The Deviant Dominant

“What’s a Dark Warlock?” Lukas asked. He could paint a general image in his head; based on what he’d heard and read while training to become an Adventurer, the enemy in question was likely a ghastly, supernatural boss with menacing magical mastery, but he wanted details. One look at the battered elf told him this was not the boss to underestimate. He pitied her condition, but she was the party’s only source of information. “What is a Dark Warlock?” He repeated his question with more insistence in his tone.

 

Freya’s sobbing only grew more intense, and her inconsolable state prevented her from responding.

 

Laera’s started shaking with dreadful anticipation as her limited patience wore out. “I have to go save my sister!” She stormed off towards the tunnels.

 

“Hold up, princess!” Fiona was the quickest to snap into planning mode. “I doubt you could find her in time by yourself. I have no idea what a Dark Warlock is either, but I think we need to find out. If it wiped out an entire Anoran team, I’m not sure we want to go running to the rescue.”

 

“I have to save my sister! Are you with me or am I going alone?”

 

“We will help you save your sister,” Lukas promised, “but Fiona is right. We need to be smart about it.” Lukas’ eyes connected with Fiona’s and he nodded his head. “You got this.”

 

“I’m going to stay here and make sure Laera doesn’t lose her mind,” Fiona said, “and help Gwyn calm this elf down while she heals her. If we can get her talking, I can put together a strategy that will hopefully not get anyone killed. Lucy, can you check the area just outside the cave entrance for help? It’s doubtful you will find anyone, but it’s worth a try. Lukas, I’m assuming it has been more than twelve hours. Will you please take Gemma off somewhere and boost her damage? My instincts tell me we will need it.”

 

Lucy’s face scrunched up with confusion at the mention of Lukas' boosting abilities, but knew it wasn’t the time to ask any unnecessary questions. She headed out to start her search.

 

Lukas, in turn, nodded at Fiona, duly impressed. He grabbed a willing Gemma, and they headed towards a darkened tunnel. “Don’t take long,” Fiona teased from behind, “I want to head out in a couple minutes.” Despite the somberness of the situation, the redhead still slipped them a wink.

 

As Lukas rounded the corner, he swiftly pinned Gemma against the wall, his hands wrapping around her arms to hold her in place. The intensity of the situation was palpable, but Lukas' instincts took over, and he couldn't help but be drawn to Gemma's curvaceous figure. Despite the danger that lurked ahead, he found himself lost in the moment, his senses heightened as he savored the feel of her body pressed against his.

 

“Enough foreplay,” Gemma said in a husky voice. “Shove your cock in me and dump your load.” Lukas spun her around and yanked down her pants and underwear. Fishing out his cock, he lined it up with her already dripping cunt.

 

“Why the fuck are you so wet already?”

 

“Why am I wet at the idea of a fierce warrior brutally taking me in a dark cave with the sole intention of pumping his seed into me? Stop asking stupid questions and fuck me!”

 

He spanked hard for her quip, leaving a red handprint on her toned ass before giving her what she craved. He slid into her wet snatch from behind, her standing height giving him an ideal angle.

 

The act was primal, fueled by the thrill of the taboo and the rush of adrenaline. The cave seemed to pulse with their rhythm, each thrust echoing in the confined space. Gemma's nails dug into the tunnel wall, her cries of pleasure mingling with his grunts of exertion. It was brutal, raw, and utterly consuming.

 

Lukas violently plundered her womb, enjoying the amount of punishment that Gemma’s sturdy body could handle. Each plunge into her depths brought him closer to expelling his load. He grabbed her arms and pinned her wrists together high above her head, her whole body pressed against the cave wall with Lukas molded into her back.

 

“Fuck, Lukas!” she exclaimed as her pussy clenched around his cock and she carnally embraced the control that Lukas had taken over her body. “You’re such a fucking beast. Take what’s yours.” Her tightening pussy signaled the start of her orgasm.

 

Lukas continued pumping away with ferocious strokes, offering no respite to his quivering conquest. He held nothing back as his balls prepared to launch their contents down his shaft and into his tallest, strongest bitch. He slammed into Gemma hard, his muscular arms holding her in place as he sent his load flying deep inside her. He ground his hips into her ass, dominating every inch of her womb.

 

Lukas finally released Gemma, convinced that every ounce of his sperm was inside her. She spun around and kissed him fiercely. “I want nothing more than for you to throw me down on the ground right now and fuck me again,” she said, “but we have to go.” She very much sounded as if she were persuading herself.

 

“Where have you been?” Fiona called out to them as the well-fucked brunette and her dominant emerged from their tunnel. “Did you wine and dine her first?” Their walk of shame didn't last long, as the redhead immediately ushered the reassembled group towards the tunnel that Freya had emerged from. “Come on; the sooner we get there, the better.”

 

Lukas was grateful for his long legs as they moved forward at a brisk pace. “Lukas, grab the Experience Scroll from Lucy,” Fiona commanded as she walked. “It’s been decided that we need it on you. We are going up against a bunch of nasty magic and I need you completely immune. If I remember correctly, your Praise ability is off cooldown now?”

 

Lukas nodded. “Are you sure I am the one who should take it?”

 

“Yes,” Fiona responded firmly. “Everyone else agreed, too – except Gemma. She was busy.”

 

Lukas retrieved the scroll from Lucy and applied it. The item promoted him to level seven and simultaneously decomposed into floating dust particles. As instructed, he maxed out the Confidence skill, passively granting himself fifty percent magic resistance.

 

“What’s the plan?” Lukas asked as they raced through the caverns.

 

“The battle rests on Laera’s opening moves,” Fiona explained hastily, “with you as a last resort. Our mage’s Ultimate and silence are available, but we need two of each. That means using her refresh and more mana than a witch’s tit could produce.”

 

“Where is she going to get the mana?” Lukas asked, a little worried he was going to need to pop off another quick shot while everyone else waited. 

 

“She’s got that figured out,” Fiona answered, “but we aren’t going to get any lightning support. Her mana is needed elsewhere. Our job is to protect her from the minions and take down the warlock before the second silence expires.”

 

“Minions?”

 

“Lukas,” Fiona said with a serious look on her face, “if the story we dragged out of this elf is even mildly accurate, we are about to head into a complete shitshow. Be ready for anything.” Freya heard the brusque reference to herself, but didn’t dare interrupt the intimidating redhead.

 

With the Adventurers’ blistering speed and Freya’s guidance, they arrived outside the Dark Warlock’s lair before Lukas could ask more questions. “Every second counts,” Fiona said. She took a deep breath with one of those valuable seconds, and then led the charge into the cavern.

 

Laera silenced the warlock before Lukas could even take in his surroundings. The air in the lair was thick with the stench of decay and charnel houses. The cavern's walls seemed to writhe and twist, as if the very rock itself was alive and tormented. Flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the walls, making it seem as though dark creatures were lurching and scurrying through the darkness.

 

The lair was a vast, natural amphitheater, with a dais at its center where the Dark Warlock stood, his eyes blazing with malevolent energy. His twisted, nightmarish form seemed to be crafted from shadows and darkness itself, as if he had been ripped from the very fabric of the undead cavern.

 

An altar sat in front of the warlock, and atop it lay the pallid form of Frelich. Lighted wisps of life were floating from the comatose elf into the warlock’s gnarly, blackened staff. Surrounding the necromancer boss was a sight that shook Lukas to the very core. 

 

Five undead creatures stood, weapons raised, ready to engage the intruders – except they weren’t mere creatures. They were Adventurers – no, not quite. They’d used to be Adventurers. Lukas was horrified. Their skin was a pasty white, even their clothing was paler than it should have been. The entirety of their eyes were consumed completely by pitch-black darkness, devoid of any life. They were moving aggressively – hardly shambling or dragging – but not under their own power. They were wholly owned and controlled by the warlock’s necromancy. The moving corpses that formed a protective circle around the dark wizard were just empty husks of Adventurers whose souls had been cruelly ripped from their bodies.

 

Freya gasped as she spotted a zombified Anoran amongst the five undead fighters. “Roderick!” The possessed Roderick notched an arrow and drew back on his bow, intending to fire upon his former teammate. Laera’s bewitching Ultimate invaded the archer, temporarily switching his allegiance back in their favor. It pivoted expertly and shot its arrow into another of the Dark Warlock’s minions.

 

Laera gasped as she gained access to what was left of his mind. “There’s… there’s nothing there! He’s gone.” The news was a harsh blow, but there wasn’t a moment to spare. Another mind and soul were at stake; Frelich wasn’t quite dead, or undead, yet.

 

The only other beacon of hope amidst the warlock’s realm of darkness was finally spotted by Lucy, who pointed it out to the rest of the team. In the back corner of the lair, Elvira and another Anoran mage were bound to the twisted walls by dark, sinuous restraints that seemed to writhe like living vines. The prisoners' eyes, though sunken with despair, still contained a defiant spark of life

 

The Adventurers engaged in combat with the Adventurer-like minions. They feinted towards the Dark Warlock itself, but, per Fiona’s plan, their true mission was to prevent them from targeting Laera. Fiona jumped in and launched her frosty Ultimate, hitting three minions with the slowing magic. Lukas and Gemma charged into the fray with her, forming an initial front line. Laera rushed over to her sister, but it was not the right time for a proper family reunion. She attempted to free the two captives, but the warlock’s magic was unbreakable. “The mana potion,” she said urgently. “Where is it?” Elvira weakly glanced over to her bag which had been dropped and abandoned thirty feet away. The faint gesture was all her sister needed.

 

Laera quickly found the mana potion and downed it. She refreshed her spells and then bewitched an additional, sword-wielding minion, turning the tide decisively towards the side of the living. The elven mage resisted the urge to batter the undead with a barrage of lightning as she watched her friends fight, holding on to her last bit of mana for a second silence. 

 

In the center of the lair, a heated battle against cold necromancy raged on. Lukas focused on one of the remaining minions, letting Gemma chase after the Dark Warlock. Without its powerful magic, the evil sorcerer could only retreat, weaving between its minions, trying to evade the mighty brawler on its tail. Lucy, Gwyn, and Freya peppered the surprisingly mobile warlock with arrows as Gemma’s harrowing speed overtook the dark magician. The warlock took a couple hits from her flaming sword before raising its staff, ready to unleash a vengeful wave of magic as it sensed the silence nearing its final seconds. 

 

A refreshed and waiting Laera unleashed the second silence, catching the Dark Warlock in a uselessly offensive and highly vulnerable stance. Gemma’s fiery blade violently slashed through the inky blackness of the warlock’s robe and Lucy’s bow sent a couple arrows into its hooded face. Lukas was also successful in hacking through his chosen minion, then moved to assist Fiona with hers. The archers’ volleys, combined with Gemma’s incessant assault, weakened their chief enemy considerably as the battle grinded on. Fiona’s instinct about Gemma’s damage boost had proved to be spot on. The sheer damage being put out by the team, and especially by the fire-and-steel-wielding berserker, lit a flame of hope in the living hearts throughout the twisted chamber. Victory was in sight.

 

The warlock, however, had one last wicked card to play. It fled to the back corner of its lair, towards the two captives that were still bound tightly by dark magic and vulnerable to errant ranged attacks. It frustrated the archers, as their target’s erratic movements forced a pause in their barrage. Both Lucy and Freya scrambled to find better angles, while Gwyn’s self-perceived inexperience caused her to shift away from launching arrows completely. The cunning strategy bought the sinister boss just enough time, as one too many precious seconds ticked away. 

 

Lukas swore that he heard an evil cackle as the warlock’s magic unlocked after nearly a minute and a half of silence. In that fleeting moment, the battle completely flipped on its axis – to the darker side. 

 

The Dark Warlock’s casting speed caught them all by surprise. The magician slammed its staff into the ground, launching its first spell: a powerful radial shockwave that traveled through every surface of its lair. Its raw magical strength knocked every single Adventurer off their feet, and the ones closest to the staff’s point of impact were sent flying backwards. The corrupted wizard then consumed the essence of a minion, padding its meager HP; Roderick’s corpse fell lifelessly to the floor, completely abandoned by both living and undying power. The next spell sent a blood red ribbon springing out from the staff, the magical filament thread itself through each member of Lukas’ party. The effects were unknown, not causing damage, which only worried Lukas more. The warlock followed that up by summoning a glowing purple force field all around itself, taunting the Adventurers to test it.

 

The Dark Warlock’s incredible magical prowess struck fear into every living soul in that room. Gemma, however, instantly turned that fear into rage, and she charged into the forcefield even as the archers’ arrows bounced off of it. Laera had regenerated enough mana to fire off a single lighting bolt; the electricity also struck the purple barrier to no effect. Gemma made it through and thrust her sword into the warlock, but discovered that within the force field existed a decaying aura. It extracted a heavy price on the berserker’s health – and, adding to the party’s shock and dismay, upon everyone else’s, too. The sorcerer had cursed the party with a linking spell, ruthlessly multiplying any damage received to the all team members. 

 

“Damage linking!” Lukas cried out.

 

“Gemma!” Fiona shouted. “Get out of there.” She turned to Lukas. “It’s all up to you now. I know you can do it.” Fiona’s confidence in him gave him a surge of hope and energy. He triggered Praise and charged into the purple field, replacing a retreating Gemma.

 

The Dark Warlock faced its newest assailant for the first time. With a wave of its staff, it engulfed the tall Adventurer in green flames. Lukas ignored them. As they pointlessly flared out, he sunk his blades into the warlock. The magician screeched in pain as it conjured a network of dark, finger-like restraints to writhe against Lukas’ broad figure; again, to no effect. Another incantation would have inflicted a necrotic poison. The next would have placed a vampiric curse upon him, granting the sorcerer constant flow of healing at the expense of the Adventurer. Nothing fazed Lukas as he focused on one singular purpose: silencing the warlock permanently with cold steel. He knew the situation was a matter of life or death, but he also felt like a god as he slashed away at the evil wizard, with dark and twisted spells he couldn’t even identify bouncing harmlessly off of him.

 

With a forceful gesture, the warlock once again struck its staff against the cavern floor, unleashing a seismic shockwave that resonated through the space. Lukas, however, stood firm, impervious to the blast's effects. In contrast, his companions were not so fortunate, stumbling backward from the impact. Bound by the warlock's devastating linking spell, the normally minor damage each one suffered from the shockwave was amplified, causing panic to follow the enormous HP hit. The irony was stark: having a larger team had almost killed several of them. Undeterred by that cruel twist, Lukas redoubled his efforts, fighting with unyielding ferocity to save his struggling allies.

 

The Deviant Dominant ripped mercilessly through the boss’ remaining health. There wasn’t a lot, thanks to an admirable effort by Gemma and his other teammates, but everyone was counting on him to finish the job. The dark wizard sensed that it was in true danger, and it desperately launched another blast of green flame at its lone attacker. Lukas’ arms burned, but from exertion rather than flames, as he fought to maintain his unrelenting offensive. 

 

Being diligently focused on his assault, he completely missed the one final spell that the Dark Warlock cast. It wasn’t aimed at Lukas, nor was it a defensive spell of any kind. The target was Frelich’s nearly drained body; the elf jolted atop the altar, but nobody was paying attention to him. All eyes were on Lukas and his almost-vanquished foe.

 

A skillful slice across the warlock’s neck ended it. As the boss creature fell, the bonds that restrained its two captives also dissipated. A gasp sounded from the middle of the room, as Frelich shot up to a sitting position on the altar. Laera rushed over to Elvira and embraced her tightly.

 

“I was so scared, Laera,” Elvira managed to get out between sobs. “I watched that creature drain Roderick’s soul and then start on Frelich. I might have been next. How did you find me?” The younger sister silently comforted the elder, letting the questions come as they would. “You remembered I always carry an emergency mana potion?” That one carried a hint of pride.

 

“Good thing I did,” Laera said. “It barely got me through. What led you to fight such a powerful boss?”

 

“Frelich,” Elvira sneered in disgust. “He was upset that your new boyfriend defeated the lich so easily. His stupid pride led us here. We got trapped before we realized how screwed we were.”

 

“There has to be a way to get you off this team!”

 

“Don’t worry about that,” Elvira promised. “The team is done for. I plan on returning Roderick’s body to his family and recounting the foolish mistake that got a young Anoran killed. I hate to use such a tragedy for political purposes, but someone has to knock Frelich and his pompous father down a few notches.” She glanced over at the offending elf. He was on the other side of the cavern, idly observing everyone as they looted the lair. “I have half a mind to march over there right now and chew him out, but he’s had quite the rough night as well.”

 

“The silver lining here is that you’ll get to return to your guild,” Laera said. 

 

Elvira nodded, a long-awaited smile sneaking across her face. “So,” she asked, finally feeling calm enough to try for humor, “how lucky is it that your boyfriend is the ultimate mage slayer?”

 

“Not just magic users,” Laera responded, happy to brag about her man. “We took on a Demon Fiend right before this. He’s an amazingly talented Adventurer.”

 

As if summoned, Lukas approached them, concern etched on his face. “Are you doing okay?” he asked Elvira. 

 

“I’ll live,” she replied, “thanks to you.”

 

Lukas turned to Laera, who was still visibly shaken, not to mention low on HP. Everyone except Lukas was. "And you? I’m glad we got to your sister in time. You were ready to charge in without a second thought."

 

Elvira chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Then I suppose I should also thank you for holding Laera back. It would have been suicide for her to rush in here alone, or even with any other team. I'm still surprised you all managed to pull it off."

 

“That’s not something I would be keen to attempt again – at least not for a while. The loot is absolutely insane though. We found a legendary grade helmet and chainmail. The warlock’s staff is also around here somewhere.” Lukas scanned the lair. “Someone must have grabbed it; I’ll show you back in Eberlorn. There’s some other accessories, too, and a decent pile of coins. Oh – and I found three of these.” He held out three vials of blue liquid for Laera to see.

 

“Mana potions!” Laera reached out and grabbed them. Her eyes lit up as she examined the trio of vials. She handed one to her sister, who smiled gratefully. "We should replace the one I used; it was a lifesaver today." She swirled the blue liquid around and then glanced up at Lukas, a thoughtful expression crossed her face. “I wonder…” Then she remembered that her older sister was standing right next to her. “Never mind, I’ll talk to you later Lukas.”

 

“There are happier and safer places for the rest of this reunion,” Lukas said. “Let’s start heading back.”

 

“I’m hoping to take Roderick’s body with us,” Elvira mentioned. “Do you think you could help with that?” Lukas nodded.

 

After their brutal encounter with the Dark Warlock, the Adventurers emerged from the lair, victorious but utterly drained. Their limbs felt leaden and unresponsive. To make matters worse, Lukas’ were weighed down more literally by the lifeless body of an Anoran archer, whose lightweight frame was a small consolation in the face of his fatigue.

 

Lukas was content bringing up the rear of the group. He was the obvious choice to carry the extra weight, given that Gemma was hauling most of the loot, but it still slowed him down. He was heartened when a certain freckled assassin dropped back to keep him company.

 

“Having trouble keeping up?” Fiona teased. “You’re not getting frisky with the corpse back here are you?”

 

“Gross!” Lukas responded with a revolted expression on his face. “Sometimes I love your smartass remarks, but other times…”

 

“You can’t fool me,” Fiona said with a smile. “You would cease to enjoy life without my witty humor.”

 

“You are quite spectacular,” Lukas said, suddenly shifting to a serious tone. “Your quick thinking and strategy saved our skins back there. I don't know what we would have done without you."

 

“Are you kidding me?” Fiona responded incredulously. “I can’t stand that feeling! I never want to be responsible for sending my friends into battle like that again. I’ll just whisper my undeniable genius into your ear and let you take all the blame.”

 

“What blame?” Lukas replied. “We seem to be doing pretty good.”

 

“We were just one spell away from dying,” Fiona reminded him. “I guess that is your fault for taking so damn long to kill the bastard.”

 

“My hands were moving as fast as they could,” Lukas said. “It was a tough fight.”

 

“No worries,” Fiona teased. “I like how long it takes you to finish. But if I’m around, you don’t need to use your hands.”

 

Fiona’s lewd humor earned a chuckle from Lukas.

 

“See? You wouldn’t laugh nearly as much without my dirty mind. You can always count on me for relieving tension – in more ways than one – and strategic brilliance. I like my role. You’re stuck being the one that always saves our asses. I like you being the leader of the group, it just seems so natural.”

 

“Don't sell yourself short,” Lukas replied. “You played a crucial role tonight. I could only do what I did with you by my side. That’s how it always is, you know. We make each other better.”

 

“Ahh,” Fiona sighed as she beamed up at him. “I would give you a hug, but it looks like you’re already cuddly with Roderick there.”

 

“Damn it, Fiona!” She scampered away, rejoining the pack as they finally reached the labyrinth's large, natural foyer.

 

***

 

It was well past midnight when the weary Adventurers reached Eberlorn. Elvira made plans to travel to Anroa with the body the following day. She knew exactly where to store it overnight, allowing Lukas to finally be relieved of his dead weight, as. He and his five girls stumbled back to the guild hall. Everyone fell asleep the moment their heads hit their pillows. They rarely afforded themselves the luxury of sleeping in, but the deep slumber required to fully replenish their energy kept them in bed until noon.

 

Waking up a little earlier than his elven bed companion, Lukas's thoughts were still reeling from the previous night's events. There was one matter in particular that he finally had the mental capacity to address. The Experience Scroll had granted him an unexpected emergency level in the caverns, but that wasn't all – he had also earned enough experience points from defeating the Demon Fiend and the Dark Warlock to secure a natural level up. His mind was buzzing. Ever since his consultation with Fiona, he’d wanted to upgrade the Obedience skill to see exactly how scalable it was. It was one of the skills he still hadn’t leveled, so it didn’t take much self-convincing to promote it.

 

<<<

Lukas Dameron

General Class: Deviant

Main Class: Dominant

Level 8

 

Stats:

Strength: 23.5 + 6.1

Agility: 22.0 + 5.4

Mentality: 21.0 + 5.4

Vigor: 19.4 + 4.0

 

Skills:

Confidence (Passive) - Maxed - shrug off 50% of magical damage and effects

Obedience (Triggered) - Level 2 - able to bind others through sexual contract. Dominant will passively receive a 20% boost in the primary trait of the Obedient subject(s)

Corruption (Passive) - Maxed - earn alternative and unique Dominance experience whenever Dominant is pleasured by Obedient subject(s)

Praise (Triggered) - Level 2 - Obedient subject(s) receive a +15 boost in both Strength and Vigor for 45 seconds, the Confidence effect is doubled during this duration

Discipline (Triggered) - Level 2 - Obedient subject(s) get an additional triggered skill, extra Dominance experience can be converted to HP at an inefficient rate

Restraints (Ultimate) - Level 1 - apply 2 stuns for the duration of .5 seconds, stuns can be applied to multiple targets or can be stacked on one target

>>>

 

The potential of his class once again astounded him. Lukas cringed as he reminded himself that less than a month ago, he would’ve given anything to have been re-Scribed to a different class. He was more grateful than ever that his naive past self hadn’t had that option.

 

He turned his head to see Laera’s blue eyes watching him. “Good morning, beautiful,” he greeted her.

 

Laera smiled. “Do I dare ask what day it is? I felt like I might have slept through the winter.”

 

“I guess we partied pretty hard last night,” Lukas joked.

 

“That’s one way to put it,” Laera said. “Are we still planning on seeing my sister off?”

 

“Yeah, let’s head out.”

Lukas and his companions reunited with Elvira outside a stage post, where she had hired a crew to help her with the next portion of her journey. She outlined her plans to visit Anora and then Laera filled her in on the recent encounter with their parents, provoking a mixture of amusement and anger from the elder sibling.

 

Gesturing to Lukas, Elvira relayed a proposal to the pair of them. "This might be the perfect opportunity for you to make your mark elsewhere. You've already made a name for yourself in Eberlorn; you should consider joining the Wyvern Guild."

 

Lukas was intrigued by the idea, but he hesitated. "I'm not sure," he said. "I'll need to discuss it with my team."

 

Elvira nodded understandingly. "I'll stop by here in a couple of days when I return from Anora. After that, I'll be taking Freya and Gareth to the Wyvern Guild to find them new teams. As for Frelich, he vanished last night after we got back; I have no idea where the hell he went. I hope he didn’t run off with some of your loot. Anyway, take some time to think it over and decide. I'd love to recruit you for the guild."

 

As Elvira boarded the stagecoach, she waved goodbye to Laera before calling out one final time. "Oh, and if you think 'the Cottage' was big, you should see the place in Vandhoven I can let you stay in. Plus, you’d get to see so much more of me." With that, she settled into her seat and the vehicle lurched forward, bound for Anora.

 

The team of six remained in Eberlorn wondering what to do next. They passed by the guild hall and saw them setting up for an event. “The Town Hall event Gideon told us about is tonight,” Lukas remarked. “I suppose we could make an effort to attend, especially since we have an important decision coming up about guilds – or, at least, where to travel next.”

 

“Any ideas on how to kill time until then?” Fiona asked.

 

“We could go walk to the pond,” Gemma suggested.

 

Fiona looked around at the others. “Anything other than just staring at water?”

 

“I think the pond could be fun,” Gwyn said.

 

The group made their way to the scenic pond on the outskirts of Eberlorn, with the scorching sun beating down on them. Upon their arrival, they found themselves alone. The only sound was the gentle lapping of the water against the shore.

 

As they approached the water's edge, Lucy, the newest member of the group, took a bold step forward. "I don't know about you all," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye, "but it's too hot not to jump in." Without hesitation, she began to strip off her clothes, though she did cast a few nervous glances at the group as she removed the final piece of clothing – her panties.

 

Those nervous glances, however, did not equate to shyness. It seemed more to Lukas like she was eager – even excited – to flaunt her nude curves to her new teammates. They certainly captured Lukas’ attention immediately. His eyes were fixed on the caramel beauty as he took in her large breasts and shaven pussy. He was slightly worried about getting caught staring, but then realized the others had reacted similarly to Lucy's bold move.

 

Fiona was the first one to move. “It certainly is very hot!” she exclaimed, and started ripping off her own clothes, joining Lucy in her nakedness. The whole team – except Laera – followed suit as the two already nude girls jumped into the water.

 

The elf’s eyes widened, and she looked around nervously. "What are you all doing?" she exclaimed. "We're in public! Anyone could come down that path and see us." Her protests were drowned out by the sounds of laughter and splashing. Laera frowned disapprovingly at the group of naked swimmers, then turned around to go sit under a tree.

 

Fiona huffed and called out. "Get in the water princess! Don't make me use my teleport to push you in."

 

After several glances down the trail that led back to the city, Laera caved. She reluctantly took off her own clothes, and joined her friends both in their nakedness and in the water.

 

Lukas enjoyed the refreshing water and the sight of the girls. With the late addition of a still-timid Laera, he had five of the most delectable, gorgeous forms he’d ever seen swimming around in front of him, completely bare. Lucy in particular was enjoying her freedom. She would pop out the water and run her hands through her wet hair, down her shoulders, and then across her exposed frontside. Her fingers would circle around her sizable breasts and then cup the oversized mammaries from underneath. She’d squeeze and rub them together, her body undulating as she did so. Then she would look up and meet Lukas's eyes – sometimes others’, too, but always his – with a mischievous grin as she continued to touch herself.

 

Fiona swam over to Lukas, taking her time as she watched Lucy's latest show. "I can’t believe it," the redhead said in a hushed tone. "She’s a fucking exhibitionist. This one is just going to be handed to you on a silver platter." 

 

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Lukas chided her in a playful tone. “Just because she likes being watched doesn’t mean she likes being touched.”

 

“I’ll bet you she wants to jump your bones right now in front of everyone.”

 

“Are you saying that because you actually think that’s what she wants, or just because that’s what you want to see?”

 

Lukas felt a hand grip his rigid member underwater. "Someone certainly likes what he is seeing," Fiona teased, rubbing Lukas's member as they watched the busty girl in front of them play with her tits. 

 

 Fiona turned until she was in front of Lukas. "She's a hottie, but can she do this?" Lukas caught the playful gleam in her eyes just before she dove beneath the water's surface and took him into her mouth. The redhead's talented tongue and lips immediately took a toll on Lukas' self-control as Lucy continued to squeeze and rub her breasts in front of him. He had to bite his lip to keep himself from crying out.

 

Lucy noticed his reactions and smiled, thinking she’d stumbled upon a particularly passionate voyeur. Her eyes were locked onto Lukas, a seductive smile playing upon her face as Fiona worked her magic beneath the surface. She gave him a wink and then turned away in a dive, which caused a thick, round ass to surface for just a moment before following the rest of her curvaceous body underwater.

 

Fiona broke the surface of the water with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Let's see if I can get you off without drowning." She dipped back down and resumed. Her tongue and lips danced along Lukas' cock as she bobbed up and down in the water. 

 

Lucy had returned to her former spot in the pond, ready to continue her show for her favorite voyeur. She squeezed her breasts again, and added some nipple pinching for good measure. She was brazen, staring directly into Lukas' eyes as she lowered her hand down her tummy and into the water. It was easy for Lukas to infer what was happening based on the way her arm moved and the way she was breathing. Her hand slid through her folds, her fingers slipping in and out of her. Her eyes fluttered shut in pleasure, letting out a whimper as she enjoyed Lukas’ gaze.

 

Lukas was trying his best not to moan as Fiona kept pleasuring him, but the sensations were too great for him to stifle completely. The redhead continued her oral assault until she had Lukas on the edge. Then, she came up for air.

 

When the masturbating Lucy saw the freckled beauty emerge in front of Lukas, her jaw dropped. Fiona swiveled her head around and noticed Lucy's shock. The redhead blew her a kiss and then submerged again.

 

Lucy looked at Lukas with a surprised expression. She quickly regained her composure and gave him a naughty smile. With a determined expression, she resumed fingering herself. With her free hand, she gripped one of her round melons and brought it up to her mouth, taking her own nipple between her lips. She began to suckle herself as her hand continued to work between her legs.

 

Lucy’s lewd performance, combined with the underwater oral one pushed Lukas past his limits. He moaned loudly and his legs started to shake as Fiona expertly swirled her tongue, preparing for the finale.  Lukas' balls tightened as his load surged through his body, and he let out a long groan. He peered down into the semi-transparent pond and saw her dark red hair suspended in the water as he unleashed into her mouth. Fiona felt Lukas' member twitching against her lips and let out a hum of satisfaction. She continued to milk his seed out, swallowing as much as she could.

 

As Fiona resurfaced and cleared the hair from her face, she saw Lucy with her eyes closed and her head tilted back. The Ranger’s hand was moving furiously between her legs and her breathing had become labored. A moment later, the curvaceous girl cried out, her body trembling as an orgasm surged through her.

 

The rest of the group had, purposefully or not, given them their space. A blonde elf was wading on the opposite side of the pond with a blushing red face, though, hinting that at least some of them had caught on. Coming down from her climax, Lucy's face was flushed, and her eyes darted between Lukas and Fiona. The redhead's eyes were alight with a naughtiness as she smiled at the other girl. Lucy returned a smirk to the sexy assassin, matching her playfulness.

 

Fiona turned and gave Lukas a sultry smile. "Now that my work here is done," she said, "I'm going to go lounge under that tree. My skin doesn't like the sun as much as yours does."  The redhead gave Lukas a peck on the cheek and swam over to the shore. She walked out the water, shaking her red hair out as she went. Lukas couldn't help but admire her dripping wet figure from behind as she made her way over to the tree that would serve as her protection.

 

***

 

The time for the guild meeting had drawn near. Fully clothed, mostly dry, and having enjoyed their refreshing swim, the team started their short walk back into Eberlorn. As they strolled along the path, they encountered another group of people headed to the pond, causing Laera's complexion to pale. She shot a disapproving glance at Fiona, mouthing ‘I told you so’ under her breath. Fiona just chuckled and rolled her eyes in response, clearly amused by Laera's prudish paranoia.

 

Lukas and the girls entered the guild hall and made their way into the grand room, where numerous rows of chairs were arranged to face a raised stage at the far end. With more than two-thirds of the seats already occupied, they settled for a spot near the back. The influx of people continued for a few minutes, with the last stragglers trickling in before Gideon, the Guildmaster, took his place on stage, standing ready to engage the crowd.

 

“Thank you for joining us tonight,” he announced; some sort of magical enhancement projected his voice loudly over the audience. “This is the first Town Hall since the dragon battle, and we have lots to discuss. Let’s get some quick introductions out of the way for anyone who might be new. I’m Gideon Magleton, your elected Guildmaster. We have Leon Onsley–” he gestured to an Anoran elf seated on the stage, “–our Deputy Guildmaster. Our Treasurer, Chief Diplomat, Chronicler, and Marshal are all also in attendance tonight.”

 

“We will kick off our agenda with a report of our Mystic Forest pruning efforts. Marshal Kingsley.”

 

A tall female with darker skin arose and replaced the Guildmaster’s central spot on the stage. She had tightly braided hair and proudly bore a sinister-looking scar across her cheek. Her eyes, a deep shade of brown, sparkled with a quiet intensity as she gazed out at the gathering. She cleared her throat and began to speak in a low, measured tone.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen of the guild, I bring you a report of the state of the Mystic Forest. Our ongoing efforts have been successful, and I'm pleased to report that we continue to maintain the balance of the forest's ancient energies – with one obvious, glaring exception. We could spend the entirety of the meeting discussing the dragon, but we do have other agenda items. I would like to thank the dependable, but no less spectacular, contributions that our veteran Adventurers continue to make. I would also like to recognize the efforts that a couple of the newer teams have been making – though, regrettably, our new Anoran team suffered a fatality just yesterday. It is a grim reminder that the work we do is as dangerous as it is vital.."

 

She paused, surveying the room with a keen eye before continuing with her report. The remainder of her segment consisted of communicating the trends being observed in the creatures, the boss fights, and the loot. She also mentioned that the guild was interested in trying to match certain teams to certain boss fights depending upon their particular strengths; that naturally segued into an exhortation for every Adventuring party to provide the guild with as much information as possible.

 

As Marshal Kingsley concluded her report, Lukas's eyes grew wide with excitement. Even with all his previous reading and research, he had never realized the extent of the guild's involvement in the forest or the level of coordination required to maintain its balance. The Guildmaster nodded thoughtfully as the Marshal returned to her seat. "Well done," he said, his voice filled with praise and authority. "Your dedication to the guild and the Adventuring cause in general is evident in your thoroughness and attention to detail."

 

"Now,” he continued, “let us proceed to the next item on our agenda." He pulled out a piece of parchment from one of his deep pockets. "The capital has announced that it is hosting the Tournament of the Immortal Heroes. Per tradition, the Chimera Guild will select two teams to represent us. The guild leadership has already selected the Pallandor Knights for one slot, and I believe no one will object to that decision. However, we also want to give grassroots members the opportunity to nominate teams."

 

He’d barely finished speaking before a shout echoed through the amphitheater. "I nominate Meatloaf and his team!" The declaration was quickly seconded by another voice.

 

A beefy man, whom Lukas recognized from their earlier encounter in the caverns, rose up from his two seats. “My team would be honored to represent the Chimera Guild in the tournament,” he said with a grin.

 

“Thank you, Meatloaf,” Gideon replied. “The nomination has been recorded and will be considered. Anyone else?”

 

“I would like to nominate my own team,” a male figure arose. “The names Freddy. I’ve got a team of six that have been together for years. I believe that would be advantageous in the tournament.”

 

“Noted,” Gideon said. “Thank you.”

 

Lukas felt a pang of temptation as he listened to Freddy's proposal. He had always thought that his own team was underrated, and the idea of competing in the Tournament of the Immortal Heroes was tantalizing. He glanced around at the crowd and convinced himself that he didn’t know enough about the guild or the tournament to volunteer his own team – yet.

 

The nominations continued, with a few more voices ringing out from the audience before Gideon brought the proposals to a close. "Alright, I think we've plenty," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "We'll review the nominations and make a decision soon." He nodded to the guild's Chronicler, who had been feverishly writing. "Now, let's move on to our next item. We have several civilian quests that have been sent our way, asking for the reputable skills of our Adventurers. These quests are available on the guild bulletin, but we will review some of the newer and bigger ones here in this meeting."

 

Lukas' ears perked up again. Civilian quests usually involved helping local populations with larger problems or threats that were beyond their capabilities to handle. They tested the expertise of an Adventurer outside the Mystic Forest. His eyes focused on the Guildmaster, thinking that might be the right opportunity to get involved. The quests would sometimes provide acceptable rewards, but the main appeal was the opportunity to journey outside the usual adventuring areas, building connections and magnifying reputation. If Lukas wanted to work up to being nominated for a tournament, taking on a civilian quest from the guild was a great start.

 

Gideon cleared his throat, pulling out another parchment and reading from it. "The first quest is from the city of Oakenhood, which is experiencing a series of mysterious disappearances. The townsfolk are worried that something supernatural is at work, but they're not sure what. They're offering a reward of 500 gold pieces to anyone who can investigate and put an end to the disappearances."

 

Lukas felt a thrill at the prospect of a good mystery to solve. He was already mentally preparing himself to take on the quest when Gideon resumed his recitation.

 

"The second quest is from the town of Willowdale, which is being plagued by a gang of bandits. The local guard is struggling to keep up with the attacks, and they're offering a reward of 1500 gold pieces, to ideally be split between two teams, to anyone who can defeat the bandits. They specify two teams because of the estimated size of the task. The location of the bandit camp is already known, so this could be a quick one."

 

Lukas's eyes lit up at the mention of the bandit quest. He supposed his first – unofficial – civilian quest had been fighting off bandits. The promise of not being a lengthy quest was also appealing. He made a mental note to put in for that one as soon as possible.

 

Gideon concluded his review of the remaining quests; none of the others stuck out to Lukas nearly as much as the first two had. "Is anyone ready to accept a quest right now?" he asked. Lukas's hand shot up, and Gideon nodded for him to speak. 

 

"We're interested in taking on the Willowdale quest," Lukas said.

 

“Very well,” Gideon announced. “Is there anyone who would like to accompany Lukas and his young team of dragonslayers?” Prompted by the Guildmaster’s words, a sea of faces turned to examine the youthful team of six seated in the back. The burly man who’d been referred to earlier as ‘Meatloaf’ stood up. “My team would be happy to join them as partners.”

 

"Sounds like it's settled then," Gideon said, smiling. "We'll discuss the details after this meeting." With that, the discussion turned to the other quests, and then proceeded to other business. Lukas tried his best to focus, but none of it seemed nearly as important to him as tournaments and quests. It wasn’t long before he sensed that things were wrapping up.

 

“Before we take questions from the audience, just want a reminder to please pay your dues. It’s really not a lot of money per person, but collectively they are important to keeping the Guild operational. Yes, we already have a question?” Gideon pointed out to a hand that was raised.

 

“How do you defend your decision to rush-build such an extravagant and pretentious monument? Do you feel like that was fiscally responsible?”

 

"Eberlorn will forever be known as the place where the dragon met its demise. The monument serves as a lasting reminder of the heroic deeds that unfolded right here. The Chimera Guild is honored to have constructed such a building on the historic site, paying homage to the legendary events that took place here, and ensuring that all who pass through it are immersed in the grandeur of the past."

 

“Yes, but–”

 

“No further comment on that. Next question, please.”

 

Lukas chuckled as the Guildmaster handled the crowd. The meeting seemed to be dying down, and some of the girls started getting fidgety. He rose and led them out of the great room.

 

“Signed us up for trash duty, huh?” Fiona teased. 

 

“Oops,” Lukas replied sheepishly. “I may have been overeager. It should have been more of a group decision.”

 

“I don’t mind at all,” Laera added, “just as long as we can get back before Elvira.” The other girls also indicated that they were excited about the quest. He ventured over to the guild bulletin to see if he could glean anymore details about the expedition he had hastily accepted.

 

A few minutes later, he was approached by a group of four familiar faces. "Looks like we're headed to Willowdale with you," Meatloaf boomed, his loud voice carrying across the room. He gave the team a grin. "I don't think we introduced ourselves properly when we first met. Most everyone calls me Meatloaf. This is Loren, our brawler, and the two elves are Ellie and Geo.” 

 

Lukas nodded in greeting, then introduced his own team. “We want to be back in Eberlorn to rendezvous with a friend of ours in a couple days,” he said. “Do you think we can leave early tomorrow morning?”

 

“Hell,” Meatloaf responded, “we took the day off. If you are up for it, I was hoping to leave tonight. The guild will lend us some horses; the ride is only about four hours. We could make it before midnight.”

 

Lukas’ face showed interest at the prospect of leaving earlier than expected, but immediately remembered he needed to be better at involving the team in these decisions. He briefly conferred with his girls before responding. "That sounds great, actually," he said. "My team is all set to leave tonight as well. We can collect our stuff and meet at the stables?"

 

Meatloaf nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds like a plan to me. I'll make sure to get the horses ready. You guys can meet us there, and we can get an early start."

 

***

 

Lukas and Gemma were not as accustomed to horseback riding as the other members of their party, and they lagged behind significantly. They had hoped to have more company based on Gwyn’s claim to have limited experience with horses, but the short half-elf was easily keeping pace with the others. Despite how far they had fallen back, the pair could still hear Meatloaf’s loud and boisterous voice as he talked to anyone who would listen.

 

Lucy had taken a bathroom break, but she still overtook the two tall Adventurers quickly after re-mounting her horse.

 

“This is a little embarrassing,” Lukas admitted.

 

Gemma snorted. “I’ll consider it a win as long as I am faster than you.”

 

“That wouldn’t be the end of the world,” Lukas said. “I would get several hours of seeing that ass bouncing up and down on the saddle.”

 

“Pervert!” Gemma exclaimed with a playful smirk. She then kicked her heels in, attempting to ride ahead. She succeeded partially, giving Lukas the exact view he was hoping for.

 

Lucy, however, slowed her horse down to ride alongside Lukas.

 

“So,” she began, “are you fucking all of them?”