After finally leaving the slave market's insufferable dungeon, Keyaruga and Freia could finally breathe more deeply. The trader of living goods turned out to be wise enough to not offer the healer another enchanted collar. After all, he wanted love, trust, and sincerity to be the basis of his relationship with Setsuna. However, the elder got bold enough for another offer.
"Dear customers, if you love ice wolves so much, then you should come back in a few days. We are awaiting another shipment." — The merchant rubbed his hands together, and the trace of Freia's hand no longer interested the dealer. And although he deserved nothing but the heroes' disgust, those words got the lad's attention. Although, not from the perspective the seller would expect.
In the end, neither of the duo bid farewell to the businessman. The man carried his purchase. The latter was covered in a rag. His power wouldn't let the she-wolf die, but anything more than that required a more quiet environment than the slums. But when Keyaruga and Freia were ready to enter the middle city…
"Hey, that's him! This fucker got Vachim in the eyes!" Great, now a thug with a rapier has got reinforcements. The lad didn't see them, but he felt them even without the jade eye.
"Don't you know pointing fingers at people isn't very polite?" — The healer replied with a taunt. He felt great magic gathering right next to him, and that made him even more confident than usual.
"Hey, boyo!" Finally, from the corner came a stocky man with a massive scar on the right side of his face. His left eye seemed traumatically red, and the thug in the armor of monsters' bone plates wielded a carved axe in his left hand. Apparently, this was the boss of the ten goons, that rapier-fencer included. "Gimme…"
"Are you a dwarf?" Whatever that outlaw wanted, the healer barely took him seriously. However many people they gathered, slavers were slavers. Nothing but pitiful robbers.
"Nonya, fucking business! Now give us your babes and shoo the fuck away!" O-o-o-oh, shouldn't have said this.
"So, you want my toys?" Finally, the smile disappeared from Keyaruga's face. "I will tell you just once. Fuck off, or else none of you will live to see today's sunset."
"Yeah, sure! Wanna have me suck your dick? HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!" The entire gang burst into laughter. And then… "Boys, whack the fucker!" All eleven thugs dashed toward the hero. They had no tactics for what they were doing whatsoever, nor even any battle formations. The lad, on the other hand, wouldn't even blink.
"Freia, do it."
"FULGUR!!!" — The sorceress snarled, as purple chain lightning erupted from her fingertips. All the gang now screamed, chained to the current of electricity. And then it was suddenly over. Or was it?
"Hey, you don't need to shout out the incantations for the first three circles of magic." — For better or worse, the healer used the chance to teach his companion something new. "You just need to feel your power and let it course through your body. And when it does, imagine how you want to alter this world."
"Then let's try this." The caster said nothing, but another current rushed to the bandits. They survived, but the Hero of Magic would zap them again and again, until hellish screams first turned silent, and then became a crackling of flames. Freia was not scared, nor nervous; she barely even saw her victims as humans. After all, her prince and that poor girl were much more precious to her than some despicable slavers. And when the magician was done, when the thugs turned into charred skeletons, only then would she stop.
"Good work, Freia. You've done well." — Keyaruga praised his toy. Too bad he couldn't pet her with Setsuna still sleeping in his hands. "Hey, are you alright?"
"Ah? Y-yes! Yes, my lord. I just…" The girl seemed confused. The man expected her to be stressed after murdering eleven people, but even he wasn't ready for what would come. "I just wondered, could you buy me some cosmetics?"
…
That day was everything but easy. When the duo of heroes returned home, they carried not only the ice-wolf girl but also a bag of spare clothes, a magic staff, a large spellbook, some food and spices, but most importantly — a whole bunch of cosmetics. Yes, Freia actually made her master pay for her whim.
"My lord, I just love you so much!" At least she was happy now.
"Yeah, yeah. Now, see the tub you used in the morning? Drop all your stuff and conjure me some warm water."
"As you wish!" With her enthusiasm skyrocketing, the sorceress completed the task in a matter of seconds. And then the healer would immediately start washing his little purchase. Under the clothes, she looked even more hideous. With all the burns and ulcers, her skin looked like a canvas for a grotesque painting.
Keyaruga was delicate so as to not damage her skin even further. All the dirt and filth he would clean, all the pus he would gently rub away. And always having clean water for that turned out to be very useful.
"Trading harmony for elemental power wasn't that bad, after all." — The healer mumbled while putting his clean she-wolf on the bed. In the newly bought fur top and skirt the girl was even prettier. The idea was Freia's, but he liked it as well. And when he finally touched her, the pain and wheezing would subside at last. She now breathed normally; no pus would dirty their sheets. But at the same time, the pain and struggle rushed through Keyaruga's mind. The longer he prolonged the touch, the more memories would enter his mind. And with memories came the flood of pain. Suffering, fear, rage — he felt it all, plus the will to fight and survive. Setsuna craved vengeance against her human enslavers more than anything else. And the man liked it. He was broken beyond repair, and the more he suffered physically, the more he would overjoy.
Setsuna was blessed by the spirits. From her early childhood, the girl was stronger and faster than any of her peers. Her skills were unmatched and nobody could challenge her in the hunt. But one day, her growth would stop for good. It took her a long time to notice, but after all the other wolf cubs overcame her in strength, the truth became obvious. She trained more than anyone else and killed more beasts than one could imagine. If not by brute force, then by sheer cunning. But whatever Setsuna did could never help her break the limit. When monsters mauled her mother, the girl could do nothing to save her. And eventually, the she-wolf would be assigned to the weakest members of her tribe. Poor souls, left out of combat to patrol the area.
But everything changed when they came along. Mercenaries, slavers, bastards, and what was even worse, they were actually soldiers of the Jioral Kingdom. Keyaruga knew better, for Leonard was quite fond of such raids. And when the patrol saw them, Setsuna ran into a fight she couldn't win. Instead of returning to the village and reporting to her father, the warrior let her wounded pride get the best of her. Obviously, she was defeated, struck by the battleaxe's handle, wielded by the slavers' leader. The she-wolf wasn't dumb, but that made little difference when men's dead bodies were hanged on trees, and the rest, mostly women, Setsuna included, were sold into slavery.
"You're going to be really pricey, deary!" — The words of a brute clad in red armor would forever carve into the girl's head. And then an idea came to Keyaruga's mind.
"Hey, Freia. How do you like killing a hundred or two of some rotten slavers?" This would be a perfect task for the fallen princess.
"Oh, you said slavers?" All that time, the Hero of Magic was painting her eyelids, reading a spellbook, playing with her new emerald amplifier, and casting small spells with it. All at once. "I think we could burn them with Rain of Fire. Now that I have a staff, I think I can handle it." Yes, barely had she opened the list, the magician had already reached close to the end. Although she just skipped most of the incantations to reach the sweetest part — magic of mass destruction.
"Good, good." Keyaruga grinned, before turning back to the she-wolf. "Rejoice, for I will make your wish come true." — Having said this, Keyaruga poured one of his potions into the mouth before sharing it with a sleeping beauty. Freia, in turn, dropped everything she held. The scene filled her with mixed feelings: surprise, embarrassment, and jealousy. But in the end, she understood one thing — with that being done, nothing threatened the girl's life anymore.
The Hero of Healing was overjoyed. Not only did Setsuna meet all of his requirements, with her immense practical experience, she could do something about Freia's clumsiness in close combat. She was fast, agile, and beautiful, which would make raising her level cap easy and pleasant. Clearly, it was Deimos' idea to have men bless women. With this, the warrior-god of fear made almost every male hero into a desired partner at the very least. However, her current state left just too much to be desired. After all, Keyaruga didn't rush to heal his purchase.
"Hey, Freia. Keep an eye on her. I'll get back soon." — The hero stated with no room for bickering. After all, the possessive man was a bit paranoid, and for a good reason. After all, an exotic slave like Setsuna was just too precious for thieves to ignore.
…
After fifteen minutes, Keyaruga got back. And he brought a large wooden serving dish with three bowls of soup, some bread, fruits, and a bottle of wine with a couple of glass cups to pour the beverage into. But after the man left it on the table and approached the bed with only one bowl of soup…
"What do you intend to do, my lord?" Freia couldn't help but question her master.
"Well, someone has to feed her." And having said this, the lad started drinking the dish right above Setsuna. A bit of chewing, but instead of gulping it down, the hero just fed his new property mouth to mouth. Again, and again, and again. And the sorceress… "Freia, why are you not eating?" — The hero asked after the bowl finally got empty.
"May I… ask you something first?"
"If that's another face powder, then no. We're already low on gold."
"N-no, it's not… Hah, could you… feed me just like her?" And now Keyaruga grasped it all.
"So, you want me to cuddle with you just like with Setsuna?" — the man smiled wryly. With the sun already beyond the horizon, he had all the right to call it a day. The healer sat down on the table. He would rashly put off his vest and shirt, much to Freia's delight. The girl got aroused. She loudly swallowed her saliva and her hand touched her chest. "Undress and get on my knees." That tone was nothing but the imperial demand of a smug, powerful man.
"Y-yes, my lord." Now the sorceress was positively thrilled. Her lips trembled in anticipation. First it was her bolero, then a corset, a pair of boots, and finally white panties. Keyaruga bought it all in Capital with his manufactured gold. After that, the gorgeous caster finally sat on her master's strong legs.
"Now, open your mouth." In the end, the man drank some of the soup and ate a small hunk of bread. Once again, Keyaruga wouldn't swallow it, but only chew just enough for his toy to gulp everything in one go. And once the lad kissed his attendant, once he started feeding her, that felt… different. It wasn't a pleasure on its own, but seeing his charming companion squirm while trying not to lose even a single crumb was delightful in its own way. Although, after half of the bowl was finished, Keyaruga started to get bored.
"M-m… Nmmm… Haa…" — Freia gasped, as another portion went down her throat. But then, she saw a vile grin on her master's face. "Lord Keyaruga?"
"If you drop something, I'll punish you. Got it?"
"I unders!..N-NM!!!" Oh yes, without even letting her finish the phrase, the man kissed his toy. But what was different this time was a bit of foreplay. He stuck two fingers right into her hole, already dripping, one must mention. "Gulp… Ah… Haa!.. Lord!.." The more he moved inside, the more spasmodic Freia's body got. And when the time came for another "bite", she… "A-A-A-AH!" Her exalted scream filled the entire room. Keyaruga's face, though… "Haa… Haa… Ow no, I'm so sorry! Let me wipe you!" …was now dripping wet.
"Don't bother. You failed, Freia. Now dress yourself and get back to studying, We both have things to do." This time the man was cold and unemotional. So much so, that the sorceress stumbled to the ground, unable to avert the gaze from her trembling arms.
"N-no…" Disbelief and grief quickly pushed away the last bits of joy from the girl. "Don't leave me!.." And after a minute of unendurable silence, she started crying. Tears dropped from her blue eyes. A delightful scene for the avenger, whose life was ruined by this woman. Or… it should've been.
"I warned you."
"Please, my lord! I beg you, don't leave me! You're everything I have!" The girl kept on weeping, and the longer Keyaruga looked upon her, the lower his lips became. Up until the smile melted entirely. "N-not… like this. Please…"
Ultimately, the Hero of Healing approached one of two large wardrobes he and his companion had in the room. Inside, aside from a ton of miscellaneous stuff and spare clothes, was a blanket. It was the very same one that they used to sleep in while outdoors. Still listening to Freia's whining, the man spread it near their occupied bed. And then…
"You stop it right now." — The lad growled, picking up his upset toy. And when he did, the girl hugged his torso so tightly that Keyaruga even wondered what to do with this klutz if she refused to let him go. And she wouldn't. Even when the man sat on the floor. "Would you finally stop crying?"
"I… I can't!.. You're just… Without you I have nothing…" — The caster admitted in a bitter tone. "I remember nothing! I know nothing! Without you, I wouldn't even know what to do…"
"I know." Although this was getting tiresome, Keyaruga understood it just too well. Being lost and alone in a hostile world. So much so that even his vengeful thoughts slightly faded away. After all, wasn't it him who swore to take everything from the foul princess? "What do you want from me now? Sex?"
"Just… Just stay with me." — Freia carefully said, still embracing her man. She would still weep for a while, but afterwards, the girl went silent. She fell asleep, and the healer couldn't help but wonder…
"Hah, curses. Just what are you doing with me?" And yet, he gently rubbed her tears, looked one last time at Setsuna and covered himself and his toy with a blanket. Time to sleep.
…
Another dream. So strange and convoluted, yet so different from the last one. Keyaruga found himself in a strange place of gray dotted ground and black skies. Only the white sun illuminated the seemingly endless wasteland with a single road ahead of the young man. His steps were silent. Or deafeningly loud. Somehow, reality itself seemed to be warping every second. Craters shifted, the light distorted, and only the road was invulnerable to these strange anomalies. This is why the hero walked it for eternity. Or just a few seconds. The time here was fluid. Until everything changed. One more step, and Keyaruga was somehow transported into a hall of endless columns. Gray light without any sources was depressing and blank. But that barely even concerned the dreamer. He met some company.
"Turns out you do remember your previous life. Or was it just the meddling of puny gods, still denying us our reign?" — The voice belonged to Margurth Rikil Jioral. The king, who faced the healer. It's too vivid to be just an illusion. And he wasn't alone. "Tell me, Reeharoze, how did he flee our casemates?" Next to him stood a winged woman with dark-violet skin. She was the very same person… or creature who tried to murder Keyaruga that night.
"He…" But barely did she start, when the healer brazenly interrupted the emissary of darkness.
"Don't bother! It was me who reverted this whole goddamn world! I know and remember! Wanna know how? I HATE YOU! And your fucking daughter! So much so that I carried that hatred through time itself. Then I murdered her with a red-hot poker! Good luck finding me now!" — Keyaruga bragged about his glorious success, examining his interlocutors. The man couldn't tell if they were real or just the fruits of his dream, but either way, that made little difference. "Now you!" The healer pointed at Reeharoze. "Don't you know just how impolite it was to ruin a man's best moment in his entire life?" — He taunted the woman, seeking to get her reaction.
"Do not waste your time. She has ascended. Devoid of irrelevant fears and passions. Just like all of your kind should be." — The king spoke with a fanatical demeanor. He desired to turn the world into a desolate wasteland full of his mindless slaves. But there was something wrong. Reeharoze gazed upon the healer with a sight of disgust. Her bleak green eyes reminded Keyaruga of someone else. But…
"What you say is you hate emotions? Then why are you so smug? Why the hell does that demon serve you? You deny her emotions while enjoying them yourself? Oh, and don't even get me started on the entire tribes of soldiers you get from the south you're supposed to oppose! You're a hypocrite, even worse than Flare! So don't worry, I will get to you eventually, and you will be punished like the criminal you are, scum!" — The hero screamed, drawing his saber out of nowhere. After all, even if this was only a lucid dream, he saw a crack in the king's armor. The Monarch just didn't understand that his slave was much more emotional than he could've even imagined. But the avenger felt it, although not a single hint would reach the mad ruler.
"You have two choices. Join us in everlasting immortality willingly, or accept my offer through force." Margurth persisted, but the king's winged companion disappeared in his massive shadow. A smart choice.
"Immortality? Good offer. But not from you, fucker!"
Keyaruga braced for an attack. Sprint, jump, series of swift slashes. First, the king lost his leg, then both arms, and then his head. The blood was… black. And when the healer reacted, it was already too late. There was nobody, only a bottomless pit with no light within. Within the blink of an eye, that dark abyss devoured the healer.
"No… No-no-no! I will not die here! Not like this!" — Keyaruga snarled, but the voice just wouldn't reach anything. He struggled, but his body felt irresponsible, if still existing. The only thing he felt was an unknown force choking him. And soon, all the emotions were replaced by fear. He called upon his power, but there was no use. The hero felt the embrace of death closing in. His silent scream would remain forever trapped in the dark…
…
"A-A-A-A-A-A!!!" Keyaruga woke up with a wild yell. He was alive and well, but his death, even as a dream, felt just too real. He wasn't afraid of pain or torture, but to perish without fulfilling an ultimate goal just felt too dreadful. The man just felt so alone, so scared…
"Don't be scared, my lord." And yet, he had someone. A woman who would hug his sweaty, trembling body. The sorceress who had been awake for a while now.
"Haa… Haa… Freia!.. Freia, I… I too can't do this alone." What was once a self-confident man now looked like a lost boy. A mentally scarred child with too much power and too many responsibilities to handle. Fortunately…
"It's okay. I will always be with you." The man wanted to believe her, wanted to… love. But more than anything, he craved answers…
"Freia?.."
"Yes?" — She replied, hugging her master's shivering head.
"Who is Reeharoze?" — The healer asked, never expecting an answer. Yet he got one.
"I… I don't remember." Despite her words, something shifted inside Freia. Just like when she heard Norn's name. Then, both heroes went silent, while sharing this bitter moment of weakness.
…
Margurth Rikil Jioral stood in the middle of his throne room. Trapped in solitude, he watched three portraits above his throne: of himself, his eldest daughter Flare, and the youngest Norn. In the past, he thought about adding another painting. But what remained of that man cared little even for his children. He rubbed his cheek and saw white flame being slowly devoured by his innate darkness. And only one word to spare…
"Sister."