Redux: Lineage

Chapters

Chapter 2: A Trial Fit For a King
Chapter 3: The Briefing
Chapter 4: Kitting Up
Chapter 5: Walk Tall
Chapter 6: Halfway There
Chapter 7: Getting Started
Chapter 8: A Matter of Magic
Chapter 9: You Can't Make an Omelette...
Chapter 10: The Court Mage (Clop)
Chapter 11: Progress Report
Chapter 12: Hunter's Guild
Chapter 13: Encounter
Chapter 14: A Chat in the Forest
Chapter 15: Taking The Day Off
Chapter 16: Getting a Handle on the Situation
Chapter 17: Due Payment
Chapter 18: The Manticore
Chapter 20: A Test of Worthiness
Chapter 22: The Talk
Chapter 23: Planning Stages
Chapter 25: Svea of Clan Storbross
Chapter 26: A Talk By the Fireplace
Chapter 27: Matriarch Heimili
Chapter 28: High-Stakes Duel
Chapter 29: A Team Effort
Chapter 30: The Mercenary Leader (Clop)
Chapter 31: Of Tooth and Sword
Chapter 32: Personal Favours
Chapter 33: A Chat With the New Girl
Chapter 34: Dark Dealings
Chapter 35: Foreign Memories
Chapter 36: Debriefing
Chapter 37: A Mother's Love (Clop)
Chapter 38: After The Fact
Chapter 39: A Plea For Help
Chapter 40: The Empress
Chapter 42: The Houses Divided
Chapter 43: Return to The Castle
Chapter 44: Delegation of Responsibility
Chapter 45: The Blades of Illuminia
Chapter 46: A Holy Blessing
Chapter 47: A 'Holy Blessing' (Clop)
Chapter 48: Thoughts
Chapter 49: A Call To Arms
Chapter 50: Sparring Match
Chapter 51: A Helping Hand
Chapter 52: A Welcome Reunion
Chapter 53: The Champion's Gift
Chapter 54: Dragon in the Ranks
Chapter 55: Night by the Fire
Chapter 56: Breakfast for Two
Chapter 57: The Long Fort
Chapter 58: Reunion
Chapter 59: A Nightmare Realised
Chapter 61: Siege
Chapter 62: Resurrection
Chapter 63: Escape
Chapter 64: Clash of the Titans
Chapter 65: Aftermath
Chapter 66: A Well-Deserved Reward (Foreplay)
Chapter 67: Spoilt Rotten (Threesome)
Chapter 68: Checking Up On Something
Chapter 69: Heading Out Again
Chapter 70: A Walk In The Woods
Chapter 71: A Sea of Green
Chapter 72: Arrival
Chapter 73: You Scratch My Back...
Chapter 74: A Frozen Land
Chapter 75: The Goddess Illuminia
Chapter 76: The Sisters
Chapter 77: New Neighbours
Chapter 78: Breeding a Goddess (Clop)
Chapter 79: About The Town
Chapter 80: Hounds of the Undead
Magic...by any means necessary?
The Grudge...(Foreplay)
Chapter 1: Happy Birthday, Richter
Chapter 19: The Guild Master (Clop)
Chapter 21: Words of Wisdom
Chapter 24: Plans of Attack
Chapter 41: The Vampire High Queen
Chapter 60: Aunt Twilight (Clop)

Chapter 2: A Trial Fit For a King

"Perfect!" my mother exclaimed happily, looking at me up head to toe as I fastened the belt on the outfit she'd managed to cobble together for me. "Looking like a true gentleman!"

I looked up at myself in the mirror, not displeased with how I looked. My mother had essentially lacquered my usually unruly hair in a slicked-back style, and the clothing she'd had made fit well and looked nice. She'd managed to have a leather vest seemingly tanned, dried, and dyed blue in under eight hours, as well as having a new pair of black dress trousers stitched up, and topped it all off with fine leather boots. I prodded at my hair, the mixture she'd drowned it in making it feel as solid as wood, only then to receive a gentle slap on the hand from her.

"Don't poke at it," she said. "You'll loosen the hold."

"Right," I nodded, still feeling slightly awkward about the hair. "Why am I not allowed to have it down again?"

"Because unkempt and messy hair is unfitting of a man of stature," Cadance said, seemingly reciting from some book or scripture. "One should always look presentable, with their hair out of their face, their face clean shaven, and their clothing pressed."

"Fair enough," I sighed, turning around and crossing my arms, thankful that the shirt, even though it was a decently tight fit, still gave me enough room to move freely. "Are you going to get ready for the party now?"

"It's not due to start for another four hours," Cadance said.

"Oh, then that means you should have your hair finished by then," I said, bouncing my eyebrows in a comical manner.

"Eh, funny," she said, rolling her eyes at me.

There was a moment of silence between the two of us as she continued to look at me, the clock in my room ticking loudly, before my mother's smile faltered slightly and a sigh of remorse fell from her mouth.

"Mom?" I asked. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah... you're not my baby boy anymore," she said in a saddened manner, her eyes falling down to the side as she spoke. "I know you haven't been for a while now, but... it's only just really hit me tonight. You're all grown up, soon to be part of the royal work force, making decisions, giving orders... barely getting any time to spend with your mother."

"Oh, give it up," I said with a chuckle, embracing the taller woman and letting her cling tightly to me. "I'm not just going to disappear and never speak to you again after tonight, you know?"

"I know," she nodded, resting her chin on my head. "But still..."

"If you'd prefer it; I can stay lounging on my ass for the rest of my life and have you pick up after me?" I suggested, smirking to myself. "If that's the way you prefer it."

"Let's not go crazy here, kiddo," Cadance said, laughing quietly.

The conversation died once more, the silence only kept at bay by the ticking clock, and I found myself lost in her embrace again, enjoying the smell of her perfume, the warmth of her body, and the feeling of her breasts squeezing against me, her ample rack providing a warm and soft place to press against, just able to feel her heart beating faintly through her chest. This was yet another moment of perversion for both of us it seemed, as my mother shifted slightly, her lower body pressing against mine and allowing me to feel the radiating warmth from between her legs against my body, a brief twitch of arousal hitting my loins as the sensation warmed through.

We were interrupted by a knock at the door, neither of us jumping or retreating as, to the outsider, we weren't doing anything uncouth. The door swung open and Luna walked in, the dark-skinned Alicorn still not changed out of her usual rougher getup. She cocked an eyebrow at the scene before her, looking back and forth between my mother and me.

"Am I interrupting a moment?" she asked.

"No, not really," Cadance sighed, releasing me and stepping back slightly, robbing me of the warmth of her body. "Just saying goodbye to the last days of my son's childhood."

"Perfect, then this is the best time to bring up the boy's Rite of Kingship," Luna said, sitting down on the wooden dresser to her left and crossing her arms.

"Oh, shit," Cadance said, surprising me with the rare action of her cursing in front of me. "I completely forgot that was supposed to be assigned tonight."

"Indeed," Luna nodded. "Have you brought a suggestion for us to decide on?"

"I was thinking something small, like a Griffin or a Minotaur," Cadance said, grinning awkwardly. "Make it more of a leg exercise for him than a, well, certain death experience."

"Cadance, we both know we can't give him a task any old hunter could do," Luna said, looking at her niece in the eyes. "The Rite states that he needs to perform a fit befitting of a king. Like, oh, I don't know... slaying a dragon, perhaps?"

There was another moment of silence between the three of us, the clock singing its song of noise once again, as the two female Alicorn stared at each other, each eyeing the other with scrutiny to see who would crack first.

"Are... are you serious?" Cadance asked in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"I'm very serious," Luna nodded. "Dragonslaying is as ingrained into kingly duties as breeding hounds and hosting banquets. It's a task that separates those who sit on the throne due to their lineage and those who sit on the throne due to their prowess. And for Richter to achieve such a goal at his age would make him rather legendary, even among other dragonslayers."

"Except there's one small problem," Cadance said with a raised finger. "I don't want him to be eaten alive."

"Then you seem to have a lack of knowledge when it comes to Richter's battle prowess," Luna said, looking over my mother's shoulder at me. "While the boy isn't going to be winning any regional fencing competitions, he moves fast and hits hard enough to stay alive against most opponents. Not to mention he'll have his retainers with him. And we both know that Zane's worth three men on his own, thanks to Twilight's little genetic power up she gave to the knights-in-training."

"Grael as well?" Cadance asked, her reluctance still obvious but beginning to sway at this point.

"Of course," Luna nodded. "And we know he would willingly swim in lava if it meant sparing Richter even the slightest discomfort."

Cadance went quiet, visibly mulling the idea over in her head, weighing up risks and rewards as both a mother and a ruler, shaking her head quickly after a few seconds and looking back up at Luna.

"What species of dragon is it going to be?" she asked.

"A Narrowscale," Luna answered.

"Right, no, Luna," Cadance said, an irritated expression appearing on her face. "They're dangerous, way too dangerous."

"Everything's dangerous, Cadance," Luna said with a shrug. "What helps combat the danger is preparation and skill, and Richter has more than enough of both to handle himself with practically any monster or beast out there, thanks to his training. Richter, mind explaining to your mother what you know of a Narrowscale?"

"They're one of the largest species of dragons in the world, making them slow and cumbersome, and putting them at a great disadvantage in enclosed areas. They fight with a mix of elemental breath attacks, possessing more than any other species of dragon, and their hides are extremely well-armoured with tough scales that are packed in close to each other, thus the name Narrowscale," I explained. "An adult Narroscale will average anywhere between fifty and seventy feet tall, with the females being the larger of the genders, while the males tend to be stockier and broader than the much sleeker, smoother females. Their common weak points are their softer underbelly scales, insides, and joints."

"See?" Luna said, gesturing towards me as she looked at my mother. "Textbook explanation. Richter may not have taken to his numeracy and literacy teachings as a child, but if there was one thing he put his heart and soul into, it was studying monsters, demons, cryptids, and all other kinds of inhuman creatures and it paid off in droves. You ask that boy about any monster under the sun and I'll bet money on the fact he can name every part of their anatomy, tell you what their eating and breeding habits are, and even what parts of them are safe to eat."

"That doesn't change my mind on this," Cadance said, now standing steadfast against this choice, her acceptance of the idea now completely gone. "I don't care if he can tell me the scientific name for the teeth in a Leviathan's mouth, I'm not letting him go within three hundred miles of a damn Narrowscale, and that's final."

"Cadance, we both know it isn't final," Luna said, her eyes and tone becoming softer as she spoke to my mother, the pink Alicorn clearly becoming flustered and worried. "I came here to talk to you about this directly so it wouldn't come as a shock when it came time for us to make the vote on it... and I've already spoken to both Celestia and Twilight, who've agreed with me that the Narrowscale is the perfect choice for his Rite. If you fight this decision, you'll be outvoted three-to-one, and nobody wants this decision to tear any of us apart. I know this worries you, and I know you don't want to see Richter be hurt, or worse. But I need you to believe me when I tell you that he can do this, and to step in and forbid him is just going to hold him back."

"I..." Cadance muttered, looking back and forth between myself and her Aunt. "But..."

"Mom," I said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, her near tear-filled eyes looking back at me with sorrow. "I can do this. You have to let me."

"Have... have you talked to Shining about it?" Cadance said, turning around to Luna and looking up at her. "He knows all about this kind of thing. Maybe he can suggest a better-"

"Cadance," Luna said in a solid tone, cutting Cadance off and making her fall completely silent, the pink Alicorn staring at the carpeted floor beneath her.

"O-Okay..." Cadance sighed, looking back up at Luna. "He... he can go and fight the dragon. But if he gets hurt, or worse, I will never forgive you, or any of you for this."

"I know," Luna said, wrapping her arms around Cadance and hugging her close. "I know this is hard, but believe me, you're doing the right thing."

The two of them remained in an embrace for a long moment, Luna comforting Cadance with gentle strokes down the back and gently toying with a lock of her hair, moments passing by until I began to feel a little awkward about the whole thing, like I was intruding on a couple's vow to stay together forever.

"So..." I said, trying to get the awkward air to circulate again. "Where am I going to be going for this Narrowscale?"

"Winter's Maw," Luna answered, still clinging tightly to Cadance, with the pink Alicorn now having become completely silent and began to gently nuzzle Luna's neck in a manner that didn't seem fitting of an aunt and niece embrace. "You'll be heading out in the next few days. You'll also be the one in charge of Zane, Grael, and Annerose, just to give you a taste of authority. Try not to get them killed."

"Winter's Maw is nearly in the Northern Ice-Plains," I said in a devastated manner. "That's nearly a week's ride from here."

"So we'll make sure you're sufficiently stocked and wrapped up," Luna said with a small smirk. "Now, you go and tell the others. Cadance and I need to discuss the matter of your return and official coronation after you complete your task."

"Alright," I nodded, still a little bit suspicious of their intentions, but not willing to bring it up further in case I was completely off-base in my assumptions.

I left the two of them alone, getting in contact with Grael over our telepathic link and asking him to round the other two up in the training yard for me to explain what was going to happen. Once gathered there, the first question came from Zane, and it was an extremely valid one.

"So we're just supposed to drop everything we're doing and rush off on a two-week-or-longer dragon hunt?" he asked, sitting down on the same anvil I had earlier before. "Don't get me wrong, I'd come along with you anywhere and help you with anything, but a little bit more than a few days notice would've been nice."

"He's got a point," Annerose nodded. "I know you and Grael have fuck all going on besides eating and sleeping, but Zane and I have got jobs and training to do. I might end up getting fired from my apprenticeship if I have to go away for two weeks."

"I know, I know..." I said, scratching the back of my head as I tried to think of a solution to the problem. "What if I talk to Celestia, maybe even Luna, and try to get this be your Retainer Trial?"

The two of them looked at each other, Grael keeping quiet and gnawing on a lamb bone he'd been given a while ago, before Annerose looked back at me in a skeptical manner.

"Would she let us?" she asked. "I don't know the way it works here, but where I come from, they don't tend to send the rookies on a Retainer Trial with the person they're trying to protect in case the fuck the whole thing up and get their charge killed."

"But most times those picking them haven't seen the full extent of what the rookies can do," Zane said, looking at Annerose and then at me. "I've shown my entire hand to your family more than enough times for them to trust me with your life, and Annerose has done the exact same thing... just not as well as I have-"

"Twat," she growled.

"-and I think that they'd be willing to make an exception for us based on our history together," Zane said, grinning throughout the rest of his statement, thanks to Annerose's reaction.

"This wouldn't be the first time an Alicorn house has bent the rules of their trials," Grael said, finally speaking up after devouring the meat from his bone. "House Vrinthel allowed the younger brother of Prince Agaster to accompany him on his trial, and allowed it to count as a trial for both of them, despite the younger brother being three years too young to embark on his."

"That's a different situation though," Annerose pointed out.

"But the point still stands: these rules can and have been adjusted, or in some cases, outright broken to fit the needs of a specific family," Grael countered. "And if the other Alicorn were able to accept Prince Agaster and his brother as legitimate rulers of their country after essentially cheating with their trial, I'm sure the ghosts of Alicorn past won't have a problem if the Retainers cheat a smidgen."

"That's such a good word," I chuckled. "Smidgen."

"Indeed," Grael smiled, going back to his bone.

"Now that he's brought that up, where are all the other Alicorn?" Annerose asked. "Surely you and yours aren't the last of them, right?"

"Apparently we are," I nodded. "All the others died off one by one until it was just us."

"How?" she questioned. "I thought you were all immortal?"

"Immortal and invulnerable are two different things, Anne," Zane said, crossing his ankle over his knee and leaning on it. "Richter's kind may stop ageing, but they can still die like any normal man can."

"But they’re supposed to be demi-gods, right?" she asked in confusion. "Beings of immeasurable power? Unable to be challenged by mere mortal strength? How does something like that get killed?"

"Close your eyes for a sec, Anne," Zane said, the smaller girl doing as instructed as Zane placed a finger just below her jugular. "Now open them."

She did as instructed, and Zane then gently poked her in the throat with his fingers, making Annerose give him an odd look.

"There, you were just killed in your sleep," he said, patting her on the back and smiling before prodding her in the spine suddenly. "There, you were just stabbed in the back by someone you thought was a friend."

"Right, okay, that makes sense," Annerose said, nodding as she turned back to me. "Say, you're a purebred Alicorn, right?"

"From what Celestia told me, yeah," I nodded.

"How?" she asked.

"What d'you mean 'how'?" I asked.

"Well... your Dad's not an Alicorn, right?" she proposed. "So even if Alicorn can breed with humans, it would make a half-breed or a mixed race baby, right? Like how black and white people can have kids, but their share a mix of both, usually. How are you not a half-Alicorn, half-human?"

"I actually asked that once," I said, thinking back a long time. "I... I think they did something with my Dad... they altered his DNA or something, or Twilight did, for him to somehow pass on the genes of another Alicorn through his sperm when he got my Mom pregnant."

"Wait, they can just do that?" Zane asked, cocking an eyebrow. "So why the hell aren't there more of you guys if you can just make Alicorn DNA?"

"From what Twilight told me, it would be too dangerous to do that," I said. "She explained that while everyone does have an X and Y chromosome that has male and female DNA coding in it, that male coding, in our family, would all come from the same father. So if they used the male coding from say, Celestia's gene structure, the male Alicorn DNA she would need to use to make her mate fertile to her would be-"

"Her father's," Zane finished off. "So the child would essentially be an inbred child because of that."

"So when we do it, we need to find male Alicorn DNA outside of the family, and then use a different sample each time so we don't end up accidentally inbreeding ourselves," I continued. "And the reason we can't just set up an Alicorn breeding camp is because we need a different sample every time... and we don't know where a lot of them are."

"Why not?" Annerose asked. "Surely the Alicorn kept tabs on each other?"

"We apparently have records on everything except their burial places," I answered. "We never publicly or privately recorded the burial places of the other Alicorn."

"How come?" she asked.

"I'm guessing it’s because you don't want the location of one of the world's most powerful creatures stapled to every notice board for eager necromancers or death mages to end up bringing back to life under his control," Zane said.

"Exactly," I nodded. "So far, Celestia has only found four tombs, and only two of them were male."

"Who did you get?" she asked.

"What?" I responded, slightly confused at the question.

"Who did they use to make you?" she repeated in a clearer manner.

"I... you know what, I've actually never asked that before," I said, placing my hands on my hips and nodding. "I guess it never piqued my interest when I was seven."

"Is that also why you don't have any magic?" Zane asked.

"It can't be," Annerose said with a shake of her head. "Cadance can use magic, and she was made the same way... apparently."

"Gonna be honest here," I said, holding up my hands. "Even Celestia doesn't know why I can't use magic. She's tried every method under the sun from meditation, ki power-ups, chakra unblocking, and even herbal mixtures she researched from a faraway magic land, and nothing worked. I can still use anything that has its own magic, but whenever I try to use mine, the only thing I get is sparks, if I'm lucky."

"You seem to do fine without it, though," Zane shrugged. "Who needs magic when you've got a dashingly handsome best friend and the head of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee as your protectors?"

I didn't even have time to laugh at that before Annerose lunged at the larger man, tackling him straight to the dirt and beginning to mercilessly beat him with fists and feet, Zane laughing loudly as Annerose's punches barely affected him.

"Cunt! Cunt! Cunt! Cunt!" she hollered, head-butting him on the nose and only hurting herself, clutching at her skull as she rolled over and groaned in agony. "The fucking head! Again!"

I rolled my eyes, picking Annerose up off the ground while Zane did the same to himself, dusting off his clothing and grinning at Annerose, the raven-haired girl glowering at him furiously. If it wasn't made obvious by that little outburst, Annerose was extremely sensitive about her small bust, sitting at a barren A-cup and hating every second of it, with Zane often teasing her about it with this often being the result.

"That's enough you two," I chuckled, holding Annerose back as she scrabbled to try and attack Zane again. "And if it makes you feel any better, the ass you've got back here looks delicious."

As soon as she heard that, her temper dropped and a boiling red blush seemed to tattoo itself on her face. As well as being quick to anger, Annerose was also an extremely virginal person, becoming easily flustered and embarrassed when sex was brought up, especially if sexual questions or statements were directed towards her. Her beauty often lead people to hit on her or approach her for dates, and she often ended up exactly as she was now.

"I... that's... t-thanks? I guess?" she stammered.

I let go of her and she walked back over to the fence post she'd been leaning against, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"S-So... Narrowscale dragon, eh?" she asked, scratching her cheek as a sneaky way of checking to see how bad her blush was. "Are we sure we can handle it?"

"As long as we fight smart and stick together, we can handle anything," Grael said, breaking his silence again.

"Budge over, pal," I said, sitting down on the floor and leaning against him.

The enormous wolf rolled over slightly, allowing me to rest myself against his warm underside before curling his tail around my waist as a symbol of protection. I then began to fiddle and mess with the thick fur on his tail as I spoke, something that had once annoyed the wolf, but that he had accepted as part of our sitting sessions.

"Grael's right," I nodded, looking at the other two. "We've worked with each other for more than long enough and know what to do in any situation."

"I don't know," Annerose shrugged. "I doubt our tower combo is going to work well against a dragon."

"Sure it is," Zane chuckled. "Grael's just going to need to jump higher."

"I can do that," the wolf grinned. "Though I might not be able to topple them like I usually do."

"Then Zane's just gonna have swing harder for the legs, right, buddy?" I asked the larger man.

"Sure, though, Annerose, can you still go for a stomach shot when the belly's not facing up?" he asked her.

"As well as Richter can bring in his plunge attack," she nodded.

"See?" I asked with a wide grin. "We're ready for anything and everything, so long as we work together."

"Though just make sure you don't trip over next time, Rick?" Annerose asked in a snide manner.

"Hey, I already told you that was because Zane forgot to move his foot out of the way,"

"Yeah, because Grael refused to jump back after toppling them!"

"Hey, I was only like that because Annerose stuck to the right instead of the left like we practiced!"

"Excuse you-"

And that was essentially what the next half an hour consisted of. Squabble, squabble, squabble.

Chapter 3: The Briefing

Before the function had started, just as the food was being set and the lights being lit, Celestia had taken me aside and given me a brief warning, and explained what she was going to do to help me. She'd explained that a lot of the people attending this function weren't there for me, as shocking as that sounded, and that they were mostly nobles and snobs trying to gain either her or Luna's approval in the hopes of gaining stature amongst others and to try and schmooze their way up to royalty. She then described her plan that she, Luna, and Cadance had developed; which was for me to avoid being around the three of them as much as possibly during the function, and instead hanging around Zane, Annerose, and especially Grael, the wolf in question already having been briefed and instructed to look as angry and as threatening as possible to scare off any of the old bastards that were here for politician points.

With that in mind, she gave me a warm hug, a gentle, loving kiss on the cheek, and made her way into the crowd to mingle. I watched her walk away, trying to keep my eyes off the swaying of her hips and the large rear attached to them, trying to focus on how grateful I was at the fact she'd bothered to brief me on this beforehand, and hadn't just thrown me to the wolves... but I found it nearly impossible not to focus on how inhumanly perfect her body was, the way her dress mapped every curve and slope of her divine body in a way that would make a cartographer jealous, how gorgeous her eyes and plump lips looked, even more so with the expertly-applied makeup she wore that highlighted her bright, gorgeous features.

I stared at her for so long, fantasising about that forbidden fruit, that I began to feel slightly queasy, disgusted at myself for ogling her like that, and rather upset at the roaring flame of arousal I felt in my stomach and groin at this point. She was my aunt, my blood relative... and here I was, drooling over her like a rabid dog at a foot-long rack of ribs. I turned away from her, trying to think of more pure thoughts that would stave my depravity off for a while, running through basic combat stances, footwork when dealing with different weapons, and crucial puncture points on armour that could be exploited with specific weapons...

I bet her lips taste delicious.

I gritted my teeth in fury, slapping myself on the head as discretely as I could without looking like a mental patient, hoping some sense of pain would kill off the arousal before it became all I could think about, I sucked in a breath, knowing that distracting myself wasn't going to work, as I'd most likely end up teasing myself with thoughts of her body, just to spite myself. A good idea came in the form of alcohol and conversation, heading over to the drinks table and feeling my will to live die off as I stared at the 'alcohol' selection we had here. There was a mix of fancy, foreign names that probably translated out to things like 'Toilet Water', 'Dog Drool', and 'I Can Believe It's Not Alcohol'.

I'd be lucky if a bath full of all of these mixed together could even produce a slight buzz, this being one of my least favourite things about fancy functions: the food was shit and the alcohol might as well be backwash for how nice it tasted and how weak it was. I growled irritably, pouring myself a drink of water into a wineglass and picking up a slice of beef and dipping it in sauce. I was at least thankful Mom had gotten word to the chefs and told them to prepare food I'd actually eat tonight, as she knew how much I hated all of the fancy, millions-of-ingredients-that-somehow-don't-even-fill-the-plate wastes of space that filled these fancy functions.

I was a simple man with a simple taste in food, or a 'fussy git' as my mother always called me, and felt that a piece of beef was ruined my throwing a billion other things on it when the base food was good enough on its own. So I took a sip of my cool water to wash down the little slice of beef I'd picked, turning around and spotting Annerose standing awkwardly in the corner, clearly trying to talk her way out of a conversation with an older gentlemen she didn't seem fond of. Deciding to be her knight in shining armour, I made my way over to her and patted the middle-aged man on the shoulder.

"She's clearly not interested, friend," I said in a stern voice. "Best move along."

"And who the fuck do you think you are to-" he began, clearly not recognising my voice before whirling around with a face full of fury before his eyes widened in horror.

"I'm the one who the party was made for, and because of that, I want to play a game of 'What am I thinking of'," I said with a smirk, losing it as I continued speaking in a rather dark tone. "What starts with a rope around his neck and ends in a coffin? Because the answer's going to be 'You' if you don't get the hell out of here."

With that, the man took off in a terrified state, letting out a whimper as he disappeared into the crowd. I turned back to Annerose with a smile on my face, my usual friendly demeanour, only for it to drop away and be replaced with a look of amazement as I finally got a good look at her. She'd actually sprung for a dress, something that was about as rare as an honest politician, and it fit her form nicely. The dress was a tight fit with barely any openings that clung to her body, long sleeves running down to the back of her palms while hanging loose and, surprisingly for Annerose, a rather tight fit around the legs, hugging her hips and squatter's rear rather nicely.

I looked back up at her face, her eyes brightened by her eye shadow, with dark blue lipstick giving her lips a plump and rich look to them, blusher and foundation giving her a beautiful pale-and-light-blue complexion that only heightened her near-flawless face. She seemed to notice how much I was admiring her, a faint blush on her lips as she turned her head away from me.

"H-Hey..." she stammered. "Stop staring at me."

"No way," I said, angling myself to get a better look at her again. "I don't want to take my eyes off you. I don't think I've ever seen you look this perfect before."

"S-Shut up," she snapped, her cheeks now burning a bright red as she locked her eyes onto the floor and refused to look up. "This wasn't my idea, anyway."

"Then please start listening to whoever's it was more," I smiled. "The results are fantastic."

"C-Can we move onto another topic?" she asked, getting more and more flustered by the minute. "Where are Zane and Grael, anyway?"

I chuckled quietly to myself, deciding to let the poor girl get her proper blood flow back. I dropped the subject and looked around for the two of them.

"If they're here, they won't be hard to spot," I said, sipping from my glass of water. "Did they say they'd meet you anywhere specific?"

"No, did they tell you anything?" she asked, looking back at me with a shrug.

"Nope," I said, looking at the other tables for anymore edibles that I might be interested in. "I'll give Grael a shout and see where he is right now."

"Right, I'm gonna get a drink," Annerose nodded. "I'll yell for help if I need you to threaten someone with death again."

"Surely you can just the beat the fuck out of them yourself?" I asked.

"Not in these heels I can't," Annerose growled. "One wrong step in these bastards and my feet'll snap off."

With that, we parted for a brief moment. I kicked up the telepathic connection with Grael and asked him where he'd ended up.

"Getting groomed," he answered in a dry tone. "Shouldn't be too much longer.

"And Zane?" I asked, looking around to see if I could spot him.

"He set off ahead of me. He should definitely be there by now. Said he'd be near the stage."

I followed Grael's instructions, looking over to the stage and spotting the top of Zane's head, his long, slicked-back black locks giving him away amongst the crowd of shorter, older men.

"Right, found him. Hurry yourself up. You're supposed to be on guard duty tonight." I said with a chuckle.

"I'll be as quick as I can," he answered. "I'll see you soon."

With that, he cut the connection and left it quiet, just seconds before Annerose walked back over with a glass of red liquid.

"Gotta give points to the brewers for the use of the berry in this drink," she said as she walked over. "I don't think I've ever seen an entire glass of wine be filled with fucking one of them."

"Is it that bad?" I asked her.

"Richter, this shite tastes like puddle water that someone squished a mouldy strawberry into," she said, offering me the glass to sip from. "Try it."

I did as offered, sipping down a little of the mixture and shivering in revulsion. It was warm, but not like mulled wine. It was warm in the manner a drink that's been left in a warm room was, and it tasted like dirty water with the faintest hint of the berry flavour Annerose mentioned. I clicked my tongue loudly, giving her the drink back as I drank and swished my mouth with the water from my glass.

"It's fucking dire, isn't it?" she asked with a dark chuckle. "And the worst part is that it's got such little alcohol in it I can't even get too shit-faced to notice it. It's like drinking the liquified version of the mood in the air after a miscarriage and the dead dreams of orphaned children."

"And people ask me why I hang around with you," I said, chuckling into my glass as I finished off the rest of my water.

"People ask me why you let me hang around with you," she said with a shrug, downing the rest of the shitty drink and grimacing in disgust.

"Right, are we going to go get Zane now?" I asked. "He's over by the stage."

"Yeah, sure," she nodded. "And what about Grael?"

"Getting his nails and fur done, probably," I shrugged. "He said he was getting groomed."

"Right," she nodded, taking a deep, readying breath before exhaling slowly. "Shall we go mingle with the common folk?"

"Indeed," I said, setting my glass down on a spare table and rolling my shoulders, trying to unknot my muscle and relax a little. "This is gonna be fun."

And in a shocking twist that nobody saw coming, it was horrible. Celestia had proven to be more than right, as the nobles only approached me when they were in relative distance to myself and one of the other important royals and would often offer me promises of friendship and respect from others if I'd 'mention' or 'bring up' matters to Celestia, or Luna, or someone that they actually wanted to deal with after they used me as a stepping stone. Thankfully, I'd inherited my mother's patience when it came to dealing with two-faced assholes and not my father's method, which would've mostly likely ended up with about eight men unconscious in a pile on the floor.

Thankfully, the blood-suckers got a lot less brave with the 'friend' and the 'young man' as soon as the six foot, three-hundred pound Direwolf entered the scene, looking so angry and irritated that he was able to part an entire crowd just by looking in a single direction, as nobody dared to be in his line of sight in case they did something he didn't like. The function soon ended up with myself and my 'crew' sitting alone by a buffet table, about five hours into the party, where all the senior politicians and other assholes had retired from their political game and gone home, leaving younger men and women, the guards, and a few dignitaries from visiting nations to mingle and talk with.

I was thankful that at no point was I ever approached to give a speech, or one to be given in general, and the night remained as semi-informal as this kind of event got, with the crowd dwindling further and further until about midnight, where Luna approached the four of us sitting on our haunches, looking exhausted and bored.

"How are you four managing?" she asked.

"The drinks are shite, the company's wank, and I think my heels have actually scalped the underside of my feet," Annerose growled irritably. "So, basically, ninety times better than I thought this was going to go seeing as how I was only sexually harassed once tonight."

"You been keeping a friend close and a hand over your drink?" Luna asked.

"I can do one better," Annerose nodded, giving Grael an appreciative pat on his haunches. "This big fucker seems to be roofie-repellent."

"Good to know," Luna said, trying to hide her smile as she continued to speak. "Are you four too exhausted to continue tonight, or would you mind giving a few more hours to talk the trip over with myself and Celestia?"

"Now that you mention that," I said, holding up a hand. "Are you okay with this being their Retainer Trial, as well? I know it's supposed to be my official Rite and all, but I feel like they're not going to get a better chance to-"

I fell silent when Luna held up her hand, looking at me with a neutral expression in her eyes before speaking clearly.

"I was hoping to suggest that to you myself," she said. "It's not a common occurrence for two different trials like this to be bundled together, but whatever gets you on the road to ruler status faster is something I'm willing to do. Now, do any of you know much about Winter's Maw?"

"I know that it's colder than a witch's tit up there," Annerose shrugged. "But besides that, I don't know anything."

"I know that the capital city, Icelock, houses the Barb-Tails," Zane answered, nursing a sherry as he spoke.

"Barb-Tails?" I asked him.

"Mercenary group," Luna answered for him. "But they're practically a private army with how big they've gotten, and they've been contracted to support Winter's Maw's own official Crownsguard before. They're a big deal and a big danger, but a great trump card to have if you can afford them."

"And I'm aware that Icelock is home to Celana Grandona," Grael said. "Winter's Maw's court mage, and one of the strongest human mages on the planet."

"I know all of that," I smirked. "Mostly because you all just told me."

"So I think it's better to go over the terrain with you, Richter," Luna said, pulling a chair from another table and sitting down across from us. "I don't need you to know trivia about the place, but I need you know everything about where you're going to be fighting."

"So what kind of ground does it contain?" I asked her.

"Mostly a mix of snowfield and pine forests, with a few mountain ranges skirting the borders of the polar regions," Luna explained.

"So we've got uneven, exposed terrain, but great cover from any aerial threats?" I asked her. "Until she starts spewing fire, that is. Then it'll become a death trap... snow drifts a big problem?"

"Not in the plains, but they're all over the damn place in the mountains," Luna answered. "But blizzards are a big problem all over the place there. They usually happen at least once a week and go for well over twelve hours a piece."

"It's gonna be as hard fighting hypothermia and low visibility as it is fighting the dragon..." I said, leaning back in my chair and thinking for a moment. "Dragons are intelligent creatures, and they're big fans of comfort and warmth. They're gonna have a cave to hide in, right?"

"Possibly," Luna nodded. "We're not one hundred percent sure."

"Hard to track?" I asked.

"Insanely," Luna said with a sarcastic chuckle. "From what we've managed to find out about her, she is an ice-white dragon and she's ancient, possibly nearly as old as Celestia and I."

"Which means she's gonna be smart and experienced," I sighed. "Fuck."

"And fighting her in her cave is gonna be a bad idea if she's got one," Zane added in. "They tend to dig them out to be huge and have a lot of different sections for food, rest, and treasure. It could be a maze, if she's lived there long enough."

"And taking the fight outside isn't gonna be any easier either," Annerose growled. "If the snow's deep enough, footwork and speed are gonna be non-existent, which isn't something you want to deal with while dealing with a fire-breathing lizard."

"And it'll only be worse if we fight her during a blizzard," Grael said. "She might be as blind as we are, but an animal as big as a Narrowscale dragon is gonna have the advantage over us through size alone, not to mention how dangerous she might be if she starts firing off in random directions."

"Well... it seems you've really given us a challenge here, doesn't it, Luna?" I asked my aunt with a smirk.

"I gave it to you not only because it's a king-worthy feat," Luna said, crossing her arms. "But because I know you, all of you, can handle it if you use your heads and work together."

"Are we being supplied for this?" Zane asked. "Beyond food and water?"

"Yes," Luna nodded. "You'll have full access to the royal armoury to pick out what you think should suit you best."

"Then we're gonna need dedicated roles," I said, patting myself on the leg. "Everybody's gonna need a job, and everybody's gonna need the equipment for it."

"It's a shame none of us know magic," Annerose said in a glum tone. "A healer or warder would be really handy when fighting a dragon."

"Numbers would be great as well," Zane added in. "It would allow us to set up lines and formations, which is never a bad thing."

"It seems we'll be at a great disadvantage," Grael nodded. "But we're no strangers to that, are we?"

"No, you're not," Luna agreed. "You'll just need to adapt to the situation and use whatever you've got at your disposal to overcome this challenge."

"We're not getting a royal escort, are we?" I asked her.

"I'm afraid not," Luna said. "You're getting horses, rations, and whatever weapons you can carry on your person."

"Then we're gonna have to plan really hard for this," Grael sighed. "A dragon's a challenge for even the best-equipped groups. It'll be even more difficult with limited supplies."

"No Treasury funds either?" Annerose asked.

"Nope," Luna said. "The trial has been set up and organised to where money should never come into the equation due to the equipment you're being provided with, though you are free to earn it yourself, if you wish. There's nothing in the rules of the Rite about using the location and its resources to benefit yourself."

"So, let's recap," I said, leaning forward in my chair. "We're to be given the bare-bones supplies to deal with the situation, but also free-reign to handle it in whatever manner we see fit, with no punishment or instant disqualification if we're to get new equipment or find an alternative method?"

"So long as you complete the kingly feat, you will have completed your Rite," Luna nodded. "Are you getting any ideas for how to turn the tides in your favour?"

"A mercenary army might help," Annerose suggested. "Maybe we ask them to help us out?"

"And having the strongest human mage in the world in our camp might turn the tides a little bit, too," Grael said, throwing that into the equation.

"The army isn't gonna come cheap," Zane pointed out.

"Surely the dragon's a horder?" Annerose asked Luna. "Practically all of them are."

"And the Court Mage?" I asked.

"She'll leap at the chance to see a dragon up close and personal, especially one this old and powerful," Grael said.

"And is she going to be so eager to help us kill such a rare beast?" Annerose asked.

"I can bet she will if we let her keep the body for study and experiments," I added. "I know Twilight would do something like that."

"It sounds like a plan... though it doesn't seem very kingly to scamper around asking strangers for help, does it?" Zane asked.

"No, but it seems incredibly kingly to amass forces and forge alliances with strangers and command them to fight for you," I said, sitting up and speaking in a proud manner, before my eyes trailed over to Luna. "And I'm getting the feeling I'm not the only one who thought of that."

"I have no idea what you're talking about..." Luna smirked, turning her head away from us all.

"Now that you mention it... there are monsters of equal worth all over Equestria," Zane said, catching onto the scheme. "Why send us to the capital area of a city that's a week's travel just to fight a dragon?"

"Maybe because that dragon is in a location where a king's true worth can be put to the test?" I asked, leaning closer to my Aunt. "Right, Luna?"

"Goodnight, everyone," she said, standing up, giving me a kiss on the cheek and waving goodbye to the others. "I'll see you in two days’ time to wave you off at the gate. You'd best be ready for your trip by then."

We all chimed in with the goodnight, watching the ancient Alicorn walk away and out of the near-empty Grand Hall as we all turned back to one another, grinning with excitement.

"She's a clever old bitch, isn't she?" Annerose asked in a giddy manner.

"Without a doubt," Grael nodded. "You don't sit a throne for four thousand years without learning a thing or two."

"So, we've got a plan, then?" I asked. "We each pick a role tomorrow, gear up for it, and head out the day after to start amassing forces with our new 'friends' in Winter's Maw?"

"Sounds like a plan," Zane nodded, getting up and fetching the only decent bottle of wine we'd found all night, filling up our drinks with the last of it. "Here's to adventure and victory."

"To adventure and victory," we all chimed, toasting together and downing the drinks, each bubbling with excitement and nervousness for the journey to come.

Chapter 4: Kitting Up

The morning came and the four of us were taken to the armoury at around eleven o'clock by one of the castle's stewards before being left alone to figure out our strategy. We conversed and threw ideas around, switching up our usual, conventional roles, drawing up ideas, and crossing them off soon after.

"I think it's an obvious statement to say that Zane is gonna be our hulking defender," Annerose said as she dragged her feeling over the sheath of a sword mounted on the wall. "He's the only one of us here that can probably take a hit from our fair lady without getting our skeleton knocked out."

"True," I nodded, knowing that the magical and genetic enhancements Zane had undergone during his early stages of training had made his body far stronger and more resilient than any normal human beings. "Though we should still equip him to do damage, though. If this plan goes well, then we'll have a mage on our side that can probably give us a few elemental wards to protect us."

"Though I doubt she's strong enough to give that much energy to every one of us and the army we're hoping to build without killing herself," Grael pointed out. "We're going to have to pick who we need protected, besides us."

"We can worry about that later," Zane said, walking over to a greatsword forged in the aesthetic of a great dragon, with scale-patterns running along the hilt and crossguard, with the monstrous blade being shaped like a straight dragon's tooth. "There's no point in setting our strategy in stone when we don't even know what or how many units we're going to be working with."

Zane picked the greatsword off the wall, chucking it back and forth between his hand before settling into several stances, swinging it in a clear space in the room, before nodding in satisfaction. He twirled it around in his hand, being careful not to hit it off the floor, before whistling at me to get my attention.

"Think I'm gonna be using this one," he said. "Sharp enough to cut, big enough to do blunt damage, and wide enough to block a good number of attacks."

He then threw the sword at me in a passing manner, wanting me to catch it. I did, but only now, as soon as its size and momentum hit me, did I realise that this thing weighed well over three hundred pounds. It slammed into me, knocking the wind from my lungs and me to the floor almost immediately, and a small groan of pain was released from my maw.

"Prick..." I wheezed, barely being able to shove the thing off me and crawl out from underneath it.

Zane chuckled quietly, walking over and picking me up by grabbing a scruff of clothing, setting me down, and dusting me off. He then proceeded to pick the weapon up with the same level of effort a grown man picks up a kitten, resting it on his shoulder and smirking widely.

"Yeah," he nodded, looking up at the black blade. "This'll do fine."

"Gonna need a shield, as well," Annerose said, walking over to the other side of the room and checking a rack of rapiers. "Preferably a tower shield, something we can all hide behind."

"The shield section is behind the armour stands," Grael said, sitting on his haunches as he examined a wall of daggers. "There should be a few of them big enough to choose from."

"Sweet," Zane said, turning and strolling away with his sword in hand. "What're you thinking of doing as your job, Rick? Speed striker?"

"Not a good idea," Annerose said. "Richter might be fast, but he refuses to use weapons that don't require a huge wind-up. If he decided to use a katana for once-"

"-we've been over this a thousand times, Anne," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I don't like using the toothpicks because they've got no striking power and are worthless against any type of armoured enemy, and I could never be fucked to learn those stupid stances and swings to not break the fucking thing the second I used it."

"And how many times have you gone up against the Alberian Crusaders, Richter?" Annerose asked, crossing her arms. "Practically every bandit and brawler we've ever fought as a group has been lucky to have a loincloth, never mind a full set of plate armour. The katana is faster than most of the weapons those idiots carry and could cut through them like a hot knife through butter."

"To be fair to Richter, here, a katana really isn't gonna work in the west very well," Zane said, patting Annerose on the shoulder. "Especially if you're up against someone with a long sword or a broadsword. Skill aside, the katana is so light and so fragile that a clash with any western sword that isn't a rapier or a fencing foil is most likely going to snap the fucker in two."

"I still like it," she said in a huffed manner.

"And some people like think the world is flat," I shrugged. "That still doesn't change the fact they're wrong."

"How about you and I pick our favourite weapon and see who comes out on-" Annerose began, only to be cut off with a squeal as Grael sprung forward, knocking her to the floor and giving her a long, slow lick on the face.

"Annerose, with all due respect," the wolf said as he retracted his tongue. "Shut up."

"Ha," I smirked, crossing my arms in a victorious manner, only to become suddenly worried as the enormous wolf turned around on me.

"And you-" he began.

"No you fucking don't!" I exclaimed, attempting to run for the door only for the monstrous beast to gain on me in a matter of strides, tackle me, and give me the same, horrible, wolf-slobber lick that he'd given Annerose.

"-stop egging her on," he said, taking his hand-sized paws off my chest and sitting down, allowing me to sit up and wipe the slobber off my face.

"I think some of that went in my mouth," Annerose said in a disgusted manner.

"When was the last time you had your teeth brushed, man?" I asked, physically repulsed by the sensation of the thick drool coating my face.

"A few days ago," he said, smirking in a proud manner. "Thank you for reminding me to get that done at the bathhouse soon. Now, both of you stop bickering like damn children and sort yourselves out."

"She started it," I said.

"Do you want a lick in the ear?" he asked in a threatening manner.

"Fuck no!" I exclaimed in terror, scampering away from him. "Your tongue feels like a skinned fish when you do that!"

"Then try to get along," he said, plodding his enormous paws back over the the rack he was examining earlier, Zane chuckling quietly in the back of the room as he examined the shields.

The two of us stood up, wiping ourselves off with sleeves and hands, before going back to discussing our plan of attack.

"So... Zane's already got his role sorted out," I said, still able to feel the spit coating my pores. "So I think we'd best sort Grael's out."

"I agree, my usual scare-corral tactics aren't going to be effective against a creature the size of a mansion," Grael nodded. "Unless I bark really loudly."

"So what are you going to do?" Annerose asked, walking over and giving the wolf a pat on the back, looking rather comical standing next to him as he was five inches taller than her, seeming more like a person standing next to a small horse than a wolf. "What can you do?"

"Maybe you'll just have to sit this one out?" I proposed. "We usually use you for scare tactics, corralling, and mauling, but... you can't scare or herd a dragon, and your teeth aren't going to be much good against her scales."

"I hate to say it, bud, but you might be relegated to emotional support this time around," Zane said with a sorry expression.

"Joy" he growled in an irritated manner. "The most dangerous thing my ward has ever gone through and I'm going to be forced to sit on the sidelines and cheer..."

"Maybe act as support or something?" Annerose suggested, sizing up a black-sheathed katana on an armour display stand. "If you see someone losing their footing, getting stuck in a dangerous situation, or needing to be taken back because of their injuries, you might be able to drag them to safety?"

"Shall I wear a cask of whiskey as well?" Grael asked in an annoyed manner. "I am part of a species of apex hunters that stalk the Ice Plains in packs of ten, striking fear into the hearts of man and beast alike, wandering where we wish and killing all that stand in our way. I refuse to be forced into the role of a damn rescue dog."

"I hate to say it, Grael, but what else can you do?" I asked, walking over and gently stroking his chin. "It's either help those in danger or sit at the camp and watch dinner cook."

The wolf was clearly disgruntled, refusing to look down at me with his nose high in the air, his usual pridefulness getting in the way once more. I sighed quietly, gently patting him on the cheek, before turning away from him, giving him a minute to think by himself while I examined a few sets of armour in the far corner of the armoury.

"Well, since Grael's being a child about this," I shrugged. "I guess we're picking a role for you, aren't we, Annerose?"

"Same as always," she shrugged. "Pinpoint-piercer and combo-coordinator."

"Is that going to work this time around?" Zane asked. "This enemy's a little better armoured than the others."

"Doesn't change the fact she's gotta have weakpoints, right?" Annerose asked.

"Armpits and stomach are unarmoured," I pointed out.

"The whole stomach?" Annerose asked with a smirk. "Fuck, this is gonna be easier than I thought. Zane, think you can topple her over?"

"Won't know until I see her," Zane shrugged. "But I'll let you know when I find out."

"Brilliant," Annerose chuckled, taking a red katana from the wall and belting it to her side. "Then that's me sorted out."

"Same here," Zane nodded, taking down an enormous, rectangular black shield that was about seven feet tall and three feet wide, clearly only being usable by Zane because of his inhuman strength. "I could probably sled down a mountain on this fucker."

"So, we have two and a half out of four, right?" I asked, looking around the room.

"I'm not a rescue dog," Grael said in a snarky manner.

"Of course you're not," I smirked, patting him on his haunches before looking down at the floor. "So it's just down to me then?"

"Yup, we're all waiting to see how you fuck this up for the rest of us," Annerose nodded.

"Is she getting a lick for that?" I asked Grael.

"Your wish is my command," Grael nodded.

"No, no, I'm sorry!" Annerose exclaimed, backing away with her hands in the eye. "Please don't lick me again."

"Good girl," I smiled, turning back to Zane. "You gonna be on the front line as defence?"

"As always," Zane nodded.

"Then mind if I act as a little present behind the shield?"

"What're you thinking?" he asked me, leaning against the bare spot on the wall.

"I'm thinking that, at first, she's gonna be holding us all back with her breath attacks and size, but then you can get up close to her, blocking breath and swipes with your shield, but have me behind you as you're doing it," I said, describing the scene. "Then, once we're close enough and she stops to breathe, I can dart out from behind and distract her, get her focus off the mercenaries and you guys, maybe doing some damage as well, so a few more can advance forwards and start swarming her, then Zane can hit her with a power swing, break a few bones and cripple her, maybe the wings, or maybe the cut the tail off so we can get to her backside-"

"-you being an ass man and all," Zane chuckled.

"You know it," I said, winking and clicking my tongue twice at him. "And then once we take out the wings and the tail, she'll have limited close range attacks and no way to escape, at which point, we all move in for the kill, attacking the stomach, eyes, and mouth, and before you know it: she's gone."

"Sounds like a good plan," Zane said. "It'll be helped out if we can get some mercenaries with bows to lay down some cover for us."

"And a few spear-men, just to get her attention," Annerose added.

"And then Grael can bring the whiskey for us-" I began, only to get pounced on once more, this time the enormous wolf saw fit to merely lie down on top of me and not let me up.

"So that's our plan then?" Annerose asked.

"Seems so," I nodded, the air being squeezed from my lungs under the three-hundred pound wolf. "Grael, what type of whiskey do you like again?"

He then proceeded to smack me with his paw, knocking my head of the floor and getting a pained chuckle in response.

"It's part of the plan," Zane pointed out. "We shouldn't march in there with all our eggs in one basket in case something goes wrong, like not being able to convince the mercenaries or the mage to help us."

"He is right," Annerose nodded, trying to pull Grael off of me while I was still conscious, but the six-foot pile of attitude refused to move. "We'd better come up with a good few back up plans."

"One for each scenario?" I asked, Grael's adjustment of weight allowing me to actually breathe again. "Say, if we get the mercenaries but not the mage, vice-versa, or neither?"

"It couldn't hurt," Zane nodded. "Anybody got any ideas if we don't get either of them?"

"Kill ourselves and save the dragon the trouble?" Annerose offered.

"We'll keep that in mind, but not focus on it," I nodded, smirking to myself. "Maybe we can send Grael in there with a flask of whiskey to get the dragoness drunk, and then-"

He proceeded to bite me on the back of the ear for that one.

"Ow!" I yelped. "I thought you were supposed to protect me?"

"I hurt, because I love," he said, nipping me again. "I love so much."

Chapter 5: Walk Tall

The day of our adventure arrived, with all four of us standing in front of the three Equestrian thrones, ready to be given our send-off. The three Alicorn were sat, each dressed in formal attire and sitting up straight and rigid in their large thrones, waiting for the time to strike midday, as was custom with this Rite... apparently.

"Is small talk allowed?" I asked anyone. "Because it's not noon for another five minutes and this is really awkward."

"I agree," Luna said, adjusting the collar of her dress and toying with the large ponytail she'd been forced to have, fidgeting with several lips and hairpins at the back. "It's made even worse by the fact I need to wear this stupid get-up."

Celestia rolled her eyes, crossing a leg over her knee and lounging back, sighing in relief as she did so.

"It's a formality," Celestia said. "And it's only for a while."

"Formality is the word that turns a party into a function," Luna growled. "And that makes it shit."

"I can attest to that," Annerose nodded.

"Good girl," Luna said with a wink, pointing at Annerose with a smirk.

"So what prompted a dragon?" Zane asked, cutting through the conversation. "They're not usually high on the hit list for people."

"He has a point," Grael nodded, looking between the Alicorn. "They're as intelligent, if not more so, than we are, have their own rules and hierarchy, and follow them quite well. Why do we need to go kill this one?"

"She's gone rogue," Celestia answered. "Broken as many of her kind's laws as she could, has been exiled from her clan, even been disowned by her own family, from what I heard."

"She have a name?" I asked, crossing my arms and cocking an eyebrow.

"Heimili," Luna answered.

"Was there a reason to keep that a secret?" Zane questioned. "Dragon's aren't like your Bloaters or your Conjoined. They're sentient beings that are considered practically human in terms of rights. Would nobody raise a stink about us just going out and killing one?"

"I imagine they would," Luna nodded. "That's why I avoided selecting one that wasn't needlessly murdering humans."

"You didn't mention that before," Annerose said with a raised finger. "Wasn't it important enough to tell us?"

"Did you view it as important enough to ask?" she responded. "Honestly, I was quite disappointed that none of you immediately asked about the what and the why of the situation. You're obviously asking why now, but it seems a little late, no? A king and his men should know why they're fighting an enemy before signalling the charge. Try to ask more questions next time, rather than blindly agree to something."

Celestia chuckled quietly to herself, her eyes moving to the large clock built into the wall above the entrance to the throne room, seeing it strike twelve. She cleared her throat, Luna falling silent, and the eldest Alicorn got to her feet, walking down the small row of steps and standing in front of me, hands behind her back and eyes forward.

"There is usually a speech recited during this ceremony that speaks of the duty, honour, and nobility of our race. It tells of our need to protect and safeguard those who cannot do so themselves, and how we alone were trusted with the task of ensuring the safety of this world and its inhabitants from all threats, otherwordly or not," Celestia said in a serious tone.

There was a long moment of silence, all four of us stood at attention as we waited for her to continue, the clock ticking loudly behind us before Celestia dropped her serious stature, her warm, loving eyes lowering down to my level, and she cocked her head with a beautiful, heart-warming smile as she placed both of her hands on my shoulders.

"But I believe that I'll receive no scolding from our High King if I skip the dreary old thing, move onto the more pleasant speech, and just tell you how proud I am to see you step up to your responsibilities," she continued, the other two Alicorn smiling to each other as they got out of their chairs, and walking down to me.

"We've been by your side every step of your life, training and preparing you for today," Celestia spoke. "Equipping you with incredible skills-"

She cast her eyes to the three behind me and nodded in a thankful manner.

"-and even more incredible companions," she finished, looking back at me. "Today is the day you, all of you, set out to leave your marks on this world, and to write a new chapter in the history books of the world you're destined to change. Keep your hearts warm, your minds strong, and your bonds stronger, as together, there isn't a challenge in this world you cannot rise to."

Luna stepped forward at this point, placing a hand on my back and smiling at me, taking over the role of the speech from her sister.

"And while we've all seen you struggle, we know deep down that every hardship and failure you've endured has only served to make you stronger, a notch in your belt that you can wear with dignity and grace now that you've learned from every one of them," she said, speaking loud and clear. "Your skill and wit will make you stronger than any foe, and the might you four possess will make even the mightiest of armies tremble in fear."

Cadance now took over, placing her hand on the other side of my back, gently rubbing circles as she spoke.

"And while your fights may be hard, it is the bond between your friends and family, the love you all share for one another, that will give you the fortitude to strive ever onwards, be it through the hardest days and the darkest nights, you all grant each other the strength to be unbeatable," she said, smiling sweetly at me, tearing up slightly as she looked me over once more, all three of them stepping forward and embracing me in a warm, loving manner.

"Walk Tall, My Son," the three of them said in unison. "And May You Never Look Back In Sorrow."

Chapter 6: Halfway There

"I'm gonna die," I gasped, collapsing on the ground of the area we'd chosen to camp that night.

I was panting with exhaustion, dropping the pack I'd been forced to lug for several miles, and rolling over onto my stomach. Grael rolled his eyes as he walked over to me, looking down at my sweating-yet-freezing form before biting down on the scruff of my collar and dragging me over to a rock, resting me against it and dusting my torso off with his tail.

"I told you we shouldn't have made him carry it that far," Annerose said, dropping down off her horse and untying the saddlebags.

"And I told him that he'd conserve both breath and energy if he didn't fucking complain the entire time," Grael said, looking back at me with a bemused expression. "Seriously, it's only been twenty miles since we had to give your horse away. How are you this exhausted?"

"That fucking pack weighs nearly two hundred pounds!" I exclaimed, regretting it immediately as I started coughing, not having the air in my lungs for yelling. "If Luna had sorted out a horse than wasn't one foot in the grave already..."

"To be fair, I don't think Luna anticipated you leading the thing into a fucking trench and cutting its legs open on the rocks," Zane said, hopping down gracefully and hitching his horse to a nearby tree.

"I've said it a thousand times-" I began, only to be cut off by Grael.

"-it was a squirrel or a badger on the path and the horse got spooked, which is why it took off," he growled. "Or whatever excuse you use to justify being such a shitty rider."

"Hey!" I barked, coughing again. "The horses are already scared thanks to you being here. Some fucking rescue dog you turned out to be."

"I will bite your foot off," Grael said in a warning tone.

"Go on then, bitch," I said, scowling at him. "Fucking fight me."

"Alright, alright," Annerose said, getting in between the two of us. "We don't need Grael tearing you limb from limb."

"I'd fuck him up," I muttered under my breath.

"I believe that after you nearly murdered your horse," Grael spat.

"Say that to my face."

"Guys!" Annerose snapped, slapping us both around the back of the head. "We've all had a long day, okay? The last thing we all need is to spend the rest of the night hearing you two fannies angst and moan at each other. So with all due respect: shut the fuck up, you absolute twats."

With that, she moved away from the two of us to go and help Zane get out the camping supplies and set everything up.

"Prick," I growled at Grael.

"Asshole," he snorted, moving away with the others and leaving me sat on my own.

I continued to stare up at the starry sky, marveling at the constellations and beautiful scenery, only having the moment ruined by the slowly-creeping-in northern chill. We were nearly on our fourth day of the journey, just over the halfway point, and were drawing close to Winter's Maw. The landscape also started hinting at the cold we were due to face soon enough, with the ground frosting over every night, the trees changing from deciduous to evergreen in the forests, and the aforementioned northern wind starting to bite into our flesh. We were a day's ride away from needing to wear furs to prevent from freezing and it would only be made more difficult as we were down a horse after today's trench accident.

She'd gashed her legs and chest in a rocky trench after she'd bolted, leaving her in no shape to continue to travel, even with medical care given to her by Annerose. Luckily, we were close enough to a town to sell her off to a farmer for a pretty penny. The home-grown Equestrian Shire Horse was imported from the Kingdoms years ago and grew big and strong, much better than the usual runts in the border countries; even an injured one was worth more than a good amount. She'd said she'd wait for the girl to heal up before putting her to the fields, something the Shire Horse was bred to do; she is capable of pulling a plough that often needed two horses on their own through sheer strength.

So, after that debacle, I'd been forced to make the trip on foot, switching out with Zane and Annerose every now and again, and, much to our dismay, we believed that the lack of a horse would bump up the journey time by a good few hours, possibly an entire day if I got overly tired. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the thoughts of the still-long journey, and focus on something else. Though try as I might, I was barely able to think over the wind that had picked up, even hearing Annerose make a comment about it as she got the trovel out of the saddlebags to dig a firepit for us to sit around and warm up.

"Fuck me..." she said through chattering teeth. "I don't have enough blubber for this weather."

"I don't think any of us do," Zane said, rolling his own shoulders and blowing warm air into his hands. "It might be time to break out the fur coats for bed, methinks."

"Aye," she nodded, rubbing her slender arms to try and warm them up. "Are you good here while I grab a few of them?"

"I'll be fine," Zane nodded, taking the trovel when handed it and beginning to clear a spot where he'd dig. "Who's on for firewood and tinder duty tonight?"

"Richter is," Annerose said as she dug through the saddlebags.

"Rick?" Zane asked.

"Right," I sighed, getting to my tired legs and rolling my shoulders, teeth beginning to chatter as the wind started cutting through me. "I'll be back in a while."

"Take a knife," Zane said in a cautionary manner. "We don't know what's out there,"

"Will do," I nodded, turning to the raven-haired woman digging through the bags.

I walked over to her, looking over her shoulder and spotting the knife in a side pocket, reaching around her to stick my hand into the bag when she stepped back, accidentally pressing herself into me.

"Hello there," she said in a surprised manner. "You're nice and warm."

"Thank you," I said, placing another hand on her waist and spinning us both around, putting me in her place and her in mine. "You gonna help Zane with the food tonight?"

"If he needs it," she nodded. "Though I think the big guy can handle 'overly-salted hunk of beef and water'."

"Then I best get a start on that firewood," I said, grabbing the well-used hunting knife from the bags and fastening it to my belt. "You two have fun."

"I shall," she said, handing me one of the rough-looking fur coats, made of ugly-yet-warm sheepskin and barely holding together. "I gave you the one that smells kinda like piss. Because you're a good friend."

"Thank you," I said, rolling my eyes as I pulled the thing on and fastened it up. "And you were not kidding."

"Nope," she said, flashing me a smile. "Have fun out there!"

With that, she headed off back to Zane, taking up his job of setting the tents and bed rolls up while he dug out and constructed the fire pit.

"Grael!" I called, the wolf's head darting up from his lying down position as he heard me. "You coming?"

"Of course," he said, standing up and padding over to me. "Someone has to keep you from getting eaten. Or maiming innocent horses."

"Ha, funny," I said, walking ahead of him while he chuckled to himself.

The two of us took to the woods, heading into the evergreen territory and picking apart dead and dying trees, and testing the wood for dryness by splitting it open and not just the outside.

"Mind if I ask you a question?" Grael opened after a while.

"Go ahead," I said, using my weight to snap a large branch from a tree as I spoke.

"What are your thoughts on the dragon we're supposed to kill?"

"It's big and dangerous," I answered, using my knee to snap the branch into smaller and smaller pieces. "And it's gonna be tough to take down. Why?"

"Just wondering how sound the ethics are to this little journey," he responded. "If this dragon is as bad as we've been told, surely the other dragons would've stepped in and taken care of her?"

"If she was smashing eggs and killing their own, then yeah, they probably would've," I said, picking up the small bundle and carrying it in my arms. "But do you think the high and mighty dragons are going to come down from their mountains and plateaus to slay one of their own because she's killing a bunch of humans? We both know that dragons are stuck up and arrogant by nature. They feel they’re above everyone else and hate it when anyone thinks they're better. Why d'you think they've been at war with the High Elves at least once every two hundred years?"

"Still... I would've hoped they'd be willing to punish their own," Grael sighed, sniffing around old dens for rabbits or foxes to add to the fire.

"They did, remember?" I asked in a bitter tone. "They banished her. They washed their hands of her, so to speak, so anything she does isn't their problem anymore."

"That's..." he began, trying to find a word for it as he sat down, waiting for me to gather more sticks.

"I know, Grael," I nodded. "It's disgusting. But what can you expect from people that think they're better than everyone else?"

"Some attempt to prove that on at least a moral level?" he proposed.

"But they're clearly so above us that they don't even need to prove themselves to us vermin," I said, putting on my best snobbish voice. "They'd rather eat their own feet than seek validation and approval from the lesser beings."

"That sounds like a familiar attitude," Grael said.

"Yeah, it's called 'any noble that's never spent a few years of their life slumming it with the common folk'," I said with a smirk, stuffing several handfuls of Old Man's Beard into my pocket for tinder. "Though, on an unrelated note, wanna know one thing that annoys me?"

"What?"

"When a prince or princess isn't allowed to call their parent mom or dad," I said, airing a grievance I'd had for a while. "I think it's one of the most disgusting practices a parent can do, where they constantly treat their kid like just another subject and not something you're supposed to love and adore as they grow up."

"It could be done to teach them respect?" Grael offered. "Know who and when to bow your head to."

"Right, as nice as it is to be respectful to people and get along, allow me to indulge my bratty royal side, lemme channel my uncle for a second here," I said, clearing my throat. "As the Crown Prince and son of one of the most powerful beings on the face of the planet, who the actual fuck am I ever going to bow to? If I were a normal functioning Alicorn, I'd be a god walking among mice and wouldn't need to respect or bow to anyone's whims except my own."

"Wow. That is a phenomenal Blueblood impression," Grael chuckled. "But you sound like you've actually got balls between your legs and some manner of respectability. Try harder to sound like a whimpering cuck with no backbone next time, and you'll have it down-pat."

"Ah," I said, chuckling quietly to myself. "I'm positive Celestia wouldn't be too happy with this."

"To be honest, I'm pretty sure she wanted to strangle him by the time he was your age," Grael said, his tail wagging back and forth leisurely as he chuckled along with me. "I think she was always hoping he'd end up like you did, but he never managed it."

"I wonder why?" I said, kicking open a dead stump and looking inside, just out of curiosity's sake. "It's not like she's a bad parent. Look at how Cadance turned out."

"That brings me to another question: where are Cadance's parents?" Grael asked.

"I... they're dead, aren't they?" I asked in confusion, realising I had no actual clue where my other set of grandparents were.

"But they must've been Alicorn, right?" Grael asked. "They would've needed at least one of them to be in order to make Cadance. I've read up on Cadance before, and the history of her side of the family doesn't exist besides Luna and Celestia."

"I'm pretty sure that Celestia said they lived in hiding in another country after some witch hunt or something," I said, turning around and looking at him, realising that my arguments were sounding flimsier by the moment.

"And they just so happened to die seemingly days after Cadance was born, with no house, friends, or possessions, right at the same time Celestia just so happened to be in the country where, by her own admission, this family of hers was in hiding?" Grael asked. "That doesn't seem right to me."

"They were in hiding... for some reason... and then died," I said quietly, piecing it together. "So even if they were hiding from a witch hunt, it was in another country, so why would Equestria not have any records of them existing? The very fact they went into hiding because of the witch hunt means somebody knew they existed."

"Unless they didn't," Grael said.

"Go into hiding?"

"No," Grael said. "Didn't exist."

"And, what, Cadance is Celestia's daughter?" I asked. "Why wouldn't she just come clean and say that? There's nothing wrong with her having kids, is there?"

"Maybe there is," Grael shrugged. "Maybe there was some law, some agreement, or some bet made where Celestia needed to lie about having a child in order to have it stay valid."

"Must've been a pretty big bet to lie about having a child for," I said. "And how has nobody else put that together?"

"You didn't until just now," Grael said with a bland expression. "And they don't have access to the stuff we do behind closed doors. For all we know, there may be an entirely falsified library wing detailing everything about Cadance's parents that we've just never seen because we got the real version. And the real version that we got is 'Alicorn that bears a too-similar-to-not-be-the-daughter-of resemblance to Celestia appearing out of fucking nowhere, apparently from a family that is never mentioned anywhere, either by book or by Celestia or Luna themselves, and Celestia and Cadance seem to get on as mother and daughter without Cadance ever seeming to bring up her real parents."

"Maybe she doesn't know Celestia isn't..." I began, trailing off as I realised how stupid that sounded. "Lie to the public, sure, but why lie to Cadance? It's not like she was adopted into another family, and as far as I know, she's never called Celestia 'Mom' before."

"Publicly," Grael pointed out.

"That's a good point," I nodded, tearing a clump of dead moss from the side of the tree and stuffing it into the tinder pocket. "But why not tell us?"

"Afraid we might let it slip?" Grael suggested with a shrug. "I wouldn't trust a child with a secret that big."

"Yeah, not the best idea," I said, scratching the back of my head. "Maybe we should just ask them when we get home? I'm pretty sure they're not gonna throw us in the dungeon to never see the light of day again, is it?"

"It couldn't hurt," Grael agreed, sniffing the bundle of firewood and cocking his head. "This should be enough, right?"

"Yeah, it'll burn for a good few hours with this," I nodded, shaking the bundle of sticks. "Ready to head back?"

"Yeah, there's no good game around here to even bother chasing, so we'd best get back before the others get cold and hungry," Grael said, turning around and following our footprints back through the forest.

"I'm already both and about to be tired," I said with a yawn. "Think Annerose would let me snuggle in with her tonight?"

"For the millionth time: why don't you just try to court her already?" Grael asked in an exasperated manner.

"Because I don't want to court her," I said, unable to find the proper words to describe how I felt.

"You just want to fuck her then?" Grael asked, cutting straight to the chase.

"I... well..." I said, finally sighing and nodding my head. "Yeah... I mean, she's an amazing girl, she's funny, she's beautiful, but..."

"She doesn't get your heart going like she does your loins?" Grael offered.

"I'm so happy you're here to express my feelings for me," I nodded. "I've tried many, many times to try and feel romantic towards her, but it just doesn't click. I think about dates, and presents, and marriage and I just feel empty, but the second I think about her kneeling naked on my bed, with that big, smooth ass of hers pushed out, and those soft lips smiling eagerly at me from across the room-"

"-Richter, I can practically feel your brain melting from our link alone," Grael sighed. "Try to calm down a little, okay?"

"I can't help it, Grael. She just gets my fire going every time I think of her," I said, my smile fading as I faced reality once more. "But the reality is that I'm probably never going to get to sleep with her, not in a million years, without destroying her heart and her friendship."

"And why's that?" he asked me.

"Because I know that with nary an effort, I could charm her, say all of the things I needed to say to get her to fall in love with me, get her to truly believe that our hearts joined as one, convince her to come to bed with me, strip her off, and smash her as hard as I want..." I said, thinking of the events playing out in my head. "And then that's it. I've fucked her, so I've gotten all I need out of that relationship. If it was just a 'friends-with-benefits' deal like I want it to be, we could just go back to hanging out, training, and adventuring while fucking on the weekend or something. But with the person she is, with how she approaches sex and intimacy, I would have to hold her heart in my hand for her to ever consider letting me see her nude... and can you imagine what it would do to her if I just dropped her like that?"

"I... yes. It would probably kill her," Grael nodded. "I see your point."

"I know I could get her to love me, and I know I could get her in bed in less than three months, but I couldn't live with myself after breaking her heart from being the selfish bastard that I am," I sighed, feeling sick and disturbed from merely thinking about what she'd be like if that ever came to pass. "So, no. I'm not going to court her and I'm not going to fuck her either because it's just gonna ruin everything we have."

"If I can say it without you being offended... you'd be a shit husband," Grael said, blunt as a hammer.

"I know," I nodded, feeling no anger or disrespect in regards to his statement, merely acceptance and understanding.

"You couldn't keep to one woman if you tried," he continued. "And I genuinely believe that if you forced yourself to be with a single woman for more than six months, you'd end up getting cabin fever."

"I was with Calatera for at least a year," I said, throwing up a meager defence.

"Mostly because that relationship happened when she wouldn’t let go of you and the two of you used each other more as test dummies to find out what you liked and didn't like when it came to sex," Grael answered. "There was no romance or passion in that, and it was nothing more than hormone-fueled humping that ended pretty much when you figured out how to make each other cum."

"I miss her, actually," I said, thinking back to the dark-skinned beauty.

"For fuck's sake, man," Grael said. "You really can't help yourself, can you?"

"No, not really," I said with a chuckle. "I wonder how she's doing."

"Probably doing what you should be doing: focusing on learning to run the country you're due to rule and getting as much experience with it as possible," he answered. "She turned out to be a very good princess, you turned out to be a horndog that can barely keep from humping his throne."

"I'm not that bad," I said, rolling my shoulders as I carried the sticks. "I haven't slept with a new girl in at least a month."

"Then tell me the names of the last two women you had sex with?" Grael asked me.

"Alright... I am that bad," I laughed. "But you can't blame me solely for this. Sex is a two-way street, and if I'm having consensual sex with a random stranger for purely aesthetic reasons, then the chances are that they're doing the exact same thing."

"It's not exactly the most honourable thing to do," Grael commented, padding through a small snowdrift.

"I don't tend to enjoy myself in honourable ways," I shrugged. "You do you, and I'll do me."

"And every woman within an eight foot radius of you," Grael said in a scorning manner.

I kept quiet after that, merely whittling the time and distance away with random thoughts of food, sleep, and training before we made it back to the campground. I noticed the individual tents set up with the bedspreads underneath them with the other two huddled around the fire pit dug about a foot deep and surrounded by stones, waiting for us to return.

"Took you fucking long enough!" Annerose snapped as we broke the treeline. "I think my fucking toes have frozen together and then fallen the fuck off."

"Eh, quite whining," I said, dumping the sticks next to the pit and beginning to pile a few in there. "Where's the striker at?"

"I'll grab it," Annerose said, crawling over to the bags on her hands and knees.

My eyes wandered from the fire pit, trailing up the backs of Annerose's legs and focusing on her backside, staring rather hungrily at the thick rump steak as it swayed back and forth, signaling me like a moth to a flame as she searched through the bags.

"Richter," Grael said over our link in a disappointed manner.

"I want it in my face," I admitted. "She's perfect. Everything about her is fucking perfect."

"You need to stop torturing yourself over this," Grael said. "You've already said why you can't and won't, so why don't you let it go already?"

"I can't..." I sighed, shaking my head.

"Richter?" Annerose asked in an awkward manner, snapping me back to attention and away from the contact with Grael.

"Yeah?" I asked, seeing her looking at me with an unsure expression.

"Were you staring at my arse just then?" she asked.

"A little bit, yeah," I nodded with a smirk. "Is that a problem?"

"Ugh," she said, rolling her eyes and moving back over to the fire pit, settling down and attempting to strike the tinder alight. "Fucking typical."

She always laughed off shit like that; it'd become the norm between the two of us. Though I wonder what she'd feel if I told her how desperate I was to fuck her...

Chapter 7: Getting Started

We arrived in the frigid, windy city of Icelock at around three in the morning on the ninth day of our trip, exhausted, filthy, and starving. We'd barely been able to make breakfast due to our supplies being practically gone, as we'd only packed for a seven day trip, and despite Grael's best hunting efforts, once we hit the frozen north, he was barely able to sniff out three hares with twenty miles between them. Once being allowed in by the night watch, we enquired as to where a decent inn was with the intention of spending a bit of our few hundred golds on food and lodgings, thanks to the Royal Treasury. We hitched the horses inside the stable, paid a decently small deposit for their care, and headed through the city to where the inn was located.

"I can't wait to sleep in an actual bed tonight," Zane said, stretching his powerful arms out and yawning, it having been his turn to lug the gear around on foot today. "Compared to the furs we've got, a soggy pile of hay with a dead dog next to it would feel like sleeping on the fulfilled wishes of children and happiness, so a bed must be even better."

"I can't wait to take a bath," Annerose said, struggling to keep her blue eyes open as she plodded through the snow-covered streets, her usual active and energetic steps gone with the wind and the cold at this point. "I smell like the inside of Grael's mouth."

"I take offence to that," he grumbled, too tired to be angry.

"Take whatever you want to it," she said. "Hopefully you take a fucking toothbrush as well."

"Mhrm," Grael said, walking with his eyes closed and relying on my movements, sensing them through our link, to guide him on where to go.

"I'd like food that isn't half a rabbit leg cooked in nothing but salt," I said, fantasising about my mother's delicious cooking, having perfected her craft by studying at various cooking schools all across the world in her youth.

"I think we're gonna have to wait till tomorrow to get most of that," Zane added, smiling as we rounded the corner and saw the lights of the inn. "I doubt breakfast and baths are gonna be available at three in the morning."

"Ugh..." came the collective groan from all of us.

We piled into the inn, getting a friendly wave from the woman behind the bar until she noticed Grael.

"I'm afraid dogs aren't allowed in here," she said. "Is he okay to stay in the kennel outside?"

"I don't know," Grael said in an exhausted manner, looking up at me and barely being able to crack his eyes open. "Am I registered at a kennel anywhere in Equestria?"

"You're considered a person, thanks to the bonding ritual thing," I said, being so tired I borderlined on drunkenness.

I turned to the innkeep with a polite smile and placed my dirt-covered hands on the desk, trying my best to sound as coherent as possible.

"Hiya, miss," I said. "I'm really sorry about having to ask this, but would you mind letting the Direwolf rent a room with us tonight? He's house trained and all, and I'm sure his money's as good as everyone else's."

"I..." she said, scratching the back of her head in a torn manner.

"A little extra of his money, then?" I asked, knowing where this was going.

"Does... does he shed much?" she asked me, looking over her shoulder to see if someone was behind her.

"Nope. His breed doesn't shed, and he only loses as many hairs as your average human does in a day," I answered. "He also doesn't drool and is able to use a toilet like a normal human if he needs to."

"I... alright, just make sure he isn't seen by my boss," she nodded. "The rooms are fifty each for the night, seventy five for a two-person room, and we'll add a little extra on for your friend there... say another twenty gold?"

I nodded, my head, turning back to the others with an inquisitive look on my face, looking at Zane with a cocked eyebrow.

"Are we gonna be running the funds dry if we all rent a single room each?" I asked.

"Not dry, but gouging ourselves more than we'd like to," Zane nodded, looking down at Grael. "You don't mind sharing a room with someone, do you?"

"Nope," he said with a shake of his head. "A floor next to a bed with someone, or a bed on it's own is good enough for me."

"Then I think our best bet, counting the extra we need for Grael," Zane said. "Is to rent a double room for two of us to stay in, and then Grael and someone else can stay in the single room. So, who's gonna be going with-"

"I'm staying in the single room with Grael," Annerose said immediately, giving no room for any debates. "You two can stay in a room together."

Zane and I looked at each other, knowing that this was another 'Annerose has made up her mind and that's that' scenario where there was no wrangling our way out of it, so we both just shrugged and went along with it.

"Alright then," Zane nodded, turning back to the inkeep with a nod as he got out his coin purse. "We'll take one double and a single, please."

"Sure thing, your rooms are on the second floor and across the way from each other," she said, taking the money and handing over keys in response. "Enjoy your stay."

We all mumbled tired and exhausted thanks and greetings, our legs burning as we made our way up to the second floor. We mumbled goodnights as we split into twos, heading to our rooms and throwing our gear down inside of them. I didn't even take off my boots before collapsing on the bed in the far corner while Zane just flat out laid face down on the bed under the window, the two of us passing out almost immediately as the sleep we desperately needed overwhelmed us both.

It seemed that the two of us slept for a lot longer than we usually did, as we slept in until nearly four in the afternoon, having completely wasted most of the day and done nothing important so far. I cracked my eyes open as Zane flicked me on the back, rolling over with a grumpy grunt and seeing him standing there with his arms crossed.

"Come on, we need to get up," he said. "We're behind schedule as it is."

"I have an idea," I said, looking at the sun as it began lowering itself, seemingly going to be dark in less than an hour. "How about we use today as a rest day, and then get back on track tomorrow?"

Zane looked down at the aged wooden floor for a long moment, pondering the situation in his mind before nodding.

"Good idea," he said. "It'd be nothing but a waste of time to expect the Court Mage and the mercenaries to want to discuss business at this time of the day."

He headed back to his bed, digging his gear out of his bag and beginning to sort out what we had left in terms of food, money, and supplies. In the meantime, I got up and stretched my limbs, dropping onto the ground and running myself through a few basic push-up exercises, just to get the blood going properly. I moved my hands around every now and again, spreading them further apart, bringing them closer and lower down my body, and eventually placing one behind me back and swapping that over every now and again by pushing myself up as hard as I could and landing on the other hand.

"Remember there's a whole tavern downstairs," Zane said. "We don't wanna get kicked out over you putting holes in the ceiling."

"Fair enough," I grunted, giving the tired muscle a rest and standing up, rolling my shoulders and swinging my arms in front of my chest, trying to work away the ache I'd gained from exertion. "So, what's up first on the chopping block?"

"I have an idea, but I can't be fucked to go over the plan twice," Zane said, looking at me with a smirk. "Go get Annerose and Grael, then meet me downstairs."

"I'll grab a shower first," I nodded, getting out of bed and wandering into the bathroom.

"Don't take too much time," Zane said. "I'm gonna need one when you go for the other two."

"No promises," I shrugged, closing and locking the door, more out of habit than anything else, behind me and staring at the oiled-wood booth with a cocked eyebrow.

It was far from the tiles-and-gilded-head set up we had back at home, and didn't seem to run on the same functions. The showers we had in Canterlot, especially in the castle, ran off magically-charged crystals, each enchanted and stored inside a metal box with taps attached to it. Inside the box were two crystals, one enchanted to produce hot water and the other to produce cold, and turning the a tap would activate the corresponding crystal and pump water up through the piping. You could turn both taps to make a perfect mixture of hot and cold water with the only downside being that you needed to change the crystals every few months when the energy stored in them that allowed them to power their enchantments ran out.

This splinter-trap seemed to be nothing more than a large and clunky bucket of water that needed to be filled, heated, and slotted into a place above the shower head, where you'd then 'turn on the shower' and probably be exposed to the feeling of standing underneath a broken drainpipe. Deciding that I didn't want to waste an hour waiting for the metal container to boil to a decent temperature, I filled it up with water from the pump above the sink and set it into place. It seemed that you needed to twist the shower head to get the water to come out, so I quickly stripped down and mentally prepared myself for how awful this was going to be.

I twisted the shower head and felt a torrent of ice cold water begin to slop down onto my back, forcing a gasp from my lungs and a shiver to run through my body. I screwed my eyes shut, ignoring the deathly cold as I went to work on myself with the nearly-sharp piece of soap and a sponge that felt like it was made of iron, definitely scraping the dirt, dead skin, and possibly a fresh layer off. I began to shiver violently, the exposure to the water lowering my core temperature and making it difficult to move my fingers and toes in a rapid manner.

I eventually decided that I was clean enough, twisting the shower head and cutting off the water torture machine, shivering and chattering loudly as I realised that there weren't any towels in the bathroom. Gritting my teeth as best I could from the shivering, I exited the bathroom and began to dig through my bag to find a cotton shirt or something I could use to wipe myself off with, as being covered in water moisture only made the room feel colder. Zane raised an eyebrow at me as I came storming through the door, looking at my shivering form, and asking a simple question.

"How bad is it?"

"About as bad as one of Luna's 'Wake-Up Baths'," I said, drying off my arms and legs with the shirt, going for the thinner areas that couldn't warm themselves as best as my chest could.

"Ooh... I'm looking forward to this," Zane said, a reluctant chuckle escaping from his mouth.

"It is so cold in there, I don't even think my dick's shrunk..." I said, drying my face off. "I think it's fucking retracted."

"Well, let's see how bad it really is," Zane said, standing up and taking his boots off. "You go get Annerose and Grael, then go downstairs. I'll be down soon."

"Righto then," I nodded, finishing drying myself off and dressing in basic winter gear: thick cotton trousers, a cotton undershirt, a dark blue woolen shirt, fur-lined leather boots, and a hooded short cape, leaving the hood down while I was inside.

Deciding to dress for business this time I around, I belted the sword Celestia had given me as a birthday present to my back, fastened a belt with several useful pouches onto my waist, and, using a trick Luna had taught me a while ago, grabbed a small hunting knife and its sheath before using a random strap of fabric to tie it to the underside of my wrist with the blade pointing towards my elbow, allowing me to keep a second weapon concealed as well as quickly draw it from its sheath if I needed it.

Deciding that I was geared up enough to make thugs and bandits think twice, and to look like I knew what I was doing when it came to talking to the mercenaries, I headed across the hall to Annerose and Grael's room, wondering if they were even awake yet. I gave the usual knock to let them know it was me, which was walking straight in and yelling for one of them, this making a towel-wrapped Annerose roll off the bed in shock, landing hard on the wooden floor.

"You're a cunt," she growled, poking her head over the bed and glowering at me. "You're an absolute cunt. If you fell down the stairs and broke both of your legs, I'd make you walk back up them again."

"Thank you," I smirked. "You nearly ready to discuss what we're gonna do there?"

There was a moment of silence between the two of us, Annerose blinking several times, before giving a very passionate response:

"Does it fucking look like I'm ready?!" she hollered in a furious manner, standing up and screaming at me, not noticing a little wardrobe malfunction she'd gone through. "I've been sat here for three hours, listening to your stupid fucking dog panting and growling in his sleep like he's a pug with a broken nose, waiting for you to get here, and when you finally decide to get off your fat arse and see me, you kick my bastard door in, clearly see me in a fucking towel, and ask if I'm ready to go downstairs? Yeah, of course I am, Richter, let's just walk my naked arse downstairs for everyone to stare at! Just lemme shave my pubes into a greeting beforehand, alright? You stupid fucking twat."

"It's funny you mention that," I said, crossing my arms and giving an off-hand point at her exposed nether regions, her towel having fallen off instantly after standing. "You seem to have already shaved them all off."

She was confused for a moment, narrowing her eyes at me, before looking down at herself and realising that every inch of her toned body was on display. Her eyes widened in horror, clapping her hand over her vagina and trying to cover her chest with her forearm, her cheeks blazing a bright red to such a degree that it seemed to hurt, moisture welling up in the corner of her eyes as she refused to look at me.

"Please leave," she said in a whimpering tone, barely being able to muster any of the anger she'd had previously, looking as if she was about to start crying. "Right now."

"Alright, but just get ready and meet us downstairs," I said in a softer, more comforting tone. "We're gonna be figuring out what the plan is for tomorrow."

"O-Okay..." she mumbled, turning her body away from me, seeming unsure which angle to show off. "Just... can you-"

"-I'm already gone, kid," I said, nodding my head and exiting the room, whistling for Grael to follow me as I did so.

The large wolf followed me out, letting me close the door behind us, before turning to look at me with an expectant gaze.

"How happy were you to see that?" he asked as we walked down the stairs.

"At that moment?" I asked him. "Not at all."

"And why's that?"

"Because she didn't mean to show herself like that," I answered, giving a smile to the innkeep as we went and sat down at a table, Grael positioning himself next to me as he lay down, taking the chat to a mental one. "If she'd asked me to come in and was sat naked on the bed with a smile on her face, I'd be overjoyed about seeing her like that. But she didn't mean for me to see her naked. She didn't want to show off her body. What happened up there was exactly the same result as me peeking in through her window while she was changing."

"And that makes the nudity worthless to you?" he asked. "No sexual satisfaction whatsoever?"

"None," I nodded. "There was no attempt to attract from that, so no attraction was gained."

"Richter?" Grael asked.

"Yes?"

"You're a better person than I give you credit for, you know that?"

"Thanks, buddy. That means a lot to me," I said with an honest smile, reaching down and petting him casually as we waited for the others to show up.

I took a few minutes for Zane to show up, dressed in similar winter gear that protected him from the chill of even the inside of the inn, and a while longer for Annerose to show up. When the raven-haired woman did finally sit down at the table with us, she couldn't make eye contact with me, seemingly ashamed of what had happened upstairs, almost radiating guilt that she shouldn't be feeling across the table. Zane noticed the air as well, looking back and forth between the two of us before asking about it.

"Did something happen between you two up there?" he questioned. "Did you argue or what?"

"No, Annerose's towel fell off while we were talking," I said, trying to make it sound as casual and unimportant as possible, wanting her to be able to laugh it off as nothing, but I knew she still felt bad about it. "Exposed a little more than she wanted to, but nothing too serious."

"Really?" Zane asked her, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah... not my proudest moment," she sighed, finally seeming to breathe and relax for the first time since she'd sat down with us, something I was thankful to see. "So, what's the plan, man?"

"I'm thinking that we keep the teams we've got now, I'll stick with Rick and you stay with Grael," Zane explained. "With that sorted out, we can decide on who's going where tomorrow."

"I wanna take a look at the mercenaries," I said quickly, throwing my name into that hat. "I feel like I'll be able to negotiate better with those kinds of folk than I will a prissy Court Mage."

"I agree with that," Zane nodded. "I've never been good at dealing with democrats and politicians. Are you two okay with dealing with that?"

"I was taught proper etiquette," Grael nodded. "Not so sure about Annerose, though."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked in a slightly offended tone.

"You're not exactly the most polite person on the planet, Anne," Zane said in as gentle a manner as possible.

"And you have a really short temper," I pointed out. "And with how annoying politicians and nobles can be... I'm not sure you can handle it."

Annerose seemed rather disgruntled by the comments, but seemed to realise that we were all right, crossing her arms and looking away from us for a long moment before sighing in defeat.

"Al-fucking-right," she growled. "So I'm gonna be taking care of the mercenaries then?"

"Then that means it's gonna be three of us doing one thing and leaving Grael on his own," I said. "That's hardly fair."

"Richter, I know how much you hate this, but don't you think having the Crown Prince of Equestria present the offer would help it go over much smoother?" Grael asked. "And, meaning no insult to either of you, you tend to be better at... dealing with women than the other two."

"You mean charming and manipulating, right?" Annerose asked the wolf.

"And fucking," Zane smirked. "Don't forget that."

"Yes," Grael nodded, reluctant to engage in such profanity. "I believe your stature and your silver tongue will help greatly when dealing with the Court Mage."

"So we're switching the teams up?" Annerose asked. "Zane and I are gonna handle the mercenaries while you two handle the Court Mage?"

"Seems like it," Zane nodded. "So, we're decided on that then? We'll handle the rougher people while you two get to sit in a fancy palace and sip wine while talking to beautiful women?"

"Seems so," Grael nodded, turning to me with a strange expression. "Now, this feels rather strange for me to say, but... if it is possible for you to bed the Court Mage, I... I think it would be highly beneficial to our cause if you went through with it."

"Hang on, Mr. 'A true gentlemen must wear a ring before he wears a woman' is telling me that he wants me to fuck the Court Mage?" I asked in a laughing tone. "Were you replaced with a Changeling on the way here?"

"No, it's just that she is more likely to provide assistance to someone she either likes or is attracted to," Grael said, seeming rather embarrassed to talk about this. "And I'm sure if you're able to... satisfy her, she'll be more than willing to lend her assistance if she considers the two of you close and friendly."

"Well, you don't get much closer to someone than being inside them," I shrugged. "Sounds like a plan. Not only do I get half of our checklist crossed off, I get to spend some time with the lovely lady."

"Here's hoping she's not a fat old hag, eh, Rick?" Annerose asked in a jeering manner.

"I'm fucking praying for it," I said in a laughing tone.

"Hopefully she's as beautiful as our Court Mage," Zane suggested.

"That's my Aunt Twilight you're talking about there," I said, giving him a warning look.

"And do you disapprove of me finding her attractive?" he asked.

"No, but my Dad will," I smirked. "And he'll fucking kill you."

"Ah... that is a problem," Zane nodded. "Mhm..."

"I also think you're a little... big for her," I said in a sideways manner. "As in you'd probably crush the poor little thing. She's only five feet tall, after all."

"Can we stop talking about this?" Annerose asked. "We were on topic before sex got brought up."

"It's always the same way with Richter," Grael said, rolling his eyes. "He catches a whiff of vagina, be it in conversation or on the wind, and he'll track it down like a Bloodhound."

"What can I say?" I shrugged. "I take after my Dad."

"There is no way he is as bad as you are," Annerose said in disbelief.

"I think he was worse, actually," I said, scratching the back of my head with a chuckle. "Only settled down when he met my Mom when he was twenty three. I don't think she calmed him down with the strength of love and heart... I think she was able to cuff him because he couldn't find anyone better to f-"

"Right!" Annerose exclaimed, slamming her hand on the table to get our attention, and practically everyone else's as well. "So, plan figured out, all sorted, anyone else as hungry as I am?"

"I could go for an ale or two," Zane nodded. "You guys the same?"

There were mutterings and nodding of confirmation as we all headed over to the bar, asking whether or not they did in-house meals before ordering what we wanted and returning to the table, spending the rest of the evening eating, drinking, and talking about whatever we could think of as well as ironing out plans for tomorrow. I felt rather excited about the concept of the Court Mage, hoping that she was some frozen, exotic beauty, the likes of which I'd never seen before...

And really hoped she wasn't a seventy year old bag who kicked her tits every time she took a step.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so fucking long to come out. Breath of the Wild has had its claws in me for at least twelve hours every day since the 3rd. I'm close to beating it now, so the updates should pick up speed once again, as we get into the meat and potatoes of things.

Chapter 8: A Matter of Magic

"Do we need a brief run through of the etiquette and expectations of addressing royalty?" Grael asked me as we walked up the frozen incline to the palace walls. "Especially royalty that's married?"

"No, Dad, we don't," I said in a bemused tone, rolling my eyes as we made our way further forward.

The castle was a large and imposing construction. Tall, blocky towers raised high above the frozen ground and battlements topped with never-ending snowfall as men dressed in fur-lined armour, all bearing the Winter's Maw insignia of a horse's head above a snowflake symbol, positioned on peaks and walls, all holding different weapons and armaments. The shoulder cape I wore flapped around in the wind, the hood not providing as much protection from the wind due to its direction, instead acting as a dish to hold all the cold air around my face.

"Don't speak until spoken to, always address them as either 'Your Highness' or 'Your Excellence', keep your head below theirs at all time, and don't half-ass your bow," Grael listed off. "In fact, just get onto one knee and lower your head entirely."

"I know, Grael," I said, coming up to large, ice-coloured doors with two guards positioned outside them.

"Halt!" they both said, holding their spears out over the door. "State your business."

"My name is Richter, Crown Prince of Equestria, and this is Familiar Grael," I said, introducing myself. "We have an urgent matter to discuss with Their Royal Majesties and the Court Mage regarding the Narrowscale Dragon that is said to live in the mountains outside of the city."

"Prince Richter?" one of them asked, unsure of whether or not to believe my claim. "Forgive me, sir, but where is your escort?"

"I arrived mostly without one," I continued. "I've been entrusted with completing a task by my family as part of an ancient Alicorn Rite. They are forbidden from providing any support by the Rite's rulings, and thus I have no accompaniment other than Grael and my Retainers."

The two guards looked at each other for a long moment, casting their eyes down at Grael before asking the Direwolf a question.

"Familiar Grael, is this true?" one asked him.

"It is indeed," Grael nodded, his deep and bass voice nearly vibrating through my feet as he spoke in a low tone. "Richter is nearly alone in his task, but is allowed to seek help from those around him, so long as it is not from his family."

"That's definitely His Majesty," the second guard said to the first, banging on the doors with the butt of his spear. "I apologise for the inconvenience, sir. We were uncertain to your identity, as we'd received no word of a royal guest arriving."

"Don't worry about it," I said with a smile, nodding at them as I walked into the frosted courtyard. "Will you be able to send word to Their Majesties about my arrival?"

"Of course, sir," the guard nodded. "If you would please wait in the foyer, we will arrange for a servant to guide you to the throne room."

"Thank you," I nodded, hurrying forward with Grael, desperate to get out of the biting cold as I resented the fact that I had chosen to not wear gloves today.

We were allowed into the castle's foyer, the enormous entrance glittering with a blue-and-white colour scheme and with statues, chandeliers, and paintings adorning the walls. Despite the warmth of the room, it gave off a cold appearance, generating the same feeling of harshness that the outside did with its raging snowstorms.

"I would've thought they'd try to make this place look less cold," I said, allowing the air to warm my fingers.

"Unless they're proud of their weather," Grael shrugged, padding forward with his claws clicking off the polished floors. "They seem to have accepted the ice and snow as part of their identity, so why would they not decorate their buildings in a manner that reflected the intricate beauty of a snowy landscape?"

"Fair point," I shrugged, leaning against one of the pillars in the room and staring at the enormous staircase that lead up to the rest of the building, splitting off into three small staircases to doors that were certainly labelled, but weren't readable from this distance. "It's got a lot less frill than back home."

"Because our castle has been home to the same two rulers who have their own styles, and after thousands of years, they'd have really perfected the castle's design," Grael explained.

"And by that you mean 'Celestia perfected the castle's design'?" I asked with a smirk. "If it was up to Luna, the whole castle would be as barren as a barracks for how practical decorations are."

"True," Grael said with a smirk. "But those two are the perfect set because of their differing personalities."

"How so?"

"Because Celestia is what brings Luna into the world of parties and politics, often convincing Luna to enjoy the finer things, such as clothing, jewelry, and treasures to help bring her out of her somewhat miserable shell," he began. "While Luna is what keeps Celestia grounded, often getting her to focus herself and not get caught up in the aforementioned world, as well as providing another set of eyes from another viewpoint that she herself may not possess."

"Neither of them are perfect on their own-" I began.

"But they are when they come together," Grael finished. "It's the best kind of relationship siblings, and work mates, can have."

"Though let's not act like the two of them don't squabble and scuffle from time to time," I smirked, remembering several arguments I'd have the privilege to witness. "Who'd have thought that this world's last bastion of defence from all kinds of otherworldly threats would be... human enough to nearly come to blows over a hairbrush."

"It is quite incredible getting to see the real versions of them as opposed to their public appearances," Grael said, chuckling quietly.

Our little conversation was interrupted when an elderly man dressed in fine clothing walked over to us, bowing as low as his back would allow him, before introducing himself.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Familiar Grael," he said. "I am Adrian Wothrum, Her Majesty's personal scribe. I've been instructed to guide you to the throne room to discuss the matter at hand with her."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Wothrum," I said, holding out a hand to shake.

"Oh, please," he said with an honest smile, shaking my hand with a firm grip. "You can just call me Adrian. Now, would you care to follow me?"

"Of course," I said, letting go of his hand and walking with him, Grael padding behind us both as a rear guard.

"Is His Majesty not present today?" I asked him.

"I'm afraid not," Adrian said with a shake of his head. "King Errick has been called away to a barracks in the far east of his kingdom to deal with his youngest, Rolnir, and the trouble he's gotten himself into."

"Anything serious?" I asked. "If it's able to be disclosed?"

"I'm afraid I can't say exactly what the trouble is, but I am allowed to say that it is a very serious matter, and I'm sure His Majesty regrets not being here to help a fellow warrior like himself," Adrian continued. "Are you able to disclose to me what your current quest is?"

"Of course I am," I nodded. "I'm here to take care of the Narrowscale Dragon that lives in the mountains outside the city as part of my people's ancient customs, but I do need the assistance of several factors to do complete this task."

"If you don't mind me saying, Your Majesty," Adrian said in a slow tone. "Are you allowed to ask for assistance if the trial is to be completed by yourself?"

"I am indeed," I said with a chuckle. "I know it may seem cowardly to ask for help, but the trial views it instead as a leader learning to recruit and command those not already sworn to him, something that requires a gifted tongue and a great mind to achieve."

"Ah, I see," he said, gesturing for us to head through a long corridor, the enormous doors to the throne room being visible as we rounded the corner. "Is this something all Alicorn boys must go through?"

"Not just the boys, the girls, too," I corrected. "Celestia, Luna, and my mother all had to complete a similar trial as this."

"Are you aware of what your mother did for hers?" he asked me, looking over his shoulder.

"I'm afraid not," I said with a single shake of my head. "Before my time and I've never asked."

"Did your father offer any advice?" Adrian asked. "I am aware that General Armour's battle prowess and the achievements he has gained are the stuff of legends."

"Not really... I'm not really sure if he was allowed to make a decision on this matter," I said, scratching the back of my head. "Alicorn decisions and all."

"Hmm," Adrian said, coming to a stop outside the door and stepping aside. "Her Majesty is waiting for you inside. If you require a guide back to the foyer, then please ask one of the guards positioned inside the throne room and they'll escort you quickly."

"Thank you, Adrian," I said with a smile, shaking his hand again and bidding him farewell.

As the old man walked off, the guards at the door pushed the enormous objects open, the ancient hinges grinding loudly as the immense weight was shifted.

"Seems rather impractical for a door to be that heavy," I said as we walked past it. "You need at least ten men to open it."

"And that's exactly the point," Grael said. "These doors are designed to be heavy, as well as having bolts and latches on the inside designed to lock it tight in the event of a siege of the castle. If it comes down to the last line of defence, they're still going to need a heavy force to breach the throne room."

"Smart strategy," I nodded. "Why don't we have one?"

"Mostly because the three that sit in the thrones in our castle can incinerate mountain ranges with a fingertip," Grael added. "You don't really need an enormous locked door when you can wave your hand and wipe away an army."

"Fair point," I said, looking forward and seeing the Queen of Winter's Maw sitting on her throne, speaking with a woman with white hair garbed in a long shirt and cotton trousers, clutching a book and a large hunk of strange metal in her hand.

"Look, Elisyra, how long have we known each other for?" the woman asked the queen.

"Forty years," the queen said, rubbing her temples in a tired manner.

"And you still don't trust my word on this?" the woman continued. "Not just my word, but also evidence presented by Twilight as well?"

"Look, Celana, I value your knowledge and advice over all, even my husband's..." the queen said. "But you honestly cannot expect me to finance a dig in the middle of a mountain range for an ancient city of a long-extinct race simply because you and a colleague uncovered a rusty ball made of a metal you've never seen before."

"Elisyra, please, the two of us have definitive proof that the device in question isn't just a random piece of metal because-"

"-because of the fact you managed to open up a slot designed to hold a crystal, you've told me this a thousand times," Elisyra interrupted. "I'd be more willing to indulge your theory of a 'Hyper-advanced precursor civilization' if this magical ball of yours did anything. But it doesn't. You've tried every type of crystal and gemstone under the sun, and nothing has worked. So please, as my friend and my subject, I am asking you to drop this until you can provide more conclusive evidence. Please."

The Court Mage was silent for a long moment, clutching tightly at the rusted metal sphere and book she held, her body seemingly shaking with frustration before sighing loudly, nodding her head and turning away. She stormed past us, muttering things under her breath as she disappeared through a doorway in the side of the throne room. I turned back to look at the queen, a dull look of frustration on her own face that she seemed to mentally wipe away, looking at me with a smile.

"How can I help you, Richter?" she asked.

The queen was a beautiful woman, even for her age. Her long, blonde hair still held the vigor of youth, and the minor amount of wrinkles on her pale skin detracted nothing from her beautiful features, her bright green eyes looking at me kindly as she rested linked fingers on her knee, her long, white dress falling nearly down to the floor as she crossed a leg over her knee. Grael and I bowed, with me dropping down onto one knee and lowering my head while he lowered his muzzle to the floor and bent his front legs, seeming rather uncomfortable in doing so.

"Oh, please," she said with a wave of her hand. "Let's do away with the pleasantries and formalities, shall we? I have spent enough time around you and your family to consider you a friend of myself and mine, so let us speak as such. What can I help you with?"

I got up to my feet, straightening out the creases in my trousers as I began to relay my request to her, explaining in detail why I was here before her and what I needed from her and her kingdom, the beautiful queen listening intently to each and every word, before making a decision.

"As much as I'd like to lend Celana and her services to you, I'm afraid she's currently tied up in a matter I assigned to her several weeks ago," Elisyra said in a reluctant manner. "I believe that she won't be finished with it for several weeks, even from the little she's told me about her work so far."

This wasn't what I wanted to hear, forcing myself to bite my tongue and keep my face neutral enough to disguise my disappointment, I instead did what any good adventurer would do in a matter such as this: I offered my assistance.

"I'm not currently aware of what level of completion Celana is with her current task, as I often hand her a seed and she comes back with a farm of many different crops, so to speak," Elisyra said, leaning back in her chair and exhaling. "So I cannot say whether or not your assistance would be beneficial. But you're more than free to ask her yourself if there's anything you can do to help her complete her task sooner. She should be back at work on her assigned project now, especially after I denied her request yet again for funding for her expedition into Kynra Valley... but that's not important, is there anything else you require from me as of this moment?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty," I said with a shake of my head. "Thank you for your time and assistance."

"My pleasure," she said. "And if there is ever a need for something, you're always welcome to ask."

We bid one another farewell as I headed off into the Court Mage's lab, seeing that it looked just as insane and dangerous as Twilight's did, only with less attempting-to-be-regenerated body parts. Yes. She was that kind of madwoman, and we all loved her for it. I looked around the laboratory, seeing stacks of papers, energy crystals, regular gems, food, water, and several changes of clothes. I wondered if any of the super-geniuses ever kept their labs in a clean manner, but there was the fact that there was no genius without a hint of madness.

"Mage Celana?" I called out to her, having no idea where she was in the mess.

"Yes?" she called out to me from somewhere. "What?"

"I, uh, need to talk to you about something," I said, wandering through her madland, looking over desks and piles of books to see where she was.

"What is it?" she asked. "I'm busy right now."

"Going to kill a dragon, need your help with it, and am willing to let you keep the body once it's dead," I said, giving her the cliffnotes of my little venture here.

She then poked her head out from behind a desk on the other side of the room, an eager expression on her face as she stood up. I turned around to look at her, getting a proper look at the powerful mage and being quite happy with the sight before me. She'd abandoned the long shirt she'd been wearing out in the throne room, now sporting nothing more than a top that covered no more than a bra did, allowing a very detailed look at her soft, pale stomach, hourglass figure, and very ample pair of breasts. Her torso and face were without blemishes, being as smooth and beautiful as freshly fallen snow, her pale skin complimenting her snow white hair, though contrasting greatly with her magma-red eyes seemingly blazing with a thousand thoughts and secrets all at once.

"Dragon, you say?" she asked. "Wouldn't happen to be the big girl that's burned down the mountain settlements a few times, would it?"

"The very same," I nodded, watching her hop over the desk, her breasts bouncing in a pleasant manner as she landed on the floor. "It's yours if you're willing to help counter-act its breath attacks."

"You sound like a man who knows more about the big lizards than most," she said, rushing over through a little maze of paper she seemed to have memories to a pot over a lit fire that had just started to boil, giving off a pleasant aroma that soon filled the entire room. It was as she bent over the cooking pot that I managed to get a good look at her rear end, and being very satisfied at what I saw. I crossed my arms, leaning back against a desk with a grin as she leaned further over, testing several other pots full of something mysterious, allowing me to get a good, long look at that big ass of hers, the sheer size of it tickling my fancy and my loins from the sight alone.

"I gather you’re impressed?" Grael asked.

"Are you not?" I asked in response, looking at him as he sat down on his haunches, admiring the view himself.

"I'd be a liar if I said no," he shrugged, agreeing with me, if a little reluctantly. "And mother didn't raise me to be a liar."

"I've gotta hurry up and finish this," Celana said in an irritated fashion. "There's no cloud cover and I wanna get a good look at the moon in its full phase. Something that huge is a sight to behold."

"I can imagine," I grinned, still giving that perfect, apple-bottom ass as much of an eye-groping as possible before she turned around.

"Are you finished gawking yet?" she asked in an amused tone, pouring some of the water from the large pot into the smaller ones, as well as breaking up and mixing whatever was producing the pleasant aroma.

"Not quite," I chuckled, getting my last few good looks at it and imagining how good the bounce on it would be if I walked over and cracked her across it before averting my eyes. "I'm done. How could you tell I was looking?"

"Viewer crystals," she said, pointing to several yellow gems mounted in the corners of the room. "I can tap into them, and then they let me look through them. You're quite shameless, you know?"

"I've come to appreciate the finer things in life," I chuckled, shrugging casually. "And this was one of them. I'm quite surprised you're taking this so calmly. Most women would be cuffing me around the ears by now."

"Do you think I wear this getup to be modest?" she asked, turning around and leaning against her desk with a playful smirk, stroking a lock of white hair out of her eyes. "I'm a very vain woman, and I thoroughly enjoy turning heads and hearts when I walk in the room."

"Like a fine piece of art," I nodded, not even trying to hide the fact I was gawking at those huge breasts of hers. "And you are quite the treasure, aren't you?"

"I'm glad you think so," she giggled, resting her hands on the desk behind her and jutting her chest out slightly, teasing me for all I was worth. "But like any fine piece of art in a museum worth a damn: you will be harshly punished should you attempt to touch the display."

"Ah," I said, returning my gaze to her beautiful face and nodding. "I'll keep my hands off then."

"Thank you," she said, eyeing her pots before turning back to me. "Now, my handsome little sex-pest, what was this about dragons?"

I gave her a brief, yet slightly more detailed version of my quest, trying to make the dragon and the battle as enticing as possible, before finishing off making her the offer.

"You're Twilight's nephew, correct?" she asked me once I'd finished.

"I am indeed," I nodded. "You two seemed to know each other."

"We do," Celana nodded. "I used to lecture at a university she attended some... ten or fifteen years ago. I'd lectured there for about thirty or forty years overall, but once I was offered the position of Court Mage to Queen Elisyra, I packed up my professor's bag and headed here immediately."

"Forty years?" I asked, looking her up and down. "Forgive me if I sound rude, but I'd never expect a woman of any age like that to be as... bouncy as you."

"It's a miracle what magic can do for you nowadays," Celana chuckled, running her hands down her smooth arms. "A diet of enhanced food and a few baths in enchanted water can really take the years off and keep them at bay. I'm actually nearly three hundred years old."

"So then you're definitely strong enough to help us with our Narrowscale," I nodded. "Does the offer entice you at all?"

"Of course it does," she nodded. "I've wanted a chance to study these creatures for years, but even I've never been powerful enough to take one down."

"That worries me slightly," I said, beginning to think she may not be all that.

"I mean in a magical manner," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure that a sword, a spear, and a rock are sufficient enough tools to help bring one of these beasts down, but I've never bothered wasting my time with such boring instruments. Sadly, I'm no match for a Narrowscale Dragon in a head-to-head magical duel, but that's not a common enough occurrence for me to seek out any other methods of training."

"So will you help us if we use our 'boring instruments' to take the thing down?" I asked. "With you providing support from the side?"

"I'd honestly love to, but I'm afraid I simply can't," she said, turning back to her pots and boilings. "The little mixture I'm working on here needs to be checked, mixed, separated, and filtered regularly or else it'd ruin itself. I can't run off into the mountains for Mothers-know-how-long when this project of mine is both so finicky and so slow to finish."

"And that brings me to my next question," I said. "Is there anything I can do to help you finish it faster?"

"There is, but it's a very dangerous little job," she nodded, going back to stirring the mixtures as soon as they began to produce as different, but equally pleasant, smell. "It's nothing more than a... grocery job, but it has a few particular hitches to it."

"Such as?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Well, to get the mixture to brew faster, I need to speed up these little plants' maturation to begin giving off a scent," she said. "Now, these little ones here have been in this vat for well over two weeks, and have only just started producing a scent. If I was to make a new batch, which I'll need to complete this little experiment, it'd take me well over a month to get them to mature enough to mix and perfect."

"And what makes it easier?" I asked.

"Wyvern's blood," she answered. "Specifically, Tri-Tongue Wyvern's blood."

"The most dangerous Wyvern of them all..." I sighed, looking down at the floor. "Of course. Lemme guess: you need their blood for its nutrient count, right?"

"So you are an educated little sex-pest," she smirked. "Yes, I need their blood to help boost the maturation speed of the buds to get them to begin emitting scents faster. Can you get me a few vials? Pretty please?"

"I don't see why not," I shrugged. "They're difficult creatures, but they're not nearly as dangerous as other lizards in their family tree. How many vials are you gonna need?"

"About two standard Elivra Vials, please," she said.

There was a moment of silence between the two of us, the sound of the bubbling mixture behind her keeping complete quiet at bay, followed by a disgruntled sigh.

"The short and stocky glass vials," she said, pointing at a selection of glass bottles and vials on her wall. "Those ones. Just fill them up and bring them back here."

"Right," I nodded, walking over to the rack and picking up four of the glass vials before tucking them into a pouch on the front of my belt. "You got any idea where the Wyverns are right now?"

"In the mountains," she said, giving a nice vague hint. "They're probably doing lizard things."

"Oh..." I said, just realising something.

"Mating season?" Grael asked with an unhappy look on his face.

"Mating season," I confirmed, rubbing my temples slowly as I realised how much more dangerous this was going to make the journey.

Wyverns were extremely territorial creatures, almost as much as their bigger, greedier draconic cousins, and this was increased tenfold by their mating season, where males would kill their own brothers if they so much as came within a mile of their mate, and they actively attacked travelers in the mountain passes if they saw them as a method of scaring them off.

"With that in mind..." I said. "It might be an easier time for us to just wait for this to finish, as I'm not in the mood to be fed to the summer's first hatch."

"Come on, you already said you'd do it," Celana said, crossing her arms angrily. "Do I need to sweeten the deal for you?"

"I really don't think there's anything you can offer to make me willing to go up there," I said. "At all."

"What if I told you that I could convince Elisyra to lend you a few of her personal guards' Elementa Armour?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "That stuff is not only great armour, but it’s also resistant to a lot of elemental magic, including dragon breath. If you all had that on, I could focus on more offensive moves that would really bring the pain to our scaly friend."

"I... if..." I said, running the decision through my mind before coming to a conclusion, sighing loudly and nodding my head. "Alright... we'll get your stupid fucking Wyvern blood."

I was about to head out of the door with Grael when a warm, soft finger trailed over my cheek as Celana touched me, pressing her body up against my back and whispering into my ear.

"Speaking of 'fucking'..." she began, trailing her hands over my hips and locking them over my waist. "If you could be so kind as to bring back a fertilised egg, I'd be more than willing to give my heroic knight a much more personal reward."

On the last two words of that sentence, she snaked her hand over my crotch and gently squeezed it, letting out a surprised giggle of satisfaction as she felt the size of the beast contained within my trousers.

"What happened to not being allowed to touch the displays?" I asked her, looking at the smaller woman over my shoulder.

"Employees only," she shrugged. "And if you work hard for me, I'll work just as hard for you."

"Alright, that sounds fair," I chuckled. "Four blood vials and a fertilised egg?"

"That's the shopping list," she nodded, giving me a soft kiss on the cheek with her plump lips. "Don't let me down, big boy."

Chapter 9: You Can't Make an Omelette...

It was about thirty minutes into the hike into the mountains that I really wished I'd brought gloves with me. They were numb to the bone and began to ache, my fingers nearly unresponsive when I tried to bend them, and any motion from the digits hurt. I was thankful for the thick woollen shirt I wore being backed up by a cotton undershirt, offering twice the protection against the screaming winds, each gust of the mighty gale feeling like cold nails scraping across my face, barely able to keep my hood from being torn off due to the sheer strength of it. My teeth chattered and my body shook, but still I pressed on, my Familiar seeming completely fine beside be as his double-layered fur, powerful muscle, and wide paws made traversing the mountain as difficult as walking on a flat surface.

"You're going to kill yourself here, you know that?" he asked me, shouting over the wind. "You're going to be eaten, or fall off a cliff, or freeze to death, all because you want to sleep with a random stranger."

"I'm here for the Wyvern blood!" I shouted back at him, nearly being pushed over by the mighty winds. "The eggs and the sex are a secondary objective!"

"Don't try to lie to me!" Grael barked. "You can pull the wool over everyone else's eyes, but my blindfold has worn through from how many times you've used it. I know what you're here for, and it isn't the damn blood!"

"You know me too well," I chuckled, holding my hands in front of my face, sacrificing the warmth of my palms to try and keep my face from being shaved off. "Remember me as a good man after I'm gone."

"Right," Grael growled, becoming annoyed with my lack of progress. "I'm getting annoyed here. Just be quiet, get on my back, and hold on as tight as you can."

"You're not a horse," I said, looking back at him.

"Yeah, but you've taken me for a ride long enough for me to be considered your trusty damn steed," Grael said. "Now shut up and climb on."

I did as instructed, jumping up on the wolf's back and sinking my fingers into his soft, warm fur, and feeling a wave of relief wash over me. I pressed my entire body into his back, wrapping my legs around his hips and holding on, feeling the warmth of the titanic beast seep into me as I relaxed.

"You got a good hold?" he asked, rolling his neck.

"Yes, why?" I asked in response.

"No reason," he shrugged, growling savagely before blitzing off at great speed, nearly throwing me from his back as he did so.

I tried to look up at where we were going, but the pain of the wind stabbing into my eyes proved too great, even if I squinted, so I resigned to merely placing my face in the fur of his back and trying to warm myself up as much as I could. I was able to feel the great wolf's powerful muscles expand and contract as he sprinted, feel the vibrations of his enormous paws through his legs and into his shoulder muscles as he bounded forward faster and faster.

"I honestly can't believe I willingly follow you into these kinds of situations," Grael said over our mental link, his voice crisp and clear without the tearing winds nearly deafening me. "Our tombstones is going to have an epic description of our final battle with the reason for it being that dear old Richter got a good whiff of pussy and ignored his common sense. Again."

"To be honest with you: if I got a tombstone that listed all of the occasions that has happened, it'd need to be a fucking obelisk," I smirked.

"I hate that you sound proud of that," he sighed. "I hate the fact you sound okay with that."

"If a king dies defending the honour of his fair lady, than it is an honourable death," I shrugged.

"Yes, and if it were you questing for her hand in marriage or to protect her family name, I'd be completely okay with that," Grael said. "But putting your life on the line and losing it in battle for 'Thine fairest pussy' is not a good reason by any definition."

"Hey, this was your idea, remember?" I asked him.

"When the blazes did I suggest that we go out and risk our lives for blood and eggs?" he demanded in an almost offended tone.

"You said that it would be a good idea to sleep with the Court Mage to get her on our side," I explained.

"I meant by doing it with a little smooth talk and warm wine, not risking hide and hair in the mountains during a Wyvern mating season!" Grael exclaimed. "There is no woman on this earth that is worth this much of a risk."

"Sure there is. I just haven't met her yet," I said, chuckling quietly to myself.

"The fact that you've acknowledged that there's a 'perfect woman' for you and that you haven't found her yet makes me wonder what the hell kind of goddess you're looking for in a wife," Grael said. "And that's besides having large breasts and a big rear."

"You're also forgetting that I'm eighteen, with the rest of forever ahead of me," I said. "Why the hell would I be looking for Ms Right at my age?"

"I... you raise a point," Grael said, conceding after a moment's thought. "But I still wish you'd conduct yourself in a more regal manner when it comes to dating."

"Because you're an old conservative nanny who thinks sex should only come eight years into the marriage and should consist of nothing more than awkward grinding in the dark for ten minutes followed by nine hours of crying?" I asked him.

"No, that's not what I think it should be at all," Grael growled. "At the age you are, and especially with the limelight on you, you're going to get a reputation for yourself as sex-crazed party maniac that is willing to kill himself and his friends just to get a little bit of sex. I'm not saying that you should never have sex until you find your perfect girl, but I still do think you should try to control your desires and at least not run into danger after the promise of sex like a dog chasing a bone into a pool of lava. It's unbecoming of someone of your stature and will only hurt you in the future."

"Do you want to be my Ms Right?" I asked him jokingly. "You seem to look out for me more than most of my girlfriends."

"Oh, please," Grael scoffed. "I'm way too good for the likes of you."

The conversation kind of died at that point, mostly because I decided to try and keep my mouth shut and conserve my dignity as best I could, waiting for Grael to catch the scent of the Wyverns, luckily in a location where the murderous wind had died down. Hopping down off my furry transport, I dropped into a low crouch and crept over to the edge of the ledge Grael had stopped at, seeing an entire sea of white and orange Wyvern eggs that were sadly being guarded over by a large group of Wyverns.

"Ah, fuck," I growled in a hushed tone, looking over the guardians of the eggs.

"Were you expecting them to be completely unguarded?" Grael asked in a surprised manner. "Wyverns are more protective over their eggs than dragons are of their prime treasure. There's no way we're getting any of these eggs away without killing every last one of these Wyverns."

"And that's not really something I want to do," I sighed, shifting my stance slightly and resting my knee on the ground. "Dangerous to humans or not, these are still sentient beings and wild animals. They're not demons or actively malicious. I really don't wanna slaughter a whole clan of innocent animals because they have something I want."

"So how are we going to play this?" Grael asked in a serious manner. "Because we either kill all of them now and take what we need, kill the guards here, steal what we need, and fight off the other Wyverns all the way back to the city and put numerous innocent civilians in danger, or we try to sneak in and steal what we need, and get the whole damn colony chasing us back to the city to put even more people in danger."

"Yeah... you're right," I said, nodding my head slowly. "Fuck..."

"So what's the call here, Richter?" Grael asked me. "Because either way, there's going to be blood and death either way. The only change is whether or not some of the blood is human."

I closed my eyes for a moment, breathing deeply as I ran the decisions and choices through my head several times over, pondering what the best course of action to choose was, while at all times feeling a deep pang of guilt in my chest. These thoughts were interrupted in a matter of moments as the sound of a furious screech followed by flapping wings tore through my ears, my eyes shooting open before I was tackled to the ground by Grael, the enormous beast pinning me to the ground as a set of scaled legs slashed their talons in the air where I'd been a moment before.

Grael rolled over, putting me on my knees before getting to his own feet, squaring his stance and growling angrily, the Wyvern that had swooped in seconds earlier now perched on the rock face and screeching loudly, a loud alarm wail to get every other Wyvern in their colony alerted to the presence of the all the intruders.

"Looks like we don't have much of a choice now," Grael snarled, butting me with his head to get me to focus on the others flying towards us.

"Here's hoping these things aren't on the endangered species list," I sighed, tearing my new sword from its sheath, squaring my stance and preparing to cut them down.

The first few came in hard and fast, Grael tackling one of the scaled draconids out of the air in mid-flight, his enormous body mass slamming into it and snapping its wing under both of their weights. It began to screech loudly, managing to get no more than a second of pained wailing before Grael tore its throat out, green blood soaking and matting his fur as he wrenched its jugular free, spitting the flesh from his maw and focusing on another, rapidly approaching Wyvern.

I dealt with two of them, slashing the foot of the first clean off as it swooped at me, pivoting on my heel as I did so, before jabbing my sword upwards just as the second one came down towards me, plunging my blade deep into its gut moments before its weight and momentum knocked me straight to the floor, the air being knocked from me on impact and my head slamming into the cold stone floor. Lights exploded in my eyes and pain began to throb, sounding being unclear and distant as I saw the first Wyvern that attacked me hobble towards me, spewing blood from its stump as it limped on its wings, desperate to finish me off.

"Richter!" Grael hollered in rage as the Wyvern brought its jaw down towards my neck.

I threw my arm up just in time to protect myself, though the Wyvern's powerful jaws still easily sank into my clothing and flesh, tearing deep into the skin and crushing the bone of my arm. A roar of agony tore from my lips, the pain nearly making me vomit all over myself, barely able to keep focused on the threat in front of me. I managed to flick my sword around in my hand and began to repeatedly bash the Wyvern's snout and eyes, crushing its nose and bursting one of the lizard-slit orbs, making it move its jaws away from my ruined limb, tearing flesh and gristle away from it as it did so.

I booted it in the chest as hard as I could, knocking it over onto its back and seeing, Grael leap at it, his enormous weight crushing its ribs as he bit down on its skull, pulling up on it harder and harder while keeping his weight on the chest until he eventually tore the head from the neck, the Wyvern screaming in an agonised and deformed way, especially so as the vocal cords snapped and the head lost access to the lungs. Grael bit down hard, the skull crunching in a loud and horrific manner, what was left of the creature's eyes rupturing and its brain fluids leaking through the blood-stained teeth of the furious Direwolf. He then cast the head aside, his rage turning to panic and worry, dashing over to me and staring at the wound.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked me. "Are you going to pass out?"

"N-No," I growled, fighting down the urge to throw up as I stared at my mangled arm, the teeth having poked inch-thick holes in the muscle with blood and shards of bone flowing from the sounds.

Not only that, but the arm itself had been crushed down to the size of a lamb bone, my fingers twitching on their own as the residue of the severed nerve connection walked off its last legs. The limb was completely wrecked, being nothing more than unusable dead weight at this point. I managed to push myself up, keeping the bloody mess of shattered bones and severed tendons down by my side as I flipped my sword around again, ready to face the coming onslaught of the rest of the Wyverns.

"Are you seriously going to keep fighting like that?" Grael asked in an astonished manner.

"It's not like I have much of a choice, is it?" I asked, grimacing as the ache of agony kicked up in my arm once more. "We need these vials filled up."

"Richter, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you're practically missing an arm!" Grael snarled. "You are in no condition to fight right now!"

"Sure I am," I smirked, watching as four more Wyverns crawled up the ledge, two on the walls and one of the ground. "My sword arm still works, and that's all I need to cut this overgrown geckos down to size."

Grael looked between me and the Wyverns for a split second before diving in front of me, once again lowering himself and readying a pounce attack.

"I'll knock them over," he snarled. "You finish them off."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, my arm really starting to burn now, both from the pain and the exposure to the cold.

The Wyverns attacked, Grael managing to bite one in the throat as it leaped over him, bringing it down just before my feet, allowing me to cut deep enough into it's throat to slice through its jugular vein before I quickly back-stepped away from an attacking Wyvern, jabbing it in its open mouth as I did so, before slashing through the snout of the third one. The fourth one came from above, much like the one that had bitten my arm off, and I made the right move this time. I dodge-rolled under it, landing near its small, aerial-foil-esque tail, and stood up, ignoring the splintering pain I felt in my ruined arm from doing so. I whirled around, slashing its tail off in the process before plunging my sword into its spine, paralysing it from the waist down.

It dropped to a heap on the floor just as the Wyvern I'd stabbed in the mouth tried to flank me, only to have Grael charge into it stomach, crushing more ribs and knocking it over onto the floor. He tore out this one's throat, this quickly becoming his method of dispatch for the fight, and moved onto the one with its nose barely attached by a shred of flesh. He leaped at its behind, slamming his powerful jaws shut on the Wyvern's shoulder joint and, using his weight and strength, tore the limb clean off, the Wyvern's pained scream being nearly deafening as he did so.

The beast staggered around, staring at the injury and at the two of us, backing away and screaming in what sounded like fear. I felt a pang of guilt hit inside my chest, no longer seeing a vicious monster, but now seeing nothing more than a scared parent, a mother, judging by the scale pattern, being brutally slaughtered for no other crime than trying to protect her child. I quickly put my own mother in that position, seeing her bloody and maimed, my younger self behind her legs, as she begged and screamed for me to leave her and her baby alone.

"Richter!" Grael hollered. "Now if not the time to feel remorse!"

I shook the image from my head, knowing he was right. Besides, we'd already crippled this thing. It couldn't fight, couldn't fly, and couldn't hunt. The other Wyverns would ignore it and its young, it wouldn't be able to hunt, and would only starve to death in a slow and painful manner. I took a deep breath, forcing the regret and guilt from my mind and tried to replace it with cold determination. I advanced towards the Wyvern quickly, beheading the lizard with a single strike and ducking out of the torrential spray of blood from the stump. I made a mental note, hoping that I'd find its eggs in particular to either crush them or take them to the lab.

I'd rather them die in an instant or be put to use in a potion or something than have them hatch in several days time, screaming and calling for their dead mother for days on end until they starved to death... robbed at a chance at life because some selfish prick needed a batch of eggs... just to get in the pants of some random stranger. As that revelation dawned on me, as I realised that the death of an entire colony was not entirely hinged on a prince's rite, an already selfish reason as is, but the fact that expecting mothers would be slain and children would be snuffed out without ever knowing the kiss of life or their mother's voice...

Because some stupid teenager... because I couldn't control my stupid desires?

No, not anymore. I steeled myself, gripping my sword tightly with my good hand, I advanced forward, determined to finish this as quickly as possible, trying not to think about the loss of life or the lack of life these creatures would never have, in the case of the eggs. Grael and I continued our rampage, our genocide of this colony, cutting down each and every single one of these beautiful, innocent creatures in what was supposed to be their sacred place, a location where the everlasting bond between mother and child was permanently formed. A place that was as sacred to them as a church was to humans... that would never hear the song of life again, because I decided they didn't get to.

And soon it was done. With a final stroke of my blood-stained sword, one last swing of this instrument of murder, the last of this mountain's Wyverns fell to the ground, dead as the rocks around us. I'd long since started ignoring the pain in my arm, being only the second worse feeling coursing through me. I turned to Grael, seeing his normally pristine coat and white teeth smeared, matted, and darkened with gore. Blood covered nearly every inch of him, chunks of flesh and bone stuck in between his vicious teeth.

I imagined that I looked no better, I certainly didn't feel better. Richter the Eggsmasher. That's what I was. A great slayer of Wyverns, no doubt, but this didn't feel like a cause for celebration or pride. I hadn't rid a village or a kingdom of a vicious pack of beasts that existed solely to torment those that lived below. I hadn't saved a princess from a mighty dragon after defeating it in fair and arranged combat. I'd snuck into their safe place, the children's bedroom, when they were cradling their future and had started slashing, cutting down anything that moved.

I felt sick to my stomach, only to feel worse at the thought of what I was going to do. It was cruel, without doubt, no it was merciful compared to the other option. I looked down at my boots, seeing the blood and carnage covering them, and preparing myself for yet another atrocity. The eggs needed to be destroyed, every last one of them. There was nowhere one could raise Wyverns in the cities. it was illegal, no matter who did it, they couldn't be domesticated and that made them dangerous. These eggs would hatch in days, no more than five looking at the size of them, and they would be born into a world, reaching out and crying for a mother that wasn't there to raise them.

I wasn't a philosopher, nor was I anything close to a great mind, with wisdom beyond his years, and his eyes opened to all that happened around him... but even I knew that it was better to never experience life at all than to have it painfully taken from you before you even got a chance to live it.

I walked over to one of the nests, seeing the fertilised eggs, my bargaining ticket for a quick fuck, and raised my boot, preparing myself to put the nail in the coffin for these innocent animals, and hoping to myself that I'd never need to do this to another nesting area again.

"If you wish as such-" a female voice said from behind me, Grael and I whirling around to see a strange sight where our eyes fell.

My mind immediately registered the being as Celestia: the height of just over seven feet, the wide, buxom frame, and the soft, voice that spoke to my very soul. But it was as the person came forward, I realised that it wasn't my Aunt, but instead a stranger of inhuman beauty that spoke to Grael and I in a voice that calmed and soothed us, something we needed greatly.

"-I can can destroy this nest myself," they continued, walking towards me and letting me get a better look at them.

They were indeed similar to Celestia in terms of height and body type, but they had their distinct differences. This woman was clothed in a thick, long-sleeved dress that covered and clung tightly to her body, the fabric being a cold blue that matched the same shade of her long, flowing locks. She had a long fringe, lifted and thickened slightly, with it draping over her eye and tucking behind her ear. Her lips were plump and soft-looking, painted with the most gorgeous ice-blue lipstick I'd ever seen.

She wore a necklace, the jewel resting against her tightly-wrapped bust, being a sapphire dragon's claw, with three thick toes and smaller claws, glistening and shining in the harsh sunlight. She cocked her head at me, staring deep into my being with a blank expression, yet one look into her beautiful blue eyes made me feel as if I could fall into them. She continued to speak to me, my mind not registering her words as she walked towards me, Grael and I both stunned by the otherworldly beauty of the woman before us.

"You are injured," she said in a delicate tone, taking my ruined, multi-coloured-blood-splattered arm in her heavenly smooth hands, closing her eyes and casting a spell on the damaged limb.

I had to squint to prevent my eyes from hurting, feeling the sheer heat of the light warmly caress my face, as I felt my arm reshape itself, a weird urge to grind my teeth came as the bone was restored, followed by the worst, skin-crawling itch imaginable as the nerves reattached themselves, the muscle recovered the bone, and the skin began to knit itself together once more, feeling like an army of spiders prancing and dancing all along my arm.

Once she was done, she released my newly-repaired arm, allowing me to stare in amazement at her healing process, prodding and poking the limb and marvelling at the fact it felt good as new, without so much as a scar or a blemish on the arm, though it was lacking its usual coat of thin hairs from before.

"Thank you," I said in a quiet tone, something about the woman making me feel tranquil and at ease. "Who... who are you?"

"A friend," she said in a soft tone. "Now, I believe you came here for a purpose, did you not?"

"Y-Yeah... how did you know that?" I asked her, cocking an eyebrow in confusion.

"A voice on the wind told me," she answered, utterly confusing me with that statement. "Are your vials damaged?"

Putting aside the torrent of confusion brought on by her knowledge of both my task and my items, I put my hand in my back pouch and managed to find nothing more than glass dust, the vials having been thoroughly shattered and ground up during the fighting.

"Fuck," I spat through gritted teeth, a wash of disappointment soaking me through. "Fuck."

"Worry not," she said in a calm, comforting voice, holding her hand out in front of her, palm open and facing the sky. "I shall assist you."

She closed her eyes, moment ticking by as several snowflakes landed on her palm. When she opened her eyes once more, they were aglow with magical energy, the bright light flickering around the underside of her brow like flames licking the fireplace, a beautiful and mysterious power that I'd never seen before. She blew gently into her hand, disturbing the snowflakes and causing them to flutter around, somehow staying in her hand. As she continued to empty her lungs, the snowflakes began to shift and form, spreading and hardening until they formed into a solid glass jar, much larger than any of the vials I'd brought with me.

"Here," she said, handing the jar to me, smiling once again. "Complete your task."

The feelings I felt raging around inside me confused me more than anything I'd ever felt before. She was beautiful, busty, thick-hipped, and I could tell she had an ass wider than my torso, and thicker than honey. She was the walking definition of my perfect woman, and yet... there was no lust for her. I didn't want to strip her off and make her slobber all over my cock. I... I just wanted to hold her. I wanted to squeeze up against her beautiful body and have her wrap her arms around me. I wanted her to whisper love and affection into my ears and tell me everything I needed to hear to feel validated.

"I... thank you," I said, looking the jar, and new lid, over before turning around from the perfect woman, going over to one of the Wyvern's corpses and slitting its throat, draining the blood into the jar till it was full to the brim, the screwing the lid onto it, and standing back up. Grael had been keeping watch on the strange woman, but a loud noise, the sound of rockfall, distracted us both for less than a second, she'd vanished upon us looking back, leaving nothing more than an empty space where the most beautiful woman in the world had once stood.

The two of us were confused, looking back and forth between one another as if to confirm that had even happened. We blinked, rubbed our eyes, and examined one another's memories as the situation only seemed to confuse us more. I shook my head, feeling tired and exhausted, and not willing to rack my brain around on the matter of ghost woman and mystical snow jars. I chalked it up to being a Yuki-Onna that had chickened out of seducing me and decided to get on with my life. We returned to the castle, getting very strange looks from guards and civilians due to our filthy appearance, and soon placed the vial of blood on the desk, whistling to get Celana's attention and take it away from her plants.

"Ah!" she exclaimed happily. "You were successful. So... did you manage to get any eggs?"

"No," I said in a sombre tone. "I didn't."

"Shame... oh well," she shrugged. "At least this'll make the bath bombs brew faster."

At the last syllable of that sentence, I nearly felt my head and heart explode. Bath bombs. She'd sent me up there to speed up the brewing process of bathing supplies? She'd knowingly tasked me with ending the lives of not only the current generation of innocent animals, but also ending the bloodline of every single Wyvern in that nest. I felt unholy rage rocket through me, gritting my teeth, and clenching my fists down by my sides, fire in my heart and mind as I stormed over to Celana, roughly grabbing her by the shoulder and spinning around, sticking my face into hers and demanding an answer:

"Bath bombs?!"

"Yes, bath bombs," she nodded, not seeming to happy about my closeness to her. "Are you deaf all of a sudden now?"

"Do you have any idea what I had to do to get these?!" I bellowed, causing her to recoil slightly in surprise. "I had to brutally slaughter an entire colony of innocent animals! And for what? For some scented fucking soaps?!"

"Not soap, they're a soluble mass of scented-" she began, only to be cut off instantly.

"Celana, I couldn't give two shits and a fuck about what they are," I snarled, my face mere centimetres from hers. "You made me slaughter innocent creatures for this! For a reason worth, and I mean this literally, no more than a stick of rock candy!"

"Right, you need to do two things," Celana growled, her eyes lighting up with bright magic, not similar to the magic of the mysterious woman from before. "The first is back the fuck away from me-"

She accented this by using a force spell to shove me back, knocking me into one of the desk and causing me to bend backwards over it.

"-and the second thing is you need to stop crying into buckets about killing a bunch of damn lizards." she finished.

"What the hell did they do to deserve-"

"Hush," she growled, gently swatting me across the cheek with her magic as she continued to speak. "You need to get it through your head that a bunch of animals are never worth saving over human needs, especially the needs of important humans. If you need to build a bridge of rabbits to save a carriage full of children, you will wring the necks of those bastards with a smile because you need to value human life more than animal life."

"And you sent me up there to get fragranced-" I began, only to be cut off again.

"Fragranced bath bombs that are made out of a special alchemical formula to help prevent Elisyra's skin, muscle, and organs from eroding due to an infection she's currently battling," Celana said, storming over to me and jabbing an angry finger into my chest. "The Wyvern's blood wasn't just to help brew some fucking vanity toiletries, it was to get the plants to mature fast enough to start producing their scent, which comes from an enzyme used in the healing mixture that keeps the queen of this country alive. I have several weeks worth of these bath bombs left in her stock, and have really been cutting it close creating new ones. But the blood you got from a bunch of untanned boots allows me to brew a lot of them in excess ahead of time, as to not be one dropped pan away from losing the ruler of this country."

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me that?" I demanded.

"Why the fuck do you think you have a right to know?!" Celana barked. "The condition the queen is suffering from is meant to be confidential, as she doesn't want the public to worry about her dying before her time. I'm not allowed to go spreading the news to every Tom, Dick, and Harry that comes waltzing in here looking for assistance."

"Celana, I'm a Prince, I've dealt with hush-hush politics my entire life, and not only do I know how to keep my mouth shut, I know how important it is for necessary information to be circulated properly. So why didn't you tell me about why I was getting the blood?"

Celana was silent for a moment, an apprehensive look on her face as she thought over her response, her magma red eyes rising from the floor after a long moment and staring into my eyes.

"Because this information cannot go public," she confessed. "If anyone found out that the queen was a missed bath away from rotting from the inside out, there'd be panic on our side and play after play from every piece of filth in the country to try and use her condition to their own advantage. I don't know you, Richter, and that means I can't trust you properly. Not yet at least. That's why I didn't tell you about it."

There was a frustrated silence between us for a long moment, our chests heaving and throats hurting from a long time spent yelling. The silence lasted, even Grael remaining entirely quiet, before Celana continued to speak.

"But now that you do know, I hope you can feel a little better about what you did," she said, continuing to stare at me with her magma-red eyes. "And since I'm an honourable woman, I'll not only complete my end of the bargain and assist you with the Narrowscale..."

She went quiet for a second, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me close, squeezing her enormous bust into my chest as she rested her beautiful lips mere inches away from mine.

"The offer of sex is still on the table... just to let you know I'm sorry," she said in a lustful tone.

I sighed slowly, running the options over in my mind, and trying to make a decision. On one hand, she was manipulative and full of herself, being content to sacrifice whatever she needed to as long as she saw the moral right in the result somewhere, but on the other hand... rejecting her here could lead to problems down the road, especially in combat. I didn't want a begrudged ally, I wanted a friend who was willing to fight her hardest alongside me because she wanted to, not because she had to.

I looked at her in the eyes again, making my mind up that fucking her, using her, was the best play to make, as making her think that I didn't almost hate her would keep me in her good books for the battle. I slid my hands down her smooth body, gripping her hips tightly before locking lips with her. I was going to take her upstairs to her bedroom, fuck the life out of her, and make sure she did what I needed her for before cutting all ties with her afterwards.

With the Court Mage on our side, I could only hope that Zane and Annerose had as much 'luck' getting the mercenaries to join up with us.

Chapter 10: The Court Mage (Clop)

Once Grael had returned to the inn and Celana and I had retreated to her bedroom, I was given a full display of just how proud she was of her body. She allowed me to strip her without so much as a moment's hesitation, pulling her top away and allowing her supple, soft breasts to fall free. I planted a kiss on her neck as I took hold of her soft mounds of flesh, a quiet moan of pleasure coming from the mage as she enjoyed the sensation. I began running my tongue along her neck, the smell of her perfume flowing into my nose and heightening my arousal, and felt her hands working just as eagerly at my belt and trousers as mine were at her breasts.

Her nipples hardened underneath my palms, the rigid flesh poking into them gently as I continued to knead and press her enormous rack, the palm of each hand barely being able to cover the front of them due to their sheer size, each being more than a handful of soft, warm tissue. She moved her hands from my belt, placing them on my cheeks and aiming my mouth towards hers, her soft, wet tongue sliding over my lips and beginning to caress my own. She was a woman that liked to be in charge, that much was more than obvious, so I let her take the lead as she guided me towards the bed.

She sat me down on it, quickly straddling my waist and grinding her warm crotch against my trousers, my cock swelling to its full, monstrous size in a matter of moments thanks to the contact, the taste, and the erotic sounds of her wet gasps and moans, gently licking and sucking my tongue, wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me closer to her body, pressing her enormous tits against my chest and essentially dry humping my loins. I slid my hands over her back, down to her large, legging-wrapped ass, and squeezed it gently, it being much too big for even two hands to fully encompass, and I heard her moan into my mouth as I squeezed her rear, gently slapping the enormous object and getting a playful giggle in response.

"I want it out," I said, breaking away from her for a moment. "Now."

"If you say so," she smirked, getting off me and bending over the bed, keeping her legs straight and her ass jutting out, allowing me to once again view the object of perfection.

I didn't waste time sliding it off her or going through the faff of taking her boots off. I instead gripped the fabric with two hands right at the crack of her ass and tore it clean it half with a mighty pull, the fabric ripping loudly and a gasp of surprise coming from Celana as she looked back at me.

"Desperate, are we?" she asked in an arrogant manner. "I don't blame you."

I continued to shred the material, tearing it away from her waist and thighs until there was no more of it left than a few scraps of it around her lower legs and tucked into her boots. Once her glorious, fat ass was on display fully, with no filter or clothing to hide its sheer size or beauty, I'll admit I lost control of myself a little. I grabbed a handful, a large handful, of the bouncy white flesh and squeezed it gently, spreading her cheeks open and staring at the treasures she kept between her legs. A hungry, horny feeling washed over me as I stared longingly at her nethers, forcing me down to one knee and to press my face into her thick ass. I continued to play with, slap, and knead her backside as I buried my face in the crack of it, my tongue rolling out over her asshole an getting a surprised, yet very pleased, moan from Celana.

"Such a dirty boy..." she moaned, beginning to grind her ass back against my face, my tongue taking long, slow licks over her tight asshole, the scent of her musk and her sweat, not to mention the smell of her wet cunt wafting up to my face, brought on an animalistic desire, the likes of which I hadn't felt in a long time. I began to push my tongue against her asshole, prodding and poking the ring of muscle, but never pushing past it, as Celana began to pant quietly, lust and excitement clearly getting her more than riled up as she began to push her ass back harder, clearly wanting my tongue inside her desperately, but she was going to have to wait a while longer.

I pulled my tongue back a little, returning to the drawn out lapping I'd done previously, but added a pressured flick at the end of it, catching the upper section of her tight sphincter that pushed forward, just a little. She jumped slightly the first time I'd done it, feeling the pressure of penetration against her puckered asshole, seemingly enraptured with it finally going in, only for it to be pulled away mere moments before pushing past her sphincter and into her cove.

"Stop teasing," she growled in an annoyed manner, her thighs slicked with her own excitement and shaking eagerly.

"No," I grinned, lathering her asshole with a large amount of spit, the warmth of my saliva and the sensation of my tongue making Celana moan in anticipation. "Be patient."

"Fuck patience," she snapped. "Just eat it properly already, damn it."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, this woman clearly having no idea about the art of gentle foreplay, so I decided to give her what she wanted. I drove my tongue in past her sphincter, a sigh of relief and pleasure escaping her lungs as my tongue began to wet her insides. The scent of her asshole, sweat, and pussy had really begun to get me worked up at this point, my heart pounding and my cock throbbing, and leaking pre-cum into my underwear from sheer excitement alone.

I swirled, pushed, and twirled my tongue around inside her, her tight asshole clinging and tightening around my tongue with each pleasurable stab, and went deeper and deeper inside her cavity, assisted even more by her subtle-now-rhythmic grinding against my tongue. The muscles in her thighs tensed and relaxed as she swayed that beautiful ass of hers around in a circular motion, my hands squeezing and toying with the thick flesh as the two of us remained nearly silent, no sounds being made other than her quiet gasps and the puffs of air from my nose as I tried to prevent myself from suffocating in the crack of her ass.

After a while, I slid a hand from her ass down to her pussy, pushing and massaging her labia with my thumb, the beautiful, shaved kitty she kept there being soaking wet and velvety smooth. I soon pushed my thumb inside her, a sigh of relief through gritted teeth coming from Celana as she truly allowed her body to relax, the gentle licking and fingering allowing her to unknot her muscles and merely lie flat on the bed, her chest rising and falling in a peaceful manner she slowly built towards her orgasm.

My thumb was soon coated with her lubricant; a sweet smelling liquid that made my head spin whenever the smell wafted up through my nostrils, making me desperate to taste it, but being too content with her asshole to consider removing my face from it. Though, with the skill of tongue and thumb I possessed, Celana came. Her body shivered for a few long seconds, her mouth open and her eyes rolling back as she moaned in carnal bliss, legs trembling and toes curling into the carpet of her bedroom.

After a few seconds, I removed my thumb and tongue from her, giving her soaked asshole one final kiss before retreating from it, standing up and walking around the side of the bed to look at her. Her cheeks were bright red, both from exhaustion and pleasure, and a dumb smile was plastered over her face. She looked up at me, eyes awash with the afterglow of orgasm, before she pushed herself up, locking lips with me again and sucking my tongue. A fan of her own taste, it seemed.

I gently took hold of her shoulders, laying her down on her back, and moved my mouth to her breasts, placing an erect nipple in my mouth and beginning to suckle it gently. She closed her arms around my head, hugging me softly into her enormous tits. Slow, slightly-ragged breaths came from her mouth as her excitement combined with her exhaustion. She ran her hands through my hair, gently massaging my scalp as I began to toy with her other nipple, gently pinching and pulling at it, tweaking the rigid flesh with delicate precision acquired from a lot of experience in this field.

"You're too good to me," she whispered quietly, still hugging me close to her tits. "I think you deserve a little attention of your own now..."

Knowing what she meant, I moved back from her, stripping out of my clothing and finally unleashing the beast I'd kept locked away in my pants. Celana's jaw practically hit the floor as her eyes fell onto it; eleven thick inches of hard cock, nearly inhumanly large compared to other men, but an otherworldly treat for the women I slept with. She crawled across the bed to me, planting a soft, wet kiss on the head of my cock before looking up at me with a glint of excitement in her eyes.

"What goddess did I appease to get them to send you to me?" she asked in a bubbly tone. "Not only are you drop-dead gorgeous, muscular, obedient, and talented... you're also hung like a fucking horse and eat ass? And here I was thinking the perfect man didn't exist."

With that, she returned to kissing the head of my cock, gently sliding the beginning of the tip into her lips, just enough to get the large head wet, a groan of satisfaction sliding through my teeth as she began to roll her tongue over the of the head, slicking it with her spit. She kept eye contact the entire time, something I always enjoyed, and watched her magma-red orbs stare longingly into mine as she slowly began to take more and more of the head with each kiss, her gentle pecks and licks soon turning into gentle sucks. It was more than enough to make me long for her proper treatment.

She was bobbing her entire body forward at this point, finally having taken the entire head into her mouth, her lips curling around the mushroom tip, and now beginning to suck properly, gentle moans and slurping sounds escaping from the sides of her mouth as she pulled back, using her tongue to prod, lick, and lather my monstrous cock with spit. I wondered just how good she was, as I'd slept with women who could work the head like a goddess, but couldn't take it deeper than five inches. Although, to my satisfaction, she was slowly taking more and more of it into her mouth with each bob of her form.

Soon she'd managed to slip four inches with seemingly no effort into her mouth, her lips clinging to my cock like a vice as the head rolled over her wet, warm tongue. Pre-cum leaked out onto the muscle, a satisfied moan coming from Celana as she got the taste of my seed, continuing to take it deeper and deeper, half an inch at a time. I was soon at the back of her throat, feeling it tighten as it got closer and closer to her gullet. I was overjoyed to feel the head of my cock slip past her tonsils and into her throat without her so much and coughing. Celana didn't have a gag reflex and her dick-sucking skills on top of that put her in the top five of the best women I'd ever had, so far.

The entire time her mouth worked its magic on me, she didn't look away from my eyes. I ran a hand through her snow-white hair, moving her fringe off her face before placing it at the back of her head, slowly beginning to buck my hips forward and gently fucking her mouth. My cock was squeezed and pressured by her warm throat, the talented seductress using her throat muscles to great effort, gently half-swallowing to give not only a pulling sensation on my shaft, but also the feeling of her powerful throat muscles pulling and rubbing against my dick. It was only made better as she pulled back slightly, the friction making me groan in pleasure.

The girl was good, really good, and there was no denying that her mouth worked wonders on my shaft. She was now showing off her true skill as she was able to take my monster cock down to the base, her tongue now gently prodding and lapping at my big balls. My reproductive organs were getting more than ready to blow a load into her throat should she keep up this amazing performance.

"Relax for a minute," I said to her in a calm voice. "I wanna fuck it myself."

She did as instructed, seeming to brace herself on the bed, spreading her legs apart wider and placing her hands a good distance apart, as I placed my second hand behind her head, now picking up the pace as I fucked her throat, my crotch pressing against her face as the sound of her throat clinging to my cock as it pumped in and out of her mouth filled the room. This seemed to be the only time she broke eye contact, squeezing them shut as this seemed to cause her the slightest bit of discomfort, but clearly something she wasn't able to handle, and since she made no indication or request for me to stop, I kept going.

I eventually hit it home with her, sliding my cock all the way into her throat and keeping it there for a long moment. Her eyes rolled back into her head as a heavy, oxygen-deprived blush spread onto her cheeks, trying her best to keep on my shaft until her lungs became desperate. She lasted a good ten seconds, especially seeing as how she hadn't had time to suck in a preparation breath, before she gently tapped me on the leg with her finger, this being a signal she needed to breathe.

I did as she wanted, pulling the entirety of my cock out, pulling her forward slightly in the process, and broke the thick spit trails connecting my shaft to her mouth, as she sat up, resting on her knees and wiping the spit away from her mouth, panting heavily as she tried to get her breath back. Her eyes soon lifted from my enormous cock to my face, a playful smile spreading onto her mouth once more as she rolled her shoulder, her lungs full once more as she spoke.

"I have to say..." she began. "I'm really impressed. I expected most little boys like you to be swinging that thing around like a new sword. But you've got some control in you. That natural talent, or trained skill?"

"A bit of the former and a lot of the latter," I said, gently petting her on the head. "I've got a lot of practice with this kind of thing."

"Then how do you wanna smash me?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow. "I'm interested to know how you like it."

"We've been going nice and gentle so far, so why not keep it nice and gentle?" I asked her. "I think a nice lock-down reverse cowgirl is a good way to end this."

"Okay, I've been around the block for a while..." she chuckled. "And I've never heard that one before. Care to explain?"

"I prefer to do it through demonstration," I shrugged, beginning to guide her towards the bed before she stopped me briefly.

"Just as a query," she began. "I know you're an Alicorn, but can you reproduce with humans? Just because I really don't wanna get pregnant and need to know if I'm gonna have to brew up a few contraceptive chews afterwards."

"You don't need to worry about that," I said with a shake of my head. "Alicorn can only breed with Alicorn, so I'm essentially sterile."

"Oh," she said, scratching the back of her head in an awkward manner. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Hey, at least I don't need to worry about knocking up random strangers," I said with a shrug. "Now, down to our lesson?"

"Uhhh... sure," she nodded. "Where do you want me?"

"Hang on a second," I said, lying down against the headboard and patting myself on the stomach. "Come here."

She did as instructed, angling herself for a regular reverse cowgirl position before I placed a hand on her ass, getting her to stop moving.

"Right, now when you slide down onto it, I'm gonna hook my legs over yours, okay?" I asked her, angling her body as she slid her wet, tight cunt down onto my throbbing shaft.

Once she was down on it, I got her to shift onto her knees and slide her legs backwards so that her feet were resting by my sides. I then lifted my own legs up and placed them over hers, the inside of my thighs resting against the outside of hers, essentially 'locking' her into place.

"There we go," I said, groaning in pleasure as she grinded her cunt on my cock, keeping us both on a pleasure buzz while we worked this out. "See?"

"And I'm just meant to move like usual, yeah?" she asked. "Until you're ready to pop?"

"Do you mind me cumming inside you?" I asked her, toying with her asscheeks and hole while we spoke.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "You can't knock me up, and a creampie always feels better for both parties. You ready for me to start moving?"

"Go right ahead," I said, cracking her on the ass in a similar manner that you get a horse to start moving.

She giggled quietly and began to pump her hips up and down my cock, using her knees to rock herself up and forwards before slamming herself down hard on my cock. Due to Celana's smaller size and the massive size of my cock, the head of my dick ended up kissing her cervix every time she slammed herself down onto me, the tip of my cock getting gently squeezed by the tight organ. The sex between us stayed gentle; we wanted it to, as neither of us were in the mood for a bone-shattering fuck.

We kept it neutral, the bed creaking slightly each time Celana dropped her cunt back down on me, her ass shaking and bouncing in an almost hypnotising manner as she did so. I sucked my thumb for a brief moment, getting the digit nice and wet before using both hands to spread her titanic ass open and plunged my thumb deep inside her, going down to the second knuckle in less than a second, and getting a loud gasp from the Court Mage, groaning loudly as I pumped my thumb in and out of her tight asshole, Celana returning the favour by picking up her riding speed, using the mattress' bounce to push herself back up faster and slam herself down harder.

My cock was soon slicked with her cunt juices, the viscous, sweet-smelling liquid making the sunlight coming in through her open curtains shine off it brightly. I continued to pound her cunt, now throwing my own hips into it and using my toned abdomen and strong legs to really get it deep in her. A loud sound of smacking flesh and squelching genitals filled the room, second in volume only to Celana's loud, pleasured moans. I gently pulled to the side with my thumb, spreading her tight asshole open nice and wide, coaxing a louder moan of bliss from Celana as I did so.

She was a freak for it in the ass, and that was something I really liked. I tried as best as I could that this little session of hers was nothing more than a ploy to get her on my side... but the way she worked my cock made me think I'd have difficulty cutting ties with her like I said I would. She was too beautiful, too willing, and too good of a fuck to just love and leave. I'd need to start making monthly trips to Winter's Maw, wining and dining with my Court Mage fuck-buddy to get another taste of her ass and another ride from her.

No, forget about her pussy... next time I wanted that perfect ass of her. Though that did make me think: it was right in front of me, here and now. I know I'd said that I wanted to cum in her pussy, but that goddess'-gift-to-mankind was right there, bouncing in its beautiful rhythm. It was clear Celana liked having her asshole played with. I'd eaten it for ten minutes and she was really enjoying the thumb in it now. So why would she be opposed to my cock? The more I thought about it, the more appealing it seemed.

I wanted to fuck her in the ass. I wanted to ram my monster cock so deep into that perfect, slutty ass of hers and blow my load into it. There was nothing stopping me, so why was I hesitating? I did as I wanted, placing two hands on Celana's ass and making her stop, the mage looking back at me with a curious expression.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, moving her sweat-slicked hair out of her eyes.

"I wanna fuck you in the ass," I said, putting it as bluntly as I could.

"Yeah?" she asked with an excited grin on her face.

"Yeah," I said, sliding out of her pussy and changing positions. "Hold on a second."

Doggystyle would've been a good way to end this, but I wanted in that asshole deep. I changed where I stood, placing my feet by Celana's knees so that I was slightly above her ass. She seemed to be trembling with excitement as I gripped her hips, aiming my cock with one hand and pushing it deep into her tight asshole, both of us moaning with near-orgasm pleasure. This ride wasn't going to last an insanely long time, but we knew that our little ass fetish that we shared would make this feel much better than anything else.

I started thrusting again, really getting something depth into the wet caverns of her asshole, Celana's face now being fucked into the bed as her eyes rolled backwards and pants began to escape her lungs. The bed bounced, creaking loudly at this point as my cock hit against her ass and my balls began slapping her pussy, the feeling of her tight sphincter squeezing my cock as she tensed up even more driving me crazy, but not nearly as much as the feeling of the rest of her asshole clinging to and swallowing the entirety of my length.

Celana soon began moaning, repeating a chorus of 'Yes' and 'Fuck' as she felt pleasure wash through her like an ocean wave. My own levels of enjoyment soon began to reach its peak, sweat now clinging to our entire bodies as we really put in the work for this last position. I was digging my fingers into her wide hips, probably leaving marks from the strength of the hold, but neither of us seemed to care at this point. We were at the tipping point of a joint orgasm as my massive cock continued to pulverise Celana's insides, making sure she wouldn't be sitting down without pain for a few hours, at least.

And like a tidal wave, the orgasm hit us both, my balls tucking against my body as I came, shooting several thick ropes of hot, sticky cum deep into her insides. Celana's head rocketed back as she came herself, tongue hanging from her mouth as moisture collected in the sides of her beautiful eyes, taking more and more of the load in her asshole before I finally finished cumming, pulling out and watching as a few drops of cum spilled onto her perfect ass.

I had a final, filthy idea before we stopped: I moved around to her face and held my cock in front of her mouth. The white-haired harlot wasted no time launching herself onto my cock and began sucking it, being a definite fan of her own taste plus a little cum seasoning. She soon rested down on her hip, keeping herself nice and relaxed and allowing cum to spill out of her asshole and onto the bed sheets as she continued to suck my cock, the two of us rather content to stay with each other for a long while, so long as we kept each other riding on that post-orgasm high.

Chapter 11: Progress Report

I trailed a finger down Celana's nude form as I sat on the edge of the bed, neither of us being willing to end our little session together too early. As such, we'd remained together for a time longer, though I knew in the back of my mind that I needed to return to the inn, as the others would most certainly be waiting for me at this point.

"Well..." I said in a reluctant tone. "I must be off. Can I find you here when I need you for the dragon?"

"Of course," she nodded, sitting up straight and hugging her knees to her chest. "Am I going to be waiting long for you?"

"Depends how the others are doing," I shrugged.

"Others?"

"Yes, my friends Zane and Annerose are here helping me take the thing down," I nodded. "They went to the Barb Tail Mercenary Guild to get a little extra muscle, and I came here to get a little bit of magic... and, as it so happened, get a lot of ass as well."

She smirked in a proud manner, leaning forwards and kissing me once more before moving to get up off the bed.

"Then I'll speak to Elisyra about getting you that armour," she said, looking down at what was left of her torn leggings and the boots I'd never bothered to take off her. "And getting a new wardrobe sorted out. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Don't mention it," I chuckled, getting off the bed and beginning to get dressed as well. I tucked and fastened my clothing properly, tied my boost on, and strapped my gear back in its usual place before joining my cape around my neck and pulling the hood up.

"I should be back in a few days," I said to her as I headed towards the door. "But don't plan everything around it. We might be here a while if something fucks up."

"Fair enough," she said, wandering over to her wardrobe and searching through her clothing for something to cover her nethers. "Just don't make it ridiculous."

"I won't," I said, hand on the door handle before I stopped moving, having a stupid thought go through my head. "Hey... Celana?"

"Yes?" she asked, removing her tattered leggings and boots.

"Would you be okay with making this a semi-regular thing?" I asked her. "Me coming to visit every now again?"

"'Visit'," she phrased, chuckling to herself as she shook her head. "You want us to be sex friends, you mean?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Is that not an option?"

"I'm afraid not," she said in a neutral tone. "I'm not a woman that wants to tie herself into a relationship of any sort, be it sex or romance. So as much as I've enjoyed our time together today, I'm afraid we're going to go our separate ways from now on, at least, in the bedroom, that is."

"Huh," I said, feeling slightly stung about it, but by no means upset or angry. "Then I guess it's a good job I thought to take you up the ass while I was here today, isn't it?"

"Most certainly," she giggled. "What you did to me today is something most men would die for."

"Well," I said, opening the door and heading out of it. "I almost did."

With that, I closed the door behind me and headed out of the castle, contacting Grael over our connection and giving him a brief description of what had transpired.

"So, you're certain she'll help us?" he asked me.

"Positive," I nodded. "She's definitely going to be fighting her hardest and says she'll get the extra equipment for us."

"Good. Then you'd better get over to the Barb Tail camp," Grael said. "You're gonna wanna see what's going on over here."

I was confused at first, but after receiving mental directions from the Direwolf, I made my way over to the large, near-fortress-sized building with guards positioned around it, all wearing blue plate armour with a spiked tail as the insignia, almost resembling a cat's tail. I explained that I was here for a job offer for the boss of the mercenaries and they said my friends were already negotiating a deal with the boss, waving me in without a hassle.

"Rather polite for a bunch of hired killer," I thought to myself.

I wandered into the courtyard, my ears picking up the sounds of cheers and applause as I got closer and closer to a large arena-like area. I wandered over to its grounds, gently pushing through them all to see what was going on. Annerose was down there on her own, currently pummeling the teeth out of one of the mercenaries, smashing him hard enough in the face to knock him clean back and onto the scattered pile of at least twenty other unconscious beaten men and women.

I looked around to see if someone was in charge, wondering exactly what was going on here before I was patted on the back, alarming me from the contact.

"Finally managed to get here, eh?" the voice’s owner asked, guiding me out of the crowd and away from the arena. I looked to see that the person was Zane.

"I was a little tied up," I shrugged. "What's Annerose up to?"

"She got bored after about an hour and has just been doing that for most of the day," Zane shrugged, nodding to one of the guards as they opened the door and let us through. "She started to get really pent up during the negotiations and asked if there was a training room or something she could use to blow off steam. And, as it often does with her, she managed to turn a simple cool-down session into a one-against-all-comers fight club where she'll end up getting however much is bet on her if she wins. Here's hoping she wins as well, because we need the money."

"Negotiations not going well?" I asked.

"Oh, no. They're more than willing to do the job as soon as we put down the deposit," Zane said, holding a door open for me and allowing me to walk past him, getting a nod and a thank you in response. "And we've managed to convince them to take whatever's in the dragon's cave as payment once we're done here."

"So what's the problem them?" I asked.

"Their deposit is seventy five thousand crowns," Zane said in a growling voice. "And they refuse to lower it, no matter how much we say is in the cave."

"And how much is Annerose expecting to win from the bets?" I asked.

"About nine hundred gold, at best,"

"Fuck," I growled, not finding these circumstances the best. "So what are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Zane said. "The boss here said she wanted to wait to talk to you directly before making any sort of concrete arrangements. Said she had something that might help us get the money together, but that it's dangerous as all hell."

"She?" I asked in an intrigued manner.

"Try to keep it in your pants around her, Rick," Zane said, rolling his eyes. "Mostly because she'll cut if off if you don't."

"Noted," I nodded, seeing Zane come to a halt outside a door with a golden shield mounted on it, knocking loudly on the painted metal shield which produced a loud, hollow ringing noise.

"Enter!" a female voice barked.

Zane did as instructed, allowing me to follow him inside the room, and coming face-to-face with the boss of the Barb Tails, and she was not what I was expecting. In the chair sat a woman, appearing to be close to thirty in age, with long blue hair tied up in a thick ponytail. Her eyes were the same colour as her hair, but hers seemed to burn with a permanent anger, staring me down with a scrutinising glare that told me she was evaluating my worth as a person right now.

But her eternal fury and odd-coloured hair didn't surprise me. What did was the set of fuzzy cat ears that sat atop her head, twitching and flicking every now and again, as well as the tip of the swishing cat tail I could see hanging beneath her chair. She was a Nekomata, an extremely rare sight in this part of the world, as they hardly ever left the Eastern Continent. They were usually slightly air-headed and ditzy creatures that had a liking to warm houses, warm food, and sleeping, usually getting jobs as maids or cooks in this part of the world.

But this one held none of the standards of her race. She stood up to her full height, being an inch and a half taller than I was, and continued to glare at me. She was dressed in the same plate armour the rest of her guild wore, and even through that thick, well-forged armour I could tell she was hiding a set of tits that would make even the bustiest of human women feel a little inadequate. I could see the same with the curve of her leggings at her hips: they needed a lot of fabric back there to wrap up that big ass of hers and the armour and clothing hanging over that perfect curve didn't hide it at all.

"So..." she began in a rough voice. "This is him?"

"Indeed it is," Zane nodded, watching as the catgirl wandered over to me, being able to look down at me from her height of six-one.

"He doesn't look impressive," she said in a disappointed manner. "Though, I suppose if he was, he wouldn't be coming to us for help now, would he?"

I really wanted to snap back at her, to make some snide remark about her being so low on my list of preferred allies that she was practically hanging off the paper, but I held my tongue. I didn't want to make any enemy of this woman, nor make an ass of myself, as she didn't seem like the kind of woman I could mouth off to without her either completely retracting her offer of help or kicking the living shit out of me.

"I'm sorry you think that," I said in a quiet voice.

Great one, Richter. Really paint yourself as the beta bitch she thinks you are.

I could tell from the scoff she made that my statement had only cemented her opinion of me as some whelp that couldn't hold a sword straight. It seemed that while I'd been able to easily adapt and pick up my Aunt Luna's methods of intimidation and threats of violence, I completely lacked my other abilities to appeal to and request help from people without seeming like a simpering whimp.

"Never come across as if you need their help, and instead try to spin it that you can offer them something in return," her words went through my head. "The concept of reward will still be there, but you won't look desperate or weak, which usually makes them less likely to try and take advantage of you."

And I fucked that up royally.

"Tell me, this trial you’re doing," she said. "Is it to earn a crown or a set of testicles? Because I'm pretty sure that before you become a king, you become a man first."

This one got to me, and it made a retort leap out of my mouth so quickly that I didn't even have time to attempt to stop it.

"It is for kingship," I growled angrily. "And this part of the test is to instill in me the patience to deal with stuck-up, fur-ball pricks like you who don't have a clue about their place in the world."

I can tell that I pissed her off with that one, her eyes lighting up in a fiery manner, the likes of which I'd only ever seen in Luna. She immediately went for her sword, only for me to draw the small knife I'd strapped to my wrist, thanking Luna a thousand times over for this amazing trick, and brought the knife up to her throat, making her freeze in place.

"Go on," I snarled, continuing to bluff my way through this situation, hoping and praying that she didn't call it and escalate this to violence, or else this'd be a fight I wasn't winning without a lot of pain involved. "I've yet to put a Nekomata hide on my wall, and you're the perfect candidate. So go right ahead and draw that sword of yours, I promise I'll find a nice place above the mantelpiece for you."

There was a moment of silence between the two of us, her hand resting just above the hilt of her blade, her fingers twitching briefly, while I applied more pressure to the hunting knife at her throat, now pressing hard enough for it to cause her skin to go white. The standoff lasted for a long moment, the Nekomata clearly weighing up her options, casting her eyes to me, then to Zane, and then down to the hand that held the blade. Eventually she sighed, returning her hand to her side and stepping away me, nodding in acceptance.

"There's no way you'd get out alive if you killed me," she shrugged. "But I'm really not willing to get vengeance from beyond the grave, to be honest. So we'll leave it at this and start talking about business, okay?"

"I was told you had a suggestion to help us get ahold of the money we need for your deposit?" I asked, sliding the hunting knife back into its sheath on my wrist.

"Indeed I do," she said, walking back over to her desk, my eyes travelling down to that big kitty rear of hers, watching her tail swish and flick around as she moved.

She picked up a piece of paper off the desk and offered it to me. I took the aged weather notice and read through it briefly to get a basic description of it. It was a notice from the Royal Guard asking any group of hunters to track down and slay a manticore that was roaming around the forests outside the city and attacking merchant caravans that made their way through there. The reward was eighty thousand crowns, more than enough to pay the deposit with five grand left over for any other purchases we'd need to make for preparations.

A manticore was a dangerous creature, especially so to the unprepared and untrained, but was by no means an impossible kill. If we brewed up some anti-venom, made sure to wear decent enough armour, and focused on the wings and tail, it would simply become nothing more than a big lion. Now breaking it down like that was an oversimplification on the level of 'If you want to be the greatest swordsman ever, win all the time', and it would be, by no stretch of the imagination, as easy as hacking the tail and wings off. It was going to be a difficulty fight, even if we were prepared, and there was a hell of a risk with it.

But we really didn't have a choice. Even with the elemental armour and one of the strongest human mages alive, we still didn't stand much of any kind of chance against an ancient Narrowscale Dragon. No, we needed the mercenaries to help fight her, and we would be fucked if they weren't there. So risk or not, we needed to kill this thing and get the reward for it, or else this Rite would turn into a suicide mission, which is not what I brought my friends and family here for.

"Do we need to sign up for a hunter's guild to claim this?" I asked her. "They're usually really anal when it comes to unlicensed monster killing."

"You probably do," she nodded. "But do us all a favour: make it as quick as you can, or else somebody might come and offer us a job in the Arid Plains and make us disappear for two years."

I folded up the piece of paper and tucked it into a pouch on my belt, turning back to Zane.

"Let's go get the others, we're getting signed up and taking this thing down tomorrow," I said with a look of fierce determination on my face. "We're all going home by the end of the week."

Chapter 12: Hunter's Guild

After managing to drag Annerose out of the arena, the Queen of Combat not willing to leave her throne of unconscious people until it sat at least three meters higher, she finally calmed down and allowed one of the mercenary's medics to take a look at her injuries. She wasn't too badly beat up; barely anyone had managed to get any decent blows on her, and she'd only started slipping after taking down about thirty of them, but there were a few dings and scratches we needed to clean up so as to not get them infected.

She'd received a decently-sized shiner on her right eye, that being the only direct hit anyone had managed to score on her, as well as a bust lip, scratches on her elbows and knees from grappling on the floor, and a few light bruises from the strikes she'd managed to dodge mostly the brunt of; although, she managed to take a few spare knuckles and toe. The medic was swabbing the cuts on her knees with rubbing alcohol, to which Annerose showed no more reaction to the pain than a brief twitch in the eye as she sat back and waited for her to finish up.

"You really shouldn't be arena fighting," the medic said in a disapproving manner. "You're much too pretty to risk having your face smashed in."

"I'm also too good to ever let that happen," she shrugged, resting her hands behind her head.

"That black eye tells me different," the medic said, looking up at the swollen flesh around her eye.

"Is 'Nagging condescension' gonna be included on your consultation fee?" Annerose asked, her temper clearly flaring up. "Because if it is, you can put your crap away and let me go now."

"I'm only trying to say that you should reconsider the path you're walking on," she said, sounding rather offended by Annerose's tone. "There's no need to for you to get so irritable."

"And there's also no need for you to stick your fucking nose into places where it doesn't belong," Annerose snarled. "So you better pull it out of my business before I boot it to the back of your skull."

The medic had clearly had enough of her at this point, immediately getting up and demanding that Annerose leave, pointing to the doorway where I was standing with an enraged expression.

"Fucking finally," Annerose yawned, stretching out and grabbing her coat as she moved towards me. "Figured I'd be getting my yearly check up by the time you'd finished."

The two of us left the room, the medic slamming the door behind us and audible cursing Annerose as she stormed back to her instruments.

"So-" Annerose said, turning to me with a smile. "Where's the rest of our Bum Chums?"

"They went to find this city's Hunter's Guild," I answered, resting my thumbs in my belt as we walked. "We've got a manticore to take care of."

"Sounds fun," Annerose nodded. "Haven't been for a good hunt in a while, have we?"

"Indeed we haven't," I said with a smirk. "What was the last thing we took down? Was a Leichfress, wasn't it?"

"I thought it was a Volthound?" Annerose asked, looking at me with a curious expression. "Outside Quincy, eight or nine months ago?"

"But wasn't the Leichfress before the snow melted?" I asked, both of us confused to all hell by this. "It was, right?"

"It's apparently been so long that neither of us remembers," she shrugged. "But anyway, a manticore's a bigger deal than the other two. Do we know much about it?"

"Not much other than that it exists and it kills people," I said, shaking my head. "We'll pick up hints about it once we start tracking it. Hopefully the other guys get a full brief when we join up."

The two of us made small talk as we made our way through the city, following sign posts and resident directions to find the Hunter's Guild. It wasn't a particularly impressive construction; nothing more than a simple stone building, three stories tall, with a sign on it featuring a dragon's head with a sword through it, and a basic job board under an overhang, possibly to protect it from the rain.

"It's no wonder the dragons don't get along with us," I chuckled, looking up at the sign on the building.

"I thought it was because they're a bunch of stuck-up nob jockeys that refuse to accept that they're not the best thing in town," Annerose suggested. "Pretty sure that's a bigger issue than them getting a little pissy at a sign of ours."

"True," I shrugged. "Just wonder how Heimili's going to be when we finally get to her."

"If I have my way, then she's going to be dead," Annerose said in a determined manner. "Now, let's see how the other two are doing."

We entered the building, feeling a warm rush of pub chatter and hot air blow over both of us, and looked around for Grael and Zane as we meandered through the other hunters. There truly were people here from all walks of life, men and women, each packing different armour, weapons, and gear for their own hunts, ranging from spears, to swords, to magic in a few rarer cases: a woman by the fireplace on her own holding what appeared to be Summoner Cards, magically infused playing cards that allowed the user to summon all kinds of magical creatures to fight for them, and a group of three young girls, possibly no older than fourteen, all wearing Elementa Gauntlets, magically enchanted armour that would allow them to create and control whatever element was infused into the gem set in the back of the hand.

"Truly a varied bunch," I said, motioning for Annerose to take a look around.

"Indeed they are," she nodded, crossing her arms and looking around for the other two. "See them anywhere?"

I closed my eyes for a second, focusing on the link I had with Grael and feeling a warmth in the back right of my skull; the heat was our link's way of telling each other where we were. I turned around, looking up slightly to the second floor and feeling my head get warmer, knowing that he was up on the third floor, judging from the heat being at a single location, but not as hot as it should be if he were closer.

"They're upstairs," I said. "Wonder what they're doing up there?"

"Let's go find out," Annerose said, locating the staircase up to the next floor and going towards it, allowing me to follow behind her.

The second floor appeared to be a dining area, where yet more hunters were sat around discussing things over their food and drink, the mix of smells and scents being both pleasant and sickening, depending on where you were in the room. We continued past the dining area, and up to the third floor, finding this one to be a mix of the administration offices and bed chambers, both public, presumably for the hunters, and private, for the owners of the place.

I could hear, and practically feel, Grael's bassy voice vibrating through the floor from a room closed off by a large, posh oak door with a guard positioned outside of it. I waved my hand to the guard, getting their attention, before walking over to them and inquiring about what Grael and Zane were doing.

"I'm guessing you two are the friends they mentioned?" the guard asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we're here for the manticore hunt," I nodded. "Nobody else taken it yet?"

"That's what they're finding out," he said, nodding to the door. "You'd best see for yourself."

He stepped out of the way, allowing both of us to enter the room and see the sight going on before us. There were the other two standing on one side of the room, in front of a desk where an old, short woman sat with a very bemused look on her face, and on the other side of the room was a woman I could swear I'd seen before, but couldn't place the face. She was a hunter, that much was obvious, and she was one that was both serious and accomplished when it came to this line of work. She was a tall woman, being the same height as my mother, with jet-black hair, sleek, beautiful features, and one of the worst cases of resting bitch face I'd ever seen.

She was garbed in black plate armour, the matte finish and long, flowing cape attached around her neck really giving her the look of grim death, and the cold stare in her blood-red eyes really didn't give any other impression. I could make out a sword by her waist, the hilt of which was hidden by the cape over her sides, but from the look of the sheath, it was a high-quality make. This was a woman that screamed of power and authority, someone who'd paid for her armour and weapons with the blood of dead beasts and seemed to have no qualms on turning her blade of humans, judging by the look she gave me.

"Great," she snarled in a cold, hate-filled voice. "More amateurs coming to waste my time."

"Nice to meet you too," I said in just as unfriendly a manner, looking over at Grael. "She going to be a problem?"

"A big one," Grael nodded, eyeing up the female knight with pure hatred in his eyes. "But nothing we can't handle."

"I’d like to see you try," she smirked. "I want all four of you to know that if you try to take this contract from me, I will kill you all as soon as you set foot outside. Nobody is taking this job from me, and I promise you that."

"So we've got a big girl with a big mouth and a big ego?" Annerose asked in an angry manner. "Perfect. It's more than satisfying to hear them plead for mercy after I've beat them to the floor."

"Wanna test that, honey?" the knight asked, storming over to Annerose.

I got in the way of the two of them, only for her to attempt to shove me aside, really wanting to start a fight with Annerose. Deciding that if she was picking a fight with one of us, she was picking one with all of us, I grabbed hold of her wrist and twisted it viciously, causing her to bend over before slamming my knee into her stomach. She gritted her teeth furiously, shoving me back with beyond-human strength into the wall, cracking the wood on impact and knocking the wind out of me.

Grael leaped at her, snarling viciously, only to be caught by the throat and thrown around, directly into me, bringing us both down for the count. She then moved on Annerose, booting her full in the chest and sending her crumpling to the floor, leaving only Zane to stand up, launching his chair at her as he did so. The wooden object smashed against her without so much as annoying her, her red eyes turning on the enormous man. She rocketed over to him, Zane showing no look of fear in his eyes despite her strength, and she threw a punch, putting all of her power into the blow, only for Zane to catch it in the palm of his hand without so much as blinking.

Her eye widened in fear for a brief moment as Zane, dragged her hand down, using his other hand to grab her by the throat, lifting her entirely off her feet and choke-slamming her into the floor, cracking the wood loudly and making everything in the room shake. Not finished with her just yet, he cocked back his other fist and punched her as hard as he could. I think she counted herself lucky that her strength was backed up by resilience, as I'd seen Zane punch through people before, and a blow like that would've turned her skull to paste if she was a normal human.

The blow slammed into her, knocking her entire body deeper into the floor, nearly through the damn thing, before she booted Zane in the chest, knocking him back into the wall and destroying a framed picture. The other three of us were back to our feet at this point, weapons and teeth drawn as Zane prepared himself again. All three of us rushed at her, but once she had her weapon drawn and her expectations for what all four of us could do in an accurate ball-park, she seemed nearly untouchable.

A flurry of lightning-fast and devastating strikes was launched from her blade, fists, and feet. She sliced deep into Grael's shoulder, making the enormous Direwolf yelp like a puppy, punched Annerose so hard in the stomach she began vomiting blood before she even hit the floor, and kicked Zane through the door we'd entered through, knocking him straight out into the corridor. She then turned on me, flipping her sword around in her hand and aiming a stab straight for my unarmoured stomach, only for a furious bellow to sound over the din and bright, yellow magic blasted all around the room, freezing all of us in position.

Confusion was abounding at this point, only to be removed when we all spotted the magic had come from the old woman. She got out of her chair, eyes alight with fury, before she began scolding us.

"It says on the sign outside: 'Keep your petty squabbles and hunter's beefs outside of this building!'" she snapped. "When we're in here, there will be no fighting, no maiming, and certainly no killing. Once you're all outside, I don't give a damn what you do. But I will not have you thunder-heads ruining my home over something this childish!"

With that, we were all released from the magical seal, only for our knight friend to aim for a dirty trick. She relaunched her attack, once again plunging her sword towards my stomach, only for the old woman to teleport in front of her, holding up her exposed palm and allowing the sword to hit against it; to my surprise, the sharp tip of the blade barely dented the skin. The black knight's eyes widened in fear as the old woman's lit up brightly, anger sparking in them as she cocked back her fist and punched the black knight as hard as she could, clearly breaking her nose on impact and launching her, not into, but through the window in the room and out into the street down below.

Her pained yell soon faded from existence as she landed hard on the floor. We couldn't see what she was doing, but since there was no massive leap back into the room, we assumed she wasn't stupid enough to try and pick a fight in here again, especially against the powerhouse of a woman that ran it.

"Are you okay, young man?" she asked me.

I nodded frantically, rushing over to Grael and Annerose, each lying on the floor and whimpering in agony, Grael's shoulder cut open down to his bone being visible, and Annerose's internal organs clearly being ruptured by the punch alone. Zane and I were mostly fine, apart from the sheer panic spreading through us.

"What the fuck are we gonna do!?" I demanded. "Annerose isn't gonna survive this! We're nowhere near a healer!"

"Calm down," the woman said. "I'll tend to the girl first."

She did as promised, kneeling down next to Annerose, the poor girl's face stained with blood and tears as she convulsed and continued to vomit out blood, her hair now soaked from the puddle of it she was lying in. The woman's hand lit up a bright yellow, gently placing it against Annerose' stomach and closing her eyes, humming a tune to herself quietly. There was no visible sign of her injuries getting better, and my heart was pounding in my chest like a ceremonial drum as the fear of losing my friend consumed me.

Several moments went by and Annerose' expression told me that the pain had ceased, and so had the vomiting. She sat up, placing a hand on her stomach and breathing deeply, seemingly nervous about experiencing pain should she breathe too fast, but she experienced no such thing. She wiped the blood from her mouth, clearly feeling dizzy from the loss of such a large amount, but was able to stay conscious. The woman then moved onto Grael, the Direwolf putting on a very brave face as his shoulder was visibly spit, blood pouring into his fur as the muscle, sinew, and bone remained on full display.

The woman set about healing that quickly, seemingly looking much easier to knit the muscle and skin back together, patted Grael on the head once he was healed, and congratulated him on being a good boy. She turned back to us, looking over me and Zane before deciding we were fine, and then headed back to her desk, sitting down with a heavy sigh.

"I think it best you four remain here for a while," she said in a calm tone. "Arala is not a forgiving woman, especially when scorned and humiliated as she was here today."

"Arala..." I mumbled. "I know that name from somewhere..."

"One of Princess Luna's exiled knights," the old woman answered, getting my attention immediately. "The Lunar Alicorn often takes on apprentices to train in the same manner she did, enhancing their abilities as they pass each stage of their training. Arala was one such trainee, but Luna refused to finish her training after she revealed herself to be an unstable psychopath."

That's why the name sounded familiar. I'd heard Luna talking to my mother and aunt a long time ago about her, said she was entirely unstable and derived too much enjoyment from killing, no matter what it was. I looked back to my friends and back to the old woman, a second question coming to my mind as I looked at her for a long moment.

"Who are you, exactly?" I asked her.

"My name is Angie," she answered. "Angie Svert."

"Angie Svert... as in world-famous Construct Mage Angie Svert?" I asked, knowing that name from Twilight's book collection.

"The very same," she nodded. "Are you a fan?"

"My Aunt Twilight is," I nodded. "A huge fan."

"Young Miss Sparkle?" she asked, a surprised expression spreading onto her aged face. "You're her nephew?"

"Yeah... have you met her before?"

"I was the one that trained her how to use Construct Magic to begin with," Angie nodded. "The last time I spoke to her, she said that you were still teething. Goddesses Above, has it truly been that long since I've seen her?"

"What are you doing here running a Hunter's Guild?" I asked her. "Shouldn't you be out making millions running a school or something?"

"I did, a long time ago," she said. "In fact, it was your Aunt Twilight that holds the title of my last student. I shut down my Academy after running it for four hundred years, and she managed to get her foot in the door, so to speak. This was back before she'd undergone her transformation, that gene therapy, or whatever it was Celestia had done to her. I don't think I've ever seen a more powerful human mage in all my years..."

"Not to interrupt the pleasantries-" Zane said, keeping an eye on Annerose and Grael, despite the former's insistence that she was completely fine. "But we need to get signed up to go after that manticore before Arala does."

"You don't need to worry," Angie said with a polite smile. "Even if she does kill it herself, she never signed off on the contract, so she won't get the money. And she's not the kind of woman that works for free."

"Though she's definitely going to be keeping an eye out for us," Grael said in a heavy tone. "A woman as angry as that doesn't let something like this slide, not even for the world."

"So if she comes after us, we kill her," I shrugged. "Simple."

"After the beating she just handed us?" Annerose asked in a sceptical manner. "You're fucking joking, right?"

"Hey, remember that she got the drop on us in an enclosed space with no prep time," I explained. "I know that if we're ready to fight her next time, we'll take her down."

"I hope you're right," Angie nodded. "She's a tough customer, if there ever was one. One of Luna's best, from what I've heard."

"So then we'll just have to be tougher," I said. "Hell, we already know that she and Zane are evenly matched, so if we get her all tied up dealing with him, she won't have a chance to defend herself against us."

"Let's not go out chasing a fight, okay?" Grael asked, walking over to me. "We really shouldn't be distracting ourselves with other matters. It'll only make this take longer than it needs to."

"So let's focus on the manticore, the money, and then the mercenaries, okay?" Zane jumped in again. "And if Arala shows up looking or trouble, we'll take care of her then, and only then, understand?"

I nodded my head with a sigh, baying for blood after what she'd done, but knowing the others were right again. I cast my eyes over to Annerose, the blood-stained young woman having barely said anything since she'd been healed, only responding with anger when she'd done so, and I could clearly see that something was wrong with her. I was about to open my mouth to address her, when Angie beat me to it.

"Girl, let's go and get you washed up," she said, walking over to Annerose and putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're a sight to behold, looking like this, you know?"

Annerose didn't say anything, but begrudgingly followed Angie to a bathroom on this floor, leaving the three of us alone to discuss our plans for the manticore, but it felt impossible for me to shake my worried feeling about Annerose, no matter how much I tried to.

Chapter 13: Encounter

The four of us made our way to the forest where the manticore was said to be attacking travellers. We'd geared up as best we could, being supplied basic armour on Angie's part, as well as equipping the weapons we'd brought with us. We'd used the Guild's alchemy lab to brew up a few anti-venom potions, just in case one of us got stung by the manticore's tail. Now, we were ready to track the thing down. The forest the creature inhabited was cold and thick, with snow clinging to the evergreen trees and lining the ground with nearly twelve inches of snow. Thanks to last night's mini-blizzard, any older tracks would be completely gone, and we had to hope that the creature hadn't spent the entire morning in its den, or else we'd never find it.

"We looking for anything in particular?" Annerose asked.

"Scrap of fur would be nice," I nodded, looking over at the shorter woman. "Anything to help Grael catch a scent."

"Anything besides that?" Zane asked.

"Nothing that isn't going to be buried in a foot of fucking snow," I sighed, placing my hands on my hips as I came to a stop, looking through the trees for any sign of the manticore's steel grey colours. "Any idea where the main road is?"

"Rick, I've got no idea where the fucking floor is," Annerose said, angrily trudging through the snow. "I could be standing on an ice-lake now and not be able to tell."

"I'm willing to guess that it's where the trees aren't as thick," Grael said, pointing his nose in the direction of a clearing, a few yards west of where we were. "Manticores are big creatures, so he'll probably like his open space, too."

"Good point," I said, making my way over to the clearing and having the others follow behind me.

Once we were out of the thick treeline, we started looking around in the clearing for any signs of the large creature. Broken branches, toppled trees, scraps of fur caught on bark, or paw prints were just a few clues that'd help us track the thing down. The search took us all in separate directions, each of us yelling out to one another occasionally to inform the group of the lack of anything we'd found. I was beginning to get bored after half an hour, slapping myself on the hips in a rhythmic manner, just to keep myself occupied, before my eyes spotted an off-colour in the trees.

It wasn't the manticore. It was much too small for that and the colours were much too bright to be the grey-scale, hulking behemoth of a creature. Whatever it was, it was brightly-coloured, definitely a stand-out from the white, brown, and dull greens that made up the forest. I then heard a loud crunch, the sound resembling a tree branch being snapped before the colours reappeared again.

"Hello?" they called out to me, signaling that it was sentient, if not entirely visible just yet.

The creature/object/entity walked through the trees, the insane brightness of its colours dying down and revealing that it was indeed an earth-bound creature, though it wasn't human. The pointed ears, icy-white skin, and frosty-blue hair gave away the creature as a Snow Elf, garbed in thick leather armour and a cape around her shoulders. Her eyes were the most striking part, lacking different-coloured pupils and instead appearing as one single, blue iris. A friendly smile appeared on her lips, waving gently towards me as she approached.

"Hello there, traveler!" she said, greeting me in a welcoming tone, rather uncharacteristic of her usually-nomadic and distant race. "You wouldn't have happened across a woman with black hair and red eyes anywhere in these woods, would you? Wearing black armour? Rather unkind?"

"You mean Arala, right?" I asked her, crossing my arms as I looked her up and down.

"You know her?" the Snow Elf asked, cocking her head and causing a bang of blue hair to fall over her face. "Is she causing trouble?"

"Yes, she attacked me and my friends when we were trying to get a contract from the Hunter's Guild," I answered. "In fact, she tried to kill me at least twice."

"So I was right to follow the trail of bodies," she mumbled to herself, looking over her shoulder as she spoke. "Do you know where she is?"

"Angie kicked her ass out of a window and we haven't seen her since," I shrugged. "I figure she's got beef with us, so we'll probably run into her sooner or later, if the stories we've heard about her are anything to go by."

"Yes... she never did let anything slide," the Elf said in a heavy tone. "If... if you'll allow it, I'd like to join your group for a while. She and I have business that I need to urgently discuss with her."

"And that business would be?" I asked.

"She needs to die, and I need to kill her," the Elf said, growing serious suddenly.

That response certainly caught me off-guard. Up until now, she'd seemed like a friendly character that was chasing after a companion with an attitude problem... but this certainly changed the mood.

"Why, exactly?" I asked.

"Because she's insane and she's dangerous," the Elf responded. "She and I both trained under Princess Luna's guidance, and while I managed to complete my training and become a fully-fledged Lunar Knight, she... well, she went rogue after a particularly bad spat with Luna. The two of them had always been at odds, but it came to blows this time around. It happened in Luna's bed chambers while she and I were trying to sleep. Arala nearly kicked the door down and demanded Luna train her properly."

"Why were you in Luna's bed?" I asked, that of all things getting my attention.

"Oh, she and I were romantic at the time," the Elf answered with a bright smile, rather open about the concept. "We often settled down for the night in the same bed, and I just happened to witness the argument."

"What exactly was the argument about?"

"Arala was angered about Luna's refusal to put her forward to a more advanced stage of training, training that I myself had just started several days earlier, while Arala had been held back," she explained. "Luna had confided in me that while most who came to train with her did so to protect and watch over those around them, Arala was one of the few who had done so for power. Luna never described her as evil. She knew what evil was and Arala was not as such, but she knew that Arala was too angry and too unstable to allow her training to be completed until she'd ironed out her flaws."

"Did she know that?" I asked.

"Oh yes, Luna informed her several times that she wasn't mentally ready to handle the power the next step in her training would bring. The genetic enhancements given to the Lunar Knights, especially at the third stage of training, puts you well above any normal human on the planet," she continued. "And as everyone knows, absolute power corrupts, and power corrupts absolutely. Luna didn't want to give her that power boost and set her off into the world, she compared it to chumming the waters of a children's play pool and throwing a shark in with them."

"I think I can understand that," I nodded. "Arala definitely seemed like an arrogant bitch... with more than enough reason to be so. So she got pushy with Luna, she said no, and she ran off into the night, I'm guessing?"

"That's the cliffnotes of it, basically," she nodded. "Luna was upset about Arala disappearing, feeling as if she'd just let loose a convicted killer onto the world. It was the reason she didn't kick Arala out the minute she knew she was trouble. 'Friends close' and all that. If she was right beside her, she could keep an eye on her, and possibly control her somewhat. But she vanished without a trace, and Luna hasn't seen her for twelve years."

"And you went looking for her because..." I inquired.

"Because both of us understood that she needed to be brought to justice, I've heard reports of her murdering and maiming people, as well as robbing and destroying buildings," the Elf continued. "Luna wishes she could come looking for her herself, but she doesn't have the time to chase leads all over the world."

"True."

"So I elected to do it myself, so is my duty as a Lunar Knight," the Elf said, standing up straight with a determined expression.

"And you're hoping Arala comes after us, so you can kill her?" I asked.

"That's the long and short of it," she nodded, giving an innocent little smirk. "I assure you that I can defend you from her if you're afraid of being live bait."

"There's only two things in this world that truly terrify me: my mother and crappy alcohol," I said with a smirk. "So no, being your 'Goat on a rope' doesn't really make me quiver in my boots. Though, I would like to ask for something in return for helping you."

"Is it sex?" she asked, her pointed ears slouching for a second.

"What?" I asked in shock. "No! What the hell kind of amoral jackass asks some random woman to sleep with him as a reward?"

"You'd be surprised," she said, blinking in a blank manner. "Every sleazy guy I've asked for help has demanded some kind of sexual favour in return for their help. One guy even said he wanted to cum in my ears."

"That's..." I said, shocked to the core. "That's fucking nasty."

"I know," she said, shivering at the memory. "So... what's your condition?"

"If we help you kill Arala, you need to help us kill a dragon," I explained.

"So... do you have a specific dragon in mind, or is it kind of an I.O.U?" she asked in a confused manner.

"Her name is Heimili, and she's a rogue dragoness, banished from her people, goes around making skewers out of the mountain folk," I described. "She's big, she's tough, and she's gonna be hard to take down. We've already got Winter's Maw's court mage helping us out and we're in the process of getting the Barb Tail mercenary group to help as well. Your support would be greatly appreciated, especially if you're a Lunar Knight."

"I... I guess I can do that," she nodded, scratching the back of her head. "I mean, I swore an oath to protect people, and this would really impress Luna... a-and help me fulfil that oath."

Ah. One of those kinds of girls.

"Then welcome aboard," I said, holding out my hand for her to shake.

"I'm Lot, by the way," she said, shaking my hand firmly.

"Richter," I responded.

"Wait... is that Prince Richter?" she asked, her eyes widening in shock. "Luna's nephew?"

"Have... have we met before?" I asked in confusion.

"Not at a point you'd remember, but I was finishing up my last few years of training when you were born!" she said in an excited manner. "Your mother brought you to see your Aunt for the first time, a few days after you were born. I remember watching Luna play with you for a while... and there was the most adorable little puppy that whined and growled at everyone that touched you. He sat yapping at Luna's feet the entire time she held you."

"Sounds like something he'd do," I chuckled. "Grael always has been a yappy bastard."

"As if you were any better," I heard the Direwolf sigh from behind me, followed by the sound of a fallen tree groaning under new weight as the enormous wolf leaped onto it. "Ah. I see you've got company."

"Is... is that him?" Lot asked, her eyes wide with awe as the taller Direwolf padded down beside me.

"The one and the same," Grael said, nodding his head in response. "Your scent seems familiar... it doesn't resonate with any particularly strong memory, but it's there all the same."

"My name is Lot, I trained in Canterlot with Luna when Richter was a baby," she explained. "You might remember because you grew up a lot faster than-"

Lot was cut off by the sound of an explosion, several trees behind us being incinerated by fiery red light. The three of us turned around in horror, hearing the sounds of angered roars and clashing steel.

"The manticore?" Grael asked.

"Manticore don't use magic," I snarled angrily.

"I can sense Arala over there," Lot said, her features narrowing in anger. "She's putting out a lot of power."

"Then let's not waste any time!" I said, taking off at a sprint towards the battleground.

The other two fell in behind me, Grael bearing his fangs, Lot sliding a sword out of its sheath by her side, and my hand wrenching the sword I'd been gifted from over my shoulder as we broke through the treeline to see Zane guarding Annerose with the large shield he'd picked out, the blue-haired woman clutching at her arm with heavy blood flow seeping through her fingers. We spotted Arala firing blasts of red energy from her palm, her face contorted into an expression of pure rage.

Lot suddenly broke away from the rest of us, going the long way around the side of the clearing while Grael and I charged at her head-on. She saw us coming a mile away, obviously, and turned her palm to fire at us. I managed to dive-roll underneath the blast while Grael leaped over it, the two of us getting back onto our feet and continuing our charge. Grael threw himself at her, being caught once more, only this time I was right behind him.

I launched myself forward, leaping as high as I could and slamming my knee straight into her nose. Both of us tumbled, Arala recovering first and aiming her palm at me again, but Grael was there on the intercept, digging his fangs into her arm, not managing to break or puncture the armour, but easily being able to move her arm away from me, firing the blast out of the clearing and into a random group of trees. At this point, Lot had joined the fray, leaping at Arala with her sword aimed for her face.

Arala reacted, swinging Grael at me and knocking us both across the snowy ground, before rolling backwards, managing to kick Lot straight in the face and knock her away, getting back onto her feet and tearing her sword from her sheath, panting and angry at this point. We all managed to group up again, Zane taking point with his enormous shield providing protection for us.

"Great..." Arala snarled furiously. "This is going to be annoying."

"This ends now, Arala!" Lot snarled, pointing her blade at the black-haired woman. "You've gone unpunished for far too long!"

"Well, well, if it isn't Luna's full-time boot-licker," she snarled, rolling her shoulders and squaring her stance. "Did she finally let you out of your pet carrier?"

Lot snarled angrily, firing a white blast of magic at Arala, but the black knight was able to deflect it with a swipe of her black and red magic guard. Lot rushed forward, ignoring our protests, and charged for Arala. The two abandoned the magical blast, focusing on trying to cut the other down as fast as possible with brutal, lethal strikes that would spell the end for either of them should one connect. It seemed that despite Lot's strength, she was losing ground, Arala somehow being much stronger than the Snow Elf.

I patted Zane on the back, signaling that we needed to move up and received a slap on the back from Annerose, showing that she too was ready to go. We all moved forwards, charging as fast as we could and keeping behind Zane, Arala somehow managing to handle Lot's incredible speed while also firing blasts as us. The battleground was soon torn to pieces, with shredded dirt and blasted trees littering the environment, leaving a scar on this place that wouldn't heal anytime soon.

Zane threw the shield forward, knowing it wouldn't be useful at close range for any of us, and hoped it would topple Arala. Instead, the mighty warrior was able to grip the solid object as it came at her, her fingers clenching it so hard as to rend the metal itself out of shape before using it to slap Lot aside, the Snow Elf's cry of pain barely audible over the colossal din of the shield's impact. Zane rushed at her, drawing the jet-black greatsword he held and unleashing a mighty strike, only to have it be caught on the guard of Arala's sword; clearly it was more than a normal blade.

She shoved Zane back, their equally-matched strength appearing to have only existed in Angie's office, as she was now easily able to throw Zane about as if he were a rag doll. The large man's feet dug trenches into the floor as he was shoved back, Arala moving her attention to Annerose as she ducked under Zane's right side and unleashed a flurry of katana strikes that Arala was able to block and deflect. She then sent Annerose's sword flying out of her hands with a flick of a wrist. Arala cocked back her fist and aimed again for Annerose's gut, only to have Zane pull the slender woman out of harm's way in the nick of time.

I gripped the hilt of my sword hard enough to turn my knuckles white, rushing the woman in black armour just as she slammed her boot into Lot's stomach and sent her flying backwards and skimming over the dirt like a stone on water before smashing through a tree. Arala turned her attention to me and slashed for my chest with great speed. I barely managed to dodge out of the way, skirting to the side just enough to miss the fatal blow but not enough to upset my run at slashing at her neck.

She ducked under the strike before catching the blade of my sword with her armoured hand as I attempted to bring it back, wrenching it from my grip and attempting to turn it on me, only for Grael to tackle her to the ground, knocking both of the blades out of her hand and sending them skidding away. I recovered mine and threw hers to Annerose; Arala was now unarmed and outnumbered... I just hoped that it was enough of a difference to make this fight go our way, as we hadn't even scratched her at this point.

"Alright... this is starting to get on my nerves," Arala snarled through gritted teeth, her eyes lighting up a bright red colour as she spoke. "I'm done playing now."

She held her hand up, her sword tearing itself from Annerose's grip and landing in her palm, erupting into a fiery blaze mere seconds after Arala clenched her hand around it, rolling her neck once more and squaring her stance, ready for battle. Lot returned to the fray at this point, teleporting behind Arala in a flurry of white light, slashing at her neck, only for Arala to disappear in her own cloud of black sparkles, reappearing some distance away and launching a wall of fire at Lot. The Elf brought her hands up, summoning a magical barrier that blocked the attack, but shattered in the process, knocking Lot back and seemingly tiring her quite considerably.

"You..." she panted as Arala walked over to her. "You're not meant to be this strong."

Not letting Arala get a foot closer, Zane and I rushed at her, both of us leaping at her and bringing out swords down, only for her to cast hers aside and catch the blades in the palm of her hand. Her shoulders jolted on impact, but her body showed no signs of being overpowered by the force of our blows. She threw us both aside, the two of us landing at bad angles and hitting the floor hard, while she turned around and slammed her jaw into Lot's face, once again sending her skidding across the ground in a shocking display of power.

"Even if these idiots don't put up a challenge," she snarled, her eyes flaring up brighter, clearly funneled by anger. "I'll at least have the satisfaction of tearing Luna's little pet limb from limb."

"Don't count on it!" I snarled, getting back to my feet and pointing my sword at her. "We're not done yet."

"Only because I haven't decided to kill you," she said, summoning her sword back to her hand and beginning to walk towards me. "But I'm getting bored of your mouth. So let's change that, shall we?"

"Bring it on," I said through my teeth, flicking a loose strand of hair out of my eyes as I rushed towards her, swinging as hard and as fast as I could, trying my best to either slip past her guard or at least get her to take a half-step back, but I had no such luck. She remained rooted to where she was, using a single hand and nary any effort to block the full might of my strikes, booting Grael aside as he returned to battle, cutting Annerose' cheek wide open with a backhand, and knocking Zane clean onto his back with a headbutt to the chest as he approached her from behind.

My muscles soon began to tire, sweat clinging to my body, and my chest heaving from the exertion this fight had brought onto me, and Arala could sense it. She slapped my sword aside, the gentle motion she made resulted in as much force as a castle tied to my arm being thrown off a cliff, and she grabbed me by the throat, tightening her grip to such a degree that it nearly snapped my neck. I stared into her burning eyes for a long moment, slamming my fists into her face, kneeing her in the neck and chin, and booting her in the stomach as hard as I could. It didn't work. She didn't even seem to register the blows as anything more than annoying, this causing the panic to truly set in as she began to choke the life out of me.

"What's wrong?" she asked in an arrogant manner. "No witty response? No stupid boast? Come on, kid, I thought you were supposed to be mouthy."

I couldn't respond. I didn't have the air for it. My face began to go blue, sounds started fading, and it became a struggle to keep my eyes open, having to strain to hear her boast as she continued to choke me.

"Once again, another worthless contender to my power," she chuckled. "But I'm not done yet, not by a longshot. Once I've got what I need, once he gives me my full power, there won't be a damn thing on this planet that can stand up to my might... not even Luna."

"Really now?" a familiar voice asked from behind her, a dark-skinned hand clenching tightly onto Arala's shoulder. "Care to test that?"

She was turned around by the hand and was soon caught in the jaw by a shot so powerful it sent her blasting backwards, even throwing me for a brief moment before I landed hard on the ground. I managed to pull myself back to my feet, looking between Arala and our new and very welcomed companion.

"Arala, you're a gifted fighter, I can admit that... but if there was one thing you never got the concept of," Luna snarled, cracking her neck and knuckles as she walked towards her former stupid. "It was when to shut your damn mouth."

"No..." Arala spat, her nose utterly crushed and blood flowing like a tap down her face, tears in the corner of her eyes as she got up, swaying slightly. "You aren't supposed to be here."

I stared at her in disbelief, seeing the injury on her face as clear as day, and wondering exactly how hard Luna had hit her to achieve it. Zane had punched her in the face with enough force to knock a stone wall down. I'd seen him do it before, but it hadn't even left a red patch on her face. Yet, here she was, with her nose nearly blasted through the back of her head from one shot that looked like a warning one. I turned to face Luna at this point, the colossal fighter having tied her hair back into a pony tail and dressed in combat attire, seemingly ready for this.

"Why... why are you here now?!" Arala demanded, her cool arrogance melting away to reveal nothing more than a bratty tantrum. "This isn't the way this was supposed to go! I'm supposed to beat you."

"There's only one thing you're supposed to do, kid, and that's die," Luna said, walking towards Arala with no urgency, as it seemed that they both knew she'd already won this fight. "I told you to be careful. Warned you that if I ever caught wind of your scent or your energy, I'd come running to put you in the fucking ground. And here you are, firing up your power like a damn locator beam."

Arala gritted her teeth, blood pouring down her once-beautiful face, holding her hands out and firing an enormous beam of energy at Luna, the attack screaming with energy, only for Luna to knock it aside with nothing more than a fingertip, sighing in disappointment.

"I always told you: you couldn't win every fight through brute force alone, and yet again, you disappoint me," Luna said, darting forward at inhuman speed, catching Arala under the jaw with a vicious uppercut, launching her off her feet before Luna teleported behind her, booting her square in the back and sending her rolling through the dirt, smearing the ground with blood.

"Though I'm not sure why I'm surprised," the Lunar Alicorn said, shaking her head. "You always were always a disappointment. But you were never this pathetic."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Arala screamed, throwing herself at Luna as soon as she was on her feet, throwing a barrage of punches, only to have each one be caught effortlessly in the palm of Luna's hand. The Alicorn showed no signs of strain as the punches that were strong enough to create a ripple in the air somehow collided with her hands. Luna tore Arala's hands downwards, slamming her forehead into the woman's already shattered nose and getting a scream of pain from her as she collapsed onto the ground in pain, clutching at her face in agony and weeping in sorrow.

"I told you the night you attacked me, the night you ran away, when you were standing on the tower, that'd I'd always be willing to forgive you for what you'd done, so long as you came back, apologised, and tried to start again," Luna said, kicking her hands away from her face and putting her boot on her throat. "I offered you the chance to wash all of this away, to be friends once more and to learn from your mistakes, but you ignored me. You ran off into the night, obsessed with power and too blinded by your own arrogance to realise you were wrong. The offer was always there, I was willing to let you start again..."

Luna pressed her boot harder onto Arala's throat, the woman now choking as tears rolled down her face, looking up into Luna's blue eyes and seeing nothing but anger and fury.

"But now? That chance is gone. Not only have you gone mad with your desires, wearing a deal with a demon like a summer dress for all to see, you also attack my nephew? My family?" Luna asked, leaning most of her weight on Arala's neck, the woman begging and sobbing to be freed. "I offered you a chance to save yourself for nearly fifteen years. You tested my patience and spat in my face when I offered you kindness. So now I'm going to give you the only thing you deserve."

Luna held her hand out, a bright ball of energy building up, screaming loudly with charged power, before removing her boot from Arala's neck and firing the beam, the attack swallowing her entire body whole and being too loud to hear the scream of pain the black-haired woman let out before she was turned to ash, leaving no more trace of her existence than a burnt scar on the ground, and the sword she'd used to try and kill us all.

"Good riddance," Luna spat, closing her hand and looking up at the rest of us. "You guys okay?"

There was a chorus of yes, Luna nodding with a satisfied grin, before Lot called out her name, the smaller Snow Elf charging over to the Lunar Alicorn and hugging her, the two kissing passionately for a long moment before breaking apart.

"Thank the Goddesses you're alright!" Luna exclaimed, hugging her lover tightly. "Why the hell were you still on this stupid goose chase?"

"I... I felt like I needed to take care of her," Lot said, looking into Luna's eyes with a nervous smile. "I also... I also thought you'd appreciate it if I got rid of her."

"You've always been an overachiever, haven't you?" Luna asked with a chuckle, kissing her again.

"I try," Lot shrugged.

"And you lot," Luna said, turning her attention to all of us, standing with her hand snaked around Lot's hips. "What the fuck kind of display was that?"

A small laugh came from each of us as we lay on the ground, scattered and exhausted with our injuries starting to be noticeable at this point. Zane pulled himself to his feet and helped Annerose up while Grael bit down on my hood and dragged me over to Luna, eventually collapsing onto his side and panting loudly.

"Hey... we tried," I said, looking up at my Aunt with a smirk.

"Indeed you did," she said, offering me a hand and pulling me to my feet. "And that's all I can ask for."

"How did you find us?" Zane asked, essentially dragging Annerose with his hand around her waist as she refused to move.

"I've been keeping a passive ear out for Arala's energy signature for years," Luna answered. "She's never flared it up to be noticeable until today. Just lucky she did it before she vaporised you all."

"Thanks for that, by the way," I said, getting a pet on the head in response.

"You're welcome," she smirked. "So, how's the quest going?"

"We're working on the mercenaries," Zane answered.

"Court Mage is on our side," Grael woofed.

"And I smashed," I said with a wide smile.

Luna looked at me with a bemused expression, sighing quietly while Lot merely looked at her with a confused expression.

"What does he mean by that?" she asked.

"It's a slang term for fucking someone," she explained. "A lot of people collect souvenirs whenever they go to a new place. Richter collects hoes."

"Liberated women, thank you very much," I cut in.

"Oh," Lot said, her cheeks flushing a very noticeable red at this. "That's rather lewd. Does he do it often?"

"Oh yeah," she nodded. "I usually just hit him with a scroll and he usually stops harassing women."

"I don't harass anyone," I said, crossing my arms and glowering in an offended manner.

"So, you smashed Celana then?" Luna asked.

"Oh yeah," I nodded, this topic lightening my mood something fierce.

"She's a thick one, ain't she?" Luna asked with a smirk.

"Oh fuck yeah, I haven't eaten anything that good since mom's last dinner," I grinned, a giddy feeling washing over me.

"Eaten?" Lot asked, clearly out of touch with the sex talk. "What does that mean?"

"Richter eats ass more than he eats breakfast," Luna answered. "It's kind of a bad habit, really. Bad for his health."

"That's... rather disgusting, actually," Lot said in a grossed-out manner. "I don't even want to consider the health detriments to that."

"I don't either," I shrugged. "But booty is life. And it's the life I love to lead."

"So... about the dragon you wanted me to help you with?" Lot asked, more than desperate to change the subject. "What do you need me to do again?"

Chapter 14: A Chat in the Forest

We relayed a more detailed version of our progress to Luna, all of us taking a seat on a nearby fallen tree to take the weight off our feet. The ancient Alicorn listened intently, her ears and eyes perking up when I mention our mysterious stranger that Grael and I met when at the wyvern nest.

"Any idea who it could be?" I asked her.

"Several theories, but none of them concrete at the moment," Luna said. "Too involved to be a Spirit, too human to be a Guardian, and not sadistic enough to be a Yukki-Onna."

"She didn't come across as hostile," Grael pointed out. "Though Richter practically melted as soon as she touched him."

"Would you not?" I asked the Direwolf, scratching him affectionately on the back as he rested between my legs.

"Are these parts known for spirits and the sort?" Lot asked, having sat on Luna's lap once we'd settled down.

"Not really," Luna said, shaking her head. "There's a valley due north that's home to a few Tormented Souls, but that's not for a long while."

"So we've got nothing to go on for her then?" I asked.

"Not so far we don't," Luna said, looking at me. "Why? You hoping she rubs her hands on something more than your arm next time?"

"Not especially," I said with a passing shrug.

"Bullshit," Luna smirked, gently thumping me on the arm. "You may be able to fool all your friends here into thinking you're not the living embodiment of lust, but I can see through you like a broken window."

"Alright, maybe a little," I said with a chuckle. "But can you really hold that against me?"

"Not especially," Luna nodded, looking down at the floor with a nostalgic smirk. "I used to know an Alicorn a while back; Vindre. Knew him since childhood actually, the two of us trained in a sword school for a few years. His family ended up getting cosy with a spirit a few generations beforehand, and she'd sworn to watch over their line for as long as they existed. Beautiful thing she was, same height as Annerose, gorgeous face, and tits big enough to lose yourself in."

"Sounds like a good time," I nodded.

"Yeah, Vindre thought the same as well," she nodded. "She was his guardian angel in a way, looked after him for years and did anything he told her to... even when he got to puberty."

"He fucked her, didn't he?" I asked.

"How'd you guess?" she asked me, cocking an eyebrow.

"It kind of seems like an obvious decision," I shrugged. "Pent up boy in puberty, hormones raging like a tornado, and a sworn protector that's one of the most beautiful things to ever walk the earth? I'm actually quite surprised it took him to puberty to get nasty with her. Though it's always better to have your first time with an older woman."

"You speaking from experience there, Rick?" Luna asked, giving me a coy smile.

I chuckled quietly, knowing what she was referring to. My mom hadn't caught me in my first time, but she'd walked in on me having a nice freaky time with Calatera when I was eleven. She's usually a liberal-minded woman, not one to scold for natural needs and desires, but she wasn't too happy about the fact Calatera was the one in bed with me. Mostly due to the fact that she's five years older than I am. It obviously seems less weird now, a twenty three year old and an eighteen year old doesn't seem that bad, but sixteen and eleven? Was kind of cause for alarm for the poor woman.

She handled it quickly and quietly, of course, keeping the whole thing from blowing up, didn't run out of the castle screaming about it or beat Calatera senseless, merely talked it over with both of us in a very stern and disappointed manner, and making us promise to never do such a thing again until we were both of age. We obviously ignored her and were back at it less than a week later without her knowledge, but what can you do?

"Yes, I am, Luna," I grinned. "Yes, I am."

"So..." Annerose asked in a dour tone, not having returned to her usual loud and abrasive personality since last night. "Are we going after this manticore or what?"

"Not in your condition," she said, addressing all of us with that statement. "The four of you need to rest and get your strength back before going after that thing."

"But we're already here," Zane pointed out. "Armoured up and rearing."

"Also running on adrenaline without being able to tell just how exhausted and injured you are after getting smacked the fuck around by Arala," Luna said, casting her eyes to the black blade she'd taken from the ashen remains of Arala, the fading light of the sun glancing off the blade as it rested at an angle. "You need to go back to wherever it is you're staying, get your heads down for the rest of today, and get back to work tomorrow."

"Do we have to?" Annerose asked. "I kind of wanna get this shit done with already."

"If you want to end up getting yourselves killed, then go right ahead," Luna said. "Don't forget that I can't actually force you to do anything and this mission is all up to you guys to decide how to handle it."

"Then I say we take your advice," I said, looking at Luna and then down to Annerose. "Because you and I need to have a talk."

"Nout to talk about," she said, getting up off her feet and walking away into the forest. "I'm gonna get some firewood."

"We're not making camp here," I said, watching the blue-haired woman walk off and ignore me. "Hang on a second, guys."

I rolled my eyes, getting up off my spot on the log and following after her, keeping quiet as I did so and just wanting to see what she did. I could tell she knew I was following her, watching her quicken her pace to try and put more distance between me and her as she stormed further away.

"Anne," I called out to her. "You can be in a huff when we get back to the inn, just don't do it out here on your own."

"Go away, Richter," she snapped, snarling over her shoulder and continuing to walk away.

"Don't make me run after you," I said. "Because I will chase you, I will tackle you, and I will hold you down in the snow until you cool off. We both know that."

"Alright then!" she snapped, whirling around and cracking her neck. "Fine!"

I sighed quietly, knowing exactly where this was going, rolling my shoulders and relaxing my joints as the shorter woman balled her fists and squared her stance. As soon as I got in range, she lashed out with a range-testing jab, the attack being dodged with a backwards lean, before she stepped forward with a powerful hook. I managed to duck under the attack and glance her in the ribs, a pained grunt coming from her before she launched forwards with the knee, catching me in the stomach before slamming her left palm into the side of my head.

I recovered quickly, able to block a high kick from her right leg and step forward, using her raised leg and bad balance to palm strike her in the chest, knocking her flat onto her back in the snow. She rolled backwards, pushing herself up to her feet and launching towards me, throwing a flurry of fast, hard punches that I managed to avoid, catching them on my forearms, glancing them off, or dodging them entirely. I eventually knocked her hand aside, leaving her wide open, and tackled her, shoulder-to-stomach, to the floor, pinning her down with my larger weight and pressing my arm into her throat.

"Are you done now?" I asked, looking into her angry eyes.

She launched her fist forward, hitting me in the nose and causing it to crack loudly, almost definitely breaking it. Pain and anger flared up inside me, cocking my hand back and punching her square in the face, her head rocketing to the side from the impact and sending blood flying out onto the snow.

"How about now?" I demanded, feeling the blood from my broken nose run down my face.

She then shot her knee up, hitting me in the fork of my legs, causing pain to explode into my testicles, before hitting me in the face again, this time her fist connecting with my temple, the pain and discombobulation allowing her to throw me off balance and onto the floor, blood dripping onto the snow. I rolled onto my side, managing to avoid a rather amateur kick as the smaller woman pushed herself back up, charging at me as I did the same, gripping my clothing and heaving me up, pushing me against a tree and slamming her fist into my face, cutting my cheek open on her knuckle before kneeing me in the stomach.

Ignoring the roaring pain in my face, I snaked my hand behind her, gripping her ponytail tightly and wrenching it backwards, her head snapping back and gaining a snarl from the furious woman before I slammed my forehead straight into her nose, sending her staggering back before I planted a hard boot straight to her chest, knocking her through a thin, withered tree and into the dirt again. There was a good few feet of space between the two of us at this point, heavy pants and attempts to ignore pain from injuries keeping us occupied.

"Are you about finished now?" I demanded. "Ready to talk?"

The woman tore herself from the floor, picking up one of the old branches from the broken tree and swinging it at me. I brought my arms up around my head, feeling the bark and wood snap loudly around my body on impact, the frailty of the old wood not helping reduce the pain of the impact. She leaped through the shower of splinters and shattered bark, slamming another knee into my stomach, slamming another fist into my guard and tackling me to the floor, pinning my arms down by my sides and glaring furiously at me, panting in exhaustion as we remained still.

"You're going easy on me," she snarled. "You know I hate it when you go easy on me."

"You needed this," I said, sighing quietly as she seemed in the mood to talk, both of us battered, bruised, and bloody. "After everything's that happened."

"I don't need your pity," she said, sitting up and folding her arms over her chest, the fight over with her as the victor.

"How about sympathy?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Maybe someone to talk to? Vent with?"

"I don't need to talk to you about a fucking thing, you self-important prick," she snapped, lying through her teeth and failing miserably at it.

"It's about Arala, isn't it?" I asked her.

"Why the fuck can you read me like a book?!" she demanded, crossing her arms and glaring angrily at the distant trees.

"Because I know you," I chuckled, resting my hands behind my head and smirking. "And if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you don't like losing."

"Who fucking does?" she asked, mere seconds away from breaking her walls and pouring her frustrations all over me. "And how the fuck could I ever be anything more than furious about what happened yesterday!?"

And there it was.

"I have trained non-stop since I was three years old; I've broken bones, lost teeth, split skin, and even killed people pushing myself to the point of perfection, to be the best fighter I could ever train myself to be, and that stupid black-haired cunt punched through me like sheet of wet bastard paper!" she began, practically screaming into my face about it. "I played that scenario over a thousand times in my head when I tried to sleep last night, and every second of it eats away at everything I stand for! I'm supposed to be one of the best, one of the Crown Prince's Retainers, and I got taken down, almost fucking killed, by some nobody in a single hit. One fucking blow, you hear?"

"I hear," I nodded.

"I wasn't finally bested by a great opponent after making them fight with everything they had, I wasn't cheated or betrayed, and I didn't meet my end valiantly sacrificing myself to save my friend and charge from a deadly foe," she snarled, moisture forming at the corner of her eyes as she allowed her emotions to flow freely, something she rarely did. "Instead, I was beaten, utterly destroyed in a single hit by a woman that viewed me as nothing more than some stupid fucking fly on her bedroom wall. All of the effort, all of the pain, and all of the training I've done was worthless against her... I played that situation over a thousand times last night... and what makes it so hard to live through is..."

She was crying at this point, tears streaming down her red cheeks as she screwed her eyes shut, tearing at her hair as she poured her heart out to me in the cold woods.

"There wasn't a fucking thing I could've done differently that would've mattered," she sobbed, her slender shoulders shaking as the crying rocked her body. "I could've used every single one of my techniques, used every weapon I've been trained in, and every single art of fighting I know of, and none of it would've made any difference in that fight! I was beyond worthless, no more of a threat to that bitch than an open door. I wasn't an opponent or an enemy... I was a fucking obstacle, a wooden box in front of a door you want to go through that doesn't take any effort to move... just something in the way to something actually important..."

"Anne," I said, trying to dry her tears with my thumbs, her beautiful eyes opening once more as she looked down at me.

"I'm supposed to protect you. People are supposed to think twice about hurting you when they see me. They're supposed to run in fear and never consider upsetting you because of the fact they'll need to face me if they do," she whimpered, her lip trembling as she spoke. "I'm supposed to be the best your kingdom has to offer, that's why I was chosen by your family to protect you... and she made me feel like I was fucking worthless."

"No," I said, pulling her down to lie flat on my chest and hugging her tightly, her tear-stained face burying itself into my shoulder and sobbing loudly again. "Not ever. You are the furthest thing from worthless I've ever seen."

"How?!" she demanded, anger flaring up in her as she stared into my eyes. "I was nothing to her! I'm supposed to be the steel wall between you and any threats and she slapped me aside like nothing! How can you tell me that I'm good for anything when I can't even do the only fucking job I'm supposed to?!"

"Because I know you aren't," I answered. "Because I know Alara is a stupid cunt that deserves to be dead and got what she deserved, and because I know that you're the best protector I could've asked for. But don't tell Grael or Zane that, otherwise they'll kill me."

"I... I appreciate the pep talk, but I can't believe that..." she said, shaking her head. "Zane lasted against her, Zane stood a chance against her... I didn't."

"And you think Grael did?" I asked. "If we're talking about getting rid of people that couldn't hold their own against Alara, then he'd be the first to get the sack. But I'm not going to start firing people because they couldn't protect me against a super-powered cunt with an attitude problem. I chose you to be my protector because you're one of the strongest, most gifted, and intelligent people I know, and would rather cut my own cock off than ever have somebody else by my side than you."

"Do... do you really mean that?" she asked, her eyes lighting up slightly.

"Yes, you dopey bitch, of course I mean that," I nodded, smiling widely at her, laughing as I gave her a special kind of pep-talk. "You are one of my best friends. I love you so much, and I don't want to see you crying your eyes out like some abandoned housewife. I picked you because you're a tough bitch that doesn't take shit from anyone. So please, stop letting something as worthless as Arala make you think you're not perfect the way you are. I need tough and intimidating people in my entourage, and you crying like a fanny really isn't helping."

"I..." she said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and smiling at me. "Richter... you... I..."

"Annerose, if you're going to get emotional and thankful with me, then it better end with us fucking in a bed of pine needles," I smirked. "If it isn't, then please kindly get off me, as you've been sat on my balls for a good while now and they're already aching from the love tap you gave them earlier."

"Oh..." she said, looking down with a sheepish grin. "Sorry."

She picked herself up and offered me a hand, pulling me up to my feet and dusting me off, the two of us being sore, battered, and bruised after our little scuffle.

"I... i broke your nose, didn't I?" she asked me.

"Yes. But to be honest, I'm more worried about the fact you might've twisted one of my testicles," I said, grimacing at the agonising ache in my balls I now had after standing up. "And if that's true, I'm gonna be out of action for a while."

"I'm really fucking sorry," she said, scratching the back of her head. "How exactly do you go about fixing that?"

"You kissing them better might help,"

"You fucking try it and I'll tear them off and cook them" she snarled in response.

There we go. My stone-cold bitch was back to the way she was meant to be... now all I needed to do was go back to Luna and ask her to give me a brief go-over with her healing magic when we got back to the inn, because oh my fuck, my balls were killing me.

Chapter 15: Taking The Day Off

"You two really need to find a healthier way of working out your problems," Grael said, giving me a check-up in the form of sniffs as we sat down at an outcropping of rocks.

I'd been given a once-over by Luna, having my injuries healed up nice and easy, thankful that the Rite's rules didn't prevent her from healing me because the injuries I'd received were not sustained during the trial itself. We'd all headed back to the inn, the daylight hours still being in great supply, and with the day off, Grael and I soon wandered out of the city to see what was happening in the hills.

"It's bad for your health," he finished, sitting down on his haunches and cocking his head at me. "Is she alright now?"

"Yeah, just her usual attitude," I nodded, rubbing the back of my head and sighing. "She wants to be Lil Miss Perfect at everything, even if it's not within her physical boundaries to be."

"She works herself too hard," Grael said, licking his right paw as he lay down.

"I know," I nodded, sitting down on the ground and resting against him, the Direwolf flicking his tail over my waist and allowing me to fidget with it again. "I should make her take a few weeks off when we get back."

"She'd go stir crazy," Grael commented. "She can't sit still for more than three hours without needing to fight someone."

"Yeah, you're right," I said, looking up at the clear blue sky. "Weather's pretty good today. The sun's lovely."

"It's just a shame the air's so cold, especially up here," the Direwolf nodded, looking around at the higher area we'd wandered up to. "You sure you want to go check out the mountain top?"

"Yeah," I said, patting him on the ass as a signal that I was ready to move again. "I wanna see how nice the view gets."

"Very well," Grael agreed, getting up after I did and plodding along beside me. "How are you feeling about the wyvern nest?"

"I wasn't thinking about it until you mentioned it," I sighed, feeling that sick lurch in my stomach again. "Thanks."

"Just wanted to bring it out to air rather than let it stew away inside you," Grael said, shrugging as best he could while moving. "You think it's going to be a bad memory forever?"

"Probably not," I said, shaking my head. "Most likely going to be the same thing as killing someone: it's a horrible, soul-shattering experience until you eventually get over it. In fact, I think I feel worse about killing the wyverns."

"How so?" he asked, keeping to his usual standpoint of never providing judgement of me until he'd heard my reasoning.

"A human is something you can justify killing, you can reason with yourself that it needed to be done. Maybe they were a bad person, maybe they'd killed innocent people before?" I explained. "Humans, Elves, or whatever can live sinful lives by their own choices, and become objectively bad people, and that's what it's 'okay' to kill them, because you're getting rid of bad people that do bad things willingly."

"But that justification doesn't work for animals?" Grael asked.

"Exactly," I nodded. "I kill I guy because he killed someone, he deserved to die. I stab a dog through the skull when it's on guard duty because I need to get through there... what's the justification for that? I just killed an innocent animal that was only doing it's job, and wasn't doing it with malicious intent. Most animals don't hurt people for a sick sense of pleasure like people do. That dog did that because it had been trained to do so, because someone had shown it love and affection its entire life, praised and rewarded it for barking at strangers, thinking it was doing the right thing and making it's master proud..."

I trailed off after a moment, merely visualising and explaining that scenario making me feel sick to the core, Grael coming to a halt and looking at me with a worried gaze.

"That really upsets you, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah, it does. I don't like killing innocent things, and what's more innocent than a dog doing what it was trained to do?" I asked him. "It's the same as stabbing it in the face when it sits on command... and it dies confused and in pain, being killed by some random stranger when it thought it was doing a good deed..."

"I think it'd be best if we stop talking about this," Grael said, gently nuzzling my cheek with his own. "You're getting more upset than this is worth."

"Yeah..." I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "Probably for the best."

Grael then turned around and began to walk up the mountain while I was still holding onto him, now proceeding to drag me up the side of the hill.

"Why do you have to ruin everything?" I asked him in a bemused manner.

"It's what I was born to do," he chuckled, continuing to drag my further and further forward.

It soon became a test of commitment at this point, both of us testing the other to see which of our resolves would break first. Would I let go and start walking again or would he stop dragging me? The wolf had much more strength than I did, being able to carry me along as if I was a small satchel at his side, while I was supporting the entirety of my body weight with a relatively bad grip and bad position, and it soon caused my arms to ache. They eventually gave out, causing me to flop heavily onto the stone ground, knocking the wind out of myself and curling up into a pained ball.

"I honestly think my job as your babysitter would be so much easier if I didn't spend ninety percent of my time preventing you from doing something stupid," Grael said, walking over to me and biting down on the scruff of my collar, picking me up and dragging me once more. "Because you seem to be your own worst enemy so far."

"I'm not that bad," I said.

"The riverside at Manya's wedding party, the desert dunes in Aijhtahriah, the mountain climb on the coasts of Ard Cnoc, the ocean in Xiadian, the rainforest in Verdura," Grael listed, running down a long line of places where I'd nearly died thanks to my own stupidity. "And that's not even mentioning all the times you've nearly killed yourself in your own home."

"You have to give me points for never failing to idiot my way through an idiot-proof set-up," I shrugged, looking down at my boots to see how well they were dealing with the scraping of the rocky surface. "Say, do you wanna go back to the Zonghlu Monastery one of these days?"

"What inspired that question?" he asked me.

"Just getting chucked about on a rocky surface reminded me of Sifu Liang and the fact I said I'd go back to training with him one of these days," I shrugged.

"Is that Sifu Liang or Jiao?" Grael asked, dropping me from his maw and sitting down. "Because he will murder you if the answer is the latter."

"I mean..." I smirked, rolling onto my back and staring up at the blue sky as Grael settled down beside me. "It'd be nice to catch up with Jiao, she how her studies are going and everything, but I wanna get back to training with Sifu Liang because those hook swords of his were fucking awesome."

"You were terrible with them," Grael said. "You took what was meant to be a slashing-and-hooking weapon and turned it into a club."

"And that's why I wanna get back to training with him," I said, looking at the wolf's furry side. "So I can get better with them."

"The reason you can't do that with Luna?" Grael asked.

"Because I don't wanna use her for every single thing I learn," I shrugged. "I might find other trainers that have other ways of doing things, people that'll teach me something or some way to do stuff that she doesn't know."

"But do we have to go so far?" Grael asked, getting to the root of the problem.

"Really?" I asked him, rolling my head to the side and shooting him a questioning glance.

"Yes, really," he nodded. "I hate trekking through hills and dirt roads for hours and hours every day, only to get about four hours sleep in some ramshackle tent that falls down if I so much as sneeze near it."

I was silent for a moment, staring intently at the enormous Direwolf, the creature that was supposed to be the apex predator of the frozen plains of the north, as he continued to whine about travelling.

"You're such a bitch," I said, rolling my head away from him and looking back up at the sky.

"How is not wanting to walk my paws to the bone every day for six weeks being a bitch?" Grael demanded.

"Because you're supposed to be built for the wild," I said, sitting up and looking at him. "Wolves are some of the most versatile creatures in the world. You have cousins all over the world in all kinds of terrain. I think being brought up in a cushy castle has just made you soft. You've lost your animal edge and instinct over the years, and you're just a throw pillow that needs to be fed nowadays."

"Say what you will..." Grael huffed, lying flat on his side and staring off into the distance. "You at least get shoes..."

"Ugh..."

The two of us fell silent for a long while, merely lying down with nary a word nor wind between us, finding the warm sun breaking through the wind and weather to give us a relatively nice day amidst all the snow storms and blizzards this place seemed to get. The cloudless sky kicked up a memory in me, something from a long time ago. The last holiday my family had taken that wasn't a political trip with a few days off, but instead a real week to relax and do nothing. I remember looking up at a similar cloudless sky while lying on a white sand beach, next to my mother.

The two of us didn't talk much either, but we were happy to be sitting around and relaxing after spending the morning plodding through the ocean to find seashells and the sort. I would've been only... seven? Eight? Definitely one of those two, after Celestia had managed to stop a war in its tracks a few months earlier and Luna decided to cut her hair short. I remembered rolling over and snuggling into my mother, a warm arm wrapping over me as she snuggled back. It was just the two of us on that end of the beach at that point as we'd wandered pretty far. Grael had gone with dad to learn to catch fish, Celestia and Luna were at a spa of some sort, if my memory didn't fail me, so it was just us.

Though I'd never commented on it at the time, nor had I ever considered it as a child... my mother looked really good in a bikini. The loose string and lack of covering fabric really helped show off her phenomenal-

I was torn from my thoughts at what sounded like a tornado, powerful gales blasting over the hill we lay on, followed by an immense roar that seemed to shake the very ground we lay on. Grael and I rocketed up to our feet, our lazy-day attitudes gone with the wind as we both readied ourselves for combat, waiting for whatever was making such a noise to come and attack us. Seconds ticked by, Grael's fangs bared and my sword in my tight grip, only for us to realise that there was no threat closing in on us.

We remained completely still for a longer moment, eyes and ears peeled for any sort of movement or sound closing in, but the only sound we heard was the blasting of winds staying at the same distance it had been before. I motioned for us to see what it was over the hill, Grael taking point as he often did, and we crept up to the top of the rocky outcropping, eyes wide with horror as we saw what was making the noise:

Wings.

Colossal ones, spanning around one hundred and eighty feet, attached to the top of a snow-white dragon that stood at around sixty feet tall, currently waking up in the enormous valley beneath us. Shock and disbelief ran through both of us, amplified over our link, as we both saw how titanic this thing was. We knew it had to be the Narrowscale we were looking for, the colour, the closely-knit scales, the slender neck and smooth, angular head. This behemoth of a creature was supposed to be taken down by us, but from where I was lying then and there, it didn't seem like this thing could be killed by mortal men.

"How the hell are we supposed to kill this thing?" I asked Grael over our link.

"Weak points," he responded in a semi-calm manner. "If we aim for its belly and mouth, it should be too damaged to fight properly during the battle."

"That easy, huh?" I snapped.

"Obviously not," Grael said with his own snarling tone. "But if we forget this thing has weaknesses and start panicking right now, it'll chew us up in a matter of seconds when we actually need to fight it."

"Right... you're right," I nodded, looking over the enormous creature with a mix of shock and awe. "How do you even fight something this big?"

"I'm sure Luna's taken down bigger," Grael said in an attempt to be comforting.

"She has near-godly powerful magic and thousands of years of experience and training with killing monsters," I said, looking at him from the corner of my eye. "We have two mages that couldn't even climb a quarter of the way up the pedestal Luna's been napping on in terms of power."

"Do not lose hope," Grael said. "We can beat this thing."

"We need to go back and tell the others she's here," I said, looking back over the ridge.

"Worthless bastards!" we both heard the dragon scream, getting our attention immediately. "How dare they do this to me?!"

The two of us fell silent, our ears and eyes locked onto the dragoness as she began to rant, seemingly at someone we couldn't see.

"I was the one that built their temples, I was the one that laid their eggs!" she screamed. "I built the Citadel up to what it is today and they still banish me!? I'll kill them! I'll kill every single one of them!"

Whatever she was talking about, whoever she was talking to, she sounded angry about it, and it was a rage that made the hills themselves shake with fear.

"I am the Grand Matriarch of this entire Council, and here you stand, threatening me, a whelp such as yourself, demanding that I cease my actions against the filth of this world?!" she bellowed.

Okay, she was definitely talking to somebody else down there, and it seemed that she was about to blow her top in a matter of moments if the other person didn't calm her down.

"Grand Matriarch Heimili, I said no such thing!" a female voice, an extremely familiar female voice, said to her, clearly pleading with the dragoness to listen to her. "I am saying that I worry that your actions, these brutal attacks, against the other races of this land will not go unpunished for much longer. If you continue to burn and destroy their settlements, they will eventually rise up against you!"

"And if they so much as try, I shall burn them to ash and return their worthless ashes to the dirt they belong in!" Heimili roared, smoke billowing from her nostrils as she spoke. "And if anyone here need be burned, it is you, girl! You are the daughter to a Draconic Priestess, and here you are, begging a banished one like myself to spare the lives of vermin!"

"We do not need to start war with the other races, Grand Matriarch," the woman said, a pleading tone in her voice. "I will say the same to you as I have to the council: we only stand to benefit from an alliance with the others of this world, and if we merely drop this foolish pride we all cling to and accept that we are not perfect, then we can stand to-"

"Enough!" Heimili screamed, the sound of snow falling from mountain tops being audible moments after her screech, the woman falling silent. "I was willing to listen to you prattle on about your foolish desire for an alliance when you were but a hatchling, hoping that your pool of idiocy would dry up as you aged, but it seems that you've only become more foolish in your later years. I may be banished from our kind, but I still have the pride of our race burning in my heart, and I will not sit here and listen to your moronic drivel of unity and togetherness with creatures too weak to withstand our presence alone. We are a mighty race, the mightiest of them all, and we bow our heads to no one, not even in a friendly manner."

There was a silence between the two of them, neither speaking for a long moment as the sound of the wind rushing through the valley was all we could hear, only for it to be overwhelmed by a statement that sounded as full of apprehension as it got:

"If you're so mighty, then why aren't you sitting on the skulls of the Alicorn?" the woman asked, clearly aware of how much she was pushing her luck with this question. "Why haven't you taken Celestia's life and crown, if you're so mighty? Because I'm well aware that the two of you have battled before, and the only reason you still draw breath is because she took pity on you."

Heimili's nostrils began to billow smoke and fire out of them after this, her eyes glowing a bright red with fury and malice as she leaned down to the woman she obscured from our view, snorting loudly as she seemed to be preparing to vaporise her.

"Do what you will to me!" the woman yelled, a layer of anger now placed on her voice. "But they will know you killed me, and even for someone like you, killing one of our own kind is a crime punishable by death! You may brag about your strength and your might, Grand Matriarch, but even you aren't foolish enough to gain the ire of our entire race!"

Heimili froze in place for a long moment, her eyes still glowing and her nose still billowing smoke like a chimney, before the fire and smoke died down, replaced by a vicious snarl and a threatening growl in her voice as she spoke to the woman.

"I am giving you one last chance to drop your foolish crusade and return to your mother," Heimili snarled. "Because if you don't, punishment or not, I will kill you and strip the flesh from your bones for your insolence. Are we clear?"

"It's not too late to atone for what you've done," she responded in a quiet manner. "I'm sure if you ask me to, I can return to the Council and ask them what they need to void your banishment so you may-"

"Go," Heimili growled. "I will not tell you again, Svea."

The conversation went cold at that point, Heimili flaring her wings and taking off to the skies, Grael and I ducking as low as we could against the rocks and hoping she didn't notice us, leaving the woman, the same woman we'd seen in the wyvern nest, standing alone at the bottom of the valley, a look of conflict and anger on her face, gripping her hands down by her sides and gritting her teeth.

"We need to go back to the others," Grael said, getting to his paws. "Luna needs to hear about this."

I heard what he said but didn't seem to register his words, my mind instead completely absorbed in staring at the woman down in the valley. What had she been called? Svea, was it? An odd name, but fitting for her kind, it seems. I watched her move a lock of hair out of her perfect face, seeing her chest puff out as she sighed in anger, moments before she turned around and stalked away, her feet leaving molten prints in the rock where she stood.

"Richter?" Grael asked.

"Yeah," I nodded, looking away from her swaying hips and standing up. "I'm coming."

Chapter 16: Getting a Handle on the Situation

Luna listened quietly, the only other sound in the room being the gentle crackling of the fire behind her. She'd dressed down since returning, abandoning her leather armour and instead donning nothing more than a set of long underwear, her legs and upper body covered by cotton items of clothing that gave no helping hand in hiding that voluptuous, trained body of hers. Once I'd finished explaining the matter of Heimili and the other woman, Svea, Luna leaned back in her chair and sighed.

"I should've known Svea would be involved in this somehow," she said, rubbing her temples with an aggravated expression.

"How so?" I asked her, crossing my arms and leaning against the bedroom wall.

"Because she's young and she's stupid," Luna answered. "And that combination flocks to danger like a moth to an open flame."

"So what's her deal?" I asked, interested to hear more about her.

"She's a young dragoness, barely thirty years old, and has this stupid idea that she can do what no other dragon has done before and cast out the arrogance and ego they all possess," Luna continued. "Ugh... I think I'm being a little harsh on the girl... basically, she's a noble, pure-hearted little girl with grand plans in her head. It's just a shame that she's going to be preaching to an empty hall for the rest of her life, as none of her kind want to even hear the idea they aren't the superior race."

"Heimili seemed to have that idea," I nodded.

"And it was something I thought Celestia had beat out of her many years ago," the dark-skinned Alicorn said, the look in her eyes clearly showing her delving into her memories.

"So why am I taking care of her?" I asked. "Surely this is something for Celestia to deal with, right?"

"Would you be mad at me if I admitted this Rite was not only your coming of age test to prove your worth as a ruler, but also as a way to plant your stature in the world and snap back at the dragons?" Luna asked in a semi-sheepish manner, a tone of voice and mannerism that didn't usually find its home on her. "Because I feel it's best to be honest to you, treat you like someone who's playing the game instead of a mere piece in it."

"... go on," I said with a raised eyebrow.

"Getting rid of Heimili will do wonders for you and the rest of the world," Luna explained. "She's dangerous, a borderline terrorist, even to her own people, and while they've never voiced their want to get rid of her publicly, I've spoken to many of them that wish she was gone."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because she's so close to become a serious threat to every other race on the planet," Luna continued. "When she was banished, she was caught lighting the fires of a rebellion under the Draconic Council. She was planning to overthrow them, seize control of the dragons and their armies, and use them to truly supplant herself on the throne of the world."

"What stopped her?"

"Celestia did," Luna answered. "And she stopped her hard. I would be shocked if you'd ever seen your Aunt come close to using a fiftieth of her power around you, but I'll tell you now: she is a devastating force of raw strength when she needs to be."

"She cut Heimili down to size?"

"Nearly in half, Richter," Luna said with a proud smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "While she and I may not agree on everything, we both agreed that Heimili needed to be stopped, and it was a pleasure watching her work."

"Did you not help her?" I asked.

"Richter, I didn't need to," Luna chuckled. "Celestia was more than strong enough to handle Heimili without my assistance."

"So, what happened afterwards?" I asked. "Celestia slaps the scales off Heimili, and then what?"

"She's tried before her own people, stripped of her rank and achievements, and is banished forever by her kind," Luna explained. "We of course wanted her to be put to death for her crimes, but the dragons don't believe in executing their own. They feel that public disgrace, record erasing, and banishment is worse."

"Wow," I said, nodding slowly. "Dragons are fucking stupid."

"It's because they're a society based on ego and adoration," Luna began. "They view achievements, accomplishments, and success above all else, and love hearing other dragons talk about how amazing they are. If you're executed, you were a traitor, but a traitor who still accomplished a lot and has that list in the history books. But if you're stripped of your titles and your achievements, have all evidence of your existence removed from the annals of history, and then permanently removed from your own kind, you're everything a dragon never wants to be for the rest of your life."

"So their punishment for high treason, from my perspective at least, is absolutely nothing?" I asked.

"Essentially, yes," Luna nodded.

"Dragons are really fucking stupid," I sighed. "But back on track: why am I killing her?"

"Stature and spite, mostly," Luna shrugged. "If you successfully kill her, you and the others, you will forever be known as a band of warriors that managed to slay a Grand Matriarch dragon, which will give you acclaim and fame all throughout the land."

"And the spite?"

"You killing their most powerful warrior is really gonna make the oversized handbags really angry," Luna said with a rather petty smirk on her face, the pure joy in her eyes from her childish endeavours was rather endearing as I stared at her.

"And is Svea going to get in the way?" I asked.

"Not if she ever wants to go home to her mother again," Luna said with a dark chuckle. "Defending a banished member of their race is a serious crime, one that she'll be banished for. She may want to broker peace and love between dragons and other races, but she's not stupid enough to throw her entire life away to keep Heimili alive."

"What chance do we stand against her?" I asked Luna, getting down to the topic of battle.

"Without a detailed inspection of all of your war assets, I can't really give a decisive opinion," Luna shrugged. "But I know Celana can hit hard with her magic and I know that the Barb Tails are an extremely skilled and efficient mercenary group."

"Give me a rough estimate, please?" I asked.

"You're probably going to scrape by with an extremely high death number that might put the Barb Tails out of business and leave several people, including Celana, crippled for life," she said after a heavy sigh.

"I don't like that estimate,"

"I didn't think you would," Luna nodded. "Is that giving you second thoughts?"

"Not really," I said, crossing my arms as Luna shifted in her chair. "What about the Construct Mage that runs the Hunter's Guild? Angie Svert?"

"I don't think she'd be up to the challenge," Luna said with a shake of her head. "Ask her that question when she was in her twenties, and she'd be rearing to..."

Luna trailed off during her sentence, her eyes widening with some kind of memory as she shot out of her chair, looking down at the ground before looking up to me with a wide smile.

"I completely forgot!" she exclaimed. "I owe her a rejuvenation potion!"

"Is that relevant to this topic?" I asked.

"Of course it is," she nodded. "This is going to help you get some serious strength on your side."

"Isn't that considered as you helping me?"

"Rick, listen close, because I'm going to introduce to you a politician's favourite word," she said, holding up a single finger. "Technicality."

"Why?"

"Because that word is going to let you get away with so much shit in your life," Luna chuckled. "Basically, if I give the potion I owe her from another encounter, she'll become young again and be able to help you. But officially I didn't give her the potion for your benefit, so technically I'm not providing any support."

"Is that so?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yup. It'd be like accusing a doctor of helping a criminal for fixing someone's broken leg and that person then getting recruited by the criminal," Luna shrugged. "Does that sound like a fair accusation to you?"

"I'm guessing that kind of accusation gets thrown out a lot?"

"It is the least powerful accusation ever, as any decent politician can spin people by saying that you might as well accuse the cobbler that made his shoes or the seamstress that stitched his trousers," Luna continued. "So we're cheating with this, but technically we aren't."

"And you're okay with cheating?"

"To this degree, yes. Because I don't want you or your friends dying out here," Luna said, standing up and placing an affectionate hand on my cheek, staring into my eyes and smiling softly. "I love you to pieces, and I couldn't live with myself if you ended up dying because I didn't do something I could've to stop it."

"Thanks, Aunt Luna," I said with a warm smile, feeling a warm rush of love and adoration spread through me as Luna embraced me, hugging me tight against her busty torso and squeezing her soft breasts into my torso.

Another twitch of arousal shot through my loins at this, being able to feel her toned abdomen pressed against mine, barely managing to keep myself from sliding my hands over her wide hips and grab hold of her thick ass. My heart began to pound in my chest as the hug continued, a feeling of worry spread through me as I wondered if Luna could feel my heart rate picking up from excitement and arousal. I soon broke away from her, trying to keep my distance to give myself a second to calm down as a shiver of guilt ran through me, feeling rather disturbed at my reaction to my Aunt's body.

"Right," Luna said, looking at the wardrobe across the room in the master suite she'd rented in the inn. "You go and relax in your bedroom for a few hours while I go and get everything I need for this potion sorted out."

I nodded quietly, moving away from my position against the wall as Luna moved over to the wardrobe, dressing into the usual leather armour she was found in and began tying on her boots.

"Have you guys got anything to keep yourselves entertained while I'm away?" Luna asked.

"I'm sure we can think of something," I shrugged. "There's four of us after all. A conversation shouldn't be that hard to get going."

"Fair enough," Luna nodded. "I'll try not to take longer than I need to."

"See you round," I said with a smile as I headed out of the door, wondering exactly how powerful Angie would be once her youth was restored.

Chapter 17: Due Payment

True to her word, Luna didn't take too long to brew up the rejuvenation potion. It took her no longer than three hours to gather all the ingredients from a local alchemist shop, then cut, crush, simmer, and mix all of them into the sparkling vial of green liquid. She held the vial out in front of me with a smile, a glint in her eye that showed her pride at being such an accomplished alchemist.

"Ta-dah!" she said, holding it aloft.

"Very impressive," I said, giving her a small applause before looking at the green fluid. "It set you back much?"

"Not for me," she shrugged, tucking the vial into a pouch on her belt. "It'd break the bank for most people, but I've got so much money on hand that it's officially classified as 'stupid rich'."

"So what are the chances of me having to pull some fetch quest for Angie before she's willing to help?" I asked, following after Luna as she headed out of the room.

"What's the alcohol percentage of high-end whiskey again?" she asked, patting me on the shoulder.

"Great," I sighed, rolling my shoulders and cracking my neck as we headed down the stairs, seeing the other three sitting at the inn's dinner table and eating food.

"You guys off somewhere?" Zane asked.

"Gonna pay back a favour," Luna nodded. "Should end up getting a new fighter in your team. Feel like tagging along?"

"I think I'll pass," Zane said with a shake of his head. "Thanks, though."

The other two gave similar responses: Annerose needing to take a shower and Grael wanting to rest his paws for the rest of the day; it seemed it was a family trip for Luna and I. We bid the others farewell before we headed through the streets to the Hunter's Guild.

"Where's Lot keeping herself now?" I asked, not having seen the Elf in a good while.

"She's got a room rented on the other side of the city," Luna answered, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder to the western districts. "She's more than exhausted after today."

"I don't blame her, to be honest," I nodded.

"I'm quite surprised you're on your feet after today," Luna commented. "You didn't exactly get a gentle handling."

"I didn't get a particularly rough one either," I shrugged. "The others got it worse than I did."

"Fair enough," she said with a nod, looking around the streets of the city. "Hey, what do you say to a family vacation when we're done here?"

"What, just you and me?" I asked in a confused manner.

"No, all of us," Luna said with a chuckle. "Your Mom and Dad, Celestia, Twilight, Grae, and I. I get the feeling that there's gonna be a celebration planned for you when you get home, so maybe we can cut out the function part of it and go abroad somewhere?"

"Where'd you have in mind?" I asked her.

Luna placed her hands behind her head as she walked, running the ideas of different places to go through her head.

"I'm not sure really," she said after a moment. "We've always picked where to go. Maybe it's your turn to decide a place to go to?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked with a chuckle. "I'd probably pick the shittest place on the planet."

"Nonsense," Luna said, immediately throwing my self-doubt of the window. "I'm sure you know of a few destinations you've always wanted to visit. The seaside, mountains, big cities. You've gotta wanna go somewhere, don't you?"

"I..." I began, running through places I'd learned about over the years through my head, sifting through several places that might hold a place of interest or something I'd want to see, but not finding anything particularly interesting for me. "I can't think of anything right now."

"Then don't worry about it just yet," Luna said. "We've still got a while till we get home, so you can think of it on the way back. That sound fair?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," I nodded, seeing the large Hunter's Guild come into view as we rounded a corner.

"Perfect," she smiled, looking at the sign above the door. "Let's go see if the old girl's awake, shall we?"

We headed into the Hunter's Guild, where Luna drew mass attention as soon as she entered the building. The pub chatter and clinking of drinks died down, and the only sound in the room was that of the door closing behind her. Seconds ticked by in such a slow manner that it made me feel somewhat awkward. Luna crossed her arms and looked around the room with a cocked eyebrow, a small smirk soon creeping onto her face.

"Well?" she asked the whole room. "What the hell kind of welcome is this?"

Upon her saying that, the room erupted into loud cheers and applause as everyone dashed over to the dark-skinned Alicorn for hugs and handshakes; everyone in the room seemed more familiar with Luna than I did at this point. I stepped away from the bumrush she'd set off, walking to the other side of the room to wait out the storm only to hear the sound of more thunderous footsteps. My eyes glanced over to the staircase as more and more hunters rushed over to the princess, eager to greet her.

I sat down at a table, kicking my feet up on a chair on the other side of it and made myself comfortable, seeing Luna smiling, laughing, and talking with so many different people that it seemed nearly impossible to keep track of them all, but she seemed more than capable of addressing every face with a name and a conversation topic.

"I gather you're used to this kind of thing?" a familiar voice asked me as it took a seat at the table.

"Yup," I said, smiling at Angie as she sat down. "Used to get bummed out by the fact nobody ever noticed me when I was younger, but I realised how much better it was to be unremarkable."

"Just wait until you get a few accomplishments under your belt," Angie chuckled. "Then everyone is going to be treating you the same way... so, what brings you and the old girl back here?"

"She's here to give you that rejuvenation potion she owes you," I said, placing my hands behind my head and resting on the chair. "What's the story behind that?"

"We made a bet-slash-favour between the two of us about a year ago," Angie answered. "I helped Luna track down a few renegade demons and she promised-slash-bet me that I couldn't take more down than she could."

"What did the score come to?" I asked.

"Seventy-sixty nine," Angie said with a proud smile. "And I stole the last one from her."

"Rather devious," I chuckled.

"It was all in good fun, though," Angie said with a nostalgic smile on her face. "I'm glad to see she's finally gotten off her prissy little throne and decided to come through with her part of the bet."

"So what are you planning on doing when you're young again?" I asked her.

"Well... if it's not a problem with you," Angie said. "I was hoping I could tag along with you and take down the Manticore?"

I turned to look at her, cocking my eyes as the old woman who stared back at me with a glint in her eyes and a wide smile.

"I don't see why not... but..." I said, leaning forward and whispering to her. "If you're up for a bigger prize, my friends and I are trying to track down a Narrowscale dragon, and I think you'll be more than helpful in taking it down."

Angie was silent for a long moment, a look of shock on her face at the sheer scale of the challenge before another wider grin spread onto her wrinkled face, excitement lighting up in her eyes and shaking in anticipation. She nodded eagerly, almost too hard for her old body to take, before speaking again.

"When? Where? Why?" she asked, bursting at the seams with an eagerness to fight.

"I'll tell you when you're sorted out, okay?" I arranged. "Just when the din's died down."

"Alright, fine," she nodded. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I'm gonna go get sorted out."

With that, she rocketed over to Luna, seemingly enhanced by her own magic, and dragged the blue-haired Alicorn away from the crowds, catching me by the cuff of the collar as she came back, and dragged us both up the stairs. Once we were all in her office, she turned to Luna and held out her hand, eagerly-twitching fingers outstretched.

"Come one," she said, grinning widely. "Give it up."

Luna smirked silently, fishing the potion out and handing it to the much smaller woman. She swilled the green mixture around in the vial for a long second, being able to see straight through the glowing concoction, before she uncorked the vial and gulped it down.

"Here's hoping I simmered the Velvet Toad's liver properly, or else your organs are gonna shrink into nothingness," Luna chuckled.

Angie responded by waving Luna's joke away, finishing the four-inch vial in a mighty gulp and shaking in revulsion from the flavour. She stood still for a long moment, eyeing her hands and feet with anticipation as a faint glow began to cover them, spreading out from her core and soon bathing her entire body in a warm, golden light.

"Ah, so the temperature was right after all," Luna commented, resting against the wall as Angie's small, frail form began to morph and change as it was covered by the light, completely obscuring her from vision as it did so. There was a loud tearing of fabric heard from underneath the light, Luna's eyes widening in a realising manner before sheepishly scratching the back of her head.

"Oh yeah... I forgot about that," she said.

"What?" I asked, turning to look at her.

"Angie, or Angela as she's probably going by again, was about a foot taller in her youth than she was at the age she is now," Luna commented. "Not to mention the fact that she wasn't the, uh, flattest woman I'd ever seen. I probably should've gotten her a change of clothes, as well."

"Do you want me to turn around?" I asked. "Show a little respect?"

"Nah, she won't mind," Luna said with a shake of her head. "If anything, she'll be overjoyed that she's attractive again."

"Right," I said, watching the glowing light seemingly harden over Angela, forming into a golden casing that soon exploded outwards, the shards disappearing as soon as they left her body and revealing the newly restored Guild Master. Luna hadn't been lying, either. Angela had grown over a foot taller, now being half an inch taller than me, and was packing assets. Her body, much like Luna's, was covered in small-yet-defined muscles gained through years and years of hard training.

Not only that, Luna also hadn't been exaggerating about the size of her breasts. Her enormous, soft-looking rack was in great contrast to her muscular form, but took nothing away from her amazing figure and drool-inducing attractiveness. Her once cold grey hair was alight with bright yellow life, her old, ratty ponytail now replaced with thick, flowing locks dangling down to the middle of her back with her fringe falling over one eye. Her dull eyes were a vibrant emerald green, seemingly glowing with beauty and power as Angela looked down at herself.

She too seemed to notice her shredded clothing, but seemed nowhere close to embarrassed about being exposed in such a manner, going so far as to tear the shredded remains of her old robes off and really put everything on display, right down to her bare-shaved nethers. The newly-restored Angela performed a few basic movements and stretches, trying to see if anything didn't flex right only to find that she was in perfect working order.

"So?" she asked in a much younger, softer voice. "How do I look?"

"Twenty five and beautiful," Luna said giving her a thumbs up. "It's so great to see you without a support bra after all these years."

"But you're used to hanging around old crones anyway, I need the opinion of a young, horny teenager," she said, waving Luna's opinion off.

Okay then.

"Tell me, Richter," she asked, batting her eyelids at me. "Do I strike your fancy?"

I decided that it would be best to be honest with her at this point. It seemed only fair after getting nearly a hands-on tour of this warrior woman's perfect body, so I just went all out with it.

"In every way possible," I nodded, grinning eagerly.

"Perfect," she said, grinning proudly. "Now... what was this about a dragon?"

Chapter 18: The Manticore

After Angela had been filled in on the details of our hunt for Heimili, she was rearing to go. Her eyes literally sparkled with excitement, a faint yellow aura glowing around her and her body shaking where she stood. Angela seemed to be a bundle of energy and violence once she'd returned to her younger form, and she never seemed to stop moving, constantly shadow boxing or performing some kind of exercise to keep herself going. She finally dressed herself after spending twenty minutes wandering around the third floor as naked as the day she was born; Luna needed to remind her that she couldn't run around outside like that and dragged her into her wardrobe.

She dressed fast, ignoring a shirt entirely and deciding to wrap her breasts with nothing more than white bandages, doing the same to her hands and fingers, throwing around a long brown overcoat that she kept open, pulling on a pair of tight brown pants, and wearing knee-high leather boots. She once again crackled her knuckles, turning around to Luna with her arms held out by her sides and a wide smile on her face, getting an appreciative wolf-whistle from the ancient Alicorn before striding past her.

"Are we ready to go kill this Manticore or what?" she asked, bouncing back and forth between her feet as she started shadow boxing once more. "I haven't been this ready to fight in over two hundred years."

"Aren't we gonna need the others?" I asked, looking the woman up and down as I walked over to her.

"Of course not," she said, jabbing a thumb towards herself and grinning. "I'm all you need, kid."

I was silent for a brief moment, turning around to Luna with an open mouth and an outstretched finger before the older woman seemed to read my mind, answering my questions with a gentle chuckle.

"Yes, she was always this energetic, yes, you get used to it, and no, she never stops being like this," she said. "Is that all?"

"That covers it, yeah," I nodded, trailing my eyes back over to Angela, now occupying herself by performing two-finger push-ups on the floor with one hand behind her back. "Am I gonna need to do the same thing you do with an excited puppy?"

"Walk it until it passes out?" Luna asked. "Yes, almost definitely."

"Right," I shrugged, patting my leg and whistling. "Come on, Angela. Come here, girl!"

The woman looked at me with a very bemused expression, pushing herself up from her fingers with a mighty shove back up to her standing height and stretching her arms out behind her.

"Alright then, kiddo!" she said with a wide smirk, patting me on the back hard enough to nearly launch me off my feet. "Let's get us some hunting done, alright?"

"Lead the way," I said, gesturing with my hand. "It seems safer behind you. And a much more pleasant view."

"Keep focused here," Luna said, taking a seat in Angela's chair and propping her feet up on the desk. "I'll handle Guild Master duties while you're gone, Angela. Have fun!"

The 'fun' seemed to be nearly needing to jog to keep up with Angela's rapid pace, the woman smiling and waving at all the drooling men and jealous wives she walked past. Her coat billowed in the icy winds, but her strong body showing no signs of discomfort from the temperature. She trudged through the city, down the small hill to the forest where the Manticore had been spotted, and formulated a plan for us both.

"Look for any signs of damage, okay?" she suggested. "Broken branches, claw marks, upturned stoned, and foot prints. That'll help us get a lead on where it is."

"Yeah... I know," I said. "I'm a hunter too, remember? Luna trained me to recognise and follow that kind of stuff."

"Oh yeah," she said, scratching the back of her head with a sheepish grin. "Well, you'll have to excuse me. Memory's not what it used to be at my age... it used to be a unicorn."

"..."

"What?"

"I..." I said, looking at her with disbelief. "Never... nevermind. Let's just start looking for the Manticore, okay?"

"Sure thing, boss," she smirked, getting an eye and ear to the ground and beginning to look around for any signs of where the creature could've been. I wandered around myself, keeping an eye out for any disturbances, while also pondering how different Angela seemed from before. True, I'd only met her sparingly before she'd become young again, but the way she acted then as opposed to now made her seem like a completely different person. I'd heard it was true that you slowed down in your old age, but I didn't realise that youth and vigour had the same effect on the elderly as three kilograms of cocaine.

I could hear her muttering excitedly to herself, discussing plant roots, geodes, and tree bark of all things, sounding rather much like a crazy person let out of the nut house. I made my way through the treeline, knowing that the Manticore was small enough to fit through the first line of the evergreens, but would be much too big to squeeze through the denser forests without leaving some kind of trace, be it broken branches or scraps of fur stuck to trees.

And scraps of fur it was, it seemed, as I found a large clump of golden hair stuck to a strand of torn bark over two meters above ground. That meant the Manticore was fully grown and male, as the golden fur clump came from the creature's mane and was at the right height for an average-sized male in the species. I looked around in the snow for any prints, seeing several of them stamped into the ground with the right paw missing two toes.

"It's been through the ringer, then," I said, noting the damage to its body. "Wonder what else it's got wrong with it..."

"So!" Angela exclaimed suddenly, having silently charged up behind me and nearly jumped onto my back, pressing her huge breasts into my spine and allowing her warmth to spread through me, snaking an arm around my waist and holding me close. "Guess what I just found?"

"Is it a reason to stay like that for a few more minutes?" I asked, rolling my shoulders to move and press against her breasts. "I hope it's that."

"You're so terrible," she giggled, ruffling my hair playfully before reaching behind her back. "But no, I found this!"

She pulled a large, withered stinger out from her coat, marked and stained with years of combat and use, only now to have dropped off entirely, as the fact that root of the stinger was still attached instead of it being snapped off. The fact that the Manticore's appendage had fallen off in this pristine, so to speak, a manner was a signal of one thing: it was drawing near the end of its life. Manticores only lived for around seventeen years, and as they get to their dying days, bits and pieces start falling off of them. Teeth come loose, hair starts to shed more frequently, and the stinger of their tail will just fall out.

"So that means-" I began.

"-this fight is going to be really damn boring," Angela sighed, tucking the stinger back into her coat and moving away from me, robbing me of the warm embrace of her arms and breasts.

"Surely that's a good thing?" I asked her, turning around and trudging through the mass of snow-covered sticks and rotting leaves.

Angela stopped for a moment, her hands on her hips and a heavy expression on her face, turning her emerald eyes to me with a look of disappointment.

"For a normal person, maybe," she said, nodding sombrely as she spoke. "But for me, there's no honour, no glory, in hunting down a creature that's too old to defend himself. There's no challenge, no struggle involved in it, and because of that, I can't count it as a notch under my belt. It's too easy, Richter."

She seemed genuinely downtrodden about this, as if some part of her soul or life had been snuffed out by the lack of a challenge in this hunt. I understood where she was coming from, though. I didn't hold any of the same beliefs about hunting, especially hunting monsters, as I felt that the easier it is to take something dangerous down, the easier and faster it is to save people. I didn't hunt for sport; I hunted to save people. But, even so, I could still empathise with her sadness.

"Hey," I said, walking over to her and putting a warm, supportive hand on her shoulder. "Why not see it as a warm-up for Heimili? A training dummy for the real deal?"

She was silent for a long moment, looking up at me with that same, sombre expression in her eyes, that fire she once had gone from them altogether.

"Come on, Angela," I said, giving her a supportive smile. "You're too beautiful to not smile. Cheer up, will you?"

A little bit of her excitement flared up once more, a small-yet-honest smile appearing on her face as she looked into my eyes, cocking an eyebrow at me before shaking her head, chuckling quietly and taking a deep breath.

"Alright then, hot-shot," she said, placing her hands on her hips and looking out into the forest. "Training warm-up, or whatever you want to call this little ego shield."

"If you want an ego boost, I'm sure I can come up with enough compliments to make you get a big head again," I shrugged, walking through the little trail of damaged ground and trees leading us to the dying Manticore. "They can be sexual ones, or they can't, if you'd like?"

"Make em sexual," she said. "Just don't get too gratuitous."

"Alright then, where'd you want me to start?" I asked, looking over my shoulder as she followed behind me.

"Start from the top and work your way down," she said. "Do your best."

"Fair enough, we'll start with your hair," I said, looking around at the damaged bark as I spoke. "You've got to have the most beautiful, soft-looking set of locks I've seen in a long while. That crop of gold on your head enraptures me and the softness of it is something that could keep me entertained for hours as we lay together, twirling locks around my finger while I planted kisses on your beautiful, plump lips."

"Ahhh..." she said, grinning widely and resting her hands behind her head. "My ego feels nice right now."

"As it should," I said, ducking under an uprooted tree that had gotten caught on the way down between two other intersecting evergreens. "The only reason I can't call you perfect is because it's not a human quality, but you're a halo away from being so."

"Aaahhh, nice and cheesy," she giggled, patting me on the shoulder.

I quickly placed my hand on hers, spinning her around and pulling her closer to me, our faces inches apart as she stared into my eyes.

"And don't even get me started on those gorgeous emeralds of yours," I said, being able to feel her breath on my nose as she shivered in excitement. "I could sell my crown, my castle, and my soul to a demon and they still wouldn't be worth as much those beauties are."

"Alright, Big Boy," Angela smirked, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me close. "Keep this up and we might be fucking, here and now."

"I thought you didn't want it to be gratuitous?" I asked. "Wanted it to be elegant and respectful?"

"If you can use your tongue to pleasure me as well as you compliment me," she smirked, planting her lips mere centimetres from mine. "Then I'll consider that both elegant and respectful."

"Then I'd best get to work," I chuckled, pressing my lips against hers and losing myself in her warm embrace and passionate kiss. Her mint-flavoured tongue, clearly magically enhanced, slid into my mouth as she pushed me up against a large, semi-toppled tree, sliding her hands up my shirt and toying with my muscular abdomen. I did the same with her, using my strong fingers to poke and probe her stronger abdomen, each defined muscle on her trained body being rock-solid and warm through and through.

I soon slid my hands under her coat and down her backside, clamping my hands onto her squat-forged ass and squeezing it gently while lapping and probing her tongue. I listened to her passionate moans of arousal and desperation, trying to push her wet muscle deeper and deeper into my mouth, seemingly enraptured with my own taste. She broke away from me a moment later, her eyes full of lust and her cheeks flushed with red, cast her coat aside and took my hands to clamp them onto her enormous breasts, forcing me to push the wrapping away and feel her rigid nipples dig into my palms.

I could feel my cock beginning to swell in my pants. Angela did as well as she began to rub the rapidly-growing bulge with her palm, curling her fingers around it eventually and beginning to gently squeeze and stroke it. I placed my tongue on her neck, the cold air making her gasp as it cooled the spit on her neck. The two of us huddled close, sharing our warmth as she undid my belt, sliding my near-foot-long cock out of my pants and gasping in amazement. She pulled back the foreskin on the monstrous head and started rubbing it with her thumb.

I groaned in pleasure as she began to pump her hands up and down my sex organ, it being more than big enough for both of them with inches to spare. The mix of her warm touch and the biting cold of the air around us brought a strange sense of both discomfort and satisfaction, with her warmth being evermore appreciated when it covered the inches it needed to. I slid a single hand away from her breasts, pushing it into her pants and beginning to toy with the folds of her pussy, her warm cavern already dripping and soaking the tight-fitting cotton she wore. The newly-restored sex bomb began grinding her cunt against my fingers as she let out a moan and a shiver being awarded for my pleasuring efforts.

The moment was perfect, the foreplay was intense, and the fucking would've been ever so satisfying had the Manticore, now of all moments, decided to make itself known while the two of us literally had our pants around our ankles. The enormous being charged towards us, baring what was left of its fangs, and knocked trees and bushes down in a mighty sprint that we were barely able to dodge. With sex organs ready and rearing to go, the two of us were forced to try and tuck in and dry off as quickly as possible. Angela covered her breasts and grabbed her coat while I fumbled with the buttons on my pants, trying as hard as I could to tuck my eleven inch cock down my leg without spraining it.

Once we were covered up again, hearts pounding from a mix of frustrated arousal and genuine anger at the Manticore, we prepared ourselves for battle. I drew my sword from its sheath, squaring my stance and preparing for a fight, while Angela lashed her hands down by her sides, her eyes glowing yellow as her magic kicked in and her fists covered with giant yellow ones. Her construct magic was working wonders now that she was back to her youth and full strength. She launched forward at the Manticore, slamming her enormous fist into its face and knocking several shards of fang from its mouth in a single blow.

I rushed in, slashing briefly at the Manticore's back legs and managing to dodge under a slash from its stinger-less tail, bringing my sword up in a countering fashion only for the metal blade to bounce off the tail's exoskeleton without leaving so much as a scratch.

"Harder than plate armour," I reminded myself. "And barely any reachable gaps."

I landed a few more strikes on the beast's legs, spewing green blood onto the snow around us with the heat of the fluid rising off the white ice like steam, and I turned my eyes back to Angela. There was no elegant warrior’s term to describe what she was doing, no name for the technique, and no tournament way to classify it other than "Angela was beating the living shit out of this Manticore." Over and over again, she cocked back her enormous fists, brutally pounding the creature in the mouth, knocking out shards of teeth and globs of blood.

Its eyes were swollen shut, its tongue had been nearly severed clean off after hitting against its teeth as many times as it had, and its face was nothing more than a shattered skull held together by flesh and muscle. The beasts whimpered and crowed in an aged, pained manner and a pang of remorse welled up inside me; I didn’t want this creature to die in such an agonising fashion after trying to do no more than protect its territory. It clearly had no chance of winning and I wanted it to die quickly, so I dashed over to Angela and made my request, hand on her shoulder and mouth near her ear.

She nodded quickly, changing the giant fist construct into an enormous spear, cocking her arm back and throwing the spear directly into the beast's ruined eye socket. The monster went stiff where it stood as she destroyed its brain, the muscles going into spasm as it toppled over onto the floor, blood pouring out of the eye as the construct disappeared in an explosion of sparks that soon faded to nothing. Angela crossed her arms over her chest and smiled proudly.

"So..." I said to her as I placed a hand on her shoulder. "You finished that off so fast that I still haven't gone soft yet."

"Well keep that nice and big for me," she said, pulling me into an embrace and kissing me once more. "Because we're going back to my bedroom and putting it to good use, okay?"

"That's sounds perfect," I chuckled, eager and ready to fuck her good and proper after the blue-balling I'd just received from this bastard Manticore. And as for claiming the reward and paying the mercenaries to work for me... I'd much rather claim this ass and pay it a pounding first.

Chapter 20: A Test of Worthiness

I decided it'd be best for me to get a contract signed with the Barb Tail group before heading back to the inn to save myself the trouble of going back and forth to get everyone. I was escorted by several hunters as they brought my reward from the Manticore contract: a cart full of golden coins. I was welcomed into the mercenary compound once more and met with the leader.

"Well, well, well," she said, walking over to me with a smirk on her face. "I didn't expect to see you again."

"And why's that?" I asked her, folding my arms as I looked up into her eyes.

"Because most of the little kids that ask us to kill something usually run back home when they find out how much of mommy's money it's gonna cost them," she shrugged. "But it seems that you sacked up and got the job done. That's impressive for a kid that barely looks strong enough to hold a conversation much less a position of power."

"I'm guessing you get off on insulting people, right?" I asked her, gritting my teeth in annoyance.

"Rather a lot, actually," she nodded. "Nothing helps me forget and hide my own insecurities and failures by making fun of everyone else's."

"Duly noted," I said, rolling my eyes. "So I got you your money. Are you gonna fight for us now?"

"Well that depends if you're competent enough to fight with," she shrugged. "Forgive me if I come off as rude, or don't, but you must see the importance of testing a possible candidate to see if they're as useful as a three-legged donkey when it comes to a job offer this dangerous. You're asking to rent my entire army to fight a dragon and yet I don't know anything about how you plan to tackle it. For all I know you could be paying me the deposit and then merely charging the entire force into its mouth."

"I can see that worry," I nodded, the catgirl finally giving an opinion we both agreed on. "So what'll you have me do to prove my worthiness, Fluff Ball?"

"You can start by explaining your basic strategy," she said, walking towards me before roughly gripping my shirt, dragging me over to her and holding me in front of her face. "And if you ever call me that again, I'm going to make sure you'll be shitting out your own teeth, are we clear?"

"Then how about you give me your name?" I asked, gripping hold of her arm and forcing her back slightly.

There was a tense standoff between us for a few brief seconds, her deep blue eyes glaring furiously at me before she released with me with a shove. I was forced back several steps by her strength before she jabbed a thumb at her own chest, her tail twirling around behind her as she spoke.

"The name's Karra," she said in a stern tone. "Now, get talking."

I straightened my shirt, sorting out the creasing her grab had given it before beginning to speak. The two of us clearly weren't becoming fast friends any time soon and I was more than eager to get her on my side and get her mouth shut.

"Each of my group usually has a job that changes depending on the foe," I began. "We have a good number of basic battle strategies we use whenever we end up getting into combat, and this situation's no different. The basic plan is something we call a toppler. The plan involves Zane, the big guy I brought beforehand, knocking the enemy over onto its side or back and letting the rest of us get a shot at it."

"How often does that work?" she interrupted.

"As often as it needs to. Zane's beyond a normal human and can knock over practically everything, especially with that greatsword of his," I explained.

"That thing?" she asked, cocking a well-groomed eyebrow. "It barely looks any different from a regular zweihander. What makes it so unconquerable?"

"Its weight," I answered. "The whole thing weighs about three hundred pounds because of how dense the Kairosteel used to forge it is. Zane swinging it as hard as he can packs enough power to either cut entirely through whatever he's fighting through momentum alone or, if that fails, cripple it with sheer force."

"And how the hell doesn't he send himself flying after one swing of that thing?" she asked, crossing her arms and giving me a scrutinising expression. "All that momentum isn't easy to stop."

"Not over swinging helps," I shrugged. "And he's strong enough to slow it down if it does swing a little too far. The guy can lift over three tonnes. He's really not gonna let a measly three hundred pounds show him up."

"Right, whatever," she said, waving it away. "Big man uses big sword with big muscles. What else does your little squad do?"

"Annerose acts as our pin-point piercer-" I began.

"With a katana?" she asked, really laying on her disapproval.

"Hey, they can pierce," I pointed out.

"So can a fucking rock if you hit hard enough with it," Karra countered. "Why the hell isn't she using a rapier if she's supposed to be a pin-point piercer? They can gap pretty much anything and she decides to use a weapon pretty much designed for slashing?"

"It can do other stuff," I said, trying desperately to defend a choice I didn't even support myself. "And she doesn't use a rapier because she's more of a sword-to-sword fighter than she is a deflector."

"Once again-" Karra said. "She's using a fucking katana. If that single-edged piece of shit she keeps on her waist is an authentic pig iron piece of work, then she's lucky it doesn't break coming out of the sheath."

"It gets the job done well enough," I growled.

"Despite the lot of you seemingly having access to a thousand other weapons that are much better designed for this kind of thing..." she muttered under her breath. "But anyway, what does the dog do?"

"The Direwolf," I corrected. "Usually acts as our tracker, hunter, and all-around ravager if needs be. A lot of the guys we go up against don't tend to be clad in full plate, so Grael's teeth make quick work of them all... which is also why Annerose prefers using a katana."

"Are you gonna drop that already or what?" she asked.

"You're the one that brought it up!" I snapped, screwing my eyes shut and shaking my head. "Right, anyway, the point is: we know what you're doing and we can trust us with your forces. Is that a good enough breakdown?"

"No," she answered, not even giving it a second of thought. "It isn't. I wanna see how you yourself fight."

"You wanna duel me?" I asked.

"Mostly I just really wanna hit you in the face a lot," she shrugged. "But I can also use it as an excuse to test how you handle yourself. You up for that, kid?"

"Sure," I growled. "I just hope you're alright with not being able to eat solid foods for a few months after I break your jaw."

"Talk shit all you want, kiddo," she sniggered. "But we'll see who comes out on top in the arena."

I balled my fists angrily, heading after her as she led us both into the arena. A loud bell was rung to signal our little fight and a crowd of the other mercenaries gathered around the arena, several holding food and drink as they settled in to watch our bout. We squared off in the arena, both of us drawing our weapons and shaking hands, Karra being the first to offer and surprising me with the honour she apparently possessed.

"Remember: no killing," she said. "So you're safe for now."

"I'll say the same to you," I said, the two of us briefly clashing blades for a second before we turned around and walked to the chalk-lined starting position for the duel to begin.

I took the time to look over Karra's weapon and armour. It was basic and effective: longsword and plate armour, but lacking a helmet. It meant that regular slashes were worthless here and that I'd have to focus on making use of the sword's tip and pommel. Stabbing and bashing were my best bets here as she had a lot more protection than I did. I was thankful for my thick leather gloves having just enough finger to allow me to half-sword against her without worrying much about cutting my fingers open. That technique would most likely be my ace in the hole for this bout.

The bell was rung a second time, signaling the start of the fight, and Karra slowly advanced towards me. She kept me at her sword's length, hers definitely being in the middle range of longswords while mine barely qualified as one due its borderline length, and I knew that distance advantage she had would be dangerous. I also missed a shield on my arm but knew that if I kept my guard up she wouldn't be able to exploit that as much.

I made the first move, using the leather bracers I was wearing to knock aside her blade and go for a stab that was aimed for her shoulder. It was deflected by her knocking my own blade aside with her plate gauntlets and swinging for my stomach. I was able to slash my sword downwards, knocking her slash into the dirt just ahead of my feet before darting forwards, slamming my fist into her nose and causing her to stagger back. I once again made a stab for her shoulder only to have her spin out of the way, using a mix of my forward momentum and her sideways spin to get around my sword and past my guard, slamming her fist into my face and cutting my cheek open.

I staggered sideways, nearly knocked to the floor by the force of her punch, and barely brought my sword up in time to catch a slash aimed for my arm. A loud metal clank sounded as her blade hit into mine, though my Kairosteel sword managed to chew pretty deep into the edge of her regular steel blade, something the two of us noticed and something Karra wasn't too happy about.

"Rich bastard," she muttered, now having brutal strikes taken out of her arsenal of attacks due to the damage it would do to her own blade.

She moved forwards again, trying to kick me onto my side and get me in a defeated position. I slapped her leg aside, making her spin sideways a little before rocketing to my feet. I caught her in the mouth with my own punch, knocking her clear off her upset balance and onto the floor. She didn't stay down for long, however. She was back up on her feet after using her momentum to roll backwards, soon springing forward with a vicious, two-handed slash aimed for my right knee.

I dodged backwards, her sword missing my leg by a wide margin. She didn't overswing it, however, and was easily able to bring the sword back up, using that second hand on the hilt to give her a good bit of extra control to angle the sword into a mighty cleave. I dodged back again, but not far enough. The sword cut through the padded shirt I was wearing and into the top layers of skin, pain flaring and hot blood trickling down my stomach. The crowd cheered for their leader and Karra retreated backwards, bring her sword up in a guarding position and not letting her lead go to her head.

She'd landed the first blow and had drawn first blood. She was skilled, nimble, and fast, a bad combination for her opponents. I gripped the leather-wrapped hilt of my sword even harder, my knuckles turning a shade of white as I gritted my teeth. I moved towards her, going for another stab, this time aiming for her knee. She darted to the side and avoided the attack, then switched her stance and darted backwards, lunging at me with a stab aimed for my torso. I copied one of her early moves; dodging to the side to avoid the attack and close the distance. Sadly, the follow-up strike didn't work as it did for her.

She ducked under the punch and brought her own fist up, slamming it into my jaw and sending me staggering backwards. I was lucky that I hadn't bit through my tongue at that point, but was starting to feel the ache of her repeated strikes. My cheek was already cut and bleeding from the earlier blow and I felt as if she'd drawn blood from my chin as well, if the sting was anything to go by. I recovered, but was on the back foot; Karra used this advantage to keep pushing me further backwards.

She was quick and controlled, my arms barely able to keep up with her expert strikes before I was finally up against the wall. She knocked my sword aside, slammed her knee into my gut, and punched me in the face again. Blood splattered onto the floor next to me as my head rocketed to the side, the cut on my cheek made even deeper by the repeated strike before she raised her blade and placed it against my neck. The cold, chipped metal dug into my flesh, a mere draw or pull away from me meeting my creator before she stepped backwards.

"You really aren't shit without your team, are you?" she asked, sheathing her sword at her side and picking mine up for me, handing the hilt back to me.

"I'm usually better than this," I said, both my face and my pride stinging from the beating I'd just received as I took the sword back and slid it into its sheath over my shoulder.

"I bet you tell all the girls that," she chuckled, retying her hair into a ponytail behind her head and scratching her cat ears. "I wanna test your other friends to see if they're worth my time. Sorry to say it, kid, but you haven't instilled much confidence in me giving you control of my men, no matter how much money you pay. Let's hope your friends do better."

"Yeah," I nodded, feeling rage and inadequacy boiling in the pit of my stomach. "I'll be back with them soon."

As I headed out of the arena, I had a hand of one of the Barb Tails placed on my shoulder. I stopped and turned to him, the larger man looking at me with a solemn expression.

"Kid, don't beat yourself up about it," he said, trying to make me feel better about myself. "She kicks everyone's ass. We're all losers to her."

"Sure," I said, nodding but not believing. "Whatever, man."

I wiped the blood from my cheek onto the back of my leather glove, grinding my teeth furiously the entire way back to the inn as I couldn't shake the feeling of failure from myself the entire walk back. I figured that a shower might help, but knew the only thing that would heal my pride was time and distance from this place.

Chapter 22: The Talk

The troupe soon returned and returned with speeches of success. They each spoke of their combat trial, facing different warriors that flew the flag of the Barb Tails and how each of them were victorious over their opponents. The sense of annoyance at myself over my failures flared up once more, its flame being stoked by my friends victory. But I was happy that they'd succeeded nonetheless. That feeling of annoyance was soon squashed down and replaced by an awkward thumping in my chest as Grael walked over to me, eyeing me up with concern.

"So..." he said, sitting on his haunches and staring at me. "We need to talk, don't we?"

"If you, uh, think we need to," I said, scratching the back of my head in a sheepish manner.

"I think it best that we do," he nodded. "We'll tell the others we're going out for a talk, okay?"

"Right," I nodded, feeling like I often did as a child while waiting to be punished or scolded for doing something wrong.

My breathing had quickened, my eyes darted around the room in a nervous manner, and a sick feeling permeated my stomach, spilling waves of unpleasant emotion through me that made my heart pound and a disgusting taste spread into my mouth. Grael explained to the others where the two of us were going, saying that it was a royal matter and wasn't to be discussed with the others. Luna was obviously confused, but pressed no further, and the two of us were soon on our way out of the city.

We walked for a long while without saying anything, merely letting the blowing wind fill the silence for us. It wasn't until Grael's paws made contact with the same rocky surface we'd seen Heimili and Svea arguing on that he addressed me. He turned around with a confused look in his eyes, asking the blunt question there and then.

"So how long have you been fantasising about sex with Luna?" he asked, sitting down on his haunches once more and waiting patiently.

"I... I can't really... it's not that-" I fumbled, unable to find any words that could brush this awkward topic away easily.

"Richter," Grael said in a firm tone. "You don't need to lie to me nor do you need to try and hide this from me either. I'm in your head and feel what you feel whenever you're not hiding it, and I believe that I'm the best person for you to talk to about this."

"So... you're okay with it?"

"Gods no!" Grael exclaimed, almost horrified at the question I asked. "I can literally feel my skin crawl and my teeth itch at the mere thought of what you're fantasising about. It's a revolting and unnatural desire that I want no part of. Yet at the same time..."

Grael turned his head downwards at this point, his grey eyes locking onto the ground at his paws while he formulated his thoughts.

"What?" I asked. "What is it?"

"At the same time, I can't find myself blaming you," he confessed. "Luna... she's not the easiest things to be repulsed by. Not to mention the type of person you are... I can completely understand why you'd feel this way."

"But you don't support it?" I asked only to immediately shake my head in disbelief. "'It'? As if this is a thing that's already happening. I'm sat here feeling guilty over something I haven't done yet. It's not like I'm marrying any of them, is it?"

"'Them'?" Grael asked, looking at me with narrowed eyes. "What the hell do you mean 'them'? Are... are you telling me you're not just fantasising about Luna?"

There was silence between the two of us once again, Grael's mouth hanging open as he stared at me. It was clear he was trying to deduce what was wrong with me, where this incestuous fire had got its spark, and how I should go about putting it out completely.

"You're not right in the head," he finally said. "You can't be. There's supposed to be some natural barrier, some kind of basic instinct that prevents this kind of thing. You're not supposed to be sexually attracted to family members. It just doesn't happen naturally."

"Maybe it doesn't," I said, holding my arms out by my sides. "But we're here now, aren't we? What the hell am I going to do about it?"

"Suppressing it isn't an option," Grael said, now beginning to pace back and forth on the rock we stood on, his paws clicking loudly as they struck the surface. "That'll just make it worse. You'll build and build in desperation until you just snap somewhere down the line."

So what am I supposed to do?" I asked him.

"I don't know!" Grael snapped, turning around and glaring at me. "I'm still having a hard time processing the depths of your depravity, never mind trying to figure out how to help you and your psychological issues!"

"Don't get mad at me for this!" I snapped back. "It's not like I'm doing this on purpose, you know!?"

Grael gritted his teeth angrily, moments ticking by as I could feel him trying to force himself to cool down. He sucked in a large breath, filling his lungs to the brim before exhaling slowly. Once he'd emptied and refilled them several times over, he looked at me once more with a much calmer expression.

"I get that... and I'm sorry for being angry at you," he said in a low tone. "I know you can't control your desires, no matter how hard you try... what the hell are we going to do about this...?"

"Therapy?" I asked.

"Terrible idea," Grael said. "Doesn't matter how trustworthy the psychiatrist, they'd ride you for a mile if they had that kind of blackmail on you."

"Twilight's a psychologist..." I said, really grasping for straws at this point. "D'you think she'd be professional enough to..."

I trailed off, finishing the sentence with nothing more than a sigh as I ran my hand through my hair.

"You don't even believe that yourself, do you?" Grael asked. "Not for a minute?"

"No..." I said, sitting down on the rocks and placing my head in my hands.

I felt a well of frustration filling up inside me, a mix of anger and despair wallowing and mixing around in the pit of my stomach as my own self-disgust continued to fuel my sick and revolted feelings. Grael padded over to me, gently nuzzling my cheek with his own as he sat down. I stuffed my face into his chest, grinding my teeth and gripping onto handfuls of his thick fur. He lowered his head, resting his jaw on the top of mine and trying to time his breathing with mine.

"What are we going to do with you?" he asked in a soft manner. "What can we do?"

"I... I don't know," I said, shaking my head slowly.

"I think... I think we're going to have to ask for help on this one," Grael whispered to me. "Maybe it is best to talk to Twilight. She might be disturbed slightly, she has every right to be... but maybe she can help you if she sees this as a sign of being unwell."

"I can't," I said nearly immediately.

"You might have to," Grael countered.

"I won't!" I growled, my temper flaring up as I imagined the look on Twilight's face, the look on everyone's faces, if I confessed my attraction to them.

"Alright, alright," Grael said, nuzzling me again as he tried to calm me down. "I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to."

The two of us remained still and silent for a long time, sharing thoughts and ideas over our link all the while Grael tried to push as many warm and comforting emotions onto me through it. I appreciated what he was trying to do; he hated it when I was upset, but there didn't seem to be anything he could do to help at this point. Maybe he was right about what he said; maybe I was unwell. There was supposed to be something that stopped me from feeling like this. It was in a lot of animals, right? Instinctively avoiding inbreeding due to how much it damaged the gene pool? Sure, there were cases of inbred animals, but that was usually from either desperation or a member of a pack not functioning properly.

What if the way I'd been brought up, the things I'd experienced at such a young age with Calatera, and the life I'd lived afterwards had damaged my development? Something fractured when I was young that I didn't notice, but messed with my mental development? I'd spent the past eight years believing that the sex I'd had with Calatera was pleasurable and consensual, but... what if it wasn't? What if what she had disturbed me to such a degree that I forced myself to think I'd wanted it? It might have hit me so hard psychologically that it may have damaged my sexual filter. Made it impossible for my mind to register boundaries when it came to sexual attraction.

I rolled my head over in Grael's fur, warming the other side of my face as I thought. Maybe I was right and I had no idea what I was talking about. I wasn't a psychologist and didn't know how the brain of a child acted to cope with trauma. All I knew was that I was a sex-obsessed freak who was lusting after his female relatives.

"Who d'you think would handle it best?" Grael asked me after a long while.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Which do you think would freak out less if you told them?" he said, phrasing it in a much better way. "I think Celestia would take it extremely well. She and Luna have been alive for a very long time and probably have a much higher tolerance for disturbing thoughts and images than Cadance and Twilight. Celestia's also much better at dealing with emotional problems than Luna is. She has a much more developed motherly instinct. What do you think?"

"I think you're right," I nodded. "I still don't wanna tell her, or any of them."

"I know," he sighed. "I'm just thinking about all possibilities at this point. I'm putting most of my hopes on it being a phase. Something that'll pass."

"That'd be great," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him close.

"If you don't mind me asking... who are you most attracted to?"

"I don't really know..." I shrugged. "I want all of them, as much as it disgusts me."

"As a random estimate?" he asked.

I went quiet, thinking it over in my head and thinking about the three of them. I judged what emotional response I had to each of them, picturing them in specific moods, places, and positions and seeing what my heart and loins thought about it. While each of them got a very strong reaction from my arousal, doubly so whenever I thought of them sexually... I only seemed to get a warm, cosy feeling when imagining my mother. Even when it wasn't sexual, rather just mundane activities such as hugging or laying together, she seemed to get the most reaction out of me.

"Cadance, then?" Grael asked, having been observing me through my link the entire time. "I'm honestly not sure if that makes it better or worse. I wish I knew more about Cadance... it would help so much."

"What do you mean?"

"I've always had this feeling that your mother, hell, that all of them are hiding something from us," Grael said. "That the princesses we get to see are nothing more than masks, hiding away some secret that they don't want the rest of us to know about."

"Do you really think so?" I asked him.

"Yes, I do. It's something I don't think a lot of people would notice... but it's still there," Grael nodded. "I... I think they're more intimate with one another than they let on. Have you noticed that?"

"Like them touching or holding one another in a way that's a little too romantic for relatives?" I asked, thinking back to Luna and Cadance hugging one another in a rather romantic, nearly sexual, manner.

"Exactly," Grael nodded. "I noticed that a few times when I was younger, especially between Celestia and Cadance. The two seem to hold onto one another in ways mother and daughter shouldn't, kiss too close to the lips, and seem a little too comfortable being in their underwear around one another."

"Yeah..." I said, moving back and looking up at Grael. "You don't think that..."

"I'm not confident in saying that they're having sex with one another," Grael said, being as blunt and to the point as always. "We're chasing shadows and connecting dots that might even be there, and I've always despised assuming things without any concrete evidence."

"Yeah, you're right..." I nodded.

"Though it might be a good idea to keep an eye out, now that we know what to look for," he said, looking off into nothing as he spoke.

"This is so fucked," I sighed in a dejected manner.

"I agree," Grael said, nodding his head slowly. "But we can focus on all this until we get back home. Can you manage to bury your lust until we get back to Canterlot?"

"I think so," I nodded. "We've got more important things to worry about."

"Can you do me a favour?" Grael asked as I got to my feet.

"What?"

"Try to focus more on the mission and less on the sex," he said. "I think that you constantly feeding your desires is only gonna make your attraction worse."

"I'll give it a shot," I shrugged. "I think I can go a few days without it."

"It'll be a first," Grael chuckled, getting to his paws and shaking his entire body. "Now, let's get back to the others and see if they're ready to get this contract sorted out."

"Sounds like a plan," I said with a grin, hoping a little hard work would help me keep it in my pants and out of my mind.

Chapter 23: Planning Stages

Once Grael and I had returned from our talk, I gathered the others in Luna's master suite and began to discuss a brief idea of what we were going to do.

"I want us to head back to the Barb Tails little compound, but I want everyone else there as well," I said, looking at each of them as I spoke. "Celana, Angela, and Lot are as much a part of this team for now as we are, and I hate repeating myself."

"Pardon?" Zane asked with a smirk.

"Get fucked," I said, hating myself for chuckling at that horrible joke. "So we're gonna split up and gather the others: Annerose can go with Luna to find Lot, Zane can go and get Angela, and Grael and I can go get Celana as well as the armour she was supposed to get for us."

"Basic plan," Luna nodded, crossing her arms as she looked at me. "But what's your main plan of action when it comes down to Heimili?"

"I'm not exactly sure right now," I said. "I haven't really had any time to look over the Barb Tails' and their arsenal to see what we're working with. I doubt they're going to have siege weaponry and vast armies, but they should have enough men and women with pointy sticks to get us through."

"And the magic users?" Annerose asked. "What're they gonna do?"

"We'll assign roles to each of them once we get to the compound," I answered. "Any other questions?"

"What did you and Grael go to talk about outside?" Luna asked.

"He made a very polite request for me to keep it in my pants while I'm here," I lied, looking at Luna with a smile. "Anything else?"

The general consensus was that we were ready to head out and get the others, so Grael and I made our way through the streets and into the castle. The guards, recognising me this time, opened the gates and let us in without more than a bow and a nod. We made our way into the main throne room, this time lacking any presence whatsoever, before heading into Celana's lab. The place was the same mess of pages and experiments it had been before with the mad doctor herself sitting on a worktop with a spoon in her mouth and a leather-bound book in her hands. There was a pot bubbling next to her that was overflowing with purple fog, rather reminiscent of similar experiments I'd seen Twilight do over the years.

"Celana?" I asked the ancient mage.

Her eyes darted up before she gave a polite wave, walking away from her pots and pans. She took the metal spoon out of her mouth and set it down on the side as she gave us a welcoming smile.

"What can I help you with?" she asked, looking between the two of us.

"We're getting everyone together so we can formulate a plan to deal with Heimili," I said briefly. "We need you and what you're bringing to the table there so we can figure out what you're going to be doing."

Celana looked over her shoulder briefly, drumming her fingers on her thick thighs, before turning back with a raised finger.

"Can it wait twenty minutes?" she asked.

"Bath bombs?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"No, but nearly as important," she answered, picking up the metal spoon and placing it into her mouth once more as she walked over to her brewery.

I stayed quiet for a long moment, my curiosity building more and more in regards to why she was sucking a spoon. She began to crack open, cut, mix, and crush a number of different alchemical ingredients I didn't recognise before dumping them all into the brewery. She then reached up to a shelf above her, fumbling for a glass bottle for a brief moment, before gripping a green one filled to the brim with a yellow, translucent liquid. She uncorked it quickly and dumped the whole thing into the brewery, in which the colour of the smoke changed from purple to a deep red colour. She then took the spoon out of her mouth and began to stir it just as she started coughing and spluttering loudly.

After stirring for several moments, she staggered backwards, placing the spoon in her mouth and trying not to cough it back out again as her bloodshot eyes watered like a fountain. The ancient mage wiped the moisture from her eyes and cheeks before walking back over to us, taking the spoon out of her mouth and coughing again. She looked miserable as sin and very disgusted at whatever the brewery smelled of during the mixing process, sticking her tongue out and shivering violently.

"You alright there?" I asked her.

"No," she said. "That stuff is impossible to deal with without one of these."

She held up the spoon and flicked the curved head of it before setting it down, still looking queasy and upset about her previous actions.

"What exactly does the spoon do?" I asked.

"The metallic taste of it overrides the taste of the mixture when the two combine," she answered. "The brain can't process the two of them together and only tastes the spoon. If you haven't got one, then it just tastes like trying to swallow a handful of volcanic ash laced in vinegar and sweat."

"Lovely," I nodded. "What exactly is it?"

"High-potency window cleaner," she answered. "An acidic little compound that attacks dirt and grime but isn't volatile enough to damage the glass, so long as it’s washed off before an hour."

"They're making the court mage make a window cleaner?" I asked in a bemused manner.

"It can't always be life-saving potions and contraceptive chews," she shrugged. "Sometimes the castle has a really mundane problem that I I'm told to help with. Surely Twilight gets boring-as-all-shit jobs every now and again?"

"Not that I know of," I shrugged. "I only ever see her working on methods to legally reanimate dead people or trying to create a new type of energy crystal that's more efficient than the other seventy she's made."

"Is she still using them to avoid sleeping?" Celana asked.

"She can do that?"

"She discovered that if you grind them down to dust and put them in a drink, they act as a restorative to the body," Celana nodded. "She also discovered that the body can become heavily dependent on that kind of restoration and it suffers a crash so bad that you lose about eighty percent of your brain functions if you don't keep taking them."

"Wow," I blinked, rather horrified at that discovery.

"And of course, with Twilight being the idiot that she is, she often forces herself to go through the energy task and tries to perform different kinds of tasks to see what still works and what doesn't," Celana continued, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "So far she's found out that the language centre, taste centre, memory centre, and motor centres of your brain stop working entirely, usually leaving you as a quivering mess of drool on the floor. But she also discovered that, for some reason, that crash causes your hearing and touch senses to increase exponentially."

"Why the hell would she ever subject herself to that kind of thing?" I asked. "Multiple times?"

"Don't you know?" Celana asked in a scoffing manner. "Twilight is an actual mad scientist. She tests practically everything she's working on herself for the most accurate results. She tested a plague cure by giving herself that plague and working in seclusion until she either cured it or died, and has killed off her own living tissue with magic to bring it back with her miracle formulae."

"I... that's..." I fumbled, unable to bring myself to find a sentence worthy of describing how insane that was.

"Yeah," Celana nodded. "But back to the topic at hand: where do you want me to meet you when I'm done here?"

"Don't worry, I'll wait for you to finish up," I said, crossing my arms and leaning back against one of the worktops. "In the meantime, you can tell me where that armour you promised is."

Celana froze at this point, eyes wide and lips pursed with the expression of a woman who let something important slip her memory. She was still for a long moment, neither blinking nor breathing, before an awkward smile spread onto her face.

"About that..." she said, chuckling nervously. "I... may have forgotten to put the requisition forward to the armoury... so you may not be able to get it."

"So you lied to me?" I asked.

"No, I just forgot," Celana said, sighing heavily as she ran a hand through her thick, white hair. "Look, unless you're willing to wait two or three more days to let the requisition go through the proper channels, I can't get you any of it. I'm sorry I promised you that armour and I'm sorry I didn't get it, but I've been swamped with a million other things since I last saw you and haven't even finished half of them. I need to use the rest of the wyvern's blood to brew up a crop enhancer, I need to put together an ointment to help clear the scarring from the king's face after an altercation he had whilst dealing with his son's stupidity, I need to soak and boil the castle hounds' dinners in a stomach-settling solution so they'll stop shitting a storm all over the castle-"

"Alright, I get it," I said, cutting her off before she needed to start counting on her second hand. "You were too busy to put in a requisition form. I can deal with that once I figured out if you're good for anything else."

Celana blinked once before placing her hands on her hips and glaring angrily at me.

"I'll have you know that I'm good for a lot of things," she growled. "I'm worth eight human mages in one, and nearly as strong as an adult elf."

"And yet you still forgot to put in a requisition order," I said, cocking an eyebrow.

"It was one single slip-up-"

"-which is all it takes to lead to a colossal fall," I countered. "Just keep in mind that if my friends get injured or killed by an attack your armour could've prevented if you’d done your job properly, I will kill you."

It was clear that the threat was something she wasn't expecting judging by her reaction. Her snarky expression was replaced by one of shock and a hint of fear, her raised finger falling limp and the words she was about to speak dying in her mouth.

"S-Surely that's a little harsh for a simple mistake?" she asked, swallowing loudly as she noticed how serious I was.

"A mistake because of an accident and a mistake because of stupidity are two different things, and should be treated as such," I said, walking towards her and jabbing her in the collarbone with my finger. "And if anyone I care about gets hurt because of this, how you're treated for your own stupidity will be no accident, are we clear?"

"I-I... y-yes, Sir," she said, nodding her head and bowing slightly. "I'll do everything I can to keep your friends safe."

"Then where the hell is my armour?" I growled.

"I'll... I'll see if I can pull a few favours," she said, darting out of the room and leaving me and Grael alone.

The wolf padded around to my front, sitting down and looking at me with a cocked eyebrow.

"Where the hell did that come from?" he asked in shock. "I haven't heard you talk to your worst enemies with that much vitriol."

"This isn't a situation where I can afford mistakes, Grael," I said, looking down at him. "Celana told me she'd do something and she didn't. The fact that she didn't has put people I care about in a lot of danger, and that is not something I'm okay with."

"Very well," Grael nodded, returning to his position beside me. "If you're going to start using fear and intimidation as your bartering chip, then I'm not going to stop you."

"You disapprove?"

"From a logical reason," Grael nodded.

"Such as?"

"People are less likely to revolt against a hand of friendship than a fist of intimidation," he answered.

"Just as much as people are more likely to play you if they aren't afraid of what you'll do to them," I retorted. "Mistake kindness for weakness, as it were."

"Time and a place, is all I'm saying," Grael said in a low tone.

"And both of those are now," I said, looking across the room.

There was silence between the two of us now, merely waiting for Celana to return from her bargaining efforts. The mixture continued to bubble and boil across the room for us, minutes ticking by and adding up until Celana finally re-entered the room with a flustered expression and a heavy pant.

"Alright," she began. "I managed to call in a big favour, nearly blackmailing someone actually, and the armour is gonna be delivered to the Barb Tails' compound within the next two hours. So... are we square now?"

"Of course we are," I nodded. "There'd have been no need for all of this if you'd just done what you were supposed to when you were supposed to."

"I'll keep that in mind from now on," she said, her voice still quivering a little bit. "Are... are you going to the compound now?"

"Not until you're ready to go," I said, waving a hand at her mixtures. "So finish up as fast as you can."

"Y-Yes, Sir," she nodded, darting back over to her brewery and placing the spoon back in her mouth, going as fast as she could to get her mixtures finished.

Once she was finished with her work, Grael and I escorted her back to the Barb Tails, where we were guided by one of the mercenaries to a large war room, complete with a large oak table strewn with pieces of paper, leather-bound books, pieces representing units, and a large, ancient map of Winter's Maw in its entirety covering the oak surface. I instructed Celana to take a seat, the nervous mage doing as told and finding a sitting position next to Angela and Lot. The two mages struck up a conversation, both seemingly knowing one another rather well, as Grael and I sat down at the table.

"You took your time," Luna said. "What kept you?"

"Celana being an idiot," I said, jabbing a thumb at the white-haired mage who gave a nervous wave to the others.

"Fucking hell, Richter," Zane said as he turned back to me. "What did you do to her?"

"Threatened her with death after she fucked up her end of the bargain," I answered.

"Was that a threat you plan to go through with?" Luna asked.

"Fuck no," I said, Luna's question forcing me to break my little pretender's glare and return to normal.

"I hate it when you do that," Grael asked, realising he'd been duped by my phenomenal performance. "I really hate it."

"Honestly would've thought you'd gotten used to it by now," I said, looking at the others. "So, what've we got from the catgirl?"

"A decent sized forced of relatively-well trained brutes with swords, shields, armour, spears, and bows," Luna said, walking around the table as she gave a brief recount of what she'd learned. "They're a mix of everything from warriors of the Arid Plains to the sun-and-sand-filled Glory Line, each possessing the will to kill and the know-how to do it rather efficiently."

"That's good to hear," I nodded. "Any particulars I need to be aware of?"

"Not any of note," Luna said with a shake of her head, sitting down at the table and looking at me. "So, Your Majesty, what's the plan?"

"Do we have scouts?" I asked.

"We've got people who can act as scouts," Luna nodded.

"Then get two teams to scour the mountains for any hide or hair of Heimili," I said. "I want each of them to start at either end of the mountain range and meet in the middle. Once they've done that, I want them to report back to me."

"The whole range?" Annerose asked. "That could take days for them to search."

"They want their pay, they better earn it," I shrugged. "And besides, the longer they take, the more strategies we'll have time to come up with."

"How many plans are we gonna go for here?" Zane asked.

"As many as we need to cover every possible scenario," I answered.

"That's a big undertaking," Luna said. "And very time-consuming."

"Look, the way I see it is this: this battle doesn't start until we start it, so we can sit around for as long as we want to come up with every strategy to handle this fight under the sun," I explained. "And with the intel we're going to be getting from the scouting teams when they find Heimili, we can use that to narrow down our scope and come up with the perfect plan."

"A good strategy, but don't become dependent on it," Luna said in a warning tone. "You're not always going to have ample amounts of time and a lack of pressure to think under."

"Noted," I said with a nod, standing up and looking to the girls. "Ladies? Can you come here a minute?"

The three of them wandered over to the table, each taking a standing position next to it except for Lot, who decided to sit down on Luna's lap and hug her.

"Would you mind familiarising us with what exactly it is you're all capable of?" I asked them. "Starting with you, Celana."

"Well... I'm an expert alchemist, graduated from Dunheim University at the top of my class, and I'm an extremely powerful elemental mage. I'm also capable of using Adept-Class Summoner Cards for extended periods of time without exhausting myself too badly to fight and am educated in using basic rune traps," she explained.

"Summoner Cards?" Annerose asked. "The fuck are those?"

"They're decks of cards that mages can use to summon magical beings that have their spirits infused with the card, so long as they have the energy to power it," Luna explained. "Without getting into the nitty-gritty of spirit levels, booster cards, and power fusion, as long as a mage has been proven to be strong enough to channel the energy into a card of a designated level without dying, they can summon it and use it to fight for them."

"Pretty much," Celana nodded.

"What deck do you have?" Luna asked, looking at Celana.

"Celestial Spirits," Celana asked. "They're tucked away at my lab in a drawer somewhere."

"There are different types of decks?" Zane asked.

"Right, just to get this out of the way so there are no more questions," Luna said, taking a deep breath and practically vomiting the explanation onto the table. "Summoner Cards are created by mages in a tower a long way away from here taking the souls of beasts or creatures they've killed and infusing them into mass-produced cards, with each deck having a specific theme to it, like dragons, forest beasts, or cursed creatures. The rarer the creature, the rarer the soul, and thus, the rarer the card, with the more powerful beasts being extremely rare and extremely expensive. The Celestial Spirits are a mid-tier deck for adepts that focus mostly around little animals with white glowy shit on them that strengthen each other with by using power fusion, a technique in which two or more spirits can combine themselves into a much more powerful card. Any more questions?"

"Later," I said, throwing the topic away for now. "Angela, what can you do?"

"Construct magic and expert-level close combat techniques," she said in a brief description. "If I can imagine something and power it, I can hit people really hard with it. Simple and clean."

"Fair enough," I nodded, turning to the Elf. "Lot?"

"I'm a life-long trainee of manipulator magic, being able to take pretty much energy form of energy and use it as an offensive or defensive weapon," she began. "Whether it’s light, fire, wind, or negative energy itself, I can take it, shape it, and use it for my own benefit. I'm also highly skilled in elemental magic, energy projection, healing magic, and warding arts."

"An impressive skill list, to be sure," I nodded. "What are your guys' thoughts?"

The others pondered the choices for a long while, Zane opening his mouth and bringing the first suggestion forwards.

"I want Angela up with you and me when we go for Heimili ourselves," he said. "Whether she's generating a shield or smashing her in the teeth, I want whatever she's got right behind us."

"Perfect," Angela growled, slamming her fist into her hand and cracking her knuckles. "Up close and personal is where I wanna be."

"Lot and Celana should focus on diverting Heimili's breath attacks," Annerose pointed out. "Dragon magic may be insanely powerful, but they really can't do shit all besides breathing at you. If we take that away, or use it against her, she's gonna be fucked seven ways to Sunday, no questions asked."

"Maybe keep Celana on the manipulation and diversion," Grael said, adjusting Annerose's idea slightly. "It'd be good for us to have Lot acting as a sort of white mage, thanks to her healing and warding abilities. If we keep her on the back lines, we can drag injured and dying soldiers back for her to heal if needs be."

"And the big girl's gonna have the biggest magic tank out of all of us," Luna said, affectionately kissing Lot on the cheek. "Being an Elf and all."

"So we're sorted with roles for our lovely ladies?" I asked. "Angela's on assault, Celana's our support, and Lot's gonna be our healer?"

"It seems so," Luna nodded.

"Do you ladies have any problems with this?" I asked, wanting to get their opinion on their positioning as it was kind of extremely important for them to agree to this.

"Nope,"

"None,"

"Not at all."

"Good," I said with a grin. "Are you three going to need any specific preparation or items for battle? Something we can supply you with?"

"I'm gonna need to get my deck out of the drawer," Celana said.

"I'd appreciate some magic-restoring potions, if I'm going to be healing an army," Lot pointed out.

"I'm gonna need a big meal and a big sleep the night before," Angela shrugged.

"Basic enough," I nodded. "We should be able to sort all of that out. So, if we've got our magical mamas sorted out, should we get down to business working on the Barb Tails themselves?"

"I don't see why not," Annerose shrugged, with everyone else seeming to agree with her.

"We've got archers, haven't we?" I asked, getting the ball rolling on the subject and letting the suggestions flow in from there.

Chapter 25: Svea of Clan Storbross

After purchasing the items I needed to offer to Cotan, I set out for her summoning shrine: a small stone statue located near the Tumbling Falls just outside of the city. It was a short walk through the woods, accompanied by the sound of the roaring falls overwhelming the pleasant chirping of the ever-winter birds and their woodland friends. The waterfall itself was enormous, standing well over one hundred feet tall and about as wide. It was a curved waterfall, almost like a crescent moon shape that carried brown, ice-laden water down the hill it sat on and out into the country's rivers and streams.

The rock around the splash pool had been completely eroded over the time the waterfall had existed, all except for a small outcropping that the summoning shrine sat on. It was clearly protected by the Spirit Guardian's magic and the air around it felt magically charged, creating a small tingle in the hairs on the back of my neck and a warm feeling in my stomach as I approached the ancient carved stone. It was nothing more than a simple headstone-esque carving with an image of a sheep's head in the centre surrounded by flowers and trees. It looked as if a child had carved the stone themselves.

I set down the items in a circular pattern in front of me before getting down onto my knees in a resting position, closing my eyes as I lowered my head before speaking aloud.

"Spirit Guardian Cotan, I must call upon your for assistance," I said in a loud and clear manner. "I have a matter of great importance that calls for your eternal wisdom. Please, accept these humble gifts I have brought you and appear before me, so I may impart them unto you and you shall impart your knowledge unto me."

I closed my mouth, waiting for any sight or sound to give away that Cotan had appeared. Several second ticked by, making me wonder if she was going to show up or not. My worries, however, were soon laid to rest as the gentle sound of bells entered my ears, followed briefly by a gust of wind and then a loud yawn. I opened my eyes and beheld the creature before me. I had been expecting a creature of elegance and beauty, something that would take my breath away and truly enrapture me with its divine majesty.

What I got was a little glowing creature that was adorable.

The closest thing its body resembled was an Eastern Dragon, with a long, flowing body, short arms, and a long, flat snout. But instead of scales and whiskers, this creature was covered snout-to-paw in what appeared to be sheep wool. She had a long set of rabbit ears and deer antlers springing out from her head, both having several small bells tied around them. Her body was as white as the snow around her with bright, glowing eyes that were as deep blue as an ocean, glistening with innocence and youth.

"Hiya, guy," she squeaked in a cute voice. "What can I help you with?"

"... Cotan?" I asked in a confused manner, still not sure whether or not this was real.

"Yuh-huh," she nodded, her bells jingling as she moved her head. "That's me."

"You're... you're really not what I was expecting..." I said, scratching the back of my head in an awkward manner.

"Lemme guess: you were expecting my big sister, Cadas, weren't you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in a bemused expression. "Well too bad. This isn't her shrine. It's mine."

"Right, okay then," I said, shaking my head and trying to focus. "I'm trying to find someone. Do you think you can help?"

"I should be able to so long as they're in my domain," she nodded. "Give a description though, not a name. I'm smart, not omniscient."

"Okay then," I nodded. "She's a white-scaled dragon, about thirty years old, speaks in a very formal manner, came here to try and reason with another white-scaled dragon named Heimili, much bigger and much older than her."

Cotan closed her dish-like eyes for a brief second, puffing out her fluffy cheeks for a long moment. Her horns lit up in a brilliant manner and the tip of her tail began to glow through the wool on it. After a long moment she opened her eyes with a confused look on her face, cocking her head at me and asking a question.

"I'm finding a dragon's aura in a cave not too far from here... but it isn't a dragon," Cotan said. "It's just some big-booby lady with blue hair reading a book."

"Then that'll be her," I said with a nod and a smile. "Thanks, Cotan. Your gifts are right here."

"Awww... you're going already?" she asked in a saddened manner, looking at me with wide puppy-dog eyes.

"I, uh, I mean... I was going to," I said, looking at the two-foot tall creature with a confused expression. "But I can stay a while, if you want me to."

"Can... can you pet me?" she asked, jingling her bells once more. "On the head?"

"I can do that," I nodded, reaching out and giving her a thorough scratch between the antlers. "Do you often get people to do this?"

"Every now and again," she said, her little foot kicking out at her side as she enjoyed the scratches. "I tend to get a lot of female visitors asking really mundane questions."

"Like what?" I asked, moving my hand down to under her chin and giving her a thorough scratch as I spoke.

"The usual 'Where's my husband gone?', 'How many children will I have', 'What's Carla from the other side of the city saying about me?'" she said with a roll of her eyes. "You're the first adventurer I've had here in a long time. It's nice to be helpful to people actually trying to help others."

"I can agree to that," I nodded, Cotan now lying on her back and asking for belly rubs.

I moved the flat of my hands onto her stomach, giving her woolly body a good and proper scratch as she lay there, giggling and chuckling as I got deep into her coat.

"My older sister gets a lot of adventurers visiting her," Cotan said after a few moments of silence.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"She takes the form of a big-booby human woman when she talks to people," Cotan answered. "Men and women alike are willing to throw themselves onto their own weapons if she'll sleep with them, so they always ask her if there's anything they can do to make her happy."

"She gives them the runaround, doesn't she?" I asked with a smirk. "Sends them on impossible quests just to mess with them?"

"How'd you guess?" Cotan asked.

"I used to know a girl when I was about fourteen called Karissa," I answered. "She was the daughter of some foreign baron guy, had about eighteen kids with eleven different women and they were all beautiful. Selective breeding and all. Since the girls were so up their own asses about how pretty they were, they felt they were above everyone else and never wanted any suitors. I had a crush on Karissa, obviously, and wanted to try getting into her pants."

"Lewd," Cotan stated.

"Indeed it was," I nodded. "Now, she expected me to be like any of the other idiots that came running to her with sex in mind and she tried to send me off on a quest looking for the claw of a dual-humped Angler Wyvern."

"That's not a thing," Cotan stated in a flat tone.

"Damn right it isn't and I knew that from the get-go," I chuckled. "She tried to send me on a wild goose-chase looking for something that didn't exist to keep me out of her hair. I told her several things at that point: Wyverns don't have humps, an Angler is a type of fish and not a Lesser Draconid, and that she was a pretentious prick who wasn't worth my time."

"Stick it to her!" Cotan giggled. "So what did you do after that?"

"Very lewd things with a very lewd woman for a very lewd amount of time," I said with a shrug. "I'll tell you when you're older."

"You sound like my sister," Cotan said with a heavy sigh.

"Have you been sufficiently petted?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Indeed I have, traveller," she nodded, rolling onto her front again and floating into the air. "If you ever have need of me again, don't hesitate to ask."

"Enjoy your gifts, Guardian Spirit," I said, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead and getting to my feet.

"Do you want me to tell you where the dragon actually is before you go rushing off?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Aye, that might help a bit," I said, turning around with a gentle smirk. "Directions, please?"

I landed hard as I dropped into the subterranean cave, having to break roll to avoid hurting myself badly. The air in here was much warmer and as such the ice had begun to melt, dripping into large puddles on the floor. The cave was lit by glowing crystals mounted on the walls, each having been expertly carved out into a square shape. It resembled a foyer, if I had to compare it to anything, and the aspect of it being homey was increased ever further by the addition of a wooden door on a carved wall. I walked over to the fine-oak door and raised a fist, ready to knock on the door and see if anyone was 'home'.

The knock echoed behind me, bouncing off the walls and drowning out the sound of the dripping water from the melting ice around me. Several long seconds passed by before the door swung open by its own accord. Svea had seemed friendly when I'd met her at the Wyvern Colony, but I wasn't sure how welcoming she'd be if I wandered directly into her... home. I drew my sword from over my shoulder, gripping the two-handed hilt tightly as I slowly walked inside, keeping my eyes on anything and everything, waiting for the slightest hint of movement.

"You can put that away," a familiar female voice carried throughout the entrance.

I tightened my grip even further as more crystals lit up the cave... revealing it to be no cave, but instead be a rather well-furnished living space. It was complete with a table, several chairs, and furnishings including bookshelves, storage chests, armour mounts, and several weapons mounted on the wall. Rugs from different creatures lined the floor and the whole placed carried a beautiful scent of spiced apple, something that made my stomach rumble and settled my nerves. I looked further into the room and spotted Svea herself sitting on a comfortable-looking chair reading a book.

She had a set of spectacles resting on her nose and was wearing the same dress I'd seen her in the last time we'd met. She nonchalantly turned over a page in her thick tome as she looked up at me with a gentle smile. I was on edge a little, not entirely sure whether to trust the dragoness, despite her welcoming manner, but just the mere sight of her filled me with such content and warmth that I felt it'd be rude to turn down her request. I slid my sword back into its sheath as I walked over to her, only to stop in place when she raised a large, soft hand and pointed to my boots.

"Remove those, please," she requested. "I would prefer if you didn't track mud and water through my house."

Once again, I did as asked, taking off my leather hiking boots and setting them by the door, closing the entrance and feeling the soft rugs through my socks. I walked back over to Svea, the woman marking the page in her book before standing up, her enormous figure towering over me by a solid foot of difference with a gentle, motherly smile on my face.

"Now," she asked in a soft tone. "How can I be of assistance?"

I was unsure how to break the subject to her at first. I could just outright tell her that I was here to kill Heimili and wanted her advice on how to take her down, but I didn't know Svea enough to gauge how she'd react to that. She could become hostile immediately and tear my head off before I could so much as blink at her. I had put myself in a literal dragon's den next to one of the most dangerous creatures in existence and was about to tell her I was planning on killing one of her kind's greatest former heroes.

But on the other hand, lying to her would just make her even madder once she found out that I used the information she gave me to kill Heimili. That was if I even managed to get that kind of information out of her without giving away that I wanted to kill her. I needed to know where she was and how to kill her and I needed to hope and pray that Svea was understanding enough to be calm and willing to help without immediately biting my head off.

"Svea," I began in an awkward tone. "Heimili... Heimili is dangerous, and I feel that it's only right -"

I fell silent when she lifted up a hand, gesturing for me to stop speaking. Worry shot up in my head and heart, fear gripped me as I stared at Svea's unreadable face as I waited for her to speak.

"You have no need to justify your choice," she said, slowly shaking her head as she spoke. "I am more than aware of the crimes committed by our former matriarch. Merely ask what you need to and I will do my best to answer, but do not expect me to lend direct assistance when your battle arrives."

"I won't ask you to," I said, nodding curtly after she'd finished speaking. "Can... can you please tell me where she stays?"

Svea was silent for a long moment, clearly conflicted about whether or not to actually tell me where Heimili hid herself away. She looked up to the ceiling and mumbled something under her breath, something similar to 'Mother forgive me', before she looked down at me with resolve in her eyes.

"Heimili has made her home in Falcon's Roost," she said in a steady tone despite the guilt in her voice.

My heart sank slightly as soon as I learned the location, knowing that Falcon's Roost was one of the highest and most dangerous places in Winter's Maw. It was a rocky plateau in the 'warmest' part of the country where snow barely ever fell and was home to, what else, a large population of falcons. It was a breeding ground and haven for the birds because of how out of the way it was to those without flight.

"Of course it is," I said with a sigh, nodding my head slowly. "Is there anything else you can tell me about her home?"

"She has amassed a large amount of treasure, as most dragons do, that she has stolen from the houses and castles of those she slaughtered in her time in exile," she continued. "She has dug out the mountain Falcon's Roost sits atop and has filled several enormous caves to the brim with treasure.

"Svea," I said after letting her finish. "I'm not here for her treasure."

"But your friends are, no?" she asked, cocking a slender eyebrow.

"Friends?"

"The mercenaries you've employed to help slay Heimili," Svea elaborated. "The Barb Tails. You lack the funds to pay them off out of pocket and you've hedged your bets on Heimili's cave possessing all the treasure you need. I merely wish to settle your worries and make sure you are not troubled by the thought of what may happen if you cannot pay them."

"I... thank you," I said, nodding in a grateful manner. "That's very considerate of you."

"Think nothing of it," she said, narrowing her eyes and smirking in a playful manner. "You're much too cute to ruin yourself with worry."

I froze in place at that sentence. That little bit of information had completely changed the dynamic between us. Was she attracted to me? Did she mean that in a platonic way? No, look at her face. Those eyes, that smile... she's flirting with me. Teasing me right now. She's dropping hints and this was one of them... right? But she was a dragon and they didn't feel attracted to humans... right? I know I wasn't a human, but if the shoe fits... but was Svea interested in me? She seemed to want to view humans as equals, treat them with the same manner of respect and decency the dragons commanded from others...

But that didn't automatically mean she wanted to fuck me, did it? I hoped it did, but I wasn't getting ahead of myself. Was this any other woman, I'd have started laying on the charm thick and quick, but here? I had no idea if this was a cultural thing, a dragon thing, or just a Svea thing. What if she was a blunt woman? Said what she meant right out the gate regardless of who was there? Though you don't usually see something as 'cute' unless you're interested in it. Wait, no, people see puppies and babies as cute. Did she see me as cute in the same way people say puppies cute? If that was the case, then I needed to be really careful about what my next move-

"Richter?" Svea asked, tearing me from my thoughts and bringing me back to the conversation at hand. "Are you okay? You went rather blank for a long moment there."

"Y-Yeah... I'm fine," I nodded, wondering why I'd gone from my usual self to some stuttering virgin. "You just called me cute."

"Indeed I did," she said, nodding slowly. "Do you feel belittled by it? Have I offended you?"

"No, not at all..." I said with a quick shake of my head, remembering the promise I'd made to Grael earlier. "Never mind, getting back on topic here."

"Would you mind discussing it over tea?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at the chairs she had set up by the fireplace. "I've walked an awful lot today and feel it would be better for us both if we were sitting down during this discussion."

"Uh..." I said, looking over my shoulder at the doorway before deciding I had nowhere to be fast. "Sure. Whatever you'd like."

Chapter 26: A Talk By the Fireplace

I thanked Svea for the tea as she handed it to me, a brief spark being set off in my mind as my fingers brushed against hers during the pass over. She'd included a saucer with the mug itself, lined with a series of different kinds of biscuits ranging from chocolate to ginger nut. I wasn't sure what about this gesture resonated so strongly within me. I was no stranger to kindness from the people I knew, but something about Svea's offering... Svea herself, was different. I watched her for a brief moment, gently dunking a ginger biscuit into her steaming-hot tea. She pulled the snack out, shaking the drips off the soaked confectionery before taking a small bite.

She looked adorable as she ate, like a small squirrel nibbling rather fast on small bites, and I felt rather strange about how content I was to watch her. Knowing when I was giving off creepy vibes, I mimicked her gesture, selecting one of the vanilla-cream biscuits she'd laid out on the plate and gave it a quick dab in the tea. I didn't soak it for nearly as long as Svea did, often preferring them to be hard rather than soggy, and took a bite out of it. The crunch sounded loudly inside my head and the flavour of the biscuit itself was rather delicious, clearly coming from a master-class baker with great skill in their craft.

Hearing a small object fall over behind Svea, my eyes shot up to it, curious as to what it was. It was at this point that I accidentally locked eyes with Svea for a split-second. The dragoness' eyes widened in alarm for a brief moment before rapidly shooting down, focusing on the number of crumbs she had on her dress and the patterns the steam made as it rose above her tea. She... she'd been staring at me. Just like I'd been doing to her. I remained looking at her for a long moment, waiting for her to move again to see if it had just been coincidence. Her eyes eventually rose back to mine, locking for a longer moment, before a faint blush appeared on her face.

"Something wrong?" I asked the much taller woman.

"No, no," she said with an awkward chuckle. "I apologise for staring at you. It's just that... nevermind."

"No, go on," I prompted her. "What were you going to say?"

"I... I was staring at you to make sure that I was using the same mannerisms that you were," she confessed, seeming rather embarrassed at the whole ordeal. "I've only ever sat down and eaten with a human a few times in my life... and I wasn't very good at it those times. I was watching to make sure the techniques I was using were proper for this kind of encounter. I haven't made you feel uncomfortable, have I?"

"Not at all," I said, taking a sip from the tea and enjoying the warm, tasty mouthful. "You were doing fine."

"That's refreshing," Svea said with a gentle, beautiful smile. "I received more than a fair share of sneers and stares when I last ate with your kind. Though I am convinced that was due to my appearance, rather than my etiquette."

"What happened?" I asked, confused as to why she seemed so interesting to me.

"I believe it was a day-wear versus night-wear issue," she said, taking a few more nibbles of her biscuit. "I hadn't perfected my knowledge of human clothing during specific events and times, which I'm afraid I still haven't, and believed I was overdressed for a breakfast event a few years ago."

"Whereabouts?" I asked.

"It was at a public carnival of some sort," she answered, trying to recollect the specifics. "Most of the women were dressed in darker-coloured, simpler clothing while I was dressed in..."

She gestured to herself, wearing the same long-sleeved evening dress she was wearing at present point. The movement of her hands attracted my eyes to a place I felt ashamed for look at: her enormous breasts. She dragged a finger down them, whether intentional or not, which allowed me to rest my eyes on those perfect orbs, each one larger and fuller than my head that settled and rested perfectly in her beautiful dress.

"While the men at the gathering seemed rather pleased with my appearance," she continued, the sound of her voice instantly getting my attention back once more. "The women seemed rather judgemental of me."

"Jealous nobles," I said with a sigh. "Demons can only hope to be as evil as they are."

"I've noticed I'm not a fan of human special occasions," she said with a weary sigh of her own. "Dragons can often be very egotistical, but never to that measure."

"It's a constant pissing contest full of narcissists and users looking to latch on and leech off whoever can get them up another rung in the socialite ladder," I said, shaking my head. "It's a phenomenal place to pick up women, but a horrible place to have to exist in."

"Oh..." Svea said in an almost disappointed manner. "You're... you're one of those types?"

I'd had scoldings from every woman in my family about my whorish ways. I'd even had my dad tell me to calm it down at least three times in my life, but I'd never listened. I was addicted to that kind of lifestyle and didn't ever want to give up my bachelor status and settle down with a woman. I enjoyed the fast and loose life far too much for that. But that single sentence in that single tone made me feel sick to my stomach with guilt and inadequacy. I had no idea what kind of magic Svea was working on me, but merely being around her and having her speak to me made me feel elated, so hearing her seem that disappointed with me as a person made me want to die.

I felt sorry for every woman I'd ever kicked out of bed the next morning, felt bad about every time I'd fantasised about sleeping with a woman, and felt outright disgusted with myself for revealing myself to be such a chauvinistic pig in front of such a perfect woman as Svea. I looked up at her with a remorseful expression, opening my mouth to apologise for everything I'd done in my life before a look of realisation seemed to spread all over her face.

"Damn!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I completely forgot I still had that activated!"

She swiftly tapped a finger on the dragon-claw necklace she was wearing, the piece of jewellery giving off an audible warping sound and glowing briefly before that feeling of remorse washed off me like dirt in the shower. The glowing feeling of pure content vanished and I seemed to return to, despite my lack of awareness of it, my rational mind. I put a hand to my head, suddenly shivering rather violently before trying to shake away the sick feeling I had on me.

"A thousand apologies, Richter," Svea said, getting up and digging a blanket out of a cast-iron chest next to the fireplace.

She set my tea and biscuits aside on the table, my body now feeling as cold as ice all of a sudden, before Svea breathed into her hand for a brief second. She threw a ball of fire onto the fireplace, instantly igniting the logs and soon having a roaring fire as she covered me up with the thick, sheepskin blanket.

"Please don't be alarmed," she said in a calming tone. "The necklace I'm wearing has an enchantment that boosts positive feelings in those around me. I use it to try and secure better trading deals with merchants in the city. They often do sell for lower when they're happier, and I forgot to turn it off when I returned home this morning."

"Why am I s-so cold?" I asked.

"The magic has a warming quality to it as well, due to people feeling happier when comfortable" she answered. "It's a rather advanced spell that has quite a lot of power behind it, altering the way the person it affects feels from pain to temperature. It can also cause a rather negative reaction when it is removed from those exposed to it. Once again, I am extremely sorry, Richter."

"You use it to play merchants?" I asked with a smirk, trying to remain positive despite feeling freezing cold. "Something tells me that you of all people don't need magic to make people feel like giving you things for free."

"And your reason for that is?" she asked, turning around and looking at me.

My eyes once again wandered down to her huge breasts, the enormous flesh orbs being perked up ever further by Svea's arms crossing underneath them.

"I can think of two right off the bat," I said, not dropping either my eyes or my smirk.

Svea then followed my gaze down to her chest, going so far as to gently squeeze them while speaking.

"Your kind does seem to focus on these quite a lot," she commented, kneading her breasts. "Why is that?"

"Evolutionary reasons, I think," I shrugged, snuggling into the warm blanket to try and shake off the cold.

"It's not for stature?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I always believed it was."

"It's complicated, kind of," I said. "There is an evolutionary reason for why men prefer big breasts and wide hips, and it's because a female with both of those tend to be good at breeding and childcare."

"Oh," Svea said in a shocked tone before nodding along. "Yes, mammals... of course."

"The idea comes from bigger breasts either being easier for a child to feed from due to the round shape making the nipple jut out more when erect or from the idea that a woman will produce more breast-milk due to her size," I explained. "That last one's kind of up in the air, but people lean towards the former. The wide hips thing comes from babies being easier to pass through wider hips more than narrow ones, 'birthing hips' as we call them, and that's where the natural attraction comes from."

"And they became a status symbol because?" she asked.

"Because being attractive is good," I answered. "Having beautiful features and big breasts usually tends to get you more positive attention, be it for more negative reasons on the giving end, but positive attention all the same. The bigger your breasts, the more attractive you're seen as."

"Then..." Svea said, giving another glance down to her 'puppies'. "I'd be seen as very attractive?"

"Yes indeed," I nodded. "Probably why you get a lot of whispers and angry looks when around snotty noble women. They're jealous about how big your breasts are."

"Should... should I make them smaller?" she asked.

"Please don't," I grinned. "They're a very pleasant sight."

"And they'll help me secure better deals, no?"

"Definitely," I nodded. "If you wanna add a layer of sexuality onto that, most older merchants will probably melt."

"Oh," she said, going slightly red in the face again. "I've never been very good at that. My sister's usually the one that seduces people."

"You have a sister?" I asked. "Where is she?"

"Her name is Suomi," Svea explained. "And she still lives back at the Capital with my mother. She's much more, how can I say... active than I am when it comes to that kind of thing."

Give me an hour and a good conversation and I'm positive I can fix that.

"That does bring me to my next question," I said. "Why are you living in a cave-house in the middle of a mountain range?"

"Studies," she answered, sitting back down in her chair.

"Of how well a cave-house works?" I asked.

"No, human studies," she answered with a small smile. "I'm trying to be as close to a human settlement as possible to study and take notes on their activities without drawing too much attention to myself."

"And yet you're constantly taking trips into the city in your human form for food and supplies?" I asked with a confused expression. "Forget that, where are you getting the money from?"

"Alchemy and metal pressing," she answered. "I have a room further back with an alchemy lab in it. I use that to transform hunks of iron into a metal alloy that's nearly identical to the gold coins humans use in this country. I'm actually considered quite rich... apparently."

"So why not use that little illegal operation you're running to buy a mansion in the city and watch all the passersby from a noble's point of view?" I asked.

"Is... is what I'm doing illegal?" she asked in a shocked tone.

"Yeah, what you're doing is forgery," I nodded. "Do dragons not have currency?"

"Not in the same manner you do. We instead trade goods with one another using gemstones. Metals like iron and steel are only given to smiths, so if you can transform worthless metals into useful ones, they don't mind," Svea explained. "I've been committing a crime?"

"You... you look a lot more cut up about that than most dragons would," I stated, looking at her as she seemed to become more and more flustered.

"I... well, uh, I feel that if I'm to live amongst humans and learn their ways, then I must properly abide by their laws and customs," she said, seeming to calm down a little. "I feel awful about this."

"Eh, you'll get used to it," I shrugged. "How about I make you an offer, Svea?"

"O-Okay," she nodded, sounding rather unsure of herself.

"Why don't you move in to the castle in Equestria and live life like a normal human from there?" I explained. "I know we haven't been seeing each other long and moving in might seem like we're rushing things, but I feel like it's a natural step to take at this point in our relationship."

Svea seemed confused by the statement for a brief moment, the gears churning in her head for the longest time before she gave me a rather bemused look.

"Very funny, young man," she said, leaning back in her chair and sighing. "Though you are right... moving into the castle with the ruling party of one of the largest human-populated countries in the world would be a phenomenal research opportunity... surely there's some condition, though?"

"Of course there is," I nodded. "You need to become my wife and bear my children."

"What!?" Svea exclaimed in horror, launching forward with eyes wide in shock.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," I said with a quiet chuckle, finding myself rather amused by her sudden panic. "I need you to tell me and my friends everything we need to know on stopping Heimili."

"I was already planning on doing-" she began.

"Everything, Svea," I said in a stern tone. "I need to know her in and out, every single piece of information about her likes, dislikes, and annoyances. The better I know her, the more chance I have of making her slip up in combat and saving a lot of people a lot of trouble. You do that for us and I’ll make sure you have a warm bed, food, and water to keep you comfortable in Equestria. Are we clear?"

"Yes," she nodded in a solemn tone. "Crystal."

Chapter 27: Matriarch Heimili

"Not meaning to insult you here," Luna said, eyeing up myself and Svea as she sat down at the war table. "But you have done infinitely better than I thought you could have. I put you in a location that I was sure only had two forces you could ally with and you've managed to pull another two out of nowhere. I suspected Angela might help out... but this? Could not have seen this coming."

"Thanks, Aunt Luna," I said, smiling at the older woman before turning back to Svea. "You need a drink or something?"

"I'm fine, thank you," she said with a shake of her head, soon turning her eyes to the others at the table. "May I ask your names?"

"I'm Zane."

"Call me Annerose."

"My name is Grael."

"You can talk?" Svea asked the enormous Direwolf with a confused expression. "I've never come across that before."

"Among other things, speech is one trick I possess," he nodded. "If you hang around longer, I can assure you that you'll be even more amazed."

"I thought we agreed on no flirting?" I asked him.

"I wasn't flirting!" Grael snapped. "I was merely informing her to expect to run into wild and strange-"

"Would those 'wild and strange' things happen to be in your bedroom?"

"We're not having this conversation," Grael snarled, turning his nose up at me.

"Indeed we aren't," Luna said, quickly getting the conversation back on rails. "So, Svea, you're here to be our whistleblower, so to speak?"

"I am," she nodded. "I'm ready to answer any and all questions you have about our former Matriarch."

"Right, what exactly is a Matriarch?" Zane asked. "In terms of dragons, that is; is it the same as ours?"

"The Matriarch, also known as a Grand Matriarch, is the highest power in our... kingdom, so to speak," Svea explained, scratching the back of her head. "It's rather hard to describe... dragons have rather strange hierarchies compared to humans, Elves, and the like. We do not all live in a singular kingdom, as you do, and instead we live all across the world separately. But we all must answer the call of the Matriarch, or the Council, should they summon us and we then converge at the Citadel."

"What does the council do?" Annerose asked.

"They act more as a... secondary command to the Matriarch," Svea went on. "They are the ones addressed with issues by other dragons, debate them between themselves, and then take them to the Matriarch for approval."

"Basic council stuff," Luna nodded. "I know when Celestia came to blows with Heimili, she was still the Matriarch. What got the leader of your entire race banished by everyone else?"

"Egg-smashing," Svea said, the weight of the action conveyed perfectly by the heaviness in her tone. "She deemed six clans... unworthy to continue. Went to a hatchery and smashed over two hundred eggs... so many hatchlings to never have their chance at life."

"Fuck," Luna said in an extremely surprised tone. "I knew Heimili was unstable before... but what the hell drove her to commit such a crime?"

"We still do not know," Svea sighed. "She showed no signs of insanity beforehand. She ruled and guided as any Matriarch would... and the next we knew she was stomping on the children of her own people and razing hatcheries in a manner too calm for any sane person to do so. She did not rant nor rave, she did not scream or give any signs of frustration... she merely spoke of how these eggs were unworthy to grace this world and that their lesser genes must be purged."

"So how long did it take for the riots to start?" Luna asked. "Because, Matriarch or not, there's not a chance your people would let her get away with that."

"She faced retribution in force," Svea nodded. "She was viciously savaged from every dragon gathered there... even from members of the Council. Blood, breath, and bone... my mother was there to witness it, trying to help the grieving mothers cope with what they had seen."

"Your mother's a Priestess, right?" I asked Svea. "What exactly is that? For your people, I mean. I don't remember dragons having gods."

"More of a worship of the world we live in than a deity," Svea answered. "We are all creatures of the elements, and thus we worship the elements in this world. Offer thanks and praise to the mountains, the air, the water, and all others. My mother, as a Priestess, often looks over the shrines we keep in dedication to the elements of this world, giving offerings of power to each shrine every day and night, so that they may never forsake us."

"Strange," I said.

"Some people worship cows, Richter," Luna said. "It's not your place to judge."

"Fair enough," I shrugged. "So, egg-smashing... what then?"

"She was obviously subdued, tried, and banished from our society forever," Svea went on. "There wasn't a dragon in our entire race willing to speak on her behalf, so the punishment was handed down swift and heavy."

"So who gets to call the shots now?" Zane asked. "Do you guys work on a lineage system or what?"

"The next Matriarch is selected from a list of accomplished dragonesses," Svea answered. "The new Matriarch is a very old one named Kriger. She's seen more than her fair share of strife and political unrest, as well as handled her own in many a gruelling battle. She was the perfect choice to replace Heimili."

"Any idea what set her off?" I asked.

"Nothing beyond her justification," Svea said with a heavy shake of her head. "'Purification of the bloodlines.' That was her sole reason."

"A task that is only ever appreciated by those who result from it," Luna said, shaking her head slowly. "It's the best thing a species can do for itself. It's just a shame that it's one of the most disgusting practices known to those living and only performed by soulless monsters."

"That sounds like you've experienced that kind of thing before," Zane said, looking at Luna.

"Because I've seen both the act and the result," Luna said, memories running through her mind. "Saw those deemed unworthy by the ruling minds carted off to be executed in the thousands. Streets ran red with the blood of thousands during public execution parties, watched by those deemed worthy by the crown."

"Fuck," I said in a low tone.

"Both Celestia and I were forced to keep a smile on our face and dine with the ruling party that night," Luna said, gritting her teeth and clenching her fist in residual anger. "I've never had to try so hard to not murder someone in my entire life."

"Why didn't you?" Annerose asked. "I'd have slaughtered the entire fucking family if I was there."

"Because war would've broken out. They had allies, we had allies, and we would've ended up losing so much more life during the conflict," Luna sighed. "Celestia and I went over this for hours in our rooms in the embassy. As much as it hurt to do so, we couldn't respond to the sacrifice of thousands of lives by sacrificing a few hundred thousand more. Despite how easily we could've won, the cost wasn't worth it."

"So you just let them get away with it?" Annerose asked, clearly angry at their complacency.

"I hate the fact I need to answer yes..." Luna nodded, a sarcastic laugh soon falling from her pursed lips. "I went back there a few hundred years later after the throne had changed families a few times. The place was a fucking utopia. Streets full of the most beautiful, intelligent, and well-bred people you've ever seen. Physical disabilities were practically non-existent and everyone was in peak physical condition."

"Really?" Grael asked.

"Yeah... like I said before, that kind of thing is the best thing you can ever do for a race," Luna said with a heavy heart. "But it's disgusting and a crime against nature. To kill so many innocents because they don't fit your standards... it sickens me to the stomach."

"So you can understand why our people were so quick to cast Heimili out," Svea said, staring at the table with a sickened expression. "From what I know of her... she never used to be like this."

"Never used to be a stuck-up, racist supremacist?" Annerose asked, leaning forward with a cocked eyebrow. "If that's not the case, then how was she even a dragon?"

"I mean she was never heartless enough to do this to her own kind," Svea said, clearly angered by Annerose's chiding.

"Oh, but it's completely fine when she slaughters our children, isn't it?" Annerose continued.

"I don't support that kind of behaviour in any way-" Svea began.

"But the rest of you walking handbags are more than content to let your psychopath burn down our villages and slaughter our people, so long as she doesn't do it in their neck of the woods?"

"Annerose!" I snapped, glaring at the younger woman with an angered expression. "We're not here to bring up how shitty the dragons are as people. We're all here to take Heimili down, and you driving a wedge into the team when there doesn't need to be one really isn't helping."

"Do... do you truly think we're all rotten?" Svea asked with a hurt expression on her face, her voice quiet and meek.

"You're honestly the first dragon I've ever heard of that doesn't masturbate to its own reflection, Svea," I said, hitting her with brutal honesty right out the gate.

"I'm not too familiar with any stories of dragons and humans getting along too well," Zane added.

"Your race does have quite a negative stigma surrounding it, Svea," Grael said in a comforting tone. "And while you're certainly more pleasant than others of your ilk... it doesn't change the fact that they're not well-liked by mortal folks."

Svea was silent for a long second, tracing a knot in the wood with a soft finger. She soon sighed loudly, shaking her head and knocking a lock of long, blue hair free from her fringe.

"I had hoped that the view of my people was not this toxic," she said in a downtrodden tone. "It seems I truly have my work cut out for me if I wish to forge a bridge between our races."

"Then start with us," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling gently. "If you manage to convince four of the most prejudiced people in the world, then there won't be a soul you can't convince."

"You're too kind," Svea said, giving me a look from the corner of her eye and a small smirk. "I've yet to do anything to convince you of my skills."

"I've got a feeling you can work miracles with that mouth of yours," I said with a shrug.

"Oh?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow and giving me a wry smile.

"Alright, you two," Luna said, snapping her fingers and getting our attention back. "I don't want you babymaking on the war table, so keep it all tucked away until you're on your own time."

"Haven't a clue what you're talking about," Svea said with a shrug, leaning forward and resting her chin on her interlocked fingers. "Now, where were we?"

Chapter 28: High-Stakes Duel

After hearing Svea's knowledge on Heimili, Luna suggested that we all take a break from planning and plotting to refresh ourselves; be it with an hour or two's nap, more food or drink, or even just lounging around doing nothing, we were to relax in some manner. Of course, I was soon cornered by Annerose, who had a great idea to 'relax': sparring. With barely any chance to say no to the shorter fighter, I was dragged down to the arena once again. The two of us had raided the armoury on the way down for a sparring gear, mostly padded gambesons and wooden training swords. Once dressed and armed for sparring, the two of us entered the fighting grounds and squared off with our weapons in a guard position.

"Good to see you picked an actual weapon this time around," I smirked, looking at the wooden longsword Annerose held in her hands. "The wood might actually be more durable than your other one, that's for sure."

Annerose snarled angrily, lashing forward with a strike aimed towards my neck. I deflected the blow with the length of my sword and stepped forward, slamming my shoulder into her torso and knocking her backwards. The opening allowed me to lunge forward, stabbing the blunt tip of the wooden sword into the thick fabric of Annerose's gambeson. I soon retreated back into a guard stance and gave the scowling warrior a brief smirk.

"Point to me," I said smugly. "What are we going to here?"

"First to thirty," she answered.

"Fuck me," I sighed. "We've got an hour, not a month to goof off."

"Then you better hurry up and quit whining, eh?" she asked, readying herself once again and charging forward.

There was a brief clash of wood, the loud knocking sound echoing through the hollow metal arena, before a feint and a knee from Annerose got her the upper hand. The impact of her knee to my gut was absorbed by the gambeson, but still left me in an awkward position for her to bring her sword down onto my head, stopping the swing mere centimetres away from the back of my skull before lightly tapping me on it.

"One to me," she said, turning around and walking back to the marked ground in the arena.

I returned to my own marked spot, tossing my sword back and forth between my hands before Annerose signaled she was ready to go again. I kept on the defensive this time, focusing mostly on deflecting and glancing her attacks. I tried my best to get her to either open herself or allow me to open her up, but she wasn't having any of it. I eventually stopped trying to hit her blade aside and decided to go on the offensive for a while. I used powerful, controlled strikes aimed for her abdomen to keep pushing her back.

She made a smart move of dodging rather than deflecting a strike; the lack of control I'd put into the attack proved to be my downfall. I lunged forward with a strike aimed for her right hip only to have her spin out of the way, moving to the side and slightly behind me, where she managed to swing her sword at the back of my neck, placing the wood gently against my flesh.

"Two to me," she said, lowering the sword and rolling her shoulders. "You feeling alright today? You're usually better than this."

"Might just be having an off-day," I shrugged, eyeing her up as she walked away only to hook her foot with my ankle and trip her over, placing the tip of my sword against her spine and smirking. "Two to me."

"Alright then," she said with a chuckle and a growl, pushing herself up to her feet and cracking her neck. "If that's how you want it..."

After booting the hornet's nest and pissing on it, I found that it may have been a mistake. Where she had once held her strikes back, she did no such thing now. Where she had once only aimed for killing blows, she did no such thing now. I was forced to use practically every muscle in my body to dodge and deflect all of her vicious strikes. Both of us were landing shots on one another, painful thwacks to the legs and head, and it seemed the point system had completely gone out of the window in less than two minutes.

Annerose seemed entirely focused on beating the living shit out of me, now throwing punches, kicks, grapples, and throws into the mix. The two of us were soon covered in nicks, bumps, and cuts. Annerose's eyebrow had opened up slightly and trickled blood down onto her face, just as my cheek had been cut open through sheer striking force. The two of us were panting heavily before she managed to knock the wind out of me entirely by slapping aside my blade with the flat of hers, tightly wrapping her hand around my throat, and hoisting me up into the air before slamming me down onto my back.

Pain exploded throughout my entire torso, second only to the pain that exploded throughout my face as she swung a leg over my chest and slammed her fist straight into my nose, breaking it with a sickening crunch as my head rocketed backwards into the arena floor. Annerose then placed her hand onto my forehead and held my head down, panting heavily as she leaned back slightly.

"I'd advise not getting up after that," she said with a smirk. "You've only got so much of your pride left to lose."

"Yeah..." I said with a sigh, a glint in my eye as I slammed my fist into the side of her face, knocking her off me and into the dirt.

"Alright then, cunt..." she panted, pushing herself up and throwing her sword aside. "You asked for it."

"Yup," I grinned, wiping the blood away from my nose and spitting more blood onto the ground. "I'd owe you a smashed jaw, but you're much too delicate for that."

"Funny," she said, stretching her back out. "I was gonna say the same thing to you."

She rushed at me, opening the now-fist-fight with a brutal left hook. I ducked under the blow and brought my right fist up into her stomach only to have the gambeson absorb pretty much all of the impact. I threw her back slightly, both of us acknowledging the other's wish without speaking it. We took the gambesons off and cast them aside, now launching at each other again with vicious blows aimed for vital areas. I barely managed to duck under a roundhouse from Annerose, something that would've sent me sprawling, and responded by booting her other foot out from underneath her.

She dropped to the floor, rolling out of the way of a stomp I aimed for her chest, and climbed back to her feet. She charged forward into a tackle, but lacked the momentum to knock me over. I wrapped my arms around her slender waist and hoisted her up, attempting to slam her down onto her head, only to have her, using that incredibly flexibility of hers, wrap her legs around my neck and sit up, using half of her own momentum and half of mine to send me toppling onto my back again.

She brought the side of her forearm down onto my face, my nose flaring up in pain once more, before she rolled away from me. She got back up to her feet just as quickly as I did, rushing forward and launching a knee strike aimed for my gullet. I brought my elbow down into her leg, the two attacks hitting into one another with mine winning out thanks to hitting the muscle in her thigh. Her leg went entirely lax at this point, unable to support her weight.

As she staggered back, keeping her guard up, I booted her full in the chest. She went sprawling to the floor and kicked up a lot of dust as I followed up the attack by kicking her in the face and sending her rolling sideways. The two of us seemed to take a break at this point as Annerose staggered back to her feet and I merely stood there. Our guards were up and out chests were heaving, eyeing one another closely as we waited to see what we would do next.

Annerose moved first, though not in an expected way. She dropped her guard and hunched over, panting loudly and rubbing her sore jaw. I gave it a minute to see if she was bluffing, as we both often did, but it seemed that she was genuinely done for now.

"I think you broke it," she said in a slurred manner.

"Probably did," I said, walking over to her and giving her a rough pat on the back. "Wanna go see Luna?"

"Yeah..." she nodded. "This hurts like a motherfucker."

"I gotta say, kids," Karra's voice came from the entrance to the arena. "You two put up a good fight. Almost makes me feel like I'm not just giving my army to a bunch of layabouts who barely know the difference between a spear and a halberd. Almost."

"Thanks," I said, still not sure what to make of the arrogant catgirl.

"You're welcome," she said, walking over to the both of us. "I gotta say, the way you handled yourself against your girlfriend here made it look like you actually know how to fight."

"I have that effect on people," Annerose said, standing up straight and spitting blood onto the floor. "Now if you excuse me, I need to go get my jaw put back on properly."

"Same," I said, the two of us walking past Karra only for her to put her a hand on a shoulder each, getting us to stop moving.

"What do you two say about a sparring match?" she asked. "You two against me?"

"Do you think you can handle the two of us?" Annerose asked.

"Well lover-boy over here's about as useful as a donkey without legs when it comes to fighting, so I think I should be fine," Karra chuckled.

"Thanks," I sighed, my temper flaring up briefly. "You wanna make a wager out of it?"

"So long as it’s not ridiculous," she said. "What did you have in mind?"

"If you win, I make sure that your army gets all of its funding and equipment directly from the Equestrian Treasury," I offered. "That means you get top-tier weapons and gear, free of charge, forever."

"That sounds like a deal and a half," she grinned, her eyes lighting up brightly. "What do you want if you win?"

I looked at Annerose for a long moment, her eyes lighting up in horror as she assumed what I meant.

"Please do not tell me you're gonna ask to fu-" she began.

"If we win, you do this job for free," I said, looking Karra dead in the eyes.

The light in her blue orbs died immediately as she realised how much of a risk this would be.

"That's... that's a steep thing to ask for," she said, scratching the back of her head. "You sure there's nothing else you want?"

"No," I said with a shake of my head. "If you refuse to put that on the line, then I'm not putting my support on the line either."

The Nekomata was silent for a long moment, her ears twitching as she thought the deal over again.

"C'mon... there's nothing else you want?" she asked, batting her eyelashes and dragging a seductive finger down my chest. "Truly?"

"Richter..." Annerose said in a warning tone, knowing me much too well at this point.

"Do you really think sex is a worthy prize for victory when loss will end up costing me several hundred thousand gold?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"It'll be good sex," she said in a confident manner. "I promise you."

"If you're going to lower your offer, then so am I," I responded nearly immediately. "If we lose, then all of your soldiers get a new suit of armour and a weapon of choice forged by our best smiths."

"That's not nearly as good," Karra pouted.

"It's all I'm willing to offer for you," I said. "Take it or leave it."

Karra was quiet for a moment, once again thinking it all over with her ears flicking and her tail swishing behind her. Several long moments ticked by before Karra opened her mouth to ask a question.

"Does the girl want sex as well?" she asked, looking at Annerose.

"I'm alright, thanks," she said, distancing herself from the two of us.

"And you're not going to offer the supply deal if I win?"

"Not unless you offer to do all this for free if I do," I said with a shake of my head.

"So... if I win, I get a new set for everyone," Karra said. "And if you win, I have to fuck you?"

"That's the deal," I nodded. "Take it or leave it."

"Look, kid," she said. "I'd love to shake hands on the original one, believe me, I would. I'm confident that I could slap you both around for hours on end. But I'm not gonna risk something like making my entire army go without pay for this job, no matter what the offer is. We can barely manage repair costs and pay for their work on regular contracts against beasts... but this dragon might have millions in her cave. That kind of money could help us grow and expand for years without needing to work."

"I understand perfectly," I nodded. "That's also why I want that money for myself. That amount of gold in the Equestrian Treasury is really gonna give my country some economic benefits... but if you're unwilling to put it on the line, the other bet is just as good."

"I just hope you're not a shit lay," Karra sighed, holding out a hand to shake. "You're on."

"We'll see you in a couple of minutes," I said, shaking her hand firmly.

I walked away from Karra, Annerose following quickly and giving me the most unimpressed look I'd ever seen grace her features.

"What?" I asked with a smirk.

"You were aiming to make a sex bet, weren't you?" she asked. "That was why you made her losing offer so ridiculous. You knew she'd offer to put out instead."

"Haven't a clue what you're talking about, my friend," I chuckled, wiping blood off my face again.

"If that was what you were aiming for, why not just ask for it outright?" she asked me. "You wanted sex, so why not just make the deal about sex?"

"Because I would've come off as creepy," I shrugged.

"But you still made a deal for sex!" Annerose snapped. "How does that make you look any less creepy?"

"Because I did not ask, I was instead offered," I said, bringing up a tactic I'd used before.

"W... What?" Annerose asked in confusion. "How does that make you look better?"

"Think about it like this: if you're helping someone with something, whether it’s moving a lot of furniture or helping them on their crops, you expect a reward for your efforts. But if you outright ask for money, either afterwards or beforehand, you look like an asshole who only does things for money," I explained. "But if you don't ask for a reward and instead seem like you're doing it out of the kindness of your heart, then the person you're helping tends to feel that you're noble and helpful, and thus feel compelled to offer a reward."

"I... that's..." Annerose said, bewildered by the thought process. "That's extremely manipulative."

"Of course it is. If you wanna look extra noble, then you turn the money down and say that you don't want it, as they'd do the same for you," I continued. "Then, when they insist, you take the money and say that you only took it to not offend their charity. It's the same with getting sex as a reward without asking for sex as a reward. Though as a warning: this only works with specific women. Do not try this on a woman who isn't liberal with her body privileges or has a committed relationship."

"I wasn't really planning on it, but thanks for the advice," Annerose said with a roll of her eyes.

"The main method is, like I did back there, asking for a reward that is rather ridiculous," I said. "That sets the stage and kind of causes panic to sprout in the woman you're talking to. Then, if it is that specific type of woman, she'll usually know that men are dogs and that we'll bark, sit, and shake if we're offered so much as a whiff of vagina."

"Is that true?" Annerose asked.

"Only certain types of men. The smart ones never usually jump into a volcano if a woman waves their vagina at them," I answered.

"Would you?" Annerose asked.

"I slaughtered a whole nest of Wyverns just so I could fuck Celana," I said, looking at her with a blank expression. "What do you think?"

"Right... you were saying?" she said, eager to move past how terrible of a person I was.

"Right, yeah... so this type of woman will know that she can play this type of men, and by offering sex as a reward or incentive for their services, she's essentially offering them nothing and getting those services for it," I explained.

"How is it nothing?" Annerose asked. "People have to have a lot of confidence in themselves to do that kind of shit."

"And once you have that confidence, you throw that shit around like it's nothing," I shrugged. "I could pay seven hundred gold to rent this room at an inn for the night... or I could just fuck the manager, give him the satisfaction of getting sex, and stay in a high-class room for nothing."

"So you were expecting her to back out of the deal and offer sex instead?" Annerose asked, walking herself through the thought process. "Because you knew that she'd try to play you and offer only superficial pleasures instead of something of actual value."

"Yup," I nodded with a smirk. "But since she's the one that offered it and not me, I don't look like a creep because I didn't directly ask for it."

"I... that's..." she stammered, unable to form a sentence at first. "You devious bastard."

"I try," I smirked. "Right, now let's go get ourselves fixed up so we can take down Karra, and I get to mess around with those big kitty titties of hers."

Chapter 29: A Team Effort

"What the hell do you mean he wants me there?" Luna demanded as we walked into the room, engaged in conversation with a spectral projection of her older sister.

The yellow projection of Celestia sighed, shaking her head and putting her hands on her hips.

"I've said that my word is good enough to put before a crowd. I've said that mine and Cadance's word is good enough," she said in an irritated manner. "But the man refuses to accept that and says he won't sign off on the trade contract unless all three of us are there with him for the announcement."

Luna put a hand to her face, massaging her temples with finger and thumb, before looking back up at Celestia.

"When does he say he wants to sign off on it?" she asked. "What's his deadline?"

"Tomorrow morning," Celestia said in a dry tone.

Luna gritted her teeth, her irritation clear as day to all those gathered, the lunar Alicorn sucking in a breath and muttering to herself.

"There was a time when our race would make a request and it would be delivered on," she growled. "None of this political bullshit."

"And now that we live in a time where we have to be diplomats and not dictators, we have to follow the same steps the rest of the dancers do," Celestia nodded. "Despite how much easier conquering and war would be. So, can you make it?"

"Yes. I'll just have to tell the kids they're on their own for a few days until I get back," Luna said.

"Speaking of which..." Celestia said, leaning to look over Luna's shoulder with a smile on her face. "Good afternoon, you two. Are you having fun?"

"Very much so," I nodded. "Thanks, Aunt Celestia."

"I'm doing great, Your Majesty," Annerose said, bowing her head respectfully.

"Good to hear," the ancient Alicorn said with a wide smile. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to return to preparations for the arrival of the ambassadors from the Arid Plains."

"That's gonna be a fun feast," Luna said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Yes, but their food and music is always a delight," Celestia said, her projection tapping something in front of her before she disappeared completely.

Luna stooped low and picked up and humming yellow crystal on the floor, tucking it into a pouch on her belt and turning to look at the both of us.

"Perfect timing, I wanted to talk to you about..." she said, trailing off as she saw the beaten and bloody state the two of us were in. "What the hell happened to you guys?"

"Fun," Annerose shrugged. "Would you mind patching us up? We've got a bet on with Karra and I really want to hit her in the face."

"Yeah... sure," Luna said. "Just gonna throw a couple of wards on the two of you while I'm at it."

"What for?" I asked as Luna began swishing and waving her now-glowing hands over my face and body.

"Svea's running around with a mind-control amulet around her neck," Luna answered, casting the wards as she spoke. "And taking into account this family's history with mind control, I don't wanna take any chances this time around. I was supposed to do it ages ago, but kept forgetting about it."

She moved onto Annerose, healing her up and casting the protection wards on her as well.

"What do these things do, exactly?" Annerose asked.

"They're high-tier mental manipulation protection wards mixed in with a few life force and soul protection wards," Luna answered. "In case you run into demons or wraiths any time soon."

"Neat," I said with a smirk. "Thanks, Aunt Luna."

"Don't mention it," she said, giving me a peck on the cheek and an affection clap on the face for Annerose. "Now, like you heard, I've gotta get going, political horseshit and all. I won't be gone longer than a few days, so try not to need me, okay?"

"No promises," I smirked.

"Great," Luna sighed. "I'm gonna give the protection wards to Zane and Grael on my way out, so you don't need to worry about that."

"Have fun," I said, getting an evil glower from the taller Alicorn before she headed out of the room.

Seconds passed before she poked her head back in, snapping her fingers and summoning a cloth-bound object.

"Shit, right," she said, chucking it over to Annerose. "I wanted to give that to you, just so you can have an actual weapon instead of that toothpick you keep swinging around."

Annerose caught the cloth-wrap in the palm of her hand whilst glowering at Luna, the dark-skinned woman giving her a wide smile before disappearing for good this time. Annerose turned back to me with a displeased expression on her face, opening her mouth to ask a question.

"Yes, everyone here thinks the katana is a shit weapon," I said before she even had the chance to ask. "Single-edged, no useful guard to speak of, can't be half-sworded, and is made of shitty pig-iron. Next question?"

She closed her mouth quickly and set about unwrapping the object, revealing the jet-black longsword that had once belonged to Arala. Annerose looked at the weapon with a surprised expression, sliding the blade out of the cloth and casting it aside on the war table.

"Luna kept it," she stated, gripping the leather-wrapped hilt and staring at the black blade.

"Yeah," I nodded. "It’s made out of Kairosteel, right? Bit stupid to leave that behind... you have been instructed on how to use a longsword, right?"

"Yeah. I only started training with a katana two or three years back," she nodded, running the back of her nail along the edge of the blade to test it sharpness. "I've been using western swords since I was seven years old."

"It's a little longer than mine is, I think," I said, looking over the blade myself. "You're gonna need to get a scabbard made for it, aren't you?"

"Fucking dammit!" came Luna's irritated yell mere seconds before a metal-and-leather object was thrown through the door and landed loudly on the ground. "I knew I forgot something!"

Annerose and I looked through the doorway as Luna trudged away. The blue-haired youth rolled her eyes, picking up the soft leather object and gently squeezing it.

"It uses a sheath," she commented, sliding the blade into the black leather before strapping it to her belt. "Nice and soft to carry."

"But less effective as a weapon," I shrugged. "Anyway, you ready to go and take on Karra?"

"Yeah, but one question first," Annerose said, looking at the hilt of the sword over my shoulder. "Why don't you wear it at the hip?"

"Keeps it out of the way of things," I answered.

"But it’s harder to draw," she said.

"It’s not fitted as much at the bottom of the blade," I said, pulling on the hilt of the sword to show that it was only fastened properly just below my shoulder.

I briefly slid it out of the scabbard for a few moments, showing that I was able to pull it straight out into a guard position due to the lack of fitting on the back.

"It flops around a little when running," I said, sheathing it over my shoulder once more. "But it beats knocking things over when turning around."

"You tried having it at an angle?" she asked.

"Several times," I nodded. "But the problem still persists. Anyway, enough chatter. I've got a catgirl to nail."

"Ugh..." Annerose sighed, turning and walking back towards the arena.

We returned to find Karra sitting with a wooden sword on her lap, drumming her fingers on the blade with an impatient look on her face.

"Ugh," she said as she got to her feet. "Finally. I thought you two would never get back."

"Just wanted to give you enough time to enjoy having clear skin and fixed bones," Annerose said, removing her sword from her belt and taking up one of the training swords. "Before we beat you black, blue, and broken."

"You've got such a mouth on you," Karra said, watching me pick up one of the wooden swords and ready myself. "I can't wait to set it wired shut to heal for months. Ready?"

"Ready," the two of us nodded.

"Gonna go for the usual strategy?" I asked Annerose as I brushed shoulders with her.

"Of course," she smirked, rushing towards Karra.

The catgirl prepared herself, managing to deflect a good number of Annerose's strikes before being put on the back foot as I came in from the left. I swung for under her right arm, forcing her to block with her sword and allowing Annerose to strike her in the hip. She hunched over slightly, allowing Annerose and I to get into position, spinning around one another before bringing our swords down in an X shape against both sides of Karra's neck. The Nekomata yelped in pain as the wood smacked into her bone, only to have the wind knocked out of her as Annerose and I booted her in the chest and sent her sprawling onto her back.

We broke formation briefly, returning to guard positions as Karra picked herself up. There were red marks on the sides of her neck, soon to bruise and sting, and a look of irritation in her eyes.

"You," she said as she pointed at Annerose. "I can understand being this dangerous... him?"

She then turned her finger to me, her eyes lining up with the point as she glared at me.

"He could barely hold a sword the last time we fought," she continued, rolling her shoulders and glaring. "What the hell happened?"

"He's useless on his own," Annerose smirked. "But he works well with others. For example-"

With that, she dashed towards Karra again, laying on vicious strikes aimed for her lower body, keeping Karra moving further and further backwards before I came in.

"Like I'm falling for that again!" Karra snapped, shoulder charging Annerose out of the way and ducking underneath a swing of my sword.

Annerose, however, managed to hook her legs around Karra's whilst on the ground, causing her to stumble and fall hard onto her hands and knees, leaving her wide open for a vicious boot to the side of the head. She took the hit hard and rolled several feet, getting back up onto hers with cat agility and dashed forward, slamming her knee into Annerose's raised leg and aiming a swing for my face. I managed to hook my arm around her elbow, catching the strike before it happened and used her badly-positioned weight and my strength to throw her straight back to the ground. Annerose took advantage of this, rolling forwards into a handspring before slamming her boots down onto the side of Karra's head.

Angered and in pain, the Nekomata shoved Annerose away and got back to her feet. She then tore away at the clasps on her breastplate, allowing the metal object to fall free onto the ground. She repeated this with several pieces of her armour until she wore nothing more than cotton undergarments designed to prevent chafing... and a small sapphire choker around her neck.

"Oh no," I said in a horrified manner.

"Why oh no?" Annerose asked as Karra placed a finger on the choker.

"You ever dealt with a Feral Nekomata before?"

"I don't even know what that is!"

"Then I am really sorry you had to find out this way," I said, dragging Annerose back several feet as an explosion of light covered Karra, her loud yell being morphed into the roar of a lion inside the light. The magic whipped up powerful winds, throwing her discarded armour around and kicking up a lot of dirt from the hard ground, chunks flying everywhere before it all finally settled down.

Where the once very-human Karra had stood was now an animalistic creature, leaning far more into the wilder side of the animal kingdom. Her once-human hands and feet had been replaced with large cat paws with claws extended and ready. Her human teeth had been replaced with large, sharp fangs that she ground excitedly as she stared at the two of us. Her cat ears had grown much larger and furrier as her ponytail had exploded out into an enormous, waving bush of thick hair. Her eyes had turned into the orbs of a panther and her semi-toned body had been replaced with shredded muscle.

"What the fuck is that?" Annerose asked as Karra's much-thicker tail lashed about on the ground hard enough to break it.

"This is a Nekomata's fighting form," I answered, readying my sword for a much harder fight. "This is where they throw aside all their training and just go on super-powered instinct."

"How do we beat her?"

"Hit her really hard a lot of times and hope she doesn't maul us to death," I said, steeling myself as Karra charged forwards.

Her speed was insane, clearing the entire arena in a few seconds and launching at me, paws and fangs extended. I managed to duck underneath the initial jump before straightening my legs again. My shoulders slammed into her stomach and flipped her over, but the agile Nekomata landed on her paws without effort. She rebounded and leapt forward once again, only this time at a much closer distance. I had no time to dodge and was tackled to the ground, my sword swatted aside easily before I was punched in the face with her enormous paw.

I was thankful that she wasn't trying to kill us, despite her transformation. She was still being honourable and holding to the bet... despite not telling either of us she had access to a Feral Form. I tried my best to throw her off, gripping her thick hair as hard as I could and heaving, but she knocked the wind out of me with a punch to the gut with her paws. Annerose rushed in, slamming the sword into Karra's face as hard as she could to get her attention, using her much nimbler fighting style to keep ahead of Karra's pounces.

I grabbed my sword and moved in again, grabbing hold of Karra's tail with my off-hand and pulling her backwards. I wrapped a hand around her torso, possibly accidentally copping a feel as I did so, before letting Annerose land a few strikes of sword, fist, and knee into Karra's shredded abdomen. The savage Neko rocketed her head backwards, slamming it into my face and causing me to stagger back. She whirled around, grabbing hold of me in her big paw before continuing to spin, knocking me into Annerose and sending us both flying.

Immediate pain sprung up in both of us in practically all of us. Heads had clashed, joints had impacted, and bones were sore and aching as we picked ourselves up from the ground. We stood still for a moment, watching Karra sit on her haunches and pick her fangs with her claws for a few seconds.

"What's wrong, kids?" she asked in a growling voice. "Where's that arrogance and bravado gone?"

"It's unconscious on the floor behind me," Annerose answered, standing up and grimacing as her back cracked in the process. "It has been thoroughly slapped out of me after that."

"That's good to hear," she chuckled. "You give up yet? Do I get my free sets now?"

"I'm not unconscious yet," I said, readying myself and patting Annerose on the back.

"Lemme fix that," Karra smirked, bounding towards us and pouncing yet again.

We tried our best to dodge, but the soreness was taking its toll at this point. We threw ourselves, but not far enough, as Karra still managed to catch the both of us in the charge. Her momentum knocked spinning, hitting the floor hard and leaving us groaning in pain. As she walked over to deliver a knock-out punch to myself and Annerose, a loud, bestial barked split through the air mere moments before Grael and his entire three-hundred pound weight slammed into Karra. The titantic Direwolf sent her sprawling across the ground, only to be pinned down by his immense weight and power.

"This is cheating!" Karra snapped.

"If you beat the three of us, you can get three custom sets for every soldier," Grael offered.

Karra grinned widely before nodding quickly, slamming her knee in the fork of Grael's leg before throwing him over to the two of us.

"Why did you do that?" I asked as I used him to pull myself up.

"It's my job to protect you," Grael answered, using his teeth to pick Annerose up by her collar. "At least this way, I can feel like I'm doing my duty, win or lose."

"Yes, but now the bet's gone from being an annoyance on the Treasury to being a serious drain on resources," I said, holding my sore ribs and groaning in pain.

"Then we better hurry up and win," Grael said, standing in front of the two of us and acting as our shield. "Shall we go for the Pin and Win strategy?"

"Anything to get this furry cunt to stop moving," Annerose nodded, picking up her weapon and preparing herself. "Go get her, Grael."

Grael nodded, snarling as he charged at the nimble Neko... who proved to be a little too nimble for the lumbering beast, as she was able to dodge, duck, and weave her way around nearly every attempt Grael made to pin her.

"Move up," I said, patting Annerose on the back and pointing at Karra. "Try to corral her in and let Grael get a shot."

"Right," she nodded, moving as fast as her injured body could carry her while I did the same.

"I can't fucking wait to have a healer on the team," I groaned as we ran towards the animal fight.

"Same," Annerose said, leaping at Karra and slamming her sword into her arm, just above her large paws.

The impact did naught more than distract her, same as the strike I landed on the back of her head, but it was the full-body tackle from Grael that really made an impact. He slammed into her again, this time with an audible cracking sound, before using his weight (this time keeping his junk well out of hitting range) and placed his fangs against Karra's throat. Annerose and I moved in as well, placing the tip of our swords on her cheeks, signaling that the fight had drawn to a close.

Karra remained panting on the floor for a long second, each and every one of us in pain and exhausted before she relented. She dropped her head to the floor and audibly conceded the bout. We moved away from her and allowed her to transform back into her normal form, losing the paws, fangs, and enormous ears before she sat up with a sigh.

"Alright, you fucks," she said. "You win... but just know that I would've creamed the lot of you if it wasn't for your dumb dog."

"He's a wolf, actually," I said, offering her a hand up.

Once she gripped it tightly, I heaved her up to her feet before wrapping and arm around her waist and squeezing her against my body, feeling her enormous Neko tits press into my chest in a satisfying manner.

"And speaking of getting creamed..." I chuckled, snaking my hand down to her rear and squeezing it.

"Alright," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm yours for today. Let's just hurry and get this over with."

"I thought you promised to keep the sex to a minimum?" Grael asked in an irritated tone.

"This is a minimum," I shrugged. "Minimum of three, I promise."

"Just... just be ready to fight the dragon when you need to," he said, ignoring the affectionate pat on the head I gave him.

"Thanks, buddy!" I called out.

"Get fucked, Richter!" he called back.

I chuckled quietly, turning back to Annerose and looking over her beaten and bruised state.

"Y'know... I feel kinda bad about screwing you over like this," I said, walking over to her. "I made a bet that only benefits me... kinda gave you the shaft this time around."

"I'm okay with it," she shrugged as she crossed her arms. "Nothing I wanted in that deal anyway."

"You sure?" I asked with a smirk. "I mean... if you wanna join in on the spoils, I could give you the shaft in another way-"

"Stop talking," she growled. "Right the fuck now."

"Hey, I'm just being civil," I said, backing away with a chuckle. "The offer's there if you want it."

"I'm done with you now," she said, storming away in anger.

"Thanks, buddy!"

"Get fucked, Richter!"

"Trust me," I laughed. "I'm going to."

"Ughhh..."

Chapter 30: The Mercenary Leader (Clop)

Karra and I wasted no time getting into the bedroom. Once Lot had healed the both of us up, we were locked away in her oak-and-satin-themed bedroom with my skilled hands easily stripping off the catgirl's undergarments. It took me less than twenty seconds to get my hands on her huge tits, the flesh of the enormous balloons poking out through my fingers as I squeezed them.

"Easy there, lover boy," Karra chuckled as I began to suck her right nipple. "They're not indestructible."

"I'm gonna fuck these things raw, you know that, right?" I asked with a rapidly-erecting nipple in my mouth. "You got any lotion on hand?"

"Most probably," she shrugged. "You a big fan of tits?"

"I'm a huge fan of yours," I nodded, lashing my tongue around her rock-hard nipple as I squeezed her pale, sunless tits again, kneading the warm flesh lovingly. "They're fucking amazing."

"You seem like a man that gets a lot," she said, moving her hands down to my belt and beginning to unbuckle it. "Do you give as good as you get?"

"Enough to satisfy the court mage and the guild master here," I said, letting her enormous tits drop for a moment, staring at the specimens of perfection in an enraptured manner. "Gods Above, these are fucking amazing."

Karra chuckled quietly, sliding my fully erect monster out of my pants and staring at it in amazement, pulling the foreskin back and eagerly sucking the head.

"Mmphhh..." she moaned, moving her head back after a few moments and jerking me off. "The fucking size of this thing."

"I'm glad you like it," I chuckled, bucking my hips forward to get my cock back in that wet mouth. "Seems like we've both got something the other enjoys."

I ran my hand through her hair, using the other to toy with her furry ears as I fucked her gullet. I made a conscious effort to get as much length down her slut throat as hard as I could, loving the gagging sounds she made as my monster shaft hit the back of her mouth. Karra was experienced, that much was for sure. She was a lot younger than the other two, so she didn't have the experience they did, but she more than made up for that with raw talent, bucking and bobbing that adept mouth of hers up and down my dick like she'd been doing it her entire life.

She did good work with her hands, too. She pumped them up and down the more-than-a-few-spare inches of cock she had left to work with once I'd pulled out of her mouth a bit, soaking the palms of her strong hands with spit and pre and moaning loudly as she took pleasure in her work; the best kind of girl there could be. Starting to feel a hunger of my own, I decided I wanted her wet little cunt to dine on for a while. I pulled out of her mouth and away from her grip, much to her annoyance.

"Come here," I instructed, sliding her lower undergarments from her body as I lay her on her back.

I spread her legs open, knowing her muscular thighs could hold their weight before running my fingers over her dripping pussy. Karra moaned quietly as I spread her juices more and more over her thighs, curling two of my fingers and stuffing them down to the second knuckle into that tight snatch of hers.

"Fuck... you've got a good one down here," I grinned, leaning forward and beginning to lap at her clit.

"Glad to see you like it," she chuckled, placing a hand on my head to push my mouth harder against her pussy.

I prodded and flicked my tongue against the fleshy nub, licking in strong, circular motions and hearing the trademark purr of a Nekomata being pleasured. It was a phenomenal sound, much like a regular cats purr only much deeper, vibrating through the bed and even onto my tongue. The toned kitty-cat began to grind her snatch on my mouth, a tactic I'd seen most every girl I'd fucked use when I went for dinner downstairs, and the sweet taste of her dripping pussy only make it more pleasurable.

I pushed a third finger inside her after a while, as well as getting the others deeper inside her. I then moved her body around, getting her onto her hands and knees and positioning myself behind her. I spread her ass nice and wide, running my tongue over that puckered ring buried between them and getting a nice, satisfied moan from Karra.

"You're quite the freak, aren't you?" she asked, grinding her entire lower section against my face as I fingered her cunt and ate her ass.

It wasn't as big as Celana's god's gift to white women and nothing I'd seen on a woman besides Celestia's rivalled an ass that phat, but it was still big enough to get excited about and good enough to get my tongue in it. However, since it wasn't a heavenly shrine to all things booty like Celana's was, it wasn't deserving of the worship I gave hers. I soon pulled my tongue away from her puckered asshole and set my hands to work on her cunt. In a manner almost akin to that of the finest craftsman, I worked my trade on this Neko slut's tight little pussy.

In a matter of mere moments, the blue-haired beauty lay sweating and moaning on the bed, juices galore dripping from the delicious little cunt down to her knees. The flow was only stemmed slightly by the four fingers she had rammed into her cunt, stretching and flexing the insides of her velvety little hole, complimented every so often by long licks of her stretched insides. The kitty-cat's pussy-twat was quivering and shaking almost as much as she was at this point, drooling onto the bed as her tail flicked and twitched weakly and her ears caught in a constant tremble as she went down the road to orgasm.

"I'm gonna cum soon," she moaned into the pillow. "Make it hard."

I did as instructed and began blasting my hands in and out of her cunt like a piston, rubbing and pressing her sensitive little clit whilst lashing my tongue around her dripping entrance with years of trained expertise. True to her word and wishes, Karra came and she came hard, squirting her pussy juices into a large puddle on the bed, her thighs trembling and tongue hanging out of her mouth as her body locked up entirely. With a satisfied grin and a loud slap on the ass, Karra collapsed onto her front in a panting, sweating, dripping mess. I walked around the front of the bed, leaning over the edge and smiling gently at her.

"You enjoying yourself?" I asked.

She responded my grabbing hold of the back of my head and pulling me down to her mouth, letting me lap and suck at that sweet tongue of her. I soon pulled her away from the wet patch on the bed, swapping spit with the eager woman as the sounds of sucking and moaning fell out from the gaps in our mouths with my hands once again clutching at her enormous tits.

"Right," I said, breaking away from her wet mouth and hearing her panting heavily. "You mentioned some lotion? Because these things are just begging to get fucked."

"So demanding..." she said, moving away from me and leaning over the bed.

"Hey," I shrugged, moving over to her as she dug around under the bed and lapping at her cunt once more. "You gave yourself up as part of the bet. I get to do what I want with you."

"I know, I know," she said, moving to get back onto the bed.

I wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her back up, setting her in a position against the headboard where I could comfortably fuck those enormous jugs of hers without making it hard for her to breathe. She began to pour the lotion all over her upper body, soon snaking it down past her stomach and fingering herself once more. I decided to let her have her fun, getting on my knees and sticking my cock into that heavenly hole of a mouth to put the titfuck on hold for just a moment to let her get my cock nice and wet.

"Alright then, princess," I smirked, pulling my length out of her gullet and sliding it inbetween her massive jugs. "Show me what you got."

Karra complied by locking her tits over my cock and pumping them up and down the enormous, spit-soaked monster.

"Don't be afraid to give a little lip service while you’re down there," I said, placing my hands on her sides and using it as leverage to fuck her huge tits faster. "And be warned: I'm most likely gonna end up cumming on your face."

"I can't fucking wait," she giggled, keeping her mouth open and allowing my cock to slide over her wet tongue. "I'm a slut for cumshots."

"Good to hear," I said, angling my hips forward to get two inches poking out of her tits. "Open wide and start sucking."

She did as instructed and locked her lips around the thick head of my cock. She pumped her tits and her head up and down my cock at the same time, giving the amazing feeling of her pillowy, oil-soaked balloons pounding up and down my cock as well as the tingling sensation of her giving the head of my dick the best work she could muster. Her tits were fucking incredible. They were enormous but held the perfect tear-drop shape. They were soft and elastic, allowing for hard pounding and kneading without worrying about hurting her. Though with how hard I was fucking her jugs right then, I wouldn't have been surprised if they started bruising.

My cock was soon slicked with oil and spit, the edges of Karra's mouth being covered with the same mixture with a little pre thrown into it. Her eyes remained focused on the sight of my shaft blasting in and out of her cleavage. I leaned forward and rested my hands on the top of the headboard, moving away from her tits and focusing more on fucking her tight throat, the sweet sound of her gags and groans as she struggled to handle my size ringing in my ears once more.

I found myself panting and sweating quite heavily, the heat of the room mixed with the heat of the sex being more than enough to get me hot and sweaty; the moisture only added to the amazing feeling of Karra's oiled, toned body rubbing against mine right then. Mother of fuck, her body was amazing. Perfect face, perfect tits, and the perfect figure was what a man looked for in his soul mate. If she were taller and darker, she'd be a very fitting Luna double. I soon found my mind wandering slightly at this point, closing my eyes and imagining Karra being replaced with Luna.

The feeling of the larger woman's sweaty, oiled body rubbing up against mine as those enormous tits pumped up and down my shaft. Watching her trained muscle flex and stretch with each movement, stroking her hair out of her face to get a better look at her sucking my cock. Imagined watching inch after inch of my monster sliding into her mouth, her blue lipstick staining my cock and mixing the other mess of liquids and stains being thrown about in our raunchy little activity. I soon found myself becoming more than overwhelmed by my own fantasy, opening my eyes and feeling the edge of an orgasm, pulling out of Karra's mouth and getting her to sit off, jerking myself over the edge and cumming all over her face and tits.

Karra's mouth stayed open despite the fact her eyes didn't, my seed staining her blushed cheeks and oil-slicked tits as I dumped the entirety of it onto her gorgeous body before dropping her back onto the bed and rolling off her, panting in exhaustion and feeling slightly sick about the fact that imagining my Aunt Luna had made me cum faster than I ever had before. I then looked back at Karra, seeing her drag several of the ropes of cum I'd sprayed her with onto her finger before swallowing the spunk happily.

"Fuck..." she moaned, wiping herself clean and massaging my load against her tits and into her pussy. "You weren't kidding... you fucking painted me."

I tried to shake away the bed thoughts, trying to lose myself in my perversion once more. I crawled up alongside Karra, using her discarded undergarments to wipe her clean before laying her down on her back. I placed my cock at the mouth of her lower lips, the catgirl biting her lips excitedly before I applied pressure and pushed deep inside her. A loud moan came from the catgirl at the same time I groaned through gritted teeth. Karra had the best pussy out of the three girls I'd fucked since I got here.

Despite how much I'd stretched the fucker out, it clung to my cock for dear life, being the perfect mix of tight, soft, and wet. Hip motions came naturally, hooking an arm underneath Karra's waist and lifting her up, hugging her close to me as I rutted her insides. My cock slammed into the deepest reaches of her sex, knocking air out of her and causing her enormous tits to bounce with every thrust of my mighty cock. Karra became a spilling fountain of curses and moans as I ploughed her, gripping hold of her toned ass with one hand and clutching at her waist with another.

The sheer volume of foreign liquids covering us made our bodies slide and slip against each other perfectly, feelings of arousal and pleasure coming in waves as I pounded her shaved pussy for all it was worth. Her body was hot, in both senses, at this point. The level of exertion we were both exhibiting had made our temperatures rise something fierce. The lack of any air circulation, the heat produced from the hard fucking, and the heat of the room in general made my throat dry and my body practically drip with sweat.

And I fucking love it.

I pressed my face into Karra's sweaty, heaving tits, running my tongue along and underneath her tender breasts as I hilted myself in her over and over again, her body trembling from head to toe with sex-induced shakes. She grinded her hips against my cock faster and faster, desperate to get herself off a second time. I grunted quietly, placing a hand flat on her stomach as I laid her down on her back. She wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing me once more and stuffing her tongue into my mouth as my hands tightly gripped her hips, hammering into her as hard as I could while her thick, wet tongue probed the insides of my mouth.

Our orgasms were approaching fast. Karra's pussy clenched and quivered around my thick cock as it pounded in and out of her. Sliding a hand over her body once more, feeling the sweat rub over her toned stomach, I gritted my teeth and came, blowing a second load of thick, hot cum deep into her womb just as Karra's eyes hit the back of her skull, her own floodgates opening once again as our orgasms rocked our bodies. We lay still for several moments, panting and heaving with exhaustion before I rolled off her, unplugging her cunt and allowing the overflow to spill out onto the bed sheets.

"Ahhh... hah..." the Neko panted as she continued to massage her stuffed cunt, fondling her breasts as she did so. "That was incredible..."

"Yeah," I smirked. "I hope it was worth getting thoroughly thr-"

I was cut off by an explosion outside the compound that shattered the windows in the bedroom. Fire licked the inside of the building before a thunderous roar made the entire building shake. I grabbed hold of Karra and pulled the blanket over us both, shielding us from the glass shards that showered the whole room.

"What the fuck?!" Karra demanded, pushing up from the bed and staring out the window.

I followed her and laid my eyes on the enormous, seventy-foot behemoth of white scales and pure rage that was laying waste to the city, spewing different types of breath magic all over the place.

"Why the fuck is she here?" I asked, looking down at the panic in the city.

"Kill her first, ask questions later!" Karra barked, scrambling over to her wardrobe to get dressed and armoured. "You go and find the rest of your crew while I get a few together to try and push her out of the city. Best hope that little posse you've got yourself is worth something after all!"

Chapter 31: Of Tooth and Sword

The scramble to get dressed and back into the courtyard was filled with panic and desperation. I barely managed to get out of the main building in the compound before a giant ball of fiery rock smashed into it, destroying it nearly instantly. I was thrown by the impact, slamming hard into a wooden cart and dropping down to the ground as chunks of rubble were tossed everywhere. Pain exploded in my chest as I tried to push myself off, the initial agony caused by the impact making it impossible to move, and my ears were still ringing from the explosion.

I felt the ground vibrate moments before I was dragged up and thrown over somebody's shoulder, roaring in pain as the damaged, and possibly torn, muscle in my back was forcibly flexed. I was then carried into a basement by the back wall of the compound and gently yet roughly set down on a bale of hay. My eyes focused on Zane, his forehead split with blood pouring down over his smoke-blackened face.

He said something, my lack of lip-reading skills failing me miserably, before placing a hand against my ear. He gritted his teeth angrily and pulled his hand back, fingers soaked with blood. I only realised at this point that the explosion had burst my ear drums... that I'd gone deaf immediately. I'd been nowhere close to Heimili and a single one of her off-hand attacks had crippled me, possibly for life. I spotted Zane turning his head and yelling at someone in the entrance to the cellar. Lot soon made herself visible as she ran into my field of vision, her clothing soaked with blood, but I was unable to tell whether it was hers or not. They spoke briefly about something before Lot placed her hands next to my ears, her palms glowing brightly before my hearing was restored.

"Anywhere else hurt?" Lot asked in as calm a manner as she could muster.

"My... my back," I said, barely able to breathe without pain shooting through me.

"I'm gonna need to move you forward," she said, trying to comfort me. "Only for a moment, though. Can you manage?"

"I don't really have a choice," I said with a forced chuckle.

Lot moved me forwards, more pain rocketing through my body before her soothing magic made quick work of whatever injuries I had. I only noticed once she was done that I hadn't been able to feel my legs at all. Getting thrown by the blast had broken my spine; I'd been paralysed during the impact. I would've been rendered deaf and unable to walk, provided I survived at all without Zane dragging me down here.

"Where are the others?" I asked, now able to speak properly without spasms of agony.

"I don't know," Zane answered. "They were on the other side of the compound when the attack happened."

"I'll get in contact with Grael," I said, focusing on our mental link and yelling out to him.

"Richter!" he yelled in a mix of fear and relief. "Thank the gods you're okay. I felt your pain a few moments ago. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I nodded. "Where are you? Is Annerose with you?"

"Yes, she's here with Angela and Celana as well," Grael answered. "We're trying to keep as many of those damn meteors from hitting the compound."

"Why the hell are their meteors to begin with?!" I asked in a confused manner. "Dragons don't have that kind of power."

"We'll figure that out later!" Grael barked. "Do you know where Zane and Lot are?"

"Here with me," I answered. "Where are you?"

"By the western gate," Grael said. "If you can make it here, do so quickly!"

I cut the connection with Grael at that point, got up, and informed the other two of what was happening.

"Then we need to get moving," Zane said quickly.

"Hold on one moment," Lot said, closing the cut on Zane's head and clearing the blood from his face. "We need you at your best."

"Thanks," Zane nodded before eyeing the way out of the cellar. "We need to move, now."

The three of us bounded up the old stone steps, breaking out into the hellish battle ground to see more than just the ruined compound. There were bodies of the Barb Tails littering the area, the dirt and snow stained with blood, only there was something not right about the corpses. They were dismembered, some even being disemboweled, with weapons and shields scattered about the area.

"This isn't right," Zane growled, drawing his greatsword and looking at the bodies. "Stay close..."

I did the same with my sword, sliding it out of its scabbard and eyeing the area; I heard Lot’s magic flare up once more as she prepared elemental attacks. There was a sudden screech from behind us as Zane was tackled to the floor by a mess of teeth and wings before he swatted it away. Once back on his feet, he brought his greatsword down onto the... thing's head and cleaved its skull in two. The three of us looked at whatever it was that attacked him. I made the initial assumption that it was a Wyvern upon seeing the creature’s wings, teeth, and claws... but whatever the hell it was, it wasn't a Wyvern anymore.

The body had cuts and ruptures all over it that oozed red, oily fluid. The bones and joints were broken and warped with large, black, crystalline shapes protruding all over the creature's body. Its two eyes had been split across the head and formed into one due to the injury, and its tongue was barbed and vicious-looking as it hung from the mouth of the corpse.

"What in the gods’ names is that?" Lot asked, the Elf truly horrified by what she was looking at.

"I think it used to be a Wyvern," I said, looking over the body once more and recognising familiar injuries on its body. "I... I've already killed this thing."

"Why didn't you tell us this was prowling around out here?" Zane asked.

"Because it wasn't like this when I killed it," I answered. "Grael and I killed loads of Wyverns a few days ago and this was one of them... something brought it back to life and turned it into this."

"I'm sensing very strong demonic energy coming from it," Lot said, holding her hand out above the corpse. "And I'm getting a very faint feeling that this isn't the only one."

"If someone brought this one back to life," I said, looking around the area. "Then there's a high chance they resurrected them all. The question is..."

"Who did it?" Zane asked.

"Forget about that for now," Lot said. "We need to get to the others and fast."

We made our way through the compound, taking note of the enormous yellow barrier that had been erected around it as Angela's handiwork. The barrier was keeping strong and showing nary a crack as it was bombarded with more of the meteors that continued to rain down all around us. We made our way into the small stone building, seeing members of the Barb Tail clutching at crushed bones or burned flesh while others laid sheets over the already dead. I spotted Celana tending to the wounds of another Nekomata with long, black hair.

"Ressa!" Zane called out to the catgirl, indicating that he knew who she was, before rushing over to her.

The catgirl blinked her grey eyes for a long moment, trying to focus on Zane as he knelt down next to her. I ignored the little conversation for a moment as I walked over to Celana, gripping her shoulder and asking where the others were.

"Annerose and Grael went outside a few moments ago," she said in a slightly-panicked tone. "Said they needed to keep the way clear for you."

"That explains the dead Wyvern," I mumbled, patting her on the shoulder as I stood up. "Zane, we're going to get Annerose and Grael."

"Right," Zane nodded, placing a hand on the shoulder of the black-haired Nekomata and smiling. "You stay here and rest up, okay?"

"Sure thing, champ," she said, coughing quietly before nodding at him.

The two of us headed outside and heard the loud sounds of steel clashing against steel over a destroyed wall. We ran over to the sound and spotted Annerose and Grael engaged in battle with something that didn't belong on this plane of existence. It was a humanoid creature known as a Sinner's Remnant; a corpse with darkness in its heart resurrected by demonic magic and forced to fight for a master in a similar manner to Necromancy. The Remnant was well over seven feet tall, clad in hulking, charred armour and wielding a monstrous greatsword in one hand and a greatshield in the other. Dark fog spilled from the visor in its armour and red light shined out through cracks in the armour.

Annerose seemed to be struggling against the armoured enemy, her longsword making no impact on the armour and the stabs she landed in the gaps in it leaving no impact on the Remnant. Zane charged over to her before I did, swinging his greatsword directly at the Remnant and slamming it straight into its back. The impact sent the creature sprawling to the floor, the rattle of heavy armour accompanied by a pained, monstrous groan from it as it staggered back to its feet. It lifted and brought its sword down in a mighty cleave only to have it stopped by Zane stepping forward and catching its wrist.

He reached up with his other hand, hooking the tips of his fingers into the gaps in the chest plate and, without dropping his own sword, tore the armour clean off and revealed a rotten, moulding torso. He then pulled his sword arm back, shoved the Remnant forward, and plunged his greatsword as far into the creature's chest as it could go before hitting the plate on the other side. He then twisted the large blade, ribs snapping and flesh tearing, before kicking the vile hell-spawn off his sword and onto the ground.

More red light began to spill out from the new wounds as the Remnant starting convulsing and twitching, more fog pouring out of the visor before it exploded in a dark mass of black energy, the shockwave causing Zane to stagger back slightly but still stay on his feet. He then turned to Annerose, placing a hand on the panting girl's shoulder before she gave him a smile and a wave.

"Thanks, big guy," she said. "I owe you one."

"Add it to the count," he shrugged with a smirk. "Now... why the fuck are there demonic creatures running around?"

"There's more than just that one?" Annerose asked.

"We've seen Wyverns that have been brought back to life in a similar way," I nodded as I walked over, looking down at Grael's and seeing his fur matted with blood. "You hit?"

"Just a scratch," he said in a low growl. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... Lot sorted me out," I nodded, remembering just how close I was to being a permanent cripple. "Anyone got any ideas as to what the fuck's going on here?"

"If I had to wager, Heimili seems to have partnered with a rather strong demon," Grael said. "I cannot guess the reason, but that seems to be what's happening."

"Great," I sighed. "Because a Narrowscale Matriarch wasn't bad enough."

"And let's not forget Luna left half an hour ago," Annerose growled.

"That can't be a coincidence," Grael said in a snarling tone. "Somebody's been watching us."

"Wonder if it's Heimili's demon friend?" Annerose suggested.

"We'll ask her when we see her," I said, looking over the city and spotting the enormous dragon breathing what appeared to be streams of acid onto the castle. "Does... does she look weird to you guys?"

Once I'd pointed it out, they all took a look at the colossal beast. Her once snow-white scales were marred with burns and charring, her eyes were visibly black and smoking, even from this distance, and the same black crystals that were on the Wyvern seemed to be attached to her body in places as well.

"Demonic corruption," I growled, putting a name to the strange transformation. "What do we think? Soul for power, as always?"

"Seems like it," Zane nodded. "Also means the big girl's probably got a whole new bag of tricks as well."

"Because meteors and Sinner's Remnants weren't bad enough," I growled, looking up at the still-falling meteors piling down on Angela's shield. "Right, we need to regroup and evacuate this place as soon as possible. Angela's strong, but I don't want her wasting any more of her energy blocking these damn meteors than she needs to."

"Where is she?" Zane asked Annerose.

"She was in what was left of the war room last time I saw her," Annerose answered. "The roof had gotten blown off and it gave her a pretty clear view of where she needed to put the shield."

"Then we get everyone in there with her and come up with a damn plan," I said, casting my eyes back to the demonic-infused dragoness that was raising cain back at the castle. "But first, we need to get all the survivors in the cellar by the left wall. Being underground is the best place to be once that shield gets dropped and we move on Heimili."

"Sounds like a plan," Annerose nodded.

"Grael, you go see Lot and get that wound on your leg closed up," I said to him. "We need you at your best."

"Right, fine," he said with a sigh, not a fan of being babied in such a manner, but knowing better than to disagree.

Once we'd all been patched up and gathered in the war room, Angela remained in the position we found her: cross-legged on the table itself with her eyes closed. She needed to focus all her efforts on keeping the barrier up and couldn't allow it to slip for a second lest the barrier be shattered by the immeasurable force of the impacts. Celana was also extremely anxious, pacing back and forth frantically and keeping her eyes locked onto the castle.

"So... what's our plan here?" Annerose asked. "The Barb Tails, our army, are either dead or too injured to help us, their armoury has been completely destroyed, and their base of operations doesn't exist anymore."

"Not only that, but we're also dealing with a super-powered dragon that's laying siege to the city," Zane added in. "And we lost our strongest fighter less than an hour ago."

"Really doesn't look good, does it?" I asked with a sigh. "The plan is as it always was: kill her. We just need to move faster now."

"But we've lost our army," Annerose said.

"Though we have gained the Royal Guard," Grael pointed out.

"Which won't exist for very much longer unless we hurry up and get Heimili away from the castle," Celana said in an irritated manner, walking over to the table and pointing at the castle. "The wards I've built up around that place aren't going to hold forever. That castle may be sturdy, but it’s not impregnable. Especially not with a dragon beating the door down."

"I'm willing to wager that they'd have sealed those big doors, right?" Grael asked the court mage.

"Without doubt," Celana nodded. "But I'm not sure what good they're going to do if Heimili tears the roof off and goes in from there."

"Any evacuation routes in the throne room?" I asked.

"Sadly, no," Celana growled. "The original architects of the castle forwent the addition of a secret passage due to their belief in their door design."

"Don't ever get cocky," Zane said with a shrug. "So, you desperate to go and get your queen?"

"Of course I am," she nodded. "She'll be safe in the castle so long as Heimili isn't near it."

"So then let's go with our initial strategy of cutting her wings off," I said, looking at Angela. "Once she's grounded, we can move in for the kill."

"Wish we could've gotten a few extra swords on hand and a few people to use them," Grael said in a quiet tone.

"Ressa should be able to help," Zane commented.

"That's the other Neko, right?" I asked him.

"Yeah, she's Karra's second-in-command and the best she's got," Zane nodded. "Can we ask her for help?"

"Fuck, I'd take help from a blind man with broken legs and half his head cut off at this point," I said with a shrug. "If she's as capable as you say she is, then I'm gonna be tripping down those stairs just to ask her for help. Go get her to meet us at the front gate of the compound and wait till we're finished putting everyone into the cellar. Once that's done, we can move on Heimili."

"Right," Zane said, moving out of the war room and heading down the stairs.

"Angela, be ready to drop this thing and get the hell out of here on my command," I said to the blonde mage.

She didn't verbally respond, but I knew she understood me. With that, the rest of us assisted with the evacuation, closing up the cellar and telling them not to come out until we came back. Once that was done, I hollered up to Angela for her to drop the shield and move back with the party. The accomplished mage did one better, expanding the shield rapidly and throwing several of the meteors back at Heimili, the impacts briefly knocking her from the sky and getting her attention.

Angela then propelled herself through the hole in the roof of the war room. She landed in front of us, rolled, and continued walking with a smile on her face.

"If this skank has smashed my guild, I'm pissing on her corpse," she said as she headed out of the gate.

"Don't ruin my specimen, Angela!" Celana barked as she hurried after her.

Grael, Annerose, and I all looked at each other with confused expressions before a loud, catty yawn was heard behind us. We turned around to see Ressa dressed in chainmail armour with several steel plates positioned across her arms, legs, and shoulders. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail and her grey eyes were narrowed, accompanied by Zane standing behind her with his greatsword in hand.

"You two ready to go?" I asked them.

"Yup," Ressa nodded. "Can't wait to kill this thing. It cost me a job."

"Well, I'll make sure to find you a new one," I said with a nod, seeing Heimili climb back into the sky with furious beats of her wings, eyeing up the compound with pure fury. "But first..."

Heimili seemed to abandon her siege of the castle, flying towards us at breakneck speed. We knew the ruined compound was a bad place to engage her. Too much rubble and nowhere near enough clear space to properly move and fight.

"Oh no you don't!" Angela's furious voice bellowed from the town square.

Suddenly, an enormous yellow mallet appeared in the air beside Heimili and swung into her sides, sending her flying off to the side towards the town centre. The attack was followed up by an enormous clawed hand appearing to catch her and brutally slam the dragon into the stone ground; despite being out of view, the sound of the cobblestone path shattering was more than audible.

"We best hurry up before she kills it for us," Ressa said. "I want at least a slice at the thing."

With that, the speedy little Neko blitzed off towards the town centre with sword in hand. We exchanged looks with one another, eventually shrugging and following after the excited catgirl. We made our way past the ruined buildings and into the town centre. As we approached, several Sinner's Remnants appeared from portals in the floor, each clutching at different weapons ranging from maces to great hammers, and converging on Celana and Angela.

Ressa proved to be an ample distraction for them all, dashing and slicing just enough to get their attention before Zane came barreling in, using his greatsword to cut clean through unarmoured arms and throats in a single swing. Annerose seemed to find her home on the battlefield next to Ressa, the two of them making short work of their 'assigned' Remnants, while Grael and I made our move for the ones directly surrounding the two mages. Lot kept to her work, shielding us from Heimili's breath attacks by diverting the powerful blasts, but struggled to do anything against her new demonic attacks. This was where Angela came into play, managing to keep her mind on her opponents and yet somehow still focus on blocking the meteor attacks and dark energy blasts the dragon spat out.

I rushed at one of the Remnants, cleaving open its stomach that was exposed from its damaged armour and seeing more of that same red light shine out through the injury. Grael leapt upwards, closing his teeth around the throat of the demonic entity and tearing it straight out.

He landed down beside me, shoulder charging another one to the floor and allowing me to pierce its skull with my blade, killing it instantly. Throwing a glance across the battlefield, I spotted more of the demonic Wyverns flying in. Celana seemed to notice them as well and was doing her best to shoot them out of the sky. The attacks were ineffective, barely denting the corrupted scales of the Wyverns and she seemed to notice this. She then reached behind her, stuffing her fingers into a pouch on her belt and pulling out a large metallic-looking card. She closed her eyes and the card began to shine brightly, leaving a trail of sparkling energy behind it as Celana threw it high into the air.

The card then erupted into light, transforming into an enormous crystal dragon that released a ground-shaking roar. Its enormous crystal wings were large enough to knock the corrupted Wyverns out of the sky through force alone. The beast landed mere feet away from Heimili and roared defiantly at the titanic Narrowscale. Heimili's eyes lit up with rage once more, clearly offended at the sight of the crystal dragon, and charged at it. Her larger form tackled the crystal dragon easily, and the two began biting and slashing at each other with their claws.

With Heimili distracted by the crystal dragon, we were free to take on the rest of the Remnants and the Wyverns. We regrouped in the centre of the square, each one of us adding to the pile of bodies more and more as they kept coming.

"Anyone got any purification magic?" I asked aloud.

"Do I look like a Sunlight Priestess to you?" Celana barked angrily.

"Nope, you’re much too good of a lay for that," I smirked, ducking behind Zane and moving over to Celana to cover her from a Remnant's strikes while she drew another card to summon up a crystal Direwolf that was slightly taller than Grael.

"I'm beginning to feel a little inadequate right now," Grael chuckled as he bucked a Remnant over with his hind legs, much like a horse.

"Sorry, dear," Celana chuckled, narrowly avoiding getting her head cleaved off by a Remnant with a battle axe. "Needs must, and all."

"Fair enough," Grael sighed, pinning a Remnant down long enough for Zane to crush its head with the pommel of his greatsword.

"Good work, buddy," Zane said, petting Grael on the head before pivoting on his heel to block a strike from another Remnant. "Anne!"

"On it!" the nimble fighter called back, ducking away from her own battle and plunging her new longsword into the neck of the Remnant, wrenching it sideways and tearing the creature's throat out. "One more for me! Get to work, big guy."

Zane rolled his eyes before spotting a Remnant moving towards Ressa's flank. He grabbed Grael by the scruff of his neck and hoisted him up into the air before throwing him across the square and allowing him to tackle the Remnant to the floor. The Direwolf proceeded to rip the demon's head clean off before spitting it out and turning back to Zane.

"A little warning next time, please?" he asked.

"No promises," Zane smirked, cleaving through the collarbone of a Wyvern that wanted to try its luck.

"Your sword a moment?" Celana asked, pressing her back against mine.

"Sure," I said, booting a Remnant's kneecap and causing the leg to snap back the wrong way.

I held my sword out to the court mage, who proceeded to rub her finger down the length of the blade a split second before it erupted into flames.

"You never seem to amaze me with the magic you work on a shaft," I chuckled, using the blazing blade to cut and burn through the Remnant's head.

"Is it a common thing for you to sexually harass your compatriots in battle?" Celana asked me.

"Yes!" Annerose called back over.

"Only the pretty ones," I said, giving her a wide grin.

"Shut up and get killing," she said, pushing away from me and leaping at a Wyvern with a flaming palm, burning straight through the creature's head.

I watched her for a brief moment only to be tackled to the floor by Grael just before an axe swung right over where my head is.

"She has a fantastic ass, we get it," he said as he once again bucked the Remnant away from me. "But is it really worth dying for?"

"I-"

"-don't answer that," Grael said quickly, biting down on the strap on my chest and heaving me back to my feet. "Don't you dare answer that."

I cast my eyes over to the crystal dragon and Heimili, the crystal beast clearly on the losing side of the struggle as it had several large chunks smashed out of it, one of its wings torn off, and its entire lower jaw missing. Heimili continued to beat and batter the other dragon with her claws and tail, smashing it through buildings continuously in a matter of seconds. With how badly this dragon was losing to the true beast, we didn't have long before Heimil returned to the fray.

Speaking of Celana's monsters, the Direwolf she'd summoned was shattered to pieces by the hammer of a truly enormous Remnant, clad head-to-toe in pristine armour with a single arrow sticking out of his eye. I then heard Celana roar in pain, looking back at her to see her drop to one knee with blood spurting from her side and a Wyvern's barbed tail lodged into it. I attempted to move towards her only to be blocked off by two of my own Wyvern's attacks, only managing to deflect them but making no ground on them.

Celana was nearly surrounded by Remnants at this point, one of them raising its sword high in the air to cleave straight through the injured mage's neck before Angela leaped in, booting the sword from the Remnant's hand with a rather impressive backwards somersault move. She landed lightly on her feet and summoned up a large yellow spike around her arm that she then plunged all the way through the Remnant's bare stomach. She then wrenched her arm to the side, tearing clean through the Remnant's abdomen and stabbing the spike into the Wyvern's head, killing it instantly. She tore the spiked tail out of Celana's side, blood and flesh being torn away with it, before checking her pulse.

"She alive?" I asked, letting Zane assist with the two Wyverns in the form of slicing their heads off.

"She's hurt!" Angela nodded, pointing to the visible organs, ruined muscle, and chipped bones in Celana's side. "Lot?!"

"Coming!" the Elven warrior called back, using a powerful blast of wind to knock all of her opponents down onto the ground and rushing over to Celana. "Oh no..."

"Can you fix her?" Angela asked.

"Yes, but not quickly," she nodded. "I'll need at least fifteen minutes to fully repair her."

"Is there a minimum fix to where she can survive?" Angela asked. "We don't need her fighting fit, just stable."

"I'm afraid not," she said. "This level of damage is so severe that I need to fix all of her."

"Can we cover for Lot?" she asked the rest of us.

"For how long?" Zane asked.

"Fifteen minutes?" Lot asked in a meek tone.

"Probably," I nodded. "Just get somewhere safe and get her fixed up. We'll take it from here."

"Try not to die while I'm gone, please?" she asked the group, receiving a collection of 'no promises' in response.

With that, Lot used her magic to clear a path through the carnage while Angela and I covered their retreat.

"Think we can manage without her?" I asked the blonde fighter.

"We'll have to," she sighed, cracking her knuckles and summoning up a small series of spinning blades, twirling her finger around. "Hit the deck!"

Everyone looked in Angela's direction and, seeing what she had planned, immediately threw themselves to the floor as she unleashed the spinning blades of death, slicing and cutting through nearly everything in a matter of moments, spilling blood and black fog all over the place.

Leaving only the giant Remnant standing.

"Where the fuck do you even get a guy that big?" Angela asked in a shocked manner, staring at the nine foot behemoth as he raised his enormous sword for a strike aimed at Annerose and Ressa.

Before the strike could land however, Zane put himself in the danger zone, swatting aside the giant's blade with his greatsword and causing the titanic weapon to bury itself into the stone ground.

"Angela?" Zane asked the guild master.

"Right!" she yelled out, rocketing forward and leaping into the air, summoning up an enormous hammer and bringing it down on the giant's face, crushing the helmet and skull inside it.

She landed light while the Remnant landed hard, the sound of metal crushing and stone smashing being audible to us all. Just as the giant Remnant fell, Heimili overcame the crystal dragon, smashing its skull into a thousand pieces with mighty punch. Just at this moment, more Remnant began to climb out of portals in the floor, pushing their numbers up higher and higher. We all gathered in one group again, tired and spent, panting in exhaustion as the effort this battle had taken began to weigh upon us.

"So..." Heimili snarled as she stormed over to us, her black-stained claws tearing up the pavement. "This is it? The Alicorn have sent this pathetic little troupe after me? Is this truly all Celestia can muster?"

"No..." I said in a cocky manner. "It's all she thinks you're worth. She would've sent a the palace gardener after you... but he refuses to work with your kind of dirt."

Heimili snapped instantly, charging forward with a mighty leap, jaws open and aimed for me, only to be smashed aside by a construct fist that Angela had created with what little remained of her strength.

"Sit down, honey," she spat. "The boy's not done mocking you yet."

"Why... you insolent... pitiful... worthless excuse for-" Heimili began only to have her face smashed into the ground by the same fist once more.

"Shush, bitch," Angela remarked.

Heimili seemed to lose all rationale here. She lifted her head back and screamed in a manner so loud that it was nearly deafening. Her primal bellow soon became corrupted, black smoke billowing more and more from her mouth as the strange black crystal on her body continued to grow and encompass her. It turned her stained scales completely black, morphing and warping her body into something hideous. It opened cracks in her scales that black ooze began to flow out of and her bones broke and snapped into strange positions as another set of wings tore from her back and spilled more of that black ooze everywhere.

"What's she doing?" Ressa asked.

"She's trading more of her soul for power," Angela answered, gritting her teeth furiously. "The coward."

"What?" the catgirl asked.

"I'll explain later," Angela said, only to pause briefly and look around at the overwhelming odds we seemed to be facing. "Well... if there is a later for us."

"Mongrels! Filth! Creatures born from dirt and sodomy!" Heimili screamed with her damaged vocal cords. "I shall purge your kind, nay...all kind from this rotten world and build anew! All shall fall before me and I shall reign as queen!"

"And she's gone off the deep end," I sighed in an annoyed manner. "Why can't we ever fight sane mass-murdering demons?"

"You guys have a history of this?" Ressa asked as Heimili continued to thrash and rant.

"Yup," Annerose nodded.

"It's a good story," Grael added on. "A good one to tell on a dark and stormy night by a fire."

"It's got a few racy bits in it, but you don't have to hear about it if you don't want to," I chuckled. "The dinner was my favourite part, though. Those dips were incredible."

"Spooks, sex, and sauce?" Ressa asked with a wide smile. "I need to start hanging out with you guys more often."

"Can we focus a little here?" Grael asked, getting our attention back onto the dragon who had just turned herself into demon, spilling black ooze all over the ground with a new set of wings, fangs too large for her mouth, long, gnarled horns, and a serious attitude problem.

"D'you think Luna would be able to help us if she were here?" Annerose asked. "Does this count as part of the Rite?"

"Honestly?" I began. "I don't think she'd care if it was part of the Rite or not."

"I miss Luna," Annerose sighed.

The jolly bit of regret and fear was soon interrupted by the Remnants making their move, the black ooze seeming to empower them something fierce. Each move they made kept each and every one of us on our toes, forcing us to fight at the best we could to so much as get a hit in on one of them. We were outnumbered and out of options at this point, not to mention that Heimili was in the fight with no distractions whatsoever. She rained down meteors, fire, acid, ice, lightning, and all other kinds of attacks that Angela barely had any time to block, several of them getting through to her and hurting her rather badly.

The fight soon turned for the worst with Zane taking several bad hits from two Remnants and being disarmed, Annerose and Ressa being knocked nearly unconscious, Grael having his leg slashed clean open and several of his teeth knocked out, Angela sent flying through a nearby building, and me having my arm broken clean in half by a brutal kick from one of the Remnants, which sent me rolling and sprawling by the impact alone. Pain shot through my body, my arm broken, face cut from the roll, and other injuries too plentiful to name. I attempted to crawl towards my sword, hearing a vicious roar of pain from Grael and feeling it through our link.

Anger ripped through me, giving me the strength to ignore the pain I felt as I crawled towards my sword, invigorated by the pain everyone was experiencing... only it wasn't enough. A Remnant mockingly kicked my sword away before booting me in the chest, shattering ribs and causing me to spit blood onto the broken cobble.

"Back to the dirt," Heimili snarled from the centre of the square. "Like the worms you all are."

The Remnant closed its hand around my throat, hoisting me up into the air and cocked its arm back, ready to run me through on its sword and kill me here and now. I kept eye contact with the monster, seeing the dark fog spill from its helmet. But I wasn't going to die screaming and begging. As my last act of defiance, I cocked my hand back and slammed it into the helmet, splitting the skin on my knuckles and causing more pain to erupt through me, even more than just the broken ribs.

"Fuck you," I said, literally spitting on the Remnant and staining its armour with blood.

This was it. It was all over, here and now. My friends and I were all going to die at the hands of a corrupted, defamed dragoness and her batch of hellspawns... it was a good life while it lasted, I thought.

However, it seemed that someone saw fit to keep us all going a while longer. A certain someone that I never expected to see walk into this fight.

Before she appeared, however, there was an explosion in the centre of the square, landing atop Heimili's skull and spreading outwards from there. As the warm, holy light embraced the courtyard, the Remnant began falling apart and my injuries began to heal, even as I landed hard on my knees. I recognized the effects of Sunlight Magic immediately, turning around and watching all the other Remnant fall to pieces and my friends recover from their injuries.

"I once held you as a hero..." a familiar voice growled. "You were once my idol, the thing I aspired to be..."

I turned around and spotted the speaker: a very familiar woman with an unfamiliar look on her face.

"I was sung to sleep by songs of your valour and grace," Svea snarled, firing bolts of Sunlight Magic at Heimili, each one chipping off more and more of her darkened scales, revealing the ruined white once beneath them. "I was raised hearing tale after tale of your kindness and strength of heart!"

"Traitor!" Heimili screeched, firing a beam of dark magic that Svea merely swatted aside as if it were nothing.

"And here I find you, swallowed whole by the darkness you once fought to destroy!" Svea roared, tears falling from her cheeks as she poured her heart at. "You are a mockery of everything you yourself once stood for! You have thrown yourself into the darkness and cast aside everything that made you what you were!"

"You cannot harm another dragon!" Heimil screeched, clearly scared of the magic Svea was wielding.

"You are no dragon!" Svea bellowed, the ground itself shattering underneath her as a powerful wind swept up all around her body, throwing chunks of stone and rubble around. "You are nothing more than a blight on this world!"

Svea cupped her hands, launching them forward and firing a beam of golden magic that stripped the darkness away from Heimili's body, reducing her back to her normal state, panting and wheezing.

"And I assure you," Svea snarled, walking over to Heimili and placing a hand above her forehead. "I will take great pleasure in cleansing this world of your filth."

Heimili reacted, throwing her head forward and knocking Svea back. The former Matriarch beat her wings furiously, summoning up a gale that had no effect on Svea, firing breath attacks down at the much younger woman, only for her to use her Sunlight Magic to protect herself. Heimili dropped onto the floor, staring in fear at Svea.

"The Council will skin you for this!" Heimili roared. "Think of your mother! Your sister!"

"If I am to be blamed for this, I shall take that blame alone," Svea said, casting her eyes over to me and nodding.

I retrieved my sword, signaling to Grael mentally to get up before looking to all the others, each one of us fully restored by Svea's power and ready to fight against Heimili.

"I will take exile with a smile and a song for this," she said, allowing us to circle in on Heimili, the dragoness noticing our advance. "Because I shall take solace in knowing that my crime was removing a false idol like you."

Heimili tried to take to the air at this point, flapping her wings as she leapt upwards, only to have two mighty construct axes cleave straight through her wing joints, blood spewing everywhere as she dropped hard onto her side.

"Zane!" I yelled at the taller man.

The brute gripped his greatsword with both hands, rushed towards Heimili, and slammed the blade into her with a mighty upwards slash, bowling her over entirely and exposing her softer scales on her belly.

"Annerose! Ressa!" I called out, the two girls rushing forward and, with great synchronisity, rushed up Heimili's body and plunged their blades deep into her body, both dragging them downwards in a different direction and cutting her stomach wide open.

Moving in for the coup de grâce just as Heimili attempted to roll back over, I threw myself forward, mustering up all my power into my arms as I plunged my longsword downwards, stabbing her through her lower jaw and through the rest of her skull, deep into her brain. Heimili's body stiffened for a long moment as I rested on her jaw, her tail twitching and extremities moving for several more moments before she went entirely limp... the last of her life force drained out of her as I twisted my blade, making sure to do as much damage as possible.

I wrenched my sword out of her skull, staggering backwards and collapsing onto the ground, panting in exhaustion as I dropped my blade. The others gathered around me, dropping down next to me as Svea walked over, examining the dragon, no... the corpse of the dragon with an eager eye.

"We did it," I said in a delighted manner, looking at all the others around me. "We fucking did it!"

"Ah... I don't feel like this is really happening," Annerose said in a shocked manner. "We're dragon slayers now, right?"

"Yup," Zane nodded with a wide smile. "Yes we are."

I looked over at Grael, the Direwolf still not having joined us as he was digging around in the rubble of the inn. I watched him for a long moment, seeing him pull something from the wreckage of the bar before padding back over to us, dropping what he'd brought in my lap and sitting down next to me.

"Don't say I didn't do my job," he chuckled.

I looked down at what he'd brought: a glass bottle. It had somehow survived the destruction of the inn. I picked it up and read the label with a smile on my face.

"Hestew's Honey-Brewed Whiskey," I read aloud, wide smiles spreading onto the faces of everyone gathered around except for Ressa.

"What?" she asked, looking at both of us.

"It's a bit of an in-joke," Zane said. "Hang around for a while and you'll get to know a few of them."

I nodded along before looking up at Svea with a worried expression. I got to my feet and wandered over her, wiping the blood of the other dragon off my sword and sheathing it over my back.

"You alright?" I asked her.

"I'm fine," she nodded, turning around to look at me with a gentle expression. "It's a good thing I arrived when I did, hm?"

"Indeed it is," I nodded. "Where'd you learn how to perform Sunlight Magic?"

"I picked it up off a travelling priestess a few months ago," she said, showing me the small sunlight charm she held in her hand. "She told me it would be useful for healing and purifying abominations... didn't think I'd be using the latter for a while."

"It's good you did," I said, staring at Heimili's corpse. "So... how long should we wait before expecting you at the castle for your tutelage on humans?"

"A good while," she answered. "I'll have to bring this event before The Council and face their judgement. If they view this as a crime... then expect me a lot sooner and for a lot longer."

"I'll be waiting eagerly," I said with a smile, holding out a hand. "Thanks, Svea."

"Don't mention it," she said, shaking my hand before giving me a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you in the near future."

With that, she wandered off through the wreckage of the city. I turned around to my little group, each of them taking a brief swig from the whiskey bottle as a brief method of self-congratulations.

"We ready to go find Lot and Celana?" I asked. "I get the feeling that court mage is gonna be busy putting the city back together."

"Then what?" Zane asked. "We waiting for Luna to come back?"

"I figure that's the best option," I nodded. "Because I cannot be fucked to ride all the way back home. Especially after the week we've had."

Chapter 32: Personal Favours

We'd all decided to wait for Luna to show up instead of returning home on our own since we felt it was only right to volunteer with the clean-up efforts in the city. It wasn't too big of a job spending a few hours a day with Zane and Annerose picking up, shifting, and sorting through rubble to help put the city back together. Celana, being the court mage and all, was also a large part of the clean-up effort. Once she'd cut up and stored Heimili's body in a wing of the castle she proceeded to freeze over, she was out with the common folk and assisting with her magic.

Karra had returned shortly after the battle and was none too happy with the state of her compound. Word quickly passed through what was left of the Barb Tails that they were practically finished, as it would take emptying out all of their coin reserves to rebuild and restock the compound. The gold they'd gained from Heimili's cave was nowhere near the horde Karra was expecting, only reaching a value of thirty thousand bits, which wasn't even enough to commission ten sets of armour, never mind the hundreds she'd need to. Hiring people was impossible, as she hadn't the funds to pay the mercenaries anymore.

The story was the same with Angela, too. Her guild had been destroyed completely and while she didn't need to rehire hunters (they came of their own volition), she didn't have the finances to rebuild from the ground up. It didn't take long for that word to reach my ears and make me feel extremely bad about what had happened. While I didn’t have a direct finger pointed at me for the destruction of their respective bases, I still couldn't help feeling that I owed them in return for their help. After another tiring day of clean-up and helping Zane shift the rubble out of the market district of the city, I set about trying to make sure that the two girls were taken care of.

After using some of our funds to purchase high-quality paper and writing equipment, I set about writing down two royal decrees for the both of them. I wondered if these two would work, given that they wouldn't be sealed by the Royal Insignia as well as me not having an official crown to stake my claim on, but I figured that it would still be enough if I was there to validate my decrees with them whenever the two of them were willing to use their effects. I scrawled them down, my lack of expertise with a quill being more than obvious if one noticed the ink blotches and gone-over-again words where the manner I held the quill had caused a lack of contact with the inked side of the quill, before reading them over:

By the Royal Blood in my veins and the Royal Power I possess, I, Crown Prince Richter, declare the holder of this signed and sealed decree to be entitled to the following rewards for their service to the Crown:

The current holder shall be given direct access to the Royal Treasury's funds in order to rebuild their business following its destruction in Winter's Maw. They shall be allowed to purchase any land, unhindered, and construct any building they wish, unhindered. If the current holder chooses to accept these terms, they must willingly sign an agreement to adhere to the country of Equestria's tax laws for both business income and personal income. If the current holder finds these terms acceptable, then they shall report to Chancellor Elana and present this decree to begin requesting finances.

Signed, His Royal Majesty, Crown Prince Richter."

I read it over several times, cringing slightly at the lack of flair and awkward phrasing in some parts of it. I decided it would be good enough, mostly because I couldn't be fucked to rewrite the two of them and knowing that it'd probably just sound worse the more I tried to write in a way I never spoke. I folded both of the letters into envelopes and sealed them with insignia-less wax before tucking them into a spacious pocket on my belt and deciding to head out to where Angela and Karra were staying.

With Angela being the least likely to bite my head off when speaking to her, I figured she'd be the best one to approach first. I knew that she was sleeping in an inn in the west district of the city, so I made my way through the ruined capital and observed those working the night shift to clear out more rubble. There had also been an effort to recover bodies, as there always was, and it hadn't been a pretty sight. People either crushed too badly to be recognised or sliced to pieces by the Remnants. I'd pulled a few limbs and skulls out of the rubble in my time helping and it wasn't a sight that was easy to forget.

I shook the dark thoughts away, focusing on remembering the directions to Angela's inn before picking up the pace. I entered the warm, well-lit inn to find it lacking the usual hub-bub and bustle that an inn usually had. People sat quietly, sipping drinks and barely speaking, as the entire city was in mourning for the huge loss of lives at the claws of Heimili. The Queen had declared a national Week of Mourning the day after the attack and a lot of people had taken to blaming and cursing dragons as a whole for this.

I smiled at the young inn keep, the woman faking a smile back at me, as I headed up the stairs. I knocked three times on Angela's door before calling out her name, hoping that she hadn't gone to bed early tonight.

"Come in!" she called back out to me.

I opened the door and walked inside, seeing the steam and scent of a hot bath and enjoying the warmth thoroughly. Angela had dragged a wooden tub into the middle of the room and was lounging rather contentedly in it. She'd tied her hair behind her with a towel as she lay in the large wooden object, hands and feet hanging over the sides as she looked at me with a smile.

"Evening, stranger," she said with a smirk, standing up out of the bath and making no attempt to cover up her wet, naked body.

I stared at her wet breasts and soaking abdomen as I spoke, the ancient guild master pulling the towel off her long, blonde locks, and drying her face with it.

"I've got something to give you," I said, watching her breasts jiggle as she roughly dried her perfect face.

"Really?" she asked. "What would that be?"

"It would be a royal decree from yours truly giving you access to the Equestrian treasury to rebuild your Hunter's Guild," I said, walking over to her bedside table and placing the sealed envelope on it. "So long as you don't mind the strings of needing to be in Equestria and paying taxes attached to it."

Angela lowered her towel as she stared at me, a look of complete shock in her eyes as she opened her mouth.

"Are... are you serious?" she asked.

"Of course I'm serious," I nodded. "I think it's the least I can do for you after how you helped take Heimili down with us. None of us would be breathing right now if it wasn't for you."

"I... that's..." she stumbled, unsure of what to say. "Wow, Richter. Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Provided you don't go ridiculous with what you wanna build, I don't have a problem with it," I said in an honest fashion.

"Thanks, kid," she said with a wide smile, hugging me tightly and squeezing me against her wet tits.

"Mind if I grab a handful while I'm here?" I asked.

"Go right ahead," she chuckled. "You deserve it."

I did as allowed, clapping her on the ass with both hands and squeezing it gently, then kissing her gently on the cheek before stepping back.

"Can I offer you a drink?" she asked, hanging her towel around her neck as she gestured over to a bottle of wine on the table near the window.

"I'm gonna have to say no, but thanks for the offer," I said with a polite nod. "I've still got other things to do before I settle down for the day."

"Alright then, kid," she said with a thankful smile and a nod. "If there's anything else you need me for, you know where to find me."

"Sure do," I said, nodding my head and moving back towards the door. "I look forward to seeing you for work in a few months."

"I'll keep a contract and a bottle of wine spare, just for you," she said with a wink. "See you round, kid."

With that, I headed out of the inn and over to the large tent Karra had set herself up in. It wasn't the fanciest tent in existence, definitely nothing like the parade tents I'd slept in during my lifetime, but it was a decent little abode. I walked over to the entrance only to have a grown man blitz out of it, fingers clasped tightly at his side and tears in his eyes.

"And if you ever think of setting foot in my camp again, I'll ram my foot so far up your ass, you'll be shitting shoes for a year!" Karra hollered as she came out of the tent.

Her blazing blue eyes settled on me, rage burning just as bright as ever as she began to 'speak' to me.

"What the fuck do you want?!" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips and cocking an eyebrow.

"I'm going to give you a piece of paper that allows you to rebuild your guild anywhere you want so long as it's in Equestria and you pay taxes," I said, handing her the envelope after blurting out the explanation as I could clearly tell she wasn't in the mood for guessing games.

"That..." she said, her ears flattening as the anger drained out of her body, replaced with confusion and suspicion as she stared at me. "Is this a trick? I swear, if it's a fucking trick..."

"It's not a trick, Karra," I said with a smile. "You're to be adequately rewarded for your excellent service to the crown. This is a gift from me to you."

"Last time I checked, I didn't really do much to help you," Karra said, tucking the envelope into a pouch on her belt.

"Then I'll take it back, if you feel you don't want it," I said, holding my hand out with a cocked eyebrow.

"You'll take that hand away from my money if you know what's good for you," she said, crossing her arms and sighing loudly. "Alright then, boy. I suppose I owe you thanks... which I'm guessing you were expecting. So, where'd you wanna fuck me?"

"Nowhere for now," I said with a shake of my head. "Like I said: this is a reward for your help, not me offering you a deal and asking for something in return."

Karra was quiet for a moment, looking at me with bright eyes and pursed lips before she sighed. She looked into my eyes and smiled warmly at me, a reaction I hadn't seen from her since I was a foot deep in her cooch.

"You're a good kid, you know that?" she asked.

"Just like my momma says I am," I nodded.

"Ugh," Karra spat in a repulsed manner, shivering from head to toe. "Don't say shit like that. Makes me think I fucked a mentally disabled child whenever a guy brings up his mother like that."

"You do that often?"

"Once, and never again," Karra said, still looking queasy. "Fuck, why'd you make me think of that? I need to go wash my everything and recite a prayer now, or else I'll never feel clean again."

"Sun Priestess Hymns, right?" I asked.

"They're the nicest sounding ones," Karra nodded, heading back into her tent. "Say hi to Celestia for me when you see her. Tell her I masturbate to thoughts of her enormous rack when I'm alone on hot nights."

"I'll make sure she'll put that confession on the same pile as the ones she's gotten from me over the years," I nodded with a smirk.

"Hot," Karra said as she closed the flap to her tent. "Thanks for the money, cunt."

"Thanks for the pussy, pussy," I said, turning around and walking away.

"Meh heh..." Karra giggled in a childish tone.

Chapter 33: A Chat With the New Girl

I was woken up from sleep by the woofing sound Grael always made whenever he was woken up from sleep by something else. When it was a minor disturbance, such as a knock at a door or one of us being called, he responded in the way a lazy palace dog does by coughing out the most feeble woof he can muster. But if the disturbance is more violent, such as a window shattering or a door being forcefully opened, he tended to go full guard dog; leaping up onto his paws and immediately charging whatever made the noise, baying and snarling the entire way.

The Direwolf continued to make his hollow barking noise as I climbed out of bed, entirely unaware as to what time it was, before heading over to the door. I swung it open to see Ressa standing there with a smile on her face that soon dropped into a more awkward expression, her ears flattening against her head as she grinned sheepishly.

"Is... is this a bad time?" she asked, seeing Grael lying on the floor on his back with his tail wagging rapidly, still half asleep. "I can come back later, if you want?"

"Nah, I'm fine," I said with a shake of my head, rubbing my eyes and yawning. "If I don't get up now, it'll be three in the afternoon before I do. What can I help you with?"

"You'd say you and Zane are pretty close, right?" she asked, joining her hands behind her back and tapping the tip of her boot on the floor.

"He's saved my life, I've saved his, and he doesn't get mad at me when I call him a cunt," I listed. "So, yeah. I'd say we're pretty close."

"Right... does..." Ressa began, shifting awkwardly where she stood, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Does he have anyone... special in his life?"

"He does not," I answered. "The boy is single as the number one and doesn't have any on-and-off arrangements. If you'd like, I can give you a few pointers on what he likes in a girl?"

"O-Oh no!" she said, her eyes widening and ears sticking up in a shocked manner, cheeks burning red in a matter of seconds. "I'm just asking for a friend at work... she's really into him and-"

"Ressa," I said, cutting the catgirl off quickly and staring at her with a knowing expression. "Don't try to pull that on me."

Her eyes lowered to the floor once again, pursing her lips, and continuing to knead the wooden floor with her boot before sighing loudly.

"Alright... fine," she said. "You got me."

"Now," I chuckled. "What do you want to know about him?"

"What kind of girl does he like?" she asked. "Is he into more adventurous and controlling girls, or does he like them to be more clingy and dependant?"

"He's a man of middle ground," I answered. "He's not a fan of girls that try to morph their lovers into their own personal pet, nor is he a fan of girls that are so incapable of doing anything on their own that they can't put salt on their food without crying and begging for help. But if you're a girl that's confident enough to have her own opinions and able to get shit done on her own, but isn't completely against accepting help or asking for it, then you're in a sweet spot for him. Competent and capable."

"I can do that..." Ressa nodded. "Any advice you can offer on clothing styles? What catches his eye and what turns it away?"

"Zane's honestly not a clothing man, so long as you're wearing it," I shrugged. "He's never had a specific style or outfit on a woman that catches his eye and he's never been repulsed by a woman essentially wearing fabric tied to a string."

"I don't think I could do that last one," she said, scratching the back of her head. "I'm not that confident in my body."

"You should be," I said, giving her a look up and down. "You're a very beautiful woman."

"T-Thanks," she said with a nod.

"Back on topic," I said, waving the notion away. "Zane cares more about how you handle yourself as a person more than what you wear. While he's completely fine having a girlfriend who doesn't like to show a lot of skin and needs to feel comfortable and secure before taking things to the bedroom, he's not a fan of slutty women."

"Really?" Ressa asked. "Why?"

"Too easy to get and too easy to lose," I answered. "He, unlike myself, is a committed relationship man. He likes the idea of romance and dedication, and he feels its nearly impossible to have that with the kind of woman that starts drooling every time she walks into a room full of men and is willing to run off with any number of them as soon as they offer her something she doesn't have."

"Well... he doesn't have to worry about that with me," Ressa said with a smile and a confident nod. "Is there anything else I need to know to catch his eye?"

"Yeah, keep your hair down and straightened," I answered. "He's a real fan of long, luscious locks."

Ressa's eyes travelled back to the ponytail she had bundled behind her head, quickly taking it out of its bobble and shaking her head, allowing the jet-black locks to fall freely.

"Is that good?" she asked.

"Whack a few of the knots out with conditioner and a brush, and you'll be sorted," I nodded. "If you want to get it soft but lose the shiny look, you wanna wash it with Kender's Nail extract and brush it with a comb laced in the juice in Grind Leaf. Kender's Nail gets your hair nice and soft, but the juice makes the hair dry out slightly and make it very thick and bouncy."

"I... I didn't expect you to be a herbalist," Ressa said with a cocked eyebrow.

"I'm not," I shrugged. "It's just what one of my old flames made me wash and brush her hair with when she was in the bath."

"So you're sure it'll work, then?" she asked.

"It'll make your hair look delicious," I nodded.

"No... I mean will it get his attention?" she asked.

"Who's attention?" Annerose asked as she walked over to the two of us from the inn's stairs.

"Zane's," I answered as she leaned against the wall.

"Ah, she's been smitten then?" Annerose asked with a smile.

"Kind of," Ressa nodded.

"Definitely," I corrected.

"You picked a good choice," Annerose nodded before glancing at me. "Much better than this twat."

"Thanks, friend," I sighed.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"It's not him, it's you," Annerose said. "You have things about you that turn Richter off. Things like class, dignity, and self-respect."

"That... that's considered a turn off for you?" Ressa asked, giving me a sideways look.

"No, she's just being an asshole," I said, growling angrily at Annerose.

"Richter here likes his women like he likes his arrows," Annerose said, slapping me on the bare shoulder. "Fast and loose. If they aren't, then he wants nothing to do with them."

"That's not true," I interjected.

"Of course it is," she said, turning back to Ressa. "I'd stay away from him. He's a bad influence."

"He seems fine," Ressa said.

"You don't know him like I know him," she said, giving Ressa a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. "Just get nice and close with Zane, and stay away from his kind. They're no good."

"Right..." Ressa said.

"Remember Kender's Nail and Grind Leaf," I said to Ressa. "Make sure you're hair's still wet when you brush it, or else it'll frazzle."

"Right, thanks, Richter," Ressa said, walking off with a rather confused-looking expression on her face.

I turned back to Annerose and gave her the dead-eye, her eyes and smirk radiating smugness over the entire inn as she stood there.

"Are you here for any other reason than to defame me?" I asked.

"Just doing my part to keep girls safe from your sex dungeon," she shrugged.

"Keep that up and you'll end up in there," I said, turning back to walk into my room and having Annerose follow me.

"Righto," she laughed. "But I did come here for another reason."

"Which was?" I asked.

"Lot's going to take a look in Heimili's cave," Annerose went on. "She's versed in dark magic and all that shite from Luna's teachings, but she was never taught about actual Demonology. You were."

"And so she wants me to give her a hand?"

"Yup," Annerose nodded, leaning against the wall again. "She wants you to meet her at the Grey Hound Inn by the North Gate of the city. Says you and her'll go up to the mountains and get a basic idea of what Heimili was doing, just so we can clue Luna in when she gets back."

"Just me and her, eh?" I asked. "Awesome. Always wanted to spend some alone time with a sexy Snow Elf."

"You do know she's literally addicted to Luna, right?" Annerose asked with a cocked eyebrow. "I'll be surprised if she even registers you as a sexual entity once she starts thinking about her dark mistress."

"A rather devious name, no?"

"Probably. But I can't look at a woman like Luna and not imagine she's the most dominant, overpowering bitch in existence when it comes to bedroom stuff," Annerose answered.

"You enjoy thinking about bedroom stuff with Luna?" I asked, turning around on her with a smirk.

"S-Shut up," Annerose snapped, going slightly red at the jab. "That wasn't what I meant by that!"

"That's pretty hot," I chuckled.

"She's your aunt, you freak," Annerose growled.

"Doesn't mean I can't team up with her on you, does it?" I asked. "Make it a family activity for the afternoon."

"You're disgusting!" Annerose snapped, her cheeks red and boiling at his point, shaking her head to get some of her raven-coloured fringe fall over her face and hide it from view. "Just go and find Lot!"

With that, she stormed out of the room and left Grael and I on our own, the Direwolf letting out another one of his hollow barks as Annerose slammed the door behind her.

"Shut up, you," I said, giving the Direwolf a gentle prod with my toe.

He let out a long, slow growling noise that soon turned into a snore as he fell back asleep.

Chapter 34: Dark Dealings

After having showered, brushed my teeth, dressed, and headed out to the Grey Hound, I found Lot sitting at a table with her nose in a book in the far back of the tavern. I sat down across the table from her, knocking on the wood to get her attention. Her eyes sprung up from the book, clearly not having noticed me sit down, before a wide smile spread onto her face.

"Ah, good morning," she said. "I see Annerose found you quickly."

"You ought to be more careful, Lot," I said. "If I'd wanted to hurt you, I could've had a knife in your jugular before you'd even realised I was here."

"Sorry... I tend to get absorbed into these things," she said, gently shaking the book before marking the page she was on and putting it away in a satchel at her side

"Reminds me of someone," I said, nodding slowly. "Anyway, you're investigating Heimili's cave?"

"Every nook and cranny," she nodded. "I want to her notes and evidence for Luna to go over by the time she gets here, just to save her time when it comes to closing this case."

Annerose wasn't kidding. Lot definitely doted on Luna as much as anyone could. I wonder if Luna felt the same.

"So, are we ready to go?" I asked.

"Pretty much," she nodded. "I brought a few books from the local library on demons and their dealings, just in case."

"Good idea," I said with a smile. "Just in case my dumb ass forgets anything about them. Right, shall we get climbing?"

"Yes... thought you may have to take it slow for me... but also go first," she said, scratching her head awkwardly.

"Why's that?" I asked, slightly confused at the request.

"Well... a skirt is somewhat... breezier than a pair of leggings," she said in a shy manner.

"Of course," I nodded, catching her meaning. "I'll find a path for us both and you can follow after, okay?"

"Right," the snow-white elf said with a nod, standing up and inhaling deeply. "Shall we depart?"

Lot may have been a capable fighter and a skilled mage, but she couldn't climb to save her life. She spent the entire journey up to Falcon's Roost trying to climb with nothing her arms, digging her knees into the rock face, and refused to use footholds, often leading me to need to heave her up alongside me. Eventually we made it up to the enormous plateau, seeing the falcon nests that gave this place its name, and the sheer amount of land down below us. The snow up here was thick and undisturbed, being quite the sight to admire as Lot healed up the cuts and scrapes on her knees and palms.

"Remind Luna to teach you how to climb the next time you see her," I said, turning to the elf. "Because I am not carrying you up here ever again."

"Sorry," she said with an awkward expression.

"Good," I said, looking over the deep snow to try and find Heimili's cave. "Any idea where she'd put it?"

"Probably somewhere she could have easy access to the sky without having to trudge through the snow," Lot answered.

"Over a cliff maybe?"

"I hope not," Lot sighed.

"Same, then I'd have to carry you over to it," I said, mock shivering in fear.

"Very funny," Lot said in a bemused manner. "Shall we get looking?"

"After you," I gestured.

The two of us set about scouring Falcon's Roost, hating the sheer size of the place and the amount of snow covering it, making it more than awkward to move about in. Lot soon set about melting the snow with her fire magic, uncovering a large amount of human bones, rusted armour, and broken weapons. She called me over to them and asked me to see if I could tell what they were. I knelt down in the large pool of bodies and melted water, checking over the skeletons and their possessions.

"Well... its safe to say Heimili definitely didn't discriminate when it came to her hatred," I said, putting a skull down again. "We've got a mix of men and women of different ages and children of both genders. She hated everyone and didn't spare any of us."

"How horrible," Lot commented.

"Yeah... makes me wish I'd cut the bitch up a little more before I killed her," I said, picking up a heavily rusted short sword. "Adults are one thing, women are another... but you just don't kill children. That's beyond depraved."

I looked over the short sword thoroughly, from its exposed tang, to the guard, to the shape of the blade itself before comparing it to other weapons and armour.

"And we've got quite a range of tourists here," I said, pointing to the different armour sets. "Some from the Frigid North, the Arid Planes, and all the way from the Jewelled Deserts it looks like."

"Did she take them from there?" Lot asked.

"Definitely not," I said. "Snatched travellers as they made their way about. Took them to a holiday destination that was definitely to die for."

"That was in rather poor taste," Lot said in a disapproving matter.

"It's a coping mechanism," I answered as I stood up. "You treat it like a joke and you belittle it. Then it becomes less traumatic or rage-inducing when you're laughing. Her den must be close to here."

"What makes you say that?" Lot asked.

"You never want to walk far to get rid of waste," I said, looking around and spotting the black mouth of a cave entrance a few hundred yards away. "There we go."

"Good eye," Lot commented, walking ahead of me.

"Thank you," I said, walking behind her.

We entered the cave, Lot casting a spell that summoned a ball of light to follow us around, illuminating the vast cave we walked into.

"Keep an eye out for lower floors," I said as I eyed up the bare cave entrance.

"There are floors in these things?" she asked.

"Dragons tend to build downwards into the ground," I nodded. "Gives them much more space while keeping a low profile."

"Rather clever," she nodded.

"But extremely dangerous," I nodded. "A castle collapsing from the top still leaves a way out through the bottom. But a cave in in a place where you live underground? You get trapped, suffocate, starve, or die of thirst hundreds of feet beneath the ground where nobody can hear you screaming for them."

"That's... horrible," Lot said in a chilled tone.

"I had a similar experience as a kid," I said. "Went crawling around in a cave system as a kid, went over a mile in, slipped, and got pinned in by two rock faces. I had my arms pinned by my sides, couldn't move my head, and couldn't see a thing after my torch went out."

"How old were you?" Lot asked.

"About eight," I answered. "Was stuck there for three hours, screaming until I lost my voice. Grael could sense where I was, but had no idea how to get to me, because for him, I felt like I was a mile beneath his paws with no way to get to me."

"How did you get out?" she questioned.

"Celestia saved me," I answered. "Grael went running and screaming to her, guided her to the place he was closest to me, the place above me, and begged Celestia to help."

"What did she do?"

"She used her magic to tear through the dirt until she broke into the cave and found me stuck there," I said, jumping down a small decline and continuing into the cave. "I was cut up and terrified, but alive. Grael didn't let me go anywhere for about three months and my mom grounded me to the third floor of the castle for a year and spent every day with me. If I didn't have Grael, I would've died down there after days with no water."

"Damn," Lot commented. "Are... are you fine down here now?"

"I'm fine with caves and even tight spaces, so long as I can move my arms," I answered. "If I can't move my arms, that's when the panic sets in."

"Alright... just let me know if you need to go back to the surface," Lot said. "We can take a break for as long as you need."

"Thanks, Lot," I said with a smile. "But getting back on topic, I'm willing to bet Heimili had a dedicated room she used for summoning her demon friend."

"How come?"

"Methods of sealing," I answered. "It's possible to bind a demon to a specific area or object when you summon them using a lot of different enchantments. It's often seen as the best bet to just keep a single room that nobody ever uses to keep the risk of possession low and to cover that room in symbols, glyphs, and enchantments that'll keep the demon sealed when summoned. Though a lot of people don't know that and end up paying dearly for it."

"How common is it?" Lot asked.

"Insanely," I said, looking back at the Snow Elf. "Thousands upon thousands of recorded cases of idiots renting demonology books from their local libraries and summoning them without knowing how to protect themselves or how the deals tend to work, and then proceed to get their souls snatched in seconds. Though do you wanna know what the most common type of demons summoned are?"

"What?"

"Sex Demons," I answered. "Succubi and Incubi are the most common demons summoned during rituals. People out there are so desperate for sex, they'll trade their souls for it. Though the sex demons do tend to do their job the most efficiently out of all of them."

"How so?"

"Other demons, like Power Demons or Wealth demons, tend to be really shrewd in their deals," I explained. "Offering little smatterings of power or wealth for a little smattering of the person's soul, trying to constantly coax the deal maker into slowly giving away more and more of their essence as their greed gets the better of them. A Sex Demon usually just puts the deal out there and gets the job done, snatches your soul, and leaves."

"Polite... I guess?" Lot asked with a shrugging gesture.

"Mhm," I nodded. "Though the Sex Demons are often the friendliest ones... genuinely friendly, that is."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, they kind of have to be to convince people to give their soul for sex," I went on. "Unlike other demons who pretend to be friendly, Sex Demons seem to form friendships with the people that summon them rather fast. But that friendliness tends to get them screwed over quite a lot due to them being rock stupid. People often tend to have sex with them, confuse or distract them afterwards with games or conversation, talk for hours and hours afterwards, and then ask them to leave willingly, which they do because they forgot what they went there for, with the summoner merely going about their day."

"I... wow," Lot said in an amazed manner.

"Yeah, it's quite hilarious when you think about it," I said, helping Lot over a pile of skeletons as we headed through another empty cave section. "Though it does get harder to pull the more powerful the Sex Demon is. Mostly because they get more mature as they absorb more souls... in both ways."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"A 'newborn' Sex Demon tends to look a lot like an eight-to-ten year old boy or girl," I explained. "Very young, very stupid, and very weak. They often tend to get summoned by disgusting people that lust after children and are so desperate for one, they'll sell their soul. The more souls they collect, the more they grow. So if you run into a Succubus that looks like a ten year old girl, you know that it's weak and dumb, thus easy to trick... but if you run into a Succubus with thick lips, a bra that's overflowing, birthing hips, and a very confident attitude, do not try to play her, as she will end your existence."

"I thought their only powers were sex-related?" Lot asked.

"Sadly no. They're still very powerful magic users that can throw about some strong spells," I explained. "But the older Sex Demons usually tend to rape you to death."

"A... kind of pleasurable way to go, at least," Lot shrugged.

"If only," I scoffed. "From the testimony of a dying man that was found after having been raped by a Succubus, he described her vagina as 'A tunnel of magma coated with burning oil and filled to the brim with spikes, shredded metal, and teeth."

"That's horrible," Lot said.

"It seems that a Succubus, and probably and Incubus, can alter their victim's experience to turn their pleasurable sensations into pure agony at will," I continued. "And that level of pain often leads to..."

I trailed off as we entered a section of the cave that made it more than obvious Heimili was summoning demons in it. Instead of the common chalk pentagram on the floor, this was was made of cast iron; permanent and indestructible as they came. There were altars positioned all around the star points on the pentagram with glowing white crystals, and a large crystalline wall all around it, completely transparent and clear as day.

"She took every precaution you could," I said, eyeing the defences.

"What is all this stuff?" Lot asked.

"The pentagram is the summoning circle, as it were," I began. "And if the circle is broken, then the demon is allowed to go free and claim the soul of the deal maker. Since most people use chalk or salt to create a pentagram, they don't realise that the demon can easily blow the salt away and break the circle, thus letting them out. This pentagram is made of iron, something demons can't touch without being burned by it, the crystals are probably enchanted with holy magic, something they can't get past, and the crystal wall is probably holy as well, tripling the defence overall."

"So... what's the best course of action?" Lot asked.

"Avoid touching the thing as best we can and proceed to wait for Luna," I answered, looking over my shoulder at the taller elf. "I know the best way to deactivate these things if things, but I know it's a terrible idea to get close to them without wards out the ass. I doubt either of us know them or have the proper ability to cast them, so it's best to just wait for the professional... professional to show up. In the mean time, let's take a look around the rest of the cave and see what we can find."

"Righto," Lot nodded, turning on her heel and heading back out of the summoning room.

The exploration didn't yield much. Unlike Svea's humble and well-equipped abode, Heimili's was more of a practical build. It didn't have any of the furnishings or objects to make it look like a lived-in home, and instead gave off the appearance of basic shelter. There were no other rooms of note beyond a room lined with hay, probably her bedroom, and the treasure room. I walked into the area, seeing enormous stacks of golds, jewels, and paintings practically touching the twenty-foot ceiling. There had to be enough treasure in here to finance a small kingdom for a few years, at least.

"Careful not to start a landslide," I said to Lot as we walked in, admiring the piles upon piles of gold. "I'm not in the mood to be drowned in gold. It's not a fun way to go."

"I can imagine," Lot said, picking up a handful of gold from a smaller pile and letting it run from her hand, the metal clinking loudly in that joyous sound of wealth.

We looked around the treasury for a while longer, noting different items of very different ages until I came across an item on its own, resting in a mount away from the others. It was a longsword and a very old one at that, weathered and damaged in quite a lot of places. I wandered over to it and took a better look. The colour of the blade had once been an emerald green with the hilt being a darker shade. The guard had been away at by time, the blade itself was chipped and heavily rusted. There was a faint carving on the blade, just below the guard, that I could barely make out: the head of a cat.

It was scarred and scuffed, but it was just about visible if I focused really hard on it. I took hold of the hilt of the blade, lifting it out of its rack, and feeling the familiar weight of a sword in my hand. I stared at the green blade, it long-since having lost its beautiful sheen that had once reflected off the walls of House...

Wait. What?

I shook my head, clearing away a memory of a place that wasn't mine as I realised that I'd been drifting through my thoughts... someone's thoughts. I had a memory of a taste; wine on my lips that I'd never drank before. A castle on a large hill that I'd never seen, yet had slept in their guest's quarters several times over. I looked down at the sword, having pristine memories of it in its glory days, the bright emerald blade that lit up whenever in the hands of its true wielder. How she'd imbued the sword with the power to sap the energy from every opponent she faced and channel their power into her body...

Her? Who was her? Who was she?

Strangely enough, I knew the name of the sword as well. I'd been there to see it be crafted and blessed by High Queen Vega... no. No I hadn't. I'd never seen this before in my life. And High Queen Vega? Who the hell was that?

"Voleur de Vie," I spoke aloud, reciting the sword's name with confidence.

"Pardon?" Lot asked, looking away from a chest of golden goblets she was admiring and looking at me.

"That's the name of the sword," I said, looking at her. "It's called Voleur de Vie."

"How... how do you know that?" she asked.

"I have no idea," I said, looking her dead in the eyes with a worried expression on my face.

Lot looked between the sword and I for a brief moment before her eyes settled on me.

"Bring it with us," she said in a firm tone. "Luna might be able to answer some questions as to what it is."

"Right," I nodded, looking around the room for a brief moment. "Is there anything we can use to carry it? I don't want to hold it on the climb back down and I think its a little too busted to be slung over my back."

Chapter 35: Foreign Memories

I sat cross-legged on the floor with Voleur de Vie resting in front of me. Since Lot and I had returned, I'd done nothing but look at the sword. It was difficult to explain how the memories I had, I'd gained, worked. Like most memories, they didn't appear until you thought about them and they were never as vivid as when they actually happened... but they were still there and they still weren't mine. More memories regarding the sword appeared, or I recalled more memories, the longer I 'remembered'. Like any memory, it lead into others, and I followed along with that chain of memories, wondering where it'd lead me to.

I remember standing outside the gate of that huge castle, the torch sconces flickering and waving as an enormous downpour covered the land in rain. I could smell drenched grass and wet bark, hear the clinking of chainmail as I shifted my position, crossing my arms and sighing in an impatient manner. I looked up at the giant soaked drawbridge, squinting to prevent the rain hitting me in the eyes, before turning to my companion... a black Direwolf dressed in steel armour.

"You'd have thought they'd roll out the red carpet for such esteemed guests, would you not?" I'd asked him... he'd asked him.

"Sounds like the opinion of a man who thinks too highly of himself," the Direwolf said in a low tone as he sat down. "Are you too good for the rain and cold of your own land?"

"Not at all," I shrugged, turning back to the drawbridge. "I'm too good to have my toes rot off thanks to the rain and cold of my own land. Your paws can't be faring much better, can they?"

"They're built for terrain much worse than this," the Direwolf chuckled. "A little rain isn't going to kill me."

"Think I should teleport inside?" I asked him with a smirk. "Open the drawbridge for you?"

"If you wish to raise a castle-wide panic and ruin your reputation, then go right ahead," the Direwolf nodded.

I looked between him and the drawbridge for a brief moment before smiling wide and powering up a teleportation spell with an open palm.

"Arragaithel, you'll do no such thing," the Direwolf snapped in a harsh tone. "Drop that hand right now before I bite your fingers off."

"Ugh... yes, father," I sighed, powering down the spell and crossing my arms once more, tucking my fingers underneath the oiled cloak I was wearing and returning to being patient. "I hate waiting."

"A king must always be patient," the Direwolf added.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not a king then, isn't it?" I shrugged, leaning against a wooden railing and listening to the rain hitting the outside of my hood. "Big sister gets that soul-sucking experience."

"There are benefits to ruling," the Direwolf said, positioning himself next to my legs and laying down. "Power and respect."

"Gold-diggers, assassination, conspiracies, corruption, bullshit politics, back-stabbing politicians, ungrateful children, needy partners-" I listed off.

"You've made your point," the Direwolf interrupted. "All I ask is that you present yourself as a somewhat-educated Prince when around others and then you can return home and be your usual self behind closed doors. Can you do that?"

"Is the food here good?" I asked, looking over the moat and spotting a guard standing by the crank for the bridge. "Son of a bitch..."

"What?" the Direwolf asked, getting up to his paws.

"Hey!" I called out to the guard, getting his attention. "Mind letting us in?"

"State your business!" he called back.

"Crown Prince Arragaithel and Royal Familiar Leiter here to attend the coronation of Crown Princess Merveil," I answered.

"The convoy carrying the Royal Family of Dantessa arrived three days ago and the prince was not present," he answered.

"Probably because I'm here right now," I said with a smirk. "I don't like travelling with the convoys. Packed to the brim with rich pricks and suck-ups. Mind letting me in now?"

"Forgive me if I don't believe you," the guard said. "Wait here and I shall return with your 'family'."

The guard then walked off, shaking his head in a dismissing manner, leaving the two of us sitting out in the cold once more.

"If he doesn't come back within the next five minutes I'm blowing the fucking bridge up and walking in there myself," I growled.

"No, you aren't," Leiter snarled. "You'll wait for mother to arrive and validate your claims herself. Either her, or your older sister."

"Father would've told them I'd be arriving like this..." I said in a dejected manner. "Why the fuck didn't they tell them I was arriving outside the convoy?"

Several more minutes went by, my boredom growing more and more before, out of the darkness, an iron arrow lodged itself in the ground several feet away from my own.

"The Crown Princess has informed us that her brother will not be present for this coronation!" a guard called from atop a tower. "Leave now or we will execute you for impersonation!"

I rolled my eyes in an annoyed manner, walking towards the area where the guards could see me and waving.

"Guys, could you please just go and talk to my mother about this?" I asked. "She'll be able to clear this whole thing up and get my stupid sister to-"

I was cut off by the sound of an arrow being loosed and its super-fast whistling sound coming towards me. Being an Alicorn of a great power, it was not test whatsoever to catch the arrow by its shaft before it struck me in the eye. I proceeded to snap the shaft of the projectile and throw it aside, sighing quietly as I dusted the wood grains off my hands and continued speaking.

"-stop making jokes like this that'll end up getting someone hurt," I finished. "Can you do that please?"

Their response was to completely close the portcullis and close the shutters on the towers as to completely block access to the castle for me. My shoulder slumped as another sigh of disappointment fell from my mouth. I turned back to Leiter with a dejected expression, shrugging my shoulders, before leaning back against the post.

"I guess we'd better find somewhere to lodge for the night," he suggested.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked in a peeved manner. "Everyone knows the Alicorn have talking pets! If you'd spoken up, we could've gotten in!"

"I..." the Direwolf began before pausing briefly, then looking up at me with a sheepish grin. "Eh heh... oops?"

"I hate you," I sighed, sitting down on the cold cobble and leaning against the bridge. "Well... suppose we might as well get comfortable. We're gonna be here for the rest of the night."

"You gents lost?" a female voice asked from down the cobble path.

I lifted my head up from staring at the floor to take a look at our new arrival. It was a young woman with long, emerald-green hair, dressed in black leather. On her hips she carried a longsword and over her shoulder she'd slung a pouch that seemed rather full. Beside her padded a large cat, possibly a Maincoon, that looked us both over with a curious expression.

"They smell familiar," the cat said to the woman. "Alicorn perhaps?"

"Yeah..." I nodded, looking her up and down. "You too?"

"Indeed," she said, offering her hand out to me once she'd walked over. "Valiana. You?"

"Arragaithel," I answered, taking her hand and being hefted up to my feet by her great strength. "Leiter and I were supposed to be going to the coronation, but my darling sister made sure I didn't get in."

"Sibling rivalry, eh?" Valiana asked. "So happy I'm an only child."

"I'm jealous," I smirked, smiling at the cat who then nodded back. "So... you here for the same thing?"

"Indeed I am," she nodded, digging around in her pockets and pulling out a silver whistle in the shape of an owl. "I'll get them to let us in."

With that she blew hard into the whistle, the metal object letting out a loud shriek, much like an owl's, before she took it away from her lips.

"Now, let's see if they let us in," she said, placing a hand on her cocked hips and looking up at the tower.

Strangely enough, the memory seemed to end there. I could tell there was more of it... there had to be more of it. He, Arragaithel, didn't die there and then. He must've gone into the party with Valiana... so why couldn't I remember the rest of what happened? It wasn't even a hazy memory or a lack of a one. There was the mental feeling of running into a brick wall every time I tried to recall what happened after that. There was nothing else I could do to keep going. I scratched the back of my head, wondering what the hell was going on with this sword.

I was then pulled from my thoughts by the sound of a large portal opening up outside the inn, followed by the sound of Luna's, Cadance's, and Celestia's voices talking amongst one another. Perfect timing, I thought to myself. I picked up the sword as gently as I could and headed down the stairs, ready to see if they had any answers for what was happening right now. I hurried down the stairs, locking eyes with Luna she entered the inn, before heading over to the three of them.

"What's this?" I asked them, holding the ruined sword out to let them see it.

Cadance's face was one of puzzlement, clearly not registering anything more about the blade than the fact it was there, while Celestia and Luna looked aghast at the sight of it.

"Where did you get this?" Luna demanded.

"Heimili had it in her cave," I answered. "Is it important?"

"Important?" Celestia asked. "This is one of the few remaining relics of our kind. We thought this was lost forever. Nobody has seen it in over three thousand years."

"Good find, then?" I asked. "Who's Arragaithel?"

"He's... he's the Alicorn we used to help make you," Luna answered. How... how do you know that? Did we tell you that?"

"No, you didn't," I said with a shake of my head. "The sword's giving me visions of his memories. When I looked at it before, in Heimili's cave, I knew its name. Voleur die Vie. The Thief of Life, or Lifestealer."

"Since when could you speak Ardonnais?" Celestia asked. "We never scheduled that for your teachings."

"I can't," I answered. "I just knew the sword's name. Not only that, it showed me a vision of Arragaithel's memories."

The two sisters looked between each other for a brief moment with a worried expression before turning to Cadance.

"Sorry, honey," Celestia said. "But you're gonna need to wait to have him again. This needs to be seen to."

"Just... don't fry his brain, please?" she asked. "It barely works as is."

"Hey," I said in an offended manner.

"Right, upstairs, you," Celestia said, turning me by the shoulders and marching me upstairs. "Which room is yours?"

"That one," I answered, pointing to the correct door.

"Luna, you go and see the others," Celestia said to her sister. "This might take a while."

Once inside, Celestia closed the door and sat me down on the edge of the bed, pressing her fingers to my temples and lighting her fingertips up with bright yellow magic. A glowing haze erupted from her eyes, flaring like a fire in the wind as she used her magic to filter through my memories.

"How are you doing that?" I asked her.

"Soul memory," she answered in a quick tone.

"What?"

"The brain isn't the only thing that records memories," Celestia answered as she gently massaged my skull. "The soul of a person records all of their lifetime events as well. Nobody's really sure why, but it does... and I think I've figured out where these visions are coming from."

"Where?"

"Arragaithel seems to have fused a part of his soul to yours," she answered.

"Isn't he dead?" I asked.

"Oh yes. Has been for over four thousand years. His death circulated the world when I was thirteen years old," she explained. "And that's what makes this so interesting. He must've enchanted his corpse before dying to pass his soul on to whoever fused themselves with his body or DNA."

"Wait... were there still other Alicorn alive when he died?"

"In the high hundreds."

"So why would he think to do that when the method you use wasn't the intended way for Alicorn to reproduce?" I asked. "For all he should know, his DNA would never be used to make a new Alicorn."

"Right you are," Celestia nodded, still digging through my... soul memory.

"Oh," she said in a surprised tone, her mouth soon curving into a rather sultry smile.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Nothing, just laughing about a memory you have in here that I wasn't aware of," she said, chuckling quietly. "You've fallen into a puddle of mud as a child and are having Grael drag you out of it."

She was right about that description, that did happen to me once... but something about the look on her face, the sexual desire in the smile she'd had for only a brief moment, told me she was lying to me. Celestia wouldn't find the image of me being dug out of a mud puddle by a Direwolf arousing, would she? I'd hope not. I figured that she was being quite the letch and digging through a few of my more sexual memories with other women... though I'd be rather inclined to make a few with her, should she give me the offer.

"You flatter me," she said out of the blue. "But I'm not in the mood at the moment. Maybe some other time."

"What?" I asked in a surprised manner.

"Luna's talking to me telepathically," she answered, still fidgeting with my soul memory. "She's asking if we all want to go for drinks later to celebrate a job well done."

Wait... how was her asking for us all to go drinking flattery? Was she lying to me again?

"You'll find out soon enough, don't worry," she said aloud.

"What?" I asked, squinting suspiciously at her as she continued to work.

"She asked me what I'd rather do instead," she responded. "I've got something in mind that we'll all enjoy."

She seemed to be giving me responses a little too specific to what I was thinking. Was... was she reading my mind while doing this? If she was, does that mean that she'd been able to see my thoughts about fucki-

"Possibly," she said with a nod. "But we'll talk more about that another time."

"Right, Aunt Celestia, are you poking around in places you shouldn't be?" I asked in an annoyed manner.

"Sorry, Luna just guessed what I had in mind," Celestia chuckled. "She knows I wanted to go for a big meal. Can you repeat what you said, dear?"

"Are you reading my mind?" I asked her, plain and simple.

"No, I'm focusing on the part of Arragaithel's soul that's bonded to yours," she answered. "Oddly enough, despite being magically bonded to you, you have two separate souls in one body right now, but his is just dormant... this is truly amazing."

"How so?" I asked, wanting to get off my thoughts of... other things.

"I can tell that Arragaithel's entire life is recorded in his soul fragment, but it's all blocked off by some kind of magical seal," she explained.

"Can you break it?" I asked.

"No... the seal's too strong for even me to make so much as a dent in," she said, removing her fingers and scratching her head. "This is rather odd, isn't it?"

"So how do I unlock more of it?" I asked, leaning forward on the bed.

"Well, the memory you have unlocked right now correlates to Voleur de Vie, the sword," Celestia explained. "Maybe there are specific items or artefacts you need to look at to unlock more memories?"

"So why haven't I unlocked the full memories of Arrageithel's time with Valiana?" I asked. "If the sword is all I need, then why is it all still blocked?"

"I'm guessing its due to the sword's condition," Celestia said. "The sword is so badly damaged you can barely recognise it, so that might be why the memory that unlocked was the one where Arragaithel can barely see the sword, where he can't properly make it out. Perhaps if we repair it, it'll unlock all the memories he has of that sword being used?"

"Can you repair it?" I asked her.

"Easily. All Alicorn weapons before the discovery of Kairosteel were sung from metal by the High Elves," she nodded. "As soon as I'm able, I'll take the sword to the Elven capital and ask them to sing it back to its pristine state. Are you willing to wait a while?"

"I'm in no rush," I said with a shake of my head.

"That's good to know. Now..." she said, another smirk coming back onto her lips as she wrapped her arms around me, squeezing my head into her soft and pudgy stomach. "It's so good to see you again, My Brave Little Prince."

"Thanks, Aunt Celestia," I said with a smile.

"And as my first act towards you in your princehood, I shall inform you of this," she said, kneeling down to get eye-level with me. "It's Grandma Celestia, not Aunt Celestia."

"Wait... what?" I asked.

"I'm Cadance's mother, not her Aunt," she said with a giggle. "I'm sorry we never told you this before."

"Why keep it a secret?" I asked. "Why keep it a secret from me?"

"Not that we don't trust you, but we felt that, as a child, you would be more prone to spout off that knowledge either accidentally or without realising how much of a problem it would be if anyone else found out," she said.

"Is it a problem?" I asked. "People knowing that?"

"Yes, and I'll tell you why," she said. "A very long time ago, Luna and I signed a deal with a foreign country for an eternal pact, so long as the terms were kept. It was part of a peace treaty that signed away a very large amount of each country's resources to one another as a token of respect and, well, peace. But since the monarch from that treaty died off and we're several generations later, the current rulers aren't very happy with our deal, but they can't cancel it. If they were to do that, we'd be at war once again, and that's not something they want."

"What's in the deal?"

"What isn't is a better question... gold, jewellery, soldiers, weapons, livestocks, fabrics, spices, wines, you name it," Celestia listed. "Now while we're going through a near-golden age now, the things we're getting and giving are nothing more than icing on the cake. But for Atarnya, the country the deal is with, they're going through an extremely rough period, and are trying to find any way they can to cancel the treaty and get those resources back and built up to sell and prosper from."

"And how is you being Cadance's mother involved in this?"

"I'm getting there," she said with a raised finger. "Now, the peace treaty was signed to 'The Monarchy of Equestria and current immediate family'. A extremely weird way to word that, yes, but it was designed to make sure that we'd never bear children if we wished to keep the deal going... and I kind of broke that deal by having Cadance with a soldier in the Equestrian army."

"And how did you fix that?" I asked.

"I managed to wrangle up false documents including lands deeds and purchases of a brother that doesn't exist, who was hiding his Alicorn blood and title from the rest of the world, who settled down with a farmer's daughter and birthed Cadance there. Now since the term of the treaty was 'immediate family' and our country's definition of 'immediate family' is parental and sibling only, meaning mother, father, sister, brother, son, and daughter; , aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, cousins, nephews, and nieces don't count as immediate family, thus not breaking the treaty."

"That's genius," I said in an amazed manner.

"So I got to raise my daughter, rub the fact she existed in their smug faces, and all I had to do was call her my niece in public," Celestia said with a wide smile, clearly proud of herself as she spoke. "So the reason we didn't tell you is because it would run the risk of you accidentally spilling the beans, getting the treaty rescinded, and make me look like a dirty liar. Which I am, but nobody needs to know that."

"Right... okay..." I said, letting my brain process this information. "So... who is Cadance's father?"

"He... he was a general named Alexander who pulled this country through many a gruelling battle," she said in a sombre tone. "He died shortly before Cadance was born, crushed by rubble whilst defending a tower under siege. I was working on something to prevent him from ageing any further and was going to give it to him when he returned to me."

"Oh..." I said in a guilty manner. "I'm so sorry... I didn't-"

"-you didn't know, I know, dear," she said in a gentle manner, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Now enough of the political jargon and tragic backstories. We need to take you and your gang out for a nice big dinner. That sound like fun?"

"That sounds awesome," I nodded, smiling wide as my stomach gurgled loudly at the thought of well-cooked, expensive food.

Chapter 36: Debriefing

After gathering the others and settling down at a large table, we each gave our own testimonies about our experiences with Heimili, her demon army, and, in the case of Lot and I, what we came across in her cave. The three Alicorn listened intently, Luna especially unhappy about the story we told after what had happened with Arala earlier on in our journey.

"Look," Celana said once the story was finished. "If there's any kind of demonic presence or dealings going on in this city, I need to know about it. I'm not having any manner of hellspawn running amok here, especially after what happened."

"If Richter's right in his retelling, then you've got nothing to worry about when it comes to demons," Luna said, leaning back in her chair and pointing at Celana. "That thing's sealed up tighter than the royal treasure vaults and it is going nowhere unless somebody lets it out."

"Which means one of us is going to have to go and dismantle the thing and purify the area," Celestia added on. "We don't want some poor sod wandering into that cave whilst treasure hunting and opening a portal to the some horrific plane of existence. Luna, can I trust you to take care of that?"

"Sure, Lot and I should have the thing down in a few hours," Luna nodded.

"Am... am I going to be very helpful in this matter?" the Snow Elf asked in a confused manner.

"Not really, but I like spending time with you," Luna said with a smile.

The Snow Elf blushed quietly, turning her eyes down from the rest of the table, just as Karra rolled hers, jabbing a finger into the solid oak table and raising her point.

"I'm still getting every scrap of gold in that place, right?" she asked, looking between us all. "Because that'll be a very nice amount to have in my pocket after I rebuild near you guys."

"You've already purchased Equestrian land?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope, you guys did for me," Karra grinned. "And you're paying for the rebuild, too."

"Same with me," Angela said, throwing her hand in the air as she rocked back and forth on her chair, chewing through a wooden spoon as she did so.

"And where did that assumption come from?" the oldest Alicorn asked with an intrigued expression.

"The kid," they answered in unison.

I felt all the eyes of my female relatives burning holes in me as they turned their heads, Celestia more so than anyone else due to her being the one that predominantly dealt with the treasury.

"Really now?" she asked. "And how much did you agree to give away to these fine ladies?"

"Whatever the hell we want," Karra chuckled, flashing a fanged grin as she leaned back. "That's not a problem is it?"

"Not for you, no," Celestia said, continuing to glare daggers at me before turning back to Angela and Karra. "So what exactly did he promise you?"

"Wrote us both decrees that allows us any piece of land in Equestria and unlimited access to the treasury to build whatever the hell we want," Karra explained. "So long as we pay taxes once we start making a profit."

"Right then..." Celestia said, clearly hiding her irritation with me behind a smile before exhaling slowly. "Then I'm afraid I'm rearranging those terms, and if you don't like them, the deal doesn't go through. Okay?"

"I'm listening..." Karra said, her wide smirk dropping from her face and being replaced with a look of cautiousness.

"Good. First change: you don't pay taxes on the properties after your first month in work, you start paying them the second construction starts," she began.

"But that's-" Karra started.

"-I'm not finished yet, deary," Celestia said in a stern tone. "Secondly, you'll pay the appropriate and applicable tax rate for the type of property you're building the second the contractors set foot on that land. So if you girls want to build your multi-storey fortresses, then you're going to start paying taxes on them, okay?"

"But how are we supposed to fork over that amount of money before we start doing business?" Karra asked in horror. "That's not possible!"

"That's also not my problem, sunshine," Celestia said with a shrug. "If you don't want the government to fleece you, try building a shack with a sign painted on it to pay taxes applicable to that and build up from there."

"Do you understand how much manpower and inventory space I'll lose going back to working out of a shed behind a market stand?" Karra growled.

"A damn sight less than you'll lose paying to rebuild your pile of rubble outside or getting a premium piece in Equestria the proper way," Celestia said with a confident smile. "So what's it gonna be, ladies? Are you in, or are you out?"

"You're asking me to abandon what I have here and start from nearly nothing," Karra snarled. "Do you understand how hard that's going to be?"

"Slightly easier than starting over from literal nothing," Celestia shrugged, picking up a wine glass and a wine bottle from the table and pouring her a drink. "You get your premium land, you get a place of work, and you start earning a lot faster than you would if you built your fort. If you start small, you don't pay as much tax and it won't even need to cut into your reward money that much. Everybody wins."

The two were quiet for a long moment, Angela thinking it over a damn-sight more than Karra did, with the catgirl slamming down her drink and storming away.

"You're a damn con-artist, Celestia," she snarled. "I'm out."

"Your loss," Celestia shrugged, turning to Angela with a wide smile. "Angela? What's your decision?"

"May... may you run me through the exact tax rates for specific properties please?" the construct mage asked as she scooted around the table to Celestia. "I'd like to weigh up my options before truly making a decision."

"Smart girl," Celestia smiled, beginning to run her through the differences between Equestrian land tax rates and property tax rates.

With that going down, I turned back to the other two princesses who still didn't look too pleased with me.

"I... I thought it would be a nice thing to do," I said, scratching the back of my head in an awkward manner.

"Which it was," Luna said. "But a very, very stupid thing to do."

"Was it really that bad?" I asked.

"The two of them could have sponged such a large amount of money from the treasury with what they had planned, that we'd need to re-budget everything from military training to population feeding," Luna explained. "It might not have run us dry, but it could've opened up a serious set of weaknesses other countries could use to take advantage of us."

"Oh..." I mumbled, lowering my eyes from everyone present and sighing quietly. "Can I disappear for a minute? I need to use the bathroom."

"Sure," Luna nodded, knowing full well I was lying through my teeth. "I'll get the story from the others while you're here."

"Right..."

With that, I headed off to my room upstairs, closing the door behind me and sitting on the bed. A mix of anger and humiliation ran through me, wondering how in the hell I could've been that stupid to begin with. I'd signed away what could have been literal millions of bits to two near-random strangers without having any idea how much money we had in the treasury, nor how much had already been promised to other practices. I gripped the back of my head and bit down on my bottom lip, fury and self-doubt burning strong inside me.

The first thing I'd done as a prince. The literal first decision I'd made as an official ruler would've burned a hole in the country. Not only that, I'd shown off to everyone how unbelievably inept I was when it came to making decisions. I stared at the floor, red in the face with embarrassment and about one more fuck-up away from giving up already. I didn't raise my head when I heard the door open, nor did I look at her when the lower half of my mother's pink dress came into view.

"Richter," she said in a soft tone, her voice dripping with sympathy and affection. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"Why shouldn't I?" I asked, still refusing to look at her.

"Because it was an honest mistake," she answered, sitting down next to me and cradling me in her arms, squeezing my face into her breasts.

"A stupid one," I countered.

"That, while misguided, still came from a place of honesty and honour," she said, sighing quietly. "You meant well, but made a bad call. It happens to all of us."

"This badly?"

"Sometimes even worse," Cadance said. "But you're not in the mood to talk about it. So let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" I asked, still feeling miserable.

"Let's talk about a little something Celestia informed me about while we were preparing for the others to arrive," she said, shifting herself to a position that didn't even hide the fact she was shoving me into her cleavage, gently running her hand through my hair as her voice took on a much more sultry tone. "Something that happened to involve a certain young man having certain thoughts about certain relatives."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," I stammered, failing to keep my cool as I tried to pull away from her, only for her grip to strengthen and keep me in place.

"Oh, but you do," she chuckled, shifting our position to lay me down on the bed with her sitting above me. "You know all too well what I'm talking about."

"M-Mom..." I said, staring into her now-glowing pink eyes as she placed her soft hand on my stomach, drumming her fingers in a gentle, enticing manner.

"Little fantasies that you feel guilty about, but can't help find arousing, no?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow as she lay down next to me, resting on her elbow as she ran her other hand down her slender, curvy body. "Imagining a little aunt of yours playing with herself? Imagining your lovely old grandma's lovely big ass? Am I getting close with these?"

"I... this... you're..." I stammered, trying to move my head away as she leaned towards me, sliding a hand up my back to prevent me from moving.

"So, my handsome little stud..." she said, leaning forward and kissing me, sliding her tongue into my mouth and lashing it against my own.

Fireworks set off in my head, eyes, taste buds, and sexual organs flaring wildly as the taste of her tongue, of my mother's tongue rocketed through my system. She rolled slightly, pinning me down onto the bed and continuing to drive her tongue deeper into my mouth, allowing me to suck the delicious muscle as I lost my sense of rationale for a second too long. I allowed her to guide my hands onto her backside, instinctively squeezing her phat rear as I'd done with so many other women, so many times before. She then broke away from me, her eyes glowing like the embers of a warm fire, as a smirk spread onto her beautiful, delicious lips before she said the sentence that would set my world alight:

"Let's have a nice, honest talk about incest... and all the things you're going to love about it."

Chapter 37: A Mother's Love (Clop)

"I..." I muttered, unable to get the words past the knot in my throat.

Why? How? What? When?

A flurried mess of responses rocketed through my skull, heart pounding like a drum at a festival, face burning a red so hot it burned, and a rapidly-swelling erection locked away in the confines of my pants, confused-yet-ready to be unleashed. How could she do that? She was my mother! The woman that was supposed to be the furthest thing away from a lover that she could get in her life. Yet she kissed me. Outright kissed, tongues and everything... what was going to happen now? Where did we go from here?

"Are you gonna say something?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at me with a playful smirk. "Or are you gonna sit there like a lemon for the rest of the day?"

"I..." I repeated, a low growl forming in my throat before I finally managed to choke out a response. "Can I kiss you again?"

"Whenever and wherever you wish, honey," she nodded, leaning forward and smooching me again.

I felt sick to my stomach at this point. Guilt rocked every fibre of my being at the crime against nature I was committing right now, we were committing right now. I once again squeezed her backside, feeling the dense, thick fat that was covered by her flimsy dress. I was moving on pure instinct at this point, years and years of repeated fucking with so many different types of women had given me muscle memory beyond what seemed human.

I slid the dress up with my fingers, feeling the soft, blemish-less skin under my palms as I kneaded it softly. Her ass was amazing, not big enough to hold a candle to someone like Celestia, but big enough to make all the other girls jealous and my dick hard as a rock. I shifted my fingers to the crack of her ass, feeling the material of the skimpy underwear she wore. It was a G-String made of what felt like satin, soft and warm. I hooked my finger underneath the thin line and pulled it aside, plunging my fingers between her enormous ass cheeks and feeling the warmth of her hidden treasures spread onto my hand.

"Uhnf..." my mother moaned as my fingers rubbed against her labia, breaking the kiss and shifting us both. "If we're doing this, then we better lock the door, keep quiet, and get something to act as lubricant."

I did all of this in a matter of seconds, ducking out from underneath her and bolting the door shut, reminding myself to be quiet no matter what happened, and digging out a moisturising lotion from my bag and placing it on the bedside. I grabbed hold of her shoulders and tore the front half of her dress open, her eyes wide in shock as her bra was exposed to the temperature of the room.

"Somebody's a little desperate," she said, her eyes glowing brightly once more as she did the same to me, using her superior Alicorn strength to tear the entirety of my shirt open and off. "Just as good that I am as well."

I squeezed her enormous breasts, feeling her erect nipples through the flimsy material of her pink bra, reaching around her back and unclasping it with trained precision, throwing the underwear away and letting her perfect, heaving tits fall free. The spat of guilt kicked up again, knowing that this was a feminine form I should never find enjoyment in seeing, but a thumping feeling in my head, heart, and loins told me to ignore it. I squeezed them again, harder this time, Cadance gritting her teeth and groaning in a mix of pleasure and pain.

"I should've expected you to be this rough," she said with a smirk, pulling my belt off and opening my pants, allowing my enormous, throbbing cock to spring free from its prison and meet her hungry gaze. "Oh... oh yes."

With the look of a starving animal in her beautiful pink eyes, she applied the lotion to her hands and began to pump them up and down my cock. The lotion was cold at first, but was soon rubbed in enough to not be noticeable, especially as my mother's hot and skilled hands worked literal magic on my cock, that throbbing feeling in my loins surging up stronger than ever as I began to toy with her hair.

"You know... I expected you to protest a lot more at first," she said, her voice covering the wet noises of her wanking my cock off and the sultry tone it was slathered in making me feel warm inside. "But I guess nature always trumps nurture in the end, doesn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, struggling to form sentences over the haze that had invaded my mind.

"I'll tell you later," she said with a shrug, fondling my balls with the palm of one of her hands while using the other to work the tip of my cock. "I don't want you distracted with a biology lesson now of all times. Here, keep yourself busy for a minute while I get undressed properly."

I did as told, beating myself off while my mother stripped down entirely, casting the shredded remains of her dress aside, her underwear cast side with nary a care, and her socks and boots thrown over either shoulder. With that done, she dragged an enticing finger from her mouth down to her pussy, winking, and then beckoning me over with a slender finger.

"What do you want first?" she asked in a playful tone.

I moved over to her, wrapping my arms around her thick hips and hugging her once more, her skilled hands moving back onto my cock, toying with the tip as it was pressed against her abdomen. As I stood against the much larger woman, my nose was set alight by her smell. I glided my hands down to her breasts again, squeezing and toying with them. I leaned forward and began to suck her neck, her skin itself having the same taste as the scent in my nose, each whiff and lick of her wiping away layers upon layers of guilt and remorse and replacing them with a single desire: fuck her as hard as I could.

My mother soon guided me away from rubbing against her and licking at anything in reach, aiming me back towards the bed and sitting me down, getting on her knees as she conjured up a small magic ring, glowing and pulsating. Confused for a mere moment, I stared at the object before she used it as naught more than a bobble, tying her hair behind her head into a thick ponytail; a sign that she was getting serious with me now.

"I hope you don't mind the lack of talent I'm going to put into this..." she said in a coy manner. "But I'm just gonna slobber all over this thing for about ten minutes because your cock is beautiful."

And slobber she did, placing the thick tip of my cock into her mouth and giving it the wettest kiss you could imagine. Lashing her tongue up and around the foreign object, thick lips wrapped tightly around it, and eyes seemingly locked onto mine as she sucked my dick. I placed my hands behind me and leaned back on the bed, giving her more room to work as I sat there panting, my mother's amazing mouth once again kicking up that pounding drumbeat in my head, chest, and cock more and more.

She remained with her hands away from my cock, leaning on them instead as she began to bob up and down on it, twisting her head and flicking her tongue, making the flesh and foreskin pull and move in different ways as her head moved up and down. I gritted my teeth, growling quietly under my breath as my more animalistic desires came to light, wanting every so much to grab hold of the back of her head and fuck her throat as hard as I could. But I held myself back, for now at least, and merely allowed her to work her magic on my shaft.

The first five inches were soon glistening with spit and Cadance seemed to be able to take that length without so much as trying, comfortable sitting her mouth on those thick inches and still fucking me with her eyes, as she never took those gorgeous, glowing orbs off mine for even a split second, no matter how much she took into her mouth. I couldn't even remembered if she'd blinked... or if I had either. I didn't want to blink, because then I'd miss even that much of her beauty. The smell was back again, thick and heavy, clinging to the back of my throat and making every breath only increase my arousal for her.

I spotted her wiggling her backside in a playful manner, her thick, white ass jiggling ever so softly at the gentle hip motions as she took the eighth inch into her mouth, now well into her throat and still showing no signs of difficulty, struggle... or even effort. My mother was a blowjob princess, one of the best I'd ever had. While Celana and Angela were good with dick in their own rights and even though they'd enjoyed it, they still made it look like work. Made it look like they had to put effort into pleasuring me, that bringing me to orgasm was a task they had to slave away for. Cadance's skill and attitude made her seem like she had the ability to make me cum in about eight seconds, but she simply chose not to as she wanted me to enjoy her 'work'.

"How are you so good at this?" I asked in a desperate tone.

"Years of practice," she said around my cock. "Your dad's bigger than you are, too, so this is kind of less work than it usually is. That being said... your cock is fucking huge, baby."

"Thanks... I guess," I said, not really sure how to take that semi-back-handed complement.

"You taste different as well..." she said, ruffling her hair briefly as she went down on my cock sideways for several seconds. "Your dad's cock tastes like, well, cock. But you... you taste different. You taste good."

"What do I taste like?" I asked.

"Like an animal," she answered. "You taste like a wild animal that's barely kept in check. I don't know how that tastes good, but its making this a fucking treat. You smell like one as well; powerful, rugged, and masculine. I'm dripping a lake down here from the taste of you alone."

"Really?"

"Yeah... I can't wait to taste your cum," she said in a rugged tone, her vocal skills still impressive with eight inches of cock in her mouth. "I'm going crazy just thinking about it."

She went silent after that, moving forward on her knees and placing her hands on my crotch, using the leverage to allow herself to bomb her head up and down the entire, near-foot-long-length of my monster cock, her tight throat clamping down around my thick shaft as her lips came into contact with my shaved crotch. My teeth snapped shut as soon as she started doing this, straining to keep my eyes open as my cock felt like it was going to heaven. If I'd wondered what effort looked like for my mother, then this was her showing me what she could do. I couldn't help myself from blowing in her throat.

I'd been riding at a nice pace, slowly building up while enjoying what she was doing, only for her to jump into full speed mode and nearly swallow my entire lower half. I nutted hard and... nutted a lot. Like, a lot. So much that my mother was unable to handle it, even with the direct line to her stomach. She pulled back a good few inches, keeping my cock in her mouth just to see where the overflow would stop, the ejaculate spilling out of her mouth, down her chin, and all over her breasts.

I pulled out and spurted the last few streams onto her face, basting the poor woman with a mud mask of cum. Her eyes were wide in shock, chest heaving, and cheeks, at least the visible part, were red as a tomato from exertion. Using the remains of her dress, she wiped herself clean, staring at the shocking volume of cum she wiped off and feeling the small pool of it in her stomach by pressing her hand to her abdomen.

"Okay... that wasn't something I read about in the history books," she said, licking her lips and savouring the taste. "But... now that I know that's gonna happen, I think I can handle it better."

"I'd say you handled that pretty well," I said, staring at my spit-soaked cock and realising that it didn't have the usual wilt to it that it did after coming, showing that it wasn't going to deflate anytime soon.

"I wanna do it better," she said, criticising herself a little. "I pride myself on remaining dignified during sex, and spilling it all over myself like a university student who tried to neck a bottle of vodka and failing isn't the most 'princessy' thing I can do."

"Right," I said, scratching the back of my head as I continued to stare at my throbbing cock. "It's not going down."

"You can usually go for two rounds straight, can't you?" she asked. "If word around the castle is true, then you can manage three if you push yourself."

"Yeah, but I usually start to wilt at least a little if I don't stick it straight in," I said with a shrug, rubbing the sensitive head and shivering slightly.

"I think I know why," she nodded. "But I don't wanna stop for science. You ready to move on?"

"Sure, what do you want me to do first?" I asked.

"So... which girl's ass do you enjoy eating the most?" she asked, drumming her fingers on one of her huge breasts.

"Celana's, so far," I answered, grinning excitedly. "You wanna try and take that crown?"

"Of course," she said, lying down on her front with her ass jutted out into the air. "Come on, big guy. Get your tongue in there."

I wasted no time on her request, spreading her fat, white ass good and far apart before running my tongue over her puckered asshole. I dug my face into it, inhaling deeply and shivering in a pleasured manner, hearing Cadance giggle and moan as I pushed the flat of my tongue against it once more, circling my licks around it for several long seconds, hearing my mother pant and gasp as I rimmed her tight back entrance. She hadn't been kidding about dripping a lake, either, as I could smell and see the streaks of her own lubricant down her thighs, reaching the middle of her knee joint before they'd dripped onto the floor.

I dug my thumb into her ass, stretching it nice and wide and getting the tip of my tongue in and around the ring of muscle, that gorgeous taste of hers coming back in full force as I dug into it. She began, much like Celana had, grinding her ass against my tongue. The thick, soft cheeks of her ass mashing and rubbing against my face, the sweat coating the cheeks and the crack of her ass being ample targets for my tongue, keeping her busy by pushing a second thumb past her sphincter and spreading gently, her asshole clearly being experienced enough to do this without any kind of pain or damage.

"I'd heard good things from the girls in the castle..." Cadance panted, her thick thighs shivering in excitement. "But fuck, baby. I didn't know you were this good."

"Just wait," I smirked, pulling her asshole open with my thumbs and plunging my tongue deep into her cavern, licking and lapping around the entirety of her inner walls and getting her to moan through gritted teeth in response.

"You like?" I asked with a smile.

"Fuuuck yeahhh..." Cadance moaned, face flat in the bed spread as I drove the entirety of my tongue inside her asshole, my chin resting against her labia as her asshole clenched around the thick, wet muscle invading its depths.

"You're so nasty," she giggled. "I like it."

"I don't understand how I couldn't have a love of big ass after growing up around you three," I said, pulling out of her hole and replacing my tongue with three fingertips while speaking.

"I was the exact same with Luna and Celestia," she said with a nostalgic tone in her voice. "Whenever I got the chance, fuck, whenever I still do, I will eat their asses for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Celestia has to be the most fun one because she pretends she doesn't like it, but it gets her off like nobody's business."

"I want her ass so badly," I said, spitting on Cadance's asshole and using it to lube her up a little bit more. "That thing's bigger than I am."

"Its amazing, isn't it?" Cadance groaned, digging her fingers into the bedsheets before sighing in a desperate manner. "Alright, forget the fingers. Put more of that lotion on your cock and get in there. I'm going crazy just thinking about how big you'll feel."

"If you say so," I shrugged, slathering my cock with more of the white lotion before positioning myself at the entrance to her asshole, needing to get her to lower herself slightly due to her larger size making it awkward for us.

I controlled my breathing, excitement pounding in my heart and cock as I rubbed the lotion-slicked head of my dick against my mother's wet asshole, ready and waiting for her to say the word.

"Give it to me slowly," she said in a calm tone. "I really wanna enjoy the feeling of it splitting me in half. Promise?"

"I promise," I said, placing a hand on her wide ass and applying pressure to her sphincter, the lubed head pushing past the tight ring of muscle and slowly being swallowed by her wet, warm asshole. My eyes widened in shock at how good she felt, with only an inch and a half inside her. I forced myself to keep under control, biting my lips and constantly repeating the phrase "Don't ram it in" over and over as I slowly edged deeper and deeper inside her. The sound of her shaky, pleasured breaths brought a sense of pleasure to me, that boyhood fantasies of her finding me sexually attractive were being replaced with concrete evidence of her finding me sexually pleasurable.

"Hang on a second," she said once I was about eight inches inside her, that request flaring up my annoyance, but I followed it still.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Nothing... its just..." she said, sounding rather embarrassed about it. "This was the max depth the first thing I stuffed up here could reach. I like to remember that and feel how much deeper I can take things now."

"A weird milestone," I commented.

"But a good one to celebrate if you're a nasty old slut, like I am," Cadance chuckled. "Anyway, keep going."

I followed her orders, pushing deeper and deeper inside her, her tight asshole swallowing more and more of my cock second after second, until my hips eventually came into contact with her ass, hilting my cock as deep in her as I could go. I leaned over her body, resting my weight on hers as a groan fell from my mouth, the sheer tightness of her asshole making me wanna cum.

"Mom..." I moaned as closed to her ear as I could due to our difference in size. "Fuck..."

"I know, sweetie," she giggled. "Your father says the same thing every time. Now... you can enjoy yourself if you want. Just give me a warning when you're going to pop, okay?"

"R-Right," I nodded, straightening up again and placing my hands on her hips, drawing my cock all the way back out of her god-like asshole, before slamming it back in.

Cadance clapped a hand to her mouth just in time to catch a loud moan, her eyes wide in pleasure at the feeling as she then bit into her hand.

"F-Fuck..." she groaned, looking back at me as I continued to fuck her ass. "Keep going... maybe a little faster, if you can manage."

I did as she wanted, gripping her hips nice and tight to fuck her nice and fast, the bed bouncing forward slightly as I slammed my hips forward, the sound of my hips hitting against her big ass producing the perfect sound of flesh hitting flesh, that dull thud that I'd kept so many people awake at night with. She still jiggled despite how hard I was gripping her ass, the thing being that fucking big that I could grab hold of two handfuls of either cheek and still not be holding the one of them properly. This ass was perfect, nearly as big as Celana's but so much more fun to fuck because of who it belonged to.

My mother's voice, her beautiful, dulcet tones, leant themselves well to the sounds of whorish moans and slutty gasps, my monster cock pounding her tight little hole for all it was worth, the sweat forming in her ass crack making the thuds of fucking nice and wet, just how I liked them. It seemed Cadance was a mutterer more than a moaner, spewing out little sentences and words of approval and pleasure under her breath as opposed to braying like a donkey when enjoying herself.

I'd had both several times before, but had come to enjoy the latter a little more due to the validation it gave me when I turned an educated woman into an animalistic mess. I watched her ass bounce, watched the muscles in her shoulders flex and knot as they responded to the hard hits of my hips, trying desperately to not lose their strength or else Cadance would be sent flying into the head board.

I leaned over her again, gripping her enormous, sweaty tits as they swung underneath her, planting a wet kiss on her back as she began to grind her ass against my cock, the circular motions swiftly becoming a favourite of mine with the women I nailed recently. I could hear her mutterings much better at this distance, hearing her spout praises about how much she loved me, loved my cock, and how I amazing I felt.

"I love you..." she said in a louder voice, clearly wanting me to hear her this time. "I love you so fucking much..."

"I love you too," I said, using my grip and abdominal strength to lift her up, making her rest on her legs and sit up straight while I hammered her asshole, my hands locked around her stomach as her enormous tits bounced up and down in response to the vicious pounding she received downstairs. I ran my tongue along her back once more, the salty taste of the sweat coating her body exciting me to no end. We were both soaked to the bone with sweat now, the liquid of exertion only making us slipperier, acting as a lubricant that only made rubbing and grinding against one another more pleasurable.

"M-Mom..." I groaned after several minutes. "I'm gonna cum."

"Don't worry," she said in a comforting tone. "You don't need to pull out. Just blow as much as you want inside me."

"Right..." I said, gritting my teeth and throwing my fucking into overdrive, slamming my cock into her tight asshole harder and harder, taking less and less out each time, and hearing her voice pick up in volume before she clapped her hands over her mouth again just as I blew my load. Hot and thick streams of cum blasted deep into her cove, almost as much, if not more, than the first time. Surprise once again gripped the two of us as I continued to cum.

"This much?" she asked in confusion. "Again?"

I didn't answer, I couldn't. My brain had gone blank and barely had time to process anything as I continued to cum inside her, that pool in her stomach growing ever larger before I pulled out, cumming all over her back, from asshole to her ponytail, before the stream eventually stopped. I dropped backwards, panting with exhaustion on the bed in a pool of my own sweat as my mother turned around, eyes wide with a mix of horror and wonder, crawling over to me and lying down beside me.

"Why... why can you cum that much?" she asked, staring at my cock as it continued to spurt little streams of left-over cum for a few more seconds.

She closed her hand around my shaft, still hard and still throbbing even after two orgasms and nearly a pint of semen blasted out of it. She rubbed the cum-soaked object with her thumb, the glow in her eyes dying down back to the ember-like appearance they had at the start, before she rolled on top of me, clapping her hands to my cheeks and kissing me passionately. I was surprised at first, wondering if she wanted to go for round three, only for her to break away moments later and smile at me.

"So?" she asked. "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired... I guess," I shrugged.

"No, I mean morality-wise," she said with a roll of her eyes. "You just reamed your biological mother and gave her a heaping-helping of baby matter in her mouth and asshole! How's your moral fibre feeling?"

I realised what she meant, looking away from her gorgeous body and closing my eyes, focusing on how I felt inside. There was the exhaustion, there was the afterglow of amazing sex... and that was it. There was none of the guilt from the beginning of the act, it had been washed away like sandy footprints at high tide. There was no remorse, no feeling of self-hatred or disgust, and there was no need to purify my soul after this act. The only thing I felt was confusion as to why she'd never asked if I wanted to fuck her pussy.

"Too risky," she asked once I'd brought it up to her. "We're both Alicorn, remember? You can get me pregnant if I let you cum inside there."

"What about those contraceptive chews all the other women use?" I asked. "Can't you just use one of those?"

"Not the human ones," she said. "If I could, I'd let you bust a whole forests' worth of nuts in my pussy, but the ones we need to clean out our insides take much longer to brew up and use."

"How long?" I asked.

"For a batch... about a month," Cadance shrugged. "And they are so potent that if a normal woman has one, whether she's an Elf, a human, a Lulpurya, or any other creature besides an Alicorn, it'd probably dissolve their reproductive organs."

"What the hell is a Lulpurya?" I asked with a confused expression.

"One of these," Cadance said, snapping her fingers and being swallowed by a magical aura.

When the light faded away, my mother had been replaced by an anthropomorphic wolf with pink fur, a thick muzzle, a bushy tail, and the same sex-bomb body type she had before.

"So?" she asked in a growling tone. "Look familiar?"

"Can I fuck you again?" I asked. "Right now?"

"Is it the tit-tuft?" she asked, pointing with a clawed finger at the large tuft of pink fur just above her cleavage. "Everyone wants to fuck the tit-tuft."

"Please let me fuck you again," I begged.

"Another time,." she said, transforming back into her normal state and leaving me unhappy.

"How did you do that?" I asked.

"I'm an expert transformation mage," she shrugged, snapping her fingers over and over again to change from her Alicorn form to a Nekomata, a Okamimata, a Kitsune, an anthropomorphic dragon, a Lamia, a regular sea lion pup, and even into Luna for a split second.

"That's... rather impressive," I said, genuinely amazed by how deficient I was as an Alicorn.

"Luna doesn't like when I use her form," Cadance said as she switched back to her normal appearance. "But I mostly use it to sneak through crowds of people, avoid being spotted at functions, or to let your father live out his animal-girl fetish without cheating on me... Oh!"

"What?" I asked, wondering where that final exclamation of excitement came from.

"You have an animal girl fetish, right?" Cadance asked with a wide smirk.

"Somewhat," I nodded.

"Then you and your dad can enjoy me as a catgirl, right?" she asked, running off with her own fantasy for a moment. "You two could be the king and prince, I could be a lowly catgirl slave that breaks something precious while cleaning, and the only way you'll let me stay on the staff is if the two of you get to spitroast me... oh. Oh yeahhh..."

I blinked quietly, seeing my mother shiver in excitement before placing her hands on my shoulders and smiling widely.

"So? What do you think?" she asked. "Do you wanna have a threesome with your dad and I soon? I'll let you pick the next one."

"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to turn you down on that one," I said with a shake of my head. "If there's any rules I have in the bedroom, it's these two: I don't take it up the ass from anything in any fashion, and I don't invite other guys. It makes me feel awkward and uncomfortable having another man in the bedroom and I hate the idea of it."

"But you're completely okay with letting one of your girlfriends feel exactly the same when you bring another girl into the room because 'bisexual girls are hot', right?" she asked in an annoyed expression.

"Yes," I said in the bluntest way possible. "I am a complete hypocrite on this regard and will happily fuck a pile of women on my bed with no regards for whether or not they feel uncomfortable being next to other women in the bedroom, but I will end a relationship there and then if she suggests adding another man to proceedings. I am many things, mother, but a liar is not one of them."

"Hmph," she said, crossing her arms and legs as she turned away from me. "You're no fun... I guess I'll just have to ask your father to get a member from the royal guard to join us. Is that what you want? Some random guy from some random place fucking your mom?"

"I couldn't care less, to be honest," I shrugged. "You're a grown woman in an open relationship with an understanding partner, and I believe that you should be able to sleep with whoever you want to, so long as it's consensual and what you want to do."

"What if it was a black man?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why does that matter?" I asked in confusion. "The same rules apply no matter what his skin colour is."

"Just testing you there, son," she said, giving me a proud smile and a pat on the head. "Most people talk all the talk they want about letting their daughters date whoever they want so long as they love them, and proceed to lose their damn minds when they bring a black boyfriend home. I'm happy that you're not one of those people."

"As a white man who has fucked as many black women as I have, what the hell kind of logic is there in saying I'm allowed to have black women but black men aren't allowed to have white ones?"

She proceeded to wrap her arms around me and squeeze me against her sweaty body, true love in the hug.

"I love you," she said, nuzzling my cheek softly.

I sat back from her and looked deep into her eyes, smiling widely at her loving expression as a chuckle fell from my lips.

"But what if I was in a gangbang with nothing but big, muscular black men?"

"Will you knock it off already?"

"What if there was ten of them?"

"Mom."

"And all their dicks were bigger than yours?"

"This conversation is over," I said, getting up off the bed. "Shower the cum of you, drain your insides, and lets get back downstairs before anyone figures out what happened here."

"And if one of them got me pregnant?"

"That's not even... how the hell would they..." I stammered, staring at her wide grin as she was clearly doing this to annoy me, batting her eyelashes playfully as she sat there. "Fuck you."

"Love you too, sugar-bear," she giggled, getting off the bed and going to wash herself off and out.

Chapter 38: After The Fact

I remained naked on the bed, knees tucked up to my chest and my eyes locked onto my mother. She'd taken a seat at the dressing table, humming quietly to herself as she brushed her hair. The sparkle in her eyes, the curves of her body, and the glow of beauty she radiated kept me entranced towards her. My mind began wandering all over the place, to thoughts of her marriage, my father, the relationship with my aunts, and all the other questions that the last hour had awoken inside me.

"Your eyes will get sore if you don't blink, sweetie," she said from across the room.

"Sorry," I sighed. "I'm just..."

"Conflicted?" she asked, grimacing as she got a painful knot out of her hair with a mighty tug.

"No... not really," I said, looking down at the floor of the bedroom before continuing. "I feel fine... just a little confused as to where we all stand now."

"We stand in the same place we always have, Richter," Cadance said, setting the brush down as she got up to her feet, walking over to me, and using a gentle finger to raise my chin, causing our eyes to meet. "I'm your mother, you're my beautiful, perfect son, and your aunts still love and adore you as they always have. You just get to be closer to them now than ever before."

"What about dad?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Does he know about this?"

"Of course he does. I love your father with all my heart, and I'd never dare keep anything a secret from him," she said, setting her hand on her cocked, wide hips as she nodded slowly. "Richter, I may have never told you this, but I'm a being 'inflicted' with severe polyamory. I could not, even if I wished it with all my being, bring myself to fall in love with a single person. I explained this to your father when the two of us started courting, all those years ago, and he was more than fine with it. That was even before I made the offer for him to share the same luxury of having as many partners as he chooses."

"And the incest?"

"Well... that came later, after we'd fallen in love. He was more than shocked at first, I could see it on his face, but he soon came to terms with it and said he wasn't one to judge the machinations of higher beings," she said, her eyes glossing over with nostalgia for a time long ago. "So you can stay calm and not worry about having to duel your father to the death for the right to my hand. I love both of you equally and will forever be at your side, no matter what happens."

"That's... that's good to know," I said, sighing in relief as my eyes looked up the ceiling. "I don't want anything to come between us."

"Worry not, my love," she said, kissing me on the cheek again.

I wasn't sure if I did it willingly or not, whether it was instinct or conscious thought, but I wrapped my arms around my mother and pulled her close, sighing in relief as I felt her warm and loving body press up against mine. She wasted no time embracing me once more, resting her chin on my head and holding me close to her beating heart.

"I have to admit, I was a little afraid you wouldn't take to this so readily," she said, kissing my head and inhaling. "I feared I'd have to hide the heartbreak of never being able to love you the way I've wanted to for so long... I am beyond enraptured that it never had to come to that."

"Thank you," I said in a hushed tone, kissing her collarbone softly before she stepped back and looked at me, beaming widely.

"Oh, I don't think I've ever been so happy before in my life!" she beamed, eyes glowing with love and affection. "I have the two men I love more than anything, my darling boy is a heroic dragonslayer, and he's finally reached the age where I can enjoy myself without feeling guilty! It can't get better, can it?"

I smiled widely, feeling a genuine sense of pleasure merely from seeing how happy my mother was at this turn of events. She did also have a point as well. I may not have been the only one involved, but I had helped kill a dragon. It was going to be written in the history books, sung about for years to come, and could even be a name locals gave me 'Prince Richter the Dragonslayer'. I grinned happily, feeling a large sense of pride well up in my chest at the concept of finally being held in the same regard as the other Alicorn.

"Now, I believe you have other business to attend to with your aunts?" Cadance asked.

"Aunt and Grandmother, apparently," I said, getting to my feet as Cadance moved back.

"Ah, yes. It's good to finally have that out in the open," Cadance smiled.

"Yes, good to know our family is a bunch of disloyal con-artists," I chuckled, looking around only to realise my clothes were in tatters.

"Hey, any act done for the good of our people is one we hold as good," she shrugged, noticing my reaction and pressing a finger to my chest, conjuring up thick leather boots, thicker fur trousers, and a padded gambeson over my body. "Keep warm out there, gorgeous. And don't forget your sword."

"Right," I said, picking up the beautifully-crafted weapon and fastening it to my back. "I shall see you when I return."

I gave her a brief peck on the lips and attempted to move away, only for her grab a hold of me once again and give me another big, wet kiss that lasted for a good long while. We broke apart, Cadance grinning like a giddy schoolgirl as she patted me on the head and moved me towards the door.

"I'm never going to get tired of doing that," she giggled, wishing me well before returning to her beauty routine.

I headed down the stairs to the bar seeing, Celestia grinning smugly as a very angry Karra and a slightly terrified Angela sat at the table, both scrawling what appeared to be signatures down on a piece of paper with a begrudging stare.

"I hate you," Karra spat at the princess.

"You'll make the money back in no time, dearie," Celestia shrugged. "And until you have your central hub, your mercenaries can work from rented accommodations, same as you."

"I hate you," she said, flinging the page back at Celestia after she and Angela had signed it.

"I look forward to seeing your business thrive and expand inside my wonderful city, ladies," Celestia said, standing up and walking over to the bar.

"More like seeing your fucking treasury expand and thrive..." Karra hissed, her eyes alight with fury and her ears flat against her head.

"Well of course," Celestia sniggered, ordering a glass of wine. "But you didn't hear that from me."

"Personally... I'm just glad to have my business back," Angela sighed. "I'd go stir crazy without the hustle of running a guild."

"It's good to see somebody's grateful," Celestia said in a sing-song tone.

"Eat my ass, you crusty old slut," Karra spat, getting up from the table and storming out of the inn.

"Thank you again, Princess Celestia," Angela said, bowing her head as she made her exit.

I walked down to the bar, seeing Celestia look at me with a smile as she sipped from her wine glass. She held up a finger and quickly beckoned me over, finishing the glass of wine and seemingly ready to give me advice.

"Okay, so: I'm more than proud of you for being honourable enough to pay off your debts to those who have been inconvenienced due to their loyalty to you," she said with a smile. "Honestly amazed at how noble it was. But please: never offer to give people that much for free ever again."

"R-Right..." I sighed, feeling that downer come over me again.

"Ah, no moping," Celestia said with a point of her finger. "You've made your mistake, you've had your slap on the wrist, and that's that. Let's not get all depressed because of a mistake that's been fixed and move on with what we have to do."

"The summoning circle?" I asked.

"Indeed," Celestia said, knocking on the bar as a signal she wanted a refill. "Now, from what you've told us, the circle is deactivated, but still intact. We'll approach it with caution, but dismantle it without summoning anything, and be ready to head home soon enough."

"Sounds easy," I nodded, following along thanks to my training in demonology. "Are we going to need to purify the area or convey a holy blessing to clean out any unwanted remnants?"

"It depends," Celestia said, necking the refill of her wine immediately and setting the glass down on the counter. "If there's a lingering presence, we'll contact the Blades of Illuminia and ask them to send a Priestess over to perform a few basic rites while we go home. If not, then we just scrap the circle entirely and leave it as is."

The Blades of Illuminia. I'd read about them a while back. They were supposedly a holy order of knights that were brought up and trained to worship and follow the Alicorn wherever we went. Heard they were a pretty inclusive bunch for a religious group, too. Female leaders, acceptance of homosexual relationships, and while they still viewed humans as the 'godly species', they would never actively ignore other races in need of saving... merely 'prioritise' them.

Nobody's perfect, okay?

"Are we heading there now?" I asked.

"In an hour or so," Celestia nodded. "I still want to check in with the queen and Celana to check for damage reports and if the kingdom shall require anything more than financial aid to help get back on its feet."

"Making every opportunity a golden one, eh?" I asked her.

She winked at me in a sly manner, that usual playful gesture she'd always made at me since I was a child now taking on a whole new air of sexuality now that I knew she was on 'open season', as it were. Putting my objectifying, man-whoring standards aside for a long moment, I bid her farewell as I went to look for the others, finding Annerose feeding Grael bacon strips while Zane was, strangely, absent from the group.

"If you snap that hard, you'll damage your teeth, you numpty," Annerose said to the large Direwolf as his powerful jaws mashed the meat into paste.

"Instinct overwhelms even the best of us, Annerose," he said, his eloquent and well-spoken manner being hard to take seriously in between his vicious and animalistic snaps and growls as he 'wolfed' down the bacon.

"Where's Zane disappeared to?" I asked them as I sat down.

"Oh, he and Ressa disappeared a while ago, I think just before Karra came back with her tail between her legs to ask if she was still allowed to negotiate terms for her business," Annerose answered, eating a slice of bacon of her own as Grael licked his chops clean of the fat and gristle.

"I think the young kitten's taken a fancy to our Zane," Grael said.

"Which you'd know already if you were a half-decent guard dog," I said, rolling my eyes as I recalled him sleeping through the conversation.

"Even the greatest of champions needs their beauty sleep, Richter," Grael shrugged. "And one does not become as gorgeous as I am with a mere six hours."

"That'll be right," I smirked, crossing my arms and looking out the open door, into the cold snow outside. "Think we'll be seeing more of her?"

"If Karra moves the mercenary guild down to our capital, then I'd be more than confident in saying yes," Grael nodded, growling at Annerose to give him another strip of bacon.

"You'll make your fur greasy and your breath smell," she said in protest.

"I asked for sustenance, not a lecture," Grael said, narrowing his eyes. "Feed me."

Annerose rolled hers, stuffing a rasher of bacon directly into Grael's mouth before getting up from the table and walking over to the bar, eager to start drinking alongside Celestia as a reward for a job well done.

"So what about you?" I asked Grael as he licked his maw once again. "Thinking of getting a job as a rescue hound after all?"

"I will bite your feet off," he snarled, narrowing his eyes at me before I'd even finished the sentence. "I'll stay here with the others while you attend to whatever it is you need to."

"I think you should all come along, actually," I said, looking at Annerose as she toasted with Celestia and the two began drinking. "A lesson or two in exorcising demons wouldn't be a bad thing for when I'm not around."

"And when are you not around?" he asked.

"Y'know, some nights I might be too deep in mead and pussy to get out of bed and you might have to fend off a demonic threat to the kingdom all by yourselves. Need to know how to get rid of them, don't you?"

"You know that'll never happen, right?"

"Yeah... I don't really drink all that much mead to begin with."

Grael proceeded to walk away from me at this point, irritated beyond standing with my usual attitude, and he left me alone at the table for several moments before Luna made her way over to me.

"There you are," she said, patting me on the shoulder before sitting down at the table. "Got a minute?"

"I have as many as you need," I nodded, sitting down at looking at the dark-skinned Alicorn.

"I've been getting reports of how you handled yourself against Heimili earlier today, and I have to say I'm quite impressed," Luna explained, leaning back in her chair and smiling. "Quite impressive for one as young as yourself, but as the case with every fighter, there's room for improvement. That's why I want to ask if you'd be okay in stepping up your training in the coming months. I know your lack of magic really put you at a disadvantage against a dragon, so I wanted to see if the four of you wouldn't mind learning a few techniques to help even the odds when against magical opponents?"

"I'm not going to protest that," I nodded. "I've got a reputation to uphold now, after all. Can't be seen having my ass handed to me by some wannabe mage with a staff after I slayed a dragon."

"Don't let it go to your head, Richter," Luna said in a cautionary tone. "Even the greatest warriors can be felled by the beast that is arrogance."

"Right, right," I nodded, looking over at Celestia, who had been joined at the bar by Celana as well, the court mage using magical projections to seemingly brief Celestia on the situation proper.

"She looks like she's going to be busy for a while," Luna sighed, rubbing her jaw with her thumb before half-standing up. "Tell you what, Celestia can stay here and gather intel, while you and I go take care of this summoning circle, okay?"

"Is she going to be okay with that?" I asked Luna.

"She's always a fan of less work, even if she constantly buries herself in it," Luna chuckled, standing up proper this time. "Tell you what, I'll clear it up with her now so she knows the plan, then the two of us can be off to determine whether or not we're going to need to call in assistance for this circle."

With that, the Lunar Alicorn got to her feet and moved over to her sister to give her the new, updated plan of action.

Once back atop the mountain, the two of us delved inside the dark caves, with Luna throwing up her own ball of light to illuminate the area. I guided her to the summoning circle, seeing her eyebrow cock in confusion as she began to examine it.

"I honestly expected the former Dragon Matriarch to have a more extravagant set up than this," Luna said, tapping on the crystal wall of the circle and shaking her head. "Its quartz. I've seen cannibalistic cults that have had crystal walls sung from diamond before. Heimili was a cheap old mare, wasn't she?"

"Looks like it," I said, looking at the inside of the ring and noting the symbols etched into the middle. "What's that rune for? A fire demon? Can't really make it out from here."

"No, look at the way the lattice curves more towards the floor," Luna said, tracing the pattern against the crystal wall. "It's a Rage Demon. Much worse than a Fire Demon."

She had a point. Rage Demons were strengthened by the hatred of those who summoned them, usually granting more power depending on how high their pyre of anger was burning. Of course, the deals came with a cost. Usually the soul, or servitude, or even demonic corruption should the demon be in the mood for a laugh at the end of the day.

"Can you sense anything lingering?" I asked Luna.

"No, this whole place is clean," she said, her eyes scanning the area for any other kind of demonic apparatus. "While the demon doesn't have a chance of coming back on their own, I'm still feeling the need to get a Priestess from the Blades to come and purify it on their own time."

"Huh. Celestia said the same thing," I chuckled. "Modus Operandi?"

"Of course," she nodded, walking over to my side of the crystal wall and looking at the symbol on the floor from my angle. "So..."

"So?" I asked, looking at her as she turned her eyes to me.

"Have an interesting talk with your mother?" she asked me.

"Among other things," I nodded with a chuckle. "Why do you ask?"

"Just want to know if I'm allowed to handle the goods yet," Luna smirked, placing the tip of her finger against my chest as she eyed me with a very sultry gaze.

"Of course you can," I chuckled. "I just didn't expect you to be this desperate..."

With that, she leaned down and kissed me, placing her hands to the side of my face and allowing me to lose myself in the sweet taste of her tongue. Like my mother, she seemed to have magically enchanted herself to taste a specific flavour, hers being a delicious black cherry tang that made my tongue sing as we continued to slobber on each other. I placed my hands on her wide hips, toying with the belt that rested on them as she slowly backed me against the wall, kissing my mouth with more and more vigour as the minutes trailed on.

She eventually broke apart from me, staring down with the same glow in her eyes that my mother had during our time together. Luna licked my cheek briefly, kissed my mouth for another second, and then stepped away with a satisfied sigh.

"Oh, I am so happy I can do that now," she chuckled, crossing her arms and smiling at me.

"Cadance said the exact same thing," I said with a proud smile. "I'm really surprised to see just how desperate the two of you were to get your mouth on me."

"It can't be helped," Luna shrugged. "We've all known just how beautiful you'd grow up to be, and it's just been a matter of us holding ourselves back until you entered adulthood. It was a very difficult time, I tell you."

"I'm flattered to hear it..." I said, looking between her and the summoning circle. "D'you wanna finish up here and head back to my room so we can enjoy ourselves?"

"As much as I'd love to shirk work and have sex, there's a mountain of things Celestia and I need to work through before we're able to relax again," Luna said, clearly unhappy with her own commitment to work. "I get the feeling you and your friends aren't particularly interested in talks of treaties, alliances, and repair costs for thirteen hours straight."

"You, uh, might be right about that," I chuckled, scratching the back of my head as I looked aside for a moment.

"So, would you like one of us to teleport you and your friends back to Canterlot so you can rest for a while without having to journey back yourselves?" she offered.

"That'd be great, Aunt Luna," I said with a nod.

"Right then," Luna nodded, looking at the crystal wall for a long moment before turning back to me. "We can clean up here, I'll send words to the Blades to have them dispatch a Priestess for cleansing rights, just to be safe, and then we can get you and yours home for a well-deserved rest. How's that sound?"

"Sounds beyond perfect," I grinned, excited to get home and sleep in my own bed for the first time in a long time.

Chapter 39: A Plea For Help

Once I'd returned home and retired to my chambers, Grael had joined me soon afterwards. Despite being the equivalent of a grown man, he often slept on the same bed I did as a dog would with their master. It was his method of protecting me and my usual lack of interest in bunking with men as a regular occurrence didn't exist with Grael, as our bond and level of closeness had long-since eroded the usual boundaries you'd expect between two men our age.

This was why I felt that I had to tell him of the 'family affairs', as he was as much family to me as my father way. I'd already confessed by pent-up frustrations towards my female family members, and he'd taken that much better than I'd expected. So I wasn't surprised to see him take the news of not just incestuous relationships on the chin, but the concept of incest being ingrained into the family as deep as our bones. He was silent for a long moment, grey eyes locked onto the bed he sat on, before he shook his head, looking at me with a calm expression and speaking in that wise, deep voice of his.

"Thank you for trusting me with this," was all he said at first, moments ticking by before he spoke again. "It may not sit well with me for now, but I'm sure that, given time, I can come to accept it as you seem to have."

"Thanks, Grael," I nodded, feeling a weight taken off my chest and being able to breathe easy yet again.

"Are you going to inform the others?" he asked.

"No," I said without a moment of hesitation. "Not a chance. I may love them to pieces, but they're not a part of the family and don't need to know this family's business."

"A fair reasoning," Grael agreed, nodding slowly before turning his eyes to the window. "Are you planning to rest for the night?"

"Yeah. I didn't realise it until I lay down, but I'm exhausted," I sighed, lying down in my bed and closing my eyes. "Goodnight, buddy."

Grael took his usual place; curled up against my stomach with his head resting by mine, and the two of us laid down for the night, ready to see what the morning would bring to further our lives.

It turns out, the two of us were awoken the next morning by a maid with a summon from my father. I woke, showered, and dressed myself, ready to speak to him about the family secret I'd learned and hoping that it wouldn't cause too much of a rift between us. That was the plan at least, only for me to be lead to the throne room where my father, several guards, and a woman dressed in armour of a foreign kingdom stood. She was garbed in light chainmail armour with purple robes thrown atop them, bearing the sigil of a golden horse against the backdrop of a golden sun on her chest.

"Here he is now," my father said, gesturing for me to come towards him before he turned to the armoured woman. "Relay the same message you relayed to me, Madam."

"Bonjour, Your Majesty," she said, clapping her fist to her breast plate and bowing her head, clearly the usual salute of her company. "I come to you with a message of disaster and a plea for help. A Vampire menace is terrorising the streets Beaumont, stealing away innocent men, women, and children under the cover of darkness, night after night. Our mages and monster hunters say they are equipped to handle this task, but their numbers grow thinner and thinner every time they meet this menace, and our regular guards are not equipped nor trained to handle this plague on their own. On behalf of Empress Clauria DeMonche, I humbly beg you aid to cleanse our city of this disease!"

It was an impressive speech, not going to lie, but I was more than baffled as to why this was being directed to me of all people. I turned to look at my father, my eyes visibly begging for some kind of guidance, before he took me aside for a moment and began whispering to you.

"You're the only Ruling Alicorn in the country right now and its kind of the job of your species to safeguard and protect the people of this world," Shining said. "And, no, I'm not just going to throw you into this on your own. If you offer her help, I'll be with you every step of the way to handle this problem."

"Right," I said, keeping a firm grip on the responsibility that had been thrown at me like a brick and trying not to panic.

I figured the best way to approach this situation was the same way I handled hunting monsters: statements and witnesses. Ask questions, request previously-gathered intelligence, and go off of what you've learned there. So, to start with:

"Are you sure that it's Vampires?" I asked, getting the obvious question out of the way first. "What evidence has been gathered to point to them?"

"I've been given investigation reports and autopsy notes by the mages that should be enough to convince you, if M'Lady's assurances," she said, handing over a large bag of scrolls, sheets of paper, and officially-signed documents, stamped with the Crown Seal.

I took them from her with a thank you, selecting one of the reports from the pile and reading through it. The general description was regarding the corpse of a Vampire they'd managed to recover after a team of mages had managed to kill them. The initial description was of dark skin, white hair, and pure white eyes, giving away immediately what clan of Vampires this was and how far away from home they were.

"House N'Vadi," I said with a sigh, baffled as to why a Vampire clan from the Arid Plains was attacking folks this far from home.

I read further through the report, seeing descriptions of their black and white combat garb, the necklaces with the iron vampire fang they often wore to show their allegiance, and the short daggers they fought with.

"N'Vadi are a long way from home and, last I checked, not too friendly with another Vampire clan that has their hands on these areas," I said, looking back at the messenger. "Were you given any reports detailing a skin of alabaster-skinned Vampires that run around in plate armour and use hammers?"

"Uh..." the messenger said, scratching her head in confusion before nodding slowly. "There... there were reports of skulls being smashed with warhammers, yes... and reports of scraps of purple cloth being stuck in the teeth and claws of other Vampire corpses."

"Wait... purple?" I asked, shock spreading onto my face.

If the intel was accurate, then that meant we had three different Vampire clans duking it out in the streets of Beaumont night after night. The House of N'Vadi, the armour-clad House of Hollander, and the purple robes that belonged to the House of Venvier, who were a group that fought exclusively using magic... this was not a good sign. I turned back to the messenger with a determined expression, her eyes seeming to light up with joy as she realised I'd come to a decision.

"This is too big to ignore," I nodded, tucking the reports back into the bag and handing it to one of the Equestrian Guards. "If we've got this many different 'flags' being flown in your city, then that means we're either in the process of watching a Vampire civil war brewing..."

"Or they're already neck deep in one," Shining sighed, shaking his head as we looked at the messenger. "We can't let this sit any longer. We have no idea how long Luna and Celestia are going to be until they finish."

"And if this war ends in a change in the Vampire High Throne, then we might be in trouble," I said, gritting my teeth in an angered manner before looking directly at the messenger. "We shall come with you back to see the Empress, learn all we can from your reports, conduct our own investigation, and make whatever decision is required from there."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" the messenger exclaimed, eyes wide in delight. "I shall await your departure."

"When are we leaving?" my father asked, a proud smile on his face as he admired the way I was handling things.

"I'm getting Grael and the others, we go to Twilight, and she teleports all of us to Beaumont," I answered. "We don't have time to waste here. A Vampire civil war puts too many innocents in danger to risk wasting time travelling by horse."

"Then I shall dress and accompany you all," Shining grinned.

"Good," I said, looking towards the door of the large hall we were in. "I'm hoping this doesn't get out of hand before we can do something..."

Chapter 40: The Empress

The royal courts of Beaumont were an impressive display that I wished I had more time to enjoy. The golden curtains, beautiful furnishings, and expensive tapestries were all reduced to naught more than a blur as myself, my father, and the rest of my group hurried through the halls of the enormous castle. We made our way to the Empress' court, already hearing the loud and raucous arguments leaking through the enormous wooden doors from as far away as the entrance to the castle.

The court was clearly in disarray, and this wasn't a surprising discovery. Vampires weren't kept a secret to anybody. Everyone knew of their existence and everyone feared what they were capable of. The only problem was that the spread of misinformation around them had become so widespread and culturally accepted that the general consensus of what people believed Vampires to be was nothing more than a skewed exaggeration of their true being.

A Vampire, by its very nature, was a human-like creature inflicted with a magical curse that granted both benefits and drawbacks to the transformation. Gone were the worries of disease, age, mortality, and many other worries that plagued the mortal world, but in their place came the hunger for blood and the horrific results of what going for an extended time without feeding. A well-fed Vampire was nearly indistinguishable from a regular human. They were just as intelligent, just as socially adjusted, and more than capable of leading a normal life, should they choose to do so.

Their Vampiric powers gave them great strength, great resistance to injury, and a wide array of dark magic that few could control without becoming one of them. But when the hunger sets in, a Vampire begins to mutate into a much more monstrous, animalistic being that loses their 'humanity' and intelligence, resorting to violence and outright murder in order to satiate their hunger for blood. Though once they have fed, they return to their rational, human appearance and try their best to make sure it never happens again.

Their weaknesses are nowhere near as plentiful as the children's stories lead you to believe. They do not burn in sunlight, they do not lack a reflection, they can cross running water, they can enter a property without being invited, they do not have a possessive need to count, the list of fanciful lies goes on and on longer than I care to explain. Their true weaknesses are being beheaded and being burned. Once the brain is disconnected, like with all creatures, they die, and if their body is burned to ash, even their resistances and magic cannot keep them alive.

They also lack many bodily functions such as the ability to digest food and drink, to salivate, and to sweat. Vampires can of course use magic to force their bodies to go through these processes, but they cannot do so naturally due to their bodies being clinically dead and only sustained through their dark magic. This is why their 'weakness' of being staked in the heart is an obvious lie due to their heart being nothing more than a dead organ and possessing no hand in whether they live or die.

The supersition surrounding Vampires often lead to people employing false methods of dealing with them, which often lead to more bloodshed and death as the Vampire is angered and seeks revenge on those who have earned their ire. And before I even entered the court room, I could hear screams for the use of garlic, holy water, grains of sand, and all the other useless methods folklore has created to 'deal' with Vampires.

The large door opened with a loud grind, this causing the room inside to become quiet as I looked around, seeing the Empress sitting on her large throne with a beyond-frustrated expression on her face. Her eyes glanced to me in confusion, then to Shining, and then to the others. She'd been expecting either Celestia or Luna, and she was beyond disappointed. That much was obvious. So I needed to prove to her and everyone else in this room that I was more than capable of taking care of this problem, so I did something I'd never done before: I took the floor and began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as eager as I am to listen to you all bicker and shout at each other for the next four hours, I'm afraid I need to cut this short and get down to business," I said, speaking in the loudest voice I could without genuinely shouting. "I have read your reports and seen your testimonies, and regret to inform you that your city is playing the unfortunate host to a spat between three different Vampire Houses."

I heard mutters of confusion from those gathered in the room, proving my point even further that Vampires were a bogeyman the common public knew nothing about.

"As it stands, I cannot confirm whether or not this spat is a brief battle that will be regulated by the Vampiric High Throne, or whether or not we're merely seeing the flashes of an in-progress Vampire civil war... or if this is merely the dawn of a civil war between the Vampire Houses," I said, looking over the crowd as I spoke. "As I've been trained to deal with threats and monsters such as these, as well as being more-than versed in the politics and customs of the Vampire Houses, I shall be leading an investigation into these goings-on to determine exactly what kind of problem we're facing and the best course of action for this situation. Are there any further questions?"

The room was filled with murmurs and whispers of old men and women that probably had no idea what a Vampire actually looked like, but they thankfully remained silent with the objections or challenges to my authority, something I was more than glad to see.

"Then if that's all, I ask every one of you to leave the court so I may discuss my plans with the Empress and commence my investigation immediately," I said, joining my hands behind my back as I finished speaking, trying to keep the proud grin off my face as I watched them all get to their feet and leave the room.

My father walked over to me once the door had slammed shut, his eyes alight and his grin wide with pride as he clapped me on the back.

"I have never been more proud of you in my entire life than I am right now," he said, genuinely astounded at my performance. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"I needed to step forward with my right foot or else they'd all challenge my authority," I shrugged. "And I think it went rather well."

"I'll say," Zane chuckled, patting me on the head as he went past me, kneeling before the Empress and bowing his head.

"Empress Claurio," he said in his booming voice. "It is an honour to make your acquaintance, and I woefully regret that I could not be graced by your presence under better circumstances."

"The honour is all mine, young Equestrian Knight," she said, smiling gently at him before gesturing for him to rise. "There's no need for formalities from the rest of you. We shall speak as equals from this point on."

Now that the Empress was closer, I was able to get a much better look at her. She was a woman in her mid-forties, with bright, silver hair, warm yellow eyes, a smooth complexion, and garbed in a beautiful golden dress.

"That was quite an impressive speech, young Richter," she said with a friendly smile. "If only I'd had the confidence to speak with such authority at your age..."

"Don't expect me to do it again any time soon," I chuckled. "It's not an ability I believe I can use without a long rest. Now, shall we get down to business?"

"Gladly," I nodded, following her as she gestured to a large table in the middle of the room.

"General Armour, I'm sure you're accustomed to the layout of this city?" she asked him in a familiar tone.

"I nearly died in it enough times to remember most of the important places," he chuckled, looking at the large map laid out on the surface of the table.

It was stuck with many pins of different colours, had small golden statues resting on sections of it, and was strewn with many different notes, smaller maps, ink pots, quills, and other assorted strategic implements.

"So..." Shining said, crossing his arms and looking over the map. "What's the key for this layout?"

"The small coloured pins represent the different 'types' of Vampires we've found across the city, the statues are guard outposts, and you'll find notes added by our mages, spies, and whoever else has a major hand in this investigation," she explained.

"There's definitely a larger number of dead N'Vadi here," I said, looking at the brown pins versus the black and purple ones. "Make you think its a two against one situation?"

"Maybe," Shining nodded. "They all seem to be keeping to central hubs, too."

"It's possible they've all got hideaways somewhere in the city," Zane said, gesturing to the large focus of coloured pins in the city's districts. "They'd be stupid to rent rooms at inns and sleep in the streets."

"I'd also wager they're not hiding away in barrels or store sheds either," Annerose pointed out. "If you're at war with someone, you need a large amount of units to overwhelm the enemy, and you can't hide those under bin lids and sheets covers."

"So we're looking at large buildings as their bases?" Claurio asked.

"Most likely. You'll also want to keep an eye on the local homeless population and keep tabs on the numbers of girls working at brothels and in what areas," I said, looking up at Claurio with a solemn gaze. "They're usually the first ones taken by Vampires, and in large amounts if they're feeding in large groups."

"And if this is a war of numbers, the city'll be running out of them sooner or later," Shining growled through gritted teeth. "I can't stand when civilians are made primary targets."

"Then we'd best find the Vampires and put a stop to it," I nodded, feeling exactly the same as my father, directing my next question towards Claurio. "How often are you seeing these battles in the city?"

"Almost daily now," she sighed. "The fights seemed to be kept at night and in secluded locations at first, but now we're seeing magical attacks being thrown around in fish markets during the middle of the day."

"They're escalating," Shining growled. "Means one of two things."

"They're getting desperate to wipe out their opponents..." Annerose lead in.

"Or they're being pushed by their higher-ups to wrap the conflict up as fast as possible," Grael finished.

"Which always adds to civilian casualties," I sighed, balling my fist and gently slamming it onto the table.

"So we've got two methods of approach here," Shining said. "The first is capture and interrogation. Get out hands on one of the bloodsuckers and make them tell us where their leaders are."

"Or we find and track one back to their lair ourselves," Zane said, throwing the second option onto the table.

I was impressed myself at how well we were working together today. We always had great synergy with one another when out on operations, but we had a fire inside all of us that was burning brighter than I felt it had ever done before.

"Claurio, are there any usual spots the fighting breaks out?" Shining asked the Empress.

"No. The battleground change day after day. There have been moments where a two bouts have taken place in the same area, but that's usually between different colours each time," she explained.

"War for territory, you think?" I asked my father.

"That's what I'd blame it on," Shining nodded, his eyes scanning over the guard posts that were positioned around the map. "Your men equipped to handle this?"

"Not a chance," she sighed, rubbing her brow with her fingers as the stress of the thought rushed through her. "Most of our guards are equipped to handle knives and petty burglary, and by the time we mobilise even half of a unit from the military, the only thing they march on are corpses from a battle that ended half an hour ago."

"Ever thought of keeping the military on the streets permanently?" I asked.

"I have, but it would cause too much panic," she said. "We've already had to send guards out to disperse riots in the streets because the people fear the Vampires. We can't deal with fighting our own people as well as the Vampires."

"A usual problem in times of crisis," Zane nodded, crossing his arms as he looked out the window, seeing the sun beginning to dip behind a large mountain and casting an orange glow over all the city. "Do the battles get worse at night?"

"Yes, much," she answered. "I've been given reports of terrified mothers clutching their children and praying to any god that'll listen to keep them safe from dusk til dawn."

"So then night seems to be our best chance to get out there and nab one of these bastards, right?" Zane asked.

"Yes..." I nodded, falling silent for a brief moment as I formulated a plan. "I propose we split into teams?"

"Reasoning?" Shining asked, unsure of the benefit.

"Two teams can do both plans at once," I answered. "Zane and I can take a few Vampires down head on and bring them in for interrogation, while Grael and Anne can follow one back to their base and report back here."

"Any reason why we'd be doing the sneaking?" Annerose asked me with a cocked eyebrow.

"Zane and I are about as stealthy as an explosion?" I offered, looking between Grael and Annerose.

"He has a point," Grael nodded. "Remember Faraya?"

"My broken fucking legs remember Faraya," Annerose scowled in a furious manner.

"Then it's settled, right?" I asked, looking between the others with a cocked eyebrow. "Zane and I can bring a few in for questioning, Grael and Annerose can get us a genuine location on one of their bases, and dad, you can stay here and be the overseer for the whole project."

"Why?"

"Because you're getting up there in years and need to keep your feet up," I answered with a smug grin.

"I'm forty five. I'm hardly-" he began.

"-shhh, grandpa, don't stress yourself. You'll have a heart attack," I said, petting him on the head.

"I hate you," he growled.

"I know," I chuckled, looking back down at the map. "Alright then, teams. Let's get moving."

Chapter 42: The Houses Divided

The second the two of us were able to move, Zane was right by my side and more than eager to get the woman clutching at my back off of me. He was ready to physically move her away if needs be, but his expression softened as he saw the look on her face. I felt her arms limply fall away from me, clutching at herself as she began to sob quietly, tears brimming in her eyes as she collapsed to the floor. I scuttled forward slightly before getting to my feet, Zane standing taller beside me as we stared at the sobbing woman.

It was at this moment the redhead, Verella, rushed over to the our black-haired saviour, her eyes also brimming with tears, and hugged her tightly. I was never a fan of being in a room full of sobbing women, didn't exactly hit the spot for me in any kind of way, and I wasn't really sure what to do with myself. I sheathed my sword over my back, sliding the pristine blade in and locking it into place, before groaning loudly at the pain in my shattered nose.

"Here," I heard a voice say behind me. "Let me have a look."

I turned around to see a member of house N'vadi, both Zane and I recoiling in shock, only for her to hold up her hands and freeze us both in place with her magic.

"I'm not an enemy," she said in a cold, calm tone.

I looked her over, seeing that she met the standard appearance for a N'Vadi shaman. Her long, white hair was tied back and braided, keeping it out of the way, she had three lines of white paint over her smooth, dark skin; two along the lines of her defined cheekbones and one down her chin. She wore a long, loose golden robe that hanged down to her bare feet, and wore the top half of a jackal skull on the top of her head.

"If I release you, are you going to stay calm?" she asked, knowing full well neither of us could do anything more than grunt.

She killed the spell, giving us both our ability to move back, before walking over to me. She placed a gentle hand over my nose, even the light touch causing the smashed bones to ache slightly, but the pain soon began to melt away as her hand lit up a snow-white, channelling her power into healing the injury and restoring my nose to its proper condition.

"Anything else?" she asked. "For either of you?"

"Nothing worth note," Zane said, crossing his arms over his broad chest and looking around the room. "Mind telling us where we are?"

I found myself just as interested. We were in a dimly-lit wooden room, with a table in the centre, stacked with small pieces of paper, a single bed in the corner, and a pile of clothes on the floor. From the lack of windows, I guessed we were either in a storage shed or a basement of some kind, and the eerie quiet of the area besides the flickering of the candles and the quiet sobbing of the two women made it feel like a very hostile atmosphere.

"I'm not sure if I am permitted to answer that," she said, looking at the two women in the corner with a saddened expression. "Please. Excuse me."

With a curt nod, she headed over to the corner of the room with the crying ladies, inquiring as to what the situation was. Her eyes lit up in horror as they explained the death of Ellanora to her, the dark-skinned woman tightly hugging the other two as Cassandra tried her best to stem her tears, seemingly to want to talk to us. She climbed to her feet, wiping her eyes and moving over to us, standing with her hands gripping the bottom of her shirt and her lips trembling as she tried her hardest not to break down again.

"I... I'm sorry for what happened t-to you..." she said, mere moments away from bawling her eyes out.

"Who was she?" I asked, not wanting the sympathy to rest on either Zane or myself at this point.

"She was... she was my daughter," she said, sniffling loudly as she wiped tears away from her eyes. "I told her she had to be careful... but she was desperate to save you..."

"I'm sorry," I said in a heavy tone, nodding slowly. "Neither of you deserved this."

She was silent for a long moment, a gentle hand of the N'Vadi being placed on her shoulder, before I turned back to Zane.

"That was the High Queen," I said in a snarling tone, noting the surprised look on the women's faces as I spoke.

"What makes you say that?" Zane asked me.

"Vranthir. The sword she was using," I answered. "It's a relic that's bestowed to every ruler that ever sits on the Vampiric High Throne. She wasn't wearing the High Crown though... strange."

"Learn anything else about her?" Zane asked me, scratching his chin.

"She's not the same ruler that I was taught about and she's from a different Vampiric House," I continued. "She's from the House of Kaine, same as our friends here."

"How... how do you know all that?" Verella asked, walking over to me with a scowl on her face.

"The skin colour and the outfits, mostly," I said, turning to face her. "The Kaine family is usually identified by gothic and clear skin, symptomatic of your particular mutation of the 'curse'. Though there's one thing that I have to ask."

"Hold on. Who are you, exactly?" Verella asked. "I thought we were just saving some knight-in-training, but here you are with a university degree's worth of knowledge about Vampire politics."

"My name's Richter," I answered, smiling in as friendly a manner as I could without seeming smug or arrogant. "I've been trained to deal with pretty much everything that goes bump in the night. Zombies, ghouls, spirits, spectres, and all the other spooky things you can think of."

"You're a monster hunter?" she asked, stepping away slightly and reaching for her sword.

"Only for those where hunting is the only option," I said with a shake of my head, trying to defuse the situation before it got bad. "If I can talk to a creature and convince it to stop harming people, I'll usually let them off with a warning. It's only for non-sapient creatures that I immediately draw steel for."

"Right..." she said, moving her hand away from her hilt and still giving me a wary gaze. "Why are you in the city and charging at Vampires?"

"I was contacted by the Empress to assist her in removing the Vampire threat from the city," I said, looking between all of them as I spoke. "Initially, we just thought it was a little spat for territory... until I read a few reports on the N'Vadi getting involved. Maybe a shaman's point of view might help clear up why you're so far from the savannas?"

"It's not an interesting story," the shaman said with a long sigh, walking towards me and leaning against the wall. "It honestly reads more like a bar brawl than a war tale."

"I'm eager all the same," I said with a polite nod.

"Somebody hit my friends, then I hit them, and then their friends started hitting me," she said in a sarcastic tone. "This entire war we've got going on was one of allegiances being called on and personal politics being brought into play."

"It's a little more complicated than that, Jhene," Cassandra said, staunching the flood of tears and readying herself to explain. "The Vampires Houses... they're fragmented and at war with each other. Selana, my younger sister, began a campaign that she said would 'create a world where the Vampires reigned supreme and all those that had ever shunned our would be punished'. Everyone wanted to know what she was talking about, but when she explained her proposal for how she'd achieve it, it shattered our entire court."

"What was she suggesting?" I asked.

"Resurrecting a Vampire God to cure the weaknesses of our kind and conquer the world," she said in a dry tone.

"Sounds as fanciful as ever," I nodded. "She aware that Sanguine's a fairy tail traced back to a specific book?"

"Normally, I'd agree..." Cassandra said, running her hand through her fringe and sighing. "When we were first blooded, the two of us went exploring, we ended up falling into an ancient ruin that didn't look like it had been touched in a few thousand years. Under any circumstance, we'd have left in a matter of minutes... but there was a smell of blood like something we'd never seen before."

"You go Feral?"

"Something close to it," she nodded. "We couldn't stop ourselves. We were drawn to these ruins, made our way to the central area and found what looked like a holy altar... with a chalice sat on it that looked as pristine and new as it could."

"Was there blood in it?"

"Yeah, a strong, powerful type of blood. The two of us shared the chalice, gulped down every last drop of it and honestly felt like we could tear down mountains with our bare hands," Cassandra recounted, looking up the ceiling and squeezing her eyes shut. "It wasn't normal blood, wasn't the blood of any kind of earthly creature we'd ever seen, or have ever seen since. It didn't just keep us satiated for months... it cured us."

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"After we drank from that chalice, we've never needed to feed since. It also seemed to reawaken our bodies, our hearts started beating, blood started flowing, and our bodies functioned as they did before we were blooded," she continued. "We were human again... only we had all the powers of a Vampire... my daughter, Ellanora... she was a natural-born Vampire."

That statement nearly took my legs out from under me. What Cassandra was talking about, if true, was a first in history. There had never been a natural-born Vampire due to the fact the curse killed off their bodies, made it so their reproductive organs didn't work properly. It's what kept their population so minimal on top of blooding being a dangerous and risky process. They couldn't reproduce naturally... but if she was telling the truth, then that meant a whole world of trouble."

"Did it make you stronger?" I asked her.

"Infinitely so," she nodded. "Our powers felt as if they increased ten times after we drank from the chalice... though I feel it changed Selana."

"How so?"

"I believe she became addicted to it. She wanted more, desired the strength it brought her. I believe her entire reasoning for becoming the High Queen of the Vampires was to be legally allowed to funnel all of our resources, not just that of House Kaine, into searching for the source of the blood," she relayed.

"And she thinks the source is Sanguine?"

"How could she not? Tales tell of a Vampire capable of doing so many things we've never been able to do, siring lines, and creating families. The legends say that each House was founded by a child of Sanguine himself," she said in a nervous tone.

"But he's been proven to be a myth," I cut in. "People have traced his origins back to a book found in the basement of a village story-teller. It was a tall tale that got way out of hand."

"Then what do you suggest created this perfect blood that can heal the afflictions of Vampires?" Cassandra asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Because I stood exactly where you did right now, so many years ago, fully aware of the fallacy of Sanguine... only to find myself presented with undeniable evidence of their existence with nothing else to turn to as a logical explanation."

I went quiet for a long moment, mind ablaze with every piece of knowledge I had about Vampires, even dipping into knowledge of necromancy, seances, and all other manners of magic and monsters that had restoration properties... but there was no creature, spell, or sigil I knew that could hope to work half as much magic as this blood chalice had on Cassandra... if she was telling the truth. I shook my head, eager to turn to more pressing matters before getting lead astray.

"What splintered the Houses?" I asked. "Why are they all fighting one another?"

"For the same thing we're debating," Cassandra said quickly. "Some believe that Sanguine exists and that we must fight the 'oppressors' and welcome our true ruler back into this world..."

"And others believe he's a fairy tale?"

"And one that Selana is willing to expose all of Vampire kind to in the effort to find," Cassandra sighed, turning around and walking back over to the table, leaning on it with both hands and screwing her eyes shut.

I followed over to her, still feeling the eyes of the other two in my back as I moved.

"And it got nasty from there, I take it?" I asked. "Vampires have always been as strict as it gets when making sure their castles, homes, Houses, and whatever else they hold valuable are hidden away from prying eyes and kept in the shadows. Selana not only declaring war against all the other races, but also painting a target on every Vampire house in the world, isn't something I'd imagine would sit well with your leaders?"

"Not just the leaders. You saw it yourself out there. Every member of every House had their own opinion on what was right, some desperate for power, others wanting things to remain the way they were, and others merely trying to break the other two camps apart from their fighting. It shattered every House to pieces and its merely two sides of every colour we have trying to kill one another before the other side ruins their plan."

"Why did Selana blame you, Verella?" I asked the redhead.

Her eyes turned to me again, lips curling slightly and revealing her pristine fangs for a brief moment, followed by a shake of her head and her side of the story.

"Because I was the first one to raise my blade against her," she shrugged, trying to act as if it was nothing, but not fooling anybody. "I couldn't stand by and watch her doom my friends and family, drew steel, and it all went to shit from there. So she's completely right. I'm the reason we're all killing each other right now."

"A conflict seemed to be coming either way. You stood up for what you believed was right. That takes a braver person than you realise," I commented.

"Thanks for the motivational speech, but my bravery doesn't really help change the fact my cousin is dead because of me," Verella sighed.

"Verella, please don't blame yourself..." Cassandra said in an upset tone.

"Why shouldn't I?" she asked, crossing her arms and moving to the corner of the room. "If I'd have just kept cool and not attacked Selana, none of us would be in this situation."

"Blame isn't going to get anyone anywhere," Zane said, speaking up after being quiet for so long. "We can point fingers and name names when the dust has settled and the war is over, but as of right now, we're wasting time. You say Selana's looking for a way to find Sanguine. What's she got so far?"

"A body she believes is his and a method of revival," Cassandra growled. "She's planning on using a soul funnel to restore the body to life."

"So she's planning on reviving a corpse and... then what? Sanguine's spirit is long gone. Even if he was real, she'd be waking up nothing more than an empty shell," I pointed out.

"She's apparently found a tapestry that states Sanguine's not dead, just dormant," Verella shrugged.

"Of course she has," I sighed in a bemused manner.

"My thoughts exactly," Verella growled. "She apparently just needs to pump enough power into the body and it'll come back to life and wreak havoc across the land, resinstate the glorious Vampire reign, yadda, yadda, yadda. We know the schpiel."

"Doom and gloom, end of days, that old chestnut," I said, waving it away and getting a small smirk from Verella in response. "Souls aren't exactly a quantity you can buy from people. You're either gonna need to mass-murder thousands of people to get enough of them to revive a god... or you're going to need to find some very powerful artefacts that have souls stored inside them."

"I'll give you three guesses as to which route she's going down," Verella growled.

"It's both, isn't it?" I asked with a disappointed glare.

"Eeyup," she sighed. "It's what she did to Ellanora, stole her soul just before it faded away and is gonna use it to revive Sanguine."

"Then we best make sure she doesn't get the chance," I said.

"And how are we going to do that?" Verella asked. "Last I checked, Selana had us vastly outnumbered and is the strongest Vampire walking right now."

"I've got some friends who have some friends," I said with a shrug. "I'm sure they'll be capable of sorting something out for us."

"Oh yeah?" Verella asked. "And who would those friends be?"

Chapter 43: Return to The Castle

I'd expected that the Vampires I'd met hadn't expected me to have the connections I did, and once I explained what my plan was, I had no ill will towards them based on their reaction. Though I questioned whether the blade to the throat was necessary. Zane was being retrained by Cassandra's magic and Verella had pinned me up against a wall, silver-hilted knife against my throat with a vicious snarl on her lips.

"Do you honestly expect us to walk into a slaughter house that willingly?" she demanded.

"No," I said in a calm manner. "But I do expect you to walk into the place where the only people who want to help you are."

"Right, you mean Alicorn?" Verella snapped. "The race that's hunted down thousands of us over the years?"

"Also the same race that's let you all exist and stay alive for all those years as well," I countered, not breaking eye contact with Verella. "Trust me, if my kind wanted yours gone, you'd be nothing more than bones and dust in a mass grave by this point."

"You're not helping your case with threats," she glared.

"And neither are you," I growled. "My kind is the ultimate in monster hunters. We know everything about everything when it comes to beasts, ghosts, and all other creepy-crawlies. So we're more than aware of the fact Vampires aren't inherently evil creatures by nature. We also know that the laws of your kind, when followed, often make sure the lives of other species aren't needlessly wasted. You have feeding regulations, thrall limitations, and a good grasp of how many pints of blood you need per House to not make an impact on the local populous. We only step in to kill you when you get out of hand."

Verella was silent for a long moment, eyeing up me up and down while I continued to silently glare at her. I felt her grip on my shirt loosen slightly, the pressure of the blade on my throat lessen, and a sigh fall from her mouth. She stepped away, allowing me to move once again while Zane was released from his stasis.

"My apologies," Cassandra said to the larger man. "I... I needed to be certain that-"

"Don't worry about it," Zane said with a small nod. "I've been protecting my charge for a long time now and have done much worse on the suspicion of him getting hurt."

"Thank you," she said, straightening her dress and turning back to Verella.

"So you want to help us?" Verella asked me.

"As an Alicorn, it's my duty to protect people," I nodded. "Not just humans, not just Elves. People. And as far as I'm concerned, Vampires are people too."

"If only other races would see us as such," Cassandra sighed, looking at me with a soft expression.

"Blind hate is born of ignorance," I shrugged, looking back at the building we were near.

We'd left the hideout, it truly being a basement underneath a butcher's shop, and were currently heading back to the Empress' castle. I needed to report in to the others, find out of Annerose and Grael were safe, and then find a way to get in contact with Luna and Celestia. The two of them needed to know the situation here as a Vampire civil war was a few thousand Vampires beyond what I could handle, even with the others with me. Not to mention Cassandra and Verella still had yet to explain the full scope of the situation, whether or not an end was in sight or what the true scale of the conflict was right now, and I didn't want to have to repeat it all to the other princesses. They needed to hear it firsthand themselves.

"Is Jhene going to be alright on her own?" I asked, referring to how Cassandra had sent the shaman off on her own mission to inform the rest of the 'rebellion' of their progress.

"She'll be fine," Cassandra nodded. "That woman could sneak through a brick wall if she needed to, so getting past a few other Vampires isn't going to be an issue here."

"I'll take your word for it," I said, noting the enormous guard presence in the streets all while worried civilians questioned and called out to them, demanding to know what had happened. "I guess Claurio wasn't wrong about the local guard being slow to mobilise."

"And it seems Selana's left the city entirely," Cassandra said, her voice shaking slightly as the loss of her daughter hit her once again.

"What drew her here to begin with?"

"She's been attempting to harvest the souls of powerful Vampires since the war started," Verella said, putting a comforting hand on Cassandra's shoulder as we walked. "Ellanora using her magic to save you was most likely detected by Selana, and she came here to steal her power."

"Fast response time," I commented bluntly.

"She's got rather antsy in her searching," Verella nodded. "So, unless absolutely necessary, we're going to try and avoid using our magic again."

"Try to wait until you're standing next to Celestia before you do," I shrugged. "I'd love to see the look on Selana's face to walk out of a portal and straight into her."

"Mhm," Verella nodded, a small smirk creeping onto her lips. "That'd be a good sight."

"I don't mean to insinuate weakness in your kind, but this ordeal should be over quickly once the other Alicorn get involved," I said. "I'd be surprised if it lasted more than a few days."

"Why the other Alicorn?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Surely one of you would be able to deal with it yourself, right?"

"I... I'm a 'special' type of Alicorn," I admitted. "The useless kind."

"How so?"

"I can't use magic," I said, scratching the back of my head in an ashamed magic. "It's a long story."

"Then I'll ask when we have more time," Verella nodded, turning her attention to the nearing castle. "Will your 'friends' be as welcoming to us as you were?"

"They trust me," I nodded. "And I trust so... so please don't betray that."

"What kind of royal works on trust with their subordinates?" Verella asked with a confused expression. "Surely they trust whatever the hell you say they have to, no?"

"I... I don't really like throwing rank around all that much," I said after a quiet moment. "It makes me feel like a bit of a jackass whenever I do."

"You're certainly an interesting one, I'll give you that," Verella said with a shake of her head.

I decided to take it as a complement, falling quiet for the rest of the walk until we made it back into the castle. We rendezvoused with the rest of the group, finding Annerose and Grael both being treated for minor injuries. A brief spat of worry shot through me, immediately going over to the two of them as maids rubbed cleaning alcohol on cuts and bandaged up larger gashes.

"What happened?" I asked them.

"We're not as sneaky as we think we are," Grael said in a grumpy tone.

"Really?" Annerose snapped. "And here I thought a six foot tall wolf was the stealthiest cunting animal this side of an explosion."

"Explosions aren't animals, Annerose," Grael said in a manner-of-fact tone.

"Eat my entire arse, Grael," she snarled, turning away from him in an enraged fashion.

"Mhm," Verella commented. "Quite an elite team, I see."

"Sorry, sweetheart, who are you again?" Annerose growled, glaring at the taller Vampiress with a rather disgusted expression.

"Too important to deal with you right now," Verella bit back.

"Right, enough out of both of you," I said, standing up and silencing them two of them with a glare. "We can get to the pissing contests once we've figured out a plan of action."

I turned back to Annerose, the raven-haired young woman clearly mad at me for not taking her side in the argument, and asked her if she knew where my father and Claurio were.

"They're still in the war room," she said. "We told them everything we learned on our fucked stealth run. It wasn't much, thanks to someone."

Grael ignored her, lying down on the stone floor and closing his eyes, seemingly exhausted after the ordeal they'd been through.

"Right, thank you," I said, my friendly smile being ignored entirely by Annerose. "You two rest up and get well, okay?"

"Whatever," she said dismissively.

"I'm gonna stay here for a while," Zane said with a nod of his head. "Keep these two miserable fuckers company and make sure they don't bite each others heads off."

"I'm counting on you," I chuckled, patting him on the shoulder as he sat down on a large box just off to the side of the maids working on the two of them.

With that, I got back to my feet and started to make my way to the war room, only to have Verella speak up once we were round a corner.

"You have such a charming set of friends," she growled.

"They're usually in a better mood than that," I sighed, looking over my shoulder as I walked. "They're proud people by nature and get more than a little bitter whenever they get their hides tanned."

"That little girl needs to learn to watch her tongue before somebody cuts it off," Verella growled.

I came to a sudden stop, almost making Verella walk into the back of me, before turning around on her with a glare in my eyes.

"Excuse me?" I spat.

"You heard," Verella responded.

"You better watch who you're threatening, Verella," I growled.

"Or what? You gonna set the Alicorn that are worth a damn on me?" she hissed, getting in my face. "Because we both know I'd smash you to pieces if you were stupid enough to throw a punch."

We kept at a stand off for a long moment, all the while I tried my hardest to keep the fact she'd smashed by bluff to pieces in a matter of seconds. I was either gonna follow through on the threat and die like a bitch, or I was going to outwardly acknowledge that I was no match for her and step down... like a bitch.

This never would've happened to Luna...

"Alright, that's enough out of both of you," Cassandra said, stepping between us and breaking it up. "Killing each other isn't going to help anyone."

Verella continued to glare at me, soon breaking eye contact and storming off ahead of me. I gritted my teeth angrily, feeling enraged and humiliated at how easily she brushed me aside... as I should've expected her to. I guess I let the whole 'dragonslayer' thing get to my head and think that I was the biggest boy in the building. Better to be humbled now rather than somewhere it would leave a bigger mark.

"I'm... I'm sorry about her," Cassandra said after Verella was a good enough distance away. "She's usually much more friendly than this. I think she's having a hard time now, what with her cousin and all."

"She was your daughter," I said, rage still boiling inside me. "And I don't see you using it as an excuse to be a cunt."

The harshness of the word used on Cassandra's ears was visible, the woman flinching at the sound of it before looking away from me. She dug her fingers into the folds of her dress, biting her bottom lip for a long moment before looking up at me with a miserable expression.

"It was never supposed to go like this..." she said, her voice trembling again. "Two months ago, everything was fine. I could go and talk to my sister, could help my daughter study, and talk to the other Houses as freely as I wanted to. But now... now it's all fallen apart and I don't know what to do with myself..."

Tears began to flow down her cheeks again, leaving me with an extremely guilty and awkward feeling in my chest. I'd never been good at comforting women I wasn't romantic with. I was especially awful at comforting women I'd barely met, as you couldn't hug them, you couldn't give them a pat on the shoulder, and you didn't know them enough to know exactly what to say to make them laugh just a little... did I say 'women'? I meant 'people'. I'm terrible with comforting people I I'd barely met.

There was only one person I could think of that knew how to cope with the aftermath of war, and I felt kind of bad about putting this on his plate. Still, having my father work a little harder was a much better alternative then sitting on my arse and letting this poor woman cry her eyes out as her entire world, life, and past crumbled to dust in her hands.

"Cassandra... I'm not sure if it's going to help, and I'm not sure if you even want to do it, but..." I began, scratching the back of my head for a long moment. "My father, Shining Armour... he's been through this routine more than a few times in his life. He's fought in every major war in the past thirty years and he's lost quite a lot. Now, losing a friend and losing a daughter aren't the same thing, but... I figure if there's anyone here that can give you advice on how to not let it destroy you... it's probably him."

Cassandra's lips continued to tremble as she sobbed, looking up at me with teary eyes, trying desperately to make it stop and failing miserably at it. I wondered at this moment if I should just fall on my sword and save her the pain of having to deal with someone as fucking useless as I was in this situation. Spare her the torment of my worthless rambling and meaningless advice while she had to deal with the open wound of losing the child she'd spent the past twenty-plus years raising.

My dying would probably make her feel better at this point...

I should really just kill myself.

"Richter?" I heard my father ask from behind me.

Oh, thank fuck. A competent human being.

I turned around, my father looking at Cassandra and moving closer to her.

"Ma'am... what's the matter?" he asked, cocking his head as she looked at her.

"I... I don't know what do to anymore," she said, clutching the sides of her head.

Shining looked at me quickly and then back at Cassandra, taking a deep breath and speaking clearly to her.

"Ma'am, I'm going to ask you to follow me to the kitchen," he said. "There's a fire going in there that'll warm you up, I'll get you a blanket you can get comfortable with, and I'll brew us a pot of tea so you can drink it while you talk to me about what's wrong. Is that okay?"

"I... thank you," she nodded, stifling her years slightly as she looked at him with a gentle smile.

He turned back to me, explaining that while he was taking care of 'my friend', I was to report the situation to Claurio and try to find out why there was a redhead in the broom cupboard loudly cursing at mops. With that, he put his arm around Cassandra's shoulders and guided her to the kitchen, doing everything that a competent and mature individual would've done to comfort and soothe a grieving mother.

I was a prince. I was a being created to save people from disasters...

I was a fucking moron.

Chapter 44: Delegation of Responsibility

An hour or so had passed after I'd informed Claurio of my need to contact my elder family members. She took me to a small chamber, decorated with many a mage's utensils and, most importantly, a large scrying mirror that she said would be able to directly contact Celestia herself.

"You have a personal method of contact with my Aunt?" I asked, looking over my shoulder as Claurio went to exit the room.

"All world leaders do," she nodded. "As far as I understand, it used to be that a king or queen would have a mirror to contact the Alicorn that watched over that part of the world. But since your kind are no longer so plentiful, that responsibility fell to Celestia and Luna."

I made no more than a grunt in response, turning back to the mirror and walking over to it. I heard the door close behind me, tapping a finger onto the cool surface of the polished glass, and closed my eyes, mentally reaching out towards Celestia as a method of location her. Thank the Goddesses that this mirror worked on its own magic, or I'd be needing someone to babysit me for the entire conversation.

"Claurio..." I heard Celestia grunt after a long moment of silence. "Now's really not the best of times to be..."

Celestiia trailed off after a moment, opening my eyes to see the woman in the large mirror, her hair tied back into a ponytail, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and dressed in barely more than hemp working rags, with dirt, mud, and all other forms of filth clinging to her.

"Richter?" Celestia asked in surprise, wiping a mud streak off her cheek. "What are you doing in Beaumont?"

"It's not a long story," I shrugged. "But it's an important one. Have you got time to hear it?"

"I've just made time to hear it," she said, crossing her arms over her chest and cocking an eyebrow.

So I set about explaining everything that had happened to us since the we'd arrived in the city such a short time ago. I wanted Celestia up to speed on the events that had already transpired, speaking off the attacks, the civil war, the deaths, and the political state between the House of Kaine's higher members. Her expression flowed from emotion to emotion like water through a mountain stream, moving from surprise, to anger, to sorrow in such a short time. Once she was here, I'd have Cassandra and Verella go over the proper details of their side of the whole story without needing to waste time catching the other Alicorn up.

Except... Celestia didn't seem to be coming. Neither did Luna.

"We can't lend assistance here," she said with a sigh.

"Pardon?" I asked in disbelief.

"We're dealing with bigger issues right now," she said.

"What's a bigger issue than possible enslavement at the hands of a Vampire God?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"There's no need to snap," Celestia said in a stern manner of her own. "If you'd quiet down and listen for a moment, I'd explain what I'm going to do."

"Right... sorry," I nodded, lowering my gaze from hers.

"With this God being nothing more than a fairy tale at this point, it doesn't rank high enough on the scale to warrant us abandoning Winter's Maw in a time of desperate need, even if it is to stop a Vampire civil war. But, as you've said, this is a threat that needs to be dealt with. That's why I'm going to be delegating the responsibility of handling the Vampires to the Blades of Illuminia."

"Are... are you sure?" I asked, wondering about the size of the holy order versus the global population of Vampires.

"Positive," Celestia nodded. "You know yourself that they're infused with Holy magic, trained to be warriors from birth, and have an undying devotion to the Alicorn and the Goddesses."

"And now that I know more about the Goddesses, that faith seems infinitely less misplaced..." I said, scratching my head. "So, what am I going to do? Just ask dad to give them orders?"

"The command of the Blades falls to whichever Alicorn requests their assistance," Celestia shrugged. "You'll be their highest-ranking officer from the second you step into their fort."

"How are they going to know I'm really an Alicorn?" I asked, scratching the back of my head. "My face isn't as well-known as yours... do you need to write me a permission slip or something?"

"Have more faith in yourself, Richter," Celestia chuckled, shaking her head at my self-deprecation. "You may not be aware of it yourself, but you exude a holy aura that the Blades will be able to sense on you from hundreds of metres away. They may not recognise you by name or face, but your blood will sing to them and they will obey."

"Good to know... saves me the embarrassment of having to run to mommy for the three hundredth time," I said, sniggering slightly. "So, who am I looking for? I know the top two leaders are women, but I don't know their names."

"High Priestess Jenevive and Knight-Commander Cindria," Celestia answered. "You'll probably notice Jenvive very easily, but Cindria might be a bit harder to spot at first glance. She's about the same height as you, jet black hair, shaved on the sides and tied into a ponytail, tan skin, and a lot of tattoos. Probably going to have an axe or two on her belt somewhere and use the word 'bastard' a lot."

"Sounds like a fun woman," I nodded. "And Jenevive? Am I going to get a description of her?"

A small, sly grin spread onto Celestia's face as she remained deathly silent, merely turning a hand at me as she shrugged in a casual manner. I wasn't a fan of how she was avoiding the question and obviously so, but decided I wasn't going to waste the time begging at her feet for the answer, and would soon find out myself.

"So, where am I going to go to meet the Blades?" I asked. "My studies, what little there were, never mentioned an exact location."

"Their fortress is located in the valley of a mountain range in the Northern Plains," she said. "An extremely large compound that's self-sustaining thanks to skilled workers and magical assistance."

"Great... more fucking cold weather," I growled, sick and tired of the ice and snow after my adventure in Winter's Maw.

"Being a hero is never easy, Richter," Celestia commented, raising a finger as she spoke.

"All I ask is that it be warm," I sighed.

"Don't we all," she chuckled. "Back to the topic at hand: I want you to go the Blades' fortress, enlist their help, and bring this conflict to an end before it becomes problematic."

"The Kaine girls aren't going to be happy about you two not showing up," I added on.

"Richter, on the list of things that currently concern me enough to worry about them, that doesn't even make it into the top five hundred things," Celestia said, pinching her brow. "If they have a problem with the manner in which we're helping them, gracefully remove the offer and tell them to go it alone."

"That's a rather cold play," I said, not usually getting to see this side of Celestia.

"When you control all the pieces, you can make whatever plays you want and leave your followers with two options," Celestia said. "Fall in line, or fall to the side. Their choice."

"A respectable strategy," I nodded, looking down at the floor for a long moment before returning my gaze to Celestia. "How are we to get there? The Northern Plains is more than a few months' ride from here and I highly doubt the Vampires are willing to wait that long."

"I'll get in contact with Twilight and ask her to send you there," Celestia responded. "I'm sure she won't have her nose buried too far in some crazy experiment of hers."

"You don't believe that statement for even a second, do you?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"I can try to," she sighed, shaking her head and looking back at me. "Is there anything else you need while you have me?"

"Nothing springs to mind immediately," I said, pursing my lips in thought.

"Then I shall bid you goodbye, my dear nephew," she said, bowing her head slightly before giving me a wide smile.

"You too, Aunt Celestia," I said, killing the connection between the two of us and heading towards the door.

A plan was formed and about to be set in motion. For some reason, I had a bad feeling this was going to take much, much longer.

Glad that wasn't the case.

Chapter 45: The Blades of Illuminia

"So, what's the plan?" my father asked after I'd gathered everyone into the 'war room'.

I wasn't sure how to start with this, as both Cassandra and Verella would most likely be furious about the lack of direct support from the elder Alicorn, especially after I'd kind of promised them that they'd help. I took a moment to collect my thoughts, trying to spin the story in a way that wouldn't anger the two of them.

"Celestia's enlisted the help of the Blades of Illuminia to take care of the problem," I said in as confident a tone I could muster. "We're to wait for Twilight to arrive and then she'll transport us to the Fortress to iron out a plan."

"I thought you said Celestia herself was going to help?" Verella asked in a displeased tone.

"This is her helping," I answered. "The Blades are a larger force. We can send them to multiple places at once and cover much more ground in much less time than if we only had Celestia and Luna on our side."

Verella was quiet for a long moment, still scowling at me, before her eyes softened and a sigh fell from her lips, shaking her head as she looked to her side.

"Can't argue with that," she admitted. "Strategy is strategy."

"I also don't think it'd be a good idea for you two to tag along," I said, broaching this subject very carefully.

"Why's that?" Verella asked.

"Because the Blades are an order dedicated to stamping out darkness wherever they go," I answered. "They probably won't take too kindly to you and Cassandra setting foot in their fortress."

"You're probably right," Verella nodded, looking back at her aunt before back to me. "Is there anywhere we're allowed to stay for the rest of the day? If we're not going to be accompanying you to the fortress, I'd really like to get my head down for a few hours."

"I'm sure I can find you somewhere suitable," Claurio said with a gentle smile. "Shall we find a room to your liking?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Cassandra nodded, following the Empress as she made her way out of the room.

That left myself, my father, Zane, Annerose, and Grael to wait for Twilight's arrival before we could continue our plans to stop the Vampires.

"Please tell me she's at least somewhat punctual when it comes to urgent matters?" Grael asked my father after several minutes of silence.

"She'll remember eventually," Shining shrugged. "I hope."

"How can she be the chancellor of an entire country if she's this atrocious at keeping time?" the Direwolf asked as he rested on his haunches.

"Mostly because Celestia tends to drag her out of her lab to most functions whether she wants to or not," Shining answered. "With Celly not being there... I imagine she'll need reminding a few times more."

"Perfect," I said, sitting on one of the desks and staring at the ceiling as I leaned back. "Anyone know any good games to pass the time?"

"A singalong could be fun," Zane said with a chuckle.

"I will swallow my own sword if either of you even suggest those things again," Annerose growled, sitting down on the floor and resting her head on her palm.

"That'd at least be halfway to entertainment," Grael sighed, rolling his eyes as he lay down by my feet.

"Maybe we should have asked for beds of our own?" Zane suggested, finding his own comfortable sitting spots.

"Gods above, you lot don't half like to fucking whine, do you?" Shining asked. "If I'd have even thought half of the shite you're coming out with in front of one of my commanding officer's, he'd have slapped the fucking soul out of me."

We all let out a combined mess of groans, whines, and sighs of boredom, desperate to find some way to pass the time until Twilight arrived.

After around four hours of sitting in the hall, barely managing to make conversation at this point, Twilight appeared in a rather comical puff of smoke, covered in what looked like griffon feathers and some kind of green mixture with her mascara smudged all over her eyes and nose. She stood completely still, tear marks all over her purple and black dress, her hair looking like a crow's nest that had just gone through a hurricane, and a very panicked expression.

"I forgot," she squeaked out.

"What the hell have you been doing?" Shining asked.

"Collecting samples from unwilling sources," she said, stuffing what looked like fragments of an already-hatched griffon egg shell into a pouch on her belt.

"For four hours?" he asked.

"I'm persistent," she shrugged.

"Try stupid," Shining sighed, shaking his head as we all climbed to our feet.

"Eh," she shrugged, flaring up her magic; a purple aura with licks of black energy in it, and throwing a large portal ahead of her.

"We all ready to save the world?" she asked, looking at the portal with a determined expression.

"You're getting a bath and some sleep, young lady," Shining said, picking her up by the scruff of her collar and carrying her towards the portal.

"I'm not opposed to this," she shrugged, pointing forwards. "Onward!"

The rest of the group made a collection of disappointed noises ranging from growls to sighs as we followed them both through the portal, immediately noticing the drop from the warm, summery room temperature to the freezing cold and biting wind of the frozen north. There was a loud, effeminate squeak of shock from Zane as the cold hit him, followed by pretty much everyone dog-piling on top of Grael, clinging to him and his warm, thick fur to try and absorb some of his body heat.

"The things I put up with in this family," he sighed, walking forwards as best as he could with around four hundred and fifty pounds of weight clinging to him.

"Please try to make yourselves look somewhat presentable," Twilight said, the concept of irony truly lost on the woman as we approached the gates.

The fortress was a large and ancient one, with high walls reaching well over thirty feet that blocked access to the enormous fortress, carved from cold, grey stone and covered in colder, white snow. The wind tore through the valley, making it a stinging and bitter place to be. The sun seemed like it struggled to reach the floor of the valley most hours of the day, making it seem like cold and darkness were a common occurrence down here.

We spotted two guards outside the door, wearing what appeared to be fur-lined plate armour with a mix of cloth robes marked with a sigil. It was a mighty sword with the backdrop of a ten-point star behind it, each point marked with a small twinkle, seemingly representing Illuminia herself with the other ten being the other Goddesses. They clutched at steel halberds, their helmets focused on us as we approached. I expected to have to present a story and a reasoning for why we'd appeared out of nowhere, only for them to clap their arm across their chest and bow low to us...

No, not to us. To me in particular. I returned the gesture, out of a sake of politeness, and the two of them straightened up, returning their weapons to the default standing position and speaking in clear, yet echoing voices, thanks to their helmets.

"Your Holiness!" they exclaimed in unison. "It is an honour for you to grace us with your divine presence."

"It's an honour to meet ones as devoted as yourselves," I said, trying to bullshit my way through this situation as I had no fucking idea how to respond in a manner befitting a 'Holiness'. "I have need of an audience with your Knight-Commander and High Priestess. Will you bid myself and my companions entry?"

"With the greatest honour, Your Holiness!" one of them answered. "The fortress and all of its facilities are yours to use as you please!"

"The High Priestess is currently in session with the pages, but Knight-Commander Cindria should be available now," the second said.

"Thank you," I said, beckoning the others to follow me as I walked inside and the gate closed behind us.

I immediately felt the need to shrivel up and die as I felt well over two hundred sets of eyes fall on me from all over the entrance to the fort. Those training, smithing, sharpening, cleaning, building, or merely passing by immediately performed the same gesture as the guards outside, almost bringing down the mountains around us with a united holler of 'Your Holiness', before waiting for me to respond.

I proceeded to lock up at this point, not having the faintest idea on how to address all of them in the manner they expected me to, looking between all of them in a panicked state as the seconds began to tick by, the awkwardness of the situation causing my entire body to scream in an uncomfortable manner. Thankfully, my father stepped forward and saved me from melting on the spot, using years worth of barking orders and giving speeches to handle this as elegantly as possible.

"We have need of your Knight-Commander!" he called out to them all in a confident and strong voice. "Whereabouts does she reside in her off-time?"

There was a second of silence as the Blades decided who was best to answer the question, finally having a female Blade, lacking a helmet, walk over and give us directions. She made the same saluting gesture as all the others did, bowing her head, before pointing to a long stone corridor just past the rings of training dummies.

"Knight-Commander Cindria should be meditating in her chambers just past the mess hall and up two flights of stairs," she answered, coming across as confident as I wished I was. "She'll be more than delighted to meet you, Your Holiness."

"Thank you," I managed to nod out, barely able to keep my voice from cracking out of my sheer will to die.

With that, we made our way towards the corridor, only for my father to put a hand on my shoulder and slow me down a little.

"Still can't handle the praise, eh?" he asked with a chuckle.

"What am I supposed to do in that situation?" I asked, my heart still pounding in a nervous manner. "I can't just nod along and ignore them, or else I feel like an absolute cunt, and I can't think of anything to say that isn't just 'Yes, lick my boots, peasants.' What was I meant to do?"

"I will say, you handled it better than I would've at your age," Twilight said, patting me on the shoulder and giving me a smile that looked rather insane thanks to her bedraggled state. "I probably would've just curled up on the floor and started reciting alchemy formulae as a coping method."

"That would've been good for a laugh," Shining chuckled.

"Why do you hate me?" Twilight asked, giving him a dead-pan glare.

"I'm your older brother," Shining shrugged. "I'm supposed to hate you."

"Ugh, it's fucking freezing out here," Annerose said, her teeth beginning to chatter as she rubbed her upper arms. "Please tell me there's some kind of fireplace somewhere."

"No idea," Twilight shrugged. "Never been here before."

"Really?" Zane asked. "Then how did you know where to teleport us to?"

"Telepathic information trade," Twilight answered. "Celestia merely put the memory of the location in my mind which allowed me to teleport to it."

"Handy trick," Grael nodded. "Can she transmit a new mental state that'll fix your forgetfulness?"

"Why is everyone bullying me today?" Twilight asked in a confused manner.

"Because you smell," Shining shrugged.

"He's got a point, you know," I said with a sarcastic wag of my finger.

"I hate you all," Twilight moped.

We headed up the staircases, the short, steep stone carvings making a rather brief-yet-intense workout for everyone involved, before coming to what was obviously the door to the Knight-Commander's quarters. Large, imposing wooden doors carved with the sigil of the Blades on both of them, iron clasps and knockers showed a large amount of expense and skill involved with the creation of such doors.

"Are you gonna knock?" I asked Zane in a nervous manner. "Because I'm not."

"Oh for..." Shining sighed, walking up to the door and pounding on it with the flat of his fist. "Knight-Commander Cindria, I am General Shining Armour of the Equestrian Army! We have need to discuss matters regarding a campaign for the protection of innocents against a Vampire incursion!"

"Why can't you be as 'to-the-point' as that?" Annerose asked me. "I remember spending fifteen minutes waiting for you to finish having tea with an old woman because you were too scared to interrupt her story."

"We were guests and I didn't want to be impolite," I said in a sheepish tone.

"We were hunting down a vicious monster and you thought it was a good idea to stop for tea and fucking scones," she growled between gritted teeth. "Not to mention I had to keep swatting away her fucking rat-legged mutt from humping my leg the entire time."

"Time and a place, ladies," Zane said, parting the two of us and waiting for the response from Cindria.

The door swung open, revealing a woman that matched Celestia's description to a T, only she left out the fact that this woman looked like she could probably knock down a castle wall with a mean glare. I immediately felt a surge of terror run through me as the woman, standing nearly as tall as my father, eyed him up with a hard expression before scanning over all of us, settling on me after a moment. Her yellow eyes flared open briefly, a look of shock and surprise on them, before she saluted me in the same manner all the other Blades had done and bowed her head.

"Your Holiness," came her gruff greeting, in a much less grandiose but much more respectful way than the others. "My apologies for not sensing your presence earlier. Had I done so, I'd have been the first one to greet you at the entrance."

"Don't, uh, don't worry about it," I said, trying desperately to not blurt out some shit like 'It's okay, mom' at how small and weak I felt standing near her.

Goddesses, I was not qualified to be in charge of these people.

"General Armour... why is His Holiness not taking command of this operation?" Cindria asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Because the boy's a little in over his head right now and probably can't even remember how to tie his shoelaces," my father said with a smile, patting me on the back.

"He's not wrong," I said in a whimpering tone.

Cindria was silent for a long moment, studying me up and down with a critical eye, making me feel as if that man-eater stare was going to make me spontaneously combust, before she seemed to realise something.

"Ah, my mind has slipped and my judgement has fallen yet again," she said, bowing her head in an apologetic manner. "I forget His Holiness has barely seen his eighteenth summer. Even with all his heavenly might, it would be more than disrespectful to force such a large task on one so young. Do you take ire with your father's command?"

I had never responded to a question with a flat 'not at all' so fast in my entire life. I barely even waited for Cindria to stop speaking before pretty much shoving my father into the commander's chair and sprinting out of the room of responsibility. I wasn't a general, nor was I a tactician. I barely even knew where to position my clothing to make getting dressed the next morning an efficient task nevermind how to position units to ensure victory against a rival army.

Not to mention all of the lives that I could waste, all the families I could rob of a loved one if my strategies failed in any kind of way. A brief shiver ran down my spine as I thought about it, a cold sweat forming and a boost in my heart rate accompanying the panic of merely thinking about being responsible for the death of so many people. There was no way that I could ever look my people in the eye and send them off to-

"Richter," Grael said in a soft tone over our mental link.

The sudden voice nearly made me physical jump, but the warm feelings of calm and relaxation that Grael was now sending to me helped bring my anxiety levels down a good bit, soon feeling much warmer and less panicky after the brief treatment.

"It'll do you no good to panic over hypotheticals and flights of fancy," Grael said in a deep, soothing voice. "You're surrounded by capable friends and family that will help you bear the burden, so there's no need to worry yourself sick, okay?"

"Yeah... you're right," I said, taking a deep breath and trying to stop thinking about it.

"I always am," Grael chuckled. "Now, turn your attention back to Cindria. If you worry so much about your lack of tactical thought, it would do you well to attempt to glean even the basics from experienced commanders."

With that, he severed our connection, and both of us turned our minds back to the conversation at hand, Cindria inviting us all into her chambers rather than standing outside in the cold. Her room was what I'd come to expect from commanders that had their home on the battlefield. Tomes and volumes numbering in the high hundreds that spoke of war, strategy, tactics, and all manner of the other pieces that built up great leaders. The room itself was warm and cosy, my nose picking up a scent of ginger, possibly coming from enchanted incense, and the fiery scent brought on a larger feeling of warmth and comfort.

I soon began to realise just how tired I was at this, it barely being more than enough time for my body to have restored itself after the battle with Heimili, the scuffle in the town with the Vampires, and the hours now drawing later and later with no sleep in sight for me. There was nowhere to sit down besides Cindria's desk and her bed, neither of which I felt was a good place to sit in the middle of a conversation without looking like a boor, so to my feet I kept, merely trying to stave off the exhaustion until there was a time to rest.

"So," Cindria said as she closed the door behind us. "A Vampire Incursion?"

After looking at me for approval, my father took the reigns yet again and began to explain the situation we were in regarding the Vampire civil war, the shattered Houses, and the attempt to resurrect Sanguine by Selana and her forces, something that seemed to rile Cindria up to no end. If the Blades ever needed a moment of thought before acting, if they ever took a second to sum up the situation or look at it from an objective versus subjective point, that policy had been thrown out the window. Cindria was fired up and ready to tear Selana and her Vampires to pieces over her actions and wasn't shy of being vocal about it.

"The ungodly heathen dares to think she could enforce her sacrilegious will over the denizens of this world?" she spat, fury burning in her yellow pupils. "I shall convene with Jenevive about the matter this instant. The Blades shall be by the side of all those who need them in this time, and we shall not rest until we have washed this world clean of this tainted kingdom."

"Can... can I come and meet Jenevive?" I asked, throwing my selfish desires into the mix.

"Why?" my father asked.

"Well, I haven't met all the leaders of the Blades yet," I answered quickly. "And I'd kind of feel rude if I just ignored her for the rest of the night and didn't introduce myself."

"Uh-huh," my father said in a slow, drawn-out manner that couldn't have made it more obvious that he didn't believe my bullshit for a second before sighing and turning back to Cindria. "Is it okay for him to meet Jenevive tonight?"

"General Armour, I'm in no position to grant or deny His Holiness 'permission' for anything," Cindria chuckled. "Should he wish for us to disassemble the fortress brick my brick and reassemble it as a statue of a giant dog, we'd have no choice but to do so with a smile. His word is law, and his will shall be done, no matter our own personal feelings on the matter. If he wishes to see Jenevive, then everyone else shall make time to adhere to his wish."

It was a really good job that I had some level of self control and was infertile to all other species except my own. If I were a lesser man, then every female Blade in this fortress would be pregnant within twelve hours. Note to self: do not abuse your complete and total control over your... minions. Ugh. I felt dirty just saying that.

"So, Your Holiness," Cindria said, turning to face me with her hands joined behind her back. "Shall we pay our High Priestess a visit?"

"Gladly," I said with a smile, trying to keep the appearance of a dignified and respectable prince instead of the drooling horndog I was being right now. "I hope we get along with one another."

Boy, did I hope...

Chapter 46: A Holy Blessing

I had to admit, I was rather excited. I had no idea why I was this giddy about meeting Jenevive, as it wasn't like I'd never seen a woman before. I'd seen plenty of them, many of them beautiful, and not many of them had gotten me bouncing back and forth on my feet with anticipation to meet her. Cindria guided me to the cathedral, a large, towering building with expertly-carved architecture, statues of many Goddesses, and large steel doors at the entrance. We walked inside, hearing what appeared to be quiet humming from the altar of the cathedral.

My eyes moved down the lane between the polished wooden pews, seeing three women kneeling at the large altar, each cupping a candle in a gilded holder, humming along to a hymn, I presumed. The three women were of different ranks, with two of them wearing basic all-white nun's frocks and, quiet strangely, a lack of any kind of footwear. The third woman, who I presumed to be Jenevive, was wearing an extremely different outfit. If I had to to use any specific term to describe what she was garbed in, it would have to be 'war nun'.

She had the same frock as the other two, only hers was a motif of black and silver, the frock falling low to her ankles behind her... while leaving the front of her legs open to allow her steel-clad boots to walk freely, the chainmail she wore underneath the frock to hang just below her waist, and having long and open sleeves as to not have any difficulty sliding her gauntlet-covered hands through them. On her chest, her very large chest, was the symbol of the Blades in a cold, steel silver pattern that looked... worn. Like the crest on a soldier's uniform after numerous battles and many years had gone by.

I looked up to her face, what little of it I could see from this distance, and noticed that not only was she wearing a hood that was brimmed so low that it covered half of her eyes, she was also wearing what appeared to be a silver... blindfold of some kind. It was certainly more than a scrap of cloth, that much was for sure, but I couldn't make out exactly what she was wearing. The only parts of her face I could see were her nose and plump, painted red lips... which, for some reason, aroused me something vicious.

The humming came to a stop after a long moment, the black-clad war-nun raising her head towards us, making me almost fear for my life as she got to her feet, standing at quite a size, only for a wave of relief to wash over me as a warm, welcoming smile spread onto her gorgeous lips.

"Knight-Commander Cindria," she said with a polite bow of her head. "I see you've come with a gift from the heavens above."

I'd been called many things by many beautiful women over my years, but that one nearly made my penis jump for joy.

"His Holiness insisted on making your acquaintance, High Priestess," Cindria chuckled as we walked over to the altar.

Deciding that I wasn't an eight year old boy walking behind his mother, I accelerated past Cindria and held my hand out for Jenevive to shake. She took it, shook it in a rather soft, affectionate manner, before dropping down onto one knee and bowing her head.

"Miss Jenevive, why we've only just met," I said in a joking manner. "I hardly think now is the best time for us to be wed, do you?"

"I should be so lucky," she whispered in a tone that shook just enough to let me know she was serious.

Man alive, I was going to shag the spine out of this woman.

She got back to her feet, standing a good bit taller than I was, and joined her gauntlet-clad hands at her waist. She turned to the other girls, smiling widely at them before speaking once more.

"Altear, Veruna, I'm confident in saying you've trained enough to officially begin your duties at the Fort," Jenevive said. "I am willing and proud to call you my sisters."

Their faces lit up, bowing their heads and smiling widely, bowing to me especially before turning to the Knight-Commander and giving the Blades' salute to her, a gesture she returned, before they headed out of the door. There was silence for a moment after the doors had closed, and I decided to broach the subject while it was fresh.

"Why the need for two different gestures?" I asked Cindria.

"There isn't really a need for the different ones," Cindria chuckled, putting her hands on her hips. "The official salute of the Blades is really the only one that needs be done as a greeting and a mark of respect. The churchmen spend a lot of time bowing and kneeling before our statues, and that's the gesture they use when greeting each other, other chapters of the Blades, and you and your family. They bow as a sign of respect and then salute as is custom. It's extra effort on their part, but they seem to not mind doing so, even after I remind them."

"So you're all best friends with one another?" I asked.

"We are a family, Your Holiness," Jenevive nodded. "And there is no place for dislike or animosity in our house."

It was only after listening to Jenevive immediately after Cindria that I realised just how much softer her voice with. It was almost a sing-song kind of speech pattern, where she floated from one word to the next in a rather calming and almost lulling manner that made me feel a little tired.

"That's a very admirable way to live," I said, noting the fact that I didn't really see my own family seriously argue with one another.

"Tis the way we were taught, Your Holiness," she said, bowing her head once more. "And tis the way we live."

I think I liked it here. Everyone seemed to get along, there was a nice, clear order to things, and it seemed that everyone had their jobs and tasks to keep busy and to help out around the fortress. I looked around the cathedral, admiring the bright candles, the hanging chandeliers, and the beautiful architecture, before my attention was gotten by a request from Cindria.

"Your Holiness, would you mind letting me see your sword?" she asked, her eyes focused on the blade on my belt.

"Of course not," I said, unsheathing it with my grip near the crossguard and handing the rest of the hilt to Cindria.

It seemed she was a woman with an eye for weaponry, as her gaze lit up like a diamond in the sunlight as she took hold of the weapon. She examined the cold blade, the expert craftsmanship, and the perfect balance the weapon had, dragging a finger along the inside of the crossguard, examining the sculpted pommel, and briefly twirling it around in her hands.

"Goddesses, I've never seen such a perfect weapon before," she said, nodding in approval. "Might I ask where you got it from?"

"I got it as a present from my Aunt Celestia," I answered, crossing my arms and watching Cindria go through a few basic sword stances with it. "She ordered it from a legendary smith... but I didn't really ask for many of the details."

"I take it that this is your personal weapon?" she asked. "Similar to the ones your other family members carry?"

"Indeed it is," I said. "Freshly washed clean of the dragon blood it had on it not a few days ago."

"A dragon?" Cindria asked. "For one so young?"

"I can't take all the credit," I shrugged. "It was mostly down to the team I got together to help me."

"Still, a dragon is no easy feat for any army to take care of," she said, handing me back the sword in the same manner I gave it to her.

I was ready to put it away when Jenevive made a request to see it. I handed it over to her as she sat down on a small chair behind the altar, resting the blade on her knees and looking down at it. I felt like now was the perfect time to ask what the deal was with the... silver mask? she was wearing before the conversation took off again.

"Oh, this?" she asked with a smile as she tapped a finger against the silver eye mask. "It's an old tradition of the High Priestesses. To prevent our view of the Goddesses' holy world being tainted and corrupted by the darkness that swarms it, we each wear this mask."

"But... how can you see?" I asked her, leaning over to look at her face once more.

"My sight is granted by the Goddesses," she said with a warm smile, looking up at me as she spoke. "I can see just as well as you or Cindria can, but without the stain of darkness."

"I see," I lied, not really sure what she meant by 'the stain of darkness'.

"My sight also allows me to see that this weapon knows not the touch of magic," she said, gently tapping the centre of it with her finger.

"I think you're right?" I said in an unsure tone. "I've never really had a gift for magic. I can't sense it or anything..."

"Would you like me to bless your weapon?" she asked in a kind voice.

"If, uh, if it's not too much trouble," I nodded.

"It'll take naught more than a few seconds," she assured me.

With that, she unclasped her gauntlets, removed the metal items, and laid her soft hands on the flat of my sword. She then slid two fingers inside the fuller of the blade, right to the tip of the weapon, and leaving a small trail of glowing light behind her. If I were a normal, faithless man, and not one born from a race of magical creatures created to safeguard the world on the orders of an ancient pantheon of heavenly women, I'd have dropped to my knees and started praying for forgiveness against Jenevive's legs at the show of power.

The light soon exploded outwards, swallowing and encompassing the whole of the sword, bathing it in a powerful golden glow that was almost painful to look at. Jenevive, seemingly protected by the mask she wore, as able to continue staring at the weapon as she stroked, rubbed, and moulded the light around the weapon until it seemed to sink into the metal itself, giving off a soft hum and a gentle shine, showing that Jenevive not only possessed the power of Goddessess...

But also that she could probably give a really good handjob.

"There we go," she said in a chipper tone. "Your sword has been blessed by the power of the heavens themselves. Now no man, beast, or monster that is born of dark shall ever stand a chance against you."

That was perfect. I love you Jenevive. Please marry me.

"Thank you," I said, taking the blade back and noticing that it was warm to the touch, giving off a comforting heat like a campfire in a snow storm. "It feels... powerful."

"As it should," she chuckled, getting to her feet and joining her hands at her hips.

"If you two are to start discussing power and potential, I shall return to the briefing with General Armour," she said, bowing low to me and then giving Jenevive the Blades salute. "It's been an honour meeting you, Your Holiness."

"You too, Cindria," I said with a smile, watching her walk away and leave the cathedral entirely.

There was a moment of brief silence before Jenevive turned to me with a loving smile and spoke.

"May I address you by your name, Your Holiness?" she asked.

"Of course," I nodded. "You can call me Richter if you want to."

"Thank you," she said. "Well... if you permit me to be so forward, may I ask a something of you?"

"Go right ahead," I agreed.

"Would you like to have sex with me?" she giggled, cocking her wide, wide hips slightly and placing a playful finger to her plump lips.

"Pardon?" I asked in confusion, wanting to make sure she was positive before I fucked the soul out of her.

"I have a talent for being able to sense the emotions of those around me, and your lust is flaring like a blazing fire," she said, going back to her usual mature nature. "It may be presumptuous for me to assume that I am the object of that desire... but even if I am not, I'd be more than willing to satiate your hunger for a woman's body, if it pleases you?"

"Jenevive..." I said in a heavy tone. "There isn't a single thing about you that doesn't please me."

"Then wait until you see how pleasing I can be when I get out of my frock..." she giggled, taking me by the hand and leading me to what I presumed would be her chambers.

Chapter 47: A 'Holy Blessing' (Clop)

Jenevive was big.

She towered over me, was about as wide and 'endowed' as Celestia, and had no problems letting me press myself up against her bigness as soon as she locked her bedroom door. I cupped my hands around her enormous breasts, each one being about one and a half times the size of her head, desperate to get through the frock and the chainmail she wore underneath them. I immediately had my mommy kink set off like an explosion as soon as Jenevive wrapped her arms around me, hugging my head into her bust and gently stroking my hair while speaking to me in a sweet tone.

"You're so adorable," she said in a honey-sweet tone, smiling softly. "So adorable..."

She stepped back from me, taking hold of my hands and guiding me towards the bed, gently pushing me down onto the large, soft piece of furniture, and looking at me with a playful smile. She reached her her frock, unpinning what I imagined were hair clasps, before gently tossing it onto her dresser, pulling a hair pin out from behind her head and allowing her luscious, back-length black hair fall freely. She shook her head, using her hands to flick her hair out behind her even more, before moving down to her frock. It too worked on a clasp system, locking tight under her arm, at her ribs, and under her waist.

She opened it, threw the entirety of the frock aside onto the floor, and allowed me to stare at her. She wasn't nude, the chainmail still hanged on her... and man alive did it hang. It was as tight as chainmail could get, clinging to that wide, curvy body with such force that it looked as if sneezing would cause several of the rivets to rupture. I was sure that would only lead to it being less protective, but at that moment, I didn't care. Jenevive was pleased with the fact I was nearly drooling over her, removing the chainmail and sitting on my lap, clad in thin, cotton undergarments... and lacking any bra or panties underneath him.

"Touch me, Richter," she purred, taking my hands and clamping them onto as much of those huge tits as they could hold, grinding her enormous rear against my rapidly-hardening cock. "Enjoy yourself as much as you want."

I was never one to disobey good orders.

The only way I can describe what I did was 'vicious groping', squeezing, pulling, and massaging her balloon-like tits through that flimsy, dyed-black cotton garment, feeling her nipples harden against my palms as I continued to squeeze her breasts. Jenevive began moaning quietly, almost purring like a cat, as she bit down on her plump bottom lip, her hands placed flat on her thick, thick thighs, seeming as if she was trying to restrain herself.

She didn't stop grinding however, constantly moving that mountain-sized ass in horny circles, seeming desperate to open her legs and lean over slightly, but she kept those beautiful thighs pressed tight against one another. My hands worked their magic on her, definitely getting Jenevive horny and ready for our time together... only to notice a rather strange and attractive quality... seeping through the cloth covering her nipples.

"Jenevive... is that milk?" I asked, eyes lighting up a fiery blue in excitement.

"Possibly..." she said in her ever-playful voice, turning her head and looking down at me. "Dos it disturb you?"

"It disturbs me that you never thought to offer any," I said, a beyond-horny growl in my voice.

"Oh..." Jenevive said in a surprised tone. "It's often saved for my nursing duties... I never thought one such as yourself would..."

She trailed off for a long moment, staring down at her soaked tits with an expression that told me she was lost in thought, biting her lip in an almost guilty expression, before turning back with a nod.

"Bah, it would be nothing short of rude to deny you such a small favour," she said, moving my hands away and ripping her garments open, exposing her leaking milk-founts and shivering at the cool air brushing against such a sensitive part of her body. "I have found myself enjoying the sensation before... maybe now is the perfect time to ask forgiveness for my sins from one who can grant it?"

"Are you a naughty girl, Jenevive?" I asked her as she got up, turned around, and straddled my waist, placing her milky nipple just in front of my face.

I wasted no time with second thoughts. I latched my mouth onto her erect fount with no hesitation, getting a soft mewl from Jenevive as she hugged me into her pillowy tits, allowing me to get a large whiff of her delicious perfume and to hear her heart beating like a drum in her chest.

"I... I try to be as good as the order needs me to be..." she said, starting her confession right away. "I stay away from substances that would impede or impair my skill to perform my duties, I make sure all of my tasks are completed on time as not to upset the flow of my church, and I always follow the rules set forward by our great order without question and with great understanding of why they are necessary..."

"But?" I asked, taking a brief moment away from guzzling down Jenevive's cool, sugary fluids to speak.

"But I find myself distracted with thoughts of pleasure whenever I breastfeed the young..." she said, sounding as if she were genuinely guilty for what she felt. "It is never directed towards the children, as that is a crime I want no part of, but I must always... relieve myself after the task is complete."

"You are a naughty girl, aren't you?" I asked with a chuckle, sliding my hands over her waist and squeezing that ass, each cheek being slightly larger than one of her tits. "Is there anything else you'd like to confess while I'm here? I promise I'll be fair."

"I... I am a good priestess, I have made sure of this," she said, shaking her head slightly with a heavy blush on her cheeks. "I have committed no other transgressions besides misplaced lust."

"I would hardly call it misplaced, High Priestess," I said in a soft tone, thoroughly enjoying my time as pardoner for the moment. "One's body has desires, and attention being given to those desires will be met with pleasure. There is no one at fault for such a response. It is only natural."

"Then... I am forgiven?" she asked in a light tone.

"You are forgiven... and encouraged to seek assistance if the matter ever arises again," I nodded, gently nibbling her nipple and feeling the flow of milk spill out onto my tongue once more.

"I... I could not ask to take time away from your duties to entertain my delusions, Your Holiness," she said in a more reserved tone, now grinding her dripping cunt against my waist. "A minute of your time is worth a thousand of my own, and I dare not be the reason for you losing one."

I have never tried harder to keep my ego in check at any point in my life. I thought I was king of the universe the first time I fucked three girls in the same night, but this? Spending time with Jenevive feeding me her sugary delights, rubbing her slutty nun pussy on me, and telling me that I was legitimately the best thing in existence was almost too much to bear. I needed to fuck her and be done with it, or else I'd start abusing my power over her even more than I already was with this. I was a man with standards, yes, but even I feared what would happen if Jenevive buttered me up so much I slipped and fell into the abyss of my own lust.

"You make me feel so good..." she whispered, kissing the top of my head again and gently stroking my cheek. "Just the sensation of your body against mine makes me feel a euphoria the likes of which I've never known."

"Then just wait till I get my cock in you," I said in a confident manner, getting a surprised gasp from Jenevive.

I forgot that, even with how much desire she was feeling for me, she mustn't have had a lot of actual experience in sex. Probably where the reluctant perversion came from. One often lusts for what they have never had... which was probably why she was gagging for my massive cock...

I was starting to lose myself at this point, needed to get away from the ego-boosting before it melted any scrap of human decency I had in me.

"I'd never imagined you to be so... vulgar," she said in a quiet tone, making me wonder if I'd offended her in anyway. "It... it excites me."

Of course I hadn't offended her. I could probably slap this woman around the face and she'd thank me for it and ask me to do it again. Ugh... I couldn't listen to her anymore. If only to save myself from feeling guilty and to save her from being taken advantage of, I needed to plug my ears and block out the praise...

Or plug her mouth...

I moved forwards, breaking away from her sugary-sweet tits and made a gesture for her to get up.

"Is there something wrong, Richter?" she asked, a worried expression on the parts of her face I could see, raising a hand in a gesture to reach out for me. "If I've done anything to offend you, I offer my deepest apologies and promise I'll do anything to-"

She trailed off entirely as I unbuttoned my pants and pulled out my fully-erect cock, slightly slicked with pre at the sheer deliciousness of her body. Jenevive's hand halted where it was, soon slowly dropping to her waist about as fast as her jaw slid open, her non-visible eyes without doubt glued to my cock as her speech ran dry...

Several seconds before her wet tongue ran over her lips in a gesture so desperate that I thought nothing outside of a starving wolf could make. Jenevive was cock-starved, that was the only way to put it. She was a horny woman surrounded by a fortress' worth of big, muscular men, that she felt she wasn't allowed to touch because of her duties. I'm surprised her underwear was ever dry with how pent up she must have been this entire time, and the expression on her face told me she was probably going to cum herself stupid on my cock by the time we left this room.

"Your Holiness... may... may I touch-" she began only to fall silent when I raised my hand.

"Jenevive, listen," I said. "I get that you have etiquette and an example to set for your fellow Blades. I'm more than aware that you've been taught to always address your superiors with the utmost respect, to speak in a formal tone, and to be willing to serve whenever needed. But please, when it's just you and me alone together, can you drop it and just be you? I'll be fine talking to the High Priestess of the Blades of Illuminia all the time when we're outside, but in here, I wanna talk to Jenevive. Okay?"

She was silent for a long second, looking up at me with a slight pout as her hands joined at her waist.

"I'm not sure I can bring myself to do such a thing," she said. "It'd be so disrespectful... I'd be going against everything I've spent my entire life training to do..."

"Then what if I order you to act more casual?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "By the power invested in me, or whatever grand statement I need to make to enact an edict, I'm ordering you to drop all the ceremonial speech, the 'I am your carpet to use however you wish' attitude, and the flattery. Just have sex with me in the way you'd want to if we weren't in our positions. Understand?"

"I don't think you'd want that..." she said, gritting her teeth.

"I do. That's why I ordered it," I said in a stern tone.

"If... if you insist," she said with a heavy sigh, removing the rest of her shredded nun-attire and removing her armour.

"So long as you don't start pretending to be a wood mouse or something, I'm sure it's not going to be that-" I began, not even being able to finish the sentence before Jenevive grabbed me by the throat and tackled me to the bed.

The surprise came in large amounts, doubly so when she used beyond human strength to literally tear my clothing to shreds, throwing it across the room with nary a care, even tossing the same sword she'd just blessed against a wall as if it were made of worthless wood. She straddled my body, pinning me down with her larger weight, and drove her tongue into my mouth.

It was as her tongue nearly hit the back of my mouth, her hands began to toy with my abdomen, and horny, nearly-animal-like groans poured out of Jenevive's mouth, that maybe I'd woken up a beast that I wasn't prepared to handle. She clapped both hands to my face, tongue-raping the inside of my mouth inbetween hot pants, gasps, and growls as she continued to grind her sopping wet pussy against my leg. Her cunt was hot and shaved bare, something I didn't expect from a woman that presented herself as non-sexual to others besides the Alicorn, but I wasn't going to complain.

I kissed her back, rubbing and lashing my tongue against hers as she continued to explore the confines of my maw, gently massaging my cheeks as she continued to swallow my spit down as fast as she could. Minutes passed in the blink of an eye, Jenevive not letting me put my hands anywhere on her as she toyed with my tongue, eventually pulling out of my mouth and drooling into it again, letting me swallow down her magically-sweetened saliva with a giggling expression.

There was an unsettling look on her face, one that could be described as 'Absolutely fucking insane' as she ran her tongue down my body, focusing on my nipples as she wrapped her hand around my cock, keeping her 'eyes' locked onto mine as she began to beat me off. Jenevive's hands were soft and strong, a great combination for a woman looking to wank off her partner, and if she was inexperienced with this kind of thing, the woman sure as hell didn't show it. She pulled, stroked, beat, toyed, teased, and pleased every one of the eleven inches of thick meat she had in her hand, all the while never once taking her tongue off my nipple nor her gaze away from me.

She hadn't said anything for a while. Maybe it was because she was sick of talking after all the boot-licking she'd done, maybe she was too lost in lust to formulate a sentence, or maybe she'd mentally regressed to some primordial beast state where the only things she remembered how to do were eat, hunt, and fuck.

And from the looks of her, she really wanted to fuck.

She soon moved away from my nipple, moving both hands around my shaft and vigorously stroking it. I tried to sit up and ask her to slow down, only for her to jerk her head in a sharp motion, her body glowing gold for a brief second, and summon up magical restraints on my arms and legs that pinned me down. They weren't attached to anything, but were 'fixed' in the position so that no matter how hard I pulled or struggled, they wouldn't move.

She'd lost her mind, shackled me to the bed, and was probably going to bite my cock off any second now.

I was going to die here. That was the only possible outcome.

I grimaced instinctively as she opened her mouth, readying to slam it down on my dick, and probably eat the whole thing, but instead she pretty much headbutted me in the crotch as she took all eleven inches into her throat as easily as a sheath takes a sword.

"Fucking hell, Jenevive!" I exclaimed, not having been given this rough a treatment in a rather long time.

She didn't stop, didn't slow down for even the briefest moment. This actual demon merely continued to bomb her head up and down on the entire of my now-soaking shaft, her tight, virgin throat clinging to my cock every inch of the way, the muscles pulsing and tugging against my thick shaft as it struggled to fit down her gullet. If it caused her any discomfort or pain, she didn't show it and she clearly didn't care. She was audibly gagging at this point, the sound of my monster cock nearly ripping her throat out every time she pulled it out filled the room, slightly louder than the wet throating noises that bounced of the walls of her once-innocent bed chambers.

I was probably going to blow my load and die at this point, as Jenevive had almost definitely transformed into some kind of succubus at my request to act natural, and was going to send me to a burning hell of torment where I forever rode on the edge of an orgasm, but never achieved one, as punishment for my misogynistic and womanising ways. Jenevive was my punishment for my crimes, a sick, twisted joke played by a cruel goddess that wished me nothing but ill will.

I keep throwing around terms like that and give the impression that this was torture, but fuck me with a garden rake, Jenevive sucked cock like a Vampire sucked blood: hard and fast. I'd never had a woman be this aggressive when throating me, solely because they all seemed to have some kind of survival instinct about it. Didn't wanna break their neck, didn't find the idea of tearing their gullet open to appealing. But Jenevive? Jenevive seemed desperate to kill both of us on my dick and wasn't showing any sign of stopping any time soon. I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and prepared for her succubus magic to end my life as I nutted as hard as a fucking explosion down this she-demon's throat.

She pulled my cock out just at the last second, allowing me to empty my thick, Alicorn spunk all over her mouth, nose, and mask. I didn't stop cumming for a good while, something about Jenevive kicking off my Alicorn breeding instinct that made me cum more than a normal being should be able to. After jizzing like a pig all over the High Priestess, she raised a trembling hand to her face, touching the cum splatters all over her sweet, soft skin.

I imagined that she was coming to her senses now and that she'd probably start apologising for the lovely little dick munching session she just had. If the world didn't have it in for me, that was what would've happened. But since existence actually hated me, it seemed the scent, taste, and texture of my cum did the same thing to Jenevive that blood in the water did to a shark.

With a complete disregard for any of her vows, she grabbed hold of her silver mask and tore it from her face, launching it across the room hard enough to make it stab into the wall and bury itself. I looked at the mask and then down at jenevive... noticing rather quickly the literal insanity that has possessed this woman. Her irises and pupils had shrunk, she had a faint golden glow on her sclera, and her entire body was shaking from head to toe, seeming desperate to get onto round two.

"Jenevive..." I said in a warning tone.

"I have seen the light..." she said in a shaken, completely crazy voice. "You... you are the light I strive for."

Oh no.

"I need more light..." she said, climbing up my body and rubbing my cock against her cunt. "I need all of your light!"

I'm dead.

"Give me your light!" she exclaimed, ramming my entire near-foot-long cock into her virgin cunt, the tightness of her unexplored nether regions being more than I could take, especially after how sensitive my dick was from my last torrent of cum. "Pour it inside me and make me glow!"

This was bad. This was very, very bad...

Then she started working her pussy, leaning back and on her hands and riding every inch of my dick, her eyes rolling back, her tongue hanging out, and a heavy pant coming from her lungs as those enormous fucking jugs bounced up and down with her hard slamming.

This was amazing. Goddesses, if I were going to die, there was no better way for me to do it. I wanted to grab hold of her so badly. I wanted to wrap my arms around her waist, drink a lake's worth of her gorgeous milk, and pump her crazy pussy full of as much 'light' as this psychotic nun wanted. I felt infuriated that I was being pinned down like this, strapped to the bed as I was being given possibly the best ride of my entire life and being unable to do so much as grab a handful of her tits.

"Breed me!" she begged, drooling thick spit onto her tits and having it spill down her stomach. "Fill my womb with your heavenly seed and let me bring forth the light into this world!"

Could... could I even do that? Was there something special about the Blades that made them fertile to Alicorn? No, that couldn't be right. If it was, we'd have used them as breeding tools until our species had been repopulated. Even if they only produced half-breeds or they were all inbred after a while, a thousand half-breed, inbred Alicorn would be better than three purebreds, one genetically-spliced Alicon-human hybrid, and a useless dud of an Alicorn like me. I had to imagine that I couldn't get Jenevive pregnant... I had to hope I couldn't, or else I imagined she'd lock me in the chantry and breed an entire army of Alicorn from me.

I came here for fun sex with a hot nun and was now debating whether or not I'd be kept as a sex slave for the rest of eternity. How does my life keep going off the deep end as much as it has recently?

I was dragged from my thoughts as Jenevive leaned forward, smothering my face in those enormous tits of hers as she continued to ride my cock, having quite a lot of skill and not going riding too far or too little for someone who'd never even kissed a cock before today... as far as I knew. Maybe she had a theory teacher. Jenevive was weird if this was any indication. I wanted to hold her so badly, wanted to grab as much of her wide, curvy, soft, big, sweaty, pale, sweet-

"For fuck's sake, Jenevive!" I cried out, mustering enough strength to somehow shatter her restraints. "Let me give it to you properly!"

Once free, I immediately threw the woman off of me. Her crazy face lit up with a mix of fury and displeasure as she lay on her back, only to have it melt away with a loud and pleasured moan as I pinned her down by her shoulders and rammed myself back inside her. If this crazy woman wanted me to dick her till her hips broke, then that was exactly what she was gonna get. I was gonna fuck her cunt, her ass, her mouth, and then her ass again if she really wanted the proper experience.

I had no idea what was happening to Jenevive, whether exposure to Alicorn cum made all the Blades go crazy, whether Jenevive really was a demon masquerading as a High Priestess to infiltrate the Blades, or if Jenevive really just was that hungry for cock that it made her go loopy... but do be honest with you, those questions could wait. Because there was not a force on this planet that was going to pull me away from this beautiful nut-case until I'd pumped every hole she had of the light she so desperately wanted.

I grabbed her by the base of her chin, forcing her to look at me before driving my tongue into her mouth again. Yes. I was getting rough with her. But, from where I was riding, if she didn't want it rough, she'd have said something. I hoped. Otherwise I was just raping an innocent woman in the middle of a psychotic episode from some previously unknown mental condition...

The places good pussy takes my mind, man.

"Give it to me!" she begged, helping me push away the idea that this wasn't consensual. "Give make everything you've got."

"Jenny, baby, you're gonna need eight wombs and four stomachs for that to happen," I grinned, somehow deciding that it was a good idea to crack wise as the psychotic big lady who could probably suffocate me with a single one of her tits if she wanted to.

And it seems she didn't find it too funny either, as she proceeded to grab hold of me and forcibly turn us over again, now pinning me to the bed once again, those big thighs either side of me, as she began bouncing up and down on my cock hard enough to make the solid-metal bed creak from the pressure. I had no idea where this series of events was going to lead, but so long as I nutted in her cunt at least once before she fucking killed me, I was going to be a happy man. Then she closed her hands around my throat.

And then I was not such a happy chappy.

Luckily the squeeze wasn't enough to murder. Just enough to be erotic. I think... I don't know. I've never really been into choking women before. Deciding that if she wasn't going to choke me out and the fact that I'd more than proved I'd choose pussy over life any day of my immortal existence, I pressed my hands against her wide hips, squeezing those big, baby-bearing bastards, and began to fuck her back.

Her grip loosened slightly, then a lot more, and then entirely as she slid her hands down onto my chest, putting her weight on my ribs as she looked backwards, throwing her ass around in a beautiful fashion as she continued to nearly fuck us both through the floor.

"Jenny..." I said in a strained tone, finding it a little hard to breathe. "Kind of dying here."

"Then make sure you cum before you do..." she said, her crazy eyes and sinister grin making me fear for my life for about the thirteenth time in the past twenty seconds.

"Your wish..." I said, gripping her hips once more as I slammed myself as deep inside her as I could do and blew my load into her womb.

Jenevive's head rocketed back, that same glowing feeling she had before clearly encompassing her, as I filled her womb up to the bursting point, cum jetting out of her cunt from what little exit room it had, what with my huge dick in the way, before she collapsed backwards, my cock sliding out of her as she lay on her back, panting in a satisfied and exhausted manner. I immediately got up, moving over to her side and looking her in the eyes as they returned to their normal appearance.

They were a cold steel colour, not cold looking in the harsh or uncaring way, but just a simple, shining metal that was actually quite pleasant to look at. We lay there for a long moment, my mind telling me to be ready to get literally molested again if her eyes wigged out once more, but my confidence told me I'd just fuck it out of her as many times as it took for her to act normally.

Jenevive stared into my eyes for a long moment, the post-sex glow in her eyes as a small smile crept onto her face only for me to see the exact moment her lust-induced insanity wore off and her rational mind returned to her. She shrieked loudly, throwing herself onto her knees and bowing her head before me, hands clapped together in a begging gesture as she began to plead with me.

"Your Holiness, I cannot express in mortal means how sorry I am for what I have done to you!" she exclaimed, her body wracking with terrified shakes from head to toe. "I cannot possibly beg your forgiveness for such a trespass, not only against you as a person, but for also betraying your trust in me! I took advantage of your kindness to release me from my bonds and did unspeakable things to you because of my pathetic desires!"

"Jenny..." I said in a slow manner.

"I cannot return to my duties after such... sacrilegious behaviours," she whimpered, audibly tearing up over the guilt of what she'd done. "I must return my mask and my frock to Cindria and go into exile. I only beg of you to let me find death on my own terms and not execute me for my transgressions..."

"Jenny," I repeated in a louder tone.

"I shall allow the elements to eat away at my beauty and the pains of hunger to steal this blessed body, as I do not deserve to be graced with the Goddesses' gifts if I am to abuse and neglect their Golden Child as I have done tod-"

"Jenny!" I snapped, grabbing hold of her by the shoulders and lifting her up, seeing the tears streaming down her face as she stared at me.

I didn't say anything more, merely leaned forward and kissed her beautiful lips again, wrapping my arms around her body and hugging her close to mine. She was shocked, I could tell that from how she stiffened, letting me get all the time I wanted with her mouth before I broke away and met her horrified gaze.

"How... how can you be so forgiving?" she asked as I dried her eyes for her. "I betrayed you... I molested you... Your Holiness, I am not worth your adoration..."

"You may have gone a little crazy," I shrugged. "But I'd be a liar if I said I didn't enjoy it. I wouldn't have even felt worried if you'd told me what you were doing the entire time. A little bit of hard sex is never something I'm gonna turn down. So... do you mind if we finish?"

"Finish?" she asked in a confused manner. "You... you wish to lay with me again?"

"Jenny," I said with a confident smirk. "I still haven't given that ass the attention it needs. You don't mind, do you?"

Jenevive looked back at her ass, sliding a hand down the pearly-smooth object and biting her lip in thought. She turned back to me, that same soft smile on her face, before she turned around and presented for me, getting on her hands and knees and baring her thick cheeks and puckered asshole at me, ready and willing to be ploughed.

"Perfect," I chuckled, slapping her on the ass cheek and getting a loud moan from her.

I buried my face in her ass cheeks without a second thought, getting another moan of pleasure from Jenevive as I worked on whatever I fancied. My tongue and fingers danced between her ass and pussy, driving them deep into both passages as I really worked my magic on the beautiful nun. I wanted her to relax before I reamed her good and proper, and it seemed that the licking and fingering really helped calm her down and make her feel better. She soon leaned forward entirely, now resting her arms on the bed and her head on her arms, not wanting to tire them out when I got to pounding.

She was a beautiful woman, she really was, and though I was so focused on Jenevive in the moment, my mind wandered to thoughts of Celestia. She was like Jenevive, only half a foot bigger than she was with a bigger ass and bigger tits. I felt bad about thinking of other women when fucking the present one, it was more than disrespectful to use a woman's body as a masturbation device for fantasies of other girls... but I felt lust for Celestia.

Jenevive had made me hungry for my grandmother, and it was a meal I really couldn't stand waiting for.

"You ready?" I asked after removing my tongue from her tight asshole.

"Whenever you are, Your Holiness..." she said in a sighing tone.

I grinned, pressing the head of my cock against her asshole and applying pressure, burying inch after inch of my monster cock into her tight cove. Jenevive clenched the bed sheets she lay on, biting down hard on her lip as the seemingly-never-ending length continued to bury itself in her insides. After what must've felt like forever for the poor woman, I hilted myself inside her, resting my crotch against that fat, pillowy ass, and releasing a small groan of pleasure as I felt the tight, wet tunnel my cock inhabited clench down on my dick.

I started her off easy, knowing both of us were tired and that this was going to be our last ride for the night, but was more than eager to upscale it to destroy her asshole if the mood hit me. And speaking of moods hitting me, my desperation for Celestia came back in force. I closed my eyes, bucking my hips forward and slamming into Jenevive's asshole, all the while imagining my grandmother's pale skin and vibrant hair, my mind mentally assembling moans and groans of pleasure from memories of what she sounded like.

My hands squeezed onto Jenevive's... Celestia's rear harder than before, feeling the thickness of her ass spill out between the gaps in my fingers. She purred lovingly, her large body hitting back against mine to meet my thrust, tugging against my dick in a way that felt even better than before.

"After all these years..." I heard Celestia mutter. "And you're just as good as I've been wanting you to be."

I cracked my eyes open for a brief moment, seeing Jenevive toy with her hair, tugging at certain strands and flicking it out of her face, before I disappeared back to my fantasy land, seeing the back muscles of my grandmother tense and ripple as she tried not to get fucked off the bed. I picked up the pace now, my mind using sounds I'd heard her make during training sessions to put together grunts and moans, watching her painted lips pucker and quiver as I fucked her harder and harder.

Guilt overwhelmed me almost as much as the pleasure did, using Jenevive like this as some kind of proxy for Celestia. I felt bad, it made me feel sick to my stomach... but I couldn't bring myself to stop.

"Goddesses, I can't believe I let your mother have you first," Celestia sniggered, looking back at me with her ever-elegant expression, present even when taking a massive cock up her ass. "I might have you steal you away from her. Make you my son for a while? Would you like that?"

I cracked my eyes open once again, seeing beads of sweat on Jenevive's back, hearing her moan louder than ever as I really pounded her backdoor in, wet slaps of sweaty flesh hitting against each other over and over again, rocking the bed forward and hitting it into the solid stone wall, closing my eyes again and imagining Celestia in the same position.

Her usual straight and thick hair was frayed and ragged, tossed and split from how hard we'd fucked beforehand. The make-up around her mouth and eyes was smudged, her eyes had watered and lipstick had smeared after how hard I fucked her throat. She bit her plump bottom lip once again, her mature features and experienced groans knowing just where to hit me to make my cock sing. I wanted to imagine more, but the sheer fantasy of her body was too much for me to handle.

With a tight grip on Jenevive's ass, my teeth gritted to an almost painful degree, and a muttering of a name so silent that it was almost inaudible, I burst my dam.

"Celestia..." I whispered through gritted teeth, dumping another load inside of Jenevive, making myself hear Celestia moan in orgasm as I fucked them both over the brink.

I didn't pull out, I didn't want to. I milked my cock dry with a few more thrusts into her tight asshole, leaning over and kissing Jenevive's, kissing Celestia's, back in a loving, affectionate manner before pulling out of her entirely. I opened my eyes as I dropped down onto the bed, staring at Jenevive's dripping creampies and feeling the guilt of exploiting her rush through me more than ever now that I wasn't nuts deep in her asshole and had begun to calm down.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Jenevive asked.

"Yes, Jenevive. You were great," I answered in a pleased tone.

Yeah, Celestia... you were amazing.

Chapter 48: Thoughts

I watched as Jenevive dressed herself, covering her grey eyes with her silver mask and putting as much of her frock on as she could after both of us tearing into it something vicious. Once she was sufficiently armoured, she turned to me with a gentle smile and bowed her head slightly, joining her hands at her waist in her usual gesture and speaking.

"Richter," she said in a soft tone. "I believe it would be best for us to return to Cindria's room and discuss plans with the others, lest they begin to miss you."

"Trust me," I said, sitting on the side of the bed and looking at the wall. "Nobody misses me at these things. I've got about as much skill in strategy as a fish does in whistling... and you also kind of tore my clothing to pieces."

Jenevive's lips pouted for a moment, staring down at the pile of cotton, wool, and leather that lay on the floor around her bed. She blushed red for a brief moment, looking around her room, before turning back to me.

"I'm afraid I don't have any men's clothing that are your size..." she mumbled. "I'm... I'm sure that one of the other male Blades must have similar measurements to you."

"Do you know of any off the top of your head?" I asked her with a cocked eyebrow.

"I... actually... now that I think about it..." she said, looking even more embarrassed than ever. "I don't believe we have a single male blade here that isn't at least six feet and four inches..."

"Anything for children that might fit?"

"I'm not entirely sure," she said, bowing her head lower than before in an extremely apologetic gesture. "I apologise for making such a mess out of this."

"Don't worry yourself," I chuckled. "I've been in worse situations with much less beforehand. I tell you what, go find Twilight, and I'm sure she'll be able to wrangle something up for me."

"As you wish," Jenevive said, moving towards the door before stopping short, her hand resting on the knob. "What... what should I tell her so that we don't raise suspicions?"

"Tell her 'the usual happened'," I shrugged. "I've got a reputation for this kind of thing. Every woman in my family's used to it by now."

Jenevive nodded slowly, opening the ornate door and heading out, closing it lightly behind her and leaving me alone in the warm, homey room with my thoughts. My terrible, perverted, manipulated thoughts. So, me, let's go over all of the horrible things you've done today:

First off: outright abuse of power. Doesn't matter if Jenevive offered you sex, you should've been a responsible adult and turned her down as it was clearly fuelled by her worship of your kind.

Secondly: willingly allowing said worshipper to molest you and only feeling bad about causing her to go insane because of the fact you couldn't put your hands on her for most of the sex. You didn't even stop to think if she had some kind of breakdown, you merely shrugged it off and kept on screwing.

And finally: using a real-life woman with a personality, thoughts, feelings, and emotions as nothing more than a masturbation tool to fuel your own sick and twisted desires for a woman who might not even reciprocate your sexual attraction to her.

You are a terrible person, Richter. Signed, yourself.

I sat up on the bed, looking around for the sword I'd received from Celestia and wondering if it had damaged anything after being tossed. I picked it up off the bed, laying the cool scabbard across my legs as I pulled it out of its sheath. I stared again at the faint, humming light emanating from the blade, running two fingers down the fuller and feeling a warm, soothing heat coursing through the entirety of the blade. I gripped the oval-shaped hilt with a good bit of force, hearing the leather wrapping stretch as I did so, before releasing the tension in my hand with a weighty sigh.

"A sword fit for a king," I muttered. "And a boy not fit for a crown..."

I sheathed it again, hearing the blade lock into place with a satisfying click, before setting it down against the side of the bed, lying back down once again and staring up at the ceiling. I began to wonder if anyone else in my family had gone through these kinds of situations. Dabbling in the exploitation of those loyal to them for some kind of gain, sexual or otherwise... I imagined they'd done it in some small manner. Whether ordering a servant to let them stay up past their bedtime or using their title to get out of paying for something. I hadn't done anything like that, never liked abusing my power... except when it came to sex, apparently.

Girls liked rich guys, girls liked powerful men, and nobles always liked to do anything and everything they could to boost their own social status. I'd slept with more than my fair share of noble daughters solely because they knew it would grant their parents' greater stature once my royal seed had stained their little girl forever. I was never able to comprehend how that was meant to work, what was more noble about whoring out for what was essentially a stranger, but that was one of the major reasons I never went for court studies as a kid. Was too busy training and fucking to care about a proper education.

It had worked well enough for me so far. I knew how to read and write, knew enough mathematics to get by, and was somewhat competent at a few sciences that related to monster hunting. I was serviceable. Nothing wrong with that, right? Sure, if you don't mind sitting in the very wide and very large shadow of a family larger than life itself. I placed my hands behind my head, staring at the magnolia-coloured ceiling and thinking back to the things I knew about the upbringing of my other family members.

Dad was the same as me, really. Wasn't fussed about numbers and books, cared more about actually working, found his way into the military and... then proved himself to be a strategic genius by the age of seventeen and received war medal after war medal from that day forth. Okay, so maybe dad and I weren't the same. He was cut from a different cloth and had to work infinitely harder than I did because he had something to prove. There was Twilight, who was a prodigy from the day she learned to talk, excelling in everything she picked up and managing to catch Celestia's eye very early on.

I knew my mother had undergone a much less-specialised but a much more typical noble upbringing than I had. Lessons of etiquette, politics, public speaking, basic and advanced forms of education regarding language, mathematics, science, and all the other subjects I'd never bothered with. She'd been taught to fence, was quite talented at singing, and pursued a higher education once she'd finished her mandatory training before training as a master cook and an alchemist.

Luna and Celestia... I stopped staring off into space for a moment as I tried to grab any knowledge I had about them only to realise it was a shockingly small amount. I had no idea what their formal education was, I had no idea where they grew up, I had no idea about the life they lead before having Cadance and helping her raise me. I didn't even know the names of their mother and father, my own great-grandparents, even after how long I'd been around to be able to inquire about it.

They were an enigma to me entirely... and I began to wonder if they were the same to everyone else, even Cadance. I didn't know if their history was known to the general public, whether there were scriptures or tomes that spoke of their early lives, or even if there were documents about them from when the other Alicorn were still kicking about. But then... were there other Alicorn kicking about when they were children? How old were they, exactly? I'd heard that they were around four thousand years each, but that could've been the number they gave to the public in an effort to hide something about them.

Were Alicorn even real? Or were the two of them some other race that they made up a story for to explain their supernatural qualities, and did everyone else that was born after they explained it just believe it because the sisters had said it happened? Were they even sisters? Were they demons? Angels? Hyper-mutated rabbit women in disguise? As stupid as it may sound, it was a possibility from how little I knew about my aunt and grandmother at this... great aunt and grandmother... still hadn't gotten used to doing that yet.

I could ask them about it... but what if they didn't want me to? What if they killed and ate everyone that asked questions about their history? What if their physical appearances weren't even real? What if they were illusions to hide the fact they were hideous monsters that stole and ate children? Was I a hideous monster? Were my humanoid looks just an illusion I didn't know how to get rid of? Is that why I can't use my magic? Did they lock it away from me so I wouldn't expose their dark and dirty-

"What the actual fuck are you blithering on about?!" I heard Grael bark angrily inside my head, nearly making me leap off the bed in terror as his angry, booming voice suddenly invaded my skull.

"Can you fucking not, please?" I asked in an angry tone, my skull still ringing from the sudden noise and my heart pumping as hard as a drum,

"Not when I've been sat here for the past five minutes listening to you spew nonsense about illusions of beauty an rabbit women," he growled.

"You can't tell me I'm wrong though," I said. "We know nothing about them."

"Except we do. Because of the several thousand tomes, scriptures, paintings, poems, sonnets, epics, and all other forms of literature that speak of, in great detail I might add, everything Luna and Celestia have ever done in their lives," Grael spoke. "Which you'd know by now if you'd spent more time with your head in a book rather than between some woman's backside."

"I mean... you don't have to be a dick about it," I said after a long pause, not having any justification for my own stupidity at this point.

"Jenevive arrived a few minutes ago and asked Twilight to retrieve some of your garments from Equestria after 'the usual happened'," Grael said in a annoyed tone. "I hope you're capable of sleeping at night knowing that you and you alone are the sole reason our plans are being delayed for so long."

"Pffft, I came to terms with that years ago," I shrugged.

"Just making sure you're comfortable with it," he said. "So, was Jenevive to your preference in the bedroom?"

"Why do you care?" I asked.

"Because I wish to know if it'll be necessary to add the Blades' fortress to my ever-expanding list of 'Places Richter goes to whore himself out and avoid his responsibilities'," he answered.

"I think you just want to fuck her," I shrugged.

"I wouldn't be opposed to the offer if the chance ever presented itself, but that's not what we're discussing here," Grael responded in a dry tone. "Is she something you're going to be using often?"

"Don't phrase it like that..." I said, another pang of guilt hitting my chest.

"Like what? Like the way you operate?" he asked. "So you're perfectly okay with using women like disposable hand towels every day of the week, but we're just not allowed to say you do?"

"What's crawled up your ass today?" I asked in an annoyed manner, starting to get a little sick of his attitude.

"The fact that we're on the brink of a cataclysm that could end the world as we know it and you're too busy frolicking with women to be paying attention and lending a hand when its needed the most," Grael answered.

"Have you all not got it under control?" I asked.

"That does not and never will give you permission to shirk all of your work, never learn or grow as a person or a fighter, and then complain about being weak and pitiful when you yourself are the reason for it," Grael snarled. "Because there's going to come a day where you're backed against a wall in a situation where you have no idea what to do and nobody is going to be there to save you. So if I were you, I'd get myself down to the war room again and start making an effort to being an asset to this team, rather than a detriment. Understand?"

"..."

"I hate it when you're right, you know that?" I sighed in a depressed way.

"Then stop making the wrong choices, and I won't be so often," Grael said. "Twilight said she wouldn't take longer than five minutes. Use that time to think about what you're going to do, and do it."

"Right..." I sighed, looking down at the ground in a dejected manner.

"Richter, I only say this because I love you and don't want to see you stuck in this cycle of defeat and misery," he said in a softer, less aggressive tone. "But you've always needed a boot up the ass to actually do anything in your life, and this here is mine. Now hurry up and get down here before you miss most of the important things. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"Yeah, I love you too..." I said, leaning forward on my elbows and almost feeling the heat drain out of the room as Grael's words got through to me.

He cut the connection between the two of us and left me alone again. Alone with my thoughts.

Chapter 49: A Call To Arms

"You seem rather bouncy," Twilight commented as I fastened my bracers to my wrists. "What's gotten your fire blazing?"

"Finally decided to stop crying about my lot in life and do something about it," I shrugged, rolling my wrists and flexing my fingers to test the fit of the reinforced leather armour. "I can't become a better warrior and a better prince if I spend all my days sat on my arse crying about it, can I?"

Twilight crossed her arms over her chest, cocking an eyebrow and smirking playfully, taking a deep breath before airing her happiness at my newfound determination.

"I've gotta say, you'd have to be blind not to see your father in you," she chuckled.

"Really?"

"Of course. I've spent years watching Shining tighten his belt, crack his neck, and do whatever anyone told him was the impossible," she nodded. "He'd get this fiery look in his eye, a glare hot enough to melt through a shield, and we knew there was no stopping him after that. You may not have your dad's iron will just yet, but you've got the same spark in you that he used to forge it. That's more than most boys your age can say."

I smiled, genuinely from ear to ear, at her kind words. I'd always striven to be half the man my father was, and just hearing Twilight say that I resembled him in more than just looks was enough to make my day. I came from a long line of warriors, heroes, and rulers. It was about time I started living up to that and earn my place in history.

I grabbed my sword off the bed, fastening it onto my back and rolling my shoulders. Twilight had leaned herself against the door frame while I'd sorted my weapon out, absent-mindedly checking her nails and adjusting the length of her cuffs before her purple eyes looked back up to me.

"Are you ready to get learned some?" she asked.

"Of course," I nodded, gesturing for her to lead the way. "After you."

"Such a gentlemen," she giggled, heading out of the door and through the corridor.

The two of us made our way to where everyone had set up shop; a small chamber dedicated to planning and preparing strategies. The room was mostly silent, Cindria and Shining shuffling through old parchment, papers, and maps to keep their knowledge up and complete silence at bay, while the rest of the team sat in a bunch and waited for their opinion to be asked.

"Richter!" my father called out to me, his eyes not leaving the page as he spoke. "We have an ally with a connection to an enormous network of expert trackers that should be able to help us find any Vampire hideouts. Who is it?"

I was caught almost entirely off guard by the sudden drilling, my mind lighting up with random names to blurt out just to not look stupid. I decided that a slow answer was better than a wrong one, so I broke the sentence down and took it piece by piece, focusing on keywords that might help me narrow down a 'suspect'.

The first one I focused on was 'ally'. That meant somebody we knew and somebody we called a friend, but did he mean a singular person or an entire country? A few people on our staff or an entire legion? I then moved onto another keyword; 'trackers'. Who did we know that was an ally and knew people who could track? A tracker was often someone trained to know their way around entire areas, know the local wildlife and their patterns, and often used that skill to... hunt.

An ally who had a connection to a network of hunters?

"Angela," I said after it clicked into place in my head. "She's a guildmaster that has her own herd of hunters and almost definitely knows the other guildmasters across the world."

"Correct," Shining said with a proud smile on his lips. "Care to guess what the plan was came up with was?"

"Uh... asking Angela very nicely to put out the word of the Vampire problem and having them report back to us at regular intervals?" I asked, giving as much of a textbook answer as I could think of.

"Another great answer," he nodded. "I think you should 'introduce yourself' to Jenevive more often if it helps you get this much on the ball."

"Yeah... speaking of which, where is she?" I asked, finally noticing the absence of the mother figure of The Blades.

"She disappeared pretty quickly after she asked for Twilight to help," Shining said.

"She's most likely gone for the Nightly Prayer," Cindria chimed in, turning around with a tome in her hands and walking over to the table. "The children are going to bed rather soon, and those who wish to pray to the Goddesses for goodwill and protection do so in the chapel, with Jenevive overseeing the proceeding."

"Not everyone does it?" I asked.

"We do not force those who do not wish to partake in prayer to do so," Cindria asked. "Only that they respect those who do. After all, we could hardly call ourselves a religion of love and compassion if we immediately drew steel the second we met one who did not share our beliefs."

"If only more groups thought like you," Shining sighed, turning over a piece of browned parchment and sighing. "Then I'd have to spend less time resharpening my sword."

"So, have we arranged the first part of our plan?" Twilight asked, cocking a well-manicured eyebrow.

"Indeed we have," Shining nodded, looking to the map board and pointing to several of the continents, each marked with their respective flag and colour. "We're to send word to Angela and ask her to be our eyes and ears throughout the hunter guilds. Then, any intelligence we deem as legitimate or worth looking into shall be handled by the blades, with either myself or Cindria at the helm."

"I'd like to take the majority of missions, if that's okay with you, General," Cindria said, closing her book and looking at the map with hardened eyes.

"Oh?"

"I've somewhat of a score to settle with the bloodsuckers... and, as much as you refuse to hear it, you're not getting any younger," she said, walking over to the middle-aged general and crossing her arms. "If your hair is showing half as much age as your bones and muscle are, then I'd say it's time for you to take a cosy seat in the command tent and enjoy more days with your wife."

"I'm not decrepit yet, Cindria," Shining stated.

"But you are slower and weaker than you were twenty years ago," she countered. "Against normal humans, that'd be enough of a weakness. But against dark beings such as these? Where their fingers alone can snap the spine of a mortal man with nary an effort? It is too much of a weakness for you to surpass. So I'll ask you now, presumably adding to the number of times your wife already has: do not throw yourself into the front lines this time. You're a man with nothing to prove and the world to lose. Don't throw it away because you refuse to accept your mortality."

My father opened his mouth for a long moment, eyes soon dropping from Cindria's face down to the ground, then back up to the ceiling, and finally back on the Knight-Commander's eyes.

"You're right," he said, nodding his head slowly. "You're right."

"But does that mean you'll do what is asked of you, or what you want to do?" she questioned, narrowing her eyes slightly as she questioned the larger man.

He didn't answer immediately. In fact, he didn't answer at all. And for the first time in my life; it made me worry about him. I'd gotten so used to the stories and the duels I'd heard and seen of my father to ever question his battle prowess. After all, seeing him clean the floor with Zane not too long ago still solidified the idea that he was the same indomitable titan he always was... but Cindria couldn't be wrong.

My father wasn't the young man he once was, rapidly approaching his fifth decade of life and the sands of time beginning to wear him down harsher than ever before. I had not seen his decline, being too young and lacking in combat experience to see him before and after age left its mark... but if my father was admitting it, however apprehensively, it had to be enough of a loss in ability that made a large difference.

I felt a shiver of nervousness run through my body, fearing for his life for the first time in my own, and hoping that he'd take Cindria's advice and keep himself safe and alive for at least another forty years. If anything, it was another, even bigger, incentive for me to double my efforts and become more than the weakling I was now. I had my father's name to carry, even while he was still among the living, and I'd hate to bring shame to it.

"Should I try to reassemble the little crew I had in Winter's Maw?" I asked the room.

"Which was?" Cindria asked.

"Court Mage Celana, Mercenary Leader Karra, and Guildmaster Angela," I answered. "All three of them more than held their own dealing with a dragon matriarch, so I assume they'll be more than capable of handling a few bloodsuckers."

"I don't think Karra's going to throw her hat into the ring again," Shining said. "Last I heard, she'd spent almost every penny she earned in the business to rebuild her mercenary guild in Canterlot and is cursing the royal family, especially you, to anyone that'll listen."

"And what about Celana?" I asked.

"I spoke to her a few days ago regarding our joint investigation. She's going to be away on business in the Far East for several weeks, if not months, trying to use treatise to get the Empress of those lands to come through on her promise to assist Winter's Maw in times of trouble," Twilight said. "Pretty much deadlocked into negotiations with no end in sight, I'm afraid."

"So it looks like Angela's all we've got?" I asked, sighing in a disappointed fashion.

"That's even if she's capable of helping us," Cindria said. "For all we know, she and her guild could be blacklisted from every other guild in the world and she has no connections with any of them."

"We're banking quite a lot on blind luck here, aren't we?" I asked in an apprehensive manner.

"You always do in the planning phase," Shining nodded. "Now, Cindria, myself and the others are going to head back to Canterlot to discuss matters with Angela, and then I'll report back to you once we've found out whether or not she's capable of helping."

"Then you and I can further discuss the handling of engagement with the enemy once the intelligence gathered comes back," she nodded, joining her hands behind her back.

"So what are we going to do?" Annerose asked, speaking up after what seemed like hours of quiet.

"Train," I said, cutting in before anyone else could answer. "Train for as hard and as long as we can."

"Sounds as good a plan as any I've heard before," Shining smirked, nodding in approval. "Good to see you're using your time wisely."

"I've wasted the last eighteen years of it," I shrugged. "Now's the time I change that."

Chapter 50: Sparring Match

Angela hadn't been too hard to get ahold of, taking no more time than five minutes to find her training in the exercise yard of the castle. She'd dressed down from her usual coat, pants, and boots to nothing more than a raggedy, sleeveless black shirt and a pair of tattered old brown pants, lacking any kind of footwear. Shining went over to talk to her, but the mighty mage didn't stop training, continuing her set of one-handed push-ups, sweat visibly dripping down her strong arms and soaking through her clothing.

I'd hoped she was wearing some kind of supporting bra, for her sake.

"What can I do you for?" Angela barked, her voice loud and excited as usual, once again making the most of the strength of youth.

"We need your assistance on a certain matter," Shining answered, crouching next to the blonde fighter and locking his fingers together.

"Again?" she asked, pushing herself up hard enough to allow her to switch arms without stopping, landing with a grunt and a grit of her teeth before continuing her set. "So soon?"

"Evil never sleeps, Angela," Shining said, looking out across the exercise yard and into the distance. "And we can't either, not until it's all stamped out."

"Alright then, General, what mess are you dragging me into this time?" Angela asked, starting to use her other hand to perform clap-push ups, her shoulders visibly tensing and straining with each impact of her body on the rough, dirty ground.

"We need you to use a few of your connections," Shining explained. "Get the word out to as many hunters across the globe as you can about a certain group we're looking for."

"And what would that group be?"

"Vampires," Shining said, looking back down at Angela with a serious expression.

"As good a prey as any," she shrugged, finally giving one last mighty push up before dropping onto her backside, rolling her shoulders before clawing her sweat-slicked fringe out of her face. "You want me to smash them for you?"

"If only it were that simple," he chuckled. "Are you aware of how Vampires operate?"

"I know they drink blood, are really miserable, and don't have a good sex life," she shrugged. "Beyond that, all I know is where to find them and what to kill them with."

"Do the other hunters know those things as well?"

"The older ones will, and the younger ones can learn," she said, resting her arms on her knees and panting quietly. "How many are we going after?"

"If it goes well: half of them," he answered in a simple manner.

"That's not a number, General," Angela stated with a cocked head.

"Because I don't know what the total number of their population is, but I know we're gonna need to kill half of them," he said, standing up and stretching his back.

"That's gonna take a good few hunters," Angela said. "A good few."

"We've already got most of the muscle for dealing with the Vampires ready and waiting for the kill order to be given," Shining said with a wave of his hand. "We just need the hunters to mark the targets."

"I'm sure a few of the other guild masters around the world can keep an ear to the ground for any sickly-looking whiners," Angela nodded, holding her hand out to be taken.

Shining grabbed it and pulled the smaller woman to her feet, Angela dusting her dirt-caked trousers off before turning to look at myself and the other three.

"Are they gonna be helping too?" she asked, smiling and waving politely at us, a gesture we returned.

"In their own ways, yes," Shining nodded. "How soon can you get word out to the other guild masters?"

"If I use our network, probably a few hours, at least," she shrugged. "I'll take a shower, get dressed, and get a start on that. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," he said, nodding his head in thanks as Angela walked off the exercise ground, giving us a wink and a wave as she walked past.

We watched her make her exit, her long, blonde hair disappearing into the castle and leaving the training grounds quiet, except for the few grunts and sighs of the other training soldiers.

"She terrifies me," Annerose said after a moment of silence.

"How so?" Zane asked.

"Her thighs look like they could crush my head without any kind of effort," she said in a shivering tone.

"Not the worst way to die," I commented, standing up and walking over to one of the training rings.

"He's not wrong," Zane shrugged, leaning back and staring into the clear blue sky.

And it was quite a sight to behold. The weather was in the height of a warm summer, the wind was cool, the birds chirped and sang in beautiful unison, and I had a warm, glowing feeling in my chest that told me there was only one thing I wanted:

Violence.

I drew two swords off the practice rack, tossing one like a javelin over to Annerose. She was unaware of the missile at first, soon being made aware too late, only for Zane's superior reflexes to allow him to catch it before she was knocked to the floor.

"Little warning next time?" she barked as Zane handed her the sword. "And what're you playing at, anyway?"

"Fight me," I said, holding my arms by my lower sides and smiling at her.

"Excuse me?" she asked in a surprised tone.

"You heard," I said, throwing the wooden scabbard of the practice sword aside and twirling it in my hand for a brief moment. "I want you to fight me."

"You mean you want me to tan your arse for the four seconds you'll last?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Exactly," I nodded. "I need to get better, and the only way to do it is by fighting someone I need to surpass."

"I'm not a good teacher," she shrugged. "Ask someone else."

"No, I'm asking you to train with me," I said in a sterner tone.

"There's nothing to gain from it besides bruises and broken teeth," she said, flicking her hair over her shoulder and turning her nose up at me. "You're only gonna get pissy with me when you lose."

"Annerose, as your Crown Prince and Royal Superior, I am ordering you to draw your sword and spar with me, or so help me Goddesses, I'll have you stripped, blindfolded, tied up, and paraded through the streets as a public event just to prove a creature with tits as small as yours can still be female," I said, throwing as much as I could to get her angry enough to fight in my utter bullshit threat.

Judging from the fact she launched the scabbard off the sword hard enough to crack it, I imagined it had worked rather efficiently. She was fuming mad, clutching a weapon, and approaching me at a rapid speed...

Why did I think this was a good idea again?

She was mad, and that made her slightly sloppier than usual. A two-handed overswing aimed straight for my head was not something she'd usually do, and she paid for it. I ducked under the attack, rapping her on the knees with the sword hard enough to get a yelp of pain out from her before unleashing an uppercut that knocked her square on her arse.

She landed hard, staring at me in confusion before realising that we weren't following usual duelling rules. I made several mistakes in this fight, mostly from a lack of proper practice with my own techniques, but deciding to throw the rule book out the window whilst facing off against one of the most vicious and well-trained scrappers in the kingdom was probably one of the bigger ones. She had dirty fighting down to an art, and I was not desperate to see what she had planned for me.

I didn't have to wait long.

Not even back to her feet yet, she tossed... launched her sword from her hand towards my head, something that was hard enough to dodge at such a short range, only to realise she'd outright baited me into being off-balance and off-centre. Once back to her feet proper, she launched forwards with a knee to the groin, knocking my will to live out my asshole, only to then grab hold of my shirt and slam three right hooks into my nose that hit hard enough to break it on the first impact.

In pain, bleeding, and broken, I went for the only strategy I could think of with both of her hands occupied: I headbutted her. I slammed my forehead right onto her nose, definitely breaking it in return, if the loud crack was anything to judge by, before following it up with a simple grapple: I grabbed hold of her dazed form, stuck my foot out behind the backs of hers, and threw her backwards. Her feet caught on mine, had nowhere to go to steady herself, and she went down like a sack of bleeding potatoes.

I cocked my hand back for a shot to her face again, only to receive a momentum-charged boot to the back of the head that sent us both scrambling to the floor. Blood splattered the ground, our clothing, and knuckles less than twenty seconds into the fight, and both of us were climbing to our feet in a dazed and pained fashion. I could still see stars, saw two of Anne, and was barely able to keep steady. Sadly, she'd landed more stunning blows than I had, was in better condition, and fucking proved it.

She launched forward with a straight jab I could barely see to block, throwing my hands up and catching the bruising blow on the brunt of my bracers, trying to use as much of my sluggish bodyweight to stay up straight and not give her a gravity advantage.

It didn't work too well.

A second, much more power shot slipped past my guard, hitting me in the face and sending me staggering back, only to have Anne drop like a rock and sweep kick my feet out from underneath me, turning me into a groaning, bleeding, pile of pain on the floor once again. Once more possessing the advantage, she raised her boot up to kick outwards, hoping to use her momentum to carry her across the unstable ground and right into my face, but I was able to catch it before it made impact. Her leg was caught and her stance was over-extended, so I decided to go for the crocodile move:

Rolling like a madman.

I threw myself side over side, pulling the precariously-stanced woman with me as I went, slamming her side and head into the dirt, no doubt paining and dazing her something vicious. Instead of going for some other kind of grapple or tackle, I decided to back the fuck up and put some distance between the two of us, trying desperately to clear my head and figure out which Annerose I should hit.

She got to her feet, blood dripping from a cut on her ear and on the side of her head, spilling down onto her cheek and staining her raven-blue hair. She knuckled up once more, keeping her defences primed and ready as she began to circle me.

"I've gotta give him credit," Zane nodded. "He's stayed standing longer than he usually does."

"Aye, especially when she's this angry at him," Grael commented from his nearly-asleep position on the floor. "Be ready to get a healer once she's finished beating him to pulp."

"Already planning on it," Zane said, reaching down and scratching Grael's neck as the Direwolf napped in the warm sun.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys. Focusing my attention back on the livid living weapon in front of me, I waited to see what she had planned next. Apparently the plan was 'beat the living shit out of me' as she charged forward with a volley of hard-hitting hooks and vicious knee strikes, most hitting their mark as I kept on the back foot, but remained determined not to go down again. I had one illegal strategy that would get me immediately disqualified from any official match like this, but it would work perfectly if I could just pull it off.

So far, it would be difficult to do it as Anne was staying planted in mostly the same location, not moving with the forward momentum like I needed her to. I threw a few weak jabs of my own, catching her cheek, the corner of her eye, and just above her top lip, getting snarls and grunts of fury and pain in response, trying to bait her into getting angry enough to-

Suddenly, and thankfully, she went for the knockout combo she always used on those she fought, slamming her fist into my gut, something I managed to dodge back far enough to avoid most of the force transference, but not the entire impact itself, managing to turn a temple shot into a glancing blow thanks to a lucky dodge move, and waited for her to unleash that finishing third hit she always went for.

And she ran right into my trap like a wild animal.

She cocked her arm back, stepping forward on her right foot as she threw a punch aimed straight for my face, allowing me to keep my guard up and perform the only spin move that worked in actual combat. I spun and stepped slightly around her just as the punch carried her forwards, managing to get just behind her and throwing a momentum-charged punch right into the back of her skull and delivering a knock-out shot.

The force of the impact sent her rocketing forwards and off her feet, knocking her down onto her face and causing her legs to turn to jelly, robbing her off the knowledge of which way was up, and her entire equilibrium in the process. She shoved herself over onto her back, her eyes wildly moving around in her skull as she tried desperately to push herself back onto her feet, getting as high as on the backs of her heels and one hand before tumbling back down to the ground again.

"Well I'll be damned," Zane commented just after Anne dropped and gave up trying to recover her footing.

"A first time for everything, it seems," Grael chuckled, cracking an eye open in a lazy fashion and seeing me raise my arms in victory like a child that had just won a prize.

"And let that be a lesson!" I laughed loudly. "Nobody batters women like a rich nobleman!"

I turned around to grin at Grael, wanting to see my black humour make him roll his eyes for the thousandth time, only to see Zane grimace quietly and Grael shake his head. A moment of confusion rolled through me, only to have fear and regret surge through my entire being as I heard the scuffle of boots on dirt, turning around just in time to have that same knock out shot slam straight into my face, ploughing me into the dirt and knocking the wind out of me on impact.

Stars shined brightly, pain ran throughout my entire torso, and a wave of confusion rolled over me as Anne's boot was pressed to my neck, pinning me to the dirt and slowly beginning to choke the life out of me.

"And let that be a lesson," she snarled. "Don't turn your back on your opponent until you're sure they aren't faking."

"I..." I said, looking up at the woman as she leaned down, smiling smugly at me as she proclaimed her victory.

"And that's why I never waste my time dealing with-" she began, only to be cut off as I hooked her in the face, sending her tumbling thanks to her over-extended standing position and kicking off the second round of a very painful scuffle.

Chapter 51: A Helping Hand

I had to admit: the sheer amount of teleporting I'd done in the past few hours was making me queasy. I'd gone from Canterlot, to the Empress' palace, to some underground base, back to the palace, and then back to Canterlot, only to teleport right back here. I had never been a fan of a horse, a saddle, and an open trail beforehand, but at this point I'd rather have a slow ride and some good scenery than have my teeth itch, my skin crawl, and my brain tearing itself in half to try and remember what time of day it was.

"You doing alright?" Twilight asked me, crossing a leg over and leaning back on the large, wooden crate she'd taken a seat on.

I looked over at my aunt, the two of us having taken to waiting alone inside a library that seemed to be in the midst of a renovation while the others went to attend to different duties. Shining had gone to fill the Empress in on what had transpired, the three of my group had all gone to eat while I stayed behind due to not being hungry. That left Twilight and I to entertain ourselves, and with Twilight being Twilight, that meant a trip to the library.

It could have been worse. At least she didn't take us to the plague lab to take samples of pus from sores on a victim's body.

"Not really," I sighed, rubbing my eyes and trying to quell the sick feeling in my stomach. "Teleporting kind of sucks."

"Hmm. I must be reassembling you wrong," she said, looking at her painted purple nails with a way-too-aloof manner for the sentence she just said.

"Excuse me?" I asked in a worried tone.

"Well, there are two types of teleportation that we've mastered," she began. "The first is cutting a hole in the fabric of existence and forcing it to lead to wherever you want, this being a much more difficult and power-draining version, and the second is to break down the very essence of a person or object and rapidly reassemble it somewhere else. I did the second version on the way back to avoid wasting any more power than I need to, and may have left a few atoms slightly to the left of where they should be."

"So I could have a weakened sword arm because you put the bone back in the wrong place?" I asked in a bitter manner.

"I'd be more worried about having reassembled you with the lining of your organs misaligned and making them more likely to rupture under pressure," she shrugged. "Hell, you could be feeling sick because you're slowly bleeding out from a two centimetre hole in your stomach that you're unaware of."

"That's comforting," I said, blinking quietly. "Can you make sure it isn't?"

"You're probably fine," she said, waving the concern away.

"Can you please make sure it isn't?" I repeated in a louder fashion.

"Oh, alright, fine," she said in an annoyed tone, rolling her bright eyes as she moved over to me.

Without any real instruction as to what she wanted me to do, she lifted my shirt up and began poking and prodding at my abdomen, pectoral area, and just above my groin with warm, glowing fingertips. Her eyes danced about for a long moment, glowing just as brightly as her fingers as she channelled her magic, only to pull my shirt down soon after and kill off her magical power.

"There, all better," she said, sitting back down on the box.

"'All better' and 'there was nothing wrong' are not the same thing, Twilight," I said. "What was wrong?"

"Just a little bit of out of place tissue in the lining of your stomach which was causing a teensy bit of haemorrhaging and internal bleeding that mayhaps have been fatal," she said, crossing her legs again and looking at the enormous selection of books all around us. "I realigned the tissue, removed the blood from your stomach, and gave you a nice rush of endorphins to make the happy juice start flowing. Is that okay?"

"I was bleeding internally?" I asked in horror.

"Just a smidgen," she said, gesturing and narrowing her eyes slightly.

"I was bleeding internally?!" I demanded.

"Oh, hush, you bloody drama queen," Twilight scoffed. "Honestly, if you're going to complain about the smallest inconveniences, then you'll never have any fun in life."

"I could have died!" I barked.

"Yeah, but did you though?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow in a inquiring manner.

I recognised the smug tone she was going for and prayed to the heavens she wasn't about to make that same stupid pose she always did when she was-

"And I'll have you know that a mage of my calibre," she said in a haughty tone, leaning forwards slightly, narrowing her eyes and pouting in the most smug manner one could as she pressed her fingers against her chest in that stupid fucking gesture she always did. "Would never allow something as trivial as the matters of life and death impact my perfect spell casting."

"Didn't you just say you fucked up the teleportation spell and nearly killed me?" I asked in a bemused tone.

"I have no recollection of this," she sniffed. "This account is clearly false and we shall speak nothing of it from hence forth. Good day, sir."

"But-"

"I said good day!" she snapped, standing up from the box and storming off deeper into the library, leaving me alone with my pile of irritation and confusion...

And a good look at that thick ass as she left but shhhh...

With my annoyance and perversion to keep my company, I sat in silence for a long moment, hearing the sound of Twilight sorting through the shelves for a tome that interested her, a panicked squeak, and finished off by a loud sound of many, many thick books tumbling everywhere.

I turned to try and look at where Twilight had gone off to, only hearing a faint groan of pain after the poor woman had been bombarded by the stack. I couldn't get a good viewpoint on the disaster, so I leaned further over, caring enough to see what had happened but not caring enough to actually get up and check, only to nearly have a heart attack as someone pretty much spoke into my fucking soul due to how close their mouth was to my ear.

"Richter?" they asked in a more polite term than I'd heard them use before.

Keeping the womanly scream that was growing in my lungs clamped down with manly iron thoughts of beer, boobs, and... something else manly that starts with the letter 'B', I turned to my right and met the guilt-ridden green stare of the emerald-eyed Vampiress herself.

"Verella," I said in a tone I put on to try and hide the fact she nearly just made me hit a falsetto note high enough to shatter windows. "What's wrong?"

"I..." she said in a quiet tone, her eyes falling from mine for a brief moment. "I wanted... I wanted to apologise. Do you mind if I sit down?"

"No, not at all," I said, scooting over on the box I was sat atop and making room for Verella.

She sat down on the box with a sigh, her eyes locked onto her knees and her fingers tightly gripping her pants. It seemed she was having a hard time getting going with her apology, her eyes darting slightly and her mouth opening several times, only to close soon after and her expression hardening.

"I'm sorry for..." she managed to choke out, either emotion or pride making it insanely difficult for her to speak clearly. "For the way I've been acting towards you. It's just... I... I've been..."

She fell silent again, turning away from me and hiding her face under her fringe, lip trembling once more as if she were about to cry. I figured that this was a difficult thing for her to do, possibly because she wasn't the apologising type, and having to admit her wrongs brought on an emotional weight that stacked on top of her already fragile emotional state with what had happened already, or that apologising made her think about why she'd been acting like this, and it brought back all the pain she was trying to suppress.

"I just don't want you to think..." she choked, tears streaming down her face. "That I'm some kind of... I..."

The awkward feeling of being unable to comfort a grieving person came rushing back to me, as it had done with Verella's aunt, but I knew this time that I couldn't just sit here and let the poor girl sob her heart out to someone as cold and unmoving as a statue. I shook my head, getting off the box and standing in front of her, ducking down so that I could lock eyes with her.

"Hey, don't worry about it," I said, mentally kicking myself for starting off with one of the most cliche 'there there, sweetie' lines I could've used, knowing that I needed to reach deeper for a genuine response to make her stop crying.

I thought back to why she was like this. She was angry with herself for starting the war, as she'd said, blaming herself for the death of her cousin, the deaths of all the other Vampires, and the belief that she was entirely responsible for so much bloodshed due to her being the first one to raise her hands against her own mother.

Self-hatred and a belief that everything was your own fault.

That was a woman I could relate to."

"Look, Verella, it may not seem like it, but I know exactly where you're coming from," I said, thinking back to my own experiences with being the reason everything went wrong, or so I always felt I was. "The belief that everyone in the room is looking at you like you're at fault, feeling like every single defeat, loss, and death is stacking on your shoulders and that everyone else around you would be better off if you never existed. I understand that probably more than any other person in this castle right now... I've been there more than a few times in my life and might still be there, for all I know."

She looked up at me now, still hiding behind her fringe but clearly looking right into my eyes, staring deep into my soul with her tear-slicked, emerald gaze.

"And it may seem like I'm the biggest cunt on the planet right now for only having learned of this answer to the problem today, but the only thing you can do to stop it all from killing you is to get better," I said. "Not 'promise to become better', not say 'today's the day I start making a difference'. But to get back on your feet and carry that weight to victory. You've got to try and dig yourself out of that pit, use the burning fire of anger and hatred to fuel yourself to fight harder and stronger than ever before. I can't promise you that it'll be easy, and I can't promise you that it'll make you feel completely guilt free from the second you decide to do it, but I can promise you that, if nothing else, it'll at least give you the piece of mind that you're doing more than just sitting around and crying about it. You're trying to do better than before, and that's the place you start. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She didn't answer me, the poor girl looked like opening her mouth to speak would cause her to cry even more, but there seemed to be a sparkle of understanding in her eyes, something in her expression that told me she was processing and thinking over what I'd told her. I knew it wasn't a great speech, and I knew it wasn't a rallying delivery that would get an army of men to laugh at death and charge into the swirling abyss with a song in their hearts and a smile on their faces... but I hoped it would be enough to get a young girl, barely older than I was, to stop hating herself for the choices she'd made.

"If... if I'm not overstepping my bounds..." I said after a moment of quiet, Verella's eyes locking onto me once more. "I'd like to be there to help in any way I can. Whether it's helping you train or practice... or even if its just as someone to talk to. I figure someone who thinks they're useless can always be given an ego boost by someone who is worthless, you know? I am what you think you are, so I can tell you that you're not? Because you're not me?"

I scratched the back of my head, feeling that I'd kind of ruined the sentiment I'd built up moments ago with useless ramblings to try and sound even more like a cheesy adventure novel... speeches were hard. I wasn't very good at them, and it was never more obvious than it was now.

I began to feel my ears burn with embarrassment as Verella didn't say anything, wondering if I'd pushed past a boundary of hers and given her a reason to dislike me, especially after she'd come to apologise.

"Grael, what's the quickest and most painless way to kill yourself?" I asked the Direwolf over out connection.

"A blindfold and a leap off a high tower," he answered after a brief moment. "Why do you ask?"

"Just for future reference," I added, glancing back up at Verella's face and wholly expecting her to be giving me a blazing look of disgust.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the tears stemming and a small smile touching her beautiful lips.

Yay! She didn't hate me!

"I'd be very grateful for that..." she said, nodding slowly as she wiped the tears from her porcelain cheeks. "Thank you..."

Chapter 52: A Welcome Reunion

Verella made her exit rather quickly after cheering up. She mentioned that she had to return to her aunt, something about discussing matters of 'reconciliation' after the war was over, leaving me and Twilight alone once again. I finally went over to the smaller woman, finding her still buried in a pile of books and happily reading through one of them, her focus locked so strongly on the book that she didn't even hear me call out her name.

I rolled my eyes, flicking a small piece of pocket lint at the annoying little thing before leaving the room, desperate to find something to do. I rolled my shoulders, thankful my injuries had been healed by one of Canterlot's mages before our departure, same with Annerose, and I was looking forward to not having to deal with the awful aches and pains that came hand in hand with the morning following a hard training session... especially after the beatdown she ended up giving me.

Putting the hide-tanning to the back of my mind, I decided I'd go for a wander. The sun was still high in the sky and the Vampire menace probably wouldn't make themselves known until the darkness blanketed the land once again. I threw a quick explanation to Grael over our connection, the Direwolf making an even quicker message of acknowledgement before bidding me to be careful out there by myself.

With the mental note left with one of my protectors, I headed out of the castle gates and down the winding, cobble path into the city below. There were still signs of destruction strewn about, remnants of the initial battle with the Vampires we'd been through. I was amazed at how fast we were moving through our plans in the situation, barely ever seeing any kind of bureaucratic process going along at such a speed. I suppose that a lack of money to be gained and a low number of corrupt politicians trying to line their own coffers in some manner helped smooth the process along a good bit.

I began fiddling with my braces as I walked, seeing the townsfolk hurry about their business, a nervous feeling hanging in the air, despite the bright, summery day we were having. I couldn't really blame them. If I lived in a city where the danger of getting snatched by a Vampire was as real as the threat of being mugged for your coins, I'd be cutting the chatter and moving about faster and avoiding wasting my time. Keep in doors, keep those doors locked, and try to keep the house sounding as vacant as possible when trouble came knocking.

Though I suppose that was the life a lot of people live outside of a castle surrounded by giant stone walls and guarded by the best soldiers your country has. I had to remember that my basic existence seemed to be naught but an unobtainable dream for most of the people around me. Speaking of the people around me, a specific line of chatter caught my ear something quick.

"I'm telling you, Jorge, there were two of them, right through the mountain pass," a guard said to his watch partner.

"Dragons? This close to a human settlement?" the other laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. You probably saw two eagles flying closer than you think and your eyes merely lied to you."

"Do eagles have long tails and white scales, Jorge?" the first demanded.

"No, but they also don't have eyes that fail them as much as you," the second sighed, turning his attention back to the door they were guarding. "Enough of this nonsense. Focus on your job."

"Aye, I'll focus on it real fucking well when they come flying in from the west and burn the entire city to the ground," the first growled, irritably returning to his guarding stance.

I'll honestly never tire of the amount of convenient conversations I overhear in my life... but a dragon this close to a settlement was dangerous, and two of them would be twice as bad. Though I'm not really sure which it would be worse for. Most dragons didn't stray near human settlements... or settlements of any kind that wasn't their own. Would complain of the bad smell and all the other racist horseshit they came out with. But the common people were, sadly, an uneducated one. They knew dragons as nothing more than monsters that stole gold and ate their children.

If there were dragons here and it got to the townsfolk, they'd more than likely get together a mob and try to chase them away. Depending on how petty the dragons were, they'd either kill the entire mob and leave it at that, or they would be really angry about it and take revenge on all those that lived in the city. I could go and warn the guard about the threat, but I might be putting them on high alert for no reason, and that was not what I wanted to do in a city as panicked as this one was. But at the same time; I couldn't simply ignore the possibility of dragons and leave the risk of misinformation and the mob mentality getting innocent people hurt.

So, that had become my mission for the day: scout out the western mountain pass for any sign of dragons and to report back with my findings. Clear, concise, and easy-to-do. Just how I liked my missions. And on the plus side, it gave me an excuse to get out and see the country for a while. Maybe even do a basic bit of cardio training if I ran for a while. Time would only tell.

It took me a solid twenty minutes to exit the west gate for the city, being bade farewell by an extremely polite gate force, gently making my way through the gaggle of humans, Elves, carts, and horses that were all lined up for the 'customs' check before being given entry to the city. After that, the cobble path soon turned to well-worn dirt, the sounds of shouting, horses neighing, cart wheels rolling, and general city hub-bub gave away to a peaceful symphony of gentle winds, bird song, and the gentle cries of wildlife, calling out for each other across the distances.

It felt almost surreal to me to me going off on my own. I'd spent most of my life either in the presence of guards, my retainers, or my own family, so having the road to myself was as foreign a concept in my own country as it would be in any far-away lands. The winds picked up slightly as I walked further out of the city, changing from the scent-carrying warm breeze to a slightly harsher, colder feeling. I cast my eyes up to the mountain range a good distance ahead of me, noticing the approaching rain clouds coming over the enormous stone peaks.

If I kept walking, it would probably take me over an hour to reach the mountain valley from here. I thought about going back and getting a horse from a stable in the city, but that would probably involve three times as much effort and time to get papers signed, money promised to be handed over, saddle shopping, trust exercises with the beast, and a whole load of other shit that I wasn't prepared to deal with. And I was going to get soaked by rain either way, which wasn't a problem to me.

So an on-foot journey it remained... but one where I could do a little bit of cardio training, I hoped. So with an eager smirk and a large breath, I took off running. I kept myself at a good pace, feeling the solid ground beneath my boots as I pounded the dirt beneath them, putting the city further and further behind me. I wasn't sprinting, knowing well enough not to waste my energy this early into a run that was most probably going to be a two-hour-plus round trip. So a steady run was what I was staying at, thankful for all those early mornings Luna had dragged me out on all these years to prevent my lungs from flying a white flag the second I went faster than a jog for four seconds.

While running, I mentally kept my breath in check, and soon allowed my mind to wander. Since I was a dirty little pervert and she was already on my mind, they wandered to Luna... or more specifically, Luna's body. The thing that came to mind, as it always did while I was perving, was ass. And Luna had a big one. Not just a big one, a strong one. An ass gained from years of hard exercise and amazing genetics that created the perfect 'moon' for anyone with the privilege of standing behind her to behold.

I pictured her naked, as I did often times with beautiful women, having her kneeling, sitting on her feet, with all that ass resting on her heels. She'd turned her head sideways, a coy, seductive smile on the side of her mouth, as her midnight blue eyes glowed a deep colour, her perfect features and alluring stare enticing me more and more. She soon slid her hands up her body, running them through her thick, messy hair, raising them above her head and allowing me to catch a glimpse of the side of her titanic breasts, raising and lowering with each breath she took.

I then wondered what Celestia would look like if she were in the same position, my mind creating a similar image of the eldest royal, naked as the day she were born, hair tied in an almost identical fashion, only having the two of them snake their arms behind one another, grabbing a handful of the other's enormous ass and rubbing their tongues up against one another, moaning and giggling quietly as they did so.

I soon had to purge the thoughts from my mind, as running at high speed with a raging hard-on, especially with a cock as large as mine, was not an easy task, as the tent in my pants and the rigidity of the organ made running very difficult. I tried to wipe my mind of the sexualised images, trying to think of thoughts of childhood and innocence, of family memories and good times...

Only to imagine my mother naked once again, and then having my mind supplant her into the little tongue rubbing session between the other two, with Luna and Celestia 'ganging up' on the smaller Alicorn, toying with her tongue, breasts, and pussy. Cadance slid her hands over the large, curvaceous waists of her older relatives, allowing them to toy and play with her to their hearts' content, making so sound other than pleasure, gently whispering for them to continue as her mother fingered her dripping cunt and her aunt suckled on her erect nipples.

"As pleasant as I'm sure you're finding this," Grael barked in a rather annoyed tone. "Can you please keep this in your own little 'box'? I'm trying to eat food in a room full of people, and being mentally assaulted by your perverted fantasies is not making the conversation easier."

"Right, uh, sorry," I said, mentally shifting my thoughts to my own 'box' and making sure it didn't slip into our shared mental space.

After that, I tried my best to keep the drool-inducing fantasies to a minimum and focus on keeping my speed up and mentally fighting back the exhaustion that was starting to creep in on me. After a while, I sank into a rhythm and was able to go the rest of the distance at pretty much the same speed. As I'd predicted, it had begun to rain. But not just rain; pour. The sheer level of downpour reminded me of a tropical hurricane, and the water itself was not warm at all. I imagined it was because of the colder temperatures of the higher mountain ranges, but it was certainly nowhere near as pleasant as tropical rain was.

I pulled the hood up on the short travel cloak I wore, allowing the resin-soaked cloth to keep the rain off my head and face while I made my way into the mountain range. The range itself was beyond straightforward, being nothing more than a four-mile, even-ground stretch of rocks that lead straight out to the other side, forming a road between mountain cliffs so sheer it seemed that they'd been cut in half by some divine force. If there were dragons in this valley, they were high up in the mountains, which was a place I couldn't reach.

Before entering the pass, I took a look around, seeing the beginning of a forest further to the west of the mountains. I came to a complete stop, putting my hands on my hips, regaining my breath, and using my brain for once. Dragons were extremely intelligent. They would be more than aware of the risks, or annoyances, of settling down on a well-travelled road. The valley pass was the only way through the mountain range for at least two hundred miles. I could see fresh horse manure and turned over rocks that told me it had seen traffic just a few hours ago.

So if I were a massive racist with a hate-on for everyone that wasn't me, I'd stick my tent up in the place where a lot of humans don't like to wander: the forest. I turned away from the mountains, judging the distance as being about twenty minutes away, and deciding that a quick jog would be fast enough, mostly because my legs ached, my lungs burned, and I wasn't in the mood to completely exhaust myself sprinting over wet and swollen mud to chase after what could be a red herring.

I crossed the distance and broke through the front of the forest with enough stamina left to sprint the fuck out of there should I run into something hostile. The trees were packed together, the birds seemed to be chirping quieter and calmer thanks to the rain, and I kept an ear and eye out for any enormous lizards I might accidentally step on. As I got further into the forest, I could spot clear signs of giant creatures moving through them. Branches galore were broken, trees were uprooted slightly, and there were more leaves coating the floor than there should have been for this time of year.

Though there was one thing that caught my eye as I got further into the greenery: dragon footprints... that soon turned into human ones, large and barefoot. Ignoring the transformed footprints for the time being, I dropped to one knee and took a look at the dragon's tracks. The length of the print signified that it was a fully-grown dragon, yet not one that was far into its adult life. I looked at the depth of the puncture marks, signalling where the claws would have pressed into, and noted the smaller, thinner holes in the moist dirt. The depth of the footprint told me that the dragon was not just large, but dense, as the narrow width of the print itself was not associated with insanely large breeds of dragon, as it'd make it difficult for them to remain balance. So the depth of the print had to come from their scales and not just their size. So, going through my knowledge of large dragon species with narrow, slender limbs, short claws, and dense scales brought up three possible 'culprits': an Asyllian Ridgesnout, an Equestrian Splinter Tail... or a Narrowscale.

Now, I knew a lot about dragons. I also knew a lot about their attitude towards humans. So there was a very, very small amount of the dragon population would ever dare change into a human. To make it even more of a narrow amount, the foot prints soon started to stumble around and were then replaced with female shoes that sank quite heavily into the wet ground, meaning not only were they fresh... they also gave away quite the identity profile.

A dragon lands in the woods, transforms into a large female, presumably a heavy one judging by how deep the footprints are in the grass, who is equipped with properly-fitted female shoes that she changes into on the fly? Normally, I'd suggest magic, as not only are dragons not known to carry human shoes, there's also not a lot of cobblers in the world who would normally make such enormous shoes unless they were commissioned to do so. A possible counter to the magic theory however was that the number of footprints staggering around showed that she most likely tried to put them on manually, meaning that she was probably already carrying them on her person at the time...

So to finish: a large Narrowscale dragon that transforms into a human woman that's already equipped with tailor-made clothes?

It was a wide, wide world I lived in, but there was only one dragon... one dragoness I knew of that fit that specific description. I continued to push forwards, following the foot prints through the trees until I came to another set of footprints... another dragon set of footprints. I dropped low to the ground, tracing the outline of the print with a finger, noting the larger puncture and subsequent scraping of the dirt on the right index finger as well as the sharper, arrow-like impression on the palm of the print. The more destructive print due to a longer, broader index claw, the shape of the palm, and the sheer size of it pointed to one species:

"An Arrowhead," I muttered quietly, looking up and checking as many directions as I could to see if it ever transformed itself.

Judging from the continued destruction to the forest and the lack of any second track of human prints, I imagined the answer was no. So we had an Arrowhead and a Narrowscale dragon traipsing about the forests an hour away from an extremely populated human settlement... why, exactly?

Well, I wasn't going to find out by standing around grasping at straws, was I?

I continued to push forward, keeping my eyes and ears peeled for any sight of lizard haunch and, low and behold, as the forest opened to a large clearing with the sound of running water, it was also accompanied by the sharp sound of a dragon's voice, a human woman's much softer familiar tones, and the crackle of a fire. I pushed closer to the tree line, my eyes focused on the Arrowhead dragon first and foremost... mostly because whoever she was talking to was out of view.

It was a jetblack dragon, a strange colour for the usually green or yellow Arrowheads, and had lightning yellow eyes. The beast's triangular, broad head was aimed down at the ground, clearly looking at their 'partner' for the evening. I darted my eyes to the ground making sure there were no twigs or branches to step on and startle the two of them, taking my sword off and setting it down behind a fallen, rotting log, before making my way out into the clearing with my hands held by my head.

"Excuse me, Ma'am?" I addressed the Arrowhead.

As expected, the titanic beast of a dragon's eyes lit up in response, its head lashing towards me with her fangs beared and lightning crackling all over her body.

A lightning Arrowhead. Yet another rare addition to the species.

Despite the immense danger I was in, I kept perfectly still in the light of the campfire and made no sudden movements, even as the dragon approached me. It came to a halt with its dark, rock-solid nose mere inches away from my face, snorting hard enough to knock me back several steps before its jaws cracked open, revealing many sharpened teeth and a large, barbed tongue.

"I mean no disrespect when I request this, Ma'am," I said to her in a clear and concise tone. "But can you please step away from me? I'm already well aware that you could kill with with no effort, so there's no reason for us to have a wing-beating contest about it."

The dragon's mouth closed momentarily, soon reopening and continuing to billow hot, wet breaths at me, causing my entire body to sweat, even while soaked with cold water, before it soon sat back on its haunches and cocked a scaled eyebrow.

"A human aware of a dragon competition?" she asked, her booming voice making my feet tremble from the bass of it alone. "A rare sight to see a human that doesn't vacate their bowels at the mere mention of us. An even rarer sight to see an intelligent one."

Yeah, yeah, you fucking bigot. Spin your schpiel so I can warn your stupid ass already.

"Richter?" a familiar voice asked from the side of the dragon.

My eyes turned down from the enormous beast's face, landing on a face and a figure that told me I had a right to be the world's greatest hunter after my hypothesis was proven correct.

"Svea," I said in a warm tone, smiling at the much larger woman. "What a pleasure to run into you again."

"What are you doing here?" she asked me, walking over to me at a brisk pace.

I noticed that she'd changed her outfit, just slightly. The dress was now nowhere near as thick as it had been in Winter's Maw, now looking much more like a simple slender, blue-toned white evening gown. She joined her hands above her waist as she often did, smiling courteously as the rain dripped from her soaked hair and smooth face.

"Richter, eh?" the larger dragoness asked in a rough tone. "So this is the one we're looking for?"

"Excuse me?" I asked in a defensive manner.

"Oh, do not worry, she means you no harm," Svea said with a warm, reassuring tone.

"That has yet to be seen," the dragoness huffed.

"Matriarch Krieger!" Svea exclaimed in a horrified manner. "You promised me that Richter would receive no punishment for slaying Heimili."

"So that's what this is about?" I asked with a snarl curling on my lips. "You're here to pass judgement?"

"Slaying a dragon is a crime punishable by death in our courts, child!" Krieger hissed, lowering her nose right in front of me again and glaring at me with her glowing orbs. "Only the most brave or foolish men on this earth would dare gain the ire of the dragons by harming one of us!"

"Trust you overgrown salamanders to still think a child murderer is better than one of us because they have your pathetic scales," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Excuse me?" she growled.

"You heard me," I said in a harsh tone. "You, being a member of a race that's born with their head up their own ass, are defending someone who murdered hundreds of your own, because you're all a bunch of racist morons who can barely take their cocks out of their own mouths long enough to hold a conversation."

"So says the little human with the pitiful lifespan and the weak body?" she asked.

"No, so says the Immortal Alicorn, defender of the mortal realms and the vanquisher of all those that dare threaten my kind or my people!" I barked, funnelling as much bullshit into this statement to try and trick her into thinking I actually had the power to kill her. "And should you not lower your voice and show me the respect I deserve, then I shall have no choice but to skin you, mount your skull above my eternal throne and have my Holy Armies lay waste to every hole your clan inhabits!"

I began silently praying to every God I could think of to make my plan work and not have Krieger roast me like a marshmallow over a roaring fire, her eyes analysing me for any crack or twitch in my brave face before returning to a sitting position, her eyes casting down to Svea.

"I can see why you stand where you do now, Svea. A creature as brave as this would be a worthy mate... as a human, that is," Krieger shrugged, the expression on her face giving away that she was testing me.

"A mate?" I asked, turning my eyes to Svea.

"That was not what I said and you know it!" Svea barked, glaring furiously at the Matriarch as she curled her fists down by her sides. "I said that Richter would be a great king to a worthy kingdom and a worthy queen. Stop trying to embarrass me!"

"And would you be his queen, given the offer?" Krieger asked in a chuckling tone.

"Perhaps," Svea shrugged, sticking her nose up and looking away from Krieger. "I do not know if he would be able to afford my upkeep, as I'm a very expensive creature."

"Would you mind knocking a few piles of gold off that request if I make you cum hard enough to pass out every night?" I asked with a playful expression.

"Ah!" Svea gasped, her hand going to her mouth and a blush to her face. "How lewd."

"Not just a warrior, but a true alpha male?" Krieger chuckled. "I must say, I underestimated this one quite fiercely. Maybe he is worth keeping around."

"I'm glad you see it that way," I said, looking back up at the giant dragon. "Now, do you mind telling me why you're here?"

"Svea, would you explain?" Krieger asked.

"Well... after discussing the events of our battle with Heimili in Winter's Maw... we all came to the conclusion that you should be rewarded for helping remove such a dark stain from our world," she began, returning to her usual stance. "And, as thanks, Krieger believed that a reward was due."

"And that reward is?" I asked.

"Allow us to come to the castle, and we shall show you," Svea requested.

"Only if it's something I'm gonna like," I shrugged in a joking tone.

"Trust me. Svea assured us all that it would be perfect for a man of your... type," Krieger chuckled, looking down at the younger dragoness.

pleasebeathreessomepleasebeathreessomepleasebeathreessomepleasebeathreessomepleasebeathreessome

Chapter 53: The Champion's Gift

After much, much arguing between the three of us, Svea and I were finally able to convince Krieger to take on a human form, if only for a while. Her disgust was evident, curling her lip and fanged teeth as she looked over her soft, dark, human skin, fidgeting uncomfortably as she prodded at the weaker form.

"This is disgusting," she said, barely able to stand on two feet and not used to lacking a tail.

"It's necessary," Svea said, crossing her arms. "We don't want to cause a panic, and a giant black dragon landing in the centre of the city is going to do just that."

"I'm disgusting," she spat, looking down at her legs. "I've never felt so weak and flimsy before in my life."

I would like to point out at this moment that Krieger, unlike Svea, didn't seem to transform into her human form with clothing. So she was stood completely bare-naked in full view and making no attempt to cover herself. It was as I studied her nude form that I realised she had no concept, not desire, to have breasts. This was evident by the fact that her torso was as flat as a brick, easily capable of using as an ironing board, should the need arise. But the thing that was noteworthy was that ass. An object so large it had its own gravitational pull, evidenced by the fact I couldn't keep my eyes off her wide, wide hips, and gorgeous toned thighs that looked like they were strong enough to crush my torso if she so wished.

"What are you staring at?" Krieger asked viciously, cocking an eyebrow as she glared at me.

"A rather pleasant sight," I shrugged, Krieger's eyes following my own to her waist and legs, seeming surprised at the size of it herself.

"Hm," she grunted in a confirmatory manner. "I see you find this admirable."

"Very much so..." I grinned.

"Anyway," Svea said, getting our attention back on topic. "We need to find you something to wear."

"Why?" Krieger asked. "The cold weather doesn't..."

She stopped speaking, it suddenly now dawning on her just how cold the wet weather was making her, even with the general warmth of the rest of the air.

"Good Gods!" she exclaimed, beginning to shiver as she hugged herself, trying to keep warm. "How do you worthless little whelps even survive when your bodies are weak to cold?"

"We use our intelligence and come up with great strategies," I shrugged. "For example: a penguin huddle."

I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around the woman, Krieger's human form being the same height as Svea, and holding her close. Krieger's eyes widened and mouth tore open ready to process until her skin got used to my wet clothing pressing against it and soon felt the warmth of my body radiating through to her.

She shivered again, this time in a seemingly satisfactory manner, as she crouched lower, wrapping her arms around my much smaller form and hugging me close.

"You're quite a squeezable little creature," she growled, bear-hugging me out of nowhere. "Maybe I should crush you for daring to lay hands on me?"

"Please no..." I said, having the air crushed out of me. "I have a family that will be minorly inconvenienced if I die."

"What a tragic story," Svea sighed, pulling me away from Krieger's grasp and prodding the other dragoness on the collarbone, causing a black dress to appear out of nowhere and cover the woman's nude body.

Krieger was once again surprised at it, looking down at the fabric covering her with a blank stare before poking it.

"Oh..." she said, soon applying her entire hand to the dress and rubbing it across her body.

Svea and I turned to look at each other, watching the leader of the entire dragon race play with the fabric of her dress like a house cat with a ball of yarn, poking and prodding it for much longer than she had any right to.

"This is a rather pleasant sensation," she grunted, still keeping her rough and angry draconic voice, even in her human form.

"Did you go through this the first time you transformed?" I asked the blue-haired woman.

"My first piece of proper clothing was a velvet dress," Svea shrugged. "And I rubbed that on myself for hours."

"That's pretty hot."

"Can we focus, please?"

"Only if you stop being so alluring."

"Right, you know what?" Svea snapped, pinching the bridge of her nose and then grabbing hold of Krieger. "We're going to the palace now."

"What're on my feet right now?" Krieger asked.

"Those would be socks and shoes," I answered, looking down at the rather expensive-looking heels the dragoness was wearing.

"Can I touch those too?"

"No, Matriarch, you cannot," Svea said, taking hold of my wrist and leading me back towards the palace. "We have business to attend to."

Still hoping for a threesome.

As we arrived at the palace, Krieger seemed to have regained her senses and started acting much more elegant than before. Once in a quiet-enough room, she turned to face me and cleared her throat, despite her voice still sounding as hoarse as ever.

"Before us stands a champion, and while not one of our breed, we are beyond grateful for the service you have provided our kind in ridding us of the blight that stained our history for so long," Krieger began, clearly unhappy about having to say this to 'just a human'. "As thanks for your great service to our people, myself and the other Great Priestesses of our race converged to create a gift of great power, that will serve you throughout your journeys."

That doesn't sound like a threesome.

"Guided by the words of the only one of us that had enough experience dealing with you to-" Krieger continued.

This became infinitely less formal.

"-your gift is as such," she said, waving her hand and summoning a large, triangular object wrapped in thick cloth. "May it serve and protect you till it is no longer needed."

I took hold of the floating object, feeling the hard metal beneath the cloth as I slowly unwrapped it, revealing a black edge of what appeared to be dragon scales. I removed the cloth entirely, slinging it over my shoulder as I looked at the shield. It was a kite shield; a large pentagonal object with a surface coated entirely in scales, marked in the centre by a large dragon print, whether with paint or some kind of magic, I couldn't tell.

I turned the shield over, seeing a leather strap and a handle fitted to it that I slid my arm through, gently readjusting the straps to get the perfect fit before gripping the steel handle tightly. The shield's weight was nothing too strenuous but it also didn't feel lightweight or flimsy in any manner. I took a look at the front again, noting the scale pattern and how tightly-interwoven each of them was onto the shield itself.

"Svea... are these scales yours?" I asked, looking up at the large woman.

"Yes. I donated them to the construction myself," she said. "I obviously had to alter my size for them to be the right size for you, but they still have all the strength and resistances they would have if they still covered my sides."

"And on the topic of resistances, the shield is heavily enchanted," Krieger took over. "It can stand up to pretty much any kind of elemental magic there is, be it fire, ice, lightning, and other types of magic like rot and plasma. Its damn-near indestructible, being forged from one of our strongest metals that can only be mined from the Draconic Citadel's deepest shafts, and will never scuff, scratch, or chip, no matter what weapon it is hit with."

"And, as I suggested it during the enchanting ceremony," Svea jumped back in. "The shield has the ability to absorb whatever magical attacks strike it and fire them right back once its fully charged. I figured your lack of magic and number of magical opponents was a little unfair, so I decided to even the odds, just a little."

"I... I can't thank you enough," I said, bowing my lead low to the two of them. "To receive a gift like this is one thing, but for it to come from the highest power the dragons have? This has to be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, right?"

"Very much so," Krieger nodded. "So if you lose this shield, I'll fry you to a crisp, eat your flesh, and pick my teeth with your bones."

"Don't say that," I sighed. "You'll give me an erection."

The reaction from the two dragonesses couldn't have been more different. Svea clapped her hands to her face, groaning/screaming into them in complete disgust and disappointment over my terrible humour, while Krieger bared her fangs and chuckled quietly, a glint in her eyes showing that she did appreciate how outright terrible I was, and that made me quite happy.

I looked down at the shield once again, smiling widely at the second gifted armament loaded with enchantments I now had. I grinned wider, reaching up to my back for the hilt of my sword, wanting to show it off to the two dragonesses... only for my fingers to wrap around nothing but air and only now notice the lack of the steel weapon on my back.

"Oh fuck..." I said, eyes widening in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Svea asked.

"I left my sword in the fucking woods!" I snapped, my head lashing back towards the door we came through. "And it's like an hour's walk away from here!"

The two dragonesses looked at each other, Krieger chuckling and Svea rolling her eyes before she grabbed hold of my collar and began to lead me towards the door.

"Matriarch Krieger, you make yourself comfortable here while I escort His Royal Highness back to the woods to retrieve the sword," Svea called over her shoulder.

"Try to be fast," she said. "I want to get out of this nasty body as soon as possible."

"I'll try my best," Svea said. "Say goodbye, Richter."

"Goodbye, Krieger," I waved, not really sure why I was following Svea's request as if she was my mother. "Thanks for the shield!"

"You're welcome," she said before muttering. "You fucking moron..."

"I heard that," I called back.

"Good," Krieger said, turning away and going back to feeling her dress up a little more.

"Is this going to take long?" I asked, looking back at Svea as she dragged me.

"Not if we hurry," she said, dragging me down a set of stairs and nearly breaking my ankles in the process. "Okay, scratch that: not if I hurry."

Chapter 54: Dragon in the Ranks

"Svea?" I asked after following behind the dragoness in near silence for five minutes.

"Yes?" she called over her shoulder.

"What happened when you went back to the Citadel?" I questioned as I caught up to her.

"A much more peaceful reception than I expected there to be," she said in a relieved tone. "I'd anticipated being chained and jailed the moment I stepped into view of the watch towers... but they welcomed me home, took me to see Krieger, and allowed me to explain my reasoning for helping slay her."

"Wait, did they know you did it already?" I asked.

"Yes. A presence as powerful as Heimili's suddenly disappearing would've gotten the attention of every dragon on the planet looking to Winter's Maw, and they would've easily been able to detect me exerting quite a bit of my own strength too," she explained.

"So when there's a dead body, a bloody knife, and you're busy washing your hands in the next room..." I said slowly.

"It would be foolish of them to not at least suspect me of having any involvement in her death," Svea nodded along. "So after the questioning, Krieger determined that I'd done no wrong. Heimili was banished, thus she didn't technically exist to us anymore. And you can't murder someone that doesn't exist. Besides, even if she had still be considered one of us, nobody was in a rush to convict me for killing her."

"I couldn't imagine anyone would," I sighed. "So what brought you two to delivering presents then?"

"After explaining the whole story, Krieger determined it would be seen as 'rude and ungrateful' for us not to present some kind of reward to those that slayed Heimili," Svea explained.

"Why only me?" I questioned, cocking an eyebrow. "What about all the others that helped take her down?"

"Krieger designated you as the commander of the force and you were also the one to deal the killing blow," Svea answered. "I protested, but she said that we didn't have the time nor the resources to make custom gifts for each and every person that 'threw rocks and mean looks at her'."

"Eh, fair enough, I guess," I said, a little disheartened about my friends getting no reward, as this victory was as much theirs as it was mine.

"Do you like it?" she asked, looking down at the shield I wore on my arm.

"Yeah, I love it," I nodded, examining the defensive armament for at least the fifteenth time since I'd gotten it. "Did you dye the scales or something?"

"Yes, they were enchanted to match the colour of the rest of the metal," Svea said, cocking her head to look at the dragon print on the face. "And the foot print is one of mine too."

"Perfect," I chuckled. "I've always wanted you to step on me."

Svea came to a stop, forcing me to slam into the back end of her before she turned around and glared at me with pure hatred.

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" she asked me.

Trying my absolute hardest not to blurt out the fact that I eat my mother's ass with that mouth, I merely shrugged and walked past her, looking up into the dark clouds ahead as they continued to pour rain onto us.

"I really hope this doesn't end up being a thunderstorm," I said, squinting as to not get raindrops in my eyes. "I really don't fancy turning into a lightning rod."

"If it does, you can use your shield to absorb it, remember?" she asked, chuckling as she walked past me. "Now come along. We don't have all day."

I followed behind her, keeping just far enough to the back to watch the show she put on merely by walking. I couldn't stop myself from grinning at the sheer size of her ass, heightened even further by the fact her white dress was soaked through and gripping in all the right places. Goddesses, I'd give my right arm just to have her sit on my face and do nothing more than read poetry for an hour.

"Hey, Svea?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"Would you mind giving my friends and I a hand again?"

"With what?" she queried, casting her eyes back at me once more with a concerned expression.

"Well... we're kind of dealing with a Vampire problem... a big Vampire problem," I began. "As in 'If this goes badly for our side, we risk a global take over with the Vampires enslaving every other race' kind of problem."

"That is indeed a problem," she said, coming to a stop entirely and turning to face me. "Are you asking me to help you?"

"If it's not too much trouble," I nodded.

"You're asking me for assistance in preventing the end of the world as we know it... only if it doesn't encroach on my time schedule?" she asked with a smirk.

"I guess," I nodded, smiling along with her.

"Handled like a true gentlemen," she said with a playful smirk and a roll of her eyes.

About to gently man-handle that ass.

"You need to stop," Grael chimed in over our link.

"The thoughts need a hobby, buddy," I mentally shrugged before he cut our connection again.

"We could really use you on the team, Svea. We don't have anybody that knows how to use magic, and you've already proven yourself to be way more powerful than the rest of us."

"You do look like you could use a hand..." she said, crossing her arms over her thicc-ass tiddies and nodding slowly, thinking it over quietly for a good few seconds. "Alright then. I haven't really got much else to do, and I'm not really the kind of girl to sit around and watch the world go to Hell-"

I hope you're the kind of girl that likes it in the ass.

"-so, you've got my services for as long as you need them," she finished with a confident smile.

"Perfect," I smirked. "So your first duty is to carry me to the forest."

I leaped up towards her, expecting her to grab me, only to slam right into her brick wall of a body and plummet right onto the ground, knocking the wind out of myself something vicious.

"How did you not see that coming?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow in bemused confusion.

"I expected to be treated like the beautiful little prince I am," I wheezed. "And you have failed me."

"I'm leaving you now," she said, turning around and walking off.

"Wait! Before you go... could you do one thing for me?" I asked, still unable to breathe properly.

"Yes, Your Tragedy?" she asked in a rough tone.

"Could you... step on me?"

She proceeded to kick me in the head and walk away, leaving me with a slight bruise to the forehead and a confused sense of pain and arousal.

Chapter 55: Night by the Fire

I sat down on the soaked grass with a weary sigh, leaning back against the log just on the edge of the brush as I rested my sword on my knees.

"I'm so happy this thing can't rust," I smirked, looking down at the metal hilt of the kairosteel sword in my grasp. "Or else I'd be right fucked."

"I can imagine," she said, eyeing the blade with an expression of analysis. "It's the same one you used against Heimili, is it not?"

"Yeah," I nodded, unsheathing it and showing off the faint white glow the blade possessed.

"It... it did not do that in Winter's Maw," she commented, walking over to my and placing a fingertip flat on the length of the blade.

"Indeed it didn't," I nodded. "It was quite a lovely gift from High Priestess Jenevive as an attempt to help me in my fight against the Vampires."

"True holy magic..." Svea said in an amazed tone. "Such a rare sight to come across..."

I leaned back against the log, sliding the sword back into its scabbard and looking up at the sky, noting that the sun had definitely gone down behind the clouds and that it must've been anywhere between nine and twelve at night. The constant walking had tired me out, the time of day itself was wearing me down also, and I felt too exhausted to make the hike back to the castle. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, focusing on the feeling of the rapidly-chilling raindrops against my soaked clothing, adding to the already large amount of water coating my skin underneath.

I listened to my own breathing, feeling the rain become nothing more than background noise after a few moments as the sound of my chest rising and falling was the only one I focused on. Well, that was until I got a gentle nudge on the shin from Svea as she placed her hands on her hips and cocked an eyebrow.

"I hope you're not planning on falling asleep here," she said, sounding almost like my mother as she spoke. "You're out in the forest, miles from a safe place, and it's bloody chucking it down."

"I'll be fine," I said, knowing full well I was at risk from a cold-related death. "If you sit down and cuddle up next to me, I'll be even better."

I opened my eyes, smirking playfully at the larger dragoness as she glared at me, soon rolling her eyes and allowing her owned smirk to dance on her lips.

"I suppose there are worst requests you could have made of me," she said, crossing her arms. "But if we're going to set up camp here for the night, I want to at least set up an actual camp."

"We have no tent, no food, the fire's gone out, the wood we could use is very alive and very wet, and I'm not in the mood to sleep inside a moose again," I pointed out.

"Again?" Svea asked.

"Ask Annerose," I said with a wave of my hand. "She'll tell you more."

"I might have to," she said, looking around for a moment. "And those might be a problem, if not for one thing?"

"And what, pray tell, is that one thing?" I asked her.

Svea said nothing, merely snapping her fingers and causing a rather large, rather extravagant-looking tent to appear out of nowhere, already pitched and ready to go.

"Where did you get that?" I asked.

"Hammerspace," she shrugged. "I have all the things a girl needs on a long journey."

"Oh, really?" Ipurred, bouncing my eyebrows suggestively.

She ignored me once again, snapping her fingers and summoning up a strange-looking set up. It was four wooden posts with a large, resin-coated piece of cloth stretched tightly across them. Underneath it was a long pole, also mounted on wooden posts, only this one was mounted on just two.

"I knew girls had needs, Svea, but isnt the length of that a little unnecessary?" I questioned.

"It's a drying rack, you dolt," she said, reaching behind her and untying something.

I watched her hands move around the middle of her back, only putting together exactly what she was doing when the shoulders of her dress slouched enough to expose the top of her collarbone.

"Now, if you're done with your rude comments and lewd insinuations," she said, dropping the entirety of her dress and revealing nothing more than cloth scraps for underwear covering her heaving tits and wide hips. "I'd like you to strip naked and hang your clothes up to dry."

"Is there any male nightwear in that hammerspace of yours?" I asked as I stood up and removed the short cloak I was wearing.

"No," she shrugged, looking over at the tent and then back to me. "But if it makes you feel any better: there's no female nightwear either."

"That does definitely tickle parts of my fancy," I chuckled, removing the layers of clothing on my upper body and hanging them on the drying rack.

"Odd... I expected a swordsman like yourself to possess more scars," Svea commented, prodding me in the shoulder as she hung her dress on the line... then going to remove the string-and-cloth bra and panties she wore.

"I would if most of my injuries didn't occur about three minutes away from a healer," I shrugged. "A lot of people say scars make you look more fierce... but to me, they're just reminders of mistakes and failures."

"I think you look better without them," she said with a warm smile. "It'd be quite a shame to see a body as nice as yours to be ruined with damage."

As she hung the rest of her underwear on the drying pole, I couldn't help but take a look at her body. Unlike what I'd been expecting, her enormous breasts certainly didn't droop much without the bra support. They were as full and as bouncy as Celestia's, possibly even rivalling them in size. Her crotch was bare, showing off an almost-untouched pussy that she seemed to make no effort to hide.

I felt the only reason why Svea didn't catch my obvious gawking was because she herself was too preoccupied scanning over every muscle ridge and curve of my abdomen, chest, and torso. The hours of weight-lifting and sparring had certainly paid off, as Svea was hooked already without even seeing the 'main attraction' as it were. Knowing that she was thinking about it, I took off my boots and unbuttoned my pants, dropping them down to my ankles and allowing her to stare to her heart's content.

I'd spent a lot of time around women of a promiscuous nature, so they were often well experienced with dicks of many different sizes. I'd gotten so used to women merely smirking or giggling that I'd begun to view my size as the standard for them. It was only when I shacked up with virgins or women that weren't terribly experience did I remember just how enormous I was compared to other men and forgot how impressed many women were with it. And not just large, it came across as downright intimidating, especially to shorter woman.

Svea fell on the former side of the reaction, being more than impressed with the size of it, even as it was cold and unteased. Her staring was obvious and her enjoyment was clear, but the woman made no move to touch, hold, or pay attention attention to it or myself other than staring, so I took that as a message that she didn't have a desire to experience it first hand. That meant I wasn't going to make a suggestion for her to try.

"I have to say, Svea, I expected you to be a little more conservative than this," I said, taking my eyes off her wide hips and thick thighs and looking back up at her beautiful face. "Dragon or not."

"And why's that?" she asked.

"Because we barely know each other, you and I," I stated in a joking fashion. "What would the washer ladies say about you if they saw you dropping down to bare bones with a man after only knowing his name for a few weeks. My goodness, you'd be unfit to wed."

"My knowledge of the human society's approach to sex is rather limited, I've only researched the act between two people in isolated scenarios, but do other people really gossip about sex between couples?" she asked.

"People gossip about everything, Celestia. I've known women that have lost sway in the courts due to them wearing too many rubies on their shoes for what the court knows their financial status to be, thus deeming them to be gaudy and a bid for attention," I shrugged. "It's why I stay out of the courts, ballrooms, and charity events for most situations."

"So you are not only a noble, but also a prince, so ignores their courtly duties?" she asked me.

"Of course. The only skill I have truly mastered is that of shirking work and pushing responsibility onto others," I said, scratching my cheek as I smiled.

"If you dodge all of your responsibilities, then how do you occupy all those extra hours?"

"With very, very naughty practices that are unfit to be spoken of in front of a lady of your stature," I said, turning to the tent and changing the subject. "So... are we getting separate sleeping bags or going top-and-tail in a single, larger one?"

"Well, with a human's heart being in their chest and that being the warmest part of them, I believe the most efficient method of keeping one another warm would be to cuddle up, wouldn't you say?" she asked.

"Nudity, shared beds, and cuddling?" I asked in a faux-shocked manner. "Svea, dear, I hope you're not treating me like one of those rent girls. Next you'll be asking me to kiss you."

"Perish the thought, dear boy," she sniggered, turning to the tent and holding her hand out for me to take. "Do you have a preferred side to sleep on?"

"Yes," I nodded.

"Which is?" she asked.

"The back side," I said with a straight first. "Preferably yours."

"Oh, har har," she said, grabbing my wrist and leading me towards the tent. "Come now, young prince. You must get your full eight hours sleep or else you'll be cranky when the morning arrives."

"I'm gonna be cranky if you try to get me out of bed at all, Svea," I responded.

"Then I hope you can dress and eat breakfast while angry, Your Majesty," Svea giggled, leading me towards the large double bed already set up and inside the tent, gently shoving me forwards and watching me from behind. "Go on then, pick a side to sleep on. Preferably the one that isn't my ass."

Chapter 56: Breakfast for Two

Svea wasn't kidding when she said 'cuddle'. I hadn't been in the bed for more than five seconds before this titan of a woman wrapped her arms around me and nearly crushed me into her chest, resting her chin on my head, and falling asleep nearly instantly. I was eternally grateful for her size and warmth, as the night ended up becoming rather cold as it went on, with the temperature dropping, the wind coming down off the mountains being bitter and stinging, and the rain continuing to pour.

She was more than a treat to snuggle in with and help me fall asleep. The morning came all too soon, however, feeling as if I'd gotten barely move than three hours sleep before Svea woke up and got up. She moved away from me, sat up in the bed, causing a crack to open between the sheets that made all the cold air from outside come rushing into my sanctuary.

I groaned in an annoyed manner, gathering up more of the sheets as I closed my dry, stinging eyes once again, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep to get my full twelve hours and then lounge about for another four.

"C'mon," she prodded, gently jabbing a finger into my shoulder. "Wakey-wakey."

"No," I mumbled, sounding extremely irritable.

"You need to wash and eat breakfast," she said, gently leaning over me and poking me in the cheek.

"I'm tire."

"You're lazy," she countered. "How is a prince supposed to learn his duties if he spends most of his hours locked away in his chambers?"

"My duties, as of right now, are sleeping," I grumbled. "And I'd be more than appreciative if you'd allow me to commit myself to my royal duties and politely leave me to do so."

Svea went quiet for a moment, her noticeable weight being taken off my torso before she released a heavy sigh.

"Okay then, Your Majesty," she shrugged, getting out of bed and walking out of the tent. "Guess that's all I can do..."

If I'd been more awake at the time, I'd have noticed the mischievous tone in her voice. However, without at least ten hours of sleep, I was about as aware and sapient as a fucking rock, it went completely over my head as I snuggled back into the sheets for the next few minutes...

Until the tent was violently ripped to pieces and I was torn from the bed by the ankle, soon being held upside down and face to face with an enormous white dragon that winked playfully at me before spitting an entire torrent of freezing cold water all over me. The shock of being grabbed by the dragon was enough to get my heart pounding, but the physical pain of the ice cold water was more than enough to make me squeal like a small child. I'd hoped the squeal had been masked by the loud gargling sounds I made as I was hit in the face by the stream of water that lasted for a five seconds, then being dropped onto the floor and pinned down between two of her enormous dragon fingers.

"Why?" was all I asked in a much less angry tone than I'd expected to have.

"A prince must rise with his people," Svea said, her voice having changed into its much-rougher dragon equivalent, sounding as if it almost had a faint reverberation as well. "And you're rising like wet flour in a doused oven."

"I renounce my crown," I said, attempting to crawl out from under her foot, only to go nowhere. "Release me at once, you foul beast."

"What do you want for breakfast?" she asked.

"More sleep," I muttered.

"I'm afraid we stop serving that after six in the morning," she shrugged, placing her enormous head just above her and looking at me with a bright blue eye. "Is there something else I can get you?"

"Something warm to sit next to?" I asked, now beginning to shiver from the cold air mixed with the freezing water.

"That I can do," she chuckled, lying down on the floor and picking me up, placing me gently against her scaly chest and wrapping her wings around me. "Is that better?"

The softer breast scales of her species were definitely more pleasant to squeeze up against, much moreso than the skin-stripping ones she had on her sides and back. I'd slain a dragon and was now butt-naked, freezing, and cuddling one... sounded like something out of a bad adventure novel.

"Now I'll ask again," she said. "What do you want for breakfast?"

I looked up at the dragon as best I could, her long neck putting her head much further away from me than before, so eye contact was kind of impossible right now.

"Some kind of meat that won't take forever to cook," I answered.

"Rabbit it is, then," she said, shifting back into her human form and leaving me in the same place:

Squeezed right up against her enormous tits with no desire to go anywhere else.

"I normally can't kill rabbits," I said, the drowsiness starting to come back once I was snuggling against Svea's huge, soft bust.

"Why's that?"

"They're too cute-looking," I shrugged. "I can skewer deer, horse, moose, bison, antelope, and all other kinds of animals, but I've always struggled with rabbits and mice."

"What kind of worthless morsel is a mouse?" Svea scoffed.

"Hunger is hunger, Svea," I said with a glance upwards at her.

"I suppose," she said, walking back over to the drying rack and pulling her clothing back on. "So I'll be the one doing the murdering of the cute animals?"

"If you wouldn't mind," I nodded. "And besides, I don't have any of the stuff I'd need to make the traps, skin them, gut them, and butcher them properly."

"Can't you do it with a sword?" she asked.

"In the same way you can chisel a statue with nothing more than a hammer, yes," I said in a sarcastic tone. "But its too clumsy and inelegant to do the job properly or well. Do you have any hunter and trapper's tools tucked away in your hammerspace?"

"Sadly, no," she answered, pulling her dress' shoulders back up and tying the fasten at the back, clothing herself completely and hiding away a true gift to existence. "I often hunt as a dragon and eat whatever I catch completely raw."

"Stronger stomach, eh?" I questioned. "No need to worry about pesky things like bone fragments and disease?"

"Not at all," she smiled, looking around the area and sniffing the air.

"Locating a scent?" I asked.

"Indeed," she answered, seeming to lock onto some kind of prey. "I'll try hunting with magic, since you're with me."

"Why don't you always do it that way? Faster and cleaner, right?"

"Ruins the fun of the hunt," she said with a dismissive wave.

"That's kind of... psychotic," I said with a blank-bordering-terrified expression.

"No matter how high their intelligence, every beast is a slave to their natural desires," Svea said, waxing poetic. "A dragon is a hunting beast, and we find no satisfaction in a quick and easy hunt."

"I'm no slave to my animal instincts," I said. "I'll take convenience and speed over rewarding expeditions any day."

"Then perhaps we are animals of a different instinct?" she suggested. "Maybe a dragon is made to hunt, and an Alicorn is made to breed."

I raised a finger to counter that point, opening my mouth to voice it, before thinking over what she'd just said. It could've been a simple jab at me, and for all the Alicorn that Svea actually knew, it seemed to be just that. But from what I knew about the Alicorn, most notably my close relatives... we all had a thing for fucking. Not just fucking each other, that was a different scenario, but seeing how often my mother and I engaged in sexual acts, the sheer number of partners we desires, and even the stories I'd heard about Luna and Celestia in their youth and even nowadays... maybe promiscuity was simply part of Alicorn psychology?

Maybe we physically couldn't attach ourselves to one partner and satisfy ourselves with them because we hadn't been designed to do so? I had no solid reasoning beyond mass-reproduction as to why the Alicorn would be intentionally designed to be horn-dogs like that, but maybe it was put in their to make sure our numbers didn't dwindle once the Goddesses had left?

Well... it didn't work, that was for sure.

"Richter?" Svea asked, snapping me back to the present and taking me out of my own world.

"Hm?" I grunted, blinking and looking at her in the face once more. "Yes?"

"I asked you how you liked your meat," she said.

"Oh, uh, well done, thanks," I answered, scratching my head and looking at my own clothes, deciding that it would probably be a good idea to get dressed and maybe practice some sword stances while I was waiting for Svea to finish up hunting.

"Right, what kind of appetite do you have right now?" she asked me, creating an in-depth 'shopping list' be she went hunting,

"Uh... I'm not starving, but I could eat..." I said, dressing myself quickly and enjoying the relief from the biting cold as I laced my boots up.

"I'll just get a lot of rabbits, cook them, and let you pick at what you want," she said with a shake of her head and a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Remember that I can't just crunch them like you can?"

"I'll think of something," she said, patting me on the head before making her way into the forest.

"Don't worry, we'll just use the pit oven technique," I said, giving my own dismissive shaking of the hand. "If you can change back into a dragon, scoop some dirt out of the ground here, I'll go and get some rocks from the river bed over there, gather some leaves off the trees, and then you can shear off bits of meat from the rabbit and I'll stick them in the oven. Sound good?"

"You're quite resourceful, aren't you?" she asked with a smirk.

"You can thank my Aunt for it," I chuckled, thinking back to all the trials and tribulations Luna had trained me with. "Now, get going. Those rabbits aren't going to hunt themselves."

With that, the two of us went off on our own duties. I decided to forgo the stance training, gathering up leaves from the trees, trying to get the ones that looked the freshest and least-mauled-by-caterpillar-ish, before going down to the river bank a few yards away from our makeshift camp and selecting large, flat stones from the bottom of the ice-cold river. Once I'd finished my gathering, having more than enough leaves and stones to lay a banquet on top of, I sat around waiting for Svea to return.

She did within another fifteen minutes, carrying several armfuls of rabbit corpses. I could barely stand to look at them for more than a few seconds, as a lot of them still had their tiny little eyes open, reminding me of the way their ears flicked and noses bounced, as well as the adorable little way they cleaned themselves, which made me start to feel a little sick after a moment.

"Can you skin them please?" I asked her. "I don't think I can bring myself to do it."

Svea thought for a moment, setting the literal pile of bodies down onto the ground and putting her hands on her hips.

"I have no idea how to skin animals," she admitted after a long moment.

"Then... cut the heads off and get rid of them," I sighed. "I'll do it, but I won't be able to if the adorable little bastards are sat there watching and judging me while I do it."

"Alrighty then," Svea said, powering up her magic and beginning to decapitate the rabbits.

I kept my eyes on the ground as she did so, not wanting to see them get mutilated, and waited for her to dump a pile of rabbit corpses next to me. I had to get creative with my sword, flat-gripping the edge of it and using the tip and little bit of the side to shear-skin the rabbits, thankful that once their fur was gone, they looked a lot less cute and adorable, before gutting them.

"Do you have any string?" I asked Svea as she sat on a rock, staring off into the distance.

"What for?" I asked.

"Need to bleed them before we cook them," I answered. "Honestly should've done it before I skinned them, but I'm not keeping the belts."

"What's the string going to do?"

"You hang them from trees and slit their throats," I answered. "Blood drains out completely and makes it so you don't taste it or have it stain the meat when cooking."

"Huh... humans sure are picky," she commented. "Though that explains the difference in taste at those functions I went to..."

"Any string?" I asked, getting her back on track.

"Uh... no, sorry," she answered with a shake of her head.

"Right... I'll just shear the meat off entirely and cook that," I said. "Do you want to shift to your dragon form and help me dig it out?"

"Sure," she nodded, moving into a spot where she had some space, being consumed by a shining white light that covered her being, then visibly shifting into her much larger dragon form, easily larger than a two-storey house. "What do you need of me?"

"I need you to scoop a hole in the floor, try about two feet deep, two feet wide, and a foot and a half long," I explained. "We're only making a smaller meal here, so it doesn't need to be huge."

"Coming right up," Svea nodded, using her claws to dig the hole to the specified measurements and then sitting back on her haunches.

"Right, wait there while I set the oven up," I instructed.

I gathered up my rocks and made the bottom half of the oven, setting in place as best I could as not have any spaces between them or dirt poking through. After that, I gathered up my leaves and made the bottom part of the 'platter' as Luna always called it, laying out the strips of meat I'd cut in an order that would allow them all to cook evenly and equally. After that, I put the 'cover' on it; a second layer of leaves made to protect the meat from the rocks and to keep a lot of the heat trapped inside.

Finally, I covered the top layer of leaves with the other rocks that I'd picked up, then requesting Svea to blast it with fire until the rocks glowed a cherry red. She did as requested, clearly interested in the process we were going through, and then killing her fire once the rocks had reached the needed colour.

"Right, now can you scoop the dirt back on top if it and we can leave it for a while to cook," I said.

"Why bury it?"

"The dirt prevents the heat from escaping from the rocks and keeps them hotter for longer," I answered.

"Why couldn't we just do this over a fire?" she asked, burying the oven once more before sitting down next to it.

"I'm not too good at judging cooking times for things over a fire, so I tend to burn them to a crisp," I said with a slightly-ashamed expression. "And the pit oven makes them taste different. Since they're not cooked over an open flame, they don't taste charred when you eat them."

"That's rather interesting..." she said, staring intently at the ground where the oven was buried, looking quite like a cat staring at a bird on the ground. "I never fathomed humans had so many ways to cook things..."

"We have many, many more ways than those two," I chuckled, drawing my sword from my sheath and rolling my neck. "While those are cooking, I'm gonna practice a few stances. I'll give you a shout when they're ready, so feel free to take a nap if you want."

"I want to watch you train," she said.

"It's not that interesting to watch when there's no sparring partner," I sighed. "And, between you and me, I never should train alone. It only embeds your mistakes."

"Then why do it?"

"Because I feel I know my stances well enough to know what they should be and where I'm going wrong without an instructor," I answered. "And if I don't... Luna's gonna beat the mistakes out of me the next time we spar together. So either way: it'll be a learning experience."

And with that, I began going through some of the basic longsword techniques for offensive striking, making sure to keep myself from slicing through my knee and making sure I didn't overswing.

Chapter 57: The Long Fort

As much as I hated to say it, the meal with Svea by our campsite was possibly the most interesting thing that happened for the next week. Since all we had to do was wait for any kind of report to come back from Angela, there was not a single thing we could do to speed up our efforts against the Vampires. They could've been in the process of stitching the arms back on their God by day three while we were sat washing clothes.

I hated waiting, doubly so whenever there was a time limit involved. So I passed the days as fast as I could, training with Annerose and Zane, hiking and walking with Grael, and merely sitting around with Svea. I barely saw anything of Verella and Cassandra over that week, as she was often locked away in some kind of strategy meeting with her aunt and my father. Hours were spent discussing every piece of information that could be relevant to tracking down and stopping Celana, even if it seemed insignificant and worthless, it was added to a tome of notes to be accessed at a moment's notice.

It was agonising, making me itch from head to toe as I thought about every horrific outcome there could be. What if we all died in the next minute because the Vampire God had been resurrected? What if they kicked down the door in the next three seconds and enslaved us all? It kept me up at night pondering every doomsday there was to ponder that could come without a moment to prepare.

But finally, and I mean finally, a break came in the form of a letter from Angela delivered by a hawk. Shining read the letter aloud to us all, explaining that a hunter's guild to the far north, because of course they were in the ice and snow, had found a coven of Vampires that were conducting some kind of ritual under the light of the moon. Knowing that this was never a good thing, we decided that we'd head to the location specified, an abandoned fort in the mountains of a country known as Gamlrfoll, and put a stop to them.

I'd never dressed myself so quickly before in my life, throwing on pants, boots, shirt, gambeson, bracers, sword, and shield in a matter of minutes, bouncing between my heels in anticipation for finding these Vampires and finally fucking doing something after days of sitting around and waiting.

"You need to calm down before you have a heart attack," Annerose commented, crossing her arms as we filed into the room where the rest of us were waiting.

Zane had dressed in his chain-and-plate jacket, Annerose had donned a black coat of plates with a long cloak over her shoulders, presumably for the weather, Grael had been fitted with basic leather armour, and Svea was... well... Svea.

"You're tagging along too?" Annerose asked the dragoness.

"Of course... Richter did tell you I was being made part of the group, didn't he?" she asked the others.

I felt all eyes in the room fall onto me, burning holes into the back of my head, front of my head, and pretty much everything else I had.

"I had a lot on my mind," I squeaked.

"It's been a fucking week, you stupid cunt!" Annerose snapped.

"It's been a thought-provoking week, alright?"

"I'll show you something thought-provoking when you start wondering how to pull a sword out of your arse!" she hollered, ready to throttle me once again.

"Now, now, children," Svea said, putting herself in between the two of us and giving a calming hug... which basically involved shoving each of us into either one of her tits, a practice Anne found infinitely less relaxing than I did. "Let's not bicker. We have more important things to do."

"Svea's right," my father said as he walked into the room.

We all turned to him, Anne still frozen solid at the sheer amount of tittage she was staring into, as he walked over to Svea, offering to shake her hand.

"Sorry I've been missing for the whole week, but it's nice to meet you," he said with a smile.

"The pleasure is mine, sir," Svea said, shaking his hand and bowing her head. "I must say, now that I've gotten a good look at you, I can definitely see the family resemblance."

"Damn," Shining sighed. "Do I look like a massive pussy too?"

"Oh, a fucking comedian, are we?" I asked in a joking tone.

"Only because you're so easy to laugh at," he said with a smile as he patted me on the head before turning back to the group. "Right, we've all been briefed on the situation. Does anyone have any other questions?"

"Yes, can you repeat the bit where you said all the stuff about the things?" I asked, raising a finger. "I was a little distracted at the time."

"Why?" he asked me.

I didn't respond vocally, merely instead darting my eyes to Svea's bust repeatedly, even going so far as to gently tilt my head towards the dragons very generous pair of hungolomghononoloughongous. My father caught my drift, followed my eyes right onto Svea's breasts and glared at me furiously. Svea, catching the gawking, cocked her eyebrow and inquired about it.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm not really comfortable with you going into battle against dangerous opponents wearing nothing more than a summer dress," he pointed out. "Are you sure you don't want something more protective? Chain mail or even basic fencing gear?"

"I appreciate the sentiment, good sir, but I shall be more than fine," she chuckled. "I've placed enough wards on my human form to prevent harm from most sources and, if all else fails, I can merely revert to my dragon form while in combat to reacquire my defensive scales."

"What if the room's too small?" Anne asked with a wave of her hand. "Won't you get crushed to death?"

"If that is an issue, I can simply adopt a halfway point between my human and dragon form," she reassured.

Ow. Right in the fetish.

"So... I don't have to worry about you getting skewered?" Shining asked.

"Not at all, sir," she said with a cute smile.

"Perfect," Shining said in a relieved manner, then turning to the other three. "Do you we have any other questions?"

"Where did Krieger go?" I asked, once again noticing the absence of the dragon Matriarch.

"She got sick of human portion sizes and returned to the Citadel," Svea explained.

"But I never asked her how to use my shield properly," I pointed out.

"Worry not, I'll tell you when you need to know," she smiled.

"Is the primary duty Constant Practice or the Current Objective?" Zane asked, focusing the topic again.

"The latter," Shining responded.

"Then yes; infiltrate the old fort, kill the Vampires, secure whatever it is they're working on and either destroy it or recover it for further examination, report back to the west wall, set off a Flare Crystal, and wait for Twilight to teleport us out," Grael relayed.

"What's the Constant Practice?" I asked, never having heard that term used in the group.

"Keeping you from getting fucked up," Annerose answered. "As you can probably tell, we've got our work cut out for us."

"I can fire you, you know?" I asked her in a bemused expression.

"You can also kiss my arse, you know?" she snapped in an angered manner.

"Shit, alright," I shrugged. "Take off your pants and let's get fucking nasty."

"Focus, you two," Zane said, saving Annerose from having her bluff called and getting our attention back on Shining. "What's the plan for the rest of you? Verella and her aunt?"

"They'll stay here and keep doing what they've been doing. There will come a time where their power is needed, but it's not now," Shining explained. "You guys are going to be more than strong enough to handle a few Vampires."

"Richter's not," Anne commented. "He's shit."

"Fuck you," I growled.

"Right, are we ready to party?" I heard Twilight exclaim from behind us.

We turned around to see the purple mage standing in nothing more than her pyjamas and clutching a small teddy bear at her side.

"Why aren't you dressed?" Shining asked.

"I'm on a low-effort assignment today," she shrugged. "But I shall still do it to the best of my ability."

"Are you going to break my organs again?" I asked.

"Of course not, you silly goose," she giggled. "I've spent the whole week retesting and perfecting my teleportation method on larger groups of organic subjects, and I've now got a perfect reassembly rate of one hundred percent out of over four hundred tests under different circumstances."

"She did what last week?" Grael asked in a wary tone.

"Have fun, guys!" Twilight beamed, snapping her fingers and teleporting us all to the long fort without much more of a warning.

Our boots hit the ground in a torrential snowstorm, feeling the temperature around us being without doubt far below freezing and with visibility almost to nothing.

"I'm so fucking sick of snow," I sighed, holding my hands up to my face to try and block the snow from tunnelling through my eyes due to how harsh the winds throwing it were.

"Oh Gods Above, it's fucking cold," Annerose snapped, her teeth immediately chattering before she even finished the sentence.

"Hold on a moment," Svea said, waving a hand and casting what appeared to be some kind of barrier that not only kept the snow at bay for quite a wide radius, it also acted as some kind of heater too, warming us all through to the core once again.

"Goddesses, I don't know how we ever got by without you beforehand," Grael said, shaking the snow and water off his fur as we began to move forwards.

"Thank you, friend," Svea smiled, petting Grael as she walked. "Now... where did Twilight say the door was going to be again?"

"She said she saw it about thirty metres to the right of this location when she was scrying," Annerose recalled, looking to the right and seeing nothing more than a black abyss of wind, snow, and cold. "Think we can trust her judgement?"

"Moreso than he bedside manner," I nodded, pushing towards the wall and placing a hand to it, Svea and the rest following behind with the barrier up and pulsing.

"D'you think they'll have sentries?" Annerose asked.

"Unlikely," Zane answered. "The best defence against unwanted trespassers is to make them think the place is empty and trap them when they're inside. If you've got guards and defences up everywhere, it'll just give away your position and make even more people inquisitive."

"Think they've got traps set up for us?" I asked.

"Oh yeah," Zane grinned. "It's gonna be an adventure on its own just getting to these fuckers. I'm quite looking forward to it."

"Dungeon crawling is always enjoyable," Grael smirked.

"Just so long as I don't end up in a fucking scorpion pit again," Anne hissed.

"Oh, hush. They weren't even poisonous," I said, rolling my eyes as her continuing to whinge about that.

"They were big enough to fucking eat me!" she snarled.

"Yeah, but did you die though?" I asked her.

"Shut up, you prick," she said, shaking her head and falling quiet.

"Yeah, I thought so," I said, my hand running across a wooden door and soon a door handle. "Guys, I think I've found it."

I pulled down the handle, hearing the door itself click and soon begin to swing open. I looked back to the others, nodding in confirmation as I took point, drawing my sword and shield, before entering the room.

It went to shit immediately.

I stepped on a rune of some kind, no idea what it said, and was immediately teleported somewhere else in the fort. I spun around, seeing no trace of light, an exit, or assistance before hearing a sound similar to that of ancient, rusted metal moving. My head whipped around to the source of the noise, staring off into the darkness. The sound continued to grow louder, then was accompanied by the sound of heavy foot steps and then... snorting of some kind.

Then, in a nearly blinding fashion, giant chandeliers of fire, torch sconces, and pyres of all shapes and sizes lit up the entire room, revealing that I was not only trapped inside some kind of circular arena, but also trapped in there with what appeared to be... a minotaur. A big one.

An angry one.

It was covered from head to toe in heavy-looking armour, clutching a large axe in both hands and glaring at me with a furious expression. I tightened my grip around my sword and raised my shield out in front of me, readying myself for a fight. A singular minotaur wasn't that bad, I'd fought worse on my own beforehand. I just needed to keep behind it, aim for its hooves and joints, and try my best to avoid its giant axe. They were strong and sturdy, but big, slow, and stupid. Just needed to use that to my advantage and this fight was as good as won.

And then the bastard's armour, eyes, and weapon set on fucking fire.

"Alright then..." I nodded. "Now that's just unfair."

There was then the sound of teleportation, somewhere up and to the right of where I was. I wasn't willing to take my eyes off the minotaur, knowing it would be my first and last mistake in this fight if I did, so I kept my eyes locked on but used my ears to pick up any other sounds.

"My, my... a stronger looking one than last time," a male voice said in a cocky manner. "Hope it provides some challenge for the old ghost."

"Richter, are you alright?!" Grael asked in a panicked and furious expression.

"I'm fine... for now," I said, readying myself for combat. "But you might wanna hurry up and get here before I get sliced and melted."

"We're on our way!" he roared, ending the connection and leaving me by myself for now.

"Try not to get sliced by the first swing, dear boy," the voice requested of me. "It's so rare anyone actually falls for that trap, and it takes a good bit of effort to come down here. Be a sweetheart and give somewhat of a good performance, yes? Thank you... right. Get him, Venunya."

With that, the minotaur roared in a deep and hollow tone, charging towards me with its axe and slashing at my chest with a quick and surprisingly well-trained move. I leaped backwards, noting the lack of an overswing from the creature and all the other traits of the bigger, stupider creatures. I wasn't in any mood to risk seeing its reaction time, knowing that poking at this thing, even with my shield in front of me, would probably cost me an arm and then some.

So I was on the backfoot until I cracked its code. It swung mightily another three times, each time getting closer and closer. It was adapting to my dodges, trying to find out exactly where I put myself and where to aim next time to be within reach to follow up. It did just that on the third strike, stepping forward and slamming the shaft of the axe into me, knocking me flat on my arse, sliding the axe around in its grip and lifting it for an overhead strike.

I had no time to move, no time to dodge, and no time to unleash any kind of quick counter-attack, so I did the only other thing I could think of: deflect the attack off my shield. Yeah, blocking it outright would stop the attack in its tracks... if the transference of force from the axe head to my arms didn't snap them like a wishbone and just cave my chest in afterwards. The axe came down and I mostly slapped it aside with my shield, causing it to slam off the floor and send some vicious hand shock through the minotaur's arms, a fact it was not happy with.

With it in pain and not attacking for a moment, I rolled away, getting to my feet and cleaving my sword down on its wrists, trying to slice through them, only to have some kind of aura around the minotaur, one that had been invisible to this point, rebound the attack and give me my own surprise. I ducked backwards as it cleaved upwards, putting some space between it and myself and being forced to glance another strike from my shield once again.

The block was infinitely more sloppy and terribly placed, having the full might of the strike slam into the shield and knock me back on my ass again, skidding several feet and sending a bad shock through my lower body. I pushed myself back onto my feet, not ready to let a bit of red arse stop me from winning. I looked down at my shield instinctively, wanting to check the damage on it, only to realise that the centre of it was starting to glow a dull red colour.

"What?" I asked, only then remembering what Krieger had said about it.

It had the ability to absorb magic... so it seemed to be eating the fire from the axe head and using it to charge itself. That meant all I needed to do was get it to full power and see if I could completely incinerate this thing, or at least burn a hole through the stone and escape. That was great, that was perfect, only one issue:

I had no fucking clue how to unleash the stored magic because I never got around to asking Krieger about it.

"It's always fucking something, isn't it?" I growled, readying myself for another clash with the minotaur.

I decided that my sword was going to be useless here, so I sheathed it over my back and chose to two-hand my shield, wanting the extra support it would give.

"A strange strategy," the man in the darkness commented. "But an interesting one nonetheless. Let's see where it goes."

I had to play defensively. Every time this bastard raised his axe, it was squared feet, leaning forward, and arms ready to take the brunt of the shot. It worked amazingly, with each swing being glanced off the face of the shield, and each swing slowly charging the power stored inside it more and more. I hoped that the axe was running on some kind of crystal enchanment, which meant if I stole enough of its power, then it would eventually die out and become a regular weapon.

It would still be a ball ache and a half to deal with, but at least I didn't have to worry about getting diced and burned all at once. This minotaur was extremely well-trained, fighting more like a coliseum gladiator than the simple beastman I expected it to be. Now that I looked at it again, its fur was much better maintained, its horns were clean and pristine, and its armour was much more complex than the usual bent steel plates their kind often smithed up.

So either it was somebody's prized pet... or a whole other bag of worms I was not ready to open yet, namely one featuring a higher species of minotaur. I shook my head, focusing on defeating it before dissecting it, once again glancing a strike off my shield, this time dropping low beforehand and lifting it up with my knees, tossing it higher than I'd done before. It created an open and a plan formed right between my eyes. I spotted fur poking up through the knee joint in the leg, meaning that flesh had to be somewhere close to the surface too.

I ducked forwards, getting under the much bigger creature's torso and, with a mighty heave, plunged the sharpened base of my pentagonal shield right into the gap in the armour, rending the metal, piercing the skin, shredding the muscle, and tearing the bone. The beast bellowed in a furious manner, even louder as I twisted the shield sideways, almost definitely tearing its shin bone out of the socket. I ducked under a vicious swipe, removed the shield, and stabbed it right in the eye after it collapsed to its only good knee.

The beast's pained bellow came louder as I blinded its eye, then doing something that confused me even more. I held open its palm... and fired a bolt of lightning at me. It was a weaker blast, did nothing more than briefly stun and fling me backwards some distance... but minotaur couldn't use magic. The flames on the armour were clearly enchantments, I could see that from the lack of the charge-up... but first the eyes and now the lightning.

Then the talking?

"Bastard..." it snarled, staggering away from me as I tried to get my muscles to cooperate. "Tiny little bastard... I'll kill him... I'll fucking kill him."

"Juniper, fall back," the voice in the shadows. "I'll handle this."

I turned up to the shadows, seeing the faint outline of a man in darkened steel armour, then turned back to see the Minotaur... slowly transform into a woman. She had long, blonde hair, tanned skin, and green eyes. She appeared to be thralled, that much I could tell. The eyes, the strange voice, and the devotion to who I presumed was her master gave that away.

"We'll handle him together!" Juniper barked, trying to rush at me only to have her knee spurt more blood and cause her to scream in pain.

The armoured man soon teleported down to her, cradling her in his arms as he gently shushed her, lulling her to sleep with some kind of magic before laying her down on the floor. Now that he was in good lighting, I got a proper look at him. His blackened armour was a dark shade of grey, a flowing green cape at his shoulders that matched his fine, flowing green locks. His skin was as pale as snow and his eyes glowed a deep, emerald green. The armour, the weapons, and the attitude gave away exactly what House this guy came from.

"A member of the House Kaine..." I commented, beginning to circle him. "I'm ticking off quite the roster in my travels."

"You're familiar with our name?" he asked, crossing his arms and cocking his head, matching my circling movements. "I must say, you are full of surprises. I would be more than eager to share a drink and hear a few stories... if I didn't have to murder you for what you did to my dear Juniper."

"Maybe try telling her to pick on someone who can't defend themselves next time," I shrugged, pointing at her unconscious form. "Seems to be all she's good for anyway."

I hit a nerve with that one, his eyes locking onto me and a vicious snarl covering his face. Thanks to my training with his kind, I picked up the smoke trails forming at his feet, meaning he was about to use one of their more useful abilities. For a few brief seconds, they could transform into clouds of dark energy and cross great distances. Knowing that they often liked to impale their prey, he was either going to aim for the front or the back.

I stepped to the side just as he poofed, moving out of the way as he reappeared, lunging forward with a jewelled sword only to realise I was no longer there. Since I had the upper hand here, but sadly wasn't holding my sword, all I could do was punch. I hooked him straight in the jaw, his over-extended thrust already putting him on bad footing, and the powerful blow sent him tumbling to the floor. He landed on his hands and face, soon whipping around with fury in his eyes and clutching his sword with both hands.

"I'll encourage you to be careful here, friend," I said, smirking confidently as I continued to circle him. "We may be noble and noble, but there's a very clear gap in our sword skill."

He lunged at me again, easily telegraphing his move with an overly-large swing that I caught on my shield, glancing the attack off and smacking him in the teeth once again, sending him tumbling to the floor. He rolled over backwards, landing on his knees afterwards and looked at me with the realest hatred. Deciding not to get too cocky against him, I drew my sword, the once faint light now a blazing torch and the almost-inaudible hum of the sword was now a loud buzz, bringing a tranquil feeling over myself and terror over the face of the Vampire of Kaine.

"I see you're educated enough to know exactly what this is," I grinned, holding my sword in a defensive position in front of my shield, ready to catch, block, parry, or riposte anything he threw at me. "But if you were really smart, you'd leave now with your little girlfriend... and try to bring someone a little more impressive next time."

He looked at me, trembling in fear and hatred, before his eyes fell down onto Juniper. He gently touched her face, then balling a fist as his eyes burned a hole through me once again.

"You'll regret this..." he spat. "I promise you."'

"No, let me tell you something right now," I spat. "I'm in a merciful mood today. Take your sword, take your woman, and go hide in a shed until your High Queen, your God, and all the other idiots bowing to a fake idol are cut down and dead in the mud. Then, come back out of your hidey-hole, play nice with the winners, and maybe we'll let you live. But if I ever see you, or her, again before this war is over, I will kill you."

I stepped forward, pointing the tip of my sword mere centimetres before his head.

"I promise you," I snarled, putting on the deepest, growliest voice I had that wasn't laughable to really hit home the terror of my threat.

With that, he disappeared in the same way he'd entered, leaving me alone in the arena to look for a way out. I decided to keep my sword and shield ready, as the Goddesses only knew what the hell I was going to run into on my way out of here to find the others.

Chapter 58: Reunion

I came face to face with a wrought-iron gate, heavy as a house and locked up tighter than a treasury. There seemed to be no release mechanism, crank, or lever anywhere nearby to get it to open. I took a step backwards, looking right up to the top of the arena to see that the gate didn't reach the ceiling. There was a good ten or so feet of space between the top of the wall and the ceiling of the room. I grinned widely, sheathing my sword and climbing, using the gaps in the gate as foot and handholds, soon reaching the top of the gate... coming to the part I always hated when free climbing.

The gate itself didn't slide right into the very edge of the piece of wall above it, instead sliding in the middle of it with a good three and a half feet of distance on either side. That meant that if I wanted to get my hands on the edge of the wall above it, I'd need to jump outwards, off the gate entirely, and try my hardest to get my fingers on the edge of the wall and hold on. If I didn't, I'd go plummeting fifteen feet to the floor, land on my back, and probably fucking die.

I got to the top, looking backwards to see where the edge was exactly and tried to reach for it. It was a no-go, with my fingers barely reaching the edge of the incline to the top of the wall. I was going to have to jump for it. I took a deep breath and tried not to overthink it. It was a simple move: jump back as gently as possible, grip the wall, and pull yourself up, getting at least my chest over the top to stop the rest of my body swinging and pulling me off the wall. If I over thought it, I'd end up psyching myself out every time and getting nowhere with it.

I could feel my toes sweating already and the skin of them feeling like it was creasing, a weird nervous reaction if there ever was one. I closed my eyes, exhaled once, and jumped, keeping my fingers extended outwards as far as I could and successfully gripping down on the edge. Using the momentum of the jump, I hefted my waist up to the wall with a basic muscle-up, feeling the burn of exertion in my chest as I lay my body flat on the top of the wall.

I sucked in a breath, lifting a knee up and over the edge, then using the leverage it gave me to pull myself entirely over the wall, lying on the wide top of it and sighing quietly. The adventure upwards had been more than successful. Now all that came was the way down. Usually, down was a much easier experience. You weren't actively fighting against gravity, your legs did even more of the work just acting as support for your weight, and you didn't exert your muscle nearly as much as you did heaving yourself upwards.

But there was usually an exception to that rule: the overhang.

The overhang was an absolute bastard of an obstacle that, while easily dealt with going up, going down it was a much different story. Going up you felt your way with your hands and remained steady with your feet until you were able to grab a handhold. Didn't work so well going down as if the overhang didn't have a handhold on the underside of it, you were in a much more difficult position as you were probably going to reach for something with your legs, find no handholds, and drop like a limbless rock to your death.

Luckily, the arena was only about fifteen feet tall, and I could cut about seven or eight feet out of that drop if I used the simple, child-friendly 'hang from your arms off the edge and let go' method. So that was what I went for. Keeping a good grip on the edge with a finger lock, I lowered myself down as far as I could go, kept my eyes on the ground as I looked for a position to drop, let go with one arm to allow myself to face forwards, and dropped.

I hit the hard ground with a pained grunt, my shoes not really being suitable for high-impact contact with the ground, dropping to a knee to lessen the impact as much as I could, before standing up straight again. I looked around the area outside the arena, noting old statues of what appeared to be gargoyles and dragons, unlit torch sconces, and a cold wind blowing through the place.

"There's a draft..." I muttered to myself. "So there's gotta be an open door somewhere around here... or a window... or a loose brick."

I shook my head, knowing I couldn't be wasting my time demoralising myself, and that I had to keep moving. If it was a door, it was a door, if it wasn't, it wasn't. No sense in wasting my time getting worked up over it. I took off at a sprint, following the cold draft up the long, dark corridor, soon hearing what sounded like the rattling of a loose-fitted window being pushed and tugged by the storm outside.

I reached out to Grael, trying to get a general location of where he and the others were. I could feel his presence, his general direction feeling like a warm tug in my skull... and that direction was almost directly above me. And judging from how weak the 'temperature' felt, we were some distance away from each other. Of course we were. This was a giant fucking castle that I was most likely in the lower bowels of. Didn't make any sense to have your giant minotaur arena in the reception area of the-

"Halt!" I heard exclaimed from a good few feet to my right, just around the corner of the corridor I'd run into.

My eyes shot to the side, readying sword and shield as I spotted a group of lightly-armoured soldiers. The glow in their eyes and the symbols on the foreheads; small wings with a sword in the centre, told me all I needed to know: Thralls with their minds willingly stolen. Meant I didn't have to feel guilty about cutting them down. They wasted no time charging me, knowing full-well I wasn't one of theirs. Their equipment wasn't anything special, seeming to be the usual guard armour: gambesons with a few plates stuck here and there, leather helmets, and pikes.

A pike was no major issue to deal with on its own. Hook it under your arm, bat it aside, get under it. Made even easier to deal with if you had a shield. But four of them? Bit more challenging than I'd like to admit. They'd keep me at a distance, probably stick to a formation, and try to skewer me. Getting behind them would be hard, getting up close to them even harder. I raised my shield up to a defensive position, knowing full-well it wasn't gonna protect me from any kind of shots to the legs. If I went low to block one stab, another one of these fuckers would probably end up stabbing me in the skull before I could even blink.

No... there were too many of them and too large of a weapon disadvantage here. Facing them head on would be suicide, so I had to pick the only other option I had: fleeing. I turned tail, bolting in the opposite direction as fast as I could, hoping I wasn't about to run into the Vampire barracks on their meal time break. If I ran into so much as one more of them, it was only a matter of time before they hunted me down and tore me to shreds. I came to a door, no idea if it was locked or not, as I was able to shoulder-charge it down without much pain or effort, the old castle's structure not being what it had once been.

I sucked in a breath as I ignored the slight pain in my shoulder, gritting my teeth and rolling the joint quickly, eyes scanning the room for any sign of where to go. I darted right, leaping over a table, knocking candles, plates, and other silverware noisily to the floor as I did so, heading for a door I spotted on the other side of the room. The Thralls were slowed down by their armour if the distance between us was anything worth noting. If I could put several rooms between the two of us, that would increase my chances of escaping and regrouping with the others.

Only issue with that would be them reporting to whoever else was in command here and getting the whole place on high alert... if they weren't already. Every able man and woman would be called to arms, formations would be organised, and the Vampires we came here to look for would probably disappear at the first sign of trouble, their task too important to risk being jeopardised by one of them dying. That is if we were right in what they were doing. I slammed through another door, rounding a corner and charging headfirst into another person, this one appearing to be a genuine Vampire. I attempted to stab her in the stomach as quickly as possible, but the proximity between us made it difficult to raise my sword before she was able to recover, tossing me over her shoulder with ease due to her enhanced strength.

I landed hard on my back, my hips taking the worst of it as they slammed into the floor in an almost whiplash-inducing fashion, making it all the more painful to scramble back to my feet. Before I even had a chance to think, a stream of red energy was being fired at me from the pale hand of the Vampire, appearing to be another member of the House of Kaine. It was once again instinct that kept me alive here, bringing my shield up and allowing it to absorb the blast. I was thankful that the absorption drained the stream of all impact force, as my legs were sore enough as it was after that landing.

It took the Vampire several seconds to notice her blast was doing nothing, killing the beam and staring at my shield with a curious expression, noting the near-blinding glow as it absorbed yet more power. She didn't speak, instead bore her fangs and charged towards me, knife in hand. A knife was a much better match-up so long as I didn't let her get too close to me. Needed to keep her at a distance with sword pokes and a lot of side-stepping, or else she'd get within an engagement range I couldn't strike at due to the size of my sword versus the shorter length of her dagger. It also didn't help that I was going up against a Vampire; a being that already outclassed me in strength, speed, and stamina already due to their magical nature.

I ducked to the side, keeping my shield up as I did do, to dodge a lunge, slashing outwards from behind the shield at her exposed left side, catching her deep in the muscle and gouging a good hole with the sharp edge of my sword. I could also make out a brief sound of burning flesh, the similar hiss made to meat laid out on a grill, as the holy power of the sword burned the cursed undead. She screamed loudly, whirling around with her right hand and lunging at me. I deflected the strike off my shield, a loud, metallic thunk sounding all throughout the relatively-quiet corridor. It was a move that left he wide open and allowed me to drive my sword straight up through her skull, hopefully killing her immediately.

Just as the blow was landed, the sound of footsteps came through the door I'd entered as the guards I'd met previously had caught up to me. The battle between the Vampire and I had been brief, but had also been all-too long at the same time, as it had ruined my plan for a clean escape and put me back at square one. The guards readied their weapons as I wrenched my now blood-soaked sword from the skull of the Vampire, the corpse dropping to the floor with a final, dying gurgle, before I took to running again.

"After him!" one of the Thralls hollered, the blood I'd spilled now probably having them baying for blood.

I reached out to Grael once again, sensing him still high above me but also much further 'behind' me than he'd been before. This meant we were moving in opposite directions, all of us scrambling wildly to find the other and having to deal with the maze-like layout of this fucking castle. I ran through door after door, seemingly unable to lose the guards as I did so, all the while burning through my stamina and knowing that if I didn't reunite with the others, I was more than done for. Another corner came and brought another collision, this time allowing me to take whoever it was to the floor with me. I pinned them down and readied my sword, hiking it up quickly and efficiently before spotting the raven locks and eyes of a familiar face.

"Anne?!" I demanded, confused as to why she was here.

She threw me off of her, sitting up an launching a throwing knife right into the eye of the first of the Thralls giving chase, killing him quickly and reducing the numbers in our favour. She scrambled up, drawing her sword and gripping it with two hands as the other three prepared their weapons, lashing out at her with a sloppy formation. Annerose deflected the point of the pike with the flat of her sword, then catching the shaft of the second stab with her hand, ripping it out of the grip of its wielder and tossing it over to me.

With the second disarmed and defenseless, she flicked her wrist over and lunged, plunging her sword into the skull of the disarmed guard and moving to take the third. Not wanting to stand there like a lemon, I cocked my arm back and launched the pike at the fourth and final guard. It wasn't a clean shot and nor was it a kill shot, the pike's tip poking into the gambeson the Thrall wore and doing nothing more than causing him to stumble back slightly, but it was enough for Annerose to take advantage of it. Like lightning she dispatched the third guard with a dagger through the neck and then, as gracefully as a swan, pirouetted on her heel to lash her blade through the final guard's jugular, sending him gugrling to the floor with his hands at his throat, pooling on the ground as he tried his best to cling to life.

She wiped the blood off her sword using the crook of her arm, then turning to me with a thankful expression.

"Nice throw," she acknowledged.

"Nice kills," I said, watching her as she closed the door they'd come through and rushed over to me.

"Tell Grael I've found you and to meet up back at the grand staircase," she said.

I relayed the information, the wolf's deep voice echoing a confirmation through my head before Annerose began leading me to our new destination.

"Where the hell did you end up, anyway?" she asked.

"Big arena, fought a minotaur," I said briefly. "Seemed to be the pet project of a high-ranking member of Verella's family. Gotta ask her about it when we get back. Why aren't you with the others?"

"We split up to try and find you faster," she answered. "It'd be useless Grael going off by himself as you'd have no way to contact us when you met up, so I came after you."

"Makes sense," I nodded. "Find out anything interesting?"

"Didn't really have too much time to study the architecture after you got poofed away from us," she said. "Spent too much time in a panicked frenzy."

A staircase came into view thanks to the torch sconces on the wall; a large, ancient spiral staircase that seemed to go up and down throughout the entire castle. I could hear footsteps thundering down it, most likely Zane's, followed by the heavy breathing of Grael. We waited for several moments after arriving at the stairs, seeing the other two round the final few and come to a grinding halt. From the four of us being together again, I felt a wave of relief and safety wash over me. Call it conditioning, self-confidence, or delusions, I always believed that when the four of us were together, it made the odds stack up evermore in our favour, even if we weren't invincible.

"Are you okay?" Grael demanded.

"A little bruised, but no worse for wear," I said with a confident nod. "We still on for the plan?"

"Of course. I see no reason to back out now," Zane chuckled, looking down the corridor to our right. "We going for the clearance strategy?"

"Definitely," Anne nodded. "It'll be much easier to take our time and explore the place if everyone else in it is dead."

"Right," Zane nodded, drawing his sword and smirking. "Shall we begin the hunt?"

"With pleasure," I smirked, my expression hardening as I readied myself for combat once more.

Chapter 59: A Nightmare Realised

Four of us... the four of us.

It was at that moment that I realised something. There wasn't four of us. There was meant to be five.

"Guys, where the hell is Svea?" I asked, whirling around on the group with a worried expression.

"You didn't tell him?" Zane asked, turning to look at Annerose.

"I was a little busy, didn't really have time for a recap," she shrugged, then turning to me. "Svea was able to track down those Vampires we're looking for. Said she was going off to find them by herself and make sure they didn't escape while we found you."

"How nice of her to outright abandon the rescue effort," I said in a disgruntled fashion.

"It was moreso because she knew we'd be able to handle it," Grael sighed, shaking his head slowly. "Do you have any method of contacting her?"

"Uh... not that I can recall right now," I said, scratching the back of my head.

"Then how the hell are we supposed to find her?" Zane asked.

An explosion proceeded to rock the entire castle from foundation to top floor, causing dust and stone chips to rain from the ceiling briefly as the ancient stone was tested. The four of us were silent for a long moment, looking at the direction the blast had come from before slowly turning our attention to the staircase.

"Three guesses..." Grael commented.

"Of course," I nodded, the rest of us taking off up the stairs and trying to track down the explosion.

I'd expected Grael would be of great use here, using his nose to track down the scent of the explosion, whether the scent trail was smoke, fire, chemicals or burning flesh... but the large amount of bodies that started on the eighth floor were a good indicator that Svea had probably gone this way.

"Is she really that dangerous?" Anne asked in a queasy expression, stepping over the disembowelled, beheaded, and berserk-ed corpses of both Thrall and Vampire alike.

I crouched down, looking at the injuries on the bodies for a brief moment.

"Large incisions, pairs of three, slight serration on the upcurve of the slice..." I muttered. "I believe Svea's shifted into a dragon form."

"A dragon form?" Anne questioned.

"Clearly not her usual one," I said, standing up and moving towards the door at the end of the corridor, being careful not to slip on the blood. "A proper dragon transformation would be too big, too bulky for combat in here. If I had to guess, I'd say she's switched into that half-and-half form she mentioned earlier."

"And it seems to be dangerous," Zane said, taking point on the group and readying himself to protect us.

As we made our way through the hall of corpses, we could see signs of magical battle; walls scarred with fire, ice, and rot. Bricks shattered and torn out of the walls still crackled with telekinetic energy as we made our way past them, the sounds of draconic roars and ongoing battle getting louder and louder. I imagined the battle was going Svea's way... until I heard a very loud, very pained scream from what I presumed was her.

The four of us bolted, weapons in hand and teeth gritted, charging down a large wooden door, and entering what seemed to be the central chamber for the place. Eyes darted in all directions, Zane noticing the five Vampires firing some kind of magic energy at their foe, Anne noticed the large altar behind them, Grael noticed the piles of bodies...

And I noticed Svea, in that half-dragon form with a spear in her side, an ice spike through her shoulder, and blood smearing the white scales that covered her body. With shield in hand, I broke formation, ordering Anne and Zane to disrupt the magical beams that were seemingly holding Svea down. Grael followed after them, making it over to the Vampires faster than the other two and sinking his teeth into the throat of one of them, killing off their beam.

I got in front of Svea, holding my shield out and allowing the beams of magic to slam straight into it. I wasn't pushed back by them, but I stepped back voluntarily against Svea's chest, feeling the heat of the blood-dragoness' body radiate through me.

"Richter..." she groaned. "Stand clear..."

"Not a chance," I said, hearing my shield begin to hum louder and louder as it absorbed more magic.

I looked up, seeing the beams getting cut off as the remaining four Vampires were forced to deal with the other three. Zane cut one so deep in the neck that it's head nearly came clean off, Annerose slicing through the neck as she'd done before, pirouetting once again and delivering a second slice that took the head clean off, while Grael used his powerful back legs to kick the one of them so hard in the chest it sent them flying back into the altar, snapping their spine over the back of it and breaking their neck as it hit the table.

One more remained standing, backed away into a corner as they charged up their magical power, an enormous blue ball of energy that they looked more than ready to fire off. I knew I couldn't make it to them in time, so I had no chance of blocking that shot with my shield. I tried my hardest, putting on the best sprint I had in me as I struggled to close the gap... only for a bolt of ice to fly from over my shoulder, spearing the Vampire in the skull and pinning them to the wall. The ball dissipated almost immediately, the sense of terror in the room dying down in a matter of moments as I turned around, seeing Svea's clawed hand outstretched with the remnants of an ice spell on it.

Now that the moment was calmer, I had a better chance to go over her injuries. Her draconic body had stood up to most of the damage, but those weakened scales around her stomach had left her exposed. The spear in her side didn't appear to be lethal, moreso something that had sunk in just enough to be painful. I made no attempt to remove it, instead gliding my eyes up her flat, scaly torso to the shattered fangs she had in her mouth and the large cut she had over her eye.

A brief inspection told me the cut was mostly superficial, nothing more than a large slash in the flesh that hadn't caught anything major. Svea collapsed onto her haunches in an exhausted fashion, pulling the spear from her side and tossing it away, the large metal weapon clanging loudly as she healed her injuries, soon returning to an uninjured, if still blood-soaked, version of herself.

"You holding together, soldier?" Zane asked, sheathing his sword and walking over to us.

"About as much as I need to," Svea panted, clearly exhausted from the battle.

"That must've been some scuffle," I said, noting the damage to the room. "You're already plenty strong, magic and otherwise. What the hell did they hit you with?"

"Protective wards," she spat out, leaning her head against the wall she rested near and trying to regulate her breathing through her long muzzle. "The explosive kind, too. You finally manage to deplete them and then they use their last ounce of power to explode. Caught me off-guard... opened me up more than I'm proud to admit."

"You're alright, right?" I asked, gently patting her shoulder and smiling. "Nothing more than your pride hit too badly?"

"No, I'm more than okay," she smiled. "Thanks to all of you."

"I'm sure you could've handled it without us," Annerose shrugged. "Big, strong dragon like you."

"If only," she said, getting back to her feet and taking a deep breath.

She waved her hand briefly, shifting back into her normal human form in a flash of light and set to adjusting the fit of her dress afterwards.

"I'll perfect that eventually," she muttered, rolling her eyes at her inability to fit it properly. "Now, shall we take a look around?"

"Can you tell me how to work this first?" I asked, holding up the bright, almost screaming-with-energy shield I was carrying on my left arm. "I've been in nearly three situations where it would've been a lot of help where it's been fuck all more than a torch."

"Ah, yes," Svea nodded. "I never did get around to explaining its finer workings before you vanished."

She walked behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders as she instructed me on how to fire the shield.

"Raise it to defend yourself, place your other hand on the flat of it, and merely will it to fire," she said.

I did as told, squaring my stance, just in case it were to push back, and focused my mind. After a quiet grunt from myself an ungodly large torrent of fire, ice, and all the other kinds of magic I'd absorbed with it blasted a hole through the wall across the chamber. I was thankful Svea was there to steady me, as the blast did give some push back that probably would've knocked me flat if she wasn't. I staggered back briefly when it first fired, only for Svea to push her large, warm form against me to keep me as steady as she could.

"I'm sure you figured it out yourself, but I'd advise not letting it get that overcharged again," she said, stepping back from me and gently pulling her sleeves down, getting them in the right place. "You want to wait until the entire face is glowing, but if it starts making an audible noise, it needs to be fired, or else you'll risk hurting yourself when you next come to use it."

"Right," I said, looking at the shield's much quieter face with a knowing expression. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Svea."

"Not a problem," she beamed, turning her attention back to the altar. "Now, when I interrupted out Vampiric friends, they were spending a good amount of time and energy into working on whatever it is they've got up there."

The rest of us followed behind Svea, wanting to see what was on the altar, as she continued to speak.

"Now, I never got a good look at exactly what it was they were working on, but the kind of magic they were using appeared to be some kind of necro..." she said, trailing off as we got to the altar.

I wondered why she'd fallen silent, casting my eyes to the table and finding myself rather speechless as well. It was a coffin, an extravagant coffin, laden with gold, jewels, and inscriptions worth more than even the greatest of rulers. It was a murky green colour, whether by design or age, I knew not, and it sat at an enormous seven feet in length, with the thick lid on the other side of the altar.

The coffin itself was impressive on its own, but it was what was inside the coffin that brought terror to my eyes. It was a skeleton, not a mummy, not a decomposed body with some hair and clothing still on it. A skeleton in the coffin that looked as it if had been picked clean intentionally with the bones being coated in what appeared to be silver. My mind flared up with memory, something about the silver skeleton seeming familiar. I looked over the rest of it, seeing a necklace... no, a prisoner's collar set with a blood-red ruby locked around the skeleton's scrawny neck, its hands locked to its chest with solid black cuffs, almost appearing to be made of charcoal.

This all sounded familiar, I knew I'd heard of a body like this before. I looked up at the skeleton's head, seeing a ruby-studded circlet on its head... and then my eyes trailed to the teeth. The fangs. The Vampiric fangs. It was at this moment all of the pieces fit together to tell me exactly what this was.

A body burned, dipped in silver, bound by ancient iron, locked down by a prisoner's collar, trapped inside an enchanted coffin and locked away to the deepest, darkest hole man could ever seek to envision. That was the last chapter of a story I'd read when studying Vampires, the exact same story I'd believed was nothing more than a fairy tail for so long. That process, that sealing ritual was done by those wishing to make sure this dark creature was never resurrected or even found again. But here they were... laying right before me in a room in a castle as real as the sword on my back. I could barely believe it, I didn't want to believe it, as the validation of this being's existence brought too much terror, too large a threat to the world around us.

"Somebody wanna fill me in on why you two are shitting yourselves?" Annerose asked, looking between Svea and I as she noticed our pale-faced and terrified expressions.

"This..." I mumbled, my throat dry and my heart pounding. "This is..."

"What?" she snapped. "This is what?"

"Sanguine," I snarled in a gravelly tone. "This is the Vampire God Selana's been attempting to resurrect. The one that's not supposed to exist."

Chapter 61: Siege

"Why not just destroy it?" I asked, fastening my belt as I looked at the corpse.

"Too valuable," Twilight said, shaking her head.

"Something worth risking the fate of the world?" I asked.

Twilight stopped in her circling of the body, eyes locked onto it for a long moment as her hand twitched, tensing and relaxing as she raised a finger.

"I'm going to give my counter to that argument, and I hope you see it the same way I do," she said, looking up at me while gesturing at the silver-sealed corpse. "Sanguine's regenerative abilities don't come from magic. Anyone can regenerate tissue with spells and sorceries. Her healing factor comes from her genetics, and it's beyond anything I've ever seen. Her cells seem to be able to create new organs, new limbs, regrow hair from dead follicles, probably cure blindness, illness, and any other kind of malady that would plague a being, mortal or immortal."

I looked between her and the body, turning my head sideways slightly in a gesture of confusion.

"And... what?" I asked.

"And I want to find some way to harness that," she said, gritting her teeth in a frustrated manner. "I can't think of any other specimen that has this ability with a genetic code so close to a human that I won't have to restructure it from the ground up in tens of years of trial and error experiments. If I can crack her genetic code, isolate the gene that causes her to regenerate, I can probably synthesise it and give it to anyone that needs it."

"You want to use her as a a miracle fix?"

"Yes... I may spend hours a day burying myself in necromancy spells, toxins, poisons, plagues, and all other kinds of deathly maladies and magics, but it's because I've been trying to hard to find a way to eradicate, or at least nullify their effects, for the good of everyone else. I'm not just a chancellor or a mage, but I've always viewed my life's goal to be saving lives any way that I can. Sanguine is a miracle that's been literally gift-wrapped for me to use in that effort and that... and that's why I can't bring myself to destroy her. She's too good an opportunity to throw away."

"Even if keeping her alive keeps the danger of enslavement or eradication very much alive?" I questioned.

"You cure a disease by infecting and testing people. You can fix a limb by breaking it and rearranging the bones to heal properly," Twilight said, once again an expression of pained conflict and self-doubt on her face that told me she was split down the middle about this choice. "There... there is no scientific or magical progress without risk involved, Richter."

"This is bigger than a plague cure, Twilight," I pointed out.

"In more ways than you think," she said. "If I can figure this out, harness her natural power, nobody has to suffer anymore. No more lost limbs, no more organ failure, no more broken bones, no more scars, and no more mutilation. This is the closest I have ever come to getting the human race, and soon all other races, to evolve past their natural limits without the need of powers and abilities not everyone has access to."

"And how do you plan to help everyone?" I asked. "Get everyone in the world to line up and get a genetic reorganisation?"

"If I were a normal woman, then this may be an issue," she said, shaking her head and pressing her fingers into the tabletop hard enough to turn them white. "But I am an immortal. Time is no enemy of mine and my body shall never weaken nor falter as it passes. I can get ten people, maybe one hundred at most, give them the regeneration gene, and let survival of the fittest take its course. They breed, reproduce, have a litter of four children each, all possessing the regeneration gene. Their children breed, create even more people with the gene."

"And as the years go by, the gene gets spread around more and more family trees until we eventually end up with an entire generation of super-humans," I finished for her.

"Exactly!" Twilight exclaimed, her head lashing upwards to lock eyes with me and a faint glow of magic in her purple orbs. "Even if it only works with one... one is all I need."

"And yet your saving the world also comes with the risk of dooming it," I reminded her.

"It's a fifty-fifty shot at worst, Richter. A coin flip," she answered.

"You gonna leave that to chance?" I asked her.

"No, I'm going to rig the odds in my favour," she said. "There's no chance of it landing on tails if it's a two-headed coin."

"And what if Selana does the same?"

"She won't," Twilight growled.

"How can you be sure?" I asked, wanting her to see what I was seeing.

"Trust me," she said. "No harm will come from this. I just want to do what's best for all of us."

"Some of the worst things have been done with the best intentions, Twilight," I said in a sombre tone, looking at her deep in the eyes. "You're smart. Smarter than all of us. You don't need Sanguine. Please, for the good of us all, just find some way to destroy her."

"I..." Twilight began, biting down hard on her lip as she screwed her eyes shut.

Her shoulders tensed, brow furrowed, and eyes screwed as tight shut as they could go. She was at war with herself mentally, her brain perfectly understand both sides of the argument and knowing that, depending on who she asked, both were valid reasons for whichever action she chose. Her chest expanded, breathing deeply before releasing an almost-pained, shaking sigh.

"You're right..." she said, eyes opening and looking at me with a cold, hurt expression. "She... she needs to go. It's too much of a risk..."

"Thank you," I said in a relieved expression, a warm smile spreading to myself.

"It's... it's gonna take a while to figure out how to get rid of her," she said. "The silver's a different compound than normal, resistant to almost all forms of damage. That means I can't just dump her in a volcano and call it a day."

"Take your time, alright?" I suggested. "Just... just make sure it gets done."

"Yeah, I will," she said, lowering her head as she turned away from the silver-bound corpse.

I turned myself away, leaving the room and Twilight alone with her thoughts, knowing she'd have something up her sleeve to get rid for Sanguine before she became a bigger problem than she already was. I decided the best course of action would be to find Verella, as I wanted to ask her about that family member of hers I'd run into while at the Fort, see if she knew anything about him.

I asked around for a while, learning that she'd retired to a bath house several hours ago and hadn't been seen since. I imagined she was having some kind of de-stressing bath, as she was in quite a state the last time I'd spoken to her. Upon learning which bath house she was in, I made my way to it and knocked on the door.

"Verella?" I called out to the room on the other side of the wooden door. "It's Richter. Have you got a minute?"

"Uh, yeah... just give me a second..." she called back.

I waited around for a few moments, hearing the sound of water splashing quietly before Verella called out for me to enter. I did as instructed, walking into the warm, steamy room and seeing that Verella had a soaked towel across her chest, no doubt bathing nude and wanting to maintain her modesty.

"What's... what can I help you with?" she asked, watching me as I walked over to a bench by the wall of the room.

"I ran into a family member of yours, if my guesswork is as good as I hope it is," I began. "Big guy, green hair, dresses in plate, not much of a combatant."

"Oh," Verella spat in a disgusted tone. "That's Alistair."

"That's some serious vitriol there," I commented, leaning forward in my seat. "You two not get along?"

"About as well as water and oil," she said, looking up at the ceiling with a bitter gaze before explaining herself. "I can't stand his type, he can't stand mine. He's a complete mommy's boy who can't ever do anything without his mother bouncing him on her lap and petting him on the head. Everything he does, he does it with her, and everything she says, he does it without hesitation."

"Damn... sounds like me," I chuckled.

"I hardly doubt you're as bad as he is," she said, shuffling closer to the edge of the pool to sit up straight as she spoke. "Even as a grown man, he can't keep himself off his mother's lap."

And even as a grown man, I can't keep myself out of my mother's ass. I would say he wins in that regard, but I get to be intimate with one of the most perfect women in the world. So I'm putting that on my scoreboard.

"His mother's a controlling bitch as well, chasing away anyone she doesn't want associating with her darling boy and trying to wrangle every single piece of power she can just to spoil him even more," she went on.

"She get him that Thrall of his?"

"Of course. 'Hand picked from the finest lineage, with over ten generations of beautiful and perfect women selectively-bred into the perfect servant'," Verella snarled.

"Ah, so she's the 'Hippity-Hoppity, women are property' type?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Very much so... which is something I'd never expect from a woman," Verella sighed.

"Life lesson for you: anybody will oppress and degrade anybody if it gets them somewhere in life. Doesn't matter what skin colour, class, creed, or affiliation they have, or even if they share it."

"What a shitty life," Verella muttered, splashing water on her shoulders to keep them wet and warm. "Did you kill him?"

"No. I spared the little bastard and his minotaur-fetishist girlfriend because I'm such a wonderful person," I said with a shake of my head.

"You beat her minotaur form?" Verella asked, looking at me with a shocked expression.

"Of course I did," I nodded. "I'm a born and raised monster hunter. The day I can't beat a big, stupid minotaur in a one on one battle is the day I hand in my hunting license."

"You need a hunting license?" she asked.

"Well... it's more of an affiliation form. You need to present it whenever you accept a contract on a monster so it can be logged with whatever guild you're accepting it from so they know who killed what and who's accountable for what if shit goes wrong."

"Have you killed anything else impressive?" she asked.

"Friends and I killed a dragon," I shrugged.

"Really?" Verella asked.

"Yup... well, the way I worded that makes it sound like it was all me and my usual group," I said, wanting to clarify. "What actually happened was that I managed to wrangle together a crew of people strong enough to take down the dragon, and I kind of helped here and there while they did most of the work."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing besides get everyone together and strike the final blow," I answered.

"That's quite impressive," Verella said with an approving nod.

"I'd rather say I was the guy that slapped it into submission than the one that stole the finishing blow from everyone else," I said with a wave of my hand. "And to be honest: we'd all be digested bones by now if it wasn't for Svea."

"You're very modest for a royal dragonslayer, Richter," Verella said, leaning back slightly and smiling at me. "I've never heard of a Prince slaying a dragon and not trying to take the credit for it."

"Hey, I probably would take the credit if it was all me," I countered. "But the way I see it, is if you're not good enough to take the credit, which I'm not, and didn't actually do it by yourself, which I didn't, you should never, ever take full responsibility for being some dragon-slaying badass who kills dragons and beds wenches left right and centre."

"How come?"

"Because the next time a big, scary dragon comes along, the entire populous that's been throwing their gold and virgins at you is gonna immediately expect you to kill it all by yourself," I went on. "So you're either going to die or be branded a liar when you fight it and lose or pussy out."

"That's a smart view to have, Richter," she chuckled.

"The only reward for arrogance is humiliation," I said. "I'm no good at slaying dragons. Am very good at bedding wenches, though."

"Really?" Verella asked with a cocked eyebrow. "And who would these wenches be, hm?"

My mother and aunt so far.

"If I were to count off the most recent ones in order, it would be the Court Sorceress Celana of Winter's Maw, Angela the Hunter's Guild Master, Karra the Knight-Captain of the Barb-Tails Mercenary Group, and High Priestess Jenevive of the Blades of Illuminia."

"Wow... that's, uh, quite the roster you have there," Verella said, clearly expecting me to be joking and being rather surprised by how much of a whore I turned out to be.

"It's been a busy month and a half," I shrugged.

"W-Wait?!" she exclaimed, physically recoiling in shock. "You slept with that many women in a month and a half? That's almost a different one for every week!"

"Would it make it better or worse if I told you the first three were over the space of a week?" I asked in a flat tone.

"A... A week?" she stammered, a heavy blush coming over her cheeks as she put a hand to her face, eyes wide in shock and horror at my slaying time schedule. "I couldn't imagine doing it more than once a week... how does anyone find time for... three in a week?"

"Do you need some time alone to process that?" I asked her with a chuckle.

"How... how do you seduce three women in the space of a week?"

"It wasn't really 'seducing' as it was payment in one case, a mutual agreement in one, and a payout to a bet for the last... and Jenevive was just... well, a little pent up, if the She-Demon she turned into was anything to go by," I said, shivering in fear at the animal I'd unleashed with that one.

"You made a bet and demanded sex as a reward?" Verella asked in a disgusted manner.

"No, I didn't make the terms, she did. But, to be completely transparent, I did put her in a situation where she'd willingly make the offer as a method of exploiting my horn-dog nature in an attempt to pay up nothing if she lost," I shrugged.

"You psychologically manipulated her into offering you sex?" she asked me, still no happier with the result.

"No, I moreso stacked the situation to where her belief that she was outplaying me allowed me to outplay her," I said with a shake of my hand in a fifty-fifty-esque gesture. "Which... now that I've said it aloud... it does not sound very good, does it?"

"So, what the hell did you do?" she asked.

"Well, the initial idea was to get her to agree to a bet where if I beat her, she'd have to give me more of her mercenaries than she originally wanted to, so knowing how she knew how I worked, I was expecting her to offer sex-" I began, only to be cut off as an explosion rocked the entirety of the castle, causing dust to fall from the ceiling and cracks to spread all along the walls of the room we were in.

"What the fuck?!" Verella exclaimed, leaping out of the water.

"No idea," I growled, drawing my sword and shield and readying myself as I headed towards the door. "You get your clothes on as fast as you can. With any luck, it might just be Twilight fucking up a spell, and we might be getting a little ahead of-"

I was cut off as the door was blown off its hinges, slamming straight into me and knocking me several feet backwards. My sword tumbled from my hand as I tumbled heels over head before skidding to a halt. Pain rocketed through my entire body, from head to toe, as stars danced in my dazed eyes, fighting desperately to figure out what the fuck was going on.

"Richter!" Verella roared, my eyes shooting upwards just in time to catch a metal boot from a familiar green-haired Vampire and his large, burly minotaur behind him before the impact caused everything to go black immediately, losing consciousness and slipping away from the screams of the dying all around the castle and Verella's own aggressive roars as she tried to fight off the attackers.

Chapter 62: Resurrection

I was woken with an ice-cold shock surging through my body, water that felt like pure pain splashing over me as my eyes snapped wide, gasping in horror.

"Rise and shine, sweetie," a familiar voice said mere moments before a metal gauntlet socked me straight in the mouth, cutting my cheek open and drawing blood immediately.

My head lashed to the side, neck cracking loudly as pain spiralled right through my damaged skin, hurt bones, and spinal cord.

"That was for what you did to Juniper," he spat.

"Then you better have enjoyed it, because I'm gonna get you four times as badly when I get my hands on you," I threatened, looking up at the meek man who felt he was so tough attacking an opponent tied to a chair.

He, unsurprisingly, hit me again, gashing my face open even more than before and causing another wave of pain to rush through me.

"You shut your mouth!" he roared.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Got a right hook so weak you can't even do it yourself? Why not get mommy to help you? I've heard you can't do anything without her by your side."

He seemed to mentally snap at that comment, booting me in the chest hard enough to send me and the chair flying backwards, knocking the wind out of me and causing my sternum to crack loudly.

"That's enough!" I heard Selana order, looking up to see the blonde Vampire queen striding over to the two of us. "Alistair, he's no good to us dead."

"I won't stand here and let him speak ill of our family," he snarled, balling his fists again.

"Then go somewhere you can't hear him," she ordered. "If your pride is damaged so easily by petty insults, then I've even less hope for you now than I did before. Now, leave us be."

Alistair glared at me hatefully, his temper snapping once more as I winked playfully at him, the armoured Vampire raising his fists once again only for Selana to lay an arm across his chest and move him backwards.

"I won't tell you again, Alistair," she said in a sterner tone. "Leave. Now."

He sighed, lowering his hands and stalking away, cape billowing behind him as he did so. Once he'd left the large room we were in, Selana moved behind me, picking my chair up and seating it properly, then returning to my front and crossing her arms.

"Y'know... I honestly expected you to knock his teeth out there and then," I shrugged as best I could.

"I try to avoid harming my family as much as I can. He may be an idiot, but he's my sister's idiot, and I love him as one of my own," she sighed, looking at the cut on my cheek.

She moved a hand towards my face, fingers glowing with a faint white light as she used her magic to heal my injuries. I looked at her with a surprised expression, unsure of whether or not she was doing this just to set up some horrendously painful torture scheme later on.

"My apologies, Richter," she said. "I had not meant for him to injure you in such a matter."

"Apologies? Hospitality?" I asked in a chuckling tone. "What kind of evil dictator are you with all these manners and kind words."

I could tell that my words struck a nerve with Selana. But instead of causing her temper to flare, they seemed to upset her. Even hurt her in a way I never expected them to. She waved her hand, conjuring up a chair-like construct that she sat down on, her armour rattling quietly as she sat down. She removed her crown, staring at it with distant, red eyes as she drew in a heavy breath.

"Evil dictator," she repeated, whether to me or herself, I couldn't tell. "I guess I must seem like that to you, mustn't I? The mad Vampire Queen desperate to bathe the world in shadows and blood for all eternity."

"Kind of," I said. "Hard to see you as the Queen of Roses and Hugs when you murdered your own niece."

Selana's eyes moved up to me, not showing anger or malice, but instead... regret. She set her crown down on the ground between her feet, resting her elbows on her knees as she interlocked her fingers, lost in thought.

"I taught her to fish..." she said, not really to anyone in particular. "The first time she tried it she ended up hooking the straw hat she wore... thought she was getting attacked from behind my something. Threw the rod aside and jumped headfirst into the lake."

I watched as a smile touched Selana's lips, the clearly happy memories flooding back to her along with the bitter sadness, making no attempt to hide the tears that rolled down her face despite her attempts to keep a straight face. "We went with Verella, who'd known how to bait and hook by herself at that point. She jumped right in after her cousin and pulled her back to 'safety'. Water was three feet deep, barely deep enough to crouch in and get wet. I've honestly never laughed as hard since then, I don't think."

"So why did you kill her?" I asked in a low, soft tone.

"Because I had to," she said, standing up and getting out of her chair, pacing briefly as she crossed her arms. "As a young woman, freshly blooded, I wanted nothing more than to lead my people. I wanted to be the Queen that brought our kind to prosperity. I wanted to do away with the petty in-fighting, get rid of the power squabbles, and make all of my Vampire brothers and sisters unite and prosper. I had it all figured out."

She stopped walking, leaning on the back of the chair and looking at me once more, a cold, drained expression in her face that displayed age and exhaustion beyond what her pale, youthful features could ever dream of showing off.

"As you can see... that plan burned to ashes like an ancient phoenix," she sighed. "My people are at war with one another, my own closest advisers are beginning to doubt my course of action... and I have the blood of the girl I loved as my own daughter staining my hands until the end of time. My own daughter..."

Selana took to pacing once more, hands on her hips as she increased her speed, clearly trying to channel the grief into some kind of movement.

"I turned my own daughter against me. I have always tried to do right by her, tried to explain my reasoning for why she can and cannot do things, tried to instil my own beliefs of what was best for our race into her as she grew," she growled. "I'm more than proud of her for standing up for her own ideals, never backing down or cowering to a larger opponent. She's everything I could have ever wanted her to be. Strong, intelligent, determined... and I hate it more than anything that she has to disagree with my plans."

"If my plans involved slaughtering thousands of people and trying to take over the world, I wouldn't be too shocked if my kids hated me for it too," I said, looking around the red-lit chamber we were in, spotting a similar-looking altar to the one in the Fort.

"Slaughtering thousands... tell me Richter, speak to me as royal to royal," she said, returning to her chair and leaning forwards, looking at me in the eyes. "If a country did nothing more to you than slaughter your kind, murder your brothers and sisters, and treat you as if you were nothing more than a blight on this earth, would you not go to war? Not fight to defend yourself?"

"I'd try to find a peaceful solution first," I commented.

"And what do you do when diplomacy fails, hm?" she asked, leaning back and resting her hands on her thighs. "What other options do you have? How can you hope to speak man to man with an entire planet that hates and despises you solely because of what you are? How can you ever hope to progress diplomatic relationships and progress with a world that burns you and your family at the stake for the crime of existing?"

"You... could avoid conflict," I stammered, not too confident in my own response.

"Could I? How much conflict can I avoid when my kind is constantly hunted, like deer and moose, heads removed and mounted as trophies, written about and classified in the same books as Ghouls and Zombies; mindless, inhumane monsters that do nothing but seek to harm all those around them?" she asked. "How do I avoid a fight with those who come seeking one? Do I live in fear, never stepping out of my hole in the ground for the risk of being stalked, captured, and burned for the fun of another hunter?"

"I... there... you..." I said, knowing full well that the only thing I could do to refute these points was to flat out lie to her, and that was something I couldn't do.

"When diplomacy fails, when hiding fails, when I have walked and bled on every other path, what other choices to protect my people do I have than war, Richter?" she asked me. "You can understand that as an Alicorn, can't you? You and yours were created to protect the people from all forms of injustice. How can you stand besides Celestia and Luna, women that have killed thousands of men and women over their lives defending the weak and downtrodden, yet brand me a monster and strive to stop me because I'm attempting to do the same?"

"You're hurting innocents," I stated.

"I have hurt no innocents," she said with a shake of her head. "Every conflict I have been in, I've always given the other side a chance to remain at peace. To merely step aside and allow me to pursue my goal without the need for unnecessary bloodshed. Yet they refuse. They always refuse... you, yourself were given this offer by me... and you chose to draw steel. Immediately branding me the enemy without a second's thought because your ideals conflicted with mine. Because my goal wasn't the same as yours. And instead of taking the time to hear my woes, to listen to the crimes committed against my people, you saw the fangs and pale skin, the war path we walked... and you sought to kill me where I stood for daring to stand up to injustice."

I had no answer. What the hell could I say to her? No, you never should have stood up for yourself because that would oppress the people who are oppressing you? No, you should've just lay down and allowed yourself to die because superstitious old bastards who don't understand you and your kind said you had to die? How was I supposed to call myself any kind of protector if I stood by those slaughtering men and women merely trying to survive because it was part of the status quo.

"Selana... I..." I mumbled, shaking my head slowly as I looked at the conflicted Vampires Queen.

"Do you finally understand?" she asked, cocking her head slightly. "Now that you've taken a moment to sit there and listen to my story... can you raise your arm against me and still claim to be a hero?"

My father had once told me that, in most instances, there was no good side and bad side in war. Sure, there may be evil dictators or insane people behind the armies, but that didn't mean the vast majority, or even a small minority, of soldiers fighting for that side believed in that cause or, in some cases, even knew what they were fighting for. They were often times young men given chain mail and a sword before being forced into the front lines to die for a leader that didn't care for them.

As much as I hated to say it... maybe I was that young man? The little boy who'd been fed one half of the tale, the propaganda and the slander of the enemy, and had come to believe the stories and tales about the evil 'other side' and why our way of life was better than theirs. But here I sat, face to face with the leader of the forces that were laying siege to the entire world in an attempt to resurrect a Vampire God to kill hundreds of thousands... and I couldn't look at her and tell her she was wrong in her belief that her actions were just.

If this seemed to be about revenge, then maybe I could tell her she was misguided. But this wasn't about revenge. This was a woman, sick and tired of living in fear, taking the only road she had left to protect her people... if this was a person allied with the ideals of Equestria, I'd be fucking applauding them for their bravery and strength of heart to fight for their right to existence...

Why wasn't I applauding Selana?

War to liberate, war to save, and war to conquer... it all spilled blood. People would die no matter what the reason for war was, no matter how noble and pure the meaning behind the banner you had was, it and it's message would be tainted with blood before the trumpets of victory sounded after the final battle.

"Do you understand my plight now?" she asked, seeing in my face that I'd had some kind of epiphany.

"I... I understand... but..." I began before trailing off.

Selana leaned back, exhaling quietly as she looked down at her lap, eyes cold and dead once more as she continued to speak.

"You won't lay aside your weapon, will you?" she asked.

"I can't..." I admitted, guilt streaming through my very being.

"Very well..." she said, getting to her feet and turning her gaze towards the Altar. "I was hoping that you'd be able to welcome Sanguine as a friend and an ally... but if you won't stand by our side... then I cannot promise your safety."

My eyes rocketed open, only now noticing the silver-sealed corpse of the Vampire Goddess on the altar now that Selana had moved out of the way. The Vampire Queen walked over to the body, gliding a hand down the thin, skeletal body before her, her fingers coming to rest of the circlet around Sanguine's head. With a small grunt of exertion, she removed the circlet, casting it aside as it crumbled to dust. With a small sigh, Selana shattered the shackles that bound the corpse's wrists to its chest.

And finally, she raised her hand in the air, her palm glowing with a mix of green and golden magic, a spell that I knew was going to signal doom. With another grunt, she slammed the palm of her hand onto the choker around Sanguine's neck, breaking it off easily and leaving the silver skeleton bare and ready to be released.

Selana held up her hand, her fingers beginning to glow a silvery-red colour as some kind of spell mixed with her own natural aura, creating a loud warping sound as the silver around the skeleton began to bubble and boil, soon reverting to liquid that Selana cast aside easily, splattering it onto the floor and revealing the pristine, white skeleton beneath it. I struggled as hard as I could, desperate to unbind myself from the chair as Selana rested her hands against the Altar, looking down at the skeleton as it began to audibly regenerate tissue.

"I can promise nothing to you... but for your willingness and understanding..." she said, looking back at me with a sombre expression. "I will try as hard as I can to have her spare you. If only as a prisoner, I wish for your life to continue. I owe you that much, dear child."

It took less than a minute for the skeleton to regenerate its entire muscle structure, soon growing alabaster skin to cover the fibres, sprouting thick, red hair, the same colour as Verella's, that would reach down to the small of her back. Her nails grew into sharpened, claw-like constructs, and finally her consciousness seemed to return to her, eyes flying open and a loud gasp of oxygen, the first in however many millennia, sounding out across the hall as she sat up straight, fingers digging into the Altar hard enough to crack it as she looked at, towered over, Selana.

There was a look of confusion on the woman's... on the Goddess' face as she observed her surroundings, knowing full well this was not the chamber she was sealed away in... wherever that was. Her eyes also glanced down to the style of hair Selana had, the armour she wore, and the sword sheathed at her side.

"Gods Above, how long has it been?" she asked in a naturally-sultry, but rough and irritated tone. "Because the last time I had flesh, swords and armour were naught more than iron, string, and rocks."

"It has been quite a long time, Your Holiness," Selana said, bowing low to her Goddess. "Our estimates say that you were defeated and sealed away over fifteen thousand years ago."

"Deafeated?" she asked in a bitter tone. "Betrayed would be a much better term for it. That bastard son of mine and his treacherous wife... are they still among the living?"

"Not to my knowledge," Selana said, stepping back as Sanguine swung her legs over the side of the altar, keeping them wide open and making no attempt to hide her nethers.

"Hm. Serves them right," she said, hopping up off the Altar and, much to my regret for staring at them, causing her enormous breasts to jiggle in a rather hypnotic way.

Her body suddenly began to glow with dark magic, the black smoke it emitted soon forming itself into ragged clothing, an item meant to be an all-covering cloak that was nothing more than a moth-mauled pile of string and patchwork that still left her right thigh, upper left abdomen, neck, and the entirety of her back exposed.

"Blast it all," she cursed, tearing away the ruined cloak and returning to the nude, caring not, or not noticing, my wandering eyes. "Should've known it wouldn't have stood the test of time."

Her eyes glanced over to me, only now letting me notice that she had no visible pupil or iris, just snow white sclera that gave her quite a terrifying appearance.

"Hmph," she commented, briefly exploding into a puff of thick, black smoke that rushed over to me, soon reforming into her usual state, grabbing hold of me by the shirt and lifting my bound form to her face. "What are you?"

"An Alicorn," I answered honestly, seeing no reason to lie about it.

"A what?" she asked. "Is that some rank you humans bestow on each other?"

"No, Your Holiness," Selana said, moving over to Sanguine and placing an arm on hers. "Richter is one of the last few members of a species created by the Goddesses before they departed this world. He and his kind are meant to protect and safeguard over all forms of life."

Sanguine's eyes turned back to me, examining me thoroughly before powering up an energy blast in her hand, clearly intending to vaporise me.

"Your Holiness, please!" Selana exclaimed, getting Sanguine's attention again. "Richter is no threat to us, I assure you."

"You just said he's a servant of the Goddesses," she growled. "That makes him a threat."

"Please, Richter is beyond powerless. I've made every attempt to keep this war as bloodless as possible, and I cannot allow myself to see one who could be made an ally wasted like this," she bargained. "Please?"

"War? she asked, dropping me down to the floor, causing the chair to bounce and fall backwards, knocking the wind out of me again. "What war?"

"Since it has been so long since you last walked this world, many of our kind simply do not believe in your existence," Selana explained. "I've remained faithful ever since remnants of your holy blood cured my sister and I, and that proof has many of our kind on my side... but some others simply do not believe."

"Then I'm sure an appearance would make them believe, do you not?" she chuckled, killing off the energy blast she was charging and grinning playfully.

"I only ask that you harm them not," she said. "They are misguided, not blasphemous."

"After fifteen thousand years off this world, I'd begin to doubt my own existence as well," she smirked, turning back to me. "What are you going to do with the boy?"

"Return him to the cell he was last in..." Selana sighed, crossing her arms. "And then I'd like you to come and speak to my daughter. She'll definitely turn around on her stance if she sees you walk among us again."

"She doubts me?" Sanguine asked. "And stands against her mother?"

"She has a strong heart and a stronger spirit," Selana nodded. "And I love her for it, no matter the rift it causes between us."

"Hm... I can respect that," Sanguine said, placing her hands on her child-birthing hips. "If only I could say the same of my own treacherous child. Now, return this little mite to his cell so we can convert this troublesome daughter of yours."

"At once, Your Holiness," Selana bowed. "But first, we shall pay a visit to the tailor for a more modest appearance."

"Ah, yes. It wouldn't be fitting of my first real appearance in this world to be one remembered for the Godly Rent Girl, would it?"

Chapter 63: Escape

"How'd you do it?" I asked, moments before Selana was to exit the cell.

She came to a stop, head angled downwards, refusing to look at me, as she responded.

"How what?"

"How did you find where we were?" I asked. "I figured the last place you'd look was somewhere we'd already battled. Figured you'd expect us to be smarter."

Selana chuckled, turning around and crossing her arms as Sanguine rested against the wall outside the cell, eager to see what the interaction would lead to.

"I will admit, I was surprised to find you in the Empress' Palace," she nodded. "But I suppose Chancellor Twilight would've expected the endlessly-looping ideology of reverse psychology and expectations towards it to throw me off."

"That still doesn't answer my question."

"True, it does not," she nodded. "The simple answer is a tracking aura; a spell placed on the choker around Sanguine's neck was able to allow me to sense where she was, no matter how far away she got. I must say, I am quite surprised Twilight didn't notice it. From what I've read about her, she's more than thorough with her research in every way one can be, so I imagined she'd sniff the body like a bloodhound for any trace of magic."

But Twilight was prone to half-assing procedure whenever she was excited to do something else...

"What's that look for?" Sanguine asked, making her way into the cell. "You look like you've seen a ghost?"

I didn't answer her, merely keeping my eyes on the ground and trying to keep as straight a face as possible. Sanguine rolled her eyes, poking me in the forehead with the flat of her fingertip and pushing it backwards, forcing me to look up at her.

"I must say... the Goddesses' chosen champions aren't nearly as impressive as I'd expect them to be," she said, cocking her head and squinting as she analysed my features. "He's a cute little thing, though."

"Richter is a rather poor representation of his kind, sadly," Selana explained to her Goddess. "Even Twilight, a mere human, outranks him in terms of power and ability with only a simple infusion of Alicorn genetics."

"So what does a real Alicorn look like?" she asked.

I scowled at her, tensing my jaw in an annoyed manner as her comments hurt my pride, Sanguine's eyes returning to a normal state as she caught my look, leaning back with a smirk and crossing her arms.

"Sorry, kid. That wasn't very polite of me, was it?" she chuckled. "I mean, what is a more standard appearance for the Alicorn?"

"Size is the most common indicator," Selana answered. "The few that remain are extremely large, with the current leader of the family, Celestia, standing at the same height as you."

"Celestia?" Sanguine said, tasting the name on her tongue for a few moments before nodding in a curt fashion. "That's a rather pleasant name. Any others?"

"Yes, while not their original numbers, the current Alicorn population only consists of four; Celestia, her younger sister Luna, their niece, Cadance, and Richter," Selana explained. "Time, chance, and betrayal got the best of the others."

"Quite an odd naming convention for a singular family, no?" Sanguine commented, placing her hands on her bare hips. "Two sisters named after celestial bodies makes sense despite one of them being in a different language, but a niece named after a piece of musical structuring, and her son being given an even more foreign name that translates out to 'Judge'?"

"Strange indeed," Selana nodded.

"Mind if we get back on topic here?" I asked.

"Of course, little one," Sanguine beamed, petting me on the head with a gentle smile. "I was merely curious, is all. My apologies."

"How did you get past Twilight?" I asked. "I figured without Sanguine, she alone would be more than enough to handle you and yours."

"Is she truly that strong?" Sanguine asked. "And she's a human with a mere infusion of Alicorn genetics? Goodness, I'm getting rather excited to see just what a pure-blood Alicorn can do."

"Yes, Twilight is everything she is said to be. A strategic genius, an expert magical combatant, and a powerhouse beyond most other beings on this world in open combat," Selana acknowledged. "She would have been more than a problem had we met her in open combat."

"So you sucker punched her?" I asked in a furious growl.

"Richter, as open as I am to surrendering opponents and sparing my enemies, I'm not stupid enough to play by the rule book of tournament duels," Selana said with a shake of her head. "A war is fought with underhanded tactics and backhanded strategies as much as it is with armies and battle. Taking on Twilight in a fair fight would've been suicide, and not something I'm going to lose sleep over for not doing."

"So then what did you do?" Sanguine asked, rather excited to hear the tale.

"Merely sought out her positioning, waited for the ample moment to strike, teleported behind her, and put her face through a table fast and hard enough for her not to react," Selana answered. "I imagine it worked because, like a lot of us, Twilight seems to reabsorb the charge given to her protective wards in locations she views to be entirely safe. That's why the strike was able to get through to her. If she'd seen it coming, however, she'd have most likely powered them up instantly and proceeded to vaporise us."

"You sucker punched her," I spat, turning my eyes away from her.

"Richter, you'll understand why assassination and espionage are such favoured methods when you have your own army and forces to command against a superior opponent," Selana said, closing her head and shaking her eyes. "A war fort with honour and valour is a war already lost. Remember that."

"I'll be sure to keep it in mind," I growled, Selana standing up straight once more and heading towards the door.

"And Svea?" I asked. "The others? Zane? Annerose?"

"Captured as well," she shrugged. "Though I wasn't stupid enough to keep you all in the same location. No matter how confidant one is in their prison's integrity, you don't leave weapons and equipment on the table outside of the cell. Same principle applies to allies."

"My, my, you are quite the strategist, aren't you?" Sanguine chuckled, smiling widely at Selana.

"Thank you, Your Holiness," she said, gesturing for them to depart. "Now, shall we continue our campaign?"

"Of course," Sanguine nodded, giving me a friendly smile and a wave before leaving the cell.

Selana locked the door and tucked the keys away into a pouch on her belt, making sure there was no chance of me getting a hold of them. I watched them leave, teeth grinding in a frustrated manner as the door to the prisons closed, itself getting locked.

"Fucking great," I muttered, closing my eyes and trying to focus on my connection with Grael. "Grael? Can you hear me?"

I knew I was trying in vain, as the second I felt the connection, I also felt what could only be described as a wet ball growing and pressing inside my brain. I wasn't a magic expert, but I guessed that there was some kind of anti-magic shield around this place that prevented any kind of spellwork getting in or out of it.

So that was where I was right now. Alone, imprisoned, unarmed, and in the centre of the enemy stronghold. If I were my father, that would be the perfect place to be, as a warrior and a strategist of his calibre would turn that into an opportunity to get rid of the top brass and turn the tide of the war, something he'd done before.

But if my father was the filet mignon of the warrior world, I was the cheap, rotten mudfish, bought in large groups and thrown together solely to fill up a requirement. Completely expendable...

I launched myself backwards, hoping to shatter the chair off the stone floor, only to end up slamming my own head off it and hurting my hands, both being bound behind it. The pain rocketed up my fingers to such a degree that I was sure I'd broken one and the dizzying lights that danced in my skull made it difficult to think for a moment.

"Fucking great..." I repeated in an angrier tone.

Now that I had a better range of vision thanks to being flat on the floor, I began looking around the room. All I needed was something sharp. A split brick, a rusty pipe, a jagged pipe, something to help fray the ropes on my hand enough to be split. But this cell was pristine. Amazingly maintained, clean, and looking rather new. The brickwork was aligned perfectly, pipes were mounted and fitted perfectly, and the bars were smooth and polished to a clean and shiny appearance.

This cell was cleaner than my fucking bedroom, and that was not something I was okay with. I was fucked. There was no other way to put it. I couldn't do a damn thing about anything until Selana came back, probably wearing the crown of the world at that point, and decided to let me live a life of servitude and oppression. I'd be probably be like a crown pet that sat on the lap of the ruler if how Sanguine had treated me was any indication... but that did make me think for a minute.

Sanguine was not what I was expecting. I was ready to see an evil titan of blood and violence that cut down all the non-believers, smote the rabble, and tortured the innocent for sadistic pleasure, but instead... she was just a woman. Quite a nice one, too. She was polite, well-spoken, patient, and extremely understanding to those around her. Maybe Selana had been right with what she'd said before, that Vampires had been vilified to such a degree that even their deities were seen as inherently evil.

After all, nobody else automatically assumes something like a god of the ocean or a god of the earth to be evil. Hell, there are even certain religions kicking around where the gods of fire and death are merely servants to the nature of their job and take no pleasure in burning or claiming the souls of the innocent. It was their position and they did it as they needed to.

But the moment I heard 'Vampire God'... it brought on image after image of blood running in the streets, innocents hanging from trees, and children being staked for their enjoyment. Hell, I didn't even know if Sanguine wanted to kill anybody. What if all they were going to do was show off power, say 'Stop killing all of us', and then go to their own country to exist peacefully? What if Sanguine only acted as a protector, never wishing to harm those around her unless her people were threatened? I know a first impression isn't always an accurate one, but her attitude told me that there wasn't anything evil about her.

Maybe-

There was a crack of what sounded like lightning just inside the door to the cell, followed by a loud gasp of exertion and a heavy thump. I tried to look at it as best I could, but my feet obscured whatever the hell had entered the cell.

"There you are!" I heard Verella exclaim, picking up the chair I was sat on and standing it up, easily snapping the ropes behind me with her Vampiric strength.

She was more than a little beat up; bruises on her cheeks, an eye blackened, a cut on her neck, and an overall rough appearance.

"How did you-" I began.

"Broke out of my cell, knocked out one of the guards, found his castle transporter, asked it to take me to every cell block in this place, and here we are," she said, pulling me up to my feet and smiling. "You ready to leave?"

"You have a plan to get us out of here?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow. "One that doesn't involve us running right into Sanguine?"

"Yes," she nodded, grabbing hold of my shirt and gripping a small, golden crystal, closing her eyes and grunting once again.

The world around us disappeared once more, leaving us standing on a long bridge, outside in a very heavy downpour of rain. I turned to look at the castle, wanting to ask if this was the same one only for Verella to drag me away, sprinting at full speed.

"Transporter's range only stretches to the edge of the castle," she said, puffing loudly. "If we can put enough distance between us and the castle, we can get out of the shield's magical ability and you can probably contact someone to come and pick us-"

Verella was cut off as another figure teleported in front of us, Verella slamming straight into her and getting knocked back onto the floor. I grinded to a halt, not being fast enough to keep up with her perfectly, but being able to see Selana standing with her hands on her hips with a very bemused expression on her face. Selana was then followed by Sanguine, the Vampire Goddess appearing, now fully clothed, in tight, black pants, large, knee-high leather boots, a long, flowing cloak, an elegant female shirt, and a hood pulled over her head, with her glowing red eyes being visible just beneath it.

"Verella..." Selana said in an unhappy tone. "I don't want to keep chasing you like this."

Verella didn't answer, slowly getting back to her feet and staring her mother down, all of us getting soaked to the bone by the heavy rain around us.

"All I ask is that you stay put while I finish this off," she said. "A week, no more, then it can all go back to the way it was, possibly even better."

"You know that's never going to happen," Verella spat, glaring daggers at her mother. "You killed my best friend. Your own niece."

"Yes... and as I told Richter, it's a choice that burns a hole in my heart every time I remember making it," Selana sighed.

"Didn't stop you," she growled.

"As pain has never stopped me from doing what is best for my people," Selana said sternly, turning to face Sanguine. "And here is the fruit of my labours; the being that shall save us all from the torment we've endured."

"A pleasure to meet you, Young Princess," Sanguine said, giving a curt nod. "I love your hair."

Verella's expression softened slightly, replaced with a confused one, her mouth slightly open as she looked up at Sanguine.

"You... you're... the God?" she asked in a stunned tone.

"The one and only," she nodded, smiling kindly. "Here to put right the wrongs done against our kind."

"By killing innocents?" she asked.

"By saving them," Sanguine countered. "No man or woman who raises a weapon to slaughter another simply because he does not like their kind is no innocent in my eyes."

"You're on the war path, then?" she demanded. "Still hoping to cut and burn all those that stand against you?"

"In the name of protecting our kind and our lives, yes," Sanguine said. "I may have been gone from this world longer than many believe its existed for... but I hardly doubt it has become so pure and perfect that men no longer need to fight for their rights. Am I wrong?"

Verella fell silent, Selana walking towards her and resting a comforting hand on her cheek.

"I have only wanted the best for us since I have taken this throne," she said in a warm tone. "I regret every drop of blood I've had to spill to get here, but none of it has been in vain. Our peace, our victory is close at hand. Side with me, dearest daughter, and you shall see what I mean."

"I... I can't," Verella choked out, tears in her eyes. "Not after what you've done..."

"Then... then you shall not be allowed to leave until our victory is assured," she said, stepping back at looking at Sanguine. "A stun spell, if you would, something to keep them from running?"

Verella grabbed my arm, quickly trying to use the teleporter to get us back inside, only to realise in horror that it didn't work anymore. We must've run out of the castle's boundaries and were completely on our own here. Sanguine nodded, raising a hand and charging up a small, yellow ball in it, aiming it at Verella and firing. It hit her square in the chest, stunning her into a stiff position and making her collapse to the floor, alive, but unable to move.

"I'll apologise right now," Sanguine said. "I've been told this thing leaves a rather nasty aftertaste."

I glared at the Vampire Goddess, knowing full well I couldn't outrun or dodge the blast, no matter how hard I tried. I merely steeled myself and waited for it to come, hoping that our second attempt at escaping wouldn't be in vain. The blast was fully charged after several seconds and Sanguine readied to fire it...

Only for something that I did not expect to save my hide in the same way they'd done for so long.

Another crack of lightning sounded, another teleportation, and before I could even figure out what had happened, the blast Sanguine had charged was fired up into the sky, sent off-course by a strong hand closing around her wrist and forcing it upwards, the two of them now locking eyes as a wide grin spread over Sanguine's face.

"Celestia, I presume?" the Vampire Goddess asked the armoured Alicorn as her eyes lit up with magical energy, the sheer level of raw power the charged Alicorn possessed causing the rain around us to evaporate, the wind to pick up, and lightning itself being pulled in her direction.

That was indeed very much Celestia.

And she was indeed very much angry.

Chapter 64: Clash of the Titans

If Sanguine felt intimidated or scared by the presence of the Alicorn, something the very world itself seemed to be if the violent change in weather was any indication, she didn't show it. Her eyes continued to examine the Alicorn, making no move to free herself, as she looked Celestia up and down.

"So... this is what your kind can be, eh?" she chuckled. "I must admit... I'm more than impressed."

Celestia cast Sanguine's hand aside, eyeing up both her and Selana as she examined the situation.

"I believe introductions are in order," Celestia said to the Vampire Goddess. "But, if the power I can sense from you is any indication... I believe it may confirm something I'm not ready to hear."

"You need not worry, so long as you don't interfere," Sanguine said, bowing her head with her hand across her chest. "My name is Sanguine, Vampire Goddess and Eternal High Queen of the Vampire Throne. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'd extend the same compliments if our meeting wasn't on opposite sides of a battleground," Celestia sighed, opening her palm and conjuring a white-and-gold longsword with a phoenix engraved onto the crossguard. "But I'm glad you were at least pleasant about this."

"I can only say the same, Celestia," Sanguine sniggered, stepping back slightly as her eyes became engulfed in a blood-red mist that poured out of her darkened orbs, summoning up her own weapon; a black-steel bearded axe with a silver hilt.

"Not what I was expecting, to be honest," Celestia shrugged, squaring her stance and gripping her sword tightly.

"Giant weapons and serrated swords?" Sanguine questioned in a knowing tone.

"Yup."

"Beyond worthless in a fight," Sanguine sighed. "A serrated sword can be defeated by a cloth shirt. What good is that?"

With that the two launched at each other, clashing weapons with a mighty din. The force transferred between the two of them was so incredible that it shattered the stone flooring around them, digging them both into the bridge as they skidded back slightly. There was a brief moment of calm as they readied their next strikes, a flash of lightning, a magical bolt aimed at Celestia, and then the two of them teleported away, taking the noise of their clash as they did so.

There was silence apart from the storm thundering down around us, the usual peaceful drum of the rain on stone being more than an ominous sound to me now. I turned to look at Selana, the Vampire Queen staring down at her daughter as Verella began to stir. There was another moment of quiet between us as our eyes drifted together, faces stone and expressions cold, before a bright bolt of light struck the ground, glowing a heavenly blue colour as a voice followed it.

"I don't have time for the usual ceremony!" I heard Luna's voice echo. "Celestia needs my help, so don't expect me to dig you out of this one!"

The two of us covered our eyes slightly, shying away from the bright light until it faded slightly. As it did so I spotted the sword I'd dropped in the castle back in Beaumont, Luna clearly having recovered it. I gripped it quickly, taking it from the spot in the air where it was suspended and readying myself, Verella slowly getting to her feet and processing her surroundings again.

"Ugh... what..." she said, looking to her mother and then back to me. "My tongue tastes like rotten bananas... what the hell..."

Selana sighed loudly, looking up into the rain storm, eyes closed as the water his her face. She then cast her crown aside entirely, throwing it into the river beneath the bridge and untying her braided hair, allowing the long, flowing locks to fall free for the first time in a long time. With her hair styled in a similar way to Verella's, I could clearly see the resemblance between the two of them now more than ever. With a flick of her wrist, Selana summoned up her own sword moments before Verella did the same.

"The crown means nothing to me now," she sighed, taking up a fighting stance. "No matter the outcome, I'll have no need of it. Either you strike me down and my life comes to and end, or Sanguine wins and takes over the rule."

"And you're okay with losing your right to rule?" I asked.

"It was never about power, Richter. It was about helping my people," Selana stated, her soaked hair plastered to her skull. "If I have to give up the throne to a greater ruler to do so, then I shall do it with a smile on my face."

"You're too good to die for this, Selana," I said, shaking my head as I rinsed the water from my fringe.

"I can say the same about you," she nodded. "Now enough talking. We all know what must come next."

I narrowed my eyes and gritted my teeth, my nerves steeled and my mood sombre. I knew that I was going to take no pleasure in a victory here and no shame in a defeat. I couldn't argue of good versus evil in this battle, only seeing it as two sides, both equally valid in their stances, bringing and end to the conflict. Selana rushed towards me with a lunge, a strike that was intercepted by Verella as she glanced the blade off the side of her own, opening Selana up to a counter-thrust from myself.

She brought up her arm, conjuring a magical, red and black energy shield on her arm that blocked my own strike, the sword point hitting it and sending the shockwaves down my arm as it would've done with any physical object. I stepped backwards, knowing I was slightly over-extending my lunge, and Verella took the offensive afterwards, lashing forward with two strikes, one aimed for her mother's neck and the second aimed for her lower right side.

Both were deflected expertly, showing Selana to be more than just strategy and belief, knocking her daughter's blade hand aside and booting her in the stomach, sending her sprawling backwards onto the wet, stone bridge. I could tell that the impact had hurt her, even during her recovery roll. Her hand clutched at her shoulder as she got back to her feet, teeth bared and chest heaving.

She was getting angrier now, lashing her hand forward and firing a bolt of magic that her mother slapped away with the tip of her finger. Verella launched forwards again, swords once again clashing in a brilliant show of defensive and offensive capabilities that Selana once again seemed to be winning. Verella was pushed back once again, hand cast aside, just as she caught her mother's knuckles straight to her face, staggering her viciously.

I decided to not stand around any longer, moving towards Selana and really having to play it defensively, knowing that I had to stay as light on my feet and fast as my arm could go against a Vampire due to her naturally greater physical abilities. I'd be a bit more relaxed if I had my shield with me, but the fact that I was wearing it still when captured meant that it had to have been claimed and locked away inside the castle.

I heard a series of noises behind us, back across the bridge, barely managing to make out the sounds of approaching soldiers and rattling gear over the din of the rain and the clashing steel swords. If Selana was reinforced with extra troops we were through. Neither of us could turn our attention away from Selana to deal with the approaching forces as we were barely keeping up with her in a two-on-one fight. We needed some other plan to keep us from getting captured or killed here and now. That need was met, however, when Celestia reappeared for a brief moment. Her hair was soaked and stuck to her body, her eye was blackened, a large gash was open on her cheek, and her armour had more than enough dents to render it nearly scrapped.

She threw her hand sideways, conjuring up a glowing wall in the middle of the bridge to prevent the approaching Vampires from interfering. She turned to me with a determined nod just before Sanguine reappeared above her, launching downwards with a one-handed strike from her axe. Celestia brought her sword above her head, gripping it with two hands, and barely had the strength in her arms, spine, and legs to not be instantly crumpled the second she blocked the strike. She groaned from the strain, Sanguine's eyes alight with a sense of enjoyment, before Luna teleported in the air next to her, looking just as beat up as her older sister.

Luna's energy-charged fist slammed straight into Sanguine's face, knocking her clear off the edge of the bridge with a thunderous crack, but she appeared no less than two seconds later, a large cut on her own cheek from Luna's armoured strike, to aim a hack with her axe at the dark-skinned Alicorn's spine. My attention was dragged away from the battle between the Alicorn and the Goddess as Verella cried out in pain, Selana having sliced through one of Verella's wrists and cut through her tendons, causing her to drop her sword and collapse to the floor, clutching at the injury.

"Enough is enough!" Selana yelled, mostly at her daughter. "Surrender now and it all ends here!"

I gritted my teeth angrily, lashing forward at Selana and trying my best to get her on the back foot. I worked on a defensive-offense strategy, one Luna had taught me a while ago. The main tactic was to get into baiting range, keeping your defenses up as you did so, and waiting for the opponent to strike. Once they'd thrown their cut and left themselves open, you'd move in for the strike, either catching them off guard and hurting them, or forcing them into a defensive stance of their own.

It worked surprisingly well against the Vampire Queen, managing to bait out a long cut from the fighter, managing to dodge it, and managing to return my own to the unarmoured inside of her leg. I cut into her skin, drawing blood from her as well as a pained grunt. She threw her hand outwards, firing a bolt of black and red energy at me, which was something I was somehow able to catch on the flat of my blade.

The bolt hit the glowing metal, diffusing immediately, seemingly thanks to the holy enchantment Jenevive had put on it days ago. Reminding myself to offer her a marriage proposal for being the best being in existence, I moved forward on Selana once again using a defensive parry to knock aside her next strike and stabbing my sword deep into her thigh, crippling the fighter instantly and bringing her to the floor.

I tossed her sword aside, pinned her down to the ground and, with a hand on my hilt and a hand gripping the centre of the tip of my sword, I pressed it against her throat, hearing the sizzle of her skin burning from the holy enchantment on the weapon as I applied pressure.

"Selana, I don't want to kill you, you know that!" I roared over the sounds of battle, rain, and thunder. "Surrender now and allow yourself to be arrested, or I will kill you here and now."

Selana's eyes darted between myself and Verella, a mix of sadness and desperation in her red orbs, seemingly making her decision.

And it was not one that went well for me.

Her entire body unleashed a shockwave that launched me up into the air, lifting me at least ten feet off the ground and shocking me with electricity, the blast doing the same to Verella. The only difference was that she was blasted into a wall, whereas I was a set up for a volley, where Selana waved her hand, blasting me with magic from the side that sent me clear over the side of the bridge...

And plummeting the eighty feet into the water below.

The fall was not a particularly long one, taking just longer than a second or so, and had I been able to position myself, I'd have walked out of it with sore legs and a beating heart. But I went over sideways, spiralling out of control to the point where I had no decision on what hit the water first. Sadly, it was a mix of the right side of my lower leg and my right arm, extended outwards in desperation

I'd fallen from ten feet onto cobblestone before, and even that would've felt like diving headfirst into a pillow compared to this impact. My right leg broke immediately, bones splintering and piercing through the skin, spilling blood into the water. My right arm both dislocated and bent back at the elbow, breaking both the bone and the elbow joint instantly. The pain of the impact, the pain of the breaking, and the pain of the icy cold water I was now drowning in was more than enough to shock me awake... but if I didn't get out of the water soon, I'd end up going into shock from the injuries and drowning.

It hurt to breathe at this point, my head was still spinning, the river too dark and my body too disoriented to tell which way was up. I tried so hard to focus, remembering a technique Luna had taught me when it came to getting disoriented in water. I exhaled briefly through my nose, forcing my eyes open and just being able to make out which direction the bubbles went it, going past the lower right side of my jaw.

That told me I was upside down and that the surface was in the opposite direction. I kicked and directed with my good leg and arm, the mere idea of the water currents touching my destroyed limbs brought in new, fresh waves of agony that helped keep my mind focused and alert. I honestly felt like vomiting and crying from it, being the single worst pain I'd ever felt in my entire life.

After fighting through the agony, I broke the surface, taking a loud, heavy gasp I forced air into my lungs, only now realising that I'd definitely broken a rib or two on impact as well. The currents were nothing too strong, as it was more of a moving moat than it was a real river, so I didn't have to fight too hard against it. My sword was gone, either being flung to the next continent after the blast or, if I'd managed to keep a hold of it before I hit the water, now at the bottom of the river with no hope of me getting it back alone.

I swam over to the shore, clambering out onto the rocks. I felt my nerve physically break at this point, as the pain of my shattered leg dragging over the stone beach of the river was too much for me to take. I collapsed, groaning and screaming as the pain seemed never-ending, blood leaking from the bone-punctured skin and mixing with the river water and rain on the bank. I could feel the tears streaming down my face, unable to stop them or compose myself as I sobbed from the agony.

"Grael?" I called out mentally, like a child screaming for their parent in times of suffering. "Grael, please answer me..."

It was no good. While I didn't have that block in my head anymore, I imagined Grael was somewhere where he did. I had no idea what I hoped to achieve by shouting for him, he was no mage, no teleporter. He couldn't have done anything for me even if he wanted to... but the pain had brought on some primal desire for survival, seemingly regressing me to the same attitude an infant has, where the only thing they can think to do is call for their loved one, no matter how little effect it would have.

I gritted my teeth once again, trying my damnedest to drag myself back up the beach and to get out of the water, but it just wasn't happening. I was too weak, too broken to help myself. I collapsed once again, head smacking off a jagged rock and cutting my brow again, stars dancing before my eyes as my breathing became more and more shallow. I wasn't losing consciousness, hadn't sustained enough cranial injuries or lost enough blood for that just yet, but I was going into shock.

Apathy overwhelmed me, my body began to ignore my commands, and no matter how hard I tried to get myself going again, all I could do was lie still, bleed, and hurt. Nothing was going to change that. All I could do was sit here and hope that Celestia and Luna emerged victorious and that they'd find me before I bled out from the leg injury. It was out of my hands and with fate at this point.

And fate seemed to smile on me once more, whether through kindness or pity, I knew not.

"Richter!" came the yell just after the loud crack of teleportation.

The came the hands, the soft, warm hands followed by the soothing bliss of sedation. I felt my entire body go limp, my neck losing the ability to hold my head up just before I was rolled over. I spotted two familiar faces kneeling next to me, those being Twilight and Cadance, the latter of whom looked ready to pass out through sheer panic.

"You still conscious?" Twilight asked, dragging her finger through the air over my face.

I tried to follow it, but my eyes didn't feel like moving, whether due to shock or the pain relief magic, I knew not.

"Yeah, he's completely gone," Twilight said, casting her bag aside and tying her hair back. "Get his pants off, I need a look at that leg."

Cadance did as ordered, immediately removing my legwear before crawling up to my head, resting it on her lap as she gently began stroking my hair. That primal part of my brain that had screamed for familial protection was now sated and full, overjoyed at the fact my mother, the first presence I'd ever known, even while developing, was here by my side once again. A blissful feeling of warmth and safety rolled over me as my breathing caught the scent of her perfume, the familiar sensation of her touch, and the heat of her body.

"Ooh, that is a bad one," Twilight hissed, turning over the shattered, slashed remains of my lower right leg with a grimacing expression. "At least its all in one piece."

"Can you fix it?" Cadance asked, using her own magic to keep the pain relief coming as Twilight examined with my deformed leg.

"Severed arteries, both the fibula and tibula shattered with more than a few comminuted fractures in the upper thigh bone, the patella itself has split cleanly with a transverse fracture, thank the Goddesses for that," she muttered to herself, my leg giving me a dull throb of pain that I proceeded to grunt at in response, stunning both Cadance and Twilight as I did so.

"Amplify the pain relief even more," Twilight said. "I wouldn't be surprised if every nerve in this fucking leg is screaming in agony from the damage and I do not want him feeling even a ten-thousandth of it anymore."

"Can you fix it?" Cadance repeated.

"Easily, just give me a few minutes to restructure, realign, and close it all up," Twilight nodded, using her expect medical knowledge and masterful workings of magic to begin healing my leg. "Check him over for anything else while you're here."

"Twilight, I'm not a medic," Cadance growled.

"But you know the way stuff's meant to bend, right?" the younger woman asked. "He fell something like eighty feet off a bridge into water. Those injuries aren't really the easiest things to miss."

Cadance growled angrily, the fear and desperation that clutched the two over my safety clearly making them irritable, but they both seemed aware of it, which is why the chatter came to a minimum after this point.

My mother's gentle hands probed and examined my body as softly and as thoroughly as they could, looking over nearly every inch of me with an experienced eye, knowing exactly what was meant to be where on me, what colour it was supposed to have, and how large it was usually. Years of changing, bathing, and merely being around me had made her an expert at this.

"Right arm's dislocated, I think the elbow joint's snapped, and a few ribs feel a bit looser than normal," Cadance said to her sister-in-law as she finished her examination.

"Right," Twilight nodded, her dark skin and darker clothes soaked with fresh blood as she continued to work on my legs.

My mother's eyes never left my body at this point, and every time my eyes wandered to meet hers, she'd smile widely at me, that basic part of my brain reassuring me that if my mother was smiling about something, then I needed to be smiling about something.

"There, done," Twilight said, giving my fixed leg a gentle tap on the side of it as she raised it, testing the range of movement the joint had and listening out for any clicks, grinding, or snaps that shouldn't occur. "Lemme see his arm."

She moved up to me, using her magic to cut away the right arm of the shirt I was wearing before she grinned widely and cracked her neck.

"Something to smile about?" Cadance asked.

"This'll take literally seconds," Twilight chuckled, shoving my arm back into its socket with a gentle grunt, pulling my arm back the right way it was meant to be on the joint, and using her magic to reconstruct and put my elbow back in the right place before looking at my mother.

"Ribs next, right?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Twilight gave a quick feel of my chest, found the lower right section to be the broken ones, and healed them in a matter of seconds with a golden glow on her soft, skilled fingers.

"And there we go, all that's fixed," she smiled. "Just gonna do a quick look over for any internal damage..."

She ran her hands over me once again, checking organs, brain, eyes, tongue, teeth, genitals, and anything else that might have been damaged in the fall.

"Right," she said, turning to Cadance and nodding.

Cadance snapped her fingers and the warm, numbing sensation of the pain relief faded away, being replaced with a cold, shivering feeling as the cold of the rain water bore into my skin.

"Fuck me," I growled, sitting up and trying to warm myself up.

My mother nearly tackled me to the floor as I did so, her arms wrapping tight around me as the warmth of her body leaked into mine.

"Alright, Cadance, we don't wanna break him again," Twilight urged, trying to pry us apart.

My mother adjusted herself, kissing me passionately and driving her tongue into my mouth. She pulled back after a long second, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to speak for a moment.

"I... I thought you were... oh, my baby!" she squealed, hugging me once again and tucking my head under her chest. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Yeah, safe is a bad word to use here," Twilight said, getting to her feet and grunting loudly, her body being enveloped with magic as her usual scrubs switched out for a dark, tight-fitting witch robe, a black staff with a purple gem set in the top of it, and a large dagger in her left hand. "We're not out of the woods yet."

"Verella," I said, getting back to my feet. "We need to save Verella."

"I'll get right on that," Twilight snarled. "I owe Selana a thank you for her last little trick. Cadance, you go and back up Luna and Celestia. Try to keep to support as much as you can, but avoid engaging Sanguine directly."

"And you two?" Cadance asked.

"We're going to go play nice with the Vampire Queen," Twilight said, poking me in the chest and summoning a fresh pair of leather boots, padded fencing pants, and a gambeson.

"My sword," I said, turning towards the river. "I have no idea where it's gone, but I'm not leaving it-"

Twilight tucked her dagger into a sheath on her belt, holding out her left hand and grunting loudly again, seconds passing before the glowing black and blue sword flew in from the miles it had travelled into the blast, and slamming into the palm of her hand with a metallic thud.

"Here you go, fuckboy," Twilight said, tossing it over to me. "You ready for round two?"

"Aching," I nodded, ready to finish this once and for all.

"Then hold tight," she said, grabbing hold of me before turning to Cadance.

"Good luck," she said, watching as Cadance summoned her own armour and sword, this time with the addition of a pink, fox-shaped domino mask.

"You too," she grinned before all of us teleported away.

We were instantly back on top of the bridge, Twilight seeming to have located Selana faster than I had, seeing her and and the other Vampires, who had seemingly broken down the wall Celestia had conjured, leading Verella away in chains. Twilight roared loudly, jabbing her staff forwards and firing a giant blast of screaming, green energy. The swirling, charged mass of power soon formed into the mouth of a dragon, hitting into every single one of the Vampires on the bridge and incinerating all but two of them instantly.

"Charged wards," Twilight growled. "Clever girl."

"Chancellor Twilight," Selana said in a disappointed tone. "I was hoping you'd be sitting this one out."

"I'm afraid not, dear," Twilight snarled, her own rising power creating a purple aura around her that had the same effect on the weather that Celestia's had earlier. "Not when I have a debt to pay for your hospitality in Beaumont."

Selana sighed quietly, her hands on her hips, as she looked between her daughter, myself, and Twilight.

"You're more than aware that you have no chance, right?" I called out to her.

She didn't respond, her eyes hidden behind her rain-soaked hair as her hands soon balled down by her fists.

"Selana, listen to me. I know you fight for a noble cause, I know you want to help people, and I know you aren't the villain everyone makes you out to be," I said, trying to reason with her as best as I could. "It's over here and now, nobody here's hurt, nobody here's dead, and nobody here's looking for revenge," I continued.

"Speak for yourself," Twilight mumbled under her breath.

"You're the enemy right now, but you're not a monster to any of us here. If you end it now, if you come with us and agree to be trialled, you know what'll happen, right?" I asked her.

"I'll be executed," she spat.

"Wrong. You'll be jailed," I answered. "You've fought as honest and as fair a war as one can fight. No war crimes, no genocide, no plagues, and no monstrous choices. You took up arms to fight for your people and your cause, and there's no evil in that. Surrender now, and I promise that not only will I speak at your trial in your defence, I'll do everything I can to make sure there's a place you and your kind can go to be safe from harm."

Selana looked up at me, her eyes brimming over with tears, only crying harder as her daughter turned to her, wrapping her arms around the taller Vampiress as best as she could with her arms in chains.

"Mom, please..." Verella begged, sobbing quietly herself. "I... I don't wanna lose you. Please don't throw your life away. Listen to Richter."

Selana tightly gripped her daughter, kissing her on the top of her head, as they sobbed together. I fell silent at this point, wanting to see if Selana was going to make the right decision, or if she was going to carelessly throw away her life on a lost cause.

"Okay," Selana said, turning to look at me with her arms still around her daughter. "It's over... I'm not spilling any more blood just to prolong this war."

"Thank you," Verella mumbled. "Thank you."

"So, let's go tell that to Sanguine, shall we?" Twilight asked in a hurried manner, teleporting us and the other Vampires to where she could sense Sanguine.

The second we hit the ground after reappearing, we knew the fight was already reaching a climax. Blasts of magic were flying everywhere, the ground was soaked in blood, the grass, trees, and hills for several miles were burned, smoking, and destroyed. And in the centre of all of it, stood the other three Alicorn, bruised, bloody, and beaten, unable to make a move against Sanguine, who seemed to be in that exact same position.

"I gotta admit, girls," Sanguine giggled. "You've gotta be some of the best opponents I've ever had."

"After all we've been through..." Luna panted, blood-staining her face, armour, and sword. "I've gotta say the same. I can't remember... remember a time where I've been pushed this hard."

"And I'm sorry to say it looks like it's still not enough," Celestia said, tearing her sword from the dirt where it was and readying herself. "We're gonna end up wiping ourselves out here."

"You know... you're probably right," Sanguine said. "But I can't go back to my people and tell them I gave up the war effort. One more clash, that's all we need, and whichever force stays standing gets to be the winner. No deaths, just a knock-out. Sound fair?"

"You're... you're awfully diplomatic for a murderous Goddess, Sanguine," Cadance said, hunched over and panting with dented armour and a bruised face.

"No reason for there to be any bad blood once the war's over," she shrugged. "I want you all to know you lost in a fair and honourable fashion."

"Goddesses above, the confidence..." Celestia chuckled, a genuine smile on her face. "Alright then, Sanguine. You're on..."

"No," Selana said, walking between the two groups. "No she isn't."

"Selana?" Luna asked.

"I'm not?" Sanguine asked in just as shocked a tone.

"No, you're not. This war's over. I've seen to that already," Selana nodded.

Sanguine's eyebrow cocked in a confused manner, her head turning to see Twilight, myself, and Verella standing, much more conscious than she'd expected us to be.

"You surrendered, I take it?" Sanguine asked.

"We've lost, Your Excellency," she sighed. "These three might be a fair match for you... but with Twilight? Maybe even Verella, too? That's a force we can't handle."

Sanguine stood up straight, as hard as that was to do for the injured Goddess, and looked over at Celestia, then to me, and then back to Selana.

"I'm not saying you're right... but I'm not saying you're wrong, either," she chuckled, rubbing the underside of her nose in a cheerful manner.

"Princess Celestia, may I discuss something with you?" Selana asked.

"Of course..." the injured monarch nodded, smiling through bloody gums and bruised lips.

"This is so weird..." Luna muttered. "It never ends this peacefully."

"Richter told me that if I surrendered, I'd see no death penalty for a lack of... atrocities," Selana said, trying to find the general term for the word. "Is this true?"

"If we find that to be the case, then yes," Celestia said, still as confused as everyone else about this sequence of events. "A prison sentence will usually be handed down to those we find committing acts of 'Just War' as well as a removal of power. However, if we find any atrocities to be committed under your command, you will be put to death for them."

I fully expected this new threat of execution to deter Selana, to get her fight or flight reflex going and put her on the offensive once again, but instead she nodded in understanding.

"I am more than sure you will find no crimes committed under my orders," Selana nodded. "And how long will this search take?"

"It depends many things, usually how easily we can find plans, notes, and orders written by yourself," Celestia responded.

"And if I were to hand them all over to you personally?" she asked.

"Then that would be a great help," Celestia smiled.

"Am I dreaming? This cannot be happening," Luna said, pinching her own cheek.

"I will do so on one condition, and its the condition Richter promised me," Selana stated, crossing her arms.

"And what would that condition be?" Celestia asked.

"You give my people a safe place to stay, a land of their own we can live and walk about in peace in without fearing hunters or attacks," Selana said.

"That..." Celestia said, looking back and forth between her sister and Selana. "That is doable, but not swiftly."

"All I ask is that you do it, Celestia," Selana said. "And you shall have my unconditional surrender."

"So no fight?" Sanguine asked in a bemused manner. "No final round?"

"I'm afraid not," Celestia chuckled. "But... I'm sure we could be persuaded to spar every now and again."

"That's good enough for me," Sanguine said, collapsing onto her back and dropping her bearded axe. "Now if you excuse me... I need a bloody nap."

Chapter 65: Aftermath

The next several days were a frantic mess of freeing prisoners, collecting documents, discussing Vampiric population, looking for suitable areas for them to inhabit within Equestrian control, a brief discussion between my father and I about the Alicorn 'family intimacy issue', and all the other bureaucratic shite that came bundled in with a war and a surrender. But finally, once everything had been organised, stamped, and approved, the trial came.

Due to not being a sworn in royal yet, I wasn't allowed to pass judgement, but after Celestia, Luna, and Cadance had read through each and every piece of documentation regarding Selana's plans and ideas, allowing her and Sanguine to give testimony about their choices and actions, and discussing it amongst themselves... when the day came, it seemed that the three of them were on the same page of beliefs I was.

"Even in a war with a body count, Selana," Celestia said, resting on her throne with a leg draped over the over. "I'm having more than a hard time feeling any kind of anger of disgust for your actions."

"I daresay that I would've done the same in your position," Luna nodded.

"And even if blood was spilled, I think I'd have to search high and low for a more noble cause to do so than the one you picked," Cadance agreed, looking over the court room we had all gathered in.

My eyes drifted to the other two Vampires gathered; Cassandra and Verella. While Verella seemed more than content with her mother not receiving the death penalty, there was a glare of hatred from Cassandra's head so vicious that it threatened to carve a hole through Selana's head. I was positive that the former Vampire Queen could feel the heat of her sister's gaze, even without looking.

"And I can't even say that your beliefs were 'misguided' or that you 'rushed to war too quickly'," she said, shuffling through papers laid out on a desk in front of her. "We've seen dated and stamped letters between yourself and several other kingdoms, all asking for political partnership and an effort to improve relations, all returned with vitriol and malice from all those you sent them to."

"You took every option you had available before marching to war moreso than anyone I've seen in my time," Luna said. "And not only did you fight for your kind, it was not done for revenge, nor was it done with any kind of evil or torturous punishment."

"The documents we've seen, all of which have been validated, have shown us that Sanguine was never meant to be a bringer of the apocalypse, and moreso a show of force that would allow your voice to be heard," Cadance finished. "The only killing that seemed to be done was with your own people when a civil war broke out."

I noticed Verella shrink away slightly, even as her aunt's arm wrapped around her shoulder.

I turned my attention back to the trial, Selana and Sanguine looking at one another with a confident, yet not arrogant, expression.

"From the time I've spent conversing with the both of you, you have proven yourselves to be emotionally stable and well-adjusted," Celestia began again.

"And our experiences on the battlefield, where a person's true nature is always revealed, you remained calm, dignified, well-meaning, and honourable," Luna listed.

"So, we have been tasked with judging criminals, and yet, and I do speak for both the Crowns and our own personal opinions when I say this..." Cadance wound up, gesturing with her hand as she spoke the sentence. "We see no criminals before us. Only a ruler of her race desperate to do what is best for them who dealt with a situation that got out of hand in an honourable and justified manner."

"So you're telling us-" Selana began in a stunned manner.

"You're dropping the charges?" Sanguine finished with just as shocked an expression.

"Indeed we are," Celestia said with a wide smile. "While we cannot decide whether your people will accept you as their ruler, or even as a citizen of your kind, after the events that have transpired, we accept your claims and find you not guilty of the charges of unjust war, parricide, and unlawful imprisonment. You are free to go."

Selana and Sanguine seemed shocked, unsure of how to respond, Selana turning around to her daughter with a wide smile on her face, Verella returning the gesture, only to have Cassandra lock eyes with Celana, both looking at once another with hard expressions before Cassandra turned her head and left the court room, the mother and daughter Vampires still left feeling a rush of guilt and uneasiness about them both.

"Gotta say," Annerose said, munching on an apple loudly. "Did not see that coming."

"I had a hunch," Zane shrugged.

"Seemed only fair, after all," Grael nodded.

"Has anybody seen Ressa lately?" I asked, wondering where the other catgirl we'd met in Winter's Maw had gone. "Or Svea for that matter?"

"She, uh, ended up getting recruited by another mercenary guild," Zane shrugged.

"Did she dump you?" Annerose asked with a smirk.

"It was a mutual break-up," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Both wanted different things."

"And where's Svea gone to?" I asked, not having seen her since before the siege on the castle in Beaumont.

"I think she went to visit her mother, said something about needing to catch her up on current events," Annerose said with a wave of her hand.

"How do you know that?"

"We were held captive in the same place," Annerose shrugged. "She likes to talk. Fun to be around."

"I was hoping I'd get to chat with her," I sighed, wanting to make sure she and Krieger got my thanks for the shield, which had been successfully recovered from the castle Selana had kept me in.

"Richter!" Selana called down from the stand. "May I speak with you a moment?"

I bid my friends goodbye for a second, heading over to the Vampire and the Goddess standing next to her.

"I want to thank you," she said with a smile.

"Don't mention it," I said with just as wide a grin.

"I will mention it, in fact. If I'm able, I'll make sure there's a sonnet written about it," she said, leaning against the stand. "From now on, you're an eternal ally of the Vampires, so says I-"

"-And so says I," Sanguine cut in for a moment, slapping me on the back. "As the eternal deity of our kind, I'll make sure that your name is forever remembered and worshipped as a hero of our race, never to be forgotten and never to be spoken ill off until the day this world perishes."

"Shouldn't you be thanking the Princesses for that?" I asked in a confused, embarrassed, and happy manner. "They're the ones that found you innocent."

"And yet you were the one that inspired them to believe we were," Selana chuckled, crossing her arms across her chest and smiling softly at me. "You were a willing ear and an open mind when not many other people would've been. So, if there's anything you need from me, from now until the end of time, don't hesitate to ask, and I shall do everything in my power to see your wish come true."

"Me too," Sanguine winked. "But I'll be better at it. More powerful, and all."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," I smiled, thankful that the two of them were being so grateful.

Though... I guess I did kind of save their lives, in a way. Huh... maybe I was better at this diplomacy thing than I gave myself credit for.

"So what are you two going to do now?" I asked them.

"The first plan is to heal the wounds inflicted on our kind by the war," Selana said in a dour tone. "I'll be making every effort I can to repair relationships between the houses and helping lead them to this new land Celestia has promised for us."

"Yeah, I've heard about that," I nodded. "You got somewhere picked out?"

"Quaint little county inside the southern realms of Equestria. Not a lot of people, not a lot of traffic," Sanguine jumped in. "Great place to build a community, and since there's only a few hundred thousand of us, it shouldn't take too long to move everyone in."

"If they're willing," Selana pointed out.

"I should hope they will be," Sanguine shrugged. "But if not, it's their choice and their life. We can't force them."

"Mhm," Selana nodded, turning her eyes back to Celestia before calling over to her.

I was then tapped on the shoulder by my mother, a wide smile on her beautiful face and a twinkle in her eye that told me she was in the mood for some mischief. Several months ago, I'd have assumed she wanted to sneak away for a meal or just to catch up. After what had happened in Winter's Maw however...

I could tell she wanted to fuck my brains out.

Chapter 66: A Well-Deserved Reward (Foreplay)

Once locked away in my bedroom, the two of us wasted no time. I dug my fingers into the thick flesh of my mother's soft, supple thighs and buried my tongue in her pussy. She leaned forward slightly, on all four like the horny dog she was, in response to the sudden stab of heat and pleasure on her sensitive lower lips, giggling quietly at her own reaction before letting a hot, slow moan tumble from her lips.

She began grinding back against me, her rapidly-wetting lips rubbing and sliding all over my tongue and lips as she put in her own work for her own pleasure. She knew I could give her all that she required, but she was a naughty little thing who just couldn't help herself.

"I've missed you so much," she purred, looking at me over her shoulder as her hips grinded circular motions into my mouth, her sweet, bubblegum-flavoured pussy making my mouth water more and more ever second. "I don't think I can stand being away from you anymore. I thought it was bad when you were young, always fighting and getting into trouble, but now that you're going head-to-head with dragons and ancient Vampire deities... I think I might just have to tie you to my lap and never let you go again."

I didn't respond with anything more than a groan, her taste too exotic, too addictive, to ever want to take my mouth away from her. I pushed my tongue forward, abandoning the long laps of her lower lips I'd been doing until now, burying my tongue as deep as it would go inside her wetness, the action getting a rather pleased moan from the older Alicorn, now resting her head on her arms as she lowered her front half to a more comfortable resting position, continuing to rub her cunt all around my mouth as I licked out her sweet cove.

She adjusted her kneeling position, widening her stance to allow me to press more of my face into her, lavishing her insides with strong licks, twirls, and stabs. I couldn't make out her expression very well, but if the noises she was making as I continued to loll my tongue around inside her were any indication, she was sweating and cross-eyed at this point. I could catch a faint whiff of her perfume from this angle, barely detectable over the mind-numbing aroma of her sweet pussy, but it was there nonetheless.

I'd have to start asking her to wash her perfume off before taking her to bed, as now every time I caught the scent of it, it started to turn me on, making my body expect to be giving or receiving pleasure at a moment's notice, however unexpected. And speaking of unexpected things happening at a moment's notice, there was another muffled cracking noise, that of an instant teleport, before Luna lightly touched down on the bedroom floor.

Politeness told me to stop, but instinct told me my mother was a snack, and I was a hungry, hungry man. I continued to dine on my mother's pie while she pushed herself up, glaring furiously at Luna as the dark-skinned Alicorn crossed her arms and cocked and eyebrow.

"You didn't wait long, did you?" she asked.

"It's been nearly a month since I've seen him, what were you expecting?" Cadance asked. "Now, is it urgent?"

"Quite. There's a nice young lady asking about you in the foyer of the castle," Luna said.

"Tell her I'm thankful she called, but I'm busy," Cadance said with a wave of her hand.

"She said it was something regarding... outreach? Sheltering of those affected?" Luna explained in a questioning manner. "She wouldn't go into more detail about it, but she had some pretty nasty cuts she was trying to cover up. You know what that's about?"

Cadance's eyes widened in shock, quickly glancing back and forth between myself and the doorway. She grabbed handfuls of her hair for a brief moment, clearly conflicted about her decision, before pulling her back end away from me with a frustrated groan. I looked up at her as she tried to unflush her cheeks, used magic to dress herself, and straightened her crown on her head.

"Is she still in the foyer?" she asked her aunt.

"Eager to see you," Luna confirmed. "Wanna tell me what this is about?"

"I will when I'm done," she said, turning to me. "I might be gone a while, so you might as well get on doing something else. Sorry, sweetie."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, getting up off the side of the bed as my mother teleported out of the room, leaving Luna and I standing alone with the faint scent of pre-sex in the air.

"Negotiations going well?" I asked Luna, turning away from her to pick up my underwear off the floor where I'd tossed it. "I didn't expect anything to be going so fast, but Selana said you guys had already picked out a nice spot down south for them to..."

I trailed off as Luna wrapped her arms around my body, snaking her hand around my waist and taking gentle hold of my hardened shaft. She began stroking slowly, planting a suckling kiss on my neck, the only proper sound I was able to hear at that moment was her slow, rhythmic breathing.

"Aunt Luna?" I asked, feeling goosebumps raise along my neck and shoulder from the pleasurable sensations of her gentle tongue lapping at my skin.

"You did well managing to talk the Vampires down," she said in a deep, soothing tone.

I felt my muscles relax as she spoke to me, leaning against her enormous breasts and allowing her other hand to massage my abdomen, her warmth and caressing touches being more than enough to relax me.

"I can't get over just how much you've improved since your birthday," she continued, dragging her tongue up the side of my cheek and just under my ear.

A hot flush ran over my cheeks, spreading down my neck, and joining in with the goosebumps that had emerged over pretty much my entire body. I wasn't used to being treated like this, often finding myself being the one to provide massages and tongue-caresses... but I wasn't exactly against it. Luna's embrace was loving, warm, and gentle. Her licks and kisses were ones of a need to show love, not just sexuality, and the way she continued to slide her hand up and down my tender shaft, her fingers now slicked with pre, lulled me into an almost trance-like state of relaxation.

"So much growth in less than three months," she said in a dreamy, airy manner. "So much achieved... it deserves a reward, don't you think?"

I didn't get a chance to answer before she gently turned me around, setting me down on the bed once more and getting onto her knees. She didn't bother undressing, instead immediately turning her oral attention to my cock, pressing her tongue against the base of the long, thick organ and sucking gently, sliding her mouth up and down the first four inches of my cock in an attempt to relax me.

Luna and Cadance had similar body types, both curvaceous and extremely well-endowed in their feminine 'charms', with the major difference being that Luna was simply much more muscular than her niece. Strong arms, a shredded stomach, and thick, powerful thighs set her apart from most of the women I met in the bedroom. A lot of men preferred dainty little pixies with toothpick arms and three inch thick legs, whether for an easier time throwing them about on the bed or simply due to feeling emasculated by a more muscular partner, but me?

I had no qualms with letting a beefier woman take the ropes in the bedroom. Hell, a woman with a trained body was almost guaranteed to be a better fuck. Or, at least, a longer one. Their bodies were exercised, trained, they were used to exerting themselves for long stretches of time, taught how to deal with aching muscles and sore spots better than anyone else alive. Luna herself was in peak condition for a woman of her weight class, and her magic made her even better than anyone could hope to achieve. She'd shown off just how well that muscle worked for her after years of beating my face in when training, sparring, or whatever else she made us do.

Luna was tough and indomitable, I'd already seen that much... but that wasn't the woman she was coming across as here. The fire and prowess from Luna was gone, replaced by a tender, softer, loving demeanour that was by no means bad, just... unexpected. When she'd first grabbed hold of me and started toying with my cock, I'd expected her to suplex me into the bed and have her fun that way. But as it stood, she was being extremely gentle... and I wasn't complaining.

She'd now thoroughly soaked the base of my cock, wrapping her hand around my enormous shaft and beginning to pay attention to the other seven and a half inches, working her mouth with trained expertise, even rivalling my mother's natural talent for fellatio with years and years of experience. As a fighter, I'd always expected Luna's hands to be rough, expected them to be calloused and cracked over every inch of skin.

But her palms, fingers, and fingertips were as soft as a seamstress', warm and gentle with each touch they made. It was a little overwhelming at first, as even Cadance had some level of friction to her grip. Maybe Luna had done something to enhance her touch as she moved over to me, but as it stood there and then, I was like a fountain of pre-cum, pouring down her hands and my own shaft, barely reigning my orgasm when all she did was stroke my cock. No mouth, no tits, no pussy.

Her hand alone was about to make me cum faster than some women had been able to do with their vagina and magic.

"Don't try to hold back, Richter," Luna said in a sweet, kind tone. "I'm not expecting a twenty round performance out of you today. I just want you to enjoy yourself as much as possible. So..."

Luna adjusted her sitting position slightly, moving her body closer to mine before coming to a rest.

"I want you to cum all over my face," she purred, stroking faster and faster, knowing that the torrent of pre on her palms and fingers was a signal I was about to burst already. "Don't worry about getting it in my eyes or my hair, and don;t hold back. Just relax and spray your cum all over. Anywhere you want."

How could I possibly keep myself held back after the way she spoke and the way she looked at me. I hadn't cum in a good while, not since my encounter with Jenevive over a week ago at this point, so my balls were good and full at this point... made even more potent by the fact I'd picked up Luna's Alicorn pheromones, which always kicked my semen production into overdrive.

If she had wanted nothing more than a few spurts of cum, saying it only to arouse me more, she'd have been horrified. I gave her a enough for two facials and a mud mask when I burst, spraying a torrent of hot, thick cum all over her face. She kept her eyes shut, her head tilted, and her mouth wide open as I continued to cum more and more, more than any normal human would've been able to produce.

She continued to stroke through the whole thing, not wanting to waste a drop of my cream, allowing me to fill up her mouth to the brim at least once before she swallowed, getting another half a mouth full as well as the facial coating before I finally ceased firing on her. I felt physically and mentally drained after that. From a fucking handjob, Luna had talked and teased me into cumming my heart and soul out onto her face, barely able to stay awake at this point as I looked at her cum-soaked face.

She used her magic to gather up each and every drop, downing it in another loud, extremely dirty but extremely hot gulping session before exhaling in a satisfied manner, showing me the inside of her mouth, wanting to prove to me she hadn't wasted a single drop of my spunk.

"That was incredible..." she said in that soft, 'mommy'ing tone, something even Cadance didn't do with me. "You look a little tired, Richter. Wanna take a nap after that?"

I didn't have to do more than nod before Luna stood up, pressing my face into her breasts and laying me down on the bed. She crawled over me, lying down by my side and pulling me close to her body.

"You rest up for as long as you need," she cooed, gently stroking my hair as she cuddled up alongside me, hugging me into her body. "We'll finish up whenever you wake up, okay?"

"R-Right..." I nodded, my eyelids feeling heavy and my body feeling drained.

She'd been good to me today. I needed to be just as good to her when I woke up. Yes, that settled it.

As soon as I woke up, I was going to fuck Luna's brain out and make her cum harder than she ever had before, just to let her know how much I loved her.

Chapter 67: Spoilt Rotten (Threesome)

I was roused from my sleep by the feeling of a warm, wet tongue lapping at my shaft. I stirred, groaning quietly before I felt a mouth pressed to my own and a familiar scent wafting into my nose. It seemed my mother had returned from whatever she'd been doing, and she and Luna had eagerly set to work on waking me up in a pleasant manner. I parted my lips, allowing her tongue to slide in over my teeth and against my own, once again getting a taste of her delicious flavour.

Luna since my mother's mouth was against mine, I gathered the one on my cock was Luna, a suspicion that was confirmed as soon as I opened my eyes. Both of them were bare naked, hair tied back into ponytails and eyes aglow with the usual Alicorn mating aura, making almost every look they gave me, no matter how innocent, seem sultry and alluring. Cadance rested her hand on the back of my head, angling her head to be directly over mine as she locked lips even more securely, Luna sliding both of her soft hands up and down my throbbing cock as she locked her mouth around the thick head, sucking gently as she worked.

I felt as if I'd died and gone to some kind of heaven at this point, as two of the most beautiful women in the world had draped themselves over me, lavishing my unworthy form with love and affection. I closed my eyes once again, losing myself in my mother's passionate kisses as I reached up, cupping her head and gently toying with her thick hair. I'd been in this situation before, having to entertain two women to the best of my abilities, but I'd never been in the spotlight like this before.

I was pretty much pinned down by my mother's kiss, her hand flat on my chest as she leaned over, tongue as deep in my mouth as it could get, with a soft, gentle purr coming from the demi-goddess as she did so. My other hand, moving on either instinct or desire, moved down to the back of Luna's head, pushing her down slightly to take more of my cock into her mouth. She offered no resistance, instead willingly allowing me to bury more and more of my length in her tight, wet gullet, her lack of a gag reflex and complete willingness to go along with whatever I wanted so far making it quite hard to resist my urge to begin reaming her throat.

I wanted to sit up, needed a better look at Luna, and my mother complied. Not breaking contact, she sat us both up, leaning back against the headboard while positioning herself as to not break my line of sight on Luna. The beautiful glow of Luna's orbs was almost hypnotising as they bobbed up and down on my shaft, the Lunar Alicorn winking in a slow, seductive manner as she removed her hands, taking me all the way to the base and purring quietly, the vibrations of her throat tingling all the way to the tip of my cock.

I gasped quietly, my mother pulling her mouth away from mine and looking deep into my own glowing eyes, a spit trail still connecting the two of us as a sense of love and adoration poured from her eyes, almost drowning me in praise and appreciation I felt was completely unwarranted. I didn't deserve this, not from either of them. This treatment should go to a real hero...

But I was selfish enough to keep it all to myself.

Luna changed the angle of her 'descent', flicking her high ponytail over her shoulder as she began sucking once more, sliding her taught lips up and down my shaft, smearing her dark blue lipstick all over my skin, painting it a faded dark blue, imprinting ownership... or maybe something quite the opposite?

My mother began suckling my neck, something Luna had done earlier, as her own hand moved down to Luna's head, moving mine off the older Alicorn and replacing it with her own grip and ideas.

"I'll make her do it right," she whispered to me in a tone slathered with sex. "I know just what you like."

And she went on to prove it. Cadance began gently, pulling Luna's head up and down in a slow, calm fashion, then making her focus on the head for several moments, the gentle suckling sounds and batting of Luna's eyelashes creating the perfect image of perverted servitude, before a grin sneaked onto my mother's mouth as she rammed Luna's head downward, stretching her throat out good and wide as my massive cock speared her gullet. I groaned loudly, the sudden rush of warmth, tightness, and pleasure catching me off-guard as Cadance lifted Luna's head up once more, pulling her off my cock and allowing the eldest to pant excitedly.

I felt the buzz of pleasure fade quickly, looking to my mother with a disappointed gaze before she kissed me once again, nowhere near as lengthy an encounter as before... but this was because she had a plan. She crawled down to the end of the bed, lying hip to hip with Luna as she too began to fellate me, her mouth wrapped around the tip of my cock, licking and sucking the swollen head just as he aunt had done, while Luna turned her attention to the base of my shaft and my balls.

I could feel my brain melting out of my ears at this point, eyes hazing over with the Alicorn breeding instinct as the two specimens of perfection pleasured me, mouths sliding over the head of my cock, the base, my balls, and, every once in a while, each other's. I could tell they were doing it to tease me, open-mouth kissing each other and sliding tongues in and around the other's maw, swapping thickened spit and pre-cum in an attempt to tantalise me.

It worked of course, as any display of this manner would to someone like me, and the pent-up look on my face told them that I was getting more than a little riled up at their bisexual display. They looked at each other once more, smiles wide and playful before they kissed properly, a hand each around my cock as they tongued each other's mouth, hands soon slicked with that same torrent of spit and pre-cum Luna had dealt with before I'd blew my load all over her face.

I wondered if I had it in me again, curious to see whether or not I'd need another nap after this load emptied all over them. I didn't need to wait long to find out. With a hand rubbing the head of my cock and a second pumping up and down the base, I came hard and heavy. I blasted the hands, necks, and faces of the women around my shaft, equally spreading the fluid over the both of them, once again soaking Luna's blushed face and dousing Cadance for the first time in a while. I continued to orgasm, my muscle locking up and my teeth biting down hard against each other, back arched slightly as I instinctively humped the hands of my elder relatives as they continued to stroke, milking my prostate for every drop of cum they had to give.

They broke apart after a moment, staring at the other's cum-soaked appearance with smiles and giggles, soon licking each other clean and eating every drop of semen, just as Luna had done before. While my chest was heaving, the scent of two female Alicorn was more than enough to keep me awake this time, eager to spray them with more of my seed until the three of us were well and truly satisfied.

My cock stayed rigid, as it always did when fucking other Alicorn, as I stared at the two of them, cleaning one another like a brood of cats, bathing the other with their tongues until their skin was spotless once again. They both sat up, rolling necks and stretching backs, looking even more feline than ever doing so, before they leaned back down, lying on either side of my chest and locking eyes with me.

"So..." Cadance purred.

"Who do you want first?" Luna asked.

I didn't know how to answer that question. I was worried about offending one of them, terrified that this was some kind of personal bet that I'd been dragged into, and that it would only end in tears if I picked the wrong one.

"Don't worry," Cadance shrugged. "I won't get offended if you choose Luna. I'd do the same thing in your position."

"And it won't sting me if you want mommy first," Luna nodded along. "A mother and son have the closest relationship, after all. I have no problem with waiting."

I looked back and forth between them, sweat still clinging to my body as I struggled to make up my mind. They were both visually perfect, each pandering to a desire I had for both of their body types, the huge tits and huge asses only serving to further blend the fetishes they appealed to together, so this decision was not an easy one. Instead of cherry-picking qualities, I decided to instead go for quantity, as in: the number of times I'd fucked them.

Cadance had one mark on the tally, whereas Luna had none. That had to be the deciding factor before, a choice made by logic before I went insane and tried to pleasure both of them at once. I gentle cupped Luna's face with a small smile, the much larger Alicorn biting the lip in an excited fashion as she moved up my body, kissing me lovingly as Cadance smiled, backing away to the footboard of the bed and spreading her legs, intending to enjoy watching Luna and I go at it.

"I don't even think we need to ask what you want to do first," Luna sniggered as she broke away from my kiss, turning herself around and planting her enormous, chocolate-coloured ass mere inches away from my face. "We all know that you want."

And she was not wrong. I gripped her thighs, placing a hand on the underside of her stomach as I backed her up slightly, allowing her to pretty much sit on my face as I ran my tongue over her tight asshole. Luna shivered immediately, the sensation rolling from the base of her spine to her shoulders as my hot, wet tongue ran over her sensitive hole.

"Mhmmm..." Cadance moaned, gently rubbing her pussy as she watched hungrily. "A perfect choice."

I couldn't agree more. My hands slid from Luna's thighs, grabbing hold of her thick, dark ass, my fingers easily sinking into her thick flesh, losing them almost instantly as my tongue continued to swirl the outside of her asshole. She backed up even further, pretty much burying my entire head in her ass as it pushed up against the headboard, biting a smudged blue lip as her eyes rolled back at the pleasure.

The ring of muscle was easy to push past, the scents of her asshole and dripping wet cunt being more than enough to get my cock throbbing and leaking pre once again, the sweet scent of Luna's body, her sex, and her pheromones turning me on in ways I'd never have imagined possibly at this point. Luna moaned hotly, her chest heaving ever so slightly as she began to grind herself against my tongue in the same way Cadance had, wanting longer, harder licks of the flat of my tongue against her tight asshole.

She ran a hand through her hair, sweat coating her body even more as she locked eyes with Cadance, her sultry gaze beckoning her niece over towards her, something she did without hesitation. Luna rested her weight on Cadance as they began kissing once more, hot and wet moans tumbling from the gaps between their tongues and lips as they lashed and rubbed their strong, wet oral muscles against one another. Cadance's hand went to Luna's larger breasts, squeezing at the her chocolate nipples and tugging at the erect nubs of flesh.

The pants of arousal from the two of them only made my cock harder, now being able to feel globs of pre running down my shaft and over my balls, giving a tickling sensation that made me shudder slightly. The ache in my cock was substantial, desperate for some kind of attention to it in the near future or else it felt like it would explode. I tried to maintain my composure, focusing on pleasing Luna before I worried about myself, moving my hands closer to her cheeks, spreading them apart wider and prodding her asshole with fingers and tongue, getting a surprised and pleasured gasp from the dark-skinned princess as well as a giggle from Cadance.

Luna's ass was beautiful; enormous, thick, smooth, and spotless, with her perfect dark skin having nothing even bearing the faintest hint of a mark or blemish. The harder I squeezed it, the more my fingers dug into the thickness, soon coming into contact with the hard, trained muscle beneath it. I adjusted my tongue for the briefest of moments, lapping at Luna's sopping cunt, tasting her black cherry flavouring for just enough time to sate my hunger and get her even more aroused, before returning my licks to her asshole.

I decided I'd warmed her up more than enough at this point, tensing my tongue to a point and pushing past her sphincter, my tongue now inside her tighter cove while my hands continued to massage her thighs, thumbs rubbing circles against the tight, taught muscle as Luna moaned loudly into Cadance's mouth, waves of pleasure rolling through her from the tip of her toes to the tip of her tongue. The two broke apart slightly, rubbing tongues in a circular motion, their split shared and swapped as their soft, tensile flesh massaged and pressed against each other.

I could hear their hot breathing from back here, even with the sound-proofing seal of Luna's enormous backside pressing into my face, Luna's gasping interspersed with moans and grunts of pleasure from my licking and Cadance's fondling. Cadance began fingering herself at this point, soaking two of her fingers with her own bubblegum flavouring before removing her soaked hand with a quiet moan, now rubbing it on Luna's tongue in a small pattern, letting her aunt get a mind-numbing taste of her wet pussy, something that only awoke a hunger within Luna.

She violently shoved Cadance over, then grabbing her leg and dragging her towards Luna's waiting mouth, burying her tongue into Cadance's pussy and getting a failed-to-be-muffled moan of pleasure from Cadance, spreading her legs as wide as they could go to allow her aunt to get the full range of motion with her mouth, allowing her to focus on pussy, clit, and thighs without needing Cadance to adjust.

The sweat was pouring from all of us about as much as the pre was from my cock, now having dripped enough to stain the bedsheets my balls were resting on, leaking like a tap at the desperation to be rammed inside something and allowed to cum once again. I felt my will weakening at this point as the haze-inducing taste of Luna's ass, the feeling of it being pressed into my face and the scent of her cherry-flavoured pussy drifting ever upwards into my nose was starting to hack away at my sense of restraint in ways I could've never possibly imagined.

I slapped her on the ass as I continued to devour it, Luna moaning into Cadance's lower lips at the sudden rush of pain and pleasure, digging my fingers into her fat, jiggly backside once more and shaking it roughly. There was so much of it to deal with, bouncing with enough ass for three men to grab and still have more to spare. I continued to drive my tongue as deep into her insides as it would go, the aroma of her asshole hitting me like a sack of bricks repeatedly, the lust-induced haze making it feel like this was the only thing that mattered, the world itself was meaningless and vapid compared to the taste, the texture, and the tightness of my aunt's voluptuous ass.

Cadance also seemed to be going a little crazy herself, fingers grabbing clumps of Luna's hair and forcing her mouth into her grunt, grinding harder and harder against Luna's tongue as it remained flat against Cadance's sensitive clit. Cadance seemed to be biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, her eyes washed over with the glow of lust and bright enough to light even the deepest, darkest of caverns as she ached for something long and hard to be rammed into her own deep and dark caverns, her other hand in her hair, nearly tearing it out from the roots as Luna came closer and closer to maxing her niece out, Cadance's toes and thighs tensing constantly, showing off what little muscle the Alicorn had under all of that phat she'd gotten from her mother.

Time blurred by at this point, nothing but pleasure and lust existing inside our little bubble as Luna finally pushed Cadance past the brink. The multi-coloured Alicorn made a noise akin to a sea lion getting stepped on by an elephant as she came, spilling her ladycum all over Luna's jaw as she licked and swallowed every single drop of it, not daring to miss even the slightest bit of delicious juice her niece was offering.

I'd since slipped my fingers into Luna's own honeypot, now ramming them in and out at a speed and hardness that would bruise most women, wet squelching sounds pouring forth from each impact as Luna's eyes rolled back, her entire body locked up in an almost seizure-level manner, and she threw back her head, moaning as her pussy clamped down on my fingers, spilling her own juices down my fingers, onto my chest, and having it run down onto my cock.

If the smell didn't break me, the ache in my cock, the leaking cum from my length, and the taste of Luna's sexual platter wasn't even to tear my mind in half, the sensation of Luna's hot, sweet ladycum dripping down onto my body tore my mind in half like a wet sheet of paper that had a brick thrown into it. I shoved Luna off of my face, the black Alicorn taking no notice other than instinctively grabbing hold of Cadance, her mouth still full of her niece's juices, that being a drink Cadance wanted to share.

I grabbed hold of my cock, feeling the head and underside of the entire, near-foot-long bastard soaked with my own excitement, still seeing a stream of pre bubbling and overflowing from my urethra, as I spread Luna's asshole with my thumb, pressed the wet tip of my cock against her soaked entrance, and rammed my cock as deep into her higher hole as I possible could, Luna's surprise causing her mouth to open, spilling Cadance's juices all over the younger Alicorn's face and tongue, staining her with the sweet honey as she desperately tried to lick it off her cheeks.

I grabbed hold of Luna's hips, hammering myself in and out of her asshole, ploughing it hard enough to dislocate a normal woman's hips from her body, fingers digging in enough to bruise, as my mental state regressed to that of some kind of animal... the inner wolf showing itself once more as my desperation to fuck an entire dynasty's worth of offspring into Luna mounted. I knew I was in her asshole and that wouldn't work, but instinct knew nothing of anal, so as far as my mind was concerned, the ravenous need to procreate was driving me to fuck Luna hard enough to hurt her.

The sound of my muscular hips slamming into her phat ass was a thunderous clap, the strength of the impact being enough to knock the empress' sized bed forward slightly, Cadance clutching to Luna and sliding her tongue back into her aunt's mouth, wanting more of that taste of her own pussy as well as being desperate to feel Luna's heart and soul get fucked out of her.

I leaned over Luna's larger body, licking the sweat off her back in an animalistic manner, her tight asshole tugging and swallowing my cock over and over again as I pumped it in and out, my balls slapping against her hot, wet cunt as I continued to ream the gorgeous older Alicorn. Luna's tongue had spilled out of her mouth at this point, Cadance content to merely rub her own against Luna's, eyes closed and chests heaving as the stench of sweat of orgasmic juices thickened the air like a fog.

I used my thighs to push Luna's legs further apart, widening her stance to really let me get under her, hammering harder and harder, each wet slap of our sweat-soaked bodies only adding to the thick musk that hung in the air. It was more than possible that the three of us had snapped mentally, becoming slaves to our breeding instincts as our eyes nearly cast beams of light across everything we happened to merely glance at, crackling quietly as a thin mist of our respective colours poured from our glowing orbs.

Luna's body was hot and warm, sliding her wet skin against mine easily as she began fucking me back, hitting her hips backwards in time with my thrusts, practically doubling the friction of my dick hitting in and out of her tight cove, her inner muscles clenching and squeezing my cock perfectly. I once again ran my tongue over her back, the salty tang of her sweat setting fireworks off in my head, desperation to reach the point of orgasm being enough to mentally break me.

I kicked it up yet another notch, leaning back and beginning to fuck Luna as fast as I could, each powerful slam of my hips against her ass knocking a gasp out of the larger woman, viciously pounding her hole and stirring up her insides beyond anything she'd felt in a good, long while. My eyes screwed shut, feeling myself leaking cum inside Luna beyond what I'd done before, readying myself for the unholy explosion that was about to burst forth inside of her.

My brain could barely put two thoughts together at this point, every sense mixing and mashing together, my sensory input registering nothing more than the waves of pleasure and the aching throb in my cock, my mind pulsating with only a single though: fill.

And fill I did.

With a loud grunt, I pushed myself over the edge, only able to keep up the lightning fast pounding I was giving my aunt before I snapped, cumming even more than I had done before deep inside Luna. Her eyes rolled her, spit dripped from her tongue onto Cadance's, and a heavy blush coated her face as she came once again, fluid running down her thighs and over Cadance's, the two women having snaked their limbs around one another during Luna's pounding session.

I could feel sweat dripping down my back and chest, the lack of air flow and the sheer output of heat in the room made it feel almost tropical, the scent of sex clinging to and poisoning the air with a mind-melting aroma of blissful sin and numbing pleasure. I pulled out of Luna before I'd properly emptied myself, allowing the overflow to spill out over her cunt and down her thighs, all the while I unloaded the rest onto her back, the thick, white liquid contrasting brilliantly with her dark, soft skin.

Once I was done, I nearly collapsed, dropping down onto my haunches, feeling the wet patch on the bed from where my legs had sweat enough to dehydrate myself into it, Luna dropping her back end entirely and pinning Cadance to the bed, continuing to kiss and lick her in a dazed sense of bliss. Nobody spoke for a good while, nobody tried to sit up, and nobody tried to clean themselves of the sweat, cum, and other fluids that clung to us.

After several minutes of panting, all Luna did was roll off of Cadance, her cum-soaked back end drooling onto the bed sheets as Cadance raised her head, performing a simple motion that got me rock hard and ready to go again in a matter of seconds. She rolled her eyes over to me, raising and opening her legs, using two of her fingers to spread open her sweet, hot cunt, before sticking the tip of her tongue out and winking at me.

The rational part of my brain told me to be worried, that fucking and cumming in there was probably going to end up getting her pregnant, which was something neither of us wanted... but we were too horny and too stupid to care. I crawled over to my mother, grabbing the underside of her knees and pushing her legs upwards, tucking her knees against her enormous tits and staring at her pussy.

I used a weakened, drenched hand to aim myself, my cock still coated in sweat and cum, before slamming it inside my mother. Even with my senses dulled and my head pounding, the sheer bliss I experienced upon sliding deep into my mother's cunt was one of the greatest things I'd ever felt. She stunk of sex, sweat, and exhaustion. Her body was soaked, her hair was frayed, and she was stained with the sins of passion and perversion. Her pussy felt almost too hot, too tight around my cock, my body and hers were exhausted from the orgasms we'd experienced before.

But she was too perfect, too beautiful to not continue. I got my hips going again, pinning her down in a position that she wasn't moving from until I was done. The strength it took to lift my body was agonising, barely able to do it at first, and the sound of my hips hitting against hers was one of the wettest, dirtiest sounds I think I'd ever heard in my life.

But I was dirty. She was dirty. Luna was dirty.

We were all filthy, disgusting creatures, priding ourselves on our sexual endowments and endeavours, boasting about nothing more than orgasms and sexual experimentation. We were a family one happy accident from inbred re-population effort, something that could start here and now, and proving to the world that we were nothing more than a bunch of abhorrent, inbred, unnatural freaks of nature that took pleasure in the holes and fluids of our own blood relatives.

We were all sick in the head and destined for fire and brimstone the second we left this beautiful world without our corrupt and amoral ways.

And the sheer thought of it made my dick harder than anything I'd ever seen before.

She was bigger than me, but I angled myself, stabbing my tongue into her mouth, lashing tongues with her once again. The mouth she'd used to teach me to speak, the mouth she'd used to teach me to sing.

The mouth I'd now turned into a lipstick-stained fuckhole ever since the best day of my life had occurred in Winter's Maw two months ago.

I didn't have to hold back my feelings anymore, I didn't have to hide the fact I wanted to do unlawful things to my family members. They knew it, I knew it, so there was no point in hiding it anymore. I drank my mother's flavour, tongues rubbing and wrestling with one another, hot moans and grunts coming from both of us as I got into my second wind.

I hammered the space between her legs, the same place she'd often sat me as a child while on family events, ramming my cock as deep as I had once been inside her all those years ago. I'd been brought into the fold of this family's incestuous relationship in Winter's Maw, but I don't think I truly accepted it then.

Before now, the fact that my mother was a sexual entity to me had only made me feel guilt, lessened my attraction to her, however slightly. But now? Now I accepted it, embraced it... adored it.

This was the same woman who'd given me life, the same woman who'd given me my first words, given me a home to live in, given me education, given me all of the traits and tools I'd used in my life to get to where I was now... so I had to give her something back... she deserved it for raising me so well. But what did I give her? The only thing that she wanted in this situation, and the only thing I could give her that would truly satisfy both of us.

As thanks for the gifts of life and love she had given me, I decided to give her the one thing that embodied both: I decided to give her the biggest, most-filling creampie this perfect, motherly little whore had ever gotten.

I gripped her legs tighter, digging my hands into her thighs, pushing myself away from her mouth, staring at her smeared lipstick, her ruined foundation, and her streaking mascara. I looked at the sweat-smeared make-up and the cum-slicked mouth, taking in a whole new image of my mother, and understanding that she was more perfect than any other being on this world, before I locked my hips, gritted my teeth, and dumped a hot load as deep inside her womb as I possibly could, pouring more than enough to get her pregnant fifteen times over, her eyes rolling back, her tongue hanging out, and a hot gasp escaping her lungs as I made her cum. No... not just that.

As I made her pregnant.

Chapter 68: Checking Up On Something

I blinked once.

The desperation to breed melting away like ice in a bucket of boiling water, still clutching my mother's legs, still dripping into her full, fertilised womb.

I blinked twice.

It took my mind a long moment to process exactly what I'd just done. The realisation of my action slowly bleeding through my body as a cold, unwanted understanding filled me to the brim.

"I've made a terrible mistake," I said in a flat, monotone voice.

I tore myself out of my mother, the older woman grunting in surprise as I did so, and clapped my hands to my hand, panic surging through me faster than light itself. What was I going to do? Cadance had told me it would take more a month to brew up a batch of those contraceptives and that was no time at all. The egg could be fertilised in a matter of minutes at this point... what was I going to do? I didn't want to be a father, not especially if the mother of my child was my own mother?

I turned to look at her, Cadance's expression being one of a dull pleasure, her chest rising and falling slowly as she stared up at the ceiling, warmed to the core and extremely happily.

"How are you so calm about this?!" I demanded, both Luna and Cadance turning to look at me.

"I don't see why you're yelling," Cadance shrugged, sitting up and stretching, letting a yawn slip from her mouth as she did so.

"What do you mean you don't-" I began, flustered and horrified at the actions I'd committed. "What if you get... you know?"

"Are you really that afraid of the word pregnancy?" Cadance asked in a giggling tone. "Goodness, you really aren't ready for responsibility, are you?"

"Oh fuck, what are people gonna say?" I asked myself more than anyone before a horrible thought dawned on me. "What's dad gonna say?"

"You worry too much," Cadance smiled, petting me on the head. "And besides, do you honestly think I'd let you cum inside me without some kind of plan to make sure it didn't cook up any unwanted surprises?"

"I... what?" I asked, looking at her with confusion.

Cadance pointed back down to her pussy, my eyes landing on a... tattoo or... painting that wasn't there minutes earlier. It was a simple design, what appeared to be a shield with angel wings either side of it, glowing faintly and pulsating with my mother's heart beat.

"What... what is that?" I asked.

"Anti-conception spell," she answered with a smile. "Something I dug out of the library from a rather raunchy section. So long as it's active, I can't get pregnant. Neat, huh?"

"Why didn't you tell me about it earlier?" I asked.

"Mostly because the lot of us were a little too tapped in the head to be making coherent statements," Cadance said, looking at Luna, the muscular Alicorn now lying on her side and toying with a lock of her hair. "Myself especially. If you think an ungodly desire to get someone pregnant is hard to think through, you need to try fighting to stay sane against an ungodly desire to get pregnant. Everything just burns;, pussy, stomach, tits, tongue, head. It honestly feels like somebody took everything out of my body except the desire to have sex and breastfeed."

"It is quite the horrible sensation," Luna acknowledged. "Maybe we should avoid the group sex for a while until we learn how to counteract that."

"A plan I both agree with and yet hate," Cadance chuckled. "I don't wanna stop having sex. Tried it for the month we were all separated and I nearly went crazy. Anyone up for round two?"

"No," I said, quickly and defiantly, getting up off the bed and moving over to the window, staring out at the darkening sky as the night began to creep in.

"What's wrong, honey?" Cadance asked, sitting on the side of the bed.

"I... I just nearly had a heart attack," I said with a shake of my head. "If you hadn't have found out about that spell... we'd be in some real trouble."

"I don't think we would've. I don't have any problem getting pregnant again," Cadance responded.

"I don't want to be a father," I said, turning around and resting my backside on the cool windowpane.

"I can tell," Cadance nodded. "You'd be in a world of hurt if you were infertile, eh? All that libido and no pussy to work it out on? Would be torture."

"Mom... I'm not really in the mood for jokes," I said, eyes falling down to the floor.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," she said, moving over to where I was standing and giving me a warm hug, resting my face against her sweat-slicked skin and kissing my forehead. "I forget sometimes you're not as depraved as the rest of us. Too good for this family... always have been."

"I'd hardly say that," I mumbled.

"Then you don't know us well enough," she said, making me look her in the eyes with a gentle touch of my chin. "But don't worry. We'll learn you."

I smiled quietly, staring into her beautiful eyes and feeling a sense of warmth run over me, my worries melting away and the pit of sickness in my stomach vanishing also, allow me to think and breathe easy again.

"So... since you're all calmed down and know there's no harm in blowing your load in me..." Cadance said, a grin touching her plump lips. "Do you wanna go again?"

I went quiet for a moment, thinking about whether or not I had anything else on my schedule to attend to, anybody I needed to see about anything important. Nothing was really popping out at me, but I felt like I'd shagged myself out for the time being. I declined the offer with a shake of my head, looking back at Luna who had moved off the bed and began dressing herself.

"Where are you off to?" I asked her.

"Figured I'd go help Celestia deal with the Vampires and their relocation," Luna said. "She'll give me an earful if she finds out I ducked out on something she needed help with to ride dick."

"So you're both leaving me?" Cadance asked in a pouting tone. "So what am I supposed to do now?"

"I dunno," Luna shrugged. "Do something that'll enrich your soul and help rejuvenate your body?"

"Sounds like a great idea," Cadance grinned widely. "I'm gonna go ride my husband's enormous dick."

"Of course you are," Luna said with a roll of her eyes before she turned over to me. "And what about you, boy? What are you going to be doing?"

"I... I don't really know," I shrugged. "Kind of at a loss as to what I can do to entertain myself."

"Train, read, study, exercise," Luna listed off. "We went over this years ago: any time when you've got nothing planned is the perfect time to train."

"I'm kind of exhausted after the whole deal with the Vampires," I sighed, shaking my head. "I think I just wanna take it easy for the next few days before charging head first into whatever else life has planned for me."

"Well make sure you don't spend too much time sitting about," Luna said. "Last thing we want is for you to become the prince de la paresse."

Luna speaking in that foreign tongue set off a firework in my head. I turned to look at her, the older Alicorn noticing the fire behind my eyes as she finished dressing.

"I say something you liked?" she asked.

"Did Celestia ever get around to restoring Voleur De Vie?" I asked, wondering about the emerald green relic we'd found in Heimili's cave.

"No, I don't even think she took it to the capital, now that I think about it," she answered. "What with rebuilding Winter's Maw and then jumping straight into dealing with the Vampires, none of us have had time to even consider taking it there."

"Can... can I do it?" I asked.

"I don't see why not. I'm sure they wouldn't mind making an attempt to fix the thing for you," Luna shrugged. "It'll probably keep you occupied until we finish everything else off here. Maybe we'll even get around to planning your coronation this year."

"Oh, shit, yeah," I said, eyes wide in surprise. "I'm a prince... I keep forgetting about that."

"I would too if I did as little as you do," Luna winked in a playfully mocking term.

"I do you, slut," I bit back.

"And I love the way you do me," she said, pecking me on the lips, doing the same to Cadance and then giving us a departing wave. "I'll talk to Celestia about sending you off with the sword."

With that, she teleported away, leaving Cadance and I standing huddled together. All of a sudden, Cadance seemed to get a burst of energy, darting away from me and using her magic to dress herself, summoning her tiara with a snap of her fingers and a spark of magic, making sure it was fit into place and shining.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked.

"I haven't told my husband he's the greatest thing that ever happened to me in more than a month," she said, adjusting a strap on her dress before sighing. "And that, my dear child, is unforgivable in my eyes."

"You, uh, you have fun with that," I nodded, getting a kiss on the cheek from the taller Alicorn before she too vanished from sight, leaving me alone in her bedroom.

My eyes glanced over to the bed, seeing the mix of sweat, cum, and lady juices all over it and feeling sorry for whatever poor maid had to change the sheets in the coming morning. I hoped we paid the poor girls enough, because I'd want my own kingdom as a wage if I had to peel the crusty, stinking sheets off of as many beds as my mother and I went through separately.

Ugh. I make myself feel sick.

Chapter 69: Heading Out Again

I'd ended up carting myself off to bed soon after my tryst with Luna and Cadance. Initially, I only wanted to get a change of clothes into more suitable longueur, but the second I sat down on my bed to remove my boots, I was overwhelmed with tiredness the likes of which I'd never experienced. I collapsed onto my bed, still in my clothing, and fell asleep in a matter of seconds, dreaming of more sex with my aunt and mother, before the morning soon came.

I'd since been told by a scribe delivering a message that I was to wait for Celestia to come and speak to me about transporting Voleur De Vie to the Elven Capital myself outside of the barracks, near the training arena. I did as asked, dressing in that comfortable clothing I'd gone for the previous day; a pair of soft cotton pants, a cotton shirt, and extremely comfy soft-leather boots, loosely tied and ready. I decided to forsake carrying any kind of weapon or armour, brushed my teeth quickly, straightened my hair with my fingers, and headed off.

I arrived at the sparring arena, seeing the usual early-morning drills going on, privates training with straw dummies while the most experienced soldiers sparred with one another, their protective clothing and practice swords making them resemble the straw dummies the privates were beating into submission quite substantially. My eyes were attracted by a flashier colour than the dull browns and greys of the training uniforms, to the dancing red of a certain Vampire.

Verella seemed to have taken an entire training ring to herself, whether she'd demanded it on her own merits or the other soldiers were simply too scared to ask her to move, I knew not. I did know however that I was a filthy fucking pervert and deserved to be burned at the stake of oogling her in the manner I was doing now. She'd abandoned her long, black coat for the training, something I'd barely seen her without, and was currently cutting the training dummy she was sparring against to ribbons. I watched her footwork as I moved towards her, noting some rather elegant-yet-forceful positioning of her boots as she worked over the dummy.

I'd seen that footwork before, was pretty sure I'd trained with it myself and failed miserably at the stances you were supposed to adopt while doing them. Then again, I just assumed Verella was a better swordsman than I. I need to work on that sometime soon.

"Hey, Verella!" I called out to her as I hopped over the fence, walking into the training arena.

"Richter," she greeted in a friendly tone as she beheaded the training dummy. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've bestowed the honour of letting you entertain me until I have to go do other things," I said, hopping on the fence of the training arena and sitting down comfortably. "Aren't you so happy?"

"Overjoyed," she said with a roll of her eyes, sheathing her sword at her side and wiping the sweat from her brow.

She'd tied her enormous pile of hair up into a hair ponytail, the sheer volume of the blood red locks making the ponytail itself nearly as wide as her back, with a fringe hanging over her forehead. Her enormous breasts were as perky as ever, guarded protectively by a sweat-soaked sleeveless shirt, black as coal, and the usual lower half coverings of black pants and leather boots.

"No, I'm actually supposed to meet Celestia here," I said, looking over at the large doorway that lead into the barracks itself. "But knowing her, I'll probably be wasting away as the hours tick by."

"We can spar if you want?" she offered. "Help pass the time?"

"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to decline," I said with a shake of my head. "Thanks anyway."

"How come?" she queried, a curious look in her emerald green eyes.

"Planning on having a few lazy days. After what I went through against you and yours, I'm not in the mood to even think of the word pain right now," I shrugged.

"Eh, I get you," she said, hopping up next to me and looking over the camp. "It feels so weird being here."

"Not used to being out of your castle?"

"Not used to being around so many humans that aren't trying to stake me," she responded.

"I'm trying to stake you," I pointed out.

"What?"

"I'll tell you when you're older," I said, waving it away with a hand gesture. "So, anybody picking on you?"

"Besides you, everyone's been lovely," she answered. "The maids are friendly, the soldiers aren't constantly harassing me, and there've even been a few noble boys in the city that have asked to court me."

"So you're truly Mrs Popular then?" I asked.

"Yeah... but in truth, I've only found out about all of these wonderful things because I try to stay out of the castle," Verella sighed, her shoulders drooping.

"Too much politics?"

"No, it's just that my mom and my auntie constantly have to be in the same room together," Verella said. "It's... it's a painful experience, believe me."

"I can imagine... has Cassandra tried to attack her or anything?"

"No, no. I was actually surprised at how civil she's being towards my mother... but, then again, maybe civil isn't the right word," Verella said, going quiet for a moment.

"What's she like then?"

"It's more like she... she tolerates being around her. She never says anything kind, never jokes, and never smiles around Selana, but she never refuses to work near or with her on something, sign off on something, or agree to a good suggestion she makes," Verella explained.

"She's a politician through and through?"

"Very much so," Verella nodded, eyes looking up to the clear blue sky of the morning. "I heard her say something to Selana once, actually."

"Oh yeah? What was it?"

"She said that after everything Selana did, killing her daughter and going to war with us, she won't forgive her. Not for any of it... but she also said she won't hate her for it either," Verella said.

"That's... that's quite an accomplishment for a woman who lost her daughter," I said in an amazed tone.

"I said the same. But... Cassandra's sticking to her word. She's not being spiteful, not being petty, and isn't seeking revenge," she went on. "But I... I think once everything's settled down and your family doesn't need input from the eldest Vampires in the House of Kaine... I don't see the two of them ever talking again."

"How do you feel?" I asked her.

She looked at me with a sombre expression, eyes drifting around, as if looking for an answer, before she sighed loudly, pursing her lips and confessing.

"Probably more okay with her than I should be. She killed my cousin, she kidnapped us both, and she killed so many of our own kind..." Verella sighed. "But at the same time... I feel like she suffered too. If she was just some random who had nothing to do with the Vampires, I'd want her burned at the stake for what she did to us. But the fact that she's our leader, that she's one of us, makes it feel like every cut she inflicted on another Vampire cut her twice as deep."

"It sounded like that when she talked to me about it," I nodded, understanding completely what Verella was saying. "She really is a ruler strong enough to do whatever it takes... do you think you'll ever run for the High Throne?"

"Not a fucking chance," Verella scoffed. "Even before the civil war broke out, the concept of having to deal with every problem that plagued my species twenty-four-seven was something that terrified me. I'd lie in bed at night and think about even a few of the things my mother had to deal with and nearly had panic attacks."

"Yeah, I get that..." I nodded, thinking about my own royal blood and eventual responsibilities that would come from it.

"Oh, shit. You don't have a choice, do you?" she asked.

"I do. It's not a common practice, but monarchs do have the ability to just outright give up their royal status in some countries," I shrugged. "Only thing is they give up their royal privileges as well."

"You gonna do that?" Verella questioned, looking at me with an interested gaze.

I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on my knees as I stared at the boot-print-marked mud of the arena beneath us. I was silent for a long moment, having put a lot of thought into this myself, and still unsure of my answer.

"I'm not sure. As a kid, it depended on the day I'd had whether I wanted to be a prince or not," I smirked, thinking back to my younger tantrums. "I'll never be king. The family line's too long, to strong, and... well, too immortal for me to ever be the sole ruler. But I'll be a Crowned Prince before long, and that does come with more responsibilities."

"I'm guessing you're not a fan of work?" Verella joked.

"I'm not a fan of work when I have a chance to let others down," I confessed, getting a lot realer than I'd expected to this early in the morning. "I... I can fuck myself over all the live long day. I have a test and I fail it, oh well, I'm not progressing to the next level of whatever it is I'm doing until I pass it, better luck next time. But when I fuck something up that hurts other people? The idea of me failing in a duty that leads to disappointing someone else, hurting them or, the thing that really scares me, they die because I failed at whatever I was doing..."

"That's the worst thing, huh?" she asked.

"The literal worst," I nodded. "You remember my friends, right?"

"Yeah, the wolf, the foreign girl, and the big guy," Verella said with a quick, confirming nod.

"My actual greatest fear is being responsible for them dying," I said. "You know I'm a broken Alicorn, right?"

"I believe so," she answered.

"That's caused problems in a hell of a lot more ways than just combat. I've got no teleportation powers, no ability to access a large arsenal of weapons at the flick of a wrist, and no other super powers that my other family members have. That's why I have those guys."

"They're your retainers, right?"

"Yeah, and they're some of the toughest, strongest motherfuckers I've ever met," I nodded. "I love them like family and would give anything to see them safe. But the three of them are on a whole other level of strength compared to me, so I always feel like I'm the one holding them back. The weakest link on the chain, now and forever."

"You shouldn't feel so bad about that, you can't help it," Verella said in an attempt to soothe me.

"But I am and I do, no matter how many self-assuring speeches I'm given," I sighed. "And I lay awake some nights in sheer terror about the thought of being the only one that can save them... and failing miserably at it. The fact that there might come a day when it's do or die by my hand, and I die... and then they die too."

"I... I guess the idea of being a prince makes that fear even worse, right?" Verella asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah... if I lay awake and night and panic about losing four people... how am I supposed to manage being responsible for hundreds of thousands every day of my life?" I asked myself more than Verella, looking up to the sky once again and feeling a cold chill run down my spine despite the warm temperature of the summer day that was just getting started.

The conversation died down at that point, the two of us sitting rather quietly together while the sounds of training, transporting of goods, and the clashing of swords filled the air. It was a peaceful noise, always reminding me of the hours I spent as a child on my father's lap while he worked through papers and signed off on anything that needed it. It brought a wave of warmth and nostalgia over me, a trance that was soon snapped as I heard Celestia call out to me.

"Richter!" her voice came from the doorway to the barracks, beckoning me over with a wave of her hand.

"Right, gotta go," I said to Verella. "It was nice catching up with you. Good luck with your family."

"And good luck with yours," Verella chuckled, getting down off the fence and heading back to the training dummy, drawing her sword and taking up a battle stance.

I leaped off the other side, heading into the barracks and smiling at the saluting soldiers I passed by. I went into a quiet room after being directed to it by more of the guards, closing the door behind me and seeing Celestia sitting at a desk with a large, cloth-wrapped object on it.

"Good morning, sweetie," she beamed, bright and cheery as the sun, like always. "I'm actually really glad you remembered Voleur De Vie."

"Yeah, I'd kind of forgotten about it until Luna reminded me," I said, walking over to the desk and crossing my arms.

"Well, you being so willing to get it repaired yourself takes quite a load off of my plate," she smiled, unwrapping the sword and allowing me to look at it once again.

"Really? How so?" I asked, looking over the rotten emerald sword, seeing the marks of time, use, and bad preservation had eaten away at a blade I imagined once looked so beautiful.

"Working an extra meal or a visit to the city makes me have to reschedule my timetable so much that it pushes simple five minute conversations ahead several days," Celestia explained. "Getting the sword repaired could've taken several days. Not needing to do it myself has removed at least an entire twenty four hours worth of rescheduling. You have my thanks for that."

"You're welcome," I smiled, looking at the sword.

It's mere presence brought on a sense of familiarity that I shouldn't have had with it, no doubt caused by the memories of Arragaithel locked away inside my... soul, I think. It clicked into a place of normalcy that a pair of shoes you owned or a pet dog you had did; it felt right for it to be around and not natural whenever it was absent. It made me go over the memory of the first meeting of the two again, Arragaithel and Valiana. I reached out and picked the sword up, Celestia urging me to be careful with it as I did so.

I held it as I would my own, the damage to the blade having hacked off a large amount of the sword's weight. But even if it wasn't all there, if I filled in the gaps with my mind and then compared what I imagined it would weigh to other longswords of the same size, this fucker was light as a feather.

"Is it made out of any special material?" I asked, looking at the crossguard, pommel, and hilt.

"Not that I'm aware of," Celestia said. "You might want to inquire with the Elven Queen once you arrive in the capital."

"They sang it lighter," I said, answering my own question. "When they were constructing the sword, they altered its properties to be lighter than it should be."

"Another memory unlocked?" Celestia asked me, looking up from the paperwork she was going through.

"Yeah, but... this one isn't like the memory of the party," I said with a confused expression. "It doesn't have anything attached to it more than the knowledge and a few... sensations?"

"What kind of sensations? Pain? Hunger?"

"No... taste and... different textures," I answered, screwing my eyes shut and trying to figure out what I was remembering, but only gaining the same feeling one gets when trying to remember a lost train of thought.

"Tell me what you're sure you can remember," Celestia urged. "We'll see if we can't coax it out."

"The strongest thing is the taste of wine," I answered, setting the sword down on the table. "No idea what kind, but its a flavour I've never tasted before."

"Well, you aren't much of a drinker, so that doesn't exactly meant much," Celestia shrugged. "Anything else? What textures?"

"Bare skin, I know that one well enough to recognise it even from a memory this hazy," I said, gritting my teeth as I tried to pull it all together. "On my left side, feels warm and snuggled in. Feels female as well, too soft to be anything else."

"So we've got wine and a nude woman lying next to you?" Celestia inquired. "Are you sure this isn't one of your own memories?"

"Positive, I'd remember it better if it were," I said, nodding slowly. "I can smell something burning, too... nothing bad, not like a house fire, but... a fireplace, I think?"

"Wine, cuddling, and a fireplace?" Celestia asked. "Sounds like you're remembering a moment between him and Valiana."

"And if I know what the sword's made of after just that... I'm imagining its either small talk-" I began.

"Or pillow talk," Celestia finished. "Trust one of the first proper memories you unlock from the High King of the Alicorn to be about sex."

"Indeed," I said, rewrapping the sword and gently picking it up once again. "Right, I suppose I best be getting ready to be off, shouldn't I?"

"Wait, you're wanting to go so soon?" Celestia asked in a surprised expression. "It's barely been a day since you and the others averted an apocalypse."

"Time waits for no man, Celestia," I shrugged, heading towards the door. "And besides, if I just sit on my arse all day, I'll just end up getting complacent and doing nothing besides eating, sleeping, and moping."

"If... if you're sure," Celestia said. "Do you want to gather the others and have me teleport you there?"

"You know what, I'm fine thanks," I chuckled. "I think I'm done with portals after the experiences I've had recently. I'll take a horse, a trail, and some nice scenery from now on."

"The Elven Capital is on the far eastern side of the continent, Richter," Celestia said in a warning tone. "That's a two month ride from where we are in the centre, at least."

"Then it'll be plenty of time to sight-see, won't it?" I asked with a smile.

"I'm not really comfortable with the idea of you taking four month round trip without a proper escort, even if you have your friends with you," Celestia said in a nervous tone.

"I'll be fine. The only thing we'll have to worry about is food, and Grael and I can hunt for months on end if we need to," I said, leaning against the closed door. "The Elven Capital is in the Emerald Forests, right? Lush greens, big trees, and a lot of wildlife?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then it'll be a perfect vacation, grandma, so don't worry yourself about it," I said with a shrug, opening the door and heading out. "I'll see you in sixth months, tops. Bye!"

And with that I closed the door, heading out with a spring in my step and eager to take my first big boy journey to a place I'd never been before.

Chapter 70: A Walk In The Woods

"Are you having my fucking life?" Annerose asked in sheer disgust after I'd finished pitching the idea to the group. "A four month trip?"

"What's not to like?" I asked with a smile. "Open roads, fresh air, exercise, and a sense of exploration and spiritual growth that we can't get sitting at home for months on end."

"The fact is I can barely manage to spend four minutes on my own with you, nevermind four months!" she barked, turning to the others. "You guys think this is barmy too, right?"

"I love a good road trip, though," Zane grinned.

"And from my reading of the Elven Capital, I've become more than interested to see it," Grael said in a pondering tone.

"So then why can't we just teleport?" Annerose asked.

"Because then you lose the fun of the journey," Zane said in protest. "The best parts of a road trip are the roads you walk and the journey you take."

"See?" I asked, gesturing at the taller man. "He gets it!"

"But we're not going on a hike for the sake of fucking hiking, are we, you mong," she growled. "We're going to fix that sword. Why would we waste four months of our lives wearing our legs down to stumps there and back when we can spend a week doing it at most?"

"I have to agree with Annerose, I'm afraid," Grael nodded. "The idea of the capital appeals to me greatly, but I have no love for the concept of hiking over mountains, rivers, and fields simply to get there."

"You guys are so boring," Zane sighed. "How can you expect to grow and change as people if you ignore the world around you?"

"There's a time for that, and it's not now," Grael said.

"Then how about you guys stay here while Zane and I go by ourselves?" I suggested.

"I'm down for that," Zane shrugged. "Been too long since it's been the two of us roughing it. Last time was... what, Highrise Falls, right?"

"With the zebras, yeah," I nodded, turning back to the other two. "Sound like a plan? You cunts can sit here and be boring while Zane and I go and make use of our lives?"

"I don't like the idea of you two going alone," Grael said, rolling his eyes as he sighed. "I like it about as much as trekking all that way."

"Then don't," I shrugged. "You'll have fun once you're on the road, and you know it."

"Sorry, but no," Annerose said, shaking her head and sitting down on a stool. "Not a fucking chance am I killing myself on this stupid journey."

"Right, stay here then," I said, turning to Grael. "What about you?"

"I... I can't say I like the idea," he said in a tone that told me he was torn between decisions. "But it is my sworn duty to protect you, and I won't let my own personal distaste get in the way of your safety."

"Awesome!" I grinned, then turning back to Annerose. "So I guess you're sitting this one out?"

Annerose stepped forward with a menacing expression, grabbing hold of my shirt and pulling me close, snarling with vicious intent.

"I am not letting you trapse off on some 'wanker walk' for four months to just leave me on my shitting tod," she growled. "I'm sure as shit tagging along... and I'm gonna make you regret every single second you spend on it, you hear me?"

"Calm down, princess," Zane said, petting her on the head. "You make us regret bringing you along every time. If you try to do it anymore, you'll hurt yourself."

"I fucking hate you," Annerose growled, crossing her arms and glaring daggers at the rest of the group.

"Great, it's settled then," I nodded. "I'll send word to the servants to get us horses and supplies-"

"-try not to kill this one," Anne interrupted.

"-we can say goodbye to all the people that we care about, and then head off in a few hours," I said.

"Wait, we're going so soon?" Grael asked.

"Of course, no time like the present," I answered. "Why, you got plans?"

"Do the others?" Grael asked. "I don't imagine they'll take too kindly to having to clear their own calendars on a whim because you command it."

"Look, if it gets in the way for anybody else, I'll go by myself," I said. "I don't want anyone missing birthday parties or social events because of me."

"And we've already told you, that's not going to happen," Annerose stated.

"So where does that leave us?" I asked. "I want to go, you're all busy, and have of you don't wanna come."

"Because you refuse to teleport," Grael pointed out. "We'd all be more than happy to go if you'd cast aside your bizarre desire the waste nearly half a year on a back and forth journey."

"I..." I said, folding my arms and glaring at the floor. "I just wanna see the sights, that's all."

"I can't be fucked to waste four months, though," Anne added on.

"Then how about we compromise?" Grael suggested. "We teleport there, do what we need to do, and take the journey back."

"Not a chance," the raven-haired woman stated, as stern as ever. "Two months is way too much time for a job as simple as the one we've got, not to mention it's a trip that we don't need to take. Why are you so set on wasting everyone's time?"

"Because I'm sick to fucking death of teleporting everywhere!" I growled. "I've nearly died because of it, it makes me feel sick to my stomach, and gives me a headache."

"Oh, so because you don't like it, that means we're all supposed to bow our heads and accept your stupid reasons for doing stupid shit, eh?" she demanded.

"And as I've already said, if you don't want to take the trip, don't come along!" I snarled, the two of us nearly screaming in each other's faces at this point.

"Alright, that's enough," Zane sighed, stepping between the two of us and creating some space. "We're not getting anywhere with you two getting ready to tear the other's throat out. Just... calm down a little so we can talk about this properly."

"I've got nothing to talk about," Annerose glowered. "He's being to stupid to listen to reason and too selfish to think about anything other than what he wants."

I glared furiously at her, the sentiment returned just as forcefully before I simply waved the discussion off, turning tail and storming away, angry and frustrated beyond belief.

"I'm not putting up with this," I growled, ready to punch a hole through a wall with how angry I'd gotten over this.

"Yeah, fucking same," Annerose spat, storming off in a different direction. "Cunt."

Her remark fuelled the fires of anger even more, but I was smart enough not to make this a bigger deal than it needed to be. Making any kind of decision to confront her would only further hurt the situation, so cooling off and coming back to it later would be a smart plan. So that was exactly what I did; putting space between myself and the others to prevent this whole thing blowing up.

I took a quick exit from the castle, using a specific route over the main wall and down into the lower parts of the city I often used as a child whenever I wanted to skip out on a certain class. The city itself was bustling and loud, merchants calling to anyone and everyone about their goods, horse and cart being pulled through the city for deliveries, and entertainers worked and sweat for the money tossed into their hats, ranging from fire eaters to musical groups.

I kept my eyes mostly on the floor, only darting up to check if I were about to walk into someone, often catching a glimpse and a smile from a kindly old lady or a pretty young maiden. I paid no mind to those I didn't meet eyes with, finding pleasure in the fact no one appeared to recognise me as a prince of this land, and if they did, they kept it to themselves.

It was something the others couldn't do. Luna and Celestia were recognised instantly, Cadance and Twilight usually blended in with hoods but were quickly noticed if their hair was visible, but me? The darker blue hair was an oddity amongst the crowds of brown and black, but enough people, usually magically talented, had changed their hair to unusual colours or were simply born with different shades to make me stand out, but not identifiable.

Other than that, there was nothing really to grab attention as a royal. I didn't wear a crown, didn't wear any regalia, wasn't of enormous stature like my older relatives, and was clean and well-kept enough to be just another noble. It was a good way for me to live, as I'd be furious with the fact I'd have to gladhand and deal with enormous crowds gathering to bow their heads and worship me.

No, being boring and blending in suited me just fine. I did worry that ability would be disrupted slightly come my coronation, as a ceremony with me at the forefront would probably put my face in the minds of a lot more people than it was now, but I imagined it would soon fade away after a few months.

I shook my head, chasing away the worrisome thoughts and heading through the finance district, making a beeline for the western gate and heading out of the city grounds, disappearing into the treeline very quickly and making my way through the brush beneath the canopy of leaves.

I'd hunted in these woods with Luna a lot as a child, learning the prints and trails left by deer, wolves, sheep, and all other kinds of creatures. It was here I'd learned to build a fire, here I'd learned to bleed, skin, and prepare meat, and it was here I'd learned how to craft a makeshift bow. Though it was moreso a 'how to craft a new bow if yours breaks but you still have the bowstring'. Making a bowstring from regular materials wasn't really super easy out in the woods.

It was why Luna always suggested you carry one with you wherever you went. Just one of those 'essentials' you pack for any kind of journey. I sat down on a stump in a small clearing, hearing the sound of a nearby stream bubbling just out of sight. My anger had long-since melted away from me and my rational mind had returned, but I just wasn't in the mood to return home and I wasn't in the mood to discuss the journey with the others.

I just wanted to sit around and listen to the sounds of nature until I was content. I drew my sword, resting the dark blue blade across my legs and gently drumming my fingers on the cold steel, mind wandering through the trees and over the mountains as I thought about all the experiences I'd had training with Luna. One in particular struck me: an old logging cabin that was deeper, much deeper, into the woods where I'd learned to make a firepit.

It had been over ten years since then, that being a skill I'd learned when I turned seven, so I was curious to see if the cabin was still there. It had been in pretty bad shape when I'd last seen it, with the roof partly-caved in, the door torn off, and there being a floor of leaves and grass after they'd found their way inside the building. I remembered it being pretty big for a logging cabin, but I was much smaller back then. Maybe it was nothing more than a single-bedroom shack?

I wanted to find out, so I made my way there using a route that I'd memorised over ten years ago. Over the breadth of the brook, past two fallen trees that were intertwined by their branches, west of the outcropping of mossy rocks, and then follow the second stream you see south for a good ways before seeing the cabin hiding away just behind the treeline.

The journey was a good half an hour's walk, that time always being filled by Luna's stories that she'd tell as we walked, tales of her youth and her training to help me feel more comfortable with my difficulties in my own learning, as she'd been the exact same in her youth. I thought back to a specific time, one spring day when we'd come out amidst a thunderstorm, my trainer still dedicated to teach me that day's lesson:

"You're not wearing a cloak?" I'd asked my aunt as I followed behind the larger woman, looking up at her as the rain began to wet her hair.

"And neither are you," she said in a shrugging tone.

"I thought you hated the rain?" I questioned.

"Where did you hear that?" she asked, looking down at me with a puzzled expression.

"I just thought all adults hated rain. Every time it rains anywhere, I always see people like you swearing and complaining about it," I shrugged. "I like the rain. It feels nice."

"I agree. It's a pleasant thing to behold, much moreso than snow or heat," Luna nodded, helping me over large rocks with a grunt.

"Mother hates it," I continued. "Not sure what father thinks of it though. He never seems to complain about anything."

"Probably because he's been taught to deal with everything," Luna pointed out, placing a hand on my back and guiding me to another direction ever so slightly. "A lot of men like him have."

"Were you?" I asked.

"Yes, but much younger than your father was," Luna nodded. "Probably by a sterner teacher, too."

"Were they mean?"

"No... not really. They were moreso tough, didn't baby me like a lot of other trainers did," Luna explained. "He was very direct. Didn't mince words or try to soften his sayings for me."

"Sounds mean," I said with a displeased expression. "Everyone should be nice to each other."

"Mhm," Luna smiled. "It would be nice, wouldn't it? But, as much as I hated it when I first started training with him, I learned to appreciate it once I was older. Mostly because he gave me a very objective view of the world."

"Objective?" I asked, being unfamiliar with the term.

"It means to look at things for the qualities they possess, not whether or not you yourself like those qualities," Luna explained. "A chili pepper is objectively hot, that's because one of the qualities it has is being spicy. You cannot argue with that. However, whether or not you think spiciness is a good thing is a subjective matter, because it's up to you to decide."

"So he taught you... the world has things that make it what they are?" I asked, not really catching on with what she was talking about.

"No, he taught me that each situation has objective qualities," she said, picking up a fallen tree using her super strength and tossing it aside. "An example would be... if you are cold and wet on a training mission, but you are alive, fed, and in no danger of dying, then the situation is objectively good, despite the minor discomfort."

"Oh... I think I get it," I nodded, hopping onto another fallen tree and walking along the trunk, Luna holding an arm out to be ready to catch me if I fell. "So it's like looking at all the good things in a situation instead of the bad?"

"In a way, yes. Objectively, it is going well overall, thus, you are in a good situation," Luna nodded, helping me hop down from the tree once it had gone over a large hole in the ground. "But he also taught me to judge things on an objective matter without letting my emotions or preferences dictate the outcome of my feelings towards it."

"... what?" I asked, that sheer number of large words nearly blowing my head up.

"Sorry, I often forget your age," Luna chuckled, looking down at the path as she thought of a more child-friendly way to say it. "He taught me to view things as good or bad based solely on the qualities it had. Does that make sense?"

"Like a hug is good and a broken bone is bad?" I asked in return. "Whatever you've got, you say it's that?"

"Yes, let's say that. So if I am tired, soaking, and physically exhausted, but I am by a fire, have eaten, and have a safe place to sleep, objectively, that's a..." she offered, wanting me to finish the statement.

"Objectively good thing?"

"Correct. But if I am held captive by the enemy and am being tortured, that's..."

"Objectively bad," I said with a nod. "I think I'm getting this now... always say what things are based on what they are, not how you feel about them."

"Perfect," Luna said with a wide smile. "I don't think I could've worded that better myself."

I was brought out of my memories as a small group of deer brayed in the distance, causing my attention to snap up, realising that I was just outside of the treeline where the cabin was... and there appeared to be a washing line and bucket of water at the edge of the stream. I made my way over to it, noticing that there was indeed a set of clothing hung out to dry. It was all female, being undergarments, a tattered cloak, and a patchwork pair of socks.

I then turned around to look at the cabin, seeing the once-decrepit and run-down building being repaired entirely, the door replaced, the windows fixed, and the roof repaired with new thatching to keep it dry and secure. I guess somebody had bought the property recently and was living in it? Maybe a hunter or a trapper? I took another look at the clothing on the line, noticing that it was a rather small set up, meaning they wouldn't have large amounts of clothing hung up.

Another quick glance at the cabin didn't show me any traps, equipment for making traps, nor were their any pelts, drying racks, tanning racks, or dead animals lying in the back of it. Curiosity was peaked by the woman living alone in the woods, stories of witches and sorceresses running back and forth through my mind, before shaking my head to clear it all away. A witch or a sorceress could easily find lodgings better than a tiny little shack like this.

"Do you often stand around staring at other people's underwear or am I just an exception?" I heard a female voice ask from behind me.

I whirled around, my heart leaping into my throat as my hand lashed for the sword over my back, before my eyes settled on the woman before me. She was a taller example of her gender, being around five feet and eight or nine inches, wearing a raggedy brown dress, made from hemp by the looks of it, with a simple rope tie around the waist to keep it nice and fitted, tattered fingerless gloves that stretched up to her elbows, leaving a small gap between her chewed up sleeves and the end of the hand coverings, and a pair of worn leather boots.

Normally, I kept on guard with strangers, even if they didn't appear threatening, but it was the contrast between the woman's clothing and the rest of her physical appearance that put me even more on edge. Her hair was a bright, near-platinum blonde, running down to the small of her back in perfectly-maintained and cleaned locks. Her eyes were a bright, azure blue, with long, thick eyelashes.

I looked down at her arms and the rest of her body, a curvaceous figure showing that she was well-fed and nourished plenty, and not fighting for scraps of bread like the poor attire would suggested she had. The perfect hair and well-fed appearance were contradictory enough, but the smoothness of her flawless, alabaster skin mixed in with the pearl-white, perfectly straight teeth went a wing and a prayer beyond into proving that this was a woman of noble birth masquerading as a commoner.

"Blink, dearie," she said in a light, airy voice as she walked past me, grabbing the tattered cloak off the washing line and pulling it over her body, pulling a hood up low over her fringe and attempting to hide her face as best as possible. "Or you'll make your eyes sore."

"Right... I'm guessing the cabin is yours?" I asked, looking at the fixed lodge.

"For now," she nodded.

"You're renting?" I asked.

"Someone owns it?" she asked, placing a finger to her lip and showing off beautiful, expensive nails. "I hadn't a clue. I should probably apologise for using it then, shouldn't I?"

"Did you fix it yourself?" I questioned.

"We did," she nodded.

"We"? I asked in confusion.

"The forest," she said, gesturing to the greenery around us. "I asked for help and the forest answered. Specifically those two gents over there-"

She pointed a finger at two large oak trees with their branches almost curled around each other.

"Lovely boys, honestly, a pleasure to work with," she said with a smile, placing a hand to her cheek and staring dreamily at them. "Oh, and the girls gave us a fastening or two when she needed it."

Normally, I'd assume this woman was insane and leave her to it. But there was a specific set of people that did often 'talk' to the trees, often referring to them as 'he' and 'she', talking about them as people with preferences, desires, and interests of their own. To people out this far west, it was the ravings of a madwoman. But to me, someone who'd been trained to deal with all manner of mystic beings, this was telltale behaviour.

"Alright then, Miss, would you mind telling me why one of the Elder Folk is wandering this far away from the Emerald Forests?" I asked, looking her up and down as her smile fell from her face, replaced with a much more serious one.

"A smart one, are we?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow. "I must say, I'm impressed. I never expected boys your age to even know what the Emerald Forests were, nevermind how to recognise their inhabitants."

"I'm not most boys my age," I shrugged.

The Elder Folk was another name for the High Elves, or the Light Elves, or the Treeborn, or any of the other hundreds of names their kind had come to inherit over the tens of thousands of years they had been around. They and their cousins, the dark elves, were often said to be the first humanoid species that inhabited these lands, existing alongside dragons and, strangely enough, eagles, as the first three races.

They were an immortal race, not being considered mature until their hundredth year, and were some of the most naturally-powerful magic users that walked this world, rivalled only by the dragons, and surpassed only by the Alicorn. They were a reclusive race, not being too fond of contact with others and certainly not fans of war, so as the other races were added to this world, they did not stand their ground when humans, Alicorn, Nekomata, and many others started to spread out from their place of origin, retreating to the confines of the enormous Emerald Forest and not really being heard from since then.

The rest of the world knew very little about how the High Elves operated, only hearing about their inner workings from Elves on journeys or ones that had left the Emerald Forests for good. They often spoke of the monarchy, a ruler had sat atop their throne for eight thousand years at this point, they spoke of their unique form of magic, and they spoke of their architecture and writings.

There were a select few outsiders permitted to journey inside the Emerald Forests, Alicorn being one of them, and mostly the Dark Elf ambassadors sent to seek word of their cousins every few hundred years. The Dark Elves, despite popular belief, weren't an evil race, nor were they aggressive or vicious. They were simply High Elves with a different skin colour and a different form of magic. Instead of singing like the High Elves did, the Dark Elves would chant, usually in large numbers, to create larger spells.

The Dark Elves were also much more competent fighters than their lighter cousins, preferring to guard their territory and be very hostile to outsiders that chose to carry weapons across their borders. While not a warrior society, combat was a large focus in their teachings, the art and magic of war also being heavily praised, but they were never warmongers. I'd met a few of them throughout my life during their rare visits to our capital, but had never spent enough time with one to learn anything personal.

"That I can tell," she said, poking me gently in the shoulder. "You're an Alicorn, no? Funny... I thought you'd be taller."

"Thanks," I said in an annoyed tone, gently moving her finger away with a hand. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Is there a law in your country that prevents a poor little Elf from wandering by herself?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, but there is one about unlawful residence on a person's property," I said, jabbing a thumb at the cabin, still able to see the light of lit candles burning in the window. "And since this forest is in Equestria and owned by the Royal Family as a result... you're in my house."

The Elf looked at me with a bemused expression, her eyes dragging back and forth between myself, the cabin, and back again before she asked me another question in a lower tone.

"Are you serious?" she said in a gravelly voice. "You're really going to haul me off to jail because I fixed and temporarily moved into a cabin nobody's used in eighty years?"

I was silent for a long moment, keeping my eyes focused on the cabin, keeping my face as stern as possible before simply turning back to her and shrugging with a bored expression.

"I'm fucking with you. Stay here for as long as you want. I just wanna know why you're here," I said, placing my hands on my hips and looking at her. "That'll count as rent, if you want?"

"Oh thank goodness," she said with a sigh. "The last 'landlord' I 'rented' property from demanded a rather uncouth payment for my time in his lodgings."

"Did he want to cum on your ears?" I asked in a flat tone.

"How did you know-" she began in an astounded manner.

"I hear its a common thing with Elvish women," I said, waving the topic away with a hand. "So, story time, please?"

"As you insist, dearie," she said, clearing her throat and putting on a 'storytime' voice. "As an Elf that has spent many a year wrapped in the loving embrace of the Emerald Forests, my mind began to yearn for the knowledge of the outside world. I wanted to see human cities, wanted to taste Nekomata food, and wanted to swim in the lakes of Alicorn history."

"And are you enjoying it?" I asked her.

"Thoroughly," she nodded, her smile soon disappearing as she began ranting. "Apart from the disgusting state of most of the settlements, the outright racist attitudes some people have towards my kind, the constant beration from human and Nekomata women for daring to be attractive, and the seemingly non-stop sexual harassment I face from men and women alike for their desire to fornicate with my ears."

"It is a shithole, I will agree," I nodded, crossing my arms and chuckling quietly. "But what about the lakes of Alicorn history? Were those nice?"

"Probably the nicest places I've seen," she nodded. "Mostly because the lakes and surrounding areas are completely abandoned and fish don't really tend to ask to lick chocolate off your thighs."

"Somebody's clearly avoided the Feral Coasts and the mermaid population then," I whistled.

"The what?" she asked.

"The Feral Coasts are the surrounding areas of an enormous series of islands that are the homeland of the mermaid species," I answered. "And mermaids are actually the worst water-born monster in existence. Y'see, a Siren will lure you to your death, drown you, and then eat you. A few minutes of discomfort, and then you're dead. A mermaid? They're about as rapey as dolphins are. They'll grab you, drag you to a beach, and molest you for days on end until you die of thirst."

The Elf looked at me with a blank expression, a light of understanding behind her eyes, before she seemingly doused it with a look of confusion.

"Huh," she stated. "So much for a race of sea-faring, singing beauties."

"The tales are often nicer than the truths," I shrugged. "So where are you off to next on your journey once you've finished illegally inhabiting my lands?"

"Home, I'm afraid," she shrugged. "My time and patience with this world has worn more than thin in this outing, and I long to return to the comfort of my own home."

"Well, I wish you luck on your journey," I said with a nod of my head, turning around and deciding I'd spent enough time putting off the discussion with my friends.

"Say, you'd be Richter, wouldn't you?" she asked me as I went to cross the stream.

"Yeah," I nodded, looking over my shoulder. "What's your name?"

"Sellaweyr," she answered with a smile. "If you're ever in the Emerald Forests, be sure to ask for me. I wouldn't mind having another chat with you in the future."

"Right, I'll remember that," I nodded. "See you around, Sellaweyr."

Chapter 71: A Sea of Green

"So, you're finally back?" Annerose asked, leaning over the chair she was sitting in as I approached the group again. "Learn anything knew while you were away?"

"I made a friend who can talk to trees," I said with a nod, sitting down on a chair and smiling.

The three of them looked back and forth between one another, mouths open and eyes displaying a beyond-confused look before Zane shrugged.

"I believe him," he nodded. "Were they nice?"

"Very nice, good conversation as well," I smirked. "But I also remembered something before I met my friend."

"Which was?" Grael asked.

"Situational objectivity versus personal preference regarding said situation," I answered.

"A good outlook to have if one is gazing down the right path of it," Grael nodded contentedly. "So what, pray tell, path did you gaze down?"

"Teleporting to the Emerald Forests is objectively the best way to go about it," I said, leaning back in my chair, only for Annerose to lean forward and pet me on the head.

"Good boy," she said with a smile, standing up and inhaling. "So, are we ready to get ready?"

"So soon?" Grael asked.

"Well, if we're not travelling, we don't have much to prep for, right?" she asked with a hand gesture. "So the sooner there, the sooner back, no?"

"Can't argue with that," Zane said, getting up from his seat and making his own moves. "I'm gonna take a visit to the armoury real quick. Need to get something better suited for fighting in the treeline than a zweihander."

"Right, while you do that, I'm gonna go square everything away with... someone who knows how to teleport," I shrugged, getting up from the table and stretching my arms out. "See you soon."

"Right, have fun," Annerose said with a wave, leaning down and scratching Grael beneath the chin.

I made my way back into the castle, checking the barracks for Celestia only to find that she'd disappeared at some point, being informed by the guards that she'd left to take care of other things. That left Luna, Twilight, or my mother. I imagined they'd made themselves scarce since I'd last seen them, which made me realise that I'd never asked my mother about what she'd disappeared for ages ago.

I played a fun tracker's game as I attempted to look for Luna, covering nearly every square inch of the castle before being told by one of the scribes that worked in the record hall that all four of them had made themselves scarce for the day; Luna disappearing to some kind of tournament, Celestia returning to Winter's Maw, Cadance going off to see about 'brothel business', and Twilight having gone to the far east after being contacted by an old research partner regarding an ancient civilisation she was looking for.

"So... do we know any other mages strong enough to teleport four people thousands of miles?" I asked, tapping my fingers together.

"Not off the top of my head," they answered, going through the calendar for the past days and those beyond this one. "Ah, here's someone who may help."

"Truly?" I asked.

"Yes, Twilight had scheduled her for a meeting, also regarding a research pact the two have been working on for a good few years now but... well, pardon the rudeness, with Twilight being Twilight, she sprinted off to another part of the world and completely forgot about her arrival," he explained.

"And she would be?" I asked.

"Celana, the court mage from Winter's Maw," he answered. "Are you familiar with her?"

"In a way, yes," I nodded, rather surprised to be running into her so soon. "Thank you, my friend."

"You're very welcome, Your Majesty," he said with a bow. "You'll find her occupying Twilight's lab."

I thanked him once more, heading through the maze of corridors down the lower levels of the castle. The reason why Twilight's lab had been constructed in the most isolated dungeon level of the castle was due to the fact that if something were to explode, there was less of a chance of death than if it did on the higher floors, due to nothing falling downwards onto the lower levels. But if the explosion were to be enough to destroy an entire castle... well, then it didn't really matter what floor it was on, did it?

I knocked loudly on the door before entering, fidgeting with my belt as it got caught on my shirt, just before I heard Celana call out to me.

"You can keep your pants on, young prince, I told you one time was all you're getting," she said from behind a stack of withered old parchments.

"You should be so lucky," I scoffed, straightening and flattening my shirt before looking up at the white-haired mage. "I'm here to ask a favour of you."

"So long as you're willing to trade favours, I'll be more than willing to listen," she said, scrawling something down after examining an alchemic decoction she held in her hand.

"I figured since you're a guest in my house, you'd do as you're told before I kick you out," I shrugged, leaning against one of the desks and locking eyes with her.

"My, my, haven't we gotten brave in these past few months?" she asked, setting down her notes and sauntering over to me. "No change in stature, no change in power, and no major change in equipment, but the young boy still thinks that's all he needs to mouth off to me, does he?"

She ended up grabbing a handful of my shirt, pushing me back onto the desk as she straddled my waist, glaring at my with angry red eyes.

"Maybe I should remind him why I'm a mage even the Alicorn ask to have at their side when trouble comes knocking?" she questioned.

"Or maybe-" I began, snaking my hands over her hips and grabbing as much of a handful as I could of her enormous ass, squeezing softly and getting a small groan from the older woman. "You could make yourself useful to me again and do as I ask?"

She continued to glare at me, her eyes trailing down from mine to my chest, then down to where my hands were massaging her backside, and then back up to my eyes with a much softer expression on her face.

"Hmph... you were good enough to me last time..." she said, her lips pursed in a pondering expression before sighing loudly. "Oh, what could it hurt? You wanna fuck me again, big boy?"

"Maybe some other time," I said, wanting to stay focused on the task of restoring the sword. "Right now, I need you to help me get where I need to be."

"You're turning me down?" she asked, toying with my lower lip with the tip of her finger, a pouting expression on her face. "You have changed, haven't you?"

"Celana?" I asked. "Are you going to help me?"

"I already told you; I'll help you if you help me," she said, pressing her breasts into my chest as she leaned forwards. "So what's your answer?"

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"I need a field exploration team, want somebody that isn't me to go diving into some ancient ruins to look for a big hunk of metal a source of mine said was there," she said, her lips mere centimetres away from mine. "You do that for me, and not only will I help you with whatever you need... we can talk about making booty calls a more than regular thing. What do you say, handsome?"

After I'd fallen for it once, I could see what she was doing plain as day. Trying to get my dick hard and my mind muddled with the promises of sex so that I'd go running off into whatever dangerous situation she couldn't be bothered to risk her own hide doing. It had worked wonders in Winter's Maw, and the sex was more worth it than the actions I'd performed to get it, but I wasn't about to throw my own plans to the side just to get a go on her again.

"Tempting, but I'll make a counter offer," I said, continuing to stare into her magma red eyes.

"Oh?"

"You help me first, and then I'll do two favours for you when I come back," I offered. "Sound fair?"

"Come back?" she questioned. "Come back from where?"

"I need you to teleport my friends and I to the Emerald Forests," I answered. "I'm looking for help from the Elves to restore an ancient Alicorn weapon I found in Heimili's cave after we beat her."

"That's quite a task. If you were anyone else, I'd say to forget about it and to move on, but you're a very persuasive little Alicorn with a certain-" she purred, poking my crotch with a well-manicured nail, giggling as she did so. "Draw to you as a person... I'm sure you'll be able to get them to help you."

"I'll try my hardest... but first, you need to help me," I said. "Do we have a deal?"

"I teleport you and the rest of your crew to the Emerald Forest, and then you do two jobs for me when you come back?" she asked.

"Yes," I nodded.

"I'll agree, if I can remove a part of the bargain?"

"Which is?"

"If I do you first, you don't get to fuck me when you finish my job," she added. "That something you're willing to live with?"

She was still playing a good hand, would've had all of the cards she needed to win if she wasn't dealing with a man who had the game rigged for him. If I was some other little loser with a sword, a shield, and a huge libido, she might have been able to use that threat to get me to change my mind, to do whatever it took to get her to so much as step on my face.

But she was forgetting something: I had other options. The first time I'd slept with her, I'd done so because she was a new dish at a table I'd never eaten before. I'd sampled the offer, enjoyed it thoroughly, but wasn't so desperate as to throw myself onto a bed of nails to taste it again. Especially not when I had my own reserved table with all my favourite foods already there. If I got a little pent up, I had my mother, Twilight, and probably even Luna there to help me work out the stress.

So Celana could wave her sexuality around as much as she wanted to, because even if that platter was taken off the menu, I still had a preferred tray of dishes I could devour to my heart's content whenever I wanted. So, with a smug grin and as condescending an attitude I could muster, I gave me answer:

"Sure thing, sweetie," I chuckled. "We're planning on going soon. Do you want to wrap up what you've got going on here and meet us at the western courtyard in, say, an hour?"

Celana glared at me furiously, knowing full well that I wasn't the useless horndog I'd lead her to believe I was before, and gritted her teeth at the fact her plan to get what she wanted, whenever she wanted had failed like a warship made of parchment. The anger was present for a long moment, but something seemed to melt away from her after another, longer moment. When the reply came, she'd shifted to a more distant, less-intimate sitting position, but now she'd leaned forward once again.

She sat comfortably on me, still pressing her breasts into my chest as she spoke again, having dropped the feminine allure tone and speaking in what I imagined was her normal voice for the first time since I'd met her:

"Alright then, Richter, you've got yourself a deal," she nodded, then hopping down from her sitting position and straightening her clothing out. "But know that I'm gonna work your ass down to the bone when you get back for making me wait. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I nodded, getting off the table she'd shoved me on and heading towards the door. "Do you want me to bring you back a present as a gesture of goodwill?"

"If you can get me one of their Sungsteel daggers, I'd be more than grateful," she nodded, returning to her work and not bothering to look at me anymore. "If you can get that, I'll think about not sending you to a death trap for my second favour."

"Righto then," I chuckled, heading out the door. "See you in an hour!"

"See you then, Richter," she called back, the change in attitude being rather jarring.

The hour went fast thanks to the preparation, all four of us dressed in more exploration-focused gear; thicker clothing, belts with a pouch or two, knapsacks with a few supplies, and weapons. I noticed the lack of a zweihander on Zane and instead a bearded axe fastened to his belt with a large, curved, and sharpened blade made of unpolished grey steel.

"Going logging, are we?" I asked him, pointing at the axe.

"Wanna go for practicality as well as combat ready," he nodded, unhooking the axe from his belt and lightly spinning it in his hand for a moment. "An axe is as good a tool as it is a weapon."

"What about you, Anne, you packed anything practical?" I asked her.

"Just this-" she said, reaching up her sleeve and pulling out a hunting knife.

"You too, eh?" I asked, reaching into my own sleeve and unsheathing the knife I kept strapped to my wrist when adventuring.

"Learned from the best," she nodded, sheathing her knife once more before looking at Grael. "You bring anything?"

"Teeth, warmth, and the highest level of intelligence in the entire group," he nodded.

"And an attitude," Annerose said, rolling her eyes as she stood up straight once again. "Right, you mentioned Celana was meant to be showing up?"

"I imagine she wants to be fashionably late," I shrugged, looking around the courtyard for any sign of the white-haired mage. "Those royal court folk like their entrances."

"I'm shocked you'd say such mean things about me, Richter," came Celana's voice from behind us. "After how nice I've been to you all this time."

We turned around, seeing the mage dressed in her usual tight pants, crop top, and boots, the sheer level of cleavage on display making Annerose turn slightly red and avert her eyes.

"Are we all ready to depart?" she asked, cracking her knuckles as she came to a stop in front of us.

"Indeed we are," I nodded, looking at the other three. "Are we missing anything?"

"Besides a competent leader, we've got all we could want for the trip," Annerose smirked, shooting me a sideways glance.

"Ha-dee-fucking-ha, Anne," I said, looking at Celana once more. "You sure you can handle a teleportation spell that'll chuck us so far?"

"About as well as you can handle a sword, Richter," Celana said, her eyes lighting up white and her hand beginning to crackle with magical energy. "Make sure to bring me my souvenir."

"I will," I sighed as she threw her hand outwards, cutting open a portal in the air that swirled and crackled with magical energy.

"And remember your promises?" she questioned.

"Yes, mother, I'm well aware of them," I groaned, moving the others through the portal before I followed behind.

With that, the familiar sounds and scents of the Canterlot castle disappeared, being replaced with a foreign aroma of thick foliage, unique and beautiful birdsong, and a cool breeze blowing through the astonishing forest we found ourselves in. Some of the trees around us were nearly as thick as houses, reaching hundreds of feet up into the air and creating canopies that blocked out all forms of natural light, the world around us only illuminated by enormous... glowing fruit that hung from the branches of said trees.

"Holy fuck," Annerose said in an amazed tone. "This... this is incredible."

We continued to look around for a long moment, picking up the sound of streams bubbling in the distance, even more types of birds that I'd never heard before, and an aura of tranquillity radiating through every inch of this beautiful place. I placed a hand on one of the giant trees, feeling a natural warmth that seemed to shine out from the very core of it, the mere sensation of it's heat bringing wave after wave of peace over me.

Grael padded around the area we'd landed in, sniffing the air and ground as he caught wind of a large amount of new scents, all of them things he'd never experienced before. It was such a beautiful place with a beyond-divine feeling that it took us all a good few minutes to realise something...

"Where the fuck are we?" Annerose asked, turning around on me with a questioning expression.

The question hit me about as hard as a launched brick, as I did indeed realise I hadn't really given Celana a precise location. Fuck, I didn't know a precise location. I guess I could've said Elven capital or something, but the thought hadn't really occurred to me.

"Also, random question," Zane spoke up. "Why didn't you ask the other Selana to teleport us here? Or Sanguine? The people that owe you a life-debt and wouldn't have made you broker a deal with them to do so?"

"You did remember they were at the castle, right?" Annerose asked.

I didn't answer.

"Right?" she growled in a furious expression.

I laughed nervously.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" she exploded, grabbing me by the collar and glaring daggers at me. "Instead of going to the literal Goddess that can do all and knows all to ask her for a simple favour, you went to some snow-white bimbo and pretty much sold your fucking soul to her... and the only thing you got out of it was getting everyone else lost?!"

I laughed nervously again.

She proceeded to shove me to the ground and storm off into the treeline, ranting angrily about how much of an idiot I was and that she couldn't believe I was going to be a ruler some day.

"Not for nothing, buddy," Zane said as he gave me a hand back to my feet. "But you are a bit of an idiot for that one."

"I... I know," I sighed, cursing myself mentally for it before taking a deep breath. "Alright, it may have been a stupid decision... but objectively we're here in the forest without much hassle and our destination can't be too far away. Not to mention we're not dead and not in danger."

"I suppose," Grael said, padding after Annerose. "Come on, let's get her back before she screams the entire forest down."

We went after the ranting woman, using her extremely loud voice to track her to a huge, crystal blue lake, the beauty of which even caused her to stop ranting and raving about my idiocy. There was an enormous waterfall on the other side of the lake, easily a mile away from where we were standing, and there was a perfect view of all the animal life that inhabited these woods as they drank from the lake.

"Holy shit," I muttered, still stunned by the surrounding area. "I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful before in my entire life."

"I can't think of anything that could even rival such perfection," Grael said, looking at his reflection in the still surface of the lake, seeing himself as clearly as he would if looking in a mirror.

"So... once we get done admiring the scenery, does anybody have a plan to get us to the capital?" Annerose asked, walking over to us and glaring at me with the epitome of spite.

"Let me think..." I said, trying to think of all the tips and tricks I knew for finding civilisations. "Can't follow a river downstream as I can't see a river, forest is too big to try and find a populated deer track that hunters would use, trees are too big to climb and look down from to see buildings..."

"So we're fucked, aren't we?" Annerose asked.

"We're not fucked," I said, shooting her an annoyed look. "We're just-"

"-hopelessly lost?" she cut in.

"Grael, can you smell anything that might lead us somewhere? Clothing, cooked meat, even an outhouse?" I asked the Direwolf.

"As it stands, I don't know the scent of trees from the scent of dung in this forest," he said with a defeated tone. "I'm afraid my nose isn't going to be much help here."

"So then we're just going to have to pick a direction, walk in it, and hope we don't run into-" I began to say, only a sudden blinding pain to enter my skull, a screaming noise almost blow out my ear drums, and then not only myself, but all the others lost consciousness instantly.

We hit the floor like sacks of potatoes with no idea who, or what, had just knocked us all out in less than a second.

Chapter 72: Arrival

"Impressive weaponry for a bunch of travellers," I heard a voice mutter as I was roused from my slumber. "Can't be just a bunch of peasants that got lost."

"Teeth, clothing, cleanliness, body weight, and their arsenal proves that," another voice agreed.

"Arsenal indeed," a third said . "That one with the short blue hair's got a sword made from a material I've never seen before that's glowing."

"Then avoid touching it in case it curses you," the first voice said. "We'll hold onto them until the Far Guard comes to collect them, and then they're not our problem anymore."

I opened my eyes, seeing the inner walls of a wooden cabin, stitched rugs, and a table in front of me. I turned my head, looking to find the source of the voices and being quite surprised to see who they belonged to: Dark Elves, if the snow white hair, chocolate skin, and black tattoos were anything to go off of. Three of different shapes and sizes, dressed in basic scouting gear for their kind; simple leather armour, wielding bows and swords.

"Looks like one of them's waking up," the second voice said.

There was the sound of footsteps followed by the dark-skinned Elf crouching down in front of me. She had short, cropped hair, a black-line tattoo on her chin, and cold grey eyes. She snapped her fingers in front of my eyes, getting me to focus before looking at me with scrutiny.

"Mind explaining what you and yours were doing wandering around forbidden territory?" she asked.

"Looking for the High Elven Capital," I answered. "Need their help getting a relic repaired."

"Y'mean this?" the third voice asked, holding up the damaged remains of Voleur de Vis, looking at it with scrutiny. "What's so important about it?"

"Alicorn weapon," I responded, still feeling groggy as all hell and not really seeing straight. "Need it fixed."

"And how the hell did a kid like you get a hold of an Alicorn weapon?" the first voice asked, moving in front of me.

She had much longer hair, flowing down to the middle of her back, with green eyes, and similar black tattoos on her shoulders, seemingly going over onto her back and converging around the top of her spine. Her eyes were green and just as cold as the second's, eyeing me with a look of mistrust and distaste as she spoke.

"Because I am one," I said. "I'm getting it repaired so I can learn from it."

"Right, of course you are," she scoffed. "And I'm the goddess of the sun. You wanna try again, kid?"

"I'm telling you that I'm an Alicorn. My name is Richter, son of Cadance and Shining Armour," I said through gritted teeth.

"I thought Alicorn were supposed to be big?" the third elf asked.

"I thought they were meant to be strong?" the second asked.

"And I don't believe for a second that some whelp like you is one of the strongest beings on this planet," the first smirked. "Not after your whole group got taken down by a basic knock-out spell."

"I... it's complicated," I spat.

"Sure it is, honey," she chuckled. "And you can tell the Far Guard that story as soon as they get here."

That sentence was immediately followed by a knock at the door.

"Perfect timing," she said, grabbing hold of me by the bindings that held my arms behind my back and dragging me to my feet. "Get the weapons and get the others. We're handing them all over."

"That sword might be worth something, though," the second pointed out.

"We're not bandits, Shura," the first growled. "I'm not going to rob these people and leave them dry. The Far Guard is gonna ship their asses to the border and tell them to go home, and I'm not having their death on my conscience because they get murdered by bandits after we stole their weapons for a quick coin."

"Right, right, fair enough," the second nodded.

I was moved to the door, soon being shoved out of it as it was opened and stumbling into another elf, this one having the alabaster skin and lighter blonde hair associated with their kind. They placed a hand on my shoulder to steady me, their white and gold gauntlet giving off a blinding glint in the unnatural light that bathed the forest.

The Elf was a tall man, standing over six feet tall and wearing white and gold plate armour, a sword at his hip and a bow on his back. His eyes were a soft yellow colour and his skin was as smooth and spotless as the High Elf I'd met back home.

"Easy, traveller," he said, steadying me before stepping back, looking over my shoulder at the Dark Elves. "Thank you for informing us, sisters."

"Don't mention it," one of them shrugged. "Just doing our duty and looking out for each other."

"Many thanks," he said with a nod of his head.

"Right then," the second Dark Elf grunted, tossing Zane and Annerose, both of whom were still unconscious down on the floor, while the third dragged Grael out by his tail, something that got me more than furious, before tossing our bundle of weapons, wrapped in string, onto the ground.

"And this," said the elf holding the remains of Voleur de Vis, tossing it to another High Elf behind the one holding onto me. "Dunno if its worth anything to you. But they had it on them."

The second High Elf, a shorter woman with tied back hair and narrow eyes looked at the sword in horror, turning to who I presumed was her commanding officer.

"Sir, this is a Sungsteel blade!" she exclaimed, handing it over to the larger Elf.

He took it gently, making sure not to handle the damaged weapon too roughly, before examining it, nodding slowly as he did so.

"I can sense the power of the song still in this sword, despite its age," he nodded, looking down at me. "And it seems to like you, young man."

"It does?" I asked in confusion.

"Whatever, girls, we're out of here," the long-haired Dark Elf responded.

With that, the three of them headed off into the woods and left the rest of us behind. The Elf in armour turned to his fellow guard and made a request that surprised her quite thoroughly.

"Release him, Faela," he said.

"Sir... are you sure?" she asked.

"Of course," he nodded, looking back down at the sword before glancing up to me. "An Alicorn is a welcome guest in our lands. Always has been."

"Finally..." I said with a smile, giving a thankful nod to the female elf as she released me. "So... what gave it away?"

"Sungsteel weapons are loyal only to their masters. They grow affinity for those that are well-liked by their masters... and it seems to like you," he answered. "That tells me you have some kind of ownership over this weapon. I can tell you're an Alicorn because of the energy I sense coming from you."

"But I can't use magic," I pointed out, rubbing my wrists.

"And yet it is still there," he said. "Much in the same way a lake does not stop existing when dammed, an Alicorn's power is ever-present, even if they cannot use it."

"So why couldn't they sense it?" I asked, nodding in the direction of the Dark Elves.

"One must know the taste of something to recognise it. You cannot recall the taste of an apple until you have eaten one, thus you cannot recall the 'taste' of an Alicorn unless you have experienced it before," he explained. "Simply put; they can sense an energy from you, but do not know what name to put to it."

"Can you wake my friends up?" I asked, turning back to them with a worried expression.

"Of course," he nodded, waving his hand, his palm glowing a calm blue, before the others shot straight up, Annerose leaping up with a yelp.

"Peace, friends, there is no need for alarm," he said in a soothing voice.

"What- How- Where-" Annerose began, scrambling to her feet and looking around. "Elves?"

"Elves indeed young lady," the tall Elf said, bowing his head in a respectful manner. "Faela?"

The younger, shorter blonde elf waved at Zane and Grael, only for a more nervous and bashful expression to spread onto her face as she looked at Annerose. She wiggled her fingers awkwardly, the two meeting eyes for a brief moment and then immediately looking away from each other in embarrassment.

Oh boy. Here we go.

"So, I take it you've come to have the weapon restored?" the Elf asked.

"You're sure on the ball with this, aren't you?" I asked.

"Of course," he smiled. "I've gotten quite good at piecing situations together over my life. An Alicorn comes to the forest with a damaged blade that cares for him? Must surely be to repair it."

"You're quite right," Zane said, taking his axe out of the bundle of weapons before tossing Anne's to her and handing me my own. "Sorry, Grael. Nothing for you."

"I'd be worried if there was," the Direwolf commented, getting up properly and sitting on his haunches.

"My, you're big," Faela said in a shocked expression.

"Thank you," the Direwolf nodded, turning to look at the leader of the two. "So, my Elven friend, would you mind giving us the honour of your name?"

"Ah, of course, my apologies," he nodded, standing at attention with his hands behind his back. "I am Rela, commander of the western Far Guard for the outskirts of the Emerald Forest."

"Far Guard?" Annerose asked.

"They guard the borders of the Emerald Forest," I answered. "They keep trouble out and act as a welcoming party for honoured guests."

"Sadly we forgot to bring the wine and bread this time around," Rela said with a smile. "Would you mind introducing yourselves?"

"I am Familiar Grael, sworn protector of the Crown Prince of Equestria," Grael said, bowing his head.

"Knight-in-Training Zane, current Right Hand Retainer of the Crown Prince of Equestria," Zane said, standing in his own attentive stance.

"Annerose, current Left Hand Retainer of the Crown Prince of Equestria," Annerose said, giving a brief two-finger salute with a much more casual delivery.

I noticed a dreamy smile creep onto Faela's face as she stared at Anne, biting her lip slightly as she looked the other woman up and down.

"Crown Prince Richter of the nation of Equestria, and the linchpin that prevents this gaggle of idiots from falling apart," I said, shaking hands with Rela.

"More like the weak link in the chain of better warriors," Annerose scoffed, getting a middle finger from me in response without me turning my head.

"A Crown Prince that allows his subjects to speak to him in such a manner?" Rela asked.

"They're friends first and subjects second," I answered. "Wouldn't want it any other way."

"A more refreshing take than other monarchs I have seen in this world," Rela smiled in a proud manner. "It is good to see a royal lacking a head swollen by his title."

"Don't worry, we make sure the asshole doesn't have any reasons to feel good about himself," Zane said, clapping me on the back forcefully and grinning. "Isn't that right, you useless bastard?"

"More than you could ever want!" I grinned, playfully elbowing him in the stomach before turning back to Rela. "So, if it's not too rude to ask, would you mind escorting us to the Capital?"

"Not at all, Your Majesty," he said with a nod. "Are you all prepared for the ride?"

"Ride?" Annerose asked, fastening her sword to her belt once more. "What ride?"

"Well, we are but a few miles from the entrance to the Emerald Forest," Rela stated. "The Capital itself is several days journey from here... you are aware of that, are you not?"

"Okay..." Annerose said, her eye twitching in an angered manner. "Remind me to kill Celana when we get back... and then you."

I felt her eyes burn hatred beyond hatred into me from behind, noticing Faela giggle quietly to herself, enjoying Anne's unique character. I sighed quietly, turning to Rela and asking an honest question:

"Can you teleport us there?" I questioned in a tired tone. "Because I don't want her to kill me."

"Not myself, no... but I shall see what we can do," he nodded with a smile, Annerose walking past me with a fiery glare in her eyes.

The method of teleportation the Elves had was a strange one, requiring the use of a green sap crystal and any tree with a hollow trunk. You'd proceed to throw the sap in there and call out a destination you wished to travel to, and then the hollow trunk would reshape itself into a doorway that allowed you to walk into another corresponding hollow trunk.

"That's gotta be the most... practically bizarre teleportation requirement I've ever seen," I said, scratching the back of my head.

"But also the only natural one," Rela said as we walked through the trunk.

"Natural?" I asked.

"Indeed. The forest itself has the power to open doorways between places within its boundaries, and is through no power of our own," Rela said.

"That's... insanely impressive," I said, not knowing of any other kind of magic that worked like that.

Then again: I didn't know a lot of magic, so it could be the magic equivalent of a pigeon and I'd still be impressed.

"The forest has a way of looking out for all of us here, and all it asks in return is that we look after it," Rela went on, all of us reappearing at the foot of mossy stone steps that lead up to enormous white-stone buildings. "It nurtures and cares for us, so we do the same."

"An outlook many more should share," Grael commented as we began to walk up the long staircase to the entrance of the city.

"I agree wholeheartedly," Rela said with a sorrowful sigh. "I've seen too many view nature as nothing more than an obstacle to be removed... it saddens me."

There was a moment of silence between us all before Rela shook his head, looking at us with a new smile and a welcoming expression.

"But enough of my petty woes, I must show you to the Queen of our great forest," he said. "You're quite lucky, as she has just returned from her own journey outside of our home."

"Really?" I asked. "Where'd she go?"

"She went on a personal quest to the Far Sands, I believe, something about claiming a prize jewel from a selfish old snake," Rela explained. "She was gone a lot longer than most expected and, between you and me, I imagine she took quite a hefty detour from her original journey."

"Got the wander-lust?" I asked with a smirk.

"Don't we all?" Rela laughed. "I imagine she'd become tired with the day to day routines of the Elven Court and simply desired a break. I cannot blame her, nor can I dislike her for it. I'm planning on doing the same thing once my days of service are up for this month."

"Want me to recommend some travel destinations?" I asked.

"Very much so," Rela grinned. "But first, we shall see you to the Queen."

"Alrighty then," I nodded, turning to the other three. "You guys alright with that?"

"So long as she's not three days' ride from here," Annerose glowered.

"Oh hush, you," Grael sighed. "Your constant whining is beginning to become irksome."

"You're right, I am starting to sound a little too much like Richter," she said, glaring angrily at me once again.

"So what's the Queen like?" I asked Rela.

"A fantastic woman, with all the qualities you could desire in a ruler: intelligent, caring, charismatic, brave, tactical, and so many other great qualities that it'd take me days to describe. Though I'm sure you're used to growing up around great rulers, no?"

"Indeed I am," I nodded, unable to fathom how many times I'd been asked that question at this point in my life.

I kept my eyes on the city as we all walked, getting kind smiles and waves from the residents, all of whom fit that bright and light appearance the other High Elves did, marvelling at how integrated the forest was into the construction of the city. While stone was used plenty, there were numerous streets and businesses made solely from trees that appeared to have grown into the perfect shape to do business inside or to live in. There were entire tree trunks that appeared to be hollowed out into multi-floor buildings.

"How are they like that?" I asked Rela, pointing over to the tree buildings.

"We sing to the trees and ask them to help us," he answered. "They're often more than willing to grow themselves into homes and workplaces rather than be chopped down for them. I've told this to many humans and other races I've come across, but they never seem to take the time to ask the trees for help."

Maybe he had a point. I'd never tried to speak to trees before.

"Did you make the palace with that process?" I asked.

"No, that was made by stonemasons. The trees are great and numerous, but we required something more defensive than wood at the time it was built," he explained. "War was feared at the time, tensions were high, and the people demanded safety."

"I'm guessing as time went on, you started fearing war less and less?" Grael asked. "If the more tree-focused construction is any indicator?"

"You guess correct, my friend," Rela answered. "Peace reigned and calmness became our eternal mood, so we began to expand out into this beautiful forest and enjoy ourselves once again."

"That's good to hear," Annerose nodded. "I've seen places where everyone's shitting it about war, and they're always full to the brim of arseholes and murderers."

"That sounds terrible," Faela said, seemingly gathering up the confidence to speak to Anne.

"It's terrible if you're not prepared for it," she shrugged. "But once you learn to take a punch and carry a knife with you everywhere you go, it becomes less of a constant, over-bearing threat and more of a minor annoyance."

"That does indeed sound like a terrible place to exist in," Faela said, shivering at the thought of it.

We soon arrived at the foot of the castle, Rela gesturing for us to head into the enormous, sharp-spired white building. I began to notice more in the architecture than just stone and wood, but also a large focus on what looked like light green glass, a similar colour to a watery green lake, that shined and reflected the light in beautiful rays of the false sunshine.

"Wow," I said in an impressed manner, the guards letting us pass as we entered the castle.

The inside was just as beautiful, being made up of a white and green colour scheme with wooden furniture and decorations everywhere, statues of a perfect likeness to the Elves they were meant to depict, and the entire place carrying that sweet scent the outside did. Once we came to the enormous set of double doors, marked with a large pattern of a leaf on either side, Rela stepped forward, nodding to the guards by the doors who then opened them.

The hinges appeared to be nothing more than large tree roots that had merged with the door, creaking loudly as they opened the entrance, allowing a great look at the enormous hall. The throne room was bustling with activity, from Elves delivering letters, to cleaning, to singing with one another, and all the way up to the tree-sung throne itself.

It was made of strong, gnarled roots that were interwoven into a tight, strong pattern, with large arm rests and what looked like a rack made to hold weapons. I followed the root carpet that lead up to the throne, bringing my eyes up to the figure sat on the throne... and having them nearly drop out of my head in surprise.

Despite being in a different set of clothes and being in a much different circumstance, the figure was familiar. More familiar than most strangers, in fact, I recognised her immediately due to it having been less than a few hours since I'd laid eyes on her beautiful form.

"Sellaweyr?" I asked in a shocked manner, staring up at the Elven Queen.

"Richter?" she asked in a surprised tone, her eyes widened in shock. "Well, I was hoping to see you drop by soon, but I was hardly expecting it to be within a day and a half."

Oh yeah. I'd been unconscious for a while, hadn't I?

I looked her up and down, seeing her tatty clothing replaced with expensive white robes, mapping and curving her beautiful hourglass figure, with golden stitching around a hole in the abdomen of the dress that exposed her soft stomach and navel, as well as the sleeves and low-fitting shoulders of the dress. On her head she wore a golden grown, set with a large emerald that was carved and polished to perfection.

"And I was... well, I was expecting you to be a noble Elf... but this was not what I had in mind," I said with a slow nod.

"Richter?" Grael asked. "You know her?"

"Yeah... this is..." I said, thinking of how to say it. "This is my friend who can talk to trees."

Chapter 73: You Scratch My Back...

"And you've brought friends, no less," Sellaweyr said with a kind and warm smile, drumming ring-clad fingers on the arm rest of her wooden throne.

"A tree-talking friend, eh?" Zane asked me with a cocked eyebrow. "She mention her other profession?"

"Surprisingly, no," I said with a shake of my head.

"I take it you have met Her Majesty before?" Rela asked me.

"Yes, I believe I was writing her up for illegal inhabiting premises belonging to another owner by right of law," I said, crossing my arms and smirking.

"Is this true?" Rela asked, a sense of alarm in his voice.

"..." Sellaweyr sat, lips pursed and eyes locked onto another part of the room before waving her hand with a sigh. "Perhaps."

"You did make the cabin look wonderful," I pointed out.

"Why, thank you," she said with a smile. "So, is there a reason you're all converging here or did you all just come for a family trip?"

"This," I said, taking Voleur de Vis from the place I fastened it to on my back and unwrapping it, showing the mottled, ruined green sword to the queen. "I would be very grateful if you could repair it."

Sellaweyr's expression was not a confident one, showing more apprehension as she used her magic to float the sword over to her. She took it in her hands as softly as possible, terrified that even the gentlest touch could cause the blade's damaged body to crumble into dust.

"Where... where did you get this?" she asked, looking up at me with an awestruck expression.

"Took it out of the treasure horde of a dragon we killed," I said, gesturing to my friends as I spoke.

"I'd thought it lost forever..." she muttered, more to herself than anybody else. "It still has her power... I can feel it..."

"The Alicorn that wielded it?" I asked.

"No... my mother's," Sellaweyr answered, a nostalgic and warm tone to her voice as she gently pressed her fingers to a small engraving of deer antlers under the crossguard. "She was the one who lead the crafting ceremony of this weapon."

"Will you be able to restore it?" I asked once more. "I'm more than willing to offer any services or favours you need to reimburse the time you put into it."

"There... there is one issue I'd like you to look into," she said, mumbling something else I didn't quite catch while she rested Voleur de Vis on her lap. "I shall set to work on repairing the sword immediately. I will not set any conditions for its restoration, I will do it as much for myself as I will for you, but I will tell you of my trouble nonetheless. If you wish to lend a hand, then I shall be more than grateful."

"Whatever you need, I shall try my best to do," I responded, bowing my head low to her.

"There is an ancient Elven ruin to the east of this city, one that was abandoned long ago when our numbers converged into a single location," she began. "While the area is no longer inhabited, it is still patrolled by the Far Guard on their way too and from specific locations. As of the few weeks, there have been many a strange noise heard in the depths of the ruin. The issue has been brought to my attention, but it is not serious enough for me to devote time and effort to cobbling together an expedition for what may be nothing more than a draft through a hole in a wall."

"But you'd rather be safe than sorry, no?" Grael asked, his tail gently wagging behind him.

"Definitely," Sellaweyr nodded. "As I said before: this is not a duty assigned to you and is not a condition for the restoring of the sword. If you view it as beneath you, I will not press and I will not refuse help. It is only if you find the time and the want to help."

"I have both of those things in great supply, Your Majesty," I said, nodding once more. "If it's alright with you, we'll head out immediately?"

"Of course," Sellaweyr said, looking to what I guessed was a serviemaiden by the side of her throne. "Would you mind fetching the four of them the Traveller Runes, please?"

"Traveller Runes?" I echoed.

"Oh, they're these basic bracelets that all of our guests wear to identify them as friends who have been given the right to travel wherever they please inside the Emerald Forests," Sellaweyr explained. "They're mostly to prevents incidents if you run into more of the Far Guard."

"While the bracelets will be a good idea, I shall send word to my other serving Guards to let them know the general description of the group, just so they are aware of their presence and reasons for being here beforehand," Rela said, looking at us with a kind smile.

"Thanks, man," Zane said with an appreciative nod.

"Do not mention it. I am glad to have helped," he said, bowing to the Queen and speaking up. "Shall I take my leave to do so, Your Majesty?"

"If you please," Sellaweyr said. "Enjoy your day, Rela."

"You too, My Liege," Rela said, turning to Faela and gesturing for her to take the lead.

The younger Elf turned to us and waved goodbye, another embarrassed mumble of departure given to Annerose as they left the room. That left us alone with the Queen and her servants, one of whom had just returned with the Traveller Runes. They were simple wristbands, green like the forest, made from what looked like leather, but I knew the Elves weren't really big consumers of animal products.

"What are they made of?" I asked Sellaweyr.

"A special type of sap drawn from a special type of tree. When thickened and left to set, it adopts all the qualities of leather. Strong, durable, and good for fastenings without the need to harm animals," she explained.

"Huh. Might have to look into buying a few of those trees from you," I said, looking at the same rune on the top of the band that I couldn't read, but knew it was in Elvish.

"I'm afraid they need the energies of the Emerald Forests to be nurtured and grow properly," Sellaweyr sighed. "Or else I'd be shipping them to every kingdom in the realm to help protect our animal friends."

"Damn," I sighed, adjusting the straps on my gear for a tighter fit before inhaling loudly. "Right, where exactly do we need to go for this ruin?"

"I shall have one of the handmaidens guide you to a portal," Sellaweyr said with a kind tone. "Once you return, I'll have already set to repairing the sword with the rest of the court mages."

"Right. Let's get to work then," I nodded.

Once escorted and teleported, we found ourselves staring at a much larger building than I thought we were going to. The city we'd seen before had conjured images of simply tree huts or small white buildings... not the enormous fortress that stood before us, standing well over eight storeys tall, with double doors twice the size of Zane standing large and strong before us.

"Well... this is kind of terrifying," I said with a gentle nod.

The air suddenly went cold, our breath fogging upon exhaling for the briefest of moments as an ear-splitting groan of pain and agony broke the peaceful calm of the forest around us. Weapons were in hand and combat stances were taken immediately, squaring off with whatever was about to come and eat us, but the sound soon died down and the temperature returned to normal.

We stood in silence for a long moment, breath held and eyes hardened, still waiting for the attack as the temperature returned to normal. After a while, we relaxed, not sheathing our weapons, but lowering them slightly.

"Okay... now that was kind of terrifying," Zane stated, moving towards the door of the temple and putting a hand on it, soon hissing in pain and recoiling.

"What?" I asked, readying a combat stance once more.

"The door's fucking freezing," he said, shaking his hand off before looking at the frost-coated tips of his fingers. "It feels like pure ice."

"That's not normal," I stated, walking over to it and staring.

I picked up a small twig from the ground, pressing the broken tip of it against the door and watching as the cold began to creep up the entire length of the stick, freezing it solid up until I dropped it.

"That is not normal," I reaffirmed. "So... any ideas of how we're getting inside?"

"A few," Zane nodded, stepping back and looking at the enormous doors with his hands on his hips. "Do you have the wood chopping gloves on you?"

"Yeah, kept em just in case we started camping," I nodded, taking out a thick pair of leather mitts that we wore when cutting firewood to prevent hand shock.

I handed them to Zane, the larger man pulling them over his hands and cracking his knuckles.

"Right... here's hoping this doesn't kill me," he said, sticking his hands in the crack of the doorway and attempting to force them open.

The doors were beyond the imagination of human strength, but so was Zane. He had the strength of ten men, easily, and it seemed to be enough. With a mighty roar and an even mightier heave, he pried the doors open and threw them apart, his hands coated in ice thanks to whatever magic was on them, just in time for a blizzard to come billowing out of the ruins, the biting wind taking my breath away and the force of the snow sending me tumbling back.

Grael bit down on the scruff of my shirt soon before pinning me to the floor, using his warm, large body to keep me covered and protected, while Zane did a similar thing to Annerose, grabbing hold of her and using his larger form to take the brunt of the blizzard. The storm lasted for well over fifteen seconds, a screaming wind, snow sharp enough to cut, and a below-zero temperature that bit me through to my core, even with Grael's added warmth.

But just as soon as it began, the storm ended. The winds died away, the snow stopped falling, and the temperature of the forest returned to normal. After making sure we were all alive, Zane and Grael shook the snow off themselves, getting their charges back to their feet, and dusting us off.

"What the fuck?" Annerose asked, voicing the question on everyone's lips as we stared into the fortress.

The floor was coated with thick, undisturbed snow, the kind only seen on the peaks of mountains. The walls were coated with pure ice, hiding away the wooden interior and the beautiful carvings with a layer of unforgiving cold. The chill of the insides was nowhere near as bad as the blizzard, feeling maybe a degree or two above zero, but just cold enough to be unpleasant. I walked towards the fortress, noticing frozen figures inside the icy building, covered in snow.

"Be careful," Zane said, taking point and keeping his axe in hand as we all moved into the fortress.

He walked over to the first of the frozen figures, on their knees and seeming like they were cowering in fear of something. There were others, buried in the snow as they'd fallen over, all looking like they were scrambling for the doorway... trying to escape.

"This is horrible," Annerose said, wiping the snow off one of the frozen figures and staring at them, squinting hard to make our their features. "Richter... this is... this is a Nekomata."

"What?" I asked, hurrying over to the frozen being and staring at it, noticing the cat eyes and furred ears, even as obscured by ice as they were, they were still unmistakable.

"Check... check the other bodies..." I said to the others, waving a hand at a few of the other frozen corpses.

They did as I instructed, and the search all brought back the same thing: every single one of the bodies in here was a Nekomata. There wasn't a single Elf among any of them. The age was hard to determine, as Nekomata were extremely long-lived, going easily over one hundred and fifty years before they so much as started showing signs of age. But their clothing... it was all robes, and there were a lot of magical instruments on belts and in hands.

"Nekomata... mages?" I asked aloud. "In a frozen fortress... in the Forest of Eternal Summer... that belongs to a race that doesn't let a lot of outsiders in."

"That single statement brings up more questions than I could ever hope to answer," Grael said in a horrified manner.

"Something in here's gotta have answers," I said, pointing towards a snow-covered corridor to the right of us. "So let's go find 'em."

Chapter 74: A Frozen Land

I took a cursory glance at one of the Nekomata as I passed by, merely examining more of their clothing and pouches, before noticing something. The Nekomata my eyes landed on had two tails. I moved over to it, using the hilt of my sword to smash open the ice around it and look at the tails. They were narrow, lacking in a lot of fur, unlike normal Nekomata, and had a strange spike at the end of them, also something the usual kitty-cat-folk lacked.

"Zane, smash open another one of them and check for two tails," I said, the larger man doing as asked.

"Aren't we gonna try and thaw them out?" Annerose asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"No point," I shrugged. "They're all dead."

"But... aren't they just frozen?" she asked.

"Yup. And since they're frozen, they can't breathe," I said, smashing the rest of the ice off with my sword and beginning to examine the rigid body. "And since they can't breathe, they suffocate to death within a matter of minutes."

"Do they... do they feel it?" she questioned, looking at the Nekomata that was cowering in fear.

"I'd imagine so," I nodded. "If you're still conscious when you're frozen, it's not like your body stops working. You can't breathe and can't move, so you just suffocate and pass out, your brain becomes oxygen starved, and you die."

"That's horrible," Anne said in a terrified manner.

"There are worse ways to go. Drowning and suffocation are usually bad because you panic, but after you pass out, it's good and peaceful," I said, looking through the pouches on the Nekomata, a female's, belt and pulling out small, blue crystals. "I feel like the worst way to go would be getting set on fire."

"That one does indeed haunt me, too," Zane said, punching through the ice on one of the Nekomata and examining the spike-tipped two tails of them. "Yeah, this one's got two tails, as well."

"That's not right," I said, rolling the Nekomata I was handling over and noticing something else: the teeth.

The usual two fangs the Nekomata had as their incisors were missing. Not pulled out, literally the fangs just weren't there. Instead, the fangs were jutting up from the bottom of their jaws, much like a vampire fish. I got to my feet and stepped back, looking at the two uncovered corpses with sheer confusion.

"Something wrong?" Grael asked.

"These Nekomata aren't normal," I pointed out, using my middle finger to point at the one I'd pulled out of the ice. "The teeth are wrong, the tails are wrong, and the fur's wrong in some places too."

"Different breed?" Grael suggested.

"The only difference in breeds you get is skin colour and tail bushiness," I said with a shake of my head. "You get black Nekomata and you get white Nekomata with everything in between, colour-wise. You don't get ones with misplaced fangs, two tails, and barbs in them."

"So what are these things?" Annerose asked. "Some kind of experiment?"

"Maybe..." I said, pushing myself back to my feet and looking at the corridor. "We're not gonna find out standing around here."

"Agreed," Zane said, taking point once again and moving forwards.

The room only served to get colder as we got further away from the entrance, so it was no surprise that it dropped into minus numbers once we left the first chamber. Trying to keep my mind off the cold, I looked around at the scene before us. More of the frozen Nekomata littered the place, some clinging to walls, others lying on the floor, and even a few of them had been frozen in mid-sprint.

"What are you thinking, Richter?" Grael asked me, noticing the deducing I was doing.

"I think... I think they were caught in an explosion," I began. "And I think they knew it was coming."

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Look at the direction the ice has formed in," I said, pointing at one of the Nekomata. "Its completely smooth facing further into the fortress, but jagged and spikey towards the entrance. It means the initial impact hit them in the back. And look at the way some of them are sitting."

I pointed at two of them, both embracing one another as tightly as they could, both having the same 'blast' marks as the others.

"I've read about a lot of people being in situations like this, where they know they're going to die, and you see a lot of different reactions," I explained. "You get those that never give up hope of escape, the runners, those that let the grief and fear overwhelm them, the ones curled up on the floor, and those that use their last moments to share their love with one another."

I felt a small lump appear in my throat as I visualised what it must have been like to be any of these people. Death is a terrifying concept, no matter who you are, but there are preferred ways to meet it. If I was to die in any way, I'd want it to be a sword, a spike, or anything through the skull in battle, killing me instantly as soon as it hit. I'd hate to drown, I'd hate to burn alive...

And I'd hate to have to see my death approaching and knowing there was nothing to do about it.

"Hey," Grael said, rubbing his warm shoulder against me as he sensed the change in my emotion. "You're alright. You're alive."

"Yeah," I nodded with a heavy sigh. "I am."

"Do you think its safe to keep going in?" Annerose asked.

"Let's find out," I said, steeling myself, calming my nerves, and pushing forward.

As we went, there were more and more frozen corpses, numbering in the hundreds at this point, some wearing armour and clutching weapons. Not having them by their sides... but actually holding them out in offensive gestures, some of the warriors even appearing to be in mid-strike.

"Oh, that's not a good sign," I sighed, looking at one Nekomata clearly in the middle of swinging their shield.

"What?" Zane asked. "What's wrong?"

"These guys were fighting when the explosion happened," I said, gripping my sword tightly and looking around the area. "So if everything got frozen when the explosion went off-"

"-where are there opponents?" Zane finished off, gathering us all closer together and pushing forward. "Keep quiet and keep an ear out. I do not like this."

We pushed further into the fortress, coming to frozen, icy stairs that went down into the depths. After an agreement between us all, we forged on, descending the dangerous stairs and being careful not to slip and break our necks. There were a good number of Nekomata on the stairs as well, but their 'blast' marks were facing in different directions.

"The explosion was funnelled through all the tunnels," I said, noting the change in direction of the marks with the angle of the stairs. "It chased them all the way up this staircase."

"What the hell happened here then?" Zane asked.

"I wanna know as much as you do, buddy, believe me," I nodded, our feet touching down on a central chamber with something nobody was expecting to see: a portal.

It was a tear in the fabric of reality, swirling and pulsing with magic as cold air continued to pour through it, snow billowing in from what looked like a mountainside. It was cold and windy in here, reminiscent of the blizzard we'd face on the way in, but nowhere near as severe.

"Where do you think this goes to?" Grael asked, his fur allowing him to approach the portal without fear of freezing.

"If I had to guess... I'd say the Frozen North," I answered. "Past Winter's Maw... probably near the polar regions."

"Why would anyone open a portal there?" Annerose asked.

"No idea... but there is something wrong with it..." I said, glaring at the tear.

"What's that?"

"There's no caster to maintain the spell, and it isn't hooked up to any kind of crystal to keep it going," I said. "Portals need someone keeping them open and focused on the destination, or else they close. That's a fact."

"So... what... you think its not a portal?" Zane asked, as confused as I was.

"It's not a portal in the way they work here... but what is here?" I asked.

"What are you getting at?" Anne barked.

"It's a magical portal that doesn't conform to the rules of our... world. In an ancient ruin filled to the brim of Nekomata that don't exist in our... world. See what I'm getting at here?" I asked.

"You... you think it's a portal to another realm?" Annerose asked in disbelief. "That's not possible."

"Why not?" I questioned. "We all know the Goddesses disappeared thousands of years ago and went to another world... who can say we're not looking at it right now?"

"That... that seems like a bit far-fetched to be our first guess," Grael stated, as nervous and as uncomfortable as me.

"So then let's put the theory to the test," I said, pointing the tip of my sword at the portal. "Let's go through it."

"Are you insane?!" Grael exclaimed. "Who knows what could happen?!"

"Pretty sure someone said the same thing to the guy that went on to create ice-skating, Grael," I said with a determined glare. "Whether its magic, cooking, metalworking, swimming, or diving... there's always gotta be that one idiot that tries it first."

I began to walk towards the portal, feeling the biting chill of the wind coming through it, seeing more snow pile onto the ground around it, before Grael called out to me.

"This is a bad idea!"

"Have you met me?" I asked with a laugh. "I'm full of bad ideas."

And with that, I put a hand through the portal, immediately feeling the stinging cold on my finger tips as I pushed more and more of my body through it. It was an abhorrent feeling, like my entire body was being pulled apart without pain, but still having the sensation of organs and muscle tissue being torn like parchment. It made me want to vomit and cry at the same time, but still I kept pushing.

Before I knew it, I was through the portal and standing on a frozen mountain that overlooked a city with an enormous statue of what looked like a dragon, half-concealed in a cloud of snow... and by my feet were the corpses of so many Nekomata. Their bodies were frozen, not coated in ice like the others, but covered in snow. They hadn't begun decomposing, but in weather like this, that wasn't going to give me a time of death.

Sellaweyr had said the noises had only been happening for a few days, so I imagined the killings, the portal, and the explosion that froze the strange Nekomata hadn't happened too long ago. I looked at the bodies once more, seeing actual injuries on them. Axe marks, sword slashes, and arrow puncture points were all over the place. They'd been murdered, and since most of the injuries were in the back, it had been done while they were fleeing.

The Nekomata held no weapons nor did they have any sheaths, scabbards, or holding straps designed to carry weapons anywhere on their person, nor were they dressed in armour or holding any kind of magical weaponry. So from what I could see here... these were unarmoured, unarmed civilians attempting to run away who were mercilessly slain by a heavily-armoured force that gave chase. Those that didn't make it through the portal were murdered here, while those that escaped their pursuers were killed by the ice explosion.

What the hell was going on here?

I turned around to the others, seeing them standing by the portal with apprehensive looks. I offered them a smile and a chuckle, gesturing for them to follow me in.

"Come on in, the water's fine," I said, being jovial about the freezing cold before disaster struck.

With a sound akin to the tearing of fabric, the portal slammed itself closed, disappearing immediately without any time to even see it do so. Alarm shot through my, sheer panic rocketing head to toe as I realised what had just happened. It was made even worse my the splitting pain in my lower leg that was caused by a steel-head arrow puncturing it, fired from a ridge atop the mountain.

I was then violently grabbed from behind, flipped over and slammed onto my back, the wind being knocked out of me instantly as my sword went tumbling away. Before I could even clear the snow from my vision, I felt the cold steel of a knife being placed to my throat and the sound of a bowstring being drawn once more.

"Signal the commander," I heard a female voice say. "We've found something interesting."

"You think... it killed them all?" another woman asked.

"I know not," she said, digging the knife deeper into my neck. "But I'm eager to find out."

With that, she cocked her hand back and slammed the hilt of her knife into my temple, knocking me out instantly with a stab of pain and an ocean of blackness.

Chapter 75: The Goddess Illuminia

I awoke to a splash of freezing water in my face, an experience that was becoming too frequent nowadays, and gasped loudly. I tried my best to blink the moisture out of my eyes, unable to use my hands due to them being tied to my back with thick rope and chains, all the while being held up by two guards wearing armour I did not recognise. I eventually had enough of the water drip away to see where I was. The room was coated an icy white colour, with the hanging tapestries, long carpet that ran from the front to the back of the room, and the clothing of those gathered around being a stark white with highlights of blue.

I was violently gripped by the fringe, having my head yanked upwards by one of the guards and my visage presented to what appeared to be the ruler of these people.

"What is it, Your Grace?" they asked.

I locked eyes with the being sat on the throne ahead of me. It was female, that much was obvious, with cold, white eyes that lacked any kind of pupil, long white hair, and frozen blue skin, just visible under the high-necked robes she wore. A crown of what looked like pure ice sat atop her head, constantly emitting some kind of frost that swirled and drifted around her head.

"I do not know," she said in a clear, multi-layered voice, sounding as if several different people were speaking at once. "Where did you find it?"

"I can hear you, you know?" I asked in a bitter tone.

That response was met with a powerful thwack to the back of my head. After having been in this situation before and been there so recently, I may admit I lost my temper quite substantially. I rocketed my head sideways, headbutting the guard holding me in the face, causing the frost-coloured helmet he wore to clang loudly, something that hurt me plenty but also caused him to stagger.

After that, I tore myself away from the second guard and, using the only tool I had at my disposal, proceeded to kick them in the chest and send them sprawling to the floor. Their armour was light and they were lighter... something that only made it easier to kick them around. More came charging, this time with weapons drawn, and I knew I was in trouble. The scuffle was interrupted by the queen getting to her feet and waving her hand, ice walls erupting from the floor to prevent the guards from moving closer while an icy hand grabbed hold of me.

"How dare you assault my-" she began in a haughty tone before I cut her off.

"How dare I? How dare you!?"I roared, my voice lathered in fury and bitterness. "I come to this land from my own, offer no hostile actions or intent to harm, and yet your people attack me, chain me up, and present me as some kind of monster!"

"And yet you stand here attacking my men and presenting us as the hostile party?" she scoffed. "You were at the scene of a slaughter, we had our right to be suspicious."

"But where was your right to assault me without being provoked?!" I roared, teeth bared and eyes wild. "If you were to truly sit there as the morally superior party, you and your gang of archers would've stepped forward to question me about my involvement, but instead they immediately rushed to violence without so much as a question thrown my way as to who I was!"

"And who are you to pretend to know so much about the workings of law?" she demanded.

"I am Crown Prince Richter of the land of Equestria, and one of the Alicorn, a race of holy beings created by the Goddesses to protect and serve the people of my realm!" I growled. "Who are you to accuse me of a lack of knowledge?"

The look of fear on her face became evident instantly, eyes widening in shock and a hand clapping to her mouth to hide away a gasp.

"An... an Alicorn?" she asked, looking me up and down. "But you don't... you can't..."

Her mind seemed to work through what I'd said, using her own knowledge to piece together something and determine it as false. Her expression hardened once more as she glared at me, the icy hand gripping me squeezing tighter.

"There is no Equestria," she growled. "You not only murder refugees of my kingdom, but you also spread lies and falsehoods regarding this world's sworn protectors?"

Well... if I'd needed any more evidence that I was in another realm, the fact my homeland didn't exist appeared to check that box rather quickly. So this meant I was in a bad spot here. Not only were my friends not here with me, I was imprisoned, probably about to be executed for heresy, and had no chance of any of my family members teleporting in to save me.

It seemed like I was well and truly fucked here, as the Lady Luck of this world proved to be no lover of mine.

"An Alicorn?" came a female voice from behind me.

I wanted to turn and look, eager to see who was going to beat and harass me now, but the ice prevented me from seeing who was there. But from the loud and collective gasps, I imagined it was going to be somebody interesting.

"Mother Illuminia!" came the exclamation of admiration and terror.

Wait.

"The Great Goddess herself!" came another voice.

What?

"Let me see him," came the strong, commanding voice.

What?!

The ice hand dropped away, as did the walls of ice, allowing me to whirl around and lay eyes on who they spoke of. If there was ever a 'godly aura', this woman had it. She radiated a dim light, every inch of her body covered in the glowing aura, from her fingertips to the tip of her sword. She was an enormous woman, standing easily eight feet tall, with flowing blonde hair that fell out from underneath a helmet of a strange design, being a strange golden object with an elongated area for the jaw, a large gap down the front of the face, and open eyes instead of a visor. The strangest touch was the long... mohawk-esque thing atop the helmet that, an ivory white.

The rest of the armour was just as foreign to me, being an entire moulded breastplate seemingly made of gold, a long white cape, bracers and shin guards instead of gauntlets and boots, and... sandals.

What the fuck kind of warrior was she?

Her glowing yellow eyes looked down to me, making me feel even smaller than I usually did standing next to Celestia, who, standing next to this woman, felt like a candle next to a funeral pyre. She had snow white skin, almost blinding to look at when combined with the white and gold armour as well as the heavenly aura. She narrowed her eyes slightly, before darting a finger out faster than I could register, invading my mind rather thoroughly and seeming to look at everything from my birth to the last five minutes of my life.

Her face showed a mixture of emotions, each cycling through their time: nostalgia, disappointment, disgust, surprise, and eventually settled on a pitying expression, whether for me or for the fate of my people, I did not know.

"The boy will come with me," Illuminia said in a booming voice.

"Y-Yes, Your Holiness," the ice queen bowed, lowering her head and clapping a hand to her chest.

With that, Illuminia took hold of my shoulder and teleported us away from the snowy castle, dropping us in... a white void. With nothing. At all.

"You are a long way from home, boy," she said in a warmer tone, turning to me with her arms folded.

"That's an understatement," I said with a sigh. "Can you help me get home? Can you reopen the portal?"

Illuminia was silent for a long moment, her gaze dropping to the ground, before she looked at me with a hefty sigh.

"No," she answered, the response sending a shockwave through my very core.

"What? Why not?" I asked. "You're a Goddess, aren't you? Can't you do anything?"

"The power I possess is great, yes, but it is not enough to do anything," she sighed, looking into the white distance as she spoke. "The portal you came through was not something of our own creation, but instead a remnant of the jump we made from our home to this realm so long ago. It opens and closes as it pleases now, and we cannot control it. Believe me, we have tried."

"Why?" I asked.

"You noticed it yourself. It does not play by the rules of magic as we know it, it exists outside of anyone's ability to tamper with it, and we know not why," she explained. "We've gone so far as to warp reality around it, but have failed to open it ourselves every time."

"But... you said that it was made when you came here, right?" I asked. "You and the other Goddesses. So why can't you just jump me back?"

"The jump was made with every drop of power all thirteen of us poured into it, tearing open space in a way that has never been done before and has never been done since," she began. "It took all of our strength, but we succeeded. Once we arrived here, we rested for over three months in catatonic states, our bodies slowly refilling our magical powers before we awoke..."

"And... what, you vowed to never do it again?" I asked.

"Not quite. We have not contacted your world and its people for so long because we choose not to... we have not contacted it because we cannot," she sighed. "The portal you came through... rejects us. We cannot put an arm through it, nor can our voices be heard. We would have sent messages and love through it, if all we put through that carried our aura was not destroyed."

"That makes no sense," I said. "Could you send your own people through?"

"Yes... so long as they were not tasked with speaking of us," Illuminia explained. "We send envoy after envoy through, trying to carry messages, but once they stepped through the portal their memories were... wiped. They could not remember us, nor could they remember our words. Our gifts were destroyed upon leaving this world, even if they were words woven into clothing."

"Why? What could've caused it?" I asked, utterly confused by that.

"We have long since wondered that ourselves. We believe that it is either the two realms forcing themselves to keep their knowledge separate... or it is the actions of a higher power punishing us for abandoning our home. It is a matter still heavily debated to this day."

"And the huge jump?" I asked. "Couldn't you make that again?"

"We could if all thirteen of us were able to do it..." she said, nodding slowly. "But... one of us never woke up."

"You're not serious," I said in horror.

"She remained asleep, never rousing from her slumber," Illuminia explained. "And as I said... the jump took every drop of power from all of us. It is impossible to make with only twelve."

I felt sick to my stomach at this revelation. How could I get home? Was there anyway for me to leave this place? Was I ever going to see my family again? Grael, Zane, Anne... what were they going to do?

"Is there any way I can get home?" I asked her.

"Yes. The portal that you came through," she answered in a simple tone.

"But... you said it had closed," I pointed out.

"It has. But it often reopens, on a cycle actually," Illuminia clarified.

"And... what is that cycle?" I asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"During our attempts, we timed it to opening one every four hundred days for a period of around eight days," she explained. "A good window for a lot of attempts to cross through... but none of it worked for us."

"That's over a year..." I said in shaken disbelief. "I'm supposed to sit here for a whole year until that portal opens?"

"I'm afraid so, boy," she said with a reluctant nod. "But do not worry. You are one of our children. We shall look after you until it is your time to go home."

I felt sick to my stomach at this point, feeling winded by the prospect of having to wait so long to go home.

I sucked in a breath, steeling my nerves and looking at it objectively. It was over a year. Just one year. I was an immortal, years meant nothing to me, and the guarantee of returning home was there. It wasn't a 'you have a slight chance of this portal reopening if you do three hundred ridiculous tasks'. It was a matter of sitting on my ass for that period of time until I went home. Just like a long-distance voyage. I would make it home. I would see my family again. I was just on vacation right now, plain and simple.

A smile crept onto my lips as I exhaled slowly, that knot in my stomach disappearing as a sense of relief washed over mer.

"Are you feeling better?" Illuminia asked.

"Yeah... just rationalising with myself," I said with a nod. "Do... do you mind if we go back to the mountain? I need to pick up my sword... that is, if the Elves didn't steal it."

Chapter 76: The Sisters

"Richter..." Illuminia sighed, watching me as I picked up my discarded sword and shield, wiping the snow off of them and drying them on my shirt.

I didn't answer her at first, too busy staring at the space in the air where the portal had been, a sense of guilt and sadness rolling over me.

"Richter," Illuminia said again, walking over and placing a large hand on my shoulder. "Will you be okay?"

I sucked in another breath, shaking my head, and turning around with a smile, trying to remind myself that this was temporary.

"Of course. I'm just on a slightly-irresponsible vacation, is all," I chuckled, meeting her golden eyes. "So until it's time for me to go home, I'd better enjoy my time here, right?"

Illuminia smiled quietly, seemingly happy with the fact I'd not lost hope in the face of being away from home for a year and a half. Her eyes were cast down to the sword I was holding, her head cocking and her eyes narrowing in a questioning glance.

"May I?" she asked.

"Sure thing," I nodded, handing her the longsword without hesitation.

She took it in her hands, the weapon being rather small for a woman of her stature, but she seemed to admire it nonetheless. She looked it over, tapping the pommel with a fingertip, examining the crossguard with an amused smile, and eventually looking at the blue steel of the blade.

"This is not a metal native to your world," she said. "You've forayed into the demon realms?"

"I haven't, but I imagine my family has," I shrugged. "I've heard it became standard for Alicorn weapons to be made of Kairosteel."

"Hm. I would say it is good that you continued to develop after we left..." she said, her tone becoming much more sombre as she spoke. "But that isn't entirely true, is it?"

"No. We all burned out in one way or another..." I nodded, taking the sword back and sheathing it as she handed it to me.

"I also noticed it has lead to some... uncouth relationships," she stated, clearly having dabbled into memories of rather raunchy things while in my head.

"I... well..." I said, feeling a little nervous about her judgement of our actions.

"I suppose I cannot blame you. The first breed of Alicorn were created with a procreation instinct," she nodded slowly. "I honestly should've expected this would occur if your numbers became too low."

"Instinct?" I asked.

"Yes, with Alicorn being a small number at first and an immortal race, we designed an instinct that would make you more inclined to pursue sexual relationships with your own kind," she explained. "It was put in place to prevent an Alicorn ageing past the interest in sex or curbing their desires due to them wanting to focus on other things besides raising children."

"I think... I think that's happened to me," I nodded.

"Oh, it has. In your... interactions with your mother and aunt, the increased semen production and the 'mental haze' you experience is designed to make impregnation guaranteed should you ejaculate inside a female Alicorn's womb, and the mental haze is to keep you focused on finishing while ignoring a lot of outside stimuli. We made a race destined to be politicians, so we were aware of the distractions that would come with that. So we created what was basically a temporary 'rut' and 'heat' effect on an Alicorn whenever you're engaged in sexual intercourse with another of your kind."

"So... we're not being cursed for the, uh, uncouth stuff?" I asked.

"No, as becoming angry at you for it would be the same as becoming enraged at starving animals eating all the food in a larder when you put them in there yourself," she said with a shake of her head, her long, blonde hair tumbling slightly as she did so. "It was through a lack of foresight of our own that this happened, and you are only doing what is natural."

"Thanks... I guess..." I said.

"But since we've been here to grow and nurture the second breed of Alicorn, we've never let them become underpopulated enough to, how shall I say, follow suit with their older cousins," she said.

"Wait, second breed?" I asked in shock. "There are more Alicorn here?"

"Certainly. My sisters and I view the Alicorn as the pinnacle of our creations, so when we came to this world, the first thing we did was create a new group of them, established them as rulers of the new kingdoms we created, and continued building from there," she explained. "In the time since their creation, we've had a lot of chances to work on and improve the Alicorn, presenting our wish to change them to each one and asking them to accept. They do willingly, and we feel the changes have only served to improve them."

"Such as?" I asked.

"Well, one of the major changes we made within a few hundred years of their creation was their fertility," she began. "In a world where the Alicorn integrated so heavily with other species, we felt it a little unfair for those that settled down with men and women not of their own race, that they should never bear children," she said. "So, we adapted them to make them able to bear children with nearly every race in the realm."

"Oof. I think I'd be in deep trouble if I had that ability," I said, a terrified feeling washing over me as I remembered all the women I'd creamed in my life.

"I am aware," she nodded, her mind also having all of my sexual escapades in it. "Though, on the topic of your differences to other Alicorn... would you like me to examine your magical lock?"

My eyes widened in shock, having been used to being powerless for so long that I barely ever thought about it.

"Uh, yes, please," I nodded.

Illuminia placed another hand to my forehead, her large fingers being as soft as they were warm, while she fell silent and seemed to work for a long moment. I wondered exactly what kind of strength I'd unlock from this little treatment, how quick I'd pick up on magical abilities, and just how much power I really had at my fingerti-

"Impossible..." she said in a shocked tone.

Or not.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"This seal... it's beyond anything I've ever seen before," she blinked, stepping back and looking at me. "I can sense the second soul attached to your own, his soul, and I can clearly see the lock he has placed on you... but I cannot unlock it, no matter how hard I try."

"But... aren't you a goddess?" I asked. "Aren't you supposed to be an all-powerful magic being that can will anything into existence?"

"Yes, but it isn't that simple. Magic isn't simply a force that responds to basic concepts and urges. It's an extremely precise art, almost a science, that requires every single thing you wish a spell to do to be outlined and listed before you use it. One simply cannot think 'fire' and then throw a ball of fire. You must first create the parameters: what kind of fire, how you wish it to be shaped, how hot you wish it to be, and all the other properties of such a spell," she explained.

"So... what does that have to do with the seal?" I asked.

"The seal itself has that same list of properties... but the list of things that aren't working is staggering," she went on. "Often times the greatest way to slip past a defensive spell is to target a factor the caster did not think of. If a ward is immune to all fire, that does not mean the person is protected from heat, merely that a stream of fire cannot mark their skin. They can still sweat, can still become dehydrated. Exploitation rather than overpowering is the key to overcoming defensive magic..."

"But?"

"But this seal appears to be immune to everything I've thrown at it," she said, shaking her head and looking over her shoulder. "Arragaithel has come up with a shield that appears to be truly impenetrable... even by myself."

"What about the other Goddesses?" I asked. "Can't they do anything?"

"They may be able to think of something I have not, and that's the only hope we have... but if they cannot out-fox this seal's defenses... then I fear it may never be lifted," she said. "I... I am deeply sorry."

"Don't..." I began, burying the excitement and hope I'd felt moments earlier. "Don't worry about it. I've lasted this long without it, and I'll keep going without it if I have to. Gotta think positive, gotta think objectively."

"As you say," she nodded. "Do you wish to consult them, in case there is a chance?"

I thought quietly for a long moment, weighing up the options. I could say no and prevent myself from further disappointment. But at the same time, I could say yes just to see, but not expect anything. That way if I wasn't able to have my magic unlocked, I hadn't gotten my hopes up. But if I was, well, then I was pleasantly surprised.

"Sure... it can't hurt," I smiled, getting a gentle smile from the Goddess in response.

"Then we shall visit the Council Chamber to see if any of my sisters are available," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder and teleporting us there.

The world faded to white once more, then reappearing in a circular stone area surrounded by enormous waterfalls. The air temperature was still a little chilly, but nowhere near as bad as the mountain. The waterfalls were miles away, so what should've been a deafening roar of water was a rather pleasant rumbling sound in the distance, allowing me to relax and enjoy the ambient sound.

I looked around, seeing thirteen thrones set in the stone circles, each marked with a different symbol. I noticed that only three of them were filled, one with a woman reading, another sharpening a sword, and the third and final one appearing to be asleep.

"Sisters, I have need of your council," Illuminia called to them, getting their attention immediately.

The one reading, a woman the same height as Illuminia with long, flowing white robes, brunette hair, bright green eyes, and a buxom figure to rival Celestia glanced over to Illuminia... and then immediately locked onto me. She gasped loudly, tossing her book aside and bolting over to me, grabbing me in an embrace so tight that she nearly shattered my ribs, squeezing me into her enormous breasts and almost suffocating me.

She set me back down after her sister tapped her on the shoulder, signalling to let me live, before stepping back, keeping her eyes on me at all times and her hands on my shoulder. Her smile was warm, loving, and motherly... and something about the way she smelled and the way she simply... was kicked off a breeding instinct in me that made my dick harden within a matter of seconds.

"You... you're an Alicorn, aren't you?" she asked in a floaty, airy voice.

I couldn't really remember my own name at this point, my head swarming with a mix of confusion, arousal, and desperation just to hump the beautiful woman in front of me. I could feel my eyes sparking up in the same way they would glow when having sex with other Alicorn, that same swampy, mental impairment spilling over my entire body as my lust continued to skyrocket.

"Umbrya," Illuminia said. "Would you mind calming down a little? You're melting the boy's mind."

The brunette looked between her sister and myself with a pondering expression, only for cold realisation to hit her, an awkward blush and a giggle sounding as she caught herself. She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly and, as she did so, I felt the lust and breeding desire melt away like ice in front of a jet of flame. My cock softened rapidly, my eyes returned to their normal brightness, and I could once again speak without tripping over my tongue.

"What... what was that?" I asked, breathing deep and slowly.

"Umbrya if who you worshipped as the Mother of Fertility," Illuminia said. "She often graces weddings and marriage ceremonies and emits a rather strong... consummation effect on the bride and groom. This wouldn't be much of an issue if the poor girl could control the output of that desire wave, but she often gets excited meeting new people and... lets it slip."

"My apologies," Umbrya said, standing up straight and smoothing the creases out of her robes, allowing them to tightly hug her enormous breasts once again. "I should have it in check after all these years... but what can you do?"

"It's nice to meet you," I said, holding out my hand for her to shake. "I'm Richter. And yes, I'm an Alicorn."

"That's one of the older ones, right?" the woman sharpening her sword called over as Umbrya shook my hand, not looking up from her task. "What's he doing here?"

The woman sharpening her weapon was a dark-skinned giant with fiery red and yellow hair, musclebound and extremely fierce, even moreso than Luna was. She wore sparse, yet strong-looking armour, being mostly a breast plate, bracers, and greaves, all seemingly to show off her large muscles, shredded abdomen, and tough exterior.

Good Gods, I wanted this woman to crush me between her thighs...

"A small accident with the remnant tear brought him here," Illuminia explained to her other sister.

"And he's stuck here until it opens again?" she asked.

"Correct," Illuminia nodded, turning back to me. "This is Lillidia. She's our War Goddesses that watches over all conflicts and makes sure they're as just as they should be. If a side begins committing atrocities, she'll step in and end it herself."

Please end me, strong woman.

"Then I suppose I best introduce myself, shouldn't I?" said the third woman, the one who had been asleep.

She had long, dark green hair, matching her the colour of her dress, something that I could only describe as a... leaf-styled cheongsam, something that held and marked her distinct curvature rather nicely... but she didn't hold a candle to Mrs Hips, Thighs, and Tits that was Umbrya, who had now recalled her book and held it in her hand as her green-haired sister made her way over to me.

I took her hand as she offered it to me, shaking it firmly as she smiled kindly. They all seemed really nice so far. Well, Lillidia seemed a bit rough around the edges, but a lot of the combat-obsessed people I'd met often were.

"This is Senara," Illuminia introduced. "Mother of Seasons."

I wondered where the other ten sisters were, and if they were going to pop in at any moment, but Illuminia brought the topic back to why we were here. She explained my struggles with magic, the block that Arragaithel had placed on me, and how I'd like to help them remove it.

Umbrya seemed to focus on something else for the time being.

"You were created in such an unnatural way?" she asked in an almost-horrified expression. "Goodness, that won't do. Is there not any other way you can produce Alicorn?"

"I... well..." I began, not willing to bring up the ince-"

"Now wait a moment... you were born from the womb of your mother," she pointed out. "She's an Alicorn... you should breed her when you get home!"

"Umbrya!" Illuminia exclaimed in a disgusted tone.

"I know it's a little irregular for how we planned them to survive, but if these strange DNA-infusion births risk damaging an Alicorn as much as it has Richter, then I simply cannot sit by and allow our race to be corrupted like this," Umbrya said, crossing her arms. "While in any other circumstances, I'd wish to avoid inbreeding, Richter is the only male of his kind left in that realm, and the only other female Alicorn is his own mother."

"Actually... there are two other purebred Alicorn," I pointed out. "Celestia and Luna..."

"Then you should breed them, too," Umbrya nodded. "As unnatural as it is, Alicorn do not suffer from weak genetics of any form, something that inbreeding only compounds on. An inbred Alicorn will not only be born without any genetic defects, but also they'll be purebred with none of the problems Richter's genetics have caused him. The only issue surrounding it is the social stigma or the females being unwilling to breed with him."

"I... I don't see a problem with the latter," Illuminia sighed. "Richter and his female family... his mother particularly are very... intimate."

While the other two Goddesses displayed a rather apprehensive look, a wide smile spread onto Umbrya's face as she pressed her hands to her chests in an charmed gesture.

"The most loving bond in the world... it seems only natural, does it not?" she asked.

"I don't see how a son ploughing his mother is anything natural," Lillidia said with a shrug. "But share your depraved theory like I know you're going to."

"Well, a marriage is not bound by blood and the two have not grown together, they are only family through law. Siblings do not share this bond as, while they grow together, their is no dependence that breeds attachment between them. Father and daughter, the only other relationship that comes close, but the father does not have the bond with the child formed through pregnancy, nor does the daughter have the bond formed through nursing, as the father doesn't perform this task," Umbrya explained, Lillidia rolling her eyes as her sister spoke. "But a mother and son... their bond is formed from birth, through carrying, through nursing, and through the raising of the child. They share a closeness unlike any other that no other relationship in the world can even hold a candle to. That is why I feel the kind of love Richter shares with his own mother is nothing more than a welcome extension to a relationship already closer than marriage."

"There is... logic in what she says..." Illuminia said after a moment's silence. "I don't agree with it, but it certainly is there."

"Getting back on topic and away from Umbrya's incest fetish," Lillidia said sheathing her sharpened sword and setting it down by her feet. "How do you think we can fix the boy's magic?"

"Personally, I do not think we can," Illuminia sighed. "I have tried all I can think of, but perhaps one of you may think of more?"

"Don't ask Illuminia," Lillidia said, casting a glare at her sister. "She'll probably try to tell you that rubbing his face into his mother's vagina is the key because of some stupid reason."

"Look, you have the right to not agree with me, but just because my viewpoint is different than yours, doesn't give you the right to insult me for having it," Umbrya growled.

"But the fact your viewpoint is fucking stupid gives me a written slip to bully you for it," Lillidia growled.

"Sisters, please, can we at least try to appear civil in front of our guest?" Illuminia asked. "Do you believe there's anything you can do?"

"Let me take a look," Lillidia nodded, getting up and walking over to me. "I'm gonna take a look at the other memories to see if there's some kind of hint in them."

She did as Illuminia had done before, pressing her fingers to my head and using her magic to explore my mind. She flicked through most of my own life, going through a lot of the training with Luna and the fighting... before I felt her stop on a rather specific moment in my life: the time I'd fucked Twilight in Beaumont. I noticed her lip curl slightly, as well as a faint blush appear on her cheeks and a slow, ragged sigh of sexual frustration.

"Fuck..." she muttered under her breath. "You nearly broke her in half..."

"Lissidia!" Illuminia snapped angrily. "Do not pry into the boy's life anymore than you need to!"

"Yeah, yeah, but..." she said, shivering slightly as she got to the memory of the recent threesome with Luna and Cadance. "Unf... you really know how to give it, don't you?"

Illuminia grabbed her sister's wrist, pulling her hand away from my head and putting her face a threatening distance away from the War Goddess'.

"I have told you already: do not violate the boy's privacy," she snarled. "If you cannot follow such a simple request, then return to your seat and allow the others a chance to help."

Lillidia snatched her arm away, glaring at her sister before storming back to her seat. She sat down in a huff, twitching and fidgeting as she'd clearly given herself 'the horn', as it were, viewing my sexual memories and was now a little pent up.

"I'll assist," Umbrya said, walking over to me and placing her hand on my head, skipping straight to the seal and seemingly working through her own checklist of things to try.

Her lips pursed, a look of determination flashing onto her beautiful features for the shortest of moments, before it faded away to a sigh of defeat. She opened her eyes and looked at me, a short moment passing before I heard her voice in my head.

"May I view the memories of you and your mother's love?" she asked in as polite a tone as someone could ask while wanting to voyeur on incestuous sex.

"Uh... go right ahead..." I thought back, soon feeling her go through the multiple occurrences where I'd had sex with Cadance, Umbrya seeming to adore the first time in Winter's Maw the most, her expression showing one of content and adoration for the love between us.

Her eyes focused back on my for a brief moment, her voice sounding inside my skull once more as she made a rather surprising offer.

"Once Illuminia has left you, I shall come to you," she said in a giggling tone. "I am very interested in experiencing the love you have given your mother... would you mind spending the night with me?"

"Not at all, Your Holiness," I answered, not even trying to hide my desperation to ream her.

"Then I shall wait for my sister to return without you. I hope I am to your liking," she said, nodding her head and walking away.

"Nothing?" Illuminia asked.

"Not at all," she sighed, sitting in her throne and crossing her thick thighs over. "I fear none of us will crack it."

"Do you wish for Sensara to try?"" Illuminia asked.

"No... I don't think it's gonna work," I said with a shake of my head, wanting to end this partly because I felt the effort was entirely futile and mostly because I wanted my cock inside Umbrya as fast as possible. "Thanks for trying, though."

"You're very welcome, Richter..." Illuminia sighed, pursing her lips and thinking. "Now. I suppose we'll have to find you some lodgings for your irresponsible vacation, won't we? Do you have any kind of place you'd like to live in mind?"

I figured 'between your sister's thighs' was not a good answer, so I said a nice, small house would do me just fine.

About as well as your sister was going to do me tonight.

Chapter 77: New Neighbours