Chapter 2

The Gathering Storms

Asuka pulled herself out of the water, dripping wet. Behind her, Grimm, Fasad, and Hei were all getting unsteadily to their feet, wobbly after having been adrift for hours. Hei fell, and immediately threw up all over the beach. Groaning, he slowly pulled himself to his feet, wiping his mouth. "I never, EVER want to be on water again EVER."

Asuka barely heard him, instead scanning the shoreline for any signs of Kira. Not seeing any evidence of his presence, she decided it was time to inform the king of the current situation. "Hei, Grimm, come here. I need a transmission spell to King Tristam." Hei and Grimm acknowledged, quickly performing the necessary chants and gestures to establish a connection. Soon, King Tristam's image appeared floating above the shimmering sand.

"King Tristam. I'm afraid we've run into some… difficulties on our mission." Asuka said, bowing her head.

"Oh? How so, Asuka?"

"While following the disappearance of the villagers across the ocean to Geffen, were attacked by a kraken, and in the midst of the confusion, Prince Kiravak has disappeared. I suspect that the new ruler of Glastheim is responsible, but currently we are stranded on Geffen with no supplies. I would like to request the aid of the Golden Eagles."

King Tristam was visibly upset about the disappearance of his son and heir, but he still kept a clear and cool head. As king, he was forced to put personal feelings behind duty to the country. "Very well. I will dispatch the Golden Eagles immediately. I will have them meet you in the mercenary town of Izlude. Be careful, Asuka. Getting there with only two swordsman trainees will not be easy."

"I will not fail you, my king. I WILL find Prince Kiravak." The King nodded, and the image disappeared. Turning, Asuka called to the rest of the group. "Well, we should get going. Judging by the position of the sun, Izlude should be a day's travel from here to the northwest. If we follow the shoreline we should be able to find it."

Fasad scoffed. "Lady, who are you to tell me what to do? My obligation was only to get you and your group here. Now, if you'd be so kind, I'll take my payment, and be on my way."

Asuka's first instinct was to slam this impertinent rogue to the ground, but held her temper. "Listen you worthless merc, your job is over when I say it's over. Not only did you almost get us killed, but you managed to lose one of our members. You'll get paid once Kira is safe and sound back amonst us, and not a moment sooner!"

Fasad involuntarily backed up a few steps, seeing a dangerous glint in the blademaster's eye. "Very well. But I expect to be handsomely rewarded when this is all over."

Choosing to ignore him, Asuka once again spoke to the group. "Now then, it's time for us to be on our way." The others quickly fell in behind her, heading further along the beach.

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Castle Glastheim, dungeon

Kira once again felt himself slowly waking. This time, however, he was careful to move slowly. And sure enough, he was once again restrained, though this time by chains. Tilting his head, he found himself once again naked, on his back strapped to a stone altar, in a dank and cold room that was feebly lit by candles placed around the altar. The room reeked of blood, and Kira barely stopped himself from throwing up.

"So, the little toy is awake now?" A terrifyingly familiar voice crooned from the darkness. Kira watched helplessly as Cheaga emerged from the shadows. The Queen of Darkness had changed her outfit. Now she was clad in knee high black boots, a black leather miniskirt that barely covered her, a brassier that her breasts were doing their best to burst out of, and a choker around her neck. She sauntered her way up to Kira, circling the altar, a malicious gleam in her eyes.

"Vile woman, release me now! I am Prince Kiravak, heir to the Pronteran throne, and I will not be treated like this!"

"Ahhhh, but it's exactly because you are Prince Kiravak that you are here!" Cheaga chuckled. "After all, I DO plan on making Prontera my playground. And can you think the chaos, the weakness it will cause when their one and only prince disappears? What could be more perfect?"

"Prontera? Yours? NEVER! And you'll never be able to hold me. My warriors will be here soon to put an end to you!"

"Your servants, huh? Tell me, little doll, who might they be?" Cheaga approached Kira's head, tilting her ear towards him in mock attention.

"You think I'd tell you?"

"No, I didn't, and that's the fun! If you won't willingly tell me, perhaps some… convincing is in order." Cheaga grinned evilly, and walked behind Kira, out of his sight. Thinking that she left, Kira lay back, closing his eyes, attempting to gather his strength. But suddenly, he felt a searing pain on his arm, and his eyes flew open, a howl escaping from his lips. Turning his head, he saw a spot of now quickly congealing wax on his arm. Looking up, he saw Cheaga standing next to him, a candle held between two delicate fingers.

"So my little slaveboy, now will you behave and tell me?"

"Never!"

"Oh how I love that answer!" Cheaga giggled with almost girlish delight. She tipped the candle again, and this time the burning wax landed on Kira's chest. Kira did his best to hold back the pain, but a tormented groan still escaped. "Come now, just tell me, and it can stop. After all, we wouldn't want to ruin this wonderful body would we?" Cheaga asked, trailing a finger gently down Kira's chest, causing him to shudder. But when he still refused to answer, the smile dissapeared, and this time Cheaga let a particularly large glob fall right on his ear.

Kira's whole body tensed, as the white hot flash of pain pierced his skull, and stars exploded in front of his eyes. He bit his lips, drawing blood, determined not to make a sound this time. For what seemed like an eternity, every muscle in his body contracted, as every nerve in his ear screamed at him.

Cheaga frowned. The prince was strong, she gave him that much. He could take the pain. And as much as she enjoyed his suffering, she didn't want to damage him too badly… yet. This called for a slightly different approach. Reaching behind her, she deftly undid the brassier, letting it fall down her arms and releasing her ample breasts. Bending over Kira, she softly wrapped them around his member, enveloping it.

Kira's eyes, which had been closed in pain, snapped open. Once again, he found himself responding to Cheaga's actions. He moaned as she slid her breasts up and down, the friction against his shaft heavenly. Cheaga used her hands to press her breasts together, creating a warm tunnel for Kira. She shifted, and dragged her hard nipples over his thighs, causing him to shiver. She then bent down, and took the head of his shaft into her mouth, running her tongue over the tip. The sensation was too much for Kira, and he stiffened, shooting his cum into Cheaga's mouth, a silent moan despite his best efforts.

Cheaga hungrily swallowed his offering, and, rising, smiled. "Oh, but we aren't done yet, slaveboy." So saying, she climbed onto the altar, and straddled Kira's prone form, lifting her skirt and revealing the fact that she wasn't wearing any panties. Taking Kira's cock, she gently rubbed it until it once again stood at attention. She then lowered herself onto it, letting it penetrate her, slowly sliding into her wetness.

Kira moaned as he felt Cheaga lowering herself onto him, his cock eveloped by her warm wetness. She was incredibly tight, her pussy gripping his shaft. Soon, he was entirely buried inside her, their hips joined.

Cheaga luxuriated in the feeling of Kira's hot member inside of her, completely filling her. For a goody two shoes prince, he was well endowed, better than most of her slaves. She raised and lowered herself, gyrating her hips, grinding against him, impaling herself on him. She closed her eyes, letting the waves of pleasure take over her. She sped up, feeling the pleasure build, her arousal quickly increasing, until at last it reached the peak, and a powerful orgasm crashed through her, spreading through her body, warming her extremities, her whole body on fire.

Kira felt her contracting around him as she came, her pussy gripping and squeezing his member, and it sent him once more over the edge. His back arched, lifting him off the altar, as he came inside of her, almost passing out again from the pleasure.

But Cheaga didn't stop. The feeling of Kira coming inside of her had just increased her arousal, and she continued to ride him, using him to pleasure herself, not caring about how he felt. She put her hands against his chest, her nails digging into his skin, drawing blood, repeated orgasms washed over her.

For Kira, it was too much. He felt his grip on reality slipping, falling back into a deep, dark hole. But as he did, he was surprised to see a light surrounding him, an aura that he wasn't sure was real. Unable to hold on any longer to consciousness, he fell back against the altar, gone.

Cheaga slowly climbed off of Kira, having finally satisfied her lust. She felt herself dripping, and cleaned herself with another wave of her hand. It was so convenient being a sorceress. But, more importantly, the combined sexual energy from herself and Kira had activated the altar's innate ability, projecting Kira's thoughts and memories above him. She quickly and expertly went through it, seeking out what she wanted. Soon, she found his memories of the so called Red Lions. Studying them, she decided that Grimm and Hei posed no threats. This Asuka, on the other hand… there was something about her…

Cheaga snapped her fingers. Immediately, a shadow darker than dark appeared, soon forming into the figure of a man. He irradiated pure evil, draining what meager light there was in the room, flickering in and out of sight.

"Anubite, my loyal knight, I have a mission for you. A group of Pronterans are approaching my castle. Learn what you can about them. Study them. And then, eliminate them. All but one… the girl. I want her alive."

The shadowy figure bowed, then rose. "Yes, my mistress. As you command." As quickly as it appeared, the shadow was gone again, to sow death and destruction.

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Izlude

Asuka, Fasad, Grimm, and Hei finally stumbled into the town of Izlude, exhausted after a full day of trekking. Their armor, which had been shined and polished, were now completely dented and dirtied. They had met dozens of monsters on their journey, ranging from the annoying but otherwise harmless pixies, to the dangerous and notoriously difficult to kill junior balrogs.

"My my my, Asuka, whatever happened to you? Looks like you've been dragged through the mud and back a few times."

Asuka spun around, and mentally grimaced. It seems the Golden Eagles had reached Izlude before them. In front of her stood Insha, leader of the Golden Eagles, an experienced paladin. They were friendly rivals, each seeking the title of the strongest Pronteran warriors for their own group. Behind Insha stood the other members of the Golden Eagles: Jess, the elementalist, Necro, a young necromancer that formerly resided in Geffen, Tay, a towering battlemage fully encased in battle armor, Endetium, the summoner, Airi, an alchemist with a sweet tooth, and Angel, a priestess of holy light. While the Red Lions led the melee forces of Prontera, the Golden Eagles were the pinnacle of the magical realm, each member excelling in their field.

Grimm felt his heart skip a beat as he spotted the Golden Eagles. In particular, his gaze was fixed upon Airi, his longtime fiancée. He dashed to her side, picking her up in his arms and twirling her around, then kissing her hard on the lips.

Asuka hmphed, ignoring Grimm's burst of affection. "How nice of you to join us Insha. While you've been luxuriating in the castle we've been out here slaying beasts. Anyways, I dunno about these two lugs back here, but I need a good wash after all of that. I feel nasty." And so saying, with a nod to the rest of the Golden Eagles, Asuka stalked off towards the hot springs bath, located a short walk away from the town in a secluded patch of bamboo and trees. Jess and Angel decided to join her, wanting a bath themselves, while Insha and Airi declined, Insha wanting to sleep, and Airi wanting to spend time with Grimm.

The rest of the two groups began to mingle and chat, greeting buddies and allies, and generally heading towards the local inn for the night. All, that is, except for Hei and Necro. The two together were known as the twin dervishes. Both young and mischievous, they were often found at the heart of trouble. And now, they had their heads together.

"Hey Necro, I'm suddenly in the mood to take a walk in the woods, how bout you, huh?" Hei grinned mischievously.

"A walk in the woods? At this hour? Are you crazy?" Necro replied, confused.

"Yeah… a walk say… in the vicinity of the bathhouse?"

"Ooohhh, heh now that you mention it, I'm feeling the urge too." Necro responded, getting the idea.

The two young men glanced around them, and, having made sure none of the rest of the group was watching, quickly dashed into the woods towards the bathhouse.

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Bathhouse

Asuka slowly waded into the naturally heated spring water, sighing as it soothed her sore muscles. She breathed in deeply, held her breath, and then exhaled. Walking under the artificial waterfall, she let the water cascade onto her, rinsing the dirt and grime from her hair and body. She relaxed her whole body, and began her ritual meditation, tuning out all extraneous thoughts, harmonizing with her surroundings, aware of everything. The moonlight reflected off her smooth damp skin, creating a glistening silouhette of her slim and lithe figure. She delved deep within herself, tapping into her inner strength. With a loud "HAI!" she struck, slicing upwards into the water with her bare hand, cutting the flow in half all the way to the top of the waterfall. Hearing a tiny scream behind her, she whirled.

Jess and Angel were staring at her, eyes wide open in astonishment. Asuk waded towards them. "Sorry if I scared you. You girls alright?"

"Oh! Um, yes, of course! Sorry to disturb your training… uh, we'll go and leave you to it…" Jess stammered.

"Oh stay by all means. I'm done anyway. Here, I'll wash your back." Asuka said, with a kind smile on her face. The three girls all went into the water, cleansing themselves of the dirt from traveling.

Meanwhile, behind a clump of bushes, Hei and Necro were crouched, doing their best not to nosebleed. The sight of three beautiful women, all in the prime of their life, naked in the water was like a godsend for the two boys. They watched, mesmerized, as the women washed each other, occasionally splashing each other with water or even tickling one another.

"The… boobies… bouncing….." Necro managed to stammer out, unconsciously leaning closer.

"I know… Asuka sensei's amazing… her movements…"

"But look at the body on Angel-chan and Jess! So… perfect…" Necro began to inch forwards, trying to get a better view.

"Hey, dumbass, what are you doing?! They'll see you!" Hei warned

"Relax, There's plenty of mist to hide us. They'll never know we're here at-" SNAP

Asuka, who was in the middle of tickling Angel, froze, hearing the snap.

"What was that? Are there monsters here?!" Angel asked, glancing wildly about.

"I'm not sure. You two stay put. Jess, create an ice wall if anything happens. I'll be back." Asuka climbed out of the water, and silently stalked towards the source of the sound.

Meanwhile….. "YOU IDIOT! I TOLD you not to move!" Hei whispered fiercely to Necro.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! It's too dark to see where I'm going! Anyways, let's get out of here before we get in trouble." Necro whispered back.

Suddenly, the bushes in front of them parted, and there was a loud yell. "HAIYA!!"

Asuka jumped into action, and spotting two figures, immediately moved. She grabbed one of them in a choke hold, and, using him as a lever, leapt in the air and wrapped her legs around the other one's head, pivoting and slamming him into the ground, dragging the first guy with her, pinning him against her side. She was about to deliver an open palmed strike to the first opponent's nose, when she got a good look at who it was.

"Necro?!"

"mmph mmfmp pmf" was all he managed to get out, being pinned firmly now against Asuka's breasts. Then again, he didn't struggle very hard to break free, intensely aware of her boob pressed against his face. He tried to secretly position himself better to get it near his mouth…

Asuka shoved him away roughly, disgusted. "Wait, if you're here, then that means…" looking down, she spotted Hei, still firmly caught between her legs. She hastily got up and scrambled away, revealing a dazed Hei who had a stupid grin on his face, having spent the last few wonderful seconds buried in Asuka-sensei's crotch. It was to be a few seconds he would never forget.

SLAP SLAP The sound echoed through the air, as both Necro and Hei fell over, now thoroughly awake.

"If you two brats EVER try anything like that again, I'm going to shove a sword SO FAR up your ass that you'll be tasting metal for-" Asuka berated them, but stopped mid sentence when she saw a black blur fly at her out of the corner of her eye. She instinctively ducked, but winced in pain and something cut her cheek. Whirling to face the blur, she was horrified to see that it was a marsh wolf, a vicious creature with beady red eyes and claws and teeth sharper than cut diamond. Again it leapt at her, but this time she was ready. Grabbing a bamboo shoot next to her, Asuka broke it off and swung, bashing the wolf in the side of the head. It crashed to the ground, and before it could get back up, she impaled it on the broken and sharp end of the makeshift staff.

"Sensei! Behind you!" Hei called out.

Asuka swung, and quickly thrust the staff in front of her, right into the jaws of another wolf. It howled in pain as the jagged end tore through its throat, and fell to the ground mortally wounded. But soon, another pair of gleaming eyes appeared, and then another.

"Hei, grab a branch and help me. Necro…"

"Don't worry. I'm already on it." Although somewhat of a pervert and troublemaker, Necro was still a powerful fighter, or he would not be in the Golden Eagles. Quickly chanting under his breath, he revived the two dead wolves, binding them under his control, ordering them to attack their brethren. Asuka battled on, bringing down wolf after wolf, but she was worried. She had left the other two…

Meanwhile, back at the springs, Angel and Jess were behind the ice barrier that Jess had erected. Outside, dozens of swamp wolves circled, growling and snarling. While the two were safe for now, they were still in trouble. Angel, while being a powerful priestess, had no attacks that would affect a wolf, being limited to healing spells and powerful attacks against the undead. Jess, while a powerful elementalist, had little to work with. She formed the water from the spring into whip-like strands and lashed at the wolves, but they were little fazed by water, being used to the damp marshes.

Suddenly, a new presence appeared amongst the pack, emerging out of the mist. This creature too was a wolf, but stood five times taller, and was a deep shade of crimson. Its fur seemed to shimmer and ripple, even though there was no wind. It stalked towards the barrier, and where it stepped the ground steamed and sizzled. The other wolves quickly made way for it, none wanting to get in its way.

Jess and Angel gasped in horror. They recognized the bale wolf, a monster from the lava fields deep inside of Geffen, in the molten lands of Crematoria. They watched helplessly as it came up to the barrier, melting it with its mere presence. Quickly, inch by inch, the barrier began to disappear, and the wolves drew closer. Soon, the barrier melted away, and the girls found themselves surrounded. One of the marsh wolves leapt, jaws wide open, and the girls screamed, knowing death was at hand.

A huge blue and black blur flew into the wolf, there was a loud yelp followed by a sickening crunch, and then all was quiet. Gasping, Angel and Jess looked up. A thirty foot long dragon was crouched next to them, the now dead wolf gripped in its jaws. Spitting the wolf out, the dragon hissed. The bale wolf snarled, and, with a swish of its tail, sent the rest of the pack towards the dragon.

There was a frenzy of movement, sounds of ripping and tearing flesh, snarls, hisses, and roars, and then once more, all was quiet. The dragon still stood, the carcasses of wolves littered around him. The bale wolf growled, its hair standing on end. Opening its jaws, it shot a stream of molten lava at the dragon, who used one wing to shield itself and the two girls. The lava had little effect on it, and, once the wolf's attack finished, the dragon leapt, pouncing onto it. The two gigantic monsters rolled through the pool, splashing water everywhere, the bale wolf evaporating it into a thick mist that obscured vision.

Jess and Angel stood, blinded by the steam, not believing what had happened. Seeing a shadow appear from the mist, they cringed. It was the bale wolf! But then it fell, a huge gash in its side, one of its legs completely missing. From behind it emerged the dragon, approaching the girls. They shrank back in fear, but then the dragon began shrinking, drawing into itself, morphing, until a tall man stood before them.

The man was clad in an elaborate black robe and cape laced with intricate gold weave, and possessed a handsome and commanding quality. His eyes were a piercing shade of green, his brown hair spiked. When he turned his gaze towards the girls, they both felt a shudder run through them. It was as if he was looking into their very souls. "Are you okay, my ladies? Are you injured?"

"N-no, sir, we're okay, thanks to you." Angel managed to stammer. Jess could only nod, stuck dumb by the man's looks.

The shapeshifter, for that's what he was, removed his cape, and wrapped it around Jess and Angel's naked forms. "You ladies better get dressed and return to town. There might be more of these creatures out there. My name is Tsuyoi, and I am at your service."

At that point, Asuka came charging out of the trees, and spotting the strange man standing near Jess and Angel, charged at him, a thoroughly bloody bamboo stick held in her hand. "GET AWAY FROM THEM!" She screamed, swinging a blow at Tsuyoi's head that he barely dodged.

By then, Jess had managed to regain some of her senses, and quickly stepped in.

"Wait, Asuka, you got it wrong! This man saved us! We were attacked by wolves, but he defeated them all! Tha- thank you, sir." The last part directed at Tsuyoi, as Jess flushed uncontrollably.

Asuka stopped, and peered at Tsuyoi. Finding no trace of anything to make her suspicious, she lowered the makeshift staff, and stuck out her hand. "I apologize. I did not realize you were helping my friends."

The man smiled, and accepted her handshake. "No worries miss. As I was saying to these ladies, my name is Tsuyoi, a bounty hunter of sorts. I'm currently under the employ of the Pronteran Ecology Observatory, to study and catalogue the various life forms on Geffen. Glad to be of service."

Suddenly, there was a loud commotion from behind, as the rest of the Golden Eagles came running from the town, having heard the commotion coming from the bathhouse.

"What happened here?!" Insha demanded, covering her nose as the stench from the now dead wolves filled the air.

"Looks like a raiding party." Hei commented, having finally caught up with Asuka-sensei. "A small one at that."

"We'll have to be careful from now on. Most likely Glastheim has their eye on us. Move with extreme caution." Asuka stated. Suddenly, she became aware of the intense gaze of many pairs of eyes. She also became intensely aware that she was very much naked still…

SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP The crows flew into the sky, startled by the sound.

"Owww… Asuka-sensei didn't have to hit us too again." Hei grumbled, rubbing a now matching handprint on his other cheek. The other male members of the Golden Eagles all sported similar matching handprints.

Asuka, meanwhile, was nursing a bruised hand, having injudiciously slapped the hard armored head of Tay. "Wait a minute… where's Grimm?"

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Meanwhile, back at the inn.

Grimm groaned as Airi began to ride him, her hips swaying back and forth, her small gasps of pleasure music to his ears. He reached up, and gently cupped a perfectly proportioned breast in each hand, stroking and fondling them, lightly pinching the puffy nipples, adding to Airi's pleasure. Pulling her down to him, he kissed her deeply, their tongues twining and dancing. He trailed a line of kisses across her cheek, and then nipped her ear, gently licking it and causing her to moan.

Grimm rolled over, pinning Airi beneath him, and started to stroke in and out of her. He pulled out until only the tip was nested between her nether lips, teasing her, and she softly whined in frustration. He then entered her completely in one deep thrust, grinding his hips against her, and she screamed, wrapping her arms tightly around him, her nails leaving long red furrows on his back. He rapidly pistoned into her, and soon they came simultaneously, enjoying the mutual warmth. They lay there, spent, cuddled up under the blankets, reaffirming their love for each other.

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Castle Glastheim

Cheaga felt a chill sweep through the throne room, and turned. Sure enough, Anubite stood before her, cloaked in darkness.

"Mistress, I have just returned from studying the Red Lions. There seems to be further complication. A new group of warriors have joined forces with them, this group strong in the magical powers. They were able to defeat the bale wolf and marsh wolves I sent."

"Magicians? Surely that should pose no problem to you, Anubite, the strongest of my dark lords?" Cheaga replied, eyebrows arched, surprised Anubite would even mention such weaklings.

"The magicians pose no problem, but… the shapeshifter Tsuyoi has also joined with them…"

"Tsuyoi?! This complicates matters. What is he doing with them… of all the meddling people… why him?" Cheaga pondered. "Very well. Continue to observe the group. Eliminate any that you can if the opportunity rises. Capture any you can, but bring Asuka and Tsuyoi to me alive."

Anubite bowed his head, and, pulling his cloak about him, disappeared again.

Assured that her most trusted servant was on the job, Cheaga turned her mind to other business. Perhaps it was time to torture the prince again….

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Chapter 2 done! To those who still have not made an appearance or who have only had minor roles so far: gomenesai! I'm doing the best I can to get as many ppl as possible in. Don't worry, everyone who I said gets a part will get a part.

Side note: the main characters that will always be in just about every chapter:

Asuka

Kira

Cheaga

Insha

Anu

Till next chapter!