Colonizing the Dark Continent (For Weiss Ritter)

[Xatarias]

Telai's fingernails rake your back as you thrust into her. Her slickened channel is impossibly tight and you feel your immanent release coursing through every fiber of your being. The raising pitch of Telai's lustful cries tells you that she is close as well.


You redouble your efforts, surging forward and utterly giving in to your mounting desire. Your vision darkens in a lust-driven haze as you manage one more shuddering impact before you are overwhelmed by an intense climax. You can feel Telai trembling in the throughs of her own release, synergistically heightening your own pleasure and nearly overwhelming your already fatigued body.


You lean against the lip of the pool, panting. Telai still has you clutched against her ample cleavage, and you rise and fall with synchronous breaths. A small smile tugs at the fierce amazon's lips as she revels in the afterglow of your lovemaking and you can't help but plant one last tender kiss upon her lips. When the kiss breaks, Telai puts her cheek against yours and murmurs into your ear, "Somehow, I knew this would be good... Makes me wonder why we didn't do it sooner."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

"I'm glad I didn't disappoint," Nathaniel whispered back, unable to completely stop a nervous chuckle from slipping into his voice. Even after they had finished the deed, he could feel the faint tickling of adrenaline coursing though his veins and subtly shaking his body against her's. As much as his encounters with Milly had frustrated Telai, part of him had to wonder if the amazon would view them as a blessing in disguise given enough time. Their shared sense of duty and shyness when it came to such intimate matters were barrier enough to them having relations. Could his prior lack of experience made it all too awkward for either of them? It was a little difficult for him to imagine Telai couching him through the finer details than "aim straight and thrust".


...Then again, he hadn't heard Milly complain about their first session either. Perhaps his nerves were still just jittery.


"I wonder how smug Alestra is going to be about this?" He mused aloud as his body shifted to stand a bit more on his own power. With pleasure thoroughly taken care of, where else could his mind wonder but business? Well, business of a sort...

 

[Xatarias]

Feeling your shift in movement, Telai releases her grip and guides you over to the pool's edge.


"In my experience, women tend to meddle more as they age. What's the phrase? Living vicariously through the young? Maybe having lived with these beastmen for so long, she couldn't resist in the opportunity to play matchmaker. Somehow I can't imagine our relationship being integral to some master plan... Then again, I suppose I shouldn't underestimate the psychic bimbo."


The lieutenant gestures for you sit on a stool, and moves behind you. Brush in hand, she begins to scrub at your back in small gentle circles. The cavern is filled with the rich humming of Telai's contralto. The atmosphere is so domestic, it's almost possible to forget the fiery lovemaking that until recently had consumed every fiber of your being. This instantaneous transition from passion to serene calm isn't something you have experienced in a lover. Somehow, you find it hard to imagine Milly slowing down long enough to take a moment to help you bathe.


"You know I would never have believed I'd be doing something like this... Exploring the Dark Continent, discovering entire civilizations... Bedding my employer. If only my mother could see me now. I'm a far cry from the coin pusher she wanted me to be." You turn as Telai places her chin on your shoulder. "You know, we're going to have to think of a plan after all this. Not just for the Lentani or this mystery psychic agent, I mean. Us. Are we secret lovers or can we be... Honest with our feelings?"

 

[Weiss Ritter]

"Mmm..." Nathaniel grunted in equal parts pleasure and thoughtfulness as Telai softly scrubbed his back. The gentle yet firm and circular movements were almost like a massage. As a scion of the Brightland family, Nathaniel had enjoyed some rather elaborate baths before, but the genuine care and emotion that the amazon put into each stroke of the brush was something he didn't think mere skill could ever fully replicate.


"From what I've seen of her, you're probably right," He glanced over his shoulder at the lieutenant with a faint smile. Honestly? He'd been exposed to just enough Avalonian politics to imagine how someone sufficiently ruthless could twist even this to their advantage. Cultivating a romance could lead to lowered guards...and at least two new weaknesses to exploit. But Alestra didn't seem the type. Oh, she certainly hard an iron gauntlet beneath that velvet glove, she couldn't have survived the Syndicate's efforts to kill or capture her without a great deal of strength, and Laughingwind's tribe weren't suspicious of her for no good reason, but it did seem a bit of a stretch to think that she would so quickly stoop to such methods to gain an advantage over an ally.


Nathaniel chuckled a little at Telai's summation and looked over his shoulder at her with another smile. One that didn't last more than a moment or two. The young man inhaled and released a lingering sigh as he contemplated how to respond. "It's...complicated...there's a lot of factors at work..."


Oh yes, Nathaniel was definitely off to a great start.


"Avalon has been going through a lot changes in recent years that have made even the old informal rules and gray areas uncertain. But ultimately I think it will come down how it impacts my marriage prospects," Nathaniel glanced at Telai with a slight frown. "Merchant clans aren't as reliant on bloodlines and heritage as the old aristocracy. We maintain our wealth and power solely by our business acumen rather than inherited lands, titles, and royal favors. But marriage can still be used for political purposes, to bind agreements too vast and important for a simple contract to honor."


He stared at Telai for a moment, both to let his words sink in and scrutinize her reaction. "Neither you nor Milly have much to offer from my family's perspective on that front. They may not object to...this for the time being-lovers outside a political marriage were not uncommon even when the aristocrats were the sole power in Avalon as long as measures were taken against pregnancy-but if they engage me to someone who doesn't approve of the idea of me entertaining a pirate captain and a sell-sword, no matter how loyal and skilled, then..."


Nathaniel trailed off. His eyes were glassy and distant. For someone as intellectually inclined as he, the facts of his predicament only now seemed to truly register with him. Perhaps the thrill of adventure and many threats to his life had made it difficult to worry about such distant, abstract concepts as political games that might only be a concern once he left the Dark Continent for good. But now he could avoid it no longer.


"I'll...I'll understand if you don't...if you want to stop now..." He paused and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Gods, that sounds...I'm sorry, Telai. That wasn't just me...using you back there. I meant it, I just...I've told you what being with me may entail. I should have done it sooner, before we...I understand if you want to break everything off."

 

[Xatarias]

You stiffen as the scrubbing against your back abruptly stops. Telai seems to digesting what you just told her. The resulting silence is like a cold glacier pressing against your back. As much as you would like to turn and see the lieutenant's reaction, something keeps you rooted in place. You almost startle when Telai finally answers.


"I... I understand. You need to keep your options open. An... Unsuitable partner would be detrimental to your ambitions."


You can feel the sponge impacting your skin as Telai's fearsome grip closes on it.


"...When I became a soldier, I traded away my wealth, reputation... and security. I'm not saying this to gain pity, the price was well worth the freedom to make my own choices. I just feel it's necessary for you to understand how I perceived you when you first hired me. There were far easier means for someone of your intellect to gain prestige than risky venture across the Deading Sea. It confused me for awhile, but then I thought your decision was made for reasons similar to my own. That maybe you had goals that extended beyond forwarding the interests of your family. That we were... Kindred spirits of sort."


Telai stands and drops the sponge with a splat and quickly fetches her discarded clothing. She pauses at the entranceway, looking at you over her shoulder. "I think I understand your objectives better now. Rest assured, I will do my utmost to see them realized. I won't be... Distracted from now on."


You sit alone listening to the soft padding of Telai's wet feet as she exits.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

(Ouch...right in the feels! XD)


When Telai finally spoke, it felt as sharp and painful as any physical slap across the face. Nathaniel had tried to brace himself when it became clear just how long she was going to need to muster a reply, but nothing could have truly prepared him for what came.


"That's not what I..!" Nathaniel looked over his shoulder at the southerner with a mortified expression, but it didn't matter if she stopped or merely gave him a look before continuing on her way. The words would have died in his throat either way as the full impact of Telai's words truly began to sink in. He had wanted to protest, to say that he was merely trying to warn her of the difficulties of an open relationship between them and that his personal intellectual curiosity and desire for some measure of adventure had indeed been factors in his assignment to the Dark Continent, but in the end that would have simply been dancing around the heart of an issue Telai was only too willing to cut straight to. Nathaniel had spent too much of his life dealing with the honeyed words and schemes of the Avalonian elite and put into practice too many treatise on logic and debate to delude even himself on this matter for long.


He sank into the water with tortured sigh, resting his head back against the bath's rim.


Unlike Telai, Nathaniel had had the luxury of his interests in life largely lining up with the duties and expectations he was born into. Before, it had been almost difficult to tell where one ended and the other began but now...? Now that the choice stood before him...could he really just...discard all of that, everything he was...? Probably not with the joyful acceptance his lieutenant seemed to have.


The young man stewed in his thoughts and the warm water for a lengthy period. He wasn't keeping track of the exact time, but it wasn't until he was was almost certain he wouldn't stumble across Telai in the Hillfolk tunnels that Nathaniel would emerge to dry and dress himself. A frown pulled down at the sides of his lips and there was a lethargic quality to the movements of a man who generally valued precision and efficiency in all that he did. Nathaniel wasn't even entirely certain where he was going in the Hillfolk tunnels. It seemed that he and Telai would both be best served with a little more time to process all that had transpired between them, but he was torn between idly wondering until something took his mind off the matter for at least a few moments, or putting himself to bed and risking being haunted by it in his dreams.

 

[Xatarias]

You aimlessly wander the gloomy passageways of the Hillfolk settlement. It doesn't take long for you to get turned around. One pristinely carved tunnel looks much the same as another and you find yourself often stumbling into the dens of slumbering beastmen, sleeping off the fatigue of their merrymaking.


After backtracking several times, you find yourself at the top of a spiral staircase. The steps have been worn smooth by the passing of countless pairs of padded feet. Down below, you see a large arched doorway framing a pool of light spilling from the room beyond. You smell the burning of charcoal and hear a steady wooshing noise. You nearly jump out of your skin when the steady sound is replaced by a series of deafening clangs.


Venturing down, you find the source of the racket. Within a domed chamber is a extensive forge, massive in terms of human proportions. Iron tools line the walls and a complex network of vents have been carved into the stone roof above. From the wall, a fresh water spring babbles and spurts into a nearby pool, no doubt used to quench molten-hot pieces of metalwork.


At the back of the room is the Hillfolk chieftan Ruan. In one paw he swings a massive hammer, rhythmically beating a large plate of metal into submission. Although his terrifying strength is evident, the beastman's precision is more than evident. Each blow struck is done with a steady precision that speaks of a skill honed over years of practice.


But not even the supreme craftsmanship on display can hold your attention, for in the center of the room is a true wonder. Carefully arranged on a rack is an enormous suit of armor of the finest make you have ever seen. The faceplate has been forged in the likeness a snarling demonic visage and intricate embossing and engraving line each steel plate. Everything down the to multi-jointed gauntlets articulates to allow for a flexible range of motion. The proportions and thickness of its individual steel plates leave little doubt of its intended user- no human could possibly bear that kind of load. In addition to its terrible beauty, the suit's functionality is terribly clear: this steel shell would change the already fearsome hillfolk into veritable juggernauts.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

These tunnels couldn't exactly replace a long, scenic walk through the family garden, but enough walking through them while trying to purge his sometimes over-active mind of all these...tormenting thoughts for at least tonight seemed to be working. At least enough that Nathaniel was ready to entertain the notion of sleep by the time he began the unenviable task  of trying to actually navigate the underground maze. Just how long had he been fumbling around in the dark? There was no sun or moon down here, and with the Hillfolk it was hard to say whether they had been fast asleep for five hours or five minutes. Their kind didn't seem to do anything in small measures!


His brow furrowed as he came to the staircase. Nathaniel hadn't exactly been scrutinizing every inch of the tunnels for landmarks, but he was fairly certain he would have remembered something like this.Curiosity brushed aside the weariness creeping into his muscles and compelled him to investigate further.


The young man's eyes widened in faint surprise at the sight of the forge and the armor that stood tall and proud as the chamber's centerpiece. When he studied the knights of old Avalon, it was more to grasp their political and economic importance  and how it affected the people of his time than the fine details of their military prowess, but even Nathaniel could tell in an instant that quite a few among them probably would have traded everything they owned for such a magnificent and powerful suit toned down to more human proportions.His mind was abuzz with theories and possibilities. Given the quality of the Hillfolk stonework, them being able to possess such metallurgical skill was easy to grasp even if the sheer scale of it-or at least this particular smith's skill-was something to marvel at. Did their smithing traditions date back to even before Alestra calmed their savage nature, or had they once been too bloodthirsty to codify such sophisticated techniques despite their vast military value? More importantly, was the time, effort, and metal being used to craft such masterworks pure ceremony, or was there a pressing need for such power he wasn't yet aware of? This suit was exceptionally ornate but even Nathaniel could tell it was designed with practicality equally in mind.


So many questions...and then his eyes wondered over the man actually working the forge. The Chieftain. Ruan.


Gods damn it...!


Depending on how Alestra chose to react to her blatant attempt at match-making going wrong, he was either the second or third last person Nathaniel wanted to run into right now!


Nathaniel grunted in dismay and tried to back out of the chamber, intellectual curiosity be damned, but even with the heavy pounding of metal into armor or weapons covering the noises he hadn't exactly entered the lit chamber with stealth in mind.


"...I went for a walk, saw the stairs, and was curious," He would say if Ruan turned his attention to him. Nathaniel's tone was terse and strained, but everything about his posture indicated he wanted to flee rather than fight. Sulking alone may not have been the best course of action, but the last thing he thought he needed was to spend time with a brawny Hillfolk who seemed most likely to jump with joy that Nathaniel wouldn't be an obstacle anymore or find some excuse to call him weak for his ties to family and country.

 

[Xatarias]

Ruan's ears snap in your direction as you turn to leave. He pauses mid-stroke before setting down his hammer and imbedding the chunk of steel in the forge's bed of coals. His hands move deftly, addressing you in the squirrelfolk's language, although by now the song has unraveled the Hillfolk's language. While the chieftan's signing is blunt and direct, your now informed intellect revels in the eloquence of his native speech. His facial queues are infinitely varied and paired with the pitch of his vocalizations, a pattern emerges.


"I would have expected you to have retired with your heartmate, Dreamwalker. Watching my work seems a poor substitute.


Your face must have betrayed more than you intended when you give your curt reply, because Ruan immediately assumes a posture of... Understanding? No... Empathy.


"My apologies. What goes on in your den is your business... Be at ease though, your dance during the festival was heartfelt. She cannot be too angry with you, or she would have chosen another. When females become discontent, we men must bide our time and wait for the opportunity for redemption... In the meantime, we pound iron." He pulls out his glowing ingot and examines it critically, letting out a shallow breath that you know is a sigh.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

The Song's deciphering of the Hillfolk language was enough to get Nathaniel to perk up a bit. A little more curiosity was aroused to beat back the crushing wave of depression and apathy. He'd felt before that the Song was somehow...alive, or at least possessing of a lust for knowledge that seemed to go beyond what an entirely mindless phenomenon could muster, but now it seemed he had true proof that it work without his conscious prompting. Some interesting food for thought there...perhaps something he would need to ask Alestra about in greater detail.


For now, though, Nathaniel could only wince as Ruan's words cut him as surely as any blade. Yet, to his surprise, Ruan's posture and "tone" became sympathetic rather than mocking or irritated. Was the chieftan really not bearing a grudge? Was he just...projecting or assuming the worst from the Hillfolk warrior?


"It's not..." Nathaniel's own words halted and soon devolved into a grunt followed by a sigh. Anger, discontent, even hatred almost seemed like simply emotions for him to comprehend and deal with compared to the profound disappointment he saw in Telai's eyes back in the bath. Such "hot" emotions often had a way of flickering out as quickly as they came provided they weren't actively stoked or ignited by a truly heinous offense. He suspected that sense of dull, lingering hurt Telai regarded him with as at least one of her dreams was slowly ground to a fine powder right in front of her wouldn't be quite so easily dispelled.


"Mutual attraction to our qualities and virtues blinded us to our differences," The young Brightland exhaled a sigh of his own and leaned back against the stone wall. "We both want to carve our own paths through the world, but we're not going on the same journey regardless despite this expedition together...if that makes sense?"

 

[Xatarias]

Ruan replaces his ingot and shrugs at your explanation.


"My people tend to take others at face value. Mother believes that humanity is stricken by loving too much and too little at the same time. A man that climbs the highest mountain will remain discontent for not having seized the stars... The grey-pelts will tell you that mother granted us the gift of thought and from that sprung our clan. Having never experienced the transition myself, I like to think that our more savage qualities were tempered rather than removed. Before the awakening, all of our cunning was devoted towards survival in the deep dark. I think that fiercely territorial mindset is the foundation to every Hillfolk's devotion to family and clan."


The brutish chieftain fiddles with one of his copper bangles before continuing.


"What I mean to say is, our thoughts don't stray far into the distant future. Why sacrifice what you have for want of something better? Cherish rather than covet, and good things will come." Ruan's bared fangs would be a fearsome sight if you didn't know they were the his way of smiling. "Of course, many young couples take our first tenet's meaning too literally, requiring intervention by their families. Not much gets done with all of our workers retired to their dens!" He lets out a ruk ruk of laughter.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

"Mm..." Nathaniel grunted to acknowledge Ruan's signed words but couldn't quite muster a proper response. It was an interesting thought, if perhaps a little more academic than practical. From what he'd glimpsed of the Hillfolk and their culture, they certainly seemed more open and...forward with their desires, but beyond that it was difficult for him to objectively judge them. Yes, they seemed to embrace their natural inclination towards martial contests, but how long ago had Albion itself been entertained with jousts, duels, and similar fighting sports? Were the Hillfolk and his species really that different anymore? Alestra clearly didn't think so. Then again, Alestra was the one who shaped much of their culture into what it was today...


"Does Alestra still need to...temper you? Or can what she has done for your people just be taught?" Nathaniel tensed and jumped a bit as the thought occurred to him. That assassin was still at large and even if it took a full generation for the Hillfolk to return to utter barbarism in the worst case, it was not a scenario he wished to entertain with any amount of experience or time to prepare.


On a less dire topic, Nathaniel managed a weak smile at Ruan's words and laughter. "I suppose that's a valid way to look at things..." His tone was noncommittal and his eyes glazing over a bit as his mind was more absorbed in its own thoughts than the Hillfolk Chieftain, but it was a little comforting to have at least one person somewhat validate his position. Even so...Telai wasn't happy with what she had and was brave enough to pursue something better. That wasn't quite the situation he himself was in.

 

[Xatarias]

Ruan scratches his chin thoughtfully, considering your question.


"Our tribe's way of life isn't the product of constant intervention on my mother's part. Whether or not mother worked some permanent change in us, or her bond merely introduced new ways of thinking, I cannot say. But our children are take to new customs easily and without supernatural influence, so I'm inclined to believe that we always had this potential. Mother might have merely accelerated our ascension."


Ruan runs a claw along a piece of the displayed platemail.


"What we don't have is a tradition of history. Without a past, we flounder in forming an identity of our own. Are we beasts tamed by the reason of humans, or something else entirely? Growing up as my peoples' future leader, I made a study of your kind's history, trying to determined our similarities." He gives you a hard look. "More than once, I've rejoiced in our differences."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel nodded and exhaled a faintly relieved sigh. Given that Alestra's powers were more biologically than mentally inclined like his and the assassin's were, he probably should have guessed what Ruan's response would be. Still, it was good to have confirmation.


"Oh?" The scion of the Brightland family stared back at Ruan, matching his hard look with a sharp and skeptical one. "Let me guess: you feel that my species is overly ambitious and greedy, with a penchant for violently taking whatever we want from others as we spread across the globe?"


Nathaniel's eyes were boring into the Hillfolk. The notion that he could pose a physical threat to what was probably greatest warrior in their clan was almost laughable, but very little of Ruan's somewhat alien body language was escaping his notice.


"How did you accomplish this study of yours, out of curiosity? I have a hard time imagining Alestra taking a library of history books with her while on the run and the pirates and frontiersmen I've seen here so far don't seem the sorts to entertain heavy reading as a hobby either."

 

[Xatarias]

Ruan hesitates for a moment. You get the sense he revealed more than he had intended.


"When Mother escaped her imprisonment with the bad dreamwalkers, she took something from them. Something valuable. She didn't realize it at the time, but it carried the memories of a powerful dreamwalker. Much of his knowledge was.... Twisted. Mother wouldn't let any of us touch the artifact for fear of its influence. But it did provide much knowledge that was useful to our clan. Mother transcribed many texts from whispers and that became the foundation of our learning."


He lumbers over to a cluttered shelf and removes a well-thumbed book, handing it to you. The paper is hand pressed and crude, but the script itself is neat and well spaced. It doesn't take your enhanced intellect long to recognize the script. It is a treatise on contemporary warfare, only a couple decades old. By chance you come across a description of musket formations intended to defeat cavalry charges. You note rougher writing in the margin, you suspect Ruan's, theorizing weaknesses to the strategy and how to exploit them. You glance over to the suit of burnished steal, noting the impressive thickness of the plate. Was the construction sturdy enough to turn a musket ball?


Ruan clears his throat. "And yes, the violence of your race was shocking to me. But not for the reasons you think, my people have their own bloody history after all. What I found bizarre was your... Motives. The larger you tribes become, the more nonsensical your wars become. Why would humans leave their homes and fight for a chieftain than doesn't even know their names? Fighting against people that never wronged them for reasons far removed from their every day lives... Is war a pleasurable pastime for your people?"

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel frowned. At first, it was Ruan's hesitation that made him uneasy, but as the Hillfolk chieftain spoke the young man found himself shifting uneasily and almost wishing he hadn't pressed this matter.A "Dreamwalker" with enough diabolical knowledge to be considered a great treasure by the Syndicate? Perhaps it was pure coincidence, but the thought brought the memory of accessing the Song and living out the demented experiments and sexual slavery one of its wielders had reveled in. At least, Nathaniel hoped that he and Ruan were thinking of the same person. The thought that there could be more than one person out there exploiting this kind of power in such ghastly ways, and with the backing such a mighty cabal, was more horrifying than everything the mere savagery Dark Continent had managed to throw at him combined.


"I see," He said quickly, and was visibly relieved when Ruan offered him manuscript...detailing relatively modern Avalonian tactics with what were likely the chieftan's notes on how to counter them. Nathaniel glanced up at the towering Hillfolk to give him a look only to pause and shrug before offering the book back to him. Hadn't he and Drail mused over their chances and potential counters to Laughingwind's tribe even when peaceful overtures were made? Ruan's mother was the enemy of an organization that, if Alestra hadn't exaggerated, probably could muster a large enough force to make use of the tactics covered in the treatise. Not to mention the pirates and other marauders that had put all those holes in Broken Stream's body running about...


"Pleasurable? No-Well...not anymore. Depending on how you interpret certain records and works of art, some of my people may have found war an enjoyable hobby when they wore armor like that-" Nathaniel gestured to Ruan's magnificent suit. "while riding on horseback against soldiers with either leather or chainmail if they were lucky. With special 'etiquette' between them and other knights to protect them if they did wind up fighting each other." The venom in the young Avalonian's done was subdued but unmistakably present. Time would tell if his bias ruined him as a source of information in Ruan's eyes.


"That isn't really the case anymore. We haven't been able to make armor that can stand up to musket volleys, so the battlefield is a place for soldiers now and not an occasionally deadly playground for the knights. As for why we still fight...well, your tribes have fought over food and resources before, correct? And warriors who had enough supplies to keep themselves and their loved ones from dying out were still expected to fight with the others for the good of the tribe overall? It's like that, just on a much larger scale. Just because a member of your tribe, kingdom, empire, republic, or whatever you want to call it is being hurt or starved while you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't happening."


Nathaniel paused and shrugged. "If you are wondering, yes, I imagine having leaders who don't personally know the soldiers they are asking to risk their lives in battle makes it easier for them to declare war for selfish or just plain stupid reasons. But has there never been a chieftain in the history of your people that managed to do something similar?"

 

[Xatarias]

"A leader can always make wrong decisions. But his power should stem from the consent of his followers. My father may have ruled before me, but if I proved to be incompetent or a coward, someone would soon take my place. Even if the people were sick with love for their ruler, wouldn't enough mistakes curb their admiration?... A chieftain cannot afford selfishness, or he would no longer be chief." He pauses for a moment. "I suppose it is different when a tribe becomes so large... Our society is young and growing fast. But if this is what the future holds for us, I wonder if that is a good thing..."


Ruan runs a hand over a plate of armor, flicking a piece of dust off the embossing.


"But this is all just idle talk. As much as I like to entertain the idea of my people achieving their truest potential, it is practical decision making that leads us from one day to the next. I hope our peoples can come to some sort of mutual understanding, but we will not be mislead or taken advantage of. Deal with us fairly, and we will respond in kind."


The hulking beastman offers you a clawed paw. The historical significance of the gesture is not lost on you, but there is something comical about the way Ruan's appendage dwarfs your own when he extends it for a handshake.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

"As you said, you may find out sooner rather than later..." Nathaniel crossed his arms with an uneasy expression. Unless he dramatically misunderstood the Hillfolk Chieftan's words, Ruan was painfully aware of what hi species' rate of reproduction would mean unless Alestra had had enough of a hard yet hidden edge to reduce their fertility. Many new cubs would have been needed to replenish the ranks of a divided Hillfolk race that likely hemorrhaged its numbers back when they waged constant, savage war upon each other. What Nathaniel had seen of even their current culture  certainly implied an abundance of sexual activity with an emphasis on the raising of young. Kingdoms and Empires weren't built overnight, but...it was enough to make him think that he and Ruan likely would live long enough to see the Hillfolk begin to grapple with the issues that had led to the birth of Avalon and its peers so long ago.


While Ruan dusted off the armor, as if flicking away the future's troubles, Nathaniel struggled to form even a tiny smile as his mind rushed to consider just what such a massive Hillfolk population might lead to. Hm...perhaps Ruan's assessment of their species was not without at least a few grains of truth...


"That's my intent. I don't believe that anything worth building can be made from a rotten foundation," Nathaniel met Ruan's eyes with strong gaze and and equally firm nod. History of one sort or another was about to be made as his handed extened towards the beastman's...only for him to pause when the sheer volume of difference between their hands became clear.


"Erm..." The young Brightland blinked, as if seeing Ruan for the first time, and awkwardly rested his hand in the palm of the Chieftan's, where it could be...not so much gripped as enveloped by him.

 

[Xatarias]

Ruan obviously makes an effort not crush your hand in his calloused paw. The handshake lasts for a few moments and you are compelled to lock eyes with the furry chieftain. The close proximity to his bulk is intimidating, but the earnestness of the moment soon quells your reservation. The song murmurs at the edges of your consciousness, somehow emphasizing the significance of this simple interaction.


Part of you knows that the song is nothing more than a conglomeration of memories and emotions, but something about its sudden resurgence makes this moment particularly poignant... Mystical even.


Oblivious to your extraordinary experience, Ruan releases you and grunts in satisfaction. "Mother respects you. That means more to me than you could possibly know. If our peoples' futures are destined to be intertwined, then we must do our best to achieve some sort of mutual prosperity."


You wince as Ruan gives you a well-intentioned thump on the back. "To a bright future then! I'm glad we had this chance to speak in private. Simple as we are, my people still demand a certain amount of pageantry from its chieftain. Alone, we can come to a more... Well informed understanding."


"But you must be tired. I can walk these halls by touch and smell alone, but it must be disorienting for a newcomer. Follow me."


Ruan manages to lead you to your quarters in fraction of the time it took you to become to thoroughly lost. After a short farewell from you guide, you are left alone. A low burning oil lamp illuminates the low-ceilinged dwelling and several soft furs have been laid out for you to sleep on. Mercifully Telai has either sought alternate sleeping arrangements or Alestra arranged for you to have separate rooms.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel tensed slightly and stared straight ahead as the most unusual of sensations tingled through his body. He still wasn't completely sure whether the rudimentary will the Song had made it truly alive or not, but this memory seemed to be of particular interest to it.Such a seemingly simple interaction...it was enough to make him wonder if it was "just" the Song recognizing potentially historic moments thanks to its vast collection of experiences, or if there was something...more at work.


Ruan's words snapped the young man our of his reverie before he could become too lost in thought. He nodded and managed a slight smile in return. "I'm glad as well. With the way things have been going lately and some of the misgivings I had on my way here, I honestly wasn't sure if I wasn't dooming my entire expedition."


Nathaniel followed Ruan closely and thanked the Hillfolk Chieftan when he turned to leave. He was alone now...mercifully. Speaking with Ruan had certainly taken the edge off his last conversation with Telai, made the pain and awkwardness seem that much more distant, running into her again so soon would just reopen those wounds. Whether or not Alestra had become involved in the drama already...that could wait until later. For now, the young man removed and neatly folded most of his clothes to the side of the blankets before climbing in and letting the warmth and sensation of sleep envelop him. 

 

[Xatarias]

The passing day's trials have taken their toll on your body. Their sum has caused a palpable fatigue such that when you slip under the covers, sleep comes in a matter of moments. You nestle into the warmth of your bedding, blissfully drifting off into oblivion. You begin to dream...


You quickly quell the smile that flutters at the edges of your mouth as the new initiates file in. Months of physical and mental conditioning has made these specimens utterly devoted to you, but appearing over-eager still might set them on edge. Besides, the thrill of your deception was almost as pleasurable as what would soon come after. You relish the hungry anticipation, knowing full well that the monster lurking at the fringes of your consciousness would soon be sated.


"My children." You intone in the authoritative pattern of speech completely familiar to your followers. "You have no idea the pride that fills me this day. Today, it is my joy to accompany one of you the gates of the world beyond... One of you is on the cusp of transcendence."


An excited murmur ripples through the assembled youths. You see countless sidelong glances, each betraying curiosity... And envy. Who would be chosen for the highest honor. What had they done that no one else hadn't? If only they knew...


You force yourself to go through the motions of the service. The incantation, the meditations. A total farce, but expected. It was the mystique of it all that kept the masses meek and obedient... And so long a the façade remained, more would keep coming.


Finally the moment arrives. You stride through their ranks, barely concealing your leering at their lean, youthful forms. A boy again?... No a maiden this time. The decision comes as you stop in front of a beautiful specimen with supple skin and luscious lips. You place a hand on her forehead. Joy overcomes her and she begins to weep with joy, her friends embracing her fiercely. It takes some time for everyone to say their farewells, but you endure- an eternity of pleasure awaited you...


...She never even begins to suspect. Not after you lead her into the dungeons, its usual occupants currently vacated. Not after you tell her to strip or even after you bind her softness with iron chain and lock. She beams up at you from her prone position on the stone slab, trusting... Eager.


Only once she is properly secured does your posture slump and the regal persona slips away. The dark, primal nature that replaces it slips on like a familiar pair of shoes. You stretch out your hand and trace the perfect flesh in front of you. She doesn't flinch, even after you paw her breasts and a hand slips down to defile her untainted femininity. It is only after your face looms into the lantern light that a shiver of doubt crosses that angelic mask.


"Are you ready, my dear?"


She nods an affirmative and you lean in, tracing your tongue from her collarbone to her cheek. Your body is taut as a spring as you breath into her ear. "Then there is only one lesson left to you... It's all a lie. Me. The order. All of it. You will live out your days as my plaything. My toy. There will be no thought, only sensation as I ravish you. Again. And again."


You insert the syringe just as her eyes widen in shock and press down the plunger. The pleasure you feel as the light fades from her eyes is so great that you almost spend yourself right away... But you resist. There was still a few hours of delicious awakeness in her before her mind was truly broken. You are just getting started...


"Nathanial.... Nathanial! Come on, what the hell is wrong with you!? Nathanial!"


Telai manages to shake you awake just as the vision fades. You gasp and bolt upright, your flesh cold and clammy. You stare down at your hands and grip them open and shut as if to assure yourself that they are indeed your own.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel didn't so much awaken as...exploded back into consciousness. All the air in his lungs was violently expelled in a horrified gasp that had been suppressed the moment he'd been drawn into the vision. His entire body was shaking and for a moment there was a distant look in his eyes. For a moment, he was still trapped in...in,...that monster's body, feeling everything they felt while their thoughts subsumed his own.


"I-it happened again, Telai!" He didn't care about keeping up appearances. There was nothing elegant or dignified about his tone and movements as he cried out and hesitantly reached for Telai. Nathaniel needed support. Her hand in his or a strong grip on his shoulder to remind him that he wasn't alone. Before his arm could get halfway toward her, before Telai could meaningfully react, the young man froze and his eyes widened as if he'd seen a ghost. He had reached for the mighty champion of his expedition, the lieutenant that he would entrust with his life, but for a moment all he could see and hear was the woman from the vision. The look on her face when all her hopes and dreams were shattered in a sadistic instant followed by sheer terror in the last few seconds she had before the needle was plunged into her neck.


It sent a shiver down Nathaniel's spine. The sensations of sadistic pleasure at the sight still lingered in the distant corners of his mind. It was all fading rapidly as he fully awakened but he'd still...felt it...


Nathaniel bowed his head and began to wrap his arms around himself, more as an act of comfort than to hide the fact that he was wearing only his undergarments. Wait...gods, that bulge...was he-?!


"Gah!" The young man cried out and spun away from Telai, planting both hands firmly over his groin. The horror of what he'd been turned into while he dreamed was quite lost upon his body, it seemed.


"The Song made me live someone else's life again, Telai," Nathaniel's tone was strained. His words came through clenched teeth. If she had any doubts about his sudden attempt at modesty being born of disgust rather than awkward shame, then they were almost certainly gone by now. "They were speaking for some sort of...cult or religious order. It was all a lie, but so many people believed them. They chose a woman to take down to their dungeon. She let me chain her up. She didn't even realize it was all wrong until I-"


Nathaniel cut himself to take a deep breath. He didn't do it, it was...whoever's memory he'd experienced! Just recalling the experienced was enough to make those thoughts and sensations run through his mind and body all over again.Was this the Song threatening to consume his identity like Alestra warned or was it all really just effecting him this badly?

 

[Xatarias]

Telai's face is marred by fear and worry as she tries to comprehend what you just told her. The dim light from a single lantern on the floor casts long shadows about the room, a fragile barrier against the all-consuming darkness that reigns in these subterranean depths. The bands of shadow on the floor and walls reminds you eerily of the pillars of an gothic cathedral... Or the bars of a cage.


"Nathanial..."


You feel a warm hand on your back and that simple touch anchors you back to reality, capping off the burbling well of dark memories that had infected your conscious. You can still feel its source sinking deep amongst the chorus of countless other past lives. A feeling of malicious resentment echoes out to you as the knot of corruption retreats. Somehow you know that it isn't gone, merely waiting for another opportunity to resurface when your mental defenses slacken. You are left with a feeling of unease, wondering what would happen if next time you were unable to bring yourself back from the fantasy imposed upon you. Would you remain yourself, or a different Nathanial Brightland? One with lifetime of disturbing experience... And an unspeakable hunger for violence and domination...


You are literally yanked from your train of thought as Telai pulls you towards her and presses your cheek to her bosom. Suddenly the world seems to snap into focus, your primal fears pushed back by the strong, steady beat of the Lieutenant's heart. Your situation hasn't changed, but you are able to breath a little easier.


"I'm here, and you're here with me, Nathanial Brightland. It wasn't real, do you hear me? Stay with me now..." 

 

[Weiss Ritter]

"Mmph...!" Nathaniel grunted in fear and surprise, biting his lip and swiftly jerking his entire body in the opposite direction of that shadows reminded him of the dungeon's bars. HE very nearly closed his eyes but managed to stop himself in time. Left alone in a black void with nothing but his tortured thoughts, he would be easy prey indeed for those memories.


And that was exactly what he felt like now. Prey. This...whatever this was, it felt alive. Hateful. Hungry for him and what it could do in his body if only his defenses would waver for an evening. Nathaniel felt his limbs begin to quiver as it truly began to dawn on him what all of this meant. He hadn't beaten whatever malevolent force was trying to envelop him. He'd just driven it back...perhaps only delayed the inevitable. What was going to happen to him tomorrow night? And the night after that? and the one after that? If Alestra couldn't do something about this, then was he doomed to wake up as that monster one day...?


He gasped softly as he felt Telai's powerful arms wrap tightly around him. Her warm, dusky flesh was pressed against his cheek even as his arms leaped to return the embrace. Warmth surrounded him, driving away those terrible thoughts that had chilled him to the core. For a moment, Nathaniel was gripping Telai so tightly that his nails might have managed to scratch her flesh...but it soon passed. He relaxed fully against her and his frantic breathing leveled out.


"I'm here...yes, I hear you..." The young man took a deep breath before slowly, reluctantly, pulling away from Telai just enough to look her in the eye."Do you know where Alestra is? I can't...I can't keep going through this.She said she was trying to shield us from that assassin. If this really is coming from within me, and not her, then...we have to stop it, Telai."

 

[Xatarias]

"I think her courters were down the hall. We go toge-"


"That won't be necessary. As you can see, I'm already here."


Alestra stands framed in the doorway, the dull yellow glow of the lantern-light illuminating one side of her face. There is an audible click and you notice in her hand is a pistol, now un-cocked from its readied position. The mystic holds the weapon with an easy familiarity now, loose at her side but by no means inaccessible. She crosses the room towards you only to be blocked by a steely-eyed Telai.


Alestra coolly looks up at the amazon. "If I have any cause to hurt the man in this room, you can be assured that Nathanial Brightland is no longer with us. I would explain, but there isn't time. Step aside."


Telai reluctantly allows Alestra to kneel at your side. Cool hands gently touch your forehead and you can feel the depths of your subconscious being thoroughly explored. The psychic matriarch quietly murmurs as she works, all the while being carefully observed by the lieutenant.


"When you said you had experienced disturbing visions, I didn't think anything was out of the ordinary. Worthy of concern, but not beyond your control with a bit of training... I had no idea, that my old opponent had somehow gotten his claws into you."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel didn't even have time to look relieved to hear Alestra before his eyes flickered down to the pistol glinting in dimly lit cavern. It was primed to fire the instant Alestra had it aimed at whatever or whoever she wished to shoot, and the steel in her voice and gaze left Nathaniel with no doubts she was quiet prepared to do just that.


The young Brightland reflexively retreated as swiftly as Telai moved to stand between them. While his amazonian bodyguard commanded Alestra's attention, Nathaniel's eyes swiftly scanned the room for anything he could used as an improvised weapon. The fur blankets could be thrown over her head, he could probably throw or strike with the lantern hard enough to send the woman reeling or even douse her in what oil remained. That could possibly even set her on fire if the wick-Oh gods what was horrible!


Nathaniel was already pale and twitchy from the living nightmare he'd just suffered through, but the thought of dispatching Alestra in such a brutal manner came so...casually that it made him physically recoil. The sinking feeling in his stomach only grew worse as Alestra's hands gently pressed against his flesh. She really hadn't meant him any harm and his second thought was...


He took a breath and tried to relax as he felt her touch upon his mind once again, only to tense up again the instant she finished. "What?"


Nathaniel's tone was flat and his eyes bored almost blankly into Alestra's. "Who-HOW could someone have done this? You, the Siren, and the Syndicate's assassin are the only ones who've...connected with me like this. I know the Song can tie people together, but this is..."


He had to stop to take yet another calming breath. Oh gods...everyone empowered in this manner apparently manifested differently abilities. Was that it, then? More importantly...was this man the only one who could do something like this to him...?

 

[Xatarias]

"You're the one who came to me Nathanial. I don't have any special insight into your mind beyond a few glimpses when I reached out to you in your sleep. All I can tell you is the feeling that pulled me awake. I'd know it anywhere. I spent three years locked up with that man's face leering down at me. His corrupting foulness leaving no part of me untouched."


Alestra sighs and leans back against the wall. For a moment, you don't see an alluringly beautiful sorceress, but a woman that had seen countless years pass by. Though her skin is smooth and her form youthful, Alestra projects a weariness normally reserved for those of ancient experience.


"The mark upon you wasn't deliberately set. Had he touched minds directly with you... You wouldn't have stood a chance. You would be his pawn, and I would be dead at our first meeting."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel was silent for several long moments. He continued to take deep breaths, slowly forcing some of the tension out of his body. He'd been panicking before, and that was the absolute last thing he needed now.  That emotion had its uses, but if he wouldn't rely on it to help him solve an economic quandary, then by the gods he couldn't let it rule him when he stood to lose his very mind to the mere echoes such...evil left behind!


"Then you know what his power is?" The young Brightland finally asked with a sidelong glance at the sorceress. It was...unnerving to see the woman he'd trusted to mentor him, who was all but deified by the Hillfolk, to look so...tired. Frayed. Beaten down. Of course, Nathaniel couldn't imagine he looked much better to anyone who had grown used to the stoic, dignified airs he usually tried to put on.


"Has he had...contact with a Siren? Or...anyone else who might have been able to connect him to the Song?" Nathaniel frowned and his brow furrowed, but it was more in thoughtfulness than anything else...for the time being. "It...wasn't just like the other memories.You warned me about losing myself to them before, and I've...felt how they could do that, but even if it wasn't really him, there was something more there. I thought there was a will behind, not just a blind flood of memories getting mixed up with my own."


Nathaniel paused once again, then stiffened. "The assassin...! The one the syndicate sent after you-She touched minds with me on the way here, remember? Could she have done this?! Or...can she take advantage of this next time...?"

 

[Xatarias]

Alestra pauses for a moment before answering. "Would you believe that his power is that of empathy? With a touch, he could connect with people in an unimaginably intimate way. The briefest contact with his mind would unveil every hope and desire that you held dear. He would understand you like no one else and with that knowledge, he would bend you to his will. Your world shrinks until you think only of pleasing him, because his happiness is your happiness."


"Your encounter with the Syndicate's agent gave you taste of a more brutal fashion of psychic domination. She commandeered the mechanical functions of your mind. Efficient, but temporary. The Patron would scoff at such crude methods. He delights in slower, more permanent measures. He needs time and solitude to work his craft. He is powerful, but still limited in the extent of his abilities. The mere memory of him can't assert control over you.


Despite her reassurances, you know what you felt. Having touched other memories, you know this Patron's influence is uniquely insidious. Perhaps it is just the result of your own emotional response personifying a horrific experience. Then again...


"I'm sure being inside his head wasn't... Pleasant. But you have to remain resilient. Your training is more urgent than I thought. We will start as soon as you get some real sleep." She finishes in her robes for a moment before retrieving a vial of inky fluid. "Until you are confident in yourself, take a drop of this each night. You'll have a hell of a headache come morning, but it tends to calm the mind... It would also be better if someone remained near you during the night." She gives Telai an apologetic look. She must know about your falling out.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel paused as well, but only for an instant. After being in not only that man's shoes, but his skin and mind...yes, Nathaniel could see that perfectly well. In some ways, such empathy would have give that man more knowledge than even what perfect access to the Song could offer Nathaniel. The ability to know everything about anyone in just an instant...that power wielded in the right hands could be used to create a world of unparalleled peace or the ultimate predator in human flesh. It was obvious enough which Alestra's would-be master had chosen.


"And chemicals..." The young Brightland added bitterly, with a glance toward Alestra. "He seemed very adept with those. Or did he have someone else make whatever he injected his...plaything with?"


He wasn't even sure which answer would be worse. That this man who could terrify even Astraea twisted one of Nathaniel's own hobbies to such ends, or that he might have yet another individual so fiendishly capable at his beck and call.


Either way, Nathaniel's hand shot up to take the vial almost immediately. He didn't even blink as Alestra warned him of the side effects...until she gave Telai that look. Just as quickly, Nathaniel tensed. "She doesn't have to-"


He paused and flashed Telai an apologetic look.


"I mean...I trust Telai more than anyone to keep me safe, but...if she doesn't want to do this, surely I just need someone who can call an alarm or physically subdue me if something goes wrong? That's...almost anyone in this clan, right?"