Chapter 21 - The Sphinx
Tess sat on the edge of the bed while Scirocca gave her length a much deserved tongue bath. She waited, eyes lidded and brain foggy with pleasure, while Scirocca tended to her. All too soon, it was over, and Tess began to regain her senses while Scirocca rose to her feet and began dressing once more.
"So," Tess said, pulling the blankets around her body for the illusion of modesty, "Was that the ritual?"
"Something like that," Scirocca mused, slipping back into her bottoms and squeezing her breasts into that front-clasp bra.
Tess was confused, but she couldn't complain about the process. It was beyond enjoyable. "So do I have a gift?" Tess asked.
"No," Scirocca responded immediately, full of confidence.
"No?" Tess was feeling the bitter pain of disappointment all over again, "I thought you said Ulrich-..."
"...was right," Scirocca said, donning her headdress and replacing her bracelets and necklaces. Tess knew she had a lot, but the sheer volume of them didn't dawn on her until Scirocca began wearing them one at a time.
"Oh," Tess said softly, deflated once more.
"But you have something else," Scirocca added.
Tess' lips curled downward in irritation, "Why didn't you say that first? What do I have? Is it a gift?"
"No, as I said, you have no gift," Scirocca spoke with some measure of annoyance, "But what you do have is arguably just as good. Some would consider it better."
Tess perked up, her lips parting in a smile. She couldn't find the words, struggling to grasp for details but not forming anything audible.
"I'll explain," Scirocca said, "But first, how much do you trust your team?"
"Gwen?"
"And the other two."
"They're wonderful," Tess said, even if she had some doubts about Joyona and Mairaela. It wasn't that she didn't like them—far from it—but she only met them a little bit ago. She didn't want to admit that to Scirocca though. Something told her to appease the woman to get the information she needed.
"I see," Scirocca said with some skepticism, "Well, you are finely attuned to the Wyrd."
"Magic?" Tess asked, recalling something about the Wyrd being a source of magic.
Scirocca nodded, "But it is complicated."
Tess decided to be quiet and listen. The way she leaned in for more must've told Scirocca just that. The winged woman continued, "There are four Wyrds, each a different source of magic. Those that command one of them are called Wyrden."
Nodding, Tess spoke, "Gwendolyn mentioned Wyrden using souls and stars."
"That's one Wyrd," Scirocca explained, "The Star Wyrd. But there are three others." Scirocca took a seat beside Tess, their hips together, but she otherwise didn't make any motion to touch Tess more. "The Blood Wyrd, the Heavenly Wyrd, and the Dark Wyrd." Scirocca held up four fingers and counted them off, "The Star Wyrd draws its magic directly from the stars, the original source of all Magic." She folds one finger down. "The Blood Wyrd draws its magic from one's blood. Usually this is for dragons, fey and demons."
Tess felt a pinch of anxiety at the mention of demons. Was her connection to a Wyrd the Blood variety, because of Miri's demonic nature? Could that cause trouble for her?
"It would be odd for you to have the Blood Wyrd, but considering what's between your legs, it's possible you have some Incubus blood, perhaps," Scirocca theorized before dropping the topic and folding another finger, "The Divine Wyrd is magic donated by the pantheon. Get into a god's good graces and they may give you some of their might."
"And the Dark Wyrd?" Tess asked softly.
"Draws it power from the Black Sun," Scirocca concluded, "This is limited only to agents of the Black Sun."
Tess thought of the summoner that brought her here. The one that Gwen had mentioned. According to her, she was wreathed in shadow and darkness. Was that woman an agent of the Black Sun?
All Tess knew was that she needed to get into the Void Exercise and then into the Black Sun so that she could learn more about herself. That's what Miri said to do. Tess was determined to learn more about her life before all of this.
"So what does it mean to be strongly attuned?" Tess asked, "What Wyrd do I have a connection to? Star, right? Gwen taught me how to do the rituals."
"I don't know."
"Your 'ritual' didn't show you that?"
"No," Scirocca replied, deadpan.
Tess turned to her, watching those narrow eyes staring straight at the wall ahead of her. Scirocca eventually turned to look back at Tess, and Tess found it hard to keep her gaze. It felt like Scirocca was reading her mind with how powerful that stare was, like Tess was giving everything away just by her facial expressions.
"So I can use magic," Tess said, looking down at her hands, "But that isn't a gift?"
"It is not," Scirocca explained, "Gifts are innate and intuitive. Magic is different. Some magic takes practice. Other magic is more natural. Divine magic is barely even your choice. Dark magic… I'm not sure."
"But the void exercise…" Tess spoke with hesitation.
Scirocca nodded, "If you trust your team, you should go."
"Alright," Tess said with a bob of her head, "What should I tell the instructor?"
"Tell her that you couldn't find Ulrich, so you couldn't have your gift tested. It's so rare to be giftless that they'll let you pass under the assumption that surely something would manifest for you," Scirocca advised, "Besides, it isn't like they have a problem if you go in and get yourself killed. It's unfortunate, but they won't cry over it."
Tess only thought about how Gwendolyn would feel, if Tess died. What would happen to Miri?
"Alright," Tess said with another nod, "Alright, I'm going to do that."
As Tess stood, Scirocca snatched her by the wrist. Tess turned back and Scirocca was looking her dead in the eye. "Tess," the tan woman said, "Your constellation…"
Tess cocked her head, "My what?"
"When you did the ritual with Ulrich," Scirocca said, rising to her feet. She was shorter than Tess, but not by much, and the two locked eyes. "I saw the result. I came to you after I saw it. It was a constellation. The small dots of powder."
"It was a random scattering of stars," Tess replied. That's what Ulrich had said. The giftless don't get a constellation in the ritual.
"No," Scirocca insisted, "It's a constellation. I saw it in one of the books in the library. I need to get it again to show you. I don't know what it means."
"But I thought no constellation meant giftless. How do I not have a gift if mine was a constellation?"
"These are questions I can't answer," Scirocca replied, "But perhaps if we meet again soon for another 'ritual.'"
Tess' eyes widened and she stammered, "I-.. you?"
"Did you enjoy it? I did. Why not do it again soon?"
Tess nodded dumbly and replied, "Okay." She immediately chided herself for not saying something of more substance.
"Hey, Scirocca?" Tess began.
Scirocca turned her head in Tess' direction and quirked a thin eyebrow.
"What are you?"
"My father had the head of a human, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird," Scirocca began, "And my mother was like you. Human. Soft." Scirocca concluded, "So you tell me."
Chapter 22 - The Void Exercise
"What are you doing here?" Gwen hissed under her breath toward Tess. She had been shocked to see Tess in the Void Chamber along with Mairaela and Joyona, as though she were a recruit of equal footing.
Tess replied softly, "I'm joining, too."
"Tess, you-..." Gwen stammered, looking for the right words, "This isn't a joke, Tess. You could get seriously injured, or worse. There are people that don't come back from this exercise because they were so unprepared."
"I'll be okay," Tess assured her.
That wasn't enough for Gwen, "You haven't studied up on the exercise, you haven't practiced, you were seeing things in the ritual. Tess, you aren't fit to do this, and I don't want you to get hurt."
Tess began to whisper back, "I met this person-..."
"If I could have your attention up here, please." A commanding voice took the air from Tess' words and drew her eyes up in front. The Void Chamber was just ahead, sealed behind a vault door of gears and pipes. A few guards stood by, wearing the silver-and-crimson of the Corps' Watch. In the center, atop a podium, was a woman bathed in red silk. A red hood shaded a pretty face with bright, pink eyes. On either side of her neck, a ponytail poured from beneath the hood. Blonde, and held together with iron banding. There was a small scar beside her right eye, but even that couldn't damage what was an undeniably beautiful face, with a button nose and a catlike curl of her lips.
When she spoke, the room listened, "My name is Philomena and I'll be conducting your exercise today." She didn't smile; didn't waver. It was a practiced line. "Let's make sure we've got the right people, shall we?"
"Joyona Virkian?"
A nod.
"Mairaela Aulidwulf?"
"Yes."
"Dame Gwendolyn Mirabenise?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Tess?" Philomena looked at Tess, nodding her head without a response from the woman, "I always enjoy seeing another lowborn here. In the Void, everyone's name amounts to nothing."
"Yes, ma'am," Tess replied, unsure if she was supposed to say anything at all.
"Good," Philomena concluded, "Then I'll go over the exercise." She took the scroll in her hand and set it aside, tucking her arms into their sleeves. "Two years ago, the Corps managed a ritual that extracted a piece of Void matter from the Black Sun. Normally when we depart to do battle there, we enter into the greater Void of the Black Sun. However, we severed a pocket of it—A small, separated void—for our own use," the red-robed woman explained, "We use it for training current recruits and evaluating new ones."
Tess looked around. It appeared like her companions already knew this, but were listening respectfully anyway. This was all new information to Tess though. She decided she needed to get used to that happening.
"Just like the greater void, this pocket is different every time we enter it, but due to it being severed from the whole, it tends to be weaker than most, making it perfect for new recruits," Philomena lectured, "I cannot tell you exactly what your experience will be, but we do know that it will be violent."
"Lastly," Philomena said, sounding as though she were going off script, "The Void appears small from the outside, but is its own expansive world within. Follow the light, and I'll see you on the other side. Don't dally. Staying too long can mess with your mind."
Tess looked to her other companions again. The danger of this was dawning on her. Was she really just going to take Scirocca's word at face value? Yes, she wanted this, desperately, but she didn't know Scirocca. And Ulrich seemed plenty knowledgeable to Tess. Would someone as young-looking as Scirocca really know more than him?
Before Tess knew it, the door to the chamber ahead began to open. The gears clicked and clanked, the pipes hissed with jets of air that carried a haze of heat, and a rush of wind surged from behind her into the vault as it opened. It was enough to be a surprise and cause her to shift her footing, but not enough to pull her in a way she didn't want to go.
As the vault door swung open, the view ahead became more and more haunting. Within was a marbled, pristine room, smooth on its six sides. In the middle however was a great orb—a vibrating, disorienting ball of absence. It distorted the light around it, bending and twisting it, giving a warped mirror view of the wall behind it. Before she knew it, Tess was walking forward with her three companions, stepping closer and closer to the destination of all of this rushing wind.
"Do not fear. For those of you that know your gifts, they are a good match with one another. You will make a strong team. Lady Morro be with you," Philomena said as they passed by, "And may your soul prevail."
The closer Tess got to the object, the more the light distorted. Everything around her was bent. Her fingertips were extended and stretched toward the Void when she looked at them. Gwen, who stood in front of her, looked like a smeared painting, and it took Tess some time to realize that Gwendolyn was reaching out for her.
The Dame said something, but the words never reached Tess' ears.
"Thank you," Tess replied to the nothingness, trying to reach for Gwen's hand but missing it by an arm's length due to the imbalance in her vision. She could hear her own voice, but only as it reverberated in her mind. The moment it left her lips, it was nothingness. Tess would hope Gwen could read her lips, but with all of the warping and distortion, there was no imaginable way.
After the next step, Tess was enveloped in darkness. Tess floated, weightless, through the nothingness.
A voice tickled her mind, "You came back."
Tess twisted around to see her surroundings, stopping when she saw Its wide, blank ovals for eyes. It reached its hand out for her, but was met with an unseen wall.
"My little Crow. You are here, but I cannot reach you. Where are you?"
Tess tried to respond, but she had no voice.
"Where am I? I have no idea!" Tess thought to herself.
The voice in her head was not hers, yet It answered, "Come home."
"You aren't making any sense!" Tess screamed in her mind, "Are you an Old God?"
"Why did you leave?" It spoke into her mind, "Come home."
"How do you know me?" Tess asked urgently, "What's my name? Little Crow? Please, give me some kind of answer!"
"Not you," It replied as though it were speaking to a completely different person. It sounded angry, and it looked at Tess as though seeing her for the first time. It made a dismissive wave of its three-fingered hand.
Tess was baffled. She wanted to scream in frustration, but before she could, there was another thought. Something different than the dark creature.
"It means me," Miri said.
Chapter 23 - Altered Reality
After that, the world went black. When her vision was restored, the world looked dull and gray. Colorless city ruins stretched out in one direction, a forest of dead trees in another. Behind her was a mountain with a dark blotch floating above it, and ahead of her was a bright, thin shaft of light. Light at the end of the tunnel, almost. The ground was a rocky, cracked wasteland, full of crags and hills. If ever there was a sight that could suck the life and joy out of someone, it was this dismal place. Did it look like this all throughout the Black Sun?
A light wind seemed to whip around her from all kinds of directions, tossing about her clothing. Oddly, it seemed rather breezier than normal, and it forced Tess to take inventory of her clothing. Around her hips was little more than a ribbon of string, supporting two red-and-gold panels of cloth to cover the front and most of the back. Her hips, haunch and thighs were entirely exposed along the sides. Even a bit of the crease of her plump ass where it meets the thigh was showing. A stiff breeze would expose her, which gave Tess a squirmy feeling.
Around her torso was a red wrap that criss crossed her hefty chest and was supported around her back and the back of her neck. This left most of her shoulders, mid back and midriff visible. Other than that and a pair of calf-high traveler's boots, Tess had nothing. She felt exposed, vulnerable and without anything to defend herself. If the void was going to change her clothing, couldn't it have given her something more protective, or something to fight with? At the very least, despite the breeze, she didn't feel cold. She was grateful for that.
"There she is," came a voice from behind, "Over here!"
Mairaela was hurrying toward Tess, carrying a wooden bow already knocked with an arrow. She was dressed in a similarly skimpy outfit: Knee-high iron greaves that left her thighs exposed until covered by the short, green skirt she wore that occasionally bounced and exposed her lime-green panties beneath. Her top was covered with an iron plate across the right breast, strapped with leather across her back. The rest was green wool. Shoulders exposed, only brown arm warmers otherwise covered her. A golden crown of woven jewelry gave her an elegant, regal appearance.
Behind her, Joyona rushed in Tess' direction, though it took a moment to recognize her. Covered from the waist up in black-and-gold armor with heavy pauldrons and layered plates, even her head was shielded by what resembled the maw of a black dragon, fangs and all. However impractical it was, her hips were exposed, as well as a section of upper thigh, before they were covered down to her feet by lobstered plate mail.
Tess' mind scrambled for questions, but she only ended up with, "What is happening?"
"We're in the Void. Or, well, your soul is," Mairaela answered, "But a body isn't much without a soul, so we need to make our way back to complete the test and, well, survive."
"Where's Gwen?" Tess asked, looking around.
"Haven't found her yet," Joyona replied, her head on a swivel. Was she searching for Gwen or for threats?
Tess' heart sank and she looked around, trying to hear. There was nothing but the wind. She looked back at the other two and insisted, "We need to find her."
"Of course," Mairaela replied with an easy smile at first, but concern grew on her face after a time, "So… no gift, huh?"
Tess and Mairaela both were looking her over. Nothing but simple garb. "I guess not," Tess replied, feeling like the swell of hope that Scirocca had given her was immediately deflated. She was supposed to have magic, but how was she supposed to use it? What if she needed to practice it? Why did Scirocca tell her to come here?
"This was incredibly dangerous, Tess," Mairaela said with a frown, "Not only are you in danger, but because we do not have a capable fourth, we are all in danger."
Tess sunk due to the scolding. The guilt weighed her down. She knew Mairaela was right. Gwen could be judgy, but the Fey was polite and gentle in all of her recent interactions, so to hear this disappointment from her hit especially hard.
It was Joyona of all people who made her feel a little better. "Anyone, even giftless, can keep an eye and an ear out," the armored woman said, "You are more than capable of helping. Just stick by me for protection and watch our flanks."
"Thank you, Joyona," Tess replied. She bowed her head to Mairaela and insisted, "And I'm sorry. I-.. I think this was the right thing for me to do, though. I can't explain it."
Mairaela nodded, though her smile didn't convey that everything was peachy now. She said, "We'll do what we can to keep you safe."
Tess nodded her head, smoothing out the loincloth she was wearing and adjusting the wrap that barely contained her breasts. Mairaela seemed to notice Tess' outfit and her cheeks turned a shade of red. Tess smiled at that. The Fey was awfully cute with a blush on her face.
"So, about Gwen…" Tess' voice trailed off, hoping that someone else could point them in a good direction.
Joyona shook her head, "Neither of us have the survival gift."
"I may be able to do something…" Mairaela spoke, taking an arrow from the quiver by her hip and notching it into the bow. She drew it back, aiming almost entirely upward, before loosing it into the sky. The arrow whistled as it ascended and was beyond Tess' field of vision in an instant.
When she brought her gaze back down, she saw Mairaela, whose eyes were blank and white. "Mairaela?" Tess said with a worried expression. She reached out to shake the Fey by the shoulders.
Joyona stopped her, pushing aside Tess' arms like they were noodles. "I think she's looking through the arrow," Joyona explained.
Tess was dumbfounded, "But how?"
"Archery gift. She can do the impossible with a bow and arrow."
"And you?"
"We'll see."
The irises and pupils of Mairaela's eyes returned and she snapped, "Ambush!" Immediately, the archer tackled Tess to the ground. A black stream of mist surged just above them, topped with a strange mask for its face. The mask was bone white, with misshapen eyes and spiraling horns, a fanged mouth, painted red, that smiled from ear to ear.
The sight gave Tess chills. The mask and black mist flew back toward the group, but Joyona intercepted its path. The giantess brought both arms up, crossing them over her head as she leaned into the mask's charge and braced herself for a collision. The mask struck Joyona's armor, sending the woman back a few steps and nearly off balance, but remarkably unharmed.
Tess watched the masked mist's trajectory, as it headed up a nearby hill. Approaching from over the ridge was an even more terrible sight.
Twelve feet tall, with thin, lanky limbs and a body riddled with pustules and warts, a monster approached. It dragged its digitigrade legs and carried a set of metal shears that were as long as Joyona was tall. Upon the blade was a coating of blood, and the severed limbs it wore upon its belt was testament to the creature's proficiency with such a weapon.
The mask slammed into the creature's head, becoming its face, while the black mist formed into a long shadow of hair that streamed behind it as it walked.
"What the fuck is that," Tess spoke with wide eyes, hands shaking as the adrenaline coursed through her body and her mind screamed at her to run.
"Tess," she heard in her mind. It was Miri. "Tess, let me out. You feel it, right? That switch in the back of your mind. You can unleash me. Let me take over. I'm better than you at this." There was a sense of urgency scratching at her mind, "I'll take care of it. Of us."
"No," Tess snapped, focusing her voice inward, "I can't trust you."
"What are you talking about, Tess?" Joyona said, drawing her axe and moving to stand in front of the both of them. She let out a yell and her skin began to glow a golden hue. "Stay behind me," she commanded, axe in both of her hands.
Tess could hear the familiar sound of shears opening, a grating, rusty noise as metal squealed upon metal and then snapped shut. Tess kept her head down, but she could hear giantess grunt, and the Fey screaming Joyona's name.
Chapter 24 - The Hag and the Arbalest
When she opened her eyes again, she saw Joyona leaning forward, her gauntlets upon the blades of the hag's shears, holding them open. A white light built around Joyona's palms. She grunted and strained as the beast put all of her leverage into the cut.
The hag leaned forward, toppling Joyona onto her back and standing over her, squeezing those gigantic scissors into Joyona's forearms now. Tess was certain that anyone else would've been cut in half by now, but Joyona held.
"What can I do?!" Tess shouted, looking around for anything she could hit the creature with, and she picked up a rock the size of her fist. Tess reeled back and threw it, striking the creature in the head. The beast turned to look at her through the holes in her mask, but her eyes were hollowed out and bloody. "What the fuck," Tess cursed.
The beast struck Joyona across the head and then charged after Tess. Those shears opened wide, rusty and covered in blood, before Tess saw a thin line of light burst through the being's head, straight through to the other side. At the same time, a volley of arrows, seven in all, fell atop the creature from the sky. Tess turned to see Mairaela firing shot after shot at an incredible speed.
The creature toppled, collapsing to the ground, and Mairaela lowered her blow.
Despite the shot leaving a hole in its head, steaming with heat, and arrows riddling its back, it rose and dove at Tess from just a few meters away. Tess held out her hands, trying to urge magic through them.
Nothing happened. What had she been thinking?
Joyona crashed into the monster, intercepting it and saving Tess. She took it to the floor and pinned its arms to the ground. Her armor glowed brighter and brighter before it exploded in a fiery storm. Each panel and piece of her armor exploded off of Joyona's body and held in a golden sphere around her. The creature beneath her body was crushed into the ground, squished to pulp. Joyona slowly stood up, and the armor returned and reattached to her body. The front of it was bloody.
"You alright?" Mairaela asked Tess.
She simply nodded, "Yeah. Thank you."
Joyona checked the dents in her gauntlets, turning to face Mairaela and Tess, "That was the Hag of Blackwood. Nightmare story back in my tribe that was used to scare kids into avoiding staying out too late."
Mairaela queried, one eyebrow raised, "And it was here?"
Joyona nodded her head, "Took my fears and made them real, I suppose. Or I'm already experiencing Void sickness."
Tess wondered if that was the "messing with your head" that Philomena had mentioned.
Mairaela tested the tension on her bowstring and said, "No, I saw it too. Definitely hag-like."
"I apologize for not dealing with it faster," Joyona explained, "I was a little surprised. Won't happen again."
Tess couldn't imagine what would've happened if Joyona had been focused. Joyona didn't even get hurt. Her armor was barely dented.
"Don't sweat it, Joy," Mairaela assured her, "But we still need to find the Dame."
Tess was beginning to worry about Gwen. If they ran into something like that hag, Gwen was bound to have run into something similar. But something else itched at her mind.
"How did you do that?" Tess asked, looking between Joyona and Mairaela. "The armor and the arrows. How did you do that? That wasn't just 'good with armor' or 'good at archery,' that was magic."
Mairaela shook her head, "Not magic. We require no Wyrd but our souls to perform these feats. Remember, there are no laws in this world. There is potentially nothing that binds us, but the real world expectations are hard to erase completely, so we are still, for example, stuck to the ground by gravity." Mairaela waved one hand before she started rambling too much, "Point being, we can imagine some incredible things, and with the integrity of our souls, we can make them come to life."
"That is incredible," Tess muttered, her envy for a gift growing deep inside of her. The feeling of unfairness built up in her mind. So many had a gift. It wasn't a rare thing, even if it was rare to have a moment in your life to use it. Why was Tess one of the very few to be so unfortunate? Magic has been useless so far. She needed to practice. It wasn't intuitive like their gifts.
There was an explosion in the distance; a muffled puff of air. It set off alarms for everyone, looking around themselves for any sign of danger.
Mairaela's sharp ears perked up and she shouted, "Above!"
Just in time, Joyona twisted and ran to intercept whatever it was. Tess looked up and saw a blue ball of light dropping from the sky. It stood out due to its coloration upon this dismal, nearly monochrome background. It looked like a comet's tail, streaking through the air, but far, far too close for comfort. The rush of air tossed Tess' clothes about, but she had no time to even think of holding them down.
Joyona caught the blast like it was a tangible, palpable object, but her feet drove into the ground. She struggled against it, wrestling with it, trying to keep it at bay and keep it contained before it annihilated all of them. Her strain turned to yelling, as pieces of her armor fell away under the pressure and force of this near-explosive power.
Tess felt a tug on her arm, and a pull. Mairaela tapped her on the forehead with an arrow and Tess could see her reflection in its arrowhead. "Hold on," the Fey said, turning and firing the arrow at a nearby hill. Just as the explosion went off, Tess' vision blurred and smeared all around her and all she could hear was a mighty rush of wind before she was suddenly standing upon a hill, an arrow stuck into the ground beneath her feet. "What-..."
Her words were cut off by an explosion, half a kilometer away, a mighty surge of concussive force that put Tess on her back. Tess was confused. Too many things—too many impossible things—were happening too quickly. She couldn't keep up with it. Was part of having a gift being able to think quicker, react faster?
Tess tried to imagine magic forced through her hands, but nothing happened. She didn't know what she was doing. She felt like she was just pretending, and gave up on the effort.
Miri spoke up in her mind again, "You could save them if you just let me free."
"Quiet," Tess replied, trying to push the demon out of her thoughts.
"When it's our life on the line, we'll see what you think then."
Chapter 25 - Mairaela
After sending Tess away to safety, Mairaela spun back around to face Joyona. The armored woman was dug into the ground up to her knees, trying to keep this blast at bay. "Tess is safe!" She shouted above the rush of wind.
Joyona twisted her body and slammed the blast into the ground beside her. It unleashed with explosive wrath. Mairaela hid behind the giantess' back and Joyona braced against the explosion, flame and fury rushing around her body. Eventually it died down, and Joyona let out a tired breath. The large woman dropped to the ground, her body sizzling. Mairaela didn't dare flip her over to look at her. She could smell burnt flesh. The only thing that could save Joyona was to end this fight and get out of the Void, which was the ultimate goal anyway.
For a moment, Mairaela cursed Tess. If only she had a capable partner here with her. Gwendolyn missing doesn't help, but if Tess were able to do something to assist, then perhaps they wouldn't be in this position. The feeling faded, and Mairaela began to blame herself. She'd been the one to get Tess worked up about a gift, only to have that hope ruined by Ulrich's ritual.
The bitterness began to build in her chest and swell. Tess could feel a heat radiating off of her arms and legs.
Another blast had been launched in the air. It streaked across the sky in Mairaela's direction. Joyona was in no shape to withstand another. Mairaela took a knee, drew back an arrow, and aimed into the sky. She concentrated her soul into the bow, into the arrow, enhancing it with as much power as she could in the short time she had.
As the blast angled downward, Mairaela fired her shot. A golden, beaming light shot from her bow with rippling golden waves in its wake. The arrow of light pierced the blast and ventured far into the sky beyond Mairaela's sight. The incoming projectile exploded in the air, filling the sky with light and flame. Mairaela had to crouch as the wave of force washed over her, tossing her hair and skirt about in the frenzy.
"Joyona!" Mairaela shouted, but there was no response. Was she really dead? Mairaela didn't have time to check with the incoming attacks, couldn't carry Joyona, and couldn't leave her lying there to go deal with a faraway threat. Rage filled her body, and Mairaela's soul burnt around the exterior of her body. Fire exploded around her form and Mairaela felt a strength in her heart.
Remaining on her knee, she scanned the surroundings. With her archer's eye she found the culprit; a fleshy creature on four legs. Its cannon, made of some organic, pulsing material, readied another volley. Mairaela took careful aim and watched. She pulled the drawstring tight. As the glow in its cannon built to a crest, Mairaela fired. The arrow soared through the air, and just as the creature fired its next shot, the blast was pierced by the arrow, exploding directly in the four-legged beast's face.
Two more arrows followed, one for each of its front legs. The arrows carried the same burning essence around them, detonating after finding their target and blowing a massive hole into each until they were useless and broken. The creature toppled forward, twitching, trying to get back to its feet, but unable. Its cannon was split and mangled, but aimed directly at the Fey.
The last arrow went straight down the cannon, exploding upon impact, detonating whatever it was creating those blasts and setting off a chain reaction that erupted both the creature and a good portion of the hillside. The world in the void was illuminated by the explosion.
Mairaela was panting, shaking out her tingling hands. She was exhausted. Every miraculous feat tired her soul, and she'd done too much. Still, there was more to do.
She dug her hands into Joyona's armor and turned the woman over. The giantess was scorched along the forearms, shoulders and neck, but after a quick check, Mairaela could see her breathing. "Thank gods," she sighed, confirming it with Joyona's pulse. She rose to her feet once more, deciding to wait out Joyona's unconsciousness. She looked to where she transported Tess and saw that the woman was on her way back, about halfway by this point. Mairaela wished that Tess would just hide, but she knew that wasn't the best option either. It was stressful to have someone she needed to protect, especially someone naive like Tess. She didn't know better, Mairaela thought.
"Tess! Mairaela? Joyona?!" The shouting was familiar. Gwen's voice was echoing from just behind the ridge.
."Gwendolyn!" Mairaela shouted in response, just as the knight ascended the hill and came into view. Mairaela waved her hand back and forth in wide arcs above her head.
Gwendolyn and Tess ended up getting to her about the same time. Gwendolyn was looking to be in rough shape. She was bleeding upon the brow, crimson mixing with her argent hair. However, her outfit was distracting from the wound.
The Dame wore what appeared to be a black leotard covered in armor. Her hips and legs were protected, but the top of the thigh to the bottom of the bottom of the abdomen was bare, except for the bottom of the leotard covering her sex. The rest of her body was covered with sleek, lightweight plates, though she had no gorget or helmet.
Mairaela felt her heart flutter for a moment.
Tess' outfit was scandalous enough without help from the knight. It was hard to keep Tess out of her sight, and the Fey did everything she could to not look at her at all. Especially the bulge she could see between Tess' legs, just beneath the skimpy panel of that loincloth. That girl just became more and more interesting.
Oh, right, Joyona was hurt. Mairaela turned to see that the giantess had actually awakened. With a rattle of her armor, Joyona sat up and shook her head to push away the dizziness. It was of course Joyona that was the first to ask, "You alright, Mairaela?"
"Of course. Thanks to you," she replied.
"Sorry, I ran into some trouble," Gwendolyn explained to the group.
Tess nudged at Gwendolyn's hip, "Where's your sword?"
Gwendolyn patted her sheath and cursed. She held her hand out toward the hill top she'd arrived from, and in a matter of seconds, a whirl of steel soared through the air and Gwendolyn caught her summoned longsword in her hand.
Mairaela scoffed, "Showoff."
"Don't be jealous," Gwendolyn laughed, "I saw that explosion you made. Or was that Joyona?"
Joyona shook her head, rising to her feet. With a flex and a surge of golden essence about her body, her armor flew and reattached to her form.
"Should we rest?" Gwendolyn asked.
Mairaela shook her head, "The longer we stay here, the more time there is for us to be hit again."
"We'll be more ready to take a hit if we give our souls a little time to restore themselves," Joyona advised.
Outvoted amongst those with gifts, Mairaela relented, "As you like. Where?"
"There are buildings over there," Tess pointed behind the Fey, and Mairaela nodded in agreement.
"That's the plan, then."
Chapter 26 - Respite
The party had managed to get to the ruined city without any further interference. Stone buildings were still standing, at least on most of their sides, but any construction made of wood was torn over. There was a belltower in the center of the ruins that the group entered and climbed, until they came to the highest platform, just beneath the open space with the bell. They could at least rest here without worrying about exposure.
Joyona removed her armor and rested against the wall, cradling one burnt arm with the other. Gwendolyn was measuring the severity of her head wound by dabbing some cloth upon it. Mairaela unstrung her bow and set it aside, stretching out and relaxing her sore muscles.
Tess wasn't sure what to do. She sat with her legs folded and feet resting on either side of her hips, ensuring that her loincloth was keeping her modest. There was this sense of guilt following her everywhere. She was useless. Why did she trust Scirocca? Because they had sex? Was she really that easy to convince?
"Stop pitying yourself," Miri chided.
Tess couldn't reply without alerting the others. She furrowed her brow. She wished she could silence Miri from her thoughts.
Miri remarked, "Scirocca wasn't lying, so don't be dramatic. You have to practice, remember?"
Tess felt foolish once again, hoping that Miri would continue.
Miri didn't disappoint, "There's dust in the corners. Practice your constellations."
She did just that. She scooped a handful of dust and ash from the corners of the room and pulled them right in front of her. She decided to make the sign of the Stag first. Appearing like a single antler streaking across the sky, Tess dribbled little pinches of dust onto the ground to form the correct shapes. The anchoring star, the brightest of the constellation, was down by the stem of the antler, and Tess represented it with a larger pinch of dust.
"That's pretty spot on," Gwendolyn said, having scooted across the floor to sit beside Tess.
Tess smiled, regathering what dust she had left and preparing another clear space for her art.
"Show me the Maiden," Gwen said.
Tess obliged, forming gray dots in the constellation's general shape, that of a woman flying in a sea of her hair. The anchoring star was just by the Maiden's eye.
Gwendolyn challenged her again, "What does she stand for?"
"Love," Tess replied softly. She liked the Maiden. She always felt romantic, and Tess briefly imagined Gwendolyn kissing her at this very moment.
Gwendolyn did not, in fact, kiss her, "What else?"
"Jealousy," Tess answered.
"And?"
Tess wracked her brain, but nothing was coming up. "Not sure," she admitted.
"Challenges."
Tess nodded her head, "Doesn't seem to fit."
"Maybe when you find love, you'll see the challenge involved," Gwendolyn said softly.
Tess turned her head and wiped off her hands upon one another, "Have you been in love?"
"No," Gwendolyn said, sitting back on her rump, legs bent, and resting her arms upon her knees, "Not like you mean."
"What do you mean?" Tess began to whisper. It felt like a private conversation and didn't want Mairaela and Joyona to be distracted by it. The both of them looked ready to sleep.
Gwen paused, thinking for a while, before she cleared her throat and said, "I love my little sister. Lenore." Gwendolyn looked over at Tess, "She was taken away when I was coming of age."
"You haven't seen her since?"
"No, I have," Gwendolyn replied with sadness, "But she wanted nothing to do with me. She was different."
"I'm sorry," Tess said, leaning over and bumping Gwen's shoulder with her own before she sat up straight again. The two sat in silence for a time, before Gwendolyn wished Tess a goodnight and snuck off to sleep.
Tess had volunteered for the first watch in order to be helpful, but Mairaela insisted that Tess was too fragile to be on watch by herself. The Fey joined her, oiling her bowstring and tending to her arrows. She seemed to take meticulous care of her belongings, which seemed strange when it was all a part of her soul.
"Isn't that already perfect?" Tess asked.
Mairaela shook her head, "Nothing's perfect. Discipline and study lead to further enlightenment. Enlightenment leads to a strong soul."
"So you're a monk? A priest?"
"Only in the same way that I want to better myself."
Silence, once again, until Mairaela broke it, "So why did you come into the Void? I mean, really. Why?"
"I wanted to help," Tess replied.
"You know that wasn't the case," Mairaela responded, "And if you'd been honest to the enlistment officer that you didn't have a gift, they would have ever let you in. So why? Why are you lying to get here?"
"It's a long story," Tess replied.
"We've got an hour left on watch," the Fey answered.
"I don't remember much about my past. I think I'll find answers here."
"Why here?" Mairaela pressed.
Because Miri told me to, Tess thought. Instead, she said, "Joyona saw a creature from her memories. Maybe I'll see something from mine."
"We only found that out after you got here. Why are you hiding things, Tess? We need to trust one another." Mairaela sounded more disappointed than anything else.
"It's the one thing that I can't share, Mairaela, I'm sorry," Tess replied, remembering Gwen's advice about keeping talk about Miri under wraps.
"So then why didn't you share that?" Mairaela said. Tess turned to look at her, but the Fey was pointing down at Tess' lap. Looking downward, Tess saw that the loincloth had draped perfectly over her cock, leaving a clear outline of girldick upon the thin cloth.
Panic was the first thought through Tess' mind, but when the fact that Mairaela already knew finally set into her brain, she calmed. "It's-... yeah, sorry. How was I going to bring that up, though? Hi, my name's Tess, and I have a big dick."
Mairaela rolled her eyes in amusement, smirking back at Tess as she said, "No, I didn't say tell me about it. Why haven't you shared it with me."
It took Tess a moment before her eyes widened and she looked over to Mairaela. The Fey was smirking devilishly before she placed a lithe hand on Tess' thigh. "How about it?" Mairaela asked.
Tess got a good look at her and saw those pointed ears tilted low. Those pouty lips were full and soft. She had a catlike mischievousness to her that thrilled Tess.
"You want to? With me?" Tess whispered, quieter than she'd been talking a moment ago.
Mairaela nodded her head, "I do." Mairaela's hand slid just a little toward Tess' inner thigh. The Fey's fingertips teased at the edge of the loincloth, just an inch from Tess' barely-covered length.
Tess put a hand behind Mairaela's neck, leaning in and giving the Fey a deep, soft kiss. At the same time, her loincloth was nudged aside and Mairaela's soft fingers slid most of the way—but not entirely—around Tess' hardening cock.
With a whimper muffled by Mairaela's lips, Tess broke the kiss and tried to regain her focus, just as Mairaela's hand began to really pump her length up and down. "You're so big," Mairaela purred, pumping Tess' cock without any hesitation or teasing slowness, "You feel so hot in my hand."
"Mairaela?"
"Yes, Tess?"
"Can you suck my cock?"
Mairaela leaned in and nipped at Tess' ear, whispering back, "I was hoping you'd ask."
Chapter 27 - Stress Relief
Tess leaned back, arms planted behind her, looking down at the Fey's head bobbing up and down in her lap. That beautiful brown hair was curtaining all of the action, so Tess kindly gathered Mairaela's locks and gathered them on the back of her hair. This put Tess' hand on the back of Mairaela's head; something Tess loved.
For a moment Tess was worried that Joyona or Gwendolyn would wake. Tess was able to bite back her own noises, but Mairaela was moving so quickly and eagerly that she often made sucking or wet slurping sounds. It didn't help that she was putting so much effort into it that she was moaning softly. Thankfully, the sound was muffled well enough just by the way that Tess' fat cock stuffed Mairaela's mouth so completely full. Even still, there was a good bit of noise that Tess was really hoping the two wounded girls would sleep through.
"Keep going," Tess whispered encouragingly, but really it was desperate, hoping that Mairaela would never stop. Her mouth, her plush lips, that wet tongue and the way she sucked so strongly, it all combined to make Tess want this moment to last forever.
By now, she'd worked up her stamina just a little bit more, or else she wouldn't have lasted long at all at the rate that Mairaela was going. A hand went between Tess' legs and cupped her balls, rolling them in gentle circles up against her body. Fingernails tenderly scratched and teased beneath her sack as the Fey worked.
With the way Mairaela was lying at Tess' side, it dawned on her that she could return the favor a little bit. Tess flipped Mairaela's hair to the other side of her head so that she could keep a good view. She used that same hand to prop herself up and slipped the other hand beneath Mairaela's skirt. She first groped Mairaela's ass, feeling that plump skin swelling between her fingers as she squeezed. Tess wanted more of it, but was determined to repay Mairaela in some small way. She brought a thumb just above Mairaela's sex, still covered by her green panties.
Tess could already feel the heat, the dampness, the softness of that mound beneath her touch. She rubbed her thumb forward, pressing Mairaela's panties between her labia and against her folds. Mairaela moaned on Tess' cock, sinking her head lower and nudging Tess up against her throat. Tess threw her head back, arching her body toward the ceiling as a wave of pleasure coursed through her.
"You're so wet," Tess whispered, thumb continuing to rub Mairaela through her panties. She brought her thumb upward and began to rub just above the Fey's clit, giving that little button an oh-so-gentle circular motion. Mairaela broke the suction on Tess' length enough so that she could pant and whimper. She brought her head away from Tess' lap and, with a deep blush across her freckled cheeks, she begged, "Please, fuck me."
Tess saw an opportunity, and the corner of her lips smirked upward, "I thought you said I shouldn't be here." Mairaela looked like she saw a ghost, as though she actually believed Tess would deny her. She must be really distracted if she thought Tess had the upper hand here.
"Do you think I'm useful now?" Tess asked with a smile.
"Yes," Mairaela purred immediately, lowering her head to kiss at Tess' cock, "Yes, a thousand times… I needed this, and I wouldn't have it without you."
Tess felt good about that. She felt useful. Even if it were only as stress relief, Tess was glad that she could help out in some way. She decided to push it a little further, "What do I get for it?"
Mairaela's eyes were lidded as her lips came off of Tess' length. She bit her lip in a smile and leaned into Tess, "I'll suck your cock every night for a week, when we get back."
Tess shivered. She was enjoying this power, but there was no way she'd risk losing that offer, "D-deal."
Mairaela slipped off of Tess' lap and began to shimmy out of her underwear, but Tess wasn't waiting. She rose to her knees and bent the Fey over. On her elbows and knees now, Mairaela was perfectly presented to Tess, her panties only down to the tops of her thighs, where they were stretched to their limit. Soft flesh swelled around the edges just below an ass that barely fit in the first place.
The Fey was whimpering in need, arching her back to raise her ass and angle it just right for Tess, who didn't waste the opportunity. Aligning her cock with Mairaela's cunny, both already well lubricated, she grasped the all-too-fuckable sharp-eared girl by the hips and squeezed herself inside. There was no possible way she could fit that too-big cock into that too-tight pussy all at once, and so it took some thrusting and squeezing before Tess could fit most of her length into the moaning Fey.
Mairaela splayed her legs out further, one hand dipping between her legs to play at her clit while Tess pumped away. Tess was in quite the state, drunk and heated, she could practically drool over this feeling, and from what she could tell, Mairaela was in a similar state.
She didn't expect the Fey to speak anytime soon, but Mairaela whispered Tess' name in such an affectionate way that brought a blush to Tess' cheeks. She slowed her pace, sawing her hips back and forth to really take in the feeling of Mairaela's body squeezing her so desperately. Sheathing herself with such effort to push past those tight, gripping muscles, only to draw back with such pressure it felt like Mairaela's form wouldn't let her go.
Mairaela only seemed all the more thrilled to have this moment to concentrate on how she was feeling, playing with herself while at the same time being used so completely. In moments she was bucking her hips, trying to move more quickly on Tess' cock. Tess didn't even have to move anymore, enjoying the feeling and sight of Mairaela throwing her ass back and bouncing it against Tess' lap.
The Fey's tiny skirt flipped back and forth through the motions, her ass shaking with each impact. Tess took the opportunity to explore Mairaela's behind, squeezing those cheeks in her hands, parting them and pushing them together, cupping them from beneath and giving them soft but encouraging swats.
Once Tess could feel Mairaela's pussy squeezing down on her, fluttering like a quickened heartbeat, Tess stopped wasting any time. She rose up onto her toes and planted her hands on Mairaela's upper back. The archer's hips were angled upward at an angle only achievable by the flexible Fey, as Tess quickened her pace and made hard, resounding slaps against Mairaela's backside. She knew they were making too much noise, but there was no hope in controlling it anymore.
Mairaela gasped and whined, before biting into her arm and trying to muffle an ecstatic scream of having finally found release. Tess was close, and that reaction to their fucking only sped her along all the more. But it was Mairaela gasping, "Don't pull out or you'll get it on my clothes," that really sent Tess over the edge.
Slamming home one last time, Tess buried herself to the hilt inside of Mairaela. Her whole body tensed and relaxed, tensed and relaxed, as muscles quivered and toes curled. "By twilight," Mairaela gasped, "You're cumming so much…"
"What the fuck? Really?" Came Gwendolyn's voice from the other side of the small room. Tess couldn't even look, so enthralled she was by Mairaela's ass and how her gripping pussy was milking her for all she's worth.
"Shit. Haa~.." Mairaela whimpered, "J-just a second."
Tess was still quivering by the time she felt her own cum fill Mairaela so much that it spilled out between their bodies, dripping down the base of her cock, the sack of her balls and onto the floor. Toward the end of Tess' orgasm she shimmied her hips and gave a couple extra thrusts just to make sure that every drop was out, either pumped inside the Fey or spilled onto the floor.
When Tess pulled out, she looked over to find both Gwendolyn and Joyona looking at the two of them. Tess, breathing deeply, wiped sweat from her brow and asked, "Sorry, were we being too loud?"
Chapter 28 - Love in the Summer Court
"Only as much as a pack of hounds barking outside the window," Joyona replied with a smirk. The large woman was sitting up now, propping her back against the wall. She raised an upturned thumb to Tess and remarked, "I saw the end of it. You rut well."
Mairaela coughed into a fist as she drew up her wet, cumsoaked panties and shifted to rest on the side of her hip, one arm to the side to brace herself. Anything else and she would've made quite the mess.
Gwendolyn was sitting cross-legged, working that narrow leotard to its very limits in order to keep her covered.
"Oops," Tess said with a breathy laugh, trying to neaten her hair and clothes once more, but Mairaela could tell that her hard length just wouldn't go back down. For a moment, there was disappointment welling up in Mairaela's chest that she hadn't fully taken care of the problem for Tess. She could see a small wet spot of cum soaking through the fabric of Tess' clothes.
"Oops is right," Gwendolyn said with a shake of her head, "Believe me, I'd love to partake in some stress relief right now." Tess looked about ready to explode—though not in the sense that she just had—over the idea that Gwendolyn might want to join in on the "relief," as they'd called it. Her lips twitched upward at the thought of how cute Tess was. Gwendolyn might've noticed the growing excitement and added, "But you were supposed to be on guard duty. What if something heard you, or snuck up on us while you were busy? Not to mention we're getting a little less rest now."
Mairaela's pointed ears dipped in shame and she nodded her head. "You're right," she said, inclining her head, "It is unusual to go to bed in the Summer Court without a release from the day, and I've been doing that all too much at the barracks, but you're right about being on guard. I apologize, both to you Dame, and to you Joy."
Perhaps Gwendolyn felt some remorse and added, "But I get it." Mairaela and Tess—even Joyona—looked over at the knight with some surprise. Gwen shrugged her shoulders and admitted, "Morale is important."
"Her cock is incredible," Mairaela whispered to the others, a hand propped to the corner of her mouth as though she were trying to keep it a secret from Tess. She spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, though. A blush formed across her own freckled cheeks. Mairaela could feel the heat growing in her face. "You should give it a try," Mairaela encouraged Gwendolyn.
Tess was preening like a proud little cat at the praise, looking at Gwendolyn with the utmost excitement..
"I…" Gwendolyn started, looking at Tess and flicking her eyes downward for the briefest second, "I'm not interested. No offense to you, Tess." Tess' shoulders slump, and for a moment Mairaela felt bad for suggesting it. She immediately knew she'd make it up to Tess somehow. She nodded her understanding at Gwendolyn; No one was trying to make anyone else feel bad here.
Mairaela turned her head to Joyona in curiosity, but the giantess raised her hand dismissively, passing on the nonverbal offer. Mairaela looked sheepishly at Tess and said, "More for me." She leaned in toward Tess and kissed her cheek, whispering quietly, "I haven't forgotten about our deal, either." Truth be told, Mairaela was excited by the opportunity to have more fun with Tess when they got back from the Void. She was serious about the traditions of the Summer Court—home to the Summer Fey, her people—and had been at a serious loss for what to do about it in such a foreign place.
Tess was blushing and looking all around, so long as it wasn't at any other person. Mairaela couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"It's probably close enough to my shift, I figure," Gwen said, looking around the room, "You three should all get some rest. The morning is going to be rough."
Mairaela considered for a moment suggesting to Gwendolyn that Tess could keep her company, even if only to get a laugh from the group, but decided not to push it. "I need to get cleaned up," Mairaela said, rising to her feet, albeit shakily. "Let's go, Tess," she whispered, and Tess followed suit. "One moment," the Fey whispered, adjusting to collect her bow and a singular arrow as well.
As they walked down the stairs, Mairaela couldn't help but notice the way Tess' cock bounced with each step. Poor girl, she thought, she just can't catch a break, can she?
Mairaela followed her down the stairs, but the two took it slow in their post-orgasmic bliss. When they reached the bottom—a stone floor with the wooden door to the outside—Mairaela caught Tess' arm and said, "Take off your clothes."
The pair of them both got undressed, setting their clothing in a neatish pile by the stairs. Mairaela took her bow, knocked the arrow, and aimed it upward. The next floor was only about eight feet high, but Mairaela aimed directly for the underside of it.
"What are you doing?" Tess asked, but Mairaela was happily keeping it a surprise. Her lip curled as she released the bowstring and fired the arrow at the ceiling.
Mairaela could feel her soul streaming through her form, watching the white mist of energy burning off of her skin as she charged her shot. She closed her eyes, imagining a serene place, a rainy wood, and forcing that thought into her arrow. She loosened her grasp and the bowstring flung from her fingertips, launching the arrow deep into the wooden flooring above. Vegetation burst from its emerald fletching, stretching, growing and spreading across the ceiling as though dozens of years were passing all at once.
Tess was mesmerized. Rightly so. The act was surprising enough to Mairaela, let alone for someone that didn't understand the feeling of having a gift. She felt bad for Tess at that moment, but tried to force those thoughts from her mind for now.
From the vines, water droplets began to bead and drip. More and more, water came dripping from the ceiling, until it felt as if clouds had formed above them. It was raining, as truly as ever, from just a few feet above them. Mairaela looked to Tess and smiled, but the human woman was gazing upward, amazed.
"How?" Tess asked.
Mairaela shrugged, "Because I believed I could, I suppose."
Tess shook her head, "Is that all it takes? Just believing you can?"
Mairaela took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around Tess' neck. Though she was a bit shorter than the human, their breasts pressed together and Mairaela could feel Tess' cock trapped against her belly. Tess' hands immediately went for Mairaela's ass, grabbing and groping it eagerly. Mairaela went to her tiptoes, sticking her derriere out for Tess to play with to her heart's content.
"Now let's get this big girl to calm down enough for you to sleep."
Tess' smile drew wide and excitement built up in her eyes. Mairaela returned it with a gleaming smile before dropping to her knees.
Chapter 29 - Rescue
When the party awoke the following morning, donning armor and readying equipment, there was a silent nervousness that the group shared. The dangers of the Void had made themselves known quickly and ruthlessly from the moment they arrived. They have proved capable of handling them, but for how much longer?
Tess didn't have much to do in order to get ready. She had her clothing and that was about it. Joyona needed no help donning that magical armor of hers and Mairaela didn't have much armor to work with.
"Gwen?" Tess asked, "Can I help you with your armor?"
"Gwendolyn," The Dame reminded Tess with an amused smirk, "And sure, I would appreciate that."
Tess grabbed a piece of armor, looked at it from a few angles, and decided that it must attach to the thigh. She settled to the floor and brought it to Gwendolyn's thigh. It didn't quite cover Gwendolyn's leg, falling short by several inches at the top, but Tess assumed that was just the Void's typical aesthetic. A number of straps held the cuisse to Gwendolyn's leg, though it remained mostly bare in the back. With the second piece of armor attached, Tess worked with Gwendolyn's vambrace along the forearm. It was a leather material that kept things flexible, and Tess had to overlap a series of leather knots to tighten it around Gwendolyn's arm.
When Tess looked up, she saw Gwendolyn watching her with a smile. Tess redirected her gaze back to her work, finishing another knot. "What?" She asked with a sheepish chuckle.
"You look cute."
Tess' heart skipped a beat and she felt as though she could float in the air right now. She couldn't keep from smiling. "Don't distract me," she said, "Or your armor is going to fall off during a fight."
"Ah, yes, you would just hate for that to happen," Gwendolyn remarked.
Tess rolled her eyes, "Yes, I would if it meant you being in danger."
"Thanks, Tess," Gwendolyn said once the last piece of armor was attached. She hopped from one foot to the other, shaking out her arms and testing the feel of her equipment. "Tighten this one for me?" Gwen asked, turning around and pointing toward her waistguard, the last bit of armor before she was bare down to the tops of her thighs, except for the thin leotard.
Tess did as asked, pulling the leather strap of the fauld around tighter so that it sat snugly upon Gwendolyn's hips. "Better?" She asked, and Gwendolyn nodded her head with a big smile. Tess returned it. There was something about making Gwen smile that Tess couldn't get enough of.
"We need to get moving," Mairaela said, tightening the strap on her chest piece to fit snugly over her right breast. Tess was looking at the Fey in a new light ever since they had sex, but Mairaela seemed to be back in her serious and professional mood.
The group moved to the top floor of the belltower, dipping their heads beneath the bell itself. The rope attached to it had long since rotted away and now it would take someone with Joyona's strength to tip it enough to ring. The cityscape and the wastes beyond stretched out in their field of vision, with a bright light awaiting them in the distance.
Tess asked, "Why is this city here, by the way?"
Gwen shrugged her shoulders, but Joyona spoke up, "When the Old Gods left, they took their memories of the world with them. Those memories populated the inside of the Black Sun. This is a city from the past. I heard Philomena and others say that the inside of this Void is so ruined because when it was separated from the Black Sun, it began to crumble."
There was a very brief moment where Tess felt bad about that, as though they stole a child from the parent. That was, until she remembered that in that analogy both the child and the parent were trying to end the world.
"Look at that," Mairaela pointed out across the city. There was a dust cloud coming up from one of the buildings, but also a glow of light. It was golden, like some of the light she'd seen surrounding the others, like Joyona's armor.
Gwendolyn peered at the sight, and Tess commented, "So we avoid that, right? Dust means something disturbed it, right? Movement or something?"
The Dame replied, "Could be. Could be someone that needs help."
Tess' lips parted, eyes widening with surprise, "What? What could be in here that possibly needs saving?"
"Not everyone that goes in gets out," Mairaela said with a sorrowful tone, "The odds are not good, but it's possible that there's someone from the last exercise that's still trapped in here. Anyone know if someone from the last recruitment exercise didn't make it?"
Joyona shook her head and Gwendolyn replied, "Not sure."
Gwendolyn was resolute as she said, "Let's go see." Joyona nodded her head and Mairaela followed silently.
Tess followed along. She didn't question the logic of it, even if she wanted to, because she knew that she would want help if she was trapped here. She was glad to be in the company of like minded people.
Leaving the bell tower was a nerve wracking experience. The streets felt so exposed with the tall buildings surrounding them. It was unusual that the streets were so narrow. Wagon carts wouldn't be able to fit through these. It was rare to see any wooden buildings at all, anyway. Was the memory of this city that much older than the present day?
They moved through alleyways, trying to keep out of sight as much as possible, keeping eyes on either side, behind them, and above. There were more ambush angles than the party had eyes, which gave Tess a nervous swell in her chest, but she insisted that she was safe in the company of these gifted. As they moved, Tess practiced her constellations in the hope that she could be more useful next time. Wanting to protect others, she made the sign of the Keepers, three large pillars with a disjointed anchoring star. Nothing happened, of course, but Tess wasn't very hopeful to begin with.
"Wait here a moment," Joyona whispered, checking the next street crossing left and right.
Tess attempted the next constellation, the Branch; a mountainous range with an anchoring star buried in its foundation. She was happy with her air-drawing, moving her fingers in the proper motions, ending with the anchoring star. Something about it just felt right.
"Come," Joyona said, moving across to the next alleyway. Gwen and Mairaela followed swiftly behind. Tess was distracted, halfway through the process of drawing out one final constellation in the air: The Crown, a symbol of power.
There was a spark at the tip of Tess' finger, a small, shimmering block that existed for a mere half-second just in front of her. Tess' eyes widened. She froze, unsure of what to do. Her hands shook and for a time she was simply confused.
I did it, she thought, I really did it. Scirocca wasn't just getting her hopes up.
Her breath quickened and a smile broke across her face.
"Tess!" Mairaela hissed across the street, "Tess! Move it!"
Tess wanted to scream in joy, but she forced it down and ran across the street as quickly as she could.
"Did you just see that?!" Tess whispered excitedly to the others.
Gwendolyn turned around to ask, "See what?"
"I just-..."
"Quiet," Joyona interrupted, moving toward the exit of the alley and into the next street. The others followed closely behind. She leaned out of it and glanced to the left. The right side of her armor flashed with light, and Tess felt someone grab her shoulder. Tess was yanked from the alleyway and pulled to the side, finding herself in Mairaela's arms. The same second that occurred, a wall of flame shot from the alleyway they'd just been in. Even though she wasn't in it, the proximity caused Tess to grimace and wince.
When the flame died down, Mairaela shouted, "Hide!" The Fey dashed back into the alleyway and despite the command, Tess looked around the corner. Joyona and Gwen were nowhere to be seen, and Mairaela booked it to the right once she hit the other street. The floor of the alleyway was scorched and the walls were cracked.
Tess' chest rattled and her ears rang as she heard the sound of a dozen beasts roaring in chorus.
Chapter 30 - The Huvudorm
A wolf's body, hairless, with twelve snake-like heads, each with a flared hood and venom dripping from their fangs. The backside included four pointed, reptilian tails. It rose out of its prowling stance and began to charge toward the three of them. Gwendolyn drew her sword and hefted her shield, taking a swift breath in and a firm breath out. Her blood quickened, her eyes focused. She was ready, and the three of them charged in return.
The beast fired a barrage of flame at the three of them. Joyona simply barged through it, stubbornly resisting the force of the blast with each step. Gwendolyn had to bring her sword up, splitting the flame in half. In the real world, she knew she would be cooked to cinders, but somehow, here, her gift allowed her to parry just about anything.
With flame coming toward her, Mairaela fired an arrow at the ground, exploding in a burst of light that propelled the archer high into the air. Three arrows were fired midair, slamming into the Huvudorm's flank just before Mairaela landed upon the rooftops. The explosion that she dodged pushed Gwendolyn sideways, but she managed to maintain her balance and stride.
Joyona met the creature first. Plates of armor on her flank detached and collided with the building beside her, somehow transferring the force and launching the juggernaut sideways. The giantess' feet slid across the cobblestone floors while her axe hooked into one of the beast's necks and pulled it to the side. The Huvudorm nearly fell, but Joyona's slide was cut short by a triplet of jabs from the monster's tail. They seemed to puncture armor, and Joyona's axe came free. The warrior fell and rolled to a rest upon the street, bleeding upon the stones.
"Joyona!" Mairaela shouted from the rooftops, but Gwendolyn kept her focus on the threat ahead of her.
Gwendolyn found herself face to face with the monster, steel drawn and ready. One of its mouths launched toward her, and Gwendolyn brought up her shield. The beast's teeth were about as large as the swordswoman's shield and clamped down upon it, holding her in place. At the same time a light built in the throat of another head, and Gwendolyn could see the haze of flame forming in its throat.
She turned and slashed upward, cleaving the side of the head attached to her shield. Her cut only went a quarter of the neck deep, and the creature still seemed able to use it. In the same moment, she urged her soul through her blade and saw three phantom afterimages of her strike, each one causing very real harm to the Huvudorm's neck, until it separated from the body entirely. Blood poured from the wound, splattering Gwendolyn's armor with red spray. Just as Gwen twisted to avoid fiery harm, a third head bit down onto her leg, trapping her once more. She looked up to see flame building in the other neck. Just as it was released, a volley of arrows, eight in all, struck one at a time into the side of that same head. Each arrow dug into the same spot, splitting the arrow that came before it and digging deeper into the same wound.
Mairaela's archery would never be less than fascinating, Gwen thought just as the flame jetted from the Huvudorm's maw and hit the ground beside her. The snake's fangs came loose from Gwendolyn's armor and she was thrown to the side from the force of the fiery blast. Rolling across the stones, Gwen finally got her feet under her and slid on her boots the rest of the way. She dragged one hand in front of her for balance before dashing forward once more.
Another head lunged at her and Gwen caught the corners of its mouth in her blade, digging into it before ripping the sword free and splitting its head in half. "Fucker!" Gwendolyn spat as she saw another head lunging at her. Joyona must've been up and moving, because the juggernaut leapt into the air and tackled the reaching head to the ground, keeping it pinned while readying her axe once more. Gwendolyn felt a punch in her ribs, turning to see one of the Huvudorm's tails buried in her side. She twisted, flipping her sword to a backward grip and—with adrenaline numbing the pain—she split the tip of the tail with a pull of her blade.
Three more stabs were coming her way and one at a time she parried each. Every snap of the creature's tail that struck her sword caused it to glow with a golden light, brighter and brighter. Gwen tossed her sword into the air and caught it in a normal grip, completing the fall of her sword by slamming it to the ground and unleashing a wave of golden light that sliced through the cobblestones in its path and split the Huvudorm's side until its guts spilled out across the street.
Its remaining heads struck at Joyona, but the armor that she wore built spikes off of her back that dug into the ground and kept her from losing her footing. Her axe dropped to the ground, forearms bracing in front of her. Metal grew from the sides of her forearms and shifted into a shield the size of a horse. Each head was rebuked by the barricade before Joyona threw the shield forward. The massive wall detached from her armor and slammed into several of the Huvudorm's heads. She leapt into the air, the massive shield flying toward her and forming a gigantic axe that soared into Joyona's hands and came down upon the Huvudorm with tremendous, disastrous force.
The beast split in half, the street was cratered, and the closest building began to crumble down with its foundation so ruined.
Joyona was panting, letting the axe go, only for it to reform into plates of armor that reattached to her body. The building crumbled in the backdrop of Gwen's vision as she looked at Joyona, then at Mairaela. Pride welled in Gwendolyn's chest, and as she heard Tess' running behind her, she turned to greet the woman with a bright smile. Tess looked concerned, but seeing Tess' expression, she must've known that all was well. Her barely restrained joy distracted her from the pain in her ribs, and the warmth of blood running down her side.
The group remained in silence for a time, Mairaela dropping from the rooftop and joining the others. The four of them looked around at one another, beaming smiles except for the taciturn giant, whose smirk betrayed the same level of excitement. Finally, Joyona gave a nod of her head, and Tess, Gwendolyn and Mairaela all gave a victorious scream of joy.