed by Remarg. Per strangely wondered why Lorilei did not just run or fly away. Karina walked up to Lorilei and beheaded her with a single stroke of her axe. A grappling hook clunking next to his head brought Per back to the next problem the defenders had to face. Dozens of hooks had been flung up and the goblins down below were climbing up fast. Per cut the rope and moved on to engage two goblins who had made it to the top of the wall. A multitude of small fights broke out on top of the wall. Per, fighting the goblins, missed when a dark, sparkling essence rose up from Lorilei's corpse and was sucked into Remarg. After that had happened Karina shook her head as if trying to clear it and seemed to come back to her senses. Electana and Diti came rushing out of the black building. They were still naked, but wielding large two-handed swords. Cedric was trying to rally the goblins in the courtyard, but as soon as the two giantesses waded in, all of their morale broke apart. The two-handed swords made blood pudding of any goblin caught in its swing. The seasoned fighters moved to protect the untrained people as dozens of goblins scampered up the wall. The Overlord protected Shara as Nesbra kept goblins away from Contico. Per rushed over to protect Pawl, killing a goblin that tried to stick a knife in Pawl's back. The goblins did not assault the main gate. The flame that had burned so many of them in the initial assault made them leery of trying there a second time. They concentrated therefore on the walls on either side of the gate. The defenders probably would have been able to keep them off the wall, but for the diversionary attack from the courtyard. The defenders on the wall section to the left of the gate were in dire straits. Ivin had taken a bolt in the back and was coughing up blood. She was barely able to defend herself. Alana had been stunned by some magical means and was prostrate flat on her face. That only left Dareen to defend the wall. Ten goblins were already on top of that section with more coming up the three ropes that hooked into the battlements. Ivin sank to one knee, her strength leaving her as she struggled for breath. The goblins were advancing and she could not waste the time casting a healing spell since that would leave her open for a few critical seconds. Three more goblins climbed to the top of the wall. The mob of goblins began to move towards the three women as more goblins began to climb up. They stopped in preparation for their charge. Ivin hefted her mace weakly and hoped the end would come swiftly, but not before she took a number of them with her. Suddenly, the reinforced door behind the goblins leading into the gatehouse crashed open and Octavia stepped out. Her visage was fierce and terrifying in her armor and holding aloft her spear. Spinning her spear in circles, she cracked the shaft against the skulls of the three goblins that were climbing over the top of the parapet. All three with crushed skulls fell back to land with bone crushing thuds into the throng below. With a negligent flick of her wrist, Octavia sent her spear flying to pierce through two of the ten goblins who were atop the wall. Drawing her sword, she pirouetted around, cutting down two more before they could even react. Cendri came out of the gatehouse to hack at the ropes with a handaxe as Octavia continued her dance of death. Green blood sprayed out everywhere when Octavia sliced the throat of a goblin and the next one tried to force its intestines back in after she disemboweled him. The remaining goblins fought back with a savagery born of desperation, but were unable to even wound the quick-moving fighter. One did manage to gouge her breastplate, but that was the closest any of them came. Octavia casually loped off the hand that held the dagger that had marred her armor and then split the head of another who had turned to run away. The remaining ones died quickly. Dareen stabbed one in the back, while Ivin crushed the spine of another. Octavia finished off the last three with negligent ease. Dareen felt a little queasy as Octavia checked and killed any wounded goblin left alive before tossing the body over the edge of the wall. "Ivin, drink this," said Cendri, putting an opened bottle to her lips. Ivin drank and her breathing immediately eased. The blood oozing from the wound slowed. She cried out in pain when Cendri broke off the end of the bolt and yanked it out. Ivin gritted her teeth and slapped her hand over the wound. Muttering an incantation, Ivin caused a white light to burst forth from her hand, healing the deadly wound. Ivin sighed in relief as the pain eased away. "Stay with them," Octavia said to Cendri before picking up her spear and taking off. Octavia fought her way around the wall, helping out where it was needed. Slowly, the defenders managed to gain the upper hand and kept the goblins from overrunning them. The status quo had just been reestablished when Gar seemed to burst out of the ground behind the goblin command party. The goblin chieftain managed to get out a single cry of terror before Gar's club crushed his skull. Two sub-chieftains and the head shaman also fell before the rest manage to scatter for their lives. The assault on the walls faltered and the defenders took advantage of it to rain death and destruction down on the goblins. Gar, devoid of targets, turned and lumbered towards the nearest group of goblins. They did not even waste a single arrow at him. The entire group collectively shuddered in fright and disintegrated in blind panic. The troops of goblins on either side followed suit and soon all the goblins were fleeing away. Gar turned and went back to where he had risen out of the ground. He disappeared for a while and then walked out of the keep door. "Tenan!" Per heard his mother scream out his step-father's name and looked down into the courtyard. Electana was rolling Tenan's body over and resting his head on her naked thigh. Per raced down the stairs as fast as Karina did, both of them reaching Electana at the same time. Per did not even notice Nanago and Joran walking towards Soft Dove's body. "Shhh," hushed Electana to Per and Karina, holding up a hand to stop them. "He exerted himself beyond his capacity and passed out. I'm afraid he's not going to last much longer." Tears sprang to Karina's eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she knelt down beside Tenan. She tenderly took his hand in her own and held it up to her cheek. She started to shake as grief overtook her. Per knelt down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "What am I going to do without him?" sobbed Karina. "I love him!" "Right now we need to get him inside and comfortable," said Dorna as she walked over to them. "How about the black building?" suggested Diti. "It's close and can create anything inside of it." "If it can make a warm room and a soft bed..." Dorna started to say. "Per, give me a hand," said Electana as she unfastened Tenan's cloak and started to unbuckle the light armor he was wearing. "What are you doing?" asked Per. Karina was caught up in her grief and still crying. "He has to be unclothed to get through the foyer," stated Electana exasperatedly as her large fingers fumbled with the small buckles. "I don't fancy doing it alone in the foyer." "Oh, right," said Per as he took over unbuckling the armor. Shara, Octavia, and Ivin came over to comfort Karina and managed to get her back inside the keep. Per watched her go and then moved back as Electana gently lifted Tenan up. She followed Dorna, who was shedding her own clothes, to the black building. Per heard a sigh behind him and turned to see Nanago kneeling down to fold Soft Dove's arms across her chest. "I'm so sorry, Nanago," said Per as he got up and moved closer. "So am I, Per," said Nanago. "She would have made you a wonderful sister. I don't suppose there is enough firewood down here for her funeral pyre?" "I can enhance any flame, so you will not need very much," said Nyrandurril who walked up and had overheard Nanago. Per looked up when he heard a clack behind him and saw Vail and the Overlord collecting goblin weapons. "Thank you, Nyrandurril," said Joran. "We only bury our dead when we can not send them to the Wind. At least, we can be glad she died with her name as a Burgassi." "Ho, Per!" yelled the Overlord before Per could say anything to Joran. "We have a problem." Per ran over to where the Overlord and Vail were standing. They had laid out the goblins in a row. "What's the matter?" asked Per. "Cedric is not here," stated the Overlord grimly. "What do you mean he's not here?" asked Per in confusion at the Overlord's words. "His body is not here," repeated the Overlord. "Fan out and get everybody to buddy-up again." It was just then that Cendri came over to the three of them. "A couple small groups of goblins have stopped running before they left this cavern," she said. "If we give chase, we should be able to drive them off before they can regroup." "We have another problem," Per told her. "Cedric, the human leader, is not dead. He's somewhere in the castle." "Oh, damn!" cursed Cendri, looking around to try to spot him. "Vail, go along the wall and warn everyone," ordered the Overlord. "I want to make sure everyone travels in groups. Cendri, go make sure the gatehouse is locked up tight and manned. Then get Octavia to get a group together to go chase off the goblins." "But..." Cendri started to say. "No buts," interrupted the Overlord. "I want you at the gate in case Cedric is still inside the castle. We need to chase off the goblins in case he has gotten out to keep him from rallying them together. Tell Octavia to take only the people she really needs, because we need to search the castle for Cedric." "Yes, sir," replied Cendri before she left on her assigned tasks. "Well, Per, where shall we start?" asked the Overlord. "Let's get everyone teamed up first," stated Per. "We start searching after Octavia has left." Per went to the black building to warn Dorna and Electana, while the Overlord headed inside the keep. There was no additional clothing in the foyer so Per was certain that Cedric was not hiding in the building. Dorna came to him and told him that Tenan was comfortable and that the entity was seeing to his needs. She also informed him that the entity told her that it would need more power soon. Per thanked her and went back outside. Octavia had organized her group. She had Morning Mist, Golden Sunlight, and, surprisingly, Oraag with her. All of them were armed with bows and arrows along with their normal weaponry. Her group also included Holina, Gar, Andie, and Pawl, who seemed to be seething in righteous anger. "I wish he wasn't coming along," muttered Octavia to Per, nodding towards Pawl. "He's taken Soft Dove's death personally and demanded to come with us." "Probably because he can't take his anger out on Lorilei," whispered Per. He turned to face the wizard. "Pawl, the objective is to get the goblins to leave. The person you want is hiding somewhere in the castle we hope. Save it for when we find him." Pawl snorted and relaxed a little before saying, "Save him for me. I've always wanted to try to turn a man inside out." "Talk to Gar," replied Per blithely. "He can tell you how to do it without magic." Pawl shuddered at that thought and smiled wanly. "Point taken. I'll be good." After Octavia and her group left, Per and everyone remaining conducted an extensive search of the castle and its grounds. Most of the non-combatants remained up on the wall watching to see if Cedric broke from cover. Per was half-afraid that Cedric had made it back out the tunnel he had used to get in, but found that Gar had made a stone block over the entrance. The block would have required six normal men to move it. The first search yielded no results and the second was equally negative. "Is it possible he got to the wall during the attack and managed to climb down?" asked Per of Bargan as they stood on the highest turret of the keep. "Yes, and just as likely, he's found another tunnel or hidey-hole to crawl into," replied Bargan. "I've tried to scry for his location, but something interferes. It may be just the magic of this place." "I don't know where else to look," said Per. "We've double-checked everywhere." "It looks like our warparty is returning," stated Bargan. Per looked out and saw Octavia's group coming back towards the castle. He sighed in relief when he saw that everyone she had taken was still with her. He and Bargan descended and went to the gatehouse to greet them. "That was sweet!" exclaimed Octavia as she came through the gate. "We annihilated two groups, both about twenty goblins each. The other groups took off after a volley or two of arrows. All the live goblins have left the cavern, I guess this means the siege is lifted and we can get on with the party." "Cedric escaped," said Per. "Aw, shit," cursed Octavia sourly. "That means guard duty for the rest of our time here." "Unless you can find him," said Per. "We've combed through this place twice." "Maybe he escaped and will run into a nice gelatinous cube that will dissolve him slowly," suggested Octavia brightly. "We can only hope so," chuckled Per. He turned serious as he said, "It's best if we post guards. I'll check with my mother." Per went and talked to Karina. She listened to what had gone on inside and outside the castle. She then had Per gather everyone in the courtyard. "The goblins are gone and unlikely to return," she said to everyone. "It appears that Cedric has escaped, but we shouldn't take any chances." She turned to face the Overlord. "Ruger, will you set up a watch schedule. After we have removed the goblin bodies from the castle proper, we will see to... to Soft Dove." "If you will permit us, Nanago and I will see to your daughter's preparations," said Joran. "Please do so and thank you," said Karina. "Afterwards, we will have a good night's sleep and really start the ritual." Gar's laughter rumbled in his chest before he said, "Good ritual already." The bodies of the goblins that died inside the castle were dumped over the walls along with their various body parts that had been hacked or severed from their torsos. Celine, Dareen, and Inga all ran away from helping move the bodies. Actually, they were doing fine helping out until Gar decided to crack open a goblin skull for the tasty treat inside. Per went out alone and dug a single grave as quarter of a mile away from the castle. He wrapped Lorilei's body and head in a blanket and led Ivin out to the grave. He was surprised when most of the women followed along also. He carefully placed Lorilei's body in the grave as Helga intoned a prayer for the dead witch. "Ivin, I'm sorry," apologized Karina, touching Ivin softly on the arm. Ivin hugged Karina and said, "She didn't leave you any choice. Her craving for power blinded her to all else." "She saved me several times in the past. I just wish..." and Karina fell silent. "I know," said Ivin in understanding. "I wish for the same thing, too. Come I think it is time to go back." They walked back arm in arm and found preparations made for the other funeral. Soft Dove was laid out on a wooden bier propped up about two feet off the ground. A small stack of wood had been placed under the bier. Nanago, Joran, and Nyrandurril were standing there waiting for the others. Karina walked over to Soft Dove's body and gently touched her face. "I wish I had gotten to know her better," she said to Nanago and Joran. "You knew her at her best," stated Joran kindly. "You saved her and she goes to the Wind a restored person. She would want us to rejoice and celebrate her good fortune." "Good fortune?" asked Karina, shocked and hurt by Joran's choice of words. "Yes, good fortune," repeated Nanago. "You probably do not understand, Karina. To Soft Dove, when she was thrown out of the tribe, she became lower than something one scrapes off one's boots. You restored her identity, her sense of being, and her self-respect. If she was standing here now, she would say she had been blessed with good fortune." As Karina turned away to wipe away the tears that had sprung up in her eyes, Per stepped forward and said, "It looks like you are short on wood. Would you like me to go get more?" "That is not necessary, Per," said Nyrandurril. "I am going to magically enhance the fire." "Then let's send my daughter to the Wind as she deserves," stated Karina firmly. "Well said," muttered Joran softly. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and gathered around the cremation site to pay their respects to Soft Dove. Nanago hobbled forward with a torch and lit the pile of firewood underneath the bier. Nyrandurril began her incantation to enhance the fire when the multi-colored lights flashed out from the minarets of the black building. The lights bathed the entire cavern before winking out. Suddenly a red beam of incandescent light shot forth from one minaret striking the bier. A blazing ball of fire engulfed the bier and Soft Dove's body before changing to the fiery shape of a phoenix. The burning shape flew up into the air and sped twice around the castle, skimming low to the ground. It then spiraled upward towards the cavern ceiling before flying off out of one of the cavern's entrances. Per's mouth had dropped open and he could only stand there staring in stunned astonishment at the entrance which the fiery shape had disappeared into. He heard a couple of people gasp as they recovered from their own shock. Per shook himself mentally and looked at where the bier had been laid out. Everything had been consumed with a circular scorched area marking the place where Soft Dove had laid. "That was worth singing of at the campfires," said Nanago to Joran, who could only shake her head in agreement. "Hey, look!" yelled Nesbra from the top of the wall. She was pointing down to something on the other side. Per raced up the stairs followed closely by the Overlord, Karina, and Octavia. He looked out over the parapet, trying to see what Nesbra was pointing at. He stared, but could not see anything unusual on the lush, green cavern floor. "By the Gods!" exclaimed Octavia. "The bodies... they're gone!" Per looked down and was surprised to see that all of the goblin bodies had disappeared. There were weapons and pieces of armor lying around, but it appeared that each goblin had been incinerated to a fine ash. "Octavia, go down and tell the others what has happened," commanded Karina. "I guess the entity in the building decided to do some house cleaning before they started to smell," suggested the Overlord. "They smelled already," commented Per. "Badly." "I suggest we get some rest," said Karina as the Overlord chuckled at the lame joke. "I want to go and check on Tenan." "That might not be such a good idea, Mom," said Per as she turned to head down the stairs. "If the building used too much energy, it will trap anyone inside until its supply is replenished. Tenan isn't in any danger because of his illness." They went to the black building anyway and Per looked at the gauge. The golden ball was hovering only two inches from the bottom. "It's low, Mom. I think you had better get some rest tonight." "What about Tenan?" asked Karina just as the door opened and Dorna walked out. "He'll be fine," said Dorna. "The entity said she would take care of him. You two need to get some rest. Tomorrow should be a... uh... active day." Karina sighed and said, "Alright, you win. We'll go to bed as soon as we find out what watch we are on." "You're not," said Dorna, "As the two principal characters in this little ritual, you weren't given a watch. The Overlord thought you would need your rest more." Per went to his room in the keep. Even though he was tired from the fight with the goblins, he could not fall asleep. To him, the ritual really would begin tomorrow. Cedric and the goblins had made a diversion in the plans for the ritual, but now they were gone. "Not entirely gone," thought Per, lying back on his bed. "We have no idea where Cedric is." Eventually, Per did fall asleep. The heavy curtains kept the light from the cavern's roof out of the room. Per woke up late, feeling refreshed. He went down to the kitchen to find that almost everyone else was up. He ate a quick breakfast and headed over to the black building. Per was a little shocked to see his mother with a whole gaggle of females standing in front of the door to the Simularium. "Don't be daunted by the size of this group," Karina told him. "I decided not to play judge on who goes next. The women have paired up and will select rooms inside. You get to pick the rooms at random." "Mom, there's over a hundred rooms inside," said Per hesitantly. "It may take me awhile to find an occupied one." "I've talked to the Simularium. It will mark the doors to the rooms that are occupied. You can't weasel out of this." Karina turned to face the women. "Go on in. Per will follow shortly." With laughter, talking and general merriment, the females all turned around and went through the open door. Nyrandurril gave Per a shy smile before she entered the building behind Melinar. Phartom followed the two of them, but turned to lick her full lips lavishly at Per. Shara and several others nodded to Per as they went in. Octavia was last, but she walked over to Per before going in. "Per, this may seem like a big game and it probably is," she said. "Just remember that most of us came because of you. Don't treat them like it is a game." "I understand... no 'Wham! Bam! Thank you, ma'am'" replied Per with a smile. "I take it that includes you." Per gasped as Octavia quickly brought her hand up to firmly grasp him by the balls. "You'd better not!" she hissed sexily. "I plan to have a lot of fun with you." Octavia did a quick rub over Per's penis, released it, and waved her fingers in farewell as she flounced through the door. The door closed before Per could even get over his stunned amazement at her behavior. He then burst out laughing. "I don't think I'll ever understand her," chuckled Per to Karina. "She's right, though," stated Karina. "Treat the women well. They came here for your sake. Per, you have to do three rooms a day for the next three days. Do you think you can?" "I can try," said Per. "What about yourself? What are you going to do?" "I'll be coming inside shortly, but..." Karina held up a hand to keep Per from talking. "... only to be with Tenan. Ivin reported that he is improving. His room will not be accessible to you or the others. Per, please remember that what happened between us must not be repeated. Most of the people here probably know what went on, but are overlooking it as part of the ritual. It would be extremely dangerous to carry it beyond that." "Yes, mother," replied Per contritely. "I won't mention it again, but do you mind if I cherish the memory?" "No, because I will, too," said Karina, lovingly touching Per's arm. "Now, go inside and fuck their brains out!" "MOM!" exclaimed Per in shocked delight. Karina laughed and shoved Per towards the door, which opened at his approach. Per went inside and the door closed behind him. Clothes were lying all over the benches in neat piles and Per stripped as the light changed from white to lavender before turning back to white again. The inner doors opened and Per saw Karlto standing there. "Dreadfully sorry, old chap, but I'm not the real one," said the phantasm. "I imagine with all the lovely doxies running around in here, another one would be too much." The fake Karlto turned and led Per down the main corridor. He stopped in front of one door that was edged in a green light. "I say, the doors like this one lead the way to a pair of beauties, while the red-edged door is Tenan's room. You will not be able to get through that one, old chap." "How is Tenan?" asked Per. "My mother will be visiting him later on." "Improved, but beyond that I'm not permitted to say. Look on it as good news and make sure you note all the facts of your escapades in here to relate them to the real Karlto." Per smiled and said, "That should just about kill him." "That was the impression I also have. Enjoy, old boy." The phantasm disappeared. Per looked at the green-edged door and decided to go with the eighth one he found. He looked down the corridor and saw several other doors that had a greenish light amongst the numerous doors lining the corridor. Per shook his head and looked again. He did not see any of the side corridors or hallways that had been there before. Per figured that the Simularium must have modified the interior of the building to make it easier for him. There were only six of the green-edged doors along the first floor corridor, so Per went up the stairs. The first door he saw on the second floor was tinged around the edge with red light. Per wanted to try the door, but knew it would not open for him. He took it to heart that Tenan had improved and headed down the corridor. He went past the next green-edged door and stopped at the one after that. Taking in a deep breath, He grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. "Per!" yelled a chorus of female voices. Per was more than a little surprised to see Ivin, Dorna, Calla, Andie, and Phartom in the room. Phartom was in her natural, voluptuous devil form complete with wings and horns. Ivin stood up to greet him. "We thought you would have started downstairs," she said apologetically. "Phartom and I are down the hall, but decided to stay here and talk with the others. We'll be leaving now." Phartom and Ivin left leaving Per alone with the three priestesses. Per remembered being kidnapped by Ivin and these three, but had never gotten a good look at them until now. Dorna he knew the best. She was the shortest of the three... almost two and a half feet shorter than Per... and with the smallest bust. He remembered the wild ride she had on him when they had first captured him. She had climbed on top of him while he was in his lustcraze and she had forced his entire cock into her. She was looking at him with a mischievous smile. Calla and Andie, the other two priestesses, were the opposite of Dorna. They both had long brown hair, good size breasts and flaring hips. Calla, who had Per ass-fuck her their first time, was looking at Per's package with a pleased look on her face. Andie gave Per a warm smile and nodded to him. Per suddenly became nervous when he realized he did not know how to proceed. "Well, I guess... um... that is..." he stammered. "It's alright, Per," said Andie calmly. "I don't think we expected to be first anymore than you expected three women to be together." She motioned to Dorna and Calla, and they all walked up to him. "Just relax and leave everything to us." Per let out a sigh of relief as the priestesses moved closer. They began rubbing his chest, arms, and back. Per could feel the tension leaving his body under their massage. Andie took his hand and led him over to the bed. Per gasped when he saw it. The bed was huge... gigantic. It would easily hold six people his size. Calla motioned for him to get on the bed and move to the center. Dorna then laid down on one side of Per with Calla on the other side. Andie climbed up to kneel between his legs. Per inhaled deeply when Andie gently grasped his hard cock with both hands and began to stroke it slowly. The other two women were caressing his chest and abdomen. "I'm not going to last long," warned Per as he felt the rapid build-up in his testicles. He then grunted as Andie squeezed the head of his cock tightly until his pending climax subsided. She then began to stroke it again. "Longer than you think, but not as long as we would like," Andie corrected him. "you have other... obligations than us today. Calla has the hots for your lustcraze. Dorna wants to go first, so I'll be last." "Let's do it!" interrupted Dorna as she sat up and threw a leg over Per's hips. Andie held onto Per's cock, aiming it at Dorna's set slit as Dorna sank down onto the hard shaft. Dorna sighed in delight as half of the thick prick slid into her tight channel. She rose up slightly and then pushed herself down. It was more than two hours later when Per left the women. Calla laid semi-comatose on the bed face-down with her legs hanging over the edge. Thick cum rolled down her quivering thighs as she moaned from the intense fucking Per had given her. Dorna and Andie both lazily waved goodbye to Per as they basked in their own orgasmic bliss with wombs full of his seed. Per walked down the corridor feeling good. Of course, he expected a priestess of Aphrodite to take care of her own sexual needs along with his. They saw it as enjoyable sex, nothing more. Per guessed that a couple of these encounters were going to be difficult. Per decided to head downstairs and the first door closest to the foyer. He went by the red-edged door and walked down the stairs. Per walked to the first door and knocked on it. Hearing a reply, he opened the door and walked in. "Well, well, well, the big boy finally arrives," quipped Gedda, who was sitting on top of a vaulting box. "Oh, hush," Dorthea told her. She stood up from the chair she had been sitting in. "Welcome, Per." Per was a little taken aback by the décor of the room. It was a large room with half of it filled with gymnastic equipment, while the other half had fine furniture in it. Each side fit perfectly with the character of the two women. "Do we have to be concerned with your lustcraze?" asked Gedda, hopping down and walking over to stand next to Dorthea. "I don't think so," replied Per. "I just came from Calla, Dorna, and Andie. It should be out of my system." "I hoped you saved some for us," pouted Gedda. She then brightened. "Okay, which of us is first... actually, that'd be fourth, wouldn't it?" Per laughed and said, "It would be. The other ladies figured out their own order." Dorthea touched Gedda on the arm and asked, "Do you mind if I go first?" "Of course not... as long as you don't mind a spectator." "No comments or critiques," warned Dorthea as she led Per over to the bed on her side of the room. "It seems we have come full circle," said Dorthea. "My old farm seems to be ages ago." "Do you regret leaving it?" asked Per. "Are you NUTS?" exclaimed Dorthea. "I was working myself to death there and couldn't see it. Now I have a good place to live and two good men who love me." "I'm happy for you," said Per with sincerity. Dorthea arched an eyebrow and said, "I'll be a whole lot happier when you are hard and inside me." Per pushed Dorthea back onto the bed and dipped his head down to her breasts. Dorthea sighed in contentment as he licked and sucked on her soft globes. She inhaled sharply as one of his fingers found her pussy and gently began to rub around her labia. Per felt her get wet and marveled at the change in her. Back at her farm, Dorthea was hard and harsh. Now she was softer... more womanly. It only took a second or two for Per's penis to stiffen up to its full twelve inch length. Dorthea, sensing he was ready, scooted around on the bed and pulled Per up on top of her. She arched her hips upwards when she felt the tip of his prick push against her pussy lips and then gasped as his girth stretched her wide open. Per fucked Dorthea at a slow pace which had her squirming and writhing underneath him as her passion built in frustrating slowness. She could only manage to take in six inches of his prick, but it was more than enough to fill her and make her tingle all over. It seemed like forever to her before she was finally crying out in an ecstatic orgasm and Per was pumping a load of hot, thick sperm into her vagina. After his climax subsided, Per climbed off Dorthea, pulling his cock out of her with a wet, sucking sound. He glanced up at Gedda, who was watching him from the top of the vaulting box. She nodded in approval and Per went over to the washbasin to clean up. He then sauntered over to Gedda. "All tuckered out yet?" she asked, tilting her head to one side. "Wait and see," replied Per. Gedda flipped backwards off the box, hit a springboard, and bounced up to catch a hold of a high bar. She spun around the bar twice before coming to a halt, looking down at Per. "Coming?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. It was quite awhile later before Per staggered out of the room. Gedda had been adventurous, but while she had great flexibility and agility, Per wore her down with his strength and stamina. It was hanging upside down from the high bar and banging Gedda on the parallel bars that almost unnerved him. At the end, he left Gedda slumped over the vaulting box with two loads of his hot baby cream inside her. As the door closed behind Per, he became aware of someone else in the hallway. Looking to his left, he was surprised to see Gar standing about twenty feet away. Gar did not say anything, but only stared at his bent-over son. Per straightened up and inhaled sharply to resolve his will. The next door down the corridor was tinged in a green light and he started towards it. commented Gar, which caused Per to stop. Gar walked up to Per and handed him a wooden cup. The cup contained only a swallow of a dark greenish-amber liquid. Per sniffed it and smelled the odor of alcohol. he asked. asked Gar. Per almost answered that he fought with Dorgeth, but Gar seemed to be putting a certain emphasis on the question. Per thought over the fights he had in the past. replied Per at last. Gar nodded in approval and said, indicating the cup before walking away. Per looked again at the liquid in the cup. Shrugging his shoulders with a 'what the hells!' thought, he lifted the cup and swallowed down the drink. The alcohol produced a pleasant burn in his mouth and went down smoothly. Per groaned in delight as it hit his stomach and immediately seemed to blossom into warmth throughout his body. His fatigue vanished along with any soreness in his muscles. Exhilaration coursed through him and Per felt desire in his loins. Per walked to the next door, knocked, and entered the room. The room was set up with one huge bed, chairs and tables. Alana looked at Per a little apprehensively, while Nyrandurril had delight and love etched on her face. "Per, you've come," said Nyrandurril with a bright smile. "Several times already judging by the time," muttered Alana. "This place is wonderful!" exclaimed Nyrandurril, who had not heard Alana. "It has been different," added Alana. "Alana, I know your nervous, but trust me," admonished Nyrandurril. "Per won't hurt you." Alana looked unconvinced. "This is why we teamed up. Come, everyone have a seat on the bed." "Alana, I know you are frightened at the times when my lust takes over," said Per, sitting on the bed between the elf and the halfling. "Part of that may be due to the two times you lost control... once with the beholder and the other with the white dragon." "That's part of it," admitted Alana, "but it's also the thought of that thing splitting me in two." She pointed down at Per's semi-flaccid cock. "That's why I'm here," said Nyrandurril, grasping his meaty shaft in her hands and beginning to stroke it. "I'll make sure you're not hurt. Lay back on the bed, Per." Per scooted back to the middle of the bed. Alana kneeled on one side of Per, while Nyrandurril knelled on the other. Nyrandurril grasped his cock again and stroked it lovingly until it was hard and stiff. "Come, Alana, it will not bite you," chided Nyrandurril at Alana's lack of participation. Alana snorted in derision and reached over to help stroke Per's thick penis. Per could not contain a moan as two sets of hands stimulated his prick. Pre-cum began to ooze out of the tip and run down his shaft. He gasped when Alana surprised him by leaning over and licking around the head of his throbbing cock. Nyrandurril followed suit by bending over and licking down his shaft to his large testicles. Per's balls tightened a great deal from the sensations of the tongues on his cock and balls, He shivered as he tried to keep from cumming and Nyrandurril stopped her ministrations. "You ready?" she asked Alana. Alana nodded and moved back a bit. Nyrandurril stood up and placed a leg over Per's hips. Squatting down, she grasped his hard cock and pointed it straight up in the air. Nyrandurril hunkered down until the tip was lodged in the slick folds of her labia. With a long, slow exhale of breath, Nyrandurril sank down, spearing eight inches of Per's thick cock into her small frame. Alana's eyes widened as Nyrandurril rose up before sliding all the way down the long shaft. "HOLY... !" exclaimed Alana in disbelief. "How did you... I mean, is it all... ?" "Yes, it is," sighed Nyrandurril in bliss. "It took a little practice." Nyrandurril rose up so that ten inches of his cock slid out of her before lowering herself back down on it again. Her tight vagina gripped at Per's throbbing penis, increasing the sexual tension building up in his balls. Between the tightness of her vagina, the heat of her pussy, and the beauty of her face looking down at him, Per knew he would not last long. "You ready?" asked Nyrandurril of Alana after several seconds. "As ready as I'll ever be," replied Alana. "Damn, that's hot!" "Go ahead, Alana," encouraged Per. "Get on top and set your own pace." "I'll be here if he loses control," whispered Nyrandurril in her ear. Nyrandurril pulled herself off Per and Alana, standing up, stepped across his hips. Nyrandurril held Per's wet, slick cock at the base and the tip was almost touching the entrance to Alana's cunt. Putting her hand son her knees, Alana bent down and lodged the head of his prick inside her. She was very wet and ready. "Mmph!" grunted Alana as she bit on her lower lip. Alana ground her hips around and around to stretch out her vagina. Per gritted his teeth to keep from cumming as the rotational pressure just around the head of his cock was sending jolts of erotic pleasure down his shaft to his balls. He then grunted as Alana began to bounce up and down. His cock, slick from his pre-cum and Nyrandurril's juices, poked another two inches into Alana's incredibly tight pussy. "I can't take anymore in," panted Alana, whose body was shaking. "Don't," advised Nyrandurril, who was still holding the base of Per's cock. "Just go slow with what you have." Alana began to slowly raise and lower herself on the three inches of hard cock jammed into her cunt. Per felt her slowly get used to his size and pick up her pace. He tried to distract his mind from the almost unbearable tension in his balls. "Oh, fuck!" gasped Alana as she loosened up from her own increasing passion. She managed to get a little more of his cock inside her and then she started to shake uncontrollably. "I'm almost... almost... almost... OH< FUCK MEEEEEE!!!!" Alana spasmed as if she was pinned to Per's cock. Her juices flowed out to roll down his shaft or drip onto his abdomen. Her release was the trigger for Per to let go. It was hard for him to keep from arching upward as he climaxed. Nyrandurril gasped in surprise as his prick pulsated in her hands and she felt his cum travel up through it to Alana's waiting vagina. "OH, GODS!" cried out Alana as Per's first hard spurt of hot jism hosed inside her, hitting erotic spots inside her and setting off two more orgasms. Per spurted twice more inside Alana before her knees gave out. She fell off to one side gasping for breath, and falling limply to her side. Nyrandurril pulled Per's cock towards her and sealed her lips around the end as the last little bit of salty sperm dribbled out. She swallowed it down and then licked his entire cock clean. "Oh, Per, what... ?" asked Nyrandurril as Per sat up, grabbed her by the arms and pulled her around quickly so that she was underneath him. "I... AHHHHH!!!!" Per had rolled over between her legs and had lunged forward. His thick, long cock plowed into her tight furrow until his balls slapped up against her ass. Nyrandurril clutched at Per's forearms and her legs flew up in the air at the sudden penetration. Per pulled back until his prick was almost all the way out of her before shoving his cock forward again. "Oh, yes!" panted Nyrandurril in ecstasy. Her body writhed underneath Per. "Fuck me, my lover. Fuck me." Per acceded to her wishes. He pounded his cock in and out of her sweet elf pussy. Nyrandurril quickly had two orgasms and was gasping, moaning, and groaning her way towards a third. Per felt good and knew he would last a good long time. Even though, Nyrandurril wanted it hot and heavy, Per still kept most of his weight off her and only used a fraction of his strength to fuck her. Nyrandurril reached out and managed to clasp Alana's hand. Per, without missing a stroke, looked over at Alana. She had a slight furrow between her eyebrows as if she was not sure of Per's actions. He smiled and winked at her. Alana jumped a little at that and the worry left her face as she understood that Per was not under his lustcraze. Nyrandurril was spasming at regular intervals as Per pounded his cock in and out of her. Her extraordinarily beautiful face had her blond hair sticking to her brow. It only made her look more alluring. "Fuck Me, Per," she panted in a voice raw with sexual desire. "Fuck me. Cum in me. Fill me with your seed. You feel so... so good!" Per's passion had been building slowly, but her words ignited his smoldering desire. It only took him two more strokes before Per bellowed out in the ecstasy of his own climax. Nyrandurril sighed loudly as she felt his cock swell and spurt his thick, rich jizz deep inside her. She was close to her third orgasm, but he came before she was ready to pop. Both of them stayed still, panting for breath, as Per came down from his climatic high. "How... how was it for you?" gasped Per to Nyrandurril. "Wonderful, but you left me hanging at the end," she replied. Per twitched his cock inside her to show that it was not softening too much and said, "I think I'm good for one more." "How many times have you come today?" asked Alana in astonishment at Per's statement. "Seven, so far," stated Per. "I had help, though, from Gar. He gave me a potion that revives me." "Well, then..." said Nyrandurril. She wiggled out from underneath Per, sighing when his prick slid out of her pussy. She rolled over and pulled her knees up under her so that her cute butt was sticking up in the air. "Come on, Per. Do it the other way." "You don't mean..." gasped out Alana. "No way!" Per kneeled behind Nyrandurril and placed the tip of his cum-coated prick against the entrance to her rectum. As he pushed forward, he felt Nyrandurril relax her sphincter muscle allowing him to easily penetrate her asshole. Her rectum was obscenely stretched out around his thick shaft as he shoved all of it in her. Alana could only stare in complete disbelief that the slim elf could take such a massive cock up her ass. Per started to fuck Nyrandurril's asshole and she moaned in complete fulfillment. "I can't believe it," stated Alana. "I'm getting hot all over again." "Well, get your little halfling ass over here," growled Nyrandurril in desire as Per reamed out her butt. She reached over and dragged Alana over so that Alana was sitting spread-legged in front of Nyrandurril's face. "No, I don't... Oh, my!" gasped Alana as Nyrandurril pushed her face right into Alana's gooey cunt. Gasps, moans, and groans filled the air along with the musky scent of sex as all three of them headed quickly towards their own intense climax. ------- Chapter 17 Ritual will be the third book of this trilogy. Pervikar is the first and Rescue is the second. I wish to express my thanks to the readers who have sent me feedback and have voted for my stories. My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and macktheknife. "I say, rise and shine, old boy." Per groaned as the heavy curtains on his windows were drawn back and his room flooded with the magical light from outside. He squinted to see Karlto standing by the window. "Go to the Hells!" growled Per, putting his head under a pillow. "Been there!" came a laughing female voice that caused Per to jerk his head back out again. Phartom plopped a tray down on his lap. The smell of cheese, bacon, and baked bread wafted up to Per's nose. She was in her human disguise and wearing a low-cut red dress. "I brought you breakfast." "I supposed Karlto helped you bring this up," said Per. "He did offer to help me out of my dress," said Phartom gaily. "He still doesn't realize that this dress is an illusion." Karlto suddenly gurgled and choked as the back half of Phartom's dress disappeared and he found himself staring at her well-rounded ass. Per's turn to choke came when she made the front half disappear. "What do you say, Per? Care for an early morning poke?" "It has to be in the Simularium and... and you're supposed to be good!" countered Per. "Oh, I'm good," said Phartom as her dress reappeared. "Just wait until you find me." She then walked out of the room. "That bloody devil's going to be the death of me yet, old chap," said Karlto. "I could have had a bleeding heart attack." "Next time, close your eyes," quipped Per as he dug into his food. When he finished, Per dressed in his armor and took the tray back to the kitchen. Dorthea was working there along with Gedda. "Before you say anything you'll regret, I'm not cooking," stated Gedda. "I'm just here for security." "The Overlord still looking for Cedric then?" asked Per as Dorthea took his tray. Yup, but there are too many places to hide in this castle," replied Gedda. "He's set up random patrols and searches. Maybe we'll get lucky. Did you get a good night's sleep? You're going to need it!" "I see you're still a little bow-legged this morning," said Per, which brought a snort of derision from Dorthea. "Ha, ha, ha... very funny. You'd better get going," said Gedda sourly. She then smiled and motioned for Per to lower his head. When he leaned over, she kissed him on the cheek and said, "Go get 'em, big boy!" Per walked out of the keep and over to the black building. The General, Inga, Gar, and Electana were standing outside. Gar tossed a wineskin to Per and walked off. Per pulled the stopper and sniffed. It contained the same liquid that Gar had given him yesterday. "What's that?" asked Inga. "Liquid nourishment," said Per with a smile before walking into the Simularium. Per stripped down in the foyer and picked up the wineskin before going down the main corridor. He immediately saw six doors edged with green light along the corridor. Per walked halfway down and chose the door to his left. After knocking he opened the door. "Hey!" greeted Nesbra with a smile. "Good morning, Per," said Tessa. "I'm surprised that you two teamed up together," said Per as he came into the room. He was a little surprised. Nesbra was a beautiful, black-haired smuggler, who was always looking for an angle for profit in any situation. Her arms were crossed under her breasts as she gave Per a wry smile. Tessa was a priestess of Aphrodite, number two under Bargan, and she ran his temple during any of his absences. Her tall, lush form, with very large breasts and rounded hips, exuded sex. Her bland hair hung in a single braid down her back to the top of her buttocks. "Why?" asked Tessa. "Nesbra is a supplier and shipper of goods. There are certain... items... that a Temple of Aphrodite needs. Some are difficult to obtain. Nesbra and I have been discussing terms, conditions, and prices." "Really, and what would Bargan say about all that?" asked Per jokingly. "What do you think he would say?" asked Tessa, arching an eyebrow. Per thought back on what he knew about Bargan and how Bargan would act. "Never mind," said Per dryly. "Gee, you're not as dumb as you look," said Nesbra. She then laughed. "C'mon, Per, there are others waiting." Nesbra led him over to a large, blocky chair. It was wide and seemed to be made out of rectangles of wood. She had Per sit down and moved around behind him. Tessa walked towards Per, her hips swishing and her breasts swaying from side to side. Per felt his cock twitch at her incredibly sexy movement and it hardened up even more. Tessa knelt down in front of Per and took his hard cock gently in her hands. Per gasped as she slowly began to stroke his shaft. Tessa smiled, then leaned down to lave her tongue around and around the head of his prick. Per inhaled sharply as Tessa opened her mouth and slowly began to engulf his cock down her throat. Even Nesbra gasped as Tessa took half of Per's cock into her mouth before backing up. Tessa leaned forward again, swallowing all twelve inches until her nose was deep in Per's blackish-green pubic hair. She then backed up until just the tip was touching her lips before sinking the entire length back down her throat. "Tessa, I'm going to blow soon if you keep that up!" huffed Per, struggling to keep from climaxing each time his cock disappeared into her warm, wet mouth. "It'll activate my lust!" Tessa pulled his cock out of her mouth with a wet, sucking sound and said, "I just wanted to show you what I have learned." "How did you do that?" asked Nesbra, in the exact same tone that Alana used with Nyrandurril yesterday. "Practice," stated Tessa, standing up. "I couldn't control my gag reflex, which limited my advancement in the Temple. Per managed to get someone to teach me. I wouldn't be a priestess, otherwise." "Huh, it got me all hot and bothered," said Nesbra. "I think Per is ready, too." Nesbra walked over to a mattress that was on the floor. She sat down on it and beckoned Per over. Per stood and went over to her. As he was lying down, Nesbra grabbed his arms and guided him over on top of her. Tessa sat down in the chair to await her turn. "What's your profit out of all of this?" asked Per as he rolled over between her legs. "Paying off a debt," replied Nesbra with a smirk. Her eyes widened suddenly as Per's fingers found the wet folds of her pussy. "Oh, what a way to pay it off!" Per sank his hard cock into her steaming cunt. She could only take half the length of his shaft inside her before Per bottomed out. The depth really did not matter, though, because it was not long before Per's pumping half his cock in and out of her tight vagina had them both panting as the sexual tension inside each one grew. Nesbra's passion kept growing and she began moaning with her legs thrashing about underneath Per. Per bit his lip to keep from cumming too soon as her vaginal muscles clenched around his shaft. Suddenly, Nesbra could not contain herself anymore and orgasmed with a loud yell. Per gasped in relief and satisfaction as his own climax exploded inside him and his prick began to gush glob after glob of hot, white sperm into Nesbra's womb. "Per, over here," called out Tessa. She had seen him climax and then watched as his body stiffened as his lustcraze took over. Tessa was not sure how tractable Per would be in this state. The last time she saw him like this, she had him fuck her overly large tits until he came in her mouth. She had no idea what control he had, if any, over his lust. Per, his eyes becoming tinged with red, pulled his rock-hard cock out of Nesbra and walked towards Tessa. "Sit," said Tessa, patting the chair. Per stood still in front of her and Tessa was not sure if he was going to grab her or not. "Sit, so I can fuck the lust out of you!" That order must have gotten through to Per because he sat down on the chair. Nesbra, breathing heavily, rolled onto her side to watch. Tessa climbed up on the chair and planted a foot on each armrest. Placing one hand behind Per's neck, Tessa lowered down until she could reach his prick with her other hand. Her large melon-sized breasts brushed up against his face as she pointed his cock at the entrance to her vagina. Tessa put her other hand behind Per's neck also and squatted down, driving his hard cock deep into her tight, wet hole. It was awhile later before Per left the room. Tessa had indeed fucked the lustcraze out of him. She had exhausted herself, both sexually and physically, by riding up and down on his thick shaft until he filled her pussy with a tremendous load of his creamy seed. Per left her and Nesbra massaging the cramps out of Tessa's legs. Per took a swig out of the wineskin Gar had given him once he was outside the room. The alcohol was stronger than it was yesterday and Per gasped as his stamina and libido returned twice over. Feeling on top of the world, Per strode down to the next green-edged door, knocked loudly and opened it. "Ho, Per!" shouted Holina. "About time you got to us. I've been looking forward to some ogre dick." "Hello, Per," greeted Shara, nonplused by Holina's statement. The room was set up like a dwarven bedroom, complete with a window looking out over a craggy mountainside. "I take it by your arrival that we are not the first on your list today. May we offer you some refreshment?" "No, thank you," said Per, a little amused and envious that she could be so calm and courteous when all three of them were naked. "I just came from Nesbra and Tessa." "What in the world would those two have in common?" asked Holina. "Commerce," replied Per. "What do you two have in common?" "Statesmanship," replied Shara. "I'm going to see if Holina can come to stay at the Capitol. It will give her a certain amount of freedom. Then we'll see if we can't find her a nice liberal-minded dwarf to marry." Holina snorted. "You might as well ask for a pacifist orc while you're at it. I'll be back in that corset before the engagement is announced." "I doubt it," stated Shara. "The Overlord is chronicling the entire battle here. Let's say the report he's sending to King Ether has you figured prominently in your battle attire with your mother's axes. Your king is wise enough to know a good thing, especially since we'll already have started rumors of your prowess and abilities prior to him receiving the official word." Holina was staring at Shara like she had two heads. "Damn! I'm going to have to stay with you just to learn how to do things like that!" "It'll be my pleasure," replied Shara. "However, there are two more ladies waiting for Per. Do you mind going first?" "Ah, you want me to weaken him up a little, eh?" joked Holina. "I don't think that is possible," said Shara. "No, I want you two to take your time. Per, I want sex... no kind words or loving embraces. I'm tired of playing this role or that role. Just take me, understand?" "Your wish is my command," said Per as he and Holina went over to the bed, which was more than large enough for them both. "Well, how do you want to do this?" asked Holina. Per ended up flat on his back with Holina on top of him, facing towards his feet. She had a little trouble maintaining her balance, so Per pulled one foot in to raise his knee so she could hold onto it. With her hands on his knee, Holina was able to slowly raise herself up and down on Per's thick, long cock. She was only able to get five inches inside her tight pussy. The slowness of her humping kept their passion smoldering for some time. Holina could not drag it out forever, though, and all too soon she and Per were shuddering as she orgasmed and he pumped a load of jism into her dripping snatch. Shara had been leaning up against a heavy table, watching the two of them fuck to a climax. She felt hot and her thighs were rubbing together from the 'itch' in her groin. Her nipples had hardened to nub that stuck straight out. She was a little surprised when Per moved Holina off his prick and rolled Holina onto the bed. Shara gasped as Per bounced off the bed and came over to her. Without a word, he placed his hands under her knees and lifted upward. Shara gave out a little cry as she rolled back onto the table. She cried out again as Per went down onto one knee and buried his face right into her damp pussy. "Oh! Oh, my! Yes! I... I... right there!" gasped Shara as Per lashed his tongue into her hot cunt and nibbled on her engorged clitoris. He buried his face into her folds so that his nose was stuck inside her. "Oh, Gods! I'm gonna... I'm gonna... CUM!!!!" Shara's juices gushed out of her to Per's lapping tongue. He kept his tongue working on her pussy until she spasmed through a second orgasm. Without releasing her legs, Per stood up and moved his hands down to her ankles. He pulled her legs straight up and apart until they resembled a wide V. Per drove his hips forward. His seven-foot, six inch height was perfect for the table. The combination of his cum-coated cock and Shara's two orgasms made it easy for him to penetrate her. He shoved his entire prick into Shara's dripping slit in one fell lunge until his dark greenish pubic hair was pressing against her dark auburn ones. Shara wailed aloud and her whole body undulated from the quick and sudden penetration. She had a mini-orgasm as her head arched backwards, but instead of releasing her sexual energy, it just added to fuel it more. Only Per's grip on her ankles kept her legs from flailing about. Per pulled his hard cock completely out of her vagina before ramming it back in again and again and again and again. "Oh... uh... yes... uh... fuck... uh... me!" grunted Shara as each thrust. Her auburn hair was splayed out on the table and her hands were gripping the edges. Her large creamy breasts bounced up and down each time Per drove his cock into her. Her body involuntarily arched with each thrust humping upward to meet his pounding prick. "Is this what you want?" asked Per, breathing heavily as he picked up the pace. "Gods, yes!" screamed Shara as her passion soared. "Faster! I... I... I want... YES!" Per's cock was a blur, squishing in and out of Shara's vagina. Shara's head was tossing back and forth as she babbled incoherently in the throes of her lust. Suddenly, her whole body arched upward as her muscles tightened. Her gasping breath caught in her throat as she held that pose for several seconds. With a wail of rapturous bliss, Shara spasmed all over as her orgasm overwhelmed her. Per continued to pound his cock into Shara. Her vaginal muscles grasped and gripped at his shaft as if milking it. Per could not withstand the added pressure and his sexual energy peaked. With one final lunge, he buried his hard cock deep into Shara. He stood there quivering as the tension in his body let go, but the release seemed to take longer. Per's breath came out explosively as he felt his cock swell and then spurt out his cum like a bolt from a crossbow. He pumped wad after wad of hot, gooey jizz into Shara's womb, filling her to overflowing with his white cream. Shara sighed as Per lowered her legs, but then gasped when he flipped her over. Her eyes widened when Per slipped his semi-flaccid cock back into her gooey snatch. He gripped her by the hips and began to fuck her from behind. His cock quickly stiffened back to its full size. Shara grasped the edges of the table again as her full breasts pressed onto the hard wood. "Per, what... what... what of the... the next group?" gasped Shara, trying to look backwards at Per. "They'll wait," panted Per. Per banged Shara from behind until she orgasmed a fourth time. Watching her ass ripple each time his hips hit up against it, caused Per's own sexual tension to increase tenfold. Shara, sensing Per's pending climax, broke away from his grip. Rolled to one side, and knelt on the floor in front of him. Per shuddered when she firmly grasped his slimy prick with both hands and stroked it vigorously. The sight of Shara jacking off his cock with her open lips just inches away from eth tip caused Per to blow his load. Unlike the last time, he began spurting before his climax even registered with his brain. His first shot splattered in her mouth, one her upper lip, and across her right cheek. His second spurt caught Shara just below her lower lip and sprayed upward into her mouth. Per's third one caught her full in the mouth, while the fourth, lacking power, just splattered down onto her large tits. Shara released her grip on Per's deflating cock and reached down to rub and massage her pale, soft breasts, smearing his splattered cum all around the globes. She then looked up at Per and opened her mouth, showing him the creamy white deposit he had spurted in there. Shara closed her mouth and swallowed it down with a gulp. "That was fantastic!" said Shara breathlessly when her mouth was empty. "Do I get a second go at it?" asked Holina. "That would be up to Per," said Shara. "He does have one more room to go and I'm sure there will be other opportunities. Besides, you've finished your part. Just go out and pick one of the other men." "Humans have no staying power," muttered Holina disgruntled. "I could introduce you to Gar," suggested Per. Holina shuddered. "No thanks, Per. You're as close as I'm going to get to a real ogre. If I had sex with Gar, my father would lock me away forever and declare war on you for suggesting it." "Try Bargan, if he's willing," suggested Shara. "I'm certain he will surprise you." "I'd better go," said Per with a smile as he headed towards the door. "Per, we could do this again once we get back," said Shara with a lecherous smile. "All you have to do is get my husband's permission." "Uh, I like my head right where it is, thank you very much." Shara laughed and said, "I'm joking. When we get back, it'll be a straight and narrow path for me." Per left the room and took a swig from the wineskin to fortify himself. Again the drink relieved his fatigue and increased his sexual appetite. Per walked down to the last door and knocked on it. The door was immediately opened by Morning Mist. The room inside looked like the interior of a Burgassi teepee with furs on the floor and a fire pit in the center. Golden Sunlight was tending the fire. "Per, I'm so glad you came," said Morning Mist, pulling him inside and letting the tent flap go. "I've been waiting to thank you again for my rescue." "I had very little to do with it," stated Per. "If it hadn't been for you and this ritual, I would still be... be..." She gulped nervously. "... still be there." "She's correct," said Golden Sunlight. "I, too, am happy because of you. My sister was rescued and I got to fly." "Fly?" asked Per. "Your mother took me to a realm where I could soar through the clouds," explained Golden Sunlight. "She has lost the way to get to the realm, but I will always cherish the memory." Per realized as he looked at the two women that Morning Mist's tan was faded compared to Golden Sunlight's. The two of them looked alike with reddish-brown skin and long, straight, black hair. Golden Sunlight had fuller breasts, while Morning Mist was a shade taller. Per guessed that Morning Mist had lost her tan during her captivity in the Petra Swamp. "I'm glad you're safe and sound," said Per to Morning Mist. He smiled and asked, "Okay, who wants to be first?" "Oh, no, you don't," said Golden Sunlight as each girl grabbed one of his arms. "We're doing this together." Per hastily took another swig from the wineskin. It was not until much, much later when Per crawled into his bed in the keep. He had forgotten how well the two Burgassi women worked as a team. They had drained his cock, revived it, and drained it again. Morning Mist and Golden Sunlight switched positions constantly to maintain their own pace. It was not until Per took charge that he was able to break up their rhythm. He pinned them down and then fingered, licked, and fucked each one through several orgasms apiece. Morning Mist tuckered out first, still not fully recovered from her ordeal in the swamp, with a load of Per's hot cum warming in her pussy and her stomach. Golden Sunlight only succumbed after her fifth orgasm as Per fucked her from behind, depositing the outcome of his last climax deep inside her. There was a knock on Per's door, but he was too exhausted to answer it. The door creaked open and Karina peeked in. Seeing Per still awake, she walked in and was followed by Helga, who went over and began pulling the drapes closed. "I came up to see how you were," said Karina, sitting on the bed and gently touching Per's forehead. "Gar says the ritual is going well. I've heard some of the women talk and... let's say I'm proud of you, too." "Cedric?" asked Per. "Haven't seen hide nor hair of him," stated Karina. "Some think he got away, but the Overlord is not taking any chances. Rest now. You have one more big day ahead of you tomorrow." Karina and Helga helped Per out of his clothes. He had been too tired to put on his armor when he left the Simularium. Once, he was stripped down, Per climbed into his bed. Karina picked up the wineskin to return it to Gar. She and Helga left the room just as Per was falling asleep. Per awoke following a good sleep and was ravenous. He had missed dinner before and needed sustenance. Dressing quickly, he headed down to the kitchen. The keep was strangely quiet until he came closer to the large dining room off the kitchen. There were a lot of voices coming from the room, joking, laughing, and carrying on. Per edged up to the door and looked in. Almost everyone was in the room. The only people Per did not immediately see was Gar, Electana, and Diti. Everyone else was congregated at the far end of the room. Per heard congratulations and well-wishes several times. It was just then that Inga noticed him standing in the doorway. "Isn't it wonderful, Per?" she asked him. At his blank, uncomprehending stare, she understood that he did not know what was going on. "Come with me." Inga led him through the crowd. The noise grew as people caught sight of him. Suddenly, the crowd parted and standing in front of Per was Karina and Tenan. Per could only stare at them dumbfounded. "I think the cat's got his tongue," said Tenan wirily. "We don't have a cat down here," replied Karina with a smile. "Maybe he doesn't know that the entity in the building cured me," said Tenan. "That must be it," stated Karina. Per whoopped with joy and gathered Tenan up in a great big bear hug. Everyone broke out in a riot of laughter as Karina tried to get Per to put his step-father down. "Easy, boy, easy," said Tenan. "I'm cured, but not fully recovered." Per quickly put Tenan down, who was a little out of breath. "It's alright, Per," panted Tenan. "It'll just take me awhile to get my strength back." "Ahem." The General cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. "Who's on guard duty?" A couple of people sheepishly raised their hands before Gedda said, "Gar and the giantesses are standing guard for us." "Yes, but there are places they can't get into," said the Overlord. "Remember that psychopath is still out there somewhere. Everybody, back to duty." The gathering broke up after that. Everyone left the room except for Karina, Tenan, Per, the Overlord, and the General. "You're not going to chastise them for this, are you?" Karina asked the Overlord. "When I forgot my duty because my favorite baron is going to live?" scoffed the Overlord. "Besides, you're in charge... you should be chastising me." "Well, Per, ready for today?" asked the General. Before Per could answer his stomach rumbled... loudly. Everybody jumped a little in shock and then broke out chuckling. "I think I'd better get something to eat first," said Per, putting a hand over his stomach. "Get going, then," ordered Karina, pointing towards the kitchen. Per walked into the kitchen to find Dorthea there with Vail and Bargan. Dorthea took one look at him and began pulling out pots and pans. She waved him over towards the large kitchen table where the other two men were sitting. Per sat down on a stool and realized with a guilty start that Melinar would be waiting for him in the black building. Vail, too, looked a little uncomfortable. "Shall we discuss the weather, which is clear with a rocky ceiling or just sit here in awkward silence?" asked Bargan urbanely. Per and Vail both smiled at his witticism. Vail looked at Per and shrugged his shoulders. "Are you okay with this?" asked Per. "Tough question to answer," replied Vail after a moment's reflection. "I care deeply for Melinar. You know what she is like... heart as big as her breasts with a strong foundation in reality. I'm sure our witty friend here would say it's just sex and nothing else." "Balderdash!" snorted Dorthea, placing a big platter of food in front of Per. The platter was piled high with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, and warm bread. She plunked down a large mug of water next to the platter. "There is no such thing as 'just sex', except, maybe among other races. I have two men who love me. I refuse to have sex with one without the other one being there." "Why did you make love to Per then?" asked Vail. "I care for Per, but it's a different type of feeling I have for him," said Dorthea. "It's also damn good sex!" Per, Vail, and Bargan all laughed at her last statement. "You know, I accepted that Melinar would see Nyran from time to time because she loves her and for the damn good sex," mused Vail. "By that reasoning, I have to accept that she loves you, too, Per." "What about yourself?" asked Bargan. "Oh, we have better than damn good sex," replied Vail. "I also know she cares for me. What about you, Bargan?" Bargan held up his hand as if to stop the question. "My situation is entirely different. I serve a Goddess whose essence is free love and sex, and who is intolerant of discord in her temples. The priests and priestesses of Aphrodite are cognizant not only of the benefits of love and sex, but also the inherent dangers in them." "Per, eat," ordered Dorthea. "We're wasting time and there are ladies waiting who made their own decision." "To answer your question, Per, yes, I'm okay with it," said Vail as Per bit down on a big forkful of eggs. "I know Melinar loves me and I will abide by any decision she makes. Do me proud!" Per quickly finished breakfast and headed towards the Simularium. He passed by Electana and Gar, who were standing guard in the courtyard. Gar tossed to per a full wineskin as he walked by. They nodded to each other and Per went into the foyer to undress. Per was very surprised when the inner doors opened and all that was in front of him was a short corridor and three doors. Per reached for the door to his right. Just as he was about to knock on the door, it opened noiselessly. No one was standing in the doorway, so Per looked in. His mouth dropped open in complete surprise. There was a round table with four chairs close to Per, which had a board game, two playing pieces, and a die on top of it. Clothing was strewn all around the table and chairs. Against the back wall was one of the huge beds with two women on it. Melinar was lying with her feet towards the head of the bed. She was holding her upper body up as she leaned over the other women. The woman had reached up with both hands to grasp one of Melinar's enormous, melon-sized tits, and was sucking on it voraciously, while she lay on her back with her legs dangling off the bed. Melinar had her head bent down to suck on one of the woman's average-sized breasts. Her free hand was down between the woman's splayed lags and thrusting two fingers in and out of the woman's wet slit. What shocked Per was that the other woman was Cendri. Melinar became aware of Per standing in the doorway. Her mouth came off Cendri's nipple with a slight pop as she looked up. "I see you're ready for us," she commented with a knowing glance at Per's hard prick. Cendri squealed in fright underneath Melinar, but the sound came out muffled as her mouth was full. She bucked and wiggled her way out from under Melinar and stood up. Her face was flaming red and she could not look up at Per's face. "I... we... um..." stammered Cendri in acute embarrassment and shame. "Cendri, it's fine," said Per gently. "You did nothing wrong." "Of course, she didn't do anything wrong!" said Melinar hotly. "Who says she did?" "Melinar..." Per started to say. "I say I did," interrupted Cendri. "I... I have a problem with... with... female... um... relationships." "huh?" asked Melinar confused. Her eyes then widened as she comprehended what Cendri was trying to say. "Cendri, you could have fooled me!" "Let's have a seat and you can tell me how you ended up the way I found you," said Per. "We got bored," explained Cendri as she sat down at the table. She pointed at the game board. It had a roughly circular route on it with alternating pink and yellow squares. The two playing pieces looked exactly like Melinar and Cendri. "We asked the Simularium for some type of diversion. It gave us this game and clothing. It felt kind of naughty to be dressing up in a place where we're supposed to be naked. We've been playing for a day and a half." Per waited, but Cendri was not forthcoming, so he said, "I think you've left something out. What happened with the game?" "Oh, yeah... Well, we started playing. It was risqué at first. You roll the dice and move your piece. If you land on a yellow square, you have to answer a question truthfully. If you land on a yellow square, you have to do a dare. The questions were ones like number of lovers, describe your best kiss... things like that. The dares were things like, hold the other's hand for thirty seconds, or dance for thirty seconds. We both went around the board and the questions became more personal and the dares more daring. If we did not do the dare or answer truthfully, we lost points. "Eventually, the dares had us undressing each other. It was fun. As we started around the board a third time, I was given a choice of dares. I could pinch and rub my nipples for fifteen seconds in front of Melinar for five points or I could reach around from behind her and hold her breasts for fifteen seconds for fifteen points. I told my self it's just a game, so I chose holding Melinar's breasts. It... it was so strange. I mean, they're big!" "They're not big, they're enormous by human standards," laughed Melinar. "Octavia can match me, but only one human I've met has bigger. That's Per's mom, Karina." "Anyway, I started to shake," continued Cendri. "However, I wasn't about to lose points, so I sucked it in, and reached around from behind Melinar. They were heavy and soft. They... they felt good in my hands. That was when the first day ended. Yesterday, we came back to find that the board had reset itself back to the beginning." "We started again. We played through the questions and the undressing. I was again given the choice of rubbing my nipples or holding Melinar's breasts. I wasn't nearly so scared this time to do it. Melinar was given the same choice when she landed on a dare square. I was very nervous, but all she did was hold my breasts for the time limit and then she let go." The choice of dares went on for a little bit. On the fourth circuit around, the dares became multiple tasks. The first one I remember was Melinar could lick her breasts for a time limit for five points or she could lick mine for fifteen. I could get five points for squeezing Melinar's breasts while she licked mine. I was behind in points because I wasn't as daring as Melinar at the start. So, I squeezed her breasts while she licked mine. The game progressed from there and then stopped for the day." "Today, we found the game in the exact same position as when we left it. We played a couple of turns before you came in." "What was the last dare?" asked Per. "I could get ten points if I let Melinar finger me for thirty seconds. I could also get five more points if I sucked on her nipple while she fingered me. Melinar could get five points for sucking on my breast all at the same time," said Cendri. "We did not make it to the end of the time limit, so I guess we lost the points." "Intervention by a third party does not constitute a breach on the player's part," said a sultry, sexy, female voice from the board. "All points will be awarded. New player will start in last place with the same number of points as the second place player minus the difference between the first place player and the second place player." Per looked down at the board and saw another playing piece appear. It was a perfect miniature replica of himself in the buff. "Per's turn to move," said the board. Per picked up the die and rolled it. His piece walked by itself to another position on the board landing on a pink square. "Dare," said the sexy board voice. "For fifteen points, Per may elect to lick Cendri's pussy, while she is sitting in her chair for thirty seconds. Cendri may elect to massage Melinar's breasts for five points and Melinar may elect to massage Cendri's breasts for five points. Melinar, do you consent?" "... and risk losing five points," scoffed Melinar. "I consent." "Cendri, do you consent?" asked the board. "I consent," replied Cendri. "Per, as the active player, you may consent or decline without penalty," stated the board. "You will receive no points for declining, however. If a non-active player declines, the points would have been deducted from his or her total." "I consent," said Per as he knelt down in front of Cendri. The game progressed rapidly from there and the choices for the dares became more complex. The board actually took over rolling the die for them so they would not have to get off the bed. A defining moment came when Cendri consented to have her pussy licked by Melinar, while Melinar was fucked from behind by Per with no time limit. Melinar's talented tongue and fingers quickly brought Cendri to a screaming orgasm. Melinar's own intense orgasm soon followed as Per plowed his long, thick cock in and out of her. As her vaginal muscles clenched around his shaft, Per's passion peaked. He shoved his cock into Melinar and unloaded wad after wad of his thick sperm deep into her. As he was finishing up, the burn began in his balls. "Cendri will get fucked by Per, while licking Melinar's pussy," said the board quickly. "I... consent," gasped Cendri breathlessly. Melinar rolled out of the way as Per reached for Cendri. He pulled her to him and aimed his lust-hardened prick at the entrance to her vagina. Even in his lustcraze, Per pushed forward slowly. Cendri's back arched upward from her buttocks to her shoulders as her cunt stretched wide open. She orgasmed as Per's cock filled her to capacity and a little bit beyond. Per's red-tinged eyes were staring straight ahead as he began to fuck Cendri. He was only using four inches of his twelve inch cock to go inside her. His hands were locked under her knees, holding her legs up in the air. Melinar rolled onto her knees and straddled Cendri's face so that her back was to Per. She reached down and entwined her fingers through Cendri's blond hair. Melinar could feel Cendri's cool breath on her heated flesh and blowing through her pubis hair. Slowly, she pulled Cendri's head upward. Cendri could not think coherently, overcome by two quick, but massive orgasms compounded by Per shoving his cock in and out of her stretched cunt. The musky scent of Melinar's sex filling her nostrils was intoxicating. As soon as her lips touched Melinar's labia, Cendri stuck out her tongue and licked upwards. It was awhile before Per shuddered through his climax. His lustcraze left him with each spurt of hot cum he shot into Cendri's pussy. As he became aware of his surroundings again, he immediately saw Melinar's shaking and sweaty body in front of him. Cendri's arms were locked around Melinar's hips and her face was buried into her cunt. "She's... She's already made... made me cum... cum twice," panted Melinar through dry lips. "Who'd of... of thought it? Do... Do you think... she knows that... that the game was... rigged? You... You have company." Per looked over towards the doorway and was surprised to see Karina signaling him to come to her. Per pulled his deflated prick out of Cendri, causing her to moan, but not pulling her away from Melinar. Karina, entered the room, but stood by the door as Per walked over to her. "Gods, that's Cendri!" exclaimed Karina in a whisper. "You okay, mom?" asked Per, covering his genitals. He knew she was as susceptible as he was to lust. "Tenan took care of me this morning," stated Karina. She glanced over at the two women on the bed and shivered deliciously. "He's still weak, though." She then shook herself. "I had to talk to the entity about tomorrow. You've got two more rooms. Now, go!" Per walked out into the corridor, but the door did not close. Baffled, he leaned back and looked inside. Karina had moved up to lay beside Melinar's hip. Melinar was gasping for breath and shaking in preparation for her next orgasm. "Hi, Cendri," cooed Karina in her ear. "I'm going to lick you until you come all over my face." The muffled squeak from Cendri might have been a protest, but Melinar's grip on her hair kept her plastered to Melinar's dripping slit. Karina moved down and put her hands on Cendri's thighs. Cendri pulled her feet up, bending her knees, and spreading her legs apart. Thick, white liquid was oozing out of her and Karina dove right in, latching her lips to Cendri's labia and sucking. Cendri's hips thrashed about in erotic rapture and Per's dick became hard as he realized his mother was licking up his sperm that was inside Cendri. The door quickly closed by itself. Per quickly took a drink out of the wineskin and almost choked as the alcohol burned down his throat to explode in his belly. His prick hardened up immediately and the familiar burn began in his balls, but without the accompanying uncontrollability. Feeling on top of the world, Per turned towards the next door, knocked, and walked in. "Hello, Per," greeted Ivin. "I was wondering when the entity would send you to us." "Who cares about that?" argued Phartom, back in her succubus form. "Look at that log between his legs!" "I don't think I can hold her back," laughed Ivin. She glanced at Per's throbbing cock, which had a drop of pre-cum dangling off the tip. "I don't think I want to either. You two had better have at it!" Phartom turned around, spread her legs apart, and bent over to expose her pussy to Per. Per strode over, grabbed her hips, and shoved his cock forward. Unlike the first time they met, Phartom was ready for Per. His cock slid halfway into her and, with another push, drove into her fully. Phartom gasped as Per lifted her completely off the ground. She straightened up and reached back, at which point, Per grabbed her by her arms. To Ivin, it looked like Phartom was pinned onto Per's cock. Phartom leaned slightly forward and bent her knees so she could place her ankles on Per's stomach. Per slid his hands down to her wrists so Phartom's upper body was angled outward away from him. Per thrust forward, driving his cock into Phartom, who used her legs like springs to slide back and forth on his hard cock. Held at a forty-five degree angles, Phartom's large, heavy tits hung down and swayed back and forth with each thrust Per made. Ivin, taking advantage of their position, came forward to lick, suckle, and nibble on those red-skinned udders. The dual stimulation soon had Phartom spasming through an orgasm. Gar's potion had increased Per's libido to where he could not keep from cumming. He thrust his cock forward and held it there as he spewed his hot spunk into Phartom. As his climax subsided, Per slowly let Phartom down. He then sat on the floor to regain his breath. "I'm sooooo glad I'm good," muttered Phartom from where she laid on the floor. Ivin knelt down beside Per and asked, "Need a breather?" "Not too long of a one," replied Per. There was still a bit if residual lustful burning down in his testicles. "Let's see what I can do," replied Ivin with a smile as she grasped his penis and began to stroke it. Per, not to be outdone, pulled her around slightly. As she began stroking his cock, Per reached around so he could tease her pussy with his fingers. Ivin was already wet and Per easily slid a finger inside her. Ivin moaned and wriggled her hips, at which point Per slipped a second finger in. "Goddess!" panted Ivin after a minute or so. Per's cock had stiffened up nicely under her talented fingers. "I can't wait any longer!" Ivin moved away from Per's fingers and threw a leg over his hips. She reached down between them and pointed his cock up at the steaming entrance to her vagina. She pushed backwards lodging the head of his prick into her tight hole. Humping back and forth, she managed to get the entire shaft into her drenched snatch. "Oh, Goddess, that feels so good!" gasped Ivin in passionate yearning. "Do you mind if I ride you one more time?" "Any time you like," said Per, breathing heavily. Ivin smiled down at Per and began bouncing up and down on his thick shaft. Per reached up to hold onto her jiggling breasts and to pinch her hard nipples between his fingers. Ivin stopped when she felt a hand touch her on the shoulder and she looked backwards. "I've found a bottle of body oil," stated Phartom in her low sultry voice. She was holding her short, thick tail up between her legs. It was shiny and dripping with oil. It was also pointed at Ivin's ass. "Oh, my!" exclaimed Ivin. She turned to face forward and bent over, mashing her breasts onto Per's chest. Ivin reached back with both hands and spread her asscheeks apart. Per almost limped out of the room later on. The sensation of Phartom's tail fucking in and out of Ivin's asshole, while his cock plowed her dripping pussy made Per climax as never before. He was sure he had pulled a groin muscle or two. Phartom's tail, since it was between her legs, rubbed over her own pussy and clitoris. Both she and Ivin orgasmed at the same time. As Per left the room, the two of them were moving around to a sixty-nine position. A ball of flickering light appeared in the short hallway and said, "Only one room left, Per." "Thank the Gods for that!" said Per. "Thank you for healing Tenan." "Your thanks are unnecessary," replied the Simularium. "The power I used to heal him as been replaced. Take a drink of Gar's brew." The ball of light winked out and Per decided to take its advice. A long drink from the wineskin made the pain in his groin disappear as the burn of desire began again. Per felt revitalized. He knocked on the last door and opened it. "I see you saved the best for last," said Octavia, putting down the book she had been reading. "You'll always be number one in my book," joked Per. "Hey, where does that leave me then?" asked Leekya. "Good thing some others did not hear you say that," stated Octavia. "Nyrandurril would turn you into a frog for a week if she had heard." "She won't hear of it, will she?" asked Per with a touch of nervousness in his voice. "Then you'd better convince us not to tell!" laughed Octavia and Per moved closer to both of the women. "Sweet... !" gasped Leekya. She swallowed down her own nervousness. "You're... You're much more intimidating in the flesh, Per. I... uh... hadn't realized how big you really are." "Everything about him is big, except his brains," quipped Octavia. "Watch it!" warned Per. "C'mon, Leekya, you and I will take it nice and slow." The room was laid out like several of the other rooms with a huge bed, tables and chairs. Per led Leekya over to the bed. They started out kissing and touching. Leekya moaned when Per's hands found her breasts and tweaked her nipples. She stopped him when one of his hands traveled down to the juncture of her legs and started fondling her slit. "Per, I'm not sure I'm still a virgin or not," she said, breathing heavily from desire. "One way to find out," said Per as he rolled over between her legs. Leekya's eyes widened when Per lodged the head of his cock into the folds of her labia. He held most of his weight off her as he slowly worked his thick prick into her. Leekya was shivering by the time he had pushed two inches into her. She tried breathing deeply to keep from tensing up. Per stopped when he had five inches into her, sensing that she was at her limit. "I guess you're not a virgin," said Per, looking down at Leekya's face, which was surrounded by her luxurious red hair. "Thank... Thank the Gods!" gasped Leekya. "I've been... a virgin more... more times than... I care to... remember." "Huh?" asked Octavia involuntarily, confused by Leekya's statement. "Eric and the manor house..." Per reminded her. "Oh, yes... sorry," apologized Octavia. "Octavia is taking me... OH!" gasped Leekya as Per started to slowly move his cock in and out of her incredibly tight vagina. "... uh... to see Tymera. Maybe... oh, yes! Maybe she needs... needs some help." Per took his time fucking Leekya so he did not hurt her. He brought her through one explosive orgasm before his own climax peaked. Leekya shivers, quaked, and moaned underneath him as he filled her up with his thick creamy seed. Per rolled off Leekya after his climax had gone down and sat on the edge of the bed to catch his breath. Sitting across the room from him was Octavia. She was watching him with a smug look on her face. "What?" asked Per. "Nothing," replied Octavia. "Just happy and sad... happy to be the last one and sad that you're all tuckered out... happy to be a part of this adventure and sad that it ends after tomorrow." "It doesn't have to end after tomorrow," stated Per, picking up his wineskin. "If you two will excuse me, I'll leave you alone," said Leekya, who got off the bed and headed towards the door. "Just remember, Octavia's promised to take me to Tymera." "Whoa! What's in that wineskin?" exclaimed Octavia, standing up and staring at Per's hard dick with her crystal blue eyes. Per leaned back a little to admire her form. Her short black hair contrasted with her creamy-toned body, which was tanned around the face, arms and legs. Her large breasts rivaled Melinar's. Due to her weapons training, her body was more muscular than that of the lusty Melinar. "A potion Gar gave me," answered Per. "Maybe the Simularium will help me out a couple of times." Indeed it did. Per first fucked Octavia flat on her back. It took some time, but at her insistence Per managed to get all twelve inches of his thick prick into her hot, tight vagina. Octavia humped her hips upward to match Per's thrusts into her until both of them peaked in breathless climaxes. Before their sexual high even diminished, the Simularium hit Per with a red beam of light igniting his lustcraze. Per sat up on the edge of the bed, pulling Octavia up onto his lap. Octavia held onto him tightly, her large tits flopping around, as Per bounced her up and down on his cock. She orgasmed twice more before he climaxed, filling her already full womb with more of his hot jism. The Simularium struck Per again with the red beam. Octavia found herself on her hands and knees screaming out her joy, ecstasy, and rapture as Per fucked her from behind for a good long time. "Oh, fuck!" groaned Octavia as her hot, sweaty, exhausted body lay trembling on the bed. "Let's just you and me stay here and fuck the rest of our lives." "I'd die of a heart attack in two days," gasped Per. "That's alright," moaned Octavia. "The Simularium can make a duplicate of you." "You'd get bored within a week," stated Per as he rolled over to rub up and down Octavia's back. "Mmm," purred Octavia in contentment, "but what a week that would be! I guess we'd better get going to the leers and jeers of everyone waiting outside." Per and Octavia got up and walked down into the foyer. "I'm too tired for this armor," said Octavia, pulling on a halter top and wrapping a skirt around her waist. "I'll come back for it later." The two of them walked out of the black building to the hoots and catcalls of Karlto, Gedda, Alana, and Oraag. Karina, Tenan, and Helga were standing off to one side, while almost everyone else was cheering from the top of the walls. Per and Octavia headed towards Karina, suddenly, just as they were passing by one of the huge freight wagons, a figure jumped out over the high wooden side of the wagon. He kicked Per in the head, which sent Per sprawling as the figure landed on top of Octavia, stunning her. "Cedric!" hissed Helga as the others shouted in alarm. "Get back!" yelled Cedric, hauling Octavia upward and pressing a greenish-bladed dagger to her throat. "Octavia, no!" screamed Karina. Even stunned, Octavia was reaching up to fight free from Cedric's grasp. "That's my Green Dragon dagger! It's highly poisonous!" ------- Chapter 18 My special thanks go to sweetmirazh, who does my editing, and mack_the_knife. "You shouldn't leave things like this lying around, Baroness," sneered Cedric as Octavia lowered her hands in submission. "What do you want, Cedric?" asked Karina angrily. "Ah, I see His Royal Oafishness approaching along with my protector, Her Royal Sluttyness," said Cedric as the Overlord and Shara came towards them. "I'll deal with them, Baroness Bosom. You do know that's what the common folk call you, don't you?" "Easy," murmured Tenan to Karina as she tensed up. "Release her, Cedric, and we will talk," said the Overlord. "No one here will harm you." "I would take your word on that, but Bosom's big fuck toy probably wouldn't honor it," stated Cedric, nodding towards Gar. "I guess no man is good enough once you've had the big one." "Just tell us what you want," said the Overlord flatly. "I'll grant it if it is within reason." "That's so gracious of you. You would probably think my first two requests to be unreasonable, so how about giving me back my barony with a full pardon?" "Done," replied the Overlord. Cedric stood there in silence, dagger to Octavia's throat. He then shook his head and chuckled. "I'd take you up on that if I did not know that you would have the army invading my barony two seconds after I took control," said Cedric. "Then what do you want?" asked the Overlord sternly. "A full pardon... written right now!" snapped Cedric. "... and a way out of this cavern." "I can't get you out of this cavern," said the Overlord. "We were all transported here by magical means beyond our control." "Fine, Helga and that girl," Cedric pointed at Dareen, "will pack up supplies and come with me. I'll release them once we're on the surface." "They're not going with you," said Karina protectively. Cedric pressed the Green Dragon dagger into Octavia's neck. Octavia hissed and rose up on her tiptoes to keep the blade from puncturing her skin. "You don't have much of a say in this, do you, Your Tittyness?" derided Cedric. "Relax," said the Overlord calmly to everyone. "Can someone get me a quill, ink, and a piece of parchment?" As the Overlord was writing out the pardon for Cedric, Leekya came out of the keep, where she had been washing up and changing. She immediately noticed the tension in the air and the strange silence as everybody stood still. "What's going on?" she asked Vail, who was standing beside the door to the keep. "Cedric was hiding in the freight wagon," he answered her. "He jumped Per and Octavia when they came out of the black building. He's holding a poisoned dagger to Octavia's throat." "A what?" A poisoned dagger," repeated Vail. "It's imbued with green dragon poison." "Oh, dear!" said Leekya in exasperation. Leekya walked over to where the Overlord was and went past him. She stopped ten feet away from Cedric and Octavia. "Who are you?" asked Cedric. "Octavia, that mark I gave you is a family trait that can be passed on to anyone," said Leekya, ignoring Cedric. "It grants immunity. If you think about what it resembles I'm sure you'll understand." "What are you talking about?" asked Cedric angrily. Octavia's eyes widened as she made the connection. Her hands flew up to block the dagger and knock it away from her throat. Cedric did slice her across the palm of one hand and there was a small flash of blue light from Octavia's right breast. Startled by the light, the two of them backed away from one another as everyone else froze in place. "You... You should be dying!" exclaimed Cedric in shock at seeing Octavia still standing. His gaze took in the Overlord and Shara. "This is your fault!" He raised the dagger to throw it. Several things happened all at once. As Cedric raised the dagger, the Over lord moved in front of Shara to protect her. Tenan grabbed Karina and they both fell to the ground. Then thunking sounds echoed loudly in the courtyard. Cedric stood still, looking down at the four daggers stuck into his chest. His wavering gaze came up to see Helga clutching two more daggers, poised to throw them if necessary, with an intense look of hate upon her face as she stared back at him. Cedric's breath wheezed out of him and he collapsed face first into the dirt. Helga began to shake violently as Leekya ran over to Octavia to bandage her hand. Shara and Karina grabbed Helga just before she fell to her knees and hugged the young woman to calm her down. Karina lifted Helga up in her arms and headed towards the keep with Shara leading the way. Per and the Overlord went over to Cedric's body as Tenan picked up the two daggers Helga had dropped. Per knelt down and rolled Cedric's body over. The green Dragon dagger was lying underneath him. Per unbuckled Cedric's belt and pulled it free along with the dagger's sheath. He placed the dangerous blade in the sheath before pulling out the four daggers from Cedric's chest. "I'll take those," said Tenan, relieving Per of all the daggers. "It's just as well that he's dead," commented the Overlord. "I just wish the girl didn't do it." "Her name is Helga," said Per. "Why shouldn't she have killed him? She was abused by him in ways we can't imagine." "No disrespect intended and I know her name is Helga," stated the Overlord a little sadly. "I was speaking in the royal voice, which tends to be a little formal and stiff... occupational hazard. I'm sorry because she killed a major force in her life and it's created a vacuum within her. Helga will now have to learn to live without Cedric in her life. She won't be able to confront him." "Oh,... is that why she collapsed?" asked Per as other people gathered around. "Mostly, but there are other factors that had a part in it," replied the Overlord. "The main thing is for her to know she is not alone and is loved." "I guess I'd better get a shovel," said Per. "We'll bury him next to Lorilei." "You dug Lorilei's grave, we'll dig Cedric's," said Bargan who was standing nearby. Before Per could answer, there was a small flash of white light off to his left. He quickly turned his head and saw that Tessa had used a spell to heal Octavia's hand. "C'mon, Per, let's get these knives cleaned up," said Tenan. "You can return them to Helga. She may feel safer with them." Tenan cleaned the Green Dragon dagger very carefully, while Per cleaned all six of Helga's daggers. He coated them lightly with oil and wrapped them in a cloth before heading towards the keep. He met Shara coming down the stairs as he headed up to Helga's room. "She's calmed down, but is still fragile," Shara informed him. "Don't go barging in and upsetting her. What are the others doing?" "Getting ready to bury Cedric," replied Per. Shara harrumphed. "leave it to a man to rush into things. I'll postpone the burial until Helga can come down. She needs to see Cedric buried, not just his grave. I know she's upset so it may be awhile before she will come down. Bring her when she's ready." Per walked up to the floor Helga's room was on and quietly approached the door. When Shara left, she must not have latched the door because it was cracked open about three inches. Per looked in to see how Helga was doing before he was going to knock on the door. Karina had taken off her armor and padding. She was lying on the bed with her back against the headboard dressed only in her undergarments. Helga was cuddled up in Karina's arms and Karina was crooning softly to her. "The Overlord won't send me to prison, will he?" asked Helga fearfully. There was a bit of hysteria in her voice so Per decided to wait. "Will the Queen send assassins after me like she did Per?" "Nothing is going to happen to you," replied Karina soothingly. "But I wanted him dead!" exclaimed Helga shrilly. "I wanted to hurt him! I was throwing daggers at him the second Octavia got clear! Octavia... Oh, Gods! Octavia! He... He cut her! She's... She's..." "She's fine," said Karina calmly. "The poison didn't affect her and I'll make sure that nothing happens to you." "Oh, Karina!" cried Helga who rose up to passionately kiss Karina on the mouth. Per thought his mother was going to resist for a second or two, but then she appeared to give in and began returning Helga's kisses with equal fervor. Helga lowered her hands to tug down Karina's bindings, releasing her titanic tits. Karina moaned as her huge pliant mounds of titflesh popped free and her nipples hardened as Helga's fingers tweaked and caressed them. Helga bent down to suckle at Karina's breasts. Karina held her head like a baby's, while looking down tenderly at the girl. She inhaled deeply when Helga's fingers found the bindings around her loins and loosened them. Karina pulled Helga's head up and kissed her as she started to remove Helga's clothing. Per saw Helga's hand slide inside Karina's lower bindings and begin to move around as her fingers plied the folds of Karina's labia. Per's cock tried to stiffen up from the hot scene unfolding in front of him, but it was too used up and well drained to make more than a token twitch. Karina pushed Helga over so that Helga was lying on her back. Karina moved over on top of her to kiss her lips and then moved down to lick Helga's firm breasts. Helga groaned as Karina continued to move lower, licking over Helga's stomach and abdomen. Karina removed the last of Helga's clothing and lowered her face between Helga's legs. Per watched as Helga's breath hissed in desire as his mother's tongue licked at Helga's damp slit and lashed at her clitoris. Helga's hands entwined in Karina's ash-blond hair, holding her head tight to her pussy. It was not long before Helga was shuddering in the throes of a cataclysmic orgasm. "How was that?" asked Karina as she moved upward to kiss Helga softly on the lips. "I... I needed that," panted Helga. She looked Karina straight in the eye. "I love you." Karina smiled and said, "I know." "Your turn," stated Helga cheerfully. "Roll over onto your hands and knees." "What have you got planned?" asked Karina as she did what Helga instructed her to do. "You'll see," said Helga as she moved behind Karina to the edge of the bed. Helga slid off the bed and stood on the floor. She placed both of her hands on Karina's ass and bent over at the waist. Karina sighed as Helga's tongue gently probed the soft, wet folds of her slit. She hissed in anticipation as Helga licked her tongue up and down her hot pussy. Karina's pendulous breasts jiggled when Helga's tongue lashed at her clitoris. It was with a long sigh of desire when Karina felt Helga's fingers peel apart the folds to her vagina and felt two fingers slip inside her slick interior. That was soon followed by three more fingers, a hand and a wrist. Per could not believe it as he watched more and more of Helga's forearm disappear into his mother's dripping pussy. Karina had her head thrown back and was panting in wanton sexual need and craving. It was amazing to watch Karina's cunt stretch out wide to accept Helga's forearm and, when it seemed that Karina could not take any more, Helga pushed forward to sink more of her arm into Karina. "AHHHH!!!!" gasped out Karina in pure lust as her pussy widened to allow Helga's elbow to pop into her. Helga was keeping her entire arm straight with her wrist and elbow locked. She twisted her upper body from side to side to pump her arm in and out of Karina. Every now and then she would take a mini-step closer to Karina, forcing more of her arm into Karina's slick, hot cunt. Karina was literally shaking all over when Helga had half of her upper arm stuffed inside her. Even Per's over-used prick had to swell at the incredible sight. "How's... that?" panted Helga from her exertions, but Karina was unable to answer her. Karina's sexual tension was building to a fever pitch. Helga's arm was farther inside her than anything else she had encountered. Helga's fingers were hitting erogenous zones and g-spots that Karina never knew existed. Helga sensed that Karina's release was imminent so she shoved her arm in all the way up to the shoulder and wiggled her fingers. "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!" screamed out Karina in a wail that would have shattered glass. Karina's orgasm was stupendous. Every muscle in her entire body locked up. Her tits must have squirted out a quart of milk as her juices actually sprayed out of her pussy. Helga was hit by Karina's ejaculate square in the face, but she did not pull back until Karina's orgasm had run its course. After Karina could finally breathe normally again, she and Helga cuddled up on the bed. Karina held Helga to her breast as she rubbed the girl's back. "Feeling better?" asked Karina. "Much... and you?" "I see a very real danger," answered Karina. "Ahhspah magically altered me to accommodate his penis. If he ever fucks me with it, I'll become his slave from pure lust." "I won't let him," said Helga protectively. "I know," said Karina with a smile. "Come on in, Per. You've been standing there long enough." Per flushed hot in embarrassment and entered the room. His mother and Helga did not bother covering up as he shifted from one foot to the other in front of them. Karina smiled at him in a motherly way to show him that it was alright that he spied on them. "Shara is preparing to bury Cedric," stated Per with a winch as his hard prick throbbed painfully. "She says it's important for Helga to be there." Karina looked down at Helga and said, "I agree. Please tell them that we will be down shortly." "Before you go, Per, have a seat," said Helga, scooting off the bed and patting it on the edge. "I... uh... I..." stammered Per. "Sit!" ordered Helga firmly and Per sat down on the edge of the bed. Helga put her hand on his shoulder and he yielded to having her push him back onto the bed. "If you go out there like this after being with six women, someone will probably want to know why. Karina, get your big tits over here." "Helga, he's my son." "Lorilei did research on the ritual and told me about all the details," stated Helga as she undid Per's belt buckle and pulled his pants down. "He's been with six women and I don't fancy taking an hour or more to get him off." Karina smiled and shook her head. She climbed off the bed and knelt down between Per's legs. Taking big handfuls of her soft breasts, she wrapped them around his turgid shaft. Per could not suppress a groan of pleasure as his cock was encased in the pliant flesh. "Like this?" Karina asked Helga as she began jerking off her son between her tits. "Perfect," replied Helga as she bent over to take the head of Per's cock into her mouth. Between his mother's titty-fuck and Helga's talented tongue, Per barely lasted a minute. With a strangled cry and a painful tightening of his balls, Per ejaculated his thick, salty sperm into Helga's mouth. Helga gulped the load down without a thought and licked the head of his penis clean before she let go of it. "Oh, Gods," moaned Per as his groin ached. "If I cum one more time today, my balls will turn inside out." "You'll be fine, unless you're going to go spy on another couple," joked Helga. "You have all day tomorrow to rest up," stated Karina. "Go on down and tell them we'll be down shortly." The burial was a quick and quiet affair. They placed Cedric's body in the grave and began to cover it over. Shara came over to Helga and gave her a hug to let her know that she had no grudge, and that she was actually thankful that he was gone. She and Karina led Helga back to the castle as Pawl and Karlto continued to fill in the grave. Per was all done in and did not argue with Tenan when Tenan sent him to bed. Per pulled the curtains in his room, undressed, and collapsed onto the bed. His sleep, though, was not particularly restful. He dreamt of being chased, but could not see who was chasing him. All sorts of erotic images assaulted him. The nightmare of Octavia and Nyrandurril battling one another actually woke him up, and left him in a cold sweat. Per tried to go back to sleep, but after catnapping for the next two hours, he gave it up. Gritty-eyed, irritable, and with a headache, he dressed and headed down to the kitchen. Ivin, Celine, and Andie were all there when Per walked in. Andie brought Per a bubbling mug, while Celine placed a platter of bread and cheese in front of him. Per sniffed at the liquid in the mug suspiciously. "Drink it," said Andie. "It'll settle your nerves and relieve your headache." "What makes you think I have a headache?" muttered Per darkly. "Oh, the hunched shoulders, baggy eyes, and irritable nature... those things," stated Andie. Per drank down the potion, which had sort of a nutty flavor. His headache immediately disappeared and he actually felt calmer. "Sorry," apologized Per as he took a bite of cheese. "Feeling better?" asked Ivin. "I made enough for everyone since we all woke up the same way. I think it's tension. How are you holding up?" "Couldn't sleep," replied Per as he sliced the loaf of bread. "... had a bad dream concerning Octavia and Nyrandurril." "Tell me about it," said Ivin and Per did so. "What do you think it means?" "I think... Octavia loves me, but not with the intensity that Nyrandurril does," said Per. "Is there a conflict in me because I love them both? I don't know. I think you're right about the last day of the ritual stressing me out." "That may be part of it," agreed Ivin. "Tomorrow is the start of something new for all of us. The scary part is that we don't know what the new thing is going to be. Others will be coming down soon. Finish your breakfast. You're not going to be the only one who has had a restless night." Per ate up and went out into the courtyard. The first person he saw was Nyrandurril. She had raised a small whirlwind of dust and was moving it around with just the power of her mind. She dispelled it when Per started towards her. "Couldn't sleep, either?" she asked with a wane smile. "Better than you it appears," replied Per returning her smile. "That is probably true," stated Nyrandurril. "What awoke you?" "The end of the ritual?" suggested Per lamely. He sighed deeply. "Actually, it was a nightmare about you and Octavia battling each other to the death." Nyrandurril smiled, took Per's arm, and led him up to the top of the battlements. "When I met Octavia and learned of all your adventures together, I was so jealous that I would spend hours dreaming of ways to kill or hurt her," admitted Nyrandurril. "I know there were times when I was very short or cross with her. She never reciprocated. She was always kind and courteous to me. Gradually, my attitude changed and that was when I saw Octavia relax around me. She knew what I was feeling and never held it against me." "I was infatuated with you and, when you left so quickly, it just added to the mystery I built up around you. I studied magic and leaned the art, but all I was really doing was waiting for you to return. Then you came back and left just as quickly. I met all your friends and learned what you had been doing. The bubble of mystery I had made about you was burst. I have to rebuild my image of you and of myself, but in a more realistic light now." "Whew! Thank the Gods for that!" commented Octavia, coming up the stairs with Phartom. "I was getting tired of walking on eggshells around you." "And I thank you for that," said Nyrandurril. She laughed a little. "When we get back, not only do I have to find myself, but the School is going to want me to pick my magical specialty." "Oh, honey," laughed Phartom out loud. "If you want to find yourself quickly, there's only one specialty that you should learn." Phartom snapped from her human form to her succubus shape. "Demonology! It's tough, hideously dangerous, and there's a good chance you'll get sucked into the Hells!" "Why would I want to learn that than?" asked Nyrandurril a little aghast. Phartom changed back into her human form. "You have a string mind with good control from what I saw of your little dust devil. You've shown that you can change... adapt. Most importantly, you don't show that thirst for power that leads most wizards into this field of study. Power promotes greed and greed gets you killed. Trust me... you have what it takes to succeed and not get killed." "You sure?" asked Nyrandurril, looking back and forth between them all. "Don't look at me," said Octavia. "My guess is that she would know what she is talking about." "Come with me," said Phartom, grabbing Nyrandurril by the hand. "We'll go see Ivin and have a small lesson." "Why do we need to see Ivin?" asked Nyrandurril as Phartom led her towards the stairs. "Just in case something goes wrong," laughed Phartom. Nyrandurril looked horrified with panic written across her face. "Just kidding." "Well, Per, it's almost over," said Octavia after the other two had left. She sat down on the floor with her back against the parapet. Per sat down beside her. "You'll be working for the Overlord when we get back." "You'll be taking Leekya to go see Tymera," stated Per. "I guess we're all going to split up once we're back home." "Pretty much so," agreed Octavia tiredly. "Nothing stays the same, Per. You know that better than anyone." "I'm glad you're a part of my life now," said Per. "Me, too." "Per... Octavia..." Per opened his eyes to see Helga standing in front of him. Octavia's head was on his shoulder and her hand was clasped in his. He squeezed her hand gently to wake her up. Octavia blinked her eyes as she awoke. "Hey, sleepyheads," said Helga. It's time to meet in the Simularium. Should I pronounce you man and wife?" "I don't know," replied Octavia. "I think Per proposed just before we fell asleep." "If you say so, dear," said Per. "Oh, no!" interrupted Helga quickly. "I'm not sticking around before this joke becomes serious." Octavia laughed, hopped up to her feet, and ran down the stairs. Per got up and escorted Helga down to the courtyard. "Did you propose?" asked Helga. "Not that I can remember," answered Per. "... think she'll hold you to it?" "That's the scary part," stated Per. "I don't know." Everyone had gathered around Karina in front of the black building. Gar was carrying a large barrel into the building. Per and Helga moved over to join the group. "Are we all here?" asked Karina, looking around. "Good! This is the last part of the ritual. Your attendance, while requested, is not mandatory, except for Per, Gar, and myself. I'm holding the ritual in the Simularium for a variety of reasons. First of all is that the Simularium will create a place for us to hold the ritual. Second, although Gar has assured me that the ritual is non-violent, the Simularium will prevent any fights from occurring because I don't trust the ogre meaning of non-violent. I would also like to thank each and every one of you. None of this would have been possible without your help and support. Oh... I almost forgot. The Simularium will be providing clothes inside. Gentlemen, you're first." Per and all the men went into the foyer and the outer door closed behind them. Per could not see any clothing laid out on the benches for them. "I guess the clothes are inside," said the General as he began to undress. The men stripped down to the buff and waited. The light in the foyer changed from white to lavender. When it changed back, all of them were richly attired in expensive clothes. "I wish my tailor was this good," commented the Overlord, fingering the fine blue velvet doublet he was wearing. "My seamstress is this good," said the General. "I just wish my valet could dress me that fast." The inner door opened and the men stared out in amazement. The corridors and hallways were gone. Beyond the inner door was a high mountain meadow with a panoramic view of the craggy mountain range. Stone tables and benches had been set up in the middle of the meadow with platters of food and empty flagons on the tables. A stream cascaded down the mountainside in a waterfall off to one side of the meadow. A pair of eagles soared through the sky above. "I say, gents, shall we move out so the ladies can come in?" asked Karlto from the rear. The men moved out into the meadow and the doors to the foyer closed behind them. Gar, wearing a brilliant dragon scale loincloth, was over checking two huge barrels that were set up beside the tables. Per looked back and saw that the door now resembled the stone of the cliff that they were set into. "Quite a sight," commented Pawl, standing beside Per. "The eagles are a nice touch," said Per. "That reminds me... I was wondering if you know a spell for flying." "Yes, but I don't have any of the components," replied Pawl, just before two feathers materialized before him. Pawl picked up the feathers and examined them critically. "I don't think I want to trust my life to an illusionary feather." "What seems to be the problem?" asked Bargan, catching the tail end of the conversation. Pawl told him about the feathers. "I imagine since the sky is illusionary, the feathers should work. I'm sure the Simularium would not have given them to you unless it was safe." "You're probably right," said Pawl. "I forgot almost everything here is an illusion. Why do you need to fly, Per?" "I don't," replied Per, who told Pawl his plan just before the doors to the foyer opened up and the ladies came out. The women all oohed and ahhed as they stepped out onto the meadow. The men all murmured approval at the ladies' attire. Almost all of the women were dressed in rich gowns, which showed off their figures admirably. The gowns on Karina, Octavia, Melinar, and Tessa were all off the shoulder with a generous expanse of bosom showing. Gedda was dressed in black velvet pants and a white ruffled shirt. Joran, Morning Mist, and Golden Sunlight were wearing fringed and beaded deerskin dresses. Oraag was the only one who looked to be wearing armor. Her leather vest and skirt were studded with metal rivets. Phartom, in her succubus form, wore her own illusionary short red dress. "Come! Come!" ordered Gar, waving everyone over to the tables. He nodded to Tenan when all were gathered around. "I'm supposed to tell you of Per's exploits," stated Tenan, standing up on top of a bench. Most of you know them better than I do. Feel free to comment on anything I might miss." Tenan started with Per's service and enslavement to Cedric. Melinar, Nyrandurril, and Helga added what they knew and related how Per had saved them... with the Overlord's help. Tenan moved on to how Per found Dorthea and of the assassins that found him there. Per added how Dorthea had killed one of the assassins, which earned her a grunt of approval from Gar. Tenan continued on, accounting for each of Per's adventures with added comments from those who were involved. Per felt a little self-conscious as Tenan seemed to go on and on. The list finally ended with Cedric's death. "It was good," stated Gar solemnly. "Per fought well and sex well. He is worthy." Gar raised his hands to Per and chanted a prayer in ogre. Per felt strange as if his strength and vitality was increasing as Gar chanted on. Gar finished the prayer and nodded in approval. He walked over to the two barrels, hefted one up on his shoulder, and pulled out the bung to fill the flagons with amber liquid. Gar signaled Tenan and Karina to start filling mugs, which were passed out to everyone. Octavia started to take a sip of hers, but an ominous growl from Gar stopped her and prevented anyone else from drinking too soon. "I say, what is this?" asked Karlto, sniffing at his drink. "B'borak," replied Gar. "Ogre alcohol?" asked the Overlord dubiously. "Gar assured me there is nothing harmful or offensive to humans in it," stated Tenan. He looked out at his own mug of amber liquid. "It really is quite an honor. It is only drunk at significant occasions and I don't believe it has ever been shared with anyone who was not an ogre." "PER!" shouted Gar to the mountains, which echoed back the name several times over. "Taverech!" Gar grabbed a flagon and gulped down his drink. After a moment's hesitation, Octavia yelled, "To Per!" and swallowed down her drink in one gulp. Everyone else, except Per, followed suit. There was a bit of wheezing and gasping from everyone, except Gar. Then, the aftereffect of the B'borak took hold. The females all became hot, flushed and seething with desire. The men's libido increased until they barely had control of themselves. It was easy to see that each man was sporting a big hard-on. Morning Mist, nostrils flaring and breathing heavily, walked up to Tenan and said, "I never thanked you for rescuing me." She knelt down in front of Tenan and reached for his belt buckle. Before her hands even touched his belt, everyone's clothing disappeared. Any semblance of restraint vanished as fast as the clothing did. Per stood back and watched as Nesbra and Dorthea tackled Karlto, Nesbra got his cock, while Dorthea straddled his face. Nesbra grabbed his prick and pointed it straight upwards. In one smooth motion, she sank down on it, imbedding it firmly into her wet cunt. Karlto groaned in pleasure and buried his face into Dorthea's wet folds. Karina and Ivin dashed off into the brush to find a unicorn, and by the whinnying and thrashing Per heard, it sounded like they had found one. Per went over and peeked through the shrubs. He saw a large golden unicorn there with a harness around its torso. Ivin had managed to get into the harness and hung underneath the unicorn. Karina had grabbed the huge unicorn's cock with both hands and was aiming it right at Ivin's hot pussy. The unicorn lunged forward and Ivin screamed out in delight as about a quarter of its thick prick shoved its way into her. Per backed away. Andie, Dorna, and Calla were tied up in a swelter of arms, legs, tits, and asses with Cendri stuck in the middle of them all. Tenan was flat on his back with, not only Morning Mist, but also Helga sucking and licking his hard prick. Per went over and pulled Golden Sunlight off Bargan, who was already servicing Oraag, Celine, Iona, and Gedda with cock, tongue and fingers, respectively. Per guided Golden Sunlight over to Pawl. "Fly," said Per to Pawl. "You can fly?" asked Golden Sunlight in breathless anticipation. Pawl held up the two feathers and each one dissolved as he uttered the spell. Both he and Golden Sunlight lifted off the ground into the air. It was only a few seconds later before their aerial acrobatics had nothing at all to do with flying. Melinar and Nyrandurril had double-teamed Dareen with both of them sucking on her large breasts, while Vail fucked Dareen's dripping pussy. The General was plunging his hard cock in and out of Inga and finger fucking Contico, who was lying alongside of Inga. Holina was banging herself silly on the Overlord's thick shaft as he licked Leekya's hot slit to make her shiver and moan. Nanago was between Joran's outstretched legs, drilling his hard dick into her hot, tight cunt. Per marveled at their superb physique, which definitely belied their age. Gar had pushed Electana face down on one of the stone tables. He then lifted Diti on top of her mother. The tables were at human height, so Gar's huge prick was at the right level for both of them. Both giantesses were soon crying out in delight as Gar alternately fucked his monster cock in one and then the other. "Looks like it's you and me," said Octavia to Phartom with a leer. "You up for it?" asked Phartom, licking her luscious lips. "I'll try anything once... twice, if I like it," replied Octavia with a smile. It was not long before Phartom was on top of Octavia with her tail stuffed deep inside Octavia's dripping snatch. Octavia was pinching Phartom's hard nipples, while she bit on Phartom's neck. She urged Phartom on to a frenzied pace as they both raced towards mind-blowing orgasms. Per suddenly had both of his arms grabbed. Looking to his left and right, he saw Tessa and Shara clinging to him. Their soft, large breasts were pressed around his muscular arms. "We saw you standing over here and thought you looked lonely," said Shara in her sultry voice that dripped desire off each word she spoke. "What about that straight and narrow path?" asked Per jokingly. "After I leave here... definitely after," she reminded him. "What about the Overlooohaaaa!" exclaimed Per as Tessa reached down and very firmly grasped his long, thick cock. "Enough talking," panted Tessa with passion. Per extracted his arm away from her and guzzled down his mug of B'borak. The next several hours were spent in a haze of tits and pussies. Per fucked Tessa until she orgasmed as she licked and laved the folds of Shara's slit. The women then switched positions and Per banged Shara until he exploded inside her, filling her vagina with his hot, thick cum. Everyone was swilling down B'borak, getting drunker, rowdier, and lustier. A contest was held to see which female could take in all of Gar's prick the easiest. Karina excused herself for having an unfair advantage, which she demonstrated by sliding his entire shaft into her cunt in one fell swoop. Electana and Diti also declined to participate, saying their size gave them an advantage. Gar laid on his back to let the other females squat down upon his hard prick. Even with everyone cheering them on, only a very few of the ladies could take Gar's forearm-like cock all the way in. Holina and Alana could not even manage to get the bulbous head into their too small vagina. Ivin, Tessa, and Phartom all tied for third place, each shoving all of Gar's huge prick up into their tight pussies. Oraag took second place, since she had been fucked regularly by Gar since he captured her. What surprised everyone was the first place winner. Nyrandurril shocked everyone when she effortlessly sank down on Gar's prick in one smooth motion. She did it with the same ease that Karina had shown. It was strange and highly erotic to watch the elf's abdomen and belly push out from the very thick shaft of hard cock stuffed deep inside her. Nyrandurril gasped when she felt Gar's cock pulsate and start to pump a huge load of hot sperm into her womb. The orgy continued on and on. Gar broached the second barrel of B'borak. Three-quarters of that barrel was gone when Dareen grabbed Per and the Overlord to make a sandwich. Per laid on his back with his cock stuffed deep into her pussy, while the Overlord had his dick shoved balls deep into her asshole. "Per?" panted Dareen in passion. "How are we going to get out of here?" The Overlord snorted in amusement. "That's an odd thing to think about just now." "Sorry... Woof!" grunted Dareen as two hard cocks skewered into her at the same time. Per could only get seven inches of his twelve inch cock inside her before hitting the top of her cervix. "It just popped into my mind." "I'm sure the Simularium can get us to the surface," replied Per. "How about you let me worry about getting you home," said a melodious voice. Per, Dareen, and the Overlord all froze and looked to the side where the voice had come from. Sitting on an elaborately carved marble chair was Aphrodite. She chuckled to herself at the look on the three startled faces and the position they were all in. "I'm glad to see you are getting over your phobia, Dareen," said Aphrodite. "Although, commenting on things not related to a male's prowess tends to make them go soft. Luckily, you all drank enough B'borak." "Yes, Divine One," said Dareen. "It hasn't been easy and I feel myself resisting. I haven't really been able to let go." "Hmm, I can help with that," stated Aphrodite. "Per, have any of my priest or priestesses call me when you are ready to go home and I'll transport you all back to the farm." Aphrodite's eyes took on an intense stare as she looked into all three pairs of eyes. "Ready?" she asked and all of her clothing disappeared for a spilt second before she herself vanished. Per's mind went into climatic overload. The sight of Aphrodite's divine body overwhelmed all of his senses. His passion, lust, desire, and need exploded inside him so much that he could not think or feel anything beyond those sensations. His hips arched upward driving as much of his hard cock into Dareen's tight, hot hole as he could get in. Per's body was wracked by pulsating spasms as his testicles tried to empty every drop of semen out of them. Per was not even consciously aware of the orgasmically screaming body above him. Things went black after that. "Per? Per, are you alright?" Per groaned and cracked his eyes open. Karina and Tenan were looking down on him worriedly. His body was covered in sweat and was literally steaming. He ached all over as if someone had beaten him with a stick. Per groaned again and tried to sit up. Tenan knelt down to help him. The Overlord was off to one side, watched over by Shara and Ivin. He was moving slightly and seemed to be coming around. Dareen was still comatose. Bargan, Melinar, and Vail were kneeling down beside her. Dareen's body was drenched in sweat and it looked like she had a gallon of cum poured all over her pussy, ass, and legs. Per felt a hand touch his shoulder and most of the pain in his body left him. "Better?" asked Tessa, kneeling down beside him. "Thank you," said Per. "How are the others?" "They'll be fine," replied Tessa. "You only got the briefest glimpse of Aphrodite in her true form. Although, why she did it, I don't know. People have died from seeing her in her true form." "It's not for us to fathom the whims of our Goddess," stated Bargan, coming over to them. "Per, if you're up to it, Dareen's awake and wants to see you." Per, Tenan, and Karina all walked over to where Tessa was lying on the ground. She looked the worse for wear, but managed a weak smile when she spotted Per. "Thank... thank you," she gasped between dry lips. "Huh?" grunted Per in confusion. "You almost died in orgasmic ecstasy and you're thanking me?" "Couldn't... orgasm... during... ritual," panted out Dareen. "Ah, I understand," said Melinar. She turned to look at Per. "I think what Dareen is trying to say is that she hasn't popped once despite everyone she's been with. Considering what she went through in the alley, it is not surprising." "So Aphrodite... uh..." Per started to say. "... blew away her defenses and forced her to cum," finished Melinar. "The ritual is at an end," stated Karina formally to everyone. "Tomorrow, Aphrodite will take us all back to the farm. I suggest we clean up and get some rest. Gods know I need some!" ------- Epilogue It was a month and a half later. Karina was lying naked in her bed in the castle, basking in orgasmic bliss from early morning intercourse with Tenan. Tenan had an appointment to keep and had already left the room. There was a knock on the door and Helga entered the room bearing a tray of food. For some reason that Karina could not fathom, Helga had returned with her and Tenan to the castle. While she was no longer Karina's maid, Helga still brought her breakfast every morning. Helga set the tray on a table as Karina got out of bed and put on a robe. "Helga, you know you have better dresses than what you're wearing," admonished Karina, carrying on an argument they had been having ever since their return from the cavern. When they had returned to the castle, Helga had put aside all of her old clothing and started to wear long voluminous robes. The robes were nicely cut and were of a variety of colors, but Karina felt they made Helga look like she was wearing a sack. Every time Karina brought up the subject, Helga just smiled and ignored her. "You and Tenan were at it early," replied Helga, kissing Karina on the cheek. "What are your plans for today?" "I thought to go riding down by the village of..." Karina's words trailed off after she lifted the lid off the covered dish. The smell of eggs, toast, and greasy bacon assaulted her nose and her stomach lurched. Karina swallowed down her nausea and then dashed for the bathroom. She barely made it and Helga smoothed back her hair as she vomited into the toilet. "Oh, Gods, I haven't done that since..." Karina's eyes widened in remembrance and realization. "Oh, no! I can't be..." Karina stopped and chuckled in amusement. "On second thought, I guess I can be. You knew, didn't you?" "I guessed," replied Helga. "Ahhspah is a fertility god, after all. There is going to be a number of women knocking on your door in the next few weeks." "You mean, at the ritual..." Karina started to say. "Never mind... I know the answer. The farm is going to see a lot more of me over the next several months. Are you pregnant? Is that why you've taken to wearing these robes?" Helga smiled and nodded her head. "Do you... do you know who the father is?" asked Karina. "Yes, but some of the women may not know," stated Helga. "I've contacted a witch who specializes in childbirth. She can tell the sex and lineage of a child before it is born. I can have her meet us at the farm. What will you tell Tenan?" "The truth, as always," said Karina. "I hope my child is his, but I won't know for certain until we see your witch." When Karina told Tenan, he was at first dumbfounded and then whooping for joy. He swung Karina around in glee and kissed Helga until she blushed. "I wish I could tell you for certain that the child is yours," said Karina. "Per was a joy to raise, even when he came into his strength and went through that clumsy phase," replied Tenan. "I told you before that I knew you could never solely belong to me. If this child is not mine, then the next one could be." "The next one... ?" asked Karina, arching an eyebrow. "Or the one after that," laughed Tenan. "When will you leave for the farm?" "Tomorrow," said Karina. "Are you coming?" "I can't," replied Tenan. "I have a couple of disputes to settle and, if anyone shows up here, I can send her on to the farm." Karina and Helga spent the rest of the day preparing for the trip. Karina sent a messenger to the farm to let Rolph, Dagmar and Dorthea know they were coming. It was late after noon of the same day when three covered carriages guarded by royal troops pulled into the castle courtyard. Tenan, Karina, and Helga went down to meet their visitors. "Bitch... bitch... bitch," muttered Ivin as she followed Shara out of the first carriage. Melinar, Nyrandurril, Dareen, and Phartom climbed down out of the other two carriages. "This is the first child for most of us, Your Majesty." "I know," whispered Shara, looking around to make sure her guards could not hear her. "I... I just would like to know who the father is." "That's why Aphrodite sent us here," stated Ivin. Ivin looked over at the wagons that were being loaded. "Hello, Karina... Helga. It looks like you're going someplace also. "To the farm," replied Karina. "Please forgive my irritability," apologized Shara. "Baron Tenan, I hope we can impose upon your hospitality for awhile." "Your Majesty is always welcome," said Tenan. "Where's Vail?" asked Helga. "Back at the Capitol minding the store," replied Melinar. "It was a little strange when Ivin gathered us together and told us we had to come see you. Dareen guessed what was up when Queen Shara got sick every morning. The three of us haven't had a touch of morning sickness yet, which, of course, made Her Majesty even more irritated. Phartom, do demons get morning sickness?" "Different chemistry," said Phartom. "I am now certain that every female at the ritual is pregnant." It was several days later before they all arrived at the farm. Not only were Rolph, Dagmar, and Dorthea on hand to greet them, but also Octavia, Gedda, and Cendri. A large gypsy-style wagon was parked off to one side of the farmhouse. "I thought you might come here, so I brought who I could find," said Octavia. "Morning Mist and Golden Sunlight send their regards, but decided to remain with the Burgassi. Joran is also pregnant and claims the child is Nanago's, although that doesn't mean much since they trace their lineage through the mother." "I'm glad you are here," said Karina. "Who does the wagon belong to?" "That would be me," said a voice off to one side. Karina turned and saw a tall, dark woman dressed in a shimmering grey gown standing there. Her brown eyes were intense and her bearing regal without being aloof. Two elderly women stood on either side of her with their heads bowed down. Karina felt Helga shiver beside her. "I am Cassandra," said the tall woman. "I am here to help you." "Are you the one who Helga asked to meet us here?" asked Karina, not believing that she was. "No, Karina," said Cassandra with a smile. "That would be Tomei," and she indicated the woman to her right. "Other signs and revelations brought me. I am here to make sure her readings are true and given in their entirety." "Why would she not tell us the truth?" asked Shara. "Has Your Majesty never tried to sugar-coat an unpleasant message?" asked Cassandra. "It is the witch who suffers when she foretells ill tidings. I believe it is the nature of all living things to avoid a beating or even death." "No harm shall occur to anyone here," stated Karina. "May I offer you the hospitality of the house?" "Thank you, but no," answered Cassandra. "I am quite comfortable in my wagon. After you have refreshed yourselves, please come to my wagon. I know some of you are anxious to know about your unborn child." 'Go ahead, Karina, and get cleaned up," said Dagmar. "Rolph and I will take care of the horses and wagons." "Who is Cassandra?" asked Karina of Helga as they walked into the farmhouse. "She is the third most powerful witch in the world," replied Helga. "I know Lorilei challenged her once for her position. She defeated Lorilei so badly that it took years for Lorilei to recover her strength and talent." The women quickly washed up and returned to Cassandra's wagon. There were steps leading up to the wooden door on the back of the wagon. Tomei was there to escort them in. Every single woman gasped in total astonishment when they entered the wagon. The inside of the wagon had to be at least eight to ten times as large as the outside. Curtained alcoves to the sides held sleeping areas, storerooms, and a kitchen. Brightly colored flowers and vines decorated the entire inside of the wagon. In the center of the central area was a round table with a crystal ball and long candles of differing colors. Chairs had been set up around the table for everyone. "Please come in and be seated," said Cassandra. "Who would like to go first?" The woman all looked at each other until Dorthea stood up. "I'll go first," she said, moving over to where old Tomei was sitting. "What do I need to do?" "Lift your blouse and lower your skirt a little," stated Tomei in a dry, cracked voice. Tomei put her wrinkled, weathered hand on Dorthea's exposed abdomen. She closed her eyes and hummed to herself as she moved her hand back and forth over Dorthea's stomach. With a sigh, Tomei sat back and withdrew her hand. "Your son is of Karina's git," stated Tomei. "A fine, industrious lad without the wanderlust his father has. The farm will prosper with him here. Your concern over the next child is well-founded. Your love has made to two men inseparable. Having the child of one without the other will destroy the relationship." "Is there anything that can be done?" asked Dorthea. Tomei looked at Cassandra, who nodded back at her. "When it is time, I will come again," said Tomei. "I will make it so you carry a child of each at the same time." "Do you mind if I go next?" asked Shara of the woman. When they indicated for her to go ahead, Shara stood beside Tomei and exposed her midriff. "Your son will follow in his father's footsteps, and be a merciful and just ruler," pronounced Tomei. "That will occur only if he is born at the farm and spends his first fourteen summers here. Otherwise, he will follow the path of your cousin." "I hope your son will like my son," said Shara to Dorthea with a smile. Cendri went next. "Your son is of Karina's line. Strong and true will he be, but influences, both good and bad surround him." "I think I'd better send him here to the farm also," said Cendri, a little worried with her hand placed protectively over her stomach. "He'll always be welcomed," said Dorthea, touching Cendri's arm in assurance. Phartom stood up and dissolved her illusion, which shocked Tomei, but not Cassandra. Tomei's hand quivered as she placed it on Phartom's abdomen. "A daughter you will have of Karina's womb," stated Tomei with a quiver to her voice. "Of chaos she is born and of chaos she will be. Her name will resound or nere be spoken... I am sorry. Too many images intrude too fast." "It is alright," replied Phartom. "That is the way of chaos. I'll leave good and evil up to time and to the Gods." Melinar replaced Phartom. "Your fear is unfounded for you do not carry a child with any ogre blood in her," said Tomei. "Your daughter is of the man you love." Melinar could only stand there looking at Tomei in shocked wonder. Nyrandurril had to stand up and touch her to bring her back to reality. Melinar sat down as Nyrandurril lifted her blouse. "Your son is of the man you love but can not have," said Tomei. "I see destruction for you both if you follow your heart's desire." Nyrandurril was downcast as she sat down and Dareen took her place. Tomei's eyes snapped wide open after she touched Dareen's stomach. "Your daughter does not have ogre blood, but comes from the seed of Melinar's true love," announced Tomei, which brought a gasp from everyone. "Contention and discord do I see. Friends change into enemies. Two sides with one man in the middle." "Is that my future or hers?" asked Dareen. "That I do not know," replied Tomei. Ivin stood up next. "Your son is of Karina's line," announced Tomei. "He will follow in your footsteps. His fate and that of the demon's daughter are tied together, but to what end I can not say." Gedda let out a long sigh as Ivin sat down before she stood up and stood next to Tomei. Tomei rubbed Gedda's belly and then broke out laughing in a dry cackle. "Your daughter of Karina's line will teach you fear," chuckled Tomei. She will excel at what you are good at. Teach her well so she does not fail and fall." "Oh, great!" muttered Gedda. "Another thief in the family." Octavia moved forward next. "A powerful daughter you will have whose looks will belay her ogre heritage," stated Tomei in awe. "Her name resounds through the ages. She will..." "Enough," said Cassandra in a quiet voice. Tomei nodded and fell silent. "She will... what?" asked Octavia, wanting to know more. "Too much information will alter the future," replied Cassandra. "You will have a daughter who will be exceptional in skills and beauty. Do you need to know more than that?" "Not really," stated Octavia with a smile. "Karina?" asked Cassandra, motioning Karina to come forward. Karina exposed her midriff to Tomei's touch. Despite the wrinkled appearance, Karina was surprised by the smooth, light touch of Tomei's hand. Tomei looked up when she was finished and smiled. "Twin daughters you carry of your husband's seed," stated Tomei, which caused a few cries of delight all around. "Beautiful and strong will they be, but beware. They carry the same appetite that you yourself have." Cassandra stood up and said, "The other women who were with you are being seen by witches of my order. The priestess Tessa is having Bargan's son. Oraag is staying with Gar and we were not able to see her. I hope you all will excuse me if I have a private word with Karina and Helga." "What about Helga?" asked Gedda. "Tomei did not touch her. Isn't she pregnant?" Cassandra looked over at Helga. "Yes, I am," stated Helga. "That is the main reason why Cassandra is here." "Ladies, let's head outside," ordered Octavia. "I don't feel like getting cursed and having warts appear on my face." The rest of the women laughed at that and left the wagon. Tomei and the other elderly woman also left. When they were alone, Cassandra turned to face Karina and Helga. "I am sorry for the secrecy, but Helga is carrying a special girl inside her," said Cassandra. "Her daughter will be a powerful witch... one we can sense even before it is born. I am here to ask Helga to come with me. I will train and protect both her and her daughter. What I need is your consent, Karina. It may be years before you see either of them again." "My consent?" asked a startled Karina. "You don't need my consent. Helga is a grown woman and neither a serf or a slave." "True," said Cassandra. "This is a strange situation, but that is what makes Helga's daughter so unique." "I only want for Helga to be safe and happy," stated Karina. "The same goes for her daughter. If Helga stays with me, I'll raise the girl like she was my own." "Karina, I don't think you understand," said Helga. "She is your own. You are her father." ------- The End ------- Posted: 2005-11-16 Last Modified: 2007-07-01 / 12:00:00 am ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------