Lay the Dragon v2 (18+ NSFW)

Alyrc and Lyn followed the party of vardor, walking through the gates of another vardor village after a week of travel. As they pass through the gate, they look around, sharing a look of interest as the village was completely silent. The previous two villages had been lively, openly inviting, welcoming the party. This was completely different.

As the group walked through the village, they came across a single vardor, kneeling before an altar, silently praying.

Alyrc cleared his throat, "Excuse me. We're here to speak with your elder."

The vardor turned her head, "You're speaking with her."

Lyn stood on the other side, "But you're only, what, two hundred? How are you the elder?"

The vardor sighed and stood, taking a deep breath, "We've been out of touch for a long while. I'm not native to this village. I came here as a member of an entourage for the purposes of reproduction. But when we arrived, it was dead silent. Then everyone started... changing."

"What do you mean 'changing'?" Alryc asked.

The vardor looked around, "A disease had been going around. It turned them into short, green-skinned things..."

Lyn gasped, "WHAT?!"

Alyrc nodded, "I see. What happened to these 'things'?"

"They ran off into the woods. I'm unsure of where they might be."

Lyn placed her hand on the woman's arm, "And why weren't you affected?"

"It was spread through sex. When we got here, I was only eighty. Still too young to take a lover. So by the time they turned, I was still the only one that hadn't had sex."

Alryc tapped his chin and looked around the Vardor, "Any of you know her?"

Kamen stepped forward, "I don't. Which village did you come from? What's your name?"

"I'm Eira. I came from a village to the south."

Alryc and Kamen locked eyes. Kamen was the first to speak, "We just came from there. They agreed to join us. Can we count on your sword?"

Eira sighed, "I guess. I don't really have much else to do around here. Just praying and surviving. I didn't think I could make it anywhere else on my own..." She turned to Lyn, "And by the way, I'm just under three hundred. I stopped keeping track, but I've been here for a long while."

Lyn blushed slightly, "Oh. My apologies. You looked so young..."

Eira shrugged, "It's fine. I appreciate you saying so. If you're not spoken to, maybe you'd like to be my Kesalith?"

Lyn looked up and met her gaze, "K-Kesalith...?"

Eira blushed and Kamen stepped forward, "Sorry, Kesalith is one of our terms. It means first lover, basically. Even if there is no love, it's the term given to one's first sexual encounter. It's important as it can set the tone for all future encounters, and even the person that individual chooses to settle down with."

"So if I am your Kesalith, then will you choose me for a mate?" Lyn asked.

Eira shrugged again, "I'm not saying that. Merely that you're here. And obviously a goblin of some sort, like the rest of the village."

Lyn smiled, "I appreciate the offer, but I've actually got my eye on someone at the moment. And not to worry. All goblins were once elves."

She noticed the change in atmosphere as she looked around, "What? Was it something I said?"

Alryc looked at her, "Goblins... Are elves...?"

Lyn nodded, "Yeah. I can tell you what I know, but... Maybe we should set up camp? Start dinner? It's kind of long, so maybe we should settle in and get ready for the night now, while we have daylight to prepare things."

Kamen nodded, "Agreed."

Alyrc turned to Eira, "Will you join us? If this is your village, then we have much to discuss.

The dark-skinned elf smiled, "I'd love to. I have some local flora I've gathered that we could eat. No meat, sadly. I'm not very good at hunting, you see. I've only managed a few small traps and just enough small game to keep me fed."

Kamen touched her shoulder, "That's not a problem. My hunters will head out and find us some decent fare for the night."

***

They began the night's preparations. Alyrc and Kamen worked on a fire and a spit while the others gathered up food, water, and bedrolls.

As the sun went down, they settled in, eating the freshly cooked food, and enjoying each other's company.

After they finished, Eira sat back, her hand gently resting on Lyn's knee.

"So... You were going to explain the goblins?" Kamen prodded.

Lyn nodded, "It's a long story, as I said. So I guess I'll pick up with what I said earlier. Goblins are - or were, as the case may be - elves. Way back in time immemorial. We shared lands with the demons. There were even many mixed breeds. Then one day, something changed. The demons introduced a disease into our society that sat dormant for years before it would activate and disfigure us. It turned us green and kept us short. It also shortened our lifespan and weakened our mental faculties. I'm still pretty far removed from how they looked back then, but I look a lot closer than the feral goblins you're all used to."

Alryc furrowed his brow, "Wait... you're all infected with some disease...?"

Lyn grinned sadly, looked down, and shook her head, "No. We've interbred with other races since then, including other elves, but none have ever turned. My best guess is that the disease ran its course and died off from our race."

Alyrc shook his head, "But how do you know it was a disease and not a curse?"

Lyn shrugged, "It's not impossible. But I believe it's a disease. A curse spreading through sexual contact, while not unheard of, isn't nearly as common."

Eria hummed a moment, "Why didn't you isolate those that showed symptoms?"

Lyn raised her eyes until they met the vardor's, "We couldn't. There weren't any symptoms until there suddenly was. No one knew there was any issue. then one by one, they started changing."

Alryc looked her over, "And how do you know all this? Are you really that old?"

Lyn looked hurt, "I'll have you know I'm only twenty-one. I'm still young, even for a goblin. But to answer your question, no. I don't remember it directly. Every goblina is born with racial memories. I remember it through someone else's eyes. Like a verbal tale that has been passed on for generations."

Kamen hummed, "Well, that's an interesting tidbit. Now, the main thing I'd like to know is why we've never heard of these 'goblinas'."

Lyn smiled, "Alryc?"

The warrior smirked, "Lyn here is a goblina. They're normally kept secret and safe, but the few goblin nests that seem to have more organization than their usual rat-like intelligence are usually led by either a goblina or a hobgoblin."

Kamen furrowed his brow, "Do humans not keep hobgoblins as slaves anymore?"

"We do. But they're rare, so it's not like they're an everyday find. And from what I've seen, their strength seems to be pretty well standard, but their intelligence seems to be based on proximity to other goblins. When there are more around, they seem to be far more intelligent than we had previously believed," Alryc explained.

Lyn nodded, affirming the warrior's words, "That's true. Hobgoblins are always powerful, but they get smarter when around more goblins. Kind of like how mages can work together to cast more powerful spells. Meanwhile, we goblinas are always smart, but we get physically stronger around more goblins."

Kamen hummed, "So when we find some goblins..."

Lyn grinned, "I imprint them. It'll work unless they're already imprinted."

Eria's attention snapped to the goblina, "Wait... You can imprint any goblins...?"

Lyn shrugged, "I've never met any I couldn't. Why?"

Eria sighed, "You... Might you be able to imprint The former inhabitants of this village?"

Lyn nodded, "I can certainly try."

Alryc laid back and stretched, "Well, let's turn in for the night. We can worry about everything else in the morning."

As everyone moved to their respective bedrolls, Lyn grabbed hers and hauled it closer to Alryc, "This spot taken yet?"

He smiled back at her, "All yours."

She spread it out and laid down next to him, "Thanks. It's been getting colder at night recently and you're always so warm."

Alryc turned his head, "You girls are always chilled." He winked as he spoke.

She playfully punched his arm, "Sexist. But still... Thank you..."

"For what?"

"You called me a girl. Not a goblin."

"Well, you are a girl, aren't you?"

She grabbed her tits and hefted them, "Damn right, you want proof?!" She said smiling.

Alryc chuckled, "Well, yes, but that's not what I meant."

"I know." She snuggled up against him, "Thank you."

They lay there together, quietly staring at the night sky, the crackling of the fire filling the silence.

Lyn was the first to speak, "Hey, Alryc...?"

"Hmm?"

"About what you said... My bedroll is plenty warm. Being cold was just a flimsy excuse... Sorry, I lied..."

Alryc rolled over and propped himself up, so he was face to face with her, "Lyn, I knew it was an act. You've never even shivered."

"Goblins are very hardy. Generations upon generations of living in caves and wearing minimal clothing lends itself to only those strong surviving the temps."

Alryc shrugged, "I suppose. Well, regardless, thank you. It's nice having you by my side."

Lyn smiled and pulled him close, pressing her lips against his. He was startled at first, then kissed her back.

When she broke the kiss, she looked into his eyes, "I like you, Alryc... You're kind, valiant, and strong. We've only known each other for a relatively short time, but... I want you to be my first."

His lips split into a grin, "I like you too. And maybe next time we have a decent bed. I don't want my first to be in a canvas on the ground."

With a laugh, she replied, "Yeah, I agree," Her musical voice lilting playfully. "But don't think that means I won't tease you..."

At that, she moved down and kissed his neck before trailing her tongue along his collarbone, before moving up and nibbling on his earlobe.

"O-oh..."

"Mmm," Lyn hummed as her fingers traced the outline of his growing manhood.

"Lyn, stop. Not here, not now."

The goblina pouted, "I said I didn't want to go all the way... I just want to fool around a little..."

Alryc smiled at her and caressed her cheek, "Lyn, we've got all the time in the world. Let's just cuddle. I really don't want to pull my dick out around..." He glanced up at the others.

Kamen smiled, "Nah, go ahead. We can just entertain ourselves."

Lyn blushed a darker green, "I... forgot about them..."

Alryc grinned, "That's because you're a little minx."

"Yeah, well, maybe I can be your little minx?"

"If you're willing to share my bed, I don't mind."

"I don't mind sharing," she replied with a grin.

He rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead, "Good night, Lyn. Get some sleep."

She nodded, "You too, Alryc."

As they both lay back down, they stared up at the stars as they cuddled until sleep overtook them.