A Better Heaven

by vermaakwillbewhole

Skyld, a soldier of the Lightsworn, finds himself missing something that he can't quite discern. A chance meeting in another land might just help him figure out what it may be. Saffira, Queen of Dragons x M OC. Lemon. Based on the card game.

It was as any other day in the realm of light. Despite the ever-present cloud cover, the sun shone warmly through to the white city and the surrounding landscape of tall, rocky mountains and thick forests as far as the eye could see. Where the light fell upon a wide marble circle before the two great alabaster pillars that dominated the city, a golden ring of light spontaneously burst forth from thin air with a hum. The emanation hung motionlessly for a brief moment undisturbed, and then a figure stepped forth, the empyrean structure dispersing into nothing behind it. A man clad in a stark white chain mail looked around and sighed before pulling down the coif of his armor from his head, freeing his wild black hair from the metal hood.

"Well, it's good to be home," he spoke quietly to himself as he began to hoof it up the great steps to the main hall.

In truth, it hadn't been very long since Skyld had departed from the Lightsworn's home, only about ten hours or so, but the often intense battles they waged off-world always made him eager to return. Of course, the magic each member used to warp to other realms was limited and drained constantly by their presence there, and he would have to return at some point as they all would, but he was never one to linger after a finished fight as Michael had taught them all. Skyld was usually the first to return, partly due to his own desires and also due to his relative inexperience with their mode of travel; as the newest member of the Lightsworn, he had made great strides and was already an accomplished soldier before he was called to their ranks, yet he still was somewhat unused to it all.

The soldier chuckled to himself as he walked on and reminisced over his early time as a Lightsworn, recalling his initial apprehension and unease at such a new world and the many unique, even strange people he found himself with. Despite his worry, they all welcomed him warmly and made him feel right at home, each showing him the ways of the Lightsworn and fighting valiantly by his side against whatever creatures of the dark they might encounter. It didn't take long for him to make fast friends with them all. He smiled at the thought of the many fun times he had shared with them, like the time he and Garoth spent hours trying to help Minerva find where her owl had gotten off to, or when he caught Wulf chowing down on Ryko's food.

As he entered the great hall of the Lightsworn, even as he reminisced on all the fun he had with his new friends, he could sense an odd sensation of missing something. He had felt such a thing gnaw at him from the inside since he had initially came to the realm of light. At first, he had thought it was just the nervousness from being in a new place and that it would soon go away, but he felt all the same from time to time still.

"I have everything and everyone I could want right here," he reassured himself, his quiet voice echoing softly off the towering marble walls around him.

Skyld shook his head roughly and continued on, moving more quickly to his room to relax for a bit before the others returned. The sound of his boots rapping against the floor reverberated down the large, silent hall and the smaller passageways that branched off along the way, undisturbed by any other noise. He imagined the lonely sound was probably reason for his odd mood in all likelihood; nothing some quality time with his friends later couldn't alleviate. With that in his mind, he turned down the smaller adjacent hall that led to the his and the others' rooms. As he walked on, he gazed at the exquisitely detailed ornamental carvings on the walls, not paying them much very much attention. The work was masterfully done, with gold inlaid to give a spectacular look against the stark white marble. Impressive as it was, he had seen it all before, and now he viewed it as he would anything else.

As he continued to move on and examine the wall aimlessly, he passed an open doorway. Inside was the splendid sanctuary from where the Lightsworn angels were to monitor the worlds for any great disturbances that would require their power. Skyld paused for a moment and then backed up to peer into the room.

"It's been a while since I've been in one of these rooms," he mused to himself, looking in with finger to his chin.

Deciding he had nothing better to do at the moment, the soldier stepped into the sanctuary and took it all in. A bright aura of light came down from a great round window on the ceiling above, coalescing beautifully as it met with many beams of rainbow light streaming in from stained glass windows that flanked the room. The light centered onto a golden altar, the only thing in the room aside from angel statues that faced towards it where they sat near the walls and in an alcove above the entrance. A surge of hesitance came over Skyld as he stood idle in the holy room. The rest of the Lightsworn were by no means forbidden to enter the sanctuary, but he felt as if her trespassing all the same with all of the angels out and about. Choosing rather to err on the side of caution, he turned back and made his exit of the place.

Suddenly, a sound like a low gust of wind rustling dry leaves murmured through the room. Skyld stopped and turned around on the spot.

"What?" he asked aloud, wondering where such a sound could have emanated from. He knew the windows did not open, so what could that noise have possibly been?

Stepping as lightly as he could, he got closer to the altar, straining his ears for any hint of a sound. Nothing.

He was close to dismissing it as something he imagined to fill the silence, and then it came again, noticeably whispering out from the altar. With his curiosity piqued and his hesitance long forgotten, Skyld carefully made his way up the altar, looking around as he waited for something to happen.

"Coming from the altar . . ." he muttered to himself. "It must be some sort of message, alert, or something."

Thinking back to what he'd seen the angels do, he kneeled down, lowered his head, and closed his eyes. He didn't know for certain what exactly he must do, but, at the very least, he could try. As fortune would have it, the sound soon returned, this time as a chorus of high-pitched cries that sounded muffled as though they came from the other side of a wall or something similar. Skyld shot his eyes open and jolted as he saw a ring of golden light not unlike the one they normally summon to visit other worlds. For some reason, the one before him was very small, only about the size of his head; luckily, it was near his face, allowing him to see through the portal. On the other side was a large grassland under a bright blue sky, empty save for a gathering of many tiny creatures he did not recognize. They flittered and ran about haphazardly, many bumping into or running over the others wildly; Skyld would've laughed at what he saw of the bumbling things if he didn't recognize the look of panic and fear on their faces. The crowd suddenly shot away in every direction as best they could as a large dragonfly-looking monster emerged into view, it's dark green and red exoskeleton menacing in such a brightly colored world. The beast lurched to-and-fro, swiping at any of the smaller beings that got near, only barely missing them before they could run away.

Knowing he had to intervene, Skyld stood up and closed his eyes for a moment, using his magic to get a feeling for the world he had just witnessed in preparation for travel. It only took him a few scarce seconds to get a good lock-on. He could feel deep down that his inner light was burning low, having been expended after the battle he fought earlier that day, but he could dispatch of the monster before he ran out of the energy he needed to manifest in worlds. The soldier pulled his coif over his head and removed his spear from his back to ready it in his hands, watching intently the view of the terrorizing monster. The red-eyed insect chittered as it swung it's claws around; as a small pink orb-shaped creature bounced behind it, the monster turned around and lunged. With all the experience he had gathered, Skyld swiftly enlarged the portal and leaped through, closing his eyes as the intense light overtook him for a brief moment.

The moment his feet hit the ground, he shot open his eyes and saw the insect's back facing him. He ran with the momentum he jumped through with, his spear clenched in both hands with the blade lowered in front of him as he charged. It didn't even know what had happened as Skyld thrust the spear into it, piercing its shoulders and severing two of its four insectoid wings clean off. The hideous thing twisted around as it screeched in rage and pain, green hemolymph pouring out its gaping wound. Skyld jumped back before it could turn, spear removed from the beast and at the ready. It flapped its remaining wings for a short moment, thrashing erratically as it did so with another angry sound; Skyld noted that going for the wings was a good choice, seeing as how it wanted to fly right away. The dragonfly monster quickly launched itself at him, deep green claws out in front ready to rake down on him. Fast as lightning, Skyld closed the distance between them, knelt into a crouch, and shoved his spear upwards to meet its mark right in the insect's thorax, holding it aloft just long enough to fling it over himself. The thing screeched loudly as it flew through the air unwillingly and came crashing down behind the soldier. Skyld turned to face it, quickly wiping the foul-smelling liquid from his face. His enemy lay collapsed on the grass, chittering in a rough, crackling cadence as it bled from two ends, spasming awkwardly. He took no chances and ran to the downed insect, stomping down on its back to pin him before he thrust his weapon down upon the creature's head, right between it's bulbous red eyes. One last blood-curdling shriek filled the air as Skyld skewered it, swiftly cut off as the soldier shoved the blade down one more time with a sickening crunch, piercing all the way through. It was over.

Skyld let out a withheld sigh, put away his spear, pulled his coif down, and wiped his forehead as he stepped away from the insect's carcass. He was a little more put out than he had expected to be, having fought just a single enemy for only mere seconds.

"Must be running a low on juice," he said with a grunt, wiping his clothes and armor free of the remaining hemolymph. "Should hurry back, I guess."

As he stood quietly and attempted to clean himself, it was only then he noticed the sounds of whimpering and sniffling from all around him. He looked up and behind him to see the same strange little creatures he had watched through the portal earlier, the things huddling close together on the ground in a big circle around him and dead monster. He took a step back to turn around, hearing a gasp shoot up from the odd crowd at the movement. Even from where he stood, he could see they were all shivering as they watched him unblinkingly.

"There's no need to be afraid, I've slain the monster," Skyld said with a loud, calm voice, hoping they would warm up to him.

The tiny inhabitants let out a cacophony of different-pitched squeaks the moment he opened his mouth, each and every one turning and scattering about as successfully as he had seen earlier. It was even funnier in person, but he managed to force down any chuckles that threatened to burst out of him. Normally, any observing natives would be cheering for and profusely thanking the Lightsworn at that point. Skyld never had to convince the inhabitants that he was friendly, and he wasn't sure how he was going to do so. He wondered if he should just go and leave them to their own devices as he had been taught, but it felt wrong to abandon the seemingly helpless creatures, especially in such a sorry state. He closed his eyes and scratched his head, racking his brain for a solution.

A sharp, piercing light suddenly beamed through his shut eyes, making the soldier jolt and step back a pace. Blinking rapidly, Skyld could just make out a powerful golden radiance coming from in front of him up in the air, shining brightly like a second sun. He put his hand in front of his face and tried to get a better look.

I bet it's Celestia, he thought to himself glumly, picturing the angel about to come through with an angry look. Probably mad I went into the sanctuary and messed with stuff. Jeez, you'd think she'd turn the brightness down some.

As he watched the glow through his fingers, he noticed that, despite the light that announced the arrival of any and all members of the Lightsworn, he couldn't see the golden portal they must always step through to enter another realm. Confused, he tried to spot it fruitlessly, the harsh light still forcing his eyes slammed shut.

Through his cracked eyelids, he saw a blurry form seem to sink down along with the golden radiance, almost completely obscured. As it reached ground level in front of him, the light died down quickly. Skyld realized it was no angel he was facing, and certainly no member of the Lightsworn he had ever known.

A few feet ahead stood a dragon, or at least something he could recognize as draconic. Humanoid in shape, it stood on two legs and was maybe a few inches taller than himself, though the large wings and long ridged tail it held closed behind it made it appear like it was much larger. It was covered in azure scales over most of its body, with some parts white with scales so fine he wasn't entirely sure they were there. The wings were unlike anything Skyld had seen; feathers the same shade of blue as its scales covered the entirety of the wings yet were dwarfed by long translucent feathers that extended far and glittered in the sunlight. He couldn't tell if they were magic or somehow natural. The dragon wore intricately filigreed gold over much of it's body, with bracers, wing armor, even a strange faceplate that covered up to a pair of antlers. A silky white breechcloth was held up by a belt of gold which connected to a long plate of silver and gold that covered its narrow torso. As his eyes scanned up along the armor, he noticed the odd golden breastplate that connected to a pair of shoulder-guards. It was composed of just two unconnected pieces of fine gold held on the chest. He was confused for moment until he looked up and met the dragon's gaze.

Its big blue eyes shone like sapphires in the midday light and stared right at him. They were so unlike that of any other dragon's eyes he had ever seen before, as warm and welcoming as he had ever seen in another being. He almost couldn't break away to look at the rest of the creature's face, staring in wonder at the platinum blonde hair that draped down the front of its shoulders, its floppy goat-like ears, the laurel wreath it wore as a crown, the holly berries attached to its antlers. His face grew warm as he finally realized it was a woman. He hoped he hadn't stared too long at her armor.

"Are you alright?" came a soft voice from the dragon.

Skyld jumped and shook his head lightly like he'd been stuck in a trance. The dragon leaned forward to get a better look at him, her head turned slightly, as if to make sure there wasn't anything the matter with him.

"Oh, of course," he promptly replied, blinking away his surprise. "My apologies, I must've been, er, distracted. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Skyld, soldier of the Lightsworn, a legion of heroes that travel throughout space and time to fight back denizens of evil with the power of light. I came here to save these peaceful creatures from a monster."

The dragon perked up as he spoke, nodding.

"Thank you so much, Skyld," she said sweetly, bowing to him. "My name is Saffira. I am the ruler of this land and the caretaker for these little fairies you so graciously saved. It must be fortune that you arrived when you did; I was helping a little one elsewhere before I finally noticed there was a disturbance here."

Suddenly hearing a commotion, Skyld looked down to see the whole swath of round, fuzzy creatures of each and every color of the rainbow had crowded to dance around her clawed feet or fly in all kinds of somersaults around her, a din of happy noises rising through the air. Finally, he was able to crack a grin and chuckle at the happy sight.

"I'm glad you arrived just now," he said, looking back up at her. "They didn't really seem to like me all that much."

Saffira smiled at his words as she tried to pet all of the affectionate critters.

"I'm sure they'll come around. They were likely still scared from the thing. You slew the beast, correct?

Skyld shook his head affirmatively and turned to let her see the body that lay not far behind him. Her eyes widened.

"Oh dear," she said with her hand to her mouth. "It must've been quite traumatic for the little scamps to witness. Let me get rid of this."

She took her hand from her face and held it out, palm facing the carcass. An aura of diffuse aurous light sparked into existence around her hand, holding for a moment as a similar glow emanated from the dead insect. As he watched, the body began to fade away into the light as if it were never there.

"Incredible," Skyld exclaimed as he turned back to Saffira. A small frown appeared on his face as he began to speak again. "Ah, I realize I must have terrified your little ones with all the bloodshed. I'm sorry."

She clasped her hands together in front of her and shook her head.

"It's alright, Skyld. They are carefree little sprites; I'm sure they'll have forgotten all about it after a few hours of play and a good meal. Would you care to accompany us as I take them home?"

The soldier raised his hand and started to excuse himself as he always had, but the words caught in his throat. The dragon looked at him expectantly with a smile and her strikingly blue eyes. Without another thought, he came to a decision.

"Of course!"

Saffira beamed and swiftly took his hand, holding it tight as she led him away, the horde of fairies following along ecstatically. Skyld blinked several times with his mouth slightly agape as he tried to process why exactly he stayed and how exactly he had found himself walking hand-in-hand with a dragon. Try as he might to come up with an answer, it eluded him. He glanced over at Saffira, watching as she looked over her flock, visibly counting out each and every one to make sure none were straggling behind. Once again, he found himself uninterested in whatever the reason might have been. He smiled and faced forward again, enjoying the view of the cloudless sky, warm sun, and the gentle sloping hills blanketed with lush grass as far as the eye could see as well as the warm hand in his own.

"Skyld, if you don't mind, might you be able to tell me more about the Lightsworn and yourself?" Saffira questioned, turning to face him as they went on.

"Certainly, though I must say there's not much to tell beyond the basics I mentioned earlier. With our leader Michael to guide us, we are able to use magic to teleport to other worlds and fight where we're needed. Michael himself hand-picks those who are to become part of our group; I myself am the newest member. There aren't very many of us, but we are all quite capable of defeating those who stand against us. I'm just about the weakest fighter we have actually, though I am quite capable in combat, and the others can do many spectacular things on their own. Together, we truly are a mighty force, which is all good and well considering we have to use quite of bit of our own magical energy to manifest in other worlds, otherwise we get spirited back home rather unceremoniously."

He ran his free hand through his messy dark hair and tilted his head to the side, smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I think I might've droned on a bit there, ha ha."

"Not at all," she replied with a dismissive wave of the hand. "That was quite interesting. It reminds me of what I do."

"Really? What exactly is it you do?"

"Well, it's a bit odd to explain, but I can hear the prayers of these fairies from other worlds somehow, and I can use this kind of light I can control to find and save them. This whole world is just endless grassland with never a cloud in the sky, and I was all here by myself, so I decided it would serve fittingly as a safe haven for these little guys and have been bringing them here since. We even have a quaint town setup for them to live in! We'll come up on it soon, actually."

"Wow, that is similar to what we do," Skyld said with his eyebrows raised. "And it's impressive you saved so many lives all by yourself. Have you had any issue fighting back against any monsters?"

"Hmm, not really, though I don't exactly fight back truly most times," Saffira admitted, running her finger around her long, singular braid as she elaborated. "The magic I have isn't really offensive; I can heal myself and others, travel between worlds, and I can dispel some other magics, energies, and the like, but that's about it. I have claws and this sort of axe head on my tail, but it's really a lot easier for me to simply grab up the fluffballs, fly up high, and just warp back here."

"That makes sense. The safety of the helpless comes first and foremost."

"Yes. Do the Lightsworn ferry people back to the safety of your home realm?"

"Not particularly, unless something has gone terribly awry. We of the Lightsworn are taught to interfere with worlds only so far as is needed to defeat the great evils that besiege them. Once the battle is over and our enemies slain or repelled, we are to return home and leave things as they were, though of course we make sure to heal the wounded before we depart."

"That is certainly noble of your group," Saffira said back to him with a curt nod. "I haven't thought much on disrupting the places I have travelled to, but, then again, I'm only taking these little ones back with me, so I can't imagine I'm messing things up too badly."

"That makes sense. Is that where we are headed?" he said, pointing at a closely knit cluster of houses that was not very far off in front of the group.

"Yes, that's it. We should be there soon," she said as she peered down at the horde of fairies lagging behind them. "It's a good thing too, they are almost out of it."

Like she said, they reached the village before long. A happy cry went out as the creatures returned to their homes or just played with each other in the open courtyard that served as a sort of main square. Skyld chuckled quietly to himself as he patted the thatch roof of one of the houses, finding a lot of humor in the fact the houses weren't much bigger than when he had first saw them from so far away. Besides that, he noticed the homes were all well-made and arranged nicely.

"Did you build all of these yourselves?" he asked Saffira as she played around with her wards, patting heads and scratching under chins as they swirled around her in the air.

"I actually didn't build any of them!" she replied, petting the fairies all the while. "I wouldn't even know where to start, really. They did it all themselves. When I first began rescuing them, I just kept them all in the cathedral with me, and, one day, I noticed that the lot of them had built this miniature house right out here. I was baffled and hadn't a clue how they could do such a thing, and it even took me a long time to catch them in the they act. They would be going around chasing one another or just sleeping and suddenly hop up and start building a tidy little house of rocks, dry grass, leaves, and whatever else they could find! It's amazing, really, that creatures so simple can up and do something that complex as if it's second nature to them."

"Huh, I never would've thought. You said something about a cathedral?"

"Oh, I guess you couldn't see it from where we approached. It's just nearby; here, I'll show you."

Saffira gave the spritely bunch parting pats on the heads and hugs and guided him over a hillock at the edge of their village, taking his hand again. As the cathedral came into view just a short distance away, Skyld wondered to himself if it was really necessary that the dragon-woman hold his hand to guide him there. As if on queue, she tightened her grip ever-so-gently, so soft and warm against his rough, calloused hands. He nodded almost imperceptibly to himself, the whole thing suddenly making very much sense. Together, they walked right up to the great wooden doors.

"Did the fairies build this too?" he questioned, half-jokingly.

"Oh, no. Of course not," she answered with a short, airy laugh, making him smile.

"You built it?"

"Well, no but . . ." she started, pausing to peer up at the great stained glass window near the roof of the building. "For as long as I can remember, there had been a small church here. It was were I lived, and it was where I first heard their cries. Out of nowhere, I just became aware of how to use this magic I never knew I had, and I was able to save them. After I rescued a good number of them, right when we started to get a little crowded, it just grew somehow, with the main hall greatly increased in size and even new rooms added. It's been growing ever since."

"That's incredible," Skyld said in wonder, looking up as well as he imagined such a thing. "It must be due to your magic, huh?"

"Hmm, your guess is as good as mine," she said said with a chuckle and a shrug. "Let's head on in. I want to show you how it is on the inside."

They did just that, walking slowly into the great hall. Skyld couldn't restrain a gasp as he looked around the beautiful interior. The room was awash in golden light coming in from a circular window on the ceiling even as countless stained glass windows big and small covered the walls and let in each and every color of the rainbow as well. Soft, soothing notes echoed throughout from three towering organs that stretched towards the ceiling at the other end of the hall, bafflingly quiet despite their great sizes; the sounds hung just at the edge of Skyld's awareness, never obtrusive but always there like a pleasant, calming lullaby. Hand still firmly grasping Saffira's, they went on, walking up a short set of steps onto a raised triangular dais that spanned the room. Just ahead, the warm amber light from one magnificent circular window and the cool teal light from another on the opposite wall beamed down onto the platform at the exact same spot, the rays of light merging there to make an ephemeral white haze that sparkled as if diamonds were floating in the air before them. Both windows were engraved in strange arcane etchings that overlapped to form a complex symbol of intersecting circles and script that seemingly glowed in the alabaster light Skyld couldn't make heads or tails of it as he was never one for such erudite stuff, but he knew it had to be something of a magic he couldn't begin to understand. Regardless, it was all very beautiful, the whole of the cathedral very reminiscent of the sanctuary he knew at home.

Saffira strode into the middle of the conjoining light, turning to Skyld and taking his other hand in her own as well, her eyes closed and her head upturned. She stayed like that for a short while as he looked on. He might've been embarrassed by the silence and oddness of it all, but there was something about holding hands and simply watching her in that glittering light that made any such feeling no more than passing. He had been convinced of her beauty long before, and yet it was as if he was only truly realizing it just then. She was lit up wondrously, her blue and white scales both virtually aglow; the gold she wore and her just as golden hair gleamed with all the brilliance of the sun. Her antlers, her ears, the patch of azure downy fluff on her chest, everything about her was stunning to him at the moment. He felt as if he could watch her forever. It wasn't until she opened her bright sapphire eyes that he blinked, even.

"This is where I can hear prayers from worlds all over," she said to him in a whisper. "And where I restore my magic. Can you feel it?"

Skyld closed his eyes for a moment with some difficulty, not wanting to look away. He slowed his breathing and felt for his reserve of magic. He opened his eyes with a start.

"No, I can't really feel it. I'm not sure why," he explained, a frown growing on his face by its own accord. "I actually have to leave soon as well, my own energy is almost completely gone. I must've forgot about it after all this time."

His heart sank to the pit of his stomach as he saw Saffira's smile depart, her eyes looking down and her ears drooping too.

"Oh," was all she could say.

He never could of imagined how awful something like that could make him feel. It felt as if his hands were frozen as he made to let go and pull them away. He wasn't sure he could do it. Suddenly, her grip on his tightened as she looked back up at him.

"I realize I never got the chance to really thank you," she spurted out hastily, a first he had seen from her. "And I also have no clue how that monster got here, that's never happened before! I—I think you should return tomorrow to help me figure it out, and maybe stay for a meal in your honor, if I may be so grateful. Would that be acceptable?"

She looked at him with pleading eyes, the sapphire pools staring at him like they were peering into his soul as she squeezed his hands. Like so many other things he had done that day, his response came out all on its own, without a thought.

"Of course. I'll be here tomorrow morning."

She beamed at his words, nodding joyously and shaking his hands ever-so-slightly. The black cloud that had fallen over him was dashed just as swiftly as it had arrived to see her happy, to see that shine come back to life in her eyes. Skyld took a deep breath, all of the sudden feeling renewed somehow. Taking his hands from hers was still a loss, but he at least found the heart to do so.

He turned around and focused his magical energy into a portal back to the realm of light, sighing as he felt the last of his reserve nearly gone. With a final look back, he waved to her as she waved to him.

"See you soon!" she called out as he returned to his home. The sweet sound of her voice rang in his head for the rest of the day alongside all of his other memories of her. The other members of the Lightsworn greeted him as he returned, having assumed he had actually stayed at their battle earlier and had just returned. He didn't bother to correct them for any particular reason.

---

The following day was uneventful for the Lightsworn. The angels had no activity to report to Michael, so they all stayed at home in the realm of light, either sparring with one another, caring for their equipment, practicing their magics, or even just relaxing. Days such as those were common for the Lightsworn; the large-scale threats they were called to fight seemed to happen somewhat rarely, giving them quite a bit of time off. Skyld was surprised by it when he first came into the group, but learned to appreciate it after going through many trying battles that left each and every member exhausted or even seriously injured at times. He also grew to enjoy the quality time he was able to spend with his newfound friends.

That day, however, Skyld was sitting in his room, lying down on his bed and gazing up at the ceiling alone with his thoughts. Normally, he'd be out striking up a conversation with Garoth or Ehren, but he was occupied with something else.

I wonder if I should head on over to Saffira's world, he thought to himself, glancing out his window at the early sunlight creeping across the grounds outside. No, it's too early, she's probably still asleep, it'd be rude to wake her up. Though I guess time might not be the same over there. Hmm.

He turned onto his side, huffing.

Why am I getting so worked up over this? he thought with a scowl.

He fell back on his side and resumed staring at the ceiling, still annoyed at himself. A few minutes passed as he continued to fret over it. Finally, with a grumble, he shot up and hopped off of his bed. With all of his practice at donning his armor and holstering his weapon he'd gain from serving the Lightsworn, he was fully equipped in a matter of seconds. With his magic fully charged and ready to go, he closed his eyes, found the location for her world from his memory, and opened the portal, letting the light from another world pass into his modest abode. The sight of a near midday sun there reassured him greatly.

Hmm, I hope I'm not too late now.

As he passed through the portal and felt the energy wash over him as he traveled between worlds, he wondered for a moment if he should've mentioned to the others that he was going to be away.

I'm sure they won't miss me for very long, he reassured himself.

Skyld stepped out of the portal into a clearing a short distance between the village of fairies and the cathedral. He shut his eyes, leaned back, and took a deep breath of the fresh grassland air as the sun shone warmly over him. He had barely opened them as he saw from the corner of his eye Saffira lighting down beside him gracefully.

"Welcome back, Skyld!" she said cheerily, her frame lit beautifully in the hazy light. "I'm so glad you returned!"

"As am I," he replied with a wide smile. "So, what have we planned for today?"

"I think first we might take a walk a good distance around the village and cathedral," she said as she tapped her black-clawed fingers together. "I'm sure there's no more monsters lurking around, but it would give some peace of mind to confirm so, especially with a warrior at my side. Does that sound alright with you?"

"Yes, that seems like a good idea. It couldn't hurt to at least scope out the place just in case, especially since that first thing's appearance was already so out of the ordinary. We could try and figure it out as he head around. Well, off we are!"

This time, Skyld took the lead and offered his hand first. Watching her face light up and feeling her warm, soft hand embrace his again made his heart soar. They set off holding hands.

They made their way around the perimeter of Saffira's and her fairies' homes. The land continued to stretch out as hilly grassland for all they could view, nothing but small trees, bushes, and the occasional jutting rock to be seen. There was no sign of anything like the insect Skyld had fought the day before. The fact barely registered to the him as they strolled, the soldier comfortably absorbed in the pleasantness of their quiet walk. He blinked lazily as they went, gazing out at the vast fields of verdant green against the cool blue sky, just enjoying Saffira's presence. It felt like a wonderful dream.

"So, do you have any ideas how that thing might've gotten here?" she asked after a long while, snapping him out of his daze. "I still can't imagine how it occurred."

"Hmm, I can't say I do. I haven't seen hide nor hair of any beast out there either, so it must have come from some other place, somehow. Ah, who knows."

They continued in another congenial silence. Neither even tried to appear as if they were watching for any monstrous things that weren't there and instead looked ahead without a care, each glancing at the other now and then. Time went on as they did, the sun tracing its path across the cloudless sky. They had rounded the entire perimeter a while back, and, had it not been for Skyld's stomach growling noisily, they might've kept on going.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Skyld! I didn't even think to offer you something to eat!" Saffira exclaimed with a gasp and a hand on her fuzzy chest. "It's a good time for lunch anyway. Here, head down to the village. There's a set of picnic tables in the courtyard where you can wait. I'll be there soon!"

The dragon-woman stepped back, spread her wings out in a flourish, and launched herself into the air, speeding away to the cathedral in a streak of blue and gold. Skyld's eyebrows shot up as he saw he whisk away at such a speed. Collecting himself, he did as she said and headed down to the village center. As he sat down at one of the picnic tables, he noticed many of the fairies came to sit as well, with about half of them heading off in the direction of the cathedral.

Must be about their usual time to have lunch, he figured as the sound of anxious squeaks, chirps, and all sorts of noises they made filled the open air.

Skyld hadn't been sitting for very long before Saffira and the rest of the fairies returned with a whole host of food, dishes, and silverware between them all. They had it all laid out before them very neatly in a matter of moments. The soldier couldn't begin to make out all the varieties of fruits, vegetables, breads, drinks, deserts and many more they brought in on large platters. Saffira stood at the end of table near him, motioning for the fairies to give her their attention.

"Now, before you all dig in, I want you all to thank Skyld for what he did yesterday."

A loud cry of various happy sounds rang out and was soon drowned out by the rumble of noisy eating. Skyld laughed as watched them all scarf down whatever food they could get a grab at. Saffira sat down across from him and started on an assorted salad, eating daintily. Taking stock of everything laid out in front of him, he took a plate of some kind of roasted fish and tried a bite. He was greeted with a surprisingly savory taste with a hint of spice he couldn't place but nonetheless found very palatable. He forced himself to eat with restraint and not wolf it down as the fairies were doing. A sip of white wine paired well with the meal as he washed it down.

"This food is delicious, Saffira."

"Thank you," she replied, putting her fork down. "I'm sure you eat much better at your home though."

"Certainly not," he said through a laugh. "Our food isn't terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but I can't recall the last time I had anything this superb and in such volume!"

"Well, I'm flattered to say the least, but, as you've probably guessed, all of this food comes from the cathedral itself, somehow a part of the magic that works there, I suppose."

"Regardless, I'm very grateful for this meal and your hospitality."

Saffira nodded, and they continued eating. Skyld finished his fish and started on a salad of his own. It was just as good as he was expecting with fresh spinach, tomato, cucumber, and red onion with a tangy vinaigrette. As he ate, he happened to glance down as Saffira finished her own salad and grabbed another one. He swallowed a mouthful and lowered his utensil.

"Have you tried the fish, Saffira? It's quite good."

"Uh, no, I haven't," she left it at that, taking a bite of salad. Skyld was surprised at her curtness.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized, hoping he hadn't offended her in some way. "Do you not eat meat?"

"Not exactly," she warily said, glancing over at the ravenous sprites. "I mean, yes, I can eat meat, it's just . . . I don't want to scare the little ones."

"Scare them?"

"Well, I am a dragon," she remarked with a claw pointed towards her face. "Seeing as how I had rescued them from terrible monsters that often had huge, carnivorous fangs, ripping claws, and all that, I've made sure not to let them see my own teeth and get frightened."

Skyld smiled warmly and placed his hand atop the other she had lying on the table.

"When I first saw you here, Saffira, they had been scared out of their wits at me, but they all rushed to you like there was no tomorrow. I don't think they're going to be afraid of you anytime soon."

"I guess you're right," she said, smiling back at him.

"Plus, I can't imagine you have the kind of hideous fangs that'd scare them, anyhow," he added. "Here, let me take a look, if you don't mind."

Saffira's bright cobalt eyes grew at his suggestion. She looked down to her side and twirled her finger in her golden braid.

"Oh . . . a—alright."

Hesitating a bit, she leaned forward slightly and opened her mouth. She watched anxiously as he looked in, his face a blank. Finally, he let out a little laugh and turned his eyes up to her worried face.

"Ah, you don't have anything to worry about, Saffira," he said with a smirk. "I've seen more threatening teeth on a housecat!"

Saffira chuckled as she sat up, a look of relief spreading over her.

"I'll take your word for it," she said brightly as she pulled close a plate of fish to try. One bite, and she was upon it, relishing it as she ate. Skyld held back a laugh as he watched her force herself to slow down.

"I'm glad I've got you to try something you like so much," he said between bites of his salad. "I should've known taking care of all of these little ones left you in for a lot of changes."

Saffira cleaned her plate before responding, making sure to wipe her face with a napkin as she did so.

"Yes, things have changed in many ways. Even myself."

"What do you mean?" he prodded after another sip of wine.

She blinked rapidly and flicked her eyes to side, suddenly quiet. He could hear her swallow before she began speaking again.

"I, um, my body has . . . changed some since I've been bringing them here."

"How so?" he asked, not noticing her embarrassment. "Did your wings change, or was it some over thing?"

She held her hands together on the table and wrung them for a moment, her eyes turned away.

"It's—it's . . ." she stumbled out before closing her eyes and placing both hands on her chest. "I didn't have t—these before . . ."

Skyld furrowed his brow, unsure of what she meant. He glanced down and jolted back up in a flash upon his realizing. Even as he began to speak, the image of her holding her now painfully obvious breasts burned in his mind, making him grow hot from head to toe.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, hoping his face wasn't as bright red as it felt. "Well, that is, ahem, interesting."

An awkward silence passed over them for the first time. He tried to come up with something to say, all the while trying to push the sight of her rather buxom chest out. Among his embarrassment, he couldn't help but feel like an idiot for having ever been in doubt at what was very obviously a woman. He shook his head slightly and attempted to compose himself.

"You know," he started, hoping what he would say was the right thing. "Since all of these magical things have grown with your flock, it might've happened since you're like a mother to them, I suppose."

He sighed in relief as she looked again at him with her familiar smile.

"Maybe so," she said, seemingly happy the tense moment passed. "Are you finished eating? I think my little ones are all good and stuffed."

Skyld simply nodded. He hadn't noticed at first but the sound of loud eating had died down, the bulk of the fairies either lying down for a nap where they had sat to eat or flying about playing with others.

"Here, I'll take your plate for you," she said. With a quick call, a group of awake fairies helped her carry all the empty trays, platter, and everything else back into the cathedral. Skyld got up and walked the way over. The sun was beginning to set with a final burst of orange, red, and purple light. He knew he'd have to leave soon.

He hadn't waited long on the hillock in front of the cathedral before Saffira returned, soaring over swiftly but careful to land as gentle as she could, her feet touching the grass without anymore than a light breeze from her wings. She drew up to his side.

"It's about time for you to return home, is it not?" she asked in a subdued tone, turning to the disappearing sun.

"Yes," he said in return, watching as well. "Hopefully, we'll figure out how that bug got here tomorrow, may have to take another look around or something else."

The dimming light couldn't hide Saffira's toothy grin and the gleam in her eyes as she looked back at him.

"Right! I'll see you then. I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this."

Nodding, Skyld opened a portal and headed to the realm of light, taking care to wave goodbye as he went.

---

Skyld visited the following day. After another fruitless search and pleasant meal, it was decided they were to try again the day after. Many days passed as they looked all over for any signs of disturbances and racked their brains trying to determine how it entered her world. As the days became weeks, their task became sidelined by other important events such as touring the cathedral, trying out every kind of food they had, playing with the fairies, watching the brilliant stars in the night sky, and so on. He even had went with Saffira on a visit to some far off realm to save a scared creature that cried out for help, a strange cracked egg with wings. It was fortunate he'd done so, as, just when she had took a hold of the fairy, a swarm of various monsters was upon them from all sides, even with a vicious metal bird diving in from above. Saffira couldn't fall back to safely return home as she usually did, but Skyld was luckily there to dispatch the assailants and keep the two safe. It made him swell with pride as she profusely thanked him when they had made their way back to the cathedral.

Eventually, Skyld didn't even bother mentioning the invading monster issue when he would take his leave, his return the following day understood between them. His visits became the highlights of his days; he'd go to sleep with Saffira on his mind or find himself wondering what she was doing while he was conversing with the other Lightsworn. More and more, he found it hard to leave her at the end of the day, and he often found himself staying with her far into the evening. When he joined the Lightsworn all that time ago and first gawked at the beauty of the realm of light, he never dreamed he would find a place he would rather stay, and, yet, he had.

Things had been going perfectly for Skyld as he went on with his daily rendezvous with Saffira. It was late one night where they had watched the dark sky. Skyld was still so impressed by all he could see: comets steaking from one end of the sky to the other, nebula spanning across in all shades of colors, the moons bright and clear, the stars innumerable. The realm of light had always been too cloudy for much sky watching, and it made it all the more enjoyable to do it there, with Saffira by his side to point things out or simply talk with him. It once again was like ripping off a bandage for him to get up and take his leave, looking back at her waving to him as he disappeared through the portal. In the realm of light, he had swiftly noticed the other Lightsworn weren't around. As he checked the empty plazas, halls, and rooms, he had suddenly felt a knot form in his stomach as he realized what had happened. He then rushed to the sanctuary and was greeted by the sound of howling battle emanating from within. It had taken only a few moments to pinpoint the location and head there, stepping through the portal to see a devastated town and a terrible battle between the Lightsworn and an army of strange, masked angels with wings as black as night. He had arrived just in time to assist his allies, freeing Ryko and Rinyan from a mob of costumed, cackling imps and assisting Garoth in taking down one of the enemy angels. Even with his aid, he could tell the battle was desperate. It was only by the holy strength of Michael and Judgement that the town was cleansed of the enemy. Skyld had then went to help his fellow Lightsworn back to their feet, his fist clenched in shame and anger at himself. Once everyone had been accounted for and healed, the Lightsworn departed, having already evacuated any civilians before the battle began, Skyld would later learn.

At home, the Lightsworn had took to rest, some still requiring many days recuperating even with Jenis' healing magics having helped them already. Skyld stood in the great hall, awaiting whatever chastisement or punishment was to come. He had waited for some time before Celestia flew in and descended in front of him, a stern countenance upon her. She questioned him about his absence, demanding a proper explanation. He couldn't bring himself to give her an answer. To his surprise, Celestia had accepted his silence and merely told him that he put his fellow Lightsworn in danger through his neglect and knowing how close they had come to destruction would be punishment enough for him. With that said and done, the angel had left him alone in the hall once again.

Skyld had slept fitfully, wracked with guilt and indecision. All through the night and into the following day, he argued internally over what to do. He knew he had let his duties slide, had gotten tied up in another world, had gotten far too attached. He had even told Saffira that he, as a Lightsworn, was not to interfere to greatly in other worlds beyond assisting in battle, yet he had all the same with her. It was evening by the time he had decided what he had to be done, his heart as heavy as a stone. Taking a deep breath, he opened his portal to Saffira's realm and stepped through.

He exited the portal and came out by the tree on the hillock close to the village. Saffira was sitting at it, arms folded around her knees, but she was up on her feet in an instant. Before he could say a word, she had her arms around him, squeezing tight as her wings enshrouded him as well. He was equal parts surprised by the strength of the hug and the warmth that blanketed him all over.

"Skyld!" she exclaimed joyously, rubbing her head up against his. "Oh, I was so worried when you didn't arrive earlier! Did something happen?"

He didn't reply at first. Whether it was because of his shame from the day before, the nervous lump building in his throat as her soft, voluptuous body pressed up to him, or both, he didn't know. He cleared his throat as quietly he could and readied himself.

"It was nothing," he finally spoke with a grimace. "Just some . . . minor business I had to attend to. Saffira, I—"

"Never mind that now," she interrupted, pulling back to meet his gaze. "Let's head up to the dining room in the cathedral, I bet you're almost as starved as I am."

He almost couldn't bear to watch as he saw the happiness in her shining blue eyes and realized she had been waiting for him all day out on the hill.

It'd be better to tell her over dinner, at least.

"That sounds good," he responded with as cheerful a tone he could manage.

Saffira grinned as happily as he had ever seen her and took off to the cathedral with him in hand, almost too fast for him to keep up. He felt awful knowing what was to come.

They entered the cathedral and turned to the doors just beside the entrance, heading to the spacious dining room a story up. The elegantly decorated tables were stocked with food as they always were. She led him over, sat him at the head of the table and herself right beside him. He ate from a bowl of soup gingerly, still consumed with doubt and anxiety. For a while, Saffira ate about as fast she could while staying polite; eventually, she noticed him sitting and staring at his still-full bowl.

"Is everything okay, Skyld?" she asked with her tender, sweet voice that made him wince. "Is the soup not to your liking?"

"No, no, it's fine," he said with a sigh. He took a deep breath and peeked his eyes up at her. "Listen, Saffira, I . . . I don't think I will be coming back here."

An silence lingered in the air for an excruciating amount of time, then Saffira leaned up, staring straight into his eyes.

"W—what?" she asked breathlessly.

"There was an incident yesterday," he started, every word painful to say. "I've made a mistake. As a member of the Lightsworn, I must uphold my duties with them first and foremost, ever on my guard."

He dropped his eyes down to his uneaten soup, unable to keep her gaze.

"I cannot keep returning here. I'm sorry."

There was a shorter quiet, and he glanced up to see Saffira looking around, confusion on her face.

"I—I—I don't understand," she blurted out as she breathed hard. "Why can't you continue visiting me, h—how is that interrupting your service?"

"I wasn't home when I needed to be," he said, shaking his head. "My comrades could've been killed without me there. Staying here puts them in greater danger."

It took every bit of his will to force himself to look her in the eyes again. She stared right at him, eyes wide and her chest rising and falling quickly.

"B—but I need you here too, remember?" she pleaded as she reached out placed both of her shaking hands atop his. "That monster that you slew! We never determined how it got here; there could who knows how many just ready to invade! A—and that time we saved that one fairy together! I would've have never been able to escape a group attack like that without a fairy or I getting injured. We need you here . . . I need you here! Stay here with me!"

Skyld could only watch and feel his heart sink deeper and deeper as the frantic look in her bright blue eyes grew. It felt like they were burning into his soul. He breathed deep and tried in vain to steel himself again.

"I'm so sorry, Saffira," was all he could say.

The dragon-woman sniffled loudly as tears began to pour down both sides of her face, never blinking as she peered into his own sad eyes for any kind of hope.

"P—please!" she choked out, gripping his hands tight.

Skyld screwed his eyes shut and turned his head down without a word; he couldn't bring himself to face any longer. He sat there and listened to her quiet sobbing, lost in the despair of the moment. He knew it was going to be rough, but he never imagined it would be so awful. He hadn't realized how much he meant to her—how much she meant to him.

He lost track of time. It felt as if hours had passed before silence reclaimed the room, save an occasional sniffle from her. He opened his eyes and glimpsed over at her. She just sat there, staring down at the table, her eyes bloodshot yet with that beautiful sapphire color all the same. Pushing back his chair, he stood and turned to take his leave; he knew anything else he said would only make it worse, not that he could work up the strength to say another word anyhow.

"Skyld."

He stopped and glanced back over his shoulder. Saffira was looking at him with her sad eyes.

"It's been a rough night for both of us," she said weakly, her eyes flicking down as she spoke. "Please, take your rest in one of the guest bedrooms. For my sake."

He would've said no, but he couldn't stand to hurt her anymore.

"Alright, Saffira," he replied gently, closing his eyes.

She nodded and got up, leading him another story up and down a quiet, dimly lit hall. She opened a door and gestured for him to go inside. The room was simple, with naught but a bed and a few dressers alongside a window overlooking the village and the grasslands beyond, though everything was quite ornately designed. He sat down on the bed and faced her.

"Good night," she called out softly, gazing at the floor. The door closed with a thump.

The Lightsworn soldier sighed heavily and held his head in his hands for a long while. He had thought it all out that day, but every fiber of his being told him he made a huge mistake.

Saffira had been right at least; he was exhausted. He stripped himself from his outfit down to his undergarments, haphazardly tossed it onto a dresser, and threw himself under the covers. Thankfully, sleep soon overtook him, taking him away from it all.

---

Skyld awoke in a daze as he often did. He blinked sluggishly as his vision took its sweet time to come to focus. Lying on his back, he stared up at the dark brown ceiling, barely noticing the blur of blue and white that came into view. He blinked slowly, finally recognizing Saffira looking down at him.

"Saffira!" he said with a start, his eyes flying open. "W—what are you doi—"

The words caught in his throat as a glint of light drew his eye to the dresser where a pile of silver and gold armor and a breechcloth rested atop his own clothes. Reflexively, his eyes slid back to her face and inched their way down, getting a close, thorough look at her beautiful, naked body. His mind was numb for ages, almost entirely unthinking save for that same nagging sense of idiocy at himself not knowing she was a woman, reinforced again as he stared at her thick hips, hourglass curves, and the downright massive breasts that dangled only just above his head. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came.

Saffira looked down at his gaping expression, a tiny smile appearing on her face for a short moment.

"I know it's rude to interrupt one's rest," she said in a whisper, her voice melancholic as it was earlier that night. "But I wanted to thank you for everything. I'm not doing this to make you stay, I just want you to know how much I appreciated what you've done, how much it meant."

She shifted on top of him a little; Skyld flicked his eyes down to see that she was on her knees, her bare womanhood perched right next to his erect penis. He brought his eyes up as she leaned her face closer to his.

"So, I want you to have this . . . I want you to have me."

She impaled herself onto his member the moment she finished, a slap of flesh meeting flesh sounding throughout the room alongside their gasps. Skyld hadn't expected someone her size to feel so tight around him, though the sheer, encompassing warmth wasn't nearly as much of a surprise. They panted in unison as she held him fully inside of her, his cock throbbing over its entire length against her twitchy walls and even her cervix as his tip pressed right up against it. Every second of his presence made her tunnel squeeze him, leaking more of her fluids around his shaft for what was to come. She kept still for a short while, letting them both savor the moment. Slowly, she began to lift herself up until just the tip remained within her warm confines, still pulsing away in need as the rest of his manhood suddenly went untouched. She came back down with another drop of her hips, eliciting sharp intakes of breath from them both. Up and down she went, starting off slow and steady. Skyld lay unmoving, transfixed as he watched his cock disappear inside her again and again. It was all so unreal to him; if it weren't for the smack of her ass against his lap and the wonderful pressure around his manhood, he'd have thought it a dream.

After a while of her slow testing movements, Skyld could feel her warm liquids dripping down all of his length. With a soft grunt, Saffira began to plunge down on his cock at a good pace, dropping down and lifting back up in a smooth, continuous motion. Skyld groaned aloud as she bounced on his cock, her soaked pussy letting her slide along his length with all of the titillating scraping and grinding without any painful friction. He could feel it so distinctly as her ass came down with a meaty clap, every inch of his pulsing rod penetrating up into her and pushing her needy walls aside. Even as he dipped in and out quickly, the pleasant, encompassing warmth inside her only built higher and higher, something Skyld never would have thought would be as arousing as it was comforting.

With a bit of difficulty, he pulled his eyes up and looked up at her face. She was looking down at him, her golden hair hanging above, her mouth slightly agape as she panted and moaned from time to time. Despite her twitchy, wet womanhood and the shivers reverberating throughout her body, he could still see the dim light in her eyes, the sadness behind them he had never seen before their talk in the dining room. The pleasure from below seemed to fall away as he realized how hurt she was still, and he felt a great weight on his chest. He knew he had to do something, anything.

Suddenly taking notice of his arms doing nothing at his side, he brought them up and placed his hand on her scaly blue thighs, keeping his eyes locked with the Saffira's all the while. They felt rough and warm to the touch, but, as he moved his hands up and to the white inside of her thick thighs, he could feel it shift to remarkably smooth and even warmer, the scales so fine as to feel like human skin. A light squeeze told him how supple yet firm it was and earned him a little gasp from the dragon. Feeling encouraged, he moved his hands up to her slim stomach, her scales just as fine there. He rubbed his rough hands in circles all around her belly, from top to bottom and around her sides, a finger circling her navel lightly. Another quiet moan came from her, her eyes fluttering. Then, he took his hands south, taking a firm grip of her ass as she pumped up and down on his cock. There, she was nice and plump, with all the heft to fill the room with a slap as she came down. Skyld couldn't help but grin as he squeezed her rump tight with both hands, digging his fingers in. Saffira jumped slightly and let out a small cry, her hips bucking down onto his member instinctively from the stimulus. As nice as her sliding along and gripping his sensitive manhood was, it made him feel so much better to see her grin back down at him, the shine back in her eyes.

A swell of passion built up inside him. With that same hold on her behind, he took the opportunity and began to thrust up into her, starting soft and easy as first. After a short bit of practice, he found the rhythm, pushing up as she dropped down in perfect sync. Immediately, they felt the difference, both grunting and groaning as she came down harder and he penetrated deeper. His bulging head dove deeper than ever, pushing back against spots previously untouched that trembled in ecstasy, even knocking into her cervix ominously. Her draconic pussy's efforts redoubled, squeezing him feverishly from tip to base, gripping and pinching at it all over and leaking more of her hot fluids along his member and onto his lap below. They huffed together, still gazing into the other's half-lidded eyes as they pleasured one another.

As he looked on, he caught sight of her breasts once again. Her well-endowed tits, each as big as his head, bounced here and there tantalizingly above him, almost hypnotically. Two cerise nipples amid great seas of creamy white whipped through the air, drawing his gaze. His hands released from her behind and traced up her stomach without his notice even as he continued to thrust into her inviting femininity. They paused just underneath her breasts for a moment and then latched on, holding them nice and still. Saffira moaned out as she bit her lip, her eyes forced shut from the unexpected touch. He could see and feel her shiver from head to tail as he prodded her pliable mounds even just slightly. It made his dick throb deep inside her to know how sensitive she was there. He went to town on her fat tits, squishing and pulling, rolling them around, squeezing them together, pressing them flat to her chest, all the while her sputtering gasps and moans made him harden more than he thought possible. Rubbing his calloused thumb around her small areolas and flicking them over her taut nipples made her shudder and spasm around his dick erratically, spurring them both on as their bodies clashed in embrace. She even yelled out as he pinched them, surprising him even.

Between the fondling and thrusting, it wasn't until a warm liquid fell on his cheek that he blinked and held her tits still for a moment. He furrowed his brow as he stared up at her boobs, Saffira looking back at him with a similar expression. A testing squeeze shocked them both as thick beads of milk spilled from her nipples and dripped onto Skyld below. A tiny bit caught on his lip; reflexively, he licked it up, noting instantly how sweet it was, the flavor and warmth enrapturing him. He squeezed her breasts again, letting her milk flow free in multiple thin streams onto him and the bed, loving the wavering moan she let out and the electrifying spasm that shook around his dick. He saw to her tits eagerly, smooshing them in his tough hands all over as he had done before as he slowly pulled her down. He didn't give a damn about the milk pouring down on him, the sight of it enough to force his hips up into her cushy ass stronger than ever, his manhood jerking and leaking more and more. Saffira let him pull her down, her eyes almost entirely closed from the strange pleasure of being milked. Skyld could barely restrain himself as her leaking nipples descended, so eager to drink from her proper. Once she was in place, he buried his face in a breast, licking her nipple and the milk around it like he had been starving, his hand gripping it firmly and working more out onto his waiting tongue. His warm tongue dragging back and forth across her stiff nipple made her groan, which all of the sudden turned to a shriek as the Lightsworn wrapped his lips around it and began to suckle.

Skyld's eyes shot open as a flood of hot, sugary milk poured into his mouth instantly, just the first easy suckle making her let loose. He pushed into her pillowy breast and sucked harder, burying his face deep and drawing out more and more of her delicious fluid. His lips pursed tight around her teat, his tongue lapping at it repeatedly, teasing and encouraging her to release more of her sweet nectar. He brought a hand up and dug his fingers into the breast he was latched onto, her rasping moan like music to his ears, the torrent of milk like a taste of heaven in his mouth. Saffira was clearly taken by the onslaught, her hand finding its way to the back of his head to run her fingers through his messy black hair and push him deeper, urging him to nurse. Kneading her breast with his hand and his face coerced a steady stream into his waiting maw, so much so that he had to swallow rapidly lest it overflow down his chin. The taste was divine, unbelievably sweet yet by some miracle not cloying in the slightest, and much more filling than he'd have imagined. He downed mouthfuls of it, unable to get his fill; he lost track of time as he fed from her so greedily. The thought of nursing like that, feeling her shiver and moan from the act excited him on some sort of primal level. His cock jerked powerfully inside her moist, trembling tunnel, stretching it some more and spilling thick viscous drops of pre-cum. The treatment had her shaking heavily all over, slowing her hips as she continued to ride the man below while her pussy clasped with all the more strength.

To Skyld's bewilderment, beyond the stimulation of it all, with each drop he swallowed, he could feel a warmth spreading within him. At first, he thought it just the heat of her milk, but he noticed it spread from head to toe like a fire inside. He suddenly became aware of a sensation of energy he'd never felt before, as if his reservoir of magic had overflown to something far greater. He had been low on his supply as he went to sleep, but he then felt more charged then he ever had before in the realm of light. It was as if he was feeding of her own holy magic itself.

With a surge of intense energy alongside the increasing pressure on his member, he felt compelled to finish the job. Without warning, he released her nipple from his mouth and dropped back down onto the pillow, massaging her milky breasts apologetically as they dripped onto him. Saffira blinked for a moment, then looked down at him with an equally amusing and arousing expression of confusion and need across her face. He hadn't wanted to stop very much either, and he already missed the delectable taste on his tongue even as the all-encompassing warmth flowed through his veins, but he had to move on to the final part. Saffira wasn't in on the plan, it seemed, as she started to question him.

"W—why did you st—"

Her query turned into a yelp as he let go of her tits and slapped her fat ass, grabbing a good handful with each hand. He didn't wait for her ask him again as he took the lead and began to pump her on his cock, thrusting in unison as he moved her hips for her. Anything she had to add was forgotten as he pummeled her bottom, rocketing his cock as deep as it would go, crashing his hips into her with a thump again and again. She was still for a while, her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth as she let him do all the work, pushing his throbbing cock against her every sensitive point as it made its way to her depths, sending shocks of ecstasy through her each time he bottomed out and the tip just kissed her cervix. Once she gathered her head as best she could, she started to plop her ass back down on his cock, though Skyld was still doing most of the work. Together they went fast and hard, crashing into each other like waves on the shore. Their bodies rocked back and forth, Saffira's draconic tits bouncing up and down as she bounced on his dick, her milk dribbling freely without any needed stimulation. The sight of those heaving melons dangling right overhead goaded him on, sending a pulse up his member, forcing him to shove his cock in even faster. He tightened his grip on her big round ass and practically threw himself up into her sopping womanhood, still forcing her up with each thrust. The burning warmth from her milk still flowed within him, making him virtually tireless; he felt as if he could go on forever. Saffira whined and groaned through her teeth as she couldn't keep up, her movements again overtaken by his guiding hands moving her in tandem as he pounded into her. His cock throbbed harder than ever before, veins filled with pumping blood that ran across its length. Each heavy jerk was met with a twitching squeeze from her pussy, the wet passage clutching around him intensely as if it were trying to hold him still, touching each and every contour from the head to the bulging veins. Their panting was growing heavier, louder, almost as much as the slap of their bodies meeting.

"Oh, Skyld . . ." she managed to moan out as she gazed down at him, her brilliant sapphire eyes just open a crack.

He couldn't manage to utter a word back, instead gritting his teeth as he gave it everything he had, pulling her almost too far each time he lifted her to send her crashing down unto his lap on its way up. He barreled into her, relentlessly jamming his engorged cock all the way as it throbbed rapidly and leaked a steady stream of pre-cum; in turn, her pussy clamped down on him surprisingly tightly, gripping every thundering inch with slick, spasming anticipation, even her cervix quavering against his dripping head. He dug his fingers deep into her soft, supple ass as he smashed into it, pushing her entire body roughly with each thrust, even his balls flying up and smacking into her at the same time. With each powerful blow, they were pushed further, throbbing and squeezing harder against the other, their bodies embracing each other completely. With a uncharacteristic growl and a yell, Skyld dropped her ass down on last time, burying the entirety of his cock inside her warm collapsing womanhood, and released.

Their eyes were forced shut as they came magnificently, each writhing in euphoria against the other. Saffira sat in place atop his lap while he still thrust powerfully, his cock throbbing and bulging madly against her squeezes as it pressed right against her parted cervix and blasted thick globs of his human seed into her welcoming womb. Each thrust bashed his head as deep as it could go right as it fired another viscous rope of cum into the safety of her core, her pussy flooding him with lubricant and clasping down right as it heaved his jizz into her, working even more of it out. Skyld gasped roughly at the sheer pressure her womanhood met him with, periodically pinching every bit of his swollen rod in a death grip as he thrust deep, nearly stopping his movement outright in an attempt to keep him right to her; it took all he had to pull out of encroaching grip to shove himself back in there and do it all over again, loving every second of it. Saffira likewise sputtered above him as his cock resisted her body's efforts, bulging and pulsing madly against her quaking, sensitive walls, setting all of her nerve endings ablaze as it dived in and pressed oh-so-firmly into her innermost entrance to launch more of his essence into her draconic womb. Just as he had been overcome with a warm, mystical feeling, each heavy drop of his seed came to rest in her accepting womb and filled it with its amazing weight and warmth in a place she never knew could be so sensitive. It was satisfying in a natural way, yet it even granted her a radiating feeling not unlike what he had known, a sense of truly magical light burning from within, all from his seed. She cried out and shivered all the way down to her sloshing womb, the warming sensation making her body resurge in its efforts and grasp his pounding dick with even more gusto, prying more of his cum from him to fill her up.

The ecstasy of it all overtook them both, rendering them unable to do much but moan and be so superbly aware of each little twitch and pulse from their enjoined bodies. Skyld used what little sense he had to gaze up at her through cracked eyes, smiling as wide as he could to see her gorgeous blue eyes gazing back at him, just as bright and beautiful as ever despite the dulling pleasure of orgasm assaulting every fiber of her being. He didn't dare blink as he looked her straight in the eyes, ignoring the drops of milk raining down from her bouncing breasts onto his face. He wanted to gaze into her eyes as he thrust with all his might and shot his spunk directly into her womb, loving how her eyelids flicker with each rope of jizz splurting inside her. His heart swelled in his chest, the warm magical feeling still going strong; if he was able, he would have lay there and came inside her forever, and he felt like he could do it. He reassured his grip and kept on thrusting into her plump ass and blasting rope after rope into her womanhood.

Though the magic that flowed within him gave him an energy beyond what he had ever known, his body still had its limits. His breath grew heavy, and the waves of orgasmic bliss began to fade. His thrusts grew slower and weaker, his cock throbbing less and less, though her pussy grabbed at him feverishly all the same, squishing his head and veins just nicely enough to pull a few more much-appreciated drops of his spunk from him. But even her ministrations began to falter, and her tunnel grew still besides the odd twitch. Finally, he stopped thrusting into her and settled his still-hard dick deep inside her, the presence of it right against her deepest point still very pleasurable to the both. He watched as Saffira wavered a bit above him, blinking tiredly before she lowered herself onto his chest; her breasts squished against him with a milky mess, but he didn't care and in fact enjoyed the warmth of the liquid and herself. She rested her head besides his and breathed lightly.

"That was wonderful," she said in a whisper next to his ear. "Thank you so much Skyld."

After a short moment, she leaned up with a bit of trouble and stared down at him. He saw that dull gleam in her eyes again. She lowered her head and kissed him on the cheek gently, a soft, simple gesture, but he knew it was really a goodbye.

"I'll always be glad to have known you."

The room was painfully silent after she spoke. Her eyes flicked down and she huffed heavily, beginning to carefully pull herself off his still-erect shaft. Quick as a flash, Skyld shot his hands up onto her back, just below where her wing started, holding her back.

"I'm staying."

Saffira was absolutely motionless.

"What?" she asked almost inaudibly.

"I said I'm staying."

She abruptly jolted as if she had shocked, shaking her head from side to side and blinking hard.

"Y-you are?" she said breathlessly, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "But what about the Lightsworn?"

He raised his hand to her cheek, stroking it softly.

"The Lightsworn will always mean a lot to me, and I don't think I could ever abandon them," he admitted in a low tone, eyes locked with her own. "But I've realized I couldn't abandon you either. I . . . I didn't realize just how much you loved me, just how much I loved you. I'm so glad you came in here and showed me how you felt, even when you thought it was to be our last time together, even when you were so sad. I knew I couldn't live with myself knowing how much I would've hurt you, someone who loves me this much."

Anything he wanted to add was quieted as Saffira brought her head down and kissed him deeply, her arms working their way underneath him to hug him as well. Warm droplets of her happy tears fell onto his cheeks from above. He returned the kiss immediately, closing his eyes, enjoying the intimacy of it. He rubbed her cheek and under her chin as they kissed, taking his hands down her neck, across her smooth pointed antlers, through her silky flaxen hair, even tickling her floppy ears and forcing her to giggle into the kiss. They embraced and explored one another for what felt like forever.

Eventually, they pulled apart, taking deep breaths as they did so, eyes still locked. Any of the sadness her eyes once held was long dispelled, replaced with a happy light that made them shine in dimness of the room; it made him smile to see it again.

"So," she started up, still thinking about their situation. "How are we going to work things out with your friends?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but we'll find a way, together. I know we will!"

"Right!" she replied with a grin. "Wait, what about that energy you need from the realm of light to manifest in other places? Won't you just disappear and return there eventually?"

Skyld grinned right back as he rubbed his stomach.

"Well, luckily for me, I think I found the answer to the question just a little earlier," he said as he brought a hand up to her breast and give it a squeeze, teasing out a thin stream of her motherly liquid and a lusty groan. "I could feel all of that energy get replaced by your own magic as I drank up. It feels so warm and light, it's incredible! So I guess I've got a new power source, huh?"

"Oh, you definitely do," she said roughly as he kneaded her boob lazily, even the meager attention enough to arouse her. He could feel her spent womanhood still twitch from time to time.

Saffira, her arms still wrapped around him, swiftly pulled him up into a sitting position, burying his face between her mammaries and into her warm, fluffy chest. She held him close, rubbing his back with one hand and tracing her fingers through his hair with the other.

"Mmm," she hummed beside his ear, her body vibrating all over, even down to her tunnel much to his pleasure. "Make love to me again, Skyld, please! I want to feel you erupting inside me once more, I need it! Fill me up!"

He didn't need any more coaxing to do the deed. His cock had remained hard even after he had finished, and it stiffened up quite nicely as she begged him for more, taking up all the space in her pussy again is it began to remoisten. It took him a second to get used to the sitting position, and then he started to thrust, going easily but still faster than when they first made love, their bodies used to each other by then. He held her tight in a hug, his face in her fluff, pumping away as he pushed his cock deep. Her passage pinched him exquisitely once again as he went in and out, his dick throbbing with increasing strength. He could hear her huffing away right by his ear. Turning his face up, he kissed her cheek, getting her attention. Immediately they rejoined in a kiss, just as deep and passionate as before. They pressed their mouths together fervently, their tongues beginning to meet and fight for dominance. The dragon-woman's much longer, lithe tongue should've won, but she let him push it back into her mouth, moaning into the kiss as he did so. Skyld thrust up all the while, never missing a beat.

They broke off with a combined gasp, their eyes locked together. Saffira smirked as she moved her hands from him for just a moment, placing them instead of the sides of her large breasts to squish them on the sides, pressing them against his head. He could swear her fat mounds nearly completely enveloped his head, almost blocking out her heavenly voice.

"Surely you are hungry again, my love," she said with a sultry hum in her chest, reverberating around him. "Let me feed you, give you the sustenance you deserve."

Though he was loathe to remove his head from the soothing downy spot, he gladly pulled his head back and sat facing her dribbling boobs. Saffira quickly brought her hands around him again, delicately pushing his head to her breast, just as eager to have him drink again. To show his appreciation, Skyld give her nipple a gentle kiss, sending a little shock through her. Another greater jolt tore across her spine as he nibbled it very carefully, besieging her rock-hard nipple. With a strained purr, she pushed his head deep into her cushiony boob, begging him to suckle, wanting so badly to release her milk into his grateful mouth. He finally obliged, never one to tease, and wrapped his lips close around it, sucking rhythmically as he nuzzled deep into her warm breast, pulling it into his gullet. Saffira sighed heavily with relief and pleasure, massaging his scalp as she held him close, rising and lowering slightly as he continued to pump his cock up inside her as he drank deep. Her milk was every bit as delicious as last time, a veritable ambrosia of heaven with all the power such a thing would hold. He could feel the surge of magic flowing deep within him as he gulped it down. It pushed him onwards, making him smoosh his face deeper and squeeze even more milk from her, making him wrap his arms around her waist tighter and pound his hips into her big butt harder. A shiver passed through her from his ministrations, a little extra milk spilling forth and another twitchy spasm dancing around his veiny manhood.

Not wanting to leave her other breast unattended, he pulled off the one he was at and shot his face to the other one, pressing his face in deep and tracing a tongue in a circle around her nipple before she could raise any objections. After a few introductory kisses that once again made her cry out softly and shudder all over, he began to suckle there, pulling out just as much warm, filling liquid as he had before. He experimented as he went on, seeing how much of her malleable breast he could get in his mouth, blowing air onto her teat, anything he could think of. It was satisfying to see that just about anything he tried earned at least an excited squeak from her and few more drops of her fluids into his maw, but he found that just latching on and massaging her fat tit with his face worked the best, working out a steady stream of milk that filled his mouth in seconds. He was surprised at how much of it he could down, still craving more and more as it in turn powered his efforts.

Skyld began to really pound her bottom, the clap of his hips on her scaly ass filling the room again. His cock swelled and pulsed with arousal, stretching her clutching walls and tapping against her cervix, eager to finish the job and completely stuff her womb with his seed. Her pussy clamped down on him on every side with stronger squeezes, fighting hard against his pounding throbs, urging him to release it all as well. Saffira was panting, pulling his head from her boob without warning. He stared up at her with a quizzical look, already missing the taste of her milk. She stared down at him, her half-lidded eyes reflecting a similar expression. It took him a second to notice her pointing both breasts right at him.

"P—please," she said in a husky voice, fighting hard to power through the waves of pleasure from his manhood penetrating her again and again. "I need m—more . . ."

He got the idea rather quickly. With her still holding her tits squished together, he planted his face right into them, using a bit of finesse to get both of her stiff, leaking nipples into his mouth. Nuzzling and suckling like a newborn, the milk came like a torrent, easily filling his mouth and spilling out the sides. He had to swallow like mad to keep it all down, not that he minded; he loved it all the more, kissing, licking, nibbling and just sucking on her teats, his entire face lost in her fat tits.

"Oh, Skyld, yes!" she cried out, throwing her head back, moving her hips in sync with his thrusts.

He wasted no time, drinking all he could and smashing into her ass with every ounce of energy he had. His cock rocketed into her hot, wet folds repeatedly, the way already slick enough to give him no trouble at all. Her walls tingled as he scraped along them all to hilt inside her, right back out and right back in as fast as he could go. Even at that speed, she could feel it throb and bulge in every detail, every vein outlined perfectly in her mind's eye as her sensitive pussy could make it all out. Her tunnel squeezed back with urgency, her liquids spilling down as it grabbed his manhood in a vice-grip from the squishy head to the unyielding shaft, not able to keep it in place by any means but more than enough to make it jerk with impending rapture. From the hefty smack of his balls against her behind, she knew for sure he was soon to release it deep within, all for her. They bashed into each other without end, growing erratic and jerky as they neared the edge of orgasm. Milk shot out with odd spurts, pre-cum seeped out in thick globs, her womanhood clenched with a mind of its own. Skyld forced his eyes shut as he buried his face deep in her bosom, stifling his final cry with mouthfuls of milk at the final, tremendous thrust.

Saffira's own orgasmic yell was cut short as his blow was just too much, turning it into a pleasured gurgle as his cock throbbed against her trembling, seizing walls and buried deep inside to once more fire ropes of cum into her already occupied womb. Each shallow thrust still smacked against her ass with a loud curt clap, pushing his cock to her deepest point to fire off another round of his precious, burning hot human seed. Her cunt practically devoured his proud manhood, contracting around it like a machine, determined to take his essence by force. As her body shook from head to tail, she pressed her lover's head into her breasts as hard as she could, his suckling and licking just as stimulating. It took everything Skyld had to not lose himself in the ecstasy of the orgasm and just thrust into her with abandon, forcing himself to drink the absolute torrent of precious milk all the while he plunged his cock into her as hard as he could manage. He wiggled his head around, pressing it deep and doing whatever he could as she filled his mouth again and again as he filled her womb. Milk slipped down his chin and down below, but he carried on. Together, they embraced each other completely, giving everything they could to the other as waves upon waves of pleasure racked their frames.

With a ragged gasp, Skyld had to pull away, taking a few deep breaths before diving his face between her breasts, digging into her downy fur and nuzzling and smooching her breasts as she rested her heavy tits on his shoulders, milk pouring down his bare back. His arms tightened around her slim waist, making her yelp as he pummeled her ass with renewed fury, firing thicker globs of semen, sliding in and out with more speed and stretching her farther than ever. She missed the attention to her nipples, but he for sure made up for it as his barrage against her weeping pussy made her peak again, trembling down to her cervix as he blasted through it. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she felt her womb finally stretch to it's fullest extent, filled to the brim with his cum. She could only groan out triumphantly as he continued to thrust and release, warm, sticky jizz overflowing into the rest of her quaking womanhood. Skyld couldn't hold back a moan either even as he buried his face into her breasts. Their voices combined into a melody of love just between the two of them.

Despite both of their wishes, they came down just like before. They remained still for quite some as they held one another, neither wanting to ever let go. Saffira rested her chin atop Skyld's head as it was still buried in her bosom, breathing lightly and blinking slowly.

"Are you still awake, Skyld?" she asked with a slur.

"Mhm."

"Here, let's lie down," she said in soothing tone, leaning forward and to her right to fall on her side. "I know you have to be tired with me waking you up and all."

She shifted beside him, getting comfortable and pulling him in close, humming peacefully with her hand on his head, his face tucked into her fluffy breasts, his manhood and his heavy seed still stuffing her perfectly.

"Ahh, good night, Skyld," she whispered in his ear. "I love you."

"Mmm, I love you too," he replied with his lips pressed right against her sensitive boob, making her shiver.

With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes, and they both drifted off to sleep.

---

"Hmm."

Skyld stood hand-in-hand with Saffira before Michael in the realm of light. The archangel towered over them, standing nearly twenty feet tall. Celestia, and the dragons Gragonith and Judgement were right by his side. He stroked his chin as he looked up into the clouded sky, considering their proposal. They each gripped the other's hand tightly as they waited. Their breath caught in their chests as he lowered his hand and looked down at the couple.

"It certainly is unusual," he began in his booming voice. "But I sense you and your magic are of a good nature, light and holy like our own, and your work is truly admirable. I see no reason to refrain Skyld from remaining with and assisting you in your task, though to be sure your suggestion of keeping him on call in case we require his assistance is a good idea, and one we will likely have much use of."

They both grinned from ear to ear, bowing to the leader of the Lightsworn.

"Thank you so much, my lord," Skyld said reverently.

"Yes, thank you," Saffira added.

As they thanked Michael, neither saw as Gragonith walked over, much quieter than one would expect despite its size. The white and gold dragon lowered its head to Saffira, sniffing her lightly. She looked up with a bit start, calming down as she watched it examine her for moment.

"Hello there, friendly!" she said brightly, reaching out to stroke the fellow dragon's head, careful to skirt around its shining unicorn horn. Gragonith was still for just a moment, and then made a happy neigh as it flapped its wings lightly, pushing its head back into her hand.

She jumped again as she noticed Judgement had walked over and leaned down to her. Judgement was truly massive, more than large enough to bear Michael into battle, but Saffira smiled up at the titanic dragon and patted him softly on the nose all the same. He let out a deep, rumbling bellow and nudged her very gently, his feathery nose tickling her and making her giggle. Michael smiled as he watched.

"Well, if those two like you, then we can definitely be sure you're alright."

Everyone had a laugh, and Skyld and Saffira bid their farewells. They rejoined their hands and looked each other in the eyes. Saffira's golden light shone over them both, bathing them in it's glow as they began to warp away. In a flash, they were gone, off to live their new lives together forever.