Chereads / Heretical Magus / Chapter 12 - Hard Times Call For Drastic Measures

Chapter 12 - Hard Times Call For Drastic Measures

The whole floor of the church is occupied by the wounded, so we have to be very careful with where we step. I'd like to find Goddess Mother's statue, but we have to search for it because the statues of the Worldly Gods never have a set place and some are even changed at random, so now's not an appropriate time.

Then we walk out of the church, and I stop.

This isn't the Hatarvros that I know… this is a ruin.

I have to choke tears because it's just such a depressing sight. Most of the town was mossy timber homes with cute little chimneys, but now there are only broken and burnt buildings. I see a group of people trying to build a shack after putting all the burnt wood to the side, and I think this is exactly what the town is going to look like for a long time: shacks and ruins.

"Fiubun!" a familiar voice calls me, so I turn around and see Caliban along with a number of priests, including the beautiful priestess Corina, a curvy cat beastman. But I quickly put the lewd thoughts away because now's not the time. "Wait a moment, Fiubun."

The group of priests quickly approaches, then they suddenly stop in front of us and bow.

"Thank you for saving us, Fiubun!" he exclaims, and the priests repeat.

But I'm stunned speechless.

They straighten up again, and the old owl man walks up to me then gently pats me on my furry arm. "I'm sorry for not being able to do more for your hand, but there were other lives to be saved."

I snap out of it and raise my bandaged arm as I smile wryly. "I don't blame you for it, and at least I didn't fully lose it."

Then his smile becomes bitter, and he lowers his voice. "Don't show that arm to anyone, please. There are many Crusaders here that don't know what you've done for us."

I match his tone and calmly reassure him, "I understand. I had a talk with Gra-ah in the Dream Realm, so I know what I need to do next."

He seems so surprised that all his feathers rise up. "That's… that's incredible!"

And I smile confidently as I reassure him, "I'll be fine, Caliban. And thanks for believing in me with your magic."

His jaw trembles, and for a moment, I feel like he's about to cry, but he holds it in and lets my confidence infect him. "Again, thank you for saving us, Fiubun."

I nod with a smile, then the priests wave at us as we leave.

--

But my happiness fizzles out once we get to the streets. It's the same sight everywhere: people building shacks while salvaging whatever they have left, with the addition of the occasional body being recovered from the rubble. There's even a mobile crematorium to deal with that before disease can spread, so the air is still thick with the smell of burnt wood and… bodies.

"FUCK! DEMON CORPSE! CALL A CRUSADER!" a man desperately shouts as he runs away from a pile of rubble, then a foul stench enters our nostrils, so we hurry up.

Once we're out of smelling range, Mom worriedly turns to me and pats my chest. "You feeling okay? Are we going too fast? Feeling any pain?" she asks in sequence, and I give her a reassuring smile.

"I'm fully healed, I think," I whisper back and gently push her away, though it was nice to have her pat me.

Then Sis quietly follows up, "The angel that saved you said that the energy inside you would finish the healing."

I chuckle softly and nod. "Yeah, I don't think that internal wounds normally heal in just three days."

Then Margit grabs my good arm and gently touches my wrist as she adds, "Yours were just punctures, so the angel injected something into your veins."

"I just want to make sure it all healed up," Mom embarrassedly explains.

So I reassure her again, "I still feel some of the magical energy inside me, and it isn't going down, so I assume there's nothing to heal."

"It's always bad to assume things when you're talking about health," Mom wisely cautions and gives me an intense stare with her beautiful red eyes.

"But we have no choice but to assume," Sis flatly retorts.

Everyone's in a gloomy mood, so I try to cheerfully reassure them, "I'm fine. I'll tell you if I feel anything different."

Then Mom finally lets it rest, and we fall silent.

--

As we walk, I start to reflect upon things, and I remember that today is seedday, the day I was supposed to have a date with Mom. Maybe I should think of something to cheer her up a bit since she looks so stressed… but I don't know what. There won't be many chances for us to have a happy moment, so I'd like to do something for her while I'm here, but I guess just staying healthy will be enough for now.

We soon reach the place where our home was supposed to be, but there's only a pile of burnt rubble and a tent in a small clearing. We didn't have much, but what we had was ours, and it felt good to have it, but now we have… nothing.

"How did everything burn down?" I quietly ask, my tone trembling a bit in a way that I don't like it.

Sis tops beside me with a frown and grimly explains, "Demonic fire. It had a dark red color and made us feel sick just from looking at it."

Then I look down and notice that the tarmac road has melted, making it smooth like obsidian. This fire must've been crazy hot for that to happen. But I have nothing to say, so I just quietly shake my head in grief.

After a moment of silence, they guide me into the tent, which feels cramped with all four of us, then Mom reaches for my bandaged arm.

"Let's check how it is," she whispers and undoes the knot, then unravels it.

My arm and hand are now fully black and have lost all fur. The claws look longer and sharper, but my muscles have shriveled a noticeable amount. Then I spot a long scar, where my arm was split in two, but the area where it was rejoined feels weird and sensitive while the skin looks like it was burned.

I also can barely move my fingers or wrist, and trying to put any weight on it gives me a chilling pain. It's basically crippled.

"The apothecary said you'd have to slowly exercise it every day to regain movement," Mom relays as she sees me try to close my fingers.

"Alright, doesn't sound too bad," I try to be optimistic, but my tone is starting to crack.

"You're being very positive," Margit gently praises me.

I breathe in deeply and calm myself, then my voice returns to being steady, and I give her a confident smile. "Meeting the Gods gave me hope."

"That's good…" Sis quietly hums. Her dark tone is starting to make me worried, so I use my good hand to pat her head, and she gives me a glare but doesn't stop me.

"Now, what should we do to rebuild?" I question as I caress her furry ears.

--

First, we need to clear the burnt stuff and separate it for the trash collectors to pick it up… but it's going to take a while for them to come to our neighborhood. Second, we salvage everything we can, though very, very little was spared from the demonic fire. Third, the neighborhood pools everything together, then we share and ration things up so that nobody suffers alone.

Mother talked about doing good deeds, so I'll start now and build a reputation.

"I'll eat as much as everyone even if it makes me thinner," I boldly volunteer.

I'm not the only big guy around here, so I get some dirty looks, but I'm definitely the biggest, and nobody feels like going against me.

"Ya deserv' ta eat 'cause ya saved-us," old Yomber pipes up then angrily puffs some smoke in his half-burnt pipe.

This is an opportunity for a second good deed, so I make a cheeky grin as I request, "If you want to reward me, gimme a cured sausage and we're squared."

"Funny because thare's only one a these in ta stockpile," an older woman remarks as she gives me a probing stare.

But I shrug. "Just a random suggestion."

And I do get that cured sausage.

--

Once night falls and we finish eating the communal soup, we take a towel bath because water is being rationed, too. At least the church stockpiled enough soap to last us a while, so we won't get a disease from being dirty, but it's hard to fully get rid of the smell of sweat with just that.

Then we go lay in our tent because there's nothing else that we can do during the night and light is too precious to waste. At least we're tired enough that after a short session exercising my black hand, we all fall asleep, too emotionally exhausted to even fuck.

The next day, Huba and Emil appear in the neighborhood.

"Fiubun!" Emil shouts and rushes to me while Huba is a bit shy.

The orange Lab dogman goes for a hug, then he remembers I'm supposed to be wounded and stops with his arms wide.

"I'm fully healed, but better not risk it since the wounds are on the inside," I wisely state with an apologetic smile.

And he nods, then we shake hands (with the good one), but he gives my bandages a curious look. "How's the arm?"

"Crippled, but here," I hum as I raise it.

Then I turn to Huba and extend my hand, but he seems to hesitate, suddenly feeling shy.

"Oh? Isn't that a priest robe?" I blurt out as I notice that his gray robes are darker than what everyone else is wearing, then I find the little hammer over his chest, the symbol of Bangaban.

And my cheerful tone gives him the courage to take my hand, but his tone is still shy as he answers, "I can't fight… but maybe… maybe I could learn how to use Benison."

I hum in understanding and state, "It's because Caliban used magic in the right moment that I lived."

He releases my hand and smiles, a bit of strength coming back to him. "Yes… I want to do the same."

So I grab his shoulder and give it a squeeze. "Good luck, friend."

He makes a pained face, as if I just stabbed him in the heart, then he nods and whispers, "Thank you."

"Alright, you two gotta help Fiubun," Sis suddenly interjects now that the tearful moment is passing.

"Sure, with what?" Emil eagerly replies, his dog ears rising up in attention.

Now my confidence takes a hit because I don't want to spread to everyone that my soul is tainted, but I can't just lie to my friend, so I grit my teeth and confess it straight "My soul is tainted, and I have to get to the capital before it takes me."

"Yehws fuck!" Emil blasphemes in anger.

But Huba is more composed, and he quietly remembers, "Your arm… I heard the demon cut it with a cursed sword."

"We don't know if it's because of that, but now's too late to cut it off. I need to get an Aether Tunnel to Rediromoh for a cure," I assuredly state.

And the little human man raises his eyebrows in realization, then he awkwardly starts to elaborate, "I know a guy… who knows a guy, who knows a guy, you know?" And he scratches his head as he looks away for a second. "I can talk to them and ask around, but all Aethermagi were conscripted by the Yellow Lanterns to transport food and other stuff."

I nod in understanding. "I know, but I still need to find a way to get one. I entered the Dream Realm while I was asleep and talked to Gra-ah, and He said I have a month."

Now it's Emil's turn to put a hand on my shoulder (though he has to reach up a bit) and reassure me, "I'll talk to the crew, too. Even if we have to throw you into one, we'll find a way, comrade."

I'm glad I have my friends, I'm glad I have my family, I'm glad I have these neighbors, and I'm glad I'm part of the inn's crew.

--

Tonight ends up being another tiring day, but at least we have a roof over our heads now, and the shack protects us from the wind, so we won't get cold or wet.

Sis turns around as we cuddle, and then she starts to play with my balls, making my thick red club come out.

"I can't knot you; we don't have any Purple Sap," I whisper sadly.

But she just gives me a fanged, suggestive smirk. "Let me just suck you off. Tomorrow I want to suck you before you take a bath."

I chuckle softly. "You're nasty."

And she licks her lips. "And you love it."

"I do," I hum with a deep tone, and I know she loves it when I speak like this.

Then she goes down and swallows me whole while she fingers herself. I can barely see anything in the darkness, but the moonlight lets me stare at Mom's back. I know she's awake, and I want to catch her taking a peek.

--

There's just so much rubble to go through that it feels like we'll be working for weeks, but at least it's something to do. The inn burned down, there are no shops, and also no jobs, so there's nothing that we can do besides continue to work on making our homes a little less shit.

Old Yomber and Édis already have their own shack, so we continue helping the other neighbors. It's amazing how we're coming together in this time of crisis, but I wonder if it'll last…

Then I find under the rubble what looks like a baby's corpse.

"What is this stench?" I hear Sis ask out loud, but I don't pay attention to her.

The baby's eyes and tongue are bulging out of its head, its lips are discolored, its skin is yellowed, its chest turning dark as it begins to rot, and anything below has been crushed by a beam.

"Bro?" Sis calls again, but I can't look away.

Then I notice the spider legs coming out of the baby's head. They're black, but I also notice that they seem to be covered in dried blood.

It's a dead demon…

And looking at it makes me feel weird.

"BRO!" Sis shouts and pulls me away, then I cough at the horrible smell and run away from the rubble.

I stop in the middle of the street and fall on my knees, struggling to hold back the soup I had for lunch. But I won't dare waste the precious calories given to me.

"Bro…" Sis whispers as she kneels beside me and caresses my furry back.

"I need… a moment…" I grunt back.

I'm feeling… agitated, and I don't know why.

Is this the corruption?

I crawl to the curb and sit down, then I breathe in deeply and calm myself. Gra-ah told me to meditate, but then I remember that the Touched that the Watcher showed me was trying to… "grip" the taint, somehow. I don't know the exact details; I just got a general idea of what he was doing.

Right, Gra-ah said that I had to "tame" the corruption, but how do I do this when all I have is a feeling of agitation?

Meditating is the only thing I can do right now, so I try my best to clear my mind.

--

Tonight, we do a 69 and I eat Sis out while she sucks me, but I'm starting to miss the feeling of her pussy wrapped around my cock.

Then a few days pass before we actually have time to go to the Waystone Plaza and… beg for help. But the travel companies are closed, and any Aethermagi that comes in is escorted by guards now, so we can't even get close to one of them.

If we really want to throw me into a Tunnel, we first have to find one that'll take me to Rediromoh, but Tunnels don't have a sign above them telling the destination…

"I have an idea," Margit suddenly chimes in, her sharp eyes making her look like a shrewd fox. "I'll make an excuse to start a conversation, like beg the guards for someone to take a letter to Rediromoh, or something."

But this idea makes me uncomfortable. "That's dangerous. You're too pretty; they might try to trick you."

She smiles gently at me and pats my furry cheek as she boldly replies, "I haven't taken a proper bath in days, so thanks, but I know how to handle a man."

I trust her, so I nod and watch from a distance just in case. But while a couple of guards make some obviously lecherous expressions, most just push her away and don't even listen.

"I'll keep trying," she stubbornly states.

So I caution her again, "Don't do it without someone watching over you."

And she flashes a cute smile. "I know."

--

The desire to destroy Sis' pussy continues to increase, and I'm not sure if getting a blowjob every day is helping with that. I can sense a desire to rape her starting to well within me, and it's like the Strangler's energy is slowly seeping into my balls.

I start to meditate twice a day, but I have no idea if I'm actually doing it right. I also try to mimic the Touched I saw as best as I can, but I have even less of an idea about what I'm doing. And a bit of desperation enters the back of my mind.

Margit finds out that there's a single Aethermagi that opens a Tunnel every other day near the end of the afternoon, and they seem to transport Crusaders and some other heavily-armored soldiers in and out. This means that there are fewer guards around the Tunnel since there are no supplies being moved, but there's the risk I'll come out the other side right in front of a Crusader, and jumping into Tunnels is a big crime.

The crew also pitches up with ideas, but they're more illegal than just jumping into a Tunnel. At least now we know we have a good number of volunteers to "distract" the guards while I sneak into the Tunnel.

And then, with one week left, Huba suddenly appears in the neighborhood, looking like he grabbed a golden rabbit.

"Fiubun! There's a lull in the transporting! Now's the time to hitch a ride in a Tunnel," he excitedly shouts as he dashes towards us.

But Mom suddenly drops the planks she's carrying and desperately begs, "Wait! Please don't do this, Fiubun!"

We all stop and turn to her, surprised she's wanting us to stop after coming so far.

"That's the only way, Mom," I sternly try to convince her, starting to feel frustrated.

She slowly shakes her head and approaches me, then gently puts a hand on my furry cheek and stares into my eyes with her beautiful red pair. "I've seen someone jump into a Tunnel, and half their body stayed behind. The Magus could close the portal on you once they detect something weird, sending you into the Aether and killing you instantly. He could even lose control and cause a large accident! There's just so much that can go wrong with this…!"

But I'm not listening to her anymore. "IT'S THE ONLY WAY!" I let my boiler explode, but I'm so big the power of my voice makes her take a step back, and I suddenly feel horrible for making her afraid.

Am I losing it again?

I turn away from her and notice that my breathing is becoming heavy, then I sense my heart beating faster and faster, so now it's pretty obvious that the agitation is going to come again.

"Fiubun…?" Mom quietly calls me, her voice sounding so hurt it fills me with guilt.

"I just need a moment," I growl, sounding angrier than I wanted to.

It's only been two weeks and I'm already like this!

"Let's take you home…" Sis whispers then gently grabs my arm.

Her touch makes me clench my fist in anger, but then I hold it in and let her lead me. "I'm sorry…" I whisper to Mom as I leave.

"I understand…" she replies and forces a smile, but at least she knows she didn't do anything wrong.

--

I meditate for a bit to get the agitation under control, but it makes me feel so exhausted I need some time to rest. The problem is that there's nothing to do so, so I'm suddenly taken over by the desire to unravel my bandages and stare at my hand.

It's ugly and useless, and I fucking hate it.

But I still need it to work, so I start exercising again. I slowly close my hand, but it feels like it's made of lead, so I have to put in so much effort it hurts…

And I hate the pain… I hate the pain… I hate the pain!

Two weeks have passed without much progress. Begging, crying, bribing, nothing works. I still remember that Tunnel to Rediromoh used to cost one thousand leaves, but now not even thirty thousand is enough to bribe an Aethermagus.

"Fiubun…?" I hear Margit's gentle voice coming from outside the tent.

"I'm here…" I grumble, still a bit frustrated, but I'm confident I won't snap at her.

The tall beauty comes in, her beautiful, lustrous brown hair tied up as she couldn't wash or brush it in weeks. Her sexy, slender body is covered in a gray robe, but even when she's naked, you can already see her ribs are starting to show, and not in a good way.

She looks at me with sad, pitying eyes, concerned at my state, and I hate this.

I breathe in deeply and calm myself, then she sits on my lap and hugs my broad chest. We both smell, but I can't even sense it anymore.

"I asked Miss Bucur for help, and she said there's likely nobody left in Hatarvros that can heal demonic corruption," she slowly whispers, her breath tickling my fur.

I hug her frail body just the way she likes and whisper back in her ear, making her hair stand on end, "That we already know, and it was risky of you to ask her about that."

She anxiously makes circles on my fur with her finger. "I'm sorry, but I trust her. She also gave me some seeds to grow wherever we can. They only grow flowers, but we can eat them."

"That's nice…" I grunt and press her against me a little harder.

Then she raises her head to look at my face as she meekly asks, "Maybe we can ask the priests for help?"

But I shoot her down, "The Crusaders are still going out to hunt for demons, so they won't waste their power on me."

Then she grabs my shoulders, making me look down at her. "You're big and strong, maybe they can help in exchange for you helping hunt?" she insists, and may she be blessed due to her pure intentions.

"I'll just die out there. Not even the militia is allowed out," I flatly reject her again.

"I also think that jumping into a Tunnel is too dangerous," she states with a more stern tone.

But I just stay quiet because I don't want to yell at her while she's clinging to me. I love her, and I love Mom, but this is the only say, so I just kiss the top of her head, and we fall silent for a moment, just enjoying the warmth of each other's bodies.

Suddenly, she starts fondling my balls, making my cock come out, then she raises her body and whispers in my ear, "Miss Bucur also gave me two Purple Sap."

And I start to feel agitated again, but I can't hold myself back.

I'm going to fuck Margit and Sis.

--

Intermission – Unjer

--

Margit has been there for a while, and we haven't heard anything, so I guess he's calmed down.

"Miss Unjer, I know it's dangerous, but we're running out of time," the young Huba sternly continues, trying to pressure me.

And a pang of fear strikes my heart, making me falter for a second, but I stubbornly hold on. "I know, I know! But there must be an alternative! At least one option better than jumping into a Tunnel and hoping he survives!" I desperately exclaim.

He sighs and shakes his head but still tries to calmly explain things to me, "We only have a few days. The Crusaders are organizing a big expedition into the Dark Forest, so the load on the Aethermagi is reduced while they prepare, which means less risk of overburdening the magus and causing an accident, but I don't know when the expedition will start."

I feel like there is another way, so I'll find it myself, "I'll… I'll do something. Don't let him jump into a Tunnel yet."

"What are going to do, Mom?" Elina worriedly questions.

And I smile proudly. "Talk to a few old friends…"

"Sis! Margit got Purple Sap!" I hear Fiubun shout from our home, and both Huba and I blush while this daring daughter of mine just smirks.

"Good luck, Mom!" she cheers and rushes back, leaving the young man and I to awkwardly stand in silence.

This girl…

--

The first person I visit is Caliban, but finding him is difficult since the church is full of wounded.

Why are there still so many here? It's been two weeks… are the hospitals full…? Do we even have hospitals anymore…?

But then a helpful nurse takes me to the old owl.

"Unjer! How may I help you," he happily greets me.

But my stern gaze makes him stiffen up. "Can I talk to you in private? It's serious."

And he nods. "Of course."

--

There is one area that isn't occupied by the wounded, but to compensate, the office is filled with supplies, so we awkwardly waddle our way to our seats.

Then I immediately begin, "I have to be direct: the Gods told Fiubun that his soul is being corrupted by the demonic taint, and he needs healing soon."

He falls silent, seemingly surprised, but not stunned. I guess he already knew that something like this was a possibility since Fiubun got hurt by that cursed demonic blade.

"How bad is it?" he soberly asks.

And I sigh softly. "He's starting to have anger issues, and he has always been the kindest kitten."

The old owl nervously runs a hand over the feathers on his arm, and I can sense a deep frustration in his tone as he apologizes, "We… we can't heal him. I'm sorry Unjer, I really am, but we're all out of Benison. We've been praying all day, trying to generate more divine energy, but the wounded come in as fast as we save them."

But I suddenly start to steam, "He saved you! He killed the demon! He deserves to live!" I understand why this is happening, but I just can't accept it! Not to my son!

"I know!" he shouts back and slams his fist against the table, making me shut my mouth for a second, then he starts to control himself. "But I'm not responsible for triage, and it's exactly because I don't have the heart for it!"

Getting angry isn't helping, so I hold it back and stubbornly search for another option, "The… Crusaders are going to make an expedition, right? Won't they bring in more supplies with them? Won't there be something we can use to help him?"

But his anger cools, and it's replaced by defeatism. "It costs too much to heal a soul when it's been corrupted by the taint."

"What about just slowing it down?" I insist.

And he becomes pensive. "That's… another difficult thing. We'd have to steal Angelic Blood, but then an investigation would be launched, and the most common use for this blood is to counteract the demonic taint, so the Inquisitor would ask some very obvious questions, putting Fiubun at risk."

Inquisitors can detect lies…

I feel like pulling my hair out, but I pressure him one more time, "Is there really nothing you can do for him?"

Now his feather flatten up against his head as some guilt seeps in, and his tone becomes gentle. "There's calming incense. It should help him keep his emotions under control, which slows down the corruption."

And stare at him sternly to put some pressure. "Can you get it without causing too much trouble?"

He nods. "I can…"

Then I make one last question, "How much longer would he need to resist before the church would actually heal him?"

"Months to a year… Angelic Blood is hard to acquire," he stiffly answers.

And it's not good enough.

--

He gives me ten little sticks, and I immediately sense a fragrant perfume that makes me calmer just by smelling it, so I guess they really do work. Then I spend a minute smelling them while I think about what to do next.

The priests are more likely to kill Fiubun than help him, so I can't rely on them.

I have to visit the militia next.

Their headquarters might've been destroyed by the fire, but I know that they've raised tents so that at least there would be barracks because young men are going to be flocking there to get a warm bed to sleep on.

And once I arrive, I find old Strigatta yelling at the pups as he caresses his long, flowing gray beard.

"You mangy mutts! You call this a line?! Can't you see how curved it is…?!" the thin old dog yells, then falls silent for a second, giving time for the young pups to mumble in agreement before he howls at them again, "THEN FIX IT!"

My presence doesn't help things because they're all too hotblooded to look away, but at least this makes Strigatta follow their gaze, and he sees me before some guard gets in the way.

"Unjer?!" he exclaims in surprise.

"Hey there, old friend," I softly reply and flash a smile.

And he snorts loudly." Ha! Now that's a pleasant surprise, though I really am surprised you're here."

But I just lower my tone and politely request, "Do you have a minute? I need to ask a favor."

And the boys start murmuring suggestively to each other, making the old dog very angry.

"LAPS AROUND THE BARRACKS UNTIL I COME BACK!" he howls at them.

So I smile apologetically, and it seems like they forgive me instantly. But I do feel bad about them.

After they're gone, Strigatta turns to me and calmly suggests, "Let's go to my tent. It got no soundproofing, though, so we gotta be quiet…" Then he suddenly frowns. "Sorry for the phrasing."

I chuckle softly. "I don't think I could've said it any different."

And he snorts, then we go to his tent. It's just the standard accommodation for an officer in the field: a hammock, a chest, a table, and a couple of chairs.

Once he sits, he motions for me to start, and I do so, "I'll be direct: Fiubun is dying, and I need to get him out of here."

Strigatta stops caressing his beard in surprise, then he narrows his eyes as he remembers something. "He's gotta be the one everyone's talking about that killed a demon on his own, right?"

And I nod. "Exactly, and because he took a cursed blade to his arm, he's now sick and dying, but the Gods said he can survive if we get him to Rediromoh in a week."

"The Gods?" he blurts out, eyes wide in surprise.

Now, this makes me a bit proud. Even priests have a hard time gaining such privilege. "He entered the Dream Realm and talked to Gra-ah."

Strigatta whistles in surprise then makes a pensive face and resumes stroking his flowing gray beard. "Only an Aether Tunnel can get him there in time."

"Yes, and this is what I need a favor for," I immediately reply.

"Hm…" he hums softly and starts to ponder, "The Yellow Lanterns took control of the Aethermagi, and now that the mayor has been hanged, the Special Administration is running things for now. I'll be lucky if I still have a job after they fix it all up since I'm one of the commanders of the militia…" Then his eyes suddenly turn sharp. "But I can get you to the guy who has plenty of Tunnels to Rediromoh. Valvi. He's a pushover, so you have some chance with him."

Finally! Something!

"Yes! That's great! That's much better than what the church could do!" I immediately exclaim with a wide smile, and he suddenly becomes awkward. It seems like I'm still not ugly enough for men to stop being weak to me.

And he starts to rant like old times, "Don't tell me. The Crusaders are all a bunch of wretch's cunts," -he flashes a smile- "sorry for the ugly words, but they actually suggested just purging anything with a hint of corruption or anyone related to the mayor, which means me! The audacity of the f'ndasche!"

My excitement is snuffed out, and not because of the slurs, then I lower my voice as my tone becomes cold. "If that happens, Fiubun would also be purged."

Now Strigatta is worked up, so he gives me one last piece of advice because he never leaves anything halfway done, "Give my name to Valvi and bark at him a bit."

And my next destination is the Waystone Plaza.

--

It's now lunchtime, so some places are temporarily closed, but this means that I can catch this Valvi leaving for or coming from his lunch break.

Let's see… Strigatta said that his office is over-…!

I see something moving in the alleyway, so I lean to the side and spot a small, round, fluffy, bespectacled Terrier beastman locking up a side door. He suddenly jerks his head towards me, then he makes a scared face like a frightened little puppy and starts running.

NO!

"MISTER VALVI!" I shout as I dash after him.

Even though he's a dog beastman, his little legs make him too slow, so I grab him before he finishes crossing the alleyway. Well, I literally grab him and lift him up, which is rude, so I immediately put him down again.

"Mister Valvi, please! Let me speak to you!" I stiffly request as politely as I can, though I can't hold back my desperation.

"No Tunnels!" he barks without looking at me.

And this gives me a sinking feeling in my stomach, so I start to beg, "What?! Please! I need a Tunnel for my son!"

"No Tunnels!" he barks again and starts walking away, but I reflexively grab his jacket, and he tries to wiggle out of my grasp.

"I beg you! My son will die if he doesn't get treatment!" I exclaim as the desperation settles in.

He starts wiggling harder, but he refuses to remove his jacket. "I can't! The Yellow Lanterns forbid me!"

Then I fall on my knees and grab his furry hand. "Strigatta said only you could help me! PLEASE!"

He suddenly stops then turns his beady eyes towards me and adjusts his round glasses on his little snout. "Strigatta…?" he warily asks.

And I nod repeatedly. "An old friend of mine. He used to be the captain of my late husband, who died while serving in the militia."

He stares at me for a moment longer, then sighs and stops trying to run away, so I slowly release his hand. "Look, I'd help if I could, but the Yellow Lanterns have taken control of my Aethermagi for now, and it'll stay like this for a few months at least."

So, not a single person can do ANYTHING to help us?

And I'm starting to get taken by rage, so I stare at him, adamant, as I insist, "No, I don't believe that. I'm a desperate woman, Mister Valvi, and I'm ready to pay whatever you want to get the Tunnel for my son. I have thirty thousand leaves with me and forty more in the bank that I can give. I can even sell you my plot of land, if you want it." Then I raise myself a bit so that I can grab his face and press our noses against each other. Everyone talks about my eyes, so I'll stare right into his and overwhelm this cowardly little dog with my charm. "I'll give anything for a single Tunnel to Rediromoh. That's all that I ask. I'll even give you my body!"

But he just remains still… so still it's like he isn't even breathing, and I blink in confusion.

Did I overdo it…?

I look down to see if he didn't piss his pants, but he seems dry… then a bulge appears in his crotch, and I smirk.

So you're like this, huh?

"Come with me," I request and immediately turn around then pull him by his hand, but he stumbles for a bit, so I slow down to let him walk properly.

What's wrong with him?

Once we're by the door, I request again, "Open up." And he obeys without saying a word.

I just stare at him for a moment, pondering why he's suddenly acting weird, but I don't feel like investigating. I just want to finish this as fast as possible.

He opens up the office, and I drag him inside, then I spot the ticket book on top of the desk before me.

So I turn to him and demand, now feeling like I have the upper hand in this conversation, "Write a ticket for me, first. Today some Crusaders arrive, right? I want him in that Tunnel."

The little Terrier obediently walks over to the table and writes the ticket for me, and he seems like he's stiff as a board.

He's like a virgin boy…

Then he gives it a stamp and hands it to me, his face still looking blank and his posture stiff. I think about running away for a moment, but that'd be a bad idea, so I get on my knees and start undoing his belt.

"You're a perverted man, aren't you, mister Valvi?" I teasingly ask with a smirk, but I'm just trying to look confident while my hand trembles as I undo his belt.

He seems to finally remember how to breathe, and it quickly becomes heavy as he almost starts to pant, then he slowly nods and stares at me with dead eyes… like a fish.

I just ignore that and pull his pants down then his underwear, revealing a small little pale human penis. It's cute, at least, and most women would enjoy it since it wouldn't be painful… but I like the pain.

Fiubun's is just like his father's…

I don't know if thinking about that helps because it just makes me aroused. The last few weeks were quite bad for me since my two children are in endless heat, forcing me to touch myself in secret while they do lewd stuff, but I guess that in this situation, the more aroused I am the better, right?

So I pull back the foreskin and reveal his red little head, then I wrap my mouth around it and begin caressing it with my tongue as I look up. Valvi now has his jaw hanging loose, and I almost snort at his silly face, but that'd be rude, and I don't want him to get mad at me. Men get sadistic if a woman offends their manly pride.

I wish I had a big, musky, red monster in my mouth and inside me, but all I have is a half's cute, little, pink, clean mushroom, and for some reason, I still like it.

I guess I have cobwebs down there.

Then I start fondling my breasts, wishing there was a big furry hand to knead them and pinch my nipples. But my arousal just continues to rise, for some reason, and I start touching myself down there.

Suddenly, Valvi grunts, "I'm cumming…"

So soon?!

I try to pull back, but that'd just make a mess, so I let him cum in my mouth, and I shiver in arousal at the taste of male cum. It's been so long that I had forgotten how strong it can be.

But Valvi doesn't stop cumming… He actually cums so much that my mouth fills up, so I swallow, but then even more comes. I pull my head out in surprise and get splashed in the face, but I don't let any fall on my robes and ruin them.

Another load comes, so I jump out of the way, and Valvi continues to cum, then he falls on his knees and starts leaning forward, so I pull him to the side and lay him down, away from the puddle of his own cum.

A few more shots, and his cute little penis finally stops releasing, but I just stand there, astonished.

I've never seen someone cum so much… and I'm actually afraid I might've killed the man, but he's still panting, and then he finally turns to me.

"What…" he mutters, but I just shrug.

Then we stay still as he slowly recovers, but I suddenly get the desire to leave, so I steel myself up and make a stern face. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but I got my ticket and you got way more than you've paid for, so I'm leaving. You better not try to stop me now or you'll regret it."

His eyes open wide in fear, and he slowly shakes his head as he tries to reply, "The ticket… is yours…"

"Good," I hum sternly, then I spot a bottle of plum spirit, so I steal a gulp. I really don't want my children to smell another man's cum on my breath right now.

--

I run my way back, a burst of exhilaration taking over my legs, and I almost laugh out loud at how happy I am.

I did it!

But it takes a halt when I enter our little shack as I'm assaulted by the smell of sex, though I feel a bit of disappointment because I don't find the three of them in the middle of it.

What's wrong with me?

Then something catches my eye. The three are hunched over a white flower, and its glowing faintly.

Fiubun notices me and stands up, a handsomely fierce smile on his large, striped face. He grabs the flower and approaches, then offers it to me.

"This is for you, Mom. Not even a glowing flower can match your beauty, but I feel like this one would make for a beautiful adornment to your pretty white hair.

And I suddenly break into tears…

--

Intermission end.

--

--

Hall of Fame of Patrons

The patrons who support the Realms shall have their names sung by the bards for they deserve the glory and honor. Their names are:

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