Across Eternity Book 4 Chapter 7
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Pained gasps.
A feminine whimper.
“Oh God!”
Beth collapsed, fighting for every breath with Noah standing over her, the two of them drenched in sweat.
“Come on, get up,” he said.
“I can’t do anymore!”
“You said you wanted this.”
“Please, you’re killing me!”
“You know what comes next. I want to see it.”
She looked at him with eyes full of hate. “You’re a monster,” she hissed.
Beth shuddered as a clear, steady stream was produced, arching onto the ground with a splash.
“Oh, she broke her record!” said Oath.
“I wish my mana would grow that fast!” Mira complained.
The water spurting from Beth’s fingertip trickled to a halt. She rolled onto her back, feeling like the hard road underneath her was now as soft as the king’s mattress. It was the second day of Noah’s training, midmorning, and he was running laps with Oath and his friends around the Fault estate.
Since yesterday, this was what they had been doing with most of their time, running almost nonstop. They had to run until collapsing and immediately cast magic until their mana was completely depleted. Oath was exempt from the magic testing, but only because he had no aptitude.
Noah crouched down and fed Beth a watered-down healing potion, just something to restore her stamina a bit. While she recovered, Oath, Mira, and Trevor sucked in air. Unfortunately, the collapse of one was the only break the others got.
“I’m starving, can we please eat lunch now?” Trevor asked.
“Oh God, I can’t even think of food right now,” Oath groaned.
They all complained throughout the ordeal, but no one had yet given up and refused to go any further. Despite their anguish, Oath and the others didn’t give in since Noah’s methods produced results. Just the day before, at the same time, if Beth had cast her spell, it would have just been a few drops falling from her finger, less of a fountain and more of a leaky faucet. Also, everyone’s stamina was increasing noticeably. Thanks to the health potions, they could perform weeks of daily exercise and recovery in mere hours, compressing the rate of improvement, so it was much more apparent.
“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I’m on my last legs too,” said Noah.
Oath and the others groaned in relief and began throwing down everything they carried and stripping off any armor. Noah was making them run in all of their adventuring gear with their weapons in hand, and in time, he’d incorporate weights to prepare them for carrying the dungeon crab’s treasure. A field was nearby, but they didn’t care and squatted in the middle of the road to eat. It was on the baron’s estate, so there wasn’t the worry of traffic.
Each carried lunches made by the maids and chowed down like ravenous animals. Even Noah was giving in to his hunger and stuffing his face. But as he ate, his eyes swept over everyone in the group. This workout was intense, shredding muscles and then immediately repairing them. In this case, the antidote was worse than the poison, according to the town apothecary. He spoke to her the morning after he returned to Clive while on his way to pick up his ring.
“Using potions for exercise? It would be a good idea if it wasn’t such a bad idea,” the old woman said. Then, as always, she stared Noah down, looking at him through the smoke from her pipe.
“I can’t imagine I’m the first person to think of using them this way. What I want to know is if there are any dangerous effects. You always have them in stock, so getting the ingredients isn’t an issue.”
She took a deep inhale and released a large smoke cloud. “There is a downside.”
“Am I going to have to pay you to find out what it is?”
“In a rush, are you? Yes, it’s always people like you using this method. Mana and health potions, as well as all other concoctions used by adventurers, may seem like bottled miracles, but they are a double-edged sword. If overexposed, the body can forget how to repair and restore itself. If a wound is repeatedly inflicted on one spot and healed with potions, eventually the body will lose the ability to mend that spot on its own. Cuts will bleed ceaselessly, broken bones will become like rock, and organs will eventually shut down. The effects are even worse if the potion is consumed, rather than poured, as it spreads throughout the body.”
“How long before major damage is inflicted?”
“If used for continuous exercise, potions will lead to death in less than twenty days. Lesser damage depends on the user.”
“And what about mana potions?”
“Mana potions stunt the development of magic. The more often they are used, the harder it will be to create and learn new spells.”
Noah thought back to his “training days” with Tin. He had performed them every other day with watered-down potions, multiplying his reserves countless times and giving him an edge, but there was no telling how much it had hindered him in the long run.
“And of course you decided to wait until now to tell me, despite all of the potions I’ve been buying for the last month.”
“Are you expecting an apology?”
“No, I just have something I want you to look at and I would prefer some honesty.”
Three days, that’s how long Noah was willing to use the potion method. That would hopefully give them enough time for the side effects to wear off before entering the dungeon. So far, everyone’s physical stamina was continuing to rise, but if he saw them plateau or reverse, he’d cut them off, cold turkey. If anyone got a wound, he watched closely to ensure their blood was clotting. He was even holding off on using mana potions, instead allowing it to replenish naturally. He didn’t want to push back their departure date if he could avoid it.
“All right, let’s head back. We’re doing the same routine as yesterday.” Everyone groaned and cleaned up their mess, but Noah stopped them before they could return to the manor. “Hold on, we’re doing lunges.”
“Please, not again!” Mira complained.
“You’ll thank me later.”
With their weapons in hand, everyone began doing long steps, stretching out one leg and leaning down with their other knee almost touching the ground, and they had to keep a fast pace. It was sweaty, painful work.
“This is so embarrassing, we look ridiculous,” Trevor muttered. He seemed to love complaining, but since Noah beat him in a fight, he kept his word about following directions. “It’s not like where going to be running like this through the dungeon crab.”
“No, but it’ll build up your strength and stamina. The most important physical asset in combat is leg strength.”
“Wait, really? Even for sword fighting?” Oath asked.
“Really. If you support your body with a strong foundation, you can fight while staying on your feet longer. It doesn’t matter how hard you can throw a punch or swing a sword if your legs just buckle as soon as you meet resistance. Think of it as trying to fight while standing on slippery ice vs. solid ground.”
Just like before, Noah pushed them to the point of collapse. Typically, this kind of reckless training would be frowned upon, but they needed to stress and tear their muscles to the absolute limit, mend them with potions to make them even more robust, and repeat. There was no rest for them when they returned to the manor. Under Noah’s instruction, Oath and the others began stretching and lifting weights in various ways.
It looked like a basic workout to the slaves working the field, but Noah scrutinized every detail, from the form their arms took when lifting a heavy stone to the precise angle of their hips when they twisted their bodies. Every movement had to be perfect so that all the stress went to specific muscles. Had he the means and the time, he would have gone even further, focusing on individual muscle threads.
In a way, Noah was grateful that this opportunity had come along. Being an adventurer kept him active and fit, but it didn’t build strength the same way as this workout, and coming to this world had scrambled his routine. He had to use this chance to polish his physique properly. He had planned on teaching this workout to Tin to make her stronger and capable of defending herself, but that opportunity was gone.
Once they reached the middle of the afternoon, Noah had them move on to the next stage of their training. Oath, Trevor, and Mira stood side by side, all gasping for air and cursing in anguish as sweat poured down their faces. For Oath and Trevor, the workout was simple, though far from easy. They were performing isometric exercise, holding out their weapons as far as possible and keeping their arms raised. They had to keep doing it until they collapsed and couldn’t feel their arms, at which point, they’d take a health potion and start again.
“Ah, dammit!” Oath cursed as he dropped to his knees.
“Fuck, you’re weak,” said Trevor.
“For once in your life, just shut up!” Mira hissed, unable to maintain her usual polite personality.
Her training was similar to theirs, only using magic. A lump of earth, as large as a beer keg, floated before her. Dirt from a bald patch underneath continuously floated up and added to the mass. For her training, she had to maximize the amount of earth she could lift, the duration, and the level of compression. She’d rotate it in the air to keep it from becoming lopsided, but she struggled to retain control every time it moved. Noah told her she had to be able to turn dirt into solid rock in seconds, as well as train her body to produce mana faster.
Nearby, Beth was sparring with Noah. She held a sheathed knife in her hand, swinging and stabbing at him with reckless fury. Despite her efforts, he’d block and deflect her attacks away from his body, using various fighting styles he had learned across the multiverse. Then, as soon as she paused her onslaught, he’d attack, forcing her to heighten her reflexes for dodging.
Finally, when the sun began to set, Noah said the magic words. “Let’s call it a day.”
On cue, everyone collapsed. Even Trevor abandoned his tough-guy bravado and went limp.
“I think I might be dying,” Mira moaned, laying spread eagle on the ground and staring at the sky.
“I’m too tired to eat and too hungry to sleep,” Beth added.
“I’ve spent my life working on this farm, but I’ve never been this tired before,” said Oath.
Their stamina seemed to be pushed to its limit, beyond the point that potions could replenish. Now they needed food and sleep.
“I should probably head back to the inn while they’re still serving dinner,” said Noah.
“You guys can have dinner here,” Oath said.
“Why didn’t you say that yesterday?”
“Sorry, but after a day like that, I couldn’t spend another minute thinking about training and the dungeon crab.”
The table was old and unvarnished, hand-carved with roughly sanded planks, though time had helped to soften its edges, and the low-quality tablecloth hid its surface. On it, candles burned to illuminate the room, which smelled like the baked fish Noah and the others were eating, along with bread and some vegetables. In the modern world, this destitution was just under ‘soup kitchen,’ but Noah had managed to calibrate his taste buds after a month in these new lands.
It was only the five youths present. The baron was not taking part. As with lunch, everyone ate voraciously, their bodies begging for sustenance to try and make up for the fat they had burned. It was surprising that Mira stopped eating long enough to notice Oath was staring at his half-finished dinner.
“Oath? Is something wrong?”
“No, I’m just trying to remember the last time I sat at this table with this many people.”
“You’re going to make me sick,” Trevor muttered.
“What were your brothers like?” Beth asked.
“My oldest, Colt, was a soldier, serving under General Tarnas against the barbarians in Handent.”
“He really served under Tarnas?!” Beth exclaimed, bolting to her feet.
“Is that a good or bad thing?” Noah asked.
“Adwith Tarnas is one of the nation’s greatest heroes, and easily the strongest paladin,” said Mira, trying to hide her embarrassment with a smile. “Most children are raised on his stories, and for as long as I’ve known Beth, she’s been a huge fan.”
Beth sat back down with a drunken smile on her face. “When I was young, he and some of his forces passed through my town. Watching him ride down the street, wearing golden armor ... I was no longer an innocent child. I had awakened my womanly desires.”
“You never heard of him? What rock have you been living under?” Trevor asked.
“A large one. Tell me about the war, I’m curious.”
“Oh, well, from what I’ve heard, it started when the barbarians began ransacking villages along the border, eventually leading to the famous slaying of High Priest Grybaen by Chief Waer. After that...”
The conversation had taken a strange turn, but Noah absorbed every detail while making his plans for the future. That night, at the inn, Beth didn’t go with Mira into their shared room but followed Noah into his. She had been too tired the previous night, but she had just enough strength to indulge her curiosity tonight.
The third day of training was like the two before, including the same routine, but now with weights added. However, the consumption of potions had dropped in every activity. The growth they had gone through over just a few days would have usually taken weeks or even months. In the late afternoon, their training changed. Instead of simply holding out his sword, Oath practiced his slashes like he was studying kendo. He needed to make both his attacks and his recovery faster.
Next to him, Trevor was improving his thrusts, using what Noah had taught him and incorporating his legs so he could increase his strength with less effort. He had also given Trevor the challenge of writing out the letters of the alphabet in the air with the spear tip to heighten his accuracy. Beth and Mira had switched places, now with Beth straining her magic and Mira staff-fighting with Noah. Unlike Mira and Trevor, Beth’s magic was unfit for fighting, and she appeared to be reaching the limit of her magical aptitude, but creating fresh water was something they’d need if they spent more than a day in the dungeon.
On the fourth day, Noah met everyone at the baron’s estate as he usually would. He held out a backpack full of potions. “Today, I want you all to see if you can follow the routine on your own. Until we enter the dungeon crab, I am completely banning the use of all potions.”
“That’s crazy!” Beth exclaimed, with the others similarly nervous.
“If you can’t do the day’s exercise without potions, then you simply aren’t ready for the dungeon crab, and the longer we wait, the more competition will have. I don’t want to reach the bottom of the shell and find all of the avenium already taken.” He put the backpack down and put on a jacket with all its pockets filled with rocks. “Come on, time to start running.”
The workout proceeded as planned, but with no less complaining. Now without potions, they could only gather their strength during breaks, but the number of times they had to stop and rest was as Noah predicted. Finally, on the fifth day, Noah faced them with the morning sun burning away the mists clinging to the baron’s estate. For Oath and his friends, this was the last day of training, and they all felt confident. They weren’t blind to their growth. They now stood with bodies covered in weights, ready for Noah to signal the start of their morning run.
“Since today is the last day, we’re going to do something different. Trevor, I want you to hit the ground with a downward strike and your strongest spell.”
“What for?”
“Just trust me. Pour as much mana as you can into the axeblade and give it a shot.”
Trevor grunted and held out his halberd, and from the moment he began channeling his mana, everyone noticed the difference. These past several days, whenever he, Beth, and Mira practiced their magic, it was always in a state of exhaustion, forcing their bodies to squeeze out every last drop of power. However, this was the first time in days that Trevor was using a spell at full strength. What would have been a shimmering aura around the blade was now like a colorless flame, causing his friends to step back instinctively.
“Whoa,” Trevor said, unable to pick any other words.
He held his halberd with trembling handles, feeling like it was a rabid animal in his grip. He swung down with the halberd like he was performing a beheading, and the moment the blade touched the ground, it was like a mortar round had gone off. A chest-thumping explosion sent dirt and rock flying in all directions. Before, he would have simply buried his weapon in the soil. Now he was staring into a crater the size of a bathtub. Yet, just as incredible, the intensity of the mana had not lessened, nor did Trevor appear fatigued.
Everyone was stunned, with Noah flashing a rare smile. “Mira, your results would probably be similar if I asked you to use your strongest spell. Now that you have all this mana to work with, think of it as a resource for experimentation. I don’t know how the two of you develop magic, whether you create new spells yourselves or learn by watching others, but I want you to devote yourselves to improving your skills. Show me something new. Today, we’re forgetting about strength and stamina and focusing entirely on technique.
Beth, I want you to practice your archery until your fingers bleed and you can shoot the wings of a fly. As for Oath...” Noah drew his longsword. “You’re going to be sparring with me.”
Beth’s chest heaved with each movement, and her nipples, chilled by the evening air, pointed out and drew arcs in the air. Just moments ago, she had been riding vigorously, having to discard her clothes when she began overheating. It was a struggle for her to keep her moans contained, especially with her body refusing to obey her commands and slow her bouncing.
She now took a gentle pace, rolling her hips from side to side while she regained her strength. She was intoxicated, her mind overtaken by lust and endorphins. Her smile was lewd, her face flushed, her lips wet, and her pupils dilated. Noah could see the fresh sweat on her body with the light of the night sky. What was supposed to be a quick tryst to scratch the ol’ itch had turned into something more intense.
Sitting up, Noah kissed her breasts and grabbed her ass, kneading it like dough. Beth had a nice athletic figure, not much fat on her, but something for his fingers to sink into. Noah’s lips on her nipples, his manhood stirring her up, and his hands massaging deep into her muscles; these stimuli combined into a force Beth struggled to withstand. They were out in the woods, so Beth had to be careful, lest her moans attract monsters or, even worse, her friends’ ears.
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The rising sun shining in his eyes awoke Noah from his sleep. It was not a deep sleep, due to his current circumstances, but he at least felt rested. It was his first dawn in this new world. He and Tin were lying on a pile of pine boughs, keeping them off the ground and insulated, and wrapped in the canvas wagon cover, which they were using as both a tarp and a blanket. The freed slave was snuggled up tightly against him, both for warmth, and out of affection. The term “freed slave” fit her...
Silver and gold, only knights who held such rankings were present in the war room. Many grumbled in annoyance at their participation, having been busy the night before in stopping the fights in the streets. This dawn briefing was required, but why? If it was simply a matter of going over the details of the Red Revelry, then only those who had taken part would be present. For some reason, everyone in the city of sufficient rank had been gathered. The stone palace walls were decorated with...
The morning of the next day found Noah roaming the village. Before he made any decisions, he wanted to know what this town had to offer, what endeavors it could support. According to the maps he bought, Clive was far away from the nation’s capital, out in the boondocks, but it appeared to have a strong economy, with many professions one might not expect in such a rough area, like a gold and silversmiths. In fact, it seemed to thrive on tourism, but no one would ever come out here on vacation....
The bars and inns closed their doors earlier than usual. Tonight was the final night before the festival and the last night for a warrior’s purge. They didn’t bother waiting for the roads to clear or the street lamps to go out. Once the last light faded and darkness swept the city, the battles began. The knights and soldiers were quick to respond, but after these past bloody days, little effort was put into concealing the havoc. Now they were just putting revelers down as fast as possible and...
The waning moon cast its light, draping the shadows of the passing clouds upon the town. The white radiance streamed through the glass windows of a room at the inn, leaving two figures, Noah and Valia, standing in the thin darkness and relying on their sense of taste and touch. They savored each other’s sweet flavor as their lips formed a seal of passion and their tongues danced. Their embrace was tender, and though their hands wandered of their own volition, it was more than attraction that...
Final Exam There were still several days before graduation, but even though lessons were over, the cadets wouldn’t just be lounging around. The Red Revelries had begun, and Noah and all the other cadets were recruited to suppress the violence. They were given the day to rest and save their strength, and once night fell, they left the academy and gathered before the royal palace. They met an army of two hundred knights there, mostly bronze-rank, with several silvers and a few gold, the...
The forest gave way to fields of tree stumps, then farmland, and Noah encountered more and more people on the roads, from peasants and commoners to adventurers and armor-plated soldiers. Beyond the farms, guarded by walls and fences, about a hundred or so wood and brick buildings were gathered next to the Paleon Channel. Villagers and adventurers, both human and dwarf, filled the open streets without fear of the monsters in the woods. It was just like the town of Clive, having the same...
The spring rains were dramatic, passionate, the lifeblood of Mother Nature as she fully awoke from her winter slumber and prepared for summer. Yet at the moment, the fury with which the enlarged drops fell was not appreciated, for they numbed Noah’s fingers as he gripped his sword and made him shiver as his clothes became worthless from the damp. It was also difficult to see, splashing against his face and blurring his vision, but he kept his gaze focused on his enemies. He was out in the...
Oath, Trevor, and Mira fell to their hands and knees, close to passing out. They finally escaped the centipedes and were back in a standard corridor. Unfortunately, their strength was next to zero, and Trevor was knocking back potions. Only once all was calm did they finally get back on their feet. “We need to find Noah and Beth,” said Oath, “we should—” A solid fist striking his face both cut him off and sent him falling to the ground. His eyes were rolling like billiard balls, but the...
The Knight’s Sheath was almost always busy at this time of year, but it had hit its daily lull. There were a few customers drinking, due to their loyalty to the girls, endless thirst, or need for peace. At the moment, Holmes was the last, while those out in the streets were either too busy to get their rocks off or looking for a place that served lunch. After the meeting in the castle, he had come to the Knight’s Sheath to nap in a quiet corner. Normally he would have gone home, but he was...
A rare find, that beautiful crimson hair. That color was usually the result of cheap dye and a childish personality, desperate to prove individuality by opposing normality. It was a rare gift from nature, every strand like melting rubies, when most so-called redheads possessed only a diluted orange hue. But hers was like blood, drawing the eyes of all those around her, including Noah’s. Of all the women he had seen, met, and knew, even intimately, hers was the most purely crimson. It was...
It took a full day to ride back to the village, repeating the original journey he had made when he first arrived in this timeline, but now doing it alone. Like the day before, he arrived as the sun approached the horizon. Fatigue gripped him, so he went straight to the inn. He took his seat at his usual table and the innkeeper brought two trays of food. “I was worried when you didn’t show up for dinner last night or breakfast this morning. Where’s Tin?” she asked. “She died.” The woman set...
They departed the following day at dawn, wanting an early start. All four horses were now pulling the wagon, and without the slaves in tow, Noah and Tin were able to travel much faster than before. Despite their speed boost, they had to be careful, as there were dangers all around them. This was a familiar situation for Noah. He had fought in numerous wars and seen countless post-apocalyptic worlds, living through one anarchic hellscape after another. He was used to growing eyes in the back...
The spring rains were dramatic, passionate, the lifeblood of Mother Nature as she fully awoke from her winter slumber and prepared for summer. Yet at the moment, the fury with which the enlarged drops fell was not appreciated, for they numbed Noah’s fingers as he gripped his sword and made him shiver as his clothes became worthless from the damp. It was also difficult to see, the drops splashing against his face and blurring his vision, but he kept his gaze focused on his enemies. He was out...
Forging Strength . . . Pained gasps. A feminine whimper. “Oh God!” Beth collapsed, fighting for every breath with Noah standing over her, the two of them drenched in sweat. “Come on, get up,” he said. “I can’t do anymore!” “You know what comes next.” She looked at him with eyes full of hate. “You’re a monster,” she hissed. A clear, steady stream was produced, arching onto the ground with a splash. “Oh, she broke her record!” said Oath. “I wish my mana would grow that fast!” Mira...
The hour was late, the city was dark, and Noah was sitting against Bella’s headboard, enjoying her oral devotion to his manhood. She varied between voracious slurping and tender lovemaking, using the softness of her mouth to project her lust while giving his shaft and balls the attention they deserved. Her head was rested on his lap, comfortable, like she could have fallen asleep. Bella was rebuilding Noah’s erection after his most recent climax, and her pussy, glazed like a cinnamon roll,...
Having recovered from the springburn sickness, Noah and Tin set out early on a beautiful day. Summer was approaching, so the mornings lost much of their chill, though everyone paid for it in sweat later in the day. Instead of roaming through the woods to hunt monsters, they had a specific location in mind. Noah had heard rumors of an abandoned mine, now taken over by goblins. A hive, a nest, a colony; whatever it could be called, it spelled trouble for the village. Goblins ate and bred like...
Orientation The sky was clear, perfect weather for the celebration taking place in Colbrand. The streets were crowded with both tourists and citizens, all enjoying life to its fullest with merriment and drink. The peddlers and merchants put away their usual wares and brought out their festival goods, much of which traveled a great distance for this holiday. Partakers wore masks that made them look like the monsters of the wild, and the armored knights who slew them. They ate foods sweetened...
(Enishi has taken off his jacket and removed the cloth from the bundle on his back.) Enishi: I told you when we met on Shinonome Bridge that I'd show you another strength, not that of an arms dealer. Watch me fulfill that promise. (He holds up a long sword.) Megumi: He's just back from China, so of course he'd have a Chinese sword... Sanosuke: Pretty long, though. Kaoru: No... The workmanship is Chinese, but that's unmistakably a Japanese sword! Saitou: That's right. It's too...
Chapter 1 Since my wife left me, I've taken to having a few of an afternoon, so I stopped in at the Eternity on Queen Street West for a drink. It's one of the last good "conversation bars" left in Toronto. I like a nice quiet place to have a sip. Like all the other musicians I know, I hate the canned music in most bars. It seems designed to interfere with my conversation and to piss me off in general. In the Eternity, you can actually hear your own thoughts and share those of other...
Chapter 1 Since my wife left me, I’ve taken to having a few of an afternoon, so I stopped in at the Eternity on Queen Street West for a drink. It’s one of the last good “conversation bars” left in Toronto. I like a nice quiet place to have a sip. Like all the other musicians I know, I hate the canned music in most bars. It seems designed to interfere with my conversation and to piss me off in general. In the Eternity, you can actually hear your own thoughts and share those of other people, and...
Noah spent the next morning roaming the village. Before he made any decisions, he wanted to know what this town had to offer and what endeavors it could support. According to his maps, Clive was far from the nation’s capital, out in the boondocks. Nevertheless, it had a strong economy, with many professions one might not expect in such a rough area, like gold and silversmiths. In fact, it seemed to thrive on tourism, but no one would ever come out here on vacation. Instead, they came for the...
It took a whole day to ride back to the village, repeating the original journey he had made when he first arrived in this timeline but now doing it alone. Like the day before, he arrived as the sun approached the horizon. Fatigue gripped him, so he went straight to the inn. He sat at his usual table, and the innkeeper brought two food trays. “I was worried when you didn’t show up for dinner last night or breakfast this morning. Where’s Tin?” she asked. “She died.” The woman set down both...
The town of Clive was bustling, filled with adventurers following the news of the dungeon crab’s emergence. Around half of them would die within its shell, but those with skill and luck came back with pockets full of ores and gems. Having returned to town just the previous night, Noah had tried listening for gossip about whether or not anyone else had managed to capture the dungeon. He had taken all of the avenium he found in that room, possibly all there was in the crab. Whether they were...
George sat watching the stream of refugees flow past him. Each of the peasants' clothes hung off their frames; it saddened George to see that his armies had failed to protect the kingdom from the beastly hordes that swept forth from the mists. George turned around, looking at the assembled knights behind him. He mounted his snow-white charger, drawing his Bastard sword, swinging it slowly around his head. He would find the leader of the enemy hordes and end the war; he would save his...
Monster Sex"I am Steel." "I am Steel." "I am Steel." The whispers embraced him as he watched Gallis burn. The Emperor's soldiers pretended to be unhappy at what they found in the town, setting the fires in an orgy of relieved rage. "Hanzo ne Gallis is dead," Alessandra told him. "They'll find enough courage to desecrate the bodies soon," he said. The whispers grew louder. If he did not head off the swelling anger, action would be taken without thought. He was the only Steel ready to die in...
They arrived at The Seville promptly at 8:00, a little late to dine in Indiana, but about right for Doc and Margaret. Doc began the story of what had brought them to Wesley. He was careful to downplay the supernatural elements of the City of the Gods, though Rebecca seemed quickly to comprehend that aspect. They explained that Professor Wilton had disappeared after making the initial discovery and that Wesley’s key was a page from Wilton’s notes. “We’ve been here interviewing you for one...
Supper that night was a fairly quiet affair, which was a little strange for the two of us. Usually we talked over the day's events, threw comments at each other, and stopped to fondle and caress and kiss. I think we both knew where the evening was heading, even though nothing had been said, and neither of us was sure of its outcome. As we were cleaning up the dishes, I noticed her collar laying on the kitchen counter. It was still where I had put it last evening, when she had handed it to...
With the discovery of soul Pressure and soul sense, James now had a whole new element to consider in regards to his cultivation training. With that in mind, he once again secluded himself away in the HQ building and spent the next month focused on understanding it more, finding a way to train and focus it and discovering how it tied into spirit energy. After meticulous experiments and training, he concluded that he could only touch the tip of the iceberg in regards to spirit aura. He went...