As the cart scuttled down the dirt road, nearing its destination, the town of black pen came into full view. A forested line of trees stood halfway on the way there. The passengers were uneasily silent, August blamed Alysse for it, who was sitting with crossed arms, peering outside of the Carriage, clearly irritated but masking it under a stoic demeanor.
Selyra on the other was much more at ease, humming a comforting tune, that soothed his nerves. Something that he felt was kind of motherly.
Nearing the town by a few kilometers, the height of a tower became barely visible under the branches of the trees. It would not be long and they would be back on their way home, he hoped. August stretched his arms, his crotched still felt an odd sensation that hadn't gone away since their little incident. The half-sleepy, half-high woman, occasionally slipped the pipe in her mouth.
He really did hope it was medicinal.
Just as everything seemed to ease in a comfortable peace, Alysse shouted and then jumped out of the carriage. "Stop the carriage, we're not alone!!!" Selyra brought the horsed to a stop, The sound of other galloping horses became evident, and a barrage of arrows assaulted them, he sensed, which were oddly quicker than when he had fought the slimes. Prompted him to push her inside, obscuring her from a volley of missiles.
The attackers appeared from the surrounding woods, no negotiation, they were dead set on killing the three. Their weapons glinted in his eyes under the middle day sun. Through the patches of open air.
"Bandits? But how?" she shouted, creeping inside the back.
August lifted his great sword, charging into the fray, his heart kept pounding as he made contact with one of the attackers. He swung it down, striking his opponent who had parried, with a force he couldn't believe himself, overpowering the bandit, his attack sent him through the air, bloodied.
A man with a spear came to pierce him on his side. Alysse appeared like a swift wind, stabbing the dagger into the man's neck. Making him fall to the ground.
"Thank you."
She frowned. "Focus!"
Charging at a crowd of archers, he swept at their legs, immobilizing them. Blood and bone splattered about. He stared at the bandits who crying in agony. His heart sank, he heart never killed anyone before. He lost control of the grip blade.
What did he think, that they going to do miraculously? Be defeated, no, he had just bisected a man.
No words came out of his mouth, just the utter shock of the moment. All he could was stare.
"August behind you!" he could hear the merchant shouting.
Panicking he gripped the sword and swung it around like a baseball bat, the sound of meat cutting became audibly clear in his ears. He turned around, and a man who could've been his father in another life fell to the ground. Regret and sadness in his eyes, as his life faded away.
He then caught notice of the maid, who moved like an experienced fighter herself, stabbing her opponents, kicking and dodging like a graceful devil, in constant movement and motion, dodging anything that came at her. It was a sight to behold. He could only dream of doing that.
He heard Selyra's voice again.
"Let…Go!!!". He circled the carriage two bandits were attempting to haul the cargo away, and with a newfound conviction to rescue her, he brought his blade down on them, their bodies collapsing like dominoes in a row.
The rest of the bandit clique fled not shortly after. Alysse disappeared, likely going after the stragglers.
Selyra looked like she was about to have a panic attack, she kept huffing, inhaling, and exhaling from the pipe.
That is not an asthma pipe.
He bent over and tried calming her down, but her eyes went wide, her body hyperventilating.
"This was not supposed to happen, he promised…it would be safe."
"Who promised what!" he demanded shouting at her. Something was amiss here.
Alysse returned, and immediately inspected some of the ruined cargo, her fingers swiping at spilled and broken contents. Her face darkened. He knew if she was pissed something was wrong. She held up a glass of shimmering, green liquid. She took it and approached the panicking merchant.
"This isn't simple alchemical stock," she shouted at Selyra. "This is illegal contraband, drug-making chemicals, you're part of some kind of cartel and aren't operating within the guild's grounds."
Selyra, barely caught her breath, hastily trying to dismiss it with her hands, words reaching barely a whisper. "You…don't under–understand, the black pen guild knows about this, I–I"
"I what…We could turn back right now, to the capital and they would strap you to a chair."
The merchant lady started going numb, her head hit the surface of the carriage floor.
"i–I have no choice, I pay for my medicine…this way…I could die."
Alysse stood over her, glare cutting into the sick woman's face. August interjected, trying to help up and get it together. "Stop, Alysse, I'm sure there's a rational explanation for this, let's meet with this client of hers first."
Alysse snickered. "It makes no difference, she has involved us in executable crime, but fine, let's see how this plays out."
Selyra, breathing calmed, she took another sucking out of the pipe. August's heart didn't calm down.
The troubled big stittied woman got him in a dilemma.
Despite being furious, ALysse took charge. Reining in the horses, she muttered a strange incantation. All the remaining cargo cluttered together and was lodged in a gelatinous bubble that sat on the floor of the carriage.
"di simul hoc teneant"
Was that Latin?
"August hold the bubble together, like a big ball, and it should be safe." she picked up the larger woman with surprising strength. "You, to this guild now!"
Selyra scrambled to take hold of the reins, the horses, moving at the behest of their master.
Arriving at the guild branch, which was surprisingly empty, only one individual was present. His initial smile faded once he saw the damaged cargo, and he started moving up and down antsy and jittery. His hands were twitching.
August thought he was going to smash something with his temper.
"Selyra, what the fuck is this, where's the cargo and why the fuck is this exposed, not only that but there are two of them, not one. How the fuck am I going to explain this."
The merchant lady looked down on the floor, disappointment and shame in her face.
Alysse stepped forward with her dagger in her hand, tone ice cold. "Ah, your precious 'cargo' took an unsafe route it seemed. I wonder what the authorities would think of this."
The contractor sneered at her. "I'm not afraid for you two, watch your tongue, you are as much as involved with this as we are. Your mouth flaps and we all are fucked in the asses."
"You have a lot of experience with that!" She asked him. Juggling her knife.
Well, he had experience. August thought to himself.
The man approached Selyra, his fist clenched. "You stupid fat bitch, this why I never trusted you with this job, you're incompetent. You were supposed to take no more than one adventurer with you. You're supposed to redirect routes if it gets dangerous." he raised his hand ready to strike.
August interrupted, punching him in the face, sending him fleeing on his ass.
"Dafuq, you're not a girl," he said, a red mark left on his face.
'Yes, I get that a lot." he stated.
The contractor calms down, sighing. "Fine, fine, It's my fault I fucked this up. Ms… How about a deal? One that works for all parties here, as well as the one unseen." he looked at ALysse.
This third party must have been a buyer, why else would the contractor have an extra client? He realized they had just gotten involved with the fantastical cartel. The last thing he wanted to deal with was mana-powered gangsters.
As if adding to the drama, parts of the carriage fell apart, and one of the horses, took the opportunity to flee the scene. They all stared in disbelief.
"The 'guild' can organize you a ride back home tomorrow, as well as proper rewards for a job successful" he gestured to ALysse. "This never happened. Agreed. You do not want to mess with people I'm involved with."
A series of emotions went all over her face, deciding whether to stab the man right here or to go along with his plan.
"August what do you think?" she asked him genuinely.
He pointed to himself. "Wha…me, you want my opinion?"
"You picked this job, you decide how we settle this. You're supposed to be more experienced than you let on?"
Selyra's head twitched, staring at him like some kind of ghost.
"Let's take their offer, if something goes wrong. Our 'leader' can probably assist us."
The maid nodded. The contractor went to kick a piece of broken cargo. Falling to his knees.
"The 'guild' can offer you accommodation for the night, if you need it with a small deduction fee of course."
Alyssa shook her head in outright decline. "We'll get our own accommodation." She turned to her August." Stay with the merchant lady for a few hours, I have to make an inquiry," she said, then bolted away into the unknown town.
"She better not try anything!" the guild contractor said. He picked up the merchant lady who was sitting on the ground. "Come on Selyra, let's get you room to stay in, we'll speak about this later.
August followed them, helping her to her feet, he couldn't help but feel bad for her. If the client is unsatisfied, bad things tend to happen. He thought back on how such cases were displayed on leak sites.
Perhaps staying with her for the night, would not be such a bad idea.
The later evening has come, and ALysse has still not returned. Some part of him was paranoid, that something may have happened to her, but remembering how she fought. Changed that idea completely, she'd know what she was doing.
"Selyra had approached him inside the inn, as he sipped on a ale. Not liking the taste but there was nothing else he could afford and boy was he thirsty. She sat next to him smirking, placing her hand over his shoulders. "You should relax a bit, you have nothing to worry about, we deal with normal adventures such as yourself a lot, it's my head on the block, not yours."
"But..it's not fair, this life, you're just trying to get by. A lady like yourself doesn't deserve this."
She blushed. And he noticed, her pipe was missing and her eyes were sobering up, nor was she stuttering. She started coughing horribly, and suddenly concerned for her, he held her around the back.
"Thank you, for caring. I..have a magical immune disease. If I don't use strong medicine, mana lumps start forming in my body along my veins, my lungs, and my brain. I…might die. If I don't take enough medicine a day."
He didn't know what to say. He has never encountered something like this in his life. The weight of killing those bandits who were most likely untrained and desperate folks, weighed heavy in his mind. He had clinical depression once, and suicide was always on his mind before the government mandated him virtual sex toys. He was on relaxation pills as well. Man, did he really did lose himself before he got nuked?
"I'm sorry, I don't know what to say, If I could cure you…"
She clutched his hands. Holding it up in the air.
"It's okay, want to have some fun." her grin was wide and her eyes sultry he nodded. They drew the eyes of others inside the inn.
She led him inside the inn room, which was spartan but spacious and comfortable. Her clothing disappeared. Her body wasn't so big as her swaying hips and her tits were massive, full and round, milkers, not to mention Childbirthing hips. Was it the result of magical cancer perhaps? She went to lay on the bed, moving her hands towards her crutch. She beckoned to him with a tap on her on her thigh, He felt his member stand up, defying general gravity.
Tonight he was going to lay with an actual woman, not a slime girl, not some ugly bastard. He was happy, for all the strife that happened in the last few days, he had made it.
He moved towards her, longing for the comfort she could provide him. Flesh, sweat, and cum. Just what he wanted. Her smile was inviting like that of an old nymph who could share him tales of joy.
Standing in front of her, in the bed, he readied himself, bracing for the inevitable impact. Then suddenly, he felt a massive knock on his head, the door closed quickly, and he saw the guild contractor standing there, pissed off. His world shifted and then there was the darkness that often came with dreams.
He awoke to a soft muffled voice, whispering as his head throbbed. Through all the confusion and the chaos, he heard the two argue.
"Don't kill him, he had nothing to do with this!"
"That's an option as well, but my client's furious, this loss is on you. They're gonna want something and when they can't get goods they'll take bodies."
He could hear her panic. "What do you mean?" Selyra asked.
"I'm sorry, one of you, gotta go."
"Wait….wait... I know who he is."
He mumbled. "Who gives a fuck. Selyra. It's you or him."
"He is one of the former heroes"
"What are you on about?"
"the one who helped take down the demon queen, who committed a crime in the palace."
The contractor fumbled.
"Are you sure…No fucking way!" '
"Yes… you could ransom him for more than he's worth. Please, I need it." her voice calmed to a sociopathic tee. "Who needs that cargo–"
The door busted open, and August heard several footsteps coming inside. He caught sight of their faces. Dark-skinned elves, entered the room. Unhappy, each holding a weapon in their hands."
"Bartrand, where…is my…fucking shipment.!"
"Boss…I can explain…"
One of the elves approached him, their hands yanking him around his neck.
"Who… is this…"
August blacked out, His last thought was regret, He should've listened to ALysse's warnings why did he think it was a good idea to have sex with the sick woman? A blowjob is one thing, of course, it's not that easy.