Corruption of Souls

Ch.44

You are now Urta, a gray fox hermaphrodite that was a pariah from birth. Born a herm in a land besieged by lust demons, you were considered a curse on your family. You grew up ostracized by your peers, reviled by your parents and other adults. You found love wherever you could, usually in the bosom of a comely wench and eventually in the passionate throes of wild sex with your childhood friend Edryn.

Until nearly a year ago, you’d fought and bled for every inch of respect you could get from the people who despised you. You became the greatest warrior of your people, unbeatable in duels and a well-known alcoholic with a right hook so hard you’ve lost count of the teeth you’ve collected in your bedside drawer as souvenirs of bar brawls.

Now though, you’ve given up on that loveless life. You’ve left behind a home without hope, without meaningful reward for your sacrifices, for the tender embrace of a Goddess and her harem, who have all grown close to your lonely heart.

You quest in her name, going forth to-. “Why are you monologuing?” Briallia asked, ruining my good mood.

“Damn it Bree! I was just getting into the mood!” I complained, hitting the top of Bree’s shoulder with no effect despite my incredible strength.

“But why? Are you writing an adventure novel?” Walter asked from Bree’s other shoulder. “I mean, you’re an interesting woman, but it isn’t very attractive to talk about yourself in second-person, it’s confusing.”

“Who asked you mouse-boy? I’m just trying to psyche myself up here.” I grumbled. Bree had casually walked southwest for a couple of days now and as we went, I saw the land change in ways I never imagined before, desert being all I’ve known. The Everfree gave way to rolling plains, then arid badlands, then it became an arid grassland, then we hit a forest so thick and abrupt it was shocking. This was Rodenas.

As we moved through this dark and heavily overgrown land, Due to Bree’s height, I could see odd white mist deeper in the trees. There were red and blue lights glowing here and there off the beaten path. Where the red was, the forest was cut and destroyed. The blue seemed to be lanterns clearing the roads. I could also see ruins that I couldn’t possibly know the history of. I’m a warrior, not a scholar.

That said, we’ve only properly been in Rodenas for the past day. Indeed, I could see why Bree didn’t like it. It was oddly muggy for a forest that wasn’t tropical and the trees were practically woven together. I’m surprised nothing’s caught fire. “How did your people even manage to make these roads?” I asked our guide who was pointing out the roads leading towards his village.

“Those blue lights. They’re lanterns filled with an alchemical incense that the spirits of the forest hate. It keeps them from encroaching on cleared ground. It’s also nice the incense is mineral based and doesn’t need to be burned to release it’s scent, so they last several years before needing replacement.” Walter explained helpfully.

“What about those red lights?” Bree asked curiously as she ducked under a reaching branch on the path. Walter and I had to grab onto her head to stay stable in our seats.

“Hell Demons. They came out of nowhere one day. The Lust Demons, dangerous and cruel they may be, they at least tend to leave you alive once they’ve had some fun and don’t want to bother making you a pet. They were even willing to barter and make deals for our safety in exchange for services and goods. One day, the Lust Demons just left. No apparent reason. We rejoiced for a short time, thinking we were free of their tyranny. Only, they were the lesser of two evils. At least the Lust Demons don’t eat us.” Walter seethed and I winced.

“Oh.” That is just messed up. Hell only seemed to be a nuisance back when I guarded Tel’Adre. The only bad ones were those big red ones. We couldn’t take them out directly, but the defences of the towers kept them at bay. It would seem this was a small invasion however. “You lot aren’t fighters huh?”

“What gave it away? The fact I’m barely 4 feet tall? That I have the muscles of your species’ teenagers even though I’m an adult? No, we’re not fighters. We’re clever sneaks, thieves, assassins maybe. We can’t do much of anything in a straight fight. We’ve always relied on our thick forests and our bargains with the spirits for protection, but both have turned on us.” Walter groused, clearly unhappy with his people’s lot in life. I felt for him a bit. It takes a lot of work to establish yourself as the biggest, toughest bitch in the room when the average guard male is twice your size and three times your weight.

“How close are we to the Village?” Briallia asked as she began huffing, using her hands to smash intrusive branches starting to block the path.

“We’re getting close now. It looks like they’ve put out the lanterns here to start letting the forest grow a barrier around it, please don’t damage it more.” Walter requested and Briallia huffed, kneeling down and letting us off her shoulders, crawling behind us as we walked onward. “As soon as we get in, please use that portal you brought to evacuate them. Nowhere in this place is safe from the demons and the angry forest spirits.”

“Got it.” I hefted my halberd warily as I kept alert, looking around constantly. “Is it always this quiet? I didn’t notice before thanks to Bree’s heavy pawsteps and how high up we were, but there’s no noise unlike in the Everfree.”

“Not normally.” Walter replied, pulling out two viciously curved daggers from his belt just in time for a gurgling howl to come from the trees. To the right the thick foliage and branches snapped as 6 Hell Imps burst through. They charged, not giving us a moment to properly respond aside from Briallia managing to cast her shield spell on herself since she couldn’t move in this thicket.

“Hmph, please.” I snorted, letting the four that came at me approach, only to lunge and sweep the shaft of my new halberd under their legs, throwing them to the dirt and in the same motion, spun around and followed up by planting the spike on the pommel of my weapon into the chest of my first victim, even as it’s brethren scrambled to their feet. My response was to punch the one on the left in the face, while kicking the one on the right in the groin with my metal boot-covered right paw at the same time.

I had to jump back, my halberd squelching out of the dead imp as I retreated and thrust the haft of my weapon into the throat of the leaping fourth demon, making it choke before I headbutt it, my armored snout stabbing into its eye. I shoved it off and blocked a wild swing from the left as I kicked the one on the right in the shin. I hooked the axe of my halberd on the ankle of the left one, yanked out from under it and stabbed it in the abdomen with the long spike while grabbing the last imp by the throat with my right hand, lifting it off the ground with ease.

“Huh...you lot used to be much more dangerous.” I mused to the snarling and spitting demon feebly scratching at my armored form until I crushed it’s throat with my hand and let it drop to the dirt with a gurgle. “Hot Damn am I strong now.”

“That would’ve gone quicker if you had a hammer or something less complicated.” Walter commented, drawing my attention to where he was sitting on one of his two victims, both having a couple of gaping stab wounds in their torsos. Pfft, not being fighters, as if. You suck at lying mouse-boy. I’ve seen veteran warriors have issues with a single imp and you just dealt with two.

“I like complicated things.” I huffed, wiping at some of the scalding hot blood on my visor. Woo, I feel such a high right now. “I wouldn’t be in a relationship with a goddess and her harem if I didn’t.” I commented before moving onward. “Come on then. If they’re here, then your village might already be lost.” My tail wagged and puffed up as my adrenaline high didn’t drop off. Instead, it seemed to keep going, a tingling zip of energy coursing through me. Almost like when I-.

“Don’t even joke about that.” Walter growled, rushing on ahead as Briallia whined and managed to crawl after us into the thickening and narrowing path.

“You okay Bree?” I asked the Sphinx as we slowly reached a group of tightly packed wooden huts built over the stone ruins of some older civilization, even using the half-buried buildings as basements of sorts.

“I’ll be better once we’re not surrounded by these rude trees.” Briallia huffed, squeezing through the tightly meshed branches. “Ouch! Not fair.” Briallia huffed as she squeezed her ass through. I noticed oddly that the branches seemed like hands grabbing her butt, but I figured that might just be my perverted nature fooling my eyes. Mrr~ I feel so hyped right now! I could practically feel my balls gurgling with my steaming hot glowing turquoise seed like back in-.

“Amily! Jojo! Rathazul! I’ve returned with help!” Walter called into the press of buildings, which was more or less just over a dozen all packed together with a single road running through. The only reason this place wasn’t claimed by the encroaching forest was likely the blue lanterns.

“Thank goodness.” An elderly gray rat with billowing robes and a cane wheezed as he exited the largest building in the small village. He hurried towards us as fast as his feeble body could, but likely all that kept him upright was his cane and the helping hand of the white-furred wiry young monk at his side. “Walter. You’ve been gone for weeks. We thought you were dead.”

“I’m sorry Elder Rathazul, but it was a long way to Equestria, even longer still to find my way to the heart of their land and find the Princess.” Walter then looked to the blue-robed monk. “Jojo, where’s Amily?”

“She’s resting. She had to fight off another group of shamblers that came from the direction of Rodentia.” Jojo morosely stated. “We couldn’t engage them in melee for obvious reasons, so she nearly collapsed her lungs working herself to death with her blowpipe.”

“She’s fine. Now where’s the army? The Princess? I see a big cat lady who can barely move in our lands and this knight, but no force of soldiers or a goddess.” Rathazul pestered and I fished out the portal beacon from my hefty tits. Mm~ that felt good...

“I’m it, but I have a portal beacon here to evacuate your village to Wiatr’s town; Unity. Gather up the residents and their worldly goods, I’ll get them to safety.” I assured, tossing the stone egg-shaped beacon in my hand before putting it back in my cleavage and enjoying how oddly sensitive my new bigger boobs were right now.

“Good News Everyone! Get your things!” Rathazul declared towards the village as he scampered with aid back towards his home. “We are going to a possibly hostile, but hopefully not, land full of ponies that have been fighting off the Lust demons! Also, it would be advisable to leave all your stuff and just pack light. Amily! Load my cart!”

“Thank you for this. Even if the rest of Rodena is lost, at least our people will live on.” Walter said as I noticed red eyes shining in the forest, though they didn’t seem to be a demon.

“Okay, when I enter start the song.” I flicked my ears, what about a song? “What do you mean you forgot the song? Screw it, just screw it! Just take my phone and hit random! No just hit random! Okay, Three, Two-.” The branches hiding the body of the glowing eyes exploded violently, revealing a red trench-coated white-pelted thestral stallion with a black mane.

“I’m a bitch! I’m a lover, I’m a child! I’m a mother, I’m a sinner, I’m a saint~!”

“No okay turn it off! Turn it off.” The music stopped. “It didn’t work. It did not work.” The thestral groused in mixed disappointment and amusement.

“Following your example.” Snarked a busty thestral mare of similar colors to him in good humor. Unlike him, she wore military-style green fatigues that did nothing to hide her delicious figure.

“Oh~! Catty!” He responded with a chuckle to his companion as he took a fancy cell phone from her.

“Okay? Who are they?” I asked Walter while Bree finally got out of the trees as I clutched my halberd tighter.

“Oh, that’s Alucard and Seras, the local vampire ancients. No big deal, they’re okay people if eccentric.” Walter shrugged, completely unsurprised. “They mostly stay in the cities fighting off the ghosts. They call it training?”

“Is that your way of saying your lords and saviors are impulsive dipshits?” Seras chuckled as the two vampires, whatever those are, approached. The mare was incredibly busty with K-cup basketballs in that rugged pocketed shirt. I felt that she was much stronger than she looked, the same for her male companion.

“Okay, so what’s up with you two? Are you repelling the demons or something?” I asked them before we heard mousy screams from the distance as the villagers argued on what to bring.

“You’re a mouthy one. They tend to be the best drinks and the best lays.” Alucard chuckled darkly, making me feel shivers down my spine at his admittedly delicious voice. “As for protecting these little rodents, yes. They’ve been good neighbors to me and mine. I overheard you were helping them relocate?”

“Yes.” I nodded firmly, ignoring how this total stud made my body tingle just by looking at me. Maybe before I got back together with Sabrina and pulled into the incredible insanity that is Wiatr’s harem I’d give in, but I’d rather save my carnal desires for them than to waste it on someone I might only meet once.

“Then We’re coming along. I’m afraid this old place has gone to seed and Hellspawn blood tastes like concentrated vinegar hot sauce.” Alucard snorted in disdain. “Their magic may boost us since we’re godless monsters, but their fire burns even hotter on our Undead flesh. Oh and my pet cat-boy wants more branches and less thorns.” Um, what? Where is this cat-boy?

“Master, please don’t bring up that irreverent little shit!” Seras huffed. “Besides, it’s not like anyplace besides Rodenas or Roamanea would tolerate life drinkers.”

“Oh, does Fraulein not like me?” A playful heavily accented male voice asked from the trees. “But you flashed me just the other day~.”

“Leave and take your legion of cats with you!” Sera barked at the trees as mews sounded out in protest. “I don’t care if you saved them from a giant corrupted forest siren! They’re creepy!”

“Worry not Seras. Princess Luna is an old acquaintance. I’m certain I can arrange something.” Alucard stated with certainty. Good god his voice is like sex for the ears! No wonder Willow waxed poetic about some friend of her former Goddess with what must be a similar voice.

“We are ready!” Rathazul’s voice drew my attention back towards the rest of the town and I blinked at seeing whole hand carts loaded up with furniture, food, random things. Overall, there had to be at least 20 people with their lives on their backs and in their carts. Didn’t the old one say pack light? “We’ve got only the essentials! The family heirlooms, preserved foods, the kitchen sink-.”

“Okay, wow. You’re fast. I figured I would have to fight more demons.” I looked around, ears perked. “I Said. I would have to fight More Demons!” I declared, trying to trigger the God of Cruelty, Murphy. Killing those demons back there got my motor going and I want more before I leave! “...No? No more fighting?” ...Apparently not. “Fine. Let’s just get you guys to safety.” I pulled the portal beacon out of my cleavage and tossed it on the ground against a wall. Shortly a portal opened and the refugees began pouring into it. “Well, this adventure was short lived.”

“Sorry. We killed the other demons that were nearby. Did you want to fight more of them?” Seras apologized with honest embarrassment and I had to chuckle at her earnest behavior.

“Yes actually. I’m a bit of a battle junkie and for some reason demons just...mrr~.” I purred and ran my hands up and down my cuirass, the busty thestral blushed hotly at understanding me. “This trip was incredibly smooth. Aside from those imps, nothing else attacked us. It was just travel, camp, repeat.” I shrugged at the two vampires. “Oh well, no point looking a gift mule in the mouth.” Though I really want another fight! ...Damn it Murphy! You cuckolding bastard!

“Ah, I guess it’s time to see this new home.” Alucard said as he cracked his...everything. “I wonder if Lulu remembers that fateful meeting under the moonlight? When she found the Painting?” Alucard chuckled as he entered the portal with the rats and mice.

“I’ll try my best to keep him from causing trouble, but Master has been uncontrollable since Sir Integra released him from service and let him leave Cainhurst.” Seras apologized before looking me up and down. I smirked and leaned against my halberd, running a hand up my armored thigh as she licked her lips and her wings stiffened. “Hey, um. Would it be okay if-.”

“Just ask, anytime babe.” I lustily growled and the busty thestral grinned ferally, her elongated fangs cutely outlining her chin like a changeling does.

“I just might. I’ll also be busy making trips to Cainhurst to Sir Integra. She must be lonely with just Walter tending her.” Seras muttered before going through the portal and my lust ebbed enough at realizing the hot mare and her studly companion might be more than just sexy bat-ponies.

“Sir Integra? Cainhurst?” I’m not well-versed in politics, but those sounded important. “What trouble have I brought to my mates?” I groaned as Briallia crawled towards the thankfully large portal. I watched as she put her backpack through first, then squeezed in, but her ass got stuck for a moment. I was worried I’d have to push and risk her massive muff before she popped her hips and butt through.

That done, I looked around, shrugged, then walked through the portal, grabbing the beacon and pulling it through which closed the portal. Back in Unity now, the task of welcoming refugees fell to the guards thankfully. I shuddered with carnal hunger and strutted towards my mate’s home, which was my home too. I hope someone is ready to fuck because I sure am!