The Restless Gods
Chapter 8: Deadly Rath

By Bernie

From the words of Karyn,
We have been wandering aimlessly for days, my amulet providing nothing but a vague direction that we hope will lead us to the discovery of our next altar.  It is extremely frustrating to see the spirits of my party falter while I seem to be unwavering in my quest.  Those fools.

No.  Why did I write that?  Why do I write these thoughts down?  I fear I may be losing my mind.  At times I do not know what to think anymore.  Sometimes I blame my master for not training me properly in intellectual matters.  Did he wish me to be nothing but a brainless female brute?

No.  I am sure he did not intend that.  It is not a fault of his.  Oh great gods.  I have heard reports, earthquakes are devastating the eastern side, and apparently the Mountain of Velios has erupted for the first time in centuries.  My quest is certainly dragging on too long.

And yet, while the world depends on the success of my quest, other factors are making this a truly taxing ordeal.  My heart is feeling conflicted.  Lynthia.  I wish I could have treated her better.  I know now that what I did to her earlier was cruel.  I wish I knew affairs of the heart better.  My master did not seem willing to teach me such things.  Could it be a painful matter for himself?

Last night, me and Flinton made love as we often do.  Yet as I felt him come inside me, there was something...different about the sensation.  Physically it felt similar, but there was something emotionally inconsistent.  I cannot place it yet.  It is strange that the sensations of the pleasures of the flesh are changing, just as the sensations when activating an altar are also changing, and becoming even greater than the mere pleasures the flesh can offer.

Oh gods, I just thought again of poor Lynthia.  And yet I can only blame myself.  I think back to my actions, my choice to couple with Slithe.  Why was I so willing to do so? Is my quest to seek the restless gods so driven I would whore myself to anyone in the chance of reaching the next altar?  I have been raised with the belief that my body is beautiful, and thus, can be used as an advantage.  I have seduced men quite easily in the past when rescuing captives or finding information, but to willfully allow a lizaroid to come inside me again and again while I lay helpless in chains?

Something about Slithe's beliefs eats at my soul.  His people believe in only one god.  And I know there are other religions that believe such things as well.  My quest would have some believe that there are truly many gods.  It is frightening to believe that once this quest is finished, I may know the truth.  And yet, who will believe me?  And were we ever meant to know?  Only one thing is certain to me, something is beyond us.

As I had mentioned before, each time I activate a new altar, the resulting sensation changes.  At first it was nothing, just a brilliant light.  But lately it is as if the light has been touching me.  Caressing me.  Gods help me I think it is becoming arousing.  When the light illuminates over my body, my body is overcome with this incredible heat.  It ignites my skin, my nipples, and dare I say it, my womanhood.

And yet, something else is strange.  I cannot begin to describe it in words...however a modest definition could be, everything around me appears with a different sort of, clarity.

"Karyn.  We are ready to embark now." said Jatz as he walked up from behind the warrior.  The thief had the appearance of a ragged homeless man.  Days of wandering in the outdoors for the city raised rogue were not beneficial to his hygiene.  His hair had grown long and his stubble looked like carpet across his face.

"Oh, then follow me." Karyn said as she packed her journal and quill into the satchel on her mustel.

"What were you writing?" the thief inquired.

"Just expressing my thoughts." Karyn replied as she mounted her beast.

"Ah yes." Jatz acknowledged.  "I sometimes find that the best way to understand yourself."

"I can use any understanding I can attain." Karyn muttered under her breath.

The party crossed an enormous valley that spread barren land across their vision as far as they could see.  The path they traveled on was nothing but simple dust laid on top of the grass, but years of heavy travel had packed it so tight even nature could not break through it.  Eventually an enormous gathering of buildings was visible over the horizon.  The party continued to approach, and found themselves in awe as they comprehended the sheer size of the endless structures before them.  Crowds of people scattered through the city like ants, paying the newcomers little to no attention as they rode in on their beasts.  Slithe the lizardman wore an extra baggy hood and cloak, so that no part of his reptilian skin was displayed.  He walked by the side of Lynthia's mustel, and depended on her guidance to navigate through the crowds.

"What city is this?" Karyn asked, her head continually turning and scanning the gigantic stone buildings.

"I am not sure." said Jatz.  "Certainly is enormous however."

Karyn suddenly stiffened as she felt the amulet shake against her bosom.  She breathed a sigh of great relief as the next altar was finally within reach, and began following its direction without a word to her party.  She dismounted her mustel and guided it by the reins as the congestion of people became too heavy for riding, which led her to a massive coliseum.  It was as if a giant had left an ornate eating bowl in the middle of the city, the site was breathtaking and nothing like Karyn had ever seen, even in books.  For a moment she merely stared in awe at the size and beautiful architecture, when the amulet's movements grabbed her attention again.

"Karyn!  Karyn!" Flinton called out as he dove through the crowd, pushing and shoving aside people that were in his way.  "Ah!  There you are!" he jovially cried out as he saw Karyn standing against a barred door.

"What are you doing?" the archer asked his lover, embracing her stomach from behind.

"I...I must get in here." Karyn replied, running her hands over the smooth cold metal.

"I do not think it would be wise to break in there." Flinton advised.  "A city this large probably has a very efficient law enforcement system.  And we are outsiders already, no doubt we are being watched as we speak by city ruler."

"Then I shall be happy to personally answer any questions he may have about us." Karyn said as she walked away from Flinton's embrace and marched towards an enormous castle looming in the far end of town.

***

The castle in this city was quite different from the castle that Karyn had met Lynthia in.  This one seemed to be more of a complex, made of multiple buildings rather than the single brick and mortar structure from Delak.  An open-aired building stood in the centre, with a roof supported by many marble pillars and flanked by still water pools on each side.

As Karyn walked down the path marked by long rows of flower bushes, she was noticed by the guards who stood vigil in front of the central structure.  Both of them raised their spears and pointed them at Karyn, who raised her hands in a peaceful gesture.

"State your business harlot or begone!" the guard on Karyn's right barked at her.  Karyn clenched her first with restrained anger as the word 'harlot' stung at her heart.

"I am Karyn." she introduced.  "I seek an audience with the ruler of this city."

"And the purpose?  King Tartaff is a busy man."

Karyn rolled her eyes and sighed.  "I have heard that excuse many times, and usually such rulers are stuffing their faces with fine cuisine or fucking their harem girls."

The guard on the left growled and lunged his spear at Karyn's stomach.  Karyn sidestepped out of the way and performed a roundhouse kick, sending the guard into the shallow pool on her left.  The other guard swiped at Karyn with his spear, but Karyn grabbed his spear and used it to push him into the pool on her right.

Karyn then drew her sword out and showed the long blade to the guards, who knelt in the shallow water with no weapons in hand.  "Do not worry, I do not wish to harm your king.  I just wish his attention.  Oh, and you there." she said, pointing to the guard on her right.

The guard fell backward with fear as Karyn stepped up to him, her sword extended at level with his throat.  The sharp tip was inches away from his skin, making the guard quiver with fear.  Karyn swung her sword back, eliciting a woman-like scream from the guard, and then in a surprise move; kicked the surprised man in the chin.  The guard went backward into the pool, disappearing just below the water level as he lost consciousness.

"I am not a harlot." Karyn seethed as she walked up the steps of the structure.

Karyn saw the king almost immediately.  He lounged on an ornate couch, surrounded by several beautiful young women.  They either lounged against him or simply stood beside him to hold his food trays.  They were all almost naked, wearing nothing more than scraps of translucent material over their breasts and crotches.  One of them noticed Karyn as she approached and brought it to the king's attention.

"Who are you?" the king asked between bites of a large piece of meat.

"I am Karyn." Karyn replied, trying her best to not scowl at the sight of the king.  An obese man with a receding hairline, he chewed on the meat like an animal.  His mouth opened during chewing to reveal the partially eaten food in his mouth, and grease dripped down his chin to add to the large stain on his red tunic.

The king gazed at Karyn from head to toe, his mouth curving in a covetous smile.  "You must be another pleasure item for my harem."

"I assure you I am not." Karyn contradicted.  "I am here because I wish to gain access to your arena."

"Our arena?  You?!" the king laughed.  "If you wish to see our arena, you must fight my champion in combat." the fat king replied with a hearty laugh.

"What is it you find so amusing?" Karyn asked coldly.

"The idea of a woman beating Rath is simply unfathomable!" the king replied, breaking into a long guffaw afterwards.

***

"Karyn , what will you do?" Teneila asked.

"Train." Karyn replied.  "The king has given us accommodations.  There is a training room included so I will take advantage of it."

Karyn led her party to the accommodations the king had provided for them.  It was a spacious, lavishly decorated single story building made out of marble.  Dark red drapes hung by the large windows while paintings and rugs provided decoration, almost covering the walls completely.  The main room led to several small hallways where bedrooms laid for each of the party members, as well as a large set of double doors off to one side.

"You may all rest, the king has said that each of the rooms has a private bath, bed, and food rations of fine fruit." Karyn said.

"Oh yes!" Jatz cheered as he bounded to the nearest bedroom, slamming the door behind him enthusiastically.

"Filthy thief." Flinton muttered as the scent of Jatz's body odor faded from the air.

"I will begin training, and will continue until the event in one week.  You will not see me very much." Karyn explained as she opened the double doors, revealing a large room full of mannequins, weights, targets, and other various items to improve a warrior's skill.

"I think it would be best if you had a sparring partner." Slithe suggested, the lizardman was suddenly behind Karyn.

Karyn turned around with slight surprise and nodded with agreement.  "I shall begin with hand to hand combat." she said, as she dropped her cloak.

Slithe removed his cloak and struck his body into a fighting pose, one that looked bizarre by human standards.  It resembled a pouncing stance for a small cat.  Karyn on the other hand, merely bent her knees and relaxed her hands into fists, letting them settle at each side of her torso.

Slithe and Karyn stared at each other for a moment, before exchanging slight nods to each other as a signal to begin.  Slithe hissed loudly and ran at Karyn, his arms upraised with his fingers extended.  Karyn leaped backwards with a series of agile leaps as Slithe raked at her with his fingers, hitting nothing but the air.  Slithe then altered his attack patterns by performing a series of roundhouse kicks, the lizard spinning like a tornado.  This required a different set of countermeasures form Karyn, who performed a single low sweep with her leg.  Her move caught the foot of the lizaroid before he could leap.  Slithe lost his balance and nearly came down, but was able to regain enough of his footing that he paused for only a second.  He performed one more roundhouse, this time connecting Karyn in the shoulder.

The warrior fell backward, but used her hands to spring herself sideways as she fell, narrow dodging another attack by Slithe who expected to hit her as she landed.  Karyn nailed Slithe on his sternum with her clenched fist, sending the lizaroid staggering backward.  Karyn followed up with a strong roundhouse of her own, hitting Slithe in the head.  The lizaroid staggered backward a few more steps, as Karyn prepared for another blow.  Slithe had feigned his weakness however, and dropped to the ground quickly as Karyn jump kicked the air where his head was a moment before.  Slithe gripped Karyn's ankle and pulled her to the ground, and she landed flat on her back with a loud thud.

Karyn wheezed as the air was knocked out of her, the lizaroid's strength and skill in that takedown was superior to anything she had seen before.

"Shall we continue?" Slithe asked, his breath heavy.

"Yes." Karyn replied as she got to her feet.

Lynthia peeked into the fighting room and watched with awe as they fought.  To her, she was watching an elegant dance, a display of power instead of grace.  Karyn dodged and took Slithe's blows while returning blows of equal power back at the lizardman.  Lynthia could only watch them with a sense of longing.

***

"From what I have heard, absolutely everyone from the castle will be at the fight." said the shifty-eyed card player over the noise that permeated the tavern air.

Flinton looked up from his hand, his eyes piqued with interest.  "Everyone?"

***

"Slithe?" Lynthia asked the lizaroid as he hovered over a bowl of food.  Karyn was in the training room as she always was, training by herself while Slithe was currently on break.

"Yes Lynthia?" he greeted.

"I am...wondering..." she hesitated.

"Lynthia, you need not worry.  My mating season is over, and believe me I would never harm anyone in any way.  Your fears have no foundations."

"Oh, then, Slithe I wish for you to train me in the use of this blade you gave me." Lynthia sputtered out quickly.

"Alright." Slithe said without pause.  "That is a simple request."

"Oh?  You would?!  Thank you Slithe!" Lynthia exclaimed.

"I think it would be best to do this after we leave this city." Slithe said.  "I am Karyn's sparring partner for the tournament, and we still must keep my identity as a lizaroid a secret.  Chances are someone would become afraid of me at the very least."

"I understand.  I look forward to the training." Lynthia said excitedly.

"However, I wish to know, why do you wish to use the knife?"

Lynthia paused awkwardly after the lizaroid's question.  "Slithe, this journey has exposed me to a darker world than I was used to.  For my weakness, it took my virginity and my innocence." she explained.  "I swore I would no longer be a victim.  I want to be strong, like...like..."

"Like Karyn?" Slithe asked, finishing Lynthia's sentence.

"Yes." she replied before walking away.

***

'Awesome,' was a word Karyn rarely used, but it was the only word she could think of to describe the sights that came into her view.  She just emerged from the tunnel at the arena, the sun glared in her eyes for a moment, only to clear away and reveal an endless sea of people surrounding her from all sides.  She spun around to survey the structure and see people cheer in every direction she looked.

"RATH!  RATH!  RATH!!" the crowd chanted repeatedly.  Trumpets blared beneath the crowd's adulations and the masses screamed as heavy gates opened at the far end of the arena.  Karyn could see a large man emerge from the shadows.  His skin was bronzed and glistening in the sunlight, and his every step seemed to flex a different one of his many muscles.  A mane of long dark hair adorned his head, and a confident look was across his face.  He glanced briefly at Karyn and his eyes betrayed a glare of lust, to which Karyn merely scoffed and turned away.

Rath stepped up to Karyn and walked around her, admiring her curvy figure.  "You are an extremely beautiful combatant." he remarked.  "If you lose and survive, you may still have the honor of being my slave."

Without a word, Karyn unsheathed her sword.  She picked up a shield from a nearby weapons rack and replied, "Then if I lose, I hope you kill me."

Karyn picked up a pair of metal gauntlets that covered her forearms, and a metal breastplate.  She tied her long auburn locks back in a ponytail with a black cord.

Rath walked over to his end of the arena where he picked up a heavy battle-ax.  A pair of handlers offered him pieces of body armor but he refused them.  He confidently strode to the center of the stadium where Karyn awaited.  The king made a long speech, announcing the purpose of this battle but neither of the combatants were listening to him.  Their eyes remained locked in a glare and their bodies tensed and ready for action in a split second.  Finally, the king ended with a boast about his power and character before yelling out the catalyst word, "BEGIN!"

Rath growled as he swung his ax at Karyn.  Karyn was amazed at the speed the large man had, and was barely able to raise her shield in time to block him.  Karyn staggered backward from the mighty force and nearly fell to the ground.  Rath grunted as he swung again, his blade once again meeting her shield with a loud clang and a flurry of sparks.  Already Karyn's arm began to feel heavy from shock of two heavy blows, and her balance was compromised.  As Rath swung a third time, Karyn rolled to the side, letting the barbarian smack his ax into the ground.  Karyn turned and swiped at him with her sword, but Rath had raised his ax in time and blocked her swing, sparks flying as the two weapons collided.  She swung three more times in quick succession, but Rath skillfully blocked each one.  The clangs of the weapon's collisions were like taunts to the young warrior, causing her to growl angrily with each successive attack.  Rath smiled somewhat at the warrior's emotions and began his offensive.

"This brute has strength as well as speed." Karyn realized to herself.  She stepped backward, parrying Rath's blows with her sword.  The barbarian had Karyn on the run, causing the crowd to roar with triumph for their champion.

***

The royal treasure room was empty, most of the guards had secretly abandoned their posts to see the fight.  The lone guard stared longingly through the window at the nearby arena, the crowds cheers were calling him, beckoning him to come see what the crowd was so excited about.  A noise from the exit however, was able to grab his attention over the noisy spectators.  He turned and saw a silouhette of a man carrying a heavy sack filled with what the guard assumed to be items from the treasure room, which the guard noticed was open.

"Cease your actions vile thief!" the guard yelled out.  The figure's response was a ping sound.  A split second later, the guard felt a sharp, sharp pain in his torso.  He wheezed and fell to the ground, which was when he saw it was an arrow.  He tried to call out for help, but the necessary energy had already left him.

***

Karyn rolled out of the way of Rath's latest attack.  She turned back to see the barbarian's ax coming down at her head.  The warrior dodged the nearly fatal blow, but the sharp edge of the ax managed to scratch her bent elbow.  She gasped in pain and in a reflex action of anger, swung her sword towards Rath.  Rath moved out of the way but her blade sliced through the wooden handle of his ax, causing just enough damage that the heavy head broke off, leaving the handle a bushel of splinters.

The crowd roared with excitement as Rath stood dumbfounded and in shock, holding a useless weapon in his hand.  Karyn stepped away from the barbarian, her elbow bleeding with a deep cut while her remaining good arm held her sword ready.  She waited as Rath threw away his worthless weapon and charged at Karyn.  The auburn warrior ducked under Rath's first strike, a high punch; followed by a lower one with his other hand.  Karyn catapulted herself into Rath's stomach, knocking the barbarian off balance.  Karyn swung with her shield, hitting the barbarian in the side and eliciting a grunt of pain from him.  She took one swing with her sword but Rath had enough energy to dodge it.  As Karyn recovered from the last sword swipe, Rath attempted to grab Karyn's arm and wrestle her sword away.  Karyn saw it coming however, and jumped up in the air, kicking at Rath's head with her right foot.  Her toes connected with Rath's mouth, sending blood and a tooth flying to the sand, as well as the barbarian himself.

***

The servant ran up to the king and whispered into his ear.  The king's expression of jubilation from watching Rath fight was suddenly drained from his face as the servant told him the news.

"Cease the fight!!" he screamed hoarsely, his cheeks flushed red as he yelled.

Everyone in the stands became silent, the look on their king furious and terrifying.  Veins popped from his face and his breathing was heavy and harsh.  "Contain the bitch!" he commanded.  Immediately a battalion of guards burst into the arena, their shields and swords drawn and ready.  Rath backed away as they encircled Karyn, who stared back at the king with confusion.

"I see now what your trick was!  Your intended to distract us while a member of your party loots our treasure room!" the king shouted.

"What?!  That is not true!!" Karyn countered.

"I have a dead guard that proves otherwise!" the king replied venomously.  "You will be punished, you treacherous bitch!  You are to be executed by Rath in front of the arena audience tomorrow."

Karyn merely glared back at him, her stare as icy as the shade of blue in her iris.

As the guards guided Karyn to the far gates, the king told his assistant, "Go to the accommodations and arrest her party."

***

"Go to the accommodations and arrest her party." Teneila said as she echoed the king's statement.  From the far side of the arena, it was her magic senses that allowed her to hear the king.

"Then I think we should camp outside town for now." Jatz suggested hastily as he nervously scanned the arena for approaching guards.

"They do not know what we look like." said Slithe, his face bowed down and hidden by a thick hood.  "So do not panic Jatz." he said in response to Jatz's concern.  "We can simply sleep in a hotel on the other end of town."

"You seem to be forgetting, what about Karyn?!" Lynthia snapped at them.

"We cannot break into the dungeon, it is simply impossible.  Security for their damned will no doubt be extremely heavy.  I'm afraid all we can do is wait until tomorrow." Slithe said regrettably.  "At least then, there may be an opportunity."

"Where is Flinton?" Teneila asked when she noticed the archer was not sitting with them anymore.

***

"Did you hear?  The bitch that fought Rath today will be executed tomorrow." the card player smirked as he dealt.

Flinton let his cards collect in a pile, not bothering to pick them up.  "Really?" he responded nonchalantly, although a tinge of concern was evident.

***

The next day

The crowd was as enormous as it was for yesterday's fight, but their rowdiness was far greater.  The arena was an explosion of hollering and barking as Karyn was taken out, marched along by soldiers flanking her on all sides.  Her hands were in heavy manacles in front of her while her neck was adorned with a thick metal collar.  Each of the guards around her held a chain that was attached to the collar, making escape in any direction impossible.  In the center of the arena Karyn could see Rath grinning excitedly, while in the distance she could see a rack being wheeled in.

The seconds seemed to pass like hours for Karyn.  She saw the rack get set up, it was essentially a low dais with two narrow stone pillars on each side and an equally thin stone piece balancing on top.  Her mind was so detached from her body due to the fuzziness in her head that she attributed to her minor injuries from yesterdays battle and to sleep, or lack thereof, in the cold dungeon.  So distant was her thoughts that she didn't feel the amulet rumble against her bosom until she stood directly on top of the dais.  As the amulet's vibrations became stronger, Karyn scanned the area while Rath took Karyn's manacled arms and looped the chains through a hook on the top of the rack.  As she felt her arms support her weight, she found it; there was a small round indentation on the rack's stone platform, right below her feet.  The warrior tried to free herself but the chains were unyielding.  Even after Rath removed the heavy collar she found her arms were completely bonded and her toes barely touched the ground.

Rath accepted a knife from a nearby soldier and strode casually up to Karyn, brandishing the blade proudly.  "I think I shall start by cutting away a piece of your lovely face."

***

Flinton positioned himself on the highest level of the arena, where nothing but backsides faced him.  He raised his bow, loaded it with a wide headed arrow, and took his aim carefully, knowing a slip-up would be fatal.  He aimed for the chains that bound Karyn's wrists above her head.  He waited a few moments, perfectly still; even as the crowd roared around him.  Nothing in the world existed but him and his target.  For Flinton, the right moment came, and he let go of his drawstring.

Karyn heard a sound of metal clashing with metal above her head, and suddenly she fell to her feet, her wrists no longer bound with chain.  Before the barbarian had a chance to react, Karyn punched Rath in the mouth and followed with a swift kick to the barbarian's midsection.  The lovely woman then quickly turned back to the altar, took off her amulet and placed it in the small hole.  She turned it, and the ground shook as light burst from between the grooves in the altar.

The cheers of the crowd turned silent as the entire arena was consumed by a massive pillar of light, blinding everyone.  Karyn fell to her hands and knees in the centre of the light, panting as sensations of pleasure ran up her body.  Just as she had felt them before, they seemed to touch and fondle her soft flesh.  The bruises and cuts on her body made her writhe with pain as they were relentlessly handled by unseen forces.  Her clitoris throbbed with lust, yet she felt nothing pierce her vulva.  Karyn undulated erotically, slipping her hands inside her clothes and caressing her own bruised flesh out of carnal ecstasy.  She wailed like a banshee as she orgasmed, cum splattering from between her spread legs to stain the altar beneath her.

The light died down before the pleasure subsided.  The silent crowd saw Karyn lying on the ground, her body twitching slightly with excess rapture.

"Unbelievable!  You have humiliated my champion!" the fat king exclaimed.

Karyn panted with exhaustion and stared back up at him, a burning glare of anger in her icy blue eyes.  The fat king was taken aback by the intensity of Karyn's gaze, and yelled out, "Subjects!  My champion Rath has been defeated!  Thus, Rath will no longer be my champion, and due to his embarrassment at the hands of a wench, is to hereby serve her!"

"I do not need this brute as a servant!" Karyn yelled.

"It is our tradition!  That a humiliated warrior must regain his honor by serving the one who brought the humiliation down upon him.  Would deny Rath the opportunity to regain his honor?"

"And how would a pleasure item such as myself allow Rath to regain his honor?" Karyn snapped.

The emperor merely paused, a look of confusion on his fat face.  Karyn could only smile and laugh slightly.

"So, the mighty emperor is struck down by a legal problem?"

"I...I am not!" the emperor hastily replied.  "It is then my decision that you will be free to go, and that Rath will accompany you until such time as you feel he has regained his honor."

Karyn scowled and turned towards the barbarian on the ground.  The beautiful warrior said to the emperor,  "I can think of one way he can regain his honor."  Karyn quickly snatched the dagger Rath had carried from the sand of the arena ground.  The auburn warrior stabbed Rath in the right shoulder with it, pushing the blade to the hilt.  Rath's screams echoed through the arena, bringing everyone in the audience to silence.  Even the emperor stood with his mouth slack in surprise, the barbarian's screams continuing as Karyn twisted the knife into his flesh.  Finally, after his scream was reduced to a wheezing sound, Karyn pulled out the blade and kicked the barbarian down.

"I think any man who is willing to face a woman's scorn has a degree of honor.  The fact that your former champion did not resist my attack shows some honor in his dark soul."

"This is outrageous." the emperor gasped.  He quickly turned to several men that flanked him on each side.  "What do you say my advisors?"

"I would accept Karyn's terms of honor.  Rath could have attempted to push Karyn away, or avoid her blade.  Instead he took it, and even was not so proud as to suppress his screams."

"I concur." said another man.  "If he suppressed his screams, it would have been just arrogance rather than honor.  Honesty, is an integral part of honor."

Tartaff scowled, but the looks of agreement on the faces of his other advisors convinced him otherwise.  "Then, it is settled!" the king yelled.  "You and your entourage may leave when you wish!"

Karyn nodded with agreement and turned back to the altar.  She quickly retrieved her amulet and saw to her satisfaction, a new jewel had been seared into the back.  This one glowed slightly for a moment like a dying fire.

***

Karyn and her entourage entered their accommodations after the battle.  Karyn staggered inside, supported by Jatz and Teneila on each side.

"You fought magnificently." Flinton complimented from the center of the room.  Everyone looked up and saw the archer smiling at them.  He walked up to Karyn and took her into his arms, shooing Teneila and Jatz away.  "Karyn, join me for a victory bath." said Flinton as he clutched Karyn by the small of her back.

Karyn stiffened as she suddenly felt a small tingle originating from the amulet on her bosom.  One of item's sparkling gems reacted to Flinton's request, and to the true intentions he broadcasted in his mind.  Karyn stared blankly at Flinton for a moment before pushing the archer away.  "Flinton, I would rather not."

"What?  But..." Flinton stuttered with surprise.

"No." Karyn dismissed.  "In fact, I think it would be best if we stopped being lovers."

Flinton was dumbfounded, his mouth open slightly with shock.  "What...what has prompted this Karyn?" he stuttered.

"You do not love me." Karyn replied coldly.

"What?  That is a lie." Flinton responded, his heart racing as he spoke.

Another tingle went off in the warrior's brain.  "No, what you have just said, that is a lie!" Karyn snapped.  "There is no denying it.  All this time, when I allowed you to ravage my flesh, you cared nothing about me as a woman, just as an object of pleasure!"

"That...that is absurd..." Flinton stammered, beginning to lose his composure.

Her mind tingled yet again.  "Stop it!" Karyn screamed.  "Tell me the truth Flinton!  Do you love me?  Do you spend time with more only to further indulge in my flesh?!"

Flinton looked down shamefully and sighed before replying, "No."

Karyn glared at him silently, her anger fuming.  But the shame on his face and his lack of reaction prevented her wrath from boiling to the surface.  "All this time..." she muttered.  "And I only see it now."  She angrily stomped away, leaving Flinton alone in the large hotel room.

"I finally perform a heroic deed, and now I lose the maiden." he said to himself in retrospection.

***

Teneila sat on the bed of her room, her eyes closed and her arms and legs folded.  She chanted something, the words were incomprehensible to a non-mystic, as she tried to enter a deep meditative state once again. The memories of her last encounter in the meditative realm, when she was raped by the strange dark creature, were burned in her mind.  She had to know more, see more.  A part of her, even wanted to experience more.

Teneila once again floated as a naked spectre in a realm beyond sensory comprehension.  She flew freely around, unsure of where to begin her search but frantic and impatient in her quest.

"You have denied your womanhood by taking up the mystic arts." a voice whispered, its echo reverberating throughout the empty space.

"No...that...that is not true..." Teneila stuttered as she frantically looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.  Her body suddenly stopped, unable to move.  Teneila grunted with effort as she tried to free herself from whatever confined her, but to no avail.

"When was the last time you let your inhibitions run free?" the voice asked, its source now closer than ever.

"I...I..." Teneila moaned, she could feel an answer beginning to leave her lips but she fought to not divulge it.

"When was the last time you felt someone's touch on your skin?  When a warm mouth kissed yours?  When your insides tightened around a man, whom you begged to have inside you?  When was the last time you screamed out with passion?"

"I...stop...stop it!" Teneila cried.  The questions repeated themselves over and over, drowning out her thoughts and filling her mind with desire.

A force suddenly applied itself on Teneila, soft and gentle, it felt like a caressing pair of hands.  Her body still unable to move, she felt these unseen hands run over her shoulders, breasts, stomach, and finally reaching between her legs to rub her damp crotch.  The magician moaned from the sensual caresses of the invisible tormentor, she felt her labia spread apart, yielding to the hand's probe.  From behind, she felt another force, this time it felt like a man's erect cock.  It brushed gently against her swollen pussy lips, the magician melted with pleasure from the resulting sensations; they traveled throughout her body, stoking her fires of lust.

Teneila could feel some of her control beginning to return, but she chose to remain within the clutches of the invisible hands.  One of her nipples became enfolded, and she watched it become fondled and hardened, biting her lip with bliss.  As she felt her legs beginning to follow her commands once again, she spread them apart farther, allowing the unseen hands to probe her womanhood deeper and deeper.  Teneila threw her head back, leaning her body backwards, which she found rested on what felt like a well built man.  She shivered as she felt the man rub his fingers across her vaginal slit, her clitoris burning painfully with arousal.  The magician gasped as her insides erupted with an orgasm, honey bursting out of her vagina to splatter against her thighs.

"Please...come inside me..." Teneila begged.  "...it has been too long...I...I need love."  She felt the invisible hands rove over her skin, cupping her soft breasts and stroke her tender nipples as she felt the unseen cock brush against her womanhood.

Teneila felt the hands on her breasts suddenly move down, over her shapely hips and grab the insides of her thighs, pulling them apart as the phantom's cock thrust into her sex.  Teneila gasped, her vagina clenching around the unseen member as she felt her lover thrust himself vigorously into her cunt.  She thrust her ass backwards in tandem with the pushes, grunting as she felt herself get violated deeper and deeper, to depths she had never been touched in years, or never at all.

Teneila fell to the ground as her knees collapsed with bliss.  Her lover supported her fall, his cock never leaving the warm confines of her womanhood.  As soon as she had settled gently on the dark ground of the astral world, Teneila's lover resumed humping her ass.  She felt a pressure on her back, like a strong torso leaning on top of her, and she could feel hot breath caress the nape of her neck.  Tears of sweet agony poured down her face, she smiled as she gasped continuously.  Teneila thrust her pelvis backwards harder and harder.  The magician grinded herself into her lover with so much energy that her vision filled with vibrant colors.  Her fingers clenched, and she groaned deeply as she climaxed, her back arching as honey flowed down her bare legs.  While she was still in the throes of her own orgasm, her lover came inside her.  Teneila's womb filled with obscene heat, she felt the warmth flow into her, her vaginal muscles continuing to contract around the hardened member inside her, milking it of its sweet cum.  Her body undulated with intense pleasure waves and her mouth spouted a never ending series of erotic moans.

Finally, Teneila let herself fall forward, exhausted from the exertion and pleasure.  "Surrender yourself to me..." the voice whispered as her mind was clouded with sensual fog.

Teneila came so close to whispering yes, when her mind registered something about the tone of the voice.  Something dark, something evil, something only her magic senses comprehended.  "Nooo...nooooo...NOOOOO!!!!" Teneila screamed out with defiance, shattering the reality around her.  She watched as everything dissipated like smoke, and she was left naked and cold in the middle of nothing.  The tormentor was gone, but deep down, Teneila's lust still blazed.

***

"She has proven stronger than I anticipated." Xarthul admitted as Karna dabbed sweat off his forehead.  "That can only be a good thing in the end.  It only means for now, this will require personal participation."

***

The night sky had finally emerged, ending the turbulent day in the kingdom.  Karyn strolled casually through the darkened streets, and ate generous bites out of the piece of meat she clutched in one hand.  One of the local taverns had given it to her as a sort of tribute, but Karyn only took it to satisfy her hunger rather than an ego fortification.  As she came close to finishing, a voice spoke out to her:

"Should you not eat more slowly?"

The warrior turned and saw Teneila walking up beside her.  Karyn smiled slightly as she chewed, swallowing her mouthful before asking, "Why are you out?  I thought you were asleep?"

"I could not sleep." Teneila admitted.  "I had a strange dream."

"About what?" Karyn asked as she bit into the last piece of meat on the bone.

"Nothing I really wish to share, just...doubts about myself."

"Ahh...self-doubt." Karyn muttered.  "No one is immune to that."

"I...I just feel that sometimes I am denying myself too many things in life by becoming a magician."

"Teneila, sometimes; sometimes, it can be beneficial to be a human being." Karyn said as she swallowed with a loud gulp.

Teneila turned and smiled, and wiped a stain of grease off Karyn's cheek.  "Thank you Karyn.  I..." Teneila said warmly before a large, dark arm grabbed her from behind.

"Karyn!" Rath growled as he pressed a blade against Teneila's milky throat.  The magician shivered with fear as Rath slowly ran the knife's edge against her skin, applying just below the amount of pressure needed to cut her.

"What do you want Rath?!" Karyn demanded as she drew her sword and stood ready for battle.

"You have cost me dearly.  Your idea of honor may be accepted by the king and his foolish advisors, but not by me!  Now I am seen as a mockery!  Alive only by the mercy of a glorified bitch!"  The large barbarian spat his every word with intense anger and his body twitched noticeably at the mention of his honor.  It caused Teneila to flinch slightly as the barbarians expressive body language caused his knife to slip and create a very slight scratch on her neck.  The magician gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, concentrating to ignore the spike of pain and fear.

"I want you to be seen at my side as the whore you are.  Do it, and I shall spare this wench's life." Rath stated with a malicious grin.

"Alright." Karyn replied as she resheathed her sword.  The barbarian's eyes widened with surprise at her sudden surrender.  "Just let Teneila go, and your lusts will become my soul purpose in life."

Rath pushed Teneila hastily towards the hard ground.  She landed with a thud in the dusty streets as Karyn walked past her to join Rath, and disappeared into the dark alleys.

"Exactly what just happened magician?" Karyn asked as she looked down at Teneila and watched Rath vanish into the shadows, alone but clutching what appeared to be an invisible hand beside him.

"Illusion." Teneila explained as she staggered to her feet, holding her neck as she tried to rub away the throbbing.  "A very very taxing and difficult trick to accomplish.  I can only fool one person at a time, which is why you could not see anything he saw."

"Oh...then...why did the words, 'your lusts will become my soul purpose in life', echo through my head just before he dropped you." asked Karyn as she helped Teneila to her feet.

Teneila stared back at Karyn with an open mouth.  "You...you heard my illusion?!" she gasped.

"I...I am not sure, as I said those words echoed through my head."

"Karyn, this is becoming quite serious, first that incident with the men and your projection of force, then this.  Could it be your are learning magic each time you use an altar?"

"How could that be?  I do not understand anything more than I used to."

"Magic is believed to be a connection between yourself and higher powers, especially the gods.  Perhaps...perhaps you are developing a connection of a...different kind."

Karyn paused as she contemplated Teneila's words, and instantly the memories of elevating pleasure from each altar's activation sprung to mind.  "Perhaps more than just a connection." she replied solemnly.

***

"The kind is asleep now." a guard announced as he peered his head into a door.  Several men inside nodded with compliance before the guard slipped out and closed the door behind him.

"That fat rat, I question why we put him on the throne." muttered one of the king's advisors, who sat among his colleagues.

"Would you rather be out in the public eye, and become a target the instant someone dislikes one of our decisions?" another advisor asked.

"Enough my brothers.  It was important we allowed that woman to continue her quest.  We have all heard the rumors.  I did not believe it, but this woman seems to be making contact with the gods.  If anyone can convince the sacred deities to cease their campaign against us, it would be her."

The door to the meeting chamber suddenly opened again, and another guard peeked inside.  "There has been a report, an earthquake has struck Kavada."

Everyone at the table lowered their heads and sighed.  "I can only hope she succeeds quickly." one of them said.

THE END