Sorcerer from Another World

I felt ready for more. Refreshed with magic coursing and desperate to be played with and active in the world. I used to spend my days in pain and exhaustion. Now, I was brimming with the desire to cast more magic. It was a strange, and happy life change. 

However, the three young women looked weary and hurt from the battles. 

Umbra continued to clutch me like she was an old lady and I was the gentleman helping her across the road. The fact that she was a warm, lithe, slender woman who seemed to need my help made me heady, slightly intoxicated with a bloated sense of self worth.  

Iris leaned over slightly panting as she clutched her staff against her substantial chest, she had many cuts that had torn her robes. 

She looked so hurt and cute that I wanted to kill the Redcaps all over again. Then hold her close and keep her safe forever, never mind the fact she was a living flamethrower. 

Morgana planted her claymore to the dirt her shoulders hunched over but started me down with a fierce expression of defiance that reminded me of a tiger. It didn’t help that her eyes were wide with arousal and face flushed so I couldn’t tell if she wanted to fight or fuck.  

“You all did well.” I replied tiredly. “Don’t know if I have said. The name is Damian. Damian Grey. “

“Greetings, Damian Greys. May we strike down her foes in a union of steel and lightning.” Morgana said with a shark’s grin.

Okie doke.

Check Morgana under hot and bloodthirsty. 

“Master is master. Who am I to say your name?” Umbra said with seeming humility. 

Her so-called devotion was strong. There seemed to be a shadow of a smirk, like a medieval fool or jester telling a joke to an idiot king so full of himself he can’t he is the butt. For an eye, and her touch, I could take me made to feel like an ass.   

“Thank you for saving us, Master Grey.” Iris said seriously, “But I have to ask why did you accept my plea for help?”

“Should I prepare to get down and dirty?” Morgana joked with a cheek half-smile and a wink. 

“Whatever he desires.” Umbra added. 

Iris also seemed more pleased than scared with the joke, so I laughed. Different folks, with a more blunt sense of humour. 

“I think any hanky panky can wait until we are no longer in danger of being attacked by monsters,” I said wryly. I groaned as my body stitched itself back together. “Fuck self-healing hurts.”

Iris stepped closer and put her hand to my chest. “You poor thing.” She exclaimed sympathetically.

I almost swallowed my tongue in surprise. It had been a year since anyone had touched me (not including Umbra) let alone an amazing young woman with eyes the colour of soft caramel who could fight an ogre. Now two pretty young women pawed at me. 

I gulped loudly. “Yeah, thanks. I’m good, could do with some rest.” I answered as my cheeks burned crimson. I turned from Iris and caught the gaze of Morgana.

“You can heal as well? Is there anything you can’t do?” Iris asked in a mix of awe and envy.

I hesitated.

“Are you alright?” Iris asked gently.

“Yes.” I pointed towards the blaze. “Is that going to be an issue?” 

As we had been talking the fire off the ogre had now lit up all the Redcaps in a massive bonfire spreading smoke as far as the eye can see.

“We should get moving. Those smoke clouds will alert every Unseelie in the area.” Morgana said her brows knitted with concern.

I looked at Morgana properly for the first time. She wore an iron cuirass with padding and a black cloak over the armour, further, I sensed the metal bracers underneath. She was a pale beauty with sharp, piercing green eyes framed by thick, wavy raven black locks that just touched her shoulders.

Morgana winced. 

“Are you hurt anywhere?” I asked concerned.

“I’m missing an eye.” Umbra joked. I winced guilty at the reminder. Recreating an eye lost specifically to magic seemed a feat beyond my battle-tired self. 

Morgana answered, “I took an arrow before you arrived. I was going to sterilise and sew it shut. Should I let you help? You look tired, no offence.”

“Let me take a look.”

She turned around and parted her hair revealing a broken arrow shaft embedded between her shoulder blades that struck through her padding. I leaned over and put my hand over her wound. I could close the wound with ease even a few moment's pause had recharged my mana pool enough. It seemed that being a source of mana had its advantages.

I could extract the arrow while numbing her pain, kill any infection and close the wound. It would take a few hours longer to fully heal to be as good as new. I noticed there seemed to be magic already working, innate to her that seemed to mix with my own and boost the healing process.

“Your magic is warm and pleasant,” Morgana muttered. “I feel it like the touch of a lov…” She blushed. “You’re running through me.”

A cleared my throat with a cough, failing to mask my crimson ears, “I think you will be okay now, an easy fix.”

A robin tweeted and broke the tension. The little, red-breasted bird perched on Iris’ shoulder, its feet digging into the strap of her leather bag. 

Umbra’s wolf hid in the woods, no doubt keeping watch or something like it. 

Morgana was now noticeably more relaxed. Having an arrow wound healed seemed to do wonders to her mood. 

“How about you, Iris? Do you need any healing?”

“I’m okay, I don’t need it.” She replied timidly. “Besides, do we not have other things to do? What are we going to do?”

I scowled with concern. Why would she not want to be healed? I glanced at Morgana who was pointedly avoiding my eyes. Whatever, if she wanted to bleed and get infected then she could. But if she died what did that mean for me?

How selfish of me. 

“I promise that I am here to protect you. Which is difficult when you refuse to be healed.” I paused and took a deep breath at Iris’s startled expression. “Nevertheless, you clearly don’t want my help. Protection that covers monster attacks to finding a safe haven.”

“How about the Roman invasion and the Seelie court is shattering? I assume those Redcaps are the first of many to come.”

Erm…

“Sure all that too.” I answered.

What Roman invasion? What is a Seelie court?

Umbra kept a cool expression, but Iris and Morgana frowned. “You’re rather confident.” Iris remarked. “The Unseelie are never so bold as to attack a Druid in their home. Now ours is destroyed and the Romans are destroying civilization.” 

“Who are the Unseelie? Are they with the Romans?” I asked. I knew some basic history and so knew the Romans were ancient italians with a massive empire. 

They looked at me like I was an alien from another world. Then Iris chuckled embarrassed when she realised that is exactly what I was to them.

“I am a pawn of the Seelie Court. They are the Fae of happiness, they are good. The Unseelie are the Fae of unhappiness, they are bad. I know I am biased but trust me, no one disagrees. The Unseelie are proud of what they do. Unlike mortals where morality is grey and confusing with the Fae it is absolute.”

 “Redcaps are servants of the Unseelie Court from the Northern border with Alba. They must be taking advantage of the chaos to exact their malicious will.” Morgana added sadly.  

I frowned. That was a lot to take in. “Do yous have anywhere to go?” 

“I have you.” Umbra replied smoothly. Damn she made my heart beat. 

Morgana and Iris nodded in agreement.     

“My Aunt, she took care of me growing up. She died a few years back,” Morgana said flatly. “She and Iris’s mentor were good friends, I stayed with them after she passed. I have a brother but we’ve never met. Evil prophecy and all that nonsense.”

“They took Tean Valley, the nearby village, to our home before razing our house a morning’s walk away at the Great Tree. I’d only known the village and home before the attack,” Iris admitted. “Helen, my mentor, never made it. She held them back while we ran.”

Tears started to well in the corner of her eyes and she choked up recalling the painful all-to-fresh loss.

“I met up with them as I was fleeing Tean Valley.” Umbra explained coldly disregarding Iris’ sadness. 

“I think we are close to the village that we were heading to.” Iris managed. 

Morgana scowled. “Not that we are likely to get help. Yolin’s Hill does not even have a militia, let alone a wall. No one there can fight Redcaps one to one let alone Unseelie marauders or Roman soldiers. If it is not burned to the ground already I’ll eat my knife.”

I sighed. “We need more information. We can’t plan our next move if we are in the dark. I would feel a lot safer sleeping at night behind thick walls guarded by trained warriors. Are there any castles or secure settlements nearby?”

“Ferisdarm is the nearest hillfort. It has a wall.” Morgana answered, “It is about twenty five miles north of Yolin’s hill. It will be a hard journey.”

“Is it even safe there?” Iris asked anxiously. 

“Most of the warriors will be away fighting Romans. Rather than kicking us out of town, I think they will beg for our help. Once they see your sorcery in action, they will be desperate to stay under our protection.” Morgana said. 

“They will beg for the Master’s help.” Umbra then added with cynic, bitter tone, “and tolerate ours.” 

“I will do my best.” I said gently, and smiled trying to show confidence. 

“I like that idea.” Iris said with a smile. “No one will kick out the aid of a powerful sorcerer.”

“Nor the beautiful badass women.” I corrected then blushed as Iris stared at me. “Wouldn’t we be seen as a group of adventures? Surely they would want both of your help as well?”

“You single-handedly decimated ogres and a pack of Redcap raiders. That alone would get you an audience with any Chief. You then held them back after they were risen and killed the necromancer.” Morgana answered with a raised eyebrow like I was being stupid. “Of course, you had us two beautiful badasses helping you.”

Iris smiled. “Yeah, see how I burned the ogre.”

“You were amazing.” I said with a sincere smile. She really had been awesome. 

I shared a meaningful look with Iris.

“See, don’t I always say so?” Morgana said, nudging Iris’s arm. 

Iris rolled her eyes at her.  

The two shared a meaningful look and smirk.

Morgana pulled a blushing Iris close for a quick kiss.

They seemed to be happy. 

I coughed to hide my embarrassment at their open intimacy. Of course, I would land into the fantasy with all the danger, but none of that hollywood rewards. Perhaps, I masked my crushing sense of disappointment and shame. Why did I have to call them beautiful? Idiot. 

“Jealous?” Umbra teased. She snaked an arm around my waist drawing us somehow even closer. “You don’t have to be.” 

“Well then,” I said, trying to change the conversation. Umbra drew back her arm. “It sounds like we have a plan. Do we have enough supplies.” I looked at my naked body. Oh! “I might need new clothes, something more suitable, I think,” I confessed.

How did I end up forgetting that I am naked right now? Fuck! 

“You are beautiful as you are, Paragon. Come on, brave guardian, Iris will have something that fits. She can also make a five-course meal out of berries. Let’s go.”