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The Mask Comes Off	By : Samson Category: -Misc Video Games/RPGs > Slash/Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 4984 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Kingdoms of Amalur intellectual property, nor am I making any money off of this fanfic. Unauthorized duplication of this work is prohibited.

Chapter List
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Asmodeus

The Mask Comes Off
Part III - "Destiny"
By: Jesse Racine AKA Samson
Original Date Written: July 4, 2016

Slowly, Leah drifted into wakefulness. With every muscle as delightfully relaxed as jelly, her body was nearly numb, all in clear spite of the previous night’s events. After such a lengthy amount of fairly strenuous physical activity, followed by a long sleep in a bona fide, legitimately quite comfortable bed, all after over a week of sleeping on the open ground, well...Waking up feeling so refreshed that she was stuporous made perfect sense, really. She drew in a deep breath through her nose, sighed it back out, and snuggled the side of her face deeper into her pillow. As if to answer her, she heard Kelly, so close to her left side that she could feel one of her arms against her own, give a slow sigh, of her own.
The bed sheets had been slipped down Leah’s body so far that they were just past her backside, covering her only from the thighs downwards. She couldn’t really remember the final few minutes of the previous night, but likely, neither she nor Kelly had wanted to cover themselves up and trap the heat billowing off of themselves, post-coitus. That seemed like a logical enough conclusion to Leah, but then, she heard a faint noise, somewhat fleshy, that had her doubting herself. When Kelly gave a heavy, breathy exhale, a different conclusion dawned on Leah, one that swiftly had her face feeling hot. Opening her eyes, she sleepily looked around, then mumbled wordlessly.
She felt Kelly go more still, for a moment. Then, she was whispering “You awake, babe?” “Mmf...Ngh...Yeah...Are you...?” Leah trailed off as she turned her head to the other side, facing her Varani seducer. Her eyes didn’t even widen at what she saw, at first: Kelly, still as naked as the previous night, the bed sheets similarly pulled down to just past her hips. However, the look she saw on Kelly’s face was not the one of someone freshly awoken, but of someone half-entrenched in ecstasy. It was then that Leah noticed where one of the chocolate-skinned beauty’s arms were leading, her eyes subtly widening as she followed her down to her hand. She had half-expected the sight, but had only half-hoped to see it.
The Varani had been unabashedly masturbating, right next to her. Her right arm was pushing her enormous caramel mountain of breast flesh closer to the other as it spread down across her torso, bringing her fist squarely to the long, thick handle her proudly erect cock presented, which she was at the moment squeezing with a delicate touch around the base of her shaft. Leah just stared, for a moment, before Kelly whispered again, and this time, she didn’t bother trying to hide the husky tone in her voice. “You got morning wood, too?” Leah looked back up to Kelly’s face, to her foggy eyes, ajar mouth, and flawless features just slightly shiny with a very fine layer of perspiration. How long, and how intensely for that matter, had the curvaceous beauty been cranking her handle, for? And right next to her while she slept, no less!
Leah swallowed some excess saliva, then gave a blink. Her backdoor, still bestowed with a dull soreness from the previous night’s anal marathon, gave a nervous clench. It, at least, was not up for a new session, just yet. After everything they had done together last night, Kelly still had it in her to get horny, in the morning?! Leah knew she was blushing like, well, a virgin, but she didn’t hide her face from her needy fuck-buddy. Trying not to mumble, she admitted “...Y-Yeah? If I didn’t before, I definitely do, now.” The corners of Kelly’s lips raised in a little smile. She slipped her left hand up from between the two of them, shamelessly sliding her hand across Leah’s big, thick rump, squeezing her left cheek in a hungry fondle.
Leah’s mouth hung open, a crack. She watched Kelly give her meat a few gentle strokes, as if to remind her cock that that thick bubble butt was it’s friend. A couple seconds later, she quite brazenly stuck two fingers into the valley between Leah’s cheeks, giving her rosebud an experimentally firm rub with her fingerprints, perhaps testing to see if she were still loosened or lubricated from the previous night. Leah kept put and let her eyes roam up to Kelly’s firm nipples, poking into the air like chocolate pebbles. She gave a shuddering exhale as her cock, trapped between her lap and the mattress, throbbed, a reaction that coincided with a strong clench in her backdoor. Feeling Leah’s pucker wink, like that, only had Kelly pressing harder, trying to ease her two fingertips into Leah’s delightfully tight little crinkle.
Leah’s lips parted into a little “o” as she pushed her hips forwards and clenched her backside, accidentally humping the mattress as she tried to evict her rear’s knocking houseguests. Kelly gave an appreciative mumble, regardless, and slipped her fingers free, then gave Leah’s other cheek a squeeze, firmer this time around. Finally sliding her hand away from the farmgirl’s admirably over-padded ass, she resumed her stroking in earnest, rapidly tugging away at her own prick hard enough to make her breasts lightly jiggle, thanks to her shaking arm. Leah’s eyes dropped to Kelly’s nipples for a second time, standing like cherries over her areolae, as the Varani unhesitatingly said “Roll over, honey buns. Milk it, with me.”
Now, Leah could feel her ears getting hot. What? Actually doing something about her body in the mornings, rather than just ignoring it? She could just ignore it and save time, wouldn’t that be better? She had only been able to do it so sparingly at the farm, the concept of just doing it, whenever, had her flushed like a priestess. Being told to do it by someone who just the night before had been balls-deep up her ass with a length of pipe that she, herself, was already stroking, promptly had Leah leaking, making the mattress cover somewhat uncomfortably stick to her oozing tip. If anything, she would have been content with just licking and suckling at the woman’s nipples, but that could be even better.
Slowly, she started to turn herself over. With an obviously sheepish look on her face, she mumbled “O...Okay. I don’t...Normally jerk off, in the mornings. At the farm, we all shared bedrooms, so I...” Leah paused, then sighed out “I really just learned to ignore it. I can just ignore it, you know? If we need to go, then...” “Good gods,” Kelly ruefully mumbled, brow momentarily furrowing at the thought of such a travesty. “Forget all that, babe. When you’re with me, we’re gonna milk our cocks together, every morning. No exceptions. One thing you’re gonna learn about me is that I need to get milked, pretty frequently. I love eating cum, too, which is something I really hope you’ll be able to help me, with. I think Miriam was starting to feel like my personal sperm bank, on the trip here...”
Leah had to swallow some saliva at the dirty talk. The Varani gave a low, throaty moan. Lustfully, she muttered “...Oh, yeah...Gonna show you every little game I have...We could jerk each other, or get out the lube and get nice and slippery for some cock-to-cock rubbing...We could run a contest to see who can last longer before popping...We could even just sixty-nine and suck the spunk right out of each other...Oh hoh, we’re gonna have loads of fun, milking ourselves together. Last night was proof, honey, that when you pop, you pop big. Suppose it makes sense, what with those fat nuts of your’s. Oh, I’m gonna have so much fucking fun, milking you like a cow every single morning. Today, though, we’ll just see who can cum the bigger load after all the sex from last night. Who can bounce back and dredge up the bigger load after getting so spent? Sound good?”
Leah gave a tiny whimper by way of acknowledgement and excitement. She settled herself down on her back, looking over to watch Kelly stroke, for a few moments. Then, she was resting the back of her head down against her pillow, reaching down across her body, and closing her eyes. Her mouth fell open as she, only slowly, began relieving herself. In a soft mumble, she asked “...W-What should I think about?” The woman next to her gave a hungry, excited chuckle. In a whisper, she instructed “Think about sucking on a big cock, with me. Think about how good it smells, how it feels in your mouth, how he puts his hand on your head right before he shoots his load...Think about slurping, even after he’s done. You don’t stop until every drop is out.” Leah’s toes curled at the bed sheets. She gave a soft whimper at the fantasy already racing through her mind, full steam ahead. Kelly gave a contented groan at the dual patting sounds of harsh masturbation, and Leah answered with one of her own.
Half an hour later, after they had both finished up and cleaned the ensuing mess they had produced, they were both quick to dress themselves, as Kelly warned that the two of them needed to vacate Tine Delfric’s quarters while everyone was still in the mess hall for their morning meal - playtime was over, they really did need to get out of there, now. Having slipped out of her lingerie from the previous night, Kelly had almost absentmindedly pulled on her old thong before passing it back to Leah, opting to go without underwear, again. As Kelly pulled on her shirt and corset, Leah was slipping into her shorts, quietly listening as Kelly said “Listen, honey, run over to the mess hall and get some breakfast in you. Mind Miriam and keep an eye on her for me, would ya? I’ve got some stuff I need to take care of before I’m ready to go.”
“Like what?” Leah innocently asked, pulling her tube top down over her head. She looked over and watched as Kelly pulled her skirt up into place, buttoning it up at her hip. Briefly throwing her hands through her thick hair, the woman started collecting her discarded personal effects from the night before, including the frilly pink panties now stained with Leah’s seed, as she answered. “Well, I’ve gotta change the linens to the bed. If old Delfric had any idea that I’ve used his bed for fucking around in, being exiled would probably be the best thing that could happen to me. Needless to say, it’s more or less the ultimate expression of insubordination and disrespect, but I can’t help it if he’s the only one in the fortress with private bedchambers! Where else am I supposed to take my fuck-buddies? I’m not about to pump ass in the barracks, for crying out loud.”
The farmgirl frowned. Did that mean that Kelly had made a long-standing habit out of fucking people in here? Oh dear, that would get her exiled, at the very least. Leah found her sandals as Kelly added “And, I’ve gotta stop by the quartermaster and see about getting you a little something to wear. You’re gonna need some armour, honey, if a Crudok is after you. Plus, I need to stop by my bunk and grab my old gear, too, plus stuff away the underwear and lube I pulled out for last night. Speaking of which...Did you have fun, babe?” Leah smiled, putting her hands to her hips as she watched Kelly pull her bundle of effects up in her arms, pressing the collection against her hefty breasts. She smiled at the woman, then casually answered “Yeah, I did, actually...It was a lot of fun. You were really great. You were right, I needed that, bad. I’m glad I’m finally not a virgin, anymore. I don’t think I’ve ever cum that much in one night, before.”
Kelly smiled and gave an affectionate chuckle. She leaned in and gave Leah a quick smooch before turning and heading for the door. “Glad to hear it, babe,” she simply answered, from over her shoulder. Leah followed her, but all Kelly did was drop her bundle of personal effects to the floor before turning and hurrying back to the bed, quickly stripping the bed sheets and pillow covers before finding a fresh set in Delfric’s dresser. As she set about replacing everything, Leah put one hand on the doorknob, venturing to clarify something that had been on her mind ever since the previous night. “Um...Kelly? You mind if I ask you something?” Kelly, too focused on her task to look at Leah, immediately answered “‘Course not, hon. Shoot.” Leah shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her eyes drifted off into the distance, for a moment, as she tried to maintain her confident speaking voice, even as she tread into uncertain ground.
“Well, it’s just, last night, you called yourself something that I’ve never heard of, before. You called me it, too. I was just wondering what it meant.” Kelly kept working, but gave an exaggerated look of confusion, furrowing her brow and pouting out her bottom lip in thought. As she set down the pillows and started putting a new cover over the mattress, she smiled, raised her eyebrows, and tried not to chuckle. “Oh, right. I forgot, for a second. It didn’t bother you when I called us both “shemales,” did it?” Leah gave an innocent little shrug. With a clearly naive tone in her voice, she openly admitted “Well, uh, I’ve never heard the word, before. I don’t even know what it means. It just sounded a little weird, though, is all. Uh...What is it?”
Kelly couldn’t resist chuckling, now. She gave Leah a glance as she tucked the corners of the mattress cover underneath the mattress, then set about throwing out the covers. Rather truthfully, Kelly stated “Well, you know...Tits, cock, and ass, best of both worlds. Sometimes, people like us go girly. People like you, me, and Miriam can have a bunch of different reasons for being who we are. Me? I have no illusions about who and what I am. I like men. I was a boy, then I got girly, and then I got real girly. I don’t have any problem with people seeing me as a man or a woman. That’s their decision either way, and I’m not about to argue with anyone and tell them how they should think.”
Leah gave a nod, raising an eyebrow as her eyes shifted about. Slowly, she said “Oh...Okay, I think I get it. It’s, um...It’s not an insult, right? Like, “sissy?” Because a couple of my brothers and sisters used to call me a sissy when they were pissed at me, or just wanted to be mean.” “No, no,” Kelly reassured, grinning. “At least, not for me. Some people like us consider it an insult. Okay, most do. But, as for me? Nah. It’s kind of a turn-on, actually. It’s raunchy.” Kelly stood up straight, briefly turning her attentions away from the linens to face Leah. Raising her eyebrows, smiling quite brightly, she gave both her hefty bust and bouncy bubble butt some pats, one with either hand. “I don’t know about you, since it sounds like you want everyone to think of you as a woman, but for me, I have no illusions that I was a man. Was.”
Putting her hands to her hips, Kelly surprised Leah with her candidness, openly admitting “I always liked being feminine. I just naturally turned into a tomgirl when I was a kid, you know? I already had the big fun-stick, I just needed the big T n’ A to really bring the boys in. I wanted to be as sexy as I could be, and I didn’t mind making a few changes to be who I wanted to be. In some ways, I still feel a bit like a man, underneath all this. Considering I still have the juices of a man flowing through me, I guess that’s to be expected. If you wanna think of me as a girlfriend, though, and not a boyfriend, that’s A-okay with me, babe. I can be the boyfriend if you wanna be the girlfriend, or you can think of me as a girl with some extra meat, down there. Makes no real difference to me, either way.”
Butterflies started fluttering in Leah’s stomach at the mention of boyfriends and girlfriends. Was that as significant as it felt? She played it off as cool as she could, though, and only said “So, we’re definitely boyfriend and girlfriend, now, then?” Kelly tossed Leah a knowing smile, then chortled to herself. She didn’t say anything. Leah’s butterflies grew worse as her cheeks started to warm up. Kelly finished fixing the bed, then folded up the linens the two of them had used the night before, tucking them away inside Delfric’s dresser. As she made her way over towards the bedroom door, she waved for Leah to hurry up, playfully remarking “Go on, get out of here, already. You’re already blushing, go have your breakfast before you start walking around with a tent. You get hard, I won’t have the time to calm you back down.”
Leah’s smile stretched from ear to ear. She quietly opened the door for the two of them, then snuck outside with her, just as silently shutting the door behind them before the two of them were tiptoeing away. Thankfully, nobody was around in the great hall to see them. They quietly split ways, with Leah making for the mess hall as Kelly disappeared into the common quarters. For the first time in over a week, there was a genuinely confident spring in Leah’s step. With an enthusiastic smile on her face, she strode right into the noisy mess hall, filled corner to corner with the chattering of soldiers, and went straight to the cook’s stage. After getting her tray of soup, biscuits, scones, and salad, she turned around and, ignoring the stares and gazes of varying intent from a few people in the crowd, she began searching for either a table with an empty seat she could take, or Miriam, whichever was discovered first.
Thankfully, Miriam spotted Leah from her table and promptly called her name, waving her over until Leah spotted her in the crowd. Smiling brightly, Leah made her way over, coming within earshot in time to catch Miriam speaking to the three rather attentive male soldiers seated at her table. “...Just gotta catch up, a little. Y’know, way I heard it, you boys haven’t been treatin’ my friend Leah with the proper respect or kindness.” The three soldiers immediately hemmed and hawed, each stammering the beginnings to a different excuse. “Well now, uh-” “Y’see, we, uh-” “Eh heh, c’mon, we were just-” Miriam raised her eyebrows, a dopey, vapid look on her pretty visage, a vacant smile on her face as she pushed the issue.
“It’s not very nice to just ignore someone for a whole week, you know. I wouldn’t like it if you did it to me. Would you guys do that to me?” Leah came to a stop by the table, standing close to the rear side of one soldier’s chair. Raising her eyebrows, she smiled to herself, listening as the three soldiers stumbled over themselves to refute the suggestion. Smiling, chuckling a little awkwardly, they each said something along the lines of “No, no, of course not! Don’t say that!” Miriam gave a nod upwards, then suggested “Well then, why don’t you boys do me a favour and make some room for my friend, here? Go on, skedaddle, you’re all finished eating, anyway.” Leah’s smile grew with surprise as the three men each quickly stood up, yammering away goodbyes to Miriam, hellos to Leah, and promises to see Miriam later.
They had barely walked away before Miriam was looking at Leah, a somewhat empty-headed smile still affixed to her face. She gestured to the seat next to herself, remarking “Well, hey there, stranger. You just get out of bed? C’mon, have a seat, I was just chatting with some nice guys who wanted to say hi. They probably just wanted to make sure I had a good introduction to the keep. Nothing too special.” Leah stepped over and settled herself down into the chair next to Miriam, setting her tray down in front of herself while giving Miriam a friendly smile. “Yeah, Kelly and I just woke up, not too long ago. Took us a bit to get out of bed, though.” “Yeah, I bet,” Miriam remarked through the corner of her mouth, which slowly had Leah getting more and more flustered over the span of several moments.
“I-It wasn’t like that,” she tried to suggest, but she could tell by the narrowing of Miriam’s eyes and the widening of her smile that the Dokkalfar wasn’t having any of it. She knew quite well how healthy Kelly’s sexual appetite was - no doubt the morning routine had ended with the Varani licking the semen off of Leah’s quivering tummy. Leah quickly changed the subject before she made a fool out of herself and began blushing, commenting “You know, I’m pretty surprised that you could get any of the soldiers around here to talk to you. All week, I haven’t been able to get anyone to pay attention to me, like that, even if it would save my life. Which, uh, it probably would, when you think about it, considering I came here for combat training. But, well...I mean, I guess you look more respectable than I do. You’re wearing armour, at least.”
Miriam’s smile started to fade as Leah drifted into self-deprecating territory. The farmgirl stuck a fork into her salad, a downcast looking coming over her face as she mumbled “...Man, I never realized it when I first came in here, but I really was standing out like an idiot. I can’t believe I was so stupid. I’m just wearing shorts and a top that’s getting smaller by the day. No wonder nobody wanted anything to do with me.” Miriam’s smile came back in full force as she reached over, patted Leah over the back, and cheerfully said “Aw, c’mon babe, it’s not that bad! How could you know? Everyone makes mistakes, it’s all a part of growing up. What’s that thing they say?...Oh, right! It’s not about focusing on the mistakes, it’s about learning from them and moving on! Yeah, that sounds right. Listen, don’t let them get to you. They are a little stuck-up.”
Leah started smiling, again, at the reassurance. Giving Miriam a little look, she stuck some lettuce leaves and vegetable bits into her mouth, then mumbled “Thanks. Well...You didn’t have to do that, you know. Putting them in the hot seat like that, just for me? It was nice to see somebody here actually feel sorry for the way I’ve been treated, though.” Miriam gave her a big grin, then said “Aw, don’t worry about it, babe. They were pretty nice to me, dunno why they weren’t nice to you, too. Probably because they wanted to see my lips around their cocks, but that’s no excuse.” Leah nearly choked on her mouthful of salad. A few people at nearby tables who had caught what Miriam had said turned their head, briefly looking over with various reactions.
Miriam didn’t even seem to notice the way people looked at her. She simply smiled more and gave Leah another patting over the back, remarking “Hey, watch those croutons, they’ll getcha.” Once Leah got her coughing under control, she looked into Miriam’s green eyes, quietly remarking “You wanna keep your voice down, maybe?” “What? I’m just sayin’, babe, I know what they were after. I’m not that stupid.” A couple more people looked over their shoulders, and Leah couldn’t help but get the distinct impression that some of the nearby chatter was going quieter with surreptitious intent. She tried not to grin with embarrassment. “Uhh...Hey, w-why don’t you tell me about how you met Kelly? How long have you two been friends, for?”
Miriam smiled at the question, and was quite easily distracted into telling a relatively lengthy story about how she and Kelly happened to run into each other, over and over again. Miriam, with her frazzled faculties, couldn’t help but repeat points a few times and elaborate endlessly on pointless minutia, but the gist of it all was, she and Kelly simply seemed to persistently run into each other at the best and worst times, aiding each other in times of need and forging a friendship as a result. Sex was a natural consequence, of course, and plenty of it ensued. By the time the story was finally over, Leah had finished eating her breakfast for several minutes, and had simply been waiting for a lull in Miriam’s lurid explanations to finally slow the airheaded woman down. Finally, out of nowhere, Leah felt a tapping on her shoulder, and turned in her seat to find Kelly standing by her in an entirely new, surprising outfit.
The Varani woman stood firm with a proud smirk on her face, a pike longer than she was tall standing by her right side, wrapped under her arm. She wore no helmet over her head, but had tied her long brown hair into a high, thick ponytail, letting it hang down to the nape of her neck. Overtop her sleeveless, strapless shirt and corset combo, she wore a snug steel breastplate fashioned in a smooth, sleek make. The pauldrons were wide and pointed, giving her a more imposing appearance, while the chest had a large, pointed window through the metal. While the triangular window was largely covered over by a flap of chainmail that hung from her gorget, it didn’t cover it entirely, leaving exposed a narrow “V” that showed off some of the woman’s heaving cleavage.
Just around her throat, she had a faded blue scarf loosely looped around her neck and shoulders, partially covering her gorget before hanging free over her upper back. She wore a slick pair of steel vambraces that covered her from her elbows to her wrists, leaving her hands exposed to afford her a better grip on her pike. A steel chainmail fauld went over her skirt, while she wore a pair of steel cuisses and greaves which armoured solely the fronts of her thighs and forelegs, leaving the rears of both covered in leather, affording her legs a more comfortable fit as well as less overall weight to slow her down, with. Giving the armour an erotic twist, she had kept on her black stockings underneath her armour, leaving the tight, lace bands highly visible as they circled her thick thighs.
Completing the outfit were her usual tough pair of leather travelling boots, laced up tight, along with a fat sack of supplies slung over one shoulder in a black leather satchel. Leah was clearly a little taken aback at seeing Kelly armed with such a big weapon, let alone standing there in intimidating armour, like a proper soldier - whether it was because she had become accustomed to Kelly’s more free-spirited corset and skirt combo, or because she had just the night before seen the t-girl dressed up in a leopard-print bra while she laid pipe through an open thong, Leah, herself, couldn’t even begin to guess. Miriam, a wide smile on her face, gave a kind of nonchalant shrug, then commented “Oh. I was almost starting to think you weren’t gonna dust the old set off. I guess that means we’re out the door, huh?”
“Not just yet,” Kelly answered, grinning. She gave Leah a nod, then said “C’mon, hon. We’ve got a date with the quartermaster. She’ll set you up right. Whatever troubles we’re gonna run into, well, you’ll have some armour to go with that rapier, so you’ll never be caught with your pants down.” Leah started to smile from ear to ear. As she stood up and abandoned her breakfast tray, she blurted out “Are you serious? What about the gold?” “All taken care of, don’t you worry about a thing, babe. C’mon, follow me,” Kelly said, giving a sideways nod to point Leah in the right direction. Leah dutifully followed after Kelly as the woman walked off through the mess hall, taking Leah to the hallway opposite the one she always entered from, heading even deeper into the keep.
Kelly guided Leah into a rather large chamber dedicated solely to the art of war, which promptly had the farmgirl looking around with fascination. Weapons and shields adorned the walls, on mounts. Suits of armour stood around the room, filled by full-body mannequins. All manner of melee weapons, from axes to spears, stood in the weapon racks dotting the room, and a grand forge, tall and made of gray stone, was situated in the far, well-ventilated corner, tended to by a burly Varani blacksmith. Kelly brought Leah over to see a Ljosalfar woman behind a nearby counter, whose corner of the room was surrounded by more than a few armour mannequins, and introduced the two, mentioning to the Alfar woman that Leah was the one she had been talking to her about, earlier that morning.
The Ljosalfar woman nodded, looked Leah up and down, and very swiftly came to the conclusion that Leah would be better off with light armour, rather than anything with too much solid metal. At first, Leah couldn’t help but feel a little discouraged by the remark. After remembering that she had gone a week with everyone in the keep looking down their noses at her, she couldn’t help thinking that the conclusion was meant to be an insult. After all, what did the woman mean, that Leah was too weak to handle the weight of a breastplate? Kelly must have picked up on Leah’s negative interpretation, because she eventually leaned in and whispered “She means because you’re using a rapier, by the way. A rapier needs a lot of speed and finesse to use, properly. Armour like mine would only slow you down and tire you out, hon.”
Leah gave a nod, deciding she’d much rather believe Kelly than think the quartermaster was slighting her, straight to her face. When the quartermaster produced a tape measure, Leah stood still as the blue-skinned Alfar measured the width of her shoulders, the width of her waist and hips, the length of her torso, and finally, the circumference of her chest. At that, Kelly spoke up with a smile, mentioning that the quartermaster might want to give Leah something with a chest that can stretch or breathe, since the farmgirl happened to be in the middle of a growth spurt at the moment, and likely wouldn’t stop until she was a few more cup sizes bigger. Better late than never, right?
Leah went a little sheepish for a moment, but the Ljosalfar only nodded and stated her acknowledgement. The Almain elbowed Kelly in the ribs when the quartermaster wasn’t looking, but the Varani only answered with a chuckle and a reassuring pat to the derriere. It took the quartermaster close to twenty minutes to find the suit she was looking for in her armoury and finally pull it out, and when Leah saw it, all doubts in her mind were instantly banished. Kelly and the quartermaster had both been right: something like this was perfect, for her. It was a suit of thin, flexible Trollhide leather armour, a charming dark brown in colouration. Over that was a light, durable layer of silver-steel chainmail, which would protect her from all but the keenest, most brutally powerful slashes.
Alongside it, the quartermaster had produced a pure white surcoat to help protect the chainmail from the elements, which not only hung down to her knees with multiple splits in the material up to her waist to prevent limiting her mobility, but which also included a hood, the fabric of which was trimmed with deep blue. Alongside the surcoat, there was a thick blue sash to wrap around her waist, which would help prevent any breezes from billowing the surcoat about her body. With a smile, the quartermaster stated that the leather cuirass was fitted with numerous straps and buckles, including around the chest area, which allowed the wearer some room to adjust the fit to their own liking. It even came with a pair of matching gauntlets and boots, on top of everything else.
Leah was invited to try the armour on, and with simmering excitement, she followed the instructions of Kelly and the quartermaster, taking off her sword belt before dressing herself in her new gear. With every piece she put on, she felt more and more confident, each added layer of defence making her feel more secure in herself. By the time she was done, she had even started to look like a real adventurer, for the first time in her life. After she had finished tying her sash around her waist, she put her sword belt back on alongside it, then put her hands to her hips and looked at the other two women for their reactions. The quartermaster gave a single nod of approval. Kelly, meanwhile, had a wide, friendly smile on her face, also giving Leah some nods of appreciation.
“Well, look at you,” she commented. “You’re shaping up into a real warrior. Once you get some more experience with that rapier, you’ll be all set.” Leah smiled from ear to ear. “Yeah, get me some tattoos and piercings, and maybe I’ll even get a little respect,” she retorted, giving a carefree shrug. Although the quartermaster seemed to take the remark personally and frowned because of it, she averted her eyes for several moments, as if she felt guilty of that which Leah spoke of. Kelly raised an eyebrow, scoffed, and incredulously commented “You want tattoos? You? Well...That’s a surprise. I wouldn’t have expected that from you, no offense.” “What’s that supposed to mean? I can’t get tattoos, now?” Leah good-naturedly asked, dropping one fist from a hip.
Kelly shifted her weight to one foot, holding the hip she cocked out as she slowly said “Well, I mean, tattoos would be more my thing, I think, or Miriam’s. But, you?...I don’t know, I guess I figured you’d be too shy or nervous for that kind of flashy thing. I always saw you keeping fresh-faced and clean-cut. But, if you’re ser-” “Leah? Is Leah in here? Leah in the armoury?” Kelly trailed off as the call interrupted her. Leah perked up at the voice, echoing loudly from the armoury’s entrance hallway. She had come to recognize the slow, somewhat uppity voice of Idwold, and quickly wondered if he had come because she wasn’t actually supposed to be in the armoury, despite Kelly’s invitation.
For a moment, a great pang of annoyance struck Leah as she imagined one of the Warsworn soldiers, one of the very same who had so snootily ignored her all week long, prancing along through the hallways to tattletale on her to the old man, but she was quick to abandon the bitter reaction, and was even a little surprised with herself for so quickly jumping to conclusions. Instead of reacting blindly upon her emotions, she looked over at Kelly for her guidance, and when she saw the confusion on the Varani’s face, genuine curiosity began to come over Leah’s own. If Kelly was in the dark on this, too, then Idwold calling for her could not have been an expected situation. Whatever it was could have been important, and so, Leah stepped out into the open from the quartermaster’s section, peering over towards the armoury entrance.
Raising a hand, she called back “Yeah, I’m here!” Idwold, face flat in a cold countenance, gave her a single look up and down from a distance, evidently eyeing her new set of armour. He waved her over, and Leah readily complied, followed by Kelly not more than a few feet behind her. Once she was close enough, the old man curtly said “There’s a young man here, looking for you. He came to the keep just a couple minutes ago, said his name was Eli, and said he was looking for his little brother, who called himself “Leah.” I assume he meant you.” Leah’s eyes briefly widened, and then she was momentarily closing them in an unvoiced sigh. Just as curtly, she said “Yeah, that’s me, alright. His little brother. What in Mitharu’s name is he doing all the way out here, with the Brownies prowling Odarath?”
Idwold raised his eyebrows and added “I didn’t ask. It’s none of my business. I told him we had no man here by the name of Leah, but that we did have a young woman looking for entry into our ranks. He wants to see you. He’s in the great hall, whenever you’re ready.” “He should’ve just stayed home. I’m ready now, let’s just go see him,” Leah quickly replied, giving Idwold a subtly weary look. Idwold nodded towards his side. “Follow me, then.” Leah glanced over her shoulder to see if Kelly had followed, then started walking after Idwold as the Varani caught up to her side. Kelly leaned in closer to Leah’s side and, in a low voice, asked “One of your brothers is coming after you? What’s up?” When she looked over, she noticed Leah’s face go melancholic, the corners of her mouth shifting around as she fought a frown.
“Well...Let’s just say I left home, and it was my idea, only. I can only guess he’s here to try and bring me back. It’s...Well, it’s honestly a surprise, but...” Leah swallowed to ease a tensing throat, then mumbled “He should’ve just stayed home, where it was safe. I left to keep them all protected from the Crudok, and he’s making that pointless by coming all the way out here...Although, it’s...No, never mind.” Kelly’s expression turned thoughtful at the dismissal. When Leah’s eyebrows silently arched and her eyes, staring off into the distance, began to go moist, Kelly looked away. She didn’t think to bring the subject up any further. Leah was quick to dab at the corners of her eyes before the trio entered the mess hall, and in the process, Kelly waved Miriam over to join them. It was time to leave.
Leah hadn’t imagined anyone from the farm actually going to the trouble of following after her, least of all Eli, and she had already made up her mind that it was going to be a decidedly uncomfortable situation, especially so as she had no intentions of returning. She was convinced that he would be angry with her and open with stubborn demands that she stop being a fool and return home, but instead, when she saw him standing there by the entrance hallway into the keep, she could only see genuine concern on his face, a very real sense of worry for her well-being. When he saw her, he gave a silent sigh of relief, then threw his arms up by his sides, tiredly calling her name. For a few moments there, Leah found herself feeling a very noticeable sense of relief and gratitude for her new armour.
If not for her relatively loose-fitting cuirass, Eli would no doubt immediately spot her new breasts, and the thought had Leah feeling flooded with embarrassment. Although she told herself she had no reason to feel that way, considering she enjoyed her new bust, the thought of anyone from her family seeing the development had her pinched with a sense of humiliation, perhaps because she didn’t think any of them would be able to accept that sort of change. Growing out a big pair of boobs was not, after all, equivalent to simply putting on some mascara and eyeshadow around the farm, and she would not enjoy having to endure the questions Eli would no doubt throw at her, all while standing there and feeling like he, and by extension her entire family, were judging her.
Idwold separated himself from the three t-girls, leaving Leah to deal with the latest guest to the keep and, gods willing, depart alongside him. Once they were close enough, Leah said “Eli, what in Mitharu’s name are you doing here?” The older Almain raised an eyebrow, a curious look coming over his face. “What dung are you talkin’, boy? I’m here to take you back home, you’ve got everyone worried sick! What in Mitharu’s name were you thinking, running off like this? Especially with the roads like they are now, your mother practically went white when she read your note!” “Boy?” Miriam repeated, a sly smile beginning to grow on her face. Raising a hand to her mouth to cover her smile in a feminine little gesture, she teasingly cooed out “I dunno ‘bout that, man.”
Eli’s brow furrowed as he gave the Dokkalfar a glance bordering on a glare. He looked back at Leah as she gazed into his eyes, trying to sound as patient and soft-spoken as she could as she explained “Eli...I’m sorry, but I don’t want to go back. Look, I don’t think I can explain, but this was the right choice. I thought I made it clear in my letter that this is the best thing for all of us.” Eli gave a brusque sigh, then just as patiently said “You said that, sure, but like you said, you didn’t explain how this is for the best. This isn’t something you can just decide on a whim. Is this about us giving you guff about showing more skin around the farm? Or, is this about Liam saying you belong in a brothel ‘cause of you wearin’ makeup?”
“No, gods.”
“‘Cause you know Pa doesn’t stand for that kind of language. He won’t be able to do it, again.”
“Yeah, I know. It was a jerk thing for him to say, but I’m not running away from home because of that, or anything like that. It’s less melodramatic and more serious than all of that, but that kind of thing is another good reason for me to leave. I’ve been thinking about this for a really long time, Eli. Pretty much ever since you guys took me in. This has been in my head for years, alright? I need room to grow, go my own way, you know?” “Well, then what is it, Leah? You can’t just...Ya can’t just disappear, like that! We’re family, we deserve better than that! Whatever’s gone wrong, we can help, but not if you just take off in the middle of the night!” Eli firmly asserted, beginning to stammer and raise his voice out of annoyance and impatience.
Kelly’s expression turned a bit uncomfortable as the family matters began to surface in greater detail. Miriam, meanwhile, had her ever-present vacant smile, eyes wide and empty. Leah put one hand to her hip, raised the other to her forehead, looked down at the floor, and quietly conceded “I know, but this is something you guys can’t help me, with. I’m not sure if anyone can. I just need to go away, m-maybe it won’t follow me, if I just leave. If I had stayed at the farm, I’m sure that nothing but trouble would’ve come.” “What trouble?! Just tell me! What do you think’s following you?” Eli demanded, throwing his arms up by his sides, his brow furrowing deep. Leah dropped her hand from her forehead, looked up to his eyes, and arched her eyebrows.
“...If I tell you...Alright, if I tell you, you have to promise not to think I’m crazy, because I know what I know, I know I’m not wrong, and I’ve already made up my mind that this is best for everyone. If you don’t like it, fine. You don’t have to, and I’ll understand. But, you can’t make me go back to the farm, either. I’m an adult, now, and I’m free to make my own choices.” “Leah, should we give you two some privacy?” Kelly hastily asked, narrowing an eye as she leaned into Leah’s line of sight, watching the shorter t-girl’s eyes. Leah shook her head, gently answering “No, it’s fine...It’s nothing too personal. Nothing you don’t really already know, anyway. Well, nothing I want to hide from you or Miriam, at least.”
Kelly gave a nod, then stood back up straight. Looking back into Eli’s eyes, Leah’s brow was a touch furrowed as she related the entire unfortunate tale. “Eli, listen, I never told any of you guys the whole story. The day that you found me, years ago - I had been running from a Crudok.”
“So?”
“Let me finish. The place I was born, this little town over in the middle of nowhere, it was attacked, one day. It was an army of Brownies, led by a big Crudok. I think I was the only one who survived what happened, but some people might’ve ran away, o-or...I don’t know.” Leah arched her eyebrows as she firmly insisted “The Crudok spoke to me. Okay? It spoke to me, in common Almain too, and told me that it’d track me down again, some day, and try to kill me. When I heard that an army of Brownies was going around Odarath, I knew. The Crudok’s come back for me, and I need to go. Anywhere I stay, he’ll find me, a-and everyone there will just end up dead. I left to protect you guys, alright?”
Kelly’s expression went noticeably melancholic at the sad story, while Miriam just blinked a couple times, her smile failing to even wilt. Eli’s mouth opened, a couple times, as he tried to interject, but Leah had always continued speaking, never giving him a chance to butt in. By the time she was finished, his brow was furrowed, but not in anger. Now, he was simply contemplative. Leah’s eyes went half-closed as she wearily asked “Can you and the rest fight off a whole army of crazy Brownies, then kill a Crudok smart enough to talk? I’m sure you and Daniel and the rest of the boys might try, but...Those are hopeless odds, and we can just avoid that whole situation. It’s not fair to any of you that that’d even happen, not when the Crudok only really wants me.”
For several long moments, there was a tense silence. Eli and Leah simply stared into each other’s eyes, as if each were waiting for the other to make a comment. Eventually, Eli broke the silence, quietly remarking “...Maybe you’re right. If what you’re saying is true, maybe you’re right. I had no idea that you came from something so bad. Why do you think the Crudok would just let you go, though, only to hunt you down, again? What’s the point? If it had wanted you dead, why not just kill you, right then and there?” Leah futilely threw up her hands, briefly tilting her head to the side as she sighed out “I don’t know, maybe just to have the sick fun of knowing I’ve been living scared, all these years? I didn’t stand around and ask why I wasn’t being eaten, I just ran my little legs until I couldn’t breathe, anymore.”
Miriam blinked, as if coming out of a daze. Looking over at the back of Leah’s head, she commented “Wait, did you say Crudok? Hey Kelly, didn’t you say that that Fae guy mentioned some-?” Kelly cut Miriam off by elbowing her in the ribs, hissing “Later!” out of the corner of her mouth. Eli glanced at Miriam before looking back to Leah’s eyes. Raising one eyebrow, he asked “Why didn’t you ever tell us about that, Leah?” Leah gave a pitiful sigh, her eyes beginning to moisten as she weakly crossed her arms over her stomach. “Why do you think,” she retorted. “That’s not the kind of thing you just forget about. Besides, you guys would’ve just called me crazy, or thought I was looking for attention. Do you realize how often I had nightmares, about it? Feels like practically every other night.”
She internally fought the tears in her eyes, struggling against the response. Quite candidly, she admitted “There were days when I had to really fight leaving, where I had to talk myself down from running away. Some days, I even wondered what the point was in trying to go on, if the Crudok was just going to come after me. But now, I know I made the right choice. If the Crudok’s coming for me, at least he won’t be coming for the rest of you, too.” Eli drew in a deep breath, then slowly sighed it back out. He raised a hand to his forehead, rubbing a couple fingerprints across his skin. Looking down at the floor, he paced off to the side for a few steps, and as he walked back, he said “...Well, what am I supposed to tell the family? Do you want me to tell them everything you’ve said? I mean, you haven’t been givin’ us a lot of credit, so far.”
“You can, if you want. I won’t stop you, and it’s the truth, so it might be enough for them. But, to be honest, Eli, you might be better off sticking around here.” Raising her eyebrows, she uncrossed her arms, her eyes beginning to dry up after a few rapid blinks. “The entire territory is crawling with Brownies, and I don’t mean the usual kind that most town guards could handle. I’m talking about gray ones, ones that pop and go nuts, and start bleeding from their eyes and mouths as they start running faster than a grown human. Those things are strong enough to bash your face in, and they’re all over the place, right now. But, this keep is safe - if you stay with the Warsworn, you should be fine. In fact, if it weren’t so dangerous to travel, I’d say that the whole family should come down here, but they should just stay at the farm, for now.”
Eli momentarily looked off to the side, then asserted “I can’t just stay here, Leah, everyone’s expecting me back. If I don’t show up in a few days, they’ll get worried. They might send someone else out after me, and although my trip to the keep was quiet enough, something might happen to them, instead. I-” “Wait, what? What are you saying? Are you saying you didn’t see a single Brownie on the way over here?” Leah interrupted, eyes narrowing in confusion as she raised a hand, gesturing for him to hold on. Eli’s broad, muscular shoulders gave a little hop as he shrugged. Raising an eyebrow, he commented “A few here and there, but honestly, not more than a couple, and I didn’t see any of these crazy gray ones you mentioned. I was actually kinda surprised, given how Ma and Pa had been hearing bad news about the roads, for a while.”
Leah looked off into the distance, deep in thought. With open suspicion, she gave a simple “Huh.” Kelly finally spoke up again, confidently saying “Well, anyway, you’d definitely be safer here than travelling anywhere on your own, right now. We saw Brownies on our own trip here, so we know what Leah’s talking about. Right, Miri?” Miriam simply nodded dumbly in agreement. Eli was about to respond when Leah chimed in, raising her eyebrows high as she said “Look, Eli, I don’t want you getting hurt, and I know it’s safer for you here than on the roads-” “Says the boy who looks like he’s ready to go out on the roads! What about you, where are you going?” Eli interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Anywhere,” Leah stated, quite matter-of-factly. “Anywhere where the Crudok can’t get to me, or find me. Anywhere where I don’t have to worry about getting everyone around me killed. I don’t care where it is.” Eli slowly sighed, again. After a couple moments of thought, he remarked “...Well, when do you think this’ll be over? Do you ever plan on coming back to the farm, or is this actually goodbye?” Leah swallowed some excess saliva to steady her throat, then mumbled “Probably won’t be over until either the Crudok is dead, or I am. But, yeah...Maybe one day, whenever it looks like things have gotten safer, I’ll come back to the farm, at least for a visit. That’d be nice...But, not until this is over.”
Eli nodded, then slowly said “Well...Stay safe, huh? I know I always gave you guff for bein’ girly and givin’ goo-goo eyes to other boys, but you’ll always be my little brother, to me. Don’t get into any trouble you won’t be able to explain to Ma and Pa, huh?” “I’ll try, and I won’t. You’ll...You’ll always be my big brother, Eli. Nothing can change that, but this is all for the best. Trust me, on that.” Eli gave a nod. She stepped in, and he opened his arms. The two hugged each other for a few seconds before releasing, and without another word, Leah walked past him and made for the entrance gate, followed by Kelly and Miriam. Eli turned and watched the trio until the gate had been raised, allowing the three t-girls to walk out into the morning sunlight.
“...Just let me round up my stuff, and I’ll be ready to go wherever,” Leah said, not looking at her two companions as she made for her nearby campsite. Kelly and Miriam followed the farmgirl to her previous resting spot, which had gone both unused, and thankfully untouched, the night before. As Leah squatted down and collected her things, Kelly watched the girl with a subdued, morose look on her face. As casually as she could, she asked “So...Hey. You feeling alright?” “What? Oh, yeah, uh, I’m fine,” Leah absentmindedly answered, pausing to glance over her shoulder. Looking back at her stuff, she quietly added “Like I said before, I wasn’t expecting to see him. It’s dangerous, and I thought my letter would be enough, for them...I guess some part of me expected they wouldn’t care enough to do anything about me leaving.”
“They’re your family, though, I mean...That was a bit tense,” Kelly pointed out, a bit of an uncomfortable look creeping up onto her face. “I know. It’s good to see I was wrong,” Leah answered, her voice noticeably tightening. Kelly quietly watched her for a couple seconds, then repeated her initial question. “...You okay?” Leah nodded, but she didn’t turn her head. She didn’t want either of them to see the glisten in her eyes. Instead, she quietly rounded up her stuff, subtly wiped at her eyes with the backs of her hands, then stood up, pulling her backpack over her shoulders. When she turned around and faced them, she looked from Kelly to Miriam, putting on a bright smile.
Kelly was watching her eyes, but Miriam, she noticed, was staring up high, brow furrowed. Her lips in a flat line, she abruptly remarked “You know, I’m getting a little tired of seeing those damn owls, everywhere.” Kelly glanced at her, raised an eyebrow, and followed her line of sight to a tree above Leah. The farmgirl, too, raised an eyebrow, turning around to try and spot the offending creature. There it was, safely sitting high out of reach in a nearby tree: an unmistakably Fae owl, with feathers coloured and patterned like tree bark, eyes glowing yellow as it watched them in an unblinking stare.
Leah raised her eyebrows. Her throat less tense now, she nonchalantly remarked “Oh, yeah, those things. I think I saw a couple of them on my way to Shieldring. It’s funny, I can’t remember ever seeing an owl Fae, before. Weird, huh?” “Yeah, real weird,” Miriam remarked, open suspicion in her tone. A moment later, the owl had opened it’s wings, tilted itself forward into some open space, and took off with a strong beat of it’s arms, silently throwing itself away from the tree. Out of the three, Miriam was the only one who truly focused on the owl and watched where it went, turning her head and then her body as it flew off behind them. It kept surprisingly low, and within seconds, the apparent destination became clear.
Miriam’s eyes went as wide as saucers, her jaw dropping as she sucked in an audible gasp. The owl flew away from the entrance platforms of the keep, went across the cobbled road next to the fortress, and came to a comfortable stop on the outstretched wrist of a black-robed figure, facing them from afar. The hood of the robe was pulled up, shadowing away the figure’s face, hiding their identity. Gleaming silver gauntlets adorned their hands, with boots reinforced over the front with the same metal visible at the bottom of the robe. Finally, hanging from a loop at the robe’s side was an impressive mace, forged from a black metal with silver flanges, the dangerous edges glinting under the sunlight.
Miriam’s brow promptly sank deep, her eyes lighting up as her teeth went on edge in a snarl. The Dokkalfar furiously barked “That’s him!” before taking off in a sprint, pulling her greatsword from beneath her cape before she had taken more than five paces. “What? Who-?” Kelly mumbled in confusion, hastily turning around, eyes shifting about as she sought out whatever had upset the elf. She and Leah spotted the robed figure at almost the same time, noticing them only when the owl promptly took back off from their wrist and disappeared into the trees. A second later, the figure was bolting to the side, racing off down the road. Miriam leapt down the stairway leading up to the keep’s entrance platform, hitting the ground so hard she nearly collapsed, stumbling for several steps before regaining her balance.
She never stopped running, even at the risk of throwing herself off of her own feet. Kelly’s eyes widened as she, too, began chasing. Whatever had gotten into Miriam was clearly serious. Holding her pike horizontally across her front with both hands, she called out “Miri, stop! He’s baiting you!” Leah, too, started chasing after the enraged Dokkalfar, holding the hilt of her sheathed rapier to keep it steady at her side, ready to pull it free as soon as the chase had ended. The Warsworn guards standing watch at the fortress entrance observed the spectacle with bemusement, but did not consider it any of their business, and so chose not to involve themselves. Miriam, panting, yelled out “What did you do to me? Huh?! Stop running!”
The figure kept racing into the distance, keeping a steady pace ahead of Miriam, their feet pounding into the dirt so hard that they kicked up small clouds of dust with each stomp. The figure looked over their shoulder as best they could while sprinting at top speed, seemingly checking to make sure how many people besides Miriam were chasing after them. The figure looked straight ahead a moment later, then swerved towards their right, veering straight off of the path and into the trees. Miriam followed, without hesitation. Kelly knew by the blatantly evasive move that the three of them were being drawn into a trap, but it was already too late to stop Miriam from following, and Kelly wasn’t about to abandon her.
Leah, for her part, couldn’t see the incoming trap, and simply thought the figure was hoping to lose them in the trees. She followed Kelly as the Varani pulled off of the established path and ran into the brush, doing her best to duck and avoid the low-hanging branches of the trees that swallowed them, flanking them all on every side. The chase lasted several minutes, with the robed figure taking Miriam up and down a couple hills, over a narrow stream, and finally, into a small clearing between some trees. At last, the figure tired of running. They slid to a stop, pivoting around on their heels to face Miriam, thrusting up an arm in her direction. Miriam never stopped, murder in her eyes as she raised her greatsword over her shoulder.
The figure’s hand was surrounded by tiny twinkles of yellow light, and a split-second later, Miriam gave a cry, her face going astonished as a yellow aura surrounded her body, freezing her in place. The figure raised his arm, telekinetically lifting Miriam into the air, then threw his arm to the side, tossing the Dokkalfar aside with the grip of his magic. Miriam cascaded through open air until she struck a tree, slamming against it hard enough to knock the wind from her lungs. The magic persisted, holding her in place. She tried to struggle and jerk her limbs, but she had been veritably paralyzed from the neck down, leaving her pinned and helpless to the thick tree. Kelly came charging into the clearing just in time to see Miriam thrown aside, and readied her pike to run the robed figure through, holding it steady by her side as she barrelled towards him.
The robed figure gave a smart sidestep, allowing the tip of Kelly’s pike to harmlessly shoot past their side. Before Kelly could react, the robed figure spun around on a heel, then thrust out an arm by their side. The flashy, and in practical terms, both unnecessary and self-endangering move, nonetheless added more momentum to the clothesline Kelly took to the throat. The unexpected attack struck the Varani so hard that she crumpled to the ground, the woman holding her throat with one hand as she struggled to recover, fighting to rise back to her feet. Leah unsheathed her rapier, and although she hesitated at first, she eventually advanced on the robed figure, ready to thrust her slender blade into their assailant’s chest.
The robed figure didn’t even give her a chance to push her hand out. They raised their hand, instantly capturing Leah in the same paralytic magic that had ensnared Miriam. A cold wave washed over Leah’s body as the magic numbed her muscles, and when the figure thrust their arm forwards towards her, she felt her entire body shift backwards several feet, putting greater distance between the two opponents. The figure turned to Kelly and abruptly began speaking, bluntly stating “Hold. I mean you no harm. I’m leaving you unbound because I can sense that you’re the least directly tainted of the three of you. Restrain yourself, mortal, and I’ll explain.”
“M...Mortal?” Kelly repeated in a gasp, struggling to ease her throbbing windpipe. The figure raised their hand and slipped back their hood with a neat sweep across the top of their head. Miriam’s brow furrowed in bewilderment, while Leah simply stared in curiosity. Kelly’s eyes narrowed in confusion at what she saw. Standing over her was a Fae, and most peculiarly, he obviously belonged to the Court of Winter. Unlike the local Summer Fae, with their green skin and typically bright, colourful hair, this Fae had skin coloured dark purple, while his long, shoulder-length hair was as stark white as fresh snow. Unlike some Fae, his sclera were white, while his irises were a fine golden hue. Besides those colourations, however, he looked just like any other Fae: gaunt, severe, and fairly well-aged, by mortal standards.
Miriam, still doing her best to struggle against her bondage, yelled out “I know who you are! You were there when I changed! You made it happen!” As Kelly got up to her feet, the Fae turned his head towards the restrained Alfar. Turning his body, he took a few confrontational paces towards her, firmly retorting “No, mortal, anything that’s happened to you, you made it happen. I was simply trying to prevent your folly. I was too late to stop you, and I can’t help you, right now. However, I can give you advice you sorely need from the looks of things, advice Hallam tried to give you, which you’ve so carelessly ignored.” “Wh...What’re you talking about?!” Miriam replied, her voice slowly calming as clear confusion overtook her.
“Avoiding everyone?” Kelly asked, looking intently at the Fae. He turned back around and faced her, flatly stating “Yes. You really should’ve paid heed to his warning. Now, more people have been exposed. Everywhere you go, mortals, you spread the taint further. Such as it is, I need to keep myself distant from the two of you bleeding the magic into your surroundings.” “What? What do you mean? Bleeding what?” Leah blurted out, her eyes going wide and fearful. Kelly’s face went blank as realization dawned on her. The Fae looked over at Leah and stated “You’re a new one, sadly. I was only tracking the Dokkalfar, she was the one spreading the majority of the taint. However, now you’re in the same boat...I’m not sure why. Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t change anything.”
“Her piercings,” Kelly mumbled, looking over at Leah. All the farmgirl could mumble was “W-What? I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” The Fae’s lips pursed before he looked over at Kelly, demanding “She has an escorcelled object in her possession, then?” Kelly blinked, brow furrowing a touch as she kept calm and answered “Yeah, I think so. A pair of nipple rings. I, uh, I picked them up off of a travelling mage, a few months back. He said they’d grow breasts on anything that they were pierced into, but I had already grown mine through alchemy, so I never bothered using them. I just hung on to them for all this time before giving them to Leah. I had no idea the magic in them was a problem, I just...”
The Fae didn’t react to the eccentricities of the mortal sexuality. Instead, he simply looked over to Leah and solemnly said “I’m sorry to tell you this, mortal, but these piercings of your’s are most assuredly touched by chaos magic, same as the pendant your Alfar friend stumbled across. If you aren’t purged of it in time, you will, at the very least, lose your sanity.” At first, Leah could only blink at the very blunt declaration. She was going to lose her mind? Eventually, she quietly mumbled “...Wuh...What?” “I don’t believe you! You did this to me, don’t try to lie! I heard you mumbling to yourself when you came up behind me!” Miriam accused, nearly baring her teeth in fresh anger.
The Fae turned towards her once more, clearly beginning to lose his patience as he retorted “I was trying to shield you, mortal, from your own very foolish mistake. Do you realize what that pendant was? It was the Charm of Pelinal, an artifact long cursed with Niskaru chaos magic. Here’s a history lesson, Alfar: Pelinal was an Almain warlord who lived centuries ago, and spent much of his time personally battling the malformed terrors of pure chaos - many believe his prowess came from that very pendant. In rage, a Niskaru Lord threw a curse upon the pendant, and Pelinal was eventually driven mad by it, forcing his council of advisors to slay him before he led them into a hopeless war against the Corthian Empire. Simply by touching it, you took the brunt of the curse’s remaining power into yourself, where it has festered and bred inside your body, ever since. You plague every place you go to, and infect everybody you come into contact with.”
Miriam simply stared in blank confusion at the Fae, clearly having had a difficult time keeping up with his lengthy explanation. “What about me?” Leah nervously asked, prompting the Fae to look over at her. He gave a single shake with his head, stating “I wouldn’t know without first witnessing the relics with my own eyes, or consulting with my lord, Great Attiru. Suffice it to say, these piercings of your’s were also touched by chaos magic - I can sense it bleeding off of you, even as we speak.” Kelly looked over at Leah, blurting out “Leah, I, I’m so sorry, please, I didn’t know! We have to get those piercings off of you, screw the boobs, babe! It’s not worth it!” Kelly quickly walked towards Leah, but the Fae swiftly stopped her.
He snapped out “Don’t bother, it’s already too late. Besides, the only hope she has of being cleansed lies in those very piercings, so you’d have to hold on to them, anyway. I can help you, but it will take some time before I can get to the Almain. The Dokkalfar must receive aid more quickly. My friends in this area have been studying the Charm of Pelinal ever since I retrieved it from the Bolgen treasure horde, some time ago. It has been slowgoing, but as soon as they have their first breakthrough, others will become easier to help.” Kelly stared at the Fae as she hurriedly said “Hang on a second, wait, start from the top. Who are you? Were you following us? How did you know where we were? Were those owls your’s?”
The Fae crossed his arms over his chest, meeting Kelly’s severe gaze with one of his own. “If you insist. I am Malchiorn, Fae of the Court of Winter, former member of the House of Pride, and loyal attendee of Attiru, the Tree of Knowledge. I am native to the land of Klurikon, and my Telling holds a good many deeds, including the slaying of Khruzikal, the Niskaru Sling-Master.” He nodded once, then said “Yes, I was following you. I had to. You were sowing the taint everywhere you went, you needed to be stopped. I knew where you were because the chaos magic radiating from the Almain and Dokkalfar would be quite obvious to anyone with even a passing sensitivity to magic forces, I would imagine. It makes you very simple to track, and it’s also, unfortunately, exposed everyone you’ve come into contact with to a deadly form of eroding magic.”
“Not all is lost, however. Brief, superficial exposures frequently do not end up in any manifestation of symptoms. If we’re lucky, you two may not have begat a plague upon the region. The little feathered ones were, indeed, my eyes and ears on your journey. They’re faster than me, and can watch unnoticed, untouched by the taint. If you will not heed Hallam’s warning, heed mine, for I will not give you a second: stay away from heavily populated areas. Stay away from all other mortals, entirely, if you can help it. Every person you come into contact with is touched by chaos magic, and could react unpredictably, inside and out. Have a bit of altruism and try not to give every mortal in Odarath a chance at your same fate, will you?”
Kelly’s jaw tightening at the veiled threat. To Kelly’s surprise, Leah was the one who asked the next big question that should’ve been on her, and Miriam’s, minds. Brow furrowed in confusion, she asked “Why would a Fae from all the way out in Klurikon come all the way out here?” Malchiorn stared at her, for a moment, before coolly relating his tale. “You weren’t my original targets. You see, part of my Telling is a great deed I accomplished for the House of Sorrows, far from here in eastern Klurikon, near the border of the Faelands. Once, there was a Greater Crudok who had amassed an unusually large following of Brownie underlings, such that it became a threat to all of the surrounding lands. I slew it, and so it was. We repeated this cycle a great many times, but the last time I went to slay the beast, I found...Nothing.”
As usual, Leah’s blood ran cold at the mention of a Crudok. Malchiorn paced off to the side, gesturing with a brief swing of his hand as he hastily said “The world is changing. Fae are changing, fading in the wake of mortal magic and the influence of Gadflow’s new god. Our time on this world is over. Most Winter Fae were converted, or never returned from Esharra. The House of Sorrows is gone. The House of Vengeance was defiled by Gadflow, then annihilated by your mortal Siege Breaker. The Gallows Tree was violated by the Tuatha Deohn. The Sorrows, themselves, were nearly used to commit unspeakable atrocities upon the Tuatha’s enemies. Niskaru were brazenly summoned into Amalur by Gadflow’s Prismere priests. The only surviving House of the Winter Court is the House of Pride, crushed and pathetic. When I went to do battle with my Crudok foe, I found his lair empty.”
“Such a change should not be possible, to so flagrantly deviate from our Tellings...But, so it was. The Crudok had taken his army of Brownies and had begun migrating.” “To where? Here?” Leah blurted out. Malchiorn gave a nod. “First the Plains of Erathell, then Dalentarth as well as Odarath.” Kelly looked downwards in thought, then lightly held out a hand in Leah’s direction as she said “...Leah’s home was attacked by a Crudok, when she was young. She thinks she was the only survivor, and that the Crudok is now hunting after her.” Malchiorn gave a nod, stating “I know. So do my friends. That was my quarry. I’m also sorry to say that the magic you three have been touched by has also made it easier for it to track you, just as it was for me.”
Leah’s chin quivered, for a moment, before she offered “D-Did you know that it could speak? Because everybody I talk to looks at me like I’m crazy, when I say that.” Malchiorn raised one eyebrow high. At first, he looked sidelong at her, speaking as he turned to face her. “Speak, you say? Speak, how?” “I mean, talk in common Almain. It talked to me, said it would let me run away, but that it would see me again later on, and...Uh, s-something about, “we’ll see whose weave unravels, your’s or mine?” Malchiorn’s brow furrowed deep, his eyes dropping to the ground in thought. After a couple moments, he, quite flatly, uttered “No...Cognitive speech is not possible by any Fae animal, let alone my quarry. But, it does make sense, when all factors are considered.”
“What’s that supposed to mean,” Miriam ventured to ask, significantly more calm, this time around. Malchiorn raised his eyebrows, looked over at her, and patiently explained. “It’s not much of a secret that ever since your Siege Breaker slew Gadflow in Alabastra, Fate, itself, appears to have simply vanished. Those who could once see the threads of Fate’s Weave, no longer can.” Leah’s eyes started to go rather wide at the idea, while her mouth began to hang open. Malchiorn continued. “It’s still too early to say how this situation will turn out, or if it’s even permanent, but for the time being, it would seem as if nothing has a destiny, anymore. Everyone can choose their own path. So it was with Prismere, it would seem, and the influence of Gadflow’s god - so it might have been with our Crudok.”
Kelly stared at Malchiorn, trying to gauge his honesty. Fate, gone? Nobody had a destiny, anymore? What could make such a thing possible? Malchiorn paced off to the side, thinking aloud as he said “My opponent deviated from our path even before Gadflow’s downfall, so...It may have been touched by Prismere, and been inspired to walk a new path. I have heard tell from the House of Ballads that just such a thing may have also occurred with the Maid of Windemere, sadly enough. With Fate now unwritten, the Crudok would have no real reason to go back to our old pattern, besides the inclination for repetition that all Fae possess, lest we forget the immeasurable past. Hmm...That would not explain the sudden ability for speech, however, or the sentience that that would stipulate. Curious.”
Leah’s lips were flat. Her eyes, now dull and empty, stared down on the ground. Eventually, she slowly looked up at Malchiorn, then mumbled “...Can you help me? If you can’t, just let me go.” Kelly looked over. She had never seen that sort of fatigue in Leah’s face, before, and it was nothing if not worrisome. She looked positively crushed. The normally bright, happy farmgirl had clearly been weighed down by the Fae’s careless, if well-meaning, pieces of advice, and she obviously dreaded even asking for help, lest the answer be negative and dash even that tiny ray of hope. Malchiorn raised a hand and rubbed at his sharp chin, then said “I can help you with the chaos magic inside your body, yes. I can’t this moment, but soon, hopefully.”
“The Dokkalfar will come first, then you, then the Varani, here. After that, my friends in the Clementine Cathedral will need to keep watch over Odarath for any cases you three may have inadvertently created.” Giving Leah a nod, he added “Hold on to those piercings of your’s - they’re linked to you, we’ll need them to revert you to a cleansed state. If you lose them, we may not be able to help you, completely.” Leah gave a tired nod, then began staring at the ground again. Not even the news of incoming aid could bring light back to her eyes. “That’s great, but what about the Crudok?” Kelly asked, watching the Fae’s face. “I mean, you’ve already killed this thing dozens of times, right? You could just kill it again, couldn’t you?” Malchiorn quietly looked down at the ground, then looked up to Kelly’s eyes. “I honestly do not know, mortal,” he admitted.
Kelly’s face started to go surprised. Leah, too, looked even more crestfallen. Malchiorn’s brow furrowed as he explained further, confessing “Before, my quarry was always destined to be defeated in our conflict. Now, the Crudok is not bound to Fate any longer, and may conceivably defeat me. Ordinarily, I would have confidence in my skills, but if the Crudok has been touched by some additional magic...It may have been empowered as well as emboldened, and I may be of no help. Still, this is my problem, and as has been advised by the Great Attiru, I am needed to end the threat the Crudok poses to Odarath.” “Do you know where it is, then? Are you certain that it’s in Odarath?” Leah asked, a bit of life finally working back into her eyes.
The Fae nodded, resolutely. “It has travelled far and wide across Amalur, in the years since the destruction of your home. It has returned. I know with certainty that it’s hiding somewhere in Odarath, but I don’t know where, precisely. The gray Brownies, native to Klurikon, are it’s vanguards. It collects the Crudok’s prey and returns them to it, that it might feed. I can’t for the life of me think of why it would take such an interest in you, particularly. For a mortal, tormenting an individual for so long might be feasible as some sick game, but for a Fae?...Such a thing would be stranger than fiction.” Raising his eyebrows, Malchiorn glanced from face to face, asking “Quickly, now. What are your names?”
“I’m Leah,” the farmgirl wearily answered. Giving Kelly a nod, she said “That’s Kelly, and the Alfar is Miriam.” Malchiorn nodded. Looking resolutely into Leah’s eyes, he stated “I need you three to swear me an oath. Promise me that you will avoid settlements, and any large congregation of your fellow mortals. I can help you with your problem, but in exchange, you need to help me by limiting the spread. I can’t promise you how long it might take, but if you find yourself in dire straits, come to the Clementine Cathedral in Dalentarth. I would recommend keeping a close eye on Miriam - as she’s the most enriched by far, she’ll be the first to physically or psychologically deteriorate. The chaos magic bleeding off of her may even attract Niskaru to her location, so you must be prepared at all times.”
“Huh?” Miriam mumbled, pulling an aggressively confused face, curling a lip up while narrowing her eyes. Leah would’ve shrugged, if she could. “I don’t really have a choice, do I? I promise, I’ll keep away from towns, and stuff like that,” she mumbled. Kelly nodded, saying “I’ll keep an eye on Miriam, as well as Leah. I’ll try to keep us away from crowds, as much as possible. What should we do, in the meantime?” “Keep travelling the wilds,” Malchiorn immediately responded, raising an eyebrow. He swept his arm out in Leah and Miriam’s direction, flexing his hand at each of them, as if he were grabbing something off of them. Instantly, their magical bonds lifted, leaving them free to move, once more.
Before he turned and left, Malchiorn added “Don’t stay in any one place for too long. Anywhere you stay becomes more steeped in chaos. The Crudok can easily send his Brownies after you, if you make yourselves obvious. Keep moving, I’ll find you when I need to. My little feathered friends will be watching you, in the meantime.” Leah slowly sheathed her rapier, watching the Fae turn and begin walking away. Before he was out of earshot, she called out “Does it have a name?” Malchiorn stopped, partially turned around, and called back “Unless it’s chosen for itself a new name, you may call it Asmodeus!”
Leah held her breath for a second, then gave a sigh. Asmodeus. Just the name, alone, had a shiver going down her spine. Kelly looked over at Miriam, then Leah. The Dokkalfar, too, looked over at the farmgirl. After all that, what now?

(Author's Note - Hey guys, here’s another Mask Comes Off chapter, sorry it took so long to come out! I’ve been in the middle of a move for the last while, so it’s been difficult to find opportunities to post work. As you can see by the original date written at the start of the chapter, I actually wrote this a while ago, but I finally found a chance to post it:D. Hope you enjoyed it! As well, I wrote up some sexuality bios for each of the Mask girls in my writing thread, including their physical sizes, greatest kinks, ultimate fantasies, favourite sex positions, etc. If you like the girls in the story and would like to get a peek into their private naughty spots, you can find their bios here! Sorry for the ugly link, but I'm still not sure how to properly format links in the Adult Fanfiction textbox. Just, scroll down a bit, you'll find it on that page:D.
http://forums.hentai-foundry.com/viewtopic.php?t=52354&start=120&sid=e5a5b9a66d78965774b5ed7be7abcb54
So, in this chapter, we see the fun aftermath of Leah losing her virginity to Kelly, and Kelly getting Leah a suit of armour to wear. After that, the black-robed figure that had been following after Kelly and Miriam makes his presence known, and the Fae offers a couple different revelations: Leah and Miriam have both been tainted by chaos magic, and they have been infecting every place and person they came into contact with, touching them with a very dangerous energy that only serves to gnaw at people, physically as well as psychologically. Unless help comes to them, their fates are sealed, and not just anyone can aid in the purification of chaos magic. Kelly, by virtue of spending so much time around them both, has also been tainted, to a lesser extent.
As well, Malchiorn reveals what he knows of the Crudok’s origins, but it only raises further questions about what caused the creature’s rise in intelligence, as well as what, exactly, it wants with Leah. After having such a hard week, hearing the news that she’s doomed to at least insanity, unless she gets help, was clearly a harsh blow to Leah. When Malchiorn leaves, the trio are unsure of what to do going forward, aside from avoiding other people to try and prevent an outbreak of chaos magic. What will happen with Farrah and Astraia, in the next chapter:o? Could they be on the trail to further answers in this mystery? I really hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! If you did, please consider leaving some feedback, it’s always very encouraging to hear from readers:). If you have requests or ideas for sex scenes, lay them on me!
Stay tuned for the next chapter, whenever it comes out:D! It won’t take as long as this one did, I can promise you thatX).)
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The Mask Comes Off